Oakley introduces fire-resistant clothing

US apparel brand Oakley Inc has announced its intentions to launch a line of highly fire-resistant clothing. The clothes are made with O-CarbonX, which has been engineered for use in motor sports. Founder and CEO of Oakley, Jim Jannard, said: "Building on the success of our footwear collaboration with Chapman, which yielded the most flame and heat-resistant race boot ever made, O-CarbonX fabric enables us to pursue the same superior protection, comfort, and performance in racing apparel."

O-CarbonX is an invention of Chapman Innovations. It is a proprietary blend of fibres developed by the company specifically for Oakley and offers protection from heat and flames. The material does not shrink, char or lose its structural integrity when exposed to flames for 30 seconds. The clothing collection will consist of long and short-sleeve topes, bottoms, balaclavas and high performance racing gloves and will be distributed by Speedware Motorsports.

29 June 2005

J. Crew reports rise in Q1 profit

Apparel, shoes and accessories retailer J.Crew announced its operating income for the thirteen weeks ended April 30, 2005 was $23 million compared to an operating loss of $3 million last year, as the Company continues to benefit from the revitalization of the J. Crew brand.

Millard Drexler, Chairman and CEO, said, "They are pleased with our first quarter results with a comp store sales increase of 37 percent and significant growth in our Direct business. Our continuing focus on quality, style and design, along with endless attention to our customers' needs, is reflected in J.Crew's performance."

Net income for the first quarter was $5 million compared to a net loss of $24 million in the prior year. Consolidated revenues for the first quarter increased 45 percent to $211 million from $146 million in the comparable period last year. Retail net sales (including Factory) increased by 40 percent to $146 million from $104 million last year due primarily to a comparable store sales increase of 37 percent. Net sales of the Direct business (Internet and catalog) increased by 59 percent to $59 million as compared to $37 million.
J. Crew Group Inc is a leading retailer of men's and women's apparel, shoes and accessories. The Company operates 157 retail stores, the J. Crew catalog business, jcrew.com, and 43 factory outlet stores.

10 June 2005

Marchpole announces three new contracts

British apparel firm Marchpole Holdings plc has announced that it has agreed to three significant contracts for their Jean Charles de Castelbajac (JCC) business.

The company has extended its design agreement with Itochu for a further six years, from 2005 to 2011. Itochu manufacture, wholesale and retail Castelbajac for the Japanese market with sales at wholesale prices for 2004 of over EUR 25 million (GBP 17.94 million).

Castelbajac has also been asked to design and launch a new collection for the summer by leading skiwear brand Rossignol. JCC first designed and launched a Skiwear collection for the Autumn/Winter 2002 season, in collaboration with Rossignol. In the wake of its success, with sales increasing over the last two years from EUR 0.5 million to EUR 3.2 million for Autumn/Winter 2004, Rossignol invited Castelbajac to embark on a new partnership. The new collection is geared towards the Trekking Outdoor market and will launch in the Spring/Summer of 2006. The new agreement is for 5 years, with minimum guaranteed royalties over the period totalling EUR325.000.

JCC has also signed an agreement with Codir SA to launch Castelbajac eyewear in Europe. Codir are the leader in market share with over 2700 retail outlets and sales of more than EUR 700 million. The contract is for a period of three years and will launch in this season. A minimum of guaranteed royalties for the period will amount to EUR 230.000.

Marchpole Chief Executive said: "'Marchpole acquired the Castelbajac business in 2004 with the aim of creating a strong worldwide brand under its ownership. These new contracts, and the significant marketing contribution from the licensees, clearly demonstrate our ability to transform and grow this brand. We are successfully increasing our presence across a wide assortment of product categories and establishing the brand in both Asia and Europe."

www.marchpole.co.uk
11 April 2005

Intelligent Apparel

Indian apparel companies are paving the way for the future of fashion by introducing intelligent clothing. These clothes are designed to repel mosquitos, keep the wearer cool, emanate perfume and remain stain-free even when spilled upon. After an inauspicious start these new designs are starting to win over the Indian public. India, with its hot and muggy climate, is in fact a logical choice for this innovative concept to be introduced.

The Bangalore-based apparel company, Peter Kin International, presented its first intelligent clothing item in May of this year with a mosquito-repellent shirt. The shirt has been pre-washed in a special mosquito-resistant solution, which happens to be very gentle on the skin. The company has also exported these shirts to other mosquito-infested countries such as Australia and Kenya.

Peter Kin also produces fragranced clothing, which has been well received in India. The clothes are available in a variety of fragrances, from fresh lime to strawberry and chocolate. The company's business head, Ram Purohit, explains that intelligent apparel as yet only constitutes 5% of Peter Kin's sales, however the market appears to be expanding.

Another prominent contender in the intelligent apparel market is Madura Garments. It recently launched "Ice Touch", a shirt that keeps the body five degrees cooler, thanks to treatment with a special finishing agent. As Madura's president, Hemchandra Jhaveri, points out, clothes are no longer simply meant to look good. Consumers have become more discerning and require additional comfort and functionality. To this end, Madura launched the brand Van Heusen's "Oxyrich" shirts last summer. The shirts release power-packed oxygen ions around the wearer and promise to make the wearer more alert and focused. Jhaveri points out that these shirts are ideal for high-pressure situations, such as crowded places and traffic jams.

"Unstainables" make up the more common type of intelligent clothing. The US based Arrow began producing them in 2002, but due to their growing popularity the company has added eight new colours to its range of 'unstainable' shirts. The technology employed in manufacturing these shirts is a molecular structure that attaches itself to the shirts, forming a barrier for liquids and stains.

20 October 2004