WWB Magazine

—WHAT WOMEN WANTCamel Active’s first foray into womenswear —

—INDEPENDENT SPIRITIndies discuss the key issuesaffecting retail—

—SHOW FEVERThe key exhibitions forautumn/winter 2013—

—NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONSIndustry players share theirexpectations for 2013 —

DECEMBER 2012—ISSUE 222

WOMENSWEARBUYERwwb-online.co.uk

£6.95

WWB222 Main Document 04/12/2012 10:42 Page 2




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CONTENTS—

REGULARS

9EDITORS COMMENT

—10

NEWS—14

BACKSTAGEThe other side of womenswear

—16

TALKING POINT—56

RETAIL FORUMThe latest news from the industry

—59

ADVICE—62

THE FINAL WORDHow do you switch off after a long

day at work? —

FRONT COVERWRANGLER

—

FASHION

22STYLE FILE

—24

10 OF THE BESTLeather pieces

—27

CASE IN POINTIPad and laptop cases

—28

FASHION RADAR—38

JUMPING AHEADThe pre-collections for a/w 13

—50

ARTIST’S STATEMENTA first look at Scoop International

—52

BREAD & BUTTER BERLINWWB previews next month’s show

—

FEATURES

18Q&A

With Camel Active’s Eric Sperber—30

STATE OF INDEPENDENCEKey indies join WWB for a round table

discussion—34

“INDIES NEED TO START WORKINGCOLLECTIVELY”

Paul Turner-Mitchell shares his views on thefuture of independents

—37

INDIES ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVESHow local independents turned around

Tewkesbury—40

EXHIBITION CALENDARThe shows not to miss for a/w 13

—54

THE BIGGER PICTURE Key players review the year that was

—

07WOMENSWEAR BUYER—DECEMBER 2012



COMMENT—

AS 2012 IS COMING TO A CLOSE,MOST OF US WILL HAVE MIXEDFEELINGS ABOUT THE YEAR THATWAS, AND MANY MAY BE LOOKINGAHEAD AT THE NEXT 12 MONTHSWITH SOME TREPIDATION.—

This year has undoubtedly been tough, and thereis little to suggest that 2013 won’t be bringingmore of the same.

But, if any proof was needed that fashionindies are resilient, it’s in this issue, which ispacked with affirmative stories of indiesturning adversity into victory. For instance, lastmonth, I invited a handful of independentsfrom across the north of England to a roundtable discussion, where we chatted throughmany issues that are currently dominating theiragendas, as well as the general bugbears of beinga fashion retailer. You can read all about it onpage 30. One of the key findings of the day wasthat the attendants have had their best season inmany, thanks to careful stock control, clevermarketing and doing what they do best –putting their customers first.

The same goes for the small town ofTewkesbury, where a group of proactive indiespooled together to make a change in theirstruggling town centre – which had beensnubbed as a Portas Pilot – putting it back on thelocal shopping map and creating a real buzzabout the town (page 37).

We also asked a number of industryplayers to review the last 12 months and give ustheir predictions and New Year’s resolutions for2013. And again, it’s independents who areshining examples, having accomplished lots this

year and who are looking to the months aheadwith defiant confidence.

So while there is no doubt that all of thisoptimism is rooted in a lot of hard work,dedication and determination, it is a positivepicture. Of course, I am not glossing over thefact that this year has seen many closures ofindependents, too. Nevertheless, I believe it’simportant to focus on the positives and on whatcan be achieved, not what can’t. The economywon’t be miraculously better next year; chancesare, the weather will remain as unpredictable asit has been (we are in Britain, after all!), andissues such as business rates will remain, butindies up and down the country are provingthat you can thrive in any circumstance.

I wish you all a prosperous Christmastrading period, and will catch up with you nextyear, with hopefully more success stories. Asalways, don’t forget to share your views – andaccomplishments – with us by emailing ortweeting @wwbmagazine.

Isabella Griffiths, editor

EditorIsabella [email protected] —ContributorsVictoria [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]—Online editorSuzanna [email protected]—Fashion writerNatalie [email protected]—Editorial assistantCarey [email protected]—Sub editorAmanda [email protected]—Design & productionMichael [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]—Senior advertising sales managerMina [email protected]—Sales executiveJasprit [email protected]—SubscriptionsKatie [email protected]—Production directorGill [email protected]—Commercial directorNick [email protected]—Marketing directorStephanie [email protected]—Managing directorColette [email protected]—Reprographics/printingImageData Group 01482 652323

—WWB is published 11 times per year byRAS Publishing Ltd, The Old Town Hall,Lewisham Road, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5AL. Call 01484 846069 Fax 01484 846232 —Copyright © 2012 WWB Magazine Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of anywritten material or illustration in any formfor any purpose, other than short extracts forreview purposes, is strictly forbidden. Neither RASPublishing Ltd nor its agents accept liability forloss or damage to transparencies and any othermaterial submitted for publication.—

RAS Publishing is an ITE Group PLCcompany A Buyer Series Fashion BusinessPublication WWB is a fashion business publicationproduced by RAS Publishing Ltd. Other titlesinclude MWB, Footwear & Fashion Extras andCWB.

10WOMENSWEAR BUYER wwb-online.co.uk—DECEMBER 2012

NEWS—

RETAILERS HOPEFUL THAT TILLS WILL BE RINGING THIS CHRISTMAS

Increasing consumer confidence, fallingunemployment and decreasing pressure onincomes will contribute towards a buoyantChristmas season for retailers, according toretail analyst Mintel. Its latest research predictsthat seasonal sales will be three per cent up indirect comparison with last Christmas, citing astrong start to the autumn season and stableretail sales throughout 2012 as positiveindicators for December.

“The pattern of retail trade through theyear follows a predictable pattern,” says Mintel’sdirector of retail research, Richard Perks. “Retailsales growth has averaged around three per centso far this year and, as the pressures on consumersare easing, there is no reason to suggest the ratecannot be maintained. The run-up to Christmasis also starting better than last year and, whilepressure is not off consumers, most factors aremore positive for 2012.”

In Cambridge, Pippa Sandison, owner ofwomenswear indie Boudoir Femme, is expectingto be in line with Mintel’s growth predictions,following a poor October but strongerNovember like-for-like on last year. “We havebudgeted for just over three per cent growth, buttimes are challenging, so here’s hoping,” shesays. “Trade is unpredictable at the moment, butwe are quietly confident of a strong finish to themonth.” Apart from a one-off 10 per cent

promotion, Sandison says she is selling at fullprice and is determined to not go into Salebefore 27 December. “We are not dictated by the high street, but we generally mirror ourneighbouring stores’ sales launches, which willbe on 27 December.”

Multichannel retailing is an approachmany retailers have adopted in a bid tomaximise the potential of the Christmas tradingperiod. With internet sales expected to tip£4.6bn this year, according to online salestracker IMRG, an online arm of any retailoperation is increasingly an essential investmentfor savvy retailers. IMRG has also found thatyear-on-year m-commerce – shopping via asmartphone and tablet – has risen by 261 percent, and predicts that around 20 per cent ofonline orders will be made via a mobile phonethis Christmas.

Claire Wright, owner of Gemini inStratford-upon-Avon, is among those indiesmaximising multichannel, with the store’swebsite having seen strong growth incomparison to the bricks-and-mortar shop.“Our online trade is almost 54 per cent up, whilein-store trade is 22 per cent down,” says Wright,who is running several promotions online andin-store to maximise Christmas trade.

“Online accounts for 48 per cent of ourbusiness, and we are driving for it to become

“We have budgeted for justover three per cent growth,but times are challenging,so here’s hoping”

75 per cent by 2014,” she continues. “It’s aresponse to declining footfall in our in-storetrade since 2008 and a conscious decision. Wehave a strong email campaign, which backs upour in-store mail-out and promotions. We arealso running an online competition throughoutAdvent, while in-store, we have shoppingevenings. Furthermore, we go into Sale on 11December with initial markdowns at 15 and 25per cent, and a small amount of dead stock at 50per cent. We have followed the same strategy for10 years, as we feel we get better margins byreducing product pre-Christmas rather thanwaiting and having to mark everything downby 50 per cent to compete with the multiples.”

Amid predictions that seasonal sales will be three per cent up on last year, retailersare hoping for a lucrative Christmas season.

—


NEWS—

JANUARY EDITION OF CHICCANCELLED Accessories trade exhibition Chichas announced the cancellation ofits January 2013 show due tounfortunate family circumstances.The decision to cancel the 34thedition of the fashion accessories,gift and travel goods show wastaken because its organiser feltunable to devote the necessary timeto make the event successful forboth its exhibitors and visitors. “We are a close family and a familyrun business, and our currentcircumstances mean the JanuaryChic show would not get the careand attention required to beeffective for both exhibitors andvisitors,” says organiser MarkGreenhalgh. The next edition of Chic will take place on 7-9 July 2013. —MY-WARDROBE APPOINTS NEWFASHION DIRECTOR Premium e-tailer My-Wardrobe.com has appointedCarmen Borgonovo as fashiondirector. The former senior styleeditor of British Harper’s Bazaarwill join the company at the startof next year to lead the buyingteam, replacing buying andmerchandising director Luisa DePaula, who is leaving the businessafter five years in the role. With afocus on international expansion,Borgonovo will be tasked withsourcing new internationaldesigners and creating a uniquecuration of each collection. —ESCADA TO VENTURE INTO E-COMMERCEGerman luxury fashion houseEscada will launch its first e-commerce store in the New Year.So far, the brand’s products haveonly been available online viatransactional websites of selectedtrade partners. Its own online storewill be offering both product lines,Escada and Escada Sport, as well asaccessories. The design of theEscada online shop will besophisticated, modern and in linewith the brand DNA. It will also beavailable for the usage on tablets.—

LITTLE MISTRESS ROLLS OUTSEPARATES RANGE

Fast-fashion brand Little Mistress has opened anew UK factory and employed two seniordesigners, increasing the design team from twoto seven, to accommodate the launch of thebrand’s first separates collection, which is set todrive the rapid expansion of the label further.

Little Mistress is among the fastest growingyoung fashion dress labels, available through thelikes of Asos, Bank, Very, House of Fraser and ahost of independents, with the launch ofseparates, including tops, trousers, jackets, skirtsand printed denim, set for s/s 13.

The UK factory is said to be a key step inmaking sure the label can respond faster tocapitalise on trends and repeat designsdemanded by end consumers. “We have hadspecific requests from most of our key partnersto expand into this arena, so we would be foolishnot to deliver an offer,” says Mark Ashton, MDof Little Mistress. —

FARFETCH LAUNCHES EXCLUSIVECOLLABORATIONS

Online fashion marketplace Farfetch.com hascollaborated with four creatives on a series ofexclusive giftwraps to celebrate the festiveseason, including design duo MeadhamKirchhoff, photographer Melinda Gibson, artistand DJ Margot Bowman and set designer andillustrator Gary Card.

Each creative was commissioned to produce an exclusive illustration, which has beentransformed into a series of festive giftwraps and forms the basis of the e-tailer’s UnwrapChristmas concept.

Elements of the idea include an on-siteand social media based animated game, Pass the Parcel, where customers can play to win daily designer gifts and share with theirfriends to gain more entries into a prize draw to win £3,000 to spend at Farfetch.com. —


NEWS—

GLOBAL FASHIONMANAGEMENT HOSTSWORKSHOPSBusiness consultancy GlobalFashion Management will berunning a series of workshops overthe new few months, focusing onkey operational issues such asvision and strategy, staffmotivation and problem solving.The workshops will start inFebruary, and are aimed at fashion businesses. For more details, prices and venues call 020 8576 6233. —VIRTUAL TAPE MEASURE TOREVOLUTIONISE ONLINECLOTHES SHOPPINGAn innovative web-based systemthat takes detailed measurements ofthe body could revolutionise onlineclothes shopping. The consumerwould download software which,in conjunction with their webcamor smartphone, works like a virtualtape measure, taking accurate waist,hip, chest and other measurements,advising the user on which sizedgarment to buy. The software isbeing developed by the LondonCollege of Fashion and computervision experts at the University of Surrey, and in collaborationwith body-mapping specialistBodymetrics and digital creativeagency Guided. The new system isexpected to launch within two years. —ANNE HORTON EXITS HOOPERSAnne Horton, former MD ofindependent department storegroup Hoopers, has left thebusiness in a surprise exit lastmonth. According to Hoopers, themove is part of a restructure by the owners, who “have taken thecommercial decision to restructurethe management control of thebusiness.” Katie Woodward, currentchairman and daughter of theowners, will be taking a moreoperative role, and her new positionwill be that of executive chairman,effectively combining the role ofboth chairman and managingdirector. Debra Angus, Hoopers’current homewares buyer, will betaking on a new role as stores andbuying controller. In addition,Stewart Woodward is appointedexecutive assistant and, as such, willbe assisting both Woodward andAngus in their new roles.—

MOBILE SHOPPING TO DOMINATETHIS CHRISTMAS

Online retailers are expecting strong spending asthe Christmas shopping peak approaches, withconsumers forecast to spend £4.6bn online overthe first two weeks in December, according to e-retail analysts IMRG and Capgemini.

Mobile devices will take up a significant share ofthis spending, with just under a billion of thatfigure, £920m, expected to be made viasmartphones and tablets, after the popularity ofthese channels has accelerated over the year. Inthe first quarter of 2012, just 8.2 per cent of e-tailsales were made through a mobile device. By theend of the fourth quarter, this figure is expectedto have reached around 20 per cent.

“We are seeing a shift in the wayconsumers interact with brands online,” says TinaSpooner, chief information officer at IMRG.“While it is still common for consumers to browsethe shops at weekends before making the finalpurchase online on Monday lunchtime, we areincreasingly seeing the popularity of ‘secondscreening’, where people browse on theirmobiles in front of the TV. We can expect to seethe 20 per cent share continue to grow in 2013.” —

J CREW TO OPEN IN LONDON

US store group J Crew is set to open its first store outside of North America on London’sRegent Street.

The retailer will take up a 17,000 sq ft location on the corner of Regent Street and New Burlington Street, which is currentlyunder development, in late 2013.

The store will house separate women’sand men’s stores, each with its own designatedentrance, as well as Crewcuts, the chain’skidswear outlet. The UK debut forms part of J Crew’s international expansion, havinglaunched into over 100 global markets in lateMarch through its e-commerce website,www.jcrew.com.

“London was an easy decision – it’s aplace where people understand and respect theintegrity of great style and design,” says MillardDrexler, chairman and chief executive of J CrewGroup. “We share this appreciation and areexcited to introduce J Crew to more customersthroughout the UK.” —


NEWS—

NEW LOOK FOR SDEA To mark 65 years of serving theretail display industry, The Shopand Display EquipmentAssociation (SDEA) has updatedand redesigned its website,Shopdisplay.org. Highlightsinclude more vibrant colouringand a streamlined homepage forclarification, while the navigationmenu has been simplified to ensureretailers, designers and specifiersare linked directly to the suppliersof shop fittings, display productsand services they are sourcing.—BIRA NATIONAL CONFERENCEANNOUNCED The British Independent RetailersAssociation (Bira) NationalConference 2013 will see keyindustry figures challenge top UK independents for their viewson hot topics such as changingconsumer habits, online retail,implementing the Portas Reportand the future of the high street.The conference will take place on16 May at Cotswold Water ParkFour Pillars Hotel in Cirencester.—RISE IN CREDIT CARD FRAUDFEARED The majority of UK businesses areunwittingly storing customercredit card details on IT equipment,according to analysis carried out byidentity protection specialistGround Labs. Without UKbusinesses taking steps to safeguardcustomers’ credit card details, andwith an increase in e-commerceand card transactions in the run-upto Christmas, fears are of a rise incredit card fraud.—ONE YEAR MILESTONE FORYOURBRANDSPACE Online wholesale showroomYourBrandSpace.com has declaredstrong month-on-month growthduring its first year of trading,culminating in its currentportfolio of 150 brands. During itsfirst year of trading, the companyhas signed up 1,400 retail members,30 per cent of whom are basedoutside the UK. FoundersSamantha Bleasby and LouisaValvano are looking to build on the website’s national andinternational presence throughout2013 and beyond. —

SHOPLIFTING AND FRAUD COST£1BN OVER CHRISTMAS

UK retailers stand to lose £1bn over Christmas thisyear as a result of shoplifting, dishonest employeesand vendor and distribution losses, a new study bythe Centre for Retail Research has revealed.

The Shoplifting for Christmas 2012 report statesthat shoplifting will contribute £522m to theoverall figure, while £431m will be lost throughemployee theft and £47m via vendor anddistribution losses, which constitutes an overallincrease of 3.4 per cent over the same period last year.

