Shein announces 10 million euro programme for European designers

Shein's Singapore headquarters. Credits: Courtesy of Shein



Shein has launched a programme aimed at discovering, supporting, and developing emerging design talent across Europe, with an initial investment of 10 million euros.


“A dedicated team will focus on the programme, with the goal of onboarding 250 European designers over the next five years through the Shein X Designer Incubator,” the press release reads.


Shein X allows designers to focus on creation, while Shein handles production, marketing, and retail. This enables designers to reach a global audience, share in the profits from sales, and retain ownership of their creations," explained the company in a statement.


To date, nearly 100 designers have participated in Shein X, and their creations are now available to consumers in over 150 global markets.


Commenting on the news in a statement, Leonard Lin, Shein's president for the EMEA region said: "Europe represents an incredible hub of young talent, which is why we are working not only to support new generations but also to advance our sustainability and circularity goals.”


He continued: “Just as the local designers in our show incorporated circularity into their styles, we intend to continue promoting the adoption of circular choices and preferred materials across our entire offering." emphasised


On Sunday, collections from several young French designers were showcased at the Pavillon Vendôme Paris, as the online retailer launched its latest showcase of French design talent. Each new look was complemented by pieces and accessories from the e-tailer.


"This show celebrates the incredible diversity and creativity of French fashion, offering a platform where new voices can let their creativity shine. Shein's mission is to make the beauty of fashion accessible to everyone,” Luca Raveillon, artistic director of Shein France added on his part.


“This means not only giving consumers the freedom to choose styles that reflect their individuality but also giving emerging designers the opportunity to showcase their unique collections to a wider audience, contributing to a more inclusive and dynamic fashion industry," he said.


This article was originally published on FashionUnited.IT, translated with the help of an AI-tool and edited by Veerle Versteeg.


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Chinese designers spotlighted at London Fashion Week

Consistence SS25 at LFW Credits: Consistence



In Pictures


As London Fashion Week continued its 40th-anniversary celebrations this season, Chinese designers, including Huishan Zhang, Consistence, and Mithridate, utilised the global fashion showcase to bridge the gap between the West and Asia to highlight their spring/summer 2025 collections.


Consistence SS25 Credits: Consistence



Consistence ‘Useless But Fabulous’ SS25




Consistence, founded in London by married couple Tien Lu and Fang Fang in 2015, who graduated from Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion, joined the LFW line-up this season as part of Hu Bing Selects curated by Chinese actor and model Hu Bing to celebrate his 10th anniversary as the BFC LFW Ambassador for China. The new initiative aims to provide a platform for Chinese design talent on a global stage as part of the British Fashion Council’s strategy to build closer ties with the Chinese fashion industry.


The Shanghai-based brand, which has previously shown at Milan Fashion Week sponsored by Armani and taken part in the Tranoï Paris emerging designer support programme, used its on-schedule spot at LFW to present its first womenswear collection, ‘Useless but Fabulous’.


Consistence SS25 - Hu Bing Credits: Consistence



The collection drew inspiration from the duo’s menswear expertise and highlighted the brand’s signature tailoring, with suits and trench coats, alongside its sustainable design practices, where they transformed fabric scraps from previous productions into accessories, such as headscarves, gloves, and scarves.


It also features a fabric collaboration with leather company Scabal, including the use of its patented 24-carat gold-infused fabric, as well as fluorescent pink and fluorescent yellow wool fabrics.


Yuhan Wang SS25 Credits: Yuhan Wang



Yuhan Wang SS25 ‘The Rose Fist’




London-based Yuhan Wang, from Weihai in Shandong province, graduated from Central Saint Martin's and honed her skills working with Marni and JW Anderson. Wang has been part of LFW for several seasons, debuting in 2018 as part of the talent incubator Fashion East, before becoming part of BFC’s NewGen designers.


For SS25, the designer continued her tribute to the spirit of women, taking inspiration from trailblazing female boxers with a collection balancing strength with softness, featuring athletic leotards, biker shorts, and tank tops cut from sensuous Chantilly lace, paired with swinging skirts reminiscent of ballerina tutus.


Yuhan Wang SS25 Credits: Yuhan Wang



Other highlights included American football-inspired silk tops with voluminous shoulder pads adorned with lace trains and 3D floral motifs, alongside waist-cinching corsets and sporty zip tops decorated with ribbons and hand-drawn numbers reminiscent of competitive sports gear, and baseball shirts styled with lace-trimmed boxing shorts and kitten graphic crop tops. Wang even covered boxing gloves in lace.


“It’s about embodying a duality: celebrating fierce determination intertwined with delicate femininity,” explains the brand in the show notes. “The collection marries the audacious spirit of female fighters with Yuhan Wang's romanticism, offering a vision of womanhood that is both resilient and graceful.”


