Shein acquires Missguided brand from Frasers

Missguided app/website Credits: Image: Justin Tallis / AFP



Frasers Group has announced divestment of the IP of Missguided to Chinese clothing giant Shein.


Under the terms of the transaction, Frasers said in a statement, Shein will acquire the IP and trademarks of Missguided, while the group will retain Missguided's real estate and employees which have now been integrated into Frasers' fashion division.


Commenting on the development, Michael Murray, CEO of Frasers Group, said: "With I Saw it First and Missy Empire, we now have a foothold in women's digital-first fashion. Retaining the combined Frasers fashion teams whilst rationalising our portfolio in this space to focus on fewer brands makes a lot of sense in the current climate.”


“We are also excited about the ongoing discussions around further collaboration between Frasers Group and Shein," Murray added.


Missguided was founded in 2009 by Cheshire-born Nitin Passi. Shein announced that it has entered into an agreement to licence the Missguided brand IP to Sumwon Studios, a joint venture between Shein and Passi. The brand, Missguided, will be managed through the joint venture, and its products and collections will be sold on Shein sites.


“The joint venture we have entered ushers in a new format of partnerships for Shein, as part of our unwavering commitment to meet customer demand,” said Donald Tang, Shein’s executive chairman.


“Shein aims to reignite the Missguided brand, capitalising on its unique brand personality, and fuelling its global growth through Shein’s on-demand production model, unparalleled e-commerce expertise and global reach,” Tang added.


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The pitfalls behind gender neutral workwear

The stewards and flight attendants received badges from Alaska Airlines to make their form of address clear. 'She/her', 'He/him' or 'They/them'. Credits: Alaska Airlines


The days when a workwear package consisted of a separate set for men and ladies is long gone. From 2023, more and more companies are opting for gender-neutral workwear. Many consumers are applauding the move because this potentially will put to an end the sexist approach to workwear. The starting point is that everyone is treated equally, exactly what we are so striving for in the current era. But this new trend has a hidden price that is higher than many can predict.


Gender-centric dress code is not permitted




Although there had long been discussions within various organisations about a gender-neutral approach, most companies only started implementing it in 2021. The trigger was a ruling by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organisation that advocates for the rights of US citizens, in relation to a case between Alaska Airlines and its employee Justin Wetherell. As a flight attendant and flight attendant instructor Wetherel, who considers herself non-binary, noticed that the company made a distinction between uniforms for men and women. ACLU reprimanded the airline on the grounds that, from a legal perspective, it was not allowed to enable employees to choose between male and female business attire. Also, a distinction between dress codes, such as requiring or not requiring cosmetics, was found not to be allowed. This falls under gender-based discrimination.


‌Credits: Alaska Airlines




Soon, the statement became world news. Although everyone knows that you cannot discriminate in the workplace, people had not until then thought about discrimination in workwear. After this news, slowly more and more companies began switching to a unisex clothing package. It also fits well at a time when traditional gender roles and stereotypes are being re-examined.
‌


Airlines change policy




To date, it has mainly been airlines that have been rolling out new packages and adjusting dress codes. After all, they have seen what negative publicity has caused among their peers. The Icelandic airline Play launched a unisex line in 2021 with jumpers, trainers and T-shirts. In doing so, they took into account not only employees' rights, but also the current trend of casual clothing. A few months later, Canada's Flair also came out with a new package. From the outside, you mainly saw simple women's and men's pantsuits. But the company assured the public that the approach was gender-neutral: everyone was allowed to wear what he, she or they were comfortable with or liked.
Icelandic airline Play launched a unisex line with sweaters, sneakers and T-shirts in 2021 Credits: Play
‌The Canadian Flair opted for this new workwear package.Credits: Flair
It now seems almost unusual for an airline to opt for gender-specific corporate clothing. The new workwear at Japan Airlines, the Australia's Bonza, and Westjet Airlines in Australia is also now gender-neutral.


Some organisations are not yet ready for a new outfit, however, and are therefore adapting their dress codes. At British Airways, male pilots are now allowed to wear make-up and fake eyelashes, and Alaska Airlines further decided to adjust its regulations after the public slap on the wrist. A year after the ACLU ruling, the company introduced badges on which the employee's preferred form of address is displayed. There is a choice between she/her, he/him, they/them or a combination of these. Employees are now also allowed to choose what they wear themselves and the regulations on external grooming are (almost) completely gender-neutral.


Equality in the workplace




When launching a new collection of corporate clothing or modification of a dress code, a press release is often sent out. This is the time to highlight what the company stands for and, nowadays, gender-neutral is a major theme in this respect. This shows the value placed on inclusivity. Although there are opponents, the general public seems mostly happy about this.


