Video: Hed Mayner SS22 collection at PFW

In this video, menswear fashion designer Hed Mayner has presented its SS22 collection at Paris Men's Fashion Week (PFW). Watch the video below. Video: Hed Mayner via YouTube Photo credit: Bris8.eu, Facebook
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Goat Group valuation more than doubles to 3.7 billion dollars

Image: Goat The valuation of Goat Group, the parent company of US sneaker and apparel marketplace Goat, has more than doubled following the completion of a new 195 million dollar financing round. The Series F funding round drove the valuation of the LA-based company up to 3.7 billion dollars from the 1.8 billion dollars it was valued at last September in a previous funding round. Founded in 2015 as a platform exclusively for sneakers, Goat has since expanded into other categories including apparel and accessories, and today has around 30 million members and 600,000 sellers. In the past 12 months, the company achieved gross merchandise value (GMV) of 2 billion dollars, with GMV of sneakers up over 100 percent, and apparel up 500 percent. Goat at ‘intersection of primary and resale markets’ Goat said this latest financing, which was led by Park West Asset Management, will be used to invest in growth in its sneaker business and its apparel and accessories verticals. It will also use the money to increase its global footprint of 13 facilities with the addition of ones in Chicago, China, Japan and Singapore. As a marketplace that sells both second-hand items and new products directly from brands, the company is “uniquely positioned at the intersection of the primary and resale markets”, putting it in an ideal position for continued growth, according to Goat co-founder and CEO Eddy Lu. “Goat growth is accelerating across every channel and category due to the powerful global technology platform we have developed and the premier customer experience we deliver, which resonates with younger consumers around the world,” Lu in a release.
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Video: Sean Suen SS22 collection

Photo credit: House of Deluxe, Facebook In this video, Chinese fashion designer Sean Suen has presented his SS22 collection entitled 'Ephemeral' at Paris Men's Fashion Week (PFW). Watch the video below. Video: Sean Suen via YouTube
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Virgil Abloh nods to early rave culture in Louis Vuitton SS22 show

All images: Louis Vuitton SS22 show IN PICTURESVirgil Abloh presented his Spring/Summer 2022 menswear collection for Louis Vuitton on Thursday at Paris Fashion Week, a cinematic spectacle that touched on themes of rave culture, martial arts and gender. The collection was presented in a film called ‘Amen Break’ - a reference to a little-known drum riff from a song called ‘Amen, Brother’ by funk-soul group The Winstons that went onto underpin the foundation of hip-hop and jungle genres. “The film reflects on a historic moment in Black art and culture when electronic music and hip-hop emerged like twins from the same egg, and trickled into every part of the globe,” the brand said in a release. Chess a key theme in Louis Vuitton SS22 show The collection featured an array of chequers - a nod to the Damier motif and “the cultural tapestry of Virgil Abloh”. They are interpreted throughout the collection in various textures for three-dimensional or trompe l’oeil effects. Flyers like those distributed at 1990s raves are woven into transparent monogrammed nylon jackets and patchworked in cotton shirts, while padding reflects the protective uniforms of sports and martial Arts, entering into a variety of pieces panelled with hard geometrical shapes. Other key looks included landscape bags created in jacquard made from recycled polyester thread and two suits made in collaboration by New York artist Jim Joe - one black suit with beaded embroidery and a full-body knit morph suit with a chequer pattern.
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Victoria Beckham cuts retail prices to 'future proof' brand

