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WOMENSWEAR BUYER SEPTEMBER NEWS WOMENSWEAR BUYER SEPTEMBER NEWS STEADY RECOVERY FOR RIOTHIT RETAILERS With 28 town centres affected by last month’s riots, many retailers have been left counting the cost of the unprecedented events, with those who simply lost a day’s takings due to precautionary closing counting themselves as the lucky ones. For those who weren’t so lucky, however, the road ahead to recovery is set to be a long and uncertain one. Liz Pilgrim, owner of West London independent Baby E, is yet to re-open her Ealing store, following the damage sustained to the shop during the riots. “Our windows were smashed, the door was kicked in and the shop was looted,” says Pilgrim, who retails a range of maternitywear, as well as babywear and gifts. “The till and cash drawer were stolen, a hat stand was set alight, and my stock was strewn all over the pavement outside. I was angry and emotional but, since then, I have found it heartening to see the number of orders that we have received through our website because people want to help us. Now I am just hoping that we can reopen soon.” It’s a stoic attitude that has been replicated throughout the UK. Various clean-up operations were swiftly launched in the days following the riots, with organisations such as the Retail Trust raising funds through its High Street Heroes campaign and independent initiatives such as Riot Rebuild and DeLoot London. For many of those directly affected by the riots, it was campaigns such as these – not to mention the dedicated individuals who arrived broom-in-hand to do all they could to assist – that restored their faith in humanity at a time when society showed its worst side. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), however, the outpouring of public support was something that had to be matched by the practical support of the British government. “We asked the Prime Minister to put practical actions in place to support the rebuilding of our high streets and we are pleased to say that David Cameron listened to our pleas and satisfied the majority of them,” says BRC director general Stephen Robertson. “The temporary suspension of business rates for affected premises will offer some help for shops facing cash flow problems, while reassurance that stores with inadequate insurance will also be a lifeline to many small businesses.” However, despite the efforts of the public and relevant organisations alike, many retailers have still had their confidence shaken at a time when business was already tough-going, and fear their customers share their concerns. “The “Despite the efforts of the public and relevant organisations alike, many retailers have still had their confidence shaken at a time when business was already tough-going, and they fear their customers share their concerns.” BY MALENE BIRGER REPORTS IMPRESSIVE YEAR Danish label By Malene Birger has experienced a 34 per cent increase in sales in comparison to the previous financial year. The figures reflect a ¤35.1m turnover, with the brand expanding into international markets over the past 12 months. Franchise boutiques have opened in Lisbon, Athens and Antwerp, with a total of 23 franchise/retail boutiques set to open worldwide. TEXTILE SOURCING MOVES TO MOROCCO Morocco plays host to two new textile and apparel trade exhibitions – Maroc in Mode and Maroc Sourcing – on 16-18 November. Taking place at the Convention Centre, Hotel Palmeraie Golf Palace, the fairs offer short order, updated collections for s/s 12 and a/w 12 collections. The UK currently receives 12 per cent of knitwear from Morocco, with brands such as Marks & Spencer, Topshop and Next importing directly from the Moroccan textile industry. BPF WELCOMES RIOT DAMAGE RECOVERY PLANS The British Property Federation has welcomed a package of measures unveiled by the government to help businesses recover from four days of rioting and looting across the UK last month. The measures include £30m funding to repair high streets and an extra 28 days for businesses to claim for damages. DARLING EXPANDS INTO ACCESSORIES British clothing label Darling has expanded its product offer to include accessories for s/s 12. The collection includes handbags, purses, wallets and make-up bags. Incorporating vintage-inspired designs and finishes, large totes feature lace panelling, while intricate embossed metal work of birds, flowers, chain handles and photo-print onto studded leather are all prominent details. Wholesale prices range from £12.50 to £25. GARDEUR LAUNCHES PREMIUM LINE German trouser specialist Gardeur has launched its first premium line, Gardeur Design, available for the s/s 12 buying season. Incorporating a men’s and women’s range, the collection focuses on high quality design, fit and finish, with wholesale prices ranging from £39 to £46. In comparison to the regular Gardeur collection, the premium line is more trend-driven, and attention to detail remains key. “Our premium collection Gardeur Design represents our innovation centre thanks to its high fashion aspect, its premium fabrics and highly crafted finish,” says Gerhard Kränzle, ceo of Gardeur GmbH. “We’ve always had the know-how and now that there is a market for such a collection, we can also show it. “We see great potential for a premium line, especially in our export markets, for instance, in the Netherlands and Russia. We used CPD, a premium trade fair in Düsseldorf, as an opportunity to sound the market, and the collection was extremely well-received.” Key pieces in the womenswear line include the Danya, a floral 7/8-cut trouser; the Dorin, a tartan high waisted pant; and the Delia, a white boot-cut longer length trouser style. The collection includes 35-40 pieces, and is distributed internationally and exclusively by fashion agency Dietmar Krause and Meine Lieblingsagentur. area has been much quieter since the riots and, as much of our trade is dependent on tourists, this has had a negative effect on us, even though, fortunately, we were not directly involved in the riots,” says Micaela Philippo, owner of apparel and accessories independent 123 Bethnal Green Road. *Data sourced from Local DATA Company A total of one in ten retailers were affected by last month’s riots. Around 65 per cent of those were thought to be independent set-ups with less than five outlets to their name*. Now, as retailers throughout the UK pick up the pieces in the aftermath of the chaos, the industry is reflecting on the lasting impact on an already struggling sector. SCOOP SET FOR GROWTH AFTER SUCCESSFUL SECOND SHOW London womenswear show Scoop reported a 36 per cent increase in attendance at its second edition, which took place last month at the Saatchi Gallery. Indies including Browns, Bernard of Esher, Joules B and Sunday Best, as well stores such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Fenwick and House of Fraser, were among those visiting the show, which played host to around 130 international brands. August also saw the announcement of a new joint venture between Scoop International Fashion and trade show oragniser and WWB publisher ITE Moda. ITE Moda, which has become the largest shareholder in the business, will now work alongside founders Karen Radley and David Moran on the organisation and development of future editions of the show. “Scoop was embraced by the fashion industry, and we’ll now be able to realise the show’s full potential from a UK and international perspective,” says Radley. “ITE Moda is a perfect fit for Scoop, with an established relationship with the womenswear market and a keen understanding of its needs.”

