Carter's records drop in Q4 sales and earnings

Carter’s, Inc. fourth quarter consolidated net sales decreased 110.6 million dollars or 10.1 percent to 989.9 million dollars, while full year consolidated net sales decreased 495 million dollars or 14.1 percent to 3 billion dollars. The company said, sales declined in all segments principally due to disruptions related to the Covid-19 pandemic. U.S. Retail segment comparable sales declined 9 percent, reflecting a decline in store sales, partially offset by ecommerce growth of 16 percent. Full year, comparable ecommerce sales in the U.S. and Canada increased 30 percent and 71 percent, respectively. “Despite the ongoing pandemic-related challenges, we achieved our sales and earnings objectives in the fourth quarter,” said Michael D. Casey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company, adding, “The strength and growth of our ecommerce capabilities and exclusive brands sold through Amazon, Target and Walmart helped to mitigate the impact of lower traffic to our stores and demand from international customers.” Review of Carter’s Q4 and full year results The company’s operating income decreased 28.9 million dollars or 17.8 percent to 133.9 million dollars, while operating margin decreased 130 basis points to 13.5 percent and adjusted operating income decreased 16.8 million dollars or 10.3 percent to 145.5 million dollars and adjusted operating margin was comparable at 14.7 percent. Net income decreased 26.1 million dollars or 20.9 percent to 99 million dollars or 2.26 dollars per diluted share, while adjusted net income decreased 16.9 million dollars or 13.5 percent to 107.9 million dollars and adjusted earnings per diluted share decreased 12.5 percent to 2.46 dollars. Operating income in fiscal 2020 was 189.9 million dollars compared to 371.9 million dollars in fiscal 2019, and adjusted operating income was 279.8 million dollars compared to 401 million dollars in fiscal 2019. Net income for the year was 109.7 million dollars or 2.50 dollars per diluted share compared to 263.8 million dollars or 5.85 dollars per diluted share in fiscal 2019. Adjusted net income was 182.6 million dollars compared to 291.7 million dollars in fiscal 2019, while adjusted earnings per diluted share were 4.16 dollars compared to 6.46 dollars in fiscal 2019. Carter’s expects to growth in sales and earnings for FY21 For fiscal 2021, the company projects net sales will increase approximately 5 percent and adjusted diluted earnings per share will increase approximately 10 percent compared to adjusted diluted earnings per share of 4.16 dollars in fiscal 2020. For the first quarter of fiscal 2021, the company projects net sales will be comparable to the first quarter of fiscal 2020 and adjusted diluted earnings per share will be approximately 25 cents compared to adjusted diluted loss per share of 81 cents in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. Image:Osh Kosh B’gosh,Facebook
http://dlvr.it/Rtczng

LVMH subsidiary buys majority stake in Birkenstock

A subsidiary of French luxury group LVMH and its billionaire owner Bernard Arnault have purchased a majority stake in Birkenstock, the German maker of the iconic and eponymous sandals said Friday. No details were given about the price paid by LVMH subsidiary L Catterton and Arnault's family holding fund Financiere Agache, but analysts put the price-tag at around 4.0 billion euros (4.9 billion dollars). "For the next 250 years we need partners sharing the same strategic and long-term vision as the Birkenstock family," brothers Christian and Alex Birkenstock said in a statement. Birkenstock acquired by L Catterton The new co-owners "bring both a deep understanding of the details of a manufacturing business that is all about quality and a respect for brands with a long heritage like ours," said the two brothers, who will retain a stake in the company. Founded in 1774 by Johann Adam Birkenstock, the company started off making orthopedic shoes. By 1897, Konrad Birkenstock had made the first flexible sole fitting the contours of the feet. The company remained in family hands and in the 1990s was given a celebrity boost when supermodel Kate Moss wore them for a fashion shoot. The wide-strapped flat sandals persist as popular footwear for Hollywood stars in the summer. Birkenstock now employs 4,300 people around the world, and reported a record year in revenues in 2020 even though much of walk-in retail was shuttered across the world as governments scrambled to halt the coronavirus pandemic.(AFP) Image: Birkenstock, Facebook
http://dlvr.it/RtcVlr

