In spite of the crisis, have courage with fashion embroidery
Recognising the trends for 2010/11 and acting
by Manfred Wolters
Unfortunately, the textile industry was not immune from the sales decreases in 2009 and exports dropped considerably. Also the German fashion industry, spoiled by success, was very much in the doldrums. Turnover decreased by four percent – down to nine billion Euros. The forecasts for 2010 are good and an increase in turnover can be expected. It can be assumed that the market will move off the bottom in 2010.
Trends for fashion
The industry has been looking forward with anticipation to the presentations of the collections and trends during the fashion fair CPD in Dusseldorf, Germany, which took place 7–9 February. The German Fashion Institute has stated three trends for the fashion of winter 2010/11:
Softwear
Made of smoothly draping soft knit, jersey and fabrics with washed wool.
Hardwear
Biker and rocker jackets in black Nappa leather, decorated with studs and metallic buttons. Matched with thigh-long shirts with glitter effects.
Playwear
The denim trousers stay and denim shirts and jackets are added, with a choice of large-scale check shirts.
Fashion themes for embroiderers
Those embroiderers that still work for the textile and fashion industry can derive themes from the fashion trends and can apply to a great extent the technical refinements of the embroidery machines and the different special devices.
The focus will be on the combination of the different applications. The emphasis will be on in-depth expertise and one’s own creativity in the creation of the embroidery patterns for combined applications. Certainly, the combination of embroidery with glitter effects, applications with stones and metallic buttons and studs will be important.
Thanks to the great innovations of the leading embroidery machine manufacturers, the embroiderer can benefit from the available special devices. Fortunately, the embroidery-thread manufacturers have also steadily invested in the further development of the thread technology and offer a broad choice of special-effect threads, benefiting the embroidery industry.
The fashion embroiderer just needs the courage to combine these novelties and special applications. This includes the combination of embroidery with prints, sequins and rhinestone effects and the fusion with special-effect threads.
Fashion embroidery can only remain ‘desirable’ with innovation in the decoration and opens up the prospects for future growth in turnover. It is certainly recommendable that embroiderers also seek help from external business advisers, who are able to translate the trends into collections. Furthermore, the assistance of a skilled high-quality digitising studio can be very important for a perfect result.
For further information, you can contact the Stitch & Print International office.