Joop! Jeans has collaborated with Candiani on a unique Capsule collection. The inspiration was a special project of Candiani where its staff members participated: each of them received a raw denim with the instruction to wear them for 6 months during their daily work at Candiani. After the half year, the results were authentic used denim with individual wear and tear designs. Joop! Jeans transferred these unique designs onto three slim-fit models. The latter consist of class five-pockets, well-thought out cuts with tapered legs and of course, authentic washes (such as whiskers, stonewash, destroys, tacking, brushing, tinting and indigo dyeing).

ISKO has been nominated as Turkey’s ’National Public Champion’ in the 2017 European Business Awards. Until March 1st 2017, will be open on the EBA official website, where voters can watch ISKO’s video on their unique approach to business. It’s an opportunity to discover closely the company’s identity, strongly characterized by actions that carry out responsible innovation, environmental protection and social commitment. 

ISKO is also participating in the special category “Award for Environmental and Corporate Sustainability”, that will be assigned during the Gala with the final decision of the prestigious jury consisting of several former Prime ministers, CEO’s and. Managing Directors.

“We are immensely proud to present our approach to the world. As you will see on the video that we made for this competition and entered into the category of Environmental & Corporate Sustainability, our guiding goal is to produce value through an effective combination of production performance, responsibility and sustainability. This goal is surely challenging, but I see that our daily hard work and positive results testify to our efforts”, claims Fatih Konukoglu, President of ISKOTM Division and board member of SANKO Group, echoed by Marco Lucietti, Global Marketing Director of SANKO/ISKO division.

Cristina Gavioli was founded in 1986 as a result of the meeting between Giuseppe Bertani and fashion designer Cristina Gavioli. It was the beginning of a partnership which combined passion and creativity; something the brand is known for till the present day. With production based on fine quality Italian craftsmanship, year after year, Cristina Gavioli has approached the large export market, creating a close-knit commercial network that boasts partners from Europe to the United States and from Russia to Asia.

Most recently the brand celebrated their 30th anniversary with a party in Italy a few days before leaving to showcase at PREMIUM Berlin. The presentation of their 2017-18 winter collection at PREMIUM was successfully received from local and international buyers alike.

Etienne Cochet, General Manager of Who’s Next and Premiere Classe, has opened the show saying: “There is an uplifting attitude in Paris as a whole and one can feel this positive atmosphere on our show. People are buying here and we still offer a return on investment for our exhibitors.”

There are a number of novelties introduced in this season’s show.

This year’s Who’s Next is under the Girl Squad theme to represent and highlight Generation Z with its girl's squad. This new consumer group is reinventing clothes, which can be seen throughout fashion and accessories. They are more positive and have an increased community thinking. At the same time, they are harder to understand for brands. Who’s Next continuously assists retailers and brands alike with conferences and guides to better understand and target this all important target group, which is the consumer of the future. All conferences can be followed on their Facebook page live.

New pop-up stores throughout the show’s halls display especially home and lifestyle items. The aim was to highlight consumer worlds and connect B2B with B2C.

Together with Parisian streetwear retailer Citadium, the organization called for application for young designers and offered 10 of them space at the show but also at the retailer itself. That way the brands can experience B2B and B2C. The show aims also for the September show to minimize the gap between B2B and B2C.

Sylvie Pourrat, Show Director of Premiere Classe, highlighted that in the accessory segment, the classical trade show segment is not enough anymore. “We are right now in the progress to find new solutions. For now, we have created new layouts, creating new pathways through the shows but also different booth models to let the designer’s creativity flow freely. We highlighted accessories within the Urban hall to offer new formats to our exhibitors. An example is Mellow Yellow, which is presenting within Premiere Classe as well as in the Trendy area of Who’s Next, to link both, fashion and accessory, segments together. This is making the journey for buyers easier and their shop more dynamic. We want to help buyers to find new products and merchandise.”

In terms of brands, 70% are international, notably a big amount from Italy but also from India and South Korea, displaying highly creative collections at approachable prices.

Mixed within established brands are young talents to offer retailers an optimal brand portfolio to satisfy consumer’s demand for both – commercial brands but also individual outfits.

New features for buyers specifically are welcome desks, personal shopping for retailers, as well as frequently asked questions published two weeks prior to the show’s start. Topics such as activewear, big sizes, shoes and leatherware including price points and other buyer-relevant information are covered. There is also an easy to sell selection at affordable prices and good margins at the entrance of hall 7.1 where retailers can buy SS17 items and expect delivery within three weeks. Also introduced is a curvy section partnered with a blogger specialised in cool bigger sized brands. 

WeAr has cooperated with Who's Next – visit us in the Retail Expert Lounge. 

In the early 1990s, INVISTA’s CORDURA brand and Woolrich, America’s Original Outdoor Clothing Company, collaborated to create Wool-Dura, a specialty blend of iconic Woolrich wool and nylon 6,6 CORDURA fabric used in hunting apparel. 