Women’s clothing and fashion accessorieshas topped the list of product categories mostlikely to be stolen, only overtaken by alcohol,which is in first place, with toys, perfume andhealth and beauty gift packs, electronic devicessuch as smart phones and tablet computers,toiletries for men, DVD gift sets and gameconsoles also making up the list.

“The Christmas season is an especiallyattractive time for criminals,” says ProfessorJoshua Bamfield, director of the Centre forRetail Research. “Thieves take advantage of busystores to steal high-value, high-demand goods.As a result, retailers face a big threat fromprofessional and semi-professional thieves,many of whom steal goods with the intentionof re-selling them. Organised retail crime is amajor concern for retailers.” —

DEBENHAMS REVIVESOSSIE CLARK DESIGN

The style of iconic 60s designer Ossie Clark isbeing revived for s/s 13, with Ossie Clark Londonset to launch through 45 concessions inDebenhams from February.

Created by designer Nicolas Georgiou, the newrange will offer brand new designs andunreleased vintage styles, remastered for 2013.

Price points will be accessible, with theline offering day-to-night pieces, from sizes eightto 18. Hero designs include a cropped snake bikerjacket, military blazer and halterneck maxi dress.

“We chose to work with Debenhams formany reasons, not least because it is the UK’slargest department store and provides the widestnational coverage,” says Marshall Doctors, CEOof Ossie Clark London. “The customerdemographic at the department store is a perfectfit with the brand’s ethos. We’re confident thatthis fresh collaborative approach will playdividends. This up-to-date twist on one of the60s’ most iconic designer names, coupled withgreat price points, has to be a winningcombination,” says Sarah Savva, Debenhams’director of external brands. —

LOVE FROM AUSTRALIA LAUNCHESCUSTOMISABLE COLLECTION

Luxury sheepskin brand Love from Australia haslaunched MyLFA, a new customisable collection,allowing customers to choose the style and shapeof the shoe, as well as from a selection of printedand plain leather uppers up to the finer details ofstraps and buttons.

The new range will be launched for s/s 13 andwill feature an online tool on the brand’swebsite, with style choices including a wedge,open and closed toe, as well as a ballet shoe.

The collection builds on the label’ssignature style and uses soft lamb’s leather,which will be available in six plain finishes and alimited selection of printed skins and metallics. —

SIR PAUL SMITH SHARESHIS WISDOMSir Paul Smith was the keynote speaker at arecent breakfast hosted by the UK Fashion andTextile Association (UKFT) at The Ivy restaurantin London. The designer inspired andentertained some of the top fashion CEOs withhis tales of continued success and how he built aglobal fashion brand. “At Paul Smith, we havegrown gently – we had no borrowings and a real‘jam jar’ mentality; if there is money in the jar, wespend it, if not, we don’t. That is my way,” heshared with the audience.

Sourcing trade show Fast FashionLondon recently hosted its firstYoung Designer competition,awarding Aduu Juma Masudifrom the University of Derby thecoveted prize. The judging panel,including industry veteran HilaryAlexander (pictured right) andWWB editor Isabella Griffiths(pictured second from left), wasimpressed by Masudi’s menswearrange, which demonstrated bothcreative flair and commercialpotential. “Young designers are thecreative force that fuels fashion,and one of the industry’s mostvaluable assets,” says Alexander.“We must support them withinvestment, mentoring andemployment, for they are thefoundations of the future.”

Israeli designer Ronen Chen opened its secondLondon store in Temple Fortune last month. The designer was joined by UK brand directorAnne O’Dowd and brand manager Amelia Atkins,(pictured left to right), as well as the stars ofChannel 4 reality show Jewish Mum of the Year.“We opened the first Ronen Chen store near Marble Arch three years ago and it has become a destination store,” saysO’Dowd.”We wanted toopen our second store in Temple Fortune,which has become a chic and stylish newLondon village anddestination area.” —


PEOPLE—

BACKSTAGEThe other side of womenswear

—

A new book celebratingCaroline Charles’ 50 years infashion has been launched,featuring a collection ofworking diaries, press cuttingsand scrapbook images thatchronicle the designer’s careerin the industry. Her self-titledbook is available now.

FAST FASHIONHOSTS YOUNGDESIGNERPRIZE

“

“

Ronen Chen openssecond London store

TEXTILE FORUMCELEBRATES DECADE

OF SUCCESSFabric exhibition Textile Forum celebratedits 10th anniversary with its busiest edition

to date. As part of the celebrations, 14companies that had shown at least 10 times

at the exhibition were presented withframed posters featuring their fabrics as atoken of their support. Linda Laderman,

co-founder and organiser of Textile Forum,presented the memento to Michael Bristow(pictured) of Michael’s Bridal Fabrics, which

has shown twice a year for seven years. —

LIFETIMEACHIEVEMENT

—Footwear supremo Manolo

Blahnik received the OutstandingAchievement Award at

last month’s British FashionAwards hosted by the British

Fashion Council. —

w h E r E F a s h i o N C o m E s T o g E T h E r

accessories + footwear + woman + lingerie & swimwear + gent

17-19 February 2013, NEC Birmingham

To reserve a stand call +44 (0)1484 846069

Find out more and register for your visit at moda-uk.co.uk



OPINION—

WE NEED TO FIGHTBACK AGAINSTUNREASONABLE RENTS

FINDING THE “ONE DIRECTION”IN BUSINESS

If you ever have the opportunity to visit Primrose Hill, you will nodoubt notice the eclectic mix of shops and how great it is not to see anylarge high street brand names.

This is mainly because, in Primrose Hill, we are keen to protect the mixof shops not only to ensure the street retains its diverse and unique“independent” feel, but to help this small but well-known shoppingstreet retain its charm and character that we have fought so hard tocreate. You may recall in the press a few years ago that the Primrose HillResidents Association fought, petitioned and stopped Starbucksopening on Regents Park Road, no small feat given the size of thisglobal business.

This is all well and good, however as most retailers know, whenit comes to renting commercial property, it’s the landlord who holdsthe key, literally. In a time where the likes of retail expert Mary Portasand co are doing their best to highlight the plight of the local highstreet and draw attention to the powers that we need to support andencourage new businesses, you would have thought the message mighthave filtered through to the landlords who continue to demandenormous rents that, in turn, drive rents and rates through the roof. I realise of course that it might be seen as a risk (to a landlord) to rentout a property to a small business, especially as business in general isextremely tough at the moment but, if we can’t get this message across,it is only a matter of time before our high street will fall under the spellof the big branded companies and drive the small retailer out ofbusiness once again.

I draw this to your attention because, as with any niche area, Ifeel we may be on the verge of falling foul to this ourselves, as one afteranother vacant shop is rented out, albeit to up market chains, but tochains none the less. There is a message that seems to have been lost, andit’s “like it or lump it” –we are a nation of shopkeepers that areworking tirelessly to have a future where, in general, customers preferto shop on their local high street where they feel they get service,individual selection and a smile. We need to act now to protect what isleft of our high streets before every last drop of personality andindividuality is squeezed out of us, and all we’re left with are the threeBs – Boring, Branded and Beige.

Not an easy problem to solve, but one that can’t be ignoredeither – that’s if we don’t want to end up working to keep our landlordsin laps of luxury.—

Pamela Shiffer, owner, Pamela Shiffer, London James Lakeland, owner, James Lakeland

TALKING POINTKey industry players give their views on the issues affecting womenswear

—

I was watching The X Factor with my 10-year-old daughter, Alissia,recently, and saw the boy band One Direction. It got me thinking aboutthe ever-changing fashion industry and how the challenges facingretailers can draw inspiration from these young boys, whose marketingteam has made them a huge success in the last year.

We are in an increasingly technological age, and even I now have aniPhone and scroll down various Twitter, Facebook and fashion websites.This doesn’t mean I am not loyal to my favourite stores, however mypurchases are more considered than they used to be.

What consumers want varies by age group. But, trying to gaugewhat direction our customers are taking is more complicated. I havenoticed in my own stores and concessions that there has been a big shifttowards the more quirky and unusual pieces. We have loyal consumers,but you have to keep them entertained in your stores, on your websitesand, most importantly, with your merchandise. I have done six variousfashion events this season in customers’ shops, and the atmosphere andbuzz created was great. Facebook was updated with pictures, Twitter wasused by the customers, and the must-have stripy tunic knit had awaiting list. Women will always love clothes.

Suppliers and retailers are in this together. We all need tosupport each other and brainstorm new ideas, and that comes viacommunication. Gone are the days of opening a shop and hopingpeople will come in. Top of my list of things to focus on next season aremarketing, cross-channel and website; customer events; teaming upwith other retailers to offer special events - and most importantly,remaining inspired and creative. —

Meredyth Sparks, Roxy, 2008, Digital print on Sintra, 27 pieces, 182 x 171 x 231 cm,(c) Meredyth Sparks, 2008 Image courtesy of the Saatchi Gallery, London

scoop-international.com

10-12 FEBRUARY 2013SAATCHI GALLERY | LONDON

A U T U M N / W I N T E RC O L L E C T I O N S


INTERVIEW—

Q&A

The managing director of Camel Active tells Isabella Griffiths why the brand’snewly launched womenswear line is the perfect addition to the lifestyle

label’s portfolio.—

Eric Sperber


INTERVIEW—

Isabella Griffiths: Camel Active islaunching womenswear for a/w 13. Howdoes this fit into your concept and portfolio?Eric Sperber: Camel Active has had a successfulmenswear business for the past 40 years, and wehave a comprehensive lifestyle offer. It was in2008 when we first started to talk about how wecan expand the concept while staying true toour handwriting and roots, and womenswearwas an obvious direction. We did lots of marketresearch and studies into the womenswear sectorto define who our target woman would andcould be, and we are now ready to unveil ourfirst women’s line. We decided to produce therange in partnership with our existing licence-holder, who has been producing themenswear range for the past 20 years, knows ourbrand DNA, the structure and the core values ofthe label. Together, we appointed a new,experienced womenswear team, including abrand manager, designers, pattern cutters and soon, who have been working relentlessly andenthusiastically on getting the inaugural rangeright. It will initially focus on outerwear, with17 jacket styles available in three colours eachand five leather jackets.

IG: As you say, Camel Active has been astrong player in menswear for 40 years withan existing, comprehensive lifestyleportfolio. Isn’t the launch of womenswear alate move?ES: I guess you could say that, but it was more acase of making sure we got the timing right. AsI say, we’ve been looking into and planning awomenswear range for the best part of fouryears, and it was important to us to do it right,and not to launch what I would call a “zerocollection”, where it’s here one season and gonethe next. This is why we are starting small andtaking the development slowly. We feel we havenow eliminated any potential shortfalls and areable to launch with a strong product that willenhance our portfolio.

IG: One could say you are picking adifficult economic climate. Is it a concern?ES: Of course we can’t ignore the globaleconomy but, at the same time, I feel there will

that Camel Active womenswear will developsuccessfully – but we are not complacent, it is anew venture for us. I would, however, be happyif, after three seasons, we have reached aninternational turnover of ¤10m.

IG: Camel Active womenswear will beinitially launched in selected few countries– why is the UK one of them?ES: We have decided to initially focus on theUK, Germany, France, the Benelux countries,Scandinavia and Finland. We didn’t want tostart in all our export markets, but chose to workwith the countries we felt we could achieve thebest results with initially. The UK is one of ourtop 10 export markets, and we have a very goodexisting distribution and infrastructure herealready. Besides, despite the economicalchallenges that the UK undoubtedly has, ourbusiness here has been stable over the last fewseasons, and we feel that compared to othercountries such as Spain, for instance, theeconomic turnaround will be achieved quickerin the UK, so it will hopefully put us on a goodfooting for the future.

IG: What are your plans for Camel Activewomenswear in the future? Do you see itexpanding into a full ready-to-wear range?ES: That is certainly the plan. We are startingsmall and focusing on outerwear, but we arehoping to introduce trousers, skirts, tops and soon over the next few seasons, and eventuallyhave a strong women’s lifestyle offer thatmirrors our menswear. We trialled the collectionwith a few selected pieces for s/s 13, and thefeedback from our customers was veryencouraging, so hopefully this is just thebeginning of a lot more to come.

always be chances and challenges, regardless ofthe financial environment. I think we aregenerally ready to enter the womenswearmarket at this moment in time, because we areconfident that we have a good product and astrong collection. If we didn’t, we could havepostponed the launch further – we didn’t set outto launch for a/w 13 specifically, we set out tolaunch when we’re ready, which happens to bethis season.

IG: Does the womenswear reflect the samemarket positioning as menswear?ES: Our analysis has shown that the market isdivided into the classic suppliers on the one end,then there are the value-driven brands, andpremium labels on the other end. We aresomewhere in between; in our own niche, Isuppose. I would class us as upper mainstream,like our menswear business; we don’t play in theprice aggressive arena, because we offer muchmore sophisticated qualities and value, but at thesame time we’re not in the premium sectoreither. Our designs are more sporty, but they also offer little details and design features thatdefine a great product – we have put a lot ofattention to detail into it, which is something we had to learn, as menswear is very different.In terms of our target customer, we are lookingat the 30-50 age bracket, similar to ourmenswear audience. We will be targetingwomen who are active and sporty, confident intheir style, independent, love the outdoors andgenerally dress in a relaxed way.

IG: Is wholesale your main route to market?ES: Yes, absolutely. We have decided to appointthe same agents or distributor that we workwith on menswear in the relevant exportcountries [Enya Ltd in the UK], as we feel theyare most familiar with our brand and canconvey our DNA far better than a new team.Initially, we will mainly be targeting existingmenswear stockists who also have awomenswear offer, as we feel it willcomplement it well. But, of course, we are alsoopen to new stockists and womenswear-onlystores. I don’t have a target figure in terms ofaccounts for the first season - we are hopeful

“I�don’t�have�a�targetfIgure�In�terms�ofaccounts�for�the�fIrstseason�– we�are�hopefulthat�camel�actIvewomenswear�wIlldevelop�successfully�–but�I�would�be�happy�If,after�three�seasons,�we�have�reached�anInternatIonal�turnoverof�€10m.”

INFORMATION– Camel Active was founded in the 70s, however

the brand’s lifestyle offer in the current formatand structure was established in 2000

– The brand exports into more than 50 countriesthrough 11,000 points of sale

– The label operates 126 stores across Europe(excluding its home market) and 221 shop-in-shops, as well as comprehensive network of wholesale accounts

– For a/w 13, Camel Active is launching its firstwomenswear collection, consisting of 17 jacketstyles in three colours each, as well as five leatherjacket styles

– In the UK, the brand is distributed through Enya Ltd, with showrooms in Manchester andLondon


PROMOTION—

PROMOTION—


Online

access 365

days of the

year

Shu & Me creates handmadejewellery using recycledmaterials from old or unwantedpieces of jewellery, creatingexclusive pieces at affordableprices. The brand also offers adiffusion line of cute friendshipbracelets, and is looking tolaunch its wholesale operationthis season, supplying boutiquesup and down the country.


FASHION—

English labelForbes & Lewis haslaunched with arange of leatheraccessories that payhomage to worldheritage andtraditional fashionstyles, successfullymixing the oldwith the new. —

STYLE FILEThis month’s product news

—

�

ROAD TRIP COUTUREThe fifth collection by East London

designer Amy Hall, who specialises inhand-crafted knitwear, has beeninspired by a road trip to India. The influences are reflected in a

colourful palette that borrows fromtraditional Indian dressing. Hall has

used a variety of hand-knittingtechniques, including an open latticestitch, which pays tribute to fishing

nets found in Kerala. —

�

CHAIN REACTIONNew US jewellery label KG&Cofeatures simple and yet bold

stand-out pieces that have beencreated to be sympathetic to antiqueartisan techniques and skills whilealso utilising today’s advanced

production methods. The limited-edition designs are createdfrom 925 silver, as well as gold, rosegold and other anti-allergy finishes.

—

STYLE FLASH—

Making its debut for s/s 13,Oshun is a new contemporary

British label withuncomplicated styles that

will transcend from day to evening.

—

�

ETHICAL LUXURYHaving been launched in 2008,

eco-label Beaumont Organic has builtup a reputation for minimalist styleand an effortless cool urban moodwhile still providing luxury and 100 per cent organic fabrics andtextiles. The brand’s s/s 13 line

includes classic stripes, cropped tuxedojackets and easy-to-wear dresses basedon organic cotton, jersey and linens.

