WWB MAGAZINE JUNE ISSUE 238

JUNE 2014, ISSUE 238 £6.95 — WWW.WWB-ONLINE.CO.UK WOMENSWEAR BUYER

— SECRETS OF THE TRADE Exclusive interview with Nish and Sach Kukadia of Secret Sales —

— BUILDING A LEGACY How Joseph Ribkoff is laying the foundations for future growth —

— EXHIBITION CALENDAR The shows not to miss for spring/summer 2015 —

— STYLE SCOOP A look at the key labels exhibiting at next month’s event —

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05 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

CONTENTS —

REGULARS

FEATURES

FASHION

7 EDITOR’S COMMENT — 8 NEWS — 14 BACKSTAGE The other side of womenswear — 16 TALKING POINT — 58 RETAIL FORUM The latest news from the industry — 62 UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL With Alex Monroe —

18 Q&A With Secret Sales’ Nish and Sach Kukadia

28 STYLE FILE

32 TOMORROW’S WORLD TODAY Highlights from the Bira High Street Conference 35 FASHIONING THE FUTURE How Joseph Ribkoff wants to double its UK business 40 EXHIBITION CALENDAR An overview of the most important summer shows

— FRONT COVER: PYRUS —

30 FASHION RADAR 45 SCOOP INTERNATIONAL WWB’s comprehensive preview of the show 54 BREAD & BUTTER BERLIN The brands to watch at next month’s event 56 LONDON SWIMWEAR SHOW Shining the spotlight on some of the best labels at the exhibition

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COMMENT —

Editor Isabella Griffiths isabella@ras-publishing.com — Contributors Victoria Jackson victoria@ras-publishing.com Laura Turner laura@ras-publishing.com Christina Williams christina@ras-publishing.com — Sub editor Amanda Batley amanda@ras-publishing.com — Editorial assistant Rebecca Jackson rebecca.jackson@ras-publishing.com — Design & production Michael Podger mick@ras-publishing.com Clive Holloway clive@ras-publishing.com James Lindley james@ras-publishing.com Richard Boyle richard@ras-publishing.com — Sales Sam Chambers sam@ras-publishing.com — Subscriptions Laura Martindale laura.martindale@ite-exhibitions.com — Production director Gill Brabham gill@ras-publishing.com — Portfolio director Nick Cook nick@ras-publishing.com — Marketing director Stephanie Parker stephanie.parker@ite-exhibitions.com — Managing director Colette Tebbutt colette@ras-publishing.com — Reprographics/printing ImageData Group 01482 652323

— WWB is published 9 times per year by RAS Publishing Ltd, The Old Town Hall, Lewisham Road, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5AL. Call 01484 846069 Fax 01484 846232 — Copyright © 2014 WWB Magazine Limited.

All rights reserved. Reproduction of any written material or illustration in any form for any purpose, other than short extracts for review purposes, is strictly forbidden. Neither RAS Publishing Ltd nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage to transparencies and any other material submitted for publication.

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RAS Publishing is an ITE Group PLC company A Buyer Series Fashion Business Publication WWB is a fashion business publication produced by RAS Publishing Ltd. Other titles include MWB and CWB.

LAST MONTH I ATTENDED BIRA’S ANNUAL HIGH STREET CONFERENCE, AND AS ALWAYS, THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF (INDEPENDENT) RETAILING OFFERED LOTS OF FOOD FOR THOUGHT. — Among the speakers was retail veteran Bill Grimsey, who last year took on Mary Portas and her high street report with his – equally as controversial – Grimsey Review. In his presentation, he looked back at the key innovations of the last 45 years that have changed the structure of the retail industry and pointed out lessons that can be learned from past mistakes, as well as highlighted the impact of new technologies on the sector. He painted an optimistic picture of the retail industry, saying that “the future has never been more exciting”, however only if we are willing to adapt to change and a new retail landscape. This was a sentiment that ran throughout the day – we must embrace and adapt to change and create our own opportunities; the parameters may be changing, but there is still a lot of scope for success.

Another comment that stuck with me was that he wants to ban the word “customer service” from the dictionary, and replace it with “customer experience”. With that, I thought he had hit the nail on the head.

Customer service may be a crucial part of the overall “experience”, however it is not only increasingly more multi-faceted than that, but also increasingly more about a multi-channel and multi-sensory “experience”.

This thought process was developed

further by Martijn Bertisen, senior industry head for retail at Google UK, who demonstrated the new technologies that are coming through and will inevitably permeate retailing in the future. If you, like me, were among those who thought Google Glass was a silly gimmick, well, we will have to eat our words, as this – and other digital innovations – are becoming a real part of the shopping process, with Google Glass making its way into first retail chains at the end of the year, used “to enhance the physical in-store experience,” as Bertisen explained. If you are interested to find out more, we have summed up all the findings from the day on page 32.

As always, don’t hesitate to get in touch and share your views by emailing me or tweeting @wwbmagazine or leaving a comment on our Facebook page.

Isabella Griffiths, editor

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minimum wagE woEs for rEtailErs Experts say increase in wage threshold will impact on already challenged employers in the retail sector.

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Retailers and industry experts have expressed concern over proposals to potentially increase the national minimum wage following next year’s general election. Labour leader Ed Miliband revealed plans to increase the minimum wage over a five-year period in a bid to bring UK earnings in line with those of our European counterparts.

However, retailers under pressure from mounting costs and challenging trading conditions have reacted with disdain to the proposals.

“As a small business we cannot afford to pay above minimum wage, and a raise in this would impact us greatly as our business model runs on an already stretched budget,” says Louise Schneider, co-owner and director at Leeds independent Accent. “There needs to be more support from the government for commercial enterprise and, while minimum wage is important to protect employees, I don’t think it is right for political parties to concentrate on upping the wage to increase disposable income. The retail sector is absolutely under enough pressure as it is.”

This is mirrored by Sarah Millet, owner of womenswear indie N Shelley in Billericay who, even though her business pays above minimum wage, feels that it can put further pressure on many smaller businesses. “It doesn’t affect us directly because we pay our staff above minimum

wage,” she says. “However, smaller retailers might struggle with the increase.

“We have 15 staff on payroll, but a business with one or two employees might struggle,” Millet continues. “It’s difficult to put the figures down, but salaries are usually one of the biggest outgoings. With the economy and other factors squeezing what is already a tight budget for many indies, I think this can only add to the challenges the industry is faced with.”

Michael Weedon, deputy CEO and communications director at the British Independent Retailers Association, agrees that mounting pressure on the retail sector will have a negative impact on the overall recovery of the UK economy.

“In principle, anything that pressurises the profitability of retailers will cause problems in the long-term,” he says.

“Businesses are already in the process of pension auto-enrolment, and anything else out of line with improving the trading economy can damage our long-term prospects. Proposals to link the national minimum wage with median earnings are very interesting and theoretically could be a good thing, but it very much depends on how it is implemented, and how far away from median earnings the new minimum rate would be.”

Labour hasn’t yet divulged what would be implemented under the five-year

“I don’t think it is right for political parties to concentrate on upping the wage to increase disposable income.

The retail sector is absolutely under enough pressure as it is” plan, but Miliband has vowed to set out exact figures ahead of the general election that would aim to tackle the “scandal of the five million people in work who cannot make ends meet.”

Having commissioned a report into low pay – which found that retail accounts for 21 per cent of all minimum wage jobs – the party has alluded to a differing pay scale between sectors, which would value certain skills above others. For those in the industry, however, such a proposal would open a proverbial can of worms and lead to an over-complicated and unjust system.

“I completely disagree with talks about minimum wage for different sectors,” says Schneider. “If there was to ever be a split, a geographical spilt would make more sense due to higher living costs in particular areas.”

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PEntland brands sCooPs bEst workPlaCE gong Pentland Brands, the company behind sports, outdoor and fashion labels such as Boxfresh, Speedo, Canterbury, Hunter and Red or Dead, has been voted as one of the UK’s top 10 Best Workplaces 2014 in the Best Larger Company category, which is awarded by the Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW). The group is the only fashion brand owner to make the 2014 list, and is ranked higher than any other retailer featured in the nominations. Best Workplaces 2014 is selected based on an independent GPTW employee survey and analysis of various aspects of the organisational culture.

VEldhoVEn grouP and olsEn to mErgE Dutch fashion house Veldhoven Group and German brand Olsen have merged to create a single Pan-European fashion house.

The move follows the group’s acquisition of the Olsen company late last year, which integrated Olsen to the Veldhoven Group’s portfolio or brands, including Sandwich, Turnover and DEPT, which are all pitched at the mid-segment of womenswear.

New global group headquarters will be created in Zug, Switzerland, where management will set the central company vision and strategy for its brands, as well as servicing them with shared operational and back office functions.

The design teams, however, will remain in the labels’ home markets which, for Olsen is Hamburg, and for Sandwich, Turnover, and DEPT remains Amsterdam.

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sandwich

Cash usE down by 14 PEr CEnt from 2009 The use of cash to pay for purchases has decreased by 14 per cent over the past five years, as customers embrace convenient ways to pay for even the smallest of purchases.

Contactless technology – which allows customers to pay by credit or debit card for transactions under £20 without typing in a PIN – has contributed to decreased cash usage, along with self-service checkouts and ever-increasing online purchases.

The charges associated with digital payment, however, have impacted on retailers, as debit and credit card usage becomes increasingly commonplace among consumers. With the average cost of processing a credit card transaction now standing at 40.9p, the financial impact of a changing consumer mentality when it comes to paying for purchases cannot be underestimated.

Despite the increased popularity of debit and credit card payments, cash remains the dominant method of payment, with 53 per cent of transactions still made in cash.

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alVanon donatEs tEChniCal fit tool As part of its global fashion fit initiative, apparel fit expert Alvanon has launched a fashion industry support programme, entitled Fashion Fit Movement, which is set to help restore technical fashion skills and manufacturing in New York City, Europe and Hong Kong.

Alvanon will donate technical fit tools and consultancy services to selected apparel design and manufacturing businesses that are rebuilding their local production capabilities, and to industry associations that support local production efforts. dannii minoguE in PartnErshiP with holstEr Dannii Minogue has teamed up with Holster as official ambassador for its new Rockstar collection, Rockstar Jelly.

Holster’s latest jelly collection will see Minogue – who also endorsed the brand last year for its s/s 13 collection – as the face of the campaign. The Rockstar Jelly range is available online via www.holsteraustralia.co.uk.

Holster will be showing its latest collection at Moda, which takes place at Birmingham NEC on 10-12 August.

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sharEs in asos PlungE Shares in Asos have plunged by more than 40 per cent, following a warning by the online retailer that profits would be affected by changing market conditions. The warning came as Asos cited a higher number of price promotions and decreasing margins across its brand portfolio as the reason for falling profits.

The retailer now expects that profit margins for the current financial year will be around 4.5 per cent, against previous predictions of around 6.5 per cent. Established in June 2000, Asos retails over 850 brands as well as its own label across menswear, womenswear, footwear, accessories and beauty.

rEtailErs unConVinCEd by imPaCt of soCial mEdia Two thirds of retailers are yet to see any “direct business benefits” as a result of embracing social media, according to a survey carried out by e-commerce solutions provider ChannelAdvisor.