Even organisations that announce that they are working on this, as was the case with KLM last February, are receiving high praise. Fashion designer Addy van den Krommenacker told Dutch TV show Op1 during an interview that he was a supporter of these new plans. At the talk show, all the attendees at the table shared his opinion. An end to the distinction between gender was seen as a step towards more equality in the workplace.


Back in history




While airlines are in the process of doing away with gender-focused uniforms, the workwear industry is actually working to make more distinctions between men and women. The companies that make these clothes know from experience that a gender-neutral approach is not a formula for success in many cases. When you have to work many hours every week in company clothing, it is crucial that it fits the body well. Since men and women have different body types, these clothes also require a fit that suits the gender.


For years, unisex collections were used in various industries. For example, until the new collection was launched in 2019, ambulance workers wore clothing that did not discriminate on gender. At many factories and in the tech industry, this is still the case.
‌
The new clothing for ambulance personnel.Credits:
Aileen Out


Employees take their own seats behind the sewing machines




The result is that the clothes do not fit women especially well, as unisex clothes almost always assume the male body. The fit is straight and does not allow for curves. When trousers fit ladies at the hips, they are too big at the waist. Meanwhile, the legs are often too long and the sleeves and shoulders of the outerwear are too roomy. At the breasts, there is too little space, causing pinching and tension on the fabric, as well as on the buttons and zips.


Clothing that is too long creates an immediate danger in the workplace. Sleeves and trouser legs can get caught behind something. When trousers are too wide at the waist, there is an opportunity for wood and iron chips, chemicals or other materials to get between the body and the clothing. In addition, the employees concerned are constantly engaged in manually holding up the trousers, which likewise hampers work.


Some companies choose to collect specific parts of a garment. Or employees even take a seat behind the sewing machine. In the latter case, there is a great risk that a discussion will arise about the appearance and maintenance of uniformity. Because everyone has yet another idea of what is representative and appropriate within the company.


It is a good solution for the short term, but offers little future prospects. After all, clothing that does not account for friction, wear and support in certain places cannot possibly offer the same comfort as with the opposite sex.


The future of gender-neutral workwear




To date, most companies opting for a gender-neutral approach have not yet seen any reason to deviate from it. No significant incidents have yet been reported and there has also been no vehement opposition from staff.


In the short term, companies are also reaping great rewards. They receive praise from the general public and therefore good PR. The cost for buying unisex uniforms are often also lower than when gender distinctions are made. Also, organisationally, it saves a lot of work. After all, the more compact the collection, the clearer it is.


With safety and comfort in mind, it is likely that the gender-neutral policy around workwear will look different in the future. Equality will be achieved by giving employees the individual freedom rather than a lack of a gender-oriented clothing package. Consider one dress code for all staff and a free choice between garments. After all, that is also exactly what the ACLU pointed out: you should not force staff to choose between one item of clothing or a regulation based on gender.


That does not mean, therefore, that there should be no corporate clothing that makes a distinction between men and women. A distinction will always be there and clothing should match that. It is freedom and equality in which a balanced path must be found.


This article was originally published on FashionUnited.NL. Translation and edit: Rachel Douglass.


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Amazon reports profit surge to 9.9 billion dollars as sales grew

Amazon logistics center in Florida. Credits: Amazon.


Online retail colossus Amazon on
Thursday reported profit of 9.9 billion dollars in the recently ended quarter on
growing sales and more efficient deliveries.


Sales reached 143.1 billion dollars in the recently ended quarter, up 13 percent
from the same period last year, according to Amazon.


"We had a strong third quarter as our cost to serve and speed of delivery
in our Stores business took another step forward," said Amazon chief executive
Andy Jassy, adding its ad business grew "robustly" and AWS cloud computing
business "continued to stabilize."


Amazon earnings "soared past expectations" in the quarter, according to
Insider Intelligence analyst Zak Stambor.


"The retail giant's slowdown last year appears to be in the rearview mirror
as it has embarked on significant cost-cutting throughout this year and
sharpened its focus on key growth areas, such as its high-margin online
marketplace and advertising," Stambor said.


A top US antitrust regulator sued Amazon in September, accusing the online
retail behemoth of running an illegal monopoly by strong-arming sellers and
stifling potential rivals.


"Our complaint lays out how Amazon has used a set of punitive and coercive
tactics to unlawfully maintain its monopolies," said Federal Trade Commission
Chair Lina Khan.


Robots and drones




Amazon said Thursday it will hire 250,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal
employees in the United States to handle shopping demand in the months ahead.


