The Autumn/Winter 2008-09 fashion forecast at the Igedo Fashion Fairs in Dusseldorf, Germany proved to be an exciting and colorful story as brands presented their creations with a lot of interesting touches. Nearly 1415 exhibitors put their creativity on show at the CPD women’s wear section with trends that will make fashion statements at the end of the year. Fashion was a mix of casual, formal, plus sizes, maternity, swimwear and lingerie. Top brands gave their silhouettes, fabric and colour directions. MEHER CASTELINO talks to some leading brands on directions for the coming season.
SANDWICH
Mix of warm and wintery fabrics
Sandwich Germany’s popular women’s wear brand had a look which was a mix of warm and wintery fabrics for slim cut trousers and voluminous tops along with sexy shorts teamed with chunky knitted jackets. The styling of the trousers was an unusual mix of skinny to loose fit in fabrics with washes that make them comfortable. Soft quilting was used for jackets and tops. The new collection from Sandwich was the ‘Homewear’ line in soft fabrics in shades of black, mineral and grey.
“The casual line has a vintage look of knitted tunic dresses, reversible cardigans and short jacket with ¾ stretch sleeves. Tunics and dresses in prints along with checks and stripes on a subdued base of grey mineral and coffee get a colourful lift with mustard yellow, purple, ruby and azure. The formal festive line in satin crepe is in layers for silhouettes. Prints are in with shades of grey, ivory, cream and black coffee, white, purple, orange, ruby and blue along with mini prints that create high lights,” informed Gloria Gollmann Country Manager Sandwich.
ANJA GOCKEL
Fun and creative
Anja Gockel with her personal label has been showing at the CPD for the past five years. This London trained German designer is the darling of Europe for trendy creations and for Autumn/Winter 2008-09, her collection titled “I’ve Got a secret and I’m gonna keep it” was fun creative and great fashion.
Anja who often buys fabrics from India had a colourful story ranging from brilliant pink, smoky amethyst and cosmic violet to steely graphic, black onyx and toxic green besides rusty topaz, wool white and icy grey. A mix of graphic prints sophisticated pleats and modern quilted fabrics were combined with elastic wool fabrics, coarse knits and satins.
Miniskirts, jackets, princess line dresses, pencil skirts, knee length rouched skirts, sheer blouses over bikini tops, tie-up hemlines for dresses and skirts were some of the innovative fashion touches. “It’s a thoroughly wearable collection of separates and dresses which can be cleverly mixed and matched,” said Anja.
BANDOLERA
Vibrant fashion
Bandolera brings striking fashion for the coming season. Divided into four themes the colours for each group were distinct and vibrant along with fabrics. Modern Bohemian the first group was inspired by the neo-Victorian Edwardian look reminiscent with full sleeves, clinched waists, stand up collars, high waist fitted pants which were narrow at the bottom and slightly wide on top.
Colours ranged from taupe, blue berry, grape, violet in fabrics that were a blend of cotton and techno washed vintage luxury coating shiny light prints along with a new quilted look for minis and taffetas for trench coats. Tunics were worn with tight trousers and cropped pants while knits had rich stone embroidery and draped necklines.
Diva or Dandy segment was business like with paisley and folk prints in shades of black and white in fabrics like cotton satin, jersey, denim mixed with velvet coated and shiny wool.
The jackets were Chanel like with tight Jodhpurs. Large collars and hoods appeared for jackets and knits teamed with drainpipe trousers.
The Warrior Princess was a stylish military knit look where blazers, high waist skirts, tight trousers and oversized tunics came together. Empire line amazing dresses in shades of khaki, olive, off white and mustard in techno flannel printed velvet and silk completed the look. “Our final collection Boudoir spells femininity inspired by Marlene Dietrich in dark mauve lilac, pink, off white for tweed, jacquard, chiffon, crushed printed acetate, mixed velvet and printed light wool,” informed Jose Kortstee.
CONCEPTION 4
Denim galore
For casual denim styling Conception 4 caught the buyers’ eye with their denim collections called Love Jeans for women and Anyway label for men. Started in Germany by Daljit Singh Bawa 30 years ago the business is run by son Param and daughter Bianca. The company headquarters are in London where it is called Ice Fashion with offices in Shanghai, Canton, Delhi and Hong Kong.
“Denim is our strongest product and we do 2-3 stories in a collection every month. Sales are in Germany, London, Holland, France, Far and Middle East. Only 5% of the production is in India. We are wholesalers and a brand where buyers often take our styles and put their labels.
Our production is 1-1.5 million pieces a month and we have been participating at the Igedo for seven years,” informed Bianca Bawa. Their jeans trend is resin coated polyester metallic denim look. Detailing means a lot of sequin diamante work.
