New sustainable and functional fabric options on offer at Intertextile Apparel

Comprehensive product zones including one entitled All About Sustainability which will feature Chinese and European exhibitors are deemed to be must-see destinations at the upcoming Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics Spring Edition trade fair, March 12 - 14.

The Forum Space at last year’s All About Sustainability Zone proved popular, say organisers at Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong, noting that the zone is ideal for visitors sourcing eco-friendly textile products to gain insight on new sustainable business approaches.   Photo: Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong.             

Exhibitors at the All About Sustainability zone will include Foshan Chicley Textile’s sustainable fashion fabrics – a range of organic linen and cotton, Lenzing ECOVERO, Modal and TENCEL, as well as digital printed fabrics.  While the new OEKO-TEX®100 Standard regulations have been published for 2019 according to organisers at Messe Frankfurt Hong Kong, the All About Sustainability zone also houses exhibitors who provide testing and certification services.

With the added element of the fringe programme, which will include seminars held by exhibitors, the fair offers visitors opportunities to learn more about the latest industry opinions and regulations.

Hohenstein Textile Testing and TESTEX both offer Standard 100, STeP, Eco Passport, Detox to Zero and Leather Standard by OEKO-TEX® testing amongst other services, and both of these exhibitors will also host a seminar.  Hohenstein Textile Testing will explain the amended OEKO-TEX® regulations, while TESTEX will discuss how these new regulations help to build trust with today’s consumers. Other exhibitors offering testing services include Intertex Testing Services, SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services and TUV Rheinland.

“Shanghai is a great city for a business with original prints, and Intertextile is one of our busiest fairs. It’s a good place to find new clients,” explained Ms Jane Han Zhang, Founder & Creative Director of British design studio Fairbairn & Wolf Studio.  Jane and her partners are alumni of the London-based TexSelect (formerly Texprint) which promotes and nurtures British-trained fashion and design graduates through its annual competition that has won international acclaim.

Messe Frankfurt has reported that over 3,000 exhibitors from more than 20 countries & regions will join this year’s Spring Edition of Intertextile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics from 12 – 14 March, spanning a huge range of textile product categories, from fashion to technical innovation. 

Comprehensive product zones will reflect demand for different products such as sustainable solutions, functional fabrics, digital printing, accessories and denim.

Spanning six halls at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (Shanghai) this year, the fair will be held concurrently with Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, Yarn Expo Spring, PH Value and CHIC.

New Art Exchange presents Hassan Hajjaj: The Path 6 April – 23 June 2019

A new solo exhibition featuring the latest works by Moroccan-British photographer Hassan Hajjaj entitled The Path will put you on a journey experiencing his unique travel photographs in exciting colours and stimulating settings.

My Rockstar Series featuring (from left) Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, 2017/1438 and Kamaal Williams,
2016/1437 by Hassan Hajjaj

Presented by the New Art Exchange - a contemporary arts space in Nottingham - The Path  will take place from 6 April to 23 June showing new works from the celebrated My Rock Stars series; a new collection of previously unseen travel photographs, In Between; new works from the Dakka Marrakchia series and a site-specific installation called Le Salon.   This exciting showcase will exhibit Hassan Hajjaj’s diverse wealth of work, curated by Ekow Eshun.

Dakka Marrakchia series - Dotted Peace, 2000/1421 by Hassan Hajjaj

Hajjaj’s work is characterised by an exuberant melee of colours, patterns, appropriated brand logos and everyday objects, such as the Sprite cans and tomato tins he works into his picture frames. Taking a view through an international lens, Hajjaj uses photography to present a unique and timely consideration of culture and identity in the modern, globalised world.

In the photography series Dakka Marrakchia, women pose like fashion models on the streets and rooftops of Marrakech while dressed in camouflage pattern kaftans and luxury print face veils. The portraits offer Hassan’s perception of Muslim women as dynamic and empowered.

My Rockstar Series featuring (from left) Rilene and Marc Hare, 2013/1434 by Hassan Hajjaj

The Path confronts Hajjaj’s dual-identity through the bold use of colour, shape and pattern. The exhibition title references Hajjaj’s personal journey from his birthplace in Larache, Morocco, to London, UK and beyond, into his experience working around the world.  The showcase draws inspiration from the album The Path by the jazz-fusion musician Ralph MacDonald, which pays artistic testament to the diasporic scattering of people of African descent around the globe, a common theme in Hajjaj’s practice.

(Above: Between series (from left): Neon In The Night, 2011/1432 and Chanel Back, 2010/1431
by Hassan Hajjaj)

Much of Hajjaj’s work focuses on figures whose family origins mostly lie abroad, in Africa, the Caribbean, the Middle East or elsewhere. Through this theme, Hajjaj conjures a vision of a society united, not divided, by difference.  At a time of major conflict within Britain, Hajjaj’s portraits make an urgent, timely case in favour of hybridity and multiculturalism. In his images, cultural identity is seen as fluid and multiple rather than fixed and singular.