The e-commerce star added that it will invest 1.3 billion dollars to bump up the
average hourly wage for delivery and fulfillment jobs to more than $20.50.


Amazon said last week that it will expand drone delivery of certain
purchases to a third US state as well as to Britain and Italy by the end of
2024.


Amazon delivery drones are already at work in California and Texas, and a
new model will be able to operate in more extreme weather conditions than
those currently in use, Amazon Prime Air vice president David Carbon said
during a marketing event.


Amazon has also installed a new robotics system in one of its Texas
logistics centers, featuring technology like automated vehicles, mechanical
arms and computer vision technology.


Amazon already uses 750,000 robots in its warehouses to speed up deliveries.
"The better they get at delivery, the more it continues to grow the
e-commerce market overall and Amazon's place within that market," said Insider
Intelligence analyst Andrew Lipsman.


But increased productivity via robots won't fix underlying Amazon worker
issues, critics say.


"It's not going to change their logic. And their logic is 'Use these
workers up and throw them away'," said Sheheryar Kaoosji, executive director
of the Warehouse Worker Resource Center, a nonprofit dedicated to improving
warehouse industry conditions in southern California.


Amazon early this year eliminated some 27,000 jobs in a move it said at the
time was necessary, after years of sustained hiring.


Ads shine




Advertising continues to be "a major bright spot" for Amazon and it has
started using generative artificial intelligence to help sellers create
"eye-catching" ads in its online marketplace, analyst Stambor said.


Insider Intelligence expects Amazon US advertising business to bring in
nearly 34 billion dollars this year in a major leap from before the Covid-19 pandemic.


But while Amazon Web Services (AWS) profit was up in the quarter compared
to the same period a year earlier, the unit's growth lagged that reported for
the quarter by rival cloud businesses operated by Microsoft and Google.


Amazon just weeks ago said it would invest up to 4 billion dollars in AI firm
Anthropic, as it steps into an AI race dominated by Microsoft, Google and
OpenAI.


The success of OpenAI's ChatGPT, a chatbot released last year that is able
to generate poems, essays and other works with just a short prompt, has led to
billions being invested in the field.


Anthropic agreed to use Amazon's chips to develop its next models and to
use AWS for "mission critical workloads."


Amazon has already announced it aimed to soup up its Alexa voice assistant
with generative AI, which the firm said would allow users to have smoother
conversations.(AFP)


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Biomaterials start-up Gozen secures 3.3 million US dollars in funding

Gozen founders Credits: Gozen



Gozen, the biomaterials start-up looking to disrupt the fashion, automotive and home furnishings industries with its lab-grown leather alternative that is plastic and animal-free, has raised 3.3 million US dollars in seed funding.


The funding was secured from lead investor Happiness Capital, with participation from Accelr8, Astor Management, and SOSV. The start-up now plans to use the investment to accelerate research, development, and scaling efforts for its breakthrough biomaterial ‘Lunaform,’ as well as fuel the creation of new materials.


Ece Gozen, founder and chief executive of Gozen, said in a statement: “At Gozen, we produce advanced biomaterials with the potential to unlock circular design. With this investment, we've shown that we have a path to delivering on that potential at scale.”


Balenciaga 'Lunaform' Maxi Bathrobe Coat Credits: Gozen/Balenciaga



Gozen to scale up production of ‘Lunaform’ leather alternative




The start-up’s flagship biomaterial is ‘Lunaform,’ a vegan and plastic-free material that is produced by microorganisms during a fermentation process. The innovative material was unveiled earlier this month during Paris Fashion Week in partnership with Balenciaga as part of its spring/summer 2024 collection. The two companies worked together to create a maxi bathrobe coat.


Unlike composite plant-based leathers that are assembled in layers, ‘Lunaform’ is a singular, fully formed material, giving it a remarkable tensile strength and natural flexibility. It is available in 13-square-foot sheets with customisable thickness and texture, and its manufacturing method is entirely vegan, non-GMO and avoids the use of harsh synthetic chemicals.


Gozen adds that its material production process takes just 10 days and bypasses the need for tanning. The start-up plans to open a new facility in Turkey, aiming for an annual production capacity of over 1 million square feet.


Po Bronson, managing director of SOSV’s IndieBio, which was Gozen’s first investor, added: "There is a lot of competition now in animal free leather. But I believed that Gozen’s approach could surpass all others in both performance and economics, and we’ve already demonstrated this by launching our first commercial product – at fashion week, no less. We’ve accomplished in months what it’s taken others years to do.”


Lunaform raw material Credits: Gozen


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S.S. Daley to be guest designer at Pitti Immagine Uomo

Steven Stokey-Daley/ S.S. Daley Credits: Steven Stokey-Daley/ S.S. Daley



British designer Steven Stokey-Daley will be a guest designer at men's fashion trade show Pitti Immagine Uomo in Florence in January with his eponymous S.S. Daley brand.


