Fashion Conscience
Twenty-five designers from as far afield as India, Bangladesh, Madagascar and
Brazil are due to take part in the first Ethical Fashion Show in Paris from
November 18 until 21 supported by the French Employment Ministry.
Fashion that is fair, as well as the challenges of fusing luxury with fashion
and ethics are among the themes being debated by industry professionals, designers
and teachers in a series of round-tables Thursday to accompany the event.
The fashion show is supported by the ministry's inter-ministerial delegation
for social innovation which works for the economic development of fair trade
in the fashion and textiles sectors.
Late Friday, the fashion show features some of the designs by participants such
as Oumou Sy from Senegal, Franco-Ivorian Michael Kra and Eric Raisina from Madagascar.
Other designs go on display at show rooms.
18 november 2004
Ethics Of The Fashion Industry
Politics and fashion have never been a trendy mix. Not from a commercial point of view. Designers and brands with strong messages about global welfare more often than not reach a status not considered appealing to the masses. In an industry consumed with profits, horizontal distribution channels, and mass marketing, an ethically sustainable clothing range is perhaps not the easiest route to embark on when setting up a new label.
Unless your name is Katharine Hamnett, of course. As famous as she is for her clothes which encapsulated the 80s like no other designer, she is as well known for her political activism which she has brought on to the catwalk to have us rethink the ethics of the fashion industry. It is grim to think the majority of global textile companies bear no issues with damaging the planet and causing suffering to millions of people by harbouring appalling working conditions to clothe and adorn those of us able to afford the frocks in our industrialised economy.
With estimates suggesting 20,000 people die each year through pesticide poisoning in cotton agriculture and an industry that continually causes irreparable damage to our environment by using harmful chemicals that poison soils and water supplies it's about time somebody's voice for concern is heard. Anyone who knows anything about fabrics will tell you that organic cotton is identical to conventional cotton. The only difference being that it is produced without people being harmed or even killed. Ethical manufacturing doesn't mean boring and lumpy beige clothes designed for the peace-loving vegetarian and sandal-loving brigade. They can be beautiful and modern, and covetable and affordable.
So take Hamnett's new clothing line, called Katharine E Hamnett (the E is for her middle name Eleanor). It is to be manufactured using organic cotton, sustainable fibres and will be produced without forced labour; paying living wages to all workers. Perhaps this doesn't sound to be particularly ambitious or difficult to achieve, but the reality is that it defies all the rules of a current fashion industry.
By cutting out many of the middlemen and restructuring the way the brand is to be distributed, the cost of the garment can be kept competitive. With initial costings of a jean retailing at GBP90, consumers will have the power of buying an item of clothing that acknowledges a responsibility to our planet, our fellow human beings and also ourselves. There is nothing wrong with globalization, and to achieve success one has to think 'bigger'. But consumers undermine their spending power as their voice being the most prevailing of all. Knowing that the fashion industry can incorporate ethical practices on all levels, consumers should reconsider what they are buying into. We can play a small part in global welfare by wielding this very power. Quite simply, if you don't like it, don't buy it.
11 March 2004
London Streetwear Shows To Merge Events
Streetwear shows London Centre, London Front Cover and London Edge will merge to all take place at Kensington Olympia next season.
Show director Carole Hunter said the three shows will occupy the ground floor and level one of Olympia, creating 25 per cent extra floor space for new exhibitors. The decision to merge the shows came after a mixed response from exhibitors and buyers this season.
Although many exhibitors at London Central and Front Cover, held at Olympia last weekend, were pleased with the high international turnout, which accounted for 40 per cent of visitors, they were disappointed by the size of the show and lack of buyers from the UK.
Attendance at sister show London Edge, which took place 10 minutes away at the Commonwealth Institute, was better, although no figures were available.
The show will run next season from September 5-7.
17 February 2004
Busy Times for Fashion in Berlin
Berlin and fashion - probably a perfect match. For the third time, two fashion fairs - the Bread & Butter and the Premium - took place in the German capital last weekend. Even though the city does not have a high design fashion tradition to speak of, there definitely is a blooming street scene. Therefore, both fairs initially concentrated on the sports- and streetwear market. But this year, they started expanding their range to the new men's and women's wear, featuring a lot of young designers and brands. Thus the two fairs also gave an insight into the latest developments of fashion design in Berlin. Established young labels such as Soto Stich or Firma were present as well as newcomers like Choucroute or Smeiliner.
The Bread & Butter, located in an old industrial building complex in Berlin Spandau with a space of 45.000sqm, is by far the larger of the two fairs. This year, it was divided into five segments: jeanswear, sportswear, independent, casual/outdoor and superior, which was specially added to feature high quality labels. Among the 380 exhibitors commercial giants such as Adidas, Levi's and Nike as well as independent brands like Etienne Ozeki, Paul Frank and Punk Royal presented their new collections.
