Monday I was in Las Vegas at a big fashion trade show, going to trend reports and walking the show to see what is happening with textile and color trends.
When I went to the one big trend forecast that I attend every year, I was pleasantly surprised at what the presenter had to say. He kind of gave the designers and manufacturers a lecture, saying that the boomer and senior population is being ignored, despite the fact that they have such huge influence on trends due to their buying power. "These people need something to wear!" he admonished the crowd, of which half was wearing tight short skirts and sky high heels.
Did you know the fastest growing segment of the total population is 80 and over? I didn't believe it until I did some research on the web. In the quilt industry we've been really focusing on connecting with the younger customer, but perhaps sometimes at the expense of elder quilters.
One thing is for sure: As humans live longer and remain creatively active, some can be a great resource for teaching the traditional needlework crafts to young people. We have to find a way to harness all this creativity and talent, to pass on to those younger people! Long Live Grandma Power!
As we remain productive, there will be more quilts to pass on to loved ones! Those treasured heirlooms will outlast their makers (as long as they use high quality fabric and thread) and may tell their stories a century or more beyond the life of the quilter.
This week I've been contemplating the cycle of Life, as we've had a few babies in our own circle of friends, but have lost some older friends too. Paul and I attended a wedding on Saturday, and I met Donna Wilder's grandson for the first time Sunday. (You may recognize Donna's name from her leadership in the Fairfield Fashion Show, and as founder of Free Spirit Fabrics 11 years ago.)
Sophie got to hold Baby Wilder, and as you can see by this photo, she was very proud of herself.
With all that is happening in Libya, the earthquakes in Colorado and the East Coast today, I am reminded of that old saying "the only thing that stays the same… is constant change." When the world is swirling outside our doorstep or halfway across the globe, we can sit down with fabric needle and thread, and find our own Center.
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Some of the trends that caught my eye at the trade show were surprising – in a pleasant way. One of the big trends in fashion textiles now is what I call "throwaway hand-dyes". If you've ever dyed fabrics, you probably make a point not to waste dye, so perhaps you pour leftover colors on waiting scrap PFD, curious to see what will happen.
Those muddy mixed-up hand-dyes showed up in several dresses and tops, as an expression of the "use everything" philosophy of urban art. There were also lots of 2-tone hand-dyes, representing shibori dyeing, with a similar Throwaway recycled look.
Another (opposite!) trend is Allover Sequins, All the Time! There is new textile technology that creates absolutely encrusted fabrics so full of sequins, there is no base fabric showing through. The favorite color for this luxury fabric is GOLD, and there is a strong vintage resurgence of this luxury color.
Another trend I saw was the continuing color story of Black and White. This perennial favorite seems to always find new permutations, from huge 6" polka dots to a rough scraped texture of charcoal-on-white. The secret is one pop of color – like a Taxicab Yellow or a Candy Pink.
One thing we know is not a trend but more of a lifestyle, and that is quilting as a hobby. I saw patchwork shorts and jackets, plus lots of textile techniques we like such as sashiko and shibori, pintucks and bias ribbon latticework, fabric 3-D roses, and necklines like antique doilies, but nothing could compete with the HUGE influence of the print trend.
The fashion industry is awash the same prints that we use – especially super LARGE scale florals – and the delicate small scale Liberty-type florals. Huge scarf prints with giant placed motifs on dresses, and a profusion of Boho bright paisleys, drowned out the skull prints from past seasons. Solid Paprika Red and Banana Yellow jeans and jean jackets were head-turners, as well as pantsuits and separates made from lightweight denim and chambray.
Color trends parallel, in many cases the food trends we see in specialty grocery stores! Colors such as caramel, fig, pomegranate and lobster bisque are echoes of our international palate which has expanded with our grocers' imports.
It is always interesting to digest all of my notes down into a trend report for our textile industry, and that's what I'll be working on for my keynote presentation at the Intl Textile Expo Sept 25th. Quilting is such a pure expression of our love of fabric, and it has cycles and trends just like everything else around us. The trends will happen whether we predict them of not, because they are an expression of trends occurring in the fabric of society.
Our deepest sympathies go out to our sales rep Allen B. who lost his wife last Thursday. Our thoughts and prayers are with your family.
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Hi, Luana…..First of all, a big “thank you” for allowing a senior citizen to voice her opinion on
the changes in fabric/quilting world…I’m old enough to know everything is cyclical, but I have cancelled subscriptions to 2 magazines because of
their style choices….please….do not disregard
the beauty and stability of traditional quilting…
new “stuff” is fine, but please….don’t throw away
the old. There is lots of room for both…..jt
Hi Janie,
Yes I totally agree that there is room for both traditional and contemporary/art quilting! I don’t know what magazines you mean, but I do know that many magazines are struggling for survival now because of the economy, and some are trying something different in an attempt to boost their circulation numbers. They may feel that the old format is no longer working so they will try something new. Sometimes it works… sometimes it doesn’t! – Luana
so glad to see that the ‘lecture’ included a reminder that those over 50’somethings need clothes too! It comes down to either dowdy or uncomfortably unaccommodating in the garment departments of most stores these days. They think only the younger set buy clothes? Let’s hope they take it to heart!
I’ve also been discouraged by the quilt magazine contents lately – either they want us to travel or repeat the same rehashed patterns over and over… or go completely beyond our comfort level.
I’m fine without patterns in magazines, but please let us know when those deadlines are for quilt show entries, etc. Why does that have to be in fine print hidden away at the back? Those without computer access are left in the dust.
Woww….so beautifully expressed! It is true, I always pick up my fabric and thread when I need centering. THanks for sharing those beautiful words!
I would just like to add that I appreciate your insightful, informative, and often introspective “creative nudges.” Whether it is a stunning photo of a redtail hawk, stories on the quilts for Japan, or thought provoking observations, your blog/midweek emails are always rich in substance. I look forward to each of them and enjoy all that you incorporate into them. Thank you.
In the past I have always been inspired by what others wrote, greedily adding their thoughts to my thoughts. But in review, (these days part of my cycle of life), I find I need to THANK those who take the time to write their thoughts down for others. Thank You for your thoughts Luann, they are as much color, line, texture, to our creativity as fabrics, pictures and quilt shows. I will always be reading.
I love your blog and especially your comments about grandmas and traditional quilting. I love hand piecing and quilting, although my sewing machine never sits idle for long. I, too, have cancelled several subscriptions to quilt magazines, but the printed word I can’t get enough of are the books on quilt history, especially the state quilt documentation books. I believe in passing along those skills I initially learned from my grandma and have perfected over the years. I have taught my granddaughters to sew, and was not bashful about showing them how to use the ripper. My grandma’s philosophy was, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.” She never let me get away with shoddy work, and although I resisted at the time, I am now very grateful that she kept raising the bar. I am lucky enough to have younger friends who want to learn those skills, and I love teaching them, especially one on one. It has greatly enriched my life.
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That is a great story Jan. I will say that not every personality does well with the “quilt rules” and precise methods of some quilting techniques. It is nice that those people now can also choose to make contemporary quilts or art quilts. But I think it is SO important that we keep the traditional patchwork alive at least as a starting point for young people, and then they can decide if they want to pursue traditional/exacting or contemporary/art quilts. One thing I love about quilters is they can usually overcome these “partisan” perspectives and come together with their mutual love of fabric, color and sewing. Maybe our politicians should start quilting! *wink*
– Luana