Net-Ă -Porter had its first menswear day on its Tmall Luxury Pavilion shop on April 10, giving Chinese buyers a chance to check out what’s in trend for spring 2020.
Since joining Tmall in September, Net-Ă -Porter has had plenty of attention from fashion-conscious online shoppers, and the menswear day sought to build on that, and Net-Ă -Porter’s Mr Porter brand.
Net-Ă -Porter curated suggestions for men who wanted looks that would suit them for work, dating and fitness, and provided specials such as 15 per cent off new products, an interest-free period for menswear, free gifts for online orders, dry-cleaning coupons, and limited-edition notebooks.
Brands included Fear of God, with its streetwear chic; Off-White, showing loose silhouettes and barbed-wire patterns; FengChenWang, with its focus on detailing; the emerging Chinese brand Staffonly, with a particularly ingenious diamond-patterned short-sleeved shirt; and Pronounce, with its terracotta warrior- and horse-inspired collections. Rick Owens, Common Projects, Thom Browne are also represented among Net-Ă -Porter’s spring menswear looks. The retailer expects plain, grey and khaki tones to be in, as well as neutral blues, and an overall sporty theme.
While British politicians continue to argue over Brexit, the British Fashion Council has warned of the dangers of a no-deal Brexit, in what this title believes is its first statement on the UK leaving the European Union.
While some who voted to leave are happy to do so at any cost, saying that the vote was a simple binary one, politicians such as Michael Gove, one of the major supporters of the leave campaign, have said that no one ‘voted to leave without a deal’âeven if the current government is potentially pursuing just that.
The BFC’s warnings may well fall on deaf ears in the UK government, as have statements from the motor industry and others. The figures are dire: ‘Based on export figures from 2018 it is estimated that switching to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules would cost the fashion industry between ÂŁ850 [million] and ÂŁ900 million,’ citing the UK Fashion & Textile Association.
âAs an industry worth ÂŁ32 billion to the UK GDP and employing more than 890,000 peopleâalmost as many as the financial sector, we urge the Government to: [a] seek a deal with the EU that would guarantee the healthy and steady growth of the fashion industry; [b] give access to funding that would help create stimulus that will ensure British designer businesses continue to remain competitive internationally through trading agreements, access to finance, free movement of talent and support for promotion; [c] advise on all the different scenarios and translate them into what they mean to the fashion industry and the best way to navigate global trade challenges.’
The BFC notes that fashion businesses are international from the outset, with their first sales often outside the UK. Material and talent sourcing take place globally, and the components themselves must cross multiple borders. To sell fashion, designers must also go to international trade shows and markets. The Council questions whether there will be delays in shipping to international customers, saying it is impossible to notify HM Revenue & Customs 24 hours in advance; and there is still no clarity on who will bear the additional costs of tariffs. It also notes that businesses will have to do VAT claims with 27 EU member states rather than with the EU as a whole, complicating the issue.
Despite becoming an independent assessor for visa applications in the fashion industry, the BFC says skilled, lower-paid workers are not covered, leaving gaps in the industry. With Britain (and the US, for that matter) having outsourced for many years, the skills’ shortage is real.
It adds, âThe BFC considers [it] essential for the UK to retain its leading position in attracting global talent. It is very important that communications to international students and talent is clear and highlights the fact that the fashion industry still wants them to study here, start businesses here and work here.’
Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) has announced that it will provide a greater level of transparency about its garments on its website as of today, detailing materials used, country of production, suppliers’ names, factories’ names and addresses, and even the number of workers in the factories.
While not the first brand to go into this depth, Swedish-based H&M believes it is the largest global retailer to make this move.
This follows earlier efforts where H&M published its supplier list online in 2013, and in 2017, providing a transparency layer for its Conscious Exclusive collections. That showed that it was possible to provide transparency, and the move was embraced by Conscious Exclusive customers.
H&M’s earlier efforts had already been recognized by the Swedish-based branding think-tank Medinge Group in 2008.
H&M will also extend the transparency layer to its H&M Home interior products sold online.
Those shopping in-store can scan the price tag using the H&M app to get the information.
