FashionBrandAnalysis

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WORLD WRAP

ontrary to the earlier predictions,Cthe average family with childrenin grades K-12 has completed almost half (48 per cent) of their shopping as of early August, slightly down from last year (50 per cent) as per NRF’s recent survey. “It is evident that many families are still considering price and value when shopping for their Back-to-School and college needs.Shopping early and often, is a trend we have seen from many budget- conscious consumers over the last few years. In the weeks ahead, parents will take advantage of the aggressive deals that retailers will offer as they get ready to welcome the Fall season merchandise,” confirms Matthew Shay, President and CEO, NRF.This year parents are expected to spend an average of US $ 673.57 on electronics, clothes and notebooks, compared with US $ 630.36 spent last year. In total, parents of kindergarten through 12th-grade students say they will spend US $ 27.3 billion on school supplies this year, up from US $ 18.4 billion in 2007.To tap consumers, retailers are providing an array of products from a US $ 195 headband to a US $ 1 glue stick catering to all consumersegments. Such is the case that luxury brands like Kate Spade that are known for its luxury handbags are also offering gold-accented staplers, monogrammed planners and US $30 ballpoint pens to help raise sales during the increasingly important BTS shopping season. The discount retailer

A look at Back-to-School 'Season' once againBTS spending to reach US $ 75.8 billion

As always retailers have vied for the consumers’ attention by rolling out early promotions and luring the price-conscious consumers; and this year it seems to be no different with brands pushing Back-to-School (BTS) sales as early as possible. According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, the BTS spending for K-12 and college is expected to reach US $ 75.8 billion, up from last year’s US $ 68 billion as the average family is anticipated to spend more freely on school and college supplies this year.

SUSTAINABILITY

between 2013 and 2016. Issues highlighted were discussed with many stakeholders like Associations/Councils/NGOs/Governmental Institutions such as Labour Department etc. On the issue of child labour, the report says, “Various stakeholders agree that child labour is generally not visible in garment factories, although it is still present in smallestablishments (10-15 workers) and in textile

low wages and violence against women, and enhance social dialogue. The Foundation is also involved in training for supervisors.Recently, FWF organized a national stakeholder roundtable in Delhi where the India Country Study 2016 was presented and the way forward discussed. For this report, the initial audits were conducted in apparel manufacturinghubs like Delhi, Noida, Tirupur and Karnataka

WF has been active in India for the last 13Fyears and its 40 members (mostly

those infashion and sportswear) source from more than 160 Indian factories. Of these factories, 45 per cent are located in north India, while 55 per cent are based in south India. FWF provides training through its Workplace Education Programme (WEP). In next four years its strategic partnership activities in India aim to combat

‘NO CHILD LA BOUR; NO DIS CRIMIN A TION’ IN INDIA N A P P A RE L INDUS TR Y : FWF

Finally comes a report by an NGO that projects positivity for the Indian apparel industry. Fair Wear Foundation (FWF)India Country Study 2016, in a detailed 56 pages report, states that there is no child labour in the country’s garment industry today, a stark difference from the situation that was alarming in year 2000. Similarly, the report also gives thumbs upto fair practices claiming that there is no discrimination either on religion or caste, and women are paid equal wages for equal work. According to the report, there have been no worker complaints ondiscrimination in employment in India. Although the report does have some strong opinions on several industry-related issues, it is heartening to see that at least it reflects some good points which are in fact the strength of the industry.

Recently, Denim Project that produces garments made from 98 per cent denim waste haslaunched a kickstarter campaign to raise US $ 177,000 by September. The amount raised will be utilised in buying machinery, source waste fabric and convert it into fibreso that it can later be converted into garments. This project aims to save around 183,000,000 litres of fresh water. “The purpose of my engagement in Denim Project has, from the start, been to change our production, to show how ‘easy’ it is to save water and the environment. My dream is to set a positive footstep within my

Li & Fung, the global leader in consumer goods design, development, sourcing and logistics has recently joined the Foreign Trade Association(FTA) as its latest member. As part of the FTA’s sustainabilityservices, Li & Fung has selected its international trade policy services

reach. I think that should be the goal for everyone. Especially the ones fortunate enough to have kids,” informs Jesper Kejser, Founder- CEO, Denim Project.A great initiative to cut down textile waste, this campaign further focuses on sustainability as up to 15 per cent of fabric intended for clothing are wasted during the cutting process.According to experts, this estimated waste can provide every person on the planet three new T-shirts per year and contains enough water that could have supplied 25 million people annually, which equates to38.5 billion litres of fresh water. The Denim Project was founded to make

and has become a participant of the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI). “Li & Fung is committed to responsible sourcing and to its engagement with BSCI, whose benefits include, social audits of the supply chain, training activities and dialogue with stakeholders,” revealed the FTA.

a change by creating garments by cutting waste, thereby becoming the most resource-neutral denim brand in the world. All those fabrics that are discarded by brands is sorted

Currently, FTA has a membership of more than 1,800 businesses who are committed towardsmore sustainable trade and demonstrate trust in FTA, to prepare businesses for the challenges of the future. “With the proliferation of tradeagreements and new sustainability

out by colour, re-fibre and spun into yarns and then Denim Project adds 2 per cent stretch to the 98 per cent wasted fabric and designs a new brand line.

regulations, keeping on top of these important issues remains a continued challenge. FTA will help us maintain our knowledgebase in the EU and ensure we stay ahead of the market as it evolves,” informs Rick Darling, Head of Government and Public Affairs at Li & Fung.

