Australian womenswear brand Petal + Pup gets new brand president

Victoria Estella Perry has been named the new brand president of Australian-based womenswear label Petal + Pup, effective August 3. In her new role, Perry will spearhead the company’s strategic growth with a particular focus on young women’s fashion. She will be based in San Francisco and will report to Jill Ramsey, the CEO of parent company a.k.a. Brands. Perry has almost 20 years of retail experience and joins from Pottery Barn, where she was vice president of business development and merchandising. Prior to that, she was general manager for fashion, health and beauty at eBay, and earlier still she spent time at Walmart and Gap. Under Perry’s leadership, the company said it will continue its focus on the Australian business and will remain headquartered in Australia. Perry said she is “excited to leverage a.k.a.’s highly experienced leadership team and powerful platform as we embark on the next phase”. She succeeds Philip Scarff who will retire this year after five years at the helm of the company, which was founded in 2014 by Tiffany Henry, Scarff’s daughter. Scarff oversaw significant growth at the brand and pioneered its expansion in the US. a.k.a. Brands CEO Jill Ramsey thanked Scarff for his work and said she believes Perry’s background and strong e-commerce experience makes her “an excellent fit for the role”. “Her expertise will be instrumental as we accelerate Petal + Pup’s strategic growth in the US,” Ramsey said.
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Menswear colour trends Spring/Summer 2022

Trendstop brings FashionUnited readers a first look at the key menswear colour inspirations emerging on the Spring Summer 2022 catwalks. The menswear seasonal palette evolves to reflect the overarching themes underscoring Spring Summer 2022. Led by the shift in consumer attitudes, colours draw on nature for inspiration with ‘of the earth’ undertones and fresh, foliage-like hues. A more genderless approach provides new opportunities to expand the classic menswear colour repertoire as consumers increasingly look to fashion as an outlet for self-expression and personal creativity. Honest Earthy Green Honest Earthy Green is an emerging shade that signifies shoots of optimism and fresh starts. This spring-inspired shade contains a unique sense of refined playfulness, combined with an earthy, plant-based, natural tone that reflects consumer and designer interest in reverting back to natural and low impact dyeing methods. Genderless Reds Genderless Reds seek to blur the gender lines often attached to colour thinking. Pink undertones introduce a more feminine aspect, softening once harsh or overly bright shades and introducing a sense of playfulness and creativity to menswear colour usage. Subtle earth-based undertones serve to ground statement shades in nature, echoing new consumer mindsets. Vintage Sports Combos Vintage colour combinations are reinterpreted through a modern lens and integrated into sports silhouettes. Again, traditional gender boundaries are left in the past as men explore a new sense of expression, creatively embracing their feminine side. There is a sense of freedom of expression and individuality, not just in the single shades but also in how they are styled and combined together. Exclusive Offer: FashionUnited readers can get free access to Trendstop’s Spring Summer 2021 Key Colour Directions Report. 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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Skechers Q2 sales increase 127.3 percent

