Biomimetic: Fashion Forecast

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Develop and present a fashion forecast for the Spring / Summer 2024 season, featuring a narrative theme, color story, social influence, prints & patterns, and real world examples from high fashion collections.

Process

The fashion forecast project was a collaborative effort with 3 of my peers. For the project, my main role was visual design and concept generation, taking the lead for the visual mood and tone of our presentation, and relating it back to the main theme our forecast. During the initial phase of the project, I had also suggested the main theme of our forecast, one that we would later reinforce with research and visual examples.

Choosing the theme of our forecast was perhaps the most important step of the project; a strong theme would provide a foundation that could elevate the difficulty of the project drastically. After researching, I decided to suggest a theme of a post-COVID unification with nature, with strong ties to the sustainability movement.
To further justify our theme, trend research was needed. We decided to explore a concept of sustainable fashion from a futurist approach, taking inspiration from the Solarpunk genre of sci-fi art and literature (In a solarpunk future, humanity has built ecological utopias, where nature and technology grow in harmony)
To support our theme, we looked at futuristic labels like Rick Owens, Dawei, and Issey Miyake.

For textiles, we noticed a surge in natural fibers and ethically made textiles, like cotton, wool, and recycled textiles. We wanted to emphasize the futuristic aspect of the forecast with abstract patterns, over dyes, and the use of sun bleaching.
For key items, we looked at staples of futuristic fashion, like platform boots, armor-like silhouettes, and unconventional bags.

Outcome

For as long as humans have been on this planet, we have looked to mother nature for inspiration in nearly every aspect of design. Much of what we do is because of the surrounding influence that the terrain has on us. What was once a powerful relationship between earth & man has quickly become rampant with capitalistic governments, over-production of manmade waste, and a world that will not be sustainable for future generations to come.

It is time to reclaim the simplicity of nature and bring our society back to the roots. In our solarpunk future, we see an emphasis of sustainability, and income equality as well as a reverse in climate change. We are starting to see a trend in holistic & natural approaches to everything from medicine to even fashion! People are starting now more than ever to be more aware and conscious of our natural materials & resources, which leads us to Biomimetic: a S/S Womens Wear forecast on how society is grounding themselves back to the roots of nature, and how it will lead to our vibrant and sustainable future.