Kickstarter campaign to raise US $ 177,000 for Denim Project

Li & Fung joins FTA

R E L O C A T I N G F A C T O R I E S T O

N E W E R P A S T U R E S … , T H E D E B A T E C

O N T I N U E S

ver the last one month I have had someO really gruelling interactions with

varioussections of the industry – from big exporters to medium level players to technology providers to consultants and even people in the corridors of power. The topic was one – ‘relocating factories to newer pastures’. And thoughthere is a consensus on the fact that growth can no longer happen if companies continue to operate in metropolitans mostly due to the increasing cost of real estate, continuously rising wages and scarcity of workers. What is interesting is that most players are not really motivated to shift base and Governments have little or no idea on what needs to be done to attract investment in new areas…; actually they know very little about the industry.The investors’ meets that states are holding have become a fashion statement…; all that they talk about is how much investment has been promised. I was also invited to the Odisha investors’ meet held in Bangalore recently…, but the response was very lukewarm from the garment industry…, obviously the focus was on the big-ticket industries.One thing I am very sure of is that the garment industry has as yet not been able to impress upon the Government the importance of this industry in fulfilling the prime national agenda of generating employment that is the top priority of every political party, whether in power or not. Nowhere do we see the stalwarts of this industry sitting at important industry

problem of unemployment can be eradicated… Is there a comparison…? I tried to explain this to the industry’s Secretary at the Centre, but it elicited no response.The Governments also don’t seem to understand that a garment factory cannot exist in isolation; there has to be a synergy with other ancillary inputs – from fabric to accessories to value-added services to logistics and even infrastructure, to accommodate the huge worker base that would be employed.Has any effort been made to understand the industry…? How many meetings have been organized to know ground realities from the ‘horse’s mouth’ as they say… If anyone knows of such efforts do let me know.Some requirements can be sourced from outside…, but what about skilled labour; and it is not only about sewing operators, it is also the pattern masters, the embroidery machine operator or screen printers. One company cannot have all of them in-house, there hasto be a pool of skilled workers in and around the areas… We need training centres, hostel facilities, medical facilities and other basic amenities to ensure that workers are ready for the job, which is performance-driven. But, then there is also the management; why wouldanyone be ready to go into the interiors, unless there is some level of comfort.Governments are announcing one Apparel/ Textile Park after the other but companies are not interested… Has anyone ever tried

platforms or being asked opinions on budget and other critical policy discussions. We are the ‘tailors’ who have made it big!I have repeatedly said that every advanced economy in the world has grown on the back of the garment industry…; it is the only commercial activity after agriculture that has the potential to employ large number of people on small investments and with just 30 days of training. I am surprised that states that are trying to entice garment companies to set up factories in their territory are still clueless about this reality. What are still important are the big figures in terms of investment and not the number of jobs that can be created.Why would any garment manufacturer invest Rs. 100 crore to start a factory, when a much smaller investment is enough to get a factory up and running, while generating larger employment opportunities? Since we all know that an investment of Rs. 1 crore has the potential to give employment to 120 people, generate export business of Rs. 1 crore and give employment to another 120 people in the support industry… Which other industry can boast of this strength!Take the case of the car industry or other high-ticket industries… An investment of Rs. 12,000 crore in general generates 7,000 jobs in the main factory and another 7,000 jobs in the ancillary units… With this kind of investment in apparel manufacturing the

WHY WOULD ANY GARMENT MANUFACTURER INVEST RS. 100 CRORE TO START A FACTORY, WHEN A MUCH SMALLER INVESTMENT IS ENOUGH TO GET A FACTORY UP AND RUNNING, WHILE GENERATING LARGER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES?

LEAD STRATEGY

before closing in on machinery. The scarcity of middle-management, especially on the shopfloor, is a huge factor to build in. Having said all that, this is still an industry that keepsone on toes with its distinct quirks. And for somebody who has been long enough here, like me, I wouldn’t like to be anywhere else. It is fulfilling, jobwise and especially when one looks at the huge contribution to society and the contribution to the upliftment of women especially.”Broadly the incentives or enticements required by a new entrepreneur from the Government are free, or the land is nominally priced; subsidised uninterrupted electricity and water supply, also subsidised travel facilities or adequate bus facilities for employees and hostel facilities for employeesto be built and managed by the Government. Wage rate, which is a major attraction to these areas, should be frozen or nominally increased yearly for the next fiveyears, and providing CETP facilities and other facilities as may be mandatory by law to run a garment unit. Nothing that cannot be provided, yet Governments of many states are either not getting the formulae right or are not making a genuine effortto understand the nuances of the industry, which makes it different from many other industries.Yet not everyone is convinced that moving to a new place is a good strategy. “Even if the Governments of certain states are giving incentives, why would I move from Bangalore which has the right ecosphere to ensure production of my product category to the satisfaction of the buyer,” argues Sanjeev Makhija,

Naseer Humayun (L), MD, Indian Designs with his CEO Ravi Kumar

MD, Goldenseam who manufactures casual bottom wear with many special washes and finishes. His logic is echoed by other companies that are making value-added products. They all expressed concern of getting the right workers with years of experience,and by understanding of the craft will I get workers and companies that understand my product and deliver at my terms in a new place,” echo many other similarly placed exporters. Itis important that the Governments evolve to understand the requirements of the industry before the confidence can be built that moving to anew destination will be a smooth transition.The concern of finding a compatible ecosphere to work in at a new place is for real. Some companies have already burnt their fingers in the process.Also managing factories far away from headquarters can be difficult as the management of both Richa Global and Pearl Global discovered through their ventures into interior Karnataka years ago. The area people are talking about most of late is Andhra Pradesh where the Government has taken a very pro-active approach. After the failed attempt to invite industry to the state some years ago, fresh effortsare on with a better understanding of the industry and many companies are showing interest. Among them is Bangalore based Indian Designs, which is among the companies that has taken the bold step of setting up a factory in Bangladesh also. The company has a factory coming up in Hindupur in AP, near the Karnataka boarder, even Madura is buildinga factory in the region that has an Apparel Park, facilities of which are supported by State Government.