Image: Skechers, Facebook Second quarter sales at Skechers increased 127.3 percent as a result of a 147.3 percent increase in domestic sales and a 113.7 percent increase in international sales. On a constant currency basis, the company’s total sales increased 117.5 percent. The company’s gross margin increased 72 basis points to 51.2 percent, earnings from operations increased 262.2 million dollars to 201.2 million dollars, while net earnings were 137.4 million dollars and diluted earnings per share were 88 cents. “Skechers second quarter financial results exceeded expectations as we achieved record quarterly sales of over 1.6 billion dollars, a 127.3 percent increase over the same period in 2020, and 31.7 percent increase over 2019,” stated David Weinberg, chief operating officer of Skechers. “We accomplished these financial results even as we continued to face Covid-19 related challenges including delayed shipments and port constraints as well as temporary store closures in some key markets, including India, Canada, and parts of Europe and South America,” Weinberg added. Highlights of Skechers Q2 performance The company said in a release that domestic and international growth was driven by increases in both wholesale and direct-to-consumer, as Covid-19 restrictions eased over the prior year. The company added that sales grew across all segments with increases to domestic wholesale of 205.7 percent, international wholesale of 94.8 percent and direct-to-consumer of 137.8 percent. International wholesale increases were driven by 150.2 percent growth in the company’s European subsidiaries, led by the United Kingdom and Germany, 50.9 percent growth in China, and 122.3 percent growth in distributor sales. Improvements in direct-to-consumer sales resulted from growth across both domestic and international retail stores, slightly offset by declines in domestic e-commerce sales. Direct-to-consumer comparable same store sales increased 109.2 percent, driven by an increase of 95.6 percent domestically and 165.2 percent internationally. Review of Skechers year to date financial results The company’s year to date sales increased 56.5 percent, while domestic and international sales each grew 56.5 percent with the largest contribution derived from international wholesale growth. On a constant currency basis, the company’s total sales increased 50.9 percent. The company further said that sales grew across all segments with increases to domestic wholesale of 52.2 percent, international wholesale of 52.3 percent, and direct-to-consumer of 69 percent. Improvements in international wholesale were the result of growth in China of 88.4 percent and Europe of 32.9 percent. Direct-to-Consumer comparable same store sales increased 54.8 percent, driven by an increase of 59.4 percent domestically and 40.8 percent internationally. Gross margin increased 308 basis points to 49.5 percent, earnings from operations were 358.9 million dollars, an increase of 375.1 million dollars compared to a loss of 16.2 million dollars in the prior-year period, net earnings were 235.9 million dollars and diluted earnings per share were 1.51 dollars. For the fiscal year 2021, the company expects to achieve sales between 6.15 billion dollars and 6.25 billion dollars and diluted earnings per share of between 2.55 dollars and 2.65 dollars. Further, for the third quarter, the company expects to achieve sales between 1.60 billion dollars and 1.65 billion dollars and diluted earnings per share of between 70 cents and 75 cents.
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Vogue China names new fashion director

Vogue China’s new editor-in-chief, Margaret Zhang, is building up her masthead. Stylist Audrey Hu has been hired as the publication’s fashion director, succeeding Yoyo Yao, who left Vogue China in April. Hu’s most recent role was as fashion director of Huasheng Media’s Wallpaper China. Hu began her career at Modern Media a decade ago, and previously ran her own creative agency, Creature. Hu is no stranger to working with Vogue China. She styled the magazine’s recent August issue starring actress Zhao Wei. She’s also worked with Vogue Singapore for a highly renowned cover start Liu Wen. Zhang is working quickly to make her mark at Vogue China. In a groundbreaking move, she announced that the magazine’s September issue will be cast through an opening casting call via the “Vogue New Face” initiative.
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Podcast: The Glossy Podcast discusses the growth of video commerce

In this episode, The Glossy Podcast has interviewed Brian Beitler, chief marketing officer of QVC (USA) and HSN. He discussed how transparency is key in making a connection with the consumer and the growth of video commerce. Listen to the podcast below. Source: The Glossy Podcast via Megaphone
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Podcast: Wardrobe Crisis interviews fashion designer Emily Adams Bode

In this episode, the Wardrobe Crisis has interviewed American fashion designer Emily Adams Bode about creating upcycled menswear from old textiles and deadstock. Listen to the podcast below. Source: Wardrobe Crisis via OmnyStudio
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Online marketplace Immaculate Vegan completes first investment round

Image: Immaculate Vegan Online premium marketplace Immaculate Vegan Ltd has completed its first investment round, securing 400,000 pounds to help it drive future growth. Launched in 2019, Immaculate Vegan sells only 100 percent vegan fashion, beauty and lifestyle products from over 100 brands including Gunas New York, Collection And Co, Nina Rein, Taiyo and Gentleberg. Its key target markets are the UK, US and Europe. Immaculate Vegan’s founding director Annick Ireland said she was “delighted” with the completion of the funding round and said it would help take the business to “the next stage”. “We’re already seeing huge growth in consumer demand for ethical and sustainable alternatives that are still beautifully designed, high quality and stylish, and Immaculate Vegan perfectly fulfils that need,” Ireland said in a statement. To date, Immaculate Vegan has trebled turnover year on year, with Q2 of 2021 its strongest quarter yet. The company said the funding round will be used to develop the platform and launch large scale digital marketing campaigns to drive new customer acquisition. Rohallah Ghasemi, investment executive at SFC Capital, said there was a gap in the market for “a trusted marketplace with curated products” like Immaculate Vegan. “Brands and manufacturers are fast replacing their product range with more sustainable alternatives, especially in beauty products and fashion,” Ghasemi said. “This is an opportunity that Immaculate Vegan has seized and we are pleased to be backing their great team to help continue their growth.”
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De Beers Group consolidates leadership in management shakeup

