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Ad campaigns kick-off race for Christmas spending Retailers predict late rush in December and hope for cold weather to drive sales of winter stock By Drapers reporters

Some of the UK’s biggest retailers launched their Christmas campaigns this week as the high street prepares to battle over what is hoped to be the best festive sales period since 2007. marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Debenhams were among those to launch their Tv advertising campaigns this week. m&S has taken a fairytale-inspired approach to its integrated campaign, featuring 72 general merchandise items. John Lewis spent £7m on its animated woodland advert and Debenhams was hoping to replicate last year’s record-breaking success by emphasising its exclusive designer collaborations. Topshop launched its first global and fully-integrated Christmas campaign on Pinterest this week, with the social media site linking to the retailer’s website and staff in stores wearing Pinterest T-shirts and showing the ads to shoppers on iPads. british luxury brand burberry also launched its festive campaign, burberry With Love, this week. The brand has described the ads as its “most cross-functional”, and is

Cute idea: John Lewis’s animated festive ad is soundtracked by singer Lily Allen

hosting festive activities including ‘25 days of Christmas’, a programme of images and videos on Instagram. The ads were rolled out in the week that sees 15% of consumers start their Christmas shop, according to research by customer experience management firm SDL. However, retailers may have to hold their nerve until the last minute, with research company verdict retail predicting that December 23 will

become ‘mad monday’ as click-andcollect shoppers head to stores to pick up final purchases. Several retailers told Drapers they expected Christmas sales to come later than usual this year. House of Fraser chairman Don mcCarthy said: “Christmas will probably come late, but with intensity. We need some extremely cold weather – a little sun, not too much rain – and then they’ll be out shopping.”

m&S chief executive marc bolland is also pinning his hopes on cold weather, saying the retailer was “well set up for the Christmas collection, with good stock levels, good availability”. Colin Temple, managing director of footwear retailer Schuh, said the fact online orders for pre-Christmas delivery could be accepted up to Sunday December 22 “could be meaningful”. Nick Lowe, chief executive of logistics firm Dachser, said he was expecting “a lull” in deliveries from suppliers to retailers in early December after an anticipated spike in November. With Christmas Day falling in the middle of the week, Lowe said “the pressure would be on” to get last-minute stock into stores on December 23. verdict forecasts consumers will spend £88.4bn in the fourth quarter of this year – a £1.95bn rise in spend – the majority of which (3.84%) is expected to be on food, with health and beauty the second-biggest category, and clothing and footwear the third (3.15%).

First J Crew UK stores will trade on ‘high quality’

COVER IMAGE: TESCO F&F

By Ana Santi

J Crew chairman and chief executive millard Drexler has said its product offer will stand out on “homogenous” high streets, after the US retailer opened its much-anticipated regent Street store in London on Friday. Drexler told Drapers that J Crew’s balance of quality, design and value would win over UK customers. “The world is homogenous, ubiquity is prevalent and J Crew fights that battle quite well,” he said. “If you look at our cashmere shop, it’s arguably the highest-quality, highest-design and best-value cashmere, maybe in the world.”

Ground Crew: retailer’s Regent Street store, which opened this week

The two-storey 17,000 sq ft store carries J Crew’s women’s and men’s collections as well as kidswear line Crew Cuts. A women’s-only store also opened on Friday on Draycott Avenue in Chelsea, three weeks after the opening of the business’s men’s store on Lamb’s Conduit Street in Clerkenwell, London. The regent Street store also stocks third-party brands including barbour and Penelope Chilvers in womenswear, and New balance, Penfield and Corgi in menswear. Haley Szymonski, designer at Welsh sock and knitwear brand

Corgi, said: “We’ve been working with J Crew for four years and the effect has been incredible. We have seen our sales soar, bought new machinery and taken on more staff at the factory. If the US is anything to go by, we will see the same reaction from UK shoppers.” Ashma Kunde, apparel analyst at euromonitor International, added: “J Crew’s focus on quality and maverick style will make it a likely success in the UK.” See next week’s Drapers for a full interview with Drexler. Visit www.drapersonline.com/news for an image gallery of the new store November 9 2013 /

Drapers

NEWS

Drapers celebrates independent retail

Premium pieces: Jaeger autumn 13

Luxury design duo join Jaeger team Jaeger has bolstered its design team with two senior hires. Jsen Wintle has joined as creative director of menswear, while Sheila McKain-Waid will start this month as creative director of womenswear. Wintle reports into director of menswear and ecommerce Caroline Lee, and McKain-Waid will report to director of womenswear Liza Webb. Wintle set up an eponymous menswear label in 2004, and has collaborated with Marks & Spencer. McKain-Waid joins from Saks Fifth Avenue, where she was a designer. Chief executive Colin Henry said: “This injection of luxury expertise demonstrates our commitment to developing a strong premium womenswear and menswear offer. “With Sheila we are getting world-class creativity and luxury expertise for womenswear. Jsen has rich and extensive experience in luxury menswear as well as having run his label. I’m immensely excited about all the ideas they will bring.” Jaeger’s team has undergone a major shake-up since Henry joined in June, including the departures of chief operating officer Carolyn Springett and brand director Shailina Parti as part of a restructure.

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Drapers / NOVEMBER 9 2013

Irving Goodman was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at this week’s Drapers Independent Awards, while Derbyshire store Young Ideas picked up two prizes including the coveted Independent Retailer of the Year gong. The awards, which were held at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London on Thursday, saw Goodman celebrated for his 65 years in the industry. Young Ideas also picked up Womenswear Independent of the Year while Joseph Ribkoff won Womenswear Brand of the Year. Edinburgh store Jane Davidson won Premium Fashion Independent of the Year, with judges describing the business as “an institution”. Gant scooped Menswear Brand of the Year, while Harrogate retailer

Wave of success: Ann’s Cottage Surf Shops was top Lifestyle Independent

Lynx picked up the Menswear Independent of the Year award for its “rock solid, customer-facing business with strong product”. Marc Cain beat Armani Jeans, Barbour, Paul Smith and Ted Baker to be crowned Premium Fashion Brand of the Year and Little

Mistress picked up Young Fashion Brand of the Year. Cornwall-based Ann’s Cottage Surf Shops took home Lifestyle Independent of the year and Young Fashion Independent of the Year was picked up by Aberdeen’s Concept Clothing, which judges praised for being “active in the community and ambitious in a competitive year”. Brothers Dave and Barry Conaghan were awarded Best Independent Multichannel Operator for their store Chocolate Clothing in Northern Ireland. Judges praised their “constantly evolving” business model. Fashion Agency or Distributor of the year was claimed by Londonbased agent Chiltern Street Studios. See centre pages for this year’s winners’ brochure

Online can wait, says Primark, as focus stays on bricks and mortar By Catherine Neilan

Primark will continue to expand both overseas and in the UK before launching a transactional website, according to the chief executive of parent company Associated British Foods (ABF). Speaking as ABF revealed yet another “outstanding” year for the fast-fashion retailer, chief executive George Weston told Drapers his priority was to bolster Primark’s retail presence in existing territories including Germany, Belgium, Spain and – from next month – France, as well as mulling “adjacent” territories including Italy, Scandinavia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Primark also plans to expand in the UK and Weston confirmed he was in talks over the 250,000 sq ft Pavilions shopping centre in Birmingham, with plans to take a store of up to 150,00 sq ft and let the remaining space to other retailers. “We’re not sure of the exact detail yet but it would be a major store for a major city – look at Newcastle, Manchester and Oxford Street, it’s in that gang,” he said.” Primark already has two stores in Birmingham – on New Street and in the Bullring.

Prime cuts: pieces from autumn 13 collection

These developments would come before the launch of a transactional website, with Weston saying it would be at least year before the business revisits its etail strategy. This comes despite Primark trialling the sale of product on Asos earlier this year and recent investment in a new website, which will act purely as a prompt for its physical stores. “We recognise the growing importance of online and we will keep our eye on it,” Weston said,

but “a year from now [Primark] will still be bricks-and-mortar only”. He implied any move could be further in the future still, hinting that Primark would not go online until it finished rolling out stores in Germany within three to five years. The Primark website, which relaunched last week, was “just catching up with the way our customer gathers information.” ABF said Primark’s sales grew 9% to £4.27bn in the year to September 14, 2013.

Bolland positive in face of tough M&S results By Catherine Neilan

The pressure on Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland to turn the business around has failed to lift, despite the retailer billing its half-year results as showing the “transformation is on track”. M&S revealed this week that underlying pre-tax profit fell 9% in the six months to September 28 to £261m, with like-for-likes in general merchandise falling 1.5%. There was a slight tailing off in the decline within the period, from a 1.6% drop in the first three months to a 1.3% drop in the second quarter. General merchandise, which includes clothing sales, has now declined for nine consecutive quarters. Total group sales rose 3.6% to £4.9bn. But the autumn 13 collection, which was fully launched in September and on which M&S is pinning its hopes to turn around the clothing business, only accounts for three weeks of this six-month period. Bolland said 80% of the new

Field day: Leading Ladies campaign pieces were a hit with shoppers

range, which was supported by the Leading Ladies advertising campaign featuring Dame Helen Mirren and Tracey Emin, had sold through in six weeks. But staff were concerned M&S had not bought deep enough and Bolland acknowledged the retailer had too few units in some cases. Drapers understands staff morale has remained low, despite attempts by senior management to give the team more direction, with one

former staff member saying things were “still all over the place”. The number of recent departures – which has included directors and buying heads – is also believed to have affected the team. But Bolland said this was a “healthy” number of departures and highlighted a rise in internal measures of staff engagement. “Staff tell me ‘Marc, hang in there’,” he said, noting that the team had “more bench strength than ever before.”

Men searching for colour this autumn By Emily Norval

Coloured trousers and orange hues were the key menswear trends among shoppers in October, according to independent retailers and men’s fashion portal Style Pilot. Searches for orange items on www.stylepilot.com increased 30.8% during October compared with the month before, while searches for coloured trousers rose 32%. The data is compiled from a combination of text searches and product page views from the site’s 55,000 unique monthly users. Despite emerald green being named by colour authority Pantone as the shade of 2013, it has been the least popular colour trend so far for autumn, according to Style Pilot. Paul Harris, manager of premium menswear retailer Philip Browne in

Grabbing a pair: Citizens of Humanity’s coloured jeans are proving popular

Norwich, agreed that green was “always hard to sell”, instead noting a surge in popularity for colours such as mustard yellow, orange and rust. “[Orange shades] are a nice

alternative and merchandise well,” he said. “The winter season is traditionally quite muted, so we like a pop of colour.” Guy Hudson, owner of Lynx Menswear in Harrogate, said five-pocket coloured jeans from brands including Replay and Citizens of Humanity had been “flying off the shelves”. “Following the very bright colours of the summer, blues and plums have been selling well for autumn,” he confirmed. Style Pilot also identified that searches for military outerwear slightly decreased for men in October, although a Diesel field military jacket (£180) and Gant Rugger nylon army puffer (£329.95) were the two most viewed items on the site last week.

News in brief Profits fall £4.4m at Crocs Footwear company Crocs has reported a $7.1m (£4.4m) drop in gross profit, falling 4.6% to $153.6m (£95.4m) for the three months to September 30 due to struggling wholesale and internet sales in the US and Japanese markets. Revenues fell by 2.4%, or $7.1m (£4.4m), to $288.5m (£179.4) year on year. However, European sales saw a “marked improvement”, with wholesale revenue rising 64.5% to $27.41m (£17.05m). Ghesquière is Louis Vuitton’s man Louis Vuitton this week confirmed Nicolas Ghesquière as its new artistic director of womenswear, replacing Marc Jacobs, who stepped down last month. Ghesquière, the former creative director at Balenciaga, will take over with immediate effect and show his first collection for the label next March. Ghesquière was creative director of Balenciaga for 15 years but left the fashion house on November 12 last year. Hounslow sites for Next and H&M Next and H&M have signed up to open stores in Hounslow town centre on the site of a former Woolworths. Landlord Quidnet Capital confirmed the signings, with a planning application submitted to Hounslow council this week. The two stores comprise 26,000 sq ft each, with two levels and a dualfrontage. Next’s will include a coffee shop alongside the retailer’s full collection, including homeware. Men and women share an Accent Leeds contemporary independent Accent Clothing has merged its womenswear offer with its men’s collection as part of a 1,500 sq ft store expansion. The Queens Arcade shop now has 3,500 sq ft of retail space, while the former womenswear unit, which was also in the Queens Arcade, has closed. Kidswear remains in the store. New offices are also being constructed above the store. Luxury speakers set for Singapore Speakers have been confirmed for the SEA of Luxury conference, which takes place in Singapore on November 21 and 22. The line-up includes Domenico De Sole, president of Tom Ford International, Lane Crawford Joyce Group president Andrew Keith, and designer Anna Sui. Drapers is a media sponsor for the event, which is part of the International New York Times Luxury Conference series.

NOVEMBER 9 2013 /

Drapers

News

Clarks sells kids’ range on Amazon Clarks has begun selling children’s footwear on Amazon for the first time. The Clarks Amazon shop already includes men’s and women’s shoes and handbags. The kids’ category includes a size guide calculator, while Clarks’ children’s home foot measuring gauges are also available to buy from the site. Items will be sold at the same prices as Clarks’ stores. December to smash etail record Monthly consumer spending online will exceed £10bn for the first time in December, according to research from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. Total spending is forecast to reach £10.8bn, with the number of browsers converting to buyers reaching a five-year high of 5% during the month. The busiest day in terms of sales volumes is expected to be December 2. Jacques Vert unveils outlet format Womenswear business Jacques Vert Group opened a new department store-style concept at Gloucester Quays outlet centre this week. The 4,500 sq ft store will house all nine of the company’s brands including Jacques Vert, Windsmoor and Kaliko. Macandi signs up to Pure’s Agenda UK contemporary womenswear agent Macandi has signed up to exhibit its brands at the newly created Agenda section of trade show Pure London in February next year. Brands including Italy’s Pomandère, Lithuania’s D Efect and Dutch label Delicate Love will be shown on one stand, while premium Dutch brand Humanoid will have its own stand. Kent & Curwen in wholesale push British heritage brand Kent & Curwen is looking to sign more stockists following the opening of its London flagship store on October 25. Company president Craig Reynolds said it was targeting department stores including Selfridges and Liberty as well as independent retailers for autumn 14. The brand’s autumn 13 and spring 14 collections are being stocked exclusively in Harrods. Factory boss for Cambridge Satchel The Cambridge Satchel Company has appointed luggage brand Globe-Trotter’s general manager Mark Fitzpatrick as the first general manager of its 30,700 sq ft manufacturing facility in Syston, Leicestershire. Fitzpatrick will have overall responsibility for workers at the brand’s first large-scale factory, which opened in June. It enables the business to up production threefold as it continues overseas expansion. 4

Drapers / November 9 2013

Buoyant Seasalt ditches menswear By Victoria Gallagher

ethical lifestyle brand Seasalt is axing its menswear range to focus on growing its womenswear business after pre-tax profits tripled during its last financial year. In the year to January 31, profits climbed 193% to £1.13m from £385,576 the year before. Turnover rose 40% from £11.34m to £15.94m. During the year the business, which has 350 stockists, opened stores in Padstow and rock in Cornwall and Sidmouth in Devon, taking its total to 16 across southwest england. The employee headcount grew from 185 to 214. Forward orders are also “significantly up” for the current year to January 31, 2014. In a statement filed at Companies House, Seasalt said: “The directors

No rain on Seasalt: profits soared 193%

believe the company’s prospects are very strong, with the potential to leverage its investments in people, systems and infrastructure, and to significantly increase wholesale and direct sales, and open new stores.”

