Podcast: Girlboss speaks to CEO Sallie Krawcheck

In this episode, Girlboss to CEO and co-founder of Ellevest, Sallie Krawcheck about her career and why not enough women are investing. Listen to the podcast below. Source: Girlboss via Stitcher
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London Designer Outlet expands Adidas store

The London Designer Outlet (LDO) is set to expand its Adidas store to adopt its new design format, which will be a first for UK outlets. Adidas will increase its floor space by 63 percent to 10,550 square feet. The new design format will concentrate on featuring high-resolution interactive displays and active participation spaces for consumers. Adidas is the biggest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and is one of LDOs longest-serving brands. The decision to expand the store in the LDO, which is managed by the UK’s specialist outlet operator Realm, comes after the outlets have continued to perform well during the pandemic as consumers favour value-for-money, local destinations and locations where social distancing can take place, according to the LDO outlet. Sue Shepherd, Realm’s general manager for the LDO, said in a statement: “It is always encouraging when retailers like Adidas upsize since it highlights how much our guests enjoy these brands and emphasises that they have been trading well. We also have a good mix of stores that have been with us since our first few months, including Villeroy & Boch, The North Face and Replay alongside more recent signings such as Radley, Police and Nicce. “Between the enhanced safety measures we have in place and the wide, open spaces of Wembley Park, we are confident that once we can welcome our guests back again after lockdown that they will feel safe in returning, so that they can shop their favourite brands at affordable prices in a secure, accessible environment.” An Adidas spokesperson added: “We’ve been pleased to have had Adidas as part of the LDO since it opened in 2013 and be part of its continued success. After fantastic feedback on our existing store, we have taken the opportunity to expand our footprint and enhance the brand experience. We look forward to serving our consumers in our new store at LDO and continuing to be a part of the growing Wembley Park community.” Photo credit: London Designer Outlet
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Applying for Fashion Design Schools During A Pandemic

Over the past year, fashion design schools have been forced to rethink how they educate students and prepare them for jobs. It’s a monumental task, when so much about Covid-19 is still unknown, making planning for future academic years difficult at best. What’s more, with a shift to online learning and a focus on systemic racism within fashion curriculum, educators are having to shift the very models of education that have been in place for decades, especially when it comes to studio-based and Western-centric learning. *Would you rather listen to this story? You cna hear the full podcast with Susanna Moyer here.* And while institutions grapple with these changes, potential fashion design students wonder how or if these issues may change the application process. According to Susanna Moyer, a part time professor in the BFA Fashion Design program at Parsons School of Design and an educational consultant in New York City, “Some schools and universities will be looking for students that are able to connect with global issues, with inclusivity being one of them.” She emphasizes, “Students who bring innovation and critical thinking to these issues through the creative process will be the most attractive candidates for these institutions.” And more specifically, fashion schools are increasingly looking for students who show an aptitude and knowledge of emerging technologies. Susanna concurs, “Technology is being used in the school environment and the professional arena. So, it's really important for students to understand 3D technology, including Clo3D.” While it’s not expected that an incoming student learn a complex software platform like Clo3D, having an awareness of how it works, or how it changes the design process is very helpful. This is especially true when so much of learning is online right now. At the same time, Susanna points out that the core of what makes a successful portfolio hasn’t really changed. She stresses, “It’s still important for students to present “a clear, focused direction, and diversity in presentation. All elements, including moodboard designs and technical flats need to be well thought out and executed so the storytelling of the collection is understandable to the viewer.” She also recommends that students create a design journal to document the process so that it can be included, as needed, in the portfolio submission. Susanna also points out that students who understand their potential role as a designer within the bigger picture can also help them to stand out, as long as it is authentic. This includes learning everything possible before getting into school. Ultimately, she challenges incoming students to “be original and believe in something.” After all she says, quoting Oscar Wilde, “be yourself, everyone else has taken.” Part of the equation for any incoming student is whether fashion design school is right for them, or if there is even any future in fashion. After all, the world is changing precipitously, and the effect on fashion is obvious. However, Susanna believes that with change are opportunities for students. She says, “the broadening markets and the specializations that are emerging with the changing social rules that are being broken every day. Genderless clothing is one example along with sustainable and ethical practices that are becoming stronger trends with the consumer.” With any change comes opportunity. And an education is meant to prepare students to be ready for new opportunities--to be ready to ideate, innovate and implement. Susanna sums it up, “Choose a school or program that aligns with your values and goals, and gives you a safe space to learn through process and even failure.”
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Calida Group appoints Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart as new CEO

