Berlin Fashion Fairs: Successful return to Tempelhof sparks discussions about the future

At last week’s Berlin fashion fairs, new collections for the upcoming autumn/winter season were almost overshadowed by the comeback of a legendary location: for the first time since 2014, the former Tempelhof airport was back in the focus of the fashion industry. The huge 1930s building used to house Bread & Butter, widely considered the world’s leading – and most spectacular – fair for denim and sportswear until its demise five years ago. But this January, fashion returned to the impressive site. The move was intended as a new start after an underwhelming summer season and fired up a heated discussion about the future of the German capital’s fairs.

The force behind the revival of Tempelhof was Jörg Wichmann, the CEO of Panorama. After a long period of success, his platform for commercial brands suffered a setback last July; important exhibitors had turned their backs on the trade show and the mood among visitors was decidedly downbeat. Wichmann opted for a radical restart: "Standing still is going backwards, simply trudging along with a 'same old, same old' attitude just doesn’t cut it anymore," Panorama announced in a statement last autumn.

Move to legendary former airport pays off for Panorama, Selvedge Run and Neonyt

The key innovation for the fair and its smaller sister event Selvedge Run & Zeitgeist was to relocate from the anonymous halls of the Expocenter City to the more central – and much more atmospheric – former airport. Moreover, the organizers deliberately cut the exhibitor number by about 150 and introduced a new stall concept. After the debut at Tempelhof, Wichmann felt vindicated. "We are ending the show feeling extremely validated and with a whole host of positive feedback and lots of fantastic ideas and suggestions for the next summer edition," he remarked in Panorama’s closing statement. The more compact fair had definitely been a success: It was busy throughout, and the general mood among exhibitors and buyers was positive – overall, the contrast to last July’s edition was truly remarkable.

But Tempelhof did not just revive Panorama; the former airport became something that Berlin had been missing for years - a true centre of the Fashion Week. That was thanks to the relocation of another important fashion fair to the same location: Neonyt. The successful platform for sustainable brands had to give up its former location at Kraftwerk Berlin – it housed the catwalk of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week this season – and opted for Tempelhof as well. The location offered room for a necessary expansion, but even one of the huge hangars was not enough to satisfy the overwhelming demand: Some of the more than 210 eco-friendly exhibitors had to settle for a place in a makeshift hall on the former airfield.

Once again, the fair benefited from the general attention by visitors for all things sustainable: "We have been very impressed after every edition of Neonyt, but this one has really taken things to a new level," commented Olaf Schmidt, vice president of Textiles and Textile Technologies at Neonyt’s mother company Messe Frankfurt. He pointed out that a lot more buyers from conventional retailers had visited the fair this season. One major reason was their new neighbour. About "85 to 90 percent" of all visitors had intended to visit both Panorama and Neonyt, estimated Wichmann.

Premium Group reluctant about demands for ‘central fashion hub‘ at Tempelhof

The successful new cluster at Tempelhof fired up discussions of a more general nature. Exhibitors and visitors enjoyed the benefits, as there had been ongoing complaints about the long distances between trade fair locations in the city for years. Therefore, it was not surprising that many wished for the other Berlin trade fairs to come to Tempelhof as well. Panorama’s CEO Wichmann had already voiced this idea almost a year ago – and repeated it after the former airport had proved its attraction last week. "Tempelhof is the coolest event location in Europe and opens up all possibilities of a ‘central fashion hub‘ in terms of its usage and extension possibilities," he said.

But for now, Premium Exhibitions does not want to play along. In fact, the local company’s two fairs Premium and Seek are not under pressure to move. They celebrated another successful season at their traditional locations at Gleisdreieck and Arena Treptow. Well-considered tweaks to their proven concepts once again worked well, both fairs enjoyed impressive visitor numbers. Especially Seek with its unique portfolio of international heritage sportswear, traditional and upcoming casual brands and sustainable labels could very much rely on its established profile and attracted a remarkably young and diverse crowd.

Moreover, the actual capacity of the listed buildings at Tempelhof airport is still in question. At the moment it does not seem likely that all Berlin fashion fairs could settle on a common location in the foreseeable future. Still, the overall situation of the Berlin fairs looks a lot brighter than six months ago.

Pictures: FashionUnited

* This article was originally published here

Could Shopify be the new Amazon?

Could Shopify be the next Amazon? In terms of market position it certainly has a long way to go, with Amazon boasting 35,9 percent of US retail sales and Shopify 4.7 percent, according to figures from eMarketer, but the company is fast growing its online commerce solutions and is a favourite amongst fashion upstarts.