Adaptive Fashion webinar series by the CFDA

On January 19th 2021, CFDA hosted its first webinar as part of the Adaptive Fashion series in partnership with Runway of Dreams and Gamut Management. The speakers included Mindy Scheier - the Founder of Runway of Dreams, and a panel of guests, who shared their insights, experiences, and perspective on fashion as People with Disabilities. In the second part of the webinar series six industry leaders from brands who are putting their resources behind their adaptive divisions discussed how this segment was benefiting their businesses. The experts who joined us for the webinar which you can view above included: Khatija Ghasletwala from Tommy Hilfiger, Judy Koepsel from Kohl’s Kids, Naly Lee from Stride Rite, Stacey Monsen from Target, Gena Smith from LVMH, and Dana Zumbo from Zappos.com. The third episode included a group of academic and researchers who shared real-life business cases based on their many years of research on the power of Adaptive fashion and inclusion of People with Disabilities. The experts, Dr. Kerri McBee-Black, Assistant Teaching Professor from University of Missouri-Columbia, Dr. Kristen Morris, Assistant Professor at Colorado State University, as well as Erin Schmidt and Deborah Weinswig from Coresight Research. To conclude the Adaptive Fashion Series, CFDA hosted a webinar which brought together a group of innovators with disabilities and innovators working with people with disabilities who shared how they solve a problem and create products or concepts to help “navigate” a world that was not designed for them. The participants included Billy Price from Billy Footwear, Kaycee Marshall, Adriana Mallozzi from Quirk Laabs, Jovana Mullins from Alivia, Ryan Hudson-Peralta, and Qaysean Williams. Video source: CFDA via Youtube
http://dlvr.it/Rtc4QB

LVMH subsidiary buys majority stake in Birkenstock

A subsidiary of French luxury group LVMH and its billionaire owner Bernard Arnault have purchased a majority stake in Birkenstock, the German maker of the iconic and eponymous sandals said Friday. No details were given about the price paid by LVMH subsidiary L Catterton and Arnault's family holding fund Financiere Agache, but analysts put the price-tag at around 4.0 billion euros (4.9 billion dollars). "For the next 250 years we need partners sharing the same strategic and long-term vision as the Birkenstock family," brothers Christian and Alex Birkenstock said in a statement. Birkenstock acquired by L Catterton The new co-owners "bring both a deep understanding of the details of a manufacturing business that is all about quality and a respect for brands with a long heritage like ours," said the two brothers, who will retain a stake in the company. Founded in 1774 by Johann Adam Birkenstock, the company started off making orthopedic shoes. By 1897, Konrad Birkenstock had made the first flexible sole fitting the contours of the feet. The company remained in family hands and in the 1990s was given a celebrity boost when supermodel Kate Moss wore them for a fashion shoot. The wide-strapped flat sandals persist as popular footwear for Hollywood stars in the summer. Birkenstock now employs 4,300 people around the world, and reported a record year in revenues in 2020 even though much of walk-in retail was shuttered across the world as governments scrambled to halt the coronavirus pandemic.(AFP) Image: Birkenstock, Facebook
http://dlvr.it/RtYqJh

Video: Mark Fast at LFW

In this video, Mark Fast has presented his FW21 Watch the video below. Do you want to see more FW21 clothing collections? Click here to view the FashionUnited Marketplace. Video: Mark Fast via YouTube Photo credit: London Fashion Week
http://dlvr.it/RtXZFW

Video: Bora Aksu at LFW

In this video, Turkish fashion design Bora Aksu has presented his FW21 collection at London Fashion Week (LFW). Watch the video below. Do you want to see more FW21 clothing collections? Click here to view the FashionUnited Marketplace. Video: BoraAksuStudio via YouTube Photo credit: London Fashion Week
http://dlvr.it/RtXZ96

