Linen in the 21st century: an innovative natural material for creative fashion

The advent of fast fashion in the early 2000s could have definitively assigned the use of linen to the past. However, today's environmental challenges have brought the issues of eco-responsibility, transparency and the re-localisation of production to the fore. Within this context, brands and designers, whether they be positioned in the mid-range, high-end or luxury segments, are actively seeking to move towards a form of fashion that is both creative and sustainable.

Flax linen, a plant fibre resolutely suited to the needs of the future

In the face of these environmental concerns, linen stands out as an ideal material for the future, thanks to its intrinsically ecological qualities, its aesthetic versatility and potential in terms of innovation.

Supported by research and technology, the properties of the flax plant fibre have enabled linen to be used in new ways, and adapt to changing needs and trends. Today, linen is continuing to evolve to meet the challenges of the future. These challenges include sustainable development, with production and transformation processes that are more environmentally friendly and (often) local. At the same time, linen meets high performance standards, notably due to its lightness, strength and thermoregulatory properties.

It is also used in blends - jeans made from linen and cotton, trousers made from linen and wool - or in the development of smart, innovative textiles, such as antibacterial fabrics and composite materials, which the world of fashion is increasingly keen to take advantage of.

Flax-Linen fibre at the heart of contemporary fashion design

Simon Porte-Jacquemus' Autumn-Winter 2020-21 collection stood out thanks to the linen dress worn by Bella Hadid, whose pictures would be seen around the world.

Today's fashion brands and designers - Hermès, Balenciaga, Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Marine Serre, Officine Générale and Ermenegildo Zegna, to name but a few - have rediscovered linen and all the creative opportunities it opens up.

In both women's and men's fashion, linen fibre is no longer a passing mention on the label, it has become synonymous with luxurious, comfortable and unashamed elegance.

Today, it plays a growing role in collections, driven by the creative talent of designers who continue to reinvent this age-old material to give it a contemporary identity.

Linen, an essential natural fabric in the history of fashion

Over the centuries, and as society has evolved, linen has adapted to meet the tastes, needs and technologies of each era.

Due to its strong intrinsic qualities and unique potential in terms of technical and creative innovation, linen has never ceased to inspire fashion. Today, like yesterday, linen has established itself as an essential and inimitable fibre for fashion.

To find out all about the evolution and role of linen over the centuries, as well as the various technical and creative innovations associated with this fabric, we would invite you to take a look at "Flax-linen, the fibre of civilisation(s)", a collective booked published by Actes Sud and
the Alliance for European Flax-Linen and Hemp.

You can also explore the close links between linen and the history of fashion in our dedicated articles:

• When the Renaissance established linen as a symbol of purity and elegance, the court of Louis XIV made it the luxury fibre par excellence.
• When the 18th century explored the full sophistication of linen, the industrial era expanded its distribution and uses.
• When the challenges of the 20th century imposed themselves on it, creative fashion restored it to its rightful place.
• Today, faced with the challenges of a new millennium that is ever more committed and ambitious, linen claims to be a fibre for the future, at the crossroads of creation, innovation and eco-responsibility.