Image credit: courtesy of PI Apparel PI Apparel brings together industry leaders to discuss digital transformation within the apparel industry. PI Apparel is returning to the fashion capital of Milan to bring together top brands and leading creatives who are demonstrating how digital tools can be leveraged to accelerate the apparel industry. As our flagship European event, this year will bring together the fashion industry's finest to discuss how digitalisation is impacting every aspect of […]

Image: Gucci Paris Italian fashion house Gucci is continuing to bet on the metaverse and Web3. Last September, the company CMO even switched roles and became CEO of Gucci Vault and Metaverse Ventures. In this episode of the The Business of Fashion Podcast, BOF explains why the fashion house believes strongly in this technology. Source: The Business of Fashion Podcast

In Pictures Exposition What’s for lunch? by IFM. Charm School. Image by Florence Julienne Until Sunday, April 2, 2023, the public can discover 'What’s for lunch?', the temporary three-day Parisian exhibition that features the work of students and future graduates of the master in art direction and fashion image at the French fashion school Institut Français de la Mode. The aim of the exhibition is to offer a unique visibility to the students and future graduates in fashion image at […]

Illustrative image via Unsplash The call for stricter legislation regarding fashion has been growing stronger in recent years. This is not only about doing due diligence within the production chain, but also about the requirements for items that carry sustainable claims. What role does legislation play in the fashion industry exactly? The Conscious Style Podcast discusses this in more detail. Source: Conscious Style Podcast

Illustrative image via Unsplash As a creative person, what do you do when your home country is hit by an earthquake? There's probably no "right answer," just a lot of questions. Fashion journalist Clare Press speaks with London-based designer Bora Aksu about the aftermath of the earthquake and how creativity is just around the corner here, too. Source: Wardrobe Crisis with Clare Press

Designer Haider Ackermann takes a bow at the end of the SS20 show of the brand Ackermann. Image via Launchmetrics Spotlight. Colombian-born French designer Haider Ackermann has made his mark in the fashion industry. The designer headed fashion brand Berluti for several years and recently designed a guest collection for Jean Paul Gaultier. In this pocast, Ackermann talks with journalist Suzy Menkes about his career and his recent work. Source: Creative Conversations with Suzy Menkes

Photo Credits: Nina Ricci, FW23. Images courtesy of the brand. The FW23 fashion season got off to a good start on the catwalk over the past few months. With Paris Fashion Week coming to a close in early March, the fashion week season came to a temporary close once again. The season was full of design debuts, but there were other notable scenes as well. This podcast from Business of Fashion takes a look back at the fashion month of February. Source: The Business of Fashion Podcast

Image: True Religion, Facebook US denim and sportswear brand True Religion is making its first foray into China. The company has struck a deal with partner Aurorae Group, the owner of EVISU Group, to open a mix of 65 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops by 2026, with an aim to grow the brand’s store estate to 108 by 2028. True Religion said it expects the Chinese market to represent 10 percent of True Religion’s global brand volume by 2026. “Expansion into the Chinese market has been on […]

Image: Pavel Danilyuk via Pexels The head of fashion at UK postgraduate art school the Royal College of Arts (RCA) in London has been recognised with an honorary fellowship by Arts University Plymouth, a new university specialising in the arts in the country. The RCA announced the news via a news article on their website. The Royal College of Art in London, which was recently named the number one art and design university in the world by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) for 2023, has received a […]

Image: JD.com Beijing - E-commerce giant JD.com will spin off its industrial and property units and take both of them public, the company said, in the latest reorganisation of a major Chinese tech firm. One of China's largest retailers, JD.com's fortunes were hit hard by heightened scrutiny of big tech by the state as well as a Covid-induced sales slump in recent years. The company said in filings with the Hong Kong stock exchange Thursday that its property and industrial arms will be spun-off […]

Image: Garment workers in Bangladesch, via Sumit Survawanshi for FashionUnited. American garment workers are paid as little as 1.58 dollars per hour, according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Labor. A survey of Southern California garment-sewing contractors and manufacturers has found workers making garments sold by many of the nation’s leading fashion retailers often continue to be victims of wage theft and employers’ illegal pay practices. Los Angeles, the center of the […]

Image: Next Plc With the Bank of England raising interest rates, inflation is expected to continue throughout 2023, with consumers to see price increases in clothing and accessories. Retail giant Next, which earlier this week posted a 5.7 percent rise in pre-tax profits to 870.4 million pounds for the year to January, said it expected prices to rise by 7 percent in the spring and summer of 2023, and 3 percent in the autumn and winter. Slightly less than the increases it warned of in January, […]

Image: Sergio Azzolari, courtesy Roberto Cavalli Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli announced the appointment of Sergio Azzolarias as the company’s new chief executive officer. Mr Azzolarias will report to Cavalli’s board and will begin the role in April. An alumni of DSquared2, Mr. Azzolari also held numerous executive leadership roles within the Tods group, Luxottica and Missoni, building up a deep experience over Asia, the Americas and Europe across all aspects of retail, marketing, […]