The board of directors of Calida Holding AG has appointed Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart as CEO of the Calida Group. The 48-year-old executive, the company said in a statement, will succeed Reiner Pichler in the first half of 2021, who will continue to run the group until his replacement arrives. Commenting on the new appointment, Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard, Chairman of the company’s board of directors said: “Born in Switzerland and with an impressive international leadership career in the apparel industry as well as in digital transformation, Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart is the ideal match to lead the Calida Group into the future.” The company added that Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart knows the clothing industry extensively from long experience. He held various management positions at VF Corporation for thirteen years, most recently as president of Napapijri and VF EMEA Digital Platform. Schmidt-Eisenhart joined the American company in 2007 to work for The North Face brand. In 2012, he assumed the role of vice president and general manager of the Timberland brand. Prior to joining VF Corporation, Schmidt-Eisenhart had worked for Nike in various product and trade functions. “I am very happy to take on this exciting task and am convinced that the strong brand portfolio of the Calida Group will create added value for our consumers as well as for our shareholders,” added Timo Schmidt-Eisenhart. Picture:Facebook/Calida
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Net-A-Porter managing director steps down

Net-A-Porter managing director Nicola Brandolese has reportedly stepped down from the Italian fashion e-tailer after just one year in the role. It is understood he exited the company last week, an anonymous source told Retail Gazette, though a reason for his departure was not given. Brandolese joined Net-A-Porter in September 2019 from Italian footwear and apparel label Giuseppe Zanotti where he was CEO. In the role, he was in charge of day-to-day operations and overseeing the expansion of the group. Photo credit: Net-A-Porter
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Video: Giorgio Armani presents his spring/summer 2021 fashion show

In this video, Giorgio Armani presents his spring/summer 2021 fashion show at Milan Fashion Week. Watch the fashion show below. Video: Fashion Feed via YouTube Photo credit: Armani
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Black Friday purchases predicted to increase by seven percent

Black Friday purchases are estimated to increase by at least seven percent this year compared to 2019, according to new research. The survey of 2,011 UK consumers conducted by price comparison website Money.co.uk found that purchases by consumers will reach 6 billion pounds on Black Friday this year and that those sales could be responsible for 22,080,000,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Photo credit: Money.co.uk Royal Mail recognised as most carbon-conscious delivery company The ‘Dirty Delivery Report’ also found that Royal Mail was the most carbon-conscious delivery company as it has a network of 90,000 ‘feet on the street’ postal workers, has reduced its carbon emissions by 29 percent since 2005 and has invested in 295 electric vehicles. Delivery company Hermes is expected to produce the most carbon dioxide emissions (58,313 tonnes) from its Black Friday deliveries, while Amazon could process 5.1 million Black Friday sales this year which would result in 18,854 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Majority of UK consumers opt for least sustainable delivery option Just one in ten consumers factor carbon-friendly delivery when choosing where to do their online shopping. 72 percent of respondents admitted to preferring retailers who provide free delivery and 35 percent of consumers stated that they opt for next day delivery, the least carbon-efficient option. 20 percent of those surveyed said that they declined to pay extra to compensate for the carbon generation caused by their purchases, compared to 17 percent who would pay two pounds to do so. The survey revealed that 16 percent of 16-24-year-olds said they would choose a green delivery option, compared to eight percent of 55-year-olds and older. Salman Haqqi, a personal finance expert at money.co.uk, said in a statement: “With almost a third of consumers stating that they would be more likely to shop with a retailer if they offered a green or eco-friendly option, it is clear there is some appetite for more environmentally conscious delivery methods. “Despite this, our research found that 20 percent of shoppers did not want to pay to offset the environmental impact of their online purchases, and a further 42 percent admitted to not feeling any environmental guilt when purchasing items online. “Although there is clear interest from consumers to reduce their carbon footprint when shopping online, it appears speed and reliability are two qualities British consumers are more keen for delivery companies to possess.” Photo credit: Unsplash
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British Fashion Awards winners to receive trophy from recycled plastic