Joint managing director Neil Chadwick said sales growth had been driven by wholesale: “John Lewis has been really good but all channels are working well for us. We try to respect our indies. We are not undercutting them on our website and we don’t have long promotions. We have been quite selective about the multiples we are in.” Chadwick explained that over the last year Seasalt has dropped kidswear and from spring 14 will no longer offer menswear. “We are convinced that by being focused on our collection we can be top of our game on womenswear,” he added. “We are reinvesting our profits. We haven’t got a huge store roll-out because we want to preserve the wholesale business we have built up.”

Selfridges promises to keep investing following strong performance in 2013 By Catherine Neilan

Selfridges is to plough £20m into its birmingham store over the next three years as it looks to build on a year of strong sales. The business, which also has stores in London and manchester, is expected to publish results next week showing that gross sales grew 6.1% to £1.1bn for the year to the end of January, 2013. operating profits are likely to have edged up from £133m to £134m. Although Selfridges declined to comment on specifics for the current trading year, UK managing director Anne Pitcher said performance in 2013 had been “substantially better” than 2012. “We are accelerating our commitment to making significant investment into both our stores and our online businesses. In birmingham we have begun phase one of a £20m investment over the next three years,” she said. The city’s store will receive the largest single slice of Selfridges’ £100m investment, which will improve online and in-store environments throughout Selfridges Group’s portfolio.

Jeans therapy: Selfridges’ £6m Oxford Street Denim Studio opened this year

During 2012 Selfridges ran special events to celebrate the London olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and saw strong performances from departments that were given a facelift as part of a £40m capital investment. These included the women’s and men’s designer galleries and the men’s footwear department in oxford Street. Despite the challenging economy, Selfridges Group managing director Paul Kelly said the business had seen “another year of strong progress”.

Sales growth has been “supported by our investment programme, which sets out to continuously innovate for our brands and improve both our online and in-store customer experience.” This year the business has already invested in the London store’s Denim Studio, launched click-and-collect and started selling internationally. Separately, it has emerged that Selfridges Group is bidding for a stake in Ireland’s largest department store Arnotts, although a spokeswoman dismissed it as “rumour and speculation”.

SELFRIDGES

News in brief

McKee replacements get industry thumbs-up By Catherine Neilan

Harrods’ decision to split the role of former chief merchant marigay mcKee in two has been praised by luxury sources but met with concern from others over whether Helen David and Jason broderick can maintain mcKee’s high profile. Last week Drapers revealed the luxury department store was carving the role vacated by mcKee on Friday into two fashion director positions. David will be fashion director of womenswear, accessories, fine jewellery and kidswear while broderick will hold the same role for menswear, sports and watches. both were previously general merchandise managers. David has been at Harrods for six years and broderick for 15. They will report into managing director michael Ward and join the senior merchant team, which also includes director of food and beverages bruce Langlands and Annalise Quest, director of home, sound and vision. Ward said: “both are excellent merchants with an exceptional eye for luxury, playing an integral part in developing the world-class offer that Harrods is known for.” one luxury industry source told Drapers the pair were respected internally at Harrods and the promotions were generally viewed as a good move for the business.

Lap of luxury: Harrods’ turnover for the year to February 2 grew to a record figure

“This provides the opportunity for two people who have done well in the organisation to rise up further and take on more responsibility. It shows Harrods doing what it says it wants to do, which is reward its team,” the source said. “It’s a great opportunity for [David and broderick] and mitigates the risk of relying on one person taking on the reins.” The source noted that mcKee had a very high profile and it was difficult for others to “have a similar place in the limelight”, but they could “still be extremely effective in the job”.

A second luxury source agreed it would be a challenge for David and broderick to match mcKee’s profile in the industry and raised concerns about dividing the role in two. “You need a unified vision for the whole store,” he said. The management changes came as Harrods published its results for the year to February 2, which showed turnover had risen by 10%, taking revenues to a record £716.3m. mcKee takes up her new role as president of US department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue in January.

Cash injection to drive Joules’ international expansion plans By Victoria Gallagher

Joules is primed for expansion after securing a £22m investment from LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds banking Group. LDC has taken a minority stake in Joules, which has 650 accounts and 76 standalone stores in the UK and Ireland. The retailer is now looking to expand its international business. Joules has launched wholesale in Singapore and South Korea and is also focusing on ongoing growth in France, Germany and the US.

Growth unchecked: sales in the current financial year have continued to rise

Founder Tom Joule said: “This is such a fantastic time for Joules to welcome the many opportunities we have as a lifestyle business, and with the support of LDC we can accelerate the next steps of our journey.” Turnover in the year to may 31 grew 19% to £79m as ebITDA more than doubled to £7.4m. Like-for-like sales also increased by double digits, although Joules did not specify a figure. Since the end of the financial year, sales are up 23% year on year.

Carven opens first UK store Carven has opened its first UK boutique as part of a five-year plan to launch five stores in the country. The French designer label opened on Pelham Street in South Kensington on November 7, following a deal with Club 21, which will handle UK distribution and the licensed store. The 1,615 sq ft unit stocks Carven’s full men’s and women’s ranges. Howe Chegne, director of Club 21, declined to comment on the location of the other stores, but told Drapers he would work alongside Carven on “continuing the retail expansion over the coming years as well as working hand-inhand with our UK partners to strengthen the wholesale business”. Carven has 30 UK stockists including Harrods, Liberty, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, as well as independent boutiques. The London launch follows a Shanghai store and comes ahead of a New York opening next week.

warmer autumn chills clothing sales Clothing sales fell during october for the first time since march due to the “unseasonably warm weather”. According to the british retail Consortium-KPmG online retail Sales monitor, trading declined for the four weeks to october 26 across women’s, men’s and kids’ wear. Clothing was the only retail category in decline that month. online clothing sales remained in growth, but fell into single digits for the first time since march. Discounts drove purchases, particularly in womenswear, as there was still a “sense of caution” in consumer spending. Footwear also recorded its worst month since march, although online sales pushed it into growth. This in turn led to october recording the highest rate of deflation since December 2006, brC/Nielsen figures showed. Deflation for clothing and footwear reached 10.7% in october, according to the brC’s Shop Price Index. November 9 2013 /

Drapers

News

Gucci loses out in logo trademark challenge By Emily Norval

Gucci has lost a challenge against an individual looking to trademark his own logo for a range of clothing. The UK trademark application, submitted by manchester-based Luke Anthony Connelly in August 2012, was opposed by the Italian fashion house on the grounds that the logo was too similar to its interlocking GG. Gucci claimed there was a notable visual link between the two designs and it would offer an “unfair advantage” to Connelly. It also claimed that “Gucci’s reputation may suffer damage by association with a non-luxury or low-cost fashion brand”. but last month the hearing officer rejected Gucci’s claim on the grounds that the two logos were “visually similar only to a very low degree”. Gucci was ordered to pay just £400 towards costs as Connelly had represented himself. Lee Curtis, partner at intellectual property law firm Harrison Goddard Foote, told Drapers he believed Gucci had been “quite unlucky”.

Spot the diﬀerence: Gucci’s logo (far right) and the disputed logo (near right)

“Although decisions of this nature very much turn on a hearing officer’s personal interpretation of a mark, I find the decision slightly surprising,” he said. “Taking into account imperfect recollection and the fact that the trademarks would rarely be seen side by side, I am slightly surprised the hearing officer did not find that the trademarks would be associated. “Gucci can appeal this decision either to the High Court or to the so-called appointed person and it will be interesting to see if it feels it has genuine grounds for appeal.” This is not the first time Gucci has entered into legal proceedings over copyright issues. In may, the company lost a four-year battle with denim brand Guess, from which it had been seeking $221m (£138m) damages for trademark infringement, counterfeiting and unfair competition. Gucci initially received $4.7m (£2.92m) in damages, but in a second suit the judge rejected its claims and cancelled trademarks on its ‘G’ logo.

European production will boost sales, says Bourne By Victoria Gallagher

Women’s footwear and clothing brand bourne is bringing its manufacturing to europe in an effort to be more reactive to trends and increase sales. For spring 14 the brand is moving its manufacturing from China to produce the majority of its footwear in Spain and clothing in Portugal. Just 10% of its production will remain outside europe, although sales director michael Lambourne said “the rest will follow on”. He added: “We have found there are more opportunities now back in europe than there used to be.” Having production closer to the design hub in the UK would make the manufacturing easier to control and manage, he said. “We can repeat in four weeks, which is good. I will be able to hold the book open for longer, which will help with increasing sales.” 6

Drapers / November 9 2013

Closer to home: Bourne’s spring 14 line will be largely manufactured in Europe

Despite moving production to europe where prices have historically been higher, Lambourne said wholesale prices would not go up. “Labour costs in China are more than they used to be and the cost of living is going up.” Lambourne said he was always looking at production in the UK, but had yet to find a suitable factory.

TOPSHOP OPENS RELOCATED BLUEWATER STORE

Topshop and Topman unveiled a 32,000 sq ft store at Bluewater last week, adding to the Kent shopping centre’s newly enhanced offer. The store is one of 32 openings this year, following launches from Jack Wills, Tommy Hilfiger, Reebok and Timberland. More than 25 existing retailers have revamped their stores.

Hugo Boss wholesale tactics rile stockists By Catherine Neilan

Hugo boss’s wholesale arm has experienced a drop in sales which UK stockists have blamed on a deteriorating relationship with its retail partners. Last week the German business published global results for the first nine months of 2013 that showed “uneven” growth, with the retail arm rocketing 18% in local currencies, while wholesale fell 7%. Group sales were up 3% to €1.78bn (£1.5bn) in the period to September 30, with the company saying it expected strong retail growth in the last quarter. but UK stockists spoken to by Drapers claimed Hugo boss’s aggressive retail strategy – which has seen 152 stores open worldwide and 110 shop-in-shops brought in-house during the first nine months of the year – was undercutting them. retailers also claimed they were being coerced into buying items they did not want because of excessive minimums or demands they buy from more than one collection. one stockist from southern england said: “You can’t deny it’s been a difficult time in general, but they are making it more difficult for us indies. The last time I went in they said I had to buy footwear to

New platform: small business access

Bira and Play.com create indie portal

Trading slump: wholesale revenues are down at Hugo Boss

complete the order – but it was awful. If you sell online they treat it as another door, so you have another minimum to meet. They are just using these tactics as a stick to beat indies they are happy to get rid of.” He said he had halved his orders as a result even though the brand still sold well in store, although sales had declined since the opening of standalone stores nearby. one stockist in the North added: “They have ridden roughshod over every independent retailer in the country by opening up shops without even consulting us first – they have probably got the worst track record for retailer relationships in the book.

“Their ability to communicate is non-existent and when they do it’s downright rude. Going to appointments now is like going to the dentist.” A midlands-based stockist added: “I’m lucky in that we don’t have any stores near us, but it’s only a matter of time, so we are trying to reduce what we order so that when it does happen we won’t be so exposed.” A Hugo boss spokeswoman acknowledged its retail arm had become “increasingly important” but insisted it maintained “a very trusting and co-operative relationship” with its retail partners.

Independent fashion retailers will be able to sell their goods on a new website which went live last week following a collaboration between industry bodies and etailer Play.com. myhigh.st has been launched as a platform for small businesses struggling to compete with larger etailers and high street chains. The site also allows towns to promote their own local shopping areas and drive footfall to independent stores. It is the result of a co-operation known as Target200 between the british Independent retailers Association (bira), Action for market Towns, The Association of Town and City management and Play.com. retailers can sign up to myhigh.st by completing an online form. They can then create their own store portfolios which include graphics, Google maps, links to social media and stock control management. There is no joining fee and bira members pay 5% commission on sales. Non-members pay 10%.

Superdry axes agents to deal direct with retailers By Victoria Gallagher

Superdry has said its move to bring the young fashion brand’s wholesale operation in-house will ensure a closer relationship with stockists. Parent company SuperGroup has said it will no longer use agents in the UK with immediate effect for the autumn 13 season and is looking to appoint a team of three. They will be managed by Hans Schmitt, managing director of international and wholesale, who joined in June. The team will be solely responsible for Superdry’s wholesale operations. SuperGroup would not disclose

Loyal following: young fashion brand Superdry has 159 stockists in the UK

who the previous agents were, although brand National is known to be one of them. A spokesman for the company said: “SuperGroup wants to have a more direct communication with its retail partners to ensure adequate support to provide the best customer experience at the point of sale.” The business expects the move to benefit both its wholesale retailers and Superdry, as the brand will be able to directly advise retailers on collections while stockists will get immediate answers on queries, making the process more efficient.

SuperGroup has also recently taken control of its some of its international franchise partners. In July, it announced the acquisition of its Spanish partner, which SuperGroup chief executive Julian Dunkerton confirmed was part of a larger european strategy to “buy out agencies” and “take back control”. In September, SuperGroup reported “solid” total group sales growth of 25.7% to £75m for the 13 weeks to July 28. retail sales were up 17.6% year on year to £53.2m. Wholesale revenues climbed 50.8% to £21.8m. November 9 2013 /

Drapers

HERE & THERE

OFF THE RECORD

q NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM The Victoria & Albert Museum was the spectacular setting for the fourth annual WGSN Global Fashion Awards last Wednesday. Oliver Spencer collected the gong for Menswear Designer of the Year. Among the 400 or so guests we spotted Lorna Hall, ex-executive editor of Drapers and now retail editor of trends website WGSN, Gavin Brown, organiser of consumer event Clothes Show Live, and Denise Shepherd, international sales director of lingerie firm Panache.

The Drapers social whirl

p DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE A Mad Hatter’s Tea Party was held at Marks & Spencer’s screening of its Christmas ad last week at The May Fair hotel in London. Alice in Wonderland characters tried to drag guests to their table, shouting “Alice! Alice!” and encouraging them to take tea with them. Drapers just escaped.

