CWB MAGAZINE MARCH/APRIL ISSUE 87

ChildreNSwearBUYer

MarCh/april 2014iSSUe 87

£9.95

Sole foodNew footwear collections

drawN iNto the world ofBelle & Boo

how an illustrator’s work createdthis engaging lifestyle brand

Moda footwear the key a/w 14 looks from

the show

Cwb87 Main Document_Layout 1 06/03/2014 14:40

Please contact Everdell on 01264 782665

or email: [email protected] further details

www.everdell.co.uk

Beatrix New York Distributed in the UK by Everdell Ltd

Brand New 2014 designs and products in stock soon includingour magic insulated bottles


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REGULARS FEATURES SCHOOLWEAR� � �

05: Comment

06: News

08:NCWA

12:Open for BusinessLegal and business advice plusindustry opinion

14:Retail TherapyStore profiles and retail news

16:Brands to WatchEditor’s pick of brands

36:Style GuideHi-tops

37:Laura LovesThe coolest products for kids

50:Talking PointKate Pietrasik

18:Harrogate Nursery FairPreview of this month’s show

20:Drawn into the world of Belle & BooHow a British illustrator’s artworkwas brought to life to create thisengaging kids’ lifestyle brand

22:The look of autumn/winter 2014CWB’s favourite looks from the a/wfashion collections

24:The reality of UK manufactureFindings from the recent ASBCI conference

26:Sole foodNew footwear collections from thea/w 14 edition of Bubble London

28:Moda Footwear reviewThe key looks for a/w 14 as seen atlast month’s exhibition

40:News

43:Going the extra milePlans for school bag supplierMarathon as the companycelebrates 25 years in business

46:Play to your strengthsSchoolwear independent Brenda’son restructuring the business topave the way for future growth

Read our blog, follow ourtwitter and become a fan!

13 & 14 July 2014Business Design Centre, London

Apply onlinebubblelondon.com

A great mix of children’s products

A unique buying experience

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March/April 2014 05cwb-online.co.uk �

This was the hot topic of discussion at arecent ASBCI industry conference, entitledMaking it in the UK – ready or not? Thereality of manufacturing fashion in Britain.With increasing offshore manufacturingcosts and ethical issues, and the growingwill of retailers and brands to resurrect a UKmanufacturing base, the conference soughtto prove it commercially viable.

A wide mix of keynote speakers offeredtheir views and arguments for the cause,ranging from high-street giants such asM&S – who now uses more British-madefabric than any other clothing retailer in theUK – through to independent labels andflourishing businesses born out of growingdemand for UK-manufactured product.One such business was not-for-profitorganisation Fashion Enter, which runs agarment manufacturing and training facilityin London and has had a huge impact inreviving sewing skills. Its founder andmanaging director, Jenny Holloway,presented at the first ASBCI Made in theUK conference two years ago, where shewas “dismayed at the negativity in theroom”. This year, she was struck by the“positive change in mind-set”. For a fullreview of the conference and its findings,see our coverage on page 24.

This issue we have also put the focus onfootwear. Highlights include the brand newcollections hitting the UK market, as seenat Bubble London this season in our reviewon page 26. We have an extensive run-down of the key a/w 14 footwear styles

for boys and girls taken from last month’sedition of Moda Footwear in our photoshoot on page 28, and a selection ofhi-tops in our Style Guide on page 36.

Meanwhile, with the ever-increasingnumbers of childrenswear retailers lookingto develop their offers into lifestyleconcepts, don’t miss our feature on theenchanting children’s lifestyle brand Belle& Boo on page 20, and our pick of babyand children’s product available from thismonth’s Harrogate International NurseryFair in our preview on page 18.

The next issue of CWB for June/July willkick off s/s 15. Until then, follow the latestindustry news on cwb-online.co.uk.

Laura TurnerEditor

CWB is published 6 times per year by RAS Publishing Ltd, The Old Town Hall, Lewisham Road, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield HD7 5AL. Call 01484 846069 Fax 01484 846232 cwb-online.co.uk

Copyright© 2014 CWB Magazine Limited. All rights reserved.Reproduction of any written material or illustration in any form for anypurpose, other than short extracts for review purposes, is strictly forbidden. Neither RAS Publishing Ltd nor its agents accept liabilityfor loss or damage to transparencies and any other material submitted for publication.

CWB is a joint venture between RAS Publishing and the National ChildrenswearAssociation.

A Buyer Series Fashion BusinessPublication CWB is a fashionbusiness publication produced byRAS Publishing Ltd.Other titles include WWB and MWB.RAS Publishing is an ITE Groupcompany.

Editor Laura Turner [email protected] Contributors Isabella Griffiths [email protected] Christina Williams [email protected] Victoria Jackson [email protected] Sub editor Amanda Batley [email protected] Michael Podger [email protected] Clive Holloway [email protected] James Lindley [email protected] Richard Boyle [email protected] Sales manager Helen Hodson [email protected] Subscriptions Caroline Mackinnon [email protected] of childrenswear Lindsay Hoyes [email protected] Production director Gill Brabham [email protected] Marketing director Stephanie Parker [email protected] Managing director Colette Tebbutt [email protected] Reprographics/printing Image Data Group Ltd 01482 652323

March/April 201406 �

The board of Mothercare has announced thatSimon Calver has resigned from his role as CEOwith immediate effect and will leave the companyat the end of March 2014.

The board gave no reason for Calver’sdeparture, however its remains confident andexpects results for the year ending March 2014to be in line with current market forecasts. It willcontinue with its strategy to restore profitability inthe UK business to complement its growing international operations.

The search for a replacement chief executivewill begin immediately, with Calver providingtransitional support until the end of March. Forthe interim, executive management will remainresponsible for the day-to-day running of thebusiness, reporting directly to the chairman.

Holly & Beau is a new brand of colour-changingclothing and accessories for boys and girls. Theproducts are activated by water, which triggersthe colour of the design to change. The originalcolours return to the garment once it has dried.

The collection includes raincoats, with acolour-changing feather design for girls and aspace design for boys, swim shorts in a boatdesign for boys, and umbrellas in a choice of catsand dogs, flower or cupcake prints.

On all purchases of the umbrellas and swim shorts, Holly & Beau makes a donation toThe Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, whichsupports families of children with terminal orlife-threatening illness.

The a/w 14 edition of Bubble London confirmedrenewed optimism across the childrenswearindustry, with both buyers and exhibitors showingsigns of a growing confidence.

Many exhibitors selected Bubble London astheir launch pad this season, with more than 30 per cent of brands exhibiting for a/w 14 beingnew to the event, and almost half of those new tothe children’s market. One such brand wasRaspberry Plum, the winner of this season’sRising Star competition, which awards the bestdebuting launch brand at the show.

“This was the boost I needed to expand mycollection,” says designer and founderAleksandra Stasis. “Bubble has been such aconfidence builder, both in winning the awardand meeting buyers, but it has also given us a great platform to interact with the whole of the industry.”

Adding another dimension to the visitorexperience this season was the show’s debutfashion parade, Bubble Runway, which helped toattract buyers from top department stores suchas Fenwick, Harrods, Liberty and Selfridges, aswell as key independents from the UK andIreland, and a host of international businesses.

The s/s 15 edition of Bubble London takesplace at the BDC on 13-14 July 2014.

For a/w 14, Danish footwear brand Angulus haslaunched a new range of Slipper Shoes forindoorwear in sizes 20-30.

Designed for boys and girls, the soft andlightweight, 100 per cent suede shoes featureplantation crepe rubber soles and are shaped tococoon the foot. The slipper shoes feature in twoclassic styles – a Mary Jane and a Chelsea boot –and, for a/w 14, will be available in a range ofcolours including dusky pink, plum, mutedcamouflage and bottle green.

“Angulus has been producing world-classleather shoes since 1904, and we wanted toextend its range to cover indoor shoes,” saysbrand designer Marianne Britt.

French children’s brand BbK is bringing its offerof everyday formalwear for three months to 12 years to the UK market. With a strong footholdin its native France and the Far East, the three-year-old brand is now targeting the UKwith an offer comprising clothing, footwear and hats.

“The brand really has something unique tooffer retailers with customers that enjoy dressingtheir children in timeless style and finesse, alongwith those looking for the perfect formal brand,”says Kathy Charvin of Charvin Agency, which hasbeen appointed UK agent for Bbk.

The brand, which has a showroom and shopin Bordeaux, manufactures its clothing in Francein a premium fashion workshop, while itsfootwear is produced in Spain.

London shopping destinations Seven Dials andSt Martin’s Courtyard will host a free SpringShopping Festival on Saturday 17 May. MarkingLondon’s biggest shopping event, it will feature involvement from over 150 shops, barsand restaurants offering a 20 per cent discount.

Seven Dials will be entirely traffic-free onthe day, with festivities including live music,performances, street food and alfresco games setto take place around the streets and within St Martin’s Courtyard area, while shoppers willreceive a host of in-store perks including giftswith purchase.

Stores involved in the event include Diesel,American Apparel, Superga, Joules and Pretty Ballerinas.

cwb-online.co.uk

March/April 2014 07�

New Scottish brand Luluzulu has launched tomarket with a collection of gender-free babytights for ages one to two years.

Designed to be both practical and playful,the tights are available in the styles Fox in Socks,Urban Skater and Mummy Love, all suitable forbaby boys or girls. Furthermore, each pair oftights comes packaged in a canvas bag that canbe reused as a tissue or wet-wipe dispenser.

In addition to tights, Luluzulu offersPlimsocks, which are children’s non-slip socks,available for ages 3-10 years.

For a/w 14, footwear brand EMU – formerly EMUAustralia – has unveiled a new strategy anddirection, which includes an expanded line for itskids’ range, Littles.

Seeking to take the brand beyond itssheepskin heritage, and incorporating refinedstyling and premium leathers, EMU hasintroduced three new collections – Elements(waterproof), Select (fashion focused) and Beach(reinvention of the shearling boot).

In addition to dropping Australia from itsbrand name, the label has removed theAustralian flag from its logo, replacing it with an Emu’s footprint and new wool loopsymbol to reflect its use of natural fibres. A new-look website can also be found atwww.emuaustralia.com.

Not-for-profit foundation The Great Retail Revivalhas launched its first project, teaming up withHouse of Fraser (HoF) to offer 10 young retailbrands the chance to trade within HoF’s OxfordStreet flagship in May.

Applicants will be selected through a two-stage competition, with short-listedbusinesses competing live in front of an expertjudging panel. Nine winners will be chosen byjudges, with a 10th spot given to the winner of ashortlist rated by HoF customers via socialmedia. The winning businesses will feature in apop-up within HoF’s flagship, receive e-commerce space on www.houseoffraser.co.uk,and mentoring.

