Interview Mike Giannattasio spent years selling fine watches and writing instruments at Montblanc, Dior Watches and Breguet before joining Leica. He sees more in common between those worlds than one might expect. “Selling a watch, a camera or a writing instrument is never just about the object,” the president of Leica Camera North America told FashionUnited. “It begins with understanding a person, their story and what draws them to a brand.”

Nick Goodchild, former vice president of global brand transformation at Tommy Hilfiger, has joined Asos as the British retailer’s new AI and creative studios director. According to the announcement sent to press on Tuesday, Goodchild will integrate AI into content production at scale.

“Nick brings a rare combination of creative leadership, studio expertise and practical experience of using AI to transform content production,” Vanessa Spence, executive vice president of creative at Asos, said in a statement. “As we continue to strengthen our Stylist proposition and bring our personalised fashion offer to life, his perspective will be invaluable in helping us unlock new creative possibilities while strengthening the speed, scale and impact of our work.”

Goodchild will also lead Asos’ AI Studios, described as a cross-functional programme exploring how AI can complement existing studio expertise to create richer, more personalised shopping experiences.

“Asos has always stood out for its creative energy and its ability to connect with fashion lovers in a relevant and engaging way. I’m excited to join the team and explore how AI can enhance that creativity, giving the team new tools, enabling smarter ways of working and helping us create even more inspiring content for our customers,” Goodchild said.

Goodchild spent eight years at Tommy Hilfiger, where he led the brand’s global AI taskforce.

In Pictures Revolve Group has appointed former NBA player Dwyane Wade as chief performance officer for its menswear platforms, Revolve Man and Fwrd Man, as it seeks to accelerate growth in the category.

Wade, a long-standing partner of the Los Angeles-based group, will act as the face of and a strategic advisor on men's fashion initiatives across both platforms. The role takes effect immediately.

His remit covers product curation and brand-building, as well as input on category expansion, consumer trends, brand marketing and partnerships. Wade will also help identify emerging brands and product categories, with his involvement spanning content, commerce, events and long-term growth initiatives.

"As we continue investing in the future of our men's business, we wanted a partner who authentically embodies the intersection of sport, fashion, and culture," said Michael Mente, co-founder and co-CEO of Revolve Group. "Dwyane has long been recognized not only for his accomplishments as an athlete, but for his influence on modern men's style and his ability to shape conversations beyond the court. His perspective, relationships, and vision make him the ideal partner to help guide this next chapter for Revolve Man and Fwrd Man."

The company says Revolve Man will continue to broaden its contemporary assortment, while Fwrd Man is positioned as its luxury menswear destination.

"Style has always been an extension of how I express myself, both personally and professionally," said Wade. "What excites me about this partnership is the opportunity to help shape how men engage with fashion today. Revolve and Fwrd understand that modern style is no longer divided between performance, luxury, and everyday wear - it's all connected."

Wade will appear in upcoming campaigns, content, brand experiences and curated product programmes. Revolve Group, which targets millennial and Gen Z consumers, offers more than 1,600 emerging, established and owned brands.

This article was created with the assistance of AI.

In Pictures Gap has unveiled its second collection with British designer Victoria Beckham, a 37-piece line for fall/winter 2026 that launches on October 23 at 9am ET.

The collection will be sold on Gap.com and in select Gap stores in markets including North America, the UK, Europe, Japan, China, Australia and the Middle East, priced from 28 to 368 dollars. Gap Encore cardmembers get early online access on October 22.

"From the start, we envisioned this partnership in two chapters, allowing us to build on the strong foundation of the first collection and go even further with the second," said Mark Breitbard, president and CEO of Gap. He cited strong customer response to the spring collection.

Knitwear leads the FW26 line-up in cashmere, merino wool and Gap's CashSoft, with sweaters priced from 118 to 228 dollars. Outerwear, including an oversized parka, a satin bomber and a wool-blend Chesterfield coat, ranges from 198 to 368 dollars. Denim and corduroy styles, including high-rise straight jeans and low-slung baggy jeans, cost 118 to 128 dollars.

"For this second drop, we wanted to build on the design language we established in the first collection, with a stronger focus on texture, proportion and layering, while keeping the ease and versatility that feels so intrinsic to Gap," said Beckham.

The colour palette draws on works in the Doris and Donald Fisher Collection at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

The campaign stars model Mona Tougaard and was photographed by Glen Luchford under the creative direction of Calvin Leung, Gap's head of creative, with styling by Alastair McKimm.

This article was created with the assistance of AI.

Paris - Fashion stores recorded an average revenue drop of 14 percent across France on Saturday, the day of the protests, the Alliance du Commerce reported on Monday. This decline was particularly pronounced in city centres.

Indeed, city-centre boutiques and shopping centres, which were particularly affected by the damage during the October 17 demonstrations, saw their sales plummet by 34 percent and 40 percent respectively.

Cities in the Rhône-Alpes region also suffered heavily with drastic drops in revenue: -84 percent in Clermont-Ferrand, -79 percent in Saint-Étienne, -77 percent in Grenoble and -66 percent in Lyon.

Western France was not spared either, recording -74 percent in Brest, -68 percent in Tours, -67 percent in Rennes and -66 percent in Nantes.

Finally, in Paris, the average decline was -27 percent. This figure was "very variable depending on the district", with areas hosting the marches on the front line.

Consequently, stores in the République-Grands Boulevards-Haut Marais area recorded a 59 percent drop in sales; those on the Champs-Élysées fell by 45 percent; and those in the Opéra-Madeleine-Haussmann area, which is home to department stores Le Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, dropped by 32 percent.

"We now ask that every effort be made to restore calm and re-establish security for businesses, employees and individuals in the city centre," the Alliance du Commerce commented in a statement sent to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The trade association, which brings together department stores and major clothing retailers, also welcomed the implementation of 100 percent furlough starting on Tuesday.

On Monday, the government announced a series of measures to support the approximately 3,000 businesses affected by damage and looting. These include a dedicated support fund for affected stores, access to zero-interest cash flow assistance and an extension of the insurance claim declaration deadline from five to 30 days.

Paris - Consumer-to-consumer resale platforms such as Vinted, Leboncoin and Ebay, on which “a significant number of stolen items have been identified”, have pledged to collaborate with national authorities to “identify and report” this content, the government announced on Tuesday.

Austrian fiber manufacturer Lenzing Group has collaborated with Japanese denim manufacturer Kaihara Corporation to launch the Remod collection, showcasing new applications for wood-based fibers.

Uzbekistan will establish a new state higher education institution in its capital to address growing workforce demand across its domestic light industry and fashion sectors, according to a report published by Qazinform News Agency citing UzA. The Tashkent International Fashion Academy will operate under the country's Agency for the Development of Light Industry, building directly upon a joint educational framework previously introduced by the Tashkent Institute of Textile and Light Industry in collaboration with the Paris International Fashion Academy. The institution is scheduled to launch classes for the 2026/2027 academic year, with enrolled students from the pre-existing joint program transitioning into the new entity to complete their degree tracks.

Administratively, the academy will offer independent bachelor’s and master’s degree programs alongside its joint international offerings, while introducing a formal dual education system starting in the 2027/2028 academic year to align practical coursework with market requirements in textiles, garments, leather, and footwear. The presidential resolution authorizing the institution establishes a direct academic pipeline for graduates of vocational technical colleges, allowing qualified individuals to enter the third year of bachelor's degree tracks on a fee-paying basis. The academy will also function as a design hub providing commercial clothing development services for state organizations under government contracts, while administrative measures including multiple-entry visa procedures and a planned 400-bed public-private partnership dormitory are designed to integrate international faculty and students.

The initiative highlights a structural shift in how emerging manufacturing regions are attempting to move up the value chain by formalizing technical and creative education inside national borders. By embedding international academic partnerships directly into state-backed industry development agencies, Uzbekistan aims to reduce reliance on external talent while standardizing vocational-to-higher-education pathways across its expanding textile export sector. For global fashion educators, the move reflects broader trends in Central Asia toward localized talent development, bridging historical industrial output with higher-value design capability and domestic brand architecture.

Japanese fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger, part of the Asics group, has introduced a discovery set that combines all four scents from its first eau de parfum collection, which the brand launched last year.

The set contains Onitsuka Tiger One, Two, Three and Four in individual 15 millilitre bottles, packaged in the brand's signature Tiger yellow and positioned as a gift for the holiday season.

The fragrances were created by perfumer Mark Buxton. According to the brand, the entire production process, from sourcing and extracting the raw materials to blending and bottling, takes place in Grasse in the south of France.

Built around contrast

The collection follows the concept 'Wearing Quiet Radiance' and is built around the idea of contrast, which Onitsuka Tiger says reflects pairings that have shaped the brand, such as heritage and modern innovation, and craftsmanship and contemporary design.

The four scents range from fresh to warm. One combines citrus and green notes with mint, incense and white flowers, while Two is a softer scent built on bergamot, geranium, musk and sandalwood. Three pairs orange and angelica root with violet and marine notes, and Four opens with mint and bergamot before moving to absinthe, nutmeg and a vanilla base.

The government is preparing to adopt extraordinary measures to secure cities, particularly Milan, following recent vandalism. Mario Resca, president of Italian retail associatio Confimprese, has commented on the alarming situation and the violent incidents across central Milan, including Piazza Duomo, San Babila and the main shopping streets.

US footwear provider Skechers has a new head for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. In a post on the business network Linkedin, Dennis Schröder announced that he has been working as general manager EMEA for the brand since the beginning of September. Trade magazine Textilwirtschaft (TW) had previously reported on the appointment.

According to his own statement, Schröder is now responsible at Skechers for “58 countries, more than 6,500 colleagues, over 1,000 stores, a fast-growing online business and two major logistics centres” in the region.

Schröder led sportswear chain Snipes until spring

Schröder joins from retail chain Snipes, which belongs to the Deichmann Group and which he led as CEO from 2024 until spring. Most recently, he held an advisory role there. Prior to his time at Snipes, he worked for companies including 11Teamsports, Puma and Nike.

In May, German sportswear provider Puma SE introduced Schröder as its designated head of Europe. According to a statement published in May, he was due to take over the role of managing director Europe in August. However, according to a report by TW, he never took up this post. Instead, Puma filled the position with former Nike manager Fokko de Rooi, who has been in office since October 1.

Skechers was delisted from the stock exchange in September 2025 following its acquisition by financial investor 3G Capital and has no longer reported regularly on its business performance since then. In the US, the trainer specialist is now the second-largest footwear brand measured by pairs sold, according to its own figures.

At the same time, Skechers is continuing to focus on expansion in the EMEA region, which achieved strong sales growth according to the latest available figures from last year. To support this momentum, the company recently built a new logistics centre in Belgium, among other initiatives.

FashionUnited's job board for the fashion industry has reached a new all-time high, with more than 40,000 vacancies now live for fashion professionals around the world. Over 1,000 fashion companies currently use FashionUnited to find the best talent.

The record caps a strong year for the fashion focused platform. So far in 2026, more than 3 million people have used the job board, generating over 12 million job views and 500,000+ candidate application clicks to employers.

The United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands are the five countries with the most jobs online, reflecting FashionUnited's reach across the world's largest fashion markets.

Compared to last year the number of online jobs has doubled. The growth is driven by in-house developed automation and by building direct relationships with more and more fashion companies worldwide, giving job seekers one complete overview of opportunities across the industry from screened employers.

The record confirms a shift FashionUnited has anticipated for years: the fashion industry is increasingly centralising its job offers. Recruiters want to reach dedicated fashion professionals rather than the general job market, while candidates look for a complete and trustworthy overview of available roles. FashionUnited brings both sides together in one place, making hiring more efficient and transparent for everyone involved.

In a job market crowded with recycled listings and generic aggregators, FashionUnited focuses on real, legitimate opportunities from the fashion industry itself, on an independent platform that professionals trust. Recruiting fashion talent locally or across borders? Learn more at Connect with talent on FashionUnited or email jobs@fashionunited.com.

About FashionUnited: FashionUnited is the industry's trusted online global network for B2B news, market insights, B2B marketplace and jobs. Established in 1998, this independent platform is the go-to destination for a broad range of information and services connecting the global fashion community. With an innovative media network of journalists active all over the world, the latest business intelligence and content is delivered to millions of users. With over 100,000 news articles and more than 200,000 jobs published annually, on top of extensive industry data, FashionUnited aims to help make the industry more efficient and transparent.

Japanese fastener manufacturer YKK has developed Luxflat, a new metal zipper designed for bags, which it plans to launch globally in November.

The zipper combines a redesigned, flatter element shape with a specially developed tape. According to YKK, this reduces sliding resistance by more than 60 percent compared with its standard metal zipper, a figure based on the company's internal testing.

YKK said the flat surface of the zipper chain also gives the product a sleeker appearance and a smoother feel. The company is positioning Luxflat for use in premium leather bags.

In Pictures NikeSkims, the joint venture between Nike and Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims, is launching its first outerwear collection, along with a new “University Red” colourway. The collection goes on sale worldwide on Thursday online, followed by selected Nike and Skims stores and partner retailers.

The outerwear comes in two new material lines. The Sherpa line uses Nike Therma-FIT pile fabric with a brushed interior and recycled nylon panels, and includes a vest, a half-zip jacket and a hooded jacket. The Crunchy Nylon line uses a water-repellent, textured fabric for a cropped jacket, a hooded parka, 2-inch shorts and wide-leg trousers.

“With NikeSkims, we want women to feel confident and stylish, and this collection takes that idea even further,” said Kim Kardashian, co-founder and creative director of Skims. “Outerwear adds a new dimension to the wardrobe and gives women even more ways to wear NikeSkims throughout the day.”

University Red is the season’s defining colour, appearing across the Matte, Weightless Layers, Performance Cotton Blend and Crunchy Nylon lines, as well as footwear and accessories. Returning lines including Weightless Layers, Stretch Nylon, Performance Cotton Blend, Stretch Knit, Matte and Airy come in new colours. The Matte line adds new sculpting bras, while Stretch Knit introduces seamless single-layer styles. The Rift Satin line gains Shadow Brown and University Red, and Silt Red returns.

The campaign features the University of Alabama cheerleading team, the current UCA Division IA champions and a Nike partner for three decades.

The launch follows NikeSkims’ recent expansion into China, the latest step in the brand’s international growth. The outerwear builds on a range that already includes tops, bottoms, basics, footwear and accessories designed to move from workouts to everyday wear.

This article was written with the assistance of AI.

Italian brand Stone Island, part of the Moncler group, returned as official partner of Frieze Focus, the section of Frieze London dedicated to emerging artists and young galleries. This year's fair, held in London from October 14 to 18, marked the brand's 12th partnership with a Frieze fair.

As part of the partnership, Stone Island provides each participating gallery in Frieze Focus with a bursary to support its participation in the fair. According to the brand, its support for the section has reached 136 galleries across 246 presentations since 2023.

This year's Focus section included seven galleries taking part for the first time, among them 243 Luz, Chemould CoLab and Ehrlich Steinberg, alongside a group of returning galleries.

Ninth artist T-shirt

Stone Island also presented the latest edition of its Frieze uniform T-shirt series, the ninth in the Focus artist series. This year's design features an artwork by Arébénor Basséne, presented by the gallery Selebe Yoon, and is sold at Selfridges.

The partnership coincided with 'Selected Works '982–'026', Stone Island's project at The Corner Shop at Selfridges.

To mark the renewed partnership, the brand hosted a community dinner at 40 Duke at Selfridges on October 14, co-hosted by Stone Island president and CEO Robert Triefus and Frieze London director Eva Langret.

UK premium womenswear brand Hush has opened its second physical retail store in Guildford.

In Pictures While the fashion industry is currently focused on the commercial finalisation of the SS27 collections and simultaneously preparing collections, trends and buying for AW27/28, trend forecasting agency Future Snoops (FS) is already looking further ahead in this second week of October. The company is sharing information on the must-have trend colours for the AW28/29 season.

As you have come to expect from FashionUnited, we show how designers and fashion brands have incorporated the colours and their derivative shades into their latest collections.

Blocked brights

“Bold colour becomes an act of defiance, a refusal to disappear into the algorithmic mass,” is how Future Snoops describes this colour trend. Blue plays a leading role, with red and purple on the rise.

The colour palette consists of ‘blueberry’ blue; dark blue; powder blue; red; Valentino purple and mint green (like the checked sequin jumper from the Italian fashion house's SS27 collection).

