Apparel Magazine | February 2024

the LEATHER forecast

So you've got Chat GPT. That's fine, as long as you are using it as a guide and not the answer to your prayers. Much like when the calculator first made an appearance, it is vital to only look at it as what it is – a tool. What you put in, the foundation of your request, will lead you to either a bad result or a fantastic one. If you ask it to write a press release on your behalf, you better input as much personal information as possible about the range. It will give you a good press release, sure, but to then hand it out to the media is a whole other story. Please edit them. Please stop sending out AI generated press releases. We can tell, they all look and read the same. Use it as a guide, get the skeletons of what you want and then edit it to make it original.

Now for your website or anything digital. Your SEO (search engine optimisation) is so important. AIgenerated content can have a positive and negative effect on your digital

branding. On the positive side, it can help you produce a large volume of content quickly. Sure, this can be great, but you need to read and edit this content. Is it relevant? Is it factual? Not everything coming out of AI is correct. You need industry knowledge to effectively check what it is producing. If you know nothing about the subject, don't trust AI to know either.

If the content produced by your AI of choice is factual, relevant and VALUABLE to the internet, then SEO will float it to the top. Green flag. However, if it lacks quality, uniqueness, or isn't relevant to what your core business is = red flag. This can potentially flag your website as spam and damage your SEO. Search engines like Google prioritise engaging, high-quality, original content. If your AI-generated press release, article, any kind of content, doesn't meet these criteria – you shouldn't be surprised when it doesn't perform well.

Remember that it is a very useful tool. It can be used well when you strike a balance of AI and your own knowledge. Essentially, if you put crap in, you'll get crap back. Read what it gives you and give it feedback. Get it to ask you questions to learn more about your audience and your business. Providing value to your customers using AI is what the world is leaning towards, but using it well will keep you at the forefront of this digital era.

LGBTQIA+ RODEO COLLECTION FROM LEVI'S

Levi’s is celebrating queer joy through self-expression with a collection inspired by LGBTQIA+ rodeo culture from the ’70s to today for Pride 2024.

The Pride 2024 campaign shares inspiring storytelling to encourage LGBTQIA+ community members and allies to celebrate queer joy and the power of self-expression.

Inspired by the queer “Rainbow Rodeos” that originated in Nevada in the ‘70s, the collection incorporates Western wear influences, graphics, and glitz.

It includes an extensive assortment of tops, bottoms, and accessories and features Western-inspired embroidery and rainbow colours to give the collection a cohesive and euphoric rodeo look.

The collection is designed to mix, match, and make your own, with reversible styles and head-to-toe fits.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

KIRI NATHAN DESIGNS UNIFORMS FOR TE ARIKINUI PULLMAN

Accor has officially opened the Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport Hotel, which is now part of the largest hotel operator's portfolio in New Zealand. A unique fusion of cultural design, superior architecture, and premium hospitality, this is the first five-star hotel located at the Auckland Airport.

New Zealand fashion designer Kiri Nathan, of Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Paoa, Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Hine iwi, recently designed signature pieces for the new Te Arikinui Pullman Auckland Airport Hotel.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

GFC LONDON FASHION WEEK F/W24

The Global Fashion Collective event in London brought together fashion designers to present their latest collections.

At the event, Alex S. Yu showcased his Capsule 006 collection, featuring his signature colour combinations, contemporary femininity, modern functionality, dynamic silhouettes, and a touch of whimsical fantasy.

The collection comprises numerous tulle pieces in bright and luminous colours, archived prints, and plenty of ruffles, all incorporated into the classic ALEX S. YU silhouettes, making it a perfect fit for everyday dreamers.

JASIVE presented "Perfume," which aims to make a lasting impression on the global fashion scene. The collection consists of thirteen designs that embody a sense of romance while remaining true to the brand's signature style.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

LOUBI54'S TRIBUTE TO 70S GLAMOUR

Christian Louboutin was very much active in Parisian nightlife, much like the regulars of Manhattan's Studio54, a legendary nightclub from the 70s renowned for being a place of fashion, freedom, and self-expression.

The LOUBI54 line was initially introduced as an evening clutch, drawing inspiration from Studio54. It is one of Christian Louboutin's most recognisable lines, featuring his signature details and symbols.

Each product is adorned with the CL moon crest logo, a tribute to Oscar Niemeyer, the Brazilian architect and furniture designer.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

THE WAREHOUSE GROUP SELLS

TORPEDO7 FOR $1

The Warehouse Group has sold its Torpedo7 outdoor division for the large sum of one dollar. Effectively handing it over, while also transferring associated debts and lease obligations.

This transaction sees the retail behemoth offloading the company to Tahua Partners, a move described as strategic for concentrating on its primary brands and enhancing its financial health.

The Warehouse Group highlights that Torpedo7, with its nationwide presence of approximately 24 outlets, contributes a mere five percent to the conglomerate's sales.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

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PUMA MAKES THE CDP A LIST AGAIN

PUMA has now secured a place on the CDP’s annual ‘A List’ for its leadership in corporate transparency and performance on climate change for the second consecutive year.