Developing a new centre for an industry is always a challenge, but when the industry is the apparel industry, which not only entails many variables, but also involves huge human resource management, the task is a wee bit tougher. Picking up the challenge, the Government of Odisha is very keen to establish the garment industry in the state and is willing to go the full distance to understand the special needs of the industry and create a business environment that is flexible, responsive and compliant to the growth of the industry. Team Apparel Online, led by Deepak Mohindra, Editor-in-Chief,recently met and discussed the uniqueness of the industry with Sanjeev Chopra, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Government of Odisha and Sanjay Kumar Singh, Commissioner cum Secretary, Skill Development and Technical Education and CMD, Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation. The positive and passionate attitude of these top officers was very encouraging for the prospects of the industry in Odisha.

“There are no real success stories for apparel parks and we are aware of the critical areas that hamper the development. So we want to pre-empt and address the issues...”– Sanjay Kumar Singh, Commissioner cum Secretary, Skill Development and Technical Education and CMD, Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation

“We have been talking to stakeholders in the garment business and have realized that acommon policy format for the textiles and apparel sector is not viable, as the need of both sectors is very different.”– Sanjeev Chopra, Principal Secretary, Industries Department, Government of Odisha

Odisha, the next frontier for apparel manufacturing!• Proactive Government takes the lead• Bhubaneswar the nerve centre for new

cluster• Shahi and Madura already in the state

LEAD STRATEGY

“There was one thing that stood out and that was the number of companies interested in sustainable fabrics, agood news for us as this just happens to be in our DNA,” says Thomas Dislich, Managing Director, VICUNHA TEXTIL for Europeand Asia.

Government of India is planning to set up a ‘green’ textile park in Chhattisgarh with an investment of around Rs. 12.26 crore. TheChhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC) has already identified a land parcel spread over 30 hectares in Raipur

VICUNHA TEXTIL, a Brazilian denim expert, is content with its participation in apparel trade fairs as it noted good response from the visitors, particularly for sustainable denims.“A good selection of customers, mix of loyal customers and new once visited our booths, while some were closing deals on Spring/ Summer 2017, others were making their final selections for Autumn/ Winter 2017-18. We look forward to a successful ongoing season.The athletic range is still growing from strength to strength with

district for the development of proposed park.The park will comprise solid waste management practices, rain water harvesting with treated water supply system, storm water management, and a common effluent treatment plant. The proposed textile

article ‘Squash’ remaining a firm new favourite now with additional options considered in textures such as article ‘Spinning’. Dark looks were in demand and so too were denims with more character in the warp, a definite vintage revival,” said Thomas Dislich, Managing Director, VICUNHA TEXTIL for Europe and Asia.“There was one thing that stood out and that was the numberof companies interested in sustainable fabrics, a good news for us as this just happens to be in our DNA. We find ourselves

park is also envisaged to house a testing laboratory, design centre, training centre, trade & display centre, warehouse/raw material depot, and packaging unit. The project is aimed to provide ‘one-stop’ integrated facilities with manufacturing support, welfare and common

working with many companies who are now actively promoting their products as such. As the largest individual consumer of BCI (Better Cotton Initiative) cotton coupled with the fact that VICUNHA creates zero landfill, we had much to offer. Of course three selected garments that we chose from the UdK – University of Arts Berlin, students project ‘Denim Otaku’, that we ran earlier in the year, attracted much interest as visitors marvelled at their creativeness with VICUNHA fabrics,” hefurther added.

infrastructure facilities to the prospective textile industries. It may be mentioned here that the Indian Government has also approved projects worth Rs.99 crore for the upgradation of key industrial infrastructure in Chhattisgarh which will further uplift the sector.

Government to set up ‘Green' Textile Park in Chhattisgarh

VICUNHA TEXTIL content with its participation in apparel shows

India's cotton import likely to double this yearIndia, which is world’s second largest producer of cotton, is looking to explore overseas market for cotton import as the country’s cotton production is expected to fall by 12 per cent to 33.8 million bales in the year ending September 30, 2016, according to India’s Cotton Advisory Board.The fall in domestic production during the current year was mainly due to the back-to-back years of drought and an outbreak of damaging pests. Even though India received a strong amount of overall rain during the monsoon period in the current year, lackof early rain when the farmers needed the most, has proven to be the matter of concern. While the country has already procured around 1.5 million bales of cotton so far, another two million bales are expected to be imported.India has also reportedly signed contracts for additional 4,00,000 bales. These imports will double the country’s total cotton imports this year. However, B. K. Mishra, Chairman of Cotton Corporation of India assured, “Cotton purchases from abroad will not go beyond 2 million bales.”

Niche products from Design 2100 Inc

A variety of products was offered by Mahesh Carpets

Sweet Dreams, Realistic Utopias, Happy Manifesto and Exquisite Temptation are trend directions from Shanghai.

H2F

Known as Asia’s leading home textile event, Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles at the National Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai, China witnessed almost 1,150 exhibitors from 30 countries. The four-day long show was organized in 1,60,000 sq. metre area spread across six halls. The mega show was dominated by Chinese exhibitors as well as Chinese visitors but it also witnessed 22 Indian companies which includes giants like BSL Ltd; Alps Industries Ltd; D Décor and some medium level or emerging companies from across the nation. Though the fair was comparatively slow but exhibitors are of the opinion that it is one of the best ways to enter the Chinese market where people have enough money to buy. Apart from China, the event was also visited by buyers of few other countries.

he show was segmented intoTcategories like upholstery

fabrics,bedding & towelling, digital printing, designer studios and sun protection systems & window accessories.Helping buyers make sense of all the sourcing options on offer, domestic exhibitors either feature in product categories, regional pavilions or in specially zoned halls. The Glamorous Brands Hall featured some of China’s leading home textile, brands, such as Jinhua Textile, which has more than 500 franchise partners and over 3,000 partner stores throughout China. It displayed embroidered curtains and screens and more at the fair.While The Taiwan Textile Federation and Taiwan Weaving Industry Association pavilion feature a wide range of upholstery and blackout fabric, exhibitors in the India Pavilion focused more on handcraft home textile products. “Arrangements at the fair were good but visitors were dominated by Chinese, while I was expecting some US or European buyers which were missing. This fair is not conducive for our productsand was thus a total failure for us,” says S. Jagadees, Sri Jothi Impex,Karur. The company displayed a wide range of home furnishingproducts in 100 per cent cotton mainly.

