Jewel Encrustation and Damask Weave Texture in Clothes

This is a very important season for contrasting texture effects in clothing.  Look out for encrusted jewel trimmings and also beautiful gold Damask weave decoration.

In the past decade texture in fashion has grown apace, ever since the underlying trend for eclectic ethnic started.  It brought appliqué and traditional folkloric elements into the design of the fabric and construction of our clothes.  This fascination for embellishment has led to a revived interest in opulent luxury fabrics.

For autumn 2007/Winter 2008 texture is one of the main stories. Two types of texture are most prominent:

1. Brocade Fabrics - traditional damask weaves and Venetian brocade patterns that will move toward tapestry fabric effects by summer 2008.

2. Fabric Encrustation - huge cabochon*, square glass and crystal jewels; you will also see beads, or sequins which all add depth and surface texture.

*Cabochon is a gemstone that is polished rather than cut.

Above left - Emma Somerset Autumn/Winter 2007 - Occasion Wear - Brocade puff sleeve coat £325 and shift dress £99 by Oky Coky. Printed bangle £28 by Emma Somerset.  OkyCoky is collection from the Spanish design duo Geli Torres and Sandro Portela.

Jumpsuits - All-in-Ones - Catsuits

Jumpsuits, also called all-in-ones, were a great fashion trend of the 1960s and the 1970s.  Now have truly been revived and since they are so practical they are sure to be a winner.  Preen's lovely parachute silk jumpsuits are not to be confused with the all-in-one 1980s shell suits of yesteryear.  Avoid any jumpsuits you see made of nylon rip-stop style parachute fabric, or you may well get a lot of déjà vu strange stares as people think - shell suit season!  Choose this look and the fabric with great care.

Catsuits, or all-in-ones can be as classily glitzy as the Debenhams creamy oyster evening wear jumpsuit far left, or as cool and collected as the black safari style everyday wear near right.

Hot Tip - On the up - Jumpsuits

Above left - Debenhams Womenswear Spring/Summer 2008 - Star by Julien Macdonald shimmer catsuit £60/€93, Mood gold bangles from £8. Above right - Debenhams Womenswear Spring/Summer 2008 - Star by Julien Macdonald satin safari jumpsuit £60/€93 and Debut gold lame scarf £10/€15.50. 

Top Fashion Trend Tip 2008 - Full Skirts

In particular skirt shapes have been refreshed again, so the volume trend seems new and lively.  Easy gathered dirndl skirts that swish and swing, or full skirts consisting solely of tiered ruffles are a newer way to adopt volume.  The waist can be a focus of interest if you have a waist to show.

Hot Tip - 2008 Must-have - Fuller skirts

This short Dirndl skirt and jacket shown left is from New Look Spring Summer 2008 fashion collection.  Note the easy carefree movement in the floral printed skirt. No fuss, easy to wear, but pretty yet practical for the uplift you will get with summer days. 

Above right - Debenhams Womenswear Spring/Summer 2008 - Red Herring white vest £6/€9.50, Betty Jackson.  Black circle skirt £50/€78, Mantarary tribal look necklace £12/€18.50 and chunky ring £6/€9.50. 

Full skirts are always popular with women since they enable free leg movement.  With time, whatever your age, the Summer of 08, is one you will probably recall as the summer of lightness and freedom in fashion trends.

Bold Blues

This year the blue hues have taken off.  In particular manufacturers have worked on springs electric blues. Royal blue is used for parkas and jackets.  There are strong bold blues in the stores now as well as many greyed blues.  Notice how these examples below move from sapphire to turquoise sea green.

Far left - Dorothy Perkins Cobalt blue short jacket price £50. Centre Left - Evans Autumn Winter 2007/8 blue spot dress.

Centre right features an evening dress from Monsoon Originals Autumn Winter 2007 range. The Pip Sequin Tunic costs £150/€235.  The Originals collection is a limited edition range of exquisitely designed evening wear available in 33 stores and also online.  Inspired by vintage pieces the range is sourced and handpicked by the Monsoon design team. The range has its own exclusive colour palette and has a signature unique to the high street.  Sumptuous fabricsand beautiful embellishment are characteristic of the collection.  Each stunning piece is a luxury to own, not least because no more than 400 pieces of each style are ever produced.

Far right - Monsoon Storm - Elgar Dress - £65/€99 from Monsoon Storm – a new capsule collection launching Autumn Winter 2007.  Monsoon Storm is an exclusively designed, trend driven capsule collection that will be refreshed monthly.  Monsoon Storm range goes into 30 top stores across the country in September and will also be available online.  The range complements the main collection, but has its own distinctive design influences and handwriting.

Orange Glow

Note the yellow tones moving for instance toward olive, moss and cardamom as in the Miss Selfridge dress above.  Gold also moves from palest gold, richer deeper 24k gold, through into rose gold, copper and ginger effects. 

Shimmer is everywhere.  Watch out for metallic copper effects on leather jackets and evening fabrics.  Image left in terracotta tones is courtesy of Noli Autumn Winter 2007/8 womenswear. 

The sun dried rich ochre and terracotta of spring, has gained ground and autumn sees a move toward chartreuse greens.  The effect is that of a tangerine with that hint of green to the citrus skin.  These burnt orange colours take on a dustier look more suited to the season of falling leaves. 

Some of the burnished terracotta tones are shown here.

Gold, camel, orange and tan are used as a mainstay fabric colour for materials especially leathers.  If you are terrified of wearing such a hot bright colour near your face, then opt for the simple solution of a new hand bag like this bag from Accessorize below.  It can add that jolt of colour that makes your self styling pop.

  

Chisato design image above left courtesy of IFTF.  Rust coat image available from of Matalan.   Bag - Autumn Winter 2007/8 Nova suede and stud tote is from Accessorize and costs £40/€62.  Rucci ginger jacket image courtesy of IFTF.

This is an opportunity to get out that rose gold jewellery or coral holiday necklace that languishes in your drawer.  I am reliably informed by a jewellery executive that sales of smoky quartz jewellery have soared these past months.  This too could be the season when amber,citrine gemstones and copper as a fashion metal regains great popularity.  You are reading an original fashion article by Pauline Weston Thomas