Huishan Zhang SS25 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Huishan Zhang SS25




Huishan Zhang, who is based in London and a regular on the LFW schedule, took inspiration from Wong Kar Wai's erotic short film ‘The Hand,’ for his spring/summer 2025 collection offering elegant and sexy daywear ensembles with beaded fringes, embellished scuba gowns, shirts and cardigans styled open over sheer bras, statement trench coats and shift dresses with sheer and cut-out detailing.


Huishan Zhang SS25 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Commenting on the collection, Poppy Lomax, head of superbrands and international designer buyer at Harrods, told FashionUnited over e-mail: “Huishan Zhang presented a sophisticated collection featuring dresses and skirt sets suitable for all occasions.


“The show had a dark, moody feel which embraced sexier, more structured pieces, while still incorporating Huishan's iconic sequins and heavy embellishments that are always a favourite part of his collection. The attention to detail on the pockets was impressive, showing his skill in dressing women.”


Mithridate SS25 Credits: Mithridate by Jason Lloyd Evans



Mithridate pays homage to Yunnan in China




Luxury Chinese fashion house Mithridate, founded by creative director Demon Zhang, a Central Saint Martins graduate who assisted both Lee Alexander McQueen and John Galliano, joined the official LFW schedule this season with a vibrant demi-couture catwalk show at the historic Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Hall.


The SS25 collection is described as a personal journey for Zhang, paying tribute to her hometown roots of Yunnan, the southwestern province of China, blending local traditions with a modern aesthetic inspired by the natural elegance of the landscape.


Mithridate SS25 Credits: Mithridate by Jason Lloyd Evans



Yunnan is known as the ‘Flower Kingdom’ and the second-largest flower trading city globally, and floral motifs are a recurring theme throughout the collection, with Zhang using colourful pom poms to symbolise their beauty and delicate nature. Zhang also highlights ancient techniques and rich cultural traditions, placing a spotlight on Yunnan’s traditional tie-dying method, which has been reimagined with contemporary fabrics and tailored silhouettes and includes local traditions, such as the region’s distinctive silverware and accessories.


Highlights included boxy silhouettes with beaded floral embellishments, exquisite gowns with sheer panelling and floral adornments, blazers adorned with silverware trims, sunset-hued bomber jackets and streetwear, and tailoring crafted from locally sourced cotton that feels similar to soft linen to highlight the natural elegance of the Yunnan landscape.


Jingdong at LFW Credits: JD.com



JD.com highlights Chinese talent at LFW




JD.com, the official Chinese retail partner of LFW, brought a selection of Chinese designers, including Shenzhen’s sportswear and fashion brand Ellassay and womenswear labels Marisfrolg and Pure Tea to London to host a Jingdong Fashion ‘Red Journey’ catwalk show in the courtyard of Somerset House.


The move followed the Chinese e-tailer announcing a new partnership with the British Fashion Council to enhance the presence of British designers in the Chinese market while uplifting Chinese and Asian designers on a more global level with the launch of a dedicated campaign on its app.


In a statement, JD.com added that it would leverage its advanced e-commerce infrastructure and extensive consumer reach to help British and global fashion brands navigate the complexities of the Chinese market, highlighting its sophisticated in-house supply chain and logistics network, which delivers 90 percent of retail orders within 24 hours.


Sherrin Kong, president of Jingdong Fashion, said: "JD.com, Inc. supports brands and designers by offering one-stop solutions from consumption insights, e-commerce operations, promotion and marketing to logistics and customer services.


"We help international brands better understand the Chinese market and we support Asian and Chinese brands in continuing to enhance their image in the international market."


Ellassay SS25 Credits: JD.com



The back-to-back catwalk showcase drew inspiration from Jingdong’s signature red and showed Ellassay exploring its contemporary urban fashion with a feminine, elegant touch, drawing inspiration from the freedom of women with a collection of dresses and tailoring featuring embellishments.


Marisfrolg, a brand aimed at the modern urban woman, showcased its newly launched ‘Glazed Art’ collection, which takes inspiration from contemporary handcrafted glassworks with sculptural silhouettes, textured prints and cut-out detailing.


While Pure Tea, a womenswear brand that embodies the spirit of Eastern art and culture, showcased its ‘Floral Wardrobe’ collection filled with vintage-inspired floral and embroidery designs.


Marisfrolg SS25 Credits: JD.com



Pure Tea SS25 Credits: Jd.com


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Retailers urged to improve workplace wellbeing as cases of poor mental health rise

Lancaster, UK. Credits: Unsplash.



