Decorex cancels live show; launches virtual event in November 2020

London-based Decorex International, a leading event for interior design professionals, has made the decision to transition from a live event to an all-virtual format event.

Organisers say in a statement: “Decorex understands the importance of connecting its communities and is therefore excited to design a unique virtual event that will allow the design industry to source, learn, network, gain inspiration and overcome challenges in this new environment.”

Detail of Brio, created by Anna Glover exclusively for Decorex 2020, originally to take place 11 - 14 October.

Decorex Virtual 2020 will take place on 3rd-5th November through a digital experience.

Full details will be announced soon.

“Although the decision to transition this year’s in-person event was difficult and we will miss seeing everyone in Olympia (the exhibition centre in Kensington, London), we are excited for a new way to engage and interact with our industry,” said Decorex Event Director, Sam Fisher. “We know the design community is eager to come together face to face, and our reimagining of Decorex through a virtual event will offer exceptional content, the ability to source new products, learn, share ideas, and network.”

As one of the creative minds behind Designscape 2020, Decorex has helped to design a creative event focused on residential, hospitality, and retail set to take place 11th-13th August.

“We want to thank everyone in the design family for their ongoing support,” continued Fisher, “We look forward to seeing everyone virtually in November and in person next year in Olympia.

Hyve Fashion cancels London summer events, launches new digital-only forum

While UK lockdown restrictions are gradually easing, marking significant progress for businesses and the economy, trade fair organiser Hyve Fashion has decided to cancel its London fashion events for this summer, namely  Pure London, Pure Origin, Scoop and Jacket Required, due to the current challenging economic climate affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and response to feedback from their visitors and exhibitors.

However the company announced the launch of a brand-new, digital-only forum, Fashion Together, to take place on 1st and 2nd September 2020. This online forum will be open to buyers and brands, offering access to a seminar programme and practical advice designed to educate and inform delegates.

The teams behind the scene are now turning their attention to bringing Pure London, Pure Origin, Scoop and Jacket Required back to the UK capital in time for the AW21/22 editions on 14th – 16th February 2021.

Copenhagen Fashion Week 9 - 12 August - to host live events

Denmark is recovering rapidly from the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing Copenhagen Fashion Week to host live events in August.

Copenhagen Fashion Week, to be held 9-12 August 2020, has announced a line-up of 34 brands from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Germany, and the UK.  

"Planning the fashion week has without a doubt been different this time around, with many unknown factors playing a role. That's why we're thrilled that we're able to present the same high standard that Copenhagen Fashion Week is known for this season, and that the number of participating brands is broadly unchanged," states Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO, Copenhagen Fashion Week.

Ganni will be at Copenhagen Fashion Week.

Copenhagen Fashion Week will present a wide range of  brands, including from Denmark, Ganni, Stine Goya and Henrik Vibskov, while from Sweden will be brands such as Rodebjer, Hope and Whyred. Also participating will be brands such as Holzweiler from Norway, Marimekko from Finland; German brands Lala Berlin and Malaikaraiss, and Rixo from the UK.

In an era when nothing is the same as it was, Copenhagen Fashion Week will present a new hybrid format that mixes digital experiences with physical events.  The physical shows and presentations still remain a large part of the schedule with brands like Soulland and Mark Kenly Domino Tan staging physical events to be streamed digitally to secure exposure and reach. Many brands, like Baum und Pferdgarten and By Malene Birger, will present their universe entirely digitally, fostering new and innovative material to be showcased for the first time at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Ganni, among others, are preparing for a hybrid showcase format bridging physical and digital.

There will also be a physical hub in downtown Copenhagen that will serve as a gathering place and networking centre for the industry, providing a location for an extensive talk programme and industry as well as consumer events.

"We strongly believe in the importance of being able to meet face to face. Fashion week is inherently a physical event, which is why we're incredibly happy to be able to gather the industry at our new hub. Jointly with the two fashion fairs, CIFF and Revolver, we're creating an amazing fashion week that can help the fashion industry to move ahead," concludes Thorsmark.

Messe Frankfurt France has cancelled September editions of Apparel Sourcing, Avantex, Leatherworld, Shawls&Scarves, Texworld and Texworld Denim Paris

While a number of international trade fairs are hoping to proceed with their scheduled events this autumn, other organisers have decided to cancel, such as Messe Frankfurt France which has announced the cancellation of the September 2020 edition of Apparel Sourcing, Avantex, Leatherworld, Shawls&Scarves, Texworld and Texworld Denim Paris - international trade fairs for the fashion and textile industry, trims and accessories.

