Tendam acquires majority stake in Slowlove amid portfolio expansion

Spanish fashion retailer Tendam has acquired a majority stake in label Slowlove for an undisclosed sum in the latest addition to its growing portfolio. Tendam, which also owns brands the Cortefiel, Pedro del Hierro, Springfield, Women’secret, Fifty brands, and Hoss Intropia, will assume responsibility for Slowlove’s operational management. But creative control of the label, which mixes “urban folk style and bohemian chic essence”, will remain with founders Sara Carbonero and Isabel Jiménez, who established the company back in 2015. Slowlove has already been working with Tendam’s Cortefiel brand since last summer. “Last year we began a very successful collaboration between Slowlove and Cortefiel, and today we are delighted to announce that with this agreement we are taking the relationship even further,” said Marie Castellvi-Dépée, executive managing director of Cortefiel, Pedro del Hierro and Hoss Intropia, in a statement. Castellvi-Dépée, who will oversee the management of Slowlove’s operations, continued: “In the initial phase, our main goal is to support Slowlove as it evolves and prepares for growth. The brand will benefit from Tendam’s resources, corporate organisation and operational expertise.” Slowlove will launch its first collection under the new ownership on April 8. The spring/summer 2021 collection will be available on Slowlove’s website, online at Cortefiel and Pedro del Hierro and across the network of Cortefiel and Pedro del Hierro brick-and-mortar stores. This is the latest step forward in Tendam’s portfolio expansion. The company also announced this month the launch of a new brand designed for women between 18 and 35, called High Spirits, a fully-online label to be sold via its Springfield marketplace. Springfield aims to include close to 20 new labels in the coming months, Tendam said at the time of the High Spirits announcement. That followed the news last month that Tendam would be relaunching Hoss Intropia for spring/summer 2021, an affordable luxury brand Tendam acquired back in 2019. Hoss Intropia will have its own web store and will also show its collections at shop-in-shops in 20 Spanish flagship stores of Tendam’s Cortefiel and Pedro del Hierro brands as well as at showroom concepts in six other stores. The brand will then “gradually grow its presence internationally” within department stores and throughout Tendam’s franchisee network. Image: Slowlove
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FW21: Womenswear color trends

Trendstop Fall Winter 2021-22 Women’s Catwalk Colour Directions Fall Winter 2021-22 palettes are in touch with nature with shades that connect us back to our environment. Cactus greens and berry tones offer both freshness and warmth, highlighting the desire for colours that transcend the seasons. In challenging times, shades that soothe or have an up-beat vibrancy are key to reflecting the emergence of a more positive consumer mindset. Nopal Cactus Growing in popularity as a material as well as a colour, Nopal Cactus hues speak to the increased awareness of our environmental impact, the importance of sustainability and getting back to nature. Vibrant greens refresh the palette, eschewing synthetic looking colour for natural vegetal qualities. Single colour pieces make a statement, enhanced by black grounds that makes the colour pop. Fig Jam Shades Autumnal, fruity tones bring a natural warmth to darker shades, offering an alternative to classic brown. Pinkish purple undertones add a hint of sweetness. Hues can range from the paler tints to deeper berry shades, allowing for tonal layering for a top-to-toe look. Fig Jam Shades lend a more relaxed feel to tailoring whilst applications on jersey bring new sophistication to casual and athleisure styles. Calamine Calming and soothing, gentle Calamine brings lightness into the Fall Winter palette. Subtle yellow or pink undertones offer a new dimension, updating traditional whites and creams. The inclusion of pale shades illustrates the importance of transeasonality, as colours cross over from winter to spring, increasing the longevity of a product. Calamine tones enhance the softness of knits, woollens and relaxed tailoring, amplifying the comfort factor consumers are seeking. Exclusive Offer: FashionUnited readers can get free access to Trendstop’s Spring Summer 2021 Key Colour Directions report, featuring all the key shades from the FW20-21 collections. Simply click the banner 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.
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Top model candid about body shaming prevalent in fashion

