2010 has been an interesting year for fashion. This is the year where the press criticized celebrity baby Suri Cruise for wearing expensive designer kid’s clothing. This is the year where designer brands began to actively produce clothes for children-as there seems to be a market for expensive kid’s clothing. This is the year where children and adults alike explored the potentials of fashion from another culture-with Japanese and Korean fashion being in the forefront of the kid’s clothing and adult clothing fashion trends. And the year has not even ended!

So what can people expect for the year 2011? It’s not too early to tell: after all, designers and clothing companies release their clothing lines early. The likes of Ducci and even lesser known brands such as Ouef Eco have already shown their 2011 designs, among many others. What prominent trends can be seen from these early kid’s clothing releases?

Perhaps the most prominent trend to surge for the year 2011 is the theme of practical luxury or elegance for kid’s clothing. Again, this is a trend that probably stemmed from the “Suri Cruise effect,” wherein children want to wear designer clothes and parents want to dress their children in design brands. However, the clothing companies are gunning for something appropriate for kids despite its designer-luxury trappings. These designer kid’s clothing items will be comfortable and will steer away from styles that are inappropriate for the toddler and pre-teen set.

Of course, don’t expect these “practical luxuries” to be practically priced.

The eco-conscious theme will also become prominent in 2011, sipping its way from the adult runway to the kid’s clothing industry. Expect kid’s clothing pieces made from highly sustainable materials such as bamboo, organic cotton, and other similar fabrics. In short: frivolous is out, environmental trends are in.

Fashion pundits are already proclaiming the year 2011 as the year when the 80s rocker look returns. Expect this influence to become apparent in kid’s clothing-or at least in teen and pre-teen clothing. Don’t expect kid’s clothing to incorporate the leather and the highly sexualized look of 80s rock, although many will see the disgruntled, mixed and matched styles that the 80s made popular.

Because of this, Japanese-inspired kid’s clothing will become a bigger hit in 2011. This fashion aesthetic somewhat adheres to the concept of 80s fashion-clothes and accessories that shouldn’t match but go well together anyway, the somewhat mature Victorian-inspired dresses, the exotic Lolita-styled dresses made innocent and child-like (and therefore safe yet cute).

For girl’s fashion, expect dresses with flowing fabrics. This trend, which is more apparent in countries such as Australia and United Kingdom, is likely to be incorporated in kid’s clothing-a far cry from the current trend of flesh showing for women’s fashion. What not to expect in kid’s clothing in 2011: velvet. Many fashion journalists are already seeing velvet as a major material in some of the biggest designs for next year-but it’s unlikely that this material will enter the kid’s clothing scene.

It goes without saying that the year 2011 is still several months away-anything can happen in the world of kid’s clothing.

With clothing design both fashion and function come together. In recent years there has also been a focus on sustainability in the fashion industry which goes way beyond just using organic cotton fabric instead of conventional cotton or manmade fabrics. Sustainable design is the term that is used to describe the philosophy of designing objects to comply with the principles of ecological, social and economic sustainability.

Whilst in some ways fashion contradicts sustainability because the very nature of following constantly changing trends and fashions can be wasteful and also create much waste, there are some ways that fashion and sustainability can go together. Designers are implementing exciting new initiatives to help reduce the impact of clothing on the environment whilst still making it beautiful to look at and functional to wear.

The most innovative designs turn the sustainable features of a piece of clothing into the very thing that makes it desirable, fashionable or stylish. An example of this is the beautiful fabrics that are recycled into new pieces of clothing. It is the vintage nature of the fabrics that make the clothing so beautiful. Recently Christopher Raeburn has used surplus military parachute silk to make very on trend pieces of clothing. There are also various designers pioneering methods to reduce waste in the fashion industry including innovative new pattern cutting techniques which give the garment a characteristic look.

The use of sustainable fabrics is also a key part of sustainable fashion design. There are a number of different sustainable fabrics to choose from each having its own unique look, feel and properties. Bamboo is super soft, warm and comfortable and has been likened to cashmere that drapes like silk; it is perfect for leisure wear and also for draping. Designers are also constantly coming up with new materials that look great and are also good for the environment. Innovative dying techniques and use of natural coloured fabrics have also been used to create beautiful designs.

Sustainability is not just about what the clothing is made of though. It is about the overall and lifecycle of the product. How long will it last and when it reaches the end of its life can it be easily disposed of? Biodegradable materials are key to reducing waste in the fashion industry but there are also more interesting projects happening for example where shoes can be deconstructed at the end of their useful life and some parts recycled. Any clothing, shoes or accessories can be made more sustainable by designing them to last and for maximum usage. This can include classic and versatile styles that won’t go out of fashion quickly and multitasking pieces of clothing that can be worn in a number of different ways.

Sustainable design is not just about one factor or aspect of clothing that reduces the impact of a piece of clothing on the environment. It is about designing a piece of clothing that takes into account all aspects of the garment from design to sourcing of materials to sale of the product and beyond. In order to be truly sustainable designers also need to take into account social and economic factors. By embracing this philosophy whilst still ensuring beauty and functionality of the clothing, designers are helping to make the fashion industry more sustainable.