This week Neonyt on Air has kicked off its digital week with a brief welcome and introduction by the Neonyt team, Andrea Sibylle Ebinger, CEO of Hessnatur, who addressed the community with a personal keynote. For Hessnatur, it is primarily the opportunities offered by the crisis year of 2020 that are paving the way for a better tomorrow: including the delayed Earth Overshoot Day and the related temporary reduction of the world’s ecological footprint, as well as the industry’s increasing need for collaboration and the solidarity shown within it.

Tuesday, 19 January: In the morning, Oeko-Tex held a panel discussion entitled “Transparency in the textile supply chain” about the supply chain law currently being discussed in Germany – holding companies accountable, producing under fair conditions and responsible consumption all go hand in hand with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Input was provided by Annika Sauerhoefer, Product Manager for “Made in Green” at Oeko-Tex, Mirjam Smend, founder of Greenstyle Munich and Andreas Bothe, Head of CSR & Sustainability at Bay City & Chiemsee. And in the afternoon, on the topic of “Due Diligence – due tomorrow?” Anosha Wahidi, Head of the Sustainable Supply Chains Unit at the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Max Gilgenmann, Content Director of Neonyt, spoke about the BMZ’s sustainable initiatives: the Partnership for Sustainable Textiles, the state-run certification mark Grüner Knopf (Green Button), the German government’s assessment platform for sustainable labels siegelklarheit.de and the German Due Diligence Law, which is currently being discussed not only in the media, but also behind closed doors.

Today, Wednesday, 20 January: The Fashion Editorial by Luxiders Magazine and a keynote from the Kering Group provided plenty of inspiration and input before the subject turns to fiscal facts at the panel discussion “The long financial thread of sustainability” in the afternoon. The three panellists Dr Sabine Schlorke, Global Head of Manufacturing at IFC World Bank, Christian Heller, CEO of Value Balancing Alliance e.V., and Hans-Jürgen Walter, Global Leader of Sustainable Finance at Deloitte and moderator Darius Nader Maleki, Project Manager at the Maleki Corporate Group, explained the concept of a circular economy from a financial perspective and explaining what kind of a role banks and investors can play, or are already playing, in the creation of a sustainable future.

Thursday, 21 January: The textile and fashion industry is one of the most closely interconnected and also most resource-intensive industries in the world – and the speakers on the penultimate day of Neonyt on Air will be focusing their attention on precisely that, while looking at the procurement and selection of raw materials, product certifications and net positivity. During a panel discussion entitled “Sustainable sourcing – at the beginning of the chain”, Johannes Fürst, Head of the Blue Lab of NGO Drip by Drip, Anurag Gupta, Managing Director of Usha Yarns and Gunnar Heller, Head of CSR at Foursource, will be covering topics such as the negative environmental influences of textile production and the resulting solutions for the better handling of natural resources. In the live interview “Product is Key – the Timberland 2030 vision for net positivity”, Elisabetta Baronio, Sustainability & Responsibility Manager at Timberland, will briefly explain the ideas behind the cult US brand’s sustainability approach: regenerative agriculture and circular design. To conclude the day’s proceedings, this will be followed by the panel discussion “Certification – transparency, credibility and trust” with Franziska Dormann, representative of the Global Organic Textile Standard, Rapha Breyer, spokesperson for Textile Policy & Partnerships at Fairtrade and Ingo Strube, spokesperson for sustainable consumption at Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Environment. The experts will be providing a constructively critical overview of the myriad certifications and standards and talking about the challenges in the certification business during the pandemic.

Friday, 22 January: “Textile Trust – driving transparency by using blockchain” – a panel discussion about the use of blockchain technology in the textile and fashion industry that will raise the question: what does IT have to do with fashion and sustainability? Answers will be provided by Christian Schultze-Wolters, Director of Blockchain Solutions at IBM, Stefan Rennicke, founder and CEO of Kaya&Kato and Michael Krake, Deputy Director General at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development – three partners who have come together to develop a platform for the transparent documentation of the textile supply chain. To conclude, Olaf Schmidt, Vice President of Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt, will be giving a short farewell keynote and looking ahead to Frankfurt Fashion Week in summer 2021.