Shopify was founded in 2006 by three friends who couldn’t find an e-commerce solution for their budding snowboard business, Snowdevil. They subsequently built their own platform, which has since grown into a one-stop shop for over 1 million consumers brands with subscriptions starting at just 29 dollars per month.

Its range of services extends far beyond setting up a simple online store. Solid back-end infrastructure, user analytics, payment processing, tools for marketing, managing social media and advanced reporting tools have made it popular with direct to consumer brands large and small, including Kylie Jenner’s cosmetics company and fitness apparel Gymshark.

According to VOX, Shopify plans to invest 1 billion dollars in the next five years on warehouse space and robotics to build out a fulfillment network, putting it in direct competition with Amazon, to let Shopify look after parcel delivery.

One of Shopify’s best strengths is the professional-looking themes it offers to its customers that can be easily integrated into other platforms, such as WordPress or selling on Facebook.

Of course, there are disadvantages too, one of which is the transaction fees charged for those using a third-party payment gateway. These can be up to 2 percent per transaction, not including credit card fees.

At a conference last June, Shopify announced a number of initiatives and products designed to make the lives of its users easier. These included next-generation point of sale software, more cross-border and foreign currency tools, and a makeover for Shopify Plus, its platform for larger businesses. One of the biggest developments was the introduction of the Shopify Fulfillment Network, which would give it access to the same level of robotics expertise as Amazon. Watch this space.

Image courtesy Shopify Blog

* This article was originally published here

Fashion careers: Interview with the founder and Creative Director of MWR Collection

Established in 2016 and based in New York City, MWR Collection is a luxury lifestyle label specializing in leather craftsmanship. Creative Director Mia Wright-Ross collaborates with artisans to create a collection of human kinship within each customizable work. Besides having ten years of work experience designing footwear for Tibi, Philip Lim and Calvin Klein, she is the founder of her own label, a consultant for various contemporary designer brands, a professor at Parsons School for Design, and the newly appointed 2020 Artist Fellow at the Museum of Art & Design in New York City. FashionUnited recently spoke to Wright-Ross by phone on what a day in her life is like and how she overcomes the challenges she encounters as a founder.

As the founder and Creative Director of MWR Collection, what does a workday look like for you?

Morning

The first thing I do in the morning when I wake up is to meditate and say my mantra aloud which is, “I commit to this practice. I commit to this practice as a commitment to myself, I commit to the practice for the benefit of myself. I commit to the skills and knowledge growing within myself. I commit myself to this practice”. This helps me align my mindset for the day. I actually make my students repeat this mantra before any of my classes as well. Around 9 am, I’ll make breakfast, start answering emails, and write up a to-do list for the day.

Afternoon

Noon and the afternoon are allocated for calls, meetings, errands, or focusing on any requests from custom orders. Once most of that is handled, I go to the gym and make sure I eat lunch. I have the tendency to forget to nourish myself when I am working. So I literally have to schedule it in.

Evening

By the evening, I have to make myself stop working. It is difficult for me to turn it off because my studio is in my home. But in order to unwind, I usually cook myself a good meal or meet up with a friend to get out of my design space.

What made you want to specialize in leather craftsmanship?

Around 2008, I took some speciality classes while studying at Parsons. Before that, I had no idea classes in shoemaking and handbag design existed. The control and commitment that comes along with designing with leather immediately spoke to me. Unlike designing with fabric, one must commit to the design because there is no going back once you sew leather. Once the stitch is made, there is a permanent hole in the leather. On top of that, I met professor Howard Davis who took me under his wing and eventually became my mentor.

What challenges do you face as a founder in the fashion business?

It’s been a year since I’ve been dedicated to my business full time. A challenge that all founders face is the reality of funding. This has forced me to look at running MWR Collection in a creative way. I approach it as solving a problem and have branched out to incorporate roles such as consulting or collaborating on developing products with other brands.

As the founder of my own label, I’ve learned to become comfortable with failing, using my network to its full potential and lastly, letting go of my ego. I feel that it is important to communicate the brand’s value to employees and to be transparent. No matter what, the passion and support needs to be there for the purpose of a company or brand.

Can you share any memorable moments from working in fashion?