Now, the two are back together for the 50^th anniversary of the CORDURA  brand with a newly reimagined Wool-Dura collection, taking inspiration from its hunting-centric predecessor while adding a modern, cross-functional twist. Wool-Dura is an authentic fabric that combines the durability of CORDURA fibre and the natural properties of Woolrich wool, produced in the historic Woolrich Woolen Mill, to create strong, enduring garments for the authentic outdoor lifestyle. The latest line of products featuring Wool-Dura fabrics are inspired by its hunting heritage, but are designed to function in both outdoor and urban environments. In addition to signature Wool-Dura fabrics, the collection also includes a coat, cap and blanket – all designed with a modern fit, style and attitude in mind. 

The Wool-Dura collection will be available immediately and signature garments available in Fall 2017.

In sunny and snowy Berlin the fashion crowd reassembled once again for the Fall/Winter 17 edition of Premium, Show and Order, Seek, Bright, Panorama and other events. 

This season the Premium Group separated the segments: womenswear talents are to be discovered at the newly acquired and revamped Show & Order while menswear brands primarily show at Seek. Obviously, the mothership at Postbahnhof Berlin is still filled with renowned brands such as Hudson, Peuterey, Joe's Jeans, European Culture, Bogner, Joop, Parajumpers, Colmar etc. Emerging talents, too, can be found here, as well as well established German heritage brands such as Heinz Bauer Manufakt, Handstich and Hemisphere Cashmere. As well as being the most important DACH event, international buyers from Japan, Russia to Italy were spotted discovering fresh talents and re-purchasing established collections.

At Panorama a slower start was seen, however influential brands such as Guess, Alberto, Wrangler and Lieblingsstück still displayed their collections and looked forward welcoming buyers to their booths. 

The PREMIUM GROUP’s forte is its international network and, twice a year, it brings together the right people at the right time in the right place. With the same aspiration in mind #FASHIONTECH Berlin connects the fashion community with startups at the conference and accompanying exhibition space. 

Since the launch of the format in January 2015, the #Fashiontech Berlin conference and exhibition has grown into one of the most influential fashion tech events on the European level. The aim of the event is to showcase the latest developments at the intersection of fashion and technology and to provide visitors with a first-class programme that covers topics from the fields of e-commerce & the future of retail, wearables & smart textiles and digital marketing & communication. 

Guided through the day by presenter and co-initiator Ole Tillmann, top-drawer experts will offer their insights. In the exhibition area, international fashion tech designers will present their latest creations, whilst startups will be introducing their new business models.

The brand has a 179 square metre booth in the Nova Concept hall 9 and celebrates its 35th jubilee with the concept 'Dream on…', which is one of the favourite mottos of company founder and CCO Paul Marciano. The label will show diverse product lines as well as the preview on the F/W collection 2017. 

'Our presence at Panorama Berlin is an important step for our brand in the German market. With 30 stores in Germany and Austria and a solid basis in the wholesale it is an important moment to communicate the brand's initiatives and further steps, which we want to realize' – Victor Herrero, CEO of Guess? Inc.

As with every season, we bring to you the latest Buyer’s Guide coming to you straight from the shows in Berlin. The team at WeAr is scouting Premium, Panorama, Show & Order, SEEK and more to bring you all the latest impressions, innovations and voices! Check out our buyer’s guide to see what the brands, buyers, visitors and press have to say about this season!

Furthermore make sure to follow us on our social media channels where we’re posting exclusive content all around! 

The new SHOW & ORDER portfolio consists of feminine womenswear, accessories, jewellery and footwear, as well as a new, innovatively curated interior decor. The focus lies on translating global fashion trends into an overall feminine look.

In the apartment-like setting the new SHOW & ORDER will showcase a brand experience rich in emotions and different design concepts. Furnished with interior products from Westwing, the entrance area resembles a hotel lobby and cosy lounges provide an inviting place to relax. Two separate exhibition spaces, one in an avant-garde style, the other in a glitzy 1920s style, will represent an effective contrast to the industrial charm of the main hall. In addition, The Good Store, a curated area will showcase sought-after interior and product design and will present fashion retailers with a wealth of inspiration for their stores.

This concept approaches those retailers who identify the signs of the times and are well-informed about the changes in the market in order to offer their customers an individual range of products. 

Pitti Uomo 91 is over, now it's time for Milan Fashion Week to to show menswear collection for FW17/18. But we can still write about some special trends seen at the trade show, where more than 1200 brand participated. The focus is on outerwear: sartorial coats, ponchos and multi-functional jackets will be the next big things. Knitwear is becoming more and more important, and – obviously – many brands are embracing genderless. As some of the special guest of the edition. Sulvam presented his sartorial collection made in japan, for man and woman, and also the young talent Carlo Volpi show his no-gender collection. Tim Coppens – for the first time presenting in Europe – did a show with menswear and woman swear collections together, both inspired by bikers. The english designer Paul Smith presented his PS by Paul Smith collection with a special event: everything here is inspired by bicycle. While homewear is the main inspiration for Lucio Vanotti 's menswear collection, with lot of tartan for jackets and sporty pants. Now it's time for Milan and Paris to discover upcoming trends. 

