Country Singer Jon Pardi to Be Face of Wrangler Retro

Wrangler has tapped country star Jon Pardi  to be the new face of its Wrangler Retro collection.
Pardi, a Capitol Records Nashville recording artist, is known for his ubiquitous jeans and cowboy hat but is also among the fresh faces on the country music scene. That juxtaposition between the classic and contemporary was what attracted Wrangler to the singer for its Retro collection, which features modern fits for today’s customer.
Pardi will appear in the brand’s national television, print, radio and online marketing campaign for Retro.
“I grew up watching legendary country musicians rock out in Wrangler and always admired their personal style just as much as their music,” said Pardi, who was raised on the West Coast. “What makes the Wrangler Retro collection special is that it honors the tradition of a classic brand, and also brings a new, contemporary style for everyone who loves the Western lifestyle, country music and the way a pair of Wrangler jeans look and feel.”
Pardi is the reigning New Artist of the Year of the Country Music Association and recently chatted three number-one hits from his “California Sunrise” album.
“Jon Pardi has the vintage style, charisma and undeniable musical talent to attract a new and wide audience to the

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31.10.2018No comments
Marco Bizzarri on Tapping Alessandro Michele at Gucci

I DID IT MY WAY: “It was extreme luck,” said a relaxed Marco Bizzarri, president and chief executive officer of Gucci, of tapping Alessandro Michele as creative director of the brand almost four years ago.
A week after Gucci reported a 35.1 percent jump in organic sales to 2.1 billion euros in the third quarter, Bizzarri went over the stages of the remarkable trajectory of the brand under his lead and that of Michele during Altagamma’s first Next Design Perspectives event in Milan on Tuesday. “It was the first time I had the opportunity to choose the designer to work with,” said Bizzarri, recalling his first meeting with Michele at his home in Rome, surrounded by antiques and wearing his fur loafers, which he designed for himself and which would become best-selling and trend-setting items globally.
“The personal connection is as important as talent, and it was more an emotional rather than a rational choice; he was aligned with me,” said the executive, pointing to Michele’s different vision for Gucci from what had been done in the past. “I would love to say it was a formula, but there is a huge dose of luck, I did it my way and it

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31.10.2018No comments
Accessible and Exhaustive Sustainability Rules Kingpins Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM — Sustainability has been a key issue in the denim world for several years, but the latest edition of the Kingpins trade fair showed the industry is ready to tackle the issue holistically.
From Oct. 24 to 25, exhibitors in the three halls of the Westergasfabrik venue in Amsterdam rivaled each other in ways of showcasing their sustainable initiatives.
Posters detailing water-saving processes, potassium permanganate-free finishes and recycled fabrics were at the front of most stands, easy to spot from afar thanks to their symbolic green and blue hues.
Green tags were added to each garment presented at Bangladesh-based manufacturer M&J Group’s stand, on which were listed the level of water, gas or chemicals used for the conception of each denim piece, which could be tweaked according to the client’s wishes.
Over at Global Denim, the manufacturer’s EcoloJean technology was illustrated with an oversized blue poster. On it was depicted a regular pair of jeans next to a pile of water bottles, explaining that it takes 20 liters of water to dye a single pair of jeans. The EcoloJean technology, said the poster, boasts zero water discharging.
Visibly flagging sustainable initiatives seemed to work. “We’ve just sourced a fabric called Repreve, made from recycled

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DeMartini to Step Down as New Balance CEO

There’s a changing of the guard in the offing at New Balance.
The Boston-based activewear brand said Tuesday that longtime president and chief executive officer Rob DeMartini will step down on Dec. 31 and be succeeded by company veteran Joe Preston, who currently serves as chief commercial officer.
“On behalf of the Davis family and our 8,200 associates worldwide, we would like to thank Rob for his strong leadership in driving our aggressive growth during the last 12 years and his unwavering commitment to reflecting and maintaining our unique company culture,” said New Balance owners Jim and Anna Davis.
Over the course of his career, DeMartini helped New Balance grow from $1.5 billion in 2007 to $4.2 billion in 2018. During that time, the company grew in its core specialty running space, expanded international sales to 65 percent from 30 percent and made significant strides in its apparel, retail and e-commerce businesses.
The company also had one of the highest growth rates in the industry in recent years, averaging an 11 percent compounded annual growth rate.
“New Balance is a very special company, built on the values of teamwork, integrity and total customer satisfaction established by Jim and Anna Davis,” DeMartini said. “It has truly

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Versace Integrates Versus Into Versace Jeans Line

MILAN — After almost 30 years and different iterations, the Versus line will be integrated into Versace Jeans, WWD has learned.
This is one of the first steps following the sale of the company to Michael Kors Holdings last month and signals an increased focus on luxury and the signature line.
“Over the past few months, we have been looking at ways as to how we can simplify our business model and enable us to give a better focus and energy into our brand portfolio to ensure that we continue to be innovative and relevant in everything that we do,” said chief executive officer Jonathan Akeroyd. “We have decided that we will now integrate our two contemporary collections into one by merging Versus and Versace Jeans. This merger will allow us to further develop the Versace Jeans collections and at the same time not to lose the DNA and codes that made Versus so iconic.”
The company is revisiting the Versace Jeans line, which is licensed to Swinger International and which is expected to be presented in its renovated form in November.
Creative director Donatella Versace will be in charge of both collections.
Swinger International is owned by the Facchini family and is helmed by Mathias Facchini.

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31.10.2018No comments