Fall/Winter 09/10 Trends from Milano Unica

Milano Unica is the premiere textile tradeshow in Italy. It is an exhibition of European textile manufacturers and is the unification of five previously separate prestigious Italian textile fairs; Idea Como, Idea Biella, Moda In, Prato Expo and Shirt Avenue. Each show is known specifically for a certain textile, for example the region of Como is known for silks, while Prato and Biella are known for wool. Over the past 10 years the Italian and European textile industry has faced extreme hardship and therefore they combined the five shows to unite and promote the true quality of the finest fabric and accessory collections in Europe. The products shown at Milano Unica are used in designer collections and represent the most exclusive fabrics in the world for feminine elegance, trendy and high tech fabrics as well as trims.

Four trend presentation areas summarized the latest trends in fashion, color, innovation and trims as demonstrated by the exhibitors. A video presentation of the Fall/Winter 09/10 trends by Moda In, Ideacomo and Prato Expo further encapsulated the physical display of fashion trends. The four main themes proposed for the season were Soft Seduction, Restrained Glam, 3D Animation and Chromo Divirtissement. Within each category there were sub-themes depicted by fabrics with similar characteristics. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed in the show so you will have to let your imagination run wild.


Soft Seduction:

• Vaporous Comfort: puffy swelling with minimal weight, voluminous techniques in a duvet style, prints simulating fox and lynx fur, dense embroidery on swan feathers, quilting

• Pajama Party: precious silk and wool, camel velour, silk chenille, arabesque patterns, silk satin paired with cashmere tulle

• Antique Softness: mohair, baby alpaca, cashmere blends, workmanship resembling dreadlocks, fur, ribbons resembling disheveled shaded fur, strings and tapes interwoven with loose knits

• Fabrics: jacquard, lace, embroidery, paisley, raised textures, rouching, velvet

• Colors:
o Burgundy, fuchsia paired with dark brown and taupe, cherry reds
o Blush colors like pinkish nude
o Gold paired with burgundy reds and cherry
o Raspberry reds paired with blushes and soft neutrals

Restrained Glam:

• Pictorial Shading: Painterly strokes, abstract florals, watercolors

• Working Class: Functional elegance, menswear inspired fabrics including
houndstooth, herringbone, tweeds, suiting, saville row

• Daily Luminosity: metallic threads interwoven in wool fabrics, rouching, surface texture

• Colors:
o Berries
o Purple paired with dark taupe
o Shades of blue including navy, teal and aqua
o Camels and taupe paired with burgundy
o Bronze
o Grey

3D Animation:

• Thin Graphics: Burnout, flock embroidery, spider web embroidery, tucks, pleats, stitching

• Geometric Evolution: Checks, stripes, glen plaid, tartan, argyle, geometric shapes, houndstooth

• Optical Illusions: architectural elements, development of the honeycomb structure which is imitated by quilting, embossed cellular structure, symmetric gathering, ribbons overlapping organ pipe pleats

• Colors:
o Black
o Silver Metallics
o Grey
o Yellow
o Teal

Chromo Divertissement:

• Green Ideas: Bark effects, techno nature

• Juvenile Nostalgia: Freedom and optimism in a movement of green and pink; velvet, embroidered prints, color blocks on plush fabrics, looking to cheer up the adult world

• Virtual Exuberance: Eco-fantasy, inspired by natural surrealism, folk & pop art, video games, pixilated eastern folklore, kaleidoscope

• Fabrics: ethnic, embroidery, ikat, animal prints, juvenile florals possibly inspired by Japanese anime, large florals

• Colors:
o shades of green including olives, forest, and yellows
o cherry reds and berries, bright pink
o combination of reds and blues in plaids
o oranges mixed with brown
o aqua


In summary the most predominant textile trends for Fall/Winter 09/10 is surface treatment, in the form of embroidery, rouching, pleats and gathers, as well as textured fabrics such as lace, velvet and fur. The dominant colors are purple, berry tones, black, blues from navy to aqua and shades of green from olive to yellow tones. Overall it is a season of opposites, on one spectrum there is focus on antiquity and vintage elements however there is also a heavy influence of future technology, graphics and animation. The common ground is a focus on protecting the earth, whether it is by preserving what we have or through research and development of new technology that will lessen our impact on the environment.