the trend curve™ - february 2011 sample issue

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A t Maison & Objet in Paris, color was a focal point, eclipsing every other aspect of trend. The Blue family led the charge. Having gone on the watch list over a year ago, Blue was finally flowering at the January show. Most important were Red-cast shades evocative of Denim, but there were other Blues as well. Periwinkle, interpreted as a saturated mid-tone hue, emerged in strength, particularly for decorative acces- sories. Sapphire, equally Red-cast but quite bright, provided this family with intensity. And Navy with an infusion of Red was also worth noting. At the same time, a version of deep Blue featuring a hint of Green, called Ultramarine, was repeated over and over again. Along with Cyan, Turquoise and especially Glacier, it suggested that the warm side of the Blue family would not exit quietly. Instead, showing multiple Yellow and Red casts together was an impor- tant update for Blue vignettes. Purple was still surprisingly prevalent. The best shades came in two different looks. At Kenzo and Vibieffe, for example, saturated hues hugged the Blue side of the color wheel. This pushed Purple up against emerging Red-cast Blues in a move meant to extend Purple’s trend status. At the same time, companies like Wind were transforming Purples into Mauves. In fact, the “Mauve-itization” of Purple was in full swing at Maison. Green was another color family on the move, with some companies debuting as many as five personalities and values at the fair. While a Minty pastel felt more than fresh, Citrine was the hue that got everyone’s attention. Still, Olive grew most consistently (in both middle and dark values) and Broccoli presented a saleable new option. Warmer than Evergreen, yet cooler and less complex than Olive, Broccoli has real potential. It is recommended at the high end at once. the trend curve tomorrow’s trends today THE INTERNATIONAL AUTHORITY ON TREND FORECASTING FOR HOME FURNISHINGS ©2011 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET. Reviving the Forties Vintage Chair by MissPrint 02. 11

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If you are a manufacturer, retailer or interior designer—or if you work with clients in these businesses—you know your future relies on staying up-to-speed on home furnishings color, pattern and design trends. You also know what a difficult and time consuming task this can be for anyone who also has other job responsibilities.Marketing Directions, Inc. can put you a step ahead with a full line of print products, color forecasts and consulting services targeted specifically to your needs. Each item or service from Marketing Directions, Inc. draws on our 16+ years of trend tracking expertise in the home furnishings industry. The highly regarded newsletter, The Trend Curve™, and our color forecast The Trend Curve Colors™ are just two of the many tools from Marketing Directions, Inc. that can help you turn trends into profits. Private consulting is also available.Customers include the top names in manufacturing, retail, interior design and automotive, as well as others who demand the latest information and forecasts to assist them in making manufacturing or buying decisions 18-24 months out.

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Page 1: The Trend Curve™ - February 2011 Sample Issue

At Maison & Objet in Paris, color was a focal point, eclipsing every other aspect of trend. The Blue family led the charge. Having gone on the watch

list over a year ago, Blue was finally flowering at the January show. Most important were Red-cast shades evocative of Denim, but there were other Blues as well. Periwinkle, interpreted as a saturated mid-tone hue, emerged in strength, particularly for decorative acces-sories. Sapphire, equally Red-cast but quite bright, provided this family with intensity. And Navy with an infusion of Red was also worth noting.

At the same time, a version of deep Blue featuring a hint of Green, called Ultramarine, was repeated over and over again. Along with Cyan, Turquoise and especially Glacier, it suggested that the warm side of the Blue family would not exit quietly. Instead, showing multiple Yellow and Red casts together was an impor-tant update for Blue vignettes.

Purple was still surprisingly prevalent. The best shades came in two different looks. At Kenzo and Vibieffe, for example, saturated hues hugged the Blue side of the color wheel. This pushed Purple up against emerging Red-cast Blues in a move meant to extend Purple’s trend status. At the same time, companies like Wind were transforming Purples into Mauves. In fact, the “Mauve-itization” of Purple was in full swing at Maison.