Invista’s CORDURA Brand and Cone Denim, a global leader in denim authenticity and innovation, are collaborating on a first of its kind, vintage-inspired selvage denim for the 50^th anniversary of the CORDURA brand. The new CORDURA Selvage Denim is produced in Cone Denim’s legendary White Oak facility, drawing inspiration from its over 110 year history in textile production combined with 50 durable years of CORDURA brand heritage.

White Oak is the oldest operating denim mill in the United States, and the only mill producing narrow selvage denim on fly shuttle looms that date back to the 1940s. The collaboration celebrates the CORDURA brand 50^th anniversary theme of “heritage meets innovation,” as it reimagines the past to reinvent the future.  

Debuting at the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show, January 10-12, 2017, CORDURA Selvage Denim is the first of many projects to come from this legacy-in-the-making  collaboration with Cone’s global network of mills in the US, China, and Mexico.

Yesterday the Limonaia in Villa Vittoria, Save the Duck celebrated the launch of its luxury capsule collection Recycle, with an exclusive event in partnership with the British designer Christopher Raeburn. Recycle is a menswear project featuring transformation and adaptation along with recycling and technology, crucial elements of life that become fundamental even at an ‘urban’ level. A vision, according to Raeburn and Save the Duck, for sustainability and respect for natural cycles. To do as nature does; imitating it becomes a credible tactic for metropolitan living, taking protection from the weather in the style that has always characterised Save the Duck with layering of garments, heat sealing techniques and the use of high-performance recycled fabrics such as the Plumtech padding, which has always been used as a feather substitute in Save the Duck apparel. Rayburn’s typical military recycling becomes about camouflaging and travel: patchwork, in all the various types of camouflage, creates a down jacket without the down, a garment that has never used animal-based fibres in line with the ‘animal friendly’ ethic central to Save the Duck.

The capsule collection created by Christopher Raeburn will be distributed in the top-100 luxury stores worldwide, through a collaboration from the Tomorrow showroom.

Sansovino 6 is the new brand of American designer and international knitwear professional Edward Buchanan. He will show his new menswear collection, still part of the brand’s DNA during this current edition at Pitti. Buchanan is based in Milan and New York and stands for the most creative and experimental knitwear compositions, creating total yarn and woven fabric  looks.

Pitti & Korean Designers: Pitti Immagine will turn the spotlights once again on the creative and exciting South Korean brands. Due to a collab with the Korea Creative Content Agency, (Kocca), Pitti Immagine will show 2 catwalk shows dedicated to promoting fresh young Korrean design talents BMUET(TE) by Byungmun Seo and Ordinary People.

To celebrate Pitti Immagine a Tokyo, Isetan Shinjuku, Isetan Salone Man and Marunouchi and the store Isetan at the Haneda airport, members of the most department stores in the world, will host between 1st and 14th February 2017 a special menswear promotional project: customers are offered the opportunity to do exclusive pre-orders of a selection of brands at Pitti Uomo. As well, they will present the events and protagonists of Pitti Uomo Firenze.

Miss Sixty has announced its return to the European markets of Germany, Switzerland, Benelux and Germany. The first collection for A/W 2017 is aimed at a much more grown up market with classic and toned down styles compared to its previous ones. The themes consist of feminine designs, denim grid (a reinterpretation of the classic Miss Sixty styles) and Angel Collection (a special edition with embroidery).

For Fall/Winter ’17- the year of its 70th anniversary – Wrangler has all three deliveries for men and women taking cues from its retro designs with a fresh interpretation for both denim and casualwear. 

Key this season are two denim wash stories: Stone Dyed Jeans and the expressive bleach effect of Wild Wash. Both concepts are revived from the Wrangler archives – together with original artwork for the tags. Kabel logo tees and a strong graphic expression take over tops, while cleaner stone looks enrich the denim selection. Leather and washed corduroy in biker and sherpa-lined western jackets all add to the nostalgic vibe. 

For men, the tops’graphics are inspired by retro sport and are complemented by a deep offer of richly garment-dyed jersey pieces. Parkas, peacoats, bombers and the continuation of Xtra stretch jeans provide a more slim-line, smart, modernist aesthetic underscored by architectural graphics by Chris Blaubac on Ts. 

Colours range from burgundy and military green, through to shades of indigo, brown sugar and later to more subdued greys and blacks – with uplifting pops of red and electric blue throughout. 

Womenswear continues to offer five pocket denim fits in Wrangler’s pioneering Body Bespoke, also in a new super-high skinny fit. From a cropped bootcut to an oversized trucker jacket and jacket-dress hybrid, there’s a readiness to experiment. Roll necks and corduroys fill up the knitwear category for the brand while darker, black overdyed jeans and leather jackets with rough biker details and ‘Monumental’ slogan embroidered on the back bring about a grungy 90s vibe. 

Easy whites, creams and, again, brown sugar accents enrich the color offering through to more sober navy, grey petrol blue – with bursts of brights throughout.

We wish all our readers, clients and friends a very happy new year. May 2017 bring you everything you ever wished for.

