Fashion: Four innovative trends and a prestigious competition for Alcantara S.p.A., always in vogue at Milano Unica and Premiere Vision

Archive

A selection of materials was made available to all finalists for the creations of avant-garde clothing and accessories, confirming the close relationship between the Company and those designers representing a cultural dernier cri that have long acknowledged and promoted the uniqueness and extraordinary quality of Alcantara®.
The 6th ‘WHO IS ON NEXT’ competition closed on 10 July 2010 in Rome. The winner of the prêt-à-porter category was Erkan Coruh for the poetry and creativity of his collection while Claudio Montias and Jerome Rousseau were joint winners of the accessories category for the elegance and boldness of their shoe wear. Alcantara S.p.A. decided to sponsor all finalists without distributing any awards, opting rather to guarantee them maximum visibility at the upcoming Milano Unica and Premiere Vision Fashion Trade Fairs, which will showcase clothing and accessories. 

Alcantara S.p.A. will also present its Autumn-Winter 2011/12 collection at these trade fairs: four style ideas in which the materials flow freely into each other thanks to their extraordinary versatility, rather than being inserted in a rigid manner.
The first trend is tied to Cocoon, the warm case into which we wrap ourselves for a sensation of soft protection. This is a theme which, by definition, favours felted materials that are soft to the touch yet – a bit fuzzy and coarse - anything but refined in appearance, calling to mind an old security blanket. Colours are warm and vivid (especially the reds) and materials have a “used” and “woolly” look. The brushed “Wind” effect on Alcantara® surfaces brings to mind the effect of the wind on a beach in winter. Other materials include the crumpled materials, which preserve their special look even after many washes, or the floral and tribal motifs on prints as well as the warm, colourful folksy embroideries, ideal for a relaxing evening spent around a crackling fire chatting with friends.

The folksy motifs are closely connected with the Ethnic trend, which takes two main paths. The first is classic embroidery: a bright and festive floral broad-stitched macramé or the Vichy print which features original and striking colours like fiery orange and a dusty shade of blue. The second ethnic trend is more sober and recalls geometric motifs found in the iconography of all the great civilizations of the past, made with folds and micro-pleats on Alcantara® surfaces. This material is presented in light colours that tone down the sobriety of the geometric motifs, making the final effect soft and buttery. These are ideal for well-structured women’s apparel or precious, decorative inserts and original details (sleeves, pockets and “striking” trims). 

An Essential theme is a must: one that is prevalently masculine, recalling the military, hunting, and any other activities that require clothing with a tailored cut. It also allows for an original touch of “British Style”. The crumpled look returns, but the main feature remains: prints like tweed, hound’s-tooth, Glen plaid, the typical Scottish check fabric, Vichy plaid and the sportiest of denims. The effect is very sober, but revisited with unconventional colours designed for the creative dandy who wishes to amaze while maintaining that universally known elegance and taste.  

The most creative and surprising theme of all is Glam Rock, dedicated to the light. A very thin foil made of micro-points that endow the Alcantara® surface with a sparkling technical finish but does not in any way deduct from the material’s typically unique velvety effect. Magic! When stroking the material, a luminous trace is created that is very soft to the touch. The typical Alcantara® aspect is barely perceived under a shower of light. The foil is either featured throughout the material or by motif. The effect is ideal for those who do not want to go by unobserved. The Trilly motif is dedicated to such people: a multi-coloured foil with an iridescent, pearly effect: a shiny powder spread onto the material by the wings of a fairy.

The new Alcantara® Stretch material crosses all four of these themes, embroidered onto the three bases (0.8 mm Regular, 0.6 mm Light and 0.4 mm Thin) of this elastic material featured also with contrast thread with a quilted look that is ideal for down jackets or any other warm jackets to be worn outdoors. 

This is a perfect collection which features both classic tailored creations and extremely creative original solutions.