Green was another color family on the move, with some companies debuting as many as five personalities and values at the fair. While a Minty pastel felt more than fresh, Citrine was the hue that got everyone’s attention. Still, Olive grew most consistently (in both middle and dark values) and Broccoli presented a saleable new option. Warmer than Evergreen, yet cooler and less complex than Olive, Broccoli has real potential. It is recommended at the high end at once.

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T H E I N T E R N A T I O N A L A U T H O R I T Y O N T R E N D F O R E C A S T I N G F O R H O M E F U R N I S H I N G S

©2011 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET.

™ Reviving the Forties

Vintage Chairby MissPrint

02. 11

Page 2: The Trend Curve™ - February 2011 Sample Issue

©2011 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET.

thetrendcurve™

The story had a geometric perspective that began with zigzags. These jagged lines made huge advances. They oozed intensity in multi-hued repeats, became subdued in mid-tones or neutrals and seemed almost blurry in analogous color com-binations. Chevalier Edition used them as separa-tors within a tiled, abstract-geometric design (tiling elements of all kinds were on-trend and building at Maison). Missoni, known for zigzag patterns, offered a well-spaced one in Navy-plus-White for a graphic look that sidestepped the predictability of Black-and-White. Zigzags are recommended into 2013.

Closely related, diamonds also leapt ahead. They came not only in a range of products and price-point levels, but also in several variations:

•Hay featured rugs with thin, one-color outlines against a neutral ground.

•Nanimarquina started with diamonds of two sizes, filling some with color and leaving others outlined. The color/outline placement felt random.

•Artesania Textil interpreted outlined diamonds in ikat personalities for an ethnic flavor.

•Kare began with thin, concentric outlines. They-were centered with a small Turquoise or light-Green diamond. Tiled horizontally and vertically, and colored in Black on light Gray, the effect was like op art on the eyes.

•Les Heritiers’ relief lamp base alternated regi-mented Camel diamonds over a White ground.

•Philippe Hurel’s ottoman was one of several examples of merging diamonds into plaids via argyle accents.

Stripes and lines became fascinating. A variety of rhythms went from shirting-striped upholstery (Fancy Home Collection) to cabana-striped wicker

Pink gathered momentum in Paris. Most obvious was the presence of Hot Pink in a range of décor products featuring it alone, contrasted against a neutral or newly paired with Navy. Meanwhile, a meringue-inspired Pink signatured an incom-ing, ethereal complexion for pastels, while Rose stepped up in middle values. Echoing the 1980’s, Pink/Blue combinations kept popping up through-out the fair, some in very Contemporary-style prod-ucts. Regardless of the value, these Pinks remained cool, signaling that the reign of Coral-inspired hues would not last too far beyond 2011.

Yellow took time off, and Orange struggled to be seen. Rusty hues popped up here and there, but rather than making a statement about Orange, they seemed to allude to Red. Of all the colors, both emerging and established at the fair the one it was impossible to stop thinking about was Blood Red. As all Reds and Pinks rise for 2012, expect Blood Red to play a key role. On the neutral front:

•Gray still had a large following.

•Warm Grays were not any stronger than last time.

•Centered and warm Grays joined with Taupe in many assortments.

•Beiges kept growing, but…

•…Yellow-cast Camel Browns had a fashion edge.

•Black backed off.

Geometric PerspectiveIf there was one thing that January 2011’s Maison

& Objet fair made clear, it was that trend and countertrend still walk hand-in-hand. That was the message behind the two key approaches to design in Paris featuring styles that could not be more different. The first pushed Contemporary looks to a new extreme.

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Broccoli Green mixed with established Gray at Ivano Redaelli

VG NewTrend’s Periwinkle Blue Zigzags looked subdued at Casamance

Chevalier Edition’s zigzags worked within a tiled design

Page 3: The Trend Curve™ - February 2011 Sample Issue

©2011 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET.

trunks (Riviera Maison) to graphic table-linen stripes filled with pattern (Le Jacquard Francais). A new interplay between patterns and forms was also a factor. Case in point:

•D’Argentat’s upholstered chair looked like five neutral lines of uneven lengths that were coinci-dentally abutted to form a seat and back.