Beauty products. Image: Unsplash The first quarter of 2023 was filled to the brim with an array of ups and downs in the beauty sector. While many took to integrating new hires and carrying out various degrees of expansion plans, others were attempting to simply find stable footing after years of market uncertainty. It was also a period of significant change for many brands and beauty groups, as they looked to new markets via either retail growth or debut categories. Luxury fashion […]

Image: Courtesy of Esprit Esprit Holdings Limited reported total sales of 7,063 million Hong Kong dollars and a gross profit margin of 40.7 percent for 2022 fiscal year, down 15 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively. The company faced the challenging fiscal year as it prepares for the official brand relaunch in mid-2023. Commenting on the trading performance, Pak William Eui Won, executive director, chief executive officer and chief operating officer of the company, said: "Despite an […]

Archive image of the Borsalino factory in Alessandria for the company's 150th anniversary, by Giuseppe Cacace / AFP. Alessandria, Italy - Humphrey Bogart, Michael Jackson and Al Capone had one thing in common. All were fans of the Borsalino fedora hat, which is now enjoying a comeback. Italy's legendary brand -- long synonymous with dapper, rugged masculinity -- has dusted itself down since it was driven into bankruptcy in 2017 by an unscrupulous boss. Franco-Italian financier Philippe […]

A selection of Robot Solutions from Humanizing Technologies Ph. Humanizing.com Physical stores will soon employ less humans but offer better customer experience. So say innovation leaders in the retail technology space. While this might be an answer to the staff shortages and worker strikes plaguing businesses post-pandemic what will it mean for the average shopper? “Avatarizing service people” is how Germany-based software developers Humanizing Technology are approaching it. […]

Akikoaoki FW23 collection, Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. Image: Launchmetrics Spotlight In this video you can see Akikoaoki ’s FW23 collection presented at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. Video: Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo via Youtube

Ablankpage FW23 collection, Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. Image: Launchmetrics Spotlight In this video you can see Ablankpage’s FW23 collection presented at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. Video: Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo via Youtube

Image Credit: European Bridal Week This Saturday, northern Europe’s biggest and most influential trade event in the bridal industry will be welcoming visitors from around the world for three days across two halls at Messe Essen. With no fewer than 500 key brands together under one umbrella, this annual event becomes one of global interest and retailers will clearly be able to focus on their buying decisions. “We are glad that we have been able to focus on introducing new elements to the […]

Viviano FW23 collection, Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. Image: Launchmetrics Spotlight In this video you can see Viviano’s FW23 collection presented at Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo. Video: Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo via Youtube

Image: Diesel Pre-Fall 23 /Catwalk Pictures Denim has been the core of Diesel’s DNA since 1978. As much as denim is the brand’s heritage and identity, it is a category that demands constant innovation, re-evaluation and evolution to stay creative, relevant and future-minded. For this reason, Diesel introduced Rehab Denim with their FW22 collection - starting with key pieces. Since then, the brand has continuously worked on this pilot project, increasing the styles of Rehab Denim with each […]

Image: Gen Phoenix, formerly known as ELeather ELeather, the world’s first and only producer of sustainable recycled leather at scale, is rebranding as Gen Phoenix after securing 18 million US dollars in funding to further its mission to create premium and eco-conscious next-gen materials. In a statement, ELeather said it will now be called Gen Phoenix, a name inspired by the cyclical regeneration of the phoenix, as it looks to give new life to leather waste by transforming it into a […]

Image: JCA | London Fashion Academy Jimmy Choo’s The JCA | London Fashion Academy is partnering with the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford on new uniforms and a clothing line. In a press release, the JCA describes the partnership as “unique” as its fashion students will be designing Saïd Business School’s new staff uniforms alongside a student clothing line to be rolled out later this year. The JCA has launched a competition for its undergraduate and postgraduate […]

Image: Armedangels, courtesy of the brand The Perfect Pair Continuity and progress: we further extend our use of recycled content, now offering 20 options made from 100% recycled cotton and even more options with a share of recycled cotton for men and women. Next to our new female bootcut fit and new dark shades on bestsellers, we’re adding seasonal highlights to our DetoxDenim assortment: our workwear capsule for women + men as well as our premium selvedge styles for men. Highlights Women […]

Image: Uniqlo SS23 Uniqlo has confirmed that its Covent Garden store will be a joint venture with Theory, following the success of its London's Regent Street opening last year, and will open on April 27. The 15,600 square foot joint store, spanning three floors, will have entrances on Long Acre and Floral Street and has been designed to complement the Grade II-listed former Victorian carriage hall with an open courtyard and vaulted glass atrium. The store will focus on “experience-led […]

Image: Boss Metaverse showroom Metaverse fashion week has added Boss to its roster of brands, which also sees Dolce & Gabbana, Coach, Tommy Hilfiger and Adidas participate in its Fall 2023 edition. The three day event, which ends Friday, 31st March, sees Boss operating a virtual showroom as an extension of its SS23 Miami fashion show. In a statement the company said the showroom space blends gamification and digital shopping, focusing on discovery and user engagement. Metaverse Fashion […]

