Trend Alert: Hardware Trims on Knit

On the radar: a natural extension of the textured embellishment trend I discussed last week. Hardware trims such as zippers and metal snaps are turning up as utilitarian embellishments on clothes for both men and women. I love the contrast of the hard details on a soft piece of clothing, especially when done with a subtle hand.

I saw a couple of nice examples while trendscouting at Armani Exchange:

For Men: Zipper Placket on a Raglan Sleeve Knit Shirt.
$49.99 at A|X.

For Women: Snap detailing on a scoopneck tee.
$38.00 at A|X.

FYI--I'm taking a long weekend in LA for a mini-break and a fabric show (*sighs of happiness*). Expect a report on fabrics/colors for Spring/Summer 06 when I'm back on Tuesday!