Bang & Olufsen announces SS2019 Collection in Scandinavian summer colours

The new Spring/Summer 2019 Collection from Bang & Olufsen, which includes a range of premium headphones, speakers and accessories, celebrates the subtle colours associated with a Scandinavian summer. 

The limited-edition B&O SS19 Collection includes a range of premium headphones, speakers and accessories in a new, ethereal colour scheme that eases from the ground, through the forest and up into the pale blue sky. 

The new, ethereal colour scheme features Clay, a deep and natural colour inspired by the earthy tones and dramatic seaside cliffs; Pine, a dark green that brings to mind the crisp freshness and deep contrasts of the Scandinavian forest; and Sky, a light blue tone with a cool sense of breezy summer afternoons. 

Ethical brand From Belo launches new Eko collection

There is no doubt that reports of plastic pollution have made headline news in these two years and consumers have been awaken to the global problem that has caused environmental devastation.

Two ladies who were upset by such reports decided to take matters into their own hands and launch a handbag and accessories collection made from recycled and sustainable materials. Thus the ethical brand From Belo was born, set up by school friends and long-distance business partners Maria Costa, 28, who lives in Brazil and Charlotte Bingham-Wallis also 28, based in the UK.

Although 5,000 miles apart, they are united with an aim to have a brand centred on being kind and fashioning kindness. 

From Belo launches the EKO Collection

The new collection will be available from 17/11/18.  From Belo will also be celebrating on Saturday November 17th at the Cambridge Sustainable Fashion Festival at St Banabas Church (11am to 4pm) and then Sunday November 18th in London at the Bricklane Up market (10am – 6pm).

Not only did the two partners start an ethical brand that offers practical, responsibly-made products which fit with their values, they also made an effort to ensure they offer ethical working conditions, fair wages and employment for their artisans based in Brazil, as well as providing an opportunity to give back to Casa De Maria  - an organisation which helps feed the homeless and those in need in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

From Belo is no stranger to the jet set lifestyle either. Earlier this year they were finalists at the prestigious Handbag Designer Awards in the Most Socially Responsible Handbag category.

And this autumn they have launched the EKO Collection,  a vegan range using seatbelts and plastic bottles once destined for landfill and reincarnated into beautiful things and given a second life.

The range includes coin purses to tote bags, as well as a bucket bag which can be worn four ways, a clutch bag, a wine holder, a market bag and a make-up bag - all handmade with recycled materials, carrying their signature hummingbird motif - a symbol of the enjoyment of life and the lightness of being.

Each item is named in honour of the kind volunteers that work at the Casa De Maria charitable organisation.  

Kodak & Lulu Guinness launch bag with a vintage streak

Though mini in size, this bag (measuring H 18 cm x W 13 cm x D 4 cm) with a retro rainbow face is a collaboration between two iconic brands: Kodak & Lulu Guinness.

Photos above and below: the Kodak X Lulu Guinness bag was a hit at the Summer of Love launch party in London. All photos: Courtesy of Lulu Guinness

While it will hold a compact camera as well as make up items and other daily essentials, it can be worn cross body or around your neck through the interchanging straps - perfect for summer festivals.

Made in black cotton, the colours and design of the webbed rainbow strap and rainbow lip are inspired by vintage Kodak film packaging. The archive Kodak emblem is discreetly positioned as hypnotic eyes.  It also features silver hardware, with a blue plastic coated zip for security.

According to the designer, photography played a key role in Lulu Guinness’ life from her late teens and has continued to influence many of her designs over the past 30 years. Lulu first came up with a camera themed collection for Spring Summer 2012. A collection close to her heart and a commercial success. When the opportunity to collaborate with Kodak came along it seemed the perfect fit to revisit Lulu’s longstanding captivation.

Paris Textile trade fairs report record attendance

As today's retailers continue their discussion and debates over the importance of bricks and mortar retailing as opposed to the increased popularity of online trading, trade fairs catered for the textile and fashion industry that offer face-to-face interactions are proving their continued relevance for conducting business.