Image: Victoria Beckham Victoria Beckham is cutting its retail prices by up to 40 percent in a bid to ‘future proof’ the company. The London-based design designer said she is moving to a simpler silhouette and less expensive fabrics, after the pandemic saw demand for embellished party dresses fall. Victoria Beckham’s chief executive officer Marie LeBlanc said the changes were necessary in order to “guarantee the future.” In an interview with the Guardian broadsheet LeBlanc stated: “We are going to come out of this time with a hybrid lifestyle. Maybe you don’t have to dress up so much to take a meeting. Our customer is smart, she wants value for money.” While tailoring is expected to remain a core category, Beckham is embracing a lo-fi aesthetic paired with a more accessible price point. A collection of easier silhouettes, focussed less on high-end simplicity and more on price and wearability could see Beckham expand her market reach and draw in new customers, especially a younger, more cost conscious clientele. Since launching in 2008, the pop-star-turned fashion designer is yet to see her fashion business make a profit. In the company’s last last funding round in 2017 Victoria Beckham Ltd raised 30 million pounds. In recent years the London team has seen a roster of high profile designers and managers exit the label. The business remains in flux, albeit with a new plan.
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Canada Goose to go fur-free

Image: Canada Goose Outerwear company Canada Goose has become the latest brand to put an end to the use of animal fur in its products. The Canadian brand said it will stop buying fur by the end of 2021 and will cease to manufacture with fur no later than the end of 2022. The brand, which has drawn criticism from animal rights activists over the years for its use of fur trims on the hoods of its parkas, said the decision was made as part of its wider sustainability strategy. The company has previously pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2025, and earlier this year launched its most sustainable parka to date which generates 30 percent less carbon and requires 65 percent less water during production. “Our focus has always been on making products that deliver exceptional quality, protection from the elements, and perform the way consumers need them to; this decision transforms how we will continue to do just that,” CEO and president Dani Reiss said in a release. “We continue to expand - across geographies and climates - launching new categories and products designed with intention, purpose and functionality. At the same time, we are accelerating the sustainable evolution of our designs.” Canada Goose joins a growing list of brands to have announced a ban on fur in their products in recent years, including the likes of Macy’s, H&M, Gap, Urban Outfitters and J.Crew, as well as luxury brands like Burberry, Prada, Gucci and Giorgio Armani. Barbara Cartwright, the CEO of Humane Canada, described the Canada Goose announcement as “a significant step forward toward building a more humane and sustainable world”. “We applaud Canada Goose’s commitment to end the use of all fur by late 2022 and the leadership position they are taking in their industry,” she said.
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Video: Fumito Ganryu at Paris Men's Fashion Week

In this video, Japanese fashion designer Fumito Ganryu has presented his SS22 collection at Paris Men's Fashion Week (PFW). Watch the video below. COMPATIBILITY from FUMITO GANRYU on Vimeo. Video: Fumito Ganryu via Vimeo Photo credit: Bris8.eu, Facebook
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Arizona Muse launches biodynamic farming charity

Image: courtesy of Arizona Muse / Agora Ibiza, Xarraca Journal Model and environmental activist Arizona Muse is vowing to “make soil sexy” with the launch of her new charity, Dirt, dedicated to promoting biodynamic farming all over the world. Biodynamic farming is a holistic approach to managing the land which has ecological, social and economic stability at its heart, explains Muse in a statement. The farming practice focuses on boosting biodiversity, community wellbeing and replenishing soils, allowing them to store more water and draw down more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. While the practice is already popular among grape growers, it is less common in other agricultural sectors, whether for fibres, food, or fuel and Dirt is looking to help biodynamic farmers build new markets as consumers’ appetite for organic produce and improved soil health grows. Muse, who throughout the pandemic has lived and worked on a farm, said in a statement: “From the food we eat to the clothes we wear, almost everything we rely on as human beings originates from the soil. Yet our disregard for this precious resource means we risk destroying one of our best solutions to the climate crisis. The food sector is catching on, but the apparel industry is fashionably late to the party. Dirt will help make soil sexy.” The charity launched at the Sustainable Angle’s Future Fabrics Expo in London. It announced that it will support the scale-up of biodynamic farming by funding new scientific research, education programmes, demonstration and conversion projects, and new networks, as well as through the national biodynamic associations themselves. Dirt will be funded by contributions from the fashion industry to start with, as well as environmentalists. Projects with other industries, including beauty and jewellery will begin in 2022. Image: courtesy of Arizona Muse A long-term comparison of farming methods in Switzerland by the Federal Institute of Biological Agriculture revealed that biodynamic methods are more effective in maintaining soil health than organic or mineral approaches. Unlike regenerative agriculture, biodynamic farming is certified which gives farmers, consumers and buyers confidence in reliability and impact. Arizona added: “Dirt gives the opportunity for businesses that understand how they have damaged soils in the past to give back to the planet with certainty. It also offers a path to a better quality of life for the farmers who are too often overlooked despite their huge contribution to the economy and society.”
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Video: Facetasm at Paris Men's Fashion Week

