From the Sector

Premium Group presents its D2C festival The Ground, which premieres from 7 - 9 July at Messe Berlin. The Ground is a new event format where fashion, lifestyle, culture, and diverse perspectives are merged. It was founded to bring brands and consumers together to build a better future through celebration and collective action.

Over three days, guests from across Europe will meet up to experience innovative brand pop-ups with stories and collections, panel talks, live music, physical and mental health activations, and even step inside the Metaverse.

Power of purpose
The Ground mainly targets Gen Z which is driven by a deep sense of purpose. The 18-29 year olds expect the brands they support to share the same values. Their priorities are sustainability, relationships, health and wellness, work and education as well as inclusivity and individuality.

The Ground features six distinct areas where visitors can take part in different experiences: Sport, Beauty, Music, Play, Soul and Talk provide inspiration and many moments to learn. Fashion is featured throughout all areas and is the connecting element of The Ground.

Special season topic: MAKE PEACE!
Building off the Good Life Goals (personal actions that everyone can take to help support the SDGs by the UN), The Ground focuses on one goal for each edition that touches people and brands at this moment in time. A goal that makes a positive contribution to the future, and is thus worth celebrating.

Due to the current conflicts in the world, this July’s goal is more clear than ever: PEACE! It will be reflected in a big charity auction of specially designed pieces of the exhibiting brands and partners.

1 ticket - 4 events
Taking place simultaneously as the trade show and conference formats SEEK, PREMIUM and FashionTech which will attract over 20,000 buyers, retailers, brands, professionals, influencers, and media to Berlin – The Ground will help to create lots of fashion buzz in the capital. The all-in-one ticket for trade visitors also guarantees access to The Ground.

Sitip confirms for the third year its partnership with SCOTT Racing Team in the production of the team uniform created in collaboration with ROICA™ EF of Asahi Kasei and Rosti.

The partnership was born in 2019 and celebrated during Ispo 2020, which returns for the third consecutive year to re-propose an exclusive and special uniform, designed to be extremely performing but also, and entirely, eco-sustainable.

Starting from the performance requirements of athletes, who need highly technical fabrics extremely breathable, comfortable on the skin, resistant and with perfect shape retention able to support them in competitions, Sitip has chosen the fabrics of its Native Sustainable Textiles line - technology which applies to fabrics produced with recycled yarns and chemicals with low environmental impact, implementing the GRS (Global Recycle Standard) standard, with Asahi Kasei’s premium ROICA™ EF stretch yarn.

This line includes NATIVE-BICIMANIA and NATIVE-PIRATA, two GRS-certified recycled polyester fabrics chosen for the production of the uniform shirt, enriched by Microsense Soft Performance technology - able to guarantee the product a delicate softness and maximum comfort on the skin.

This year the absolute novelty is represented by the shorts, for a complete uniform: made with the NATIVE-THUNDERBIKE POWER fabric, designed for high performance sports, in recycled polyamide and always with the ROICA™ EF yarn by Asahi Kasei.

For its 2021 Green Collection, the Italian luxury hosiery brand Sarah Borghi presents a broadened product offer in terms of colors and categories, meeting the needs of a stylish, yet sustainable consumer. By mixing fashion, quality, innovation and research, the tights and stockings powerhouse continues its development in the journey towards a conscious future.

A decisive step has been added to the brand’s history thanks to the publication of the Integrated Report by Gizeta Calze. Sarah Borghi is one of the first Italian companies in the hosiery sector to include sustainability throughout its business model. A commitment of responsibility and transparency on a path that has been carried on for years and that, today more than ever, becomes of the utmost importance, as stated by Luca Marzocchi, CEO of Gizeta Calze. The Integrated Report provides a complete view of the business strategy, operating model and governance, which combines financial information with sustainability insights, conceived as complementary to other strategies and, indeed, essential for increasing business value.

The collection presents a range of versatile, colorful products combined with extra-luxury comfort and designed for every type of woman: from seductive tights to everyday socks, together with knee- highs, up to athleisure with leggings.
 