Out of the 23,000 responses on CDP’s 2023 Climate Change questionnaire data, PUMA is one of a few companies that achieved an ‘A’.

“Reducing our CO2 emissions is a priority for PUMA, both in the supply chain and our own offices, stores and warehouses,” said Anne Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA.

“Being placed on the CDP ‘A List’ is a great recognition of our efforts, but we will not be complacent and continue to sharpen our decarbonisation goals.”

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

CONVERSE WEAPON X SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER

Converse is celebrating NBA All-Star Weekend 2024 with the return of the Converse Weapon and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Gilgeous-ALexander is an NBA player known for his skills on the court and his style off the court. He will represent the Western Conference at the All-Star Game in Indianapolis and be the face of Converse's Weapon campaign, called "Create History, Not Hype."

The Converse Weapon was a famous basketball shoe in the 1980s, and now it's making a comeback in its original form and materials following a collaboration between UNDEFEATED and Kasina.

The new Weapon will come in black, natural ivory, vintage white, ash stone, and egret colours. There's also a low-profile version called the Weapon Ox in white, black, vintage white, and vintage cargo.

Both models have leather uppers, Star Chevron underlays, egret cupsoles and outsoles, and the Weapon's signature Y-bar.

SKECHERS X HAI ROBOTICS' TECH WAREHOUSE

Skechers USA has opened a new distribution centre in Tokyo, Japan. To help with their operations, they have partnered with Hai Robotics, a company that makes machines that help store and retrieve things automatically.

This partnership between the companies is because Hai Robotics' machines can store more things in less space and work quickly and accurately. They also help with labour shortages and can adapt to changes in demand.

Before working with Hai Robotics, Skechers relied on people to find and pick customer items, a slow and expensive process. But with Hai Robotics' machines, Skechers can quickly and easily find and pick items for customers.

The machines are operated by 69 small robots that can move around the warehouse and pick up to eight containers at a time. READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

DRESS 'FROM THE BOOT UP' WITH R.M. WILLIAMS

Positioned as the foundation of any timeless wardrobe, R.M. Williams' new campaign celebrates its iconic leather boots.

Entitled 'From the boot up', the campaign powerfully highlights the role of R.M. Williams' boots in dressing routines both in Australia and worldwide.

New silhouettes, returning favourites and other much-loved styles of this seasonal boot have their distinctive personalities.

This A/W'24 collection showcases the brand's signature boots for both men and women. READ

CONVERSE X SWAROVSKI THIS FEBRUARY

It has been a century since the Chuck Taylor All-Star was adopted by athletes, musicians, artists, dreamers, and thinkers as a symbol of style, selfexpression, and accessibility.

With its canvas upper, rubber toe cap, vulcanised pinstripe rubber sole and the iconic All-Star patch, these shoes are recognised across the world. READ THE

LUÍS ONOFRE RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT OF APICCAPS

Luís Onofre has been reappointed as President of APICCAPS (Portuguese Footwear, Components, Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association) for another three-year tenure.

Leading a sole list comprising 26 business leaders, Onofre will steer this national business association, rooted in Porto since 1975. APICCAPS represents the full spectrum of Portugal's footwear industry – encompassing footwear manufacturing, component production, leather goods, and industry equipment trade. Joaquim Moreira presides over the General Meeting, while Domingos Ferreira heads the Supervisory Board.

Onofre notes, "The recent COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted our operations”. READ THE

CELEBRATING THE WEIRDNESS OF FUNGI

Deadly Ponies presents its latest Fall '24 collection, 'Fun Guy,' which celebrates the beauty, elegance, and weirdness of Fungi.

Deadly Ponies Fall '24 collection draws inspiration from the twentieth-century artistic movement, Surrealism, exploring the uncanny and surreal realms.

Focusing on a fascination with the unexpected, this season delves into the whimsical world of fungi, weaving in earthy tones and textures, echoing the elegance of nature's canvas. READ

100TH EDITION OF EXPO RIVA SCHUH & GARDABAGS

Confirms Influence & Industry Impact

The 100th edition has confirmed the influence and impact of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags. An increasingly united community dedicated to strengthening the international footwear and bag business.

The entire footwear industry met at Riva del Garda to celebrate the exhibition’s 50-year history. 16 trade associations representing all major producing countries came together to discuss the industry’s most pressing issues.

In 1974, when the founders of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags first came up with the idea to create an event dedicated to international buyers, movies and books would end with the phrase “The End”. This is no longer the case and nor does the 100th edition of the Riva del Garda exhibition finish up today with the word “end”. To the contrary, the celebrations marking the 50-year success of one of the world's most important footwear, bag and accessory trade exhibitions, will continue during the next event, scheduled from 15 to 18 June 2024.

While the 100 candles took centre stage at the January edition, offering a preview of the upcoming autumn/ winter 2024-25 collections, another set of numbers serve to confirm the strength of this event.

