THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF S/S 2021 DIGITAL FASHION WEEKS

As global travel restrictions disrupted the fashion calendar this year, designers and fashion brands had to creatively adapt to a new virtual presentation format. London Fashion Week Digital, Paris Fashion Week Online and Milan Digital Fashion Week were all presented online with some brands also incorporating offline components.

Among the standout presentations were Prada, whose “Prada Multiple Views SS21” collection commissioned diverse global artists to make creative short films; Loewe, whose menswear S/S 2021 collection was a “Show-in-a-Box” that translated the collection into physical objects presented in a ten-pound archival dossier; Jacquemus whose physical runway show “L’Amour,” set in a wheat field in Us, France, was coupled with a robust social media campaign; “Phlegethon,” Rick Owens’ menswear S/S 2021 video presentation, filmed in Italy; and a lookbook from Gucci worn by the brand’s design team and presented with a 12-hour livestream video.

In spite of this creativity, overall critical reception was mixed. There was consensus that these first digital fashion forays were more prototype than finished product. Speaking to Women’s Wear Daily, Bruce Pask, menswear director of Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, commented that there was not enough focus on product images. For buyers, it was difficult to grasp an idea of each collection from digital presentations which were more like mood boards than product catalogues, as Matchesfashion Men’s Style Director Simon Chilvers recently pointed out in an interview with La Conceria.

Clearly, these shows have been watched, by professionals as well as end consumers, which boosted engagement and awareness. But they did not automatically translate into wholesale sales. The digital buying process is new to everyone. Although it has certain advantages – for instance, it offers a quicker overview of product range and simplifies the selection of key outfits as well as digital archiving – it doesn’t flow naturally.

“Without the real-life interaction, it feels rushed. It’s hard to make decisions over large investments digitally,” a German buyer told WeAr. With so much at stake in an economically uncertain time, the unfamiliar environment makes the selection process much harder. Ramon Ehlen, co-owner of Labels in Sittard, the Netherlands said: “[Digital appointments] were okay, but not as nice as a normal showroom visit. It is important to feel the vibe of the showroom. In the next season, I hope we can go to the physical showroom”. And Peek & Cloppenburg KG, Düsseldorf told us: “Our buyers were positively surprised how smoothly the ordering process can run even on this changed path. Nevertheless, the digital offer cannot replace the ‘look & feel’ [of the real]. The feel of the fabrics and materials is essential for our work.”

Of the all the digital events, Milan Digital Fashion Week ranked first among digital fashion weeks with 58% (6.24M EUR) of the total combined Earned Media Value (10.74M EUR) of the events, according to DMR Group, a media monitoring firm for the luxury market. Milan Digital Fashion Week launched an ambitious online platform that with presentations from 42 fashion houses and a collection of 73 online showrooms representing 457 brands. The event also featured Together for Tomorrow, a collection of 11 new designers, and International Fashion Hub Market, with 10 international menswear brands. Brands such as Alberta Ferretti, Ermenegildo Zegna, Marni, Moschino and Prada participated along with showrooms such as Spazio38, Showroom Marcona3, and Slam Jam.

In Munich and Düsseldorf, real life showrooms, which operated under strict security measures, were well frequented. While companies like Zalando imposed a complete travel ban, other stores, like Breuninger, allowed their buyers to travel at least nationally. Whilst it is possible to order online with systems like JOOR, buying is still mainly a people’s business: buyers need to understand the brand’s emotions, and a sales person will still be required to respond to a customer’s individual wishes. As Peek & Cloppenburg put it: “For the future, a combination of process-supporting digitalisation with conventional sample parts would be desirable. We see an advantage for short-term procurement needs in the expanded offerings in the area of 3D simulations.”

Despite the challenges adapting to the new digital format, a hybrid digital and physical buying experience could offer a more efficient and innovative experience for brands and buyers alike.

For this special issue, WeAr asks top denim professionals – including Designers, CEOS, Manufacturers, Fabric and Fiber Specialists: WHAT WILL BE THE CRUCIAL INNOVATIONS THAT FINALLY POSITION DENIM AS A SUSTAINABLE CATEGORY?

Ani Wells, Founder, Simply Suzette

The denim industry has been working tirelessly to come up with solutions to producing this resource intensive garment. But, it seems, the collaborative efforts and knowledge shared within the denim community has put us ahead of the fashion industry in general.

Traditionally, synthetic indigo requires petroleum, formaldehyde and cyanide, as well as other toxic substances, to turn the powdered form into a liquid dye. However, the newest innovation is bio-engineered indigo, which genetically engineers bacteria to mirror the way Polygonum Tinctorium makes and holds its color. This, paired with regenerative / carbon positive farming methods and chemically recycling cotton textiles, will help position denim as a ‘sustainable’ category.

Maurizio Donadi, Founder, Atelier & Repairs

While innovation is about technical experimentation and may take time, the first innovative step to make denim a more sustainable garment is to produce less of it.

In fact, the vast majority of issues with denim lie in design flaws and the extraordinary overproduction of jeans, compromising the health of people and the environment.

Here I suggest a few steps toward a more sustainable and responsible approach to denim:
1. Design for circularity and commit to producing long-lasting goods.
2. Reduce production.
3. ‘Re-imagine’ / re-design so as to reduce the extraordinarily high obsolete global inventory of finished product and textile.
4. Invest in textile technology and testing in order to create the friendliest products for people and the environment.
5. Publicly and transparently share the way your brand works.

In the end, it comes down to a simple concept: be content with your company being smaller in size, higher in quality, equally profitable for investors and workers and, most importantly, honest.

Paul Dillinger, Vice President of Global Product Innovation, Levi Strauss & Co.

We’ve got a great-looking pair of Levi’s in our archive that are about 134 years old: a beautiful shade of indigo and a stunning authentic finish. The fit is wearable and relevant, and would look great on the streets of Tokyo, Paris – or even Paris, Texas. The relative environmental impact from making a jean in 1884 is nearly negligible when amortized over 134 years. We’ve made ‘sustainable jeans’.

We can refine and improve the technical industrial cycle – exploring advanced man-made cellulosic fibers made from post-consumer garment waste to replace virgin cotton. We can use newly re-formulated synthetic dye types that save water, eliminate effluent and reduce the carbon footprint of denim production. Alternatively, we can work to revive a more natural industrial cycle – eliminating synthetic material and chemical inputs through the use of organic cotton, hemp and indigo alternatives.

The best expression to this multidisciplinary ‘systems-based’ approach is our new Levi’s WELLTHREAD jeans made with Circulose from ReNewcell– a new recycling technology that turns old jeans into a new, high-quality viscose alternative.

Following strict standards for circular production, we sent samples of these new jeans made from old jeans back to ReNewcell and confirmed that they can be put back into their circular system for a potential 3rd generation of material value. This approach to holistic design for circular systems will be the ‘deciding innovation’ that ensures a sustainable future for our industry.

Adriano Goldschmied, Founder, Genius Group

Sustainability in denim business involves farming, indigo dye production, chemistry, textile machine makers, spinning, weaving, indigo dye systems, fabric finishing, garment design, pattern making, cutting and sewing, garment finishing, creating energy, transportations and many other elements. Clearly, there isn’t a ‘secret weapon’ that could improve them all at once. Only a combination of initiatives in every area can transform denim from the second most polluting industry to a sustainable one.

Lately, there has been a lot of discussions around garment finishing. The introduction of new machines like Ozone and Laser, as well as water recycling and new methods and wash formulas, brought a dramatic improvement. But all the other steps involved in making a jean require the same attention.
Luckily, change is underway. Take, for instance, the inventions by HUUE: through a biological process, they plan to produce indigo dye from sugar cane, eschewing the toxic method we use today.
In the end, the most game-changing innovation is collective awareness of the importance of sustainability.

Iu Franquesa, Founder, Companion Denim

For the biggest portion of denim, where the jeans are pre-washed and distressed, the key factors in sustainability will be the reduction of water consumption, and using fewer and more environmentally friendly chemicals, along with reducing the carbon footprint by shortening the production distances between the suppliers to the warehouses and the shops.
Sustainability should be taken as a holistic concept that is implemented across each and every detail, be it the product itself, the labeling, the packaging or even the shipping method.

