Western wear, the flirty aesthetic in abundant pink, Y2K pieces and knit polo shirts. These are some of the fashion trends to expect this spring.
In a college town, boutique owners learn to adapt to their market and fashion merchandising students learn, through classes and clubs, the ins and outs of the fashion industry. Katie Jacobs, owner of Cheeky Peach, said that as a business owner, she does a lot of trend forecasting, especially interpreting what the trends will be for the store's customers.
I think Athens is a very forward-thinking city and where our customers really embrace new trends, Jacobs said.
This sentiment is shared by Ryder Chosewood, the owner of Kempt, a men's clothing store on North Lumpkin St. Chosewood said that before bringing items into his store, he and his employers must decide which items will interest the walk.
Chosewood, a University of Georgia alumnus, said he attends a trade show every six months in Chicago and gets an idea of what styles and looks will be for the upcoming season. It's helpful to see these metrics, but Chosewood said he thinks creating trends in men's clothing goes beyond trade shows.
Men's fashion, at least as much as women's, but perhaps more than women's, is like a bottom-up trend framework, that is, street style and what men wear at the daily where influencers almost influence brands rather than the other way around. » Choewood said.
Chosewood said its most popular item right now is a short-sleeve button-down knit. This is due to what he believes is a move away from statements with bold colors and prints towards clothing with a unique cut or texture. He also said that when it comes to pants, men are more interested in a relaxed fit and many men are more interested in wearing jewelry.
As for other trends, Camille Isom, a public relations and fashion merchandising student, said she has seen many items from the year 2000, including sunglasses that look like the ones she wore when she was a young girl in the 2000s. Additionally, she noted that as ballet and Pilates become more popular, people are regularly wearing more athleisure-type clothing.
Isom is president of UGA's Student Merchandising Association, which provides students with opportunities to develop a variety of skills needed for careers in the fashion industry. The organization recently held its “Dazzling Lies and Deceptive Looks” fashion show last Wednesday, April 10, influenced by 1960s fashion.
We review the trends and then we create themes from those and incorporate them into our projects that we do, Isom said.
Anna Cox, a junior in fashion merchandising with a minor in general business focused on brand management at UGA, works at Heerys Clothes Closet located on College Avenue. She is exposed to growing trends and styles as new products come to market.
Both Cox and Thosewood mentioned the popularity of Western clothing, particularly under the influence of the music industry. Chosewood said many non-country artists make country albums. Cox discussed the specific influence of Beyoncé and her new album Cowboy Carter.
One of Cox's current favorite trends is maximalism — a trend that Vogue magazine described in an article as lots of color, painterly prints, rich textures and more.
I firmly believe that people start to love their clothes so much that they really don't care. [about the traditional rules of fashion], Cox said. It's like goodbye to periods, we want to wear what makes us feel good and we want to wear what makes us feel like ourselves.
Jacobs noted that fashion trends can be easily showcased on social media and customers can have the opportunity to buy and wear clothes that fit a certain mold. She does, however, encourage people to explore fashion on their own terms.
I think it's very important to not only follow a trend, but to look at your wardrobe, look at the things you wear, look at the things you like and try to create a collection based on your taste personal, Jacobs said.
Cox shared that she is currently reading Clothes and Other Things That Matter by Alexandra Shulman, the former editor-in-chief of British Vogue. The book focuses on the function of clothing in our daily lives.
“One thing I've realized a lot about is that I use my clothes to say something about myself,” Cox said. It's like you're trying to tell someone something about yourself by the way you dress and the way you carry yourself.
