Store Employees are on the Frontline

"Retail chains seem to forget that their employees are under enormous pressure to stay healthy, to work and to provide exceptional service as well. Before Covid-19, we already saw an increase of customer entitlement, now there is an extra layer: they don't want to be forced to wear a facemask or to social distance," says Christopher Lacy, former Director of Customer Experience, Learning and Development at the iconic department store Barneys New York and now Assistant Professor at Parsons School of Design, in this podcast by Joshua Williams. Listen to the second episode of this podcast series. A collaboration of FashionUnited and Joshua Williams of Fashion News Bytes
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Farfetch announces major tie-up with Alibaba and Richemont

Chinese e-tailer Alibaba and Swiss luxury group Richemont, two titans of the fashion industry, have invested 1.1 billion dollars in London-based fashion marketplace Farfetch as it looks to expand its presence in China. The tie-up will see Alibaba launch Farfetch luxury shopping channels on its Tmall Luxury Pavilion and Luxury Soho. Alibaba and Richemont will also both be investing in the newly formed Farfetch China joint venture. The move is a significant one for Farfetch and will expand the e-tailer’s platform to Alibaba’s 757 million consumers. Farfatch shares climbed 9 percent on the news in post-market trading. As part of the partnership, Alibaba and Richemont will invest 300 million dollars each in private convertible notes issued by Farfetch Limited, as well as 250 million dollars each in Farfetch China, taking a combined 25 percent stake in the new joint venture that will include Farfetch’s marketplace operations in the China region. The two fashion giants also have an option to purchase a further combined 24 percent of Farfetch China after the third year of the joint venture’s formation. Farfetch secures investment for China expansion “This announcement is a major step in our mission to connect the curators, creators and consumers of the luxury fashion industry,” Farfetch CEO and founder José Neves said in a statement. “The 1.15 billion dollar investment in Farfetch from Alibaba Group, Richemont, and Artemis is a strong validation of our position as the global platform for luxury. “The new initiatives with Alibaba Group and Richemont extend Farfetch’s strategy to power the digital transformation occurring across the luxury industry, which has been accelerated by the unprecedented challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Luxury New Retail initiative will explore ways we can help the wider industry move forward and thrive in the post-Covid world.” Separately, Artemis, the holding company of French luxury conglomerate Kering, has agreed to increase its existing investment in Farfetch with a 50 million dollar purchase of Farfetch’s Class A ordinary shares. Photo credit: Farfetch website
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G-Star Raw introduces world's most sustainable black denim fabric

Dutch denim label G-Star Raw has launched the world’s most sustainable black denim fabric for eight styles of its winter ‘20 collection. The “Relz Black Denim” fabric, developed together with Artistic Milliners and Archroma, continues G-Star Raw’s circular approach, as it is made from pure organic cotton and is dyed and treated without the use of harmful chemicals, thus benefiting both people and the environment. The black, liquid dye and the pigment coating leave behind waste water that is easy to clean and reusable. It is actually applied to the fabric in a five-step process instead of the conventional eight to ten steps, saving 52 percent water, 65 percent energy, 71 percent CO2 emissions and 14 percent chemicals. Together with its longstanding cooperation partners Artistic Milliners and Archroma, G-Star managed to achieve the Gold Status certification by the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute for its Raw Relz Black Denim. This is the first black denim to achieve this status by the leading nonprofit organization granting the Cradle to Cradle Certification. The globally recognized standard is given to products that are safe, circular and responsibly produced. The eight models include a lined denim peacoat (180 pounds/189.95 euros) , a button pencil skirt (70 pounds/89.95 euros), ultra high mom and dad ankle jeans (80 pounds/99.95 euros each), boyfriend crop jeans (125 pounds/139.95 euros), ultra high straight ankle jeans (105 pounds/119.95 euros) and a bomber jacket (190 pounds/199.95 euros). They will be available online at g-star.com and in G-Star stores starting 11th November 2020. Photos: G-Star Raw
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Farfetch announces major tie-up with Alibaba and Richemont