Laura Vicaria, CSR Manager, MUD Jeans

Currently, cotton is one of the most environmentally expensive steps in the production of jeans. This is true even when you use organic cotton. Therefore, further reducing or eliminating our dependency on this raw material could have a significant positive impact. MUD Jeans is currently working on a project called the Road to 100. In collaboration with Circle Economy, Saxion University, and Recover, the objective is to create a pair of jeans that is 100% made from post-consumer recycled cotton. Through this project, we aim to tackle the short fiber issue: standard mechanical recycling blends recycled cotton into yarn that is used to make new jeans, but the cotton is shredded in such a way that the resulting fibers are too short. We are resolving this by mixing two recycling techniques: molecular and mechanical. Through this combination, we aim to maintain the look and feel of jeans while eliminating the use of virgin organic cotton entirely.

Martin Höfeler, CEO, ARMEDANGELS

We all love our denims, but denim is a dirty business. With us, no harmful chemicals are used to treat our denims. We use modern techniques such as laser or ozone treatment. You will hardly spot a difference to conventional bleaching, except that we use 85% fewer chemicals. And for the rest, we make sure it meets the GOTS criteria. A few more nice figures: laser saves 62% energy and 67% water. With our ‘detox denim’, we are taking a big step forward towards a more sustainable fashion industry.

Uwe Kippschnieder, Denim Developer, CLOSED

Today there are great opportunities for all three aspects of denim:

The yarns: I believe reducing the amount of fresh cotton is key on the mill’s side.
This could be by using modern cellulose fibers such as Tencel Refibra or by expanding the recycled content of a denim.

The dye: There are revolutionary techniques, such as Kitotex, Smart Indigo, vegetable sizing agents or dyeing methods using nitrogen. Each one of them is drastically reducing the use of chemicals, water and energy, and some of them can be combined for even greater results.

The wash: Italian laundries such as Everest or I.T.A.C. have been putting all their efforts into ‘greener’ washes for many years. Thanks to their steady R&D, we are now able to create perfect vintage images but on a super-low impact base.

High-definition laser, ozone treatments, artificial instead of pumice stones, foam and nebula applications: all these techniques lead us to more sustainable washings.

Angel Nokonoko, Founder, NokNok Denim

If we are talking about having close to 100% sustainable products, then we have to innovate and invest in different areas; in the way we source the raw materials, using recycled or organic fibers, and making trimmings like buttons, zippers or rivets using chemical-free products. Another key point is the washing process: laundries need to invest in innovative technologies that will help achieve sustainable washes with machines like Ozone, Eflow or Laser, among others, which will substitute bleaches and other harmful chemicals. In addition, innovation in new ETP plant technologies will reduce water and electricity usage.

But the most important and decisive innovations are awareness, information and responsibility – and that the consumer understands this industry and that the industry is transparent and ethical in its practices.

Andrea Venier, Managing Director, OFFICINA+39

A big change is happening in the denim industry, and personally I like the challenge. And for a chemical company like us, this means huge R&D investments to replace old practices with better and greener ones.

Products like potassium permanganate alternatives are really innovating our denim industry.
But in the end, the big innovation for the denim sector is to transform the fashion industry into a transparent, responsible and sustainable system that celebrates the stories, the people and the resources behind each pair of jeans.

Tricia Carey, Director Global Business Development Denim, Lenzing

There isn’t just one innovation that will allow us to make a sustainable garment; it takes all the innovations to collide in a scalable way – only then will we have a sustainable garment. It is about looking at best in class for each component. Utilizing fibers with a low environmental footprint, like Tencel Lyocell fibers or circularity with Refibra technology, as a starting point. A reduction in water, chemical and energy use in indigo dyeing and utilizing laser and ozone technology for finishing with fair labor standards. Redefining value to mean a best in class product while considering people and the planet.

Stéphane Jaspar, Chief Marketing Officer, Scotch & Soda

The use of organic cotton is one of the key agents of change to achieve sustainability, although there are still efforts to be made. Denim has been at the core of Scotch & Soda since the brand’s inception in 1985, and it is important to us to be part of the solution as well, so the increasing use of organic cotton in our collections is key.

Another important factor is the growing use of recycled fibers from either pre- or post-consumer waste, which is otherwise often destined for landfill. This procedure reduces the need to create newly manufactured fibers, consequently saving energy, dyes and chemicals, which in turn also reduces pollution.

But one of the most crucial practices that recent technology is allowing us to carry out is the ability to save water in a significant way. With our denim, we are aiming to reduce the amount of the precious element used in the manufacture process by 50% within the next two years.

Kim Hyldahl, CEO and founder, MOS MOSH and MOS MOSH Gallery

MOS MOSH has been working with the same denim manufactures in Turkey from its beginning in 2010. We have seen a dramatic change in the industry, making it a place where almost anything is possible in terms of sustainability. At the same time, the complexity of denim from the point of view of fibers, wash, treatments and trim makes it really challenging to define what a sustainable pair of jeans might look like. For us, the main focus going forward is reducing the amount of water use to zero.

It feels like these last years of focus on sustainability are now paying off, with a variety of fabrics made from post-consumer fibers, recycled or organic. Most recently we have been experimenting with recycled elastane. In the end of the day sustainability is also about creating beautiful product with high durability.

Paul Marciano, Chief Creative Officer, GUESS?, Inc.

The innovations exist to make denim more sustainable – there is waterless and chemical-free
technology, and innovative and more natural dye processes. But what we lack is the expertise,
the resources to have each and every vendor invest in and learn this technology, and the new trends and culture to support the effort. This is starting to change, and it starts with leadership. GUESS is proud to be part of Jeans Redesign, which is a comprehensive guide for 100% circular, recyclable and sustainable denim. By working toward a common goal within the denim industry, we will collectively redesign and communicate sustainable denim in a common way. This will help to make people less confused about sustainability and form a better understanding and expectation for sustainable denim. I believe this is what was missing and will make a huge impact to drive the change we need to more rapidly drive widespread adoption of sustainable innovation in denim.

GUESS is quickly growing our ‘Smart GUESS’ collection, which uses 20%-100% smart materials that are better for the environment. We are focused on sustainable materials because over half of a product’s environmental impact comes from the fabric!

For denim specifically, in addition to the Jeans Redesign program, GUESS is also working to use less
water through waterless technology and developing denim with innovative materials such as our zero
cotton denim which will be available next year.

Magdalena and Markus Budim, Founders, The Budims

Of course, technical highlights and improved materials are essential in order to be able to achieve the highest level of sustainability in all areas. From our point of view, however, it is not only the innovations mentioned above that lead to the final positioning of a sustainable product, but effective communication about it is crucial – especially if it is a long-standing product. What good is the exemplary effort if the added value is overlooked by consumers? We know from our retail experience that the majority of consumers do not yet even know how “dirty” denim can be.

In order to achieve an effective and unshakable breakthrough, ignorance must first be tackled through radical and overt explanations and transparency. That will cause an enormous shock, but it will also raise awareness, we are sure of that.

John Rossell, Head of Creative & Marketing, AG Jeans

Sustainability in denim won’t necessarily come from a silver bullet in innovation, but instead will come with an economy of scale. As production increases and becomes more widespread, costs will become less prohibitive for the general denim industry to adopt. That will only happen when leaders commit to sustainability early on, shouldering the heavy costs of developing resources and processes, and setting a course for others to follow. Brands like AG continue to invest more into sustainability, such as our water recycling technology we launched in 2019, or our exploration into of sustainable fabrics like hemp and Tencel, or creating a garment recycling program to encourage responsible disposal or even circularity; it’s these early efforts at the forefront that will be the deciding factor in creating a sustainable denim industry.

