Your personal style is the key to choosing your outfit

The traditional trade fair lecture delivered by the Dutch expert Ellen Haeser regarding the fashion trends for the next season had a nontraditional format. It laid out a global shift in perceiving fashion from seasonal trends towards timeless values.

Ellen Haeser named her lecture “The new life of fashion – creating awareness of value and adding beauty in fashion“. She explained the transformation of the global fashion market, which is oversaturated with cheap, fast-moving goods - so called Fast Fashion - on the one hand, and faces decline in interest from consumers in traditional seasonal trends on the other hand. There is an increasing number of people who are trying to resist the consumer lifestyle, who deliberately refuse to keep buying the same clothing, who are looking for timeless quality and real value. Just like in other parts of life, in fashion, too, there is more and more emphasis put on fair trade, environmental and social sustainability of production, recycling, and repeated use of materials.

What does that mean? Choosing your attire is not only about following trends, it also reflects your mental state. We dress according to our mood, and at the same time, what we put on forms our identity. The key to this new form of fashion is not trends, but the customer themselves with their personal style. That style, too, is still undoubtedly influenced by trends, by the world of media and the Internet, but at the same time it remains to be something unique for each and every person. “To find our own style means to become much more satisfied with what we wear,“ says Ellen Haeser. Personal style is, she adds, fashion for everyone, no matter the age or figure. How to create it? An inspiration for your personal style can be various fashion bloggers, whose impact as the intermediaries between producers, sellers, and customers continues to be on the rise. The influence of celebrities, fashion icons, individual designers, and brands persists as well. Ideally, you should find a personal stylist, but that is a new role for the retailers. The trend of our time is that a good retailer becomes a stylist for their customers, says the expert.

The world of fashion has been reacting to these changes for a while already and has been adapting to this new demand. More and more companies not only design clothes for natural figures, but they do not hesitate to use such models for gaining publicity. As a result of style being timeless, the importance of fashion cycles drops, many pieces can be worn all year round and form the staples of the wardrobe. Instead of throwing them away, we like to keep our favorite pieces for a long time, use our creativity in repairing them, and give them new meaning. Another modern trend is clothing rental – there is no need to fill our wardrobes with special occasion dresses that we use only once or twice a year.

The emphasis on the clothing’s value is also reflected in the trends in women’s fashion for Spring and Summer of 2018. Sustainable fashion assumes high quality of materials together with their treatment, as well as timeless cuts. Kimonos, pyjama shapes, and plus size trousers with higher waist are making a comeback. Elements of casual, sporty and formal styles mix together and use unusual combinations of materials, such as satin and linen. Shirts are good, too, often with ruffles, frills, and wide sleeves. The more daring customers will be able to choose from clothes in bold, eccentric colours in wild combinations; there will be plenty of green, blue and yellow. The metallic effect remains to be popular, and the black and white classic is not missing either. You cannot go wrong with stripes –  floral patterns are, however, essential – whether it be on your clothes, handbag, or your shoes. Digital prints and their original combinations are useful tools for expressing yourself and are an effective option for making your own style. Romantic fashion will stay faithful to pastel, mainly pink and the colours of lipstick palettes, including brown. Lace and sheer fabrics still play an important role. The popularity of taking selfies will manifest in prominent earrings and necklaces, unique collars, and other creative details which elevate the look of your face and give it the much desired mark of individuality.

The presentation of women’s fashion used the exhibitors’ goods as well, so the new trends in fashion were illustrated not only with videos from international exhibitions, but also with pictures of the models currently exhibited at the STYL and KABO trade fairs. A good example of the high quality and timeless fashion are, according to Ellen Haeser, dresses from the new collection of the LADA fashion brand by the Czech designer Lada Vyvialová. The Dutch expert then chose nine of the models for a fashion show with commentary, which was included in her lecture. The new trends were represented by a red pleated skirt by Rinascimento, an airy light golden parka by E.daniely, or a black fitted dress with a floral motif, reminiscent of an ancient tapestry, by Betty M.

Changes in the fashion business also heavily involve men, who are becoming more emancipated in this area – they have their own cosmetics brands, hair stylists and magazines. Their interest in fashion grows together with changes in shopping habits. More and more men like to shop on the Internet, as they find it much more appealing than regular “offline“ shopping. A number of men have discovered a new interest in fashion which they can customise with their own ideas, such as unique prints. Men who shop independently are also much more attentive to the technical parameters of the materials and the functionality of their clothes and shoes. They give importance to modular design, pockets, hoods, and other functional elements; the fabric’s breathability and waterproofness; they care about maintainability.

All of that is reflected in the trends in men’s fashion for Spring and Summer of 2018, which are a mix of a casual style, sporty functionality and classic formal clothes with fitting cuts. The straightforward, sporty look is a throwback to the 90s, and perfectly tailored pieces deceive with their vintage style. You will also see cargo pants; jackets with pronounced pockets will not be missing either. Concerning the choice of colour, the basic shades of grey, cream, blue, and brown can be accentuated with yellow; braver men can experiment with shades of pink or wild, colourful shirt motifs. Those on the more conservative side may choose from stripes or prints and express their creativity in their combinations.