The Liverpudlian designer, who usually showcases during London Fashion Week, will present his ‘Made in Britain’ collection in Florence with a catwalk show-event “in his own characteristic style,” explained organisers.


Following his BA at the University of Westminster, Stokey-Daley’s graduate menswear collection caught the attention of fashion industry insiders, including the BFC’s Sarah Mower and Harry Lambert, stylist to Harry Styles, who wore pieces from the collection in his ‘Golden’ music video.


In 2021, the British designer made his London Fashion Week debut and was named a recipient of the British Fashion Council’s NewGen initiative. A year later Stokey-Daley was awarded the LVMH Prize for Young Designers in June and the Foundation Award at the British Fashion Awards in December.


Pitti Immagine Uomo names Steven Stokey-Daley as guest designer in January 2024




Francesca Tacconi, special events coordinator at Pitti Immagine, said in a statement: “Steven Stokey-Daley transforms the British Upper Class into a Queer fashion fantasy. Despite his youth, Steven’s project is characterized by an expressive maturity, an amused and eccentric reinterpretation of British Heritage, an indifference to gender stereotypes and a commitment to sustainability.


“We love his talent for revising the archetypes of menswear, the uniforms of the most exclusive British high society public schools, capturing the signs of the times and extravagantly subverting everything with a subtle irony, playfully amplifying the volumes of his garments, fooling around with the details, working with unexpected fabrics and floral prints. Then there is the almost literary character of his visions that recall the incurably eccentric characters with impeccable manners in Evelyn Waugh’s novels.”


Tacconi added: “He is certainly no stranger to adventure, this well-educated boy from Liverpool: from his success in dressing global popstar Harry Styles to the prestige of the LVMH Young Fashion Designer prize. Inviting Steven to Florence means dedicating another adventure to him that will be shared with the international audience at Pitti Uomo. Giving him an opportunity to showcase his stories and project them towards the future.”


Stokey-Daley added: “I’m honoured to have the opportunity to take S.S. Daley’s manifesto of modern British storytelling to Pitti Uomo, the epicentre of menswear design.”


The 105th edition of Pitti Uomo will take place in Florence from January 9 to 12, 2024.


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Puma Q3 constant-currency sales up 6 percent, reaffirms FY outlook

Puma New York flagship store Credits: Puma



Puma has said it is “well on track” to achieve its full-year guidance as sales increased in the third quarter, but its profit narrowed.


The German sportswear giant generated revenue of 2.3 billion euros in Q3, an increase of 6 percent on a constant-currency basis, driven by its biggest market, EMEA, where sales rose 9.9 percent to 1 billion euros.


Meanwhile, constant-currency sales increased 4.6 percent to 435.9 million euros in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region thanks to the continued recovery of the Greater China market following the end of the pandemic, combined with ongoing growth in Japan and India.


Constant-currency sales in the Americas rose by a smaller 2.5 percent to 854.6 million euros, which Puma said was due to a sales decline in North America linked to macroeconomic headwinds and the market’s relative dependency on the off-price wholesale business.


Breaking it down by channel, constant-currency sales growth was smallest at Puma’s wholesale business, up 3.1 percent in Q3 to 1.8 billion euros.


Direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales rose 17.4 percent, while sales through the company’s owned and operated retail stores jumped 21.8 percent, and e-commerce sales increased 8.3 percent.


Q3 earnings narrow at Puma




Despite the overall sales growth, net profit at Puma narrowed to 132 million euros in the quarter from 146 million euros a year earlier.


Based on its Q3 results, Puma said it is “well on track” to achieve its full-year guidance.


It expects constant-currency sales growth to be in the high single-digit percentage range for FY23, while it expects EBIT in the range of 590 million euros and 670 million euros.


Commenting on the Q3 results, Puma CEO Arne Freundt said: “While the market continues to experience significant macroeconomic headwinds and 2023 remains a transition year, we outgrew the market with a currency adjusted sales growth of 6 percent and delivered an EBIT of 236 million euros - both fully in line with expectations.


“We once again demonstrated our sustained brand momentum and gained market share.”


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VF Corporation appoints Trevor Edwards to its board of directors

A creative lab, designed to inspire employees to brainstorm and generate innovative ideas, is an example of Smart Services offered by the Stabio building. Credits: Image: VF Corporation

VF Corporation has appointed Trevor A. Edwards to the company’s board of directors, effective October 22, 2023.