De Beers Group is streamlining its management structure by consolidating the leadership of its jewellery houses, expanding Céline Assimon’s role to lead De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark. The move comes as De Beers Group announced that Nancy Liu, currently chief executive of De Beers Forevermark, has decided to leave the business. Assimon, chief executive of De Beers Jewellers will expand her role to lead both jewellery houses. In her expanded role, Assimon will continue to report to Stephen Lussier, who is chairman of both jewellery houses, and “will shape a coordinated offering focused on beautiful diamonds, inspiring design and connecting consumers to De Beers’ Building Forever mission”. De Beers added that positioning the two jewellery houses under Assimon’s leadership represents the “latest step in the evolution to a ‘one De Beers’ strategy”. Assimon joined De Beers Group as chief executive of De Beers Jewellers in September 2020 and is described by the jewellery group as having “outstanding international experience in leading the growth of a range of leading businesses in the high-end jewellery and luxury sector”. Céline Assimon named chief executive of De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark Bruce Cleaver, chief executive of De Beers Group, said in a statement: “Céline has already shown in her time with De Beers that she has a deep passion for diamonds and sustainability, allied to an extremely keen eye for detail and consumer tastes. “She is the ideal person to lead both our jewellery houses in the exciting next phase of their development as we work to grow consumer desire for De Beers’ inspiring diamond jewellery and our commitment to creating a positive lasting legacy for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered.” The change will take effect from September 5, 2021, and Liu will remain with De Beers Group until September 21 to ensure a seamless transition of leadership ahead of her departure. Nancy Liu chief executive of De Beers Forevermark to depart in September On Liu, Cleaver, added: “Nancy has been instrumental in leading the development of De Beers Forevermark to its position as an internationally-recognised and trusted name for responsibly sourced, beautiful diamond jewellery. Personally, I have enjoyed learning from and working with Nancy, and all of us at De Beers Group thank Nancy for her outstanding work and we wish her all the best for the next chapter in her career.” Liu has worked at De Beers Group for 13 years and has played a “key role in the global development of the De Beers Forevermark business,” said the company. She led the growth of the business in China, building a new team and establishing De Beers Forevermark as a leading player in the rapidly growing Chinese consumer market for diamond jewellery. Liu went on to become chief operating officer before being appointed De Beers Forevermark chief executive in 2019 and has led the development and implementation of the business’s wholesale and retail strategy. Image: courtesy of De Beers Group; Céline Assimon, chief executive of De Beers Jewellers and De Beers Forevermark
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H&M collaborates with Netflix’s Sex Education

Fashion retailer H&M has unveiled a collaboration with Netflix TV show Sex Education on a back-to-campus inspired collection. Launching on August 12 in H&M stores and at hm.com, the exclusive Sex Education x H&M collection features varsity garments in crimson red and the logo of the series' fictional town's name, Moordale, giving the pieces a “retro-feel”. The collection is mainly influenced by the series' vibrant lead characters, “who you can easily spot on the prints on some of the garments,” added H&M in the press release. Key pieces include varsity jackets, joggers, cropped T-shirts, and hats all featuring the Moordale Dolphins, alongside cropped polo shirts featuring slogans such as ‘I don’t do boyfriends’ and ‘It’s always been you’. The collection also features the TV shows characters printed on T-shirts, sweatshirts and a tote bag. Sex Education x H&M launches on August 12. Images: courtesy of H&M
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Anatomy of a trend by Christine Boland: crochet, knotting & macramé

