Belstaff opens flagship store in Japan

Source: Belstaff.

British modern heritage brand Belstaff has opened its first flagship store in Tokyo, Japan within the 47,000 m² retail space Ginza Six. The opening of a flagship in Tokyo showcases the brand's development in Japan and its continued international expansion and dedication to retail.
The store features an initial offering of Belstaff's women's line in Tokyo and a complete menswear collection. This follows Belstaff's launch into the Japanese market in 2016, with retail spaces opened in Matsuzakaya Nagoya, Isetan Tokyo and Kobe.

Global Ambassador and Hollywood A-lister Liv Tyler graced the opening. Tyler has co-designed and produced two collections for Belstaff, and her latest Spring Summer 17 offering will be available in Ginza Six.

The Tokyo store will offer an exclusive Ginza Capsule collection of lighter-weight pieces and the first eyewear collection from the brand, all handmade with the finest materials in Japan. The 100 sq m store is the second-biggest retail space in Asia, after Macau, and the biggest retail launch since the flagship in New Bond Street, London, UK.

Source: Belstaff website. Tyler.

Gavin Haig, Belstaff CEO said: "Ginza Six, our fourth opening in Japan, shows our fast and strategic expansion in this important market. The Japanese influence on fashion and style can be felt globally, which is why we selected this great country as a key pillar market for Belstaff. The Japanese appreciation and appetite for modern heritage is key to our success here. We are also a brand that continues to innovate, with functionality as important as style. Our successful launch of the ongoing partnership with SOPHNET showcased a more street style-influenced collection, which is synonymous with Tokyo, and was well received all over the world."

"The first launch of our women's business in Japan is at Ginza Six, with Ambassador Liv Tyler attending and representing our modern Belstaff Woman. Ginza Six epitomises the new luxury by offering shoppers an experience of the highest quality. We are thrilled to be a part of this historic opening, an important milestone in the brand's 93-year history."

The flagship launches in the same month Belstaff exhibits its first Archive exhibition, Hollywood Legends in the Daikanyama Tsutaya bookstore. This is a celebration of Belstaff's iconic design which has influenced many Hollywood films, including The Aviator starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ironman, Dark Knight, I am Legend, and Twilight.

Interested?

In Asia, UK-headquartered Belstaff pieces are available through stores in Asia, select wholesale distribution worldwide and online.

Hashtag: #BELSTAFFGINZA
 

posted from Bloggeroid

Singapore fashion designers showcase collections digitally-printed by Epson

Source: Epson Singapore. Display, Wai Yang.

Epson, a printing technologies provider, has collaborated with Singapore-based designers to showcase digitally-printed collections at the FashionisTech showcase at the recently-held FUZE Fashion Technology 2017 in Singapore.

Organised by Textile and Fashion Federation (TAFF), the event is the first fashion technology summit to be held in Singapore, and aims to promote the advancement in material innovation and showcase creative partnerships with the use of technology amongst Singapore fashion labels.

Singaporean labels Wai Yang, Pleatation and Ying The Label worked with Epson to create and print their collections digitally with Epson’s digital dye-sublimation textile printer and direct-to-garment printer. Each designer showcased six outfits as part of their collections at the event.

Wai Yang

Source: Epson Singapore. Wai.

Burmese-born Singapore-based Wai Wai launched Wai Yang, in 2016. For Wai Yang, the printed collection will form the label’s autumn/winter 2017 collection. Inspired by an abandoned building in Prague, the collection features boxy and masculine silhouettes with vibrant prints.

With this, founder/designer Wai aims to re-appropriate the inappropriate, breathing new life and meaning into otherwise unwanted objects, turning trash and defective objects such as torn cargo boxes, dead leaves, wire and bubble wrap into abstract print designs.

The designs are translated into subtle print effects on meticulously selected textiles via a combination of dye-sublimation, direct printing and textured screen-printing techniques, resulting in a highly tactile collection.

“Working to produce my collection with a digital textile printer for the first time was an eye-opening experience. The printer was able to reproduce my designs accurately, capturing the colours vividly. In the process of experimenting with the printing, I discovered that there are many different printing effects that can be achieved on different materials, and I love the fact that it is possible to play with many unusual materials as well. All my print designs are printed beautifully and would otherwise never have been used, adding a new dimension and richness to my designs and pieces,” said Wai.

