AUGUST 8 2015 £6.99
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Show
STOPPERS
The standout pieces that took centre stage
at Pure London and Scoop for spring 16
THE DRAPERS INTERVIEW
JACKET REQUIRED Our
SHOPWATCH A closer
Designer John Varvatos
on rocking the UK / P12
pick of the new brands
and show debuts / P21
look at Harvey Nichols’
Mailbox store / P25
FIRST ISSUE: AUGUST 6, 1887
DRAPERSONLINE .COM
Bike festival upsets the cycle of fashion buying
COVER IMAGE: LAURÈL. ERIC MUSGRAVE PHOTOGRAPH: SAM CHICK. JOHN VARVATOS PHOTOGRAPH: OLIVER HOLMS
T
o everyone who managed to negotiate the chaos
to its position preceding Pure. And hopefully the cyclists
will pedal off to another city.
of central London’s road closures last Sunday to
Away from indie land, tough times on the high street
arrive at Pure and/or Scoop, I salute you. A huge
have been reflected by Arcadia’s demands for increased
cycling event, RideLondon, apparently necesdiscounts from its suppliers (see page 2). This well-worn
sitated the almost day-long closure of many roads, making
moving round the capital challenging even for locals, let
strong-arm technique, depressingly familiar to hardalone out-of-towners. I can’t help feeling the closures were
pressed manufacturers, is never used by a business that is
way beyond what was essential but no doubt someone was
doing well. Even Topshop, we hear, is not immune to the
consulting an extensive health and safety manual.
competitiveness of a saturated market. As any retailer will
To compound the issue, London’s black-cab drivers
tell you, consumers have unlimited choice and are better
informed and more canny than ever. That said, reducing
clearly decided Sunday was a good day to play golf or go to
ERIC MUSGRAVE
the Community Shield match at Wembley. I spent 20 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR quality of fabric and make, which some accuse Arcadia of,
minutes trying to spot one for friends. Eventually, I hailed eric.musgrave@emap.com is the wrong approach (for further evidence, see M&S).
@MusgraveEric
one of the few that had risked the frustrating nonsense.
I have no doubt suppliers will bow to the group’s
By the time I got to Scoop in the late morning, it was evident that the demands – they usually do, simply because there aren’t enough other
first day of the London fair festival, for buyer attendance, was going to clients to move to. But this squeezing is not going to help with improving
be slow – or slower than usual. This was confirmed when I got across conditions for the poor sods sewing the clothes together.
from the Saatchi Gallery to Olympia (via the District Line and walking
On the subject of working conditions, I am still intrigued about what
from West Kensington station, since you ask). While not exactly quiet, under-25s will be paid when over-25s reach the dizzy heights of a £9-anPure was steady rather than mobbed.
hour so-called living wage from 2020. On Wednesday, the Department
Of course, a show should not be judged on its first day alone and by for Business, Innovation & Skills told Drapers that it had no information
end of play on Tuesday exhibitors at both events probably thought their on what, if anything, would happen to the younger group after the next
efforts and expense had been worthwhile. Certainly, the experience scheduled increase in October this year. How strange.
this season underlined that a clash of dates between Pure (with its 850
To finish with another significant figure, the past Thursday, August
collections) and Scoop (which has about 250) is not good for anyone.
6, was the 128th anniversary of the first appearance of The Drapers’
While some buyers like the proximity, it seems to me that three days Record. Since those heady Victorian days, we have published well over
is not enough to do either show justice – the Drapers team certainly had 6,500 issues and since 2007 you have had the delights of our online
difficulty getting everything done to deadline. And buyers have show- service to enjoy too. Let us know how we are doing. Happy trading.
room appointments to fit in too. Hopefully next August Scoop will revert PPA Business Media Editor of the Year 2015
CONTENTS
02 News Arcadia demands higher
discounts from suppliers, plus a
new concept for John Lewis
09 Off The Record Original
Penguin turns 60 and Nicola
Sturgeon heads to Hong Kong
10 Indicator What’s selling now
in mainstream fashion
12 The Drapers Interview
Why US menswear designer
John Varvatos is looking at more
London stores
16 Pure London and Scoop Our
highlights from last weekend’s
double-header include Toupy,
Bitte Kai Rand and Native Youth
Follow us on
John Varvatos, page 12
DRAPERSONLINE.COM
21 Jacket Required Standout
brands and debut exhibitors,
such as Charlie Borrow, FDMTL
and Newfangle
25 Shopwatch Harvey Nichols’
new Birmingham unit is a
department store that looks
like a boutique
27 Careers Hudson’s head of
womenswear Claire O’Connor
on why good relationships are
crucial for wholesale
32 My Fashion Life Lucy Walsh
combines her experience at
Drapers and Pure to launch sales
agency The Brand Ambassadors
@DRAPERS
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AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
1
NEWS
News in brief
MATALAN HAS HIRED
Tesco’s commercial director
of general merchandise
Bernadette Lusher as brand
director. After a long career
at Marks & Spencer, Lusher
worked at Tesco for four
years, joining as UK clothing
director of F&F in 2011 and
moving into the wider
general merchandise role
in 2013. She is expected to
join Matalan in September.
CLARKS HAS APPOINTED
Jason Beckley to the newly
created role of chief brand
officer. Beckley, who started
in the role at the footwear
retailer last week, was
previously global marketing
director at Dunhill and senior
vice-president of marketing
at Ralph Lauren.
SIZE? IS TO DOUBLE the
area of its flagship in
Carnaby Street having
acquired the lease of the
adjacent property. The
new unit, which will sit on
the corner with Foubert’s
Place, will cover 5,750 sq ft.
The offer for women in the
JD-owned store will be
increased. Today (Saturday)
Size? opened a women’sonly shop in Manchester.
SELFRIDGES EARNED
itself a publicity boost this
week after opening its
dedicated Christmas shop
on August 3, 143 days before
the big day. The 3,000 sq ft
area on the fourth floor at
the Oxford Street flagship
will double in size in
the autumn.
MARKS & SPENCER has
launched a new website,
called Tuesday, offering
shoppers free online styling
advice. There are plans to
create an accompanying
app. The website, which
can be found at Trytuesday.
com, comes after Marks
& Spencer saw clothing
and general merchandise
sales fall 0.4% in the three
months to June 13.
2
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
Ben Sherman
hires to restructure
Ben Sherman’s new owners have
hired industry veteran Simon Smith
as chief restructuring officer to
review the business and recommend
changes and future strategy.
Smith is working full-time at the
brand’s Clerkenwell HQ, where
Mark Maidment continues as chief
executive. Smith is expected to
submit a report in the autumn.
For the past three years, Smith,
whose career has included stints at
Levi Strauss and World Design &
Trade (Firetrap and Full Circle’s
original owner), has worked as a
restructuring specialist through his
own company, Discern Consulting
& Trade. His clients have included
Tesco and Clerys in Ireland.
He also worked with restructuring
specialist Gordon Brothers, which is
understood to have been involved in
the deal that saw New York-based
investment house Marquee Brands
buy Ben Sherman from US owners
Oxford Industries for around £41m
three weeks ago.
The British heritage menswear
brand made a loss of £7.3m on sales
of £49m in the year to January 31.
Eric Musgrave @MusgraveEric
Suppliers hit back at
Y
oung fashion suppliers have
blasted Arcadia’s demand
for an additional 2%
discount on all orders with a
payment due after August 31 across
its fascias as “unacceptable”.
For landed goods the group will
charge a 16.25% discount, up from
14.25%. On direct import or FOB (free
on board) goods there is currently no
discount, but 2% will be applied
from August 31.
One supplier told Drapers: “They
have no idea the margins suppliers
are working to these days. There is no
way we can do a 2% discount. Arcadia
doesn’t even give us regular, sustainable business.
“It’s not acceptable and they are
playing us against one another, saying
others have accepted it so we have to.
The worst is the retrospective aspect
as it’s adding costs on to contracts that
have already been agreed.”
Another young fashion supplier
said: “It is appalling. They are
spending a fortune doing up the head
office and getting suppliers to pay for
it. I can’t afford to pay a discount as
the prices they want are ridiculously
low compared to other high street
chains. They are squeezing the
Living wage law could lead
to cuts in hours and perks
Supermarkets could avoid hiring
over-25s to escape paying the new
living wage from April, according to
analysts, but clothing and footwear
retailers are more likely to cut hours
and scrap staff benefits to fund it.
In a report published last week,
analysts at credit ratings agency
Moody’s warned supermarkets
could stop hiring over-25s, close
more stores or accelerate plans to
expand their online operations,
requiring fewer employees.
It calculated that 6 million
workers across all sectors will get
a pay rise as a result of the national
living wage, which chancellor
George Osborne introduced in the
summer budget in July. Companies
will be required to pay over-25s at
least £7.20 from April 2016, rising
to £9 an hour by 2020.
Moody’s said young fashion firms
such as SuperGroup and New Look
will face lower wage pressures
because a higher proportion of
their employees are under 25. For
example, 70% of SuperGroup’s
workforce is under 25, compared
with only a quarter of Sainsbury’s.
One managing director of a
multiple agreed, pointing out that
a large proportion of his staff are
employed part-time and are under
25, and said he will look at other
ways to offset the cost. “There will
be some nipping and tucking. You
can’t affect rent, rates and transport
costs, but you can say we could
have that person working until 4pm
instead of 10pm on a Saturday.”
David McCorquodale, UK head
of retail at professional services firm
KPMG, agreed: “Retailers will now
be looking at their operating models
and some will look at some of the
benefits they offer.”Jill Geoghegan
@jillgeoghegan
Across the board:
fascias include
Topman and
Dorothy
Perkins
supplier and it’s going to reflect in the
product. It will be lower quality to
make up for the margin.”
One London-based supplier said he
may have to make redundancies as a
result of the extra charge: “It’s terrible
and they did it coming into peak
autumn season. It’s going to cost me
a five-figure sum so it has hit me
massively. It is retrospective so I’m not
THE GOVERNMENT has
launched a six-week consultation
on its proposals to relax Sunday
trading regulations in England
and Wales.
The consultation, which
will run until September 16,
looks at whether power over
Sunday trading hours should
be devolved to councils or
locally elected officials such
as metro mayors. It asks:
O Should local areas have the
power to extend trading hours
on Sundays?
O If the power is devolved, who
do you think should have the
power to change Sunday
trading rules?
O How would you be impacted
by local changes to Sunday
trading rules?
The government said the
proposals would help bricksand-mortar retailers compete
with online and bring the UK
in line with locations like Paris,
Dubai and New York.
For the latest job moves go to Drapersonline.com/news
Arcadia’s demands
able to work that into my costings; I’m
going to have to lose a number of staff
to make it up. They are compromising
the quality of the fabrics and they are
pushing suppliers to breaking point.”
In a letter sent to suppliers seen by
Drapers, Arcadia, which has a 60-day
payment term, said: “In order to keep
pace with the development of our
evolving channels, we are investing in
excess of £100m in our systems, head
office and logistics – in particular to
help grow our overseas business,
including building hubs to enable
direct delivery to overseas markets.
Additionally, our investment in
marketing will continue to increase in
this highly competitive environment.”
It continued: “As you will be aware,
we are actively looking to develop our
business on many fronts, particularly
internationally and through our digital
wholesale channel. These developments are crucial to both your and
our business.
“We are notifying you of a further
2% payment discount – this will be
effective from September 1 and will
apply to all existing orders with a
payment due date after August 31, as
well as to all orders going forward.