—

—Sewn fabulousNew ethical accessories label Sew Lomax offers a range ofembellished, hand-finished bags and purses, includingpenny purses, make-up bags, wash bags, laundry bags,laptop bags and shopping totes. Each piece is designed inLondon and finished using sustainable materials that aresourced in the UK, along with a quirky, embroidered design.—

STYLE FLASH—

London label Elenany’s latestcollection offers bold statementpieces, including eye-catchingjackets and coats, perfect for

cold winter days. —

03

0908

02

10

0504

SPOTLIGHT —

Not limited to typical bikerjackets, leather is a hot topicacross separates and dressesthis season in an array oftones, from classic blackand navy to charcoal

and oxblood. —

06 07

01 Part Two, £124.98, 020 8875 5801 02 Bandolera, £67.50,

07769 70003703 Moka London, £117,

020 7384 615004 MiH Jeans, £300,

020 7349 903005 L2 Mae, £246, 07713 031730

06 Schott, £130, 07957 24741107 Emma Louise London, £150,

01707 65702708 Twist & Tango, £64,

07930 539700 09 Firetrap, £24, 020 8753 00010 Beloved, £21, 020 7636 6868

The trend for leather and leather-lookfabrics remains strong, with a number ofbrands presenting both casual andeveningwear options alongside traditionalouterwear pieces this season. WWB selectsour key styles, available to get in-store now. —

STOCK UPDATE—


01

THE 10 BESTLEATHER

SPOTLIGHT—

Soften harsh-lookingleather pieces by teaming

them in-store with lace andfur, as demonstrated at

Gucci, Mulberry, Fendi andmany more for a/w 12.

—




IN SEASON—

CASE IN POINTTrendy iPad and laptop cases are the perfect accessories for the modernwoman on the move. Check out WWB’s selection of luxe styles available

for short order now. for short order now. —

01

02

03

04

-01- iPad cover, Barbara Boner, £150, 07531 936315 -02- Laptop case, Mimi Berry, retail price £98, 020 7729 6699 -03- Laptop case, Bulaggi, £30, 0031 (0)356212757 -04- iPad case, Bensimon, €16, 0845 094 4012

All prices are wholesale unless otherwise stated.

SPOTLIGHT —

IPad and laptop cases make theperfect add-on Christmaspresents, so merchandise

in-store at till points alongsideiPhone covers and other great

stocking fillers.—

SPOTLIGHT —

Practical accessories that slotinto a business wardrobe neednot be boring. This winter, lookfor pops of colour alongside

unusual fabrics and exotic skins.

—


FASHION—

FASHION RADAR

BILL + MAR

London label Bill + Mar introduces a fresh, clean-cut line forspring/summer 2013, which has been inspired by tribalwear.

Designer Rosie Bonnar has looked closely at shapeand construction, using curved necklines and elegantdraping across the range, creating a sophisticated silhouettethat’s taking the brand to the next level.

The simple shapes are brought to life with a palette of natural tones contrasted with burnt purples and blues with a splash of vibrant pinks and turquoise. Also new is anexclusive marble print, which has been painted onto silks and silk jerseys with complementing neutral wool crepes to ground the collection.

All garments are manufactured in London, withfabrics ranging from luxury to casual, allowing the brand toreach a larger spectrum of consumers. Bill + Mar will betargeting new stockists for s/s 13, including independents,chain stores and online boutiques. Wholesale prices for s/s 13range from £17 to £80. —

Targeting new stockists, London brand Bill + Mar is ona mission to raise its industry profile. The catalyst? Itsgame-changing s/s 13 collection.

Established:2010

Signature style: Consisting of strong silhouettes and graphic prints, theyouthful brand explores directional streetwear at a high-end level.

Custommade was founded in Denmark in 2002 and has sinceestablished itself on the international stage by selling tonearly 450 shops and department stores worldwide.

Four annual collections – two main and two pre – areoffered by the label, all in its contemporary style stable,mixed with an urban vibe. In particular, the spring collectionwas conceived with inspiration from the various dynamicwomen on the streets of Copenhagen. Head of design AnneRasmussen looked into how these women’s personal style isreflected in modern metropolises today.

Key styles include a floaty, semi-transparent whiteblouse, denim jeans and skirts in washed-out blue, aqua green,barely there berry and funky prints. Other fundamentalpieces include corduroys in slim stripes, a must-have leatherminiskirt, a quilted jacket, biker pants, a worn-out army jacketand a waterproof hooded parka. Meanwhile, prints to watchfor are various versions of playful dot patterns and graphicanimal prints. Wholesale prices range from £7 to £180.—

Launching into the UK for the first time with itsspring 2013 collection, Danish label Custommade isquickly making a name for itself.

Established:2002

Signature style: Laid-back cool is the order of the day, with styles blendingfemininity with a touch of boyish charm. Pieces are relaxedand easy to wear.

CUSTOMMADE

KRYSHIA BRYANTOwner, Kryshia, Uppermill,SaddleworthEstablished: 1977Brands include: SaintTropez, Sandwich Clothing,Masai Clothing, Lauren Vidal,Bitte Kai Rand, Twisted Muse,Simclan, Kryshia Studio andSelected Femme

GUY HUDSONOwner, Lynx, HarrogateEstablished: 1984Brands include: High,Sportmax, DKNY, HotelParticular, Maison Scotch,2nd Day, CashCa, Seven for AllMankind and Fahri, as well as aPennyblack shop-in-shop

JO DAVIESOwner, Black White Denim,Wilmslow Established: 2010Brands include: Acne, By Malene Birger, CamillaSkovgaard, Carven, House ofHarlow, J Brand, Markus Lupfer,Muuba, Paige Denim, Theory,Victoria Beckham


REPORT—

STATE OFINDEPENDENCE

Isabella Griffiths: How have you fared inthe current climate? Alicia Fyffe: I can honestly say thatspring/summer has been one of our best seasons.We’ve had one of our strongest sell-throughs,but it took careful planning financially; whatwe’re going to spend, where we’re going tospend it and what we’re going to buy, and wedidn’t buy high summer.Jo Davies: It’s hard for me to comment. I startedin a recession, and we’re still in it, so I don’tknow what the good times felt like. We’recurrently having our best season, for exactly thesame reason as Alicia did. We bought a shed loadless. There is no rocket science to it, other thanthe fact that you need enough of the right stuff.And there is a huge responsibility on the personwho does the buying to deliver that. In our firstmonth of trading, we did double what weforecast, so we opened on 2 September and, by30 September, I thought, “I haven’t got enoughstock for the season. This is so good, why didn’t Ido this years ago? I’m going to be rich!” Andthen I panicked because, at the end of it, I wentstraight into buying for spring/summer. Sowhat do you do? You double all your orders and

WWB INVITED A HOST OF KEY INDIES FROM ACROSS THE NORTH TO AROUND TABLE DISCUSSION AT MANCHESTER’S GREAT JOHN STREET HOTEL,DEBATING THE KEY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES THAT ARE CURRENTLYAFFECTING FASHION RETAILERS. —

NATALIE PETERSOwner, Amabo Boutique,Lytham St Annes Established: 2007Brands include: Airfield,Hauber, Passport, NiceConnection, Codello,Kapalua and Gelco —

LOUISE ROUTLEDGEand CHARLOTTEROUTLEDGEOwner and managerrespectively, Halo Boutique,RochdaleEstablished: 2005Brands include: The Pretty DressCompany, Hybrid, Hedonia, Belle & Harris, Love, TFNC, 18 & East and Jolie Moi

ALICIA FYFFEManager, Bottega LifestyleBoutique, Tarporley Established: 2007Brands include: AmericanRetro, Maison Scotch, Des Petits Hauts, Pyrus, Mink Pink, Gestuz and Paige


REPORT—

add one. And that was a disaster for us. It wasimmense learning; one that I will never forget.So for next summer, I looked at how many unitswe sold before we went into Sale, I’ve kept myvalue down, I’ve not bought into anything tooseasonal, and it seems to have worked. Guy Hudson:We’ve had our best season inyears, but we’ve kept our stock tight, too. We are 22 per cent down on stock, and six per cent upon takings. It’s making the stock work hard.

IG: How important is online to your overall business? JD:Around 15 per cent of our overall revenuecomes from our own website and 15 per centfrom online marketplace Farfetch. It’s fine but,if I took out the cost of it all, I’m not sure [it’sworth it]. But we’re looking at the growthpotential. The website does give our customers apoint of reference, especially outside GreaterManchester. Trying to get the London pressinvolved in a shop that isn’t in Central London isa nightmare. You have no chance unless you’reonline, because they don’t have anything to referit to. So even if it’s not a transactional website, it’sworth having, just for exposure. Natalie Peters: I have a transactional website,and I use Facebook as a reflection of the shop. I don’t have loads of followers, but it’s a goodreference point. Louise Routledge:Our website is doingfantastically well. I think it’s because our targetmarket is young – we’re aimed at young girlsaged 18 to 30 – and that’s how they shop; ontheir phones and laptops. The Facebook pagedoes well, too; we get an awful lot of interactionbut, again, I think it’s the age. But it’s a full-timejob in itself. Kryshia Bryant:We’ve been selling online forsix weeks, so we’re still novices [to e-commerce],but it’s already improved my bricks-and-mortarfootfall. There are days where it has beenpouring down outside, and people come in andsay, “I’ve seen this online, where is it?” I’m surethat has tripled my sales on certain days. But it’searly days. It might have been novelty factor – Idon’t know. GH: I don’t sell online. We do have a website,but it’s all about finding the store, it’s nottransactional. I don’t really want it. I think thelonger I’ve been holding off against it, the moreI’m convinced I don’t want a transactional site.In terms of the North, e-commerce isdominated by the likes of Jules B, Coggles and,

of course, Asos, and if you’re Southern-based,Net-a-porter and so on. They are incredible but,if you’re not one of the top three players, it’s astruggle. And they put their hand oneverything; they have 200-300 companies theywork with, and why be part of all that? I don’twant to open up my merchandise to websites; Iwant the experience of people coming to thestore. We are now sourcing more than ever atEuropean shows, merchandise that is notavailable on any other website. We’re fightingagainst it, dropping some of the bigger brands,and trying to find smaller labels that we have toourselves in the North, if not the UK.” AF:We’re having a holding page and arecurrently having a website built. Because we’re alifestyle store with so many different products,we will probably only put certain things online;we’re taking it slow. We do a lot with Facebook,though. We put a lot of things on it, and thenpeople call up.”KB: For a long time, I thought, “We’reestablished, we don’t need a website.” But it’simproved my business. You need to keep it fresh,and every week we keep taking newphotographs. So we’ve now taken it in-houseand created our own studio. But it is a lot ofwork, and you’re paying extra salaries. As I said,it’s early days. Ask me again next year whetherthe investment was worth it.” LR:We’ve had our website in the currenttransactional format for two years. And this year,over 50 per cent of our revenue has come fromonline. We don’t feel it has impacted the footfallthrough the door, though, it’s just given us abigger revenue. We don’t look at it as part of ourtakings, we look at it as additional sales, andsales that, perhaps on a rainy day when no one isgoing to walk through the door, you’ve stilltaken money. We try not to rely on it; wetranslate the personal service they get whenthey’re in the shop to online. We have beenthinking of investing in it and developing itfurther, but it works so, if it works, why shouldwe plough however many thousand of poundsinto it? But, also, unless we move to biggerpremises, we can’t physically carry more stockand cater for more demand. We’re only justmanaging now with the two of us to keep on

top of it all. The social media side of it and thewebsite is a full-time job. I know it’s not foreverybody, but it works for us. Charlotte Routledge: I handwrite a note onevery order, saying, “This is what you ordered,thanks for your order, love Charlotte andLouise.” We don’t print anything off on thecomputers; it’s all handwritten. We put sweetsin. I know it sounds barmy, but people commenton it. We try to translate our bricks-and-mortarshopping experience to online with the smalldetails that count. It’s like a human touch, andpersonalising an otherwise anonymoustransaction. And people comment on it. GH:You have managed to personalise youronline and put your own stamp on it, and I findthat inspirational. You’re almost having as muchfun with online as you’re having in-store,looking from the outside in. You’ve made animpersonal business quite personal. JD:But I admire you, Guy, for not going online.These days, people seem to think you have to goonline, but you don’t have to, actually, and Ithink there is something nice about those whodon’t. From an independent’s perspective, it almost adds more strength to the argumentthat you are independent and not following the trend.

“The fact that we’reindependent means wehave independence. So forthe independent sector tosurvive, it’s down to us. We are all still herebecause we’re takingpersonal approaches to our businesses and making them work”

>


REPORT—

The portrayal [of retail] is unrealistic. I thinkshe [Portas] does more harm than good.

IG: With the discount and sales mentality,are you affected by a lot of returns, and howdo you deal with it? LR:We don’t tend to get a lot of returns. We put measurements on the website, what thecomposition of the item is in as much detail aswe can on each listing. And, touch wood, wedon’t get a lot of returns. KB: In the six weeks that we’ve been going,we’ve had four or five returns, and I wasdevastated. But then I read figures from otherstores such as Asos and realised it was nothing incomparison. There is a lot to learn at every stage. JD:Returns are the perils of online. You have toaccept that there will be returns, and there aremore people who take liberties online than inthe shop. Give me a sale in the shop any day overa sale online.GH:We’ve always had a relaxed returns policy.The one person that you are going to argue withwill put off three others, so there isn’t any point.We always accept a return, unless we know wehave really been hacked. Credit notes in themain, unless there is a really difficult situation,a refund. Our general policy to the girls is, takeit back, but make sure more goes out.KB: I’m quite strict with my returns policy. Iused to be relaxed, but been taken for a ride.After two days, it’s usually a credit note. And my

“Without question,regulated Sales periodswould be the biggest help.They do it in othercountries, by law, and itseems sensible. But it has to be policed and fined considerably”

particular reason and give them as a gift. Peopleappreciate it, even more than a discount, becauseit actually means something; it’s tangible. As anindependent, yes, you get the best product youcan for your customers, but the things theyremember are the tangibles. If they keepcoming back, you remember their name, whatthey bought last time and so on. That’s whatmatters and gives us our edge. LR:We find that, if we re-merchandise, whichwe do all the time because we get bored quickly,people will come in and say, “Is this new stock?”And literally, only because it’s in a differentplace, they will buy it. Changing the colours andmaking things look different for people whocome in regularly really works. IG: Is there an argument for regulated Sales periods? GH:Without question. That would be thebiggest help. January and August – six monthsapart. They do it in other countries, by law, andit seems sensible. But it has to be policed andfined considerably. JD:Yes, I think it would help. The onlydownside is, if you have a sudden dip in theeconomy, or a flood or something that isaffecting your sales, you can’t get rid of yourstock and get your cash flow going until thosetwo weeks of sales. Net-a-porter does it well,because it seems to stick to designated salesperiods and relatively short times. But I think itis a statement when you don’t go on Sale. GH:The secret is in trying to extend your primeselling period.KB: I don’t think we get any support fromgovernment bodies, though. We’re pretty muchon our own. JD: I think part of the problem is governmentintervention and the Mary Portases. No one ingovernment has ever run a shop, and neitherhas Mary Portas for that matter – she’s a celebrity.She has a PR company, she’s had a TV series, she’sdone a horrible fashion range and she is tryingto tell us all how to do it. I find it insulting. NP: If you take that celebrity away, what’s left?It’s like with those knickers. If you have themoney and the publicity behind it, any of uscould do it. If we had those budgets and half ofHouse of Fraser to play with, we could all do it.

