Vogue Business

Is REMAIN poised to be Copenhagen’s next major fashion export? Birger Christensen Collective is rebooting REMAIN under the new creative direction of Martin Asbjørn. Ahead of his sophomore show for the house, #VogueBusiness speaks with him and the label’s CEO and former creative director Denise Christensen. Today, Remain Birger Christensen presents its second show following the reboot under Asbjørn. Following a strong start for Asbjørn and his debut collection, which picked up 15 new retailers, the presentation will look to cement his vision, and given Ganni A/S's absence from Copenhagen Fashion Week this season, it could be the perfect time to gain ground. Due to #Remain being “founded only in 2019, the appointment of Martin… has already seen a new energy run through the brand, with his strong tailoring and take on the silhouette matched with a natural flair for textiles”, says Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of Copenhagen Fashion Week. “I am excited to see how the creative mind of Martin will entwine with the foundation of Remain as I have no doubt it will only continue to strengthen with each season.” With stakes high, Christensen says this second Remain show is just as integral as the first, as it consolidates the new direction for the brand, “strengthening the identity and message of the brand even more”. Here, #VogueBusiness's senior trends editor Lucy Maguire uncovers the duo’s ambitious plans for the label and weighs up its ability to reach major export level status: https://lnkd.in/ePe7BE-7

When #AI devices become fashion statements: Is the industry ready? Like it or not, wearables are back, thanks in part to the boom in generative artificial intelligence and the super-powered smart assistants that the technology enables. The result? AI wearables are fast becoming a budding fashion category. From Friend AI's buzzy announcement that its always-listening digital companion, worn as a pendant necklace, will be available in January 2025, to Humane AI's camera and sensor-laden lapel square pin raising at least $230 million from investors, including Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, wearable tech is on the trend track. Beyond pins and pendants, Meta and Amazon have released eyewear equipped with their own branded AI assistants this year. Another thriving AI jewellery category? Rings. Take the health-tracking ŌURA ring, which recently incorporated an AI assistant coined the ‘Oura Advisor’. Analysts predict these devices could become even more omnipresent than smartphones or smart speakers. Early adopters in the fashion space such as Coperni Paris, who debuted Humane devices on its runway last year, are examples of successful integration within the industry. A similar positive reception was garnered from Gucci's ŌURA ring collaboration, alongside Hermès' renewed partnership with the Apple Watch.“ "For AI to be successful in a wearable, it will have to be in either a device that we cannot live without or incorporated into a device that we already use,” says Cathy Hackl, CEO of Spatial Dynamics consultancy. “I see an opportunity for fashion… in the sense that if you wear one of these devices and it is an ‘It-device’, you are making a fashion statement.” #VogueBusiness's senior innovation editor Maghan McDowell explores whether people actually desire always-on wearables and how brands can make AI fashion palatable for consumers:https://lnkd.in/eZtjrvz7

What’s driving Miu Miu's 93% sales surge? Even as the #luxury market hits a rough patch, fashion favourite Miu Miu shines with a 93% year-on-year increase in H1 sales. Clearly, its bold approach, which contrasts the play-it-safe strategies of its counterparts, is paying off. Though playful styling, bold marketing and a shrewd celebrity strategy might seem like an unusual success formula in a fatigued luxury market, #MiuMiu’s sustained growth reinforces the strength of its secret sauce. Richard Johnson, chief commercial officer at German luxury multi-brand retailer Mytheresa, attributes success to its innovation in design and image. “In a market where many designers are playing it safe, leaning heavily into familiar tropes, well-worn commercial territory… Miu Miu stands out due to a forward-looking, innovative approach to setting trends rather than following them,” he says. Case in point: Miu Miu ignited the panties trend by pairing underwear with a cardigan and flats on its runway — a look that created a buzz when worn by #EmmaCorrin during the #VeniceFilmFestival. Despite being named after its ‘big sister’ brand designer #MiucciaPrada, and “intended to be a younger, less serious brand than Prada Group”, according to fashion consultant Julie Gilhart, MiuMiu has progressively repositioned itself as a standalone brand. Renowned Journalist Sarah Mower notes: “It still feels like Miuccia’s place where she can let go, play and inject her version of humour. The energy this creates is enticing to many different types of customers.” Now, with such strong success, inevitably the question is: can the momentum last? Here, #VogueBusiness’s Paris correspondent Laure Guilbault reveals its winning strategies and the roadmap for sustained success: https://lnkd.in/emDG8DPw

Too many #basics? Rethinking the #capsule wardrobe phenomenon From the undisputed appeal of The Row's quiet luxury pieces with the fashion set to the viral social media-driven popularity of UNIQLO staples, we’re in the midst of a basics boom. It's all in service of making it easier to get dressed within an oversaturated, micro-trend-clouded landscape. But have we reached peak basics? Trends from Google confirm it, with searches for “capsule wardrobe” increasing by 60% in the last 12 months. They're “easy to style but hard to tell where from, they’re marketed to be part of any outfit rotation or capsule wardrobe and, as a result, are distinctively anti-trend,” highlights Alex Ropes, CEO of Basement Approved. However, as more brands try to cash in, it’s becoming harder for them to set themselves apart. FARFETCH alone offers 1,100 white cotton blouse styles, while Nordstrom stocks 787 offerings. Online retailer ASOS.comdisplays 1,627 plain white T-shirts, while Amazon features over 8,000 results, with prices starting from as little as £0.09. With the market becoming inundated with the same nondescript, identical-looking clothing, it’s fast defeating its original purpose. Here,#VogueBusiness’s contributing editor Amy Francombe outlines the factors behind basics popularity and explores how brands should ethically and effectively compete in the market: https://lnkd.in/etJbdsuN

