MWB Moda Gent Preview

FROM MUST-SEE BRANDS TO INDUSTRY NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, A DEDICATED GROOMING AREA AND MORE, WE BRING YOU THE BEST OF MODA GENT

AUTUMN/WINTER 18

COLLECTION NOW AVAILABLE TO VIEW

SEE US AT

MODA GENT NEC Birmingham 18th – 20th February Stand N30

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US TODAY ON T 0113 240 2211 E leo.lachs@skopes.com

MIDLANDS, SOUTH AND CHANNEL ISLANDS SIMON BEARD Phone: 079 32 172944 Email: simonbeard3@aol.com WALES, NORTH, CHESHIRE, SCOTLAND David Snowdon Brand Management Limited Phone: Dave Snowdon 078 13 212416 Phone: Toby Snowdon 078 54 140027 Email: Snowdon.brands@btinternet.com

DIGEL.DE

MODA, NEC BIRMINGHAM 18.02. - 20.02.2018 HALL 19, STAND M29

COMMENT

How often are we faced with the phrase “the death of the high street”, as online sales continue to surge? But bricks-and-mortar stores really do have a chance to flourish in 2018, as innovative menswear retailers emerge, offering exciting and creative concepts to the consumer.

— Being ahead of the game and understanding changes within the retail landscape really will set you apart from the store next door. Understanding this thirst for knowledge, fashion trade fair Moda has put its focus firmly on the menswear industry this season and is offering its most comprehensive programme of seminars and interactive elements to date.

On the opening day of the show (Sunday 18th February), myself and the MWB team will be hosting brunch at 10.30am at the Hall 19 catwalk. Ahead of the first menswear catwalk of the day, showcasing the key trends set to dominate the high street during a/w 18, it gives retailers, buyers and brands a chance to catch up over a coffee and a bite to eat. Because, let’s face it, having the chance to chat to industry peers and find out Joe Bloggs at the other end of the country is going through the same retail woes as you is reassuring.

The February edition will also see Moda Gent partner with The Gentleman’s Grooming & Lifestyle Show – a collaboration which welcomes complimentary onsite beard trims and haircuts from premium grooming brand Drogo. This offers retailers the chance to try products for themselves and take advice from those in the know.

If you’re in need of expert advice on those issues affecting your business, then why not book into one of the show’s retail-focused workshops? Places are free, offering you a smaller, more intimate environment to get help with those burning questions – from cash flow advice to turning web traffic into sales. A full list of workshops and how to book your place can be found on p31.

Finally, our live photography studio will be running throughout the event, giving you a chance to perfect your flat lay skills and enhance your Instagram game with our cheat sheet of 100 hashtags to get your store or brand noticed online. I look forward to seeing many of you there and please do join us at 10.30 on Sunday 18th February for the MWB x Moda Gent brunch. Have a great month.

Victoria Jackson Editor

REDEFINING MENSWEAR For the first season ever, Moda Gent is partnering with The Gentleman’s Grooming & Lifestyle Show to bring an interactive grooming area to the trade fair. Victoria Jackson speaks to co-founder Laurence Culloty to learn more about what to expect from the upcoming edition.

— When was The Gentleman’s Grooming & Lifestyle Show launched?

The idea for The Gentleman’s Grooming & Lifestyle Show was conceived in early 2016 with the debut show, taking place in December of that year. It was co-founded with my business partner Kevin (Doherty) and our friend Matt (Haynes) who is involved in the show on a consultancy basis.

What inspired you to launch the show?

We noticed the massive growth in men’s grooming in recent years and felt there was a place for an event that specifically caters for the growing industry. When launching the show, we had visions of a gentlemanly ambience and wanted our venue to reflect this.

Tobacco Dock, where we host the show in London, has a great feel to it with the exposed brick archways that frame the event space, and we knew it would work well for our show. We have tried to continue this ongoing theme by doing things such as offering our attendees a complimentary whisky and shoe shine on entry.

We’ve seen such a resurgence in men taking an interest in their appearance. What do you think kick-started this movement?

I think it’s a multitude of factors. Part can be accredited to icons such as David Beckham who, by showing an interest themselves, made it acceptable; cool even for guys to take a greater interest in their appearance. I think in general though men are starting to realise that everyone likes to look and feel their best and there is nothing wrong with that. When you feel confident in yourself it can benefit you in all areas of your life.

As a consumer show, what drove the decision to partner with Moda Gent?

The Gentleman’s Grooming & Lifestyle Show is predominantly consumer focused but it does include an element of trade that crosses over well with the MODA audience. Guys want to take care of their whole appearance which includes fashion and grooming and therefore MODA and The Gentleman’s Grooming & Lifestyle Show complement each other well and we’re really excited to be a part of it.

What can we expect from this partnership? What will be happening at the show?

At the show we have partnered with one of our exhibitors Drogo who will be offering bear trims and haircuts as well as displaying their grooming range. The partnership with Drogo brings a great element to MODA being able to try the products and take advice from experts really adds to the attendee experience. We will take the opportunity to meet the audience who will potentially be interested in attending our upcoming Liverpool event in May. Are retailers able to discuss wholesale opportunities when to come to The Gentleman’s Grooming & Lifestyle show?

The Gentleman’s Grooming & Lifestyle Show welcomes retailers as well as consumers so when attending they are welcome to discuss with the exhibitors about potential wholesale opportunities.

