2021 Trend Forecast: Expressive Bold & Wavy

Our first trend forecast of 2021 is the colourful 'Expressive Bold & Wavy' trend. 

After a lot of research, I have pulled together some key trend inspiration for 2021; ideas and themes of what I believe we will be seeing a lot in the shops this year. One aim of this mini-series of blog posts is to help those smaller stores with their product sourcing and planning as normally at the beginning of the year, the retail buying market has lots of physical trade shows to attend. Often retailers use these to discover new independent makers, designers and identify the trends for the year ahead. With the pandemic these are not happening currently so I hope this mini-series of blogs will be useful for retailers looking to plan and source newness for their stores, as well as provide some inspo for your own home and wardrobe!

First up is the 'Expressive Bold and Wavy' Trend. During the pandemic more people picked up a paintbrush, or started to get more creative with making things themselves as a way of escapism from what was going on around them. There was a boom in people heading to DIY and craft shops (I even waited over an hour outside Hobby Craft to get Ophelia some art supplies!), or watching shows such as Grayson Perry’s Art Club on Channel Four.

Links for the products on our mood board image, from left to right:
Table cloth: https://bonnieandneil.com.au/collections/shop/products/waves-dots-blue 
Twisted Candle: https://www.lexpott.nl/work/69-twist.html
Card: https://www.raspberryblossom.com/collections/newest-products/products/have-a-happy-birthday-colourful-birthday-card
Ceramics: https://lrnce.com/ceramics/
DIY Earrings: https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/882515034/the-meadow-collection-color-recipe-pdf?ref=shop_home_active_1&crt=1
Mirror: https://www.lottablobs.com/shop
Glasses: https://www.poketo.com/collections/tabletop/products/drinking-glass-blue-red?variant=31832850727051

Consumers are looking to create joyful and colourful spaces around them, being playful and a little daring with their interiors which evoke happiness. This expressive style is being seen throughout homeware, furniture, fabric, ceramics and art. It has surreal and fluid forms and is experimental with the use of shapes or materials.

@2lgstudio https://www.instagram.com/2lgstudio/
@melle.fleur https://www.instagram.com/melle.fleur/

@miramikati https://www.instagram.com/miramikati/

@stellakids https://www.instagram.com/stellakids/

The colour palette is bold with a mix of primary colours and other complimentary colours that give a real pop! Patterns are fun and abstract: you can see the brush stokes or a clash of prints with polka dots and stripes being featured. Lots of colourful glass, whether it being beautiful glasses to drink from or a vase to adorn your shelf. We have seen candles taking new shapes from curved forms to wavy lines and this will continue during 2021. Textiles have an arty feel, with shapes and colour blocking and tufted texture too.

@hippstory_visby https://www.instagram.com/hippstory_visby/

@dusendusen https://www.instagram.com/dusendusen/

@montanafurniture https://www.instagram.com/p/CIRJUhKF227/

@ktgillies_surfacedesign https://www.instagram.com/ktgillies_surfacedesign/

Our new 2021 collection 'Say What?' was inspired by this trend, with a bold colour palette of primary colours, abstract shapes and wavy lines. The hand lettered typography, with its jaunty angles and some featuring within the abstract shapes, echoes the element of fun this trend evokes. The cards were finished with an emboss and spot-UV to give it that superb tactile feel and bright shine reminiscent of the ceramics that I saw this trend designed with. To shop the collection on our consumer site, search 'Say What?' to bring up all 10 designs. For our wholesale BFFs, you can shop the collection here.

I hope you enjoyed this trend focus blog. Our next trend we will be showcasing is 'Cottage Cool'.

Keep well and stay safe :-)

Rebecca x