Image: Prada Nine years after Prada launched its Pradasphere at Harrods, a temporary exhibition and café celebrating the brand’s 100 year anniversary, Prada is back with one of its favoured concepts: the Prada Caffé. The luxury department store will open the Caffé doors on Friday, where the fashion house is serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, small bites and aperitivo, all in signature Prada interiors, until the end of 2023. The interior is inspired by Prada’s flagship Milanese boutique […]

Trendstop brings FashionUnited readers an insight into the key catwalk print and graphics directions informing Fall Winter 2023-24. Print design taps into key aspects of new consumer mindsets, focusing on transeasonal longevity and gender-fluid versatility. Nature themes illustrate consumer desire to reconnect with the real word environments whilst simultaneously exploring new horizons in the digital realm. Gender-Fluid Winter Florals Wintery blooms appear on knits and soft […]

Image: H&M flagship store on London's Regent Street In the first quarter the H&M group’s net sales in SEK increased by 12 percent to 54,872 million Swedish krona. In local currencies the increase was 3 percent. Excluding Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, the company said, the increase was 16 percent in SEK and 7 percent in local currencies. Operating profit amounted to 725 million Swedish krona compared to 458 million Swedish krona, corresponding to an operating margin of 1.3 percent, […]

Image: Sweaty Betty, Facebook Wolverine World Wide has announced that Sweaty Betty, the women’s activewear brand acquired in August 2021, will now report into the company’s London-based international group led by Isabel Soriano, which is responsible for the operations outside the US. This move, the company said, “will more closely align Sweaty Betty with Wolverine’s global centres of excellence”. “Bringing Sweaty Betty under Isabel Soriano and the international group fits […]

Image: Maison Versace via Capri Holdings Capri Holdings Limited has appointed Mahesh Madhavan to the company’s board of directors effective March 30, 2023. Madhavan, the company said in a statement, will join the compensation and talent committee as well as the governance, nominating and corporate social responsibility committee. As of the date of Madhavan’s appointment, the Capri Holdings board will be composed of eight directors. Madhavan is the chief executive officer of Bacardi […]

Image: John John via Facebook In 2022, total gross sales revenue at Veste S. A. was 1.3 billion Brazilian real, a 20.3 percent growth compared to 2021. Same store sales (SSS) showed an increase of 32.1 percent in the year, and 8.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022. The company said in a release that B2C and B2B channels had a growth of 23.2 percent and 37.8 percent, respectively, when compared to 2021. In the fourth quarter, the company’s sales revenue were 347.6 million Brazilian real […]

Moschino Just days after the shock exit of creative director Jeremy Scott, Moschino has now announced that its general manager, Stefano Secchi, will also be stepping down from the brand. The company and Secchi mutually agreed on the split, a press release read, with the move to come into effect March 31. It appears the decision was made based on differing views over the strategic vision for Moschino. Speaking on the departure, Massimo Ferretti, executive chairman of Moschino's parent company […]

Image: Tess Holliday. Credit: H&M. H&M US has announced the extension of its size assortment on the national market. Products ranging up to 2XL will be offered in stores for women and men, while the online shop will even offer sizes up to 4XL. With the aim to be more inclusive for the plus-size community and to offer an accurate assortment of diverse fits and sizes, the retailer decided to get Tess Holliday on board. The founder, activist and model has been involved in the process of […]

Image: Zalando order processing logistics centre | Credit: Zalando image archive The Berlin-based retailer Zalando is planning to reduce its global assortment, it confirmed to FashionUnited, following various media reports. To increase the relevance of its assortment, the online retailer is currently reviewing its brand portfolio. In the past two years, the product selection on the Zalando Fashion Store increased rapidly: The figure grew from 700,000 offered items in the fourth quarter of 2020 […]

Image: Macy's Inc. Macy’s, Inc. has announced that the company’s chairman and chief executive officer Jeff Gennette, 61 plans to retire in February 2024 after serving the company for 40 years. “Serving Macy’s, Inc. over the past 40 years has been a privilege. I’m proud of the exceptional work of our colleagues to strengthen Macy’s, Inc. by successfully executing our winning Polaris strategy,” said Gennette. Tony Spring to take over as Macy’s Inc. CEO The company said in a […]

Image: Imports via Unsplash The UK may impose a green tax on imports manufactured in polluting factories. The government is set to announce new green policy measures on Thursday, echoing similar proposals to the EU’s green energy laws and the US inflation act, which gives green businesses tax advantages. Rishi Sunak and energy minister Grant Shapps will announce the new strategy after a ruling found the current plan proposed by Boris Johnson unlawful. A new system of “carbon border […]

Image: New Look New Look has teamed up with Wincanton, a British logistics provider, which will take care of all the fashion retailer’s national transport services in the frame of a three-year contract, starting in July 2023. Wincanton will not only be responsible for the product allocation from the retailer’s distribution centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme to its 400 stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland, it will also support New Look’s click and collect operations to ensure […]

Picture: Jane Lushka, courtesy of the brand JANE LUSHKA is driven by the mission to create luxury easy-to-wear clothing and to influence positive change in the fashion industry. We aim to create well-made everyday clothes that our customers can use and love for a long time. Therefore we invest in fabrics and materials that will last and achieve a certain level of quality and sustainability. “We are continually trying to improve our impact on the environment. Of the materials we use at JANE […]