Most of those polled – 66 per cent – reported that they were interacting online with consumers, but only a third reported a spike in customer engagement. Most of the respondents felt that there was no impact on sales as a result of platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

“It’s great to hear that online retailers are embracing social media, but the survey results suggest that some are finding it difficult to see tangible results from their efforts,” says Zoe Ripley, ChannelAdvisor’s marketing director of EMEA. “Keeping customers engaged requires time as well as an effective social media strategy, targeted not just towards Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest users, but to a brand’s general consumers.”

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nEw dirECtion for gErard darEl Premium womenswear label Gerard Darel will redefine its offer as of s/s 15, following the appointment of Brigitte Comazzi Duval as its creative director.

Formerly of Comptoir des Cotonniers and Tara Jarmon, Comazzi Duval will present the brand’s first-ever collection without a muse, concentrating instead on bringing its core style hallmarks up-to-date.

“While preserving Gerard Darel’s spirit and strong mix between modernity and tradition, I wish to renew the image of the brand by bringing more femininity, more audacity and more freshness,” she says.

“It is important for me to find in the collections a contemporary spirit directed at all the generations that is also more fun and less austere.”

The UK will be a particular focus for the group as the brand redefines its business strategy. “The English market is our second largest market after France,” says wholesale director Jean Moussa. “Our strategy is to focus on the development within British department stores and take advantage of the opening of the new boutiques.”

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timbErland oPEns manChEstEr showroom Iconic footwear label Timberland is set to open a new Northern showroom in Manchester towards the end of June. Merchandised with the brand’s s/s 15 collection – across men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and footwear – the showroom is located in a refurbished Victorian warehouse on 20 Dale Street. Aimed at Timberland’s Northern accounts, the opening of the showroom is the latest development in the label’s drive in the UK wholesale market.

QuidCo ExPands onto high strEEt Cashback reward platform Quidco has introduced a card-linked offer, designed to engage customers on the high street and drive footfall back towards bricks-and-mortar stores. The platform, which previously offered registered users cashback in return for visiting online retail partners via the Quidco portal, allows users to register a credit or debit card online, and gain their rewards when shopping on the high street.

Quidco currently works with 4,000 retailers nationwide, including womenswear retailers Darling and Ollie & Nic, multiples Debenhams, Next, Asos, House of Fraser and M&S and Middlesbrough independent Psyche.

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minimum PEnsion CommitmEnt for rEtail sECtor Just five per cent of employers in the retail sector are contributing more than the legislative minimum when it comes to workplace pensions, according to research carried out by pension provider Now: Pensions.

While eight per cent of the small businesses surveyed pledged to contribute above and beyond the legal minimum of one per cent, the retail sector cited the priority of keeping costs low and difficult trading conditions as the reasons for making the minimum contribution as employers.

Employers in the financial and property sectors proved to be the most generous, with 18 per cent pledging to contribute more than one per cent to their employees’ pension schemes. They were followed by employers in the service and education sectors, of which 12 and nine per cent respectively promised to contribute more than the legal minimum to staff pension plans.

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E-ZonE liVE dEbuts at moda This season will see the introduction of new interactive area E-Zone Live at Moda. The dedicated e-commerce feature will bring together seminars and advice as well as key products and services in the form of a hub at the UK’s largest trade fashion exhibition.

Launched in response to industry feedback and developments within the online trading sector, E-Zone Live will guide retailers through the process of maximising the online potential of their business.

Targeting both existing online retailers and those looking to take their first steps into e-commerce, the area will play host to a hand-picked selection of industry experts who will present a programme of free seminars.

E-Zone Live will be in operation throughout the three days at Moda, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC on 10-12 August.

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tEd bakEr arriVEs at hEathrow British fashion brand Ted Baker opened the doors of its standalone Heathrow store earlier this month, located within the new Queen’s Terminal development. Debuting with the brand’s s/s 14 collection, the 731 sq ft shop will retail both men’s and women’s apparel and accessories.

In a new direction for the label, the store concept has been designed in line with its surroundings, featuring elements of a 50s airport waiting lounge. Customers are welcomed into the premises by a rotating globe, reading Ted’s High Flyers, while the cash desk is lined with airline brochures from the 50s and a range of vintage-style cameras.

Heathrow’s new Terminal 2 development opened earlier this month, but will initially operate below its maximum capacity. When the development reaches its final stage of operation, however, it is expected to be home to 256 airlines with more than 330 flights a day. Other retailers opening within the development include John Lewis.

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andrino aCQuirEs riVal brandallEy French group Andrino, owner of online store Private Outlet, has announced the acquisition of rival BrandAlley. The merger of the two sites is accompanied by a refinancing plan, estimated to be worth ¤12m, according to a source close to the matter. “At the end of the transaction, BrandAlley will be part of a group with a critical mass necessary in the world of e-commerce,” says Marc Heller, president of BrandAlley.

“Together with the refinancing, it will allow BrandAlley to continue its development by relying on its strengths – a strong brand, more than eight million members and an offer that brings together industry leading brands, both new collections and private sales, while benefitting from synergies procured by the size effect.” miChEllE kEEgan tEams uP with liPsy Actress Michelle Keegan has made her design debut with the launch of a collaboration collection with UK label Lipsy. The range, which will launch this autumn within selected Lipsy stockists and the brand’s 70 standalone stores, will feature the label’s distinctive contemporary handwriting with influences of Keegan’s own wardrobe. The debut range comprises 30 key pieces including jumpsuits, playsuits and blouses. onlinE salEs uP 11.2 PEr CEnt Online sales of non-food products were up 11.2 per cent throughout the month of April on a like-for-like basis with the same period last year. Overall retail sales, meanwhile, were up 4.2 per cent, indicating a healthy performance across the sector. The concentrated growth of sales in the e-commerce sector is a stark reminder to retailers that the power of the online consumer cannot be underestimated but, according to the British Retail Consortium, there is still a level of buoyancy when it comes to bricks-and-mortar shopping.

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BACKSTAGE The other side of womenswear —

ukft awards toast industry grEats

Contour fashion ball raisEs £48k for Charity The great and the good from across the lingerie and intimate apparel industry descended on London’s Dorchester hotel for the 54th Contour Fashion Ball last month.

Hosted by TV presenter and celebrity stylist Mark Heyes (pictured), the ConVErsE event raised more than £48k insPirEs for the Retail Trust and the —

Fashion & Textile Children’s Converse has launched a Trust. Among the guests 10-week community project in were tennis legend Peckham, South London, designed to inspire the next Annabel Croft, retail mogul generation of creative spirits Christopher Wicks, through music, art, style entrepreneur Harold Tillman, and skate. as well as a host of companies — from across the lingerie and swimwear industry, including Fashion Forms, Invista, Next, Triumph International, Ultimo and New Look.

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dame margaret barbour (centre) with alison rose, CEo, commercial and private banking rbs, and host suzanna reid

A total of 13 awards across a diversity of categories were presented to the winners of last month’s NatWest UK Fashion & Textile Awards, which were hosted

by TV presenter Susanna Reid and held at East London’s Tobacco Dock.

Dame Margaret Barbour was honoured with the Outstanding Achievement Award for her exceptional and long-standing contribution to the fashion industry. London label House of Holland won the prestigious UKFT Designer Award, while jewellery brand Alex Monroe received the UKFT Accessories Award. British designer Margaret Howell, meanwhile, walked away with the UKFT Womenswear Brand Award for her contemporary collections.

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This summer, the Fashion and Textile Museum stages Made in Mexico, the first exhibition on the rebozo – the classic Mexican shawl made famous by artist Frida Kahlo. It will take place on 6 June – 31 August.

jennifer saunders and husband ade Edmondson in brandalley’s award-winning renaissance garden

Bronze for BrandAlley Online fashion retailer BrandAlley won acclaim and a much-coveted Bronze medal at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show for its Renaissance Garden. Designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes, the garden was inspired by the romance and style of 16th-century Italian gardens. The formal, elegant result features clipped hedges, a rectangular still pool, a loggia, sculpture and grotto waterfall.

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Celebrity guests at the store launch

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WOLFORD COMES TO MARYLEBONE Austrian luxury label Wolford has opened a new store on London’s Marylebone High Street. The 45 sq m shop is the brand’s third in the capital and carries the full range of ready-to-wear, hosiery, lingerie and accessories.

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Promotion —

WINNING FORMULA Danish brand Bitte Kai Rand is expanding its presence in the UK market thanks to its design-led collections and strong focus on sell-through and customer support. The latest range for spring/summer 2015 is set to drive the impressive growth of the label further.

— bitte kai rand with design assistant anemone skjoldager

H

aving restructured its UK and Ireland operation last season, with a new contemporary Central London showroom on Newman Street and the appointment of Rachel Wiles as country manager, Danish brand Bitte Kai Rand is going from strength to strength, having grown its UK business by over 40 per cent since last year.

It is undoubtedly the brand’s strong signature style coupled with a commercial price structure – that has been lowered for spring/summer 2015 to be more in line with the UK market – along with a personal support network for stockists that have accelerated the recent success of the label. “We’re working a lot closer with our customers and are listening to their needs,” says Wiles. “We’ve had very successful sell-throughs, helping and exchanging goods where necessary, and this service has been well received by our customers. It’s about working in partnership with our stockists.”

Founded in 1981 by eponymous designer Bitte Kai Rand, the brand is ranked among Denmark’s leading fashion houses, selling to 15 countries and through 300 sales points worldwide. Distinctly Scandinavian and yet always displaying its own twist in cuts and details, Bitte Kai Rand is an exclusive design concept that aims to enhance a woman’s personality. A pure, timeless and clean handwriting is at the centre of this philosophy, always combining flattering cuts with a high degree of functionality.

For spring/summer 2015, the brand has been inspired by a stylistic Utopia, which has been the backdrop for the collection’s entire print universe. Viscose features the introduction of a graphical Check Metamorphosis, a check that changes shape and becomes striped. Meanwhile, the softer version, Broken Mirror, depicts a mirror that has gone into a thousand pieces and reflects fragments of a butterfly in an abundance of colours. Silk options focus on a theme of Melted Porcelain, where pastels gently flow together and where Utopia is the moodboard repeated on the fabric.

As always in a summer collection, linen in all its forms is a key ingredient, from tightly woven blends, represented in coats and casual suits to the perfect dresses, while peached cotton with a chequered quilted biased structure, delicate and transparent silk

georgette and sand-washed cupro and jersey qualities offer further versatility and style options.

Key pieces in the collection are centred around 50s-inspired dresses, narrow trousers and complementing jackets, which are predicted to be among this season’s bestsellers. The colour palette, meanwhile, offers a beautiful blend of pastel shades such as peach, lime, nude and orchid, accentuated by brighter shades such as Orient blue, cantaloupe and spearmint that light up and break the harmony in company with black and white graphic styles.

The collection is divided into eight commercial and colour coordinated delivery drops, ensuring that the in-store offer remains fresh and updated at all times, responding to retailers’ ever-growing need of newness and innovation and helping to drive sales further.

The collection will make its debut at Scoop International this season, as well as showing at Premium Berlin, Ciff Copenhagen, Coterie New York and Stitch Las Vegas. For more information and sales enquiries call Rachel Wiles, country manager for UK & Ireland, on 07463 645670, email england@bittekairand.com or visit www.bittekairand.com/uk.

The showroom is located at 33 Newman Street, London W1T 1PY.

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oPinion —

TALKING POINT Key industry players give their views on the issues that affect womenswear.

