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Directives West Showcases Colors That Pop in Updated Retro Looks for Fall 2019

Photos by Anthony Mitchell

Bohemian looks, tailored pieces, and reinvented 1980s and ’90s styles dominated the runway at the Directives West trend show called “Trends of the Season Fall/Winter 2019—IRL: Disrupting Traditional With the Unexpected.”

“The offerings of color, print and pattern, and texture are expansive,” said Directives West Vice President Shelda Hartwell during the April 1 event at the California Market Center, which kicked off the April 1–3 run of LA Majors Market.

“From retailer collaborations of shop-in-shops to tastemakers bringing an exciting element of surprise to the shopping floor and the legacy brands that have been teaming up with cutting-edge streetwear savants, this is disrupting the traditional with the unexpected,” she said.

The company’s newly appointed executive vice president of merchandising, Michelle Evans, emphasized how Directives West’s parent company, The Doneger Group in New York, identifies trends within the market.

“We continue to lean into our ability to balance the art and science of retail—finding the right intersection between data and human creativity,” she said.

For Fall 2019, rust takes over in hues of burnt orange and terra cotta, while cobalt blue, soft pinks in dusty rose and blush, soft yellows and marigold, sage and Kelly green, and neon will also lead the season.

Major trends in animal prints are seen everywhere from biker jackets, vests and cardigans to slipdresses, leggings and bra tops that feature leopard, zebra, cheetah and snake patterns. In addition to animal prints, Fall 2019 sees jackets and coats made entirely of faux fur or with furry trim accents on cuffs and collars.

In denim, looks are trending toward doubling up on these pieces with complete ensembles in jackets or shirts paired with jeans or going all the way in with coveralls. Denim cuts include baggy, wide-leg, high-waisted styles, slim pin and mom jeans. Washes are trending toward dark rinse, lighter indigo, enzyme washed, winter white, gray and black, while sustainable sourcing is gaining ground.

While the prairie trend remains with cowboy boots and dresses, the style is shifting toward a modern take on bohemian looks. These trends in “Modern Bohemia” can be seen in paisley ruffled blouses, corduroy and faux shearling-trim jacket details.

Fall 2019 also includes shimmering sequins, sheer tulle and metallics. These are meant to stand out in formalwear such as a white-sequin midi dress and novelty items including foil-striped pants and silver-metallic jackets.

The show’s nod to styles of the 1980s and ’90s emphasized new takes on tie-dye in midi dresses and jeans, along with schoolbags in transparent bright-yellow plastic and shimmering metallics. From “Clueless”-style plaids and slipdresses to neon bicycle shorts, ’90s inspiration was evident throughout the runway. Big-graphic T-shirt trends nodded to the ’90s with images of late hip-hop artists Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace and Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes.

While many of Fall 2019’s trends allow consumers to have a lot of fun, pieces that appear tailored and clean could be seen in plaid statement trousers in addition to blazer-and-pant sets. Pairing these styles with a turtleneck in a bright color, striped blouse or graphic T-shirt finish off these tailored trends.