BRANDING & design (Fashion magazine)

A

P U B L I C A T I O N

F R O M

Scabal PASSION FOR CLOTH

Nilorn Worldwide LOS ANGELES OFFICE

Fashion Snoops A FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW

Fashion in circulation

BY TOBIAS JANSSON

N I L O R N

W O R L D W I D E

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COVER PHOTO Styling Bettina Vilslev/Lemanagement

Nilorn Worldwide is an international company, established in 1977, focusedon adding value to brands

Photo Olof Händén

using branding and design in the form of labels, packaging and accessories.Customers principally

Hair and Make up Vivi Pilgaard/

represent the fashion and ready-to-wear industry. Nilorn Worldwide offers complete, creative

Lemanagement Model Sophie Rask/Lemanagement

and tailored concepts in branding, design, product development and logistic solutions. Satisfied customers are our principal asset, and it is therefore important to establish, maintain and enhance

PAPER

customer relations through first-class service. Nilorn Worldwide is one of the leading European players,

Cover Silk 300gsm

with turnover of ca 400 MSEK. The group operates through its owncompanies in Sweden, Denmark,

Body Arctic silk 150gsm

the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Hong Kong, India, China, Bangladesh, Turkey, Pakistan

Print Responstryck AB, Borås, Sweden

and Italy. In addition, there are partner companies in Switzerland, Tunisia and USA. www.nilorn.com

table of

CONTENTS 8 10

WELCOME

FASHION IN CIRCULATION

BY TOBIAS JANSSON

14

NILORN WORLDWIDE LOS ANGELES

19

SCABAL PASSION FOR CLOTH

BRANDING

& DESIGN

6

24

DAVID HINCHLIFFE

29

NEW COLLECTION

71

MD NILORN UK LTD

ALWAYS SUNNY IN LA

74

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND FASHION SHOOT

52

THE DESIGN DOCTORS

55

STORES YOU MUST VISIT

60

PANTONE

TRENDSPOTTING

FASHION SNOOPS INSPIRATION THAT FLIES IN WITH TREND FORECASTS

INTERVIEW

GOTHENBURG AND LONDON

GOES BERRY FRUITY!

64

STARSTYLING FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW

68

RECAP OF PRODUCTS LEATHER PATCHES

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HEADQUARTERS NILÖRNGRUPPEN AB Wieslanders väg 3 Box 499 501 13 Borås SWEDEN Tel. +46 33 700 88 88 Fax +46 33 700 88 19 info@nilorn.com www.nilorn.com

SUBSIDIARIES & PARTNERS NILÖRN AB Wieslanders väg 3 Box 499 501 13 Borås SWEDEN Tel: +46 33 700 88 00 Fax:+46 33 700 88 48 info@nilorn.com BALLY LABELS AG Schachenstrasse 24 CH-5012 Schönenwerd SWITZERLAND Tel: +41 62 855 27 50 Fax: +41 62 855 27 59 info@bally.nilorn.com NILORN BANGLADESH LTD. Millennium Castle, 12th fl.

House 47, Road 27 Block A, Banani Dhaka -1213 BANGLADESH Tel: +88 02 8835912 Fax: +88 02 8835913 info@bd.nilorn.com NILORN BELGIUM NV Brusselsesteenweg 525 9090 Melle BELGIUM Tel: +32 9 210 40 90 info@be.nilorn.com NILORN DENMARK A/S Vestergade 48 5000 Odense C DENMARK Tel: +45 70 23 16 23 info@dk.nilorn.com NILORN EAST ASIA LTD Unit 1701, 17/F, Westley Square 48 Hoi Yuen Road, Kwun Tong Kowloon HONG KONG Tel: +852 2 371 2218 Fax: +852 2 371 2629 info@hk.nilorn.com

NILORN GERMANY GMBH Itterpark 7 40724 Hilden GERMANY Tel:. +49 2103 908 16 - 0 Fax: +49 2103 908 16 - 99 info@de.nilorn.com NILORN INDIA PVT. LTD Plot no. 9c, Sector – 3 Parwanoo – 173220 (HP) INDIA Tel. +91 1792 235232 Fax +91 1792 233176 info@in.nilorn.com NILORN ITALY Via Bellini 8/C 41012 Carpi ITALY Tel: +39 3381611351 info@it.nilorn.com NILORN PAKISTAN (PVT) LTD 2nd Floor, Yasir Chambers Gulshan –E-Iqbal, Block 13A Main University Road P.O. Box 75300 Karachi PAKISTAN Tel: +92 21 349 92151 Fax:+92 21 349 92153 info@pk.nilorn.com NILORN PORTUGAL – INDÚSTRIA DE ETIQUETAS, LDA Rua Central de Barrosas, 304 4585 - 902 Recarei – Paredes PORTUGAL Tel: +351 22 411 95 80 Fax: +351 22 411 95 99 info@pt.nilorn.com NILORN SHANGHAI LIMITED Rm 701, 288, Chengjiaqiao Road.

Minhang District, Shanghai, CHINA Poastal Code 201103 Tel: +86-21 345 512 90 info@sh.nilorn.com

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NILORN TURKEY Mimar Sinan Cad. Ünverdi Sok. No:50.

Kat:3. 34540 Günesli Istanbul TURKEY Tel: +90 212 657 76 76 (pbx).

Fax: +90 212 657 75 10 info@tr.nilorn.com NILORN UK LTD 1A Acre Park Dalton Lane Keighley West Yorkshire BD21 4JH UNITED KINGDOM Tel: +44 1535 673 500 info@uk.nilorn.com NILORN USA LLC 3499 Meier Street Los Angeles, CA 90066 UNITED STATES Tel: +1 888-315 1875 info@us.nilorn.com

A glimpse of N I L O R N D EAR R EAD E R,

STARSTYLING Our designer Jasper – before the interview with starstyling.

We are delighted to publish the 2nd edition of our 2015 Branding and Design magazine. The fashion industry is more competitive than ever and, in ­order to be successful, brands must ensure they are more creative and smarter to win consumers attention.

FASHION SNOOPS OFFICE NY Colourhouse Event/ Fashion Snoops.

Chamber - SS 16 Woman, Forecasting – Activewear.

They must make themselves more visible and put greater effort into identification if they are to stand out as unique.

To create something different and special you need to start with the history of the brand, what you want to communicate and how to confirm that intelligent and knowledgeable consumers have the correct ­perception of your brand.

Be prepared to think in the long term and integrate important areas like sustainability, quality and style.

Everything that can make the consumer feel safe should be used.

Remember to be politically correct at all times.

Above all, your thinking and approach must be ­positive and long term in order to build the right values around your brand.

Nilorn has more than half a century of experience in creating and supporting brands, ensuring that they are more visible and successful than in the past.

