Other

Frumina Kateryna

Designer and founder of La Magnetique brand

https://www.doi.org/10.25313/2524-2695-2022-9-6371-2

THE EVOLUTION OF HYBRID SILHOUETTES IN WOMEN’S CLOTHING: FROM HOME COMFORT TO THE RELAXED LUXURY STYLE

Summary. This paper explores the evolution of hybrid silhouettes in women’s clothing, tracing the path from home comfort to the aesthetics of relaxed luxury. The article analyzes how the pandemic, digitalization and changes in social practices have influenced the formation of new proportions, materials and constructive solutions. The transformation of the aesthetics of the lounge into a direction combining relaxation, functionality and premium is noted. Special attention is paid to design strategies that adapt sports, home and classic elements into a single hybrid code demanded by modern fashion. The article identifies the key features of the new visual norm – soft volumes, refined fabrics and minimalistic details – and their role in shaping the image of comfortable elegance, which has become a symbol of current fashionable behavior.

Key words: hybrid silhouettes, women’s fashion, home comfort, relaxed luxury, post-tandem aesthetics, transformation of proportions, materials and textures, modern design practices.

Relevance of the study. The evolution of hybrid silhouettes in women’s clothing is of great interest to researchers, as it reflects the profound cultural, economic, and social changes that have taken place over the past decade. Hybridity allows you to create universal models that are suitable for different types of shapes and situations. At the same time, such models remain expressive and do not sacrifice convenience. The use of new materials, modular elements and modern fabric processing methods contributes to the emergence of innovative design solutions that empower designers.

The transition from home comfort to the aesthetics of relaxed luxury was the result of a post-pandemic demand for a stable balance between functionality and representativeness. Hybrid silhouettes have become the new norm, combining soft volumes, tactile materials and minimalism with premium elements.

Studying these changes allows us to understand how the fashion industry adapts to the changing needs of consumers, how global trends affect design and how the modern idea of everyday elegance is formed.

The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that it considers hybrid silhouettes as an independent trend in modern women’s fashion. This trend combines the comfort of home and the visual representation of the relaxed luxury category. For the first time, the constructive and aesthetic principles of the formation of such silhouettes were systematized, taking into account socio-cultural and functional factors.

The purpose of the study. The purpose of the study is to comprehensively study the formation and evolution of hybrid silhouettes in women’s clothing. Special attention will be paid to their transition from the aesthetics of home comfort to the concept of relaxed luxury. The factors determining the relevance of these silhouettes in modern fashion trends will also be revealed.

Materials and research methods. The study used collections of leading fashion houses and popular brands, as well as visual archives from digital platforms and publications in professional fashion publications.

The methods used are visual and stylistic analysis to identify the characteristic features of hybrid silhouettes, comparative analysis to track changes in proportions and materials, as well as a trend‑analytical approach to determine the factors influencing the formation of aesthetics of relaxed luxury.

This research is based not only on theoretical and analytical methods, but also on the author’s personal experience as a designer. The analysis of hybrid silhouettes was carried out based on the development and testing of author’s collections of women’s clothing. These collections include experimental design solutions; work with soft and structured materials, as well as testing the fit of products on various types of shapes. The findings are a synthesis of theoretical analysis and practical design practice.

A contextual analysis was also conducted to compare changes in fashion with changes in lifestyle, cultural practices, and consumer strategies.

The results of the study. The history of hybrid silhouettes in women’s clothing dates back to the turn of the 2010s, when comfort elements that were previously exclusively characteristic of the home wardrobe began to gradually enter fashion.

However, cultural and social changes related to the transition to a hybrid lifestyle, remote work, and increased attention to one’s body and psychological well-being played a crucial role in this process. The pandemic period became a catalyst: clothes with homely features such as soft volumes, stretchy fabrics and simple cut lines gained widespread recognition, and brands began to include them in urban and even business collections.

At the same time, the trends of minimalism and conscious consumption were developing. Women began to prefer functional and versatile items that can adapt to different life situations, and designers turned to the idea of “comfort as a new luxury” (Table 1).

Table 1

Limitations in the choice of materials and technologies in the development of universal items [2]

Traditionally, clothing served as a kind of gender identifier, clearly separating men’s and women’s outfits. However, over time, these boundaries began to blur. Today, on the catwalks and in everyday life, we increasingly see elements that were previously considered unisex, as well as androgynous images. These changes demonstrate that clothing is no longer required to conform to strict gender stereotypes, but is becoming a space for self-expression, free from social norms.