Charles Jeffrey Loverboy FW23 Credit: Courtesy Charles Jeffrey Loverboy For years trend forecasters held an unrivaled position in the fashion industry. Brands from the luxury heritage labels to global mass market giants looked to them for direction on the road ahead. Trend consultancy agencies such as Peclers Paris or Trend Union produced lavish tomes of seasonal inspiration, each page containing beautiful compositions of color palettes, fabric, concepts, often punctuated with physical print […]

Image: Scotch & Soda Scotch & Soda is getting a chance to write a new chapter. On Monday 27 March, US brand management company Bluestar Alliance announced that it is taking over the brand and relaunching it. What the plans are for Scotch & Soda under the new owner is not yet known, but we can take a look at Bluestar Alliance's strategy to see if potential hints can be found here. KEY FACTS Bluestar Alliance was founded in 2006 by Joseph Gabbay and Ralph Gindi. Its headquarters are […]

Image: The Manhattan Vintage Show. New York based vintage market, The Manhattan Vintage Show, announced its return this spring, including a wide variety of vintage fashion, accessories, fine jewellery and textiles from more than 90 independent vendors. This year’s edition will feature a new highlight - unique vintage bridal items, such as bespoke and reworked wedding gowns, rare engagement rings, upcycled laces and other antiques. Alongside this new addition, guests can browse through a wide […]

Image: Barbour's reimagined Bedale wax jacket. Credit: Barbour. Heritage brand Barbour teamed up with fashion label Palm Angels to create a new version of its iconic Bedale wax jacket. The equestrian inspired, lightweight item from 1980 will come in a remodelled design, leaning onto the idea of “high visibility vests and coats often worn in North America when undertaking country pursuits”, as described in the official release. The jacket will come in three bright colours - hot pink, […]

Credit: Courtesy of May Ridts May Ridts is a fashion influencer who has taken the social media world by storm. With her impeccable style, inspiring messages, and engaging content, she has become an inspiration to many fashionistas of her generation. Her popularity is evident by her impressive following of 227K on Instagram, where she regularly shares her fashion tips and lifestyle insights with her fans. View this post on Instagram A post shared by May (@mayridts) May's […]

Image: Cath Kidston British high street giant Next is once again bolstering its portfolio, this time by announcing plans to acquire fashion and lifestyle brand Cath Kidston. Next said in a brief statement Tuesday: “The company announces that it has agreed to acquire the brand name, domain names and intellectual property of CK Acquisitions Ltd from the administrators for consideration of 8.5 million pounds. It added that: “The cathkidston.com domain will be licenced back to the […]

Image: Official coronation emblem King Charles III British luxury brands are set to benefit from increased sales and exposure of King Charles’ coronation next month. King Charles III, who became the UK’s official monarch after the death of Queen Elizabeth II last September, will be officially crowned in a ceremony steeped in tradition. Historically, British luxury brands have long been associated with the royal family and are boosted in popularity following significant royal events such as […]

Image: Bottega Veneta FW2023 via Spotlight Launchmetrics Bottega Veneta is to host a repeat showcase of its Fall 2023 collection with a catwalk presentation in Beijing. The Italian luxury house previously showed the season’s collection during Milan fashion week in February. The brand said it will add new dedicated looks to avoid it being a carbon copy of the Milan show. It is unclear if the presentation in China will have the same statues and bronzes for the production that were loaned from […]

Image: Next Watford storefront Full price sales at Next plc were up 6.9 percent versus 2021/22 and up 20.5 percent versus 2019/20. The company said in a release that total trading sales including markdown sales were up 8.4 percent versus 2021/22 and up 20.6 percent versus 2019/20. Next pre-tax profit was 870 million pounds, up 5.7 percent versus 2021/22 and up 16.3 percent versus 2019/20. The company is maintaining the guidance previously set out in January; with full price sales expected to […]

Image: McArthurGlen Group; McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Paris-Giverny The McArthurGlen Group, which owns, develops and manages designer outlets across Europe, has confirmed that its fourth destination in France will open on April 27 to the west of Paris. McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Paris-Giverny is described as a “visionary” shopping destination and will house 100 stores spanning more than 215,275 square feet. The retail group has invested 200 million euros in the outlet and has […]

Image: Minju Kim Seoul-based fashion designer Minju Kim will be the next designer featured in the V&A’s ‘Fashion in Motion’ series next month. Minju Kim will present four free catwalk shows featuring looks from her spring/summer 2022 and autumn/winter 2022 collections, drawing inspiration from the Korean folk tale of Bari, a goddess known for her beauty and grace. The showcase will take place in the V&A’s Raphael Court on April 21 and will highlight Minju Kim’s […]

Image: Launchmetrics Spotlight The fw23 edition of Paris Fashion Week ran from February 27 to March 7. As usual, the crowds outside the shows, which included editors, buyers and influencers, offered up plenty of showstopping outfits. Here are ten of the most interesting and varied looks. Image: Launchmetrics Spotlight This attendee wore Fanci’s white ‘crime’ dress, with matching corsages at the neck and hemline. She added blue jeans, a classic worn leather moto jacket and yeti fur moon […]