A new report by retail industry charity the Retail Trust has brought to light concerns over mental health issues among UK retail and call centre staff. To collate its data, the organisation surveyed over 1,300 retail workers, 17 percent of which said they had missed at least one day of work this year due to poor mental health.


Among the respondents, call centre staff and younger workers were twice as likely to have called in sick in this respect, with poor mental health causing 31 percent of retail call centre staff and 29 percent of Gen Z workers to take time off work. 82 percent of younger workers, meanwhile, reported deteriorating mental health over the last year, while 46 percent of call centre staff said they often felt lonely at work.


Other core issues brought forward by the survey were that of the rising cost of living and abuse from customers, both of which were found to be central to the impact on wellbeing. In addition to this, 71 percent of all retail employees surveyed said that mental health issues were causing them to underperform at work, leading Retail Trust to urge companies to address the issue head on.


The organisation suggested improvement to workplace cultures, mental health training and self-help tools as methods to reverse these figures. In the report, Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of the Retail Trust, said that the findings have “profound implications” for the UK’s workforce, and while many retailers were already taking important steps to address poor mental wellbeing, more still needed to be done.


He continued: “While retail employers may not be responsible for causing their staff’s mental health issues, they are paying the price in absenteeism and underperformance. They must continue to invest in training, create more positive work cultures, and implement preventative measures to mitigate the mental health challenges their workers face.”


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Bimba y Lola maintains growth momentum in H1

Bimba y Lola Miami store Credits: Bimba y Lola



Bimba y Lola maintained its sales growth in the first of this financial year, with a 3 percent increase over the previous year.


The brand continued to develop its store network during the period under review, which reached 295 points of sale. The company already enjoys online presence in 37 countries.


The company said in a statement that among the newly opened stores, outlets at the international airports, such as Madrid, Barcelona, Singapore and Mexico City, performed well. Sales from physical stores represented 81 percent of the total turnover and the digital channel delivered the remaining 19 percent.


Business in Spain grew by 4 percent in the first half and accounted for 54 percent of total sales, compared to 46 percent contributed by the rest of the countries.


Bimba y Lola also recently launched its second collaboration with designer Palomo Spain at the New York Fashion Week, and is about to complete the project to restore the building and land that will become its new headquarters in Vigo.


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Trendstop Spring/Summer 2025 New York Fashion Week Overview

Collina Strada Spring/Summer 2025. Credits: Trendstop



Trendstop brings FashionUnited readers a look at some of the highlights from New York’s Spring/Summer 2025 collections.


New York’s collections traversed the city from urban interior to its quieter green spaces and water’s edge. Modern architectural and maritime inspirations had a simplicity that belied the complexity of their constructions whilst the surrounding sea, sky and flora brought SS25 fashion closer to the earth.


Proenza Schouler SS25. Credits: Trendstop



Alaia




New York’s Guggenheim played host to its first ever runway show with an Alaia collection that took inspiration from the iconic building’s architecture. Engineered constructions, puffer fabrics and micro pleating created sculptural forms of jackets, dresses and miniskirts. Voluminous taffeta track suits fused couture fabrications with sporty style. The art of jewelry making informed components and accessories from dresses that snapped to the body with bracelet-like fastenings to necklaces suspended from earrings.


Collina Strada SS25. Credits: Trendstop



Proenza Schouler




At Proenza Schouler, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez looked at classic nautical style though a contemporary lens. Constructions were formed from draped squares of fabric inspired by yacht sails. Graphic takes on maritime and Breton stripes applied to slashed, fringed and raw hemmed knit dresses and co-ords put a punkish twist on sailor chic. Sailor pants with button detailing, rubber rain boots made in collaboration with Sorel, and a palette of blues and creams amplified the sea-going theme.


Alaia SS25. Credits: Trendstop



Collina Strada




Titled ‘Touch Grass’, Collina Strada’s NYC outing was grounded in nature. Held in a small private park in the East Village, romantic, floaty pieces blew in the wind and models playfully threw handfuls of grass into the front row. Chiffons and lace had an ethereal feel, whist translucent mesh introduced an ultra-lightweight element to sporty boots. Washed out seaside hues, grass applied to the model’s legs, and trailing hair tinted with green enhanced the sense of connection with the great outdoors.


Credits: Trendstop



Exclusive Offer:




FashionUnited readers can get free access to Trendstop’s Spring Summer 2021 Key Color Directions report. 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.


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Lolë acquires cycling and sports brands owned by Louis Garneau Sports

Louis Garneau Credits: Louis Garneau/Facebook



Athletic wear brand Lolë has announced the acquisition of Louis Garneau Sports, a known company in the field of cycling and sports equipment with three brands: Garneau, Sugoi and Sombrio.


