Cashmere World Forum - "The Only Trade Event Dedicated to Cashmere and Fine Fibres"

To keep up-to-date of the global cashmere industry, the Cashmere World Forum is a must-attend event for all involved in the industry.  

Known as the “Only Trade Event Dedicated to Cashmere and Fine Fibres”, Cashmere World Forum is slated for September 25 – 27 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

This year, topics covered by a line-up of distinguished speakers will include:-

- The Development of Objective Methods for the Identification of Cashmere

- The branding of cashmere: how to ensure quality cashmere?

- Issues of overgrazing, over culling herds, climate change, poor water management, impact on herds breeding

- The latest technologies in Genetic research, cloning, nano-cashmere, treatments of cashmere fibres

- As well as the Discovering of new producing markets and other precious fibres 

- Also to be discussed will be the characteristics of Iranian Cashmere as well as recent development of cashmere industry in Afghanistan.

- Experts will also present their findings on latest research into Colours and trends forecast.

Full details on key topics >>

Click here for more information or get in touch with My Fashion Connect (E: luciacarpio@yahoo.com)

Bookmarks for textile and art lovers.

Although e-books are ever more popular, I still like the feeling of holding a good old-fashioned book in my hands.  Also having books give me excuses to acquire bookmarks.

These ones here are rather nice for those who appreciate the good things in life.  These bookmarks have been created using designs selected from the archives of the V&A Museum in London, the world's largest museum of decorative art and design.  This set of 9 bookmarks reflect the changing trends of fabric and wallpaper designs during the 19th and 20th Centuries. To do justice to their art they are litho printed onto a high quality weave paper and bonded to a heavyweight board to give them the substance they deserve.  

Pal Zileri appoints new CEO. Other new appointments to follow.

The Viaglatorre suit by Pal Zileri highlights the high clothing brand's Italian craft.

The high-end Italian clothing brand Pal Zileri has a newly appointed CEO.   Mr. Paolo Roviera, 44, has more than 15 years of experience in the business. For the past 10 years he has had managerial roles at Ermenegildo Zegna, first as Zegna Sport Brand Director and subsequently as head of EMEA.

Paolo Roviera re-enters Pal Zileri for the second time, after having a first experience as master student intern more than 15 years ago.  Now he will leverage the excellence of “made in Italy” of Pal Zileri products to tackle the task of managing the brand's consolidation in Italy and also across the International markets, rolling-out a strategy that targets the domestic market, America and Russia, as core areas of development.

Stefano Gaudioso, 41, who will join Paolo Roviera in the Brand's re-launch as General Merchandising Manager, has had an extensive experience in merchandising high-end, luxury menswear, having garnered over 20 years' experience at Ermenegildo Zegna, and later Corneliani.

Additional new managerial appointments are due to be announced in the following months.

Cashmere World Broadens Its Scope to Embrace Fine Fibres

Cashmere World 2014 25 - 27 September 2014  Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Cashmere World Broadens Its Scope to Embrace Fine Fibres -  It is now "The only trade event dedicated to cashmere and fine fibres"

Strategically located in Asia’s fashion hub in Hong Kong, the trade fair Cashmere World - which will next take place 25-27 September - will be held concurrently alongside Asia’s leading fair for head-to-toe fashion, Fashion Access. According to organisers at UBM Asia in association with the China Chamber of Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce (CFNA) , exhibitors and visitors to Cashmere World in the last couple of years have given immense support to the event, and their feedback has informed that today cashmere is often combined with other luxurious fibres such as silk and superfine merino wool to create hybrid garments and fashion apparel. In addition, there is a whole industry of fine fibres prospering in the heights of the Andean mountains in places such as Puno located in the Peruvian Andes. Hundreds of thousands of alpaca mountain goats are bred for the fine fibres they produce in cold conditions similar to those in Outer Mongolia and in the foothills of the Himalayas. These fine Andean fibres eventually reach the shelves of department stores and western boutiques in the form of alpaca sweaters manufactured by leading corporations with international reputations such as Incotops and Michell. Along with vicuna which is the finest, most expensive and the rarest of fine fibre from the Andes, alpaca garments are part of the luxury range of fine fibres that compete with cashmere and baby yak but hail from the opposite side of the planet itself. List of fine fibres for luxury garments  Vicuna, Alpaca, Muskox (Qivlut), Merino, Angora Rabbit, Cashmere, Baby Yak Down, Camel Down, Guanaco, Llama, Chinchilla and Mohair. All the above fine fibres have their place in the world of luxury and it is a sector that has expanded dramatically in the last decade with the burgeoning middle classes in China and the BRICS looking for luxury products of all kinds - including sweaters and garments made from the finest and rarest fibres on earth. Bearing in mind the importance and qualities of all fine fibres Cashmere World, from its next edition due to be held from September 25 - 27 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai will carry the tag line:"The only trade event dedicated to cashmere and fine fibres" By broadening its scope to cover the whole gamut of fine fibres, cashmere oriented exhibitors will also benefit from the increased diversity of fashion buyers coming to the trade event as there will be a wider range of products manufactured from the world’s fine fibres on display to attract them.Also planned at this year’s fair is the Cashmere World Forum which will provide a platform for industry leaders and experts to exchange ideas on the latest topics in the Cashmere and Fine Fibres industry. Industry leaders such as Karl Spilhauss, President of Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute (CCMI), USA, and Seyed Abbas Rafat, Associate Professor of the Animal Science Department at the University of Tabriz, Iran, will be presenting at the forum. For further details and to read the latest updates go to http://www.cashmereworldfair.com/  or contact My Fashion Connect.

Digital textile printing elevates design creativity

When reviewing the wide range of textile designs we witness today, the designs can only be made possible by new developments in digital textile printing which has brought about a design revolution and is the most significant advance in fabric-printing technology since the invention of the silk screen, according to experts.  

A selection of digital printed scarfs by Miroglio Textile of Italy, shown at Premiere Vision Paris earlier this year.
Photo by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

In my recent research on the subject, I found that the sky is the limit it seems when one reviews the wide spectrum of print designs in the world of fashion – from garden floral patterns to tropical, botanical or nautical themes,  geometric designs from micro to oversize scales, brush-stroke inspired patterns, fantastical scenes, pop art graphics, painted portraits, abstract designs and paisleys .  All these have been made possible by the evolving developments and new technology in digital printing, which has become a means for fashion and textile designers to take their creativity to new levels. 

New technology allows designers to seek inspiration from previously unexplored sources, and use it as a new visual language for surface design.  One may ask - is it printed or hand-painted, is it a photograph or a drawing?  The whirl of colours and printed images are increasingly sophisticated and can fool the eye.  

To read my full article on “Digital Printing” just published in the June/July edition of AT A Journal, click HERE.