(From left) Image: Karl Lagerfeld, Studio Eva D, WoolrichWhat it is: Likely popularised by singer Harry Styles, who often sports sequin-clad iterations where he can, the men’s overall is a popular look for the AW23 season, sported on multiple runways and celebrities as a statement, stand-alone piece. Its appearance has come in many forms, from boilersuits and dungarees, to more feminine jumpsuits, ensuring that despite it being quite a daring item, it could still appeal to a wider audience. […]

The TJX Companies, Inc. has raised the amount of its quarterly dividend by 13 percent from the last dividend paid. The company’s board declared a regular quarterly dividend in the amount of 0.3325 cents per share, payable June 1, 2023, to shareholders of record on May 11, 2023. Commenting on the dividend increase, Ernie Herrman, chief executive officer and president of The TJX Companies, Inc., stated: “This marks our 26th dividend increase over the last 27 years. Over this period, the […]

Image: Lululemon Hamburg storefront Image credit: FashionUnited Lululemon Athletica Inc. reported fourth quarter net revenue increased 30 percent to 2.8 billion dollars or increased 33 percent on a constant dollar basis. For fiscal 2022, the company’s net revenue increased 30 percent to 8.1 billion dollars or increased 32 percent on a constant dollar basis. The company said in a statement that its Power of Three x2 growth plan calls for a doubling of the business from 2021 net revenue of […]

Image: Gucci x Yuga Labs Gucci is continuing its metaverse activities, having signed a multi-year partnership with NFT giant Yuga Labs, the company behind Bored Ape Yacht Club and CryptoPunks. Spanning fashion and digital entertainment, Kering-owned Gucci is building its presence in the metaverse and Web3 domain. The luxury house is investing to further establish itself as an early adopter of blockchain and decentralisation with immersive experiences and virtual fashion. Last year Gucci […]

Image: Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a higher education data platform, has unveiled its annual ranking of the world's best universities. In the field of art and design, the Royal College of Art in London takes the top position. The QS World University Rankings 2023 includes a total of 1,594 institutions, including 103 new ones. Each institution's ranking is based on five indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, publication data, the H-Index (a way of […]

Image: Fashion Klosette by Karlie Kloss. Supermodel and tech enthusiast Karlie Kloss launched Fashion Klosette, an immersive extension to the online game Roblox, allowing users to design and present their own outfits to other players in order to work their way up in the virtual fashion industry. Features include humanoid avatars, updated graphics, customisable 3D layered clothing and a styling studio, which is the first of its kind according to the press release, giving users the opportunity […]

Image: Burberry AW23 via Spotlight Launchmetrics Burberry is aiming to strengthen its supply chain with the acquisition of an Italian outerwear manufacturer. The British luxury brand acquired the technical outerwear facility from Pattern SpA, a longtime supplier whose business activities include engineering and production of luxury garments. Burberry acquired the company for 21 million euros in order to guarantee production capacity, as well as build technical outerwear capability, reported […]

Image: Hotter Shoes Unbound Group, the owner of British footwear retailer Hotter Shoes, is considering accepting a takeover bid by knitwear specialist WoolOvers Group Limited. In a statement Tuesday, Unbound said it is “in discussions with WoolOvers Group in relation to a possible cash offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Unbound”. It said the terms of the deal would see Unbound shareholders receive 10.5 pence in cash and 1 contingent value right per share they own […]

Image: Jung Kook for Calvin Klein. Credit: Calvin Klein. South korean singer, songwriter and member of the pop group BTS is the new global brand ambassador for Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear. The campaign was shot by Park Jong Ha, and shows the K-Pop sensation wearing new items of the brand’s Spring 2023 collection, including new denim fits as well as a new crew neck shirt. Jung Kook stated in the press release: “This partnership is very special, as Calvin Klein’s heritage […]

Image: Alibaba Group Corporate Campus in Hangzhou, China Alibaba announced Tuesday that it would split into six business groups in one of the most significant overhauls of a leading Chinese tech firm to date. The Hangzhou-based firm is one of China's most prominent tech giants, with business operations spanning cloud computing, e-commerce, logistics, media and entertainment, and artificial intelligence. Daniel Zhang, the company's chairman and CEO, said in a statement that the restructuring […]

Image: Marcolin headquarters For the year to December 31, 2022, Marcolin's net sales amounted to 547.4 million euros, up 20.1 percent compared to the previous year at current exchange and up 13.2 percent at constant exchange rates. "2022 results provide a drive for the company's divisions to elevate our expectations even higher: the year ahead of us is just as challenging, but full of important events, in which we will have to prove once again that we are a modern, agile company, capable of […]

Shi San Yu, Chic Shanghai AW23. Image: FashionUnited From Shanghai Fashion Week to Chic Shanghai, the Chinese fashion industry is getting back into the swing of things just weeks after it opened its borders again for foreign visitors. The city itself is currently leading the way as well, championing local design and leaving a strong influence on the rest of the country’s fashion scene. Both events are taking place simultaneously this week, however it is the trade show Chic that is providing […]

