January - July 2020 Canada Post Agreement #41957515 2020Retail Vision Top Ten Trends SmallShops -BigIdeas Retail Success Taking S/S 2020 by Storm Accessories Business or Entertainment? Runway Review The Magazine for Canadian Fashion Retailers Fashion Canadian for Magazine The
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JANUARY 2020 trendsThe Magazine for Canadian Fashion Retailers SPECIAL FEATURES 38 Top 10 Trends Socially and ethically minded youth impact SS20 womenswear Volume 11 Issue 21 January 2020 trends and buying patterns.
58 Sustainability in Business A sustainability strategy to future-proof businesses in an age of informed and socially minded consumers. Publisher / Editor 8 Kait Walker [email protected] Editorial Contributors DEPARTMENTS 8 Kirsten Mogg 8 Lucy Lau 8 Naeme El-Zein 08 Industry News 8 Ani Nersessian Dawn of a New Decade - opportunities and inspiration amid environmental, political and business disruptions. Editor / Art Director 8 Kim Walker [email protected] 22 Retail Success National Sales Manager. Small retailers with new ideas make landlords and municipalities 8 [email protected] recognize that independents have an important role to play. 705-426-1712 Website Address 8 trendsmagazine.ca Email Address 8 [email protected] 32 Accessories Canadian designers take 2020 Spring/Summer runways by storm. Subscriptions 8 [email protected] Head Office 8 Beaverton ON L0K 1A0 42 Runway Review Have entertainment and activism overtaken business interests? Spring 2020 runways deploy new strategies as they try to adapt. Circulation 8 [email protected] Toll-Free: 8 1-877-547-2246 50 Visual Merchandising Avoid the Stockroom Syndrome - how to display merchandise All rights reserved. effectively to tell a story and give shoppers a break. Trends is published biannually. Contents may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for the contents of any advertisement. Any representations or warranties are those of the advertiser and not the publisher. 52 Vancouver Fashion Week The advertiser is responsible for obtaining permission to use any photographs or VFW presents the major trends of the season. images used in an advertisement. The publisher is not liable for misprints that are not the fault of the publisher and in such an event the limit of the publisher’s liability will not exceed the amount the publisher charged for the advertising. 60 Show Calendar Subscription Rates: Dates and venues for 2020 Canadian, US & International shows. Canada 1 year CDN $22.00 United States 1 year $33.00 All other countries 1 year $44.00 Single Copies: Canada $11.00 Canada Post Agreement Number 41957515 Cover Photo
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Industry News By Kirsten Mogg
Dawn Of A New Decade The ten-year post recession expansion cycle is either imminently doomed or just getting started, depending on whom you ask. Global politics, climate change, and technology continue to disrupt. Consumer activism is on the rise. Trade policies are a question mark although the USMCA (NAFTA 2.0) agreement seems finally to have bi-partisan approval and can proceed to ratification. The Color of the Year 2020: Classic Blue 19-4052 WTO is in disarray and trade agreements will need to be rewritten when the Courtesy of Pantone Color Institute UK leaves the Canadian European Trade Agreement (CETA). Pantone Color of the Year Climate Change Pantone suggests that its Color of the Year 2020, Blue 19-4052, is both Perhaps the most impactful challenge to the fashion industry, labeled as a futuristic and classic. Darker than the optimistic and peaceful sky blue significant global polluter, is a demand for urgent action on climate change led Pantone selected a decade ago, this blue is closer to cobalt derived pigments by sixteen year old Greta Thunberg. Consumers are responding by calling for used for centuries to tint glass, ceramics and paint. Being neither masculine political and corporate action. nor feminine it suggests a genderless trend while at the same time reflecting a trend toward highly contrasting points of view - either a refreshing yet United Nations peaceful colour referencing an oasis of calm in troubled times or a Mark Carney, the former investment banker and Bank of Canada chief is disappointing, moody safe choice more suited to cars, political parties, leaving his post as the head of the Bank of England. He has accepted a new technology firms and conservative men’s suits. role as United Nations special envoy on climate action and climate finance This blue will be successful in fashion when presented in modern materials reporting to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Carney takes over from in a contemporary way or enlivened by its complimentary colours of Michael Bloomberg, former Mayor of New York, and US Democratic Presidential orange, black and white. Expect to see it in dark jeans, suiting, sportswear, candidate. Carney will build on the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial shimmery metallics, lace or velvet and in beauty products for nails, lips Disclosures (TCFD) initiated by G20 leaders in 2015. About 80 percent of and hair. top 1,100 global companies already disclose climate risks aligned with those guidelines. Convincing companies to take up this global financial reporting framework is of great interest to investors who need to assess the corporate risks associated with climate change. Although there is heated disagreement over the price of carbon emissions, Canadian companies already operate in an environment that puts a dollar value on climate risk. The Canadian Securities Administration and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions issued new guidelines for accounting and reporting standards for public and regulated companies last year. Increasingly, taking climate related risks can reduce a company’s ability to raise capital.
Preferred Fibre Production The Textile Exchange defines ‘preferred fibers’ as materials with an improved social and environmental impact, an important requirement for the UN SDGs. In their latest Preferred Fiber and Materials Market Report, La Rhea Pepper, managing director, outlined the scale of the challenge that could become even more daunting. “Global fiber production has doubled in the last 20 years, reaching an all-time high of 107 million metric tons in 2018. If business-as-usual continues, it is expected to grow to 145 million metric tons by 2030.” Polyester has the largest share, followed by cotton and man-made cellulosics, while linen, leather, silk and wool are a small and shrinking part of the global fibre pie. The share of recycled polyester grew from 8% to 13% in just ten years, although China’s ban on imported plastic waste caused a decline of 16% in 2017. More promising is the reported increased production of ‘preferred’ Juno Award winning artist Iskwe opened Canadian designer fibres. The share of other recycled synthetics and bio-synthetics remains very Lesley Hampton’s runway show in February 2019 small. Preferred cotton more than doubled over 2013/14 to reach 22% of global Hampton has Anishinaabe and Mohawk heritage cotton production in 2017/18. Photo : George Pimentel
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Science Based Standards The gold standards for textile sustainability are based on scientific measurements Canadian companies including Arc’terx, Aritzia, Lululemon and MEC sent and broad-based industry collaboration. The non-profit Textile Exchange has representatives to the roundtables organized for specific fibres such as facilitated working groups in specific textile sectors for years. Representatives polyester, cotton, cellulosics, wool and cashmere. There is much more from fibre to finished product within each specialized area work towards to be done. The next Textile Exchange Global Conference will be held in consensus and establish voluntary global standards for the industry. Dublin, Ireland during the first week in November, 2020. The issues are many and complex, but there is progress and public corporate commitments have been made by global players such as Kering, Ikea and H&M Group. At the 2019 Textile Exchange conference held in Vancouver last October, over 900 international industry product developers, production and sourcing executives from fibre producers, mills, manufacturers, retailers, NGO’s and standards organizations came together to discuss solutions and push forward toward the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Scaling up is a priority and it’s clear that the leaders in the room were far ahead of the industry in general. Presentations emphasized how some fiber producers, textile and apparel companies and retailers are executing real, measurable changes to their individual and collective industries. Some, like Kering, are sharing open-source information and playing a leading role in convincing large players to sign up to the Global Fashion Pact launched at the G7 in Biarritz, France in August. The key take-away for a Canadian apparel brand or retailer is this: sustainability is no longer a single item, a marketing slogan, a compliance checkbox or a single department. Actual movement towards sustainability must be led from the top and operationally resourced with employees in every discipline who have Ikea and H&M Group made joint public empowerment, training and the tools to design a product that approaches carbon commitments on their SDG2030 goals neutral or carbon positive status as it moves through the textile pipeline. at Textile Exchange
Golden Opportunties There are already many quality and compliance standards for textiles and apparel. However, there is no single global standard against which all products designed with environmental concerns in mind can be measured. Over the next decade for-profit companies will move to create, license and provide policing of environmental standards required by retailers and government authorities. Apparel companies offering products on the cutting edge of climate change standards are enjoying expanded business opportunities. Cruelty-free thermal fill insulates the brand against vegan activism Courtesy of Woodpecker
Woodpecker makes a strong statement on giant new outerwear label Photo : K.Mogg
Will Poho’s new Woodpecker premium outerwear brand launched successfully last fall with custom camo, a variety of vegan friendly ‘cruelty-free’ insulated puffer styles with slick wet-look fabrics. Instead of typical external branding, animal insignias adorn the sleeves. The neck labels on men’s coats sport a giant Courtesy of Nudnik Inc. burning white house while labels on the women’s line portray a Canadian children’s brand Nudnik more inclusive family of bears of all shifted from post to pre-consumer colours. Poho says the line did very organic cotton to ensure a circular Men’s Bumnester Wet Black Gold & Women’s red penguin coats well and he expects sales to catch fire source, control of product quality and Courtesy of Woodpecker for AW20/21. aesthetics, and the ability to scale.
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4...... 4 INDUSTRY NEWS ...... THE UPSIDE OF DOWN The implementation of standards and labeling for responsible down, recycled down and sustainable down alternatives is a tribute to progress over the pursuit Updated Responsible Down Standard of perfection. The Responsible Down Standard appears to be gaining global acceptance over the Traceable Down Standard and the Downpass Standard. The RDS Stuffing Regulations first introduced in 2008 was written by the Textile Exchange, Control Union Policy is easy to implement, but hard to reverse. Quebec’s enforcement of (a certification body), and The North Face. Last year, an updated RDS 3.0 antiquated Upholstered & Stuffed Articles regulations is “outdated, standard was released with input from global stakeholders. arbitrary and punitive” and “a barrier to free trade”. So says a report to the U.S. China is the source of 70% to 90% of the 270,000 metric tons of down Trade Representative by the American Apparel & Footwear Association who produced annually. Supply is highly fragmented with many small and worked for years with the Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF) to remove medium-size producers, however the Textile Exchange has certified over 6,000 this regulatory requirement on apparel. farms and 904 processing sites in 2018, a significant increase since 2014. Bob Kirke, CAF executive director, puts it a little more bluntly, “It’s a zombie Over 70 brands have certified supply chains using RDS, including Canadian regulation. It serves no purpose for apparel and should be removed.” companies Arc’teryx Equipment, Aritzia, Indygena, Lululemon Athletica Quebec is the only jurisdiction that still has decades-old rules with an ambiguous Inc., Mackage, and MEC. and unenforced ‘health and safety’ rationale. What’s more, the restrictions Patagonia remains a committed global leader when it comes to down traceability represent a cost to Canadian manufacturers, importers and retailers. Rules and standards. The company started to trace down in 2007 and today their fall require any product made for Canadian distribution using recycled materials 2017 virgin down-filled products meet the advanced Global TDS standard. such as polyester or down to have a label identifying the garment as a “second hand article”. “It was neither cheap nor easy. And we had to re-examine our strategy and business operations in the process. But building a long-lasting product that Most affected are companies creating and selling insulated outerwear such as helps you stay warm in good conscience is a legacy of which we are extremely parkas and puffer coats. The trend to more sustainable recycled options leaves proud.” the government of Quebec behind the times and out of sync with the industry and eco-conscious consumers. CAF is seeking an end to the requirement A proposal to merge RDS and Global TDS was dropped due to different in early 2020 so that production of AW 20/21 winter outerwear can be stakeholders and areas of concentration. unencumbered by outdated regulations.