The company said in a release that the strategic acquisition marks an important step in Lolë's expansion and strengthens its position in the global sportswear market.


"The acquisition will allow us to diversify our product offering and strengthen our commitment to innovation, quality, and performance, providing our customers with an even broader range of sports clothing and equipment," said Todd Steele, CEO of Lolë.


Louis Garneau Sports was founded in 1983 by Louis Garneau and his wife Monique Arsenault, starting out in his parents' garage. The Quebec company is widely recognized for its expertise in the design of cycling clothing and sports equipment.


"We are proud to join a dynamic and well-respected brand like Lolë. Together, we will continue to innovate and offer high-quality products to athletes and sports enthusiasts around the world," added Jean-Marc Jahoo, CEO of Louis Garneau Sports.


The company added that the acquisition will be effective immediately, and both companies will work closely to ensure a smooth transition. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.


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Roots chief product officer Karuna Scheinfeld to step down

Roots boutique Credits: Roots



Karuna Scheinfeld, chief product officer of Roots Corporation will be stepping down at the end of 2024.


The company said in a release that it does not intend to replace Scheinfeld; however, it has commenced a search for senior-level design talent with international experience in the outdoor and active sectors to support these fast growing areas of the business.


"Since joining us in 2020, Karuna has been an exceptional partner, establishing a go-to-market process and products in line with our brand vision and direction," said Meghan Roach, president & CEO, Roots Corporation.


Established in 1973, Roots is a global lifestyle brand. Starting from a small cabin in northern Canada, Roots has become a global brand with over 100 corporate retail stores in Canada, two stores in the United States, and an ecommerce platform and over 100 partner-operated stores in Asia, and a dedicated Roots-branded storefront on Tmall.com in China.


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JD.com and BFC expand partnership, aim to elevate British and Asian designers

(Left) Sherrin Kong, president of Jingdong Fashion, and (right) Caroline Rush, CEO of the BFC. Credits: JD.com.



Chinese e-tailer JD.com has announced a new partnership with the British Fashion Council (BFC) that will see it become the official Asia online retail partner of London Fashion Week (LFW) September 2024, which kicked off September 12. Through the deal, the duo hope to enhance both the presence of British designers in the Chinese market while uplifting Chinese and Asian designers on a more global level.


The announcement comes just ahead of JD.com’s participation in LFW SS25, with the retailer currently preparing to host a show on September 15 where it will showcase emerging talent on the Jingdong Fashion ‘Red Journey’ catwalk. Among those presenting, with the show to be held at Somerset House, are that of Hazzys, Ellassay, Marisfrolg and Pure Tea.


In addition to this, JD.com will also continue to feature a dedicated LFW page on its app, which will run until October 3. In a release, the company emphasised its “sophisticated in-house supply chain and logistics network”, which it said delivers 90 percent of retail orders within 24 hours. The platform also already counts “over 90 percent of the world’s most recognised luxury brands” among its stock, with it adding that its “advanced e-commerce infrastructure and extensive consumer reach” could help British and global fashion brands navigate the “complexities of the Chinese market”.


BFC hopes to facilitate smooth cross-border collaborations and exposure to Chinese market




It is exactly this that drove Caroline Rush, CEO of the BFC, to secure such a deal, as she noted in a statement reading: “This partnership provides our emerging designers and brands with a platform that facilitates smoother collaborations across borders but also amplifies their exposure in the crucial Chinese market. We look forward to seeing what the partnership has in store and to working together to encourage continued collaboration between the UK and Chinese markets.”


In her own comment, president of Jingdong Fashion, Sherrin Kong, reaffirmed JD.com’s stance, adding: “By leveraging our robust supply chain capabilities, we are excited to deepen our partnerships and continue our role as a gateway connecting the global fashion community with Chinese consumers. This partnership with the BFC exemplifies our commitment to bringing a diverse array of global fashion perspectives to China and, in doing so, supporting the dynamic exchange of culture and innovation in fashion.”


In August, JD.com set out to expand its apparel business through an investment of one billion RMB (over 107 million pounds) with the goal of broadening and enhancing its range of fashion offerings, as well as boosting the presence of domestic and international brands. The move came as the retailer welcomed a 60 percent year-on-year increase in apparel and footwear brands since the beginning of 2024, with a further 200 percent uptick in third-party apparel merchants over the period.


This latest news further expands on the already long-running relationship between JD.com and BFC, which has been in motion and taken various forms over the years. Back in 2019, for example, the duo came together for a three-year strategic partnership through which JD.com supported LFW designers and events, already building on an existing partnership with which the Chinese giant backed the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund and BFC/GQ Menswear Designer Fund.