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oPtimism Can bE fElt ahEad of s/s 15

building a futurE for thE indEPEndEnt markEt

There is a genuine feeling of optimism in the shops right now. You can feel it when doing promotions, and feedback from customers is positive. It seems the general buzz is back and people are starting to spend money once again.

Ten years ago the success of the independent sector was based on cohesion between the independent brands and independent retailers validating each other, both delivering something “exclusive”. Today, as an agent representing independent premium brands, the primary challenge I face is how to build a sustainable and profitable business with our independent retail partners.

The tell-tale sign is the phone ringing for repeat orders, and this is so satisfying. There is nothing quite like helping a customer achieve yet another sale, edging the sell-through up another notch and securing your place in their product mix for next season.

I feel that the low period has passed and now, dare I say it, the fittest have survived, emerging from the dark times stronger and more savvy than ever. When I speak to Hauber customers, they are expecting a lot more from the labels they buy from. Not just sell-through, but service, too. Hauber has always maintained a high customer service, offering unlimited swaps, great support with promotions and so on, but I hear a lot more companies are stepping up, and that can only be a good thing. It makes both the retailer and wholesaler stronger, and by working closely together it strengthens their relationship for a long and mutually beneficial future.

Retail businesses have come out from the doldrums leaner and it appears more profitable than ever. The buyers I speak to are definitely more hopeful for the future, and their enthusiasm is palpable, which is a joy. With wholesalers supporting the retailers, it means a few more risks can be taken and a little more fun can be had.

I’m excited by this, with s/s 15 approaching. Selling summer collections in summer has always been enjoyable, and hopefully with more continued sunshine buyers will be coming into showrooms buoyed by their current successes and ready to build on their strong sales for next year. I know I’ve had a lot of new accounts booking appointments to see Hauber’s spring offer, and it is really encouraging. Traditionally, summer is the longer season with six glorious months to sell at full price.

I love the fact that retailers have more confidence to mix things up a little and try new labels. Having checked for styling continuity for a season or two, I find new accounts will always take the leap in summer. It helps that the average prices are lower, too, stretching those budgets beautifully.

A lot of my Hauber customers take an early spring delivery.

Spring – or transitional – can have a great, strong start from pre-Christmas in November. People holiday all year round nowadays, the month being no barrier at all to jetting off and grabbing a bit of spontaneous sunshine. Get the weights and colours right and summer can get off to a flying start – right in the middle of winter.

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The landscape of the UK market has fundamentally changed. We live in a world obsessed with big brands, big egos and big budgets.

The success of a label is determined by celebrity endorsement, advertising spend, which department store you supply, flagships in prime locations – the list goes on. We also cannot ignore the emergence of the value sector, for example Primark, and proliferation of the high-street retailers, such as Zara, that have squeezed the middle market.

The internet, in terms of competition, visibility and e-tailing, presents a new challenge, but also an opportunity for brands to present themselves and for retailers to offer additional services. It is well known that the independent womenswear market has shrunk. The British Independent Retailers Association noted that 140 womenswear boutiques closed in 2013. This sounds bleak; however to me it represents an opportunity for the surviving and aspiring independent retailers and brands.

Recently I was given a tour of the set-up of one of my retail partners which, in as little as five years, responded to the changing landscape by developing a hugely successful e-tail and e-marketing platform to complement its bricks-and-mortar boutiques for a long-term, sustainable multi-channel proposition. What an exciting business; one that never stands still and looks to champion new brands through every possible touch point.

As independent businesses, we have a chance to offer something different; a sensory experience that is personal, engaging, visually enticing and informative. The brand can of course do more to enhance its in-store presentation by providing distinctive POS, as well as visual and product assets that can be used for localised marketing and social media.

Agents must consider the entire retail landscape and deliver a strategic distribution plan that is balanced, sympathetic and sustainable. For the independent market to succeed, we need to have a collaborative approach to deliver the best outcome for both the brand and the retailer. More of the same is not enough and we need to be delivering more than product on a rail to compete. There lies a very exciting opportunity ahead to build a strong future.

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Diane Sykes is sales director for Hauber UK

Sofia Strazzanti is owner of wholesale and retail agency Innocenza

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18 womEnswEar buyEr — junE 2014

intErViEw —

Q&A

Nish and Sach Kukadia, Secret Sales — with £4.5m of new investment, brothers and founders of flash sales website secret sales nish kukadia (left), and sach kukadia – CEo and buying director respectively – are accelerating a business that saw 70 per cent net sales growth in 2013. tom bottomley meets the entrepreneurs.

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19 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

Tom Bottomley: What were your backgrounds before launching Secret Sales in 2007?

NISH KUKADIA: Our father PD Kukadia – he only goes by his initials – was a director and shareholder of Pepe Jeans, so we grew up surrounded by people who were working in the industry, and we got very familiar with product. Sach was always into the product, I was not that comfortable with “fashion”. I was an introvert at school, whereas Sach was captain of the football, rugby and cricket teams. I went into advertising and was obsessed by the industry. I wanted to work for a strategic agency, so I worked at WPP. I specialised in digital and really caught the bug for working on the web. I understood how to drive traffic and was doing that for Sony Ericsson, Visa, Xerox and Microsoft.

SACH KUKADIA: The opposite to Nish, I was enthusiastic about everything my father did. So I attended all of the fashion shows and trade shows with him. I worked for my father with Hardcore jeans – a spin-off from Pepe. I also worked for an import and export company he started up. So I learnt the pricing structures for the UK market through the experiences I gained with my father, and also the selection process. We were buying and selling stocks in Europe, and selling them into discount retailers in the UK. So when we came to starting this business we had a lot of insight in what we needed to do. We had little money. Our website initially cost us £10,000 to start up.

TB: Where has the recent investment come from, and what do you intend to do with it?

NK: The £4.5m investment has been led by two French funds – Partech International, through its new flagship Partech VI fund, and 123Venture, as well as existing investors Pentech and Doughty Hanson. We’ve got a formula on customer acquisition, and the investment will enable us to invest in new technology, analytics and data. It’s more than just capturing new customers, it’s about getting under the skin of what the different elements of exposure are that are influencing customers to buy.

TB: What level of sales does the website generate?

NK: We did £27.4m last year, but we’re growing at a decent rate and this year we are so far exceeding our target. We should be on track to be around 40 per cent up on last year.

TB: What made you come up with the business model in the first place?

NK: The excess inventory market lacked a lot of innovation. We could see business models trying to tackle it in France, Germany and other European markets, but we know the UK market dynamics are very different. So we had to figure out a very specific band of categories and marketing channels, and a

INTERVIEW —

way of communicating and engaging with customers that could really shake the excess inventory market here, in a positive way. It’s actually less about excess inventory now, and much more about becoming a viable long-term retail partner for brands. We’re seen as an additional revenue stream for brands, it’s not just a matter of clearance.

TB: Could it come to a point where brands might provide exclusive product for Secret Sales?

NK: We have had labels talk to us about that, yes. But I think at the moment there’s so much natural product available for us. We’re still just scratching the surface of what’s out there.

TB: So aside from a platform for brands to clear excess stock, what are the other attractions for labels to Secret Sales?

NK: We have this huge database of engaged customers. We’ve got some customer groups buying 20 times a year. We also have customers who visit us every day. It’s a powerful platform to position an upcoming brand on – to expose it to a much wider audience. Customers get a taste for a brand that they might not have ordinarily. We also have a successful nationwide TV advertising campaign. Online sales are becoming so important to labels, and we’re at the cutting edge, so labels are coming to us. We launch between six and 10 sales every day.

TB: How did you go about persuading brands that it was a respectable way of clearing excess stock in the first place?

SK: When we started we were the first flash sales business in the UK, so the concept didn’t exist and the whole education process was quite difficult to get over. For the first few months we were purchasing stock and committing to certain orders. We had to test it, get the formula right and be able to present examples of sales results that could be achieved. We were trying to understand what it was that UK customers wanted in terms of discount and selling price. Secret Sales is all about spontaneity. It’s about the impulse, and there is a formula in getting that right. You don’t want customers to consider too much when they’re on the site. You want them to come on the website and purchase within minutes. Some of our earliest brand partners included Furla, John Smedley, Diesel, True Religion, Desigual, Ray Ban and Samsonite.

TB: How has the amount of brands you work with evolved?

SK: Our portfolio used to support almost 900 brands, but what we’re doing now is refining it down. We’re only currently working with 650, but moving forward we’re going to actively reduce that. We’ve found our customers respond to a more curated edit.

TB: What is the other big appeal to a

four-day flash sale for brands?

SK: The beauty is that you’re able to sell a high volume of stock over a short period.

Because it’s only on for four days, you’re generating an urgency from a customer’s point of view. Brands can also sell their stock in a quiet environment that doesn’t cause the brand any devaluation or jeopardise their integrity. And it doesn’t compromise other retailers. Hence the name Secret Sales.

TB: How does it work with the brands?

SK: As a business we are flexible, and we do make purchases if required. But our main strategy and focus is on the consignment model, whereby brands reserve stock on our behalf, and we run a four-day sale – placing the purchase order afterwards. The purchase orders are generally much larger that way.

TB: What else makes Secret Sales different to your competitors?

SK: We’ve always focused on a slightly different category mix. Accessories are the core of our business and have given us a point of difference. The UK market is driven by womenswear, and women are the majority target audience for Secret Sales. Accessories also tend to have a high margin, and they sell well. In terms of online, they are easy to deliver. Also, the returns tend to be much less than on womenswear.

TB: How is your customer base of 3.2 million split between women and men?

SK: It’s 70 per cent women and 30 per cent men. We have a specific customer, and we call her Kate. She’s of a specific age and demographic. She’s aged 30-45 years old, she lives in a city, is brand savvy and affluent. So naturally most of our communication tries to focus on how to attract Kate. She also buys for her partner, home and children.

NK: To add to that, Kate is so obsessed with making sure herself, her family and home look good, but she’s conscious about the amount of money she spends. We also have other customers who resemble Kate, who may be at a different part of their life cycle.

TB: How big are mobile sales to you?

NK: Mobile is a massive part of what we do.

Around 55 per cent of our sales are coming from mobile phones and tablets. It’s grown from less than 20 per cent just over a year ago.

TB: How much of the business is about the high-end luxury brands?

NK: The important thing to remember is that we’re a volume business. While it’s important to have the big brands such as Mulberry, Prada and Gucci that draw people in, the bread and butter of what we do tends to be with labels that have large volumes of inventory. It’s much more about premium mass market or premium high street – that’s our real comfort zone.

20 womEnswEar buyEr — junE 2014

Promotion —

EXCLUSIVE BRANDS, NEW LAUNCHES NE AND INSP IN IRAT IRATION ION ABO ABOUND find yoursElf at thE hEart of womEn’s fashion and aCCEssoriEs, as moda rEturns to thE nEC birmingham on 10-12 august 2014.

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rands including Masai, Michaela Louisa, Adini and newcomer Bella Blue are among a growing list of exhibitors choosing Moda Woman as their only UK outing for spring/summer 2015.

Masai and Bella Blue will also form part of the line-up in this season’s trend-focused section, Moda White. As well as attracting a host of international names the area will present collections from British favourites such as Saskia and Suzy D. Elsewhere, in Moda Noir, Dress Code will launch a new capsule range of eveningwear inspired by red-carpet glamour.

Designed by Helen Swaine, Dressed will add to the expanding evening and occasionwear brands throughout the show.

