E M B R O I D E R Y

U N C O N V E N T I O N A L S H I R T

SPRING 2017

TREND REPORT

S H E E R

Peter Piloto 11·06·2016 Ashwini Tellar

EMBROIDERY

SPRING 2017

TREND REPORT

Queen Elizabeth I in an embroidered gown in 1585

T h e ' 6 0 s h a d e d g e ; t h e ' 7 0 s h a d

e m b r o i d e r y . - G i n a B a r r e c a

Embroidery is the handicraft of decorating fabrics

and materials with mainly needle, thread or yarn and

sometimes with other materials such as metal strips,

pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. The stitching was

initially sewed by hand. This journey began when

primitive man discovered that he could use thread to

join pieces of fur to make clothes and progressed to

make decorative patterns as well. Colorful beads,

stones, and bones were used to add to designs.

Samples can be found from Ancient Egypt, China,

Persia, India, and England. Each country has a

distinctive embroidery style, which incorporates the

culture and imagery from their history and tradition.

Embroidery as an art form has enhanced our

civilization, making it more aware of the beauty that

can be created with a needle and a thread.

Development of sewing machines in the 1860s lead

to the invention of hand powered embroidery looms

in the 1870s. Much of the embroidery today are done

by machines using different techniques. It is used to

apply monograms, logos and emblems onto mass

produced items. Intricate designs and brilliantly

colored patterns have infused a beauty of their own

onto fabrics, adding to their value and worth1.

Detail of embroidered silk gauze ritual garment

from 4th century BC in Hubei Province, China

Liberace American pianist, and entertainer in

1970

Valentino AltuzarraNaeem Khan Dsquared2 Gucci Alexander McQueenAlice + Olivia

A finishing touch already seen making an impact at retail, embroidery has been employed across collections for S/S 17, updating denim,

outerwear, dresses, woven tops and even intimates. Flowing on the side of bohemian, trailing florals prove popular, appearing as large-scale back

placements, down sleeves and rising from hemlines. Driven by the Gucci effect, designers become increasingly experimental with surface

decoration, embellishing all manner of items with elaborate embroideries. Delicate chiffons in soft neutrals boast pretty bouquet patterns in

luxurious embroidered motifs. Gucci portrayed a rich mix of attic vintage granny-chic updated with bright embroidery work. Alice + Olivia

featured flirty frocks and romantic gowns embroidered with garden scenes. For Fall 2017, designers are looking at inspirations from interior

design stories for couture style embroidery and embellishment that allows to ramp up the volume on luxury party dressing which would be perfect

for opulence and glamour during the Christmas period2.

Markus Lupfer

Christian Dior

Embroidery is a key element in SS17 collection bringing in a new form

of femininity. Colorful and dense embroideries mimic the appearance

of badges, and are used in haphazard arrangements of flowers, hearts,

animals, lips and fruit. Seen on denims, silks, tulles and sheers, these

placed embroideries bring a youthful, streetwise, look. The introduction

of quirkier elements feel new in all over scattered placements.

Badge Embroidery

Embroidered jacket at Zara

Embroidered boots

Embroidered sandals

Topshop

Peter Piloto AltuzarraLibertine Giamba

Gucci Ashish GuptaStella McCartney

A bunch of designers during Spring Summer 2017 Trade show

have showcased intricate embroidery work. Through

embroidered decoration, safer, commercially sound styles are

awarded a trend-driven update, with varying degrees of

application enabling the end customer to test the water with a

more reserved rendition, or buy into the trend wholeheartedly3.

S/

S 17

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Gucci’s evening dress had a giant red embroidered heart, with

numerals ‘XXV’ above it, which is the creative director of Gucci

Alessandro Michele’s Instagram account name (@lallo25). The Gucci

factor remains as the inspiration for individuality, seen in exaggerated

embroidery placements on jackets, trousers and coats4. In the spirit of

the season, Stella McCartney, a longtime vegetarian who neither wears

leather or fur nor makes her label in them, announced a couple of

positive messages through embroidered slogans such as: Girls

Thanks, No Leather and No Fur5.

Em

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ess

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Intropia

Lug Von Siga

Valentine Gauthier

Alysi

Ashish Gupta celebrated Indian culture since it is

an integral part of British culture as well. He used

intricate embroidery and sequin work to depict

Indian culture specific styles such as saris, salwars,

lungis and sherwanis6.

Karlie Kloss in a floral

embroidered suit in Nov. ’16

proving spring trend is cool for

fall too!

Although this trend would be prominent in

S/S 2017, glimpses of embroidery can already

be seen on the streets today.

Continuing the maximalist theme, coats make

a visual statement across global street fashion.