IG: What are your main challenges andbugbears? KB: Sales. Early sales by the major players andhigh street. It pushes you into Sale, too, and hasan awful impact on our business. JD:There are certain online stores, such as My-Wardrobe.com, who have promoted theseason to death. Every single time you go on thatwebsite there is another offer, whether it’s freedelivery, free returns, 30 per cent off or goldmembership, and I find it crippling. The reasonthey are doing it is because they bought toomuch stock. We’ve all been there but, becauseMy-Wardrobe has got such a presence, we can’t compete. GH:This is what I was saying earlier aboutCoggles and Asos etc – how can they get sell-throughs through 300 brands? At somepoint, they start ditching it off the market anddiscount it. I’ve taken a stand back from it. I’mtrying to extend my full-price selling period.I’ve stopped chasing customers, stopped doingoffers and finished doing mini sales. You eitherfall in with it or you have to make a decision tofall out with it. AF:We’ve also decided that we’re not doing aSale; we’ve taken ourselves away from it. Andconsciously, this year, we have tried to get brandsin that aren’t online, because we are not onlineyet. We try to get brands that aren’t so over-exposed online that they are constantly inthe Sale somewhere, and it has really helped. GH: It also gives you confidence on your ownshop floor to say, “We have this, we are one ofthe few who have it.” We buy a lot of lines, butin small runs, and the girls can stand there inconfidence and say, “Come on, Mrs Smith, buyit, because next week it will be gone and wewon’t repeat it.” NP: It’s an education thing. I do the same, andmy customers know that if they don’t buy itthere and then, it’s gone. KB:How do you deal with people who come toyour shop and demand discounts? Customersthink they’re doing you a favour by spending£50 in your shop. I get so many people comingin and asking, “Can I have a discount on that?”And I have to say “No, you can’t; we are well-priced, we have a lot of exclusive labels and wecan’t do that.” Obviously, though, if someonespends £800 or £1,000, we offer before they evenask, or throw in a piece of jewellery. NP:We buy jewellery and scarves for that


REPORT—

returns in the shop are maybe four a month. Ithasn’t been a problem. JD:We do 28 days for a refund or exchange. Thedraw for our customers in Wilmslow is to gointo the Trafford Centre, Chester, we have twobig Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, and aFlannels on our door step, so our competition ispretty intense. And Selfridges’ returns policyisn’t as generous as ours. Our returns rate isincredibly low, less than five per cent. But whatit does do is it makes people comfortable comingback to the shop and seeing me, who will havesold it to them, and they actually feel bad for me,and they feel bad as an independent boutique.Selfridges they go back, because they bought itoff Sally, who doesn’t care, and they’re bringingit back to Janice, who doesn’t care either. Sothat’s a real positive for us. NP:We get very little back. We’ve had twoinstances where a lady bought something, andshe brought it back because her husband didn’tlike it, which is fair enough. JD:One of the dangers that we have, though, isif we sell something online, say, we have one size14 of a style, and the customer doesn’t like it andsends it back – then we have lost the opportunityto sell it in-store within that period that it’s withthe online customer. And that’s a bit frustrating.

IG: How would you describe therelationship and dynamics betweenretailers and their suppliers? KB:You have to forward order to get the beststuff, and then you never know when it’s goingto come in. That’s a problem. JD:Quite a lot of the brands we sell are also onSelfridges, Harvey Nichols, Net-a-porter andMy-Wardrobe, and I can wait for delivery forweeks to get them, because I’m a small retailer.The mad thing is even though we’re saying this, the deliveries are too early anyway. I don’twant my a/w delivery in July, and early springin November!KB:Yes, I want my s/s deliveries in February.January is sale month. Suppliers ring me up andsay, “Oh, but it will freshen up your shop floor.”No, it won’t, that’s full of sales stuff! Butsometimes I do think: “Is it me? Do people buyin November?”

AF:How many of you are actually buying pre-collections? JD: I do for pre s/s, only because some of thesecollections offer me Christmas product. Pre a/w,I don’t, because the deliveries come in May,when sales-wise we’re often pushed into it byend of June, and we’re in full sales July; August,Wilmslow goes on holiday. But we’re busy in theshop in August because our a/w deliveries comein, so we make sure that by beginning ofSeptember the shop is full of a/w. But yoursuppliers will tell you that pre-collections arebecoming more and more important. KB: I pick out things I will sit on; those I thinkI’m not going to get later and that I fall in lovewith. So I pick those and I won’t put them outtill later. But it’s the quantities as well that youare asked to buy all the time. And sometimes youbuy, to pad an order out. I don’t do that anymore.It takes years of being in the game to stand yourground and say, “I’m sorry, this is all I want.”GH: Sometimes you can have a brand for toolong, and it starts not to sell-through as much.It’s difficult if your business has grown andmatured with those brands, but there comes apoint where you have to let go. Brand loyalty isbecoming less and less feasible. KB:Yes, absolutely. We have a brand that wehave been with for the last 25 years but, for thelast four years, it’s been losing its way. And,when you speak to other retailers, they are allhaving a bad time, but you hang on to it becauseanother shop could take it up. But then youthink, hang on, if I’m not selling it, good luck tothe other retailer. New shops will always openand take up brands that you’ve dropped but builtup – it will always happen. I’ve got a shop downthe road from me and every time I drop a label,she gets it, but then she drops it. I have stuckwith certain brands for too long, I know I have. LR: I think brands need to be aware of it, too,because there are so many up-and-coming labels. KB: I used to have a big catchment area, and thesuppliers are trying to cut back, and that’sdetrimental for a small business like ours.

IG: Is there a bright future for independentretail? GH:We’re all hoping so. JD: If we didn’t think there was a future forindependents, we would find an exit plan asap. I feel that a sense of resourcefulness comes fromtrading in hard times. I’m one of those peoplethat if things go against me, my immediateinstinct is to battle back, so this is a goodenvironment for me to operate in, in manyways, because it’s a challenge. It does make youdo things in a much more determined way. Thefact that we’re independent means we have anindependence. So for the independent sector tosurvive, it’s down to us to do it. We are all still herebecause we’re taking personal approaches to ourbusinesses and making them work. You have to. GH:There is no safety net. I think beingreactive is the key to it; to your situation,marketplace and locale. That’s why we’re theenvy of department stores, because they look tous and we can change and adapt so quickly. KB:Can we, though? Look at the Zaras andTopshops and so on. They get things in-storequicker than you can blink. GH:But they can’t offer in-store experience likeany of us. Do you want to shop in a jumble sale? JD: And do you want to spend £80 on a jacketthat will last you two weeks? Our customershave gone through the process, invested in a fewkey pieces with us and then off they went toZara to spend money on lots of things there.Next year, they’re back saying, “I can’t believehow much money I wasted in Zara.”AF:Our customers have done that cycle, too.They’re now coming back more loyal. LR:Big stores can never match independents –even personal shoppers aren’t the same. Theydon’t know you, they don’t know theircustomers. We’re all still here, so we must bedoing something right. JD: From a personal point of view, I feel that asindependents, we have a responsibility. Peopleare saying independents are dying – it’s ourresponsibility to keep them alive. We need to dothings differently to the rest of the high street –and we can, because we’re small. We can take ona new brand or run a promotion tomorrow. Wedon’t need to wait for somebody to sign it off, we don’t have to fit into marketing calendars, wecan offer an amazing service that other chainsdon’t want to do. I do think there is more powerfor us as a collective if someone can get it towork. But, it’s so difficult, because we’reeverywhere. How much do you really want totell people about your business? KB:But, we are exactly in the same boat. You dofeel as if you’re going to be passing on lots ofinformation. However, if we want to carry onand gain strength, we have to network more. I don’t network anywhere near as much as Ishould do. GH:Exactly – and there has been worse timesand better times. But, I think if you cancontinue to trade in this climate, or even startyour business in this climate, like Jo, and make aprofit, it will get easier, and we’ll come outstronger at the other end. •

“These days, people thinkyou have to go online, butyou don’t have to, actually,and I think there issomething nice aboutpeople who don’t. From anindependent’s perspective italmost adds more strengthto the argument that youare independent and notfollowing the trend”


RETAIL—

“INDIES NEED TO STARTWORKING

COLLECTIVELY”PAUL TURNER-MITCHELL, CO-OWNER OF ROCHDALEYOUNG FASHION INDIE 25 TEN BOUTIQUE AND APASSIONATE CHAMPION OF INDEPENDENT RETAIL, SHARESHIS VIEWS ON KEY ISSUES AND WHY HE BELIEVES INDIESNEED TO COLLABORATE MORE CLOSELY.

On Rochdale... —“With Rochdale, we don’t rely on local footfall,because we can’t. Rochdale is, in many ways, itsown beast. We have double the national averageof charity shops, eight times the nationalaverage of pawnbrokers and 18.6 per cent ofempty shops, which is actually less than theaverage in the North West. But, when you factorin the charity shops and the pawnbrokers,Rochdale doesn’t have a strong retail offer. It’sdifficult for us, because people get in their carson a Saturday morning and have a wealth ofplaces to shop, whether it’s Manchester citycentre, the Trafford Centre, Bury or Oldham. Sowe’ve tried to create a destination store and, to befair, most customers generally come in, park up,shop and go again, but we bring people in.Customers come from Liverpool, Halifax,Huddersfield... we don’t just rely on Rochdalewhich helps us survive.” —

On indies working together...—“I think more people need to force the issue as there are crucial structural issuesaffecting the industry. For example, in terms of young fashion, everything is on proforma terms, but you can’t get access to finance, you’re not getting credit on newstock and your pockets are only so deep. According to recent statistics, 1,000independent clothing shops closed. Fortunately, 950 new ones opened, but there is noguarantee how long they will be around. It’s sad when 1,000 shops close – it’s peopleand their livelihoods. People need to start working collectively. As a single voice, youcan make a little noise but, as a collective, you can make a lot of noise and championchange. I’m very much in favour of creating an independent cluster. I think thementality in the past has been “set up and compete”, whereas the mentality now hasto shift to “set-up and cooperate”, because together, we not only have a better chanceof surviving, but also thriving.” —


RETAIL—

On championing independents... —“Becoming active and championing independents was more of a necessity.In 2008-2009, when things were starting to get tough locally, I wasn’t oneto sit back and watch; you had to put your head above the parapet, speakout, force change and force things to be done. And obviously, thingsprogressed and became more national issues.”—

On credit insurance andgovernment response...—“It depends whether you’re looking at sorting out thewhole country out or whether you’re looking at helpingour sector. In terms of our sector, credit insurance needsintervention because indies need to keep the stockflowing. The long and short of it is if we haven’t got anynew stock, we haven’t got a business anyway. Forget theparking issues, markets, events and so on – if youhaven’t got stock in the shop, you cannot trade, and themost important thing for the fashion independent rightnow is to keep that stock flowing. We need to get thecredit flowing because we can’t rely on the banks anymore. And if the credit doesn’t flow, next year there willbe another thousand who are going to close, and thenanother thousand. And, if you look at that in terms ofpeople’s lives and livelihoods, the impact is huge. Thefashion independent brings so much diversity to thehigh street, the high street would be a poorer placewithout out them.” —

“The Portas Review is ok, but you have to get the structural changes right,you have to look at the issues with out-of-town, you have to look atbusiness rates and you have to look at the issue of credit.”

On the Portas Review... —“The Portas Review is ok, but you have to get thestructural changes right, you have to look at theissues with out of town, you have to look atbusiness rates and you have to look at the issue of credit. When you’ve addressed those on agovernment level, the Portas Review wouldwork nicely sitting alongside it. Without it, youdon’t. For me, it’s tinkering around the edges. Iwelcomed Portas’ appointment – I thought itwas an inspired choice, and I had high hopes. Ithought the report was good, but it could havegone into more meaningful issues such as thestructural things. The response from then onwas poor. Grant Shapps has since turned thewhole high street issue into a joke withcompetitions, handouts and so on. This is aserious issue. There are people’s jobs concerned,and we’re introducing The X Factor stylecompetitions with YouTube clips, performinglike monkeys for a pittance of budget. Frankly,it’s disgraceful. The disappointing thing withPortas is that she went along with it, whereas Ithink she should have had more credibility.” —

On the high street... —The high street isn’t dead by a long shot. Many people say it is, but Idisagree. The high street as we know it is gone, and it will never recover.Some towns will be difficult to turn around, and some we will have tolet go, but is the high street dead? No. Can it be changed? Yes. But it willtake some money. And there has to be alternative uses [for existingempty shops]. We need to make town centres exciting. Bland towncentres aren’t going to thrive. Clone town centres aren’t going to thrive.You need a good mix of indies and well-established chain stores. Peopleare scaling back, but they are still spending.” —

On business rates...—“In the past, town centre properties have been seenas a cash cow; as the most desirable properties.Maybe they still are on Oxford Street but, in townssuch as Rochdale in the North, they’re notanymore. Asos pays £40 per sq m, I pay £400 per sq m [business rates]. My overheads, as far asbusiness rates are concerned, are 10 times more than Asos. How can that be right? It’s retail at theend of the day. We’re both competing for the samepound, we’re both selling the same item. They maybe distributing from a warehouse and I ameffectively distributing from a town centre, butwhat is the difference?” —

DBK LONDON LTD(DAVID BARRY & KESTA)

BRITAINS ONLY STOCKHOUSE OF OUTERWEAR, CASHMERE & WOOL COATS & JACKETS.

AIS SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR 201111 Solebay Street, London, E1 4PW

Contact: LARRY Tel: 020 7791 7308 Fax: 020 7791 1894Mob: 07802 640900 Email: [email protected]

www.dbklondon.com



REPORT—

INDIES AREDOING IT FORTHEMSELVES Having been unsuccessful in thePortas Pilot bids, a group ofproactive indies in theGloucestershire town ofTewkesbury joined together tomake a positive difference to their struggling town centre.Isabella Griffiths spoke to co-organiser and women’s indieAmanda Orton about theirDiscover Tewkesbury initiative. —

ewkesbury is a small market town in Gloucestershire andwas unsuccessful in its bid to be a Portas Pilot town. But itdidn’t stop a bunch of proactive retailers and, rather thanwait around for another government initiative and see

more shops close in the town centre in the meantime, they pooledtogether and founded the Discover Tewkesbury initiative, aimed atpromoting the town centre and its independent retailers and bringingback some positive feeling and buzz to the town. In just four months, thegroup has made a real impact on increasing the town’s profile andreviving it as a retail destination. “There was a lot of bad news aroundgenerally about the state of high streets and the economy,” says AmandaOrton (pictured back row, fourth from right), co-founder of the initiativeand owner of local womenswear indie Pretty Special Ladies Boutique.“This coincided with roadworks in and around the town centre, as well assevere flooding earlier this year, which had a real negative impact ontrading.

“Furthermore, we have Gloucester and Cheltenham in drivingdistance and they are vibrant shopping destinations, which doesn’t help,”she continues. “So a group of us decided to do something about it and totry to make headlines about Tewkesbury for the right reasons. We wantedto find the unique selling point of our high street, which has got a wealthof independent retailers, and to attract people back into the town.”

Discover Tewkesbury was born, with the first event, the reopeningof the high street following the roadworks and major disruption,coinciding with Independents’ Day on 4 July. As Tewkesbury hosts thebiggest medieval festival in Europe, the initiative was used as the backdropfor more retail-focused events on the day, followed by a midsummer market, filling the high street with 70 stalls selling locallysourced produce. Other initiatives included a Cottage Industries pop-upshop for start-up businesses inside an empty unit, as well as a Spot theProduce competition for children, whereby pictures of local produce werehidden in shop windows, challenging families to find them and win a

hamper, helping to increase awareness of what is available fromTewkesbury’s shops. “We aim to put on one event a month, as we havenoticed a positive impact on the town,” says Orton, who says everythinghas been done “with little or no budget whatsoever, just pulling infavours”, with the town and borough councils lending their support byprinting flyers and banners to promote the event. The latest such event isthe Cash for Christmas competition, where a lucky shopper can win£1,000, which is financed by a £20 joining fee by retailers taking part,who receive posters and marketing materials to promote the contest.

Orton is positive that by individual shopkeepers coming andworking together, a difference can be made, regardless of governmentendorsements such as the Portas Pilot. “Of course, big changes won’thappen overnight, but we are all enthusiastic about it and feel passionatelyabout promoting Tewkesbury as the lovely town that it is. And our resultsso far prove that if you have a little bit of gumption, a lot can be achieved.”