COATWALK QUEENS Womenswear group Jacques Vert hosted its Mum & Me Coatwalk event on London’s South Bank last month to celebrate its winter campaign. TV presenter Angela Rippon hit the catwalk while guests including Jacques Vert boss Teresa Tideman (pictured with Mail on Sunday’s Sue Peart) quaffed champagne.

t SPORTING BEHAVIOUR In the scrum at lifestyle brand Rampant Sporting’s new pop-up store on Argyle Street in Bath were some of the city’s rugby team. Rampant founder and managing director Richard Hurtley welcomed Bath’s star prop Kane Palma-Newport, wing Tom Biggs and loosehead prop Tom Dunn, as well as cupcake maker Charlie Lanz.

p TIPTOEING INTO FENWICK Department store Fenwick of Bond Street launched its Enchanted Christmas windows with a performance packed with pliés from Elena Glurdjidze, principal ballerina at the English National Ballet. The dancer stopped to pose with store managing director David Walker-Smith. p ZHANG THE MAN The Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize took place at The Dorchester hotel in London last week, with womenswear designer Huishan Zhang (pictured with trophy) awarded the £25,000 prize. Finalists Emilia Wickstead, Barbara Casasola, Fyodor Golan and Zhang also put on a catwalk presentation. 8

Drapers / NOVEMBER 9 2013

GOING TO A GOOD PARTY? Send your industry gossip, photos and news to graeme.moran@emap.com

OFENSTEIN

WW W.BETT Y B A R C L AY. C O . U K

OPINION

Talking Shop

‘In-season excitement is better than Sales’

Comments from Drapersonline.com MOST READ Barratts seeks emergency loan to stay afloat Carl Brewins joins Bank as turnaround gathers pace Image Gallery: Selfridges and John Lewis unveil Christmas window displays SuperGroup brings wholesale in-house Harrods splits McKee’s chief merchant role in two Lipsy breaks record with Kardashian range BHS attracts attention from South African billionaire

MOST COMMENTED Lustman vows to take John Lewis to the top Debenhams seeks to ‘change perceptions’ among consumers and brands

n in-store fashion event we hosted in October served as an encouraging barometer for us in terms of the health of fashion retail today. We have introduced a long line-up of new collections and refreshed our product mix considerably this season so the record takings we received over the two in-store shows more than made up for having to leave the shop at 10.30pm. Interacting with the community is so important for us as an independent, since the loyalty and the feedback we receive from our customers makes us what we are. This season we have returned to our roots and revisited some of the brands we carried from the early days and the reaction has been really encouraging. Our

Barratts seeks emergency loan to stay afloat

Comments from Drapersonline.com ‘Debenhams seeks to “change perceptions” among consumers and brands’ – Debenhams does need to move more upmarket as I don’t believe its current model is sustainable. While House of Fraser is a deeply flawed business, it’s where it should be. However, it would not be right in thinking that moving more towards its own brands is the way forward. It is not. The margins are higher, granted, but the vast majority of consumers want branded goods and if Debenhams has premium aspirations, that’s the way to go. Anonymous ‘Customer data: Learning curve’ – Data is still a huge opportunity for fashion retailers to fully exploit. With the introduction of many new digital channels through which consumers can shop, their behaviour has fundamentally changed. The sale online is just the beginning of the process in many ways, to customers the point of sale is no longer when they purchase, but when they actually decide to keep. Ellie Turner

Drapers / NOVEMBER 9 2013

Janine O’Keefe

Owner of premium womenswear indie Okeefe in Esher, Surrey

unique selling point is to offer customers something a bit different from the high street, so we are not carrying so many internationally known brands now and have bought into quirky and relatively unknown collections instead. We try to react quickly when a collection is moving and so it is helpful if a supplier can support us with in-season deliveries and top-ups of product; Part Two

and InWear are great brands in that respect. It is important to inject the shop with exciting new pieces regularly as our customers rely on us for inspiration and in turn we receive their loyalty. I regularly network with other independents and it is a common grievance that we now barely have six months with full-price margin. I feel the two seasonal Sales are too early and should start at the end of July and end of February, but I’m forced to comply with the rest of the retail world and go on Sale at the end of June and straight after Christmas. Naturally, we would rather have excitement over the new collections and have consistent purchases in-season than rely on the ever-advancing Sales and markdowns that seem endemic today.

Talking Business

‘It’s no time to be an under-capitalised business’

he news that both Bonmarché and House of Fraser are considering public flotations says quite a lot about the confidence returning to the UK economy, as tentative growth finally becomes established after five long years first of recession and then flatlining. Other IPOs are said to be scheduled for the early part of 2014, driven by rising valuations. The hype will all be about raising money for expansion and for investment in the technology and logistics required to keep these companies ahead of the dizzy pace of change in retail methodology. But underneath this froth, many will also have their eye on reducing high debts before interest rates start to rise and destroy their viability. Many

Nick Hood

Business risk analyst, Company Watch

retailers, both large and small, continue to be overleveraged and the days of kicking the can down the road with periodic refinancings are almost at an end. The debate over private equity funding models and their high risk/reward philosophy will rage on; most businesses will continue to generate sufficient profit and cash flow to support these precarious inverted debt/equity triangles. But recent retail history

is littered with object lessons in avoiding excessive borrowings; not least the Peacocks collapse, from which Bonmarché has emerged phoenix-like to prosper. Peacocks had more than £600m of debt when it failed, but the sum total recovered by selling all of the assets will be significantly under £100m. This is no time to be an under-capitalised, overborrowed fashion business, especially as so many are also carrying stratospheric values for intangible assets in their balance sheets, from overpriced vanity acquisitions or IT development costs which technology change has undermined. The more they can use this window of market confidence as a chance to raise new equity and pay off potentially ruinous debts, the better and safer the fashion world will be.

EDITOR’S COMMENT

‘So much to admire about our independents day’

t was in 1991 that Drapers Record launched its annual awards for independent fashion retailers. The prize-giving event was held over lunch at a central London hotel. On Thursday this week, 22 years later, things came full circle as we held our Drapers Independents Awards lunch at the Waldorf Astoria in Covent Garden. The original concept behind the awards still holds good today – to spotlight, celebrate and reward the brilliant work done by the often-overlooked smaller operators. The stimulus for the introduction in 1991 has resonance today also. It was essentially to give indies something to be happy about at a time when there was plenty to be unhappy about. John Major had not long replaced Margaret Thatcher as prime minister. The country was in a deep recession and unemployment would hit 2.5 million by the end of the year. In such circumstances – and those of today – it is too easy to get obsessed with bad news and to be caught up with the negativity it engenders. On Drapers we try to be realistic and honest about what is going on in the trade, which clearly is challenging on many levels, but we also try and highlight the many successes being scored in the industry. There was certainly a lot to celebrate at Thursday’s lunch when 15 awards were presented, ranging from our Best New Business prize for Clare Serjeant of Fox + Feather in Bristol, which has been going for just a couple of years, to our Lifetime Achievement accolade that went to womenswear supplier Irving Goodman, who is still fizzing with enthusiasm after almost seven decades in the business.

Eric Musgrave Editorial director, Drapers eric.musgrave@emap.com

In constructing the awards categories we endeavour to reflect the make-up of our fascinating and diverse industry. This year we had nine retailing categories, four brand awards and one for best multi-brand agency or distributor, plus the Lifetime Achievement. Shop owners will always be at the heart of this initiative, but we feel it is important also to highlight the essential work that brand owners and agents contribute to the well-being and prosperity of the independents’ sector. The structural changes that fashion retail is undergoing obviously has an effect on its suppliers. In the near future features in Drapers will be looking more closely at how these relationships may develop. Just as we don’t believe independents will become extinct, we don’t believe indie-centred agents and distributors will disappear either, but they will evolve and adapt. The agencies and brands on our finalists list were nominated by their retailers and it has been encouraging to see how good the symbiotic relationship very often

is between buyer and seller. Well done to Jane Wilson and Denise Tavernier of Chiltern Street Studio for edging the decision this year in a very competitive category. Details on all our finalists can be found in the winners’ brochure in the centre of this issue. They all deserve our applause for the great work they continue to perform in circumstances that are not ideal. (As an industry, are we better or worse off now than we were in 1991? I’d love to hear your views). One interesting aspect of this year’s awards is that the top accolade – Drapers’ Independent Retailer of the Year – went to a relative newcomer, Anne Wright of Young Ideas. With her husband Colin she acquired this long-established womenswear retailer just five years ago and has since introduced highly impressive business systems, transformed its brand mix, opened a second branch in Derby, set up a transactional website and introduced menswear. It was for these achievements that the judges were unanimous in awarding the Wrights the award for the womenswear category and the overall Retailer of the Year accolade. Since the judging was completed, Young Ideas has been relocated to splendid larger premises a few hundred yards from its previous location in Ashbourne. The new unit, which is shown in the winners’ brochure, is part of a historic coaching inn the Wrights are restoring and they intend to offer small units to complementary independent retailers to create a contemporary destination. It is initiatives like this that make me feel quietly confident about the future of independents. Well done to every awards entrant. It’s been an uplifting experience for us all.

Drapers is based at Telephone House, 69-77 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NQ Tel: 020 3033 2600 Email: drapers@emap.com. All Drapers emails follow the style of firstname.surname@emap.com. All Drapers telephone numbers begin with 020 3033 followed by the extension number shown here. EDITORIAL Editorial Director Eric Musgrave, 2759 Deputy Editor Ana Santi, 2760 News Editor Catherine Neilan, 2771 Senior News Reporter Victoria Gallagher, 2767 Reporter Jill Geoghegan, 2861 Features Editor James Knowles, 2761 Fashion Director Ian Wright, 2763 Associate Fashion Editor Graeme Moran, 2768 Fashion Writer Emily Norval, 2914 Online Editor Keely Stocker, 2762 Deputy Special Projects Editor David Brooks, 2846 Group Art Director Alison Fisher, 2764 Group Production Editor Steve Draper, 2765 Deputy Production Editor Digby Bodenham, 4235 Senior Sub-Editor Alice Hall, 4268 Supplements Production Editor Tracey Gardner, 2769 Editorial Administrator Nadine McKen, 2770 Contributors Simon Adamson COMMERCIAL Group Commercial Director James MacLeod, 2939 Advertising Manager Julia Jones-Collins, 2952 Senior Account Manager Rebecca Soni, 2958 Account Managers Elizabeth Harris, 2994, Natalie Hill, 4305 Sales Executive Daniel May, 2956 Events and Projects Manager Victoria Hart, 2961 Clubs Co-ordinator Katie Marcel, 2962 Classified Sales Executive Dawn O’Brien, 2959 Sales & Event Support Executive Rosie Birchenough, 2964 Sales Administrator Lizzie Fuller, 2696 Production Manager Jo Lambert, 2677 Recruitment Advertising Account Director Peter Bruce-Smythe, 2985 Recruitment Sales Executives Freya Lucas, 2669, Rebecca Tonkinson, 2991 Senior Campaign Marketing Executive Kam Sohi, 2870 Head of Brand Hayley Ward, 4276 Production Controller David Ly, 2687 PUBLISHING Managing Director, Architecture, Fashion & Building Services Richard Breeden, 2683 Chief Executive of EMAP Natasha Christie-Miller, 2691 PA to Chief Executive of EMAP Clair Sabel, 2692 Subscriptions UK £249, UK independent retailers £195. Europe (by airmail) £342, worldwide airmail £356. EMAP Publishing Ltd. For UK subscription queries please call 0844 848 8858. For all other subscription queries please call 01604 828705. Newstrade Distribution Seymour Distribution Ltd. Tel: 020 7396 8095. Origination by F1 Colour, Copperfield St, London SE1. Printed and bound by Headley Brothers, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8HH. ISSN Number: 1479–1617. Drapers is published by EMAP, part of Top Right Group Ltd. © EMAP 2013

NOVEMBER 9 2013 /

Drapers

FASHION INDEX

Dan Coen

+9.7%

Director, corporate advisory firm Zolfo Cooper

his week’s announcement that Marks & Spencer’s like-for-like non-food sales were down 1.5% for the first half of the year has probably raised the eyebrows of quite a few would-be investors. After all, there is bound to be a handful of people out there who are watching M&S’s progress very closely – and thinking about how they could improve the retailer’s fortunes if they were to own it. The ongoing problems that have dogged M&S in recent years cannot be ignored forever and may already be positioning the company as a prime target for acquisition. That’s not to say there isn’t a lot of support for chief executive Marc Bolland out there, because there is. It must be exceptionally challenging to turn a retail giant like M&S around – especially in the public glare – even if Bolland is “giving 120%”, as Bill Adderley, the founder of Dunelm and the biggest private investor in M&S, suggests. However, sympathy can only get M&S so far, and the right private equity house could get it much further. Armed with some strong operational management skills, the right company could come in, take the retailer private, reform the cost structure and create a leaner, meaner M&S that is able to focus on selling the products customers actually want. And then? The firm can put the new and improved M&S back on the market, of course. We’ve already seen the benefits of this strategy with Debenhams, which returned to the stock market with a price tag of £3bn little more than two years after being taken private by a consortium of venture capitalists. So it’s not hard to imagine that a few private equity firms could be considering this same opportunity with M&S. I think Bill Adderley is probably right to say that Bolland is a “hard worker” – but I’m not as confident about his comment that “if someone is working hard on the football pitch, you don’t knock them”. Is that really true? While this sense of team spirit is certainly admirable, I’m not sure whether it translates quite so effectively to business. Like it or not, in the business world, chief executives don’t get points – or a rise in their share price – for effort alone.

‘Sympathy can only get M&S so far and the right private equity house could get it further’

Drapers / NOVEMBER 9 2013

WEEKLY FOOTFALL RETAIL INDEX National UK footfall figures Week 44 – October 28 to November 3, 2013

-5% YEAR-ON-YEAR CHANGE

WEEK-ON-WEEK CHANGE

The combination of half-term for many regions and the increasing popularity of the Halloween holiday resulted in a week-on-week uplift. This follows the trend set for the same period last year when a 9% week-on-week increase was also experienced. However, despite weekly growth, the result equates to a 5% decline in performance compared with the same week last year. Northern Ireland was again the only region to benefit from a year-on-year increase.

HIGH STREET SALES TRACKER

Like-for-like sales figures across the high street Week ending November 3, 2013

-2.62% -2.95% Total fashion

Clothing

-4.5% Footwear

Trading conditions improved considerably this week, with sales bouncing back strongly following last week’s dip. However, the struggles in the fashion sector continued, with many retailers failing to post positive sales. For more information, email BDO’s Don Williams at don.williams@bdo.co.uk

DRAPERSJOBS.COM

The UK’s employment hot spot and the most popular roles

The most applied for jobs 1. Design 7.5% 2. Production 5.6% 3. Merchandising 5.6% BOURNEMOUTH 32.9% Highest growth location (defined by % increase in traffic to DrapersJobs week on week)

4. Sales 5.2% 5. Buying 4.8%

ILLUSTRATIONS BY NATHALIE LEES

‘Could an M&S buyout be drawing closer?’

INDICATOR

Lingerie & men’s accessories What’s selling now? LINGERIE

MEN’S ACCESSORIES

Shirley Kelly Owner, Aria Lingerie in Bath

Chris Scotney Owner, Christopher Scotney in Leicester

“Simone Pérèle is doing well for us. It has an incredibly beautiful red plunge bra, Celeste Demi Cup (retailing from £59), that has been selling strongly. Anita is another brand that is doing well. Its Scarlett Underwire Bra (£48) has been popular. It is well suited to ladies with a bigger bust size.”

“In particular, pouch bags from Paul Smith, Hugo Boss and Armani have all been selling very well (retailing from £125). We’ve also sold some Paul Smith wallets (£155) – but it’s the pouch bags that everybody is after.”

Heather Smith Owner, Elouise Lingerie in Buckden, Cambridgeshire

Stacey Booker Supervisor, Blueberries in Blackpool

“We’re doing well with Empreinte. The Capucine (£63) is a great everyday bra we started stocking for spring 13. The lower price point is a good way to introduce customers to the brand. We sell a lot of its Melody (£73.60) bras in red as well.”

“Paul Smith and Diesel have been doing quite well. With Diesel it’s the boxer shorts (£20) and for Paul Smith it’s the wallets (£120 to £130) that customers are after. Vivienne Westwood jewellery has also been popular, especially the cufflinks (£70) and Nano earrings (£46).”

Dolce & Gabbana

Brenda Cresswell Owner, Bare Necessities in Melbourne, Derbyshire

Tony Smith Manager, Dartagnan in Chichester, West Sussex

“PrimaDonna sells well. The Deauville (£68 to £74) full cup bra is an ongoing range and we do well with the basic, continuity colours. We’re also doing well with the Madison (£64) range in the new majestic purple. Lise Charmel’s balconette shape (£80 to £90) is always an excellent seller too.”

“Paul Smith scarves (£60 to £110) have done well and so have their wallets (£100 to £110), which are always consistent sellers. With Paul Smith, it’s all about the stripes. It’s a good product with good branding. Our Boss Orange belts (£60 to £99) have been selling well too. Accessories sales always pick up in November and December.”