In this video, Japanese fashion label Facetasm has presented its SS22 collection entitled 'a sight with a kiss' at Paris Men's Fashion Week (PFW). Watch the video below. Video: Facetasm via YouTube Photo credit: Fabuk France, Facebook
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Facebook debuts new shoppings tools across Instagram and its platforms

Image: Instagram visual search, courtesy Facebook Inc. Facebook Inc. is adding new shopping tools to its platforms, including visual discovery on Instagram. The company is testing a new search function, powered by AI, to help users find similar products, such as a floral dress, just by tapping an image of a dress they like. Soon Instagram will make it possible for people to take photos from their camera to start a visual search. Virtual try-on To help shoppers get a better feel for the fit of a product before they purchase, Instagram is making it easier for brands to create AR try-on experiences in Shops through new API integrations with Modiface and Perfect Corp. The platform is introducing new tools for brands to include AR product catalogs in ads that will automatically show relevant products to people based on their interests. New technologies Facebook said it is investing in immersive technologies like augmented reality and artificial intelligence that will be the foundation for the way customers shop online going forward. New visual discovery tools on Instagra will help shoppers find new products, and AR experiences help shoppers visualize items before buying. Personalising the Shopping Journey With Ads Facebook in a press release said it wants to provide a shopping experience that is as personalized as a user’s News Feed. The company is introducing new Shops ads solutions that provide unique ads experiences based on people’s shopping preferences. For example, Facebook is testing the ability for businesses to send shoppers to where they are most likely to make a purchase based on their shopping behaviour, such as curated products that a usermight be interested in from a Shop or a business’ website. In the future, Facebook said it will explore ways to help brands further personalize their Shops ads by providing special offers or promotions to select shoppers.
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Gym+Coffee partners with Valérius Hub on sustainable range

Image: courtesy of Gym+Coffee Irish athleisure brand Gym+Coffee has partnered with the Valérius Hub located in Portugal to create a limited-edition sustainable collection. The Kinetic Capsule is made up of three hero items, a men’s and women’s hoodie and a women’s half-zip, and has been designed to combine sustainability with performance. Gym+Coffee, which One Direction singer Niall Horan invested in back in April, is aiming to have a minimum of 30 percent of its entire range either sustainably made or made from recycled materials by the end of 2021. This capsule collection fuses innovation in design with eco-friendly fabric composition, produced using the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world, which ensures that the fibre is grown in a way that protects and restores the environment while also improving farmers’ livelihoods. The Better Cotton was then combined with recycled polyamide which is certified to the Global Recycling Standards. As well as ensuring sustainably sourced materials, Gym+Coffee also opted for a manufacturer “closer to home” and partnered with the Valérius Hub located in Portugal. The manufacturer is known for reducing its impact on the environment with initiatives such as textile waste recycling, electricity generation from renewable energy sources and chemical-free processes across its supply chain. Image: courtesy of Gym+Coffee Gym+Coffee co-founder Diarmuid McSweeney said in a statement: “We’re thrilled to have worked with the industry innovators Valérius to bring these designs to life and look forward to working more closely with them in the future. “From recycled wood fittings in stores, to our partnership with One Tree Planted, to fully compostable packaging, we are committed to contributing positively to the planet in all areas of the business. Our short-term goal for the end of 2021, is to have minimum of 30 percent of our entire range be sustainably made or made from recycled materials.” The Gym+Coffee Kinectic Capsule is available to buy on its website and in-store in Dundrum, Blanchardstown, Mahon Point, Manchester and London. Prices range from 90 to 95 pounds. Image: courtesy of Gym+Coffee
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Online demand boosts Joules full year revenues