Cornflower will become a new ‘anchor colour’, according to the colour institute. The bright mid-blue is reminiscent of powder, cloud or denim blue and combines well with red and ochre, aubergine and lime, or with brown and neutrals.

The text continues below the illustrative images.

Pink standard

Ten years after the emergence of the trend colour Millennial Pink, the shade has grown up along with its generation. Pink has now become a neutral base colour, according to Future Snoops in its colour forecast for FW28/29. Millennial Pink is no longer a single specific shade of pink: the range varies from soft blush (powder pink) to a greyish dusty rose, FS emphasises. The colour is also no longer limited to womenswear.

According to designers, the colour lends itself to formal garments such as blazers and skirt suits, as well as romantic, feminine dresses in voile with ruffles or lace.

Rosehip is a standout pink shade for FW28, according to FS: this is the colour used by Isabel Marant in a lace dress (see homepage picture, ed.). The colour combines well with retro green, blue and purple; with beige and mud brown; or with shades of blue.

The text continues below the illustrative images.

Marinated midtones

This trend builds on earthy and retro-inspired shades. Inspiration comes from slow craft, an aversion to mass production and the rediscovery of archives and heritage, FS shares. The colours are ‘marinated’, as it were, giving them more depth, richness and sometimes a lived-in look. The palette includes honey brown; mustard yellow; turquoise; lime; retro orange and a shade between brown and burgundy.

Pickled Fennel is a key colour within this trend: a gherkin-like shade with a hint of yellow. According to FS, this ‘anchor colour’ combines well with turquoise and brown, olive green and brown, or plum purple.

The text continues below the illustrative images.

And as a bonus

In the week before the FW28 webinar, FS shared another key trend colour – brown! – and three combinations.

Brown

“The most radical thing you can do is nothing.” According to Future Snoops, for FW28/29 brown symbolises the growing need to slow down and rest. In a world where we are online 24/7, constantly processing stimuli and asking our watches for our sleep score, rest is increasingly becoming a fundamental right rather than a luxury.

The colour is best described as a deep, classic brown shade: earthy, warm and understated. It can also be mixed with hints of darker or light brown, copper or orange.

In the latest catwalk collections, brown is used in leather jackets or other ‘leather-look’ garments by Elie Saab, Diesel, Tod’s, Ferragamo, Celine and Bottega Veneta. We also see brown as a trend colour in sporty fashion from Lacoste and tailoring from Mugler and Stella McCartney. Hermès shows how the colour lends itself perfectly to suede (see the panelled dress) or canvas-like fabrics (see the cape coat).

The text continues below the illustrative images.

Cobalt blue with a violet undertone and white, wine red combined with cream and black, and matcha green with ecru and citrus details

According to Future Snoops, colours ‘need company’, the company teases in one of its other FW28 newsletters.

The colour institute shows vibrant cobalt blue with a bright violet undertone, combined with white – seen in the recently presented Celine, Comme des Garçons, Akris and Mossi SS27 ready-to-wear collections, among others.

The text continues below the illustrative images.

FS also foresees an application of deep wine red, in combination with cream and black details – spotted on the catwalk at Sportmax, Dries Van Noten and Margaret Howell.

The text continues below the illustrative images.

Bright matcha green mixed with yellow-green chartreuse shades and ecru is also on the rise for autumn 2028, FS believes. We see the colour applied in menswear by Junya Watanabe, Kolor and Casablanca, among others. For womenswear, Valentino, Loewe, Aje and Chanel show how to apply matcha green – or its derivative shades.

Since the beginning of the month, at least 21 attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz region have been logged according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Centre. The dramatic surge in military activity and drone strikes targeting commercial cargo vessels in the Strait of Hormuz is in response to US obstructions of Iranian ports and firmer sanctions imposed last month.

With three exhibition halls for the first time and more than 590 exhibitors, Performance Days in Munich reached a new scale on October 13 and 14, 2026, continuing its success story. As always, the focus was on innovative material concepts and, this time, particularly on bio-based fibres.

US sportswear brand Alo has opened its first store in Germany in Berlin-Mitte. The yogawear specialist chose the popular shopping district of Hackescher Markt for its location. At Münzstraße 21-23, Alo now offers womenswear and menswear, footwear and accessories across an area of approximately 557 square metres.

Ski brand Atomic, part of the sporting goods group Amer Sports Inc., is facing a leadership change. On Monday, the company announced that Michael Absmaier will take over as president of the label on January 1, 2027. He succeeds Wolfgang Mayrhofer, who will retire at the end of the year after more than four decades at Atomic.

Absmaier himself has been with Amer Sports for over 20 years. He currently serves as chief financial officer (CFO) and VP of business development at Atomic. He was also recently the interim CEO of the group's Armada brand, which he will also lead as president in the future. As part of his promotion, Absmaier will also join the global leadership team of Amer Sports.

Another group veteran will take over his previous position as CFO of Atomic. Anssi Lampinen will move into this role on January 1, having held various management positions at group and brand level at Amer Sports for almost two decades. Most recently, he was VP of finance, responsible for the group's financial planning and analysis (FP&A) and European finance controlling.

James Zheng, president and CEO of Amer Sports, paid tribute to the outgoing Atomic head. “On behalf of the Amer Sports executive committee and the global leadership team, we would like to sincerely thank Wolfgang for his many valuable contributions to Atomic and Amer Sports over the past 40 years,” he said in a statement. “Wolfgang was a truly valued and respected leader and a cherished colleague. It was always a real pleasure to work with him.”

In his role as president of Atomic, Mayrhofer “has guided the brand through many new challenges and opportunities since 2007,” said Zheng. “We wish him all the best for the future.”

The FashionUnited Index of Most Valuable Fashion Brands ranks the largest fashion brands in the world by brand value. In 2026 Hermès takes first place for the first time, with a brand value of 45 billion dollars, ahead of Louis Vuitton and Chanel. Together, the ten most valuable brands are worth 222.3 billion dollars, almost half of the 451 billion dollars that the full top 100 is worth.

Paris-based fashion label MM6 Maison Margiela and French outdoor brand Salomon are releasing a new collection as part of their footwear collaboration, which started in 2022. The collection arrives in two drops, the first on October 22 and the second on November 17.

According to the brands, the new chapter revisits earlier prototypes from the four-year partnership and adds two new designs. The link between the two labels was strengthened earlier this year, when MM6 designer Heikki Salonen was appointed creative director of Salomon.

Drop one: a hybrid Derby

The first drop brings the XT-MM6 back in three new colourways: a multicolour version; a combination of tapioca and violet; and a deep green. It is joined by a new model, the MM6 Crossderby, which pairs a classic Derby-style upper in shiny black leather with an outdoor sole and Salomon's drawstring lacing system.

The drop also includes a return of the XT-15 backpack, now with a white rain cover carrying a black logo.

Drop two: a boot inspired by puffer jackets

The second drop introduces the MM6 XT-Boot, an evolution of an earlier design. It combines a soft inner shoe that wraps around the foot with an upper the brands compare to the hood of a puffer jacket, and can be worn open from the calf like a boot or drawn in closer to the leg. It comes in Vanilla Ice, Black and Dusty Yellow.

The ACS Pro 3 is updated in two new colourways, one in Black and Green Gables, and one combining Cosmic Sky, Heron and Violet Tulip.

The SCAD Fash Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta opened an exhibition titled C.Z. Guest: Portrait of an American Style Icon on Oct. 15, 2026, marking the debut public presentation of over 40 ensembles and accessories from the late tastemaker's personal wardrobe, according to a press release shared by the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). The featured garments, donated to the SCAD Museum of Art Permanent Collection by Guest's daughter, Cornelia Guest, alongside select loans from The Metropolitan Museum of Art, chronicle 20th-century American luxury through designs by Mainbocher, Adolfo Sardiña, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, Courrèges, Chanel, Huntsman Savile Row, and Carolina Herrera. Curated by university staff in collaboration with creative consultant Stefano Tonchi and presented by Italian luxury fashion house Max Mara, the exhibition runs through Feb. 21, 2027.

Organized into thematic sections, the retrospective examines how Guest's personal wardrobe bridged functional American sportswear with high-society couture, according to the press release. The exhibition pairs physical garments with archival imagery from photographers such as Slim Aarons, Cecil Beaton, Irving Penn, Lord Snowdon, and Bruce Weber to contextualize her roles across Hollywood acting in the 1940s, midcentury high society, and her private life as an equestrian and horticulturist at her estates in Palm Beach and Long Island. A formal fall celebration on Nov. 10 will feature a members preview, a private reception, and an exclusive preview of highlights from an upcoming SCAD-produced documentary detailing Guest's life and cultural footprint.

From an academic perspective, the retrospective functions as an active pedagogical resource integrated directly into the university's curriculum, according to the press release. Students enrolled across SCAD degree programs, including fashion design, fashion marketing and management, luxury and brand management, photography, writing, and film and television, will directly engage with the curators and industry collaborators throughout the exhibition's run. By converting archival donations and institutional loans into primary research tools, SCAD Fash provides students with direct access to garment construction, textile analysis, and heritage brand storytelling, reinforcing institutional positioning around career-directed design education and archival preservation.

Interview

Italian retailer United Colors of Benetton has reportedly closed its flagship store on London’s Oxford Street after eight years, according to a report by The Sun. Benetton has not publicly confirmed the Oxford Street closure or disclosed how many employees may be affected. Posts on social media showed a 70 percent closing down sale.

With China's economy still struggling to recover from the pandemic, even global fashion icons are beginning to feel the pinch as consumers turn instead to the second-hand market or buy upstart new homegrown brands.

US-based retailer Quince has launched in the UK, marking its first expansion beyond North America. The company's regional website offers womenswear, menswear, children’s clothing and homeware, with free delivery and a 365-day returns policy. The initial selection will be tailored to British shoppers, with categories expected to expand.

British retail group Frasers Group plc has come one small step closer to a majority stake in the Metzingen-based fashion company Hugo Boss AG.

Amsterdam-based digital fashion platform The Fabricant and London College of Fashion, a constituent college of University of the Arts London, have launched Image-to-Pattern, an 18-month research and development project supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology Cultural and Creative sectors and industries, according to a press release shared by the organizations. The initiative addresses the structural gap between digital fashion design and physical garment manufacturing, targeting the workflow step where approved renders are converted into factory production specifications. The collaboration aims to replace manual tech packs, unstandardized spreadsheets, and iterative sampling processes with artificial intelligence tools designed to streamline factory handoffs and minimize pre-production material waste.

The program's initial output is Tech Pack, an artificial intelligence tool available on The Fabricant's platform that generates structured manufacturing briefs directly from design files. To ensure functional alignment with supply chain requirements, the tool was tested alongside garment manufacturers Becri, United Textiles Group, and Padma. A second tool, Sewing Pattern, is currently in development and slated for release in the first quarter of 2027. Designed to convert technical sketches or photographs into 2D production patterns, the tool incorporates institutional pattern-making knowledge to help bridge technical expertise gaps within European apparel supply chains.

From an educational and structural perspective, the partnership highlights how fashion curricula must adapt to integrate digital production standards alongside traditional craftsmanship. European textile manufacturing employment has decreased from over 1.5 million to under 1.2 million workers over the past decade, with more than a third of the remaining workforce over 50 years old, according to data cited from Euratex. By capturing specialist technical knowledge within scalable software tools, institutions like London College of Fashion demonstrate how academic partnerships can preserve technical craft, modernize curriculum standards, and equip students with competencies suited for an increasingly automated design and manufacturing environment.

Selfridges has partnered with media platform Dazed to launch an open call for emerging creatives, offering six successful applicants the opportunity to showcase their work in the luxury department store’s Oxford Street windows in London.

The initiative is open to people aged 18 to 35 working across creative disciplines, including fashion design, photography, styling, make-up, graphic design, set design, sculpture and filmmaking. Selected artists will take over six windows for three months from March 25, 2027, with their work also promoted to a global audience through Dazed’s channels.

Applications opened on October 16 and close at midnight on October 23, 2026, with those interested in participating required to submit a link to their work, alongside a statement outlining their inspirations, what the opportunity would mean to them and their proposed project.

Following the initial selection, shortlisted applicants will receive a 1,000 pound pitch fee to present their ideas to a jury comprising industry creatives and representatives from Selfridges and Dazed. The six final artists will each receive a 3,000-pound creative fee, alongside a production budget to bring their concepts to life.

Selfridges creative director Will Wyness said the initiative marks the first time the department store’s windows have been handed over to young artists in this way, aiming to give emerging talent a prominent public platform. He added: “We want to discover unfiltered new talent and give them the scale they deserve.”

Dazed editor-in-chief Ted Stansfield commented that the partnership builds on the publication’s 35-year history of championing new creative voices, adding: "This open call is a chance to discover some of the most exciting talent out there, giving selected artists a platform to reach new audiences and take their careers to the next level.”

British biomaterials company Ponda has launched Wear the Wetland, a customisable clothing collection designed to connect corporate merchandise with wetland restoration, with Imperial College London among the first organisations to adopt its materials.

Textile Exchange has named Theory, the fashion label owned by Fast Retailing, among the winners of its 2026 Climate and Nature Impact Awards, recognising a project that reduced methane emissions from sheep used in wool production.

Theory won the Collaboration for Global Impact Award alongside Congi Farm in Australia, environmental technology company Sea Forest and Italian wool mill Botto Giuseppe. Their project tested SeaFeed, a feed supplement designed to reduce methane emissions, on 2,000 Merino sheep over 120 days.

The pilot achieved a 43 percent reduction in enteric methane emissions, avoiding approximately 54.5 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e). The resulting wool was incorporated into Theory’s spring 2026 Regal Wool collection, connecting farm-level climate innovation with finished fashion products.

In a statement, Gonzalo Pertile, vice president of sustainability at Theory, said: “The results of the pilot were encouraging, but perhaps even more important were the lessons we learned together regarding implementation, measurement, traceability, cost, and scalability.”

He added: “We hope this project inspires others to test new approaches, collaborate across supply chain tiers, and accelerate the transition toward lower-emission and more resilient natural fiber systems.”

The awards were presented at Textile Exchange’s annual conference in Vancouver, where initiatives supporting more regenerative and equitable raw material production were honoured.

Other winners included Green Worms founder Jabir Karat, recognised for circular waste management; Amiha Agro’s Amitabh Singh, for regenerative cotton farming; and the Circulose Recycling Ecosystem, for scaling textile-to-textile recycling through partnerships between brands and fibre producers.

Environmental solutions company Pur received the Removing Economic Barriers Award for its regenerative wool programmes. Since 2020, its model has supported 16 producers across almost 17,000 hectares and mobilised 350,000 US dollars in direct implementation funding.

Hannah Crone, animal fibres lead at Pur, said the award validated its belief that "producers should not be expected to carry the cost and risk of transition" of scaling regenerative agriculture alone.

Crone continued: "Regenerative transition can move beyond individual pilots when the economics work for everyone involved. We are especially grateful to the brands willing to invest for the long term, and to the producers who are implementing and co-investing in change on the ground. Their commitment is what makes these models possible.”

Textile Exchange chief executive officer Claire Bergkamp said the winners demonstrated what was possible when “innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to change come together”.

UK luxury brand Mulberry Group plc (Mulberry) announced an 18.1 percent increase in sales at actual currency rates for the 26 weeks ended September 26, 2026. The group attributed the performance to product momentum, brand elevation, and full-price sales growth aligned with its 'Back to the Mulberry Spirit' strategy.

The 41st edition of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories in Hyères has awarded the grand prix to Yui Chen, the first Chinese designer to receive this award. The jury favoured an experimental artistic approach, combining formal innovation with positive emotion.

A Chinese designer and graduate of Parsons Paris, Yui Chen presented a unisex collection titled Food Cover. It was based on a study of architectural volumes, transparencies and pastel colours.

“Having attended the deliberations, I can tell you that the choice was quite unanimous, at least for this grand prix,” Hugo Lucchino, general director of Villa Noailles, told FashionUnited. “Yui Chen was a sculptor before she came to fashion. She questions volumes and the architecture of clothing in a different way, with a very innovative and bold proposal.”

A rationally organised festival still driven by creativity

“The jury (chaired by Chemena Kamali, artistic director of Chloé) wanted to reward a vision that brings joy with it,” he added. “A message of hope, carried by young people who ultimately believe in the future.”

