Shades of Summer
Summer’s heat may be five months away, but starting today the temps will fashionably sizzle at the California Mart, the world’s largest fashion-industry hub.
And the buzz is all about femme fun. Think pink. Slip into gauze. Girlfriend, revisit the ‘50s.
Buyers from across the country--and around the world--will invade CalMart to shop the latest trends for the coming summer season of sand and surf.
It’s all part of the center’s “Week of Resources, Looks & Designers,” which concludes Tuesday at the downtown apparel and accessory headquarters.
CalMart hosts five major fashion weeks throughout the year: one each for summer, holiday resort and spring, and two for fall.
This summer’s collections--displayed for buyers representing retail stores--include women’s, men’s and kids’ wear, shoes, and gifts and accessories.
And the trends are an eclectic mix, says Susan Scheimann, president and CEO of CalMart.
For starters, one of summer’s fashion buzzwords will be “girlie.” And Scheimann has three more: “feminine, strong and true.”
Among the varied looks for women: prairie and western, nautical, and an ethnic, bohemian influence that uses peasant tops, A-line dresses and long skirts, all in various sheer and crinkled gauze, denim and nylon. The classic ‘50s look, a la Capri pants, will remain strong.
The big color? Pink--in every shade imaginable--will be red hot. Also soft pastels and sherbets such as violets and lavenders. Desert whites and sand will be apropos. And gray, the it color of this winter and last spring, remains a keeper.
For men, tropics will be the topic. Hawaiian shirts are topping just about every list. But don’t rule out the stronghold on streetwear and the influence that extreme sports has had on clothes. This summer, look for nylons tougher than Teflon and futuristic, heat-sensitive fabrics. Cargo pants will still be big.
“Our trend forecast is pretty broad because our tenants represent every category,” Scheimann says. More than 10,000 fashion lines are exhibited in 1,500 showrooms.
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