In an era marked by constant alertness and growing disillusionment with the future, Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics – Autumn Edition invites the industry to rethink how security can be built amid uncertainty – by investing in emotional skills, developing flexibility, and strengthening social networks. Through the lens of the Intertextile Directions Trends for Autumn / Winter 2027-28, titled A QUEST FOR ESSENCE, the season reflects a conscious and positive mindset. It highlights humanity’s ability to cultivate alternative creativity, integrate technology and craftsmanship, and use materials as tools for sensory exploration; rejecting sameness in pursuit of authenticity and meaning. Beyond its trend-inspired textile samples, the Intertextile Directions Trend Forum will further this pursuit through a scent-infused collaboration between Intertextile Apparel and Notes Shanghai, a premium niche fragrance fair in Messe Frankfurt’s portfolio.
From 25 – 27 August, through an inspiring display of fabrics and accessories, the Trend Forum will give voice to uniqueness, experimenting with new combinations adapted to the essence of materials across three key themes: FEEL YOUR SERENITY, LIVE YOUR EMOTIONS, and PLAY YOUR ROLE. With a new sense now added to their creative arsenal, Intertextile Directions Trend Committee member MUSEATIVE has been charged with designing and curating the installation. Exhibitors from across the show floor will submit samples that illustrate each theme, allowing visitors to browse a concentrated selection of on-trend fabrics, and then intentionally connect with suitable suppliers.
Conceived by ELEMENTI MODA (Milan), MUSEATIVE (New York), NellyRodi™ Agency (Paris), and Sachiko Inoue (Tokyo), the trend directions serve as a primary form of expression inspired by global fashion insights, inviting designers to remain free to embrace fantasy and creativity, escape from neutrality, and infuse the everyday with excitement and exceptionalism.
To fully capture the spirit of A / W 2027-28 and deepen the sensory exploration at the heart of A QUEST FOR ESSENCE, this edition’s Trend Forum will move beyond the visual and tactile to incorporate olfactory elements, transforming the display into a more immersive and emotional experience. This autumn, the fair presents a first-of-its-kind, scent-infused collaboration between Intertextile Apparel, the textile hub that shapes the fashion world, and Notes Shanghai, a premier international fragrance exhibition, with fragrances supplied by world-renowned fragrance house dsm-firmenich. As visitors enter the space, fabrics come to life within a multi-sensory environment, where the interplay of tone and fragrance heightens perceptions of colour psychology.
FEEL YOUR SERENITY
This theme rethinks urban life as a space for mobility, performance and well-being, and reflects a softer resistance to excess in a more balanced way of living. Tinted whites and veiled neutrals evoke calmness and comfort, while future-forward cozy tones subtly transform the routine winter palettes.
Fabrics evoke experimental minimalism and therapeutic functionality, while emotion is released in high-energy surreal traits. Within this direction, second-skin stretch jersey provides comforting softness, while rubberised peach skin, techno taffetas, and iridescent nylon embrace playfully fun and experimental forms. Plush blanket and cozy fleece bring a sense of softness and protection. The theme’s fragrance pairing is Peach Fuzz, a soft-focus cocoon of peachy musks and creamy florals.
LIVE YOUR EMOTIONS
This trend draws power from the quiet beauty of everyday objects, finding meaning in simplicity and restraint, favouring comfort, function and timeless essentials. It features a palette of natural colours capturing a poetic blend of memory, imagination and quiet optimism – timeless familiar shades that renew the desire to reconnect with the land and with a contemporary still life.
Key materials include felted worsted wools and Shetlands that evoke the passage of time imbued with the tenderness of memories. These include a vibrant, authentic exploration of classic patterns and nostalgic craftsmanship through tweeds, corduroy, and workwear denim, while performance jersey, outdoor rainproof, waxed, oiled, coated canvas and nylon help revive simple, real-life pleasures. Paired with Nanaland, a bold, playful scent of banana and spices layered over gourmand, the theme captures youthful energy.
PLAY YOUR ROLE
Experiencing the ambiguity of an unpredictable world, people long for emotional satisfaction and a freedom to embrace theatricality, fantasy or a couture spirit, infusing fashion with a newfound sense of mysterious opulence. Rich and vivid couture hues evoke a sensual elegance and contrast with softer essential shades in a mix that makes the everyday exceptional.
Driven by a spirit of exploration, fabrics gain value through appearance and the use of precious fibres and decorations, rediscovering traditional materials such as suiting twills, dense cashmere-silk blends, stiff organza, and patinated brocades, alongside bohemian luxury elements such as voile, plumetis and tapestry-inspired jacquards. This theme is matched with Sandal Whisper, a refined, aromatic interplay of luminous saffron and deep oud, softened by florals and anchored in creamy sandalwood.