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The Village Bicycle Notting Hill Press

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Page 1: Village Bicycle Press

07WOMENSWEAR BUYER—SEPTEMBER 2011

NEWS—

06WOMENSWEAR BUYER—SEPTEMBER 2011

NEWS—

STEADY RECOVERY FOR RIOT-HIT RETAILERS

With 28 town centres affected by last month’sriots, many retailers have been left counting thecost of the unprecedented events, with thosewho simply lost a day’s takings due toprecautionary closing counting themselves asthe lucky ones. For those who weren’t so lucky,however, the road ahead to recovery is set to be a long and uncertain one.

Liz Pilgrim, owner of West Londonindependent Baby E, is yet to re-open her Ealingstore, following the damage sustained to the shop during the riots. “Our windows weresmashed, the door was kicked in and the shopwas looted,” says Pilgrim, who retails a range of maternitywear, as well as babywear and gifts.“The till and cash drawer were stolen, a hatstand was set alight, and my stock was strewn all over the pavement outside. I was angry andemotional but, since then, I have found itheartening to see the number of orders thatwe have received through our website becausepeople want to help us. Now I am just hopingthat we can reopen soon.”

It’s a stoic attitude that has beenreplicated throughout the UK. Various clean-upoperations were swiftly launched in the daysfollowing the riots, with organisations such asthe Retail Trust raising funds through its

High Street Heroes campaign and independentinitiatives such as Riot Rebuild and DeLootLondon. For many of those directly affected bythe riots, it was campaigns such as these – not tomention the dedicated individuals who arrivedbroom-in-hand to do all they could to assist –that restored their faith in humanity at a timewhen society showed its worst side.

According to the British RetailConsortium (BRC), however, the outpouring ofpublic support was something that had to bematched by the practical support of the Britishgovernment. “We asked the Prime Minister toput practical actions in place to support therebuilding of our high streets and we are pleasedto say that David Cameron listened to our pleasand satisfied the majority of them,” says BRCdirector general Stephen Robertson. “Thetemporary suspension of business rates foraffected premises will offer some help for shopsfacing cash flow problems, while reassurancethat stores with inadequate insurancewill also bea lifeline to many small businesses.”

