Interior design show Focus/22, London's Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour - September 19 - 22 2022

From Monday 19 to Friday 23 September 2022, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, will be hosting Focus/22, the international design and decoration show, welcoming trade visitors and design lovers from around the world.  Registration to attend is now open.

Organisers say new season collections from some 600 global brands will be showcasing their latest design looks for the season ahead, and more than 100 events will be organised, including workshops, demonstrations and a series of stage talks under the Conversations in Design banner.

A global outlook sees designers draw influences from far reaching sources, according to the organisers, as "this year, it is all about a desire to be transported – to a different era, to a different country, the great outdoors, and a positive future. Expect an abundance of pattern and colour in sophisticated combinations, materials and textures from world-class talent."

Highlights include collaborations with international tastemakers from the likes of Patricia Urquiola, Peter Marino, Luke Edward Hall, Humbert & Poyet, Tristan Auer and Jay Jeffers, in  addition to Design Centre brands teaming up with fashion names like Stella McCartney and Victor Glemaud. 

A-list speakers will include Bryan O’Sullivan and Emma Sims-Hilditch, with more names to be announced; all providing conversations and in-depth analysis to keep the design industry competitive and connected. 

Meanwhile, the Access All Areas showroom events will give visitors the opportunity to meet the world-class designers, thinkers and makers driving the best in design today.

Adding another layer to the offering will be a raft of pop-up ‘House Guests’, who will only be in situ for the duration of the show and offer more ways to encounter remarkable talent from leading design brands. 

There are also specially commissioned installations and dining experiences to enjoy, including the Design Restaurant by Social Pantry.

To register, visit the Design Centre website.  

NEW ARRIVALS

Design Centre welcomes the opening this autumn of Ralph Lauren Home, the designer brand's new 250 sqm flagship store for home in the North Dome of the Centre.

More new arrivals to expect at Focus/22 include Philippe Hurel, a name synonymous with French craftmanship; And Objects showcasing furniture and lighting from the acclaimed design studio of Martin Brudnizki; Pavoni, purveyors of the finest Italian leathers; Antique Modern Mix with its eclectic selection of mid-20th century pieces and antiques, and Robert Langford whose timeless furniture has a contemporary edge. There will be handcrafted designs from Modern British Kitchens, while Huma Kitchens will offer a luxury design service for kitchens and bespoke joinery.

V & A's FASHION IN MOTION: Daniel Lismore featured on August 5

Multidisciplinary artist Daniel Lismore,, hailed by Vogue as "England's Most Eccentric Dresser", will be the next featured designer in the V&A’s Fashion in Motion series. 

To be held in London Victoria &Albert Museum's Raphael Court on the 5 August, the four free fashion presentations will showcase highlights from Lismore’s recent exhibition Be Yourself, Everybody Else is Taken, alongside his new ‘Jubilee’ look on view for the first time.

Lismore is recognisable for creating three-dimensional sculptural ensembles which mesh together past, present and future. His work is a psychedelic mash up of haute couture, charity shop finds and vintage fabrics, and sustainability sits at the heart of Lismore's design philosophy through reuse and upcycling.

Sustainability sits at the heart of Daniel’s design philosophy, and with each ensemble he practices creative re-use and upcycling. 

Twelve life-size ensembles – standing at 6’4” – will be showcased, examining social, historical and cultural themes central to Lismore’s work and life as a ‘living sculpture’. 

Daniel Lismore said: “I am delighted that my sculptural looks will be showcased at the V&A. The pieces are a product of 20 years of collecting, collaboration and travel – each individual accessory, textile and adornment has a unique and personal story. I hope that visitors will be inspired and empowered by my life as a living sculpture to express themselves however they choose.”

Oriole Cullen, V&A Senior Curator Exhibitions said: “Daniel Lismore’s spectacular sculptures embody his unique lived experience, we are excited to present his dramatic and uncompromising vision of beauty and authenticity as part of the V&A’s Fashion in Motion series.”

A prominent fixture on the London Fashion and Art circuits, Daniel was Creative Director of luxury label Sorapol where he dressed Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, Naomi Campbell, and Boy George amongst others. Daniel has designed for English National Opera and has exhibited at the Venice Biennale, Miami Art Basal and Reykjavik Arts Festival in 2018.

