Key fashion trend for 2015: Normcore

/Courtesy of M Public

By Rachel Lee

If you thought the “normcore” trend would end in 2014, think again. The fashion statement that’s all about blending into the crowd appears to be a buzzword in the New Year as well.

Normcore is a unisex fashion trend that took hold last year, involving garments that are unpretentious and average looking – in a word, boring. These include straight jeans, plain sweaters, simple socks and white sneakers. Actor and “Seinfeld” co-creator Larry David is an unlikely icon of fashion’s latest look.

According to trend-watcher Trend Korea, the local fashion industry is moving away from faux fur and silly cartoon prints and focusing on basics such as quality and color.

Sometimes the street responds to the runway and sometimes designers to culture, but the advent of this new trend has made clear that designers have started to respond to culture and the street in an obvious way.

It was seen on the runway shows during Seoul Fashion Week last October from design houses such as Paul&Alice and Demoo. The collections relied on simple, loose-fitting oversized clothes and a lot of white and grey shades.

“Last year the nomcore look was a bit heavy but next spring the vibe is bright and light,” a Demoo spokesperson says.

Industry experts also say fashion accessories will go into the same direction next year; flat shoes, slip-ons and logo-less bags will still be the winners. In makeup, bare undone faces will become the look of the spring and summer. And natural hair is back again ― no more extensions or gimmicks.