Photo: Thomas Deron - Messe Frankfurt Paris - February 2020.

According to their released statement, they have come to this decision due to the lack of information on health requirements from the authorities for the major international events planned for September, as well as possible travel restrictions for international visitors that may still be in place.  
With the threat of second spikes of the Covid-19 looming over many of their major participating countries such as China, while others are still seeing high infection numbers, it is understandable why the organisers have decided to forgo with the September shows.  Instead their team is now concentrating their efforts on the February 2021 exhibitions, while their original dates of  14 - 17 September 2020 were to coincide with Premiere Vision Paris September 2020 edition, which still at the moment will go ahead combining a physical event with a digital platform.

"A survey conducted amongst loyal textile and clothing buyers indicates that most of them are not yet ready to travel.  Serious consideration of all these issues and the lack of guarantees that this major event can be organised under good conditions has forced us to take this decision. A difficult decision, but one that is responsible to our visitors, exhibitors and partners," explains Frédéric Bougeard, President of Messe Frankfurt France.

"Our major international partners have renewed their confidence in us by confirming their presence from February 1 to 4, Mr. Bougeard added, saying from September onwards, Messe Frankfurt France will be offering several digital solutions to connect suppliers to buyers and to showcase their know-how and production capacities, which are the strength and originality of Messe Frankfurt France trade fairs.

Premiere Vision Paris reconfirms September 2020 dates, incorporating digitalised content and specialised sister events.

The international fashion textile and materials show Première Vision confirms that its flagship Paris event dedicated to creative fashion will be held from 15 to 17 September at their habitual venue at Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte, provided that events of more than 5,000 people will be allowed to resume this September.

Organisers say the physical edition of the show, which has been revised and adapted to the current world health situation, will for the first time be bolstered by a complementary Digital Fair taking place over the same dates.  The aim of this virtual show - which will be hosted and relayed by a recently developed online dimension of the Première Vision called the Marketplace, a B-to-B e-commerce platform for the sector.
This will help boost the visibility of the exhibitors' offer to a broader target of international buyers, in case many will still not be ready to travel internationally, and is seen as an added effort to boost the industry’s recovery as economies around the world have been widely and deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.  

In the textiles and fashion industry, the Première Vision Paris show is an important bi-annual event and the September edition, if it is able to proceed as planned, will be dedicated to the autumn/winter 2021-22 collections.  
While fees to use the Marketplace has been waived, with the implementation of special Webcasts, PV has been able to provide seasonal information for autumn winter 2021-22 and share the forward-looking analyses of its fashion team. Translated into eight languages and sent to a wider audience of international exhibitors and professionals, the proposed fashion inspirations and directions will assist fashion manufacturers as they create the materials they will be exhibiting at the next show.
“For the next edition of PV Paris, we are evolving our tools and system to allow a broader digitisation of services and content, including: selecting products for the forums, the season’s fashion information, trend seminars and conferences to be found online,” says the organisers.

In addition to showcasing its usual fashion universes, the show is also intending to integrate those Denim Première Vision exhibitors who wish to do so, and to welcome the creative offer from Blossom Première Vision exhibitors.

Initially scheduled to take place 10 and 11 June in Milan, Denim PV will now be next held in Berlin this November, and will return to Milan on 26 and 27 May 2021.

Blossom Première Vision, originally scheduled for 1 and 2 July in Paris, will be able to unveil their creative materials for pre-collections - including fabrics, leathers, and accessories - alongside their collections targeting fashion houses’ main collections, at the September PV Paris event.

In order to best assist its exhibitors in this time of uncertainty, Première Vision has revised the registration and cancellation conditions for its Paris show to give companies as much flexibility as possible.

The registration timetable has been made more flexible over an extended period, say the organisers, to allow exhibitors who wish to do so to register as late as possible, and thus give them more time to adapt to an ever-changing situation.

In the event of the cancellation of the show due to force majeure, Première Vision will reimburse the exhibitors’ registration, and therefore bear the risk related to the show not taking place.
Furthermore, visitors will be able to register free of charge until 31^st August, and will enjoy free access to the show and the seminars.

Meanwhile PV organisers have announced new dates for Made in France Première Vision, Première Vision New York and Première Vision Sport.

The 2020 edition of the Made in France Première Vision show, dedicated to the know-how of the French fashion industry, has been postponed to Tuesday 1st and Wednesday 2nd September 2020 at the Carreau du Temple in Paris.

As for the American shows, Première Vision New York, originally scheduled for 21 and 22 July at the Center 415, will now take place 30 September and 1 October, thus providing a local service to buyers from the other side of the Atlantic only two weeks after the major Paris show.

