Tag: Fashion

Lausanne, Switzerland – Footwear company Bata has launched the new campaign ‘Make Your Way,’ reflecting its new stylish, comfortable, and affordable branding. The new positioning aims to target younger audiences who are more conscious of trends. 

The launch coincides with Bata’s 130th anniversary. Its long history and rich heritage contrast with the brand’s aim to attract young customers, yet is not neglected in the campaign. 

While the campaign intends to present Bata shoes as fashionable, it also draws on the brand’s heritage to express authenticity. 

Bata is also set to release women’s ballerina shoes starting in September, a reimagined version of its 1897 Batovka design. The release of the shoes supports women in the dance industry, providing affordability for dancers hindered by economic challenges.

“This campaign is about inspiring self-expression and confidence. At Bata, we make shoes to accompany consumers as they create their own path in life and build their road to the future,” Sandeep Kataria, global chief executive officer of Bata, said. 

The campaign was produced with &Rosàs agency for a global release.

Paris, France – French accessible luxury fashion group SMCP, the parent company of fashion brands Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot and Fursac, is delighted to announce the signing of two new distribution partnerships with two major APAC countries: the Philippines and Indonesia. 

Following the announcement of its expansion in India over a year ago, the Group has signed two new distribution partnerships with SSI Group (Philippines) and Map Group (Indonesia). For the group, these two key countries in the APAC region are key drivers of development and influence, with strong economic growth and a flourishing middle class. 

SMCP has already opened its first Sandro Indonesian store in Jakarta (Plaza Senayan). In the Philippines, it plans to open 4 shops in Greenbelt and Central Square, two key districts of metropolitan Manila, as well as 3 corners in the Rustan’s Makati department stores. 

Other openings are planned over the next 5 years in the most prestigious shopping malls in these two countries. 881 Group is a specialist luxury and ready-to-wear retailer in the Philippines. SSI Group operates 570 stores throughout the Philippines on behalf of 90 brands, including long-term partnerships with leading fashion houses (Cartier, Hermes, Givenchy, Zara etc). 

Meanwhile, Map Group, a distributor in Indonesia since 1995, has become a leader in several segments over the years (fashion, cosmetics, sport, etc.). Today, Map Group operates nearly 3,000 shops (Ind itex Group, Loewe, Max Mara, Lacoste, Starbucks, etc.) in almost 80 Indonesian towns and cities. 

Manila, Philippines – Regional omnichannel womenswear brand Love, Bonito is expanding internationally with its first permanent store in Metro Manila, the Philippines. Spanning over 2,000 sqft, the store primely located at the premium Greenbelt 3 Mall and its opening was graced by spokespersons from the Ayala Corporation. 

The announcement comes off the back of the brand’s rebranding and assortment revamp this March, and further hones in on its brand vision to be the go-to destination for Asian women globally.

True to its brand ethos of embracing the realness and rawness of life, Love, Bonito’s new retail store exudes elegance effortlessly with its open ceilings, textured white walls and warm dark woods accents. Beyond its interior design, the store is also created for a smooth and comfortable shopping experience. 

Customers can also look forward to Love, Bonito’s three key lines: the evergreen Signatures and Staples collection, and its summer-appropriate capsule collection. 

Dione Song, chief executive officer at Love, Bonito, said, “We know the malling culture is huge here in the Philippines and we’re excited to finally put down our roots. We have received overwhelming support from the Filipina community, experiencing 90% YoY growth last year solely through online orders. Based on customer data gathered across both digital and physical touchpoints, we’re finally launching our first brick-and-mortar store, with unique elements that cater to the Filipina customer.”

Meanwhile, Rachel Lim, co-founder at Love, Bonito, commented, “After five years of shipping to the Philippines, we’re thrilled to announce the opening of our very first permanent store here. Over the years, we’ve cherished every connection made through events and collaborations and are deeply inspired by the warmth and support of the community. With our upcoming physical store, our Filipina customers can now experience our collections firsthand, join workshops, styling sessions, and be part of our vibrant community events.”

Love, Bonito started out as a digitally native blogshop BonitoChico, on a Livejournal platform selling pre-loved apparels, and officially rebranded to Love, Bonito in 2010. To date, Love, Bonito has over 20 stores internationally, across Singapore, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. 

Most recently, the brand opened its 7th store in Singapore at Tampines 1 shopping mall, and its first rebranded pop-up in Hong Kong’s K11 Art Mall. 