credit: Pexels and Unsplash In ‘Anatomy of a trend’ trend analyst Christine Boland anatomizes a specific trend worth keeping an eye on. The trend For SS22 there’s a major role for (wearable) arts and crafts - think crochet, knotting, braiding, macramé, weaving and twining. But not just in your typical 70’s bohemian style. These artisanal open-worked techniques are put into a new context by uniting them with modern materials, innovative technology and digital (colour) influences. For example at Fendi they used rattan - a material traditionally used for furniture - as textile design for their techno white shoes and knitwear, transforming something seemingly incompatible into modern wearable designs. Hence the design language term ‘recontextualised traditional crafts’. The origin Thanks to the pandemic we've seen a rise in all things handmade, not only in fashion but also in interior design. This has brought about a renewed interest in traditional techniques used for and evolved over centuries by indigenous communities who live close to nature. Not surprisingly, their intricate craftsmanship - such as knotting, braiding, weaving and twining - form a major inspiration for the SS22 fashion collections. By mixing these artisan techniques and handcrafted creations with hightech materials, the resulting designs showcase a very modern take on century old textures. credit: Pexels and Unsplash The relevance In this totally elusive, intangible digital (phygital) world there’s a strong need for things that are tangible and apparently handcrafted. Handmade and irregular forms are viewed as having a ‘soul’, and therefore deliver that much needed homely, cosy touch to a design. The greater the texture the more tactile the end product. Popular for accessories, such as bags and hats, as well as for the total look. Crochet and the other open-worked techniques are the perfect solution for adding such interesting sensory texture. The influencers Important influencers are found in architecture and interior design, for example product and interior designer Marcel Wanders, architect Patrick Keane and artist designer Aurelie Hoegy. Not to forget the Loewe X Wallpaper basketry exhibition in Milan during Salone del Mobile 2019, where the Spanish luxury brand asked eleven master weavers to create limited edition objets d’art using Loewe leather. Valentino, Fendi, Kenneth Ize and Ella Emhoff’s (Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter) knitwear collaboration with Batsheva Hay can be seen as important pack leaders. But arguably maybe an even bigger role is to be given to last years’ crafting hype seen on Pinterest, Instagram and even Tik Tok. Find more trend insights from Christine Boland here.
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SS22 Womenswear Trends: 7 styles of dress to consider

Carolina Herrera Resort 2022, Courtesy of the brand. Dresses remain a must-have for the summer season. Simple to wear, easy to combine and flattering for every body. FashionUnited dived a little deeper into the dress trends for the upcoming summer season and selected seven styles to add to your shop for SS22. The cutout dress Givenchy Resort 2022. Photo: Catwalk Pictures We’ve seen cutout tops and other peekaboo details slinking the runway over the last year, and for the Spring-Summer 2022 season, dresses will sport the trend too. Whether it’s a subtle suggestion with teardrop holes or slashes that reveal more, cutout details will show some skin for the next summer season. Alaïa’s Resort 2022 collection presented a glitzy halter top dress with slight cutouts at the belly, Paco Rabbane showcased a symmetrical printed version and Givenchy played with zippers and a mix of fabrics for a rock silhouette. The bodycon dress Balmain Resort 2022. Photo: Catwalk Pictures Reminiscing the ‘90s, the bodycon dress is making a comeback for SS22, this time a tad more dressed up and elegant. The style will still play with sexiness, but with a modern and contemporary take. Think knitted fabrics for a comfortable and paired-back effect or ruched details that can be worn both for a day or night out. Balmain’s tan version was structured and accessorised with a casual tote bag while Lapointe’s came in an extra-long cotton-jersey striped style. At Versace though, bright hues met shiny fabrics for an eye-catching effect. The fringed dress Chanel Resort 2022. Photo: Catwalk Pictures The Autumn-Winter 2020 collections started playing with fringes on jackets, trousers and accessories alike and for next summer, they’ll adorn dresses. They’ll come in a variety of fabrics, from thick leather to lighter materials such as feathers or yarns. Chanel presented several 1920’s-inspired black dresses finished with feather fringes, Chloé opted for prints and knitted details and Dior showcased a gold metallic midi-dress with a long fringed hem. The goddess dress Elie Saab Resort 2022. Photo: Catwalk Pictures Maria Grazia Chiuri’s Dior collections might come as the first reference for goddess-style silhouettes, but it turns out many other brands have followed suit. Whether it is draped versions or move flowy styles that allow movements for a breezy look, Greek-inspired dresses will be around for SS22. Their fluidity makes them uncomplicated and easy going while still making you look put-together. Short hems for day or long hems for nights, the options are endless. A light-pink cinched version was seen at Alberta Ferretti and Elie Saab played with sheerness and extra-long cuts. The mini dress Etro Resort 2022. Photo: Catwalk Pictures The mini dress might always be a womenswear staple, but it’ll be especially present for the SS22 season. Short hemlines have been introduced in a large array of collections, whether it be paired with unexpected prints or mixed with plain neutrals that can be dressed up with bold details. Blumarine introduced a neon pink number featuring a butterfly print, Chanel made sheer logo-printed versions and we’ve seen Etro showcase a tiered version sporting one of the brand’s signature prints. The slip dress Brandon Maxwell Resort 2022. Photo: Catwalk Pictures After last summer’s bustiers and corsets, the slip dress is making a come-back. Its simple, lingerie-inspired style makes for no fuss and it’ll come in more elegant and sophisticated versions next year. Pair it with chunky accessories for a day-time look. It was embroidered with colourful details at Ermanno Scervino and came in a leopard print and maxi length at Brandon Maxwell. The party dress Carolina Herrera Resort 2022 Photo credit: Courtesy of Carolina Herrera. Now that the world is out and about again, so are the trends. We’ve seen party dresses and over-the-top styles on the runway for next summer, making a statement with vibrant colours, exaggerated ruffles and shiny fabrics. The idea is to shift from comfortable and easy silhouettes to snag attention and celebrate joy through clothes. N°21 showed a neon-green sequin mini dress while Carolina Herrera opted for an all-over floral print. On the other hand, Oscar de la Renta presented green and purple solid styles detailed with oversized bows.
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Madewell teams up with ThredUp for second-hand denim platform