“We trust that, given the substantial
investment being made in our business and the fast-changing nature of
the various retail and digital channels,
you will both understand and be
supportive of this to help mutually
grow our business together.”
Arcadia declined to comment.
Jill Geoghegan @jillgeoghegan
Read Jill Geoghegan’s blog at
Drapersonline.com/blogs
MasterCard settles in fee dispute
MasterCard has paid out $61m
(£39m) to Tesco in the first of an
expected wave of out-of-court
settlements over credit and debit
card interchange fees.
Tesco is one of 20 UK retailers
to commence legal action against
MasterCard in 2013, alleging
historic overpayment of “anticompetitive” interchange fees.
The others are believed to include
House of Fraser, Asda, Next,
Debenhams and New Look.
MasterCard said it decided to
settle to “avoid the cost and
distraction of litigation and the
uncertainties that are inherent in
such cases”. It added: “MasterCard
now looks forward to working with
Tesco as a key partner in the UK
to further encourage the use of
convenient, safe and secure
electronic payments in its stores.”
Stephen Sidkin, chair of the
fashion law group at law firm Fox
Williams, said: “I’m not surprised
the case has been settled out of
court and I would expect the other
retailers will also settle. It’s a better
outcome for MasterCard as it saves
time, money and bad publicity.”
He added: “It will be interesting
to see if Inditex and H&M, the two
largest fashion retailers in Europe,
go after MasterCard and Visa in
their home countries.”
Inditex and H&M could not be
reached for comment.
Retailers have long argued that
interchange fees, set by MasterCard
and Visa, are disproportionate to
the cost of processing transactions.
The fees cost the retail industry
almost £1bn in 2013, according to
the British Retail Consortium.
Arcadia, Asda and Morrisons
are among those to have filed suit
against Visa over the charges.
In March the European Parliament
voted in favour of an EU-wide cap
on card interchange fees, which
will be introduced to the UK this
autumn. Kirsty McGregor & Jill
Geoghegan @Drapers
Finders keepers: new concept to
appeal to “contemporary shopper”
Found by John Lewis will
offer ‘boutique experience’
J
ohn Lewis will debut Scandinavian, French and emerging
British womenswear labels
alongside an eclectic range of
homeware and electricals in its
new fashion and lifestyle concept
Found from September.
Found by John Lewis will launch
in the new Birmingham store when
it opens on September 24 and online
that same day. It will be extended to
the Liverpool store in November as
part of a £4.5m refurbishment of the
fashion and beauty departments.
“The new Found concept is an
acceleration of our desire to move
into that more contemporary space
and will act as a boutique within a
department store,” fashion buying
director Ed Connolly told Drapers.
“It is all about dwell time and experience-based shopping.”
The 4,000 sq ft space will feature
27 labels new to John Lewis including
Maison Scotch, BZR by Bruuns
Bazaar, SuperTrash, Samsøe &
Samsøe, Nümph, Des Petits Hauts,
Wåven, Penfield, Parka London and
Urban Code, alongside existing
brands such as Rains, Levi’s, Hygge
by Mint Velvet and Minimum.
Footwear labels Asics, Onitsuka
Tiger, Nike, Converse, Superga and
Moon Boot will be joined by
LA-based hair accessories label Jane
Tran and London-based phone case
and bag brand Skinny Dip, beauty
brands Cheeky, Atelier and Dr Bronner’s, as well as gifts, technology
and home décor products.
“We will be turning the stock
faster and changing the brands so at
any one time I would expect half of
the brands to be new,” said Connolly,
explaining that the new lines have
been sourced by Found buyer Hayley
Wilmington, who is referred to
among the team as ‘coolhunter’.
A Joe & The Juice café will
provide the music and catering. “It
will be lit differently and merchandised across the categories, which
is something very different for us.”
John Lewis is known for its
mature, affluent demographic, but
Connolly said 31% of its customers
are under 34 and over a third have a
household income under £30,000:
“The Found concept is to appeal to a
more contemporary shopper, not
necessarily linked to age but more to
the way people are shopping now.”
Found’s partners, as John Lewis
refers to staff, will dress in casualwear
and work solely in that department
for “that boutique experience”.
The Birmingham store will also
feature Denim Wardrobe by Trilogy,
launched in the group’s Peter Jones
store in January this year and
featuring labels such as J Brand, AG
and Paige. Connolly said the tie-up
with the independent denim retailer
had exceeded targets by 32% and
will likely be rolled out next year.
O John Lewis enjoyed a 10.2% boost
in sales to £76.5m last week as its
clearance drew to a close. Fashion
sales rose 9.3%. Tara Hounslea
@Tara_Hounslea
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
3
NEWS
News in brief
JD SPORTS FASHION’S
pre-tax profits for the
current year are likely to
be 10% ahead of market
expectations of £110m
thanks to strong underlying
sales. In a trading statement,
the business said like-forlike sales “remain in excess
of management forecasts”,
offsetting a loss of margin
due to the weak euro.
BOOHOO.COM has
launched its first shopping
app for iOS using the Poq
Studio ecommerce platform.
The etailer offers its entire
product range on the
transactional app. Mobile
conversions increased by
40% during the first quarter
and mobile accounts for half
of all traffic to its website.
NEW WEST END COMPANY
has launched a mobile app
to connect retailers in
London’s West End, providing
up-to-date footfall and sales
data. The app, built on the
Mallcomm platform, uses
GPS technology to show
users the location of key
service providers such as
cleaning teams, welcome
ambassadors, security
services and shop floor
workers, and connect with
them on a real-time basis.
PHILIP START’S own brand
store Mr Start in Shoreditch
will shut in September
following the closure of his
multibrand menswear and
womenswear stores earlier
this year. “We have decided
to close the store in order to
rethink the brand,” said the
menswear tailoring business
in an email to its database.
ALDI HAS LAUNCHED
its first full collection of
menswear. The German
discount retailer has
stocked men’s basics in
the past. The summer
collection includes T-shirts
at £3.99, Oxford shirts
at £6.99 and marl zipped
hoodies at £8.99.
4
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
Traffic chaos and date
clash hit Scoop’s footfall
E
xhibitors came away from
the spring 16 edition of Scoop
satisfied, despite agreeing it
seemed quieter this season.
The three-day event got off to a
quieter than usual start on Sunday as
buyers struggled through the travel
chaos caused by cycling event
RideLondon, which saw large parts of
central London closed off.
Many reported a reduction in
numbers on the remaining two days
of the fair, which ran from August
2-4 at the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea,
although some said they saw retailers
on Monday who had failed to get
past the weekend road closures.
Fiona Huntingford, UK sales
manager for Danish brand Sand, said:
“On the whole it was quieter than
previously, whether that was because
of the bike ride on Sunday or because
of Pure being on at the same time I
don’t know. Sunday was a great day. I
picked up more customers than usual.
I hoped it would continue, but it
didn’t. It seems people have had a
tough season or a pretty good one, not
many in between. But I wrote orders on
the stand for new customers. People
seemed ready to commit.”
Linda Marshall of the Parkers
agency, showing the Belgian premium
lifestyle brand Scapa for the first time,
felt buyers were in a relatively good
mood but not eager to experiment:
“The spring/summer season has gone
well overall and experienced retailers
are resigned to the fact that business
is never going to be how it used to be.
“But they are not being innovative. They are sticking to the brands
that they know will perform for them.
Spring 16 will be a quiet season.”
Agent David Hobbs, who was
showing the German premium underwear brand Schiesser on the top floor
of the venue for the second season,
said traffic tailed off after the first day,
but insisted: “This is the right show
for me. It is well-edited with lovely
brands and all the top womenswear
independents from the UK and
Ireland will be here.”
Much of the discussion across the
aisles was about the benefits or problems of Scoop coinciding with Pure at
Olympia. This season the two events
ran on the same Sunday to Tuesday
schedule. Agent Julian Sterck, who
was showing Italian brand Caractère,
said: “I prefer Scoop to run earlier so
that you can see buyers before they
have spent most of their budget.”
Scoop is owned by ITE group, which
owns Moda, Jacket Required and trade
magazines MWB and WWB.
O Turn to page 16 for key items from
Scoop and Pure.
Drapers reporters @Drapers
Kat Maconie to
grow overseas
Women’s footwear designer
Kat Maconie has received
investment from her Chinese
licensing partner Phoenicia
International Trading to
launch in the Middle East
and expand in the US.
Her eponymous brand is
currently stocked in the US
on etailer Nasty Gal. Following
the undisclosed investment,
Maconie is in talks to supply
US department store Nieman
Marcus for spring 16 and is
considering opening stores.
In the Middle East, where
the brand does not have a
presence, Maconie is seeking
wholesale partners and stores.
She hopes to launch there by
the end of 2015.
A former winner of Drapers
Footwear Designer of the
Year, London-based Maconie
struck a deal with Phoenicia
International Trading last year to
open 50 stores and concessions
in China by the end of 2016.
So far it has opened
Kat Maconie stores in the
Westgate Mall, Shanghai,
and in Chengdu, as well as
five department store
concessions. Jill Geoghegan
@jillgeoghegan
Former Miss Sixty boss
sets up new brand agency
Jason Lynch, former UK boss
of Miss Sixty and Quiksilver,
has set up Label Lab Group,
a distributorship specialising
in European casualwear and
lifestyle brands.
This weekend, he will be at
Moda Gent at Birmingham NEC
with Gaastra, a nautical-inspired
Netherlands collection: “The
company is 170 years old and
makes top-end sailing wear. We
have a 500 sq ft stand for the
men’s daywear range, which is a
full lifestyle collection.” T-shirts
start at £10 and jackets at £75.
Last week, he showed Italian
jeanswear brand Meltin’ Pot at
London’s Jacket Required,
showing 30 styles of jeans that
each have at least 10 washes or
applications. Wholesale prices
range from £23 to £50.
The long-established brand,
owned by the Romano family, is
based in Gallipoli, in the “heel” of
Italy. Lynch is handling both the
men’s and women’s collections.
Towards the end of the year,
Label Lab Group plans to
introduce a new premium denim
brand called Superbia, with
wholesale prices around £75. He
is developing the line with Italian
designer Leopoldo Durante, who
runs menswear line Care Label.
Ship shape: pieces from
the Gaastra range
Lynch’s office and showroom
is in the Old Truman Brewery in
Spitalfields, London.
OFor our top picks from Jacket
Required go to page 21.
Eric Musgrave @MusgraveEric
For coverage of Moda, see
Drapersonline.com/news
For seven years of Drapers’ archive go to Drapersonline.com
‘High-calibre‘ buyers bring positive
attitude as improved Pure impresses
S
hort-order collections, a
wide selection of accessories and improved editing of
forward-order collections
gained buyers’ approval at the threeday Pure London last week.
Retail visitors who attended the
event at Olympia on August 2-4 were
generally in positive mood despite an
erratic spring 15 season. But exhibitors
said spring 16 orders were being put
down with care and to tight budgets.
Stockhouses and short-order
specialists such as Little Mistress, Neon
Rose, Glamorous and Whispering
Smith were in demand, underlining
that womenswear indies are still riskaverse, despite claiming they are
“looking for something different”.
Juls Dawson of Just Consultancies,
which had four collections at Pure
including the debut of Native Youth
womenswear range, summed it up as
“a good, steady show, with a good
calibre of visitor”.
“Across Sunday to Tuesday, the
visitor ratio was probably 25:50:25,” he
said. “It seems even more independents are holding budget back to buy
in-season and so avoid the problem
of trying to sell at full-price what the
majors have on Sale.”