Singapore – REFASH, a Singaporean omnichannel secondhand fashion destination under the Carousell Group, has announced the opening of its first Hong Kong store in Mongkok on 20 April with a special event where women can declutter their wardrobes for instant cash. This marks the brand’s Hong Kong expansion plans beyond their over 20 stores across Singapore and Malaysia.

REFASH’s first Hong Kong store brings the best of their Singapore and Malaysia shopping experience. Hong Kongers can look forward to a specially-curated inventory of ‘brand new with tags’ (BNWT) women’s fashion from popular Singapore and other leading Southeast Asian brands, which are otherwise unavailable in the Hong Kong market.

With the Municipal Solid Waste Charging Scheme implementing soon, this provides an alternative option to encourage Hong Kongers to not only avoid throwing away items still in good condition, but also provide a convenient way that appeals to busy Hong Kongers.

Aloysius Sng, founder and CEO at REFASH, said, “REFASH was started 8 years ago to extend the lifespan of clothes and build a more sustainable future for fashion. I am heartened that over the years, we have collectively diverted over 7.3 million clothes from the landfills and given over 3.6 million used clothes a second life. We wanted to target the Hong Kong market next after our Malaysia expansion last year, as we saw a market gap to reach the mass market of Hong Kongers. We believe that sustainability should not be a trend, but part of everyday life.”

He added, “We are excited by great initial results in Hong Kong. In Jan and Mar this year, we partnered with Carousell Hong Kong to do a decluttering event for instant cash, and collected around 3,500 pieces of clothes. Majority of which are in almost-new condition. We are excited to officially launch our store and continue to expand more stores in Hong Kong.”

Jakarta, Indonesia – Online fashion and lifestyle retail company ZALORA launched its ‘ZALORAYA 2024’ campaign, aiming to showcase its festive modest wear collections for the Hari Raya season.

As modest wear continues to grow in popularity across the region, this year’s ZALORAYA features a diverse range of pieces from 19 renowned brands, including ZALORA’s private labels, and established and emerging local designers from Malaysia and Indonesia.

Indonesian labels, Ria Atelier and Embara, and Malaysian label, FM by Fuzana Mokhtaza, will also be part of this year’s ZALORAYA collections for the first time. Additionally, there will also be exclusive pieces from popular Malaysian designers Neelofa, founder of Naelofar, and Tom Abang Saufi.

ZALORAYA’s regional-wide campaign also includes both online and physical activities. In Malaysia, this includes a fashion showcase in Sentul Pavilion in Kuala Lumpur, exclusive benefits for VIPs, such as early access to the collections and the chance to attend the exclusive fashion showcase, and exciting giveaways throughout Ramadan, to celebrate the launch of this year’s collection.

In Indonesia, there will be a ZALORAYA 2024 pop-up store and fashion show at Kota Kasablanka in Jakarta, which will also showcase pieces from local designers and brands as part of ZALORA’s commitment to support the Indonesian government’s ‘Bangga Buatan Indonesia’ (Proudly Made in Indonesia) campaign.

Talking about the campaign, Mia Lim, category manager for Modest Wear at ZALORA, said, “Being Asia’s fashion expert, ZALORA recognised the immense opportunity early on in catering to the diverse needs and tastes of our Muslim consumers. Since launching our modest wear category in 2014, we have been seeing positive growth.”

“From our early foray into modest wear to our ongoing collaborations with local designers, we remain committed to growing this vibrant market segment and leading the way in shaping the industry in this region”, she added.

Singapore – Mandai Wildlife Group has announced its recent venture into fashion by announcing ‘Good Threads,’ an apparel capsule collection made from sustainably sourced materials, to make it easy and convenient for its wearer to make eco-friendly choices a daily habit.

The collection was developed over six months and produced in collaboration with Hakim Samat, a local craftsman known for his stylish, upcycled creations. It was crafted from 1,158 pieces of pre-loved clothing and salvaged materials weighing approximately 108kg from local thrift shops – honsieponsie, Function Five Thrift Shop and Woofie’s Warehouse, and from a textile collection drive initiated by social networks of friends and co-workers. 

Moreover, each garment was stitched together with fastenings and hardware such as buttons and carabiner hooks sourced from Plastify, a Singapore-born startup that has made recycled plastic waste its business.

The apparel collection is an extension of Mandai Wildlife Group’s ‘Choose Good with Mandai’ campaign to raise awareness about how people can collectively protect nature and wildlife by making conscious choices daily.