Aquascutum will be sold to two separate parties in March 2017. The brand which is currently owned by YGM Trading, based in Hong Kong, was bought for 15 million pounds in 2012. With this purchase the brand was rescued from administration in the same year.

Meanwhile, Aquascutum has closed 14 stores in China – their main market – as well as one in Taiwan.

Its focus is product innovation, and new outlooks in accessories bringing together established firms and emerging brands in a totally new presentation; it will promote young Italian designers and welcome foreign talents and stage eye-opening events. The show will see over 5100 buyers from over 50 countries.

The next edition will take place from February 25th till 27th in Milan.

The WeAr team wishes their readers, clients and visitors very happy holidays! May these days bring you happiness, love and joy.

Best Wishes, 

The WeAr Global Network team

The Tommy Hilfiger Fall/ Winter 2016 womenswear, menswear and denim collections, The American Alternative, celebrate the ‘90s with a fresh twist on tradition. The collections embody the rebellious attitude that characterizes the decade and plays with contrasting silhouettes, oversized proportions and athletic influences. Rock-and-roll style takes center stage with stars, studs and statement fabrics. It’s edgy, relaxed and effortlessly cool with three different stories for both men and women.

Twisted Trad features denim, romantic floral prints, unexpected knit fabrics, horizontal color blocking, tattoo inspired prints, Varsity pin-and-patch look and all over geo-print dresses for women. For men it’s twisted varsity influence, multi graphic artwork, patched denim and wools.

Unplugged features an alternative take on traditional Tommy Hilfiger red, white and blue, Icon polka dots, mixing of patterns, horizontal color-blocking, oversized shoulders for ladies. And rugged and rough, modern military, overdyed denim for men. 

Off the Grid features high tech and functional detailing, military styling, abstract camo, fur and textures in Tech fabrics and nylons for women. Funtion, reversible, landscape camo in denim, jacquard and Thermolite for men.

Parajumpers is planning a strong tradeshow season round for the F/W season with various key editions taking place in Europe and USA. It will be presenting at Pitti Uomo Pavaillion XY and then continue its tour of Europe and US with tradeshows at Premium Berlin, Liberty fairs, Chicago Collective, Scoop, Project and Coterie amongst others

Mustang has closed two new license agreements starting in the F/W 2017 season. With this, Camano will be its new legwear partner whilst Mueller & Meirer will take care of the production and distribution of Mustang’s bags and leather products.

Capsule New York Women’s, taking place February 24th till 26th, 2017, will move downtown to Skylight Clarkson Sq. Located in West Soho, Skylight Clarkson Sq is one of the largest and most coveted spaces in Manhattan. The venue once served as the High Line's most southern terminal and is now the crown jewel of raw spaces in New York. 

Guess will be attending the next Panorama Berlin, to be held from 17 to 19 January 2017.  The Guess booth will be hosted in a special area – Nova Concept, Hall 9 – conceived as a new platform focusing on contemporary trends and promoting the encounter of fashion professionals, influencers and key brands. 

The Guess booth, measuring 179 sqm, will celebrate the brand’s 35th anniversary through the concept “Dream on…”, echoing one of the favourite mottos of Paul Marciano, Guess’ founder and Chief Creative Officer. Circular in shape, the booth will be surrounded by a scenic stage of mirrored panels offering glimpses of what lies within. Visitors will be welcomed by renowned and iconic Guess posters, featured alongside special white and chrome mannequins and large reproductions of the Guess logo. 

Inside, the clean and retrospective booth will host key items from Guess’ product lines and FW17 previews. Guess Jeans will be staged alongside Marciano, Guess Kids, Underwear, Handbags & Accessories, to give an instant flavour of the brand’s universe and products. Red roses cascading from the high ceiling will grant a personal touch to the setting, for a hint of seductive glamour. 

After opening the store on London’s Regent Street 221, Furla has strengthened its presence in the UK market with the opening of the new Brompton Road store, 71 in London.

For the interior precious materials such as wood and glass with opalescent finishes in satin champagne color were chosen. The clean and sophisticated concept, in tune with the architectural layout give the contemporary and elegant aesthetic always found at the flagships of the brand.

The store holds womens and small leather goods, but it will also host the men's collection in the basement, which together with the two zones is dedicated to footwear.

On the occasion of the new opening Furla has created a customized version of the iconic Metropolis with a print depicting London Bridge, in a captivating and unique graphical version. Each bag is an exclusive model, linked by a plate inside custom that says "Exclusive for Brompton Road London". 

"The opening of the London store is a further element of the brand's expansion strategy. We have invested in elegance and functionality, in order to give ample space to all products, to increase brand awareness and show the lifestyle of Furla, "said General Manager Alberto Camerlengo."

Denham has announced the appointment of Ludo Onnink as the brand’s new Chief Executive Officer, whilst founder Jason Denham will continue as Chief Creative Officer. Effective immediately, with this appointment, Jason Denham will focus more on the creative involvement with the brand as CCO.

Furthermore Denham has revealed that it will roll out a new strategic plan for 2017, with a special focus on the expansion within Europe (especially Germany) and Japan.