When asked if there was a potential economic or political dimension to the choice of awarding a Chinese designer, Hugo Lucchino was categorical: “Oh no, that was not even mentioned during the discussions. Our jury assessed the candidates' creative ability, their vision and the emotions they convey.”

The creative freedom enjoyed by the competitors allows them to present personal proposals, nurtured by their cultural identities and often international backgrounds. “They start from their singularity, their identity. Ultimately, the collections will speak to everyone,” emphasised Lucchino.

“We are a team and we are fighting for this project with our partners and the public authorities,” concluded Valérie Duport, president of the board of directors of Villa Noailles, organiser of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories of Hyères. “Believe me, when I see this energy and these smiles, we are not ready to give up.”

2026 fashion competition winners are

• Fashion grand prix: Yui Chen

• le19M Métiers d’art prize: Dieter Vlasich Obermann

• L’Atelier des Matières prize: Rachel Luurssen

• Supima prize: Xiao Xu

• City of Hyères public prize and special jury mention: Brais Albor

2026 accessories competition winners are

• Accessories grand prix: Sassa Ann van Wyk

• AZ Academy prize: Daniel Cheruzel

• Public prize: Matteo Artuso

2026 photography competition winners are

• 7L Photography grand prix: Motoki Nakatani

• American Vintage photography prize: Valeria Sarto

• Pull&Bear fashion photography prize: Xueling Chen

• City of Hyères public prize: Julien Rahmani

UK fashion and homeware retailer Matalan has reported strong early performance from its new native mobile application, marking progress in its plans to accelerate digital expansion and create a connected experience for customers online and in store.

Swedish circular technology company Cyclothe has entered its next phase of commercial growth with the appointment of Calvin Woolley as co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO). Woolley will lead the transition of Cyclothe from technology validation to the international deployment and commercial scale-up of its Circular Resource Infrastructure.

Woolley brings over 25 years of international textile industry leadership, including 15 years driving global textile sustainability and circularity initiatives at Inter Ikea. In his previous role leading global textile sustainability strategy, he spearheaded large-scale sustainable transformation, responsible sourcing frameworks and circular supply chain integration. A textile engineer by background, Woolley brings an understanding of end-to-end supply chains, enterprise brand requirements and structural friction within circular systems.

Transition to commercial deployment

The executive appointment marks an intentional shift as Cyclothe moves from proprietary technology development to widespread commercial deployment. Rather than operating as an isolated recycling or waste-management vendor, Cyclothe is building an integrated physical and digital infrastructure connecting citizens, retailers, municipalities, extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems and secondary markets into a single, fully traceable resource loop.

By combining smart intake points, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven identification and data-backed sorting logistics, the technology systematically prioritises reuse, repair and repurposing before mechanical or chemical recycling, keeping products and fibres at their highest financial and material value.

“We have spent the past years building the underlying technology, developing our system architecture, and proving the operating model,” said Halit Kosmaz, founder of Cyclothe. “Bringing Calvin into Cyclothe as Co-founder and CEO marks our deliberate transition from developing infrastructure to deploying it commercially at industrial scale. His deep command of the global textile value chain, global brand dynamics, and supply chain transformation gives us the exact leadership required to navigate this next phase.”

“It is clear that the global textile sector does not suffer from a lack of circular ambition. It suffers from a lack of functioning infrastructure. What we’re missing is an infrastructure capable of managing new legislation in a commercially viable way—an infrastructure where measurable, high-value reverse flows can actually be built at scale,” said Woolley. “Cyclothe is building that exact missing layer, linking people, products, cities, brands, and recyclers through one connected, intelligent system. That is why I am proud to join not only as the CEO, to lead the company but also as a Co-founder, to help scale this vision alongside its founder, Halit, and our partners.”

Strategic focus and future market outlook

Cyclothe enters the executive transition following pilot validation across Swedish innovation ecosystems, municipal programs and urban transition testbeds.

Under the leadership of Woolley, the company will focus on accelerating rollouts of the smart collection network and AI-powered sorting architecture across municipal districts, retail partners and regional waste frameworks in the Nordics and broader Europe and expanding the traceable downstream marketplace, establishing commercial conduits for certified reuse, resale and high-grade textile recycling partners.

Marseille - A French company, part of the Japanese cosmetics group Shiseido, demanded over 2.6 million euros from e-commerce giant Shein in court on Tuesday. The claim is for marketing beauty products without being an authorised reseller.

Madrid – Shein continues to scale and deepen its operations as a global marketplace. This time, it is introducing its new cooperative logistics service in Europe, starting from Spain. The company presents this solution as a new tool for sellers on its platform. It promises to help them grow within and expand into new European markets.

From asset search to planograms, AI is making its way into Visual Merchandising. IWD, the Visual Merchandising software provider, is building it into its platform to automate, recommend and improve in-store performance.

McKinsey estimates that merchants could reclaim up to 40% of their time by handing part of their manual, repetitive tasks over to AI agents. It is a broad projection, but it raises a pertinent question for Visual Merchandising: what happens when AI is involved at every stage of the workflow?

This is the shift under way at IWD Retail Software, the Visual Merchandising software that helps brands optimize their in-store merchandising performance. For twenty-five years, IWD has partnered with companies such as L'Oréal, The Estée Lauder Companies and LVMH. Its proprietary AI is now being progressively integrated into the platform to automate certain operations, inform decision-making and sharpen the relevance of guidelines before they are rolled out.

From collection to recommendation

The first area of application is the collection. AI will streamline the syncing and import of assets. Then, at the drag-and-drop stage onto virtual shelves, the tool can surface the associated product range.

Finding the right SKU by cross-referencing dimensions, category, price, newness or packaging all at once becomes a query addressed to the tool rather than a manual search. This logic of contextual search and recommendation already lies at the heart of IWD's AI developments. Less time searching, more time deciding.

Anticipating execution rather than correcting it

"Between headquarters strategy and execution, many variables aren't always taken into account: assortments, fixtures, store configurations," notes Alex DeCarolis, Senior Visual Merchandising Specialist at On.

IWD's approach is to resolve these constraints at the design stage rather than leave stores to absorb them. When a planogram is being built, AI will be able to cross-reference multiple criteria, suggest an alternative or flag an underperforming placement. Ultimately, it will be able to propose a tailored guideline based on a brief refined by the teams.

"If field feedback is constantly piling up, it's because the guidelines weren't properly prepared upstream," says Raphaëlle Guigui, COO of IWD Retail Software. The challenge, then, is to move intelligence ahead of rollout rather than fix things after the fact.

Behind the final picture, the data

As a client put it to Raphaëlle Guigui: "It's not enough for it to look beautiful. It has to sell."

Generative AI can now produce highly convincing images. But an image is not a planogram. A merchandising recommendation must account for the exact assortment, dimensions, available fixtures, merchandising rules and the constraints specific to each point of sale.

That is the difference between an external generative tool and a dedicated business platform. IWD draws on twenty-five years of structured merchandising experience, within an environment subject to strict confidentiality requirements. That business context cannot be recreated with a simple prompt.

Some IWD clients are already testing HD exports featuring strikingly lifelike in-store renderings.

What if agents became the missing link?

Stock, sell-out, POS and operations are often still managed in separate systems, and brands remain cautious about sharing their commercial data.

Tomorrow, one dedicated agent could flag pressure on a SKU, while another could detect a shift in performance. These signals could then be fed into IWD's VM Suite at the right moment to enrich the recommendation.

A new teammate for the Visual Merchandiser

Raphaëlle Guigui likes to point out that in a store with four sales associates, Visual Merchandising is the fifth. With AI, the Visual Merchandiser could gain a new teammate.

At IWD, several features are already in beta with clients. The goal remains the one that has guided the platform for more than twenty years: giving teams time, fluidity and peace of mind, by automating what can be automated and bringing more intelligence to the moments when decisions are made.

AI is becoming a genuine teammate for the Visual Merchandiser, able to generate, alert and recommend, so they can focus their expertise where it creates the most value.

An accelerator in service of teams, with an unchanged purpose: Make Stores Perform.

US denim and lifestyle brand True Religion is exploring strategic options, including a full sale or the sale of a minority stake, according to a Reuters report. The potential transaction could value the company at close to 1 billion dollars, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Apple Martin, daughter of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, made her runway debut at Chloé’s spring 2027 show in Paris on October 1. By the next day, social media had already labelled her a “nepo baby” — a term used to describe someone who appears to benefit professionally from their famous parents. She wasn’t the only member of fashion’s nepo baby multiverse to walk the runways this season.

Kaia Gerber, daughter of Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber, walked for Khaite. Kai Schreiber, daughter of Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber, walked Thom Browne. Ella Bleu Travolta, daughter of John Travolta and Kelly Preston, walked for Miu Miu. The list of the so-called “nepo babies” who have recently represented different brands continues with Lila Moss, Lily McMenamy, Iris Law, Julez Smith, Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban, Romeo Beckham, Henry Samuel, Amelia Gray, and others. Whether they deserve the title or not, it's up to the internet judges to review case by case. But it’s clear that over the past decade famous surnames have reshaped fashion casting.

In the late 1990s, supermodel Isabeli Fontana started her career at 13, without pre-established connections. “It was a lot of castings, shows, work, travel, getting to know a new team, and learning on the job. Today, there is a generation that grows up inside fashion: children of models, photographers, designers, people who already work in the industry. They know this world from an early age and arrive with a familiarity that I didn’t have. That changes the beginning a lot,” she told FashionUnited.

Fontana believes that although the beginning might be easier for someone with a famous surname, after that, “each person has to build their own path.” “You may have a different way in, but you have to do the work, make the most of the opportunities, and show who you are,” she said.

Like many fashion enthusiasts, stylist and creative director Maximilian D’Antonio says he is in a constant battle “between being completely obsessed and being really frustrated” about nepo babies on the runways. “The Kardashians are a perfect example of that love-hate relationship for me. I love pop culture, but sometimes it’s hard to separate that fascination from how I actually feel about the privilege behind it,” he said.

Jealous much?

D’Antonio says the backlash sometimes targeted at nepo babies “might be jealousy,” adding that “being born into money and fame gives you an easier way into an industry that other people spend years trying to enter. That doesn’t mean nepo babies don’t work hard. A famous family can also bring limitations on the choices you make.” For him, the issue is the imbalance: “So many freelancers are fighting for every euro just to make a living, while someone else can walk into an opportunity partly because of their family background.”

The creative director says that the growing number of nepo babies in fashion is a reason for anxiety. “It’s frustrating when brands seem more willing to invest in an already famous name than in someone who’s been working towards that opportunity for years. I understand that recognisable names bring attention. But I’d love to see brands put the same energy and investment into developing talent without those connections.”

Fontana, who has worked with Victoria’s Secret, Versace, Chanel, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Balenciaga , among other luxury brands, says the profession “demands a lot” and models need to truly love what they do, no matter where they started. “There’s travel, castings, waiting, very intense days and quieter ones. You need to keep loving it to get through all those phases,” she said, adding that discipline and resilience also count.

“The career keeps changing. I started out very focused on the runway, then came campaigns, magazines, advertising, television... And I learned other things along the way. Fashion changes all the time. The market changes, clients change, the way of working changes. So you also need to be open to learning and trying new things,” she said.

The social media era

Speaking of changes, both Fontana and D’Antonio have seen how social media has transformed the fashion industry in recent years. D’Antonio says it feels like models are increasingly expected to create their own visibility and take on the financial risk themselves. “Flights, accommodation and developing a portfolio can become your own “investment”, even when you’re not earning consistently yet,” he said, adding that some agents and bookers also face limitations to support their models. “I’d like to see more shared responsibility for building a career, rather than expecting the model to carry everything alone. And staying hungry shouldn’t mean accepting every condition. A long-term career needs boundaries and enough financial stability to keep going.”

Fontana highlights how social media gives models a platform to show themselves to the brands, something that models like Alex Consani and Paloma Elsesser seem to have mastered with their millions of followers. “There are also more possibilities today. There are models who are very strong on the runway, others who work really well in campaigns, others who have built a huge presence on social media. And there are those who manage to do all of it. Brands have started looking at a broader set of things. That has also opened up space for more profiles and more personalities in fashion,” the Brazilian supermodel said.

Individuality matters

D’Antonio says models starting their career today should know that individuality matters more than ever, saying that brands are looking for “a distinctive face, personality and something that makes people stop and look.”

“Be proactive, stay hungry and keep showing up. But I don’t think ‘work harder’ is a complete answer, because plenty of people are already working incredibly hard,” he said. “You need to develop a point of view and give people something to remember beyond your portfolio. What’s your personality? What interests you? What do you bring to an image or a collaboration? Building relationships matters, too. People need to know that you’re someone they can rely on and enjoy working with.”

Fontana is the mother of two teenage boys. Asked if she would support her kids if they decide to pursue a career in fashion, she said she will be close by. “I’ll share my experiences, explain the things I know, and help however I can. But I also want them to discover their own path. I can show them what I’ve lived, but they need to try things for themselves and figure out what they really enjoy doing.”

The rise of double denim and head-to-toe denim looks was a defining feature of the SS27 ready-to-wear runways, as highlighted by several industry sources. Across the global SS27 fashion circuit, denim accounted for an average of 7 percent of all runway looks, according to T-Fashion, driven largely by coordinated sets and tailored denim separates.

Affectionately known as the ‘Canadian tuxedo’, the trend gained significant momentum during the SS27 menswear collections before carrying through into the womenswear shows.

As reported at the time by FashionUnited, styling matching denim tops and bottoms offers designers an opportunity to demonstrate to retail buyers and store staff how individual pieces can be merchandised and sold together as a coordinated look, encouraging a more complete, multi-item purchase rather than a single-item sale.

A range of washes and weights could be seen for jackets, jeans, skirts and other items. Decoration came in the form of stencils, embroidery and even feathers.

Dark Washes

Gabriela Hearst SS27

A double zip front jacket with vertical stitched seams, finished with a spread collar and tailored cuffs with matching high-waisted, slim-leg pants with a tailored hem. It was styled with a striped sweater and cowboy boots.

Tibi SS27 by Amy Smilovic

A structured dark indigo denim jacket with snap fasteners and slit pockets accented by visible gold topstitching paired with matching relaxed, straight-leg jeans. The ‘Brannon’ snake embossed illusion boot accessorized the look.

Zimmermann SS27

A denim jacket with layered capelet frills and sharp shoulder proportions, paired with matching dark-wash wide-leg jeans with wavy, structural seam ruffles along the outseam. The look was styled with a semi-sheer unbuttoned plaid shirt and matching plaid pouch bag.

Medium Blue Washes

Aknvas SS27 by Christian Juul Nielsen

A shield-shaped denim panel cropped top featuring a high neck, open back, and a curved hemline in a medium blue wash, accented with a tan leather brand patch on the left chest and matching wide-leg, low-slung blue jeans featuring ruffles on the hips, frontal stitched seams and a belt with silver buttons.

Conner Ives SS27

A collarless, medium-wash jacket with pink tab fasteners and matching straight-leg jeans featuring patterned metallic embroidery along the front pockets and down the outer side seams, with a lace-up ankle detail. Accessories included a purple cowboy hat and lavender strappy sandals.

Sabyasachi Mukherjee SS27

A tailored horseshoe-cut denim vest worn over a button-up denim shirt in a lighter wash paired with straight-leg jeans, oversized sunglasses, a brown suede and sheepskin shoulder bag and a jeweled tiger brooch at the collar.

Light Washes

Acne Studio SS27 by Jonny Johansson

A white denim jacket and matching slim-fit jeans detailed with a faded blue floral print; styled with a ruffled blouse, portrait pins, a structural green hat and cowboy boots.

Christian Cowan SS27

A light-wash ‘inside-out’ collarless denim jacket with black velvet frog fastenings and a medium-wash placket, hem and cuffs with coordinated wide-leg, relaxed-fit light-wash jeans and velvet pockets. Accessories included a high-neck black velvet collar scarf and a long black chain necklace.

Aknvas SS27 by Christian Juul Nielsen

An acid-washed denim jacket with tiered ruffles at the hem, flounced cuffs, and white lace underlays; paired with coordinating wide-leg denim pants featuring ruffles on the hips and frontal stitched seams.

Decorated Denim

Marques'Almeida SS27

A dark indigo short-sleeved peplum top with oversized ruffles across the shoulder paired with matching wide-leg pants, both heavily detailed with frayed, 3D-effect denim rose appliqués.