FASHION IN MOTION: Daniel Lismore is supported by Libbie Scher Mugrabi  

The LYCRA Company collaborates with Browzwear

The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing innovative and sustainable fibre and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, has partnered with Browzwear that will provide designers using VStitcher and Lotta, the pioneering platforms for 3D fashion design, the ability to quickly and easily develop products incorporating fabrics containing LYCRA, LYCRA T400, and COOLMAX fibres.

The Browzwear platform enables designers to visualize how garments made with LYCRA fibre
offer a comfortable, lasting fit that will move with the wearer.

The partnership with Browzwear is the latest element of a multifaceted digital transformation that The LYCRA Company began last year with the launch of the LYCRA ONE customer portal, an online marketplace connecting brands, retailers, and garment makers to a global network of partner mills in a virtual capacity. 

The expansion of The LYCRA Company’s digital infrastructure is enabling new forms of engagement with its global customer base, and online platforms, like Browzwear, demonstrate the differentiation and sources of innovation that The LYCRA Company is helping bring to its customers across the apparel value chain. 

With the true-to-life visualizations made possible with Browzwear's innovative software, the industry's leading 3D software for apparel design and development, designers can digitally create activewear, denim, swimwear, ready-to-wear, and intimate apparel fashions using fabrics showcased in the LYCRA Brand Materials Library. The Browzwear platform enables designers to visualize how garments made with LYCRA fibre offer a comfortable, lasting fit that will move with the wearer.

All the materials with digital versions in the LYCRA Brand Materials Library can be sourced directly from one of 15 global mills initially featured on Browzwear. These materials have been tested and certified by The LYCRA Company, ensuring they contain the company’s authentic fibres that are designed to meet consumer needs for comfort, fit and ease of movement. In addition, The LYCRA Company will continue to work with Browzwear to add new resources to the materials library as they become available, further enhancing the digital design capabilities.

Premiere Vision Paris and Texworld Paris group of fairs reported successful July 2022 edition, welcoming international buyers

Premiere Vision Paris's new summer edition in July welcomed 23,000 visitors

From July 4 to 8, Première Vision Paris, the premium trade event for all sectors of the textile and garment industry, presented its first early edition dedicated to the Fall-Winter 2023-24 collections: a physical show at the Parc des Expositions, Paris Nord Villepinte (July 5–7), complemented by a digital show accessible online during the same week (July 4 - 8).

This edition was historically held in September, and organisers are optimistic they will be able to build on its success with the new summer schedule, in tune with the evolving cycles of the fashion industry, as well as meeting the needs of manufacturers, 

Organisers say this calendar change has won the market’s approval, registering a 32% growth in the creative offer (when compared to the September 2021 event), welcoming the return of international visitors.  The industry’s reinforced commitment to eco-responsibility issues addressed by Première Vision also confirmed the event’s strategic choices.

The physical edition, which attracted 23,377 visitors (+37% vs. the hybrid event of September 2021 and +10% vs. February 2022),  underlines the positive momentum of the event, with a solid turnout, especially on its first day, despite rail and air strikes, and despite a call for telecommuting issued by the SNCF (France’s national railway) to its users.

“We are pleased to have finally been able to respond to market demand with a new agenda that has been brought forward by two months. The creativity of our offer, the energy of our visitors, the return of distant markets, the challenge of eco-responsibility, and the success of the new services we offer are all strong and encouraging signs that we are able to sustain our activity despite the current context,” confirms Gilles Lasbordes, General Manager of Première Vision.

With international attendance at 69%, and a notable return of the United States and Korea, respectively in the Top 10 and Top 15 positions, international buyers turned out to discover the ultra-premium collections of 1,200 exhibitors. This growing creative offer (+32% vs. September 2021 and +10% vs. February 2022) also had a strong international dimension, with exhibitors coming mostly from Europe—with Italy in the lead, followed by France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Germany…—as well as from the Mediterranean basin—Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia…—and from Asia—Japan, Korea, India.