Crocs announced that Drew Barrymore, John Cena, YOONA and Henry Lau will serve as global ambassadors in the brand’s “Come As You Are” campaign, which will celebrate the uniqueness of individuals and inspire everyone to be comfortable in their own shoes.

“ ‘Come As You Are’ is an invitation for people to come together and share their one-of-a-kind-ness,” said Gregg Ribatt, Crocs Chief Executive Officer. “Crocs has never wavered from its identity: optimistic, versatile, comfortable and not afraid to poke holes in convention. Drew, John, YOONA and Henry are perfect partners for what our brand stands for – including celebrating diversity and all that makes each of us unique.” 

Crocs plans to announce more details of the campaign in early 2017.

Who's Next & Premiere Classe have chosen to explore a societal theme and place it at the heart of the trade shows for the January edition. Through the prism of the #GIRLSQUAD, the trade shows retain their utmost important values: creativity, commitment, freedom of expression and team spirit.

Around this powerful theme, Who’s Next & Premiere Classe are reinventing themselves in order to offer a unique and complete experience, 100% led by girl gangs. With a selection of exclusive brands and pop-up stores, guest influencers, a music programme, a unique scenography… Who’s Next and Premiere Classe are offering a complete and inspired interpretation of this truly urban revolution.

The Trendy and Urban areas of Who’s Next, will be presenting women-led brands,The Fame area will exclusively present the new ‘Pièces’ project, developed by Julia Van Hagen* & her team of exceptional women. ‘Pièces’ unites 5 craftswomen who work with ceramics, textiles and are involved in the art industry.

As for the Premiere Classe trade show, it will welcome the famous fashion Dress Code Festival, via a selection of accessory, ready-to-wear and lifestyle brands.

PREMIUM has announced the winners of its PREMIUM YOUNG DESIGNERS AWARD:

Womenswear: Twins Florence (Milan)
Menswear: Milano 140 (Milan)
Accessories: Manfredi Manara (Milan)
Activewear: P.E Nation (Australia)

PREMIUM will guide the winning young designers over the next two seasons on their path to success with a comprehensive award package designed to support them on both B2B and B2C levels. In the first season, having a presence at the fashion trade show will provide B2B exposure, as will inclusion in PREMIUM’s internationally focused PR. In connection with the ordering season, the winners will also be featured in a special showcase in the display windows of Galeries Lafayette from January 16th till February 5th, 2017, coming face-to-face with shoppers in downtown Berlin. During PREMIUM, a shuttle service will transport visitors from the trade show to the doors of Galeries Lafayette at Französische Straße 23.

From January 1, 2017, denim specialist MUSTANG will be granting the exclusive production and distribution license for the Legwear product segment to camano in Pleinfeld.

“We are extremely happy to enter into a partnership with a tradition-rich brand like MUSTANG, which is also brand leader in the denim segment,” claims Burkhard Stuhlemmer, CEO of camano GmbH & Co. KG. “With MUSTANG we will extend our licensing portfolio to include a significant market segment and consequently further build our retail competence. This will allow camano to strengthen its position as an innovative and competent retail partner.”

The first delivery of the MUSTANG Legwear Collection is planned for Fall/Winter 2017. A small collection selection will be presented to a professional audience in January at the Panorama in Berlin.

Menswear

Warm, super soft wool and flannel pants are making a comeback and feature prominently in ALBERTO’s collection for winter 2017. Keeping with the times also means changing the cut of its pants – sometimes subtly, sometimes radically.  Deluxe denims are also a must-have for the coming season. It isn’t only the cut and sophisticated details but also the elaborate washes, ingenious surface treatments and high-quality Italian fabrics that make the collection stand out. 

The coming winter, these classic cut wool pants made of high-quality Italian fabrics containing fine silk and Spandex will be making a comeback. Rough on the outside, ultra-trendy on the inside – the Mönchengladbach-based pants tailors from ALBERTO have created a characterful cotton line for the winter season that is ideal for men who want to make a statement. ALBERTO’s Smart Ceramica and Cosy Pants will again bridge the gap between casual and elegant. ALBERTO’s denim line for winter 2017 are off the vintage styles which are deliberately rough and tough with elaborate destroyed and repaired elements and cool 3D crease effects, while triple-dyed pieces give fashionable used styles that extra flair with extra color depth and ultra-comfortable stretch fabric. ALBERTO’s Premium Business Jeans segment is a symbiosis of traditional denim culture and pure luxury fashion

Womenswear
ALBERTO’s winter 2017 women's collection focuses entirely on wool and Ceramica, Retro, rock chick, sporty, cozy and even luxurious, ALBERTO has created all kinds of variations that strike a perfect balance between subtle and tough.