Image: Madewell US denim brand Madewell has launched a new second-hand fashion platform with the help of resale giant ThredUp. The new platform, called ‘Madewell Forever’, harnesses ThredUp’s resale-as-a-service (RaaS) to give preloved women’s jeans a new lease of life. Launched on Tuesday, the platform currently has over 3,000 products, with new styles added hourly as available. Prices range from 35 dollars to 50 dollars. So how does it work? Customers will be able to bring any brand of pre-worn jeans into Madewell stores and earn 20 dollars towards a full-priced pair of Madewell jeans. Collected items are sent to ThredUp to sort and determine what can be re-sold, either through its own platform or - if it is women’s Madewell denim - via select Madewell’s stores and the new ‘Madewell Forever’ site. Unsellable denim will be recycled through approved programs such as Cotton’s Blue Jeans Go Green program. Through the platform, Madewell said it aims to collect one million pairs of denim by 2023 - double what it has collected in the past six years through its existing denim trade-in program. Madewell, owned by J.Crew Group, is the latest in a long list of big-name fashion brands and retailers to announce tie-ups with ThredUp as they look to explore the fast-growing resale space. Over the past two years, San Francisco-based ThredUp has secured partnerships with the likes of Vera Bradley, Abercrombie & Fitch, Reebok and Rent the Runway. But this will be the first time one of ThredUp’s RaaS clients have launched a 360-resale platform that allows their customers to both clean out their closets and shop for second-hand fashion. Madewell said it worked closely with ThredUp to develop a “unique, white-labeled resale channel including a digital shop”, which it said was “the first of its kind enabled by ThredUp’s RaaS program”. J.Crew Group CEO Libby Wadle said she hopes the launch will “set a new standard for the fashion industry” and encourage other companies to “join us in finding circular solutions that reduce retail’s environmental impact”. “It’s exciting to see a beloved brand like Madewell working to extend the life of their clothes and commit to a more circular fashion future,” commented ThredUp co-founder and CEO James Reinhart. “We are proud ThredUp’s operating platform will enable and scale a meaningful resale channel for Madewell through ‘Madewell Forever’.”
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Chanel to stage Métiers d'Art show in Paris

Image: Chanel Facebook page Chanel will always love its home of Paris. This December, that love affair will continue as the house debuts its next Métiers d’Art collection on December 7. The Métiers d’Art show is usually a traveling show that has been show everywhere from Dallas to Shanghai, but with restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, Chanel thought it best to stay close to home. The Grand Palais, where Chanel usually stages their shows, is under renovations ahead of the Summer Olympics in 2024, so Chanel will need a new venue that has yet to be announced. A temporary space was built near the Eiffel Tower to host events that usually take place at the Grand Palais. It is possible that Chanel will stage their show at the Palais Galliera fashion museum, where the brand’s fall 2021 haute couture show was held. Chanel has yet to hold an event outside of its home country of France since COVID-19, meanwhile competitors, like Louis Vuitton, have held shows in countries including China.
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Never out of stock – how does the business model work in uncertain times?