Shiatzy Chen SS27

A cropped floral chore jacket with metallic buttons and matching wide-leg pants with a painterly ink-inspired floral design. Styled with a blue textured bucket bag with top handles, a black floral necktie and black patent footwear.

Venerdi Pomeriggio SS27 by Vivetta Ponti

A long-sleeve blue denim shirt with a ruffled yoke and decorated with floral embroidery. Mid-rise denim culottes with embroidery and a trim of long green feathers along the bottom hem. Accessories included a matching denim bonnet tied under the chin, a small denim pouch drawstring bag with gold rope handles, and lace-up knee-high denim boots.

Jackets and skirts

Laquan Smith SS27

A dark-wash, raw denim jacket with architectural padded shoulders, a high mandarin-style collar, and flap pocket detailing paired with a matching knee-length pencil skirt featuring a thigh-high zipper slit.

Romeo Hunte SS27

A dark indigo denim jacket with a high-standing collar, zip accents, and a flared peplum waist, paired with a matching column-style maxi skirt with an exaggerated high leg slit. Strappy ankle strap sandals completed the look.

Ujoh SS27 by Mitsuru Nishizaki

A cap-sleeved ultra-cropped denim trucker vest featuring exaggerated shoulders, front button closures, and chest flap pockets with lighter contrasting lining exposed underneath. A high-waisted asymmetric matching maxi skirt featuring mismatched draping, a distinctive diagonal cutaway hemline that exposes layered underskirts. Accessories included a black leather belt and black patent mules.

Washington County - Nike (NKE) is expanding its presence in India with plans for a new global campus in Bengaluru as the sportswear giant looks to revive growth under CEO Elliott Hill and tap into one of the world's fastest-growing consumer markets.

The campus, expected to open within the next few years, will house corporate roles spanning Nike, Jordan Brand and Converse.

Hill described the project as a long-term investment, citing India's importance as both a growth market and manufacturing hub.

The expansion comes as Nike struggles in Greater China, where fiscal first-quarter revenue fell 26 percent.

The company said China remains a long-term priority and stressed that its India investment is not intended to replace its focus on the market.

Nike is also restructuring operations under its Pace strategy, including workforce reductions and supply-chain changes, targeting about $2.5 billion in savings through fiscal 2031.

India's growing consumer base and rising participation in sports offer Nike another avenue for long-term international growth.

Every season, once Paris Fashion Week concludes, communications agency Karla Otto and influencer marketing platform Lefty announce the marketing impact figures. This time, however, the data is staggering. The Paris womenswear spring/summer 2027 season generated over 795.6 million dollars in earned media value (EMV), marking a 59 percent increase compared to the previous year. This is the most successful season ever recorded.

Paris Fashion Week: historic impact and 360-degree strategies

Paris achieved 795.6 million dollars in EMV. For comparison, Milan Fashion Week womenswear SS27 generated 311 million dollars in EMV and London Fashion Week generated 27.3 million dollars (Lefty figures). Paris Fashion Week has therefore established itself as the most visible event of the season. The fashion houses dominating the top five rely on a formidable three-pronged strategy: front rows featuring high-impact celebrities and culturally astute personalities; set designs engineered for engagement; and a strong emphasis on artisanal craftsmanship.

The Karla Otto report states that Dior nearly tripled its EMV through an ongoing partnership with Thai stars Lingling Kwong and Orm Kornnaphat, as well as appearances by Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna and Toheeb Jimoh.

Schiaparelli, meanwhile, entered the top five brands for the first time, driven by the visibility of Thai actors Napatsakorn Pingmuang and Harit Buayoi, who sat alongside singer Tate McRae.

Top five brands with the highest EMV at Paris Fashion Week womenswear SS27:

• 1 - Dior (+297 percent)
• 2 - Schiaparelli (+343 percent)
• 3 - Chanel (+14 percent)
• 4 - Miu Miu (+82 percent)
• 5 - Louis Vuitton (-7 percent)

Audience diversification: contribution of independent platforms

To reach new audiences, brands are exploring new territories such as the world of video games, niche sports and independent editorial platforms. Chanel invited British commentator Chani Ra, while Stella McCartney enlisted authors Violet Grace Atkinson and Julia Berolzheimer to secure more in-depth and thoughtful media coverage.

Chanel also capitalised on viral moments by inviting Rachel Ojuromi to walk in its show after she recreated the house's outfits in Nigeria, and by publishing a TikTok video featuring Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Dua Lipa and Nicole Kidman. The appearance of Gabrielle Chanel's personal 2.55 bag from the house's archives on the runway also amplified this excitement.

Regionally, China remains a priority with a highly targeted approach. While the overall number of invited Chinese celebrities has decreased, their individual impact has intensified. Actress Dilraba Dilmurat, for instance, generated 20 million dollars in EMV for the house single-handedly by taking over Dior's Weibo account.

What about smaller brands?

Faced with this algorithmic noise, what is left for small brands and independent designers? Unable to afford the visibility offered by Thai superstars or LVMH's Hollywood-style set designs, emerging labels would be wise to play a different game.

This alternative game is one of “human curation” and quiet sharing, as highlighted by journalist Saveria Mendella in her newsletter published on October 12. Rather than exhausting themselves feeding a voracious algorithm to generate mass EMV, these brands should reconnect with relational dynamics reminiscent of the pre-social media era. The goal is no longer to flood public news feeds, but to invest in “Dark Social”—that untraceable space of private message recommendations, WhatsApp groups and highly qualified word-of-mouth.

For these labels, the challenge is to move away from the artificial figure of the “economic persona” (the standardised influencer Mendella refers to) and instead address real profiles: genuine customers; niche creatives; or passionate tastemakers. It is a strategy of deliberate scarcity, where a community of 5,000 highly engaged insiders will always convert better than one million phantom likes generated by fandoms. In other words, micro-influencers remain more relevant than ever.

Spanish fashion retailer Bershka, part of Inditex, has opened a pop-up store in Shoreditch, east London, to launch its Bershka Series collection for fall/winter 2026. The pop-up on Bethnal Green Road, just off Brick Lane, is open from October 16 to November 1.

Visitors can shop the party-season collection at the pop-up before it is released more widely online and in Bershka's flagship stores.

Fitting room as music experience

The store design takes its cues from nightclubs, reinterpreted through exhibition design and industrial materials. A neutral green backdrop is combined with modular steel scaffolding that forms part of both the architecture and the lighting, while metal, carpet and velvet add contrasting textures.

At the centre of the pop-up is the BPM Room, an audiovisual installation that reworks the fitting room. Visitors choose one of seven tempo ranges between 60 and 180 beats per minute, each with three tracks selected by NTS, and the installation creates a personalised music video in real time, delivered via QR code.

Building on Bershka's existing relationship with NTS, the pop-up will also host DJ sessions curated by NTS every Thursday and Friday from 5pm to 7pm UK time.

Day-to-night wardrobe

The Bershka Series FW26 collection focuses on dressing across day and night, reworking wardrobe staples such as the little black dress and the leather jacket. According to the brand, the line aims to bring more sophistication to its signature codes through detailing, expressive silhouettes and contrasts.

Texture plays a central role, with leather, jacquard, metallic mesh, crystals, feathers and tweed used across the collection.

Madrid – Spanish fashion brand EME Studios is advancing its international growth strategy with the opening of its first physical retail space in the Netherlands. The brand entered the market this Friday, October 16, with the launch of a pop-up store in Amsterdam.

Poor data integration, skills shortages and gaps in governance, rather than the technology itself, are the main obstacles to adopting artificial intelligence in the textile and apparel industry. That is the central finding of a white paper published by the Zurich-based International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) and the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University in Germany.

The paper, titled 'AI in the Textile Value Chain: A Strategic Guide to Artificial Intelligence for the Global Textile Industry', was presented on October 15 at a conference in Fortaleza, Brazil, organised by ITMF together with Brazilian textile and apparel association ABIT and the International Apparel Federation. It builds on a series of ten webinars held between 2024 and 2026, in which more than 20 experts from companies, research institutes and policy bodies took part.

According to the authors, interest in AI is being driven by structural pressures rather than hype, including demographic decline, persistent skills shortages, volatile markets and rising demands for quality, traceability and sustainability. Decades of digitalisation have left the sector with plenty of data but fragmented systems, leading the paper to describe the industry as "not under-digitalised, but digitally fragmented."

From inspection to agentic systems

The paper finds that AI already delivers measurable results in clearly defined applications, such as computer-vision inspection of fabric and yarn, predictive maintenance, energy optimisation and demand forecasting. In one example from a nonwovens production line, causal AI reduced scrap by 10 percent.

At the same time, data quality is described as a bigger constraint than the algorithms. Participants warned that AI amplifies flaws in poor data rather than fixing them, and that many companies hold far less usable, structured data than they assume.

AI is also starting to move from decision support to action. Agentic systems are beginning to coordinate multi-step processes such as sourcing, while causal AI is adjusting production settings directly, in both cases under human supervision. The authors estimate that end-to-end AI workflows are realistic within two to three years.

Trust and collective action

Industry participants said they would only use AI under clear conditions: control over sensitive data, strong cybersecurity, transparency about what systems can and cannot do, and continued human accountability.

The paper recommends that companies invest in people before scaling technology, treat data as shared infrastructure and start with limited use cases. It also sees a strong role for industry associations and pre-competitive collaboration, particularly for smaller companies, through shared data standards, data spaces that leave ownership with the data originator, and sector-specific tools such as a 'Textile GPT'.

"AI is not a shortcut around the structural challenges our industry faces, but it can help companies manage complexity and make the most of scarce expertise," said Olivier Zieschank, director at ITMF.

Thomas Gries, director of ITA at RWTH Aachen University, said companies need a dedicated task force to embed data integration into their technical and business processes, working with external experts on a transparent assessment of their data and automation.

Amsterdam-based denim brand Denham has presented its fall/winter 2026 collection, titled 'The Thread Between Worlds'. The collection connects the brand's European denim roots with Japanese craftsmanship, playing on contrasts between heritage and innovation, restraint and expression, and East and West.

The accompanying campaign centres on different generations and features Mark van der Loo and his family.

According to Denham, contrast runs through the collection, with precise tailoring set against raw utility and familiar silhouettes recut. Heavy indigos, selvedge edges and layered fabrics recur across the line-up.

Tailoring and utility for men

In the menswear collection, classic workwear elements are reinterpreted with clean lines and layering. The Contractor Jacket, Western Shirt and Ridge Chino Pant combine a more structured approach to tailoring with practical utility details, while denim is paired with shirts, knitwear, outerwear and chinos.

Volume and movement for women

The womenswear collection places more emphasis on silhouette, volume and movement. Denim comes in wide-leg, barrel and sculptural fits, including the Miku Reiki, a high-rise wide-leg with a pronounced flare, and the Tamae Iku, which pairs a sculptural shape with a relaxed look.

Beyond denim, the womenswear line includes jackets, knitwear, shirts, tops and skirts, among them the Mei Denim Jacket, the Hono Check Jacket and the Iki Skirt, alongside jacquard styles.

White Button returns

The season also marks the return of the White Button, one of Denham's most recognisable details. The brand first introduced it in 2008, and it takes a prominent place again in the FW26 collection.

Paris - Kering chief executive Luca de Meo is accelerating his shake-up of the struggling fashion conglomerate with the ousting of Alexander McQueen's chief designer, just days after a purge at Saint Laurent.

Paris-based Kering announced Thursday that McQueen creative director Sean McGirr was leaving his job at the loss-making British label three years after his appointment.

The 38-year-old Irishman appeared to have paid the price for a collapse in sales over his tenure, lacklustre reviews, and de Meo's desire to restructure many of the smaller labels in Kering's extensive stable.

"I would like to thank Sean for his contribution and dedication to Alexander McQueen," de Meo said in a statement. "Our ambition is to establish a bold new direction for the house."

De Meo arrived last September with a stellar reputation as a cost-cutter and turnaround specialist, having helped relaunch the struggling French carmaker Renault.

Shares in Kering, which also owns Gucci, Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta, rose ahead of his appointment as investors bet he could slash burgeoning debt and revive sales at the group.

But since the start of the year they are down 28 percent despite signs of improvement at the flagship Gucci house under its highly rated new creative director, Demna.

Pressure

The entire luxury fashion industry is suffering from a downturn in global sales linked to weaker demand from China and concerns about the world economy, heaping pressure on designers.

On Monday, Kering's crosstown rival LVMH, which owns Louis Vuitton and Dior among others, reported a five percent fall in sales at its fashion labels in the third quarter.

De Meo initially explored selling McQueen after arriving in the job, before opting to slash costs through job cuts and shop closures.

"The problem of McQueen is that it had relied on streetwear and sneakers for its growth, while now sneakers and streetwear are yesterday's story," Luca Solca, a luxury goods analyst at the brokerage Bernstein, told AFP.

"The consensus on the recently ousted McQueen designer was that he wasn't really producing a positive impact," he said.

Annual sales at the brand, founded by the late British fashion icon Alexander McQueen, have fallen to below 200 million euros from a peak of 800 million in the post-Covid boom years, Bernstein estimates.

McGirr follows longtime Saint Laurent designer Anthony Vaccarello out of Kering's doors after the widely acclaimed Belgian left the French label last week after a decade in charge.

There are also persistent industry rumours that Balenciaga designer Pierpaolo Piccioli might also be heading for the exit, less than 18 months after the former Valentino designer was appointed.

"There is a lot on creative directors' shoulders these days, as brands strive to grow again after a significant reset," Solca said.

German fashion brand Armedangels has been featured on American magazine TIME's Best Inventions 2026 list for its 100 percent Tencel Lyocell windbreaker in the outerwear category. According to the brand, it is the first windbreaker with a ripstop outer fabric woven entirely from this wood fibre, without a membrane, synthetic fibres or PFAS.

Each year, TIME selects 300 inventions based on criteria such as originality; effectiveness; ambition and impact. For this year's list, the magazine requested nominations from its editors and correspondents worldwide, as well as through an online application process.

Armedangels, which was founded in Cologne in 2007, developed the jacket with the Lenzing Group, textile consultancy Montebelo and weaving mill Hermin Textile. The brand launched the windbreaker in March as part of its spring/summer 2026 collection.

“For functional outerwear, the industry is still almost entirely dependent on polyester, polyamide and chemical finishes,” said founder and CEO Martin Höfeler. “We therefore started with a simple question: can a fabric made from wood do what typically requires synthetic materials?”

From fibre to fabric

The jacket is made from Lenzing's Tencel Lyocell fibres, which are sourced from certified or controlled wood. They are produced in a closed-loop process where the solvent is recovered. According to Lenzing, this requires at least 50 percent less water and results in at least 50 percent fewer CO₂e emissions than conventional unbranded lyocell, calculated according to ISO 14040/44 via Higg MSI 3.8.

The fibres are spun into ultra-fine, strong yarns in Taiwan. Hermin Textile weaves these into a dense ripstop fabric. This fabric is then permanently densified under pressure and heat, a method derived from the way rock compacts under pressure. According to the brand, this results in wind resistance of up to 97 percent.

When exposed to moisture, the lyocell fibres swell slightly, causing the fabric to close. A PFC-free finish provides protection against light rain. The jacket is slightly water-repellent but not waterproof.

Almost completely without synthetic trimmings

The components are also as free from synthetic materials as possible. 99.9 percent of the trimmings are non-synthetic and not petroleum-based. These include a cotton zip tape with metal teeth; metal cord stoppers; cuffs made of cotton and natural rubber; and a water-based reflective print. Only a small end piece of the zip is still plastic, as a sufficiently sustainable alternative is not yet available.

The windbreaker was digitally designed in CLO3D, has a gender-neutral fit and is available in three colourways. Armedangels views the jacket as a proof of concept and a foundation for developing more outerwear without synthetic fibres.

Louis Vuitton is venturing into new territory. The French fashion house is releasing a new volume in its Travel Book series, this time leading to a place that does not exist on any map. The focus is on Tempo Point, a fictional metropolis from the universe of the virtual pop group K/DA. Its members are also playable characters in the video game League of Legends: Ahri, Evelynn, Kai’Sa and Akali.

For the new book, Louis Vuitton has collaborated with game developer Riot Games for the first time, as the fashion house announced on Friday. In the previous series, the company had partnered with artists from all over the world.

