Trade show: Scoop fashion fair delivered a triumphant Spring/Summer 24 season

SCOOP premium contemporary fashion and lifestyle trade show, held from July 16 - 18 2023, greeted fashion buyers with a Moroccan-infuenced theme for its open and airy interiors decor, making use to great effect of the natural light that filled the West hall of Olympia London in Kensington.

Celebrating a triumphant Spring/Summer 24 season, the show offered an edit of over 250 contemporary womenswear, menswear, accessory and lifestyle collections exclusively curated by the show’s Creative Director and Founder, Karen Radley.  Designers commented on the incredible atmosphere, and styling of the event as well as the strength of the retailers attending.

Organisers reported the show was buzzing with buyers from across the country and internationally including teams from Fenwick, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Liberty, Galleries Lafayette, Anthropologie, Le Bon Marche, John Lewis, Hoopers, Macbees, Cavells, The Dressing Room, Aisling Maher, Anne Furbank, Collen and Clare, Jules B, Chatterton and many more. 

Cecile Massabie and Catherine Gomez from Paris retailer Galeries Lafayette said, “The curation of the show was lovely! We loved how the collections were styled and mixed, it was a beautiful environment. We especially liked Siamese Dreams, Agua Bendita and Scarlett Poppies. Louise Misha was a really interesting collection.” 

Julie Dennis from Jules Boutique commented, “This is the best show yet! We found some great new designers and I’m happy to say that I placed orders with 3 new collections as well as the designers that I always do. The show had a great atmosphere and we actually preferred it to the Saatchi Gallery. It felt really airy and spacious and easier to see new brands.” 

Angie Lou from Angie Lou Boutique said, “It's always beautiful and so enjoyable to come to Scoop. I managed to find Lola Casademunt by Maite and I wanted to mix up footwear in store so was pleased to find designer Lemon Jelly and lovely Espadrilles by Castana.” 

Johanne Taylor from Wild Orchard added, “We had a great Scoop, found a new brand and placed orders with existing. With so many of our brands being in one place it has made our buying trip so much more productive.” 

Exhibiting fashion brands were equally complimentary of the show this season.

Florence Chandler-Lee from International Designer Fashion Agency, Studio Thirteen showcased collections from TreBarraBi, Pearl & Caviar, Maurizo Mykonos and more and said, “Scoop is the hotspot for UK buyers, who travel from all over the country and beyond to be here.  Everyone we wanted to see has come and it has been a very successful show for us.  We love the space and the signature Scoop ambience and feel it sets the scene for our collections.” 

Nicola Orme Co-Founder and Designer of Queens of Archive said, “We are showing at Scoop for the first time this season. We were attracted to the show because of the retailers they welcome, the other brands that are showcasing here - it is all very premium, and the feedback we have heard from other designers.  We‘ve been turning heads all show, and the reaction to our collection has truly blown me away. We have been inundated with new business and coming to Scoop has absolutely been the right decision for us.” 

Jens Kvorning, Head of Internationalisation at SMV Danmark commented on the 16 Danish collections showcasing at Scoop this season, “We have been bringing Danish fashion collections to Scoop for 6 years and have always had a great experience at the show.  The designers this season love the venue, how open and easy it is for the visiting retailers.  They have all had a successful show and met with many new retailers.” 

Marika Drakakis from Traffic People said, “This is our first time showing at Scoop and I love the whole atmosphere and environment.  We have seen all the retailers we expected to see, and opened a lot of new accounts as well as made many more appointments for the showroom.  We have dressed some of the girls welcoming guests to Scoop and I think this has attracted attention to us and our collection!” 

Amanda Connock Founder of Connock London said, “We have been coming to Scoop for eight years now!  We do it every season and we always come back.  We started coming to Scoop to find independent boutiques to stock our collection and we love seeing so many of those stores every season.  For many we have become their signature scent, our product works so well in these stores and doesn’t distract from fashion collections. Scoop is different from everything else that we do, and it really works for us!  The quality of buyers is unmatched and our position right at the entrance this season has meant that we have met everyone that has walked through the door!” 