The collection features two new generation materials. One is Amni Soul Eco®, a biodegradable in anaerobic conditions polyamide 6.6 yarn that degrades in around 5 years* after disposing of in landfill, developed by SOLVAY and produced and distributed by FULGAR. The other is ROICA™ V550 by leading fiber manufacturer Asahi Kasei, a premium sustainable stretch yarn boasting the Gold Level Material Health Certificate by Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute** as it has been evaluated for impact on human and environmental health. Moreover, it smartly breaks down without releasing harmful substances in the environment according to Hohenstein Environment Compatibility Certification. Key elements that makes ROICA™ V550 a precious choice when it comes to Circular Economy material approach.

*Reference System: ASTM D5511 - Standard Test Method for the Determination of Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastics Under High-solids Anaerobic Digestion Conditions
** The Cradle-to-Cradle Product Innovation Institute, a non -profit organization, administer the Cradle-to-Cradle Certified™ Product Standard. It was created to bring about a new industrial revolution that turns the making of things into a positive force of society, economy and the planet. The Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Product Standard™ provides designers and manufacturers with criteria and requirements for continually improving what products are made of and how they are made aiming to achieve a circular economy approach.

For the summer events at the Berlin exhibition center, the Premium Group is relying on a new mix of fashion, business, content and entertainment.

The State of Style & Culture
The Premium Group is expanding its portfolio in the summer to include the consumer festival THE GROUND in addition to the existing PREMIUM and SEEK trade fairs and is presenting numerous innovations for the long-awaited reunion of the industry in Berlin.

The new location Messe Berlin will become the Premium Group cosmos, a holistic inspirational hub for all relevant topics related to fashion, trends, retail, lifestyle, marketing, digitization, sustainability, metaverse and more.

In July, brands and partners can also present themselves to end consumers for the first time as part of the new event THE GROUND, 'Direct to Consumer'. Consumers get access to THE GROUND, while trade visitors are invited to view the full range and be inspired throughout the site.

PREMIUM: New tripartition with new segments
In order to be able to show all relevant segments of advanced contemporary fashion even better and more holistically, the PREMIUM portfolio will be divided into three new areas from the summer. With the segmentation into High, Icon & Volume, large, commercially successful brands as well as more focused designer brands, newcomers and smaller innovators will now find their place. Here the PREMIUM fashion team advises all partners in detail in order to guarantee ideal positioning and the possibility of storytelling.

SEEK: Premiere of the SEEK Conscious Club
Sustainability has been part of the culture of the SEEK brand since it was founded 12 years ago. With the new SEEK Conscious Club, in addition to the SEEK area with well-known and new SEEKERS, a dedicated area for sustainable brands is being created. SEEK offers them the stage and space to grow and the attention to optimally spread brand values. The international SEEK community is represented by niche brands as well as commercially successful players. And the established TRADE UNION for brands with a particularly sharp sales strategy will once again have an exclusive area in the new location.

THE GROUND: Festival for Style & Culture
With the new Direct to Consumer Festival THE GROUND, the Premium Group is now also inviting Gen-Z, Gen-Y and Culture Pioneers once a year. Music acts, panels and live talks with well-known speakers and influencers, creative workshops, sports and wellbeing sessions are intended to inspire, enrich, enlighten and inspire exchange: entertainment, edutainment and experiences.

THE GROUND turns live streams into live encounters, consumers into co-creators and classic retailers into strategic marketing and event partners. Here, through emotional experiences and unique showcases, brands can be experienced and interested customers become loyal brand fans. Topics relevant to society and generations, such as fashion, sports, beauty & well-being, metaverse & gaming, will be featured in the area as well as in talks and master classes as part of the FASHIONTECH content format.

"In order to remain sustainable, we want and need to merge B2B and D2C and create a place - a marketplace for ideas and products - where brands, retailers and consumers come together and learn from each other. For the first time, we are offering holistic reach, synergy and network effects,” explains Jörg Arntz, Managing Director Premium Group.

“B2B and D2C will take place in parallel on one site, although of course there will still be an area for professionals only, i.e. exclusively for the industry. The D2C area is accessible to both end consumers and trade visitors. In addition to our trade fairs, we create new content from which our visitors and exhibitors benefit.”

During the event, which will take place from Thursday to Saturday for the first time, it will be about exchange, trends, inspiration and emotion, new brands, the further development of well-known players, creative collection presentations and of course what the fashion world and its protagonists * inside: joy and passion. In order for this to work and for the long-term existence of the new event concept in Berlin to be guaranteed, everyone involved is asked, challenged and responsible.
 