At the end of the pop-up event on 26 May2014, a single brand will be chosen to retail atHoF online for a year, and potentially in-store as a concession.

Following its launch last autumn, children’s giftand toy supplier Mousehouse has determined its areas of growth and extended its ranges for2014 accordingly.

New to the offer are money boxes featuringmonster and dinosaur designs; new butterfly andfairy ranges in its coordinated home décoraccessories for children’s bedrooms or playrooms; and additional soft toy collections, whichis Mousehouse’s largest growth sector for 2014.

Baby gifts are also key, with the companyoffering extended ranges in hand-crafted giftsets, record books, baby imprint sets, as well asboxed collections comprising matchingcomforters, rattles and music boxes.

Celebrity mums Joanna Lumley, Abbey Clancyand Zoe Ball are fronting the new joint campaignby Marks & Spencer and Oxfam to raise moneyfor mothers living in poverty around the world.

The Love, Mum campaign, which is part ofM&S’ ongoing Shwopping initiative, is calling onthe nation to Shwop, rather than bin, unwantedchildrenswear items of any brand in M&S storesnationwide in the run-up to Mother’s Day.

All monies raised from items Shwoppedbefore 31 March 2014 will go to Oxfam’s MotherAppeal, which helps mothers around the worldlift themselves and their families out of povertyfor good.

The UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) hasunveiled the judging panel for this year’sNatWest UK Fashion & Textile Awards, whichtakes place on 22 May at East London’s TobaccoDock and includes the new addition of aChildrenswear Award.

In order to allow a comprehensive analysis ofeach entrant’s commercial performance in thecurrent financial climate, UKFT has selectedjudges from the fields of fashion, design,innovation and business. The line-up will includeHilary Alexander, OBE (chair); Heather Melville,RBS; Laura Weir, Sunday Times Style; AlexandraFullerton, Stylist magazine; Sasha Wilkins,Liberty London Girl blog; Graeme Moran,Drapers; Peter Ackroyd, Woolmark; and MartynRoberts, Fashion Scout.

“Those who make the shortlist will have theopportunity on the night to present the best oftheir collections in a fashion show, which will beseen by top industry leaders and decisionmakers,” says UKFT CEO, John Miln.

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• Membership is open to everyone involved in theBritish childrenswear industry.

• Associate membership, open to non-Britishorganisations, is now available.

• Membership costs from £85.

LITTLE JEMS

1 Scott Court, Droylsden, ManchesterEstablished in 2009, Little Jems offers all thingsspecial occasionwear. The business stocks holycommunionwear, christeningwear, flowergirldresses, bridesmaid dresses and promwear fromSweetie Pie Collection, Emmerling, Pex, LittlePeople shoes, Rainbow Club and Tara Lee.

Owner Rita Phillips moved the business tonew, bigger premises last year, and has seenadditional passing trade since becoming morevisible. She is now placing focus on the website,having employed someone to work on SEOoptimisation and redevelopment to create a more responsive site. www.littlejemsmanchester.co.uk

BAMBINI BOUTIQUE

Bambini Boutique is a family run independentretailer of baby and children’s clothing, gifts,accessories and nursery product includingprams, cots, cribs, Moses baskets, pushchairs,changing bags, car seat covers and pram inlays.

Collections consist of designer brands andboutique labels which, as well as available fromits store located on the high street in Crowthorne,Berkshire, are stocked on its website, with freedelivery to mainland UK on orders over £65.Visitors to the website can sign-up to theretailer’s newsletter to keep updated.

Key brands offered include Angel’s Face,Aston Martin Junior, Billieblush, Converse, I LoveGorgeous, Kenzo, Kissy Kissy and Leon Shoes,Lili Gaufrette, Mebi Nature and Milk Two Bunnies.www.bambiniuk.com

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S COMMENT:

NCWA Council: Chairman SHARON BEARDSWORTH Emile et Rose ManufacturerVice Chairman DAVID HULL AgentImm Past Chairman DAVID BURGESS David Luke Ltd ManufacturerTreasurer COLIN WILSON

Council Members: NUALA MCKENNA Nuala McKenna Agencies Agent. DIANE SHAW Agent. SARAH TAYLOR Agent.RAY WILLIAMS Agent. HANNAH MCHALICK Oh Baby London Manufacturer.MALCOLM TRAVIS Travis Designs Manufacturer. RACHEL RILEY Rachel Riley Manufacturer.JANETTE REED Cotswold Kids Retailer. VIRGINIA ROSS Pollyanna Retailer.

President: KEN SCATES Marketing and sourcing consultantVice Presidents: LESLEY FALLON Retail consultant JACKIE COOK Retail consultantExecutive Director: ELIZABETH FOX

The change in mood was palpable. After some stuttering starts, the optimism andconfidence could not be denied. There might still be some troubled times ahead, butvisitors and exhibitors alike had smiles on their faces at Bubble London in January.

I had been encouraged on the Saturday of set-up, where one agent confided that he hadalready taken orders from some regular customers, that were well up on the previous year.When the show opened, the crowded aisles, happy faces and, above all, general “buzz”confirmed that early anticipation. By the time the event ended, talk was of healthy orders,new customers and (a species we have not seen many sightings of recently) new retailers.

After all the promises and statistical indications, it finally seemed as if the economicrecovery was real and that we shall soon be seeing the hard evidence in the tills. I met a fewof these new – or soon-to-open – retailers on the NCWA stand. They had researched themarket, looked at their chosen locality and had a list of sensible questions. They might not allopen, let alone succeed, but I am certainly more optimistic about their chances than those ofmany I have encountered over the years, whose forecasts and business knowledge have left alot to be desired.

NCWA has long tried to help those thinking of a childrenswear shop, not least throughour publication, How to Open a Childrenswear Shop, which comes with a year’s freemembership of NCWA. Indeed, we have always felt that if this publication deterred someonefrom opening a shop, once they had fully appreciated the pitfalls of the National MinimumWage, employment legislation, rent reviews and so on, then we had provided a service tothem and to the industry as a whole.

We have added to our services a series of retail training videos, presented by Jackie Cook,NCWA vice president and former childrenswear buyer at Selfridges who now teaches at theFashion Retail Academy. There is an introductory video on the public part of the NCWA websiteand it can also be seen on YouTube. The other seven videos are in the members’ part of theNCWA website, which can be accessed by using your password. Established retailers mayfind it reassuring to check the videos, especially if you are doing everything Jackie suggests,but they may also serve as a refresher course. Agents, manufacturers and suppliers shouldalso find the videos useful, as they may give you some insight into how retailers think.

Let’s not forget that we are all in this together. Different parts of the supply chain are notin competition with each other. Indeed, we should all be helping each part to prosper whilemaintaining healthy competition with those in the same sector.

Attention now turns to ensuring delivery of the garments designed and ordered. TheSafety of Childrenswear is of paramount importance and NCWA is holding the next in itsregular series of seminars on 27 March. The morning session covers the European Standardon Cords and Drawstrings, while the afternoon session deals with the British Code of Practiceon mechanical safety.

Details have been sent to all members. If you are not a member and would like to join,visit www.ncwa.co.uk, e-mail [email protected] or call 020 7843 9488. NCWA is based at 3 Queen Square, London WC1N 3AR. Elizabeth P Fox

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Founded in March 2013, Latvian children’sclothing and accessories brand Lazy Francis has opened its first own-brand boutique and showroom.

Located in Riga in Latvia, on Miera St 19,the new store and showroom are part of widerdevelopment plans for the company, whichinclude the launch of e-commerce retail andwholesale websites and forming trade partners inthe UK, Russia and the United Emirates.

“At the same time as looking to work withmore trade clients, we are focusing on improvingour sales process, the key to it being e-commerce,”says brand co-owner Alina Sakhterova.

UK childrenswear brand David Charles, whichspecialises in girls’ partywear and special-occasiondresses, has seen rapid growth over the last year.

Highlights include international expansion,with additional own-brand stores in China andRussia, and key new accounts including Alex andAlexa, which will stock David Charles from June.Additionally, in response to its growing onlinecustomer base, the label has plans to launch anew e-commerce site. The website, which is keyfor international customers, will offer a moreextensive range available to buy online.

In terms of the collection, which comprisesparty dresses, daywear and a growing range ofaccessories, a/w 14 saw the introduction of newfur and embroidered collars, cropped jackets,cardigans and fur coats.

Organic childrenswear brand Ava & Luc hasintroduced dresses to its offer. Available for twoto six years, the A-line dresses are made fromorganic cotton in a choice of horse, dog or bunny print using oeko-tex 100 dyes tested forharmful substances.

“Manufactured ethically in India, thedresses, as with all of the brand’s collection, donot feature any labels to irritate children’s skin,”says Ava & Luc’s creative director, Janice Rokita.“After building an extremely successful pyjama,playsuit, T-shirt and burp cloth collection, wewere regularly asked whether we could adddresses to our range. We’ve chosen threebeautiful prints for the launch of the dresses, and will be adding three more prints in April.”

Swedish family run brand Snoozy is set to launchits childrenswear collections to the UK market.

The colourful label for newborn to 10 yearsoffers retro-inspired designs for boys and girls aswell as unisex styles. The company’s ethos is tocombine its spring/summer collection with itsautumn/winter offer to enable the clothing to beworn over a much longer period. It thereforeoffers a mix-and-match “base collection”, which it complements seasonally with newcolours and patterns.

The company behind Snoozy has beenproducing textiles since the 90s, launching itsown-label brand Snoozy, which is designed andproduced in its factory in China, in 2007.

Baby and toddler soft leather shoe brand Inch Blue is celebrating its 15th anniversary thisyear. The label is marking the milestone byreintroducing a selection of its most populardesigns from over years, such as the OrientalBird gift set and Cherry Blossom shoes, whichhave been refreshed for a new market.

Fifteen years on, Inch Blue continues toproduce its hand-stitched shoe from its ownfactory in Wales using Chrome 6-free leather,with new styles and colourways added eachseason. Complementary ranges have also beenadded over the years, including the brand'ssheepskin baby booties called Cwtches, printedgift sets featuring Inch Blue's exclusive prints onbabygros, hats, shoes and embroidered gift sets.

Travis Designs has launched a new licenceddivision of the company to accommodate recentpartnerships secured with key children’sproperties.

The new division includes a Disney Babylicence for the 0-2 year age group for dress-upapparel styles, which will cover many of thepopular Disney baby-focused characters. Theinitial launch includes Winnie the Pooh andFriends, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and 101Dalmatians across tabards and plush all-in-onesand rompers.

A stock range with pre-order opportunitieswill be provided, as will the offer to exclusivelydesign for retailers to produce the right productsfor their stores. Other new licences for TravisDesigns are Sophie la Giraffe and Gem Fairies.

