Pre-Fall 10: Textures

Matthew Williamson, Giambattista Valli, Balenciaga, Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler. Background: Pattern People
Solids can be flat and lifeless, so if you want to maintain a neutral surface while still creating a feeling of luxury, richness, and depth, textures are your answer. Of course, some of the textural prints/weaves shown above take on a life of their own, creating a very bold statement, especially for a non-print print.

Pre-Fall 10: You're an Animal!

Matthew Williamson, Just Cavalli, Lanvin
Pre-fall brings us some interesting animal prints. Matthew Williamson's are both digital and watery/ flowy, Just Cavalli's leopard spots look like cigarette burns, and Lanvin's animal prints are all vampy and womanly. I also loved Lanvin's photographs for the season.

TREND | California Cool

This Spring, Topshop brings us a capsule collection based on 70s West Coast styling. Look for white washed denim, graffiti scribbles, and skater-inspired patches. To perfect your look rewatch, Lords of Dogtown, a pivotal film on the skate and surf culture of Southern California in the 1970s.

Upcoming Trend: Acid Landscape

balenciaga, prada, balenciaga, christopher kane, helmut lang. background: pattern people
This future trend seems to be popping up in different corners of high fashion, as well as lower-end retail. From Prada's 70's looking beach scenes to Christopher Kane's apocolyptic mushroom clouds, the mood ranges from mysterious to downright dark. Helmut Lang's moody ocean landscape from Spring 10, is somewhat gothic, and Balenciaga's sweater and coat prints for pre-fall seem to be a continuation from their paint-stroke prints of Spring 10. Here in Pattern People land, we've been combining treated lanscape photos shot in our own surroundings, with geometric elements like stripes. Clouds have also been a huge inspiration.

Shopping Guide, Style.com

Style.com is running a shopping guide all about prints!
Check it out here.

Pre-Fall 10: Roses

Background: Pattern People. Dresses, Tuleh
We've been in love with roses lately and so has Tuleh, apparently. Their entire pre-fall line is overflowing with vintage-looking rose prints, while the models embrace the real thing. It's all extremely romantic, almost Victorian, and you can find all manner of rose print already in retail. Here in our studios, we've been playing around with modern photo-treated versions of this beautiful flower.

Pre-Fall 10: Optical Geos

Derek Lam, Balenciaga, Just Cavalli, Derek Lam. Background: Pattern People
Stark and optical geos are seen all over the Pre-fall 10 collections. Balenciaga's line is stunning, with draped pants that are surely the next big thing in women's trouser shapes. Also present are crayola-colored stockings with what appear to be armored booty heels. Of course the line also presents a few other print trends that we'll cover later. Derek Lam's textural optical zig zaggy lines reminded us of just the sorts of prints we're currently working on.

Printsource

Well, we had a great time at Printsource, and were happy with how many new and interesting clients we met. Thank you to Massimo and Will for putting together such an organized and productive show, in a gorgeous space. Our booth (shown above) was roomy, with good hard walls, the lighting was nice, and the feeling of the show overall was that business was really picking up. It was busy for most of the 3 days we were there! In the coming weeks, we'll be posting about trends, images, and thoughts, that came from the show.

Pre-Fall 10: Louis Vuitton

The story behind Louis Vuitton's Pre-Fall collection is that a girl happens upon some heritage trunks overflowing with sumptuous treasures like a fox-trimmed coat, crochet socks, and perhaps some cozy afghans. A classic wool blanket is turned into a cape, another into a dress. There's plenty of playful Native American references, from the fringy boots to the furs to the Navajo patterns, but the collection remains true to the classic ethos of Vuitton luxury.

The Show is Here!

The Printsource textile show opens this Monday and features a stellar roster of print studios. Come join us and view design collections from around the world.

ART: Vania Zouravliov

Just discovered this amazing Russian illustrator called Vania Zouravliov on Boooooom.com and I am really blown away by the beauty, detail and skill of his drawings. His textile art is also exquisite. --Claudia