Aeffe snaps up remaining 30 percent stake in Moschino

Image: Moschino SS21 via Catwalkpictures Luxury group Aeffe has taken full control of Italian label Moschino after snapping up the remaining 30 percent of the brand. Aeffe first bought a 70 percent stake in Moschino in 1999 following the death of the brand’s founder, Franco Moschino. Prior to that, and since Moschino’s founding in 1983, Aeffe had been its license partner, responsible for the production and distribution of its women's and men's collections. But now the group, which also owns labels Alberta Ferretti, Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, and Pollini, has raised its stake to 100 percent, which the company said is an important step in its strategy to further integrate women’s collections into Aeffe Group. Aeffe takes full ownership of Moschino The price of the acquisition amounts to 66.6 million euros, which Aeffe said it would pay for through a mix of cash, credit lines and new medium to long-term loans. “The operation we have just concluded has long been considered an important step in our medium-long term growth strategy,” said Aeffe executive chairman Massimo Ferretti in a statement. “With the full control over Moschino brand, we are now in the best conditions to manage all activities related to the brand’s value chain, from product to quality and with positive effects on image, distribution and communication,” he added.
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Athleisure brand Anatomie launches first menswear collection

Image: Anatomie Upmarket athleisure and performance brand Anatomie has launched its first full menswear collection comprising jackets, t-shirts, button-ups, blazers and trousers. The collection features the US brand’s signature wrinkle-resistant and quick-dry materials, with prices ranging from 98 dollars for a men’s v-neck t-shirt to 398 dollars for a safari jacket. The brand said the new collection was driven by “immense demand” from its female clientele who wanted to purchase similar apparel for their significant others. It comes as the athleisure market continues to go from strength to strength, fuelled particularly in the past year by new work-from-home habits adopted during the pandemic. The market is expected to grow by 19.5 billion dollars between 2020 and 2024, according to market research company Technavio. Husband and wife Kate and Shawn Boyer founded Anatomie in 2006 after spending years in the activewear business.
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Pizza Hut has dropped a streetwear collection

Image: Pizza Hut In the latest edition of unlikely companies to launch fashion collections, Pizza Hut has announced a streetwear drop. The US restaurant chain has released a limited-edition capsule collection, aptly named ‘Pizza Hut Tastewear’, which comprises a tracksuit, t-shirt, slides, a bejewelled pepperoni chain and a cup, all in the company’s classic red and white colourway. The drop will be exclusively available at PizzaHutShop.com with prices from 9.99 dollars to 99.99 dollars. It is the latest in a long string of unlikely companies to try their hand at fashion in recent years, like Lidl, which last summer tapped into the burgeoning streetwear scene and its propensity for unique and often ironic products. The German supermarket chain dropped a pair of brightly coloured, retro sneakers at a price of just 12.99 euros. The shoes were a sellout success and soon made their way onto the resale market where they were being sold for hundreds of euros a pop.
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Macy’s appoints VP of treasury and corporate development

Image: Macy's media assets Macy’s, Inc. has named Prabhakar Iyer vice president, treasury and corporate development, effective immediately. In this role, the company said in a release, Iyer will oversee the treasury, insurance, corporate finance and development teams. He reports to Adrian Mitchell, chief financial officer of Macy’s, Inc., and is based out of the company’s New York City headquarters. “Prabhakar has extensive experience across all aspects of finance, with a strong understanding of capital markets, cash management, foreign exchange, treasury operations, M&A and investor relations. I look forward to working with him as we continue to strengthen our balance sheet and evolve our capital allocation strategy,” said Mitchell. Iyer joins Macy’s from Wolverine Worldwide, where he was vice president, finance and operations, leading FP&A and supporting the finance needs of the company’s global operation. Prior to that role, he spent more than 16 years in finance at General Motors.
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Theory collaborates with Lucas Ossendrijver