Video: LYPH FW21 collection

In this video, fashion label LYPH has presented its FW21 collection called 'A State of Altered Ego' at London Fashion Week (LFW). Watch the video below. Do you want to see more FW21 clothing collections? Click here to view the FashionUnited Marketplace. Video: LYPH via YouTube Photo credit: London Fashion Week
http://dlvr.it/RtTq1X

Milan fashion week: Black Lives Matter designers make history

Last minute touches on a frilly white dress, a final coat of powder and it's showtime for the Black Lives Matter-inspired collective making history at Milan Fashion Week. After a years-long battle to improve diversity on the Italian catwalks, a group of five black designers made their on-schedule debut Wednesday by opening the women's Fall/Winter fashion shows. All this season's shows are pre-recorded due to coronavirus, but AFP was given exclusive access to their preparations last week at Milan's Circolo Filologico library, not far from the Scala. Is opening fashion week a victory? "I'd say it's a first step," said Michelle Ngonmo, who chose those to include in the debut show. She is a co-founder of the collective dubbed Black Lives Matter in Italian Fashion, named after the anti-racism movement that swept the United States last year and reached Europe. Longer term, "we have to make the society we live in understand that the 'Made in Italy' label is not a question of skin colour but of know-how", she told AFP. On an individual level, opening Milan Fashion Week is a dream come true for the designers, all Italian but born in various African countries. Claudia Gisele Ntsama, a 29-year-old from Cameroon, admitted being "a little nervous" as she fussed with the eco-friendly looks in pastel tones made entirely from hemp. Nearby, fellow designer Fabiola Manirakiza played with silk in floral prints for her brand, Frida Kiza. "In general, we are ignored, we are invisible. But this is a rebirth," exclaimed Manirakiza, whose parents were killed in 1972 in ethnic violence in Burundi. 'Wall of Silence' Ngonmo co-founded the collective last year alongside designers Edward Buchanan and Stella Jean, who has been the only black member of the National Chamber for Italian Fashion since 2016. It participated in Milan's Fashion Week in September, with a video featuring the same five designers, but that "was just a teaser," explained Mokudu Fall, 45, from Senegal. "Now we're on the official calendar, I've been dreaming about it since I've been in fashion," Fall said. In a nod to his African origins, his collection -- "works of art that I transpose on clothes" -- featured satin lions and zebras in gold and red, his favourite colours. Previously, the presentation of the collections of black designers was confined to Afro Fashion Week, which launched in Milan with a show in 2016. "For years we came up against a wall of silence when knocking on the door" of the fashion chamber, said Ngonmo, the founder of Afro Fashion Week. The catalyst for change was the death last year in US police custody of an African-American man, George Floyd, an event that triggered anti-racism protests across the US and the world. Carlo Capasa, head of the fashion chamber, acknowledged that the death of Floyd was "an important moment of awareness for the whole world". Thanks to the collective, "we have become more aware of this theme" of racism, he said, adding: "In fact, we could have done more." The chamber now supports the collective through tutoring on design and business skills, and finances the five designers' fashions show and the collections of three of them. 'Work twice as hard' "As a woman and an immigrant in Italy, I had to work twice as hard to prove that I have the same skills as the others," said Joy Meribe, a 43-year-old born in Nigeria. Her collection -- dresses and skirts in 100% organic silk, yellow, Atlantic blue and dark red -- was made entirely in Italy, like all the others. Buchanan, an African-American who has been in Italy for 25 years and co-founded the collection, said he has experienced racism on a daily basis. He said people often assume that he makes T-shirts, or other garments for hip-hop fashion. "They find it hard to imagine that I work in the luxury sector," he said. But this first official show of the association gives hope to some. "It's a dream come true," says Karim Daoudi, 27, a designer born in Morocco. Of his shoes featured in the show, he said: "I hope they will go around the world."(AFP) Image: MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP
http://dlvr.it/RtSVRG