Fall/Winter 19 Aritzia Super Puff coats wear Responsible Down Standard tag Aritzia SuperPuff display Photo : K. Mogg Photo : K.Mogg RE:Down© email campaign, Sept 2019 Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger Indygena is a sustainably-driven outerwear company founded in Montreal in 2014 by three design and outerwear veterans: Jean-Pierre Ferrandez, the Recycled Down former head of international development for Orage and co-founder of Lolë Several European companies have developed methods to collect and produce and Paradox labels; Isabelle Vigneault, the executive director; and Stéphanie recycled down. Allied Feather and the Neokdun brand from Navarpluma SL of Noël, who studied at Jean-Charles de Castelbajac in Paris, is vice president Spain created a feather and down re-processing system sourced from the food of creation. The brand is available at MEC, Altitude Sports, Monod Sports industry in 2001. In September 2019, Navarpluma and Applied DNA Sciences in Banff, Trailhead Paddle Shack in Ottawa and Arthur James Clothing announced a partnership for a DNA based traceability project. The same month, Company in Newfoundland, among others. In August, the Canada Economic Japanese company Toray announced a collaboration with Uniqlo to reclaim Development for Quebec Regions granted a $250,000 repayable contribution and recycle down from apparel collected in Uniqlo stores. to Indygena to develop new markets in the U.S. The company places design at Meanwhile, the French company RE:Down has built a commercial system that the centre of sustainable solutions while recognizing the challenges. achieves 97 percent of their zero waste goal that did meet the Global Recycled “The complexity of the supply chain and multiple components of a garment lay Standard (GRS). Re:Down partners with textile waste collectors, charities and great challenges in our quest for sustainable measures.” retailers to collect post-consumer down products (clothing, stuffed articles, bedding). Their energy-efficient and re-usable water facility in Hungary The company has published specific sustainability goals to be achieved by separates, sterilizes and re-processes down without the use of chemicals to 2025. “Indygena is committed to replace synthetic fibers with recycled plastic produce recycled down that retains its natural insulating properties. Other polyethylene terephthalate (PET), recycled nylon, natural and/or organic fibers materials are recycled into non-woven insulation and broken feathers are turned by 2025 in its entire collection. 100% of our materials contain polyester or into organic fertilizer. In 2019, brands such as Tommy Hilfiger began to nylon, where our greater environmental impact takes place right now in the promote the use of re:Down in their products. supply chain.”
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TOOL CHEST
Use The Free Library Achieving sustainability may seem overwhelming for a small fashion company free access to a searchable library with extensive information from vetted trying to do the right thing with limited resources. At the World Ethical resources that include reports, guidelines, standards, articles, podcasts and case Apparel Roundtable (WEAR) in 2019, the host and organizer, Fashion Takes studies. The goal is to make information ‘findable’, which will help companies Action, published The Sustainable Fashion Toolkit with the help of PWC. and individuals in the industry make progress toward sustainability. The online resource (sustainablefashiontoolkit.com) gives apparel companies
FTA Sustainable Fashion Toolkit
BCorp: A Fashion Status Symbol At the WEAR conference in Toronto last October, Ethan Song, co-founder Trust Tools of Frank & Oak, explained why he took his company through the process to Truepic is a secure imaging pipeline. At the moment a photo or video is taken, become a Certified B Corporation. its origin, contents and metadata are verifiable. The company offers digital “From the beginning we were involved in sustainability, community forensics to organizations in need of certainty throughout their supply chain. involvement. We always felt we were doing the right thing as a business, but how do you know you are taking the right actions? BCorp offers a framework.” Second Hand Stigma Fades Song was confident, but the process was tougher than expected. The fees were At WEAR, Chris Homer, co-founder of Calfornia-based reseller ThreadUP’ not substantial, but it required significant human and other resources to implement said, “We started with a mission to inspire a new generation of consumers to organizational improvements in order to achieve the points needed to reach the think second-hand first. When we started there was a stigma - over time it has BCorp standard. evaporated.” “It took us two years to get certified and it gets more challenging as you get ThreadUp designed and built its own software technology and in-house bigger. The more complex your business, the more complex your supply chain processes and has the first data set in the world able to price items, add tags and and governance, the harder it is to get certified. I put together a cross-disciplinary put attributes on those items, and determine which products should be available squad and we met for 2-3 hours every single week until we got it.” online or at physical retail. ThreadUP’s success lies in the ability to offer shoppers a tailored treasure hunt covering 35,000 brands in 100 categories. Hot A growing number of Canadian clothing companies of all sizes have become retail brand Reformation partnered with ThreadUP on a give-some-get-some BCorps, including Kotn, Tentree, Grey Rock Clothing Co., and Poppy Barley, Reformation x ThreadUP campaign to help burnish their eco-credibility. all of which have been part of previous Trends Magazine stories. Over the past year, ThreadUP’s business in Canada has grown by 70% before its official launch. EVENTS & AWARDS Winter Sports Apparel & Gear Combo Marisa Nicholson, Outdoor Retailer's senior vice president and show director, and 12 months of business mentoring. Last year, two promising Canadians were announced in August the merger of the Winter Market and the Snow Show. short-listed: 3.Paradis men’s streetwear brand and Marie-Ève Lecavalier the Renamed the Outdoor + Snow Show, the combined trade shows for winter winner of the CAFA/Swarovski Award for Emerging Talent in 2019. gear and apparel will run from January 29 to 31, 2020 in Denver. Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards has set April 30, 2020 as the deadline for nominations. The 2020 CAFA Awards gala at the Fairmount Royal York will be Fashion Career Fair Returns to Toronto in March held on May 29, 2020. The Suzanne Rogers Designer Grant for International After a successful one-day event in 2018, the Canadian Apparel Federation Development is a $20,000 prize that includes mentorship, one of the best and the City of Toronto will again co-host a Fashion Career Fair and Expo financial opportunities for emerging designers in the country. However, it pales on March 10, 2020. They plan to expand on the event, which drew over 350 in comparison to similar prizes for similar talent such as the LVMH Prize or qualified candidates from area fashion schools and showcased speakers and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in the U.S. which hands out US$400,000 for exhibits from some of the leading industry employers in the GTA. the winner and $150,000 to the two runners-up. A jury will select an outstanding Canadian fashion designer or brand that has demonstrated significant impact, The seventh edition of the LVMH Prize for emerging designers is open for growth, and maturity and is poised to expand internationally. In 2019, the submissions until February 2, 2020. The most substantial award for emerging Suzanne Rogers grant went to Sid Neigum, who also received the CAFA designer talent presents the winner with €300,000 Euros in financial support Womenswear Designer of the Year Award.
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RETAIL TRENDS Super Winners A Modern Underwear Index According to the 2020 State of the Fashion Industry Back in the 1970s, former U.S. Federal Reserve report by McKinsey, only a few public global fashion chairman Alan Greenspan suggested an ‘underwear companies are ‘Superwinners’ while the rest struggle index’ to predict where the economy is headed. to make a profit. He based it on the premise that men buy new briefs Increasingly, profit is gained at the retail extremes of when they felt confident about the future. The luxury or discount. With the exception of Inditex informal index tracked Hanesbrands stock against (Zara, Massimo Dutti), those in the middle are the Standard & Poors whereas the closest weaker fiscal performers. The report identifies comparable public company in Canada today would among the Superwinners LVMH on the luxury end be Montreal-based Gildan Activewear, which makes with H&M and TJX (Winners, Marshall’s) in the basic t-shirts and socks. If Greenspan were around, discount arena. he might note a divergence in the performance of private high-end companies versus those dressing Giant Tiger celebrated 50 years since opening in the middle market. Ottawa’s Byward Market. The company has stepped up its fashion and moved into the void left by Sears, Despite the collapsing fortunes of Victoria’s Secret, Target and Zellers by opening 201 stores in cost- two Canadian underwear companies do provide conscious secondary markets. Its profitable business promising predictions of the economic future. model competes with Walmart. Saxx men’s underwear became the fastest growing “By keeping our costs low, we compete on price and underwear brand in North America. Founded in still make a profit,” Vancouver in 2006, it is known for its patented ~ Andy Gross, President and CEO of Giant Tiger ‘ballpark’ pouch. Trent Kitsch, Saxx founder, has moved on from underwear to construction, cannabis High Cost of Returns and wineries in the Okanagan after selling Saxx in Giant Tiger men’s ACX reversible packable puffer 2015. Courtesy of Giant Tiger The volume and costs of returns are staggering. Knix (Knixwear) is a body-positive brand for women Digital Disruptors Weakening In the U.S. and probably in Canada, 11% of total annual retail sales are returned and of those returns started by Joanna Griffiths in Toronto in 2013. For some time, bricks and mortar retailers have 13% are apparel items and 9% are footwear, according She led her company’s growth by acquiring highly raced to join direct-to-consumer sales on digital to the National Retail Federation. engaged customers and adding a range of specialized platforms. To compete with lower overhead, wire-free products that address parts of the market Another statistic from Shopify should give endless aisles and free shipping, traditional retailers previously ignored, like leak-proof fashionable e-commerce retailers pause: in just four years, the had to change their distribution platforms, reduce underwear and a range of sizes more fitting for the total expected cost of return deliveries swallowed their store footprints, and build a seamless and whole population. by U.S. retailers is up by over 75% and forecast to exciting shopping experience. reach US$550 billion. In the fall of last year, Knix opened its first retail Headlines still tout the death of traditional retail but Recovering expenses on returned merchandise sold locations as long-term popups in Vancouver and now there are signs that Amazon, the king of digital at a discount costs retailers 4.4% of total revenue, Toronto where it introduced loungewear, maternity disruption, has fallen on hard times as the costs of according to DHL. That plus lost sales is why some and Knixteen, a sub-brand of underwear for teens. e-commerce returns, delivery, and digital marketing retailers are reducing the window for returns from take a toll. Griffiths has raised $1 million through a record- 30 to 14 days or less. Others are trying the subscription setting crowd-funding campaign and small In addition, Quebec and Saskatchewan introduced model or asking consumers to pay higher ‘restocking’ investments from advisors like Bravado Designs new local sales taxes for foreign sellers a year ago, fees. These policies might help, but they may not go plus a partnership with Nordstrom. Last year she something the Retail Council of Canada and local over well with customers used to more leeway. raised $5.7 million towards the next phase of growth retailers such as Larry Rosen have been seeking The competition is just one click away. through Action Capital. for a long time.