Wendy Dunne Founder of Lilly Pilly said, “Coming all the way from Australia we did a lot of research to ensure we would be at the right show.  All the feedback we had on Scoop reassured us on the premium designers, the aesthetic of the show and the quality of the retailers.  I am really excited by the leads I have made, and I will definitely want to return next season.” 

Panos Papanderou from Monochrome added, “I go to Paris, Milan and Miami and I can honestly say Scoop is the best show!  The details are beautiful and the music, you don’t see it anywhere else!” 

Scoop’s exclusive showcase also included inspirational collections from Marches Rosa, Saint Armont, Agua Bendita, Huit8, Siamese Dreams, Hanro, Chie Mihara, HIGH, Mes Demoiselles, Transit, Lola Casademunt by Maite, D.A.T.E, Louise Misha, Yerse, Mos Mosh and many more.

Commenting on the success, founder Karen Radley said: “We are closing doors on what has been a truly ‘Exceptional’ season! I have loved seeing buyers reactions to our Moroccan wonderland and the collections and also hearing from our designers how successful the event has been for them.”

All photos by Lucia Carpio

Trade show: PURE LONDON delivered successful July 2023 edition at Olympia London

PURE London took place from July 16- 18 2023 at Olympia London in Kensington, concurringly with SCOOP fashion fair around the corner, welcomed fashion and accessory buyers from major retailers, shops and boutiques from London, across the country and various international markets.

PURE, which this season focused on the Spring - Summer 2024 season, provided three days of trend-led fashion and educational content through catwalk shows, talk events and inspirational trend presentations.  By staging a new more open layout with a nature-verse theme, the show felt more compact and user friendly for visitors to preview the latest on offer from some 220 companies and brands, covering women's wear, accessories, footwear, jewellery and sustainable fashion and products.

Event Director at Pure London, Gloria Sandrucci placed the focus this season on newness. This thread ran through the show which presented a new look and edited layout, welcomed a host of exciting new international brands, celebrated the return of UK retail stalwarts, showcased the new POP destination which proved popular with buyers and, as part of the new collaboration with Graduate Fashion Week, placed graduate designs on the Pure London catwalk. Pure London’s SS24 overarching theme Nature-verse carried across the show’s content, brands, and styling and gave the show a fresh and vibrant personality. 

Jayley

According to the organisers, Pure London attracted buyers and retailers from the likes of John Lewis, ASOS, Galeries Lafayette, Anthropologie, McElhinneys, Monsoon, Jules B, Cavells, Pamela Schiffer, Morley Stores, Maison et Vie, Jessimara, Bob and Ted, Gerrards Fashion and Sister, to name a few.

Fashion, hand-made bag and accessories - Made in Sicily.

Cecile Massabie and Catherine Gomez from the Paris department store Galeries Lafayette said, “We have found some great brands at Pure London - We loved Babachic Bags from India, they were very cool. Sorbet swimwear was great. We found some lovely and great quality dresses in Chico Soleil.”

G.W.D.

Bimbola Akinloye from ASOS said, “I really enjoyed the trend update, I found it insightful and relevant for true Gen Z or even the broader customer who wants to dip in and out of the trend. The styling and direction of the catwalk were great. It was fun, bright, and young and showcased brands relevant to ASOS. Navigating Pure London has been easy, with the separate destinations, it's been easy to find exciting brands and things I need.” 

Wendy Farlow from Appleby & Shaw in Shropshire said, “I picked up some good tips from the presentation this morning on strategies for thriving in a changing landscape. The catwalk was also great. It's nice to get some reassurance that we are doing the right thing in our store. Brilliant to see Onjenu and Elisa Cavaletti at the show, every brand is looking great.” 

 #TOGETHERBAND by BOTTLETOP

Another focus of Pure London has been to continue to draw attention to Sustainability, one of the biggest challenges facing the industry.  Priding itself as an entirely unique feature of Pure London, the Sustainable destination showcases a carefully curated selection of environmentally conscious exhibitors leading the way in addressing their environmental and social impact and for the first time this season supported by #TOGETHERBAND by BOTTLETOP, the Sustainability Hub that offered retailers advice and access to the Independent Retailers Sustainability toolkit and the content programme delivered educational seminars and panel discussions.

Doué 

Sustainability consultant and RETHINK Retail Top Influencer 2023, Steve Lister presented his talk on "Sustainable Success: Empowering Small Independent Businesses with Strategic Sustainability".  Having worked with brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Levi’s, Nike, Calvin Klein and Adidas, Lister emphasised the importance of acting now, ‘Sustainability is now a global focus. We’re entering a new era of Conscious Capitalism where sustainability strategies and metrics add value to businesses of any size. The UN’s SDG’s are more important than ever and can be used to create a framework strategy for any retailer of any size. There are 6 key pillars to consider when strategizing these; Store Design, Sustainable Materials, Supply Chain Partners, Product Manufacturing, Packaging and Logistics and End of Use Recycling. It’s worth noting that 80% of the environmental impact of a product is determined at the early design stage so understanding the full circularity of your business is imperative to implementing a strategy for change.” 

Phoebe Potter
Edingburgh College of Arts
Graduate Fashion Week

Event Director Sandrucci added, “I have been blown away by the overwhelmingly positive response from buyers this season, commenting on the amazing new brands and the added extras you get when visiting Pure London – the catwalk, the information on trends and the line-up of speakers.” 

This positivity was echoed from exhibitors across the show floor.  Sarah Jemirifo Founder of Hydration London said, “This is our first trade show, we only launched three months ago. We've got an established customer base in Dubai and London already but to come here and tell our brand's story is amazing, the opportunities have been endless, from magazine placements to networking and getting our name out there. Our traffic has been amazing, our designs stand out so people double-take as they walk past, and we've been approached by quite big brands like ASOS. The response has been overwhelming, and our expectations have been exceeded.” 

Ines Martinez from Vilagallo said, “It has been a really good and very busy show for us, Monday particularly was amazing!  We love our location right at the front of the show attracting a lot of attention and we have found great new customers.”  Palladio, fashion agents for Vilagallo among other brands showing at Pure London shared this enthusiasm and Millie Vickers commented, “Pure London is good for us because it really suits the collections that we bring. We have seen a lot of Irish customers here and we know there are buyers who do all their buying here at Pure London.” 

Paisi / Style that never ends

Paola Noguera from Casa de Coco said, “This is my first trade show ever and it’s been really interesting. My goal was to get 10 to 20 strong leads and we’ve hit our target, so I’m happy. The organisers have been very helpful and accommodating, they’ve checked on me several times a day, with it being my first time doing a show which was amazing. I will attend again, you can see the fruits of it, those connections are the only way you’re going to branch out.” 

Melissa Oosterwolde CEO of Melissa Oosterwolde said, “This is my first time exhibiting in the UK! I did my research and discovered Pure London is really the place to be to break into the UK market! The show has exceeded our expectations as we’ve been approached by retailers from Ireland, Scotland and America, and made orders! I would say that the Netherlands trade shows have more European retailers, whereas here it is far more international.” 

BEAUUT / MARYISA

Paul Darling Woods, Director of Pink Lemons said, “This is the first trade show since the pandemic and being back has been great!  We are right at the entrance which has been fantastic as people come straight to us. This is our most successful show ever, we’ve made a lot of orders, spoke with a lot of old clients and new, big retailers.” 

Shelly Herring from Another Sunday said, “We launched nine months ago, so Pure London was our first trade show in February, and we have returned this season. We’ve received orders from current customers and brought new customers on board which is amazing. We have also been approached by other brands for collaborations which is exciting.” 