Universal Overseas, Delhi too had similar opinion, and was not happy with the overall response of the visitors. “We have a complete range in home segment and we displayed handloom items which are hard to copy but we did not get the response we anticipated,” said Ram Gopal of the company.Among the regular participants at the event, Delhi-based Mughal Art Traders however, had a better experience at the fair. “No doubt

the fair was not as enthusiastic compared to last year, but I must say that this event is meant for those who are willing to work with Chinese buyers, and they must have some niche which can sell in China. In my opinion the Chinese market is giving better opportunities than Europetoday. Chinese have more money than Europeans and less expenditures.As labour cost is increasing in China, niche or hand-made products are being imported rather than

Fair Review: Shanghai,China

Intertextile Shanghai Home Textiles, Gateway to Chinese market

and Nature

aking inspiration from the world of art and thedesire to disconnect from technology and unwind,T designers this season have gravitated towards a

palette that is first and foremost calming. Paying homage to the beauty of natural resources, colours emerging in the spring collections are also inspired by the contrast of urban design and lush vegetation, leading to unexpected colour combinations and collections reminiscent of architecture, travel and nostalgia. By creating looks that truly represent the world we live in, both constructed and organic, designers sought to awaken a sense of reflection, followed by playful escapism. Artists, many of whom are known for bold colour usage and strong shapes and lines, played an influential role in this season’s styles. Team FFT explores the five shades that will shape the year’ssummer collections…

Spring/Summer '17 Colour Directions

Playing with the colours of Calmness

The soothing, calming nature is led by Rose Quartz, a blush shade that is persuasive, yet has a gentle tone that conveys compassionand a sense of composure. This quintessentially feminine colour is everywhere for resort, from head to toe. Like a serene sunset, flushed cheek or budding flower, designers like Delpozo and Apiece Apart created relaxed looks with long gowns and dresses. Rose Quartz reminds us to reflect on our surroundings during the busy but light-hearted like spring and summer months.

Rose Quartz

The high energy Fiesta is a harbinger of excitement, encouraging free-spiritedexploration to unknown but welcoming locales that represents a bright orange shade that borderline on red. A strong and fiery, yellow-based red, the vivid Fiesta provides a stark contrast to the calming, softer nature of this season’s palette. Mugler offered a sensual off-the-shoulder dress with slits whereas, Tibi went for a casual yet striking look, using the shade only on the sweatshirt and styling it with wide-legged striped pants.

While the majority of the spring/summer palette trends lean towards calmness, a few diversions from the theme emerge that offer a contrast. With Buttercup Yellow designers reveal a shining beacon transporting its wearer to a happier, sunnier place where they feel more alive. Rochas went for an out-and-out look with a sunflower colouredcut-out coat, on top of a yellow printed dress. Adam Lippes put the shade in focus with oversized yellow pants in satin, worn with a navy knit sweater.

Fiesta

Buttercup Yellow

Weightless and airy, like the expanse of the blue sky above us, Serenity comforts with a calming effect, bringing a feelingof respite even in turbulent times. A transcendent blue, Serenity provides us with a naturally connected sense of space. Thom Browne merged this soft shade with other pastels, like pink and mellow yellow on a patchwork shirt and long skirt. Jil Sander’s interpretation was more basicas she paired a billowy-sleeved peasant top and a knee-length skirt boasting of gathers on the waist.

Serenity

A transitional colour that will take us through the seasons, Teak manifests as another strong neutral for the season. With its natural earthy quality, the softness and subtlety of thisshade creates a stable foundation when combined with the restof this season’s palette. Chanel presented a beautiful knit dress and matching sweater in the shade that made it give off a beach vibe and Red Valentino’s collection featured a leopard print satin skirt and a Teak coloured sweater on top.

Teak Brown

Shoulder pee-ka-bowOne-shoulder tops and dresses saw a huge resurgence this season, thanks to the recent comeback of pretty bows. However, the bows were just not a decorative item.A continual strand of the fabric was tied on the shoulders creating gathered and ruffle like structured bows. Isabel Marant, shoulder bow style defined a knotted bow on a black satin mini dress glided with ruffles, while Alexiz Mabille played

The Big Bow Galore!

At the end of a long season’s runways shows, international designers have given the fashion industry a superlative list of styles. One of the biggest styles to hit the runway this Fall season is something sweet,dainty and oh, so ladylike– bows galore. From neatly tied to fringed to beaded, bows in allsorts of shapes, sizes and varieties are popping up everywhere from, tops, sleeves to the shoulder of dresses. Statements bows were displayed in designs suited to any taste; the big bow game was strong while still remaining authentic. Tallying things up from the international influences, Indian exporters have got a high and are ready to mark this style for their new collection to prove how sexy showing off bows could be.