Early Days, Baby Shoes for all Occasions

Hand made in the UK since 1952

For a copy of the brand newLeather Collection catalogue

please contact:

Early Days15 b Mandervell Rd, Oadby,

Leicester, LE2 5LQ Tel: 01162 716944

Email: [email protected]


WHY RETAILERS MUST PREPARE FORTIMES OF PEAK DEMAND IN 2014

Now more than ever it is vital for onlineretailers to exploit peak trading times, byanalysing trends and discovering the mostsuccessful way to increase site traffic. Emailmarketing has been proven to radicallyincrease traffic, if utilised in the right way tosuit your business.

Email marketing stats across peakChristmas trading times, including BlackFriday and Cyber Monday, can account for upto 40 per cent of a retailer’s annual revenue,but other national holidays and events are justas important to keep revenue consistentthroughout the year. For example, Easter andevents such as the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Ofcourse, different times of year will apply moresignificantly to different retailers.

Planning is key. Get a structure in placethat you can follow throughout the year,reintroducing popular promotions throughemail marketing campaigns. If a time of peaktrade is coming up, start your campaign earlyand beat your competitors to the sale.

Messaging is always going to be one ofthe most important aspects in getting yourcampaign right – don’t confuse promotions,and keep the content fresh and exciting.Contemplate building your narrative for theday with multiple emails, but keep the mixfresh with new design and content. If youdon’t have the resources to make the emailsradically different, make noticeable designchanges and alter the subject line. This is agreat alternative solution when it’s difficult tocreate new campaigns.

Give your business its best chance offlourishing in 2014 with a solid emailmarketing strategy.

www.bronto.co.uk

www.fashionlaw.co.ukwww.agentlaw.co.uk

LOOKING FOR THE BEST OF ALLWORLDS CAN LEAVE YOU IN A WORSE POSITION

Wanting to have your cake and eat it is quitenormal. For a business facing a situationwhere it must make a statutory payment it isunderstandable. Where the payment arisesunder the Commercial Agents Regulations –where even after 20 years of existence on thestatute book many principals question why apayment should be made when the agent hasalready been remunerated for his services –such a payment can feel galling.

But as a very recent court judgmentshows, principals should be careful as to whatthey wish for. The Regulations allow principalsand agents to elect as to whether anindemnity will be payable on termination(excluding the situation where a terminationresults from a serious breach by the agent). Ifthere is no election, then compensation ispayable by default.

The assessments of the two entitlementshave many similarities, although there areimportant differences. However, for aprincipal, the key advantage of an indemnity isthat the amount payable to an agent has aneasily calculated top limit. In contrast,compensation has no maximum.

But how about if, on termination,compensation is lower? In this situation hasthe principal missed a trick? Do you have toopt for certainty that might turn out not to beto your advantage, or is there a third way?

The court considered this in the recentcase of Charles Shearman vs Hunter BootLimited, where we acted for CharlesShearman.

The principal, Hunter, had included in itsagency agreement clauses, which stated that:• The agent would be entitled to an indemnity,provided that the amount payable for

compensation was not lower. • If compensation was lower, then it is whatthe agent would be entitled to. Perfect outcome for a principal? Facing aclaim for compensation under theRegulations from Mr Shearman, Hunterapplied for a declaration from the courtthat its contractual provisions wereenforceable and, therefore, could be reliedon by Hunter.

Unfortunately for Hunter, the courtbacked the agent. What was the problem?Put simply, the court said that the draftersof the European Agents Directive (whichwas implemented into English law by theRegulations) had not intended to allow anapproach whereby the agent had the worstof all worlds. The court considered thepurpose of the directive was to protect the agent and that to allow a system whereall that would be known at the outset of the contract was that the principal wouldpay the cheapest price did not give effectto this.

Arguably, by trying to play theregulations, Hunter actually hampered itsown position in relation to the amountwhich Mr Shearman was entitled (that is,liability, whether Hunter was justified interminating Mr Shearman, remained inissue between the parties). By including aprovision that sought to put it in the bestposition in all eventualities, in the court’sjudgment, Hunter lost the protection of theelection for an indemnity.

Subsequently the parties settled theirdispute on confidential terms.

Such court decisions emphasise thatlooking for the best of all worlds (as Huntersought to do), can leave the principal in aworse position. © Fox Williams LLP 2014


Was your business flood damaged?—We are slightly away from the river, so wehaven’t actually had any flood damage tothe business. However, over the half-termbreak, we were affected by the fact thatpeople decided not to come out to visit the store.

So even though flooding didn’t damageyour business, has it suffered due to thebad winter weather?—It has seemed quieter in general; in termsof trade, it seemed like a normal weekduring the flooding. We had a busySaturday but, after that, it was hit and miss.We had a few sunny days – but, when it issunny, everyone goes to the beach. Tradewas down slightly. Having spoken to otherbusiness, it has been the same for a lot of people.

You have two stores – have they both seensimilar patterns in trade during theflooding?—Compared to the Wadebridge store, itseems our Fowey shop on the south coasthas been harder hit trade-wise, with a muchlower footfall than we would normally expectat that time of year.

Do you foresee any long-term effects ofthe flooding to your business?—Luckily, things have returned to normal.

How has the flooding affected yourbusiness?—The flooding in the area has meant thatpeople cannot get about easily by bicycle,car, bus or train. So customers have stayedat home more and, as a result, footfall hasbeen down a little. Our shop itself was notflooded, thank goodness, and only twicehave I been unable to get there myself dueto deeply flooded roads; however, on bothof those occasions I was lucky enough thatanother team member was able to openup the shop for business.

What short and long-term effects will theflooding have on your business?—Well, we have not sold winter coats, hatsand gloves this year, however we have beenselling plenty of raincoats instead, and lotsof kids’ school shoes have worn out veryquickly and need replacing due to themnot drying out properly. Long-term, I doplan to have a website up and running thisyear to create online sales and enablecustomers to find what they need,whatever the weather.

Were you made aware of any advice orsupport available for businesses affectedby the flooding?—No help was offered, but I was notexpecting any, as many businesses are inthe same situation.

Have the recent floods damaged yourbusiness in any way? —We haven’t had any actual flood damage tothe business, but customers have said ithas taken them ages to get to the shopbecause of the local road closures. Andsince January, certain major roads havebeen consistently flooded. We are veryclose to the Thames Valley – and, while wehaven’t been flooded ourselves, a lot of thesurrounding roads have been, including atown a mile away from us, and a lot ofpeople have to travel through it to get to us.

Do you think you lost much business overthe flooding period?—Business is fine now, and customers didmake the journey to get here, but I’m surethere are some who didn’t bother becauseof the road closures. We are in a rural area,and when the weather is bad it does affectus. We are a destination, rather than beingon the high street. Overall, footfall hasdefinitely been lower.

Were you aware of any support availablefor businesses affected by the flooding? —As we weren’t flooded, I wasn’t seeking orexpecting any kind of support.

For more industry opinion visit cwb-online.co.uk


THE DANDY KID

The Barn Courtyard, Wendover,BuckinghamshireFounded by design creative Becks Clarke andbrand and marketing specialist Sarah Beattie,new childrenswear boutique The Dandy Kidopened its doors to the public on 15 February.To mark the occasion, the retailer offered freeface painting and merry-go-round rides in itscourtyard setting, and also teamed up withRoald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity,collecting donations on the day in support ofthe charity’s work to help seriously ill childrenand young people live a fuller and happier life.

Stocking clothing for boys and girls fromnewborn to eight years alongside accessoriesand other related children’s product, TheDandy Kid’s focus is on providing fun, boldand contemporary design, with the initialoffering including British independent brandsas well as products from Scandinavia, Franceand the US.

Areas of the business earmarked fordevelopment in the early stages includeproviding an online offering, with a websiteset to launch later in the year.www.facebook.com/thedandykid


MINI MI

74 High Street, Rochester, KentEstablished in late 2013 on the quaint cobbledstreets of Rochester is lifestyle boutique MiniMi, which offers a mix of product for children,adults and the home. The store prides itself onsourcing heritage and design classics, as wellas supporting innovative brands breaking intothe market. Selling via its boutique and anonline portal, Mini Mi’s brand portfolio forchildren’s product includes I Love Gorgeous,Cute Graffiti, Bob & Blossom, Graphic Baby,Poppy England, Mini Melissa, Belle & Boo, Le Toy Van, Scandi Chic and Maileg.www.mini-mi.co.uk

SIDNEYBOO!

Launched last month, selling childrenswearand accessories for babies through to five yearolds, is brand new online store Sidneyboo!

With an ethos that children’s clothingshould have a sense of fun and playfulness, theretailer targets brands that are creative withtheir designs and offer something individual.Labels of choice, therefore, include Boys &Girls, Cute Graffiti, Ruff & Huddle, Indikidual,Gardner and the Gang, Oh Baby London,Picnik Barcelona and The Bright Company.Accessories, toys and gifts are also availablefrom names such as Slugs & Snails, CorbyTindersticks and Funky Legs. www.sidneyboo.co.uk

LIQUORICE LACES

4 Penny Lane, Cowbridge, Cardiff Nikki Jones and her husband, Jeff, are theteam behind Cardiff children’s footwearboutique Liquorice Laces, which launchedonline in June 2010, closely followed by aphysical shop in the August. Nikki formed thebusiness after having her children andfollowing a 19-year career with M&S in in-storemanagement, where she developed a passionfor product and keen customer service.Alongside its core footwear offer, LiquoriceLaces sells rainwear, sleepwear, slippers,hosiery and accessories.www.liquoricelaces.co.uk

WESTFIELD TRIALS CLICK AND COLLECT

APRIL OPENING FOR JOHN LEWIS YORK

CLOTHING SECTOR AIMS TO CUTENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Independent brands have until 31 March to submit their businessconcepts to East London shopping

destination Boxpark Shoreditch for thechance to win a free week’s use of one

of its pop-up shops. The winningbrand will receive a complete 300 sq ftshop-fit to showcase its product amidBoxpark’s mix of fashion and lifestyle

brands, galleries and eateries.www.boxpark.co.uk/popup

Selfridges London is hosting BoardGames this spring – a celebration ofsurf and skate fashion. Board Gameswill immerse every part of the Oxford

Street store; with the fourth-floorKidswear edit offering new brands,exclusive collaborations, events and

hero pieces related to all things skateand surf.