Jacqui Corney Owner, Boudoir Lingerie in Darlington, County Durham “Empreinte is a strong-selling brand for us. The Thalia (£70 to £90) is our bestseller. It’s a low-neck balconette designed for a bigger bust size. We’re selling the blacks, caramels and whites. Simone Pérèle is another brand that does well, especially the Caressence (£55) and Andora (£53).”

Giulio Cinque Owner, Giulio in Cambridge

Pam Slater Owner, Blush Lingerie in Macclesfield, Cheshire

Tommy Esom Manager/buyer, Manhattan in Hemel Hempstead

“PrimaDonna sells very well. The Deauville (£75) and Madison (£65) full-cup bras are our two bestsellers. Café latte has been the strongest colour. We also have full-cup underwired bras from Bestform (£30) that are popular.”

“Messenger bags and luggage are selling well. Dolce & Gabbana (£650 to £1,200), DSquared (£700 to £1,100) and Paul Smith (£250 to £400) all have styles of these that are selling well. They’re key looks from the runway for the season.”

Lise Charmel

”Hugo Boss is an incredibly strong brand with great product. Its belts (£50) are selling very well and a lot of guys are buying the man bags (£170). Armani underwear (£24.95) has always done well for us and Ralph Lauren socks (£9.95 to £24.95) are also popular. They are great stocking fillers.”

Michela Soravia Owner, Oyster Lingerie in Lewes, East Sussex “Panache is always a good performer because of the price positioning. The non-padded bras (£25 to £35) work well. They’re great for a mature lady looking for an everyday bra with a twist. Passionata T-shirt bras (£30 to £38) are also selling well.”

Hugo Boss

Sarah Connelly Owner, Odyssey Boutique in Edinburgh “The core focus for us is to sell matching sets. Simone Pérèle is our top-selling brand, with the Caressence bra (£60) being the key continuity piece. Mimi Holliday by Damaris also does quite well. The padded super-plunge bras (£57) and the matching thongs (£39) are very popular.”

Martin Grover Buyer, Ken Young International Fashions in Coleraine, Northern Ireland “Hugo Boss is performing best for us. The belts (£50), wallets (from £79) and bags (from £378) are all strong sellers. Tommy Hilfiger also sells well in belts (£35) and shoes (£120 to £150). We also do well with Armani underwear (£20 to £27).”

Paul Stinson Store manager, Rio Menswear in Belfast

Panache

Gant

“Gant scarves (£50) are doing well. We’ve also got ties (£55) dickie ties (£55) and flat caps (£65) from Circle of Gentlemen that are popular. It’s really all about chunky, woollen warms and texture.” NOVEMBER 9 2013 /

Drapers

TOP STRAP HEAVY I RichaRd collins

Going it alone With the launch of a new concept to showcase its womenswear, F&F chief operating officer Richard Collins says Tesco’s fashion brand has earned its high street credentials

Words Ian WrIght Photography by rIchard cannon

t is on reaching the top of a winding staircase above the cafe in the West Kensington Tesco branch that i meet Richard collins, chief operating officer of F&F, looking purposeful in a leather chair. it is two days before the store officially opens to the public, and he sits confidently in front of the shiny new F&F concept that’s bustling with eager members of the press. This is the first of the brand’s new breed of store, a hybrid of the retailer’s overseas standalones and those stores that are part of the next Generation refurbishment programme. in the year to February 23, UK sales at Tesco’s clothing brand F&F exceeded £1bn, representing 1.5% of total group turnover. but the supermarket chain, which is the world’s third largest retailer 14

Drapers / novembeR 9 2013

behind Us firm Walmart and French business carrefour, has grander designs for its clothing arm. “it’s a case of ‘how fast can you go?’” the former Tesco operations director explains. according to research firm verdict Retail, F&F (formerly known as Florence & Fred) is ranked fourth in terms of share of the UK value fashion market, with 10%. by comparison, market leader Primark’s share is double the size of F&F’s. With some way to catch up, overtaking its competitors could seem like a daunting prospect, but collins is confident he’s working for the right company. “The fact you’ve got the backing of the business going at a pace means you wouldn’t want to be working anywhere else,” he enthuses. his confidence is not wholly misplaced considering F&F’s UK sales growth of 8.6%

in the second quarter of this year. Key to the immediate future of F&F is the business’s next Generation store refurbishment project, which aims to improve the environment and ease of navigation, as revamped stores in Pitsea in essex and Watford demonstrate. collins says the next Generation overhauls have made the stores “very much high street”, with lower fixtures and a more boutique feel (in contrast to the traditional pile-them-high supermarket displays). he adds that the new format has proven popular with staff and shoppers – something reflected in F&F’s sales figures, with a 10% increase in sales at refurbished stores against the previous year. “it metamorphosises the [floor space] at the stores where it happens and the colleagues that

RichaRd collins I THE DRAPERS InTERVIEw

work in that environment absolutely love it,” he says. “While it is hard work of course, and challenging from an implementation perspective, we’re executing it well and there’s a real buzz around it.” eleven stores a week are being reconfigured. “We’re going at some pace,” collins explains. “To do 30% [of the store portfolio] in two quarters is by anybody’s standards ambitious, so that’s an illustration of how quickly that could happen.” he reveals the scheme has already received “significant investment”, with plans to spend further in 2014.

The West Kensington shop-in-shop, which opened to the public on october 25, is more than 2,300 sq ft in size and is located on a mezzanine above the main entrance to the supermarket, overlooking part of the fresh grocery department. if it were not for the gaps in the clothing rails, which allow you to see through to the supermarket below, it would be easy to imagine this was a standalone clothes shop on a high street. its simple but decent quality rails, racks and tables create a familiar fashion interior that displays 300 F&F womenswear styles. The collection, which retails for between £6 for basics and £95 for a leather jacket, has been carefully edited specifically for West Kensington and includes ‘online exclusives’ and ‘top store’ packages. however, this is only just over 3% of the brand’s total fashion offer of around 9,000 sKUs, all of which are available on the F-F.com website and via online kiosks in store. but why launch the new concept without menswear or kidswear? “Womenswear is two-and-a-half to three times the size of the menswear business,” answers collins. “it’s important it’s presented with authority. if we had tried to get a breadth across men’s and kids’ in this space it would have disappointed.” “The worst thing you can do in a small-space format is to try to be a bit of everything to nobody,” adds bolger. What’s more, the duo see the womenswear collections as where the brand has improved the most. “i think we’ve made particular progress in the past two seasons and our customers are telling us that,” says collins.

staff across the refreshed stores have also been specifically trained, or “F&Fed” as anita bolger, F&F’s brand and marketing director, puts it. “They get all the brand training, the service training and they get talked through all the ranges so they can almost be like a personal shopper,” she says. “The service element is hugely important.” beyond training staff, creating an operation that competes with the high street requires certain expertise. “my team has recruited some of the best people from the high street,” says collins. The most notable addition has been a dedicated visual merchandising team, which is responsible for the interiors and displays across all the next Generation stores, and the new West Kensington format, where the team’s hard work is best shown off. This store is a hybrid concept that mixes the next Generation format and the shopfit seen in F&F’s 29 international standalone stores across territories such as Poland, czech Republic and latest addition Gibraltar. in some countries it has operated separately from the supermarket for eight years.

All in one: Tesco’s West Kensington F&F features an online kiosk that allows customers to choose from its full range

Bolger adds that while not quite a “rebirth”, the “major transition” the brand has gone through in the past six months has been significant: “People have described it as us fast-tracking the brand, which is coming through in the stats and the customer feedback. People are recognising that it’s got more fashion credentials and the quality is improving.” verdict senior analyst honor Westnedge asserts that F&F “has the potential to be a huge global brand”, but caveats that with concerns about how quickly it can lose its supermarket association. so with the product heading in the right direction, how long will it be before F&F opens UK standalone stores, as it has done with its central europe business, going head to head with the biggest players on the high street? “i think it’s early days,” says collins. “We’re building learnings all the time and we’ll take fresh ones from here.” bolger is quick to never say never: “There are no plans to do any more of these [West Kensington format stores] at the moment,” she says. “[but] the business is very proactive and reactive – this wasn’t even on the cards six months ago so we can turn things around very fast.” Right now the West Kensington store is a test bed for new products, the store environment and service initiatives, but “the journey is not finished”, adds collins. To compete on the high street, F&F needs this store to hold its own. novembeR 9 2013 /

Drapers

Special report I ethiCAL FAShiOn

Sustainable by design

n ambitious collaboration of design, clothing, sustainability and contemporary craft, the Sri Lankan Design Festival (SLDF) in Colombo brought together all these elements to showcase the best of the island’s fashion industry to an international audience. Spearheaded by the Academy of Design in Colombo, the festival, which ran from October 10-12 and is now in its fifth year, combines runway presentations with a series of forums and conferences to present its message. Four years after the end of the long and damaging civil war, local manufacturers and designers are confident the island can build on its reputation as an ethical producer and premier sourcing hub. Sri Lanka has the highest clothing exports per capita in Asia but it was the particular benefits that sustainable and ethical practices can bring

Last month’s Sri Lankan Design Festival shone the spotlight on how fashion can lead the way in sustainable manufacturing Words by Sue DawSon

– right across the supply chain – that provided the key theme of the four-day event. One of the recurring messages was that sustainability has to be made ‘cool’ – and with its high levels of consumer engagement, the fashion industry is in a strong position to achieve this. Speaking at SLDF, development director of the Danish Fashion institute and chair of the Sustainability Summit Jonas eder-hansen

pointed out that in the wake of the bangladeshi factory disaster in April, more consumers are beginning to ask questions about where their clothes come from and how they are produced. this new awareness needs to be built on and then passed down the supply chain, from the point of design all the way through to retail staff. however, the possibility of a recognisable global standard of practice that would apply for producers across the board internationally – a point of some debate during the event – was not seen as practical by some of the speakers. tom Smith of Sedex, a non-profit organisation which advises on responsible and transparent supply chains, said you cannot apply the same standards to a factory in east London as you would to one in bangladesh. the context is different and new ethical issues are appearing all the time. “the integrity of the building [in bangladesh, for example] and its structural state have not previously been on the tick list,” he says. While many consumers may still be ‘chasing the cheap needle’, there has been a 57% increase in the number of audits since the bangladeshi disaster, according to Kumar mirchandani, chairman of Sri Lankan clothing manufacturer Favourite Group. nikhil hirdaramani, whose family owns mihila – the first carbon-neutral factory in Asia – said he and many other manufacturers are suffering from ‘audit fatigue’, having had 205 third-party audits between the start of the year and October this year. Smith agreed that audits alone do nothing if they aren’t acted upon: “Compliance should not be about just ticking a checkbox, it is important to advise, educate and follow up.” there may well be a more ethically aware customer out there, but she also wants her fashion updated – and fast. And with brands such as Zara offering 20 collections a year, producers have to be prepared to meet consumer expectations to keep up. An “agile supply network” is needed, according to Kurt Cavano, chief strategy officer at supply chain platform Gt nexus. the US, for example, has three times more shopping space than it needs to serve the number of actual shoppers.

Drapers / nOvember 9 2013

A successful brand needs a compelling story which takes it beyond just being a commodity Janie Schaffer, co-founder, Knickerbox

Whereas even with its growing middle class, india simply doesn’t have the stores. So in the future it can just build what’s needed to suit the needs of its consumers. “We’ve seen the desire of consumers to lead more sustainable lifestyles,” said Lucy Shea, chief executive of Futerra, an organisation which advises businesses on how to communicate a sustainability message. “Fashion can lead the way – it’s a powerhouse of development, empowerment and activity.” And the consumer will buy into the idea if you make it fun. Special guest Janie Schaffer, co-founder of lingerie retailer Knickerbox and former chief creative officer of victoria’s Secret, took delegates through her conception and delivery of the Knickerbox concept, which launched in 1986. She identified the market gap when she

was working at marks & Spencer as a buyer. “A successful brand needs a compelling story which takes it beyond just being a commodity,” she said, and cited burberry as an example of a company that has got it right. Sustainability can be built into a brand, Schaffer said, but quality is still needed. Summing up the general tone of the event, Cavano said that in such a rapidly changing retail and technological environment the push for sustainability is “a gauntlet we are all running”.

tp A showcase for sustainability: Mihila (which means ‘Earth’) is Asia’s first carbonneutral factory. It is owned by Sri Lankan apparel manufacturer Hirdaramani Group and was purpose-built just outside Colombo in 2008. It boasts 48% less

energy consumption than a conventional factory, 70% less water consumption and results in zero waste going to landfill. Health, welfare, educational and organic farming programmes support its green credentials.

nOvember 9 2013 /

Drapers

SHOPWATCH I TIGER OF SWEDEN

Tiger’s footprint: the store has a muted palette and a minimalist aesthetic, in keeping with its Nordic pedigree

On the prowl in Piccadilly

Tiger of Sweden is hunting for more UK stores and stockists following the opening of its London flagship Words by JAMES KNOWLES

iger of Sweden has brought a touch of Scandinavian cool to the UK with the opening of its flagship store in the heart of London’s Piccadilly. The men’s and women’s wear shop is situated in The Crown Estate’s £500m St James’s Gateway development near Jermyn Street, with neighbours including men’s luxury goods brand Dunhill and Barbour, whose flagship store opens this month. The 3,200 sq ft store is staffed by a team of eight (five full-time and three part-time employees) and first opened in September. It sells Tiger of Sweden’s full men’s (retailing from £69 to 1,899), women’s (£79 to £1,899) and jeans (£59 to £569) collections across two floors. The typically Scandinavian interior has a clean, minimal aesthetic. Black, white and grey are used throughout, with textured walls, mirrored glass and glossy surfaces. The custom-made furniture integrates tactile 18

Drapers / NOvEmBER 9 2013

materials such as grey satin maple and brushed aluminium with velvet panels. The ground floor sells key trend looks for men and women, with 70% of the space given to menswear. Downstairs, customers can find the brand’s more basic items and footwear, with most of the space – around 60% – also taken by men’s. Tiger of Sweden was established in 1903 by entrepreneur marcus Schwartzman and his business partner Hjalmar Nordström in Uddevalla, on Sweden’s west coast, before being relaunched in 1993 by then chief executive Roger Tjernberg and designer Leif menfors. Today, it is one of the country’s largest brands and sales increased 22% to £97m for the financial year ended June 31, 2013. Chief executive David Thunmaker says: “We are pleased that all of our geographic markets, sales channels and sub-brands showed progress and growth.” The brand began wholesaling with Selfridges in 2011, a move it credits as a major turning point

in the UK, and is now one of the top-selling menswear brands in the department store, according to Thunmaker. The business now sells through 15 accounts and 45 doors in the UK, including Harvey Nichols. However, it is now eyeing further UK expansion via both wholesale and standalone stores. As part of this strategy the Piccadilly store will be followed by a second at Canary Wharf this month, while womenswear – which Anton Llewelyn, managing director of agent Social Brands, says is “a huge growth area” – will make its UK wholesale debut for spring 14 in Selfridges. Thunmaker says the UK business is in its “early stages” and accounts for just a “couple of per cent” of turnover. “The UK is an important strategic market. Last year the brand experienced continued breakthrough. “We have clear objectives and a clear strategy for the UK market. I believe our footprint and achievements so far show our ambitions.” In addition to the UK, the brand currently sells across Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Norway and South Africa. And with further international store openings planned in Toronto in Canada and Cape Town in South Africa, the brand is set to increase that footprint globally.