Malaika Ewande Founder of Vesuvius
Photo from PURE London

George W. Davies

On the Pure London catwalk, Trend Forecaster, Malaika Ewande Founder of Vesuvius introduced four key SS24 trends to buyers, Tech Artistry, Romantic Wanderer, Soothing Luxury and Freaks & Geeks. Powered by the birth of a new digital landscape, Tech Artistry brings together neo-machina and nature-verse. Colours here combine neon pops of yellow and pink, with vibrant metallics in gold and lilac with green tones rooted in nature.

Romantic Wanderer, the ultimate antithesis to Tech Artistry, brings a dreamy romantic character in her feminine era. Built from culture and embedded in empathy and respect, Romantic Wanderer is very compassionate, and calm; a new form of luxury that’s welcoming, looking for taste in tenderness. Colours here eschew traditional pinks and opt for bright coral, moss greens, rich burgundies, tonal greys and pops of blue hues that can be styled together for an elegant luxury.

Soothing Luxury is a celebration of muted taste; smooth and geometric this trend is about quality. Taking inspiration from brutalists and architecture, colours combine copper and gold textures with elemental shades of stone grey, green and browns. Quiet Luxury translates into codes of essential minimalism.

The final trend, Freaks & Geeks is one of the most important trends in the industry right now, that isn’t going anywhere fast. A social trend, Freaks & Geeks is a celebration of identity and individuality, not just visual but cultural. Cemented in the joyful, the colour range is primaries of Red, Cobalt, and Yellow are contrasted with Pinks and Mint Green. There are no rules in this trend, it’s creative but care-free.

Olivia Pinnock, Pure London’s Sustainability Ambassador chaired a panel on circular fashion joined by Cameron Saul CEO & Creative Director BOTTLETOP & #TOGETHERBAND and Harriet Saywood-Bellisario Founder & Designer Saywood. Cameron Saul said, “The fragility of our planet has touched each of us personally.  So how can we use the incredible power of the industry to transform how we use fashion and how can we be innovative and creative or regenerative in the materials that we use.” Harriet Saywood expressed her belief that brands need to take ownership of a product throughout its entire life span, starting with how materials are sourced, to being designed ethically and with longevity to ensuring that at each stage thought is put into repairing, and repurposing and ensuring any waste material is put to use by others in the community. 

Pure London will return to Olympia in Kensington, London, on the 11-13 February 2024.

All photos by Lucia Carpio unless otherwise stated.

Trade Fair: Texworld Evolution Paris reported a successful show for its July 2023 edition

The summer edition of  the Texworld Evolution Paris trade fair - encompassing  Apparel Sourcing, Avantex, Leatherworld and Texworld Paris – which took place from July 3 to 5  –    celebrated the event's 25th anniversary and welcomed nearly 6,800 international trade visitors to preview the latest on offer from 1,350 exhibitors from 27 countries.

The show was held for the first time at the Parc des Expositions in Porte de Versailles, Paris, where it will remain for its 2024 shows as well, while it's former venue at Le Bourget will serve as one of the venues for the 2024 Summer Olympics for which France is host. 

Organisers said Texworld Evolution Paris trade fairs ended on a very positive note as the show took place in association with two other fairs that took place at the same exhibition centre during the same time -  namely Curve Paris and Interfilière Paris (for lingerie products and accessories ) - and thus offered buyers an unprecedentedly broad fashion platform in the heart of the French capital.

Organisers revealed that most of the buyers they had talked to had welcomed the decision to locate the show downtown Paris which simplified access to a show that was particularly eagerly awaited. 

Organisers said in terms of visitor attendance to Texworld, 18% represented France, followed by Spain, Italy, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Germany, and in terms of product offerings, this highly international edition confirmed the major balances between the Asian sourcing zones - as demonstrated by the strong Chinese presence, just 6 months after the reopening of the country, as well as Korean and Taiwanese - Indian and Mediterranean, with, once again this year, Turkey had a strong presence as well as a major sourcing country.

Organisers said in the face of inflation, collection managers tend to redirect their long-term sourcing strategy towards Asia or the Mediterranean region for restocking. Texworld is unique in terms of what it has to offer, according to a Spanish buyer from a distribution group.  "In two days, we can build 70 to 80% of our collections, by mixing fabric choices for creations that will be made in Spain or Portugal, but also finished products, which we will have made in Indonesia according to our specifications," said the buyer.