For example, the approximately 1,300 exhibitors, including companies and brands from 39 countries (+15% compared to the January 2023 edition). Or the 9,000 buyers who attended (80% European and 20% nonEuropean), exceeding all expectations for a market facing such challenging circumstances.

Significantly, there was a notable surge in participation from Italy,

the UK and Poland. Visitor numbers from Germany and France were down somewhat, indicative of the relative decline in these countries’ respective economies. The visitor make-up was quite interesting too: 30.4% were from the retail sector, 19.3% from distribution and 5.2% from e-commerce, followed by 15.5% manufacturers.

Among buyers, 58.9% played a decision-making role as either a company owner or head buyer.

The January 2024 edition will long be remembered not only for its impressive statistics but also its Celebration Night festivities. "A memorable and extraordinary moment," commented Paolo Villa, President of ASSOPROV, "that recreated the atmosphere and spirit of the early days, when people would meet on the shores of Lake Garda to do business and forge relationships.”

"We focused on getting to know more about exhibitors' production and the market dynamics our visitors face. We have cultivated important relationships with institutions and trade associations to facilitate the exchange of valuable information and collaborate on projects that offer tangible benefits to the industry,” stated Alessandra Albarelli, General Manager of Riva del Garda Fierecongressi. A path already being paved, given the presence at the fair of key international stakeholders and representatives from the most influential associations and most prominent global events: "It was

crucial for us to convey our vision of the industry’s future to them," she said. "This 100th edition serves as confirmation that the innovations implemented in recent years, including new digital, business and marketing services, are genuinely enhancing the value of the event format."

GianPaola Pedretti, Exhibition Manager, summarised the many successful and popular events held throughout the exhibition: "Through the Market Focuses on the Far East, Latin America, Africa, Europe, and the USA, along with the one dedicated to handbags and accessories, we continued to gauge the industry's pulse. The four sessions in the new Highlights Area, on the other hand, in collaboration with Arsutoria, provided us with insights into the prevailing styles favoured by consumers of handbags and accessories. We cast a glance into the future, looking beyond fashion alone, with Innovation Village Retail, and also with the Startup Competition that awarded the Spanish iF Returns Solution, a logistics optimisation and control platform for returns management."

Lots of collections, plenty of handshakes, many discussions, infinite memories and countless emotions.

The 100th edition of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags serves as a springboard from which the international footwear and accessories community can gather momentum and capitalise on future opportunities, beginning in June 2024.

13-16

INTRODUCING... CHRONOS BY GHD

Just when you thought hair couldn’t get more high-tech, cult favourite hair beauty brand ghd has launched its most advanced styler to date.

Refresh and revolutionise your hair care routine this year with the all-new ghd Chronos.

This straightener styler works three times faster than previous tools, owing to its advanced HD-responsive technology. It also offers more shine and more breakage protection.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

KATE SYLVESTER X ALEPH BEAUTY

New Zealand fashion designer Kate Sylvester has teamed up with Aleph Beauty to create an irresistible makeup product: the Gloria Cheek/Lip tint.

The product is set to launch in stores and online today, and it marks the continuation of an exciting partnership between Kate Sylvester and Aleph Beauty that began at the 2023 New Zealand Fashion Week Kahuria show.

The Gloria Cheek/Lip Tint is named after the two icons that inspired Sylvester's AW24 collection: Gloria Steinem and Gloria Vanderbilt.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

DR LEWINN'S PREMIUM CLEANSER SERIES

Dr LeWinn's has recently launched a new series of luxurious cleansers that promise to elevate your skincare routine.

As the crucial first step in every morning and night self-care regime, a collection of two premium cleansers formulated with users in mind comprises Dr LeWinn's Daily Cleansing Balm and Dr LeWinn's Daily Polishing Powder.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

MECCA CELEBRATES LUNAR NEW YEAR

MECCA is offering limited edition Red Pockets, symbolising good luck to celebrate the Year of the Dragon and the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Beauty lovers who purchase any products from MECCA's latest Lunar New Year Edit will have the opportunity to get these envelopes until the 10th of February.

READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE

TAKING CARE OF SKIN DURING NYFW

Cetaphil, a renowned brand recommended by dermatologists and specialising in sensitive skincare, recently unveiled an innovative global skincare immersion. This immersive experience, conducted during New York Fashion Week (NYFW), subjected the scientific formulations behind Cetaphil's products to an intensive 'ultimate skin stress test.'

Aligned with the ethos of their 'We Do Skin, You Do You' campaign, Cetaphil's NYFW activation featured influencers and consumers from 14 countries vying to become the 'Face of Cetaphil.'

KIWI START-UP SECURES $24 MILLION DEAL WITH TARGET AND WALMART

Maison&Muse's Grant Taylor and Renee Lee, the visionaries behind fragrance house, are set to make waves in the US market with a groundbreaking $24 million deal with retail giants Target and Walmart. The brand is scheduled to debut in these stores in April 2024.

CHAOS & HARMONY UNEXPECTED ROADS

The new Chaos & Harmony Undiscovered Roads shoe line takes inspiration from The Modern Woman, designing fashionable shoes that celebrate their many roles.

