Global Fashion Roundup: Chioma Nnadi Is Vogue’s New Editor, ASOS Says No To Machine Washing Jeans And More

Every week, with our Global Fashion Roundup column, we bring to you fashion news from around the world. This week, Vogue.com appoints Chioma Nnadi as its new editor, ASOS says jeans should not be machine washed and many more. 

Vogue.com Appoints Chioma Nnadi As New Editor

To replace Stuart Emmrich, who announced his departure from the post of editor of Vogue.com, Chioma Nnadi, the fashion website‘s news director, has been appointed as the new editor.

In her new role, Chioma will oversee all of Vogue’s digital content.

Nnadi is a native of London with a Nigerian and Swiss-German background, which helps the company at a time when it has come under fire internally for a lack of people of colour in the upper ranks.

The fashion journalist and editor, who has a degree in English and French Literature from Manchester University, has made a tremendous impact in the fashion industry. In recent times, she has has been a powerful and notable voice in the fight for inclusivity and diversity in the industry. 

“I am so thrilled that Chioma will be the new editor of Vogue.com,” said Vogue editor-in-chief and Conde Nast artistic director, Anna Wintour, in a statement. “Above all, we know her as someone who intuitively understands fashion and brings to it a genuine love of discovery. She looks in unexpected places and all over the world to find out who is doing the best work and who we should be celebrating now. I absolutely rely on her eye and her cosmopolitanism and her taste. Even better, she is forward-looking and understands that Vogue needs to reach new audiences and do so in new ways.”

Chioma, in a statement, said, “In these unprecedented times, it feels especially urgent and exciting to be telling stories. And now the touchpoints through which we communicate are more expansive than ever. Vogue has first and foremost been a place of discovery and I think in this moment it feels especially important to amplify the new voices in fashion and culture who are changing the zeitgeist.”

SAFW, Mall of Africa Collaborate to Hold Fashion Event

South African Fashion Week (SAFW) and Mall of Africa are collaborating to hold South Africa’s first hybrid designer collections showcase this year.

The fashion event will combine a 3-day streaming programme of 26 digital runway shows from October 22 to 24 with the SAFW Trade Show at the Mall of Africa. Over 50 designers are expected to participate in the event in November.

The SAFW Trade show is set to hold from November 1 to 3 and will feature designers of menswear, womenswear, and accessories, ranging from footwear to handbags, costume jewellery and millinery. The SAFW will also have a Pop-Up Shop that will afford fashion lovers the opportunity to interact with and buy directly from all participating designers from November 26 to 28.

“This hybrid combination of both a digital and live fashion experience allows us to navigate the complexities of trading and doing business effectively whilst simultaneously being highly mindful of the safety aspects associated with the pandemic,” said SAFW director, Lucilla Booyzen.

According to him, the 2020 SAFW collections are trans-seasonal in line with international trends toward collections that incorporate both cool and warm weather elements. They are also increasingly representing a move towards a “slow fashion” ethos of timeless design and sustainable production.

“Whilst the move toward cleaner fashion production in South Africa still faces many challenges, there is a very real commitment from many designers to pursue this very necessary transition to a new fashion order,” Booyzen said. “The designer community is predominantly SMME’s, they all employ small contingents of artisans such as seamstresses and pattern makers. It has been a superhuman challenge for these businesses to stay afloat and retain jobs in the absence of any trade or cash flows. This opportunity to showcase their collections in preparation for summer is vital,” he added.

Speaking on the collaboration, Michael Clampett, Head of Asset and Property Management-Retail of Attacq Limited said, “Mall of Africa is the home of South Africa fashion. Part of our long-term strategy is to support African designers and fashion entrepreneurs by providing exposure to a formal retail environment, in a Super Regional mall that assists them with footfall, marketing and mentorship. Our SAFW partnership plays an important part in providing this mentorship to our local designers and fashion entrepreneurs.”

SAFW is said to be facilitating greater collaboration between designers and downstream chains through partnerships with the SA Mohair cluster and Cape Wools SA as well as weavers and knitters, amongst others.

The Italian Trade Commission Launches First Ever Fashion Digital Platform

The Italian Trade Agency is set to launch a new digital platform to help Italian designers showcase their collections amid continued disruption to the industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The online platforms, EXTRAITASTYLE, which stands for Extraordinary Italian Style, is funded partly by a grant the Italian Government recently allotted to the fashion, furniture and design industries. The platform will focus on helping companies grow their business in the United States. 