WINNERS’ BROCHURE

For information please contact

Premier Fashions 82 Mitchell Glasgow G1 3NA

fashion@premierfashions.co.uk

Michael Black 0044 141 2040699

www.franklyman.com

WELCOME CONTENTS Best New Business

Best Store Design

iii

Best Independent Multichannel Operator v Fashion Agency or Distributor of the Year vii Lifestyle Independent of the Year

Young Fashion Independent of the Year

Womenswear Brand of the Year

Let’s celebrate! Independent fashion retailing is alive and well. The winners and finalists listed in this brochure prove that. Despite the recent tough economic years, the creativity, ingenuity, flair and sheer hard work of many people in the independent sector gives great cause for confidence. The Drapers Independents Awards 2013 highlight the best of the best. These businesses showcase the ERIC MUSGRAVE Editorial director great work that is going on in our high streets, Drapers shopping centres and online. It has been a delight for me and the team at Drapers to be involved in making these awards happen. To visit the 40-plus businesses on the shortlist this year, we criss-crossed the British Isles, from Jersey to Aberdeen and from Colchester to Derry. It was an uplifting experience. The awards would not happen without the valuable commitment of our sponsors and supporters. This year our sincere thanks go to Aigle, Frank Lyman Design, Gurteen, Joseph Ribkoff, Marc Cain, Redfish Group, Religion, Visualsoft and Viz-a-Viz. We are also very pleased to have the Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust as our chosen charity and we hope you will be able to give generously to this excellent cause. Vital to this whole process, of course, was the input of our excellent judges who devoted a great deal of their valuable time to perusing the many entries and then met in London to discuss, debate and arrive at the results. Our deep appreciation and thanks go to Hilary Cookson, Anne Furbank, David Light, Bashir Mohammed and Deryane Tadd, all of whom are previous winners of Drapers Independents Awards. Thanks also go to Michael Hughes, Gareth Jones, Bobby Lane and Christian Lawaczeck, who brought many years of experience and knowledge to the process. My personal thanks go to Richard Bradbury, former chief executive of River Island, for joining the presentation lunch to share some of his thoughts on successful ways of retailing fashion in today’s climate. Finally I would like to thank all the companies that entered The Drapers Independents Awards 2013. Be assured that Drapers will continue to support, encourage, inform, constructively criticise and bring together the independent fashion retailing sector and all those who serve it. We make a great combination.

Young Fashion Brand of the Year

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Womenswear Independent of the Year

Menswear Brand of the Year

xvi

Menswear Independent of the Year

xvii

Premium Fashion Brand of the Year

xix

Premium Fashion Independent of the Year xxi Independent Retailer of the Year

xxiii

Lifetime Achievement Award

xxv

Judges Hilary Cookson, owner, Maureen Cookson, Whalley, Lancs Anne Furbank, owner, Anne Furbank, Buckden, Cambs Michael Hughes, managing director, Tom Hughes, southwest Wales Gareth Jones, sales director, Duck and Cover Bobby Lane, partner, Shelley Stock Hutter Christian Lawaczeck, country manager, Gerry Weber David Light, managing director, Tessuti Group, Chester Bashir Mohammed, director, American Pie, London Deryane Tadd, owner, The Dressing Room, St Albans

Sponsored by

Winner

Chocolate Clothing The judges were unanimous in awarding Dave and Barry Conaghan’s store the multichannel accolade, praising the brothers for evolving their business model and not standing still. They ensure customers are kept up to date by way of personalised newsletters that include new product suggestions based on previous purchases, discount codes and birthday reminders. Shoppers can browse the extensive brand list on an in-store iPad or shop on the move via a mobile site that launched in June. Womenswear includes collections from The Only Way Is Essex regulars Amy Childs, Jessica Wright and Gemma Collins, while men’s includes Farah Vintage, Lyle & Scott and Fred Perry. With new drops in store and online every week, Chocolate constantly satisfies its customers’ fast-fashion cravings. Address Unit 7, Lesley House, Foyle Street, Derry, Northern Ireland Website www.chocolateclothing.co.uk Established 2008 Brands include Men’s: Edwin, G-Star, Levi’s, Marshall Artist; Women’s: AX Paris, Closet, Forever Unique, Lipsy, Little Mistress, Motel, Paper Dolls

Finalists

Dartagnan Menswear, Chichester

Divine trash, Buxton

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

WWW. RELIGION CLOTHING. COM

FAshiON AWARD CATEGORY AGENCY OR NAME DisTRibuTOR 3-4 DECK OF ThE YEAR

FiNAlisTs

brand National

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Winner Chiltern Street Studio A firm favourite with independent stores and brands alike, its calm setting, in-depth brand knowledge from directors Denise Tavernier and Jane Wilson and impeccable taste set agency Chiltern Street Studio apart from its rivals. With a roster of top-notch yet commercially viable brands including Bellerose, Odd Molly and Leon & Harper, this contemporary womenswear, menswear and accessories haven is a one-stopshop for buyers who trust its quality brands and love its service, which now includes wholesaling as well as distribution in order to offer extended terms, early deliveries and special payment plans to assist small retailers. A dedicated in-house press office works to further optimise brand awareness,

while the fashionable Chiltern Street location and hugely popular lunch meetings are a further draw. One of our judges praised the business for leaving no stone unturned and â&#x20AC;&#x153;always introducing you to new brands or products, which is exactly what an agent should doâ&#x20AC;?. With many retailers opting to buy into the majority of its portfolio, it is clear Chiltern Street Studio has found a winning recipe for success. Address 78 Chiltern Street, Marylebone, London Website www.chilternstreetstudios.com Established 2005 Brands include Bellerose, Ida by Donna Ida, James Jeans, Leon & Harper, Odd Molly, Nobody

love brands

Zone Two

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

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Sponsored by

LifestyLe independent of the year

finaLists

the dulwich trader, London

i Gigi, Brighton

Luck of Louth, Lincolnshire

Winner Ann’s Cottage Surf Shops The judges described Ann’s Cottage Surf Shops in Cornwall as an “unbelievable” success story and praised its “incredibly passionate” owners, father and daughter duo Rob Harris and Becci Cornelius. Ranging from an impressive destination Surf Centre store in St Columb to the business’s smallest shop in upmarket Wadebridge, there is a sense of surfy easiness across the business’s nine stores, conveyed through clever use of consistent brands, shopfits and imagery. Stock is carefully edited to offer a core range that represents the best of each brand, particularly in the smaller boutique-style stores. The provision of wetsuits, surfboards and other surf and skate

paraphernalia creates a well-rounded lifestyle offer in the larger stores. The staff are jolly, upbeat, knowledgeable and live the surf lifestyle. They are kept on their toes by regular secret shopper competitions between branches. A central warehouse means precious retail space can be given over to shopfloors rather than storerooms, and delivery drivers are on hand to move stock between stores at short notice. Address Nine stores across Cornwall Website www.annscottage.com Established 1978 Brands include Own label, Animal, Billabong, Crocs, Hunter, Joules, Quiksilver, Roxy, Superdry

pavilion, Winchester

Voisins, St Helier

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

Young Fashion Brand oF the Year

Winner Little Mistress In this fiercely competitive area of the market, Little Mistress continues to go from strength to strength. This is because the team behind the label, led by Mark Ashton, understands what its customers want and delivers it quickly. The label focuses on ‘going out’ style, with a flirty mix of sparkle and youthful silhouettes consistently finding favour with shoppers who want something special without paying over the odds. Sell-through is impressive, with some stockists repeat ordering particularly popular pieces six or seven times. Keeping up with demand has been Little Mistress’s biggest challenge. In the past year, the brand has delivered a plus-size collection and a range of separates, expanding the breadth of its offer beyond party dresses. It has also launched a petite range for spring 14. Still relatively young, the brand’s growth cannot be ignored, and the addition of urban label Paper Dolls this year is further evidence of Little Mistress’s success. Address 68 Great Portland Street, London Website www.little-mistress.co.uk Established 2008

Finalists

Bellfield

Farah Vintage

religion

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

glamorous

Vero Moda

Young Fashion independent oF the Year

Winner Concept Clothing The judges described Concept as a “genuine young fashion retailer” that is “active in the community and ambitious in a competitive area”. There are at least half a dozen other young fashion independents in Aberdeen, but Concept Clothing, led by owners Kevin Lonie and Paul Wishart, has carved an excellent niche for itself by bringing to the city desirable merchandise that was not already represented. Product, rather than brand, is what Concept is all about. The first shop, opened in 2005, was complemented by a second in 2009, in the same centre, and plans are afoot to combine the two. Concept’s concept is to present its offer in a masculine but very well-ordered environment. In recent seasons, the business has wisely been pushing up its entry-level prices to ensure a decent margin. A strong transactional website completes this well-rounded business. Address The Academy Shopping Centre, Aberdeen Website www.conceptclothing.co.uk Established 2005 Brands include Amsterdams Blauw, Denham, Elvine, Fred Perry, J Shoes, Luke, Scotch & Soda

Finalists

Banana Connection, Waltham Cross

Boudoir Boutique, Liverpool

Chocolate Clothing, Derry

diffusion, Wolverhampton

Fusion, Wadebridge

sisters Boutique, Falkirk

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

s? m e l b o r p y it c a p a c s a m t have you got chris ! W o l f r e v o e h t h it W l a We can help you de let hallett retail logistics handle it for you. We specialise in: • Order fulfilment for e-commerce and mail order businesses • Full garment and product processing/garment steaming on the world renowned Veit 10 (the largest garment steamer in Europe) • Secure web portal for tracking stock through to final delivery • Full onsite photographic studios and image processing • Onsite customer services and order management solutions • Logistics and carrier solutions • 24 hour security all year round • Competitive pricing structure • Picking for retail outlets

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AWARD CATEGORY WOMENsWEAR NAME 3 - 4 BRAND DECK OF ThE YEAR

FiNAlisTs

Adini

Betty Barclay

Frank lyman Design

Winner Joseph Ribkoff For a brand that has been in business for 56 years, Joseph Ribkoff ’s success can be attributed in part to its ability to flex and move with the times while offering modern collections to the mainstream womenswear market. Judges praised the Canadian brand for its support of stockists from its dedicated sales teams across the country, led by UK sales director Mark Rowe. Particularly noted was its ability to deliver new stock within 24 hours, its huge stock swap capability and its attention to detail, which ranges from marketing materials to shop refits. All Joseph Ribkoff ’s collections are completely made in Canada, allowing it to keep close control

over production and quality. The sophisticated ranges are perfectly tailored to the target market, but retain a sense of occasion and levity through Joseph Ribkoff ’s signature prints and patterns, meaning the pieces stand out dramatically on the rails in its extensive network of UK stockists. Touches like these have seen Joseph Ribkoff consistently feature high up the charts on Drapers’ Indicator page for sell-through, and have helped it build a strong and loyal following. Address Clyst St George, Exeter Website www.ribkoff.com Established 1957

The Masai Clothing Company

Olsen

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

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Sponsored by

WomensWear Independent of the Year

Winner Young Ideas Since Anne Wright bought the long-established Young Ideas in 2008, she has upgraded its collections, opened a second branch, developed an ecommerce arm and introduced menswear. After successful careers in the food industry, Anne and husband Colin brought big-company discipline to what was a slightly fading business. A deal was done five years ago to open a low-risk, low-cost shop within the Bennetts department store in Derby and a new retail management system allows detailed analysis of the performance of brands. It’s no wonder the “mightily impressed” judges were unanimous in awarding Young Ideas this accolade, praising the “switched-on, professional and inspirational” owners for this “jewel” of a business. Address St John Street, Ashbourne, Derbyshire; and in Bennetts, 9 Irongate, Derby Website www.youngideasfashion.com Established 1965, current owner since 2008 Brands include Armani Collezioni, Belstaff, Boss Orange, DKNY, Diane von Furstenberg, J Brand, Marc Cain, Paul Smith, Sand, Velvet

fInalIsts

ambiance, Colchester

harvest, Chelsea

press of primrose hill, Camden

havetolove, Newcastle

snooty frox, Harrogate

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

MensweaR BRand oF tHe YeaR

Finalists

Brook taverner

Fynch-Hatton

Gurteen

Magee

Winner Gant A consistent chart-topper in Drapers’ Indicator survey’s best-selling brands, best sell-through and best margin categories, Gant takes this year’s menswear accolade for its impressive and well thought out ranges, a result of group creative director Christopher Bastin’s strategy to narrow and focus Gant’s mainline. “The quality is fantastic,” said one judge, while another praised the “phenomenal sell-through”. Add to this the fact the brand is “charming to deal with” and you have a compelling case. This consistent brand is stocked in more than 150 independent stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland, and offers broad appeal and commercial pieces that can be reordered through xvi

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

a simple online in-season stock system. Gant is stocked by independents that frequently feature in the upper echelons of Drapers’ Top 100 Inspiring Independents list, stores that are well supported by Gant’s dedicated teams, who provide training and marketing materials to help translate the brand’s appeal to customers. The Gant Rugger line, which is growing each season, adds another dimension to the offer and increases the desirability of a brand that still reinvents itself after more than 60 years. Address 2 Basil Street, Knightsbridge, London Website www.gant.co.uk Established 1949

Meyer

Remus Uomo

Menswear Independent of the Year

fInalIsts

dress2Kill, London

number eight, Stirling

pockets, Shrewsbury

Winner Lynx In one of the most hotly contested categories of these awards, Lynx fought off the competition by being a “rock solid, customer-facing business with strong product”, according to the judges. In a climate that has seen many Harrogate indies close, Lynx’s five-person team, led by owner Guy Hudson, has stayed strong, hosting Saturday shoppers with free beer, or scouting new business in the local pub to maintain its position. The team knows its customers so well that garment orders are often placed with specific clients in mind. In the past year Lynx has taken on a new social media manager, while a store refit 18 months ago revamped the interior, offering a wider space for

social gatherings and more room for visual merchandising, which is refreshed weekly. The stock level was reduced by 20% this year, but Lynx is still taking on new brands. The emphasis on a better-edited buy has resulted in an average sell-through of 73% for spring 13 across 30 brands. Another recent development is a same-day alterations service, launched in association with local tailors. Address 12 West Park, Harrogate Website www.lynxharrogate.co.uk Established 2004 Brands include Grenson, Holland Esquire, John Smedley, Paul Smith, Replay, Universal Works

psyche, Middlesbrough

weavers door, Liverpool

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

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Premium Fashion Brand oF the Year

Sponsored by

Finalists

armani Jeans

GETTY IMAGES

Barbour

Paul smith

Winner Marc Cain Marc Cain’s global success emanates from its impressive HQ in Bodelshausen, Germany, where 800 people are employed to serve 941 accounts in 59 countries. In the UK, agent Sarah Morgan and her team look after 105 stockists who are delighted to have this consistently reliable womenswear brand on their rails and shelves. Apart from being “a dream to deal with”, Marc Cain pleases its retailers by delivering no fewer than 11 collections a year, a frequency that ensures there is always something fresh to tempt its loyal consumers. Bright colour, prints and simple silhouettes characterise the brand’s handwriting, resulting in an appealing selection of easy-to-wear

upmarket pieces. Stockists are eager to report that Marc Cain consistently achieves 85% sell-through for its ranges, which are made from premium Italian fabrics. Some 95% of the collection is manufactured in the EU. The company founder Helmut Schlotterer continues to invest to ensure the service gets even better. Given its focused commitment to stockists and customers, it’s no surprise to see Marc Cain’s global turnover rose 9% this year to hit £205m.

ted Baker

Address 171-177 Great Portland Street, London Website www.marc-cain.com Established 1973

