Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
Marks & Spencer “doubling down” on growth plans for UK men’s formalwear market
It was refreshing to hear this week that M&S is “doubling down” on its growth plans for men’s formalwear as it looks to increase its current 18% market share of the sector in the UK. Especially given every brand and retailer under the sun, even traditional tailoring retailers, started pinning all their hopes on ‘athleisure’ ranges during the pandemic. Of course, there’s always going to be a market for sweatshirts, hoodies and joggers, especially as a lot of people continue to work from home, at least some of the time. But the old “the suit is dead” line was rolling off the tongues of fashion commentators a bit too hastily – and not for the first time. The same people who are probably now proclaiming “long live the suit!”
As Richard Price, Managing Director for Clothing, Home & Beauty at M&S, said when addressing the retailer’s own current “reset” of tailoring: “Formalwear has been modernised away from the ‘uniform’ of suit, shirt, and tie. In its place, there is greater demand for more style, softer and less structured tailoring.” Softer and less stuffy tailoring silhouettes are nothing new, of course, but there’s also some pretty sharp looks coming out and, once again, men appear to be aspiring to dressing up, rather than down.
M&S is not leading the charge back into tailoring by any means, but this new drive to increase market share tells us that it must be reacting to the preferences of its customers. It has even invested £3.1 million in improving its free suit service, available at 44 stores across the UK – with over 200 trained suit fitters. Not only that, with wedding season upon us and summer events aplenty, M&S is bound to be shifting some serious suiting units.
Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor
Hugo Boss signs David Beckham for multi-year design partnership
BOSS has announced a multi-year design collaboration with David Beckham, marking a first-of-its-kind partnership for the menswear brand. It’s smart move from the company that I’m sure will attract customers, allowing it to capitalise on the former Manchester United and England footballer’s stardom.
The strategic partnership will include capsule and seasonal collections designed and curated by Beckham, which aim to harness his lifelong style credentials in all stages of the ideation and design process. The collections will embody Beckham’s signature style as well as the brand’s premium lifestyle positioning. The focus will be on both formal and casual menswear, with the first collection coming out for SS25. However, Beckham is already set to appear in the brand’s global campaign for AW24. I certainly look forward to seeing this partnership develop and the benefits it produces for the brand.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
In My View by Eric Musgrave: Is fashion extinct?
In his latest musings for us, columnist Eric Musgrave discusses whether a lack of care when it comes to personal presentation might be as much to blame for the downturn fashion is experiencing as the cost of living crisis. As with much of what Eric says, I am inclined to agree.
The influence sportswear has had on the fashion market has been hugely positive. I love the level of comfort and much of the styling that has been taken from sports and injected into everyday fashion and footwear. However, what I think it has led to is this notion some have that joggers and sweats are acceptable attire for all occasions.
Like Eric, I find myself often lamenting the lack of care that some people take in their personal appearance at times – and to be clear this has nothing to do with money or being head to toe in formalwear every day. It’s about people not taking the time to dress with consideration and respect, for themselves and for the situation the find themselves in. I fear for many this art and practice has been lost.
Can we rediscover it? I hope so. Fashion has the ability to make us look and feel better and, for me, it has been one of life’s great sources of joy and pleasure. Goodness knows we all need a bit of that right now.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
The Brand Group comes to Roksanda’s rescue
The slowdown in luxury demand sandwiched with various debts incurred during the pandemic has seen luxury labels face hardships as of late. We witnessed the collapse of Matches earlier this year not to mention the closing of Christopher Kane, Julien Macdonald and Nicholas Kirkwood’s labels. As the COVID-filled skies cleared, the swift rise in interest rates made the designer business even harder and luxury spending slower.
The next fashion label to face similar hardships is Roksanda, despite its successful partnerships with high-street retailer Jigsaw. This week, we learned that The Brand Group (TBG) acquired the luxury fashion label. Before TBG came to Roksanda Ilincic’s rescue, she had filed a notice of intent to appoint an administrator, which is similar to Chapter 11 in the U.S.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
Gucci lands in London with glamorous cruise show
What am I not getting about the new Gucci? I love it. But apparently I’m not supposed to. I feel I read nothing but snide-y (almost bullying, frankly) reviews from fashion critics who seem determined that the Italian powerhouse’s new creative director Sabato De Sarno should fail in his attempts to reverse its declining sales. Gucci started to go off the boil towards the end of the reign of its previous creative director (Alessandro Michele, who has just joined Valentino) and, like every luxury house across the globe, it has been hit by a downturn in the market.
De Sarno is only just getting his feet under the table at Gucci and I think he looks really promising. I love the sophisticated yet casual vibe he presents and the bags look fantastic. But, apparently, according to some, there’s too much burgundy and too few gimmicks/logos/over-the-top statements. Apparently it’s all just far too wearable. Forgive me, but isn’t that the point of fashion? To be actually worn? Michele’s shows were over the top and exciting (and to be clear, I love him too) but at the end of the day, the customer got a bit tired of that so Gucci had to try something different.
De Sarno presented his Cruise collection in London this week and it looked great to me. I love the slouchy jeans, the ballet pumps, the daisy print blouses, and, I’ll say it again, the bags! It’s a tough job creating an identity for fashion with Gucci because really it’s a luggage and bag brand that moved into fashion, so the house codes for fashion are not as set as they are at a Dior or a Chanel, for instance. But I think the late 60s/early 70s vibe that De Sarno presents is perfect to reflect the heyday of the brand, and I honestly think if some of these pieces (such as the very cool camel suede blazer above) had been presented by Michele, the critics would say they loved them.
Fashion talent needs time to bed in. Brands such as Gucci and Burberry (which is also experiencing a drop in sales under its new creative chief – though again, how much is that really down to him?) are going to have to be patient. They are going through creative direction shifts at a time when the market is depressed and it’s going to be an extra challenge for them to win the hearts, minds and money of the luxury shoppers. But I hope they do and I hope De Sarno is given a chance, both by Gucci and by the critics. He deserves it.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.