Secret Pillow Project tells a story of empowerment and of hope

Fritha Vincent, founder of Secret Pillows, with a bed of her colourful pillows that tell a story of empowerment and of hope.

The Secret Pillow Project is a social business set up to train and empower women in India through making and selling Secret Pillows. Making these pillows mean women can feed, clothe, and send their children to school. Secret Pillows offer a future, according to founder and social entrepreneur, Fritha Vincent.  Determined to find a way to empower disadvantaged women. Fritha is driven by the statistic that 80 per cent of children in institutions are there because their parents can't afford to take care of them.

Fritha Vincent, the founder of the project training a group of Makers in Tamil Nadu, South India.
Secret Projects Makers are paid double minimum wage per hours they work. Through the Training for Empowerment Programme funded by the sales of the products, Makers are trained, helped to professionalise and develop, with the ultimate goal of being independence. 

Fritha said: "By empowering women and providing them with access to an international market to sell their products, Secret Projects believes it can be part of the solution to help keep families together.”

The business started out as an experiment called Secret Pillow Project and through a series of successful crowdfunding  campaigns a commited, global customer base grew. With the launch of their second product, Secret Sari Dress, the business was relaunched Secret Projects.

Secret Projects Makers are paid double mimimum wage per hours they work. Through the Training for Empowerment Programme funded by the sales of the products, Makers are trained, helped to professionlise and develop, with the ultimate goal being independence.

Secret Projects sells fashion and home ware. Their trade mark is that all their products fold up into themselves and unfold women's power as they are sold.

Mediaworks white paper: Online retailing key to fashion industry’s success

It has been reported earlier this week that visitor traffic to UK retail stores last month was down nearly 12% year-on-year and down close to 29% in the first week of the month.

According to Ipsos Retail Performance, despite Easter falling in March, footfall failed to pick up over the public holiday and that it was the 11th consecutive month that year-on-year store footfall has declined across the UK.

Photo © Lucia Carpio.

As often the case, the weather had been blamed as the culprit as much part of the nation experienced an unseasonal cold snap with a lot of snow.  But consumers did not need to stop shopping, especially for non-food items, even if they are stranded at home.

According to a recent study by Mediaworks, online retailing has been driving the fashion industry’s success.  Both luxury brands and high street retailers are turning to the online sphere to strengthen their brand.

Estimating that the global worth of fashion is £2.24 trillion, Mediaworks revealed that in 2017, the UK’s online fashion spend jumped to a huge £16.2 billion, while predicting it will increase by a further 79% by 2022.

Through the Fast-paced Fashion: The Digital Forecast 2018 white paper, Mediaworks examine the six key trends expected to impact the industry in 2018 and providing actionable insights for retailers.

First and foremost is Mobile First, as it is imperative for fashion retailers to fully explore and utilise their relationship with customers through their mobile phones.

Another key trend is Journey personalisation, which is essential in focusing on delivering an in-store experience online, as Mediaworks predict that by 2020, customer experience will become the main reason a customer will choose a brand over another, overtaking both cost and product.

Another trend is Voice search, as more voice searches are being carried out than ever before, and retailers need to cater to more conversational search behaviours, and the need to review existing content’s style, format and flow.   MediaWorks also urge retailers to consider implementing visual search, something retailers like John Lewis and Boohoo.com are already experimenting with.

Other trends include Customer Profiling, transitioning from segment-based to signal-based data to gain greater visibility while mindful of data protection and attribution is important for marketing success.

For more information about each of the above, visit digital marketing agency Mediaworks’ website to download the white paper.

An Evening of Smart Innovation in New York

An artistic installation designed by renowned Paris-based knit designer Cécile Feilchenfeldt that showcased an array of exquisite knit creations was among the highlights of a recent event hosted by the Milan-based C.L.A.S.S., the platform for Creativity Lifestyle and Sustainable Synergy, with the support of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) in New York.

, Textile installation by Cécile Feilchenfeldt. Photo courtesy of Rodin Banica

Entitled An Evening of Smart Innovation, the intimate gathering in New York on March 22nd gave fashion industry leaders, educators, designers and members of the press the opportunity to be inspired and to explore the limitless possibilities using innovative smart materials. So, with responsible design in mind the guests were able to touch and feel the luxurious smart textiles supported by sustainable credentials from a number of textile mills and yarn producers: Bacx by Centro Seta, Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei, ECOTEC® by Marchi & Fildi, Organic Cotton Colours, Re.VerSo™, ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei, TINTEX Textiles, and Zignone. The new generation of beautiful cottons, rich silks, lush wools and opulent cashmeres showcased throughout the C.L.A.S.S. event are currently available to the market.

