WWB MAGAZINE MAY ISSUE 255

WOMENSWEAR BUYER wwb-online.co.uk MAY 2016/ ISSUE 255/ ÂŁ6.95

STARS & STRIPES US COUNTRY FOCUS The hottest labels to watch from East Coast to West Coast ECO WARRIOR People Tree founder Safia Minney on 25 years at the forefront of Fair Trade fashion MORAL FIBRE Ethical brands in the spotlight

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36/ T H E M O R A L H I G H GROUND Our pick of the brands that combine ethics with aesthetics

41/ TOP TIPS FOR E-COMMERCE SUCCESS Experts share their winning multi-channel strategies.

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RETAIL FORUM

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ETAIL CLINIC

Expert e-commerce advice

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BLAKE MYOSKIE

The founder of Toms shares his success story and what it means to be a social entrepreneur

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THE LAST WORD

With Yathu Kanagaratnam, business development manager, City Goddess

EDITOR’S COMMENT

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The other side of womenswear

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TALKING POINT

Your views on the issues shaping the industry

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EAST MEETS WEST

The highlights from Shanghai show The Hub

20/ I N T E R V I E W

With People Tree’s Safia Minney

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STYLE FILE

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ART SCHOOL COOL

The best quirky styles to get in-store now

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BORN IN THE USA

The brands to watch, from LA to NY

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FAST FORWARD

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The s/s 16 short-order labels to top up your in-store offer

FRONT COVER: VELVET

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Editor Isabella Griffiths isabella@ras-publishing.com Contributors Christina Williams christina@ras-publishing.com Victoria Jackson victoria@ras-publishing.com Laura Turner laura@ras-publishing.com Writer Rebecca Jackson rebecca.jackson@ras-publishing.com Design & production Michael Podger mick@ras-publishing.com

Editor’s comment Isabella Griffiths

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When I think of my grandma when she was in her 60s, I remember her very much as looking like a grandma. You know: grey hair, perm, clothes that we would now describe as old-fashioned at best, a little fuddy-duddy at worst. But when I look at my mother at this age, she’s a totally different story. Mum – herself now a grandma – dresses nothing like my granny used to. Instead, she dresses fashionably and could probably pass for 10 years younger or more. My mother and her friends are still interested in trends, but in those that are interpreted for her age, and what she wears and how she wears it has to reflect her (active) life and style. And with that, she is probably the epitome of today’s mature lady – 60 is the new 50, or 40 even, indeed!

I was surprised then, that a recent report commissioned by fashion retailer JD Williams in association with YouGov revealed that over half (55 per cent) of 50+ British women are not confident about the way they look. Only 43 per cent of 50+ women feel happy with their body and appearance. A lot of this is certainly to blame on the media, who continue to be youth obsessed, if not outright ageist. But it’s this age group which should not be ignored. It’s the generation of the powerful ‘grey pound’, in possession of not only disposable income, but also the time, interest and lifestyle that fuels the need and desire for fashion.

The media and fashion industries need to do more for the ‘forgotten fifties’. JD Williams is

leading the way, with campaigns featuring 50+ models that reflect the target group of the retailer, as well as running initiatives such as Fifty Plus Fashion Week, as it hosted earlier this year. Now other retailers need to follow suit – after all, this age group remains the fastest growing demographic with the highest spending power. The industry would be foolish to ignore them for much longer.

On the topic of fashion, no one does California cool like LA labels, oozing the kind of relaxed and effortless style that looks thrown together and yet is utterly polished. Equally, few brands capture a refined yet understated style better than New York labels, especially when A-list celebrities are regularly spotted in them.

Whether it’s East Coast sophistication or West Coast cool, US labels are currently having a bit of a moment, with both design directions resonating strongly with UK customers. We have therefore dedicated a special country focus to US labels, bringing you some of the best and most soughtafter names around.

We also focus in on the ever-growing ethical fashion market, which has come a long way since its early days of tie-dye hemp garments and is now a stylish fashion tour de force. And who better to reflect on the changes in ethical fashion than one of its most iconic campaigners, Safia Minney, who looks back on 25 years at the forefront of the ethical fashion movement with her label People Tree. Don’t miss her interview on page 20.

WWB is a fashion business publication produced by RAS Publishing Ltd. Other titles include MWB and CWB. RAS Publishing is an ITE Group PLC company

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RISE IN ACTIVEWEAR BOOSTS FASHION SALES Health and fitness culture is changing the perception of activewear and fuelling its continued growth.

With a cultural shift towards a more health and fitness conscious consumer, the trend is filtering into shoppers’ wardrobes.

According to a recent study by industry analyst Verdict, over half of UK consumers have purchased activewear over the last 12 months (53.7 per cent). The highest penetration is among the 25 to 44 age group, reaching rates of 61 per cent (25-34) and 61.5 per cent (35-44), demonstrating the importance to retailers of prioritising this core demographic. The research also reveals that, with 52.3 per cent of consumers wearing it more than once a week, activewear is becoming a wardrobe essential.

“Changing consumer lifestyles have caused a shift towards consumers seeking multifunctional activewear garments. It is becoming more acceptable to wear activewear for both physical activities and social events, particularly since retailers have invested in making ranges far more fashionable and trend-led,” says Rebecca Marks, retail consultant at Verdict Retail.

Tapping into the trend, sport brands have collaborated with health and fitness coaches, taking advantage of their social media influence on consumers. Most recently, sportswear brand Ellesse has sought to reinvent its fashionable sports image using fitness coach Lucy Mecklenburgh, while Björn Borg has signed up with The Body Coach, Joe Wicks.

Moreover, with just under half of consumers (43.3 per cent) preferring to wear activewear over other clothing in their wardrobe, specialist sports brands have been proactive in capitalising on this trend. Most recently, Nike partnered with

luxury Japanese brand Sacai for its NikeLab X Sacai collection, where fashion silhouettes are integrated within activewear.

Currently sports specialists record the highest usage for activewear purchases, with 9.7 per cent of activewear consumers using JD Sports; fierce competitor Sports Direct sits close on its heels with a 9.6 per cent rate. However, with price the key driver for retailer choice – coming in at 91.2 per cent – specialist retailers face increased pressure and competition from value clothing specialists. Primark in particular is ranking third for usage at 7.4 per cent, with Verdict predicting this to rise as the value chain continues to expand its ranges.

“While consumers tend to prioritise performance features, benefiting the sports specialists and sports brands, style and fashion have become more important factors in the purchasing decision, particularly so for women,” Marks adds.

With activewear taking a more dominant space in consumers’ wardrobes, retailers have reacted by allocating more space to ranges in stores, as well as dominant visual merchandising in window displays and through e-commerce web banners and marketing campaigns.

Marks explains: “Strong competition on the high street has caused retailers’ physical and digital channels to become battlegrounds for activewear. It is no longer enough to simply expand into this market with an attractive range – products must be exposed to attract new customers and build destination appeal within the sportswear market.”

FOR DAILY NEWS, ANALYSIS AND UPDATES, VISIT WWB-ONLINE.CO.UK

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NEWS IN BRIEF

BOOHOO PROFITS SURGE

MODA REVEALS HIGH PROFILE SIGNINGS

Young fashion etailer Boohoo has announced another set of strong financial results, with revenues up by 40 per cent for the year ended 29 February. Revenue rose from £139.8m last year to £195.3m, with gross profit up by 33 per cent to £112.9m, up from £85m.

The growth has been attributed to further development of the product ranges, as well as expansion in key markets. The brand has more than 4 million active customers, an increase of 34 per cent on the previous year.

Boohoo has also launched apps in the UK, USA and Australia, as well as introducing responsive websites for its European sites, improving its mobile and tablet offering.

“Active customer numbers, order frequency and conversion have all increased on last year as we continue to invest in building customer lifetime value,” says Mahmud Kamani, joint CEO.

Moda Woman has made an early international addition to its August line-up with the arrival of Canadian womenswear brand Frank Lyman (pictured above), as well as Dutch labels L’Argentina and La Gauchita.

Known for its vibrant prints, flattering dresses and fit, Frank Lyman is one of the UK’s most successful womenswear imports and will be presenting its s/s 17 collection covering a vast mix of daywear, evening and occasionwear. L’Argentina brings sporty apparel into the fashion lifestyle arena. Characterised by high quality, excellent fit and distinctive class, its collection is designed to be layered and matched for a cohesive and effortless look. Sister label La Gauchita, meanwhile, is a diffusion line characterised by premium denim, specific details, subtle branding and a firm style across its casual luxury collection.

Moda Woman returns to Birmingham’s NEC on 7-9 August.

PURE COLLECTION ANNOUNCES NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM Cashmere brand Pure Collection has appointed John Nicholas as new chief executive officer and Jo Hooper as product director, following founder Nick Falkingham’s decision to step into a more strategic role of executive vice chairman.

Nicholas, who joined the brand in March last year as chief operating officer, is tasked with driving growth, focusing on standalone stores, concessions and e-commerce. Hooper, whose previous high-profile roles include director of womenswear buying at John Lewis, will consult on all aspects of buying, design, sourcing and strategy for Pure Collection, working with the product team to initiate longer term growth for the business within the womenswear market.

MEET THE MANUFACTURER EXPLORES INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION This year’s Meet the Manufacturer conference will explore the future of UK manufacturing at its next edition, held at The Old Truman Brewery, London on 25-26 May 2016. With the debate topic titled Heritage vs Innovation, the theme reflects the growing surge of opinion that a new industrial revolution is upon the country. Attendees will also have the chance to pitch ideas to a panel of experts – including Simon Colbeck, head of Marks & Spencer and Emma Willis MBE – in a Dragon’s Den style competition. For further information visit www.meetthemanufacturer.co.uk INDIA INTERNATIONAL GARMENT FAIR PROMISES INNOVATION The 57th India International Garment Fair will be held from 18 to 20 July in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India.

Around 500 Indian manufacturers are expected to present their innovations under one umbrella, showcasing their expertise in prints, tie & dye and high end embroidery. IIGF is the biggest international trade fair for fashion, covering womenswear, menswear, childrenswear, scarves and stoles, fashion accessories and jewellery.

FARFETCH TEAMS UP WITH MANOLO BLAHNIK Farfetch Black & White has launched manoloblahnik.com, the luxury footwear brand’s first global e-commerce site. The site will be powered by Farfetch Black & White, a service-led turn-key solution launched in September 2015 to fully operate all aspects of a luxury brand’s e-commerce presence. Farfetch has also announced the launch of Farfetch API, a new modular product which allows enterprise-level e-commerce websites to connect their existing infrastructure and augment it with Farfetch’s e-commerce services.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

NEWNESS DEFINES NEXT EDITION OF TRANOÏ

FATFACE OPENS UPSIZED STORE

French premium trade show Tranoï will open its doors on 25 to 27 June at Cité de la Mode et du Design and Palais de la Bourse. The show will no longer be called Tranoï Homme & Preview, but will be renamed Tranoï Paris: Men’s, Women’s Pre-collections & Parfums in order to accommodate the international spirit of the show.

To keep ahead of a fast-evolving market, Tranoï Paris: Women’s Pre-collections is held during Paris Men’s Fashion Week which takes place at the beginning of the buying season, allowing womenswear designers to present their collections more frequently and stock to be constantly renewed within retail distribution channels.

For the coming edition, the show welcomes womenswear brands such as Brockenbow, Cathrine Hammel, Chloé Stora, Cutuli Cult, Enes, Feidt Paris, Jacquie Aiche, Pomandere, She’s So, Sofie D’Hoore and more. For more information visit www.tranoi.com

Lifestyle clothing and accessories retailer FatFace has opened its new upsized store at Bluewater.

The multi-channel brand has doubled its presence to create a 7,753 sq ft statement store on the upper Rose Gallery, showcasing the brand’s entire ranges across womenswear, menswear, kids and accessories.

A bold store front combining glass and steel creates a bright environment which is now all on one level. Internally, the colour palette is lighter and fresher to create a more textured feel. The FatFace personality has been woven throughout the new concept and bespoke fixtures allow consumers to navigate the store and specific product categories with ease.

The FatFace statement store was designed by creative agency Box of Frogs, who worked closely alongside the brand’s design team and Land Securities’ retail delivery team as part of the company’s statement store programme at Bluewater.

REPORT WARNS OF UNWELCOME BREXIT DELIVERY COSTS International courier ParcelHero is warning that ‘Brexit’ will add 30 per cent to the price of an average import and cost the typical SME importer £163,000 a year through increased shipping costs, duties and taxes, red tape and border delays. The company has issued a report, Delivering Brexit: The True Cost of Leaving the EU, in which it claims that if Britain exits the European Union (EU), there will be an immediate and significant decline in trade with its most important trading partner.