We can do the same for you. We see branding as a partnership and we aim to be your preferred choice in branding.

In this edition, we focus on a number of i­ nteresting areas including an article about “circular economy” which is very much connected to the natural cycle and that all products need to be biodegradable.

We also have an article about Fashion Snoops and last but not least, as always, a summary of our new ­collections, designed and developed by our expert designers within Nilorn.

We hope you will find our magazine inspiring – please enjoy and you are most welcome to contact us with any questions, views or ideas.

LOS ANGELES Soaking up the atmosphere on the way to our design meeting.

FASHION SHOOT Glitchette in Copenhagen.

COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEK

NEXT TREND Design team at Colour House trendpresentation in Gothenburg listening to Tony Bannister from Scout Sydney, Australia.

Talking about trends AW 16/17

All the best,

Claes af Wetterstedt CE O

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Interesting meetings at CPHFW. Fashion designer Peter Jensen talking to Damien Lynch from our danish office.

FASHION IN CIRCULATION Words: Tobias Jansson / CircularEconomy.se

In recent years, a new concept has emerged in the debate about taking responsibility for the environment – namely the ’circular economy’.This promises to deliver increased business benefits because material resources are used more ­efficiently, with smarter recycling, composting and business models ­where we hire clothes and share them.

FILIPPA K

ARTICLE

In February this year Filippa K released three basic garments in the new collection called Long-Lasting Simplicity. The garments are the fruit of two years’ work analysing what materials and other aspects would make the products as natural, long-lived and recyclable as possible. At the same time a new service was being offered, called Lease that gave the customer the opportunity to hire this season’s fashions. The range available for hire consists of suits, dresses and accessories for special occasions. In addition, old garments can now be handed in at the shop – Filippa K Collect – and in return you get a discount on your next purchase. Filippa K’s initiatives are all good examples of what can be included in a circular economy, a vision of a future in which we close the circle of materials, and keep products in circulation much longer.

Waste will conceptually be designed out by making it possible to return waste to the natural cycle (the biosphere) and generate value by composting or anaerobic digestion, or to an industrial cycle (the technosphere), in which materials circulates without losing any of their quality – if you like, a sort of Recycling version 2.0.

In their purest form, circular business models are all about putting access over ownership, and selling the function of a product rather than the actual product by offering various kinds of hiring, leasing and subscription models. Nowadays there is a trend in the fashion industry where more and more companies are daring to try out such models.

For some years, the outdoor brand Houdini has been hiring out jackets for skiing. That is a garment that most of us use only one or two weeks a year and they are expensive and take up room in the wardrobe.

UNIFORMS FOR THE DEDICATED, PHOTO KALLE GUSTAVSSON

FACT SHEET: WHAT IS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

Another Swedish example is Uniforms for the Dedicated which enables you to hire selected jackets or blazers from the most recent collection for a weekend or a week.

The price is then 15% or 20% of what it costs to purchase an equivalent garment.

The company wants to offer customers an alternative to purchasing, as they put it »a new kind of freedom«, while they also want to explore new ways of earning money.

The circular economy is a vision of an economic system designed to re-generate resources time after time. In a circular economy resource efficiency goes handin-hand with business benefits. Value is FILIPPA K

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created with the help of refined materials flows and circular business models.

ARTICLE

A VERY SUCCESSFUL DIGITAL HIRE SHOP IS THE BRITISH COMPANY GIRL MEETS DRESS

Biological nutrients

Technical nutrients

WHERE YOU CAN ­C HOOSE Raw materials

AMONG 4,000 DESIGNER

Recycling 1.0

­D RESSES AVAILABLE FOR HIRE

Recycling 2.0 (C2C)

Remanufacturing

Maintenance

As more and more companies are bravely experimenting with new financial models for hiring, what are called clothes libraries or clothesotheques are popping up in our cities.

For a fee, you can borrow clothes, much as you borrow books from a library. Boutiques specialising in hiring also exist, such as Renta-Plagg in the town of Åre which spare you the bother of purchasing tents, hill walking boots and other necessities for hill walking in mountains and fells. There is also the Sporthyra chain with shops in several Swedish towns and cities, making it possible for customers to rent sports equipment.

A very successful digital hire shop is the British company Girl Meets Dress where you can choose among 4,000 designer dresses available for hire.

But what are you going to do with all the surplus clothes that, despite everything, are still cluttering up your wardrobe? Could you hire them out to your neighbour?

With Rentez-vous that becomes possible, a concept available in London and Paris. It works like Airbnb but for fashion, where private individuals hire garments from each other. Some neighbours have very special garments on offer. What would you say, for example, about hiring a dress worn by Meryl Streep, and to you just £173 pounds a week?

Reuse

Cascading materials

Redistribution

Anaerobic digestion Composting

Leakage (minimised)

PRINCIPLES FOR A CIRCULAR ECONOMY?

1. Two distinct cycles: biological and technical Purely biological materials are returned to the biosphere without doing any damage: As biological nutrients they help to re-generate natural assets.

Pure and precisely defined technical materials (such as metals and some polymers) are kept within the cycle as nutrients for industrial processes.

2. Waste is eliminated by design Materials and products are designed in such a way that waste is eliminated.

All materials (biological or technical) become nutrition for new processes.

3. Access over ownership With new business models, which mean that companies sell the functions of products rather than the products themselves. The maximum value can be ­preserved in the materials, and incentives are created for designing products that are robust and can be repaired and updated.

4. Shift to renewable energy With refined flows of materials resulting in greater resource efficiency,

Tobias Jansson is a writer and lecturer who runs the CircularEconomy.se blog. Currently he is travelling all

less energy is consumed. This in turn means that we can place greater reliance on increasingly more renewable sources of energy.

over the country, campaigning for the circular eco-

Ultimately only renewable energy will be supplied.

nomy by means of much appreciated lectures and workshops. Previously he worked on the Swedish sustainable lifestyle magazine Camino, which he co-founded in 2006.

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& DESIGN

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Los Angeles

NILORN WORLDWIDE all lights on

NILORN

LA

GO WEST! All the way to the West Coast of the United States — the Golden State to be exact.

To the land of opportunity and the ‘City of Angels’, where trends are born, and adopted soon after by the rest of the w o r l d Words: Alexandra Rhode Image Credits: Sandra Kucher, iStockphoto

NILORN WORLDWIDE

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, OLD AND NEW SCANDINAVIAN STYLE MEETS WEST COAST ATTITUDE.

