Trendstop brings FashionUnited readers a first look at the latest trend
directions from the leading Spring Summer 2021 materials events in Paris.
The Trendstop materials team give FashionUnited readers an exclusive
insight into the key trends from the Paris editions of Premiere Vision,
Texworld and Interfiliere. Spring Summer 2021 refocused on print and
surface and texture. An abundance of botanicals, artistic references and
decorative, crafted surfaces were contrasted with the resurgence and
reinvention of functional, durable classics. Technical innovations were
ever present but delivered in a more subtle manner while sustainability
remained the driving force behind the shows with an emphasis on creating a
circular industry and addressing every aspect of development and
production. Our comprehensive material show coverage and accompanying
galleries evaluate each trend's commercial value and longevity, giving you
the best possible basis for your decision making.
This week Trendstop present three key trends from across the SS21 Paris
material shows. Fabrics fuse practicality and performance in Utility
Ripstops while traditional techniques are refreshed for a modern era in
Contemporary Shirring. Artist interpretations update florals and botanicals
with a fresh, illustrative appeal.
Utility Ripstops
High performance ripstops take a utilitarian approach with canvas
handles in workwear tones. Hardwearing, structured compositions enhance the
reinforced aspect of the fabric while waxy coatings, in both matte and
polished finishes, provide an extra layer of protection from the elements
and can be scratched or rubbed to create new surface patterns.
Images courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: British
Millerain, Halley Stevensons, Leejo Textile, all Spring Summer
2021.
Contemporary Shirring
Shirring techniques are modernised via experimental pleating techniques
and a contemporary colour palette. Pleats flow from ultra-fine and tightly
condensed to wide, soft and undulating, supplying rippled and crinkled
surface texture to lustrous stretch materials.
Images courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: Omnipel,
Devsel, Luno Tekstil, all Spring Summer 2021.
Pencil Line Botanicals
Botanical prints look to contemporary illustration, inspiring stylised
hand drawn prints and stitchlines that resemble pencil graphite. Artistic
interpretations of leaves and blossoms have a naïve quality while bold
black lines provide a strong graphic look.
Images
courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: Tessile, Digitex, JCR Group, all
Spring Summer 2021.
Exclusive Offer
FashionUnited readers can get free access to Trendstop’s Spring/Summer
2020 Premiere Vision Show Overview, featuring all the key directions from
the event. Simply click here to receive your free report.
Trendstop.com is one of the world's leading trend forecasting agencies
for fashion and creative professionals, renowned for its insightful trend
analysis and forecasts. Clients include H&M, Primark, Forever 21, Zalando,
Geox, Evisu, Hugo Boss, L'Oreal and MTV.
Foot Locker has reported a drop in revenues for the fourth quarter of
the year citing weaker than expected holiday trading and tough
competition.
The New York-based athletic retailer reported net income of 141 million
dollars, or 1.34 dollars per share, for the 13 weeks ended 1 February,
compared with 158 million dollars, or 1.39 dollars per share, for the
corresponding prior-year period.
Total sales fell by 2.2 percent to 2.22 billion dollars, compared with
2.27 billion dollars in the fourth quarter of 2018, while comparable-store
sales decreased 1.6 percent. Excluding the effect of foreign exchange rate
fluctuations, total Q4 sales decreased by 2 percent.
On a non-GAAP basis, the company earned 1.63 cents per share, a 4
percent increase year-on-year.
Richard Johnson, chairman and CEO, said in a statement: “While we had
leading positions in key on-trend footwear styles, this was not enough to
offset softer than expected demand during the compressed holiday season, a
very promotional marketplace for apparel, and tougher launch
comparisons.”
Lauren Peters, executive vice president and chief financial officer,
added: “We took actions during the quarter to manage slower-moving items
which pressured our gross margin rate more than expected. Importantly, our
ongoing disciplined expense management enabled us to better align our
variable expenses with the softer sales trends, while continuing to invest
in our key strategic imperatives.