Source: Epson Singapore. Chiang.

Pleatation

Pleatation is a pleat-focused brand from Singapore, specialising in pleated products in fashion, stationery, home and lifestyle. Pleatation launched its Resort 1718 collection, Le Enchant, at the event. The printed collection consisting of vibrant hues in its signature pleated designs. Taking inspiration from enchanted forests around the world, Le Enchant captures beautiful shades and wild silhouettes in its latest collection, printed through dye-sublimation printing.

“When printing with Epson’s digital textile technology, I’ve noticed the colours captured are brighter and more vibrant. Digital textile printing enables quick turnaround and shortens the production process, which is important to my business as new designs and collections need to be created and brought to retail quickly. Epson’s dye-sublimation printing technology reproduces my designs vividly unlike other printing technologies I’ve worked with, and I’m glad for the opportunity for this collaboration,” said Chiang Xiaojun, founder of Pleatation. By breaking down basic silhouettes of essential products, she recreates new styles with the use of colour, print and textures.

Ying The Label

Source: Epson Singapore. Li.

For Ying The Label, the collection in collaboration with Epson draws its inspiration from the idea of contentment and living in the moment. From seeing the silver lining in every roadblock, to being able to dream, Ying uses vibrant strokes of colours to represent feelings in 'The Moment'. The relaxed silhouettes are deliberately kept simple, with emphasis on every detail of founder and designer Li Ying's unique art through the use of dye-sublimation and direct-to-garment printing methods.

“Printing with Epson’s digital textile printing technologies has opened new avenues of printing and design, in terms of textures and turnaround time to produce the collection. Experimenting with fabrics and seeing the colours of the printed fabric has been an amazing process. I am currently exploring avenues with Epson’s printing technologies to produce future collections,” said Li.

Li's art is created using abstract brush strokes dipped in whimsical colour palettes that can bring out the unique personality of every piece.

“The collaboration with the designers aims to showcase the versatility and capabilities of our digital textile printers and the opportunities it brings to the fashion industry. We aim to support the creative visions of designers to transform their ideas into reality. With our innovative printing technologies, designers are now free to express their creativity without limitations in colours and designs,” said Shuji Hamaguchi, Regional GM (SE Asia), Epson Singapore.

Digital printing shortens turnaround time and enables printing in small volumes for customised prints, compared to traditional printing techniques, which require high volumes and long lead times. As a result, digital printing helps designers to achieve their artistic vision by translating their ideas to a range of fabrics quickly, easily and in the highest quality.

Epson digital dye sublimation printers use Epson’s proprietary technology known as Micro Piezo and PrecisionCore TFP head technology. The Micro Piezo printheads, unlike thermal inkjet systems, eject droplets of ink via mechanical pressure and do not use heat, making it compatible with a far wider variety of inks and mediums. By precisely controlling the volume of ink contained in each droplet of ink, Epson’s Micro Piezo printers not only generate virtually no wasted ink, they also ensure that sharp, rich and virtually grain-free images are rendered at all times.

The FUZE Fashion Technology 2017 summit was held from 16 to 17 March 2017 in Singapore.

posted from Bloggeroid

Younger consumers prefer shopping online for clothing

YouGov has discovered that consumers across the Asia Pacific region (APAC) are still shopping for clothing physically in-store, with more than three-quarters of those polled* (79%) saying they have shopped in-store in the past year.

Shopping in-store is particularly prevalent for shoppers in Hong Kong, Australia, and Malaysia, where 88%, 85% and 84% have done so, respectively. Shopping online via a website is the second-most popular method of purchasing apparel; nearly half of respondents in APAC (45%) have used a website to shop for clothing and accessories over the past year. The popularity of e-commerce has surged in mainland China, where three-quarters (75%) of people have bought apparel via a website over the past year. 

Respondents in APAC share how they buy clothing.

The most popular reason for online shopping is to save time, say 69% of those who have shopped using websites over the past year and 66% of those who have used apps. Over half of those who shop online also value the price savings, with 58% of those who have shopped through websites and 54% of those who have shopped via apps citing price as an advantage of online shopping.

