Putting a Spotlight on Youth Trends
What would fashion be without trends? We'd be wearing the same old clothes we've had since high school.
But fortunately for the fashion industry, trends change as often as the billboards on Sunset Boulevard.
Figuring out what is trendy is a design challenge, which is why it was a full house at a trend seminar hosted on Wednesday (Aug. 28) by Stylesight at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
Amy Leverton, Stylesight's director of denim and youth culture, and Shanu Walpita, Stylesight's juniors editor, outlined three youth trends they have determined by hitting the music festival circuit, observing the social scene and browsing Instagram.
At the top of the list was something called "Macabre Skate," which is filled with dark hues. Prints are key. Maintaining that edgy and subversive look is important. And, believe it or not, "Grateful Dead" T-shirts are still popular. (They never seem to die.)
Second on the list was "Wilderness Wanderer," an energized outdoor trend. Looks include stacked layers and shorts with boots. (We've seen plenty of those this summer.) Brands that portray this trend well are Poler, Outlier and Alite.
Third on the list was "Urban Subversion," which has a hip-hop vibe worn by inner-city kids. There is some work wear influence here as well as sports looks. Brands that represent this trend are Shaun Samson, Lazy Oaf and River Island.
Following the trend presentation, a panel made up of Travis Siflinger, founder of Br4ss, a line of premium men's underwear; N. Jayne Seward, the fashion editor of the California Apparel News; and Camilla Whitman, the buyer for non-apparel at Nasty Gal, talked about how Los Angeles influences the fashion world and the effect of Instagram in keeping up with trends.