Based on its experience shipping to non-EU countries, ParcelHero warns there will be an average 5-9 per cent added to the price of an item in duties, and VAT of around 20 per cent to pay. Additionally, it warns there will be increased transport costs, as the UK becomes a less competitive market for international couriers, and new ‘customs clearance’ charges from global carriers, which are typically around £15. ParcelHero states that a typical £150 purchase from the EU would cost Brits around £195: an increase of £45 or 30 per cent. The report warns UK exporters will face a mass of new red tape shipping to the EU. Customs forms with proof of origin for every shipment will be required and the resulting duties payable by receivers mean EU businesses will be three times more likely to prefer to trade elsewhere within the Union than with the UK.

UK’S OLDEST SATCHEL MAKER EXCEEDS CROWDFUNDING TARGET British brand The Leather Satchel Co. has raised over £50,000 during a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, with the aim of developing an online tool that allows customers to personalise their own satchels. The success of the campaign, which was launched in conjunction with the brand’s 50th anniversary, will fund a state-of-the-art customisation tool that allows customers to choose their own design from thousands of style variations and preview their bag in real time.

Supporters were able to pledge upwards of £15 to fund the online design tool, with a wide variety of personalised bags, satchels and experiences offered as rewards for supporting the campaign.

MUSIC MAKEOVER FOR FASHION STORES Professional music consultancy PRS for Music is giving fashion stores the chance to win £5,000 worth of music equipment, plus invaluable guidance from music experts as part of its Music Makeover competition. Launched in 2011, initially for the pub sector, to promote the importance of music in business, the competition is now being extended to fashion stores. PRS for Music is also offering a bespoke music consultation from a leading music and technology expert, advising on the best use of music in stores, and a launch event to celebrate and promote the win.

For more information and to enter visit www.prsformusic.com LONDONEDGE RETURNS TO BUSINESS DESIGN CENTRE Londonedge is returning to Islington’s Business Design Centre for its a/w 16 edition, which takes place on 4-6 September. A host of alternative, street and lifestyle labels will be on show, with an increased quota of international visitors once again expected to attend the show. For more information and to pre-register visit www.londonedge.com

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NEWS IN BRIEF

DEREK ROSE OPENS FIRST HOUSE OF FRASER RETURNS TO PROFIT FLAGSHIP STORE British lifestyle brand Derek Rose has opened its first standalone store in London’s Notting Hill.

The opening marks a significant next step in the expansion of the family-owned business, which was founded in the 1920s.

The new store, located on the corner of Westbourne Grove and Ledbury Road, features a core selection of the Derek Rose leisure, sleep and underwear collections for men, women and children.

With minimalist and warm decor, the store interior allows the prints and details of the clothing to be the focal point of the display and its ‘smart comfort’ clothing range to be showcased in an appealing and sympathetic manner.

“After nearly 100 years in the business focusing on wholesale and more recently our online site, we are extremely excited to open our first physical store,” says managing director Sacha Rose. “This will really allow us to showcase the pieces we believe in and project our message of ‘smart comfort’ to a wider audience.”

Highland Group Holdings, the parent company of House of Fraser, has announced record sales and a return to profit for the first time since 2006.

The trading update for the 52 weeks to 30 January reveals a sales increase of 4.2 per cent on a like-forlike 52-week basis, with total gross transaction value of £1.3bn. Online sales continued to grow, increasing by 26.8 per cent, representing 18.9 per cent of total sales, whilst bricks and mortar store sales increased 0.1 per cent on a like-for-like 52-week basis.

The group recorded a gross profit of £484.1m, up £23.9m, representing a 5.2 per cent increase on the previous year. Profits before tax amounted to £1.3m, constituting the first profit since 2006. Operational highlights include a sales increase in all categories and routes to market; continued growth in house brands and branded sales of 4 per cent and 6.7 per cent respectively, and a strong performance in menswear and accessories, up 8.5 per cent and 4.6 per cent respectively.

FRANK WALDER CONTINUES INTERNATIONAL GROWTH German womenswear brand Frank Walder has closed the a/w 16 selling season with a 12 per cent rise on this time last year, with 260 new customers worldwide and 16 new doors in the UK and Ireland, an increase of 9 per cent.

The brand has attributed the success to a modernised and streamlined signature, which has led to positive sell-through on shop floors and helped boost a/w 16 forward order volumes. “Customers have responded very well to the collection’s modern handwriting and have rewarded our consistency,” comments managing director Herbert Pircher.

The brand’s international growth has been driven by expansion throughout Russia, despite the market’s ongoing difficulties, as well as new territories such as Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and, outside of Europe, the US and Canada, which have been identified as further export targets with significant potential. In the UK the brand is represented by fashion agency Partners in Fashion and currently serves around 85 accounts.

INVISTA REDEFINES WINTER DENIM Invista, one of the world’s largest integrated producers of polymers and fibres, launched two new Thermolite brand technologies at the Kingpins denim show in Amsterdam last month.

Thermolite Infrared technology and patented Thermolite Dual Layer technology are the first offerings under a new brand category called Thermolite Pro, providing a higher level of warmth and insulation than traditional denim.

BIRA EXPANDS BIRMINGHAM OFFICE The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has purchased 225a Bristol Road, a 4,000 sq ft building at the rear of its present premises, enabling it to expand its operations on that site.

Commenting on the acquisition, Group CEO Alan Hawkins said that having two freehold premises within five metres of each other would enable the long-term plan of bringing all the staff to one location to come to fruition.

The Middleton Cheney (Banbury) premises will be sold over the course of the next year; arrangements are being made to transfer as many members of staff to Birmingham as possible.

A modernisation programme will be undertaken on both buildings, giving Bira a more forward looking and contemporary feel. The move to the new premises is not expected to happen before autumn 2016.

ASOS TO DISCONTINUE LOCAL CHINA OPERATION The board of ASOS has decided to discontinue local operations in China and to continue to serve its growing China customer base via ASOS.com, which will offer around 80,000 products. The financial impacts of this decision are estimated at one-off closure costs of up to £10m, of which the majority will be non-cash, and operating losses to closure in the current financial year of around £4m (pre-tax figures).

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Backstage

The events, campaigns and parties not to miss 01/ CURVES IN THE CITY Plus-size clothing brand Scarlett & Jo hosted a photoshoot of more than 100 women at Bankside, London Bridge last month, making this the biggest plus-size photoshoot of its kind.

Featuring women aged 17 to 40+ from all over the UK and across Europe, the shoot came about following the brand’s Members’ Modelling Competition, which was opened to over 20,000 followers on Facebook to find the faces of Scarlett & Jo, in association with Ms Curvaceous UK. In line with the brand’s ethos of celebrating all curvy women, every participant will be featured individually on the website, modelling the Scarlett & Jo collections. The winners for The Face of Curvy Tall, The Face of Curvy Petite and The Face of Scarlett & Jo will be announced shortly.

02/ SMES TAKE TO BERLIN ON TRADE MISSION Small business support group Enterprise Nation will take 40 SMEs on a trade mission to Berlin this month. The trip is part of the ongoing Go Global campaign, a collaboration between Enterprise Nation, international delivery firm UPS and global payments network PayPal, and will help small firms to export.

The main goal of the trip will be to connect British designer labels and suppliers with buyers and influencers in the Berlin fashion economy and further in the German market.

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BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT UK heritage brand Dents has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales for the manufacture of gloves. Dents, based in Warminster, Wiltshire, has been manufacturing leather gloves since the reign of George III and today exports across the world. “We are enormously proud to have been awarded a Royal Warrant,” said Dents’ chief executive Deborah Moore. “This is a real tribute to everyone who works at Dents and to the quality of our gloves.” The company has long connections with the British royal family, creating special gloves for Queen Victoria and the gloves used in the coronation services of both George VI in 1937 and Elizabeth II in 1953.

04/ BOOK LAUNCH CELEBRATES SLOW FASHION MOVEMENT Safia Minney, founder of fairtrade clothing label People Tree, launched her new book Slow Fashion: Aesthetics meets Ethics, with an event at aptly chosen slow food pub The Duke of Cambridge in London last month. Campaigners in ethical fashion and the fairtrade movement attended the evening, with speakers including journalist and writer on ethical living Lucy Siegle, fashion expert Caryn Franklin, chief executive of the Fairtrade Foundation Mike Gidney and Orsola de Castro, founder of recycled fashion business From Somewhere.

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Talking Point

Your views on the issues shaping the industry We all have the same goal

DIANE SYKES Owner of fashion agency Diane Sykes Fashion Marketing With my first season under the umbrella of Diane Sykes Fashion Marketing now done and dusted, I am able to catch my breath, say a little prayer of thanks and reflect on the season as a whole. I have been in the role of sales and marketing for nearly 30 years, so there is not much that I haven’t seen or experienced in that time. Obviously, being

All hands on deck

PAMELA SHIFFER Owner of the eponymous store in Primrose Hill, London. Pamela Shiffer is a member of the Fashion Association of Britain (FAB) and was speaking to Melissa Wheeler.

Question: What makes a successful independent retailer? Another question: How do you as a retailer measure success?

No doubt there are several answers to both of the questions. However, one thing’s for certain: you can’t stay relevant and cover all bases without an

completely on my own was a new experience, but with the constant flow of customers, thankfully, there was no time to be lonely.

My customers have been more than fabulous this season and I am happy to report that most who had an appointment to view my ranges went on to buy. It was humbling to experience such kindness and encouragement; I don’t think I have ever had a conversion rate or a season that was so successful with the launch of new brands. I believe that the success of the season was due in part to a quest for brands which are just that – a complete brand. A collection that not only looks attractive and excites the buyer but one that will provide constants in all areas too.

Bringing in a new label is always exciting, but with the emphasis on margins and bottom lines, so many cannot afford to take risks. More retailers than ever asked about the history of the labels, what their unique selling points were, and above all else were eager to learn of the security of a strong infrastructure.

It may seem obvious, but it also helps when a brand has good strong images. Today’s appetite for media coverage is voracious. Whether it be on a global level or retailers managing their own social

media via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts, images sell product and as we know, a picture paints a thousand words. In today’s market the need to feed the public with as much information as possible seems to be in direct correlation with success. When I look at the retailers that really work this aspect, it is those that have the thriving businesses.

Fortunately the bond between agents and retailers is a lot closer, too. Long gone are the days where an agent takes an order in February and never the twain shall meet until the following August. There is a much greater feeling of symbiosis now, and although some have always worked like this (I know that for me, swapping stock was ‘de rigueur’ from as early as the 90s) it has taken a while for the wholesale industry to catch up and realise that we are all on the same side.

These days it is quite normal for agents to help host event days, organise fashion shows and generally be a lot more involved in the selling of the merchandise at a retail level. I am thrilled that so much more importance is attached to these unique partnerships because ultimately, don’t we all have the same goal?

amazing team behind you. It might seem obvious, but it can be easy to forget just how unbelievably valuable good staff are: true in any business, but never more so than in our people-based, servicedriven industry.

So let’s say you have the most wonderful team of inspired, loyal, dedicated staff standing right by your side, but do you have the right mix of brands for your customers? As we all know, buying the right brand mix is a minefield we have to negotiate season after season. Just when you think you’ve discovered a winning formula, suddenly a trend you hadn’t spotted six months earlier comes up on the inside and storms ahead like the winning horse in the Grand National. It’s then you need to react with all the flexibility of a Pilates teacher as your customers arrive clutching their copies of Grazia, Elle and Marie Claire.

Okay, so you’ve sourced the ‘rank outsider’ trend and your customers are delighted with your refreshed offer; however, you now need to incorporate all the newly invigorated stock to make the store look inviting. So merchandising is done and all looks rosy until… it’s time to do something about promoting your store.

Most of us would agree social media is a wonderful tool for instant attention, however there are still other customers who want to see your name in a good old-fashioned magazine. So you set about deciding where you’re going to spend your hard earned cash in the vain hope your adverts will reap rewards. On the other hand, and this is something I’m very proud of, you could impress an editor or journalist with your in-store service and offer, to the point they want to write about you. That’s the sort of publicity we’d all like to court for obvious reasons, however mainly because of the confidence and endorsement your customers feel when purchasing.

There are many ways to measure success: for some it will mean winning awards and for others it will mean expansion into other areas and locations. However for me, it’s all about the long game of being able to discover new areas of the business to explore and bring to our loyal customers. It might not sound very glamorous, however my judges will always be my customers and if we’re doing right by them, then that’s success in my eyes. www.fashionassociationofbritain.co.uk

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East

meets West

Last month’s edition of Shanghai trade show The HUB saw a host of high profile UK labels make their market debut, with catwalk shows from Sibling, Ryan Lo, Henry Holland and more. As Asia’s leading fashion trade fair, it showcased the hottest emerging and established talent from mainland China and beyond.

WWB was there and brings you the highlights. brands, attracting over 1,500 industry visitors, as well as more than 1,500 attendees at the nine catwalk shows held over the three days.