Neonyt on Air is taking place until 22nd January 2021 on Neonyt’s social media channels. No registration is required to participate

Italian fashion house Valentino has confirmed that it will showcase its Haute Couture collection, Code Temporal, digitally on January 26th at 3pm.

The collection will consist of a special presentation conceived by creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli in a dialogue with British artist, musician, singer and songwriter Robert Del Naja, from Massive Attack.

The presentation will be filmed in Rome, with Piccioli selecting Galleria Colonna, Sala Grande, in the Italian city to highlight the couture collection.

Valentino will also present a film made by Del Naja, exploring the Haute Couture process, using clips filmed and edited by machine learning algorithms created by Del Naja’s collaborative partner, neural artist Mario Klingemman.

Pitti Immagine Uomo, which was supposed to take place on February 21 until 23 in Florence, has cancelled its physical event due to the Italian government tightening coronavirus restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

The winter edition will now be held solely as digital formats on the Pitti Connect platform, which will remain online with the contents of the current fair season until the beginning of April.

“In the last few weeks, the probability of being able to hold the fairs in a physical format had clearly decreased” comments Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine “but we had decided to keep the option open until the suspension was officially confirmed, because we were aware of the strong desire of our exhibitors and buyers to physically meet in person, despite the many problems that this could entail.  This was not superficial optimism, nor a kind of stubbornness in the face of clear evidence, but rather a determination to leave no stone unturned and possibly also offering a useful message for the coming months. The advice given by trainers to volleyball players comes to mind: even when it seems almost certain that you have lost the set, score as many points as you can, keep standing, this will be a sign to your rivals that you will be giving them a battle again in the next set. So, we will be playing the next physical set in the summer, but we want to continue to score points in the meantime. It is for this reason that, in this period, we have worked so hard on the digital dimension on which we are now concentrating all our efforts. For Pitti Uomo, we can already count on the participation of around 250 companies, all who will be accompanying us in the future. The live-streamed events which took place this week were a great success, combined with the many collections already uploaded on Pitti Connect”.

We’re excited to announce that our latest issue of WeAr Magazine is now out & available in print and digital!

WeAr celebrates with its 65th issue the industry and additionally to its normal content, publishes Denim Legends Part II. A comprehensive guide to the best of denim the last 15 years produced. Have a look at the designs, the companies, some reports on the past and future of denim and the list of the 100 most influential people or the denim industry. Sponsored by Artistic Milliners and Denham.

Flip through a free preview of the new issue at the link below or visit our bookstore to get your digital or print copy!

Although Gallery Düsseldorf the tradeshow has been cancelled, Düsseldorf Fashion Days (DFD) can take place as planned from 27 January to 3 February. During the order week at the turn of the month, trade visitors can place their orders in the more than 600 showrooms according to the appointment system and in strict compliance with all hygiene regulations.

Gallery Fashion & Shoes will be held exclusively as a digital format in January/February – with an extended runtime from 28 January to 15 February. Supreme Women&Men is still in the approval process with the city of Düsseldorf and will issue info on the implementation of the fair soon.

With the aim of being able to realise a physical event for the fashion industry in the Spring/Summer 22 season, the team of Munich Fabric Start Exhibitions GmbH worked flat out until the very end to organise the second edition of FABRIC DAYS. The organisers wanted to repeat what was proven in September 2020 with the sales-focused, concentrated business format: That efficient work is possible under the changed circumstances thanks to the highest hygiene and safety precautions.

Unfortunately, the situation in Germany and Europe has not changed fundamentally in recent weeks and thus the physical edition of Fabric Days has been cancelled.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE has announced last week that it has completed the acquisition of Tiffany & Co. the global luxury jeweler. The acquisition of this iconic US jeweler will deeply transform LVMH’s Watches & Jewelry division and complement LVMH’s 75 distinguished Maisons.

Bernard Arnault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LVMH, commented: “I am pleased to welcome Tiffany and all their talented employees in our Group. Tiffany is an iconic brand and a quintessential emblem of the global jewelry sector. We are committed to supporting Tiffany, a brand that is synonymous with love and whose Blue Box is revered around the world, with the same dedication and passion that we have applied to each of our prestigious Maisons over the years. We are optimistic about Tiffany’s ability to accelerate its growth, innovate and remain at the forefront of our discerning customers’ most cherished life achievements and memories. I would like to thank Alessandro Bogliolo and his team for their dedication to Tiffany and their work over the past three years, especially during this challenging period.”

The Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode has confirmed that Paris Men’s Fashion Week and Haute Couture Week will go ahead without invited guests this season due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Fashion houses will still be able to organise live shows with models, “providing that their events take place behind closed doors”.

In addition, brands will be able to organise meetings and presentations, providing strict coronavirus guidelines are respected, with organisers adding that this is “subject to a limit on the number of people present at the same time in a given space”.

Tommy Hilfiger has announced the third edition of the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge, which is now open for applications until March 8, 2021. The global programme aims to support young start-up and scale-up stage businesses that promote inclusive and positive change in fashion. Since the Challenge’s inception in 2018, the THFFC has awarded more than €350,000 to entrepreneurs who stand up for what they believe in and are committed to driving change within their communities.

“The Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge spotlights those entrepreneurs who are enriching our industry with their positive influences,” says Tommy Hilfiger. “This year, we want to showcase an even more diverse range of perspectives, ideas and communities by supporting BIPOC entrepreneurs. We have a responsibility to drive change within the fashion industry, and I’m honoured to enable our commitment to inclusivity and equal representation through the upcoming Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge.”

Interested companies are invited to submit their project proposals that strive to create an inclusive value chain in the fashion industry. Applicants will be whittled down to six finalists who will then be invited to develop and elaborate their business plans virtually with the support of a dedicated team of Tommy Hilfiger and social enterprise experts. With appropriate training from an experienced pitch coach, the finalists will present their concept in front of a prestigious panel of judges and a select audience at the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge Finale in early 2022.

For the first time, Tommy Hilfiger has also opened the programme to its customers, who are now invited to join as judges and vote in deciding this year’s finalists. Customers will narrow down the 200 finalists to 50. Each participant will receive at least four applications, which can then be judged via a microsite. Applications to join the judging panel can be submitted to the following microsite until 8 February 2021

“Although the fashion industry has already taken some steps to become more inclusive and diverse, there is still much to be done,” says Martijn Hagman, CEO, Tommy Hilfiger Global. “With the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge, we are furthering our commitment to equality and diversity and helping to drive the change we all want and need to see.”

The Danish government has extended existing regulations and increasing corona restrictions meaning that all Danish trade show activity have been suspended until 28 February.

Therefore, CIFF have made the decision to not to host their February edition. CIFF will be back with a strong Summer edition in Copenhagen August 2021.

With this, CIFF is launching CIFF Digital. An online platform designed to inform and connect fashion professionals across the globe.

 Offering fresh creative license, the new format provides a comprehensive virtual presentation of the fashion fair’s exhibitors together with new ways to connect online.

“The new digital showcase allows brands and designers to present their latest collections to buyers and journalists virtually when physical contact is limited”, says Christina Neustrup, Director of CIFF, on the new initiative and continues: 

 “The collaborative online portal is aimed to complement rather than co-opt the biannual fashion fair, fostering knowledge, connection and trade at a time when we need it most.”

To strengthen NOVA by DFO’s international fashion platform, DFO has joined forces with NOUND NOUND, a pioneering multi-label boutique chain, and one of the most prominent players in brand development in China, to establish a 360-degree strategic alliance for international designers in the Chinese market, covering nation-wide wholesale, direct retail, e-commerce, PR, and marketing.

Happy Holidays from the entire WeAr team! We look forward to seeing you in the new year with our January 2021 issue!

Pitti Immagine begins to reveal the events and special projects for the next edition of Pitti Uomo, which will physically be held at the Fortezza da Basso in Florence from 21-23 February 2021. Until then, the fair will kick off  – in a digital format – from 12 to 14 January on Pitti Connect, the platform launched by Pitti Immagine this past summer to support exhibiting companies in the presentation of their collections and in the generation of business contacts with international buyers.

A special “opening” will officially inagurate the digital fair. On January 12, Brunello Cucinelli, one of the brands and firms of reference at Pitti Uomo, will be featured in a live streaming from Solomeo to present the brand’s new fall-winter 2021 collection in a preview before its participation in the physical edition of the fair in February.

