Barbara Fields’ Forecast for Fall ’12
Metallic shirts and sweaters, sequins, animal prints, boyfriend jackets, and body-hugging contour dresses are just some of the predicted “million-dollar items” for Fall and Spring, said Barbara Fields at her “Fall/Back-to-School and Spring Preview” trend presentation, held April 2 at the California Market Center in Los Angeles.
Key trends include metallic tops in silver, gold, copper, and lighter shades of pink, blue and lavender, as well as metallic jeans and leggings in gold, silver, animal prints and bright colors. True Affair is a new resource that has embraced metallic jeans and executed them well, along with Fame Jeans, Fields said.
This Fall is all about lace—lace T-shirts, lace skirts, lace jackets—with lots of new resources and bright colors, Fields said. Self Esteem and Eye Shadow are two children’s lines that are embracing the trend.
“The lace boyfriend jacket will be this Fall’s million-dollar item,” Fields said. The lace skirt in a “rah-rah silhouette” is also important.
Animal prints will continue to be popular for both Fall and Spring. “We like animal skins, and we like them with face screens,” she said.
Sequins will be big for jackets, dresses, miniskirts, hot pants, leggings and tank tops, especially in black, silver, gold and jewel tones. Pajamas will be a growth area, and the “rocker-girl” look will reign with London-themed screened T-shirts, plaid bottoms, and motorcycle jackets with and without sleeves. In Vain translated this trend particularly well, as did Maverick and LA Kitty, she said.
The plaid shirt will also be a key item, and fur trim will be important for Holiday.
Other expected hits include distressed sweaters, tulip-bottom skirts, retro ’40s tops and skirts, and patterned denim (florals, animal prints, plaids and stars).
For Spring, body-contour dresses and animal prints will continue to be popular, along with pastels, tropical prints and neon.
For the first time, Fields included cosmetics and accessories in her presentation, noting that they are a significant growth area.
“They’re great add-ons, and they can be used as gift items when not giving clothes,” she said.—Deidre Crawford