This was a three-fold increase on last season’s event for The HUB’s second Shanghai outing, following the show’s relocation from Hong Kong.

Sibling

AV Robertson

Sibling

Fashion East

Ryan Lo

Last month’s fashion trade show The HUB, which took place at the Lafayette Arts & Design Centre in Shanghai, brought the best emerging fashion talent as well as cutting edge design to China’s fashion capital. Running alongside Shanghai Fashion Week, The HUB presented 60 international and Chinese designers and

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she adds. “Importantly, you never get an understanding of a market until you get there and meet staff and see stores, both potential and existing. We loved our experience in Shanghai and had a really positive reception.”

This is mirrored by Fashion East founder Lulu Kennedy, who also praised the organisation and quality of the show. “We’re aware that there’s real interest amongst Chinese consumers and buyers for our young Fashion East brands as they offer new ideas and youthful, desirable products. It’s an exciting and key market with a lot of potential for us,” she says. “We were therefore thrilled to be invited to come to China for the first time by The HUB. We really like the intimate show space and welcoming atmosphere at The HUB. The showroom has real personality, which comes down to the careful brand selection, whereas some tradeshows we’ve experienced can be very big and overwhelming. We had brilliant feedback and interest from buyers – we’d love to come back to Shanghai and build on this and explore other opportunities in China,” she continues. ­— Turn overleaf to discover some of the exciting Chinese designers making a name for themselves on the international arena.

For more information visit www.thehub.hk or email exhibit@thehub.hk / visit@thehub.hk

House of Holland House of Holland

Fashion East

House of Holland

AV Robertson

Ryan Lo

Debuting this season, The HUB also showcased some of London’s most in-demand designers with the support of the UK’s Fashion is GREAT initiative. Catwalk shows featured UK designers Sibling, Ryan Lo and Henry Holland, and Fashion East’s Mimi Wade, AV Robertson, Caitlin Price and Richard Malone. As well as presenting runway collections, each designer showcased their a/w 16 ranges within the exhibition space, alongside names such as Cheap Monday, 5Preview, Twenty Two Zero One, Nicce London, Dkode, Rains, Mr Hare, Dienastie, Enter, Boy London and many more.

“China is potentially a huge market for us and feels as exciting as Japan was in the 80s: that hunger for something new and exciting beyond big brand names and logo filled product is really tangible. I guess that British brands, more than anything, offer that newness,” says Cozette McCreery, director of UK label Sibling, which was one of the exhibitors to have made their The HUB debut.

“Sibling has been invited to many presentations in China, but this one felt right and at the exact right time for both us and the Chinese market. Being offered a catwalk show, the chance to work with stylist Lucia Lui – who restyled the show and made it a harder vibe than London, which we loved – and a full casting of Chinese models spearheaded by Kiki Kang was an extra bonus,”

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THE HUB:

DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT MISSY SKINS Missy Skins by Beijing-born Natasha Ivachoff (pictured) is a runway collection based on the designer’s passion for crafting iconic leather pieces.

Ivachoff focuses on new developments in leather technology, using fine skins with stretch, prints, appliqués and unconventional treatments, and contrasting them with other premium textiles in innovative ways. Having studied fashion design in Sydney, and worked for over a decade in high profile design roles, she launched her own Shanghai-based label in 2012, pairing her roots in fine tailoring with a vision to keep leather fashionable, accessible and a staple in every girl’s wardrobe.

Leather leggings are a core category of Missy Skins and have become known for a perfect fit. The brand has already gained a loyal following, from A-list celebrities to key fashion influencers, both in China and abroad.

MIKUMKUM Mikumkum is the ready-to-wear line from Shanghai couturier Lu Kun (pictured), focusing on the creation of the new Shanghainese debutante style. Exquisite tailoring is at the core of the brand, celebrating and perfectly shaping the female silhouette.

Born and raised in Shanghai, Lu Kun is one of the first genuine internationally renowned Chinese fashion designers, creating a name for himself around the world. Modern Shanghainese women are his muses – strong women who have been brought up in the rich history of the city. Using couture techniques which are rare in today’s fashion world, he creates a post-fusion style called ‘Shanghai-chic’.

SIMON GAO Simon Gao is currently one of the hottest young designers in China. The winner of multiple awards, he presented his first haute-couture collection at Paris Fashion Week in 2014, after which he was invited to attend London Fashion Week on the official runway schedule, as well as having signed to a Parisian showroom to present the collection to international media and buyers. Gao established his collection in 2012, a range that is influenced by the global avant-garde, contemporary art, culture, music, architecture and more. By combining elegant yet avant-chic and powerful styles, adopting clean tailoring while mixing both soft and hard fabrics with convention-breaking new materials, Simon Gao has created a hypermodern silhouette and luxury feel. The craftsmanship of his signature touches such as edge stitching, offset print, zipper design and exquisite threading are highly recognisable.

MAKEMAKE Makemake is an independent designer brand that fuses the trendy and elegant, the relaxed and interesting, these juxtapositions creating its distinct style. Inspired by the nature of the universe, the signature style combines art and life through a repurposing of mixed fabrics and their reconstruction into more artistic and interesting patterns. The brand is a design collaboration, with Yen Chiu (pictured) one of its co-founders and creative directors. Having honed her skills during a varied career in fashion, she joined fellow designer Soko to form the label. Titled ‘A moveable feast’, the a/w 16 collection uses low waist design as the main detail and base of the season, with straight and neatly asymmetric lines featuring on oversized silhouettes, creating an artistic mood inspired by the 1920s and art deco.

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The Stylecheck:

stylefruits’ app feature offers real-time style advice

With more than 10 million monthly visits, over three million app downloads and eight million Facebook fans, stylefruits is the leading style advice platform in Europe. It offers an exceptionally large selection of fashionable clothing and accessories from a wide range of online partner shops, and strives to combine shopping with innovative recommendation features such as the Stylecheck.

Instant feedback from a whole community If it’s decision time in the store’s changing room or just an every-morning “I have nothing to wear” moment, the answers are available in just a few seconds with the Stylecheck. Android and iOS users can upload photos of outfits or items and get instant feedback from a whole community – whether at home in front of the wardrobe or on a shopping trip in the city. Users just have to snap a photo and upload it to the Stylecheck to instantly receive feedback from the fashion community.

Increased retention and more than three million app downloads The possibility to upload personal styles creates an additional emotional incentive for users to remain active within the stylefruits community. “Since the launch of the Stylecheck feature, user engagement and retention have increased significantly. Users open the app twice as often as before and the community is extremely active: there have already been over 80 million votes on the photos uploaded so far,” says Mathias Ziegler, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of stylefruits.

“Recently, our app reached the three million download mark.”

For more information on partnerships please visit: www.stylefruits.co.uk/shop-partner

How it works With the Stylecheck feature users can post outfits, individual items or accessories from their stylefruits wishlists, or images taken on their smartphones into the Stylecheck. They can post either a single style or two styles together for comparison, which the community can vote on and discuss. Anyone who wishes to share their expert advice can browse through the Stylecheck feed and vote for their favourite looks, and leave comments. This way, the entire stylefruits community can offer advice to anyone searching for the perfect shoes or trying to find a matching handbag.

The first thing a user sees after clicking the ‘like’ button is the current voting tally. Keeping this information hidden until the user has already voted ensures authentic and objective results on all posts and thus the highest quality styling advice.

The stylefruits app is therefore the ideal digital fashion companion for real-time styling and purchasing advice from an entire community of fashion-savvy women.

MATHIAS ZIEGLER, CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER

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This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Fair Trade clothing label People Tree. Following on from years of tireless campaigning for ethical practice in fashion production, the brand’s founder Safia Minney shares with Rebecca Jackson what drives her and the label’s success.

Rebecca Jackson: You’ve launched a new book, Slow Fashion: Aesthetics Meets Ethics. What inspired you to write it?

Safia Minney: There’s been this huge movement in ethical fashion since the Rana Plaza building collapse, and it also coincides with People Tree’s 25th anniversary since I started the brand in Japan. We’ve looked at a huge development of a movement which used to be very minor and very fringe into something which is now incredibly significant in terms of the designers and retailers who are involved with it.

We have some incredibly beautiful eco-concept stores now around the world and I’ve spent the past four years developing the European market for People Tree. I’ve been absolutely blown away by the most incredible people who are opening stores which reflect their values. For me, the book echoes the excitement of how fast the industry is moving.

SAFIA MINNEY FOUNDER, PEOPLE TREE

RJ: You speak about a ‘rebirth’ of the new, global Slow Fashion movement – what does this mean?

SM: It’s a coming of age of the fairtrade and sustainable fashion industry, which for me is really exciting. We’re seeing a lot of discussion now; the whole concept of time is an issue; we have to slow things down.

The evolution of slow fashion has become massive and has really given consumers the opportunity to think about what they want to buy and how disposable it is. It’s also given brands and companies the opportunity to clean up their act and look at their supply chain to be sure that they haven’t got child labour, slavery, highly exploitive working conditions and sub-minimum wages in that supply chain. We can’t do that at this current high speed of fashion production.

We need to change the whole operational model with which fashion companies work in order to be able to do that.

Looking at the campaign, which has galvanised consumers and raised awareness, things are moving forward. A lot of the language now in these policy papers is closely echoing what we’ve been talking about for a long time, so it’s a really exciting time. It means that we’re going to see a huge shift.

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RJ: You started the label in the 90s, when the fair trade market was a completely different place. How did you break down barriers?

SM: The sustainable fair trade offer at that time was very limited and ugly and retailed in not very beautiful places, and that’s why I started the first eco-concept store 20 years ago in Tokyo because I wanted a beautiful store that anyone could come to, a one-stop ethical shop where they wouldn’t feel alienated and they would find beautiful, good quality products at affordable prices. I think the important thing is making sustainable fashion accessible. It’s not just about price. It’s about design, quality, image, desirability and awareness. There’s all these barriers to making it understood and also covetable.

When I was developing the first organic supply chain for fashion we had some disasters. At that time I didn’t have a lot of technical and design backing that we have now with specialist models. It’s been an evolution and there’s been support with the ethical customers from the early 90s all the way through to help us develop the product we have today.

Today the market looks completely different; we have lots of other ethical brands out there and we’ve got a debate going on. We’re looking at something which is a different planet from where I started 25 years ago.

RJ: How important is it to get the balance between style and ethical values right?

SM: Since starting People Tree I’ve looked at how fair trade can be covered throughout the design process because you have to start there. For instance, when you’re looking at the drape of a garment you might have to put drip irrigation in organic cotton fields in order to get longer fibres so it will be thinner and will drape properly. So you end up having to think a bit more down the supply chain, which some designers might see as a limitation, but actually a lot of them would find it incredibly empowering to know who made it and that they can use hand craft skills.

There are disadvantages: you can’t respond as quickly because we don’t use synthetic and we’re not happy with

sub-contracting, so there are things which slow down the speed to market. And that’s why I say we have to slow down fashion in order to get transparency.

RJ: What is your take on the current quality and volume of ethical fashion labels on offer?

SM: I think there are lots of new ethical brands at different price points, and that’s good to see. It’s not always been clear for the consumer as to where you can buy what, though now when you type in ‘ethical fashion’ you’ve got a lot of choice. People mention the cost a lot, but I know lots of people who are detoxing their closets and buying things that last or that are secondhand instead.

RJ: People Tree has done a lot towards the active promotion of fair trade: where do you go from here?

SM: I’m doing more work independently. For example, I’ve got international talks in the Middle East on sustainable fashion and social entrepreneurship, looking at what social business is and how it’s applicable internationally.

The reason I set up People Tree was to change the world.

Little by little with the help of our amazing customers and other social entrepreneurs and campaigners we’re beginning to create this paradigm shift and I’d like to continue to be part of that cutting edge of change. I’m also doing some ethical supply chain consultancy to help other companies as well to move and to start looking at their supply chain. We need big solutions quickly.

RJ: What would you say to a manufacturer, supplier, brand or designer who isn’t convinced about practising fair trade?

SM: Just look at the stats and the data out there. There’s so much out there now; clothing often looks the same, and the story of what’s behind the brand and how it’s made is your point of difference. From a commercial point of view, the ethical and sustainable tag is a reason to buy and will become more so as people start thinking about the future of our planet. www.peopletree.co.uk

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Style File

The hottest brands not to miss this month q ARM CANDY Luxury handbag brand Jardine of London prides itself on being the only British manufacturer to solely use goatskin from a British tannery for its styles. More durable and water resistant than calf skin, the leather is also beautifully soft, flexible and will patina with age. Classic in design, the brand is fast establishing a celebrity fanbase, with everyone from Naomie Harris through Keira Knightley to Emma Watson and Rosamund Pike sporting one of the brand’s handbags.

u STYLE ARCHITECT Ratchet Clothing is the brain child of Dhillan Bhardwaj, who, aged just 16, launched his own label from home. That was in 2012. Now, aged 19, Ratchet has grown into a cool streetwear label, catering for men, women and children with its signature colourful prints and urban vibe. The brand has also racked up an impressive celebrity following, including the likes of Miley Cyrus, Amber Rose and even the Prime Minister David Cameron himself.

