Key Catwalk Print Directions Spring Summer 2020

Trendstop brings FashionUnited readers a first look at the key catwalk stories inspiring womenswear print direction for Spring Summer 2020.

The Trendstop team give FashionUnited readers an exclusive look at three essential print themes straight from the international runway events. Informing womenswear print and graphics into SS20 and beyond, core print ideas are refined and elevated with high-culture references and sophisticated executions of nature concepts. Our curated catwalk trends, print and graphics reports and dedicated image galleries evaluate each trend's commercial value and longevity, giving you the best possible basis for your decision making.

This week Trendstop present three SS20 trends essential for the womenswear apparel and accessories markets. The natural world inspires marine themes and a contemporary reworking of classic tropical looks in The Awesome Ocean and The Reimagined Tropical Print. Cultural Conversationals adopts a high-brow approach with historical motifs elevating designs.

The Reimagined Tropical Print

The summer staple tropical print is reimagined for the new season with highly stylized motifs and artistically applied flora and foliage. Simplified leaves and jungle creatures stand out against colour-blocked grounds while bright colour combinations amplify their almost cartoonish quality. Broad brush strokes turn garments into a canvas for lush tropical blooms.

Images courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: Valentino, Missoni, Marni, all Spring Summer 2020.

The Awesome Ocean

Tapping into the ongoing conversations around industry and sustainability and the environment, designers celebrated the awesome power and beauty of the world's oceans via bold, abstracted all-over prints in vivid sea blue tones. Painterly rendered photo prints of stormy seas, stylised wave illustrations and random cross-hatched effects reminiscent of rolling surf bring a cooling sensibility to both casual and dress categories.

Images courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: Acne Studios, Halpern, Off-White, all Spring Summer 2020.

Cultural Conversationals

Conversational prints look to art and culture for inspiration with references from Greek and Roman history and art movement illustrations. Two-tone line drawings put a contemporary twist on classical themes, emboldening ancient motifs with an animated quality. Randomised placements and all-over effects highlight artistic endeavors.

Images courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: Salvatore Ferragamo, Alexander McQueen, Baum und Pferdgarten, all Spring Summer 2020.

Exclusive Offer

FashionUnited readers can get free access to Trendstop's Fall Winter 2019-20 Key Print Directions, featuring all the must-have prints from the catwalks. Simply click here to receive your free report.

Trendstop.com is one of the world's leading trend forecasting agencies for fashion and creative professionals, renowned for its insightful trend analysis and forecasts. Clients include H&M, Primark, Forever 21, Zalando, Geox, Evisu, Hugo Boss, L'Oreal and MTV.

* This article was originally published here

JCPenney manages to cut losses in Q3

Third quarter sales at J. C. Penney Company, Inc. reported total net sales decrease of 10.1 percent to 2.38 billion dollars. JCPenney’s comparable store sales decreased 9.3 percent for the quarter. For the third quarter, the company’s net loss improved from 151 million dollars or 48 cents per share last year to 93 million dollars or 29 cents per share, this year. Adjusted net loss was 97 million dollars or 30 cents per share compared to 164 million dollars or 52 cents per share, last year.

“The past quarter was an exciting and energizing time at JCPenney as we made significant progress on our efforts to return JCPenney to sustainable, profitable growth,” said Jill Soltau, Chief Executive Officer of JCPenney in a statement, adding, “We are beginning to see results – both in our numbers and how we operate as a business.”

Updating its expectation for adjusted EBITDA, the company now expects it to exceed 475 million dollars for full year fiscal 2019. In addition, the company has also reaffirmed its prior financial guidance for full year fiscal of comparable store sales to drop in the range of 7 percent to 8 percent and adjusted comparable store sales, which excludes the impact of the company’s exit from major appliances and in-store furniture categories to decline the range of 5 percent to 6 percent.

