California Apparel News

Denim was in the dumps last year, but it will make a comeback this fall, according to Barbara Fields, president of the Barbara Fields Buying Office.

This pronouncement was one of the forecasts Fields made for her quot;Fall 2011 Back-to-School Barbara Fields Trend Presentation.quot;

Fields presented her forecast at an April 4–13 series of seminars at the California Market Center in Los Angeles. More than 250 retailers from companies such as Kohl’s, JCPenney, Sears, Rue 21, Gordmans and Gabriel Brothers checked out the presentation. Fields has been producing biannual trend seminars since 1981.

For Fall 2011, denim sales will increase because of some new looks that were not on store shelves last year. quot;It’s all about new leg openings and color,quot; Fields said. However, because there still is not as much fashion novelty in denim as there has been in the past, she does not expect sales to skyrocket.

Retailers will see more washed-out blues and colors for fashion jeans, such as the anklet jeans or jeans that come down to the ankle. Leg openings will reach the widest spectrum of flare jeans openings this year, Fields forecast. Trouser-style denim pants will be popular, too. But she did not recommend getting rid of silhouettes that were popular in 2010. quot;Hold on to skinny jeans,quot; she recommended.

Another important style will complement the 1970s flare look: the poncho. quot;It’s hippie chic,quot; Fields said. Trend watchers can look forward to poncho-shaped shirts, jackets, wool ponchos, leather ponchos and lumberjack plaid ponchos.

And there is more on the horizon for Fall 2011. quot;This will be the year of the printed top. A printed top [worn] over solid bottoms,quot; Fields said. Sweater dresses also will be popular in Fall 2011, she said.

Other key trends will be animal prints on tops, dresses, skirts and handbags. quot;The trend is 90 percent dedicated to classic leopard and new takes on leopard print and screens,quot; she wrote in her recent trend directory.

Lace will be important as well as the classic look of the quot;rocker girl.quot; Think stretch dresses, leather jackets with studs and zippers and ruffled miniskirts. Of course, all rocker girls will be clad in the fail-safe fashion color: black. —Andrew Asch