STYLE RAVE

Festival season is well under way, and what better way to rave in style while keeping all essentials safe and handy than sporting one of Spiral UK’s bumbags. The retro styles are seeing a massive revival this season, with Spiral UK offering a vast array of colours and metallic finishes, as well as fashionable backpacks and bags.

t FROM THE ARCHIVES Danish brand Noa Noa is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a limited edition archive collection for spring and autumn.

Inspired by decades of bohemian and feminine Noa Noa pieces, the range includes a reinterpretation of the classic quilted jacket, flower prints from four decades, signature styles in silk and cotton, and the iconic feminine Noa Noa blouse with laces and embroidery.

p ONE STEP AHEAD Established in 1943, US heritage footwear brand Salt-Water’s sandals have become classics in their own right, with its factory in St Louis, Missouri, employing four generations of the founding family. All of the sandals are leather, hand stitched and water resistant, with rose gold and candy red new styles for s/s 16.

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Art school cool Creative prints, bohemian shapes, clashing colours and summer florals in romantic fabrics combine for this laidback look. WWB picks the best items available for in-store delivery now.

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1/ WtR price on request 020 7637 7166 • 2/ GLAMOROUS £12.50 0161 819 2229 3/ MUEHLBAUER ¤79 0043 1890 3295 • 4/ BIANCA ELGAR £65.65 01865 203407 5/ FAIRFAX & FAVOUR price on request 01760 338199 • 6/ BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL BY COLLECTIF £20 020 7511 6224 7/ TOTES £7.50 01277 630277 • 8/ LILY & ME £14 01566 779477 Unless stated otherwise all prices are wholesale

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Born in the USA

Brands from across the pond have been making waves in the UK market for a while now – and with good reason, as no one does California cool or New York sophistication better than US labels themselves. WWB takes a look at some of the best brands around. t

360 CASHMERE Established: 2009 The story: 360 Cashmere is a contemporary knitwear brand launched in 2009 by husband and wife team Bruce and Leslie Gifford. Keeping it all in the family, their daughter Alex runs the sales from California; son Andrew launched their edgier collection, Skull Cashmere, in 2013.

USP: The effortless cool of California.

Signature style: Designed in LA, 360 Cashmere is committed to super-soft knitwear in cashmere and innovative yarns, impressing with a large variety of shapes, styles and colours.

Key styles: Sweaters take centre stage in every collection.

Target audience: Women of all ages who want to look chic without forgetting about the latest trends in fashion.

Wholesale price range: £58-£140 Cool factor: The collections are inspired by chic California style and the edgy and sophisticated streets of New York City.

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DUFFY NY Established: 2010 The story: Duffy NY has rapidly built up a reputation for cashmere styles with clean silhouettes, understated colour schemes and a minimalist but beautiful aesthetic.

USP: Contemporary directional cashmere: effortless, luxurious, simple, cultured.

Signature style: A classic stripe down the back of the cashmere sweaters.

Key styles: Innovative sweaters, knits and leggings that work together to create a modern silhouette based on layering.

Target customer: Women of all ages who like to splash on luxurious knitwear.

Wholesale price range: £155 for fine gauge cashmere, with other pieces going up to £409.

Cool factor: Simple, versatile, stylish and luxurious, Duffy NY has received a lot of attention recently from retailers who are looking for exactly these qualities in a collection.

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GO BY GO SILK Established: 1977 The story: New York creative entrepreneur Jerry Hirsch teamed up with a silk manufacturer to form a sportswear business. His idea was to take everyone’s favourite casual garments, such as jeans and sweatshirts, and to create them more luxuriously and elegantly in silk. The diffusion line Go by Go Silk followed in the 80s; the casual vibe the brand became known for still resonates with today’s customer who embraces its relaxed look, loves machine washable silk, and seeks timeless, effortless dressing.

USP: A contemporary collection of cool, sophisticated sportswear separates designed in washable silk.

Signature style: Go is cool, feminine and sexy enough for a younger customer, yet sophisticated enough for an older customer that embraces its relaxed, bohemian sensibility.

Key styles: Casual garments, like jeans and sweatshirts, made in silk.

Target customer: 30-65 Wholesale price range: £80-£130 Cool factor: The brand stands on its own in the marketplace and offers affordable luxury, on-trend styling and has the added bonus of being machine washable. uuu

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MARA HOFFMAN Established: 2008 The story: Mara Hoffman hails from Buffalo, NY, and graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City, having also studied at Central Saint Martin’s College of Arts and Design in London. Early on Hoffman established a recognisable aesthetic heavily focused on colourful, original prints. Frequently drawing from nature and mythology, Hoffman ultimately takes inspiration from her own travels around the world and implements it into her designs.

USP: The Mara Hoffman lifestyle label encompasses women’s ready-to-wear, swimwear, childrenswear, bridal and activewear.

Key styles: V-wire bikini tops, ruched bikini bottoms, jumpsuits and twist-front one-pieces.

Target customer: 20-35 Wholesale price range: £40-£100 Cool factor: The brand’s swimwear styles and iconic patterns have been attracting attention in the UK, with brand awareness also increased by Mara Hoffman’s huge celebrity following.

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27 MILES MALIBU Established: 2012 The story: Launched by designers Ernie and Emily Vallorano and Katharine Marinaro, a trio with over 30 years experience working in fashion and manufacturing who set out to design a diverse lifestyle collection for women in search of stylish knits and separates with a modern edge.

USP: High quality knits; exceptionally crafted designs that are also affordable.

Signature style: 27 Miles Malibu’s laid-back lux sensibility blends tones and textures with asymmetrical silhouettes and unexpected details.

Each design allows a woman to showcase her unique sense of style, while offering wearable pieces that transition from season to season.

Key styles: It’s a lifestyle collection, mixing bohemian beachy basics with eclectic, edgy designs, including cashmere ponchos, cardigans, hoodies, jumpers and sweaters.

Target audience: 25-55 Wholesale price range: £70-£150 Cool factor: Superior handle, super relaxed design and styling.

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PARKER SMITH Established: 2014 The story: Parker Smith is the brainchild of CEO Mary Ellen Moschetti, who loved the designs of contemporary denim but was always disappointed when the jeans didn’t quite fit her curvy figure. Parker Smith provides a perfectly fitting jean in the latest on-trend styles for all shapes, sizes and body types.

USP: A premium denim brand that looks great on supermodels and curvy girls alike. It’s made entirely in LA, with designers, sewers, dye houses and contractors all employed locally, supporting the local economy.

Signature style: The brand prides itself on targeting ‘real’ women of all shapes, sizes, body types and ages, who are looking for a great fitting pair of jeans.

Key styles: Focus on mid and high rises and slimming jeans.

Strategically placed back pockets lift and flatter the backside and a contoured waistband ensures premium comfort while enhancing all silhouettes.

Target customer: 25-55 Wholesale price range: £50-£90 Cool factor: The fit and fabrics of the brand have already earned it a considerable celebrity fanbase, including Gigi Hadid, Jennifer Aniston, Kris Jenner and Tyra Banks.

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CHASER

VELVET BY GRAHAM AND SPENCER

Established: 1988 The story: Founded by Hadi John Salem and raised on rock ‘n’ roll, Chaser is a contemporary clothing line dedicated to the evolution of style.

Designed in Los Angeles, the collection is inspired by icons of generations past, while always looking ahead at the next trend.

USP: Relaxed yet edgy styling.

Signature style: Vintage graphic tees and tanks.

Key styles: Kimonos, graphic tees, back details, vintage inspired tees and tanks.

Target customer: 21-45 Wholesale price range: £18-£70 Cool factor: Chaser is receiving a positive reaction from UK buyers because it is so massive in the USA yet not over-distributed in the UK. The brand oozes laid-back LA with a cool edge.

Established: 1997 The story: What began as an aspiration by founders and creative directors Jenny Graham and Toni Spencer to create luxurious, fashion forward T-shirts embodying the California lifestyle has evolved into a full collection of meticulously crafted, clean, elevated staples.

USP: With three principal values: quality, construction and comfort, the brand produces five collections a year; three for summer and two for winter.

Signature style: Timeless staple tees teamed with a classic pair of jeans embody the brand’s California heritage.

Key styles: Classic tops, knitwear and oversized shapes constitute effortless chic style.

Target customer: 25-plus Wholesale price range: £20-£90 Cool factor: Velvet by Graham and Spencer exudes style from staple pieces that are easy to wear. Paired with the brand’s fashion forward pieces, it elevates casual staples to create a chic and sophisticated look.

Versatility adds to the appeal, with pieces that can transition from day to night.

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LILLA P Established: 1998 The story: Inspired by the modern woman, Lilla P owner and creative director Pauline Nakios designs styles that are perfectly tailored for a casual lifestyle. Each season rethinks the classics to create a collection of expertly tailored knitwear with pieces that are both flattering and functional.

USP: Chic and intelligent separates that work for a wide variety of customers.

Signature style: Unfettered yet full of subtle detail and pared-down luxury, Lilla P’s hallmarks are clean lines and an impeccable fit. Styles exude sophisticated timelessness but with a creative approach in the detailing and finishing of the designs.

Key styles: A variety of separates, T-shirts, item jackets, sweaters, dresses and skirts.

Target customer: Both fashionoriented and classic customers.

Wholesale price range: £12-£98 Cool factor: Lilla P is a truly American brand, known for superior fabrications, fit and quality. The label has a very loyal following, which continues to grow, season on season.

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RAILS Established: 2008 The story: Founded by LA native Jeff Abrams, Rails has grown from a label started with just a single hat, into a full collection of women’s, men’s and children’s apparel, sold at international retailers.

USP: Rails blends the casual comfort of southern California living with a sleek sophistication. Relaxed but always refined with a skilled combination of comfort and tailoring, the collection draws on influences from international travel to metropolitan living.

Signature style: Checked shirts, knitwear and denim.

Key styles: Hunter shirt, Cara T-shirt, Willow knit.

Target customer: early 20s to 40s Wholesale price range: Average price for womenswear £45-£60 Cool factor: Although the very antithesis of a statement dress, Rails’ slouchy plaid shirts are regularly spotted on fashionistas. Supersoft and colourful, they have been pictured on Gisele Bundchen,Taylor Swift, Kate Moss and Olivia Palermo.

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ANATOMIE Established: 2006 The story: Anatomie provides chic and high-performance women’s travel clothing, intended to be as flexible as a jetsetter lifestyle.

Designed and created by Kate and Shawn Boyer, Anatomie fuses innovative design and quality fabrics. The brand’s core philosophy embodies sophisticated style and active living, translating seamlessly from the boardroom to the plane.

USP: Lightweight, durable European fabrics creating versatile, comfortable travel clothing.

Signature style: Relaxed and understated styles in a complementary colour palette.

Key styles: Pants, tops and jackets.

Target audience: Women on the go aged 30-75 Wholesale price range: £30-130 Cool factor: Anatomie taps into the growing demand for active/loungewear and has received positive feedback from UK buyers for its functional fashion.

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N12H Established: 2013 The story: Named after the New York apartment where the brand was born, N12H is designed with the city girl in mind and offers an artistic interpretation of edgy femininity. An eclectic sense of style and differing textures are highlighted by signature playful prints.

USP: Affordable luxury centred around well designed clothes that incorporate high-end designer details at accessible prices.

Signature style: Plays with texture, combining different patterns and materials in one garment.

Key styles: The brand designs its own prints, which form the basis for the majority of key styles.

Target customer: 25-35 city girls who are feminine with a cool edge, confident and chic.

Wholesale price range: £25-£90 Cool factor: The collection has an international appeal not limited to any market, gaining popularity with celebrities, stylists and retailers from all over the world, including interest from UK stores.

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THE ODELLS Established: 2013 The story: In between adventure travels and raising their family, husband and wife Laura & Jason O’Dell run their mini-empire from a yurt behind their boutique Bucks & Does in the hip Silverlake neighbourhood of LA. After launching their first collection, Porridge, in 2003 and growing it from a whimsical clothing line to an indie fashion tour de force, they introduced their namesake collection in 2013.

Signature style: The Odells mantra is effortless sophistication in a collection of easy, flowing silhouettes and captivating prints – thrown together and yet polished.

Key styles: Flowing silhouettes alongside tailored pieces; think shrunken blazers, jumpsuits and slouchy pants.