•Stepevi’s rugs were made up of staggered wool lines mimicking planks in a wood floor. They made no attempt to hold a common edge.

•Toulemonde Bochart’s rugs featured irregular stripes that looped back on the bottom, instead of running to the edge.

Edgy geometrics inspired by rhomboids continued the story. They were part of a cubist trend that has been emerging in the Contemporary realm for several months. Surface designs felt angular and off-kilter. Some read like boxes pushed sideways on one end, while others had random, crisscross line patterns. Lines of six-sided polygons were laid over diamonds to create a chaotic landscape that felt like a perfect metaphor for today’s complicated and technological world.

Abstract geometrics were revived with Forties inspi-ration as well. They went along with returning mid-century furniture silhouettes and retro advertising themes (especially baking and food products) from the same era. Rounded rectangles, two-color dots, elongated-hexagon lines and Sputnik-burst flowers popped up all over the show, creating a bridge from familiar to edgier geometric stories.

Whether interpreted as surface designs or as intense, surreal and twisted forms, geometrics are putting their mark on mainstream design. In doing so, they are establishing a look for the early part of this decade that is as groundbreaking as Modern was more than sixty-five years ago.

So PrettyPretty motifs provided the market with a softer

point of view that balanced hard-edged geometrics. These feminine icons made themselves known in an ongoing Vintage trend that had accel-erated at Maison & Objet. The top icons did not change: postage stamps, postcards and postmarks from France and around the globe remained the most popular. Songbirds were still there as well. So were butterflies.

In spite of their importance, Vintage evolutions at this fair were actually quite subtle. First, metallics

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emerged in here-and-there touches to make matte metals, woods and fabrics more memorable. This paralleled a broader trend seen throughout the fair: All-over metallic coatings were post-peak, but pearl and metallic touches, randomly placed sequins and shots of iridescence were definitely ascending (and recommended into 2013).

Secondly, refined linen used for decorative acces-sories—pillows, ottomans, throws, etc.—was giving up share to tissue-thin linen with frayed edges, or to coarser fibers that felt more like burlap. Some of the heavy, textural fabrics were antique produce bags like those we have seen before, but with fewer finishing techniques than in the past (no bleaching or fancy color printing). Although linen has been a trend fabric for man seasons, these shifts help make it worth noticing anew.

Toiles hinted at a larger role in the future of Vintage style, but they, too looked rougher and more tex-tural. White typical pen-and-ink renditions formed a foundation for toile’s emergence, directional were Gray-on-White bird and floral designs in a thicker, gloppier hand.

And finally, textile products that relied on layered printing using full-color motifs, shadows and outlines had competition from another approach to dimension. Appliquéd fabric pieces, detailed with simple contrast stitching and unfinished edges, began layering over one another, as well as the ground. Not only that, but patterns in these tiled designs were much more colorful than the prints of the past. And while some designs were floral, small checks were also in the mix, sug-gesting that Country looks will

Staggered lines from Stepevi

A less-refined take on toile seen on Lene Bjerre Design’s pillow

Page 4: The Trend Curve™ - February 2011 Sample Issue

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begin to sit along side Vintage ones in the future.

These evolutions confirm that Vintage style will have longevity. Because consumers like its texture, authentic and feminine point of view too much to let it go any time soon, watch for further adapta-tions continuing into 2013. What might be ahead? In addition to more overtly Country aspects, think about trims. They have yet to be explored in any meaningful way, whether for print or pattern. And then consider accents of cowboy chic, which takes Vintage from its English roots into America during the same time frame.

Also of note in Paris:

• Plaids grew in both traditional layouts and abstract, scratched looks.

• Cartoon strips inspired decorative-accessory and paper designs.

• Clock faces slipped off real timepieces and onto walls, tables and more.

• Kilim rug designs strengthened.

• Cityscapes showed up too often to ignore.

• Florals did not grow, and probably declined.