“Being hungry should not be a sign of success,” said Karen Elson, the British model who rose to fame in the mid-90s, walking the runways for Marc Jacobs, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Chanel, Versace, YSL, Alexander McQueen, Dior, Anna Sui, Gucci, and Moschino, and appearing on the the most prestigious international magazine covers. She hosted her first Model Mentor Zoom during which she spoke frankly along with other former and aspiring models, as well as casting agents and legal professionals on the body shaming and psychological abuse that is prevalent in the fashion industry. Elson explained how, at the tender age of eighteen, in order to lose weight, she was advised to have more sex while also told to go off birth control because it made her too puffy. Veiled threats and bribes of payment per every pound lost and a constant fear of showing up for work wondering if someone was going to make an issue of her size led to a lifelong unhealthy relationship with food. What’s more alarming perhaps, is that the above advice came from those who were supposed to be looking out for her in the industry. “My relationship with food will probably never go back to what is considered normal,” Elson told her Zoom guests, candidly laying out the feelings of embarrassment and shame if she had been caught eating. She now understands the shame should not have been placed on her but should be placed on the industry, and in particular the higher end which still thrives on this culture. Said Elson, “You’re praised for your appearance when you’re at your worst.” Fashion industry neglects to protect young models Now in recovery from an eating disorder and in her 40s with two children, Elson describes how the industry puts models in boxes, and, in her case, that box was the body she had at age 16 when she started out. She is expected to meet that standard still. “There’s this fetishization of prepubescent bodies in high fashion,” she explained, “a look that is hollowed out and androgynous.” She has witnessed over the years many of her peers leave the industry broken, and unfortunately today still sees the jutting bones and hair growing all over models’ bodies that she recognizes as evidence of malnutrition. James Scully, casting director-turned-advocate for models’ rights and whistleblower against the industry’s misconduct, recalls hearing a group of young models talking about how long it had been since they had last had their periods. Despite raising the age requirements for modeling, the industry has grown complacent, he says, and he does not see any significant improvement in the treatment of models. Elson agrees the industry needs to do more, suggesting that the Council of Fashion Designers of America engage in conversations with designers who continue to make samples exclusively in size 0. Designers have historically blamed the extra time and cost involved for their unwillingness to make multiple sizes. Body shaming and the fashion industry Attendees included Christina Grasso, co-founder of The Chain, a nonprofit for women in fashion, media, and entertainment coping with eating disorders, and Leanne Maskell, a former model who, when scouted at eighteen, was promptly told to stop eating bread and lose 3 inches off her hips. She left modeling to study law and became a leading voice in models’ rights in the UK, having recognized an imbalance of power that is damaging to women, their mental health, and which inevitably trickles down to damage society at large. She created the Model Manifesto as an anti-exploitation manual for aspiring young models. Elson believes the industry tolerates a level of meanness and bullying that wouldn’t be acceptable elsewhere. The conversation around body image and the impossible standards set by the industry is still shrouded in secrecy but Elson hopes to change that by being open about her experiences. She described how an editor on a fashion shoot once yelled across a crowded room to her, “How fat are you right now?” She hopes for a time when an established runway model will be able to gain ten pounds and still be accepted. Although she still occasionally works with designers who have made cruel comments about her in the past, she remembers every word. As recently as a year ago, one designer agreed to tailor a garment to suit her body. But when he saw her in the clothes he couldn’t resist commenting, “Can you walk without your hips? Your hips are too distracting.” Fashion editor Jackie Mallon is also an educator and author of Silk for the Feed Dogs, a novel set in the international fashion industry Top model candid about body shaming prevalent in fashion
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Top model candid about body shaming prevalent in fashion

“Being hungry should not be a sign of success,” said Karen Elson, the British model who rose to fame in the mid-90s, walking the runways for Marc Jacobs, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Chanel, Versace, YSL, Alexander McQueen, Dior, Anna Sui, Gucci, and Moschino, and appearing on the the most prestigious international magazine covers. She hosted her first Model Mentor Zoom during which she spoke frankly along with other former and aspiring models, as well as casting agents and legal professionals on the body shaming and psychological abuse that is prevalent in the fashion industry. Elson explained how, at the tender age of eighteen, in order to lose weight, she was advised to have more sex while also told to go off birth control because it made her too puffy. Veiled threats and bribes of payment per every pound lost and a constant fear of showing up for work wondering if someone was going to make an issue of her size led to a lifelong unhealthy relationship with food. What’s more alarming perhaps, is that the above advice came from those who were supposed to be looking out for her in the industry. “My relationship with food will probably never go back to what is considered normal,” Elson told her Zoom guests, candidly laying out the feelings of embarrassment and shame if she had been caught eating. She now understands the shame should not have been placed on her but should be placed on the industry, and in particular the higher end which still thrives on this culture. Said Elson, “You’re praised for your appearance when you’re at your worst.” Fashion industry neglects to protect young models Now in recovery from an eating disorder and in her 40s with two children, Elson describes how the industry puts models in boxes, and, in her case, that box was the body she had at age 16 when she started out. She is expected to meet that standard still. “There’s this fetishization of prepubescent bodies in high fashion,” she explained, “a look that is hollowed out and androgynous.” She has witnessed over the years many of her peers leave the industry broken, and unfortunately today still sees the jutting bones and hair growing all over models’ bodies that she recognizes as evidence of malnutrition. James Scully, casting director-turned-advocate for models’ rights and whistleblower against the industry’s misconduct, recalls hearing a group of young models talking about how long it had been since they had last had their periods. Despite raising the age requirements for modeling, the industry has grown complacent, he says, and he does not see any significant improvement in the treatment of models. Elson agrees the industry needs to do more, suggesting that the Council of Fashion Designers of America engage in conversations with designers who continue to make samples exclusively in size 0. Designers have historically blamed the extra time and cost involved for their unwillingness to make multiple sizes. Body shaming and the fashion industry Attendees included Christina Grasso, co-founder of The Chain, a nonprofit for women in fashion, media, and entertainment coping with eating disorders, and Leanne Maskell, a former model who, when scouted at eighteen, was promptly told to stop eating bread and lose 3 inches off her hips. She left modeling to study law and became a leading voice in models’ rights in the UK, having recognized an imbalance of power that is damaging to women, their mental health, and which inevitably trickles down to damage society at large. She created the Model Manifesto as an anti-exploitation manual for aspiring young models. Elson believes the industry tolerates a level of meanness and bullying that wouldn’t be acceptable elsewhere. The conversation around body image and the impossible standards set by the industry is still shrouded in secrecy but Elson hopes to change that by being open about her experiences. She described how an editor on a fashion shoot once yelled across a crowded room to her, “How fat are you right now?” She hopes for a time when an established runway model will be able to gain ten pounds and still be accepted. Although she still occasionally works with designers who have made cruel comments about her in the past, she remembers every word. As recently as a year ago, one designer agreed to tailor a garment to suit her body. But when he saw her in the clothes he couldn’t resist commenting, “Can you walk without your hips? Your hips are too distracting.” Fashion editor Jackie Mallon is also an educator and author of Silk for the Feed Dogs, a novel set in the international fashion industry Top model candid about body shaming prevalent in fashion
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Tommy Hilfiger names new chief marketing officer