Next week will see the British Fashion Awards take place via a digital format instead of its usual glamorous ceremony. Despite London coming out of lockdown on December 2nd, the event will announce the winners via a short film expected to document the fashion industry in an extraordinary year of unprecedented times. Award winners will not take home the customary accolade. This year the BFC partnered with Parley for the Oceans to created a trophy made of out recycled ocean plastic, executed with 3D printing specialists Nagami. The Fashion Awards to reflect positive change The trophy represents the BFC and Parley’s commitment to encourage positive change within the fashion industry, their efforts to help raise awareness and transparency to promote a more responsible future and encourage the dialogue on environmentally conscious design. The trophy spotlights the necessity of creative collaboration and eco-innovation, essential to overcome the current global crisis. Cyrill Gutsch, Founder and CEO, Parley for the Oceans said: “We are honoured to be given the opportunity by the British Fashion Council to create this year’s Fashion Awards trophy with our partner Nagami – it’s a trophy that stands as a symbol of change and has a direct impact. The fashion community can drive the movement - we can create super trends. Purpose is the new luxury; survival and future materials is the super trend. Together we can bring change and help protect the most fragile ecosystems, the Oceans and our Planet.” “This has been a year like no other. Fashion has probably been changed forever and businesses and designers have had to adapt to a new reality. It is more important than ever to recognise those in the fashion industry who played an important role in this extraordinary year, proving the compassion and resilience of our industry. This is what The Fashion Awards 2020 have set to do, by spotlighting those who have shown leadership and creative resilience over the past year,” said Stephanie Phair, BFC Chair The Fashion Awards film will premiere on Thursday 3rd December 2020 on fashionawards.com and will celebrate the people and organisations who have led change in 2020. Image courtesy British Fashion Council
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Ms Excel Time Function in Detail

India bans 43 more Chinese apps

India banned 43 more Chinese apps on Tuesday including some from e-commerce giant Alibaba, saying they threatened its "sovereignty and integrity" as tensions remain high between the nuclear-armed neighbours following a deadly border clash. New Delhi previously pulled 59 Chinese apps -- including the wildly popular video-sharing platform TikTok -- from its huge domestic market, weeks after the high-altitude battle in the Ladakh region in June when 20 Indian soldiers were killed. A further 118 Chinese mobile applications, including the hit shoot 'em up game PUBG, were banned in September. The latest tranche of banned apps include Alibaba's AliExpress, delivery service Lalamove as well as dating and live-streaming apps. Alibaba's investments in the booming online market in the nation of 1.3 billion people include digital payments platform Paytm and online grocer BigBasket. Anti-China sentiment has soared in India since the clash and sparked calls for a boycott of goods from the neighbouring country. India's imports from China, which include toys, cosmetics, home appliances, auto components and steel, totalled 74.9 billion dollars last year, according to New Delhi.(AFP)
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New Cotton Project launched to prove circular fashion possible

