New York City to crack down on retail theft through new task force

Fifth Avenue in New York City. Credits: Unsplash



A new task force launched by Mayor Eric Adams is looking to tackle the rising issue of retail theft across New York City after reported cases of shoplifting rose 44 percent between 2021 and 2022.


The task force, made up of elected officials and led by deputy mayor for public safety Philip Banks III, will advise the Adams administration on legislative proposals aimed to address retail theft, ultimately responding to emerging shoplifting trends and ensuring the best practices are implemented throughout the city.


Its mission is to deliver on key recommendations garnered from the data gathered in Adams’ Retail Theft Report, which had been formed December 2022 following a summit with 70 stakeholders who came together to collaborate on related policies and gather research into such crime.


Recommendations outlined in the report include a combination of increased law enforcement efforts and enhanced social service programming and resources designed to prevent shoplifting.


In a release, Adams commented on the most recent collaborative actions taken by the government and other institutions in New York, noting that while retail theft was down this year, there was more work to do.


He continued in his statement: “I am proud to convene this group of experts and practitioners as we continue to take a 360-degree approach to combating retail theft and curbing this serious issue that plagues cities across the country.


“Together, we recognise the importance of safeguarding our businesses, protecting jobs, and ensuring a safer and more vibrant city for all who live in, work in, and visit our great city.”


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Crew Clothing ups new customer sales through tech partnerships

Crew Clothing campaign. Credits: Crew Clothing.



British lifestyle brand Crew Clothing has reported that its purchases by new customers has increased three times over after it struck up new partnerships with select tech companies.


The retailer announced new deals with performance specialists Nest and marketing solutions provider Wunderkind both in a bid to optimise online performance, improve web traffic and retarget among existing customers.


With Nest, Crew looked into developing its paid social strategy, refocusing on raising brand awareness for new customers and shifting budget allocation towards high-quality audiences.


In a release, Ally Bradshaw, digital and customer director at Crew, said: “We challenged Nest with scaling new customer acquisition using paid social – and it delivered a three times increase in purchases from new customers in the first few months, by targeting our next best customers and driving traffic from untapped audiences.”


Through Wunderkind, on the other hand, Crew set out to identify its website traffic, while attempting to grow its addressable first-party customer database, applying the firm’s technology to ultimately expand the reach of its email programme.


According to Crew, the result was a 148 percent increase in revenue generation performance compared to its previous solution, with 7.4 percent of the brand’s total digital revenue now driven by Wunderkind.


Bradshaw added: “By capturing data and using it to nurture consumers, we have been able to provide a personalised shopping experience that keeps shoppers coming back.


“The data we gather through Wunderkind allows us to tailor our content and promotions to the individual needs and interests of each customer.”


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Tod's increases nine-month sales by around 14 percent

Tod's boutique in Saint-Tropez. Credits: Tod's



The Italian fashion group Tod's SpA achieved a double-digit increase in sales in the first three quarters of the 2023 financial year. Strong growth in China and Europe more than offset weak demand in America. This emerged from an interim report that the parent company of the brands Tod's, Roger Vivier, Hogan and Fay published on Wednesday.


In the period from January to September, group sales amounted to 828.4 million euros and exceeded the corresponding previous year's level by 14.3 percent. Adjusted for exchange rate changes, revenue increased by 16.5 percent. All brands contributed to the significant increase with double-digit growth rates.


The growth driver was the Greater China region, which includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Sales there increased by 25.0 percent (currency-adjusted +29.2 percent) to 264.1 million euros. In Italy it grew by 8.2 percent to 190.6 million euros, in the rest of Europe by 13.1 percent to 180.8 million euros.


In America, revenue amounted to 56.5 million euros, slightly below the level of the same period last year (-0.5 percent, -0.1 percent adjusted for currency effects). In the rest of the world, the group increased its sales by 12.9 percent (currency-adjusted +18.5 percent) to a total of 136.4 million euros, not least thanks to strong growth in Japan.


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eBay Q3 revenues increase 5 percent

Credits: Image: Courtesy of Ebay



eBay Inc. reported third quarter revenue of 2.5 billion dollars, up 5 percent on an as-reported basis and up 5 percent on a foreign exchange (FX) neutral basis.


The company’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) was 18 billion dollars, up 2 percent on an as-reported basis and roughly flat on an FX-neutral basis.


