With each passing year, apparel suppliers introduce more styles inspired by pop culture phenomenons, runway looks and professional athletic wear. 2012 will be no different. In fact, suppliers have even more in their catalogs than ever before. To see the scope of these new styles, look through the following pages for the best trends, colors and markets for men, women and juniors, as well as suggestions for styles that remain popular every year.
MEN’S APPAREL
Trends: Lauren Cocco, merchandising manager for Vantage Apparel, Avenel, N.J., predicted 2012 men’s trends will include ’80s styles and winter-to-spring jackets. She mentioned that ultra-lightweight shell fabrics and polyfills with thermal characteristics will be particularly popular. Cocco also noted that certain embellishments will ring in the new year. “A stylish branding option for outer garments is patch embellishment, such as laser-debossed tech patches that flex and move with the fabric and appliqué patches that incorporate cotton-rib, twill or felt materials,” she said.
Colors: The promotional color wheel broadens for 2012’s menswear, with bright and muted options available. Cocco offered lawn and lime green, sunburst and bright yellow, bright navy, royal, indigo and charcoal gray in solid and heather shades as leading colors for men’s styles in 2012.
Markets: Focus on outerwear for 2012. Every season needs a piece of outerwear, whether it’s thermal for winter, lightweight jackets for spring or ponchos for summer.
Perennially Popular: Men need jackets to take them from winter chill to spring rain, so Cocco suggested a lightweight full-zip water-resistant jacket like the one to the right.
JUNIORS’ APPAREL
Trends: According to Mindy Anastos, vice president of marketing and production planning for L.A. T Sportswear Inc., Ballground, Ga., the best way to use juniors’ apparel effectively in a promotion is to reference pop culture. “You can definitely see trends from movies, music and celebrities filter down into the fashion of youth,” she said. Be careful not too make the logo too obvious though. “Juniors don’t want to be seen as advertising for a corporation, so incorporating the logo into an artistic design is a great way to get juniors to help promote your brand,” Anastos explained. In addition to pop culture and trend followers, you will find a good number of juniors who want the exact opposite of a trend. Anastos referred to these as “rebel trends” and mentioned the importance of catering to both demographics. As for new styles, Anastos mentioned cropped shirts, “flowier” garments with dolman sleeves and overall looser-fitting looks. If you want these now, be warned, you might have to wait. “These will start to filter down into our industry in 2012, but I think you’ll see a much larger impact in 2013,” she said.
Colors: According to Anastos, 2012 youth styles will see a revival of color. Bright jewel tones, as well as softer colors like, blue, yellow, orange, pink and purple will appear.
Markets: Collegiate and school promotions are still great for junior’s apparel, but using pop culture trends opens new markets for youth garments. Anastos suggested band merchandise, surfing apparel, sports gear and movie and TV promotions.
Perennially Popular: “Our basic combed ring-spun cotton juniors’ fine jersey T-shirt remains popular year after year,” said Anastos. “The basics rarely go out of fashion.”
WOMEN’S APPAREL
Trends: Women’s promotional apparel for 2012 can be described with one word: more. More styles, more fashionable and more fabrics. “The most notable change is the larger variety of body styles and cuts now being offered,” said Jessica Clifford, marketing coordinator for Kavio!, Commerce, Calif. “The silhouettes are more fashion-oriented and are going far beyond the basic T-shirt,” she added. More specifically, Clifford noted that necklines are looser and shirt styles have been updated to fit current trends. The shirt styles are boat necks, deep V-necks, exaggerated crew necks, dolman sleeves, racer-back tanks and pocket T-shirts. The new styles also come with updated fabrics and washes to add to the trendy and vintage looks. Clifford listed the best fabrics and fabrications for women in 2012 as sheer jerseys, slub jerseys, tri-blends, cotton-poly blends, burnouts, crystal washes, pigment dyes and vintage silicon washes.
Colors: The promotional apparel industry has made an increased effort to keep up with current trends, as evidenced by the styles and fabrications listed above, but the industry cannot abide entirely by the hot-this-minute pace of the fashion world. “The trends trickle down at a much slower rate and are toned down versions of what is popular on the runway by the time they have become wholesale styles,” explained Clifford. “Color is the most notable impact that high fashion has on promotional apparel because it dictates what hues are going to be popular,” she said. Such colors for January through March are deep hues like pinot, titanium, coffee, indigo and dusty rose. For April through June, you’ll need to lighten up. “For the spring, the colors get lighter and more vibrant. Hues such as grape, island blue, bubble-gum and watermelon are popular,” said Clifford.
Markets: Clifford offered the resort, corporate and collegiate markets as good selling areas for women’s apparel. “Since women’s apparel is more retail-styled, it does well in programs that are looking to stand out with something different and for clients whose brands represent a distinct look and lifestyle,” she added.
Perennially Popular: The most popular garment for women is the T-shirt, but with many styles, fits and washes available, you have many options to pitch. “It’s really not just a T-shirt, it’s a deep-V T-shirt with a pocket in cotton/poly sheer jersey or a crystal silicon washed crew-neck short-sleeve T-shirt,” explained Clifford. “The lightweight jacket is another style that is always popular because the weight and style give it so much versatility,” she added.