Theory has partnered with Lucas Ossendrijver, a Dutch fashion designer known for his activewear-infused hybrid tailoring aesthetic and innovative approach to materials. For Theory, Ossendrijver will design men’s and women’s capsule collections inspired by urban lifestyle codes. His first collections will be unveiled in 2022. After designing under Hedi Slimane at Dior Homme, Ossendrijver spent over 14 years as the head of Lanvin menswear, where he worked alongside Alber Elbaz. “I am thrilled to be collaborating with Theory, an iconic American brand whose mission presents a fresh creative opportunity at a time of incredible change,” said Ossendrijver in a statement. “This is the start of a new and exciting chapter in the evolution of Theory,” said Kazumi Yanai, chairman of Theory and Fast Retailing USA, in a statement. “We are just beginning a friendship with Lucas, one that I trust will strengthen our commitment to deliver exceptional design and value to our customers.”
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Video: Hermès presents its Kellymorphose jewellery collection

Photo credit: Hermès, Facebook In this video, French fashion brand Hermès has presented its Kellymorphose jewellery collection. Watch the video below. Video: Hermès via YouTube
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SS22: 8 key menswear trends

Dolce & Gabbana SS22 (left), Etro SS22 (right) Now that the Spring/Summer 2022 menswear shows have come to an end, FashionUnited reflects on the key takeaways from the collections. Keep reading to discover eight of the menswear trends that’ll come in full blast next summer. Casual tailoring Brioni Spring/Summer 2022. Photo credit: Courtesy of Brioni. Traditional tailoring is taking a step back to welcome a more modern version of this classic wardrobe style. Shapes are more relaxed and colours soften, creating low-key suits and pieces that can be mixed and matched for a less formal take on two-piece sets. At Dior, short-style suits came in an oversized cut and were paired with slides and socks; at Tod’s, timeless suit trousers were dressed down with relaxed quilted jackets while at Brioni, cuffs were rolled up and suit jackets were worn with nonchalance on the shoulder. Prints, prints, prints Ahluwalia Spring/Summer 2022. Photo credit: Courtesy of Ahluwalia. Next summer, prints will be mixed with…prints. Whether they come as colourful patchworks or monochromatic all-over patterns, prints will be in full swing. Bethany Williams paired neutral staples like a suit with colourful details - whether it be with delicate embroideries on a jacket or a multicoloured shirt. Ahluwalia opted for a checked sweater and a psychedelic-print bag while Lanvin showcased an all-over blue and orange look topped off with a checked coat. Dainty jewellery Dolce & Gabbana Spring/Summer 2022. Photo credit: Catwalk Pictures We’ve seen more and more jewellery details appear in next summer’s collections, from stacked necklaces to delicate belt ornaments. While some brands opted for a show-off effect, most of them chose dainty pieces that elevate an outfit instead of stealing the show. Dolce & Gabbana presented an oversized suit with layered necklaces on an open silk shirt and Dior chose a total-black look detailed with an elegant brooch and jewel belt peeking through a tailored coat. Graphic shapes Burberry Spring/Summer 2022. Photo credit: Courtesy of Burberry. The Spring/Summer 2022 collections have shown sculptural shapes and graphic cuts that stand out on their own. Trench coats are elevated with bold shoulders and blazers come in exaggerated dimensions. At Burberry, a sleeveless bomber jacket was uplifted with big ribbed trims and Louis Vuitton introduced nipped-in suit jackets outweighed by large shoulders for zaftig proportions that added dimension to the silhouettes. Colour galore Etro Spring/Summer 2022. Photo credit: Courtesy of Etro. Whether it’s in womenswear or in men’s collections, next summer will be bright and bold. Colours are making a grand entrance and will come in all possible shapes and sizes. Louis Vuitton presented an alpine landscape made of lush greens and bright pinks, Canali chose a fuschia total-look while Hermès opted for a cardigan and sweater ensemble in saturated sunset hues. Elevated sportswear Fendi Spring/Summer 2022. Photo credit: Catwalk Pictures. Sportswear isn’t going anywhere next summer, but it’s getting a polished update. Whether it’s with the help of refined cuts, luxurious fabrics or exaggerated minimalism, sporty pieces reach new heights and mix comfort with refined elegance. Fendi blurred the lines between casual and sporty with relaxed silhouettes paired with structured crossbody messenger bags while A-Cold-Wall* used layers and splashes of colour to lift up technical-inspired pieces. The slide sandal Dries Van Noten Spring/Summer 2022. Photo credit: Catwalk Pictures. When it comes to footwear, the slip-on - or slide sandal - will be the design of choice for Spring/Summer 2022. They’re easy to wear and offer a casual take on even the most elevated looks, making them essentials to reach for in the warmer months. Dries Van Noten finished off his silhouettes with oversized padded two-strap sandals and JW Anderson chose the classic swimming pool slide to upgrade it with the brand’s colourful moniker. At Dior and Fendi, they came with furry straps for an even cosier look. Oversized proportions Wooyoungmi Spring/Summer 2022. Photo credit: Courtesy of Wooyoungmi. Jackets, shirts, trousers and shorts alike will come in oversized cuts next summer. They’ll both offset skinny-fit pieces and complement exaggerated and bulky proportions. At Lanvin, shorts were cut in an extra-long hem whereas Giorgio Armani presented a loose knee-length option. We’ve seen a breezy maxi shirt at Dior in a monochromatic black and white colour scheme and a pinstripe button-down hitting at the thighs at Dries Van Noten.
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H&M renounced as FC Barcelona uniform sponsor due to Chinese cotton controversy

