eNewsletter
August 2005

Fashion and Craft trends

The craft industry always looks into fashion industry for the next big thing! Usually people look into the stores for inspiration. They look at the runways and the new fashion in high-end boutiques and try to imitate what they see. Most of the pieces they see are very expensive and out of reach for many of them. As a result, crafters try to make something similar to what they see. Let's study what is on the European runways and market, since that is where craft designers get their ideas.

According to recent reports, the fashion runways of Europe are filled with bright colors, especially hot pink and bright orange in soft luxurious fabrics with feminine look and a special emphasis on detail. The assumption is that these colors will appear in yarn and fabric industry and soon enough designers will come up with designs in these bright colors with a lot of attention to detail. The feminine look can be achieved with sumptuous lace designs.

The other trend seen recently is a lot of embellishments. You can find many outfits embellished with intricate embroidery designs and beads. Beads are going to be with us for some time as jewelry or embellishments for garments. Look for more bead-knitted and bead-crocheted designs soon.

One other hot trend is decorating garments with crochet borders and flowers. Many designers now work in mixed media, working on combining fabric and crochet or knit and crochet garments to add to detail and embellishment. These designs are in line with the more feminine look seen in high-end boutiques.

The recent reports from fashion shows indicate not only new colorful furry yarns are here to stay, but more attention to detail and lovely designs is on the rise. If you do not crochet or embroider, think again, it is now time to start learning or improving your skills to take part in such an exciting trend.

Nazanin S. Fard

Needlecraft University