IED Madrid alumna wins Vogue Fashion Fund Spain 2023

Pepa Salazar, winner of the Vogue Fashion Fund 2023 award, during the award ceremony.Credits: Daniel Merino, courtesy of Vogue.



The biggest fashion prize awarded in Spain has selected the winner of its 2023 edition Pepa Salazar was one of the three finalists announced for this year's edition of the award, and has now emerged as the winner of the prize, whose cash prize is worth 100,000 euros.


The designer has already said that she intends to use the money to promote the internationalisation of her fashion house, from which she has been dressing the likes of Rosalía, Madonna and Kim Kardashian and hopes to dress more international celebrities.


Pepa Salazar was born in Valencia and studied fashion design at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Madrid, after which she joined the creative team at Loewe. A position from which she ended up gaining the necessary confidence and knowledge to decide to embark on her own solo adventure in 2013, founding her own fashion house and presenting her first collection on the Samsung EGO catwalk competition for emerging designers at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid, which is known as the Allianz Ego catwalk competition today.


Pepa Salazar, winner of the Vogue Fashion Fund 2023 award, during the award ceremony. Credits: Daniel Merino, courtesy of Vogue.



Pepa Salazar is crowned winner of Vogue Fashion Fund Spain 2023




Furthermore, during the September 2013 edition of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid (MBFWMadrid) Salazar’s designs were recognised with the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talent award for the best emerging collection. From there she went on to achieve different recognitions and mentions, such as winning the Samsung Innovation Project award in 2014 for her second collection ‘Hyperdry’, which at the time was awarded by the Madrid event.
In 2017, she was one of the finalists for the Vogue Who's On Next award, the predecessor of the Vogue Fashion Fund.


Inés Lorenzo, content director at Vogue Spain, with the creative directors of the three emerging brands finalists for the 2023 edition, Habey Club, Pepa Salazar and Sonia Carrasco.Credits: Daniel Merino, courtesy of Vogue.



Designs by Pepa Salazar, Sonia Carrasco and Habey Club. Créditos: Daniel Merino, por cortesía de Vogue.



Group photo of the members of the jury of this edition, formed by Lulú Figueroa, Sara Hernando, Helena Contreras, Pepa Bueno, Eloy Martinez de la Pera, Inés Lorenzo, Sita Abellán, Minerva Portillo and Paula Cánovas del Vas.



The jury for the 2023 edition consisted of Vogue Spain director Sara Hernando, stylist Helena Contreras, Acme CEO Pepa Bueno, and fashion expert Eloy Martinez de la Pera, who has been responsible for organising the main fashion exhibitions in Spain of the past few years, and others. Designer Paula Cánovas del Vas was also a member of the judging panel at this edition, having won the previous edition of the award.


Pepa Salazar and Inés Lorenzo with winners of previous editions of the Vogue Fashion Fund, with Jaime Álvarez (Mans), Paula Cánovas del Vas, Juan Vidal, Víctor Alonso, María Lemus, Leandro Cano ,Carlota Barrera and Moisés Nieto.



As a deserving winner in the eyes of the jury, the Valencian designer will automatically become a member of Spain's association for fashion creators (Asociación Creadores de Moda de España), without the need to go through the required assembly vote that is necessary to approve the incorporation of any new member of the association.


This article was originally published on FashionUnited.ES. Translation and edit from Spanish into English by Veerle Versteeg.


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European Parliament reviews eco-design framework, reaches agreement on destruction of unsold clothing ban

Denim recycling by Mud Jeans. Credits: Mud Jeans



The European Parliament has reached a preliminary agreement to revise the EU eco-design framework for sustainable products. While rules had already been outlined for this, the parliament has now further shaped the rules as well as added new ones.


For instance, MEPs agreed that eco-design requirements should also cover practices related to early obsolescence, Parliament summarised in a press release. The rules should be adopted no later than nine months after the new legislation comes into force. The European Parliament asked the Commission to prioritise products such as textiles (especially clothing and footwear), furniture, paints and chemicals.


The ban on destroying unsold clothes, accessories and shoes is also a new addition. The ban will take effect two years after the law comes into force. In the future, the Commission will add additional categories to the list of unsold products subject to a ban on destruction.