The European Union is funding a new project to harness fashion industry collaborations and technology to create circular fashion. Under the ‘New Cotton Project,’ a consortium of brands, manufacturers, suppliers, innovators and research institutes will be tasked with proving that circular, sustainable fashion “is not only an ambition, but can be achieved today”. The twelve participating fashion companies and brands include Adidas and the H&M Group, alongside Finnish biotechnology group Infinited Fiber Company, Aalto University, Fashion for Good, Frankenhuis, Inovafil, Kipas Textiles, REvolve Waste, Rise, Tekstina, and Xamk. The project, which has received 6.7 million euros in funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, aims to not only demonstrate an entirely circular model for commercial garment production. This would be a world-first in the fashion industry and it hopes that it will also inspire and act as a steppingstone for “even bigger circular initiatives” in the industry going forward. To demonstrate circularity in textiles, over a three-year period textile waste will be collected, sorted and regenerated into Finnish biotechnology group Infinited Fiber Company’s unique, cellulose-based textile fibres. The fibres will be used to create different types of fabrics for clothing that will be designed, manufactured and sold by global brand Adidas and companies in the H&M Group, explained the project in a statement. The initiative will also include at the end-of-use, apparel take-back programmes that will collect the clothing to determine the next phase in their lifecycle. Clothing that can no longer be worn will be returned for regeneration into new fibres, “further contributing to a circular economy in which textiles never go to waste, but are reused, recycled or regenerated into new garments instead”. Adidas and H&M Group join EU-funded circular, sustainable fashion project There is “high potential for circularity within the textile industry,” explains the EU, but also notes that there is “urgent need” for the development of technologies to produce and design sustainable and circular bio-based materials. Making sustainable products commonplace, reducing waste and leading global efforts on circularity are outlined in the European Commission’s EU Circular Economy Action Plan as necessary for Europe’s efforts to drive sustainable growth. It is hoped by funding ‘New Cotton Project’ alongside a consortium of partners from Finland, Portugal, Sweden, Germany, The Netherlands, Slovenia and Turkey, it will help directly addresses what the EU calls “critical issues” while pioneering the implementation of a circular operating model for the textile industry. The ‘New Cotton Project’ is in direct response to the fact that most of the textile industry’s environmental problems relate to the raw materials used by the industry: cotton, fossil-based fibres such as polyester, and viscose as the most common man-made cellulosic fibre, are all associated with serious environmental concerns. It is hoped that this research initiative will offer a “valuable solution for textile waste and an alternative to the industry’s reliance on virgin materials like cotton” as the project recaptures the valuable raw materials in discarded clothing and regenerates them back into high-quality, cellulose-based fibres that can be spun into new yarn, woven into new fabric, and designed into new clothes – again and again. As this is the first project of its kind, the consortium also notes that this is an opportunity to identify and find solutions for potential bottlenecks to scaling up circular textile production and for calculating the environmental impacts over the lifecycle of textiles. Infinited Fiber Company to lead a fashion consortium to demonstrate circular fashion possible Infinited Fiber Company, whose patented technology can regenerate cellulose-rich textile waste into unique fibres that look and feel like cotton, is leading the consortium of 12 companies and organisations that span the entire supply chain. Manufacturers Inovafil, Tekstina and Kipas will use the regenerated fibres to produce yarns, woven fabrics and denim respectively, while Adidas and companies in the H&M Group will design, manufacture and sell clothing made from the fabrics. In addition, sportswear brand Adidas will also be collecting customer feedback and insights and, developing its textile take-back programme to reintegrate returned apparel back into the loop. Other members of the consortium including Frankenhuis will sort and pre-process the textile waste used in the project, while the South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (Xamk) will develop a technical solution for the continuous processing of textile waste fibres for pre-treatment and REvolve Waste will collect and manage data on textile waste to estimate feedstock availability in Europe and define the grade of the used textile waste. Rise, the research institute of Sweden, will conduct the sustainability and techno-economic analyses for the project together with Infinited Fiber Company, as well as managing the eco-labelling for the project and subsequent fabrics and garments. While Finland’s Aalto University will analyse the created ecosystem and circular business models more broadly to help define the most feasible business model for the project. Sustainable fashion innovation platform Fashion for Good will facilitate stakeholder cooperation and conduct training, leading all project communication, branding and dissemination with support from Aalto University and Infinited Fiber Company. “We are very excited and proud to lead this project, which is breaking new ground when it comes to making circularity in the textile industry a reality,” said Infinited Fiber Company’s co-founder and chief executive, Petri Alava. “The enthusiasm and commitment with which the entire consortium has come together to work towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for fashion is truly inspiring.” Image: courtesy of New Cotton Project - Infinited Fiber - shredded textile to regenerated cellulose carbamate fibre
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Video: Gucci presents the final episode of short film series

In this video, Gucci presents the final episode of its seven-part short film series called the ‘Ouverture of something that never ended’ directed by Gus Van Sant and Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele. The seven-part series will show the new collection by Alessandro Michele and stars actress Silvia Calderoni. The collection was also presented during the GucciFest fashion and film festival from November 16-22. Watch the final episode below. Video: Gucci via YouTube Photo credit: Gucci, Facebook
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No-deal Brexit puts 127,000 textile jobs at risk, Euratex warns

