Gender trending

WORDS Claire Jowell and Nadine Botha

It’s 2013 and things are a-changing. Gender roles are morphing, and with them so are textile trends, according to the trend report from this year’s Heimtextil Fair in Frankfurt.

At the fair, the key fabric trends were represented as four personalities:

• The Historian, who treasures the past and its contemporary value.
• The Eccentric, who hunts for eclectic collections.
• The Inventor, who experiments with a free thinking spirit.
• The Geologist, who loves nature and preserves precious imperfections. 

To represent trends as human personalities was one thing, but then Heimtextil went on to narrow down fabric trends even further, based on gender. A research paper released at the fair reveals that women are wearing the pants these days and that fabric decisions may be more complex than we think.

1. A high benchmark

The modern woman is more ambitious than ever. She sets herself high standards of living and wellbeing, and is determined to achieve these. Around 75% of textile decisions are therefore influenced by a woman’s desire to feel content. There’s nothing wrong with knowing what you want. 

2. Keep calm and carry on

The hectic demands of modern life call for flexibility and management. Gone are the days of strict routine, and in are the days of organising (or juggling) one’s private and professional lives. Quality is key to create a sane “control centre” for living. Both sexes, therefore, value lifespan, durability, functionality and practicality when purchasing interior decor. 

3. Girl power

Women are starting to dominate in terms of education and qualifications and, slowly but surely, they’re conquering the creative sector as professionals. Male dominance in design has shaped our landscape over the past century, but this is all changing as we enter an exciting new era of female-dominated design. 

4. A fine balance

Yin and yang. What goes up must come down. The rising independence of women has resulted in new expectations and standards for men. We’ve watched the evolution of the metrosexual and, whether you like him or not, he’s here to stay. Men are now commonly judged against “softer” measures and, in 2013, he’s only “got it all” if he can colour coordinate.  

The local trends

Stephen Black, Black Fabrics: “This season we’re all about handmade vintage stripes in linen; graphic, linear and contemporary Scandinavian prints; technology-enhanced synthetic fibres; novelties with substance becoming classics; and African geometric weaves.” 

Black Fabrics, 9 Kramer Road, Kramerville, Johannesburg, 011 262 3130, www.blackfabrics.co.za

Tessa Sonik, Tessa Sonik Fabrics: “Some of the trends we’ve picked up on this year are chunky knitted fabrics that are sophisticated, organic and crafted; novelties in a neoprene fabric; felt in amazing colours; lots of linens in different finishes, such as washed, brushed and stonewashed; lots of geometrics; and vintage mid-century designs.”

Tessa Sonik Fabrics, 03 Desmond, Kramerville, Johannesburg, 011 444 9211, www.tessasonik.com

For more additional multi-media content from the Autumn VISI 65 edition, visit www.visi.co.za/autumn.