GAAP net income for the quarter was 1.3 billion dollars or 2.46 dollars per diluted share and non-GAAP net income was 545 million dollars or 1.03 dollars per diluted share.


"We delivered another quarter of solid results, and have accelerated the pace of innovation across eBay. In the face of macroeconomic uncertainty, we continue to make meaningful progress against our ambitious vision to reinvent the future of ecommerce for enthusiasts," said Jamie Iannone, chief executive officer at eBay.


The company returned 783 million dollars to shareholders, including 651 million dollars of share repurchases and 132 million dollars paid in cash dividends. eBay's board of directors has declared a cash dividend of 0.25 cents per share for the quarter.


For the fourth quarter, the company expects revenues in the range of 2.47 to 2.53 billion dollars, FX-neutral growth between negative 1 percent to positive 2 percent, diluted GAAP EPS in the range of 70 to 75 cents and diluted non-GAAP EPS between 1 to 1.05 dollars.


For the full year, revenue is expected to range between 10.02 to 10.08 billion dollars, up between 3 to 4 percent FX-neutral, diluted GAAP EPS between 4.53 to 4.58 dollars and diluted non-GAAP EPS in the range of 4.17 to 4.22 dollars.


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Minimum wage for textile workers in Bangladesh up, but far below union demands

Garment workers during the recent strikes. Credits: Sommilito Garments Sramik Federation (SGSF)



Textile workers in Bangladesh must earn at least 12,500 taka per month from the government, according to media reports. It is over 50 percent higher than the current minimum wage, but well below the unions' demand for 23,000 taka. The latter amount would be needed for a living wage in Bangladesh.


The current minimum wage for textile workers is 8,000 taka - equivalent to 59 pounds - per month. At 12,500 taka, this is raised to just over 92 pounds per month. A living wage, however, is 23,000 taka (170 euros), according to experts.


Bangladesh had long been weighed down the protests of garment workers who had been demanding higher wages, also with the support of several trade unions. However, the protests led to unrest and sometimes outbreaks of violence. Two people have already died in the protests.


Bangladesh's textile industry employs nearly four million workers. The country has some 3,500 factories, at which mainly women work. Textile labour is one of the main sources of income for Bangladesh.


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Birkenstock appoints Tiffany Wu as MD Greater China

Credits: Image: Tiffany Wu via Birkenstock



Birkenstock has announced the appointment of Tiffany Wu as managing director Greater China, effective November 1, 2023.


In this newly created position, the company said, Wu will lead the Greater China business area, which includes mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, driving brand equity and sales in the region. She reports to Klaus Baumann, chief sales officer of the Birkenstock Group.


With the new appointment the Germany-based brand aims to further strengthen the company’s expanding footprint in the Asia Pacific region, alongside India and Japan. Today, the company operates a rapidly growing e-commerce business in China, which will be supplemented by a strong owned retail presence and wholesale business with select local partners.


Commenting on Wu’s appointment, Oliver Reichert, director of Birkenstock Holding plc and CEO of the Birkenstock Group said: “Greater China is the strongest growth driver for us in the APMA region alongside India and Japan. With the additional capacity that we can allocate since the go-live of our new plant in Pasewalk in September 2023, we now have the bandwidth to satisfy Chinese consumers' appetite for our products. It's the perfect moment for Tiffany Wu to join the team.”


Wu, the company added, brings over 18 years of fashion and luxury end-to-end omni-channel expertise in China. Wu is an expert in driving brands’ commercial strategy, omni channel expansion, brand building and storytelling through China’s ever-changing digital landscape along with a strong marketing and PR foundation.


Wu began her career with PR agency Ogilvy. After three years with the global PR firm, in 2009 she co-founded a leather goods designer brand called Heirloom and successfully sold it ten years later, when the brand was present in 11 countries.


From 2019 onwards, Wu led the Fung Retailing-Asia Retail Company (ARC), which assisted foreign companies in the Chinese market. In 2021, she took on the role of managing the Greater China region (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau) for Blue Nile, the world's largest online diamond sales company.


“As we ramp up our production capacity, we will unlock the large growth potential of China and the whole APMA region, which has generated significant latent demand that we have been unable to fulfil in recent years given more limited supply. Our targeted growth strategies will build upon our growing popularity in the region’s underdeveloped markets, including China, where our brand is nascent,” added Wu.