SAM BURGESS

THE NEW DANDY

Sam Burgess is a leading social marketing expert, podcaster, speaker, author and all-round cheerleader for small creative businesses. Having worked for global retail brands including the Arcadia Group and Swarovski, Burgess adapted her talents to the independent retail sector and has coached more than 50 small businesses through her consultancy Social Mouth. Burgess is also the host of iTunes top 40 business podcast Small and Mighty.

Discussing the resurgence in tailoring and the growing trend in statement dressing, Marc Darcy’s creative director Karen Johal will join the stage with digital influencer and menswear designer Carl Thomson (pictured), as well as successful retailer Lee Wardell of Verb.

CATWALK AND SEMINAR PROGRAMME

FACE-TO-FACE WITH SUCCESS Need cash flow advice? Want to turn web traffic into sales? Or maybe you need insider tips about competing against the highstreet giants. Find out all the answers and more at Moda’s brand new, retail-focused workshops. Launching this February, the workshops will allow visitors to book onto smaller, more low-key sessions where they can ask the questions they have always wanted to ask in a laid-back environment.

Sunday’s workshops will be hosted by the experts from bira’s fashion division, the Fashion Association of Britain (FAB). The sessions will harness all of the expertise of Britain’s industry body for independent retail, with the added bonus of a fashion-specific focus. If you are pondering how to improve your cash flow or need advice on bringing more customers through the door without breaking the bank, this is the session for you.

On Monday, the workshop space will be hosted by ecommerce expert and managing director of Statement agency, Dan Conboy. If you’re curious about the power of bloggers and social media influencers but don’t quite know where to start with bringing them on board, this workshop could be the springboard you need to improve your multichannel best practice, and ultimately increasing your sales.

All retailers know how important it is to get the numbers right, and Rachel Peterman is an expert when it comes to owning your cash flow. Your workshop with the founder of retail consultancy Carousel & Co will leave you full of confidence when it comes to maximising your sales and ready to take on the highstreet giants throughout 2018 and beyond.

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Book onto your workshop at www.moda-uk.co.uk Places are free, but limited.

CATWALK THEATRE HALL 19 Sunday 10.00 – 10.30 Moda Woman catwalk 10.30 – 11.00 MWB brunch 11.15 – 11.45 Moda Gent catwalk 11.45 – 12.15 The rise of lifestyle concept stores (David Skaith – Winston’s of York) 12.30 – 13.00 Moda Directions catwalk 13.00 – 13.30 MWB Panel – The New Dandy (Lee Wardell - Verb Fashion; Carl Thompson - Hawkins & Shepherd; Karen Johal - Marc Darcy) 13.45 – 14.15 Moda Woman catwalk 14.15 – 14.45 The strength of independent retail (Julie Holden - bira) 15.00 – 15.30 Moda Gent catwalk 15.30 – 16.00 How to build an Instagram community that buys (Sam Burgess – Social Mouth) 16.15 – 16.45 Products that can help and prevent foot conditions whilst increasing your sales (Ronnie Irani - exEngland cricketer and co-inventor of OrthoSole) 17.00 – 17.30 Moda Directions catwalk 18.00 – 18.30 Moda Woman Catwalk and celebratory drinks Monday 10.00 – 10.30 Moda Directions catwalk 10.30 – 11.00 Global Fashion Outlook (Pia Ostermann – Euromonitor) 11.15 – 11.45 Moda Gent catwalk 11.45 – 12.15 How to unlock the power of micro-influencers to grow your business (Dan Conboy) 12.30 – 13.00 Moda Woman catwalk 13.45 – 14.15 Moda Directions catwalk 14.15 – 14.45 Q&A with Emily Stott - Trade secrets of a stylist (hosted by Isabella Griffiths – WWB) 15.00 – 15.30 Moda Gent catwalk 15.30 – 16.00 The future of retail technology (Ian Tomlinson – RetailStore) 17.00 – 17.30 Moda Woman catwalk

Tuesday 10.30 – 11.00 Moda Directions catwalk 11.45 – 12.15 Five ways to increase sales this year – without breaking the bank (Rachel Peterman – Carousel & Co.) 12.30 – 13.00 Moda Gent catwalk 13.00 –13.30 A/W18 trends (Louise Stuart Trainor – trends consultant) 13.45 – 14.15 Moda Woman catwalk 14.15 – 14.45 Need2bSeen – Show the world your business! (Tracy Ann Okezie) 15.00 – 15.30 Improve your email marketing. increasing open rates and clicks (Jon Tromans)

MWB BRUNCH

DIGITAL LOUNGE

Join the MWB at 10.30am at the Hall 19 Catwalk Theatre at our opening day brunch, offering you the chance to grab a coffee and a bite to eat ahead of a busy day buying. This also creates the perfect platform to network with industry peers before discovering the a/w 18 trends set to dominate the season.

This season will welcome the first ever digital lounge within Moda Gent, with an on-site stylist and photographer on hand to help you create the perfect flat lay to showcase your brand on Instagram. From learning about photography’s “rule of three” to a handy cheat sheet to grab with 100 of the best hashtags to use to grow your Instagram following, the digital lounge is a must-visit during the show.

FARAH JEANS UPS THE GAME Farah Jeans is coming to Moda on February 18-20. The a/w 18 collection will only be its fourth but, as the collection has grown and gained a real identity, the aim is to really start to support it now, as Tom Bottomley discovers from Farah brand director, Mark McCann.

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It takes a while for even some of the biggest fashion players to build a brand or add additional lines, as the case may be with Farah Jeans.