Creating trends in premium denim and streetwear are part of the fabric here. This is why Nilorn USA, the fashion branding specialist, has opened its doors in Los Angeles, California. The LA office, which was established in 2014, is managed by Alexandra Rhode, General Manager, and Christine Syquia, Director of Sales. With 25 years of experience in apparel and accessories retail, product management and sourcing between them, they are excited about tapping into the creative potential here and partnering with US retailers, brands and emerging fashion labels in the area of branding and design.

United by the conviction that everyone’s brand is unique, that branding and design is not just an afterthought but indeed what sets you apart in retail, Alexandra and Christine see NILORN as an ideal partner to help companies add to their brand’s equity. No one understands this better than Nilorn.

Nilorn offers its customers an array of creative tools, with the “Branding & Design” magazine you hold in your hands just one example of its never-ending inspiration.

Customers have been delighted so far with design concepts from our Big Picture designers, who create unmatched and innovative seasonal branding collections for every retail segment. “We definitely need to rebrand,” said the head designer of a major denim brand in LA when browsing through our collections, “better now than later, and we definitely want Nilorn as our partner”.

Nilorn has already launched several startup brands and helped seasoned brands take a fresh look at their branding. Many of our customers – from the performance tracks to the jewel racks — continue to be amazed at the high-end quality of our cohesive Nilorn branding; how it provides a consistent look and feel for the same price or less than they were paying for inferior piece-meal solutions.

As Alexandra puts it: “This is a great time for NILORN to come in and support emerging brands and fashion labels right out of the gate. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all, we don’t believe in standard materials or minimum orders. We do believe in custom solutions and portfolio development, and we do believe that NILORN’s track record of working with quirky and demanding retailers in Europe and its decades of experience in managing brand development and production puts it in a unique position to be a great partner.”

Alexandra Rhode

The Big Picture But let’s back up for a moment and understand how we got here – after all, a mere decade ago many had declared the US textile industry all but dead. Fast forward to 2012, when textile and apparel exports were up 37 percent from just three years earlier. And then to 2014, when the industry again generated about $60 billion in total shipments, with more than $20 billion in apparel exports, and employed close to a quarter million people. Alexandra vividly remembers 2006, when she started in marketing for apparel labels and packaging, how the textile industry in the US had dwindled away to almost nothing. The last manufacturers had up and left the United States, heading to China, India or Mexico — or wherever people would spool, spin and sew for a few dollars (or less) a day.

About 650 textile plants closed between 1995 and 2005, draining thousands of jobs and depressing communities across the US. The United States lost more than 900,000 textile and apparel jobs during that time.

The apparel labelling company she was with at the time scrambled to set up and expand sites in those low-wage countries, closed

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Christine Syquia

their three US sites and moved equipment halfway around the world. While the size of US operations today lags behind those of overseas powers like China, the fact that the apparel and textile industry is thriving again after almost becoming extinct is indicative of a broader reassessment by American companies about manufacturing in the United States. Rising wages in China and other countries, combined with higher transportation costs and tariffs, have prompted foreign and domestic companies to reconsider American manufacturing

NILORN WORLDWIDE

sites. Also, with more consumers looking for the »Made in the USA« label, companies are turning to American goods once again. Many foreign textile companies from Brazil, Canada, China, Dubai, Great Britain, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico and Switzerland, as well as the US, have announced plans to open or expand textile plants mainly in the Southern US States.

Location, Location, Location!

Many Europeans may be wondering, why L.A.?

Easy: The most influential and high fashion US brands have emerged (and continue to emerge) here in the City of Angels, and the Southland is not only the hub of largescale textile and apparel manufacturing, but also the home of denim.

Clusters of denim laundries along with the technical know-how of the blue crews based in the City of Angels are the reason the Southland owns the largest slice of the premium denim pie (denim retailing at over $100). Over 80% of the 2 billion dollars’ worth of premium denim snapped up by Americans over the last year is made in the Los Angeles area.

CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO. DELIGHT IN SOMETHING NEW. REACH FOR THE STARS. IT’S ALL PART OF THE JOB! THE END. AND THE BEGINNING.

It is the denim industry here that sets trends for the rest of the fashion industry around the world. It is also the denim industry that faces challenges and limitations in branding and trim options due to its harsh dyeing and washing processes. But instead of focusing on how many million tags it can produce, Nilorn prefers to ask customers how can it cater to their specific requirements – in respect of design, application and choice of materials. To make it easy for emerging brands, Nilorn does not have a minimum order requirement in acknowledgement of the everyday challenges of smaller manufacturers and a sign of its commitment to support every brand, large or small, with the same great service and attention.

Nilorn’s focus and dedication to sustainability, with most of its products being available with Blue Sign® certification, meets the growing demand of local brands and retailers for more supply chain transparency and material traceability.

The best of both worlds, Old and New Scandinavian style meets West coast attitude.

Strive for something different. Challenge the status quo. Delight in something new. Reach for the stars. It’s all part of the job!

The End. And the Beginning.

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INTERVIEW

Image credits: Scabal

INTERVIEW

S CAB A L PASSION FOR CLOTH Words: Stephanie Duval

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INTERVIEW

Belgian company Scabal started out as a humble, local, textiles business, but over the course of some 70 years has grown into a quality label favoured by Hollywood’s finest and powerful businessmen alike. The company is still a financially-independent, family-owned business, preferring gradual and organic growth over risky investments.

Nilorn had a chat with Gregor Thissen about the past and future of his family business.

It wasn’t predetermined that J. Peter Thissen’s son would one day take over the company he himself had inherited from its founder, Otto Hertz. Gregor worked in finance after graduating from law school with an MBA before the inevitable conversation with his father took place. Gregor Thissen finally decided he would give it a try, and this decision worked out well. He worked in various departments at the company, slowly working his way up from finance and marketing to become executive chairman of the company. He surrounded himself with the best of the best, appointing a new CEO in 2013: Italian Stefano Rivera. Press releases at the time noted his strong background in change management, and referred to his ability to help Scabal brave the challenges of our times.

This openness to new ideas is what has helped transform Scabal from a traditional textiles wholesaler to a much larger and more modern brand, adapted to the profound changes in the market. In the 60s and 70s people dressed at tailors. After that, the insurgence of prêt-à-porter had an impact on tailoring businesses; they started to shrink dramatically. Scabal adapted to this situation by adding a second wing to its operations: the production of made-to-measure and ready-to-wear suits, complemented by a range of shirts, ties and knitwear.

More recently, Scabal faced another challenging change in the luxury goods industry during the financial crisis. The world of luxury goods, which used to be protected from economic cycles, was now under immense pressure. Today, luxury goods are back, but the way in which people buy them has changed. Scabal noticed the rise of so-called ’casualisation’, but also saw lots of young people dressing up for formal occasions again, and played right into this new generation’s wishes. »Our model is based around the idea of individuality and made-to-measure. Our credo is ’never cut costs when it comes to quality.’ We don’t compromise on those values,« explains Gregor Thissen. Today, customers are flocking to Scabal for its focus on individualism and eye for detail.