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Secret Sales enters Ireland in continued expansion

Credits: Secret Sales.



Off-price retailer Secret Sales has taken its first steps into Ireland, continuing on its ongoing expansion plans throughout Europe.


Shoppers in the region will gain access to the marketplace’s exclusive discounts across 450 brands, including both high street and luxury labels, as reported by Business Plus, which initially published the news.


The move comes as the company continues to pursue a more expansive network across the continent, having most recently landed in the Netherlands and Belgium early last year.


Such efforts were bolstered in May 2023, when Secret Sales secured 10 million dollars to help accelerate its European expansion and become the “go-to destination” for non-full price retail in all main markets by 2025.


To take the mission further, the company then acquired Spanish e-commerce platform Dreivip as it began a new merger and acquisition strategy to bring its offering to more brands and retailers.


Speaking to Business Plus, the firm’s CEO Chris Griffin noted that the platform had seen “remarkable growth” this year.


Griffin added: “For the Irish market, there is already a strong consumer appetite for off-price fashion making this a natural expansion fit for our brands and retail partners.”


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Marks & Spencer to open nine stores in November

Credits: Marks & Spencer.



British department store retailer Marks & Spencer is set to open nine new stores during November in what it said will be its “biggest ever store opening month” to date.


The company added that it would be investing 80 million pounds into “sustainable” physical locations, starting with a new 65,000 square foot store in Birmingham’s Bullring, opening November 7.


From then onwards, Marks & Spencer will be opening at least one store every seven days throughout the month, ultimately supporting over 2,200 local jobs across the UK, a press release claimed.


These will include two further store openings, three new M&S Foodhalls and a further three store renewals.


The news builds on the retailer’s ongoing store rotation programme, which has already seen it invest over 500 million pounds into its retail network contributing to the ambition of rotating from operating 247 stores to 180 “higher quality, higher productivity full line stores”.


In the release, the company’s operations director, Sacha Berendij, said: “Stores are key to our business, and we see them as part of our competitive advantage.”


Berendij continued: “To deliver our biggest ever store opening month which supports thousands of jobs is an outstanding effort from the team and shows just how serious we are about accelerating our rotation plans so we are in the right locations for our customers.”


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AllSaints founder Stuart Trevor joins Fanfare Label as non-executive director

Credits: Image: Stuart Trevor via Fanfare Label



Sustainable fashion firm Fanfare Label has appointed Stuart Trevor, founder of AllSaints, as a non-executive director.


"I've been a massive fan of Fanfare Label and Esther Knight since we met about two years ago. I met Esther at her PR showroom in Soho and I was so impressed with her incredible knowledge about sustainability. I absolutely loved the collection and immediately offered to help her with the business in any way I can. We started working together, and I'm looking forward to seeing the business grow,” said Trevor.


Commenting on Trevor’s appointment, Esther Knight, the founder of Fanfare Label, said: "It is a true honour to welcome someone of Stuart's calibre to our team. With his exceptional experience as the founder of AllSaints, Stuart has not only transformed a small label into a globally recognized fashion retailer but also demonstrated remarkable expertise in strategic growth. His valuable insights and innovative approach are invaluable assets as we look forward to an exciting and successful year ahead."


The company said in a release that founded in 2019 by Knight, Fanfare Label, best known for their upcycled denim, is committed to reshaping the fashion industry by focusing on circularity, sustainability, and responsible consumption.


The brand's commitment to sustainability is also reflected in its production practices, with clothing produced in London and organic & recycled jeans in Portugal in a family-run GOTs certified factory, emphasising fair wages, good working conditions, and job opportunities.


Fanfare Label has recently launched the UK’s first ‘Design Your Own Jeans’ service in Liberty.


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Bangladesh protests bring production to a halt for Fashion's top brands

Garment worker protests Credits: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre website




Levi's and H&M are among top global clothing
brands to suffer production halts in Bangladesh, a garment union leader said
Friday, after days of violent protests by workers demanding a near-tripling of
their wages.


Bangladesh's 3,500 garment factories account for around 85 percent of the
South Asian country's 55 billion dollars annual exports, supplying many of the
world's top names in fashion.


But conditions are dire for many of the sector's four million workers, the
vast majority of whom are women whose monthly wages start at 8,300 taka (75 dollars).
Dozens of factories have been ransacked by striking workers, with several
hundred others shuttered by their owners to avoid vandalism.