With the addition of Edwards, VF has appointed three new directors to its board over the past 18 months who collectively bring experience in footwear and apparel, retail, design, technology, and sustainability.


Edwards, the company said in a statement, brings more than 25 years of marketing, global brand and general management experience in apparel and footwear. He will serve on the board’s talent and compensation committee, as well as the governance and corporate responsibility committee.


Commenting on the new board appointment, chair of the VF Board, Richard Carucci, said: “Trevor is a highly accomplished executive with extensive experience in apparel and footwear that will be valuable to VF as we continue to deepen our brands’ relationships with consumers, strengthen product innovation, and improve operational effectiveness.”


The company added that Edwards currently serves as a strategic advisor to direct-to-consumer brands and investment firms. From 2013 until 2018, he was the president of Nike, Inc., reporting directly to the CEO, with oversight of the geographic regions, category business, direct-to-consumer units, product and merchandising divisions, global marketing, sales, and digital technology.


Between 1992 and 2013, he held other leadership roles at Nike including EVP global brand and category management, chief marketing officer, vice president marketing (US), and vice president marketing (EMEA).


“I am excited to join the VF Board at such an important time and look forward to contributing my experience and insights as the company looks to deepen its connections with consumers and adapt to evolving marketplace dynamics,” added Edwards.


Edwards began his professional career at Colgate Palmolive in 1986, and served in positions of increasing responsibility, including global business development manager. He currently serves on the board of directors of Funko Inc., and previously served on Mattel Inc.’s board of directors.


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FashionUnited USA grows more than 30%

Credits: Pon Lach from Pexels



FashionUnited USA has surpassed pre-Covid levels from the beginning of 2020, achieving a higher performance than before the pandemic as more and more fashion professionals read fashion related news on FashionUnited USA and apply for jobs on the website.


Active in over 30 countries in 10 languages




Besides working with a dynamic and skilled network of journalists in the United States, the B2B platform FashionUnited is present in over 30 markets worldwide, and provides the latest news and knowledge about the fashion sector in over 10 different languages.


With a reach of over one million readers per month, FashionUnited spans across major fashion cities including Los Angeles, New York, London, Amsterdam, and Hong Kong. As the global fashion network continues to grow, FashionUnited remains committed to consistently exceeding expectations and cementing itself as the primary source of market insights and latest fashion news.


Wide range of services




Since FashionUnited’s start in 1998, the network has become the go-to place for reliable fashion-related B2B news. Alongside sharing diverse business intelligence related information with the international fashion industry, such as an index of most valuable fashion brands, the website also offers various services for professionals to boost their career in the industry.


Compared to before the pandemic the number of monthly visitors grew over 30% to approximately 250,000, now offering a wide range of job opportunities and local industry news. In the next 12 months more content and services will be added aiming to achieve a similar growth number in one year.


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John Lewis names Paul Jones as head of brand

Paul Jones, head of brand and store experience at John Lewis Partnership Credits: John Lewis Partnership



The John Lewis Partnership (JLP), which owns and operates department store John Lewis and supermarket Waitrose, has appointed former Tesco executive Paul Jones as head of brand and store experience.


In a statement, JLP said that Jones, who was with Tesco for 12 years, most recently as head of brand, store design, will be in charge of developing the “next evolution” of John Lewis department stores.


Jones will start his new role on January 8, 2024, and will report to pan-partnership customer director Charlotte Lock.


He will be tasked with developing the customer strategy of both John Lewis and the John Lewis Partnership brands and setting the strategic direction for future brand propositions, innovation and layouts in the department store's 34 shop estate.


In addition, Jones will also be charged with combining “the best” products and services to create experiences that “engage and excite” the group’s customers, with a particular focus on Christmas.


Former Tesco executive Paul Jones to join John Lewis Partnership




Commenting on his new role, Jones said: “This is an genuinely exciting opportunity to work with a talented, creative team and evolve the brand’s much-loved stores to give customers an inspiring retail experience that offers them even more of what they enjoy when visiting us.”


Lock added: “Our stores are where outstanding service, stand-out experiences and brilliant products come to life. Paul’s appointment underlines the role they continue to play within our omnichannel strategy - and more crucially their importance to our customers.


“Paul brings invaluable experience and will further energise our ambition to make every shopping experience fun, easy and rewarding for our customers.”


In September, the retailer said in its interim results that its turnaround strategy had improved John Lewis shop sales by 2 percent, driven by increased footfall and the introduction of services such as personal styling appointments (up 27 percent), beauty services (up 23 percent) and nursery consultations (up 17 percent). The retailer has also been testing a series of new concepts and services in some stores, including John Lewis Horsham, which was transformed into a one-stop destination for fashion.