Image: Cecil Timeless fashion items that can be sold at any time - the idea seems tempting for retailers and brands, especially during pandemic times. But in practice, fashion companies differ significantly in the way they offer never-out-of-stock items. In this series, three brands from different segments reveal more about their NOOS system and how it has worked during the pandemic. Starting with Cecil and Street One, two womenswear brands of the CBR Fashion Group, whose NOOS items are a permanent fixture of the business model. In fact, the sister labels’ with NOOS share accounts for 30 to 45 percent of sales. In contrast to the classic image of NOOS, CBR takes an unusually fast-moving approach to its labels' never-out-of-stock system. The German clothing group’s brands launch twelve independent collections every year. Each of the twelve collections contains new NOOS items; at Street One, these are called QR. The amount of “always in stock” items is between 20 and 40 percent per collection. What is special is that unlike what one is used to from the old familiar NOOS system, the CBR Group does not mainly focus on timeless classics in its collections. Image: Marco Schneider, head of sales, national, of Cecil and Street One | CBR Fashion Group Cecil and Street One accelerate the classic NOOS model “We made significant changes to QR and NOOS a good three and a half years ago. You can still find basics like a white t-shirt or a white blouse in our stores, but we now also work with a lot of QR and NOOS items that have a very modern appeal,” explains Marco Schneider, head of national sales at Cecil and Street One, in an interview. In the best case scenario, NOOS or QR articles should not even stand out within the collection, so the claim of the brands. The runtimes of QR and NOOS articles are also significantly shorter for the two womenswear brands than for classic NOOS. Instead of being a fixed part of the selection over a longer period of time, as is usually the case, the availability of NOOS items at the CBR Group is limited to a few weeks. The majority of so-called "TOS" (temporarily on stock) products at Cecil and “Limited” items at Street One have a runtime of between four and six weeks. By enhancing and accelerating the classic NOOS process, the brands aim to bring more excitement to the sales floor while allowing retail partners to reorder items. “This drives point-of-sale success, cash conversions and higher inventory turns,” explains Schneider. The risk is greater with trendy items, he adds, but the appeal to the customer, and therefore success on the partner's side, is significantly higher. “A partner who passes on QR or NOOS will not succeed in our business model,” says the sales manager. The “tried and tested favorite items,” as they are advertised on the brands' website, are a key success factor for the company and very popular with female customers. Regular customers know the QR and NOOS items inside out. “The customer comes into the store and asks her favourite salesperson, ‘I'd like the Toronto, which one is the new one?’ Because she just knows that the Toronto fits her and it just has a different color, a different makeup or a different wash from month to month,” says Schneider. Images: Cecil (left) and Street One (right) Remainders in times of the pandemic: “That's a risk we have to take” “By having such short-term cycles, we have to pre-produce everything,” says Schneider. Eighty to 90 days before delivery, retailers have to decide on budget and order quantities. Retailers do not have to commit 20 to 25 percent of the budget; this is scheduled for NOOS and QR adjustment. “Normally, we have the requirement that every QR or NOOS item is also adjusted at least once. There are partners who work so successfully with this, that the NOOS or QR selection is turned over two to three times in this short time span,” states Schneider. Thus, it can happen that the supposed never-out-of-stock article is suddenly no longer available: “If the item is really hot, you may receive no-sales after just two to three weeks. That means, the article can no longer be shipped because it is unfortunately already gone," says Schneider. But what does it look like when the turnover of goods is suddenly brought to an abrupt halt by the pandemic, as it has been in recent months? As in much of the fashion industry, Cecil and Street One had visibly more merchandise than usual due to high NOOS inventory. “If the item was misjudged by us, both the article itself or if it was affected by a shut store, it stays in stock with us. That's the risk we take, and our outlets are then the first channel through which we divert merchandise,” Schneider explains. Due to the unpredictable pandemic situation, the production quantities of QR and NOOS items in the sevenths and eighth collection for the months of July and August have still been reduced this year as a precaution. Despite the high merchandise risk, Cecil and Street One want to stick to their short-term NOOS system. Whenever stores were open regionally or between the first and second wave, they would have been able to achieve good results once again relatively quickly and partners would have immediately turned their auto QR and auto NOOS back on. “We believe we will have the success we had before Covid, even after Covid,” concludes Schneider. Stay tuned: Premium shoe manufacturer Lloyd talks about its NOOS model in our next installment. This article was originally published on FashionUnited.de. Edited and translated by Simone Preuss.
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Asian garment workers owed almost 12 billion dollars in wages amid pandemic

