Made in England pieces celebrate all the British hallmarks of Aquascutum – attention to detail, traditional craftsmanship and unquestionable authenticity.

Great British fashion brand Aquascutum, which went into administration last month, looks set to be rescued by YGM Trading Limited, the owner of the brand across Asia. FRP Advisory, the administrators for Aquascutum has confirmed that both parties have entered into an exclusivity agreement.

Following the retailer entering administration on April 17, FRP stated that they received significant interest in the business and assets of Aquascutum from around the world, totalling in excess of 70 interested parties. The statement confirmed that the decision to enter the exclusivity agreement with YGM relates to “an offer to acquire the on-going business and assets” with completion to take place by May 9.

Separately the Joint Administrators are continuing negotiations to secure a buyer for the manufacturing plant at Corby, Northamptonshire which was closed on April 19 with a loss of more than 100 jobs. No deadline has currently been set for this process.

Geoff Rowley, Joint Administrator at FRP, said: “The joint administrators have been very encouraged by the significant interest shown in the business over the last two weeks and have chosen to proceed with the offer that delivers the best outcome for the creditors of Aquascutum.”

Aquascutum was founded in 1851 with a menswear store in Regent’s Street, and was family owned until 1990, when a Japanese textile conglomerate company, Renown Incorporated bought it. Then in September 2009 after three years of losses, the Renown off-loaded it to the management team behind Jaeger, Harold Tillman and Belinda Earl.

Stone Island Sylt
C.-P.-Hansen Allee 1
25980 Keitum / Sylt

YOROPIKO, Japanese word, means “teach me more, please!” A luxurious label developed in 2007 by Martin Yat Ming, the designer of RMC Martin Ksohoh.

On YOROPIKO, the button is the distinct feature which is specially tailor-made in a very limited quantity. Jewels include ruby, sapphire, beryl, diamond, silver plus gold finishing. This unique and intelligent design puts an elegant and brilliant ornament on the casual but chic Yoropiko jeans.

Nowadays most leading denim brands seem to seek the washed, soft and stylish denim whereas Yoropiko Tailored Denim by Martin Yatming is reverting to the good old days, which is “art vintage” selvedge denim. This style begun with “RMC” jeans which was the beginning of the “made in Japan premium denim hype” in the world market. The designer of RMC, Martin Ksohoh (Martin Yatming above) was born and raised in Hong Kong and now has a house in West Japan (Okayama) city, where he has become the world’s hottest denim designer.

In 2000, Martin Yatming started to make his idea for a new denim brand RMC. For him denim is an art and very close to human skin. Meaning that it has to be artistic but the same time very comfortable to wear. He came up with an idea of making the back pockets to express the art piece in embroidery. After many years of research and development, he invented a technique to make the pockets soft enough for people to wear comfortable after embroidery. He chose natural colour cotton to be the high quality indigo fabric, then use KIMONO threads for the embroidery for the back pockets. His art is inspired from the history of the ORIENT, and his challenge has been to make the details of the art come to life on denim.

MELTIN’POT SPRING-SUMMER 2012 from MELTIN'POT on Vimeo.

Following on from the ‘Where Life Takes You’ FW11 campaign, Italian denim label Meltin’Pot launches its new SS12 collection with an energetic video capturing the free spirit of summer: TUNE INTO SUMMER.

Wherever you are, no matter the weather or what part of the world you live in, the summer mindset is within you. It’s like rediscovering your sun kissed pictures from last summer, and reliving those moments amongst likeminded friends. You’re instantly filled with the fun, joy and laughter of those moments. Your free spirit takes over, and you’re ready to take the world by storm.

The video showcases Meltin’Pot’s true denim colours, and oozes an everlasting summer spirit. The SS12 key looks are featured against a concert backdrop starring budding band Melomanics. With the Spring Summer 2012 collection Meltin’Pot’s exciting journey continues.

The new Meltin’Pot collection boasts fine examples of significant product development, the results of sophisticated research, which has always been part of the brand’s DNA.

