Out of Context

as we exit another decade the media fills with endless lists of what was. what was the best, what was the worst, ad nauseum. what they have in common is they encompass points that our society noticed, and that always proves to be an interesting connect-the-dots exercise. however, i believe we can take another half step back, and see the shadows of more subtle, and much larger, trends in our society.

hoodies. safe to say that the cross category hoody phenomenon is not going away, in fact, it is the defining silhouette of a generation. e-commerce sites now use ‘hoody’ as a search parameter on equal with, ‘jacket’, and in some cases, it’s listed right alongside the men’s and women’s sort button. one can imagine a whole host of psychological, social, and touchy-feely reasons why this is such a broad based cultural movement. but one attribute stands out, the hoody is unusual in that it crosses most economic, cultural and demographic lines. hoodies are seen as authentic from school kids to grandmas, from hip-hop to workwear. they have become a unique canvas for proclamation and differentiation, as well as a way to blend in with the monochromatic urban masses on the subway. the hoody exemplifies a sensible, modern garment.

quality. while the definition of quality textiles -- rich pimas, fine denier wools, etc, has been changing for some time, our recent economic conditions have accelerated the morphing of what we consider to be good quality. much like the word value, quality means whatever the consumer thinks it means, quality follows the consumer. retailers are discovering that they can provide quality apparel in many different and non-traditional ways. to a young demographic, quality might mean a burnout cotton/poly T-shirt, amazingly distressed to look worn out, just so... or to tennis players, golfers and outdoor athletes, quality might be swiss engineered nanotechnology that reflects heat from the sun, making a black garment cooler to wear than a white version. quality is taking on the hue of ingenuity; we want to see our apparel dance and perform in ways that are distinctly different from a generation ago. quality, although always a sign of taste, is no longer the signature of wealth or class. it’s now a sign of involvement, enthusiasm and thoughtful consumption. there will be more emphasis on new, and ever more niche, definitions of quality, as consumers pursue happiness from their own unique points of view. quality is now about us.

trend quickie. look for technical outdoor apparel to adopt rib knit cuffs and hems in jackets. rib knit ties nicely into the hoody tsunami mentioned above, it reflects the sensibilities of the outdoor industry from 30 years ago (which is an expanding trend), and it doesn’t look like your father’s softshell.

february 14th is chinese new year. welcome the year of the white tiger, 4047.

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