With Tempo Point, Louis Vuitton explores a completely fictional world within its Travel Book series for the first time. Inspired by League of Legends, the volume combines gaming, music and graphic novels. The focus is on the four members of K/DA, whose daily lives are followed over a 24-hour period. 70 illustrations guide readers through the imaginary cityscape and the group's world. These are complemented by a biography of K/DA and a travelogue about Tempo Point. The limited Collector’s Edition also includes a vinyl record with the virtual pop group's new EP. The project opens up new creative perspectives for the series and enables a novel travel experience, according to the press release.

The Tempo Point Travel Book is available in two versions: a Standard Edition and a large-format Collector’s Edition. Both versions are designed as a hardcover with a fabric cover and feature a seven-colour print and a screen-printed cover. The content is available in English, French and Chinese.

The collaboration is not the first joint initiative between Louis Vuitton and Riot Games. The two companies had already worked together in 2019 and 2020 on League of Legends. At that time, Nicolas Ghesquière, artistic director of Louis Vuitton's womenswear collections, designed the so-called Trophy Trunk for the game's World Championship.

He also designed virtual outfits, known as skins, for the characters Qiyana and Senna, who belong to the virtual hip-hop collective True Damage. The partnership also included a physical LV x League of Legends capsule collection with clothing, bags, accessories and other products, which was also designed by Ghesquière.

Spanish suppliers to the footwear and leather goods industry showcased their collections for autumn/winter 2027/2028 in Elche. The 56th edition of Futurmoda brought together nearly 3,800 people over its two days of activity. The trade show was held on October 14 and 15 at the IFA-Fira Alacant venue.

A total of 171 companies exhibited at this edition, including ten participating for the first time. Their offerings ranged from leather and fabrics to components and machinery. The fair is organised by the Spanish Association of Footwear Component Companies (AEC).

Attendance, which includes both professionals and the general public, came close to the organisation's target without quite meeting it. “We had set expectations of over 4,000 visitors and we have practically reached that number,” explained Álvaro Sánchez Concellón, director general of AEC, in a statement. He nevertheless described the result as “very satisfactory”.

The director highlighted the international profile of the attendees. In addition to European visitors, the fair welcomed buyers from North Africa, the US, and Asia who were looking to discover the offerings of Spanish firms. “We are satisfied with the results the companies have achieved,” he added.

Beyond the stands, the agenda revolved around three key issues: how to protect design and intellectual property; the sector's competitiveness; and the integration of artificial intelligence into business management. These topics were discussed in the Expert Forum. The Trend Forum, which includes the Futurmoda Green Planet space, organised exhibitors' new products by trend. On Wednesday afternoon, eight finalists competed in the final of the Footwear Design Jam 2026, a footwear design competition promoted by 3DSoul and the FICIA Foundation.

AEC is already preparing for the March 2027 edition. According to Sánchez Concellón, discussions with future exhibitors began on-site during this fair. The next event will feature machinery manufacturers and other relevant companies that have shown interest in participating. “We hope to maintain the same level of participation and even exceed it,” he noted.

Before that, on October 20, the association will unveil the spring/summer 2028 trends with the consultancy Trendstop. The presentation, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 7:00 pm at the Elche Congress Centre.

UK fashion posted a strong week, driven for a second week running by its online channel, as a broad high street surge in non-store sales lifted the category well clear of its prior-year comparison. Fashion total like-for-like (LFL) sales rose +4.84% against a positive +2.49% base a year earlier, according to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker.

Paris-based fashion house Karl Lagerfeld has partnered with American footwear brand G.H. Bass on a footwear capsule for fall/winter 2026. The collaboration centres on the penny loafer and coincides with two milestones for G.H. Bass: the brand's 150th anniversary and the 90th anniversary of its Weejuns penny loafer.

Founded in Maine in 1876, G.H. Bass introduced the Weejuns in 1936, a style the company describes as the first penny loafer. For the capsule, Karl Lagerfeld has reworked the silhouette with its own design codes.

Seven styles for men and women

The collection comprises seven styles across menswear and womenswear. Each design features a silver K/Autograph coin set in the traditional penny keeper, a nod to the loafer's signature detail.

The loafer comes in three versions: polished black, a black and white contrast design, and a black edition embossed with tone-on-tone Karl Lagerfeld Icon motifs.

According to Karl Lagerfeld, the capsule is designed to complement its fall/winter 2026 ready-to-wear collections for women and men, to be worn with tailoring as well as everyday pieces.

The Karl Lagerfeld x G.H. Bass collection is available from October 2026 in Karl Lagerfeld stores, on the websites of both brands and through selected wholesale partners.

UK lifestyle clothing brand FatFace has announced the opening of a new store in Shaftesbury, marking the first time the company has established a presence in the historic town.

In 2025, the European Union imported 129 million euros worth of textiles from Armenia, almost entirely clothing. Behind this figure is an industry that has been working for high-end European firms, especially Italian ones, for years. Alongside it, generations of designers have emerged. Yerevan Fashion Week (YFW) aims to give them recognition in their own right, beyond their borders.

American fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger, owned by US group PVH Corp., has launched a limited-edition capsule collection with FRGMT, the label of Japanese designer Hiroshi Fujiwara. The 'Tommy Hilfiger x FRGMT' collection has been available globally since October 15, 2026, in select Tommy Hilfiger stores and on the brand's website.

The collaboration revisits styles from the brand's 90s archive, a period when its preppy aesthetic became closely linked to music and street culture. According to the brand, the capsule combines a New York and a Tokyo perspective on what it calls Classic American Cool.

Both designers have long drawn on music, pop culture and the creative scenes of New York, London and Tokyo. For Hilfiger, that connection goes back to People's Place, the store he opened at the age of 18 as a place where young people discovered style, listened to records and met.

"For this collection, we went back to some of our favorite 90s pieces and looked at them through his distinctly Japanese point of view," said brand founder Tommy Hilfiger. "The result is a collection that pays tribute to our heritage, while connecting continents, perspectives and generations."

Archive pieces with FRGMT signatures

The line-up reworks Tommy Hilfiger wardrobe staples such as the rugby shirt, button-down shirt, varsity jacket, chino and field jacket. These are joined by archival pieces including the Regatta jacket, sailing polo and duffel bag.

FRGMT's design codes, such as thunderbolt graphics and polka dots, appear throughout the collection, while the Tommy flag logo is reworked in light blue, the capsule's key colour. Materials include flannel check shirting, dry cotton jersey, washed nylon and heavyweight cotton twill.

Fujiwara said he first noticed the brand through music. "In the 90s, I noticed that many hip-hop artists were wearing Tommy Hilfiger in their own way, and that really stayed with me," he said. "This collection brings together that 90s nostalgia and my reinterpretation of the Tommy look."

The accompanying campaign is a short social film shot on the streets of New York, setting the brand's uptown prep codes in a skating context. The capsule follows earlier Tommy Hilfiger collaborations with Patta, Aries and CLOT.

Strict global regulations and enforcement actions have moved from a future concern to an immediate business reality. How large are the gaps between regulatory expectations and the fashion industry's current operational readiness? Supply chain solutions provider TrusTrace surveyed 57 insiders of fashion, apparel and footwear brands from 24 countries and compiled the findings in the report, “The Enforcement Era: Fashion's Compliance Readiness in Numbers”.

UK real estate business British Land has released a trading update for the six-month period ended September 30, 2026, reporting strong occupational demand across its retail parks and London campuses.

UK-based omni-channel retailer JD Sports Fashion (JD) has announced that Kath Smith, senior independent director, will stand down from her position on the board on January 19, 2027, after more than seven years with the business.

Smith joined the board in May 2019 and was appointed senior independent director and designated workforce engagement non-executive director in February 2022. During her tenure, she led the process to appoint Peter Agnefjäll as non-executive chair, who joined the board on September 1, 2026.

Smith also served as interim chief executive officer from May 2022 until September 2022. In addition, she was a member of the audit and risk, nominations, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) committees, as well as serving on the remuneration committee from February 2020 until October 2022.

In her role as workforce engagement non-executive director, Smith engaged with colleagues across the group through employee mentoring and supported inclusion initiatives, including International Women’s Day, ‘JD UP’ and The JD Foundation Gala.

JD chief executive officer Régis Schultz added: “Kath has offered great counsel and support both to me and the wider business during her tenure as Senior Independent Director. Her extensive experience and deep understanding of our brand partners has been invaluable to JD, and instrumental in helping us to strengthen our Group-wide proposition. On behalf of the senior leadership team, I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to Kath for everything she’s done over the last seven years.”

JD has confirmed that an independent search process to identify her replacement has commenced.

Commenting on her departure, Smith noted the significant step change in JD in recent years, highlighting the strength of its leadership, investment in growth foundations, curated retail destinations and in-store teams. She expressed confidence that the business is fundamentally in a strong place as it enters its next phase.

US footwear and apparel brand Vans and American singer-songwriter SZA have introduced their collaborative collection titled Vansza. Captured by photographer India Sleem in California, the accompanying campaign features Vans Skate Team rider Zion Wright, models Caylee Blosenski and Isabella Carr, and musician Vans.

WatchTime New York returns to Gotham Hall in Manhattan from Friday to Sunday with a record 48 exhibiting watch brands. For the event’s publisher Sara Orlando, what sets the event apart from its European counterparts is its American character: “less pretense and more fun.”

“Most of our American guests did not grow up going to watch shows with their fathers and grandfathers,” Orlando told FashionUnited. “By bringing this part of Swiss culture to America, we are creating a cultural shift with something very European in the United States.”

The show launched at a time when closed-door, trade-only fairs still dominated the international watch calendar. According to the organisers, it helped pioneer a collector-focused model that brings brands and enthusiasts together face to face. “It’s not about the size of the booths, or the champagne we serve,” WatchTime’s event director Minda Larsen said. “The collector audience is our priority.”

The eleventh edition features newly confirmed participants including Gérald Genta, Daniel Roth, Jacob & Co., Kollokium, Keris, Ferdinand Berthoud, Singer, Schwarz Etienne and Kudoke. The show will also host a number of world-premiere and first-look unveilings. Kudoke and Frederique Constant are both set to debut new timepieces, and further launches are expected to be announced. Other exhibitors include Blancpain, Chopard, Piaget, Zenith, H. Moser & Cie., MB&F and Urwerk.

“There are 11 new brands joining us this year, and we are bringing back the panels on the weekend with some very special guests,” Orlando said.

Independent watchmaking has become one of the show’s defining strengths. “I’m happily surprised regarding the number of independent watchmakers and brands who have joined WatchTime New York over the years,” Orlando said. “We have helped launch brands in the US market and offer accessibility to collectors who otherwise would not be able to see watches from these artisan watchmakers.”

Larsen said the show’s American character was the most important element for her when she created it. “Americans are curious! If we don’t know about something, a new watch brand for example, we aren’t scared to ask about it and we want to learn and be educated,” she said. “There is no snobbery or arrogance. I wanted the show to feel inclusive and welcoming.”

That curiosity is also shaping what American collectors want to buy, according to them. “Strolling around with the same watch as everyone else is not exciting,” Orlando said. “US collectors have an appetite for watches and a bigger appetite for brands that are offering them dials and movements that are less typical and more innovative.” She added that collectors are also “investing in the people behind the brands.”

Larsen pointed to a cultural difference. “Americans like to show off their watch! This is different from most European collectors,” she said.

The show has also become the anchor of New York City’s unofficial watch week, which draws brand activations across Manhattan each autumn. “All of the satellite events that pop-up throughout the week exist because of the foundation we laid,” Orlando said.

Larsen said collector feedback guides decisions ranging “from which brands to invite, ticket prices, panel discussions, and what appetizers we serve!” “We have worked very hard to keep this as a collector show and not an industry event,” she said.

Orlando sees the show as a complement to European fairs such as Watches and Wonders Geneva, not a rival. “Perhaps one day we can grow in scale to the size of Watches & Wonders, but for now we continue to complement it by offering a more consumer-centric watch show that is truly for collectors,” she said.

Friday-night ticket packages, including the VIP opening reception and collector dinner, have sold out. Single-day tickets for Saturday, October 17, and Sunday, October 18, remain available at watchtimeevents.com.

Interview

In the iconic G-Star building along the A10 motorway in the South East of Amsterdam, FashionUnited speaks with Jennifer Zipp, design director at G-Star. In her role, she is responsible for the Dutch fashion brand's design vision and plays a key part in the relaunch of its womenswear. With the revamped womenswear collection, G-Star aims to translate the brand's existing design DNA into a distinctly feminine collection. Belgian DJ Charlotte de Witte is the face of this new direction. Zipp explains how the collection is created, the role denim plays within G-Star's DNA, and how the brand plans to further develop its womenswear in the coming seasons.

From afterthought to starting point

Womenswear currently accounts for about 30 percent of the total collection, according to Zipp. G-Star wants to further balance the ratio between the womenswear and menswear collections. “We would like to move towards a 50-50 ratio.”

“Womenswear was much smaller than menswear, yet we saw it had much more potential. With this relaunch, we want to take the female form and a distinct female point of view as a more explicit starting point in the design process.”

To increase the share of womenswear, G-Star will build on the development of new jean styles and fits in the coming seasons. Denim remains the foundation and constitutes the largest part of the womenswear collection. “We are already seeing that new, innovative fits in jeans are contributing to growth. We will build on that in the coming seasons.”

The focus is on a more distinctly feminine approach to G-Star's denim DNA. “We design from the body, paying attention to how denim shapes, supports and lifts. Our expertise in 3D construction helps us create silhouettes that are both characterful and flattering.”

The non-denim collection is designed to complement this, making it possible to create complete looks. “Growth is about a stronger, more relevant offering, with distinctive jeans as the foundation.”

The text continues after the image.

Denim as the collection's foundation

Although the revamped womenswear collection is broader than just jeans, denim remains the starting point. “Denim is the heart of the collection. Every season, we start with a denim launch.”

For the new collection, the brand revisited the Arc jeans, which G-Star introduced in 2007. “That was a different silhouette at the time, but we have reinterpreted it for this collection. We then build the rest of the collection from that denim base.”

According to Zipp, approximately 40 percent of the womenswear collection consists of denim. The brand's own design DNA and archive serve as the starting point, which the team reinterprets for today's woman. “We certainly look at trends, but we primarily examine what has worked in our archive and how we can modernise it.”

An example of this is the development of Neo Raw. “Raw denim is traditionally quite rigid, but for women, we wanted more comfort and a softer feel. Neo Raw is a pre-washed denim, which makes the fabric feel softer while retaining the dark look of raw denim.”

More room for fashion

For the upcoming seasons, Zipp says G-Star wants to prevent the relaunch from being a one-off change. “You can do a relaunch and then continue doing the same thing for years. We don't want that. We must keep innovating.”

The team is looking at changes in silhouette, colour and length. According to Zipp, the barrel jean will remain relevant for the time being. “We see that the barrel is selling very well and expect this silhouette to remain relevant for now.”

For future collections, she sees particular potential in varying lengths. “You now have everything from skinny to super wide-leg jeans, but length also plays an important role. Think of cropped, ankle and capri lengths. I think length will become one of the most important elements to play with.”

G-Star also notes that more distinctive designs are commercially successful. “When we include more trend-led items in the collection, we see that women embrace them immediately. That gives us the confidence to take more risks with silhouettes.”

This room for experimentation also exists within the collection itself. Alongside the main line, G-Star works with the so-called Archetypes, an experimental part of the collection that serves as a testing ground for new designs and materials. “We can be a bit bolder with silhouettes there and work with more premium materials and finishes. If something is well-received there, we can then translate it to the main collection.”

The text continues after the image.

From archive to new collection

The designs are developed from a combination of the brand's own archive and current market developments. “We have a large archive. We pull pieces from it that fit the themes we are working on and combine them with what we see in the market.”

For the womenswear collection, G-Star works with three head designers specialising in denim, non-denim and knitwear. They collaborate closely with the creative and technical ateliers to further develop designs and translate them into the collection.

The relaunch is therefore not just about a larger share of womenswear, but also about a different approach to design. Whereas women were previously less central at G-Star, the revamped collection aims to provide more space for feminine silhouettes, trend-led designs and experimentation, without abandoning the brand's denim DNA.

Brunello Cucinelli's results for the first nine months of the year have led the company to further revise its 2026 estimates upwards. The forecast has been raised from an expected +10-11 percent to a projected revenue growth of +12 percent at constant exchange rates.

After Anthony Vaccarello’s departure from Saint Laurent last week, fashion’s next round of creative upheaval has arrived with unusual speed. On Thursday, Calvin Klein confirmed that Veronica Leoni will leave Calvin Klein Collection when her current contract ends, while Kering announced that Seán McGirr is departing McQueen after three years as creative director.