Picture:Facebook/JCPenney

* This article was originally published here

Things to know about e-commerce giant Alibaba

Formed in the Hangzhou flat of co-founder Jack Ma in 1999, Alibaba has ridden the seemingly insatiable Chinese appetite for online shopping to become one of the world's most valuable companies. On Friday, the US-listed company confirmed plans to add its value further, but listing additional shares in Hong Kong in an offering worth around 13 billion US dollars.

Here are the answers to key questions about the company:

- How did the idea to create Alibaba come about? -

Ma, a former English teacher who claims to have never written a line of computer code, had dabbled in various ventures with mixed success before friends introduced him to the internet while on a 1990s trip to the United States.

With Amazon already making waves in online shopping, Ma convinced a group of Chinese and foreign friends to front 60,000 USD in 1999 for a business-to-business e-commerce venture.
Ma dubbed it "Alibaba" because the name is easily pronounced in virtually any language, including Chinese, and because the "open sesame" catchphrase signified that its platforms "open a doorway to fortune for small businesses", according to the company.

- Secrets behind the ever-expanding Alibaba's success? -

Alibaba was founded at a time when Chinese incomes were soaring after decades of rapid economic growth and the country was becoming increasingly digitalised.
That allowed Alibaba to easily facilitate commerce between consumers increasingly hooked on the ease of online shopping, and the country's countless manufacturers of cheap goods.
Today, China has the world's largest online population -- in excess of 850 million -- most of them smartphone users deeply immersed in the country's growing digital ecosystem and e-commerce.
The business generated by Alibaba's own mobile monthly active users -- which reached 785 million in the most recent financial latest quarter -- propelled rapid growth, and in September 2014, the company listed on Wall Street, raising 25 billion USD in what remains the largest IPO ever.

- What is Alibaba exactly? -

E-commerce remains the company's bread and butter, conducted mainly via its largely consumer-to-consumer Taobao site and the more business-to-consumer Tmall, and typically paid for via its digital-payments unit Alipay, which has become a pioneer in that sector.
Through Alibaba's platforms, Chinese consumers can buy a wide array of products from clothing to electronics, food, luxury products and even more unusual goods -- including Boeing 747 cargo planes.
But Alibaba's success has seen it invest heavily in new business lines as well.
It owns leading Chinese video streaming website Youku, and its Alibaba Pictures unit in 2016 bought a stake in Steven Spielberg's Amblin Partners, which owns DreamWorks Pictures, among other entertainment ventures.
It also is investing in cloud computing and other aspects of China's growing digital ecosystem including the acquisition of Chinese food-delivery leader Ele.me.

- What is the company's current size? -

Alibaba is now the most valuable public Chinese company, with a market capitalisation of around 477 billion US dollars as of this week, and one of the top-10 most valuable in the world, though still trailing US e-commerce counterpart Amazon, which is worth around 870 billion USD.
Alibaba now claims nearly 104,000 employees at its headquarters in Ma's hometown of Hangzhou in China's eastern province of Zhejiang, but also around China and overseas.
The company has in recent years taken steps to go global, primarily in Southeast Asia where it runs the Lazada e-commerce platform.(AFP)

* This article was originally published here

Otherworldly: Performance, Costume and Difference exhibition opens at Parsons

Otherworldly: Performance, Costume and Difference is opening at Parsons School of Design's Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries at 66 Fifth Avenue. The exhibition is curated by its faculty members Francesca Granata, Associate Professor of Fashion Studies in the School of Art and Design History and Theory and Charlene K. Lau, Andrew W. Mellon Post-Doctoral Curatorial Fellow at Performa and Visiting Scholar at the Parsons School of Design.

The artists in this exhibition construct their own worlds where they can realize and negotiate non-normative identities. In this sense, "world-making" is political and presents alternatives and possibilities for new utopias.

Machine Dazzle is an artist known for his creation of elaborate costumes (for genderqueer playwright and performer Taylor Mac, among others). He crosses borders of design, music and performance on and off the stage. His maximalist creations speak to notions of camp and drag queen culture to create a new kind of surrealism.