In contrast, apps are yet to break into the mainstream and have only been used to buy apparel by 15% of those polled in the past year. App usage peaks in Indonesia, China and Singapore where nearly one in five people (19%, 18% and 18% respectively) have purchased apparel through an app in the past year.

Indicators suggest however that shopping trends are set to change. Young people are more than twice as likely to have shopped using a website in the past year and more than six times as likely to have shopped via an app than older generations. Half of those aged 16 to 24 (51%) have shopped using a website over the past year and nearly a fifth (19%) have used an app. In contrast, just a quarter of over 55s (24%) shopped using a website and only 3% have used an app.

Conversely, shopping in-store is most popular with older generations; 90% of over-55s have shopped in-store, compared to 75% of 16 to 24 year olds. This suggests that, as one might expect, younger generations may be more open to shopping with new technologies than older generations. Over three-quarters of those who have shopped in-store (78%) say it is because they like to try out apparel before they buy it; 73% want to check the quality before they buy, and 56% simply enjoy shopping around.

Local markets and street vendors are bucking the trend. They attract 28% of consumers in APAC and are the most popular in Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, where 41%, 38% and 36% of respondents respectively have bought apparel from local markets and street vendors in the past year.

They are more popular with young people than older generations; 35% of 16-24s purchase from markets compared with 23% of over-55s. One possibility, Yougov says, is that young people are strapped for cash and looking for a cheaper alternative to high street and luxury brands.

E- and m-commerce still have a long way to go before they can rival more traditional shopping experiences for convenience as well as for enjoyment. Opinions are divided as to whether new technologies are indeed up to the challenge. While 39% of respondents believe that retailers will close physical stores as online shopping becomes more popular, 36% don’t think they will.

*The company polled 9,037 people across Asia Pacific in December 2016 to investigate apparel shopping habits among the online population. Data was collected from research among YouGov’s panelists and was weighted to be representative of the online population. Sample size: Asia Pacific (n = 9,037; Australia: 1,009; China: 1,003; Hong Kong: 1003; Indonesia: 996; Malaysia: 1,003; Philippines: 1,008; Singapore: 1,004; Thailand: 1,004; Vietnam: 1,007).

Spice up the office wardrobe at the MAX sale in India

Source: MAX. MAX fashion for men, women and kids is on sale.

The Landmark Group's fashion brand MAX is offering up to 50% off in India on over 60,000 products from a collection that features the season's hottest trends across clothing, accessories and footwear.

In India, MAX has more than 145 stores across 55 cities. The brand plans to have a network of 160 stores in India by the end of FY16-17.

Interested?

The sale ends January 22 2017.  Enjoy 5% additional cash back using an SBI credit card with a minimum transaction of INR2,500. 

Digitally-printed textiles star at Epson's Print your Passion fashion show

Source: Epson Singapore. A model on the catwalk dressed in an outfit from the BI.ON.IC collection.

Epson, a digital imaging and printing solutions provider, has collaborated with Indonesian celebrity brand Sky and Thai designer Thanit Tiansivarat to showcase their digitally printed collections at the Jakarta Fashion Week 2017, during Epson’s Print your Passion fashion show.

Sky, co-owned by designers Amot Syamsuri Muda and Andrea Risjad, showcased their BI.ON.IC collection of 46 looks with a futuristic science fiction theme, which takes inspiration from the world of science fiction, technology and extraterrestrial life.

Source: Epson Singapore. A child model in an outfit from the digitally printed ELEMENTS collection.

Tiansivarat, owner and designer of Thai brand Oh! Lala and Dee Project, debuted at Jakarta Fashion Week her ELEMENTS collection, consisting of 12 looks modelled by kids. The collection takes inspiration from nature and the natural elements of earth, water, wind and fire, and is evocative of the transformative and changing powers of nature.

Both the designers’ collections are printed by Epson’s digital textile printers, powered by PrecisionCore technology. The collaboration between Epson and designers aims to showcase the unlimited possibilities of digital textile printing and its role in fashion, and vividly captures the bold and vibrant colours of the collections.

“The collaboration with the designers showcases how Epson’s textile printing technology can help in translating the designers’ vision to reality. Epson’s PrecisionCore technology brings vivid colour reproduction, and can inspire designers in the creation of their design. With digital textile printing, designers are only limited by their imagination. Through our collaborations with local designers, we hope to support the fashion industry and create greater awareness of the possibilities of digital textile printing,” said Shuji Hamaguchi, GM (Southeast Asia), Professional Printing, Epson Singapore.

