Heimtextil 2007/2008 trends: Declaring colour
Colour and unfamiliar, generous designs create new excitement
Bringing the mood of a new dawn to Heimtextil
Sep 30, 2006 - At the end of August, Gunnar Frank, the trend researcher from Amsterdam, opened his lecture on the newest trends in textiles for 2007/2008 for house and home with the words: "Baroque is finally passé!". The new trend "Declaring colour" abandons the whimsical. These days design, clarity, and function are trendy, for this read dynamic, energetic, intelligent fabrics, so marketing executives need to take a step back in favour of product developers, according to Frank. Genuine design is back in fashion - fantasy and modernity interact to create the interiors of the future together with an open, clean ambience. Colours and materials need to be reinterpreted and used differently. Colour is attributed a type of bridging function – somewhere between a contemporary way of thinking and the traditional, twixt East and West, twixt science and mysticism.
"We are experiencing the rebirth of the Renaissance", Frank continues. In this context it is important for experts to stop grumbling, which means banishing all that is negative. Frank’s ethos is to adopt a fresh approach to new things. "At the end of the day, the world we live in needs change. Stamp your personality and character on your merchandise", explains Frank, presenting the new trend book.
The world around us inspires the fashions of tomorrow. "Look for inspiration for your new collections whenever you visit a theatre, cinema or museum. Frank encourages the 370 or so representatives from the house and home textile industry with the words: "Come with me to a new world”, recalling the new mood of optimism inspired by the world football championships. "We must show the same enthusiasm next January at Heimtextil”. Traditionally, the trend forecast is presented five months ahead of Heimtextil at the Frankfurt consumer-goods fair Tendence Lifestyle.
An abundance of colour and expansive decorations pay homage to a variety of artistic directions, on the one hand the art of the early 20th century (symbolising the modern) and, on the other, the Renaissance (symbolising the traditional). This creates areas of conflict in which an awareness of colour turns into a statement. Frank differentiates between four colour-related areas of conflict or colour themes: |
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 Heimtextil Trends 2007/2008 |
| Constructive Power – represents the strength of the seven primary colours and the severity of constructivism. This creates areas of total modernity and clear lines. As far as manufacturers of home and home textiles are concerned, the maxim is "reduction – climbing down from the summit of the Baroque and the whimsical into "purity”. The impact of the chosen colour combinations is powerful and intense. A backdrop with a new aestheticism of its own is created in the linkage area to the decorative elements of whimsical, elegant tradition. According to Frank, "The Baroque doesn’t entirely disappear in fact, it dissolves and softens gradually". |
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| Cubism Monochrome – here the family of seven neutral colours (see trend book) fuses with cubism. The transition from the concrete into the abstract, elucidated in this art form, complement the "non-colours” perfectly. As projection fields, they offer the peace and basis essential to the new orientation. In this context, a loft atmosphere is trendy. Motifs and references from bygone centuries create a new excitement, with art used as a decorative element. There’s also a mix and match of other designs elements, for example of materials with special structures and finishes, designs resembling computer animations, such as wood, matte and glossy. With this design and colour mood, the change of perspective is part of a dynamic life- and homestyle. |
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| Surreal Sunny stands for warm yellow and red colour nuances combined with Surrealist-inspired style elements. "Blue was the colour of 2006 – now yellow is taking over and is destined to be the major colour”, says Frank. Yellow creates harmony in some overloaded designs. Plenty of glass, a host of textiles, a plethora of structure serve both to create a warm atmosphere and to banish the Baroque. Fifties fabrics provide the inspiration, with expansive designs in faux reptile skin with leaves or diagonal movement / structures, for example. Surrealist elements conjure up a creative moment contrasting with motifs with a classical hallmark. An imaginative look, with distinctive modern, romantic accents, which takes its orientation from this new dawn, is born out of this home environment. |
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| Futurism Dawn – in the futuristic world, the cool spectrum of blue-grey colour nuances dominates. "Here, blue is once again a major theme, with dark blue celebrating a revival", adds Frank. As with Surreal Sunny, the modern and romantic find equal expression, creating clean, open interiors in which blue and white dominate. The importance of stone, faux leather, glass and iron is resurgent. The initial impression is one of simplicity. "Romance is on the table” explains Frank. A pleasant, remote playfulness is both a symbol of moving forward and an expression of the progressive nature of this style of living. "Although the classic persists, it declares colour, thereby creating a modern impact", Frank opines. |
Fabrics and designs – fabrics play an important role in addition to the clear declaration of colour. The trend differentiates between plain and patterned fabrics.