Image: Kohl's + Sephora. American department store Kohl’s announced the expansion of 250 full-sized Sephora stores within its shops this year, reaching the initially targeted number of 850 stores in total across the United States. Customers will be able to enjoy the same experience they would in a free standing Sephora store, exploring a curated assortment from skincare, over to fragrance and hair products and being assisted by trained beauty advisors. Part of the extension in 2023 will be […]

Image: Asendia 70% of UK shoppers spend more with brands they perceive to be authentic. Three quarters (75%) of UK consumers are more loyal to authentic retailers. Silent Generation (76yos+) and Gen Z most likely UK cohorts to spend more based on authenticity (72% each). Authenticity is now a key new driver for revenue and loyalty among UK shoppers as the trend for more mindful consumption continues, the latest research from Asendia, the leader in international e-commerce and mail delivery […]

The upcycled collection by knitwear student Yang XiXi of Nottingham Trent University. Image courtesy of Celtic & Co. UK educational institution Nottingham Trent University (NTU) recently teamed up with fashion brand Celtic & Co. and knitwear supplier Robert Todd. The students of the bachelor programme in fashion knitwear design and the bachelor programme in knitted textiles created new designs from old Celtic & Co. clothing samples provided by Robert Todd and used these as the […]

Image: Limited edition e.l.f. x American Eagle beauty line. Credit: E.l.f. Cosmetics. Retailer American Eagle, launches its first makeup and skin care line in collaboration with beauty brand E.l.f. Cosmetics, targeting their mutual audience Gen Z. The limited edition collection contains four denim-inspired products - an eyeshadow, a lip balm and a clay mask, ranging from eight to sixteen dollars, as well as a bag made of “American Eagle Denim”, which will be available for 50 dollars. The […]

Image: Filippa K store on P.C. Hooftstraat, Amsterdam | Credit: Filippa K Swedish brand Filippa K is opening a new store on P.C. Hoofstraat in Amsterdam with a revamped shop concept, the company announced in a press release. The concept follows on from the remodelling of the Filippa K shop in Helsinki last year. Image: Filippa K store on P.C. Hooftstraat, Amsterdam | Credit: Filippa K Image: Filippa K store on P.C. Hooftstraat, Amsterdam | Credit: Filippa K The aim of the new […]

Credit: Andrea Piacquadio for Pexels. Consumers are willing to share personal information in exchange for value, resulting in a rise in popularity in interactive sms marketing, according to the annual State of Conversational Commerce Report by Attentive, a platform specialised in “business-to-consumer communication”. 8,000 consumers from the US, Canada, the UK and Australia were questioned about the matter, reporting that 91 percent have already participated in a brand’s sms program or […]

Image: H&M; Mugler H&M H&M has unveiled the first look from its upcoming collaboration with the House of Mugler and confirmed that the collection designed by Mugler’s creative director Casey Cadwallader will launch on May 11. Last month, the Swedish fashion chain confirmed that Mugler would be its next designer collaboration, following in the footsteps of Versace, Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Moschino, Balmain, Lanvin, Simone Rocha, Isabel Marant, and Giambattista Valli. The […]

Image: Brora In Pictures Luxury Scottish cashmere and wool fashion brand Brora is taking a trip down memory lane with a heritage capsule collection inspired by its archives to celebrate its 30th anniversary. The brand’s founder and creative director, Victoria Stapleton, has chosen 30 “stand-out styles” from its archive, one for each year of Brora since 1993, which she has reimagined for 2023. Key looks include a slinky cherry halter neck and pair of cropped jumpers in parakeet and […]

The Geneva watch fair opened Monday buoyed by booming growth in the watchmaking industry, but insiders warily eyed the banking sector turmoil, evoking painful memories of the 2008 financial crisis. Industry professionals were upbeat on the first day of the Watches and Wonders annual fair, where 48 prestigious brands including Rolex, Patek Philippe and Cartier were showing off their new creations. The fair, which runs until Sunday with the weekend open to the public, kicked off after two years […]

Image: Swaine; flagship store on New Bond Street, London In Pictures Swaine, one of the UK’s oldest luxury goods brand, has opened a new flagship on New Bond Street in London as part of its most radical rebrand in 273 years. A fixture of London’s luxury goods landscape since 1750, Swaine’s new flagship at 126-127 New Bond Street marks the largest store in the brand’s history at 7,000 square feet and will complement its existing Burlington Arcade boutique. The flagship showcases […]

Image: Cath Kidston UK high street giant Next is reportedly in “advanced talks” to buy lifestyle retailer Cath Kidston. Next, whose portfolio already includes Made.com and Joules, could make a deal as early as Tuesday, Sky News reports. Banking sources said an agreement was likely but not certain, according to the report. It follows reports in February that current Cath Kidston owner Hilco Capital, which specialises in aiding struggling retailers, was looking to sell the retailer just […]