Technavio outlines India fashion e-retail market

• Men’s clothing segment is the dominant shareholder in the market
• Key vendors—Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Jabong, and Yepme

The availability of a wide array of payment options and products, broader reach, and lower costs are encouraging online shopping for consumers in India, says Technavio’s analysts, who predict that the online fashion retail market in India will grow at a CAGR of almost 17% between 2016 and 2020.

Online shopping sites offer customers the opportunity to choose between a number of payment methods such as debit cards, credit cards, cash on delivery (COD), electronic wallets, smart cards, Internet banking, and demand drafts. Favourable demographic factors, better return policies, and increasing adoption of digital and push marketing by vendors are some of the other factors that will contribute to the growth in the online fashion retail market in India during the forecast period.

“The distribution of users between mobile applications and websites is an ongoing trend in the market. Mobile apps have a tremendous impact on the growth of the online fashion retail market in India as they offer a faster alternative to mobile web browsing for consumers to shop on the go. Key players in the market are coming up with more sophisticated fashion apps designed to leverage each functionality on specific operating systems such as Windows, Android, and iOS. Online retailers are emphasising on finding a balance between mobile applications and websites to cater to the masses who prefer shopping online,” says Brijesh Kumar Choubey, Lead Analyst, Consumer & Retail, Technavio Research.

In 2015, men's clothing online accounted for around 53% of the market share to dominate the online fashion retail market. However, more women in the country are likely to be employed and empowered financially in the coming years, thereby boosting growth in the women’s clothing online segment. Furthermore, hectic lifestyles and time crunch are encouraging women to transition towards online shopping rather than visit brick-and-mortar stores. The availability of premium women’s clothing is also projected to increase purchases and add more revenue by 2020.

The key players in the online fashion retail market in India include Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Jabong, and Yepme. Intense competition prevails in this market with most players selling broadly similar products. However, the global players like Amazon and eBay are offering an impressive range of fashion products, which has posed a tough challenge for regional players like Flipkart and Snapdeal. According to Technavio, the purchase decision of consumers is price-dependent so vendors need to focus on pricing strategies and the provision of innovative services. Most users prefer COD and conduct a price comparison before making a purchase, the research firm added.

AIN adds English, Chinese websites for the fashion-conscious

Source: AIN English website.

A Korean brand specialising in women's fashion is repositioning itself as a global brand with a special focus on mainland China, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

AIN has received a good response from selling its products through third party global e-commerce marketplaces, and has now begun its English and Chinese websites through cafe24, Korea's largest e-commerce platform. AIN CEO Park A-In noted that customers like AIN's unique, modern designs and overall image. "The key to success when entering the global market is providing customers with what they are looking for," he said.

AIN's collection is curated for mix-and-match convenience and to enhance the wearer's character and uniqueness. Approximately 20% of the products sold are designed and manufactured directly by AIN. 

Mei.com and Alibaba launch TMALL Luxury Flash-Sale Channel

Mei.com and Alibaba have launched the TMALL Luxury Flash-Sale Channel with a livestreamed fashion show event featuring 42 looks, all immediately shoppable through the new channel. TMALL is Alibaba Group’s B2C online marketplace, and the TMALL channel, which was soft launched about three months ago, is being managed by Mei.com, which has since 2010 operated a China website that provides a flash sales outlet for nearly 300 well-known international luxury brands through exclusive partnerships. Alibaba invested in Mei.com last year.

Source: Mei.com. The fashion show launching the new channel.

Consumers who watched the fashion show had 'scan and buy' shopping access to the runway looks through the TMALL Mobile phone app.

The fashion show event was livestreamed on the TMALL APP, showcasing 42 runway looks of clothing and accessories, including 30 womenswear looks, 10 menswear looks, and a finale including two children's looks. 

Actor Peter Sheng, famous for the China hit web series Go Princess Go made his runway debut walking in the show in a Carven suit. American socialite Olivia Palermo styled one of the runway looks and was featured as a front-row attendee at the show wearing the look herself. 

Source: Mei.com. From left: Mei.com CEO Thibault Villet
with Palermo and Mei.com President Seamon Shi.

