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Debenhams restructures to build for overseas growth Existing roles to be cut in shake-up but retailer says more ‘specialist’ jobs will be created By Catherine Neilan

Debenhams is restructuring its international division, axing a number of existing roles while creating new “specialist” jobs as it positions the business for further international growth. Drapers understands the department store group is in a 45-day consultation period with staff, and the changes could affect between 50 and 100 employees. It is thought Debenhams staff are having to reapply to secure redefined jobs, which will include specific roles such as merchandising, and go through an interview process. It is understood a number of individuals are seeking employment outside the business as a result. one source told Drapers the management was looking to overhaul the team because “the current model isn’t working”, while a second source indicated the old structure had become outdated. A spokeswoman said the restructure would lead to an overall increase in the number of staff “as we strive to become a truly international business” and that Debenhams would be looking to

Globalisation: Debenhams says it plans to become a truly international business

recruit externally to fill those positions. However, she would not comment on how many jobs would be created or how many redundancies were expected. She said: “expanding our brand internationally is one of the four pillars of our business strategy. We are currently restructuring our international division to meet the needs of our growing operation.” She added that Debenhams was “hopeful that everyone affected will

find an alternative role either within international or our wider business”. The retailer has 62 franchise stores in 24 countries, including India, Kuwait and russia, as well 11 Debenhams stores in the republic of Ireland and six magasin du Nord department stores in Denmark. It also delivers to 66 countries from its website. The company plans to open 27 more stores worldwide in the short to medium term, targeting 150 on a longer-term basis.

In its most recent results for the year to August 31, international growth outpaced that of the UK, with gross revenues up 3.7% compared with 2.3% domestically. However, pre-tax profits for the period fell 2.7% to £154m. This week it emerged that Debenhams’ top management team would miss out on their bonuses as a result. Chief executive michael Sharp saw his total pay package drop to £754,000 in 2013, down 22% on last year, after missing out on a potential bonus worth 100% of his £615,000 a year basic salary. Chief financial officer Simon Herrick’s pay fell 8% to £489,800, Debenhams’ annual report, published on monday, showed. both executives could have taken a cash bonus worth 2% of their salaries despite the fall in profits, but they elected not to take the cash “in the light of overall profit performance”. Talking about Debenhams’ performance two weeks ago, Sharp highlighted the difficult trading conditions, adding that he was “cautious about the strength and pace of consumer recovery in 2014”.

Barratts boss Michael Ziff rules out rescue bid

COVER CREDIT: IAN MACAULAY

By Eric Musgrave, Jill Geoghegan & Victoria Gallagher

barratts chief executive michael Ziff has ruled himself out of bidding for the footwear business, which is in administration for the third time in five years, but has told Drapers that he would be prepared to work with a new owner if required. Industry experts, however, do not believe barratts will be rescued, leaving 75 stores, 23 concessions and more than 1,000 staff at risk. David Whitehouse and Philip Duffy of Duff & Phelps were appointed as joint administrators on

November 8, with the company blaming “difficult trading conditions” for its demise. Speaking exclusively to Drapers on Wednesday, Ziff maintained that barratts “has a position in the comfort end of the market”, adding: “We have been trading strongly since new product arrived in April and our boot sales in early September were spectacular. but we didn’t have enough stock or enough working capital in the business.” The Ziff family shareholding in the business amounts to just under 50% and with close associates it

represents about 70%, but Ziff told Drapers: “I do not see myself throwing new money at it or running it. I would look to it going forward under a new incumbent and I would be happy to partner a new owner in some way.” bradford-based barratts has fallen into administration twice before, in 2009 and again in 2011, when Ziff rescued 89 stores from administration. one property consultant said it would be “illogical” to plough money into the beleaguered business once more. He said: “They

are sitting on pretty poor property and would probably need to close half the portfolio to survive but the landlords won’t let them do that.” one footwear source said: “I can’t see a future for it. It must be finished at this stage. It needs a lot of investment but I can’t see anyone putting money into a dead business.” A second source added a new leadership team “with fresh ideas to rebuild the brand’s credibility with consumers” would be essential. He added: “Truthfully I don’t think the business has a credible USP to differentiate itself in the market.” November 16 2013 /

Drapers

NEWS

Farhi and Fenn Wright Manson teams to merge By Victoria Gallagher

Queuing up: retailer will list this month

Bonmarché and HoF prepare floats

Bonmarché and House of Fraser this week have moved a step closer to listing on the London Stock Exchange. Womenswear retailer Bonmarché, which announced its plans for an IPO in October, is expected to kick off its listing on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) this month. The flotation is expected to value the company at £130m. Meanwhile, House of Fraser has appointed investment bank Rothschild as an adviser for its impending IPO. Earlier this month Drapers revealed the business was in the final stages of negotiations with shareholders. Although it was initially believed that HoF was planning to make its stock market return in May 2014, it is thought the offering may be fast-tracked to the first quarter of next year. Cantor Fitzgerald investment analyst Freddie George said investors were seeking deals at the moment due to buoyancy in the market. However, he added: “The two most exciting things for fashion retailers are the internet and international, and neither Bonmarché nor House of Fraser are particularly strong in either.”

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The teams behind womenswear brands Fenn Wright Manson and Nicole Farhi are being restructured, following the acquisitions of both businesses by Maxine Hargreaves-Adams. The back-office teams have been combined and Drapers understands there have been redundancies as a result, including the departure of Fenn Wright Manson business development director Sharon Jones, who had been with the brand for more than 30 years. Matalan founder John Hargreaves snapped up Fenn Wright Manson in March last year, with his daughter Maxine taking a front seat in running the business. She acquired Nicole Farhi out of administration in July this year. Hargreaves-Adams told Drapers: “It makes commercial business sense to consolidate the businesses and our new HQ [in Mayfair] has allowed us to merge the finance division, marketing and other staff resources.” She would not comment on the number of redundancies or provide further details of the new office in Old Burlington Street.

Team bonding: Fenn Wright Manson

Hargreaves-Adams said the changes would “in no way affect the creative integrity of either brand”. She added: “I am very keen to build on the strength of both these great British brands and ultimately secure future fresh talent to take the businesses forward.” Hargreaves-Adams has been on the acquisition trail over the past two years. In June she snapped up a 50% stake in Damsel in a Dress, and plans to grow the womenswear brand internationally and open standalone stores. Hargreaves-Adams would not confirm whether the changes would affect Damsel in a Dress.

Creative director exits Jack Wills Jack Wills creative director Sarah Holme has handed in her notice after seven years at the preppy young fashion retailer. Holme, who joined from Abercrombie & Fitch in 2006, has not set a departure date although it is thought she has earmarked early next year for her exit. She will remain on to complete current projects, as Jack Wills starts looking for a replacement. A spokesman for the company said: “Sarah has worked closely with us in building the Jack Wills brand and we are grateful for all she has done during her time with the business. Sarah will remain with Jack Wills to ensure a smooth handover to her successor, who we expect to appoint in the near future. We wish Sarah all the best for the future.” It follows a wider management shake-up in May by Wendy Becker, who joined as chief operating officer last year and was promoted to chief executive last month. In May, international boss Tim Patten, sourcing chief Glen Tinton and human resources director Helena Feltham left the business. Finance director Paul Woolf and head of UK stores Liz Hall also departed at the start of the year.

PEOPLE TREE TEES UP FARRAR COLLECTION

Ethical brand People Tree has produced a short-order capsule collection in collaboration with designer Simeon Farrar, who is known for his quirky slogan T-shirts. The collection is available now and wholesale prices range from £22 for a T-shirt to £39.60 for a fleece sweatshirt. Call 020 7042 8900 for more details.

M&S unveils colourful spring 14 collection By Victoria Gallagher

Pops of colour, all-white outfits, textured fabrics and bold prints are to feature heavily in Marks & Spencer’s spring 14 range. The high street retailer, which overhauled its womenswear for autumn 13, has continued the process for spring. The womenswear offer is grouped into five trend stories: Worldwide, a tribal-influenced look; the more directional 1990s Luxe range; Whiteout, featuring high-waisted skirts and cropped tops; Paintbox, which uses punchy primary colours and simple silhouettes; and Pretty Things, a ladylike floral range. M&S style director Belinda Earl said: “Exquisite attention to detail and finish with an awareness of the contemporary woman have underpinned every aspect of this collection.” In menswear, colour is also crucial, with bright shorts in pea green and lemon shades as well as candyfloss-coloured knitwear and

Spring fresh: the range embraces current trends

scarlet polos. The new collections will begin to arrive in store and online from January. Retail prices for womenswear, not including basics, will range from £19.50 for a leather bracelet to £349 for a leather jacket. Menswear will be priced from £25 for a leather belt to £799 for 100% wool suits. To see more pictures of the M&S collections, visit Drapersonline.com

THE DRAPERS VERDICT

This is a clear move forward. The collection gels well and there is a strong emphasis on separates. There is still a lot of consideration given to the importance of flattering shapes and the prices are far more consistent than autumn 13. But M&S will struggle to escape criticism if it maintains its belief that anyone over the age of 20 wants to wear a crop top to the office. By Emily Norval

Group product boss quits Shop Direct By Catherine Neilan

Shop Direct executive group product director Karl Doyle has left the business after just eight months in the role. Doyle joined the Liverpool-based home shopping business, which owns Very, Littlewoods and Isme, in March from Marks & Spencer, where he was kidswear director. He told Drapers the primary reason for leaving was “location, as this proved a challenge both personally and professionally”. In a statement Doyle added: “I’ve had a good time at Shop Direct and laid down some plans that will hopefully aid it in its goal to become a world-class digital retailer. “I have worked hard with the business to establish its key focus on the core customer and to review

Direct departure: Doyle joined in March

the balance of own brand versus third-party brands, which has highlighted some interesting opportunities.” Shop Direct is promoting electrical and seasonal trading director Matt Dixon to the vacant role. Dixon, who has been with the company for three

years and took on responsibility for furniture and home a few months ago, joins the board with immediate effect. Trading director for clothing and footwear Pauline Lauder will report into him. Chief executive Alex Baldock said: “Matt’s retail trading pedigree qualifies him well for this role, which is so vital to help us fulfil our purpose of making good things easily accessible to more people.” Dixon has previously worked for Sainsbury’s and Dixons, where he held various senior roles in the UK, as well as commercial director roles in Greece and Italy. Earlier this month Shop Direct posted its first profit in a decade for the year to June 30, reporting a pre-tax profit of £6.6m, while group sales rose 1% to £1.69bn.

News in brief JD takes majority stake in Tiso JD Sports Fashion has taken a controlling stake in Scottish outdoor clothing retailer Tiso. JD chairman Peter Cowgill will take over as chairman of the 10-store business. Chief executive Chris Tiso will remain in his position and the business’s headquarters will stay in Edinburgh. Westfield to welcome John Lewis John Lewis is to open its first store at Westfield London, taking a 230,000 sq ft anchor unit within the shopping centre’s 600,000 sq ft extension. The store, which will open in 2017, will stock more than 350,000 lines across fashion, home and technology and will create 600 permanent jobs. Clerys ready for Dublin reopening Dublin’s Clerys department store is to reopen for business on November 21 following a four-month refurbishment. The 160-year-old store, on O’Connell Street, ceased trading in July due to extensive storm damage. Clerys told Drapers it had sought to retain as much of the original interior as possible, and the historic ceilings, which had previously been covered, are now exposed. Fashion on the up at Sainsbury’s Clothing sales at Sainsbury’s continued to grow at about twice the rate of food sales during the supermarket’s first half, as it reported a 7% increase in profits. In the 28 weeks to September 28, total sales, including VAT and fuel, rose 4.4% to £13.95bn as like-for-like sales increased 1.4%. Fox Williams lays down the law Law firm Fox Williams is holding its annual fashion law seminar on November 26 at 10 Dominion Street, east London. The event, which is free to attend, features a number of speakers who will discuss agency, distributorship and franchise agreements. To register, contact events@foxwillams.com with your name and company. Back to school for retail managers Former Fat Face chairman Alan Giles and Joules founder Tom Joule will be among the speakers at next year’s Oxford Summer School Masters programme. They will advise students on a number of topics as part of the course, which runs from March 10 to 13 at Saïd Business School, Oxford. The Masters programme is aimed at owners of independent stores, senior store managers and regional managers. NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

News

News in brief Asos switches on Chinese site Asos has launched its muchanticipated Chinese website, taking the etail giant into its eighth territory. The local language site, asos.com/cn, will be priced in Chinese RMB and offer localised fast delivery services and returns, bespoke editorial content, culturally relevant newsletters and tailored social media outlets. Asos will have more than 6,000 items across menswear and womenswear available by 2014, although initially it will only sell its own brand. Schuh steps up warehouse space Schuh will open a new European distribution centre in Bathgate, Scotland, next summer. The 245,000 sq ft warehouse will create more than 50 jobs over the next five years. The space acquired is five times larger than the retailer’s current warehouse space at Neilson Square, Livingston, which will remain open. Séraphine delivers its third store Maternitywear brand Séraphine has opened its third London boutique at 45 Marylebone High Street, a 510 sq ft store that features parquet flooring, high ceilings and crystal chandeliers. Séraphine has stores in Kensington and Hampstead and plans to open a shop in south London and a branch in New York in 2014. Katrantzou to open etail flagship Designer label Mary Katrantzou is to launch a transactional website on November 18. The online shop will act as the womenswear label’s “first flagship store” and will house the full autumn 13 collection as well as selling 45 exclusive, limited edition pieces from the designer’s debut resort collection for spring 14. M&S to double India store count Marks & Spencer is planning to more than double its retail presence in India over the next two years. The retailer is targeting about 80 stores by 2016, up from its current 36, which it will build through partner Reliance Retail as it looks to make India its biggest single territory outside the UK. Accolade for Drapers jobs site Drapers’ online recruitment site Drapers Jobs this week won the Best Online Recruitment by a Trade Publication title at the 13th annual National Online Recruitment Awards. The site was voted for by the job candidates that use it. Up to 2,500 jobs are listed at any time on www.drapersjobs.com.

Drapers / November 16 2013

Crocs vows to reconnect with fans By Jill Geoghegan

Footwear brand Crocs is hoping to “rebuild connections” with its original fans through a new range of shoes as it looks to european markets to drive improvements to its global revenues. Last week Crocs revealed a 2.4% drop in worldwide sales to $7.1m (£4.4m) for the three months to September 30, citing declines in Japan and the Americas. Gross profit also fell 4.6% to $153.6m (£95.4m). However, the company told Drapers it experienced double-digit growth across its wholesale accounts in the UK during the period. Stockists include Schuh and Debenhams. Crocs’ huarache-style strappy sandals – which were introduced for spring 13 – and boat shoe collection

Snappy performer: Crocs boat shoes

both “far exceeded expectations” for the three months to September 30, fuelling growth of 64.5% to £17m in the wholesale division across europe. retail revenue in the territory, which includes the UK, also rose £4.62m to £11.79m.

european managing director vince Gunn told Drapers the UK performance “continued to defy the tough economic environment”. “our core objective is to grow wholesale through our existing customer base by introducing them to our new styles and ranges such as the boat shoes,” he said. “We need to get across that we are not just a summer season product. In russia we are known for our winter boots, so getting that message across elsewhere is key. Crocs’ figures show its european division has grown revenues every quarter since october 2011, which Gunn said was “really something to celebrate.” He added: “our percentage share of total sales across the global business has increased.”

