There were WAY too many cats and dogs dressed in medieval garb for my taste at Heimtextil, the world’s largest trade fair for home textiles in Frankfurt, Germany. They weren’t roaming the aisles in the literal sense, but did so figuratively, showing up on pillow after tapestry pillow, just as they have for many years. These designs are targeted to a traditional user, albeit a whimsical one, and generally to adults. Roses Design … [Read more...]

In the December 1999 issue of The Trend Curve™ I set out a forecast of about a dozen trends for the decade ahead. Aging Boomers Drive Innovation in Lighting was one of them. I wrote about how people need incrementally more light to see and to perceive color as they age. “You begin to notice this at about 35. By 40 your really feel it and by 50 you may have every light in the room on to decide if your sock is Navy Blue or Black.” My … [Read more...]

There are lots of ways to display products at a trade fair. At Heimtextil in Frankfurt, Germany this week, some stands took a predictable approach to showing their textiles and trims. Others, however, splashed on a bit of fun or pointed out the home and apparel connection that is growing stronger with each passing season. Here are a few that I liked the best. … [Read more...]

I stopped to visit at Santens N.V. today—my second trend-spotting at the Heimtextil trade fair. This is a company I really like because of their color palette and their approach to design. I also like that they were among those who embraced bamboo fibers early on. Having done well with their palette of 10 bamboo bath towel colors in Europe, they are expanding that number to 18. To do so, Santens added light values of Misty, Lotus (a … [Read more...]

There is always something new to see at Heimtextil, but I cannot help but be delighted when I see an exhibitor that has not shown in Frankfurt before. Today I came across two that I liked very much. Kentia S.A. has been around since 1977. This Greek company’s sheets and pillowcases are ultra-colorful. That’s what caught my eye as I walked through Hall 9.2. They are also quite youthful. Kentia says their target market is females from … [Read more...]

I am laying on the sofa in my family room watching an episode of Sherlock Holmes starring Jeremy Brett, whom I consider to have been the best Sherlock Holmes since Basil Rathbone. Although I am anxious to keep working on our Trend Album™ from Heimtextil 2005, I am going to relax tonight. With the fair still so fresh in my mind, I had already written much of the report by the time my flight from Amsterdam to Minneapolis landed. In my … [Read more...]

I arrived at the Heimtextil international trade fair at 9am ready to see what is new in the world of textiles. I strapped on my camera, opened my notebook and headed off to Hall 10, ready to work my way backward to Hall 1 by the end of the fair. Hall 10 is devoted to Asian suppliers. This is an area where things have changed dramatically. A few years ago, suppliers from India and Pakistan, for example, only displayed pieces that showed … [Read more...]