Chinese e-tailer Alibaba and Swiss luxury group Richemont, two titans of the fashion industry, have invested 1.1 billion dollars in London-based fashion marketplace Farfetch as it looks to expand its presence in China. The tie-up will see Alibaba launch Farfetch luxury shopping channels on its Tmall Luxury Pavilion and Luxury Soho. Alibaba and Richemont will also both be investing in the newly formed Farfetch China joint venture. The move is a significant one for Farfetch and will expand the e-tailer’s platform to Alibaba’s 757 million consumers. Farfatch shares climbed 9 percent on the news in post-market trading. As part of the partnership, Alibaba and Richemont will invest 300 million dollars each in private convertible notes issued by Farfetch Limited, as well as 250 million dollars each in Farfetch China, taking a combined 25 percent stake in the new joint venture that will include Farfetch’s marketplace operations in the China region. The two fashion giants also have an option to purchase a further combined 24 percent of Farfetch China after the third year of the joint venture’s formation. Farfetch secures investment for China expansion “This announcement is a major step in our mission to connect the curators, creators and consumers of the luxury fashion industry,” Farfetch CEO and founder José Neves said in a statement. “The 1.15 billion dollar investment in Farfetch from Alibaba Group, Richemont, and Artemis is a strong validation of our position as the global platform for luxury. “The new initiatives with Alibaba Group and Richemont extend Farfetch’s strategy to power the digital transformation occurring across the luxury industry, which has been accelerated by the unprecedented challenges resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Luxury New Retail initiative will explore ways we can help the wider industry move forward and thrive in the post-Covid world.” Separately, Artemis, the holding company of French luxury conglomerate Kering, has agreed to increase its existing investment in Farfetch with a 50 million dollar purchase of Farfetch’s Class A ordinary shares. Photo credit: Farfetch website
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Richemont H1 profit drops as Covid-19 hits sales

In the six month period under review, Richemont said, trading was significantly impacted by the worldwide spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and its resulting negative impact on trading conditions. Sales decreased by 26 percent at actual exchange rates and by 25 percent at constant exchange rates to 5.5 billion euros. The company added that as lockdown restrictions were eased, sentiment and sales momentum gradually improved, and the decline in sales for the second quarter was limited to 5 percent at actual exchange rates and 2 percent at constant exchange rates. Gross profit decreased by 31 percent to 3,165 million euros and gross margin stood at 57.8 percent, operating profit contracted by 61 percent to 452 million euros, resulting in an operating margin of 8.3 percent, profit amounted to 159 million euros, a 710 million euros decline and earnings per share decreased by 82 percent to 0.281 euros on a diluted basis. “Throughout the first six months of our financial year, the Covid-19 pandemic impacted our trading and operations with unprecedented levels of disruption. All regions, channels and business areas were affected, notwithstanding a 78 percent increase in China versus the prior year period at actual exchange rates. Although the pandemic has hampered sentiment and demand around the world, we have continued to make good headway on key digital initiatives and further advance on our journey towards New Retail,” said Johann Rupert, Chairman of Compagnie Financière Richemont SA in a statement Richemont reports sales decline across core geographies For the first half of the fiscal year, the company said, Europe recorded the highest rate of decline alongside Japan, with sales down 44 percent year-on-year. France, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom were particularly affected by a significantly lower level of tourist activity, as were the Jewellery Maisons, Specialist Watchmakers and Fashion & Accessories Maisons. Online Distributors, although initially impacted by temporary fulfilment centre closures, showed the most resilient performance. Compared to retail and wholesale sales, which contracted at significant double-digit rates, online retail sales fared better, with a high-single digit decline. The contribution of Europe to group sales was reduced to 22 percent from 30 percent in the prior year period. In Asia Pacific, the year-on-year decline in sales was contained to 4 percent as the sales momentum significantly improved in the second quarter of the financial year with strong double-digit growth. All markets registered lower sales for the half year with the exception of China, where sales rose by 83 percent. From the month of July, sales growth in Asia Pacific resumed. The region raised its contribution to group sales from 37 percent in the prior year period to 47 percent. For the six month period under review, the Americas region posted a 31 percent reduction in sales. All channels saw lower sales including online retail sales which decreased by a low-single digit rate overall. Of note, when excluding The region’s contribution to group sales was reduced from 18 percent to 16 percent. In Japan, the 44 percent decrease in sales reflected the impact of Covid-19 with temporary closures, weak domestic consumer confidence and a halt in tourism. The country represented 7 percent of overall sales, compared to 9 percent in the prior year period. Sales in the Middle East and Africa were 5 percent lower than the prior year period. The contribution of Middle East and Africa to Group sales increased from 6 percent in the prior year period to 8 percent. Richemont’s retail channels witness a sales decline The company added that the 22 percent decrease in retail sales reflects the severe disruption due to Covid-19. The Maisons’ 1,179 directly operated boutiques contributed 53 percent of group sales, compared to 52 percent in the prior year period. Notwithstanding the temporary closure of the Online Distributors’ fulfilment centres due to Covid-19 in the first quarter of the financial year, the decline in sales was limited to 3 percent, supported by a 17 percent rebound in sales in the second quarter. In the first half of the financial year, Asia Pacific, particularly China with triple digit online retail sales growth, and the Middle East and Africa showed strong growth. The wholesale channel was the most affected by the global pandemic. Wholesale sales including royalty income contracted by 42 percent versus the prior year period, impacted by temporary points of sale closures, social unrest in key markets and low to no footfall at airports’ duty free shops. For the period, Richemont said, sales at the jewellery maisons were 18 percent lower than in the comparative period. Following a drop of 41 percent for the first quarter of the financial year, sales returned to positive territory, with 4 percent growth in the second quarter. Mid-single digit sales growth in Asia Pacific and high-single digit sales progression in the Middle East and Africa partly offset a marked contraction in the other regions, which were severely impacted by temporary closures of stores, a halt in tourism, social tension and muted consumer confidence. Sales at the Specialist Watchmakers were 38 percent lower than in the prior year period, particularly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and their strong reliance on multibrand retail partners. The rate of sales decline moderated from 56 percent in the first quarter to 18 percent in the second quarter, supported by a strong performance in China. Wholesale sales contracted more than retail sales, while online retail sales grew by triple digits driven by participation in online initiatives such as the Watch Show on the Cloud and Watches & Wonders Shanghai, which introduced their creations to the Chinese market, as well as by the opening of flagship stores for IWC Schaffhausen, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Panerai, Piaget and Vacheron Constantin on Tmall Luxury Pavilion. Online Distributors reported a 21 percent decrease in sales, while in the second quarter, sales increased by 2 percent. ‘Other’ including the Fashion and Accessories Maisons and the group’s watch component manufacturing activities reported sales decrease by 42 percent for the period, reflecting a decline of 59 percent in the first quarter and 24 percent in the second quarter. Picture:Olaf Tamm, Hamburg Germany for Richemont
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G-Star Raw introduces world's most sustainable black denim fabric