However, it did add that to reach its planned 400-million-pound profit it will take an additional two years longer due to inflationary pressures and will come to fruition in 2027/28.


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Richemont, Farfetch receive EU antitrust green light for YNAP acquisition

YNAP sign Credits: YNAP



Luxury conglomerate Richemont has received approval from the European Commission (EC) to go ahead with its sale of Yoox Net-a-Porter (YNAP) to luxury fashion platform Farfetch.


Richemont, the group behind brands including Cartier and Montblanc, announced last year plans to sell a 47.5 percent stake in Italy’s YNAP to the UK’s Farfetch.


Meanwhile, Symphony Global, one of the investment vehicles of Mohamed Alabbar, would take a 3.2 percent stake, meaning that YNAP would become a neutral platform with no controlling shareholder.


Additionally, the deal would see Richemont’s brands and YNAP switching to Farfetch Platform Solutions as part of its Luxury New Retail vision.


On Monday, Richemont said it has now received the green light from the EU’s antitrust body to move forward with the deal.


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15th Bangladesh Denim Expo to showcase diversity of denim innovations

Credits: Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE)



The 15th edition of Bangladesh Denim Expo will once again open its doors in the international Convention City, Bashundhara (ICCB), Dhaka, Bangladesh on 8th & 9th November, 2023.
Bangladesh Denim Expo is one of the most significant international exhibitions & the leading sourcing and inspiration platform for European buyers.


More than 80 Exhibitors from 12 countries




In this edition, more than 80 Exhibitors from 12 countries are participating including Bangladesh, China, Pakistan, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Germany, Vietnam, Japan, India, Singapore & Switzerland. Exhibitors will showcase their innovative products on fabrics, garments, threads, machinery, finishing equipment and accessories etc.


Wide range of Panel discussions & Trend seminars




Through a series of Panel discussions & Trend seminars are scheduled in two days event.
Panel Discussion-1 Titled: Bangladesh Apparel Industry in 2030: The Road Ahead, Panel Discussion-2 Titled: Sustainable Transition of Denim Industry, Panel Discussion-3 Titled: Unlocking the Untapped Potentials and Panel Discussion-4 Titled: Transforming Human Capital for USD 100 Billion Industry will be discussed by the international Experts.


There is a special “Trend Zone” area, where latest denim trends and innovative products will be hand-on by the Exhibitors & visitors can get the opportunity to gain knowledge about upcoming trends on denim fabrics, styling and finishing available in Bangladesh.
Founder and CEO of Bangladesh Denim Expo Mostafiz Uddin said: “why Bangladesh Denim Expo? It’s simple- People can discover, connect & create new business and also grip the chances to learn more about the industry insights.”


Bangladesh Denim Expo is an exclusive invite only show for authorized trade visitors. To visit register and learn more about the Bangladesh Denim Expo, click here.


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Alpha Industries opens its first permanent retail store in New York City

Alpha Industries NYC store Credits: Alpha Industries



American heritage brand Alpha Industries has opened its first permanent brick-and-mortar store in Soho, New York City.


The opening builds on the success of the brand's 2022 pop-up shop and sees the brand bring the Alpha story to life across several customer touchpoints.


Measuring more than 1,700 square feet, the debut store is a reflection of the brand's deep ties to American street culture. Located at 290 Lafayette Street, this location sits in a hub of art, music, and fashion and previously housed brands like Triple Five Soul while neighboring streetwear icons like Supreme.


Alpha Industries Credits: Alpha Industries



Mike Cirker, CEO of Alpha Industries, said in a statement: “For 64 years, Alpha Industries has combined utility and style. Our new Alpha store in New York’s Soho district brings that purpose and utility to life. We are thrilled to invite the world into our house where people can touch, feel, and experience six decades worth of Alpha’s story.”


Officially opening its doors to the public on October 14, a few days prior to the brand's 64th anniversary, the store offers Alpha Industries men's and women's main collections, collaborative collections, and limited-edition styles. The store's assortment also includes Re: Supply - a program offering a carefully curated selection of items with decades of military history.


The store will also serve as a hub for exclusive events, including customizations, upcycling sessions, and branded gatherings for Alpha Industries.


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Fashion and sustainability in September 2023

Tree Girl. Illustration: Jackie Mallon



There was much going on in the area of sustainability in September: from industry collaboration and innovations to awards and events dedicated to the topic.


Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), for example, unveiled the 2023 Fashion CEO Agenda during the Global Fashion Summit: Boston Edition 2023. The report aims to aid fashion industry executives in developing strategies to create a sector with a net positive impact on society, the environment, and the global economy. It includes action areas for brands, retailers and producers.


