New business degree makes sustainability its starting point (Guardian)
Launching in September this year, the One Planet MBA is the first UK business degree created jointly by a business school and a non-governmental organisation, the global conservation charity WWF with 5 million members. It aims to train a generation of leaders to revolutionise business from the inside.”
H&M launches new eco collection (Telegraph)
“We’ve moved on from the days when we shouted about our wardrobe’s eco-credentials. Concepts such as Fairtrade, ethical and sustainable are now part of a contemporary consciousness that eschews cheap, fast fashion made by children in sweatshops using chemical-rich cotton. We are what we wear, just as we are what we eat – but we now expect what we wear to be fashionable, too.”
Going, Going, Almost Gone!! (Vogue UK)
“Annie Lennox is a great woman (that’s not new news, I know). She set up The Circle – a group for Oxfam – and the Oxfam Curiosity Shop at Selfridges has become its central fundraising event […] I wore a black number with a scooped low back that I’d actually bought from the Curiosity Shop (Britain’s biggest charity pop up shop!), during the day. There’s no questioning its style pedigree: it was donated by Jane Shepherdson, CEO of Whistles. That’s the thing about the Oxfam Curiosity Shop – the donations are from serious fashion sources.”
Survey reveals nine in 10 people would not wear real fur (Independent)
“Nine in 10 people would not wear real fur despite it making a comeback on the catwalk, according to research today […] In the poll for the RSPCA, 95 per cent of people said they would refuse to wear real fur and 93 per cent thought products should be clearly labelled as real or fake fur. More than half told the pollster TNS that would not buy an item without such labelling.”
Kate Middleton’s Royal Wedding Dress, Designed by Alexander McQueen’s Sarah Burton, Features Local, Handcrafted Details (Ecouterre)
‘“I am delighted that the dress represents the best of British craftsmanship,” Burton said in a statement. “Alexander McQueen’s designs are all about bringing contrasts together to create startling and beautiful clothes and I hope that by marrying traditional fabrics and lacework, with a modern structure and design we have created a beautiful dress for Catherine on her wedding day.”’
Japan earthquake leaves lasting impact (Just-Style)
“As the tragic results of Japan’s earthquake and tsunami continue to unfold, it is clear that the impact on business will be far-reaching too […] While exports of Japanese cars and electronics are suffering badly, imports of fashion goods are expected to falter as the country’s huge retail market puts spending on ice.”
Fast fashion: Is the party over? (Telegraph)
“Following on from H&M’s shock results in the final quarter of 2010 which saw profits fall 11 per cent, fashion comparison website Stylecompare.co.uk has today reported that year-on-year sales of ‘low end’ retailers fell by 21 per cent, as consumers flock to ‘mid range’ and eco brands for their fashion fixes […] And it’s not just bad news for sales. The number of people returning ‘low end’ items has also risen by almost 30 per cent, suggesting that consumers expect more for their money.”
Brits online fashion sales continue to grow (Fibre2Fashion)
“Some said there would be no substitute to the changing room, but new research from Mintel finds sales of online fashion have soared, increasing a staggering 152% over the last five years alone to 2010. Indeed, in the last year alone, over one in three (35%) Brits brought their clothes at the flick of a switch, up from 26% the previous year.”
Asos to fund UK manufacturing apprenticeships (Fashion United)
“Now news has come that the UK’s biggest online retailer, Asos, are making big strides to improve homegrown manufacturing skills. Asos will fund the UK’s first National apprenticeship in Fashion and Textiles, linking with Fashion Enter, which was set up in North London last year and now produces 50,000 garments for Asos a week, including complex designs such as a 3D-textured Asos dress.”
Quality comes first (Drapers)
“With the market in a state of flux, Drapers commissioned research on behalf of Cotton Council International (the body which promotes the use of US cotton) to investigate what’s at the front of consumers’ minds when they are considering fashion and other textile purchase decisions […] We wanted to know how important quality was to them in their purchase decisions, how closely they equated quality with price, and whether they were more or less interested in fashionability and seasonality than they were a year ago. We also wanted an indication of their fashion spending habits.”