Dutch denim label G-Star Raw has launched the world’s most sustainable black denim fabric for eight styles of its winter ‘20 collection. The “Relz Black Denim” fabric, developed together with Artistic Milliners and Archroma, continues G-Star Raw’s circular approach, as it is made from pure organic cotton and is dyed and treated without the use of harmful chemicals, thus benefiting both people and the environment. The black, liquid dye and the pigment coating leave behind waste water that is easy to clean and reusable. It is actually applied to the fabric in a five-step process instead of the conventional eight to ten steps, saving 52 percent water, 65 percent energy, 71 percent CO2 emissions and 14 percent chemicals. Together with its longstanding cooperation partners Artistic Milliners and Archroma, G-Star managed to achieve the Gold Status certification by the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute for its Raw Relz Black Denim. This is the first black denim to achieve this status by the leading nonprofit organization granting the Cradle to Cradle Certification. The globally recognized standard is given to products that are safe, circular and responsibly produced. The eight models include a lined denim peacoat (180 pounds/189.95 euros) , a button pencil skirt (70 pounds/89.95 euros), ultra high mom and dad ankle jeans (80 pounds/99.95 euros each), boyfriend crop jeans (125 pounds/139.95 euros), ultra high straight ankle jeans (105 pounds/119.95 euros) and a bomber jacket (190 pounds/199.95 euros). They will be available online at g-star.com and in G-Star stores starting 11th November 2020. Photos: G-Star Raw
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Fashion Snoops presents Digital Trend Immersion for SS22

Join the FS team as we break down what you need to know for Spring/Summer 2022 and connect the dots — from culture to product. This is your opportunity to not only learn from our team of heart-led experts but also engage and question the season ahead. Let our team guide you through this moment and open your mind to the world of possibilities. Date And Time Thu, November 19, 2020 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM CET WHAT WE'LL ADDRESS: How consumer needs are changing How those needs will influence consumer wants and expectations Key design strategies that will help you navigate and win in this “new normal” Top trends in materials, color, and pattern & graphics Key Product Shifts and break-out room discussions for the following markets: * Women * Men * Youth * Kids * Active * Intimates + Swimwear * Accessories * Beauty + Wellness * Home NOTEWORTHY FEATURES Market-Specific Breakout Rooms: Throughout the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to join breakout rooms led by our FS dedicated market experts. In these breakout rooms, our FS editors will address the market-specific product shifts and answer questions from the audience. This is also your chance to gain insight from others in your market. FS x Cosmo Fragrance Raffle: Those who have attended our in-person Trend Immersion events in the past know that every season we collaborate with Cosmo International Fragrances to develop custom fragrances for each of our four Cultural Sentiments. We are excited to share that we will be continuing our partnership for our SS 22 Digital Trend Immersion and will be developing the fragrances into a four-votive candle gift box that will be raffled off during the webinar. See event page for more information. Community Discussion: After the 2-hour presentation, we’ll be offering a 30-minute community discussion to come together and unpack the various pain points and questions we all hold as we navigate this new, uncertain landscape. FashionUnited readers can enjoy a discount when they register for this event using this link.
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N Brown announces 100 million pound fundraising