Printsource New YorkPrintsource New York is a leading market for tex-

tile and surface design. Held in January, April, and August each year, it is the main resource for thousands of apparel, home textile, wall covering, window fashions, kitchen, tabletop, bed and bath and other applications. An international group of over 100 textile and surface-design companies are

represented, showcasing collections from England, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia, and the U.S.

At the January event, bold-contemporary flow-ers stole the show. The intriguing aspect of this ascendance was the number of ways in which those flowers could be rendered. For example, Marcie Designs, a New York textile studio, featured exquisite photo-realistic flowers superimposed with bugs, shells, and butterflies. Mix publications, based in the UK predicted botanical blossoms will be hot, pointing to a return to overblown, realistic renderings like those seen at the Stella McCartney runway show.

Geometrics were refreshed in laser-printed and ink-blot patterns, some of which had a mirrored effect. Portugal-born designer Ana Romero said, “ Balance and symmetry are important right now because they offer order and a new twist on classicism.” Her cellular patterns and razor-edge zigzags, as well as 70’s-inspired checkerboards that appeared to be floating underwater, offered a multitude of textural complexity and detail.

Text messaging was also in the mix, however it did not look as utilitarian as it did the last time around. That’s because looks had shifted to calligraphy and script for a more flowing effect. Layering color and hidden messages together were also popular, with subliminal motifs in the background and decorative pattern floating on the surface. Themes of travel and destinations were abundant.

Southpaw, a vintage-fabric dealer based in New York, showcased diverse ethnic designs. Among them were oversized Ikats, peasant blouses with folk embroidery and blurred Indigo tie-dye that were already selling well. Bernini Studio Designs, based in Italy, layered leopard prints with scattered

Rugged textiles and new piecing: Maison Caumont Marcie Designs’ photo-realistic flowers

Page 5: The Trend Curve™ - February 2011 Sample Issue

©2011 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET.

flowers on watercolor backgrounds for an updated tribal effect. Since animal prints, especially leop-ard, are cycling back, now is the time to embrace effects like watercolor as a means of differentiating between updated trend patterns and basic looks that are always there.

After surface design, details and embellishments meant a lot at Printsource. In this category, pleats were on a roll. They were described by Philippe Bertrand of Woolworks International as, “the new stripe,” influenced by the spring /summer collec-tions in Brazil and Argentina.

Shimmer—in the form of sequins, pearl finishes, and dusted metallic effects—was another embel-lishment of note. It continued to offer sparkle, while major bling became a thing of the past. This is directional. Think accent or supporting role when luster is the topic, all the while retaining it a key part of 2012 – 2013 assortments.

Handcraft returned as the Heritage movement gathered momentum. This advance was due in great part to affordable labor in China, Vietnam and Portugal that has made previously expensive detailing available at more-moderate prices. Manu-facturers shopped extensively for reference in this category. They were eager to produce new crafted combinations with stitches, quilting, and appliqué. Other directions from Printsource:

•Chunky crochet, macramé, and fisherman’s-knit sweaters stepped up.

•Patchwork evolved to a mash-up of high-tech digital prints, reinterpreted with handwork and embroidery.

•Granny lace, fringe, and vintage wall paperprints shown by Lillyan Peditto, owner of “The Family Jewels” vintage clothing and accessories company,

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provided flea-market ambiance and inspiration for bedding and bath products.

•The classic Channel suit still inspired a seasonal round of boucle and chenille, updated this season with speckled color accents. Tweeds of all kinds will remain on-trend for the coming two years.

With so many simultaneous directions on the runway, trend forecasters were predicting a season to “create and stimulate.” Show director Massimo Iacoboni summed it up this way, “It is a season to embrace prints and pattern as a way to tell a story that is both compelling and vibrant.” Needless to say, Printsource does exactly that.

Showtime FabricsAt Showtime, pattern stood out as a method

of providing clarification in design. Subjects simplified, yet surfaces did not. That’s because those straightforward patterns were balanced with a complexity of textural yarns and elaborate weave effects that made backgrounds fascinating.