Outerwear pieces are embroidered with

intricate patterns and simply worn over slim-

leg jeans. Classic items such as the trench

coats, pointed-toe mules and sling bags are

updated with individualistic embroidered

patterns offering a luxurious.

Embroidery on Streets

1 Stitchedupbyphoenix.co.uk. (2016). A History of Embroidery | Stitched Up By Phoenix. [online]

Available at: http://stitchedupbyphoenix.co.uk/a-history-of-embroidery/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].2 Seasonal trade show S/S17. (2016). WGSN. [online] Available at:

https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/#/68730/page/2 [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].3 Autumn Winter 2017 inspiration. (2016). WGSN. [online] Available at:

https://www.wgsn.com/content/board_viewer/?lang=en#/68783/page/16 [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].

References4 Vogue.com. (2016). Spring-2017-ready-to-wear-Gucci. [online] Available at:

http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/gucci [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].5 Vogue.com. (2016). Spring-2017-ready-to-wear – Stella Mccartney. [online] Available at:

http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/stella-mccartney [Accessed 7 Nov.

2016].6 Vogue.com. (2016). Spring-2017-ready-to-wear - Ashish. [online] Available at:

http://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/spring-2017-ready-to-wear/ashish [Accessed 7 Nov. 2016].

Jill Sander 11·15·2016 Ashwini Tellar

UNCONVENTIONAL

SHIRT

SPRING 2017

TREND REPORT

Marques Almeida Victoria Beckham Jacquemus Elizabeth & James Alexander WangMonse

Shirts have got fussy for Spring 2017. In line with a wider interest in reworking sartorial staples,

the classic shirt becomes subject to innovative edits and adaptations. Designers have added spins

on the trend, chopping them up and adding extra sleeves, collars and cuffs. The best were

oversized and loud at Marques’Almeida, one-shouldered and sexy at Victoria Beckham, naïve

and eccentrically cut at Jacquemus. As much as we love the timeless button-down shirt, we

always enjoy a new twist to a good old classic. Mismatched one-shoulder shirtdresses at Monse,

wrap styles at Elizabeth and James, and shirts sliced into crop tops and mini skirts at Alexander

Wang represent a new take on shirting1. Alexander Wang approached his new Spring collection

by deconstructing wardrobe basics like the button-down, merging male and female signifiers

including pinstriped tailoring and black lace.

Ricostru Joseph

Designers in London proved that they are not afraid to take some risks, playing with the idea of pieced-together construction. Joseph proposed

a shirt which had assembled portions of different shirts3. In Milan, Taverniti from Unravel portrayed deconstruction in streetwear with casual

elements in hoodies and sweatshirts. Claudia Li thought about changing guys clothes and wearing them in another way resulting in endless

oversized shirting options with deconstructed sleeves, slashed around the waist or worn off the shoulder and gathered at the cuffs. Denim was

also given the treatment with embroidered floral pattern and open sleeves4.

Designers look to the shirt as the starting block for experimentation, through pleats,

ruffles, deconstruction and unexpected inserts – a look also spotted on the catwalks

in both London and Milan

Claudia LiOversized shirt - Zara

Deconstructed items are pulled apart, cut into, and put back together

again, all with striking end results. Again, the shirt sits well within this

story, appearing in a number of reconfigured renditions. A subtle show of

skin is a common denominator, enabling this approach to work for both

day and evening looks. If you don’t have a blue striped shirt in your

wardrobe now, buy one, and do the buttons up wrong. Or wait until spring

to buy the best.

1 Spring/Summer 2017: 10 Trends To Know Now. (2016). British Vogue. Retrieved 16 November 2016,

from http://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/spring-summer-2017-fashion-trends2 George-Parkin, H. (2016). The Top 10 Trends from New York Fashion Week Spring 2017. StyleCaster.

Retrieved 16 November 2016, from http://stylecaster.com/nyfw-trends-spring-2017/#ixzz4Q6nLSI6Z

References3 Shang, A. & Shang, A. (2016). Spring 2017 Fashion Trend: Pieced Together Construction at LFW. WWD.

Retrieved 16 November 2016, from http://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-trends/spring-2017-fashion-trend-

pieced-together-construction-at-lfw-10560124/4 Foreman, K. & Foreman, K. (2016). Unravel RTW Spring 2017. WWD. Retrieved 16 November 2016, from

http://wwd.com/runway/spring-ready-to-wear-2017/paris/unravel/review/

The woven shirts witnesses several sartorial updates for Spring, appearing

on the catwalks with updated silhouettes and innovative detailing. Belted

waistlines and powerful square shoulders nod to 1980s styling, lending a

number of new possibilities to the fashion-forward market. The revamped

shirt is set to be a surefire success for S/S-17, and can slot into both formal

and more casual collections in store, depending on fabric finish.