The evening was orchestrated by Ginger Design, a team of Italian creatives, filmmakers, food and textile designers as a way to create a unique immersive experience telling the story of C.L.A.S.S.’ visionary journey. Thus, providing guests with an awareness and chance to embrace knowledge related to four key areas that set new standards for fashion vital to C.L.A.S.S.’ business philosophy: Heritage, Smart Innovation, Circular Economy and Design Responsibility.

With imagination and responsibility at the forefront of the event, guests were also treated to a film by Cristina Picchi that represented harmony between the various phases of the textile process and the cycles of natural elements.

The March 22nd date also coincided with International Water Day and a crucial reminder for sustainable water management, a key issue in textile manufacturing. Many of C.L.A.S.S.’s partners, such as ECOTEC® by Marchi&Fildi, Bemberg™ and ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei and TINTEX Textiles use technological breakthroughs to offer fashion materials that provide significant reductions in water during the manufacturing process, an important step toward responsible future fashion systems.
“In touting significant reductions in water, energy usage and CO2 emissions, C.L.A.S.S.’s  message has always been one of consistency but now with today’s customers becoming increasingly environmentally mindful, the timing has never been better to bring awareness to the ways that responsible sustainability can be incorporated, in an authentic way, into a fashion or lifestyle brand increasing the bottom line without compromising design integrity,” said C.L.A.S.S. founder Giusy Bettoni.

Bottletop London store marries industrial design with contemporary art

The interiors of British ethical fashion brand, Bottletop’s store at 84 Regent Street, London is a unique project that showcases recycling to the hilt, marrying industrial design with contemporary art, just like its desirable range of bags and accessories.

The Bottletop store is claimed to be the “world’s first zero-waste retail space”
and is a “synthesis between the hand-made and the most high-tech.” 

Projected through its unique environment of a retail concept that speaks to the heart of its values, collection, story and core materials – raw metal and certified Amazon zero deforestation leather, visitors to the Bottletop store are able to experience the sustainable concept of materials while shopping the collections and learning about the mission of the brand.

Bottletop co-founders Cameron Saul and Oliver Wayman’s vision was realised by working with London architects Krause Architects and Ai Build, with the use of 3D print to decorate the store’s wall using upcycled plastic bottles gathered from the streets of Delhi in India, as well as some 2,700 cans individually treated and suspended overhead  to form a metal canopy embedded in to a 3D printed lattice structure, which is a play on the concept of negative space, inspired by the British contemporary artist Rachel Whiteread.

Even the shelving has been wrapped in certified zero deforestation leather from Sao Matheus Farm in Alto Floresta, while consoles were wrapped in re-purposed sheet aluminium.  the space is completed by flooring made from upcycled rubber tyres, a bespoke in-store scent from perfumer Timothy Han, and a series of bespoke playlists from record producer Mario C, the name behind Beastie Boys and Bjork recordings.

Photos © Lucia Carpio

Happy Easter!

UK Easter gift spending expected to be worth £590m this year.  Brits top the global chocolate eating charts, according to Mintel .  Just Love these decorated Viennese-style chocolate eggs available at The Delaunay Counter.

Happy Easter everyone.  
Hope you’ll all be eating a lot of chocolates during the holidays, and rightfully so, you will be in good company.

According to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), there has been a delicious 23% rise in Easter chocolate launches over the past year* providing a plethora of chocolate choice for Easter egg hunts across the globe.

The countries leading the way in Easter chocolate innovation include Brazil, which accounted for 11% of global Easter chocolate product launches in 2017, followed by the UK, South Africa, Germany (each with a 10% share) and France (9%).

However, it seems no one loves chocolate quite as much as the Brits across the globe. The average Brit devoured 8.4 kg worth of chocolate in 2017.  Hot on the heels of the Brits, Switzerland consumed 8.3kg, closely followed by Germany at 8.2kg.  Within the top 10 chocolate per capita consumers, Russia experienced the biggest increase at 2.2%; meanwhile, Austria reported the sharpest decline at -1.9%.

Reflecting the importance of seasonal products as a whole, in 2017, almost a quarter (23%) of global chocolate launches were positioned as seasonal, such as Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day and Halloween.

Overall, the US and Germany lead in terms of total chocolate new product development (NPD), each accounting for 8% of new product launches in 2017. This is followed by France (7%), the UK (5%) and Brazil (4%).

Marcia Mogelonsky, Director of Insight, Mintel Food and Drink, said:“Easter represents one of those ‘permissible indulgence’ moments where consumers enjoy giving and receiving chocolate treats. The holiday also marks a time for increased innovation in confectionery as consumers seek new and novel products. In the UK, for example, Easter eggs flavoured with beer or stout, which were the rage in past years, have given way to new alternatives such as gin-and-tonic flavoured eggs. In Germany, the introduction of vegan Easter bunnies and eggs reflects the growing popularity of a plant-based diet in that country.”