Among them are "many of the country's bigger factories, who make clothing
for almost all major Western brands and retailers," Kalpona Akter, president
of the Bangladesh Garments and Industrial Workers Federation (BGIWF), told AFP.
"They include Gap, Walmart, H&M, Zara, Inditex, Bestseller, Levi's, Marks
and Spencer, Primark and Aldi," she added.


A Primark spokesperson said the Dublin-headquartered fast-fashion retailer
had not "experienced any disruptions to our supply chain".
"We remain in contact with our suppliers some of whom in turn have closed
their factories temporarily while the unrest continues," the spokesperson
added.


Manufacturers whose factories have been damaged in the protests are
reluctant to give the names of brands they work with, fearing the loss of
orders from buyers.


Police said at least 300 factories had been shut down in the weeklong
protests, which have so far left two workers dead and dozens more injured.
Akter said her union had counted around 600 affected factories.
Protests continued on Friday with thousands of garment workers mobilising
on the streets of industrial neighbourhoods around the capital Dhaka.
Around 3,000 workers attempted to block their colleagues from joining a
factory shift after two major manufacturers -- HaMeem and Sterling groups --
reopened their plants.


"Police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters," a police inspector
charged with monitoring the protests, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
told AFP.


"The two companies declared a holiday for the day and their 25,000 workers
went home."


'Won't help their cause'



Garment workers say that a sharp increase in living costs has left them
struggling to provide for their families.


The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA),
which represents factory owners, has offered workers a 25 percent pay raise.
That is significantly short of the 23,000 taka ($209) monthly wage that the
protest campaign has called for.


Police said manufacturers in Gazipur, Dhaka's biggest industrial hub that
saw the worst of this week's violence, had decided to reopen their plants from
Saturday to make up for lost shifts.


"We will deploy nearly 3,000 police and border guards to prevent any
violence," Gazipur police chief Sarwar Alam told AFP.


He urged the workers to stop the violence and find a solution through
dialogue.


"I think the demands of workers are logical. But taking the law into their
own hands won't help their cause," Alam added.


The protests have coincided with separate violent demonstrations by
opposition parties demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
ahead of elections due in January.(AFP)


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Asket launches ‘Impact Receipt’ highlighting environmental cost of purchase

Asket ‘Impact Receipt’ Credits: Asket



Swedish apparel brand Asket is launching an ‘Impact Receipt’ aimed at “curbing consumption” that accounts for the environmental cost of every purchase.


The new ‘Impact Receipt’ will provide consumers with a breakdown of CO2e emissions, water use, and energy consumption for every garment purchased, as well as the impact associated with the packaging and shipping choices.


It hopes that the move to be transparent regarding the environmental cost and impact of its garment will help customers see the associated environmental cost of their purchasing decisions and help them keep track of their consumption-based footprint.


August Bard Bringéus, co-founder at Asket, said in a statement: “Because we’ve only ever been told the price consumers pay for a garment, the industry has created a disconnect between our shopping habits and its impact.


“As a result, we’ve amassed an irrevocable environmental debt. And until we put a price on our planet’s resources and understand what our choices actually cost; we’ll never make concessions to the consumption we think we’re entitled to.”


Asket has partnered with Vaayu Tech to process and calculate the lifecycle impact assessments, with the ‘Impact Receipt’ being calculated on the foundation of the brand’s extensive garment traceability, with all facilities and processes that go into creating a garment taken into consideration, from farming to yarn spinning, fabric weaving, dyeing through to construction - as well as all the transports in between.


All Asket garments are displayed with their cradle-to-gate kg CO2e emissions, kWh energy use and m3 water consumption (relative to the water scarcity in the production locations, as opposed to absolute water consumption) broken down into four tiers: Raw Materials, Milling, Manufacturing, Transports and Trims.


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Better Cotton introduces Traceable Better Cotton

Cotton bales. Credits: Better Cotton



The non-profit organisation Better Cotton has launched a new traceability solution for the fashion and textile industry called Traceable Better Cotton, which has been developed over the course of three years. It will provide visibility of the journey of cotton through the supply chain by logging stakeholder input on the Better Cotton platform.


According to the organisation, it has worked closely with a network of member retailers and brands like the H&M Group, Marks & Spencer, Walmart, Target, Bestseller, Gap Inc and C&A to ensure that fashion companies can accurately trace and disclose the origin of raw materials and comply with emerging regulations. 