But now hitting season four, and with more of an established look and feel, there’s a new air of confidence and commitment in the air at the Farah HQ. Farah brand director, Mark McCann, says: “If you think about where we are as a brand right now, within our menswear we’ve got casual, tailoring and sport, so we feel we have a broad offering across our business. The Farah branded menswear with the white label is what we consider our ‘young fashion’, but we’ve also got a core business that we’ve had for a long time, which comes under our Farah Classic label. Farah Jeans, with a blue label, now adds to our offer, and takes our Farah’s ‘young fashion’ customer of 10 years ago, when we first launched it, on the journey with the brand.”

McCann says that the guy who was buying the young fashion Farah offer in his 20s is now in his 30s, so Farah Jeans is speaking to that slightly older customer, and is more of a heritage lifestyle brand. “It’s a continuation of the same journey. Farah Jeans bridges the gap between Farah and the more mature Farah Classic line, which is still a very important core business to us.”

A/w 18 is only the fourth season of the Farah Jeans line, so it’s only really just gaining some momentum. “You’re never the finished article in the first two or three seasons, because you’re just feeling your way with it and getting it right,” says McCann. “There are lessons to be learnt early on as you develop the collection and get the handwriting defined. We feel we’re really hitting that point now for a/w 18, so we’re looking forward to a positive reaction at Moda.”

In many ways, the Farah Jeans line harks back to the brand’s roots. Starting as a family business with a factory in Texas, Mansour Farah the owner began making shirts under the name ‘Farah’ in the 1920. By the 1930s, the company was growing and had expanded to make overalls, denim and other general workwear.

The Farah Jeans offer is obviously not just jeans, but a whole lifestyle collection built around that. As much as there certainly is five-pocket denim in there, as well as chinos and cords, there are also chambray and denim shirts, and a full line of jackets, knitwear and everything else you’d expect. Hooded jackets and peacoats with great linings have been strong sellers across the brand, with versions in the Farah Jeans collection. “But we’ve also got trend-led concept pieces – especially with outerwear and knitwear,” says McCann. “And the ‘legs’ offer is important to us, of course, because we are very much a ‘legs heritage’ business.”

After a quiet initial launch, McCann believes the time is right to start to shout about it. For that reason too, they have just taken on new sales team to support the growth. “We’re really giving it a major push for a/w18,” he comments.

The first season it went into stores was s/s 17, so it has actually so far only had two seasons worth of in-store sales. But early signs have been very encouraging, hence the new-found focus. “It’s very much in its infancy, and it’s only really now we’re getting behind it with marketing and point of sale,” says McCann.

The Farah Classic collection will be brought to Moda as well, sitting next to the Farah Jeans stand. “We’re also bringing some Farah tailoring to Moda for the first time,” explains McCann. “Within our tailoring we have two fits. The white label is a skinny fit, and the blue label is a slim fit.”

It seems they’ll be plenty of newness for buyers to cast an eye over at Moda this time, and Farah will no doubt be number one on the ‘must see’ list for many.

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www.loake.co.uk

NEW BRANDS AT MODA GENT MWB takes a look ahead to some of the new brands to watch at this season’s Moda Gent and Moda Footwear, which takes place on 18-20 February at Birmingham’s NEC. —

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JACK CARTER LONDON New to the industry as well as being new to Moda Gent, Jack Carter London adds a premium edge to casual tailoring with its range of premium men’s shirts. The brand currently specialises in long-sleeved shirts in premium fabrics, but plans to expand the collection next year to include polos and short-sleeved styles to progress the brand into spring/summer.

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BUCKTROUT TAILORING Bucktrout Tailoring draws upon its extensive Yorkshire heritage to create men’s styles that respect the past. Defined by the sharp approach to tailoring that is distinguishing the leading menswear labels of the moment, Bucktrout arrives from its Leeds historic tailoring district with its new and directional Heritage collection for a/w 18.

Three years on from its inception as a standalone men’s fashion brand, Bucktrout makes a casually understated arrival at Moda Gent with a contemporary sense of style and an extensive story to tell.

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THE EVERMAN

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GANT Fusing original American lifestyle fashion with European flair, Gant is a global leader in apparel. This season sees the brand make its Moda Footwear debut with a range of shoes which complement both its own core menswear offer and wider trends for autumn / winter 2018. Gant already has a global presence in over 70 markets worldwide and will focus on the development of its UK territory with its arrival at the show.

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The Everman is a brand new launch this season, inspired by an active outdoor lifestyle that requires protection from every element. The brand will debut to the trade at Moda Gent, revealing a wide range of outerwear with a focus on casual jackets defined by effortless styling and an extra eye on quality, fit and detailing. The Everman arrives from Germany but harbours a global appeal with its on-trend and performance-led outerwear for outdoor lifestyles.

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THE VOICE BEHIND THE BRAND Ahead of the a/w 18 edition of Moda, we chat to three key brands across tailoring, lifestyle and contemporary fashion.

— DK Company WARD MANN, UK country sales manager for Blend and Casual Friday (DK Company) What do you plan on implementing first in your new role within the DK Comany?

To engage with our existing customers and assess their requirements to maximise the brands’ potential with them, and target new distribution for both brands with retailers who want to be partners in the development of the brands. We’ve also opened a new showroom in London in a fantastic new facility in Hanbury Street, just off Brick Lane.

What prompted your decision to bring Blend and Casual Friday to Moda Gent?

It’s the right time to show our autumn collections to a national audience. Casual, denim and contemporary retailers are all on our radar as we expand our territory, and we are hoping to meet these buyers at Moda Gent next month.