“Additionally, the early benefits from the investments in our websites
and logistics systems, together with our associates' commitment to
outstanding customer service, positioned us to produce a single day record
volume, with sales exceeding 115 million dollars.”
Steve Madden’s fourth quarter revenue increased 0.7 percent to 419.6
million dollars. The company said in a statement, gross margin was 37.7
percent compared to 38.1 percent in the same period last year,
while adjusted gross margin was 37.8 percent in 2019. Net income
attributable to Steven Madden, Ltd. was 17.8 million dollars or 21 cents
per diluted share compared to 12.5 million dollars or 15 cents per diluted
share, in the prior year’s fourth quarter. The company added, adjusted net
income attributable to Steven Madden, Ltd. was 32.2 million dollars
or 39 cents per diluted share, compared to 35.7 million dollars or 42 cents
per diluted share, in the prior year’s fourth quarter.
Commenting on the trading update, Edward Rosenfeld, Steve Madden’s
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said: “Fiscal year 2019 was a strong
year for the company, with revenue and adjusted diluted EPS increased
mid-single digits on a percentage basis compared to the prior year despite
significant headwinds from the bankruptcy of Payless ShoeSource and the
tariffs implemented on accessories, footwear and apparel from China.
Looking ahead, while we are cautious on the near-term outlook due to
additional headwinds from the coronavirus outbreak, China tariffs and the
termination of the Kate Spade footwear license.”
Review of Steve Madden’s Q4 and full year results
Revenue for the wholesale business decreased 1.1 percent to 313.8
million dollars in the fourth quarter of 2019 due primarily to a decrease
in wholesale accessories/apparel revenue, while wholesale footwear revenue
declined 0.2 percent with a decline in the branded business offset by a
gain in private label and wholesale accessories/apparel revenue decreased
3.6 percent driven by declines in private label handbags and cold weather
accessories, partially offset by the addition of the BB Dakota apparel
business. Gross margin in the wholesale business decreased to 29.2
percent.
Retail revenue in the fourth quarter rose 8.7 percent to 101.1
million dollars, while same store sales increased 6.7 percent in the
quarter driven by strong performance in the company’s e-commerce business.
Retail gross margin was 61.2 percent compared to 61 percent in last year's
fourth quarter, while adjusted gross margin in the retail segment increased
to 61.6 percent. The company ended the quarter with 227 company-operated
retail locations, including eight Internet stores, as well as 31
company-operated concessions in international markets.
For the full year ended December 31, 2019, revenue increased 6.5 percent
to 1.8 billion dollars and net income attributable to Steven Madden,
Ltd. was 141.3 million dollars or 1.69 dollars compared to 129.1 million
dollars or 1.50 dollars per diluted share, for the year ended December 31,
2018. On an Adjusted basis, net income attributable to Steven Madden,
Ltd. was 162.8 million dollars or 1.95 dollars per diluted share compared
to 157.7 million dollars or 1.83 dollars per diluted share, for the year
ended December 31, 2018.
Steve Madden expects marginal improvement in 2020 revenues
For fiscal year 2020, the company expects revenue will increase 0 to 1
percent over revenue in 2019 and diluted EPS for fiscal year 2020 will be
in the range of 1.70 dollars to 1.80 dollars. Compared to the prior year,
the diluted EPS range reflects an adverse impact of approximately 35 cents
from the combined impact of the coronavirus, tariffs on goods from China,
the termination of the Kate Spade footwear license and a higher anticipated
tax rate.
The company’s board of directors approved a quarterly cash dividend
of 15 cents per share, which will be paid on March 27, 2020, to
stockholders of record at the close of business on March 17, 2020.
Dr Martens has appointed Lorenzo Moretti as its new EMEA president.
Lorenzo has worked for over 25 years in the consumer retail industry across
multiple markets, most recently as CEO of British footwear retailer Office.
