Licensing Matters Global (LMG), a London-based, leading global licensing agency, has announced a long-term partnership with Paris-based Peugeot Frères Industrie, a Peugeot Family Group subsidiary in charge of the continued expansion of the Peugeot brand in various sectors outside of the automotive industry. Under the agreement, LMG will help extend the iconic Peugeot brand into new categories via strategic licensing and retail efforts.

Gifted with 210 years of entrepreneurial spirit, Peugeot constantly enriches its expertise to create objects and experiences that facilitate everyday life. The brand believes LMG is the right partner to tailor a program that will instil the Peugeot DNA in new product verticals.

The partnership begins in January 2021. LMG are currently seeking partner licensees in selected product categories such as Toys, Garden Power Tools, Camping Equipment, Major Electric Appliances, Sports Equipment, Travel Accessories and Fashion, among others.

In a fully digital menswear season featuring 68 brands, videos by Asian designers stood out for their energy, ideas, and no-holds-barred fashion audacity. Barely halfway through the six-day Paris menswear fashion week featuring Fall-Winter 2021 collections, a gang of a dozen Asian creators grabbed attention for their upfront style, novel ideas and excellent castings.

Few schools of designers appear to have profited from the lockdown to rethink their DNA as smartly as these creators. For instance, Kidill, a Japanese label whose video recalled the Transavangardia of '80s Italy, even as it referenced UK goth punk and street graffiti. Kidill’s designer Hiroaki Sueyasu is also a gifted tailor so his absurdist, angry black-and-white face prints ended up looking bold and brilliant.

Similarly, Sankuanz, China’s hippest designer, who managed to stage a stealth video underneath and inside the Eiffel Tower in the middle of the night. And respect for Kolor by Junichi Abe, the Comme des Garçon alumnus who always commands lots of attention. It turned out to be an actual co-ed show set in a dreamy wood, where the cast appeared in Abe’s latest version of amalgamated fashion, a composite collection where garments intermingled.

One can also include Sulvam, with its fishtail smocks; cut-out sweaters; retro soul-singer leather clubbing jackets and chainmail-print pajamas by designer Teppei Fujita.

Plaudits for the train journey video to a rocky seashore from Taakk, the subtlest of the new generation Japanese fashion designers. Soft yet quirky materials; marvelous green moiré velvet jackets; perfectly styled modernist M-65 jackets and orchid-blotch print sweatshirts.

The global T-shirt market which had maintained positive growth trajectory for two years since 2016 fell for the first time in 2019 by -3.5 per cent and reached $88.5 billion, reveals a IndeBox study ‘World - T-Shirts - Market Analysis, Forecast, Size, Trends and Insights’. The study indicates overall, consumption saw a relatively flat trend. “The most prominent rate of growth was recorded in 2018 with an increase of 5.2 per cent against the previous year.” In this year consumption reached its peak level of $91.7 bilion, and then dipped in 2019.

Consumption highest in China, India ranks third

Based on volume, the countries with the highest T-shirt consumption in 2019 were: China (4.4 billion units), the US (2.9 billion units) and India (1.8 billion units). The top three account for 36 per cent of global T-shirt consumption. Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia, the UK, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Germany, Mexico, Ethiopia and Turkey followed them, together accounting for 22 per cent.

In fact, based on value, China led the pack with $12.9 billion, followed by the US ($6 billion) and India raked third. However, the countries with the highest levels of T-shirt per capita consumption in 2019 were the UK (9 units per person), the US (9 units per person) and Germany (6 units per person).

Growth drivers change as per region

The study clearly indicates in the apparel daily use category, T-shirts is one of the main goods. Sports and outdoor activity also generates demand. Consumption pattern changes as per fashion trends and social life.

In the US, T-shirt market is driven by fitness trend. The need for athletic comfort becomes an important factor in the buying process. Also, with the pandemic, the ongoing trend of using activewear as everyday attire will continue and T-shirts that feature a blend of fashion and functionality will sell well. This is the reason why, top sportswear brands continue to launch new and appealing products.