US stores are next on Hackett hit list after opening of London flagship By Jill Geoghegan

Hackett plans to open its first US stores next year following the launch of a flagship store on regent Street this week. The classic british menswear brand is aiming to break into the US market for autumn 14 via both standalone stores and department store concessions, with a focus on its premium range. vicente Castellano, director general of Hackett, told Drapers: “For the US we have to go in at a high level. The sportswear arena is not for us in that market. We will need to lead with our mayfair collection, which is our formal suiting. We are working on our autumn 14 range and that could be the right time to make the move.” He said a store on madison Avenue in New York would be the “right fit” for the brand. There are also plans to partner with department stores barneys, Saks Fifth Avenue, bloomingdale’s and macy’s. The 8,934 sq ft London flagship is intended to act as a showcase for the brand and is aimed at both the local market and tourists. “We’ve made a big investment

Capital investment: Hackett is paying £1.6m a year for the store on Regent Street

but it feels right,” said Castellano. It is hoped the store will act as a calling card for international visitors, especially from Asia, where Castellano said british menswear was “particularly attractive, given the history and heritage of tailoring here [in the UK]. We will capitalise on the people visiting London who know our brand from their home market but can now see the strength of the Hackett lifestyle label.” Following the regent Street opening on November 15, Hackett is

targeting a number of international openings, including a standalone shop in barcelona in December and venezuela, Peru and Chile for the first time next year. It will also add two stores in Singapore, the first of which will open before Christmas, as well as a further five or six stores in China next year. At present Hackett has four stores in mainland China and two in Hong Kong. In the UK it has 17 stores and 107 stockists.

New Look focuses on international markets By Catherine Neilan

New Look’s chief executive has said Poland, Germany, China and russia will be at least as big as the UK market for the retailer, as its turnaround gathers pace. The fast-fashion business this week reported a strong first half, with sales growing 6% to £753.2m during the 26 weeks to September 28. Its pre-tax profit of £13.8m reversed the £13.6m loss made over the same period last year. UK sales rose 5% to £579.4m, while online sales – including via third parties such as Asos – rocketed 78.8%. The turnaround comes 11 months into chief executive Anders Kristiansen’s tenure at New Look, during which time the business has refinanced its £800m debt, made sweeping changes to its senior management and implemented a new pricing strategy, more than halving the number of Sales it runs each year from 12 to five and adopting a ‘good, better, best’ approach to product. The profits will be reinvested to subsidise value-level product to make it even cheaper, “so that customers don’t lose perception of what we are as a company – and that is a value retailer”, said Kristiansen. New Look’s management team has also enhanced its international strategy, shifting focus away from territories such as Azerbaijan and

In festive mood: Kristiansen is confident about the retailer’s Christmas product

Kazakhstan – which Kristiansen said “can never be game changers” – towards Poland, Germany, China and russia, “all of which can be as big as the UK or bigger”. Drapers previously reported that New Look had secured eight store leases in China for a spring launch, but it is now planning to open 20 stores in the country by the end of next year. Kristiansen said New Look would be concentrated in clusters around beijing and Shanghai. He also plans to expand New Look’s physical presence in Poland, Germany and russia, having

identified growing demand through online sales. International orders made up 7% of takings from its own site, but around two-thirds of its turnover came from Asos. The refocusing of New Look’s international expansion follows the appointment of bernhard ruf as managing director of international. ruf joined from stationery retailer Staples in September. Although noting that current trading was “challenging”, Kristiansen said he was confident in “our product, our website, our stores and our people”.

Barbour International revs into London By Emily Norval

british heritage brand barbour has opened the first store for its barbour International sub-brand, under a 10-year lease in central London. The 3,000 sq ft store occupies two floors in St James’s Gateway, situated between Piccadilly and Jermyn Street. The store features a timeline detailing the barbour International heritage, vintage motorcycles and video installations of famous riders. barbour national sales and

marketing director Ian beattie said: “by introducing barbour International as a sub-brand, it offers our wholesale customers a choice of either country or biker style.” The motorcycle-themed International range for men and women has featured as part of barbour’s offer since 1936 but has been expanded in recent years with capsule collections such as the Steve mcQueen line. It counts Harrods, Asos and premium indie Jules b among its stockists.

Motorcycle gang: the store tells the history of the Barbour sub-brand

Boomerang lands first UK store Swedish casualwear brand boomerang is opening its first UK store this weekend at 7 West Street in Farnham, Surrey. opening today (November 16), it will be initially run as a pop-up, with 807 sq ft at the front of the shop. An additional 635 sq ft will open in February, and the business’s wholesale arm will be managed from a 1,141 sq ft space on site, which will be converted into showrooms and offices later next year. boomerang, which was founded in 1976, has 10 UK stockists including Studio 148 in Teddington, southwest London, and Landmark in marlow, buckinghamshire. In europe it has 282 stockists and 34 standalone stores. “We’ve been looking at Farnham for some time but it’s taken a while to find the perfect unit,” said Dan Cutler, director of boomerang Stores UK. “We are confident that now is the right time to create a retail opportunity for the brand.”

LK Bennett in online expansion LK bennett is to roll out transactional websites in France and Spain following the success of its US online launch in February. The british womenswear retailer, which set up its UK website in 2006, is looking to expand its ecommerce platform across europe, beginning with local language sites in France, where it has two standalones and 12 concessions, and Spain, where it has six concessions. Customer relations manager Claire Goodman said: “our next focus is europe. The US and Canadian site is ticking along nicely so it makes sense to bring the platform across to other areas.” LK bennett, which has 114 stores and one wholesale stockist in the UK, is also looking at the online markets in China and Australia. Goodman added: “We have great wholesale accounts in China, the Far east and Australia, so we are exploring the idea of launching online sites there. Using customer reaction to our wholesale clients is a great way to grasp the market.” November 16 2013 /

Drapers

News

Tommy Nutter in By Jill Geoghegan

Scottish power: the event attracted 1,000 visitors over its two days

Great Scots showcased By Jill Geoghegan

Fashion showcase Scotland re:Designed reported a surge in attendance after bringing its fifth edition to edinburgh. Attendance at the consumer and trade exhibition, which celebrates the creative and manufacturing output of both established and emerging Scottish designers, doubled to 1,000 visitors over the two-day event on November 7 and 8. Part of the National Textiles Conference for the first time this season, Scotland re:Designed featured an extended programme of workshops and Q&A sessions with industry experts, in response to demand from previous visitors. Guest speakers included buyers from Liberty, Harrods, Topman and Debenhams. Scotland re:Designed founder

and director Chris Hunt said: “It’s essential for us to support young talent and it’s great to see designers working closely with buyers to develop the skills and confidence they need to make it in this industry.” Liberty menswear buyer ben Andrew praised the quality of those showcased, highlighting luxury knitwear label esk among others. He said: “It’s so important to raise the profile of Scottish designers in particular as manufacturing [here] is in such high demand, but given the small size of the industry it’s so difficult to get collections produced.” Scotland re:Designed also awarded a prize as part of its new talent competition promoting Scottish fashion. Womenswear designer mairi mcDonald took home this year’s prize at the event.

The Tommy Nutter brand is to be relaunched as a bespoke tailoring service following Nutters of Savile row owner David mason’s successful legal bid to use the Tommy Nutter name. Tailoring entrepreneur mason this week won a 13-year battle against Crombie boss Alan Lewis over the use of the name of the late Savile row tailor Tommy Nutter, who before his death in 1992 dressed the likes of mick Jagger and elton John. The High Court upheld a decision made by the UK Intellectual Property office in February to revoke Crombie’s use of the name Tommy Nutter and award it to Nutters Holdings. mason told Drapers he would maintain the Nutters label for his ready-to-wear collections and collaborations, but plans to rebrand his bespoke tailoring service under the name Tommy Nutter from his premises in montague Square, marylebone.

‘It has been a long journey but the history is essential for our brand’ David Mason, owner, Nutters of Savile Row

Well suited: Nutters of Savile Row name will be retained for ready-to-wear range

mason said: “It has been a long journey but the history is absolutely essential for our brand. Tommy Nutter is a legendary figure on Savile row and it’s just a shame the name has been at the centre of this legal battle for so long. It would be nice to do something with it rather than arguing over it.” This week’s judgment upheld the ruling in February, when Crombie was ordered to pay costs of more than £3,000. Dismissing the appeal,

Pyrus founders launch younger sister brand By Victoria Gallagher

The design duo behind premium womenswear brand Pyrus have created a new contemporary brand. Juniper rose is soft launching for spring 14 initially as a 30-piece range of tops designed by Ash and Lorraine Johnson, before expanding to a full autumn 14 launch. The autumn range will comprise 40 pieces including dresses, jackets and trousers. Charlotte russell, head of sales for Juniper rose and Pyrus, said the new brand was “more contemporary” than its sister label. 6

Drapers / November 16 2013

In bloom: Juniper Rose has a more contemporary look with a boho feel

“The collection is much more boho, it is going back to embellishment, embroidery and special details,” she said. Wholesale prices start at £19 for a cotton top to £40 for outerwear. Pyrus ranges from £25 to £140. “It appeals to a slightly younger customer,” russell added. “The shopper buying Juniper rose is the customer buying the lower end of maison Scotch and Selected Femme ranges.” Juniper rose has signed eight stockists for spring 13 including Anthropologie and womenswear

independents Stanwells in Lymington, Hampshire and The Dressing room in St Albans. The brand is aiming to double its stockist number for autumn 14. “The extended collection will open the brand up to more department store chains and multiple accounts,” said russell. “eventually you do need to have a bigger lifestyle collection to merchandise.” The brand will be exhibited at womenswear show Pure London, which takes place at London olympia from February 9-11.

bespoke return return

the High Court ruled that the “minimal activity” of Crombie was a “token effort” rather than a genuine attempt to use the trademark. The judge said Crombie’s subsequent attempts to sell the rights it had registered to third parties did not give it the legal right to maintain the registration. It also found Crombie had no common-law rights to the Tommy Nutter name, concluding it did not have a relevant commercial connection.

Crombie has 21 days to appeal the decision and take the case to the Court of Appeal. If the ruling is upheld again, Crombie can then take the case to the Supreme Court. Lewis, who was bailed last month after being arrested following allegations of rape dating back to the 1960s, owns Crombie through his J&J Crombie business. A statement issued by the company said: “J&J Crombie will continue to defend its historic and current rights and goodwill to the Tommy Nutter brand in all markets, and will seek permission to appeal the recent local UK judgment.” Nutters of Savile row currently offers a bespoke tailoring service and a ready-to-wear collaboration collection with Peter Werth. The 22-piece range, which debuted for autumn 13, was prompted by the film Northern Soul, on which Nutters and Peter Werth both worked on wardrobe and production. The collaborative range has a strong silhouette employing Nutters’ trademark large lapels and wide-leg trousers. Soft and unstructured jersey knit fabrics have been used in the design as a nod to Peter Werth’s background as a knitwear manufacturer. retail prices range from £120 for a tailored-fit shirt to £895 for a double-breasted overcoat.

Helen Moore ups spring range to meet demand By Jill Geoghegan

british faux-fur accessories brand Helen moore is to extend its offer for spring 14 following “overwhelming interest” from both shoppers and wholesale customers. The family-run business, which supplies more than 750 stockists in the UK, will introduce a limited edition capsule range for spring 14, which will be available to order from January. The collection will include collars and draping stoles in a range of soft pastels and bright colours. It follows a company rebranding this autumn, from its old name of moore and moore, to tie in with the launch of a business website, trade.helenmoore.com, in August. The site gives stockists the ability to place orders online with an ‘add to basket’ function. They can also view all products and fabrics using video and high-resolution pictures. owner Helen moore said: “This is important for the smaller

Mane event: Helen Moore aims to make ordering easier for stockists

boutique owner who can now order outside of normal business hours. It is useful that the trade site offers the facility of downloading high-resolution images and instant access to current prices and stock availability.” Stockists include Selfridges, Anthropologie and independent boutiques bottega in Tarporley, Cheshire and belinda robertson in edinburgh.

This story was broken online. For more news, visit Drapersonline.com

Teatum Jones adds stockists abroad Premium womenswear brand Teatum Jones has secured stockists in Qatar, New York and russia for the first time for spring 14 as well as a further account in Saudi Arabia. The british-made label, founded in 2010 by designers Catherine Teatum and rob Jones, has also secured Fortnum & mason to take on its scarves. It now has five UK stockists, all in London, with The Dorchester hotel shop, Liberty and independents rtister and rous Iland the other four. The new stockists come after “a personal campaign”, where the duo targeted buyers and stores

in specific markets, Jones said. Teatum added: “We’d been blanketing everyone and we realised we could reap the benefits of a more focused target list.” The duo are looking to old fabric techniques for inspiration for their autumn 14 collection, which they hope will entice more stockists. “We’re looking for something with an online profile like Net-a-Porter or matches,” said Jones, also citing Paris and New York as targets. “We’ve really focused on getting our production right and finessing our delivery to take on bigger international stores,” he said.

peruVian connection plants flaG in london

US retailer Peruvian Connection opened its first UK flagship store last weekend. The 1,134 sq ft shop at 322 King’s Road in London sells womenswear made from fibres such as alpaca and pima cotton. Prices start at £25 for a T-shirt with alpaca dresses from £149. It previously had a store in Henley-on-Thames.

November 16 2013 /

Drapers

Your design ambition. Our international expertise. Meet major buyers, potential partners and key contacts to help you grow your business overseas.

Find out more and sign up to our mission programmes in design, retail, luxury, food and drink at www.greatweeks.co.uk Union Jack Dress House of Hannigan

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DRAPERS INDEPENDENTS AWARDS 2013

Our indie winners

Fashion’s finest independents and brands were in the spotlight last week

Lifetime Achievement Award Eveningwear veteran Irving Goodman with Drapers’ Eric Musgrave

Best New Business Michael Hughes from Tom Hughes and Bira presented the award to Bristol-based Fox + Feather’s Ian and Clare Serjeant, and Scott McDougall

Best Store Design Tessuti Group’s David Light handed the trophy to the team from OD’s in St Helens

Best Independent Multichannel Operator Sponsor Redfish Group’s Marcus Thrall alongside Chocolate Clothing owner David Conaghan from Derry

Fashion Agency or Distributor of the Year Maureen Cookson’s Hilary Cookson gave the trophy to Chiltern Street Studio’s Denise Tavernier and Jane Wilson

Lifestyle Independent of the Year Sarah Morgan from sponsor Marc Cain presented the award to Mark and Becci Cornelius from Ann’s Cottage Surf Shops in Cornwall

Young Fashion Brand of the Year Deryane Tadd from The Dressing Room in St Albans handed the trophy to Little Mistress’s Mark Ashton and Nicola Cunningham

Young Fashion Independent of the Year Drapers’ Ana Santi with Blair Daniel and Kevin Lonie from Concept Clothing in Aberdeen

Womenswear Brand of the Year Joseph Ribkoff’s Shaun Costello and Mark Rowe picked up the trophy from Annie Furbank of the Anne Furbank Group

Womenswear Independent of the Year Rinku Loomba from sponsor Viz-a-Viz handed over the prize to the Young Ideas team from Ashbourne and Derby

Menswear Brand of the Year Frank Lyman, founder of the eponymous womenswear label, presented the award to the Gant team

Premium Fashion Brand of the Year Tim Johnson of sponsor Visualsoft eCommerce gave the trophy to Thomas Herter and Nina Kron from Marc Cain, who were joined on stage by UK agent Sarah Morgan and Tracey Johnson

Premium Fashion Independent of the Year Daniel Cook from sponsor Aigle handed the prize to the Jane Davidson team from Edinburgh

Independent Retailer of the Year Guest speaker Richard Bradbury (centre) presented the overall winner award to Anne Wright and her Young Ideas team