Tommy Hilfiger has named a new chief marketing officer. Alegra O’Hare will step into the role effective April 12. O’Hare succeeds Michael Scheiner, who left the company in October. She will report to Avery Baker, president and chief brand officer of Tommy Hilfiger Global. O’Hare is based in New York, but will be relocating to Tommy Hilfiger’s Amsterdam headquarters this summer. She will oversee the brand’s marketing and develop strategies to help engage consumers. O’Hare has spent over 25 years as a marketing professional, having previously worked at brands such as Adidas, Bang & Olufsen, Champion, Lee, and Wrangler. Previously, she was chief marketing officer at Gap. Before that, she spent 11 years at Adidas leading marketing for Adidas Originals, where she oversaw marketing for major collaborations including Pharell and Alexander Wang. Photo: Alegra O'Hare, Business Wire
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Video: Balmain SS21 1945 bag collection

In this video, French luxury fashion house Balmain has presented its SS21 1945 bag collection, designed by Olivier Rousteing. Watch the video below. Video: Balmain via YouTube Photo credit: Balmain, Facebook
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Podcast: The Glossy Podcast interviews co-founder Kendall Glazer

In this episode, The Glossy Podcast interviews the co-founder of the brand Stoney Clover Lane, Kendall Glazer, about providing an experience-first retail strategy, making the most of closed stores and how to work around the pandemic. Listen to the podcast below. Source: The Glossy Podcast via Megaphone
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Boohoo slashes UK suppliers following Leicester investigation

Boohoo has cut ties with a number of suppliers following a review of its UK supply chain. “The group has ceased doing business with a number of manufacturers who were unable to demonstrate the high standard of transparency required, despite being provided with opportunities to address any issues identified in the auditing process,” Boohoo said in a statement Thursday. It follows an independent review into the fast-fashion giant’s supply chain launched last year following reports of poor working conditions. The review, led by Alison Levitt QC, was concluded in September and found “many failings” in the factories of some of its suppliers in Leicester but ultimately stated there was “no evidence that the company itself or its officers have committed any criminal offences”. When publishing the results of the independent review, Boohoo announced its Agenda for Change programme in which it set out six steps to enhance its supplier audit and compliance procedures. As part of that, it said it would publish a full list of its UK suppliers. Boohoo severs links with suppliers in transparency push The newly-published list reveals Boohoo is now working with 78 approved manufacturers operating across 100 sites in the UK. Boohoo acknowledged that this number was “a significant reduction” from the approximately 500 quoted in the Levit report, but said: “This is due to a consolidation of the supply chain; suppliers being required to bring CMT units in-house to allow for greater oversight and remove the issue of unapproved sub-contracting; the original figure including businesses who supplied goods and services other than garment manufacturing.” The group said it worked with independent auditors Verisio and Bureau Veritas to carry out unannounced visits to suppliers, with the majority of them having been audited twice over the last eight months. CEO John Lyttle said in a statement: “This is not the end of a project for us at Boohoo but the beginning of a new way of working with our suppliers. We are driving positive change in the industry and want to play our part in rebuilding a vibrant manufacturing base in Leicester, one that offers good employment and great prospects for the workers and the industry in Leicester as a whole.” Boohoo also announced the launch of its new sustainability strategy, ‘Up.Front Fashion Ready for the Future’, which sets out targets in three key areas: smarter manufacturing of clothes, better terms for suppliers, and a reduced carbon footprint. Lyttle continued: “The publication of our UK supply chain List marks another step on our journey towards greater transparency and embedding positive change, not only in our own organisation, but through the wider network of businesses that make up our supply chain. Through our Sustainability Strategy we are committing to ambitious targets across production, supply and governance to ensure the business is ready for the future.” Image: Boohoo
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Tencent boss vows 'compliance' with China regulators

Beijing - Tencent’s billionaire founder Pony Ma — China’s second richest man — has met anti-monopoly regulators and agreed his firm will be “as compliant as possible”, after rival tech giant Alibaba was battered by legal woes. Tencent, which owns the super-app WeChat and a lucrative gaming empire, is the latest tech conglomerate to fall into the crosshairs of China’s regulators. They have launched a blitz on apparent anti-competitive practices, threatening to slice up supersized firms whose reach now stretches into the daily finances of the public. Tencent’s Ma, also known as Ma Huateng, said he would “actively cooperate with regulatory authorities and be as compliant as possible” during a news briefing late Wednesday on Tencent’s annual results, reported Chinese financial outlet Yicai. Martin Lau, Tencent’s president and executive director, also said they had met the government several times to discuss anti-monopoly efforts and hoped to create a “healthy environment” to foster innovation. “Tencent has throughout attached high importance to compliance,” he was quoted as saying. The company’s shares slumped 5.1 percent in New York trade Wednesday, while its Hong Kong-listed stock was more than two percent lower. The Chinese government is also discussing plans to establish a state-backed entity to oversee how big e-commerce and payment companies use data collected from millions of consumers, Bloomberg News reported Thursday citing people familiar with the matter. China’s current data and privacy protection allows individuals to decide how companies can use their information, but enforcement is lax owing to a lack of transparency. The move would be the latest by officials who are looking to reel in the country’s tech sector. Authorities last year halted a record 34 billion dollars initial public offering by fintech provider Ant Group, owned by Tencent’s nearest rival Alibaba. They called in its billionaire founder Jack Ma and then opened an investigation into Alibaba business practices deemed anti-competitive. Ant was then instructed to transform into a financial holding company that is subject to more regulatory restrictions. Since then, the normally flamboyant and outspoken Ma has kept a low profile as the dragnet widens to include competitors. Alibaba has been under pressure to divest its media assets as government officials are worried about its growing public influence, the Wall Street Journal reported last week. In the past few months, regulators have also fined more than a dozen tech firms — including Tencent — for practices such as undisclosed acquisitions. Last week they summoned 11 tech firms for talks on cybersecurity. (AFP)
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N Brown non-exec board member steps down