Cut To The Future Graysha Audren, BA Textile Design, presented the design concept “Seamless Woven Workwear For The Automated Future” as part of the “Designing in Turbulent Times” exhibit at the University of Arts in London. The weaving techniques bypasses traditional cut and sew processes to create seamless garments of organic cotton and natural indigo engineered directly on the loom. Seamless workwear design by Graysha Audren UAL exhibit, London 2019 Photo : K. Mogg
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4...... 4 INDUSTRY NEWS ...... Stores With Nothing To Sell Luxury brands display minimal stock in highly controlled environments. Canada Goose, for example, has opened a theatrically frozen but empty store at CF Sherway Gardens in Toronto. There is a crevasse, fake ice and a room resembling a snow globe, but almost no inventory. CEO Dani Reiss expects to attract customers in search of an experience who then shop and post online and tell their friends all about it. The new store is a marketing exercise to link the brand with the harsh, cold north and to distinguish it from the increasing number of premium coat competitors with high-end retail stores. Reiss told the National Post, “You’re entering a new world. You’re entering the world of Canada Goose. You’re entering the Arctic.” He also explained that the store is not accountable for achieving the typical performance metrics Ribbit app used by BIA’s in Toronto to encourage local shopping with rewards at other stores. Delivery Too expensive To Be Disruptive “There are measurable objectives to do with this store, but they don’t have to do with store performance or sales per square foot or any of that stuff. I think that In the online food marketplace, delivery costs are the reason 37% of people would drive the wrong behaviour.” choose not to order. Where market demand exists but rental rates are prohibitive, restaurants are turning to ‘cloud kitchens’ to cook up better profits with no Luxury brands regularly introduce new, exquisite products and accomplish that front-of-house and no wait staff. Similarly, shoppers abandon online shopping by hiring star designers who inject new concepts and bring along their followers. carts at clothing retailers when they see the additional shipping costs. So far, Canada Goose is taking a marketing approach. Amazon and Shopify are both building last mile distribution centres in proximity Fast-growing luxury reseller The RealReal posts an annual list of the top 10 to some of Canada’s larger markets, but free same day or next day deliveries is most-searched-for brands. Gucci and Louis Vuitton are the top two followed expensive. In search of a solution that lets the company stock more product and by third place Chanel with less than half the interest. Demand for Gucci fulfill faster,Nordstrom has partnered with two robotics startups, Attabotics and increased by 78 percent but Balenciaga had the most impressive gains taking Tompkins Robotics, in a test of a new type of automated distribution centre in it to tenth spot for the first time. In the report issued in August, Sasha Skoda, San Jose, CA. category director for women’s, said that when young visionary designers are brought on board it helps heritage labels reach the top ten. “Balenciaga brought in Demna Gvasalia, Louis Vuitton brought in Virgil Abloh in men’s, and Gucci brought in Alessandro Michele. They all re-imagined the brands in ways that speak to the Millennial and Gen Z customer base in a way they previously have not.”
NRF 2020 Preview Every January, the National Retail Federation hosts the “Big Show” in New York. Technology suppliers offer retail tools to improve every aspect of merchandise planning, store operations, e-commerce, distribution and delivery services to AMEX shop small campaign for the Saturday after Black Friday 2019 packaging, in-store display, consumer tracking and engagement. One of the challenges retailers have is evaluating which tech is right for them Digital Marketing Costs Soar and how to affordably integrate the new cloud-based ‘big data’ options into Search advertising has slowed globally, according to research by WARC. Global their legacy systems in a way that will give them a competitive edge. A full search ad spend will rise 9.6% this year ($135.5 billion), the slowest rate since roster of candid guest speakers and an Innovation Lounge full of interesting 2015. The share of search internet advertising remains about the same proportion startup ideas provide an opportunity to gather valuable retail insights. at 45.8%. Google controls 95% of search in Canada, but increased search competition from Amazon has prompted testing of new revenue sources: increased ad prominence in search engine results page; increased number of Food for Dinosaurs ads in the same auctions; and forced search placements to other properties like Department stores and malls have been referred to as retail dinosaurs. YouTube and Google Maps. Some are successfully avoiding extinction by selling off real estate (HBC) or That last trend could impact independent retailers. Implementing automated battling back with smaller urban formats supported by smart warehousing and ‘smart’ formats for shopping and local campaigns takes control and distribution (Ikea). Some profitably sub-let space to brands and other retailers. transparency away from advertisers. Some retailers looking for shoppers with Events, private brands and ‘discovery’ merchandise help to draw traffic. ‘search intent’ may do better by migrating their ad spend to Pinterest, Food also draws shoppers as evidenced by fine dining at Collette inside Holt YouTube, Quora or Facebook where consumers spend more time researching Renfrew at Yorkdale Mall. Even the smallest retailer can add hospitality to the before making a purchase decision. shopping experience by setting up a beverage barista, offering packaged foods In November, Pinterest announced a new profile page in the U.S. called or take-out treats. Pinterest Shop. Seventeen small brands were ‘selected’ to upload their For inspiration look to the great food halls of the world like the one at Harrods with catalogues as part of Pinterest’s strategy to offer marketers an alternative to its robust multisensory experience. Harrod’s Motorcar Garage and Workshops Google, Facebook and, increasingly, Amazon as a destination for their digital actually functioned as a warehouse from 1911 to 2016 when it was transformed ad buys. If the initiative is successful the roster of businesses may expand to into luxury residences, offices and small ground-floor retail in close proximity include both USA and international brands. to Chanel, Joseph, J. Crew and Stella McCartney.
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High Fashion Fabrics A newly refreshed Musée des Tissus de Lyon has “reinvented itself as a place of inspiration and reflection celebrating the textile industry through fashion, design and digital technology” An exhibit on until March 8, 2020, showcases works of the late Yves Christian Louboutin Pigalle shoe, Saint Laurent featuring a replication © Christian Louboutin of his studio with colour charts and Photo : Jean Vincent Simone fabric sample books along with 25 pieces from his haute couture Christian Louboutin collections from 1962 to 2002. On February 26, the Christian The exhibit features sketches, muslins, Louboutin L’exhibition[niste] opens photographs, and finished garments in Paris at the Palais de la Porte seen only on the runway. Stunning Dorée. Olivier Gabet, director of the jacquards, chiffon, taffeta and velvets Musée des Arts Décoratifs, with the created by renowned silk weavers financial sponsorship of Nordstrom, from the area will also be on display. has curated an exhibit from the designer’s The show stopper is a gold and private collection. Yves Saint Laurent jewel-encrusted ‘Shakespeare’ wedding During his adolescence, Louboutin Shakespeare wedding dress dress from 1980 designed by YSL. lived near the museum that was to play an influential role in his early designs beginning in 1991. Forms and motifs, such as the metallic leathers of Yves Saint Laurent Cleopatra Dress his Maquereau shoe, were inspired Spring Summer 1990 haute couture by the iridescent fish in the museum’s © Yves Saint Laurent Photo : Pierre Verrier tropical aquarium. A cartoon of a shoe with a red ‘X’ forbidding visitors to wear high-heels was the inspiration for his iconic Pigalle shoe.
Yves Saint Laurent Yves Saint Laurent silk suit (detail) Cleopatra dress (detail) Spring Summer 1990 haute couture Photo : Sophie Carré © Yves Saint Laurent Photo : Sophie Carré Canadian Design Excellence In 2017, Avyn Omel, in St. Mary’s, Ontario, launched her brand of ageless apparel designed with a dancer’s understanding of the body in motion and an approach to excellence in craftsmanship. In March 2018, she showed her first collection in Paris. In 2019, she won the RBC Foundation Design Exchange (DX) Award for an emerging Canadian fashion designer. The collection is produced in Veneto, Italy, using Italian and Japanese fabrics, leather and down. Avyn styles are a minimalist contemporary merge of masculine and feminine Silk and cotton sateen overcoat and silk plisse dress that draws on earlier work at conceptual fashion design studios in London and SS20 collection by Canadian designer Avyn Omel Berlin. Her collection for AW 20/21 will show in Paris in February. The collection Photo : Marina Denisova Courtesy of Avyn Studio Inc. is sold at INK in Hong Kong and Zoven Boutique in Shenzen, China.
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Many shop windows have gone dark in big once avoided. An additional incentive comes from cities and small towns, in malls and on main streets. consumers who are willing to pay more for a RETAIL Cheap capital, e-commerce competition and perverse shopping experience and personal services from tax incentives have combined to make it difficult interesting and locally connected shops. for some retailers to operate profitably. Some This confluence of market forces might just make Canadian municipalities and commercial property the best conditions for independent retailers to thrive. SUCCESS owners have begun to reassess the important role Policy shifts can go some way to lifting barriers, but small retail plays in sustaining their communities. for independent fashion retailers, competition remains A Bounty of Municipal policies, such as vacancy tax rebates and intense and success requires astute identification highest use valuations, have resulted in raised rents, of opportunities, investment in innovative concepts B o u t i q u e which hastened the demise of many independent and products, and nimble execution. retail businesses. While low interest rates have Here are five retailers achieving success in very Ingenuity helped real estate investors enjoy escalated real different ways. One thing they all have in common estate values, e-commerce has affected large tenants is a founder with international experience: By Kirsten Mogg of mall and commercial real estate owners who now NARCES - a petite glamour spot face their own vacancy challenges. BRIKA - a popup provider Savvy small retailers launch new business ideas Some landlords have always embraced small unique STYLEARTIST - a cottage industry innovator while landlords and municipalities begin to recognize retail concepts and even large Real Estate Investment INDOCHINO - a rising star in mass customization that retail independents have an important role to play. Trusts see the rationale for including retailers they BANK & VOGUE - a remarkable recycler and reseller.
Narces Atelier New boutique on Davenport Rd. Toronto Photo : K. Mogg
Narces Atelier NARCES ATELIER Photo : George Pimentel A Petite Glamour Spot Narces Atelier Canadian designer bridal and eveningwear brand, are on the other. A satin-draped change area is Photo : George Pimentel NARCES, newly opened a street-front shop on busy toward the back. The overall effect is friendly, fun Davenport Road, just north of the Bloor-Yorkville and intimate. It is definitely less intimidating than “I love having direct contact with my customers. area in Toronto. many other bridal and eveningwear boutiques. They tell me what they like.” Wirthenson always listens to learns. Relationships and a fitting service The petite space used to be an artist studio, complete “It fits with how I want my customer to feel: are important in this kind of high fashion retail. with brightly coloured paint splatters on the floors. comfortable when wearing my gowns and enjoying Narces designer, Nikki Wirthensohn Yassemi, herself themselves.” “I have been surprised at the amount of walk-in traffic a painter, wanted to keep the artistic impression. She and husband/business partner Stefan Wirthenson we have had when the boutique is open to the public.” She added her own splashes on the floor, some neon chose the location because it serves clientele who Like many Canadian designers, even though she has lighting, velvet benches and enormous mirrors have a lifestyle that requires formal eveningwear a built considerable international business and decorated with flowers. and cocktail dresses for weddings, social events and regularly participates in runway shows, it is tough to Her sumptuous contemporary bridal gowns are galas. She offered custom fittings by appointment get local attention. Already she believes that having hung in alcoves on one side, and colourful, at her old studio and continues the practice at the a street-front retail presence helps to increase shimmery statement-making eveningwear pieces new location. awareness of the NARCES brand.
