March proved to be another difficult month for the handful of US apparel retailers still reporting comparable sales figures, with three hurt by a later Easter and lower foot traffic.
German sportswear giant Adidas has unveiled the world’s first high-performance footwear featuring midsoles crafted with light and oxygen by Digital Light Synthesis – and has committed to creating more than 100,000 pairs by end of 2018.
Safmarine, the global containerised division of the Maersk Group, has shipped the first hanging garments from Bangladesh’s Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT), in a move that opens up a new river-sea route for exporters.
The UK’s high street is struggling to lift itself out of a lengthy slump, with UK retailers failing to grow sales for the fourth month in a row, according to new figures.
DESIGN’S SIGN OF APPROVAL: Designers and manufacturers from 54 countries have entered a record number of more than 5,500 product innovations for this year’s Red Dot Awards. This year’s Product Design awards will be doled out on July 3 at Essen’s Aalto-Theater.
Contenders for the “Red Dot: Best of the Best” will be doled out to such firms as Audi, Kartell, Artemide, Hansgrohe, Bora, Electrolux, LG, Canyon Bicycles, Philips, Puma, Niessing, Apple and Bose. Two recurring themes were nature and sustainability in materials and in product design. One example of that was the “biobrush” toothbrush using plastic and packaging based on cellulose made from leftover wood from sustainable forestry. Virtually carbon neutral, the toothbrush was made with paints and plastic that are biodegradable, even its packaging can be composted for a garden. For that reason, the “biobrush” was awarded the Red Dot: Best of the Best.
Jurors also noted the continued influx of robotics and new technology on the design process. While industrial robots are already prevalent, other robots are starting to be used for mowing lawns, cleaning windows and vacuuming. PuduBOT, this year’s Red Dot: Best of the Best for “robot technology” took a different approach to help waiters. PuduBOT brings
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…
A new denim documentary, “Blue Gold: American Jeans,” which was released on VOD, DVD and Blue Ray this week and makes it Los Angeles theatrical premiere today, explores the world’s fascination with jeans and what drives the $450 million in U.S. jeans sales a year.
Narrated by Edward Burns and featuring interviews with Tommy Hilfiger, Isaac Mizrahi, Daymond John, Daryl Hall, Marky Ramone, Judy Collins and Adriano Goldschmied, the film traces the history of jeans — from the American West to the beginning of Levi Strauss, through the Seventies designer jeans craze and expansion across the world — as well as the cultural impact jeans have had on rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop.
Danish director Christian D. Bruun hit upon the idea for the film seven years ago when he went to the Rose Bowl flea market in Pasadena with a denim designer friend. “I saw this line of people ready to run through the gates at 4:30 a.m. — Japanese collectors and kids and designers. Months later I happened to be in Tokyo and went to a jeans auction and saw all the same guys. I wanted to figure out why Ralph Lauren would spend $50,000 on a pair of vintage jeans,”
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…
Helena Christensen was in her element on Thursday night.
“I love capes. I’m obsessed with capes,” said the model, flitting through the intimate rooms of the Moda Operandi Madison outpost in New York. “I actually have a nice little, tiny collection of vintage capes. And I recognize a lot of the design and style in some of these — the embroidery, the lace.”
She’d come to the Upper East Side town house to check out Burberry’s “The Cape Reimagined” exhibit, inspired by British artist Henry Moore. The couture pieces had been reimagined in various ways: through feathers, furs, even pieces of ceramic. Each style was for sale exclusively through the retailer, and — if the price or buyer is right — were one-of-a-kind.
Various friends-of-the-brand made their way out for the celebratory event — Georgia Fowler, Riley Montana, Leigh Lezark, Poppy Jamie, Amber Anderson — and while all were dressed in Burberry, none were cloaked in the style of the evening.
“Capes are not always the easiest to wear,” Christensen admitted. “If you wear something that’s fitted, then it’s actually beautiful, because [a cape] breaks the whole contour. I like when things are not too tight; the cape is a good little cover. Also,
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…
A pair of new deals for Ziel could help boost the profile of the New York-based on-demand activewear manufacturer.
The start-up, a member of the XRC Labs accelerator program since January, participates in a demo day for the program Friday with an aim to raise a seed round that would help the company scale. Ziel has so far grown through a combination of bootstrapping as well as an undisclosed amount of angel funding. The company so far counts 10 clients with a worker count of seven.
Company founder and chief executive Marleen Vogelaar confirmed Ziel struck a deal with plus-size subscription box company Gwynnie Bee on a 10-style activewear collection offered in sizes 16 to 30. The collection includes a mix of both tops and bottoms and is due out by June.
The company is also set to produce a collection for model Candice Huffine by around the same timeframe. That collection is also expected to be 10 pieces.
“We are really ramping up the growth right now. We’re really scaling this. We’re at the end of the beginning,” said Vogelaar of where the company’s at in its life cycle.
Vogelaar, trained in industrial engineering, is the founder and former coo and cfo of 3-D
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…
PUCKER UP: To help mark the 20th anniversary of its partnership with the Cannes Film Festival, L’Oréal Paris is launching a limited-edition version of its Color Riche lipstick.
The new product comes in just one hue – (spoiler alert) ruby red. Called Color Riche Red Carpet, the lipstick is billed to give eight-hour moisturizing and a satiny effect. Its tube is engraved with a gold-colored palm leaf, giving a nod to the iconic symbol of the festival’s top prize.
L’Oréal Paris is launching a limited-edition version of its Color Riche lipstick to help mark the 20th anniversary of its partnership with the Cannes Film Festival.
Christian Vigier
Color Riche Red Carpet will be sold starting in May and retail for 12.50 euros, or $13.30 at current exchange.
The lipstick’s tube is engraved with a gold-colored palm leaf, giving a nod to the iconic symbol of the festival’s top prize.
Christian VIGIER
The 2017 Cannes Film Festival will run from May 17 to 28.
MORE ON CANNES 2017:
Monica Bellucci Named Cannes Film Festival’s Mistress of Ceremonies >>
Rihanna Loves Chopard Collection to Launch at Cannes Film Festival >>
Pedro Almodóvar to Head Jury of Cannes Film Festival >>
Follow WWD on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.
Read More…
Swap out your standard canvas espadrille for a pair that features luxurious and versatile updates…
Phoebe Neuman