Frédéric Bougeard, President of Messe Frankfurt France which organises the Texworld trade fairs, said this July 2023 session revealed the changes taking place in the global market that is reorganising itself, and for which the offering must be adapted. “The fashion world is increasingly challenged, with consumers - and therefore buyers - becoming more demanding in terms of price, quality and durability." 

Messe Frankfurt Paris photo.

Messe Frankfurt Paris photo

Bougeard added, "We have to do more to attract our visitors and meet their expectations. That's why we've decided to renew our offer, in a new venue with new services, to 'whet the appetite' and make the visit more efficient. Eventually, we'll certainly have to go one step further, and offer our buyers a sharper selection of manufacturers. We are working on this with our partners, and it will be visible at the next edition, from 5 to 7 February in Hall 7 at Porte de Versailles." 

Sustainability remains a key challenge for all in the industry.  A growing number of supplier countries present at the show are incorporating sustainability as a central element of their approach, and are moving fast on this issue. This key topic has been highlighted in the aisles by the sustainable sourcing itinerary, which enables visitors to easily identify several hundred certified companies. 

Messe Frankfurt Paris photo

This year, a number of manufacturers from Pakistan and Taiwan  had joined forces to promote these aspects with a highly specialised range of products.  

Pakistani company Cresent Bahüman Ltd. for one,  at the Sustainable Pakistan pavilion – which recycles the indigo waste generated by its dyeing processes to dye jeans and T-shirts sold by Spanish brand Pull& Bear  of the Inditex group. 

Also worth noting was Wynist Retail Solutions, one of the six companies in the Taiwan Eco-Textiles Collective pavilion, which had developed an upcycling process that produces shop displays ( for retailers such as Uniqlo and Lululemon) using  fabric scraps and used clothing.

South African creativity was in the spotlight once again this year, as Messe Frankfurt featured the winners of the young South African designers' competition, organised by Allfashion Sourcing Cape Town, Messe Frankfurt's sourcing platform for African production. 

Thando Munkus Ntuli (winner 2021) and Carla Hanekom (winner 2022) were present to showcase their creations in a dedicated area near the Agora. The event was organised as a part of the Texpertise – the textile business network, one of whose aims is to promote the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. 

This time the focus was on empowering women and achieving gender equality. Texpertise comprises around fifty of Messe Frankfurt's textile-related trade fairs worldwide.

Every year, as part of the innovation support policy developed by Messe Frankfurt France, the Avantex Fashion Pitch rewards the best projects in the fashion and textile sector. This year the winners are AwareTM and Refact by Induo, who were selected out of eight companies.

Dutch company AwareTM was selected for its scanner employed to determine the exact composition of a garment in order to facilitate its recycling. A special prize was awarded to Refact by Induo, whose solution enables the development on an industrial scale of a process for recycling all types of textiles and producing a new viscose fibre with very low ecological impact. 

The 2023 jury was made up of Corinne Bégaud - head of HEC's Challenge+ programme - Christian Martin - founder of the Fashion Tech Lab and a specialist in augmented reality - and Frédérique Thureau - partner and leader of the TCBL textile network. Organised by Avantex Paris, the international trade fair for innovation in advanced and sustainable fashion, this event gives fashion and textile start-ups international exposure to investors, professionals and the media. CDamslab, De Rigueur, HYPUnderwear, NIL Textile, Redivivum, Terra Ferra and Thesara were finalists in the 2023 Avantex Fashion Pitch.

The next Texworld Evolution Paris trade fairs will take place February 5 - 7, 2024 at Parc des Expositions in Porte de Versailles, Paris.

Photos by Lucia Carpio or otherwise stated.

