Liberty Fairs Las Vegas ‘one market, same place, same time,’ the outdoor urban trade show exhibits menswear fashion for fall winter 2017-18 trends, with the focus on emerging talents and hand selected brands, including Lifestyle brands, Fashion and Apothecary. We saw crafted sports collaborations with Levi, the continuation of pastels through the season and the combination of the work boot with trainer elements in sports shoe collections. The combination of traditional embroidery techniques with digital graphics, obscure shoe lace fastenings to playing with textural camou print.
The early morning starts with male grooming sessions testing out the latest beard conditioning creams in the new Living Room sector of the show, to models scooting around the show wearing contemporary hand crafted fashions.
The interactive exhibit houses show reels of cargo pants, botanical exhibits encapsulating conceptual direction of collections, some contemporary dance interpreted in the fashion galleries, we watched it all under one roof here in Las Vegas.
Continue reading below for a snapshot of Trendstop’s top trends from the show.
Hand Crafted Varsity
The varsity jacket here challenges traditional smooth knit patterns, by purposely manipulating a white edge to create an obscure semi dimensional affect. These are spotted throughout out the knitwear and found in our own knitwear direction report under Art Attack Sweat. With the use of boysenberry logos against the deep navy and spiced mustard, validated from our colour forecast reports for fall winter 2017-18.
Image: Artistix Fall Winter 2017-18
Nouveau Camou
Nouveau camou is a more graphical relaxed take on the traditional dense camou surface print design, the added textural patterns add more body to the print and reworks The New Designers staple bomber jackets, a staple piece this fall winter.
With the use of khaki greens, browns and vibrant oranges help define a bolder aesthetic to stand out in any urban environment.
Left to right: The New Designers, Artistix both Fall Winter 2017-18
Second Skin Sock Sneaker
Philipp Plein introduces a collection of hybrid moon-boot like trainer combination, with a play on curvilinear fastenings to give a futuristic edge, challenging everyday footwear.
The contrast of the fine airtex knit against the subtle suede’s as shown in Android Homme defines the contemporary panelling, alike the thick elastic band panelling on Plein also, these trends are evidenced from our seasonal footwear forecast from fall winter 2017-18. The added details of a metal clasp and the expandable high top, you can see how the two interlink and to finish off with the thick cleated style soles creates an overall elaborate shoe.
Both footwear designers are using soft neutral colours palettes which were predicted within our Menswear Colour Directions for fall winter 2017-18.
Left to right: Android Homme, Philipp Plein both Fall Winter 2017-18
Off The Page Graphics
The Adldies and Skim Milk Whole sweatshirts jerseys represent a metropolitan vibe of comical casual wear verses a more textural graphic. Cartoon graphics are on trend this season as shown in our Branding Report from our Print and Pattern Directions for fall winter 2017-18.
Adldies sweatshirts show the use of strong satin stitch embroidery techniques, which gives the graphics a more three dimensional texture and creates a bolder statement to the overall garment. In comparison to the screen printed comical mono prints of the Skim Milk Whole that are two dimensional, yet still vibrant with the contrasting colour palettes used.
The illustrative looks are being challenged with embellishments and added closely woven velvet textures to create a crushed aesthetic, which are currently represented in our Woven, Tech and Woolens Forecast Report under Modern Velvets.
Left to right: Aldies, Skim Milk Whole both Fall Winter 2017-18
The Hiker Rework
A slightly different aesthetic to the knit-sock sneaker by Android Homme. They have created a heavy weight boot that has a sophisticated take to the traditional work boot. The tall tongue and choice of colours used here differentiate from other workmen footwear.
Again we can see contrasting panelling of soft suede’s against perforated leathers and the cleated sole again is essential to the overall look.
Image: Android Homme Fall Winter 2017-18
Dusted Pastels
Shades of snow whites to periwinkle blues show that pastels are prominent within fall winter 17-18, continuing the idea of the seasonal colour switch. The matte finishes represented from suede skins and organic cotton threads is what makes it effortless to use within the collections, whereby designers can incorporate these to elevate a sense of contemporary cool.
Left to right: Levi’s, Sperry both Fall Winter 2017-18
Terrain Ombre
Building gradients with sparse print placements are popular this season and work well on either casual sweaters or light weight outerwear.
By applying these to either material you can create a range of effects, for example on a quilted base the print becomes more theatrical density whilst creating an organic terrain. In comparison Stone Feather uses a mid weight cotton with its natural characteristic to crease easily, this creates a different type of illusion, one much more subtle. Equally computerised digital prints and considered placements are one to watch throughout fall winter 2017-18.
Left to right: WRM, Stone Feather both Fall Winter 2017-18