This season the bow has supplanted any delusion that it belongs exclusively in the Thatcher era or upon the twee headsof mawkish Disney characters. It’s no longer just an emblem for girlish style, instead having been revived in all mannerof shapes, sizes and varieties to become the new ‘it’ embellishment for Fall 2017. In sync with the industry’s recent preoccupation withfemininity – think dreamy ruffles and a spate of Victoriana inspired collections – this season beautiful bows combined the ethereal with the flamboyant.

with big satin bow strands hailing till the waist. Moschino vamped a bow with a frill covering an arm and the other accentuating theshoulder with an embellished brooch entrancingly resting on the chest.Shalini Bisht, Director, Bits and Pieces, discussing the bow trend for Fall said, “The bow trend is visible but not only as an accessory; and for our Fall ’17 collection we have garments with statement bows, both on the short and long dresses. The satin strands are extending from one side of the shoulder of the dress that tie in a huge beautiful bow; these bows not only beautify the garment but add an elegant vibe to the dresses.Bow-full-sleevesFor a unique arrangement, many sleeves seen on the runways had no other details except the bowsinterestingly clinging to the elbows, cuffs and other areas of the sleeves. Alexandre Vauthier added a delicate detail of big bows on an embellished sheer maxi dress providinga sensual appeal to the inner outerwear trend. Dolce and Gabbana took the stage adding fuller loose bows detailed with statement buttons to the cuff covering the entire wrist. Marni added a similar detail, giving a slight twist. These bows stayed fixed above the elbows, stretching firmly to the placement creating a puffy sleeve pattern extending from the elbow and getting wider and puffier at the wrist. Zakir Hussain, CEO, Cotfab, who is creating causal and formal shirts for women informs, “Bow add beauty to the garment. We

have gone slightly different this time, by adding mocked and fixed bows on cap sleeved tops. Formal shirts too have subtle fancy bows on the cuffs with statement buttons. These small detailing have made the designslook versatile and preferable by the international markets.”

Bow blotchSidelining every other style,designers like Marc Jacobs, Viktor Rolf and Ronald Venderkemp chose to emphasize heavily on the

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bows! Sinfully intricate, translated mostly in duo colours, delicate and big bows were seen overlapped and ruffled on the garments. Few in gauzy organza tied up to look fluffy and large against the chest while some just bunched either on the waist or on the neck. Double bows appear at Viktor Rolf, again in gauzy net material against a transparent frilled dress, while feline print come into play with bunched tied up bows all overthe dress at Ronald Venderkemp.

Blingy big bows embellished with sequence appeared at Marc Jacobs, amusing the audience to no end. Puneet Rishi, Director,Aspiration Clothing sharing his thoughts on the same said, “Bows are on demand for international markets. There are bows inmany of the designs. Following the trend from international runways, we are using bows in a similar fashion. And this time the bows have gone bigger, having the uncanny ability to evoke bold and vibrant look at the same moment. Then just as quickly itcan be transformed into subtle and understated looks.Pretty bow dressSurprisingly bows found another perfect yet uncommon influence on Fall runways which no longer stayed restricted to a specific garment area; however the whole garment looked like a huge bow framed with intricate craftsmanship. Designers like Moschino, Maison Martin and Giambattista Valli decoded their tops and dresses with vivid folding and gathering styles. The gallant creations appeared like huge bows resting on the body. Mini bra tops were prudent on the runways declaring unique aesthetic appealto the glamour, mini jacket by Maison Martin with centre knotting and ties clasped the hands to the body accentuating the silhouette of the garment!Holding the bow style high for the season, exporters seem lured and are ready to use them irrespective of

their sizes. Ravi Poddar, Director, Cheer Sagar concludes, “We are developing new range of designs in small bows which are still holding its significance in the garment. Arriving with the concept of everyday styling, bows are being used in a muchmore mature and elegant way in comparison to the archaic placements and sizes, which signified them only as an accessory.” Rounding up the queue of styles, it turns out to be evident that bows galore will remain as one of the most called-off style for the Fall collection.

THIS TIME THE BOWS HAVE GONE BIGGER, HAVING THE UNCANNY ABILITY TO EVOKE BOLD AND VIBRANT LOOK AT THE

SAME MOMENT. THEN JUST AS QUICKLY IT CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO SUBTLE AND UNDERSTATED LOOKS.

For a unique arrangement, many sleeves seen on the runways had no other detailsexcept the bows interestingly clinging to the elbows, cuffs and other areas of the sleeves.

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with the spirit of this season’s venue – open tothe public where the collection will be available to buy following the show’s finale. The label joins the likes of Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger and Tom Ford, which have also announced plans to shift to thesee-now, buy-now model.

interesting world nowadays because the customer wants more of an individual identity. But he also wants timeless, soyou are always balancing on that line.”

Topshop discloses changes for next showTopshop’s forthcoming Spring/Summer 2017 show will adopt the see-now,buy-now model, the brand revealed this morning as it announced its new Runway-to-Retail initiative. Customers will be able to purchase selected pieces from the Topshop Unique collectiononline and in certain stores immediately after the show on September 18, which this year, is heading east. Takingplace in the London landmark Old Spitalfields Market, the brand will also host a pop-up stall – in keeping

Haider Ackermann joins BerlutiHaider Ackermann is the new Creative Director of Berluti, the brand has confirmed. Ackermann, who has helmed his eponymous label – which counts Tilda Swinton and KayneWest among its famous fans – since 2003, will show his first collection for Berluti during the Autumn/Winter 2017 menswear shows in Paris in January. Known for his contemporary signature style of layered designs and his use of draping, Ackermann will bring a fresh approach to the luxury brand, which was founded in 1895as a footwear label and launched its first ready-to-wear collection in2011. “It just felt right,” Haider said. “Like having a new lover. Menswear

is a very

Oscar de la Renta has appointed Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia – the design duo behind label Monse– as the new Co-creative Directors. “We are beyond thrilled to go back to the house where we learned the fundamentals of fashion from Oscarand the business of fashion from Alex. Having further learned so much this past year with Monse, we will apply all of those lessons to expand the vision that this amazing house has already established,” Kim and Garcia said.Oscar de la Renta CEO Alex Bolen commented: “For many years, Laura and Fernando worked here directing our design teams. Oscar respected their talent, and their work with him

brought tremendous critical acclaim and success to the company.” Kim and Garcia’s first collection for the brand will be for Autumn/Winter 2017.