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INTERVIEW

RESPECT AND ELEGANCE ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO SCABAL. RESPECT FOR THE PRODUCT AND THE KNOW-HOW AND RESPECT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT ABOVE ALL, RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER AS HUMAN BEINGS AND AS INDIVIDUALS.

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INTERVIEW

Wearing a Scabal suit sets them apart from the masses who choose off-the-rack suits from larger fashion chains.

At the same time, Scabal adapted its style to a younger generation’s mindset, offering more relaxed fits and encouraging a more casual styling: a Scabal jacket combined with premium denim, for example. Whereas suits used to communicate a person’s status or professional role, now the focus is much more on comfort, wearability and the expression of one’s individuality.

200 different details, and try your suit on.

After all, it has been handcrafted for you.« Scabal therefore realises it needs to put energy into creating an image and a concept around its business. Recent years have seen increasing investments in the company’s marketing and preparation of the next step: retail. It’s the best way for a company to position itself competitively and bring its world to the customers without depending on intermediaries.

The store openings fit into a grander scheme of major investments, marking a big change for the company that has never taken many risks. The company relocated its headquarters in Brussels to a new building across the street, in the interest of getting everyone under one roof. The new headquarters exude pure elegance, but symbolise more than just Scabal’s adherence to timeless style. “Our growth hasn’t been explosive, but continuous. That said, we’ve arrived at a different stage now,” Thissen explains.

WHEREAS SUITS USED TO Another way in which Scabal is adapting to the future is through digitisation. The company has put an e-commerce system in place to sell its fabrics, but Gregor Thissen is convinced there is no place for made-tomeasure online. »You have to be able to taste the atmosphere in the boutique and select the fabrics based on tactile experience,« he says. »You need be able to see the more than

COMMUNICATE A PERSON’S STATUS OR PROFESSIONAL ROLE, THE FOCUS IS NOW MUCH MORE ON COMFORT, WEARABILITY AND THE EXPRESSION OF ONE’S INDIVIDUALITY

100% BELGIAN? Scabal’s Belgian roots are still treasured by its owners, but otherwise they don’t play the important role you might expect. Scabal was founded in 1938 by German Otto Hertz, who passed on his company to his business partner J. Peter Thissen. Furthermore, the name Scabal is an abbreviation of ‘Société Commerciale Anglo, Belgo, Allemande et Luxembourgeoise.’ Originally, the company distributed fabrics to tailors in all of these countries, and it opened its first brick-andmortar store on Savile Row in London. Their mill is located in Huddersfield and the suits are made in Saarbrücken.

www.scabal.com

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The investment is part of a six-year plan that further develops Scabal’s vision and puts the focus on the people and the product. Respect and elegance are equally important to Scabal.

Respect for the product and the know-how and respect for the environment, but above all, respect for one another as human beings and as individuals. When asked what makes him happy about working at the company, Thissen replies: “The people. We’re a smallish company with limited resources but international exposure. We’re expected to do the same things as multinationals with ten times the workforce. When I see our people’s motivation here, the hard work they put in, that’s what drives me.”

INTERVIEW

DAVID HINCHLIFFE MANGAGING DIRECTOR NILORN UK LTD

Married to Sarah for nearly 29 years, I have two children – Tom, 23 and Emily, 19 – who are both at university in Manchester doing business and advertising degrees respectively.

I’m a sales and classically trained marketer through and through, with a love of brands, fashion brands in particular.

I graduated with an Honours degree in marketing, and because I’ve been around for a while, I’m now a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. My career has largely been spent in garment manufacturing, and for me it always starts with the product.

A brand will only ever take you so far, and if the product fails to live up to expectations, then customers will be unhappy.

This is a harsh reality, but one that not every brand owner is prepared to face.

With so much competition out there now, at every price point, product differentiation is key. And one of the main ways to differentiate is by branding and design.

It is all about providing reasons to buy, overcoming objections and creating cut through with your audience.

And the devil is always in the detail… the details we provide at Nilorn.

This meant building a business from scratch, and getting to know an amazingly diverse set of both US and international retailers. Together with outstanding colleagues we worked out our strategy, remained agile and responsive, and planned, planned, planned, resulting in a replication of the success we had in the UK. The journey was far from smooth, with plenty of bumps in the road and I think that without my natural resilience and tenacity, we wouldn’t have cracked it. But it also demonstrated the fact that I am eternally optimistic, yet am able to remain pragmatic, and will always be realistic.

Everything I’ve learnt and experienced as a brand owner, working with designers and garment techs, product managers and merchandisers, has given me a great insight into the value of what we do today at Nilorn. Having presented products and ranges to sales teams, retail and online buyers, and their colleagues to justify why my products should be on their shelves, in their stores or on their website rather than any of my competitors’ products, has been an invaluable life experience.

I’m a big advocate of the team ethic and realised long ago that one person (especially me) can rarely deliver everything.

My father always said ‘surround yourself with good people’, and this has been my modus operandi.

This is why Nilorn is the perfect fit for me.

My last role before joining Nilorn was running the UK and International Sales and Marketing department for Courtaulds (a traditional British manufacturer of branded and privatelabel garments). My area of focus was the branded space, and I successfully arrested years of sales decline for their biggest brand, Pretty Polly, working successfully with many of the UK’s high street, fashion and grocery retailers and their online operations. Subsequently, I helped to develop a US and export strategy, which was designed to secure the iconic British heritage brand’s future.

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Nilorn has good people in spades, and together we can accomplish anything.

My ambition for the UK is to build on the growth we have experienced over the last few years. We are still developing and learning, but most of the building blocks are now in place, and we have an amazing team: with a great blend of age and experience, and youth and enthusiasm, and any combination of all four! We have a team that comprises those with between 20 and over 30 years of service, to a new crop of apprentices who are just starting their careers.

INTERVIEW

THIS IS WHY NILORN IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR ME.

However, the one thing that connects everyone is spirit.

A spirit to provide exceptional customer service, to never be complacent and take things for granted, to drive for success and yes, to be massively resilient and tenacious.

We put the customer first.

These are the values I try to exemplify, and we demonstrate them in everything we do. We don’t get it right every time, but that doesn’t stop us trying, and we do learn from our mistakes. We are humble and we behave with humility, and we always try to do it with a smile on our faces.

My first focus is always the numbers, and they are the first thing I check every morning. We will only be able to deliver on our expectations if all aspects of our business work well together. Ultimately, the business is all about our people, so my time is spent thinking about this, working with the team, meeting with customers and removing any blockages, and planning for the future so that we continue to deliver exceptional customer service.