Narcissister is an artist and performer who troubles fixed identities while engaging her culturally and racially hybrid self through the use of masks and elaborate costumes. Using grotesque humor, she challenges racial and gender archetypes and stereotypes in her graphic performances.

Rammellzee was a prominent figure in the New York Street Art scene in the 1980s alongside Basquiat and Keith Haring. The American artist is known for his graffiti and mixed-media sculptures, as well as a pioneer of early Hip Hop, recording Beat Bop with K-Rob in 1983.

The exhibition officially begins on November 15 with an opening reception to take place on the evening of November 21 at L105 (2 West 13th Street).

* This article was originally published here

35TH IAF World Fashion Convention: Apparel Retail in Grip of Radical Transformation

In his opening speech of the 35th IAF World Fashion Convention in Lahore (Pakistan), IAF President Han Bekke remarked that the event is held against the background of different disruptions in the apparel supply chain. “Apparel retail is in the grip of a radical transformation that we should not underestimate. The pace of change is sometimes faster than we think. There are many examples of European and US High Street retailers who have not been able to transform themselves in time. If retail changes, supply chains must change”, Bekke said.

“Manufacturers must understand what is being demanded by the end consumer (who is the only player in the supply chain who actually puts money into the system). The buyers only insert more money if they perceive more value. Better materials, more in line with fashion, more functionality, longer lasting, more sustainable, better story”, Bekke added. He advised apparel manufacturers to act proactively. They cannot wait until the buyers dictate the terms he said. Buyers must take responsibility and adjust their buying behavior so that manufacturers have a fair chance to comply with buyers demands and receive a fair price.

Talking about sustainability, the IAF President also indicated that buyers, consumers, NGOs, investors and governments are demanding for improvements in the sustainability of apparel products. He mentioned initiatives like the Copenhagen Fashion Agenda, the French Fashion Pact, the Agreement on Garments and Textiles in The Netherlands, the Textilbundnis in Germany, the Accord and Alliance on Bangladesh, that are in his view good examples of taking responsibility to improve. The IAF President pleaded though for more international coordination to be more effective. IAF will take the lead in trying to bring them together, he announced.

The IAF World Fashion Convention is held for the first time in Pakistan and organized with IAF member and co-host PRGMEA. The welcome dinner for all delegates was also attend by the President of Pakistan, Dr. Arif Alvi and his wife. Please find more information on: www.iafconventionlahore.com.

* This article was originally published here

John Lewis fashion sales improve by 2.4 percent

Total sales at John Lewis, for the week to November 9, 2019, were down 2.3 percent on the same week last year but the company said in a statement that customers enjoyed shopping promotions across lighting, fashion and beauty. Fashion sales for the week were up 2.4 percent, while beauty, wellbeing & leisure sales were up 11.6 percent as the company price matched competitor promotions across these categories.

Last week, John Lewis launched its 12 days of Christmas dresses, which was the company’s best performing category in womenswear, with the Hush dress proving particularly popular with customers.

The company said, home sales were down 3.1 percent, however, lighting sales were up 21 percent as customers prepared their homes for winter evenings and shopped promotions in this area. Electrical and home technology sales were down 7percent, while sales of small electrical sales were up 30 percent on the same week last year.

Picture:John Lewis website

* This article was originally published here

14 Sustainability efforts announced in October 2019

We don’t know about you, but we at FashionUnited get pretty excited every month when we compile the sustainability efforts and see the list growing and more and more fashion companies jumping on the bandwagon. In October, it was refreshing to see that recycling initiatives are on the rise among brands and retailers, with proceeds being donated to charity. Also, clothing rentals are catching on and reducing, reusing and recycling when it comes to packaging. FashionUnited has put together 14 such efforts that were announced in the month of October alone.