For more retail news visit cwb-online.co.uk


03: HILDA.HENRI

With an emphasis on sustainability, premium-milled loden (felted fabric producedfrom boiled wool) and a knitwear range,Hilda.Henri launched last year in Vienna,Austria. Catering for boys and girls aged oneto 12 years and, on special request, up to 16years, the a/w 14 line also features pieces formums. Highlights in the childrenswearcollection are milled loden jackets, coats,capes, skirts, dresses, trousers, knitwear andaccessories. Wholesale prices ¤18-65.www.hildahenri.com

01: LAZY FRANCIS

Founded in March 2013, Lazy Francis offershandmade childrenswear and accessoriesmade in Latvia. The range comprises brightand elegant pieces produced from fabricstreated during the manufacturing process thatallows the clothing to be machine washed orwashed by hand. Lazy Francis is in theprocess of launching an e-commerce retailand wholesale website, and is actively workingwith potential partners in the UK, Russia andthe United Arab Emirates. Wholesale prices¤12.50-¤75.www.lazyfrancis.com

02: LITTLE REMIX

Established in 2006, Little Remix is a Danishbrand for ages four to 16 years represented inthe UK by Vida Kids. The fashion-forward“mini me” line provides around 100 pieces percollection, where shapes and lines areminimalistic and textiles include cashmereknits, thin and light denim, light-treatedcotton and soft leather pieces. Key stylesinclude a black biker jacket with quilted details,a matching skirt with a heavy silver zipper anda solar system print featured on 100 per centsilk styles. Wholesale prices £10-£70.www.designersremix.com

04: CHAPTER 2

Chapter 2 is a new premium brand of unisexfootwear and accessories for children agedfour to 10 years. Combining quality andcraftsmanship, it offers luxury investmentpieces featuring sophisticated colours andmaterials including snake and soft sheepleather. Each pair is handmade in the UK atthe label’s in-house footwear workshop inLondon and features a turquoise rubber cloud on the leather soles for grip. Wholesale prices £25-£110. www.chapter2kids.com

05: RASPBERRY PLUM

A new girlswear brand – and winner of BubbleLondon’s Rising Star award for a/w 14 – isRaspberry Plum, which caters for ages three to10 years. Based in the UK and manufacturedin the founder’s native Serbia, the collectioncombines the comfort and practicality ofmodern fabrics with vintage childrenswearsilhouettes and a colour palette taken from50s toys and poster adverts. Cotton jersey tops,double-face denim jerseys for trousers andskirts also feature. Wholesale prices ¤5-¤60.www.raspberryplum.com


LOVE KEEP CREATE

Love Keep Create, which creates bespoke keepsakes such as animals,quilts, blankets and cushions from beloved old baby clothes, is nowtargeting mainstream retail with its service. Sets contain an order form,information and a mail bag in a gift box. The customer can then choosethe item they want created, a courier will collect the child’s clothing, andthe order will be completed within three weeks.

SILLY U

Established in 2011, Silly U is a modern Danishdesign brand offering lifestyle toys, interiors andtableware intended to stimulate a child’s imaginationand play, as well as cultivate learning andsocialisation. Catering for 0-3 years, it offers fourlines: Zoopreme (pictured), which is safari-inspired;Forest, featuring forest animals; Wise and WonderfulOwls; and Martian & Sea, featuring creatures fromouter space and the aquatic universe.

PL CHILD

PL Child, the children’s bag range fromchanging, maternity and baby bag brandPink Lining, has two new prints available.For girls, there is a star covered unicorndesign and, for boys, a jousting knight.Alongside established pieces in thecollection there is a new, large rucksack forolder children, which includes sidepockets for drinks, three dividing pockets,a write-on identity tag, adjustable paddedstraps and a padded back panel. A newtravel solution for kids is also available inthe form of a tablet case, with paddedlining for protection.

IZZY MELODY

New company Izzy Melody offers the I.M BabyBangle.Manufactured in the UK, the multi-purpose baby teether soothesteething babies and stimulates their motor skills, as well asdoubling up as an accessory for mums to wear. Suitable from birth,the product can be sterilised, put in the dish washer, and is fridgeand freezer safe for extra cooling teething relief.

1 TWO KIDS

Amid distributor 1 Two Kids’ offer is the new SophieLa Girafe baby natural and organic skincare line.Items in the range include babies’ face cream, bodylotion, oil, hair and body wash, bubble bath andprotection cream.


Belle & Boo is one of those rather uniquebrands with the ability to engage children andadults in equal measure. Using aesthetics totrigger an emotive and romantic notion ofchildhood in adults, and endearing simplicityto capture the imagination of children, it hasmaximised its brand appeal with a broadcustomer base ranging from childrenspending on pocket money gifts through toparents furnishing a nursery. The collection isequally accommodating, spanning everythingfrom art prints and stationery through tofashion and homeware, all featuringillustrations centred around the characters of alittle girl called Belle and her rabbitcompanion Boo.

The individual behind the Belle & Booillustrations is a British illustrator called MandySutcliffe, who established the Belle & Boobrand in 2007. Sutcliffe, who had beenworking from her living room selling herillustrations of simple childhood momentssuch as baking cakes, watering plants andfeeding the birds via craft website Etsy.com,quickly became inundated with orders. It wasat this stage that current brand co-founder

Kate Shafe entered the scene. Shafe, a friendand fan of Sutcliffe’s work, saw thecommercial opportunity in Sutcliffe’s style ofillustration and suggested that together theybuild the world of Belle & Boo beyond just art prints.

Therefore, in 2008, the friends formed abusiness partnership and, under Shafe’sdirection, Belle & Boo flourished. The duolaunched an online shop, secured a host oflicensing deals and produced an award-winning range of homeware andchildren’s gift products, which are nowdistributed throughout the world.

Today, the business employs a team ofeight, working from an office in Bristol. It sellsaround 334 SKUs across eight categories andhas 19 licensing partners and threeinternational licensing agents. As well asselling directly through its web shopwww.belleandboo.com, for which it hasaround 8,000 registered online customers,the brand has been introduced in more than26 international markets, primarily throughUK licensees expanding worldwidedistribution, and sells directly to over 120

outlets around the world.In the UK, Belle & Boo is sold in 512

outlets across independent, department andonline stores, with its natural home beingamongst the independents, which have theflexibility to be creative with the brand.Childrenswear independents, in particular, areincreasingly looking to the brand to expandtheir offers into lifestyle products, with thenature of Belle & Boo’s collection allowingcreative boutique retailers to tell a story tocustomers through the products, encouragingbrand loyalty and repeat sales.

Fundamentally, the company’s aspirationis for the world of Belle & Boo to become partof a child’s everyday life, reflected by itscontinually diversifying range. Products thatcomplement the original art prints, such asthe cushions and wall stickers, remain thecore offer. Alongside homeware, there are alsodining products, including melamine sets,lunch boxes and a new range of chinaware forchildren. Play and craft is another key area,particularly following the success of the Belle & Boo Book of Craft, with gifts such as adress-up doll, Boo cookie cutter and apron set,


and the Bubbles Before Bed book, whichinterweaves the story of bedtime routine withillustrations for children to colour, all popularamid the brand’s growing fan base in the craft arena.

Beyond this, the range extends into partytableware, cards, gift wrap and childrenswear.The clothing line, which is purposefullydesigned to be fantasy-led, not fashion-led,offers a range of girlswear with acontemporary twist on vintage charm.Incorporating hand embroidery, appliqué andreversible prints, hero pieces include apinafore dress featuring an embroidery of Boo the rabbit and a cotton sateen blouse and shorts set featuring a hand-embroideredtree and featuring the signature Boo printlining.

Plans are to continue developing theclothing line, including a relaunch of thesummer dresses range with increased focuson vintage shapes. A new colour palette ofcornflower blue, navy, yellow and pink is beingintroduced, as is an all-over rabbit print anddetailing such as mother-of-pearl buttons andribbon sashes. A/w 14, meanwhile, sees thebrand’s limited-edition children’s coatrelaunched in a new colourway as well as acollection of everydaywear.

In terms of business dynamics, Sutcliffeand Shafe are the yin and yang of the brand,with Sutcliffe delivering the visual creativityand Shafe’s past career within retailmarketing providing the retail and businessknowledge to forge partnerships and developnew products. Shafe, essentially, isresponsible for the strategic planning, theongoing marketing of the brand, as well asmanaging the growing licence portfolio.

Following the brand’s securing of a globalbook contract in 2010, however, furthersupport was required, which saw Shafe’s

husband, Patrick, resigning from his positionas a managing director of a London designagency to join the business as a part owner.Once on board, Patrick began reviewing theprocurement procedures and brand’s pricingpolicy to ensure margins were maximised onexisting sales, as well as managing the designand implementation of Belle & Boo’stransactional retail website, which launched in May 2012. Today, his focus is on handlingthe contractual negotiations with the brand’s UK and overseas licensing agentstogether with the overall international growthof the business.

Despite having grown to global status,Belle & Boo maintains the personal touch of a small business and is committed tovaluing its customers. It provides freedownloads on its website, such as free outfitsfor the dress-up Belle & Boo doll and freeparty invitations and, with each purchase fromits website, customers receive a hand-writtenthank you card from the Belle & Boo team aswell as an extra token in the form of stickers or postcards.

With regard to growth, Belle & Boo is

looking largely to international markets. Thelabel’s German, Austrian and Swiss (GAS)program demonstrates the potential forinternational expansion, and it is aiming torole this out to GAS, Benelux, France, Nordic,South Africa, Asia, Australia, Japan and theUS. It also proposes to introduce Belle & Booplush toys, games and bath products. Thepotential signing of two new licences aims tosupport this product demand, as doesworking with the brand’s current craftpublishers to launch a second book.

This year, as well as focusing oninternational growth, Belle & Boo aims to havea UK pop-up shop by the end of 2014, withthe view to a more permanent retail presencein the following years. It is also launching Belle& Boo Boo-tique, an online shop and galleryoffering the work of independent designers.Boo-tique will feature an edited range ofhandmade pieces selected by Sutcliffe, andwill be part of Belle & Boo’s e-commerce site.And don’t be surprised if you see Belle & Boohop into the world of TV one day because, as far as this brand is concerned, the sky isthe limit.

(L-R) KATE SHAFE, MANDY SUTCLIFFE ANDPATRICK SUTCLIFFE


BEAR NECESSITIES: Panda designs incorporated as motifs and all-over prints.

COLOUR BLOCKS: Blocks of colour form the focus, especially to highlight detailing such as pockets or pleats.

FANTASTIC MR FOX: The fox is another key animal design of the season, seen in motifs, prints and character designs.

FANTASY ISLAND: Imaginative designs that take inspiration from magic, fairy tales, circuses and surreal imagery.


FLORAL STANCE: Various takes on the floral trend, ranging from simple prints through to abstract designs.

GEOMETRIC GEMS: Geometric shapes are used to form the basis for contemporary prints and motifs.

GREY DAZE: A key colour of the season, grey is in abundance for a/w 14, especially light, silvery shades.

MOUNTAIN ENERGY: Inspired by the great outdoors, with designs reflecting mountains and forest animals.

NATURE LOVERS: A combination of earthy tones and warm textiles including wool, faux fur and corduroy.