To me, that has to be working with the shoe factories in Florence and its surroundings. While I was designing a particular shoe for a brand, I went back and forth many times meeting with the main technician who had to execute my designs. This made me realize that there needs to be an understanding between concept and crafting. In theory, a design drawn on paper might seem to work, but it was while the technician told me to try it in person that I realized my idea could not translate into reality. This was a bit of an enlightenment and to this day I teach my students at Parsons that there should be a balance between concept and crafting.

What have you learned from working in fashion?

Having worked in the fashion industry for more than ten years, I found that the industry calendar doesn’t support the spirit of the designer. Recently, it seems this type of fashion structure is breaking down. As a creator, you need time to reorganize, re-acquaint and understand yourself. The art space and downtime for a designer is vital for creativity and to stay inspired.

You recently collaborated on the Ultimate Musician Travel Backpack with Grammy Award Winning Musician, Robert Glasper, how did this happen?

I was already a fan of Robert Glasper before we met. It just happened that I was showing at the Liberty Fairs trade show in New York City, and he attended the show. His PR manager was a friend of mine and pointed him out to me. We naturally struck up a conversation when he showed interest in the collection and stayed in touch. Since as a musician, Robert is always touring and on the road, it was easy for me to get inspiration from that kind of lifestyle and design the Ultimate Musician Travel Backpack for him.

The MWR Studio is based in Washington Heights, New York City. Why did you choose this location?

After going to school and working in New York City, I naturally stayed in the City. However, I chose to be based in Washington Heights because I was searching for a true community that hasn’t been gentrified yet. Also, I wanted to still be close to Downtown Manhattan yet be able to retreat from it.

Do you have any advice you’d like to give to your younger self?

I’d tell my younger self to slow down. You don’t have to know everything and remain a consistent student, always learning.

What is your must-have fashion item?

Of course it is anything leather! Recently, I’ve been researching the concept of being hands-free, focusing on utilitarian attire. So leather pockets are my new obsession!

Photos: courtesy of MWR Collection, credited to Matthew Pandolfe and Tyler-Andrew

* This article was originally published here

H&M announces collaboration with iconic Indian designer Sabyasachi

H&M has announced it is collaborating for the first time with iconic Indian label Sabyasachi.

Launching on 16 April, the “Wanderlust" themed Sabyasachi x H&M collection will span womenswear, menswear and accessories, mixing modern and traditional silhouettes with an athleisure and glamping twist. It will feature hand-crafted, eclectic travel pieces taking cues from India’s rich textile, craft and history brought to life by the Sabyasachi Art Foundation.

The collection will be available in H&M stores in India, at selected H&M flagship stores around the world, on the Swedish fashion giant's website and on Myntra.

Commenting on the collection in a statement, Sabyasachi said: “I am happy to announce the collaboration with H&M, as it gives us the opportunity to spread the Sabyasachi aesthetic to a wider audience in India and worldwide. Having done couture for the majority of my career, it is very exciting to bring that finesse of craft to ‘ready-to-wear’ and create whimsical and fluid silhouettes that bring relaxed sophistication to everyday life.”

Hailing from Kolkata, India, Sabyasachi launched his eponymous label back in 1999. Fast forward to today and the brand creates couture, ready to wear, fine jewellery and accessories, and counts five flagship stores across India.

Ella Soccorsi, concept designer at collaborations and special collections, at H&M, said: “We are thrilled to announce our collaboration with iconic Indian designer Sabyasachi, known for his dynamic use of indigenous crafts and textiles - a language so stunning, that it permanently altered the fashion and design landscape of the country.”

Photo credit: H&M

* This article was originally published here

Silhouettes from the Dior Haute Couture SS20 show

Maria Grazia Chiuri uses the Paris couture Dior show SS20 to beg the question: “What If Women Ruled the World?”. The womenswear designer has never been shy about her feminist view on fashion, but with the couture show, she's taking it to the next level. Watch the video shared by Christian Dior to see the looks from the catwalk.

Source: Video by Christian Dior, YouTube

* This article was originally published here

European Social Innovation Competition to award 150,000 EUR to sustainable fashion ideas

The 2020 edition of the European Social Innovation Competition, a prize established eight years ago by the European Commission, will be focusing on sustainable fashion innovations. Under the name Reimagine Fashion: Changing behaviours for sustainable fashion, this year’s competition is looking for projects aiming to change the ways clothes are produced, bought, used and recycled.

The competition is open to citizens of all EU member states, as well as Horizon 2020 associated countries, such as Albania, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, among others. A jury will select three winning ideas in November, each of which will receive a prize of 50,000 euros (approximately 42,600 pounds).