A European start-up, The Shirt Dandy, meanwhile, has taken a huge plunge - the Austrian company manufactures custom-made shirts for men in India. A daring venture or a clearly calculated risk with a good chance of success? FashionUnited spoke to Thomas Hebenstreit, founder of The Shirt Dandy, about the idea behind the start-up and the challenges and opportunities of the Indian market.


Collaboration




The British Fashion Council (BFC), the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT), and UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) have joined forces to launch what they are calling a “groundbreaking partnership” called the Circular Fashion Innovation Network (CFIN). The CFIN will sit under the BFC’s Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF) to bring together fashion industry innovators, investors, academia and broader stakeholders through an action-led roadmap to accelerate the UK to a leading circular fashion economy.


Amsterdam-based fashion outlet platform Otrium is continuing to refurbish and repair garments after a successful pilot project, in partnership with Dutch supply chain management specialist for fashion and lifestyle brands Bleckmann. The latter offers the repair and re-commerce service known as The Renewal Workshop. Together with Bleckmann's circular fashion experts from The Renewal Workshop, Otrium aims to repair 25,000 garments and make them wearable again by the end of the year.


Finnish textile manufacturer Spinnova and Swedish recycling specialist Renewcell are collaborating on the production of sustainable materials. The aim of the collaboration is to “develop and promote a concept for the commercial use and wider distribution of fibres produced from textile waste”, the two companies explained in the middle of the month. As part of the partnership, Spinnova has developed a particularly environmentally friendly process to process the raw material Circulose, which was developed by Renewcell and is based on recycled textile waste, into new fibres. In the meantime, the first fibre and fabric prototypes made of Circulose and cotton have been produced. The first consumer goods made from the new materials are expected to be on the market by the end of 2024.


Innovation




Belgian machine builder Valvan has built not one but two machines that facilitate textile recycling. Fibersort and Trimclean can sort textiles automatically. This is the company's response to impending legislation on textile collection and eco-design. One garment per second, equivalent to about 1,200 kilograms per hour. That's how much clothing Valvan's Fibersort machine processes. Via two robotic arms, the garments disappear into the giant machine at lightning speed. A 3D camera determines the item's volume and size. Next, an RGB camera determines the colour of the garment. Finally, an infrared scanner finds out what kind of fabric the piece is made of.


Awards




Held on the last weekend of Milan Fashion Week, the 2023 Sustainable Fashion Awards by the Italian Fashion Confederation (CNMI) honoured a number of luxury fashion houses and notable industry figures in ten categories for their work in sustainability, including Gucci with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Award for Circular Economy, Kering with the Biodiversity and Water Award, Manteco with the Climate Action Award and Candiani with the Groundbreaker Award.


German designer Nils Hauser was awarded the Redress Design Award 2023, the world's largest competition for sustainable fashion design. Hauser impressed the jury with his collection "Ex Voto", which consists of multifunctional garments. For all creations, Hauser used upcycled materials such as sofa cover fabrics and nylon from an old family tent. By using water-based inks, he focused on environmentally friendly materials and processes.


Two innovative companies working to tackle waste in the fashion and textile industry have been selected as finalists for Prince William’s The Earthshot Prize. Launched in 2020, The Earthshot Prize is a global environmental award celebrating and championing innovators focused on solving our most pressing global climate challenges, and for the 2023 edition, 15 finalists were selected from more than 1,100 nominations.


H&M has partnered with Central Saint Martins to offer grants to students in the BA Fashion Design and BA Fashion Communication Journalism courses. The grants, building on previous support in 2021, aim to nurture emerging sustainable fashion leaders.


September also marked the culmination of a months-long collaboration and competition involving over 50 students from the University of the Arts London, Central Saint Martins. They were challenged to reimagine various products using UPM's bio-based materials.


Events




The Climate Week NYC commenced with the launch of the Fossil Fuel Fashion Campaign, featuring panel discussions as a central element, albeit with a need for greater actionable solutions. Hosted at NYC's Morgan Library by The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the event gathered prominent figures, including Ugandan climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate, Eco-Age Founder Livia Firth MBE, Eco-Age Policy Director George Harding-Rolls, Harjeet Singh from the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, Rachel Kitchin from Stand.earth, and Cameren Bullins from The Rockefeller Brothers Fund.


Apple’s annual event, which took place on the penultimate day of New York Fashion Week, had a surprise announcement. The tech giant said it would ban the use of leather for all its accessories, including watch straps and mobile phone cases. In an effort to meet its net zero emissions goal by 2030, Apple unveiled a new textile called FineWoven, a non-animal fibre, which will replace all its leather.