Raf Simons has launched a new e-commerce platform called History Of My World after his tenth anniversary collection from 2005. The new online retail platform will stock clothing, homeware, and literature products curated by Simons.

The new platform is separate from Simons’ own eponymous label, and has officially launched this week. The site debut features one-of-a-kind blankets made at the Raf Simons studio. For all products featured on the website, customers can request a special inscription handwritten by Raf Simons himself.

“Funky vibes” is the mood of the new SUN68 Summer 2021 Beach collection, which chooses California inspired imagery of the 70s as inspiration for its swimwear, T-shirts and sweatshirts. Swimpants feature bright colors, while hoodies, T-shirts and polo-shirts revisit the tie dye technique, featuring shades such as raspberry purple, aquamarine blue as well as fluorescent orange and yellow colors.

In addition to the Seventies focus, the wide range of bathing suits includes basics in a single color or with stripes, micro-patterns, Hawaiian-inspired florals in fluo versions, geometric textures, and “ethnic” swimpants, with an ironic interpretation of aztec and oriental symbols.

The Beach collection is completed with the classic beach accessories: beach towels, slippers, bags and caps.

The SUN68 Beach collection will be available on sun68.com from the end of February 2021, and in a selected network of stores throughout Italy.

APROPOS THE CONCEPT STORE ends the year 2020 with an exciting new opening of its 6th branch, in the Bavarian town of Gmund am Tegernsee, around 60 km outside Munich.

The new store concept developed by APROPOS impressively combines Bavarian tradition with modern forms and was executed together with the architectural office, Unzen.

The shop space covers around 420 square metres and reflects the well-known APROPOS DNA: a curated selection of high-end fashion for men and women, beauty products and key home highlights.

At the launch, the assortment includes the S/S 21 collections of internationally renowned designers such as Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Celine, Christian Louboutin, Zimmermann and Moncler.

Klaus Ritzenhöfer and Daniel Riedo, Founder of Apropos with stores in Cologne, Munich and more, deliberately chose Tegernsee as the new location.

“We spend a lot of time in the Tegernsee Valley throughout the year and especially in the last few years the number of new projects in the luxury segment has increased very strongly. For us as a concept store, we see a new and exciting opportunity here.”

DuPont Sorona and the Portuguese spinning mill Tearfil have announced a collaboration to develop sustainable and high-performing staple yarns for the apparel industry. Tearfil is committed to creating smarter, cleaner and more sustainable yarns, and choosing Sorona was a natural solution for the spinning mill. 

“We believe collaboration is the key ingredient to creating the best products. We recognize that our magic is only possible thanks to our trusted fiber and technology partners. Sustainability or performance: why not have it all? Through working with the Sorona team, we prove how future-oriented high-performance textiles can also be eco-friendly and eco-conscious,” said Maria de Belém Machado, CEO at Tearfil. 

Sorona is made up of 37 percent renewable plant-based ingredients. Offering a sustainable alternative to traditionally non-recyclable materials, the eco-efficient fiber is the choice of many renowned brands, such as The North Face, Helly Hansen and Stella McCartney. Sorona features many performance attributes, including softness, stretch, shape recovery, flexibility, ease-of-care and stain-resistance without the need for topical treatments. From flexible yoga wear to denim to everything in-between, Sorona can make any textile look good, feel good and do good. 

The Sorona fiber turns a formerly chemically-based process into a biological one, using 30 percent less energy and releasing 63 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than Nylon 6. Sorona is also a member of the Textile Exchange, The Sustainable Apparel Coalition and the Ellen McArthur Foundation. It is a USDA certified bio-based product and received OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Certification.

For the first time in its 50-year history ISPO Munich, the world’s leading trade fair for sports, will take place in a purely digital format from February 1 to 5, 2021. With nearly seven weeks to go before the start of the event, many international brands have already registered to present themselves and their products in the Expo Area. In addition, participants can also expect a comprehensive conference program. This is dedicated to a different key topic each day: from innovations and creativity to digitalization and health to sustainability.

UK trade show organiser Hyve Group has announced that its trade shows Scoop and Pure London will collaborate for a September 2021 concept show.