These trends led to the creation of the first hybrid silhouettes. They combined the relaxed shapes of longsleeves, hoodies, and sweatpants with more “adult” details: clear shoulder lines, noble textures of wool, silk, and cashmere, as well as precise proportions. Despite the softness, the clothes became more structured, which created a sense of elitist carelessness (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. The use of innovative materials and technologies in the development of universal clothing [3]

From 2018 to 2020, the aesthetics of relaxed luxury have become a mainstream in the fashion world. Hybrid silhouettes evolved towards fluid proportions, combining a loose fit with precise tailoring and oversize elements.

Basic models of the home wardrobe, such as cardigans, knitted suits and wide trousers, began to be interpreted using premium materials and architectural volumes. A new visual encoding appeared: a suit could look like a cozy knitted uniform, and a dress could look like leisure clothes, but at the same time both items retained their status due to carefully thought-out silhouettes and the delicate complexity of the designs [1].

The development of hybrid silhouettes in women’s fashion has gone from a simple adaptation of elements of home comfort to a full-fledged transformation, where convenience has become an integral part of aesthetics. The relaxed luxury style elements reinforced the idea that modern women’s clothing can be both sensual, functional and sophisticated. The flexibility of the visual image has become a key feature of a new lifestyle.

It should be noted that modern fashion offers a wide range of hybrid silhouettes that combine the softness of a home wardrobe and the sophistication of a relaxed luxury aesthetic.

One of the most striking examples is suits made of knitwear or soft wool, in which loose sweaters and jumpers are combined with wide palazzo trousers or flowing trousers. These sets are not only very comfortable, but also look stylish thanks to the clear sidelines, thoughtful fit and high-quality fabrics. Many brands use dense cashmere knitwear, creating the effect of a “cozy home suit” that easily fits into a modern office dress code.

Another interesting example is hoodie dresses and jumper dresses, which have become more luxurious. They retained their casual shape, but acquired more architectural shoulder lines, elongated sleeves, and began to be made from more refined materials such as cashmere, merino, thin cotton lining, or blended fabrics with silk fibers. These dresses no longer look like sports or household items, but become an elegant element of a casual wardrobe that can be worn both for city walks and for informal meetings.

Hybrid dressing coats have also become an integral part of the relaxed luxury style. Their shape resembles a housecoat, but they are made of soft materials such as alpaca wool, felt or cashmere, which gives the image status. Tied at the waist with a yoke belt or simply open, such models create a feeling of casual elegance, combining a relaxed silhouette with expressive plasticity of the fabric.

“Soft” jackets, which resemble cardigans but have clear elements of jacket design, are also popular. They can be odorless, without hard sides, with a smooth shoulder line, which creates a balance between a homemade cardigan and a classic jacket. Models made of soft boucle, ribbed knitwear or fine wool are especially relevant, which create a visually neat but not overloaded image.

Modern hybrid jogger trousers are also an example of a combination of comfort and luxury. In the relaxed luxury style, they are made of silk, viscose or fine wool. These trousers have an elastic waistband, but they have a more even silhouette, often with central arrows. This cut allows you to combine them with classic coats and shoes with small heels.

Similar trends in the formation of hybrid silhouettes can be traced in the practice of European and American designers, which indicates the global nature of the aesthetics of relaxed luxury and the universality of the principles identified in the international fashion context.

All these examples demonstrate the modern idea of hybridity: clothes remain soft, pliable and comfortable, but at the same time do not look too homely. She creates an aesthetically thoughtful and luxurious look in which relaxation becomes part of thoughtful elegance.

It should be noted that the difficulties in creating hybrid silhouettes for women’s clothing are related to the fact that designers need to combine two opposing aesthetics: the comfort of a home wardrobe and the sophistication of a relaxed luxury segment. At the same time, it is important to preserve the functionality, expressiveness and commercial appeal of the created thing.

One of the main tasks when creating clothes is to find a balance between softness and structure. Home models do not require rigid structural elements, while premium aesthetics require careful fit and precise lines. An attempt to combine these qualities often leads to the fact that the product either loses its expressive image, or becomes too complex and expensive to produce.

Another important issue is the choice of materials. To create hybrid silhouettes, you need fabrics that simultaneously hold their shape well and have softness and plasticity. Incorrect choice of material can lead to “sagging”, deformation, or, conversely, excessive rigidity of the product. The difficulty also lies in the fact that the textures used in a relaxed wardrobe, such as footer, soft knitwear and dense cashmere, often do not meet the technological requirements of a classic fit. They may react poorly to darts, duplication, and complex structural lines.

Technical limitations also play an important role. When creating hybrid silhouettes, designers have to adapt patterns that were originally developed for different types of clothing: sports, home and classic. This requires more prototypes, which in turn increases the cost of modeling and complicates the quality control process. In addition, the problem of dimensional stability often arises: materials become elastic and easily stretch, which makes it difficult to achieve the same fit for the entire batch of products.

