CIFF Fashion Trends
Spring/Summer 2006 – Totem/UK
Mood
Tribal art from Africa or Oceania; the graphic lines of symbolic paintings, objects or masks linked to rites and traditions. All constitute a richness and endless sources of inspiration for contemporary artists. They mix it with their own creative universes, offering a resolutely modern approach to a new ethnic luxury design. A new hand-worked modern mix.
Colours
For women: A range of deep, dense colours such as dark brown and brick, accompanied by amber notes evoking the pure animals mineral or vegetation pigments used by indigenous tribes, clear, bright accents of red and violet add a feeling close to contemporary art.
Colours
For men: Also strong deep tones, bases in dark browns for menswear. Also primary brights; red, green, yellow or blue for geometric patterns tempered by a neutral.
Fabrics
Trend to natural and vegetation material like cotton, silk, linen. Bamboo is worked with a spirit of cotton. More rustic vegetal tribes such as straw, banana and palm leaf fibres are used in blends or as ornamentation. Dry hands and mat looks recall the arid lands of rough arts.
Primitive graphics inspire relief effects, fancy weaves and jacquards: Two-tone or tone on tone mini motifs, vibratory moving patterns.
All forms of plaiting, caning and weaving applied to everyday primitive objects are there to be reinterpreted mostly on cotton and linen. Then the star is the new natural very “material” fabrics: Heavy rather limp basket weave cloths or cotton twills with placed effect yarns; inserted as if “darned”.
Silk yarns or ribbons bring a touch of subtle feminine shine. Lots of prints and jacquards knits, often taking inspiration from a primitive/Bauhaus mix: Giant geometrics, checkerboard and diamond shape checks. Coloured stripes, ethnic zig zag. Knits are worked in ungauged or loose yarn effects evoking traditional art. Stitches suggesting braids, mini jacquards inspired by ethnic fabrics.
Womenswear
An “Afro” masculine look interpreted in an assortment of graphic patterns combined in the same outfit. Men’s jackets are worked in a close fitting manner, often punctuated with oversize modern primitive jewellery or “primitive” buttons. These are accompanied by masculine trousers or to break up limp pants or fluid skirts. A limp “chic sport”-look with safari jackets worn as shirts: The shirt varies mini and maxi prints with graphic motifs and is worn as a tunic or dress. Flared, soft skirts, asymmetric or high waisted and fastened by a jewel belt. Extra long fluid skirts or summer dresses printed with giant modern primitive graphics.
Menswear
For men the line is quite narrow and close fitting, freely inspired by primitive statues; with blousons worn over fatigue pants using bandage effects and rope-tying. Plus a true sport spirit reinterpreted in boubou fabrics. Coordinate lines as real suits, safari jackets + bermudas, straight jackets + darted jeans, parkas + fatigue pants worked in shapes of architectural lines. Primitive motives for tops; abstract scenes, two tone jacquards, raw patches and topstitching for fitted tee-shirts and three-quarter shirts. Importance also of modern primitive graphic motives.