Suzanne Ho, senior vice president of brand and communications at Mandai Wildlife Group, said, “In the hustle and bustle of daily life, mindful actions like recycling and using fewer single-use plastics may inadvertently take a backseat sometimes, despite our best intentions. Good Threads sows the idea that daily consumption habits which are thoughtful of the planet can be effortless, and in this instance, even fashionable. Through personal choices, each of us can reap a more sustainable lifestyle. Manifest and multiply a personal mantra such as this, and we can fashion change together.”

She added, “Fashion is much loved by many. More than a style preference, it’s a personal statement and an identity. It can therefore wield power to influence how we think about clothing and perhaps reconsider the need to consume wave after wave of clothes and fashion accessories.”

‘Good Threads’ will fully debut in three phases. The first launch went public on February 15, followed by subsequent releases on 8 March and 28 March 2024. All items will be available exclusively for sale on goodthreadsbymandai.sg. All proceeds from the sale of Good Threads will go towards supporting wildlife conservation efforts in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Singapore – Tiger Beer announced its collaboration with fashion designer Izzy Du to create the ‘TIGER Summer Puffer’, the world’s first puffer jacket with a beer-powered cooling system made specifically to keep its wearer cool in tropical heat.

Developed with Whatever Co., BBH Singapore, and LePub APAC, the jacket’s cooling system is powered by an ice-cold Tiger Beer, chilling the water that is pumped around the wearer’s body via a network of silicone tubes.

In terms of design, Du captured the boldness of Tiger Beer and incorporated a number of design cues inspired by the brand, paying homage to a tiger with design elements like a bold and bright orange hue, tiger ears, a pair of fangs, and a subtle striped pattern.

Talking about the product, Du said, “Making a puffer for the summer is an external expression of how refreshing and cool it feels to drink a Tiger. I started with the feeling of opening an ice-cold can of beer, and playing with the colours of the brand, before imbuing the aesthetics of the puffer with a new function.”

Sean O’Donnell, global brand director at Tiger Beer, also commented, “ This idea is highly innovative and it resonates with our target consumers in a new and exciting way. The puffer jacket is one of fashion’s hottest items amongst Gen Z and millennials across Asia but there’s one challenge: it can’t be worn in the heat of the tropics.”

“At Tiger, we have been defying the odds since 1932 by brewing beer in tropical weather when others said it couldn’t be done. Tiger Crystal refreshes you when you’re on fire, so why not make a puffer jacket with a beer-powered cooling system that does just that?”, he added. 

Meanwhile, Sascha Kuntze, chief creative officer of BBH Singapore, mentioned, “It’s always a joy to work with brands bold enough to play in pop culture. And with refreshment so intrinsic to Tiger Beer, it’s only natural for them to refresh puffer jackets for drinkers in Asia.”  

Lastly, Cyril Louis, regional executive creative director at LePub APAC, added, “At LePub, we believe the only way for brands to win is to resonate in culture at scale, and it is a pleasure to work with the Tiger Beer global team in bringing this piece to APAC and the rest of the world. Izzy has also been an amazing collaborator, uniting the worlds of Tiger Beer and fashion in the most stunning, memorable way.”

The TIGER Summer Puffer follows the brand’s recent ‘Brewed For Your Fire’ campaign for Tiger Crystal which brought to life on-fire moments and crystal-cold refreshment together through a dynamic mash-up of fun live-action footage and Gen-Z-inspired animations. The jacket will also be experienced first-hand during the upcoming Paris Fashion Week.

USA – SPARC Group, the parent company of Forever 21, has just announced its strategic partnership with SHEIN, the global integrated online marketplace for fashion, beauty and lifestyle products. The partnership will focus on meeting the needs of customers in the U.S. and around the world.

The partnership is expected to expand SPARC Group’s distribution of Forever 21, adding value and variety for SHEIN’s extensive customer base.

Under the agreement, SHEIN acquires an approximately one-third interest in SPARC Group, a joint venture that includes Authentic Brands Group and Simon Property Group, and in turn, SPARC Group becomes a minority shareholder in SHEIN.

The partnership also offers the opportunity to test SHEIN customer-focused experiences in Forever 21 locations across the U.S. including shop-in-shops, enabling return to store and other initiatives.

Together, SHEIN and SPARC Group plan to utilise their complementary platforms and expertise to accelerate product innovation, explore new business strategies, enhance customer experiences, and grow their presence in the marketplace.

Talking about the partnership, Marc Miller, CEO of SPARC Group, said,  “We are excited for the partnership with SHEIN as it reflects our shared vision of providing customers with unparalleled access to fashion at affordable prices. By working together, we will provide even more innovative and trendsetting products to fashion enthusiasts around the world.”