Back for its second edition, the Moda Noir line-up will also include brands such as US design house Mac Duggal, occasion footwear specialist Rainbow Club, Italian label Veni Infantino and French brand Corizzi, which will join Dress Code and other industry heavyweights John Charles, Mascara and Linea Raffaeli to present the definitive collection of evening and occasionwear brands in one, easy-to-access area.

Other new names joining the Moda Woman line-up include Pachamama Knitwear, Kiraku, Intown, Miss Baron and Herman Lange, promising another season of diversity and choice that is mirrored in neighbouring shows Moda Accessories, Moda Footwear and Moda Lingerie & Swimwear.

Developing a loyal following within Moda Accessories, labels such as Betty Barclay, JK Henderson Watches and Zandra Rhodes handbags will exhibit their latest ranges as they return to the show for their second season.

Firm favourites are also looking to make an impact at the spring/summer 2015 edition, with Eliza Gracious heading up the Adorned at Moda billing, presenting its latest selection of design-led jewellery.

Meanwhile, Jewel City, Pia Rossini, Casa Di Stella and Funk n Joolz are also among the diverse roster of brands.

Moda Lingerie & Swimwear prepares to welcome the widest selection of swimwear for the season to Hall 17 this summer. Debuting at the show, London label Look Z’s array of printed bikinis will sit alongside the likes of Australian brand Seafolly and Portuguese label Roidal for a truly international line-up.

Moda Lingerie & Swimwear’s offer is further enhanced by the variety of niche brands available in Moda Boutique.

The exclusively edited area welcomes the launch of Chantelle Beach, a new swimwear venture for the label, which will still alongside a strong contingent of returning brands including Vevie and Tutti Rouge.

Cappping off the variety of women’s product, this season’s Moda Footwear welcomes a host of new premium brands including Jeffrey Campbell, Lodi and Gadea as well as firm favourites Cara, Cefalu, Högl, and El Naturalista.

betty barclay accessories

miss baron

21 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

PROMOTION —

BACK TO BEECHES

Corizzi

DAILY INSPIRATION AND ADVICE

Moda strikes the perfect balance between work and play, with social events to suit the summer season. Join colleagues and peers to toast the first day of business at a drinks reception held after the show at the NEC, and make sure you don’t miss out on tickets for the Monday night party, to be held at The Beeches bar and grill – a five-minute drive from the NEC.

Adding value season on season, Moda’s daily catwalk and seminar programme promises both trend inspiration and practical business advice. The programme for spring/summer 2015 is set to include topics such as SEO, stock control and the secret to writing the best online product descriptions.

INTRODUCING E-ZONE LIVE Fresh for August 2014, E-Zone Live is a brand new section at Moda, dedicated to e-commerce and retail technologies. Find out how to improve, review or start your own e-commerce platforms with daily workshops and demonstrations in the area, as well as interacting with the latest technologies set to make business even easier.

Jeffrey Campbell

El Naturalista

Look Z

Pia Rossini

Discover the latest brands, news from the show and register for your free ticket to visit online today at moda-uk.co.uk

28 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

FASHION —

STYLE FILE The hottest brands not to miss this month —

▲ DENIM REVOLUTION Premium denim brand AG Adriano Goldschmied has launched two new innovations for a/w 14. The Contour 360 (pictured) is a jean so comfortable and pliable that it could be worn while practising yoga. The Digital Luxe Denim, meanwhile, isn’t made of denim at all, but a textural illusion, as aspects of a distressed and worn vintage denim piece are printed onto the garment.

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NIGHT LIFE Luxury nightwear and loungewear brand Anne Wiggins London offers elegant silk pieces such as flirty camisoles, classic pyjamas, sensual slips and luxurious robes, all constructed from the finest quality silk in a flattering champagne tone.

Every garment is gift-wrapped in tissue with organic lavender in a beautiful box tied with a silk ribbon.

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STYLE FLASH — Spanish designer Daniel Cerdan has launched his debut womenswear line for a/w 14.

Strong silhouettes and fabrics such as rich silk Ottoman and duchesse satin feature heavily in the couture-inspired range.

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Nana Judy’s latest collection for a/w 14 channels a sports-luxe vibe, where mesh detailing and bomber jackets sit alongside kaleidoscopic prints on cami tops and mini dresses.

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▲ TOMBOY SPIRIT US brand and e-tailer Wildfang aims to tap into the underserved female consumer demand for menswear-inspired fashion, with the mission to “liberate menswear, one bow tie at a time”. The brainchild of Emma McIlroy and Julia Parsley, the company launched just over a year ago, but has been expanding globally at rapid speed.

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A daring combination of STYLE FLASH — textures, feminine Monkee Genes is ramping up silhouettes and 90s its eco-friendly credentials, thanks to a partnership with influences come from PETA. The retailer has Kirsty Ward for a/w 14. switched from offering leather jean patches to all The line boasts defined animal-free, coated recycled structures and bold cuts, cardboard patches.

— with a carefully selected colour palette of pewter, apple green and cream setting the base for injections of purple across statement styles.

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Stepping up Originally a staple of the Ibiza clubbing and beach scene, plimsoll brand Flossy has taken the fashion world by storm, and is supplying prestigious stores across the globe from New York to Japan. The label’s signature and popularity are based around three cornerstones – comfort, simplicity and bright colours – and are set to once again become a hit with fashionistas and clubbers this summer.

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30 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

FASHION —

FASHION RADAR The hottest brands to look out for right now —

WÅVEN

MONREAL LONDON

The denim brand offers individual style at an affordable price without compromising on design, quality or fit.

The brand introduces its second collection for spring/summer 2014 with a range of styles reflecting colours of the Caribbean.

Established: 2013

Established: 2013

Signature style: Styles are Scandinavian-influenced, drawing inspiration from modern architecture, the arts and geometry.

Signature style: High-end luxury activewear with a focus on versatility. Made from luxurious fabrics from Italy, garments are designed to be as functional as they are flattering.

Established in London, founder and self-confessed denim enthusiast Anika Islam created the minimalist denim label after spotting a gap in the high-street market. Utilising two generations of denim manufacturing, Wåven is often likened to Acne, Cheap Monday and Weekday, but differentiates through its Scandinavian-inspired design. The brand returns with it’s a/w 14 collection, maintaining a strong focus on simplicity, with featured colours including muted tones of black, blue and grey and prints influenced by geometric shapes. Key pieces include bestsellers such as a high-waist skinny, while the brand’s favourite workwear-inspired “shacket” is also a buyer favourite. Wholesale prices range between £10 and £38.

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The creation of German-born designer and keen tennis player Stefani Grosse, Monreal London was founded based on a commitment to both fashion and functionality. Bringing 16 years of experience in the fashion industry to the brand, garments are designed to be capable of performing on the tennis court while remaining versatile enough to stand up in the style stakes. Using high-tech performance fabrics from Italy with a UV 50+ filter, the collection includes garments with inbuilt sports bras and removable cups to create flattering silhouettes. It is the brand’s signature dresses that remain the stars of the collection, with the addition of staple T-shirt and skirts for the new season. Wholesale prices average at around £60.

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32 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

BIRA HIGH STREET CONFERENCE —

TOMORROW’S WORLD WORLD TODAY TODAY The British Independent Stores Association (Bira) held its annual High Street Conference last month, discussing the challenges of retailing and the impact technology has on the shops of the future.

Isabella Griffiths reports.

BBC business editor Steph McGovern

F

ollowing in the footsteps of last year’s successful debates, The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) once again invited its members and key industry personalities to come together and discuss the challenges and opportunities retailers are facing, now and in the future.

Retail veteran Bill Grimsey, former CEO of Wickes, Iceland and Focus DIY and author of last year’s alternative assessment of the high street, the Grimsey Review, kicked off proceedings with his talk on Preparing High Streets and Town Centres for the 21st Century.

“If there are only a few things that you will remember from this presentation, I want you to go away with this,” he said. “1. The future has never ever been more exciting for the retail sector than right now.

2. It’s only going to be exciting if you are prepared to change. 3.

Among all the negatives that you hear about high streets and how bad it is for independent retailers – well, it’s just as bad for the big guys.”

Grimsey put developments in technology, and especially the invention of the internet and rise of mobile devices, at the heart of his speech, and argued that both need to be embraced by the retail world as they are the only way to turn around the fortunes of high streets up and down the country. Quoting some of the findings from his Grimsey Review, which constituted that town-centre planners need to re-think how they use empty store spaces and put technology at the heart of the solution, he said, “You might think it’s tough for you, but the big guys are in an even bigger pickle. The ‘big four’ – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda – in 10-15 years, won’t be here any more if they don’t adapt to the changing face of retail and embrace technology. They’ve got too much costly retail space – but do we need all this space in the future? Do you think Philip Green [Arcadia Group] is going to renew 80 per cent of his leases that are coming up for renegotiation in the next five years? No, because he knows that technology is coming.”

But equally he stressed that the onus was independent retailers themselves to also innovate and embrace technology and use it to create unique customer experiences that will make their stores stand out and create “community hubs” instead of “clone towns”, which are driven by shopping, leisure, housing and employment. “We don’t need clone towns with the same shops in every town; we need

community hubs,” says Grimsey. “The future is to have an independent town that gives you an experience; where people want to live, work and visit.

“And independents are part of this,” he continued. “I’m going to ban the term ‘customer service’ from our industry. It is meaningless. Forget it; it’s an overused term. It’s about an experience.

It’s about the customer experience, and we, the retailer, have to create that. The future of the high street depends on the political will, the local will and independent traders who are willing to bring diversity and uniqueness to a town.”

This was followed by a series of short interviews hosted by BBC business editor Steph McGovern, who delved into three of the burning issues impacting the daily life of independent retailers.

Michael Weedon, Bira’s deputy CEO, discussed the impact of the current business rate system, which has been at the centre of much public debate recently. “There has been property tax in this country for hundreds of years, but the business rates that we have today have been designed in 1988 and implemented in 1990, and since then all sorts of things have changed,” he analysed, reiterating the call of the retail industry on the government to urgently reform and review the current system. “The most significant is probably that you no longer actually need a shop, or a physical presence at all to retail. So the framework is changing, but the taxation system remains as it was.”

Weedon said it would be fairer to make the revaluation system simpler, so a review can be undertaken much more frequently, “Because the rate of economic change is accelerating all the time, and we need to respond to that,” he said. “The current system has two main effects; it affects profitability and it discourages retailers from opening more shops,” he put forward, both of which were detrimental to the industry.

However, Weedon did not paint an entirely bleak picture; on the contrary. Quoting latest figures from the Local Data Company, he said that independents are faring better than their high-street equivalents, with town centres showing healthier vacancy rates than out-of-town centres, with certain sectors in particular showing strong signs of survival. “Service and leisure independents especially seem to be still going strong, due to the nature of their business – after

33 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

BIRA HIGH STREET CONFERENCE —

Martijn Bertisen, senior industry head of retail, Google UK

Joan Woolfe, CEO, Cooking Marvellous

Neil Moss, head of business, National Skills Academy

Michael Weedon, deputy CEO, Bira

Retail veteran Bill Grimsey

“I’m going to ban the term ‘customer service’ from our industry. It is meaningless. Forget it; it’s an overused term.

It’s about an experience. It’s about the customer experience, and we, the retailer, have to create that” all, it’s difficult to get a haircut or a tattoo on the internet,” he said.

