Isham Sardouk

With nearly 3,000 subscribing companies and 40,000 individual users in over 60 countries around the world, Stylesight is the industry-leading global content and technology provider for professionals in the style, fashion and design sectors. Stylesight combines trend forecasting and analyses, with an online workspace designed to help analyze and anticipate the ever-changing marketplace. Isham Sardouk, Senior Vice President Trend Forecasting at Stylesight tells us his vision of beauty trends and gives us an extract of its forecasts for 2013.

The beauty market never seems to be affected by any type of recession. There is always a need for fantasy, which provides a type of escapism into something indulgent. Especially in a time of economic uncertainty, this escape can boost our morale and make us feel better about ourselves. The beauty sector is always dynamic, providing innovative colours and technology,” says Isham Sardouk.

Despite the resilience of this market, there is harsh competition and leaders need to innovate permanently in order to keep their position. “I think that beauty is an eternal evolution – one that mutates from one stage to the next, but is always going forward,” adds Isham Sardouk.

Stylesight’s Beauty Forecast for Spring/Summer 2013 comes across four themes: Subnation, Nutopia, Ashen and Clarity.

Subnation

Mood: An anti-conformist approach resonates with a new generation of urban tribes that are chic and shocking. This style merges disparate genres, combining everything from cocktail glamour to a candid punk attitude.

Colours: A range of explosive colors pierces and vibrates with added metallic and changeable effects. Pinks, violets, greens and blues harmonize with power and force.

Nutopia

Mood: A positive and radiant ambiance sees oranges and reds flourish in a theme where nature takes back its rightful place in the world. There is a fresh desire for outdoor living and a need to experience cool, dewy mornings.

Colours: A truly sunny palette emphasizes subtle oranges and coral nuances. Red and copper will also feature in darker tones that veer towards crimson. Turquoise and sky blues, along with prairie greens, will illustrate the outdoor aspect and the re-found respect for nature.

Ashen

Mood: A monastic universe recalls the Victorian era in stark contrasts of dark and light. Materials will express this mood, moving from patina to aged and weathered effects. Dust, cinders and mists will soften this richly dark mood.

Colours: A misty theme appears through stormy skies, dusts and cinders, lightened by a touch of sky blue. Powdered pinks temper the grey expanse of the palette.

Clarity

Mood: The extreme orient is set to influence a current with two distinctive streams. One side emphasizes purity while the other plays with tradition to develop a modern and fantastical aesthetic.

Colours: The colour range will showcase impertinent acidic hues and soft colors with a fresh twist. The most prominent colors emerge as orchid pinks, bamboo greens or coral while translucent effects and jelly consistencies are set to renew textures.

What makes each of Stylesight’s four key themes different for S/S 13 is the difference in color range. Some trends in beauty are focused on the ‘non-color’ trend, whether it’s developed through naturals, skin tones or simply muted neutrals. On the other hand, we have trends that only focus on brights; saturated vivid colors with a lot of different textures.

The common thread between these themes is the importance of textures and finishes. A color without texture or finish is meaningless today.