QUICK FIVE Beer or wine?

Beer.

Football or Rugby?

Football.

Half full or half empty?

Half full.

Like brands and products that want to differentiate themselves from the competition, my ambition is to continue to differentiate Nilorn from the rest of the market and all our competition. This year I aspire to do amazing things, in the right way and to deliver the best year the UK has ever had...

Theatre or cinema?

Cinema.

Can’t get through the weekend without…?

Playing golf on Saturday morning.

And then keep improving on it year after year!

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INTERVIEW

‘LIFE IS WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU WHILST YOU ARE BUSY MAKING OTHER PLANS.’ JOHN LENNON.

Describe yourself in three words Work in progress.

What scares you the most?

A twelve-foot downhill putt that breaks from right to left.

Favourite town/city in the world and why?

New York, because if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere!

Do you have a hidden talent?

Yes, but it is very well hidden.

Favourite band/album?

What is the most played song on your phone/stereo?

My musical tastes are very eclectic, at the moment I’m ­listening to Royal Blood and London Grammar.

Too many to choose but possibly Bad by U2, The Way It Is

by Bruce Hornsby & the Range or Rhythm of Life by Oleta Adams.

Best gig/show you’ve ever been to?

Gary Numan at the Birmingham Odeon in 1980. My first proper, big concert – it literally blew my mind.

Favourite quote?

‘Life is what happens to you whilst you are busy making other plans.’ John Lennon.

Favourite food/Last meal on earth – what is it?

Fish and chips, white bread and butter, jam roly poly and custard, with a cup of tea.

If you could meet someone famous living or dead, who would it be?

Either Ayrton Senna or Seve Ballesteros – I can’t decide.

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Favourite book to read and why?

All the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child.

Have you ever had a nickname? What is it and why?

Everyone calls me Hinchie or Hinch. I’m not sure why…

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

COLLECTION Nilorn product development On the following pages, we will present our latest collection. Our aim is to provide our customers with inspiration and ideas on how they can take their labels and branding to a new level. We are always on the lookout for new materials and production techniques, whilst in the background fine-tuning the interaction between design, production and logistics.

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PHOTOGRAPHER Olof Händén STYLIST Bettina Vilslev In this issue we asked photographer Olof Händén and stylist Bettina Vilslev to interpret one of our latest collections Glitchette. On the following pages you can see the result of this edgy photo shoot.

Glitchette that is Glitch’s female counterpart.

Feminine but never Girlie.

The independent ‘It Girl’ who’s always a few steps ahead of the rest when it comes to global fashion and lifestyle trends; she always maintains her own identity!

Inspiration: ‘80s -2000s post punk fashion and music such as Vivienne Westwood, New Order, Joy Division, Neville

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Gilet Yarra Trail Dress Pringle of Scotland Belt Patrizia Pepe Shoes Mimco

Photo Olof HändÊn Styling Bettina Vilslev/Le Management Hair and Make up Vivi Pilgaard/Le Management Model Sophie Rask/Le Management

The model is wearing clothes from a variety of brands: Sabine Poupinel Missioni 2nd day Saint laurent Rodebjer Dries van noten Falke Other stories Urban outfitters Bettina Bakdahl Tophop Hm studio Vintage pieces private

Glitch is the independent outsider fashion statement!

Glitch is anything it wants to because it cannot be controlled or put in a box by the fashion system!

Glitch fashion is cutting edge neo-punk for the digital age generation.

Never retro, but on a journey exploring the digital revolution from CD, Nintendo Game Boy, the first iPods and memorabilia such as Swatch and Furbies to today’s hi-tech toys.

NUCHONI Studios - Active sport With the merging worlds of sport and chemistry comes a new age in product development and adaptation. Athletes demand to be lighter and faster, so brands are pushing engineers to their limits, seeking out the best of the best, to keep enhancing the latest and greatest.

NUCHONI Studios - Luxury Sport The brand stands for modern aesthetic.

Innovative thinking, brilliant quality and excellent craftsmanship.

High luxury clothes for men with a sporty twist, garments often have unexpected and creative mixes of textures.

Each collection is inspired by music or a movie that ignites progressive thinking.

I Kid You Not is a unisex brand for children.

The designs are not typical children’s designs. Inspiration comes from designs you’re more likely to see on ’grown-up’ brands. So you could say they dress them up as young adults.

Lots of parents are happy that they can buy clothes for their kids that are similar to their own.

Never grow up!

Combining conceptual design and a cool attitude, Bijou blends haute couture with everyday wearability, making hard work look effortlessly elegant.

Wearing our garments is an experience that cannot be emulated by any other brand. It’s a sense of privilege that is instantly recognisable and never forgotten.

Sharp lines, perfect tailoring and exceptional attention to detail all combine to create the sleek style icon that is Bijou.

Price reflects quality.

Style echoes status.

Grindstone is known for producing workwear that professionals actually like to wear: kit for extreme conditions which is comfortable and hard-wearing, but also modern and attractive.

From work trousers to underwear, socks and gloves - all items meet the international bluesignÂŽ standard.

The textile company manages natural resources soundly and responsibly, and is reducing emissions into water and air, improving its waste water treatment and generally lightening its ecological footprint. The bluesignÂŽ standard unites all partners in the textile industry to achieve environmentally-friendly production worldwide.

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Brown Sugar CO is a British high end ready-to-wear fashion brand established in 1978. The brand’s name was inspired by the rock song »Brown Sugar«, written and composed

by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, both members of The Rolling Stones.

Music and especially Rock & Roll is a red thread all through.

This – in combination with the fine fabrics and high quality tailoring is the core of the BSCO spirit.

Rock & roll never forgets!

Sun, sea and stunning surroundings, saturated in sound from sunrise to sunset and beyond. A dance festival in paradise - secluded, secretive and with a soundtrack from the world’s top international DJs. Even before you arrive at our festival you’ll feel drawn into its essence when you receive your personal experience pack.

Your pack has everything you need from wristband to line-up, all packaged in natural, earthy materials.

Upon arrival you will be struck by an overwhelming sense of freedom and belonging; you will be at one with the earth and your fellow partygoers. Choose any beach and find something new.

Dance all night or relax and revive, watching fire dancers and waiting for the perfect sunrise.

Join us in our Ivory Tower!

TH E D ES IG N DOCT OR S

DESIGN DOCTORS

Being a worldwide organization — Nilorn has a number of very creative ­graphic ­designers throughout its local companies, for example in Sweden, Denmark, ­Germany, England and Belgium. In this issue we take three of them under the loupe and ask them about what inspires them…

The designers come from many different creative backgrounds, be it fashion, editorial, packaging, illustration, photography… This ensures we have the skills for tackling the most complex of tasks. from a bank.

need. No two trimming concepts are ever the same and with that in mind, our designers know who is best suited for each job, making each concept tailormade to match our clients needs.