As offshore manufacturing costs and ethicalissues continue to escalate, the political will ofretailers and brands to resurrect a UKmanufacturing base is now becoming a viablecommercial option. High-street retailers, alongwith niche and luxury brands, are activelyworking with colleges, schools andapprenticeship schemes to train the nextgeneration of skilled workers for careers inclothing manufacture. Last month, over 170delegates attended an ASBCI fashion industryconference to discuss the realities of UKmanufacture.

Alek Adamski, partner in UK supply chainpractice at global management consulting firmKurt Salmon, set the tone for the day with anoptimistic presentation. After fast-trackingdelegates through the offshore manufacturingexodus that began in the 80s, he proclaimed,“Good news – things are changing andmoving rapidly the other way!” Increasedlabour and freight costs, difficulties insourcing raw materials, environmental andethical concerns, and China’s focus on thedemands of its domestic market have madeUK retailers look again at UK sourcing. Cost toserve, he explained, is key, and retailers havestarted to understand the true cost differentialsin sourcing from the Far East as opposed tothe UK, which is translating into action.

John Lewis’ Made in the UK label isbranded on 10,500 garments (July 2013), andM&S, River Island and George Clothing arejust some of the retailers who are sourcingfrom the UK where possible. And while theluxury clothing sector has long beencapitalising on Made in the UK credentials athome and overseas, the volume retailers arenow following suit, with consumers helping bydemanding quality not quantity. There are stillchallenges to overcome but, said Adamski,“Retailers are recognising that long-termcollaborations with local suppliers are

becoming a key element of supply chainsuccess.” A Kurt Salmon study has shown thatfabric, colour, silhouette and quantity decisionsmade closer to sale improve margins andspeed to market. “Every eight weeks savedgenerates a two per cent improvement onretained margin – it is a real reason to sourcefrom the UK.” As for the future? WhileAdamski feels the government could andshould help, he believes it is retailers who will drive the resurrection of the UKmanufacturing industry.

Christopher Nieper, managing director ofluxury womenswear brand David Nieper, was inagreement with Adamski, saying, “My challengeto you today, retailers, is that the newmanufacturing revolution will be led by you.Don’t wait for producers to appear – start doingit yourselves, just like we have.” In Nieper’skeynote presentation he inspired delegateswith his account of how the 53-year-oldDerbyshire company survived the economicdownturn of the 80s and competition from“chain stores” by staying committed to UKmanufacturing, reinventing its womenswearoffer, and selling directly to consumersthrough mail order. It embraced onlineopportunities and the latest manufacturingand digital printing technologies while stayingfaithful to its traditional “craftsmanship” rootsand maintaining its premium price points,recognising its customers want enduring luxury.

Crucially, its flexible “just in time”dressmaker manufacturing model has enabledit to achieve optimum customer satisfactionand the lowest return rates far below industrystandards. With lead times of around threeweeks, it keeps stocks low and can adaptdesigns in line with customer feedback – thishas proved particularly helpful with perfectingthe fit of its garments. “We need loyalcustomers to place repeat orders and we needloyal staff and suppliers, too,” said Nieper.

“Remember, you cannot buy loyalty, you haveto earn it; a good starting point is to paysuppliers promptly, and we usually pay ourswithin 10 days.” He also urged retailers andmanufacturers to work together and invest inpeople. By way of example, David Nieper hasits own Fashion Academy, which engages withlocal primary schools and fashion collegesnationwide to inspire interest in fashionproduction. Plans are to eventually establish aschool that will offer work experience infashion manufacture.

“The shift to UK sourcing also makessense for volume clothing retailers”, saidspeaker David Goodwin, head of technicalservices at Matalan. “The pursuit of the cheapneedle around the globe has almost run itscourse.” Goodwin cited data from the Ministryof Labour and Social Security of the People’sRepublic of China March 2003-2012, whichshows China’s wage inflation increase runningat 14 per cent to 15 per cent per annum. Inaddition, he added, “While we have witnessedhuge ‘levelling’ of wage increases in suchcountries as Bangladesh and Cambodia, someof these increases have been throughindustrial unrest and brought with itdisruption, uncertainty and added cost.”

Chasing the cheap needle, Goodwinargued, also brings with it other issues. “It canlead brands and retailers into countries whereethical trading, health & safety and workers’rights are alien concepts,” he said. “And evenif such disciplines are achievable, they tend tobe time consuming, expensive, demandingand difficult to implement and police. Productquality can suffer, especially at the commodityend of the market, and consumers can end upbuying ‘landfill’ fashion. Combined withincreases in fuel costs, there is a convincingargument to make it in the UK.” Evidence thatgarment manufacturing is re-shoring can befound in the supply of sewing machinery and


spare parts. One of the largest sewingmachine and parts dealers in the UK has seenits business turnover rise by around 65 percent in the past four years, with sales of sewingmachine needles – a fairly reliable indicator ofthe level of sewing going on in a market –increasing by an average of 11 per cent in thelast three years.

Chris Taylor, commercial and operationsdirector of Basic Thinking, a Leicester volumewomenswear manufacturer for Matalan, has, inthe past three years, changed its sourcingmodel from 80 per cent manufacturing inEgypt and 20 per cent manufacturing in theUK to 80 per cent in the UK and 20 per centin Egypt. Basic Thinking wanted to dramaticallyimprove its eight-week lead times. Realising itcould not achieve this while producing most ofits product in Egypt, it set up a production linein Leicester to run clearance lines for threemonths. This enabled it to get the necessarytechnical and ethical auditing accreditationswhich meant it could work with the high street.Then it set about employing “the right labour”for its “clean and attractive factory” andestablished a sewing academy for theunemployed to address its local skill shortage.

In just three years it has reduced its leadtimes to three to four weeks and is producing130,000 units per month. A vital part of itssuccess is down to the relationships it hasforged with its retail clients and its owncarefully selected suppliers. It is, Taylorconcluded, “this close, defined retailer andsupplier collaboration with encouragementfrom local and central government that holdsthe key to the renaissance of Britishmanufacturing.”

Lorna Fitzsimons, director of the AllianceProject, argued that “the government is tryingto support growth within the UK’s textile andgarment manufacturing sector.” In 2011, VinceCable MP commissioned a major survey intotextile manufacturing, and appointedFitzsimons, along with managementconsultancy firm KPMG, to survey 16 retailgroups and 130 manufacturers. In 2012, itdetermined the textile manufacturing sector iscontributing £9bn to the economy. “Thisfigure was a wake-up call to the governmentand made it sit up and take notice,” she says.

The survey also found that the textilemanufacturing hot spots were located in the“poorest” regions of Lancashire, GreaterManchester and West Yorkshire, so aregeneration of textile manufacturing wouldalso have a direct and positive outcome for thelocal economies. As a result, the AllianceProject has been given a regional growth fundof £12.8m, of which over £11m is availableover the next 18 months to support theregeneration of textile-related manufacturingbusinesses in the UK (excluding London andScotland). Part of the fund is dedicated tocreating an “asset register of manufacturingsuppliers in the UK” and making this availableto all retailers. Simultaneously, the Alliance isaddressing the skills deficit and has appointeda team of technical experts withrepresentatives from names such as Asos,Abraham Moon and M&S to assess the skills’needs and allocate the funding.

Jonny Mitchell, executive director atCrystal Martin International, applied his vastand recent experiences of UK manufacturingfor Courtaulds hosiery and LeeAnn Fashions

womenswear to reveal how UK companies canbest fulfil the demands of high-street retailers.The key, he insisted, is “close collaborativepartnerships between retailers andmanufacturers who share the same businessand production strategies. Retailers do nothave to ‘own’ the manufacturing base, butshould be willing to share the success andindeed the risks.” Mitchell went on to explainthat M&S had committed to a five-year planwith LeeAnn Fashions in Leicester so that thecompany could invest in the necessary peopleand machinery to make M&S’ new Best ofBritish collection. He urged buyers within retailgroups to look beyond margins “that take awayfrom the innovation and USP of British-madegarments.” He called for a “big, collective long-term approach” to skills’ training thatshould involve all stakeholders, including thegovernment, and a re-think on the minimumwage. He concluded by urging manufacturersto “think and act in a world-class way” with aglobal supplier mentality. “You must give theretailers a reason to buy from you other thanprice – we do not want to be a cottage industry,so design and make product that people wantto buy.”

A shining example of collaboration waspresented by Jenny Holloway, founder and MDof not-for-profit organisation Fashion Enter,whose garment manufacturing and trainingfacility in London has had a huge impact inreviving sewing skillsand creatingemployment and careeropportunities for youngpeople. She has formed“open and honest”collaborativerelationships withretailers – notably Asos,in addition to John Lewis, M&S, New Look,River Island and Topshop – which hastranslated into a 7,500 sq ft fully equippedfactory and sampling studio, employing 84people and producing between one and10,000 high-quality jersey and wovengarments per week. In July 2013, FashionEnter secured further loans from Asos to opena Stitching Academy and launch a new FactoryTechnical Academy, due to open later this year.

Ian Maclean, MD of knitwear label JohnSmedley, identified five core brand values thatplay a part in making UK brands a success inthe global market – Britishness, design,quality, craftsmanship and community.“Britishness”, he argues, is not just about“made in Britain”. He urged delegates tocelebrate British success stories, such asBoden as, while it makes most of its garmentsoffshore, it turns over £250m, exports £90mto the US, creates employment and makes avaluable contribution to the UK economy. Itdoes not claim to be made in the UK, but iscapitalising on the global appeal of “Britishlifestyle”. Design, he said, is not just aboutdesigners. He implored industry organisations,such as the British Fashion Council and themedia, to “change their language andrecognise the importance of UKmanufacturers in delivering British fashion onthe global stage.” Quality, he stated, has neverbeen more important as it justifies pricedifferentials. So, while John Smedley has seenits cost per unit increase from £25 to £40since the year 2000, Maclean pointed out the

company “cannot compromise on quality andneeds other strategies to help consumersunderstand the real value of buying our British-made brand.” Community, saidMaclean, is about the industry workingtogether with government and bodies such asthe Textile Institute to share business adviceand export opportunities. Finally, by adheringto its “craftsmanship” routes, John Smedleyhas retained a point of difference and isgrowing as a result. Maclean closed by advisingcompanies to “start with the wealthy anddiscerning Japanese market. Translateeverything into Japanese, as there is areadymade market there for Britishcraftsmanship.”

Tony O’Connor, head of design inmenswear at M&S, told how it has made“iconic retro British style” the point ofdifference for its new Best of British men’s andwomenswear range. M&S refused tocompromise on the “made in the UK” integrityof the collection, so all of the tweeds andcomponents were sourced in the UK, and thegarments entirely made here. “It wasn’t easy tofind manufacturers for the collection, but wemade some contacts in the industry whohelped me land the range in just four weeks,”he said. M&S now uses more British-madefabric than any other clothing retailer in the UK.