Photos courtesy of PV Paris

In a context where, in addition to the still latent health crisis, we now face an unstable international situation related to the war in Ukraine, which affects all markets in terms of business and industrial factors (rising raw  material prices, supply difficulties, logistics, etc.), this growth both in attendance and offer around a brand new calendar reflects the fashion industry’s solid confidence in the Première Vision Paris show, contends the organisers.

New PREMIÈRE VISION event

On September 7 and 8 2022, Première Vision is organizing its brand-new salon, Fashion Rendez-Vous, to take place at the Carreau du Temple, in the heart of Paris. This new event complements the July edition of Première Vision Paris, Première Vision’s flagship event.

Other upcoming PV events in 2022 and 2023 are as follows:-

DENIM PREMIÈRE VISION - MILAN

23 & 24 November 20, France22

Superstudio Più, Milan

BLOSSOM PREMIÈRE VISION

14 & 15 December 2022

Carreau du Temple, Paris

PREMIÈRE VISION PARIS

7, 8 & 9 February 2023 - Parc des Expositions de Paris Nord Villepinte

6—10 February 2023 – Digital Week sur www.premierevision.com 

PREMIÈRE VISION NEW YORK

January 2023

Center 415, New York, USA

MADE IN FRANCE PREMIÈRE VISION

28 & 29 March 2023

Carreau du Temple, Paris

Texworld Paris group of fairs reported successful July 2022 edition, welcoming international buyers

Meanwhile, Texworld Paris group of fairs, held for the first time in July rather than September under a new rescheduling plan, recorded a 29% increase in trade visitors and marking the return of international professionals from the textile and finished product industries, registering some 3,700 buyers to the Parc des Expositions in Le Bourget in the French capital.

In additional to French buyers, other trade visitors had come from Spain, the UK and Italy, followed by Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and the US.

The organisers at Messe Frankfurt France also announced that the next edition will take place from 6 to 8 February 2023 at the same venue, when the fairs will be expected to return to their original format, while the summer trade shows, to take place from 3 to 5 July 2023, will be held for the first time at Porte de Versailles, south Paris.

“This new edition, offered in the summer rather than in September, shows that manufacturers have been able to anticipate and prepare themselves to adapt to buyers' expectations," emphasised Frédéric Bougeard, President of Messe Frankfurt France.  He added that it also confirmed that a new step has been taken towards a return to the original formats of our shows, which we hope to be able to offer in February and then in July 2023. 

The group of fairs held from 4 - 6 July 2022 included Apparel Sourcing, Avantex, Leatherworld as well as the textile fair Texworld Paris, presented more than 400 exhibitors.

They welcomed the return of exhibitors from China with 140 companies, India (60) and Korea (41), and from Turkey with 100 exhibitors.

Organisers said exhibitors were generally satisfied with the turnout at the fairs.  For one, weaver Kohinoor Mills from Pakistan, which offers high-quality menswear cotton fabrics at Texworld, revealed it had been a very active show for them company, having made several important contracts. 

The Indian embroiderer Veekay International was able to meet buyers from nations not usually present at European trade fairs, such as Kosovo, Nigeria or Ghana, who placed orders for local markets.

At Apparel Sourcing, exhibitors also reported making positive impression with numerous contacts,  including first-time participant children's clothing manufacturer Raj Krupa Textiles, and womenswear company Smash Creations.

Of the 140 companies representing China, some 45 were  grouped together in the Source In China area, a platform run by agents from Foursource - the digital partner of Messe Frankfurt France - and Chinese experts. 

Buyers welcomed the relevance and clarity of the merchandising efforts on offer in this area, which was once again set up this year by the Texworld Evolution Paris team. Some fifteen Chinese garment manufacturers were able to present complete white label collections designed for the European markets, presented on models during the China Fashion Walk shows. 

Visitors were also able to experience the metaverse at the stand of Texpertise Network, the textile expertise network of the Messe Frankfurt Group. Equipped with virtual reality headsets, they were able to discover the possibilities of organizing virtual and hybrid events, meetings and product showcases that metaverse and augmented reality allow.

Meanwhile organisers announced the Avantex Fashion Pitch prize was awarded this year to the start-up Redonner, which offers a digital solution to enable fashion brands to direct the flow of unused clothing and textiles towards the French sorting and recycling sector.