Firstly, working within their own country regions.

Secondly, in the digital age we are living, in our Designers also work across borders, teaming up if needed, to ensure our clients get exactly what they

To help keep their fingers on the pulse of fashion and observe the current trends, the Designers at Nilorn travel to cities such as New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, London and Berlin in search of inspiration.

RIKARD HÄLL Born and raised?

Lerdala, in the woods outside of Skövde, in the middle of Sweden.

Favourite movie?

This is a tough one… I actually watch mostly series nowadays.

Like Mad men, Game of thrones, Silicon Valley etc. HBO is making a lot of good ones.

Can’t live without?

Music – both to listen to (especially Live) and to play and write. Unfortunately the playing and writing part is not as often I would like to.

Best inspiration trip and why?

I think I must say New York. It’s pretty cliché, but It has it all – it’s like a big melting pot of the old and new. You can choose a district depending on what you are looking for. When me and some colleagues was there last time, I really enjoyed the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.

Where would you go in a time machine?

I think it would be interesting to go forward in time. Maybe 100 years or so, to see how all this technique has evolved and interact in the everyday life with humans.

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DESIGN DOCTORS

LAURA PROCTER Born and raised?

Silsden, West Yorkshire.

Fashion designer, icon?

Victoria Beckham.

Weekend destination?

London.

Where do you find inspiration?

Everywhere - I love looking through photographers’ work and handwritten typography.

What’s your favourite cheese?

A nice, strong Cheddar.

DAMIEN LYNCH Born and raised?

I was born in Dublin. Raised, that’s a good question? :) To wear?

My Motto is dress every day as if the world is yours Stage and its opning night!

Favorite movie about fashion?

L’amour fou: A Documentary about Yves Saint-Laurent.

Worst fashion trend?

Sweatpants and Tracksuits outside of the gym!

To quote Karl Largerfeld: “Sweatpants are a sign of defeat.

You lost control of your life so you bought some sweat pants.”

Would you rather be attacked by one horse-sized duck, or fifty duck-sized horses?

What about fifty duck-sized my little ponies, because they are colourful!

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STORES YOU MUST VISIT

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STORES YOU MUST VISIT

HOPE STORES

The Background Hope is a Swedish fashion label that began as a creative discussion between two friends, Ann Ringstrand and Stefan Söderberg, who both are passionate and extremely interested in well-made utility wear. After presenting a small test collection in autumn of 2001 they got the positive response necessary to launch Hope to the market in 2002.

In the beginning a decision was made to focus and specialize in Outerwear, Trousers and Accessories, to be able to deliver a quality and modern product without compromise. They wanted the concept to be original and unique rather than a traditional fashion collection.

As the Brand has been growing and more customers join the Hope Community the assortment range has been developed and today Hope offers full range Collections for women and men as well as design co-ops with the field of Interior and Jewellery.

The Mission Hope´s mission centres on an offering of well-made fashion design and communication. They value true product engagement and a consistent style. Hope grow by making their products inspire and support the individual consumer.

The makers of Hope are the foundation. They therefore enclose their workspace environment in their mission and care for individual growth and wellbeing.

HOPE GROW BY MAKING THEIR PRODUCTS INSPIRE AND SUPPORT THE

New store concept In January of this year, Hope relaunched their website with a fresh new look and a focus on usability and cross platform connectivity.

INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER. In connection with store openings Hope launches a new store concept.

– We are modernizing and innovative thinking regarding the relationship between the room and the interior, says Brand Director, founder and designer Ann Ringstrand. We like the idea of not attaching any furniture on the walls and to be agile. The room is decorated with art on the wall panels and the interior is mobile.

– We make the room into a creative space where the products get »front row«. We work with lighting and digital communication as a priority part of the concept, continues Ann.

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STORES YOU MUST VISIT

NEW CONCEPT STORE TO, VISIT: Hartenstraat 26, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Øvre Slottsgate 17, Oslo, Norway Korsgatan 17, Gothenburg, Sweden

Image credits: Hope Gothenburg

HOPE, GOTHENBURG

OPENING HOURS:

Korsgatan 17

Monday to Friday

411 16 Gothenburg

11 am – 8.30 pm

SWEDEN

Saturday 10.30 am - 4 pm

korsgatan@hope-sthlm.com

Sundays

www.hope-sthlm.com

12 am - 4 pm

COUVERTUR E & THE GARBSTORE

STORES YOU MUST VISIT

AVAILABLE ONLINE AND IN LONDON, COUVERTURE AND THE GARBSTORE IS THE DEFINITIVE ONE-STOP SHOPPING DESTINATION FOR ALL THAT IS UNIQUE, INSPIRING AND PERHAPS A LITTLE IDIOSYNCRATIC.

Situated in the heart of Notting Hill, Couverture and the Garbstore was launched in 2008 by designers Emily Dyson and Ian Paley.

Housed in an exquisitely re-configured period townhouse close to the famed Portobello Market, the concept store presents over three floors.

Deliberately eschewing big-name brands in favour of something more intuitive and authentic, this destination store focuses on niche independent labels, exclusive collaborations and on championing emerging talent.

The lower ground floor sees Ian Paley’s menswear brand ‘Garbstore’ come to life with a collection of garments and accessories that reference clothing produced after the Second World War or ‘unfamiliar vintage’, with each piece re-imagined and made ‘historically new’. The floor also plays host to a selection of cult international brands, rare books and collectable ephemera, many of which are exclusive to the UK.

COUVERTURE & THE GARBSTORE 188 Kensington Park Road Notting Hill, London

The ground and galleried first floors are dedicated to a carefully curated blend of international and European womenswear and accessories, childrenswear and toys, home accessories and furniture, guaranteeing the store’s status as a favourite haunt for both fashion and interior stylists, as well as for the discerning customer.

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W11 2ES

info@couvertureandthegarbstore.com www.couvertureandthegarbstore.com

OPENING HOURS: Monday to Saturday 10 am – 6 pm

PANTONE

e n o t Pan ! y t i u r f y r r e b s e go

Colour inspiration from berries and fruits from nature.

Ignore vitamin tablets and relax in colour vision. Colour yourself inside and out. The pigment in fruits and berries are effective against a range of diseases.

DARK SLATE Nail colour Orage Chanel

Eat colourfully and live longer!

SAGE Eye shadow Sweet Pea The Body Shop

FROSTY GREEN Figs

MAUVEWOOD Lip colour Rosette Clinique

WOODBINE Pumpkin seeds

PANTONE ®

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For four generations SUNWILL has taken pride in creating perfect details, developing the perfect fit, and choosing the best fabrics.