With more than 25 styles, Chaos & Harmony has introduced a wide range of textures and colours to create spotlight pieces that aim for effortlessness and style. In this collection, you see the return of their signature Halcon and Queens Boot and a new bright red colour shown on the Uma and Thea flat. Chaos & Harmony has featured favourites such as chocolate brown, cream tones, denim, and black textures.

The collection has a variety of styles designed to meet different needs. The practical but stylish Dylan ankle boots best serve the everyday worker, whereas the Gather mesh ballet flats

and the Zena brown crocodile mule are designed to add texture and colour to everyday life.

The Undiscovered Roads collection has been designed to be sophisticated and comfortable, promoting sleek beauty while walking, dancing or working. Each shoe was carefully designed to be fit for a purpose while also providing women with confidence. Good quality leather is used as the basis for this collection, with Chaos & Harmony expressing their interest in using variations of recycled leather. The push towards using recycled materials within the fashion industry has risen during the last decade due to broad concerns about the rise of emissions

We are super happy about the wear of the leather and the sustainability of working with a repurposed product.

and the carbon footprint of fast fashion.

“We are excited to be working with more variations of recycled leather,” said Chaos & Harmony director, Rebecca Anderson.

“We are super happy about the wear of the leather and the sustainability of working with a repurposed product.”

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Chaos & Harmony felt a push to expand their brand identity and create shoes that differed from their original designs. Since this realisation, Chaos & Harmony have grown their staples and branched out to statement styles and colours they didn’t initially explore.

Chaos & Harmony have a store in central Mount Maunganui, an online website, and a selection of retailers. A good relationship with their customer base is essential, with Anderson saying they “always looked to work with people they have a natural chemistry with”.

The first delivery of this collection is in stores now, with part two arriving in mid-March 2024.

SMALL STEPS TO SUSTAINABILITY

With the dawn of a new year, we are creeping ever closer toward 2030, a year that governments globally have united in setting as the tipping point for our climate.

By Vanessa Thompson, Go Well Consulting

Due to the wide-ranging targets developed for 2030, global legislators are starting to set ambitious goals and laws to help reduce emissions, protect our ecosystems, and ensure companies are taking responsibility for upholding human rights through their supply chain. Consumers are also no longer complacent when it comes to inaction on sustainability and are demanding transparency and leadership from the brands they buy from. So, if you have sustainability on your ‘to-do’ list, then I suggest 2024 becomes the year you start taking action.

At Go Well Consulting, we work with businesses across many industries, including cosmetics, healthcare, food and beverage, retail, and apparel. Our specialties include creating bespoke strategies, or road maps, for businesses

on their sustainability journey, and then helping them implement and report on their achievements.

Sustainability can be daunting. It covers so many areas in the business world that it can be hard to know where to start. However, what we have learnt from working with dozens of different businesses over the years, is that you are probably already doing some great initiatives in your business, it may just be time for you to create a plan to help identify your current initiatives and prioritise your actions for the future.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, here are a few small steps you can take to start on your sustainability journey:

You can’t manage what you can’t measure

Data is key when it comes to sustainability. As a business, you need

to start recording and monitoring data on the things you consume, such as water, energy, waste, freight miles, etc. By having an up to date record of these facilities, you can monitor usage over time, and set reduction targets. Sorting out your inhouse bin systems to separate out materials into the correct recycling streams and requesting data from your waste service provider is an easy place to start, and it will also help you in the future when you start to measure your emissions.

Evaluate your packaging

Plastic and packaging have been at the forefront of the media for many years now, with the food and beverage industry taking most of the blame. However, the apparel industry also uses significant amounts of packaging, from garment polybags to swing tags

and hangers, all of these items have an impact, and many rely on virgin fossil fuels and cannot be recycled. Conducting a packaging audit of all your packaging would be a great place to start, so you really understand the volumes, materials, and sizes of all the packaging you use. Once complete, try to eliminate any unnecessary packaging items, and then review your materials to increase your use of recyclable and compostable materials.

Know your suppliers

Supply chain due diligence has been a focus for many governments over the last few years and legislation is starting to take form. To get ahead of this, apparel businesses need to know more about their supply chain, where their products and materials are being made, and the conditions they are being made in. Creating a Supplier Code of Conduct is an easy way to communicate your standards and values when it comes to human rights with your suppliers.

Review your fabrics

In the apparel industry, one of the largest impacts on the environment is the fabric that you use in your products. Polyester and other synthetic materials are the most widely used materials in

the apparel industry today, and are made from fossil fuels such as oil and petroleum. Fabrics such as polyester and nylon have gained popularity due to their price and ease of care,however, they come from non-renewable resources, and shed microplastics into our waterways when washed. We need to shift away from using virgin materials, and start to incorporate more recycled, regenerated, and organic materials. The growth of innovative material investment now makes it easier for small brands to access and afford more preferred fabrics, and by speaking with your suppliers you might be surprised by what they can now offer you, compared to five years ago.