“At Marks & Spencer, 100 percent of the cotton we source for our clothing comes from more responsible sources, however, across the industry the global supply chain remains particularly complex. Since 2021, we have been proud partners working with Better Cotton to improve the traceability of cotton and we’re delighted to be able to be part of this first-of-its kind solution which will enable us to track our cotton at scale along the supply chain,” commented Katharine Beacham, head of materials and sustainability at Marks & Spencer.


Through the Better Cotton platform, operated by software company ChainPoint, suppliers can log transactional information from the cotton ginning stage to the retailer or brand, thus keeping track of where Better Cotton originated from and how much of it is within a product.


A “seismic shift” for supply chains




“Traceability at scale for cotton will drive a seismic shift within our industry’s supply chains. Better Cotton's traceability solution is poised to help the industry deliver that shift. Never before has transparency been as imperative as it is now to our retail and brand members. We’re grateful to every organisation that has helped shape the development of the Better Cotton Platform and stand committed to its constant improvement,” said Better Cotton CEO Alan McClay in a press release.


Not to mention that companies are now increasingly expected to verify the origin of the raw materials within their products to increase transparency and to address the potential adverse effects of their activities on human rights and the environment.


“Traceable Better Cotton will give member retailers and brands confidence that they are sourcing product from a specific country, and establish greater supply chain visibility, enabling them to incorporate insights into their own supply chain due diligence activities,” so the press release.


In the coming years, it is planned that Traceable Better Cotton would serve as the foundation for an Impact Marketplace that would compensate farmers for field-level progress. It is also expected to enable country-level life cycle assessments (LCAs) to calculate the environmental impact of Better Cotton in relation to conventional cotton and to provide credible consumer and business-facing claims.


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Lenzing loss widens, revenues drop by 5.3 percent

Credits: Image: Lenzing Group



Lenzing revenue in the first three quarters of 2023 decreased by 5.3 percent to 1.87 billion euros, EBITDA decreased by 16.7 percent to 219.1 million euros, net result amounted to minus 96.7 million euros and earnings per share amounted to minus 4.90 euros.


The company said in a release that the reduction was primarily due to lower fibre revenues, while pulp revenues were up, while the earnings trend was mainly influenced by the market environment.


The Lenzing Group continues to expect that EBITDA for the 2023 financial year will be in a range between 270 million euros and 330 million euros.


“The recovery that has been expected for the second half of the year in the markets relevant for us, so far failed to materialise. As a consequence, the measures we took at an early stage have proved all the more correct. We already launched an ambitious cost-cutting program at the end of 2022, which has delivered the expected results ahead of schedule,” said Stephan Sielaff, Lenzing Group CEO.


Lenzing implemented a reorganisation and cost reduction program with a volume in excess of 70 million euros, while also implementing further measures to strengthen free cash flow. In the third quarter of 2023, Lenzing generated positive free cash flow of 27.3 million euros and the balance sheet and liquidity position were significantly strengthened through capital increase of around 400 million euros and the extension of the debt terms in the reporting period.


The company added that global personnel costs will be reduced by up to 30 million euros or around 500 full-time equivalents (FTE), by not filling positions that fall vacant due to retirements and natural attrition, as well as by staff reductions.


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SS24 season: Paris, Milan, London and New York key trends

SS24 key trends/ main image Credits: SS24 key
trends/Launchmetrics Spotlight
With all four major fashion weekscompleted,
there is an opportunity to review the major trends. Seasonal trends
reflect the way consumers see the world at the macro level. The
‘Barbie’ movie not only grossed well over a billion dollars; it
married feminist ideals with ‘girlie’ fashion. This was a clear
influence on the ss24 collections. After the casual years of the
Pandemic, designers were keen to show tailored styles with an elegant
twist; either in a classic way, or with jackets and sweaters over
floaty sheer skirts that revealed the shape of the legs. Finally, with
a nod toward street style, utilitarian looks continue to sell. At the
high-end, designers show elevated versions in luxe fabrics.
Here are four highlights.

Living doll


Adeam: designer, Hanako Maeda

Adeum ss24/ look 19 Credits: Adeum
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 19: a silk pleated baby doll dress in pale green over a ribbed
sheer top and a chiffon floor length skirt. Cream platform gladiator
sandals completed the look.