22 TRENDS 4January 2020 BRIKA A Transition to Turnkey Retail Solutions Artisan curator Brika announced plans last summer to reposition as a B2B marketplace provider. Since 2015, their POS, marketing, distribution and retail platforms have been proven in-house, at street popup events, at large retailers like Hudson’s Bay, and at shopping centres like Yorkdale and CF Square One. Brika now offers its own turnkey temporary retail solution covering staffing, interior design, inventory curation, merchandising, reporting, moving and storage. Brika can source appropriate vendors as part of a short-term shopping experience with a collective theme for customers planning to revitalize or fill vacant or low-traffic space.
Brika created the ‘Wool Land’ popup in Yorkville Village Photo : K. Mogg
Nordic Themed Mini Market Brika partnered with Yorkville Village to craft the ‘WoolLand Nordic & Noël Edit’, a popup mini market from late October to early January. A complimentary woolland.ca e-commerce site accompanied its launch featuring style influencer Liv Judd and Brika co-founder Jen Lee Koss who both have family connections to Norway and the Nordic lifestyle. Campisi said the event successfully combined a cold-weather theme with active outdoor fashion. “Winter weather was the synergy this time for the Wool Land brand from Norway and the related Nordic-themed products have done very well.”
Forough compact tote by Zvelle, the Toronto-based brand of fine leather handbags and stylish shoes was among the retail pop- ups in Yorkville Village in late 2019.
Canadian-made Apres sweater Brika's ‘Wool Land’ popup in Yorkville Village Photo Courtesy of GOGO Sweaters Photo : K. Mogg
First Capital Realty Inc. Temporary Retail Is Ongoing The enclosed renovated shopping centre at Yorkville Village in Toronto is The popup retail phenomenon is not going away. As a mini-market curated by Canada’s premium retail mecca. Much of the nearby street-front retail space is providers such as Brika or as a retail space dedicated to an individual brand, owned by First Capital Realty Inc., one of Canada's leading developers owning popups are becoming the market expansion tool of choice for online retailers and operating mixed-use urban real estate. The company is also an active because it is a competitive solution in an era where digital marketing costs and co-owner and host of Toronto Fashion Week. Still, even a luxury mall owner clutter have escalated. It also benefits both the vendor and the property owner needs to drive steady foot traffic to its stores and to maximize rent on vacant or by combining physical and digital retail to conduct test marketing that leads to underutilized common space. a compelling product suited to the location and its shopper audience. “We have been working with Brika since 2016 to bring new brands and products Campisi expects Yorkville Village to continue to have popups in the smaller retail in short leasing inside Yorkville Village common areas.” ~ Melissa Campisi, spaces promoting brands that compliment but do not compete with other tenants. manager of strategic partnerships and event marketing at Yorkville Village “We have popups right now with Zvelle (fashion footwear and handbags) and First Capital has assets of $10.6 billion and an interest in 166 properties, about The Good Goddess (nutrition products, chic workout and après-gym wear), 25.1 million square feet of gross leasable area. The company reported a 96.7% which fit perfectly with the fashion and health and wellness interests of our occupancy rate on September 30, 2019 with a net rental rate increase of 11.8% clientele. They each have a strong online presence, but are not available over the previous year. anywhere else at retail in Toronto.”
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Port Carling is the municipal centre of the District of Muskoka Lakes and has an established population of 6,588. The local Chamber of Commerce lists 38 shops. One might think the only fashion finds in Muskoka are casual t-shirts, shorts, boat shoes, and the occasional fleece hoodie for cool nights. So why did Catherine Abela open her first fashion-conscious StyleArtist retail location there?
Photo Courtesy of StyeArtist
The challenges of a short season, short-supply employees and online competition were some of the issues recently tackled at an event hosted by the Muskoka Small Business Centre featuring longtime retail consultant, Barbara Crowhurst. Corey Moore, the communications and economic development specialist for the Township of Muskoka Lakes, says that there isn’t much in the way of data or economic development grants to assist local business owner’s who are directed to the Chamber of Commerce for resources and training or to The Small Business Centre for loans through Muskoka Futures. The municipality along with two others in the area (Lake of Bays, Georgian Bay) and three BIA’s (Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Huntsville), applied jointly and won a $60,000 grant from the Ontario program for digital transformation of small main streets. “The group received the Digital Main Street grant and we will be launching a program with a local squad in early 2020 to help local businesses develop their online presence,” Corey Moore confirmed in December. Testing the Waters - Timing Store Openings Abela is ahead of the game having first tested her retail concept online. “StyleArtist launched in 2017 as an online only shop, yet after the first year StyleArtist fashions on the dock of business we received many requests for an in-person shopping experience. at Duke’s Marina, Port Carling In 2018 we tested a couple of pop up shops, one in Muskoka and one in Photo Courtesy of StyeArtist midtown Toronto, and both proved successful.” “Spending a good part of my summers in Muskoka over the years, I recognized In 2019, Abela leased her first permanent small space in Port Carling’s historic an underserved market and the opportunity to bring a Toronto store to the Lakes. Duke’s waterfront marina, a busy hub of activity during the summer. The women spending their summers in Muskoka are largely my target customers, The 1930’s building was originally a boat repair workshop purchased in 2011 including existing clients.” by Kathy McCarthy and Jeremy Fowler who restored the building and divided it into several commercial spaces. Abela’s retail instincts were right. The Muskoka lakes are a summertime play- ground for Toronto area and international folk who have enjoyed the area’s Abela chose a location off the main shopping street as StyleArtist would be open waters and natural wonders since roads, steamships and railroads made the area only during the peak summer and shoulder seasons. Last spring, the opening more accessible around the time of Confederation. was delayed due to record flooding, but the store was busy every day - not just on weekends. Today, a more sophisticated Muskoka offers Pilates classes, shopping at marinas and popular dockside lunch spots. It boasts high-end associations such as ‘Cottage Country’ and ‘Hamptons of the North’. More luxury waterfront homes Social Shopping than rustic cabins now perch on the rugged landscape dotted with rocks, trees As a buyer for Town Shoes and Hudson’s Bay, Abela understood how today’s and historic retreats like the Victorian-era Windemere House on Lake Rosseau. customers prefer to shop and she developed a keen eye for spotting fashion that will sell. A travelling executive with a busy family life, she has developed some Local Knowledge and Resources practical tips for building a closet that makes getting dressed for work, leisure In summer, the population swells to 27,000. One can expect such a seasonal or travel less stressful. Above all, she recognized a need by some women to be boom of cottagers and visitors to benefit local businesses and, anecdotally fashionably dressed at work or on the dock without wasting time shopping for at least, tourism and residential construction businesses are booming. clothes. Not everyone enjoys endless scrolling online to find a suitable fashion However, data on tourist spending and consumer shopping patterns is lacking. and fit. Understanding such a highly seasonal market is critical to any retail business “Our business model is a little unique. A significant amount of our revenue plan and to retailers attempting to assess prospective locations. is generated through shopping parties and personal shopping appointments.”
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4...... 4 RETAIL SUCCESS ...... Style Wizard Cottage Industry Comes to the City A key part of the StyleArtist retail concept is helping a customer choose fashion Abela strategically chose the location and opening date of a second StyleArtist that suits her body and lifestyle. Abela’s proprietary digital tool called store in downtown Toronto in September. StyleWizard makes that task easier and also gathers data to augment buying “Our location, just North of Yorkville (214 Avenue Road) is very centrally insights. The program considers body shape and responses to visual cues and located and easily accessible to the majority of our clients. In addition, being asks additional questions to determine style preferences. Then a fully accessorized a little off the high traffic area allows a smaller space and therefore a more outfit is presented where items can be liked, changed, added or removed. reasonable rent. We have been getting a very positive response from the local StyleArtist opened September community - our walk-in sales have exceeded our expectations since opening.” 2019 on Avenue Road in Toronto, The area to the immediate south is in the midst of building considerable luxury Photo : K. Mogg residential density. Average annual asking rent on prime Bloor Street was $430 per square foot in 2018, while commercial rents have doubled on smaller Cumberland and Yorkville Avenues. About 270,000 square feet, a 13% increase, of new retail space is coming, but real estate watchers say there is a demand to fill it with new retailers entering the market to serve future affluent residents and visitors. “Competition for land by high-rise developers has driven property prices up in the area, increasing valuations and property taxes. This hasn’t resonated well with retailers experiencing narrowed operating margins, and some have opted to move northwards off Bloor to more affordable streets in the neighbourhood.” ~ Steve McLean, Real Estate News Exchange post, August 21, 2019. [Source: https://renx.ca/torontos-bloor-yorkville-is-priciest-retail-corridor/] Abela clearly has a talent for spotting fashions and locations that work for her business and her customers. For a small boutique a little off the beaten path with no widely recognized prestige brand name, success comes down to building trust in the fashion that StyleArtist proposes and making shopping at the cottage or city, online or in-store or at a private event a really fun experience. INDOCHINO International Markets and More Made to Measure Vancouver-based Indochino Apparel Inc. is rapidly advancing in its mission to bring customization to the masses. Since 2007, CEO Drew Green has grown the business of entry-level made-to-measure tailored clothing to over $100 million in sales through 50 showrooms in major North American cities and a strong e-commerce business. Expansion in North American has seen a rapid five-year revenue growth of 383%. To grow internationally, Indochino recently added new partners, products and a few notable pro athletes as brand ambassadors. Custom business clothing for women could be their next big growth opportunity. In 2018, Indochino entered into a partnership with Mitsui & Co., a Japanese multinational that owns the New York-based Paul Stuart menswear brand. Indochino Yorkdale showroom: custom casual shirts, chinos and coats were added in 2019 Last year, Indochino was one of the top three fastest growing retailers in Photo : K. Mogg Canada according to Canadian Business and Maclean's Top 500 rankings. Launching in Australia in 2019, the company became the fastest growing Even before Barrett became an NBA Signature Athlete, he had signed Canadian retailer internationally. a multi-year promotional deal with Indochino to be their first NBA brand ambassador and the face of an exclusive RJ Barrett collection. NBA teams and Pink Hoop Dreams players can often earn more through sponsorships, but the costs can be out of reach. Rarely are fashion companies the size of Indochino in the mix. Basketball captured the attention of the entire country last May with the Toronto The Golden State Warriors, for example, have a three-year US$60 million Raptors NBA Championship win. The excitement continued as more young jersey sponsorship with Japanese e-commerce company Rakuten. Canadian players than ever before participated in the June draft pick. Selected third by the New York Knicks was RJ Barrett, a 19-year-old 6’7” forward “We took a bet he’d go to the Knicks, in one of our biggest markets and he was from Mississauga, Ontario. He made the night even more remarkable wearing our suit on draft night – we were really front and center, it was a home by wearing a custom pink merino wool suit by Indochino, complete with run,” said Drew Green in a Front Office Sports interview. And a slam-dunk for embroidered ‘Maple Mamba’ nickname and maple leaf lining. Drew Green inspiring young men to try a custom fit experience and suit up. must have popped pink champagne. Barrett admitted to the NY Post that pink For Indochino, the RJ Barrett deal is its third in pro-sports and a chance to get was a bold choice. an up-and-coming star in the important New York market for a reasonable “It’s extravagant. I’ve always been a reserved kind of person, so the thought investment (financials were not disclosed). In 2018, the company signed the was, ‘I want this to be memorable.’ It’s a night that I will never forget, so I want New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox baseball teams and two individual my suit to replicate that.” [Source: nypost.com] players to be brand ambassadors.