For Made in Italy fashion, EXTRAITASTYLE is set to become the ultimate 3D destination. The online platform aims to ‘pay homage to Italian heritage, highlighting small and medium businesses, and connecting them with US retailers, media, and consumers.’

Fashion brands that specialise in a range of items, from ready-to-wear collections to artisanal accessories will have their own virtual boutique which would have social media integrations, video streams, and a business-to-business reserved area. Designers will also be able to use the online platform to interact with key US retailers and present their line sheets and collections digitally.

ITA has invited 100 brands to join the site and is planning to attract additional companies in the following weeks.

“With the launch of EXTRAITASTYLE”, Antonino Laspina, US Trade Commissioner and Executive Director said, “ITA is focusing on both supporting emerging and established designers. While we will hopefully resume a somewhat traditional showcase calendar, our platform will be an all year round one-stop-shop destination for consumers, press, retailers and influencers to explore and engage with historic and up-and-coming labels. The American market is of strategic importance for the Made in Italy fashion. The United States is the first non-EU destination market for Italian exports. In 2019, Italy recorded an export value to the USA of approximately $ 9 billion, reflecting an increase of 4.2% from 2018. With this in mind, EXTRAITASTYLE is more than a quick response to social distancing and restricted travel. The digital platform will help designers faced with short term needs caused by Covid-19 with an opportunity to present ‘seasonless’ collections.”

In addition to the virtual boutiques and their dedicated brand page, brands will be able to engage in a fully supported digital market process.

Gerber Technology Launches Fashion Transformation Initiative

On September 24, Gerber Technology announced a new Transformation Initiative that makes a worldwide network of fashion experts available to help manufacturers, designers, and retailers adapt and digitalize for success in the post-COVID world.

Gerber Technology is a fashion tech company that delivers industry-leading software and automation solutions to help apparel and industrial customers improve their manufacturing and design processes and more effectively manage and connect the supply chain, from product development and production to retail and the end customer.

Gerber’s new Fashion Transformative Initiative is said to bring a team of trusted advisors to work closely with customers to digitize and optimize their supply chain. To ensure a successful transformation, Gerber is offering a free assessment to help identify where a business is in its digital journey, allowing them to offer proper resources, expertise and guidance.

“We have a very integrated consulting approach that can help you through this evolution. We start to work with manufacturers and designers to determine where they are in this journey of digital transformation and really assess what the next logical step is specific for their business,” said Michelle Steenvoorden, Vice President of Professional Services at Gerber Technology. “It’s going to be personalized for everyone, depending on industry and business goals. We’ve created a free assessment to help people discover where they are in their digital journey, whether they’re a craftsman just beginning to digitize or an innovation leader. We’re here to help our customers optimize their supply chains, work towards cost-saving goals and really be well suited to take on the next evolution in their industry.”

To help their customers digitally transform, Gerber will rely on the power of their end-to-end integrated platform and support their customers as they bring it to fruition in their own factories. With Gerber’s integrated solution, fashion companies can leverage tools such as AccuMark® and YuniquePLM® to fully connect their design room to the cutting room, improve collaboration among their teams and build a strong eCommerce experience. 

“When we were looking to implement a PLM solution, the head of IT said YuniquePLM was the Cadillac of PLM systems. It’s the best solution on the market,” said June Evans, Director of Technical Design at Filson. “We ultimately chose YuniquePLM because of how easy it is to use and the integration with AccuMark. YuniquePLM is an incredible asset and has helped tremendously over the last several months as we all adjusted to working remotely.”

ASOS Says Jeans Should Not be Machine Washed

ASOS has given some baffling advice to its customers. The online retailer urged shoppers not to wash their jeans in the washing machine. To get its point across, it shared a post of model Jessica in a pair of “slouchy” mom jeans with rips.

ASOS added: “Instead of washing your jeans, soak them in a tub of water with a liquid soap, leave for an hour and hang up to dry.”

The post garnered 7,600 likes – but some were left confused by the advice.

The reasoning behind their post is that washing jeans can cause damage to the material and cause the indigo to run off, leaving the jeans looking faded in areas. Jeans that do not get machine washed tend to look better than those that do.

In 2016, Levi’s CEO and President Chip Bergh said, “It was a wake-up call to consumers that we go into autopilot and after we’re finished wearing something, we just automatically toss it into the laundry. A good pair of denim doesn’t really need to be washed in the washing machine except for very infrequently or rarely.”