Industry News – March, 31st 2016

Curated fashion industry news links for Thursday, March 31st, 2016…

MANOLO BLAHNIK PARTNERS WITH FARFETCH FOR E-COMMERCE PUSH – Footwear News
“Manolo Blahnik, who recently opened a high-profile shop in London’s Burlington Arcade, is making a major move online today. The luxury designer has partnered with Farfetch Black & White to launch Manoloblahnik.com, Blahnik’s first e-commerce site. Farfetch, a leading luxury e-tailer, launched its Black & White service last fall as a way to work directly with brands.”

HUGE APPAREL TRAFFICKING OPERATION DISMANTLED BY HONG KONG AND THE USA – FashionMag
“US authorities reported on Tuesday that, together with Hong Kong authorities, they have put an end to a huge contraband operation in China-manufactured apparel. The operation was described as the largest trafficking of this type ever uncovered on the US West coast. The trafficking involved over $600 million in merchandise. The apparel was manufactured in China and illegally imported to the USA, under the guise that the clothes were destined for Mexican companies, when they were in fact distributed throughout the USA.”

ADIDAS PLANS TO ADD 120 EMPLOYEES TO NORTH AMERICAN HQ – FashionMag
““Something special is happening at Adidas right now,” said Mark King, President, North America at Adidas Group. The German athletic company has focused intensely on growth and market share for the past few years by collaborating with major players in pop culture and launching sneakers with cutting edge technology. The company announced plans to expand its North America team. King on Tuesday released a video and statement on LinkedIn calling for talent to join the company. He detailed the type of people the company aims to hire. “We want people who aren’t afraid to take risks, who want to break rules, be disruptive and find new ways of doing things,” said King. “If you want to work here, you have to have big dreams. You have to believe that you can change not only the trajectory of a company, but the trajectory of an industry.””

PIERRE BERGE CRITICIZES DESIGNERS THAT CREATE ISLAMIC CLOTHING – Pret-a-Reporter
“Pierre Berge isn’t thrilled with the designers and fashion labels that are catering to Muslims with Islamic fashion. In an interview with Europe 1 radio on Wednesday, Yves Saint Laurent’s longtime business partner and life partner called out brands such as Dolce & Gabbana and Uniqlo for creating collections that are designing specifically for the Muslim market.”

GLAMOUR AND LANE BRYANT ARE MAKING CLOTHING AND MAGAZINES TOGETHER – Yahoo!
“Call it a sponsored content bonanza. Glamour announced on Wednesday that it has entered into a multi-pronged partnership with Lane Bryant laser focused on courting the plus-size market and promoting a message of body positivity. The project includes two special editions of Glamour, one on newsstands now and the second to come in the fall, along with a three-part video series called “How To Wear Everything You’ve Been Told Not To,” and a Glamour x Lane Bryant clothing collection that will drop in October.”