From left: Laroussa table, 2009/1430 and Astral bucket stool, 2002/1423 by Hassan Hajjaj

At NAE Hajjaj turns his focus to British personalities, concentrating primarily on figures such as the painter Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, jazz musician Kamaal Williams and the shoe designer Marc Hare. As always, his subjects hail from a range of cultural backgrounds creating, in composite, a portrait of Britain at its most dynamically diverse.

Nike is world's most valuable apparel brand, says Brand Finance report.

According to Brand Finance Apparel 50 report on the world's most valuable and strongest apparel brands released this week, Nike continues to dominate as the world’s most valuable apparel brand, with a brand value of US$32.4billion, up 16% since last year due to its strong sales growth in key markets around the world, from China to the Middle Eat, Europe and Africa.

"Nike’s bold marketing makes it stand out in a busy marketplace of sportswear apparel brands. In a time when customers look for experiences and emotional connection, Nike’s offering comes with unambiguous messages and values that people can rally behind." Richard Haigh, Managing Director of Brand Finance.

Nike Inc. is looking into what went wrong after college basketball’s biggest star sprained his knee when his shoe fell apart, one of the most high-profile apparel failures in basketball history.

Zara and Adidas move up the ranks as H&M’s brand value decrease pushes it down to 4th place.

While Uniqlo is the fastest-growing apparel brand in the top 10, up a whopping 48% year on year
Rolex is the strongest brand in the sector, posting an elite AAA+ brand strength rating.

Luxury brands account for 7 out of the top 10 strongest apparel brands, showing importance of brand strength in the segment. Among the top performers in the Apparel 50 report are labels Cartier, Yves Saint Laurent, Hermes and Gucci.

Texworld group of shows in Paris reported a buzzing season of intense activity and record attendance

Messe Frankfurt Paris

Messe Frankfurt, organisers of the Texworld and Apparel Sourcing group of shows in Paris, held under the banner of “Fairyland for Fashion”, reported a new record high for attendance, registering 13,929 visitors at this season’s show held February 11 – 14, a 2.35% increase over the February 2018 figures.

Messe Frankfurt Paris

The group of shows held at Le Bourget, Paris twice a year encompass Apparel Sourcing Paris, Avantex Paris, Leatherworld Paris, Shawls&Scarves Paris, Texworld Paris and Texworld Denim Paris.

Europe saw an increase in visitors of almost 2% totally this session, with the highest number from French trade visitors, up 7% as in February 2018.  The second largest group was from Spain, disbanding the UK (due to impact of Brexit) to third place and Turkey to fourth place, followed by Italy at 5th position where attendance growth was stable and posted the strongest growth, up by almost 12%.

Other European countries posting healthy attendance included the Netherlands (up 11%), as well as Poland (+5%), Belarus (+14%), and Bulgaria (+10%).   Ireland and Greece also registered growth in attendance, up 7% et 8% respectively.  Organisers emphasised that Portugal also stood out with an increase of 44%, “which attests to the rise in this country’s capacity in clothing production.”

Elsewhere, from the Americas, the organisers also saw high growth in visitor numbers.  From Brazil, attendance went up 22%, followed by the USA up 20%, Colombia up 9% and Canada up 6%.
As for Asia, the overall growth in attendance was 14%, and in particular from India it went up 13%, South Korea up 6% and Japanese visitors went up 30.

“Business got going extremely quickly. Buyers were intent on determining how feasible their projects were and on getting in first when it came to exclusives,” said Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France.

Messe Frankfurt

Mr Scherpe continued: “From the very outset we were focussed on what is central to our work: trade talk and business. The atmosphere remained very vibrant throughout. Prime contractors attended the shows in the first place for work and to satisfy their curiosity. I am delighted to see the full effects of our strategy – encouraging contact with the materials, the skills and the people who offer them. It is an approach that I want to keep pursuing.”

Highlights of the fairs included shining a spotlight on environmentally friendly materials and sustainable developments, along with a series of lectures and presentations.

Dates for the next Messe Frankfurt France shows will be from 16 to 19 September 2019 at Le Bourget in Paris.

All photos from  Messe Frankfurt Paris.  

WHITE MILANO concluded another successful show. Trade visitors up 4.8%

Registering a total of 25,256 trade visitors and buyers, the  WHITE MILAN trade show held February 22 - 25 has been hailed as another successful event by the organisers at the Municipality of Milan, thanks to a well-balanced brand mix, the new areas and a focus on sustainability.

The attendance figure also included an increase of 2.3% in the number of buyers, with those from outside Italy up 6.8% , and those from Italy up 1.4%., when compared to the February 2018 edition.

«The dynamism of this show is the upshot of a successful combination of scouting activity, new exhibiting hubs and also of a project marked by a highly cultural profile, according to  Massimiliano Bizzi, founder of WHITE. 