As well as Sale dates and the competition posed by online retailing, a major
On the right track: exhibitors described Pure London as “a good, steady show”
talking point was the disruption caused
on Sunday by cycle event RideLondon
causing many roads in central London
to be closed. Taxi drivers stayed away
in huge numbers and even the capital’s
residents found getting around difficult.
Exhibitors at Pure and Scoop (see
opposite) told Drapers buyers abandoned attempts to reach the venues on
day one. Rosie Batt, senior executive
of wholesale at ethical clothing brand
People Tree, said: “Footfall was quiet
on Sunday; it seemed a lot busier on
Monday. Many did a recce on the first
VIEWPOINT
Graeme Moran, fashion editor
With more than 1,000 brands at both Pure and
Scoop, the recent womenswear weekender
certainly presented enough clothing, footwear
and accessories to sift through. But with labels
jostling for orders, did anything stand out?
The answer is yes and no. Up and down many
aisles there was a slight sense of sameness and similarity across some
brands, with many playing it safe and keeping things perhaps too
simple by reworking past winners or tweaking current favourites.
However, some buyers did discover fresh product (see our picks
on page 16). Carl Jacklin, owner of Lincoln indie Agatha, said the best
brands he found “took it up to another level”. Another buyer spoke
of a lovely footwear brand (name undisclosed) that was “just that little
bit different”, while a third equally secretive store owner mentioned
a silk collection that had that extra “something special” about it.
Buyers want unique product that stands out. The smartest brands
provided this with subtle updates: innovative use of print, refreshed
silhouettes, fresh fabrics, a little extra detail here or some additional
embellishment there. Brave brands combined with bold buyers
should make for a strong spring 16 season.
day and wrote orders on Monday. We
have had a lot of existing customers
come by and new customers too, and
we have been writing orders. It feels
like a good show.”
There are always mixed views when
Pure and Scoop coincide like this
season, but some find it convenient.
Deryane Tadd, owner of Drapers
Award-winning independent The
Dressing Room in St Albans, Hertfordshire, devoted Sunday to Pure
and Monday to Scoop. “Having them
running together gives you a good
overview of everything – there’s loads
of great stuff across the two. I put down
a lot of orders with existing clothing
suppliers at Pure and I have found new
accessories brands. Pure is so strong
on accessories – it’s really commercial
and you know you are going to sell it
easily at a good margin.”
Aine McCourt, sales and marketing
manager at dress brand Emily and Fin,
said it felt like “things are back on
track” after the recession.
“We have seen a lot of international
buyers as well as those from the UK,
from places like Japan and the US.
Everyone is looking for something
unique; they don’t want trend-driven
pieces, they want things that stand out
and something really different that
makes their customers keep coming
back into their stores.”
Many exhibitors noted a lack of
buyers from Ireland, where Monday
was a national holiday. The weakness
of the euro against sterling was also
a factor, it was generally felt.
Pure is owned by Top Right Group,
which also owns Drapers.
O Turn to page 16 for our pick of top
pieces from Pure and Scoop.
Drapers reporters @Drapers
For more coverage and to see
buyers talking about the shows,
go to Drapersonline.com/product
US investor finances TM Lewin MBO
TM Lewin’s management has
bought the remaining 20% stake
in the business after receiving an
undisclosed investment from
Sankaty Advisors, part of US
private equity firm Bain Capital.
The shirt retailer’s chief
executive, Geoff Quinn, already
owns 30%, while the remainder
of the senior management team
owns 50%.
Now, with backing from Sankaty,
they have acquired the 20% stake
inherited by investment firm Caird
Capital when it took over Lloyds
Banking Group’s private equity
portfolio in 2012.
Sankaty has taken a minority
stake in the business. It would not
provide further details.
Quinn said: “Sankaty has
consistently demonstrated that they
have a detailed understanding of
both our industry and our company.
“Not only will it provide us with a
much more flexible capital base to
support our growth, but its sector
expertise will be hugely beneficial
in delivering on our vision for the
future, which aims to put our
customers and products firmly at
the centre of our business.”
The retailer has been refinanced,
with Sankaty providing mezzanine
debt and equity and Lloyds Banking
Group the senior debt.
TM Lewin was founded in 1898
and has 185 stores around the world.
It made a £636,000 pre-tax profit
for the year to March 1, 2014,
following losses of £1.4m the year
before. Sales edged up to £106.8m
from £106.7m in 2013.
Jill Geoghegan @jillgeoghegan
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
5
NEWS
Chocolate:
from fast
fashion to
lux kidswear
Northern Irish young fashion
independent Chocolate will
Ten years younger: Chocolate is to rebrand
rebrand as a luxury kidswear
retailer following its sale last
week to Dubai-based investment
Solihull in January, and further
firm The Griffin Corporation.
openings are planned in the medium
The Chocolate store in Derry,
term across the UK.
which sells labels including Lyle &
Griffin used to be based in the UK
Scott and Little Mistress, closed at
as a supplier of men’s shirts and ties to
the end of this week. The website
high street retailers, including Marks
will continue to trade in its current
& Spencer. He sold his manufacturing
form until the stock is cleared.
business 15 years ago and moved to
Dave Conaghan, who founded
Dubai to set up his current company,
the Drapers Independents Awardbut Drapers understands he wants to
winning business in 2007, sold it to
get back into fashion. He has an office
property and investment company
in Essex and business interests in the
The Griffin Corporation, which is
Solihull/Birmingham area.
run by Ray Griffin.
Conaghan will stay as managing
Conaghan would not disclose
director of Chocolate and will be
the financial details.
joined by an as yet unnamed senior
The new owner intends to launch
buyer, sales and marketing director
a Chocolate-branded website with
and ecommerce manager.
20 to 30 high-level kidswear labels in
He told Drapers: “[Griffin] saw
October or November. No brands
the potential to grow the brand and
have been signed yet.
felt the name Chocolate worked
A 3,000 sq ft Chocolate kidswear
with kidswear.”
Jill Geoghegan @jillgeoghegan
store with a VIP area will open in
Flip-flop brand Ipanema has collaborated with designer
Philippe Starck to create a collection for spring 16. The
48-piece range, which has been four years in the making,
features the trademark ‘+’ symbol from Starck. Styles
are available in black, white, orange and lime green.
Wholesale prices range from £10.50 to £14.
Rents force Trampery studio to move
S
hared fashion studio and
design space The Trampery in
east London is searching for a
new home after its rent was increased
by 400%.
The cost of the 20,000 sq ft facility
in London Fields, Hackney – which is
home to a number of London Fashion
Week designers – will increase
from £125,000 to £500,000 a year
from September.
The space hosts 31 businesses,
including 10 designer studios and a
shared workspace occupied by fashion
start-ups, publishers and social enterprises. It opened in 2013.
There is also a technical workspace
called the Fashion Lab where
machinery is available to rent by the
hour. It opened in October 2014.
“The rent increase is crippling, so
we are forced to move out,” said The
Trampery house manager Jamie
Craven. “We’re urgently looking for
a temporary location to occupy while
we find a new home.
“We were due to vacate the building
six weeks before the start of London
6
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
There goes the neighbourhood: The
Trampery was hit by a 400% rent rise
Fashion Week, which is a critical time
for some of our designers. The landlord has allowed those designers
showing [Jonathan Saunders, Lou
Dalton, Charlie May and Holly Fulton]
extra time to stay until September 26
to minimise disruption.”
Menswear designer James Long has
moved to a new studio hosted by The
Trampery at Hackney Wick, but there
is not enough room for everyone.
“One temporary option could be a
brand or retailer who has 1,000 sq ft
of unused space we could use as a
pop-up studio,” said Craven. “We
need a new permanent home in Zones
1 or 2 so it is well connected for clients
to visit the designers.”
British Fashion Council chief executive Caroline Rush said: “It is essential to us that The Trampery be found
a new home. Its studio space and
shared equipment make it an ideal
place to develop a designer business.”
Rob Fay, a director at London property consultancy Shackleton, said:
“This happened to areas like Soho and
Covent Garden years ago, but it is
always sad to hear that creative industries have to move out of the interesting
areas they helped to create.
“Smaller start-ups will start to move
out, most likely south of the river or
further east where rents are cheaper.”
Tara Hounslea @Tara_Hounslea
For more news as it happens see
Drapersonline.com/news
OUTERWEAR BRAND
BELSTAFF has opened its
second London store across
1,080 sq ft at 16 Lamb Street
in Spitalfields, east London,
and outlined plans to expand
internationally.
Its 25,000 sq ft Belstaff
House flagship is on New
Bond Street.
Outside of the UK, the brand
plans to open a pop-up in New
York by the end of the year
ahead of opening its second
permanent store.
In Germany, where it has a
store in Munich, Belstaff will
expand in Frankfurt, Hamburg
and Düsseldorf.
A launch into Japan is set
for 2016.
Like Jimmy Choo and Bally,
Belstaff is part of Vienna-based
investment house JAB Holding
Company.
The brand will open a 1,620
sq ft store in Westfield London
in October.
Kirsty McGregor
@KirstyMcGregor
Download the Drapers app from Drapersonline.com/app
Shopping centre owners
insist market is stabilising
The owners of some of the UK’s
largest shopping centres have painted
a positive picture of trade over the past
few months despite the wider trend of
declining footfall.
However, while the larger and more
prime centre owners insist footfall and
sales are stabilising, some secondary
malls are still suffering.
At the prime end of the market, Hammerson, which operates centres including
the Bullring in Birmingham, Silverburn in
Glasgow and Cabot Circus in Bristol,
reported a “strong improvement” across
all regions during the first half of the
year. Sales increased by 2%, while footfall
was up 1.2%.
The start of the school holidays drove Bullish outlook: Birmingham Bullring owner Hammerson reported rising sales
sales up a further 2.9% in the four weeks
at research firm Springboard, pointed out that the increases
to July 18.
Hammerson chief executive David Atkins said: “Confi- in footfall were only “marginal”.
dence is at levels not seen since the 1990s. For shopping
Data from Springboard and the British Retail Consorcentres in particular, consumers are increasingly using tium shows footfall declined by an average of 2.4% per
them to socialise. They are going shopping then staying for month between April and June across the 132 UK shopping
a meal or the cinema.”
centres it monitors.
Regional shopping centre owner and developer Intu’s
Wehrle said: “The larger centres are stabilising slightly,
footfall was up 1% in the six months to June 30 across its but in the sub-prime shopping centres we are seeing real
15-strong portfolio, which includes the Trafford Centre in drops in footfall. I think [the prime shopping centre owners]
Manchester, Metrocentre in Gateshead and Lakeside in are putting a positive spin on it.”
Essex. Store sales were up 3.4%.
Mark Robinson, investment director for Ellandi, which
Intu chief executive David Fischel told Drapers: “Little owns 22 shopping centres in secondary locations such as
Eastleigh in Hampshire and Chatham in Kent, said: “Within
by little things are improving.”
Land Securities, which owns centres including Bluewater the secondary market there is an increasing segmentation.
in Kent and Buchanan Galleries in Glasgow, and British Those bought by us, NewRiver Retail and some of the other
Land, which owns Meadowhall in Sheffield among specialists are seeing an improvement in performance
others, also witnessed a rise in footfall and sales in the three because we’ve investing in the customer experience, but
months to the end of June.
a huge amount of secondary malls are still underinvested.”