We know that the difference between a good pair of trousers and a fantastic pair of trousers is in the details. One frequently has to compromise on either the design, the functionality or the quality. But not with SUNWILL. Take a closer look at our trousers – you will see and feel the difference.

The name SUNWILL became an independent brand. One of SUNWILL’s core values is our personal engagement in production and service – a value we do our utmost to pass on to our working partners.

Today the SUNWILL brand is stronger than ever. The company is successful due to an ability to constantly develop as well as a firm conviction to stick to a tradition of non-compromising high quality.

SUNWILL was founded in 1963 as an exclusive tailoring business. 26 years later it was purchased by F. Engel K/S, who expanded the company’s activities by starting specialized production of men’s trousers. www.sunwill.dk

Norgesvej 12, 6100 Haderslev, Denmark

INTERVIEW

Interview: Christina Walter Image credits: Starstyling, iStockphoto, Nilorn

Starstyling Headstrong, uncompromising, creative – the Starstyling look has nothing in common with mainstream fashion trends. Instead, Katja Schlegel and Kai Seifried, the brains behind the Berlin label, take their work as an opportunity to critically examine their surroundings and visually interpret social trends. Ironic subtexts, graphic prints and unusual materials are their tools of choice.

Qualified costume designer Katja Schlegel and communications designer Kai Seifried have been able to impress a continually growing, international audience with their unique take on fashion ever since they established their label in 2000.

The collections are produced exclusively in Germany and are sold worldwide.

Branding & Design met up with designer Katja Schlegel for an interview to find out more about the Starstyling universe and philosophy.

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How did it all start with Starstyling?

Were you focused on experimental fashion from the outset?

I was working as a stylist in Stuttgart and was always on the lookout for eye-catching accessories for outfits so I started sewing my own colourful, embroidered bracelets.

A friend of mine displayed them in his showroom and it wasn’t long before we received 500 orders. I quickly organised a second sewing machine and Kai and I spent many a night making the bracelets. Later on we added T-shirts. We eventually found an agent in Paris who asked us to produce an entire collection. As I knew very little about patternmaking and design, I bought myself a book and experimented. Some of those first patterns were shocking (laughing)!

You sell your collections worldwide.

How have you succeeded in conveying your vision to the rest of the world?

It just happened; it wasn’t something we consciously planned. We approached things very innocently and naively and were suddenly right there in the middle of it all.

We’re not that tenacious and don’t take it all too seriously. It’s just something we enjoy and we allow ourselves the freedom to do what we want. It usually all works out well.

INTERVIEW

AS I KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT PATTERNMAKING AND DESIGN, I BOUGHT MYSELF A BOOK AND EXPERIMENTED.

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INTERVIEW

Where and how do you present your fashion? Do you follow specific marketing strategies?

As we don’t have a PR agency at the moment, we’re managing the hiring of collection pieces to photographers and stylists ourselves. That means we can control which fashion magazines our collection is shown in. We also have presentations in showrooms. We often take part in the Berlin Showroom in Paris because we are now a kind of poster child for Berlin, by remaining true to our roots whilst still being relevant. A few of our friends and some artists we know here and there also spread the word about Starstyling for us.

Have there been any moments in your career when you’ve considered making the collection more commercial in order to achieve better sales figures?

Of course we’ve talked about it. But at the end of the day, we are convinced that a commercial direction just isn’t for us.

If we want to be successful, we need to stay small and unique instead.

But your collections also include basic items?

Definitely! Printed T-shirts, jogging pants and sweaters that work well are always included in our collections. Along with those, there are also a number of special garments that are more elaborate and expensive, some of which we sometimes only make two of. They are for special customers. The owner of one shop told us that he mainly buys our collections because he likes to hang our garments in his shop window to attract people’s attention.

Do you also do fashion shows?

We’ve done a few shows here in Berlin. Although it was a lot of fun, it doesn’t really benefit us. The issue is that we aren’t sold in stores here in Germany, so unfortunately, there are no buyers attending our events, and you can’t just do fashion shows for bloggers, it’s far too expensive.

What inspires you?

Everything (laughing)! Nature, sunshine, colours, materials and also a lot of history. I love old books and pictures, costume books, old clothing and folklore. But it can also be a song that transports me to a special place.

What music are you listening to at the moment?

I always go through phases: for example, I might see something about Pink Floyd somewhere and then I’ll listen to my old Pink Floyd records for two whole months. I really like electronic music, especially minimal techno. Twenty years ago, when techno was emerging, I was only interested in house music. And now, twenty years later, I suddenly find techno very interesting. But I also listen to a lot of classical music. In terms of how it builds up, classical music is often very similar to techno in my opinion – in the way that it all culminates at the end. I also really like listening to oldies like Kate Bush. My taste in music is very mixed.

The title of your new collection is “Boreout”. What’s the inspiration behind it?

Before I came across the word “boreout” in a newspaper article, I was only familiar with “burnout”. In my opinion, the theory that people can start to show stress symptoms when they’re under-challenged is a very decadent one. But I was also able to identify with the idea a little: I need pressure, constraints, frameworks and restrictions to make me get my act together. If I have limitless freedom or money then I don’t really have any driving factors to change anything. So it’s a very personal thing.

To what extent would you agree that it’s always possible for you to completely fulfil your ambitions as a designer?

Only to a certain extent, of course. After all, there are various budget restrictions. But as I mentioned, restrictions are more of a motivation for me. Psychologically, that is perhaps somewhat questionable (laughing)! It was the same when I was at school. Receiving praise usually bored me. But if there was resistance then I would think to myself, “Right, I’m going to show them!”

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RECAP

RUBLE GOODS & CO RG2 008

SIENNA BRISTLE SB 115

PORTLAND BLUE PB 008

ROYAL DENIM RD 4004

COWCOW 105

COWCOW

PETROL

DECO MODA DM 012

PETROL 212

LEATHER PATCH COLLECTION BY NILORN

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Los Angeles is a vast, sprawling Metropolis, filled with just about everything your fashionista heart could desire. Whether you’re a hipster, a lover of independent labels or looking for that exclusive high-end look, you will not be disappointed in the City of Angels! But one thing is as clear as the California sky; this city rocks the boho look!

Words: Damien Lynch Image credits: Sandra Kucher, iStockphoto

TRENDSPOTTING

TO GET THAT LA FEELING, A MUST SEE IS THE ABBOT KINNEY BLVD IN THE VENICE DISTRICT.

The first thing you need to know about LA is that it’s big, really big! It’s important to do some research about areas you may want to see, and rent a car for your visit or you probably will not get to see half of what this city has to offer!