Target customer: 25-45 Wholesale price level: $48-$174 Cool factor: Epitomising the covetable, Cali-cool lifestyle, the entire range boasts a comfy chic vibe, perfect for the woman with a busy schedule who still wants to look pulled together.

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PITUSA Established: 2010 The story: Pitusa provides high-quality pieces that combine effortless comfort and bold colour.

Spanish for ‘cute, funny little girl’, it was designer Clara Lago’s childhood nickname. Embracing this sensibility, the brand’s bright, light-hearted aesthetic transitions easily from beach to street.

USP: The brand wants to make all women feel comfortable and beautiful in its designs, therefore the styles can be seen on supermodels, on older or larger women, and of course on little Pitusas.

Signature style: Pitusa has three product lines, one using a cotton/polyester blend, one using a pima cotton/Modal blend, and accessories with its Inca mantilla fabric.

Key styles: Inca sundress, V-back dress, Inca jumpsuit, pom pom dress, Inca mini, abaya styles.

Target customer: Women of all ages.

Wholesale price range: £17-£50 Cool factor: This brand has been getting attention in the UK due to its pricing, different styles and quality. It offers unique products with different colours and additions to the dresses, with its pom pom styles in particular proving bestsellers.

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GROCERIES APPAREL Established: 2010 The story: Known for its high quality and competitively priced basics, Groceries Apparel is distinctive within its industry in that it uses only organic and recycled fabrics. The company creates elegant wardrobe basics from their downtown Los Angeles factory, supporting local people and businesses with ethical practices and working conditions.

USP: Groceries uses 100 per cent organic or recycled materials, including GMO-free organic cotton, recycled plastic soda bottles and post-industrial, recycled denim spinning waste.

Signature style: Taking the guilt out of luxury fashion, this innovative brand offers up tees, tanks and knitwear in a fresh, bright colour palette and simple silhouettes, allowing wearers to look, feel and do good at the same time.

Key styles: T-shirts Target customer: 20-35 Wholesale price range: £15-£70 Cool factor: Supercool styling made in California which is colourful, trendy and has the environment at its heart.

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Fast forward

SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE

ALMOST FAMOUS LONDON

NATIVE YOUTH

OBEY WOMAN

With s/s well under way, it’s time to top up on summer styles. Rebecca Jackson looks at some of the on-trend brands available for in-store delivery now.

OBEY WOMAN Inspiration from Debbie Harry, style icon and lead singer of Blondie, can be seen throughout the s/s 16 collection from Obey Woman. From menswear to glam, workwear to Playboy bunny, the diversity of Harry’s look is translated into the current collection.

However, styles maintain a constant rock and roll edge, as seen through the brand’s range of denim dungarees, ripped jeans and relaxed T-shirts.

Wholesale prices: £8-£79 • Turnaround: Immediate Contact: www.shop.obeyclothing.co.uk, 01202 694607

NATIVE YOUTH The s/s 16 collection from Native Youth takes inspiration from the Cubist theme currently prominent in menswear. Abstract prints influenced by the art movement have been infused with graphic coastal prints and seaside themed tones. New season silhouettes include wide leg jumpsuits and voluminous denims. Core colours of navy, white, olive green and grey make up the colour palette, complemented by bursts of burnt orange.

Wholesale prices: £6.50-£27 • Turnaround: Three to five days Contact: www.justconsultancies.co.uk, 020 7739 7620

SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE Sugarhill Boutique’s High Summer Coastal Palm collection is inspired by exotic patterns and seaside themes. Consisting of bold nautical stripes, hand-painted florals and exclusive prints, it’s details such as cutouts and scalloped edging that make this collection. The brand’s Alicia Mono Floral Dress (pictured) is a key style for the brand this season.

Wholesale prices: from: £12.15-£23.20 • Turnaround: 3 days Contact: www.sugarhillboutique.com, 01273 911393

ALMOST FAMOUS LONDON Offering up its usual eclectic range, Almost Famous London presents a collection of dresses and skirt and top combos in summer colours. Typically, styles in the s/s 16 collection boast the vivacious colours and multitude of prints which are synonymous with the brand. Meanwhile, the addition of playful jumpsuit styles channel a 70s vibe.

Wholesale prices: £25-£80 • Turnaround: Two days Contact: www.aflondon.com, 020 7637 2622 uuu

LOUCHE Alongside the brand’s signature quirky prints, new key shapes for Louche’s s/s 16 collection include relaxed, sporty and effortlessly feminine. Softly tailored culottes and wide-legged trousers sit alongside shell tops, skater dresses, shifts, skirts and shirts in cotton and flowing fabrics. Partywear maintains a luxe touch, with strong silhouettes and delicate detailing.

Wholesale prices: £9-£36 • Turnaround: Immediate Contact: www.joythestore.com, 020 7091 1898 SECOND FEMALE Scandinavian brand Second Female’s s/s 16 collection focuses on sophisticated shape and design, as seen through its maxi dresses and summer silhouettes. Key details including cinched-in waists and floral prints are present in the range of skirts and tops with matching kimonos. Inspired by Scandinavian street style and soft tailoring, the collection presents a refreshing summer colour palette with modern updates.

Wholesale prices: £26-£150 • Turnaround: Immediate Contact: www.secondfemale.com, 07769 703584 WIZARD JEANS Wizard Jeans offers a range of over 50 different styles that are designed and made in the UK, including a unique range of evening jeans with added options of diamanté, jet stones, stud and crystal detail. Also in the s/s 16 collection is the brand’s Candy Collection.

Standout styles like the Bombay Blue jeans (pictured) lead the way

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in the latest line, which provides styles with a summer update.

Wholesale prices: £37-£62 • Turnaround: Next-day delivery, if ordering before midday Contact: www.wizardjeans.com, 07768 816420 COLLECTIF Collectif offers a s/s 16 collection that features designs and fabrics inspired by the 40s and 50s. Standout patterns and vintage detailing add a retro feel to every garment and are present in each collection theme. Porcelain Beauty combines pastel hues with novelty prints for a playful feminine vibe. Jolie Artiste and Tahiti Temptress focus on a heavy use of prints. Meanwhile, Candy Pop presents a pastel colour palette and features mermaids, glitter and gingham design.

Wholesale prices: £15-£65 • Turnaround: Immediate Contact: www.collectif.co.uk, 0207511 6224 BELLFIELD The s/s 16 collection from Bellfield continues in a feminine direction, presenting a cleaner and more linear look. Items are transitional and easy to wear, whether it’s long line jacquard coats or lightweight knitted co-ords. Another main focus for the brand is its range of jersey featuring soft volume and experimental draping techniques, as seen through the gathered and twisted co-ord sets.

Wholesale prices: £4-£22.50 • Turnaround: Three to five days Contact: www.justconsultancies.co.uk, 0844 477 4856

EMILY AND FIN Emily and Fin’s s/s 16 collection is inspired by the British summertime. A fitting theme for the brand’s retro ultra-feminine look, the collection of summer day dresses and holiday staples features bold prints which vary from floral patterns to sportthemed designs. The brand’s Frankie dress features an all-over tennis racket print, though boats and holiday-themed patterns are also used across the collection.

Wholesale prices: £13-£39 • Turnaround: Two to three days Contact: www.emilyandfin.co.uk, 020 7812 9992 NEON ROSE Neon Rose’s s/s 16 ready-to-wear collection features layering and angular shapes across the collection. Exaggerated silhouettes work with bold and colourful prints to create the current collection, which includes the use of soft cottons and Japanese indigo. Styles such as the Yoko Floral Maxi (pictured) highlight shape through dramatic, flattering cuts, while maintaining a spring-focused design and colour palette.

Wholesale prices: £9-£25 • Turnaround: Immediate Contact: www.neonrose.co.uk, 0161 8352064 BEDOUIN The latest collection from Bedouin draws inspiration from native Japanese painting techniques. Traditional silhouettes are reimagined into contemporary designs, typically using rich and luxurious fabrics. Landscapes and waterscapes inspire the bold,

brush stroke jacquard After Hours statement bomber. Geometric lace and grid bonded mesh emulate Japanese patterns and architecture, reflected in the Let it Go dress and Luna dress.

Wholesale prices: £38-£120 • Turnaround: Immediate Contact: www.bedouinstudios.com, 020 7240 9898 MI-PAC For s/s 16, Mi-Pac introduces a fresh injection of new styles and categories. After the success of new shapes such as the Tote, Bum Bag and The Weekender the brand has furthered the range by including a practical Flight Bag, the urban staple Kit Bag and the feminine Swing Bag. A vibrant cow print has been added to the brand’s Gold Range, though customers can still opt for toned down styles such as the grey quilted backpack (pictured).

Wholesale prices: £3.35-£7.50 • Turnaround: Three to five days Contact: www.justconsultancies.co.uk, 020 7739 7620 LILY & ME Unique prints inspired by sunny day parasols and the quintessential British seaside feature across the s/s 16 collection from Lily & Me. Collection themes revolve around the beach, harbour and the coast, featuring floral clouds and pastel shadows contrasted with bleached white, while bright colour pops merge with nautical design and navy hues. Dresses, tunics, tops, skirts and knits all feature playful prints across the collection.

Wholesale prices: £6-£18 • Turnaround: Next-day delivery Contact: www.lilyandmeclothing.com, 01566 779477

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The moral high ground At one time it would have been difficult to find a readily available fair trade clothing label, but now thanks to considerable changes in the ethical fashion movement, even the high street offers up eco-friendly or conscious ranges. Rebecca Jackson highlights some of the top sustainable, ethical and fair trade fashion brands.

PEOPLE TREE With a host of accolades under its belt and ethical fashion campaigner and CEO Safia Minney at its helm, fair trade clothing brand People Tree is based in Japan and London.

Founded in 1991 in Tokyo, the brand is often cited as a leader in the fight for a fairer fashion industry.

Accredited by the WFTO, the Fairtrade Foundation and the Soil Association, the brand is able to improve the lives of an estimated 4,000 farmers and artisans around the world. Handskills such as weaving and embroidery are utilised for their carbon neutral qualities and to protect local craft, while almost all cotton is 100 per cent Fairtrade certified. Aside from its own collections, the brand actively supports 50 fair trade groups in eight developing countries, while Minney is recognised as one of the faces of ethical fashion, featuring in campaigning documentaries such as The True Cost (2015).

MAYAMIKO Brand founder Paola Masperi started the Mayamiko label as a charity that provided creative business training and opportunities to disadvantaged communities within the developing world. This progressed into a fashion business after Masperi wanted to provide people with the means to work and earn a living rather than to just receive aid.

Fabrics are sourced from the local market in Lilongwe, Malawi, and are then carefully washed, cut and sewn in the workshop in nearby Chinsapo.

The Mayamiko charity trains and employs women from the local community to work in the tailoring workshop, which operates a zero waste policy. Each piece of leftover fabric from the cutting room is upcycled and turned into accessories such as the brand’s zero waste scrunchies or the yoga-inspired Namaste Collection. As a finalist at the 2013 Ethical Fashion Forum Awards and a finalist at the 2013 Vogue Italia Eco Talents, Mayamiko is not short of industry recognition.

COLLECTION & CO Collection & Co offers footwear which utilises vegan friendly materials. Specialising in heeled styles, the brand aims its collection at the contemporary and chic working woman.

Proving that style and glamour don’t have to be created using leather, founder Felesha Papa-Adams started the brand in 2015 after becoming vegan. The 23-year-old entrepreneur has established a collection of boots, heeled sandals, lace-ups and court shoes: all vegan friendly and cruelty free while also delivering high quality heeled styles at affordable price points.

After listening to women complain about uncomfortable shoes, Papa-Adams was inspired to design a range of heels that start at 10cm. Designs generally consist of neutral and minimal colour pallets, though contrast hues are also used on styles such as the Celia boot. Materials are almost aesthetically identical to leather, offering a smooth to the touch feel.

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LAPIDARIUM Lapidarium specialises in ready-to-wear apparel and accessories, and is focused on developing textile and print ideas. Within this design framework, all materials used by the London-based brand are sourced with an eye towards environmental and social good.

Established in 2015, the brand uses a sustainable supply chain while focusing on zero waste technologies which create minimal environmental damage. The majority of textiles used are recycled or certified, aiding the brand’s primary aim of delivering products which are sustainable, innovative and design-led. Overall, the brand goal is to merge a craft-focused aesthetic with sustainable practices. As a champion of UK-made products, all pieces are made in the company’s studio in north-east London. Working with trusted mills and using certified organic and recycled fabrics, vivid prints and colour combinations inspired by microstructure and graphics are produced across the line.

MATT & NAT The concept of Montreal based brand Matt & Nat is to explore the synergy between material and nature. Started in 1995 under the motto ‘live beautifully’, the brand is committed to not using leather or any other animal based materials across its range of bags, wallets and shoes. Opting instead to explore and utilise innovative ways to improve sustainable and eco-friendly methods, Matt & Nat produces high-quality products with timeless appeal.

