In yesterday's post we looked at the S/S 14 knitwear trends analysing in general the research area at the Pitti Filati event. Since some of the readers got in touch asking if I had further images of the pieces showcased, let's take a closer look at some of the garments with a follow up post that focuses more on specific trends and characteristics.
(Soft) Architectural Constructions: The strong structural potential of some yarns can lead to the creation of very interesting pieces characterised by wave-like motifs or layers of knitted fabric overimposed one on the other.
In this example, the stratified "tiles on roof" motif is produced employing Pinori Filati's Snoopy (87% linen, 13% polyamide), Be.Mi.Va's Organzino (pure shiny viscose), Liv (70% viscose, 30% nylon) and Audrey (72% cotton, 18% linen and 10% nylon).
Candy-like Effects: Candies, their colours and texture seem to be very popular for the S/S 14 season. The flat lollipop-like red and white circle motifs on the menswear sleeveless cardigans above (you can see it better in yesterday's post) are produced via Accademia I Grandi Filati's Babette (57% viscose, 43% nylon), Divé's Trasparente (100% polyamide) and Confort (90% polyester, 10% lycra), Igea's Planet Washable (65% viscose, 35% polyamide) and Lineapiù's Angie (83% rayon viscose, 17% elité polyester fibres).
The layered motif around the sleeves of the top are instead produced with Filpucci's Glass (100% polyester) and Scilla (100% viscose). Both the yarns create effects that make you think about the light and weightless textures of cotton candy and of crystals in sugar candies.
Covering Yet Revealing: Playing with transparencies is a desirable trend, especially when a yarn is used to give the impression a fabric has been eaten away to reveal the surface lying underneath.
These effects can be produced by employing harder and softer yarns: the first example shows a top in a blend of linen, cotton, viscose and polyester. The second look is instead slightly more arty and ethereal and is produced with Loro Piana's Irish (100% linen) and Stretchsilk (65% silk, 35% steel) and Filpucci's Scilla (100% viscose).
Density: This effect is produced by aggregating together many different stitch patterns and continuously adding to a garment, alterating at times only the scale and size of the knitted motifs. The final result follows the contours of the body but creates an armour that engulfs it as well.
In this specific case the bolero jacket in the image is entirely and densely covered in aggregates but it's not extremely heavy since it's not made with wool-based yarn (bear in mind this is a S/S design). The bolero is indeed made with Be.mi.va's Tracy Klee (80% cotton, 20% linen) and Toscano's Facilino (88% linen, 12% nylon) and Opalino (100% linen).
Distortions: Punk is the word for this trend. Imagine Steve Jones' playing during the "Anarchy in the UK" tour in a string vest-like sweater characterised by loose and distorted knitting. Put under it a contrasting top in a dark colour and bond them together you get the look.
Frayed and slightly ruined this raw design has actually got a pannier skirt recreated by adding around the hip area a series of thick ropes.
In this case the top is made with Filpucci's Vismat Crepe (100% viscose) and Pecci's Bellino (100% linen), while the skirt features Zegna Baruffa's Origami (54% linen, 46% cashmere) and Alpes' Egizio (100% cotton).
The result is a combination of contrasting yarns, textures and colours and the uneven knitting can be used as an anti-fashion statement.
Embellished: Sequins or crystals are among the most common embellishments employed by designers and they are very often successfully used to attract those consumers with the proverbial "magpie eye".
Yet trends for the next season prove they may disappear in favour of other and more delicate embellishments.
The choice is wide and features crocheted appliqued motifs, tulle or raffia flowers and frayed lace. An interesting match is proved by applying colourful embroideries on designs made with unusual yarns such as this one - Sato Seni's Harmony (72% washable wool and 28% paper).
Embellishments may end up having also a functional purpose: the grommets and hardware hooks in the following design anchor to a sleeveless cardigan a detachable pleated hem. Solutions such as this one may help us coming up with a 2-in-1 design or in a day/eveningwear combo.
Filigree Effect: A very popular trick for the S/S 14 season as proved by the yarn offer at many companies, this effect is employed to create extremely light, almost impalpable abstract textural compositions. In some cases transparent fabric shimmers with metallic threads forming illusory garments and almost invisible layers; in others this technique is employed to create soft and basic tops in one shade but with an extra light, extra thin consistency.