Create a sustainability team

Sustainability work cannot be done in silos. All parts of a business need to be involved across any sustainability initiatives you may be trying to implement. By creating a sustainability team, you can ask team members to volunteer from across the business, and they can champion any actions or plans you may have and be the ‘go to’ for any sustainability tasks. Upskilling the team through sustainability courses, books, and events will help the volunteers will feel valued, and that they are

contributing towards the betterment of society and the environment.

Sustainability is no longer a ‘nice to have’, and needs to be something that business owners are incorporating into their everyday activities. As mentioned above, there are some easy, quick wins that businesses can start to implement now. To really take strides in sustainability, businesses need to have a strategy or action plan to help identify their goals and prioritise their actions. If you need any help or support on your sustainability initiatives, please get in touch.

CREDENTIAL STUFFING: WHAT DO RETAILERS NEED TO BE

AWARE OF

In January 2024, online fashion retailer The Iconic faced a dramatic increase in fraudulent logins to customer accounts. Angry customers were discovering purchases were being made through their accounts without their knowledge.

By Alastair Miller, Principal Advisory Consultant at Aura Information Security

Frustrated customers took to The Iconic’s social media pages to complain about orders they didn’t make being processed. Some said more than $1,000 had been charged back to their credit cards.

Despite this, none of The Iconic’s systems had been hacked into, and no company information was stolen. Rather than what we would typically consider a cyber-attack, The Iconic fell victim to a credential stuffing hack.

‘Credential stuffing’ happens when an attacker finds credentials, such as logins and passwords that have been compromised from a previous breach, and tries to log into another website in the hope that the same password has been used for multiple websites.

Although The Iconic used a third-

party payment provider, hackers were able to make orders on accounts where the customer's payment details were saved.

It’s not just The Iconic that has been hit by a credential stuffing attack as of late. Other Australian companies such as alcohol retailer Dan Murphy’s, Mexican restaurant chain Guzman y Gomez, Event Cinemas, and home shopping network TVSN had some of their customer accounts accessed and credit card details used.

What credential stuffing attacks mean for retailers

Whilst company data isn’t compromised in a credential stuffing cyber-attack, in The Iconic’s case it highlighted gaps in the company’s security protocols. If The Iconic had implemented compulsory multi-factor authentication (such as a text or email code to verify the login), or added a more secure payment verification system, the scammers would not have been successful.

Once a customer's accounts are compromised and credit card details are used, the onus is often on the company to remedy the situation, otherwise they may risk losing business as customers seek a more secure place to shop online. In the case of The Iconic, any customers who lost money through the attack are being completely refunded.

If hit with a credential stuffing attack, it's likely a company will face reputational damage - whether that be through negative reviews and comments on Google and social media, or even stories through the mass media.

What can your business do to protect itself against credential stuffing

Once your business has been targeted by credential stuffing, it's typically too late to mitigate any harm. This is why it's important to prevent against the situation in the first place.

Minimum password requirements should be at least 12 characters for any customer accounts. While you can’t prevent customers from using the same password across multiple accounts, it’s

worth reminding them to always use a unique password.

Adding an extra layer of security by offering Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to your website users reduces the odds of credential stuffing attacks being successful, as it means account holders need to approve the login through a secondary means such as an access code or text message.

Security around payments is also essential. Ensuring a second form of validation is done before each payment is processed means that if a customer account is accessed, the hacker still has another barrier to pass before being able to make a purchase or steal credit card details. For The Iconic, lack of payment security was the main failure that caused customers to lose thousands of dollars.

What to do if you’ve been impacted by credential stuffing

When it comes to the individuals who have been impacted by credential stuffing, prevention is the best form of protection. Once an attacker has successfully used credential stuffing to access your account, there is a limit to what you can do.

You should never use the same password for multiple accounts, especially when there is sensitive or financial data stored on those accounts.

You can use a website such as haveibeenpwned.com to check whether any of your email accounts have been caught up in a breach. If an email address does appear, make sure you change your passwords associated with that email ASAP.

But ultimately, most of the responsibility is still on the website provider to put in protection to make it harder for attackers to keep trying various credentials to gain access.

Whilst The Iconic breach wasn’t its fault, it’s a good reminder for retailers to do what they can to protect customer accounts.

When it comes to security, the responsibility is on you as a provider. The best thing you can do is provide your customers with the guardrails to ensure they are as secure as possible.

MI PIACI IN FOCUS COLLECTION

Inspired by minimal style and the grunge aesthetic, Mi Piaci’s In Focus collection explores timeless and innovative designs for all occasions. Designer Ellie Mills was motivated by customers’ concerns about purchasing high-quality shoes that are on trend while also being a wardrobe staple for years to come, creating over 20 timeless designs.

“There’s no way we could look at the world around us and not create products for people's needs and circumstances,” said Mills. “You can’t design in a vacuum”.