British retailer N Brown announced a 100 million pound fundraising on Thursday alongside its half-year results. The Manchester-based company said the equity raise would come by way of a fully pre-emptive placing to the substantial shareholder, subject to clawback under the 100 million pound open offer to all shareholders at a price of 57 pence per share. N Brown said the fundraising will help strengthen its balance sheet and “allow targeted investments to accelerate delivery of growth strategy to capitalise on the structural tailwinds in the group's markets”. The company, which owns brands Simply Be, Jacamo and JD Williams, also said it would be moving its listing from the main stock market to the junior AIM exchange. It comes as the business announced a 17.6 percent drop in revenues to 356.7 million pounds for the first half of the year. Photo credit: N Brown media gallery
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Superdry H1 revenues fall as Covid hits store footfall

Superdry has reported a drop in revenue for the first half of the year, slightly offset by a jump in e-commerce sales, in what has been a tough year for physical retail. For the six months to 24 October, total revenue fell 23.3 percent compared to the same period last year, comprising a 24.1 percent drop in the first quarter and a slightly smaller 22.8 percent drop in the second. The British fashion retailer said this drop reflected “the challenging trading environment as a result of continued disruption from Covid-19”, with its stores post-first-lockdown still impacted by Covid-related measures suppressing footfall, particularly in large city centre locations. Like-for-like store sales in the last six weeks of H1 were down 32.4 percent, with poor footfall in the UK partially offset by stronger performance in Europe where footfall declines have been less severe. As of 5 November, 122 of its stores have been temporarily closed across England, Wales, France, Belgium and Ireland amid new lockdowns - 117 stores are still open and trading. Wholesale also continued to be impacted by the pandemic. The retailer said performance in Q2 in part reflects later phasing of AW20 forward order deliveries, with 68 percent shipped year to date compared to 84 percent at the same time last year. Online sales offer slight relief E-commerce offered some respite for the company, performing well and strengthening through Q2 21. Like-for-like sales were up 51.9 percent in the last six weeks of H1, an improvement driven by owned site sales which increased 68.9 percent year-on-year coinciding with the launch of its new AW20 product and the targeted clearance of aged stock. Superdry said increased promotional activity in the period in response to Covid-19 hit its gross margin. However, that has been partially offset by its focus on cost management and cash preservation actions, the company said. “Covid-19 continues to disrupt our store and wholesale channels, but this is being partially mitigated by strong sales through our e-commerce operations,” CEO Julian Dunkerton said in a statement. “This has been an important period for Superdry, with the launch of our full Autumn/Winter 20 ranges and a true focus on using our social channels to reach our customers and bring our brand reset to life. This activity is delivering record levels of engagement through our influencer-led Autumn campaigns, and we will focus our energies in this area over the coming months led by our new chief marketing officer, Justin Lodge. “The external outlook is very uncertain. However, we have financial flexibility and are making good progress with our strategy and brand reset. We are determined to do the right thing by all our stakeholders - including colleagues, our retail and wholesale customers and investors - to ensure the business and brand returns to success.” Photo credit: Superdry
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Burberry partners with Tencent’s ‘Honor of Kings’ mobile game

Burberry has announced a partnership with Honor of Kings, the flagship mobile game of Chinese tech giant Tencent. While details about the partnership are vague, the brand said it will be “introducing elements of Burberry’s house codes” into the game’s environments in 2021, perhaps indicating in-game Burberry outfits or “skins” will be available for avatars. Games have been an increasingly popular way for fashion brands to engage with a broader audience in recent years, particularly with China’s fashion-forward, digital-first luxury consumer. Burberry has been one of the most prominent upmarket labels in this space, launching its first online game in October 2019, called B-Bounce, followed by several different iterations since then. “Online games are a platform on which we can tell brand stories in ways that we know really resonate with our customers in China,” Josie Zhang, president of Burberry China, said in a statement. “Introducing elements of Burberry’s house codes into one of Tencent Games’ environments allows customers to engage with the brand in more novel and freeform ways. Just like Burberry’s founder, we want to empower our community to explore their surroundings, whether it is online or offline.” This isn’t the first time Burberry and Tencent have joined forces. In July, the two companies worked together to open the doors of a Burberry store described as “luxury’s first social retail store” in Shenzhen, China. Photo credit: Burberry
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The Met Museum's latest exhibition, sponsored by Louis Vuitton, traces 150 years of fashion