Similarly in the EU market there are some clear trends. New variations and styles, and eco-fashion are being introduced. T-shirt consumption across Europe is expected to grow due to the rising fashion consciousness about T-shirt, and increasing purchasing power of the young population.

Meanwhile the market in Asia is expected to remain strong with an increase in the number of consumers. Lifestyle changes, higher disposable income and demand for trendy fashion is giving a huge boost to Asia’s T-shirt market. Another major growth booster is rapid urbanization followed by rising popularity of Western lifestyles. Also, Asia happens to be a global centre for T-shirt production, thus easy availability of the product.

Pandemic’s affects on T-shirt category

Much like all other sectors, COVID-19 impacted the global T-shirts market with production facing headwinds due to lockdowns. And when China started easing and opening production units there were order cancellations which resulted in a stockpile of merchandise. This may have led to overstocking of warehouses, putting pressure on prices. Therefore, when demand grows back, recovery of production may be delayed until the stocks are sold, putting pressure on T-shirts category as a whole.

As per IndexBox estimates, in 2020, global consumption of T-shirts declined somewhat against 2019. In the medium term, as the global economy recovers market is expected to grow gradually, driven by rising population, recovering incomes, and the replacement of outworn ones, together with the consumer intention to get something new after a period of limitations. Overall, market will grow over the next decade, at an estimated CAGR of +1.1 per cent from 2019 to 2030. With this the volume of T-shirts market will be around 29 billion units by 2030.

One of the most important announcements made by President Biden on his first day in office was that the US will rejoin Paris Agreement. This indeed is a positive step for global environment and US is taking the lead. For the fashion industry, this is a clear message to focus more on their sustainability goals.

Rejoining Paris Agreement a positive step

For the US rejoining the Paris Agreement is a move in the right direction as one of the biggest greenhouse emitter in the world. For the US it’s important to lead from the front and set an example as their participation is important to make any progress in reducing global emissions. However, at the moment the Democrats have a thin majority in US Senate and as exemplified from former President Trump’s impeachment move, passing any legislation will be a challenge.

As per a WWD report, the process of rejoining Paris Agreement takes almost a month. However, at the moment “undoing previous environmental rollbacks and rewriting law to realize the bold pledge of making the country carbon-neutral by 2050 is more daunting.”

Experts believe this time round there will be more focus on industries that emit the most including the fashion industry. And as the WWD report suggests “Look for the new Environmental Protection Agency administrator, Michael Regan, to push broad sustainability policies across the U.S. economy. For fashion, this will likely highlight the need to reuse clothing, streamlining supply chains to reduce the carbon footprint.” However, the fact is legislations can only work up to a point and there needs to be broad realization about the need to cut emission across industries done through public communications.

As Ariele Elia, Assistant Director, Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School believes when the administration signs back stakeholders in the fashion industry will realize “at some point there will be some accountability, so they need to start considering (sustainability), and considering it beyond just a marketing plan — but from the scientific perspective.” Meanwhile, rejoining the Agreement will mean some responsibility from fashion companies as they will not be able to sideline the topic any more.

The WWD reports also highlights, earlier expert marketing efforts steered the blame toward consumers for overconsumption and wastefulness, “where the reality is, the volume of clothing being produced shows no sign of slowing” In fact, Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey & Co reports have suggested earlier recycling efforts lack enforcement or proper infrastructure.

Elia feels taxing on the amount of waste emitted could be a way to pin responsibility on fashion companies. She also believes, the Federal Trade Commission, could play an important role in educating consumers on sustainable fashion. Moreover, other moves by the Biden administration like revitalizing the African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum, or the US-Africa Leaders Summit initiated by Obama, because of what it means for the used clothing sector also need to be watched. However, as she sums up on “the need to ‘bridge’ policy, science and fashion business.”