Calvin Klein resets again

WWD was first to report Leoni’s exit, publishing the news shortly before Calvin Klein confirmed that she and the brand would part ways at the end of her contract.

Leoni was appointed creative director of the revived Calvin Klein Collection in May 2024 and presented her first collection in New York in February 2025. Her departure comes after four seasons, closing a brief but closely watched attempt to restore prestige and runway relevance to the American house.

Calvin Klein said a new creative leadership structure for Collection would be revealed “in due course.” The company has not named a successor.

McQueen makes another change

At McQueen, Seán McGirr’s departure was confirmed by Kering on Thursday. He had joined the house in October 2023, succeeding Sarah Burton after her 26-year tenure, and showed his first collection in March 2024.

McGirr’s exit follows his first London runway show for the house in September, a homecoming that was framed as a reset for the brand under chief executive Gianfranco D’Attis. McQueen said it will announce new creative leadership soon.

A new reshuffle season

Vaccarello’s departure from Saint Laurent was announced by Kering on October 9, ending his 10-year tenure at the house. The company said at the time that his successor would be named shortly, though no appointment had been confirmed as of Thursday.

The sequence has revived memories of 2025’s great designer reshuffle, when more than 20 leading brands changed creative hands and 16 designers debuted at 15 houses during the September 2025 shows.

Amsterdam-based menswear brand Mr Marvis has presented its autumn/winter 2026 collection. With new fits, luxurious materials and accessories, the brand continues to build on its combination of comfort, quality and timeless design. The collection is designed in Amsterdam, produced in Portugal and is now available via the webshop and in the brand's stores.

The campaign is inspired by the American style of the eighties, with references to films such as 'American Gigolo' and 'Risky Business' and style icon John F. Kennedy Jr. The collection combines smart styles with casual sportswear, in a palette of deep green, warm brown and earthy tones.

New chinos and joggers

Trousers remain at the heart of Mr Marvis, and this season the brand expands that line with new styles in high-quality materials. The chino collection sees two new additions: “The Straight Fit Chinos”, with a modern silhouette and straight leg in a luxurious twill, and “The Moleskin Chinos” made from velvety soft organic cotton. The brand also introduces “The Classic Joggers”, an eighties-inspired jogging trouser made from a heavy interlock knit fabric.

To complement this, the collection includes tops suitable for layering, including a moleskin shacket; corduroy overshirts; longsleeves and “The Sporty Zip Sweater” in organic cotton. For cold days, there is a classic jacquard jumper, specially designed for the winter sports season. “The Iconic Parka” is made from windproof and water-repellent fabric from the Italian mill Olmetex.

Accessories with a story

Mr Marvis is also expanding its lifestyle collection with two accessories. “The Wool Scarf” was designed for the collaboration with WWF-NL and aims to start a conversation about the relationship between clothing and nature. An upcycled cap, made from leftover corduroy from the brand's own studio, completes the collection.

“With our autumn/winter 2026 collection, we want to translate the effortless confidence of classic style icons into clothing that fits everyday life,” said co-founder Steven Vrendenbarg. “By combining luxurious fabrics like moleskin with functional garments and warm knitwear, we have curated a collection that effortlessly suits weekday workdays in the city and weekends in the snow.”

Throughout the season, the brand will show how the FW26 collection can be worn through a series of short campaigns: from formal office looks and casual outfits for an autumn weekend away to festive December looks and sporty winter sports styles.

In this video, Bruno Casanovas, co-founder of Nude Project, documents the opening of the Barcelona-based brand's first pop-up in New York at 42 Greene Street (SoHo), and reviews its journey with university students.

Casanovas, aged 26, launched the company at 19 with his partner Alex Benlloch, each with 300 euros, a Shopify website and T-shirts printed at home. Today, it has 11 stores in Europe and around 250 employees. The opening attracted around 400 people and became the best-selling pop-up in its history.

The underlying idea is community as a driver of growth: every customer is a potential ambassador. For Casanovas, who grew up between Spain, Indonesia and Portugal, a unique point of view is what distinguishes a brand in a market saturated with sweatshirts.

You can listen to the full episode below:

Source: Bruno Casanovas via YouTube.

Renzo Rosso, chairman and founder of the Italian fashion group OTB Group (OTB), states that the Virtual Try-On tool developed with Google is starting to show its first results, including a higher average spend among customers who have used it.

Rosso shared his vision on innovation, technology and artificial intelligence as the main speaker at Google Think Style Unfold. The event, dedicated to the fashion, retail and luxury sectors in the EMEA region, took place in Milan on October 14, 2026. On stage, he spoke with Melissa Ferretti Peretti, vice president and country manager of Google Italy.

Clienteling in a changing luxury market

OTB, which owns Diesel, Maison Margiela and Jil Sander, announced its collaboration with Google Cloud in May to offer personalised shopping experiences based on artificial intelligence. The tool is based on Google Cloud's Virtual Try-On technology. It digitally dresses the customer and allows them to check the fit of garments.

For Rosso, the project is closely linked to clienteling. “The luxury market is becoming increasingly difficult. There is one thing we firmly believe in, however: clienteling, the ability to establish a human relationship with the end consumer,” he stated. “The better we get to know our customers, the more we can build a relationship of trust and re-establish the loyalty that had been somewhat lost in our world.”

“Together with Google, we have worked on a truly innovative project that combines our vision and creativity with technology, helping us to engage with the consumer,” Rosso continued. “Thanks to the Virtual Try-On, we can digitally dress the customer, allowing them to try the fit of the garments.”

“The system is constantly evolving and is starting to deliver good results, including an increase in the average spend among customers who have used this tool,” explained Rosso. “The technology allows us to go beyond the single garment and offer a more complete styling experience.”

Training as a starting point

Beyond the tool itself, Rosso emphasised that the transition to artificial intelligence starts with people. “There is a lot of talk about artificial intelligence today. The first step for companies, however, is to prepare people for this transformation by giving them the skills to embrace a new way of working,” he said.

“AI must be applied strategically to all business areas; it is fundamental for being competitive. However, to seize this opportunity, it is important to be ready,” he added. “This is why I believe that training is central, also to allow people to embrace the right mindset and the right approach.”

Rosso concluded with a reflection on change: “Change, as always, presents difficulties, and we must be ready to guide it, enhancing what makes each of us unique: soul, heart, passion and creativity.”

Google: from exclusivity to community

Ferretti Peretti pointed to OTB as an example of how artificial intelligence can strengthen the bond between brands and consumers. “In fashion and luxury, desirability stems from culture, creative vision and the emotional bonds that brands build with people,” she stated. “In this context, artificial intelligence can be an extraordinary enabler that creates personalised narratives and experiences, leading the consumer to evolve from the concept of exclusivity to that of belonging to a community.”

“OTB is a virtuous example of this vision: with Google Cloud's Virtual Try-On technology, it has placed innovation at the service of human relationships, bringing the care typical of a physical boutique directly into the digital world,” added Ferretti Peretti.

Lee has launched a menswear capsule collection with Indian Motorcycle, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary.

The capsule draws on Lee’s archival silhouettes. Key pieces include the Rider jacket and the 101Z Rider jean, both made from Italian selvedge denim from Candiani Mills and offered in raw and black washes. The line-up also includes a herringbone Union-Alls jumpsuit, a chambray 101 workshirt and heavyweight graphic tees. Pieces feature custom hardware, co-branded details and embroidery of Indian Motorcycle’s headdress badge.

“Lee 101 represents the pinnacle of Lee’s heritage denim, and like Indian Motorcycle, is designed with top quality and craftsmanship,” said Sedgwick Cole Jr, senior director of global design at Lee, in a statement. “The capsule was inspired by the significance of the Original Rider. It’s a dual meaning: the person who rides Indian Motorcycles now and then, and the iconic Lee Rider jacket and jean.”

Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle describes itself as America’s first motorcycle company.

“As two iconic American brands, this collaboration represents our shared roots in craftsmanship, individuality and the spirit of adventure,” said Mike Kennedy, CEO of Indian Motorcycle. “We’re excited to bring this partnership to life as Indian Motorcycle continues its 125th anniversary celebration, a milestone that gives us the opportunity to honor our past while looking ahead to what’s next.”

The Lee 101 x Indian Motorcycle collection is available from Thursday at lee.com in the US and Europe and at Lee’s owned retailers in Europe. It is also sold at the Bike Shed Moto Co. retail shop in Los Angeles, which hosts a private launch event the same evening.

High-end handbags are consolidating their position as tangible assets and financial collateral. According to a new study by Ipsos Doxa in collaboration with Affide, 35 percent of Italians own luxury handbags. This figure rises to 45 percent among those under 40, and 64 percent of the sample recognise their structured economic and asset value.

The demographic survey was conducted in September 2026 on a sample of 1,491 respondents using a mixed methodology of Cawi (Computer-assisted web interviewing) and Cati (Computer-assisted telephone interviewing). It reveals a significant shift in private wealth management. 61 percent of designer handbag owners state they are willing to use them as collateral to access immediate liquidity through the pawn credit model, while retaining ownership and the option to buy them back.

83 percent of respondents consider the revaluation of unused goods a priority

The phenomenon is part of a broader trend of valuing tangible assets kept in private homes. 85 percent of the population recognises the economic value of their precious items, with an estimated average of 54 grams of gold per person. Sixty-eight percent use fewer than five items per year and 60 percent fear domestic theft.

Loan applications have involved 41 percent of the population over the last five years, primarily for vehicle purchases (30 percent); property renovations (27 percent); and unexpected expenses (25 percent). Pawn credit is known to 59 percent of citizens as an alternative financing channel. Historically, around 95 percent of customers regularly redeem the items given as collateral.

In parallel, the survey notes a push towards the circular economy and transparent asset management. 83 percent of respondents consider the revaluation of unused goods a priority. 52 percent are familiar with the consignment sales model through auction houses, and 65 percent state they are in favour of entrusting their goods to them. On the purchasing side, online auctions attract the interest of 53 percent of the total sample and 57 percent of the under-39 segment.

Affide, part of the Viennese group Dorotheum, is a company active in the pawn credit sector in Italy and across Europe. With a workforce of over 300 and more than 300,000 customers served, it operates in Italy through 39 branches. In response to the market transformations highlighted by the research, Affide has announced the extension of its valuation; custody; financing; and auction sale services to luxury handbags.

The Munich-based clothing supplier Oui Gruppe GmbH & Co. KG is expanding its portfolio with a new knitwear brand. On Tuesday, the company announced the launch of the label “18Ply – a knitter's project”. It will be launched for the autumn/winter 2027/28 season. Orders will open next January.

According to the Oui Group, the new brand stands for “quiet luxury, whose quality can be felt in the material, feel and workmanship”. The first collection will comprise the five “worlds” of Soft Essentials, Soul and Surface, Crafted Colour, Heritage Code and Colour in Motion. Core retail prices will be between 199 and 399 euros, while selected products could reach a retail price of up to 650 euros.

Joseph Gottesdiener, a member of the management board of the Oui Group, explained the project. “Knitting is the DNA of our family business,” he explained in a statement. “With 18Ply, it is consistently channelling this expertise into a new segment and developing an independent contemporary collection made from fine cashmere yarns.”

The new brand will launch “with its own identity and independent sales,” according to a press release. The focus will be on “top national and international locations: Munich, Düsseldorf and Hamburg; Vienna and Zurich; as well as London, Paris, Amsterdam and New York”.

Fashion is one of the most innovative industries in the world.

Brands invest in design, storytelling, sustainability and digital marketing.
Collections are presented through immersive visuals and social media campaigns reach millions of consumers.

Yet behind the scenes, many wholesale organisations still operate on technology that feels decades old.

Sales teams work with spreadsheets.
Orders move through disconnected systems.
Pricing must be verified manually.
Customer insights are scattered across tools.

In many cases, the operational backbone of wholesale still resembles the technology landscape of the 1990s.

The result is not only inefficiency.
It limits growth.

Discover how modern wholesale platforms transform outdated infrastructures into scalable digital sales environments:
https://www.fire-digital.com/en/products/why/seamless-workflow

The legacy system problem in fashion wholesale

Most fashion brands did not intentionally build outdated infrastructures.
The current system landscape often evolved gradually over many years.

ERP systems were introduced to manage financial processes.
CRM systems were added to track customer relationships.
Digital showrooms appeared for product presentation.
B2B portals enabled online ordering.
Each system solved a specific problem.

But they rarely formed a coherent sales infrastructure.

As a result, wholesale operations became fragmented.

Sales teams must navigate multiple tools during one sales conversation.
Data must be reconciled between systems.
And leadership struggles to gain real-time visibility.

Why many wholesale processes still rely on spreadsheets

Despite modern systems, spreadsheets remain deeply embedded in wholesale operations.

Sales teams frequently use Excel for:

• assortment planning
• order preparation
• pricing adjustments
• customer-specific conditions
• sales reporting

Spreadsheets often act as the bridge between systems that do not fully communicate with each other.
While Excel offers flexibility, it also introduces risk.

Data becomes fragmented.
Version conflicts appear.
Decisions remain undocumented.

Over time, spreadsheets replace structured systems instead of complementing them.

Fragmented systems slow down sales execution

The biggest challenge of outdated infrastructures is not only inefficiency.
It is the disruption of the sales process.

A typical wholesale meeting may require several systems:
Collections are presented in one tool.
Pricing is checked in another.
Orders are entered into a B2B portal.
Customer conditions must be verified in ERP.

Every system switch interrupts the sales conversation.

Momentum is lost.
Buyers hesitate.

Sales teams spend time navigating software instead of selling.

Example: before and after modernizing the wholesale infrastructure

A European fashion brand with international wholesale distribution faced exactly this situation.
Its technology landscape consisted of:

• ERP for transactions
• a digital showroom for presentation
• a B2B portal for ordering
• spreadsheets for assortment adjustments and pricing checks

Sales teams needed several tools during every meeting.

Information had to be verified repeatedly.
Orders were sometimes corrected after submission.

This created friction in the sales process and limited transparency for leadership.
After implementing FIRE, the brand consolidated its sales infrastructure.

Collections were presented in the digital showroom.
Assortments were built in the sales table.
Orders were created in the sales app.
Retail partners could reorder through the integrated B2B portal.
All pricing and customer conditions were synchronised from the ERP through middleware.

The result was a unified sales environment.

Sales conversations became faster and more structured.
Leadership gained real-time visibility into performance.

Most importantly, the organisation started capturing structured data from every sales interaction.

Why outdated infrastructures block data-driven wholesale

Modern wholesale organisations increasingly rely on data to steer performance.
However, fragmented infrastructures make it difficult to generate reliable insights.

When information is spread across spreadsheets and disconnected systems:

• buyer behaviour remains invisible
• reorder patterns are difficult to analyse
• assortment performance is unclear
• sales conversations are undocumented

Without structured data, organisations cannot optimise their wholesale strategy effectively.

Why modernization requires a sales-focused platform

Replacing legacy systems is not simply an IT project.
Wholesale modernisation must focus on the actual sales workflow.

Sales teams need systems that allow them to:

• present collections visually
• adjust assortments during conversations
• access accurate pricing instantly
• create orders without friction
• analyse performance in real time

A modern wholesale infrastructure therefore requires a platform that connects presentation, sales execution and B2B commerce.

FIRE: modernizing the wholesale sales infrastructure

FIRE was designed to modernize the entire wholesale sales infrastructure.
Instead of fragmented systems, FIRE provides a unified environment for wholesale operations.

The platform integrates:

• digital showroom for product presentation
• sales app for order creation
• sales table for assortment building
• integrated B2B portal for retail partners
• ERP integration via independent middleware
• real-time dashboards for sales leadership

All components operate within one structured platform.

Sales teams no longer need to switch between systems.
The sales process becomes faster, clearer and more consistent.

Building the data foundation for the future of wholesale

When wholesale infrastructure becomes unified, organisations start capturing valuable operational data.

FIRE records interactions such as:

• product exploration by buyers
• assortment adjustments
• rejected styles
• quantity changes
• reorder signals
• long-term account development

Over time, this creates a powerful dataset that enables:

• better assortment planning
• improved reorder strategies
• stronger sales forecasting
• future AI-driven recommendations

Modernizing the infrastructure therefore unlocks both operational efficiency and strategic intelligence.

Executive perspective

Many wholesale organisations do not realise how outdated their infrastructure has become.
Because the system landscape evolved gradually, inefficiencies often remain hidden.