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J.Lindeberg appoints chief product officer

Sofia Bothelius, chief product officer at J.Lindeberg Credits: J.Lindeberg



Swedish fashion and golfwear brand J Lindeberg has appointed Sofia Bothelius as its new chief product officer, on a consultancy basis, effective immediately, to drive product development and strategic sourcing.


The newly created leadership role aims to elevate the brand’s product offerings and streamline product development processes to drive clarity and efficiency across product development, pattern, procurement and strategic sourcing, “ensuring the successful execution of the brand’s new collection setup”.


Bothelius has more than 20 years of experience in C-suite roles, having held roles at Gant, Boomerang, and Åhléns, and is the founder of her own consultancy agency.


Commenting on the new role, Hans-Christian Meyer, chief executive at J.Lindeberg, said in a statement: “We’re super excited to have Sofia join our team in this newly created and crucial role. Her broad expertise and strategic leadership will be instrumental in optimising our product development processes and ensuring that we continue to deliver exceptional quality and innovation to our customers. I’m confident that Sofia’s impact will be felt across the entire organisation.”


Bothelius added: “I’m beyond excited to join the J.Lindeberg world and the next chapter in their growth journey. The brand is a true match with my passion for both sports and fashion.


“Strong Brand DNA and growth journey manifested through a constant drive for progress and innovation. Together with the team, I have my mind set to develop world-class lifestyle products in terms of performance, innovation, quality and sustainability.”


Earlier this month, J.Lindeberg appointed former Levi's, Under Armour and Toms executive Alexander Diedrich as its head of e-commerce to accelerate the brand’s digital growth and enhance its e-commerce strategy.


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Macy’s launches new private menswear brand Mode of One

Mode of One, Macy's new menswear brand. Credits: Macy's.



US department store Macy’s has launched a new contemporary menswear brand, Mode of One, as part of ongoing efforts to reimagine its private brand portfolio.


The line, which is available on Macy’s e-commerce site, its mobile app and in nationwide stores, was created over a two year span of concepting and designing, reflecting what the company said was “extensive research conducted on men’s trends and style preferences”.


The collection draws inspiration from street style, art, sports, music, technology and entertainment, and includes collaborations with graphic designer Tyrell Waiters, who created original artwork, and The Brooklyn Circus founder Ouigi Theodore, who served as a stylist.


Set to continue through monthly drops from October onwards, Mode of One largely incorporates a range of “elevated” essentials in multiple fits and different silhouettes, with looks catering for an array of occasions. Pieces include hoodies, graphic tees, cargo pants and suiting, each prioritising “low-maintenance comfort and performance”, Macy’s said.


In a release, Emily Erusha-Hilleque, SVP, head of Private Brands, said: “We are strengthening our fashion leadership in our brand portfolio, designing brands rooted in the customer’s voice and anchored in elevated trend, quality and cultural relevance. We are excited to introduce Mode of One to our customers and look forward to seeing how they make it their own.”


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LCF to open free exhibition exploring wellbeing through fashion

LCF Collective Care exhibition visual. Credits: Image courtesy of London College of Fashion/UAL



The London College of Fashion (LCF) at the University of the Arts London (UAL) has announced a new exhibition entitled ‘Collective Care’ at its new East Bank campus in London.


The exhibition will open its doors on September 24 and will run until December 14 and invites the public to reconsider the relationship between fashion and community wellbeing .


Visitors do not have to pay admission or book their tickets in advance, as per the press release sent out by LCF.


Collective Care challenges individuals to see care in its different forms such as ‘our shared responsibility to the world around us’ by showcasing the work of researchers, designers and artists affiliated with LCF, the release reads.


The exhibition and associated event programme are brought to life by LCF’s Cultural Programming Team, with the help of established and emerging names from the worlds of fashion, art and social sustainability.


It featured interactive inflatable garments (‘Inflatable Wearable Heterotopia’) designed by Yunpei Li who explores challenging conventional notions of personal space and emphasises people’s resilience in a changing world in the work in question.


‘Collective Care’: new LCF exhibition examines relationship between fashion and wellbeing




Dr. Mila Burcikova’s botanically dyed garments serve to examine the intersection of fashion and nature are presented in ‘Life in Clothes’, a project that explores how this connection can be employed to create sustainable fashion as an act of care for planet earth.


In addition, ‘A Mother’s Guide to Love’ by Eve Lin seeks to reimagine Taiwanese cultural traditions through a virtual fashion film that touches on ‘the unspoken language of care’ that is maternal love, the release reads.


Also featured in the exhibition is Katelyn Toth-Fejel’s project ‘Clothing Cartographies’ for which she has mapped out the relationship between residents of East London and the clothes they wear, an illustration of how fashion can serve as a ‘powerful medium of collective care’ within people’s social and emotional environments.