âWe are so proud to be the first global fashion retailer of our size and scale to launch this level of product transparency. We want to show the world that this is possible. By being open and transparent about where our products are made we hope to set the bar for our industry and encourage customers to make more sustainable choices. With transparency comes responsibility, making transparency such an important factor to help create a more sustainable fashion industry,’ says Isak Roth, H&M’s head of sustainability, in a release.
The transparency layer will appear in H&M’s 47 online markets today.
Chanel is travelling the world showing its cruise 2018â19 collection, with its second appearance in Bangkok (after Paris).
Guests were invited to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel before embarking on traditional Thai boats to travel down the Chao Phraya River.
Celebrities included Chanel ambassadors Lily-Rose Depp, Tilda Swinton, Caroline de Maigret, Soo Joo Park, Pharrell Williams and Gaspard Ulliel, Hong Kong actress Angela Yuen (èąæŸ§æ), and Taiwanese singer 9M88. Arriving at the venue for the catwalk show at the disused Sermsuk warehouse, dressed as the âPier No. 5â were actors Aokbab, Linn Mashannoad, Mew Nittha Jirayungyurn, Chompoo Araya A. Hargate, Nok Sinjai Plengpanich, Nychaa Nuttanicha Dungwattanawanich, James Teeradon Supapunpinyo, Ann Thongprasom, Pao Varit Leesavan Hongsananda, Ice Paris, Pat Chayanit Chansangavej, Jing Jing Yu, Kao Supassara Thanachart, Patricia Tanchanok Good, Ploi Horwang, Kat Sonya Singha, Thanaerng Kanyawee Songmuang, director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, singers Fang Dhanundhorn Neerasingh and Kaew Jarinya Sirimongkolsakul of Fang Fang Kaew, V Violette Wautier and Tong Twopee, and GermanâNew Zealand artist Sandro Kopp.
Models walked the catwalk on a set, dressed as the deck of a cruise ship, La Pausa.
The collection has a nautical theme, with designs echoing sailors’ uniforms, complete with stripes, prints with nautical map devices, and double-breasted vests; light fabrics included cottons and silks.
The post-show celebration saw local acts Thaitanium featuring Srei. Park showed her talents as DJ, while Williams performed for the first time in Bangkok.
Cara Delevingne starred in Volkswagen’s world premiĂšre of its T-Cross compact crossover SUV, a new model that slots under the T-Roc.
Delevingneâwhom Volkswagen notes has 41 million Instagram followersâpresented the new vehicle at the Amsterdam launch, which followed an earlier event in Shanghai and preceded one in SĂŁo Paulo, all within hours of each other. They represent Volkswagen’s main markets: China, where Volkswagen has a major presence and two important joint ventures; continental Europe, where it began; and Brazil, where the brand continues to be a market leader.
Joining Delevingne in Amsterdam were Volkswagen COO Ralf BrandstĂ€tter, chief designer Klaus Bischoff, and Andreas KrĂŒger, who manages the brand’s ‘Small’ product line.
Guests included Instagrammer Anna Maria Damm (1·3 million followers) and her sister Katharina Damm, and celebrities including Adrienne Koleszår, Florian Liebig, Jessica Cunningham, Vincent Cerutti, Hans-Joachim Stuck, Leslie Måndoki, and Ischtar Isik.
The SUV market shows no signs of diminishing, and Volkswagen had been keen to extend its portfolio downward into the B-segment. T-Cross measures 4·11 m in length, with a 2·56 m wheelbase, with two one-litre three-cylinder engines (95 PS and 115 PS) at the entry level, and a 1·5 four-cylinder (150 PS) at the top. There is also a 1·6 turbodiesel (95 PS). Volkswagen stresses all the engines comply with the Euro 6d-Temp emission standard.
Technical highlights include some features normally reserved for larger vehicles, including pedestrian monitoring with an emergency braking system, lane-keep assist, blind spot detection with rear traffic alert, inductive charging for cellphones, and up to four USB ports. Adaptive cruise control and park assist are optional extras.
Production of the T-Cross takes place at Navarra, Spain, along with China and South America.
T-Cross joins the T-Roc, Tiguan, Atlas (called Teramont in China) and Touareg in the Volkswagen SUV line-up.