Trade Fair: Première Vision Paris launched new programme in July as "a better way" to meet challenging market needs

The international textiles and fashion trade fair Première Vision Paris, which took place July 4 to 6 2023 in Paris at Parc des Expositions in Villepinte, north of the French capital, stayed true to its promise and presented "a better way" new programme designed to support the creative fashion industry and to help the international industry make an ecological transition and be better equipped to meet evolving sourcing needs.

As the international market place is increasingly driven by the transition to sustainability, coupled with regulatory changes that comes with adaptation strategies, trade buyers, suppliers and manufacturers are facing new challenges caused by the impact of the pandemic on global consumer habits, and their clothing consumption, and the implications of the geopolitical and economic crisis.  

Organisers reported a successful second July edition of Première Vision Paris, registering 25,117 trade visitors (including 17,317 visitors from 95 countries outside France); an increase of 7% over the July 2022 show.  In total 1,315 exhibitors (10% more than the July 2022 event) showcased their Autumn-Winter 24-25 collections.

PV Paris presented Five thematic Forums on new products and innovations, covering Inspiration, Sourcing Solutions, Accessories, Leather and Designs.  The forums were designed to assist trade visitors find inspiration, to exchange ideas and build their new collections of ready-to-wear, accessories (fashion jewelry, leather goods) and footwear for the Autumn-Winter 24-25 season.

Ideal places to meet and share ideas, the 5 forums with their striking displays attracted industry professionals in search of new and innovative products, including: environmentally-friendly faux furs in natural cotton or wool fibers, and cotton-mohair blends on a woven base; embroideries with luxurious effects that morphed into jewel-fabrics; cut yarn jacquards with XXL motifs in dazzling hues, with livelier sheens and doubly-shiny gilded aspects; leathers with treatments applied in gradients, for colour full of variation and textures from smooth to velvety; and accessories where precious materials are worked together in a muted white - a tribute to luxury craftsmanship, combining refined embroideries and delicate feathers.

There were 30 conferences  held in a newly created area noted as the PV HUB, which welcomed more than 65 guest speakers including Gildas Minvielle (Director of the Economic Observatory at the Institut Français de la Mode), Romain Brabo (Co-founder and CEO of Nona Source), Linda Bulic (Innovation Analyst at Fashion for Goods), Pauline Godd (Program Manager at TrusTrace) and Vincent Grégoire (Director of consumer trends and insights at NellyRodi).

Such is the global reach of the fair that 10 guided tours of the Forums were organised, conducted in a multitude of languages (French, English, German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Korean).

Gilles Lasbordes, Directeur Général de Première Vision, commented: "While 2022 was a year of recovery for the creative fashion industry, 2023 was marked by a still unstable global economy impacting the entire sector, with consumer spending under pressure, a weakened mid-range and inflation. Despite all this, Première Vision Paris - celebrating its 50th anniversary this year - continues to play a driving and unifying role, attracting 25,117 visitors, 70% of them international. This edition confirms the gradual - but tangible - return of visitors from Asia, from China in particular. "

Since the February 2023 edition, Première Vision has offered a trail dedicated to deadstocks on its Marketplace. In the July show, this trail was expanded and new specialized partners joined the show aisles, giving brands the opportunity to source creative upcycled materials, and suppliers the chance to resell their stocks from past collections.

The fair's ‘a better way’ initiative was in effect  the sustainable programme for more transparent sourcing, providing buyers and brands better information and concrete solutions in terms of sustainable sourcing and production. 

It highlights exhibitors’ sustainable initiatives through simple, clear pictograms displayed directly on the stands of this season’s 290 participants. The ‘a better way’ program will be launched at PV Denim at its next edition in Milan this 22 and 23 November 2023, and will be continued at Première Vision Paris in February 2024.

The vast array of fabric exhibits were presented on vertical or flat  displays, on hangers,  and organised according to qualities, fibre contents, and market sectors and end uses, in the forums found in different halls, often provided with descriptive headings and labels, with informative descriptions to accompany the fabrics allowing visitors to learn more about new developments and innovations.

