Brands play it safe for spring

Tag : Fabrics Suiting

Spring 09 suiting trends continue to embrace the grey shades thathave dominated the past three seasons, with retailers and supplierssaying their customers are not prepared to move on too quickly fromstyles they have only just begun to understand.
While designers are introducing looser silhouettes on the catwalksof Milan and Paris, the most commercial looks in the UK remainfocused on slimmer 1960s-inspired looks.
The overall mood will again be dominated by grey suits, updated forspring with silver-grey fabrications, black and white checks andsubtle pinstripes. Hidden details and subtle fabrications are usedto appeal to retailers looking for safe commercial options.
Matt Rawlings, director of Coes of Ipswich, said: "Design-ledlabels have been showing shorter, slimmer blocks with narrowerlapels for some time, but this is something we are all going to beseeing more of next spring. Even the more classic manufacturershave developed blocks along these lines and so we will probably dipour toe in the water here by way of an experiment. Whether ourcustomers like this look remains to be seen, but we have to try."
Remus Uomo designer Keith Houston said the slim silhouette hasbedded-in for menswear. "We're doing low-rise trousers with taperedlegs teamed with a cropped jacket in a single button. The slimsilhouette is the definitive fashion style at the moment intailoring and with so much going on with the silhouette the fabricsare less garish. You'll struggle to find a bold pinstripe. Insteadthere are subtle microstructures, usually in light grey with silverand with chintzed, metallic finishes," he said.
Jason Gerrard, director of agency Geko Fashion Marketing, whichrepresents brands including Without Prejudice and Bäumler,said: "It's not about playing safe – in fact that is theworst thing to do because it is crucial you excite the customer.But at this level of the market you have to give the market enoughtime to let a look develop for two, three seasons."
He added that the slimmer silhouette was the dominant look fortailoring brand Without Prejudice, but said that in terms of thecolour, there was a move to blue away from grey.
For contrast, the headline trends from this season's Pitti Uomomenswear show in Florence, revolved around white tailoring, brighthighlights and Portofino-style Riviera looks.
Etienne Gouws, brand manager of Italian tailoring label Facis,said: "The Mediterranean influence is back. There is a lot oflinen, seersucker, soft shoulders and deconstructed tailoring. Itis a commercial look and is what a lot of people want from theirclassic tailoring in the summer months."
Raj Jain, owner of Review menswear in Surrey, said it was aboutstriking a balance: "With the Riviera style you are at the mercy ofthe weather. So you back these styles a little bit –something in the window perhaps, to let customers know you are onthe ball, but otherwise in this economic climate it is important toplay it safe."