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Catwalk Crossover
Each season certain looks created on the catwalk are successfully mirrored into designs for high-street sportswear. Sharon Williams looks at this summer’s hit item from the catwalk and the hottest predicted looks for autumn/winter 2006.
The all-American preppy influence of loose-cut chinos, sherbet-coloured polo shirts and plimsolls was one of the most successful trends to come straight from the catwalk onto the high-street.
Within this look the polo shirt was ‘the’ key sports item. Lacoste popped a fun palette of 80s bright stripes together with understated luxury and US brand Tommy Hilfiger brought a Americano look together with its perennial patriotic colour scheme. Gucci, however, stole the show with its slinky fine knit red and black rugby shirt. The glamorous twist that Gucci has given the humble polo made it one of the most talked about and mimicked garments within this trend. Marks and Spencer, in particular, drew upon the stand-out, highly-fashioned details of ruched sleeves, streamline body cut with a dropped hem and the deep front neckline. And at £19 the Marks version is an absolute steal.
Which killer items will make the cash tills ring autumn/winter? Right now this is a difficult call. But sports retailers would do well to consider merchandising their rugby shirts creatively to meet the appeal for this traditional look that will be flying out of high street outlets!
There are three key trends that look set to make an impact on the high street: warm whites for women; padded jackets for men and checked patterns for men and women are looks that were repeated time and again on the international catwalk scene.
Warm white is coming through as a key top-to-toe winter colour for women’s sportswear, particularly glamorous ski pieces. D&G’s winter 2006 collection is a perfect example of how well soft shades of white luxury knits can be layered for a selection of super slouchy après ski loungewear. The opulence in this look comes from the use of sumptuous soft-brushed fabrics and warm off-whites. For a crisper look the warm white is teamed with shots of silver rather than pure white.
For men padded or quilted jackets continue to be important, however, the overall look is set to be less sporty than previously seen, the newest styles for 2006 edge towards tailored or modern urban pieces. Collections by Louis Vuitton and Y-3 included padded jackets and gilets worn with formal items or over a normal suit jacket, here the use of thin slimmer fits take precedent over chunky arctic styles.
For both genders the biggest pattern trend has to be the use of checks in varying forms and scales. Overall, this is a look that has been building momentum in designer collections for the last two seasons. For men Gucci, Armani and DSquared have all looked towards English aristocracy and the highlands for a range of British heritage fabrics such as the Prince of Wales check, tartan and traditional check tweed. In the mid-market new British brand Clerk and Teller uses a check tweed effect in its technical jacket that was created in collaboration with Berghaus. For women oversized dog tooth checks, tweed woollen checks and plaids are also strong and can be seen in a range of styles from structured jackets to soft flowing dresses. However, for casualwear and outdoor pieces the fresh use of colour, differing scales of check and confident use of pattern adds newness to the traditional checks and plaids used in past seasons.
These trends all lead in the direction of more formal, glamorous looks with the influence of sportswear having less effect than previous seasons but what will be the must have item? Could the kilt be this winter’s skort?