A natural, structured surface featuring a handcrafted knit effect, applies to the plain fabrics. Yarns: flowing patterns, often with a melange or flame effect, add a natural touch to cotton, linen and silk fabrics. These include Côtelés, piquet, tweed, velvet and Shantung effect.
Surfaces with a technical finish - a coated look, faux leather and suede, patent gold and silver finishes, glitter and rubberisation give the fabrics a 3D effect.
When it comes to patterned fabrics, produced by means of Dobby, Jacquard, Photoprint or print, Frank differentiates between four groups:
• Flowers, leaves and trees – all in a natural look, with a tendency towards expansiveness and patchwork effects.
• Romantic images from the 17th and 19th centuries, still life paintings, park scenes, Marie Antoinette and Antoine Watteau.
• Cybernetic motifs: stripes, checks, diagonal and geometric motifs experience a revival, often with contrasts between dark, light, colour and neutral.
• Humorous motifs: at last laughing and having fun find an outlet, which is reflected in the collections. The young interiors market demands contemporary design. A style mix featuring colour, patterns (large and small) and motifs is in demand.
Colour and impact – the way colours are used and their influence is decisive when it comes to this trend. In the case of the style Constructive Power, a warm atmosphere is created by the left-hand side of the colour spectrum (in the trend book), with the right-hand side representing the cooler variations. The same applies to Cubism Monochrome. The left-hand spectrum tends towards warmth, the right towards a cool mood. Surreal Sunny opens up additional creative potential as well. Either yellow in all its variations is used or yellow with red. The reds and yellows are both perfect when it comes to optimally expressing the modern and the traditional. Similarly, in Futurism Dawn, blue is used on its own in all its varieties. In a mixed application, the facets of blue appear together with green. Here, too, both colour trends are used to portray the traditional and the modern.
The trend "Declaring colour" will be on show at Heimtextil from 10 to 13 January 2007 in specially staged sets located on Level 0 of the Forum.
This means that Heimtextil offers the biggest trend show in the world for home and commercially used textiles and possesses an important communications tool for the industry.
Incorporating the latest designs from leading design studios and manufacturers of home and commercial property textiles, the new trends at the Fair are featured in an inspiring ambience, created by the Berlin-based Bora und Herke design team.
This innovative presentation, accompanied by trend lectures from international experts, forms the fair’s creative hub. All lectures (approximately 14 lecture subjects are planned) will be given in the Agenda Room on level 0 of the Trend Forum.
The trend book can be obtained either direct from the Trend Forum or from the following address for Euro 30:
Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH
Heimtextil Event Management
Postfach 15 02 10 , D-60062 Frankfurt am Main,
Germany
Tel: +49 69 75 75 0
Fax:+49 69 75 75 6537
heimtextil@messefrankfurt.com
Gunnar Frank has been responsible for the trend shows at the Heimtextil in Frankfurt since 1996. Born in The Netherlands, the versatile trend researcher and textile engineer, who lives alternately in Amsterdam and on Curaςao, also studied design and philosophy. After working for many years in the fashion sector, Frank concentrated on textile interior furnishings and accessories. Later, he turned his attention to furniture design and worked as a colour consultant for the automobile industry, as well as on the preparation of colour concepts for buildings in cooperation with renowned architects. He also works together with international Heimtextil exhibitors on the development of new products, as well as on designs for the paper industry. Frank is professor at the Academy of Design in Rietfeld, The Netherlands, and is frequently invited to speak at international events. He is also a Member of the International Colour Authority in London.
Gunnar Frank has produced many highly successful concepts, including the trend philosophies for the textile and consumer-goods fairs of Messe Frankfurt: Heimtextil, Christmasworld, Paperworld und Lightstyle. His motto in life: to have everything - but own nothing. |
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