The “e-commerce revolution” was at the heart of McGovern’s interview with Joan Woolfe, CEO of e-tailer Cooking Marvellous, who shared her success story since launching the business in 2007, accelerated by the rise of e-commerce, and attested that retailers have to keep up with the technology constantly. “As an online retailer, things are moving incredibly quickly, and you have to constantly adapt,” he said. “Customers have moved on, and customer expectations have moved on and changed – they expect more all the time and you have to deliver.”

Neil Moss, head of business at the National Skills Academy, meanwhile, talked about the “retail skills gap”, which is another challenge retailers are facing. “There are too many young people coming out of education who haven’t got the employability skills that our sector needs,” he said, adding that more support and encouragement from the government is needed to make retailing an attractive proposition for young people and securing the future of the sector. “The problem is that the government doesn’t get the retail sector and its importance. We need to do a lot more lobbying to make them understand just how much retail matters, particularly in terms of jobs and wages. It is not a low-skill, low-wage sector.”

Finally, Martijn Bertisen, senior industry head of retail at Google UK, took to the stage, giving an insightful presentation on “the store of the future”. Exploring the big trends that are happening in the digital world over the next decade or two, he emphasised the huge impact of the internet and new technologies on both retail itself and how consumers shop.

According to Bertisen, Google estimates that, by 2020, 100 per

cent of the world’s population will have access to online. And with computing power doubling every 18 months, it poses new opportunities – and challenges – on retailers in terms of how they engage with their customers. “Change has never happened this fast before, and it will never be as slow again,” he said, telling the audience, “Technology is enabling shoppers to get to your store. We are entering a six-screen world – people are accessing online through their desktop computers, mobiles, TVs, tablets as well as wearable and in-car devices. Mobile development will therefore remain critical.”

He cited the development of Google Glass as a key example – an invention which, when first announced, received a lot of scepticism from industry and consumers alike, but will now be rolled out as an in-store device across a number of retailers at the end of the year. “Things like Google Glass are coming – and they can make the physical in-store experience much richer,” said Bertisen.

“Multi-channel is crucial for retailers.

“The meaning of ‘www’ is changing; it’s now more like ‘what we want’, ‘where we want’ and ‘when we want’,” he continued, outlining his key pieces of advice to retailers, “Wise up. Use data – online shopping is giving you a wealth of data [about your customers] that you can use for business strategy, get ahead on consumer trends and competition behaviour. Data beats opinion. Win the moments that matter. This means open up every single sales channel and be great at every single one. Think speed. Being 10 per cent better is not good enough any more; think more along the lines of being 10 times better – aim for that all the time. Digital allows you to test things easily and push your business along quicker and more effectively – think big and be brave.”

35 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

PROFILE —

Joseph Ribkoff is one of the leading Canadian fashion exports and a consistently strong performer in boutiques across the globe. Isabella Griffiths met up with the company’s CEO, John Ferraro, to find out how the brand wants to double its business in the UK, and quizzed founder Joseph Ribkoff about the values that have been defining the company for nearly six decades.

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FASHIONING THE E FUTURE T

o say the last few years have been anything but testing for fashion businesses would be a gross understatement.

But one company that has consistently bucked the trend and seemingly gone from strength to strength is Canadian label Joseph Ribkoff, which recently ended its fiscal year with an eight per cent increase in turnover, building on a 57-year history during which it has never recorded a year of negative growth.

This speaks volumes about the longevity and overall strength of its business model, which is entirely based on wholesale.

Founded in 1957 by Joseph Ribkoff, who started the company at just 19 with C$2000 of wedding gift money in his pocket, the global growth of the label is a genuine rags-to-riches story, with Ribkoff rising from humble beginnings in Montreal’s working class to successful entrepreneur. Now aged 77, Ribkoff has mainly withdrawn from the day-to-day running of the business, but still presides over the company as chairman and, alongside CEO John Ferraro, helps formulate the bigger strategy for the label’s further success and growth. His main agenda for the last ten or so years has been to put in place a framework that will secure the company’s

future beyond his involvement – a “transition to the next generation of management”, as he puts it.

Ferraro is instrumental in this pursuit. He himself has been with the company for 21 years, having started fresh from college in the credit department and subsequently moved through almost every division, from customer service to sales, shipping and logistics to becoming co-president in 2007 and eventually CEO in 2010. What Ferraro doesn’t know about the business clearly isn’t worth knowing, and when WWB meets up with him, his enthusiasm for the brand is palpable.

“I think what’s kept me in the company is that it’s always been evolving, and so has my role,” says Ferraro. “It has always given me an opportunity to grow as a person and professionally, and I’ve really enjoyed the journey. I don’t have a background in fashion – I’m an accountant by trade – but this gives me my creative fix. It’s an interesting business.”

It’s under his watch that Joseph Ribkoff has been successfully walking the tight rope between continuity and evolution, adapting to new market conditions and customers’ demands while also >>>

36 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

PROFILE —

John Ferraro

“In many ways we have benefited from the recession, because in tough economic times, people stop spending on big ticket items; they don’t buy houses, they don’t buy cars, but they’ve got to feel good in some way, and clothes have that ability” also remaining true to its core identity. The brand is loved for its vast selection of dresses for every occasion, versatile separates and casual styles, as well as elegant eveningwear for more formal occasions. And coupled with affordable mid-market price points (the average retail price is around £210), it is regularly hailed by its stockists as a bestselling label. Ferraro puts it down to “hard work, the right styling, great fit, great service and good deliveries”. He says, “We listen to our customers, and we go out there and find out what they want.

I’m on the road all the time, and I always talk to our stores, reps and customers. I guess my role is to filter all the stuff that I hear and make sense of it for the brand.”

It’s a formula that has stood the company in good stead, especially over the last five years, which have seen many of its contemporaries struggle through the recession. “We’ve done comparatively well [throughout the recession], maybe because we have stayed true to ourselves and what we do best,” says Ferraro. “You can’t panic because the economy gets difficult somewhere. We were doing considerably well anyway, so we never thought, ‘What should we do differently?’

“Fashion changes, but the consumer doesn’t,” he continues. “If a woman puts something on and she likes it, she will buy it. We create demand by making her feel special. We’re in the business of making people happy. Our Prozac is clothing. In many ways we have benefited from the recession, because in tough economic times people stop spending on big ticket items; they don’t buy houses, they don’t buy cars, but they’ve got to feel good in some way, and clothes have that ability. We’re not a brand that is overly expensive. The price point is good and the fashion is good, and that’s always worked for us.”

Couple this with a product that is entirely – and proudly –

made in Canada, giving Joseph Ribkoff an undeniable advantage in both quality control and speed to market over Asian-produced merchandise, and it’s easy to see why business has been so strong for the brand.

Another reason for Joseph Ribkoff’s popularity is its commitment to wholesale and independent retailers, serving more than 4,000 boutiques in 55 countries. While many other brands have been increasingly going down the multi-channel route, Joseph Ribkoff remains focused on working with independent boutiques.

“We are committed to bricks-and-mortar stores, absolutely,” says Ferraro, who’s also open about the fact that he has no intention of launching an e-commerce operation in the near future. “People are always saying that these stores are dying but, for our consumer, that’s not the case. They want to have the service, they want to shop in a shop, and the great thing about little boutiques is that they offer that kind of service.

“I think there’s always going to be room for the boutiques,” he continues. “And as long as there is some entrepreneurial spirit out there, there is always going to be that person who will launch their own business, their little boutique. We’ve lost accounts, and we’ve opened some, and for every boutique that we close, we also open a new one. The internet is a whole different business, and a challenge itself in how you adapt to it. We’re dedicated to our stores – they’re the ones that give us our business – so to sell over the internet is a tricky decision, because it’s always a question of whether you’re competing against them, which you don’t want to do. We haven’t quite decided how we want to handle that yet. Some of our stockists have e-commerce websites and, right now, it’s the best way for us.”

Growth may not come from e-commerce any time soon, but

37 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

PROFILE —

MEET: JOSEPH RIBKOFF WWB caught up with the company founder and chairman to discover the personality behind the brand.

ON STARTING THE COMPANY “I had worked in the needle trade from when I was a 15-year-old lad and I thought I had a job for life. But the boss’ family member was promoted over my head, even though he was useless, and I knew it was time for me to leave and do my own thing. That kind of thing never happened under my watch.”

expansion is nevertheless very much at the forefront of the business strategy. And with the UK ranking among the top five export markets for the label after Canada, the US and Germany – it has around 300 accounts across the UK and Ireland – it is a market that is central to this ambition. “The UK is a big focus for us,” says Ferraro.

“We can probably double our business here; we’re far from saturated.

“Think about it – I do double the business [of the UK] in Canada, a country with a population of 35 million; the population in the UK is nearly double that,” he continues. “If we can do it over there, we can do it over here. We can definitely still grow within our existing accounts, but there’s also those nooks and crannies where we’re not represented, so I think we can also still have more stores.

There’s always opportunities out there.”

To stay on top of its game, Joseph Ribkoff is ploughing investment back into its infrastructure – in particular its manufacturing, administration and distribution technology – to meet the demand and growth of the label. Last year, the company invested over C$2m in a state-of-the-art shipping and distribution centre, as well as having added 20,000 sq ft of space to house automated cutting machines in a building close to its impressive 80,000 sq ft headquarters in Montreal.

This is a crucial step in making sure that both production and deliveries can keep up with an ever-increasing order capacity, particularly on its stock and replenishment service, with the brand offering an extremely efficient year-round re-order facility on key styles and bestsellers with short delivery times – which is another reason for the label’s huge popularity with its stockists.

The speed of turnaround is something that Ferraro sees as a central challenge for the brand, and something that will continue to command investment in the future. “Fast fashion has become huge, and even though we are not in the fast-fashion market, it does mean that we, too, have to get better at delivering quicker,” he says, “If a customer wants to replenish on a bestseller or order additional styles, we can’t deliver five months later, it needs to be quick and efficient. A lot of our stores call us up and say, ‘I want to repeat style X and Y, can you deliver tomorrow?’ Often we are able to, and it is something we are working to improve all the time. For as good as we are, we can get better.” It’s this kind of sentiment that is setting the agenda for Joseph Ribkoff’s undoubtedly promising future.

OUTLOOK ON LIFE “My good fortune has been the people around me. Many people share the success we’ve had. My philosophy of life has always been about people. Fashion comes and goes and business comes and goes, but people remain. It’s people that you have to get on with, work with and nurture relationships with. I’ve always tried to be as truthful as I can be. I am who I am – I’m upfront, I always pay my staff generously and more than average, and I’ve been rewarded with people who have been very loyal to me and the company over the years.”

SUCCEEDING IN BUSINESS “Quite honestly, I never started out with a great vision. I was a learner – I still am – and in the early days I was up against far bigger and more established businesses. But in the very first year, I made money. We haven’t had a losing year in 57 years, and I’m proud of that. I’ve never been in it for the money, though. You have got to have a passion and this is mine. It’s hard work, but you reap what you sow.”

BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY “Back in the day, most entrepreneurs were a lot more intuitive. We did things a lot more ‘off the cuff’ – you worked hard and took risks.

Today it’s a lot more about number crunching at all levels and too much emphasis on the bottom line. It takes the fun out of business.”

BEST PIECE OF ADVICE “If you are pursuing your business, do not let go. Be persistent, persistent, persistent. And always pay attention to your customer.”