The latest exhibition at the New York Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute traces a century and a half of fashion. About Time: Fashion and Duration, will be on show until February 7th, after a five month delayed opening from May due to the coronavirus. Tracing fashion from 1870 to the present, the exhibition employs Henri Bergson’s concept of la durée (duration),exploring how clothes generate temporal associations that conflate past, present, and future. Virginia Woolf serves as the “ghost narrator” of the exhibition. The timeline unfolds in two adjacent galleries fabricated as enormous clock faces and organised around the principle of 60 minutes of fashion. Each “minute” features a pair of garments, with the primary work representing the linear nature of fashion and the secondary work its cyclical character. To illustrate Bergson’s concept of duration—of the past co-existing with the present—the works in each pair are connected through shape, motif, material, pattern, technique, or decoration. For example, a black silk faille princess-line dress from the late 1870s is paired with an Alexander McQueen “Bumster” skirt from 1995. A black silk satin dress with enormous leg-o’-mutton sleeves from the mid-1890s is juxtaposed with a Comme des Garçons deconstructed ensemble from 2004. All of the garments are black to emphasize changes in silhouette, except at the conclusion of the show, where a white dress from Viktor & Rolf’s spring/summer 2020 haute couture collection, made from upcycled swatches in a patchwork design, serves as a symbol for the future of fashion with its emphasis on community, collaboration, and sustainability. Louis Vuitton, the show’s principal sponsor, has a leather dress from Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquire’s SS18 collection in the exhibition. The museum celebrates its 150th anniversary This year also marks the Metropolitan Museum’s 150th anniversary. Earlier this month key components of its celebration were announced including major gifts of art from around the world; exhibitions and displays that will examine art, history, and culture through spectacular objects; and dynamic programs that will engage The Met’s local and global communities. Daniel H. Weiss, the Museum’s President and CEO, said, “As we celebrate this milestone occasion, 150 years since our founding on April 13, 1870, we are grateful for the bold vision of our founders, who included a handful of New York City leaders and artists of the day. Over the course of the next 150 years, that vision grew into one of the most important cultural institutions in the world. This anniversary is an exciting moment to celebrate what The Met means to its audience, from the New Yorkers who enjoy the Museum regularly, to the millions of tourists who walk through our doors every year, to those who experience our offerings remotely. It is also an opportunity to reflect on our history, to plan thoughtfully for our future, and to say thank you.” Max Hollein, Director of The Met, said, “The Museum’s anniversary is an occasion to celebrate this extraordinary institution, and appreciate the vibrancy and astounding depth and scope of its collection, scholarship, and programs. This moment is also a time to think deeply about our responsibilities as stewards of this exceptional resource, our commitment to cultivating the understanding and appreciation of art, and the ways in which we can illuminate the connections within cultural histories. The Met strives to be a seminal encyclopedic museum—of the world, for the world, and in the world—and we are grateful to everyone who supports us in achieving that goal.” Image via Louis Vuitton
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Podcast: Gucci Podcast discusses Gucci Off The Grid

In this episode, Gucci Podcast introduces the Gucci Off The Grid campaign. The collection is made from bio-based, organic, recycled and sustainably sourced materials. Guests including actress and climate activist Jane Fonda; Japanese guitarist, actor and activist Miyavi; Rapper singer-songwriter Lil Nas X; Singer and producer King Princess; and David de Rothschild, eco-explorer and environmentalist are part of the campaign and discuss their thoughts and advice on working together in fighting the climate crisis. Listen to the podcast below. Gucci Podcast · Jane Fonda, Miyavi, Lil Nas X, King Princess and David de Rothschild on Gucci Off The Grid. Source: Gucci Podcast via Soundcloud Photo credit: Gucci website
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Sweaty Betty seeks new investor

British activewear brand Sweaty Betty is reportedly seeking new investment following strong sales during lockdown. The upmarket brand, which already counts American private equity firm L Catterton as an investor, has called in bankers at Goldman Sachs to seek private equity interest in a deal that could value the company at about 250 million pounds, The Times reports. It is understood Sweaty Betty has been encouraged to consider a sale following the booming success of the athleisure sector since lockdown as people continue to adapt to the work-at-home lifestyle and choose comfort over formality. Founded in London in 1998, Sweaty Betty now has over 60 shops globally including concessions in Selfridges, Harrods and an additional 27 Nordstrom outposts across the US. Photo credit: Sweaty Betty Facebook
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Hugo Boss posts business recovery in Q3, returns to profitability