UK fashion group N Brown has said its non-executive director Lesley Jones is stepping down on March 31 following her appointment as chair of Sainsbury's Bank. Jones has been on the N Brown board since 2014. She has nearly 40 years of experience in financial services, having spent 30 years at multinational investment bank Citigroup and six years as chief credit officer at RBS. Image: N Brown media gallery
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Tommy Hilfiger launches Spring 2021 Adaptive collection

Tommy Hilfiger has launched the latest collection of its Adaptive line, which aims to make dressing easier for adults and children with disabilities. The Spring 2021 collection features the brand’s classic mashup of sporty and preppy style with a number of modifications including easy-open necklines, extended zipper pulls, magnetic buttons, wide leg openings, and sliding drawcords. The collection includes seated wear, apparel designed for wheelchair riders, which features tops with expanded back openings and bottoms with low fronts to reduce bunching. Uncomfortable pockets and seams have also been removed, and dual front plackets have been added for easier access. The collection also includes clothing for people with prosthetics, with wide-leg openings and adjustable features on pants to accommodate leg braces, orthotics and casts. “Getting dressed should be a joy - an experience that empowers you to look good and feel good in what you are wearing,” said founder Tommy Hilfiger in a release. “Our adaptive collections have revolutionized everyday dressing for people with disabilities, giving them the independence and confidence to express their individuality through style.” The brand first launched an adaptive apparel collection for children back in 2016, before expanding it a year later to adult apparel. The company now has a ‘shop by solution’ option on its website where shoppers can explore adaptive modifications. Items ordered online from the adaptive line arrive in accessible, user-friendly packaging that provides ease of opening and returning. Image: Tommy Hilfiger
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Kontoor Brands expands water-saving Indigood program

US fashion company Kontoor Brands has announced the expansion of its Indigood program, an initiative that targets water savings during fabric construction. The company first debuted its Indigood program in 2019 with the launch of a foam-dyed denim collection by its Wrangler brand. It has now expanded the program “to include any water savings technology in apparel fabric production that uses at least 90 percent less water than conventional fabric production”. Wrangler announced last year it had saved more than 7 billion liters of water in the finishing phase of denim manufacturing thanks to the Indigood program, exceeding its 2020 goal of saving 5.5 billion liters. The US denim label also announced a new goal to reduce its water usage by 50 percent by 2030. Lee, another brand in Kontoor’s portfolio, has saved more than 1 billion liters through the programme. The brand announced last year a target to increase Indigood-dyed products every year through 2025. “Water is one of our most vital and precious natural resources, and as such, we are focused on advancing the sustainable and equitable management of water resources,” said Jeff Frye, Kontoor Brand’s vice president of product development and direct procurement, in a release. Frye continued: “By expanding the Indigood program to include additional water-saving technologies, we’re giving our suppliers the opportunity to select the water savings technologies that work best for their production, while also meeting the growing consumer demand for products that not only look good, but also minimize the impact on the planet.” Image: Wrangler, Facebook
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The Carlyle Group acquires majority stake in retailer End.

Global investment firm The Carlyle Group has acquired a majority stake in luxury, streetwear and sportswear retailer End. In a statement, The Carlyle Group said it was acquiring the stake from founders Christiaan Ashworth and John Parker, who will retain a “significant minority stake” and remain co-chief executives of the company. Index Ventures, which currently hold a minority stake, will fully exit the business. The transaction is expected to close on April 1. The investment will allow The Carlyle Group to leverage its “significant experience in the consumer sector” to support End.’s expansion plans, both within the domestic UK market as well as internationally. Equity for the investment will be provided by Carlyle Europe Partners (CEP) V, a 6.4 billion euro fund investing in European opportunities across a range of sectors and industries, and an affiliate of Carlyle Asia Partners (CAP) V, a 6.6 billion US dollar fund focused on buyout and strategic investments across a range of sectors in the Asia Pacific region. Christiaan Ashworth and John Parker, co-founders and co-chief executive’s of End., said in a statement: “We are thrilled to welcome Carlyle as our new partner. Their experience and strong track record in luxury and streetwear will be invaluable to us in supporting End.’s long-term and sustainable growth strategy. “Carlyle’s industry knowledge and truly global platform will be instrumental as End. continues to reach an increasingly international audience. We’d also like to thank Index Ventures for being a fantastic partner and great to work with over the last seven years.” British luxury retailer End. sells majority stake to The Carlyle Group Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Newcastle, UK, End. is a global multi-brand, digital-led retailer, featuring luxury and contemporary fashion and the best in sneakers and streetwear. The company partners with more than 500 designers and brands, and has developed a highly engaged and loyal customer base through its exclusive collaborations and its unique omni-channel offering, including its online platform, mobile apps and physical stores. End. is widely recognised for its curated edit of luxury fashion, alongside emerging designers and exclusive sport and streetwear products, including recent collaborations with Saucony, Adidas, Reebok, New Balance and Carhartt WIP. Currently, the retailer employs more than 650 people in the UK and ships to over 100 countries worldwide. In the year to March 31, 2020, End. generated revenues of 170 million pounds, of which 65 percent related to sales outside of the UK. Massimiliano Caraffa, managing director leading consumer and retail for the Carlyle Europe Partners advisory team, said: “We are attracted to End.’s distinctive style, which mixes luxury and contemporary brands with the best in sneakers and sportswear. We are excited by the many growth opportunities that lie ahead for the company, including the launch of womenswear as well as further international expansion.” Patrick Siewert, managing director for the Carlyle Asia Partners advisory team, added: “Christiaan and John have built a unique offering in the market and we look forward to supporting End. through leveraging our strategic industry knowledge and global network, while staying true to the company’s core values that have supported its success to date.” The investment in End. builds on Carlyle’s long-term global focus on consumer, a sector in which the firm has invested over 20 billion US dollars to date. A core component of Carlyle’s strategy has been to grow brands through international expansion. Recent exits in the consumer space include Golden Goose and Supreme. Images: courtesy of End.
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Taipei Fashion Week FW21 held physically with a full audience