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INDOCHINO’s first Signature NBA Athlete RJ Barrett custom collection launched in New York in October 2019 to coincide with his 2019-2020 NBA season debut. Photo Courtesy of Indochino Apparel Inc. Indochino Yorkdale showroom: custom casual shirts, chinos and coats were added in 2019 Adding To the Lineup Photo : K. Mogg While significantly expanding its retail showroom footprint and signing star athletes, Indochino has achieved growth by adding more products to its Customizing Suits Female Customers Too made-to-measure lineup. Besides adding products and customization options for guys, Indochino has Custom casual chino trousers and casual shirts are new and men’s suiting growth potential in custom tailoring for women. Although the service is not options have been expanded to include premium Italian fine wool fabrics. advertised, women already go to Indochino for custom-made shirts, jackets and Cloth outerwear launched for Fall/Winter 2019/20 includes topcoats, trousers - the latter are popular because a good fitting pant is often a challenge Macintosh-style trench coats, and a retro chesterfield style with quilted lining for women. and velvet collar for more flamboyant tastes. Women can be more fashion fickle and dress clothing is far less standardized Wedding parties are another strong source of new business. For a groom it is than for men, but a well-fitting white shirt and wool pencil skirt or dress trousers an important suit buying occasion where made to measure is a consideration. remain necessary wardrobe items for working women. No one does mass Indochino makes special arrangements to accommodate group fittings or to customization for women at scale, but with infrastructure in place, styling and co-ordinate fittings from different locations. Offering better value and experience production adjustments could address the same fit frustrations for women. than traditional tuxedo rentals has been a smart strategy for acquiring new customers. Plus, they now have all the groomsmen’s info and measurements. Seamless Multichannel Experience Indochino has developed a seamless integrated digital and in-store customer experience. Appointments are booked online at a location and time of the cus- tomer’s choosing followed up with a confirmation and a reminder sent by text or email. About an hour is needed to do body measurements and select fabric, colour and style details. Associates are trained to use a tape to measure properly and to input all details into a customer account via a mobile tablet. It takes about three weeks to deliver an order back to the store. The customer is booked for a fitting and any further adjustments are handled locally. Production is in China where a block closest for an individual is modified based on a digital measurement profile. Customer acquisition is a more intense, highly personalized, and costly pro- cess than most fashion retailers would consider. On the other hand, no inven- Indochino launched several styles tory and customers who pay upfront offset the risk. And with measurements, of custom coats for F/W 2019/20 past purchases and preferences on file, digital marketing converts in-store Photo : K. Mogg clients into online shoppers where repeat customers are the source of profit.
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4...... 4 RETAIL SUCCESS ...... BANK & VOGUE Going Way Beyond The Rag Trade Up-cycled denim Converse Chuck 70 sneaker Bank & Vogue call themselves vintage hoarders whose main goal is to reduce Courtesy of Bank & Vogue waste in the fashion industry. They were in the rag trade long before it was Circular Kicks fashionable. The Ottawa-based company has quietly become a significant global In October, Steven Bethell announced a new Converse All Star Chuck 70 sneaker textile recycler over the last two decades. By keeping a mountain of used made with 100% post-consumer denim sourced by Bank & Vogue. Converse was apparel out of the waste stream the company has elevated the rag trade into founded in 1908 and introduced the first mass produced basketball shoes in a virtuous and profitable circular system. North America. Nike bought Converse in 2003 and has presented several brand revivals since. Converse Renew is a recent effort to make products more Bank & Vogue collects pre and post-consumer textile waste from all over the world sustainable while staying true to the brand. Since canvas was used in the original and then ships it to India where it is sorted either for wholesale re-sale or for design, up-cycled denim was a good substitute. Other sustainable sneaker re-processing as is the case with recycled woolens sent to mills in Prato, Italy. variations were added in 2019. The company’s uses multiple channels to get up-cycled clothing used by major brands, re-sold at leading department stores, wholesaled to small boutiques, or The Chuck Taylor Renew Canvas made from 100% recycled polyester from sold directly to consumers through their own retail channel, Beyond Retro. used plastic bottles was launched at a warehouse in Coal Drops Yard in London. Seen Displays designed a sustainable retail popup for the event that was repurposed for retail at Selfridges, Foot Locker and Office. In 2020, Converse plans to introduce Chucks created from the textile waste of other Chucks reusing 40% recycled cotton canvas scraps. Beyond Resale to Wholesale Vintage Beyond Retro is Bank & Vogue’s retail division. In 2002, founders, Steven and Helene Carter Bethell opened their first shop in Brick Lane’s vintage mecca in the East London Shoreditch area. The Beyond Retro vintage retail concept Suede drawstring backpack made from upcycled jackets has grown to be the largest clothing reseller in UK and Sweden with nine stores Courtesy of Beyond Retro Wholesale and an e-commerce site. Mills in Prato used post-consumer Beyond Retro has since created LABEL, their own line of apparel and bags wool rags to produce recycled made from 100% upcycled clothing. The collection starts by sorting and select- wool textiles for decades ing high-quality and fashionable post-consumer textiles. Designs are created Photo : K. Mogg Virtuous Collaborations for new on-trend items, which are then produced in India. Bank & Vogue deserves recognition for its recent partnerships with significant in- In addition to selling LABEL apparel and bags at their own stores, the company ternational players. At the 2019 WEAR conference, co-founder Steven Bethell went beyond by launching a wholesale initiative at the Pure London trade rather modestly announced collaborations with global footwear brand Converse, show in 2016 supported by a wholesale website (beyondretrowholesale.com) and the John Lewis Partnership, owner of large UK department stores. for boutique retailer sourcing. The John Lewis Partnership launched a new ‘BuyBack’ pilot program last fall. “We are vintage hoarders at heart with one main goal, to reduce garment wastage ‘My John Lewis’ members earn a credit when they return up to three men’s in the fashion industry. Each year we turn hundreds of prototypes into reality or women’s clothing items purchased from John Lewis within a year. from our factory in India. Over 100,000 pieces of upcycled clothing arrive at Customers can be confident that the returned items do not end up in landfill, our London headquarters before being shipped to our wholesale customers and which is a concern of consumers who donate to charitable bins. Beyond Retro stores.” “We’ve partnered with Bank and Vogue, one of the largest traders in used goods and “We love contributing positively to how clothes are bought. Our way is a sound a global leader in the circular economy of textiles for over 20 years. They’re also environmental choice. With more independent retailers selling our product, the parent company of Beyond Retro, Europe's largest vintage chain, who will be we can have an even greater impact on the environment.” collaborating closely with us on our exciting BuyBack service.” ~ johnlewis.com ~ Steven Bethell to the Retail Gazette Beyond Retro resells or remakes the items returned to John Lewis or diverts them to other reprocessing. The pilot currently runs at the John Lewis Westgate store in Oxford, a university town with plenty of younger eco-conscious customers. The value of an item is preserved much longer and when it is no longer wearable it is remade into another product or directed into the recycling stream. This approach to re-sale is designed to keep the customer in a virtuous circle with the retailer. Time will tell if the small value of the store credit and do-good incentives are sufficient. In any event, the resale trend is something many department stores are developing. Selfridges on Oxford Street opened a resale popup with Vestaire Collective, a French fashion reseller and Liberty of London has long had Designer Vintage fashion and accessories curated by Stelios Hawa. Here in Canada, Hudson’s Bay has sublet space in select locations since 2014 to LXR & Co., a Montreal-based reseller of vintage designer handbags and accessories. Frame Awards nominee Seen Displays collaborated with Converse to design a In November, Nordstrom extended its partnership with Rent the Runway for MyJohnLewis BuyBack pilot progam global campaign launching Chuck Taylor drop-off kiosks in 29 locations and contributes inventory. The companies are launched with Bank & Vogue Renew Canvas - 100% recycled polyester working together to develop an exclusive product for rental and re-sale. Courtesy of John Lewis Partnership Courtesy of Seen Displays
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ACCESSORIES
2020By Lucy Lau From fuzzy, oversized interpretations of the beloved bucket bag to delicate hoops and chain-link necklaces that introduce novel ways to rock freshwater pearls, timeless accessories are getting edgy, out-of-the-box updates this spring. Stock up on these Canadian takes of accessory trends that took the 2020 Spring/ jenny bird Agnes hoops Summer runways by storm to ensure you’re ahead of the retail curve.