HOSTESS SPONSOR

Most popular search engines in China

Weibo 58%

Pengyou 41%

Renren 27%

Douban 26%

Internet browsing by device

Soso 2% Sogou 3%

Mobile phone 78.5%

Google 16%

Desktop 69.5%

ONLINE BANK TRANSFER 11%

TENPAY 21%

The biggest online shopping event in China is Bachelor’s Day

NOVEMBER

The majority of mobile internet users are aged 18 to 35. 13% of all mobile internet users are over the age of 40

Laptop 46.9%

Baidu 79%

SOURCE: IPROSPECT

Currently around a third shop online

It is forecast that half of the population will shop online by 2015 20

Drapers / NOVEMBER 16 2013

of China’s online shoppers read and post reviews. This is more than double the number in the US

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ounded in 2007 by chairman Jamie Jackson, The APACSALE Group is now the largest private shopping club in Australasia. Essentially a business-to-business solution for UK and European brands, the club provides a means for global brands to dispose of excess stock discreetly to a closed membership base in new and emerging markets. Jackson pioneered this channel of distribution in Australasia, known as ‘flash Sales’, and under The APACSALE Group has hosted more than 50,000 flash Sales for more than 2,000 different brand partners across eight core categories, including women’s, children’s and men’s fashion, homewares, toys, health and beauty, footwear and accessories, and wine. “With every flash Sale promoted to a membership base of more than 9 million, our brand partners have daily access to an active audience that is both fashion savvy and on the lookout for an amazing deal on their favourite brands and products,” says Jackson. “Put simply, we are the Vente-privee of Australasia, allowing UK brands to tap into the

exciting new Southern hemisphere markets to offload excess inventory outside of their UK and European markets. “our members are highly engaged, active, loyal and big spenders who want UK fashion brands. We keep our members happy because they get amazing deals on amazing brands and we keep our brand partners happy because they have a discreet environment to dispose of their excess product.” The APACSALE Group is a truly global business, operating in six countries across four continents, employing more than 400 staff who dispatch in

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excess of 20,000 orders internationally every day, processing 2,500 orders per hour, and processing 500,000 items per week. Closer to home in the UK, the company’s state of the art digital studio is in action around the clock and the fully integrated warehouse and distribution centre employs more than 50 people to ensure The APACSALE Group remains the complete business solution internationally, and the answer to your excess inventory concerns. “We also have buyers in London, Florence and Los Angeles who are always looking for amazing new pieces and brands that will excite our members. Watch us in action on our largest website ozsale.com.au now and contact me by emailing drapers@apacsale.com to discuss opportunities for your brand to join The APACSALE Group; and start exposing your brand to 9.25 million loyal shoppers in the Southern hemisphere today,” says Jackson. The APACSALE Group’s websites are: Ozsale.com.au / Nzsale.co.nz / Singsale.com.sg / Thaisale.co.th / Mysale.my / Mysale.ph / Buyinvite.com.au / Buyinvite.co.nz

CATArINA MIDBy, H&M I ethical fashion

&M might be one of the largest clothing retailers in the world, but the Swedish fast-fashion giant doesn’t view itself as a throwaway fix – instead it takes its ethical credentials seriously. In fact H&M, which has been working on ethical initiatives since the early 1990s, has now set itself the goal that by 2020, 100% of the cotton it uses will be from sustainable sources. “Sustainably sourced fabrics have been a big part of H&M’s drive,” explains Catarina Midby, head of fashion and sustainability. In order to meet its target the retailer will use fabrics from the Better Cotton Initiative – a scheme promoting good cotton-growing practices that reduce water and chemical use and protect working conditions and biodiversity – along with organic and recycled cotton. With its two decades of investment in producing eco-friendly fabrics, over the past five years H&M has developed methods to make recycled polyester and has created its own crêpes, silks, organzas and chiffons. “These take a little bit more effort but we have worked a lot on this,” says Midby. “Not least on our Conscious Exclusive collection [H&M’s premium line of its Conscious sustainable range], where we have worked even harder trying to make really nice fashion fabrics to make Conscious products attractive to our customers.” She adds: “If we can make fashion at a high level out of these materials, that is the way to change things. We can also lead the way for other people because we are a big company and have people working full-time on sourcing new fabrics, and maybe smaller companies don’t have the power to do this. If we develop these fabrics then they will be available for everyone and it will make the industry healthier.” H&M launcHed its Conscious collection in 2007. For spring 13, it extended the range to encompass red carpet-inspired Conscious Exclusive, which debuted for spring 13 and retails from £7.99 for T-shirts up to £39.99 for dresses. Due to H&M’s continued investment in developing fabrics the collections have expanded, and for spring 14 the Conscious Exclusive range will feature organic silk and leather for the first time. In addition, H&M has also been supporting charity WaterAid since 2002 and each summer sells an exclusive swimwear collection from which 25% of the proceeds are donated to WaterAid. For Christmas it is donating 5% of gift card purchases to the WaterAid campaign to buy clean water for families in Bangladesh. The country has been at the forefront of many people’s thoughts this year after factory collapses and fires. H&M, which purchases clothes from suppliers in Bangladesh, signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh aimed at preventing future disasters, although it did not use any of the factories involved in this year’s

Fair-minded

H&M’s Catarina Midby explains how its sustainable initiatives aim to end the culture of throwaway fashion Words by Victoria gallagher Photography by richard cannon

tragedies. “We do a lot of work in Bangladesh,” says Midby. “We are talking to its government to try to raise the minimum wage, have phone lines for women to educate them on their rights and also have education for women to help them learn how to become seamstresses.” The retailer manufactures across the world in countries including India, Turkey and Poland. Another strand of its sustainable strategy involves H&M paying incredibly close attention to the life cycle of a garment. It discovered that 36% of its garments’ total impact on the world’s climate is down to how the product is washed, ironed and dried. To try to reduce this, H&M has spent the past three years working with Swiss care label business Ginetex to create a ‘clevercare’ symbol for all of

its garment labels to encourage consumers to care for the environment when washing their clothes. “We’ve also thought about the end of the life for the garment and have teamed up with I:Co, the company which does our garment collecting,” says Midby. In H&M stores there is a box for customers to drop off old clothes in return for a £5 voucher. “We use 97% of what we collect; we send them to secondhand and charity shops but also produce house insulation, create rags, recycle and make new clothes and fabrics,” she says. In March, H&M will launch a denim range called Close the Loop (with retail prices starting at £19.99), made from the garments it has collected. Midby says: “This is the way I can see it going, turning clothes into something you can use rather than just throwing them away.” NovEMBEr 16 2013 /

Drapers

the drapers interview I millard ‘mickey’ drexler

hen J crew opened its much-anticipated store on regent Street last Friday morning, snaking queues of shoppers duly formed in the street outside. Not that chief executive and chairman millard ‘mickey’ drexler was particularly interested. “i don’t care about first-day queues – ever,” he told Drapers two days before the opening. “i care about the longer term.” drexler is confident he can satisfy customers with a product offer not seen anywhere else, not even in the Uk, where the high streets are often referred to as the most competitive in the world. The J crew Group has 445 stores – 259 J crew, 65 madewell (another womenswear chain) and 121 factory outlets. most are in the US, with nine J crew stores in canada and three in the Uk. “The Uk, New york, america – there’s nowhere that’s not competitive any more,” he insists. “The world is over-stored, it’s over-clothed in assortment, there’s too much available and too many choices.” The answer, says drexler, lies in getting the balance right between value, quality and design. “i think the world is homogenous, ubiquity is prevalent and J crew fights that battle quite well,” he says. “if you want to buy J crew in a store in the Uk – or all of europe right now – this is the only place. We’re quirky, we’re emotional. let’s face it, if you need to just dress yourself you can go anywhere. you can go to Primark or chanel or every place in between. but if you want to have what we offer, which i think is unique, with a great design and value component, you shop at J crew.” although J crew delivers on quality and design, critics are concerned about its pricing architecture. men’s flannel shirts retail for around £120, while a pair of printed women’s silk trousers are £278. “it will not be easy to convince british consumers to indulge in featherweight cardigans verging on £200,” says ashma kunde, apparel analyst at euromonitor international. “The company faced a huge backlash from canadian consumers in 2011 when they discovered prices were almost 50% higher in canada. large price discrepancies are unlikely to go down well with price-savvy consumers in the Uk, especially with the proliferation of online shopping.” Drapers understands J crew hasn’t just switched the dollar sign for the pound on the swing ticket, as has been reported. a statement from the company says: “We price our products at a rate that is fair and commensurate with the level of materials and craftsmanship involved and we also have to take into consideration various taxes, duties and operational charges that vary from country to country. it is an inescapable fact that these costs in the Uk are significantly higher than in the US.” but as drexler says, “customers are driving to a large degree what something is worth today”, so the proof will be in the tills. in addition to J crew’s womenswear, menswear and kidswear line crewcuts, the 24

Drapers / November 16 2013

‘We’re unique’ J Crew boss Millard Drexler tells Drapers why product will ensure the success of the US retailer’s London flagship Words by ANA SANTI Photography by IAN MACAULAY

Man for all seasons: Mickey Drexler is more interested in the long-term future of J Crew’s London flagship than in short-term hype

regent Street store offers a range of third-party brands and has emphasised the british labels among its offering, with “woven in the british isles” or “made in the West of england” appearing on the lining of men’s suit jackets. Jamie milestone, founder and head designer of british umbrella brand london Undercover, says being stocked in the regent Street store will help the brand reach a female customer base. “We’re already in the US with J crew and the new store launch will help us build our presence in the Uk. Teaming up with J crew has allowed us to grow financially and we’re hoping to drive footfall to our own store in Spitalfields.” ann ryley, marketing director at Scottish knitwear business begg & co, says: “J crew really embraces authentic british brands and it’s great to be associated with them.” So is drexler. as he leaves to be interviewed by the bbc, he reiterates that first-day queues aren’t important: “i care about a lot of really satisfied, happy customers. call me in two months and i’ll let you know how it’s going.” November 16 2013 /

Drapers

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INTRODUCTION I LUXURY FOCUS

In association with

British shoppers continue to aspire towards luxury Sheila King

When Drapers launched its annual Luxury Report last year, the backdrop was less than perfect for a sector that, until then, had been pretty robust. Burberry and Mulberry had issued profit warnings, LMVH reported a slowdown in third-quarter growth and China’s economic boom was also slowing. But the sentiment among the brands and retailers we surveyed as part of the report Ana Santi was overwhelmingly positive, with just a hint of caution. One year Deputy editor, Drapers later, and the luxury sector appears characteristically stable once more, despite China’s economy still causing some concern. This year, instead of an industry survey, we polled 2,000 luxury consumers to find what is driving shopping behaviour. The findings raised some interesting questions around provenance, with 60% saying where a product came from wasn’t important, while 58% also said they wouldn’t be put off buying a product that was made in China. In fact the most important factor when it came to buying was fit, followed by quality. When these findings were discussed in our luxury roundtable breakfast, the conclusion around these results was that consumers care about the story behind the brand, what it stands for, how it fits and the level of quality – rather than where it is manufactured. A strong brand and product, we decided, were key. Luckily, unlike economic slowdowns, these are factors businesses like yours can control. To download the Luxury Report, go to www.drapersonline.com/luxury.

Nishma Robb

Chief marketing and client officer at digital marketing agency iProspect

As the global recovery has strengthened this year, the luxury industry has enjoyed greater levels of success. This success is being driven by evolving consumer habits, digital adoption and accelerated globalisation. In this changing environment it is more important than ever to understand the successes, opportunities, behaviours and

attitudes of those consumers. Luxury consumers demand a seamless, consistent experience both off and online, with the same attention to detail, userfriendliness and high levels of customer service. Brands competing in the luxury space must adapt or suffer decreasing sales and fading relevance. The PC, and now mobile devices, have changed the way consumers research, buy and interact with a brand. Engaging content is one way in which brands including Burberry, Swarovski and Louis Vuitton are interacting with customers and creating a personal voice. And with new emerging platforms and integrated ecommerce sites, luxury brands are now combining not just

written content such as reviews, tweets and posts, but also video and live streaming and commerce for consumers. Heritage and craftsmanship are highly cherished by luxury brands and their consumers. Rather than diminishing these values, digital marketing has a strong, integrated role to play with offline channels to enhance and position brands. From this research, it is clear that luxury consumers are embracing the convergence of the online and offline purchasing journey. They value the opportunity to read reviews, see celebrity images and view catwalk shows online, and choose whether they purchase in store or at their leisure via their PC or mobile device. This is a trend that we can expect to see accelerating as we move into 2014.

Leasing director, new business at retail property firm Hammerson

Many commentators heralded the recession as the end of consumers’ love of luxury. However, while purchases are now much more considered, consumers are still more than happy to add to their wardrobes and make-up bags with luxury brands. We’ve all become smarter shoppers and being savvy about how and where you spend has even permeated the luxury market. It’s not only consumers that have adopted a more considered outlook. Luxury retailers are also carefully scrutinising their store sites. It is a major investment to open a flagship and the major UK cities are now competing on a global level to attract retailers. There has to be something exceptional about the destination and a critical mass of luxury stores clustered together is becoming ever more vital. While London remains a popular luxury shopping destination with tourists, there is good news for regional growth as retailers are not overlooking the key catchments around big UK cities, where there is still a growing desire from consumers to update outfits regularly with luxury accessories. What’s clear from the report is that the UK still leads the world when it comes to department stores, as they top the list of locations where luxury goods are purchased. We’ve seen major investment in the quality of the stores and there is a real desire to attract the best premium brands. This report highlights the growing opportunity for luxury destinations and retailers that can capture consumers’ loyalty through an exceptional in-store and online experience – which we’re keen to make the most of.

NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

LUXURY FOCUS I LOCATION

Brands of all sizes are on the lookout for the next luxury retail hot spots in the UK’s major cities

Words by JAMES KNOWLES

uxury brands are always searching for the next international market to conquer, but there are pockets of untapped potential closer to home in the UK and Europe that could prove just as rewarding as more exotic locations. That potential is illustrated by the latest results of the large luxury groups. In the five months to September 12, sales at Richemont – which owns Net-a-Porter, Dunhill and Chloé among others – rose 10% in Europe and the Middle East compared with 4% in the Far East. Richemont said in a statement: “Good growth in Hong Kong and Macau [was] offset by lower sales in mainland China, largely reflecting a prudent consumer sentiment after several years of exceptional expansion.” By comparison, sales performance was high in Europe due to tourist spending. Similarly, sales at rival luxury group Kering – whose brands include Gucci, Christopher Kane and Stella McCartney – were up 2.5% in the first half of 2013 in western Europe, which remains its largest market and accounts for 31% of revenue, compared with 26% in the Asia-Pacific region, although sales there grew 3.4% in the same period. French luxury brand house LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs and Thomas Pink, reported a sales rise of 6% to €13.7bn (£11.5bn) in the first half of 2013. It said sales in Europe had been “resilient”, while Chinese customers of Louis Vuitton were snapping the brand up in Europe and overseas, rather than in China. Honor Westnedge, analyst at Verdict Research, says: “Despite weakness across the eurozone in countries such as Greece, Ireland, Spain and Italy, luxury houses have still achieved sales growth in the European region over the past few years, finding it to be a fairly stable market. We expect this to continue over the next five years. “It is the strong influx of international visitors that has buoyed the luxury market in the region. The fragility of the British pound appealed to overseas shoppers visiting the country, encouraging spend on luxury goods, with visits and spend from citizens of China, Russia, Brazil, Singapore, Nigeria and Thailand growing.” However, in the UK it is not just London’s prime sites on Bond Street, Oxford Street or Regent Street that benefit. Sheila King, leasing director, new business for retail landlord Hammerson, says there is an overspill into the surrounding streets in terms of demand: “Property costs are high in London, so it is spreading out. There are lots of new luxury shopping destinations popping up as a result.” Secondary sites in the capital such as Mount Street, Brompton Cross, St James’s, Dover Street, 28

Drapers / NOVEMBER 16 2013

THE HOME

TRUNK, MAYFAIR

Albemarle Street and South Molton Street have seen a rise in demand for units. Last year, Céline and Oscar de la Renta opened stores on Mount Street, and Temperley London opened on Bruton Street. Mats Klingberg opened his menswear store Trunk Clothiers on Chiltern Street in 2010. “I wanted to be somewhere central that was in one of the main retail destinations. Cost was a big factor too. It wouldn’t have gone so well if rents were what they are in other parts of London,” he says. IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT LONDON THOUGH, as the key regional cities are also high on the agenda for luxury brands. King says the most important thing is to find the right location. Hammerson last year acquired the Victoria Quarter in Leeds, which is anchored by Harvey Nichols, and is developing the city’s Victoria Gate scheme. According to King, units in the city are in demand among high-end brands. She says: “Leeds lost its way but it is now coming back and we’re looking at putting premium and luxury brands all under one roof. I think that in the UK, with the bigger regional centres and cities, you have much more of an opportunity to manage the environment. We’re really focused on making sure we get the experience right, the environment right, the parking right. It’s all important. “In London individual landlords are focused on rents and aren’t concerned about the whole

STELLA MCCARTNEY, MAYFAIR

In association with

FRONT

VICTORIA QUARTER & VICTORIA GATE, LEEDS

ALAMY

MOUNT STREET, LONDON

shopping environment. Whereas in a managed environment you have much more control of your tenant mix.” Scottish scarf brand Begg & Co is stocked by independents such as Trunk and Jane Davidson in Edinburgh – a city which is experiencing increased interest from luxury brands, according to Begg & Co’s sales and marketing director, Ann Ryley: “If you look at Edinburgh it is the same, with Harvey Nichols and the growth of George Street and Multrees Walk. Brands like Louis Vuitton and Mulberry have clustered around there and it has brought the whole area up.” Outside London, retail units tend to be smaller, and King says the requirements of luxury brands and retailers differ. “In London, brands want to showcase [their ranges], especially luxury ones such as Burberry or Watches of Switzerland, which took 17,000 sq ft in Regent Street, for example. They tend to want the larger stores. But when you go out to the regions or to the bigger cities luxury brands want to showcase more accessories, cosmetics, and smaller products. That’s what we’re finding with Victoria Quarter [in Leeds] because the units are 500 sq ft.” Christopher Di Pietro, marketing and merchandising director for Vivienne Westwood – which in addition to the Victoria Quarter has shops in Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham and Cardiff – agrees: “Outside London we very much have to focus on the product, because you don’t have the big properties.”

He says the large luxury groups buying up properties in central London are squeezing out the smaller players from the hottest locations. For King, the appeal of setting up shop outside London is clear: “It is very difficult to get into central London. It can become very expensive very quickly. And that is why I think there is an opportunity for them to go to other cities in the UK. So it’s just looking at lots of locations and maybe testing them with pop-ups.” However, Adam Fenwick, group managing director of department store business Fenwick, warns trading is tougher outside the capital. “We have 11 stores around the country and there is

HARVEY NICHOLS, EDINBURGH

a significant difference in commercial performance between what is happening in London – a city state almost – and what is happening in the rest of the UK. We’ve got a big business in Newcastle, we’re in places like York, and the economic realities in some of those markets are very different. The central London market is supported by tourist money.” LOOKING FURTHER AFIELD, Westnedge says while mature markets such as the UK, France and Germany will continue to account for a sizeable proportion of luxury spend in the European region, future opportunities will be driven by growth markets in central and eastern Europe, such as Poland and the Ukraine: “Poland’s stable economy, growing tourism industry and increasing adoption of the latest trends create an attractive destination for luxury retailers to target – especially since the current luxury market is relatively small compared with the size of the country and the population. So brands should react fairly quickly and get a foothold in the market ahead of competitors. “Russia is forecast to be one of the key driving forces behind stronger growth in Europe in the coming five years. While Russia has a fairly mature luxury market, there is solid growth potential providing it can convince its domestic luxury shoppers to spend at home rather than overseas.” So while Asian expansion will undoubtedly remain key for luxury brands and retailers, it looks certain that those same businesses will also focus their efforts on opportunities closer to home. NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

luxury focus I Xavier de royÈre

Small is beautiful

Maison Corthay’s Xavier de Royère is happy for the French footwear brand to follow luxury’s big fish Words by JAMES KNOWLES Photography by IAN MACAULAY

avier de royère is a man who knows the luxury sector inside out. before taking the role of chief executive for French men’s footwear brand maison Corthay in 2010, he was senior vice president of Spanish accessories brand Loewe, where he focused on expanding into asia. before joining Loewe in 2004, he ran luxury goods group LvmH’s UK business as country manager, where he was instrumental in bringing brands such as Louis vuitton, Christian dior and Chanel to Selfridges. Drapers met with de royère at maison Corthay’s London store, which is opposite Christian Louboutin on motcomb Street in Knightsbridge, a stone’s throw from Harrods. behind a well-used counter one of the store’s sales associates is colouring a pair of leather shoes at the request of a customer as de royère, who is wearing a sharp blue suit and a white shirt teamed with a pair of maison Corthay aubergine Wilfrid shoes, takes a seat for the interview. asked why he moved to a small brand, he answers: “i was lucky that [LvmH] was very entrepreneurial, and it was testament to the flexibility in the organisation that i got to try different things and get a good knowledge of markets worldwide. vuitton was a large brand, Loewe was medium-sized and i also saw the development of smaller brands like emilio Pucci.” When maison Corthay experienced financial difficulties, de royère led a consortium of investors and became the number one shareholder. “Here i can contribute not only my managerial activities, but also make it my own,” he says. but in a market dominated by large luxury groups such as LvmH and Kering, how can a small brand like maison Corthay compete? “domination has got a negative connotation. The importance of the larger groups will remain but there is space for the smaller brands,” he says.

Drapers / November 16 2013

“The luxury ecosystem needs both the small fish and the large groups. There is interest from buyers and there is also a consumer that wants to find something that is under the radar.” The markeT is awash with success stories that prove his point, he says. “Louboutin is on the other side of this street and the brand was very small 10 years ago. There is dominance, but the big boys also have a role in the industry in developing distribution. [brands such as] vuitton, Chanel and Gucci go to new countries and create demand and then you get customers who start to buy expensive products. Then what i call the small fish can tag along.” He tips women’s footwear designer Charlotte olympia and luxury leather goods and stationer Smythson as two british brands to watch. The global luxury fashion and leather goods sector, which was worth £47.1bn as of august 2013 according to mintel, has been more resilient than others throughout the financial crisis, and de royère expects the market to continue to grow as new nations buy into luxury and consumers in mature markets search out quality. “even in markets like Japan where there has been a saturation of luxury goods, we’re finding our sales are practically going to double this year because people are really looking for [brands] that have truthfulness, which they feel they can trust.” However, the sector is not without its challenges. Perhaps one of the most pressing issues, particularly for the small businesses, comes from the larger groups seeking full ownership of the supply chain by buying raw materials producers. in march this year Kering, which owns Gucci, Christopher Kane and Stella mcCartney, bought France Croco, a tannery in Normandy, while Hermès snapped up French calf leather supplier Tannerie d’annonay in January. LvmH paid €2bn (£1.7bn) for an 80% share in italian cashmere producer Loro Piana in

In association with

July, while in the UK, Scottish knitwear manufacturer barrie Knitwear was purchased by Chanel in 2012. This presents a problem, says de royère. “The large groups are buying all the tanneries. So you end up not being able to buy the leather because someone else has bought the whole production.” He does concede, however, that there is a benefit to these acquisitions: “you want to make sure that the know-how survives. So you are saving a brand by making sure that you are going to give it business, because you’re not buying the supplier to get another 15% increase on your sales.” as for maison CorThay, whose footwear retails from £940 to £5,930, de royère explains that it sources 85% of its box calf leather from French tanneries, about 5% of its footwear is made using crocodile leather from Singapore, africa and the US, and the remaining 10% is made from camel leather, sourced in abu dhabi. maison Corthay introduced its camel leather range with materials sourced from the al Khaznah tannery in June, and is the only footwear brand using al Khaznah, he says. The business was established in 1990 by Pierre Corthay, now the company’s art director, and has five stores in London, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong and dubai. These account for 80% of sales, with the other 20% coming from its 20 international stockists, which include Harrods and Selfridges in the UK. Japan represents 25% of the business, France 20%, asia 20% and the UK 15%, with 20% from the rest of the world. de royère declines to reveal turnover, instead saying the business is growing by about 50% each year. “We’re small so [we are worth] less than £10m, but we’re going to get there quickly,” he says, before adding that this doesn’t mean massively expanding distribution and thus diluting the brand’s exclusivity. Production has increased fivefold over the past three years. The brand has a workshop outside of Paris where it employs 15 people, though de royère reveals that he has just signed the lease for a new factory in beaupréau in western France, representing a £500,000 investment. The machines for the factory are due to arrive shortly, and the brand received 250 applications for the 15 jobs on offer. in addition, maison Corthay expanded its successful leather accessories line – belts account for 10% of sales – with the introduction of six leather wallet styles in october. However, de royère insists that keeping a tight rein on distribution is paramount – the brand turned down an opportunity to open in beijing for this reason. “[yves] Carcelle, the former chief executive of vuitton, is somebody i have a lot of respect for, and he once told me the importance of not going too quickly from being hard to find to hard to miss.” if maison Corthay’s sales continue to rise at their present rate, de royère may have his work cut out. November 16 2013 /

Drapers

ADVERTORIAL I VENDA

CLOGGS’ NEXT STEP

Etailer is staying one foot ahead in the multichannel market with responsive web design

loggs is an internationally recognised brand and a pioneer of ecommerce. For over a decade it has been one of the leading online retailers of branded footwear, stocking the largest selection of high street brands. Since 1998, Cloggs’ online store has stocked more than 100 brands and sold more than 1 million pairs of shoes across the globe. Cloggs’ exceptional customer service, facilitation of multiple payment options and security protocols make it one of the world’s simplest, safest and most efficient online services. Now dipping its toes into multichannel, Cloggs is determined to break all previous records and sell its next 1 million pairs of shoes in double the speed.

Smooth operator: site’s performance is exceptional across all devices

THE CHALLENGE

With nearly one third of UK page views occurring via mobile phone and tablet devices, etailers are looking for progressive solutions to attract customers on multiple devices. Cloggs wanted to announce its presence within this lucrative market and increase its revenue from the growing number of shoppers that are driving the m-commerce boom. With mobile now the first step in the buying process, a distorted browsing experience means sales are potentially lost. The challenge was to discover a solution that delivered an optimised user experience regardless of the device consumers were using to access the site. This is why Cloggs turned to Venda and its responsive web design (RWD) offering. THE SOLUTION

By turning to its ecommerce solutions partner Venda, Cloggs gained access to a sophisticated and flexible platform to help redesign a fresh-look online site and develop its multichannel service. This was achieved through Venda’s RWD solution, which provided a fast and effective way of delivering mobile optimisation. With this solution, site content and functionality translates directly to the dimensions and capabilities of the device being used, keeping browsers engaged by no longer making them navigate through a site strictly designed for PCs. Coupled with the widespread access, speed and connectivity afforded by handheld devices, RWD encourages repeat visits, bringing the point of sale much closer to the first visit than ever before. The range and versatility of Venda’s RWD capabilities were also of particular benefit to Cloggs. Operating from one fluid platform to sync

all devices simplified maintenance and support measures, increased SEO performance and offers a scalable foundation to accommodate all future devices. This will help Cloggs keep one foot ahead of its competitors to adapt its business strategy with the next evolution in portable technology. THE RESULTS

By offering seamless performance across all devices, Cloggs has seen a significant boost in activity. Just six weeks after changing to a responsive site, conversion rates rose 25% on desktops, 35% on mobile and 65% on tablets. This has resulted in impressive year-on-year sales growth which has exceeded expectations. Cloggs now offers an exceptional experience regardless of where its customers are or what device they own. As a direct result, mobile and tablet devices received almost 50% of overall

“Venda’s RWD solution granted us the power of scalability to reach customers on the move” Chris Thomas, managing director, Cloggs

traffic in September 2013, and the number is growing daily. Since its adoption of Venda’s RWD solution, the average load time on mobile and tablet devices has also decreased by an average of 1.5 seconds, incentivising users to stay engaged for longer and make quicker purchasing decisions. “To create a cohesive brand experience and accommodate all of our customers and their devices, we wanted a strategy that guaranteed outstanding performance across the board. With shopping no longer defined by a fixed geographical location, Venda’s RWD solution granted us the power of scalability to reach customers on the move. Now the Cloggs site is tailored to all devices, our customers are prevented from being frustrated with a lesser-performing browsing experience, thus keeping them engaged for longer. This has resulted in the boost in sales we were hoping for,” says Cloggs managing director Chris Thomas. NEXT STEPS

Cloggs’ mission is to be a destination store for footwear online and its sights are set on broader internationalisation. By entering the market as a legitimate multichannel brand, Cloggs will expand its offer to other apparel and accessories, with its new range launching this month. To find out more about RWD, visit venda.com/RWD 020 7070 7000 / uk-sales@venda.com

HOMEGROWN BRANDS I LUXURY FOCUS In association with

BEGG & CO With a history stretching back to 1866, Scottish brand Alex Begg & Company has long produced luxury scarves and stoles. For autumn 13 it reinvented itself under the name Begg & Co and developed its own brand to include Trunk Clothiers in London, Jane Davidson in Edinburgh and Fortnum & Mason among its stockists. The company produces all its products from its factory in Ayr, where the coastal rainfall is essential to the washing process used to create soft cashmere and wools. Contact: 01292 267615 www.beggandcompany.com

Rule Britannia The UK is globally renowned for the high-quality luxury goods that are manufactured on its shores. Here are three good reasons why... Words by IAN WRIGHT

LUTWYCHE Tailoring brand Lutwyche manufactures its wholesale offer from its factory in Crewe that employs 50 skilled tailors. Every suit is made to high standards, from the quality of fabric to the precision of the cutters. Founded in 2000 by Tony Lutwyche, the business has resisted the pull of cheaper production in the Far East and has instead invested more in its England-based operation. It also offers bespoke and made-to-measure services Contact: 020 7287 5632 www.lutwyche.co.uk

TRICKER’S Firmly established at the heart of the revered Northampton footwear community for more than 180 years, Tricker’s has quietly gone about creating beautifully made shoes and boots for a discerning customer the world over. The family-owned factory employs 90 people producing about 1,400 pairs per week – the small numbers allow the brand to ensure the quality of its premium product never slips. The brand boasts a Royal Warrant to the Prince of Wales and exports 70% of what it produces. More recently, special-edition collaborations with retailers such as Selfridges have introduced the historic brand to a new, more contemporary audience. Contact: 01604 630595 www.trickers.com

NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

MULTICHANNEL I LUXURY FOCUS In association with

Techno for an answer: Google Glass on the catwalk; Diane von Furstenberg and Google co-founder Sergey Brin; Selfridges’ Jeanius table; Angela Ahrendts