#CPHFW ones to watch: Meet the three new names challenging fashion’s status quo. This year’s Copenhagen Fashion Week schedule is kicking off today and includes a swathe of talented newcomers — all part of the ‘One to Watch’ scheme, which acts as a precursor to the #CPHFW New Talent Programme, offering support and guidance to fledging labels poised to make impact. From innovative #zerowaste weaving, to reconstructed secondhand menswear for women, these next-generation brands are striving to bring a fresh perspective to #Scandinavian fashion. But, as they’re learning, launching a fashion business today is no mean feat. “We are seeing businesses look to new methods and models for their companies, as we see the traditional wholesale model becoming more and more flawed,” says Cecilie Thorsmark, CEO of #CPHFW. “This can both come as an opportunity for brands, but it certainly also comes with its own new set of obstacles to overcome.” Do zero waste knitwear, reconstructed tailoring and ‘anti-disciplinary’ low-waste fashion have the potential to transform the industry? #VogueBusiness’s senior trends editor Lucy Maguire sits down with the debuting designers behind #Stem, #Bonnetje and #SólHansdóttir to learn more: https://lnkd.in/e_8-pbv6

As the #Olympics unfolds, how is Paris’s #luxury scene faring? While this year’s Olympics has caused disruption for Europe’s shopping capital — such as Avenue Montaigne store closures for the women’s triathlon — Paris's #luxury sector is experiencing benefits from a spectator influx. Corinne Menegaux, managing director of the Paris tourist office, reports strong visitor traffic and predictions: German tourist traffic up 42%, Brazilians up 46% and Japanese visitors up 237% during opening weekend. Menegaux expects this to continue, predicting rises between 10 to 15% — with American traffic up 18% year-on-year. But is traffic translating into luxury sales? According to on-the-ground reports, luxury sales are rebounding. With both the #AvenuedesChampsÉlysées and #BoulevardHaussmann spokespeople seeing satisfactory spend and traffic. A similar story has also been observed at DOVER STREET MARKET PARIS, where traffic has held up well too. “The opening weekend of the Olympics [was great for] sales. I believe the long-term effect will be very positive,” says #AdrianJoffe, CEO of DOVER STREET MARKET (INTERNATIONAL) LIMITED and president of COMME des GARÇONS International. At the Games's midway mark, #VogueBusiness's Paris Correspondent Laure Guilbault gives insight on how Paris’s luxury industry is adapting and asks if LVMH have succeeded in shifting spectators' spending from competition tickets to luxury handbags? Find out more: https://lnkd.in/efSkaW6A

In its latest transparency ranking, Fashion Revolution calls out the lack of progress towards fashion’s #climate goals - what's next? In place of its annual Fashion Transparency Index, the campaigning non-profit Fashion Revolution just published its first What Fuels Fashion report, focusing on decarbonisation and energy-related data, which Fashion Revolution says are the most urgent facets of brands’ #sustainability strategies. The report’s findings are a wake-up call to brands that they have not been doing nearly enough to reduce fossil fuel use and carbon emissions along their supply chains, or to transition to renewable and more sustainable alternatives without leaving workers or suppliers behind. Here, Bella Webb reports on everything for the #fashionindustry to know: https://lnkd.in/eFC9utbx

This week, #KendallJennerjoined the long list of celebrity supporters at the 2024 #Olympics, including the likes of Natalie Portman, Nicole Kidman, and Ariana Grande - with Jenner sporting a rather more patriotic look whilst attending the games. Fashion has developed a taste for getting involved with these massive cultural moments to hopefully stake a claim (see LVMH being the official sponsor of the 2024 Olympics). "What’s most interesting about the intersection of sports, politics and fashion this year", writes #Vogue's Jose Criales Unzueta "is that it serves as a measuring unit for where exactly we stand with patriotism culturally, and, perhaps oxymoronically, globally." Past the trendy soccer jerseys, and the occasional “Vote!” dress worn by a First Lady or #celebrity, patriotism has fallen out of style in our every day, though high fashion has been giving it a go at the high concept level, to mixed results. Does patriotism still sell in #fashion? Find out: https://lnkd.in/e_wrj8gc

London, we're coming back for our next Member meet-up! Join the #VogueBusiness custom insights team and beauty editor Nateisha Scott at London’s Soho House & Co 180 House on Thursday 29 August, for a breakfast beauty briefing that explores the findings from the latest Vogue Business #Beauty Index.   We’ll explore what representation looks like in research, how brands are reacting to the demand for personalised products and routines, and what businesses need to do to support diverse lifestyle needs and holistic well-being beyond the looking glass. See you there! Save your space now: https://lnkd.in/eZeKvGiN

What's next at FERRAGAMO? Ferragamo’s revenues dropped 12.8% to €523 million in the first half of 2024, the Italian company said on Thursday, as the Asian market and wholesale environment suffered. Net profits in particular took a hit, plunging 73.2% in the first half. In Q2 specifically, revenues dropped 6%. Ferragamo is the latest #luxury brand to succumb to an industry-wide slowdown, the luxury brand's financial performance has been suffering since before this market shift, however, as its sales have been on the decline since the first quarter of 2023. Maliha Shoaib explores what this means: https://lnkd.in/eK8WBTZg