Foe and Dear Leone hoops
Leah Alexandra wasted effort Dean Davidson Jewelry Cannes Hoops Balance hoops Bossa hoops
Leah Alexandra BIKO leah alexandra Cannes Hoops Adelphi 2-in-1 studs two tone Mer necklace Dolorous Hoop-a-Palooza Mother of Pearl Cara chunky pearl choker If the supersized earrings sent down the runway at Proenza Schouler, Boss and Radiant pearls studded asymmetrical hoops at Jason Wu, statement necklaces Sies Marjan are any indication, the bigger the hoop, the bigger the impact it has at Burberry, and oversized ear cuffs at Beaufille this season, offering new on an ensemble. Get the XXL look with shining gold-and-silver hoops by past ways to rock the timeless bead that are far from what your grandmother would CAFA winners Jenny Bird and Dean Davidson or opt for more unconventional have worn. Vancouver-based Leah Alexandra Jewellery and Toronto’s Biko materials like acrylic and eco-friendly acetate with Wasted Effort’s and embrace freshwater pearls in their full, lustrous forms in wear-everywhere earrings Foe and Dear’s interpretations of the trend, respectively. and necklaces, while Dolorous Jewelry and Pamela Card Jewelry play with the beads in more organic shapes. “Like all of my collections, the Bossa collection was inspired by my world travels. For the Bossa hoop, my inspiration came from a trip to Brasília and the “Pearls have such a unique beauty about them because they were created and architecture of Oscar Niemeyer. Known as a ‘sculptor of monuments,’ found in the sea, not earth. We've combined pearls into modern designs that are Niemeyer created works that feature abstract forms and free-flowing curves suitable for everyday wear. Our Cannes hoops or Mer necklace, in particular, much like the strong, linear curves of this statement hoop earring.” elevates a simple outfit and adds a touch of elegance and femininity to the wearer.” ~ Dean Davidson, founder and designer at Dean Davidson Jewelry ~ Leah Belford, founder and designer at Leah Alexandra Jewelry
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Matt and Nat Your Bag of Holding Vintage Orr black Rice bucket
Bucket List Mansur Gavriel may have launched bucket bags into It-bag territory a few Your Bag of Holding years ago, but the trend is back in a big and slightly reinvented way. Fuzzy bucket Marni went literal with the shape, sending metal-handled totes down the runway, while Chloé and Prada incorporated brass and nautical rope details. At home, designers like Ai Toronto Seoul and Vancouver’s Your Bag of Holding put their stamp on the bucket with snakeskin straps and shearling. Meanwhile, traditionalists will find much to love inMatt and Nat’s and Sonya Lee’s classic interpretations of the bag. “Our bucket bags are best described as timeless and minimalistic - they’re inspired by simplicity and a clean, natural aesthetic. The Orr features a clean updated shape that is modern yet versatile and the Lexi bucket bag features an adjustable push pin strap closure to add an extra element of unique styling.” ~ Manny Kohli, president and CEO of Matt and Nat
sonya lee Matt and Nat Kate oiled blood angle strap up hero Dwell Lexi brick pebble
ai toronto seoul Dark green bucket
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Marquest Vector
c4eyewear Black
bohten Violet callula co. Sugar beach rosy pink
callula co. Sugar beach gold/pink gradient c4eyewear callula co. Champagne brown Sweet as honey milky beige/yellow callula co. Sweet as honey milky beige/yellow See the Rainbow Raise the Stakes Sunglasses have gone big, sporty and ’90s teeny-tiny in recent years. Whether you pair them with a flowing ruffled frock for a glam prairie-girl- But this spring, it’s all about colour. Givenchy and Balmain went matchy-matchy, meets-the-city look à la Erdem or make like Simone Rocha and rock them pairing green and blue lenses with threads washed in moss and aqua, respectively, with a statement-making dress-over-pant combo, there’s no denying while designers like Off-White and Versace complemented predominantly the down-to-Earth appeal of a chunky platform sandal. Go high-contrast with black fits with pops of pink, red and yellow shielding the eye. Canadian L’Intervalle’s and Cougar’s takes on the comfy trend or opt for leather or brands are embracing offbeat hues, too, with Callula Co., Bohten, warm-weather-friendly raffia with Aldo’s offerings. C4 Eyewear and MarsQuest colouring their lenses in all shades of the rainbow. “Flatforms are a fun spin on the platform because they have all the height “Our Milky Beige sunglasses feature a polished silhouette and classic appeal with the added comfort of a levelled sole. They're a great option for those with a fun twist: golden-yellow lenses and a beige frame. Vibrant lenses and who are always on the go - you just slip them on and you’re set for the day. warm tones like these are definitely having a moment this season. Our Rosy We decided to inject hints of refinement to several of our styles, notably with Pink sunglasses, meanwhile, offer a rounded shape and rose-coloured gradient the use of materials like leather and jute for a more elevated, feminine option. lenses, giving way to a romantic, retro-inspired aesthetic.” We're also getting really playful with the inclusion of hardware and nods to ~ Nerissa Jawanda, founder of Callula Co. more athletic details like lug and rubber soles and a lot of textured materials like snake and embossed croco.” ~ Daianara Grullon Amalfitano, senior vice president of Aldo aldo shoes aldo shoes Tineviel black Dwylia black/tan l'intervalle Kyoto tan suede
Cougar Pippy black/red leather l'intervalle Lysana-white-leather
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Top 10 Trends Last year, WGSN defined three main movements that are shaping the future Womenswear of retail into 2020 and beyond. Humanity in the Digital Age reflects Spring/Summer 2020 the growing place of technology in our lives and the countermovement By N. El-Zein of those seeking a more human touch Images Courtesy of WGSN in everything from tech products to apparel. Creating Codes encapsulates the major shift that the DNA economy will cause across all industries with advancements in science and the personalization of everyday items. Empower Up is an expression of the growing political voice and consumer power of Gen Z. In early 2020, we will start to see the ripple effect of this last trend so let’s explore how this group of socially and ethically minded youth will impact SS20 womenswear trends and buying patterns.
Preen by Thornton Bregazzi
2) For Sail Nautical themes in spring are a perennial favourite. This SS20, the mariner feel gets a modern re-imagination with traditional Breton stripes taking a back seat. Stripes will make an appearance but rather than obedient parallels, they will be split and spliced for a pumped-up attitude. Variegated colour clashes combined with graphic 1980s style maps and boating motifs offer nautical flavour through a rebellious lens. For smooth sailing, style them with mismatched 1) The Games layers and denim. The Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics are on the horizon and sportswear will come to the forefront once again. 3) Get Trippy Global anticipation of the games will Summer marks the beginning of the ignite unity and excitement reflected festival season for the youth crowd. in fashion as sportswear pieces integrated into off-the-field dressing. This year, with the growing urge toward escapism, 1970’s psychedelic The past decade saw active influ- prints will re-emerge. ences become ingrained in fashion language however the Olympic impact The 2020 update is debatably just as will usher in a new league of athletic free-spirited but it gets a digitized aesthetics. Hype worthy teams, sports facelift. The bold will choose fluid knits and jerseys of every variety silhouettes that complement the sensory will earn major sartorial playtime. overload aesthetic. However with its The most contemporary look will exuberant colour and eye-catching find sportier separates paired with waves, streamlined items like body- menswear tailoring for a high-low suits and leggings will hold more Marc Jacobs interpretation. commercial appeal.
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5) Under the Sea As the climate crisis reaches a fever pitch, GenZs will express greater concern for the health of oceans and ocean life manifest in apparel as ocean-inspired occasion wear stories. Pre-polluted seas and the fragility of shells washed ashore engender a romantic fantasy echoed in the gentle pleating of whisper-thin chiffons - a perfect trend for bridal and occasion wear in high summer.
6) Destination Dressing WSJ Magazine As GenZ’s appetite for new narratives increases, interest in Africa as a burgeoning creative hub will grow. Crafted textiles and re-worked handwoven 8) Prints Charming knits along with vibrant crochets will be coveted. It is imperative in use and styling that appreciation As individuality, diversity and subcultures continue and not appropriation be central. The look is freshest to be celebrated, we will see a range of expressive, in street-inspired silhouettes like jackets, utilitarian upbeat and colourful patterns. Maximalism is the name trousers and oversized tees. of the pattern game in 2020. Rebellious nautical and psychedelic prints will appear as early as spring. Florals are predictable for springtime but this year two modern versions will bloom: stylized Hawaiian prints that put bold hibiscus flowers front and centre to reference the return of resort dressing; and liquid florals that show the influence on fashion ofboth skate and street culture with a diffused appearance that is a nod to tie-dye.
9) mCommerce First No matter your offering, a mobile state of mind is essential. In 2020, mobile transactions will account for half of online purchases. Creating a seamless experience from storefront to check out will be essential. The importance of mobile-first strategies is underscored with early adopting Western brands creating live social selling opportunities. Similar to the live selling TV popularized by QVC, the ‘watch now, buy now’ model is a natural Tagwalk evolution of the ever-evolving partnerships between brands and influencers. M-commerce guarantees hungry GenZ consumers on the other end who want 4) New Work to be entertained while shopping on the go. Women are reclaiming the classics of tailoring start- ing with a rejection of the term 'menswear- 10) Rethink Collaborations inspired'. Tailoring gained momentum in 2019 and Strategic collaborations will continue to prove will continue into 2020 with a truly experimental lucrative territory for business owners. The former approach in proportions, styling and colour. 7) Leisure Suits You old-school logic of casting a wide net to appeal to When seeking pieces, rethink the details and look for The exuberance of 1980’s inspired leisure styles the masses is no longer the secret to success. decorative linings, longer-line jackets, midi skirts, continues into 2020. The pared down update for Tapping into a niche and seeking partnerships with elongated collars and sorbet hues. For underpin- spring looks fresh with a pool-side colour palette aligned values but a different approach is the recipe nings, women will pursue silk-like fabrics versus and retro-graphics. This spring, expect casual for innovation. In a rapidly changing retail market- woven for a drape and elegance that goes from desk separates that first made an appearance in 2019, place, fostering a culture of openness and collaboration to dinner. including cycling shorts, soft joggers and polo tops. will be the way forward.
40 TRENDS 4January 2020
R u n w a y Review By Kirsten Mogg
FASHION CUTS For runways, the reality today is that sponsored entertainment and activism are trampling over the needs of designers and the interests of the fashion industry. Organizers of Spring 2020 runways at TFW / Farley Chatto global fashion Meccas have reacted in various ways. Photo : Tian Xiaozang The New York Fashion Week official calendar now has fewer days. The Stockholm show pre-empted protesters by cancelling the event altogether. Paris shifted its focus to attract more international designers who want to sell in the Middle East and Asia. London Fashion Week tried to manage the situation with heightened environmental and anti-fashion activism. In response to disruptive civic action on sustainability, some organizers emphasized designer sustainability and opened their doors to the public for the first time. Meanwhile, reduced numbers of buyers at tradeshows limited the volume of wholesale transactions. By comparison, shows in Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver were relatively tame affairs and oases of inclusivity in a divided world. Having already moved to public access in order to meet the objectives of sponsors, media marketers and designers, they just might be ahead of the curve. Toronto Fashion Week is scheduled for the first week of February. The Toronto Fashion Incubator remained true to its mission to help Canadian designers and brands find new export markets by producing a hybrid media show and buyer event showcasing ten designers. TFI will return again to LFW / Mark Fast Canada House in London's Trafalgar Square this year. Photo : Huw Jenkins
LFW / Paul Costelloe Photo : KMogg
PINK & RED Pale pastel, copper, cotton candy and bubble gum hues running all the way to bright fuchsia and up-cycled neon from the 80’s appeared on crisp cotton, elegant brocade, frothy tulle, shiny satin, plush alpaca, fur and floral accents. Red came on strong when paired with pink for day or evening outerwear and accessories.
TFW / Steven Lejambe TFW / Tome TFW / Wuxly LFW / Upcycled Nike Photo : GPimentel Photo : GPimentel Photo : GPimentel Photo : KMogg
42 TRENDS 4January 2020
4...... 4 RUNWAY REVIEW ......
In Paris last June, Amazon began its production of the premier episode of “Making the Cut”, a new shoppable runway reality TV show produced by Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn. An embellishment of the Project Runway competition, it presents 12 entrepreneurs and designers competing for a million dollars before an all-star group of either permanent or guest judges. Naomi Campbell, Nicole Richie, Joseph Altuzarra and Carine Roitfeld are among them. Cue the drama. Making the Cut will air on Amazon Prime in 2020. In this context, how do relatively small Canadian designers show their collections? Are fashion shows good for business and a way to find new distribution channels or are they just for entertainment, shopping and social sharing? Going forward, designers and organizers will have to decide what their fashion week is intended to be and find ways to produce events that attract new business within the digital and social realm.
TFW / Hilary MacMillan Photo : GPimentel
TFW / Steven Lejambe Photo : GPimentel
LFW / Upcycled Nike Photo : KMogg
TFW / Trigère Photo : GPimentel TFW / Tome Photo : GPimentel
LFW / Paul Costelloe Photo : KMogg
BLUE & GREEN A spectrum of blue and green hues ranged from natural to artificial, including emerald, aqua and indigo TFW / Tome LFW / Mark Fast TFW / Narces to acid and neon. Recycled plastic Photo : GPimentel Photo : Photo : KMogg hangers introduced by Arch & Hook advocated a “Switch to Blue”. 44 TRENDS 4January 2020
4...... 4 RUNWAY REVIEW ......