Tom Dixon among iconic British brands to set up flagship in Coal Drop Yard, King's Cross London

Coal Drop Yard on Granary Square, in the heart of the regenerated King’s Cross of London is deemed to be the most trendy shopping destination in the capital when it opens in October 2018.

In Victorian London, the capital was powered by coal, and Coal Drops Yard was its coal store, “designed to handle the eight million tonnes of coal delivered to the capital each year, these extraordinary structures were a feat of Victorian engineering,” according to the King’s Cross website.
Thanks to Heatherwick Studio, Coal Drops Yard has retailed its brick viaducts, cobbled streets and rich ironwork.
Photo © Lucia Carpio 2018.

King's Cross station. Photo © Lucia Carpio 2018

To-date, a number of leading British fashion and lifestyle brands and international luminaries have announced they will be moving or are setting up flagships there.

This April, internationally renowned British design brand Tom Dixon Studio will plant its latest and most ambitious flag yet, in the heart of King's Cross and will contribute to an ever expanding network of creatives and technologists from the likes of Central St. Martins and LVMH to Google and Spiritland.

Other notable British brands setting up retail there include Paul Smith , Lost Property of London, Cheaney, Form & Thread and Universal works, attracted to the cobbled street and Victorian red bricks of the industrial Coal Drop Yard, will is intermixed with contemporary architecture of the surrounding office blocks and desirable residential buildings.

Photo from Tom Dixon.

Against this industrial backdrop, The Coal Office will be Tom Dixon’s new home for its latest multi-disciplinary experiments, innovations and collaborations, functioning as a live Studio combining shop, workshop and office all under one roof, with the culinary delights of a brand-new restaurant and roof terrace.

A selection of the latest products by TOM DIXON.

Photo from Tom Dixon.

Tom Dixon says: 'For us it was imperative not just to find a new office or shop. It was vital to find a new home. London isn't just another city. It is where it all started. We will use these 17,500 square feet in this incredible location as a platform to broadcast our latest ideas in interior design, product innovation and experiments in food, functionality and future living.'

In Victorian London, the city was powered by coal, and Coal Drops Yard was its coal store, “designed to handle the eight million tonnes of coal delivered to the capital each year, these extraordinary structures were a feat of Victorian engineering,” according to the King’s Cross website.

Glorious lace at Christopher Kane's AW 2018-19 and from the House of Darquer in France

Lace has been part of European fashion for a very long time, and remains as relevant today as it was centuries ago.

Recently in the February 2018 edition of London Fashion Week, lace was featured profusely in British designer Christopher Kane’s Autumn/Winter 2018-19 collection.

Reflecting the interior strength of the Christopher Kane Girl with an external display of power, the collection evolved from last season to become less cheeky and more subversive this season.

“It's about strength of character shown by the strength of the clothes. It all started with the illustrations from The Joy of Sex and More Joy of Sex, by Chris Foss and Charles Raymond. They're both a textbook study and a sensuous display of line drawing, almost in 'coffee table book' form that's both weird and really everyday. All of which always intrigues me,” says the talented Christopher Kane.





Catwalk Source & Images from Christopher Kane



Meanwhile at the Premiere Vision Paris textile fair also in February, French lace house Darquer showcased their latest lace creations for the congregating fashion industry.  Designer Frédéric Ruminy’s latest on offer includes beautiful lace in two tones, also lace made with denim effect as well as lace in cotton blended with cashmere to lovely results.

The "Millennium" collections includes a selection of white & black lace designs, evocative of the heritage of Maison Darquer, while among its heritage are the highly sophisticated Chantilly lace that have stood the test of time.

Darquer was established in 1840 in Calais, and is the oldest and most renowned lace company in France. In this regard, it has an exceptional collection of lace samples of all styles and periods.

Today, Maison DARQUER is very much a modern company as it continues to develop a wide range of services to meet the needs of today's markets with a new “See now Buy Now” website for immediate delivery.

Maison DARQUER is very much a modern company as it continues to develop a wide range of services to meet the needs of today's markets with a new “See now Buy Now” website for designers to choose designs, place orders and for immediate delivery.

Darquer lace photos by Lucia Carpio.

Darquer opened its Paris showroom in 2017, in a former 18th century private mansion Hotel de Vibraye, classified as an historic monument, on 15 rue Vielle du Temple in the 4th arrondissement.

The showroom features the entire collection  of its famous 7 points Chantilly lace  as well as the novelties, Cornely, Beyroux and "hand made embroideries  ".  It is also possible for buyers and fashion designers to develop their own made to measure patterns using Dacquer designs as starting point.

Pictured right,  at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, fashion model Sara Sampaio wears a sexy creation by  Francesco Scognamiglio realized with an  evanescsente lace from Maison Darquer.

Showroom and Cannes Film Festival photos from Dacquer.