The first example here is made with Accademia I Grandi Filati's Alba Flame (100% viscose), Babette (57% viscose, 43% nylon) and Organdy Fumé (91% cotton and 9% nylon), Lanificio Dell'Olivo's Neon (100% polyamidic fibres) and Igea's Shanty and Melby (88% viscose and 12% polyamide; 85% acetate and 15% polyamide).
The second example is less intricate and only employs two different yarns, Igea's Deli (50% viscose, 50% acrylic) and Cupido (74% linen, 26% polyamide).
Geometrical: In the last few years geometry has turned from a cold discipline into a form of artistic expression for many designers. There are two trends here: knitwear reproducing geometrical motifs or abstract geometries that follow the contours of the body and redesign it.
In the first case geometries were delivered via Sesia's Cablé (100% giza sesia cotton) and SP61 (100% cotton soft); in the second, body-con motifs were created via Filpucci's Scilla (100% shiny viscose) and Ikat (94% linen, 6% polyamidic fibres), Toscano's Opalino and Igea's Sophie (50% viscose, 50% acrylic).
Multi-Coloured and Multi-Patterned: These are the key words for a trend that consists in creating dense and chaotic, and therefore strongly and striking visual effects. This jacket made with raffia by Nastrificio Fiorentino is definitely among the best examples of this technique.
Printed Tattoos: An established tradition, printing on knitted fabric is a technique that has been taken further by modern designers. The trend for the next season is to print on extremely light knitwear pieces, creating glistening effects that shine like gold at every movement.
This skirt – produced with the following yarns: Lanificio Dell'Olivo Deco (80% viscose, 20% metallic polyester) and Luminex (70% viscose, 30% metallic polyester) and Toscano's Gasolina (100% polyester) – has a very light consistency and perfectly fits in the "tattoo/second skin-like garment" category. As stated in yesterday's post, there is a trend at the moment for tattoo hosiery and this garment with a sailor's print by Stamperia Marra seems to be the embodiment of that trend.
Space Dyed Flame Effects: First developed by Missoni, the "fiammato" or "flame effect" is a classic, but the space dyed flame effect is a new one.
An example is this cardigan made with Igea's Shanty (88% viscose, 12% polyamide) and Lineapiù's Image and Allis (80% rayon viscose, 20% polyester fibres; 100% viscose). The main difference between Missoni's "fiammato" and the space dyed flame effects is that the latter are obtained by printing bright colours over the knitwear. In this case tiny plastic dots are added to enrich the lunar landscape-like texture.
Tradition: Handmade pieces will obviously never go out of fashion as proved by these two garments that evoke in their execution traditional techniques such as handweaving strips of fabrics on wood looms.
Both the garments could have come out of Pasolini's Oedipus Rex, and they were produced using Be.Mi.Va's Tracy (80% cotton, 20% linen) and Alanis (100% pure viscose), Toscano's Opalina (100% linen); Filpucci's Ibisco (100% cotton), Pergamena (100% cotton makò) and Ikat (96% linen, 6% polyamidic fibres).
New Techs: Contemporary designers have been experimenting a lot with innovative techniques. Specific yarns have their own behavioural characteristics and, if not careful, counter-reactions in the knitted structure can cause undesirable failures, yet mistakes can be part of the fun and it's worth carrying out further experiments with bonding, latex or plastic coating on unusual materials.
Traditional sweaters and tops are given a modern twist via these new techniques and in some cases the final effects help enhancing the body curves and silhouettes. Both the following garments present plasticised areas - the first is made with Zegna Baruffa's Sand (100% cotton); the second incorporates instead Loro Piana's Natural Bamboo (100% bamboo), Exodus Tech (100% silk) and Broadway (76% silk, 24% lurex).
Please note: I came up with the names of these trends, so in case you're one of the usual freelancers working for a trend agency on the lookout for ideas, you're very kindly requested to point your readers to this article and site as the sources of "your" knitwear research.
To recap once again the installation or to look for further inspirations and trends, you can watch the following video:
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