TFW / Narces Photo : KMogg
WHITE A clear winner for spring/summer with white shirts, denim, day dresses and trench coats and also as a back- ground for prints updated for evening TFW / Hilary MacMillan Merit Award / Wen Pan Photo : GPimentel Photo : Fashion Scout and bridal in modern lace, feathers TFW / Steven Lejambe and shimmer. Photo : GPimentel
TFW / Tome Photo : GPimentel
TFW / Farley Chatto TFW / Wuxly Photo : KMogg Photo : GPimentel TFW / Steven Lejambe LFW / Aadnevik Photo : GPimentel Photo : KMogg POWER IN DIVERSITY Experienced Canadian designer Franklin Benjamin Elman re-launched the House of Trigère with a brilliantly balanced collection paying homage to founder Pauline Trigère but with his own take on modern femininity. Kim Newport launched a collection worthy of Camelot. Other Canadian designers presented runways that embodied inclusivity with models from all nations whose various shapes, sizes and abilities represented strength in diversity. (Hilary MacMillian, Lesley Hampton, Wuxly). Designers also proved their commitment to worthy causes such as children’s charities (Sentaler) and animal adoption (Wuxly), eco-conscious eveningwear (Felder x Felder), recycled plastic hangers (Arch & Hook), and upcycled shoes (Ancuta Sarta). Off-site at LFW, Wen Pan, the recipient of Fashion Scout’s Merit Award, gave us all hope by softening 90s grunge into a romantic celebration of imperfection. Motifs and colour contrasts reflect our times with hot and cold hues, gender reversal (Eftychia), Neon energized eveningwear (Narces) and accessories. There were retro retakes and updated prints, traditional toile (Trigère), 1930s Shanghai (Farley Chatto) to 70s revivals (Paul Costelloe), digital placement (David Dixon), and 3D TFW / RVNG embellishments for evening (Narces, Kim Newport, Lesley Hampton). White and naturals provided a grounded calm Photo : KMogg and clarity for challenging times.
46 TRENDS 4January 2020 Trigère Relaunch
TFW / Trigère TFW / Trigère Photo : GPimentel Photo : GPimentel TFW / Hilary MacMillan Photo : GPimentel TFW / Trigère EARTHY MINERALS Photo : GPimentel Neutrals make sense both for demure femininity from another era (Farley Chatto) or for options appropriate to today’s gender reversal (EFTYCHIA). Off-white, ivory (Trigère), and tan (Steven Lejambe) along with metallic bronze (Wuxly, RVING), futuristic silver jewelry FB Elman / FashionTalks / Trigère (J.Y. Gao), animalistic prints (Aadnevik), fur and Photo : GPimentel reptile textures offer natural colour alternatives.
TFW / Farley Chatto TFW / Trigère TFW / Trigère TFW / Trigère Photo : KMogg Photo : GPimentel Photo : GPimentel Photo : GPimentel
TRENDS 4January 2020 47 4...... 4 RUNWAY REVIEW ...... TFI Canada House
LFW / Anastssia Sel Photo : KMogg
TFI / LFW Photo : KMogg
LFW / JY Gao Photo : KMogg
LFW / JYGao Photo : KMogg
LFW / Vandal Photo : KMogg
LFW / David Dixon Photo : KMogg
LFW / Pranga & Co LFW / Krippit Photo : KMogg Photo : KMogg
TFI / David Dixon LFW / Vandal LFW / Lorem Ipsum LFW / Yoga Jeans Photo : KMogg Photo : KMogg Photo : KMogg Photo : KMogg
48 TRENDS 4January 2020
V i s u a l Merchandising
By Ani Nersessian
Break points reference various sections throughout the store that are devoted to non-shopping areas such as visual displays or customer experience and service areas. They help differentiate one zone from the next and create a visual break from a never-ending display of merchandise. Break points provide visual clues that lead to fresh experiences and allow branding messages to register with customers. Without break points, your selling space is equivalent to an endless paragraph that has no meaningful impact on busy customers who are spoiled for options. Ideally, visual break points are set out during the space planning phase of a new store. However, if you are looking to revamp the layout of your current space, follow these steps to create opportunities for visual break points: 1. Identify the most suitable locations for break points based on architectural restrictions and proposed traffic flow. 2. Remove mirrors, fixtures and any items that hinder stripping the area bare. 3. Remove product eyesores such as sold-through items, excessive Avoid the “Stockroom Syndrome” sale or clearance stock, and aged or out-of-season goods. These types of items are a priority in the removal process because you will be Many brick-and-mortar retailers place themselves at a significant creating more opportunity to present the fresh, new, and more business disadvantage by not utilizing their selling spaces effectively. presentable merchandise. The new year is an opportunity to take a fresh look at your store and 4. Assess any opportunities to shrink visual merchandising presentations. ask if they are being used to their maximum potential. If there are multiple units, consider smaller presentations. Decide on Before you are quick to answer this question, dig a little further. Are the correct price point and unit count per item that makes sense for you simply storing products or actually displaying them? Are your brand. Hint: higher unit counts mean lower prices - smaller unit and products simply accessible to shoppers or are they actually presented SKU counts translate to higher prices. in a way that strategically educates customers and entices them to buy? 5. Reallocate products to ensure that there are gaps where the Too many retailers are guilty of treating their stores as stockrooms intended break points will be. where simply housing products to be accessible has become the standard. This is the “Stockroom Syndrome.” 6. Now regard the zones created by the “gap” as a set design. What should the backdrop be? What about lighting? Is a structural Studies show that the more options shoppers are given the more change necessary for it to be functional? Will some sections change varieties they crave and the more unsettled they are by the ones they regularly or will the main structure remain static while the products have. Showing everything that’s available does not equate to selling rotate from time to time? the entire stock because a vital selling component is missing. Shoppers are confused and overwhelmed by too many options. Imagine yourself in a busy mall running errands when you walk by a Make it easy for them! Edit down to a few strong stories and give wall displaying a long paragraph. Would you stop to read it? Chances customers a visual break on their shopping journey. are, no. Most of us are far too busy. On the other hand, you might be motivated to read a message if it is concise and catches the eye with highlighted keywords and categorized headings. Ani Nersessian is the founder of VM ID, a Canadian business that serves other small businesses in their retail visual merchandising A message is more likely to register at a glance when just a few needs through tools, training and services. highlighted words jump out at you. That’s why curating the assortment, www.vm-id.com categorizing the merchandise and creating visual break points is so LinkedIn: Ani Nersessian important. Instagram and Facebook: @vm_id
50 TRENDS 4January 2020
Vancouver Fashion Week By Lucy Lau Images Courtesy of VFW
Vancouver Fashion Week’s latest edition once again introduced the city to a bevy of homegrown and emerging designers presenting spring/summer 2020 collections that ran the gamut from romantic and satisfyingly minimalist to bold, brash and madly experimental. Here are the show’s best looks representing the major trends of the season.
IT’S A CINCH When in doubt, belt it. At least that’s what some designers like Venturini Couture Cecile Haddad and Tea Zubovic had in mind when they cinched WHITE ON WHITE everything from oversized button- No white after Labour Day? Not ups to floral frocks with a sleek for designers like Toronto-based black belt this season. Cecile Haddad Israella Kobla and B.C.’s Ization Studio and Senko. The trio was among many of this season’s VFW participants who presented all- white looks on the runway from sporty athleisure wear to flirty sheer-top-and-skirt combos.
Tea Zubovic Senko Ization Studio Israella Kobla
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4...... 4 VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK ......
Denzil Mapfumo Davide Grillo Devotion Designs COLD SHOULDER BIRDS OF A FEATHER Coats were shed and shoulders were Feathered fashion made a statement exposed in collections by Zimbabwe-born at this year’s VFW with designers Evaro Italia Denzil Mapfumo, Florence-based like Anqa, Davide Grillo and Evaro Evaro Italia and Vancouver’s own Italia sending fluttery garb down the Alex S. Yu and Devotion Designs. runway. Some, like Evario Italia and Mapfumo’s gender-fluid designs played French brand Anqa, were more subtle with pattern and colour while others using plumes in small bursts or as trim incorporated two additional trends on crop tops and earrings. Italy-based into their arm-baring pieces: ruffles Grillo went all-in on the material with and feathers. a fluffy lavender coat.
Evaro Italia
Davide Grillo
RUFFLED UP Amp up the drama with layers on layers of ruffles this season. Designers Alex S. Yu and Denzil Mapfumo led the way by pairing the look with pops of gingham while Davide Grillo went Anqa Alex S Yu all-over with a sweet, romantic dress. Nauni J 54 TRENDS 4January 2020 HEAD OFFICE ANNE HALL AGENCY SAM LEVI AGENCIES LTD CANADIAN WOMENS APPAREL AGENCE MICHEL JACQUES (QC) 211 Advance Blvd #10 (ON, NS, NB, PEI, NL) ERIC LEVI (AB, MB, SK) ROSE PELLETIER (BC) LONFUEUIL (QC) Brampton, ON, L6T 4S8 TORONTO WINNIPEG VANCOUVER Phone: 450-646-0940 Toll Free # 1-888-886-4559 Phone: 415-364-2944 Phone: 204-942-1357 Phone: 604-828-2366 Fax: 450-646-0940 Fax: 905-451-5560 Fax: 416-364-3067 Fax: 204-942-6283 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] 4...... 4 VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK ...... CROWN JEWEL Rich emerald, lemon-drop yellow, turquoise, oh my! Heads will turn at a jewel-tone palette this season, preferably rocked head-to-toe, as demonstrated by Tokyo’s Alca, Aussie-based Monica the Label and Canada’s own Rebellious Truth.
Monica the Label Doxa Rebellious Truth Alca
56 TRENDS 4January 2020
Sustainability In Business By: Naeme El-Zein
Sustainability is a hot topic these days. Beyond the buzz word, a sustainable framework at the center of its business model. there is a growing global awareness of the alarming realities of The consumer trend in 2020 is toward buying less but buying well. climate change and the responsibility we all share to make sound What will this new Post-Consumerism look like? There will choices. Consumers are more informed, socially minded and be different elements at play. First, as business owners, it will be empowered than ever before. Tokenism will no longer cut it and necessary to look beyond the initial point of sale to the processes and brands that use green-washing as a way to save face are called out systems in place. Much can be learned from industry disrupters publicly on social media with major financial repercussions. who lead the way in reCommerce by extending the longevity of A sustainability strategy is essential to future-proof a business. goods by giving them a second life. The good news is that implementing sustainable practices can Business owners should ask themselves how this model could be increase profits because 75% of consumers report that they are more applied to their own operations. Up-cycling, recycling, reducing and likely to buy from eco-friendly companies. A 2019 study conducted reusing are considerations at every touch point along the supply by New York University’s Center for Sustainable Business found chain. Even large retailers like Urban Outfitters are incorporating that 50% of sales growth among consumer-packaged goods in the reCommerce into their business model. Known for fast-fashion, last five years came from sustainability-marketed products. Urban Outfitters is appealing to environmentally-conscious We see this shift too in the apparel industry with the popularization of millennials with vintage pieces and upcycled apparel. In 2019, brands like The RealReal and thredUP which specialize in luxury the fifty-year-old brand launched Nuuly, a rental service for and high-quality consignment goods, and Reformation that has womenswear.
