Looped fringing. Grainy twills. Perforated denims. Bio-leather. Layered appliques. Webbed lace.
Those are just some of the intriguing, delicious fabrics, patterns and embellishments that will be making their way into apparel in 2027, according to a “Material Sourcing Trends” overview presented Feb. 5 by Abeni Watts, marketing manager for content at fashion forecasting and insight firm Fashion by Informa, and Julia Skliarova, director of materials at trend forecasting and consumer insights firm FS.
With home furnishings often drawing inspiration from the runway, many of these materials and details will also be making their way into upholstery, soft goods and even shades for lighting. So, we wanted to share them with you to get your creative juices flowing.
The materials trends were organized into four groups: Awaken, Wondermode, Space for Solace and Ritual.
Awaken
“Digital and political fragmentations are driving a real desire to reconnect with nature, so we have this Awaken story, which marks a movement toward engagement with nature through invigorating, sensorial, sort of really tactile surfaces and materials that promise to nurture and also reawaken us,” Skliarova said. “It’s very much about the bounty of nature’s rhythms and intricacies, from electric hues to the captivating and really responsive surfaces that are shaped and influenced by local surroundings, but (that are) also grounded in artisanal knowledge.”
Key features: Talismanic trims, grainy twills, dry-handle boucle, wood fabrication looks, vitalizing sheers, interlaced dobbies, looped fringing, embossed drills, spaced-dyed waffles and pressed plant motifs.
Key colors: Living Green and Pickled Green; warm tones like Overripe Banana and Unearthed; and dusky, earthy purples and blues like Purple Dusk; plus brighter hues like Vintage Teal.
Here’s a look at some of the fabrics, trims and details that exemplify this trend:
Wondermode
“This movement reframes design as a form of beguiling chaos that’s really expressive. It’s tactile and wonderfully human. We celebrate spontaneity and playful imperfection, almost as an antidote to the sort of over-curated and algorithmic aesthetics that are dominating culture at the moment,” Skliarova said. “It really embraces curiosity and creates an intuition that transforms the ordinary into the unexpectedly delightful.” Think fantasy, escapism and self-expression.
Key features: Striated active jersey, velvet staples, dopamine batiste, color clouding, trompe l’oeil transfer, overpainted constructions, engineered stretch and perforated denim.
Key colors: Effervescent pastels like Cotton Candy and Yam Pink, some with sour undertones; plus midtones like Polarizing Purple and Waterslide; and balancing neutral such as Spilt Milk, Carboard and Olive Brine.
Here’s a look at some examples of Wondermode materials and trims:
Space for Solace
“Our third theme, a Space for Solace, is a space for consumers who are dealing with accelerated fatigue and instability from global systems and the noise of technology by moving away from the performative and toward more a restorative, soothing and emotionally connecting kind of dress code,” Skliarova said.
This theme is also about “intelligent textile innovations that really respond gently to the body, as well to as the surroundings,” she added. Think integrated performance, functionality and adaptation.
Key features: Jacquard quilts, file coupe play, rhythmic ribbing, sheer appliques, waxy cottons, peached drills, papery waterproofing and bio-leather.
Key colors: Cleansing, tinted whites and warmer soft yellows like Pearlescent, Dried Pasta and Scorched Sand, plus soft blues, grays and browns such as Misty Mint, Emotive Gray and Washed Taupe.
Here’s a look at some of the fabric types, patterns and textures representative of this trend:
Ritual
The Ritual trend builds on the idea of protecting heritage and celebrating personal storytelling. “It’s kind of a dialog between the maker, the wearer and this sense of ritualism. We also focus on the idea that traditional craft techniques can transform decoration into more meaningful storytelling — adornment that kind of turns timeless looks into sort of this time vessel,” Skliarova said. In short, Ritual is about memory, ancestral knowledge and emotion in material form.
Key features: Chevron smock pleating, austere lace, webbed lace, sculptural ribbon embroidery, taffeta technicals, voluminous satins, tile brocades and mirrored crochet.
Key colors: Neutrals such Clay Mask, Weathered Griege and Antiqued Apricot undergird dramatic darks like Glazed Brown, Black Jam and Asteroid.
Here’s a look at some of the fabrics and trims that are part of the Ritual trend:
