Aquascutum means business

Aquascutum is set to reveal a new line for women. The British fashion house is going to launch the business-wear range Women's Personal Tailoring. Made from fine fabrics like cashmere, jersey-knit and wool, the collection will offer women a wider variety of options for work. They will be able to choose from stylish tailored suit jackets, pencil skirts, fishtail skirts and cashmere coats.

“Aquascutum started in 1851 – with menswear,” said chief executive Kim Winser. “We quickly became renowned for our coats, trench coats and suits and in 1900 launched our first womenswear collection, which was a natural, logical progression – our women's sales in coats and trench coats have been very strong for decades. This is a new luxury service required by our customer – the number of women in business is growing by the year and is potentially a huge market for us.” Winser is looking to boost turnover from £100 million to £250 million over the next three years. “The Aquascutum label is very attractive to businesswomen as it is synonymous with success and power, quality and luxury. They've seen us make men look sartorially elegant and they want to too.” The line will be available from September this year.

www.aquascutumn.co.uk
17 January 2007

Retailers learn to love real women

We are witnessing a shift in the approach of retailers to real women's bodies. If it is not a genuine appreciation, it is at least a return to reality and they are turning to a new advertising strategy that should appeal to many more consumers. Major advertisers like Nike and Wal-Mart have stepped aboard the real-woman trend that was first made popular by ads for Dove firming lotion, which showed six curvy women in their underwear, looking happy and confident.

Although the tendency is moving increasingly towards real women, marketing expert Katie LeBesco noted that the new reality was still far from ugly. “You don't see raging spider veins…or women with huge bellies,” she told USA Today. She said that the ads are not “the be-all and end-all of socially responsible advertising”, but was “pleased to see some kind of change”.

Advertisers are coming to the conclusion that they have been skipping a considerable demographic by only showcasing impossible beauty and slimness. “They are reaching out to a big section of society that's had it with trying to keep up with the Joneses in terms of body image and beauty,” Tom Cline, associate professor of marketing at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe , Pa. told USA Today.

Among those who have jumped on the bandwagon of realistic beauty are Nike, Wal-Mart and Chicken of the Sea. Nike has rounded up a mix of real women and pro athletes with fit bodies. The ads feature shots of different body parts. “The ads try to illustrate that not all body types are created equally,” says Nike spokeswoman Caren Bell. “To be a woman athlete, fit and strong doesn't mean you have to be sample size.” Amen to that!

Meanwhile Wal-Mart has placed an eight-page ad in Vogue's September issue, featuring “style profiles” of real women. The message here is that “fashion is reachable for everybody”, says Wal-Mart spokeswoman Jacquie Young.

31 August 2005

Slimma acquires Cattiva

British womenswear company Slimma Plc has purchased the Cattiva occasionwear label from its US parent company, Cattiva Inc of New York , reports just-style.com. Slimma's purchase includes the British, European and American trademark rights to the brand. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. The design, marketing and operational divisions of Cattiva now belong to the Peter Martin Group.

www.slimma.co.uk
2 August 2005

Philip Start opens new boutique

East-end fashionistas will be happy with the announcement that Philip Start is opening two more stores in trendy Shoreditch later this month. The former Woodhouse founder is opening a new womenswear store on Rivington Street, opposite his current store, which will stock only menswear.

The new womenswear store will sell La Petite Salope, Cacharel, Roberto Cavalli, Miu Miu and C&C California. The menswear offer will focus around Helmut Lang, Etro, John Smedley and PRPS. A new giftswear and accessories shop will also be opened, and can be accessed via the womens bouqitue. There you will find the latest accessories, bags, jewellery and must-have cosmetics.

4 May 2005

Womenswear sales rise

The sale of womenswear in the UK has risen by 3 per cent in the last season. This was the conclusion that the UK-based market information specialist FashionTrak came to following a study of the latest industry figures.The new season's trends include a broad range of looks, from flirty dresses and florals to abstract prints and exotic looks, spurring the public on to spend more. Sales of feminine skirts and dresses have increased, as have casual jackets, t-shirts and jeans.

High street retailers, discounters and supermarkets, in particular, have profitted from their ability to reproduce the diverse looks from the catwalks at affordable prices. Expenditure was up 7 per cent, 5 per cent and 9 per cent respectively this season.Accessories sales also saw an increase. Costume jewellery sales increased by 12 per cent this season. Menswear did not fare as well, although the figures showed that men were spending a whopping 11 per cent more at supermarkets than last year, thanks to the convenience and value offerings.