Image: H&M x Lover’s FC When China began to boycott brands who made political statements against Xinjiang cotton, the repercussions potentially equalled a loss of local sales. But as political motivations travel far beyond Chinese borders, western companies are being forced to choose sides too. One such company is Barcelona’s star football club. Affectionately known as Barça, the team was to be sponsored by H&M as uniform outfitters. But not any more. When H&M raised doubts about the respect of civil rights towards China’s Uighur minority, who are essentially the local cotton pickers, it faced a local backlash with its 500 stores disappearing from China’s main geolocators. In light of H&M and China’s cotton row, team FC Barcelona temporarily suspended all negotiations for sponsorship, which would have equalled approximately three million euros per year for the Catalan-based club. The move comes after an American manager of Houston’s NBA basketball team tweeted sympathetic support for Hong Kong’s protesters in 2019. The response triggered the wrath of the Chinese government, who suspended the airing of its games in a boycott which lasted nearly one year. This forged a loss of 400 million dollars for the basketball league. The value of the sponsorship is not worth the possibility of retaliation.
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Podcast: Girlboss discusses e-commerce marketing

Photo credit: Girlboss In this episode, Girlboss has spoken to digital consultant Ceilidh Macleod about how to become an e-commerce marketer. Listen to the podcast below. Source: Girlboss via Spotify
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Schiaparelli launches Lady Gaga brooch to benefit charity

Image: courtesy of Schiaparelli Couture house Schiaparelli is selling the oversized dove brooch that Lady Gaga wore to the inauguration of US President Joe Biden in January to benefit the singer’s Born This Way Foundation. The Schiaparelli Dove brooch in hammered gold shows a dove carrying an olive branch, as a symbol of peace and hope, and will be available in three different sizes, from Schiaparelli, Bergdorf Goodman and Dover Street Markets. The dove has a long history at Schiaparelli and is one of the design house’s most well-known motifs. Founding designer Elsa Schiaparelli, left for the US to escape World War II and was wearing her favourite brooch, a dove pinned to the suit when she arrived in New York. It has since then been used in the form of prints on gowns or as accessories. Daniel Roseberry, creative director at Schiaparelli, said in a statement: “Like so many of us, I have been inspired by Lady Gaga and her Born This Way Foundation for years. Her inauguration performance, and the symbolic Dove Brooch, is a milestone in the history of this Maison and in my life. “It is with great pride that we are able to contribute to Gaga’s foundation and the remarkable work it has done in the lives of young people everywhere, moving them towards more freedom, kindness, and love.” Image: courtesy of Schiaparelli The brooch will benefit the Born This Way Foundation, a charitable organisation that Lady Gaga co-founded with her mother Cynthia Germanotta with the mission to support youth mental health and work with young people to build a kinder and braver world. Germanotta, co-founder and president of Born This Way Foundation, added: “My daughter and I, along with the young people we work with every day, believe kindness is the way forward from the overlapping, ongoing crises of the last year and a half. We couldn’t be more grateful to have the proceeds from the Schiaparelli Dove, a beautiful symbol of hope and new beginnings, benefit our work and mission to build a kinder, braver world. “With the support of Schiaparelli, we will continue to follow the lead of this aspirational, hopeful generation to build movements that address youth mental health and connect them to the resources they need to not only survive their lives, but thrive.”
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Formal dress marketplace Queenly secures 6.3 million dollars in funding