Top international buyers who visited the February show included those from Printemps and Spree, of France; H.Lorenzo, Elisa B. and The Voyager, from the USA; The Outnet.com and Studio 120 from the UK; Andrews of Canada; Doshaburi of Spain); Tsum from the former Soviet Union; Onward from Japan and many others. There was also a notable attendance by some 1,200 international press and media.

Highlights this year included a new  GIVE A FOK-us sustainable hub developed in partnership with Confartigianato Imprese: an experience in the universe of sustainability within the framework of the wider project of enhancement of WHITE, supported by MISE and ICE Agenzia, as well as Camera Italiana Buyer Moda – The Best Shops, under the artistic direction of Matteo Ward, co-founder of the green label WRÅD.

The addition of two new theme areas, Knit Lab and Lounge | Sphere also opened “a wide perspective on leading-edge knitwear and homewear, expression of loungewear and lingerie, combined with the beauty proposal,” said the organisers.

Première Vision Paris reported more than 53,150 trade visitors - a solid attendance yet impacted by market concerns over Brexit

Politics and economic uncertainties can often influence business decisions and it is the case with  concerns over Brexit (Great Britain leaving the EU) that seem to have impacted on the Première Vision Paris group of trade shows which saw a slight dip in visitor numbers this February according to the organisers.

Photos at Première Vision Paris February 12 - 14 February 2019 © Lucia Carpio 2019

While the fair recorded a healthy attendance of 53,156 visitors from 127 countries at its latest edition held 12 – 14 February at the Parc des Expositions in Villepinte, north of Paris, Première Vision Paris saw a slight decline of 2.3% in visitors when compared to its February 2018 edition.

Organisers said the fair's 70%-international attendance is particularly notable for its high quality, demonstrating the show's robustness in the face of strong political and economic uncertainties in world markets and illustrated the strength of its leadership and influence on the global creative fashion industry.

This impressive performance was nonetheless marked by a slight decline in visitor numbers (-2.3% vs. February 2018), a direct consequence of the market's jitteriness in light  of the impending exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union. British fashion brands and buyers are playing it safe as Brexit edges closer, solidifying fears and slowing down decision-making.

Organisers reported that there was a significant 16% decline in British visitors, which alone accounts for two thirds of the decline in attendance at the show.

The Top 5 visiting countries remain unchanged in comparison with February 2018. China enters the top 10 in 9th place, Belgium moves from 10th to 8th place, and Japan moves down a place, dropping to 10th place in the ranking.




Some 76% of the visitors to Première Vision Paris were European led by France with nearly 16,000 visitors, which recorded a slight increase (+1%), and held steady despite a still fragile internal economic environment.  This demonstrates the indispensable nature of the show for French brands,
which are among the most important in the sector, according to the organisers.

In second place, Italy sent 5,985 visitors (11% of attendees), followed by the United Kingdom which,
with 4,466 visitors (8% of attendees), maintains its 3rd position despite a significant decline in its visitor base (-16%), due to uncertainty over Brexit.
This trio is followed by Spain (3,215 visitors), Germany (1,828 visitors, 3% of the total), and Belgium (1,478 visitors).

Some 9.5% of professional visitors came from Asia with an increase of 8%, buoyed by China which enters 9th place in the top 10 with 1,451 visitors. Next comes Japan, a leading buyer of fashion and creative textiles, with 1,421 attendees, and South Korea, a market for innovative and creative fashion, with 883 visitors.
Visitors from North America also registered a rise in attendance with over 1 996 visiteurs.
The United States posted a +6% increase in visitors, with 1,695 attendees, followed by Canada with 300 visitors.
Turkey maintained its ranking as the 5th visitor-country with 2,689 visitors, which was however a 6% drop, a reflection on the country's economic and political instability.

With 1,782 international exhibitors providing a wide range of textile, fashion, haberdashery accessories and designs, Première Vision is the industry valuable catalyst for the creative fashion and textile and materials sectors throughout the three-day show, that catered for the spring summer 2020 season.
The next edition of Première Vision Paris will take place 17, 18 & 19 September 2019.
Photos at Première Vision Paris 12-14 February 2019 © Lucia Carpio 2019.

Virginie Viard to succeed Karl Lagerfeld

The fashion maison of Chanel has announced that Karl Lagerfeld’s right hand Virginie Viard will succeed him as the creative head following the death of the Kaiser.

Regarded as Lagerfeld's closest collaborator for more than 30 years, Virginie was deemed the most important person for Lagerfeld and his atelier, as revealed by the German designer himself in the Netflix documentary 7 Days Out, which captures the drama behind the scenes seven days leading up to Chanel’s Spring 2018 haute couture show.  While Virginie has been the key person responsible for bringing Lagerfeld's sketches to life in the Chanel atelier, all eyes and ears will be on how she will bring her own personality to the French fashion house in the next couture show and beyond "so that the legacy of Gabrielle Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld can live on”,  according to Chanel CEO Alain Wertheier.