Image: Eloquii; Gabi Fresh Swim x Eloquii In Pictures Plus-size fashion brand Eloquii is launching an exclusive swimwear collection with influencer Gabi Gregg of Gabi Fresh, offering statement swimsuits and resort wear in sizes US 14-32. The 23-piece limited-edition Gabi Fresh Swim x Eloquii collection features bikinis, one-piece swimsuits, kaftans and sundresses in bold colours and graphic prints inspired by Gregg’s love of tropical destinations and nature. Each swimsuit has been crafted […]

Image: Sandro SS23 Parisian fashion brand Sandro is partnering with rental platform Hurr to launch its rental offering in the UK, following a successful launch in France last year. In a statement, Sandro said that it would be offering customers the opportunity to rent its current spring/summer 2023 collection, including tailoring, dresses, tops, and casual jackets as part of its commitment to a “more responsible approach to fashion”. Isabelle Allouch, chief executive at Sandro, said: […]

Image: Pandora Pandora has promoted Massimo Basei to chief of retail operations from his role as general manager of Southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Basei starts his new role on April 1 and will report to Pandora chief executive Alexander Lacik and serve on the jewellery brand’s executive leadership team. As chief of retail operations, Basei will be responsible for global retail operations across Pandora’s 6,500 points of sale in more than 100 markets. This will include network […]

Image: Mister Spex store in Germany Image credit: Mister Spex SE For the full year, revenues at Mister Spex SE increased by 8 percent to 210 million euros compared to the previous year and within the guidance range of 7 percent to 12 percent growth. The company said in a release that the growth was driven by strong growth across all categories, with particularly strong development in sunglasses and prescription glasses. The core market, Germany has been the key driver behind strong revenue […]

Image: Tommy Hilfiger store in Vienna Fourth quarter revenue at PVH Corp. increased 2 percent or 8 percent on a constant currency basis to 2.489 billion dollars. Tommy Hilfiger revenue increased 3 percent or 10 percent on a constant currency basis, Calvin Klein revenue increased 3 percent or 8 percent on a constant currency basis and Heritage Brands revenue decreased 10 percent compared to the prior year period. Commenting on the trading update, Stefan Larsson, the company’s chief executive […]

Image: Karl-Heinz Holland via Matalan Fashion and homeware retailer Matalan has appointed Karl-Heinz Holland as the company’s new chair, Jo Whitfield CBE, former CEO of Co-op Food, as the new CEO. The company said in a release that Nigel Oddy, interim CEO of Matalan, has concluded his six-month role and Paul Copley will step down from his interim chair role and will remain on the board as a non-executive director. Simultaneously, Chris Mallon will step down from his non-executive role on the […]

Image courtesy of Polimoda Fashion school Polimoda in Florence, Italy, has announced that it will set up a new fashion archive in Florence, which is to be a research centre for all fashion innovators, as per a press release sent out by the school. The project, entitled Anarchive, will be a new physical and digital environment dedicated to fashion development and research, designed to welcome researchers, curators, archivists, students, designers and companies interested in studying fashion. […]

Christian Louboutin for Neiman Marcus. Credit: Neiman Marcus. American luxury department store Neiman Marcus has revealed its exclusive collection ‘A la piscine’, designed by Christian Louboutin. The collection contains a range of footwear and handbags in neon colours and splash print, as well as new lifestyle product categories, such as pet accessories, tumblers to stay hydrated, t-shirts and skateboards. To kick off the summer season, the products are presented in an installation that […]

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Credit : Unsplash, Carl Newton The New York based Metropolitan Museum of Arts has revealed that the theme of this year’s spring exhibition at The Costume Institute will be ‘Karl Lagerfeld - A Line of Beauty’, showcasing over 150 garments and sketches by the designer. The spotlight will be put onto Lagerfeld’s “unique working methodology”, as put in the release, from his creations in the 1950s to his last collection in 2019. The Costume Institute’s […]

Image from the Parsons Benefit 2022. Lauren Santo Domingo Photo via Getty images for The New School The New School in New York City has announced its annual Parsons benefit along with the names of the industry figures that will be recognised at the occasion. At the benefit, the US school raises funds for student scholarships. The student scholarships enable any student to pursue studies in art, design, liberal arts, technology and social innovation. Geoffrey van Raemdonck, CEO at Neiman Marcus […]

Image: Courtesy, via Unsplash The rate of returns has increased exponentially since online shopping became the norm. New data from Paymentsense’s annual Serial Refunder Report shows UK fashion businesses have lost an estimated 48 million pounds in revenue in customer refunds. Apparel and clothing businesses ranked 7th in the top 10 for the highest value of refunds made per industry. According to the report, which estimates that each clothing and apparel business in the UK lost 2,220 pounds a […]

Image: Gaultier HC PO S23 003 via Spotlight Launchmetrics Jean Paul Gaultier has announced the next guest designer for the brand’s haute couture collection, which will be shown in Paris in July. Julien Dossena, the creative director of Paco Rabanne, will be the fifth guest designer for the brand, after a stellar collaboration with Haider Ackermann last season, as well as earlier couture collections by Sacai’s Chitose Abe, Glenn Martens and Oliver Rousteing. Mr Dossena and Mr Gaultier are […]