However, Diane Wehrle, marketing and insights director Kirsty McGregor @KirstyMcGregor
Green shoots evident as indies open new branches
The high street is showing signs of
recovery as independent retailers
open second and third stores.
Brighton contemporary
menswear indie Peggs & Son
expanded to a second unit in Duke
Street on August 1. On the same day
contemporary womenswear indie
Stolen from Susie opened its third
store, at 6 Brewery Square in
Dorchester. It opened a store in
Totnes, Devon, in 2005 and added
one in Barnstaple in June.
Premium menswear indie
Purple will open its second store
in Berkhamsted on August 21.
Ian Peggs, owner of 1,000 sq ft
Peggs & Son at 39 Duke Street, has
opened a 400 sq ft store at number 5.
He said: “We needed more space to
allow us to grow our online business
and split the collections that are
slightly cleaner [such as Officine
Generale, Sunspel, Globe-Trotter
and Tricker’s] into the new store.”
Purple’s new 800 sq ft singlestorey unit at 83 High Street,
Berkhamsted, will stock similar
brands to the existing 1,500 sq ft
shop in Harpenden, such as Hugo
Boss, Armani and Belstaff. Paul
Monks, who started the business in
2009, said it would allow it to take on
new brands, including Michael Kors
and Hackett: “Because of the
minimum spend on some of those
brands, we need more space.”
At this week’s Pure London trade
show, Desmond Wong, sales director
at young fashion brand Almost
Famous, said a number of people
had approached him with plans to
launch stores in the next few months.
“We haven’t heard much about that
in the last few years,” he said.
Tara Hounslea @Tara_Hounslea
For more on these openings, see
Drapersonline.com/news
News in brief
H&M has joined forces with
London College of Fashion’s
Centre for Sustainable
Fashion to launch Fashion
Recycling Week from August
31 to September 6. It has
asked second-year students
to create window displays
using clothes donated via its
garment-collecting scheme.
Customers can win £250 to
spend in store by guessing
how many items are used.
ACCESSORIES BRAND MCM
has hired Burberry’s former
chief technology officer
John Douglas as its new chief
information officer. Douglas
will build infrastructure
systems and develop MCM’s
ecommerce site. He joined
Burberry as CIO in 2008 and
took on the CTO role in 2011.
KIDSWEAR BRAND FRUGI
has been shortlisted for small
to medium-sized business of
the year in the Lloyds Bank
National Business Awards,
taking place on November 10.
Founded in Cornwall in 2004
by Kurt and Lucy Jewson, it
caters for newborn to 10-yearolds and mothers. It sells via
500 stockists worldwide and
online, with a turnover of £6m.
BY MALENE BIRGER
reopened its redesigned
London store on July 31.
Italian interior design firm
Dimore Studio has filled
the 28-29 Marylebone High
Street store with circular
shapes, curved lines, cocoon
lights and warm colours. It
is the Danish womenswear
brand’s second refit, after
Copenhagen earlier this year.
YAHOO HAS AGREED a deal
to buy US affiliate shopping
and styling site Polyvore
reportedly for $230m (£148m)
to boost its fashion content
and advertising. The site,
backed by investors such
as Goldman Sachs, allows
people to build outfits or
decorate homes with items
from 300 retailers. The deal is
subject to closing conditions.
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
7
NEWS
Book a table at the Drapers Awards by going to Awards.drapersonline.com
Mr Porter rated best for social
M
Designer showcase: Dover St shop
Boticca bought by
Wolf & Badger
Designer independent Wolf
& Badger has acquired online
accessories marketplace
Boticca for an undisclosed sum.
Boticca was merged into the
London-based indie at the end
of last week. The combined
business will be led by Wolf &
Badger’s chief executive George
Graham and his brother, Henry,
who is creative director.
A number of Boticca’s staff
will move across. Boticca chief
executive Kiyan Foroughi, who
founded the marketplace in
2010, remains as an advisor.
Boticca, which rebranded
last year, represents more than
300 accessories designers from
40 countries on its website.
Wolf & Badger showcases
emerging womenswear,
menswear and homeware
designers online and in its
two stores, Notting Hill and
Dover Street. It aims to
strengthen and internationalise
its online offer, as well as open
a store in the US and other
international cities. Details are
yet to be confirmed. Kirsty
McGregor @KirstyMcGregor
r Porter is the most socially engaged multibrand premium fashion retailer, new research
by retail marketing agency Leapfrogg shows.
The menswear etailer, which is owned by
Net-a-Porter, scored 17 out 25 thanks to its clear content
strategy and online magazine run by journalists. It was
closely followed by Kurt Geiger, Matchesfashion.com and
SecretSales, which scored 15.5, 15 and 15 respectively.
Leapfrogg compiled the list by analysing the social
activity of 25 clothing and footwear retailers across Twitter,
Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. It also looked at
content quality in the rankings.
The agency praised footwear retailer Kurt Geiger for its
visual style, which it said was consistent across all channels,
as well as its blog written by a fictional target customer.
Indie mini-chain Matchesfashion.com had the highest
engagement on Pinterest, although it is yet to introduce
shoppable pins. Flash sales site SecretSales had a low engagement rate despite producing a high quantity of content.
“Retailers that scored highly know their customer, but
there is still work to do and the majority of premium fashion
brands don’t have a defined social strategy,” said Rosie
Freshwater, managing director of Leapfrogg.
The ratings system covered ‘likes’, comments and shares,
which were then divided by the number of followers to
present results that could be compared.
Tara Hounslea @Tara_Hounslea
For a full list of Leapfrogg’s research
visit Drapersonline.com/news
MOST SOCIALLY
ENGAGED
1. Mr Porter
2. Kurt Geiger
3. Matchesfashion.com
4. SecretSales
5. Farfetch
6. ShopStyle
7. BrandAlley
8. Atterley
9. Schuh
10. Net-a-Porter
Top of the shops:
Mr Porter was
praised for its clear
content strategy
Former Marks & Spencer
director Nayna McIntosh
has launched a
womenswear brand called
Hope, backed by former
M&S executive chairman
Stuart Rose and marketing
director Steve Sharp and ex-Jacques Vert
Group boss Teresa Tideman. The 65-piece
collection primarily targets women over 40
with three sizing options: freesize (8-20),
dual slim (8-14) and dual curvy (16-20). Prices
range from £55 for a top to £695 for a fur
cape. It will be sold online and through home
shopping channels from September.
Drapers is based at Telephone House, 69-77 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NQ Tel: 020 3033 2600 Email: drapers@emap.com. All Drapers emails follow the style of firstname.
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EMAP, part of Top Right Group Ltd. © EMAP 2015
8
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
HERE & THERE
JW ANDERSON TAKES
A DIET COKE BREAK
A smattering of models,
bloggers and reality TV
stars swapped champagne
for fizzy pop last week
at the unveiling of Diet
Coke’s latest designer
collaboration with JW
Anderson. Following in the
footsteps of Chanel’s Karl
Lagerfeld and Jean Paul
Gaultier, Irish designer
Jonathan Anderson
(right) redesigned
the famous bottle
with a red, white
and blue pattern.
Off the
RECORD
TO LEE WITH LOVE
Partying with Foxes
and Penguins
Photographer Nick Knight and his fashion film company ShowStudio have
released previously unseen footage from his collaborations with Alexander
McQueen. The film includes material shot in 2010 for the tribute film To Lee, With Love,
Nick and features some of McQueen’s most acclaimed designs. It’s enchanting.
HAPPY 60TH TO
ORIGINAL PENGUIN
Original Penguin threw a totally tropical
summer party to celebrate its 60th
anniversary in Shoreditch last week.
Drapers’ Graeme Moran and Eric Musgrave
(in vintage Penguin) joined the brand’s
head of European marketing Louise Hughes
and head of marketing special projects
Vivienne Davis for a dance and a cocktail.
SPOTTED: FOXES IN
EAST LONDON
Foxes can have a hard time in the capital, but
H&M gave the English singer-songwriter and
Grammy Award winner a warm welcome at the
launch of its Divided pop-up store in Shoreditch.
PALL MALL PARTY
TARTAN ARMY HEADS
FOR HONG KONG
Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon turned
the spotlight on fashion during her trade visit to
China last week. Wearing a dress by Scottish
designer Holly Fulton, she announced designers
and textiles companies from north of the border
will have the chance to show their work in Hong
Kong next March as part of the exhibition Scotland
Re:Designed. Applications open in September.
Drapers teamed up with Laurèl last
Sunday for a buyers’ party at La
Galleria on Pall Mall. Co-hosts Eric
Musgrave and Samantha Cradock
of Laurèl’s UK agency Brand Studio
(right) were joined by head of
sales Barbara Hirt and head of
international sales Oliver Fischer,
who flew in from the Munich HQ.
GOING TO A GOOD PARTY? Send your photos and gossip to our fashion editor graeme.moran@emap.com
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
9
INDICATOR
What’s selling now? Mainstream
WOMEN’S
JANE STANLEY Owner of Private
Collection in Barnstaple, Devon
“My clients are local and have always
remained loyal to the store. Recently
Marella dresses (£179) have been
popular, as has Pinko knitwear (£179).
Our customers are also proving quite
receptive to InWear knitwear (£99).”
VANESSA MERLE ROBINSON
Owner of Vanessa Merle in Burnley,
Lancashire
“Our customers are really responding
well to our selection of Frank Lyman
dresses (£100 to £250) and Emreco
T-shirts (£20). NYDJ jeans (£100) are
also selling fast.”
VENETIA ANDERSON Manager at
Barbara Easton in Henley-on-Thames,
Oxfordshire
“Ankle boots by K&S (£165), Elisa
Cavaletti dresses (£125) and Femmes
Je Vous Aime fake suede jackets (£135)
are selling well. At the moment, there’s
an influx of people going on holiday and
summer breaks, so we’ve been busy.”
JULIE CLEWLOW Owner
of Julie’s Boutique in
Nantwich, Cheshire
“We’ve always been based
in Nantwich, but 12 months
ago we moved to a better
position in the town centre
and the boutique is definitely
busier. However, the cold
weather has been hindering
footfall. I’ve just come back
from a holiday in Germany and
it seems to be the same there.
Basler trousers (£99 to £135)
are popular, as are Eugen Klein
knitwear (£85 to £135) and
Sommermann T-shirts (£65).”
stock, which should generate
interest when it goes into
store later this month. Our
current bestsellers are Olsen
jeans (£85), Pomodoro shift
dresses (£79 to £89) and
Lebek T-shirts (£39.99).”
from Joseph Ribkoff (£200) and Frank
Lyman (£150). Our centenary year ends
in September and over the past couple
of months we’ve offered customers
discounts of up to 50% on specific days,
which has helped boost footfall.”
MARY COUGHLAN Owner of
Lucindas in Purley, Surrey
“We currently stock Marc Cain
as it’s a smart, elegant range
that appeals to most people.
The brand’s trousers are
particularly in demand (£120).
Dresses from Joseph Ribkoff
(£200) and Frank Lyman
(£140) are also selling well.”