However, despite the efforts of the publicand relevant organisations alike, many retailershave still had their confidence shaken at a timewhen business was already tough-going, andfear their customers share their concerns. “The

“Despite the efforts of the public and relevantorganisations alike, manyretailers have still had theirconfidence shaken at a timewhen business was alreadytough-going, and they feartheir customers share theirconcerns.”

BY MALENE BIRGER REPORTS IMPRESSIVE YEARDanish label By Malene Birger hasexperienced a 34 per cent increasein sales in comparison to theprevious financial year. The figuresreflect a ¤35.1m turnover, with thebrand expanding into internationalmarkets over the past 12 months.Franchise boutiques have opened inLisbon, Athens and Antwerp, with a total of 23 franchise/retailboutiques set to open worldwide. —TEXTILE SOURCING MOVES TO MOROCCOMorocco plays host to two newtextile and apparel tradeexhibitions – Maroc in Mode and Maroc Sourcing – on 16-18November. Taking place at theConvention Centre, Hotel PalmeraieGolf Palace, the fairs offer shortorder, updated collections for s/s 12and a/w 12 collections. The UKcurrently receives 12 per cent of knitwear from Morocco, withbrands such as Marks & Spencer,Topshop and Next importingdirectly from the Moroccan textileindustry. —BPF WELCOMES RIOT DAMAGE RECOVERY PLANSThe British Property Federation haswelcomed a package of measuresunveiled by the government to helpbusinesses recover from four days ofrioting and looting across the UKlast month. The measures include£30m funding to repair high streetsand an extra 28 days for businessesto claim for damages. —DARLING EXPANDS INTO ACCESSORIESBritish clothing label Darling has expanded its product offer to include accessories for s/s 12. The collection includes handbags,purses, wallets and make-up bags.Incorporating vintage-inspireddesigns and finishes, large totesfeature lace panelling, whileintricate embossed metal work ofbirds, flowers, chain handles andphoto-print onto studded leatherare all prominent details. Wholesaleprices range from £12.50 to £25.—

GARDEUR LAUNCHES PREMIUM LINE

German trouser specialist Gardeur has launched its first premium line, Gardeur Design,available for the s/s 12 buying season.

Incorporating a men’s and women’s range, thecollection focuses on high quality design, fit andfinish, with wholesale prices ranging from £39to £46. In comparison to the regular Gardeurcollection, the premium line is more trend-driven, and attention to detail remainskey. “Our premium collection Gardeur Designrepresents our innovation centre thanks to itshigh fashion aspect, its premium fabrics andhighly crafted finish,” says Gerhard Kränzle,ceo of Gardeur GmbH. “We’ve always had theknow-how and now that there is a market forsuch a collection, we can also show it.

“We see great potential for a premiumline, especially in our export markets, forinstance, in the Netherlands and Russia. We usedCPD, a premium trade fair in Düsseldorf, as anopportunity to sound the market, and thecollection was extremely well-received.”

Key pieces in the womenswear lineinclude the Danya, a floral 7/8-cut trouser; theDorin, a tartan high waisted pant; and the Delia,a white boot-cut longer length trouser style. The collection includes 35-40 pieces, and isdistributed internationally and exclusively by fashion agency Dietmar Krause and MeineLieblingsagentur.—

area has been much quieter since the riots and,as much of our trade is dependent on tourists,this has had a negative effect on us, even though, fortunately, we were not directlyinvolved in the riots,” says Micaela Philippo,owner of apparel and accessories independent123 Bethnal Green Road.

*Data sourced from Local DATA Company

A total of one in ten retailers were affected by last month’s riots. Around 65 per cent of those were thought to be independent set-ups with less than fiveoutlets to their name*. Now, as retailers throughout the UK pick up the pieces inthe aftermath of the chaos, the industry is reflecting on the lasting impact on

an already struggling sector.—

SCOOP SET FOR GROWTH AFTERSUCCESSFUL SECOND SHOW

London womenswear show Scoop reported a 36 per cent increase in attendance at its secondedition, which took place last month at theSaatchi Gallery.

Indies including Browns, Bernard of Esher,Joules B and Sunday Best, as well stores such asHarrods, Harvey Nichols, Fenwick and House ofFraser, were among those visiting the show, whichplayed host to around 130 international brands.