The most-directional allover patterns were plaids, which easily overtook last season’s top-performing stripes. The appeal for plaids was found in less-classic and more-casual layouts that featured smaller scales and patterns broken up with twill and chevron weaves. These additions gave plaids not only a textural boost, but also lush and resort-like feel. Stripes now followed plaids, with non-mirrored sidewalk types newest.

Ikats were the other key design. Though no longer

Underwater effect for Ana Romero’s zigzag designBernini’s animal spots morph into flowers on a watercolor ground

Log on to the Members area at www.trendcurve.com to read

about color from Printsource in The Trend Curve Extra:

Printsource Color.

For more about pearl, includ-ing The Trend Curve’s forecast for the top pearl hues, see our Cultured Pearls™ forecast at

http://tdcv.us/eaQUqd

Texture was front and center in a Celtic knot from Valdese Weavers

Page 6: The Trend Curve™ - February 2011 Sample Issue

©2011 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET.

thetrendcurve™

new, they were not slowing down. Makers evolved the look with cleaner sketches and softer, almost tonal colorations. Meanwhile, well-established Suzani motifs continued to step away from yesterday’s tribal overtones and toward a transitional point of view, becoming much less detailed in the process.

Motifs of note included paisleys, which were cleaned up, modernized and, in some cases aus-tere. Architectural motifs also took off as a source of pattern inspiration. Cityscapes and exterior building shots translated into designs with a turn-of-the-last-century flavor that suggested a potential next step after Vintage style has run its course.

For the moment, however, Vintage was the style category everyone lined up behind at Showtime, indicating that this look will continue through 2012. Words were part of the story. They gained traction in both English type and lyrical French script. Other Vintage designs followed the expected trend, but Adesal, as usual, stepped out of the box with car-toon portraits that were worth a second look.

Other motifs:

•Postage stamps

•Postcards

•Fleur de lis

•Crests

•Diamond accents

The Vintage story relied on matte base cloths that favored antiqued, distressed and aged personali-ties. Patterns appeared faded and worn, as though they had come from another generation. They conveyed a visual texture meant to work with tactile textures for an elevated level of fabric complexity.

The popularity of Vintage style was just one reason why dry-hand fabrics were so popular. Cotton and linen were emblematic of the matte looks that easily eclipsed anything with luster. (Those fibers—pre-dominantly polyesters, rayons and silks—were used as exclamation-point accents in textured wovens.) Metallic experienced a similar retreat; it was used minimally, and in low proportion, to accentuate its effect. Also of note at Showtime:

•Graffiti and paint splotches were part of a con-temporary story.

•So were updated, deconstructed geometrics.

•Smaller scale patterns worked into framed-tra-ditional jacquards, with more delicate and linear artwork.

•Green design was not in the forefront as it has been in previous seasons. Featured were organic cotton and linen. Down on the list of importance were recycled fibers like polyester.

Atlanta Rug MarketWith so much buzz about texture coming from

fabrics, it was not unexpected that defining trend at the latest rug show in Atlanta also revolved around this topic. While color took the high road—with Gray-tinged, hard-times-influenced neutrals—and the low road—with hopeful-for-better-times brights—tex-ture took the main road. It became the “color” everyone had on the floor. It was variously defined as over-the-top shag that went beyond the last season’s mega-textures, and finely constructed silky looks, featuring pops of slightly heavier fiber accents.

Shag rugs were in their prime, evolving far beyond merely retro-50’s styling. Their textures reached to extremities as this style moved from its inherent novelty to a more assured adolescence via:

•Many different sizes of yarn for big/small contrast.

•Mixing shiny synthetics with more matte wool.

•Novelty yarns from apparel applications.

•Sculptural effects achieved by using knit-yarn tubes were common.

•Even denim fabric, cut into strips, came into play.