Jason Denham, CCO and Founder, Denham

There has been an incredible transition during the last decade by every component that makes up a jean. The type of cotton we use, the dye stuff, the weaving methods, the waste-less technology and the efforts to preserve and recycle water. Not only fabric but also laundry, manufacturing, packaging and even PCR (post-consumer recycling). I have also said many times that denim jeans are the most sustainable and hard-wearing product on the planet. Jeans last a very long time and often have a second and third life, being passed on to friends, family or thrift stores. Denim gets better the more you wear it and it doesn’t need washing every time you wear it; denim lovers love their jeans and they love to save water!

Reinhard Haase, CEO, True Religion Brand Jeans Germany GmbH and UNIFA Gruppe

Our manufacturing company for denims has invested in new machines, so we have our own cleansing system in-house. The used water will be cleaned up and used directly for the next production, so we are reducing water consumption.

We are also looking into recycled denim for the future.

Garments made with natural fibers like cotton, hemp, linen, wool and some semi-synthetic fibers, specifically Tencel and Modal, are good sustainable choices here. We are looking for a kind of natural dyeing, which is not a very common practice in the fashion industry. Clothing dyed with natural materials like indigo is better for you and the environment.

Sean Gormley, Global Concept Director, Wrangler

We have recently launched a breakthrough technology: Indigood, a sustainable indigo dye that uses foam to replace vat dyeing. Eco-tech finishing throughout our ranges achieves the popular washed and distressed looks of denim with a fraction of the water, energy and chemicals used in conventional processes. Many innovations are available in dyeing and finishing. But the deciding area where innovation is required to position denim as truly sustainable is cotton.

Cotton will continue to play a dominant role in denim. Yes, there are great alternatives to virgin cotton such as hemp, cellulosic fiber and mechanical recycled cotton, which can and should be blended to lessen the need for new virgin cotton. However, it’s important that across the globe farmers adopt new and innovative farming techniques that are proven to greatly reduce the environmental impact of growing cotton and improve soil health.

Donna Ida, Owner, Donna Ida

We are in the process of working with our factory to add Environmental Impact Measuring scores to our products. This means that you can see the impact of certain washes (some have more impact than others). For example, our Blackest and Milk styles are made with fabrics that contain Tencel and have a Low Impact EIM score.

Blue denim can be high impact due to the amount of washing that goes into creating different shades. The Blackest and Milk fabrics are not washed, which ensures they are super low impact.

Martijn Hagman, Chief Executive Officer, Tommy Hilfiger Global & PVH Europe

With denim, the key to unlocking innovation is through strong partnerships with vendors and denim industry leaders that are committed to creating more sustainable products.

Together, we have aligned on low impact processes and established key sustainability metrics that we must all measure ourselves against, including the circularity of the design process, durability of the end product, resources used, and how we manage waste. To facilitate these goals, we created the Denim Lab – part of our Product Innovation Center – which develops sustainable finishing techniques that reduce water and chemical consumption by up to 70%. Currently, more than two million pieces have been finished using lower impact methods, and by the end of 2020, one million pieces will be made using post-consumer recycled cotton.

Vincent Qin, Chief Marketing Officer, Envoy Textiles

If there is a deciding innovation that will position denim as a sustainable garment, it would be innovation in dyeing technology. If there’s any dyeing technology that can achieve satisfactory color without excessive dyeing, that means less dyeing product used, less water used and less energy used; consequently, the laundry process will become easier, less time consuming and, in a word, more sustainable.

Deborah Turner, Marketing Manager, Vicunha Europe

There will always be a market for cotton, but we will need to demonstrate sustainable water use and provide complete transparency. This is not to say that it is wrong to have looked at alternative fibers, but we need to be realistic about their ability to replace cotton and, in particular, their scalability.

The biggest single step would be a commitment to selling garments with a minimum combined recycled content of 25%. This could have a huge impact on the overall business, not to mention landfill, and it’s something that the customer could clearly understand. Vicunha have articles that use no virgin cotton at all but a combination of pre- and post-consumer recycled cotton with Refibra and Tencel, so an average of 25% seems manageable. If this were the normal basic requirement alongside complete transparency, it would put an end to throwaway fashion.

Özge Özsoy, Marketing Chief, Bossa

We adopted the following procedures aimed at reducing our environmental impact: sustainable materials, energy efficiency, water saving, process engineering, certification, social responsibility, re-usage, collaboration and co-creation.

Recycling, reducing and saving are critical. We need a stable and sustainable system in which natural resources are renewed and waste never accumulates: a closed loop. At Bossa, we are developing a zero-waste life cycle to close the loop.

Transparency is just as important. In our D-CHRONICLES concept, we have partnered with FibreTrace to provide trust and traceability.

For this issue, WeAr asked experts across the industry from fiber manufacturers to academics, authors to retailers, how the fashion industry can use the Covid-19 crisis to establish more sustainable practices and attitudes. The responses touch upon a vast range of important topics. Some of the key themes that have emerged are new consumer mindsets; the idea of ‘less is more’; slowing down; rethinking the fashion calendar; reinventing raw materials; recalibrating the supply chain; and, of course, a circular paradigm both in production and consumption.

Stephanie Joy Benedetto, CEO & Co-Founder, Queen of Raw

Fast fashion has driven a drastic increase in textile production. Global per capita textile production has increased from 5.9 kg to 13 kg per year over the period 1975 – 2018 and is projected to continue growing. Up to 15% of that fabric is wasted.

This waste is occurring now more than ever and it is polluting our drinking water. One tee shirt takes 700 gallons of water to produce. If we continue at the current pace of textile production, by 2025, two-thirds of the entire world’s population will face shortages of freshwater and be exposed to hazardous chemicals from textile production alone. So we are not talking about 100 years from now, or even 50 years from now. We are talking about today and on our shores.

We are in a period of massive disruption, requiring us to digitally innovate our way out of crisis. For supply chains to be resilient and agile, this means cutting costs while sustainably securing the materials needed across supply lines in real time. Unused textiles can still fill orders on demand and away from areas impacted by disruption, while supporting commitments to sustainability.

We have already saved over 1 billion gallons of water. That’s enough clean water for 1.43 million people to drink around the world for three years.

Stefaan Vandist, Author of We, Myself & A.I. and Pretopia

A sustainable fashion revolution awaits … thanks to biotechnology
When we look at fashion from a materials angles, clothing always has a petrochemical, vegetable or animal origin. All of them have their own sustainability issues. However, nature’s bacteria, algae and fungi can bring a sustainable revolution.
Covid-19 caused upheaval in the fashion economy – companies already struggling might disappear. But why invest to keep a sputtering economy alive, when you can also invest in a new system?
Biotech start-ups bring climate-positive, biological, non-toxic and regenerative processes to produce textiles, plastic and artificial leather faster, cheaper, safer and more sustainable.

Covid-19 made it clear that our society can react extremely fast and change course. And innovative and agile companies will benefit from changing fashion production processes. This sustainable change is coming … from biotechnology. Changing one of the most polluting industry into a (more) sustainable one.
Luxury and sports brands are taking the lead. Eco-pioneer Algix (Mississippi, USA) grows algae with polluted water and CO₂ as main raw materials. Together with brands such as Vivabarefoot, H&M, Billabong and Clarks, they will have the capacity to produce 500 million pairs of shoes per year from their climate-positive material ‘bloom foam’. Other promising gamechangers are Ginkgo Bioworks, Algiknit, Ecovative, Colorifix and Modern Meadow.

Paul Marciano, Chief Creative Officer, GUESS?, Inc.

While the Covid-19 crisis has turned the world upside down, it is also helping us to see what is most important in life. While luxury is nice, what is most important right now is family and essential needs.

We are all becoming more mindful, including about what we wear. Customers want the brands they love to align with their values. At GUESS, already prior to the pandemic, we were focused on making high quality products that are versatile, durable and sustainable. We use organic, recycled and responsibly sourced materials that are better for the environment, and are working with our factories to increase awareness and take action on environmental issues. This effort is all about transparency. We are asking our factories to share with us what they are doing, which we take into consideration when selecting vendors, and we are working our way to then be more transparent with the customer on where and how our products are made. Transparency, quality and sustainability are the way forward for our industry.

Dana Thomas, author of Fashionopolis and Deluxe

The Covid-19 period, with lockdown throughout the world, has allowed the fashion industry to step back and reassess everything from supply chain to retail, and many brands have done so. We’ve seen the shifting of delivery schedules to be more in sync with seasons, the reduction of the number of collections produced each year, and the transformation of fashion weeks into digital platforms, which is less polluting than the physical editions. But we also saw some horrors: mainly, that brands didn’t pay for or collect finished orders in sourcing countries like Bangladesh, with clothes sitting in containers on docks, and workers unable to pay their bills, even starving. This is an industry-wide embarrassment that must be rectified. Brands insist that they source in these poor countries because they want to lift their citizens out of poverty. That has been proven to be wholly untrue. It is time for brands to pay their workers a living wage, and not one dime less. Until then, fashion will be seen as ugly.

Franc’ Pairon, Founder of La Cambre Mode and IFM MA Design Paris

Fashion is ill. This phenomenon is not new: frantic pace of creative production, pirating of ideas, surplus production, shifting of seasons, anachronistic sales …
The entire system needed to be reviewed. Several voices were raised to denounce these dysfunctions, but the cogs were too well oiled to be stopped! It took a planetary health crisis, Covid-19, to impose a period of reflection … mandatory and perhaps beneficial.

The rhythm of always new collections had something inhuman about it. This mandate to create collection after collection put the studios in constant turmoil. Journalists barely had time to decipher the novelties, and retailers were lost in the multitude of offers. At all levels, the unease was noticeable.
Can we believe in more sustainable practices? There will now be a dark period in our fashion landscape: layoffs, restructurings, bankruptcies. Will it be bad for good? Consumers have been living in confinement and were confronted with their living space … with often overflowing wardrobes!
Covid-19 will inevitably change the buying behavior. A new fashion effervescence has yet to be found.

Sonja Noël, Owner, Stijl Brussels

Covid-19 has fuelled people’s awareness to “buy locally”: local production (e.g. in Europe) means less transport, less pollution in the production chain and better working conditions.

Covid-19 also inspired consumers to “buy less”. Less but better: beautiful pieces that become a part of oneself and which one can enjoy for years.
This may cost the consumer (slightly) more, but “paying a higher price is an added value”: it will help to keep the entire industry alive and counter the impossible-to-follow (from a retailer point of view) discounting. This “race to the bottom”, to be the first to sell at a discount prices, eventually caused the current overproduction.

This “fashion with added value” – local creation and manufacturing, no production (and discount) rat-race. Fashion with value is made manually and has an artisanal production process. Made in small quantities, it becomes the new exclusivity.

Dana Davis, Vice President of Sustainability, Product and Business Strategy, Mara Hoffman

Sustainability has been inherent to us since we transitioned into a more aware, responsible and accountable business model back in 2015. Covid-19 hasn’t changed that for us. Before we faced the pandemic, we were thinking about the next evolution of our brand and this moment in time has forced us to make these changes abruptly, which affected our structure and production times.

To us, the future means breaking away from the traditional fashion calendar, producing less, and working with existing fabrics and products to create something new. We will continue to push innovation within circular systems and create new business models to support that work. When we were first getting started in our shift, we looked to other brands who were leaders in this space long before us for guidance. Collaboration will be extremely important if we want to change the industry as a whole, not just within brands, but also with retailers, manufacturers, vendors, etc.

Anastasia Podolskaya, Founder, Sane Fashion Philosophy

The first thing all fashion companies should pay attention to is the supply chain. Responsible choice and close relationships with the producers of raw materials, suppliers and factories is a path not only to sustainable development, but also to reducing many risks associated with a pandemic.

Openness and transparency in communications become a new necessity. Customers pay more attention to the ethical side of companies. They want to make sure that people involved in the production of clothing are socially protected and do not suffer from discrimination or any kind of violence. And the guarantee of this is the maximum traceability of the supply chain, as well as the open publication of information such as addresses, phone numbers and photos of factories, mentions of suppliers, certificates, and the company’s environmental and social initiatives.

It is worth noting that transparency is integral to an ethical and sustainable business. And the crisis very clearly highlighted the failure of the majority on this very issue.

Martijn Hagman, Chief Executive Officer, Tommy Hilfiger Global and PVH Europe

Covid-19 has only accelerated how we’re approaching sustainability. The pandemic has forced us all to think differently – to let go of traditional ways of working and seek innovation that furthers our vision in the context of this new world. Now is the time to drive real change throughout the fashion industry by rethinking current business models and practices. In our own value chain, we’ve implemented new solutions to promote environmental and social sustainability, all aligned to our mission of making it possible to be a fashion company that Wastes Nothing and Welcomes All.

Amy Hall, VP, Social Consciousness, Eileen Fisher, Inc.

As Eileen always says, there is opportunity inside every crisis. The pandemic gives us the rare opportunity to reinvent all facets of the industry, starting with the fashion calendar. Anyone who has been working from home these past six months now knows: we only need a fraction of our clothes. Why design into quarterly, monthly or even weekly deliveries? Can the industry slow down and use this time to reduce, refine, refocus? The consumer will follow our lead. We will then be able to design properly, with the end in mind. Is each garment reusable and – ultimately – compostable? Is the supply chain as tight as possible while providing meaningful livelihoods for its workers? Is every component thoughtfully and responsibly sourced? If not, we have the time and obligation to course-correct now. The trees, the water, the people and the ecosystem will thank us later.

Vincent Djen, Director, Cheng Kung Garments

I am seeing new developments, such as chemically recycled cotton textile waste fabric entering the market. Secondhand and reselling, too, continue to gain market shares. Covid-19 has pushed the digitalization of collection development – such as using 3D design tools and 3D virtual cutworks.
Covid-19 has also raised public awareness on which brands really walk the walk in terms of business ethics, treating their suppliers correctly by paying their orders in full and on time – a feat that many a worker’s livelihood heavily depends on. But I think the most important impact is that Covid-19 seems to lead people to spend money more rationally and truly observe the importance and power of Mother Nature. I hope this is the beginning of a consumer mega trend towards total well-being and sustainable living.

Mimi Sewalski, Managing Director, Avocado Store

The Covid-19 crisis is causing many consumers to rethink how they shop. The fashion brands that will emerge victorious from this crisis will be those that impress with their transparency, authenticity and good ‘story doing’ – and that show that instead of twelve collections a year, we need fashion that boasts fair and eco-friendly production, longevity, quality and a truly fair price. Then consumers will get on board too and perhaps start consuming less but better.

Renee Henze, Global Marketing and Commercial Development Director, DuPont Biomaterials

My fervent hope is that the change will manifest itself in a collective acceleration towards greater sustainability and transparency practices across markets, geographies and products. For the fashion industry, we’re starting to see hints of how this may transpire. At the beginning of the supply chain, we’re seeing an even more rapid increase in interest for new, sustainable materials. Coupled with that interest, our brand partners are seeing validation from the market for products that incorporate the best performance with the most efficient, sustainable feedstocks. The forced slowdown has given mills and brands the chance to re-evaluate their sourcing strategies, with a piqued interest in new materials that adhere to the principles of the circular economy and a heightened insistence on transparency. We’re seeing a rapidly emerging consumer preference for well-being, assurance, trust and comfort directly translate back into our fashion supply chain. In addition to producing higher quality, durable products that are less disposable, I believe that both beginning and end-of-life solutions for textiles will become mandatory – if not by regulation, then by brand policy or consumer insistence.

Thimo Schwenzfeier, Show Director, Neonyt

What we all felt in our personal lives, as well as on the business side, is that the people’s sentiment towards sustainability has changed and that there is a deeper engagement with the issue. I think that was a long overdue and very important step towards a more sustainable textile industry; consumers are changing their behavior, which results in more pressure on companies to change their way of manufacturing. And in order to become fully sustainable, we need to map the entire value chain and thus identify opportunities to limit the negative environmental and social impacts of the textile industry and, at the same time, put a spotlight on accountability and transparency.

Jose Pinto, CEO, Lemon Jelly

The tendency for simpler, minimalist and versatile products that also reflect a care for the Earth’s resources is not only a request from consumers but also a necessity for more functional products, facilitating its recyclable facet. There is a need for products with style but mostly purpose. And it’s time to make a difference, to investigate and create new raw materials that bring less impact to the environment, and to reduce waste from production.

And although digital has never been so strong, the same is also true of our awareness that the people behind each brand and cause are the key to pump energy, creativity and innovation into the future. It’s time to come closer than ever to our suppliers and customers, to work in unison, to act together to achieve something meaningful.

With this in mind, we have developed a new biobased material and continue to take action with our Wasteless Act and Closing the Loop initiative, where our waste is taken into account and our products are able to reintegrate the production of new shoes.

Bernd Hausmann, Founder & CEO, Glore

The fast fashion industry unmasked itself once again during the Covid-19 shutdown. It was shocking to see that companies canceled orders in production countries and put textile workers into existential hardship. In our communication, we should always work out what makes sustainable fashion different. Our values are based on human rights and sustainability, and not on pure profit maximization. Every brand can immediately switch to sustainable materials, but no multinational corporation can manage to operate sustainably and act out of inner conviction.

Ruth Farrell, Global Marketing Director, Textiles, Eastman

Even before Covid-19, we were seeing a trend toward brands wanting a more sustainable fabric. Today, it is even more important. Now womenswear designers and manufacturers are clamoring for sustainable fabrics to meet the demand of discerning customers, who care about the materials in their clothes. Naia cellulosic fiber is at the nexus of comfort and luxury because it renders soft, skin-friendly fabrics in rich, vibrant colors with a sumptuous drape.
In the fashion industry, we have to take a conscious look at the big issues we are facing and collectively come up with solutions to solve them, waste being one of them. We have all got to play a role in diverting waste from landfills, and the Naia team is excited to be launching Naia Renew this autumn, which is sourced from 40% recycled plastic waste.

Christina Dean, Founder/Chair, Redress; Founder/CEO, The R Collective

We will see an increase in collaboration across the industry and within companies themselves in order to find ways to reduce textile waste. Covid-19 let fashion’s previously rather hidden waste story out of the bag. As we witnessed consumption and sales come to an abrupt halt, so too did we see textile materials stranded all over the world; from shop floors, design studios, warehouses to factories. This enormous waste hangover will require collaboration – across the supply chain and also within businesses’ various departments – from finance, design, retail and logistics. Waste – which used to be quietly handled by small inner teams, including finance, at large companies – is now an issue that broader management teams must collaboratively solve to protect their bottom lines.

Hans Martin Galliker, Ecopreneur-In-Residence, Huadao Ecovillage

Does it matter whether or not you are a conscious industrialist?
If you don’t care the polar bears and workers in Bangladesh – then at least do it for yourself. No more yo-yo diets, expensive psychiatrists and false friends. Swap your superficial facade with becoming an original style icon. It’s simple: slow down your life. The upgrade to becoming healthy, beloved, stylishly unique and wise requires you to shift gears.

“Less is More” gives yourself a break, buys you freedom, skips the noise so that you finally hear your heart.

“Quality first” will make you care and others who care too will mind the difference.

“Sharing” will lead to family fun during clothes swaps, making new friends while mending together clothes in a hip repair cafe or cycle superfluous samples to second hand markets.

The slowness virus will enlighten you and your beloved ones, colleagues and business partners. Before you can say “mindful” will your new-found inner peace and healthy lifestyle expand your horizons and guide you towards more sustainability-minded business decisions.

The V&A Museum’s Bags: Inside Out exhibition will be dedicated to bags and will feature the first-ever made Hermès Birkin bag owned by Jane Birkin, alongside Mulberry handbags worn by Kate Moss and Alexa Chung.

Published for the fashion industry by the Pantone Color Institute, Pantone’s trend forecasting and color consultancy, this season’s report features the top 10 standout colors, as well as current takes on the five core classics we can expect to see on the New York runway as fashion designers introduce their new spring/summer collections.

According to Pantone Color Institute experts, colors for Spring/Summer 2021 New York emphasize our desire for a range of color that inspires ingenuity and inventiveness – colors whose versatility transcend the seasons and allow for more freedom of choice – colors that lend themselves to original color statements and whose flexibility easily adapts to our new and more fragmented lifestyle.

“Offering a range of shades illustrative of nature, colors for Spring/Summer 2021 underscores our desire for flexible color that works year-round. Infused with a genuine authenticity that continues to be increasingly important, colors for Spring/Summer 2021 combine a level of comfort and relaxation with sparks of energy that encourage and uplift our moods,” said Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute.

The Spring/Summer 2021 New York Color Palette: Shades illustrative of nature coupled with new core classics come together to create a palette inspiring ingenuity and inventiveness.

To celebrate Carolina Herrera’s presence in New York Fashion Week for the past four decades, this season the fashion house will be airing The Conversation, an intimate, never-seen-before conversation between our founder Carolina Herrera and Creative Director Wes Gordon.

Filmed by acclaimed filmmaker Lisa Immordino Vreeland, this mini-documentary captures the unique bond between Carolina and Wes, as they discuss the past, present and future of fashion while sharing personal memories and anecdotes in this fun and witty toast to New York and the fashion industry. The documentary launches today on 14th September 2020.

TikTok has announced it is launching #TikTokFashionMonth until 8 October, coinciding with the end of Paris Fashion Week, the final week of global fashion month.

The mobile video platform will host a series of events, initiatives and hashtags dedicated to the world of fashion which sees high social interest during the catwalk season. The platform will host weekly livestream events, including the fashion shows of luxury brands such as Saint Laurent, J.W. Anderson and Louis Vuitton.

“We’ve seen the fashion industry reinvent what luxury fashion means to culture and society through TikTok by bringing fashion into the homes of our community during quarantine. With the launch of our TikTok Fashion Month, this is just another way for our brand partners to leverage the platform’s authentic and community-driven approach to showcase their art, creativity and personalities in a unique and truly TikTok way,” says CeCe Vu, Fashion Content Partnerships Lead at TikTok. “We’re so thrilled to be able to offer an inclusive and immersive virtual fashion month experience for our community and are excited to see how they engage with each piece of live programming, hashtag challenge and creative effect.”

FABRIC DAYS closed its doors after three successful fair days from 1 – 3 September 2020, where it explored its seasonal theme ‘Hopetimism’.

Around 1,300 visiting companies on site gathered new impulses and inspiration for the Autumn.Winter 21/22 collection. Around 300 suppliers presented in over 700 collections their novelties in the 6 areas Fabrics, Additionals, Denim & Sportswear, Innovations, Design Studios and Sourcing. The foyer of Hall 4 of the MOC was dedicated to innovative approaches with the proven ReSource Area and the Sustainable Innovations forum curated by Simon Angel.

“With the organization of the first fabric trade fair for the textile industry, we took on a great responsibility. After the cancellation of numerous trade fair events, we are particularly proud to have been able to realize FABRIC DAYS. The positive response and gratitude is overwhelming. We are very pleased about the cohesion and also the discipline with which everyone here on site worked together and we are happy to conclude the trade fair as an important source of inspiration with this result.” Sebastian Klinder, Managing Director Munich Fabric Start

DuPont has announced the 20th anniversary of its first commercial run for the 3G2 production line at the Kinston, North Carolina plant site, signifying the launch of the world’s first 3GT polymer, known by its trademark Sorona. To mark this milestone, celebratory events will be held to pay honor to the history of Sorona, and to focus on its future.

“We’re proud of the role Sorona has played over the past 20 years in making the textile industry a more sustainable place,” said Mike Saltzberg, DuPont Biomaterials global business director. “It’s exciting to be part of an industry that puts performance and sustainability at the forefront of everything they do.”

DuPont developed Sorona in the late 1990’s by leveraging the innovative bio-based monomer Bio-PDO as the basis for the polymer. The development process for DuPont Sorona begins by harvesting feedstock and extracting glucose from the crops. Next, proprietary microorganisms are added to ferment the sugar to create Bio-PDO. TPA (terephthalic acid) is added to the monomer to create Sorona polymer, offering spinners, mills, retailers and consumers a high-quality, eco-efficient product that doesn’t sacrifice performance.

Maison Christian Dior recently announced its support for the UNESCO Global Education Coalition. Created several months ago in response to the Covid-19 crisis, the initiative aims to support countries in scaling up best distance learning practices to provide education opportunities for children and youth who are most at risk. The first couture house to join the initiative, Dior is building on the engagement of its Women@Dior educational program for young female students.

“Never before have we witnessed educational disruption on such a scale,” said UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay. “Partnership is the only way forward. This Coalition is a call for coordinated and innovative action to unlock solutions that will not only support learners and teachers now, but through the recovery process, with a principle focus on inclusion and equity.”

Warming up to a strong S/S21 market season and Shanghai Fashion Week, DFO is presenting its latest sales campaign all throughout September. As the fashion market in China quickly rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic, buyers are seeking to spend their budgets on pre-orders and immediate delivery orders to keep up with growing consumer demand. With domestic travel allowed across the market, the DFO DI:LOFT will physically showcase collections for buyers who will visit the showroom in central Shanghai.

DFO’s showroom in downtown Shanghai is open for one month to welcome buyers at their convenience. Buyers who are not able to visit can place orders via DFO’s online platform which provides detailed photo and video content, live streaming sessions and possibility for one-on-one buyer appointments digitally.

In celebration of the Fall/Winter 2020 collection, GUESS has announced Michele Morrone as the new worldwide face of GUESS Men’s. Morrone is an international actor and singer who is best known for his lead role in the successful Netflix film 365 Days, one of the most popular movies in Netflix history that is currently streaming in over 200 countries.

Staged under the creative guidance of GUESS Chief Creative Officer Paul Marciano, the holiday advertising campaign was shot by fashion photographer Nima Benati in her first campaign with GUESS, at the breathtaking Villa Erba in Lake Como, Italy. Once the home of internationally renowned movie director Luchino Visconti, this historic villa was the perfect setting for an iconic campaign and a fundamental inspiration for Paul Marciano’s love of Italian movie history.

“This campaign marks the launch of our new GUESS men’s collection, reflecting our new focus on elevated, classic, and high-quality styles which is perfectly in-line with Michele Morrone’s personality,” says Paul Marciano.

Wrangler has revealed plans to halve its water usage by 2030 as part of its sustainability efforts.

In April, Wrangler announced it had surpassed its original 2020 goal by saving over seven billion liters of water in the product finishing phase of its denim products since 2008 – equivalent to the daily drinking water needs of almost four billion people.

“We’re learning from our past successes in water conservation and expanding the scope of our efforts to be more inclusive of some of the biggest water impacts in our supply chain,” said Tom Waldron, EVP, Global Brand President, Wrangler. “Our new water goal is ambitious, and necessary. New technologies and practices will empower Wrangler to make progress and advance the industry forward in water conservation measures.”

Wrangler said it has teamed up with denim supply chain Transformers Foundation to complete a “comprehensive” water balance study as part of its new goal.

In its 25th collection, Stone Island Shadow Project continues to explore and construct new codes within the space of technical menswear for the modern world. The 7319 capsule focuses on the re-contextualization of the familiar; bringing it into new domains via processes and methods achievable only at Stone Island. 

This season introduces exclusively developed indigo and full black dyed fabrics.

Building on the fundamental motives of function and utility at the core of Shadow, another new collection wide feature is the Pass-Through Enclosure System; whereby partially detached pockets from interior layers are passed through and locked via Velcro to an external layer – unifying the two garments for easier handling. 

The Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) has revealed the calendar for the upcoming New York Fashion Week (NYFW) taking place from September 13th till 16th, 2020.

The Official NYFW Schedule launches on Sunday, September 13th, with Jason Wu and Harlem’s Fashion Row’s virtual fashion experience, and concludes with Tom Ford on Wednesday, September 16th.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on American fashion, slowing down the supply chain and temporarily shutting down many business operations and brick-and-mortar retail. To address the concerns of the fashion industry, we created the innovative RUNWAY360 digital platform which allows brands the flexibility to show their collections in a variety of formats and at a time that works for them, and engages domestic and international press, consumers, and retailers, most of which are not currently able to travel to New York.”

RUNWAY360 will be an ongoing business tool for brands to use, complimenting physical events and shows in the future.

New York Men’s Day (NYMD) will also return to the Official NYFW Schedule and showcase 10 menswear designers including CFDA members David Hart and Timo Weiland.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the global fashion industry and hit New York particularly hard,” said Steven Kolb, Chief Executive Officer of the CFDA. “Fashion week is a critical time when brands are able to connect with press, retailers and consumers, and I’m proud of how quickly the CFDA pivoted to support the needs of the industry by creating RUNWAY360. We are excited to see 10 new American brands on the schedule – many for the first time – who might not have had the opportunity to share their collections to a global audience without access to RUNWAY360. We’re also excited to highlight the incredible talent coming out of Harlem’s Fashion Row, and announce the return of New York Men’s Day. In the face of unprecedented challenges and uncertainty within our industry, the American fashion community has once again come together to support each other and prove its resilience.”

The Ermenegildo Zegna Group has sold its women’s ready-to-wear brand specialised in knitwear brand, Agnona. The luxury fashion group is keeping a minority interest of 30% in the label. 70% of the business was sold to Roberto and Stefano Aimone, Laura Zegna’s husband and son, so the brand stays in the family.

Amazon will be launching its own luxury fashion platform next month, with a variety of ready-to-wear and accessories labels. According to reports in WWD, the business model will see the various designers and brands operate their own concessions on the site, which is expected to launch in September alongside international fashion weeks.

“Despite our determination, recent decisions by the French government banning the resumption of events of more than 5,000 people until after 31 October, along with new travel restrictions in many countries and the resurgence of an increased health risk, have led the Première Vision group to cancel the physical show. For over 45 years, Première Vision has believed in the importance of live meetings and the creative energy resulting from them. So while waiting to see you again, the Digital Show will fill in for now, with complementary services to assist you, remotely,in the designing of your collections.”

The Digital Première Vision show is a virtual event will continue to take place over the days of 15th and 16th September 2020.

Kingpins has cancelled its China City Tour 2020 edition which was due to take place the first week of September 2020.

“While some places in the world have begun to open and many of our mills and partners in China are slowly returning to a sense of normalcy, for many of our international exhibitors, travel is not an option right now,” says Vivian Wang, Kingpins’ managing director and head of global sales.

There is not a Kingpins24 digital event planned for the Chinese market at this time. Kingpins launched Kingpins24 – the first-ever online-only denim supply chain event –  targeting the European and North American markets in the wake of the pandemic after its physical shows were cancelled.

On July 31st, Tranoï has integrated the fashion division of the GL events Group, alongside Première Vision. The sector’s two major players, Tranoï and Première Vision, are thus moving closer together, creating a unique hub of physical and digital BtoB events, services and content to meet the market’s new challenges, from the upstream to the downstream of the global creative fashion industry.

Boris Provost, Managing Director of Tranoï: “We are delighted to join the GL events Group and for this closer relationship with Première Vision. Our goal was to work with established partners who could provide complementary expertise, to collectively develop our offer of services. GL events and Première Vision meet every aspect of these requirements. The resulting synergy between two fashion and trade-show experts will help us develop ambitious transversal projects that corresponds to fashion brands and buyers expectations of today and tomorrow.”

Gilles Lasbordes, Managing Director of Première Vision: “With this closer relationship, as with the alliances we forged in 2019 with Fashion Source in China and The Materials Show in the USA, we continue to pursue our strategy of building a global and complementary offer as closely aligned with the market’s needs as possible. We look forward to collaborating with Tranoï’s teams, whose expertise will help give rise to new projects and, above all, new solutions to support the entire industry in this complex and fast- changing environment.”

The Supreme Group & Igedo Company present: Fashion Bridge Düsseldorf, taking place from 28th August 1st September 2020. Fashion Bridge Düsseldorf signals the union of the two trade fair organizers in Düsseldorf, on the left and right bank of the Rhine, geographically separated and united in terms of content.

The Supreme Women&Men Düsseldorf will end on 31 August, the events of the Igedo Company on 1 September 2020.

Trade fairs have a long tradition at the Düsseldorf location and have always been the driving force behind the activities of the fashion players on site. Together, the two organizers invite buyers from Germany and neighboring countries and network with each other.

In addition to the long tradition of the Igedo Company at the Düsseldorf location, among others, The Supreme Group is celebrating its 10th anniversary this summer with Supreme Women&Men Düsseldorf!

Designers & Agents Show has teamed up with Ordre, a leading online fashion wholesale network to create D&A Digital to connect its exhibitors and retail buyers. It will include virtual showrooms, video options, order building and look book presentations.

“We were attracted to Ordre based on a like-minded sensibility, and point of view, backed up by cutting-edge technology including 360-degree views,” said Ed Mandelbaum, president of Designers & Agents. “The founders of Ordre recognized the challenges created by the changing environment for leading fashion brands in managing their global wholesale networks. Their subsequent vision was to create a channel to facilitate the management of these networks globally through the presentation of seasonal collections through online showrooms and D&A is looking forward to launching this platform to its exhibitors.”

As part of the partnership between LVMH and the Central Saint Martins design school, the annual Maison/o Green Trail show invites students to present sustainable innovation projects that demonstrate how design can respond to the climate emergency. The jury chose five winners whose propositions were especially pertinent.

Organized as part of the Maison/o program, the annual Green Trail event invites students to present innovative sustainable design projects. Twenty-seven students took part in the 2020 Maison/0 Green Trail and five winners were chosen.

PUMA has brought together three of its best-known ambassadors, Formula 1 Champion Lewis Hamilton, Olympian Tommie Smith and football legend Thierry Henry, to have an honest conversation about racism.

More than 50 years ago, when Tommie Smith raised his fist on the podium of the 1968 Olympic Games, he risked everything to stand up for universal equality. At a time when racism and police brutality against minorities once again dominate the headlines, the panel of PUMA athletes talk about their experiences with racism, activism and their hopes for the future.

The topic of the talk is “Is Anyone Listening?”, a quote by Tommie Smith in which he expressed his disbelief that so many years after his silent protest on the Olympic podium, racism was still an issue around the world.

“At some point, people didn’t see my color anymore because I was playing football,” Thierry Henry explains during the discussion. “When I went somewhere where people didn’t recognize me, my color came back.”

Through its #REFORM platform, PUMA is giving its brand ambassadors the chance to talk about causes and to encourage conversations around issues such as universal equality.

The Maison’s Jewellery Artistic Director Francesca Amfitheatrof took Louis Vuitton’s initials as the starting point for the graphic new collection of unisex jewellery pieces. The multiple interpretations of this inspiration offer infinite combinations to mix and match all pieces seamlessly.

The LV Volt Collection pulsates with the energy of the initials’ powerful shape, becoming a unit of measure of its own beat and tempo. The LV letters come together, split apart, link up and intertwine in a myriad of textures, volumes, finishes and dimensions.

Fulgar – a centre of Made in Italy excellence and leader in the manufacture of high-performance man-made and ecological yarns – asserts its role at the forefront of high-tech green developments in the fashion textile world with a new project inspired and promoted by the company and implemented in collaboration with NABA, Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (New Fine Arts Academy).

An experienced innovation incubator in the context of ecological developments, the company presents and promotes FUTURE/Lab, a special sustainable supply chain project interpreted by 10 young talents, all third-year students of the NABA three-year Fashion Design diploma.

For this initiative Fulgar has asked the young stylists to choose fabrics exclusively from Italian companies that belong to the sustainable supply chain, produced using ecological yarns from Fulgar’s green portfolio.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has promoted CaSandra Diggs to the role of president. Diggs is a veteran to the organization and fashion industry, having joined the CFDA in 2001. Most recently, she served as CFDA’s Chief Administrative and Financial Officer.

As President, she expands her leadership role and will be charged with developing strategy and making decisions that further the CFDA’s purpose to champion, educate, and support its membership and the fashion industry-at-large.

“CaSandra is an innovative thinker with a strong understanding of organizational and business operations,” Kolb said. “Expanding her role will provide the CFDA with more opportunity to meet the needs of the membership in a broad and diverse way. It is a critical time for our industry, and she is the right person with the right ideas to help lead CFDA into the future.”

Selfridges has announced a new sustainability initiative, Project Earth. Featuring new design innovations, retail concepts and thought-provoking ideas in sustainability, the series of new commitments part of the project, are set to radically change their business.

“Project Earth is an exploration into how we can change the way we shop by 2025. We believe that by driving a transition to more sustainable materials, exploring new business models, and challenging the mindsets of our partners and customers as well as our own teams, we can offer an alternative perspective on retail and create a sustainable future.”

Swedish recycling business, Re:newcell, has announced a new collaboration with US denim giant Levi’s. Levi’s has launched two new lines which will be produced using Circulose, a recycled materials which is made at Re:newcell’s plant in Kristinehamn.

Circulose’, a dissolving pulp, is produced using post-consumer and post-industrial cotton waste. Re:newcell takes old jeans, t-shirts and other worn out cotton clothes and transforms them into a new natural material without – it is claimed – quality loss. Circulose garments will be available to buy in stores in collaboration with selected brands over the coming months.

“This collaboration is solid proof that Circulose a high-quality material and a direct substitute for unsustainable cotton. We’re incredibly proud,” said a spokesperson for Re:newcell.

Said Paul Dillinger, Levi’s vice president of global product innovation said: “The fashion industry has long been chasing the potential of the circular economy. The jeans we’ve made in collaboration with Re:newcell show it can be done.”

The latest edition of Mipel ended with excellent results in terms of visits just before the outbreak of the Covid-19 emergency in Italy; now the event not only confirms its dates (20-23 September 2020 at FieraMilano-Rho), placing itself among the first fairs to take place again physically since the start of the pandemic, but relaunches with an innovative platform: the “Mipel Digital Trade Show,” a virtual event that will guarantee maximum visibility for participating exhibitors to international visitors who, for obvious reasons related to the global health emergency, will not be able to travel.

The partner chosen by Mipel to inaugurate the beginning of this digital path is the leading B2B e-commerce platform NuORDER. Exhibitors will benefit from NuORDER’s market leading features such as digital catalogs, line sheets, 360 imagery and Virtual Showroom to boost their wholesale business.

“We are excited about this collaboration,” says Franco Gabbrielli, President of Mipel.  “The main international brands of leather goods and fashion accessories that animate our event every year will have the opportunity to get in touch with a qualified network of over 500,000 retailers linked to NuORDER thus creating an unprecedented digital networking system for Mipel. The physical fair remains for us and for the exhibitors an extremely important moment of contact and comparison and the beginning of such a digital path adds further value to the event.”

“We are excited to partner with the global leader of the leather and accessories industry to power its first ever digital trade show,” says Heath Wells, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of NuORDER. “MIPEL has responded quickly to address the needs of its exhibitors and attendees to ensure the crucial connections can still take place alongside its physical event. We are thrilled to provide NuORDER’s leading platform to Mipel’s global network and look forward to the opportunities of enhanced brand discovery and commerce that will be forged through this new way of collaborating.”