But in an increasingly competitive environment, fragmented systems slow down decision-making and limit growth.

Modern wholesale requires platforms that combine usability, integration and structured data capture.

Executive summary

Fashion wholesale often still runs on fragmented legacy infrastructures.

Typical challenges include:

• multiple disconnected systems
• spreadsheet-driven workflows
• unclear pricing visibility
• slow order processes
• limited performance transparency

These limitations reduce efficiency and prevent data-driven decision-making.

FIRE modernizes the wholesale infrastructure by integrating:

• digital showroom
• sales app and sales table
• B2B portal
• ERP-based pricing and data
• real-time performance dashboards

The result is a unified sales environment that supports faster sales execution and structured data capture.

About FIRE

FIRE is the leading Wholesale Sales Control Platform for fashion brands and seasonal B2B organisations.

The platform connects product presentation, sales execution and B2B commerce within one unified system.

FIRE provides:

• global digital showroom for collections
• sales app and sales table for sales teams
• integrated B2B portal for retail partners
• structured preorder and reorder workflows
• ERP integration via independent middleware
• real-time dashboards for sales leadership
• continuous data capture across the entire wholesale journey
• private cloud SaaS architecture
• exceptional usability for both sales teams and buyers

By modernizing the wholesale infrastructure, FIRE helps brands transform fragmented processes into a scalable and data-driven sales environment.

Discover how fashion brands modernize their wholesale infrastructure with FIRE:
https://www.fire-digital.com/en/products/why/customer-experience

FAQs: Modernising Wholesale Infrastructure

Why do many fashion wholesale organisations still operate with 1990s-style technology?
Most wholesale infrastructures did not become outdated intentionally. Instead, they evolved over many years.

Different systems were introduced at different times

• ERP systems for finance and logistics
• CRM tools for customer management
• digital showrooms for presentation
• B2B portals for ordering
• spreadsheets for flexible adjustments

Because these systems were rarely integrated into a unified architecture, the result is a fragmented technology landscape.

Even if individual systems are modern, the overall workflow often resembles older technology environments.

What problems arise from fragmented wholesale system landscapes?
Fragmented systems create structural inefficiencies throughout the wholesale sales process.

Common issues include

• switching between multiple tools during sales meetings
• manual price verification
• Excel-based order preparation
• delayed performance visibility
• administrative workload for sales teams

This fragmentation slows down decision-making and reduces operational efficiency.

Why is Excel still widely used in fashion wholesale?
Excel remains popular because it is flexible and easy to adapt.

Sales teams frequently use spreadsheets for

• assortment planning
• order preparation
• pricing adjustments
• customer-specific conditions
• sales reporting

In many organisations, Excel acts as the bridge between systems that are not fully integrated.

However, this flexibility also creates problems such as inconsistent data and limited transparency.

How do legacy systems affect sales team productivity?
Legacy systems often force sales teams to spend time on administrative tasks rather than selling.

Examples include

• manually verifying pricing conditions
• comparing information across systems
• transferring data from spreadsheets
• correcting orders after meetings

This reduces the time available for building customer relationships and closing deals.

Why do outdated systems prevent data-driven wholesale management?
Data-driven decision-making requires structured and centralised information.

When data is scattered across spreadsheets and multiple systems

• buyer behaviour remains invisible
• reorder signals are difficult to detect
• assortment performance becomes unclear
• historical data is incomplete

As a result, organisations struggle to optimise their wholesale strategy.

How does FIRE modernise wholesale sales infrastructure?
FIRE consolidates multiple wholesale tools into a single integrated platform.

The platform includes

• a digital showroom for collection presentation
• a sales app for order creation
• a sales table for assortment building
• an integrated B2B portal for retail partners
• middleware-based ERP integration
• real-time dashboards for leadership

All components operate within a unified architecture designed specifically for wholesale execution.

Does FIRE replace ERP systems?
No.

ERP systems remain the transactional backbone of wholesale organisations.
They manage

• master data
• financial processes
• pricing structures
• logistics and inventory

FIRE complements ERP by providing the execution layer for sales teams.

What benefits do integrated wholesale platforms offer sales teams?
An integrated platform simplifies the sales process by eliminating system fragmentation.

Sales teams can

• present collections
• adjust assortments
• review pricing conditions
• create orders
• analyse performance

within a single environment.

This significantly improves efficiency and reduces operational friction.

Why is structured data capture essential for the future of wholesale?
Structured data enables brands to understand customer behaviour and improve decision-making.

Important data points include

• products explored by buyers
• selected or rejected styles
• assortment development
• reorder triggers
• long-term account evolution

Over time, this information creates a powerful dataset for strategic planning.

What strategic advantages result from modernising wholesale infrastructure?
Companies that modernise their infrastructure gain several long-term advantages

• faster and more efficient sales execution
• better transparency for leadership
• improved forecasting capabilities
• stronger customer insights
• scalable digital wholesale operations

Modernising infrastructure therefore becomes a strategic investment rather than just a technical upgrade.

Luxury fashion platform Farfetch, headquartered in London, has launched its 2026 holiday campaign. Shot by photographers Marili Andre and Sharna Osborne, the campaign presents curated edits for women and men across festive partywear, luxury gifts and holiday travel.

The gifting edits are divided into small luxuries, exceptional and playful gifts, fine jewellery and watches, and pre-owned pieces, the latter including archival items from Hermès and Chanel. Highlighted products range from Prada loafers to Maison Margiela's 'Tabi' shoes.

The partywear selection includes pieces from Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo and Balmain, alongside more relaxed styles from 16Arlington and Valentino Garavani. For holiday trips, Farfetch has added skiwear from brands such as Perfect Moment and Goldbergh, warm weather options from Pucci and Missoni, and loungewear from brands including Brunello Cucinelli and Ralph Lauren.

Two photographers, two sides of the season

Andre is known for portraiture and campaign imagery that focuses on movement and human connection, while Osborne works across several formats with a playful, tactile approach. According to Farfetch, the pairing reflects two sides of the holiday period: dressing up for oneself and finding a gift for someone else.

Doralice Belli, senior head of commercial go-to-market at Farfetch, described the campaign as "a celebration of individuality and choice." She added: "Our edits bring together small luxuries, rare collector's pieces, timeless gifts and unexpected finds, alongside outfits for every kind of celebration or holiday escape, reflecting the different ways our customers celebrate around the world."

New packaging for Farfetch First orders

Alongside the campaign, Farfetch has redesigned its delivery box. Orders shipped through Farfetch First, the company's premium next day delivery service in Europe, will arrive in the new packaging.

The holiday campaign and its curated edits are available globally on the Farfetch website.

New York Men’s Day (NYMD) is accepting applications from emerging menswear and genderless designers for its 27th season, which will open New York Fashion Week in February 2027.

Designers can apply through an online form at newyorkmensday.com until Friday, November 6, 2026.

The event is a platform dedicated exclusively to emerging men’s and genderless talent. It features eight to 12 designers, each presenting in an individual studio designed around their label’s identity and inspiration. Presentations run simultaneously across two two-hour sessions, with four to six designers in the morning and four to six in the late afternoon. Media, buyers, influencers and VIPs can move between studios and spend time with the designers.

NYMD covers 85 percent of presentation costs for each selected designer. Participants also receive media coverage, the chance to show their work to potential buyers and opportunities to network with industry professionals, according to the organisers.

The biannual initiative was founded in 2014 by Agentry PR, a New York-based marketing communications agency that Erin Hawker founded in 2010. The agency specialises in the fashion, lifestyle and entertainment sectors.

Bruno Pavlovsky has resigned from the board of directors of Chanel Limited. The executive will, however, retain his key operational roles as president of the house's fashion activities and president of Chanel SAS, the house confirmed to FashionUnited.

Governance overhaul

This decision is part of a broader strategy to overhaul the company's governance. The house of Chanel clarified the objective of this restructuring: “This latest development marks the completion of the Board's transformation towards a composition of independent directors, bringing a diversity of expertise and external perspectives, while maintaining management representation through Alain Wertheimer as global executive chairman and Leena Nair, global chief executive officer.”

The 63-year-old Bruno Pavlovsky is the last of a generation of long-standing senior executives to remain in his position following the arrival of Leena Nair as global chief executive officer in 2021. His withdrawal from the board represents the latest development in a succession plan established five years ago by the Wertheimer family, who own Chanel.

As WWD notes, under the leadership of Leena Nair, the company has seen the departure of several industry veterans, including John Galantic, who served as president and chief operating officer of Chanel Inc. from 2006 until 2023.

Beyond the house of Chanel, Bruno Pavlovsky also plays an important role in the French fashion sector, having held the position of president of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) since 2022. He also serves as an independent director for the Accor group, a major player in the hotel industry.

In terms of performance, the house of Chanel returned to growth in 2025, driven by demand in Europe and the Americas. The company reported revenue of 19.3 billion dollars (up 3 percent, and up 1.8 percent on a like-for-like basis and at constant exchange rates).

The Spanish Retail Textile Association (ARTE) has established a strategic framework agreement with ESIC Corporate Education to expand specialized executive training, talent recruitment, and workforce retention across Spain’s fashion retail sector, according to an article published on World Footwear. ARTE, an industry body representing major global retailers including Inditex, Primark, Mango, and Tendam, will collaborate with the corporate training division of ESIC Business & Marketing School to address evolving commercial and operational demands within the domestic market.

The partnership centers on designing tailored corporate curricula, specialized seminars, and executive education tracks focused on critical operational domains such as digital transformation, supply chain management, e-commerce integration, customer experience, and sustainable practice implementation. Under the agreement, personnel from ARTE’s member organizations will gain prioritized access to ESIC’s master’s degrees and specialized executive training modules. Furthermore, the initiative establishes a direct talent pipeline connecting ESIC students and alumni with career pathways within Spain's leading apparel companies, alongside hosting joint industry forums to evaluate emerging European Union regulatory shifts and consumer shifts.

The collaboration illustrates an increasing reliance on institutionalized corporate-academic alignment to mitigate structural skills gaps within the apparel management ecosystem. As European fashion retailers navigate stringent environmental compliance mandates, multi-channel logistics complexity, and digital commerce maturation, structured executive upskilling ensures that workforce capabilities align directly with modern enterprise requirements. For ESIC, formalizing ties with dominant industry stakeholders reinforces curriculum relevance and enhances graduate placement infrastructure within the high-volume retail sector.

Higher education institutions are restructuring coursework to meet rising demand for technical fluency in digital garment design and virtual environment integration, according to an article published on Sheen Magazine. As fashion houses expand into gaming, augmented reality, and virtual assets, academic centers are introducing specialized curricula to bridge the gap between physical apparel construction and digital-only creation.

Programs such as Ravensbourne University’s digital technology pathway and the University for the Creative Arts’ postgraduate digital fashion degree reflect an institutional shift toward training designers who can engineer 3D garments without physical material constraints.

Beyond degree offerings, scholarly research and digital archiving are formalizing the study of digital fashion ecosystems. Academic conferences and thematic journal publications have laid foundational frameworks for analyzing how information and communication technologies intersect with traditional apparel design.

Google Arts & Culture’s We Wear Culture initiative

Concurrently, heritage preservation projects such as Europeana Fashion and Google Arts & Culture’s We Wear Culture initiative demonstrate how archival fashion history is being digitized to democratize access for global researchers and students.

The institutionalization of digital fashion education carries long-term strategic implications for talent pipelines, sustainability metrics, and commercial monetization. By decoupling garment creation from raw material supply chains, virtual design training addresses pressing waste reduction goals while establishing new revenue streams across non-physical markets, including non-fungible tokens and interactive media.

For higher education providers, embedding virtual tailoring and blockchain asset creation into core curricula is increasingly vital to ensuring graduate viability in an evolving luxury and apparel market.

US athletic brand Under Armour and London-based designer Feng Chen Wang presented their collaborative Rebel Daughter collection in Shanghai on October 14, 2026.

Following the initial announcement of their long-term creative partnership at Paris Fashion Week in June, the event marked the collection’s first full presentation in China. The runway show featured performance fabrics integrated with Eastern structural elements, including Ruyi knot closures, Chinese standing collars, tassels, asymmetrical construction and streamlined tailoring.

The range draws design direction from a dual interpretation of the Chinese phonetic concept ‘WU’. The creative framework balances martial strength, referencing the protective discipline, power and speed of martial arts, alongside dance, which incorporates the rhythm and fluidity of contemporary dance. Offered in a colour palette of black, Kona brown and red, the apparel pieces are engineered to transition between training activities and casual wear.

“My initial inspiration came from how clothing connects with the body and moves with it,” said designer Feng Chen Wang. “What truly connects Under Armour and Feng Chen Wang is a shared understanding of the power of the body, expressed through both performance and self-expression. Through Rebel Daughter, we hope to inspire more women to move, express themselves and stand on their own terms, while staying true to themselves and recognising one another.”

The collaboration also introduces its first footwear iteration through a updated version of the UA Flare silhouette. Featuring a black-and-white colorway, cushioned midsole and patterned rubber outsole, the shoe is designed to support daily urban movement.

The UA x Feng Chen Wang collection is scheduled to launch later this year in Singapore at the Under Armour Brand House at Orchard Central, Underarmour.com.sg, and retail store Limited Edition.

The YKK London Showroom Award is back for a second year, returning after a hugely successful launch in 2025. Ten finalists have been selected, and the winner and runner-up of each award will be announced at an exclusive event at the YKK London Showroom on 22 October.

The award builds on the showroom’s decade-long role as a creative hub for designers and students. Opened in Shoreditch in 2015, near the historic textile centres of Whitechapel and Spitalfields, it offers workshops, bespoke services and practical support to help emerging creatives bring their ideas to life.

Launched in 2025, the first edition attracted more than 70 applications and selected ten finalists, whose work was showcased during the showroom’s tenth-anniversary celebrations. Building on that success, the 2026 award once again challenges students to use YKK fastening products in original and imaginative ways.

The 2026 competition is open to students at any UK college or university, as well as 2026 graduates of fashion-related degrees, including fashion, textile, accessory and jewellery design. Entry was free, with applicants supported through a series of workshops held from June to August.

“I am absolutely delighted to be able to welcome YKK London Showroom Award again this year, following the momentous inaugural edition.

As one of the judges I looked through every single project applied for this award, I found the standard of the work is remarkably high and I am fairly satisfied with the 10 finalists’ items. I promise an exciting evening is expected on the 22nd.”

This year’s programme features two awards. The YKK London Showroom Award offers a £2,000 prize, while the Kei Kagami Award, funded by Kei Kagami Ltd., offers £1,000. A runner-up for each award will also receive their choice of YKK products worth up to £100.

YKK is proud of its Japanese heritage, and it shows in how the showroom works. Founded in Tokyo in 1934, the company is guided by the CYCLE OF GOODNESS® philosophy: "no one prospers without rendering benefit to others". Supporting emerging designers is one way that philosophy is put into practice. The showroom's design, led by Kagami who used to be an architect, reflects the same heritage. It brings an industrial "ironworks" concept together with influences from Japanese Noh theatre.

The winners and runners-up will be revealed at an exclusive event from 6pm to 9pm on 22 October at the YKK London Showroom, 154 Commercial Street, London E1 6NU. The evening will bring together the finalists from both awards, with the judges sharing their perspectives on the shortlisted projects and winning designs. To learn more about the YKK London Showroom, follow @ykklondonshowroom on Instagram.

About YKK

YKK is a global leader in fastening solutions, renowned for its commitment to quality, innovation and sustainability. With operations in more than 70 countries and regions worldwide, YKK provides, fastening products and architectural solutions that support a wide range of industries. As a long-standing partner to the sports, outdoor and apparel sectors, YKK works closely with brands to develop high- performance products that enhance functionality, durability and design. Through continuous innovation and collaboration, YKK helps shape the future of the industries it serves.

Indian label Margn, founded by Saurabh Maurya, has been named the winner of the eighth season of the R|Elan Circular Design Challenge, according to a press release shared by Reliance Industries Limited. Finalized during a showcase at the Embassy of France in New Delhi as part of the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, the global platform recognized designer Anil Padia’s label Yoshita 1967 as runner-up.

Developed by Reliance Industries’ R|Elan initiative alongside Lakmé Fashion Week and the United Nations in India, the challenge evaluated over 220 international applicants to select designers who successfully integrate circularity, scalable supply chain principles, and material innovation into modern design.