Next winter, ALBERTO woman will be relying on a combination of colors, cuts and patterns for its extensive new interpretation of the modern urban casual look.  ALBERTO woman is once again introducing a lot of newcomers for winter 2017. The PPT styles appear as plain T400 satin Superfit pants with sophisticated seam effects in the dye, some featuring Baroque-style floral flocking and fine vintage dyes. Cool cotton and extra-comfortable jersey prints bring rock and roll back to fashion with camouflage and leopard prints, animal jacquards in matching shades, elaborate coatings, woven Lurex stripes and abstract three-tone allover patterns. Asymmetric dividing seams and appliquéd metal zips give a hint of high fashion. The absolute highlight is a series of stylish pants made of soft, flowing velvet with floral and paisley allover prints.  The next winter season is all about Ceramica which is gentle on the skin, crease-resistant, easy to iron and able to regulate temperatures. For winter 2017, ALBERTO woman presents a denim range that bridges the gap between the beginnings of this precious blue commodity to the present day, featuring a mixture of elaborate used treatments and state-of-the-art fabrics. ALBERTO woman’s colors for the next winter season are extremely subtle. Deep black, military and earth shades create a harmonious, restful look accentuated with pastel rosé and mint, opulent royal blue, muted red, light berry and glamorous silver nuances.

The Italian footwear brand Pantofola d’Oro 1886 launched the exclusive Custom Made project in selected stores presenting the clientele the iconic PdO Gold sneaker belonging to the brand’s archives dating 1967. Receiving advice from the company’s artisans, the clientele has the possibility to personalize the shoes in the colour, eyelet, laces, lining and sole. A special personal touch can be given with the own signature or monogram embroidered on the shoes that are delivered fifteen days after the order is placed.

The project started in October with a three-day collaboration in London’s Carnaby Street and continued at Isetan in Tokyo and November at La Rinascente in Milan lasting one week. The following will take place in Singapore from 10 to 14 March 2017 and at fifteen other stores in Italy throughout next year.

Based in Ascoli Piceno in the footwear region Marche, the company celebrated this year its 130^th anniversary. The original production focused on wrestling shoes and football boots that still belong to the brand’s production alongside the high-end quality handcrafted leather and canvas/leather sneakers. As CEO Kim Williams explains “We believe that our custom made service can make the difference, creating the exclusivity of a product that cannot be found online. The connection with the clientele and retail is furthermore absolutely crucial today as well as the quick delivery of the items”.

Tommy Hilfiger has announced that it will host the TOMMYNOW Spring ’17 fashion show in Los Angeles on Wednesday, February 8, 2017. The west coast runway event is a continuation of the brand’s commitment to innovation and the democratization of the runway, including new partnerships and a celebration of local talent that builds on the Fall ’16 “Tommy Pier” experience in New York.

This will be the brand’s second in-season, immediately shoppable fashion show, and will present the looks from Spring ‘17 Hilfiger Collection, and the TommyXGigi collaborative capsule, the second collection designed together with supermodel Gigi Hadid. 

“The casual, cool, chic look that is leading the fashion world this season was born and bred in L.A., and I knew this show would feel at home on Venice Beach. In September, TOMMYNOW led the democratization and reinvention that is taking place in our industry right now and I’m excited to bring the full excitement and energy of our runway shows to L.A. this season. The Spring ’17 collections were designed with a clear West Coast spirit, and Gigi and I have loved fusing elements of her California lifestyle and a music festival atmosphere into the second TommyXGigi collection.” – Tommy Hilfiger

The 91st edition of Pitti Uomo, taking place on the 10th till 13th of January 2017, marks a step forward in the fair’s evolution. With its events and continually changing geography, Pitti Uomo captures the new vibrations of fashion and transforms them into original projects, beyond the concepts of fair and fashion week. The protagonists will be the great traditional firms that are projecting themselves towards the future, the new fashion talents and the brands that are on the way up, right up to the new worlds of menswear, even in a geographical sense.

The upcoming edition is expecting a total of approximately 1220 brands with 44% coming from abroad. Some highlights are big international brands which will launch their projects:

Z Zegna with the official premiere of the collection designed by Alessandro Sartori, the new creative director.Tommy Hilfiger, at Pitti Uomo for the first time, will present a precise selection of the Fall 2017 men’s collections inside an extraordinary hi-tech installa<>tion. Paul Smith will also be present at the Fortezza, with the PS by Paul Smith contemporary collection. 

Ahead of Small Business Saturday (3^rd December , retail tech start-up NearSt, which makes finding items in local shops easier than buying on Amazon, has today expanded its offering to consumer electronics, DIY goods, health & beauty products, sportswear, stationery, toys and gift shop services. The astronomical growth in ‘near me’ searches (over 146% year-on-year¹) means NearSt are now best placed to revitalise local shops on UK high streets, who can add over £4bn in sales² by connecting the items they sell to the smartphones of people searching for them nearby.

NearSt’s technology, called NearLive, enables any shop to set-up and start selling real-time inventory to shoppers through its website/app and directly in Google Search in less than 10 minutes. Shoppers simply search for something they want, see where it's in stock nearby, and in a few taps order it for 1-hour delivery or instant collection.

Woolrich Inc., America’s oldest outdoor clothing company and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of outdoor lifestyle apparel, and Woolrich Europe, licensee of the trademark for Europe and Asia, owned by W.P. Lavori in Corso, jointly-announced today the completion of an agreement to merge into Woolrich International, a new holding company responsible for leading and accelerating the future growth and development of the Woolrich brand, both in the North American market and worldwide.