In the third quarter, Hugo Boss Ag said that the company continued its gradual business recovery. With the vast majority of its own stores back in operation, particularly the group’s own retail business recorded a considerably more robust performance as compared to the first half of the year, with own retail revenues down by 20 percent, currency-adjusted. Overall, group sales amounted to 533 million euros in the third quarter, representing a currency-adjusted decline of 24 percent or 26 percent in the reporting currency, against the prior year period. Despite the overall sales decline, the group generated a positive EBIT of 15 million euros and the net income also returned to positive territory and amounted to 3 million euros. “We made further progress in the recovery of our business, with great contribution coming from online and mainland China. Our profitability returned to positive territory, and we even accelerated our strong cash flow generation,” said Yves Müller, Spokesperson of the managing board of Hugo Boss AG in a statement. Review of third quarter results at Hugo Boss The company added that the group’s own online business saw currency-adjusted sales up 66 percent driven by the expansion of Hugoboss.com to 24 additional markets in June and August. While all three regions recorded a business recovery in the third quarter, the pace of recovery was most pronounced in Asia/Pacific, with currency-adjusted sales down 14 percent. Mainland China, a strategically important market for Hugo Boss reported revenue rise of 27 percent currency-adjusted. In Europe, currency-adjusted sales declined by 21 percent against the prior-year period. The company said, while the region saw a solid rebound of local demand in key markets such as the UK and France, the restraint in tourism continued to weigh on its overall business recovery. In the Americas, currency-adjusted sales were down 41 percent, as the negative implications of the pandemic continued to weigh on the company’s U.S. business, both in own retail and wholesale. Performance of Hugo Boss’ retail channels in Q3 The company further said that currency-adjusted sales in the group’s own retail business (including freestanding stores, shop-in-shops, outlets, and online stores) were down 20 percent on the prior-year level. On a comp store and currency-adjusted basis, sales decreased 23 percent, with Asia/Pacific showing a more robust performance as compared to Europe and the Americas. The group’s own online business posted currency-adjusted sales rise of 66 percent in the third quarter. Overall, sales in the company’s own retail business declined 17 percent in Europe on a currency adjusted basis, and amounted to 212 million euros. At 53 million euros, the company’s retail sales in the Americas decreased by 38 percent, while in the Asia/Pacific region, own retail sales declined by 11 percent on a currency-adjusted basis to 70 million euros. Sales in the wholesale business were down 30 percent, at 157 million euros, currency-adjusted sales with wholesale partners in Europe were 26 percent below the prior-year level, in the Americas, currency-adjusted sales declined by 48 percent to 20 million euros and the Asia/Pacific region saw a 37 percent decrease in currency-adjusted sales to 5 million euros. The difficult market environment also weighed on sales in the license business, which were down 35 percent on the prior-year level, currency-adjusted. At Boss, all three wearing occasions decreased by low double-digit percentage rates, however, the brand’s casualwear and athleisure wear offerings once again showed a more robust performance compared to formalwear, reflecting the ongoing trend towards a more casual lifestyle. Also for Hugo, casualwear proved to be more resilient than formalwear. Consequently, casualwear sales were only down by a mid-single-digit percentage rate. In the first nine months of the year, nine Boss stores were newly opened. In addition, five Boss stores in the United Arab Emirates have been added to the group’s own store network following a change in the basis of consolidation. On the other hand, thirteen Boss stores with expiring leases were closed globally. Picture credit:Hugo Boss
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The Alkemistry launches first pop-up in the Middle East

London-based fine jewellery brand The Alkemistry has launched its first pop-up in the Middle East. The pop-up will be located within Galeries Lafayette in Doha, Qatar from this November and will showcase new designs from The Alkemistry’s most popular female designers alongside their very own unique and creative collections, as well as exclusive pieces for the Middle East market. The Alkemistry founder and creative director, Kirstie Gibbs, said in a statement: "This summer in London we missed our elegant customers from the Middle East who have been great supporters of the brand since launch. Therefore, it is our great honour to be able to bring to magic of The Alkemistry to them. “Launching in the Middle East is a dream come true and seeing our brand communications translated into the beautiful Arabic script made me cry with happiness. I wish to be able to see the pop-up in person soon.” The Alkemistry was founded in 2015 by former Harrods buyer Kirstie Gibbs and specialises in creating timeless luxury jewellery from pure gold, diamonds, pearls and precious gemstones, inspired by the four elements of alchemy. The multi-brand concept is curated from international female jewellers, alongside its own unique designs. The brand is also available at its flagship boutique in Covent Garden and online, as well as in Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. Image: courtesy of The Alkemistry
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Video: Louis Vuitton shares a sneak peak of the Met's newest exhibition

Louis Vuitton celebrates the 2020 exhibition of the Costume Institute titled "About Time: Fashion and Duration” presented at the Met in New York CIty. This year's exhibition is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Metropolitan Museum of Art by exploring fashion's reflection of the times since the founding of the iconic museum. Watch the short film below to get a quick glance at what to expect. Source: Louis Vuitton, via YouTube
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Urban Outfitters expands partnership with AI company CB4