IMAGES REX FEATURES AND CATWALKING.COM

ast month Angela Ahrendts announced her departure from Burberry to join Apple as senior vice president of online and retail stores. The move marked the latest stage in luxury’s convergence with the technological world, which – with the advent of innovations such as Google Glass and wearable tech – will become increasingly intertwined. High-end brands, which had traditionally been mistrustful of selling online for fear it would impact their exclusivity, are increasingly leading the way when it comes to retail innovation. This is largely being driven by luxury shoppers. “Consumers now expect to shop on every different channel at any given time,” says Helen Goodson, head of ecommerce at five-store London retailer Question Air, adding that the independent retailer is investing ‘considerably’ in overhauling its digital channels with plans to make online its number one store in terms of sales. “We will focus a lot on personal service; replicating what we do in store. Our social media strategy is also complementing this, creating a community around the shops,” she says. Cari Marsden, ecommerce manager at two-store London womenswear retailer Austique, agrees: “Our customers interact with our brand in a totally holistic way, and they don’t consciously separate the channels. The way people use their tablets is part of the luxury experience and in fact enhances it.” Tellingly, Ahrendts’ appointment at Apple follows the company’s hiring of former Yves Saint Laurent chief executive Paul Deneve in

Through the looking glass

The luxury sector has traditionally been slow to adapt to digital innovation – but not any more Words by LUCIE GREENE

September 2013 as vice president. His main responsibility is for special projects. And this focus on multichannel is evident across the luxury sector. US department store chain Neiman Marcus recently reported investment of $100m (£62m) over the next five years. In March 2012, the retailer introduced its Signature app, which alerts sales clerks when consumers who have signed up to the service enter the store. Shoppers can browse event schedules and be alerted to promotions, while sales assistants can see their previous searches and gather recommendations. In January, US group Saks Fifth Avenue, which has hired Marigay McKee from Harrods as chief executive, also announced similar investment to be carried out in a multichannel overhaul. Many are also investing in digital formats to augment the in-store experience, making it more immersive, social and shoppable. In the UK, Selfridges’ new Denim Studio features the ‘Jeanius table’ – an interactive screen that allows shoppers to sift through brands, fits and styles to find the perfect pair of jeans. Brands have also entered the next frontier with digital payments. Burberry has been experimenting with contactless payments through

mobile platform provider Square, while PayPal has been trialling facial recognition payments in a handful of London fashion stores, including men’s and women’s wear retailer Noble Jones in Richmond. Apple has already introduced thumbprint recognition technology on its iPhone 5S. “Customers like [the fact] that they don’t have to bring out their wallet,” says Lina Grabow, manager of Noble Jones. “They like the convenience.” SOCIAL MEDIA IS ALSO being used in more sophisticated ways. Google+ recently teamed up with Diane von Furstenberg to launch ‘shoppable’ Google Hangouts (virtual chat rooms) from her showroom. According to research released by Shareaholic, a US-based content sharing platform, Pinterest now drives more referral traffic to retail than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn combined. According to the Drapers poll of 2,000 consumers, social media is an important way to engage with luxury brands, with 73% using Facebook, 28.5% on Twitter and 9.2% on Instagram. “Luxury brands are learning that by u engaging on these platforms they can also NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

LUXURY FOCUS I MULTICHANNEL

You cannot simply choose one avenue to retail – you must have all the ones your customer is accustomed to using

Ed Burstell, managing director, Liberty

gain key insights into the consumer through their sharing and shopping behaviour,” says Nishma Robb, chief client and marketing officer at iProspect, a digital performance marketing agency that works with brands including Asos and Burberry. HOWEVER, IT WASN’T ALWAYS like this. The luxury sector previously took a dim view of technical innovation and digital channels. “It’s totally changed. Before, the luxury industry believed its traditional pillars of exclusivity and authority were threatened by the web,” says Chris Norton, chief executive of upmarket ecommerce portal Lyst. “But bloggers have made fashion more accessible. The social web has turned fashion brands’ authoritative monologues into engaging dialogues.” “Net-a-Porter has shown you can be digital but also still luxurious,” says Goodson. “Consumers are not afraid to buy high-price luxury items on digital channels now. It helps that the photography has become so good.” The shift towards digital and physical convergence is also being led by the proliferation of smartphones, which are bridging the divide between shopping online and in a physical environment. According to global research firm The Luxury Institute, eight out of 10 affluent consumers over the age of 21 own a smartphone, while 56% own tablets. “We’re living in a much more converged world. TV is converged with social media, which

Drapers / NOVEMBER 16 2013

Luxury in their sites: retailers such as Liberty and Net-a-Porter have shown that multichannel retail is not at odds with success in the upmarket sector

is converged with retail. All these join up and we increasingly expect them to be seamlessly linked,” says Robb. Ed Burstell, managing director of Liberty in London, agrees: “If you play in the luxury game you cannot simply choose one avenue to retail – you must have all the ones your customer is accustomed to using. You have to have a compelling in-store experience but more and more it’s about convenience. As the world gets more time-poor you have to give them the luxury of time – and technology is the way.” The next stage of this, futurologists believe, is the idea of a ‘shoppable world’. According to UK consultancy The Future Laboratory and digital agency Somewhat’s collaborative 2013 report, Goldpapers: Phy-gital Luxury, through the use of connected devices and image searching apps everything on the street will become searchable and shoppable. “Some 30 billion devices are predicted to be connected to the internet by 2020, according to technology consultancy ABI Research, from cars to store windows, allowing for all of these channels to be connected to retail,” says The Future Laboratory co-founder Chris Sanderson. Already, Snap Fashion, a visible search shopping app, allows users to take a photo of shoes, bags, coats or any items on the street and do an instant search of where to buy a particular piece online. And with the advent of Google Glass and other intuitive, connected devices, this will only continue. Google has made no secret of its endeavours to

connect to the luxury fashion world, teaming up through its social network Google+ with collaborators such as Diane von Furstenberg and more recently announcing collaborations with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). Google Glass was also featured on all the models in one of US Vogue’s September issue fashion shoots, while at the recent New York Fashion Week, US Marie Claire creative director Nina Garcia wore Google Glass and tracked her experience. WEARABLE TECH DEVICES look set to be a new frontier in the luxury sector. According to data published by US market research consultancy IMS Research, there are about 14 million wearable tech devices – such as Nike Fuel Band, the wirelessly connected athletic wristband that monitors time, heart rate and personal performance. By 2016, the global market for such products could reach $6bn (£3.7bn), including connected eyewear, watches and eventually clothing. Personalising the web experience is also another focus in future. Amazon – which recently began selling discounted luxury fashion brands such as Vince Camuto, Halston and Calvin Klein – already uses algorithms to present users with tailored home pages and suggested shopping lists. Although the luxury sector was slow to join the multichannel world, it now leads the way in terms of innovation.

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luxury FOCuS I ROUndTaBLe

Selling the story behind the brand

Getting your message across to customers emerged as the big issue at an event discussing Drapers’ Luxury Report

Words by DAVID BROOKS Photography by PhIl WEEDON

ommunicating a brand’s story is critical when selling luxury fashion to the savvy high-end customer. That was one of the key themes to emerge from a Drapers roundtable on October 15, in which luxury retailers came together to discuss the findings of Drapers’ Luxury Report 2013. The event was held at Claridge’s hotel in London with representatives from luxury retailers such as department store Fenwick, independent retailer Browns, Vivienne Westwood, Mr Porter and Rupert Sanderson in attendance. Drapers’ survey of 2,000 consumers found that only 38% think provenance is an important factor in deciding whether to purchase a luxury product. However, 60% of those polled would be more willing to buy a product if it was made in the UK. Guy Salter, deputy chairman of luxury trade body Walpole, highlighted Mulberry as a brand that is tapping into its British provenance. The company has invested considerably in its Somerset manufacturing facilities as part of a

What effect is online and mobile having on luxury retail? “Of the traffic to our websites, 40% is via mobile. It helps people transact with the physical, looking for deals, looking for specific products or in some instances through such features as big [digitally interactive] store windows. Brands that do such things use mobile as the glue between the physical and the virtual.” Stephen Brown Group marketing director, Hammerson

“The Apple store is a good example of how retailers are using data at mobile till points; they know you came in last week and what you bought. From a luxury brand perspective that is a real gift to understand customers’ online purchases when they come in store and is absolutely crucial to closing the sale.” Nishma Robb Chief client officer, iProspect “The growth in smartphone and tablet traffic in the past year has been unbelievable. We used to design a site and then do a smartphone conversion of it, but now we are turning it on its head. Now we are designing a smartphone and tablet site first.” Christopher Di Pietro Marketing and merchandising director, Vivienne Westwood 38

Drapers / nOVeMBeR 16 2013

“The beauty of online is that we can see where customers come from, what they do and all their habits, and we use this insight to our advantage. We also massively engage with customers on social media. It doesn’t generate a large portion of sales, but it drives brand awareness and aspirational enticement.” Lea Cranfield Merchandising manager, Mr Porter

In association with

move to make the whole offer “more upmarket” and give its brand a “coherent story”, said Salter. However, not everyone agreed, with some asserting that for the most established luxury brands just their name is enough. Simon Burstein, chief executive of London designer indie Browns, said: “If you look at where some of the big luxury brands are manufacturing, you’ll see that the hard truth is that the consumer doesn’t care. The big brands are so strong and their imagery is so powerful that in the end the ‘made in’ is secondary.” Sheila King, group leasing director at Hammerson, said: “Luxury brands are placing the emphasis on their unique story and heritage as well as where the product is manufactured.” online is an imPortant sPace in which to present a luxury message – whether it is about highlighting brand provenance or heritage. Luxury consumers are active online; the Drapers’ survey found that 51% of shoppers research and buy online, while as many as 49% at least begin their research online before completing in store. nishma Robb, chief client officer at digital marketing agency iProspect, said: “People are seeking out new brands and new places to shop and a lot of that research is happening online, whether that is through things they are reading, or the things their friends are talking about on social networks.” The luxury report survey showed that 25% of consumers engage with luxury brands on social media sites. This figure rises to 39% for 18 to 25-year-olds, and to 36% for 26 to 35-year-olds. Given how critical online is, luxury tailoring brand duchamp is investing heavily in this area, using photography and “beautiful films” to illustrate the brand’s dna. Chief executive Marc Psarolis explained: “Our social side is really key to communicating the values of the brand and telling people about the business.” Burstein added that online content can also help entice shoppers to come back. “The customer has a fantastic appetite for authentic content, and in the digital world if you can provide that you will have more of a chance of retaining that customer.” However, the luxury sector has been known for its reluctance to adapt to and adopt multichannel retailing. But that has all changed now, and the sector is embracing the digital revolution. Psarolis said that for a small brand such as duchamp, “online is its flagship store”. as a result, the business has to get the customer service elements such as fulfilment absolutely right. as iProspect head of client experience nick drabicky pointed out: “Five to 10 years ago it was all about the [visual] representation of the brand online. The problem is that it can be the most lovely [product] picture you’ve ever seen but if [the mobile site or app] doesn’t work, you’ve lost the customer instantly. The

hoW is consumer demand in the luxury sector changing?

“We are seeing a polarisation between the luxury market and the high street. The sort of thing you can find at lower price points has come along so much, the market is more sophisticated. The consumer is more demanding in what they expect to see.” Adam Fenwick Group managing director, Fenwick

“If we are going to be successful there has to be a real creativity in the product because the high street is so good now. Most of the big brands make an enormous effort in being different so what is certainly spurring our customers on to spend is that it’s got to be special.” Simon Burstein Chief executive, Browns

convergence of form and function is where luxury brands are getting it right.” Communicating the right brand message – be that based around quality, cut, fit, provenance, or heritage – is essential in luxury fashion. Retailers and brands that can do this clearly and consistently will be the ones that thrive in an ultra-competitive market. attendees at the breakfast meeting raised issues about the importance of pricing, with many agreeing that in luxury the old adage “you get what you pay for” is true. In the sector more expensive products often sell better, but if consumers are to trust that the price guarantees them a high-class product, the brand must convey this promise in its message. Salter stressed that luxury brands are not just about “expensive things”. He explained: “It can

The state of the market The luxury sector continues to look robust despite more worries than this time last year. The good news from this year’s Luxury Report is that the British luxury consumer is still in a Guy Salter mood to shop. Deputy chairman, Consumers still aspire Walpole to buy something special on a fairly regular basis. However, the report findings show that 67% of consumers said their favourite luxury goods have changed over the past five years and 60% said the provenance of luxury goods isn’t important. The former is in line with my belief that most luxury consumers are on a journey along a ‘discernment curve’, in which they become more sophisticated, demand more and therefore trade up. However, the latter looks as if it contradicts that, especially when 58% are not put off if a product is made in China. Yet 60% would be more willing to buy a product if it was made in Britain. My view is that this is consistent with macro luxury trends in other parts of the world. Consumers continue to demand quality of materials and making. Likewise a brand story that has integrity and relevance is crucial. Hence the growing interest in Britishness, but also in lesser-known, more niche brands. However, the survey shows that the majority of British consumers’ desire for integrity isn’t necessarily connected with where a product is made (although for a large minority, 38%, it is). Whereas for the majority of consumers in developing markets – especially in China – European cultural attributes remain crucial. British luxury brands have benefited hugely from this. And with rising numbers of travelling luxury shoppers, we forget this at our peril.

be the case that something that is more expensive can sell well, but that assumes the brand is doing a suﬃcient job of reassuring the value of the product. There still has to be a sense that consumers are actually getting value.” This was reﬂected in the findings of Drapers’ report. Of the respondents to the survey, 39% said cut and fit is the most important factor when purchasing from a luxury brand, closely followed by quality and materials at 37%. Mats Klingberg, founder and managing director of London menswear retailer Trunk Clothiers, echoed this sentiment: “It is almost like the more expensive it is, the better it is sometimes. But quality, fit and cut must come with it. My customers are smart individuals who have money and are successful so are, u in turn, intelligent buyers.” nOVeMBeR 16 2013 /

Drapers

SURVEY RESULTS I LUXURY FocUs

In association with

Customer breakdown Are you male or female?

6.9

14.2

8 5.4

15.3 47.3

8.2 32.2

● Female

16.8

6.2 7.2

How much do you spend a month on luxury fashion brands? 2.3

24.7

6.3

2.2

12.8

● 18 to 25 ● 26 to 35 ● 36 to 45 ● 46 to 55 ● 56 to 65 ● 66+

What is your personal income?

13.1

6.4

13.6

24.8

● Male

What region do you live in?

How old are you?