5 TOP SHOPPING STREETS AND AREAS IN LA: Abbot Kinney Blvd / Venice

Another important thing is that the weather is nearly always warm in LA! This could be a reason why most Angelenos tend to wear casual, relaxed clothing with a stylish boho flair day or night! Los Angeles has its own individual fashion sense, so if you don’t want to look like a tourist, think: jeans, paisley and floral patterns, or check out one of California’s finest designers, Johnny Was, for inspiration, and you will blend in perfectly!

W 3rd Street and Melrose Ave / Mid City

LA art district in Downtown E 1st Street - E 7th Street between S Alameda Street and Los Angeles River

Silver Lake Blvd / Silver Lake

Rodeo dr and Beverly Hills dr / Beverly Hills

For the more high-end fashionista, a great place to start is West 3rd Street, with breakfast at Joan’s on Third, then make your way towards the Marc Jacob stores for men, women and the designer’s Bookmarc store. Also situated in this area are international designers such as Alexander McQueen, Hervé Léger or the trendy Open Ceremony for the more avant-garde at heart.

For a more independent vibe, visit Sunset Boulevard in the Salt Lake area for hip coffee shops such as Intelligentsia Coffee, or Reform School for unusual arts and crafts, and of course the Mohawk General Store is a must see for both men and women. The store sells American and international designers side by side, such as Issey Miyake or the American original Gittman Bros, which even makes limited edition clothing for the store!

But this is Los Angeles, and the LA look reigns supreme, seeming to transcend fashion trends! One hardly sees people on the street wearing edgy European styles; they are just too restrained for the climate and laid-back vibe of the city!

LA is famous for vintage and recycled clothing, and the best place to find these is Melrose Place. But give yourself plenty of time, as you can spend hours wandering from one quirky shop to another! Our tip is the American Vintage store, which is perfect for that rockabilly look and vintage T-shirts from the 70s and 80s. Last but not least is the wonderful Ampersand second-hand boutique on Larchmont Blvd not far from Melrose, which sells classic to modern designer pieces!

To get that LA feeling, a must see is the Abbot Kinney Boulevard in the Venice district, which boasts a wealth of local design and quirky clothing shops, restaurants and eateries with a more ecological and organic ethos. Abbot Kinney is a breath of fresh air, and a great place to chill out for the day and experience the true vibe of this up and coming area that is thankfully not yet overrun by tourists.

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Fashion Snoops/Runway Custo BCN, Barcelona, Spring 16

INTERVIEW

FASHION

SNOOPS

Inspiration that flies in with trend forecasts.

Interview with Lilly Berelovich by Nilorn design

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INTERVIEW

THE NORMAL PLACES WHERE WE WOULD LOOK FOR ANSWERS IS NOW MORE LIKE VALIDATORS THAN THEY ARE DIRECTIVES IN SOME WAY...

DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

Fashion Snoops Office in Manhattan

When Lilly Berelovich created Fashion Snoops fifteen years ago, it was based entirely on her own needs. She was working as a designer at the time and all that entails, so she did not have the time to hunt around for inspiration. What wouldn’t I give to have the information come flying to me, thought Lilly. The possibilities opened up by new technology, meant she was able to offer trend forecasting within several different areas on the internet.

The first area Lilly Berelovich addressed was children’s wear. “That was what I knew and had been working with. I then began ­expanding the business one area at a time.

First Womenswear, then Menswear and then Denim. Now, fifteen years later, the company is like a great big, cuddly child,” she says.

We visit Fashion Snoops at its head office in Manhattan’s Garment District. Unlike the noisy, bustling street scene outside on 38th Street, the building exudes an air of calm.

The sound of small talk rings around the spacious office landscape. This is home to the 25-person Fashion Snoops c­reative team, made up of editors, researchers and directors. The team philosophy is that ­ ­everyone brings something to the party and Lilly explains that the interns who attend ­various different meetings, often come up with the best ideas.

The fundamentals of the work Fashion Scoops does are a constantly recurring ­ theme,” says Lilly. Runways, trade fairs, events and what is going on in the retailing sector must be monitored. However, t­here

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have been big changes over the last few years. Clients want information faster, ­ideally two minutes after the fashion show.

About ten years ago, Fashion Snoops ­broadened its concept beyond the fashion scene and started talking lifestyle & culture.

They created an online magazine and started organising different events.

“When we saw something on the runway, we started looking at the reason why it looked the way it did. And to find that out ahead of time, we started investigating the cultural shifts that were occurring, which is far more interesting. Nowadays, we have an entire team that purely focuses on these types of changes.

INTERVIEW

WE HAVE A BIG WHITE SHEET OF PAPER- WE CALL IT: THE FUTURE OF FASHION

Lilly Berelovich at Fashion Snoops Office in Manhattan

Where we used to look for answers, we now see things more as confirmation of ­something, rather than a directive on how something is to be done. Our aim is to ­predict and continue to connect things that are happening.

FASHION SNOOPS FACTS Fashion Snoops helps companies, brands and creatives to forecast future trends in areas including fashion, accessories,

“Trends change more slowly these days,” says Lilly. “We can see the same trends on the runway as we have been seeing for the last three years. What has changed is the ­storytelling behind them. What is interesting is not whether something is Hip or not. But rather; What is the Hip story this year and how can we give it new meaning?

“What is also happening right now is that even non fashion driven companies are ­interested in trend forecasting. The fashion industry is by tradition the only industry that has always worked with predicting trends while other industries did not use to think in that way. One example of this is a company

home furnishings and beauty.

Fashion Snoops offers an Internet-based service through which clients, as subscribers, gain access to an extensive library of reports, photos, graphics, forecasts and various other tools.

The company has users in over 40 countries.

Our head office is situated in the textile district of Manhattan, New York, but with offices and employees in a number of centres throughout the world.

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we work for in the chemicals industry. They are suppliers to brands that market and sell beauty products. As it takes three years to develop and test products, they must be able to predict trends at an early stage.

“Ahead of us is the non-traditional. And the non-traditional will eventually become the traditional, for example, via unexpected partnerships and Cross platform design. ­People have been talking about this for a while and various design partnerships have happened but we have not yet reached the limit for what is possible. There are always those that follow trends while the creative brands are the ones that think outside the box...”

Lilly Berelovich predicts that storytelling will become increasingly important for companies. Brands are going to return to ­ their roots and talk about their own history rather than following trends and looking like everyone else in the industry.

C O L L E C T I O n

A U T O M n E - H I V E R

2 0 1 5

CEVIMOD, SARL au capital de 539.864 €, dont le siège est à WASQUEHAL (59290), 30 rue des Châteaux, ZI de la Pilaterie, RCS LILLE METROPOLE 327 323 770.