TERESA ELLINGWORTH
Marc Cain
SHAWN FISHER Owner of
Owner of Betty Ann in
Novello Fashions in Preston
Hinckley, Leicestershire
“Our bestsellers are Robell trousers
“The weather has been a massive
(£45), tunics from The Masai Clothing
factor during spring 15. April was
Company (£70 to £90) and Studio
fantastic because of the sunshine. At
linen tops (£25 to £35). We’re also doing
the moment, we are a little bit quieter
well with tops (£60) and trousers (£80)
because the weather is not so good,
from Sandwich, as well as dresses
but I’ve recently received new autumn
The Masai
Clothing
Company
MEN’S
Crew
Clothing
HUW BOYCE Manager of menswear
at Walker & Ling in Weston-superMare, Somerset
“Meyer trousers (£90) and Douglas
& Grahame casual jackets (£100) have
been popular recently. Our customers
have been very receptive to Crew
Clothing since we launched it for
autumn 14. The brand’s shirts (£44)
are selling especially well. We’re
approaching the end of summer, so
we will end the season with a 50% off
Sale. The weather has been fantastic,
which has definitely increased footfall.”
10
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
DAVID WINK Owner of Crosbys
of Seaford, East Sussex
“Gurteen trousers (£50 to £70)
and Gabicci knitwear (£35 to £75)
are selling well. Old Guys Rule has
been popular ever since we launched
it for autumn 14, particularly its
T-shirts (£19.99). We’re currently up
£4,000 compared to last year, which
we think has been helped by the
closure of our competitor, menswear
indie Hope & Co in Eastbourne, in
September last year.”
MARTIN MCQUILLAN Owner
of McQuillans Menswear in
Portadown, Craigavon
“As 20% of our customers currently
work in agriculture and there’s a
downturn in farming at the moment,
we’ve noticed a decline in spending.
Carl Gross suits have been popular
(£300 to £500), as have Joseph
Turner shirts (£50) and Eden Park
knitwear (£70 to £80). We’re just
about to launch a new shoe range
from German brand Prime for autumn
15, which spans fashion brogues and
classic styles (£180 to £250).”
JONATHAN WILLIAMS Owner of
Montague Jeffery in Northampton
“While we’re in the shadow of Milton
Keynes’ big shopping centres,
Northampton has more independent
retailers than Milton Keynes so we feel
we have an edge. Our bestsellers are
Meyer trousers (£60), Olymp shirts
(£59.99) and Gibson suits (£160).”
Meyer
DAMIEN EVANS Owner of Symonds
of Hereford
“I think we’re out of the recession.
People are not afraid to spend any
more, which is helping to boost
sales. Olymp shirts (£55) and
Meyer trousers (£89) are in demand,
as are Magee jackets (£100). Anyone
working in the fashion industry must
be tenacious and dynamic. Having
product knowledge and the ability
to explain the benefits of products
to customers really helps.”
ELAINE ROCHE Owner of Tony Roche
Menswear in Waterford, Ireland
“At the end of March, we unveiled our
refitted store. We gutted the ground
floor and completely changed the
display, introducing new flooring and
lighting. We also made adjustments to
the second floor. Since unveiling the
refit, we’ve seen profits rise 50%, which
we think is down to customers really
loving the new environment. At the
moment, Casa Moda shirts (£59.99)
and Remus Uomo suits (£100) are
selling well. We started stocking
Selective for spring 15. The brand’s
chinos (£49.95) are proving popular.”
ADVERTORIAL VIZ-A-VIZ
style within reach
Modern
style within
easy reach
VIZ-A-VIZ prepares autumn/winter 15 and
reveals fresh designs for the August collection
W
ith more than 20 years of experience,
VIZ-A-VIZ has a track record of
designing contemporary pieces for
the modern woman’s wardrobe. Its
ethos, “style within reach”, and the pride taken in
design, fit, finish and detailing are easy to see.
Focusing on the attributes of price, quality, style
and detail, VIZ-A-VIZ supplies the 40-plus woman
with easy-to-wear, comfortable, versatile clothing
at industry-leading value for money. By offering
flexible capsules, it enables customers to express
themselves through chic pieces for any occasion.
The brand has gone from strength to strength
since 2014 when it became a retail-only operation,
delivering a capsule each month. VIZ-A-VIZ applies
its ethos to every aspect of a concession. Bespoke
shopfits make for an inspiring retail experience,
highlighting product at price points from £20-£50.
Julie Kerr from Beales says: “VIZ-A-VIZ offers great
quality and design, as well as value for money. The
company is well managed, both in the field and at
head office, and the team is a pleasure to work with.”
Tracy Harvey of Harveys of Halifax agrees: “VIZ-A-VIZ
provides us with stylish product at affordable prices.”
To find out more about becoming a VIZ-A-VIZ
stockist please contact head of retail Jason
McShane-Chapman on jason@viz-a-viz.com
Chic and cheerful: VIZ-A-VIZ
creates pieces for any occasion
ADVERTORIAL RUBY SHOO
Falling head
over heels
Devotees of
footwear brand
Ruby Shoo are
often asked where
they bought their
shoes from, and
the question always
results in a smile
R
uby Shoo’s standout designs have
gained a cult-like following in recent
years, which has seen the relatively
new brand gain a Facebook following
of more than 13,000. The term ‘Shoo-a-holic’
has even been used to describe people with
more than 20 pairs, as seen in the campaign
#ShowOffYourShoo.
In 2015, Ruby Shoo was shortlisted for
numerous awards, including its designer
Samantha Lines being a finalist for Designer
of the Year at the Drapers Footwear Awards.
This success has spurred the team to
present a spring/summer 2016 collection sure
to please loyal customers and attract new
ones. Classic styles receive a contemporary
edge with floral and geometric patterns, which
offer a nod to the 1970s as well as illustrations
on vintage botanical prints.
New for next summer is a choice of lower
heels for three styles, the result of Ruby Shoo
listening to its stockists and customers. A
collection of special occasion footwear and
bags will also be unveiled this week, featuring
luxurious jacquard fabrics in dusky pink,
mint, rose gold and cream.
The Ruby Shoo spring/summer 2016
collection will be shown at Moda in the UK,
with further shows in Las Vegas (FN Platform)
and Milan (Micam).
Rubyshoo.com
SALES Maria Green, 07912 309283
maria.green@mercuryhouse.com
PRESS ENQUIRIES
Mason Young, 01992 701832,
mason.young@mercuryhouse.com
Flower power: styles from
the spring 16 collection
SPRING 16 MENSWEAR
REQUIRED
VIEWING
DIABLICOS
Launching for spring 16,
the broad range of New
York-based Diablicos attracted
buyers thanks to its interesting
fashion-led silhouettes, bold
prints and fabric choices.
Kimono-style pared-back
jackets, an emerging trend
spotted at several brands,
were prominent in both colour
blocks and printed options.
Wholesale prices range from
£36 for a T-shirt to £120
for a tailored jacket.
+1 415 794 5097
The key launches and trade show debuts at
London’s Jacket Required from 29-30 July
Words by GRAEME MORAN
CHARLIE BORROW
Making a trade show debut this
season, self-taught accessories
designer Charlie Borrow unveiled
his eponymous label to buyers for the
first time. Simple designs in functional,
top-quality materials like Italian
leather, sturdy denim and waterproof
canvas are all made in Shoreditch.
Wholesale prices range from £30 for
small leather wallets to £155 for a
large leather tote bag.
07800 728744 Charlieborrow.com
LNDN
A new menswear brand from
the team behind womenswear
label Pyrus, LNDN uses standard
menswear shapes like simple
T-shirts, shirts and jackets but
worked in the brand’s unique
prints. For its launch season
these focus on colourful tropical
florals and graphic geometric
patterns. Wholesale prices range
from £46 for a short-sleeved shirt
to £75 for a jacquard jacket.
020 7739 5000 Lndn.london
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
21
MENSWEAR SPRING 16
FDMTL
Making its UK sales debut at Jacket Required, denim
label FDMTL presented its directional jeans, jackets
and shirts. Made in Japan’s denim-producing capital
Okayama, quality fabrication is key, while interesting
detailing and a heavily Eastern-inspired patchwork
look stood out across the range. Wholesale prices range
from $180 (£115) for jeans to $300 (£192) for jackets.
020 3411 7341 Fdmtl.com
GRAYERS
Although already stocked on Mr Porter, Grayers
has enlisted agency Brand Progression to fully
launch its sales in the UK. The New York label,
founded by Peter Georgiou, a former Ralph
Lauren staffer, specialises in quality menswear
classics with a preppy spin. Shirting is a particular
standout, including selvedge detail denim shirts.
Wholesale prices range from $20 (£12) for a T-shirt
to $52 (£33) for a blazer.
020 3411 7341 Grayers.com
22
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
KINFOLK
Spring 16 is the first season that Kinfolk has
opened sales of its full clothing collection,
which is inspired by classic US sportswear. Key
pieces include typographic printed shirts and
a silky embroidered bomber jacket. Wholesale
prices range from £20 for a T-shirt to £300 for
a silk bomber jacket.
020 7033 6718 Kinfolklife.com
NEWFANGLE
Portuguese menswear etailer Newfangle has
opened up its own brand to wholesale for the first
time for spring 16. All made in Portugal, the
collection includes super-soft and light summer
knitwear and shirting in a range of prints and
patterns. Wholesale prices range from £12 for a
T-shirt to £28 for a sweatshirt.
Newfangleclothing.com
To see our 56 top pieces from Jacket Required, go
to Drapersonline.com/jacketrequiredspring16
HARVEY NICHOLS SHOPWATCH
Womenswear
Outside the box: the store
resembles a luxury boutique
with custom-built fixtures
A different CLASS
Harvey Nichols’ new space in The Mailbox, Birmingham,
is the blueprint for all future stores – and it’s impressive
Women’s shoes
Words by ERIC MUSGRAVE
Accessories
Menswear
Digital mirror
T
hirty minutes after design agency Virgile
+ Partners pitched its concept to Harvey
Nichols chief executive Stacey Cartwright, it got the call to say it had won. A
little over a year later, the vision has been revealed
in a 45,000 sq ft space that is all on one floor, save
for a mezzanine that houses beauty treatment rooms.
Anita Barr, head of fashion at Harvey Nichols,
tells Drapers that the designers’ ideas chimed almost
exactly with the concept Cartwright’s senior team
was imagining. For the agency, founder Carlos
Virgile reveals that what was originally agreed is
almost exactly what has come to fruition: “Often in
the process of realising a project the design ideas
are watered down, but this did not happen with
Harvey Nichols. The main thing we all knew is that
we did not want it to look like a department store.”
In simple terms, this store thinks it’s a luxury
boutique. Individuality runs across so many features,
from the 5m-high ceiling with its opaque polycarbonate panels to the variety of wall surfaces and
10,760 sq ft of custom-cut variegated marble for the
main walkway. Each fixture and piece of furniture
has been custom built or sourced and surfaces range
from plywood to copper.
The store opened on July 31, but the full impact will
not be realised until work on The Mailbox is completed
in September when the front door – which has a digital
screen instead of windows – will be unveiled. Expect
a lot of retailers to visit this store for ideas.
To take a video tour of the store and listen to
interviews with the designers and Harvey Nichols
team go to Drapersonline.com/HarveyNichols
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
25
CAREERS
CV
2015 Womenswear sales
manager, UK and
Northern Ireland,
Hudson
2011 Sales manager,
Fashion Edge
2010 Brand manager,
Lyle & Scott
2006 Sales manager,
Prelude London
2001 Brand manager,
jeans, Guess
2000 Sales associate,
jeans, DKNY
1997 Sales executive, Diesel
1997 Higher National
Diploma in Business of
Fashion Management,
London College of
Fashion
Claire O’CONNOR
Hudson’s head of womenswear sales believes that hitting
the road is essential for success in the fashion industry
Interview by CHANA BARAM
W
hat does your typical week
involve? At Hudson we’re
continually juggling seasons. In
wholesale, seasons tend to cross
over, so I can be selling spring 16 and autumn
15 at the same time. I have mainly finished the
sales appointments with department stores for
spring 16, but I’m still meeting with some of the
80 independents we stock across the UK and
Ireland, who are yet to buy for spring 16.