Over all three days, the event was crowded with international visitors which mostly came from Italy, Scandinavia and the Netherlands. The atmosphere which used to remind of a fairground last summer when merry-go-rounds and dodgems provided entertainment now turned out to be much more professional. This may reflect the positive development of the German fashion market over the last months: Obviously, it is time to do business again. Another innovation of this year's Bread & Butter was the introduction of fashion shows into the fair. For the next event in summer, B&B's manager Karl-Heinz Müller even envisages organising shows by Dries van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester, which shall take place in historical buildings all over Berlin "to catch up with traditional fashion capitals such as Milan, Paris or London".
The aims of the Premium, which housed about 290 exhibitors this year, are quite similar. Anita Anic, who is part of the management, says: "At the moment, there is still a hype about Berlin. We need to get to the next level and become more professional." Their high ambitions were reflected by the fact that the Premium had managed to invite stars like Hussein Chalayan and Marc Jacobs who presented their menswear collections. The growing international importance of the fair is reflected by the fact that even British buyers ordered pieces from Duffer of St. George there - something you would not normally expect to happen in Berlin.
The question remains why fashion people are generally more and more attracted by the city. Dave de Boer, Dutch manager of the agency Fashion Soutions, puts it this way: "The people come for inspiration. The multicultural atmosphere typical of Berlin is similar only to Amsterdam, London and New York. There are lots of people who are really creative with limited resources." And there is another advantage: Compared to London or Paris living in Berlin is much less expensive which makes it easier for people to develop their creativity and concentrate on designing.
20 January 2004
Vintage Fashion Show
If you prefer vintage over old-school, don't miss the London Textiles, Vintage Fashion & Accessories Fair to be held this Sunday, December 7 and Sunday January 11, 2004.
The shows take place at Hammersmith Town Hall, King Street, with early entry at GBP10 from 8am. The event offers a wide range of vintage dresses from around 1800 to 1970 and designer labels up to 1970. It also includes gloves, hats, jewellery and accessories.
3 December 2003
Showguide
It's the season for shows. Started this weekend and running through until October, the most important exhibitions for womenswear, menswear and kidswear buyers are just around the corner. With so many collections showing across Europe, planning your seasonal buying has become an art of its own.
From contemporary womenswear labels at the Coterie in Paris, to the GDS footwear shoe fair at GDS in Dusseldorf, to textile scouting at Interstoff in Hong Kong, buyers have their work cut out for them to see the best in ready-to-wear for Spring/Summer 2004.
London Fashion Week continues to attract top buyers from the UK and Japan for its showcasing for creative design. The off-schedule shows from the lesser-known designers are the ones to watch out for, as are the established houses of Burberry, Katharine Hamnett and Roland Mouret.
In a versatile economic climate, buyers are looking for edgy, affordable and
commercial craftsmanship, while the press hunts for headline-grabbing glamour
and the next big thing.
(Don-Alvin Adegeest)
28 July 2003
Relaunch Interseason
British fashion fair 'Interseason', a fair for club and streetwear, is going
to be relaunched this year. Interseason was cancelled three years ago. The new
fair will be staged from 31 August to 2 September in London.
Organiser JB Events Ltd said the launch will fill the gap after jeans and the
young fashion fair 40° was stopped last year. Interseason expects some 60
exhibitors and 2,000 visitors at its first edition.
April 26, 2003
The 95th GDS International Shoe Fair
Heading for a white winter!
The 95th GDS International Shoe Fair taking place at the Düsseldorf Trade
Fair Center from 13 to 16 March 2003, attracted 1,535 exhibitors from 44 countries
who displayed new materials, looks, leather variations and colour combinations
that hit the spot with over 40,000 trade visitors.
This latest staging of the world’s biggest shoe fair set its sights on
new fashion formats that spanned the arc from the materials sphere (naturally
tanned leather, patchwork and finishing touches in fur) to new inspirations
and variations for next winter, as well as sport and sportswear as the ongoing
trend frontrunner. Also, the pioneer, aviation, adventure and ethnic fashion
themes have really taken off in new directions. Is this a first sign that fashion
is facing up with fresh courage to a fraught business backdrop?
Dutch designer Jan Janssen looks at it this way: - If you do without a personal
treat such as champagne or chocolate for a long time, at some point you want
even more of it. It’ll be just the same with shoe fashions.
Aside from pure footwear information and ordering, there was another trend at
GDS: 30 percent additional contracts sealed in the areas of sales planning,
services as well as cooperation projects in the field of corporate and marketing
strategies. Orders were marked by even earlier annual planning and the rounding
out of ranges with a keener eye to the market. As a result, the pre-order quota
this time stood at only 20 percent (94th GDS: 25 percent), whereas repeat orders
were almost 22 percent (94th GDS: 15 percent). Yet even despite this shift in
the ordering process, the timing of the event was rated as ideal and in tune
with the market by over 80 percent of visitors and exhibitors as a fixture and
frame of reference (product range planning).