Cooperations & Projects

The Fashion Pact announces 24 new signatories

The Fashion Pact met for its first working meeting in October after 32 brands originally joined the coalition for a more sustainable fashion industry in August. Comprised of a diverse group of fashion and textile companies, the Fashion Pact is a pledge to work towards sustainable goals in climate, biodiversity and oceans. The coalition announced 24 new signatories following its recent meeting, bringing its total signatory count to 56 and number of brands involved to around 250. New companies to the Fashion Pact include Bally, Calzedonia Group, Farfetch, Figaret, Gant, Mango and The Visuality Corporation.

Read more...

Nike and Ocean Conservancy urge companies to stop Arctic shipping

Photo: Nike

Nike has teamed up with nonprofit environmental advocacy group Ocean Conservancy to launch a new campaign against Arctic shipping routes. The US sportswear giant has launched the Arctic Shipping Corporate Pledge, encouraging other businesses and industries to avoid travelling through the Arctic’s shipping routes, an area that is becoming increasingly accessible as climate change causes its ice to melt. Sending vessels through the route poses an environmental risk to one of the world’s most fragile regions, with temperatures rising in the Arctic at twice the rate of the rest of the planet.

Read more...

Brands & Retailers

Everlane launches Re:Down line of sustainably produced filling

US clothing retailer Everlane is bringing sustainability to the inside of its clothing. The brand has launched its new Re:Down line of outerwear made with cruelty-free recycled fill. Typically, down filling in jackets is made using cruel living-plucking practices, as Everlane explained on its website. Its Re:Down fill is made from 100 percent recycled down comforters and pillows. Similarly, all of the jackets in the Re:Down line features 100 percent recycled shell fabric, using post-consumer recycled plastic as with its ReNew line.

Read more...

Karen Walker teams with Outland Denim on sustainable collection

Photo: Bradbury Lewis

New Zealand fashion brand Karen Walker has announced a new collaboration with Outland Denim. The women's ready-to-wear label and sustainable denim brand have partnered on a limited-edition collection of six pieces that take a new take on signature Karen Walker styles. These styles are all crafted from off-white denim that is made from organic cotton, staying true to Outland Denim's commitment to using only sustainably-produced cotton.

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H&M to launch first clothing rental service

H&M is launching its first clothing rental service at its newly refurbished Sergels Torg store in Stockholm, Sweden. Members of H&M’s loyalty programme will be able to rent selected party dresses and skirts from its 2012-2019 Conscious Exclusives collection - the sustainable arm of the Swedish fast-fashion giant. The rental space will also offer a selection of unique pieces designed with inspiration from this autumn's Conscious Exclusive collection, all made from more sustainable materials.

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John Lewis launches initiatives to reduce, reuse and return packaging

Photo: John Lewis and Partners

British high-end department store chain John Lewis & Partners has launched a pilot at its Oxford store to encourage shoppers to reduce, reuse and return packaging. The pilot, which John Lewis said will potentially save thousands of tonnes of plastic from going to landfill, will focus on eight ways the retailer and its customers can reduce their impact on the planet, and will act as a blueprint to be expanded to other stores.

Read more...

Related news:

• Litte Mistress launches sustainable packaging

Zalando commits to carbon neutrality

Photo: Zalando

Online fashion giant Zalando has committed to a net-zero carbon footprint across its own operations, deliveries and returns. The German retailer announced a number of initiatives at the end of October as part of a new “do.More” sustainability strategy, including meeting the goals of the Paris climate agreement for its own operations ahead of the agreement’s schedule, repositioning its private Zign label as a “sustainable” brand, and aiming to be single-use plastic-free in its own packaging by 2023. In 2019, the company switched to over 90 percent renewable energy across all locations. Carbon emissions that are not eliminated by operational improvements such as renewable energy, order bundling or green delivery options, are now being offset.

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Farfetch teams up with second hand clothing platform Thrift+

British luxury online retailer Farfetch has teamed up with on-demand donation service Thrift+ to allow its customers to earn money and donate to a charity of their choice by giving away clothes they no longer use. Once an item is sold, a third of the proceeds are donated to a charity of the customer’s choice, a third is given to the customer as Farfetch credit, and a third is used to cover Thrift+’s costs. Customers are also given the choice to forgo Farfetch credit and send that third of the money to their chosen charity, too.