As organisers at Messe Frankfurt France have reported this week, European fashion brands remain very keen on attending their recently held trade exhibitions, namely TEXWORLD and TEXWORLD DENIM  PARIS, APPAREL SOURCING, AVANTEX, SHAWLS & SCARVES – The ACCESSORIES SHOW-CASE, (the shows focusing on textiles, materials, components, trimmings and manufacturing for the fashion and accessories industry), have recorded 13.9% more visitors than the show held in September 2016, to the tune of 15,473 visitors in total.

According to Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France, the record turnout at these fairs, held at Le Bourget, Paris from 18 to 21 September 2017,  was "unexpected": after two years of lacklustre performance, buyers were in need of renewal and a change in fashion codes; the outlook was proactive and buyers were drawn to new products, he said.

There was a sharp increase of 15% in attendance and the top 5 countries that sent buyers and trade visitors included France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy and Turkey respectively. The ranking that was identical to that of September 2016, with strong growth for all except France, which remained unchanged.  Germany came in 6th position, up by 18.7%, followed by Belgium up by 4.8%. 

“We found the September 2017 show to be extremely busy. From the very first day of the show, there was a wind of change blowing through the shows. (There was) A fresh appetite for the industries of fashion. Global ready-to-wear firms were certainly present, ready to get down to serious and enthusiastic business at the stands. Exhibitors welcomed the attendance, even from the European luxury sector. The same goes for the return by Americans (+19,38)” says Michael Scherpe, President of Messe Frankfurt France. 

The organisers pointed out that the joint trade fairs' artistic backdrops, the segmentation of the shows, and the scheduling of fashion shows and seminars along with the wide ranging exhibits all helped to enrich the experience of visitors and demonstrated that the show was open and appealing to all fashion brands.

On the "Small Quantities" circuit, large international luxury companies were set side-by-side with major global ready-to-wear brands, including young designs.  The quality of the materials was one of the discoveries welcomed by visitors.

China (with the largest contingent of weavers at Texworld Paris) was one of the main attractions, as confirmed by Zhang Tao, the Secretary General of CCIPT TEX. The improvement in the business models of domestic firms, as advocated by the Chinese government, aims to continue working towards genuine fashion products, to develop technical innovation and to emphasise sustainable development, said Mr Tao at a press conference.

At the “From Workshop to Shop” exhibition, organised by the Chinese government under the auspices of the CCIPT TEX, some 30 ensembles from 10 Chinese ready-to-wear brands were arranged around a space that, using virtual reality, immersed the visitor in the production sites. These brands for women’s and men’s ready-to-wear: Aiyimei, Upper , Bosideng, Hodo, Bridge Group, Dragon Silk, Heyi, Nikky, Top Garment, Sankei, Renoir and Yinchuan Binhe Ruyi, are already established in China and, are using the trade fair as a springboard to extend their presence on the world market.  A display of ever-more specialist skills from these 12 clothing manufacturers can also be seen at the show.

One of the highlights in the ELITE segment, an area dedicated to firms offering a wide range of tailored services, was the demonstration by a specialist attired in traditional Chinese brocades woven by hand using the traditional method of the Tujia ethnic group from the Chinese regions of Hunan and Hubei .

Upscaling was widely adopted at stands representing Turkish weavers, while the a wide range of cotton and embroidery from India was on offer, as well as quality prints from South Korea, the comprehensive offer, even technical products from Indonesian exhibitors all drew visitors’ interest. Creativity was the overall achievement recognised at TEXWORLD PARIS, said the organisers. 

Texworld Denim was a new addition this season, with nearly 80 exhibitors for materials and clothing production to celebrate its grand opening.  The area allowed makers of fabrics and manufacturers in one area to make contact and to network. 
Another area Business Beyond Borders, a partnership that fosters business contacts between players in the textile and clothing industry and small manufacturing firms, set up by Eurochambres, also met with resounding success, said organisers. Some 200 meetings were held in the dedicated space involving 258 companies from 42 countries.   
Three conferences and round table discussions took place at TEXWORLD PARIS: the sector for future clothing, Ex-aequo, the trends for autumn/winter 18/19, new technologies and new skills.

Dates for the next TEXWORLD, Avantex, Apparel Sourcing, Shawls and Scarves and TEXWORLD DENIM: 11, 12, 13 & 14 February 2018 Paris Le Bourget.