Image: Queenly Queenly, a search engine and marketplace for women’s formal dresses, has raised 6.3 million dollars in funding. The company, which offers a mix of pre-loved items and new products from retail partners, said it will use the new funding to help grow its team and scale out its operations and engineering features. The round was led by US private venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, bringing Queenly’s total funding to date to 7.1 million dollars. During the pandemic, Queenly has grown its user base to over 125,000, and currently lists 60,000 dresses with a total inventory value of 15 million dollars. The company, founded in 2019 by Trisha Bantigue and Kathy Zhou, uses ML-driven search engine and computer vision technology to categorize dresses. The company said it is tapping into the “large, underserved formalwear market” which has seen “little to no disruption from Silicon Valley”. The formalwear market in North America is currently worth 15 billion dollars, according to Queenly. In the US, prom season alone is worth 4 billion dollars.
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Armani sees sales bounce back in first half of 2021

Image: Giorgio Armani Giorgio Armani reported a 34 percent growth in sales in the first half of 2021 as the Italian fashion powerhouse bounces back to profitability. On Sunday Chairman and CEO Giorgio Armani said in a statement: “The goal is to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2022, (the business took) over 2 billion euros in direct consolidated revenues.” China and the US were integral to the rebound, although the company doesn’t expect a full recovery to happen until next year, offsetting pandemic losses of 25 percent to 1.6 billion euros in the first half of 2020. “The drop in revenues in 2020 should be read not only as a consequence of the pandemic, but also in line with Giorgio Armani’s own strategic principle of ‘less is more’,” said Armani Deputy Managing Director Giuseppe Marsocci. Armani reports strong sales growth According to Reuters, the Milan-based group did not give the value of total sales in January-June but said the positive sales trend so far this year pointed to a much better profitability scenario for 2021. In 2020 the group made a consolidated net profit of 90 million euros but an operating loss (EBIT) of 29 million euros. It also said on Sunday that its financial position improved significantly in the first half with net cash and cash equivalents of 1.088 billion euros “ensuring the financial resources necessary for the Group’s medium to long-term stability and growth”. At the start of the pandemic Mr Armani was one of the fist designers to respond, canceling his runway presentation during Milan Fashion Week. The company donated millions of euros to Italy’s hospitals and transformed its production plants to make single-use medical overalls, even converting the company’s corporate gym into a Covid-19 testing space for nasal swabs.
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Podcast: Conscious Chatter interviews founder Akilah Stewart

Source: Conscious Chatter via Libysn In this episode, Conscious Chatter has interviewed Akilah Stewart, the founder of the creative waste management company, Fatra, which creates luxury handbags from recycled fabrics and plastics. Listen to the podcast below.
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Podcast: UnEdited discusses the future of digital fashion

Photo credit: Unsplash In this episode, UnEdited has discussed the future of digital fashion with the founder of The Diigitals, Cameron-James Wilson. Listen to the podcast below. Source: UnEdited via Spotify
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Lindex owner Stockmann reports Q2 revenue, profit growth

Image: Lindex, Facebook Finnish fashion group Stockmann has reported a 21.4 percent increase in consolidated revenue to 228 million euros in the second quarter of the year. For the three months to June 30, the group reported an operating profit of 26.3 million euros compared to a loss of 0.4 million euros a year earlier, and an adjusted operating profit of 26.7 million euros compared to a loss of 0.8 million euros. Its gross margin increased to 60.5 percent from 54.1 percent. For the half year, the group reported a 6.5 percent increase in consolidated revenue to 383.7 million euros. The company reported an operating loss of 1.4 million euros, compared to a loss of 28.3 million euros a year earlier, and an adjusted operating profit of 5.6 million euros compared to a loss of 25.9 million euros. Gross margin for the half year increased to 58.8 percent from 54.2 percent. The group, which owns Swedish fashion chain Lindex, said it expects “a clear increase to the group revenue and the adjusted operating result to be clearly positive assuming that no major Covid-19 restrictions are imposed”.
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