Taipei - Marking its third year, the Taipei Fashion Week (TPEFW) fall/winter 2021 season took place with a total of 16 physical shows running from March 10 to 15 at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Just last week The New York Times reported that Taiwan is thriving as a ‘bubble of normality’ due to the island’s success in keeping Covid-19 infection numbers extremely low. As a result, many citizens have flocked back from abroad and are fueling an economic boom which has seen a growth of more than 5 percent in the fourth quarter compared with the same period in 2019. Similarly, the Taiwanese fashion industry has turned its spotlight on 13 brands, 6 sustainable labels as well as student designers for FW21. TPEFW celebrated this season as the only fashion week in the world currently able to present safely to a full audience of 8,000 attendees during the 6 day event, according to a source at Condé Nast Taiwan. The event’s organizers stated through its official press release, “as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic, Taiwan is transforming a time of crisis into opportunity. Through its fashion aesthetics, TPEFW offers to reconnect with the international community through innovation, sustainability, functionality and the humanities.” Shiatzy Chen FW21 For the participants, it felt like business as usual (minus the international guests) as a buzzing crowd and excitement to see the new collections filled the air. Local fashion industry mavens, media, influencers, celebrities, and government officials all congregated for the fully physical event. The only obvious reminder of the coronavirus was the CSD medical fashion masks tailor-made for Taipei Fashion Week FW21 that all partakers could be seen wearing. Bob Jian FW21 Temple Festival, inspired by Taiwanese religious traditions Designers inspired by nature, Taiwanese heritage, gender-neutrality and fashion’s functionality Known as the 'Chanel of Taiwan', in 2010 Forbes ranked founder and Creative Director Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia of Shiatzy Chen (established in 1978) as one of the 25 most influential Chinese in the global fashion industry. For the label’s FW21 ready-to-wear collection, Chen focused on the notion of rebellion across time. Gender-neutral looks were seen on the catwalk, matched with heavy fabrics and strong contrasting colors-conveying the connection between female power and styles that transcend time and gender. Taiwanese girl group HUR wearing Shiatzy Chen at TPEFW FW21 Uuin FW21 Gardener The post-pandemic era served as the inspiration for the womenswear design trio Uuin. With backgrounds in creating stage costumes, haute couture and functional wear, the 5 year old label looked to nature and used the ‘Gardener’ as their FW21 theme. This season’s Uuin woman is rich in mind and full of curiosity while cultivating her homeland. Isabelle Wen FW21 Roman Roland (left, right), Bob Jian FW21 Temple Festival (center) For 25 years, Isabelle Wen has made a mark in the Asian fashion industry with her combination of romantic silhouettes and vintage accents which are drawn from the aesthetics of her renowned literary heritage (Wen’s maternal grandfather was the well known Chinese literary figure and artist Yi Junzuo). To date, Wen’s designs are sold in 17 shops in Taiwan, 2 in Shanghai and she also owns numerous concept stores under the umbrella of her brand. For FW21, her dreamlike ‘Roman Roland’ collection expresses the importance of the free spirit to offer beauty and hope amid this pandemic. Gioia Pan FW21 (left), Silzence men FW21 Void Color (right) Awarded the DFA Design for Asia Awards in 2019, menswear designer Junliang Chen’s Silzence men was founded in 2017, but he comes from 20 years of industry expertise. Chen said in a press statement, “the FW21 collection is named ‘Void Color’ which is inspired by the colors of Forbidden City artifacts.” On the runway, menswear basics were paired with elegant components such as the Mandarin collar with a colorful border, multi-layered leggings, short padded jackets and long cardigans with a waist belt. Allenko3 FW21 inspired by ‘organized rebellion’ (left), INF FW21 Time Machine (right) Seivson FW21 2062 Morn Emerging Taiwanese designers such as Seivson’s Jill Shen believes that clothing should go back to functionality, its ability to connect with daily life and maximize possibilities of styling. Shen started her brand in 2017 and has also been invited to participate in Tokyo Fashion Week. Her FW21 collection is called ‘2062 Morn’ and asks the question, “what is the message in 2062 you’d want to tell yourself now in 2021?” C Jean FW21 Lost Birds (left), Dleet FW21 Time-pausing (center), Douchanglee FW21 (right) Photo 5#Damur FW21 #kiosk, downtown Taipei crosswalk concert featuring Taiwanese American rapper Øzi The full list of designers that presented their FW21 brand collection during TPEFW included Allenko3, Bob Jian, C Jean, Dleet, Douchanglee, Gioia Pan, INF, Isabelle Wen, Seivson, Shiatzy Chen, Silzence men, Uuin, #Damur. "> Inaugural Taipei Sustainable Collection On March 11, TPEFW launched its first Taipei Sustainable Collection show featuring 6 sustainable labels consisting of #Damur, Claudia Wang, Dycteam, Just In XX, oqLiq and Weavism. 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. As a leading hub of sustainable textiles, the Taipei Sustainable Collection represented the strong link between the local fashion designers and the Taiwanese textile industry. The Vice Minister of Culture, Lee Lien-chuan, announced at the TPEFW press conference: “The inaugural Taipei Sustainable Collection shows the strong collaboration between culture and the Taiwanese economy. Mostly, it presents the five pillars we uphold: Reuse, reduce, recycle, redesign and repurpose. We are not only concerned about the clothing itself, but the broader industrial ecosystem. Through the integration of the Taiwanese fashion industry in the upper, middle and lower reaches, we hope to achieve a circular economy ecosystem from the industrial supply end, brand design end to the consumer end-to where textile factories producing from raw materials are ‘reduced’. Clothing brands reuse existing resources and reduce production energy consumption to achieve ‘recycling’. Finally, consumers buy and ‘reuse’ products to improve resource efficiency.” Through the integration of the Taiwanese fashion industry in the upper, middle and lower reaches-we hope to achieve a circular economy ecosystem from the industrial supply end, brand design end to the consumer end. Lee Lien-chuan, Vice Minister of Culture of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Rin Lin, Executive Assistant to the Director of Condé Nast Taiwan/CNX (who were participating partners of TPEFW FW21) told FashionUnited, “TPEFW will also take ‘sustainability’ as the long-term core target. The scale will continue to expand in the future, and non-fashion week curated exhibitions will also be held to reach more people.” #Damur FW21 #Travelwear 2.0: washable protective fashion that helps to reduce the waste of medical equipment. This collection utilizes Taiwan’s latest metallic membrane and lamination technology in functional textiles. Sustainable Taiwanese designers and their mission to combat greenwashing After the shows, FashionUnited sat down with Berlin-based Taiwanese streetwear designer Shih-Shun Huang, founder and Creative Director of #Damur, who held an unconventional crosswalk concert to present his FW21 collection #kiosk and #Travelwear 2.0. Huang shared, “I do believe instead of endless greenwashing, customers need to pay more attention to the understanding of what is sustainability, what’s the metric behind the know-how and concept. To use or shop for organic cotton or recycle fiber products doesn’t mean that you are a sustainable customer.” He added that the challenge for designers now is being able to read the metric and understand the science and math of sustainable researches. Just In XX (left), Weavism (center), Claudia Wang (right) Justin Chou, the designer of Just In XX created a sustainable collection for Taiwanese Olympic athletes to wear during the opening ceremony of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics using fabrics from domestic functional textile manufacturers derived from plastic bottles, industrial waste and non-toxic repurposed fabrics. Chou envisions each piece of his clothing telling its own story of sustainability. Weavism, a streetwear label started by Tony Chen, the grandson of the founder of HerMin Textile, a Taiwanese functional fabric company established in 1976 that calls companies such as Coach and Tommy Hilfiger clients. Sourcing from his family business’ decades long industry knowledge, Weavism’s FW21 collection was designed with sustainable fabrics developed using only natural materials such as fish protein and entirely biodegradable with the goal of reducing microplastic pollution-usually resulting from the manufacturing of petroleum-based fabrics. Young Talent-student Show FW21 Government support cultivating young talent for an international platform Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture (MOC), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and Ministry of Education (MOE) along with the Taiwan Textile Federation (TTF) as participating partners all joined forces to organize Taipei Fashion Week FW21. This was also the first time the MOE and TPEFW presented 2 days of ‘Young Talent-student’ shows which featured 97 designers from four universities. 3 winners will be chosen by March 25 via online popularity and industry votes. TTF and numerous major Taiwanese textile companies such as Singtex and Far Eastern New Century Corporation (FENC) are all affiliated with TPEFW to directly source the next generation of designers. “TPEFW FW21 provided students with professional runways, models, show directors, media public relations and other resources. This industry-university exchange helps young talent to gain more exposure and actual experience,” CNX TW’s Lin explained. Singtex are known as the innovators of sustainable yarn S.Café, made from coffee grounds and Airmem-a windproof, waterproof and oil-repellent membrane- used by German outdoor brands Schöffel and Vaude. Currently, Taiwan is a leading manufacturer of functional fabrics, with an international market share of 70 percent. Business Matchmaking, TPEFW showroom, livestreaming to foreign buyers Even as a completely physical fashion week, virtual presence was just as important for TPEFW FW21. All the shows were livestreamed and currently on YouTube, influencers were seen live chatting with their followers on the front row. There was also a Business Matchmaking section organized by the MOEA to connect local businesses with global partners. In addition, an ongoing TPEFW FW21 showroom at Bellavita (a 9 level high-end mall near the Taipei 101) is spotlighting 42 brands until March 31-where collections are presented via livestreams for international buyers from France (Merci, Capsule), Hong Kong (Lane Crawford) to Japan (Baycrew’s Group, Isetan). Photos: courtesy of Taipei Fashion Week, screenshot from TPEFW Instagram, courtesy of AOA Entertainment Lab
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Ralph Lauren unveils scalable zero-wastewater cotton dyeing system