August also saw the announcement of anew joint venture between Scoop InternationalFashion and trade show oragniser and WWBpublisher ITE Moda. ITE Moda, which hasbecome the largest shareholder in the business,will now work alongside founders Karen Radleyand David Moran on the organisation anddevelopment of future editions of the show.

“Scoop was embraced by the fashionindustry, and we’ll now be able to realise theshow’s full potential from a UK andinternational perspective,” says Radley. “ITEModa is a perfect fit for Scoop, with anestablished relationship with the womenswearmarket and a keen understanding of its needs.”

Page 2: Village Bicycle Press

09WOMENSWEAR BUYER—SEPTEMBER 2011

NEWS—

08WOMENSWEAR BUYER—SEPTEMBER 2011

NEWS—

UNCONDITIONAL OPENS STORE IN MANCHESTERContemporary clothing labelUnconditional opened its firstregional flagship store inManchester’s Triangle shoppingcentre in July. The new store covers2,400 sq ft and joins the likes ofhigh street retailers Jigsaw andBravissimo in the shopping centre.The opening is in addition to theretailer’s inaugural store inLondon’s Covent Garden.—JAEGER FURTHER EXPANDS UK PORTFOLIOJaeger continues to expand its UKstore portfolio with the launch ofseven standalone Boutique byJaeger concessions within House of Fraser, as well as two furtherJaeger London freestanding storesin Brent Cross and Newcastle lastmonth. “This new development seesa major roll-out for Boutique byJaeger, taking it to a widerdepartment store audience, andsupports the on-going growth of our Jaeger London freestandingconcept stores which are performingstrongly,” says Belinda Earl,Jaeger’s group chief executive.—BFC WELCOMES LAURA BAILEY ON BOARDThe British Fashion Council hasappointed model Laura Bailey asits new cultural ambassador. Baileyis the first of a number ofyoung/cultural ambassadors thatwill be unveiled prior to LondonFashion Week in September. “I amproud of my new ambassadorshipwith the BFC and I am thrilled to beworking with and promoting youngBritish talent,” says Bailey. “I thinkit’s a really exciting time for Britishfashion – via the shows, in the shopsand on the streets.”—BETTY JACKSON LAUNCHESFOOTWEAR RANGEWomenswear designer Betty Jacksonhas launched her first footwearcollection for a/w 11. Initiallyavailable exclusively throughDebenhams, the seven-piececollection retails from £45. Keystyles include pumps with bowdetailing and wedges in suede andpatent leather.

WEB TAKING SHARE OF RETAIL INCREASEOnline retail continues to positionitself as a vital platform for modernshoppers as the high street looks tothe web for new avenues, a reportby the Office of National Statisticshas revealed. The value of internetretail sales for the year ending July2011 show that online purchasesamount to £523.4m – 9.1 per centof total retail sales. This is a two percent increase on the year endingJuly 2010.—POSITIVE MOOD AT COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEKHigh levels of sales and healthyorders have contributed to thebuoyant atmosphere felt throughoutCopenhagen Fashion Week lastmonth, despite a drop in footfallacross all five fairs. CPH Vision didexperience an increase in buyersand traffic, with buyers becomingmore focused and looking towardsnew names. CFW also launched anew web platform designed forfashion professionals – cfw.dk. Thesite is designed to help buyers plantheir next trip to CPH Vision, CPHKids, Terminal 2, CIFF and Gallery. —BANANA REPUBLIC INSPIRED BYMAD MENUS label Banana Republic haslaunched a capsule collection basedon hit drama Mad Men as part of acollaboration with the show’scostume designer Janie Bryant. Keypieces in the womenswear offerinclude a series of tailored dresses,high-waisted skirts and an animalprint trench coat. The collection isavailable exclusively at BananaRepublic stores, with retail pricesranging from £29.95 to £140. —RETAIL BUSINESS PREDICTSTOUGH AUTUMNMany small retail businesses believethe current difficulties they facewill get worse – not better – as theyear progresses, according to asurvey by the Federation of SmallBusinesses. Two-fifths (37 per cent)of businesses said that, ignoringseasonal variations, they expectedtheir prospects to be worse in thenext three months compared to the21 per cent who expect to see animprovement.