The fashion show brought together luxury brands from five of the world's fashion capitals, Paris, New York, Milan, London, and Shanghai: Sergio Rossi, Proenza Schouler, Stuart Weitzman, Carven, Zegna Sport, and Galeries Lafayette among them.

Interested?

Download the TMALL (天猫[淘宝商城]) app on Android or iOS

Watch the show online at Mei.com

Balinese sarong secrets revealed via the Sarong Concierge programme, Ritz-Carlton Bali

The Ritz-Carlton, Bali has unveiled a Sarong Concierge programme, further complementing its immersive Balinese experiences for guests. Led by Tresna Dewi, the resort’s Sarong Concierge, this half-day journey invites guests to discover the different kinds of Balinese textiles and learn about the creation process.

Admired for their beauty and pure artistry, textiles or 'kamen' in the Balinese language is a length of colorful fabric wrapped and tied around the body, often worn by men and women in Southeast Asia and the Arab peninsula. Sarongs are reflective of the historical traditions of Bali and are worn for many different types of occasions.

Tresna, a highly-respected member of the local community, will showcase four kinds of fabric that are mainly used as sarongs in Bali. This will include seeing samples of textiles and learn about the distinct characteristics of each sarong. Tresna will also lead the guests to an artisan workshop in Gianyar regency – renowned for arts and crafts – to see the behind-the-scenes production process of 'endek', the capital’s official cloth, from the threading to spinning and dyeing, and then weaving. Tresna will also demonstrate the etiquette of wearing a Balinese sarong and walking elegantly in it royal-style, among other activities.

“The most interesting element of the sarong creation is the production of the textiles,” says Tresna . "I’m always fascinated to see the process of spinning thread one by one to follow the pattern, before it continues with the weaving process. I look forward to inviting guests into our culture by providing insight of this traditional Balinese style and how it integrates into the daily life in Bali.”

Interested?

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about the opening of the Katamama boutique hotel in Bali

Hashtag: #RCMemories

Yellowfashion.in now available in Sri Lanka

Source: Yellowfashion.in website. 

-

 First curated online women ethnic wear store of its kind to foray overseas

- Eyes over Rs15 crores in revenues over the next three years

Yellowfashion.in, one of India's curated online women ethnic wear destinations, has expanded into Sri Lanka. The venture, well-known for its selection of sarees from across India, is betting on the fast growing Internet user base (6 million according to the ITU) and cultural similarities in clothing preference in Sri Lanka. 

The company estimates 15% of its revenues from 2016 and 2017 to come from the Sri Lankan market, with Sri Lanka contributing Rs15 crore over the next three years. Yellowfashion.in has signed up DTDC as a fulfilment partner to ensure delivery in three to six days to Sri Lankan customers, and put in place an international payment gateway. 

Darshan Patodi, Co-founder, Yellowfashion.in said, "Our in-depth market research revealed that the country, besides witnessing a growing Internet user base, is also very similar in nature to the Indian market when it comes to women ethnic wear choices. (The) Sri Lankan economy has since bounced back, it is geographically proximate and the partnership with DTDC gives us the logistical support required to ensure or track record of happy customers, which is retained in the new market as well. We look forward to the foray contributing significantly to our growth and profitability in the years ahead."

"What really is exciting about the market is that for a lot of women in Sri Lanka (the) saree is both regular wear and a fashion/lifestyle statement. Their affordability levels are high and they are seeking both design and quality which we are known for. Yellowfashion.in's approach of curating what is available on its online store vibes well with this need. Not to mention it being an untapped market. The initial response is encouraging," added Pallavi Patodi, Co-founder, Yellowfashion.in.

According to a Google India study, apparel is the highest contributor after electronics when it comes to e-commerce. The study has found that apparel is purchased 30% more times than any segment, making it one of the most stable domains in the Indian e-commerce landscape. Apparel contributes 34% to the value of total online purchases, says KPMG India.

HOTPING sees sales outside Korea grow to 100 million won

Source: HOTPING website.
Highly elasticated pants.

Korean women's clothing specialty mall HOTPING entered the global market in July 2015 and has since seen monthly international sales surpassing the 100 million won mark, contributing 10% of total sales.

