Images Magazine Digital Edition August 2018

KB FASHION AND STREETWEAR www.images-magazine.com 68 images AUGUST 2018 It is simpler than you might expect and these brands provide a perfect platform. It is vital to consider other marketing channels, social being a key one, to reach more customers with an appetite for streetwear. Instagram and Snapchat are thriving platforms in this area. What are the key streetwear trends? Something we are likely to see a lot of is the emergence of more garments with special dyes or finishes; for the decoration market this is particularly relevant for T-shirts and hoods. We saw an increase last year of brands dip- or hand-dyeing garments to achieve a unique look, and this trend has moved to standard ranges. Batik, acid and spray effects are examples of on-trend finishes coming through, and are all represented in ‘Build your Brand’. Longer length and oversize are still big trends in streetwear for tees, hoods, sweats and now polos. For headwear, the trucker-style cap is still going to be massive and in particular camo, which sees no sign of dropping off in 2018. What developments are likely over the next 12 months? Certainly we are likely to see more streetwear styles and trends in the mainstream and adopted into core sectors like work, sports and school. The development of the polo shirt into streetwear with longer line and oversize styling will potentially allow more cross pollination. A key area of growth continues to be around women’s garments and we are likely to see more unique cuts and crops in hoods, tees and flowy tops. Athleisure styling is likely to continue to have more of an influence in streetwear and fashion with more integration of performance style and fabric. Leggings, for example, have been adopted into streetwear with their own unique slant. What are the main decoration types currently seen in streetwear? Why did Ralawise introduce streetwear to its offering, and what has been the response? There has been a real appetite from the market over recent years for more fashionable products. With the power of social media and the low barriers to entry for a company to set up its own label, the timing was perfect to introduce a range of core streetwear styles. Ralawise introduced the ‘Build Your Brand’ line and developed a range from leading headwear manufacturer Flexfit Yupoong. Both have had a great reaction from decorators and we have continued to expand the ranges this year. Other brands have responded too, such as Bella+Canvas, which is also introducing more fast fashion styles. How can decorators best profit from your streetwear brands? Streetwear is filtering into many sectors and it is changing the way we look at typical core items. Snapbacks, longer length tees, drop-crotch joggers etc are all inspired by streetwear trends. Decorators can use these trends to dip their toe into the market, but to ultimately take control, create a brand! Ralawise‘s head of marketing discusses the rise of streetwear and how to target end users Talking streetwear with KieranMurphy There is a clear trend to either extreme of the decoration spectrum. Many brands offer a minimalist style with a focus on subtle embroidery or print. In contrast to this, however, we are seeing more and more outlandish and exaggerated embellishments – great for adding value. A number of streetwear brands are layering different designs to create a more complex but unique finish. What‘s the single best piece of marketing and/or sales advice you can give Images readers to help them sell more streetwear garments? Make friends and really get to know them… Whether you have your own brand or are printing plain stock, you have to know your customer and your market. Don’t assume, it is vital you know how far you can push the boundaries with styling. Use social media to gauge and gather feedback on existing and potential products. If your following doesn’t like it, they will soon tell you. www.ralawise.com Women‘s Acid Washed Cropped Tee (BY504) from Ralawise‘s Build Your Brand The on-trend CamoTrucker Cap (YP029) from FlexfitYupoong