Première Vision Sport, which was to be held on 29 and 30 July, will present its specialised offer for high-performance apparel and active sportswear on 19 and 20 August at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, alongside The Material Show, the US trade show specialised in footwear for high-performance sport.  

These latest dates remain subject to health and government authorisations.

Face masks by six British designers for charity

Following the British government’s announcement that it will be mandatory to wear face coverings on public transport in England from June 15, to help limit the spread of the coronavirus, the British Fashion Council has announced that British fashion designers and brands including Raeburn, Mulberry and Liam Hodges, have collaborated with the British Fashion Council on their "Great British Designer Face Coverings: Reusable, for People and Planet" campaign to raise money for charity.

Photo from British Fashion Council.

There are six sustainable, non-medical face masks, designed by Halpern, Julien Macdonald, Liam Hodges, Mulberry, Raeburn and Rixo, which the British Fashion Council hopes will raise £1 million to be split between three different charities: NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Urgent Appeal, Wings of Hope Children’s Charity, and the BFC Foundation Fashion Fund, which will support the next round of funding to give back to British designer businesses.

The campaign is launched in collaboration with ethical supply chain specialists Bags of Ethics, which has manufactured the face coverings in its partner factories. The re-usable face mask are sold in packs of three with two protective pouches for £15. They are made of fabric and contain no single-use plastic.

These non-medical face coverings are available to buy online through britishfashioncouncil.com and through partner retailers soon including Asos, Boots, John Lewis and Partners and Sainsbury’s in Tu Clothing sections in selected superstores, convenience stores and online at Tu.co.uk and Argos.co.uk.
The launch of these designer face masks coincided with London Fashion Week which was staged for the first time as a “digital” event, rather than the habitual three-day schedule of physical catwalk shows, glamorous presentations and events that fashion editors, international buyers and influencers have become accustomed to.  Due to the health and safety concerns impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, this quarantine-friendly digital format featured a dedicated online platform with a timed schedule of content-based "events" - from fashion films and digital showrooms to podcasts, playlists and panel discussions. Also instead of a menswear-focused show, the June 2020 event was a gender neutral affair, covering both menswear and womenswear designers and for the first time, members of the general public were able to watch for free the fashion content.

Encouraging signs Britons ready to return to the high street, says new report.

As of June 15^th,  non-essential shops and retailers will be allowed to reopen in England.  But will consumers be happy or feel safe to return to the high street?  During the lockdown months due to the Covid-19 outbreak, consumers (my household included) have been embracing online purchases as never before. Many in the business and retail sectors predict that the high street will not be the same as before the lockdown.  At least the public will be seen wearing face coverings, as advised by the UK government, especially in enclosed public spaces where you may be more likely to come into contact with people you do not normally meet.  

Based on the latest scientific evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), the government confirmed face coverings can help reduce the risk of transmission in some circumstances.  However face coverings are not a replacement for social distancing and regular handwashing which remain the most important actions, says Chief Medical Officer.

The public is to wear face coverings in enclosed public spaces such as shops, trains, buses and all public transports to help reduce the spread of coronavirus, says UK government. 
Mask shown above is from FFSB, created in support of the #Masks4all movement, with 10% of profits from the sales of the masks goes to Young Minds Charity.  The collection comes in eight different designs, packaged in pairs and available in adult and kid sizes.  Mentored by the London fashion company House of Baukjen, FFSB produces up-cycled masks in an ethical and family-run factory in Portugal. All masks are handmade in a double layered, pleated design using 100% soft cotton leftover fabrics and cut-offs and can be worn time and time again. FFSB was launched by four Britons: Frank, Finn, Sebastian and Bela. With their GCSE’s cancelled amidst the pandemic, the students chose to use their exam time to make a difference, take action and show that young people can do something meaningful in these unprecedented times. 

Now new research commissioned by People 1st International provides encouraging signs that Britons are ready to return if the correct measures for health and safety are in place. The findings also highlight that the younger generation will be a driving force when it comes to kick-starting the visitor economy.

Two thousand people aged 18 and above took part in the research, which focuses on the behavioural attitudes and factors impacting a return to leisure activities such as pubs and bars, restaurants, holidays, non-food shopping and visiting local attractions, according to the report published in early June.  (The research was based on an online survey of 2079 people from across the UK carried out by Populus in the third week of May 2020.)

