Hot and Covered...Designer Forecast

Forward Thinkers

with the global economy in a...well, let's call it a "Transitional" state,

we asked an eclectic group of designers-from armani to ervell-how they thought

fashion would change in the year ahead. as expected, the responses were as

varied as the collections themselves.

Illustration: Mickey Duzyj

Dries Van Noten

"We could hope that the current sartorial individualist attitude of men's dressing will continue. Yet what was almost exclusively sharp, angular, and urbane may now be beginning to melt ever so slightly around the edges. There may, in parallel, even be a subtle slide toward the conceptual."

Frida Giannini, creative director, Gucci

"Brands like Gucci have seasonal trends, and so it will be next year—keeping the iconic and contemporary element, but always staying truthful to the brand's core values and DNA: glamour, luxury, craftsmanship, and made in Italy."

Giorgio Armani

"It is difficult for me to talk about what other designers will do, but in terms of look, I suspect we will see a return to more elegant, classic dressing. This will be because people will want to purchase clothes that have a longer life span and are therefore a better investment. I have always preferred this design aesthetic, so there will be no great change in my approach. Clothes and accessories should, to my way of thinking, be more about style than fashion, and have a sophisticated, timeless quality, rather than be slaves to transient trends."

Italo Zucchelli, men’s creative director, Calvin Klein

"In 2009, menswear will begin to reflect a bold optimism as an antidote to the current hard times. Each season, menswear continues to adapt more multifunctional yet practical aspects to address men's modern, busy lives."

John Galliano

"Fashion has an insatiable appetite for change, for the new and for the innovative. Anything goes, as long as it's exciting."