MADE IN CANADA “Not many designers have survived globalisation and the competition of Asian countries. I attempted to outsource a portion of my production 20 years ago, but I quickly changed my mind.”

THE NEXT GENERATION “I’ve started the process of transitioning to the next generation of management around 10 years ago. When I started to let go, there were a few bumps along the way, but I feel we are now in a good place and with people and structures in place that I have confidence in. As human beings, we all believe that nobody can do a job as good as you, and don’t get me wrong, I’m not without ego, but I’ve had to learn that it’s ok to let go and that things will be in good hands. There’s a lot more to life, and I am now enjoying being able to spend more time with my family and focus on my education. I’ve been studying humanities – philosophy, psychology, arts and culture – and it’s given me a great new balance and perspective on life.”

Mark your diary now for the largest and most exciting London Swimwear Show yet!

20-22 July 2014 Radisson Blu Portman Hotel, London A superb line up of eminent brands (Gottex, Seafolly, Maryan Mehlhorn, Mimi Holliday, Moontide, Feraud ...) are accompanied by new brand launches as Amardeep Kaur and Malafronte and new exhibitors such as Empreinte Swim, Maison Lejaby, Janine Robin, Pia Rossini, Jode London, Oroblu and much more.

More details on the show, entry times and hotel accommodation on www.londonswimwearshow.com

40 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

EXHIBITION CALENDAR —

SUMMER SCHEDULE The key shows for s/s 15 at a glance.

Sponsored by:

WHITE 21-23 June 2014 Via Tortona 27, 20144 Milan 0039 (0)234592785 www.whiteshow.it CAPSULE BERLIN 8-9 July 2014 Postbahnhof, Straße der Pariser Kommune 8, 10243 Berlin 0012 122068310 www.capsuleshow.com SEEK 8-10 July 2014 Luckenwalder Str 3 10963 Berlin 0049 (0)306290850 www.seekexhibitions.com BRIGHT 8-10 July 2014 Brunnenstrasse 19-21, 10119 Berlin 0049 (0)6966962157 www.brighttradeshow.com LONDON SWIMWEAR SHOW 20-22 July 2014 Radisson Blu Portman Hotel, London W1H www.londonswimwearshow.com

PITTI W 17-20 June Fortezza da Basso, Florence 0039 (0)5509491861 www.pittimmagine.com — With its ever-strong focus on internationality, Pitti W once again returns to the Fortezza da Basso. Now in its 14th edition, the show will present previews of innovative collections from international brands.

Strategically located at Arena Strozzi among the sections featuring the most cutting edge looks at Pitti Uomo, the exhibits blends perfectly with the menswear show’s lifestyle concept. Among others, confirmed exhibitors this year include Fame On You Paris, Flogg, Giosa Milano and Jeffrey Campbell.

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WHO’S NEXT PRET-A-PORTER PARIS Parc Des Expositions, Porte De Versailles, Paris 4-7 July 2014 0033 (0)1401374 77 www.whosnext-tradeshow.com — From the exterior design to its themed exhibitions, this season’s Who’s Next Prêt-à-Porter celebrates Turkish design. From the 2,000 international brands taking part in the event, a large number of Turkish ready-to-wear and accessory brands will be showing, including Vakko, Özlem Süer, Onteks, Ark, 2Wins, Ece Gözen, Maid in Love and Mehry Mu. —

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PROJECT NEW YORK 20-22 July 2014 Jacob Javits, 11th Ave 36th St New York 0012 187407092 www.magiconline.com CAPSULE NEW YORK 21-22 July 2014 Basketball City 299 South St (at Montgomery St) New York 0012 122068310 www.capsuleshow.com CPH VISION 3-6 August 2014 Oksnehallen, Halmtorvet, 1700 Copenhagen 0045 39648586 www.cphvision.dk CIFF 3-6 August 2014 Bella Center Copenhagen 0045 32472213 www.ciff.dk GALLERY 6-8 August 2014 Forum, Copenhagen 0045 32472093 www.gallery.dk MODA ACCESSORIES 8-10 August 2014 NEC, Birmingham, UK 01484 846069 www.moda-uk.co.uk

EXHIBITION CALENDAR —

PANORAMA BERLIN 8-10 July Expo Center City, Berlin 0049 (0)3027595640 www.panorama-berlin.com — This season the show is moving to a new, more accessible location at the Expo Center City, marking a host of other changes and new developments for the event. Among them is a newly introduced series of fashion talks on current and market relevant themes of the trade. Topics include current developments in the German market and an outlook on the market in Russia. A full list of talks will be available on the Panorama website towards the end of this month.

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BREAD & BUTTER 8-10 July Airport Berlin – Tempelhof, Berlin 0049 (0)302000370 www.breadandbutter.com — Having decided to stick to its original trade show format without the addition of consumer days, Bread & Butter is returning to Tempelhof under this season’s motto, Carnaval do Brasil. Covering denim, street, urban and sportswear labels, womenswear brands that have confirmed their presence include Eleven Paris, Kerber, Keds, Minimum, Jaded London, Nana Judy, Gestuz, Mbym and Fred Perry.

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PREMIUM 8-10 July Station-Berlin, Luckenwalder Strasse, Berlin 0049 (0)30208891330 www.premiumexhibitions.com — As ever, a vast and diverse range of collections are offered at this season’s Premium, from classic pieces including sportswear, denim, shoes and accessories to trend-setting avant-garde pieces. Based in the historic halls of Station-Berlin, the international trade event will showcase 900 brands and 1,500 collections over 24,000 sq m. Presenting the industry with an international high-calibre brand portfolio curated for its s/s 15 edition, labels exhibiting include Fendi, Givenchy, Hip and Bone, Odd Molly, The Hip Tee and Sun 68.

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MODA LINGERIE & SWIMWEAR 8-10 August 2014 NEC, Birmingham, UK 01484 84069 www.moda-uk.co.uk WHAT ABOUT SHOES 22-24 August 2014 Postbahnhof, Strasse der Pariser Kommune 8 10243 Berlin 0049 (0)3068910572 www.whataboutshoes.de

EXHIBITION CALENDAR —

MODEFABRIEK 13-14 July Amsterdam RAI, Amsterdam 0031 (0)204421960 www.modefabriek.nl — Modefabriek returns this year with 650 exhibiting brands and over 500 stands, showcasing the up-and-coming niche labels as well as regular industry favourites. Split into four segments differentiated by lifestyle, image and distribution – and five specialised platforms – the vast collection of brands will present pieces from national and international designers. Modefabriek will also play host to programme specials including seminars, a Trash and Treasures garage sale and Fashion Desk.

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THE HUB 27-28 August 2014 D2 Place, Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong www.thehub.hk MICAM 31 August – 3 September 2014 Fieramilano, Milan 0039 02438291 www.micamonline.com CPM 3-6 September 2014 Expocentre Fairgrounds, Krasnopresenskaya nab., 14 123100, Moscow 0049 (0)211/4396-482 www.cpm-moscow.com BIJORHCA 5-8 September 2014 Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Paris 0033 (0)660600396 www.bijorhca.com

SCOOP INTERNATIONAL 13-15 July Saatchi Gallery, Chelsea, and Phillips, Victoria London 020 7596 5154 www.scoop-international.com Boutique trade show Scoop International returns this summer with its usual calibre of contemporary labels, showcasing their s/s 15 collections against a backdrop of vanguard art. More than 400 home-grown and international labels will present their latest designs at the event, covering ready-to-wear, accessories, footwear as well as lifestyle products. Brands exhibiting at the show include the likes of LA brand Sanetti, Italian label Rosso 35, Teresa Abrunhosa from Portugal as well as UK cult brands Muuba and Toby Mott.

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PURE 3-5 August 2014 Olympia, London 020 3033 2500 www.purelondon.com — This season Pure London will theme its show around architecture, teaming up with leading architecture and design college Ravensbourne. Building on changes revealed at the February show, footwear and accessories will be relocated in order to enhance the identity of both areas and improve visitor flow, while two new sections – Emerging Brands and The Accessories Launch Pad - will also be added.

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43 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

ILM 6-8 September 2014 Messe Offenbach GmbH, Kaiserstraße 108-112 Berlin 0049 698297550 www.messe-offenbach.de THE HARROGATE BRIDAL SHOW 7-9 September 2014 Harrogate International Centre 01423 770120 www.theharrogatebridalshow.co.uk LONDONEDGE 7-9 September 2014 Business Design Centre, Upper Street, London 0116 289 8249 www.londonedge.com MOMAD METROPOLIS 12-14 September 2014 IFEMA Convention & Congress Centre, Madrid 0034 917223000 www.momad.metropolis.ifema.es CAPSULE PARIS 26-28 September 2014 Tapis Rouge, 67 rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, 75010 Paris 0012 122068310 www.capsuleshow.com TRANOI FEMME 26-29 September 2014 Palais de la Bourse, 72002 Paris 0033 (0)153018490 www.tranoi.com

EXHIBITION CALENDAR —

MODA WOMAN 10-12 August 2014 NEC, Birmingham, UK 01484 846069 www.moda-uk.co.uk — Fresh for August 2014, Moda is launching a new area dedicated to e-commerce and retail technologies. E-Zone Live will give visitors the opportunity to hear from leading experts with a series of free seminars as well as the chance to interact with the products and the teams behind them. Moda Noir is returning for its second show with a variety of international names such as US design house Mac Duggal, Italian label Veni Infantino and French brand Corizzi as well as regulars John Charles, Mascara and Mon Cheri. Other newcomers include Pachamama Knitwear, Kiraku and Herman Lange.

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MODA FOOTWEAR 10-12 August 2014 NEC, Birmingham, UK 01484 846069 www.moda-uk.co.uk — With over 400 brands showing at Moda Footwear, the event returns this year with a varied and international line-up, combining a mix of mainstream labels and smaller emerging names. After making their debut at the last edition, returning brands include Doc Martens and Cara, while industry heavyweights such as Högl, Marian, Cara, Hispanitas, Rocket Dog, Dolcis, Ravel and Ruby Shoo all make the list of exhibitors. As always, Moda Footwear will run alongside Moda Woman, complementing ready-to-wear with add-on products.

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LONDON FASHION WEEK 12-16 September 2014 Somerset House and various venues London 020 7759 1990 www.londonfashionweek.co.uk — The line-up for this season’s show was unconfirmed at the time of going to press, but expect to see more than 120 ready-to-wear and accessory designers presenting their latest collections across more than 60 catwalk shows on the official schedule and 45 off schedule. The static exhibition will again host an edited selection of contemporary designers and up-and-coming labels across ready-to-wear, accessories and footwear.

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SPRING/SUMMER 2015

PREMIUM INTERNATIONAL FASHION TRADE SHOW

PREMIUM ORDER MUNICH

jul 8–10

aug 9–12

STATION-Berlin

MOC Munich

W W W. P R E M I U M E X H I B I T I O N S . CO M

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SCOOP —

SCOOP INTERNATIONAL ERNATION ERNATIONAL 13-15 JULY 2014 SAATCHI GALLERY & PHILLIPS LONDON With a dynamic mix of contemporary and emerging labels against a backdrop of cutting-edge art, Scoop International is back for its eighth edition. Bringing together more than 400 contemporary labels from the UK and across the globe, Scoop’s handpicked edit covers directional ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories and lifestyle products, including perfumes and cosmetics, in the exclusive settings of the Saatchi Gallery in London’s Chelsea and Phillips in nearby Victoria. This season, Scoop welcomes another raft of new labels into its fold, sitting alongside high-profile regulars who are once again returning to the show.