Through the seasons, the brand experiments with different recycled materials including nylon, cardboard, rubber and cork. Since 2007, the brand has been committed to using linings made solely of 100 per cent reused plastic bottles. Recycling more than two million plastic bottles during the manufacturing process, Matt & Nat produces an extensive range of bags, from satchels and backpacks to yoga bags and belt bags. Collections are split into themes such as the brand’s signature Dwell Collection, made from 100 per cent PVC.

FOOL DOST Created in 2016, Fool Dost is a womenswear line designed in London, characterised by a relaxed, minimalist aesthetic fused with a contemporary bohemian vibe. The label’s debut collection presents easy-to-wear garments that feature flattering, elegant cuts.

Indian influences are seen throughout the apparel collection, which typically embodies clean lines. Natural fibres are used in items such as the One Sleeve Dress (pictured), which reflects a simple design and colour palette typical of the label. Collection pieces are handmade by artisans in the brand’s Fair Trade partner workshop in Northern India. Through collaborating with the workshop, Fool Dost is able to support and grow the sustainable employment of the local community, aiding women’s economic empowerment within rural India. The brand supports the growing slow fashion movement and echoes the sentiment of producing and consuming fashion thoughtfully. uuu

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FARRAH FLOYD Farrah Floyd unites high-level quality design with sustainability in its clothing line. Using innovative fabrics, the collections are developed and made following a series of zero waste principles. Trained as a fashion and textile designer, and holding a masters degree in Sustainability in Fashion, brand founder Bojana Draca developed a special zero-waste cutting technique by using only rectangular pattern pieces. In 2012 with her master collection, Heroine_collection, Draca won a bronze in The Creative Conscience Awards UK and reached the semi-finals of the EcoChic Design Awards in Hong Kong.

The latest collection, Life is Elsewhere, combines a subtle use of fabrics and colours, creating a playful look that’s aimed at the brand’s typical market: freespirited, self-confident women. Innovative cupro and wool fabrics, organic cotton and viscose combine with prints made in collaboration with textile artist Heiner Radau in this ready-to-wear collection.

MA RA MI Ma Ra Mi was established by designer Andra Clitan through a desire to create a fusion between traditional Romanian art and fashion and different cultures from all over the world. With exclusive designs using traditional crafts from a range of countries, the goal is for products to be made ecologically and locally, thus creating less pollution, reviving natural dyes and returning to original craft materials such as timber, fur, hide, textile, ceramic and glass. The majority of orders are taken in limited numbers or on commission, which also minimises environmental damage. Hand-woven pina and abaca fabrics made in the Philippines by local people are utilised during manufacture, ensuring skills are used and rewarded with a fair wage.

Overall, with a strong focus on the people behind production, the brand maintains and encourages a dialogue between designers and craftspeople.

ABURY Abury was founded in 2008 by Andrea Bury after a trip to Marrakech to renovate an old house in the Medina. Inspired by the skills of the craftsmen, Bury built the brand around a desire to preserve the dying handicraft tradition and the heritage of the Moroccan people.

The label operates as a fashion platform that brings together traditional artisans with avant-garde designers, typically producing collections that foster intercultural exchange while preserving craft. Offering a range of accessories and bags ranging in size and style, unique designs and contrasting colours are presented in each collection. The brand’s upcoming ADEX Winner Accessories Collection – A Non Existent Tribe – is the result of an international search for emerging designers. The capsule collection uses traditional craft knowledge from different cultures and features six bags in a mix of leather, straw and alpaca wool. 50 per cent of the collection profits will be reinvested in education projects in Ecuador.

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BRAINTREE Braintree clothing offers a modern and contemporary collection underpinned by sustainable and ethical credentials. All clothing uses natural, sustainable or recycled fibres such as organic cotton, hemp, Tencel and bamboo, and is designed in-house. Style is timeless and effortless to wear, and is intended to slot into existing wardrobes. Signature styles include the luxe knitwear range and dresses that fit and flatter, showcasing fresh exclusive prints each season. The latest collection looks to nature and the wonder of our surroundings for inspiration. The palette takes inspiration from saltwater, showcasing a spectrum of blues and seaweed greens – borrowing texture from weathered walls, moss and moorland to inspire effortless style. Shades of rust and rose are used in hand-drawn patterns, soft florals and shape-shifting texture. Bold brushstrokes of plum and amethyst combine with contrasting hues and with geometric dapples, dots and splashes.

RAVEN + LILY Raven + Lily was created as a means to alleviate poverty among women. Through partnership with groups of marginalised women, the brand helps to employ over 1,500 artisans in countries around the world including Ethiopia, Kenya and Pakistan. With an aim to break the cycle of poverty, the brand focuses on producing modern minimalist products that are made by hand and follow Fair Trade standards. As a certified B-Benefit Corporation, the brand provides fair wages, donates back to workers’ communities and follows eco-friendly practices in its sourcing and design process. Style is simplified and silhouettes are stripped back to reveal timeless staple pieces, which focus on texture, color and cut. Materials including baby alpaca, mohair, hand-loomed silk, organic denim and upcycled jerseys are sustainably sourced. Minimalist geometry is also seen through eco-friendly brass, horn and beaded jewelry designs, along with the shibori collections and vegetable dyed leather bags. The brand’s ethos of empowering women through simplified clothing is reflected through its minimalist designs.

BEHNO Behno’s mission to redefine and bring awareness to the craft and character of ‘made in India’ has helped towards the cause of setting a new standard for the manufacture of India’s garment trade. Established in 2012 by Shivam Punjya, the brand’s mission to revolutionise the way garment workers are treated, viewed and employed is seen in practice through its ethical garment factory based in Gujarat, India: MSA Ethos. MSA Ethos implements Behno’s ethical framework, The Behno Standard, which comprises six categories: health, garment worker mobility, family planning, women’s rights, worker satisfaction and benefits, and ecoconsciousness. With an overall aim to be part of a global mission to inspire change and improve factory conditions, the brand has no doubt helped to improve the quality of life and safety of individuals – an increasing concern after the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013.

Top tips for successful e-tailing WWB asks leading e-commerce experts to share their top tips and strategies to improve your customers’ shopping experience on a multi-channel platform.

Improving customer engagement online One of the biggest challenges for SME brands, especially independents who are running, launching or expanding their e-commerce site, is getting it right from the beginning, making sure their website delivers on ease of use, customer experience, imagery, quality and speed – no mean feat!

It can be very intimidating for smaller brands to run an e-commerce RALPH PERCIVAL channel, given the tough competition which exists from larger brands who enjoy increased brand recognition. Don’t forget though, the great thing about online is that everyone can compete; you just need to know how to differentiate your brand from the rest.

Mobile Customers are easily put off when they walk onto a messy shop floor, and the same is true of unprofessional-looking, hard-to-navigate websites.

According to the IMRG Capgemini Quarterly Benchmark, in Q4 2015, smartphones and tablets accounted for 51 per cent of UK online retail sales – a huge amount. This tells us that having a multi-platform site which accurately reflects your brand and its values is vital. I can personally attest to this: last year, we worked hard on improving Joules’ e-commerce platform, www.joules.com. By introducing new imagery, and an easier to navigate site, we’ve made our customers’ experiences quicker and more enjoyable – the feedback speaks for itself.

Engagement Customers now have the ability to purchase anything they want with just a few taps of their fingers, and are less brand-loyal than ever before. To ensure that customers continue to return and thus drive long-term success, brands have to really work on customer engagement. One way of doing this is by offering visitors updated, engaging content (both graphic and written), and using social media to get the brand message out there.

Here at Joules, we use a number of marketing channels to drive traffic to the website, including targeted email, search advertising and marketing affiliates, which we find works better than more general display advertising. We also keep a close eye on ROI, and continuously evolve our offering to respond to the market and consumer behaviour.

Consistency Many retail businesses now operate through a number of channels: retail, e-commerce, licensing, catalogue… the list goes on! But a multichannel

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“IT CAN BE VERY INTIMIDATING FOR SMALLER BRANDS TO RUN AN E-COMMERCE CHANNEL, GIVEN THE TOUGH COMPETITION WHICH EXISTS FROM LARGER BRANDS. BUT THE GREAT THING ABOUT ONLINE IS THAT EVERYONE CAN COMPETE; YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE YOUR BRAND FROM THE REST.”

approach does potentially dilute the brand message and experience. Keep a close eye on consistency here, checking regularly that online is a true reflection of the retail experience and vice versa.

Look at the bigger picture Although I would stress not to let it take over from managing your website closely, understanding the importance of how technology can enable the growth of a successful e-commerce site is important. The internet is changing all the time, and assessing the online market and consumers’ changing habits, keeping abreast of Google search developments and growth in capability of social media as a traffic source, as well as understanding the impact of mobile and being creative are just some elements which can help e-commerce businesses to indirectly mitigate unforeseen challenges and proactively plan for growth.

— Ralph Percival is Director of Direct at British-born international lifestyle brand Joules, www.joules.com

Building loyalty from marketplaces to become a super seller When Jeff Bezos set up Amazon in 1994, no one could have predicted how it would not only usher in the era of e-commerce, but also how it would create the whole marketplace economy that in many ways drives retail today.

Marketplaces have revolutionised e-commerce in two ways. Firstly, they have levelled the playing field and allowed all manner of SME retailers and niche offerings IAN JINDAL – Mom and Pop artisan craft brands, right through to eclectic retro clothes sellers – to play in e-commerce. Secondly, they have given all retailers the chance to grow and develop their stock portfolio in an almost limitless way. uuu

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From a consumer point of view, marketplaces have also delivered unparalleled choice, competitive pricing and the ability to pretty much buy anything at the touch of a single smartphone button from anywhere in the world. A successful marketplace must always be based on getting both these things lined up. First, the shopper has to have more product choice, highly competitive pricing and better service. Additionally, the sellers using the site must have a lucrative new sales channel where the operator has increased traffic, sales and profits.

But, as a seller, marketplaces are your ‘frenemy’ – on the one hand they deliver vast amounts of eyeballs and potential shoppers to your door and help you sell stuff, but they also kill repeat business and loyalty as the customer sees the marketplace as the brand they have dealt with, not you. And you want them to fall in love with you. In this day and age you can’t afford not to use marketplaces, so how can you best use them? Follow these six steps to help you on the road to becoming a super seller.

1. Take pride in your listings The most important thing is to take pride in how you appear on marketplaces.

Above all, make it easy for buyers. The consumer feasts first with their eyes: make sure that you are awash with good images that really sell the product.

2. Be concise Make sure that your opening paragraph about the product is clear, to the point and not a load of waffle. By all means, list the products’ many features – and even tell the customer about your business – but leave that for later.

You only have a tiny amount of time to get their attention, so use it wisely.

3. Spread your wings Don’t be shy; put yourself and your products on as many different marketplaces that seem appropriate. Marketplaces are designed to suck customers up and so to get in front of as many people as possible, you need to be everywhere. Tailor what you say and how you display to each marketplace’s nuances as you see fit. One size doesn’t necessarily fit all.

4. The tipping point Understand the triggers that get your customers to buy particular products and make sure that they are listed at the top. Also, make the most of encouraging reviews, recommendations, feedback and star ratings.

5. Build trust This will help the marketplace see you as a trusted brand and propel you towards the much coveted super seller status. It is a little publicised fact that marketplaces will preferentially push customers towards trusted sellers and super sellers in particular, so to get the most from using marketplaces you need to make sure that you are liked and loved by as many customers as possible.

6. Build loyalty from a marketplace The key to any retail business is repeat business, but marketplaces are designed to bring customers back to the marketplace, not you specifically. So how do you build loyal customers from a marketplace? Well, it’s hard; however there are some things you can do. Great customer service, speedy delivery, great reviews and feedback help. But simple things such as putting a ‘X per cent off when you shop with us again’ voucher (ideally that drives them to your own site) in with the delivery can be an effective way of turning that customer who found you on a marketplace by accident into a regular customer and advocate for you as a brand.

Many smaller retailers are abandoning the idea of having their own

“ MANY SMALLER RETAILERS ARE ABANDONING THE IDEA OF HAVING THEIR OWN WEBSITES, AS THEY SEE THEM AS AN UNNECESSARY EXPENSE WHEN MARKETPLACES ARE BRINGING ALL THE TRAFFIC.”

websites, as they see them as an unnecessary expense when marketplaces are bringing all the traffic – often stealing any traffic away from the retailer’s own site to boot. But this is a mistake. Ultimately, you need to build a brand and to do that you need your own identity. The key is to use marketplaces to sell your products, but through exemplary service based around price, delivery flexibility, returns and general all-round customer service you can drive them to start using your site – and the building of a beautiful relationship can commence.

— Ian Jindal is an experienced multichannel retailer, Editor-in-Chief of Internet Retailing and board-level advisor.