Scoop X Pure will take place on 12th till 14th September 2021 at London’s Saatchi Gallery.

Designed to offer a “department store” atmosphere, Scoop X Pure will not only showcase both emerging and established UK and international designers but will also feature a selected edit of home and lifestyle products. Following the cancellation of Jacket Required’s July edition, Scoop X Pure will also feature a selected menswear edit, with a view to showcasing labels with both a men’s and womenswear offering.

Berlin Fashion Week: Berlin becomes the European Capital of Creative Industries for a Sustainable Future. With a cross-disciplinary concept, Berlin focuses on its DNA as the European Capital of Creative Industries and continues to focus on a more sustainable future. The state of Berlin is supporting the realignment of Fashion Week with 3.5 million euros in 2021 alone. Berlin Fashion Week is repositioning itself and entering 2021 stronger than ever: with the next Fashion Week (January 18-24, 2021), the German capital is positioning itself as the European Capital of Creative Industries.

With a forward-looking interplay of cross-disciplinary formats, the creators of Berlin Fashion Week create a visionary and globally relevant concept that focuses above all on innovation, sustainability and digitalization.

Moncler S.p.A. and Sportswear Company S.p.A., that holds Stone Island brand, announced today that they have reached an agreement as a result of which Stone Island joins Moncler to develop together a new shared vision of luxury.

The acquisition will consist of 2 parts where Moncler will buy 70 percent of the company from Chief Executive Carlo Rivetti. It will then buy the remaining 30 percent from Temasek, the Singaporean state-backed investor.

With this transaction, united by their “beyond fashion, beyond luxury” philosophy, these two Italian brands will strengthen their ability to interpret the evolving cultural codes of the new generations, reinforcing their positioning within the new luxury segment. This is a concept that embraces the search for experientiality, inclusivity, a sense of belonging to a community and the mixing of diverse meanings and worlds including those of art, culture, music and sport.

The Future Fabrics Expo is the largest dedicated showcase of globally sourced commercially available sustainably and responsibly produced fabrics and materials. Providing the tools for a responsible fashion industry, the Expo sources and curates materials with a lower environmental footprint, offering accessible and innovative sustainable solutions.

As part of their partnership with 1.618 Paris Biennale this December, The Sustainable Angle’s Future Fabrics Expo has curated a program of round table discussions dedicated to sustainable sourcing.

The three discussions will bring together spotlighted exhibitors from our Future Fabrics Expo. Discover ways in which they are bringing textile solutions for a more sustainable present now and for the future:

-December 9th : Challenges in textile recycling and how to overcome them with Recyctex and Kipas

-December 10th : Exploring new textile horizons through regenerative practices with Kering, Bananatex, UPW, and Cleric

-December 11th : New materials landscapes from the Future Fabrics Expo with Amanda Johnston

Stone Island has opened a store in Miami, thus expanding its presence in the North American market: it is the fourth store after New York, Los Angeles and Toronto.

Located in the Miami Design District, the space covers an area of over 3.000 squared feet (280 sqm) on two levels, hosting the Stone Island and Shadow Project collections.

The interior design follows the concept used for Stone Island flagship stores – created by Marc Buhre, industrial designer from Heidelberg (Germany) and founder of Zeichenweg TM architectural firm. Each element of the system has been created to work together in a highly functional design.

The bush-hammered stone flooring is also used on the walls, interspersed with parts in through-colour MDF and metallic mesh on a steel substructure. Furnishings are in black-stained natural oak, hangers are composed of carbon bars and anodized aluminium and shelves are in shades of anthracite.

Experimentation, function and use are the matrixes that have always defined Stone Island: since inception in 1982, the Italian brand has become a symbol of research and treatments in fibres and textiles applied to innovative design.

Frankfurt Fashion Week is positioning itself with a consistently sustainable agenda and propelling the transformation of a modern, resource-efficient fashion industry. The Conscious Fashion Campaign (CFC), working in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP), will be the presenting partner and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be a prerequisite for all exhibitors by 2023. And the Frankfurt Fashion SDG Summit by CFC is set to become the leading international conference for sustainability in the fashion world. The future of fashion has begun – and its key players will be coming together in Frankfurt am Main from 5-9 July 2021.

