Doneger’s Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 Forecasts

As a fashion reporter, I try to attend as many runway shows as possible. But with so many designers and numerous fashion weeks worldwide, it’s a challenge to predict just what will be in style the coming season. That’s why reporters, media companies like WeKnow.TV, boutique owners, department store buyers, and retail merchandisers often turn to fashion forecasters such as The Doneger Group.
The Doneger Group is one of the leading sources of global market trends and merchandising strategies for the retail and fashion industries. It publishes the Tobe report, an in-depth trend and business analysis; and includes Doneger Creative Services, its trend and color forecasting service. David Wolfe, one of Doneger’s creative directors, recently gave trend talks on the upcoming fall 2010 and spring 2011 seasons at the group’s Seventh Avenue office in New York. Here is a short summary of each. The photos were shot at the spring 2011 presentation and show that season’s trends.

Fall 2010 RTW (ready to wear) -- New York/ London/ Milan/ Paris: Wolfe described the fall fashion season as “show overload,” which he made sense of by breaking it down into four different perspectives: showmanship, sophisticated, simplistic, and sensible. Dressing solely for the sake of following trends continues to be on its way out, yet upcoming trends include fur (from head-to-toe), classic, post-futurism, equestrian, and ethnic. Wolfe looks for new directions or changes in draping/cut, colors, and fabrics. For fall, silhouettes will be either softly draped or architectural and may incorporate padding, ruffles, or cowl necklines. Fall 2010 color stories will include black, red (the “no brainer bright), bright blue, and shades of wine, gray, neutral, nude and orange. He said to watch for furs, leopard prints, leather, sweater knits, satin, velvet, lace, tweeds, plaids, sheer prints, art prints, metallics, bejeweled fabrics, and 3-D textures. “I’ve never seen so many beautiful clothes in one season,” Wolfe told the full house at The Doneger Group conference room March 25. “The challenge is to sell them all.” That brings us to:

Spring 2011 Big Picture Forecast: Wolfe calls this “A Different World … New Perspectives.” He said the focus will be on connecting with consumers who are increasingly exposed to fashion trends and runway shows via the Internet and media. Nowadays everything is “virtual,” Wolfe said, noting the increasing popularity of online games and celebrity endorsements. He said in this new, “connected” world, trends will no longer be relevant. There will be a return to real, classic design and quality construction, such as shaping, seaming, draping, and fabric manipulation. Spring 2011 silhouettes will be casual, sophisticated, or simplistic. Neutral and nautical color stories will be seen, as will prints such as checks, polka dots, florals, and ethnic patterns. Black will continue to be a basic. Brights will be dark and edgy. Spring 2011 fabrics will include gossamer sheers (in tints, plains, textures, prints), feather-light and open-work knits, chambray and denim, chino and khaki, and linen and blends. Wolfe said some garments may have cut-outs, slashes or tears, and fabric may be foil- or poly coated. Designers may show either fantasy or reality, Wolfe said. But people want “easy, casual clothes.”