Trend Direction: Promised Land

keywords PRIMARY KNOWLEDGE – BACK TO EARTH – TALISMAN – EXPLORATION – HOPE – FREE-MIND

Promised Land. This trend will find its way back to the roots, back to earth and nature. In 2023, embedded in a feeling of primal warmth, this trend aspires for holistic independence that will come along holistic, post-traumatic growth. This trend defines both, exploration and introspection. Inspired by ancestral hunters and gatherers, this consumer will explore the energies of pure nature and begin to collect keepsakes, including talismans or unique natural finds that can serve as a future compass of positive energy throughout life. The strong desire for detox and purification will put wellness over works and the planet over profit, manifesting clear value changes within society. Caring and repairing will become more important, as well as the understanding of nature’s therapeutic effects that can be retained in craw craft and handmade items. Rustic aesthetics will provide a nurturing and homely feeling of pure nature to remind us of where we come from. This trend is putting our existence into perspective and helps us to reconnect strongly with our primal roots. 

For this trend, colors return to nature’s deepest roots and explore its terrestrial elements: stones, sediments and mycelium.  Depicting these wild and untouched lands, design suggest that the world is capable of restoring the essence of primitive, uncontaminated life. Enhancing the contrast between warm notes and lighter, desaturated shades, this palette composes a symbiotic dance between comforting elements. Various hues of earthy and neutral tones are celebrating their moment now and leave room for new shades of red and mud that take over from the expected palette of natural greens.

The Promised Land trend tries to explore what we have once been promised by the planet and what we should promise our planet now: sustained and sustainable living. On that note, eco-camping looks will propose a sense of utilitarian and explorative design that is in-synch with the pace of the planet. Camping and hiking have become important activities over the past years and their benefits for health and mind will remain essential. Consequently, the need for appropriate and functional clothes will fuse perfomance-ridden properties with a more cozy #cabincore narrative for AW23. As consumers reconnect with their roots, they explore forgotten cultures and traditions and aim to preserve what is left of them. A #nomadcore aesthetic helps to liberate consumers from the idea of limiting consumerism and personal possessions. Stripped-off baggage, they can adventure into new territories and discover hidden places. At the same time, new seductive stories of swamp vixens will propose an earthy interpretation of the subversive sexiness that is infiltrating womenswear at the moment. Derived from our  natural soils, sensible layers will be draped around the female figure in imperfect and unique ways. This theme can provide an updated setting for body-liberation, lead by more natural energies. Reconnecting to the beginning of humanity, hunter & gatherer inspirations will be adapted in a contemporary context, including distinctly androgynous warrior elements. Silhouettes will feel protecting yet reduced to the essential here.

For menswear, the modern hunter & gatherer is embedded in narratives of caves and woodlands. Reconnecting to nature can be interpreted in different ways here. For a story of home-grown and cabin-ridden design, utilitarian elements fuse with a rustic and homey feel. Altogether they will be creating a cozy mood for functional clothing. Alongside the renewed understanding of masculinity, traditional cavemen are reinterpreted in a more fragile and gentle way. With fluid fabrics and delicate embroideries, masculinity of our primal days is reinterpreted with a modernized gender sensibility. In contrast, huntsman themes can also feel harsh and powerful. They will be setting on layered outdoor elements and fur details: modern men seek to reconnect to their ancestral roots through this raw masculinity to rediscover grounding aspects of rural life and survival and to fill a void of meaning that they encounter within their day-to-day lives. Lastly, more imaginary moor creatures can depict narratives of the new wetland inspirations within color and textures. With more organic silhouettes and purposeful irregularities, the swamp is coming alive now. The focus on natural textures, colors and shapes aims for a camouflaging effect and reflects the aspired synchronous relationship and literal merging of man and nature. 

Trend Direction: Nocturnal Allure

Nocturnal Allure. The deeper meaning behind reality seems lots within our contemporary world and consumers seem to reach for new mysteries beyond the physical. The exploration of nocturnal worlds, darknesses and somewhat ghostly realms will create new possibilities for phantasmic escapes and guidance. Thanks to feelings of awe, rather than fear, consumers are beginning to face their darkness and transcend into a midnight world of ancient rituals, illusion and gloomy alchemy. Spiritual and magical energies are being welcomed to fill the void of crisis and unfold new faith or otherworldly guidance. Astrology and other forms of subconscious healing will see consumers connect with the mystic nature of life again and develop tastes for shadowed rituals and ancient symbolism. As curiosity  peers far into hidden territories, it explores the soul and imagination equally. In opposition to current toxic positivity, the trend is pushing for the acceptance of difficulties and fears. With a growing appreciation of the dark it will propose a new understanding of hope.

keywords WITCHCRAFT – FASCINATION – SPIRITUAL – FACING FEAR – PHANTASMAGORIA – GLOOM

Colors for this trend play with the intriguing gloom of unexplored darker worlds. New darks propose shades that are able to represent such a mystic intimacy between man and cosmos, without appearing as merely dangerous. Anthracite and deep blue navy communicate a profound sense of mystery. They are contrasted with a bewitched hint of purple to brighten the most frightening nights. Another unexpected twist is introduced via pigmented burgundy. The color represents the natural roots of darkness and provides a ground for flashes of more extreme red. The red nuances add modern dynamism to the story and play with seductive elements.

Nocturnal themes are daring to see past the commonly known to explore our current fears and discover new beauty behind its dangerous facade. For womenswear the dark theme is accompanied by an overarching idea of mystified sensuality. For a narrative of night-street glam, glitz and couture elements are fusing. Harsher and streetwear-driven elements, like hoodies or belts, epitomes of masculine casual style, are contrasted with glitters and ruffle elements for an exciting new look. More stylized, minimal magicians will explore draping and layering within a magical context. Through mystifying veils, drapes and hoods, the unknown is literally translated and turning the wearer into an anonymous character. The dark and draped look will be resonating a modern witch-vibe. Dark desires will continue to fuel the trend for subversive and sexy styles, pushing towards more explicit desires and intimate phantasies. Straps and accessories are beginning to cover-up liberated lingerie silhouettes again. They conversely reveal less to tease more. Finally, another nocturnal design narrative will confront the circumstances of the recent crises and the subsequent question of death and of what comes after it. Memento mori connects to the endlessness of life and places symbols and prints of afterlife on veiled or second-skin silhouettes. The myth of death and its dangerous appeal will reveal dangerous liaisons of life and death and the in between.

For menswear markets, the gothic trend prevails in most nocturnal and mystic design stories for AW23. The design narrative of rough rebels depicts the harsh side of the goth subculture. Face-covers and metal elements will resonate a dangerous vibe and have consumers feel in power again. The gothcore look offers a classic gothic streetwear look. It incorporates studs and prints for a more distinct subcultural appeal. Leather pants and jackets, as well as distorted graphic tees are building the foundation here. Inspired by the afterworld and death, which has become a prevailing topic of our times, consumers are seeking to define life and what makes us human again. Peeling-off the layers of humanity down to the bone will be a mind-exploring approach. Skeletal prints and themed accessories unite us, aside from ethnicity and looks, and break humans down to the core. On a similar quest to redefine the purpose of life, new communities and cults are forming. Inspired by cult leaders and priests, serene and ceremonial uniforms will provide a sleek and impactful look within the nightly trend. Coats and capes, contrasted with white elements on the collar or neckline, recreate a priest-like effect but integrate new shapes and styling to suggest that new beliefs are emerging and that spiritual power is distributing differently now.