EU reaches agreement for mandatory product passports and ban on destruction of unsold textiles




"It is time to put an end to the 'take, make and throw away' model that is so damaging to our planet, our health and our economy," said Alessandra Moretti, the Italian MP pushing for these regulations in parliament. "Sustainable products will become the norm, allowing consumers to save energy, make repairs and make smart environmental choices while shopping. A ban on destroying unsold textiles and footwear will therefore contribute to a shift in the way fast fashion manufacturers produce their goods."


The goal of the 'eco-design' framework also got an update. The ambition is now to improve various parts of products during their life cycle to make them more durable and reliable, and easier to repair and recycle. This should use fewer resources, energy and water. There will also be a requirement for product passports, giving consumers accurate and up-to-date information about the product that can help them make informed decisions during a purchase.


Plans to revise the new eco-design rules became clear back in July, when at the time a mandatory product passport and a ban on the destruction of unsold textiles was already outlined.


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Balmain unveils AI-powered project for Unicorn sneakers

Balmain and Space Runners team up with Ant Kai on customised Unicorn sneakers. Credits: Space Runners.



Luxury brand Balmain has revealed a partnership with Space Runners and American artist Ant Kai consisting of a project that leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) in order to elevate the personalisation of the house’s Unicorn sneakers.


Putting to use Generative AI, Balmain and Space Runners aimed to offer “unparalleled freedom” for customisation, and ultimately saw Ant Kai tasked with putting his own spin onto the Unicorn silhouette.


These one-of-a-kind sneakers will be available exclusively at the brand’s new Atlanta flagship and on its e-commerce site, with the partnership looking to build on what the companies said was a “singular narrative that resonates with a broader audience”, particularly that of a new young customer.


Balmain x Space Runners, Unicorn sneakers by Ant Kai. Credits: Space Runners.



Digital collectibles will also be minted on blockchain platform Polygon, allowing users to mint their own creations and design, while “embracing the platform’s environmentally friendly principles and fostering a new era of conscientious digital artistry”.


This latest partnership bolsters Balmain and Space Runners' already established relationship, which first came to light when the duo worked together on a collection of digital-wearables and physical apparel for a show at Paris Fashion Week.


With this new use of AI in the mix, Space Runners said that this collaboration “serves as a blueprint for future high-end brands aiming for authenticity and originality”.


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Delta Apparel posts Q4 loss, net sales decline

Credits: Salt Life via Facebook



Fourth quarter Delta Apparel net sales declined to 91.4 million dollars with Salt Life Group segment net sales decreasing to 12.5 million dollars and the Delta Group segment net sales to 78.9 million dollars.


Net sales for the full year decreased to 415.4 million dollars with Salt Life Group segment net sales declining to 59 million dollars and the Delta Group segment to 356.3 million dollars compared to the prior year.


Commenting on the company's financial performance, Delta Apparel chairman and CEO Robert Humphreys said: “Fiscal 2023 was undoubtedly a challenging year for our company and the industry given the reduced demand environment following last year’s post-pandemic seller’s market.”


Fourth quarter gross margins declined to 11.2 percent, operating loss was 17 million dollars or negative 18.6 percent of sales and net income declined to a loss of 16.4 million dollars or 2.34 dollars loss per share, while adjusted fourth quarter net loss was 5 million dollars or 72 cents per share.


Full year gross margins declined to 13 percent, operating loss was 29.4 million dollars or 7.1 percent of sales, while net loss was 33.2 million dollars or 4.75 dollars loss per share and adjusted net income was 3.3 million dollars or 47 cents per diluted share.


“We currently expect to finish fiscal year 2024 with net sales in a range of 400 to 415 million dollars generating operating profit margins of approximately 2 percent to 3.5 percent, with sequentially improving margins as well as top line growth in the back half of the year,” added Humphreys.


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Ugg removes ‘humane’ claims following PETA cease and desist

Credits: Renata Kalkmann



Footwear specialist Ugg is understood to have removed the claim that its animal supply chain was humane following a cease and desist order for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).


It comes after the animal welfare organisation initiated legal action against Ugg in November in reference to the company’s “misleading” statements regarding the use of animal products in its shoes.