31 March 2005

Sexy is a bigger size

New boutique Curvy Girl clothes boutique offers fashionable clothes for bigger sizes. Owner Hilary Gordon, a self-confessed shopaholic, has always loved clothes but has become frustrated by the lack of stylish clothes for her size-18 figure - although her shoe collection has benefited (she has more than 100 pairs). "You can never be too fat to buy shoes," she laughs.

Gordon gets much of her inspiration from the American market, which she says caters better for larger sizes. So what can people expect at Curvy Girl? "We offer stylishly fitted clothes for bigger people in a boutique environment: good suits, leisurewear, jewellery and handbags," says Gordon. "The High Street is getting better at catering for us curvy girls, but there is still a shortage."

Curvy Girl, 384 Morningside Road, Edinburgh (0131 447 2288)

20 March 2005

Wrap up with Beyonce's 'House of Dereon' Line

Beyonce and mother Tina Knowles are expanding their contemporary womens' clothing range and launching an exclusive outerwear collection in time for Christmas. Beyonce Knowles said, "We want to launch an extraordinary outerwear collection for the Holiday season ... the perfect coat to complement our fashion line."

Tina Knowles added, "Beyonce and I are so thrilled to add outerwear to the House of Dereon team! My daughter and I are enjoying every moment as we put together what we hope will be a truly incredible collection for the young women's contemporary fashion market."

14 March 2005

Prowse&Hargood Women's Shirts

Shirtmakers Prowse & Hargood, a leading maker of quality shirts and accessories for men and women, has launched its range of pure cotton women's formal dress shirts. The company has a reputation for delivering quality products from formal wear to office wear and also tailored shirts of all types.

The new range has taken the best elements of men's tailoring and gives it a wonderful feminine twist. Simon Brown, Promotions Manager of Prowse & Hargood, said, "Our range of Women's shirts have a unique and distinct design which separates them from all other designs available today." Prowse & Hargood also have a collection of silk ties, cufflinks and socks all available to purchase from its online store.

4 January 2005

Corset Fever

You don't need to attend an eighteenth century revival party to wear a corset. Neither do you have to suffer in the name of fashion. Today's corsets are less restrictive but just as fashionable as their predecessors.

A new label by two former Fake London designers, Collado Garcia, offers a contemporary alternative to this classic fashion item. The Spanish-born designers have designed a collection of body-sculpting corset-tops for the spring/summer 2005. The cotton/linen corset tops come in a range of colours and cost £ 95. Details such as eyelets and lace give a slight gothic feel, which is no surprise, considering the fact that designer Jean-Pierre Braganza is a self-confessed goth.

For those who are more interested in the genuine article, Royal Court's brocade corsets in lace, and featuring a practical side-zip to prevent wearers from cracking a rib, are available from specialist corset retailers such as Corsets Petticoat Dreams for approximately £ 50.

www.fuk.co.uk
www.corsets.petticoatdreams.co.uk
18 October 2004

Fashion Changes Shape

The hourglass figure has officially been declared dead. The government-backed National Sizing Survey has revealed that the average British woman's waistline has expanded by more than 6in since the 1950s; busts, hips and height, by contrast, have changed only slightly. The result is that the typical female form is almost straight, in contrast to the narrow waists and curves of the 1950s woman. The survey was commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry and 17 high street clothing chains

30 August 2004

Be A Lady

Dress like a lady was the imperative from designers for the new season. Polished ladylike looks mean princess coats, tweed skirts, beautiful blouses, plaids, Bloomsbury dresses and glamorous evening dresses. Time to get precious!

12 July 2004

Of An Age: What Women Really Want

A recent article in the Guardian about the lack of clothes available for women over thirty on the high street raises some very poignant issues. A case of what women want versus what is available could possibly be a fashion dilemma for an older woman who wants to be fashion fabulous but cannot relate to high street manufacturing and does not want to pay designer prices.

While sexy clothes sell - and they do look terrific on models on the cover of Vogue - the average woman is not suited to wear spaghetti strapped tops, slip dresses, mini skirts and spiked heels. High street conglomerates such as Hennes & Mauritz, Top Shop and Miss Selfridge sell to the younger jean-embroidered, logo-printed tank-loving teenager. She's probably born somewhere around the late eighties and is in the early stages of puberty. Hence everything that sells as being fashionable on the high street will fit her perfectly. What is noticeable, however, is that while the high street aims to emulate the designer market in very quick turnaround, the fashion that makes it from catwalk to high street tends to be very young and trend-led. H&M may copy a jacket or two (it would be rude to miss the Chanel trend this season) but the majority of clothes remain sexy young outfits suitable only for sexy young girls.