The newly-formed company, Woolrich International will be headquartered in London and will coordinate the operating offices in New York City, Woolrich Pennsylvania, and Bologna and Milan, Italy. 

Woolrich International, at the end of the 4 years strategic plan, aims to be listed through an IPO in a prominent international stock market with the purpose to sustain the second growth phase on the emerging markets with superior potential. The execution of the IPO will be evaluated even considering possible strategic alliances which can accelerate the implementation of the 2017-2020 plan. 

Replay has launched a new model of jeans where the fabric gives the wearer a second skin effect. The jeans called ‘Touch’ provides performance through stretch-ability same as the Replay Hyperflex model, whilst taking it a step further and giving its wearer a one size slimmer effect. Due to the ‘Recall’ fabric technology by ISKO, no creases appear when wearing the jeans either. The latter have a feminine finish with buttons and rose gold finishings.

All four fits are skinny but give variety in a cropped, low-waist, high-waist and super high-waist styles. Colour palette comes in indigo blue, grey, black and white.

International luxury lifestyle and polo brand La Martina will is hosting its first ever brand and retail conference in Milan today and tomorrow. La Martina Brand Evolution: Brand & Retail Global Summit is a two-day event for La Martina retailers, exploring the evolution of the retail industry by bringing together the world’s most renowned experts in retail business, digital transformation and beyond. 

With the ever changing landscape of the global economy, the retail world is constantly challenged to adapt to emerging markets and trends. The guest speaker line up for the inaugural event includes a raft of industry leaders who will take on these themes:

&middot          Frances Corner OBE, Head of London College of Fashion

&middot          Giovanni Gagnoli, CEO of Bain Italy<>

&middot          Piers Fawkes, CEO & Founder of PSFK

&middot          Brian Solis, Principal Analyst at Altimeter Group

&middot          Francesco Morace, sociologist and writer

&middot          Simone Moro, alpinist and adventurer

Lando Simonetti, Founder of La Martina, says of the global summit: “We have learned so much over the past few decades and we want the opportunity to share our experiences with the industry. At the end of the day we are all in the same business and the changing economy impacts us all; this Global Retail Summit offers a platform for new ideas and new ways of thinking."

G-Star has appointed its new CEO duo. Patrick Kraaijeveld (former chief commercial officer) and Rob Schilder (former chief operations officer) will take on the roles of co-CEO’s. Both Kraaijeveld and Schilder are long-term employees at G-Star. The brand’s CEO for the past 27 years, Jos van Tilburg, will remain within the company as chairman on the board, focusing on strategic level operations.

Global Destination for Shoes & Accessories (GDS) will soon present its current Autumn/Winter 2017/18 collections, season highlights and inspirations in Düsseldorf from 7th to 9th February 2017.

The three well structured Lifestyle Worlds Highstreet, Studio, Pop international collections, the GDS Trend Programme and informative events will all be presented during the event.

The GDS Trend Spots are trend forums for shoes and accessories in the current ordering season. Seasonal themes will be visualised in exciting trend installations. While the Trend Spots provide ideas for visual merchandising at the POS, the GDS Trend Codes like topical shoe and accessory trends can be combined with the most important “fashion must-haves” of the season. Furthermore the Trend Info event organised by magazine TextilWirtschaft will provide an overview of the coming seasonal trends. At Modeurop Fashion Forecast trend expert Marga Indra-Heide will present the trends of the more distant future. The step* Trend View event by and with Karolina Landowski will show key insights into the most important fashion tendencies.

Los Angeles based premium denim brand Siwy has announced its first ever collaboration with contemporary art/fashion curators, Lulu Laboratorium Miami and owner/founder Elie Akiba to take place during Miami Art Basel on December 1st till 4th, 2016.
With its electro-eclectic aesthetic, the gallery is well-known for its exhibit and display of creative youthful talents, Lulu Labortorium has recruited artists to design and paint custom artwork on the back of Siwy’s limited edition collector’s denim jacket. Rock and Roll with a modern twist, the denim jackets will be on display at Lulu Laboritorium as part of its Wynwood Stock series of events during Art Basel. The participating artists range from painters, to vinyl and graffiti artists, including Lola Blu , Skott Marsi , Domingo Zapata , Lobyn Hamilton , AP Collection , Jumping Bull , and more.
In conjunction with the partnership, Siwy’s limited edition collector’s denim jacket, created as the canvas for the artists, will be available for purchase at the gallery.

The trouser specialist from Mönchengladbach, Germany, has opened its first store in its hometown.

The brand adopted the theme ‘Buy your pants local’ and opened the retail space in October on 130m2.

The new store should help to test new sales models, which should then benefit Alberto’s retail partners. It almost creates a concept store experience, with cups and other small items being on sale, but with the pant in the spotlight.

The interior design is created around the term ‘flexibility’, modular furniture that can be changed from day to day, a big flat screen can create different moods through movies or greet individual clients, as well as wall space that can feature a different image and therefore change the store’s atmosphere.