How many accounts do Blend and Casual Friday have in the UK at the moment? What is your target for the a/w 18 season?

We would have 30-50 accounts with Blend and 20-30 on Casual Friday presently. Our target would be to have 90 for Blend and 60 for Casual Friday, but it’s more important for us to open the correct distribution with both brands who want a partnership.

What level of the market are you aiming for with each brand?

Blend is opening price, with casual denim inspired fashion age 18-30 predominantly, so we are offering great fashion styles as well as basics with small twists. Prices compete with the high street but still offer a margin value for the retailer. Casual Friday, meanwhile, has a cleaner and more contemporary look, but still at opening prices in the market offering luxury products for the mass market. At DK Company, we have a win/win mentality, which means that we like to offer the retailer the opportunity for margin while still giving the consumer value.

How many drops does each brand have and what is the lead time for both if retailers want to order in season?

Each brand has six collection drops per annum – three s/s and three a/w, offering smaller, more focused delivery capsules to the retailer, helping their cash flow and also offering newness every six to eight weeks. This refreshes the offer for the consumer and delivering products when they are needed – not offering winter jackets in July, for example.

Finally, what can buyers expect for the a/w 18 season?

Buyers will see amazing opening price points in every sector, while still offering amazing quality. As we now have a dedicated UK showroom, the retailer will get a premium back office as well as sales service going forward into the new season.

Bruno Saint Hilaire MIKE SMITH, UK sales director, Bruno Saint Hilaire How have the past three seasons been since reintroducing Bruno Saint Hilaire back into the UK market?

For us, the main goal was to build the trust of retailers again. Bruno Saint Hilaire has come a such a distance from when it left the UK originally, both in design and management, that we wanted to create a clear slate but still remind buyers why the brand was such a success the first time around. The high quality, fit and comfort has remained.

Developing from a trouser label into a full lifestyle collection, what would you say the brand is best known for?

Its innovation. The tailoring collection, for example, features creaseresistant construction, meaning suits and shirts can be worn directly from the suitcase, as well as a unique stain-proof finish which ensures that rain or accidental coffee drops slide right off the fabrics. The machine-washable aspect of each garment makes life even easier. It’s easy to make tailoring look good for a photo shoot, but Bruno Saint Hilaire is renowned for designing and creating suits and shirts that continue to look good all day, every day. The brand’s unique properties guarantee all-day neatness and, combined with classic French styling, the collection is unrivalled for creating timeless menswear that fits into modern-day lifestyles.

You’ve increased your presence at Moda this season – what can buyers expect for a/w 18?

One area we’re excited about is the relaunch of Saint Hilaire.

Formerly BSH73, Saint Hilaire is our younger, more trend-led collection which features bolder colours and slimmer silhouettes. It caters for the less conservative of shoppers and the collection already accounts for 40 per cent of our business worldwide.

Carlos Cordoba ERIK EXPÓSITO, export manager, Carlos Cordoba For those who missed Carlos Cordoba last season, what’s the brand all about?

We are a Spanish menswear label which is defined by its attention to detail. Since we were established in 1986 in the province of Cordoba, we have made a name as a business which approaches every stage of the manufacturing process with love. From the buttons to the fabrics to the linings, each Carlos Cordoba creation is just that little bit more appealing that its rivals.

What has your arrival into the UK been like?

We only made our foray into the UK last year, but we are so happy to have already been embraced by the British menswear trade. People are talking about the brand on both a consumer and retailer level, and that’s what we were hoping to achieve when we arrived with our quality products, all delivered with exemplary customer service.

What do British men like about the label?

The main appeal is the sportswear items with the small details that mark each piece out as Carlos Cordoba. Beyond the styling, consumers appreciate that each garment is made to high standards in Spain and then, when they try the item on, they like the fit.

How integral has Moda Gent been to your expansion into the UK? We are an experienced company with a presence in many different countries, so we were well placed to make a considered entry into

the UK. Moda is the best trade show, and it’s where we have to be if we want to continue to expand within this territory.

What are you hoping to achieve at the show this month?

We met some great buyers last season and, this time around, we would like to add some department stores to our portfolio. The new autumn collection is really strong with a wide appeal, so we are looking forward to bringing it to Moda Gent and getting a/w 18 off to a strong start.

G E N T 18–20 February 2018 NEC Birmingham

Register for your ticket at moda-uk.co.uk

SKOPES

OLYMP

MODA GENT:

THE BRANDS

Spanning classic to contemporary menswear, we showcase just some of the names to catch at the a/w 18 edition of Moda Gent.

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S4

DOUGLAS

MARC DARCY

SKOPES Renowned for its quality and attention to detail, the a/w 18 season is no different for British brand Skopes. Embracing the trend for directional tailoring, standout pieces of the latest collection include a velvet blazer with satin lapels and a jacquard print, alongside a double-breasted Prince of Wales check suit. Stand N30.

OLYMP Award-winning men’s label Olymp will reveal the latest development in its premium business line this season, the Level Five Smart Business Shirt. Designed in response to the trend for more casual looks in the workplace, the Level Five Business Shirt is the perfect hybrid for effortless premium style. Stand L40.

S4 With the new collection from outerwear label S4, the modern gentleman is sure to find what he’s looking for. Classic peacoats and smart single and double-breasted wool coats from European manufacturers stand out, as do sporty, elegant jackets and classic waistcoats whose straight, clear silhouettes carry the conviction of all-time favourites. Stand L29.