10.5

52.7

The full findings the Luxury Report 2013 are available as a free downloadable white paper at www.drapersonline.com

How do you usually buy luxury goods? (more than one answer)

0.8

50.7%

8.9

20.6

34.1

48.5%

19.4% 53.9 27.9%

41.6 4.7% ● £0 to £19,999 ● £20,000 to £39,999 ● £40,000 to £59,999 ● £60,000+

Top 10 luxury brands

1. Gucci 2. Chanel 3. Hugo Boss 4. Giorgio Armani 5. Ralph Lauren 6. Prada 7. Christian Dior 8. Mulberry 9. Burberry 10. Louis Vuitton

● Under £100 ● £101 to £500 ● £501 to £1,000 ● £1,001 to £2,000 ● £2,000+

● East Anglia ● East Midlands ● London ● Northern Ireland ● Northeast ● Northwest ● Scotland ● Southeast ● Southwest ● Wales ● West Midlands ● Yorkshire

● Research online and buy online ● Research online and buy in store ● Research in store and buy online ● Research in store and buy in store ● Research on a mobile/tablet and buy on a mobile/ tablet ● Research on a mobile/tablet and buy in store

5.7%

What luxury goods have you bought in the past 12 months? (more than one answer)

What is most important to you when purchasing from a luxury brand? (more than one answer)

15.3% 35.1% 42% 29.7% 30.9% 62.4%

● Luggage ● Handbags ● Cosmetics ● Accessories (sunglasses/scarves) ● Jewellery/watches ● Clothing ● Footwear ● Lingerie

43% 16.7%

38.7% 37.1% 36.8% 29.6% 25.2% 16.1% 13% ● Fit/cut ● Quality/materials ● Style ● Comfort ● Price ● Brand image ● Exclusivity

Drapers polled 2,000 luxury consumers to find out how they shop for luxury goods and what motivates and influences them to buy NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

CAMILLE WAXER I PROFILE

Banking on retail Canary Wharf will be a major shopping destination sooner rather than later if Camille Waxer has her way

All mapped out: Camille Waxer wants happy consumers to spread the word on Canary Wharf

Words by CATHERINE NEILAN

ome people’s bucket lists include round-the-world trips or jumping out of a plane at 20,000 feet, but Camille Waxer’s grand ambition is rather more grounded. “I want to get Canary Wharf recognised as a retail destination – not just a place for business,” she says. “That’s the thing I want to do before I die. It’s still a hurdle, and would cost millions to do it through advertising, so we do the next best thing, which is to make it a really good experience and wait for people to spread the word.” With its demographic of educated urbanites aged 25 to 40, Canary Wharf has had a growing retail presence since its infancy in 1990, when the annual turnover was just £500,000. By the end of 2012 it had a retail turnover of £316m. But this year marks something of a milestone for Waxer, vice president of retail at Canary Wharf Group, with the extension of one of its main retail districts, Jubilee Place, the completion of the building for the new Crossrail station and the creation of the “master plan” for the redevelopment of a 17-acre site, Wood Wharf. Jubilee Place’s 44,000 sq ft expansion, up from 89,000 sq ft, has seen Banana Republic, Cos, Oliver Bonas, Orlebar Brown, Emmett Shirts and The White Company join existing tenants such as TM Lewin, Phase Eight, LK Bennett and Whistles. Crossrail is expected to double capacity coming into the area when it opens in 2018 – Jubilee Place currently has daily footfall of about 100,000 Monday to Friday, with less on weekends. But Wood Wharf, just a stone’s throw away from the main Canary Wharf district, is the one with the most potential for fashion retailers. It will comprise 200,000 sq ft of retail, leisure and food, plus 2.5 million sq ft of housing. In a real departure from the wider development it will seek to replicate the feel of a premium high street, with on-street parking and a tenant mix that Waxer hopes will offer rare, in-demand retailers. “This will be something really different and it will be a very welcome addition – it’s more of what you expect if you lived in a residential area than a business area. It will have the sort of feel to it that a great high street like Marylebone has.”

No deals have yet been struck, because the planning is only being submitted this month, but Waxer has already started talks with retailers and has been putting together a list of her must-haves. She says independents will feature highly in order to create that unique mix, noting that “Donna Ida would be great here”, but she’s also keen to lure the likes of Coach and MaxMara. Waxer expects to be oversubscribed with potential tenants, but says she will offer a “different rental structure” to get smaller retailers and start-ups in the mix. “It will be less structured than our other districts,” she adds. “It won’t quite be Shoreditch, but it will definitely feel different.” She also wants to differentiate Canary Wharf ’s offering from that just three-and-a-half miles up

the road at Westfield Stratford. “We have less than 40% crossover but we’ve definitely seen an impact to our footfall at weekends. It has dropped but we will continue with our strategy and the new shops will go further away from duplicating Westfield.” Despite Canary Wharf ’s current retail offer being 100% let and having a captive community of at least weekly consumers, Waxer says certain retailers still take some convincing to open there, and that she feels she is “letting down” pregnant women and families who want kidswear. “That’s an area I’d like to develop because I feel we don’t have enough choice for them, but kidswear retailers don’t see it as a target market. There is a market here but retailers can’t overcome their sense that it’s just business people.” NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

FASHION NEWS

‘Fashion moves fast but talent leaves a lasting impression’ Ian Wright Fashion director, Drapers ian.wright@emap.com

ell hasn’t it all got rather hectic recently, even by the standards of one of the busiest industries going? Several company results were released last week, with some looking lean and strong while others appear as solid as a wet paper bag full of blancmange. Marks & Spencer clothing sales are down again, Primark and SuperGroup’s are up, while Ralph Lauren is also in good shape. Another big US retailer arrived this week in the shape of J Crew’s London flagship, while another, Gilly Hicks, exited as it retrenched into Hollister stores. Meanwhile Louis Vuitton had its (town)house warming for its three-floor mega-shop-in-shop in Selfridges (look out for my interview with Roberto Eggs, president of Louis Vuitton for Europe, Middle East and Africa next week). Will all this constant flux in fashion, it’s sometimes important to step back a bit and take stock of where we’ve all come from, which is why it seems appropriate that this week sees the Design Museum in London celebrate the career to date of Sir Paul Smith, with his retrospective exhibition Hello, My Name Is Paul Smith. I met Sir Paul about three years ago. His office is famously crammed with an inordinate amount of objects and points of inspiration, and thankfully he hadn’t tidied up on my behalf. Books were piled high on his desk, paintings and photos were arranged butted up to each other on the walls and paraphernalia from a lifetime of travelling and experiences filled every nook and cranny. From a humble postage stamp of a store in Nottingham to a global brand and British success story, Sir Paul, a designer who understands shops, deserves this retrospective as he’s built a career from a passion and a bit of saved-up cash. It’s a timely reminder that talent and hard work over a sustained period will always endure.

What’s next for textiles? “Sustainability is going to be increasingly important. The Nike Flyknit shoe (which is ergonomically knitted in one piece, cutting wastage by 88%) is an interesting test case – incredible innovation and also very low waste. I’d like to think there’ll be more of an emphasis towards this type of product (combined with increased longevity).” Christopher Raeburn Designer

PETER WERTH GOES BACK TO 1975 Menswear brand Peter Werth has launched an autumn 13 range of 100% superfine merino wool pieces called the 1975 Knitwear Collection. Made in Italy, the range comprises four styles – a V-neck jumper, a seven-button cardigan, a V-neck tank top and a long-sleeved polo shirt. “Peter Werth originally specialised in the production of men’s long-sleeved knitted polo shirts, made by factories in Leicester and Nottingham,” says managing director Peter Lynes. “[The range] is about staying true to the brand’s original DNA, not about revisiting our archive for the sake of it.” Colours include mustard, grey, navy and burgundy, with twinstriped options referencing the era’s terrace casuals look. Available to buy now, wholesale prices range from £30.50 for a tank top to £35.50 for a cardigan. Contact: 020 7580 6393 www.peterwerth.co.uk

PETA AND BEYOND SKIN SET DESIGN CHALLENGE

Vegan footwear brand Beyond Skin has teamed up with animal rights group Peta to launch a contest for fashion design students. The brief is to create an animal-free shoe, with the winning entry being produced for spring 14. TV presenter Laura Whitmore will choose the winner. Entries will be accepted until December 13. Visit www.peta.org.uk/features/beyondskin-competition for more details

NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

WOMENSWEAR WINTER 13

hristmas product is all about being practical but dressier than other periods,” says Liz Wilson, head of design at Matalan. This festive season has seen womenswear brands and retailers adopt the novelty jumper with far greater conviction than before, while sparkly finishes make their expected annual appearance and baroque and fake fur feature heavily. Here are the high street looks to focus on, and the short-order brands that can provide them.

Fake fur

Jarlo

Despite real fur proving popular again in the luxury sector, on the high street retailers are still faking it. Synthetic fibres have improved over the past few seasons, giving a luxurious feel to outerwear. Faux mink and leopard are in demand while furry finishes and fur collars are easier ways to buy into the trend. Jarlo, Schott and Sugarhill Boutique have all gone faux.

Matalan

Next Sugarhill Boutique

CHRISTMAS ON

‘Tis almost the season for festive fashion, so check out this year’s Words by IAN WRIGHT & EMILY NORVAL

Novelty sweaters

Sugarhill Boutique

One of the rare trends that started in menswear before making the move to women’s, the novelty festive jumper has exploded onto the high street. Mooted as 2013’s answer to 2012’s onesie, bright, fun graphics and cartoony icons are on Christmas wish lists, with 3D bobbles, sequins and pompoms adding texture. Brat & Suzie, Sugarhill Boutique and Louche all offer versions.

New Look

M&S Collection

Topshop

Louche

Drapers / NOVEMBER 16 2013

Baroque Dark and sultry, the baroque trend is the perfect counterpoint to the more girly sequin styles. Ornate decoration, often in the form of swirled wallpaper-style patterns, is applied in antiqued metallic jacquards, flocking and brocades across everything from grown-up knee-length dresses and long coats to younger more casual and everyday styles. Glamorous, Paper Dolls, Dahlia and Motel have all explored this trend well.

M&S Per Una

Dahlia

Oasis

SHORT ORDERS

Motel

key womenswear themes and the fast-fashion labels offering it all Sequins No surprise that sequins are key for Christmas, but while there are plenty of pretty, sparkly numbers, the most interesting development is the broad use of more vintage effects. Adding an old-school glamour, burnished sequins have been applied in all-over treatments and as flowing patterns. Find a variety of instant options at Lashes of London, AngelEye, N端mph and Little Mistress.

Little Mistress

H&M

Warehouse

SHORT-ORDER CONTACTS AngelEye 020 8838 5979 Brat & Suzie 020 7739 1414 Dahlia 020 8968 0333 Glamorous 0161 669 4624 Jarlo 020 7253 5552 Lashes of London 020 8809 4432 Little Mistress 020 7436 8332 Louche 020 7091 1886 Motel 020 3137 6640 N端mph 020 7485 8633 Paper Dolls 020 7436 8332 Schott 07957 247411 Sugarhill Boutique 01273 911393

NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

ADVERTORIAL I FASHION & RETAIL PERSONNEL

EXECUTIVE DECISION Recruitment firm Fashion & Retail Personnel has launched a division to place senior jobs

op appointments transform organisations, so selecting the right recruitment partner is critical. With more than 22 years’ fashion and retail recruitment success, Fashion & Retail Personnel’s expertise makes the recruitment agency a leader in its field. And with the launch of its Executive Appointments division, the agency is now successfully placing candidates into the most sought-after senior positions. Headed up by Denise Matthews, the division will provide full recruitment services for fashion and retail clients, across all of their current divisions. Working closely with Shelley Pinto, managing director, and Helen Taylor, associate director, who has a strong track record in international recruitment, this powerful trio have big plans for the future of the team. Providing a thoroughly discrete and wholly professional service to candidates and clients alike, both in the UK and internationally, Fashion & Retail Personnel will bring a level of expertise and market knowledge unrivalled by other generalist search firms. With more than 15 years’ recruitment experience, Matthews is committed to providing

extraordinary levels of service. “We believe that the success of a search is not only measured by the appointment of a candidate, but also by the long-term positive impact we have on your business. As a result, almost every search we are awarded comes to us through client recommendations and repeat business,” she says. A full understanding of the assignment is, of course, the initial starting point. Fashion & Retail Personnel takes the view that every business will require different skills and that every assignment is unique. The agency’s preference, therefore, is to meet with clients to fully appreciate the specifics of the brief.

Roles that we recruit include Managing director Retail director Finance director Marketing director Brand director Buying director Merchandising director Sales director

Each assignment is then managed and delivered by Matthews, who can provide the breadth of industry understanding, expertise and talent management required to achieve a successful outcome. Supported by an in-house research team, the Executive Appointments division has the capacity to map any target market in the fashion and retail sectors. While the business has access to the latest recruitment technologies, the use of personal networks is fundamental to its success. The aim is simple – to be the market leader for executive appointments in the fashion and retail sectors. Fashion & Retail Personnel is already a market leader across its six core divisions and works with an impressive number of blue chip retail multiples and numerous fashion and retail brands, suppliers and designers. The launch of its Executive Appointments divisions means that Fashion & Retail Personnel can now work with current and future clients at all levels. For more information and to find out the full range of services that Executive Appointments offers, please contact denise@fashionpersonnel.co.uk or call 020 7436 0220.

THE STYLE COUNCIL

If you could have only bought one menswear brand this autumn, which would it be?

The panel

STEVE COCHRANE Managing director of department store Psyche in Middlesbrough

u Steve Cochrane For me it would be Oliver Spencer, it’s my personal favourite. It’s just a very classy, sophisticated and completely on-trend brand. Although this season it’s not performing as well as some of our other brands, such as Ralph Lauren, the Oliver Spencer tweed jackets (pictured) and the contrasting waistcoats are proving to be quite popular.

q Stephen Monaghan Pendleton has many retailers out there but if you buy concisely into its core product that serves a purpose, it sells very well. It’s a perfect autumn brand that has the aesthetic to make you want to buy it; it’s warm and comfortable, as well as exuding style and in-the-know attitude.

p Paul Platt Burberry is doing some amazing things and is one of the coolest brands around right now for Pockets. The quality of the styles and fabrics is excellent. The overall Burberry image is fantastic and I love the company. Plus it’s great that the brand is British.

CHRIS O’DEA Owner of premium retailer OD's in St Helens

STEPHEN MONAGHAN Co-owner of premium etailer The Great Divide

PAUL PLATT Owner of contemporary retailer Pockets in Shrewsbury

t Chris O’Dea It would have to be Hugo Boss. Even though we’re based on the fringes of Liverpool we have a very inner-city customer base and they love the Hugo Boss tracksuits and polos. Not only does it suit our customers, but it’s a brand we’ve done continuously well with over the past four years.

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

NOVEMBER 16 2013 /

Drapers

Careers

WiTH

How I got here

Lottie McLaughlin

The womenswear designer for three brands at USC first demonstrated her skills as an intern Interview by JAMES KNOWLES

What does your diary look like today? We’ve been working hard and collating ideas for next season, which is one of the best parts of the job. From 9am the team and I will be focused on preparing for our critical autumn 14 trend presentation at 11am. We will be presenting to the buying team and buying director all of our boards and how each of our brands will represent the key trends. In the afternoon the focus shifts to Rock & Rags by Firetrap, where we’ll be presenting the jersey range for spring 14’s first drop. If there is any time left I’ll work on autumn 14 Fullcircle outerwear and spring 14 soft separates. What meeting are you most looking forward to? Trend meetings are always inspiring. It’s a great way for the buyers and designers to look forward and get excited by next season’s potential. So I am definitely looking forward to the autumn 14 presentation. I really hope I get time today to do some Fullcircle outerwear. This is a key area for the brand, so it’s important I have enough time for this category because a lot of time is put into the details of all the jackets. How did you get to where you are today? Internships were key for me after graduating from Arts University, Bournemouth, with a BA in Fashion. I interned for both high-end labels like Felder Felder

and high street retailers like Topshop, which were both fantastic experiences. I then interned at USC and was really lucky to be offered an assistant designer job. I also put a lot of personal time into learning and developing my hand-drawn skills and Illustrator skills. My design aesthetic and Illustrator skills were crucial in getting offered the design assistant job at USC. From then on I’ve grown with the company to become womenswear designer for three brands. What has been your career highlight? Designing the womenswear range for the relaunch of Fullcircle at USC. It was a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the aesthetic of an exciting brand by creating a minimal and fashionforward capsule collection. I always love seeing my designs in the press, or seeing someone on the street wearing something I’ve designed. Who is your mentor? Since joining USC I’ve been very fortunate to work closely with our brand director, Emma Alexander. She has always given me advice, allowed me creative freedom and supported my growth. What’s the best piece of advice she’s given you? Simply to always be honest. Whether it’s about specific collection choices, designs or styling in a campaign shoot, it’s so important to be true to your own opinion while maintaining a level of

CV 2013 Womenswear designer – Fullcircle, Rock & Rags by Firetrap and Uncut, USC 2011 Womenswear assistant designer, USC 2011 Design intern, USC 2011 Design intern, Topshop 2010 Assistant stylist, Matthew Josephs 2010 Freelance designer 2010 Fashion BA Hons, Arts University, Bournemouth

commerciality. One other piece of advice that has been valuable is to never underestimate how important it is to include all the beautiful branded details in our product, so when the collection comes together the branding is consistent with a premium aesthetic.