Alberto especially focuses on high-quality sales engagement, the sales staff goes so far as to even cycle to the warehouse, should a size be out of stock and needed by a client. Alberto also implemented a loyalty system, which allows entry to exclusive events and opening hours as well as discounts and the chance to participate at a pre-shopping.

On top of this, Alberto wants to revive the historic center of Mönchengladbach and opening the store in its location is the first step in that direction. 

Mustang is based on a fundamental denim philosophy, which places naturalness and originality at the forefront. The A/W 2017 collections are supplemented by a perfectly coordinated lifestyle offer, which completes the range of denim with shoes, leather, bodywear and accessories.

Women’s
The women’s collection is defined by a new generation of stretch materials in the trousers area. The especially feminine fit allows the focus to go on high-waist shaping fabrics. Even in the colder months, the ankle can flash out from the cropped denim and establish itself as an important styling tool for this season.

Ethnic influences from South Africa as well as decorative elements such as embroidery, are mixed with sport-influences from the 90s

This season also has a special focus on the details: buttons, embroidery, zipper and labels have been reinterpreted and give each jeans a distinctive look. Another highlight of this season is Mustang’s "Soft & Perfect" program. For this, high-performance materials have been developed to shape and support the curves of the woman without restricting freedom of movement.

Men’s
The key pieces for men’s F/W 2017 season are cropped denims made from firm stretch materials. The very authentic fabrics and the loose and shortened fit stand for a really relaxed look – especially nicely implemented with the brand new "Bonneville" fit. Denim jackets with hand-written prints on the back are the main features in the range of tops. Knitwear is all about heavy indigo dyed knits.

Mustang places emphasis on soft cotton qualities in structured optics as well as new fabrics which look like wool but can be worn like denim. The Mustang man combines authentic jeans in shortened silhouette with uni-colored tops and a vintage denim jacket this season He has edited individually. Authentic menswear colors make the palette for this season: navy, khaki, black, grey and some shades of brown and red.

Salvatore Ferragamo has named Guillaume Meilland as its new menswear design director, heading up all ready-to-wear. Meilland since 2008, held a position as senior menswear designer at Lanvin and prior to that at Yves Saint Laurent and Cacharel. 

Meilland will present his first collection for the brand in January for autumn/winter 2017.

For their A/W 2017 edition, taking place in Florence from January 10th till 13th 2017, Pitti Uomo will hold it around the theme ‘Dance Off’. ‘“Pitti Dance Off” says Agostino Poletto, deputy general manager of Pitti Immagine, “is an invitation to express your body and your own style. The edition will look at the way that dance can present ultimate diversity and freedom, the same way fashion does. Pitti Dance Off will be interpreted with the usual ironic touch, the settings will invade the Fortezza da Basso with a street dance rhythm and in step with its contests, with a set design and layout curated by architect and designer Oliviero Baldini. Pitti Immagine has also launched a special #PittiSign, a small distinctive salute that symbolizes the initials of Pitti Immagine. A gesture destined to spread virally and to be shared on Pitti Immagine’s social networks, identifying the fairs for the winter season.

The theme is interpreted by the new Pitti Uomo 91 digital art project: Pitti Immagine’s collaboration with talented video makers also continues with the production of the digital art project that accompanies the advertising campaign for the fairs. 

Pepe Jeans has acquired 100% of the brand Façonnable, part of the Lebanese group M1 (also the owner of Pepe Jeans itself. Façonnable was owned by US department store Nordstrom up until 2007, when it was acquired by M1. Pepe Jeans will be entirely restructuring the French brand Façonnable, especially in its retail side of business. Façonnable will still be based in Paris, but the design office will relocate to Spain.

Erwin Licher, CEO of Herrlicher celebrated in Munich's Kohlebunker his 70th birthday. Among family, friends, celebrities & press, 3 other guests had their birthday on the same day. Licher gained fame with Freeman T Porter before he started one of Germany's coolest sportswear label Herrlicher. Happy Birthday from WeAr!

The Triennalle Design Museum is hosting until 21st January 2017 the ‘Antonio Marras: Nulla dies sine linea’ exhibition. The latter is an anthological exhibition of works of art executed over the last twenty years, illustrating Antonio Marras’s visual trajectory.

The exhibition’s title – Pliny the Elder’s famous phrase with which he referred to the painter Apelles who “never let a day pass without tracing a line” – alludes to how Marras has always combined his work as a stylist with that of the artist. 

Antonio Marras, known as “the most intellectual of Italian stylists”, is renowned above all for creating fusions of the worlds in the creative universe, from cinema to poetry to history and visual art. This last is in fact the focus of the exhibition. The exhibition relates Antonio Marras’s visionary world, highlighting the emotion-driven and intellectual signs that marked important stages in his life. 

In the words of curator Francesca Alfano Miglietti, the exhibition is intended as: “a fully-involving experience, a journey into a stimulating, provocative world (stimulating because it is provocative) that is sometimes absolute, sporadically uninhibited”.