THE SUSTAINABLE DENIM CHOICE
Yoga Jeans are more than just the most comfortable jeans you will ever wear - they are a way of life. The company's mission is to make all women look and feel their best at the same time as designing and producing the most sustainable denim possible. Over the past decade, Yoga Jeans has been relentless in its pursuit of the most responsible, eco-friendly and sustainable materials and methods of production. To that end, it has built a high-quality, eco-conscious brand with jeans 100-per-cent made in its own Canadian factory using the latest laser and wash technologies to reduce their environmental footprint.
And of course, style is always on point - from vintage vibes to hipster chic. The method, the mission and the jeans spell good energy all around. And that, too, is part of the Yoga Jeans mission: to spread good karma.
Quality, good karma, sustainability and style are the hallmarks of the brand, making Yoga Jeans the natural choice for the most versatile, iconic garment in modern times.
We are all different, but what weaves us together is Shop the collection at www.yogajeans.com the love of denim.
58 TRENDS 4January 2020 Moving into 2021, the BioDesign industry will emerge as the pursuit of environmentally sound products and materials expands. “Climate change is no longer just a threat but a reality. BioDesign is the integration of design principles with biological We see how that impacts our business, our customers and systems to pave the way for new processes that work with nature. our coworkers…we want to be a leader and take action.” ~Jesper Brodin, CEO Ikea Group Vollebak is a company exploring new technologies and materials described as ‘clothes from the future’. Vollebak’s ‘plant and algae T-shirt’ is made of pulped eucalyptus and beech from sustainably Implementing effective tactics to green the supply chain takes time managed forests and algae. When it is discarded it biodegrades and resources and involves rethinking standard business practices. within 12 weeks. Nonetheless, small changes can have a potent long-term ripple Everlane, an online retailer known for its brand transparency, effect. One way forward is to consider how a business can contribute is seeking novel ways to reuse non-renewable materials. Its ReNew to sustainability initiatives within its town or city. For example, is it collection fulfills a pledge to eliminate plastic from its entire supply possible to contribute time or resources to a local garden or take part chain by 2022. The brand is using bio-based materials and green in a neighbourhood-wide loyalty program for shoppers who bring in design to create a new aesthetic and a more sustainable approach by reusable bags? repurposing plastic into outerwear while putting pressure on brands Changes within the office or workspace have an immediate payoff. that lag behind to find improved methods of doing business. Consider, as a first step, making recycling easy and accessible for For some, biodegradable apparel is not in the foreseeable future, employees. Replace halogen or incandescent light bulbs with LEDs but incorporating sustainability into everyday operations is within that last 10-20 times longer. Incentivize more sustainable lifestyles reach. Ikea and Apple are examples of large companies leading the outside of work that impact the bottom line, for example, subsidize way by going beyond government-enforced regulations to employ mass transit passes for staff. Foster healthy competition by environmentally friendly practices as a new way of doing business. challenging departments to diminish their carbon footprints through Setting a precedent in the tech industry, Apple runs on 100% green conscious energy use and recycling. Embedding eco-consciousness energy at its facilities and is working to promote a conversion to within corporate culture can increase the success of future initiatives. clean energy along its supply chain. Ikea is cutting its carbon footprint Environmental stewardship in business can be a precarious road by shifting to zero-emissions delivery vehicles. In addition, they are but it’s one that needs to be taken to ensure a healthy planet. working toward a ‘circular’ life-cycle for products to make them Consumer tastes are rapidly changing and where there is change there fully recyclable. For Jesper Brodin, CEO of Ikea Group, it is not a is also opportunity. Exploring sustainable practices is a sound long choice so much as a necessity. term investment for both business and the planet. TRENDS 4January 2020 59 4...... 4 SHOW CALENDAR / January - July 2020 ......
Vancouver Fashion Week Revolver CANADA March 30 - April 5 January 29 - 31 Chinese Cultural Centre Revolver Village AD INDEX January Vancouver, BC Copenhagen, Denmark vanfashionweek.com revolver.dk Mode Accessories Show Alison Sheri ...... IFC January 26 - 28 February Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto April Bella Amore ...... 15 Airport & Conference Centre Pure London Calgary Womans Show Cherishh ...... 57 Toronto, ON February 9 - 11 April 18 - 19 Olympia London, Edmonton Gift Show ...... 43 Knowshow BMO Centre, 20 Roundup Way SW London, UK January 14 - 16 Calgary, AB purelondon.com Elena Wang ...... 17 Vancouver Convention Centre 10times.com/calgary - womans - show Vancouver, BC Milano Fashion Week EN/KAY ...... 13 LLHA Show 2020 February 18 - 24 Fine Line / Fresh FX ...... 5 Toronto Gift + Home Market April 26 - 27 Milan January 26 - 30 The International Centre cameramoda.it/en/milano-moda-donna/ Frank Lyman ...... FC Toronto Congress Centre 6900 Airport Rd Toronto, ON Mississauga, ON White Milano Frank Lyman ...... IBC February 20 - 23 February May Tortona 27 & 54 Jovani ...... 25 Milan Jovani ...... 39 Metro Show No Canadian Shows whiteshow.it February 4 - 8 Jovani ...... 53 FX Building June March Vancouver, BC JVN ...... 31 Ottawa Indigneous Fashion Week Gallery Shoes International Thrive Fashion Show June 30 - July 5 March 8 - 10 Lisette-L ...... OBC Designer Showcase Parliament Hill, Wellington St Das Areal Böhler Duesseldorf Livin' for the Weekend ...... 4 February 7 - 8 Ottawa, ON gallery - duesseldorf.com Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts Mac Show ...... 56 Edmonton, AB INTERNATIONAL Interfilière Hong Kong Mauritius ...... 3 Oakville Booking Show March 18 - 19 Kai Tak Cruise Terminal February 9 - 11 January Merx ...... 33 Holiday Inn Hotel Oakville Center Hong Kong, China interfiliere - hongkong.com Metro Show ...... 45 Oakville, ON Hong Kong Fashion Week January 13 - 16 Project Tokyo Miss Nikky ...... 54 Toronto Shoe Show Hong Kong Convention March 24 - 25 February 9 - 11 Mode Accessories ...... 37 and Exhibition Centre Shibuya, Tokyo The Toronto Congress Centre Hong Kong project - tokyo.com Etobicoke, ON Papa Fashions ...... 61 Premium Berlin Fashion Access Trade Show Picadilly Fashions ...... 21 MAC Show January 14 - 16 March 31 - April 2 February 22 – 24 STATION - Berlin, Berlin APLF Fair Renuar ...... 9 Holiday Inn Express & Suites premiumexhibitions.com Hong Kong Ottawa West - Nepean fashionaccess.aplf.com Shapeez ...... 41 [email protected] Salon Interenational de la Lingerie April / May SockSmith ...... 35 March January 18 - 20 Paris Expo Porte de Versailles Softworks ...... 19 No International Shows Paris Trends Apparel Show Solmate Sox ...... 35 March 5 - 8 fr.saloninternationaldelalingerie.com June Edmonton EXPO Centre Sympli ...... 27 Edmonton, AB Interfilière Paris Interfilière Paris January 18 - 20 June 28 - 30 Thredz Show ...... 29 Thredz Show Paris Expo Porte De Versailles Paris Expo Porte De Versailles Toronto Gift Show ...... 48 March 8 - 11 Paris Paris The Toronto Congress Centre eurovet.com/en-interfiliere-paris-july/ eurovet.com/en-interfiliere-paris-july/ Trends Apparel Show . . . . . 59 Etobicoke, ON Gallery Düsseldorf Tricotto ...... 7 Western Canada Fashion Week January 25 - 27 March 18 - 22 Das Areal Böhler Variations ...... 51 ATB Financial Arts Barns Düsseldorf Yoga Jeans ...... 11 Edmonton, AB gallery - duesseldorf.com
60 TRENDS 4January 2020
4...... 4 SHOW CALENDAR / January - July 2020 ...... UNITED STATES January
Trendz Hawaii Market Merchandise Expos Magic Las Vegas January 4 - 6 January 17 - 19 February 5 - 7 Palm Beach County Convention Center Blaisdell Exhibition Center Mandalay Bay Conference Center trendzshow.com Honolulu Las Vegas douglastradeshows.com Accessorie Circuit Capsule New York January 5 - 7 Liberty Fairs Las Vegas February 10 - 11 Sands Expo Center Jacob Javits Convention Center January 20 - 22 New York libertyfairs.com Pier 94 nywomensfashionevents.com/accessorie - circuit Las Vegas Fame New York libertyfairs.com February 11 - 13 Intermezzo Collections Jacob Javits Convention Center January 5 - 7 Project New York City Jacob Javits Convention Center January 19 - 21 coteriefashionevents.com New York Jacob Javits Center 10times.com/intermezzo - collections New York City Children’s Club February 11 - 13 Accessories The Show Stylemax Jacob Javits Center January 5 - 7 January 26 - 28 New York City Jacob Javits Convention Center Market Suites New York 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, 7th Floor March nywomensfashionevents.com Chicago, IL stylemaxonline.com/theshow/ Label Array Moda New York March 9 - 11 January 5 - 7 CALA San Francisco Santee Alley, LA Fashion District Los Angeles Jacob Javits Center January 28 - 29 New York californiamarketcenter.com The Fort Mason Center San Francisco New York Women’s ASD Market Week Las Vegas January 5 - 7 calashows.com March 22 - 25 Jacob Javits Convention Center Las Vegas Convention Center New York City Atlanta Apparel asdonline.com January 28 - February 1 The Trends Show Americas Mart Trendz January 5 - 7 americasmart.com March 28 - 30 Phoenix Convention Center Palm Beach County Convention Center 33 South 3rd St. (South Hall) February trendzshow.com Phoenix.AZ Agenda Las Vegas April LA Market Week February 4 - 6 January 12 - 15 Sands Expo at Venetian I Palazzo Hawaii Market Merchandise Expos Santee Alley, LA Fashion District Las Vegas April 17 - 19 Los Angeles agendashow.com Blaisdell Exhibition Center californiamarketcenter.com Honolulu WWIN Apparel Show douglastradeshows.com The Deerfield Show February 3 - 6 January 12 - 13 May Rio Hotel and Convention Center 1445 Lake Cook Road Deerfield, IL Las Vegas Apparel Textile Sourcing midwestappareltradeshows.com wwinshow.com May 27 - 29 Mana Wynwood Convention Center LA Kids Market Curve New York Miami January 12 - 15 February 2 - 4 Santee Alley, LA Fashion District Jacob Javits Convention Center June Los Angeles New York City californiamarketcenter.com curve - newyork.com No US Shows
62 TRENDS 4January 2020