DOUGLAS The latest collection from premium menswear brand Douglas continues the evolution of the label’s aesthetic to a contemporaryclassic look and feel in autumn/winter 2018. Inspired by the clean lines and zen-like simplicity of modernist architecture, coupled with a progressive appreciation of heritage fabric design, the brand has created a uniquely modern but uncomplicated style of menswear for the season. Stand L20.

MARC DARCY After a hugely successful year, tailoring label Marc Darcy is focusing on sharing its winning formula with more retail partners when it returns to Moda Gent this season. Characterised by its English gentlemen styling, the brand’s core principle is to offer quality designer garments with a modern twist at affordable prices. Stand P34.

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BLEND

DIGEL

MODA GENT

CASAMODA

LUHTA

CHAPMAN BAGS

BLEND The Blend collection presents a powerful selection of contemporary European styles and carefully crafted jeans built for urban living. Competence and true craftsmanship are behind the Danish jeans label that appeals to a younger market. The brand’s story began in Vejle, Denmark, in 1993, when the company dedicated itself to bringing affordable fashion to the market in new ways. Excitement around the brand grew quickly as the company gained the loyalty of self-confident young people in numerous countries. Today, Blend, is part of the DK Company A/S, one of Europe’s largest fashion houses. Stand N10.

LUHTA Iconic Finnish brand Luhta is set to turn heads this a/w 18 with a cutting-edge new collection featuring easy-to-wear styles inspired by heritage activewear and the outdoor lifestyle. Moda Edit.

DIGEL Perfectly coordinated complete outfits down to the belts, shoes, and, for the first time, braces and socks characterise the new collection. The boundaries between business and leisure are even more fluid, and the casual touch is stronger. As usual, the season’s offerings branch into two colour palettes: grey, white, beige, taupe and steel blue, alongside a second colour palette, where shades of blue from navy to light blue set the tone. Stand M29.

CASAMODA Taking inspiration from the Coast Mountains, one of Canada’s top travel destinations, shirt and knitwear specialist Casamoda continues to strengthen its offer with both a comprehensive forward-order and NOS delivery programme. Attention is drawn to the Made in Europe production of the shirts – a quality feature that, particularly in times of globalisation and mass production, is designed to gauge a positive reaction. Stand M39.

CHAPMAN BAGS Making its debut this a/w 18, British heritage brand Chapman Bags will showcase its hand-crafted selection of weekend bags, laptop bags, backpacks and more. Buyers can expect a colour palette of petrol blue and burnt orange. Stand O19.

SIGNAL

APATCHY

ETERNA

BERTONI

DUKE

SIGNAL Under the direction of fashion agency Love Brands, Danish lifestyle label Signal will make its debut at Moda Gent. Established in Denmark in 1967, Signal is a lifestyle brand offering clean, functional clothing with a focus on trousers and casual handwriting, while interpreting key trends. Sporty, casual designs bridge the classic lifestyle and contemporary athleisure categories, with high-performance fabrics and functional details key. Stand K31.

APATCHY New to Moda Edit this season, Apatchy is an accessories specialist with a strong London identity. Founded in 2009 by Sam Tolhurst and Georgie Stacey, the company initially focused on the design and manufacture of bespoke accessories, from make-up and wash bags, to sport and boot bags. All these bags can be instantly personalised with Apatchy’s unique gripper letter patches and motifs. Stand P38.

ETERNA This season, German shirt specialist Eterna offers men a great range of shirts to have fun with and to discover new looks. With new colours, fabrics and colour combinations, the collection reflects key trends, including athleisure, featuring technical tape on sleeves and collar, as well mesh inserts in shirting, creating an impact on city dressing. Stand L30.

BERTONI Bertoni was established in 1972 in Denmark. Initially the brand was a manufacturer of trousers, but through the years has grown to include a full range of suits and other wardrobe essentials. Made in-house from design to pattern making, the brand has successfully developed its own unique fit and high-quality garments. Stand K39.

DUKE with its most comprehensive collection to date, British label Duke will showcase both its current and forward-order ranges at Moda Gent. Renowned for its NOS collection of core basic products, the brand will also introduce a comprehensive offering of trend-led pieces for the new season. Stand K20.

AW

18

MODERN. URBAN. FUNCTIONAL.

Double H Agency London Showroom Fashion House, 137 Essex Road London N1 2SN London, UK Double H Agency Manchester Showroom First Floor, Block B Tanzaro House Ardwick Green North M12 6FZ Manchester T: +44 (0) 203 432 6387 marc@doublehagency.com www.doublehagency.com See you at: Moda Menswear 18. - 20.02.2018 Stand: L29

www.s4-jackets.com

INDX Menswear 28 – 30.01.2018

Come see us at Moda, NEC Birmingham Stand I11 www.barker-shoes.co.uk

REGATTA

BENSIMON

MODA FOOTWEAR:

THE BRANDS

See the trend edit in men’s shoes at this season’s Moda Footwear. From cult sneakers to this season’s transitional sliders, these are the styles you need in store.

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SUPERGA

ECCO

K-SWISS

REGATTA Outdoor specialist Regatta focuses on its footwear offer this season with its debut at Moda Footwear. The brand unveils a comprehensive range of footwear this season, including an increased line of lifestyle shoes designed for all aspects of living, from the peak to the pub. Stand D31.

BENSIMON French sneaker specialist Bensimon defines itself quite simply as the most authentic and affordable luxury tennis shoe in the world. The brand is understated at first glance, but shaped by a heritage stretching back to the canvas shoes worn by the French army in the 1970s. Bensimon is new to Moda Footwear, and represented by London fashion agency Egomark in the UK. Stand D16.