Finally, ‘Conversations en Plein Air’ by Charlotte Rhodes aims to showcase the decorative arts and how they relate to the female experience, individual autonomy and collective action, and ‘The Presence of Care’ is a collaborative work by Amy Goodwin, Leah Gouget-Levy and Susan Zheng in which the artists investigate the role of archives in preserving and obscuring history.


Commenting on the new exhibition Dr. Leila Nassereldein, curator of Collective Care said: “Collective Care is a vital exploration of how care extends beyond the personal to touch the social, environmental, and political spheres.”


She continued: “This exhibition brings together artists who are not only rethinking fashion and art but also reimagining how we care for each other and our planet.”


“By challenging the boundaries of fashion, we aim to inspire a deeper, more holistic understanding of well-being that is grounded in empathy, compassion, and collective action,” she said.


A number of associated events fit within the Collective Care exhibition concept. These include fashion illustration workshops taught by well-known fashion illustrators, an immersive evening tailored to the exhibition as part of LCF’s ‘After Dark’ event programme that features a communal ‘knit-in’, dance and sound activations and the late openings of other LCF exhibitions. Jeff Horseley will also present the Exhibiting Fashion Toolkit for non-specialist curators.


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Despite sales increase, Mytheresa reports higher annual loss

Credits: Mytheresa



Munich-based fashion retailer Mytheresa closed the 2023/24 financial year with a solid increase in sales. However, its loss was significantly higher than in the previous year. This is evident from the current annual report, which the listed holding company MYT Netherlands Parent BV published on Thursday.


In the financial year to the end of June, sales reached 840.9 million euros, which corresponded to an increase of 9.8 percent compared to the previous year. The gross merchandise value (GMV) increased by 7.1 percent to 913.6 million euros.


However, a decline in the gross margin contributed to EBITDA, shrinking by 32.8 percent to 25.8 million euros. The reported net loss grew by 46.4 percent from 17.0 to 24.9 million euros.


For the current 2024/25 financial year, management is forecasting growth in sales and GMV in the range of 7 to 13 percent. The target corridor for the EBITDA margin adjusted for special items, which was 3.1 percent last year, is between 3 and 5 percent.


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From headbangers to delicate elves: Highlights of Seoul Fashion Week

In Pictures


Cokie SS25 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Delicate fairies fluttering around butterflies, dark magic and grunge rockers: a clash that is strongly reminiscent of a medieval market, and yet also describes some of the looks at Seoul Fashion Week. For the SS25 collections, some designers seem to have been inspired by fairy tales other adventures. But there are still a few highlights hidden in the magic pot of the fashion week in the South Korean capital...


Buckle up for the latest trends from Seoul.


Buckled up!?




Designers are, quite literally, focusing on buckles. They agree that the belt doesn't always have to be a conventional item that holds up a pair of trousers. Brands such as Doucan and Youser, for example, kept the belt loose, and pushed it up the figure to use it as a casual accessory for crop tops, shirts and even sweaters, most of which had loops to attach the belt akin to a pair of trousers. Ul:Kin designer Lee Seongdong, meanwhile, took a more rock'n'roll approach for a denim skirt with a double grommet belt. Even though some of the pieces by the designers in Seoul were rather wide set, they could largely be styled differently with the respective belts, thus distorting the silhouette.


SS25 collections (from left to right): Ul:Kin, Doucan, (2x) Youser Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



No purpose!




Brands like Youser proved with their belted pieces that fashion doesn't always have to be practical. Mooyeol Lee, the designer behind the brand, presented other ways for a styling-focused approach. And he was not alone. Lee joined other designers who repurposed individual pieces and entire garments, rendering their original use obsolete. At Kumann Yoo Hye Jin and Ajobyajo, additional sleeves appeared, while Youser rolled up the jeans legs to create a skirt and Arts De Base turned a top into a kind of collar.


SS25 collections (from left to right): Youser, Arts De Base, Kumann Yoo Hye Jin, Ajobyajo Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Fast dresses




Another use can also lead to a new benefit, as the sporty SS25 dresses from Seoul showed. Various materials from sportswear and outerwear were used for sleek yet casual dresses. Details such as the cords of a raincoat and patterns from a sports jersey were thus skilfully showcased in a completely new form.


SS25 collections (from left to right): Duckdive, Kwak Hyun Joo Collection, Kumann Yoo Hye Jin Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Modern Middle Ages




Two completely different worlds met in designs that brought a long-gone era into the present. The mystical touch of the Middle Ages made its way onto the catwalk in characters such as monks, witches and other beings. As in a classic fantasy novel, there seemed to be the advocates of dark magic on the one hand, with their concealing robes and pompous silhouettes - mostly in black, of course.