Ralph Lauren Corporation has launched Color on Demand, a “revolutionary” dyeing platform that aims to transform the way the fashion industry colors cotton. The multi-phased system dyes cotton more sustainably, more effectively and faster than other methods, according to the brand, and aims to eventually deliver “the world’s first scalable zero wastewater cotton dyeing system”. The dyeing stage of garment production is one of the most damaging to the environment. Every year, trillions of litres of water are used for fabric dyeing alone, generating around 20 percent of the world’s wastewater, according to the company. Color on Demand aims to tackle that issue by using a set of technologies to enable the recycling and reuse of all water from the dyeing process. As well as slashing water usage, the new system reduces the amount of chemicals, dye, time and energy used in the cotton dyeing process, according to Ralph Lauren. Additionally, the system can color cotton at any point in product manufacturing, rather than at the outset, enabling significantly shorter lead times for making product color decisions. This is another industry first, the brand said. By 2025, Ralph Lauren aims to use the Color on Demand platform in more than 80 percent of its solid cotton products. “Traditional color dyeing is one of the most polluting practices in our industry, and as a global brand, we recognized the need to create a scalable solution,” said Halide Alagöz, the brand’s chief product and sustainability officer, in a release. “Color on Demand significantly reduces the environmental impact of dyeing cotton, and as an added benefit, will enable us to better balance inventory and meet personalized consumer demands faster than ever before.” Ralph Lauren linked up with four leading experts in different fields to create the new system. The company worked with materials science company Dow, sustainable garment and fabric finishing company Jeanologia, textile dyes and chemicals specialist Huntsman Textile Effects, and global technology leader in dispensing and mixing solutions Corob. As part of the first phase of Color on Demand, Ralph Lauren used Ecofast Pure Sustainable Textile Treatment, a pre-treatment solution developed by Dow for cotton textiles. When used with existing dyeing equipment, Oecofast Pure uses up to 40 percent less water, 85 percent fewer chemicals, 90 percent less energy and has a 60 percent reduction in carbon footprint compared to traditional cotton dyeing processes, according to Ralph Lauren. Ralph Lauren is integrating this process into its supply chain and will launch products using this technology later this year. Image: Ralph Lauren newsroom
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Asda CEO to step down following takeover