Prior to joining Office, he spent five years at Nike, joining in 2012 as vice
president, direct to consumer Europe, and leading the turnaround of Nike’s digital
and physical owned and partner businesses across Europe. In 2015, he was appointed
vice president of global football in Western Europe, where he led the development
of all commercial, operational, consumer, brand marketing and partner aspects of
Nike Football in Europe.
Before joining Nike, Lorenzo also worked across retailers such as Gap, Tesco
and Marks & Spencer.
Kenny Wilson, chief executive officer of Dr Martens, said in a statement:
“We are delighted that following an extensive search we have appointed Lorenzo
Moretti as EMEA president. Lorenzo brings experience in footwear and direct to
consumer across several markets globally from great consumer brands and we’re
very excited to welcome him to Dr Martens.”
Moretti said: “Dr Martens is such a strong, iconic brand and I
remember my first pair with pride. I’m a great admirer of all that it stands
for - rebellious self-expression and how this lines up directly with my own
beliefs and values.
“I’m delighted to be joining at such an exciting time for the brand as it
continues to grow through new and existing customers and markets. I have been
impressed by the capability and passion for the brand in everyone that I have
met so far and am looking forward to working with the team to deliver an exciting
marketplace for consumers across EMEA.”
Burberry has launched a new augmented reality (AR) shopping tool through Google
Search that allows users to get a better idea of what an item looks like before
purchasing it.
When searching for the Burberry Black TB bag or Arthur Check Sneaker through
Google Search on a smartphone, shoppers will be able to see a digital image of
the product at scale against other real-life objects. The tool is currently available
in the UK and US, but a global roll-out with more products is planned over the
coming months.
“The inspiration phase of the decision to purchase is becoming increasingly
important for luxury consumers. Burberry is continuously experimenting with digital
innovation such as AR to create a more exciting experience and enhance personalised
luxury commerce, blending the technology with other activations around the world,”
Burberry said in a statement.
Burberry has been putting a particular focus on digital innovations lately.
To celebrate the recent opening of the luxury British brand’s store in Ginza, Tokyo,
shoppers had the opportunity to get involved in an exclusive AR experience activated
through QR codes.
The brand also launched a digital pop-up experience in December powered by
Google Lens in London where shoppers could see an aerial live feed of themselves
on their phone, surrounded by a herd of Burberry deer.
It even jumped into the world of gaming with the release of its first online game
‘B-Bounce’ back in October.
Super-high heels can free women, says legendary
French shoe designer Christian Louboutin, who insists that wearing his
towering six-inch stilettos is a "form of liberty".
While some feminists see vertiginous heels as sexual enslavement, Louboutin
believes the opposite -- even if it means women have to walk slowly and
carefully in his iconic red-soled creations.
"Women do not want to give up wearing high heels," the designer told AFP
before "The Exhibitionist", a retrospective of his 30-year career, opens in a
Paris museum Wednesday.
While Louboutin also makes trainers and flat shoes, he admitted that when
it comes to the spike-heeled classics that made his name: "I don't think about
comfort when I design."
"No shoe with a 12cm (5 inch) heel is comfortable... but people do not come
to me looking for a pair of slippers," said Louboutin, who helped bring high
heels back into fashion in the 1990s and 2000s.
They are not meant to be worn all the time, but super high heels allow
women to express themselves and break free of crushing norms, he said.
"To be a woman is also about enjoying one's freedom to be feminine if you
want. Why renounce (high heels) when you can have them and flats," he said.
Stylish footwear is not meant to be comfortable
"I don't want people to look at my shoes and say: 'They look really
comfortable!' The important thing is that people say: 'Wow, they're
beautiful!'"
Even if they can only totter around in their Louboutins, that is no bad
thing, he told AFP.
If the shoes "stop you running", that is something "positive", he added.
Having learnt his art under Roger Vivier, the man who claimed to have
invented the stiletto, Louboutin became a household name in the 1990s after
Princess Caroline of Monaco fell for one of his first solo creations.
Pop stars from Madonna to Tina Turner and Jennifer Lopez were soon
competing with half of Hollywood for fittings.
