BRAVE NEW CREATION

In today´s world we obviously produce mainly ever more of the same. The wide-spread conformity of mass production reveals a lack of true creation and innovation. No wonder that there is a fast growing quest for new concepts and long-term ideas in product development.
Lecture at Performance Days in Munich (Germany) on November 17, 2016

Colour and trend perspectives 2018/19 for sports apparel

Kickoff Winter 2018*19 and Update Summer 2018
Lecture at Performance Days in Munich (Germany) on November 16, 2016

Participation in the international trend board of Première Vision

for the season spring/ summer 2018 in Paris

Colour and trend perspectives spring/ summer 2018 for sports apparel

Lecture at OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen (Germany) on July 14, 2016

Changing the Game

CHANGING THE GAME

The matter of sustainability is still seen more as a burden than as a functional characteristic which brings benefits. A new vision of smart sustainability is needed. Can sustainability be desirable? Can it become the new normal?
Lecture at Performance Days in Munich (Germany) on April 21, 2016

Colour and trend perspectives 2017/18 for sports apparel

Colour and trend perspectives 2017/18 for sports apparel

Kickoff Summer 2018 and Update Winter 2017*18
Lecture at Performance Days in Munich (Germany) on April 20, 2016

Participation in the international trend board of Première Vision

Participation in the international trend board of Première Vision

for the season autumn/ winter 2017*18 in Paris

COMFORT ZONE – from casual Friday to athleisure

Quo vadis:

COMFORT ZONE
From Casual Friday to Athleisure

Presentation at Performance Days Show
Munich/Germany, November 4, 2015

Times are changing and so are dress codes. For decades there was a common understanding of what is appropriate to wear. Different rules for different settings: Stay at home, go to work or hang out with friends (to name just a few circumstances and occasions) influenced the choice of clothes. Yet lifestyle changes have an effect on clothing as well. Modern societies favour a mobile and active lifestyle. Boundaries between private sphere and working life are blurring – no wonder that also the rules for appropriate clothing get adapted to this new freedom. A first step towards a more relaxed dress code for business offices had been initiated in the late 1950ies, the so-called Casual Friday. Nevertheless there was still given clear advice on how to dress:
Don´t go too casual and avoid athletic as well as sloppy looking pieces.

Within the last years we have reached a peak in this sense: We don´t have to change clothes twice or three times a day to be properly dressed – we just have it all in one. Or, at least we try to. A strong reflection of this trend focusing on an all-day wardrobe is Athleisure, the buzzword of the last seasons.

The lately created term athleisure combines “athletic” and “leisure” – first used by the media and the fashion industry to describe a cool and relaxed look strongly influenced by performance wear. Athleisure combines sports and fashion – in style as well as by using fabrics and accessories deriving from the sports sector.

The look has been started by women who love their yoga and pilates clothes which proved to be perfect companions in everyday life. Irresistible as the clothes fulfil the wish to feel good and comfortable all day. Leggings have become an indispensable part of the wardrobe and replace trousers. Leggings and sweatpants are main drivers of the athleisure trend – competing with jeans. Denim sales face already a downturn as young customers favour leggings (women only) and sweatpants (both men & woman). One effect of this downturn is the use of more stretch in denim fabric developments. Even male customers have discovered the comfort and easiness of trousers with a decent percentage of stretch fibres.

Athleisure is a perfect visualization of urban people´s requests concerning their everyday wardrobe: An individual blend of comfort and style. This means that there is a move towards more basic pieces which can easily be uplifted and twisted – with stylish accessories, a real fashion piece and … and … There is no limit to the individual fantasy. A perfect example for endless opportunities is the sneaker. Sneakers can take you everywhere – from the gym to the opera house, from functionality to luxury. Long before yoga pants left the gym, the sneaker was already in the streets. And has been developed into a stylish versatile high-end product. Fitting perfectly contemporary ideas of what to wear.

Another buzzword of our days which helps to understand the athleisure trend: Versatility. The modern nomadic societies share a preference for all-in-one products –best example ever: Smartphones.
This preference takes product development in general to an ever more sophisticated level.

In regard to sports clothing this is truly necessary. For a long time mainly women have felt somehow neglected by an industry which focused on functionality and high-performance. There has been (and still is very often) a lack of stylish clothes in the sports market. A look at statistics about women´s expenses for sports clothing shows that women spend only little money. Sports clothing is definitely not a favourite item for women.