Jamie Salter and David Simon, directors of SPARC Group, also added,  “We are very pleased to welcome SHEIN as a strategic partner and shareholder in SPARC Group. SHEIN is the world’s leading online fashion platform delivering style and value around the globe and we are looking forward to working together.”

Meanwhile, Donald Tang, executive chairman of SHEIN, commented,  “SHEIN is thrilled to have SPARC Group as a partner and minority shareholder and we look forward to finding new ways to delight our customers through the potential of this partnership.”

“The powerful combination of Simon’s leadership in physical retail, Authentic’s brand development expertise, and SHEIN’s on-demand model will help us drive scalable growth and together make fashion more accessible to all,” he added. 

India – India-based retail fashion brand Lifestyle has launched its new campaign, with an aim to encourage all fashion lovers to elevate their style with the brand’s latest collection ahead of the seasonal celebrations.

Called ‘Glam up & Style up’, the campaign is comprised of two quick, snappy, and fun 15-second digital-only films, which were conceptualised by Wunderman Thompson Bengaluru. Both films showcase the stylish range of season must-haves available at Lifestyle with a high celebratory vibe, almost like the trending reels made by fashion influencers around the world.

Inspired by the reel format, the brand intends to leverage the current trending format of a short-form social video as a new way of engaging with its customers. Each of the two films features four stylish ensembles from Lifestyle’s latest range with the transitions choreographed in easy and fun dance moves. The original upbeat background track of the film adds to the vibe, urging everyone to groove in style this festive season.

Lifestyle said that it intends to amplify the campaign through multiple celebs and fashion influencers grooving to the peppy track from the film and recreating the video in their own style. With the launch of this campaign, the brand intends to highlight the importance of having fun while you explore your options at Lifestyle, becoming the brand of choice this festive season.

Rohini Haldea, assistant vice president and head of marketing at Lifestyle, commented that they are delighted that this festive season their customers will discover Lifestyle’s on-trend styles through an entertaining film, to flag off a series of celebrations. 

“This is the first time that the brand has taken inspiration from a trending social media video format to break the festive clutter and engage with its shoppers in a fun and unique way. We are very excited and invite all our shoppers this season to not just style but groove in style with Lifestyle,” said Haldea.

Meanwhile, Priya Shivakumar, senior national creative director at Wunderman Thompson India, shared that it’s that scrolling through-your-phone-and-stumbling-upon-that-reel-you-just-can’t-skip moment they were looking to recreate through the lens of a brand with style at its heart. 

“Lifestyle’s eye-catching new collection also unveils its range of exciting festive looks. With music you want to dance to and clothes you want to reel, Lifestyle looks to make you sway to its beats and recreate your own reel moment, giving yourself many ways to glam up and give yourself a style upgrade,” said Shivakumar.

Manila, Philippines – Preview.ph, the local fashion magazine under digital lifestyle network Summit Media, has honoured fifty local personalities that are considered ‘movers and shakers’ of the Filipino local fashion scene.

Among the awardees who attended the event were celebrities Marian Rivera, Catriona Gray, James Reid, Kylie Verzosa, Vice Ganda, Michelle Dy, and Pia Wurtzbach

The recognitions were announced during Preview.ph’s latest event ‘#PreviewBall2022’ in a bid to usher into a new era of fashion and art defined by inclusivity, diversity, and creativity.

https://youtu.be/82IsDNxFWxg
Preview.ph brand manifesto

Marj Ramos-Clemente, editor-in-chief at Preview.ph, said, “We’re constantly pressured by the society to fit a certain mold. We’re expected to adhere by such standards if we wish to be accepted. Admittedly, even the fashion world tends to feel intimidating or alienating sometimes. But fashion should be for everyone.”

She further explains that for a brand like them that reaches younger audiences, they need to be aware that conveying the message of kindness and inclusivity to their audience is no longer just a privilege but rather a responsibility.

Preview.ph’s launch of first-ever video magazine cover, featuring Filipina actress Belle Mariano

“[Fashion] is not supposed to make you feel small, or make you feel like you don’t belong. It should do the exact opposite. In this often cruel world, fashion should be your friend. Fashion should help you celebrate your uniqueness and individuality,” Ramos-Clemente said.

She added, “It’s okay to just be yourself and own all those little quirks and nuances. It’s okay to create your own destiny and not follow the path that everyone else seemingly set up for you.”

Preview.ph also released its first-ever video magazine cover featuring Filipina actress Belle Mariano, and takes viewers on a behind the scenes look of conceptualising the magazine cover itself. The new video magazine cover format will also be advertised across social media platforms and digital billboards.