Image: Joules For the year ended May 30, 2021, Joules has reported revenue increase of 4 percent to approximately 199 million pounds. The company said in a release that revenue rose despite the significant challenges impacting the retail sector during the financial year. The company added that it expects to report pre-tax profit in the range of 5.5 million to 6.5 million pounds, slightly ahead of current market expectations. Commenting on the trading update, Nick Jones, chief executive officer of Joules, said: “The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the lives of consumers, the level of disruption and pace of change in the retail sector over the past 12 months has been truly unprecedented. I am delighted that, against this backdrop, Joules has been able to deliver a very solid financial performance and strong strategic progress.” Highlights of Joules full year result The company’s retail revenue, which includes e-commerce sales as well as the group’s stores, increased 9 percent year on year as a result of strong sales growth through the group’s own digital channels with demand on Joules’ own websites, which includes the Friends of Joules online marketplace, growing approximately 48 percent year on year. Joules further said that the group’s stores have performed ahead of management’s expectations since their re-opening following the third national lockdown, with sales for the eight weeks since reopening ahead of the comparable period two years ago. The group has also opened three new stores at Center Parcs’ Sherwood, Whinfell and Elveden locations, taking the total number of Joules’ Center Parcs stores to five. The company said, reflecting the enforced closure of Joules stores for approximately half of the year, store sales reduced by approximately 41 percent year on year. Garden Trading revenues were approximately 78 percent higher than the comparable prior year period, while the group’s wholesale sales reduced by approximately 17 percent.
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Andy Murray to wear Merino wool kit at Wimbledon

Image: Woolmark Tennis great Andy Murray will wear an innovative merino wool kit created by AMC and The Woolmark Company at Wimbledon. The natural benefits and breathability of merino wool are unmatchable, providing athletes like Murray with softness on the skin to keep them comfortable and cool. “I’ve been testing the kit for a few months now and am really happy with how it feels and performs,” revealed Andy Murry in a statement. He continued, “I work closely with the designers on every piece and give regular feedback, for me, the technical performance is vital. “It’s also very important the kit is sustainable and I like the fact it looks and feels a bit different.” Merino wool is the world’s original performance fibre Merino wool is also known for its natural elasticity, which is great for stretching. The fibres also provide natural odour resistance, allowing high performing athletes to stay fresher for longer. The fibre is also environmentally friendly, being 100 percent natural, renewable and biodegradable. Stuart McCullough, The Woolmark Company’s managing director said in a release: “The launch of this innovative kit elevates merino wool to an entirely new level of performance on a global stage and demonstrates that Merino wool garments are both stylish and capable of use in an elite sporting environment.” Murray will don the merino wool pieces at training for his Wimbledon matches and all tournaments. A 5-piece collection will also be available worldwide from June 28, 2021.
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Reebok unveils collaboration with Daniel Moon

