• Four overseas and domestic Trend Forums, and Denim Forum reveal the upcoming trends

As Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2014 prepares to celebrate its 20^th anniversary this October, it continues to offer relevant features that meet the current needs of the industry. The fair as a whole will play host to an expected 3,500-plus exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions, and will take place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from 20 to 23 October. In addition to the wide range of apparel fabrics and accessories one might expect, the Verve for Design zone also offers up original textile pattern designs from some of the industry’s leading studios. To date, 20 design studios from eight countries and regions have confirmed their participation in this zone, which will be 56% larger than last year’s version.

With the demand in China for creative and inspirational textile design showing no sign of slowing down, textile designers will present their creative designs in this increasingly popular zone. Exhibitors will showcase their inspirations in textile and apparel design, targeting textile and apparel manufacturers, trend book publishers and other traders.

For many of the studios featuring in the Verve for Design zone, their decision to participate is due to the increasing demand in the Chinese market for premium textile products. “The Chinese market is interested in finding out about European trends and tendencies,” explained Patricia Grinzato, the Owner of Musticstyle Srl from Italy. “This is a very international fair so we can meet people from all over the world, but it is also good for us to learn about the Chinese market here too.” Fellow Italian exhibitor Lineastudio Srl agreed. “This fair is a good place to meet many Chinese customers who want to select designs from European studios. I work with important international brands, and Chinese brands and printers want to have similar results,” owner Stuart Sartori outlined.

Estudi Drapets from Spain is another studio participating, and produces designs for print fabrics for a wide range of ladieswear, menswear and childrenswear. “Given the broad scope of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, it is a good opportunity to meet a large number of Chinese customers,” the firm’s representative Belen Usart said.

British firm Circleline Design believes the Chinese fashion and textile industry is hungry for fresh and exciting ideas, and will present their new collection of printed textile designs for Autumn Winter 15/16 and Summer 16. While compatriots Whiston & Wright will display their new print design collection which is tailored to their Chinese customers. In addition to Italy, Spain and the UK, other studios from Australia, China, France, Korea and Taiwan will also take part.

Four overseas and domestic Trend Forums, and Denim Forum reveal the upcoming trends
Apart from the wide range of fabrics, accessories and textile designs being showcased, the fair is the ideal platform to discover next season’s fashion trends, both in China and internationally. The Intertextile Directions Trend Forum (hall W1) uses exhibitors’ fabrics to illustrate the autumn / winter 2015-16 international trends, and is designed around four themes:

• Taste of Sugar: a soft feminine and delicate story made of sweet couture to savour ‘like a cake’. New fabric associations render a comfortable mood.
• Sense of Earth: a modern tribute to Mother Nature and the richness of the ground. Ancestral methods are renovated using actual technology.
• Fragrance of Berries: an intriguing decorative story perfumed with a dark, magical atmosphere. Both a historical and contemporary story, this range is a sumptuous and poetic feast.
• Optical Cocktail: A positive flashback to the glamour 70’s expressing pleasure and fun with a sporty spirit. Pop art re-emergence is the sign of a new energetic enthusiasm.

These trends were envisioned by the Directions Trend Committee which is comprised of experts from four of the world’s leading trend forecasting agencies: the NellyRodi™ Agency (France), Elementi Moda (Italy), Doneger Creative Services (USA) and Sachiko Inoue (Japan). This year the committee is led by the NellyRodi™ Agency, and also includes a greater focus on eco and functional fabrics.

For visitors to the fair, the Fabrics China Trend Forums are the ideal place to learn more about the changes in the domestic market. Three separate Trend Forums focus on different end applications – suitings (hall E2), casual wear / plush (hall E4) and ladieswear (hall N2) – and also feature four themes: Simple and sincere 2.0, Linkin, Playmaster and Super nature power.

Following on from the success of last year’s denim zone, this year’s Beyond Denim hall is expanded to an entire hall – a 25% increase in exhibition space compared to last year. The brand new hall is designed by renowned French studio, the NellyRodi^TM Agency, with a Denim Forum to reveal the upcoming trends. Four themes are developed matching the four segments of denim market including: “Premium segment: Gold Life”, “Fashion segment: Show Off Life”, “Techno segment: Future Life” and “Organic segments: Conscious Life”. The designated forum will feature up-to-the-minute denim trends, along with other denim products, wash innovations and the latest technology information showcased at the exhibition hall.

Running concurrently with this fair are two other events: Yarn Expo Autumn (hall N4) and PH Value (hall N4-5) which are located within the same venue as Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics and take place over three days from 20 – 22 October.

Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition 2014 is co-organised by  the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, CCPIT;China Textile Information Centre;and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd.