Centre for Fashion Enterprise (CFE), based at London College of Fashion, UAL have announced their first Manufacturers Trade Show in East London. This one-day event, taking place on Tuesday 11th July at York Hall in Bethnal Green, will showcase over 20 exhibitors and aims to introduce fashion enterprises to manufacturers who can produce smaller scale quantities in order to progress their businesses.

The Manufacturers Trade Show is a part of CFE’s Fashion Technology Emerging Futures (FTEF) project, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with the vision to support the new eco-system emerging in London, recognising the convergence of fashion and technology SMEs. This will be the first of CFE’s commitment to a Manufacturer’s Trade Show as part of the FTEF project, and will happen twice yearly.

CFE have commissioned Making for Change to make a collection of tote bags for the Manufacturers Trade Show, featuring exclusive designs from CFE alumni and CFE Fashion Pioneer designer, Ovelia Transtoto. Making for Change are a social enterprise set up by London College of Fashion UAL as part of the college’s ethos of ‘Better Lives’, using fashion as a discipline, to drive change, build a sustainable future and improve the way we live.

Judith Tolley, Head of the CFE commented:

“London is known for nurturing the most innovative and authentic creative fashion designers and emerging businesses but without manufacturers to support and work with them their creative talent and growing businesses would not be realised. Our vision is to connect business with manufacturers with a view to developing long term working relationships.”

Rifle company (Rifle Jeans) has a new partner; the Swiss holding of investments Kora Investments Sa which took over 44% of the Rifle equity. The closing is expected in the next 45 days.

Franco Marianelli ex Guess and Gas Jeans  will be in charge to lead the new Rifle to the next level.

In  2018 – commented Giulio Fratini (owner of the company), who represents the third generation of the founders – “is the 60th anniversary of the company and this is the time to take our company in a new dimension, driving it to the 21st century with a financial investor that is realizing with us its first business in the fashion world.”

Rifle closed the 2016 with a turnover of € 21million as in the 2015. The turnover is almost completely realized in the domestic market. Infact one of the first goal is to develop a global strategy.

The coming edition of #FASHIONTECH Berlin taking place on 5th July 2017, will introduce a redesigned concept that puts the focus on business and practical solutions, Berlin’s meeting-place for fashion experts, industry insiders and future visionaries offers a comprehensive insight this season into the revolutionised value chain of fashion and presents the latest creative visions at the interface of fashion and technology. With the new concept, this season’s #FASHIONTECH Berlin will be interactive and experiential. Thereby, the many keynotes and the start-up pitches taking place on the #stage as well as the experiential #exhibition and the new #masterclasses will showcase all the latest tech trends.

The talks and keynotes on the #stage on the fifth floor of Kühlhaus Berlin will cover content from areas including Wearables & Smart Textiles, E-Commerce & Retailtech and Digital Marketing & Communication.

E-commerce giant JD.com and Farfetch announced a strategic partnership that will create the premier platform for luxury e-commerce across China, opening a gateway to an $80bn market.

The partnership leverages JD’s unparalleled logistics, Internet finance and technology capabilities and social media resources, including its WeChat partnership, with Farfetch’s leadership in global luxury, to create a frictionless and seamless brand experience. Farfetch has well-established operations in China and is already the partner of choice for 200 luxury brands and more than 500 multi-brand retailers. JD will help drive further brand awareness, traffic and sales for Farfetch in the market.

As part of this partnership, JD com will become one of the largest shareholders of Farfetch, investing $397 million, and Richard Liu, JD.com‘s founder and CEO, will join the Farfetch board. JD and Farfetch will partner on marketing, logistics and technology solutions to build the brand in China, while Farfetch will continue to be the customer-facing brand.

The combined strength of the Farfetch-JD partnership will benefit all 700 brands and boutiques that are part of the Farfetch community, enabling them to take advantage of the vast resources of this new gateway to China’s luxury market.

Leveraging JD Luxury Express, JD’s recently launched white glove service, Farfetch will be able to offer customers a premium level of service befitting the world-class brands sold on the site. For Chinese consumers, this combination of Farfetch’s luxury know-how, and JD’s blazing same-day delivery speeds and highly professional service, will provide an unparalleled luxury proposition.

Farfetch partner brands with a local retail presence will also have access to world-class omni-channel capabilities, including click & collect and in-store returns, connecting the brands’ physical retail stores in China to consumers.

Isabel Marant has launched its own dedicated e-commerce store in partnership with Yoox Net-a-Porter Group. The new site will feature the entire range of Isabel Marant products including the Etoile line and accessories lines. A special section called ‘La Valise d’Isabel’ will feature the designer’s perspective on the current collection. To mark the worldwide launch of the new platform, Marant is also set to unveil her new packaging, developed with German painter Katrin Bremermann. 

The website is available in 6 languages and offers worldwide shipping to 101 countries globally.

From 4th to 8th July, SEEK is bringing the rush of Fashion Week to the public in the form of a concept pop-up shop.

SEEK is taking Fechtner Delikatessen, one of Berlin’s finest organic coffee and lunch spots, and transforming it into a blank canvas for fashion insiders and outsiders alike to gather, shop, inspire and explore. The barriers between brand, buyer, media and consumer are breaking down season after season.

An experimental answer to the current retail situation, the space gives equal access to a curated selection of the best in fashion, food and lifestyle. Moreover, SEEK's Super Natural delivers what the most memorable shopping experiences always do: a concept everyone wants to take part in and share.

Dubbed Super Natural, the pop-up coincides with the release of SEEK Magazine No. 6. A portfolio of all-white clothing and lifestyle products populate a clear and reduced space. The launch of the latest print publication will be on 3th July at the pop-up shop.

Boasting a very creative energy and the overall quality of the proposals meeting the favor of the best national and international buyers at Pitti Immagine Uomo n. 92: foreign buyers confirm the excellent results of last June, while Italy has recorded a little drop.

As always, Pitti Immagine Uomo n. 92  presented in Florence the latest trends, designers and brands for men's fashion. The most important international and Italian buyers have chosen once again Pitti Uomo as a global reference point for lifestyle and scouting in menswear, confirming the importance of the selection and segmentation criteria adopted by the Pitti Immagine marketing team, that aim to present the more interesting news – in trends and products – from the best Italian and international companies that research and innovate in style and materials. The undisputed prestige of design and made in Italy, the completeness of the offer, the variety of the collections, the lively design and presentations, the different international partnerships (e.g. with the Guest Nation Australia, the Japan Fashion Week, Liberty Fairs..) and the special events (the exhibition at Palazzo Pitti, the JW Anderson and Off White shows, the presentations by the Italian designers Federico Curradi and Alanui …) did the rest.

In terms of figures, more than 19,000 buyers have been registered a few hours before the end of the show, with foreign countries confirming the levels of last June and with a drop of Italian buyers between 8 and 9%. A total number of more than 30,000 visitors is expected.

The WeAr team presented throughout the show exclusive insights into the fair, with voices from buyers/designer/visitors and various impressions including streetstyle in our Florence Buyers Guide. 

Stay tuned for Berlin Buyers Guide beginning of July 2017.

Swiss luxury brand Bally presented at Pitti Uomo for the first time, launching its Spring Summer ’18 retro sneaker collection. Bringing back the magic with the revival of its best sneaker styles over the past decades, Bally’s retro sneaker collection includes four replications of its most successful lace ups, from hip-hop era classics to smashing tennis shoes and sporty runners.

The replica will be presented alongside four additional derivations, exclusively for Pitti Uomo, in Kodak, garnet, marine and snuff. Reissued with a vulcanised sole and the same Bally logo on the side, the canvas shoes are available as replicas as well as three new derivations, in both hi and low top styles, and as full leather versions. Bally’s Galaxy runner, a shoe originally created for utility in 1988, has also been reissued and is now Bally’s lightest sneaker, crafted in canvas with suede detail. The original model in garnet has been reproduced alongside two new versions in Kodak and black, with the original running sole. The 1974 Vita-Parcours completes the collection, with original identifiable black and white check pattern and produced with a modernised sneaker sole, used in Bally’s Heimberg collection.

Bally’s retro sneaker collection is available in stores and online from January 2018 onwards.

Check out more on Pitti in our Florence Buyers Guide: http://www.wearglobalnetwork.com/buyers_guide/florence

Continuing on the success of last season’s first collaboration and ‘RECYCLE’ project, Save the Duck team up once again with award-winning British designer Christopher Ræburn to collaborate on a second luxury capsule collection for S/S 2018. In keeping with Save the Duck and Christopher Ræburn’s vision, a commitment to protecting the animal kingdom and planet, the collection presents a range of contemporary lightweight quilted jackets. These have been made from highly performing recycled fabrics, including Save The Duck’s PLUMTECH, an innovative padding and technical fibre that replaces down feathers.

As always considered sourcing is of paramount importance for both brands and all materials have been chosen inline with the “ANIMAL FRIENDLY” mission of Save the Duck. The capsule created by Christopher Ræburn for Save The Duck will be distributed to select luxury stores around the world in collaboration with the showroom Tomorrow.

JW Anderson presented the Italian debut showing of his S/S 2018 men’s collection on Wednesday, 14th June at Villa la Pietra. “I am truly honored by this invitation to show at Pitti Uomo”, said Jonathan Anderson. “Florence, with its extraordinary beauty will be the perfect backdrop for my collection”.  

“We have been keeping a careful eye on Jonathan Anderson’s career for several seasons”, says Lapo Cianchi, Pitti Immagine director of communications and events. “Above all, we are drawn to the creativity and eclecticism of his collections that are further enhanced by fine quality manufacturing and – in menswear by undisputable sartorial skill. The way he reinterprets elements from the contemporary art scene and from the youth culture, alternating emotional impact (out-of-scale volumes, for example) and transgressions that are projected towards anticipating the future leaving very little room for nostalgia, is very interesting. His shows are always surprising with great communicative power”.

For Pitti Uomo, Lindsay Kemp – who among many other things, directed the Ziggy Stardust Concerts for David Bowie – was a guest at IED from 12th to 15th June for a workshop freely inspired by Japanese Kabuki theatre and ukiyo-e prints from the Edo period, between the 17th and 19th centuries.

The workshop involved 40 students from the IED Group who – under the overall guidance of Kemp and the supervision of Giovanni Ottonello, IED Art Director – created the costumes for the event, using fabrics and products from companies in the Como area and Tuscany. The performance at the end of the workshop featured Kemp himself as protagonist, accompanied by two of his dancers. The students involved in the creation of the costumes wore them as part of Kemp’s performance event.

The performance is part of Secret Florence program. Secret Florence’s core mission is to enhance the attractiveness of the city of Florence during the opening week of Pitti Immagine Uomo. This is achieved through an innovational and high quality artistic proposal intended for a young, international audience interested in unveiling the connections between contemporary artistic languages and the extraordinary historical heritage of the city. 

Find more on Pitti in our Buyers Guide on WeAr Global Network.

MAGLIANO (Luca Magliano) is the winner of the 9th edition of WHO IS ON NEXT? UOMO, the scouting project that seeks out new talents in men’s fashions who are Italian or manufacture their collections in Italy, organized by Fondazione Pitti Immagine Discovery and sponsored by Pitti Immagine Uomo in collaboration with Altaroma and L'Uomo Vogue.

Luca Magliano has created a clear concept that is complete and minimalist, an “indispensable editing” of the contemporary man’s wardrobe. Highly appreciated for the quality of the manufacturing as well as the brand’s decisive attitude and character, Magliano has achieved results of an undisputed contemporaneity, a mix of genderless accents and military inspirations with an ironic twist.

In addition to the winner and the honorable mentions, the finalists were: MATTEOLAMANDINI, MILANO140 (Michele Canziani and Stefano Ghidotti) and OMAR (Omar Nardi). 

During the upcoming edition of Milan Menswear Week taking place this month, as part of the collaboration between the Italian and Dutch fashion industry, a selection of the creations by the winning Amsterdam Global Denim Awards will be displayed. Named ‘Best of Both’ the collaboration aims to strengthen the connection between Dutch and Italian fashion and denim.

The Global Denim Awards Exhibition has focused on the Italian and Dutch collaborations over the last 3 years, highlighting the best creations of Netherlands and Italy. On display will be the capsule collections of five designers (Jonathan Christopher, Alexandra Frida, Edithmarcel, Sartoria Diletto and Anbasja Blanken) and three Italian denim mills (Candiani Denim, Berto Industria Tessile and ITV Denim).

Stella McCartney has teamed up with Parley for the Oceans on a long-term project named ‘Ocean Legends’. McCartney already previously designed a pair of trainers made from ocean plastic, instead of woven/recycled polyester in her designs. 

As well as being made from upcycled marine plastic, each piece in the collection will be dedicated to individual pioneers within the ocean movement, as a "symbol of recognition". The first design, which will recognise Greenpeace co-founder Paul Watson, is an update on the existing Falabella Go backpack. Made from recycled polyester fabric salvaged from the sea, it will feature the brand's signature braided Falabella chain across its pocket, as well as Sea Shepherd badges, all made from ocean plastic.

Parley for the Oceans is the space and network where the creative industries come together to raise awareness about the oceans and collaborate on projects that can end their destruction. The ocean is a vital part of our planet and we are running out of time to save it.

Maison Margiela has announced its cancellations of its S/S 2018 menswear runway show which would have taken place during Paris fashion week this month. 

The change comes as the brand is undergoing a strategic review under its new Chief Officer Riccard Bellini.

Cindy McNaull, Global Cordura brand & marketing director, has been nominated as finalist for the first ever ‘Woman of the Year’ award offered by the Professional Clothing Awards. The winner will be announced on June 21st 2017, at the same time Cordura will announce further news on #Cordura50.

Cindy McNaull has been a driving force and “durable ambassador” at INVISTA’s CORDURA brand for more than a decade. In Cindy’s current role as global CORDURA brand and marketing director, she harnesses more than 25 years of passion and experience in specialty chemical, textile and non-wovens industries. She has lead the expansion of the brand from its heritage in military and outdoor applications to today’s durable performance textile powerhouse offering technical solutions for gear and apparel used in building & construction, endurance sports, motorcycling, commuting and increasingly everyday lifestyle activities where durability counts.  

Now, after ten durable years, she says “it's been a long journey that couldn’t have been made without our loyal brand customers, collaborative partners and durably passionate global CORDURA brand team – and we’re not stopping anytime soon.”

Two students are amongst some to have implemented CORDURA Fabrics into their designs that are part of this week’s Graduate Fashion displays in London.

Bethany Martin – Northampton University
Bethany won the CORDURA Durable Design Award in the Project 20/20 workwear contest last year. This is her final year collection and it is outdoor industry inspired.  Fabrics supplied to her are from two of the ISPO Textrends award winning mills – Yoonia and One Chang – both based in Korea.

Seunghee Lim – Royal College of Art
Seunghee has a workwear/military faceted collection that takes fabric inspiration and styling from athletic bags and equipment. She chose to work with CORDURA Fabrics that are traditionally used in bags and packs. Fabrics are from mills in Germany and Asia region.

This is what Seunghee says: “To me, the conditions of now-a-day's material reality is about functionalism. After looking back from my surroundings, I started from the frame of a ready-meal case. This generic frame is specific in its detail through a Molle [Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment] system and Labels. I wanted to show this as ordinary and reject a concentrated aesthetic of beauty. To show this concept through fashion, my collection want to be categorized by work-wear as the form of technical and functional solution. The stitch and fasteners should visible like the inside of machine to show the logical structure of cloth.”

With a new format of "BORN IN THE USA", Pitti Immagine continues its collaboration with Liberty Fairs, created by Sam Ben-Avraham. Staging a project that is now linked to contemporary-classic menswear, Liberty Fairs will bring to the Arena Strozzi, in an autonomous space but close to the collections of Futuro Maschio, some of the most well-known brands born and produced in the US – an accurate mix & match ranging from the classic world to sportswear.

Tommy Hilfiger will close London Fashion Week with the Fall 2017 TOMMYNOW experiential runway event on September 19th, 2017. Building on the success of “Tommy Pier” in New York City for Fall 2016, and Spring 2017 “TOMMYLAND” in Los Angeles, the London show reflects Tommy Hilfiger’s continued commitment to bringing TOMMYNOW to new cities and audiences around the world.

“My vision for TOMMYNOW was to create a global platform that could bring our shows to audiences around the globe like a rock-and-roll world tour,” said Tommy Hilfiger. 

The Fall 2017 TOMMYNOW fashion show will include men’s looks from Hilfiger Edition, marking the first time since 2010 that the brand’s men’s and women’s collections have shared the runway.  The show will also feature Hilfiger Collection, the brand’s most premium womenswear designs, and the Fall 2017 TommyXGigi collection, the third collaboration with supermodel and global brand ambassador Gigi Hadid.

The upcoming edition of European ShoeShow which was set to take place from September 24th till 25th 2017, has been announced as cancelled. The tradeshow which would have been exhibiting its second edition registered too low of numbers for the coming edition.

Jason Wu has announced that he will be showing his Resort 2018 collection in combination with his Spring 2018 collection in one big show called ‘Spring One’. The designer also announced that he will be showcasing his pre-fall together with his fall 2018 runway show.

To celebrate the occasion of the 'La Rinascente' name turning 100 years this year, Milan City Council | Culture, Palazzo Reale and La Rinascente have decided to tell this story in an exhibition in the Appartamento del Principe (Prince’s quarters), on the piano nobile of Palazzo Reale, from 24th May to 24th September. The name was thought up by Gabriele D’Annunzio, commissioned by Senator Borletti who bought the Bocconi department store in 1917, promoting its rebirth.

An exceptional variety and quantity of works of art, graphic design, design objects, historic images and previously unseen exhibits will tell visitors how La Rinascente managed to write important chapters in the history of costume, communication and retail. Right from its birth, it stood out as a laboratory for experimentation of new ideas arriving from the rest of Europe. Its innovative sales model, stemming from early French examples, with goods displayed on shelves at a fixed price, was not only a turning point for a modern economy, it also led to incisive changes in the everyday life of the growing consumer society. 

The location chosen is Palazzo Reale, Milan’s main exhibition venue and heart of that urban centre that represents the spirit of this city, just a stone’s throw from the Duomo, the Galleria, the Scala and La Rinascente, which stands for its manufacturing spirit. The exhibition is part of the annual programme at Palazzo Reale, and plays an important role due to the complexity
and articulation of the project. All this not only because Palazzo Reale is one of Milan’s main cultural institutions, but also because, like La Rinascente, it stands within the district that perfectly embodies the active, central role of this area’s cultural and productive life.

Invista's Cordura brand in partnership with DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products is bringing the first in a series of eco-innovations to Techtextil, driving the future use of new sustainable textiles. Based on the combination of the long-lasting durability of CORDURA fabrics combined with the bio-based performance of Susterra membranes and coatings, the first cutting-edge innovations resulting from this collaboration are on display at INVISTA Stand G25, Hall 4.1 at Techtextil, May 9-12, 2017, in Frankfurt, Germany.

“We continue to look at ways that we can benefit the environment as part of our innovation continuum – and CORDURA fabrics can do this by helping to increase a product’s utility and durability,” explained Cindy McNaull, global CORDURA brand and marketing director. “As the textile market continues to look for innovative solutions to help reduce its environmental footprint, we want to provide long-lasting products that need to be replaced less often. Through our recent collaboration with Dupont Tate & Lyle’s Susterra brand, designers of apparel, footwear and gear will have access to a wide variety of durable fabric technologies that incorporate high performance coatings and membranes based on plant-based materials."

 Bahrain-based fund Investcorp, which acquired a stake in the company in June 2016, along with the Corneliani family, decided to potentiate the management of its American subsidiary to implement the brand’s leadership in one of the most crucial international markets. In particular, Corneliani has announced the appointment of Maurizio Mantovani as its Americas Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.  

In his new role, Mantovani reports to Corneliani Chief Executive Officer Paolo Roviera, and has the goal to confirm the brand as a leading player in the luxury men’s wear arena in the American market by boosting the brand’s wholesale network and retail business. In order to further reinforce the American sales and commercial department, Corneliani has appointed Sean Hieter as Senior Vice President of Sales. 

The new appointments reflect Corneliani’s new strategy aimed at innovating the company while respecting its unique, rich heritage. A stronger attention to the international markets, along with the research for the best and most engaging customer experience are the pillars of the path defined by the Corneliani family and Paolo Roviera to stimulate the brand’s growth. While restructuring its wholesale network, Corneliani will focus on the retail expansion and on the launch of an online store next year.   

Milliner, Justin Smith will be exhibiting his forthcoming ‘Gold’ collection of hats under his brand, J Smith Esquire, in the YKK London Showroom from the 16th May – 24th June.

Smith is notorious for his creative hat designs, showcasing strong skills in millinery craft and tradition, producing well made, durable pieces, with a client portfolio that includes A-list celebrities. The anticipated ‘Gold’ collection, taking three years to develop and involving extensive global travel for Smith to source materials and evolve ideas, officially launches in June 2017. Six pieces from this range will be on display exclusively in the YKK London showroom in May, demonstrating how YKK’s fastening solutions helped Smith achieve his creative vision; used in a decorative manner to creative unique showpieces. 

Materials, textures and understanding how these can be translated into something wearable have also been key inspirations for Smith in the creative process, pushing boundaries of millinery craft whilst maintaining the British tradition of hat wearing.

The exhibition at the showroom and launch of the ‘Gold’ collection coincides with the first of Smith’s teaching workshops at Pinewood Studios. He says, “I am proud that my brand, which I started from scratch, continues to prosper with the minimum of compromise and that I am still able push myself in my technical accomplishments and to fulfil my dreams.” 

One of the most popular sections at Pitti Uomo, Touch! expresses the eclectic spirit of the contemporary man's wardrobe, with an innovative and internationalist approach. For this edition of the show,Touch! is presenting at the Padiglione Medici for the first time, a strategic location within the main show, creating a new line of continuity with sections such as L'Altro Uomo and Unconventional.

Beyond and the students of NABA- Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (Milan’s New Fine Arts Academy), have together kick-started a creative project for the Milan Design Week, sharing the endless search for new creative ideas and made-in-Italy high quality – of which they are the highest expression. 

A team of Fashion Design students designed an original FW 2017-2018 trainers collection of 10 models that make a statement. 

With their creations, they wanted to represent Beyond trainer in a collection which harmoniously blends women’s and men’s fashion items, resulting in unisex footwear that breaks all fixed rules and promotes an original contemporary look. 

With the technical and manufacturing support of shoe factory Elisabet, designers have put an emphasis on details, colours, and mixed materials, for an original and balanced collection, ideal to enhance all outfits. 

INVISTA owners of the LYCRA brand, along with Cone Denim and its parent company, International Textile Group have announced that INVISTA has purchased Cone Denim’s and ITG’s dual core patent portfolio. The patent estate covers a broad variety of dual core yarns, fabrics, and garments made from those fabrics, which are sold in the U.S., China, and most recently, Europe. The purchase is effective immediately. 

“This year marks the 10th anniversary of Cone Denim’s development of its dual core patented innovation, trademarked as SGENE&reg technology,” says Steve Maggard, Cone Denim’s senior vice president of operations. “Cone’s SGENE&reg technology integrates a stretch fiber, such as LYCRA&reg fiber, with an inelastic control filament. Cone is pleased to collaborate with INVISTA to provide a global platform to take this technology to the next level and will continue to produce yarns and fabrics made with the SGENE® technology under a license from INVISTA.” 

Last month, Cone Denim’s dual core patent was granted in Europe and is now part of the INVISTA patent estate. “The granting of the EU patent marks another milestone in dual core technology and should provide new opportunities for INVISTA’s customers,” Hegedus said. Over the next several months INVISTA will be meeting with its customers and other fabric producers to discuss its expanded dual core patent estate and license requirements.

DENHAM the Jeanmaker has just opened its first store in China, located in Shanghai’s new HKRI Taikoo Hui Mall. The store showcases DENHAM’s collections for men and women, with the opening being an extensive rollout of DENHAM stores across China, reflecting the brand’s greater strategic commitment to expansion in the Asia region. 

Designed by DENHAM’s in-house team, the 160-square-metre store combines a clean, gallery-like aesthetic with authentic character and décor. Furnishings have been imported from Europe, including recycled and salvaged pieces like sewing machines, vintage lamps, and trolleys reworked into tables. The floor is made of wood that was reclaimed from a French farm, while walls are made from a special indigo concrete that has been developed exclusively by DENHAM. Graphic art includes the latest work by Anthony Burrill, a renowned English printmaker known for his eye-catching use of text and typography. 

Furthermore, DENHAM commissioned Shanghai-based studio JoMo Design to custom create a cash desk using vintage American yardsticks. Founded by furniture makers Moritz Spielberg and Jonas Merian in 2015, JoMo Design fuses contemporary design with uncompromising craftsmanship for signature collections and bespoke creations. 

The DENHAM Shanghai store has a full Service Co., which offers a hand-wash laundry service and a custom sewing area where DENHAM jeans can be hemmed, maintained and repaired for life. The change room features DENHAM’s unique 360-degree fitting mirror, which makes it easy for shoppers to see precisely how jeans look and fit, from all angles. 

LVMH is launching a multi-brand e-commerce site inspired by its exclusive Parisian department store Le Bon Marche. The new website called "24 Sevres" is named after the Rue de Sevres location of Le Bon Marche, will offer fashion, cosmetics and luggage products from LVMH's own portfolio as well as brands from outside the group.

LVMH, controlled by French billionaire Bernard Arnault, announced the new site would go live on June 6th in more than 70 countries.

On May 10th a select group of contestants of the Denim Design Award of the 2016 edition of ISKO I-SKOOL will put on a Dynamic Exhibition of the projects that had led them to the finale of last year’s contest – but with a twist: they have been revamped to reflect environmental sustainability. The students have re-thought their designs under a more conscientious approach, using Tonello’s treatments and the concepts from ISKO EARTH FIT for this special task. ISKO EARTH FIT is the green platform by ISKO that has already received two important recognitions: the Nordic Swan Ecolabel and the EU Ecolabel, for several of the platform’s products. The “responsible” outfits will be evaluated by very prestigious jury composed of fashion experts.

On May 11th, ISKO will host a breakdown session dedicated to “Technology innovation”, with Marco Lucietti. The group of experts will explore the new frontiers of the promising technologies that will change industry’s methods like 3D printing, robotics in cut and sewing factories and much more. They will give insight into the very near future from a courageous and critical perspective, examining the possibile social consequences that this kind of revolution might produce.

International knitting show, PH Value, with intertextile, will open on 11-13 October, in Hall 3 of National Exhibition and Convention Center ( Shanghai).

PH Value was officially launched in 2007, and named as China International knitting Fair (with brand name PH Value). The Fair is sponsored by China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC ) and organized jointly by the Sub-council of Textile Industry, CCPIT and the China Knitting Industrial Association. It aims to be an international business and communication corporation platform in knitting industry, and composed by Exhibition, Forum, Fashion Show, New Product Launches, etc. 

As a trade promotion and business platform, "PH Value" is committed to the knitting clothing and accessories, covering the full range of knitted products, including sweater, T-shirt, lingerie, underwear, loungewear, sportswear, hosiery and socks, knitting accessories and etc., showing the latest developments in product and technology, coupled with fashion highlights in trend forecast. It created a unique platform for the exhibitors to meet potential customer, explore new market opportunities, and learn the next season's trend. After years of operation, "PH Value" has become a "barometer" of the economic climate for China's knitting industry. In addition, the exhibitors will share more than 100,000 professional visitors synchronically with intertextile and CHIC shows, plus the targeted direct-link matching activities for these exhibitors and buyers at home and abroad.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute spring 2017 exhibition, Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between, on view from May 4 through September 4, examines Kawakubo’s fascination with interstitiality, or the space between boundaries. In Kawakubo’s work, this in-between space is revealed as an aesthetic sensibility, establishing an unsettling zone of oscillating visual ambiguity that challenges conventional notions of beauty, good taste, and fashionability. A thematic exhibition, rather than a traditional retrospective, this is The Costume Institute’s first monographic show on a living designer since the Yves Saint Laurent exhibition in 1983.

he exhibition features approximately 140 examples of Kawakubo’s womenswear designs for Comme des Garçons, dating from the early 1980s to her most recent collection. Objects are organized into nine dominant and recurring aesthetic expressions of interstitiality in Kawakubo’s work: Absence/Presence, Design/Not Design, Fashion/Anti-Fashion, Model/Multiple, High/Low, Then/Now, Self/Other, Object/Subject, and Clothes/Not Clothes. Kawakubo breaks down the imaginary walls between these dualisms, exposing their artificiality and arbitrariness. Her fashions demonstrate that interstices are places of meaningful connection and coexistence as well as revolutionary innovation and transformation, providing Kawakubo with endless possibilities to rethink the female body and feminine identity.

Sônia Bogner, born in Brasil, who built and inspired the German label Bogner together with her husband Willy Bogner, sadly passed away yesterday at the age of 66. She set trends in the fashion world with her distinctive style, both nationally and internationally.  It did not take much to see that this woman had a passion for her business, the fashion industry and her creations. She was active as part of the board of directors at Willy Bogner GmbH &Co KGaA until the last moment. The fashion industry will miss this very talented woman. WeAr Global Magazine sends its deepest condolences.

Pure London has launched its new campaign, which will immerse visitors to the S/S 2018 show in July in ‘Oriental Futures’; a cultural fusion exploring Eastern-inspired arts and artistry with a futuristic and celestial approach. 

Unveiling its new theme inspired by WGSN’s S/S18 trend forecast, Pure London aims to create a fashion movement which ties together two fundamental ideas – the first being Oriental culture, the second being interplanetary travel. 

With a focus on unity and collaboration across cultures and galaxies, Oriental Futures explores the stratosphere where scintillating constellations meet Eastern-inspired arts. Delve deeper into a unified cosmos rich in tradition, yet contemporary and authentic. WGSN trends reference eastern artistry and discover new galactic realms inviting you immerse yourself in a journey of collaborative auras. 

The next edition of Pure London will take place from 23rd – 25th July at London Olympia.

UBM Fashion, the world’s leading organizer of trade shows for the fashion industry has announced a strategic partnership with Mirjam Dietz, who has been appointed as an official consultant for UBM Fashion in the European Market, focused on building awareness and sales in Europe for UBM Fashion events in the apparel and accessories sectors.  Mirjam Dietz’s extensive fashion background in the European markets will serve as a vital asset for growing UBM Fashion’s presence in Europe and developing its global portfolio. 

The scope of work of Mirjam Dietz includes building awareness of UBM Fashion and its apparel and accessories shows through public relations efforts as well as managing the activities of a new team of representatives for Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Furthermore, Mirjam Dietz will act as an ambassador in helping build relationships with European Government Trade Offices and Associations in addition to building relationships with key individual fashion brands.

US GROUP presented their collection at King Pins Amsterdam and Denim PV in Paris in April 2017 and will go to present the collection in Kingpins NYC in early May 2017.

The Umer Siddique Group was established by two friends, Mr. Mian Ahsan and Mr. Javaid Arshad Bhatti as a part time apparel trading business intended to finance their higher education abroad. The US Group opened their doors at a new regional office located just off Oxford Street, London. The group are continuing to expand US Denim Mills moving towards it’s first Leeds Certification in unit V. Today US Denim Mills and Apparel & Textiles form the US Group.

The lookbook shot by Nick Clements and Stephiane Sian Smith, present an overview of the collection highlighting several fabrics such as Selvedge, Feather Weave, Re:vive, Evoke, Black Concrete, Stretch, Stretch & Bi-Stretch Selvedge

Furla will be buying back its Australian distribution network from Luxury Retail Group. The distribution network will add to its strategy of strengheting its position in Australia and New Zealand. With this, Furla will be opening five new stores between the two countries and will also expand its existing Sydney boutique. 

Cartier will be launching a pop-up shop on Net-a-Porter in their first partnership with the e-commerce site. The pop-up will coincide with the launch of its Panthère de Cartier watch, a revived with from the early 80s.

The collection will consist of 12 different models in different variations such as rose/yellow/white gold as well as stainless steel, some embellished with diamond bezels, some without. 

Net-a-Porter will produce elusive content for its social media platforms to pay homage to the revived watch. The Cartier Panthère collection will be available on Net-a-Porter from May 2nd until May 31st, 2017. 

The core of AlphaTauri being the combination of sophisticated, forward-looking design and the latest technologies  are perfectly reflected in the collections, and now also in the new online shop.

The state-of-the-art online shop features a full-screen language, a sophisticated navigation and the latest e-commerce solutions. The homepage and all product pages are divided into four content blocks and allow you to navigate in all four directions. In terms of content, there is information on the technologies, videos, detailed views, other product recommendations or shop the look suggestions. The fully responsive design allows for an optimal display on all end devices, from the mobile device, tablet to the widescreen monitor. The product groups are navigated via the AlphaTauri stars constellation, as well as submenus on the individual product listing pages.

Replay has opened its first flagship store in, Sao Paolo, Brazil, on the central shopping street Rua Oscar Freire. The store concept designed by Studio 10, consists of 220 sq.m space featuring a giant 10 metre garden wall and an array of materials such as wood, raw concrete, leather and black iron. 

Avant Toi, innovative and avant garde Italian brand, launches its exclusive and first Home collection; hand painting, the iconic feature of the brand, decorates and enhances an infinite composition of blankets, covers, pillows, carpets, tablecloths and many other elements of design. Avant Toi experiments with passion, matching and blending materials to create unique, home-made pieces: needlework of vintage foulards on a light, impalpable knit, patchworks of cloths create colorful carpets with thousands of hues, mixes of furs on felted cloths, jacquard wall hangings in a chenille of silk, cushions and bedspreads in a furry stitch or jacquards which recall blankets of leaves, covers and carpets with rudimental seams. 

The Avant Toi showroom in Via Carlo Botta 8, staged for the launch with the exclusive collection, transformed into the “Avant Toi Home” in the occasion of the 2017 Fuorisalone, which took place earlier this month.

Hudson’s Bay Company has announced the appointment of Dr. Wolfgang Link as Chief Executive Officer of HBC Europe, effective May 1st, 2017. Dr. Link will lead the company’s expansion and growth strategy for the European business including Galeria Kaufhof, Galeria Inno, and the entrance of Hudson’s Bay and Saks OFF 5TH. Reporting to HBC’s Chief Executive Officer, Jerry Storch, Dr. Link will oversee the European management team.

Jerry Storch, HBC’s CEO, stated: “We are pleased to welcome Wolfgang to the HBC family during this new phase of development for our European business, as we prepare to launch two new banners in the region. Wolfgang is an accomplished leader with a proven track record in the retail sector in Germany and throughout Europe. His experience in both digital and traditional channels and profound knowledge of the European market were key in selecting him for this role, and will help foster the expansion and success of HBC Europe, including our significant investment in Germany.” 