But even as some luxury brands like Dior, led by feminist designer Maria
Grazia Chiuri, have taken an axe to towering heels, Louboutin insisted they
still had their place.
"People project themselves and their stories into my shoes," he said,
pointing to a particularly high pair of intricate lace boots called Corset
d'Amour, embroidered with scenes of love-making.
Louboutin revealed his life-long fascination with heels was sparked when he
was 10 years old and saw a sign banning the shoes at the Palais de la Porte
Doree -- the museum now holding his retrospective.
"I started to draw them because of that sign," he said, which was put up to
save the museum's parquet floors.
the footwear designer aims to create a shoe seemless on the leg
"I think the fact that high heels were forbidden played on the
unconscious... there was also the mystery and the fetishistic side... the
simple drawing of a high-heeled shoe is often associated with sexuality," he
added.
Louboutin also credited the sign with plunging him into "the universe of
curves" which was to shape his art.
And he insisted that is art was not just about making heels higher and
higher.
He has also been working on making his shoes disappear into the wearer's
leg in a series which he calls Les Nudes -- in a variety of skin colours -- as
well as designs which lengthen the leg.
Other highlights of the often cheeky show, which runs until July 28,
include a hologram of a shoe that turns into the burlesque star Dita Von Teese
as well a series of Louboutin-sporting nudes shot by the American film
director David Lynch.
Louboutin rejoices in the fact that his shoes have now become so iconic
that his name has become a shorthand for luxury and sexiness, popping up in
rap songs, films and books.
"Pop culture is neither controlled or controllable, so I am very happy
about that," he added.
CEO INTERVIEWSpanish
sustainable fashion label Ecoalf is trying to clean up the fashion industry
by tackling some of its biggest issues - namely its excessive consumption
of the world’s natural resources and its astronomical production of waste.
Founded in 2009 by Javier Goyeneche, the brand looks to close the loop on
raw material production by using breakthrough technologies to produce
garments entirely from recycled materials.
In 2015, the fashion brand, which is the first in Spain to be awarded
B-Corp certification, launched Upcycling the Oceans, an initiative that
works with the fishing sector to clean the ocean of waste materials which
are then turned into new fabrics. The brand has so far launched two
Upcycling the Ocean projects - one in Spain and one in Thailand - and has
collaborated with more than 550 boats and more than 3,000 voluntary
fishermen to recover marine litter - including plastic bottles, nylon,
cotton, wool and even used tires - which it then turns into fashion
garments. Since 2015, the company has recovered 500 tonnes of marine
waste.
Today, the fast-growing brand has flagship stores in Madrid, Berlin,
Barcelona, Amsterdam and Malaga - with a store in Tokyo set to mark its
launch into the Japan market when it opens in March. Ahead of the store
opening, FashionUnited spoke with Ecoalf CEO Marisa Selfa about the brand’s
presence at the recently ended trade fair season, the challenges of
creating a truly sustainable brand, the industry’s growing issue of
greenwashing and Ecoalf’s global ambitions.
Which trade fairs do you normally attend?
We attend Neonyt, Premium and Pitti Uomo - those are the important ones
for us. We did Who's Next in Paris about three seasons ago but we found
that it wasn’t very successful for us. We didn’t get a very good space
there and our women’s collection wasn't as advanced as it is now. We
decided then that these three were the best for us, but it doesn't mean we
won’t go back. Paris is a really important market for us and it feels like
there are a lot of exciting changes going on at Who’s Next at the
moment.
What are your biggest markets at the moment and which ones are you most
excited about?
Spain is our biggest market still but our international market is
growing quickly - we have over 1,500 points of sales in Europe and stores
in Spain, Germany and Holland. Japan is also a really exciting market for
us - we’ve launched a joint venture with the Sanyo Group and we are going
to be opening our first store there in Tokyo in March.
Why did you decide on Japan?
