RODD/
ISPO MUNICH 2018
ISPO 2018 Reflections from the outside in. Trade fairs, love them or loath them, they are a necessary evil (you can tell which camp I fall into!) for designers. At Rodd we have been taking a close interest in the sports, luggage and apparel sector for a number of years now and our recent inaugural trip to Munich for ISPO was very interesting.
ISPO Munich IFA 2016 2018
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ISPO Munich 2018
FIRST IMPRESSIONS The first trip to any major trade fair is a great way of getting an immediate taste of ‘what’s-what’ in the industry which, to any agency involved in making sense of trend and brand, is actually the most impactful trip. So as to be expected, at one of Europe’s leading sports and outdoor leisure shows, ‘technical performance’ is the major driver thinner, lighter, improved moisture wicking, thermal performance and so on, are the go-to headline for many of the brands. No breakthrough insight there, in fact to borrow a term from Team Sky it’s all about the ‘marginal gains’. This is OK for retailers, but not so impactful for consumers. So moving beyond performance, what stood out?
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MANU FACT URE 2.0
ISPO Munich 2018
Possibly the greatest story of the show was Manufacture 2.0 - of which the leading exponent was the ADIDAS Speed Factory. This is Adidas’s exploration into the strategic and creative opportunities of high speed, fully customised additive manufacture of the future (very near future it’s worth noting). Recognising their enviable position of recent years as the pioneering fashion leader meets performance sports brand they were showcasing their ability for capturing consumer data, and using it to drive high-speed rapid additive manufacturing techniques to produce bespoke footwear. This is in itself a very cool story - but from Adidas perspective this now allows them to change production models as quickly as they can release the next design - whether this is driven by the needs of their performance athletes or their position as influencer of street fashion.
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Beyond Adidas were a number developments - this as the nam knitted (in a variety of performan a single hit - which not only crea lightness but gives way to amaz graphic garment properties.
ISPO Munich 2018
of other exciting exponents; 3D knitting me suggests allows entire garments to be nce and thankfully sustainable yarns) in ates improved movement, comfort and zing aesthetics - structural, textural and
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ISPO Munich 2018
ECOADVENTURE There was an undercurrent of a smaller brands blurring adventure, experiential credibility and ‘everything eco’ to tell their stories. We are not talking whale watching here, but interestingly the mash-up of street and snow sports, with things such as; sustainable sources of power - see CAKE Sweden’s amazing electric off road motorbike, JAYKAY a German brand making beautiful electric longboards with elegantly integrated power source in the custom trucks paired with sustainably sourced timber decks, and the award winning GROWN with its MonViso Hemp skis claiming a 47% lower environmental foot print.
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CUSTOMISATION
Austrian bike brand MY-ESEL have blurred customisation, Eco and the pervasive bike trend to offer ‘the worlds most personali Appealing to bike nerds seeking the ultimate, weekend city bike provides an online tool to capture body geometry before utilisin bespoke manufacture to high speed machine your bespoke wo - either in pedal or e-bike format. Couple this with your own las branding and bingo - Eco-wheels with a very urban edge.
In a similar vein, footwear brand TECNICA, developed a unique that can tailor the fit to custom anatomical needs in under 20 m developments are bringing true consumer customisation within
ISPO Munich 2018
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ECO BRAND
ISPO Munich 2018
ODS
Beyond hardware the sustainability story was apparent across a number of soft-goods brands too - showcasing their commitment to material development that created beauty and Eco tech in equal measures - such as the award winning DACHSTIEN footwear made from ocean polymer waste, PYAU - with its 100% sustainable technical outer ware, cut more akin to minimalist tailoring than campsite clobber. Nostalgia (recently cited as another major driver for GenZ) and sustainability were prevalent from a variety of independent ski/snow board brands too - bringing back a bespoke sense of identity with beautiful wooden back-country skis/boards.
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ISPO Munich 2018
So, let’s be very clear - ISPO is a feast for the senses if colour, material and finish are your thing - but beyond this we feel performance brands are blurring, competing for their own marginal gains, what’s more, lesser competing brands are able to confuse consumers by emulation and refreshing in the seasons latest colour trend. So if you want a brand to stand out in a crowd grasp a neatly identifiable need, wrap it up in a story and stay true to it.
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THANK YOU
RODD/ Hello@rodd.uk.com
Hello@rodd.uk.com
t +44 (0)23 8028 2456
t +44 (0)23 8028 2456
www.rodd.uk.com
www.rodd.uk.com