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PRE-COLLECTIONS—

JUMPINGAHEAD WWB TAKES A LOOK AT THE FIRST BRANDS TO ANNOUNCE PRE-COLLECTIONS ANDEARLY SALE DATES FOR A/W 13. —

STEILMANN

Steilmann’s pre a/w 13 programme focuses onfour key themes –Göteburg, Montreal, Salzburgand Bordeaux, with delivery dates spanningfrom early June to late July. Buyers can expect tosee wintery dark tones, spanning inky blue,mandarin red, aubergine and crimson. Focalpoints include boiled-wool biker jackets, blazers,coats, quilting, padding and sports-inspiredsilhouettes, while corduroy, jacquards andimitation leather return as crucial fabrics. —Selling now until end of January. Wholesale prices £20-£65. 020 7291 0522

BLEND SHE

Blend She’s pre-collection seescolour blocking and signaturestripes sitting alongside strong knitstyles and plenty of contrastingfabrics and textures. The silhouetteis sculpted and layering is softerthis season, with short jacketsdesigned to be worn over knitdresses in key tones of plum, canaryyellow and purple. Shot throughwith black, grey and soft whitehues, rougher and more sportylooks are achieved in jersey fabrics,sweats and zip details.— Selling now until 31 January. Wholesale prices £8.99-£119.0045 79433000

FRANK LYMAN

Frank Lyman turns to a trusted formula thisseason, with animal print the main focus of itsglamorous a/w 13 collection, which will alsofeature a play of textures and ruffles. Theclassic shift dress remains a must-have, and isoffered in various prints, while other stylesinclude one-shoulder designs, longer lengths,studded pieces and the ever-popular peplumdress. Sweater knits are also a big focus forwinter, in tunic lengths, especially when pairedwith basic pants or leggings. As a finishingtouch, Frank Lyman is introducing accessoriesthis season, including shawls, scarves, handbagsand feather or sequin clutches.—Selling now until February. Wholesale prices on request. 0141 204 0699

PRINCESS GOES HOLLYWOOD

Princess Goes Hollywood is an upbeat andquirky luxury lifestyle brand with coloured and patterned knits made out of the softestcashmere blends. Princess also createsprinted and plain lightweight cashmeresweaters, dresses, cardigans, twin-setsand tunics. For extra longevity, thebrand uses a longer than averagelength fibre to avoid pilling. A 2013 pre-Christmasdelivery of luxury knitswill be available for thosefestive events. —Selling now until 20 December. Wholesale prices ¤25-¤125.020 7434 1994


PRE-COLLECTIONS—

HAUBER

Luxury and casual chic is the by-line for Hauber’s first autumnpre-collection for 2013, featuringsoft and cosy knits with fur trims,stylish leather jeans and jackets andcoats. Expensive colours areprevalent throughout the first dropsuch as gold, buttermilk andchocolate with slashes of burntorange and lavender pink tohighlight. The second group,meanwhile, is dramatic, usingbright red and fuchsia against abackdrop of jet black. —Selling now until end of February. Wholesale prices £30-£250. 020 7323 6100

FRANSA

Fransa’s pre-collection is a mash-up of cocooning versus body-con silhouettes. Oversizedouterwear has boyfriend shaping with big cocooning parkas, masculine cavalry style double-breasted overcoats, trimmed with gold buttons and layered over Navajo-patterned fringed knits and metallic-coated jeans. Vividly coloured body-con dresses with leather trimsadd a sexy vibe, accompanied with wrapped sweater dresses, teamed with a tuxedo jacket forboth a masculine and feminine vibe. Meanwhile, colours span a warm palette of bordeaux,tomato red, navy, cobalt, deep pine green, metallics, grey, black and white. Slim leather hipster belts with goldmetallic hardware studs, glitter effectsand animal-printed wool-mixscarves are the accessories not to be missed.—Selling now until 11 JanuaryWholesale prices £7-£70.020 7636 9060


PREVIEW—

EXHIBITIONCAL

HIBITIONCAL

HIBITIONENDAR ENDAR END

Your month-by-month guide to the key autumn/winter 2013 shows. Your month-by-month guide to the key autumn/winter 2013 shows.

Sponsored by

PITTI W WOMAN PRE COLLECTION8-10 January Dogana, via Valfonda 25, Florence 0039 5509491861, www.pittimmagine.com The 11th edition of Pitti is the first show of theseason and is dedicated to the latest in womenswearfashions, showcasing the key collections beforeanyone else. For this edition, the guest designer isMaison Kitsuné – a collaboration between Frenchmusic producer Gildas Loaëc and Japanesearchitect Masaya Kuroki –where fashion andmusic provide the inspiration.

EXPO RIVA SCHUH 12-15 January Palazzo dei Congressi and various hotels, Riva del Garda, Italy 0039 289546251, www.exporivaschuh.it Expo Riva Schuh is a well-established, internationalfair dedicated to the footwear sector. More than1,200 companies and around 11,000 operators willcover over 32,000 sq m of space set across theexhibition centre, congress centre and varioushotels located in Lake Garda. New this season is theIndian Pavilion, a newly renovated space that willwelcome member companies of the Council forLeather Export India, the governmentorganisation responsible for promoting India’sleather goods industry.

TOP DRAWER13-15 January Earls Court One, London 020 7384 7742, www.topdrawer.co.uk With over 750 brands (a nine per cent increase on

2012) retailers can expect to see further expansionin the show’s unique five buying zones –Gift,Fashion, Wellbeing, Stationery & Greetings andChildren’s. In particular, Top Drawer Fashion seesthe inclusion of a unique clothing section for thefirst time, and the sector welcomes new brandsnever seen before at Top Drawer January, includingCaro London, Claremont Clothing, OchreCashmere, Reeves Creative and Saskia. The showwill once again be working with trend agencyTrend Bible to give retailers an insight into trendsfor the upcoming seasons, providing seminars atthe show as well as takeaway trend buying cards. In addition, Home – the event for homeware andinteriors – once again runs alongside Top Drawerin 2013, and is located in Earls Court Two.

SAU PAULO PRÊT À PORTER /COUROMODA 13-16 January Expo Center Norte, São Paulo0055 1138976100, www.saopaulopretaporter.com The 2013 edition will introduce 500 Brazilian andforeign brands for the women’s and men’s clothingsectors, alongside accessories and costumejewellery. São Paulo Prêt à Porter will be heldduring the same week as Couromoda, the mostinfluential event in the footwear and fashionaccessories market in Brazil and Latin America,which runs on 14-17 January at Anhembi Pavilion.

PROJECT NEW YORK 21-23 January 0012 187407092, www.project.magiconline.com/project-new-york

Due to significant damage at Pier 90 caused by therecent Hurricane Sandy, Pier 92 will be the newlocation for the New York edition of Project.Launched in 2003, the show features innovative andcreative brands, attracting a host of internationalvisitors. Last July’s show featured the likes of Bleulab,Buffalo David Bitton, Nudie Jeans, True Religionand Schott. Made by Project – the pop-up conceptcomprising artisanal brands, creating product onthe show floor –will once again take place.

BREAD & BUTTER BERLIN 15-17 January Tempelhof Airport, Berlin 0049 302000370, www.breadandbutter.com Returning to its original mission statement“quality instead of quantity”, the contemporarystreet and urbanwear exhibition plans to presentan edited brand portfolio for its upcoming winteredition. For 2013, buyers can expect a morediscerning selection of leading original labels, newbrands and interesting presentations in a rebootedlayout. The main hall (former Denim Base) will bemainly affected by the change, as it will show acontemporary urbanwear concept. The hall layoutwill also see major changes; large stands andpresentations will line the border of the hall, withsmaller booths positioned in the centre to breakwith convention. So far, the preliminary brand listfeatures a host of heritage favourites such as Aigle,Barbour and Gloverall, while the contemporary,street and denim sectors are not ignored, with aline-up including Levi’s, Bensimon, Pepe JeansLondon, Noa Noa, Fred Perry, Gestuz, UCLA,Superdry, Mustang, Wesc, Vila and Ichi.


PREVIEW—

Bread & Butter Berlin

Who’s NextCapsule Berlin

PREMIUM 15-17 JanuaryStation-Berlin, Luckenwalder Str 4-6, 10963,Berlin0049 30208891330,www.premiumexhibitions.com The upcoming a/w 13 season of Premium willcelebrate the show’s 10th anniversary. With a focuson high-quality collections from internationalestablished labels, as well as interestingnewcomers, Premium caters for the womenswear,menswear, denim, accessories and footwear sectors.Brands announced to be exhibiting includeAmerican Vintage, Crea Concept, Diesel BlackGold, Ilse Jacobsen, Iro, Blaumax, Transit, Zoe Karssen, Escada and Rene Lezard.

THE GALLERY BERLIN15-17 January Café Moskau, Karl-Marx-Allee, Berlin0049 211/4396-317, www.the-gallery-berlin.com After two successful editions, The Gallery hasbecome an established destination forcontemporary fashion, design and accessories onthe Berlin fashion scene. Café Moskau, in thecentre of the city, remains the venue, with some 90collections hosted across the three days. On displaywill be individual, international labels such asSarah Pacini from Belgium, Danish brands likeBitte Kai Rand and Nör Denmark, as well as newexhibitor Trine Kryger Simonsen and fashionfrom young creatives including Igor Dobranic andLink from Croatia. Exhibiting for the first time areOblique from Italy, Mia Mai from Germany andBerlin designer Peter O Mahler to name but a few.

SEEK 15-17 January Kühlhaus, Berlin 0049 3062908511, www.seekexhibitions.com A key event in the Berlin Fashion Week schedule,Seek presents a tightly edited selection ofprogressive international labels from the worlds ofwomenswear, menswear, footwear and accessories.Occupying industrial space Kühlhaus once again,Seek is ideally located next to Station-Berlin, thehome of Premium. Though the exhibitor list wasnot available at the time of going to press, s/s 13’sbrand list included Veja, Folk, Carin Wester, Harris Wharf London and Velour, among others.

CAPSULE BERLIN 15-16 January Postbahnhof, Straße der Pariser Kommune 8,Berlin0049 12122068310, www.capsuleshow.comFashion and lifestyle trade show Capsule aims to

fuse the best in high-end contemporary brandswith directional independent designers andpremium streetwear labels. Capsule takes place 12times a year in New York, Paris, Berlin and LasVegas. The Berlin edition caters to men’s andwomen’s collections, with the following expectedto take part this season – Libertine Libertine, MarkMcNairy, David David, Comune, Hudson’s BayCompany, New Love Club and Olow.

BIJORCHA 18-21 January Pavilion 5, Porte de Versailles, Paris 0033 147565282, www.bijorhca.com The four-day event will showcase costume, fine andfashion jewellery alongside watches, ready-to-wearand gifts, with more than 400 designers takingpart, representing 30 countries. Bijorcha is stagedin conjunction with the other fashion shows and isheld on the same dates for convenience.

WHO’S NEXT 19-22 January Parc Des Expositions, Porte De Versailles, Paris 0033 140137483, www.whosnext.comTo provide buyers with a clear offer, the Who’s Nextlayout is changing for January 2013, reorganisingits offering around two main sectors –ready-to-wear and fashion accessories.Ready-to-wearwill see 1,000 brands divided intothree creative areas – Private, Fame and Mr Brownfor men. Private welcomes contemporary andcommercial collections, reflecting the majortrends of the coming season, with exhibitorsincluding Derhy, Didier Parakian, Et Compagnie,Lauren Vidal, Leslie Monte Carlo, Marie Sixtine,Oska and Sarah Pacini. A particular focus will beon eveningwear designers such as Basix BlackLabel, Bernshaw, Forever Unique and IrinaSchrotter. Meanwhile, Fame brings togetherbrands the ilk of Baum Und Pferdgarten, Essentiel,Laurence Doligé, Orla Kiely, Osklen and Swildens,alongside new design talent under the banner,

Fresh. A new venue on the roof of Hall 7 hasopened at Porte de Versailles, and this area –Electric –will host the catwalk shows as well as theshow’s parties. The global accessories offer isdivided into four main sectors –Who’s Next shoes,Who’s Next jewellery, Who’s Next bags & leathergoods and Who’s Next textile accessories.

PREMIERE CLASSE 19-22 January Parc Des Expositions, Porte De Versailles, Paris 0033 140137483, www.whosnext.com/premiere-classe Running concurrent with Who’s Next, PremiereClasse is a leading event for accessories designers.The show refocuses its offer this season to enhancethe selection, with all the sectors of fashionaccessories represented according to a rigorousselection criteria. The trends of the season, as wellas young brands, will be highlighted throughvarious installations. Confirmed exhibitors includeAnnabel Winship, Atelier Mercadal, Carre Royal,Eric Gallais, Histoire De Voir, Jean-Jacques Rogers,Maison Boinet, Muhlbauer, My Bob, Use YourHead, Tatty Devine and Yvonne Yvonne. >



PREVIEW—

LondonEdge

CIFF

MODEFABRIEK 20-21 January RAI, Amsterdam 0031 204421960, www.modefabriek.nlModefabriek is a two-day fashion event that seesover 600 international and established labels andnew design talent exhibit each season. Five areasare split based on lifestyle, brand image anddistribution, and include Authentic forcontemporary classics, Appearance for stylish,high-quality labels, Department for modern,cosmopolitan ranges, Industry for denim, andRefined for high-end fashion brands. Signed-upfor January are Apanage, Cream, Current Elliot,Edith & Ella, Marie Méro, Samsøe & Samsøe,Soaked in Luxury, Steilmann and Yaya to namebut a few.

THE BRANDERY 25-27 January Montjuic Exhibition Centre (Fira Barcelona),Barcelona 0034 932332000, www.thebrandery.comThe Brandery will once again be held at theMontjuic Exhibition Centre, with brands dividedinto four areas – Trade Show, Brandtown, FashionShow and The City. The show is home to Spanishand international urban and contemporarybrands, alongside innovative denim, sports andstreet labels. Previous exhibitors have includedCusto Barcelona, Sidecar, Replay and Superdry,and a similar line-up is expected this season.

LONDONEDGE 25-27 January The National Hall, Olympia, London 0116 289 8249, www.londonedge.com In its 13th year, LondonEdge promises to grow itsarray of brands catering for the “niches” in fashion,bringing together everything from dramaticfootwear and elaborate corsets to body-piercingmerchandise, vintage and retro styles, fancy dress,hosiery, swimwear and accessories. For 2013, theshow welcomes new focus areas in theLondonEdge Original and LondonEdge Fashionzones – London X, Horror & Costume, The FestivalTent and a further expansion of VintEdge.Burlesque performances, catwalk shows, on-stageseminars, free haircuts and live tattoo art at Paul’sChop Shop will provide the entertainment.

THE LEDGE 25-27 January The National Hall, Olympia, London 0116 289 8249, www.theledgeshow.comLondon’s Olympia will once again play host toaction sports and lifestyle trade show The Ledge,running concurrent with LondonEdge. As well as

exhibiting a throng of the best action sports andskate brands, September 2012 saw the launch of theStreetwear Village, with this area expected to growagain for January. Alongside the 250 brandsexhibiting overall, visitors can enjoy the plethoraof entertainment available from break dancingand live graffiti to the exhibitor’s mini ramp skate competition.

CIFF31 January – 3 February Center Boulevard 5, Copenhagen 0045 32528811, www.ciff.dk A/w 13 will be the 40th edition of the CopenhagenInternational Fashion Fair (CIFF), which is stillthe largest fashion fair in Northern Europe, withover 40,000 sq m and numerous brands housedunder one roof. Buyers can discover the latesttrends from womenswear, menswear, jewellery,footwear and childrenswear markets spread acrossseveral halls in the centrally located Bella Centre.Last season, CIFF unveiled a new visual identityalongside a range of new services, and the aim fora/w 13 is to build on this success, creating a betterspace, more logical integration and an improvedoverall experience for exhibitors, buyers, press andvisitors alike. Trend presentations, catwalks andparties will also be staged across the four days.

GALLERY 31 January – 2 February Forum Copenhagen, Julius Thomsens Plads 1,Copenhagen0045 40330930, www.gallery.dkGallery aims to be the number one choice forScandinavian design-driven fashion brands.Attracting both young and well-establisheddesigners, the show values high-quality andinnovation from its exhibitors, who come from theworlds of womenswear, menswear, footwear andaccessories. Buyers can expect to see big-name,established Scandinavian labels such as NorseProjects, Mini Market, Day Birger et Mikkelsen,

Marimekko, Wood Wood, Dagmar, Dansk andDesigners Remix Collection exhibiting once againthis season, alongside younger, more niche labels.Running concurrent with the other trade events atCopenhagen Fashion Week, Gallery sets itself apartthis year with a new initiative – The Showscene atGallery –where 14 designers will attend.

CPH VISION 31 January – 2 FebruaryLokomotivværkstedet, Copenhagen 0045 39648586 www.cphvision.dk Vision is Copenhagen’s new fashion platform – abiannual trade show based on an extended fusion ofthe CPH Vision & Terminal-2 fairs – resulting in amore comprehensive fashion experience under oneroof. An exclusive mix of 400 Scandinavian andinternational contemporary brands will be housedin the following collection areas – Shine, foryoung and high-street brands; Seek for emergingtalent; urban brands in Dawn and The Boiler;denim in Free; and edgy and art-driven labels inPrivate. Signings so far include Ver de Terre, Twist& Tango, Just Female, Rosemunde, Style Butler,Pennyblack and Ilse Jacobsen. The Designers’ NestShow & Award will take place on 1 February, withother daily events focused on networking andbusiness, including the Vision party. >


PREVIEW—

Pure LondonCPH Vision

ISPO MUNICH 3-6 February Messe Munchen trade Fair Centre, Munich 0049 89949-11388, www.ispo.com ISPO Munich is the leading international show forthe sports, outdoor and performance sectors,catering for over 2,300 international exhibitors.Sporting goods, athletic footwear and fashionsfrom the outdoor, ski, action und performancesports will be accompanied by performances,events and forums.