SS25 collections (from left to right): Cokie, Duckdive, Ceeann, Ajobyajo Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



They were contrasted by colourful, fairy-like beings who were connected to nature and surrounded by butterflies. Modern sporty alongside more elegant cuts and a mix of streetwear and sportswear ensured the right balance that didn't turn the wearers into court jesters.


SS25 collections (from left to right): Kwak Hyun Joo Collection, L'Eau Et, Kwak Hyun Joo Collection, Maison Nica Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Rock on!




Instead of going back to the Middle Ages, other brands looked back at the history of rock music over the past 50 years. From a modern interpretation of the style of Australian rockers AC/DC to an alternative grunge look with a lumberjack shirt to skate punk and emocore, hard guitar riffs, mosh pits and rocking styles seemed to dominate Seoul this season.


SS25 collections (from left to right): Phenomenon Seeper, Man.G Stu:dio, Cokie Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



SS25 collections (from left to right): Ul:Kin, Youser, Duckdive Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight


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NYFW SS25 street style: Fancy denim, modern preppy, baggy shorts and more

In Pictures


NYFW SS25 STREET STYLE Credits: NYFW SS25/©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Labor Day in early September marks the end of the summer season, and for many New Yorkers can be fraught with a sense of melancholy. However, for others, it means the beginning of a month-long foray into the future of fashion. Nowhere is that excitement more palpable than on the streets outside the various runway shows and presentations.


Fashion editors, buyers, influencers, celebrities and other fashionistas showed off their style chops at NYFW for SS25 and here are some of the trend highlights.

Jean genies



Founded in New York in 2014 by designers Piotrek Panszczyk and Beckett Fogg. Area has garnered a cult following. More than one attendee wore denim jeans with heart-shaped cutouts from the label’s pre-fall 24 collection.
The duo’s blue high-rise jeans with crystal embellished cutouts were also on display. Another cult label, Bershka, was created in 1998 as part of the Spanish megabrand Inditex. One attendee wore their baggy jeans with printed bow embellishments and a black cropped top and blazer.


NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight


Get shorty



From chic to sporty, a variety of oversized shorts were on display. This included pleated front tailored shorts, with an off-the-shoulder knit top and chic accessories; brown denim jorts with a brown leather moto jacket; brown faux pressed leather shorts under a long striped shirt and cream denim jorts teamed to an oversized sweat jacket and white tank.


NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight


Preppie on top



With veteran designers Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger both enjoying something of a renaissance, attendees showed how to wear preppy looking cricket sweaters, baseball jackets and striped shirts in an updated way, often eschewing pants in favor of hosiery or bare legs.


NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight


Highs and lows



There is something infinitely stylish about an asymmetric design. An attendee wore a pair of blue denim jeans from the Coperni Resort 25 collection that was fashioned into an asymmetric skirt and worn over a plaid blazer. Another show-goer wore Tibi’s camel hair knit cape over a matching sweater and baggy shorts. A silk mix asymmetric top was teamed to black pants and a black jersey knit dress with an asymmetric hem was worn off-the-shoulder on one side.


NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight


Bubble up



Interest in the fashions of the ‘80’s, ‘90’s and ‘naughties continues, with micro short lengths and bubble hems. Appropriately, Susie Lau aka ‘Susie Bubble’ stepped out in one such look; an orange taffeta dress by Molly Goddard.
Another attendee looked flawless in a short purple dress with mille feuille layers from the Alaïa FW 24 collection. On her way to see the Tory Burch show, Paige Lorenze was pictured in a stone-colored windbreaker over a micro mini with a bubble hem. Going to the same show, a fashionista wore an ensemble from the designer’s SS24 collection.


NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight


Jumbled up



Several attendees adopted a collage style of dress, mixing a variety of shapes and textures. In one case that meant a striped baggy sweatshirt over a two layered skirt, accessorized with slouchy purple suede boots, a bandana headscarf and a brown suede shoulder bag with a blue feather boa. A pink plaid split skirt trimmed with a flounce was worn with a white and pink tee and short Ugg boots with a floral design. As seen in Brooklyn, a show attendee wore three gauze and lace layers over a pink taffeta skirt and carried a plaid crossbody bag. Meanwhile, Susie Lau was spotted in pink sheer and lace layers by Simone Rocha.


NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



NYFW SS25 street style Credits: NYFW SS25 street style ©Launchmetrics/spotlight


Read more:



* Trends on the streets of Copenhagen







* The Brat Aesthetic







* Paris street style trends for SS24


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What awaits Givenchy under the creative direction of Sarah Burton?