Mobile technology – the new look for fashion retailers Increasingly, mobile retail technology is enabling retailers, particularly those involved with fashion, to engage with their customers in different ways. With this in mind, choosing the right technology – tablets, kiosks and digital signage – is vital for retailers looking to outdo their online competitors’ offers.

This means emulating elements of the online experience, such as stock RAJ PARMAR availability, greater ease of ordering and payment, personalised recommendations, detailed information on products and alternative colours and styles.

Avoiding past mistakes In the pursuit of providing this experience, it is crucial that retailers research their options before making a decision. Three years ago, as retailers first began deploying mobile technology into their stores, many jumped the gun by installing iPads and Android tablets. Most of these retailers soon found that these devices brought many of their own flaws in-store: they had a tendency to break, were vulnerable to theft while being charged and became a drain on resources.

The mobile revolution Despite past mistakes, retailers should not be deterred from embracing mobile technology. Multi-functional tablets specifically designed for the high street have since become readily available. These tablets are designed with an elegance that can match the aesthetics of even the most high-end fashion store, while also being durable and highly adaptable, utilising familiar operating systems such as Windows.

Armed with these tablets, sales associates can provide customers with the same information they would find online, such as alternative colours and available sizes, as well as in-store promotions, without the need to abandon them on the shop floor to check for stock in a back room.

Innovative retailers across the UK are also seeking ways to further increase customer interaction with additional in-store technology. For instance, PoS systems with swivelling, fully-reversible tablet docking stations can be easily manipulated or detached to quickly assist customers.

If customers of a fashion chain, for example, have been using the brand’s app online, their purchasing history can be imported to the instore tablet, enabling the assistant to quickly match what is suggested by the customer’s preferences.

“THROUGH TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS TABLETS, KIOSKS AND HIGHDEFINITION DIGITAL SIGNAGE, RETAILERS MOVE MUCH CLOSER TO THE PERSONALISED EXPERIENCE DELIVERED BY ONLINE RETAILERS, CLOSING THE GAP BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND ONLINE.”

The full omni-channel experience Kiosks serve a similar function, enabling customers to complete transactions quickly with self-service technology. This technology also provides a robust omni-channel experience for shoppers by allowing them to come in-store to browse and then add products they like to the digital shopping cart they first started online. They have the option to either pay in-store or continue browsing items at home.

Rounding out the new in-store experience is digital signage, which can provide retailers with interactive content and a dynamic way for them to communicate their brand, new product information and offers to their customers. The same high-quality video content used online can be played in-store using digital signage, which is highly customisable and allows the retailer complete control over content in multiple locations.

The right combination In the right combination, these technologies allow fashion retailers to provide customers with a fresh and pleasurable experience that brings new opportunities for cross and up-selling. Retailers can take full advantage of their physical benefits, giving consumers multiple touch-points, fitting rooms and direct experience with the products they are interested in. Yet through technology such as tablets, kiosks and high-definition digital signage, retailers move much closer to the personalised experience delivered by online retailers, closing the gap between physical and online.

Coupled with data management and well-trained staff, retailers can provide customers with an experience that is infinitely more gratifying than clicking online and waiting for delivery.

— Raj Parmar is marketing director for Box Technologies, www.boxtechnologies.com

Why being social matters to e-commerce success Womenswear retailers in the UK understand the importance of having an e-commerce strategy that works. Global e-commerce is expected to reach nearly $3 trillion by 2018 and British people are now the most frequent online shoppers in Europe. But shopping, both online and offline, is evolving to give customers a different kind of experience.

The changing landscape of e-commerce is being driven, in part, by an evolution in our NENAD CETKOVIC relationship with social media. So how can retailers best adapt to the new emerging trends in social media and the advancing functionality of Facebook to maximise e-commerce success?

It can be easy to view social media as separate from other types of e-commerce and marketing strategies. But 90 per cent of consumers say they

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trust peer recommendations. As social media continues to become a bigger part of everyday life and relationships, it becomes more important to leverage it to succeed with e-commerce.

Integrating social media to allow visitors and customers to log in to your site using their social networking profiles, adding social sharing buttons in strategic places, encouraging reviews, optimising social media posts, and empowering user generated content showing real customers using their products are all important steps to take. But Facebook’s advancing functionality offers retailers new different challenges and opportunities.

With more than 1.6 billion monthly active users, Facebook is still the top social network in the world, and it dominates the social commerce sector with 64 per cent of global social platform turnover. To monetise its platform early on, the social network introduced advertising as a source of income, and it has since become the focus of Facebook’s business model. To date, Facebook claims to have 3 million advertisers and the latest advertising revenues are $5.6bn, of which more than three quarters are gained from mobile advertising. Facebook’s advertising power is a direct reflection of the data that the social network collects on a daily basis from its members, allowing advertisers to create targeted advertisements.

In studying the behaviour of its users, Facebook realised that 46 per cent of them logged into the site while they were shopping. With this in mind, Facebook lost no time in becoming more deeply involved in the world of e-commerce by creating a ‘Buy’ button in 2014, and launching a new advertising format for retailers, Dynamic Product Ads, in 2015.

Most recently, Facebook is “WITH THE integrating e-commerce into its ecosystem with Facebook Canvas, RELATIONSHIP allowing retailers to have the BETWEEN SOCIAL opportunity to offer users a new MEDIA AND buying experience, by telling E-COMMERCE customers their brand’s story and also displaying items from their product BECOMING catalogue. Facebook’s e-commerce INCREASINGLY offering builds on two trends: INTERLINKED, AND m-commerce and social commerce. It E-COMMERCE is becoming a mine of information for retailers wishing to build closer FUNCTIONS relationships with their customers, ADVANCING ALL THE and reflects Facebook’s increasingly TIME ON SOCIAL important role in e-commerce.

PLATFORMS, IT’S Canvas is an immersive advertising format, where users can BECOMING discover businesses and then browse INCREASINGLY CLEAR their product catalogues in full screen.

THAT BEING SOCIAL By clicking on adverts, the user can MATTERS.” interact with the retailer’s content: pictures, videos, text and/or links. On a mobile, Facebook Canvas allows you to create a visually stunning experience where users can zoom in on images, swipe through image carousels and even tilt their mobile device to view panoramic images.

The relationship between social media and e-commerce is often a complex one. But the power of Facebook in particular, means that retailers can’t afford to be left behind, or miss out on the opportunities it provides for online sales. Many analysts still doubt that Facebook and other social platforms will prove to be major e-commerce players. But with the relationship between social media and e-commerce becoming increasingly interlinked, and e-commerce functions advancing all the time on social platforms, it’s becoming increasingly clear that being social matters.

— Nenad Cetkovic is COO at Lengow, www.lengow.com

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Retailer spotlight: MAUREEN COOKSON CELEBRATES 60 YEARS LEEDS INDIE’S JUNIOR FASHION SHOWCASE Last month, independent Leeds retailer Accent Clothing opened its doors for its first junioronly fashion showcase. Accent Junior teamed up with Boomchikkaboom and Burt & Nelly’s to throw the in-store event, which followed a new shop fit. The Accent Clothing marketing team were on hand to scout for new faces to use in the a/w 16 campaign during the event, and a fashion show presented Accent Junior’s s/s 16 collection, including styles from Moncler, Ralph Lauren, Stone Island and Armani Junior.

Maureen Cookson, the womenswear retailer based in Whalley, Lancashire, marked 60 years in business last month with a week-long celebration.

A special 20 per cent discount in-store was applied to all new spring merchandise, with the chance for customers to win a gift voucher for £250 with every purchase. Visitors to the store during this period were also treated to additional prize draws, Prosecco and food tasting sessions.

Retail Forum The latest in-store news from the industry

HAVE YOU OPENED A NEW STORE , LAUNCHED A TRANSACTIONAL WEB SITE , ORGANISED AN EVENT OR HAVE ANY OTHER IN-STORE NEWS? THEN LET US KNOW BY GETTING IN TOUCH AT REBECCA . JACKSON@RAS-PUBLISHING.COM.

Web watch:

WWW. BERNARDBOUTIQUE.COM

Though the bricks and mortar store, based on Esher High Street, Surrey, was established back in 1969, indie Bernard Boutique is truly a 21st-century store, with a design-led website to beat. The emphasis has always been on carrying carefully edited collections which highlight designers’ creativity. Labels stocked on the site reflect a balance between old craft and modern design and include the likes of Masnada, Ilaria Nistri, Sacai, Raquel Allegra, Filles a Papa and Erika Cavallini. The site maintains an overall aesthetic focus, presenting a mix of complementary product shots and artistic lifestyle images, while the homepage Instagram feed provides a healthy supply of pop culture references and ‘daily inspiration’.

TRICIA STIRLING Owner of Vanity Fair, Bearsden, Glasgow and Helensburgh, Argyll

What’s your current bestseller in-store?

New season Joseph Ribkoff is doing well for us, mainly separates and the more quirky styles. The fit is fabulous and the collection is versatile enough to take you from day to evening. Masai is the favourite casual brand and one where customers will often make multiple purchases as it’s all so well co-ordinated.

How have you found trading over the past month?

The time around Easter is never great for us as many people are taking this as their main holiday of the year and the multiple mid-season sales seem to go on forever. That aside, the season has got off to a good start and I’m confident we will be back on track now that the holidays are over.

What have you been doing to drive traffic through the door?

We are involved in charity fashion shows; it’s a great opportunity to showcase our new collections and gain new customers, although each time we do one I say it’s the last due to the huge amount of work involved! We also have a reward scheme which encourages customers to visit both clothes shops and our shoe shop as the vouchers can be redeemed at any of our stores.

What’s on the agenda for the coming month?

More of the same. One big fashion show and an in-house promotion, as well as emailing customers and enticing them to Get Set For Summer. Also, new signage will update our look as we celebrate our 10th year.

R E T A I L T A L K / 45 wwb-online.co.uk

Retail therapy: Share your retailing bugbears

HARROGATE BOUTIQUE HOLDS CHARIT Y LUNCHEON

LAST MONTH, INDIE SNOOTY FROX OF HARROGATE HOSTED A LUNCHEON IN SUPPORT OF THE PPR FOUNDATION. THE LUNCHEON, HELD AT THE RETAILER’S IN-STORE FOOD VENUE THE WILD PLUM, INVITED GUESTS TO THE ‘WEAR A HAT FOR BRAIN TUMOUR DAY’. GUESTS ATTENDED THE CHARITY LUNCH WEARING GLAMOROUS HEADGEAR IN SUPPORT OF THE PPR FOUNDATION’S QUEST TO RAISE £1M FOR BRAIN TUMOUR RESEARCH AT ST JAMES’S HOSPITAL , LEEDS. THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE DAY, FUNDRAISING AND A CHARITY RAFFLE SAW APPROXIMATELY £1, 500 RAISED IN TOTAL .

GAIL NIVEN

Owner, Just G Boutique It’s all about the footfall for us at the moment.

We’ve had the wettest winter for years in Edinburgh, and the high street feels like it’s permanently in sale. Footfall is down year on year everywhere, so it’s been a hard trading period. However, it’s got us thinking more creatively about how to encourage customers to come out shopping. We recently worked with other boutiques in the area to create a fashion show that inspired shoppers and experienced good press coverage. Additionally at Just G Boutique, we’re focusing on adding value with our rewards, free personal styling and one to one shopping to make the experience unique and memorable. Times are tough for us indies, but if we keep focused on adding value for our customers we can weather this storm.

INDIE PLAYS HOST TO DESIGNER SHOWCASE The ‘Culture and Craftsmanship’ pop-up at Chelsea retailer The Shop at Bluebird launches this month, and will showcase eight designers from different locations around the world.

Curated by the retailer, the pop-up installation features an offering of ready-to-wear, accessories, resortwear and jewellery labels, hand-picked as a ‘Brands To Know’ edit for summer 2016. The summer pop-up will run for five weeks in-store.

Q&A:

What’s your s/s 16 bestseller?

REBECCA WATTS

MEL ROLLINSON

HEIDI GOSMAN

JEN GARRITY

Director, Dizen, Saffron Walden, Essex

Owner, Woodie & Morris, Haslemere, Surrey

“Our styles from Motel Rocks are one of our most popular brands that we stock, but they seem to be doing particularly well this season. The Daisy Chain Deena swing dress and the Lunar Tiara babydoll smock dress have both done extremely well as they incorporate two of the top trends at the moment: sport luxe and lace-up detailing.”

“A brand new denim brand from Denmark, Mos Mosh, which has performed fantastically well. We’ve nearly doubled our initial forward order with in-season stock (81 per cent approx.). The brand offers a NOOS service across a wide range of styles; retailers can repeat easily in manageable quantities. It’s a premium fit and feel without a premium price tag.”