The sales season started in mid-May and since
then myself and the womenswear team, which
comprises two people in wholesale and three
designers, have been prepping the showroom,
booking appointments and visiting potential
clients, as well as working with the designers to
see which collections should go into the showroom.
Our headquarters in Hoxton, east London,
doubles as a stockhouse, so clients can come in and
still buy stock for autumn 15. We find most clients
prefer forward order, although about 10% buy
short order from us. In my experience I’ve found
independents want to buy more often, maybe four
or five times a year, and they like trans-seasonal
styles in case the weather is unpredictable.
I also collaborate with the design team at our
Hoxton head office. At the moment I’m focusing
a lot of my attention on a new idea we are working
on for a women’s capsule collection. No launch
date is set as yet, but we see this being a big focus
for the brand. It’s all about picking up on key
trends and styles that may have been missed
in the main collection. The capsule will act like
a resort or cruise collection in that it will sit
alongside the main collection and be at the
same price point.
I’m also very busy with planning for Hudson’s
25th anniversary celebrations later this year.
Towards the end of the year, we’re planning
on setting up branded pop-ups in some of our
independent stockists,
including Bernard
Boutique of Esher,
Surrey, The Hambledon
in Winchester,
Hampshire, and
Maze in Bristol.
What advice would
you give your 18-year-old self? I would say
honesty is always the best policy. That might
sound strange coming from a sales person, but
people always respect and trust you more when
you keep your approach based on fact and you’re
not just trying to sell them product. My motto in
life has always been to treat people how you
would expect to be treated yourself.
Who in the fashion industry do you aspire
to emulate? I’ve been fortunate enough to
work with some amazing mentors. One of the
key figures who stands out is Jonathan Judah,
WITH
managing director during my time at multi-brand
distribution company Prelude. At the time,
Jonathan, who is now sales director and partner
at heritage brand Speedway, was a very hands-on
managing director and always involved in every
aspect of the business. I learnt a lot from working
closely with him.
If you didn’t work in fashion, what other
industry would you want to work in? I have
often thought about lecturing as I got so much
out of my four years at London College of
Fashion. I really like the idea of sharing my
knowledge, so lecturing about wholesale would
be a good idea as it’s not taught in universities
as much as subjects like buying and marketing.
How do you see your career progressing?
I was brought into Hudson to grow the business
five months ago, so I’m still quite new. I would like
to get involved more online in the development
of our Web Specials, which are special styles we
trial on the website. If they prove successful we
integrate them into the core women’s collection.
This is a good opportunity to test which styles
work, especially as we have a variety of quirkier,
more premium items that wouldn’t necessarily
be picked up at wholesale. I also want to help
develop the womenswear side of the business.
While currently the split is 60% men’s to 40%
women’s, we’re seeing lots of growth coming
from womenswear, which I hope to build on.
Does your role involve a lot of travel? Working
in wholesale, travelling is something that has
always been key but I think this is only growing in
importance. You have to get out there and see as
many shops as you can, because you need to get a
better understanding of the client’s environment.
It’s so important to forge good relationships with
buyers and store owners. Also, observing what’s
going on in-store is essential if you’re going to
succeed in this industry, especially if you are
going to fully appreciate each individual store’s
target client base.
Do you have a preference for working with
footwear over clothing? My passion has always
been womenswear fashion. I have a background
in premium denim and while I was at Prelude I
‘You have to get out there and see as
many shops as you can. It’s important
to forge good relationships’
was involved in bringing ready-to-wear
collections over to the UK from the US, which
was an exciting time in my career. I’ve been
doing footwear now for the past five years and
I see it as a nice progression. More people are
expanding into footwear, but there are still
many boutiques out there who haven’t yet
tested the water, so there’s lots of opportunity
for us to grow our business.
If you want to be featured on the Drapers Jobs
page, email charlotte.rogers@emap.com
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
27
APPOINTMENTS
TO ADVERTISE
CONTACT: Drapers Recruitment 020 3033 4333 dawn.o’brien@emap.com
DEADLINES: 4 DAYS PRIOR TO PUBLICATION. CANCELLATION 1 WEEK PRIOR
WOMENS KNITWEAR DESIGNER MANAGER
Germany -Excellent Salary + Benefits
Reputable retailer has a job opportunity for a
Womens Knitwear Design Manger to join their
growing team. You will provide creative direction to a
small design team and you will be responsible for
designing successful and commercial collections
across the brands. This position would suit an
organised and strong communicator with
leadership and people management experience
together with strong technical ability and
enthusiasm. GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR
‘2718644’
LICENSE/FASHION DESIGNERS
London - Competitive
A leading multi-product jersey supplier for the High
Street Stores. Due to expansion, we are looking for
ambitious and successful License/Fashion men’sLadies-Children’s designers. The role will include
forecasting trends and bringing innovation to the
product area.
Designing for specific leading fashion forward
Retailers.
Creating Prints and Jersey shapes.
Presenting to the Buyers in regular monthly
meetings.
GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR
‘2718193’
CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER
London -£30,000
WOMENSWEAR KNITWEAR PRODUCT DEVELOPER
London - £35,000-£40,000
With a distinctive yet contemporary and fun watch
collection, this brand is inspired by vintage and
catwalk. Created when the founders couldn’t find a
watch that fulfilled their need for style, their watches
are affordable, wearable and stocked in key
department stores and online. With a young and
creative office, this is an exciting time to join a
fantastic team and a growing, successful business
as Customer Relations Manager.
Beautiful RTW brand are in need of a true Knitwear
specialist to work closely with their design team.
Having previous experience working within a highend Womenswear brand is essential and you must
have an excellent eye for detail, be a strong communicator internally as well externally and will have a
sound understanding of production processes out
of the Far East, Europe and UK. Sourcing, cost negotiation and pricing are also some of the responsibilities of this role.
GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR
‘2718267’
GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR
‘2718533’
E-COMMERCE / MARKETING MANAGER
Manchester - Salary Dependent on Experience
WHOLESALE/PRODUCTION MERCHANDISER
East Midlands - Salary Dependent on Experience
New E-Commerce Job? This is a hugely exciting
opportunity for a Marketing / E-commerce Manager
to join a growing fast fashion online retailer. This is a
rare opportunity to join a growing business; you can
be instrumental in building the brand identity and
developing sales. This is currently a small team with a
great attitude and big plans and now is a really
exciting time to get involved. You will be rewarded
with a competitive package and an amazing career
trajectory. This company is an established supplier to the high
street; specialising in licence product. They are
looking for an enthusiastic individual to join their
busy team within the merchandise department.
With experience dealing with overseas production,
a self-motivated ‘can do’ attitude, and 2-3yrs
experience within production/import/wholesale
merchandising, this could be the opportunity for
you.
GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR
‘2718574
DESIGNERS
Derbyshire - Salary Dependent on Experience
Our client is a highly regarded brand, specialising in the
design and marketing of technical outdoor clothing and
equipment. They have exciting opportunities for an
experienced Clothing Designer and an Equipment
Designer to join their enthusiastic team to develop
innovative designs. You will have the ability to develop
product from initial design stages, through prototype
development to sign-off and production stages,
including all specification work and product timeline
management. You must have a Product Design or
similar background with a strong understanding of
clothing accessory and equipment construction,
technical fabric performance and production methods.
GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR
‘2718613’
GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR
‘2717421’
FACTORY MANAGER / COUNTRY MANAGER
Cambodia, China, Vietnam - Highly Competitive
Package
Our client is a leading global manufacturer currently recruiting for Factory Managers and a Country Manager for
their operations across Asia. You will build strategy and
execute business plans to achieve designed KPIs in design
and sample development and management, synergize
design/product development with sales and production
to meet customer requirements, reduce production complexity by applying good garment technology in sample
preparation. You must have at least 10 years experience in
apparel manufacturing with proven success in managing
and improving apparel manufacturing operations, delivering results, and building effective teams.
GO TO DRAPERSJOBS.COM AND SEARCH FOR
‘2718359’
Register today for personal job alerts sent direct to your inbox
28
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
SERVICES DIRECTORY
TO ADVERTISE
CONTACT: Josh Lomas 020 3033 2865 joshua.lomas@emap.com
DEADLINES: 4 DAYS PRIOR TO PUBLICATION. CANCELLATION 1 WEEK PRIOR
In Store Products and Services
Manufacturing
EPOS
GARMENT LABELS
EPOS
.12:<285%86,1(66
)5207237272(
:RYHQ/DEHOV‡3ULQWHG7LFNHWV
&DUULHU%DJV‡6HOI$GKHVLYH/DEHOV
5LEERQ‡*LIW%R[HV‡3DFNDJLQJ
7LVVXH3DSHU‡/RJR/DEHO'HVLJQ
7)
HPDLOVDOHV#DGDVWUDODEHOVFRP
ZZZDGDVWUDODEHOVFRP
GARMENT LABELS
Top quality woven and printed labels + swing tickets +
Express service for washcare labels
(Small orders our speciality with quick delivery)
Tel: 01484 888844 or email:
abaines@eastman.co.uk and ask for our
FREE information pack
See our website for full product range including cutting
room papers, poly bags, interlinings, shoulder pads etc
www.eastman.co.uk
LININGS
www.theliningcompany.co.uk
&DOOIRUDGHPR
www.drapersonline.com
shop@theliningcompany.co.uk
0844 800 3630
GARMENT CMT
GARMENT CMT
SAMPLING
LQIR#WRSWRWRHFRP
ZZZWRSWRWRHFRP
CLOTHING SOFTWARE
"$ %#$##%##"$#
!%"$%!$ %#"!
SMALL TO MEDIUM SIZE PRODUCTION WITH
NO MINIMUM ORDERS
PATTERN CUTTING & TOILING PLUS GRADING
A long established NW London Studio specialising in sample
making and small production runs. Objectives are
competitively priced high quality garments delivered on time.
Plussamples.co.uk 0208 453 7199
Suite 501, Dephna House, 119 Neasden Lane,
London, NW10 1PH
info@plussamples.co.uk 07869284852
GARMENT CMT
Garment Manufacturer
in Bulgaria
Clothing production factory of womenswear
and menswear.
Provides reliable, professional &
flexible services
Specialising in T-shirts, S-shirts, Scarves
and Real Leather Belts.
Versatile manufacturer, very short lead times.
Small and big quantities welcome.
3IOS8I\
7IHI\GIVXM½IH
Fabric sourcing and design services available.
email: info@sirioustextile.bg’
GARMENT CMT
$!#$%"!$%"
$# $%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%
$" %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
!$!#$#"!$
"$!$"%$ Stella Fashions
Fabrics & Accessories
JEANS BUTTONS
The widest choice of press
studs, jeans buttons, jeans
rivets, eyelets, popper tape
and trouser hooks.
Durable Fasteners Ltd.
430 Kingsland Rd,
London E8 4AA
Tel: 020 7254 6713
www.durablefasteners.co.uk
30
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
FASHION FABRICS
EMPEE SILK FABRICS LTD
We carry one of the largest selections of
fabric in the UK. We carry a huge range
of plain and printed Satin, Lace, Organza,
Velvet, Foil, Cotton, P/C, Fun fur and many
more. All under one roof.
