clean looks and feminine details debut for spring '06

Olympus Fashion Week has come and gone, but it left audiences anticipating a rebirth of the feminine in fashions for Spring '06. Like the shopping montage in the movie Pretty Woman, the runways traded street chic for easy elegance and left onlookers cheering, "Merci!"

Beneath the tents at New York's Bryant Park, a seemingly endless array of fuller skirts, tailored pants, flattering blouses, longer jackets and generously cut sweaters graced the catwalks. The common denominator of the women's ready-to-wear shows was feminine fashion with light and easy details, including: contrasting trim, delicate layers, soft ruffles, strategically placed bows and precise but never overdone embellishment.

Up close, the collections also boasted an interesting mix of dichotomies: casual fabrics used to dressy effect; a decided emphasis on modern lines, but with a nod to Edwardian ruffles and trims. There was a pervasive grown-up sensibility in design with a wink of playful touches.

"It's about creating a very fluid look, but not in an uncontrolled way; it's deliberate while also being relaxed," explains Wenlan Chai, a designer for Twinkle, a design house based in New York. "We've always been about being girly and sweet and this season, it's absolutely taking that next step."

"This coming spring is going to be one of the prettiest fashion seasons in years," promises Stefani Greenfield, a co-owner and style force behind Scoop NYC, a line of chic boutiques in the Greater New York area. "There will be fuller silhouettes that flatter any body type and clean ladylike details done in a less obvious way than we've seen in years. There's a definite sense of newness."

That's promising news for many women, who have confided in the Cotton Incorporated's Lifestyle Monitorª that they are seeking change in their wardrobes. When asked about their typical new clothing purchases, 59% of female respondents stated that they were buying new and different versus replacing other favored items. According to the Monitorª, in the second quarter of 2005, women were, overall, devoting more time to shopping. The average time, 110.10 minutes, up from 107.7 minutes in the same period a year earlier.

"Women will definitely be shopping and finding things that they love," observes Linda DeFranco, a senior trend forecaster with Cotton Incorporated. "This spring's looks will be less fussy, but still detailed. Garments will have a distinct drapability, offering great fluidity while delivering a sense of relaxed elegance. You can count on crisp cottons with tightly woven constructions this spring. The color palettes will be very tranquil; we'll see plenty of white, cream, rose, cedarwood, petal and hibiscus."

If DeFranco's description of next season's hues brings nature to mind, there is a reason. "Nature serves as a true inspiration for the coming season," she tells. "There's a very natural feel to fashion." She also credits art as an inspiration, with some bold, yet traditional color combinations, like navy and white and graphic black and white prints. "Color is used in very interesting and striking ways," she completes.

Look for influences from both near and far, shares Yildiz Blackstone, president of Luca Luca, an innovative design house. "The inspiration behind the Spring '06 collection is the well-traveled woman who collects incredible pieces from every country she visits, and wears them to a variety occasions."

Famous American brands J. Crew and Lilly Pulitzer credit sources closer to home. "We started with a few key images of a Cape Cod weekend, navy and whites, soft shells, the classic trench, crisp cottons paired with a soft chiffon and a slight shift in proportion with longer shorts and easier tops," muses Jenna Lyons, senior vice president of women's design for J. Crew.

"Lilly Pulitzer's Spring 2006 line, 'Day at the Races', was inspired by the social and festive nature of outdoor horse racing events and horse shows, such as the Kentucky Derby," offers James Bradbeer, president of the company. "Spring prints evoke the casual elegance you would find at high society races and horse shows across the country, with silhouettes appropriate for any springtime occasion."

Inspirations from days gone by also abound, adds Greenfield from Scoop. "There are so many looks that are evocative of so many different eras," she tells. "We see the full and well-cut skirt from the 50's, the fitted sheath dress from the 60's, and the flouncy skirt from the 70's. Then again, I also see influences from many earlier decades, like the 30's and 40's, particularly in the cut of the garments. Everything has been reinterpreted for a modern look."

What experts count on is a resurgence of the dress as the key fashion staple for women. This coming season, there are countless interpretations including shifts, sleeveless varieties, sheaths, one armed silhouettes and vintage-inspired creations. "With the retro looks of the last season and the popularity of the dress, it felt natural for Luca Luca to expand on these themes, as our customer is modern and sophisticated," states Blackstone. "For me, I love the dress. You just put it on, add a great pair of shoes and a bag and you're done. I think every woman can appreciate the ease and simplicity of this approach."

Ease and simplicity are the watchwords for spring designs. And, regardless of the varied inspirations behind them, women can count on looks that flatter and flirt. It will be a season dominated by fit and fluidityÐan haute homage to femininity. Oh, the joy of being a (grown-up) girl!

This story is one in a series of articles based on findings from Cotton Incorporated's Lifestyle Monitorª tracking research. Each story will focus on a specific topic as it relates to the American women's wear consumer and her attitudes and behavior regarding clothing, appearance, fashion, fiber selection and many other timely, relevant subjects.

Publisher: cotton inc
A research and promotion company funded by US cotton producers and importers of cotton goods into the United States designed and operated to build demand for cotton in the US market and for US cotton in world markets.
Published: October 2005
Region: usa

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