These accomplished aspects are highly visible not only across the celebrated MP001 Utility Section that has a continuative yet extremely innovative denim soul, developing its iconic appeal through new textures, treatments and colours, but also across the Workshop range, together with a Yacht Master Inspiration.

Original workwear designs are updated and revisited in a more than a vintage attitude: these work inspired jeans recapture the original magic of denim and the “good old days”. The Yacht Master collection is about a way of life with the look of a boyish, new, modern dandy, who moves with style and sophistication in an urban backdrop. A trailblazing pirate type who plays between city streets and exotic spots, he’s a trendsetter in versatile clothes: Jeanswear leads to sartorial experimentation.

The Meltin’Pot woman’s collection is an exclusive and ultra-feminine interpretation of the Meltin’Pot man’s denim world, perfected in fit and washes however for women and infused with cutting fashion edginess – giving an alluring appeal to the women’s collection this spring summer.

The website has a brand new look and feel for SS12, and is full of new season energy. You can tune in to Meltin’Pot from home whenever you feel like it, and with free shipping for a limited period. There is no excuse not to renew your wardrobe with some Meltin’Pot summer spirit.

These RMC X LIKE BLACK 16″ Glow in the Dark FIGURINES will be available soon. The toys were designed so that the upper-part of the head screws off and limited edition Jackets is placed inside.

Martin Ksohoh:

The new collection boasts fine examples of significant product development, the results of sophisticated research, which has always been part of the brand’s DNA.

These accomplished aspects are highly visible not only across the celebrated MP001 workwear section, but also across the contemporary and basic collections. A key bookmark to highlight here in the history of the brand is its new and fresh monotone logo, which features across the whole range.

The SS2012 collection is broken down into different themes for men and women and continues to break new ground for the brand, whilst passing on first hand to its end consumers, its years of heritage and expertise as a reining denim producer.

Holding dear this respect for heritage, Royal Hem also embraces the new. For example, using classic, high quality Biella yarns, but treating them through washing, dyeing and mixing to give the fabric a contemporary edge. By such a re-interpreting of tailoring classics, we believe that our approach to creating a collection is unique.

Royal Hem has been proud to introduce such tailoring to a new, modern generation while also appealing to existing, sophisticated customers who are already passionate about great craftsmanship.
Driven by Pier Paolo Pennesi’s experience and vision and his team’s insight and energy, Royal Hem is poised to become an exciting standard for luxury in a modern world.

Links of London are excited to announce their appointment as creators of the Official Jewellery Collection of London 2012. The Licence was awarded by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG.)

The Links of London brand is synonymous with London and embodies the city’s wit, spirit and heart through imaginative jewellery design. Commemorating and celebrating the unique connections that will be made throughout the 2012 Games, Creative Director Elizabeth Galton and her team have created pieces that will surprise and excite visitors from across the globe.

“Links of London are perfectly positioned with their strong London routes and substantial national network (having stores near virtually all of the Olympic venues across the UK) to translate the capital’s creative and cultural nuances into fantastic jewellery collections that all ages can commemorate this momentous occasion with.” (LOCOG) The collaboration between both partners will reinforce the essence of contemporary London at the heart of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

David Riddiford CEO of Links of London commented “Links of London have a history of supporting leading sporting events. Our distinctive British style makes us the natural choice to create the Official Jewellery Collection of London 2012. The Team GB band is a great way for everyone to get involved in the Games and get behind our teams. We look forward to celebrating London 2012”

This fusion will culminate in a series of collections encompassing premium items, children’s jewellery, precious metal gifts as well as men’s and women’s jewellery.

It is an important year for Stone Island, that through a growth, which has allowed it to double its sales since 2007, is getting ready to face an important 2012: the 30th anniversary celebration of its hard work will see its involvement in both product and communication projects.

30 YEARS OF THE PRODUCT

This is a celebration that begins with the product because, for Stone Island, that’s where it all begins.
The next Autumn/Winter ‘012 collection, an important and structured collection, really represents the excellence that the company has achieved within each family of product. 3 symbolic pieces have been designed to represent par excellence the history and methodology of Stone Island.

