Sought After Men Casual Shirts For SS17
In the business of Menswear fashion, seasonal shifts are a fraction of the pace of Womenswear. Simple silhouettes make the transition more subtle. For eg. SS16’s Flat collar Cuban casual shirts, reinterpreted as printed resort shirts, are still a key item for SS’17. But that’s not to say that every season doesn’t introduce freshness by way of new trends.
While Knitwear as a category largely dominates the casual market, more so now due to the influence of designers like Kanye West, Virgil Abloh, Vetements etc, the role of casual shirts is not just as a separate, but it also lends itself to summer layering. This report talks about the Must-have trends of SS17 Men’s Casual shirting as seen from the ‘eye of the consumer’, under the influence of prevailing International and domestic trends.
From the shows
This Spring 2017’s catwalks showcase exclusive men’s only collections that capture many micro trends and capsules influenced by two schools of thought. In fact, some of these just-in looks have been found gaining popularity on Instagram already! Coverage in detail as below:
Military inspiration takes a new utilitarian take, drawing reference from Army and Navy. Resort preppy stripes give way to the classic light-washed, Bengal stripes. Double pocket styling, epaulette and badges are some other elements of detail. Washed denim shirts and light brushed fabrics constitute this collection. Olives, sandy beige, navy, powdered blues, pale reds and pinks enhance the stereotypical color palette.
Google search trends
The best way to understand the consumer’s side for casual shirts, which is such a wide product category in itself, is by splitting it up according to design features. Through various comparisons, Google search trend shares the following insights:
Comparative study of India & worldwide for shirts classified by fabric design
The denim shirt is the topmost sought after item in shirts, in India and Worldwide. India alone has seen a 100% growth from 2014. Printed shirt in India takes the spot the striped shirt enjoys internationally, as customers domestically are looking for more prints than stripes. Check shirt has overtaken the plain shirt in popularity among Indians since Mid 2015. Prior to that, they were both moving at the same pace.
The trend above shows that Denim shirts are the most preferred casual shirt. It has seen a steeper growth trend than Linen shirt. Although during peak summer months of April and May, both seem to have the same demand.
Stylumia Insights
Stylumia analysis of casual shirts for the season’s Summer 2016, show us more than just perennial trends. Here are a few of the directional pieces to earmark for the coming season, identified from the Top 100 shirts of each season.
The trend that topped the Top 100 shirts was Blue Macro check with Denim panel yoke at Rank#1. Denim Shirt with Medium stonewash at Rank#3, followed by a few more out of two others are seen in images above. This confirms the consumer affinity towards casual shirts in denim as a cue. Ditsy prints on Indigo and reds are trending high. Buffalo checks of different scales are doing well.
Also seen above, trans-seasonal colors like Burgundy and Slate grey are trending. With regards to emerging colors, Beige, Nude pinks and warm earthy tones of rust and brown as gaining popularity in a range of fabrics, from linen to cotton twill. Shirt styling features details like a Western yoke and double pocket detail, Band collar shirts, epaulette are gaining acceptance and liking among consumers.
SS17’s Must have Casual shirts trends
Keeping the commercial feasibility of products in mind, based on insights gathered above, key trends went through another filter of social, i.e. what consumers are liking on social media, to produce the final list.
SS’17 “Must have Casual shirts” brings together a report of trends that consumers are liking socially, backed up with outfit ideas from brands. Apart from perennial trends like a casual white shirt, navy color and gingham checks, the following are the Must-haves identified that bring a seasonal flavor to 2017.
From a classic white to a washed denim seasonal short sleeve shirt, international brands are capturing this trend in full. This season’s simple Bengal stripes are also seen in Top Shop’s Granddad shirt collection. This shirt style works well for solids in both cotton and linens, prints included.
Indigo Love
Referring to the consumer search trends above, it is needless to say that the Denim shirt is the must-have item in a Man’s wardrobe. This season, we add a few more updates to this casual shirt through all over prints, placement embroideries, Indigo yarn-dyed big bold check and washed outlooks. Denim shirting, as a product story takes its inspiration from Japan and its Indigo techniques.
To Conclude
As fashion evolves season after season, we are seeing the influence of almost every past decade on current trends. SS17 Casual shirts have witnessed this through design aspects like print – pattern, styling and color.
Seen trending commercially in India are Long-sleeved shirts, vis-a-vis Short sleeve shirts are predicted as the next big thing globally. Retailers will have to provide the right mix of the two to stay commercially successful and fashionably relevant. Printed shirts which is a key item for Spring & summer seasons, and also the second most popular in the country, see themselves in lighter fabric compositions like viscose and cotton voile. It can be distributed among the two sleeve variations depending on print design and garment feel.
Versatile shirting concepts like Denim and ‘Grand dad’ shirts are popular as per social and consumer insights. These are not just used as single dressing pieces, but also styled in combination with basics for Spring layering.
Checks are going bigger in scale and getting interpreted in unconventional colors for SS17, eg. shades of Grey, brights with Indigo. Utility and Military inspired shirts to take a nautical approach in a clean and urban update.
The vintage styling of the ’50s and ’60s, ’80s and ’90s cult graphics are influencing the category to create the desired nostalgia that the consumer sentiment is harping on. This is an emerging trend and can be looked at for later hits of the SS17 season.
