5 fashion trends previewed at this year’s MAGIC trade show in Las Vegas
MAGIC is one of the largest fashion marketplaces, and it brings industry professionals to Las Vegas every February and August.
Despite the name, an acronym for Men’s Apparel Guild in California, it isn’t restricted to menswear. Booth after booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Mandalay Bay Convention Center this week display nearly everything we decorate our bodies with.
MAGIC does perform a kind of trick — it predicts trends and provides a peek into what the average shopper may see on shelves in the next year or even two. Right now, consumers are looking for styles that have it all — comfort, couture and sustainability — says Leslie Gallin, president of footwear for MAGIC’s producing company, UBM Fashion.
Here are five other trends previewed at this year’s convention that ends Thursday.
SLEIGHT OF HANDBAGS
Celine Dion unveiled a handbag, luggage and accessories line Tuesday at MAGIC. The singer appeared at the Project Womens exhibition hall at Mandalay Bay Convention Center before a crowd of fans maneuvering with their smartphones to get the best shot.
Dion partnered with Quebec-based brand Bugatti to create the collection, which includes more than 200 pieces.
The bags and wallets will come in leather, faux leather, suede and nylon, and an array of easy-to-pair hues such as black, navy, burgundy and taupe. There also are phone and tablet cases and leather bracelets.
Offering pieces that would be affordable to a range of women was one of Dion’s primary concerns.
“I want them to have what I can have,” Dion said in an interview with the Review-Journal. “I’m trying to find, with the help of the company, styles that are very expensive that people can buy for 120 bucks or 80-something bucks or $300.”
The handbags range from $78 to $1,998.
The entire line will be available in September. Four select bags go up for pre-sale beginning Monday on celinedion.com.
PULLING THE (FAUX) RABBIT OUT OF THE HAT
Though consumers are looking for comfort and functionality — think sneakers and all-weather boots — they also want an individual flair to their fashion.
Fur — now often faux, for ethical reasons — dressed up shoes, vests and other products at this year’s MAGIC. It edged boots, adorned the baubles hanging off purses and lined sneaker tongues.
“What we’re finding today is, young and old, everyone wants to be fashionable yet comfortable. So the word comfort is no longer a bad word. It’s all about, how do we make the comfort fashionable?” Gallin said.
READING THE COLORS OF A CRYSTAL BALL
Every year, the Pantone Institute announces its color of the year (2017’s is greenery). But it also creates palettes and “color stories” for each season that reflect market research and the cultural moment, ultimately predicting what trends and preferences will be a year from now. Those in the fashion industry — and other businesses, such as florists, interior designers and makeup artists — then plan accordingly, incorporating these colors into their designs, retail purchases and more.
The colors for spring and summer 2018 were announced by Laurie Pressman, vice president of Pantone Color Institute, at a seminar at MAGIC on Tuesday. Colors include “livelier and sharper” pinks, oranges with hot coral tones, languid lavenders, wood-inspired neutrals, clean and modern pastels and brights of various tones.
WAVING A MAGIC WAND
… or pushing the button on a seemingly-magic machine. The wearable technology section of MAGIC’s sourcing hall features technological advancements with the potential to streamline the apparel development process from design to manufacturing and therefore conserve time and resources.
Blue Dragon 3-D printers, for example, allow designers to whip up prototypes for a fraction of the cost, then quickly make adjustments and print out another one. And, by creating them in their own space, they don’t have the added risk of sending off their coveted designs when they need something created.
THE REVEAL
At August’s MAGIC trade show, the seminars on trends spoke loud and clear: bohemian was officially in. Or would be, very soon. This year’s show said loud and clear: They were right.
Though these designs were already seeping into the market, this year, they were impossible to miss. Off-the-shoulder, earthy tones, fringe — all reminiscent of festival attire — filled the racks.
Read more from Sarah Corsa at reviewjournal.com. Contact her at scorsa@reviewjournal.com and follow @sarahcorsa on Twitter.
