Nike Drops Unlaced, a Sneaker Destination for Women

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Nike is sensing a shift in sneakerhead culture.
Collecting, queuing and trading sneakers has long been a male-dominated thing, but Nike is seeing more women wanting in on the game. Maybe not to the degree that has spawned aggressive mobs outside of sneaker drop sites, but enough for the brand to create an entirely new women’s sneaker destination called Nike Unlaced, launching for summer 2018.
It will start as a digital platform on March 27 with its own space on nike.com and expand to physical retail points of sale as the year goes on. There’s new products, personalized styling and service programs, and expanded women’s sizes for iconic or “high heat” collaborations and styles that have previously been geared toward men. For example, the next iteration of the Virgil Abloh x Jordan I, which is being released on March 3 in Europe only, will have women’s sizes going forward, and there will be unisex sizing on the Nike Air Force 1 and Air Max lines as of the fall.
“The Nike Unlaced concept, really simply, is a fantasy destination for women for sneakers,” said Amy Montagne, general manager of global Nike Women’s, during a preview of Unlaced held during Paris Fashion Week.
The brand teased some

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Charlotte Gainsbourg Defies the Big Chill in Paris

SHORT CUTS: Guests including Catherine Deneuve, Kate Moss, Anja Rubik, Jane Birkin and her daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg filed into Saint Laurent’s cavernous state-of-the-art catwalk venue in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower on Tuesday night as the city was gripped by sub-zero temperatures.
Ever the pragmatist, Birkin, as she greeted Gainsbourg in the front row, said she had no problem dressing for the bitter cold. “I just put my coat on!” she laughed.
Gainsbourg, meanwhile, sported a pair of black leather HotPants, her exposed legs drawing attention. Her mother was not concerned: “I think she might have something in reserve — like a car!” she quipped.
Catherine Deneuve squeezed in next to Gainsbourg and took in her neighbor’s legs with a look of concern: “You’re not cold?” she asked.
“No, I’m fine,” Gainsbourg demurred with a polite smile, before turning to catch up with her mother.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley shared her impressions of the set, a narrow black box ringed with lamps. “It’s a good long runway for the models,” she said. “It’s dark, moody, sexy, just like Saint Laurent.”
“It’s gigantic, it’s going to be really interesting with all of the reflections against the black wall,” echoed Sylvia Hoeks, who is filming “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” —

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British High Street Retailers Named in ‘Dirty Fashion’ Report

DIRTY FASHION: British High Street retailers Next, Asda and Tesco are among the companies that continue to source their viscose from dirty and dangerous factories, according to Changing Markets Foundation, a group that exposes irresponsible corporate practices.
Last June, the foundation issued a report called “Dirty Fashion revisited: Spotlight on a polluting viscose giant,” following an investigation into two factories owned by the Mumbai-based Aditya Birla Group.
The latest statement from Changing Markets, set to be issued late Tuesday, said air and water pollution from the factories is among the causes of ongoing health and environmental issues, and that Next, Asda and Tesco continue to work with them despite the claim.
“Our investigation suggests that Aditya Birla Group is failing to live up to its sustainability claims,” said Natasha Hurley, campaign manager at Changing Markets Foundation. “Brands buying from the company should understand what is really happening on the ground, where local residents’ and workers’ lives are blighted by pollution on a daily basis.”
Located in India and Indonesia, the factories produce 20 percent of the world’s viscose fabric. Viscose is made from plants and is biodegradable, but creating the fabric involves the use of hazardous chemicals, which can be harmful if not monitored

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