"We believed that winning new markets quickly would secure future competitiveness after we started up in 2014 and we launched the English, Chinese, and Japanese versions of our online mall through the global e-commerce platform of cafe24," explained CEO Kim Yeo-jin. "We received orders from international customers even when we had the Korean site only, which also quickened our entry into the global market."

HOTPING is a portmanteau word mixing 'hot trend' and 'pink'. The platform caters for plus sized women with sizes from 44 (equivalent to XS in the US) to 105 (equivalent to XXL) for most of its products. The company has reached prominence through sponsoring the wardrobes featured in Korean costume dramas, especially in countries swept by the Hallyu, or Korean Wave, notably the US, China, and Japan. News anchors have also been enquiring about sponsorship. HOTPING is becoming popular with its line of Magic Pants, which are highly elasticated pants that can be worn comfortably.

"We will continue to make efforts to win new markets and will also continue offering beautiful clothes to our customers at reasonable prices like we do now," said Kim.

The Curve Cult brings trendy to plus-sized fashion

Source: The Curve Cult Facebook
page. The top fits UK18.

Indie fashion is very much in evidence at Far East Plaza, a mall just off the Orchard Road shopping belt in Singapore. Students go there to buy prom wear, or just something different to wear.

In an age where blog shops offer yet multiple outlets for fashion, going niche is a smart move. Rani Dhaschainey, co-owner of The Curve Cult, has gone from pop-up shops to a real store-front at Far East Plaza. Opening less than a week ago, at #05-126a, she stocks plus-sized fashion, from UK sizes 14 up to about 22.

Source: The Curve Cult Facebook
page.

Her collection is a mix of casual, business and evening wear to suit a wide range of tastes, and with very few pieces of each item, often custom-ordered from India, in cheerful prints as well as trendy solid colours. Dhaschainey models the clothes herself on The Curve Cult's Facebook page so she knows exactly how the items will drape on the body, and can advise customers accordingly.

Interested?

Like the Facebook page and see what's available before going down to buy. The owners are happy to mention prices online

Nadine Arton launches 2016 capsule collections

Nadine Arton, the designer behind the brand GlamOnYou, has launched a 2016 capsule collection under her own name. Represented by dynamic cuts and distinctive prints, the City and All Around the World collections are targeted at women of sophistication and glamour.

Produced with Nadine’s renowned quality and craftsmanship, each collection is inspired by Nadine's travels. Billowing tops combined with skirts alongside dresses to suit any city or occasion are part of the City Collection. The Shanghai Kaftan is reminiscent of the modern and cultural Chinese city while the London dress will bring ladies from work to the evening soiree.

The All Around the World line combines vibrant and geometric prints, bright materials and pastel colours. Add a pop of polka dots to the wardrobe with the Venice dress or check out the crocheted Moscow long skirt for a global travel experience. 

Interested?

View the collections in Nadine Arton’s showroom in Jumeirah, Dubai and at Salam stores in Wafi, Abu Dhabi as well as at Boutique Casual Chic, Kuwait.

*Images from Nadine Arton.

Get up close and personal with Ritu Kumar's summer 2015 collection

Source: Ritu Kumar website.

Indian luxury fashion brand Ritu Kumar has launched its Summer 2015 Collection, now available at the brand's flagship store in BurJuman Shopping Centre in Dubai. The collection includes both the Ritu Kumar as well as the Label Ritu Kumar lines.

Catering to the contemporary women of today, the Ritu Kumar Summer 2015 collection comprises of varied styles for day wear and evening, ranging from kurtis to skirts and suits. The fabrics used include jersey, crepe, cotton georgette, cotton voile.The blend of signature Ritu Kumar prints with subtle detailing provide comfortable yet chic designs with a contemporary edge. 

The Label Ritu Kumar Summer 2015 collection offers daywear to evening options for the contemporary woman. Button downs, maxis, shifts, long skirts, jumpsuits and chic tops form the core of the collection. Available in tomato reds, indigo blues, pastels and bright prints, the collection is crafted using seasonal fabrics such as jersey, crepe, chiffon, lace and georgette. The Label spring-summer (SS) '15 collection has a lot of vintage prints like paisleys and bold florals.

Interested?

Visit the Ritu Kumar store at Level 1 - 137B in BurJuman Shopping Centre.