Here's a great synopsis of Spring, 2012 fashion from my friend, the Kokoon rep (great clothing line if you aren't familiar with it http://www.kokoon.net/):
Here is a trend direction analysis from Kokoon's designer, Laine Weinberg if you are interested.....
Neutral shades of beige, nude, and blush are still very popular, and while there’s a push for pastels to make a comeback, theses neutrals are kind of taking the place of pastels in a more sophisticated way.
Light Greys, Charcoal, Mocha colors and Navy are also strong neutrals and look great when paired with the bright, saturated colors that are going strong. You’ll be seeing a lot of Reds and bright Pinks and Purples, Turquoise and Blues, Happy Greens and Yellows, and of course
Pantone’s color of the season: Tangerine Tango.
I’m so excited that Tribal prints are still really strong, and for people who shy away from prints in general, Tribal is a way to do prints in a more toned down way. And these type of prints are a great backdrop for jewelry.
Pretty Florals are making a huge comeback this season.
The 60’s ladylike influence has moved forward from just silhouettes to prints, and now you’re going to see a resurgence in floral prints. Adding to the feminine details are lots of Neck tie details and pretty blouses. I love watching Kelly Rippa, and she’s wearing a neck tie at least 3 days a week.
Sporty Stripes are one of the biggest trends of the season. In fact it’s almost impossible to source fabrics right now without about 80% of the fabrics being striped. But the fun part about the stripes are that there really is a big variety. From very wide, which read almost more like a print or color blocking, to tiny stripes which read almost like a solid.
I’ve never been much for traditional nautical stripes, but this season they look fresh and new, and stripes are adding a lot of impact to casual, sporty silhouettes.
A slouchy, relaxed, cool vibe is so important right now. Dropped shoulders, Wide sleeves and Dolman sleeves, hip-resting skirts… all contribute to that relaxed look.
Asymmetrical bodies are still interesting and important, as is draping and shirring, but now start to take on a more relaxed vibe.
70’s Influenced wide leg and flared pants, Maxi length skirts and dresses are gaining in popularity, and maybe this spring and summer our clients will embrace them.
Midilengths are also a trendy look, but I must say our clients (and most of you) have rejected them. We’ll have to let that one percolate for awhile.
One of the newest actual silhouette trends happening is the popularity of dropped waists.
This is something we introduced late last spring with the Drop it Like it’s Hot Dress, which we didn’t think would sell very well, and it was immediately embraced by our clients. This is another example of that
slouched, relaxed vibe that translates really well into our clients’ real lives.
80’s influenced off the shoulder bodies, like the Jennifer, are so feminine, and combine slouchy and sexy into one look. This was another body I was surprised was embraced so quickly by our clients. It’s easy to wear, and really looks great on all sizes and ages.
Openwork and body revealing cutouts have been a mini trend for the past few seasons, and I’m interpreting some of these details into very wearable and super cute items that I think will be very well received.
There’s always a little lace trend happening, and we have a long history of lace at KOKOON. We have some really cute lace details and a new little lace skirt that is very appealing, taking the lace look away from overtly sexy and again, giving it a more casual vibe.
In other trends, you can rest assured that no one will be taking your leggings away any time soon. Pants range from 60′s pencil ankle-croppers, to wide flares, to high waisted to super slouchy.
Crisp Black and White is always right for spring and again, is a way to ‘do’ pattern for our ladies who shy away from prints. We have a terrific ‘Waverider’ textured knit that is really beautiful and interesting.