The trend athleisure will not vanish, it will develop and adapt to the changing requirements of people on the move. For sports brands this trend shows what people have been missing in performance collection – feel inspired by the many facets of athleisure and catch the spirit. Think about the fact that most people buy sports clothes but they don´t wear them in a sports-related context. They like the comfort and functionality these clothes are offering, but at least women clearly ask for more style. And they ask for a wider variety of marketing stories and imagery.

You want to know to know more? Please don´t hesitate to contact me!
Get your individually shaped interpretation and consulting in the field of sports apparel trends and developments.

Munich, November 18, 2015

Nora Kuehner
fashion   design   consulting

Colour and trend perspectives 2017/18 for sports apparel

Nora Kuehner
fashion design consulting
Presentation at Performance Days show in Munich/ Germany,
November 3rd , 2015

Colours & Trends
Update Summer 2017 and Preview Winter 2017*18

Update Summer 2017
In the fast-paced global world everything seems to grow, decay is practically forbidden. Changes and developments in the modern society follow mainly the sports principle of “faster, higher, further”.

Despite the experiences with global economic turbulences and natural disasters, the world still clings to this idea of ever-lasting growth. Sheer mathematics tell us that permanent growth is just not possible in a world with scarce resources. Yet we see a growing discomfort with this idea, more and more people have started questioning the pros and cons. “Degrowth” is the base for further discussions focusing on topics like quality of life and true sustainability.
On the verge of new and unpredictable developments, the season delights in delicate and optimistic colouring. Let your imagination grow!

• SUPERBLOOM

Exponential growth – transgressing any limitations. New technologies offer it all – replicating nature ever more accurate and refining reality. Perfecting even the human condition via technology.

fabrics I Placing high-end technology first. Yet enhancing fabrics which combine perfect function with a natural look and feel. Textures mimic architectural structures and rhythms of all kinds. Jacquard fabrics are inspired by organic forms. Surfaces with reflective properties enhance depth. Slightly gleaming coatings.

graphics I Cool geometric patterns change character by layers of sensuously morphing colour. Fragmented flaming flower designs delight in opulent colouring. Complex monochrome line art inspired by architectural blueprints and wiring diagrams. Background patterns oscillating between organic and technical are decorated with precise colourful motifs inspired by light tubes.

colour mood I A range of vibrant hues provokes explosions of energy. Sunny yellow, bright violet and shady true red take centre stage. Balanced with shades of mid blue and dusty bronze. Highlighted by creamy white. An expressive and bold colour story reflecting a synthetic naturalness.

• Sprouting Up

The unexpected is an essential part of life – detailed planning, excessive data mining and innumerable algorithms cannot extinguish surprises or eliminate any risk.

fabrics I Developing protective and functional properties for a more everyday outdoor clothing. High elasticity
for freedom of movement. A rich diversity of structures and finishings as tactility is key. Perforated plains and knitted jacquard mesh. Wax coatings for strong durability.

graphics I Influenced both by nature and man-made environments, by chaos and high-end precision. The unplanned settlements of mega cities vs strict grids. Shattering homogeneity with unbridled fantasy. Shadowy reflections vivify urban topography. Fleeting street art sketches spread over weathered colour plains.

colour mood I Light shades of green and amber alongside powerful coral, leaf green and purple. Greyish petrol and blackened olive complete this calming yet rich palette. Reflecting untamed individuality as well as sparkling unity.

• Beyond Growth

Abandoned industrial buildings and areas offer stimulating canvases to makers with imaginative minds and a hands-on approach. Preserving traditional skills, adapting latest machinery to the process of individual making. Bridging the gap between craftsmanship and industrial production.

fabrics I Taking a thoughtful approach to fabrics. Refining and transmuting materials to achieve singularity. Playing with the contrast of rough and smooth. Textures recall hand-carved geometric ornaments. Surface treatments underline the importance of natural haptic sensations. Wool or woollen blends which derive from responsible production. 3layers use bio-based membranes.

graphics I The traces of decay are key sources of inspiration. Both simplicity and ornament influence patterning. Hand-drawn imperfection. Allover prints add layer upon layer. Crackled overprints become more refined and discreet. Strict geometries adorn undetermined spotted backgrounds. Irregular engravings emulate organic structures.

colour mood I A harmonious colour palette with restrained luminosity. Muted mid shades of blue, brick and green are lifted by soft mint and pastel yellow. Intense blackened brown and aubergine add punch to this story which recharges reality.