Image: courtesy of Reebok In Pictures Sportswear brand Reebok has unveiled its first collaboration with Daniel Moon inspired by the power of colour with palettes that evoke the colourists signature hair art. The ‘Major Reebok’ capsule features a bright, colourful twist on the Reebok Classic Leather Legacy and Club C Legacy silhouettes. Moon is one of the recognisable hair colourists in pop culture with a hair salon in Los Angeles. He has become known for bringing unconventional hair colour into mainstream style and encouraging people of all genders, ages, and backgrounds to express their individuality through colour, which Reebok states align with its vision and focus on equality and inclusivity. Before he transitioned into hair colouring and product creation, Moon served in the Marine Corps and had the nickname “Major Moon” and he has referenced this experience within his Reebok collaboration. Moon said in a statement: “After my service, where hair was very standardised, I made a vow to practice complete self-expression. I have my products like Major Moonshine, a hair glitter, and the Major Apron. I see the [Major Reebok] shoe as an armour that completes the colourful Major Moon wardrobe - head to toe.” Image: courtesy of Reebok Reebok teams up with colourist Daniel Moon The Reebok Classic Leather Legacy’s colour palette was inspired by Moon’s most popular and requested hair colours, explains Reebok while the heel’s leather material reminds the hairstylist of a shaved head. Commenting on the design of the sneaker, Moon explained: “The sock liner of the Classic Leather Legacy is a photograph of an actual hair piece that I worked on. It serves as a blueprint of the shoes.” Image: courtesy of Reebok The second silhouette, the Club C Legacy features a bright solar green and pink colour palette combined with transparent materials inspired by the Major Apron, Moon’s fashionable and functional apron used by hairdressers across the globe. “These colours represent the same feeling of hyper freedom that my hair art brings to my clients,” adds Moon. “They instantly go in your bloodstream and change your mood to a new tier of exaggerated fun.” The Club C Legacy and Classic Leather Legacy also include one pair of fuzzy laces inspired by Moon’s hair experience. Major Reebok is the first of two collections between the brands and will be available to buy on Reebok.com from June 24, ranging in unisex sizes US 3.5 – 15. The Classic Leather Legacy retails for 90 US dollars and the Club C Legacy for 100 US dollars. Image: courtesy of Reebok Image: courtesy of Reebok
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The stock market's luxury indexes are soaring post pandemic

Luxury investors are showing confidence in the stock market again, with mergers and acquisitions back on fashion’s agenda. Covid-19 has without a doubt impacted the world’s stock exchanges, sending most of them in a frenzy in the early days, but after several months of difficulties, luxury indexes are setting new historical records. The month of June particularly has been a stellar month, with Italian labels Cucinelli and Moncler reaching new heights not seen since 2017. In France LVMH, Kering and Hermes all saw growth, scoring a further rebound for the sector. At the end of last year the acquisition of Supreme by VF Corp was an indication of new buoyant times, where the former skatewear company sold for a purchase price of 2.1 billion dollars, 15 times its market value. The LVMH and Tiffany merger from the same year went through a legal clash but in the end the transaction was still valued at 15,8 billion dollars, 17.60 times its market value.
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MFW SS22: 'baby steps' back to normality

Image: Fendi SS22, Catwalkpictures Lights, camera, real live audiences -- Milan fashion welcomes back actual people to its shows Friday, a sign the industry is ready to start turning the page on virtual formats adopted during the pandemic. The numbers are still modest, with only Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Etro inviting an audience to their men's Spring/Summer 2022 collections. "This is the dress rehearsal of the return to normalcy," Federica Trotta Mureau, editor of the Italian fashion magazine Mia Le Journal, told AFP. The shows represent baby steps but the effect of the live events, instead of the video presentations or short films relied on since early last year when coronavirus cut short the twice-yearly shows in Italy's business capital, would still be appreciated, Mureau said. "The lights that go out and come back on, the music that sounds as soon as the first models come out... it's an emotion that digital cannot give us," she said. Armani was the first in late May to announce the return of the public, after being the first to shut them out in February 2020. "I'm scared, like everyone else," Giorgio Armani, 86, said as the pandemic swept through Italy last year. Goodbye dull shades The bulk of the 47 fashion shows taking place over five days will remain digital. That was the case for Ermenegildo Zegna, which kicked off the shows on Friday with a virtual display featuring models wandering through labyrinths of greenery before returning to an urban concrete landscape. "This marks a renaissance of luxury craftsmanship, a movement that liberates the man while preserving his uniqueness," said the brand's artistic director, Alessandro Sartori. Fendi comes next, on Saturday; Prada's virtual show is due Sunday. Though still a small minority, the return of even the few in-person shows was "an important signal of recovery", according to Carlo Capasa, president of the National Chamber for Italian Fashion. After months of stop-start measures, coronavirus restrictions in most of Italy have now been lifted thanks to falling infection rates, although masks are still compulsory in public and social distancing must be respected. Capasa has estimated sales for the Italian fashion market will rise 17 percent this year to 80 billion euros ($95 billion), driven mostly by growth in China. Exports of "Made in Italy" fashion are expected to rise by 13 percent. But only in 2022 will the country's fashion industry regain its pre-pandemic levels, especially since orders during the first months of 2021 have fallen below expectations. Last year, revenue fell by 26 percent for the Italian industry, as stores shuttered and well-heeled tourists stayed home. So what will Milan's men be wearing next year? After the grey winter and the gloom of the pandemic, colours found in nature such as light green, ocean blue, terracotta, sunshine yellow or fire red should prevail, according to Mureau. "Goodbye to sober colours and too punishing looks, the summer of 2022 in men's fashion will be marked by colour and exaggeration," she said.(AFP)
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Barcelona Street Vendors Union launches game-changing sneaker brand