Last to take the stage was Kate Hills who,as a buyer, had become increasingly

disillusioned with the offshore buyingstrategies of the big retail groups and set upthe website makeitBritish.co.uk dedicated topromoting UK-made products. Launched in2011, Make it British now features the productsof over 1,000 UK manufacturers. Hills admitsthat initially it was “a hobby, but has become avalid platform for showcasing and uniting UKmanufacturers and buyers.” The traffic to herwebsite has increased by 246 per cent in thepast year, with 2,272 requests made to the sitein January 2014 alone. She conducted aconsumer survey and found 43 per cent ofrespondents would pay more for product madein Britain, while 70 per cent of the over-60sand just 16 per cent of the under-30s wouldpay more.

Furthermore, 60 per cent perceivedproducts made in Britain to be of “goodquality”. However, Hills also found thatmanufacturers are not doing enough to helpthemselves. Of those asked, 62 per cent saidbusiness is about the same, but less than 25per cent of them are proactively looking fornew business, preferring to rely on word ofmouth. This clearly has to improve ifmanufacturers are going to realise their growthpotential, with Hills stating the way ahead liesin commitment. “Retailers must make acommitment to their UK supply base and it willbe rewarded in the long run,” she said. To helpunite retailers with manufacturers, Make itBritish is hosting a two-day trade show, whichis open to all, at the Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, London, on 11-12 June 2014.


Established in 2013, Amy & Ivor is a small,British brand of hand-crafted, soft-structuredbaby and toddler moccasins. Designed to offer both style andpracticality, the shoes are made from 100 per cent baby-safe chrome-free and vegetable-tanned leather, and are suitable for indoor and light outdoor use. Available in a choice of contemporary colours and in UK shoe sizes 0-9. www.amyandivor.com

Making its debut for a/w 14 is newchildren’s footwear brand Hug & Hatch.Created by two footwear designers, who aremums themselves, the collection for boysand girls encompasses soft sole and pre-walkers through to first walkers andjunior styles. Quirky printed suede, colour-pop leather linings, polka-dot elasticand leather tassels all feature. www.hugandhatch.com

New to the UK market isKozangian, a collection ofchildren’s footwear produced byLebanese craftsmen. Available ina range of colours, the shoes areergonomically designed usinghypoallergenic materials to bedurable, yet soft and flexibleenough to provide the necessarycomfort and fit to protect andsupport a child’s foot. www.kozangian.com

Attic offers handmadecollections for babies usingorganic cotton, organic bambooand other natural materials. Oneof its collections is a line of babybooties, which are supplied giftboxed. Styles include hand-crocheted ballerinas, Mary Janes, boys’ lace shoesand T-bars. www.attic-textiles.co.uk


Butler offers a new take onprotective footwear for kidswith its innovative new rangeof overboots. Made in the USfrom a lightweight, patentedmaterial, the Butler Overbootis worn over a child’s shoesand secured with a Velcrostrap. Available in a choice of six colours, the boots are100 per cent waterproof, withno seams, grommets orstitching, ensuring all-season protection. www.butleroverboot.co.uk

Young Soles is a new brand of luxurychildren’s footwear for toddlersthrough to 10 years of age, coveringEuropean sizes 18-35. The collectionoffers handcrafted styles based onBritish classics, with key designsincluding a T-Bar shoe, Mary Jane,ankle boot with buckle detailing,monkey boot and a 50s-inspiredsuede creeper. Detailing includesheritage brogue tooling and Libertyprint cotton laces. www.youngsoles.co.uk

Established Polish footwear brand Emel, which has astrong foothold in countries such as Germany andAustria, made its UK debut for a/w 14. Catering forboys and girls, the collection is handmade in Italianleather, with all shoes backed by a lifetime guarantee.Designs range from lace-up boots through to casualstyles in a choice of colour options. www.emelshoes.com

Bêjaks offers toddler shoes featuring aneasy-fit and width-adjustmenttechnology that allows the shoes to beadapted for wider or narrower feet aswell as for a tighter or looser fit. Thehand-crafted full-grain leather shoesalso feature arch support to retainshape, pull tags to aid fitting,cushioned foam soles and soft-impact,non-scratching undersides. Establishedin 2013, Bêjaks was relaunched for a/w 14 after being purchased by JamesHolden, who was recently listed as a Top50 Upcoming Young UK Entrepreneurto Watch by government-backedstudent enterprise charity NACUE. www.bejaks.com

The next edition of Bubble London forspring/summer 2015 takes place on 13-14 Julyat the Business Design Centre, Islington.For more autumn/winter 2014 Bubble Londoncoverage visit cwb-online.co.uk.

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Cwb-online.co.uk is the essential freebusiness tool, bringing you industry advice,up-to-the-minute news, insightful featuresand trend information at the click of a button.

From the team behind CWB magazine, thewebsite covers every aspect of thechildrenswear and schoolwear industry.

Frequently updated news across a broad rangeof topics will help you keep your finger on thepulse, while a variety of unique content thatcomplements CWB’s comprehensive industryand style reports brings you rounded, in-depth knowledge and information. Brandspotlights, short-order specials and trendoverviews are just some of the must-readfeatures, all of which will aid your buyingdecisions and help enhance your in-store offer.

The Retail section provides further vitalinspiration, covering everything from visualmerchandising ideas to advice andsuggestions from the brains behind some ofthe UK’s most successful independents.

Gain expert views on current and ongoingissues affecting the industry in the Opinionsection, and stay informed on industry tradeexhibitions and essential dates for your diarywith our Events section of the website.

Completing CWB’s all-encompassingcoverage of the children’s clothing sector is adedicated area of the website offering thelatest news, views and product from theschoolwear industry.


40:News

43:Going the extra milePlans for school bag supplier Marathonas the company celebrates 25 years in business.

46:Play to your strengthsSchoolwear independent Brenda’s onrestructuring the business to pave theway for future growth

Also, don’t miss:

12:Open for BusinessLegal and business advice plusindustry opinion

24:The reality of UK manufactureFindings from the recent ASBCI conference

CHARLES KIRK

The Schoolwear Show Limited is the new, simplercompany name for the organiser of TheSchoolwear Show, formerly known as Force 12.

In line with the new company name, there isa new logo, and general enquiries should now bedirected to [email protected].

The Schoolwear Show, which is selling wellin advance of the 2014 edition on 12-14 October2014 at Cranmore Park, Solihull, will soon beopen for visitor online registration atwww.theschoolwearshow.co.uk.


Keynote speaker and digital commerce expertWarren Knight is encouraging independentretailers to explore the “underpublicised reservesof knowledge and cash” that he says are availablefor SMEs.

Knight, whose own businesses havebenefitted from assisted funding – one receiving£150,000 SEIS investment and a secondlaunched with a £5,000 Start Up Loan – admitsbanks are reluctant to pay out, and advises SMEsto look at forms of asset-based finance.

“Around 336,000 of UK SMEs applied forbank loans between Q3 2011 and Q2 2012, and23 per cent of these were rejected. However, withall these government-run initiatives available, youas a business owner can get the funding andinvestment you need to grow your business,” he says.

Independent retailers can, for instance,apply for a Growth Accelerator loan and match-funding of £2,000, a Start Up Loan of upto £15,000 and, with the Seed EnterpriseInvestment Scheme, they can receive £150,000from angel investors.

School uniform and its links with behaviour anddiscipline will be under scrutiny as the chiefinspector of Ofsted launches a rollingprogramme of unannounced visits to schools where standards of behaviour are cause for concern.

Tackling what Ofsted describes as “a culture of casual acceptance” of low-leveldisruption in schools, the visits will be on thebasis of parental concerns and evidencegathered from previous inspections. The visitswill look at a wide range of evidence to reach ajudgement on the standards of behaviour,including an assessment of the culture of theschool and observing pupils’ behaviour in theclassroom, between lessons, during breaks andafter school.

Specialist schoolwear provider Trutex haslaunched an information video on YouTube toillustrate how it has gained carbon neutral status.

The video explains the process involved,from the extensive auditing program undertakenby The Carbon Footprint Ltd in line withISO14064 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocolthrough to Trutex’s investment in a VerifiedCarbon Standard (VCS) project to offset its emissions.

It also highlights other eco-friendly factsabout the company, such as only using paperfrom sustainable forests for its brochures andliterature, resulting in 1,453m of forest preservedsince 2011.

Blue Max Banner has pledged its support to agroup of schoolchildren who performed in aconcert at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this month,celebrating 30 years of music making.

The supplier’s support comes in the form ofprinted Champion T-shirts, which have beendonated to the Berkshire Maestros, a charitydedicated to the support and development ofyoung musicians throughout Berkshire.

Over 1,800 children from 63 Berkshireschools – primary, secondary and special – tookto the stage wearing the donated T-shirts at the Royal Albert Hall.

“Not only is it wonderful to be able to helpwith such a worthy cause, but an event of thismagnitude and prestige offers a fantasticplatform for us to showcase the possibilities ofthe Blue Max Banner business,” says Blue MaxBanner MD Nigel Plenderleith.


Independent retailers face fiercecompetition from big chains all year roundbut, of course, for school uniformspecialists, the heat gets turned up everysummer. Claims that school uniform isexpensive get blown out of proportion andplay into the hands of the big stores, whooften only stock school uniform for aroundsix weeks or so per year, and who areunable to provide the specialist serviceindependents offer or stock all sizes and allcolours of uniform all year around. Thisyear, the Schoolwear Association is againcampaigning to put the facts straight.

Hard-pressed parents can easily beswayed by chain-store offers of lossleading, cheap uniform. Meanwhile,schools with a sole supplier relationshipface pressure to provide more than onesupplier. Of course, this is bad news forindependents, but it is also bad for schoolsand parents who often find themselvescaught between two suppliers. A solesupplier has to have the commitment toclothe every child in the school – whatevertheir needs. When there are severalsuppliers, they all have to guess what stockto carry and some children can “slipthrough the cracks” when availability canbecome an issue.

The Schoolwear Association promotesthat a quality uniform that is specific to aschool has numerous benefits for parents,schools and students. It may cost a littlemore than “cheap grey wear”, but theAssociation maintains it is money wellspent. So its message to parents is this,“Your child is worth it.”

The Schoolwear Association representsall those involved in the supply of school-specific uniform, including retailers,direct-to-school suppliers, manufacturers,distributors, wholesalers, suppliers,decorators, agents and schools. Its role is topromote the benefits of school-specificuniform to schools, parents and students. Itbelieves that a distinctive uniform aids a child’s sense of belonging, and is good for security in and out of school, and its research shows that parents andteachers agree.

