Personalization tops 2018 style trends
Personalization is the number one style trend in 2018, according to the Business of Fashion – McKinsey Global Fashion Survey.
Consumers are more interested in building their own personal look by combining fashions from a variety of designer labels, says the report. “The reason for this development is consumers’ growing desire to use their fashion choices to express their own style, self-image and values.”
Gord Burgess, owner of Caswells Co. Ltd., has seen this trend gain ground in recent years at his downtown menswear store which has served Saskatoon’s best-dressed men for over a century.
The desire for individual style has led to a big spike in the demand for custom-made suiting. “Custom clothing is a very strong trend across Canada and the U.S. We’ve noticed a big growth in our custom business, primarily in custom suits and sport coats,” says Burgess. “A custom suit allows you to personalize your look through your choice of silhouette, fabrics, stitching and details. A custom-made suit also guarantees a perfect fit. There are many men who cannot fit off-the-rack properly without extreme alterations.”
In search of authentic and unique clothing choices, consumers are returning to independent fashion retailers, he adds. “Local, independent stores are able to offer oneon-one consultations with clients, not only assisting them with their purchases, but also talking to them about what they already have in their wardrobe so they can modify what’s there to give them their own look. To provide that one-on-one service requires properly skilled sales people. That’s something that you just cannot get with a department store or online,” says Burgess.
Every season brings fresh, exciting attire to Caswells. “We have about six or seven new lines that we’re unveiling this spring. Every season, we analyze what product lines have worked for us. If we see something new coming on strong, and another line is starting to fade, it gets replaced,” says Burgess.
“We travel to the buying markets in New York, Las Vegas, Toronto and Vancouver. We spend a considerable amount of time monitoring our product lines and what’s available in the marketplace.”
One of Caswells’ newest lines for Spring/Summer 2018 is Baldessarini.
Werner Baldessarini was chief designer and former chair of Hugo Boss. The Austrian designer left Boss to launch his own fashion line for the European market. Last year, Baldessarini crossed the pond to expand his fashion presence in the U.S. “At the moment, we’re the only retailer in Saskatchewan carrying this line,” says Burgess. “For spring, we’ve brought in some exceptional Baldessarini sport coats, shirts and denim.”
This fashion season, stylish men will continue to sing the blues – and greys. “We’re seeing a lot of mid-blues and softer blues; lighter dove greys and mid-greys,” says Burgess.
Sport coats are particularly popular in spring and summer, because they can be worn with either a dress pant or denim.
“We’re seeing softer construction in many of the sport coats. Designers are opting to use knit fabrics that have more stretch and flexibility. Because of that, the garments can be worn tighter to the body,” says Burgess.
“There’s a little less structure in the jackets. In some cases, there’s no padding in the shoulders, or the shoulder pads are softer. The jackets are lighter, softer, more flexible and travel well without wrinkling.”
When teaming a sport coat with denim, Burgess advises going with a dressier, darker denim pant. “One of our top denim lines is Seven For All Mankind. In addition to their very popular denim styles, they’ve also introduced a very nice stretch cotton pant.”
An easy way to personalize your look is with your choice of shirt. “When it comes to shirts, just about anything goes – from casual plaids to digital prints to fresh colours,” says Burgess.
If you’re accessorizing your shirt with a tie, opt for contrasting fashion brights. “This spring, ties are lighter and brighter. You want the tie to contrast with the garment instead of blending in. Some of the newest colours in ties are the yellows and oranges. If you put one of these ties against a blue suit, the tie just pops!”
Pocket squares are another way to personalize your look. “A pocket square can be folded in multiple ways to give your garment a little different look and to show a particular colour or edge. The idea is to add a punch of colour,” says Burgess.
Don’t forget to finish your one-of-a-kind look with a stylish pair of shoes. “We’ve experienced good growth in our footwear sales. For this season, designers are showing some new textured leathers: oiled nubucks, done on crepe or gum soles, for a dressy casual look. In dress shoes, we’re showing a number of printed leathers. One example is a stamped lizard pattern. Designers are also burnishing leathers to achieve interesting shadings,” says Burgess.
Caswells is now in its fifth year at its latest streetfront location at 144 Second Avenue South. “Our market continues to be quite strong with our free-standing store and the fact that we’re getting a younger clientele in the door,” says Burgess.