Robinsons has opened its new flagship store at Al-Futtaim, one of the most progressive regional business houses headquartered in Dubai. The latter brought the leading fashion department store Robinsons to the GCC and the Middle- East through a joint venture agreement with the Chalhoub Group. 

The store is redefining fashion retail with its unique interior design featuring vertical gardens on all levels created by Patrick Blanc, the globally renowned visionary designer, as well as an array of natural elements from wood to marble. The visual merchandising is giving a completely new look and feel to the store and inspirational experience to its customers. The launch thematic, “URBAN ROMANCE”, celebrates the greenery and freshness of fashion, a new urban-green attitude with a nod to the Singaporean heritage of Robinsons. 

Spreading on three levels, across 200,000 sqft and with 600 brands, this will be the largest department store in the region giving home to 90 exclusive fashion and beauty brand, as well as John Lewis home collections, available only at Robinsons, on top of the large variety of carefully selected international and local labels.

Boulevard Prêt-à-Sale, the brand new trade platform serving the off-price and value retail industry, opened its doors to exhibitors and attendees alike on Tuesday, March 21st, 2017, featuring more than 60 men’s apparel and accessory brands. As the brainchild of industry veterans Arnold and Bruce Zimberg, in cooperation with international trade show organizer Messe Frankfurt, this first-of-its-kind trade show focused on building a business platform for the fastest growing yet under- served segment of the apparel market: off-price retail. 

Over the course of three days, Boulevard Prêt-à-Sale exhibitors showcased a variety of current, past season, and future inventory and made it available to attending buyers at discounted prices. Additionally, select exhibitors provided information on private label services and available FOB factory to retail programs. 

“We’ve curated a tightly edited group of exhibiting brands for our first menswear edition and have been very focused on quality over quantity.” said Bruce Zimberg, Co-founder and Sales Director, Boulevard Prêt-à-Sale. “The biggest challenge off-price retail buyers are facing is repetitiveness across all categories, including menswear. Our ultimate goal is to help these retailers differentiate themselves by introducing them to new upscale brands – both emerging and established.”

The Stone Island Prototype Research Series are native limited editions. They feature garments in fabrics and/or treatments born from research and experimentation processes that have not yet been industrialized. Dyneema is the strongest and most durable lightweight fibre in the world. This super light yet extremely tough Dyneema Flexible Composite fabric has increased tear, puncture, and abrasion performance.

Stone Island has engineered a ready to dye version by bonding it to an exclusive performance membrane with an ultra-light nylon tela backing. It is a reversible jacket: one side shows the Dyneema face, the other side shows the ultra-light nylon tela which takes the dye color as do all the other nylon components of the piece. The garments are cut and sewn, the seams are entirely sealed by hand with Dyneema re-enforced tapes.

This limited edition is made of 2 sets of 50 items that are garment dyed with 50 color recipes in the Stone Island Colour Laboratory.

Jil Sander has announced the appointment of Lucie and Luke Meier as its new creative directors. With immediate effect, the couple will create their first collection for the S/S 2018 season. Lucie comes from a position at Dior as co creative-director, also previously working for Balenciaga and Marc Jacobs. Luke has been the head designer for the brand Supreme for a duration of 8 years, before finding his own menswear line OAMC.

Vital energy and the beauty of flowers has provided inspiration for “BOOM, PITTI BLOOMS”, the leading theme of the Pitti Immagine summer trade shows. 

New creative ideas that blossom just like flowers: improbable, effervescent and ironic. Sometimes in the form of macro inflatable flowerbeds, odd sculptures or flying bouquets. A fantastic world of original patterns blended with colour contrasts on façades, in areas and on objects. 

Layout, creative direction and Fortezza da Basso's setting by lifestyler Sergio Colantuoni. This introduces the overall topic relating to the new digital art project accompanying the exhibitions’ advertising campaign. An Art + Vibes production, directed by Valentina Be, Executive Producer Max Brun and Sound Designer Lorenzo Confetta.

Four denim fabrics developed by Prosperity Textile have been named top products & selections of the ISPO TEXTRENDS 2017 Fall/Winter. The total selection was on display at ISPO MUNICH from February 5th to 8th and then later at ISPO BEIJING. 

ISPO TEXTRENDS is the platform for textile innovations and components. Twice a year, ISPO honors innovative fabrics and components that are used to manufacture sports apparel with ISPO TEXTRENDS. Designers, product managers and media representatives consider ISPO TEXTRENDS a valuable platform for pioneering textile trends and innovations. It also gives designers and product developers a comprehensive overview of exciting innovations, but it is also a unique opportunity for networking and sourcing. 

Mr. Xiang Gu, General Manager of Prosperity Textile, said, “We are proud to have our denim fabrics been selected as the top products & selections of ISPO TEXTRENDS again, for our commitment to innovation and sustainability. Over the years, we have been developing denim with upgraded performances, interesting surfaces, soft touch and eco- friendly ingredients, to meet the growing demand of sportswear and outdoor apparels customers. We will continue our efforts to relentlessly drive the innovation of denim.”