How do you see your career progressing? I hope to keep progressing as a womenswear designer and work with many more brands. Also to continue learning and developing my management and leadership skills to build a career as a design manager or head of design. What advice would you give to someone wanting to follow in your footsteps? Work hard with a positive mindset in every internship, freelance and full-time design job you take. Make sure you absorb the advice, direction, knowledge and experience of everybody you meet in the industry and enjoy what you do. Salaries for this position range from £28,000 to £33,000 (estimate provided by CVUK) If you want to be featured on the Drapers Jobs page, email james.knowles@emap.com

Providing Full and Part–Time solutions for Candidates and Clients across Technical, Buying and Merchandising positions Email: admin@vohsandco.com Tel: 0203 668 1466

Drapers / NOvEMBER 16 2013

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FREEDOM RECRUITMENT Retail Operations UK & International

Our team really understand Retail having all worked in the industry previously. Because of this, their experience comes from the grass roots and they have an ingrained desire to always exceed client expectation. Pride in service comes first to us along with dedication, commitment and genuine hard work. Head of Retail | Area/ Regional Managers | Cluster/ Multi-Site Managers | Store/ Deputy Managers | Assistant Managers | Supervisors | Visual Merchandisers | Sales Consultants

retail@freedomrecruit.com

www.freedomrecruit.com

Fashion Careers AustrAliA

For 62 years already, the German company Gottlieb Haug & Co. KG has been representing successfully the brand at home and abroad. Two seasons ago, we launched with success a second more fashionable product line comprising knitwear and shirts. For this collection, we are looking for

SALES REPRESENTATIVES (m/f) in England

The target group of yourConCept is the fashionable and elegantly dressed woman in her forties. For our future cooperation, it is absolutely essential that you currently have a product line comprising trousers or blouses respectively a combined collection. With one of those collections, you should already be present in excellent 1A localities. At the moment, the collection comprises 75 garments in three different colour groups. Are you interested in learning more about this vacancy, please send us your application documents (including photograph) for the attention of Mrs. Preuß.

Gottlieb Haug GmbH & Co. KG · Strickwarenfabrik Lammerbergstr. 75-79 · D-72461 Albstadt · Tel. 0049 74 32/97 92 28 · Fax 0049 74 32/97 92 30 d.preuss@gollehaug.de · www.gollehaug.de

+44 (0)207 734 9779

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: Freya Lucas 0203 033 2669 Freya.Lucas@EMAP.com

NOVEMBER 16 2013

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Business Development Manager Milan Excellent package plus benefits

The New Look ook

This is a great opportunity to work for an aspirational, high end brand aimed at the quality conscious, cosmopolitan, labelloving fashionista. You will be responsible for growing the business across Western Europe; developing and sourcing new franchisees, agents or distributors, to establish a distribution network in France, Italy, Germany, UK, Belgium, and the Netherlands. You will be responsible for sales, budgets, evaluating business opportunities, communicating with the team in Milan, as well as Dubai and Hong Kong.

The fastest To celebrate the 125 year anniversary of Drapers, Drapersjobs.com has got a chic new look making the search for your perfect fashion job even more enjoyable.

You must have strong and well developed sales experience within Western Europe, with some existing contacts, but also the ability to source and develop new connections. Previous experience within licensed or branded fashion would be beneficial.

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London Midlands 020 7436 0220 0115 933 4778

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For further information about this role, please call Helen Taylor on 0115 933 4778. Alternatively, send your CV to her at helen@fashionpersonnel.co.uk

Looking to recruit? Drapersjobs.com is also the perfect place to make your next fashion industry hire Call +44 (0)20 3033 2991 or +44 (0)20 3033 2985 Email Rebecca.Tonkinson@EMAP.com and Peter.Bruce-Smythe@EMAP.com

The Niche Job Board Award

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03/04/2012 14:20

MAKE THE WORLD TER BETTER WITH A SWEA ÂŁ1

nate Wear a festive jumper, do ildrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives. or more and help save ch

Photos: Steven Jackson/Save the Children

Jumper Day Get your free Christmas rday.org kit at christmasjumpe

Drapers / NOVEMBER 16 2013

today

with

Vacancies have arisen for two QA Supervisors in Home and Gift. The role will take responsibility for the day-to-day operational level with Technologists across the Business Unit, to ensure the critical path is adhered to and the overall Home QA strategy is carried out. To manage and co-ordinate day to day quality assurance within and between PODS – balancing resource to achieve optimum productivity across the Business Unit. The successful candidate will ideally have a background in Home QA with strong technical skills supported by relevant qualifications. Must be numerate and PC literate – knowledge of working with Excel spread sheets is essential as would be good organisational skills and the ability to work within tight deadlines.

SENIOR BRAND MERCHANDISING MANAGERS KUWAIT, MIDDLE EAST – Tax free salary plus bonus and benefits You will provide leadership and direction to brand managers and support functions for all aspects of business planning, brand management and merchandising for you your division and be accountable for merchandising planning, OTB, forward planning, stock management and maximising the sales and profit contribution. You will also coach, develop and mentor a team of senior merchandisers. We are looking for at least three years’ experience in a senior merchandising role ideally within a PLC or successful private company. Retail merchandising is essential as well as fantastic analytical, numerical and communication skills.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658156’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2659062’

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

BRANCH PLANNER - PROJECTS NOTTING HILL VILLAGE, LONDON – Competitive salary & attractive benefits

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2659140’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658737’

VISUAL MERCHANDISING MANAGER COVENTRY – £Competitive

JUNIOR BUYER – LADIESWEAR (WOVENS) COVENTRY – £Competitive

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Junior Merchandiser to join the Monsoon Merchandising team. Previous team management and experience of working within clothing is essential. You will drive the sales and profit growth helping us to maximize the profile and effectiveness of our brand. If you are an experienced Senior Assistant Merchandiser or a first appointment Junior Merchandiser looking for your next move, we would like to hear from you. You will have a proven track record within merchandising. To be successful in this role, you will be commercial and strategic in your outlook. Proven experience of planning & trading, as well as managing and developing team members is essential.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Branch Planner to join our Branch Planning team on a 12 month contract working across both the Monsoon and Accessorize brands. This role is a unique opportunity for an established Branch Planner to step outside the day job and support business critical projects reviewing our stock management processes and ways of working. This role offers huge exposure at a senior level, working with the operating board to work deliver high profile projects and support the growth of our business and deliver real value across the Monsoon, Accessorize and Childrenswear brands as well as our International presence.

As a Visual Merchandising Manager for Sainsbury’s in Coventry, you will join a team in a vibrant Store Support Centre, delivering strategies for TU, our clothing brand. You will create optimal range and visual merchandising plans, supporting trading departments to implement VM best practice and ideal product layouts. A proven track record as a Manager within a clothing environment or as a Visual Manager is essential. Committed to continuous improvement, you will have be forward thinking enough to plan monthly floor flow, consider depth of buy and establish critical paths for seasonal upsurges. This is an exceptional opportunity for someone who has a real passion for fashion; we’re looking for an individual with the expertise to influence trading teams, interpret future market trends and grasp opportunities to enhance profitability.

As a Junior Buyer for Sainsbury’s in Coventry, you will join a team in a vibrant Store Support Centre, providing sourcing and selection for TU, our clothing brand. Taking ownership of a specific product range, you will execute an end-to-end Buying strategy, getting involved in negotiations, in managing suppliers, and in identifying the most cost-effective sourcing routes. So this represents an exciting step up for the right person. We’re looking for someone with the commercial awareness and strong Ladieswear Buying experience to meet KPIs and deliver profitable ranges. Working within budget, you will increase sales while reducing markdown, building strong partnerships with Merchandising, Pricing and Trading teams to analyse ranges, ensure availability and support new product launches.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2656919’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2656805’

MERCHANDISING ASSISTANT LIVERPOOL – £18,000 - £22,000 + Excellent Benefits + Bonus

BUYER - KIDS FASHION LINES LIVERPOOL – £40k-£52k Negotiable + Bonus + Benefits

Reporting to the Merchandiser, you will assist the Merchandise team in the fulfilment of stock to satisfy customer requirements and ultimately profitably. You will take responsibility for supporting all Merchandising Administration from supplier contracts through to stock levels in order to free up time for the Assistant Merchandiser and Merchandiser to focus on larger Merchandising tasks. Either experienced in a similar role or a graduate with a relevant degree (Business Studies, Finance or Similar) you will have strong commercial acumen and be solutions and delivery focussed. You’ll be a creative, passionate and innovative individual who work well with all sorts of different people.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658395’

Reporting to the Head of Buying – Kids Wear, you will create and develop Kids Wear product ranges which satisfy customer requirements and deliver the financial performance of the category in line with the departments buying strategy. You will be responsible for leading and developing a team of Junior, Assistant Buyers and Buyers Assistants for the area to meet current and future sales targets, margin and market share growth. Working with the Head of Buying to support and deliver the agreed sourcing strategy for the department you will; negotiate, plan and deliver departmental KPI’s, working with the Merchandise team to ensure adequate tracking and controls are in place to meet budget and targets.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657390’

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 ACCESSORIES DESIGNER BASED IN RUTLAND, NEAR LEICESTERSHIRE – SALARY IS DEPENDANT ON EXPERIENCE We are a successful, well established, trend led high street supplier looking to recruit an experienced accessory designer to join our busy team.Commercially aware you will possess all the skills required to produce exciting designs that meet and deliver customer requirements.You will be energetic, highly motivated, and looking to immerse yourself in this challenging position. Skills required are Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and also you will have good hand drawing skills.

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 ‘2656960’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657428’

PRODUCTION MANAGER CHELSEA, LONDON – up to £35,000 dependent on experience The role is to be directly responsible to increase the profitability of the brand to ensure long term commercial success and growth. The expectation is to manage all operations in relation to the product and production. The key area of responsibility is to monitor and manage the entire supply chain in order to run the business in the most profitable and efficient way. Will suit an ambitious Production manager with at least 3 years managerial experience within a brand environment. Childrenswear experience would be a bonus but not at all essential to the role.

TECHNICAL MANAGER OLD STREET, 5 MINUTES FROM TUBE – Competitive Reporting to the Managing Director and Business Managers, as Technical Manager, you will have responsibility for the management, development and improvement of the Technical team and smooth running of the department. You will be leading a team of garment technologists whilst building strong relationships with our customers and Asian supply base. To be successful in this role we are looking for a candidate who can consistently deliver high quality and fit standards as well as managing, directing and leading the technical team through the fit and seal process and offering support in challenging situations.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658331’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657725’

MAA / ALLOCATOR SOUTH WEST LONDON, KEW GARDENS – Competitive We are currently looking for a Merchandise Admin Assistant / Allocator to sit within the Jigsaw Womenswear Team. This role will form an integral part of the Jigsaw Merchandising Team by effectively and systematically providing accurate information for allocation planning, stock replenishment and trading purposes to ensure stock is directed to stores in the right volumes at the right time to optimise profitability. The ideal candidate will have previous hands on retail experience and strong analytical, numerical and IT skills as well as exceptional team working skills. The candidate must be highly organised and have the ability to prioritise.

TECHNICAL MANAGER PETERBOROUGH – Competitive We’re baby specialist Kiddicare. Everything we do, we do it with WOW. Take our eleven destination superstores some of Europe’s largest baby emporia. Or our website voted Best Online Nursery Retailer by Tommy’s. Our product range? Nearly 5,000 seriously brilliant baby buys. And our colleague training programme? Best-in-class. Kiddicare are looking for an experienced Technical Manager who will be responsible for providing technical support and guidance at the heart of the Kiddicare trading team so that standards for quality, safety, statutory compliance, corporate social responsibility and integrity are achieved, and business and commercial improvements are delivered.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658751’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2656426’

ASSISTANT MERCHANDISER LONDON – Competitive The Assistant Merchandiser faces the challenge of assisting and supporting the Merchandising team with the effective delivery of the department’s strategy and also for the planning, controlling and monitoring of purchases. They will ensure that the correct processes and procedures are followed for the intake and distribution of merchandise for the purpose of maximising sales and profit in the assigned departments and will be responsible for delivering agreed business, revenue and margin objectives in their area of responsibility. More specifically they will also be accountable for the delivery of the Aurum strategy and will support the Merchandising Manager and Merchandiser in delivery of profit margins for the Company.

MERCHANDISING ADMIN ASSISTANT NORTH WEST LONDON – Competitive basic + excellent benefits Life can get pretty hectic in merchandising, and we now need an incredibly organised and efficient administrator, who eats spread sheets for breakfast, to help keep things running smoothly. You’ll be looking out for our customers every step of the way - liaising with suppliers, the warehouse and our buying and technology departments so we can deliver on our promises. If this sounds like you then please submit your application. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658668’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658466’

Drapers / NOVEMBER 16 2013

ECOMMERCE MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANT FINCHLEY, NORTH LONDON – Very attractive + excellent benefits + bonus

HEAD VISUAL MERCHANDISER OXFORD STREET, CENTRAL LONDON – Competitive+Benefits+Bonus

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2658745’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2657881’

LINGERIE AND INTIMATE APPAREL BUYERS EAST MIDLANDS – Excellent Salary based upon experience

PRODUCT MANAGER LADIES FASHION GUANGZHOU , CHINA – To £60000 TAX Free This International fashion retail brand seek a Product Manager to lead the design technical and sourcing teams and to ensure the best product for the different markets. Responsibilities will include managing from the initial design concept to final placement of styles. Range planning and working with the retail merchandise planning team. Ensuring consistent design handwriting for the brand and responsibility for the price architecture and margins for each collection. You will need to have International experience with day and casual ladies clothing and be used to leading designers. Great company and environment.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2659138’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2659246’

INTERNATIONAL WHOLESALE MANAGER - READY TO WEAR LONDON – £40000 - £50000 per annum Bonus + Benefits

A Wholesale Manager position has arisen within a brand that has its flagship store on the Kings Road. The elegant designs that are produced are described as unique, classic and it offers a high level of sophistication in the Women’s Ready to Wear collection. It will initially be a standalone position and so you will need to be a self starter, target driven, very well presented and have the ability to work autonomously. This is a growth position and so there is huge scope to develop a team around you as the Wholesale business develops. The salary on offer is competitive – circa £55,000 basic, depending on contacts + bonus.

BUYER - TOYS HEAD OFFICE - WATFORD – Competitive salary & benefits package We are seeking a toys Buyer to join our Early Learning Centre team based in Watford. This role is a fixed-term contract (maternity cover) for up to one year. Early Learning Centre is the place to go for toys, games, puzzles, outdoor items and other children’s products primarily for the 0 to 6 year age range. Approximately 80 per cent of its toys and games range is own brand, designed and sourced through a state-of-the-art sourcing centre in Hong Kong. ELC also has a direct internet and catalogue business and operates a wholesaling business, providing products to domestic and international customers.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2659147’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2659045’

SENIOR DESIGNER NOTTINGHAMSHIRE – Competitive Salary Our client is a leading supplier of ladies, mens and childrenswear to some of the UK’s major high street stores. They are looking for a creative and enthusiastic Senior Ladieswear Designer specialising in formalwear. You will develop creative and commercial products that demonstrate they are at the forefront of product development and innovation. Work within departmental profitability guidelines. Compile comprehensive market research, including both comparative and trend/directional reports, in order to maximise all product opportunities and challenge the customer’s direction when necessary. You will be methodical with great attention to detail.