TJX Companies posts drop in Q4 sales and profit

The TJX Companies, Inc. net sales for the fourth quarter were 10.9 billion dollars compared to 12.2 billion dollars in the fourth quarter last year, with overall open-only comp store sales down 3 percent versus last year. Net income for the fourth quarter was 326 million dollars and diluted earnings per share were 27 cents. The company said that the fourth quarter results were negatively impacted by the temporary closure of some of its stores due to the Covid-19 global pandemic. For fiscal 2021, net sales were 32.1 billion dollars compared to 41.7 billion dollars in fiscal 2020 and overall open-only comp store sales were down 4 percent versus last year. Net income was 90 million dollars and diluted earnings per share were 07 cents. Commenting on the results, Ernie Herrman, Chief Executive Officer and President of The TJX Companies stated: “ “In terms of the business results, I am very pleased that our fourth quarter open-only comp store sales were down only 3 percent, exceeding our plans. As we start the new fiscal year, while uncertainty around Covid-19 remains, we feel very good about the strength of the business and our market share opportunities beyond the health crisis.” For the fourth quarter, the company’s consolidated pretax profit margin was 4.6 percent, while for the full year, the company’s consolidated pretax profit margin was 0.3 percent. The company declared a quarterly dividend in the fourth quarter at an increased rate of 26 cents per share. This represented a 13 percent increase in the per share dividend compared to the company’s previous dividend paid in March 2020. TJX added that it expects to declare a dividend of 26 cents per share in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, subject to board approval.
http://dlvr.it/RtSVQk

Maurices names new CEO as George Goldfarb steps down

US womenswear chain Maurices has announced the appointment of David Kornberg as its new president and CEO as longtime chief George Goldfarb steps down from the role. “I am very excited to join the Maurices team,” said Kornberg, who will start his new position on March 15. “I believe Maurices has a great business model, a talented management team and is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the changing retail landscape.” Outgoing CEO Goldfarb, who has been at the company for the past 36 years, will transition to chairman emeritus, and serve on the company’s board of directors. “Though George’s shoes will be hard to fill, we are confident that David is the right successor,” said executive chairman Jeff Kirwan. “David is an extremely talented leader with experience from notable brands including Disney, Marks & Spencer and Express, where, as President and CEO, he drove the omnichannel transformation and the brand’s evolution. David has a deep understanding of the consumer and is recognized as a customer and people-centric leader.” Image: Maurices, Facebook
http://dlvr.it/RtPm4V

Video: Sabirah FW21 collection

In this video, fashion label Sabirah by Deborah Latouche has presented its FW21 collection at London Fashion Week (LFW). Watch the video below. Do you want to see more FW21 clothing collections? Click here to view the FashionUnited Marketplace. Video: Sabirah by Deborah Latouche via YouTube Photo credit: London Fashion Week
http://dlvr.it/RtNQnw

Video: The Blonds FW21 collection

In this video, fashion label The Blonds has presented its FW21 collection at New York Fashion Week (NYFW). Watch the video below. Do you want to see more FW21 clothing collections? Click here to view the FashionUnited Marketplace. Video: Vrai Magazine via YouTube Photo credit: The Blonds, Facebook
http://dlvr.it/RtNQgg

Video: Kim Shui FW21 collection

In this video, fashion designer Kim Shui has presented her FW21 collection at New York Fashion Week (NYFW). Watch the video below. Do you want to see more FW21 clothing collections? Click here to view the FashionUnited Marketplace. Video: FF Channel via YouTube Photo credit: New York Style Guide, Facebook
http://dlvr.it/RtKfdw

Kur Collection: Craft That Has Come Full Circle

According to Sass Brown, “They include Biralu lace in almost every piece of the collection in some way, shape or form, although sometimes it's very minimal.” And Kasuni, the creator and designer at the helm of KUR collection is dedicated to ensuring that this slow fashion tradition is not lost, but continued. Sass stresses, “Kasuni sees part of her role as sustaining that tradition as something that's unique from the heritage that she has a product from.” Listen to the full podcast here:
http://dlvr.it/RtJKSQ

