Colour and trend perspectives spring/ summer 2015 for sports apparel

Colour and trend perspectives spring/ summer 2015 for sports apparel

Lecture at OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen (Germany) on July 12, 2013

Out Of The Wild, Into The Concrete

Quo vadis:

Out of the wild, into the concrete

Presentation at Performance Days Show
Munich/Germany, May 16, 2013

Sports invade urban environments. In the digital era sports have become an elementary part of the lifestyle. Sports are no longer just physical exercises or competition but the way of life in our era. “Faster, better, further” – this principle of the sports world has become the most important leitmotif in modern societies.

Movement and mobility are everything for a globalized world where ever more people live in big cities. Public spaces are the new playing fields. We are used to see people practising sports in urban environments in their sports dresses.

About 40% to 50% of the people in most of the classic industrialized countries perform sports regularly. A closer look to statistics shows that running, swimming and cycling are the preferred sports.

Though classic performance outdoor sports like skiing, climbing and hiking profit from the current desire to be re-connected to nature, the sports industry has to rethink the further development of sports clothing.

Pushing the boundaries of high-performance properties for fabrics and garments will not be enough to satisfy the needs and desires of fastidious urban consumers. Sports are integrated into everyday life between office and home. Therefore the consumer asks for appropriate sports clothing. Sports clothing is more than function!

Performance sports are image-builder for most collections and brands – staging sports people in extreme and challenging situations reflects the desired active and dynamic lifestyle at its best.

But most people don´t practise performance sports at an extreme level, therefore high-performance wear with super water repellency, excellent climate management and top-top abrasion resistance is not really necessary. It is time to create clothing according to people´s way of life and follow their desires.

Recreational and health supporting sports are currently the fastest growing market in sports. They are mass phenomenons in urban spaces – a counter-balance to most demanding living conditions. And they offer new chances due to the big diversity of the potential target groups.

Please don´t forget the active people of higher age – the sports industry still doesn´t really tackle this challenge!

Small brands appear on the scene and take advantage of the literally spoken fertile urban soil – they respond to current major trends like individualization, localization, traditional crafts and ecology. Products which are close to people´s desires are the result.

You want to know to know more? Please don´t hesitate to contact me!
Get your individually shaped interpretation of major sports trends.

Nora Kuehner
fashion design consulting

Colour and trend perspectives 2015 for sports apparel

Colour and trend perspectives 2015 for sports apparel

Lecture at Performance Days in Munich (Germany) on May 15, 2013

Participation in the international trend board of Première Vision

for the season autumn/ winter 2014/15 in Paris

Sport between Mega-City and K2

Sport between Mega-City and K2

Lecture at ISPO Winter 2013 in Munich (Germany) on Februar 2, 2013

Anything goes? The end of trend?

Presentation at Performance Days show in Munich/ Germany, November 13, 2012

Anything goes?

People constantly on the move, travelling the whole globe, navigating a virtual world full of digital adventures – this lifestyle with its fast changing scenarios has changed perceptions and attitudes completely. The one and only ultimate trend has been replaced by an innumerable and complex variety of trends.

Modern consumers are no simple followers but delight in creating their own individual style oscillating between hyper local and strictly global.

Individuality is precious to us, we are all searching for uniqueness in the things we buy, in what we wear, what we do. We want surprising and creative products, we dream of amazing and maybe eccentric experiences.

This means for apparel design that we have to create clothing which becomes part of the personal narrative of the individual – whether young or old, whether in fashion or in sports.

And it also means to work on diversity and not homogenization!

We have to shift the direction of developing collections. Most consumers don´t belong to high performance target groups. They wish to optimize the own body, to increase health and control weight. But the sports they choose have to fit their way of life.

Practising sports has become a substantial part of the lifestyle in the classic industrialized countries. Due to this „sportification“ of modern societies and the fact that ever more people live in cities sports have left natural surroundings and the classic sports facilities.

People have discovered urban environments as playgrounds.
What is happening in these playgrounds? New kinds of sports are constantly developing. Trend sports like le parkour have been developed as a result of the interaction with urban surroundings. Other sports developments are driven by the question: What hasn´t been done up to now?

All these newly developed sports focus on the individual itself – exposing himself/herself to others to show his/her mastery of a certain sports activity.

We also see that people prefer sports which can easily be performed without practising them for years (like you have to do it in tennis or golf). As people want to integrate sports into their daily routine, they also prefer sports which don´t need a lot of equipment.

New sports clothing ideas & concepts are needed for these demanding urban-based sports people !

Let´s face the challenge of the demographic change. An ever increasing number of people remains healthy and active until a higher age – also due to practising sports. But there are the really attractive products for this target group?

Elder people may not be that eager on consumerism as young ones are, yet they are far more interested in products with a good quality. They have higher demands and are not easy to satisfy. They are in search of attractive clothing which meets their needs and fits them properly. Why do we ignore them?

Another major topic where we have to intensify our efforts deeply is the issue of ecology and sustainability. We produce clothing for outdoor sports, we want people to feel at home in nature with the garments we offer. We offer highly protective clothing – why not protect nature, too?