WSN wants to strengthen its event despite the exceptional circumstances and have decided to postpone Who’s Next l IMPACT l Traffic (which was originally scheduled from the 4th to 7th September 2020 at Porte de Versailles) to take place alongside Premiere Classe from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th October 2020, in the heart of Jardin des Tuileries during Paris Fashion Week.
The Vimeet platform will now be accessible from the 2nd to the 4th of October 2020 to enable exhibitors to organise their meetings with buyers and present physically or through videoconference for Who’s Next I IMPACT I Traffic & Première Classe. All visitors who have already obtained their badge for Who’s Next I IMPACT I Traffic will be able to use it to enter this event from the 2nd to the 4th of October 2020 in Jardin des Tuileries: Who’s Next I IMPACT I Traffic & Premiere Classe.

To celebrate the legacy of Pitti Uomo, Pitti Connect has launched History of Pitti: a four-part video series highlighting four select designers who contributed to the heart of Pitti’s history. The first in the series features Raf Simons, who has exhibited three times at Pitti Uomo, over his career. The video focuses on the Florence experience and, of course, the designer’s aesthetic research.

On his relationship with Pitti Uomo, Simons has stated, “Florence holds a special place in my heart, as, over the years, I have regularly come back to show my work or to collaborate on projects that closely mirror my vision.” And in highlighting this history, we hope not only to focus on an enduring legacy, but to show the development of a total vision that looks forward to many years to come. “Our history always informs our present and hence our future,” says Simons. “Our past experiences direct the way we react to present challenges. Or, everything I’ve done or created in the past has a direct or indirect impact on what I’m doing now.”

On August 6th, 2020 the monthly Prada Timecapsule drop will be launched on prada.com – at 3pm CET – for 24 hours only. Prada Timecapsule is an exclusive product drop of 50 items, occurring once a month, each first Thursday.

This series of drops offer a classic boxy shirt, one of Prada’s wardrobe essentials, presented as unisex in an original printed version. The print’s motif is inspired by a theme related to the month of launch and includes a specific limited edition number 1/50, 2/50….

For this release, scheduled August 6th, Prada presents a new cotton popeline shirt for both women and men, featuring an exclusive black, light-blue and white graphic print, inspiredmby the biking world.

Next drop will be on September 3rd, 2020.

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, recorded revenue of 18.4 billion euros in the first half of 2020, down 27%. On an organic basis, revenue declined 28% compared to the same period in 2019.

rter, revenue was down 38% on an organic basis compared to the same period in 2019. Although there were encouraging signs of recovery in June across several of the Group’s activities, revenue was notably down in the United States and Europe during the quarter. Asia, however, has seen a marked improvement in trends, with a strong rebound in China in particular.

Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, said: “LVMH showed exceptional resilience to the serious health crisis the world experienced in the first half of 2020. Our Maisons have shown remarkable agility in implementing measures to adapt their costs and accelerate the growth of online sales. While we have observed strong signs of an upturn in activity since June, we remain very vigilant for the rest of the year. We continue to be driven by a long-term vision, a deep sense of responsibility and a strong commitment to environmental protection, inclusion and solidarity. In the current context, we remain even more firmly dedicated to showing continuous progress in these areas. Thanks to the strength of our brands and the responsiveness of our organization, we are confident that LVMH is in an excellent position to take advantage of the recovery, which we hope will be confirmed in the second half of the year, and to strengthen our lead in the global luxury market in 2020.”

Moda Made in Italy, originally scheduled for September in Munich, is cancelled. The overall conditions of this complicated time have unfortunately led Assocalzaturifici to make this decision as part of a wider-ranging assessment of international trade fairs for the footwear industry in today’s profoundly changed world. 

Under a special agreement between ANCI Servizi and the trade fair centre, footwear companies will be able to open a showroom in which to meet with buyers on the dates for which the fair was originally scheduled, from September 27 to 29, 2020. German buyers and footwear companies will also be able to use the online business tool launched by MICAM Milano, which will be going ahead on September 20 through 23, 2020 at Fiera Milano Rho.

MICAM Milano Digital Show, powered by NuORDER is a new platform offering an opportunity to reach the German market, along with others, that will be online from September 15 through November 15, 2020. The new platform will allow companies to support their business online while offering buyers the opportunity to make purchases directly through the portal. 

Stone Island & C2C Festival create STONE ISLAND SOUND, a new project supporting contemporary music productions. A harmonious set of playlists, record releases and soundtrack for stores with the aim of promoting local scenes and communities while building an ideal world sound map.

Cultural independence, avant-garde and new pop, irregular sounds and original music productions will be the stylistic references that will inspire and guide this project, which regards the current music scene as a multi-coloured and chaotic combination of genres.

Stone Island Sound will initially define the musical identity of the stores, meant as an expression of the Brand’s own DNA. Subsequently it will land on Bandcamp, Buy Music Club, Spotify, Tidal, and other platforms that will be periodically fed by a continuous updating of songs and tracks from the independent music scene.

CLOSED’s denim line ‘A BETTER BLUE’ is focused on sustainability from beginning to end. Now in its second generation, the eco-friendly line A BETTER BLUE uses sustainable materials – such as cellulose fibres, organic cotton and recycled fabrics – as well as innovative dyeing methods and new wash techniques. Keeping every step more sustainable, from start to finish.

Dyeing technique: Kitotex is a patented technology that drastically reduces water, energy and chemical consumption of the dyeing process and focuses on biological methods. The central aspect is the focus on chitosan, a natural polymer found in the shell of shrimp.

Material: Organic cotton is made using 70 per cent less water and 60 per cent less energy than conventionally grown cotton. Neither genetically modified seeds nor toxic chemicals are used in its production. Growing organic cotton does not have a negative impact on farmland; it also generates fewer harmful emissions.

Washing technique: Laser has the power to produce very different shades of blue. With lasers you can achieve patchy as well as flat effects in a vintage look. Conventional washing processes are accelerated or even completely replaced by the use of lasers which reduces the use of water and chemicals.

Material: TENCEL from sustainable resources. Raw materials are sourced from sustainably managed woodlands which do not need irrigation, fertilisers or pesticides. The fibres are manufactured in a closed process whereby the water and solvents are almost completely reused. TENCEL— REFIBRA is a special lyocell fibre, made using both wood pulp and 30 per cent recycled cotton waste.

Two-time Grammy-nominated DJ/producer, fashion designer, and entrepreneur Steve Aoki and denim master Alberto Candiani, owner of the Candiani Mill, debut their first collaboration DIM MAK x CANDIANI EC-01, crafted with ReGEN Denim, a water-saving and more sustainably made jean, hand-painted by Aoki and his Dim Mak artisans.

This new 5-pocket straight-fit jean is an incredible feat in modern water-saving and sustainable manufacturing. Crafted with ReGEN Denim – a statement indigo selvedge fabric created for the 80th Anniversary of the Candiani Mill the EC-01 jean is made without using any fresh cotton. The exclusive denim fabric is composed of equal parts recycled cotton, made from the mill’s own production waste, and REFIBRA Technology, a recycled fiber created by Lenzing using cotton waste. ReGEN is the same fabric that won the ITMA Sustainable Innovation Award in 2019, the most prestigious award in the textile industry.

The denim’s wash required very little washing at all.  The distressed, vintage-effects, and even the artwork itself, was created by using laser technology to gently burn the fabric’s surface with varying degrees of intensity.  The yarn is dyed using Candiani’s water-saving Indigo Juice and Kitotex technologies which enhance the custom laser treatments that give the jean its signature look. The whole process of creation allows for incredible savings in terms of water, chemicals, and energy compared to conventional denim, without compromising the aesthetics, performance, and durability of the final product.

In the hands of Dim Mak, the EC-01 jeans have a deconstructed pop art meets manga aesthetic which has evolved from Dim Mak’s ‘AOKI 1of1’ series, where Steve Aoki, the multi-platform, modern day renaissance man has been upcycling clothing and making original, one-of-a-kind wearable art pieces.  Working at the Candiani Design Center in Los Angeles, Aoki chose hardware and learned about denim treatments and processes before adding another very personal touch to each pair – individually hand painted Yōkai, the Japanese demons including the misunderstood Rokurokubi, the mischievous Karakasa kozō, and monstrous Gashadokuro – with the help of Dim Mak’s artists at Aoki’s Las Vegas home, where Aoki has a design and recording studio.