THE GALLERY DÜSSELDORF1-4 February Botschaft, Cecilienallee, Düsseldorf0049 211/4396396, www.the-gallery-duesseldorf.deThe exhibition for mainstream fashion,international designers and accessories will onceagain be held again at the Botschaft venue, theformer American Consulate General atCecilienallee 5, and a short walk away from theshowrooms on the Kaiserswerther Strasse. Thefour-day event will play host to international labelsincluding Oska, Mia Mai, Johanna Hawrot, Eva Kayan, Eve In Paradise and Zuza Bart.

SPRING FAIR INTERNATIONAL 3-7 FebruaryNEC Birmingham 0844 588 8071, www.springfair.com Spring Fair International is Europe’s largest giftand home accessories show, presenting over 3,000exhibitors across 14 show sectors. Buyers are invitedto join celebrity speakers and industry leaders asthey present daily seminars and briefings on theretail trends that will help grow your business.

SIMM 8-10 February Feria de Madrid, Madrid 0034 917223000, www.ifema.es/ferias/simm SIMM is expected to bring together around 900

Spanish and foreign fashion brands from thewomen’s fashion and accessories sectors across two halls. Previous exhibitors have included thelikes of Companoafantastica, Carla Ruiz, Jomhoy,Sidecar, Smash, Carling, Presen, Pomodoro andAlmatrichi, and a similar line-up is expected this season.

MARGIN 10-11 February The Music Rooms, 26 South Molton Lane, Londonwww.margin.tv/mapMargin is the longest running independentfashion trade event in London and celebrated its10th anniversary last February with a book for theiPad. The exhibition is known for providing asuccessful launch pad for directional newdesigners, alongside credible, established brands,and previous exhibitors have included the likes ofWorn By, Emma Louise London, Electronic Sheep,Punkyfish, Supremebeing and Your Eyes Lie.

PURE LONDON 10-12 February Olympia, Hammersmith Road, London 0844 588 8077, www.purelondon.com New this February, the Directional Edit area willreplace Premium, offering sophisticated and

original collections in womenswear. Pure Londonwelcomes a raft of new brands to the show,including contemporary womenswear label BlackyDress and accessories brands Fiona Dane, Amaro,Falke and By Elise. Pure Body returns with aselection of lingerie, swimwear and shapewearbrands for 2013. Over the three-day event, buyerswill once again have access to a comprehensiveseminar programme, from trend forecasts andbuying recommendations through to tips onetailing, visual merchandising and social media.

PURE SPIRIT10-12 February Olympia, London 0844 588 8077, www.purelondon.com/Pure London’s section dedicated to young fashionand on-trend clothing presents feminine partydresses through to edgy, fashion-forwardstreetwear labels. Housed in the National Hall,adjacent to the main show, this section hosts itsown dedicated catwalk and business seminars.Returning to the show this season are SugarhillBoutique, Yumi, Numph, Ruby Rocks, Bielle andIron Fist, as well as celebrity line Kat Von D LosAngeles and partywear collections from ForeverUnique, Wow Couture, Chi Chi London and Diva Sophia.

SCOOP INTERNATIONAL10-12 February Saatchi Gallery, London 01484 846069, www.scoop-international.com Held once again at London’s Saatchi Gallery, Scoop International’s fifth edition promises to bebigger, better and more sharply curated than everbefore. Showcasing over 250 emerging andestablished directional fashion designers, footwear,lifestyle and accessories brands across the gallery’sthree floors, Scoop International offers a uniquebuying experience unlike any other. This February,the show has signed-up key labels from the USincluding Cut25, M2F and Eileen Fisher, adding to its increasingly international viewpoint.Additional new faces at the show include MichalaWiesneck, Modern Love, Ottod’Ame, BrigitteBardot, Audley, Barbara Rihl, Bellerose, Twist &Tango and many more, alongside returningfavorites. This season, visitors can take advantage of a complimentary car shuttle service fromOlympia, and Scoop’s rickshaws will once again betransporting visitors between Sloane Square tubestation and the show. >

Scoop International

Messe Offenbach GmbH Kaiserstr. 108 -112 · D - 63065 Offenbach am Main Fon + 49 69 829755 - 0 · Fax + 49 69 829755 - 60www.messe-offenbach.de · [email protected]

Dates 2013

09.-11.3.2013

21.-23.9.2013

ISPO MUNICH, FEBRUARY 3—6, 2013 ISPO.COM

SPORTS. BUSINESS.CONNECTED.

LAUREN FOX / Information Center UK & Ireland / phone +44 1923 233683 / [email protected]

Connecting Global Competence


PREVIEW—

Avril Lavigne at Magic

LONDON FASHION WEEK AND THEEXHIBITION AT LONDON FASHION WEEK 15-19 February Somerset House, London 0870 112 9088, www.londonfashionweek.co.uk The Exhibition at London Fashion Week isbrought together over two floors at SomersetHouse, presenting the best of London’s ready-to-wear and accessories brands, plus a host ofinternational labels. For s/s 13, the event housed 110designers, including 30 new designers, in featureareas for each of the British Fashion Councilshowcasing initiatives –Newgen, sponsored byTopshop for innovative designers; BFC Rock Vaultfor high-end jewellery design; Estethica for eco-sustainable design; Headonism showcases newBritish milliners; and the Navy Board Room onthe first floor features a mix of Newgen alumni.As usual, designer presentations, salon shows,parties and catwalks will take place across the cityduring the week at separate venues.

MAGIC 19-21 February Las Vegas & Mandalay Bay Convention Centers,Nevada, USA 0018 775544834 www.magiconline.com Magic brings together the entire industry, hostingglobal buyers and sellers of men’s and women’sapparel, footwear, accessories and sourcingresources. The show’s goal is to connect and inspirethe fashion community with impressive seminarseries and world class speakers. Severalneighbourhoods in Magic include WWD Magic,Magic Mens/Wear, FN Platform, Slate, Street,Pooltradeshow and Sourcing at Magic. Exhibitorsfor the February edition include Abbey Dawn, Save The Queen, Jessica Simpson, Issue New York,Esprit, Free People and Kenneth Cole.

PROJECT LAS VEGAS 19-21 February Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd, Nevada, USA0012 187407092 www.project.magiconline.com/project-las-vegas At the February edition, buyers can expect to seewomenswear, menswear, footwear and accessoriescollections from heritage, denim, progressive andhigher tier sporting goods labels. Specialist areas inthe show include Project Love, a curated areahosting fashion brands integrating philanthropyinto their business model; a full-scale photostudio; Blogger Camp; seminars; and catwalks.Although the exhibitor list was unavailable at thetime of going to press, those at the last editionincluded the likes of Barbour, Australia LuxeCollective, Bench, Blaque Label, Cheap Monday,Finder Keepers, Maison Scotch, Lacoste and Diesel.

MODA WOMAN 17-19 February NEC Birmingham01484 846069, www.moda-uk.co.ukModa Woman is the UK’s essential trade event forcontemporary and mainstream womenswear,featuring leading names from the UK andinternational fashion scene. New labels showingthis season include Mistral, Tricot Saint James,Tottie, Harry Hall, Caldene, Avalon Clothing,Gabriella K, Heinrich Nickel, MXO, Marinelloand Urban Mist. Danish brands Two Danes andMasai are among the new arrivals joining ModaWhite, the edited area dedicated to directionalbrands. Also new this season is an additionalcatwalk theatre in Hall 20, dedicated tocontemporary fashion for men and women.Meanwhile, in Hall 17, Moda’s dedicated fashionand evening and occasionwear catwalks,highlighting key looks for a/w 13, take placethroughout the three days. There will also besector-specific seminars offering insightfulbusiness advice.

MODA FOOTWEAR17-19 February 2013NEC Birmingham01484 846069, www.moda-uk.co.ukModa Footwear is the UK’s largest and busiestfootwear exhibition, showcasing the latestcollections from more than 400 brands across sixkey product zones covering every aspect of thefootwear industry. This February, visitors cancheck out the additional catwalk theatre locatednext to Moda Footwear in Hall 20. Buyers can catchbrand new catwalk shows dedicated to footwearand accessories and sector-specific seminarsoffering insightful business advice. Other eventstaking place include the annual Moda Footwearand De Montfort University collaboration, withthe winning design announced at the show. Newlabels attending include Fellini, FMUK, MTNG,Follow Me, Sixtyseven and Softplus, alongsidereturning most wanted brands Fly London, Mel by Melissa, Iron Fist, Rocket Dog, Lisa Kay,Bronx, Scholl and Moda in Pelle.

MODA ACCESSORIES17-19 February NEC Birmingham01484 846069, www.moda-uk.co.ukModa Accessories covers the full spectrum of theaccessories market, with both UK andinternational labels presenting the latest designs injewellery, handbags, scarves, gloves, millinery andleather goods. Launching for the February show,Moda Adorned at Moda Accessories is a new,edited area, featuring original, fresh, exciting and

innovative accessory brands. New listings thisseason are Fashion Star, Glamour Gear and Onteks,alongside returning exhibitors Casa Di Stella,Pasha Jewellery, Bardot Accessories, Pell Mell,Makki, Park Lane Accessories, Bagatelle, SuzieBlue, Maria Carla and Bolla Bags.

MODA LINGERIE & SWIMWEAR 17-19 February NEC Birmingham01484 846069, www.moda-uk.co.ukModa Lingerie & Swimwear is the UK’s nationalshow, playing host to the a/w 13 collections from a comprehensive selection of the industry’s much-respected lingerie specialists. Swimwear,hosiery, shapewear, loungewear, maternity andfuller-bust collections will also be catered for across the event, which will once again besponsored by Invista. New exhibitors this seasoninclude three Latin American labels – Touché, forlingerie, beachwear and nightwear; shapewearbrand Vadette; and luxury lingerie and swimwearfrom Ellipse. Nightwear label Pink Moon fromPortugal and Italian shapewear from My Shapesare also new, while returning after a one-seasonbreak are Seafolly, Diva and Zoggs. Meanwhile,Moda Rouge, the designer collections area of theshow, will once again feature an international

Flip


PREVIEW—

Moda Footwear Moda Lingerie & Swimwear Moda Accessories

Moda Woman

mix of interesting newcomers and upmarketranges, including the likes of Nikki Cooke and Paolita.

FLIP17-19 February NEC Birmingham01484 846069, www.moda-uk.co.uk/flip Following its successful launch last season, Flipshowcases the best in urban, street, denim andyoung fashion across clothing, footwear andaccessories for both men and women. Theadditional catwalk theatre near Flip in Hall 20 will stage new shows dedicated to urban andcontemporary fashion for men and women, whilevisitors will have access to essential advice fromindustry experts on the same stage. Brandsattending this season include Animal, Garcia,Monkee Genes and Timezone.

BETA INTERNATIONAL 17-19 FebruaryNEC Birmingham 01937 582111, www.beta-int.com Renowned exhibition for the equestrian, petproducts and country clothing sectors, Beta is builton a rich tradition of innovation, offering thefinest business and networking opportunities overthree days at the NEC Birmingham.

CAPSULE NEW YORK 22-24 February Basketball City, 299 South St, New York 0012 122068310 www.capsuleshow.com Though Capsule borrows inspiration from today’smash-up culture with labels from every area of themarket and stretching from bold to subtle design,constant across all participants is a premium levelof ideas, overall aesthetic, styling, fit, design andbrand messaging. Only the world’s most innovative and sought-after brands are invited toparticipate, providing retailers with a constantsource of fresh ideas. The New York edition of

capsule is for womenswear labels only andconfirmed for February are Thierry Lasry, CollinaStrada, Organic John Patrick, Black Crane,Dagmar, Sisii, Sloane and Tate, Samantha Pleetand Timo Weiland.

MIPAP –MI MILANO PRET A PORTER 23-25 February Fieramilanocity, Via Gattamelata, Gate 15, Milan0039 249971, www.mipap.it MIPAP retains the same February dates this seasonbut is moving to a new pavilion situated in viaGattamelata, an area that will become the newfashion centre of Milan thanks to a “Super”project, co-organised with Pitti Immagine andFiera Milano. The new location brings with it anew layout project developed around the conceptof public squares, creating a dynamic atmosphereand meeting points for networking. In terms ofproduct, MIPAP will concentrate more fully oncontemporary women’s and accessory collections aswell as casual and informal style, protagonists ofthe existing Stream section of the show that willcontinue to be enlarged.

LONDON GARMENTS EXPO25-27 FebruaryBusiness Design Centre, Islington, London020 8888 0090, www.londongarmentsexpo.comFebruary will kick-start the third edition of theLondon Garments Expo. In the last two years,the trade show has grown immensely, initiallyshowcasing garment manufacturers only. Thea/w 13 show will bring garment manufacturingcompanies and up-and-coming designerstogether for the first time, in the processsponsoring several London Fashion Schoolstudents and helping them to take their first stepinto the world of business. In addition, theLondon Garments Expo is partnering with theLondon Asia Textile Fair this season, featuring

textile manufacturers from around the worldfor the first time.

CPM 26 February – 1 March Expocentre Fairground, Moscow0049 211/4396-312, www.cpm-moscow.comCPM is the international fashion trade platformfor the Eastern European market withwomenswear, menswear, childrenswear,leisurewear, lingerie, body and beachwear andaccessories as well as homeware on the agenda. The February show will be all about the show’s20th anniversary, with side events includingforums and trend-led catwalk shows.

CAPSULE PARIS 1-3 March Cité de la Mode, 34 quai d’Austerlitz, Paris0012 122068310 www.capsuleshow.com The Paris edition of Capsule takes place in thesecond round of the city’s fairs, providing a freshedit of womenswear only collections to buyers intown. An impressive international line-up,including Ysterike, Wood Wood, Norrback,Creatures of Comfort, Jenny Grfettve, AssemblyNY and Dieppa Restreppo, has been confirmed. >


PREVIEW—

Micam GDS

PARIS SUR MODE ATELIER1-4 MarchJardin des Tuileries, Terrasse des Feuillants, Paris 0033 140137474, www.parissurmodeatelier.comHeld at the same venue as Premiere Classe, Paris Sur Mode Atelier aims to offer a completeand rounded experience to the international buyerswho flock to Paris for Fashion Week. Last October’sedition of the show attracted a more exclusive offer and clearer collection presentations withexhibitors including By Zoe, Stella Forest, Zayan,Van Bery, Tinsels, Essentiel, Muse of Love, PretPour Partir, Mooiloop, Sandrina Fasoli and Just InCase, and similar line-up is expected this season.

MICAM 3-6 March Fieramilano Spa, Strada Statale del Sempione,Milan 0039 2438291 www.micamonline.comLeading international footwear event Micamoccupies an exhibition area of nearly 70,000 sq mand plays host to over 1,500 exhibitors. ImportantItalian footwear brands such as Geox, Paciotti andBalducci are expected to attend, alongside over 600 labels from the rest of Europe, China, Japanand Russia.

ILM INTERNATIONAL LEATHER GOODS FAIR 9-11 March Messe Offenbach, Germany0049 698297550, www.messe-offenbach.deILM International Leather Goods Fair has beenestablished in Offenbach for over 50 years andwelcomes around 6,000 trade buyers every season from the leather goods, travel and fashionbags sectors.

THE BRITISH BRIDAL EXHIBITONHARROGATE (BBEH) 10-12 March Harrogate International Centre, Harrogate, N Yorks

01423 770120, www.bbeh.co.ukAt BBEH, buyers can expect to find collectionsfrom the top bridal designers, alongside budgetprice dresses, occasionwear ranges, formalwear,footwear and accessories. Catwalk shows run eachseason, showcasing new looks from top housesalongside seminars for better business in 2013.

GDS AND GLOBAL SHOES 13-15 March Messe Düsseldorf, Stockumer Kirchstrasse 61,Düsseldorf0049 2114560996, www.gds-online.comGDS provides a comprehensive market overviewof the footwear sector with brands spanning theprogressive, classic and premium segments,alongside sports, design newcomers and the latestin kids’ fashion. The event offers internationalbuyer fresh inspiration through an array offashion shows, trend productions and lectures with fashion experts that give a competentoverview of the latest seasonal trends. Parallel toGDS runs Global Shoes, a platform for originalequipment manufacturers and volume suppliers.This fair for the sourcing segment will once againpresent a broad range of shoes and leather goodsfor the bulk market.