Asked about what would influence their decision to take part in these activities, more than half of respondents cited the importance of the following five factors:

• Crowd levels (69%)
• Ability to social distance (64%)
• Confidence in infection control measures (63%)
• Cleanliness and hygiene (61%)
• Confidence that staff have been trained in these new measures (54%)

Whilst both men and women consider these factors important, women appear to be more cautious. For example, 73% of women are concerned about how crowded a location might be, 66% (women) are concerned about cleanliness and 60% of women want to be confident that staff have been trained in safety and hygiene.
The younger generation (aged 18-24) appear to be spearheading the return, and are by far the most positive across the board, whether that is spending more time with family and friends (60%) planning to eat out more (34%), visit pubs and bars more (30%) or do more outdoor activities (48%).

“It’s not surprising to see the importance that consumers are placing on health and hygiene when it comes to their plans to return to leisure activities. It’s also really encouraging that young people want to go out and seize the day after lock-down. Hopefully their zest for life will help to kick-start the hard-hit hospitality and tourism sectors,” says Jane Rexworthy, Executive Director of People 1st International.  “Staff training to support health and hygiene beyond Covid-19 that’s in line with government guidance is critical to building consumer confidence, which is why we have developed WorldHost 2020, a new e-learning module to empower staff to keep customers and colleagues safe - helping assure business leaders that they can reopen their doors with confidence.”

Pitti Uomo, Pitti Bimbo and Pitti Filati cancelled summer 2020 shows.

Pitti Uomo, the Italian trade show for menswear has joined the fate of Pitti Bimbo and Pitti Filati by the same organiser Pitti Immagine, has announced its cancellation to this year’s summer event.  It will next take place in January 2021.

The organisers said although they have originally moved the summer edition of the menswear show in Florence from August to September 2 – 4, it was in the end not feasible to host the event this year due to lack of participants and lingering difficulties faced by the industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pitti Immagine’s board of directors now have decided to concentrate their effort on the shows’ digital version, Pitti Connect, set to go live between the end of June and the beginning of July.
“It's much more than a virtual showroom,” said the General Manager of Pitti Immagine, Agostino Poletto, as reported in Fashion Network. “It is a sophisticated networking and marketing tool that will enable exhibitors to boost their visibility with tens of thousands of recognised buyers, to activate targeted, certified commercial contacts, receive support in their order management process, and stage live events and presentations.”  He adds that Pitti Connect “will showcase collections and products by theme, will promote emerging talents, stimulate debate on the hottest current issues, and feature collaborations and partnerships with the media and other fashion industry players.”

International Jewewllery London 2020 is cancelled.

This year’s International Jewellery London (IJL), which was scheduled to take place at Alexandra Palace from September 13 to 15, has been cancelled according to the organiser Reed Exhibitions which announced today that due to UK government and health authority guidelines, it would make it impossible to host a large scale gathering in September without compromising the show.


“The health and safety of our exhibitors, visitors, partners and staff is our number one priority. Therefore, after careful consideration we feel it is in everyone’s best interests not to go ahead with this year’s event and wanted to give everyone involved as much notice as possible,” says the organiser.

“IJL has 65 years of heritage that we look to protect and maintain during this unprecedented time. For now, and as we recognise the challenging time our industry has to face, both personally and professionally, we will continue to collaborate with exhibitors and visitors to support the global jewellery industry during this difficult period. We are working out these details now and will inform our community at the relevant and appropriate times,” says Reed Exhibitions.

Britain's Tom Dixon & Austria's Prolicht launch new track lighting: CODE

Having spent months locked down in our homes, many of us may have come to realise the importance of having good lighting that work flexibly for our work-home combined life.

Now there is a new LED lighting product called Code, composed of bare LEDs mounted on printed circuit boards that can be arranged in numerous configurations to create “graphic lighting sculptures.” This will be welcome news for those who now probably make working from home a more permanent arrangement, and need inspirational lighting to help nurture productivity.


Code is a collaboration between British designer Tom Dixon who produces furniture, lighting and accessories under his eponymous brand, and Austrian architectural lighting specialists PROLICHT. Their  joint ambition was to rethink conventional track lighting systems, which typically conceal PCBs, and offer a stripped-back alternative that celebrates and exposes the devices.

Right, Walter Norz of Prolicht and Tom Dixon, outside Tom Dixon's headquarters in Coal Harbour,

 London Charing Cross, pre-Covid-19 lockdown.

All photos from Tom Dixon.

Designer Tom Dixon and Prolicht CEO Walter Norz recently spoke to Dezeen founder and editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs about the stripped-back LED lighting to coincide with the launch of Code, which was featured in the product fair Virtual Design Festival (VDF), is composed of bare LEDs mounted on printed circuit boards that can be arranged in numerous configurations to create "graphic lighting sculptures", according to the brand.
You can watch the interview by clicking HERE.