With many of the exhibitors exclusive to Scoop and the event’s unique aesthetic and ethos, which combines fashion and art, the exhibition has quickly gained a reputation as one of the most innovative European trade shows in the sector.

In the Saatchi Gallery, this season’s edition will be curated around the exhibition Pangea: New Art from Africa and Latin America, presenting selected works by Jose Carlos Martinat, a Peruvian artist who draws inspiration from architecture and the urban milieu. Meanwhile, Phillips will also showcase art by some of the industry’s most acclaimed artists, including contemporary art collective RexRomae, comprising of 12 artists from places as diverse as Puerto Rico and Norway, as well as work by Swedish photographer Reg Fallah.

Branded Scoop taxis and courtesy cars will be on hand to transport buyers and visitors between each venue. For more information visit www.scoop-international.com, and see overleaf for the newcomers and regular exhibitors not to miss at the show.

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SCOOP —

SCOOP NEWCOMERS THE BRANDS MAKING THEIR DEBUT AT THIS SEASON’S SHOW.

CATERINA MARIANI  Italian jewellery brand Caterina Mariani is making its debut at Scoop this season with a range full of statement pieces and dramatic designs, alongside more intricate styles that highlight the vast skill set of the designer.

MUUBAA  UK label Muubaa began by supplying leather jackets for other brands, but was launched as own-label in 2007. The brand has since gone from strength to strength with its innovative spin on leather jackets.

LILLA P  US label Lilla P is tailored to a casual lifestyle, rethinking the classic styles to create a collection of separates that are both flattering and functional. Clean lines, subtle details and quality fabrics make for understated luxury.

47 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

SCOOP —

RAVINALA  Ravinala is an ethical accessories label, offering a premium line of sustainably sourced crochet raffia bags. Designed in Devon and made in Madagascar, the brand is loved for its aesthetical appeal, practicality and purpose.

IVORIES  YOSI SAMRA  Best known for its elegant foldable flats, footwear brand Yosi Samra is making its Scoop debut with an array of designs, from cute summer sandals through ballet pumps to stylish loafers and more.

The philosophy behind Ivories is based around “no season” garments, offering appeal that extends beyond the traditional time frames of fashion.

BITTE KAI RAND  Danish label Bitte Kai Rand has been inspired

by Utopia for its s/s 15 collection, where graphic prints, checks and stripes amalgamate into unusual optical designs.

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48 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

SCOOP —

HUDSON  Hudson has become known for seasonal trends with a “twist”, often experimenting with androgynous looks, new treatments and quality leathers. Expect to see a collection full of quirky pieces with innovative interpretations of popular classics.

REW CLOTHING  Rew Clothing offers an alternative to the classic scarf, and is introducing its conceptual range of soft suede and silk neckerchiefs at Scoop this season. The signature style is all about ease of wear and scarves that mould and sculpt the neckline.

MALA ALISHA  Mala Alisha is making both its Scoop and UK debut this season, offering a scarf collection based on original prints that are fresh and yet have a slight vintage feel. The generous size of the scarf means it can be worn in many different ways.

ANNIE WOOLSTON  Annie Woolston designs silk scarves inspired by the patterns of the natural world. The s/s 15 range expands the core line with the addition of elements drawn from the designer’s favourite landscape, the Scottish Highlands.

49 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

SCOOP —

LA PAIRE  La Paire was born out of designer Amy La’s quest to find stylish and yet comfortable leather sandals. The result is a range of timeless styles that combine a vibrant colour palette with soft, feminine shapes.

JENNIFER DE BRUYCKÈRE  Knitwear designer Jennifer de Bruyckère creates clothing for the confident, independent woman. The label is characterised by refined designs, luxurious materials and high-quality finishes that provide an effortless chic and unconventional look.

FRAU BLAU  Dutch short-order brand Frau Blau specialises in clever print techniques that combine seasonal trends with its own vision, creating a relaxed mix of colours and textures. The latest collection is centred around florals, smoke patterns and lace-inspired print designs.

FINLAY & CO  Finlay & Co is a British eyewear brand, specialising in handmade wooden sunglasses.

The label’s USP is to craft sunglasses from a single block of wood, with every pair unique due to the natural variation in grain.

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50 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

SCOOP —

SCOOP REGULARS THE LABELS RETURNING TO THE EVENT FOR SPRING/SUMMER 2015.

HAUBER  Pure Passion and Urban Ease are key themes at Hauber this season. The former is focused on sensual, youthful styling, while the latter contrasts textures and minimal detailing in a mix of tailoring and sports elements.

BEACH CANDY  Luxury holidaywear label Beach Candy focuses on vibrant, candy coloured prints and floaty frocks that work just as well over a bikini on the beach as at an elegant destination wedding.

ESSENTIEL  Belgian lifestyle brand Essentiel is returning to the show with a versatile collection of ready-to-wear and accessories that are based on vibrant colours and graphic prints, reflecting the label’s design aesthetic of bringing fun into fashion.

GLOVERALL  British heritage brand Gloverall is returning to the show with an array of jackets, summer coats and macs, available in a vibrant mix of colours and high-quality textures for a classic but understated cool look.

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SCOOP —

JOHN & PEARL  Accessory brand John & Pearl embodies the British attitude to dressing with a street and luxe feel. Key pieces for s/s 15 include statement colour-block necklaces and layered bracelets.

GOAT  Goat’s pared-down aesthetic has found a devoted following among the best retailers and clients, and the s/s 15 collection continues in the brand’s signature minimalist and understated way. A focus on subtle details and only the best qualities defines the range.

ALEXIA  British scarf label Alexia’s printed scarves and shawls are generating increasing interest among retailers and consumers. Look out for original prints on luxurious materials, which are the signature of the brand.

TRACEY NEULS  Footwear designer Tracey Neuls is once again presenting a range of quirky footwear styles that combine unusual design with impeccable craftsmanship. Look out for brogues, sandals, Mary-Janes and pumps in the brand’s signature handwriting.

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SCOOP —

LAMA PEACH  Quirky boots, sandals and ballerinas all feature in Lama Peach’s latest collection, which the brand is once again presenting at Scoop. An array of colour and material options gives the range a cool and funky edge.

LIEBESKIND BERLIN 

CHRISTOPHE SAUVAT 

Urban, casual and cool is what best describes the philosophy behind the Liebeskind Berlin design aesthetic. Vintage soft leathers in luxurious classical colours complement the bags and small leather goods.

The Christophe Sauvat line is about the confident, well-travelled and assertive woman. The line consists of dresses and accessories, using ancient traditional forms of printing and embroidery.

PARKA LONDON 

VILLAGE ENGLAND 

There are some playful shapes that are fun but also classically inspired in Parka London’s offering for s/s 15. Key styles include Darcy, a cropped tencel parka in two colours; Ellis, a side-split shirt jacket; and Hart, a swing mac.

Village England’s design philosophy is to create desirable, high-quality handbags that are affordable and designed for life. Beautiful leathers and materials accented with signature brass hardware form the collection.

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SCOOP —

DYNASTY JEWELLERY  VILAGALLO  Vilagallo appeals to modern, cosmopolitan and elegant women who value exclusivity and quality. Colour is central to the range, whether in the form of intricate prints or colour blocking against a backdrop of flattering shapes.

Dynasty Jewellery is a contemporary London brand by Danish designer Kamilla Thorsen.

All pieces are handmade in the capital, fusing traditional techniques of marquetry and modern laser-cutting techniques.

TRANSIT PAR SUCH  Italian brand Transit Par Such is a family business with a 30-year history, and its philosophy is based on the principle of “simplicity is complex”. The DNA is a mixture of top raw materials, soft colours and timeless design.

PYRUS  A laid-back style is central to London label Pyrus, with relaxed shapes and understated and yet quirky detailing key. Look out for pretty dresses, informal trousers, short suits and sports-luxe inspired casual separates.

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BREAD & BUTTER —

BREAD & BUTTER Contemporary street and urbanwear trade show Bread & Butter returns to Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport exhibition venue on 8-10 July.

WWB looks ahead.

SILVER SANDS Inspired by the natural beauty and spirit of beach and ocean culture, Lithuanian label Silver Sands is building upon its international presence with its arrival at Bread & Butter. This season sees the brand focus on the silhouettes inspired by the natural flow of the waves and pure, hand-drawn prints across its collection of dresses, skirts, tops and coats.

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7 FOR ALL MANKIND International denim label 7 For All Mankind launches Denim Delight for s/s 15 – the brand’s lightest-ever jeans weighing in at 4.5oz. Available in black and blue in the brand’s signature skinny silhouette, Denim Delight is characterised by a clean aesthetic and a second-skin fit.

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CULTURE

SET Interpreting urban style in a way that is wearable for modern city life, Set adds a rock-inspired edge to contemporary silhouettes in women’s fashion. This season sees the brand focus on casual sophistication with its latest range for s/s 15.

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Inspired by feminine lace, graphic-led blurred dots and the intricate designs of precious porcelain, Culture presents an eclectic collection for the new season. The Danish label incorporates each of its fresh new influences into its signature bohemian styling with a nod to Scandinavian design throughout the spectrum of its latest range.

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BREAD & BUTTER —

THE LAST CONSPIRACY Danish brand The Last Conspiracy specialises in artisan footwear designed to withstand the test of time through its quality and design. Handmade in Europe, the label combines Portuguese craftsmanship with Nordic minimalism.

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JUJU British footwear label JuJu specialises in timeless jelly designs re-released each season with a contemporary twist. This summer sees the brand unveil further developments including two-tone colour combinations as well as its bestselling shapes in a range of summer hues.

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BLAUMAX Since its inception in 1978, Austrian label Blaumax has established a global presence with its denim-focused collections and casualwear for both women and men. This season sees the brand arrive at Bread & Butter with its latest range of basic jeans and understated casual pieces.

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YUMI

SILVIAN HEACH Italian label Silvian Heach focuses on elegance and femininity this season with its latest range of stylistic designs with an unconventional edge.

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This season sees British label Yumi turn to its English heritage roots for inspiration, with floral prints, lace detailing and quirky animal motifs coming to the fore of the spring collection. Natural and textured fabrics are key, while the brand maintains its commitment to flattering silhouettes with macs, two-piece skort suits and playsuits, all designed to create a feminine figure.

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FLY LONDON Brushed nubuck, suede and moose leather make for a tactile range from Fly London.

Traditional European craftsmanship is prevalent throughout the collection, which features intriguing silhouettes such as the Elve peep-toe buckled boot (pictured).

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LONDON SWIMWEAR SHOW —

LONDON SWIMWEAR SHOW The London Swimwear Show, taking place on 20-22 July at London’s Radisson Blu Portman Hotel, brings together the latest styles in swimwear and beachwear for s/s 15. WWB looks ahead at the highlights.

VEVIE

HUIT Glamour is the focus for Huit this summer as the brand adds shimmering lurex and crisp, 50s-inspired polka-dot prints to its cleverly designed silhouettes that fit and flatter. Also look out for sports-luxe influences interpreted through bold simplicity, structured shapes and piping detailing.