Commenting on the decision to support fashion innovations this year, the European Commission informed in a statement that clothing accounts for between 2 percent and 10 percent of the environmental impact of overall EU consumption. Each EU citizen buys on average 12 kg (26.4 pounds) of clothing yearly. When produced, those 12 kg of clothing contribute 195 million tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere and use 46 billion cubic meters of water. More than half of the garments are not recycled after they are discarded, ending up on landfills instead. What’s worse, around 30 percent of clothes in Europeans’ wardrobes have not been used for at least a year.

The jury is looking for business ideas to reduce the environmental footprint of fashion, improve its social impact and change consumer behavior. Applicants don’t necessarily need to have a company: the competition is open for students, designers and creators, not just entrepreneurs.

Applications are open until Wednesday, March 4, noon CET via the competition’s website, where one can also find additional information about the prize and its eligibility criteria: https://eusic.challenges.org.

* This article was originally published here

Dior AW20 bringing a London twist to Parisian menswear

Kim Jones injected a spot of English aristocratic insouciance into the DNA of Dior Friday, with a starry men's Paris fashion week show that riffed on British upper class eccentricity. This was the fabled French label at its most dandyish and decadent, with top coats with velvet collars, trompe l'oeil grey minks and a staggering silver-embroidered opera coat which will retail for 75,000 euros (83,000 US dollars).

Jones dedicated the show to his friend Judy Blame, the British stylist and punk and New Romantic iconoclast who died two years ago. Several of Blame's jewellery designs were included in the show, including a chain with a coin bearing his head, as well as his signature pearl-encrusted opera gloves.

"The world is a bit depressing at the moment and I wanted to do something celebratory" as a tribute to Blame's genius, Jones told AFP. "It's really upscale and decadent and terribly couture, with luxurious materials like vicuna and beautiful cashmere coats imitating sealskin." The British-born creator said he "always loved that London twist on Parisian chic couture", with leather trousers and natty re-imagined Chelsea boots.

"I like the thought that some of it looks like it has been handed down through an aristocratic family," Jones added.

Berluti not shy with leather

Berluti had earlier gone hell for leather for luxury in a day marked by a strong streak of decadence. Kris Van Assche, the Belgian creator who has rebooted the high-end French cobbler into a major fashion player, made a pitch to be the tailor of choice for the gods of global showbiz.

With hundreds of screaming fans waiting outside the Opera Garnier to catch a glimpse of Korean K-pop heartthrob Sehun and Taiwanese-Canadian actor Eddie Peng, Van Assche produced a collection that was as sensual to the touch as it was to the eye.

The former Dior designer has long been a prophet of a return to serious tailoring, and the rest of fashion seems to have caught up, with a battalion of other labels this week revisiting the classic men's suit. Rethought double-breasted suits came in rich reds and decadent purples and greens, with supermodel Bella Hadid rocking a mothball-blue one in the co-ed show whose front row was crammed with American rappers.

Van Assche further played with people's minds by making a puffer coat in feather-light patent, as well as Prince of Wales pattern overcoats and bomber jackets finely woven with leather.

Dries Van Noten presenting signature prints to the catwalk

"It is that little bit of originality that people come to Berluti for," the designer told AFP. "Sure, we are a traditional shoe company, but that doesn't mean our clothes should not stand out in the street."

"My job is to bring beauty to the world," Van Assche declared. The Dior and Berluti shows were further proof that Paris fashion was turning away from streetwear, which has dominated the catwalks for several seasons, towards a new and often eye-catchingly eccentric classicism. Dries Van Noten, the Belgian "Prince of Prints", talked about the emergence of a new "playful decadence" as he sent his models out with false fox furs and jewels draped around check jackets and coats.

Japanese designer Junya Watanabe tried to combine the two competing currents, splicing bomber jackets and sportswear into tweed jackets and coats in a valiant attempt to have the best of both worlds.

But Vetements, the rebel label founded by fashion's current enfant terrible Demna Gvasalia, was there to kick convention between the legs. Its first show without Gvasalia, who is now concentrating on designing for Balenciaga, was typically iconoclastic.

Kate Moss look-a-like

It featured a Kate Moss lookalike sprayed with fake tan (the real one was in the front row of the Dior show) and a baseball cap with the legend, "Gvasalia for President" above a T-shirt that warned sarcastically, "No social media thank you."(AFP)

Photo: Dior AW20, Catwalkpictures

* This article was originally published here