“For the past year, we’ve been obsessed with printed circuit boards (PCBs). So flat, so efficient, and so very luminous! Our collaboration with Prolicht started high in the mountains of Innsbruck where we shared our first thoughts on a Minimal Track System that would attempt to remove the superfluous and reveal the light engine in all its naked glory,” said Dixon.

Last week, Tom Dixon unveiled their new Octagon at Design Shanghai at Xintiandi Design Festival, the leading art and design festival in Asia held from 25th May to 8th June.   

The exhibition, YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW showcased an innovative display, entitled Octagon, which was a flatpack structure that transforms into a pavilion of eight vitrines to display elements of our universe.

Visually-stunning video by Cristina Picchi to celebrate CLASS's Sustainability Values

Award-winning Italian artist and director Cristina Picchi’s films have been screened at festivals and galleries worldwide, including Venice, Locarno, and Clermont-Ferrand. Recognition includes a Silver Leopard in Locarno and a nomination at the European Film Awards for Best Short Film.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpamN2JX6BY


A recipient of the EMAN/EMARE residency programme in Montreal, the Quartier21 residency programme at the Museums Quartier in Vienna, and a Berlinale Talents alumnus, Cristina Picchi recently created this emotional video-portrait of  C.L.A.S.S. to celebrate the Milan-based organisation’s values and enduring mission; Heritage, Smart Innovation, Circular Economy, and Design Responsibility towards preserving the environment.  It is so relevant in today's world when life as we know it has changed so drastically and being aware of environmental concerns should be at the core of everything we do.

ISPO Re.Start Days a live digital conference to take place June 30 and July 1

If anything the Covid-19 pandemic crisis has revealed to us, it is the necessity of exercise to maintain our general wellbeing although until recently many of us around the world have had to stay indoors during unprecedented lockdowns, and only on permitted circumstances were we allowed to venture outside for sport activities.

In a recent survey by the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), it was found that while the pandemic has severely affected the sports industry, sport especially running and outdoor sports will continue to play a major role even after the pandemic. Among the greatest potential for development is in the area of walking, football and basketball, as well as cycling.

Thus trade events are vital for the sporting industry to showcase new products and technological developments that will meet the discerning demand of consumers, albeit most physical trade events for the past and coming months this year have been cancelled or postponed due to the virus crisis, including the OutDoor by ISPO 2020, the ISPO SDG Summit and the ISPO Digitize Summit.  So instead, organisers at Messe München are now focusing on staging the ISPO Re.Start Days - a digital live conference for the sports and outdoor industry due to take place on June 30 and July 1, 2020.

This is a special anniversary year for ISPO whose motto remains «50 years of tomorrow».

"Corona is changing the world, the rules are being rewritten" says Klaus Dittrich as reported in ISPO.com. The Chairman and CEO of Messe München says: "We will live up to our pioneering role even in these difficult times and are making a fresh start with the sports and outdoor industry. We'll turn the 'new normality' into the next '50 years of tomorrow'."

While the programme is being developed in close cooperation with industry associations such as the European Outdoor Group (EOG) and the Verband Deutscher Sportfachhandel (vds), the digital live conference is aimed at an international audience that goes beyond the sports and outdoor industry.

EOG President Mark Held explains: "Access to nature is important for the well-being of all people. Here we continue to see growing importance and a major role for the outdoor industry, but at the same time, we need to discuss the negative consequences of the crisis for society and the economy as a whole and rethink the challenges it poses. We can only do this together and we will be fully involved."

Tickets for the ISPO Re.Start Days will be on sale from June 8^th.  For more details, click HERE.

Notabag - the practical and flexible hold-it-all

I’m drawn to the bold, simply fun German-designed Notabag, the smart combination of a bag and a backpack. It transforms with a single pull on the straps, so you can put it on your back and free your hands. Perfect bag for everyday use, especially nowadays when we need to carry our hand gel, spare face masks and sanitising wipes.

The SS2020 collection comes in stripes or polka dot designs, available in Marine, Golden Yellow and Olive. Each bag measures 45 × 65 cm and made in cotton and rip-stop nylon mix, water-resistant and machine washable.

Inside the bag, there is an attached pocket where you can keep your wallet or your keys. When the bag is not in use, it folds into that pocket and becomes a handy 13 x 15.5 cm pouch.


This sleek, eco-friendly unisex tote-backpack-pouch changes the rules, adapting to everyday life; practical and flexible, and fun.