Read more...

Related news:

• Adidas introduces ‘Infinite Play’ trade-in program
• Blacks Outdoors launches charitable take-back scheme
• Pre-owned celebrity garments, a new business model?
• Burberry partners with TheRealReal

Companies & Education

Lycocell fiber to make an increasing presence in the fashion industry

The Lyocell market is expected to grow globally at a substantial rate of over 7 percent by 2023. According to an announcement by Radiant Insights Inc., sustainable fiber, which is made from bleached wood pulp, will be used in more products including rope, bandages, and more—including clothing. According to the report, factors like the rapid and continuous changes in fashion trends have contributed to the lyocell fiber market’s growth, along with development in technology, increase in demand for biodegradable fibers, and awareness.

Read more...

Also read:

• The state of sustainability: a retail analysis
• Fashion resale, a booming market: interview with Thomas Plantenga, CEO of Vinted
• Vegan Fashion Week educates attendees with ‘The Future of Fashion’ conference
• Sustainability is the new fashion must-have
• Increasing sustainability awareness expected to boost vintage clothing sales this holiday season
• France to introduce anti-waste law to promote circular economy
• Sao Paulo Fashion Week: It’s all about reuse and diversity


• 15 sustainability efforts announced in September 2019
• 9 sustainability efforts announced in August 2019
• 11 sustainability efforts announced in July 2019
• 13 sustainability efforts announced in June 2019
• 10 sustainability efforts announced in May 2019

Photo: McKinsey Apparel CPO Survey 2019

* This article was originally published here

Brunello Cucinelli nine months revenues increase by 8.8 percent

Net revenues at Brunello Cucinelli, for the first nine months of 2019 totalled 459.2 million euros (507 million dollars), a rise of 8.8 percent at current exchange and 7.7 percent at constant exchange rates compared to last year.

Commenting on the preliminary update, Brunello Cucinelli, the company’s Chairman and CEO, said in a statement: “We have nearly reached the end of 2019, an excellent year for our business in terms of both results and image. The fall/winter sell-out rate was very good, and our brand seems to be enjoying much appreciation. Based on these results, we can already envisage the year closing with a good revenue growth of around 9 percent coupled with a healthy profitability rise”.

Highlights of Brunello Cucinelli’s performance

Italian market revenues at 76.1 million euros (84 million dollars) increased 2.2 percent, while European market posted a growth of 9.6 percent, with sales of 139.5 million euros (154 million dollars). Sales in the North American market increased 9.2 percent, with revenues of 148.2 million euros (163.7 million dollars). Sales in China grew 14.4 percent, with sales of 43.5 million dollars, while Rest of the World revenues increased 11.3 percent to 51.9 million euros (57.3 million dollars).

Sales of retail monobrand channel increased 11.2 percent to 229.2 million euros (253 million dollars). The company said, first nine months of 2019 posted a positive like-for-like trend, supported by the solid sell-outs of the spring/summer and fall/winter collections. There were 103 boutiques in the network at September 30, 2019, compared to 100 in the same month end last year, with three openings taking place during the year.

Wholesale monobrand channel sale grew by 3.2 percent, with revenues reaching 25 million euros (27.6 million dollars). The network consisted of 29 boutiques at September 30, 2019 compared to 27 last year. Wholesale multibrand channel posted an increase of 6.9 percent, with sales reaching 205 million euros (226.4 million dollars).

Picture:Brunello Cucinelli website

* This article was originally published here

St. John relaunches with social media-driven strategy and capsule collection

American luxury brand St. John, which was founded in 1962 and has become known for streamlined knitwear has relaunched with a social media-driven state of mind. The company’s full rebranding was led by its newly appointed creative director, Zoe Turner. According to an announcement from the brand, Turner will lead all creative endeavors at the brand “starting with its codes and icons and melding them with her fresh approach to product, visual and store design.”

