THE WEEK Drapers COVER IMAGE: TOM CAMPBELL
Asos’s Hart breaks his silence to speak to us
Telephone House, 69-77 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NQ Tel: 020 3033 2600 Email: drapers@emap.com EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Caroline Nodder, 020 3033 2759 Deputy Editor Ana Santi, 020 3033 2760 News Editor Catherine Neilan, 020 3033 2771 Senior News Reporter Victoria Gallagher, 020 3033 2861 Reporter Jill Geoghegan, 020 3033 2767 Features Editor James Knowles, 020 3033 2761 Fashion Director Ian Wright, 020 3033 2763 Junior Fashion Editor Graeme Moran, 020 3033 2768 Junior Fashion Writer Emily Norval, 020 3033 2914 Online Editor Keely Stocker, 020 3033 2762 Group Stores Editor John Ryan, 020 3033 2997 Deputy Special Projects Editor David Brooks, 020 3033 2846 Group Art Director Alison Fisher, 020 3033 2764 Group Production Editor Steve Draper, 020 3033 2765 Deputy Production Editor Digby Bodenham, 020 3033 4235 Supplements Production Editor Tracey Gardner, 020 3033 2769 Editorial Administrator Nadine McKen, 020 3033 2770 Contributors Grace Chamia, Harriet Osborne Crowley
With the sun shining for once as I write this, it’s a very warm welcome to this week’s issue of Drapers. Inside, as you may have noticed from our cover shot, we had the great privilege of speaking to one of the industry’s most influential and yet least vocal individuals, James Hart. As one of the founding figures behind Asos, and having been with the company ever since he was recruited by Asos chief executive Nick Robertson in a pub of all places, Hart speaks to us in his first-ever interview about how the company has retained its spark and what he hopes to achieve in the future (see p16). Shopwatch this week is a review of the Nudie Jeans Repair Shop concept in Soho (p20). Also inside this issue we’ve taken a look at Appear Here, an online service for retailers and brands who are looking to open a pop-up shop (p22) and have also interviewed Crew Clothing managing director Octavia Morley, who told us why Ben Fogle makes the perfect ambassador for the retailer (p28). And don’t forget that all the latest news and views can be accessed via our website at Drapersonline.com (it’s free to subscribers – simply log on using your subscriber number).
COMMERCIAL TEAM Group Commercial Director Mandy Cluskey, 020 3033 2965 Commercial Director Lars Fiddy, 020 3033 2953 Advertising Manager Julia Jones-Collins, 020 3033 2952 Account Managers Lucy Potucek, 020 3033 2959 Rebecca Soni, 020 3033 2958 Sales Executive Daniel May, 020 3033 2956 Events and Projects Manager Victoria Hart, 020 3033 2961 Clubs Co-ordinator Katie Marcel, 020 3033 2962 Classified Sales Executive Danielle Choyen, 020 3033 2987 Sales & Event Support Executive Rosie Birchenough, 020 3033 2964 Sales Administrator Lizzie Fuller, 020 3033 2696 Production Manager Jo Lambert, 020 3033 2677 Recruitment Advertising Senior Account Manager Peter Bruce-Smyth, 020 3033 2985 Recruitment Sales Executives Freya Lucas, 020 3033 2669 Rebecca Tonkinson, 020 3033 2991 Senior Marketing Manager Nik Dinning, 020 3033 2862
CONTENTS Issue 08.06.13 REGULARS
PUBLISHING Managing Director Retail Group Tracey Davies, 020 3033 2895 Chief Executive of EMAP Natasha Christie-Miller, 020 3033 2691 PA to Chief Executive of EMAP Clair Sabel, 020 3033 2692 Subscriptions UK £249, UK independent retailers £195. Europe (by airmail) £342, worldwide airmail £356. EMAP Publishing Ltd. For UK subscription queries please call 0844 848 8858. For all other subscription queries please call 01604 828705. Newstrade Distribution Seymour Distribution Ltd. Tel: 020 7396 8095. Origination by F1 Colour, Copperfield St, London SE1. Printed and bound by Headley Brothers, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8HH. ISSN Number: 1479–1617. Drapers is published by EMAP, part of Top Right Group Ltd. © EMAP 2013
24
2_ News Our edit of the week’s top stories, including an exclusive look at 2013’s salary landscape 10_ Opinion Comment from Lloyds Bank’s Keith Richardson and Lewis Tweddell of indie Lewis Yates 12_ Fashion Index Trading info from the UK and around the world, plus Indie Index 22_ Ecomm Website Appear Here wants to make opening a pop-up store easy 29_ Careers Climbing the ladder with Avon’s lingerie and apparel buyer for EMEA Amy Eadon 40_ Off The Record Gossip, stories and party pics from the week’s biggest events
27
20 FEATURES 16_ Close-Up
In his first-ever interview, Asos director James Hart tells us why he thinks of the etailer as one big community 20_ Shopwatch We check out Swedish brand Nudie Jeans’ first UK store, which also offers free repairs
DIRECTIONS 23_ This Week’s Hero
Men’s streetwear brand New Love Club is ideal for the festival season 24_ The Buzz Hot trends and brands, including Fred Perry’s charity auction and Gandys flip-flops 26_ Style Council Our panel of experts
pinpoint the trends they’re betting on for spring 14 27_ Brandwatch Accessories brand Common Sense is another winner from Scandinavia 28_ This Fashion Life We meet Crew Clothing managing director Octavia Morley
Drapers / JUNE 8 2013 _ 1
_Caroline Nodder, editor-in-chief