“Frankfurt will play host to the whole world. We are seeing a very positive response indeed,” confirmed Peter Feldmann, Senior Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main, at today’s digital press conference, before going on to say: “The fact that the initiators are able to rethink the concept of a Fashion Week in such a way is extremely impressive and proves that the fashion industry is correctly interpreting the signs of the present and future. The time has come for value creation and values to be reconciled. Consistent alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals is an important step in this direction.”

“We are committed to setting the wheels of transformation in motion. Not only does the overall mindset have to fundamentally change; the entire industry also needs to have the courage to be transparent and honest. It’s important to see values and value creation as opportunities rather than contentious. We are doing what we do best: connecting the relevant players at all levels. With its ecosystem, Frankfurt Fashion Week will become the enabler. We are creating a platform that will orchestrate industry-wide change. With this as our inspiration, we are also developing our tradeshow formats from a ‘marketplace of products’ to a ‘marketplace of purpose and ideas’,” explains Anita Tillmann, Managing Partner of the Premium Group.

Canadian premium outerwear and accessories brand Nobis is
launching its first capsule collection designed in collaboration with Toronto Raptors centre and NBA champion Serge Ibaka.

Known for his #BigScarfEnergy, Ibaka teamed up with Nobis to help create a genderless collection that features nine limited-edition pieces, including a parka, anorak, bomber jacket, vests, hats and, of course, scarves. The highly anticipated capsule collection is available in store and online starting November 19, 2020.

“I’m thrilled to collaborate with Nobis on my first fashion collection. Nobis is very simple and chic, which made me really fall in love with the brand, making them the perfect partner,” says Ibaka. “Getting dressed to me is an art, and I wanted to express myself through this collection and share it with my fans.”

The winter editions of the Pitti Immagine fairs have all been moved to 21-23 February 2021: in Florence, along the Fortezza da Basso-Stazione Leopolda axis, keeping the focus on the individual identities of Uomo, Filati and Bimbo. A system choice in order to consolidate the Italian calendar of fashion presentations and valorize the qualities and integration of the production chain.

“Following the latest Prime Ministerial order extending the suspension of international trade fairs until 3^rd December ” says Claudio Marenzi “ we began to reflect on the real possibility of organizing the fairs starting from 12 January, the date set for Uomo, concluding that the margin of time available was truly meager and the situation still too uncertain.  We had also received a lot of requests from exhibitors and buyers who, reiterating the need to return to a quality physical event, asked for more time to present the collections and organize their presence in Florence. Basically: in the face of these requests directed towards ourselves as well as the market, we decided to postpone the start of the cycle by five weeks and come up with an innovative formula for the ensemble of fairs in the hope and belief that, in the meantime, the conditions and authorizations for holding fair events would have been restored”.

“In order to identify the new dates and plan a rendezvous that would be capable of coping with the exceptional phase we are going through ”continues Marenzi “ we followed three criteria: the fairs should be held in a useful period for the sales campaigns; the identity of each fair should be preserved and, at the same time, it should give a strong system signal with regard to both the production-commercial chain which represents a specific value of Italian fashion, as well as the Italian calendar of fashion presentations (resulting in the decision to take the three days prior to the opening of the Camera della Moda fashion week in Milan). We were thus certain that we would also receive the strong approval of national institutions like MAECI and ICE (the Italian Foreign Trade Promotion and Internationalization Agency) – which have guaranteed their significant support, as well as local institutions”.

“We are aware that by around the third week of February the sales campaigns of the collections will already be at an advanced stage ”points out Raffaello Napoleone, CEO of Pitti Immagine“ but we know that there will still be good portfolio margins for buyers, especially all those who feel the need to have a precise, physical contact with stylish products of high manufacturing value.  And that’s not all: we will be opening the Connect digital platform to exhibitors well in advance.  We have been working very hard on this platform over the last few months in order to boost the collection of orders and expand the editorial coverage.  We are organizing a big promotion of our online sales system that will reach top buyers all over the world.  Finally, we have already prepared all the necessary safety measures, from entrance checks to the planning of visits to the stands, to a design of the layout furnishings that takes into account social distancing and constant sanitization.  An undertaking to which we have totally committed ourselves”.