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

xix

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Winner Jane Davidson Jane Davidson is honed to supply virtually all the dressing needs of its carefully targeted customers. Sarah Murray has successfully taken over from her mother, who founded her eponymous business more than 40 years ago, and has cleverly kept its original customers while also appealing to a younger generation. The store offers the premium-seeking women of Edinburgh a scrupulously selected and edited assortment that runs from jeans for the school run to a one-off evening dress. Like her mother before her, Murray likes to support British – particularly Scottish – designer names and is not afraid of going her own way if she believes she is right. The judges praised this “tremendous” store for being brave enough to innovate and described it as “an institution”. Address 52 Thistle Street, Edinburgh Website www.janedavidson.co.uk Established 1969 Brands include Diane von Furstenberg, Dries Van Noten, Escada, Fabiana Filippi, Ida by Donna Ida, Issa, J Brand, Matthew Williamson, Roksanda Ilincic

Finalists

Cure, Lichfield

Dartagnan Menswear, Chichester

Giulio, Cambridge

OD’s, St Helens

Press of Primrose hill, London

triads, Middlesbrough

trunk Clothiers, London

turners, Colchester

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

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Winner Young Ideas The judges were unanimous in awarding Young Ideas the top accolade of Independent Fashion Retailer of the Year. They praised the constant innovation shown by owners Anne and Colin Wright since they bought the long-established business in 2008. The panel was very impressed too by the outstanding financials, which were presented in “the most professional and detailed entry of all this year’s awards”. Using skills developed in successful careers in the food industry, the Wrights have cleverly redeveloped Young Ideas into a modern, relevant premium multichannel retailer. Although new to fashion buying, Anne Wright has re-energised old

collections and brought in new names. She takes different members of staff on buying trips to have their input and to increase their feeling of engagement. A new retail management system allows for detailed analysis of the performance of brands and “superb” customer breakdown profiles. A second shop has been opened within Bennetts, a department store in Derby city centre, to increase the catchment area of the business. Menswear has been successfully introduced this autumn season. The busy ecommerce site, which has its own dedicated team, is set to be extended. Since Drapers visited the original 2,000 sq ft store in Ashbourne, in late September, the

business has been relocated to a fabulous larger space of 2,500sq ft a few hundred yards away (shown above). The shop is the first stage of the redevelopment of an old coaching inn the Wrights have bought. Young Ideas is a superb winner. Address St John Street, Ashbourne, Derbyshire; and in Bennetts, 9 Irongate, Derby Website www.youngideasfashion.com Established 1965 Brands include 7 For All Mankind, AG Jeans, Allude Cashmere, Boss Black, Boss Orange, Burberry, DKNY, Diane von Furstenberg, Issa, Marc Cain, Paul Smith, Samsøe & Samsøe, Stills

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

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147 GREAT DUCIE STREET / MANCHESTER / M3 1FB PH +44 (0) 161 819 2229 / SALE@KACOOFASHION.CO.UK

lifetime achievement

Winner Irving Goodman Helping his mother after school each day in her couture bridal and evening dress business, Irving Goodman got an early start in fashion almost 80 years ago. It wasn’t long before he set out on his own, and his first production run was of men’s shirts at the age of 16, paid for with saved pocket money. His bedroom soon became a stockroom, with shirts stacked from floor to ceiling, and this ultimately became The Lincoln Shirt Company a few years later. After a spell in the RAF, Irving decided to change tack and go into the movie business, joining US film and production company RKO. It was short-lived, however – the company closed its London office just two weeks after he started in 1957. So Goodman made his return to the fashion business as a salesman on the road for

womenswear brands, first for Mary Harnes and then for Peter Barron, where he was soon selling everything the company produced. This success led him to open his own couture bridal and evening dress company, Irving Ross, making gowns worn by many Miss Worlds of the day. Finding it increasingly difficult to get the quality and quantity of beading he needed, at the start of the Swinging Sixties Irving decided to fly to Hong Kong. This journey took a day and a half, with only four passengers making the entire trip from London. The experience opened up a whole new world for him. Goodman went on to produce many collections out of the Far East, including Liza Peta, Gillian Paul, Ian Peters, Tereino and Gina. He also bought the After Six and Invite collections from Glyn Manson and Ronald Joyce.

During this period he invested in and became a director of Sterling, a UK-based public company and major supplier to Marks & Spencer. After admiring an Italian knitted dress in a factory in China in the early 1970s, Goodman decided to visit Italy and track down the producer. This marked the beginning of a successful 30-year relationship with the Medici brand. Today, after more than 65 professional years in the business, Goodman has again changed fashion tack and gone back to his roots. His eclectic style is evident in designer bridal brand Eliza Jane Howell. Praised by buyers and fashion editors, this promises to be another exciting period for him. The Fashion Guru, as he is widely known to employees in his factories in India and China, has come full circle.

Drapers Independents Awards 2013

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NEW sEasoN NEW sTylE

WoMENsWEaR BRaND of ThE yEaR

To make an appointment or for further information: 891 Great West Road, Isleworth, Middlesex TW7 5PD. Call: 020 8560 2323 Email: sales@adini.co.uk www.adini.co.uk

THE STYLE COUNCIL

What autumn 13 product or trend’s popularity has surprised you? Deryane Tadd Unreal Fur has been doing very well for us – it's been flying out of the door, especially the gilets (pictured), which has been a real surprise to us. Also any pieces with animal print or coated denim have been popular, but that’s less of a shock.

The panel

DERYANE TADD Owner of womenswear boutique The Dressing Room in St Albans

RAHEEL NAKHWA Owner of young fashion retailer Hope Clothing, which has stores in Elstree and Dunstable

u Raheel Nakhwa Brave Soul’s bright eyelash jumpers have been selling really well, which I’m surprised about as people in our town [Elstree] tend to dress quite conservatively. Glamorous’s shirt dresses (pictured) have been selling well too, which again is a surprise as they are quite different from what you’d expect people to wear here.

DAVID FINLAY Owner of menswear retailer Elements in Norwich

IAN MOORE Owner of women's young fashion boutique Wild Heart in Bridgnorth, Shropshire

t David Finlay We’ve been selling T-shirts by Imaginary Foundation (pictured), which is quite unusual for us as we normally focus on smart menswear. The sublimation prints are the ones selling really well. They are quite bizarre-looking, with intergalactic themes and some really wacky artwork. Bearing in mind the season, it’s a bit odd to be selling so many T-shirts but they are doing so well.

p Ian Moore We’ve had winter bloom flower dresses from Wal G and Love that have really surprised us. Flower prints can look really summery but once we displayed them on mannequins, we sold loads of them. After someone from The Only Way Is Essex wore a Dead Lovers tiger dress (pictured) on TV last week, the brand has been flying off the shelves – before that there hadn’t been much interest.

WANT TO BE PART OF THE STYLE COUNCIL? Visit www.drapersonline.com/stylecouncil to tell us your thoughts on this week’s question

NOVEMBER 9 2013 /

Drapers

WOMENSWEAR SPRING 14

What’s on the shopping list?

We asked womenswear agents to reveal the brands and trends buyers have been snapping up for spring 14 Compiled by GRAEME MORAN

u BRAND NATIONAL

p RAINBOWWAVE SHOWROOMS Maria Lemos, founder

This season we saw an even bigger shift towards pre-collections. Early deliveries are key to sales. Buyers are looking at safe bets such as J Brand, where new technology and great fit are driving the brand. The more trend-led J Brand ready-towear collection was also a winner – the on-trend neoprene, hot pink colour theme and transparencies were the most popular. Ostwald Helgason (pictured above) was also a strong collection in our higher-priced advanced contemporary offer – sweatshirts, fun prints and a youthful element combined with a good price point.

q CHILTERN STREET STUDIO

Kam Harris, partner

Denise Tavernier, commercial director

Pre-collections and high-summer ranges are growing in significance for early sales and injecting newness. The simplicity of Twist & Tango’s collection (pictured) combined with the attractive margin and entry price point have driven its success in premium indies. Superdry continues to perform exceptionally within department stores and the young independent sector. Continuing its 100-year success, the printed bomber jackets and leathers from Schott NYC had a great reaction.

Two brands new to the showroom have proved popular for spring 14. Mes Demoiselles has a nostalgic style and charm, delicate printed fabrics and embroideries inspired by India, teamed with heavy cotton knits. Laurence Doligé mixes menswear, glamour and femininity. Python prints in strong blues and reds matched with delicate lace and men’s soft shirtings did well. Old favourite Odd Molly (pictured) brought African prints to life with beautiful scarf dresses and tunics.

t CLARET SHOWROOM

Claire Spencer-Churchill, director

Taking into consideration the recent erratic weather, the brands that excelled during spring 14 buying appointments were the ones with a major point of difference. It seems impossible to predict what we are going to need so buyers want to offer what the customer will be blown away by, whether this was a standalone print from Camilla (pictured, left) or Mara Hoffman, or a beautiful lightweight yarn from Madeleine Thompson (pictured, far left), who had her best spring to date. 20

Drapers / NOVEMBER 9 2013

t TCA SHOWROOM Isabella Sferrazza, brand manager

Danish labels such as Culture and Coster Copenhagen have been popular with buyers, especially for independent boutiques that want unique pieces characterised by the Aztec and abstract prints. Newly launched IKKS, for the yummy mummies, and Silvian Heach (pictured) were the winners of the season. Buyers were also looking for casual chic looks and neutral colours, so Stefanel was the number one seller, with its cashmere knits and linen dresses and shirts. The colours that buyers were looking for have been blue, coral and yellow.

q FOURMARKETING Emma Jones, womenswear sales director For spring 14, clients were generally looking for competitively priced brands that also offered a unique point of difference. As with most spring and summer collections, clients were drawn to strong vibrant colours and graphic prints, which dominated the catwalks. Dresses (M Missoni, pictured right) were still the winning category and took up a large part of the buy. Nevertheless, the more advanced stores are adding a sportswear element, which is translated into many womenswear collections by way of styling and fabrication, such as hooded jackets seen at Woolrich (pictured far right).

t ZONE TWO Stacey Wood, head of womenswear

p AT SHOWROOM

Rochelle Norman, sales and PR manager

Brands such as Christophe Sauvat (pictured) were popular this season. Long maxi dresses sold extremely well. We also have a jumpsuit that has sold well – it’s a key piece in the collection. Buyers generally chose more commercial safer pieces, with some opting for one or two showpieces such as the hand-beaded waistcoats.

Following a strong spring 13 performance from Maison Scotch, the spring 14 collection (pictured) had a fantastic season as buyers visited the showroom with high expectations and the collection didn’t disappoint. It offered a strong variety of prints including botanical and animal with soft colouring. Our other womenswear brand, Samsøe & Samsøe, launched into the UK for autumn 13 with a great start and the spring 14 collection focused on classic Scandinavian shapes. NOVEMBER 9 2013 /

Drapers

NEED A HELPING HAND?

We may be able to provide a grant to help your children reach their full potential. If you work in fashion retail or textiles and need some help, visit www.ftct.org.uk or call us in confidence on 020 7170 4117

educational grants

help with special needs

welfare essentials

support for special talents

mobility

course equipment Registered charity: 257136 Established 1853

mapic preview I Retail pR0peRty

p Cushman & WakefieLd

Portfolio Last year the firm represented retail clients in more than 7,700 transactions across nearly 63.4 million sq ft, with a value of $15.62bn (£9.7bn). Clients include Battersea Power Station Development Company, Intu, H&M, Equinox, Primark, Apple, Gap and Banana Republic.

commercial real estate broker cushman & wakefield returns to mapic this year where it will be speaking about one of London’s most anticipated redevelopments, battersea power Station (pictured). Together with global property adviser cwm, cushman & wakefield has been appointed as a consultant for the scheme. The 39-acre site in southwest London is earmarked for 3,500 new homes, 18 acres of open space, 1.7 million sq ft of offices and hotels and more than 1 million sq ft of retail. it will be served by a new tube station and river bus jetty. construction started in July and commercial opportunities within the power station itself are expected to begin in 2014. www.cushmanwakefield.com

Watch this space

Retailers, landlords and agents will descend on Cannes this week to check out developments at property trade show Mapic Words by James Knowles

u Jones Lang LasaLLe

Portfolio The firm was appointed as an agent for Trinity Leeds, the only major shopping centre to open in western Europe this year and the first to open in the UK for two years.

Jones Lang LaSalle’s newly formed transport, airport and global infrastructure team has been appointed by Gatwick airport to provide advice on its North and South Terminals. This year the South Terminal underwent a £21m makeover and a further 43,000 sq ft of retail space is being planned for the North Terminal. The company is also letting units at Docks bruxse (pictured), a shopping scheme in brussels being developed by property firm equilis. The centre is promising “experience shopping”, with street

performances, concerts, fashion shows, exhibitions, competitions and fairs. The first leases have been signed and construction starts early next year, with a scheduled completion date of 2015. The firm is also advising on Sec avia park in moscow, a shopping centre under construction between major highways

Leningradsky prospect and Zvenigorodskoe and set to open in the final quarter of 2014. There will be 2.4 million sq ft of leasable space within the development, which will be anchored by russian furniture store Hoff and UK department store Debenhams, while the Khodynskoe pole metro station will open nearby. u www.joneslanglasalle.co.uk November 9 2013 /

Drapers

Retail pRopeRty I Mapic preview

u hAMMeRson

Portfolio Investments in 20 major shopping centres and 22 retail parks, providing 18.3 million sq ft of retail space.

Next May, Hammerson’s Les Terrasses du port shopping centre will open in Marseille. with a 260m-long restaurant terrace overlooking the Mediterranean, the 603,000 sq ft centre will house 160 stores, anchored by printemps. The French department store will be joined by Michael Kors, Sandro, G-Star, Zara, H&M, Mango, pull & bear and aldo. The 251,875 sq ft Le Jeu de paume centre is also in the pipeline at beauvais, northern

France. with 76 shops and five restaurants, 34% of space is already let with leases signed by H&M and Foot Locker, among others. construction will begin this winter and the scheme (pictured) will open in 2015. Hammerson will be talking about its victoria Gate development in Leeds, which will be anchored by John Lewis – the department store’s first branch in the city. construction will begin in spring 2014. www.hammerson.com

u MARi

p McARthURGlen

Portfolio 20 designer outlets across the UK and Europe.

Designer outlet owner, developer and manager McarthurGlen is developing around 1.6 million sq ft of new retail outlet space across europe, as well as its first outlet in North america. McarthurGlen’s vancouver opening is planned for 2015, as part of a joint venture with the vancouver airport authority. Ground works have already begun on the site’s first retail phase of 242,187 sq ft, which will be followed by a second phase of 134,548 sq ft. The site is just three minutes by metro from vancouver international airport. 24

The second development will be in the belgian city of Ghent, where the company will open a 344,445 sq ft designer outlet along with 150,694 sq ft of leisure space in a joint venture with real estate firm banimmo. in January, McarthurGlen won planning permission for a 279,861 sq ft outlet just 45 minutes from aix-en-provence, southern France. The business is also planning around 640,500 sq ft of extensions to eight existing centres, including Swindon (pictured) and ashford. www.mcarthurglen group.com

Drapers / NoveMber 9 2013

Portfolio This mall is being jointly developed by the Russian government and a structural division of the Investment Development Corporation (IDC), a group of firms providing commercial and residential construction and management services. IDC’s portfolio comprises more than 26 million sq ft, including 13 schemes in Russia.

