Heimtextil Trends 2017-2018: international designers have upcoming trend developments in their sights in Frankfurt am Main
Heimtextil, International Trade Fair for Home and Contract Textiles (10-13 January 2017)
The Heimtextil Trends team 2017/2018, creatives from France, Japan, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Germany and the USA discussed current trends in the fields of textiles, art, fashion and architecture. ‘Our Trendtable with its international participants is a place where immense creativity and a rich variety of cultural aspects meet. This results in some incredibly exciting views of the design of tomorrow’, reports Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt.
French designers in the vanguard
During the meeting in France, all the design studios represented at the meeting presented their own trend predictions; these were then discussed and developed further. The designers present incorporated a variety of materials and textures, colours and patterns from all over the world into the mix. At the end of the process, a mutual, globally applicable trend prognosis for the coming 18 months was established and will be realised in the form of the Heimtextil Trendbook and “Theme Park”. The preparation of the book and realisation of the “Theme Park” is always the responsibility of one of the agencies taking part in the Trendtable and a different agency takes on the role every year. For Heimtextil 2017, the responsibility lies with the French trend studio Carlin International under the leadership of Exalis GmbH.
New trend theme: “Exploration”
“Exploration” is the overarching trend theme that defines this year’s Trendtable for 2017/2018. ‘The age of discovery is not yet over’, said Italian climber Simone Moro in 2016 after he conquered the mountain Nanga Parbat in Pakistan in an exceptional feat of strength. His successful climb led him to encourage people to be brave enough to continue making discoveries in all areas of life and research. Driven by the vision of reinvigorating our scientific curiosity and spirit of discovery, Trendtable has selected a variety of innovative materials, textures and new patterns for the international trade fair Heimtextil that will supply designers with innovative strength and new creative inspiration.
Carlin International/Exalis present the trends for 2017/2018 as well as the design of the new “Theme Park”
Heimtextil 2017 invites us on a journey into the unknown, full of curiosities and fascination. With “Explorations”, the “Theme Park” will provide exactly the right theme for Heimtextil from 10-13 January 2017. A first glimpse of the new furnishing trends for 2017/18 was presented by those responsible for organising the trade fair in a discussion session transmitted live across the world on 6 September 2016 at the Hotel Lindenberg in Frankfurt. Those present included Natalie Weinmann from the design agency Carlin International/Exalis, responsible for the conception and design of this year’s “Theme Park”. With Anne Marie Commandeur from the Stijlinstituut Amsterdam and Felix Diener from the design studio of the same name, additional members of the Heimtextil Trendtable also took part in the conference and gave their prognoses for textile interior design for the coming season.
The Heimtextil trend experts have examined the disciplines of retail, technology, hospitality, transport, work and home and made numerous new discoveries. Bearing in mind the key phrase “marketing decoding”, the book informs readers which new aspects could be of benefit for companies and their brands in future. Pioneering projects and start-up ideas are presented and creative suggestions and unconventional approaches offered. In doing so, the trend researchers are answering the ambitious call for exploration and the desire to tap into unknown worlds. Creative self-observation and the need to investigate and understand how people function also play an important role. “Based on the theme ‘exploration’, we have looked for materials, textures and elements to bring innovations to life. In doing so, we discovered fabrics that gave rise to surprising combinations when merged with other materials. It is these nine fabrics from unknown worlds that captivate us. At the same time, the natural aspects reveal an unexpected sensuousness,” explains Natalie Weinmann from the design agency Carlin International/Exalis. Both the new trend book that will be presented during the conference and the “Theme Park” at the trade fair invite visitors to carry out their own explorations and discover new production and marketing approaches. An initial overview of the statements provided by the trend researchers is already available online: background information is supplied and design projects presented at www.heimtextil-theme-park.com.
Trade fair highlight “Theme Park” in hall 6.0
As the world’s largest specialist trade fair for home and contract textiles, Heimtextil functions as a barometer for trends and yardstick for quality textiles with excellent design and innovative functionality. This is why Messe Frankfurt got the Heimtextil trend underway in 1991 and has consistently expanded it ever since. Every year, a Trendtable with international members investigates the most important universal trends and supplies product developers, creative teams, furnishers and designers with valuable advice and reliable trend statements. At Heimtextil 2017, those responsible for organising the trade fair will continue the trend concept and implement the “Theme Park” as the central trend-related and inspirational area of Heimtextil in Hall 6.0. The conception and realisation of this showcase at the trade fair, as well as the design of the accompanying book and new website, will be managed by the French trend agency Carlin International under the leadership of Exalis from Berlin.
Heimtexil Theme Park “Explorations” – Trends 2017/2018 – an overview of the themes:
Virtual Explorations
Digital processes enable a new interpretation of transparency. Thanks to a mother-of-pearl-like shimmer, fabric is brought to life in a vibrant way. Films and silk are reminiscent of reflections in water thanks to dazzling holographic brilliance. Extravagant floral patterns, embroidery, jacquards and lace dominate and give rise to astonishing fascination. A new form of digital exoticism is born. Structures from cell organisms inspire and convey a new understanding of 3D. Organic-animal structures give technical materials a sensuous-poetic flexibility. Colours are lively and reminiscent of water.
Cultural Explorations
A new urban multiculturalism unfolds: various cultural influences merge to form a unique multinational in-culture. This transformation can also be seen in interiors. A focus on particular cultures is increasingly disappearing. Traditional techniques are being modernised and merged together, resulting in highly modern and luxurious modifications. Pigment colours merge with urban shades to form a universal ethnic look.
Planetary Explorations
In an unknown, interplanetary world, raw materials are used and the interior becomes a mineral itself. A new, magical brilliance is extracted from the materials, which are given protective characteristics. From this wealth of materials arise material extracts and textures hitherto unknown. New wipe techniques form fine structures of mineral-like delicacy. The principle of controlled chances leads to new kinds of shading. Deliberately voluminous materials are reminiscent of the surface of the moon and serve as soft, protective shells. The colour palette plays with light and dark and oscillates between bright white and ash-coloured tones.
Natural Explorations
The way to rediscovering urban aspects takes us through nature. The use of natural materials in industrial manufacturing processes is more contemporary now than ever before – not least out of respect for our planet. But this isn’t enough: the interior is entering into a symbiosis with nature. Touch is dominated by natural fibre effects such as wood-like reliefs or bark structures. The materials make use of geometric elements in order to imitate the plant world. Details from the animal world are incorporated with the help of textures. This gives rise to camouflage patterns, both original and finished, from the animal and plant world. Intensive green tones mix with colours inspired by tree bark and earth.
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