Said Joachim Evers, managing director of Dunlop, new to the exhibitors at GDS:
- Taking part has been more than worthwhile for us. The international reach
and above all the calibre of buyers is one of a kind. GDS is clearly the No.
1 fair worldwide when it comes to business and ordering.-
The 95th GDS remained largely stable both in terms of its visitor attendance
figures as well as international flair (over 2 in 3 visitors came from outside
Germany) - a result described by industry insiders as good given the difficult
global economic climate.
Shoe prices themselves played only a minor role at the fair. Philipp Urban,
Chairman of the Central Association of the German Shoe Industry, commented:
- Pricing won’t change over the coming months. Right now, it’s the
fashions that are totally in the spotlight. Alongside autumn colours, there’s
a new hip colour on the horizon: off white!-
This trend was also confirmed by the GDS Fashion Shows, cutting-edge in fashion
foresight and more highly frequented than ever! As a trend barometer, they received
top marks from buyers.
Once again, the 95th GDS was given the personal touch by its exhibitors who,
besides trends, also presented off-beat attractions such as - Manitou’s
Shoe - (Tee-Pee), made-to-measure shoes with initials on stainless steel (Jaguar),
or prominent guests including Jette Joop and Viva Music TV presenter, Milka.
The scientific congress - Children’s feet and their shoes- moderated by
Prof. Dr. med. Rüdiger Krauspe (University Clinic, Düsseldorf) and
Prof. Dr. med.Claus Carstens (Orthopaedic University Clinic, Heidelberg) was
very warmly received in medical circles.The scientific programme was rounded
out by a visit to the GDS fair.
The 96th GDS will take place in Düsseldorf from 18 to 21 September 2003.
March 17 2003
http://www4.gds-shoe-fair.com
Special fashion expo in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Heritage Museum will present the "Fashion Parade: Women's Wears in Changing Hong Kong," starting from March 2, to explore the changing role of Hong Kong women through fashion parade, video documentary and clothing display.
To welcome the International Women's Day on March 8, the Heritage Museum arranged a series of exhibitions and activities aimed at examining the gender implications from various angles, celebrating the contributions of women and exploring the situations and expectations of women in the new century.
Running from March 2 to April 28, the fashion display will portray the impact of local fashion from a social and historical perspective through featuring representative clothing of different eras. Meanwhile, a video program with interviews of several local fashion designers will also be featured during the exhibition.
February 26, 2003
Copenhagen fashion fair beats records
The Copenhagen International Fashion Fair concluded Sunday night, after four successful days, having beaten its own records in several areas. With more than 28,000 attendees and especially a high number of foreign visitors, the CIFF has defined its role as one of the leading European fashion fairs. 28,300 visitors constitute a rise in attendance by 7.5% compared to the CIFF in February 2002. 7,030 fashion buyers came from abroad, which is 8% more than February 2002. The majority of foreign guests were from Sweden, followed by Norway with 1,400 guests and 211 individuals from Finland.Bella Center offered its visitors and exhibitors 70,000 square meters of exhibit area, which is an increase of 75% from the first CIFF in February 1994.
The CPH Vision - held simultaneously - recorded a total of 9,193 visitors, an overall increase of 23% over the previous fair. Of the total number of visitors, 51% came from abroad, making journeys from 32 different nations to the cold, windy North to see what the Scandinavian designers had to offer towards next year's winter collection. From the USA and Canada in the west to Guatemala and South Africa in the south, from Lebanon and Turkey in the Middle East to Japan and China in the Far East.
The next CIFF and CPH Vision will take place at the Bella Center August 7th through 10th, 2003.
February 14, 2003
Londencentral changes location
Due to the expansion of the British fashion and clubwear exhibition Londonedge,
its associated exhibition Londoncentral will move to London's Olympia exhibition
centre. Buses will be running daily between Londonedge at the Commonwealth Institute
and Londoncentral at Olympia. Both exhibitions will run from 9 to 11 February
2003.
Londoncentral and Londonedge together play host to 250+ collections in two
closely located venues, with an emphasis on small to medium sized design companies
and very often specialising in short order/fast fashion.
By visiting the two shows, buyers will have access to a diverse range of new,
innovative, youth culture merchandise. Londonedge was launched in February 2000
as a result of buyer and exhibitor demand. Catering to the alternative and extreme
club and streetwear markets, the September 2002 Londonedge exhibition attracted
buyers from 35 countries.
December 12, 2002
Bread&Butter moves to Berlin
The next Bread&Butter, scheduled for 31 January to 2 February 2003, will be staged in Berlin, Karl-Heinz Müller, managing director of the event, confirmed this week. In August Mr Muller said the organisation is looking for a new location. "Everything we do in Cologne can only be done in connection with KolnMesse, but we want to be independent", Mr Müller added.
In Berlin, Bread&Butter could reach three to four times the size it presently has in Cologne, but will "not lose its alternative character". There will be a maximum stand space per exhibitor to prevent single companies from becoming excessively expansive.
07-10-02