Oscar de la Renta appoints new Creative Directors

The only thing better than one interesting print is a bevy of them, pieced togetherto make up the season’s must-have pieces. Fausto Puglisi infused two different floral prints half-and-half on a short full-sleeved dress, whereas Christian Diormerged three different patterns of mini-florals on loose slip dresses.Alexander McQueen took it a notch higher by incorporating 5 to 6 different patterns,

each used on a different panel of the garment. Carven used different fabrics to display the mixed media trend and so did Altuzarra, with various textures.

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Carrying forward the fight for change and transparency in Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) – an official body ofIndian apparel exporters – for the ‘sake’ of small- and medium- level exporters, a team has been created to give a strongcompetition to the old team in the upcoming elections of AEPC’s EC (Executive Committee) members.Elections are to be held in the end of this month. Flag bearers for the ‘change’, JL Sehgal (Kiran Associates, Gurgaon) and Rajiv Kapoor (Affordable Exports, Delhi) have already started campaigning with their teamand fellow exporters. The team, contesting the elections, includes names like Naresh Sadh, AK Dyeing, Noida; Zakir Hussain of Cotfab India, Jaipur; CD Mehta of Shah Originals, Mumbai; TR Vijaya Kumar of CBC Fashions; Raja M. Shanmugham of WarsawInternational; and Muruganatham of Gomathy International, Tirupur.

Apparel manufacturing units in Bangalore (Karnataka) arefacing the heat of strikes/bandhs with 5 bandhs in the last 50 days which have seriously impacted the business. There are more than 800 apparel manufacturing companies in Bangalore which have their units in and around the city. The bandh on 9th September was a complete shutdown to protest against theSupreme Court decision to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.Public transport was paralyzed in the city, both Government and private vehicles were hardly seen on the roads. Surrounding areas like Bellary and Hassan is impacted similarly.

“Future of AEPC is with us, we will win and change the AEPC for the benefit of all exporters,” said Rajiv Kapoor. The team is enthusiastic with the response it is getting from the member exporters of the council as they have ensured them of their vote and support.

These member-exporters are the apparel exporters and AEPC members who have the voting right to elect EC members of the council. Generally, AEPC has around 8,000 members across the country, but out of them only 900 are member exporters – 373in Delhi-NCR, 190 in Tirupur, 122

loss due to such issues, there is no solution or option in front of us. We can’t take risk and open factories whenever bandh is called for.”Will these kinds of bandhshave any long-term impact on Bangalore’s apparel industry…? Answering this critical question, P Radhakrishnan, Head-Karnataka State Council, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) says that Cauvery issueis quite an emotional issue for the people of Karnataka and it is hard to say how long the impact of the issue will continue to cause disruptions. Just 4 months ago, in April, there was violence due to change in PF withdrawal system.

The Bangalore garment industry offers employment to 5 lakh worker, and industry experts analyse that such bandhscause loss of about US $ 15.38 million (Rs. 100 crore) per day to apparel exporters. More than this, due to delay in production,last minute air shipments create much headache for the garment exporters.“These bandhs are causing delays in delivering shipments on time. We are just about managing, but if it continues, than it would be a huge loss to us,” said Pratap Kumra, MD, Wonder Blues. Adding more to this Atul Ruparelia of Maestro Fashion says, “Overall there is massive

AEPC Elections: New team to give tough fight

Apparel Industry in Bangalore facing heat of bandh

in Mumbai, 85 in Jaipur, and rest in other apparel manufacturing hubs like Ludhiana, Kolkataand Chennai.Team Apparel Online has the inside information that the announcement of this team and its impact have created a buzzand apparel exporters in all major hubs are now keen to vote this time, unlike previous years. The team is also spreading the letter of Secretary, Ministry of Textiles to the Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, highlighting the present mess created by the management of AEPC.Online voting for EC members’ selection process will commence from 27 to 29 September 2016. The 37th AGM of AEPC will be held on September 30, 2016 in Delhi where the results will be announced.For filing the nomination, last date is September 16, while last date to become a member exporter (eligible for voting) is September 23, 2016.

Promotional poster released by new team during the campaign to win the AEPC elections

Even on the 12th September, some of the factories were closed down 2 hours earlier due to violence, but on the 13th September, there was a complete shutdown. Exporters are helpless, andare just waiting and watching for the situation to calm down.

ROSL scheme to boost apparel export cleared

No impact of strike on apparel factories

In a bid to support Indian apparel exports, Revenue Department of the country has started the process to operationalize the Rs. 5,500 crore (US $ 846 million) Rebate of State Levies (ROSL) Scheme from September 20 (and will remain effective for next three years).Under this scheme, exporters will be compensated for state levies. As of now, apparel exporters get only duty drawback on the central levies imposed during the process of manufacturing goods for exports.Earlier, the Cabinet had cleared Rebate of State Levies (ROSL) on export of apparel to refund the state levies which were not refunded so far. It will provide for remission of state levies in

In a move to demand better wages and protest against the Government’s changes in labour laws, trade unions of India called upon nationwide strike on September 2, but fortunately no impact was seen on apparelfactories as almost all the units are running smoothly in all the hubs of the country.Apparel Online confirmed the input from exporters invarious apparel manufacturing hubs like Delhi-NCR, Jaipur, Tirupur, Bangalore, Ludhiana and Mumbai. All of them deniedabout any impact of strike and only some impact was observed on work due to closure of (some) banks and transportation services in various parts of the state. However, bus services crumpled due to strikein Bangalore which caused some

addition to the duty drawback scheme on export of garments on an average basis only. Also a part of the process to operationalize the scheme, Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC)has stated that officers who are designated as Drawback DDOs at the respective Customs locations are to be designated as the DDOs. The scheme is in line withthe recognized economic principle of zero rating of export products and in recognition of the fact that at present only central levies are rebated by way of the drawback scheme. The rebate will bedisbursed from budgetary allocation of Ministry of Textiles using the Customs EDI System.