CHIC BEIJING 26-29 March New China International Exhibition Centre,Beijing 0086 1065053207 / 65050580,www.chiconline.com.cn Chic, which has bridged into the Chineseconsumer market, prepares for its 21st edition thisMarch. An area covering more than 100,000 sq mwill be clearly structured into the differentsegments of menswear, womenswear, kidswear,leather and fur, accessories and specialist overseaspavilions for international exhibitors. While twohalls are devoted to international participations,there are six halls presenting Chinese fashionbrands such as Bosideng, YaYa, Snowfly,Metersbonwe, Jingboa, Youngor, Guklion, BotonW-Peng and Kipone. New this season is thedesigners’ corridor, where the talents of youngChinese designers are demonstrated.

WHITE GALLERY LONDON 19-21 May Battersea Evolution, Battersea Park, London 020 7772 8423, www.whitegallery.comTop UK and overseas retailers and press are invitedto this two-day show to preview over 40 collectionsfrom the very best in bridalwear, accessories for thebig day, as well as eveningwear and formalmenswear offerings. •

THE BOX & THE BOX SHOES 1-4 March Location to be confirmed, Paris 0033 140137470, www.thebox-paris.comThe Box showcases the very best of the jewelleryand accessories worlds with an edited selection. It isusually held at the Pavilion Cambon, but a venuefor March has yet to be confirmed. New last seasonwas the addition of meeting point The Box Shoes,which gathered 40 shoe brands together in aseparate prestigious location in the city. Though anexhibitor list was unavailable at the time of goingto press, previous exhibitors include BeracamyParis, Nach Jewellery, Wing Paris, Candice Cooper,Maven, Mascaro and Pink Powder.

PREMIERE CLASSE TUILERIES1-4 MarchJardin des Tuileries, Terrasse des Feuillants, Paris 0033 140137470, www.premiere-classe-tuileries.comPremiere Classe at the Jardin des Tuileries remainsan essential event for accessories designers duringParis Fashion Week. All sectors of the market arerepresented by a selection of creative andcommercial brands from shoes, bags, jewellery,hats, gloves and scarves to glasses and belts.

ATMOSPHERE1-4 MarchLocation to be confirmed, Paris 0033 140137474, www.atmospheres-paris.com Last season, Atmosphere broadened itswomenswear selection, welcoming around 100French and international brands. An essentialevent of the Paris women’s Fashion Week forseveral years, the show has kept its leadershipthanks to a mix of well-established brands andcreative collections, and is an attraction for buyersthat are only present during Fashion Week.



PREVIEW—

ARTIST’SSTATEMENT

The fifth edition of boutique trade show Scoop International, takingplace on 10-12 February, is set to be the biggest one to date, with 250

designer labels gathering in the chic setting of London’s Saatchi Gallery.WWB takes a first look at what the show has in-store.

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Since its inaugural edition in February 2011, Scoop International has almostquadrupled in size, offering the finest international designers and labels fromacross ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories and complementary products. Despitethis impressive growth, the show has retained its hand-selected format, with thecarefully edited line-up of brands setting it apart from other trade exhibitions, andmaking it the only UK trade event dedicated to contemporary premiumwomenswear, accessories and lifestyle labels.

“Scoop International is more than a trade show; it’s a meeting place for theindustry, a trend-watching opportunity and a showcase for up-and-comingdesign,” says founder and curator Karen Radley. “The July edition was ourstrongest show to date and, with such a strong mix of labels on board, we are filledwith confidence for the buying season ahead.”

Among the brands making their first outing in the UK at the event isBritish label The Rose; US designer Eileen Fisher; Swedish label Twist & Tango;US denim collection M2F; Style Butler from Denmark; French label Des PetitsHauts; and Lindy Ross, the new launch from the eponymous designer and co-founder of Anonymous by Ross & Bute.

Returning to the show, meanwhile, are the likes of Hoss Intropia,Coccinelle, Filippa K, Goat, Johnstons of Elgin, House of Cases, Lama Peach, The Frye Company, Mexicana, Nathalie Vleeschouwer, Rosemary Goodenoughand Susannagh Grogan.

The event regularly attracts buyers from the most prestigious internationalretailers including Net-a-porter, Harvey Nichols, Matches, Browns, Fenwick,Fortnum & Mason and Liberty, as well as the cream of independents in thecountry. Scoop International’s unique appeal is further enhanced by its spectacularvenue, the Saatchi Gallery, putting fashion into a wider cultural context of art andgiving the show its own aesthetic. This time Gaiety, an exhibition on Russiancontemporary art, will be in situ and form the backdrop to the elegant andinspiring showcase.

01

05

09

PREVIEW—


02 03 04

06 07 08

10 11

01 Riani

02 Johnstons Cashmere

03 RPL

04 Eileen Fisher

05 Olivia Burton

06 Des Petits Hauts

07 Cabinet

08 Cashmere by Tanya

09 Nathalie Vleeschouver

10 Tissa Fontaneda

11 TFS Slack

YUMIThis season, buyers can expectstories from mythological creaturesto elements from Alice inWonderland across Yumi’sdirectional prints. These highlyfeminine themes are juxtaposedwith edgy details such as fauxleather and chunky zips. For partywear, metallics andbaroque elements on partywear arestyled with a nod to moderngrunge, while daywear sees funprinted trousers harking back to 50s chic, layered with cozy knits andpractical outerwear in daring colours.—


PREVIEW—

Natalie Dawson: What is the newconcept for Bread & Butter Berlin?Karl-Heinz Müller: By implementing therevised concept, the show will go backto its roots. The principal “trade showfor selected brands” is to beunderstood literally. January’s editionwill follow the motto “mix and match”even stronger than before, and willshowcase the entity of the urban world of men and women.

The neighbourhoods will be built across the various segments,with the main hall (formerly Denim Base) largely affected by thechange – showing a contemporary urbanwear concept. The halllayout will also see major alterations; large stands andpresentations will line the border, while smaller booths will bepositioned in the centre. The layout overall was inspired by New York’s Meatpacking District, where the various heights of thebuildings create a light and interesting atmosphere – the variousheights of the stands will provoke interesting breaks andabrogate the monotony. The adjustments, but also the relocationswithin the areas, result in a new face of all hangars. Variousrestaurants, bars and cafés in the halls will support this picture.

ND: How have exhibitors been selected, and which brandsshould vistors watch out for this season?KHM: In its role as spin doctor for retail, Bread & Butter Berlin hasto lead the way. We do focus on originals in terms of brands thathave their own identity, character and philosophy – these might bemarket leaders as well as interesting new labels and concepts. We’reproud to welcome exciting new labels from Japan who chose theevent’s LOCK area to showcase their collections for the first time.

ND: With attendance and footfall down last season, what are youdoing to bring the buyers back?KHM: By observing the overall market carefully, one would knowthat the time of footfall records are over. The same goes forbeating records in square meters. But, size doesn’t matter – it’snot about growing beyond measure. Our goal is to give retailersorientation, not only in terms of the order business, but alsoregarding their product lines, to help them in differing from aretail landscape that becomes more and more vertical as well asfrom their competitor. If Bread & Butter Berlin can fulfil this role,it will be successful. With the new structure, the show provides aplatform for buyers with a consolidated overview on what’s hotand what’s new in urbanwear, embedded in an inspiring setting.

ND: How do you see the show evolving over the coming seasons?KHM: Our main focus is not to grow in figures, but to sharpen ourquality concept. The selection is a continuous process and inconstant change, like the market itself. We’re not afraid ofdownsizing because, as I said previously, size doesn’t matter. It’s not about quantity, but about quality.

WITH A COMPLETELY OVERHAULED BRAND LIST AND LAYOUT,BREAD & BUTTER BERLIN PROMISES TO GO BACK TO ITS ROOTSNEXT SEASON. WWB GETS THE LOWDOWN FROM FOUNDER KARL-HEINZ MÜLLER AND HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE BRANDS TOCATCH AT THE EVENT. —

BREAD & BUTTERBERLIN

Q&A WITH KARL-HEINZ MÜLLER

AMERICAN COLLEGEAmerican College is the story of two childhood friends whowanted to revive the fashion icons of the past, so revived anold, forgotten classic – the varsity jacket. Now recognised theworld over for both men’s and women’s designs, the new co-branded bomber jacket with Schott is a top seller in thebest European shops, and is set to be the next hit for the brand. —


PREVIEW—

AUSTRALIA LUXE COLLECTIVEA/w 13 sees the launch of a new, exclusive premium linethat is a celebration of the brand’s strengths, pushingboundaries in sheepskin design using flocked fabricand Swarovski trims. The capsule line, positioned at theluxury market, also includes non-sheepskin styles suchas aged, handmade leather boots. The main line,meanwhile, features neons and deep plum tones,balanced out with nude pink and soft blue. —

BARBOURFashion muse Lady Amanda Harlech lendscreative direction to the Barbour Gold Label thisseason. Inspired by her love of horses and theBritish countryside, the range mixes grit withglamour, with Made in the UK tweeds andcashmere and angora knitwear key. Knitwear ispresent strongly through a collaboration withBritish designer Bella Freud, with each sweaterfeaturing a design that captures an element ofthe British countryside. Also new this season iswomen’s footwear, highlights of which includeChelsea and jodhpur boots with quilted heels. —

SANDWICHSandwich specialises in loose-fitting silhouettes that beg tobe layered and are enhanced withprints that cover several schools ofart, from graphic florals to abstractimagery and geometric motifs. Keyshapes returning once again arecotton jackets, jersey tops, corduroytrousers, skirts and dresses. Tactilefabrics are popular with the brand’score customer, so expect to see plentyof these alongside eye-catchingfinishes on classic silhouettes. —

MERCWomenswear for a/w 13 is a larger offering than previouslyseen for Merc, growing morecomprehensive each season. A-lineskirts are offered in tweed with amatching blazer, while the classicMerc paisley is seen across dressdesigns. Cropped knit cardiganswith cable knit, crocket or polkadot detailing is a key look for theseason, while colours remainwintery, with rich plums, forestgreen and black in the mix. —

CLOSEDAt Closed, sporty shapes, partlyinspired by military clothingsuch as parkas, are being brokenup by gentle fabrics includingcrêpe and silk. The range alsointroduces four new denimstyles – Marylin is slim-fit,high-waisted and has a straightleg; Phoebe is straight-cut witha discreetly flared leg; Ivy has abiker-pant cut; and Giselle has a biker-pant shape but iscomposed of different fabrics –a patchwork-mix of cord anddyed denim. Other innovationsinclude the chino sweatpantsand the tracksuit denim pants. —

AXARAFounded in 1975, Axara’s French savoir-faire isappreciated worldwide. The design workshop,located in Paris, mixes fabrics, laces andembroideries, focusing at all times on theirmuse – an independent and active woman whocreates her own style – while holding on to thefamous “French elegance” of dressing. Feminineand glamorous, the collection promises lots ofblack alongside rock chic elements for a/w 13. —


PEOPLE—

THE BIGGERE BIGGERE BIPICTUREPICTUREPIIt’s been another tough year, but despite continued pressures and a challenging economicclimate, the mood is defiantly optimistic among the industry. WWB asked key brands,agents and retailers to reflect on 2012 and share their expectations for 2013.—

JANET THURSTON, MD, JANETTHURSTON AND MARY SKINNER AGENCY

What was the biggest challenge for you this year? In the latter part of 2011, we began cutting down ouroverheads. Like for many industry players, it was clearour increased rental costs were having a drainingeffect on the funds we needed to take the businessforward and invest monies better spent on futuredevelopments. Through the overall decrease in mostof our retailers’ budgets during the last two years, thetime had come to reduce the biggest cost; the dreadedrent, business rates and landlord services. So the decisionwas made to move showrooms, and we have relocatedto a similar space, still in the West End with aconsiderably more favourable rent and, frankly, moresuitable for our modern mix of designers.What was your highlight of 2012? Understanding the needs of our clients during thisdifficult trading time became priority. We knew that byreducing their budgets, our retailers could control theirstock levels to suit the decline in consumer confidence.So the agency applied more time and effort to maintainour client, encouraging our suppliers to support themwith promotional aids, advertising contributions andseasonal stock swaps. The agency offered more service,in-store staff training, presentations, fashion showsand so on. In these times, it is imperative you have theright sales team around you, to be sympathetic andencouraging to your clients’ needs.How do you feel about 2013? We are feeling positive and look forward to continueworking with all our retailers who have supportedour brands through the tough times. What are your business New Year’s resolutions? Like all businesses, we need to be constantly thinkingoutside our own “box” and moving forward with theever-changing fashion industry. We are in the processof updating our website. We have also started to workwith more e-tailers, and our intentions for next yearare to develop a bigger portfolio of these clients andencourage our designers to support this ever-growingmarket. At the same time, we willcontinue to pursue interestingindividual brands for ourportfolio to make sure we offerour clients the best possiblemix of creativity in our collections.

LUCY BENZECRY, OWNER, THE WEST VILLAGE, LONDON

What was your highlight of 2012? The West Village reached a milestone in 2012; the store celebrated 10 years oftrading in Notting Hill and has renewed its lease. Against the odds, the business has built on its trade over the last few years, and I am cautiously optimistic about the future.What was your biggest challenge?The Olympics. July was horribly quiet as everyone fled the city, but we made up for it in the second half of August, which was the reverse of what we had expected.How do you feel about 2013?I’m hopeful about 2013. Obviously, there is more competition than ever before –especially with the internet – so I think it’s important that we stick to doing whatwe do best, which is searching out modern collections that are not over-saturated inthe marketplace. I think you have to keep on reaffirming your point of difference to stay relevant. What is your business New Year’s resolution?To keep the faith. Retail can be a brutal business, but it can also beimmensely rewarding. I think when the economy is fragile, it’stempting to make overly commercial decisions, but it weakensyour appeal as a shopping destination. I’ll keep my core designers,but I’ll make sure I have an ever-changing selection of new finds, too.

PAUL LORRAINE, MD, BASLER UK

What were your highlights of 2012? I would have to say seeing the collection evolve, our new Knightsbridge storeconcept and new account acquisitions. What was the biggest challenge in 2012? Market confidence. The media tendency to focus on negatives teamed withdifficult “lending” facilities for retailers and general high rents have resulted in a“safety first” mentality. This is contradictory to many retailers’ natural instincts,which have been to “pioneer” and take risks to inspire and attract custom.How do you feel about 2013? Confident. We have a strong brand and a comprehensive and commercial productoffer, underpinned by a professional and committed team. What will be your biggest challenge and opportunity in 2013?The challenges will be similar to 2012 – high rents, rising cost of living, “austerityfocused media focus” and decreased market confidence. In terms of opportunities, I see these in our product evolution, commitment to continuallyimprove our customer experience and development our brand’scustomer relationship management. What are your business New Year’s resolutions? Continued development of team culture, improve our customerexperience and develop a wider brand understanding whilestaying true to our values and brand DNA.


PEOPLE—

PAUL O’SULLIVAN, COUNTRY MANAGER, FRANSA UK

What was your highlight of 2012? The highlight for Fransa was the sale of our group from BTX to DK Company. Sincethe completion of the sale in July, our new owners have not stopped pushing forwardwith improvements. We are currently changing our sales platforms and internalsystems. We now have the ability to work from iPads when selling our lines, workingfrom a live system, and this has been instrumental in making our sales teams moreeffective. Soon, we will have a new B2B website and a fully live system, enabling oursales team to have access to live stock systems and customers’ account information. What was your biggest challenge in 2012?S/s 13 was tougher than in previous years. The state of the economy, bad weather andpoor footfall in stores has made our customers nervous for future summer collections.Many stores are reporting a downturn in sales, and some are even suggesting they willput stocks away for next year. However, at DK Company, Fransa and Dranella, eachbrand has six collections per year, so we are able to assist our customers to spread outtheir cash flow in the difficult months.How do you feel about 2013? I am optimistic for a positive development in 2013. Our a/w 12 collections are sellingthrough well in-store at the moment and many customers are placing top-up orders. I have a fantastic sales team, a new IT set up, a new infrastructure in Denmark and agreat pre-autumn 2013 collection to work with. What will be your biggest challenge and opportunity in 2013? As previously mentioned, the biggest challenge is the economic climate. However, we are still relatively small in the UK, so we have lots of opportunities to increase our number of accounts throughout the independent trade, multiples and the ever-increasing online industry. What is your business New Year’s resolution? As a company, we need to keep our existing customers happy bycontinuing to develop new, exciting and commercial products. The biggest learning curve based on this year’s trading was to alwaysexpect the unexpected. As a company working hard for ourcustomers, we need to keep evolving to adapt to the challenges ahead.

