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 off their capabilities. Any trend direction came from their customers. But now these companies are showing trends: color trends, fabrication trends, motif trends and more.
I loved the applied grosgrain ribbon on a comforter at Cotton Avenue. At Mridul, ditsy floral bedding had small ruffle attachements. Bombay Dyeing’s Haveli group features sheets in a blend of modal and wool in what they say is a first in the market.
In Hall 9 I spent too much time fending off the camera police. Because digital cameras and camera phones have made it easier and easier to sneak pictures, the fair organizers are trying to offer some security to their exhibitors, many of whom are concerned about design piracy. That is why teams of security people have been dispatched to each hall to watch for the sneaks. Security has been known to stop me more than once in the same aisle, asking for my credentials. This annoys me.
The focus of my aggravation, however, is not the security person. It is the sneaks. These are the people who should do their own work, not copy. These are also the people who make it difficut for legitimate journalists to do their work.
Although I have reviewed only 3 buildings, I am not disappointed in what I have seen so far. Color is definitely on the move. Think about Grays, and about Blues in combination to start. When it comes to pattern, there is a growing divide between graphic and textural designs. I will write about all of this in our Trend Album(tm) about Heimtextil.
I expect to have our Heimtextil trend report out within two weeks after I return to the office. You can pre-order by calling Cathy at 800.531.6614 or send her an email. We will hold last year’s price for anyone who pre-orders before our release date.