In the letter, PETA alleged that Ugg’s claim on its website that it never accepts hides “from animals who have been raised or slaughtered inhumanely” was not true, as the company sources by-products of the meat industry which displays evidence of animal cruelty, according to the nonprofit.


PETA said that, in light of its order, Ugg had removed the claims from its websites, including one in which it suggested suppliers ensured that “animals are free from hunger and thirst, discomfort, pain, fear, and distress”, which PETA had linked to Ugg’s ties with the Responsible Down Standard, a certification that has come under scrutiny of its own from PETA exposés.


In a release, PETA executive vice president, Tracy Reiman, said: “By removing these baseless and misleading claims, Ugg has acknowledged that there’s nothing ‘humane’ about killing sheep, cows, and geese and using their skin and feathers for boots and jackets.


“PETA is calling on UGG to give today’s kind customers what they want—luxurious vegan materials that leave animals out altogether.”


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Fashion world descends on UK's Manchester in Chanel show

Scintillating colours and
celebrities lit up a gloomy Manchester on Thursday as the British city famous
for its past textile industry flaunted the latest fashion in a prestigious
Chanel show.


Lashed by rain and plunged into winter darkness from 3:30 pm, the city's
gritty industrial heritage was not an obvious choice as the setting for the
glitz and glamour of the French luxury group's Metiers d'Art event.


But the show proved otherwise as models strutted down the catwalk sporting
dazzling bermuda shorts, mini-skirts and eye-catching outfits under a
temporary covering in a city-centre street.


Tweed suits -- a quintessential British classic -- pearls and camelia also
captured attention.


Actor Hugh Grant, director Sofia Coppola, local football stars Ruben Dias
and Luke Shaw as well as brand ambassadors Charlotte Casiraghi and Kristen
Stewart were among the celebrities in attendance.


"I loved the rock attitudes, the 60s looks," British actor Jenna Coleman
told AFP.


The northern English city was a hub of the 19th-century industrial
revolution, processing half of the world's cotton in 1860.


It has since reinvented itself as a centre for culture and sport, home to
Manchester United and Manchester City football clubs and producing music icons
including The Smiths, Simply Red, Oasis and Stone Roses.


The English National Opera will soon leave London to call Manchester home.


Chanel's creative director Virginie Viard said Manchester was the starting
point for a musical culture that changed the world, inspiring her to bring the
show there for its pioneering and creative spirit.


The Manchester City Council welcomed the event as a "fantastic homage" to
the city and the regard for it worldwide.


"There are plenty of references to the city. Having a Chanel show here is
amazing for the city," added Emma Kara, who lives in the region.(AFP)


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Watches of Switzerland records flat sales growth, profit drops

Credits: Watches of Switzerland



Watches of Switzerland revenues for the first six months of 2024 reached 761 million pounds, up 2 percent at constant currency and flat at reported rates.


The company said in a statement that it witnessed continued growth in luxury watches with the reduction in the broader jewellery market reflecting temporary softer consumer sentiment and a repositioning to full price sales in the US.


"Our good first half performance reflects the group's growing leadership position in our chosen markets as the strength of our longstanding brand partnerships and our proven business model continue to drive our performance forward. Looking ahead, we are well positioned for a good holiday trading period as we present our clients with our strongest ever range of luxury watches and luxury branded jewellery,” said Brian Duffy, the company’s chief executive officer.


Sales in the UK and Europe declined by 4 percent to 433 million pounds, while sales in the US increased by 5 percent or 11 percent constant currency to 328 million pounds.


The results meant that Watches of Switzerland posted a year-on-year pre-tax profit decline of 20% to £67 million.Group ecommerce sales were down 3 percent on last year at constant currency. Adjusted EBIT of 73 million pounds, declined 15 percent on a reported basis, while adjusted EBIT margin dropped to 9.6 percent.


“We remain on track to deliver full year guidance, with our confidence for H2 underpinned by the reopening of several high revenue showrooms which were closed for upgrade in H1. Looking further ahead, we are confident in our Long Range Plan objectives of doubling sales and profit by 2028," added Duffy.


For the year ahead, the company forecasts revenue in the range of 1.65 to 1.70 billion pounds, growth of 8 to 11 percent at constant currency, and adjusted EBIT margin in line with 2023.


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