Photos: from Texworld / © Lucia Carpio 2017 

Parisian Backpack brand for the ever-growing urban cycling market

To feed the continuously expanding urban cycling market, Paris-based online company New Pharaoh has introduced its new minimal ninja-style range of backpacks to reinforce the ever-growing appetite for products designed to make cyclists look good.

In fact, NewPharaoh was founded by a bike messenger in Paris who wanted to look good whilst working.

The motivation for the products is the fusion of androgynous minimal chic combined with everyday use and practicality suitable for an active lifestyle, imbued with an urban-inspired attitude.

The products are made from durable hard-wearing neoprene, which is waterproof and extremely lightweight, as well as durable and resistant to extreme temperatures.

Each of the designs have undergone rigorously tested by cycle couriers in extended use, and tested under advanced industry standard testing  such as material tension, salt-spray testing, fastness, impact oscillations, zipper fatigue Testing, luggage shock testing, constant temperature and humidity testing.

Since its launch, the online shop has been selling worldwide thanks to its army of international brand ambassadors and their presence on instagram. The company has already developed relationships with stockists all over France, Belgium and the U.K. whilst looking to continue to broaden its reach in Europe and Worldwide.

Castellano, the bag and accessories brand showcases unique Colombian craftsmanship

To the untrained eye, these bags and bracelets from the London brand Castellano (seen last week at the Scoop trade fair in London) are beautiful in their exotic colours and unique craftsmanship.  But to the indigenous women of Colombia – the Wayuu and the Arhuaca people, they represent a cultural heritage characterised by patterns and colours unique to their tribes.  Each item represents a unique time-consuming weaving technique embedded with ancient tradition and symbolism.

"Each product is one of a kind, handwoven with love, energy and life from an ethnic culture which is proud to maintain its traditions," according to founder Daniella Castellano.

Each of the bags are handwoven with a single strand of thread which makes them very tight and strong. While the vibrant patterns are unique to their tribe, the shoulder strap of each bag is in fact adopted from a unique woven belt called si’ira, a tradition of the Wayuu tribe of Colombia and Venezuela which are used to adorn loincloths worn by their men.

Many of the bags and accessories are embroidered with Swarovski crystals too to add a touch of luxury, while he limited-edition backpacks are handcrafted and trimmed with soft leather.

 

These luxury bracelets woven by the skilled Wayuu artisans are embroidered with Swarovski crystals.

London-based designer Daniela Castellanos has founded her own brand of fashion bags and accessories (made mainly in sheep wool) based on these unique craftsmanship to help support the Wayuu and the Arhuaca people while promoting their unique craftsmanship and preserving their cultural heritage and skills.

Upon completing her degree in Journalism and Communication in December 2013, Daniella embarked on a spiritual journey throughout her native Colombia which led her to some of the most remote areas in the desert and north coast of her country.

Fascinated by the life and unique weaving artisans she had discovered, and after spending weeks learning from and sharing with these communities, she decided to launch her own fashion brand to share her passion with the world.  Daniella said part of the proceeds from the sales will go to support the manufacturers and empower local women.  Each product has its own story and its personal manufacturer’s name is known.

There is much to learn about Castellano project and details of the tribes can be obtained from her website.

All photos by Lucia Carpio for My Fashion Connect.

Meanwhile, if you want to know more about the Si'ira belt (used as shoulder straps for the Castellano bags), Netherland-based author Mirja Wark has taken a detailed look at the history and geography of these indigenous people that form a backdrop to the central role played by textile crafts in their daily life.

This book tells the story of the si’ira and the women of the Wayuu from the dry and windy Guajira peninsula of Colombia and Venezuela who weave them to adorn loincloths worn by their men and sons.  \on the simplest of upright looms, they manipulate their warps and wefts to produce the bold designs.

The book also gives an extensive collection of woven line and pattern designs but whilst new designs are being added to this living craft, much information is often lost and interestingly the Wayuu weaver is found to work from example or memory.

The book ends with a practical guide on how to weave your own si’ira, with all its twined and pleated binding cords and colourful pompons.

Mirja Wark is an enthusiastic weaver, weaving teacher and organizer of textile tours and has written numerous articles and short notes about weaving and related subjects.