31 Commercial Road, Edmonton,
London N18 1TP
Call us now 020 8887 6000
or email empee@wholesalefabrics.co.uk
www.wholesalefabrics.co.uk
Redundant stocks bought for cash
British Manufacturing
London based manufacturers of
high-quality men’s and
women’s outerwear.
Produced in London and quick
delivery guaranteed.
Working with leading Design Labels
Full pattern & grading service available
High quality
Short lead times
21 Years in business
ISO9000 Accredited
Call 07956822594 or email
stellafashionsuk@hotmail.com
Call for details 07887 643377
To advertise in this section please
Contact
Josh Lomas 020 3033 2865
joshua.lomas@EMAP.com
BUYERS GUIDE
TO ADVERTISE
CONTACT: Josh Lomas 020 3033 2865 joshua.lomas@emap.com
DEADLINES: 4 DAYS PRIOR TO PUBLICATION. CANCELLATION 1 WEEK PRIOR
Exhibition Stands
Buyers Guide
Noticeboard
STOCK WANTED
STOCK WANTED
FREELANCE SERVICES
Stock Required
Established 1973
,Z[HISPZOLK
WE BUY RETAIL
OVERSTOCKS
Tel: 020 8208 0404
Fax: 020 8364 8859
stock@lssservices.co.uk
14 large stores in Eastern Europe,
Require large quantities of any type of excess clothing stock,
Menswear, Womenswear and childrenswear
imminent payment made to suit.
Please contact
Hawkeye Stock Buying
0203 761 7039
howard@hawkeyestockbuyers.co.uk
THE GRADING BUREAU
Computer grading and costing
Tel: 020 8361 1444
www.gradingbureau.com
D ATAGR A F LT D
www.drapersonline.com
STOCK WANTED
!,,&!"2)#3"/5'(4
FROMREMNANTSTOTOTALBULK
CLEARANCEIMMEDIATEDECISION
ANDPAYMENT
COLLECTIONS WANTED
Established
Distributors/Agents of
ladies cocktail, evening
and Mother of the Bride
Collections with large
modern showroom
In London, looking for
additional Collections of
smart daywear and
Occasionwear to
enhance our portfolio.
Please contact Elana Forman
Tel: 0208 446 6792 or
Email: elana@elana-patrice.co.uk
Please mention Drapers when replying to these adverts
#ONTACT-ARKOR
AUGUST 8 2015
Drapers \
31
MY FASHION LIFE
H
aving worked for
both Drapers and
trade show Pure as
commercial director
for 15 years, Lucy Walsh has now
launched her sales agency The
Brand Ambassadors for spring 16.
She reveals why she decided to
take the next step in her fashion
career, as well as some highlights
from her time in the industry.
You’re launching your own sales
agency for spring 16. Tell us
about it. I’ve been obsessed with
women’s fashion from an early age.
I was lucky enough to land a job at
Drapers straight out of university
and after a decade there I went to
womenswear trade show Pure for
five years. My role changed when
I returned from maternity leave
with my second child. Feeling a
little unfulfilled, I looked to fill
the void. Thinking about my love
of fashion, my contacts in the
industry and my eye for spotting
the latest brands, my friend Jules
from the agency Middleton Green
suggested I do what she does and
become an agent. It seemed like the perfect
match and something I knew I would love. I get
to spend all day talking about clothes to people
who are equally as obsessed with fashion.
What brands are you selling? I am launching
with three incredible brands: Danish clothing
and accessories label Black Lily, Danish trouser
and jeans-focused brand Mos Mosh and Parisian
label Toupy. I launched all three at Scoop in
London on August 2-4.
What do you look for in prospective brands?
From my time at Drapers and Pure, I know
just how important it is for brands to invest
in marketing. Good-quality lookbooks with
inspiring photoshoots are worth their weight
in gold. They can make or break the brand. I
would also emphasise how imperative it is for
a brand to show at a London exhibition; it’s
essential to have that platform to be able to
showcase the brand.
What sets your agency apart? There are
so many great agencies out there that I would
like to emulate: Middleton Green, Macandi,
Palladio, FOS and BLD set the standards. I
bake cupcakes, give them to retailers with the
lookbooks and ask them to take five minutes
to flick through the catalogues. If they like
anything, they’ll give me a call and book in a
meeting – with more cupcakes. I’m basically
bribing them with a sugar fix.
You have lots of industry experience. What
has it taught you? Be kind to people. I’ve always
said I was a sales person with a conscience and
I would only want to sell something if I really
thought it was right for the customer.
32
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
Lucy
WALSH
The founder of sales agency
The Brand Ambassadors
on her days at Drapers
and wooing prospective
clients with cupcakes
Interview by GRAEME MORAN
Wow factor: Lucy’s
Terry de Havilland
wedding shoes
What are some highlights
from your time working at
Drapers and Pure? Getting to
go to some great fashion shows
at London Fashion Week was a
definite highlight. Prince doing
an impromptu performance at
the Matthew Williamson show
in 2007 has got to be one of my
favourite moments of all time –
I’m a huge fan.
You’ve also spent lots of time
at trade shows. What in your
opinion makes a good one?
Great brands, curated well and
with lots of the right buyers.
Music is a must and I can’t
believe how many shows don’t
have any. And seating and
decent affordable food – there
is nothing worse than having
to sit on the floor eating an
expensive, soggy sandwich.
Tell us a story from your
trade show travels. One of
the funniest things that ever
happened was when a colleague
of mine dropped an entire
tray of champagne and buck’s
fizz over a buyer who was
wearing a white linen suit. I still giggle about
it, that poor buyer!
What’s the most treasured item in your
wardrobe? I can’t live without my Terry de
Havilland wedges. I have them in every colour;
they are so comfortable. My most treasured
pair are the ones Terry and I designed together
for my wedding in 2010. I told him I wanted
some ‘wow’ heels that were the colour of
Cadbury Dairy Milk but I couldn’t find any.
He suggested he make them.
What would we find you doing at the
weekend? Hanging out with my husband Chris
and two sons, Caleb, who’s three, and Sonny,
16 months, during the day. Going for a run and
then relaxing in the evening with my friends
and a glass of prosecco or cocktails and a boogie.
There is a big group of us that met at Leeds uni
16 years ago and we all moved back to London.
It’s so nice now our kids are friends too.
If you weren’t working in fashion, what would
you be doing? I love organising a party so I
think I would have gone into event coordinating.
I could bake cupcakes for the parties too. No
kids’ parties though – I couldn’t handle the noise
or the mess.
How would your clients and colleagues
describe you in three words? Maybe genuine,
personable, driven. Scrap that – it would probably
be ‘bakes delicious cakes’.
How would your best friends describe you
in three words? Life and soul.
To read more My Fashion Life interviews go to
Drapersonline.com/people/my-fashion-life
THE DRAPERS INTERVIEW JOHN VARVATOS
London calling
Fifteen years after opening his first store in New York, US menswear
designer John Varvatos has his sights firmly set on UK expansion
Words by LUKE TODD & CHARLOTTE ROGERS Photography by OLIVER HOLMS
E
ntering the John Varvatos store on
London’s Conduit Street is like
wandering into your favourite record
shop or gig venue, if the owner had
suddenly branched out into fashion.
Merchandised like a rock music collector’s treasure
trove, electric guitars and shelves of vinyl sit alongside soft leather jackets, sharp suits and dark denim.
Opened exactly a year ago this week, the 10,000
sq ft flagship is the largest in a 20-store portfolio
spanning the US, Canada, Mexico and Thailand. The
store also boasts the largest traffic to sales conversion
rate of any in the Varvatos portfolio, at 39%.
The American designer is focused on growing UK
wholesale with high-profile department stores and
boutiques beyond its existing three major accounts,
which include Matchesfashion.com. Opening new
standalone retail in the capital is another goal.
12
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
“We were excited by our first year in London, which
went better than expected,” says Varvatos, although
he refuses to provide specific figures for the UK. Wider
company sales reached $130m (£83.7m) in 2014.
He initially opted for Conduit Street following his
search for something different: “I like that it’s not
Bond Street. As beautiful as Bond Street is, it’s a little
too stuffy for me and Regent Street is too high street.
Savile Row is great but a little quiet, so Conduit
Street is the best of both worlds.”
Now on the lookout for his second store, his quest
for the perfect location means he has already
discounted a proposed unit in Westfield London.
“We’re looking at different areas in the city and a
few have been presented, but they’re not as
on-brand as we want. Westfield didn’t feel like it was
the next thing we wanted to do in London. The next
place needs to be somewhere a little funkier.”
AUGUST 8 2015 / Drapers 13
Turn it up to 11: the Conduit Street store
is designed to double as a gig space
With the chilled-out demeanour of a rock star fresh
off stage, the Detroit-born designer leans back on a
black velvet sofa in the basement of his three-storey
UK flagship. He is a keen guitarist himself and music
from The Smiths, Foo Fighters, Jimi Hendrix and
David Bowie pumps out of a set of Marshall amps
rigged up on a stage. Designed to double as a gig
space, the basement room is modelled on Varvatos’
Manhattan Bowery boutique, which opened in August
2008 on the site of the iconic 1970s punk club CBGB.
While Varvatos keeps his cards close to his chest,
Jace Tyrrell, deputy chief executive at the New West
End Company, the body which represents core retail
streets in central London, identifies a number of
potential locations for the next Varvatos store: “East
of Oxford Street could be good, with all the culture in
Fitzrovia and the new shopping development
Tottenham Court Walk on Tottenham Court Road.
“Another area would be Soho, particularly Berwick
or Broadwick Street, which have a great mix of office
buildings, media companies, independent coffee
shops and edgy brands. Space is at a premium, with
eight or nine businesses typically looking at any site,
but a smaller location off the main shopping streets
always benefits from the sheer volume of footfall.
“As the retailer is looking to widen its portfolio, it’s
good to have a range of store sizes and it helps to
cluster with like-minded brands. In these areas brands
also benefit from a mixed offer of dining and culture,
which is difficult for a shopping centre to replicate.”
Varvatos would not be drawn on how many stores
he plans to open, but expansion could involve standalone stores for the John Varvatos Star USA diffusion line. Launched in 2006, the label is aimed at
a younger age group of 20 to 35 and pitched at a
lower price point than the mainline collection. For
example, Star USA leather jackets retail for up to
£895, compared with prices in excess of £2,995 for
the mainline collection. Spanning denim, sportswear, tailoring, footwear and accessories, the Star
USA collection has a looser cut and worn-in look
Varvatos describes as “preppy meets punk”.
Surrey-based two-store menswear indie Robert
Fuller has stocked the Star USA line since autumn
2009, after seeing it at the Magic trade show in Las
Vegas in 2007. “I wanted something a bit different
14
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
and, as an indie, it’s nice to stock product you can’t
get everywhere,” says co-owner Richard Chapman.
“The collection has a rock ’n’ roll edge and
provides good quality for the price. Key pieces
include the Burnout T-shirt (£69 retail) and the
Bowery jean (£149). The collection appeals across
several generations and I think the brand has the
potential to grow in the UK market. I buy direct from
the US, but it would be good if they used the space
upstairs at the West End store as a showroom.”
Jack Green, owner of premium menswear independent Greens of Sunningdale in Berkshire, has
stocked the John Varvatos mainline collection since
2001, adding Star USA in 2006. “The collection fits
everyone and the fabrics are luxurious, in keeping
with the brand’s exclusive image. Prices range from
£60 for a Star USA T-shirt to £1,800 for a mainline
leather jacket. I stock around 70% of the range, but
no footwear. The mainline collection sits well alongside brands like Zegna and Nudie Jeans.”