- Tela Stella: the genesis, the origin.
In1982, Stone Island was founded with just one fabric in 6 different colours. Thirty years later, the exact replica of a piece from its first collection is available, a fabric inspired by a study on the technical and functional features of tarpaulins for military trucks.

- Reflective Knit: playing with material.
Transferring technology from fabric to yarn, the ultimate in Stone Island research. Created using a Reflective yarn, built with micro plates covered with thousands of glass microspheres enclosed in a polyester net, printed using pressure/heat sublimation to melt the fibres and get an even surface with a jersey and high performance Windstopper® liner.

- 30/30: engineering the garment, the sum of the key.
Stone Island technologies.
Two garments in one, both reversible, which can be worn in 30 different modes. In Raso Gommato Prismat¬ic Cover, a cotton-based satin coated inside with a prismatic polyurethane film, garment dyed with a double dye formula and in Thermo Reflective, a heat sensitive and reflective fabric knitted inside.

30 YEARS OF COMMUNICATION

Three decades to talk about, covering various areas and remaining faithful to the language of Stone Island.

- The Show: with the Fondazione Pitti Discovery, at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence in June 2012, starting with Pitti Uomo 82.
A retrospective that explores all the key areas of Stone Island.

- The Book: 300 iconographic images that cover its 30 years history. It will be released in June / July by Silvana Editoriale and printed by Grafiche Amilcare Pizzi.

A Nike factory has agreed to pay $1m in unpaid overtime to Indonesian workers in a move that could force other suppliers of multinational companies to follow suit. Maybe there’s also an onus on us consumers to put our foot down and boycott brands that are abusing the working class?

“There are more than 100,000 factory workers in Serang, and those who are most prone to overwork are labourers for branded merchandise, since they have to achieve certain targets,” said Bambang Wirahyoso, national chairman of the trade union.

Nike said it “commends the factory on their action plan and efforts to correct inadequacies in current policies designed to protect the rights of workers. Nike will continue to monitor and support their efforts to remediate the situation.” Nice! but shouldn’t Nike have ensured they placed production with a fair-labour factory before the law suit? Where was Nike’s due-diligence?

The Moschino, Moschino Cheap and Chic and Love Moschino, creations make their mark by expressing its creativity that makes irony and elegance its strength through the reinterpretation of the classics.

The brand was originally created in 1983 by the late Franco Moschino (1950-1994). Moschino and his fashion label became famous for his innovative, colorful – sometimes eccentric – designs, for his criticisms of the fashion industry and for his social awareness campaigns in the early 1990s. After Moschino’s untimely death, Rossella Jardini, his former assistant, became creative director.

The iPhone 4S is a touchscreen slate smartphone developed by Apple Inc. It is the fifth generation of the iPhone, a device that combines a 3.5 inch (89 mm) touchscreen iPod, mobile phone, and internet communicator. It retains the exterior design of its predecessor, the iPhone 4, but is host to a range of improved hardware specifications and software updates compared to the previous model. Integrated software and hardware changes support the introduction of new user interface and functions by Apple. Highlights include a voice recognizing and talking assistant called Siri, personal computer independence, cloud-sourced data (iCloud) and an improved camera system. A selection of the device’s functions can be controlled by voice.

As a lifelong follower of the World Cycling, Paul Smith was honoured to be asked to participate in this project by the Isle of Man Post Office. The island is home to heroic Olympic Cyclist, and good friend of Paul Smith, Mark Cavendish. Mark will start as one of the favourites in the Men’s Road Race, which has been chosen as the first Cycling event at the Games. The starting line on the Mall, with Buckingham Palace as the backdrop will surely be an inspiration to the Team GB cycling team. It is estimated the race will attract the single biggest crowd of the Games, with an estimated 2 million people anticipated to line the 156 Mile course.

