--Styling--
Long Layers
The trend
towards layering continues as retailers push transseasonal items.
Sleeveless knitwear offers versatility as a mid or base layer, while chunkier
sweaters double as outerwear during transitional weather. Longer layers become
an area of focus, as tunics are paired over unlikely bottoms such
as pleated skirts and dresses or tailored trousers. The sweater
dress sees a strong season ahead; it looks newest over leggings or
trousers for a casual styling statement.
--Key Item--
Turtleneck
Tank
A successful
item for retailers last A/W, the turtleneck vest maintains its top
position among key-item sweaters. Slim bodies adopt long-line proportions, worn
over tissue-weight layers to tap into the layering effect. Ribbed stitches
remain the dominant direction, adding to the long and lean silhouette.
Half-tuck styling works when paired with skinny jeans, while longer styles with
deep side-slits work well over skirts and trousers.
Ballet
Sweater
An emerging
trend to watch, ballet-inspired wrap sweaters gain momentum as this category
uptrends among active and loungewear brands. Soft blends are
enhanced with stretch to give an unrestricted fit that keeps the ballet sweater
feeling authentic. Wrapped and tied constructions further the traditional look,
while cross-body styles lend newness to the deep-V sweater.
Textured
Pullover
Simple
crew-neck pullovers offer an essential knit update for the season, as retailers
follow a back-to-basics approach in keeping with current cut-and-sew trends.
Heathered greys join dusty shades of cornflower, pink and mauve for a muted
palette that works well with the tonal neutrals coming through for autumn
deliveries. Ribbed stitches offer the most prominent direction,
joined by subtle textured purl stitches. Bodies remain slightly slouched and
elongated for a comfortable fit that can be layered.
Layering
Turtleneck
Acting as a
base layer for this season's essential layering trends, the slim-fitting
turtleneck offers a perfect transitional item to pair under slip dresses or
pinafores. Worn solo, the turtleneck offers a key item across markets, with
mock-neck three-quarter-length styles skewing towards the juniors consumer.
While simple stretch ribs provide the dominant construction, look to
lightweight sheer blends to surface as well. Sporty trims and bold primary
colours work well with the Sports Modernist themes at youth level.
Chunky
Roll-Neck
Chunky
roll-neck sweaters have become a staple over the past few seasons,
offering a comfortable key item with a broad audience. This autumn is no
exception, with retailers from Copenhagen to New York featuring the item among
their latest deliveries. Traditional silhouettes are noted across the board,
with notable updates involving sleeve details. Gap uses three-quarter-length
sleeves to highlight the layering effect, while Scandinavian retailer Samsøe
& Samsøe opts for thumbholes to accentuate extra-long feature
sleeves.
Utility
Sweater
Offering a
new design detail to watch, the utility sweater is an emerging item to keep an
eye on for future seasons. Fitting well into the pretty
utility themes emerging for transitional drops, these patch-pocket
oversize designs are a fresh interpretation of a perennial trend. Soft cashmere
furthers the juxtaposition of feminine and functional. Military greens
keep the look literal, while pale pink tones further the soft
utility appeal.
Slouch-Pocket
Cardigan
Slouchy edge-to-edge
cardigan silhouettes remain popular, lending a comfortable mid-layer to
autumn wardrobes. Deep pockets heighten the comfort level, lending a grunge
look to the cardigan – especially paired with plaid flannels, as seen at
Aritzia. Belted versions offer a more polished look, while hooded iterations
speak to the athleisure consumer. Soft mohair blends and tactile
bouclés further the cosy, cocooning quality.
Blanket Wrap
Blanket
wraps blur the line between accessory and outerwear, offering knitted
one-size-fits-all items perfect for seasonal layering. Blanket stripes and
tribal patchwork speak to more traditional themes, while windowpane checks
offer a more contemporary perspective. Fringed trims remain a core design
detail, while whipstitched hems offer an authentic blanket appearance.