High/low effects continued the textural charge. Case in point: the Calvin Klein Canyon collection at Nourison. It combined a flat, sueded leather background with lushly constructed wool pile. Additionally, bulky cardigan sweaters became inspi-ration for cardigan-like Soumak weaves in wool. This menswear spin translated into subtly nuanced stripes, plains and textures. And double-sided Soumak weaves became even more complex at Kalaty with one textured side appearing as accents on the reverse flat woven side.

Pattern reflected the critical nature of texture for rugs. Either rugs had no pattern (only accentuated texture), or they used simple repeats that became secondary to the texture. Small, cropped allover patterns seen here took their cues from repetitive apparel and home designs like checks, squares, tattersals, ovals and diamonds. Like the simpli-fied design elements from other cultures that were coming on strong (think Greek keys, Portuguese, Belgian and Dutch tile designs), hand drawn, ethnic twists elevated these otherwise-predictable looks from the realm of the mundane to make them stand out as trend worthy. Other directions for pattern:

• Clean, pared-down Americana styles from early 1800’s emerged, especially basket weaves, embroidery and overshot blanket looks.

• Perhaps inspired by mid-century modern, tie-dye looks, whether actual or simulated marked new territory.

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Cartoon-like drawings with paint splotches added a

whimsical touch at Adesal

Multicolored, complicated combinations took a cue from

the vintage Mediterranean ceramic, Majolica.

Log on to the Members area at www.trendcurve.com to read about color from Showtime in

The Trend Curve Extra: Printsource Color.

Page 7: The Trend Curve™ - February 2011 Sample Issue

©2011 MARKETING DIRECTIONS, INC. ANY REPRODUCTION OF THIS PUBLICATION IS A DIRECT VIOLATION OF FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAW. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, COLOR COPYING, ANY OTHER PHOTOCOPYING OR FAXING, E-MAIL DISTRIBUTION OF COPY OR POSTING CONTENT ON THE INTERNET.

• Simple weaves were blown up to gigantic dimen-sions, recalling the huge-scale damasks of a few years ago.

• Larger-scale designs—whether traditional, European, Persian, tribal, city, ethnic or something else—were made transitional with neutral, muted color palettes.

• Newest: Navajo designs that referenced ceramics (think Maria Martinez, not rugs).

On the fiber front, wool continued it predominance as the fiber of choice for rugs, particularly in tran-sitional design. But this time, wool’s typical matte finish was refined via spinning and washing to give it a silkier and shinier appearance.

Silk itself remained as an accent in high-end applications, while viscose, rayon, and bamboo all stepped up as lustrous replacements. Loloi combined viscose with finely constructed poly-propylene to create detailed and, at the same time deconstructed styles. This challenged conventional notions of where luster can be applied. By contrast, hemp, aloe, linen and sisal plant fibers dominated casual, contemporary pieces by virtue of their dry looks. Color notes from the Rug market:

• Bright colors punctuated color stories, includ-ing Honeysuckle (Pantone’s color of the year for 2011), the bright accent of choice.

• However, this was the exception. Most hues stayed safe and conservative.

• Multi-leveled Blues like Indigo, Delft and Sky mixed with Beige and Gold for a restful play of usable color.

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Heimtextil TrendsHeimtextil, the huge international trade fair for

home textiles, was held in Frankfurt, Germany in January. Jane Stockel, Editorial Correspondent for The Trend Curve, highlights two of her favorite trends from the show.

Homestyle: Kitchen-towel designs, like windowpane grids, clean stripes and open plaids established a foun-dation for this style. Floral prints followed, looking best in small-to-medium scales on clean grounds. A tablecloth from Kokon Lifestyle Haus, with tiered ruffles made up of different floral prints on White grounds, recalled 1940’s kitchen aprons and the strong influence of patchwork.

But denim was the real Homestyle star. While Blues of all kinds—from washed and chambray looks to deep Indigos—played in the Homestyle sandbox, the mid-tone color of jeans dominated. Whether printed on sheeting for pillow shams for the high end (Guy Laroche) or shown in dungaree-strength fabric for everyday placemats (Pichler), the trend was to look like the real deal.

