Key Commercial Print Trend for Fall/Winter 2016-17

With the Fall/Winter 2015-16 season now upon us, discover an inspiring print and pattern trend set to emerge in new season womenswear collections. Pretty Petal is characterised by Fall/Winter florals that have taken on a distinctively prettified feel to create ultra-feminine surfaces. Blooms range from the delicate to the ornate, with pink and purple shades lending a ladylike appeal. Originally forecast for the early mainstream consumer for F/W 2015-16, Pretty Petal has since evolved into an essential commercial trend appropriate for late mainstream styles going into the F/W 2016-17 season. This week, the trend experts at Trendstop.com present FashionUnited readers with a deeper commercial analysis of Pretty Petal to demonstrate how the trend has developed, validating the print further with new examples taken from street style and retail.

Pretty Petal

On the catwalk, a number of directional designers first adopted the trend in their Fall/Winter collections. Antonio Marras applied bold graphic blooms to a knitted base, with the soft pink tones contrasting with black to create a moody romantic look. Les Copains opted for a more abstract aesthetic with muted painterly florals, while MSGM distorted a traditional flower pattern for an updated effect.

On the streets, trendsetters in Paris style Pretty Petal looks into their ensembles. A key look for outerwear, we see coats make a statement with all-over watercolour florals on bases of pastel pink or clean white, occasionally complemented by tactile fabrications to enhance the softened surface feel. Digital rose prints offer a contemporary alternative, blocked with contrast patterns.

In retail, we see the Pretty Petal trend starting to influence designs by several key brands across a range of different sectors. Michael Kors reveals a high-end look, applying chic pink and fuchsia bloom repeats onto a feminine dress, while white court shoes at Printemps look elegant with all-over red rose motifs. On the high street, fast fashion retailer Primark contrasts a multicoloured floral pattern snapback with a clean white brim.

Lastly, the trend has also filtered through to inspirational window displays. Last week saw iconic London department store Selfridges team up with Apple Watch on an ambitious new 24-window display, each inspired by a choice of eight flowers. Nearly 6,000 blooms have been used, made from craft resin or 3D-printed materials, creating a bold organic statement with pastel colours, delicate shapes and pretty petals.

Exclusive Offer

FashionUnited readers can get a free copy of Trendstop’s complete Fall/Winter 2015-16 Print Forecast Report, containing essential new trends to update categories like multi-application, stripes & checks, knits and prints. Simply click the banner to receive your complimentary report.

Trendstop.com is one of the world's leading trend forecasting agencies for fashion and creative professionals, renowned for its insightful trend analysis and forecasts. Clients include H&M, Primark, Forever21, Zalando, Geox, Evisu, Hugo Boss, L'Oreal and MTV.

Images courtesy of Trendstop.com: Antonio Marras, Les Copains, MSGM, all Fall/Winter 2014-15, Paris Street Style, Michael Kors, Printemps, Primark, all Spring/Summer 2015, Apple Watch Window Display at Selfridges London, 2015.