ANGELA BLUNDELL,SALES DIRECTOR, OLSEN UK

What was your highlight of 2012? We have worked much closer with ourcustomers in order to assist their profitabilitywith Olsen in their stores. Our area salesmanagers have tirelessly travelled to visit theshops in their areas to ensure Olsen isperforming well for them and, if not, reactingquickly to assist them. I feel this has enabled ourbuyers to be more confident when buying fromus, as they know we want to work as apartnership. We have seen increases in ourturnover versus last year because of thisconfidence, even though it is a difficult trading climate. What was the biggest challenge in 2012? Introducing a newer, more modern concept ofOlsen product into the marketplace at a toughtime of trading. We could have played safe andstuck with our bestsellers, but we havechallenged ourselves and introduced a moremodern feel to our collection. We have received a positive response, and our sell-through hasproved this. How do you feel about 2013? It’s going to be another challenging year forretail. We need to be offering our consumervalue, detail and point of difference for theirmoney. The first five months of pre-order saleshave been positive, with a double-digitpercentage increase in sales versus 2012, so weare honoured that our buyers believe in thebrand and our strategy. However, we need ourconsumers to gain confidence in buying again,so we are going to continue doing promotionalin-store events in order to excite the consumer aswell as offer more detail in our product. What will be your biggest challenge andopportunity in 2013? Our biggest challenge will be to continue toincrease our business again for a/w 13. As wehave seen a double-digit growth for s/s 13, ourbuyers are confident in us, therefore we hopeour new collection for a/w 13 will incite moreinterest with new and existing buyers. We areevolving each season in terms of our modernity,and a/w 13 will be our largest step, so I amhoping the buyers will embrace our newcollections and directions. The biggestopportunity for us and the industry will be toencourage our consumers to buy more freelyagain. We used to sell well in outfits, and nowconsumers are buying in pieces while they mixand match with what else is in their wardrobe. What is your business New Year’sresolution? To continue listening to what our consumer wants;not what we want to sell to them.

CLAIRE WRIGHT, CO-OWNER, STRIPES, WORCESTER

What was the highlight of 2012 for you? The biggest highlight of 2012 has been going through a full rebranding process, whichwe will be rolling out in 2013. We have found it invaluable having a team of designerslooking at our existing business and giving us recommendations for our branding,packaging, website and store layout. As an independent retailer, you are often too closeto your business to fully evaluate what your strengths are and how you are perceived byothers. We now have a clear vision for Stripes, and our brand has a stronger identity.How do you feel about 2013?I am optimistic about next year; we have learnt how to manage the tough tradingconditions over the last few years, and we are looking at new ways to drive sales andkeep our customers happy in 2013. We will be developing our website and continuingto hold numerous in-store events to keep inspiring our customers.What will be your biggest challenge and opportunity in 2013?Our biggest challenge is always keeping the product relevant and fresh for our customers.We will be managing our suppliers in requesting deliveries at the right time, offeringproduct that is appropriate for the time of year, otherwise items languish on the shopfloor for months before anyone will buy them. We are looking at smaller forwardorders for 2013 with flash collections that keep adding newness to our offer. We willtake advantage of the opportunity of using short-order suppliers to give us increasedflexibility and better sell-throughs, as we can adapt quicker to what is selling. Whenwe first opened our store in 2004, there was a good rapport with suppliers, and agentsactively took an interest in their brand’s performance throughout the season. I thinkthere is a huge opportunity for lb to offer this approach and work with stores inachieving the best possible sell-throughs, not being scared to pick up the phone.What is your business New Year’s resolution for 2013? We are keeping things simple in 2013. We have spent 2012 trying togrow our business through the launch of our additional beauty salon,Stripes Beauty. These decisions have been instrumental in movingStripes forward, however we plan to consolidate next year and focuson the shop floor, our fantastic team and our website.

I am the fourth generation of my family to runRavens. Our business has been trading since 1897

when Percy Raven, my great-grandfather, set up shop.

Over the years, we have seen a lot of changes, butthese days we’re more ready than ever to makeadjustments to what we do. My daughter,Hannah, joined the business three years ago and,given the trading conditions we find ourselvesin, she is constantly reviewing all aspects of thebusiness, looking at costs and performances.Although we started out as a menswear retailer,we brought in gifts around 30 years ago andadded a womenswear section 10 years ago. Due todemand, we opened a footwear and accessoriesdepartment three years ago, so we are diversified,which helps with the ebb and flow of trading.

As I look towards Christmas, I know thewomenswear department will begin to drop offin December, as women tend to buy early in theseason, while the men’s area will be kept busy toChristmas Eve. And our gifts section, whichincludes home, will be busy, of course.

The past decade has been a learningexperience about the significant differencesbetween menswear and womenswear. My wife,Marian, handles the women’s buying, and she ismuch more liable to change brands than I amon menswear. The number one label for us isGant – and it’s been that way for 15 years or more.

As so many men’s collections follow thesame trends these days, I have to be careful that Idon’t have too much duplication and overlap. I am finding that I have to be tough on brandsthat don’t perform. Even though Camelmenswear is working well for us this autumn, Ihave dropped it for next spring because it didn’tperform earlier this year. In my opinion, it’s anautumn/winter range only.

Our staple women’s brand is Gerry Weber,which has been consistent for the seven years wehave had it. Just White Blouses by Stenau isanother range we are pleased with, along withMichele trousers. I am sure that by the timespring arrives, we will have made more changes.Change is a constant process in fashionretailing, now more than ever.

Neil Raven is the owner of Ravens in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, and is a member of FAB.www.fashionassociationofbritain.co.uk


FORUM—

Cocaranti, a luxury casualwear anddenim boutique recently opened itsdoors in Knutsford, Cheshire.

The store is the brainchild of owner Lucy Willder, a loverof all things denim and on a mission to bring the brandsshe loves close to home.

The store stocks brands such as AG Jeans, AmericanVintage, Current/Elliott, Hudson and James Jeans among others, with the spacious and minimalist interiorinspired by the chic boutiques of Manhattan’s Upper EastSide. Cocaranti also offers a personal styling service atclients’ homes, and is also launching its transactionalwebsite this month.

“At Cocaranti, our vision was to create somethingspecial in Cheshire – innovative brands not availabletogether anywhere else in the North West, quality fabrics,plus first class personal service and customer experience,”says Willder. —

PREMIUM DENIMSTORE COCARANTIOPENS ITS DOORS

RETAIL DIARYThe latest news from the industry—

RETAILFORUM

HAVE YOU OPENED A NEW STORE, LAUNCHED A TRANSACTIONAL WEBSITE, ORGANISEDAN EVENT OR HAVE ANY OTHER IN-STORE NEWS? THEN LET US KNOW BY GETTING IN TOUCH AT [email protected].

THE EDITEUR EXPANDSITS OFFERING

Luxury womenswear independentThe Editeur has recently opened itssecond store in Hale, Cheshire. Theexpansion was driven by customerdemand, as many of the store’sclient base had expressed interest ina second branch. “We had a fewcustomers in our Chester store wholive in South Manchester, and theyexpressed how much they wouldlike us to open a shop there. Wethought Hale was the mostsuitable, and it so happened therewas an ideal store up for sale withsix fabulous members of staff,” says owner Annabel Mount-Kirk. The two-floor store stocks a rangeof high-end womenswear andaccessories labels including DVF,Alice by Temperley and J Brand,and sports a simple, clean look. —


FORUM—

MIMI NOOR GOES ONLINE

Bath premium denim boutique Mimi Noor hasexpanded its offer by launching its firsttransactional website.

The site offers features such as an Outfit Builderand Shop the Look section, allowing customers tobuy a whole outfit or look at a click of a button.Owner Mimi Noor hopes the website willencourage customer loyalty, as many of the shop’sclients are tourists, as well as extend the reach ofthe shop to a national and global audience. “I wanted the website to be a reflection of thestore in terms of look and branding and, mostimportantly, the shopping experience, nomatter where our customers live,” she says. —

STREETCASUALSOPENS IN CARDIFF Streetcasuals opened its first bricks-and-mortarboutique in Cardiff last month.

The store launched as an e-commerce website inSeptember 2010 but, having seen a niche in theretail scene in Cardiff for a dedicated streetwearboutique, a bricks-and-mortar store followed.The 50 sq m shop, situated in Morgan Arcade,stocks womenswear, menswear and accessories,and features a changing street art gallery with anumber of different artists lined-up in rotation.The shop fit has been designed to complementthe original features of the store and combinesthe existing architecture with modern materials. —

Hub 49 Stoke Newington, Church StreetLondon N16 0ARwww.hubshop.co.uk

Owners: Louise Power and Georgie CookOpened: 2002Key brands: Acne, Barbour, H by Hudson,Gestuz, Something Else and Won Hundred.

“With three stores dotted around StokeNewington and Broadway Market, Hub 49stands for everything that is good about a greatindependent. Starting with its selection offantastic brands, the store is well-known forpicking up-and-coming designers – it was oneof the first in the UK to showcase brands such asAcne and Won Hundred. Hub 49 also has itsown in-house label, Beth Graham. This,combined with a mix of vintage furniture andmodern fittings, the welcoming customerservice and personable staff, makes shopping at Hub 49 a wonderful experience.”

NICOLA FINLAY Owner, Eve Boutique,

Glasgow

—“Following its hugesuccess last year, we willbe holding anotherthree-day Christmasextravaganza for ourcustomers. Not only willwe be offering discountsand giving gifts to ourcustomers, there will bechampagne cocktails andnibbles to create a fun,buzzing atmosphere.” —

EMMA LLOYDOwner, MariannaBoutique, Ipswich

—“In-store, we run aChristmas wish listservice makingpurchasing gifts. As avillage, Wendoverretailers host a late-night shoppingevening and, from mid-December, I willoffer customers on ourmailing list a “salepreview” on selectedautumn/winter stockprior to going into Sale. ”—

PREETA COOLEYOwner, Curve,

Buckinghamshire

—“Lily & Rose will beholding a special three-day promotion,which will coincide withan annual Christmasevent in the town. Duringthis period, we will beoffering a discount onpurchases and stayingopen late in line with aother local retailers. Weare also advertising inour local magazine.” —

SAPPHO CLISSITTOwner, Lily & Rose,

Norfolk

We ask four retailers this month’shot question

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FORDRIVING SALES INTHE CHRISTMAS

PERIOD?

—“We are hosting aChristmas shoppingnight in conjunction withother local retailers.Customers love theevent, as they can startpreparing early forChristmas in a relaxedand friendly environmentwithout the stress of bigshopping centres.”—

MY FAVOURITESHOP...HUB 49By Lis Errikson, sales manager,Sewn Agency



EXPERTS—

WHAT ARE THE PITFALLS OF TERMS & CONDITIONS?

As an independent store owner, you want to be known for the fabulousranges you stock, informative staff and excellent customer service, butthis will come to nothing if you don’t have properly trained staff.

Not only do your staff need to know your product range, they also needto understand what is special about particular garments and how thesecan help different body shapes and colouring. Their fashion and styleknowledge will also, of course, be important. Your staff will need tounderstand, too, what is special about each individual client. Customerscome to you for advice, and you want to build their trust in you. It’stherefore worth investing in companies who can help train staff on the key concepts of styling. Giving your staff the right tools to be ableto identify the most flattering colours and styles for your customerswill show dividends at the end of day. You want to allow your staff to be proactive and knowledgeable to increase sales and generate repeat business.

Clients’ lifestyles and personalities need to be considered whenputting clothes together for your customers. You will have clients whowant to hit the right garment and go, while others will be happy towander around, try it on and chat. Your staff need to be able to “eyeball”your customers to figure out what type of client she is, and to be able topresent her with what she will like. Your staff will take great pleasurein working with clients they know they can help in choosing the rightgarments. From the customer’s perspective, having a knowledgeablemember staff who can help them with their decision-making willimprove their shopping experience. In effect, eachmember of your salesteam becomes a personal stylist and is able to help the customer puttogether the best possible outfit from the range you sell.

Bringing a guest stylist for special occasions is always an addedbonus for your clients. Do you host a private shopping evening orfashion preview when your new collections come in? Are you planninga special event around choosing outfits for Christmas? If you do, youmight also like to consider working with a stylist. They could help youput different looks together for a mini fashion show or display andbreak down your collection to suit the various elements that make upyour target market. To make it more fun and informative, how aboutpicking two or three people from the audience and giving them amakeover with a big reveal at the end of the evening? You’ll be amazedat how well this can work and how it can encourage customers to tryon elements of your new collection.

It’s that time of the year. As a brand owner, you are wondering whetheryou will be paid by retailers or if they are simply intending to tradethrough Christmas before going bust.

While taking a long time to pay an invoice may be a sign of a well-runcompany that is prudently managing cash flow, a brand owner cannotbe sure that nothing is amiss. Certainly, sudden delays in makingpayments should set alarm bells ringing. If this occurs, the brandowner should reach for its standard terms and conditions of sale(T&Cs). But, have the T&Cs been properly made part of the contractwith the retailer? Lawyers are often amazed as to the large incidence ofclients failing to do so.

If the T&Cs are not made part of the contract with the retailer,the fact that they were drafted by the best law firm in the country willbe irrelevant. They will simply be unenforceable. As such, the brandowner should make sure that at the very onset of a commercialrelationship, the retailer signs a copy of them. Alternatively, it isacceptable if the brand owner can show they were brought to theretailer’s attention, although this may be an evidential issue. Either way,the brand owner should make clear reference to the T&Cs on orderforms, confirmations, delivery notes and invoices.

If the T&Cs have been properly incorporated, do they contain aretention of title clause? However, often retention of title clauses try toextend protection to the proceeds of sale when a brand owner’s goodsare onwardly sold. Unless extreme care is taken over the drafting, andcorrect procedures are followed, this provision may be void unlessregistered at Companies House. Not only that, but the inclusion of aninvalid proceeds of sale provision may void the rest of the retention oftitle clause. Often, a knee-jerk reaction of insolvency practitioners willbe to reject claims that are lodged with them. Brand owners should notbe afraid to fight their corner and take legal advice as to the validity ofthe claim. Equally, the retailer’s directors may not always be able to hidebehind the corporate veil of a limited liability company. If they havetraded past the point where the company could not have avoidedinsolvency or made personal promises, they may be personally liablefor the company’s debts.

Veronique Henderson, creative director of Colour Me Beautiful. For more information visit www.cmbretail.co.uk or call 020 7627 5211.

Stephen Sidkin is a partner in Fox Williams LLPVisit www.fashionlaw.co.uk or www.foxwilliams.com

ADVICEIndustry experts answer your retail questions

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HOW CAN USINGSTYLISTS ENHANCE THECUSTOMER EXPERIENCE?


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HOW DO YOU SWITCH OFF AFTERA LONG DAY AT WORK?

62WomensWeAr buyer—deCember 2012

THe FInAL Word—

This month’s panel reveals what helps them wind down after a busy day at the office...—

GemmA sLATerBrand manager, Madam Rage

—“To switch off after a hectic day’s work I lovenothing more than a lovely long soak in thebath, with a glass of rosé wine and a weekly

fix of mr Grey!”—

sALLy HArTFIeLdFounder and designer, Matilda & Quinn

—“Despite being useless at sport inmy school days, I took up running acouple of years ago and it’s sincebecome my wind-down tonic. Itkeeps me fit, sane and is a good

opportunity to listen to new music.”—

KIm HALLUK sales agent, Nat & Nin

—“I unwind at the end of the day by debriefing Charlie the dog on how his day hasbeen, and then learning how my day has been a doddle compared to my wife’s

busy day. Wine helps.”—

dAnIeL bLAKeWomenswear designer, Daniel Blake

—“After a manic day at my east London studio,the thing I like to do most of all to unwind istake my lovely wife out for dinner to one of

the many eateries along the fashionablebermondsey street, which is now home to the

White Cube gallery. I love to soak up theatmosphere on a winter’s evening, returning

home along the river and taking in thebreathtaking view of Tower bridge at night.”

—

VAnessA KnoxFounder and head designer, Vanessa Knox

—“my favourite way to unwind is to go homeand spend time with my two children. Thisisn’t the always the most relaxing way to

spend an evening (especially if homework andrevision is concerned!), but it is fun and we

always have a laugh. The minute I comethrough the door and hear their voices, all the

stress from the day is gone. Throw in a niceglass of wine and I’m set!”

—

Anne LombArdFounder and director, Oh My Love

—“my favourite way to unwind after a long day

is to cuddle up on the sofa with my Frenchbulldog, buster, a glass of vino rouge and a

big bowl of sweet popcorn.”—



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