Leading agricultural scientists, academics, and policymakers in Pakistan are confident of the country's potential to become a global leader in organic cotton production. This consensus emerged during the second annual Organic Cotton Pakistan conference, organized by SAWIE, a platform facilitating agricultural monitoring in Pakistan. The conference aimed to outline a path toward realizing this potential, fostering excellence in growth, and boosting foreign exchange earnings.


Meanwhile at the beginning of the month in Amsterdam, the first edition of Best of Bangladesh (BoB) came to fruition. Professionals from different sectors came together to celebrate five decades of trade between Europe and Bangladesh. The event, organised by the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE), looked to revolutionize the image of the key manufacturing country, which has been tainted in the past by the fire at Tazreen Fashions (2012), the collapse of Rana Plaza (2013), and a race to the bottom around textile workers' wages. BoB showcased a country with a booming economy and huge potential. Exhibitors represented Bangladesh's vast economy, from pharmaceuticals and food sectors to the digital industry. However, the main focus was on innovative and sustainable parties from the garment and textile sector - including leather and jute. FashionUnited visited the fair to explore the atmosphere and assess the state of affairs.


Also read:





* Ba&sh CEO Pierre-Arnaud Grenade: ‘We weren’t born sustainable, but we take it seriously’

* Investigation: A dive into the financing of French eco-fashion hub La Caserne


* Podcast: What is regenerative fashion?


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Brunello Cucinelli raises outlook after strong nine month trading

Credits: Image: Brunello Cucinelli boutique. Sefa Karacan / Anadolu Agency via AFP



For the first nine months, revenues at Brunello Cucinelli amounted to 818.4 million euros, growth of 27.5 percent at current exchange and 28.8 percent at constant exchange.


Based on the result of the first nine months of the year, the very positive response to the collections, and the focus on the high-quality, handcrafted ready-to-wear offer, the company predicts a growth between 20 percent and 22 percent for 2023, compared to the previous estimate of 19 percent.


Commenting on current trading and outlook, Brunello Cucinelli, executive chairman and creative director of the company said: We have chosen to raise our year-end sales growth estimates from 19 percent to an increase of between 20 percent and 22 percent. Furthermore, given the excellent sellout rate of the fall-winter 2023 season and the exceptional order intake for the spring-summer 2024 one, we are very confident in our balanced growth project for 2024, which we have estimated at around 10 percent.


Cucinelli posts revenue growth across geographies




The company’s Europe revenues of 217.9 million euros, increased 18.3 percent, with a noteworthy increase above double digits in the third quarter. Revenues in Italy of 97.2 million euros, were up 24.5 percent. Americas turnover of 284.7 million euros, rose 21.7 percent.


In the retail channel, sales grew in all the company-owned boutiques and geographical areas.


Asia revenues of 218.6 million euros, were up 49.7 percent, accounting for 26.7 percent of sales. The growth in all Asian markets was very significant, with China now accounting for about half of the total business in the region.


Retail channel sales of 510.7 million euros, were up 34.6 percent with a positive increase in like-for-like sales. The company operated a network of 124 boutiques as at September 30, 2023.


Wholesale channel revenues of 307.7 million euros, were up 17.1 percent over last year.


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New Look posts FY pre-tax loss, completes refinancing deal

New Look storefront Credits: New Look.



High street fashion retailer New Look has completed a 100 million pound refinancing deal which it says it will use to boost its future growth plans.


The company reported a pre-tax loss for the year ended March 25 that widened to 87.8 million pounds from 25.5 million pounds the previous year.


This loss included an impairment charge of 47.4 million pounds following an annual accounting assessment of tangible and intangible assets.


On a brighter note, its adjusted EBITDA widened to 42.2 million pounds from 25.2 million pounds a year earlier.


Revenue also edged up slightly by 0.6 percent, reaching 844.7 million pounds from 839.6 million pounds the prior year.


The company said its focus on full-price sales helped improve its gross margin to 45.8 percent from 43.1 percent the prior year.


New Look CEO hails ‘strong year’




“Despite the challenges posed by inflationary headwinds during the period, and the ongoing cost of living pressures impacting consumer sentiment, it was a strong year for the business, driven by the appeal of our product, our pricing and our omnichannel offer,” said CEO Helen Connolly in a statement.


New Look also said Wednesday its Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) is on track to end in 2024, “providing portfolio stability and support to omnichannel investment”.


Connolly continued: “As we look ahead to the key trading period and countdown to Christmas, we remain confident in our strategy but mindful of the continuing external headwinds we and our customers face.


“We’ll continue to offer our customers great quality products however they want to shop, whether that be through our fantastic network of stores and teams across the country or through our market-leading digital channels.”


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