issues there, and the impact of bandh was quite visible.Earlier it was said that the possible fallout of the strike could mean a complete shutdown of all the factories, excluding Government offices and medical shops. Experts say this shows that even workers understand what is feasible, rather than just supporting unions blindly.It may be mentioned here that minimum wage for unskilled non-farm workers of the Central Government has recently been increased to Rs. 350 a dayfrom the current Rs. 246 (up 42 per cent) while the unionsare demanding minimum wage of not less than Rs. 18,000 per month. However, states are free to follow this decision of Central Government.

to the normal 3-machine setup. The consolidated machine also requires less space and takes the same time that the current set ups take.Though most of the companies represent international brands, one company that stands out as a true representative of the ‘Make in India’ movement is Krishna Lamicoat. The company is known for its cutting room accessories like specialty papers and films. The most recent addition is the sustainable film made from used packaging material, which was tested for the first time at the fair. The company has always invested in R&D and is today exporting their products to many

countries. “We are expanding our factory and adding capacity as the cutting room in manufacturing units is getting more automated and many factories who earlier considered cutting solutionsas cost, now realize the actual saving they are making on fabric. This has expanded our market,” averred Ashok Chhajer, Director, Krishna Lamicoat.Though the event was a success, the participants did point out that due to slow market conditions many projects that were expected to seal the deal at the event did not happen…, yet the silver lining was the interest that exporters and the domestic manufacturers showed for new technology.

D. Anandakumar, (extreme right) Executive Director (Asia Operation), Morgan Dynamics, explaining the nuances of his technology to Naseer Humayun and Ravi Kumar of Indian Designs

The Vibemac team led by Kevin Reddy, Sales and Production Manager (third from left) at the Turel booth

Review Gartex India 2016A GOOD BEGINNING WITH QUALITY VISITORSGartex India 2016, organized at Pragati Maidan, Delhi by MEX Exhibitions, proved that a good and organized fair has many takers. Though the debut show was mainly focused on digital printing, but it also had few exhibitors from other segment like machinery for stitching, machines for value addition, fabric manufacturers and accessories. The biggest achievement of this well- managed show was the good quality visitation from across India and the Delhi-NCR in particular.Team Apparel Online too met many exporters,domestic brands, medium level manufacturers, teams of industrial engineersand merchandisers at the fair, looking for relevant technology. Exhibitors as well as visitors were on the whole satisfied with the show, though it was small and many requested fora bigger show next time. “We are very happy with the feedback, and satisfied that so many visitors came in. We will carry on withthe show and make it much bigger and wider in its product offerings over the next two years,” said Gaurav Juneja, Director, MEX Exhibitions.

he USP of the first ever GartexTIndia show was the presence

of all big companies of digital printing withtheir latest models (from entry level to high speed industrial use) be it Mimaki India, DCC, NEGI Sign Systems & Supplies Co., Apsom Infotex, Apsom Technologies,MS Orange, Arrow Digital, Tanya Enterprises, Britomatics India or Monotech Systems, to name a few. Visitors too took the repertoire of digital offerings enthusiastically. Commenting on the same,Ravi Poddar, MD, Cheer Sagar, who had come in from Jaipur said, “Sampling is becoming difficult and is costly too as far as traditional printing is concerned, so digital printing is good andis the only option for us.” The company is expected to install a digital printer in the next onemonth. Achyutananda Nayak, IE, Choudhary Fashions, Jaipur was also a visitor to the show with his team. Who added, “As of now our digital printing job-work is being done from Mumbai and we are planning to do it in-house very soon.” The company has upgraded some of its machines recently.Vikas Jain and Manish Chopra, both VP – Merchandising, Monte Carlo Fashions Ltd., Ludhiana were also busy exploring digital printing as the company is planning to add two to three digital printers in the near future. The company is focusing moreon fashion along with its regular basic products to strengthen its portfolio.Many good exporters from Jaipur visited the show as a part of Garment Exporters Association of Rajasthan (GEAR) delegation. Some of them were of the opinion that as more and more companies are offering digital printers, prices are now little more competitive and more choices are available. The team also liked laser marking and cutting machines and wished to add it in their products as engraving on denim fabric is a big craze.

The growing trend of digital printing seems a concern for companies working on other segments of value addition and these companies are now also planning to add digital printersto their facilities. Satish Chand, Swastik Embroideries, a well-known job-worker of Noida opines, “In the long run, digital printing may affect our business as it is a growing trend.” The firm is planning to add more branded and advanced embroidery machines also. Not only the user, but even companies like Baba Textile Machinery, Delhi who is selling more than 1,000 embroidery machines per year, has plans to add digital printers in his portfolio of offerings. Murari Lal Parasurampuria, Owner of the company said, “We are talking to some Chinese companies of digital printers to represent them in India. It maytake one year as we are quite busy

Sanjeev Kumar Mehan (second from right), Senior Manager (Order Control Group), YKK India interacting with the visitors

Parvesh Gorshi (L) and Rahul Gupta of High Heads, Chandigarh exploring fabrics

Gaurav Juneja, Director, MEX Exhibitions

imaki, the Japanese leaderM in digital printing

solutionsis completely geared up to grab the Indian digital printing market. The group, targeting to achieve a turnover of US $ 1,000 million in next 10 years, is expecting 300 per cent growth in textile and apparel segment and is sure that India will play an important role to achieve this target as it takes India as themost important market. Recently the company initiated Mimaki, India Pvt. Ltd. (MIPL), the new international subsidiary of Mimaki Engineering, to facilitate its growth. Top management of the company including Kazuaki