SCHOOLWEARASSOCIATIONINITIATIVES FOR 2014:

Study showsschool uniform is affordable The Associationinvestigateduniform at topstate schools inEngland anddiscovered that allof the top 20schools have auniform, and the cost of a complete daywearoutfit ranges from £34.99 to £126.20. TheSchoolwear Association will use this researchto back up its case that school uniform isreasonably priced and strongly associated withgood education.

Regular communications The Schoolwear Association endeavours tosend email communications on issuespertaining to the industry. Regular fact sheetsand press information is available to allmembers, with the Association also keeping apress-cutting service to ensure it can keepmembers updated.

Talk to the head teacher The Schoolwear Association sends out regularcommunications to head teachers to provideadvice on subjects such as how to specifyuniform and to protect their school badgesfrom copyright infringement. It also helpsthem to build the case with parents for good-quality schoolwear with a series of fact sheets.

Video The Association’s YouTube video, whichalready has more than 500 views, showsparents discussing the benefits of schooluniform and debating their preference forschool-specific uniform over “grey wear”. The video can be viewed atyoutube.com/watch?v=8gp-6xOPc3A.

Working with the media The Schoolwear Association is invitingbloggers and regional journalists to aninformative participatory event to show theeffort that goes into creating quality schooluniform – from fibre and fabric to garmentdelivery. This is just one of a whole host ofmedia relations initiatives under way, set toraise the profile of the Association andpresent its argument to millions of newspaperand magazine readers, digital media users,and broadcast viewers and listeners. In thepast 12 months, the Association has beenfeatured on Simon Mayo’s BBC Radio 2Drivetime show, in The Independent andMetro, and in At Home and Reveal magazines.

Getting involvedThe Association is also appealing formembers to join its regular meetings, whichare run by its volunteer executives from acrossthe industry. Regional meetings are plannedfor this year, alongside the Association’sannual fundraising evening – taking place onMonday 13 October – which coincides withThe Schoolwear Show, with the fundraisertaking place in close proximity to theexhibition’s venue.

If you have not yet joined the SchoolwearAssociation, your support would be valued.The Association is run by its members for itsmembers. Established in 2006, it now haswell over 200 members, representing all areasof the UK school-specific uniform trade.Member benefits include free media support,advice and fact sheets. Find out more atwww.schoolwearassociation.co.uk.

Connect with the Schoolwear Association:Facebook – www.facebook.com/SchoolwearAssociation Twitter – @SAschoolwear


When it comes to school uniform andaccessories, products have to be of highquality if they are to withstand the daily rigoursplaced on them by pupils. Additionally, withthe Prime Minister’s former policy chief PaulKirby’s proposal for the General Election in2015 that “from September 2016 all state-funded schools will, by law, provide 45hours of education per week for 45 weeks ofthe year”, children could, potentially, beputting their school uniform through evenmore wear and tear. This would bring the

issue of quality schoolwear even further to thefore and, subsequently, for suppliers of schoolbags, longer school days would see studentscarrying more belongings for longer lengthsof time, seeing the need for quality,comfortable and back-healthy school bagsneeded more than ever before.

Even without the added hours of the proposedextending school days, I myself can vividlyremember struggling at secondary school witha bag full of heavy books and the back pain

that followed from carrying them daily.Nowadays, however, there are bags on themarket that ensure back pain doesn’t need tobe part of a school child’s daily life, with onesuch supplier being Marathon.

Marathon has been supplying schoolbags tothousands of schools in the UK for 25 years,providing a wide range of durable productsthat are both comfortable and practical to useas well as gentle on growing bodies. Thecompany was established in Staines in 1989,

>>>


founded by an Australian family that alsoowned Spartan, a leading school bag supplierin Australia. As the business grew, it movedfrom Staines, first to Chertsey and then toWeybridge, where it has remained at itscurrent, purpose-built factory in Brooklands,since December 2008.

In September 2013, the company was boughtby Surrey couple Janet and Sean Fay, whowere more than familiar with the Marathonbrand, having been loyal customers of itsproducts for many years. The addition of theFays sees new blood brought to the business,complemented by the strong foundation of theexisting management team, which continuesto run the company, headed by Nina Cassidywho, together with other key team members,has been managing the firm since 2009.

Much has happened since the launch in 1989,with the business evolving considerably overthe years. In terms of product, Marathondesigns its own, made exclusively by thecompany’s factories and printed at its facilityin Weybridge. The product offer, which coversschool bags and also accessories such ashats, pencil cases, water bottles and artsmocks, is broad. It offers two ranges ofschool bags – The Performance Range andThe Attitude Range – both of whichencompass the full spectrum of school bagrequirements, from nursery through to sixthform students, including back packs, bookbags and sports bags. The PerformanceRange, as the name suggests, is Marathon’spremium line of bags, all designed withperformance in mind in terms of quality,durability, design features and aesthetics. TheAttitude Range, meanwhile, caters for themore budget conscious, but maintains thesupplier’s standards in terms of quality,manufacture and design.

With regards to the aforementioned features,ergonomic design is key, with all Marathon’sproducts ergonomically created followingyears of research in association with leadingacademic, chiropractic and physiotherapyinstitutions. The product offer also includestwo bags endorsed on the UK market to helpsupport children’s backs and minimise backproblems. The ChiroPak is proven to reducethe incidence and severity of neck and backpain associated with the carriage of heavyloads such as school books and laptops,therefore best suited to teenagers, and isendorsed by the Chiropractors Association ofAustralia (CAA). The design of the bag wasdeveloped hand-in-hand with the CAA,Macquarie University, and Spartan/Marathon.Research by the University proved that wearingthe bag correctly reduces the incidences andseverity of neck and back pain, with the CAAendorsing the bag on this basis. ThePhysioPak III, meanwhile, caters for youngerchildren and is proven to minimise harmfulpostural response and significantly reducesassociated back pain, neck pain and minorspinal injury. It is endorsed by the AustralianPhysiotherapy Association (APA), and wasdesigned jointly with the APA and theUniversity of South Australia.

Other core products, alongside the endorsedbags, include the LitePak, a backpack with anergonomic design that shares many of thesame back-care features of the ChiroPak andPhysioPak III, and is available in threedifferent sizes and multiple colours. Thesupplier’s signature sports bag – theOlympic – is another bestseller, offering aclassic design tailored to accommodate sportskits but still fits into school lockers. Key styleswithin the accessory bags are the Book Folio

and Marathon’s boot/swim bag.

Another USP of Marathon is its warranty – thesupplier offers either a three-year or one-yearwarranty against faulty workmanship on all ofits non-accessory bags. It also holds stock inits Surrey warehouse, prints to order on-site –keeping the delivery time from order todelivery as short as possible – and offers in-house artwork design and printing,including screen printing, heat transfer and embroidery.

Although the schools sector is a marketplacewith which the business is more than familiar,with Marathon building up a loyal customerbase over the years, the company made thedecision to make its Schoolwear Show debutin October 2013. This was part of a marketingand brand awareness activity, with the exerciseallowing the business to successfully marketthe Marathon brand more widely.

Going forward, in addition to several productupgrades and improvements scheduled forlater in the year, the company aims to continuegrowing and expanding its customer base,product range, and broadening the recognitionof the Marathon brand while remaining a UK,family owned and run business. Part of itsstrategy includes launching a new website,with Marathon having appointed a webdesigner, which it is currently working with torefine specifications. The supplier’s intentionand brief is that the new website will bedynamic and relevant to the brand, providingcustomers with a much more user-friendlytool, with the first phase of the relaunchscheduled for spring. Additionally, Marathonwill be working on marketing activities, events, and offers throughout the year to mark its quarter-century anniversary, so watchthis space...

MARATHONCIRCA 1990

FOR ALL ENQUIRIES CONTACT SALESM.Comars & Sons Ltd

Comar House, 37 Broughton Street, Manchester M8 8LZTel: 0161 834 8049 Fax: 0161 833 1798

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BACK TO SCHOOL


Established in 1949, Brenda’s Schoolwear is awell-rooted independent retailer in Surrey,servicing the North-East Hampshire, Surrey,and Berkshire borders. Over the last 10 years,it has cultivated its stock to give parents thecomplete school offering of uniform, footwear,coats, bags, stationery, sports accessories anditems for other extra-curricular activities,which it provided until January 2014, via twoshops based in Farnborough and Camberley.

Like any savvy independent retailer, themanagement behind Brenda’s Schoolwear isconstantly working on moving the businessforward. Over recent years, the main focus fordevelopment has been centred on its retailoutlets, namely attempts to relocate theFarnborough store to larger premises. Despiteyears of hunting, however, the search for asuitable property proved fruitless so, inJanuary 2013, the business went back to thedrawing board. Possibilities for the future ofthe retailer were dissected, a number ofpotential properties located betweenFarnborough and Camberley were assessed,as was the possibility of moving both shopsinto one, larger store. Nevertheless, aftermuch deliberation and years of research,Brenda’s Schoolwear management came tothe conclusion that they already had what theywere looking for.

“What made most sense to us was just tomerge the Farnborough shop into our muchlarger, already existing Camberley store,” says Steve Optix, a partner at Brenda’sSchoolwear. “The plan was always to openfurther stores in surrounding areas, but itbecame obvious that this could easily be theundoing of the business.”

By reinventing its existing business andmerging the two stores, Brenda’s Schoolwearhas achieved the development it has soughtfor years, without the risk of raised overheadsand massive investment. Housing one unitedteam of staff, the newly improved Camberley

shop has been refreshed with extra tills andcounters to enable pay points on both of itsfloors as well as additional changing roomfacilities and seating to accommodate theextra business during peak selling periods.

As well as the recent change to its retailstructure, at Optix’s own admittance, thewhole business dynamic of Brenda’sSchoolwear has altered massively over theyears. A business model that worked in 1949,for instance, is going to be very different tothe one required to run a successfulindependent schoolwear business today.

“Epos systems have economised thestock holding side of things, creating lessunnecessary overspend and having moreconsistent stock levels,” he says. “Barcodeshave made the service flow of customers moreefficient, increased till points and havereduced bottle necks during peak seasons.And, as uniforms have become moreelaborate over the years, it has certainly beento our benefit that many schools feel they canno longer cope with holding their own stock,projecting ordering and dealing with sales andcash handling, and so are passing thebusiness on to experienced companies suchas ours to deal with.”

Online is another factor that Optixhighlights as contributing to changes in thebusiness model of selling schoolwear today.For Brenda’s Schoolwear, its online presenceis key, to the extent that the retailer nowconsiders the store as much a shop front forthe online operation. Optix’s view is balancedwhen it comes to the selling of schoolwearonline and, while he admits the e-commerceside of the business does take some footfallaway from the bricks-and-mortar store, it alsoenables him to suggest products and add-onsto customers purchasing online, much in thesame way as staff would in his physical store.

