Crystal Ball Gazing

Image: Kelly Lynn Jones

Trend Forecasting for 20111

In the latest Good Weekend, there was a brilliant interview with the world's foremost trend forecaster, Li Edelkoort.

In case you missed it, here's a run down of what Edelkoort sees for 2011:

• "Water is the metaphor - fluid - the fluidity of fabric, the drape, even in heavy velvets or corduroy."

• Blues - dark blues, navy and turquoise - will be most important. Other colours of note include grey metallics, and the return of browns, naturals and brick and terracotta.

• "I'm betting on yellow being the new pink. It took 15 years to bring pink to where it is now, which is everywhere, on every product in the world. It will take 15 years for yellow to do the same. But I think, possibly, yellow may become the icon colour of our age."

• When it comes to design materials, "the sharpness of things are going to soften, disappear. There's going to be marbling, mottling, feathering, fluttering. Fabrics and materials want to be three-dimensional."

• In food you will see ingredients blended, steamed, moussed and frothed - "Everything mixing and foaming will be important."

• Perfume will a layered scent in the form of a veil or mist, and eventually will become powdery or talcy.

• In furniture, "it's organics, landscaping interiors with pebbles and rock and boulders. Lots of grey and natural bark. Cocoon chairs, lots of animal representations, lots of skin, hide, timber. Very humble materials: everyting crafted by hand, or machines crafting as if by hand, I call it landscape interiors.

• And finally, for fashion Edelkoort sees the espadrille having a moment and a new category: a half-garment between scarf and waistcoat.