Asda has announced that its CEO and president Roger Burnley is to leave the company following the British supermarket chain’s takeover in October 2020. Burnley, who joined the company in 2018, will be leaving the business next year “after the supermarket has transitioned fully to new ownership and once his long-term successor is in place”. Billionaire brothers Zuber and Mohsin Issa and private equity firm TDR Capital last month completed their acquisition of Asda from Walmart for 6.8 billion pounds. “My decision to leave Asda is personal and something I wanted to communicate to my colleagues as soon as I could,” Burnley said in a statement. “Whilst I remain fully committed to leading this great business for the next year and delivering our strategy, it is right to plan for a managed succession process well in advance.” He continued: “It has been a great privilege to play a leading role at Asda over the last five years - putting in place a clear strategy for long-term sustainable growth and doing the right things for our customers, colleagues and the communities we serve.” Search starts for next Asda CEO The new owners said in a joint statement: “Roger will continue to lead Asda over the next year and deliver the strategy that he and his leadership team have set in motion, whilst at the same time working with us on identifying his successor. “We are acutely aware of the responsibility we have in ensuring this great British brand continues to thrive for years to come - delivering great value products for customers, serving communities, and developing our colleagues.” Last month, Asda announced plans to cut thousands of jobs as part of a new transformation “in response to the changing demands of the retail sector”. The company said it had entered into formal consultations with around 5,000 colleagues potentially impacted by the proposals out of a total workforce of 145,000. Asda also said it plans to create around 4,500 new roles in store-based online operations across the country in response to an increasing number of customers shopping online. That news came just days after media reports emerged that Asda’s new owners were considering spinning off the company’s George clothing brand as they look to cut costs and spending. The owners are considering licensing George or introducing more fashion partnerships to Asda’s shops to use excess space because the brand is outside their area of expertise, The Times reported, citing senior industry sources. Imaget: George at Asda
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Will demand for It Bags make a return post pandemic?

Sales of handbags saw a sharp decline during the pandemic when stuck at home consumers found expensive bags to be a non-necessity. Despite surging numbers in the resale market for pre-owned luxury, the lifestyle changes brought on by Covid-19 dampened interest in this once booming category. As occasionwear slowly makes its way back to the winter 2021/2022 season, there is an opportunity for accessory makers to revive interest in handbags, albeit to fit the need of a less-is-more mentality. Heritage brands, such as Hermes, Dior and Prada, are seeing a spike in re-sale demand showing that well-crafted styles with traditional detailing stand the test of time. Traditional versus novelty Core shapes, like the tote, shoulder bag and even clutch remain essential accessory items that each season can be easily updated with newness for a sense of novelty. Giving the consumer value is key, with designers looking to capture an appeal to last for more than a season. While practical accessories have seen a surge in sales in the past year – from bicycle friendly bags to modular items that can be chained or used in multitude of ways – seasonless styling is key as consumers look beyond a fast-fashion mentality for lasting qualities and shapes. Where the hype of handbag sales may have dampened since the pandemic, the status bag has remained firmly in demand, as evident by Christie’s Hong Kong auction in last month, which saw a rare Hermes bag fetch 437,000 dollars. Image: Hermes Christie’s
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Nike's sales affected by shortage of shipping containers

Nike’s sales drop in North America has nothing to do with a dampening of consumer demand, but rather a shortage of shipping containers and congestion at US ports that delayed shipments in the quarter by more than three weeks. Like many global brands and retailers, Nike faced supply chain challenges caused by the pandemic, delaying collections reaching customers. The American sportswear giant was quick to respond by reducing inventory imports however US retailers shifted gears and have been rushing to stock products in anticipation of a shopping rebound, said Quartz. The result, however, was a surge in competition for shipping containers and traffic jams at ports on the US west coast. Supply chain problems began in Q4 of last year when Nike was slow to ship collections to its wholesale partners. Nike’s CEO, John Donahoe, said the company expects a more consistent flow of inventory in the next quarter even if shipments are slower than usual. Stores in Europe are set to reopen this spring and talk of revenge shopping is something brands are hoping is not just a Chinese phenomenon. A wave of pent-up consumer demand and re-opening of economies should see a surge in sales. Image: Shipping port via Pexels
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Alexander McQueen supporting students with fabric donation