So what is the alternative on the high street if the Marc Jacobs replica jackets are too tight in the arms and the trousers cut so low your builder would be too embarrassed to where them? Truth be told, the offers are slimmer then your teenage daughter. A Topshop for grown-ups, unfortunately, does not exist and at present the high street seems to be one of two extremes. Either it caters for a juvenile fashion market or it is so frumpy you would be dressing a generation older. And let's face it, nobody wants to look old.

Those stores that do have older customers in mind, seem to not be listening to what they want. The Dorothy Perkins, Next and Marks & Spencer fashion offer is probably not so interesting to a discerning 35 year-old. There is nothing fashionable about frumpy tweed skirts, dowdy blouses and square cut tees even with some animal print thrown in for fun. Just because you're over thirty doesn't mean you have to dress like your grandmother. Both the drastic extremes on offer mean the choice is either a flimsy jersey dress cut for Jordan or boxy satin jackets with newsreader appeal. Ultimately what women really want, regardless of age, is to look good and feel good about themselves. That is the real trend that needs to hit the high street.

16 April 2004

Where Is The Sex?

This season is off to a boring start. The summers of easy living, sexy clothes and nonchalant dressing are a thing of the past. The sex has been replaced by the prim, proper and predominantly prudent.

Forget flirty dresses, tarty tops and jeans slung so low one could easily mistake you for a builder. It's the season of demure dressing. If the 50s housewife look, i.e. full skirt with optional twinset (yes, they're back) inspire you than you can assuredly call yourself hip and in vogue. To cover up your body is fashion's answer to this season's trend. Putting a belted coat over your flower-print dress and hiding even more of those curves and you're leading the fashion pack. A sensible shoe and voila, it's party time. Ughh! Has fashion gone disaster this season?

From Prada to Zara, the look is feminine and fifties, but not fun. Unless you consider the eveningwear of some of the more interesting houses, sex is a hard sell this season. Though frankly whoever wants to dress like they've just come from the Oscars is beyond comprehensible. Sure, a Dior dress or Luisa Beccharia creation would look stunning, even sexy on you. But how often does the occasion pop up to demand high maintenance glamour? And truthfully, with our demanding urban lifestyle, how impractical to invest in a couture frock. And why opt for something sexy when everyone else looks like they've just come from a Tupperware party.

Perhaps the 50s look for is a move away from modernism; an answer to economic upheaval and global uncertainty. Perhaps it's an answer to the last ever episode of Sex and the City. The ending of the one of the most fashionable programmes on television has left a mirage of followers heartbroken, bored and plainly uninspired. So much so, that Carrie's wardrobe has been replaced by that of her mom's. Maybe we should all settle down, forget about fashion and focus on the important things in life. Or maybe we should grab those heels from the closet, put on some lipstick and a low-cut top. Hopefully it's the last option that inspired you. Unless you're a fashion victim of course, then it will be next season.

15 March 2004

Pure Buying Pleasure - New Year, New Brands, New Style

Fine-tuned fashion must-haves and creative events, a marvellous mix of 140 new brands from a mammoth total of 800, inspirational catwalk shows and invaluable trend presentations, and that’s just for starters at the forthcoming Pure, 15-17 February at Olympia, London. Now in its 7th year, Pure reigns supreme as the biggest, most exciting, directional and iconoclastic fashion exhibition in the UK.

An extensive spectrum of brands from around the globe such as Casche, Claire dk, Braintree Hemp Clothing, B Young and Argento, sit along side 200 ‘Best of British’ home grown labels, with Ben Sherman, Olly London, Hunters & Gatherers and Workers for Freedom, unveiling their dedication to the raw, edgy voice of fashion design. While elite designer favourites Butler & Wilson, Cerrutti 1881 accessories, O by Isabell Kristensen all add to the boutique offer.

Totally exclusive to Pure, British design icon Zandra Rhodes will host a tea party for all press willing to be enticed into her mini wonderland in the International Buyers Lounge on Monday 16th February at 3.30pm, where the legendary designer will be showing her latest eclectic and stunning jewellery collection.

This February, Pure will also witness a major revamp of its popular catwalk arena with the dramatic new staging creating a show within a show. Other new developments include the launch of dedicated accessories catwalk shows with all the fire, sparkle and excitement expected at Pure, as well as the additional lingerie offer, with Intimate Body and Beach exhibiting in the adjoining hall.