With 50-60 new styles every month, 70% of the business is in women’s wear and 30% in men’s. The look was very trendy in shades of denim blue that ranged from indigo to grey.
APANAGE
Dressing women
For some exciting women’s wear Apanage had several collections that ranged from dresses to blouses, skirts, jackets and pants with edgy styling.
“We have the Apanage Femme and Apanage Collection. The first is divided colour wise in Ink Blue for cotton taffeta jersey balloon shaped coat dresses with empire line.
Then Light Brown has prints on jersey and woollen georgette, stretch satin for shift dresses. Mystic Black is the Jackie Kennedy look for Sleeveless Princess line dresses.
Red Signals is bold colours in jersey chiffon. Metallise has a black and white theme with lace for long dresses and Black and White is for heavy jersey fabrics with quilted detailing for simple shapes. Small jackets in tweed are a part of this line,” informed Franz Krause Product Manager Apanage.
The second theme revolved around colours like Mocha, Grey Inspiration, Dark Lilac and Shades of Green for Empire Line dresses with small puffed sleeves or sleeveless dresses.
The two-piece look for a one piece garment, ‘A’ line silhouettes, tie-up belts, draped waterfall neckline, tulip shirts are the other fashion directions for Apanage Femme.
For Apanage Collection six themes gave a grand style forecast. The first one called Softness in Nature had mill washed cotton, coated satin for outdoor garments, tone-on-tone prints for sport looks along with the tight pencil skirt.
The second theme Black Magic had high gloss reptile looks. Honey comb stretch fabrics for high waist pants and figure hugging jackets. Siena had double faced fabric, crocodile finish in lacquered brown, soft fleece combined with nylon for drainpipes, cigarette pants and silk blouses.
Silver Horizon included grey denim coated gloss prints, in contrasts for masculine suits, jackets and trousers, straight cut coats, knee length skirts with pleated details. Elegant Life included cigarette pants and knits with batwing sleeves or poncho type pullovers. Finally Glam Allure offered corduroy, satin, voile, wool/viscose, two-tone fabrics for boot cut trousers and short sleeved pullovers.
GREYSTONE–
The country look
The Greystone label offers a line of men’s and women’s wear for Autumn/Winter 2008-09. Indians will be happy to note that this German label will soon be available in India in September 2008. It’s an elegant casual wear with that very stylish European touch. “There are shirts, waistcoats, cardigans, jackets, dresses, skirts and trousers for both sexes. The look is very outdoor and earthy with colours that match the look and theme. Monogrammed jackets, cardigans and shirts give this collection a great country look in tones like grey, brown, blue, maroon and deep red,” informed Walter Olschewsky Managing Director Greystone.
KAFFE/CREAM/SIRUP
Young trendy fashion
Belonging to the DK Group in Denmark the labels Kaffe Cream and Sirup had a line of young trendy fashion which will create a stir with the fashion conscious generation. “We have a wide range in wool, cotton, silk, polyester which we get from China and Bangladesh. The Cream collection comprises denim dresses with detailing, jeans, white smocked embroidered tops, waist coats, cardigans, tiered skirts, printed shirts, tulip tunics, striped boat neck Tees,” informed Thomas Vygg of the DK Group.
Kaffe is aimed at the more sophisticated woman on the move so there are dresses in prints of rust cardigans, long leggings, skinny pants, dresses, skirts with embroidered hemlines, stylish jeans, printed skirts in shades of bright sun yellow, grey, blue, maroon and petrol.
Sirup is the wild very young look with ink blue, velvet dresses, large brown and black checked minis and tunics, silver satin dolman sleeve blouses teamed with Bermudas, vertical bold striped cardigans, pullovers with balloon sleeves and tiny bubble dresses in knit.
EMOZIONI
Comprehensive range
Emozioni offered six themes starting with the section Soft & Simple which had textured tweed contrasts with delicate knits, fine silk crepe in fancy patterns in ice blue, grey, mussel blue to pearl. Dresses were A or O lines with body conscious femininity.
The second theme of Light & Shadow was in dark colours for Glen checks and weaves giving a masculine look. Tie pattern silk satins for slim line dresses with a sexy look along with fitted or wide jackets. In the section Vitality & Tradition it was natural colours like browns, chestnut and leather for Glen checks, silk crepe or fur textures. The silhouettes were more angular. Reality & Modernity was for warm tones for smooth jersey and delicate silk prints and woollen lace and checks for high buttoned blouses, zippered dresses with loose sleeves and businesslike jackets.
“Our fifth section Authentic & Glamorous has metallic grey tones with Prince of Wales patterns for dresses with a handmade look and little pleats and elegant collars. The suits look masculine and feminine with stylish blouses. In the last section Rich & Pure it is a feminine urban line with high gloss satins, lacquered studs and burnt out looks.