Creative director & co-founder, Heidi Klein, London W3

Co-owner, Coco Marie, Amersham, Buckinghamshire

“The sporty Bridgehampton bikini and one-piece. With racer-back straps, easy zip fasteners and in classic black with a subtle mink trim, these styles are ideal for the stylish, active beachgoer. In contrast, our colourful Lux Maldives range in a playful burnt-orange print is a nod to the boho trend that is a top seller every year.”

“Our bestseller by far has been the Katie Loxton Perfect Pouches (little faux leather clutches with cute sayings like One in a Miliion, Pretty in Pink and Mine all Mine) that retail at £15.99. We seem to be re-ordering them every fortnight at the moment!”

A D V I C E / 47 wwb-online.co.uk

E-tail Clinic

Essential e-commerce advice The expert view: How to maximise e-commerce success Google Shopping, Twenga, Ciao and Nextag are names that come to mind when you hear the term ‘price comparison sites’.

These are just a few of the hundreds offering to help boost your turnover and attract visitors to your e-commerce website.

Why is being present on these websites important for an e-commerce website?

As the name implies, the goal of price comparison sites is to allow online shoppers to compare the price of a given product on different sites, whether online shoppers are actually looking for the lowest price available or just trying to find an item. A great number of online shoppers check price comparison sites when searching for products, which makes it an important element to take into consideration whilst deciding a marketing strategy.

Why be present?

Making products available on price comparison sites generates a source of highly qualified traffic, where shoppers are actively looking for specific products with the intent to buy. Another reason is even more important – search engine optimisation (SEO). These price comparison sites have invested a lot of time and money to be within the top searches on Google, Bing and Yahoo. Having products on price comparison sites can increase turnover by up to 30 per cent.

Which sites should you use?

Faced with the hundreds of price comparison sites, you don’t need to be present on all of them. It’s important to consider the goals and areas of focus: click volume, turnover generated per click and conversion rate. Trialling different sites is often the best way to understand which yields better profits, therefore it’s essential to keep a close eye on your return on investment (ROI).

The importance of shipping The biggest influence on price comparison sites is often linked with the price of a given product. In order to appear at the top of the search results, it is often wise to offer free shipping; this small difference can have a large influence on the click-conversion rate.

Cross-selling and upselling Having placed items on price comparison sites to attract potential new customers, it’s important to think of upselling and even cross-selling different products. As new customers approach a site, they might be tempted by other products related to their purchase. Offering higher-priced alternatives or even similar complimentary products often works very well.

Creating loyalty Visitors coming from price comparison sites are often looking for a good deal, but it is also a way for business owners to build up brand loyalty. This is where the opportunity arises, and allows business owners to win over more customers by keeping them on their site, rather than losing them to competitors.

Marc Schillaci, founder and CEO of e-commerce specialist Actinic

Web chat: VICTORIA REX

Founder, The Women’s Society Boutique, Hertford, Herts www.womens-society.co.uk When did you launch your website and is it transactional?

We launched a transactional website in June 2011.

What percentage of your business does your site constitute?

Online sales are about 10 per cent of the business.

Are you selling the same stock online as in-store?

Yes, we sell a wider collection in-store, but all of our online stock is also available in the boutique.

Online we sell a mix of brands including Almost Famous, Barbour, Maison Scotch, Religion and Soaked in Luxury. Many of our local customers use the site as a research tool before they come into the store.

Is your e-commerce arm growing, and what is driving this growth?

Yes, it is growing. We are launching a new website later this year to be more responsive and aid more growth. Regular online updates and social media support helps growth.

What are your plans for the site and how would you like it to develop?

Plans are to drive sales to around 20 per cent of the total business in the next year. Adding wish lists and customer profiles online will help us target specific customers better and aid us to drive more sales.

31

%

The amount of consumers who never pay using contactless due to lack of trust *Source: Future Thinking

Online sales growth in Q1 2016, up from 8 per cent on the period last year *Source: IMRG

15

%

48/ I N F O R M A T I O N wwb-online.co.uk

Names and Numbers

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27 Miles Malibu 020 7349 9668 www.27milesmalibu.com 360 Cashmere 020 7580 8644 www.360cashmere.com Abury 0049 3021 802808 www.abury.net Almost Famous London 020 7637 2622 www.aflondon.com Anatomie www.anatomie.com Bedouin 020 7240 9898 www.bedouinstudios.com Behno 001 212 226 5507 www.behno.com Bellfield 0844 477 4856 www.justconsultancies.co.uk Bianca Elgar 01865 203407 www.biancaelgar.com Braintree 020 7607 1173 www.braintreeclothing.com Bright & Beautiful by Collectif 020 7511 6224 www.collectif.co.uk Chaser 020 7349 9668 www.chaserbrand.com Collectif 020 7511 6224 www.collectif.co.uk Collection & Co 07921 219876 www.collectionandco.co.uk Duffy 020 7267 2247 www.duffyny.com Emily and Fin 020 7812 9992 www.emilyandfin.co.uk Fairfax & Favour 01760 338199 www.fairfaxandfavor.com Farrah Floyd www.farrahfloyd.com Fool Dost 07738 413652 www.fooldost.com Glamorous 0161 819 2229 www.glamorous.com Go by Go Silk 020 7349 9668 www.gobygosilk.com Groceries Apparel 020 7349 9668 www.groceriesapparel.com Lapidarium 07455 525925 www.notjustalabel.com/designer/lapidarium Lilla P 020 7428 3280 www.lillap.com Lily & Me 01566 779477 www.lilyandmeclothing.com Louche 020 7091 1898 www.joythestore.com Ma Ra Mi 07500 333377 www.ma-ra-mi.com Mara Hoffman 020 7603 2043 www.marahoffman.com Matt & Nat 001 514 388 2334 www.mattandnat.com Mayamiko 07971 663887 www.mayamiko.com Mi-Pac 020 7739 7620 www.justconsultancies.co.uk Muehlbauer 0043 1890 3295 www.muehlbauer.at N12H www.n12h.com Native Youth 020 7739 7620 www.justconsultancies.co.uk Neon Rose 0161 835 2064 www.neonrose.co.uk Obey Woman 01202 694607 www.shop.obeyclothing.co.uk Parker Smith 020 7349 9668 www.parkersmith.com People Tree 020 7042 8935 www.peopletree.co.uk Pitusa 020 7603 2043 www.pitusa.co Rails 0207 633 9888 www.railsclothing.com Raven + Lily 001 323 781 2276 www.ravenandlily.com Second Female 07769 703584 www.secondfemale.com Sugarhill Boutique 01273 911393 www.sugarhillboutique.com The Odells 07769 703584 www.theodellscollection.com Totes 01277 630277 www.totes.co.uk Velvet by Graham & Spencer 020 7608 9100 www.velvet-tees.co.uk Wizard Jeans 07768 816420 www.wizardjeans.com WtR 020 7637 7166 www.wtrlondon.com

B L A K E M Y C O S K I E / I N T E R V I E W / 49 wwb-online.co.uk

Blake Mycoskie

Dubbed ‘chief shoe giver’, TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie speaks to WWB about his renowned One for One concept, how he plans on supporting fellow social entrepreneurs and what the next step is for the footwear label.

The one-for-one concept of TOMS is now renowned worldwide. Where did the idea originate from?

It began during a trip to Argentina almost 10 years ago. I was intrigued by the traditional Argentinian shoe called the Alpargata. On this same trip, I discovered that, in rural villages, there were many children in need of shoes and the hardships that came along with that. So I felt compelled to come up with a solution: a for-profit business concept that empowers consumers to help a child through an everyday purchase. For every pair purchased, TOMS can give a pair to a child in need. One for One. The simple act of making a purchase and that improving another life. Since then, my mission is very simple: it’s to use business to improve lives. After giving shoes for five years, in 2011, we started to help restore sight through eyewear. Since then, we launched coffee which offered clean water and most recently, we are supporting training and distribution of safe birth kits with our newly launched bag collection.

What can we expect from the a/w 16 offering?

We are continuing to diversify our product selections and strengthening the designs of our shoes with the introduction of a new range of cold weather footwear. We are revealing new footwear silhouettes and winterised favourites including the mountain-inspired Summit and stylishly versatile Laurel with tribal notes for women and kids, and the Ashland for men, a perfect rugged boot for new adventures and everyday winter wear. There’s the ultimate city sneaker for men, the Lenox, in nubucks and suedes, and the Brogue Boot and Mateo Chukka in updated waterproofed leathers and wool. We are also continuing to winterise our Alpargatas with the addition of a new outsole, revamped plaids, knits and shearling.

Is it right that every employee goes on a giving trip when they join?

Absolutely! Our employees have the opportunity to experience giving to the fullest, first-hand. We offer our TOMS employees the chance to go on a TOMS Giving Trip after their first year at TOMS and then every three years to see the incredible

work our Giving Partners do in the field. This encourages every single member of our company to spend time with children who receive our shoes, and helps them understand how they contribute to the larger vision of TOMS and the amazing work of our Giving Partners. Currently, TOMS carries out Giving Trips in 11 countries, visiting both Shoe and Sight Giving Partners, mainly located in Central and South America.

Another initiative that I am really excited about is the TOMS Social Entrepreneurship Fund launched earlier this year. I am pushing my commitment further to invest in the next generation of social entrepreneurs and to support other up-and-coming startups making a difference. I am agnostic about the exact nature of the startups I am funding, as long as they have a core social mission as opposed to a corporate responsibility arm and the founders are crazy about what they’re doing. The fund has already made 11 investments. I am committed to reinvesting in purpose-driven entrepreneurs with innovative ideas, and will continue to do so. We’re cheering on so many other companies in this space and hoping that they can achieve the same type of success as TOMS. If and when they do, it will truly mark a sea change in the way business can be used to improve people’s lives.

What would you say has been your biggest challenge since establishing the brand?

One thing I’ve learned is that not everyone understands that social enterprise is a viable growth business model at first, but eventually they do often begin to adopt it. I truly believe we are an example of how business can help improve lives and I’m committed to seeing this through. We’re transforming the conversation about making a difference in people’s lives and our responsibility to invest in people. Social entrepreneurship is not just a trend, but an idea that will continue to have a profound effect on how business is done and how consumers purchase. We all gain when businesses make human rights a priority.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start their own business?

I think if you’re passionate about something, don’t worry about the size of the market or how big it could become. Get it right in a small way first.

When we started, I was trying to help 250 kids. I wasn’t thinking about 50 million kids. The main thing to remember is whatever you’re going to do, do it really well and do it small, and if you’re successful there, business will come. So that’s my big piece of advice: start small, focus, get it right and then let the growth come.

50/ P E O P L E wwb-online.co.uk

The Last Word with...

Yathu Kanagaratnam Business Development Manager, City Goddess university days. When I had my results from my bachelor’s degree I printed an exact copy of my transcript and altered it to look like poor results and showed it to my parents. Mom started to cry and Dad didn’t speak a word to me when he saw that. I didn’t expect that reaction from them; I felt very bad and showed them my original results which were first class. When I did that, their reaction was priceless.

What are the top three things on your bucket list?

1) Travel to at least 10 countries within the next three years.

2) Be a mentor to someone and make a difference in their life.

3) Learn a new language.

What’s your favourite tipple?

Martini – James Bond had a big impact on me as a kid, and I have tried to become him as much as possible. Trouble is, it’s not working.

What could you cope better with, no internet or no mobile for the day?

No mobile – I cannot cope without internet. I can’t even think of spending a day without internet. I really get annoyed even when the internet is slow.

Name: Yathu Kanagaratnam Job title: Business Development Manager, City Goddess From: Tamil Nadu, India Lives: Essex

Would you rather rewind life or pause it?

If I had the chance I would pause it. The past few years have been quite challenging on occasion, and I had to go through so many tough hurdles to become who I am right now.

What makes you laugh?

Internet memes! I even have a collection saved on my laptop.

What’s your happiest childhood memory?

When I was in grade 6 we went on a school trip, where I saw a robot which I wanted to buy but couldn’t afford. So I saved for almost two years and finally went back with my parents to buy it. That robot was still there and it was discounted – I remember how happy I was. I still smiled when I wrote this.

What song sums you up?

Vetri Kodi Kattu from an Indian Tamil movie called Padayappa.

It’s about breaking the barriers which are in your life and becoming a successful person!

What’s the naughtiest thing you’ve ever done?

If I had to choose one it would probably date back to my

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I admit it... I like to have a beer and eat spicy chicken/mutton fry every other day. I don’t really feel guilty about most of my pleasures in life, though.

What’s your secret talent?

I can finish an 8,000 word university project overnight and still get a distinction!

What achievement are you most proud of?

Coming into this country as an international student, completing my bachelors and masters with excellent results and building up a career as business development manager.

If you didn’t do your current job, what would you be doing?

I might have been working in retail, as I always had the passion to start a supermarket.