The Paul Smith Isle of Man stamps will be officially released on 1st January 2012 and will be available to buy from Paul Smith shops globally.

paul smith stamps

‘While the first concept looked good on paper, we made some prototypes and it just didn’t feel right,’ says Kenneth Jaworski of agency Como Park, adding that the first concept was also over budget. ‘We got lucky when permit issues delayed the project, giving us an opportunity to re-evaluate the design. At that point, we rethought and redesigned the store completely.’

Como Park solved the budget issue by re-purposing much of the lighting and wood flooring from Levi’s Bread and Butter trade show booth. They also scoured Amsterdam for salvaged materials including old doors, bicycles and furniture. The resulting design favors these elements from the city over a lot of homogenized branding.

Yves Saint Laurent’s legal team filed its response in Christian Louboutin’s red-sole trademark appeal, maintaining its stance. The now-cumbersome case is set to continue through 2012.

In April 2011, Louboutin filed a $1 million trademark infringement suit against Yves Saint Laurent, over four offending shoe designs from YSL’s Cruise 2011 Collection: the Tribute, Tribtoo, Palais, and Woodstock. The reason being that the monochromatic designs included a red sole, which was patented by Louboutin in 2008.

YSL then retorted with a counterclaim seeking a cancellation of the red-sole trademark.

In late July, the two parties went to court, carrying dozens of shoes before New York Southern District Judge Victor Marrero. After much deliberation and several playful jabs at the dispute, Marrero denied Louboutin’s request for a preliminary injunction in August. Furthermore, he suggested that the patent should not have been issued to Louboutin by the U.S. Patent Office in the first place.

Meanwhile, Louboutin’s legal team appealed the court’s ruling and even received the support of Tiffany & Co. in an attempt to build a solid case. Tiffany’s, which has patented the Tiffany blue color, filed an amicus brief supporting Louboutin, arguing that the court should rule in favour of the red sole trademark. However, despite Louboutin’s desperate attempts to maintain its patent, it appears that YSL will not budge. Its response on Tuesday only reaffirmed that this battle will continue throughout 2012.

Happy holidays from the Marc Jacobs family!

Visit the official NOHARM site at noharm.com

While global economic woes continue to create a negative impact, surprisingly, the demand for denim is still emerging from Japan and the US apart from the growth within the domestic market. Perhaps what is working positively for Indian denim players is domestic cotton prices, the main raw material for denim fabric, which is comparatively lower than global prices. While both, India and China were considered cheaper denim destinations during the 2008-09 economic slowdown India gained an edge over its dragon competitor due to higher cotton prices in the international and Chinese markets. Major denim buyers like Wal-Mart and VF Corporation are now looking to India for their denim requirements.

In fact, Ahmedabad, the hub of denim manufacturers both in India and across the globe is now competing with Chinese manufacturers on their own turf – cheaper rates. Taking advantage of rupee depreciation, Indian denim producers are now providing more economical denim for Chinese people as the local denim is now costing them more.

In the past six months, rupee glided down by 20 per cent while Chinese currency Yuan appreciated 4 per cent against the US dollar. China, which imports cotton from India to weave their denim, is finding it costly to make jeans. Adding to their problems, labour charges have witnessed an increase. And while the domestic demand is witnessing a growth, high production and labour cost is forcing the nation to import economical denim from India for its own consumption.

Depreciating rupee could work in favour of Indian exporters but now they are more interested in focusing on their rival China instead of the US or Europe. India has the capacity of producing around 700 million metres of denim. Around 400 million metres is consumed in the domestic market while the rest is exported. With an increase in demand from China, the percentage ratio has definitely witnessed a change.

Going ahead, denim players in India are planning to explore new destinations such as Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Japan and other countries including China, instead of depending upon the US and EU markets, which don’t seem lucrative anymore. That is because consumers from these destinations are showing low buying sentiment due to economic slowdown.

No wonder, Indian denim giants like Arvind, are firming up denim capacity expansion plans. Guess, its India’s gain and China’s loss.

From our correspondent in Mumbai

The Dignan is part the stry above and part waterproof x-trainer. Rip-stop nylon jacket with fully breathable 3-D mesh upper underneath. Waterproof YKK zipper and bungee cord closure system placed on a x-trainer platform.