There is no need to boast about Pure’s success, its reputation precedes it: “I’m coming to Pure for the first time this year,” says newcomer, Bev Thompson of The Loft, Cumbria, “Simply because I want something unique. I don’t want what everyone else has, and I’ve heard that Pure has the best selection”. While Mrs Green, owner of The Dressing Room, West Midlands, continues her loyalty to the show saying, “We return to Pure season after season, we just love it, always finding fantastic new designers that entice our customers back for more”.

www.purewomenswear.co.uk
22 january 2004

Elizabeth Rose to Open Second Store

Women's occasionswear Elizabeth Rose is to open its second store in Kent, 25 years after launching its original store in Tenterden, on January 17th.

The store, which targets mature women will also emphasize more modern looks.

15 January 2004

What Women Want

What women want is a secret any man would give his all to uncover. Fashion-wise, 2004 will be the year of women's delight, as she will be spoilt with consumer choice.

Next season is all about Hollywood. It is glamour and vintage mixed to give a new feel to Hollywood allure.

Tailoring, too, is coming back with a vengeance. Think multifaceted wardrobes; it is all about getting your products 'right.'

While the high street seems to be booming better than ever before, many women are choosing to come back to wanting to pay for handcrafting and quality that can't be found in trendy high street shops. Designer goods are often extra special and the luxury market, becoming more idiosyncratic are making it more tricky for the high street to copy.

Anyway girls, you're worth it!

13 January 2004

Womenswear Back With A Modern Edge

How the days go by! Taking elements from the 1950s to the 1970s, womenswear takes the essentials from three decades of fashion and gives them a modern edge.

Rounded shapes, like Pucci's patterned zip dress, dominate with cinched waists, three-quarter length trousers, and short skirts and dresses. Inspirational prints, such as Liberty-inspired floral mixes, sit together with bright matte and shiny block colours. Details such as rivets, buckles and topstitches are found on sleeves, skirts and jeans.

Fusing feminine and masculine shapes to create full volume, or Japanese styling, further provides the modernity of the noughties. Key pieces are blousey jackets, high-collar coats and short and baggy cowl-neck dresses.

This season is all about the eclectic traveler: versatile in its styling, the wardrobes of many cultures and seasons ago are raided for a mix and mismatch approach to modern dressing.

22 December 2003

Madeleine Press Opens First Store

Womenswear designer Madeleine Press opened her first store on Marylebone High Street in London this week. The 1,500sq ft shop features exposed brick walls, concrete oak flooring and brushed glass windows.

The brand, which was launched in 2000, sits alongside Joseph and Paul Smith, and will be expanded to include a small footwear range for spring 04.

26 September 2003

Womenswear Sales Slowest For 10 Years

Britain's spending on womenswear grew by its lowest amount for more than a decade in 2000, according to the latest survey by industry consultants Verdict Research.

Spending was up just 0.8 per cent last year as clothing at many of the leading store chains fell out of fashion. Retailers such as Bhs and C&A responded with lower prices but even this failed to win back customers. Bhs was sold last year while C&A has quit the UK market for good. Verdict said prices dropped 3.2 per cent in 2000 but forecast deflation will ease to 1.4 per cent in the current year as stores begin to hunt for longer-term solutions in the difficult market environment. Of the major womenswear retailers, M&S is one feeling the most pain. Its market share has fallen from 16.6 per cent in 1996 to 12.9 percent in 2000.
On the flip side, Next, one of the country's most successful retailers, has built its share to 5.4 from 3.7 per cent while low-price operator Matalan has doubled its share to 1.9 from 0.8 per cent. In 1996, department stores M&S, Bhs C&A and Littlewoods had 23.6 per cent of the womenswear market but by 2000 their share had shrunk to 18.6 per cent, a loss of £689m of sales, Verdict said. The main beneficiaries have been Next, US casualwear firm Gap, Matalan and the George range of clothing at supermarket chain Asda. Their combined share of the market has gone up to 10.6 percent from 6.3 per cent, an increase of £593m in sales.

Verdict said the major players are suffering from a lack of style, poor quality and uninspired merchandising which is putting people off at a time when retail is competing with other leisure markets for its share of the consumer's purse. The report recommends greater segmentation and sub-branding along with a re-appraisal of price cutting to deter shoppers from their "wait until the sales" mentality. (C) Reuters Limited 2001.