Urban Outfitters has expanded its partnership with CB4, an artificial intelligence (AI) software company, by rolling its software out to all 200 North American stores after a successful pilot. The retailer’s store staff use CB4’s AI solution to “uncover specific products with high local demand that aren’t meeting their full sales potential - prompting store teams to position the products better or make other adjustments to improve product buyability”. CB4 runs machine learning algorithms against a store’s point of sale (POS) data for brick-and-mortar retailers to distinguish physical problems in a store that are holding back sales. Retailers lose 3-5 percent of total sales due to human errors in-store, according to the company. Keith Spirgel, chief operating officer of Urban Outfitters, said in a statement: “CB4 doesn’t require a store merchandiser or the highest-level visual decision-maker to act. The recommendations are straight-forward, and folks on different levels can identify the greatest opportunities in the least amount of time, which has been very useful.” Yoni Benshaul, CEO of CB4, commented: “In working with apparel retailers, we’ve learned there are countless decisions for store teams to make every day. CB4 AI helps guide store associates to simple actions that lift sales, whether it’s making sure that a specific colour is prominently placed on the floor or un-layering something so it can be seen better.” The artificial intelligence company also works with retailers including Levi’s, Lidl, Eroski, Kum & Go and more. Photo credit: Unsplash
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Podcast: Girlboss speaks to Neha Gandhi on the importance of voting

To celebrate the importance of voting, Girlboss is re-running its May 2019 interview with Neha Gandhi, the executive vice president of digital and strategy at Picturestart. Listen to the podcast below. Source: Girlboss via Stitcher
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Video: Black fashion pros discuss changes in fashion following Black Lives Matter movement

This panel discussion presented by ShowStudio creatives discuss their experiences being black in the fashion industry. Model Trey Trey along with make-up artist Crystabel Riley, stylist KK Obi and fashion journalists Eni Subair and Dominic Cadogan meet virtually in this 55-minute conversation. Each one of these fashion pros share personal experiences of change in their field in the aftermath of Black Lives Matter movement. Source: ShowStudio, via YouTube
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Under Armour’s Q3 sales remain flat, forecasts better revenue estimates

Under Armour, Inc., for the third quarter, reported that revenue was flat at 1.4 billion dollars compared to the prior year. The company said, gross margin decreased 40 basis points to 47.9 percent, operating income was 59 million dollars, while adjusted operating income was 133 million dollars. The company added that net income was 39 million dollars, adjusted net income was 118 million dollars, diluted earnings per share were 9 cents and adjusted diluted earnings per share were 26 cents. “Our third-quarter results reflect considerably better than expected performance due to higher demand and our strong execution, especially in North America,” said Under Armour President and CEO Patrik Frisk in a statement. Highlights of Under Armour’s Q3 and 2020 outlook The company’s wholesale revenue decreased 7 percent to 830 million dollars and direct-to-consumer revenue increased 17 percent to 540 million dollars, driven by continued strong growth in ecommerce. North America revenue decreased 5 percent to 963 million dollars and international revenue increased 18 percent or 17 percent currency neutral to 433 million dollars. Within the international business, revenue increased 31 percent or 26 percent currency neutral in EMEA, increased 15 percent or 16 percent currency neutral in Asia-Pacific and decreased 15 percent or 7 percent currency neutral in Latin America. Under Armour further said that apparel revenue decreased 6 percent to 927 million dollars, footwear revenue increased 19 percent to 299 million dollars and accessories revenue increased 23 percent to 145 million dollars. The company said that for the full-year 2020, revenue is expected to be down at a high-teen percentage rate compared to 2019 results, reflecting a low twenties percentage rate decline in North America and a high-single-digit percentage rate decline within the international business. For the fourth quarter, the company now expects revenue to be down at a low-teen percentage rate, versus the previous down 20 to 25 percent expectation, an anticipated substantial decline in licensing revenue, gross margin to be up 20 to 40 basis points. For the fourth quarter, the company anticipates meaningful gross margin pressure primarily related to expectations around a more promotional environment relative to the prior year, operating loss is expected to reach approximately 800 million dollars to 860 million dollars, while adjusted operating loss is expected to reach approximately 140 million dollars to 150 million dollars and adjusted diluted loss per share is expected to be in the range of 47 cents to 49 cents. Picture:Under Armour newsroom
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Sustainable designers and Dutch exchange at Taipei Fashion Week