Set to open in December 2014, the Mari mall in Moscow

is a 1.4 million sq ft development of mixed-use retail and office space. The mall has more than 753,000 sq ft

dedicated to retail and is looking to attract international fashion brands and popular domestic retailers to one of Moscow’s

most prosperous and affluent areas, the Maryino District. The location is also one of the most densely populated areas of Moscow. russia is a key emerging market for fashion retailers. in 2012, 17 international retailers entered the country and more than 20 companies announced their expansion into the russian market for 2013. fsk-lider.ru/about/

u UnibAilRodAMco

Portfolio 82 shopping centres in major European cities. 56 receive more than six million visits a year.

property firm Unibail-rodamco is developing the largest mall in Scandinavia, set to open in Stockholm in the third quarter of 2015 with more than 1 million sq ft of retail and leisure space. The mall will combine domestic

retail tenants with large international names and also house a 15-screen cinema. it is situated seven minutes by train from Stockholm and in a 2.3 million population catchment

area. The city’s population is growing faster than anywhere else in Scandinavia and is expected to have increased 21.7% by 2030, compared with 15.8% in London.

This is set to have a knock-on effect on retail spending, with a rise of SKr67bn (£6.4bn) forecast by 2025, up 57% on current levels. www.unibailrodamco.com

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The British School of Fashion, based in GCU London is working in partnership with M&S to support talent in the Business of Fashion. In September 2013, London Fashion Week saw the launch of a unique relationship between the GCU British School of Fashion and the M&S Studio@Fashion Street. Together with M&S, we are offering fully funded scholarships on our postgraduate fashion business programmes which include MBA Luxury Brand Marketing and MSc International Fashion Marketing. Apply now and start this January.

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Careers

WitH

How I got here Jack Morgan

Fred Perry’s web content assistant gained a head start in retail by selling trainers aged 15 Interview by JAMES KNOWLES

What does your diary look like today? We have a lot of projects running right now. We updated our website in July and this gave us an opportunity to feature more content on our home page. I work with a lot of internal departments and external agencies to guide the production of content. There is quite a lot to juggle. What task are you most looking forward to? We have a new collection launching soon and I’m working with our agency De Facto to produce a visual style for the range that suits the story of the collection. We work closely with the product, development and marketing teams to help bring the stories to life. What task would you like to postpone? I write the product copy for our Authentic collection. It’s not something I dislike doing but it does require some structured creativity. I have to really get in the zone to get the most out of those projects, and with lots of other projects running it’s hard to detach and spend five hours concentrating on just that. How did you get to where you are today? I started out working on a market stall selling sneakers when I was 15. I moved on quite quickly and then ended up working in footwear retailer Size?, where I eventually convinced head office to

give me an internship during my sandwich year at university – something they hadn’t done before. I stayed there for 10 months and that gave me a good insight into a professional workplace and the politics of such a big company. I finished there and then went to New York for the summer to work in Adidas’s SoHo store, before returning to university. Then an opportunity came up at Onitsuka Tiger (part of Asics) in Liverpool as supervisor at its new store, and after a few months there an internal role came up at Asics in the digital marketing team in Amsterdam. After that Asics offered me a 10-month contract to cover someone on maternity leave, and at the end of it the marketing director Michael Price asked me to stick around and created a new position in the Onitsuka Tiger marketing team. After that I worked for two friends who had set up a shop in Leeds called Open Lifestyle Store. Then the opportunity came up at Fred Perry, and I’ve been here since. Who is your mentor? Raphaël Mazoyer, digital marketing manager at Asics, wasn’t a mentor but he was a very influential manager during my career. He told me that no matter how many things you’re good at you should always be an expert in one.

CV 2013 Web content assistant, Fred Perry, London 2012 Consultant, Open Lifestyle Store, Leeds 2012 Freelance brand projects 2011

PR and marketing co-ordinator, Asics Europe, Amsterdam

2010 Web content co-ordinator, Asics Europe, Amsterdam 2010 Graduated Multimedia BA Hons, Leeds Metropolitan University

How do you see your career progressing? Fred Perry is growing, especially online. [Former Reiss brand director] Andy Rogers is our brand director and it’s nice to see his

vision. I really see myself as a part of our digital evolution and I think Fred Perry is a great place to grow. eventually I would like to set up my own thing, whether that’s a brand, a store, or a creative project. What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps? employers like to see you can handle a working environment and I proved that by working in sneaker stores from the age of 15. by the time I graduated I had seven years’ experience in retail and I got a job a lot quicker than my peers who finished with first-class degrees but had never worked. Salaries for this type of position range from £25,000 to £27,000 (estimate provided by Michael Page Digital) If you want to be featured on the Drapers Jobs page, email james.knowles@emap.com

25 Years of Fashion Experience Matching the best talent in Buying and Merchandising positions

Email: admin@vohsandco.com Tel: 0203 668 1466

Drapers / NOveMbeR 9 2013

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Fashion Careers AustrAliA

RetailJewellerjobs.com is the No. 1 site to start your search for the perfect job in jewellery. Whether you are just starting your career or are an experienced jewellery professional, we will have the right jewellery job for you. Please visit www.retailjewellerjobs.com for the latest opportunities in the Jewellery and watch industries.

ExEcutivE - CEO, COO, MD, GM and Director roles Buying - Head of Buying, Buying Management and Buying roles MErchandising - Head Of Merchandising, Merchandise Management and Merchandising roles dEsign - Head Of Design, Design Management and Design roles MarkEting - Head of Marketing, Marketing Management EcoMMErcE and digital - Head of Ecommerce and Digital, Ecommerce Management and Ecommerce teams including sEO, Content Managers, social Media etc sourcing and tEchnical - sourcing Management, technical Management, Production & Pattern Cutting roles rEtail - Head of retail Operations Management roles, international and National retail Management, Visual Merchandising

Matching Exceptional Candidates to Ultimate Careers

To advertise in this section please CONTACT: Rebecca Tonkinson 0203 033 2991 rebecca.tonkinson@EMAP.com

NOVEMBER 9 2013

Drapers \

the next big thing

DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU SEE IT? Based in the heart of Manchester

-Merchandiser (Home and Gifts) | £35k -Merchandisers (Ladieswear) | £35k-£43k At JD Williams, we’re very proud of our big brands, continued growth, highly profitable and successful multi-channel offer – online, on the high street and in catalogues. But in the fast-moving world of fashion retail, you can never stand still, which is why we’re rapidly changing to set the pace in our market. Join us at this exciting time and you’ll enjoy the freedom to help shape the way we work and provide our 2.5 million customers with the best ranges around. Expanding our stores and growing internationally, we’re focusing more on customer segments, in season trading and mobile-centric retailing. We’ve huge plans for the future and we want you to be part of them.

To apply, please visit:

www.jdwilliamsgroup.jobs

Menswear Designer - Fixed Term contract 1 year. london Desired Qualifications: Must have a degree or equivalent of qualification in fashion/design and demonstrate a flair for Menswear. Essential Experience: Must be able to demonstrate several years’ work experience in Menswear design and be computer literate including CAD. Key Tasks • • • •

Market research Gathering and the proposal of seasonal colour palettes Gathering and proposal of seasonal mood information Initial fabric research and sourcing of sampling and collection fabrics in conjunction with Licensees. Collection fabric approval with Management License. • Range planning working closely with womenswear, agents and sales teams to ensure the collection is coordinated and meets the requirements of the market. • Generation of design ideas for all Menswear apparel products including Outerwear, Tailoring, Shirts, Knitwear, Trousers, Jersey and Ties • Preparation of garment specifications • Attendance of fit meetings • Preparation of the Far East merchandise meeting information • Work closely with Senior Merchandiser and Men’s Licensee Additional Responsibilities • • • • • •

Presentation of Menswear at Far East Merchandise meeting Approve Far east Menswear products Designing of additional Far East Menswear product including: (Trouser details, Hats, Gloves, seasonal prints, Tie Motifs and other motifs. Conceptualization of seasonal theme booklet Initial merchandising concept for Merchandise meeting/Sales period Liaise with Senior Product Developer & Merchandiser for European seasonal collection To apply please visit drapersjobs.com and search for 2656450

Drapers / NOVEMBER 9 2013

inked in in Facebook / Twitter LLinked / / Facebook / Twitter logosl ogos ww.q-‐hq.co.uk wwww.q-‐hq.co.uk Our Technical Product Managers en’s, Women’s, Accessories & Home services that d– Meliver your Lingerie, needs

As Location: Dublin, Ireland consultancy we provide unique services for a leading technical Salary: Competitive plus package retailers and their supply chain, delivered with integrity and professionalism by our expert consultants. Our Client, a market leader of fast fashion is recruiting Technical Product Managers in all disciplines who are looking to grow their career with a High • Permanent technical recruitment Fashion Brand. • Temporary garment, fabric and product technologists for short or long term consultancy are excellent opportunities for ambitious candidates to develop their •These Industry Benchmarking within the fast fashion environment. Working closely with the Buying •career Bespoke training programmes and mentoring teams, Suppliers and global partners, successful candidates will set and maintain Quality Aeliver ssurance o ernsure the Client’s w quality For our Clients we d cost setandards ffective, ftast esponse solutions ith unparalleled expectations are delivered in line with company strategy. support services RApplicants aw Materials Specialist must be self-‐starters, motivated and keen to develop with the Brand A unique opportunity with a leading High Street Retailer .This is a high profile role requiring expertise raw materials and their supply chains. The The ideal industry candidate/s will obn e saustainable ble to demonstrate: successful candidate will manage strategic external relationships with key stakeholders to support the delivery of the Clients strategy and commitments • Substantial and relevant experience as a Garment Technologist / Senior London, £65 -‐ £90k + excellent package Technologist within their specialism. Previous experience in Fast Fashion Senior Footwear Technologist Retail is preferred but not essential We h ave an exciting for Senior Footwear echnologist to join an innovative • A broad multi oppportunity roduct technical knowledge wTith a proactive & innovative team in a fast paced & challenging environment. This is an excellent opening for an approach to Quality Assurance established Technologist to develop their career with a world class, fast fashion Brand • A sound commercial knowledge of product engineering, product costing’s Central London, salary negotiable + excellent package and the production requirements in a fast fashion environment. • Proficiency in mTanaging and developing a global Supplier base Woman’s Jerseywear echnologist • CAn awareness of Leifestyle merging trends and innovations to support development Our lient, a successful Brand is recruiting a Womenswear Garment Technologist. Working closely with Design, Buying and Suppliers the individual will be within their product area • A strong knowledge and skills o comenswear ommercially evaluate product responsible for ftabric he technical development of tW Jersey product. Candidates must testing have 5 years’ experience and a real passion for the Brand environment • Self-‐motivation, rive Central London, up to £d35k and customer focus; the ability to work independently within a team environment and display high levels of commercial integrity is essential. Junior Footwear Technologist • CExcellent time management, written aa Jnd verbal communication skills are Our lient a world class Retailer is recruiting unior Footwear Technologist. This vital for tahis ole vacancy offers n orutstanding opportunity to develop your career with a leading Retail chain. Applicants must have a minimum of 3-‐4 years’ Technical Footwear experience in a Manufacturing or Retail environment. West More idlands, £25-‐30k +a bout package scheme For m information all o+ f boonus ur current job opportunities please contact Sally or Kate on 0845 2268323 or email info@q-‐hq.co.uk or visit our website For more information www.q-‐hq.co.uk about all of our current job opportunities please contact Sally or

Kate on 0845 2268323 or email info@q-‐hq.co.uk or visit our website www.q-‐hq.co.uk

APPOINTMENTS TO ADVERTISE CONTACT: Rebecca Tonkinson 0203 033 2991 rebecca.tonkinson@EMAP.com Freya Lucas 0203 033 2669 freya.lucas@EMAP.com DEADLINES: 4 days prior to publication. Cancellation 1 week prior MENSWEAR BUYER WEST YORKSHIRE – Competitive Menswear Buyer required for busy buying office based in West Yorkshire. Applicants must have a proven track record in Men’s Formal Tailoring buying and design, along with cloth development knowledge and the ability to develop a product to a required price architecture. You will be a good negotiator with a strong commercial background. You will be highly aware of current trends and be able to demonstrate the ability to translate these commercially. CAD skills are desirable. This role involves travel within the UK and overseas. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657428’

CONCESSION MANAGER GUILDFORD – £20,000 The duties will include: Delivery of high standards of quality and service to customers. Staff management, including recruitment, training. Control and management of all stock and cash on the site. Delivery of sales and profit targets as set by the company. About the Person: Will be a selfmotivated individual with strong work ethic. Will possess excellent interpersonal skills. Will be extremely customer orientated with a proven track record in retail management. Will have mid-management fashion retail experience. Will be sales and target focused. Will possess high visual merchandising standards and expectations. Will have the ability and competency to lead, develop and inspire a sales team to deliver excellent results. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657993’

SENIOR GARMENT TECHNOLOGIST MAYFAIR, LONDON – Up to £30,000 per annum, subject to experience

WHOLESALE SALES MANAGER MAYFAIR, LONDON – £40,000 or above, depending on experience

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657811’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657410’

ECOMMERCE ASSISTANT MERCHANDISER NOTTING HILL VILLAGE, LONDON – Competitive salary & attractive benefits

MERCHANDISER - CHILDRENSWEAR (MATERNITY COVER) NOTTING HILL VILLAGE, LONDON – Competitive salary & attractive benefits

Role & responsibilities: A Senior Position within a luxury fashion business. Responsible for initial development through to production approval. Prototype, size set and PP sample fittings and work book alterations. Overseeing a junior garment technologist. Maintain a factory database, visiting factories for quality and cost approval. Coordinate the development and approval of new suppliers with the Production Manager. Negotiate best lead times of delivery in line with internal and external departments. Quality Control inspection across the range of ready to wear collection as well as made to measure. Visit new factories to ensure the expected standards are achieved. Devise and establish quality procedures and standards for factories.

Monsoon Accessorize truly is a global brand. With over 1000 international branches in over 70 markets, coupled with over 380 in the UK, we are represented on five continents, and still growing. We have an exciting opportunity in our Ecommerce team for an Ecommerce Assistant Merchandiser to join us on a 6 month contract. The Ecommerce team are responsible for providing an effective on-line presence to ensure we achieve mutli-channel customer engagement. This role will ultimately be responsible for following through on trading actions as developed by the Ecommerce Merchandiser as well as being responsible for merchandising a specific brand area through effective website merchandising, stock management, reconciliations and adherence to the critical path.

Established in 1805, luxury British heritage brand Crombie has three UK stores, and now sells wholesale into high end department stores in over 30 countries. The company is seeking an experienced Sales Manager to join our Wholesale team. The manager will work in close collaboration with the Head of Wholesale, in establishing and implementing the wholesale strategy, to manage and grow existing accounts, and build relationships with new and existing clients. The position requires someone who is experienced, ambitious, customer focused and with existing contacts internationally. REQUIREMENTS: UK and international market experience essential, with a deep understanding of the luxury wholesale industry. A passion for luxury menswear and a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the field of wholesale.