Burberry presents menswear-focused collection during LFW

Riccardo Tisci showcased his first menswear-focused collection for Burberry during London Fashion Week with a presentation from within its flagship on Regent Street store in London, reconfigured as a wandering terrain. The autumn/winter 2021 menswear collection “gently challenges and subtly reinvents traditions, inviting freedom of expression,” explains Burberry, taking inspiration from connecting with the outdoors. Burberry chief creative officer, Riccardo Tisci, said of the collection in the show notes: “For my first Burberry menswear-focused collection, I wanted to celebrate the freedom of expression. Enclosed indoors, I dreamt of the outdoors and its beauty, fuelled by the thought of the creativity that comes when we are together. “With this dream in mind, I became fascinated by the widespread British craft and outdoor movements of the early 20th Century, when people escaped to explore the unknown countryside. They formed communities with a deep respect for nature and the outdoors and looked forward to a future full of possibility. I was not only drawn to the artistry of their craft, colours and shapes, but also to their strong sense of camaraderie and friendship.” LFW AW21: Burberry menswear ‘Escapes’ collection Burberry explains that the clothes for autumn/winter 2021 have been “engineered to reflect motion and activity” with pleats, panels and fringes, and layered pieces “morph unexpectedly on the body”. Tailoring has been given a sense of twisted classicism, with a slim-fit tailored jacket featuring exaggerated lapels, worn with split tailored shorts over metallic mesh cycling shorts. While panel details transform an English-fit suit in wool ramie, and classic-fit trousers and tailored shorts in grain de poudre wool, alongside pleated dresses and skirts. Outerwear is key throughout the collection with reconstructed varsity jackets featured in plongé leather and cotton cashmere with ‘B’ insignias, and duffle coats given a modern update with striped wool and tactile faux-fur fabrications, cropped silhouettes, bullion fringing, and exaggerated reconstructed pockets. The Burberry trench is evolving for autumn/winter with the iconic look combined with the Harrington jacket, long at the front and short at the back. There was also a modern juxtaposition across knitwear and outerwear with the V-neck of a sweater seen on a trench coat, while a double-breasted panelled is present on a jumper. The Burberry animal kingdom, a signature house code, is once again revisited through prints and shapes, as a “nod to the wilderness and the creatures within”. Deer motifs inspire the silhouettes of knitted beanies, while boots and sneakers on moulded soles have been sculpted to resemble hooves and even hoods on the shaggy coats have ears. Accessories featured over-sized totes slung over shoulders, seen in faux fur, leather and the Thomas Burberry Monogram print, and new iterations of the Pocket Bag family made their debut, including a leather bum bag and backpack for wanderers, carrying umbrellas and picnic blankets. Scarves were styled as belts, large whistles adorn zips and leather-clad carabiner charms, and lambskin bear-motif charms embossed with a logo graphic were attached to bags. There is also a tonal and rich colour palette, with Burberry beige, bark brown, oxblood burgundy, and city greys, seen alongside shades of pale blue and pink. Tisci, said: “This collection is an homage to the relationship between humanity and nature, where we can break free and come together to discover new forms of expression. It’s for those who are defining their own path, whose strength and energy have inspired this Burberry collection.” While females were included in the presentation, Burberry added that each of the models was wearing menswear products. The presentation also sees Tisci collaborating with British music supervisor, composer and arranger, Bridget Samuels, as the executive music producer for the autumn/winter 2021 menswear presentation soundtrack. Tisci and Samuels commissioned British composer and multi-instrumentalist, Peter Gregson, to create a reworking of his composition ‘Sequence (Four)’ exclusively for the presentation. Images: courtesy of Burberry
http://dlvr.it/RtJKR8