Despite having announcing larger focus on direct-to-consumer business, Levi’s is simultaneously ramping its wholesale initiatives in the US and throughout Europe in 2021. The denim giant’s past reports indicate that the US wholesale business accounts for 30 per cent revenue, and will always be important to the company. Executives mapped out a wholesale strategy with a three-pronged approach, mainly tackling the whitespace, owning the brand expression and taking charge of the customer relationship.

By zeroing in on these areas, the brand hopes to control how they show up in the marketplace, differentiate its assortment, deliver a head-to-toe look, and find new distribution opportunities and more.

New avenues of distribution are a top priority for brands this year, as so many spent 2020 treading water as a result of the pandemic. In October, the company announced plans to expand into 500 Target stores throughout 2021. It also attributed the success of its value line, Denizen, to Asian wholesale partners. Customers such as Amazon Japan and value store Mac House, for example, helped the collection compete with Uniqlo, its biggest rival in the region. In 2021, Levi’s will continue to strengthen these partnerships.

But it’s not just giant wholesalers that are targets for strategic partnerships. Levi’s is also working with smaller customers, and ensuring that the proper technology is in place for smooth service.

With all of these strategies in place, the brand set an aggressive target of 20 per cent of total revenue in the U.S. to come from its value business. Last year, Levi’s made several key updates to its product marketing within Walmart stores, and saw an immediate uptick in sales.

Announced virtually during the World Economic Forum, Kering ranked 7th out of 8,080 companies around the world and once again topped its own sector in the Corporate Knights’ 2021 annual Global 100 ranking. For the fourth year in a row, Kering ranked first in the clothing and accessory eetail category.

The Corporate Knights’ Global 100 Index is considered a benchmark for corporate sustainability every year. The Global 100 companies represent the top 1 per cent in the world on sustainability performance. In 2021, 8,080 companies were analyzed against industry peers to determine the index’s ranking.

To maintain its leadership position in the clothing and accessory retail category among 143 companies, Kering was assessed against 24 quantitative key performance indicators (KPIs) covering resource management, employee management, financial management, clean revenue and investment and supplier performance.

In particular, Kering ranked highest for ‘Environmental Performance’, ‘Clean Revenue’ and ‘Clean Investment’ within its industry. Further recognition was awarded under ‘Sustainability Pay Link’ whereby Kering scored 100% for best practices related to executive remuneration linked to driving sustainability performance.

Online fashion retailer Boohoo Group is set to acquire collapsed British department store group Debenhams in a cut-price deal that will result in the closure of the group's remaining department stores. The purchase price is expected to be about 68.39 million and a deal could be announced soon, citing two people with knowledge of the transaction.

Debenhams was continuing to engage with a number of third parties regarding the sale of all or parts of the business, administrator FRP Advisory said earlier this month. The Authentic Brands, owner of the New York department store brand Barneys, was looking at a takeover of Debenhams and was in talks with its administrators.

Administrators for Debenhams said in December it would be wound down, closing all its shops after 242 years in business and putting 12,000 jobs at risk amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

UK department store chain Debenhams is shutting all outlets, administrators for the collapsed group informed, with the loss of around 12,000 jobs. Debenhams, which has long struggled with fierce online competition, will see its brand live on however after British online fashion group Boohoo bought the group's intellectual property assets.

Debenhams collapsed last month, having struggled to adapt from a bricks-and-mortar business long before the coronavirus pandemic forced shoppers online. Stores will reopen following the lifting of the UK lockdown to liquidate stock, administrators FRP Advisory, brought in to salvage parts of the business. Once Debenhams stores are able to reopen and the stock liquidation can continue in stores, the website will be operated by Boohoo.

The closing down sale will continue in stores for several weeks until the stock liquidation is completed and the value of this stock will be retained for creditors. Regrettably, all the UK stores will then be permanently closed, the statement added.

Debenhams, whose history dates back to the late eighteenth century, had hoped to sell some of its 124 stores, whose staff has been paid by the British government's furlough scheme during the pandemic.

