The rational meets the irrational as we enter the Now Age: A cross roads of spirituality, mysticism and nature that will be taken seriously. In today’s anxiety ridden culture, people will study shamanism and ancient wisdom as a means of overcoming personal challenges.
Fashion’s infatuation with nature and the outdoors takes a turn toward the mystical and the mysterious. Light Magic’s theme is about exploration, encouraging us to find deeper and more spiritual meaning in ourselves and the way we dress.
The stigma surrounding ageing will be slowly transformed as people identify more based on lifestyles and values than age groups. Psycho-graphics will be just as important as demographics in studying the future consumer. While demographics will explain who the buyer is, psycho-graphics explain why they buy: their behaviors, habits and values. Tech will become more personal and meaningful, with sensory experiences designed for qualia philosophy, which can be described as the characteristics of how something feels (to walk on the sand, for example.) Look out for the qualia in art and retail.
Qualia are the phenomenal qualities of experiences—the raw felt qualities of sensations, emotions, thoughts, or anything else. They are experienced privately, subjectively, and directly; all the content of consciousness states is made of them.
Zeitgeist Brainstorm:
- The Now Age will emerge as a salve to our anxiety-ridden world, embracing an increasingly holistic view of spirituality. As mysticism becomes less taboo, there are opportunities for brands to connect with consumers in new ways.
- The process of understanding and segmenting consumers is changing, when age is no longer as relevant. Changing attitudes to ageing are not only relevant for the health and beauty industries- they also signal broader shifts around consumer and self-perception and aspiration.
In-Divi-Duality: As we live longer, age will be less defined by birth year, and more defined by social tribes, lifestyles, and beliefs. In an era of extreme individualism, new minorities, causes and influencers will have mass impact. Leaders, businesses, and communications need to reflect these new faces, translate new voices, and listen to the new mood music. It’s time to tune in.
Womenswear:
A focus on extravagant details: drama is created with new details. Embellishments and tied knots will be used for forward-thinking tailoring. An emphasis on expressive cuff and collar details add an elegant touch. Silhouettes are either fitted or flared: this is a trend of two camps: voluminous, free flowing designs or sculpted and tailored silhouettes.
The Light Magic story has a component of darker themes that influence styling. Glamour and casual attitudes go hand in hand. A combination of function with sustainability becomes a premium offer to style, as well as the hint of the occult.
There is no middle ground. There is a return to tailoring, updated with novelties normally seen on jersey and cut-in-sew garments, such as patches, applique embellishments.
Shoulder lines are bold- the bold shoulder will become a key focus, appearing as a new feature on dresses and tops.
This current theme explores the swing back to the mystical and the in-explainable, with a focus on dark romance and gothic themes. Designs veer in two directions– earthy and free-flowing, or monastic and structured– with simple silhouettes that save the drama for detailing.
The Light Magic themed palette is built on contrast, with an unusual juxtaposition, such as Pantone’s Deep Obsidian and Carnelian Red, and hues associated with warmer seasons, such as Lightning and Living Green. Moonshine appears in the mix of greens and blues to create further clashes, pushing womenswear into new areas of mystical light, driven color.
Magician’s Sleeve: Feature sleeves continue to evolve. Here we explore wizard-inspired sleeves that flare at the wrist and taper up to the shoulder. This versatile detail works for a range of styles, from tailoring to dresses and knit and jersey.
Poncho-like splits accentuate the flare and create movement on stiff tailored items. Drama in knit and jersey designs by ramping up the contrast between a fitted upper sleeve and a draped wrist. Structured fabrics with wider armhole create a more sculpted, cocooned silhouette influencing fashion-forward styles.
Structured Hourglass Dress: Light Magic is trending dresses that reclaim femininity and continuation of the structured hourglass silhouette will be key into year the 2021.
Play up the femininity of this style with floral prints or fabrics such as lace and velvet. Focus is on structured shoulders, with soft shoulder pads to exaggerate the silhouette. This style works for both midi and maxi lengths.
Tie the knot: A return to glamour will come in the form of tied knots, which can be used to give simple items a sense of easy elegance.
This story is all about manipulating fabric to be fluid-like with materials such as woven textiles and satins work best and also a signal the return to glamour.
The look needs to be effortless, so keep other details in outfitting to a minimum.
Fluted Flourishes: Simple details that make a big impact are key throughout this Light Magic theme story. Fluted ruffles and frills will update items, offering an appeal that is both sophisticated and quirky.
Fluted frills and ruffles feel more dramatic on collars, and more commercial on cuffs. The season’s style detail techniques range from gathering to ribbing and pleating. Details will be prevalent on dresses and blouses, as seen on runway and down to retail.
the clementina project 