Printed denim is one of the latest fabric trends in fashion that our fashion experts initially picked up on back in September during Spring/Summer 2021 Fashion Month, and the trend has been gaining in popularity ever since.
This trend’s unisex appeal has become universal, as our fashion experts notice printed denim cropping up in China, Europe, and North America alike, fit for any and all seasons.
And although printed denim looks are not a new phenomenon in fashion, a growing list of designers are reimagining the trend by applying unique and unexpected prints to the fabric to breathe new life into the classic jean. Let’s have a look at printed denim, and why consumers are adding it to their 2021 wardrobe.
The 2021 Trend Forecast for Printed Denim
Printed denim is appearing in endless variations, with brands applying all types of graphics to the material ranging from psychedelic prints, to Baroque paintings, to feather motifs. Priscavera, Ebony Tylah, and Eckhaus Latta are amongst the brands who are creating the most interesting styles of printed denim, using the fabric for classic jeans as well as jackets, vests, coats, and even skirts or dresses.
Another popular print this year is tie-dye. Among US women, we forecast the print to rise in visibility by +6% in Summer 2021 compared to last Summer. For Chinese women, by +5%, and for European women, by +9%. The numbers are similar among male consumers in Europe and the US. It comes as no surprise, then, that tie-dye denim is experiencing a rise in popularity this year. Isabel Marant features pastel tones, Alberta Ferretti has gone more neon, and The Attico and Dior have gone for a 90s acid-wash aesthetic.
(Printed) Denim-on-Denim
Moreover, wearing the fabric as a full denim-on-denim look is a common styling choice we have observed, being equally popular for mens and womenswear. Études and Iceberg are just two brands who are offering full denim looks this year, complete with printed logos and patterns. But it’s not only the high street brands featuring printed denim in their 2021 collections: Reformation and Pilcro, for instance, have included jeans in vernal prints and colors this year.
Prints and patterns are trending in 2021
Indeed, prints and patterns will be a reliable trend for designers to lean on for this year’s mens and womenswear collections. Our trend forecasts signal a flat, or steady, growth rate in the European and US markets in particular through Summer, Fall, and Winter 2021, and even into Spring 2022. With this in mind, designers can count on printed denim remaining desirable across all seasons and genders all the way into next year.