The UK leaving the EU without a deal could result in the loss of 127,000 jobs in the textile and clothing (T&C) industry, new research suggests. According to a new study, commissioned by the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (Euratex) with the University of Leuven in Belgium, a no-deal Brexit could lead to job losses of over 100,000 from the EU-27 and over 27,000 from the UK. Euratex said output losses for the UK would be 41.8 percent of its value added in T&C production, while the EU-27 as a whole would lose about 9.7 percent. The largest share of the EU-27 job losses per country in decreasing order would be Italy, Romania, Portugal, Germany, France, Spain and Poland. Under a hard Brexit, about 27,000, 12,000 and 11,000 jobs will be lost in Italy, Romania and Portugal, respectively. That corresponds to about 27 percent, 12 percent and 10 percent of the EU-27 total working population in the sector. However, as a proportion of the sector employment and value added in the country, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Denmark and Czechia would be the hardest hit countries within the EU-27, both in terms of value added and in job losses. For Ireland and Belgium, a hard Brexit would lead to respectively -23 percent and -14 percent of job losses in the sector and an output loss of -40 percent and -25 percent of their sector value added. Negotiations are still ongoing between the UK and EU but a no-deal could still occur if there is no timely ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, or if the Withdrawal Agreement is ratified but no agreement on the EU-UK future relationship is struck before the end of the transition period on 31 December. Euratex said a soft Brexit scenario would minimize the damage, but would still be significant. In this scenario, it’s expected there would be 4,759 job losses in the UK with an output loss of 7.3 percent of its value added, and 17,786 job losses in the EU-27 with an output loss of 1.7 percent of its value added. Dirk Vantyghem, director general of Euratex, said the figures “reflect companies’ legitimate concern with a no-deal Brexit”. “EU-UK trade relations are an essential component of their competitive business model, on both sides. For the T&C industry, we have offered a win-win solution (integrating the UK in the PEM Convention), which would limit disruptions in the T&C value chain to a minimum,” Vantyghem said. Euratex president Alberto Paccanelli added: “I call on political leaders on both sides to use their common sense, and think about the jobs which are at stake. Our companies try to maintain employment levels, despite the impact of Covid19; we cannot add more burden to them.” Photo credit: freestocks.org, Pexels
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Macy's Inc appoints new senior vice president of corporate communications

Department store Macy’s Inc has appointed Malek Robert Amirshahi as the company’s new senior vice president of corporate communications, effective December 7. Amirshahi replaces Cheryl Heinonen, who will be leaving Macy’s, Inc. after the holiday season. He will report to the chief transformation and human resources officer at Macy’s Inc, Danielle Kirgan. In this role, Amirshahi will drive both external and internal communications across the company. He will be responsible for driving alignment and consistent messaging across business strategy, transformation, colleague and culture initiatives. Currently, Amirshahi is the senior vice president of corporate communications at Univision Communications Inc, a Hispanic media company in the US. He has also held a number of roles at Time Warner Cable, Cox Enterprises and its subsidiaries. “Bobby brings a strategic mindset to how communications and reputation can advance the business and inspire people. His energy, experience with high-profile brands and passion for inclusion make him a great fit for Macy’s, Inc.,” Kirgan said in a statement.
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Video: Episode two of the circular movement

Serendipity Vintage Dreamer presents episode two of a series called ‘the circular movement’ where the aim is to show the diversity and value of vintage clothing. In the video, model and world traveler Miranda Kramer talks about buying vintage. Watch the video below. Source: Serendipity Vintage Dreamer via YoutTube
http://dlvr.it/RmK1f5

