Specialty chemicals group LANXESS, one of the leading manufacturers of leather chemicals worldwide, is now offering a sneak preview of the leather trends for spring-summer season 2016. The company provides a valuable guide for leather manufacturers which helps to implement any new trend early. The leather designs reflect in terms of look, feel and overall impression towards the future leather fashion.

The LANXESS Leather business unit produced this collection in its Competence Center Italian Innovation (C2I2). For this purpose the new water-based Aquaderm X-Pigments from LANXESS were used. These pigments have been developed for premium leather applications in order to comply with challenging environmental regulations and specific industry requirements regarding eco-efficiency and consumer safety.

The trends that have been announced for spring-summer season 2016 are:

Leather Fashion Trend “Modern Dynamic”
There is a growing desire for a more practical, functional lifestyle with clothing to match: a burst of color and creative combinations will add zest and sparkle to the next spring-summer season. Technical, functional, easy-wear materials are leading the way.

Materials: Soft and enveloping nappa leather, clear and bright colorways, dull pearl finishes and lustrous monocolor surfaces.

Leather Fashion Trend “Sport Attitude”
Fashion has always visualized, defined and often anticipated societal changes. In a world in which everything moves at speed and is perceived quickly, an awareness of what is practical and functional is now taking hold. Sportswear is transforming itself to combine with glamour and the city-day look. Reaping the rewards of the growing importance of technical inventions, colors are now fresher and more subtle, the mixes less aggressive and there are contrasts between new and old styles. Sportswear becomes sophisticated, elegant, luxurious.

Materials: Frosted or matt satin metallic finishes, dull metallic rubber, kaleidoscopic prints, irregular perforations and clean cuts.

Leather Fashion Trend “Keep Calm”
Calmness – the mood of tranquility continues. Confusion is eliminated: an attitude that is reflected in everyday living, relaxing and finding time to enjoy the little things. Rediscovering a lost femininity made up of nuance and an almost imperceptible allure. The fragility of a woman, enclosed in an understated, seductive and controlled sensuality. Colors are pastel shades: pale pink and salmon.

Materials: Soft textures, light padding and minimal quilting, essential lines, fine perforations, faded lines, silk effects and light nappa.

Leather Fashion Trend “From 70’s to today”
A strong Seventies inspiration, perhaps because of the current need for change and the desire to make our voices heard: the powerful feelings and fierce feminist movements were stronger in the 1970s than at any other time. A woman no longer has to mold herself to other people’s opinions but can make her own decisions.
What ties us to them is a creative vision, an extravagant patchwork with unusual, unexpected pairings on the one hand and rigorous patterns and colors on the other: a melting pot of cultures and lifestyles. Floral motifs with a vintage, yet sophisticated feel, with warm tones and cool combinations.

Materials: Light suede, a mix of colors, denim effects, reworked, interwoven floral designs, leafy prints and lustrous textures.

High-performance water-based pigment range

Aquaderm X-Pigments have been designed for all kinds of premium leather applications where a very high standard of finishing quality is required. On the basis of carefully selected raw materials, excellent light fastness, heat and migration resistance, brilliancy and exact dosing properties can be achieved with the pigments. Besides that, finishers benefit from their reliable product consistency, which is extremely important to ensure consistent color reproducibility.

The Leather business unit is part of LANXESS’ Performance Chemicals segment, which achieved total sales of EUR 2.13 billion in fiscal 2013.