Margn’s winning collection balanced contemporary design aesthetics with circular material choices and construction methods, securing a cash prize of 16,000 USD and a dedicated showcase slot at Lakmé Fashion Week in March 2027, according to a press release shared by Reliance Industries Limited.

Runner-up Yoshita 1967 focused on marrying cultural heritage and traditional artisanal techniques with responsible design frameworks, earning a 5,000 USD prize and tailored mentorship from sustainable fashion advocate Orsola de Castro. The international finale panel—which included executives from the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, Vogue India, and the United Nations—judged candidates on commercial scalability, material exploration, and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The integration of diplomatic bodies, luxury federations, and major textile manufacturers highlights an evolving framework for fashion education and emerging designer incubators. By offering structured mentorship, global showcase opportunities, and exposure to international cross-cultural trade, platforms like the Circular Design Challenge provide critical templates for academic institutions.

Integrating such real-world sustainability criteria, material testing capabilities, and commercial viability standards into design curricula helps bridge the gap between traditional fashion education and the operational demands of a circular textile economy.

Interview

Parisian brand Tressé, specialising in prêt-à-porter and homeware, is opening its first store in Madrid, expanding its international presence. Number 52 Claudio Coello Street in the Spanish capital now becomes its second destination outside France, following Milan, where the brand previously had its only international establishment.

LIM College in New York City and ESMOD Paris have partnered to launch a new dual-location Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Fashion Design and Business, according to details released by LIM College. The four-year program is structured to bridge the persistent gap between commercial strategy and creative design by splitting instruction across both global fashion capitals. Students will complete their first and fourth years at LIM College’s campus in Manhattan, while spending their second and third years in France studying garment construction and design at ESMOD Paris.

The curriculum blends foundational business disciplines with intensive technical craftsmanship. During the initial year in New York, coursework focuses on core fashion business principles, marketing, and industry fundamentals. The two-year tenure in Paris shifts heavily toward technical design, studio production, patternmaking, and collection development under ESMOD’s established design pedagogy. Students then return to New York for their final year to complete advanced business management coursework, undertake corporate internships, and build a capstone fashion collection.

This cross-border collaboration addresses a well-documented talent shortage in the apparel sector: mid-to-senior executives who possess both quantitative business acumen and technical design expertise. By institutionalizing study abroad directly into a four-year degree rather than offering it as an optional semester exchange, the partnership offers a streamlined model for global fashion education. As commercial brands navigate volatile supply chains and evolving international markets, programs that integrate cross-cultural immersion with dual-discipline mastery reflect a strategic turn toward preparing versatile, job-ready graduates.

At the beginning of August, FashionUnited speculated what kind of consequences the European Union’s abolishment of the duty-free exemption for low-value packages may have. The replacement with a transitional flat-rate customs handling fee per tariff classification line resulted in parcel volumes dropping overnight while bulk inventory movement surged. This means that ultra-fast retail platforms have merely shifted their volumes from individual parcels to bulk warehouse stock. For the European supply chain, this means adapting to a permanent baseline of regionalised, high-density distribution.

Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter has launched a fashion advisory board featuring designers behind Collina Strada, Luar and Brandon Blackwood, as it expands support for independent fashion creators through its one million dollar Culture Fund.

Madrid – Madrid-based fashion brand Byan is gaining international scale and visibility following the opening of its new London store on October 13. It is the brand's first permanent store outside of Spain, expanding both its retail network and its sales operations in international markets.

Woolrich Europe will stop producing new garments containing animal fur for the European market from January 1, 2027, following a campaign by animal protection organisations calling on the outdoor apparel brand to adopt a fur-free policy.

The announcement follows calls by the Fur Free Alliance (FFA), which said supporters sent Woolrich more than 200,000 emails and staged demonstrations outside its stores across Europe. The brand is reportedly also working to extend its commitment beyond Europe.

Woolrich Europe, which was acquired by BasicNet last year, joins around 1,700 fashion brands and retailers participating in the FFA’s Fur Free Retailer Programme and aligns itself with competitors like Canada Goose, Moncler, Napapijri and Parajumpers, which have also moved away from fur.

In a statement, Thomas Pietsch, responsible for animal welfare in textiles at Four Paws, an FFA member, welcomed the decision, stating: "More brands are recognising that consumers expect stylish and functional products that do not rely on animal suffering.

"This commitment sends a strong signal to the industry and the EU Commission at a time when policymakers are considering the future of fur production and trade in the EU."

The move comes as the European Commission prepares its response to the Fur Free Europe citizens’ initiative, which gathered more than 1.5 million signatures calling for an end to fur farming and sales in the EU. A recently published economic report cited by the FFA also found that an EU-wide fur farming ban would be cheaper than investing in higher welfare standards for animals farmed for fur.

British fashion brand Fred Perry has become the global apparel partner of the Davis Cup by Generali. The partnership was announced by World Tennis, the tennis governing body formerly known as the ITF. Under the multi-year agreement, Fred Perry will dress the ball kids and officials at the Final 8 from 2026 and at all qualifier ties from 2027, bringing its laurel wreath logo back to professional tennis courts.

The partnership builds on a historic link. Fred Perry, the player behind the brand, won four consecutive Davis Cup titles with Great Britain between 1933 and 1936 and still holds the British record for wins in the competition, with 45 victories.

The brand, founded in 1952, will mark its 75th anniversary in 2027 under the creative theme 'Fred Perry Retold'.

World Tennis chief executive officer Ross Hutchins highlighted the opportunity to celebrate Perry's legacy. Fred Perry managing director Richard Gilmore pointed to the shared values of the brand and the competition: tradition, national pride and style.

The 2026 Davis Cup by Generali Final 8 takes place from November 24 to 29 in Bologna. Italy, winner of the last three editions, will compete for the title alongside Czechia, Canada, the Republic of Korea, Great Britain, Germany, Austria and Spain.

Spanish fashion giant Mango has promoted Marlies Hersbach. The current chief online and customer officer, who is also a member of the executive committee, will take on the position of chief people officer from January 2027, the Spanish company announced on Wednesday. In this role, she will report directly to CEO Toni Ruiz and will be responsible for the entire human resources department.

“With Marlies Hersbach at the helm of our human resources department, we aim to align our corporate culture and values even more closely with our business strategy and the needs of our company,” said Ruiz. “This also underscores our ambition to further develop Mango as an international company. Her appointment also represents something that is particularly important to us: promoting internal talent and further empowering women in leadership positions.”

Hersbach's predecessor, David Payeras, will leave the company in January 2027 to pursue new professional challenges. He will ensure a smooth transition with his successor over the coming months, the statement said.

With Hersbach, Mango is promoting a manager from within its own ranks. Before joining the Spanish company in 2020, the Dutch national worked for French companies such as Kiabi and Pimkie. She started at Mango in 2020 as international retail director. In 2024, she took on the role of e-commerce executive director before being appointed chief online and customer officer and joining the executive board in July 2025.

“Taking on responsibility for the human resources department is a new and exciting challenge for me, which I am very much looking forward to,” said the designated chief people officer. “In my previous roles at Mango, I have repeatedly experienced that it is the people who make the difference: our teams, their collaboration, and our shared corporate culture. I want to build on that.”

Japanese fastening manufacturer YKK has published 'This is YKK 2026', its latest integrated report covering its progress, performance and priorities in the 2025 financial year (FY2025). A key milestone was its Natulon zipper series, which uses recycled materials, reaching 56 percent of YKK's global zipper sales volume, up from 3 percent in FY2019.

The report outlines achievements and future priorities under the YKK Sustainability Vision 2050, which is organised around five themes: climate change, material resources, water resources, chemical management and respect for people.

"Since formulating the YKK Sustainability Vision 2050, we have continued to advance initiatives under its five themes," said Koichi Matsushima, president of YKK Corporation. "In FY2025, YKK was named to CDP's Climate Change 'A List' for the third consecutive year, and the Natulon zipper series accounted for more than half of our global zipper sales volume. These results demonstrate progress while underscoring the work ahead, including further reductions in CO2 emissions and expanded use of renewable energy."

Zippers designed for recycling and repair

Across the Natulon series, recycled polyester is used in the zipper tape, and in some products also in additional specified components. YKK said it has expanded production across its global manufacturing network while maintaining product quality, functionality and supply.

The company is also developing fastening products with recycling and repair in mind. The Natulon Plus Fiber Sourced Zipper with Recycled PET Open Parts, which is currently under development, uses fibre-derived recycled PET in specified components and aims to maximise mono-material construction, so that the zipper can be recycled together with the garment. YKK is also expanding its revived renewal components, which allow zippers to be repaired without replacing the entire zipper.

Both product lines have received international recognition. The Natulon Plus zipper was selected as a Top 5 item in the Accessories category of the ISPO Textrends Awards 2025, while Revived Replacement Elements for Vislon zippers received the iF Design Award 2026.

New award for circular design

To mark the 25th anniversary of the YKK Fastening Awards, the company introduced a Circular Design Special Award in FY2025 to identify and nurture talent that can help advance circular fashion. Kanade Konno of Bunka Fashion College received both the new award and the Grand Prix in the Apparel category for 'Re Tree', a design that uses zippers to enable garment disassembly and repair.

Water, chemicals and compliance

Among the other FY2025 results, YKK received the highest 'A List' rating in the CDP Climate Change questionnaire for the third consecutive year and was named a CDP Supplier Engagement Leader for the fourth consecutive year.

Water intake totalled 9.234 million metric tons, a 19.4 percent reduction compared with FY2018. YKK added four new water recycling facilities, bringing the total to 19 sites.

On chemical management, YKK informed suppliers about the 2025 version of its Restricted Substance List, conducted compliance surveys covering 1,798 companies and introduced InCheck reports for ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List compliance assessments at 34 companies.

Under the YKK Global Criteria of Compliance, the company carried out self-checks at all 48 applicable locations and third-party onsite audits at 21 locations. YKK has also begun applying the TNFD LEAP approach to analyse the connections between its production sites in Japan and abroad and nature and biodiversity.

The report is published together with an accompanying Data Book containing detailed financial, non-financial and ESG information.

Creative agency collective Platform6 announced on Wednesday the acquisition of Without Production, a Milan-based company specialising in the design and production of fashion shows. Platform6, which already operated in the luxury events sector through its entities Marcadé and Superbien (an agency specialising in the creation of moving images), now adds fashion show management to its expertise. Through this transaction, the group expands its geographical reach, building on its presence in Paris, New York, Shanghai, Dubai, Monaco and now Milan.

London-founded denim brand Pepe Jeans, part of Spanish fashion group AWWG, has released the third drop of its fall/winter 2026 collection. The range builds on the brand's denim lifestyle aesthetic with a focus on effortless dressing.

The campaign was photographed by Charlie Gates on Kelly Street in London's Kentish Town and features models Jamie Riselay and Tayte Bramley-Naipaul. Warm tones and expressive styling set the visual direction, which the brand says reflects the character and energy of the city.

Denim fits and layering

For men, the FW26 Drop 3 includes baggy, relaxed and slim-fit jeans paired with trucker jackets with shearling collars. Women's jeans come in baggy, straight and regular fits, balanced by soft chiffon shirts and fluffy knits.

The womenswear edit leans into layering with denim biker jackets and waxed cotton coats, alongside checked shirts, wool dresses and patterned cardigans that reference the brand's heritage. Loose sweaters, ribbed tops and fluid printed shirts with embroidery and tassel details complete the line-up, in a palette of trail brown and burgundy red with touches of coral and ice blue.

Menswear builds on essentials such as corduroy trousers, casual shirts and crew-neck sweaters. Details including half-zips, bold stripes and button closures add structure, in shades of bottle green, off-white and mocca brown.

Fabrics and footwear

The drop combines classic denim, cotton twill and wool blends. Footwear includes suede and leather boots in ankle and knee-length styles as well as sturdy walking boots, with a suede clog embellished with metal studs and the brand logo as the key piece.

The collection is available online, in Pepe Jeans stores worldwide and through selected wholesale partners throughout the season.

Trend forecaster WGSN and its colour-centric partner Coloro are looking ahead to AW28/29, unveiling five key colours expected to influence consumer industries in 2028 and beyond. The selection includes Bloodstone, Liminal Yellow, Elemental Verdigris, Healing Turmeric and Smoky Amethyst.

The palette explores how colour is becoming a more intentional choice as consumers seek emotional grounding, self-expression and resilience while approaching a new decade. According to WGSN, purchasing decisions are increasingly shaped by emotional return on investment, sincerity and longevity, prompting colour strategies to balance stability with moments of delight.

The five shades, selected from Coloro’s library of more than 3,500 hues, reflect themes of human connection, restorative wellness and optimism, while offering versatility across different aesthetics and seasons.

Speaking on the selection, Gemma Riberti, director of colour, materials and finishes (CMF) at WGSN, said: “This is a season where intentional contrast and the overall need for human anchoring were particularly significant: consumers will be navigating the threshold of a new decade, and this sense of liminality informs the palette. Duality, versatility and trans-seasonality lead the colours, allowing them to adapt across contrasting pairings to take on shifting personalities.”

Bloodstone (011-27-26)

Selected as the anchor shade of the season, Bloodstone is a deep, iron-oxide red intended to evoke a sense of intensity and reconnect consumers with what makes them feel alive. The shade reflects the tension and contradictions of an unpredictable world, while emphasising the importance of human presence and emotional connection.

Liminal Yellow (046-75-28)

Drawing cues from the hit A24 horror film Backrooms, Liminal Yellow holds a transitional existence that reflects the tension between comfort and unease, as well as the possibilities that emerge during periods of change.

WGSN identified the shade as relevant to younger consumers influenced by internet culture and experiencing digital fatigue. Its hazy appearance serves as a counterpoint to sensory overstimulation, while its versatility allows it to appeal across aesthetics.

Of the hue, Riberti said: "One of the most interesting conversations we have had in the workshop for this AW selection includes Liminal Yellow. The name speaks for itself: it is defined by being ‘in-between’ two shades and two states, it is able to convey both familiar warmth and a slightly unsettling, subversive quality. Liminal Yellow resonates strongly with younger generations that draw from collective internet culture with a sense of digital fatigue, and its haziness helps counterbalance the sensory overstimulation.”

Elemental Verdigris (091-55-12)

This weathered blue-green shade responds to growing interest in restoration and the search for calm in an overstimulating world. Its depth looks to convey a sense of preservation, suggesting objects that have been purposefully maintained and cared for over time. The colour therefore aligns with consumer interest in longevity and tangible evidence of quality, offering a visual expression of products designed to endure.

Healing Turmeric (030-70-36)

Healing Turmeric introduces a luminous yellow-orange hue to the palette, combining vibrancy with a sense of reassurance. The shade is intended to encourage confident action and signal new beginnings as consumers approach 2029. According to WGSN, its balance of energy and comfort reflects a desire for optimism without sacrificing emotional stability.

Smoky Amethyst (146-36-10)

Smoky Amethyst is a dusky purple that bridges contrasting moods through its multifaceted appearance. Associated with spirituality and calm, the shade is positioned as a way to create a sense of sanctuary and soften the senses. Its qualities make it suitable for products and immersive environments designed to offer comfort and escapism.

TFG London, owner of Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight, and Swedish fashion retailer H&M Group are investigating separate cyber security incidents, adding to growing concerns over attacks targeting the fashion industry ahead of the peak trading season.

CTR Group, the owner of fashion rental platform Hirestreet and resale marketplace Thrift+, has launched Zoa Group, bringing together its circular retail businesses under one umbrella to help brands recover value from unsold stock.

Joe Browns chief executive officer Dawn Bannerman has stepped down from the fashion and homeware retailer with immediate effect, with her departure confirmed in a Companies House filing.

Bannerman, who was appointed CEO in February 2024, is leaving to “take up a new opportunity”, according to a statement shared by the company to the media, including Drapers. The search for her successor is underway, with the executive team assuming her responsibilities on an interim basis and reporting to the board.

During her tenure, Bannerman oversaw a period of customer growth and investment in the retailer’s digital capabilities. Joe Browns also expanded its offer through the launch of plus-size clothing and advanced its use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data.

“I am proud to be leaving the business in a strong position and with a clear platform for its next chapter,” Bannerman told the media. She added that she had valued working with the team and was grateful for her time at the business.

Joe Browns chair Michael Truluck added: “Dawn has led Joe Browns through an important period of change, broadening our range with the launch of plus size and growing our customer base. She leaves the business well positioned for its next chapter, and she goes with our thanks and very best wishes.”