ECCO Danish lifestyle label Ecco blends innovation in comfort with sleek Scandinavian style. This season sees the label focus on its performance attributes of cushioning and flexible silhouettes with no compromise on style, creating a high-spec winter shoe range that sits perfectly within the mainstream fashion sector. Stand I18.

SUPERGA Sneaker favourite Superga defines itself as a wardrobe staple, taking wearers from the beach to the city bar in the most effortless of styles. This season sees the brand takes inspiration from the natural elements of earth, wind and fire for a collection that celebrates its simplicity in muted seasonal tones. Stand H19.

K-SWISS With its instantly recognisable five-stripe design, K-Swiss has shaped the landscape of the sneaker sector, and celebrates its extensive heritage this season with reworked versions of its classic styles. The brand’s strong tennis heritage ensures that its performance is always up to court standards, while its style is fit for off-court and beyond. Stand J18.

SLYDES New to Moda Footwear, Slydes taps into a trend that is one to watch in men’s footwear. The brand specialises in easy-wearing

SLYDES

BARKER

GEOX

JOHN WHITE

RIDER

GANT

sliders, designed to be worn with or without socks. Often unisex in style, the shoe is the ultimate in trans-seasonal footwear and is tipped to become a way of life throughout 2018 and beyond. Stand G2.

JOHN WHITE There’s a 100-year heritage behind John White, and each shoe is still made to the exacting standards of the brand’s original founder. This season sees John White showcase a range of Oxfords, brogues, moccasins, boots and sneakers in high-quality uppers with a wide appeal across the age demographic. Stand J20.

RIDER The spirit of Brazil prevails right through to autumn with the ultimate name in men’s flip flops. Rider has become a transitional label thanks to its versatility, and the increasing trend for the shoe to be worn with socks during the cooler months. Be inspired by the spirit of Rio, backed up with all the expertise of global shoe manufacturer Grendene. Stand H30.

BARKER Quintessentially English and perfect for the new trends in casual tailoring, Barker Shoes is a key player in the footwear field. This season sees the brand present a finely polished collection of gentlemen’s footwear with the occasional allusion to its English eccentricity through colour contrast panels on Chelsea boots or statement stitching. Stand I11.

GEOX Geox brings new designers on board this season, upping the aesthetics of its footwear offer with sleek new designs across both its shoes and trainers. Performance and innovation remains at the heart of every design, including the brand’s signature breathable sole, which allows air to circulate without letting any moisture into the shoe. Stand P10.

GANT New to Moda Footwear this season, Gant’s a/w 18 collection is one not to miss. The lifestyle brand makes its foray into the show with its footwear offer, which is characterised by innovation in shoe manufacture underpinned by Gant’s authentic American heritage. Hybrid trainer-hiking styles are a key look for men within the collection. Strand J37.

C O N Q U E R

NaturE

AUTUMN / WINTER 2018 www.redpoint-sportswear.com

WILLIAM HEATON WDH MENSWEAR AGENCIES Crocodile House, Manor Gardens, Thorner LS14 3EQ Leeds - West Yorkshire Tel.: 0044 - 7831388888 Email: wheaton@saville-heaton.co.uk

VISIT US: INDX Menswear 28 – 30.01.2018

Moda Menswear 18. – 20.02.2018 Stand: N38

TEE OFF FOR GLENMUIR

Known as the UK’s leading golfwear brand, Glenmuir is diversifying its offer with ranges that aim to attract a new fashion and lifestyle customer, in addition to its existing sporting clientele. For a/w 18, the brand has launched a focused capsule collection of contemporary knitwear classics in luxury fibres which are set to achieve just that. Isabella Griffiths speaks to MD Mikhel Ruia to get the low-down.

— When you hear the name Glenmuir, you’d be forgiven for instantly thinking of golf, not fashion. Established in 1891 in the small village of Kirkfieldbank, near Lanark, Scotland by local businessman Andrew MacDougall, Glenmuir has become the UK’s leading premium golfwear brand, distributed in over 30 countries worldwide and worn on the world’s leading courses. Glenmuir is not only favoured by high-profile golfers around the globe, but also by celebrities and is a key sponsor of the Ryder Cup and other prominent golfing events.

In 2002, Glenmuir was acquired by the Ruia Group, a familyowned textiles firm which operates a number of businesses under its umbrella, including hospitality textiles brand Richard Haworth and hosiery chain The Sock Shop, and is now run by the thirdgeneration of the Ruia family, with Mikhel Ruia at the helm of Glenmuir as managing director. It’s under his leadership that Glenmuir is embarking on the next stage in its 127-year history, with ambitions to expand into the fashion and lifestyle sectors that will see the brand building on its heritage and impeccable craftsmanship, taking this to a wider target audience.

“It’s a natural evolution for us to be expanding into the lifestyle and fashion sector. As a leading golfwear brand, we pride ourselves on our craftsmanship, the quality of our products and the heritage and tradition we represent. Over the last few years, we realised that a lot of our golfing customers also use our styles – in particular knitwear – outside of the golf course, as part of their general lifestyle. Our styles are of the highest quality and very wearable and comfortable, and our branding has always been subtle, which I think has been driving this development. It’s evident that there is a niche and a demand for our products outside of the golf sector,” says Ruia.

With two collections a year, the split between womenswear and menswear is exactly 50/50, with the range encompassing shirts, trousers, outerwear, polo shirts and knitwear, with the latter the main expertise and focus of the fashion push.

