New York — What's the color of the future? Cotton Inc. offered some answers with its Home Fabrics Color and Trend Forecasting 2005 edition.
Fabric fashion trends include:
• Rural Elegance, described by Kathryn Novakovic, Cotton Inc.'s director of fashion marketing, as a "more upscale look of textures, plush velvets, flannels, jacquards and luxurious fiber blends."
Trends for this look also include "prints and patterning in a younger, more collegiate, more vivid color statement, taken from street fashion and multiculturalism." Examples are American quilts that are more edgy than conventional designs. Also within Rural Elegance, damasks and brocades are seen reworked with overdyes and vintage effects. Needle-punched fabrics, flocks and wide-wale corduroys also are mainstays.
• Extra Texture, which includes down-to-earth fabrics, robust in looks but soft to the touch in oversized ottomans, seersuckers and tweed effects.
• Line on Design, representing a restrained metro environment with a sleek modern feel. Key fabrics are smooth, updated plaids and stripes, herringbones, chevrons, matte sateens, moleskins and uncut cord.
• Brighter Delights, a quirky attitude with novelty yarns, patches, piques, jacquards and multi-colored wovens as well as oversized paisleys, kimono motifs and Mexican folk art for patterns.
In color directions, the Revival palette features slightly pink and warmer tones with yellow accents and fashion colors, including tangy papaya, tart citrus acid, sunny lemon custard and golden mustard seed.
Perfectly Suited reflects a hip, urban style with colors including cool, crisp grays and blues with lilac accents. Nature's Vitality captures the feeling of enchanted forests and Irish landscapes dominated by greens.
UNColor highlights antiqued neutrals with a washed milky look. Alchemist's Palette mimics the hues of antique rugs with intricate patterns and colors, including pomegranate, smoky topaz and mustardy ochre.