With its proactive approach to commerce,Brenda’s Schoolwear employs every available

opportunity to develop its business. It is astrong supporter and participator ofcommunity events and heavily utilises socialmedia. The latter being something Optixnotes as a “huge aspect” of the business, withcustomers and schools able to find thebusiness on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Flickrand Wordpress, where Optix has his own blog,The Life and Times of an IndependentSchoolwear Retailer.

“We try to operate with maximumtransparency to our schools and customersand, as well as obvious messages, we cancommunicate via these [social media]mediums,” he says. “It helps customers tounderstand our business and some of theissues we face.”

As well as the underlying aim of continuingto solidify its market position and grow at amanageable rate, Brenda’s Schoolwear’spursuit to remain ahead of current in-storeand online retail trends continues. Optix, forinstance, is looking into the possibilities ofintroducing in-store iPad ordering and stock-checking points, as well as furtherdeveloping the online service to create a moreintuitive shopping experience for customers.

While Brenda’s Schoolwear may havechanged and evolved in many ways over theyears, one element that remains steadfast isthe retailer’s mission statement – “To deliverquality schoolwear and associated product at areasonable price in a friendly and well-stockedstore.” Its three main facets – quality, serviceand price – remain the number-one focus.

“Our short-term aims are to continue toconstantly tweak and fine-tune our operationsto become as dynamic and efficient aspossible,” says Optix. “This is something thathas been an ongoing undertaking for the last10 years so, ultimately, short-term aims are abig part of our long-term aims.

March/April 2014 47� � �

0: 1 + in the Family, 0034 600420873, www.onemoreinthefamily.com • 1 Two Kids, 01383 735134, www.1two.co.ukA: Amy & Ivor, www.amyandivor.com • Angulus, 020 8987 8313,www.angulus.dk • ASBCI, 01422 354666, www.asbci.co.uk • Attic, 01202 669201, www.attic-textiles.com • Ava & Luc, www.avaandluc.comB: Bamboo Baby, 07771 933045, www.wholesale-baby-clothes.co.uk •Barbour, 07725 596659, www.barbour.cm • BbK, 07909 900700 • BeauLoves, 07903 949650, www.beauloves.co.uk • Bejaks, 020 7666 3210,www.bejaks.com • Belle & Boo, 0117 924 6382, www.belleandboo.com •Bobux, 07808 730176, www.bobux.com • Bogs, 0800 032 3505,www.bogs.com • Bonnie Baby, 01273 227779, www.bonniebaby.co.uk. •Bundgaard, 020 8567 2384 • Butler, 01604 876800, www.butlerboot.comC: Camper, 020 7313 7510 • Chapter 2, 07855 750277,www.chapter2kids.com • Chipmunks, 01925 710110,www.chipmunksfootwear.co.ukD: David Charles, www.davidcharleschildrenswear.com • Didriksons, 01275390451, www.didriksons.com • Diesel, www.dieselkid.com • Dr Martens,01933 663281, www.drmartens.comE: Emel Shoes, 07788 628949, www.emelshoes.com • EMU, 020 77132080, www.emuaustralia.comF: Fendi Kid, 0039 07312301, www.simonetta.it • Froddo, 07796 766669,www.froddo.net • Frugi, 01326 572828, www.frugiwholesale.comG: Garvalin, 07822 937370, www.garvalin.com • GBB, 07834 862770,www.wingategb.co.ukH: Hengst, 01785 662102, www.hengstfootwear.com • Hilda.Henri, 00436602954590, www.hildahenri.com • Holly & Beau, 01328 830820,www.hollyandbeau.com • Hug and Hatch, 01306 877665,www.heritage.comI: Ima, 0034 958794469, www.imaforkids.com • Izzy Melody, 07528794496, www.izzymelody.co.ukJ: Joules, 01858 435261, www.joules.comK: Kozangian, 07462 400412, www.kozangian.comL: Lazy Francis, 07525 936058, www.lazyfrancis.com • Lea Lelo, 07761437793 • Lilly + Sid, 01788 332278, www.lillyandsid.com • Little GreenRadicals, 020 7733 6402, www.littlegreenradicals.co.uk • Little Remix,020 7148 6394, www.designersremix.com • Love Keep Create LoveFrankie, 07940 421812, www.lovefrankie.com • Lucypeachslice, 07798771739, www.lucypeachslice.com • Luluzulu, 01890 771298,www.luluzulu.comM:Marathon School Supplies, 01932 359188, www.marathonss.com • Me Too, 0045 76412900, www.metoo.dk • Mini A Ture, 020 7348 7316,www.solobi.co.uk • Molo, 020 7250 0569, www.molo-kids.com •Mousehouse, 01606 868000, www.mousehousegifts.co.ukN: Nixie Clothing,www.nixieclothing.comP: Pediped, 07703 856072, www.pediped.com • Picaloulou, 01208814392, www.picaloulou.com • Pineapple, 01992 769612,www.pineapplefootwear.com • Pippo, 0191 246 1474,www.pippofootwear.com • Piupiuchick, 0035 1220933761,www.piupiuchick.com • PL Child, 020 7034 0035, www.pinklining.co.uk •Pod, 01234 240440, www.pod-footwear.com • Primigi, 020 8567 2384,www.primigi.comR: Raspberry Plum, 07516 920347, www.raspberryplum.com • Ricosta,0116 259 7427, www.ricosta.comS: Shepherd of Sweden, 01455 891711, www.shepherd.nu • Silly U,Simonetta, 0039 07312301, www.simonetta.it • Skechers, 01707 655955,www.skechers.co.uk • Snoozy, 0046 730492155, www.snoozy.com • Sorel,07814 976777, www.sorelfootwear.co.uk • Superfit, 07775 995547,www.superfit.atT: Tootsa MacGinty, www.tootsamacginty.com • Tour of Glastonbury, 01934733700, www.tourofglastonbury.com • Travis Designs, 01442 289898,www.travis.co.ukV: Valeria Couture, 0034 617412378, www.valeria-couture.comW:Wild Things Funky Little Dresses, 01254 830735,www.wildthingsdresses.comY: Young Soles, 07515 369391, www.youngsoles.co.uk

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Unit 1, First Floor, Paragon Works, Wilsthorpe Road,Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 3JW. Tel: 07967560633 Email: [email protected]: www.vanhuizenagencies.co.ukOILILY CHILDRENSWEAR, ROOM SEVENCHILDRENSWEAR, PERSNICKETY CHILDRENSWEARROOM SEVEN KIDS INTERIORS, BEDDINGHOUSE KIDS BEDDINGVan Huizen Agencies is a young, fresh and vibrantagency, for the more discerning retailer requiringbeautiful and unique collections.

MIDLANDS

40 Bedford Street, Belfast BT2 7FFTel: 0044 28 90236330 Fax: 0044 28 90236330Email: [email protected], KANZ, LILLY & SID, HATLEY,LOFFF, STEIFF, STARDUST FIRST COMMUNIONDRESSES, FIRST OCCASION CHRISTENINGWEAR, TORRES DRESSESHigh quality children’s fashions for babies, boys andgirls up to 14 years - specialising in occasionwear.Showrooms in Belfast, Dublin, Cork & Limerick.

IRELAND

Roccapina, 8 Pembroke Close, Thrapston, Northants, NN14 4XJTel: 01832 776588 Fax: 01832 730188Email: [email protected] www.roccapina.co.ukLA QUEUE DU CHAT, BABINÉ BB, STURE&LISA,LEMON LOVES LIME, LOLLIPOP TWIRL,LEMON LOVES LAYETTE, GNU BRANDAgency representing high quality Internationalbrands offering classic, colourful and chic collectionsfor ages 0-14 years. Covering the whole of the UK.


Laura Turner: What is the ethos behindTootsa MacGinty? Kate Pietrasik: I have very strong opinionsabout how we dress our boys and girls, andthose opinions are paramount to TootsaMacGinty’s design philosophy. Clothing forchildren, I believe, ought to be made forsturdier purposes than the changingvagarities of fashion. I also believe genderstereotypes have a harmful effect; boys areencouraged to be aggressive and active, whilstgirls are expected to play a more passive role,with much emphasis placed on beauty andtheir looks. As a result, as well as being verystylish, the collections are always genderneutral – or unisex – hardwearing andcolourful. Additionally, due to the concerns Ihave about mass-produced throwawayfashions, it is important that the clothes Imake have more than one life, so they arealways designed and built to be handed on toyounger siblings or friends.

LT: What inspired you to launch achildrenswear brand in the first place? KP: It’s a cliché, but becoming a parent.Shortly after having my daughter I movedback to London after living overseas since mylate teens. When shopping for her, I wasshocked by the stark gendering of clothingand toys for children on the UK high street, soI set about creating an alternative.

LT: What was your background prior tolaunching Tootsa MacGinty?KP: I previously worked as a womensweardesigner; mainly for sport and streetwearbrands. The experience I gained then hasbeen invaluable to my own business. I use thesame factories and suppliers for TootsaMacGinty that I worked with at some of theworld’s top streetwear brands, for instance.

LT: How would you sum up Tootsa MacGinty’soffer?KP: Each collection is quite wide ranging, andpredominantly knitwear, jerseywear, denimand outerwear styles. Almost immediately itbecame evident there was a real appetite forour colourful knitwear, and so these machinewashable knitted jumpers quickly became oursignature piece. Initially, we started outdesigning for pre-school children, but now thecollections is available up to eight years. Also,having heard “I wish that came in my size” so

often, we have also developed a limitededition, adult-sized version of our bestsellingjumper.

LT: Do your own children inspire your work?KP: Absolutely! It was my desire to give mydaughter a childhood free from restrictionsthat gave me the initial idea to begin a unisexchildrenswear label. She now road-tests manyof my designs and, needless to say, firstprototypes are always in her size.

LT: What is your favourite Tootsa MacGintypiece to date?KP: Our best selling jacquard knit fox jumper,which has taken on a few differentreincarnations over the seasons. The fox woreits own Christmas jumper last winter, and isseen wearing an iconic “I love NY” T-shirt for our s/s 14 collection entitled Summer inthe City.

LT: Which other childrenswearbrands do you admire?KP: Any that don’t conform togender stereotypes and offergood quality, stylish design; PetitBateau, Imps and Elfs,Munster Kids and Mini Rodini,to name a few.

LT: What are the plans forTootsa MacGinty?KP: We are alwaysbrainstorming ideas for thefuture. I recently got quiteanimated about thepossibility of tacklinghomeware, and I’d quite liketo have a go at designing acollection for the challenging“tween” market. I’ve alsojust begun working with salesagents, so I am excited by theprospect of reaching a wideraudience with increased sales.

CWB MAGAZINE MARCH/APRIL ISSUE 87

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