Upcoming Première Vision events this year include:

Première Vision New York - 18 & 19 July 2023

Center 415, New York, USA

Fashion Rendez-Vous Première Vision - 13 & 14 September 2023

Grand Palais Éphémère, Paris

Première Vision Shenzhen - 20 & 22 September 2023

Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center

Denim Première Vision - 22 & 23 November 2023

Superstudio Più, Milan

Blossom Première Vision  - 13 & 14 December 2023

Carreau du Temple, Paris

The next  Première Vision Paris will take place at Parc des Expositions  February 6 to 8 2024.

All photos by Lucia Carpio.

Retail news: Marks & Spencer announces FA Collection for the England senior women’s team

Marks & Spencer has announced its debut FA Collection for the England senior women’s team. 
The European Champions continue to inspire multiple generations and change historic perceptions of women’s football. 

UK's Marks and Spencer has been announced as the Official Tailor of the England Senior Women’s Football Team, as it launches the FA Collection. The partnership builds upon the retailer’s longstanding relationship with The Football Association, dating back  2007 when M&S became the Official Suit Supplier to the England Senior Men’s Team. 

The Womenswear collection sees an in-house designed range of versatile, re-imagined tailoring pieces, that will be worn by the England women’s team in the tournament and in their official England team shot.

The collection allows M&S to hero the European Champions as well as what the players and the concept of women’s football stands for and is a celebration of individuality, made to be effortlessly mixed and matched for work, play and everything in between, according to a press release by M&S.

The supporting marketing campaign launches online and in selected stores from 6th July featuring England players Alex Greenwood, Lucy Bronze and Jessica Carter seen wearing a selection of pieces from the collection.
Above, left to right, Alex Greenwood wears tailored blazer, ribbed crew neck cropped top, pleat front relaxed trousers; Lucy Bronze wears tailored blazer, waistcoat and pleat front relaxed trousers; and Jessica Carter wear ribbed scoop neck cropped top and zip-detail straight leg trousers.

Maddy Evans, Director of Womenswear,  says: “We’re incredibly excited and honoured to be dressing the talented and inspiring England Women’s Team on their journey to this year’s most talked about tournament. We wanted to ensure the collection delivered on style and versatility, creating timeless pieces with individual styling was at the forefront of our minds and something that I believe underpins the whole collection. The styling options - dressing the pieces up or down - are endless!”

M&S says its womenswear design team have worked hard to integrate both style and comfort when creating the collection. In a contemporary tonal colour palette of navy and white, the carefully considered collection features smart separates that challenge the traditional idea of ‘power dressing’, and instead encourages an individual approach, styling pieces however one chooses. 

Making the most of the menswear-inspired trend of the moment and layer a waistcoat into a look, the tailored pieces in this new FA Collection are cut in a refined tailored fit, with mock pockets and neat button fastenings. To complete the outfit is a sharp cut single-breasted blazer or on-trend bomber jacket to elevate casual outfits.

Luxe satin shirts and sporty ribbed knitted tops can be effortlessly paired back with slouchy wide-leg trousers, cut to give a flowing silhouette or smart high-waisted tailored shorts that feature practical side pockets. 

Available in-store and on M&S.com, the range provides outfit inspiration to give customers the confidence to style individual pieces for a more relaxed tailored look.

The supporting marketing campaign launches online and in selected stores from 6th July featuring England players Alex Greenwood, Lucy Bronze and Jessica Carter seen wearing a selection of pieces from the collection.

The launch will be supported by an omnichannel marketing campaign across stores, PR, media, digital and social channels.

Anna Braithwaite, Director of Marketing, comments: “The England Women’s teams’ success in recent major tournaments has captured the attention of the nation. Their performance has showcased skill, determination and teamwork inspiring a new generation of footballers – and that's only set to continue throughout the summer. We’re so thrilled to be launching this campaign and collection – the mix and match, versatile approach allows the players to embrace their own unique style off-pitch, creating a confident, empowering and effortlessly stylish look. We couldn’t be prouder to be partnering with the Lionesses. We’ll be behind them every step of the way.”