One of the highlights of this collection is the reintroduction of the pointed-toe kitten heel design. This collection also features modern takes on iconic footwear, such as black and white loafers, strappy ballet flats and slingback mules. However, the centre point of the In Focus collection is the box calf leather, a luxurious and new textile with a history of high-end footwear.

“This is a premium leather used traditionally on luxury footwear and leather goods,” said Mills. “It initially has a stiffer face to the leather but ages gracefully with wear.”

Mi Piaci created striking and unique silhouettes, with exaggerated square

and elongated chisel toe” being one of the focal points. The colour pallet of this collection branches out from just the traditional black, brown and white to the deep Oxblood burgundy that is perfect for winter and metallic blue, an eye-catching but classy shade that hopes to add a pop of colour to your wardrobe.

The use and lack of texture also varied from previous seasons. Mills chose to strip back the embroidery on last season's Annie boot, intentionally creating a staple that lives past the Western footwear trend. Mills also incorporated big buckles on the Jazz flat and the Bracken ankle boot. This simple touch pays a subtle head nod to the extremely popular Ganni slingback pumps made popular at the end months of 2023.

This collection repeats several Mi Piaci iconic styles, such as the Spencer loafer, Marley slingback, and Ellroy ankle boot.

In addition to this, the slingback Ditta, Florentine loafer, and Annie western boots are new or improved styles that fit into the upcoming winter style.

When designing this collection, Mills focused on functionality and inclusivity, hoping that people of all demographics could find purpose in their styles. Using thicker soles and softer leather guaranteed a new comfort level without compromising the design. Mills added that they improved underfoot comfort and flexible outsoles for a more enjoyable wearing experience.

“We spent hours upon hours and countless fitting across all feet and legs with our support office as well as store teams to make sure we were creating the best product we could,” said Mills.

Mi Piaci’s In Focus designs seamlessly transitions from autumn to winter footwear, providing highquality shoes that will stay in style for seasons to come.

CLEATHER the

aptivating the minds of designers across the globe for Autumn/Winter collections is leather. From international fashion houses to emerging designers, leather is being showcased in a myriad of ways.

Alice + Olivia presented a collection filled with classic silhouettes utilising primary colours. While some pieces were classic and traditional, this was paired with jarring and abstract prints. This red jumpsuit is similar in hue to Mara 5-365 and leans towards the timeless pieces from their range.

Meanwhile, Tibi showcased a more masculine corporate meets military line. Filled with wool blazers, linen workwear, and low-waisted belts – it

was no surprise they layered these pieces with leather elements. This pencil skirt could easily be paired with Mara 12-687.

The entire capsule was a muted palette of natural hues, deep blues, and greys, with the occasional pop of a bright green.

Anna Sui’s Ready-to-Wear Fall collection was an experience in itself. The lineup was a curated antiques show that offered more personality than most. It did not follow any trends, it simply existed in its own world. With references like Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and Virginia Woolf, Anna Sui’s new collection was a unique history lesson. Mashed up, remixed, multi-layered – the range has several leather pieces in a hue like Mara

ALICE + OLIVIA

ANNA

SUI

TIBI

MARA

5-365

MARA 12-687

MARA 7-5039

7-5039, much like this long 90s leather shearling coat with trim.

Jumping ahead a few decades, bright, eccentric colours are going nowhere. With a saturated hue like Mara 1-580, Lapointe’s Fall Readyto-Wear collection had several green colour-blocked looks. As a collection, the collection pulled focus to various textures, from fur, fringe, mesh, and

lace to leather. It had it all.

Eckhaus Latta took over an empty industrial office in Hudson Square for their Fall Ready-to-Wear show. The pieces were a mixture of faux-fur, laminated felt, leather, ribbed cottons, and more. It is a very commercially viable collection, with pieces like this jacket with exquisite detailing in a thread like Mara 6-369.

This leather-draped a-line dress was near the closing of Proenza Schouler’s Fall Ready-to-Wear show. Similar to Mara 8-66, the colour palette throughout the range fell into blacks and cool whites with a shocking one-off burnt orange/red look in the middle of the show. Leather made several appearances throughout the night alongside some very clean silhouettes.

PROENZA

SCHOULER

MARA 1-580

MARA 6-369

MARA 8-66

KOWTOW PLASTIC FREE

Wellington-based label Kowtow has taken a massive step towards becoming more environmentally friendly with its new plastic-free clothing line. Although Kowtow consistently made strides towards being more conscious and transparent about its clothing production, this is the largest step they have taken in becoming waste-free.

The Kowtow Nature As Home collection features a range of styles inspired by the environment around us. The styles range in colour and texture, with army green, yellow and pink making significant appearances. The fit of the clothing tends to be loose and free, to emanate that natural feeling humans get when they reconnect with nature. Models effortlessly show off a variety of styles in lush green surroundings, emphasising a down-to-earth energy.

“When the team was concepting for this shoot, they overwhelmingly felt that it needed to be captured in our own backyard,” explained Piatek. “The surroundings that inspire the team everyday.”

