Glittery embroidery, sequins, beads and metallic were raging during the Fall 2015 and Resort 2016 collections, but now the metallic theme is getting deeper and more focused to bring ‘Shining Silver’ into the forefront. Seen in a plethora of versions on the runways, shiny silver surfaces are eternally alluring and pushing the designers and garment manufacturers to experiment with different techniques to achieve the ‘silver lining’ in their garments. Adaptations in sequins, glitter, lurex, lame, print and unconventional mediums are keeping the opulent and sophisticated spirit of 70’s alive. With silver getting all the attention, soon it is about to become the face of upcoming fall, being tried and tested in a plethora of techniques possible…
Today, you can find the silver fashion touch on the backs, necks and feet of many designers and fashion-forward consumers across the globe. The trend was seen in Louis Vuitton’s, Lacoste’s and many other ace designer’s S/S 2016 collections. Stand out looks, shiny sleeveless blazers, belted metallic, brocade skirts and translucent silvery wraparounds are a few versions in which silver was seen during the various shows. Creatures of the Wind delivered flowy foiled gowns that played on the dichotomy of ethereal and goth at the same time. Ralph Lauren added bold touches of mesh to balance out his high-wattage silver metallic applications for his offerings. Somewhere between the sky-high shoulder pads and bedazzled skirt suits of the eighties, silver got a bad rap. Today, however, shiny silver clothing and accessories mean one thing: glamour.
The ‘silver trend’ sees everyday outfits injected with a shot of glitz thanks to some flashy, but certainly not trashy, twists on the metallic trend. Pastel and shine seemed like an oxymoron, but this season is combining them beautifully. Seen on the runway at Christopher Kane and Rochas, silver was tempered with subdued tones to create confectionlike dresses. Haider Ackmann was in the same vein, showing metallic in unexpected colours, like rust and olive, garnished with a touch of silver, and with a decidedly polished edge, Philipp Plein similarly showed vests with a silver sheen, giving leather a new life. Victoria Beckham’s floor-length shiny gowns were fluid and balanced, whereas, MM6 Maison Margiela, went for a ho-so-shiny look with a full length foil covered trench and trousers.
Silver has started to grow popular amongst different genre of designers, the reason why many are trying different methods to give their unique touch of silver to their collections. One such technique is foil printing. From sophisticated maxis to chic sundresses, foil print is getting bigger and better. Foil printing is achieved by using heat and pressure in order to let any design stand out from the rest with added brilliance and depth of the shine left behind. Another technique to achieve shiny surface on garments is by means of metallic coating, be it pigment, acrylic or polyurethane coating, every medium shields the fabric with a transparent film which imparts the fabric a metallic shimmer or a laminated leather-like effect.
Glistening silk organzas and high-tech fabrics with a luminous glow, lame, shiny viscose-lycra mix are some of the new ways that create a shiny base to start with. Lurex inserted checked dress, elaborate brocades and shiny jacquards, and polyesters with plastic details which are a few variations that design boutiques and exporters are creating to maintain uniqueness.
Silver is also being achieved through usage of treated rexene. A crushed effect in silver is getting the maximum popularity. Using trims in similar tints and metallic shades help create the silver effect. Silver shank buttons and mirror patchwork, similar to the one seen on the collection by Loewe can be a good pocket-friendly interpretation of achieving the silver lining. Louis Vitton took the road to sustainability and tried mimicking the effect created by putting cassette reels together. With a wide range of technique on offer and variations to get inspired from, silver is all set to become a staple trend for the upcoming season, be it as a fabric, value addition or print.
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[tab title=”Views of the industry on silver styles…”]Uneet Chhabra, Director, U & I Exports Pvt. Ltd.
We are primarily into beaded and embellished evening wear; therefore, glittery adornments, value-added products with beading and sequences are our USP. We are doing a lot of hand beading and sequencing and putting together different shiny fabrics for the dazzle effect. Silver has become a prime metallic preference, contrary to last season when gold took the limelight.
Vinod Mongia, Director, Manya Creations
We are doing a lot of value additions and glitter is of prime importance today. We are doing lot of things in embroideries, mirrors and beads. The attempt is to achieve a silver illusion on the garment.
Jinen Shah, Director, Satya Designs Pvt. Ltd.
The trend is now more towards shiny silver designs and patterns. Till last season, the trend was towards the minimalistic approach but suddenly there is an upheaval of glistening fabrics in domestic as well as export market. We are developing interesting and innovative range of jacquard fabrics in shiny and silvery surfaces to meet the demand.
Niraj Pugalia, CEO, Silver Apparels
We mostly do heavily embellished garments, by using sequencing and beading as a technique on silk and viscose. Year-on-year different machines are being launched which are helping us achieve cost-effective sparkle effects. We are noticing a slow shift towards use of silver as the main colour on the palette.
Sachin Kumar, MD, Shobha Designs
We do all kinds of techniques in printing and the most popular is the pigment printing and foil printing. Other techniques might come and go, but the craze and demand for foil printing doesn’t seem to mellow down. And in comparison to multi-metallic, golden and bronze, silver is the most favoured foil print today.[/tab]
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