After the recent announcement of the launch of women’s wear for its Jack & Jones brand, Bestseller has now revealed the launch of another new brand with the online debut of The Founded, which will take over from its existing Bestseller.com webstore. Launched by the UK-based Braveheart web design team, the innovative multi-brand platform will be a treasure trove of beloved Bestseller brands, trending pieces and relevant product creations.

With a fresh aesthetic, the company said this digital destination will, as Bestseller.com steps back, start a new journey with a focus on its community by delivering considered features, personalised content and inspiring product recommendations.

All current Bestseller.com customers looking for the firm’s products online will be redirected from that website to Thefounded.com. And the company said it has great ambitions on behalf of Thefounded.com but also for Bestseller.com. The firm’s namesake website will eventually re-emerge as a new and more engaging corporate website for Bestseller, replacing the current about.bestseller.com.

That means telling more captivating stories about the company, its ever-increasing work within sustainability, its many new digital projects and – naturally – also the vast career opportunities the company offers both in Denmark and abroad.

The pandemic and lockdowns disrupted both sales and supply chains across the world. Besides store closures, the Western world also faced problems with supplies especially during the early phase of COVID-19. For example, over 40 per cent apparels sold in the US are sourced from China and 90 per cent are sourced from across the world. And when lockdown forced manufacturing units to shut down especially in China, brands and retailers both in the US and other markets had to deal with production delays for weeks. Indeed, such disruptions have prompted many companies to look at shifting supply chains nearer home.

In fact the idea of near shoring gained steam in the US, especially during President Trump’s time with trade sanctions against China and focus on ‘Made in the USA’.

Near shoring an easier option

As per a report by thefashionlaw.com an EY study done in April 2020 revealed almost 83 per cent MNC executives are looking at ‘reshoring’ supply chains. Similarly, sourcing and supplier discovery platform ThomasNet in its report assessing the impact of the pandemic on manufacturing clearly highlights the emphasis on reshoring. The report suggests, in July two in three (69 per cent) manufacturing companies were contemplating bringing production back to North America (compared to 54 per cent in February).

The thefashionlaw.com report goes on to add “The potential for a surge in reshoring efforts in the US (and beyond) would prove striking for fashion industry entities.” At a time when many top brands are already manufacturing in the US, the domestic fashion industry largely depends on sourcing garments and accessories from across the globe. “With that in mind, a shift back to the US would bring an increased emphasis on the ins-and-outs of ‘Made in USA’ labeling, an area that is expected to be subject to increased attention and enforcement.”

However, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prohibits marketers from including unqualified ‘Made in USA’ claims. This means broad representations without explicit limitations on labels unless: First, final assembly or processing of the product occurs in the US; Second, all significant processing that goes into the product occurs in the US; Third, all or virtually all ingredients or components of the product are made and sourced in the US.

The legal tangle on false claims

The fashionlaw report indicates, the FTC has been facing false and misleading ‘Made in USA’ claims for years. “According to Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC’s Jeff Greenbaum, who notes that the government agency’s announcement in June 2020 that it is considering codifying its rule that companies market a product as ‘all or virtually all’ made in the US must be able to substantiate such claims.”

In fact, there have been many judgements on false claims of ‘Made in USA’. In December FTC enforced a whopping $1.2 million fine against a Georgia-based adhesive giant for selling glue products with ‘Made in the USA’ claims which indicated the complete product was made in the country while in realty over 80 per cent of materials costs and over half of overall manufacturing costs for the products were from abroad. The fine indicates the FTC is aware of how the system is being sidelined and the consequences could be high for the erring party.

Under the new administration with President Joe Biden, emphasis on labelling will be a priority. In the September 2020, Biden had indicated they want to ‘end false advertising’ relating to ‘Made in USA’ claims and come down on “companies that label products as Made in America even if they are coming from China or elsewhere.” A clear indication enforcement on ‘Made in USA’ claims will increase in the near future.

And as the fashionlaw report sums up, companies are therefore, “encouraged to brush up on the various labelling rules at play – from the difference between country-of-origin rules imposed by Customs and Border Control and the FTC’s.”