MPs criticise London Fashion Week sponsorship deal with Clearpay

The British Fashion Council is facing a backlash after naming buy-now-pay-later payment service Clearpay as the principal partner of London Fashion Week, which kicked off on February 19. A cross-party selection of 60 MPs has signed a letter expressing their concerns to the British Fashion Council regarding the sponsorship deal, a well as urging London Fashion Week organisers to provide debt warnings and advice on what it calls the “risk this form of lending presents”. The concerns come after the government confirmed earlier this month that it was planning to regulate interest-free buy-now-pay-later credit agreements by giving the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) authority to protect consumers. The proposed regulations would mean that buy-now-pay-later firms such as Clearpay and Klarna, used by retailers including Asos, Boohoo, and Next, would be required to carry out affordability checks on customers and ensure the vulnerable are treated fairly. In the letter from Labour MP Stella Creasy, it said: “We recognise that during the pandemic the British fashion industry has faced severe financial difficulty and that this is a partnership which has been in place previously. There is now recent and clear evidence of the problems this industry is causing to British consumers. The Financial Conduct Authority has documented how their unregulated behaviour presents a clear risk to UK consumers and needs urgent action. Without regulation, there is no such thing as responsible lending in this industry.” 60 MPs write to the British Fashion Council regarding concerns over Clearpay sponsorship Campaigners fear that young adults are at risk of being lured into spending more, especially after research revealed in the letter suggests that one in four consumers used this form of buy-now-pay-later to pay for Christmas. The letter, dated February 18, added: “Overall, 11 percent of consumers have used buy-now-pay-later companies since the start of lockdown, often due to financial distress of covid, and up to 10 percent have exceeded their overdraft in the same month as using a buy-now-pay-later product.” Creasy, alongside more than 60 MPs are asking the British Fashion Council to provide warnings and debt advice on its London Fashion Week website and social media about the risks of buy-now-pay-later products. Until the industry is regulated, the letter states: “As a responsible body, we urge you to provide details of the risks of using these companies and debt advice on your social media and publicity for London Fashion Week.” Creasy, concluded her letter: “London Fashion Week should be an opportunity to showcase the creative talents of our country; yet this relationship has the potential to overshadow such a platform. We urge you to act swiftly to acknowledge these concerns and act to ensure that the price tag of participation is not personal debt.” In an e-mail to FashionUnited, the British Fashion Council said on the issues surrounding buy-now-pay-now services: “The Financial Conduct Authority has acknowledged the benefits of products like Clearpay in the UK and by regulating the industry, there is more certainty for the customers and merchant partners. It is important that consumer protection is recognised through regulation. “Clearpay has always supported fit for purpose regulation that recognises the diversity of the industry and desire from consumers for flexible payment options that don’t trap them in long term debt. Clearpay’s support of London Fashion Week gives the BFC a new way to support the industry and help jumpstart retail and make fashion more inclusive and accessible to the British public.” The government has said that regulations are needed as many consumers do not view interest-free buy-now-pay-later as a form of credit, so do not apply the same level of scrutiny, and checks undertaken by providers tend to focus on the risk for the firm rather than how affordable it is for the customer. It added that legislation will be “brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows” and that it will consult with stakeholders to ensure the approach to regulating buy-now-pay-later is “proportionate”. Images: courtesy of London Fashion Week
http://dlvr.it/RtFZZr

Hodinkee acquires pre-owned luxury watch specialists Crown & Caliber

Hodinkee, a New York-based media and commerce company focused on watches, has acquired online pre-owned luxury watch specialists Crown & Caliber. The move will see Hodinkee “put a stamp” on the watch resale market, the company said. “With smart pricing tools, quick payment services, and a tremendous level of trust from their customers, Crown & Caliber are real experts in the pre-owned watch world,” said Hodinkee CEO Toby Bateman in a statement. “We are proud to welcome them into the Hodinkee business and are excited about expanding our own trade-in service and pre-owned watch sales.” Hamilton Powell, who founded Crown & Caliber in 2013 and is CEO, said: “With mutual respect for each other over the years, the Crown & Caliber team has watched with great admiration as Hodinkee has become an undisputed industry leader. “And as we looked at the future of our industry, Hodinkee and Crown & Caliber agreed we would benefit from each other’s strengths to build a one-of-a-kind online destination for all watch enthusiasts.”
http://dlvr.it/RtDHSy