Image: AFP As fashion brands and retailers across the world return to profitability following what has been an immensely difficult period of international store courses and plummeting demand for fashion, for those making the world’s clothing, the story is far from over. According to a new report by the Clean Clothes Campaign, Asian garment workers are owed almost 12 billion dollars in unpaid income and severance in the first year of the pandemic. The ‘Still Un(der)paid’ report estimates that workers are owed 11.85 billion dollars for the period from March 2020 through March 2021 as employers withheld or reduced wages and international fashion brands and retailers cancelled orders, refused to pay for goods or demanded price reductions. The Clean Clothes Campaign said it estimated its wage gap figures based on “all available information” such as statements from employers, industry and worker surveys, and media reports. Khalid Mahmood, from Labour Education Foundation in Pakistan, said the figure represented “an unimaginable and often irreparable human sorrow”. He said this was not happening “in just that one factory in Bangladesh or Pakistan”, but “throughout the garment industry”. The report said an estimated 1.6 million garment workers were dismissed across seven countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Pakistan. The Clean Clothes Campaign said many dismissed workers were not paid their full legal entitlements to severance pay, and others who were put on furlough were only paid a small percentage of their usual wages. Workers in all researched countries, except for Indonesia, had lost pay equivalent to at least twice the average monthly wage. ‘We cannot count on brands’ own initiatives’ The Clean Clothes Campaign is calling on apparel brands to negotiate an enforceable agreement to assure wages, establish a severance guarantee fund and ensure respect for basic labour rights. The organisation said: “Such a binding agreement, to be negotiated and signed by trade unions with brands, individual employers, or employer associations, will require signatory brands to ensure workers in their supply chains receive their regular wages during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic, in addition to ensuring payment of severance compensation for workers at factories that close or undertake a mass dismissal, and respect basic labour rights.” The report builds on the Clean Clothes Campaign’s August 2020 ‘Un(der)paid in the Pandemic’ report, which estimated that the income and severance loss for the first three months of the pandemic was in the range of 3.2 to 5.8 billion dollars. According to Ineke Zeldenrust from the Clean Clothes Campaign, not enough has been done to help workers despite over 100 fashion brands joining together in a ‘Call to Action’ for the garment industry since the beginning of the pandemic. “We cannot count on brands’ own initiatives or the voluntary programmes they hide behind to deliver for workers,” she said. “It is urgent that companies negotiate and sign a binding and enforceable agreement with unions to prevent millions of garment workers and their families from being driven even deeper into destitution.”
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Very Group appoints STJ Advisors to explore potential IPO

Image: The Very Group The owners of Very Group are reportedly gearing up for a potential 2022 IPO of the British e-tailer. The Barclay family, who also own The Daily Telegraph, has appointed STJ Advisors to prepare Very Group for its stock market debut as early as next year, Sky News reports. It would be the first time the Barclay family has taken one of their company’s public, though sources close to the matter cautioned that a partial stake sale remains an option. The Very Group weighs up 2022 IPO The family could be eyeing a 4 billion pound windfall from the flotation, according to Sky. The Very Group - formerly called Shop Direct - has been one of the success stories of lockdown as it managed to capitalise on shoppers’ shifts to online channels. In the year to June 2020, the company reported a 2.9 percent increase in revenue to over 2 billion pounds. In the third quarter of the year, sales soared by a record 53.8 percent. “As in the financial crisis, our business model proved adaptable and resilient in the face of volatile conditions and changing consumer buying patterns,” CEO Henry Birch said during the results. “We experienced peak trading levels and recruited unprecedented levels of new customers as our online multi-category model supported by financial services came to the fore.”
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NBA opens first official store in the UK