Aknvas: designer, Christian Juul Nielsen

Aknvas ss24/ look 18 Credits: Aknvas
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 18: a bright red off-the-shoulder ruched dress with a ruffled,
bubble hemmed skirt and white floral embellished flats.


Antonio Marras

Antonio Marras ss24/ look 29 Credits: Antonio Marras
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 29: a beige satin halter neck top with a black trim and layered
yellow bubble hem skirt and platform boots.


Carolina Herrera: designer, Wes Gordon

Carolina Herrera ss24/ look 44 Credits: Carolina
Herrera ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 44: a short pink sundress with black dots, accessorized with
black and white spectator pumps, a black bag and large gold hoop
earrings.


Michael Kors

Michael Kors ss24/ look 11 Credits: Michael Kors
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 11: a white lace empire waist mini dress with a deep vee and a
cream-colored belt, white woven basket bag and white thong sandals.


Simone Rocha

Simone Rocha ss24/ look 29 Credits: Simone Rocha
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 29: a pink satin tunic with folded neckline tied with a red
ribbon and matching short shorts, a red sequined bag and clear vinyl
sandals.



Lady luck


Joseph Altuzarra
Altuzarra ss24/ look 23 Credits: Altuzarra
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 23: a cream satin cropped blouse with a hidden placket and light
brown midi skirt over a white muslin layer, a red bag and satin flats.


Alaia: designer, Pieter Mulier

Alaia ss24/ look 10 Credits: Alaia
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 10: a mauve overcoat with multiple buttons over a matching
jacket, a peach pencil skirt, a black clutch and gloves and white
ankle strap pumps.


Balmain: designer, Olivier Rousteing

Balmain ss24/ look 8 Credits: Balmain
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 8: a black sharp shouldered tuxedo jacket over a pin dot
patterned blouse and pleated polka dotted full skirt; a black bag
embellished with flowers and red and black spectator pumps.


Daniel Del Core

Del Core ss24/ look 25 Credits: Del Core
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 25: a yellow midi length dress with detachable long sleeves and a
corseted waistband. Black strappy sandals completed the look.


Elie Saab

Elie Saab ss24/ look 2 Credits: Elie Saab
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 2: a white suit with black dots including a cropped jacket,
bandeau and midi skirt. The model wore black ankle strap platform
sandals and carried a basket weave handbag.


Versace

Versace ss24/ look 42 Credits: Versace
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 42: A cropped jacket in lemon and white checks with a mini skirt
in small checks of the same color. Accessories included lemon-colored
loafers, a handbag and sunglasses.


Alessandra Rich

Alessandra Rich ss24/ look 7 Credits: Alessandra
Rich ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 7: an ivory fitted jacket and pencil skirt with side slit; black
Mary-Janes and pink satchel.



Precious cargo


JW Anderson

JW Anderson ss24/ look 7 Credits: JW Anderson
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 7: Olive khaki cargo pocket pants with a black leather hooded
moto jacket and crochet clogs.


Max Mara, designer, Ian Griffiths

Max Mara ss24/ look 31 Credits: Max Mara
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 31: a khaki all-in-one flight suit with multi-pockets, a brown
belt, cross body bag and strappy sandals.


Ottolinger: designers, Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient

Ottolinger ss24/ look 13 Credits: Ottolinger
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 13: khaki low-slung cargo pocket pants with long under layers in
olive, a red and white bra top and a deconstructed jacket worn as a
scarf.

Undercover: designer Jun Takahashi

Undercover ss24/ look 22 Credits: Undercover
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 22: a pale green silk knit 3-button shirt with slit sleeves and
mauve silk cargo pocket pants. Earrings with a large stone and nude
vinyl platform sandals completed the look.

Victoria Tomas: designers, Victoria Feldman and Tomas Berzins

Victoria Thomas ss24/ look 13 Credits: Courtesy/
Victoria Thomas ss24


Look 13: a sleeveless shirt in olive khaki with tan collar and patch
pockets over a tan ruffled skirt with an olive peplum, long silver
earrings, brown ankle boots and an orange mini bag.


Nicky Zimmermann

Zimmermann ss24/ look 8 Credits: Zimmermann
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 8: a khaki wool blend shirt with patch pockets and a matching
pencil skirt with a slip, a cream belt, sheer lilac socks and patent
booties.