St. John’s new image begins with a redesigned logo, indicating that the brand has officially entered into a new era. To echo this idea, the knitwear label is relaunching with a limited-edition collection. Created by Turner and her team, the capsule includes 20 head-to-toe knitwear looks for the modern woman.

Items in Turner’s capsule collection feature iconic silhouettes reimagined, as well as modern details including graphic geometric prints, metal hardware, and updated proportions.

“The capsule was inspired by the icons of St. John, represented in 20 unique looks that capture the spirit of the house through colour, print, silhouette and craft,” Turner shared in a statement. “This will act as a foundation to build our new story.”

St. Johns’ relaunch showcases its capsule collection with a digitally-native campaign, focusing on social media.

With St. John’s new campaign approach, consumers can experience new collection exclusively online and on Instagram in the U.S. and on WeChat in China.

“We’re excited to introduce Zoe and her vision with this limited-edition capsule collection, and to spark the conversation around beautiful fashion through the digitally-led campaign. These new initiatives will speak to a larger audience, including our existing clients, about who we are and what we represent: a blend of modernity and history,” St. John’s chief executive officer Eran Cohen said in a statement.

Image: St. John

* This article was originally published here

Women’s Footwear Trends from the Catwalks Spring Summer 2020

Trendstop brings FashionUnited readers a first look at the essential styles informing women’s footwear direction for Spring Summer 2020.

The Trendstop team give FashionUnited readers an exclusive look at three of the key theme aesthetics that will be inspiring the women’s footwear market throughout the SS20 season and beyond. Designers bring fresh thinking to styling and construction methods, integrating natural and sustainable properties, redefining outerwear inspirations and experimenting with form and fit. Our curated catwalk reports and dedicated footwear trend galleries evaluate each trend’s commercial value and longevity, giving you the best possible basis for your decision making.

This week Trendstop present three women’s footwear stories emerging for Spring Summer 2020. Proportional play challenges the notion of conventional footwear silhouettes in Extreme Padding and The Cut Away Sandal while Elevated Eco explores the introduction of sustainability to high-end design concepts.

Extreme Padding

A huge trend across outerwear, footwear and accessories for winter, extreme padded looks transcend the seasons with new sandal iterations for summer.

Inflated proportions and puffy straps amplify the comfort factor for both flat footbeds and heeled styles. Tubular padding woven into wide single straps puts a contemporary twist on crafted constructions.

Images courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: Bottega Veneta, Givenchy, Proenza Schouler, all Spring Summer 2020.

The Cut Away Sandal

Sandals evolve with a more architectural aesthetic, utilizing cut out techniques to create new silhouettes. Deep V vamps, high cut toplines and ultra-wide straps complete with integrated toe rings, finished in monochrome colour-ways, expose and conceal different areas the feet for a minimal, modernist silhouette.

Images courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: Tibi, Rejina Pyo, Bottega Veneta, all Spring Summer 2020.

Elevated Eco

Sustainable materials and eco constructions are refined and elevated for the SS20 season. Bamboo heels are polished, enhancing natural qualities while unbleached fabric uppers are produced via fine weaving techniques. Textural elements are subtle in neutral single tones, highlighted by delicate straps and clean black or white accent colours.

Images courtesy of Trendstop, left to right: Jil Sander, Issey Miyake, Marni, all Spring Summer 2020.

Exclusive Offer

FashionUnited readers can get free access to Trendstop’s Resort 2020 Key Footwear Directions featuring all the essential catwalk styles for the upcoming season. Simply click here to receive your free report.

Trendstop.com is one of the world's leading trend forecasting agencies for fashion and creative professionals, renowned for its insightful trend analysis and forecasts. Clients include H&M, Primark, Forever 21, Zalando, Geox, Evisu, Hugo Boss, L'Oreal and MTV.