Taipei Fashion Week SS21 took place at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park from Oct 6 to 10 and ran with the theme ‘Re:Connext’, which was inspired by the ambition to adopt creative energy as solutions and imagine what it means to connect and reconstruct in a post-pandemic world. Having successfully contained the coronavirus, Taiwan is generating a buzz globally because it has kept infection numbers extremely low. As a result, Taipei Fashion Week SS21 (TPEFW) kicked off mostly virtually, but also successfully featured a total of sixteen physical shows with local attendees adhering to strict measures. Shiatzy Chen SS21 (left), if&n SS21 Summer Breeze (right) An online interactive buyer meeting was also launched to help designers interact with international buyers. Virtual shows and digital exhibitions were able to generate audience and engagement on social platforms due to the island’s innovation in VR technology and penchant for multimedia arts. “We fine tuned TPEFW this season to give greater exposure to local designers,” said CM Liu, managing director of Condé Nast Taiwan, recently to Vogue UK. The glittering event closed with festivities organized by TPEFW x Vogue Fashion’s Night Out, cementing its second year since joining the international fashion industry’s calendar. Emerging Taiwanese talent: Sustainable PPE fabric and upcycled fashion Justin Chou, the designer of Luxxury Godbage by JUST IN XX, utilizes waste materials and trimmings to reconstruct second-hand clothing. He expressed in TPEFW’s press release that perhaps there’s no longer a need for trendy attire, but designs that embody meanings, stories, and workmanship. “I’ve been thinking how as a member of the fashion industry, I can reduce waste and environmental pollution. It’s something not only the industry, but also everyone in the global community, should think long and hard about,” Chou fervently stated. Based in Berlin, Taiwanese designer Shih-Shun Huang’s sustainability-conscious brand #Damur took a step further in the innovation of upcycled fashion to create ‘safe travel fashion’ for a pandemic. For its SS21 collection, #Damur worked with Taiwanese textile and chemical fiber factories to manufacture clothes made with PPE P2 fabric into weatherproof and versatile designs. “We printed houndstooth and leather patterns on nonwoven fabric to transform the material beyond medical uses, making it something people can wear in everyday life, including when traveling or on planes,” Huang said in the TPEFW statement. SILZENCE men SS21 Signature collection uses locally sourced fabrics, showcasing Taiwan’s textile industry Dleet SS21 Dual Personality Sustainable textile hub and closing the loop Taiwan is a worldwide hub exporting over 2.5 billion US dollars worth of textiles in 2020. In 2019, the textile and apparel industry in Taiwan recorded a total trade surplus of 5.6 billion US dollars according to the Netherlands Office Taipei. As the local textile industry has steadily invested in new machinery and developed novel products to meet the global market demand, it has been exchanging ideas with the Netherlands in finding solutions to help the island’s manufacturers be more sustainable, circular, and environmentally friendly. Currently, Taiwan is also the second largest export destination in Asia for the Dutch economy. Dutch sustainable solutions and exchange at TPEFW: Water-free dyeing, yarn weaved from sea algae “The textile industry is the second most polluting one in the world and second largest consumer and polluter of water,” said Guido Tielman, Representative of the Netherlands Office Taipei in a recent email to FashionUnited, “and moving its production elsewhere doesn’t solve the problem, so we (the Netherlands) have been looking for international partners with our vision and technologies.” Guido Tielman, Representative and Head of Mission from the Netherlands Office Taipei at the opening of Taipei Fashion Week on Oct 6 where he joined the Minister of Economic Affairs, Wang Mei-Hua and the Minister of Culture, Lee Yung-Te “We see Taiwan as a natural partner because some of the biggest players in textile are based in Taiwan and the Netherlands has many cutting-edge technologies such as reclaiming ocean plastic for new yarns, dyeing without water, and producing fiber out of seaweeds,” Tielman stated. According to Metabolic, a Dutch consulting company that tackles major sustainability challenges, Taiwan’s textile industry has a long history of specialization in performance fabric made from waste-based products (PET bottles, coffee ground) and are pioneering circularity and sustainability efforts in this region. In 2018, Metabolic helped the Taiwan Textile Research Institute (TTRI) conduct a circular scan and material flow analysis to pinpoint key performers in the textile industry and on how the island can continue to lead this part of Asia in closing the loop. Syzygy SS21 Dream of the Star Gazer As seen at the World Economic Forum last year, DyeCoo is a Dutch green-tech company leading in Co2 dyeing technology of water-free and process chemical-free dyeing of polyester. All of the machines are manufactured in the Netherlands and currently both customers and partners are Taiwan’s Formosa Tafetta (FTC) and Far Eastern New Century Corporation (FENC). Another shared vision towards a circular fashion future was from Nienke Hoogvliet, a sustainable designer from the Hague and author of the books “Seaweed Research” and “Fish Leather”. During a project visit, Hoogvliet shared her knowledge with Taiwanese designers on how to weave yarn with seaweed and tan fish skins without using any chemicals. Tielman added, “Backed by the Dutch government, a group of trade organizations and NGOs in the Netherlands signed the Dutch Agreement on Sustainable Garments and Textile in March 2016 vowing to “do everything in their power” to reduce the negative impact of their activities on the environment. Last year, over 40 businesses in the textile industry also joined the Taiwan Circular Textile Initiative on June 12, proving that the Netherlands and Taiwan share a commitment to sustainability.” Designers featured this year included ALLENKO3, C JEAN, Dleet, DOUCHANGLEE, GIOAI PAN, if&n, INF, Luxxury Godbage by JUST IN XX, oqLiq, Seivson, SHIATZY CHEN, SILZENCE men, Syzygy, WEAVISM, WEIYU HUNG, and #DAMUR. Photos: courtesy of Netherlands Office Taipei, courtesy of Taipei Fashion Week SS21
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