DESPITE BEING POPULAR with a select number of
indies, the brand is relatively unknown among UK
consumers. Varvatos does not outline specific
numbers or targets for boosting the brand’s wholesale accounts, but he is adamant the push will be
restricted to protect its exclusive nature. He is
planning to double both print and digital marketing
spend from autumn 2015 onwards but declined
to reveal the level of investment.
Anusha Couttigane, fashion consultant at retail
analyst Conlumino, agrees that the brand has a low
profile in the UK but sees potential: “The UK menswear market is roughly half the size of womenswear,
so there’s growth potential. There’s been a big focus
on men’s tailoring, which John Varvatos could
benefit from,” she says.
“The only concern is that it has a very specific
1970s rock and roll aesthetic, which limits the
lifespan of the brand, as it might be hard to hook
younger customers than the over-40s. The price
point isn’t aimed at the mass market, so the focus
will be on cultivating a brand identity that speaks
to premium consumers.”
Outside the UK, Varvatos sees opportunities in
France, Germany and Russia, as well as the Middle
East, where it has a strong network of stockists,
although no standalone retail as yet.
His approach will be a considered one: “We
will put a larger emphasis on the UK. Being in the
right multibrand stores is key, but our biggest push
is on standalone retail and online. We feel Europe
is a big continent and you can’t win everywhere
all the time.”
In terms of product, a move into underwear is being
mooted, although there are no firm timings in place.
This sector is familiar to Varvatos. While head of
menswear design at Calvin Klein from 1990 to 1995,
he created the boxer brief by cutting the legs off a pair
of long johns. “I thought there was something very
cool about that fitted look. It was one of those things
that happened in five minutes and now boxers are the
biggest part of a man’s underwear range.
“I haven’t branched out into underwear yet,
because I want to make sure when I enter a category
that there’s something new, both conceptually and
product-wise. The same is true of womenswear. I’ve
learnt over the past five years that focus is crucial.
You can’t just translate the fit and overall aesthetic;
you need to tell the whole story. So womenswear is
on the back burner for now.”
While he is yet to move into these sectors,
Varvatos has not been afraid to branch out into
jewellery, accessories, fragrance and footwear.
The designer claims his 12-year collaboration with
US trainer brand Converse is the longest running
in footwear. Characterised by rich embossed
leathers and zip details, the collection is at premium
price points ranging from £115 to £174.
Not bad for a man who never set out to be a
designer. The lightbulb moment came when, aged
28, he decided to give up his job as Ralph Lauren’s
head of sales to study illustration and pattern
making, after which he became head of menswear
design at Calvin Klein. Five years later, he returned
as head of menswear design at Ralph Lauren, where
he honed his craft before leaving to start his eponymous label in 2000.
From the beginning the brand drew its inspiration
from music culture. The 49-year-old Varvatos grew
up in 1970s Detroit, a heady environment mixing
rock, jazz, blues, Motown, soul and gospel influences. “I came from a humble home and the only
way for me to go somewhere else was through
music,” he recalls. “From as young as I can
remember, music had the ability to suddenly transport me away.”
Over the past 15 years, Varvatos has aligned his
brand with musicians, dressing rock stars and bands
such as Iggy Pop and Kiss. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page
attended the London store opening. US guitarist Jack
White is his latest target: “He loves the label, but he’s
not a guy who wants to put his name with brands,
which makes me want to do it even more.”
Varvatos is hoping his aesthetic will strike a chord
with UK consumers, through a concerted push on
marketing, growing wholesale and increasing his
retail presence in London. While competition will
be fierce on the British high street, the combination
of his rock ’n’ roll lifestyle offering and the premium
price point could help him to carve out his own niche.
WOMENSWEAR TRADE SHOWS
TOUPY
SCOOP
French brand Toupy’s
Beauty top was a buyers’
favourite. The one-sizefits-all silky item comes
in 22 different colours
and wholesales for €48
(£34). A striped shirt
dress with peplum trim
was more fashion
focused. Wholesale
prices range from €22
(£15) for shorts to €94
(£65) for outerwear.
07779 332345
Toupy.fr
BRAVE SOUL
PURE
For autumn 15 Brave Soul offers a transitional
short-order range taking advantage of shorter
lead times from its Turkish suppliers. The military
look is strong in khaki, as are chiffon dresses, PU
elements and fringed jackets. Wholesale prices
range from £2.99 for a T-shirt to £20.99 for jackets.
0161 831 3700 Whisperingsmith.com
SUD EXPRESS SCOOP
Showing for the first time at Scoop, Parisian casual brand
Sud Express specialises in knitwear and outerwear, with a wide
range of unique knit pieces to offer buyers something different.
Alongside airy summer knits are a range of light printed tops,
blouses and dresses, with a lace cutout detail dress (£27.70) a
popular style with UK visitors. Wholesale prices range from £11
for a T-shirt to £39 for a merino jumper.
+33 06 83 85 13 76 Sudexpress.com
GLAMOROUS
PURE
A regular attendee at Pure, fast
fashion label Glamorous honed in
on the 1970s trend for short-order
autumn 15. Bell sleeves, lace-up
tops and dresses are mixed with
wide-leg trousers and jumpsuits.
Prints, including paisleys and
florals, are also key this autumn
and shift dresses are selling
well. It has also produced more
embellished pieces with sequin
tube dresses and matching
jackets for the Christmas party
season. Wholesale prices range
from £3.75 for a jersey top to £35
for an embellished dress.
07814 100265 Glamorous.com
16
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
CREAM OF
THE CROP
Pattern, colour and texture were in demand for shortand forward-ordering at Pure London and Scoop
Words by DRAPERS REPORTERS
MKT STUDIO
SCOOP
Debuting in the UK for spring 16 via
sales agency Level One, this French
brand showed its signature chinos
in 16 colours. Shirts often feature
embroidery and unique trimmings.
Wholesale prices range from £10 for
a scarf to £120 for a leather jacket.
07767 614124 Mktstudio.com
CARA PURE
Suede ankle boots were the order of the day at
footwear brand Cara, with two particular styles
catching Drapers’ eye. One camel-coloured style
featured a tassled design (£40), also available
in a stone grey. The brand showcased a simpler
version of the ankle boot too. Wholesale prices
range from £18 for a sandal up to £64 for an
over-the-knee boot.
01491 872044 Carashoes.co.uk
LOVE & OTHER
THINGS PURE
This Manchester brand showed at
Pure for the second time this season
and focused on transitional pieces
for its autumn 15 short-order range.
The 1970s influence is strong with
lace-up printed blouses, while
bandage dresses are also a big hit
with buyers. The label increased the
number of fake fur coats as they sold
well last year. Wholesale prices range
from £7 for a blouse to £25 for a coat.
0161 833 3111 Moguland.co.uk
BITTE KAI RAND
SCOOP
Prices have been lowered by
an average of 15% across Danish
label Bitte Kai Rand’s spring 16
collection, meaning no dresses
are priced more than £200. The
standout piece of the collection –
and buyers’ favourite – is a dress
featuring oversized typographical
print and layered panels of linen
and silk. Ecru and indigo colours
have been popular, alongside
the soft pink. Wholesale prices
range from £37 for a top to £74
for a dress.
07463 645670 Bittekairand.com
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
17
SET SCOOP
This seven-year-old German brand
will be stocked in Harrods for the first
time from mid-August. For spring 16, a
1970s theme is apparent throughout,
including a 70% viscose, 30% silk
paisley print jacket (£175), a denim
top with three-quarter-length flared
sleeves (£125), a denim trench coat
(£309) and a sleeveless cotton red
dress (£169). Wholesale prices range
from £39 for a basic T-shirt to £550
for a leather jacket.
020 7580 1474 Set-fashion.com
ROSEMUNDE
PURE
A core range of feminine silk and
lace basics of T-shirts and vests,
complemented by more trend-led
pieces including a blush jersey top,
ensured that Rosemunde stood out
at Pure. The Danish brand, which
has 80 accounts in the UK, has also
introduced a range of cashmere
and modal basics for spring 16.
Wholesale prices range from £13
for a vest up to £70 for a jacket.
020 7012 1420
Rosemunde.com
UNITED NUDE PURE
Drapers Footwear Award-winning brand United Nude focused on metallics
for spring 16. Gold and silver loafers and slide sandals are paired with neutral
trainers with metallic detailing. Standout pieces include stilettos with perspex
heels in black-and-purple and nude-and-clear colourways. Wholesale prices
start at £32 for slide sandals and go up to £128 for heeled sandals.
07436 272270 Unitednude.com
CHARLOTTE
SPARRE SCOOP
This Danish brand is 20 years old
but showed in the UK for the first
time this season. The collection is
made predominantly of silk, with
some jersey and knitwear included.
Items are tagged with stickers to
show the print options available,
with up to 1,000 per style. Most
popular pieces include a Pocahontasprint blue dress (£93), a navy
mosaic print dress (£116) and a
full-length kaftan in a loose paisley
print (£86).
020 7580 8644
Charlottesparre.com
18
Drapers / AUGUST 8 2015
NEON ROSE
PURE
With a new design direction for
autumn 15, short-order brand
Neon Rose impressed with a more
grown-up, sophisticated aesthetic.
A white wrap dress and a white
leather shearling jacket stood out,
along with more casual pieces.
Wholesale prices range from £10 for
a T-shirt to £42.90 for a patchwork
real shearling jacket.
0161 8352064 Neonrose.co.uk
SAINTY PURE
LAURÈL SCOOP
Chinese brand Sainty made its
UK trade show debut at Pure and
impressed with its quirky designs.
The 48-piece collection includes
a lightweight polyester jacket with
geometric design, a monochrome
silk blouse, digital print tops with
sheer sleeves and a white animal-print
jacket. Wholesale prices range from
£10 for a casual jacket to £30 for a
100% silk blouse.
+86 26 52875572
Saintycorp.com
Laurèl’s signature lace appears
throughout its broad spring
collection, ranging from threedimensional appliqués to crisp
white broderie anglaise and even a
fresh-looking printed lace. A jersey
dress with ruched waist detail that
comes in sleeved or sleeveless in a
variety of colours and patterns is a
bestseller, wholesaling for £95.
Wholesale prices range from £18
for vests to £350 for leather jackets.
07738 707019 Laurel.de
NATIVE YOUTH
PURE
Native Youth showed its
womenswear range for the first
time at Pure, with its second
spring range increased from 40
styles to 60. Khaki and denim are
key and standout pieces include
a wide-leg jumpsuit and a white
bouclé shorts and crop top
co-ord set. The brand plans to
add hats and accessories later
this season. Wholesale prices
range from £6.66 for a jersey crop
top to £25 for a lightweight jacket.
020 7739 7620
Native-youth.com
SECOND FEMALE SCOOP
Cool blues were the colour story for Danish brand Second Female, teamed with
off-whites and greys. Slouchy long tops, roomy blouses and elongated shirts were
popular with buyers, nodding to the brand’s pared-back Scandi look, while a
1970s vibe appeared through suede outerwear layers and lace-up shirts.
Wholesale prices range from £20 for a top to £91 for a reversible wool jacket.
07769 703584 Secondfemale.com
To see a gallery of our 52 top picks from the Pure London and Scoop spring
16 trade shows, visit Drapersonline.com/pureandscoopspring16
AUGUST 8 2015 /
Drapers
19
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