The fashion industry is known for its high carbon emissions and excessive wastage of materials and water,

especially with the rise of fast fashion brands. Kowtow, the innovative and future-forward New Zealand business, has identified its struggles with using plastic in garments. Kowtow has decided to switch its new materials and phase out old ones that no longer align with its ethics.

“Like our recycled nylon swimwear that was made from regenerated nylon fishing nets from the Mediterranean then made into a yarn and fabric,” said Piatek. “It then had to be mixed with lycra, and there isn’t any technology to separate out these two fibres at the end of the product life, so we had to say goodbye to that offering.”

Kowtow aims to engage consumers with the Nature As Home line, proving to the fashion industry that fashion can be both sustainable and modern. The plastic-free incentive has begun

Kowtow aims to engage consumers with the Nature As Home line, proving to the fashion industry that fashion can be both sustainable and modern.

to catch on in New Zealand, with significant steps being taken to minimise waste, such as the ban on the distribution of single-use plastic bags in July 2023.

Alongside this collection, Kowtow released an open-source handbook to help inspire young business owners to make more of a step towards minimising their carbon footprint.

“In the plastic-free handbook, we’ve taken each trim that we use and broken down where we get it from,” she added. “I think it was a really brave move, and it’s a move to say, hey, you know, we’re here. We’re confident in what we do.”

In addition to the plastic-free collection, Kowtow has also implemented a take-back program, where past customers can return their Kowtow garments at the end of their usable life. If returned, the monofibre that Kowtow used to grate these garments will become part of the research and development phase and how they can return them to earth.

One of the inspirations to become plastic-free was when Kowtow’s owner watched a David Attenborough documentary where he spoke uncharacteristically negatively about the state of the world, supporting the idea that high carbon emissions and plastic waste have irreversibly damaged the world.

ICEBREAKER'S INNOVATIVE STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY

To remove unnecessary plastic from performance apparel, icebreaker has made impressive progress, claiming 96.14 percent of its fibres are natural or plant-based.

The four percent remaining synthetic fibres serve specific and necessary performance requirements, such as adding that all-important stretch to underwear and socks.

“We are actively exploring new innovative materials to help us find a solution for that remaining four per cent, and we are confident of seeing progress every year towards our 100 per cent goal,” said Icebreaker’s Director of Materials and Innovation, Jordi Beneyto-Ferre.

Using synthetic fibres is hard to avoid, as elastane can only achieve bodyhugging performance. In these cases, icebreaker uses on-boarded fibres that source their carbon content wholly or partially from plants.

However, icebreaker’s primary fibre is and always will be merino. The brand also uses other responsibly sourced fibres like Tencel Lyocell (FSC certified), Cotton (Organic or BCI) or Linen

to achieve different fabric benefits through blends.

“Our key sustainability vision is to source all our merino fibres from growers using regenerative practices by 2028, a massive feat for the industry.”

Most of these long-term contracted growers are based on the South Island. These long-term contracts are a unique model in the industry, creating longlasting, mutually beneficial partnerships to support a better future.

These contracts have also enabled growers to invest in innovation on their farms, the pinnacle of it being the onboarding and adoption of regenerative practices through the ZQRX program.

In an industry dominated by synthetic materials, icebreaker decided to take the difficult path by establishing a plastic-free goal, exploring the limits of what natural materials can do for performance outdoor consumers.

OMNICHANNEL PRICING:

ENSURE CONSISTENCY ACROSS CHANNELS WITH A

RETAIL INTELLIGENCE

SOLUTION

In today’s omnichannel retail environment, your customer is no longer shopping in only one place. Customers interact with your retail business in-store, through your website, on social media channels, on apps, etc.

Because your customer accesses your brand across channels, and most likely through more than one, it is crucial for you to create an integrated and consistent experience throughout your entire business so customers can move frictionlessly through their shopping experience.

Omnichannel price consistency is particularly critical, as nowadays, consumers are going from one channel to the other fluidly. If you are not consistent, your brand might lose value in consumers’ eyes.

IMPORTANCE OF OMNICHANNEL PRICING IN RETAIL

• Companies with strong omnichannel customer engagement strategies retain an average of 89% of their customers, compared to 33% for companies with weak omnichannel strategies (Genysys).

• 81% of customers have looked up inventory before visiting the store

(Kibo), and two-thirds of customers research a product online before purchasing it in-store (Retail Dive).

Price consistency for a brand in the omnichannel landscape includes:

• Ensuring you have the same price across direct-to-consumer channels (physical stores and online stores)

• Monitoring prices across partner channels (wholesale, franchise partners, etc.)

Verifying that you have accurate information about your business’s real-time pricing data, as well as that of competitors and your partners, is vital to creating a competitive and consistent strategy that ensures a better customer experience.

Using a retail intelligence platform, you can quickly understand performance across your channels by tracking enterprise, market, and partner data and visualizing these metrics in one place. With access to these insights, you can track and monitor your own prices and prices on your partners’ sites in order to adjust your pricing strategy and remain consistent.