NEW DIRECTION FOR KEW.159

British womenswear label Kew is re-launchingfor a/w11 as Kew.159, realigning to focus on a younger, more trend-focused market.

The new direction of the brand has been headed up by newly appointed creative directorSandra Clarke, previously of Coast. Clarke waskeen to retain elements of the brand’s heritage,with the a/w 11 collection including a series ofclassics reinvented with modern twists – the pea coat has been updated with knitted sleeves,for example.

“We aim to build a brand that has aconsistent handwriting, significantly differentto that of sister brand Jigsaw, with the aim ofbecoming the number one shoppingdestination,” says Clarke.

The Kew.159 in-house design team hasalso created a series of exclusive prints that havebeen used on the collection’s limited editiondress range, each priced at £110.—

BUOYANT MOOD AT MODA

Three days of strong sales and new names acrossthe womenswear, footwear and accessories sectors at last month’s Moda exhibition leftvisitors and brands in a buoyant mood about theforthcoming season.

An influx of new signings and the launch ofthree new product zones attracted keyindependent and department store buyers fromacross the UK and Ireland including John Lewis,Debenhams, Arcadia, Hoopers, Brown Thomasand e-tailers such as ASOS.

Contemporary womenswear zone Moda White featured first-time appearancesfrom labels including Mille K, Eva Tralala andEliza & Ethan. “This is our first time at ModaWoman and the show performed incrediblywell,” says Marc Lee, European representativefor Eliza & Ethan. “With 15 new accounts, we’veseen key independents from both the UK andIreland. Moda White is a great concept, and welook forward to seeing it grow with the additionof further contemporary brands.”

Nick Williams, director, Marble FashionDesigns was also pleased with the turnout ofbuyers and orders placed. “The new standposition helped as we had our busiest ever show,we were 35 per cent up on February 2011 and 40per cent up on August 2010,” he says.

The next edition of Moda will take placeon 19-21 February 2012.—

HIGH STREET REMAINS INFLEXIBLE DESPITE GROWTH INPLUS-SIZE MARKET

Plus-size shoppers are left unsatisfied with highstreet sizing and choice despite the plus-sizewomenswear marketing increasing in value by47 per cent over the last five years, according tonew research by market analyst Mintel.

However, the report revealed 80 per cent feltthat too few stores offer enough choice in non-mainstream sizes. Two thirds of plus-sizewomen also wanted to see larger models inclothing photographs and larger mannequinsused in-store.

“A lot of the progress in the plus-sizemarket has been limited to online specialists, and many high street fashion outlets remaininflexible in their sizing policies.” says MichelleStrutton, senior FMCG analyst at Mintel. “Among plus-size shoppers, discontentcontinues to prevail over limited choice and thedifficulty in finding clothes that fit.

“However, the commercial viability ofgrabbing a share of the evolving plus-sizeclothing market is being recognised by someretailers – hence why the fashion offer cateringto larger sizes has expanded over the last coupleof years.”—

PINK LABEL RE-LAUNCHES ASRUBYRAY

Spring/summer 2012 will see the re-launch ofpartywear brand Pink Label London under thenew name of RubyRay.

Originally created for fashion-consciousteenagers, the brand is now marketed at the 20-something woman, with RubyRay designed toreflect the new playful yet sophisticated direction.

The label, currently availablethroughout the UK, Europe and Asia, is lookingto expand and increase its presence over the next12 months. Potential markets include NorthAmerica and India. A revised marketing strategywill also be put in place, with the main aimbeing to increase the brand’s presence in the UKmarket including various Pop Up stores to beopened across the country in the run-up to s/s 12.—

LIPSY EXPANDS TO THE MIDDLE EAST

Young fashion label Lipsy has signed a multi-territory agreement with Alhokair Groupto launch the brand into the Middle East.

The Group, which operates franchises for retailchains including Gap, Zara and Monsoon,intends to open 40 Lipsy stores over the next fiveyears. Locations will include Jordan, Egypt,Morocco, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

“We have ambitious growth plans todevelop Lipsy in the region, and believe itsunique handwriting, glamorous fashionoutlook and continuous celebrity endorsementwill be a success in our markets,” says SimonMarshall, ceo of fashion retail at Alhokair Group. —