McQueen The Long Lost Tapes premieres at London Fashion Week

One of the unexpected reveals of London Fashion Week was a short film of never-before-seen footage of of Alexander McQueen. Live-streaming one time only on the website of Fashionscout, the consultancy and platform for emerging talent, the premiere of the short film featuring Super 8 footage shot by Gary Walis, took place at 4pm EST on Sunday. Wallis was the photographer backstage at all McQueen’s fashion shows between 1992-96, and his archive has been transferred into a book entitled McQueen Backstage; The Early Years. The footage had been commissioned by McQueen who was planning an event in New York during which he wanted to project a film. The black and white shots reflect the designer’s desire to have something scratchy and rough. “Not slick,” says Wallis, who provides narration. The first scenes depict McQueen in a cozy grey sweater running about the grounds of Hilles House with his muse Isabella Blow who is dressed in McQueen’s precise tailoring. McQueen does cartwheels on a hilltop, lies on the grass with his bare feet in the air, before we see him inside the manor house measuring Blow’s husband Detmar for a bespoke suit and recording the detailed measurements in columns in a book. Alexander McQueen’s London In the next setting, McQueen brings Wallis around spots in London’s Soho that were important to the designer. He is captured in front of bohemian patisserie Maison Bertaux, and at his favorite fabric store, Greenscourt, whose owners were champions of his work. Throughout, McQueen who died eleven years ago, looks young and happy, with shaven head, eyes squinting against the sun. Wallis reveals that McQueen had an avid interest in photography, even that he would have liked to have been a war photographer. “He wanted to document conflict.” The final location is backstage at the Café de Paris for McQueen’s February 1994 fashion show. Calling in favors, McQueen had assembled models who were a mixture of friends from college, work colleagues, and Blow’s friends from Vogue where she worked for a stint. We see him slicing into tulle skirts with his scissors right up until the girls are stepping in front of the cameras. Wallis describes the energy as “kinetic” and “frantic” like “the clothes were being made as they were going on the catwalk.” After the show, the footage changed hands, reportedly lay in a London storage unit for years, was brought up in conversation and then forgotten about again as careers progressed and those involved traveled extensively. It was the release of McQueen the 2018 documentary that finally prompted the unearthing of the long lost tapes. They provide an intriguing glimpse into the creativity and personality of this much-missed designer whose influence permeates far beyond London Fashion Week and whose appeal only seems to increase with the passing of time. Fashion editor Jackie Mallon is also an educator and author of Silk for the Feed Dogs, a novel set in the international fashion industry. Photo: Pierre Verdy / AFP
http://dlvr.it/RtDHMm

Menswear print directions for Fall/Winter 2021

Trendstop brings FashionUnited readers the essential print and pattern directions from the Men’s Fall Winter 2021-22 international designer collections. Tapping into the core themes of the season, prints explore nostalgic sensibilities and reworkings of classic menswear patterns. Continuing the move towards more unisex and genderless dressing, traditional print elements from womenswear are also reconsidered though a masculine lens. Comic Book Nostalgia Memories from childhood and a playful, light-heartedness imbues colourful comic strip inspired prints. Motifs are rendered in bright, bold retro hues with graphic styling reminiscent of cartoons or vintage movie posters, reigniting a sense of fun and appreciation of times past. Gender-Fluid Florals As gender lines become increasingly blurred, feminine florals are reimagined for the modern man. Simplified and abstracted blooms are emboldened by exploded proportions, strong lines and colourways, giving flowers a punchy, more graphic quality. Shapes on Stripes The classic shirting stripe is given a modern art makeover as geometric shapes and placement motifs are collaged and overlaid. Linear patterns are broken up with contrasting squares and circles, whilst cut-out effects and patched panels introduce a three-dimensional quality. Exclusive Offer: FashionUnited readers can get free access to Trendstop’s Fall Winter 2020-21 Key Print Directions report, featuring all the key print and pattern stories from the FW21 collections. 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.
http://dlvr.it/Rt9xPP