Black models take over Sao Paulo Fashion Week

Afro-Brazilian models Shirley Pitta and Gloria Maria Fonseca Siqueira had dreamed of the catwalk since they were girls, but in a Brazilian fashion world much whiter than the country itself, it remained a far-away fantasy until recently. In a sign of changing times in Brazil and elsewhere, the pair saw their dreams come true at this year's Sao Paulo Fashion Week. SPFW, one of the industry's premier events, this year implemented a requirement for at least half of every label's models to be people of color, in a move hailed by black and indigenous rights activists. "It took me a long time to see myself as a beautiful person, a person who exists. Because on television, I always saw things I wasn't," says Pitta, 21, whose portfolio already includes work for leading fashion magazines Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire. She calls herself a "black favela girl from the Northeast," referring to the slums of Brazil's most impoverished region. Her modern-day Cinderella story has captured as much attention as her striking appearance. Before she was discovered in 2018, she spent her days selling grilled kebabs outside the zoo in her hometown, Salvador. "We were there every day, including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. We got there in the morning and we worked into the night," she told AFP in between gigs at SPFW, as Brazil prepared to celebrate Black Consciousness Day on Friday. With her short hair, high cheekbones and piercing gaze, Pitta exudes a confidence she says does not come as easily at it might appear. "When I was little I used to wrap towels around my head," ashamed of the way her hair looked, she says. "It's important to talk about these things, because our children won't have long, straight hair when they grow up, and they need to know that's not a problem. It's something beautiful." In Brazil, the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery -- in 1888 -- around 55 percent of the population identifies as black or mixed-race. But although whites earn 74 percent more than people of color on average, a national debate on racial inequality has only begun relatively recently. The conversation was perhaps delayed by a long-held idea among the Brazilian elite that the country was a "racial democracy" protected from racism by the fact that most people have some black or indigenous ancestry. So it was a sign of radical change when SPFW, which was held remotely this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, required more inclusive casting. That opened the doors to Pitta and 17-year-old Siqueira. 'I'll never make it' Tall and thin, with an exuberant afro, Siqueira says it took her a long time to realize she could have a future in the fashion world, despite people telling her she had potential as a model. "I'll never make it," she remembers thinking when she saw the model catalogue at Ford Models, one of the industry's top agencies, as a 15-year-old. Now, she gives interviews from the agency's headquarters in Sao Paulo. "I wasn't confident. I thought I wasn't beautiful enough," she says. "But now I know I can travel the world through this." The youngest of seven children from a lower-middle-class family, Siqueira grew up admiring models like Naomi Campbell and Adut Akech. She sees Brazil, home to supermodel Gisele Bundchen, as a country of diversity, something she would like to see it embrace for its positive aspects. "Sometimes people feel like they're less because they're different, and they try to fit a standard that isn't them. They don't realize that being different is unique," she says. Pitta sees the industry at a turning point. "We're breaking through. I'm not going to sit there thinking about the past. We're moving forward," she says.(AFP) Nelson Almeida / AFP
http://dlvr.it/RmGVZr

Black models take over Sao Paulo Fashion Week

Afro-Brazilian models Shirley Pitta and Gloria Maria Fonseca Siqueira had dreamed of the catwalk since they were girls, but in a Brazilian fashion world much whiter than the country itself, it remained a far-away fantasy until recently. In a sign of changing times in Brazil and elsewhere, the pair saw their dreams come true at this year's Sao Paulo Fashion Week. SPFW, one of the industry's premier events, this year implemented a requirement for at least half of every label's models to be people of color, in a move hailed by black and indigenous rights activists. "It took me a long time to see myself as a beautiful person, a person who exists. Because on television, I always saw things I wasn't," says Pitta, 21, whose portfolio already includes work for leading fashion magazines Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire. She calls herself a "black favela girl from the Northeast," referring to the slums of Brazil's most impoverished region. Her modern-day Cinderella story has captured as much attention as her striking appearance. Before she was discovered in 2018, she spent her days selling grilled kebabs outside the zoo in her hometown, Salvador. "We were there every day, including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. We got there in the morning and we worked into the night," she told AFP in between gigs at SPFW, as Brazil prepared to celebrate Black Consciousness Day on Friday. With her short hair, high cheekbones and piercing gaze, Pitta exudes a confidence she says does not come as easily at it might appear. "When I was little I used to wrap towels around my head," ashamed of the way her hair looked, she says. "It's important to talk about these things, because our children won't have long, straight hair when they grow up, and they need to know that's not a problem. It's something beautiful." In Brazil, the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery -- in 1888 -- around 55 percent of the population identifies as black or mixed-race. But although whites earn 74 percent more than people of color on average, a national debate on racial inequality has only begun relatively recently. The conversation was perhaps delayed by a long-held idea among the Brazilian elite that the country was a "racial democracy" protected from racism by the fact that most people have some black or indigenous ancestry. So it was a sign of radical change when SPFW, which was held remotely this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, required more inclusive casting. That opened the doors to Pitta and 17-year-old Siqueira. 'I'll never make it' Tall and thin, with an exuberant afro, Siqueira says it took her a long time to realize she could have a future in the fashion world, despite people telling her she had potential as a model. "I'll never make it," she remembers thinking when she saw the model catalogue at Ford Models, one of the industry's top agencies, as a 15-year-old. Now, she gives interviews from the agency's headquarters in Sao Paulo. "I wasn't confident. I thought I wasn't beautiful enough," she says. "But now I know I can travel the world through this." The youngest of seven children from a lower-middle-class family, Siqueira grew up admiring models like Naomi Campbell and Adut Akech. She sees Brazil, home to supermodel Gisele Bundchen, as a country of diversity, something she would like to see it embrace for its positive aspects. "Sometimes people feel like they're less because they're different, and they try to fit a standard that isn't them. They don't realize that being different is unique," she says. Pitta sees the industry at a turning point. "We're breaking through. I'm not going to sit there thinking about the past. We're moving forward," she says.(AFP)
http://dlvr.it/RmFKw0

