Woolmark predicts seasonal themes ahead of Wool Week in April

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The official platform of the South African wool industry, the week will celebrate the versatility, luxuriousness, naturalness and sustainability of wool through a series of events.

"Created each season, Wool Lab AW 15/16 inspires and informs fashion professionals regarding the infinite potential of Merino wool and features influences emerging from fashion, design, art, pop culture, music and other fields," said Louis De Beer, CEO of Cape Wools.

"Womenswear is inspired by Parisian class and style, and knitwear is offering an intriguing and elegant look. The classic coat is returning, but with a 50s inspired twist and also classic luxury fabrics. Japanese 80s design is also featured, inspiring through simplicity and minimalism as well as rich and luxury fabrics and yarns."

Seven themes

The seven themes for Wool Lab AW 15/16 are Bespoke, Traveller, Maille Chic, Coat, Katachi, Mod and Icelandic.

1. Bespoke - Inspirations: The glorious and fascinating origin of menswear is now a true contemporary luxury. The charming fabrics of the traditional sartorial culture make each fabric unique. Materials: 100% extra-fine Merino wool also blended with other animal noble fibres such as silk, mohair and cashmere. New or renewed classic weaves and patterns. Pin stripes, twill, Glen check. Very fine worsted wool yarn; interesting mélanges and tweeds. Crossbreeds.

2. Traveller - Inspirations: The new style for business travellers. Elegance combined with practicality and technology. Traditional fabrics and yarns combined with the most technical, for an unexpected new look. Materials: 100% wool, wool/cotton, wool/silk, in refined structures and patterns, especially for jackets, such as: Glen check, hounds tooth, and herringbone.

3. Maille Chic - Inspirations: The most feminine among the themes. Parisian class and style, as always, for intriguing knitwear. Decorations and applications highlight shapes and yarns. Materials: 100% wool, also blended with silk, cashmere, mohair, alpaca or angora. Crocheted and laced knitwear, intertwine with "Rome stich" or a classic Chanel-look knit. Fancy yarns as frisé and bouclé

4. Coat - Inspirations: The return of coat is now a certainty, both for formalwear and for more casual occasions. A traditional garment, never out of fashion. Classic luxury fabrics and new interesting '50s look. Materials: Wool, wool/mohair, wool/camel, wool/cashmere, wool/silk, wool/alpaca. Structures and patterns reflect the classic lines in twill, piquet, double weave, beaver, casentino, checks, drapé and ottoman in brushed and foulé treatments.

5. Katachi - Inspirations: Katachi means shape. The shape, from the history of Japanese designers of the '80s. Very rich and luxury fabrics and yarns, together with more simple and minimal. Colours are: blue, grey, black, white. Materials: 100% wool, wool/silk, wool/mohair, wool/metal, wool/linen, utilising yarns such as crepe, bouclé and mouliné, relief patterns, evident structures, voile, gabardine, light and double gauze, leno weave.

6. Mod - Inspirations: Inspired by the British tribal subculture of the mid-60s. Revolutionary, easy but refined new elegance. Materials: Wool/cotton, wool/mohair, micro and macro patterns, together with jacquards, tartan, prints and regimental stripes. Fine bouclé or moulinè for the yarns. Double jersey for the knitwear.

7. Iceland - Inspirations: The atmosphere of the Icelander life and landscape. Clothes and fabrics are warm and comfortable, but also technical and performing, to face the harshest climates. Colours are those of its glacial natural shades. Materials: 100% wool or blended with cotton, silk, mohair and angora. Evident diagonal, leno waves, viyella and twill for structures and patterns. Handmade knitwear and fake fur. Special treatments include washed, brushed and bonded.