Clearly defined


Christian Dior: designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri

Dior ss24/ look 2 Credits: Dior ss24/Launchmetrics
Spotlight


Look 2: a black double-breasted wool blazer was belted and shown over
a white shirt and black sheer skirt. A single hoop earring, a black
bag and flats with ankle straps completed the look.


Erdem Moralioglu

Erdem ss24/ look 31 Credits: Erdem
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 31: a teal blue motorbike jacket with pink and silver trim and
fringe over a white shirt and a pink sheer skirt with embroidered
flowers. Accessories included pink satin slingbacks with large bows.


Ermanno Scervino

Scervino ss24/ look 22 Credits: Scervino
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 22: a camel-colored short sleeved sweater and sheer layered
skirt, both with crystal and sequin embellishment. Suede peep-toe
clogs and tortoise cat-eye sunglasses finished the look.


Louis Vuitton: designer, Nicolas Ghesquière

Louis Vuitton ss24/ look 2 Credits: Louis Vuitton
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 2: a leather yellow and brown blouson jacket and double layered
sheer chiffon skirt, a logoed belt, small satchel and pleated white
flats.


Prada: designer, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons

Prada ss24/ look 14 Credits: Prada
ss24/Launchmetrics Spotlight


Look 14: an oversized denim jacket over a fringed blouse and a black
sheer skirt with a black belt and pointed toed shoes.


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Item of the week: the belt bag

Karl Lagerfeld, Ted Baker and Desigual. Credits:
FashionUnited Marketplace.

What it is:



The belt bag as a concept has many origin stories. Also known as a ‘fanny
pack’, the piece’s first appearance, however, is typically considered to
have been about 5,000 years ago and was discovered on the body of a
mummified Ötzi. Fast forward to the 80s and, following a string of various
uses, it finally became a commercialised product, offering users
functionality and, only sometimes, style. It wasn’t until the mid-90s when
the look finally became a fashion hit in its own right, bolstered by Karl
Lagerfeld, who created his own take on the bag for Chanel.

Timberland. Credits: FashionUnited
Marketplace.

Why you’ll want it:



The belt bag is a continuation of the outerwear trend, which has seen
rising demand post-pandemic as consumers look to stretch their legs and
experience the great outdoors. This has naturally had a knock on effect in
fashion itself, seeing the fanny pack seep into the luxury category through
more refined, elevated iterations for the trend-led consumer who is looking
for a stylish yet functional bag type. And its two-way use certainly
delivers on these demands, providing an adaptive wardrobe addition that now
comes in a wider span of materials, patterns and shapes.

Adidas. Credits: FashionUnited
Marketplace.

Where we’ve seen it:



As the leather and accessories categories continue to bolster fashion
houses’ financials, it is clear that belt bags are among the pieces that
designers are banking on to cater to this demand. The likes of Givenchy and
Dion Lee adopted the look with multi-layered pockets and zip-up sections,
bulking out bags that spanned the wearer’s entire waistline. At Rains and
Proenza Schouler, however, styles were more subtle, with minimalist bags
attached to a pared down belt. While Craig Green offered up
multi-functional, cross-body bags that could also act as belts, Fendi took
this concept to the next level. Its wide-set interpretation came in the
form of an upscale crafting belt, with hooks and holders for all manners of
tools.

Burberry. Credits: FashionUnited
Marketplace.

How to style it:



To bring the belt bag into a more fashion-forward arena, pair a leather
iteration of the piece with tailored trousers, adding to the waist and
therefore utilising both of the bag’s functions. This can be tied together
with a loose-fit, short-sleeved shirt and sleek leather shoes for an outfit
that can work well both formally and in a more casual setting. If the belt
bag comes in a playful print or experimental materials, add it to a
streetwear-inspired look, pairing with cargo pants or wide-legged trousers
and a printed hoodie or t-shirt, alongside a set of sneakers.

Madewell. Credits: FashionUnited
Marketplace.

Functionality would seemingly take the reins when it comes to the belt bag,
however with its increased adoption in designer collections, it is clear
that this two-use accessory no longer falls into simply the outerwear
category. Despite the sometimes avant garde upgrades, however, the look has
sustained its useful purpose and therefore continues to appeal to the
masses.

Palladium. Credits: FashionUnited
Marketplace.



Similar items available for (pre)order can be found in the FashionUnited
Marketplace. You can
find them by clicking on this link.


http://dlvr.it/SyMkJS