Here at Monsoon Accessorize we care about giving great customer service. Everything we do is about being true to our core ethics and values but most of all, it’s about enjoying work. We put people first and pride ourselves in developing, retaining and inspiring our talent. We have a great opportunity for an established Merchandiser to join the Childrenswear team in our West London Head Office on a maternity cover contract. As a Merchandiser on Monsoon Childrenswear, you will have the opportunity to control and manage the planning and budgeting process for your department. Using your flair for working with numbers you will inspire your team to contribute to and further the success of the Monsoon brand.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657923’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657392’

SENIOR COLOUR & PRINT DESIGNER LONDON, EC2A 4PN – Competitive

ASSISTANT MERCHANDISER LONDON, EC2A 4PN – Competitive

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE: Takes ownership in the designing and building of a beautiful collection that reflects the Coast handwriting and is right for the customer and the brand. Manages own self and team and works closely with the Design Director/ Design Manager. Role capabilities include but are not limited to: CREATIVE DESIGN - Completely understands the Coast brand values and who the customer is. Responsible for the colour palette system. Ensures the colour palette system is updated. Ensures the colour boxes and boards are always updated and everyone involved is aware of any changes. Responsible for seasonal colour palette for own product area, ensuring colour palettes are commercial for time and product. Responsible for the creation of mood, colour, concept and trend boards for the season.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657975’

Coast the ‘Occasionwear Specialist’ are looking for a talented Assistant Merchandiser to join their Merchandising team. To assist in the Planning & Trading of a product area(s) using analysis and forecasting to ultimately maximise profit and limit risk within the department. The ideal candidate will be already be operating at an Assistant Merchandiser level or a current Senior Allocator who is ready to take on more responsibility and develop their skills. Key candidate attributes: Ability to work in a fast paced environment, displaying excellent planning skills. Highly analytical in all work, demonstrating high numerical and logical skills. Excellent problem solving ability. Previous retail experience.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2656842’

Drapers \

APPOINTMENTS TO ADVERTISE CONTACT: Rebecca Tonkinson 0203 033 2991 rebecca.tonkinson@EMAP.com Freya Lucas 0203 033 2669 freya.lucas@EMAP.com DEADLINES: 4 days prior to publication. Cancellation 1 week prior MENSWEAR DESIGNER NORTH WEST – c£32k-£35k A fantastic opportunity has arisen for an experienced men’s multi product designer to join this dynamic company. The ideal candidate will have worked for a brand or a high street retailer and will be familiar with working within a commercial, demanding and fast paced environment. The designer will work alongside the head of design and will develop commercial, trend led, men’s fashion ranges. You will be responsible for every aspect of garment design, including graphics. Extensive experience in using Illustrator and Photoshop is essential for this role. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658292’

ACCOUNT MANAGER LONDON – dependent upon experience

We are currently recruiting for experienced Account Managers with fashion apparel background to join a major supplier to a varied UK high street marketplace. Responsible for dealing with the day to day management of the customer relationship, liaising with internal and external teams, suppliers and factories. You will also oversee the approvals process: including trimmings, components, proto samples, fit samples, and shipment samples. Managing and updating daily production schedules and critical paths to ensure design, product specification, quality, price and delivery meet requirements. Applicants must have a minimum of 5yrs relevant experience within a front facing account management position within fashion & textiles, and proven high street supply experience. Previous intimate apparel or womenswear product knowledge will be advantageous.

FABRIC TECHNOLOGIST MIDLANDS – c£20k-£25k plus This highly successful company requires a fabric technologist to work on fabrics for children’s wear. Daily tasks will include monitoring the fabric approval process, assisting in product development, visiting key fabric fairs, working closely with overseas suppliers and analysing customer returns. This role requires an understanding of the fabric supply chain along with a technical understanding of fabric technology; candidates must therefore have an understanding and interest in current fabric trends. This is a rare opportunity to join this leading company. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658190’

SENIOR ECOMMERCE & DIRECT MAIL COORDINATOR - LUXURY JEWELLERY LONDON – £28000 - £35000 Looking for a driven and passionate multi-channel Ecommerce/Online Marketing & Direct Mail Coordinator to join an iconic and world-renowned global luxury jewellery brand in London. This role involves working closely with external agencies and internal departments. You will come from a multi-channel marketing environment focusing on search marketing, direct marketing, including email and direct mail. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658131’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657450’

STRATEGIC ACCOUNT MANAGER NORTH FRANCE – Competitive salary Our client is a global leader in labelling and packaging materials and solutions. They are now looking to recruit a Strategic Account Manager to be home based in Northern France or office based, in Paris. You will identify potential new applications for company’s products based on existing market knowledge and potential target lists; visit customers and build long term relationships; assist leaders in the development of divisional strategic and operating plans. You must have 5+ years business development, sales, product management or marketing experience. Native French speaking and fluent in English. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657874’

WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER CHINA – £30-43K Tax Free + bens Established brand seeks a talented Women’s Multi Product Designer to be based in their amazing office in Guangzhou, China. The ideal candidate will have a feminine handwriting and must possess strong experience in designing commercial ranges in smart casual daywear with a huge emphasis on day and evening dresses and soft separates. You will be passionate with a keen eye for design, be up to date on current trends and be able to create innovative and beautiful collections. Great company! Salary is depended on experience. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657718’

LINGERIE DESIGNER - BRAS LONDON – Competitive salary Our client is leading supplier to high street retailers. They now have an exciting opening for a creative Lingerie Designer specialising in bras to join their team in London. You will design and develop commercially viable product in line with the consumer profile into price points. Utilise sourcing facilities to engineer product development. Responsible for concept to first fit sample in line with critical path. Liaise effectively with customer to progress developments and fit approvals in line with critical path. Outstanding design skills with 5+ years experience. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2656349’

BUYERS ADMIN ASSISTANT LONDON – Competitive salary Zulily UK, a Seattle based start-up that offers daily deals for Mums and Kids is seeking an enthusiastic and smart Buyers Admin Assistant (BAA) to join an expanding team. If you are a proven self-starter who loves the kids industry and has a passion for merchandising then keep reading! As a member of the Zulily merchandising team, the BAA will take digital photos of all incoming samples and upload them into the appropriate software in preparation of private sale events. You will work largely on excel, and see a perfectly executed spread sheet as a thing of power and beauty. We have an amazing team of experienced buyers who are obsessed with bringing the best brands to our customers. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657878’

Drapers / NOVEMBER 9 2013

DESIGNER - ACCESSORIES London, Salary based on experience

MENS ACCESSORIES BUYER LONDON – £35,000 per annum This is an exciting opportunity for a Buyer to help expand the Menswear offer within Fortnum & Mason in a gentlemen’s club environment. The Buyer will understand Fortnum & Mason’s heritage and the Buyer will also have the ability to add a touch of modernity. Creative strategic skills alongside a good knowledge of Men’s luxury and designer brands coupled with a strong eye for new and emerging talent will be the key for the Buyers success. The Buyer will be fully accountable for the Men’s Accessory buying department activities and to maximise sales, profit and availability whilst minimising stock levels. This to be achieved by the delivery of creative and distinctive ranges which meet and exceed customer expectations.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658476’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658148’

ASSISTANT WHOLESALE MANAGER NORTH LONDON (ISLINGTON) – £20-23k Lazy Oaf is a street wear focused fashion label; the brand is fun, creative and growing fast! Lazy Oaf currently wholesale the brand products to over 200 stores worldwide, we have our own stand-alone store in central London as well as operating a very fast growing Ecommerce site. This opportunity has arisen at our studio/ warehouse based in N1 for an Assistant Wholesale Manager to join our team and help manage our rapidly expanding International accounts. Do you have 2yrs plus experience in this field? Do you have excellent sales skills? OCD about organising? Is your sock draw colour coded? Love a spreadsheet? Can you lift a box? If these are yes’s then we would like to hear from you.

RETAIL SALES EXECUTIVE - LUXURY LIFESTYLE BRAND (WITHIN HARRODS) LONDON – £18,000 + 0.75% commission

Excellent opportunity in a fast-growing branded fashion business, specialising in hosiery, underwear & loungewear working with some of the world’s biggest brands and major high street retailers. The candidate should have; dedicated design experience in hosiery, underwear & printed/woven textiles. Extensive experience in range planning and product development. Strong technical & production understanding in accessories. Strong CAD skills, with over 3 years experience using Illustrator and Photoshop. Flexibility to travel internationally for trade shows and factory visits. Salary based on experience for a self motivated candidate with excellent communication skills to join Orrsum’s dynamic Soho based team.

This classic and elegant luxury brand is looking for an experienced Sales Associate to work within their concession on Bed Linens within the iconic Harrods department store. Lexington is an international luxury lifestyle brand influenced by the typical New England style, specialising in product categories from Home Textiles to dual gender Clothing. The Role: Set and maintain the highest standards possible, with the customers always being the main focus. Create and maintain an environment conducive to generating sales. Exceed the expectations of all customers by providing exceptional service at all times. Pre-empt and respond to customer needs in order to excel in sales and service standards. Optimise sales by attracting new clients and developing the existing customer base.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658165’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657850’

ASSISTANT BUYER LONDON, W12 – Competitive

NET-A-PORTER is an established global Internet retailer of cutting edge luxury fashion labels, relied upon for its exceptional quality of service and eye for the next big thing. With an expanding domestic and global market, and revenues increasing month on month, we are now looking to add new revenue streams to the Group. This presents a fantastic opportunity to capitalise on our infrastructure and leverage against our expertise to launch a new global brand. As such, we are seeking an Assistant Buyer to work closely with the Buyer to enhance NET-A-PORTER’S offering to its customers, develop relationships with new and existing designers whilst ensuring maximum value and efficiency for the business.

PERSONAL SHOPPER - MIDDLE EAST FOCUS LONDON, W12 – Competitive We are seeking a Personal Shopper based in London to join the growing global Personal Shopping team. The role is primarily sales orientated, and will involve creating lasting customer relationships with both new and existing customers mostly based in the Middle East. You will provide exceptional service levels to ensure that our customers enjoy the best shopping experience, the latest trends and best designs – where ever they are! Essential Skills & Requirements: 2-5 years of experience as a senior sales assistant or personal shopper with a loyal and established client book for a luxury fashion brand is essential. A proven track record of achieving personal sales goals.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657888’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657451’

BUYERS: NIKE FACTORY STORES NEAR AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Competitive Salary Package We are looking for talented buyers for our Factory Store buying team. Product specialists, buying for stores across Europe, who show passion, vision and an appetite for business, trends, sports & fashion. An awareness of their consumer and market place is essential, along with a drive to succeed. Independent and reasoned thought processes are as much key to this success as teamwork. We are category led, which means our buyers are responsible for one of; football, running, young athletes (kids), Nike Sportswear (fashion), women’s training, tennis, rugby, action sports, golf or tennis. If your background or passion fits with one of these we want to hear from you!

VISUAL MERCHANDISING TERRITORY MANAGER NEAR AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Competitive Salary Package Nike does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. We are a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries, and push out the edges of what can be. We’re looking for people who can grow, think, dream and create. Every employee brings inspiration and innovation to our business and we seek achievers, leaders and visionaries. Joining the Retail team at our European head office near Amsterdam as Visual Merchandising Territory Manager, you will be responsible for the management of the implementation of product presentation programs and strategies for Nike Factory Stores within one of the European Territories.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657724’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657723’

Drapers \

SERVICES DIRECTORY TO ADVERTISE CONTACT: Dawn O’Brien 0203 033 2959 dawn.obrien@emap.com DEADLINES: 4 DAYS PRIOR TO PUBLICATION. CANCELLATION 1 WEEK PRIOR

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We have full capabilities of pattern making and grading design cut make and trim in house facilities for embroidery and printing. Please call for details on 07887 643 377. High quality British manufacturer has spare capacity, experienced in patterns and development for top designers. Jersey garments our speciality. Well equipped factory. Tel 07779 961217

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Myanmar/Burma granted duty free status by the EU Looking for manufacturing services and would like to take advantage of this new duty free status? Huntley International are a manufacturing company with offices in London, New York, Seoul, Hong Kong and a factory in Myanmar producing ladies/men’s outerwear, suiting and casualwear for major retail companies. Utilising Huntley International will allow you to benefit from these duty free rates, significantly reducing your manufacturing costs.

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Drapers \

SERVICES DIRECTORY TO ADVERTISE CONTACT: Dawn O’Brien 0203 033 2959 dawn.obrien@emap.com DEADLINES: 4 DAYS PRIOR TO PUBLICATION. CANCELLATION 1 WEEK PRIOR

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TRIMMINGS 41169 Barnett Lawson Order form.qxd:••

21/4/08

13:41

Page 1

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ORDER No.

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ORDER No. DATE

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Drapers / NOVEMBER 9 2013

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT ANDREW OWEN ON MOBILE 07757 362969 e-mail info@accessory-heaven.co.uk website www.accessory-heaven.co.uk

NOVEMBER 9 2013

Drapers \

MY FASHION LIFE

Rain men: T-Michael and Alexander Helle; autumn 13 designs (right)

Norwegian Rain

The brand’s design duo T-Michael and Alexander Helle are on a dry run in the UK

hy did you set up Norwegian Rain? T-Michael: Bergen [the pair’s hometown] is situated between seven mountains – clouds get locked in and precipitation is extremely high. It rains on two out of every three days. We made a decision to cope stylistically with this. Alexander Helle: It’s simply a solution to our life in rain. As Michael used to say, we don’t want to have to wait for the third day to look proper. How did you meet? T-M: Alexander dropped by my tailoring studio some years back and enquired if I was interested in doing raincoats with him. He was then a student and a customer of mine. I declined politely the first few times. But this chap was persistent in a diplomatic sort of way. Eventually we sat down. I set the parameters around tailoring and my love for fabrics and texture, and luckily we both shared the values, aesthetics and drive. It’s a fusion between traditional tailoring, high-tech performance fabrics and Japanese sensibility, creating raincoats that keep you dry without looking like raincoats. 36

Drapers / NovEMBER 9 2013

Words by Ian WrIght

Tell us about the retail concept you’re launching in the UK. T-M: We have an exciting collaboration with Harvey Nichols in London starting in mid-November which is a riff on a shop-in-shop. That will move and evolve into a concept store in Berwick Street in Soho in the new year, after London Collections: Men. It’s a meeting between Norwegian Rain and The Coal Project by Art Comes First (ACF), a group of creatives. Everyone involved brings to the table something that complements the other pieces and vice versa: Super Duper handmade hats, Lotho handmade sunglasses, one-off shirts by Sebastian Dollinger from Eton Shirts, special pieces from ACF, a Kalaf Angelo book and bags and shoes from my own line. Can you share anything about your forthcoming autumn 14 collaboration with designer Mihara Yasuhiro? AH: It’s still early to jump too much on that train. But it is an inspiring process. We are big fans of Mr Mihara. It started out very naturally. He randomly stopped by our booth at [Paris trade show] Tranoï and gave us lot of praise for our collection. The admiration was mutual. If you could change one thing about the fashion industry, what would it be and why?

AH: It would be a global dugnad [an old Norwegian term for working together towards a common goal], where we all worked to be eco-friendly on every level. How do you relax after a long day? T-M: A good meal, a chat with friends and sometimes a good single malt whisky and cigar can work wonders! AH: I just became a father. So just staring at the newborn is how I find inner calm. A baby is natural science fiction. What’s the most embarrassing fashion item you’ve ever bought? T-M: Cycling shorts back in the late 1980s. Disaster! I can almost hear Soul II Soul blaring in the background. AH: A pink and blue tie that I thought was quite punk some years back. It’s not really punk. And it’s not really nice. Apart from fashion, what are your passions? T-M: Quirky old objects, films and my two kids. AH: Right now, it’s all about Norwegian Rain, with a dash of baby time, which is nothing but fantastic. But if I can I try to squeeze in art during my week. That’s my time for reflection. What’s your favourite place in the world to hang out? AH: Paris for the charm. London for the creativity. Bergen for the people.

November 21, 2013 Marriott Grosvenor Square, London, W1K 6JP

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