UTILIZING RETAIL INTELLIGENCE FOR PRICING CONSISTENCY

A retail analytics solution provides comprehensive reporting that allows you to assess pricing performance across different channels and make data-driven decisions to enhance strategies.

Real-Time Price Monitoring:

• A retail intelligence platform can monitor prices across all channels in real time so you can identify any discrepancies and make changes accordingly.

Historical Pricing Analysis:

• Analyze historical pricing data to identify patterns and trends, and utilize insights from past pricing strategies to optimize and adjust current pricing, while maintaining consistency.

Competitor Price Tracking:

• Track competitor pricing to ensure your prices align with the market. You can use this information to make data-

informed adjustments to your prices in real time without jeopardizing consistency.

Dynamic Pricing Strategies:

• With access to your internal business and market data for pricing, you can implement dynamic pricing strategies based on market conditions, demand, inventory levels, and competitor pricing.

Centralized Pricing Management:

• Centralize pricing management by having a single source of truth for all pricing information. This way, any changes made to pricing are reflected uniformly across all channels.

Rule-Based Pricing:

• Establish rule-based pricing mechanisms to automate pricing decisions in your activation systems. Your team can configure rules to

maintain consistency while allowing for flexibility in specific scenarios.

Partner Price Management:

• By tracking your partner and internal enterprise data, a retail intelligence platform helps you ensure partner consistency with your own price architecture. Quickly identify discrepancies and automate changes across your strategy accordingly.

CONCLUSION

By leveraging these comprehensive capabilities through EDITED’s Retail Intelligence Platform, retailers can not only maintain pricing consistency, but can also optimize their pricing strategies to stay competitive in the dynamic retail landscape. This approach contributes to a seamless omnichannel experience for customers and an improved bottom line.

NEW BALLANTYNES LOCATION OPENING

Ballantynes, the Christchurch-based department store, is opening its fourth New Zealand retail store in the CBD of Invercargill. The store named Ballantynes Select will open on the 1st of March 2024.

Focusing on a smaller and more curated selection of fashion, accessories and gifting, Ballantynes Select will centre around creating accessibility for customers. The Select range will include several iconic brands such as RM Williams, the Trelise Cooper suite of brands, Superdry and Saben. The department store also aims to feature new brands frequently.

“I’d like to offer a well-deserved thank you to our wonderful staff and the store fit-out team who have helped us get to this point,” expressed Chief Executive Maria O’Halloran. “Our customers have been asking for a physical store in Southland for a while now, and it’s a special feeling to be able to answer

that call, and bring Southlanders their own, carefully curated selection of the Ballantynes offering.”

The store’s opening has been supported by many notable figures within the community and the fashion industry, some of whom are renowned Kiwi fashion designer Dame Trelise Cooper and Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark.

“It is a sign of the strength of the city of Invercargill that it’s attracting inspiring retailers like Ballantynes,” announced Clark. “The new Ballantynes Select store will add to the vibrancy of the shopping experience at Invercargill Central, and this is exciting news for both the local economy and the city’s people.”

designer focus

ELEVATING PET FASHION IN NEW ZEALAND

The 100th edition has confirmed the influence and impact of Expo Riva Schuh & Gardabags. An increasingly united community dedicated to strengthening the international footwear and bag business.

It wasn’t until 2005 that Staples decided to dedicate her efforts towards the pet industry and began selling handmade knitted sweaters for pets.

What started with one customer, then five and some later evolved into Mr Soft Top, of which Staples is the founder.

“Many of our designs come from something a customer may ask for, or it might come from what we need and can't find. Then we play around with a pattern, try it on our pets, and ask some of our customers to test it out and provide feedback.”

The focus of Mr Soft Top for all its garments and accessories is that they fit its pooch customers' unique shapes, are comfortable and are made from high-quality fabrics.

“As all our garments are hand-made in New Zealand, we can cater to the unusual shapes of dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes. We have even made garments to cater to pups with missing limbs.”

Mr Soft Top also partnered with WORLD, combining core patterns and style inputs to produce a small bespoke range of sweaters for Pet Refuge as a fundraiser.

With a core range of wool, Mr Soft Top

merino tees and wool coats are worn by hundreds of pups worldwide. The bedding is also filled with a pure wool cushion for comfort, health and safety.

Wool has many benefits; it is environmentally friendly, sustainable, breathable and warm. The wool knops add up to 50 per cent more bulk for soft, comfortable support, ideal for older dogs.

“We also are making thicker weight 100 percent wool tops for the colder days and are going for bold, solid colours, like hot pink, electric blue, red and dark green, this winter.”

All fabric remnants at Mr Soft Top are recycled and reused to make packing blankets, insulation and other industrial products. Most of the fabric purchased is end-of-line or excess fabric from prominent manufacturers that would otherwise go to waste.

Staples’ favourites from Mr Soft Top are the possum merino handknit sweaters, the yarn produced and hand dyed in the South Island.

“Of course, I also can't go past our merino tees. I have kept one in every colour we've made, so Daisy has a vast array to choose from on any given day.”

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IDENTITY SOLUTIONS LTD

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