Image: courtesy of the NBA/Fanatics In Pictures The National Basketball Association (NBA) and Fanatics, a global leader in licensed sports merchandise, has opened the first NBA Store in the UK, on London’s well-known pedestrian shopping area Carnaby, Soho. The new two-floor store, located at 14-16 Foubert’s Place in London, is being operated by retail giant Lids, the largest licensed sports retailer in North America partly owned by Fanatics and aims to offer fans an authentic NBA shopping experience. The London opening marks the first official NBA store operated by Lids as part of the NBA’s partnership with Fanatics and will be followed up with three additional stores around the world within the next 18 months. Image: courtesy of the NBA/Fanatics The new store houses an extensive range of official NBA and WNBA merchandise and memorabilia, including exclusive NBA products, apparel, jerseys, headwear, sporting goods, toys and collectables from major brands such as Mitchell and Ness, New Era, Nike and Wilson. In addition, there is a customisation service where fans can personalise NBA jerseys and hats for all teams. NBA EME director, global partnerships, Steve Griffiths, said in a statement: “Ahead of our 75th anniversary season, we are excited to welcome fans to the first NBA Store in the UK. “UK fans are true connoisseurs of the game, and through our partnership with Fanatics, fans of all ages will be able to celebrate their love of the NBA with an extensive range of official and exclusive merchandise.” Image: courtesy of the NBA/Fanatics The National Basketball Association strengthens ties with the UK with debut store in London General manager of Fanatics’ international business, Zohar Ravid, added: “The NBA is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, and we have seen some really strong growth across our online sites, with UK sales on NBAStore.eu growing significantly in the last five years. “Opening the first-ever physical NBA retail store in London, combining our vertical product and e-commerce strengths with Lids’ high street execution, is a logical step and clearly within Fanatics’ strategy of expanding teams’ and leagues’ omnichannel presence so fans globally are served in the best way.” Image: courtesy of the NBA/Fanatics The NBA league also has official stores in Brazil, China, Italy, Mexico and Qatar, in addition to the flagship NBA Store in the US in New York City and 400 NBA-branded retail stores and attractions worldwide. NBA fans in the UK and across Europe can also shop online at NBAStore.eu for a wide range of NBA products featuring all 30 NBA teams. As a leader in licensed sports merchandise, Fanatics is changing the way fans purchase their favourite team apparel, jerseys, headwear and hard goods through a tech-infused approach to making and selling fan gear in today’s on-demand, mobile-first culture. Indianapolis-based Lids Sports Group has more than 1,200 retail locations across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Image: courtesy of the NBA/Fanatics Image: courtesy of the NBA/Fanatics Image: courtesy of the NBA/Fanatics Image: courtesy of the NBA/Fanatics
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L Catterton to buy majority stake in Italian luxury brand Etro

Image: Etro, Facebook Private equity firm L Catterton, whose apparel investments include Sweaty Betty, Ganni and Pepe Jeans, is to acquire Italian luxury label Etro. The deal will see L Catterton Europe snap up a majority stake in Etro, while the founding Etro family will retain a “significant minority”. While further financial details weren’t shared, sources close to the matter told WWD the deal was worth 500 million euros for a 60 percent stake. The brand’s founder Gerolamo Etro will be appointed as chairman of the company. “My family and I take great pride in having established Etro as a strong luxury brand that resonates with consumers around the globe,” he said in a statement. “L Catterton has a shared vision and a unique appreciation for our business, and the firm takes the same approach to partnership our family does.” Etro eyes ‘significant opportunity’ in Asian market L Catterton will support Etro to expand into new categories, grow its customer base, bolster its digital presence and drive global expansion, with a focus on the “significant opportunity” in Asia. Gerolamo Etro said that with the help of LVMH-backed L Catterton, he believes Etro “can enter its next chapter of growth and solidify its place as one of the great, lasting luxury houses”. Etro was founded in Milan in 1968 as a textile company and has become well known for its iconic paisley motif and bold patterns inspired by travel. Today, the company has a presence in approximately 140 retail stores in high-end shopping locations across the world. It sells women's and men's fashion, accessories, beauty and fragrances, and home goods. Luigi Feola, managing partner, head of Europe at L Catterton, said: “We are honored to welcome such a respected and iconic fashion brand into the L Catterton family and are delighted to partner with the Etro family for the next phase of the company's evolution. “We are confident that with our broad global network and experience building fashion brands, Etro will be well positioned to become an international powerhouse and a leader in its category.”
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