In the dynamic world of fashion, where creativity and business strategies intertwine, one thing remains constant: the significance of anticipating and meeting the demands of discerning consumers.
As merchandisers venture into the precipice of assortment curation for the SS’24 Menswear season, the answer relies on meticulous planning and the untapped potential of data insights.
The past SS’24 Fashion Week Menswear season presented diverse approaches to the new dawn of men’s fashion. Like a trumpet, we witnessed the grandeur of Pharrell’s debut at Louis Vuitton as he took over Pont Neuf and created an all-consuming media spectacle.
Image: Louis Vuitton
Ludovic de Saint Sernin, who left Ann Demeulemeester after just one season, closed the menswear calendar in the magnificent Musée des Archives Nationales courtyard. The media assessment of his brief tenure seems to be just watering off his back as his new collection was refreshing and marked a new beginning for the designer, both spiritually and sartorially.
Loewe’s creative director, Jonathan Anderson, still maintains a profound and unwavering respect for technique and craftsmanship, which sets his work apart from others, infusing the runways with a strong sense of creativity.
As in previous seasons, the male wardrobe fearlessly borrowed codes from its female counterpart. But this borrowing was not simply aesthetic. According to our visual recognition technology, in the 120 shows analysed, nearly 30% of the models were women. This figure even approaches 50% for brands such as Dsquared2, Martine Rose, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, or Marine Serre.
As every season, Heuritech’s fashion experts build a report that dissects everything that happened on the runway to determine the accurate approach for reinterpreting all these themes into a successful assortment that resonates with consumers. This article is based on this report and presents a small sneak peek into the deeper analysis available in the full version.
Data Theme Analysis: Enhanced Sensibility
Since previous seasons, a masterful interplay of structured sophistication and effortless ease has redefined the essence of refined menswear. Designers dismantled traditional tailoring norms, weaving a tale of nonchalant charm that resonates deeply with the modern gentleman’s desire for both polishment and individuality.
This theme aims to evoke sensitivity and vulnerability, using light colours to enhance the effect. The colour palette mainly consists of white, cream, and brushed pink, popular among fashion designers during the SS24 season.
Cream hues were seen in the runway shows of Dior, Gucci, Lemaire, and Sean Suen, while brushed pink was a prominent colour in the collections of Valentino, Amiri, and Dries Van Noten, among others.
Image: Data from Fashion Week SS’24 Heuritech Report
Monochromatic looks were also a trend during the SS24 season, with Dolce & Gabbana showcasing a beautiful collection mainly featuring white ensembles.
The use of sheer fabrics on the runway has increased season after season. The SS24 shows focused on heightened sensibility, which is why sheer fabrics were prevalent. They were used for tops, pants, shorts, and even blazers, as seen at Hermès.
Knitwear also followed the trend of see-through fabrics in SS24. During this season, knitted pieces featured oversized and asymmetric shapes, elegantly adorned with deep V-necks, highlighting sensibility and tenderness.
Fluidity was also emphasised through the use of satin, as seen in the total satin looks presented at Emporio Armani.
Many prestigious brands introduced a wide range of flowing tailored pants. The most popular trend focused on high-waisted styles, though some brands also offered a smaller selection of low-waisted options. When paired with fluid or transparent tops, this overall look showcased a sophisticated and elegant sense of style.
mage: Data from Fashion Week SS’24 Heuritech Report
Data Screening: Stripes
Fashion weeks and their shows are great moments of innovation and inspiration. However, creators’ enthusiasm for specific trends is not immediately met with the general public’s support. Thus, Heuritech’s fashion experts, with the help of data analytics, offer a new type of analysis to understand the “real” behaviour of trends widely present on the catwalks.
Due to their classic appeal, the fashion scene has been dominated by stripes, particularly on shirts.
However, designers have added small details like glittering embroideries or experimented with pattern clashing to deviate from the traditional and predictable approach.
Image: LOEWE
Interestingly, according to our data, while shirts may be the safest choice, they may not hold the most significant potential for the future adoption of stripes.
Here is a breakdown by cluster of the 22 trends associated with “Stripes” by Heuritech’s modules:
This past Fashion Week has painted a vivid tableau of themes and inspirations, and in the age of boundless information, data analytics emerges as a guiding North Star.
For the SS’24 season, with the help of predictive analytics, retailers can quickly adjust to the new dynamic and transformative era of menswear, where multiple and diverse creative answers emerged and where the common thread was a desire to explore and push boundaries.
In today’s ever-changing fashion industry, using data analytics in assortment planning is no longer an option but a requirement for those seeking lasting success in this highly competitive field.