The need to preserve nature and our home planet should be a matter of course for our industry. Let´s be sustainable at heart!

Nora Kuehner
fashion design consulting

Colour and trend perspectives 2014/15 for sports apparel

Nora Kuehner
fashion design consulting
Secretary General of IDEAS ACTIVE SPORTS DESIGN NETWORK
Presentation at Performance Days show in Munich/ Germany,
November 12 and 14, 2012

Colour perspectives for Summer 2014 and Winter 2014/15

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The IDEAS colour forecast for summer 2014 opens up new horizons for a world which has been facing for years crisis, trouble and fear. We have to look beyond the everyday and create new visions for tomorrow.

As usual IDEAS has defined six colour stories around the universe of sports. Yet the first story called “designers´ choice” boosts the lines of sports and enhances a fashionable active lifestyle feeling which we see spreading over the globe:

in between

A synthesis of contrasts, bridging the gap between day & night, light & darkness, fragility and solidity.

A sophisticated array of colours – austere black & white smoothed by subtle shades of grey and dusty rose. Injections of fluorescent glowing pink highlight the scenery.

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Keywords concerning the appeal of fabrics:

Fabrics linking fashion and functionality.
Robust yet elegant.
Synthetic fibres blend with wools.
Soft layering.
Matte and shiny coatings.
Minimalistic geometry.
Patterns draw inspiration both from photography & hand-crafted moisaics.

with a view

Caught up in unbridled imagination and day-dreams. New universes seen from a distance through a misted lens.

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Refined pastel colours get a funky touch by fluorescent acid lime. A harmonious and sensitive colour range with delicate airiness.

Fabrics focus on:

Functional properties with a soft & dry handle.
Light elastic laminates.
Coatings with a sheen.
Milky transparencies.
Cracked effects on fluid surfaces.
Scattered layers of prints produce 3D effects.
Curvaceous & fragile line drawings.
Water-colour effects.

vanishing point

Touching a distance … Breaking out of model thinking, giving shape to new ideas. A pioneering spirit accompanied by rational thinking.

A subdued yet luminous colour range. Fresh aquatic shades of blue and green are highlighted by sunny yellow. Dark earthy burgundy sets delicate accents.

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High performance at its best. Latest technology – clean and pure.

Lightweights go to their boundaries.
Extreme breathability.
Engineered jacquards.
Refined fabrics with high density.
Detailed geometric patterns play with light & shadow.
Sculptural architecture inspires surface design.
Metallic sparkle.

gleaming void

Seeking the promise that lies beyond the horizon. Exploring both real and virtual landscapes modelled by lucid light – irresistible and poetic.

Colours are based in nature and full of energy. Slightly dried by the sunshine or washed out. A gentle and enveloping range of yellow, light shades of green and papaya reds. A very light sky blue and a deep sea blue cool down the atmosphere.

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Blends of natural fibres with polyamide.
Visible, natural irregularities.
Soft grains.
Micro-perforated multi-layers.
Geometric forms repeat to shimmering infinitiy.
Functional summer wool.

skyhigh

Prosaic urban surroundings turn into a land of adventures. Sparkling with creativity and new ways of thinking. Celebrating diversity instead of uniformity.

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Strictly artificial colours. Varying from cheery brights like quirky pink, lemon sorbet and sweet candy to dimmed shades of olive, mauve and mustard.
Sheer energy & exuberance.

Focus on summer fleece & brushed knit.
Cotton & bamboo piqués.
Hand-crafted details.
Graphics mix organic shapes & streamline geometry.
Bold flower prints recall traditional cross-stitching.

Infinite fusions

Enhancing our knowledge and skills by discovering other cultures and their treasures. Shaping a new universe by interweaving the global heritage of crafts with contemporary technological developments.

Bright primary shades at the core of this range. Grounded by night blue. A vibrant and strong mix filled with optimism.

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Sustainability & ecology.
Long lasting durability
Fabrics link functionality & fantasy.
Graphics adopt patterns across the globe.
Hand-painted or stenciled motifs.
Nearly dematerialized gradations of colour.

The complete IDEAS colour forecast summer 2014 (62 pages with graphic inspirations & recommendations for colour combinations) can be purchased exclusively by direct order via e-mail: news@ideas-designers.com.

Looking beyond …
Winter 2014/15 delights in a strong black and white statement. Refined shades of grey and dark burgundy underline the subtle nobleness of this theme. Injections of sulphur yellow add an active sports feeling.

The second colour story draws inspiration from tonal gradation of pinkish red. The range is completed by frosty shades of sky blue and deep mint for a delicate yet luminous colour mood.

Blue – the magical colour of space oscillates in numerous and rather diverse shades. This story is strictly forward-driven and dedicated to technical progress. Fitting perfectly for high performance wear.

Another vibrant story plays with the tension between strictly artificial colours like lilac and sulphur yellow and delicate earthy tones. Metallic coolness broken by natural warmth.

Please note:
The IDEAS colour forecast for winter 2014/15 will be available by January 31, 2013.

Nora Kuehner
fashion design consulting

Colour and trend perspectives spring/ summer 2015 for sports apparel