ACCOUNT MANAGER LEICESTERSHIRE – Competitive Salary Our client is a well established supplier of footwear to the high street. They are looking for and established Account Manager to strengthen their sales team. You will maintain and develop existing client relationships, grow sales and raise company awareness for clients. Manage the day-today relationships with both new and existing clients. Generate high level of customer satisfaction through timely responsiveness to client needs. Negotiate contracts and close deals to gain maximum benefit for the company. You will have excellent communication and negotiation skills.

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2656974’

GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘2659078’

The Lacoste finance team is looking to strengthen the finance function to help support and grow our business. We are looking for a bright, recently qualified candidate who will support the team, ultimately looking to deliver efficiencies and improve processes across the business. This is a fantastic opportunity to build a career, with a company that will support career development through a successful future. Lacoste Ecommerce was first started in June 2010 in partnership with Devanlay, the brand owner. The first country rollouts where in France, Germany and the UK. Over the last 3 years sites in Austria, Switzerland and China have also been added to our portfolio.

We are currently looking for experienced Lingerie and Intimate Apparel Buyers with various levels of experience to join some of our well-known companies across the UK high-street. You will be responsible for driving the Buying Process and leading the development team through managing the day to day product development process. You will need to ensure schedule adherence to deliver superior products and be continually driving for the lowest delivery costs. Alongside this you will be constantly building relationships with Commercial and Supply Chain Teams. You must have 2 or more years Fashion Buying experience ideally in the intimate apparel/nightwear sector but this is not essential though experience working within the UK High-street is essential.

You are results driven and sales focused with solid merchandising experience within a fast-paced, high profile fashion environment as a Visual Merchandising manager. You have experience of planning, budgeting, forecasting and product control, and excellent numerical and analytical skills are a must. You must have strong commercial awareness, ensuring you are constantly up to date with the market, current trends and current Visual Merchandising strategies of other High Street retailers. As a Head Visual Merchandiser, you will report to the Store Manager and Area Visual Merchandising Manager. You will be responsible for displaying stock, replenishments and additional product orders, in order to maintain an attractive and innovative environment whilst adhering to company guidelines at all times.

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

In Store Products and Services EPOS

E-COMMERCE

etailPR

Proven Fashion E-Commerce Experts

BUY NOW

websites that work 01242 238373 | info@etailpr.com | etailpr.com

GARMENT STANDS KENNETT & LINDSELL LTD EST 1913 Consultants and specialists in the design and manufacture of garment stands for all aspects of clothing production. Design, fitting, standardisation and quality control

Tel: 01708 749732 Fax: 01708 733328 www.kennettlindsell.com sales@kennettlindsell.com

Call 0845 130 3535 or visit: www.toptotoe.com

RETAIL SUPPLIES

Drapers Ads 2012A_Layout 1 30/01/2012

DRAPERS CHRISTMAS WALLPLANNER For advertising and sponsorship opportunities

“We believe that we help retailers serve customers to world class standards”

CONTACT: Dawn O’Brien 0203 033 2959 dawn.obrien@EMAP.com 0800 45 11 22 morplan.com 56

Drapers / NOVEMBER 16 2013

t: 0844 544 1108 e: sales@trcepos.co.uk www.trcepos.co.uk

RETAIL SUPPLIES

STEAMERS

HANGERS

By Appointment to Her Majesty The Queen H & L Russel Limited Manufacturers of Garment Hangers

Hangers & Display Products

London Studio 020 8808 8157

SWEATSHIRTS

T: 01245 253 420 E: sales@cdcuk.com www.cdcuk.com

CLOTHING SOFTWARE

“Decades of specialist hanger experience”

Speak with our consultants we can meet all your hanger needs. Multi-channel business systems for the apparel industry Wholesale Retail Internet Selling

www.drapersonline.com

Redrose Software Ltd T:

0208 123 8280

www.redrosesoftware.co.uk

T: 01268 889000 E: sales@russel.co.uk Hanger specialist: zoer@russel.co.uk www.russel.co.uk

Manufacturing GARMENT LABELS

Top quality woven and printed labels + swing tickets Express service for washcare labels (Small orders our speciality with quick delivery) Phone TODAY for our FREE catalogue and information pack Tel: 01484 888844 Fax: 01484 888800 Email abaines@eastman.co.uk Also contact us for:cutting room papers, poly bags, shoulder pads etc www.eastman.co.uk

Woven Labels • Printed Tickets Carrier Bags • Self-Adhesive Labels Ribbon • Gift Boxes • Packaging Tissue Paper • Logo & Label Design T: 020 7249 8260 F: 020 7249 5751

e-mail: sales@adastralabels.com www.adastralabels.com

GARMENT CMT

PRIVATE LABEL SHIRTS

Garment Manufacturer in Bulgaria

Clothing production factory of womenswear and menswear. Provides reliable, professional & flexible services Specialising in T-shirts, S-shirts, Scarves and Real Leather Belts. Versatile manufacturer, very short lead times. Small and big quantities welcome. Oeko-Tex & Sedex certified. Fabric sourcing and design services available. email: info@sirioustextile.bg’

Huntley International

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.

CMT FACTORY IN LONDON

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

Are you a high-end menswear retailer looking to provide a more tailor-made service? We are the UK’s leading supplier of quality private label, RTW & MTM men’s shirts. We offer low minimums, short-lead times and quality fabric collections.

Contact: For more information please contact Howard Lipman or Ronnie Poole: howard@huntley-international.com, ronnie1224@me.com, Tel 0207 739 0551

OVER 25YEARS EXPERIENCE, SPECIALISE IN LADIES COATS/JACKETS, WELL EQUIPPED FACTORY, CAPABLE OF 1500PER WEEK, ARCADIA GROUP APPROVAL, PLEASE CONTACT 0207511 0033 capricorn97@btconnect.com

PRIVATE LABEL & MTM SHIRTS

grahamdelve@esquirescollections.com

07966 171370

BUSINESS FOR SALE CLOTHING MANUFACTURING Due to retirement, small niche ladies Wear manufacturing business for sale. Incorporating wholesale and a Mail Order business.. Huge potential....

Telephone..01539726775

www.drapersonline.com

NOVEMBER 16 2013

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

Fabric & Accessories FASHION FABRICS

TEXTILE WHOLESALE

LININGS

www.theliningcompany.co.uk Fabric importers established in 1958

Importers and wholesalers of Luxury Faux Fur to UK Manufacturing

Carrying a large and varied range of fabrics. Bi-stretch bengaline, suitings, stripes, checks and much more. Contact Paul 0208 447 5905 or 07939111193

www.ambassador-textiles.co.uk info@ambassador-textiles.co.uk

Email gbwpaul@live.co.uk www.gbwholesale.co.uk

Importers, Exporters & Wholesalers of Textile Fabrics For Ladies Fashion Industry.

Huma Fabrics

Contact: 07903368616

EMPEE SILK FABRICS LTD, we carry one of the largest selections of fabric in the UK. We carry a huge range of plain and printed Satin, Lace, Organza, Velvet, Foil, Cotton, P/C, Fun fur and many more. All under one roof; 31 Commercial Road, Edmonton, London N18 1TP. Tel: 020 8887 6000 Fax: 020 8887 6045. Email: empee@wholesalefabrics.co.uk Web: www.wholesalefabrics.co.uk Redundant stocks bought for cash.

www.drapersonline.com

JEANS BUTTONS

Unit 5, Hayes Metro Centre, Springfield Road, Hayes, Middlesex UB4 0LE

Email: info@missiontextile.com UK Sales Office: 020 8813 7711

The widest choice of press studs, jeans buttons, jeans rivets, eyelets, popper tape and trouser hooks.

TRIMMINGS 41169 Barnett Lawson Order form.qxd:••

Suppliers of fashion/textile fabrics 37A Skeltons Lane Fabric House Leyton E10 5BT

shop@theliningcompany.co.uk 0844 800 3630

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A fantastic range of over 12,000 items: Braids, buttons, cords, fringes,ORDER fringe curtains, feathers, ﬂowers, insertions, elastics, lace, ribbons, personalised printed ribbons, ric-rac, rigilene, diamanté, pearl & sequin trims, tie-backs, tubular crin, Velcro, bridal trims, millinery supplies and much, much more. If we don’t have it, we can source it! Visit our transformed website! 16/17 Little Portland Street London W1W 8NE T: +44 (0) 20 7636 8591 F: +44 (0) 20 7580 0669 E: info@bltrimmings.com W: www.bltrimmings.com

To MESSRS

Durable Fasteners Ltd. 430 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AA Tel: 020 7254 6713

ORDER No.

A/C No.

ORDER No. DATE

ARTICLE No.

DESCRIPTION

UNIT PRICE

16-17 Little Portland Street, London W1W 8NE T: 020 7636 8591; F: 020 7580 0669 E: info@bltrimmings.com; W: www.bltrimmings.com

www.durablefasteners.co.uk

Notice board STOCK WANTED

FREELANCE SERVICES

AUTHORISED

Registered Office: Sentinel House Sentinel Square Brent Street London NW4 2EP Reg No. 2211489 VAT No. GB 494731613 Directors CI Marx GI Marx

ALL FABRICS BOUGHT from remnants to total bulk clearance, immediate decision and payment. Contact Mark - 020 8993 1068 or 07836 744376

ATTN: RETAILERS Manufactures/Wholesalers etc We pay MORE for your overstocks as we do not sell your goods on, any quantity Please phone Mr David 0208 736 0088 M: 07836 389 399. Fax 0208 736 0089 or Email buyers@dofg.net

www.drapersonline.com BUSINESS FOR SALE

STOCK WANTED

We are the UK’s no.1 buyer of all designer clothing, shoes and accessories.

EARN ££££’s Today

Mixed bundles, current or past season collections. No minimum / maximum. Stockroom clearance is our speciality Professional, discreet and friendly service with immediate payment & collection to suit you.

buying@fashionwanted.co.uk 01423 872868

www.fashionwanted.co.uk 58

Drapers / NOVEMBER 16 2013

Long Established Independent Shoe Retailer, North West · Operating in a niche market with strong brand offering. · Turnover of approximately £1.5m. · Three retail outlets based on prominent high street locations in Cumbria and Lancashire. · Four concession outlets located in large out of town retail outlets in North West England.

Contact : Chris Skey at BDO LLP chris.skey@bdo.co.uk 0161 833 8336 / 07976 198 947

FREELANCE SERVICES

THE GRADING BUREAU Computer Grading For all your grading and costing needs. Childrens, Ladies and Mens. N11 2LX info@datagraf.co.uk

Tel: 020 8361 1444

www.gradingbureau.com

DATAGR AF LTD

Very experienced sample machinist of 18 years seeks part time or freelance work. Contact Ann 07979595711 Highly Skilled Pattern Cutter With 22 yrs experience. Patterns - Samples - Grading Reliable, Friendly, Efficient Service. Tel: Belinda on 01747 822695 Pattern Problems? Call Jeff Best. Creative & accurate with vast experience. Tailoring or soft casual. Email: patternman@blueyonder.co.uk. Tel: 0208 886 0494

Creative Gerber Pattern Cutting Womenswear and childrenswear 1st patterns, digitising and block making services available

www.Lucy-Jane.com Tel: 0208 314 5723

The Pattern Room LTD email: thepatternroom@gmail.com tel: 0758 367 4411

EXPERIENCED HANDS TO MAKE YOUR SAMPLES AND PATTERNS

An efficient and reliable service for your sampling needs

www.drapersonline.com

EXPERIENCED QUALITY CONTROLLER

Louise James

Provides reliable, professional & flexible employment as follows: • HOLIDAY COVER • SICKNESS COVER • • MATERNITY COVER • • ADDITIONAL SUPPORT DURING BUSY PERIODS • • UNTIL A PERMANENT ROLE IS FILLED • • FROM 1 DAY TO 6 MONTHS • Tel: 07930 485588 | Email: j1lou@btinternet.com

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

DESIGN SOURCING PRODUCTION

Zuppe Clothing

LEATHER ACCESSORIES

PRODUCING EXCELLENT, HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS FOR HIGH STREET RETAILERS Creative in-house Designers working alongside an experienced Quality Control Crew assure the delivery of great products at competitive prices backed up by a very professional Back Office and Administration Team

Ladieswear Showroom Extensive range of young ladieswear in stock for immediate delivery. Labels stocked: Zuppe, Frock Me Couture, Tilly Tizzaro

and Preppi. Contact Details: 49 Knowsley Street, Manchester, M8 8JF Sales Team – 0161 833 4010 Fax – 0160 833 4090 Email – zuppe@btconnect.com Website – www.zuppeclothing.com/collection

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

NOVEMBER 16 2013

Drapers \

MY FASHION LIFE

hat’s the concept behind BDA London? BDA London is the partnership of Barbara Hardinge and me. It’s a creative agency focused on the fashion sector with the aim of working closely with brands or retailers to create a holistic strategy that can be extended through branding, product positioning or interiors. The overriding aim is to ensure our collaboration results in a quantifiable success in sales and increased positive recognition for the client. So you are not just devising concepts? The benefits of our work must be quantifiable and qualitative. So rather than just dreaming up a good idea, BDA wants to share ownership of the ideas with the client and assist in their execution by working with the buying and marketing teams. How have you come to that conclusion? It’s easier for agencies to produce ideas rather than executable working solutions. My early days in the business were working for Deryck Healey International, one of the largest product design studios in the late 1970s. Then I worked for one of the largest Marks & Spencer suppliers as a garment designer. In the mid-1980s I formed the Bureaux partnership with Barbara Hardinge and Barney Rodgers, which grew to be one of the UK’s best-known fashion design consultancies. In 2011, Barbara and I wanted to refocus on a new approach. This refocus and clarity of aims is embodied in the ethos of BDA London. What’s the attraction of Spitalfields for your base? The area is such an inspirational hub for my team, our clients and me. You can’t help but pick up fresh ideas and inspiration. We hear you are big in South Africa. How so? For more than 10 years I have been working with the Foschini Group, which is South Africa’s equivalent of Arcadia Group. Our relationship has extended through all its fascias. It uses us intelligently – as outsiders who can look into its businesses and ask the questions that may not be apparent to it. South Africa is a market with huge potential for UK brands and retailers. Walmart recently bought a South African supermarket. In fashion Zara and Topshop have just opened and soon to come are H&M and River Island. What are the differences between a job in South Africa and the UK? Ultimately the issues are the same in any fashion business. It always starts and finishes with the product. BDA London has a thorough knowledge of fashion product and can discuss stock turn, markdowns and clearance with the buyers. Our aim is to enable the client to sell more products at better prices. What would be your dream brief in 2014? Having experienced the last recession, we know this is the perfect time to reinvent and reposition a business or brand. Our ideal job would be either to create something from scratch or to take a struggling concern and refocus it to be a positive proposition for consumers. For more My Fashion Life interviews visit www.drapersonline.com/news/my-fashion-life 60

Drapers / NOveMBeR 16 2013

Dave Edgar

The co-founder of design agency BDA explains how to take an idea and turn it into a retail reality Words by ERIC MUSGRAVE