I think in Japan they are really excited about sustainability - they are
really hungry for it. For us, it was a market where we wouldn’t necessarily
have gone to ourselves this early on if we hadn’t found Sanyo - that’s to
say, we still have a lot to do in Europe. But finding a partner like that,
one that is a real key player in the industry, was the perfect opportunity
to enter the market with the expertise of the local professionals.
The move isn’t just about going there with our products and opening
stores, it’s also a great opportunity for us to replicate and expand our
Upcycling in the Oceans project which is helping to clean the world's
oceans. We began the project in 2015 in Spain with the help of HAP
Foundation and have been expanding it since then. For example, we currently
have 3,000 fishermen in Thailand collecting around one tonne of waste each
day from the ocean and we are going to be working with Sanyo to replicate
that project in Japan.
How is the UK market doing?
We have a new agent in the UK for this season and we’re excited about
it. At the moment we are not very big there but I don’t think we’ve had the
right partnerships in the past and we are hoping that will change now.
Eventually, we would like to have our own stores there.
What are your plans for expansion?
There is always room for improvement and right now we are really growing
comfortably. We are omnichannel: we have our own stores, shop-in-shops in
department stores, wholesale accounts and online. Our e-commerce is really
booming at the moment - it’s doing really well in Europe and now as I said
we are opening in Asia.
We’re planning on going to the US and so going to trade shows like
Pitti, where most of the big buyers of all the key accounts go, is a great
opportunity for us to prepare for it. We don’t want to enter any markets
until we are completely ready or find the right partners to move forward
with. At the moment we are looking into the best way to enter into the US
because it is a very big and important market and you really can't make a
mistake there.
What do you mean by that?
If you enter into that market with the wrong partner and you end up
going to the wrong distribution then it’s really hard to get to the level
that we want to get to. The US is also very price-driven and we as a brand
are not promotion driven - we have basic products that we want the customer
to buy and wear for a long time. We don't get into seasonal meets seasons,
we just do the sales in January and again in July. So we have to make sure
we find a partner who respects that ethos and philosophy. On top of that,
there’s the task of working out whether we enter through wholesale or do we
do retail straight away? All these things you have to consider and so at
the moment we are researching that and talking to some possible partners
about it and hope to be there soon.
What do you think about the new concentration on sustainability at
trade fairs such as the introduction of new sustainability sections and the
launching of new initiatives?
I think it’s very important and I’m really glad trade fairs are stepping
up their game and making sustainability a real priority. Sustainability
really isn’t a trend, it’s something that is transforming businesses and it
is here to stay. At the same time, as trade shows focus more on
sustainability they really have to be careful about how they do it. If they
have a sustainable section, they need to make sure the brands there are
truly sustainable and that they’re not just putting brands there to fill up
the space. But in general, I think any progress is a positive thing. When
it comes to an issue like sustainability, even if it’s a little bit it’s
better than nothing.
How does a brand manage to be truly sustainable?
If brands want to be truly sustainable - and there are very few doing
that in my opinion - you have to think about the whole supply chain, not
simply concentrate on one small aspect and forget the rest. For Ecoalf,
sustainability is not just about the fabrics that are recycled or just
about the sourcing or just about codes of conduct - it’s about the bigger
picture and considering all of these aspects.
True sustainability is also about educating and I think brands have a
duty not just to sell sustainable fashion but to explain to the consumer
why they are selling it. The more voices we have talking about
sustainability issues the better. Last year, for example, we did 300
conferences where we spoke about what is happening in terms of
sustainability in the fashion industry. I think the effect the fashion
industry is having on the environment is immense and it calls for a very
immediate change - brands, suppliers and the consumer all need to change -
it requires a collaborative effort.
Ecoalf AW20 Iceberg (left) and Glacier coats made from 100
percent recycled PET with Gold primaloft upper filling, thermo-sealed
seams, magnetic closures and recycled zipper.
What do you think about the issue of greenwashing in the industry?
There are a lot of big brands doing sustainable or recycled capsules at
the moment, but then their overall business models just aren't sustainable.