WOMENSWEAR TREND: COUNTRY GETAWAY

[Left] Runway Look Dior [Right] Salvatore Ferragamo

Getting out into the country was a theme in multiple S/S 21 presentations. After months spent indoors, an emergence of such a sensibility seems almost unavoidable. Organic colors infused the collections, which used intricately detailed fabrics in simple silhouettes.

The Jacquemus collection, presented on a runway in a wheat field in the French countryside, used larger, looser silhouettes and unfussy tailoring. The collection was imbued with natural, muted colors like sage, ecru, black and clay. Flowing bias-cut dresses, oversized trousers and unstructured blazers recalled a simple country wedding, in designer Simon Porte Jacquemus own words.

The Dior Cruise 2021 collection, presented in the center of Lecce, Italy, was a spectacle that paid homage to the Italian countryside in the southern province of Puglia. With fringed skirts, headscarves and embroidered dresses, the collection featured a black gauzy material, warm whites and grays on intricately handwoven fabrics. Muted reds and greens rounded out the colors in the collection.

Salvatore Ferragamo used eco-friendly fabrics throughout an elegant and distilled collection comprising sleek silhouettes, clean lines and organic materials. Burnt orange, tan, beige and black infused a collection focused on sustainability with responsibly sourced materials like upcycled leather and cashmere, recycled nylon and organic cotton. Photographed in the countryside of Provence, France, the See by Chloé Resort 2021 collection imbued playful clothing designed for relaxing in with hues of sage, peach, burgundy and sand. And Ermanno Scervino Resort 2021, photographed in Tuscany, Italy, presented intricate knits and lace details, ruffled white dresses, and gauzy skirts with plissé inserts. Colors were whites, with a smattering of pastel pink, and pistachio green; perfect for getting lost in a field on a lazy summer afternoon.

MENSWEAR TREND: A LOVE LETTER TO NATURE

[Left] Etro [Middle] Ermenegildo Zegna [Right] Reese Cooper

“A moment like this can easily lead to a glorification of flawless precision of the machine but at Ermenegildo Zegna, with respect for a humanist tradition that is profoundly Italian, we believe that the human being always sits at the center, in harmony with nature.” This is how artistic director Alessandro Sartori explained the vision behind his S/S 21 collection that features soft and elegant knitwear with foliage-inspired patterns. The brand (which turns 110 this year) celebrates a strong connection with nature, seeing it not just as a provider of resources and raw materials but also recognizing the need to preserve its richness and diversity.

At Gucci, flower embroideries appear on a seventies-style sleeveless fur coat, a suit and a trench coat. Volumes are fluid like water at Etro, where shirts feature beautiful flower prints, too. Pebbles and stones seen in rivers have inspired a print in Reese Cooper’s accessories line; the models in the brand’s show walked barefoot through a brook in the wilderness, hinting at the need to reconnect with the Earth. His color palette comprised vivid green, orange and fruit colors.

Fendi’s “Hand in Hand” project celebrates the vast diversity and unique quality of Italian craftsmanship. The Italian Maison invited 20 ateliers representing the country’s 20 regions to interpret the iconic Baguette bag – designed in 1997 by Silvia Venturini Fendi, Creative Director for Accessories and Men’s collections. The designer plans to expand this unprecedented project to pay tribute to the best artisans around the world. .

The first creation was presented in the Fall/Winter 2020-2021 runway show, a collaboration between Fendi artisans and craftspeople at the Florentine atelier Peroni in Tuscany. In the skilled hands of Peroni artisans, the Baguette is fashioned from a single seamless piece of molded vegetal-tanned leather with no stitches from bag to buckle, using an impressive traditional technique known as cuoio artistico fiorentino. The different Italian regions each contribute distinctive savoir-faire while sharing a passion for traditional craftsmanship and skillful handmade creations.

In Veneto, “Hand in Hand” spotlights time-honored craft. Working with Venetian artisans at Bevilacqua, which has been making jacquard for five centuries, Fendi goes back in time. The fabric is woven by hand on 18th century wooden looms by artisans who meticulously create a rich floral brocade motif, producing just a few centimeters per day. An interlaced satin strap and a buckle sculpted in jasper with lizard details further elevate the jacquard. The absolutely breathtaking result is an ode to patient talent, to experience,  and to the historic beauty of Venice.