* This article was originally published here

Superdry posts sharp decline in H1 revenues

In a trading update for the first half year, Superdry Plc said, revenues declined 11.3 percent to 367.8 million pounds (473.2 million dollars), reflecting an expected year of reset, and the need to address a number of legacy issues across the business. The company’s retail sales decline moderated through first half, with Q2 store revenue down 9.4 percent versus 13.9 percent in Q1.

Commenting on the update, Julian Dunkerton, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are making good progress with the start to our turnaround plan for Superdry, returning the business to its design led roots. We are moving the business away from a reliance on constant promotions, and while this focus on full price sales has affected revenue in the first half, this is being partially offset by a better gross margin performance."

Superdry said, focus on full price sales and reduction in promotional activity impacted revenue but drove a 3.2 percent increase in store gross margin. Full price sales mix averaged 70 percent in H120 versus 52 percent H119. Wholesale revenues for the period dropped 11.2 percent while ecommerce revenues were down 10.5 percent.

The company added that it has taken swift and decisive action to implement strategic changes as part of the business reset, which is a two to three year programme to gain full control of the product and costs and it is confident in delivering further benefits from reset initiatives across Superdry in the second half, while remaining cautious about the challenging market conditions over the peak trading period.

Picture:Facebook/Superdry

* This article was originally published here

Capri Holdings Q2 profits drop 47 percent

The company said on Wednesday its Q2 net profit dropped. Compared with the same period last year, revenues increased by 15 percent.

The company's net profit for Q2 was 73 million dollars, dropped from 137 million dollars a year earlier. Revenues climbed to 1,442 million dollars. Compared to 11 percent a year ago, the profit margin of the company dropped to 5 percent.

This story was generated by Arria, an AI tool that turns data into stories. You can report errors or bugs to tip@fashionunited.com.

* This article was originally published here

Renowned designer, Hussein Chalayan, to begin professorship at HTW Berlin

The renowned Cypriot-born Turkish fashion designer Hussein Chalayan will begin a professorship at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences (HTW) this coming winter semester 2019/2020.

Chalayan will be teaching "Fundamentals of Design and Design Processes" in the Department of Design and Culture with a focus on sustainability and innovation. His professorship is explicitly aimed at outstanding designers with extensive professional and technical expertise in the fashion industry.

In 1999, Chalayan was crowned 'Designer of the Year' and in 2006 appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). International recognition followed thereafter and Chalayan was awarded the Design Star Honoree in New York, by The Fashion Group International at their annual Night of Stars Gala. Then, German sportswear label Puma made him their creative director. Next, he and Nicola Formichetti collaborated with Lady Gaga for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. Most recently, Chalayan joined the University of Applied Arts Vienna as the Head of Fashion of the Institute of Design in 2015 and now HTW Berlin.

Photo: courtesy of HTW and Arne Eberle

* This article was originally published here

Under Armour Inc. Q3 profits increase 36 percent

Under Armour Inc. reported its net profit for Q3 surged on Monday. Revenues dropped by 1 percent from the same period last year.

For Q3, the company's net profit was 102 million dollars, climbed from 75 million dollars last year. Furthermore, revenues dropped to 1,429 million dollars.

Under Armour (NYSE: UAA) is an American sports clothing and accessories company. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Under Armour develops and sells branded performance apparel both through wholesale and direct to consumer channels.

* This article was originally published here

Central Saint Martins pledges commitment to creative ecology

Committed to addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency, London's Central Saint Martins has pledged their commitment to creative ecology.

The renowned art and design school strongly believes that the world is shaped through creative action. A statement on their website vowed, "our relationship with the planet's resources calls for urgent and lasting change. If the global population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets will be required to sustain current lifestyles. Artists and designers are uniquely placed to meet these challenges. All forms of creative practice combine the ability to imagine new futures with the means to deliver them. Our work isn't defined simply by what we produce, but what comes before and after – how those things are made and how they are used."

* This article was originally published here