Look & Feel THE LAG TIME between trends in retail fashion and promo apparel continues to shrink, and suppliers are offering more options that reflect current consumer tastes. At the moment, those tastes happen to be heavy on 1990s nostalgia, from denim and earth tones to boxy streetwear silhouettes and specialty textures like vinyl and corduroy. Quilting is an especially popular texture right now, says Whitney Robinson, strategic marketing manager for New Jersey-based supplier Vantage Apparel, the No. 17 supplier in the inaugural PPAI 100. “The quilted look is something that is being well received, and then it also has that versatility to it,” she says, “so it’s wonderful for transitioning season … where it’s kind of warm, but then it’s still getting a little cool.” Most of the quilted pieces you’ll see are stitched horizontally, but Robinson says diamond quilting “just brings it up a notch” when it comes to style. “I think that is a perfect kind of look when it comes to promotional products, because that’s what you want,” she adds. “You want people to look at it a little bit longer than they normally would, so that The latest silhouettes and textures in apparel cater to comfort, layering and sustainability. By Rachel Zoch wacomka / Shutterstock.com 22 • MAY 2024 • PPAI Essentials | In Style
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==