British fashion house Alexander McQueen has donated surplus fabric stock for the second time to students as part of its commitment to young creatives studying fashion and textiles throughout the UK. Creative director Sarah Burton introduced the donation scheme in 2019, in a bid to underpin creative education by redistributing surplus materials, from womenswear taffetas to menswear tailoring cloths, which have been leftover and stored after the production cycle. In a statement, Burton, said: “It’s our responsibility to extend our programme of practical help and encouragement to students and fashion schools. The fabric donations build on the relationships we’ve made with educationalists across the UK who are teaching students from school age to graduate level and is broadening out to reach further in 2021. “When times are so much more difficult for young creative people, taking action to share our resources and open eyes to opportunities has become a central in-house commitment at Alexander McQueen, which we all take very seriously.” The scheme is organised directly with tutors, and to date, fabric donations have been delivered to more than 20 institutions and fashion education community projects in the UK. The surplus stock was used in many graduate collections last year, as well as term course work and workshops. Alexander McQueen explains that it is looking to increase the number of institutions it works with to supply more fabric donations, to equip school-age children, students and emerging talents with free resources “to realise their futures and the awareness of the need to underpin equal opportunities for young people in education, the scheme is planned to be offered to further institutions throughout the year and beyond”. Additionally, Alexander McQueen had designed various projects to inspire students of all ages, led by members of its specialist teams to share real-life knowledge of cutting, draping, pattern cutting, tailoring, textile construction, embroidery and collection research. Image: courtesy of Alexander McQueen from a multimedia drape workshop at the Alexander McQueen Old Bond on March 4, 2020
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Cole Haan launches online in Germany

US footwear and accessories brand Cole Haan has expanded into the German market through a partnership with performance lifestyle retailer Norgroup Retail. Cole Haan will now be available to German customers through a newly designed website. “We are excited to launch the brand in Germany and continue our expansion with Norgroup in DACH, Northern and Eastern Europe in 2021,” said Adrian Santos, senior vice president, international at Cole Haan, in a statement. He continued: “Our previous partnerships with local retailers and marketplaces have shown that the Cole Haan brand has tremendous potential and interest among European end-users.” Founded in Chicago in 1928, Cole Haan offers a mix of heritage and classic designs as well as more modern sneakers. The company’s debut in Germany coincides with the launch of its new ØriginalGrand Energy Oxfords, a classic oxford silhouette crafted in a leather and nubuck upper. Image: Cole Haan
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Zalando presents first sustainability progress report

One and a half years after the launch of its sustainability strategy Do.more, online retailer Zalando has published its first stand-alone sustainability progress report, showing the extent to which it has achieved its vision to make Zalando a sustainable fashion platform that has a net positive impact on people and the planet. Sustainability is becoming more important during the pandemic As a first positive development, the company realised that other fundamental challenges of the day - such as climate change - have not lost out to the current coronavirus pandemic. On the contrary, Zalando found that sustainability had become even more important to 34 percent of its customers over the past year: “Around 50 percent bought at least one more sustainable product at the end of 2020 compared to 18 percent at the beginning of 2020.” As a company, Zalando confirms: “We see sustainability not as additional cost, but as an investment. Customers care more than ever, and as The Starting Point for Fashion, it’s our mission to meet their desires; anticipate them even. The pandemic isn’t a brake on our sustainability efforts, it’s an accelerant.” With this stance, Zalando takes a pioneering role in the industry, but what about the actual implementation of the company’s sustainability goals? In terms of its sustainable fashion assortment, the online retailer was able to increase this to 80,000 products, according to the progress report, and thus triple them compared to the previous year. Sixteen percent of the gross merchandise volume is currently generated with the sale of more sustainable products. At the same time, Zalando was able to extend the life of 340,000 products through existing initiatives (such as the Pre-Owned category). As the first retailer, Zalando is also applying the Higg BRM of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and has made sustainability assessment mandatory for our over 3,500 brand partners and private labels. “Via the Higg BRM from the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) and Higg Co, we received sustainability information from over 250 brands on their activities for 2019,” says Zalando. As far as the use of resources is concerned, Zalando has been able to use electricity from renewable sources in its own operations, reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 64 percent compared to 2017. The company’s own operations as well as deliveries and returns are already climate-neutral. In terms of its Science Based Targets to reduce carbon emissions, Zalando was able to reach one already. Zalando is also tackling its packaging: While items were still shipped with 7.8g of disposable plastic packaging in 2020, the company plans to make this amount zero by 2023. Overall, it already uses 87 percent of recyclable packaging. As part of its reforestation project, Zalando plans to plant well over 300,000 trees in Spain by the end of 2022 together with the Land Life Company. “At Land Life Company, we believe there is no greater tool than a tree to remove carbon from the atmosphere, revitalize nature and tackle climate change. It is our mission to restore the world’s 2 billion hectares of degraded land by planting trees and growing forests. By planting thousands of hectares of forest, we are able to remove significant amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, while boosting biodiversity and rebuilding habitats at the same time”, explains Rebekah Braswell, COO of Land Life Company. Other strategic partners are the ACT-Initiative (Action, Collaboration, Transformation), the Ashoka organisation, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Fashion for Good, the Global Fashion Agenda, SAC and the Textile Exchange as well as around 3,500 brand partners. In regards to the latter, Zalando should take care to ensure that sustainability requirements are discussed with the brand partners and that they have enough time and resources to implement them, otherwise it could be difficult for smaller brands in particular to keep up. “We made big steps in 2020 and we encouraged our partners to do the same. We are excited and encouraged by the progress we have been able to make. This validates our ability to act and scale solutions fast. Therefore, as outlined in the report, we are accelerating our efforts by raising our target of Gross Merchandise Volume generated by more sustainable products from 20 to 25 percent by 2023. Sustainability standards will also be raised as the eligibility criteria for sustainability flagging is increased,” sums up Kate Heiny, director sustainability at Zalando. Also read: * Zalando aims to grow GMV to over 30 billion euros by 2025 * Copenhagen Fashion Week and Zalando announce sustainable partnership * Zalando places emphasis on sustainability with new collection * A closer look at Zalando’s sustainability plan * House of Dagmar wins Zalando sustainability award Photo: Rebekah Braswell while presenting Zalando’s do.MORE sustainability strategy in 2019; images: Zalando sustainability progress report
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