LustreMag.com |

The message for the year ahead: accessorize. To forecast the important directions for 2008, trend-spotters look both at resort shows and at street style in destinations like St. Tropez, mecca for resort trends and fashion forecasters.

Based upon what he saw, Chris Gilbert of Doneger Creative Services says two strong messages come through for 2008. “First is the importance of dresses. Women looked softer, more tailored, and more dressed up even though you are basically at a beach town. Emphasis was on the top of the dress, often with volume, all lengths from short tunic styles to ankle lengths.”

The little white dress is now as important for warmer wear as the little black dress is a city staple. In the last year, the dress business has had a major rebound, and predictions are that it could continue to grow at double digit rates in 2008. That’s good news for jewelers, since one of the strongest means of updating and changing dress styles is jewelry. The other strong direction for resort is prints, Gilbert says, noting retro-inspired florals still will be important as will more graphic and abstract prints.

What’s more, the trend toward more cleaned up, tailored, and even minimalist looks that are translating into resort and early spring looks, actually may benefit jewelry too. Ellen Campuzano of the New York-based Fashion Facts Folio, which tracks jewelry and accessories trends, says, “The new looks are more cleaned up but the silhouettes are feminine and fluid. They beg for accessories. Most important are sunglasses, high heel shoes, and necklaces.”

FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA

Despite the abundance of resort-ready styles in ready-to-wear, there are still some directions that coincide with traditional resort themes. One such trend is an extension of many critters and natural motifs that emerged this year—in this case, sea life. Some sharp eyed retailers may have noticed this trend first in Basel, providing a nice lead time for getting the looks into stores by October.