Adidas collaborates with model Karlie Kloss

Sportswear brand Adidas has collaborated with fashion model Karlie Kloss for the first time on a new activewear collection. The collection features a range of clothing including high-performance workout bras and tights and streetwear-inspired pieces consisting of pants, parkas, shoes, shorts and t-shirts in collegial colours with orange accents. To minimise plastic waste, the collection uses Primeblue, a material made from Parley Ocean Plastic which uses upcycled plastic waste that is intercepted before it reaches the ocean. It also uses Primegreen which is a high-performance fabric created from recycled materials. The Adidas x Karlie Kloss campaign includes changemakers Alexis Williams and Elysha Ang who are both involved in ‘Kode With Klossy’, a nonprofit organisation founded by Kloss to help women develop their computer science skills. Jo Aberg, vice president of design at Adidas, said in a statement: “Karlie’s passion for sport, fashion, tech and innovation, and her ongoing commitment to creating opportunities for young women through personal projects like ‘Kode With Klossy’, make her the perfect partner in the Adidas family to collaborate on a fresh collection that inspires women everywhere to embrace sport to foster a strong body and mind.” Kloss commented: “Sustainability was key to our process. Jo and I incorporated Adidas’ cutting-edge recycled materials to reflect both the brand’s dedication to innovation as well as our young athletes’ commitment to a more sustainable future. I hope this collaboration inspires the next generation of women to use sport to fuel their passions and achieve their ambitions.” The Adidas x Karlie Kloss collection will be available on Adidas’ website from December 1. There will be additional season drops in 2021. Photo credit: Adidas
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Podcast: Girlboss talks to entrepreneur Michelle Phan

In this episode, Girlboss talks to entrepreneur and founder of make-up subscription company Ipsy, Michelle Phan, about her journey into entrepreneurship, rebranding herself, surviving burnout, her views on business intuition, and the value of recharging to gain clarity. Listen to the podcast below. Source: Girlboss via Stitcher
http://dlvr.it/RmCF6r

Clarks gets green light for CVA

British footwear retailer Clarks has received the green light from creditors to go ahead with a company voluntary arrangement (CVA). Earlier this month, Hong Kong-based private equity firm LionRock Capital agreed to acquire a 100 million pound majority stake in Clarks provided the retailer’s CVA got the go-ahead. The retailer announced Friday its proposal was approved by 90 percent of its creditors. The LionRock Capital investment is still subject to shareholder approval and the successful completion of a 28-day challenge period on the CVA. As part of the proposed CVA, Clarks is now looking to move 60 of its 320 stores to nil rent. Clarks CVA approved Philip de Klerk, interim chief financial officer at Clarks, said in a statement: “I am very pleased that the CVA was approved today. This is a significant step towards the formation of our new partnership with LionRock Capital.” Gavin Maher, partner at Deloitte, said: “The approval of the CVA is an important milestone for Clarks, enabling the business to move forward. The CVA, together with the proposed investment from LionRock, will provide a stable platform upon which the management’s transformation strategy can be delivered.” Photo credit: Clarks
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Podcast: Spirit of 608 discusses founder Cricket Lee's clothes sizing technology

In this episode, Spirit of 608 Podcast discusses Cricket Lee’s new business, Botasci, and the clothes sizing technology that it uses, costly e-commerce returns and sustainability. Listen to the podcast below. Source: Spirit of 608 Podcast via Stitcher
http://dlvr.it/RmBVD8