Stella McCartney Ellery

Louis Vuitton 11·22·2016 Ashwini Tellar

SHEER

SPRING 2017

TREND REPORT

Sheer fabric is made using thin thread or low density of knit which results in a

semi-transparent and flimsy cloth. Sheer has been a part of ancient Indian

dress dated back in 3000 B.C. In 146 B.C., the ancient Greeks developed a style

of dress called the Ionic Chiton, a tunic like garment made of fine wool or

woven linen which was extremely thin that it was almost transparent. The

thinness of the material allowed it to be folded and pleated in many ways

which made this style unique. By the end of 16th century, the gowns went

from modest to revealing a lot of the woman's cleavage. Many started wearing

a lightweight, transparent shirt under their gowns called a chemise. At 1920s,

sheer silk stockings started being worn. In the 1950's, chiffon and organza were

very popular fabrics featured in women's evening wear. The 1980's was a time

that completely re-inspired the sheer trend. Everyone became more aware of

their body image and began looking for new ways to show off their bodies.

Sheer was heavily influenced by celebrities. A major contributor was Madonna

who often wore mesh or sheer lace which gave way to a whole new type of

sheer look for teens of the 80's. In 2008, the sheer trend is still a large part of

fashion, claiming the name ‘peek a boob’. Since then, sheer has been making a

statement on streets. In 2011, sheer evolved revealing one's underwear through

skirts as Louis Vuitton showcased in their collection. At the 2012 Oscar's,

sheer took over the red carpet as celebrities flocked in with gowns with elegant

sheer detailing and insets1.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2011Madonna in 1994 at MTV

Video Music Awards

Silk sheer stalking of the

1920s

The catwalks at London, New York, Paris and Milan Fashion Week were awash with exciting new take on sheer. Most of them wearable,

some not, but at least designers have taken everyone’s comfort level into consideration for spring. On the runway, see-through overlays

ranged from the mild, like an elegant skirt over a floral brocade mini at Delpozo to transparent layers at Coach and DKNY over teeny-tiny

briefs2. Taking on a new form for 2017, thick perspex trousers with longline tops and dresses as seen at Carven, crochet bottoms as seen at

Burberry and fitted lace dresses loved at Dolce & Gabbana3. Whether covering the entire outfit, part of it or just as an embellishment, sheer

has been used in a wide section of the collections.

Jason Wu DKNY Coach Delpozo Anna Sui Carven Dolce & Gabbana

Faustine Steinmetz

Burberry Joseph

Marques Almeida Molly Goddard

In London, the styling preference of

choice was sheer overlays. Dresses, tops

and skirts worn over basic silhouettes

that rounded out looks and provided a

composed sense of cool. Sharon

Wauchob’s flowy floral-embroidered slip

was the perfect example of laid-back

chic, while Joseph’s high-collar number

straddled the line of sporty and refined4.

Sheer top at Saks Fifth

Avenue

Sheer Maxi Dress at

ASOS

Hannah Davis in Zuhair Murad and Gigi Hadid in Roberto Cavalli

While the fashion looks were

varied at the 2016 American

Music Awards in Nov. 2016,

Gigi Hadid wore two of the

night’s biggest trends, opting

for a sheer and lacy off-the-

shoulder Roberto Cavalli gown

and , Hannah Davis donned an

embroidered sheer gown by

Zuhair Murad, both considered

as best dressed for the night5.

Sheer on Streets

1 "History and Evolution Behind Sheer - Fashion Diary: Sheer Bedroom ..." 2013. 23 Nov. 2016

http://sheerfashiondiary.weebly.com/history-and-evolution-behind-sheer.html2 The Top 22 Trends, Ideas, and Styling Tricks We Loved from Spring 2017 NYFW. (2016). InStyle.com.

Retrieved 23 November 2016, from http://www.instyle.com/awards-events/fashion-week/new-york-

fashion-week/top-spring-2017-nyfw-fashion-trends

References3 Edwards, J. (2016). These are next season's style trends you need to know. Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 23

November 2016, from http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/fashion/a46659/spring-summer-2017-fashion-trends/4 Shang, A. & Shang, A. (2016). London Fashion Week September 2016 Trend: Sheer Layers. WWD. Retrieved

23 November 2016, from http://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-trends/london-fashion-week-september-

2016-trend-sheer-layers-10560072/

5 Medina, M. & Medina, M. (2016). Best-Dressed at the 2016 American Music Awards: Selena Gomez, Gigi Hadid and More. WWD. Retrieved 23 November 2016, from http://wwd.com/eye/parties/american-music-

awards-amas-2016-best-dressed-selena-gomez-gigi-hadid-10709947/

Get ready to bare your skin during Summer 2017 as sheer trend will continue to make bold statements. Make sure to invest in some cute

underpinnings to go with your sheers!