The latest exhibition at the New York Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute traces a century and a half of fashion. About Time: Fashion and Duration, will be on show until February 7th, after a five month delayed opening from May due to the coronavirus.

The Costume Institute’s 2020 exhibition traces a century and a half of fashion—from 1870 to the present—along a disruptive timeline, on the occasion of The Met’s 150th anniversary. Employing Henri Bergson’s concept of la durée (duration), it explores how clothes generate temporal associations that conflate past, present, and future. Virginia Woolf serves as the “ghost narrator” of the exhibition.

All of the garments are black to emphasize changes in silhouette, except at the conclusion of the show, where a white dress from Viktor & Rolf’s spring/summer 2020 haute couture collection, made from upcycled swatches in a patchwork design, serves as a symbol for the future of fashion with its emphasis on community, collaboration, and sustainability.

Stone Island’s latest hooded jacket release is made from suede sheepskin, manually sprayed for a cloudy effect. Part of the garment and the Stone Island logo are protected from the spraying to achieve a graphic effect, with an opaque overprint placed.

Levi’s has opened a new store in Stuttgart at Königstrasse 29 on November 5, 2020. The highlight of the store, which is designed in the Levi’s Indigo style, is the Levi’s Tailor Shop, where customers can expertly personalize their Levi’s looks and upgrade old favourite denim pieces using a special upcycling method.

The Indigo elements are reflected throughout the entire store – from the translucent exterior façade to the 215.7 square meter sales area. The indigo design gives the Levi’s store a modern look. Personalization options in the Tailor Shop include embroidery, pins, self-selected color gradients, graphics, text and position, and various hems. With the upcycling method, our Levi’s Tailor helps to turn old denim pieces into something completely new and recycle them only when they are no longer needed. This extends the life of the styles and minimises the impact on the environment.

The current Levi’s collection is inspired by California’s lifestyle and covers a broad spectrum of the latest fashion trends. In addition to the timeless Levi’s icons – the 501 Original Jeans, Western Shirts and Trucker Jackets – you will find trend pieces, Levi’s Loose Fits, sustainable and innovative materials, logo shirts and seasonal looks.

LVMH and Tiffany & Co announced that they have concluded an agreement modifying certain terms of their initial agreement to reflect a purchase price of $131.50 in cash and to reduce closing conditionality. Other key terms of the Merger Agreement remain unchanged. Tiffany and LVMH have also agreed to settle their pending litigation in the Delaware Chancery Court.

Roger N. Farah, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Tiffany, commented. “We are very pleased to have reached an agreement with LVMH at an attractive price and to now be able to proceed with the merger. The Board concluded it was in the best interests of all of our stakeholders to achieve certainty of closing.”

Bernard Arnault, President and CEO of LVMH, commented: “This balanced agreement with Tiffany’s Board allows LVMH to work on the Tiffany acquisition with confidence and resume discussions with Tiffany’s management on the integration details. We are as convinced as ever of the formidable potential of the Tiffany brand and believe that LVMH is the right home for Tiffany and its employees during this exciting next chapter.”

Alessandro Bogliolo, Tiffany CEO, said, “We continue to believe in the power and value of the Tiffany brand and the compelling long-term strategic and financial benefits of this combination.”

The first luxury watch brand to invest in football by partnering with the Swiss National Team in 2006, Hublot will become Official Timekeeper of the Premier League, the world’s most-watched football league, beginning this season. England’s Premier League matches are shown in 188 countries, reaching a cumulative global audience of 3.2 billion, bringing the Swiss luxury watchmaker high exposure.

This is a new historic milestone for Hublot, which already enjoys a ubiquitous presence in the sport through partnerships with the most iconic competitions (including the World Cup, the Euro and the Champion’s League), as well as some of the greatest European football clubs  (Juventus Turin, Chelsea, Ajax Amsterdam, Benfica Lisbon), legendary players (Pelé, Maradona), world-class stars (Kylian Mbappé) and decorated managers (Didier Deschamps, José Mourinho).