For a/w 18, Glenmuir has launched a capsule collection of knitwear classics crafted from luxury fabrics and with a clean, contemporary look that will appeal to golfers and non-golfers alike.

Glenmuir’s signature Touch of Cashmere fabric is at the core of the range, combining fine cashmere and combed cotton to create an affordable and durable alternative to traditional cashmere, while still offering its touch and feel, and features across key menswear styles such as the Munro, a cable zip-neck sweater with Glenmuir tartan. Another highlight of the range is the Graham, a crew neck birds-eye stitch sweater with shoulder and elbow panels, knitted from 100 per cent British lambswool, which is also resilient, shrink resistant and machine washable. For women, collection highlights include the Maya and Leona styles, functional sweaters made from 100 per cent extra fine Italian merino – an active smart fibre that reacts to climatic changes and keeps the wearer warm when the weather turns cold and cool in warmer temperatures. The capsule collection signifies Glenmuir’s lifestyle ambitions and is the first of many more planned fashion-led ranges in the future – though Ruia

is keen to stress that any such developments will always stay true to Glenmuir’s roots and heritage. “We very much see ourselves as a premium lifestyle sports brand – we will never be a fashion brand, that’s not our pursuit. But peoples’ lifestyles are changing, the synergies between day and casualwear are increasing. You only have to look at the athleisure trend and how commonplace sportswear has become as part of people’s general day-to-day outfits – they don’t just wear them to the gym. People want clothes that are versatile and that keep up with their diverse lifestyles, and our knitwear most certainly does,” says Ruia. With retail prices ranging from £79 to £160, Glenmuir appears to have a commercial balance between high quality and affordability.

Wholesale is the main route to market, and currently Glenmuir has over 2000 stockists in the UK and 2,000 stockists overseas, mainly sportswear independents and famous golfing resorts such as Gleneagles, Trump Turnberry, Old Course St. Andrews, Royal Lytham, Royal St. George’s, K Club, Le Golf National Paris, Royal Melbourne and House of Bruar. This, however, is changing, with fashion independents increasingly taking note of Glenmuir’s lifestyle offer, and this is something the brand is looking to build on.

“We are starting to see real momentum with fashion and lifestyle stores that are picking up on our brand. There is no real risk for retailers to trial us, as we offer a comprehensive stock service where retailers can buy as little or as much from us as they like, and we are able to top this up on demand, which eliminates a lot of the hesitation some boutique owners may have towards a new brand.

Those stores who have trialled us have had great success and we’ve had very positive feedback, which encourages us in our pursuit,” says Ruia.

Glenmuir is evidently on a growth path – in the UK alone it saw an 8 per cent rise in turnover last year – and its expansion potential spans not only fashion indies, but also online. With the brand’s e-commerce website currently constituting just 5 per cent of the business, Ruia feels that investment in Glenmuir’s online channel offers further potential for future growth and expansion.

127 years after it was established in Lanark, Glenmuir clearly knows a thing or two about longevity and continuity. Ruia believes that a mixture of staying true to its legacy while also embracing change is key to the lasting success of the brand – as well as focusing on the product, first and foremost. “It’s important to stay authentic to your heritage, but also to keep innovating. It’s easy to be stuck in the past, but Glenmuir has always kept on developing and evolving, and I believe this has been key to why the brand is still around, while many other brands have faltered. We have always embraced technical advances and have incorporated them into our ranges.

Our heritage is real, not a fabricated one like those of many socalled ‘heritage brands’ – we are truly a Scottish brand, made in Scotland and with genuine history and roots,” says Ruia. “Looking ahead, we will continue in this vein. It’s not easy to grow in a highly competitive market, but we will continue to focus on our products, keep moving upmarket in terms of quality, but still give value, and I believe the rest will evolve organically,” he adds.

INTERVIEW

JASON MCKEY Jason McKey joined Love Brands at the end of 2017 to head up its drive into the menswear sector.

Tom Bottomley finds out what kind of brand firepower they are dealing with.

—

What attracted you to join the Love Brands business to head up menswear?

I only joined the business as Head of Menswear in early December 2017, having been at Farah for nearly eight years as a national account manager.

What attracted me the most about the opportunity with Love Brands was the strong mix of brands and how different they all are. The fact that it’s a blank page and we can write our own story within menswear was very appealing.

Are you personally looking after the whole menswear offer, or just certain brands?

I oversee all of our menswear brands, and personally look after all key accounts. We also have agents for the key territories across the UK. In time we will be looking to add a mix of employees and agents as our menswear business grows over the next season.

How would you best describe the Love Brands business, and what can you offer retailers that’s different to other UK agencies and distributors?

We offer a more focused approach with our partnered brands. We also look for that point of difference to offer our retail partners, be it monthly newness, exclusives or enhanced margins. We also work closely with our retail partners to be different with in-store activity, whether it’s point of sale, staff training, in-store merchandising or store events.

Who owns the Love Brands business?

Hugo Dean is a director with over 25 years’ experience within the industry, covering both men’s and women’s wear, working for brands such as Esprit and Mexx along the way. Michael Shalders is our other director. He has been a leading agent across various womenswear brands for over 20 years

HEAD OF MENSWEAR LOVE BRANDS LTD.

When and why did Love Brands decide to take on the menswear market, having been firmly established as a women’s business since 2010?