Another difficulty is the perception of consumers. Hybrid silhouettes often seem too unusual for a wide audience. It can be difficult for people to accept clothes that simultaneously resemble a housecoat, a jacket, and a knitted dress. This requires brands to make additional communication efforts, create visual context, and carefully position themselves.

Finally, the requirements of sustainable production add additional complexity to the development process. The use of expensive mixed materials and complex technological solutions does not always comply with the principles of environmental friendliness and cost optimization. As a result, designers have to find a balance between aesthetics, cost and responsible production.

All these problems show that creating hybrid silhouettes is not only a creative experiment, but also a complex engineering task. It requires synchronization of materials science, design, and a deep understanding of new use cases.

We are convinced that an effective solution to the problems associated with the creation of hybrid silhouettes is possible only with an integrated approach. This approach should include both design methods and careful selection of materials, as well as thoughtful brand positioning.

One of the key solutions in the fashion world is to create adaptive designs that are able to combine softness and structurality. For this purpose, partially reinforced zones, hidden duplicating elements, soft shaping seams and a combination of rigid and elastic parts are used. This approach allows you to maintain the architectural silhouette, but at the same time provide plasticity and comfort. Three-dimensional modeling plays an important role in the development process. It speeds up the adjustment of the fit and reduces the number of necessary physical prototypes.

The selection of materials is based on carefully designed mixed compositions. Designers and technologists choose fabrics that combine elasticity, plasticity and length stability. These can be woolen or viscose knitted fabrics with a slight addition of synthetics for stabilization, two-layer interlocks, dense jersey, knitwear, as well as soft suit fabrics with elastane.

Testing of fabrics for stretchability, shrinkage and the ability to keep their shape is of great importance. This process allows you to predict in advance how the product will behave during operation. If necessary, local stabilization methods are used: the use of low-density adhesives, pads made of soft doublerine or knitted non-woven fabrics.

Technological problems are solved through the introduction of modular patterns and unified structural blocks. These solutions allow you to adapt the same database for different types of materials and design ideas. This approach reduces the risk of deformation, simplifies quality control, and ensures dimensional stability. The production process is optimized by following the regulations for working with elastic materials. Flat seams, specialized needles and machines are used, which improves the appearance and extends the service life of the products.

The issue of consumer perception of hybrid products is successfully solved with the help of competent visual communication. Brands conduct stylistic campaigns that demonstrate how these products can be used in real life, as well as emphasize their versatility and premium value. The key tool is educational content that explains the features of materials, functionality, and innovative silhouettes of hybrid products. This helps to reduce fear of the unknown and increase customer confidence in them.

In a sustainable production environment, the key solutions are to choose durable fabrics, minimize waste, optimize cutting, and use recycled or certified materials that retain the necessary structural properties. The principle of versatility, in which one product can cover several wardrobe scenarios, also promotes conscious consumption.

A systematic approach that combines innovative design, a thoughtful approach to the choice of materials, technological optimization and a competent marketing strategy allows us to successfully develop hybrid silhouettes that harmoniously combine comfort, structure and aesthetic expressiveness.

Conclusions. Creating hybrid silhouettes in women’s clothing is a promising area that combines aesthetics, functionality and modern technology. The combination of structured and plastic shapes allows you to create products that simultaneously emphasize the figure, provide freedom of movement and meet current fashion trends.

The integrated use of adaptive structures, carefully selected materials and sophisticated manufacturing technology guarantees the high quality and durability of such models. Equally important is the ability to communicate competently with consumers in order to reveal all the advantages of hybrid silhouettes and increase confidence in innovative solutions.

Thus, hybrid silhouettes represent a unique combination of design ideas, technological experience and a deep understanding of the needs of the modern women’s clothing market. They have become one of the key trends in the development of fashion, combining comfort, functionality and visual appeal.

The results of the study clearly demonstrate that hybrid silhouettes have high stability and great potential in the development of women’s fashion. An integrated approach, including both theoretical analysis and practical experience of designers, allows us to consider this area as a significant contribution to the modern fashion industry.

The results obtained are of great practical importance for designers and fashion brands operating in the contemporary and premium fashion segments. The principles of forming hybrid silhouettes can be used to create commercially successful collections that will meet modern consumption scenarios, combining comfort, functionality and aesthetic appeal.

References

1. Spring Wardrobe-2025. URL: https://azattyq-ruhy.kz/?_gl=1*d0mcux*_ga*MTg4OTIzNTgxMC4xNzY3OTQzODUy*_ga_DYXB0PQP6Q*czE3Njc5NDM4NTEkbzEkZzAkdDE3Njc5NDM4NTEkajYwJGwwJGgw
2. Craik J. The Face of Fashion: Cultural Studies in Fashion. New York: Routledge, 1993. 250 p.
3. Jo B. Paoletti. Sex and Unisex: Fashion, Feminism, and the exual Revolution. Edition reprint Indiana University Press, 2015.