The winner was selected by a jury of experts, which included Kristina Dimitrova (Interlaced), Franck Delpal (IFM Paris) and Maxime Coupez (Nelly Rodi).

Photos courtesy of Messe Frankfurt Paris.

London Fashion Week presented by Clearpay announces September 2022 dates and Provisional Line-up

London Fashion Week's September 2022 edition will take place 16th - 20th September.

The line-up of brands and designers to the London event will include Burberry, JW Anderson and Molly Goddard, to some of London’s most exciting emerging talent, including #BFCNEWGEN designers Chet Lo, MASHA POPOVA and yuhan wang.  

British designer Molly Goddard's designs on display at Christie's London in June 2022.
Photo by Lucia Carpio.

Take a first look at the provisional schedule below.  Also to explore the designers, go to londonfashionweek.com.

This year, LFW June 2022 celebrated its 10 years with a three-day event that pushed boundaries across gender identity and sustainability, making space for individuality, self expression and positive change.

One can still catch up on the LFW June shows via the digital platform and click HERE to see all the backstage highlights.

CHARLES & KEITH features new collection by Spanish artist Coco Capitán

Spanish-born artist Coco Capitán is renowned for her poetic musings and artwork, especially her hand-written aphorisms. Now the artist - whose works  have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the world, and known for her celebrated collaborations with the likes of Gucci  – has partnered with the Singapore-based brand Charles & Keith to explore complex emotions that prose can evoke in fashion, celebrating individuality and creating wearable pieces featuring her art. 

The collaboration features androgynous and structured silhouettes that serve as a canvas for Capitán's art while merging with the sensibilities and understated elegance of  CHARLES & KEITH’s design aesthetic. Capitán has also injected a personal touch to the collection, taking over the brand’s san-serif logo with her signature script.

Bella Freud collaborates with Neal’s Yard Remedies

Apothecary brand Neal's Yard Remedies, known for its natural and organic health and beauty products, has collaborated with British designer Bella Freud on its campaign to save Britain's bee population. 

As part of this campaign, Bella Freud has designed an exclusive T-shirt supporting the cause. All proceeds will be donated to bee conservation and nature-friendly farming initiatives. 

Made in Dorset from 100% soft organic cotton, this limited-edition classic white T-shirt pays homage to the humble yet vital bee in the eponymous label’s signature style. The Bella Freud x Neal's Yard Remedies collection is now available to buy on nealsyardremedies.com.

Givenchy launches 101 Dalmatian inspired collection

Givenchy has unveiled a limited-edition capsule collection starring characters from the iconic 1961 animated film Disney’s 101 Dalmatians. 

The collection will be accompanied by custom animation created by the legends of hand-drawn animation at Walt Disney Animation Studios featuring a special appearance by supermodel Kate Moss. ​

Designed by Creative Director Matthew M. Williams in collaboration with Disney, the Disney x Givenchy 101 Dalmatians capsule celebrates love and loyalty in high style as Pongo, Perdita and their pups set out for fun and adventure in the City of Light. The collection is now available at givenchy.com.

Levi's announces collaboration with tennis star Naomi Osaka

Tennis star Naomi Osaka has turned her hands to designing fashion, as Levi's jeans has announced that it has collaborated with Osaka on a denim collection for Spring/Summer 2022. 

The collection, which will be available from July 18th on levi.com, includes five new denim pieces, each of which were based on original sketches by Naomi, and all feature contrasting denim washes and creative plays on proportion. It’s a unique and stylish line-up that can serve as the perfect centre piece for any outfit, according to Levi's.

Included is a cascading Mermaid Skirt featuring contrasting denim and a ruffled, high-low hemline that makes for a short skirt on one side and a maxi skirt on the other. 

There’s also the Denim Halter Top, a streamlined light-wash denim halter, perfect for playing off the volume of the Mermaid Skirt, or even better, the oversized Artist Coat – a mid-length, wide-sleeved, drop-shoulder coat featuring big patch pockets (with a Red Tab and arcuate stitching, of course) and contrasting mid and light-wash denim. 

Each of these pieces are made with 100 percent organically grown cotton.

The Levi's x Naomi Osaka collection will be available from 18 July at levi.com