When he left Senegal, risking his life to make the dangerous boat trip to Spain's Canary Islands, Lamine Sarr never thought he'd end up selling fake goods on the streets of Barcelona. Known as "manteros" after the blanket on which they lay their wares, these street sellers live a precarious life, always on the lookout for the police. So Sarr decided to do something different: he helped set up the Barcelona Street Vendors Union, which has just launched its own brand of trainers in the hope of "changing the rules of the game". "As we were always selling counterfeit products, it gave us the desire to create a brand with our own designs and our own clothes," explains Sarr, 38, inside the union's shop in Barcelona's Raval neighbourhood. And the name they've given the trainers is "Ande Dem", which means "walking together" in Wolof, the most widely-spoken language in Senegal. Behind the project is Top Manta, a clothing company set up in 2017 by the union, which is mostly made up of sub-Saharan Africans. "When we first created the brand, we thought about trainers. We thought it would be easy but we didn't have the means," Sarr told AFP. And what better way to kick against the system than by giving those who are known for selling fakes on the streets of Barcelona their very own brand of shoes, made locally in Spain and Portugal. The project has been two years in the making, with the manteros working with two local artists to create trainers made from sustainable, vegan-friendly materials that that are produced in small local workshops rather than mass-produced. With a robust sole, they come in black or tan with a strip of colours "reflecting Africa" and the Top Manta logo: a blanket, that also represents "waves" of the dangerous sea crossing many brave to reach Spain. Launched earlier this month with a thought-provoking ad on Instagram where the collective has 63,000 followers, the trainers retail at 115 euros. "Life is not like a trainer advert. We know the race is full of traps," says a woman's voice over footage of police racing after a migrant and wrestling him to the ground. "It's not about just doing it, it's about doing it right," she says, in a slogan with a clear spin on Nike's Just Do It campaign. Insurmountable red tape Sarr says it is impossible to work as a street seller and not have problems with the law. For the union, the main aim is to get the manteros off the street where many end up no thanks to Spain's immigration laws. In order to get residency papers, the law requires non-EU citizens to prove they have been in Spain for three years, to show a one-year work contract, have a clean criminal record and more. "How can you be in a place for three years without doing anything? I couldn't believe it," said Sarr who didn't tell his family in rural Senegal that he was leaving for Europe. Following a week-long sea crossing, he arrived on the island of Fuerteventura in 2006, eventually making his way to Barcelona. But it was only two years ago that he managed to leave his life as a mantero after the union helped him to obtain his papers, as it has done around 120 others. Today there are around 100 street sellers working in Barcelona, according to City Hall figures. It was the disappearance of tourists as a result of the pandemic that put an end to Oumy Manga's five years working as a hawker on the streets. Wearing a colourful turban that matches her dress, this 32-year-old is focused on making a t-shirt at the Top Manta workshop where African tunes mingle with the rattle of sewing machines. She is currently finishing a course in dressmaking as well as learning Spanish and Catalan. "I don't like selling, that's why we're here: learning things so we don't go back on the streets," says Manga from Senegal, who sewed masks and other protective gear at the start of the pandemic. 'An unrealistic law' Some 25 people work in this basement workshop which they acquired with help from City Hall which has backed several of the union's initiatives. "The underlying problem comes from migrant influxes and a law on foreigners that is unrealistic," says Alvaro Porro, who is responsible for head of commissioner for the Social Economy at Barcelona City Council. "In the end, it's the cities who have to cope with the situation no thanks to a law that we cannot change." If she had known what was awaiting her, Manga says she wouldn't have left her homeland. "It's very complicated, being here five years without papers or work." Still without papers, she's hoping things might change given her new-found ally, the sewing machine. "I'd like to carry on sewing, that's my profession," she says, dreaming of one day designing her own collection. For now, it seems Top Manta has a future: so far it's sold all of its first batch of 400 pairs of trainers and is now preparing to order another.(AFP)
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MFW SS22: 'baby steps' back to normality

