We’ve collected the data from New York fashion week, analysed 13.3 million tweets and updates, processed consumer sentiment towards each trend, ranked the most talked-about designers and tracked every shade used. Here, we present our Top 10 insights from NYFW AW 13/14.
1. Colour
We’ve monitored every instance of colour from each New York show, which shows us the colours designers are investing in most strongest and preempts the big commercial trends. While many collections played into the minimalist black & white story, the key colour news comes in the form of electric blue and boozy burgundy.
2. Most talked-about designer
Marc Jacobs’ shifting his show during fashion week might just have played into one man’s hands: Michael Kors. After three seasons ruling as New York’s most buzzed-about designer, Jacobs has been ousted by Kors. But it wasn’t just the clothes consumers were talking about, as news broke mid-week that Kors is on par to become fashion’s next billionaire, with shares in his company jumping 10%. Kors gave us sports-urbanism at its sleekest: boxy cuts, a masculine palette and functional fastenings.
3. Tracking brand growth
Monitoring the increase in online followers is a great way of assessing how well-received a designer’s collection is. New York gets digital, and does well with this every year. This year 69 NYFW shows were live-streamed; superb progress and thanks to Nemo, much needed. Rebecca Minkoff was the New York designer to grow her following the most, with a staggering 19k new eyeballs on the brand.
4. Key shape: Cape
Maybe we were all feeling the cold, be it in New York, or through power of persuasive social media, but it was the cosy outerwear that was most covetable in New York. From that, the cape has taken flight. At Oscar de la Renta, they were hooded, heavy wool at Anna Sui and embroidered at Marchesa.
5. Top print: Plaids
Plaids have been the new stripes for a couple of seasons now, and for AW 13/14 there’s two routes to take. Like Milly, go tartan and colourful, play with scale and unexpected textures and you’ll appeal to a trend-savvy younger market. For a more classic consumer, the cream-grounded and fine lined plaids at Dennis Basso and Tanya Taylor have big potential. Consumer opinion towards the trend were high: 36% of online mentions are overtly positive in sentiment. Act now!
6. Trend story: Sports-Mod
Take last season’s sports luxe, tone down the luxe and blend with a 60s mod vibe; that’s where AW13 is heading. Exemplified by Victoria Beckham, now in full bloom, think unfussy shapes in a genderless palette and a play on volume. At Lacoste, that was translated with piped seams and rounded shoulders. Key to this theme is shift dresses, turtle necks and winter specs.
7. Fabrics: Leather
Be it high shine patents or sleek and matt, leather was popular in a myriad of shades. Altuzarra worked wonders with draped leather dresses and contrast sleeved trenches. Calvin Klein‘s more utilitarian look offers sharp contrast and will require lashings of attitude.
8. Key Shape: Skater
The skater dress is a huge commercial success that shows no sign of stopping. It works so well reworked in any weight of fabrics, designers have updated for a new season with sleeves and new collar shapes, and it flatters most figures. This season the best versions played into the Sports-Mod theme, at DKNY that meant colour-blocked and full-skirted. The girlish shape was toughened up with contrast leather sleeves at Rebecca Taylor.
9. Top Prints: Leopard
The second key print story requires a little more caution. Leopard print has a love-hate reaction from consumers. There were plenty of true to life colour ways, Dennis Basso and Nicole Miller included. Our advice here is to make this story a fun trend and avoid the classic tones. Interpreting the print in non-traditional shades like those shown at DKNY and Tibi.
10. Fabrics: Fur
NY’s love of fur shows no limits & designers went full-pelt this season. The fabric was used as a dramatic trim on outerwear at Jason Wu, Nicholas K and Timo Weiland. Full-garment employment was shown in long-haired and colourful creations at Anna Sui, Jeremy Scott and Derek Lam.
Katie Smith