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Inspired by classic beach locations in Britain, France and the Hamptons, where faded memories of a glamorous beach age remain, Vevie bursts onto the scene for s/s 15 with a palette of juicy sherbert-mix tones, deep marine blues and vanilla hues. Launched in 2012, the brand builds upon its evolving identity as a refreshing swimwear label with its scoop, halter and bandeau silhouettes in tailored cup sizes B-E. —

ANITA The 2015 Anita swimwear collection has a lavish selection of cuts, styles and patterns that can be cleverly combined to suit all kinds of figures and requirements with a perfect fit through to the large cups. The core collections cover maternity, post-surgery, large cup and comfort.

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HURLEY With its roots firmly in surf culture, Hurley has diversified in recent seasons to become a more comprehensive lifestyle label with a focus on sexy athleticism. This season sees the brand focuses on beautiful prints and soft fabrics in simple yet striking designs.

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LONDON SWIMWEAR SHOW —

GINJA Cute and flirty, the latest styles from Australian label Ginja mix bold solids with vivid florals and textured chevron zig-zags for a distinctive array of swimwear designs.

Created in line with the brand’s surfer-chick identity, the latest styles target the young, energetic consumer demographic.

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BAKU With a heritage in swimwear design stretching over four decades, Australian label Baku is best-known for its figure-flattering designs in eye-catching prints. This season sees the brand arrives at the London Swimwear Show amid an explosion of prints across its portfolio of enhancing silhouettes designed up to a G cup.

—

FREYA Sports-luxe styling and colour blocking are key for Freya’s swimwear line this season as the brand takes a bold design step while maintaining its commitment to the perfect fit in sizes D-G. Cleavage-enhancing halter shapes feature alongside longline bikini tops for a wide choice of shapes designed to be as wearable as they are eye-catching.

— AGUACLARA

MIRACLESUIT Miraclesuit complements its continuity styles in staple block colours with an array of brightly coloured patterns across its signature shaping silhouette.

Manufactured from the brand’s unique Miratex fabric, the collection offers shaping properties without the need for bulky layers or panelling.

—

Originally conceived in the Peruvian capital of Lima over 20 years ago, Aguaclara has developed into a global swimwear label best-known for its enhancing shapes and styles. The brand remains true to its roots season after season and once again unveils a collection created by native Peruvians, this time with a focus on animal prints.

—

PIA ROSSINI The latest resortwear collection

by Pia Rossini features the newly introduced kimono, designed to offer a stylish cover-up for beachwear, swimwear and cruisewear.

—

58 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

RETAIL DIARY I try to maintain a healthy detachment in this industry. It’s notoriously easy to get caught up in the frenzy and emotion of fashion, and I have always tried to adopt a cautious and practical approach to business.

— I’ve never professed to be a fashion-following creative – I consider it my task to buy clothes that are great value and a little different to what our customers may find elsewhere.

Buying styles that will sell is my duty. My staff can generate the enthusiasm for the product, but I am driven by its commerciality. When we have a collection brought to us and I receive input from other staff members, I am sometimes told that a style I have selected is “boring”. My answer is invariably, “It may be boring, but it will sell.”

I am motivated by the words of my father, who has always insisted that if you have the right product and deliver superior service, you will never have a problem. I truly believe that if you carry some different labels that inspire your customer and make your own stamp on your collections, you will succeed. New introductions for us this season include Joe’s jeans, Rosemunde from Denmark and Brax trousers.

During my time here, I’ve always adopted a cautious financial approach, so we’ve been able to continue to invest in the business. Over the next few years we plan to refresh and update the shop front and interiors and make sure we remain a destination store. We are introducing some new brands with a view to developing a younger, premium denim section, including Articles of Society and Joe’s jeans, and a young lifestyle fashion space, with Barbour and Gant as the focus. People have mixed views on concessions, but East has worked well for us, giving us great footfall at relatively little cost. We will be courting the premium fashion sector gently, too, but I am always mindful of value over brand endorsement. Regardless of the status of a label, if it doesn’t sell and the fit isn’t right for our customer, we will discontinue it.

Neil Welker is the managing director and owner of Elliotts in Lymington, Hampshire, and is a member of the Fashion Association of Britain (FAB) www.fashionassociationofbritain.co.uk

FORUM —

RETAIL FORUM

The latest news from the industry —

VINTAGE GLAMOUR POPS UP IN CAMBRIDGE Models in vintage gowns mingled with guests sipping champagne at the launch of the May Ball Pop-Up dress shop last month at Cambridge independent Boudoir Femme, where vintage and pre-owned designer evening gowns will be on sale until the end of June.

Guests were also treated to pampering treatments from local hair and beauty salon Finn Jordan.

—

IRIS OPENS FIRST STORE OUTSIDE LONDON Independent boutique Iris opened its first regional store in Amersham, Bucks, in May, bringing its mix of premium womenswear, homeware, children’s clothing and gifts to the town’s thriving high street.

Co-owner Annie Pollett says of Iris’ fourth location, “Amersham has the feel of a London village and seemed like a perfect fit for Iris. We are hoping the residents will appreciate all our gorgeous labels that are not currently available in the area.”

Labels stocked include Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno Athé, Carven, Current Elliott, J Brand and Duffy.

—

59 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

FORUM —

WHO WOULD BE YOUR DREAM CUSTOMER? —

TEN YEARS OF THE CARNABY SHOPPING PARTY London’s Carnaby celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its annual shopping party recently, with an event that saw 120 brands take part.

Initiatives included a 20 per cent discount in stores and restaurants, DJs and live bands performing in-store and on streets, styling sessions, trend talks and mini makeovers.

Claire Harris, of landlord Shaftesbury, says, “It’s not just about the 20 per cent discount, it is also the experience and wealth of activity throughout the area that drives a large amount of footfall to the event. Shaftesbury is proud of its partnership with the brands.”

—

ROSE HORSFIELD Owner, Pookie Boutique, Barnsley

HILFIGER HEADS NORTH Tommy Hilfiger has opened a new store in Edinburgh, located in the city’s premium shopping district, Multrees Walk. The shop spans two floors and showcases the newest Tommy Hilfiger and Hilfiger Denim, footwear and accessories collections.

“I’m excited to open our first store in Edinburgh and have the opportunity to share our cool, classic American collections with shoppers in the city,” says Hilfiger. “Our new Edinburgh shop embodies our global retail creative identity, with a mix of eclectic furnishings and vintage details that capture the preppy spirit and all-American heritage of our label.”

MY FAVOURITE SHOP...

MARCOS & TRUMP

by Stephanie Dawson, co-founder, Just Consultancies

“For me, it would be NICKY RISBY Victoria Beckham. I Owner, Ninni Noo Boutique, Woodbridge admire how she has

reinvented herself as a fashion designer and style icon. It would be a compliment and honour if she were to walk into Ninni Noo, especially if David was with her!”

—

“Alex Jones. She always RACHEL COLE Owner, Pure Clothing, looks stunning, and her fun-loving personality Huddersfield

means she is happy to try edgy looks as well as timeless chic. I love how Alex pays a great deal of attention to her hair and make-up. More importantly, everything she wears on TV sells out in stores overnight.”

—

Marcos & Trump 146 Columbia Road, London E2 7RG Owner: Bee Friedmann Established: 2008 Brands: Hiro + Wolf, Ichi, Darling, Closet, Dents, White Leaf, Bellfield “Before we dealt with Marcos & Trump it had already been one of my favourite shops.

It’s ideally suited on Columbia Road, with its vibrant, laid-back yet frenetic pace, and the beautiful window displays always make me stop and smile. It’s like peering into a treasure trove, but at pleasingly and surprisingly affordable prices. Owner Bee is always welcoming and has found a balanced and refreshing formula. She is not afraid to forward order on brands she believes in, while at the same time getting out and about trialling new brands or buying stock to offer a constantly exciting mix.”

—

"It would have to be Holly Willoughby. She appeals to real women because she is a working mum who always looks good and is not into high-end, designer labels. I also know she would love some of our stock. She already has a bag we currently offer – the Joanna handbag by Lamb 1887."

—

GAIL NIVEN Owner, Just G Boutique, Edinburgh

“Michelle Williams because she has an amazing sense of style yet isn’t afraid to take a risk and stand out from the crowd. I love how she continually evolves her look. I’d like to think that she’d be fun to work with, have great changing room chats and be open to suggestions from me!”

—

60 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

DIRECTORY —

AGENTS WANTED

HAT BOXES

STEAMERS AND IRONS



AGENT WANTED



Jocavi, a well-established brand of jeans and casualwear collections based near Barcelona, is seeking to appoint an independent general sales agent for the UK. Starting up incentives will apply.

For further information, please contact us on: Tel: +34 972 86 02 03 Email: joanmassague@jocavi.com www.jocavi.com

   

To advertise please call Sam on

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HEADWEAR        

        

  

  

DISPLAYS

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Distributed by: Arctic Fox Unit 22, Watford Metro Centre, Tolpits Lane, Watford, Herts WD18 9UN Tel: 01923 210646 Email: info@bullseyeinternation.co.uk

62 WOMENSWEAR BUYER — JUNE 2014

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL —

ALEX MONROE The jewellery designer shares some of the milestones of his 25 years in the business and reveals why his wife and daughter are the real beneficiaries of his trade.

—

You’ve just won the Accessory Designer of the Year award at the recent UKFT Awards. What does this recognition mean to you?

It was absolutely amazing! For me personally it feels like a huge honour. I really respect UKFT and the judges are at the heart of the fashion business in the UK. For me, working at the coal-face of the business for so many years, there isn’t higher praise. And for us as a business it has been a real boost. We work very much as a team and this has given us all a real lift.

You are one of the most respected British jewellery designers, and some of your creations have almost iconic status. Did you always have a certain vision for your brand?

From the start I wanted to bridge the gap between fashion, jewellery and craft, with originally designed, beautifully made, very fashionable jewellery. But I also wanted it to be affordable. I don’t think those values have changed one bit.

What fascinates you about jewellery design?

I love to make things, and I’m very good at working in silver. I was lucky to receive a fantastic technical training at the bench so I’m able to express my ideas delicately and in fine detail. Most of my designs are based on nature, which comes from a wonderful childhood growing up in the countryside.

What have been the milestones in the history of your label?

Every step amazes me! I’ve really just worked non-stop for over 25 years, and whenever I stop and look up the business has grown again! There are memorable moments of course; the first cover of Vogue, winning awards like this one, starting to see lots of people wearing my designs. But really it’s all about the person who saves up and buys one of our pieces and loves it.

Are there still things you would like to accomplish?

Oh yes! I’ve just written my first book (called Two Turtle Doves) which is part memoir and part description of the making process. My big ambition now is to put on a major exhibition about fashion jewellery and what it means to people. I wouldn’t mind doing TV either, if it allowed me to enthuse about fashion jewellery. My ambition for the brand is to keep on doing what we do!

What is your most treasured piece of jewellery?

Oops! This is a bit embarrassing… I don’t really own any jewellery. It’s all gone to my wife and daughters. I like to think they could answer this question better than me!

INSIDER: — Who is your style icon?

I’m not much of a celeb watcher. I love people watching on buses and trains. You see so many cool people, much more stylish than any celebs.

— Which business do you admire?

I like Old Town in Holt in Norfolk, because they’re cool and stylish and they don’t try too hard. I like Albam, too – their clothes really suit me!

— What’s the best piece of industry advice you’ve ever been given?

I was once advised to stay away from the flash geezer in a flash car.

People who are careful with their money make much better partners in business.

— What’s the one fashion item you can’t live without?

My Margaret Howell cord jacket, bought in 1998 for a small fortune, but still looks great.

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