Image: Fendi SS22, Catwalkpictures Lights, camera, real live audiences -- Milan fashion welcomes back actual people to its shows Friday, a sign the industry is ready to start turning the page on virtual formats adopted during the pandemic. The numbers are still modest, with only Armani, Dolce & Gabbana and Etro inviting an audience to their men's Spring/Summer 2022 collections. "This is the dress rehearsal of the return to normalcy," Federica Trotta Mureau, editor of the Italian fashion magazine Mia Le Journal, told AFP. The shows represent baby steps but the effect of the live events, instead of the video presentations or short films relied on since early last year when coronavirus cut short the twice-yearly shows in Italy's business capital, would still be appreciated, Mureau said. "The lights that go out and come back on, the music that sounds as soon as the first models come out... it's an emotion that digital cannot give us," she said. Armani was the first in late May to announce the return of the public, after being the first to shut them out in February 2020. "I'm scared, like everyone else," Giorgio Armani, 86, said as the pandemic swept through Italy last year. Goodbye dull shades The bulk of the 47 fashion shows taking place over five days will remain digital. That was the case for Ermenegildo Zegna, which kicked off the shows on Friday with a virtual display featuring models wandering through labyrinths of greenery before returning to an urban concrete landscape. "This marks a renaissance of luxury craftsmanship, a movement that liberates the man while preserving his uniqueness," said the brand's artistic director, Alessandro Sartori. Fendi comes next, on Saturday; Prada's virtual show is due Sunday. Though still a small minority, the return of even the few in-person shows was "an important signal of recovery", according to Carlo Capasa, president of the National Chamber for Italian Fashion. After months of stop-start measures, coronavirus restrictions in most of Italy have now been lifted thanks to falling infection rates, although masks are still compulsory in public and social distancing must be respected. Capasa has estimated sales for the Italian fashion market will rise 17 percent this year to 80 billion euros ($95 billion), driven mostly by growth in China. Exports of "Made in Italy" fashion are expected to rise by 13 percent. But only in 2022 will the country's fashion industry regain its pre-pandemic levels, especially since orders during the first months of 2021 have fallen below expectations. Last year, revenue fell by 26 percent for the Italian industry, as stores shuttered and well-heeled tourists stayed home. So what will Milan's men be wearing next year? After the grey winter and the gloom of the pandemic, colours found in nature such as light green, ocean blue, terracotta, sunshine yellow or fire red should prevail, according to Mureau. "Goodbye to sober colours and too punishing looks, the summer of 2022 in men's fashion will be marked by colour and exaggeration," she said.(AFP)
http://dlvr.it/S28B1j

Walmart invests in on-demand drone delivery service

Walmart Retail giant Walmart has announced its investment in DroneUp - a nationwide on-demand drone delivery service. The news comes following a trial between the two companies last year which saw the delivery of at home covid-19 self-collection kits. The trail successfully completed hundreds of safe drone deliveries from Walmart stores. John Furner, CEO and president of Walmart US said in a statement: “Walmart already has a significant part of the infrastructure in place – 4,700 stores stocked with more than 100,000 of the most-purchased items, located within 10 miles of 90 percent of the US population. “This makes us uniquely positioned to execute drone deliveries, which is why our investment in DroneUp won’t just apply to the skies but also the ground.” The first operation will happen in the coming months at a store in Bentonville, Arkansas.
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