The retail shelves of international brands spread across Delhi are gearing up for the winter season owing to their trendy fall collections. Tapping a more fashion conscious consumer, the brands have put forth collections in styles that not only serve purpose but also succeed in satisfying sartorial needs. Resultantly, intriguing fabric and textures are comparatively paid more attention than silhouettes as patterns, weaves, prints and embellishments rule the season’s roost.  However, due to the uncertainties of the season, the assortment in stores is still divided between summer, pre-fall and winter separates. So while coats, sweaters and heavy cardigans account for the winter chill, the stores’ merchandise continues to offer lighter knits, summer synthetics and even cotton basics. The mood of the season, as coerced by the part dark part neutral palette seen in all brands, is undeniably cozy. Team FASHION FORWARD DAILY takes on itself to diligently investigate and put together a list of trends that are most likely to dominate the season.

SWEATER KNITS

Knits finally get a place this fall. Spread in collections wholeheartedly, the knits flood the shelves in various avatars. Loose knitted sweaters sewn in with sparkly metallic yarns echo the festive flavor of the season and as a result, techniques such as cables and pointelle have been knitted in sparkly lurex yarns. As long lightweight cardigans trickle down from the runway to the market, mosaic knits and perforated cardigans have graced the displays, giving a fuzzy warm feeling and inviting the winter.

CHECKED CLASSICS

This fall, retailers take a classic feel to their collections with plaids, checks and houndstooth flooding the shelves. Brands playfully interpreted the classics in diverse ways. The trend gets exploited and experimented in all possible ways from the classic checks being printed, maximized and variated. Where Zara expands and zooms the checks, using them on overcoats, shirts and pant suits, Mango spins an interesting take by combining the conventional plaid with floral. The brand printed the plaid on georgette shirts interspersed by big digital flowers. The black and white houndstooth also played its part, spread all over shift dresses or as panels running vertically on a dress.

PUNK INSPIRED EMBELLISHMENTS

Punk elements are still finding their way in the collections in never thought quirky ways. Accessories and apparel take their turns in borrowing elements from the popular trend. From spikes dangling from necklines to chunky metallic rivets punched in dresses by Mango, the spunk is definitely kept alive. Zara takes a sober approach by using metallic chains on sweatshirts, whereas, accessory brands such as Aldo and Claire’s added punk elements extensively; spike studded caps, metallic drop boots, gold and silver rivet boots- all screamed Punk.

FOLKLORIC FLORALS

A spring summer trend is re-interpreted for fall. The floral trend is reinvented in various ways. Transformed into tapestry, oriental and jacquard florals, the colours are being given a twist with ochre and deep maroon being the ruling shades. Mango has interesting quilted floral printed jackets whereas; Promod blends tapestry with denim and utilizes it in jackets, shorts and pants. Zara gives the trend a royal treatment converting them into oriental prints spread over tops and trousers.

BEJEWELED HOLIDAYS

Spreading the Christmas flavor all around, brands have dedicated an entire segment to bejeweled. From bejeweled necklines to bead-embroidered dresses to shocking sequined metallic dresses, Zara takes the season spirit a notch higher. Forever New submits to the dainty feel of the Christmas snowflakes with glossy dresses and clustered crystal embellishments. Jack &Jones has put forth fully sequined blazers whereas FCUK plays it simple with subtle grey metallic dresses.