The plan was always to move into menswear, and we were waiting for the right opportunity to come along. This happened about six months ago, when we were approached by three of the five brands we currently represent. These being Bertoni, Signal and Thomas Kirkwood, with each offering something different for the UK market, from products with a point of difference, enhanced margins or a great ‘Never Out of Stock’ (NOOS) programme. Since we started our menswear journey, we have also added two more global brands, in Guess and s.Oliver. Guess offers the market great fits and denim washes, key price points and a true heritage 90s feel. While s.Oliver offers the retailer vertical wholesale, offering newness monthly, NOOS products and programmed deliveries across key categories such as outerwear and knitwear.

Do you think you can replicate the success you’ve had with womenswear? How does it differ to the men’s market?

Yes we can replicate the success we have had across our womenswear. We believe we have the right mix of brands, each of them offering the retailer something different within each collection. With womenswear, it’s all about the product then relationships, but with menswear it’s more about the relationship you have with your buyer first to attract them in.

What do you think will prove particularly strong for the UK market for a/w 18? What’s already getting a positive response from key buyers?

We have recently taken on Guess Jeans, and the reaction has been very positive. The logos on the outside trend looks set to continue for a/w 18 and well into 2019, especially with the resurgence of heritage brands. The Guess logo tee with a retail price of £25 has been one of the best-sellers to date. I’d have to say our biggest brand currently is Guess. We’ve only just started with the menswear for a/w 18, though we did do the footwear for s/s 18. The brand itself is having a real resurgence.

What’s also key to the UK market is that in the past couple of years, it has reduced its prices by an average of 15 per cent. So, Guess Jeans start at £59.99 retail. It’s really helping to drive interest, and ultimately sell-through. Having said that, we are still very conscious of the profile of the retailer. We’re not driving the brand to the

cheaper retailers just because the prices have come down a bit. We are targeting mid to premium retailers, but have a great entry price point.

What’s driving the resurgence?

There’s a whole raft of 80s and 90s brands – like Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Guess – being seen by the younger consumer for the first time.

Everything in fashion is cyclical, and there are kids out there who haven’t seen some of these brands before. There’s a real revival of that type of product. We’ve had a fantastic response to Guess across all categories within the business.

On womenswear and accessories, the likes of House of Fraser already sell the brand, and they’re all having a fantastic sell-through. The menswear sector was probably the least driven by the previous distributor, so it gives us a lot of scope to now really crack it. The whole brand is relevant to the market again. Guess actually has 12 own-brand stores in the UK, including a Regent Street flagship, and it’s seeing double-digit growth in those stores. It’s a global brand, and there’s a high level of brand awareness, with over 3 million Instagram followers.

What’s the real appeal of the s.Oliver brand?

We’ve just started with s.Oliver. It’s a €1.6 billion business based in Germany. It classically sits alongside the likes of Esprit and Jack and Jones.

There’s 12 collections a year, delivering small and often, and keeping everything fresh and new. The price architecture is kind of like what you’d get if you went into a Zara, so there’s a good, better and best in every category. It’s really thought out as to how a vertical operation would retail. It’s also strongly marketed. They have sponsored Bayern Munich in the past, dressing players in their suits.

They can also offer all sorts of options in store for the retailer, such as id corners, furniture systems and shop-in-shop formats. They have 10,000 points of sale in Europe. And in their home market in Germany have a 98 per cent brand recognition – that’s up there with Coca Cola and McDonald’s!

It’s a massive organisation that knows exactly what it’s doing and how to do it right.

What do the other brands you’re carrying really have to offer?

The three other brands are more independent driven, and we are bringing them to Moda. Signal is a lifestyle brand that sits alongside the likes of Gant, Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger. It’s Danish,

and it’s a well put together collection, and super quality. It’s more for your classic menswear retailer, to appeal to guys who wear a suit from Monday to Friday, and then maybe a rugby shirt, cable knit and pair of chinos at the weekend.

There’s a good margin to be had too. Bertoni is another Danish brand. It’s a tailoring and shirt company, and it’s quite quirky like P.S. by Paul Smith, but with its own handwriting. It uses a lot of quite intricate fabrics, and it’s quite famous for doing printed suiting. It can be quite outlandish, such as a leopard print dinner suit or a floral velvet jacket. It’s got some real window pieces in the collection, but it’s great tailoring and very focused on the independent sector. Then we have Thomas Kirkwood, which is a shirt-only brand. It’s German-based and they manufacture for almost any global retailer you can think of, such as Zara, H&M and Marks & Spencer. Their first business was own label and they make something like 1.5 million shirts a month. Thomas Kirkwood is the only brand they’ve launched into the UK market, and they’re going up against the classic shirt brands such as Seidensticker, Eterna, Olymp and Casa Moda. They have all the shirt knowledge you could ever possibly want, and fantastic price points, retailing between £40 and £65, coming in under the competition and offering a 2.9 mark up. There’s also a fantastic stock replenishment service, with repeat orders on core products delivered within 48 hours.

How do you currently view the menswear market in the UK? We all know how tough the market has been over the past season, with more consumers holding back for Black Friday and other discount events.

The independents I have spoken to are trying to fight back. They are sourcing brands they can maintain margins throughout the season, perhaps selling less units, but increasing the bottom line.

What can your brands offer that’s different to what’s already in the UK market?

The main thing we offer the menswear market is the level of constant newness on a monthly basis.

There’s always something different. Great margins and in-store support are also at the heart of what we’re about as a business.

— SHOWING AT MODA: Bertoni – stand K39 Thomas Kirkwood – stand K35 Signal – stand K31