No matter what else is going on in the world, fashion will never cease to be a constant source of speculation, celebration and surprise.  It is always influencing, never limiting and ever-changing.  That being said, predicting the future of fashion can be a risky game, but therein lies the beauty of the sport.  In this fashion-forward, anything-goes world, it can’t be argued that “getting there,” ‘there’ being the next memorable, change-the-way-people-think-about-fashion trend, really is half the fun.  So with that in mind, here are a few fashion trends that will, inarguably, grace the catwalks of the next decade.

Green.  Contrary to most shifts in the fashion world, experts predict that “green” materials, manufacturing, trade and shipping will become more of a lifestyle than a trend.  And really, who isn’t on board with that?  In fact, Julie Gilhart of Barney’s has already introduced a slew of green initiatives that she hopes will ring in the new decade(s) of green fashion.  These include Philip Lim’s “Go Green Go,” a partnership between Keds, Loomstate and Barney’s, YSL’s “New Vintage,” and Theory for Barney’s Green.  The phrase “better late than never” has never been so true.

Smart Clothes.  While Spandex and Ultrasuede were the break-through fabrics of the last few decades, the next 10 years brings a whole new realm of new fabrics.  There have already been some creative fabrics surfacing to kick off the new decade, such as DuPont’s Lycra T400, which does away with any practical need to wear a belt by creating a type of stretch jean which never loses its elasticity.  But, as always, the fabrics of the future will be 10 steps ahead of even the latest inventions.  “Smart clothing” is a fusion between fashion and technology (when you can’t beat ‘em, fuse ‘em…right?).  “Wearable technology” has thus far consisted of jackets with built-in sony disc systems (made by snowboard maker, Burton) and even built-in fans for the summer-time (introduced by Kuuchoufuku, a Japanese design company).  Currently, this innovative style of clothing accounts for only 1% of fashion sales, according to Port Washington’s chief industry analyst Marshal Cohen.  Predictions for the future include heated kakhis (using built-in heating coils), GPS-rigged gowns and spray on dresses.  The rest remains to be discovered.

Breaking the rules.  Oh wait, there aren’t any rules left to break.  The widespread popularity of creatively outrageous and original icons such as Lady Gaga is a good example of the manifestation of this trend.  Love her or hate her, she follows no rules and lacks no confidence.  This may be a foreshadowing of a more pervasive existence of niche fashion, meaning many fashion trends influencing different groups of people rather than one all-encompassing set of fashion rules.  Either way, it’s the start of something new and more empowering for fashion lovers everywhere.  Be confident in breaking the old rules and you might just end up contributing to the new ones.

Any way you look at it, the future of fashion is up to those who are bold enough to create it, so for those who don’t mind taking a risk, there’s nothing stopping you from making history.  And for those who prefer to watch it unfold—get ready, you’re in for a wild ride!

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