Image: Diesel FW23 collection, courtesy of the brand Freedom, pleasure, experimentation, play: Diesel stands for democracy, choice and sex positivity as a human right. At the heart of the FW23 runway, models walk around a mountain of 200,000 Durex condom boxes. The installation previews a forthcoming capsule with Durex that drops in April 2023, the first time Durex has made a collection with a fashion brand. This is Diesel that’s more focused, more experimental, more ambitious than ever. […]

Image: Duer, Facebook Vancouver-based fashion brand Duer says it plans to double its physical store estate from five to 10 by the end of the year. The denim specialist said the decision comes after experiencing a 100 percent increase in year-over-year growth “paired with a casual clothing boom that continues to drive demand”. It said its aim is to “optimize brand awareness and interest in the Canadian retail landscape” before expanding into the US and Europe. “We have an ambitious […]

Credit: Fashion for Good. With the collaborative goal to push the fashion industry towards a “more sustainable future”, the global circularity platform Responsible was selected to join Fashion for Good’s 2023 Innovation Programme, alongside 12 other startups. The programme helps innovative fashion startups to accelerate their growth over the span of nine months, focusing on technology in different areas, such as raw materials, processing, traceability and transparency, circular business […]

Image: LVMH, Facebook The finalists for the annual LVMH Prize have been announced by the luxury conglomerate. Twenty-two semi-finalists were initially selected from among 2,400 candidates, before that number was further narrowed down to just the nine below: Aaron Esh (UK, menswear); Bettter (Ukraine, womenswear); Burc Akyol (France, womenswear, menswear, and genderless collections); Diotima (Jamaica, womenswear); Luar (US, womenswear, menswear, and genderless collections); Magliano (Italy, […]

Image Credit (l. to r.): Huancheng Liu, Eun Pyo Hong (IFM) As the class of 2023 completes their academic journey in becoming fashion professionals, Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) recently showcased the graduates' final collections with huge success. Stepping into the fashion industry, those collections play a crucial role for graduates to expand their network and share their work. As the international B2B network, FashionUnited aims to promote emerging designers, like the graduates of […]

Image: 'Elton John at the Selfridges Corner Shop'. Credit: Selfridges. Selfridges opened its doors last week to a pop-up store in their creative retail space, The Selfridge Corner shop, showcasing archive pieces from Elton John’s career and offering fans a unique experience to shop and celebrate. In the official press release, Selfridges called the collaboration “a homage to the legacy of an icon”, celebrating the kick off of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road UK tour. Sold on-site and […]

UPDATED Image: Scotch & Soda Covent Garden store | Credit: Scotch & Soda Fashion retailer Scotch & Soda has been rescued by American brand management company Bluestar Alliance after filing for bankruptcy for its Dutch operations last week. Confirming media reports, Scotch & Soda co-trustee Erik Schuurs said the deal was “good news for quite a large group of employees at Scotch & Soda, even if, unfortunately, not all employees can be kept on board”. At the time of the […]

Isabel Marant FW23 collection, Paris Fashion Week. Image: Launchmetrics Spotlight In this video you can see Isabel Marant’s FW23 collection presented at Paris Fashion Week. Video: FF Channel via Youtube

Image: In The Style British fashion retailer In The Style will go ahead with its sales process after 58.92 percent of shareholders backed the move. The retailer will sell its operating subsidiary, In The Style Fashion Limited (ITSFL), for a total cash consideration of 1.2 million pounds following the completion of a strategic review earlier this year. The deal with UK-based private equity investor Baaj Capital was first announced earlier this month. Baaj Capital has previously invested in […]

Image: Zedonk The global fashion industry is no stranger to the unpredictability of our time. With a looming recession and inflation-driven expense hikes, companies have no choice but to resort to tight cost control measures. Whilst it might seem counterintuitive to invest in specialised industry tools during such a volatile moment in history, there has never been a better time to improve operational efficiency. Despite the bleak economic outlook, brands can still benefit from increased […]

AW23 collection of Blr Bluer, Caruso and Holy Number 7 (from left to right). Images: Launchmetrics SpotlightThe designers at Seoul Fashion Week create very bold designs and experiment with different silhouettes, asymmetry and patterns. Although black plays an important role in many of the collections, colours and bright creations can also be seen. On the other hand, there are dark looks like Iryuk's, which are reminiscent of the gothic scene, and styles with a lot of leather. Then there are […]

Image: Calida Group At the upcoming annual general meeting on April 19, 2023, Calida Holding AG will propose Felix Sulzberger, Allan Kellenberger, Thomas Stöcklin and Eric Sibbern for election to the board of directors. The company said in a release that also proposed for shareholder approval will be the re-election of current independent board members Laurence Bourdon-Tracol, Patricia Gandji, Gregor Greber and Stefan Portmann. Erich Kellenberger, a longtime board member, former CEO and […]

Image: Balenciaga resort SS23 via Catwalkpictures Balenciaga is back. On Instagram. The original executor of the Instagram fashion tabula rasa, or blank slate, Balenciaga has removed images and posts from its official account nearly every season, or at best after every launch, or anything newsworthy, over the past two years. Balenciaga first deleted all of its Instagram posts 15th July 2021. The move was part of a marketing campaign for the fashion brand's Fall 2021 collection, which was meant […]