Images from Marks and Spencer.

Trade fairs: Sustainability and innovative textiles main focus of international textile industry fairs in Paris

This July, the international creative fashion and textiles industry community encompassing professionals from all sectors will come together in Paris to network and view the latest industry developments, especially in the area of sustainability.

Texworld Evolution Paris - July 3 to 5, 2023

Texworld Evolution Paris at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre
from July 3 to 5 2023

Opening in the heart of Paris at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre from July 3 to 5 is the Texworld Evolution Paris group of trade fairs, encompassing Apparel Sourcing, Avantex, Leatherworld and Texworld Paris.  Texworld will be celebrating its 25th anniversary.  

This is the first time that Texworld Evolution Paris is staged in the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre because its usual site at Parc des Expositions in Le Bourget has been given way to preparations of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Texworld Evolution Paris trade shows are also held concurrently with other fashion trade events taking place at the same location in the French capital, namely Curve Paris and Interfilière Paris lingerie products and accessories shows.

Texworld Evolution Paris - February 2023 event at Le Bourget, Paris.

Organisers say Texworld Evolution Paris is the largest European sourcing platform for textiles and clothing in terms of number of exhibitors, featuring more than 1,350 exhibitors from 26 countries, with a strong presence of exhibitors from China, Turkey, India, Korea, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, as well as Bangladesh, Cambodia and Uzbekistan.

Texworld Evolution Paris - February 2023 event at Le Bourget, Paris.

Julien Schmoll, Marketing and Communications Director at Messe Frankfurt France said: “Today the main supplier countries in our events are integrating sustainability as an essential element of their offer and are evolving rapidly on this subject, particularly due to the strong growth in demand from mature markets. This evolution is visible in our sustainable sourcing itinerary, where hundreds of certified companies stand out, in specific showcases, as do Pakistani and Taiwanese manufacturers with these pavilions dedicated to the sustainable offer".

Première Vision Paris - July 4 to 6, 2023

Première Vision Paris at Parc d'Expositions, Villepinte,
north Paris - February 2023 edition

Meanwhile taking place in north Paris at the Parc d' Expositions in Villepinte, from July 4 - 6, is Première Vision Paris which has been redesigned this season to meet the challenges of the sector’s transformation, driven by the transition to sustainability, regulatory changes, the impact of the pandemic on clothing consumption, the implications of the geopolitical crisis, the new needs of buyers within fashion brands, adaptation strategies for supply chains, and the new challenges facing manufacturers.

Organisers say the event has been completely revamped with a focus on 4 priority areas.

The first is Eco-responsibility - the new paradigm at the heart of the repositioning of the show and its offer, thanks to the new a better way programme.

Another area is a new layout and the creation of a PV Hub dedicated to innovation.

Thirdly, a (r)evolutionary approach to fashion information and the trend forums.

Fourthly, a new services policy for trade buyers.

Trade visitors will find inspiration, exchange ideas and build their new collections of ready-to-wear, accessories (fashion jewelry, leather goods) and footwear for the Autumn-Winter 24-25 season, previewing the collections and latest developments from 1,315 exhibitors from 47 participating countries.

Première Vision Paris 
- February 2023 edition

The fair covers eight product categories  serving all creative fashion markets, from Yarns (yarns and fibers), to Fabrics, Leather,  Designs (textile designs and motifs), Accessories and components), Manufacturing (including fashion and leather manufacturing of apparel, small leather goods, leather shoes manufacturing), Smart Creation (technical and technological innovations, sustainable materials).

Gilles Lasbordes, Managing Director of Première Vision said, "This second edition of Première Vision Paris on the new July calendar is full of new features.  A new step has been taken, and we are particularly pleased to support the sector in its environmentally responsible transition with the new PV programme, ‘a better way’. 

"This initiative, which we’ve been working on for over a year, aims to simplify buyers day-to-day work and help guide them, while decoding and promoting the real advances made by the textile industry and its investments in favor of more sustainable fashion.

Images by Lucia Carpio