--Design
Details--
Lace-up
Details
Lace-up
details remain a core design update across sweater styles, with corseted yokes
offering the most commercial driver, especially within the youth market. New
placements emerge, with split seams and cold shoulders offering perfect
opportunities for lace-up details. Look to oversize grommets to
update hardware, echoing a larger trend towards this nautical embellishment.
Ribbon laces offer a romantic look in line with current trends
toward ballet-inspired knitwear.
Peek-A-Boo
Shoulders
The
off-the-shoulder silhouettes popular among woven tops for S/S 16 influence
sweater assortments, bringing cold-shoulder details back. Contrasting
turtleneck silhouettes offer seasonal warmth, with styles ranging from bodycon
to chunky cowl necks. Tight-fitting tops have Lurex-infused threads, skinny
stripes or chevrons for a 1970s slant. Chunky sweaters embrace a muted palette
with subtle stitch textures.
Volume
Sleeves
Sleeves are
a particular point of interest for sweater designs this season. They range from
flared and bell sleeves to more delicate ruffled trims. As first noted in
the ReMaster forecast, leg-o-mutton, peasant and bishop sleeves add
newness to assortments, adapting this directional theme in a commercial
way. Frilly ruffles look fresh in combination with sporty stripes, opening the
girly trend up to a broader audience.
Ruffled
Trims
Overtly
feminine and decidedly retro, ruffles offer a must-have direction for
knit assortments this season. With the look prominent in Europe, Gucci and
Valentino feature ruffles in A/W 16/17 collections that quickly influence
designs on the UK high street and advanced contemporary collections in Paris.
High standing collars, sleeves and yokes are prime placements, while the
ruffled polo looks set to influence into the Holiday season
in pie-crust plackets.
Floral
Embroidery
In keeping
with a larger theme guiding A/W 16/17 collections, floral
embroideries appear on a range of knitwear via appliqués and traditional
handicraft techniques. Needlepoint designs are favoured, adding a vintage charm
to sweaters, while embroidered daises offer a more whimsical approach. J Crew
adds sequins to the embellishments for a modern play on artisanal embroidery,
bringing lo-fi shine to assortments.
--Print
& Pattern--
Chevrons
Chevrons appear
as a key theme for sweaters, and range from a stitch detail to intarsia patterns.
Lurex-infused disco knits use chevrons in their most graphic interpretation,
while muted cable-knit sweaters adopt chevrons as a dimensional pattern. Bold
stripes are instantly updated by chevron designs, lending a more 1970s vibe to
assortments, while traditional cricket sweaters continue to evolve,
accentuating sporty chevrons at the neckline for a new take on a key
item.
Staggered
Stripes
Engineered
stripes offer another pattern driving the 1970s theme forward. Staggered
designs incorporate colourful bands on trim pullovers, bodycon dresses and
knit T-shirts. Contrasting colour bands at the neck and wrists add a sporty
feel, while Lurex-infused designs remain a key material to watch for A/W 16/17
and beyond. Chevron designs factor as well, adding an authentic retro look to
knits.
Windowpane
Checks
Offering a
more masculine contrast to this season's ruffles and floral embellishments,
gridded windowpane patterns update sweater categories. Traditional plaids are
noticeably absent for early deliveries, which favour these simplified
graphic checks for a more contemporary feel. High-street retailers such New
Look and Marks & Spencer adopt a uniform silhouette in the funnel-neck
sweater, while US retailers opt for more traditional styles such as the
pullover crew and the boyfriend sweater.
Over-the-Top
Intarsia
Although not
a mainstream trend, the influence of designers such as Gucci and Valentino is
undeniable on knitwear. Look for whimsical motifs to lead intarsia inspiration
heading into the Holiday season, especially for the youth market. The combination
of contradictory themes – ruffles with bold graphics, sporty trims with
needlepoint embroideries – inspires a mash-up effect that is sure to trickle
down. Look to tattoo intarsias to provide a commercial update to slogan
statements.
Information from WGSN
