With overdose of embroidery and printing techniques for value addition, fabric manufacturers and garment exporters have lately started to experiment within the fabric to create a plethora of textures using techniques which are easily available in-house for freshness in surface ornamentation. Derived from the recent runways of Resort 2015 and S/S ’15, exporters and fabric manufacturers, try and create wide varieties of amalgamated looks of fabrics with other hand or machine techniques which not only embellish their surface but also enhance their aesthetics…
The S/S ’15 runways were filled with innovative play of surface and texture creation through mix media. Be it the unusual lace application seen at Oscar de la Renta, Phillip Lim and Rodarte or perforations and latticework presented by Alexander Wang, Altuzarra and Theory. Suede came into an out of character summer use at Derek Lam, Jason Wu and Karen Walker, in collaboration with techniques like embossing, engraving and appliqué. Quilting, embossing, sheer panelling and crinkled hems, added to the textural temperament of S/S ’15…
The Base Manipulation…
Texture is a huge trend for the upcoming Fall 2015 and savvy designers know that customers who have witnessed the use of different techniques on the runways of S/S ’15 RTW, would be warmed up with the idea of tactile layers. In fact, runways of S/S ’15 saw a wide variety of fabric manipulation which was not only restricted to pintucks, knife pleats and ruffles, but went a step ahead by putting into use a wide variety of heat set fabrics. Designers like Derek Lam, Alexander Wang and Roberto Cavalli, showcased a range of dresses, skirts and floor length gowns with pleat details. In the midst of fabrics like rayons, modal blends, nylons and cotton voiles becoming popular, the art of heat setting fabrics in endless possibilities is getting every exporter’s attention. With heat setting technique being pushed to the forefront, Mariko, exporter of readymade garments and home accessories, has come out with a collection of dresses, tops, skirts and shirts for S/S ’15, developed entirely out of heat-set pleated fabrics.
Sidelining from the classic fabric manipulation techniques, Honor and Temperley London, garnished their garments with overlapping fabrics, appliqué and embossing effects. Agreeing with the growing demand of fabric manipulation in the market, Rajesh Kumat, Director, Ganga, exporter of readymade garments adds, “We experiment a lot with fabric manipulation to go with our USP, which is thread embroidery. We are doing shirring, ruching and gathering with elastic stitching for waistbands and all-over smocking on dresses and tops. Keeping the conventional knife pleat aside, we also explore block/inverted block pleats, sun pleats, and undulated pleats and tucks a lot.”
The Quilt for the Summer…
Picking up the cue from the previous A/W ’14-15 and Resort 2015 runways, designers took pride in showing off lightweight quilted garments in their collections. Appealing to today’s woman, Dior showcased a succession of quilted silk skate shorts, which were smartly tailored yet had a youthful energy. Christopher Raeburn amalgamated a winter silhouette and technique with summer fabrics to create bomber jackets with zigzag quilting. Not only the runways but today the retail space is also flooded with the demands for quilted styles. From Zara quilted fleece sweatshirts to Forever 21 quilted shorts, the rage of quilted clothing is gaining speed day by day and now has entered the summer market as well.
With ongoing upgradations in technologies, exporters are able to create varied patterns and styles in vivid product categories. Chen Wei Qiang,Execute Director, Dongguan Chishing Machinery Co. Ltd. informing about his quilting machine says, “The CS64 quilting machine is 1.6 metres in width and the maximum speed is 500 RPM and is specially designed for quilting for handbags, garments, shoes and home furnishings products like bedcovers and sofa covers. There is a computer with modern technology attached to the machine, to feed patterns of your choice. You can make the designs by yourself as well. We can do quilting on cotton fabrics, leathers, rexene, any types of material can be quilted with this machine depending upon the end product.” With a range of quilting machines available in the market, imparting design innovations and creating raised and embossing and engraving like textures on a fabric surface doesn’t remain a big challenge!
Coating
Carried out in variety of options, coating was seen in many options in the Fall of last season and as designers this season pick up technique inspirations from the winter, coating stands out as one of the major amongst all. Created either by dipping the fabric in the coating liquid, pressing with transfer papers, screen printing or by machine, coating gives a flattering urban look to the garments by completely changing the natural look of the fabric. Fendi, encased stripes of coating on his jackets, which resembled spray painting, whereas Louis Vitton, staying true to his material, showcased acrylic laminated leather skirts and dresses. Acrylic and PU coatings provide a transparent look to the fabric with a laminated finish; therefore inconsistency can lead to conception of varied textures.
In some interesting applications, coatings provide optical reflective effects and tinted glazes like mirrors and in some recent developments, denim manufacturers are producing denims with coating on the reverse side, as well. Creating textures in coating opens up a wide area for experimentation due to availability of different materials and machineries. Noureddine Elatouga, Representative, Maple Solutions, producers and suppliers of chemicals in textile wet processing, explaining about the various fabric effects achieved through coating says, “We use normal cotton fabrics in different counts and the appearance of the fabric changes every time with different applications of coating. Sometimes, the entire fabric is coated and then laser is applied on top in a particular pattern so that the coating gets dissolved from unwanted areas and an ornamental design on the garment is obtained.”
The 3D Effect…
3D floral patterns never come as a surprise for the upcoming spring/summer season, being carried forward from S/S ’14 RTW, 3D laser cut, crocheted or embroidered florals were seen creating waves in the S/S ’15 runways as well. However, this time the floral trend was a little different, Erdem featured a skirt in a floral 3D pattern, with a mix and match of feathers, florals and embroidered patched, whereas House of Holland showcased blouses and dresses with 3D laser cut multi-coloured floral embellishments.
Discussing about the growth of 3D floral trend, Jitendra Kumar, Director, Hari Om Laser, provider of laser cutting and engraving service for textile, garment wood, acrylic, rexin and other non-metal materials said, “We get bulk order for laser cut designs like 56,000 front back panels, 50,00,000 flowers for trims and surfacing. Recently we have got an order of 1,50,00,000 flowers. Laser cut laces and ribbons are in great demand, as they waste the least amount of fabric during the cutting process. You take the required fabric and get the ribbons made out of it. These stripes can be further used to create any kind of texture on to the fabric.” Working on similar lines, Tome showcased designs with 3D concentric florals on the entire garment surface.
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