Sarah Burton, Alexander McQueen SS24 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



With the appointment of Sarah Burton as creative director of Givenchy, one of the fashion world's latest mysteries has been solved. Burton's appointment, which was announced on Monday, makes her the eighth person to take the helm of the French fashion house. Her appointment comes at a time when both LVMH and Kering have been criticised for their lack of female creative directors at the helm of major luxury fashion houses. From this perspective, her announcement may be considered a step forward, but there are several signs that her future vision may be rooted in the fashion house's past.


As her debut for the brand is not lined until March next year, FashionUnited has taken the time to speculate on what Givenchy's future might look like and why Burton is right for the job.


Parallels, brand DNA and dark romance




For nostalgics, Burton's move to Givenchy is a final ode to her mentor, Alexander McQueen. The late designer himself was the creative director at Givenchy from 1996 to 2001. In many ways, Burton's move seems to be the only conceivable path for the designer, who has spent most of her career firmly linked to the man who hired her as an intern in 1996. In fact, Burton was originally employed full-time at the McQueen label, while the founder split his time between the two houses.


Her appointment decades after McQueen is far less controversial than that of her mentor in his day, when he took on the prestigious position of artistic director at only 27 and pushed the boundaries of what a couture house could be. The reception at the time was lukewarm at best, and yet McQueen and his 18 collections have since shaped not only the history of Givenchy, but also that of fashion – and some of Burton's collections.


Alexander McQueen SS20 references Givenchy SS99 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Alexander McQueen FW22 references FW97 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



One of the most significant differences between Burton and her mentor, who once told French newspaper Le Figaro that he had ‘no respect’ for Givenchy founder Hubert de Givenchy and only took the job because he loved fashion, is that Burton has both the respect needed to honour a house and its history and the talent to lead it into the future.


In the statement accompanying her announcement, the designer said she was thrilled to be able to write the next chapter in the history of this iconic house and bring her own vision, sensibility and conviction to Givenchy, before describing the French house as a ‘jewel’.


However, in purely chronological terms, Burton does not succeed Alexander McQueen, but Matthew Williams, who headed the house for three years before leaving last January. The appointment of Williams and his subsequent revamp of Givenchy was strongly orientated towards a younger audience, mainly Gen Z, which he had previously attracted with his brand Alyx 9S.


His appointment was in some ways reminiscent of perhaps the most famous period in the brand's history, when Riccardo Tisci brought the brand into the age of social media, streetwear, and hype, from 2005 to 2017. Even if Williams vision didn't ultimately catch on like Tisci did.


When Tisci joined Givenchy back in the day, the brand struggled after being helmed by a series of creative directors in a very short space of time — a situation very similar to the current one. In 2011, a few years after Tisici took over, Marco Gobbetti, then Givenchy's chief executive, said in an interview with the Financial Times that the brand was ‘a mess without an identity’. Tisici succeeded in sorting out the ‘mess’ and injected the brand with a new lease of life. A task that will now fall to Burton.


Givenchy Couture Spring 2017 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



However, the parallels between Tisci and Burton are not only to be found in the shape of the house at the time of their appointments. Their artistic parallels may not be immediately obvious, at least not if you look at the Rottweiler-printed hoodies and sweatpants that the Italian introduced to Givenchy in his day.


However, if one focuses on his couture performances, it is noticeable that their sensibilities, a dark romanticism that sometimes draws on religious iconography and a subversion of traditional beauty, overlap.


The women at the helm of Givenchy




Burton and her sole female predecessor, Clare Waight Keller, also share not only a gender but a talent for creating a dialogue between the traditionally feminine and masculine on the catwalk. Waight Keller may have steered the brand back to a more mature audience that Givenchy was not yet ready for at the time, but she also gave the brand a sense of magical realism — although much of her inspiration came from the Hubert de Givenchy archive.


Alexander McQueen FW20 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



Givenchy FW20 Credits: ©Launchmetrics/spotlight



This is also true of Burton's McQueen, where over the years she has both developed the symbols once dictated by Alexander McQueen and made them her own. She is by no means a realist, a dreamlike quality has always haunted her creations and yet over the years, with a growing focus on wearable fashion, she has also gradually moved away from the once central theme of storytelling.


However, it will be interesting to see where the focus will lie when the designer unveils her vision for Givenchy, although it will most likely combine tradition and avant-garde in one way or another.


Ultimately, Sarah Burton is no stranger to the weight of a legacy, of which there is plenty at Givenchy. While it remains to be seen how exactly she will embrace it, one thing is already abundantly clear: the brand has opted for tailoring, craftsmanship and vision rather than another attempt to hop on the hype-train.


This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.de


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