• microcosm

Physical experiences get rare in the digital era. The ever-growing dematerialization creates a world of its own – sometimes too complex to understand. A microscopic view to reality gains ground both in science and society.

fabrics I Focus on extremely light materials with a sleek handle. A wide variety of high-density fabrics – offering both new pattern and print ideas. Peach skin finishing characterizes woollen baselayers. A play of opacity and translucence. Moulding for weightless volume. Surfaces with a shimmering luminosity.

graphics I Close-ups of barely perceptible natural phenomena influence mysterious and visually intriguing patterns. Delicate and fragile lines sketch out complex networks. Curved dotted lines follow invisible trajectories through space. Blurring reliefs inspired by honeycomb patterns.

colour mood I A captivating array of light shades mixing warm and cool tones. Eye-catching bright orange is supported by tender yellow and radiant white. Airy blue, silver grey and dusty lavender underline the luminous finesse of the range. Perfectly grounded by dark fern.

• Game of Life

Thrilling, amazing, poetic, fast-paced, passionate, exhausting -life is constantly in the making. Triggering permanent interaction. Pure challenge and true emotion. Be brave!

fabrics I Performance properties are adapted to the level of activity. Extra-light bonded or laminated softshells favouring neat structures – either inside or on the outside. Ultra-dense and highly elastic weaves. Matt textures. Ceramic coatings. Discreet polished glazes.

graphics I Distortion and bias update elementary stripes, bold lettering and classic sport badges. Avoiding any stereotypes. Dazzling light refractions add a dynamic multi-dimensional look to reduced geometric compositions. Liquid effects create sculptural shapes.

colour mood I The aesthetics of computer games prompt a new take on classic sports colours. Radiant white lends it powerful splendour to classic red and ocean blue. Dark navy and steely blue add a cool feel, while garnet red and fresh papaya bring warmth and energy.

• Kiss the Rainbow

Rejecting the ordinary, challenging what has become habitual. Something new is here to come …

fabrics I An ever-extended use of recycled materials. Striking new fibre blends with bio-active minerals. Woollen blends in denim look. One of a kind double knits – achieved by computerized hybrid technology. Personalized jacquards with 3D effects. Polished metallic sheen.

graphics I Visually stimulating. Opulence and optimism. A new sense of abstraction. Patterns inspired by the aesthetics of architectural renderings. Illusory effects. Colourful stripes in full swing. Dripping colour flashes.

colour mood I A colour palette with a radiant freshness. Two yellow tones in the foreground. Vibrant sulphurous yellow adds an acid spin while flawless lime stays in tune with bright pink, light blue and burnt orange. Silver grey and charcoal intensify the boldness of these shades. Earthy brown sets an unfamiliar accent.

Please note:
The complete colour forecast spring I summer 2017 (62 pages with graphic inspirations & recommendations for colour combinations) can be purchased exclusively by direct order via e-mail: info@norakuehner.com

Looking beyond: Winter 2017*18
Inspiration for the season winter 2017*18 derives from one of the buzzwords of our time: transformation. Socio-cultural shifts, technological innovation, new structures and processes – in our fast pace world transformation is all around us. Even the sky is not the limit.

The selected colour stories are mainly cool in feeling though we see a lot of red shades with a warm, soft glow. Unusual exciting colour pairings set the tone. Carefully selected flashes of red and yellow create positive and dynamic outcomes.

At the core of the season we see two colour stories with completely different appeal: One explores the mythical transformations of natural phenomena – a powerful theme playing with amorphous forms and fluid structures.
Orange red, burnt apricot and dark grape take center stage. Dark fern and midnight blue ground the palette deeply in nature while acidic pale lime and frosty lilac add a luminescent touch.

The other story explores the impact of technological advances at the interface of human and robot. Subtly gradated neutral shades offer a poetic reflection of the manmade. Dazzling blue and glowing yellow highlight the delicate feel of this story while dark wine and charcoal add dramatic depth.

Please note:
The complete colour forecast for autumn I winter 2017*18 will be available by January 21, 2016.
If you are interested in the exclusive preview for early-bird orders, please don´t hesitate to contact Nora Kühner.

Munich, November 17, 2015

Nora Kuehner
fashion   design   consulting

Participation in the international trend board of Première Vision

Participation in the international trend board of Première Vision

for the season spring/ summer 2017 in Paris