Index Grading For Fit Seminar at [TC]² 2006 Summer Internship The MAGIC Forecast: 2006, 2007 and Beyond Member Profile - INDA Important Dates A Look Ahead

AAFA, AAPN, CCAA, SPESA, AND [TC]²
Announce the Apparel Conference of the Americas
One Region … One Market … One Source

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), American Apparel Producers Network (AAPN), Caribbean Central American Action (CCAA), Sewn Products Equipment & Suppliers of the Americas (SPESA), and the Textile/Clothing Technology Corporation ([TC]²) have joined together to launch the “The Apparel Conference of the Americas: One Region … One Market … One Source.”
The high level conference will take place June 5-7, 2006, in Managua, Nicaragua.  A press release with more information will be distributed this week.

Grading For Fit Seminar at [TC]²
May 23-25 , 2006

Proper grading ensures good fit of a manufactured garment. Learn basic principles of fit and grading. Hands-on projects include deriving grade rules and manual grading of basic garments.

Attendees should understand patternmaking, general grading principles, and basic CAD functions.

Intro to Apparel Manufacturing – April 24-28.  An overview of processes and technologies, from fiber to finished product, is offered in this 4-1/2 day program.

To register, or for more details, visit http://www.tc2.com/what/seminars.html.

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2006 Summer Internship

Last Opportunity to Apply – Deadline March 15th

[TC]² is offering an eight week study program at its Cary, NC facility May 30 – July 21st  for rising seniors in apparel-specific programs for management, engineering, or design/development at U.S. universities.  The internship will include seminars and hands-on training in various subjects with emphasis on Supply Chain Strategies, Product Development, and Business Planning.

The selected students will receive paid travel to Cary, NC, housing, and a stipend during the course of the eight-week internship. Final selection will be made by the AAFA Human Resources Leadership Council. To request an internship application, click here.

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The MAGIC Forecast: 2006, 2007 and Beyond
By Kim Anderson, Ph.D., writer/reporter for [TC]²

MAGIC, the behemoth, whose acronym stands for Men’s Apparel Guild in California, descended upon the desert town of Las Vegas on February 21. Although more than 100,000 attendees meandered through over 1 million square feet of exhibit space at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the enormous halls maintained a cavernous feeling. In the presentation rooms that accommodated the fashion trend and color seminars, the scant feeling quickly dissipated. The fast-paced frenzy of the apparel industry reared its head—every room was packed with buyers and sellers eager to hear the latest trends. In the mercurial world of apparel, being under the fashion-radar can have lamentable results for anyone residing in the supply chain.

Each fashion forecast guru had a unique insight into which colors and trends would grace the upcoming seasons, however, overlaps were apparent.

COLOR:
It was the consensus that after an effusive use of color, palettes will begin to tone down. In the upcoming seasons look for lots of neutrals, white and more white and “not quite white”—linen grey, vanilla, cream and desert brown. And these colors won’t be confined to the traditional warm weather palette…all color is becoming seasonless.

Neutrals
Courtesy of Cotton Incorporated, Apparel Trend Forecast 2006/2007

Other color trends to watch for:

• The ubiquitous pink will move into more of a peach or coral tone.
• Olive, butter yellow, blue-greens and “air-like” blues will be predominant.

Greens and Blues
Courtesy of Cotton Incorporated, Apparel Trend Forecast 2006/2007

• Hues reminiscent of the desert will be prevalent—terracotta, adobe, tomato red, bright gold, orange and desert rose.

Desert Hues
Courtesy of Cotton Incorporated, Apparel Trend Forecast 2006/2007

• Color combinations will abound. Look for darks teaming up with brights and neutrals; shades of brown combined with yellows and golds; and the incredibly dynamic black and white combo.
• Metallics will become a fashion basic.

TRENDS:
So far, 2000 hasn’t exactly been a study in spare. As David Wolfe, Creative Director, The Doneger Group succinctly put it—2000 will be remembered as the decade of decoration. But for those of you who are tired of apparel donned with heavy beading, faux fur trim and ornate embroidery—take a sigh of relief. Wolfe goes on to say maximalism will change to deluxe minimalism. This sentiment appeared to be prevalent among the presenters. More subtle ornamentation will be seen in tonal colors.

The Hitchcock blonds and early Hollywood is back. Dress wear is moving away from casual. The dress will take the place of the skirt and the coat and dress ensemble will reemerge.

Classic blouses and shirts with unbuttoned or rolled up cuffs will take a front row seat—some adorned with ruffles, ribbons, bows and pleats. Wrapping, unexpected closures and luxury styles constructed with casual fabrics will abound. Pants and skirts will pump up with more volume.

The casual country club look is back with a vengeance… yes…they’re breathing new life into Preppy. Stripes will be prominent in every angle and kind—horizontal, vertical, bias, rugby, thin and thick and more. High waisted pants with large cuffs or simply rolled up will be prominent as well as vests and v-neck sweaters in Mondrian color combinations.

Not new and slightly waning, but here to stay a little longer is Retro—60’s, 70’s and the 80’s. Doves and sunset motifs will land on the back pockets of jeans. Crochet and gauze reminiscent of the 70’s, leggings, skinny jeans and Flashdance styles will dominate casual dress. The upcoming movie about the life of Edie Sedgwick will no doubt bring the 60’s styles into full throttle.

Thanks to Brokeback Mountain and Walk the Line, apparel with a country flair, boots and plaids will reign.

In the younger sector, over printing and embroidery on plaids and camouflage; large painted effects; frayed edges; haphazard appliqués; unconventional placement of print designs; and abused denim will abound.

Men, at long last, are exploring the brighter colors and patterns traditionally confined to women’s apparel. Don’t be surprised to see brave men wearing coral and florals.

Other trends include combinations of tasteful mismatch patterns, lots of layering; short tailored jackets; the bolero; lace accents in jewel tones; extra large buttons; and unexpected placement of pockets.

If these trends and colors don’t sit well with you, don’t worry—fashion is totally evanescent—“Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.” Oscar Wilde…even quicker these days.

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Member Profile - INDA

Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry

INDA is the trade association representing the nonwoven fabrics industry since 1968. Located in Cary, North Carolina, they are an organization committed to energetic action on behalf of the nonwovens industry. Conferences and action-oriented committees bring industry professionals together each year to explore trends and relevant issues in the areas of government relations, technology, marketing and international commerce. INDA then takes on marshaling the resources of its member companies to make a coordinated response that is prompt, cost-effective and industry wide.

INDA is well known globally through its conferences and technical meetings. IDEA, International Engineered Fabrics Conference and Exposition, is its key event and is offered every three years. The next show is in Miami Beach, April 27-29, 2007; people from over 60 countries are expected to attend. Also organized by INDA is the annual event, Filtration.

INDA leads the way in the education of nonwovens by offering training courses in nonwovens and by publishing various handbooks on the many segments of the industry.

INDA works to promote the growth and profitability of the Nonwovens/Engineered Fabrics Industry as well as a premier information resource and a vehicle for action for its members by providing forums for education, business opportunities and networking by the ever expanding the breadth and depth of INDA.

For more information or to learn how to become a member, please visit www.inda.org.

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Important Dates

March

April

For detailed information about industry events, visit www.techexchange.com

Thanks to the techexchange site sponsors Apparel Magazine, Gerber Technology, Intentia, Lectra and Methods Workshop.

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A Look Ahead in the Newsletter

Body Scanning University Research
Material World Review

View previous editions of this newsletter

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