I think the words ‘eco’ and ‘sustainability’ have really been thrown around
so much they’ve almost lost their meaning. Sustainable isn't just about
recycled fabric, it is about how you produce it, where did you get the raw
material, how are you moving it, are you shipping it by air? A lot of
different factors need to be considered.
Many companies seem to think this is a trend just to grab the customer
and get them to buy their products. It seems they are very big on the
communication of sustainability but very light on the execution of it -
that annoys me. It can also be very misleading - while some consumers are
super savvy there are others that aren't, and they can end up buying things
that perhaps aren't as sustainable as they thought.
“My wish is that Ecoalf becomes a truly global brand”
I think the industry has to pay more attention to greenwashing because a
lot of people will say this is sustainable when it really is not and
consumers are starting to ask questions and see through that. People are
really starting to ask, 'what exactly do you mean by this statement?' The
client is starting to push for more honesty and transparency which I think
will push the brands.
We see that hunger to find out more about what true sustainability is in
our customers, too, which is great. The people that come to our stores, our
final customers, those are the ones that really become the ambassadors for
the brand. They come in, they love the story, they see how our clothes are
made and what's on the labels, then they come back with somebody else
telling the story about it. I think that’s really important too - the more
final customers that really believe in this, then the more the industry
will have to listen. It’s the customer who really is asking for change and
pushing for it. We all have to change because that’s what they want.
What are the biggest challenges you face as a sustainable brand?
The biggest challenge is being sustainable across the whole business
model, not just with the products. For a fashion business to be truly
sustainable it means the way you grow has to be very tactical. You can’t
just be opening and closing stores everywhere and pushing for more and more
sales or going for higher margins because that can mean cutting corners in
production or with suppliers. We have to be truly demanding and strict with
suppliers to make sure they follow our regulations.
Of course, it can be hard and sometimes you have to make tough
decisions, sometimes you’ll have to say no to certain things, sometimes
suppliers aren't even ready for this. For example, one component which is
still difficult to make sustainably is the zipper. It is very hard to find
good quality and fully recycled zippers so we are working with suppliers
because that doesn't exist yet. Another example can be seen in footwear:
just this season we found a new supplier that does recycled laces, before
that we couldn’t find any. That’s another example of suppliers changing -
the industry is making the suppliers change.
Ecoalf AW20 100 percent recyclable unisex Cool Sneakers made from recycled
nylon, with a personalized outsole.
Also, using organic cotton is our last option - we don’t like it,
because it still uses a lot of water. We only used recycled cotton. There
are also some prints we just can't do because we don’t use plastics. We
also don’t make polar fleeces, even though we know we could sell a lot of
them, because they’re not very good for the planet. If anything in our
collection is not 100 percent recycled it's because we can achieve that
quality or it simply doesn't exist.
The whole system is so complicated because if you compare us with your
average brand, it is more complicated to do it the way we are doing it when
for example you abide by rules such as you can't fly certain materials from
one region to another because it is not sustainable - even if the material
itself is sustainable. Or you might have lower margins because some fabrics
take a long time to go from, say, a plastic bottle to a fabric - that takes
a process that a normal polyester you'd buy isn’t going to take. Some of
our fabrics take 120 days to be produced - others can take just 30 days.
That’s why it’s really challenging to be truly sustainable - You have to
weigh a lot of things up. If you want faster revenue and higher margins
then it's easier to do it the not sustainable way.
What is Ecoalf’s plan for the next 5 to 10 years?
My wish is that Ecoalf becomes a truly global brand; not just a Spanish
or European brand but a truly global one. I'm hoping we are able to
influence the industry in a big way and set the bar for other sustainable
brands to follow.
We also want to - and look forward to - helping other industries. We
have done some co-branding and corporate business in the past and are
excited to do more. For example, we've done uniforms for hotels because
they wanted to be more sustainable. With other big companies we do VIP
presence or merchandise for conferences and big events - that’s an
important and useful way to influence other industries, not just the
fashion industry.