Everyone knows that denim gets better with age. So, it was no surprise that Sharda created an area rug made from a patchwork of recycled jeans, com-plete with stitching, belt loops, zippers, pockets and tags. Note that the movement of patchwork from bedding to the floor was another trend at Heimtextil.

Lapland Lore: At this year’s show, Folklore was a major new topic. Specifically, imagery alluding to Lapland patterns

Designs by Due Process recalled Navajo ceramics Kalaty’s double Soumak

Sharda’s pieced-jeans rug.

Page 8: The Trend Curve™ - February 2011 Sample Issue

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Michelle Lamb is the founder and chairman of Marketing Directions, Inc., publishers of The Trend Curve and numerous special reports covering major markets.

Marketing Directions, Inc. informs national and international manufacturers and retailers on industry trends.

The Trend Curve is published by Marketing Directions, Inc. six times yearly with information from major markets and trade shows important to the home furnishings industry. Subscription is available at $199.00 per year when delivered within the U.S., $269.00 for all other countries. Back issues ($30 each) and custom publications are available.

Marketing Directions, Inc. 14850 Scenic Heights Road Suite 155 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 USA

(952) 893-1245 or call toll-free (800) 531-6614 Fax (952) 893-1264

E-mail: [email protected] http://www.trendcurve.com

The Trend Curve - ISSN#1080-1324

Michelle Lamb Editorial Director

Editorial Correspondents:ForHeimtextil: Jane StockelForPrintSource: Patricia BouleyForShowtime&AtlantaRugs: Arthur Douglas Thayer

While every effort has been made to provide accurate information, Marketing Directions, Inc. cannot be held accountable for any error or omission and there is no warranty or representation, express or implied, that the information provided in this publication is definitive. Marketing Directions, Inc. is not responsible for any costs, expenses or damages, actual or consequential, resulting from the use of this information.

This year, I wrote and edited the February issue of The Trend Curve in my hotel room at the Frankfurt, Germany Marriott. That’s

where I spent four days between the Maison & Objet and Christmasworld trade fairs. It felt extravagant to stay put when there are so many worldwide shows to cover, but fortunately, my team of Editorial Correspondents was in the field, and we have covered all the events that Members of our subscriber family have asked us for.

I am staying longer than I typically do in Europe because of a call I got from a subscriber late last year. I was asked to extend my trend spotting to Paperworld, which covers school and office products, greeting cards and paper for home and office, among other categories. We have not covered this fair in the recent past, but with enough time to plan an extension to my European schedule, Paperworld was added to the roster. Coverage will be included in the next edition of The Trend Curve.

In this issue, long-time readers will notice the addition of the Printsource show, focusing on surface and textile design for apparel, home textiles and paper goods. This is also a result of a subscriber suggestion late last year.

The Trend Curve’s goal is to provide expert trend insights about events that are important

for Members of our subscriber family. With two requests for new shows coming so close together, it feels like now is the right time to reassess our entire line-up for the year. My team and I will be doing that in the next few weeks.

Will you help? Please tell us your top three mar-kets or trade fairs. And tell us what we cover that you no longer need. Sharing this information will help us do a better job for you.

We are easy to reach, no matter how you would like to communicate this information:

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the last word

(a region of extreme northern Europe including northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland and the Kola Peninsula of northwest Russia) was part of

Atria’s Lapland-inspired pattern

a shift in ethic sensibilities that took a giant step away from today’s ikats.

Intricate floral and leaf designs, evocative of embroideries, came with scalloped edges or contrast-color outlines. They worked alone or were confined within small, diamond or hexagon-shaped geometrics in allover patterns. Some were accented with hearts or circular motifs that pushed them toward a Nordic sensibility. In another approach, multi-colored blossoms were blown up and layered over another pattern, adding to the complexity of the design. This complexity was sometimes further enhanced with watercolor appeal.

Full, rich paisleys also played a part. Geometric stripes evocative of sweater-knits diamonds, snowflake-like motifs and lines made up of tiny dots complete the story.