Ikeda, President, Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd. (Japan); Tomohiro Ikeda, MD, MIPL; Mandar Nalawade, Director, MIPL and many other officials of the company gathered in New Delhi on the occasion of opening ceremony of the office of MIPL, which is its first office in India. The company is looking at expanding its base in the country with more offices in future. The Western region will be serviced by an office in Mumbai, which is also goingto be a textile lab centre. Training facilities and various printers of the company will be available here. Later such offices will be opened in other textile hubs of India.Talking exclusively to Apparel Online on this occasion, Kazuaki Ikeda said, “India is a very important market for us. We are expecting almost US $ 100 million worth of business from India in the next few years.” Sharing the company’s vision and future planshe added, “The company will offer newer products and give best services to its customers. In this endeavourwe hope to introduce our first 3D printer to the industry within the next one year.” The India Team of Tomohiro and Mandar is very upbeat and confident of prospects. “We are quite enthusiastic about further installations of Mimaki printers in

India as we are getting good response about our printers. We are expecting very good growth in all the hubs of India,” averred Mandar.The company already has more than 1000 installations (in all segments) in India and in the last 10 months it has installed almost 150 printers. The company has also launched its Proseries (belt type direct-to-textile inkjet printers) which includes Tiger-1800B, Leopard-1800B, and Fox-1800B, in India. At the recently held Gartex 2016, the newly launched printers were highly appreciated by the visitors.Though many players are entering into the digital printing segment, MIPL is undeterred by competition. Thecompany does not see Chinese printers as competitors despite the pressure on prices being created by these printers. Whereas European companies are concerned, Mimaki’s association with LA Meccanica is a strength as someof the products are from Europe as well. “In this regard we are in lead compared to all the companies,” says Mandar.The office and showroom/demo centre in New Delhi is very impressive.Spread over 3,000 sq. feet, the showroom is centrally located in the capital and there are 12 printers displayed here which are for sign graphic/industrial printing and sublimation printers for textile. The corporate office of 2,000 sq. metres is in the same building. This office will help the customers and the company to coordinate better. The office includes a spare parts store and takes care of all-India operations including assisting distributors, all marketing activities will be managed from here. The company associates like Insight Print Communications, Angel India Cad Cam etc. were also present on this occasion and appreciated the company’s support.

Mimaki aggressive for Indian market;opens office and showroom in Delhi

Besides developing new products and supporting sustainability, Mimaki is taking special care of its environmental footprints, be it use of UV LED printing technology (for saving on energy) or in providing greener inks.

(L to R): Team Mimaki – Rakesh Bhatia, Kazuaki Ikeda, Tomohiro Ikeda and Mandar Nalawade

Tomohiro Ikeda, MD, MIPL proudly stands with the newly launched Tiger-1800B printing machine

everything immediately, they are saying – ‘not tomorrow but yesterday’. Local offices will help a lot in this way too. Once GST rates are finalized, things and processes will be clearer and hopefully easy, than we will expand more aggressively in all the possible ways as currently ‘C’ form is a big issue for us.”Kesavar is enthusiastic about its thread division as it produces quality sewing thread that has made its presence felt in the industry. “Our thread (for knits as well as woven) quality is same compared to any international thread company. Many top thread companies of India have visited our facility and want to work with us but they have condition of work with them exclusively, which is not acceptable to us as we have to sell our own thread directly to our regular users. We are looking for international players that don’t have manufacturing facility in India for collaboration. We are hopeful to have such collaboration in near future. Once it happens, we will grow much faster. In Tirupur we are supplying our thread to more than 1,000 factories and all of them our satisfied with the quality,” he says.Though Kesavar feels that he is lacking just because of not having buying house nomination which few other thread companies, especially multinationals have, but he surely

aving its own dyeing unit withHZLD and a strong

technicalknow-how is an edge, claimsKesavar Senthil, CEO of the company. Sharing his strategy and future plans with Apparel Online, Senthil said, “We have clients across India; so in next few years we will have our own well maintained offices (like showrooms as well as stockists) throughout India, be it Delhi, Mumbai or other such apparel manufacturing hubs. We are starting with Bangalore, as very soon we will have our office there. It will help us to serve our clients better, as well as to increase our foot prints in Bangalore market. Decreasing lead time is a challenge for all and exporters need

believes that sooner or later his company will also have the same. “Buyers are now little open on this front and believe on supplier’sguarantee/undertaking later which we are also providing,” he says.Having the advantage to do production of all its offerings in proper and organized way, the company hasa large customer-base across the country. It is among the few accessory manufacturers that follow compliance norms completely, offering Oeko-Tex certified accessories too. The company is also agent of Uflex (basic raw material for sequin) and witnessing good demand of double colour sequin. Many top exporters of Tirupur are working with the company for such products. The company is also focusing more on its interlining now.About the growth and further business opportunities, he is quite enthusiastic. “We are making our company strong as a brand, so more and more garment manufacturers can believe us. Every year we areachieving 30 per cent growth. Our own dyeing factory proved a good support for us and it helps us to grow by 50 per cent,” he avers. Timely payment collection is the only challenge for which Kesavar is concerned and he suggests that there should be some system for accessory providers also like exporters have LC.

One-stop solution is a commonly used term in apparel and textile industry to describe operations having a wide spectrum of products and services, be it raw material or variety of readymade garment. Most companies dealing in accessories are also moving in the direction and getting good growth also. Tirupur-based Venkatachalapathi Traders, parent company of Mithra & Company/ Rainbow Inc/Dharniss Traders, is also such a group which is offering ample variety in accessories like sewing threads, buttons, sequin, zippers, gum tape, spot lifter, needles, cutting equipment, finishing products and is growing in multi-directions.

Kesavar Senthil (C) with C G Ramesh, GM Marketing (L) and Manoj Pandey, AGM- Marketing of Uflex Ltd., Noida

Venkatachalapathi TradersPLANNING F OR AGGRESSIVEMARKET OUTREACH

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