Selected brand highlights:
American Vintage // Aigner // At.p.Co  // Ben Sherman // Blue de Geñes // Buffalo // Camper // C.O.F. Studio // Copenhagen Studios // Coster Copenhagen // Crep Protect // Denham // Dstrezzed // Drykorn // Ecoalf 1.0 //  Edwin // Ellesse // Fabienne Chapot //  Fleurs de Bagne // Floris Van Bommel // Gant //  Happy Socks // Helene Galwas // Herrlicher // Hiltl //  Horizn Studios // Ilse Jacobsen // Izipizi Paris // Kangaroos // Kennel & Schmenger Schuhmanufaktur // Keen // K-Swiss // Lee // Merz b. Schwanen // Moss Copenhagen // Nautica  // Novesta // Nudie Jeans //  O My Bag // Pantofola D’Oro 1886  // People of Shibuya // Palladium // Pendleton Woolen Mills // Puma // Property Of //  Reyn Spooner // Sandqvist // Saucony // Studio Seidensticker // Stutterheim // Sofie Schnoor // Steve Madden // Thinking Mu // Ucon Acrobatics //  Uniform Bridge // Veja // Womsh // Wool & Co // Wrangler// Yaya // Zespá

• C.L.A.S.S. ICON 2021 winner DUARTE returns to Milan Fashion Week launching its SEASON 2 “Eco-Street Dance” collection as a special feature at White Sustainable Milano inside the “Unveiling the fashion backstage” event

By mixing C.L.A.S.S. responsible materials, colorful prints, urban feels and artistic inspiration, the Portuguese streetwear brand creates a new style and a clear yet cool message for conscious fashion consumers
The rewarded 2021 C.L.A.S.S. Icon Award Portuguese brand Duarte is ready to presents its Fall/Winter 2022/23 collection developed in collaboration with C.L.A.S.S. Eco Hub during Milan Fashion Week. With the support of WHITE, Duarte’s creations will be featured as a special project at WSM (WHITE Sustainable Milano) platform space inside “Unveiling the fashion Backstage”, a docu-event focusing on an immersive journey into the amazing world of premium and smart supply chains that make innovative and responsible fashion wardrobes a reality.

For its second collection Duarte still counts on C.L.A.S.S. support in sourcing materials and communication activities as part of the Icon Award yearly program. The streetwear designer Ana Duarte, with the help of the Milanese hub, is back with a renewed collection that counts 40 pieces continuing the concept and the story behind the previous World Keeper: the irresistible superhero Tadao - Ana Duarte’s dog – fighting against the environmental issues created by mankind and personified as Smog Man (air pollution), Fire Man (climate change), Deforestation Man (forests destruction) and Wave Man (water overconsumption).

This time the inspiration is also Street Dance drawn directly from the city streets, with majorly unisex pieces (apart from some small specific details linked to sizes or ergonomics) and materials that both respect the planet and keep you warm. The prints drawn from ripped posters giving birth to a sort of new style that we can name “Eco-Street Dance”. The color palette explores the dark shades of grey, cream, blue and black, with artistic pops of color of a hopeful urban culture that tears apart posters from the past and turns them into a new brighter story. 

The linings complete the full sustainable picture, thanks to Bemberg™ by Asahi Kasei fabrics by Gianni Crespi Foderami. Bemberg™ is a new generation material made from the smart-tech transformation of cotton linter pre-consumer material, converted through a traceable and transparent closed loop process. Entirely made in Japan, it comes with Compostability and Ecotoxicity Certifications verified by Innovhub-SSI, RCS, OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 and the Eco Mark certifications. The factory is ISO 14001 certified, too.

The collection will mark the return of Duarte’s cool and responsible style to Milan Fashion week and White Sustainable Milano. “We are proud to support Duarte as her style, her creations, visual communication and message are so beautiful, innovative and responsible. On top of that, her message to the consumer is so clear and easy for everybody to understand. With Duarte it is very easy to make a “conscious choice” without any sacrifice, and completely in line with the C.L.A.S.S. manifesto” says Giusy Bettoni, C.L.A.S.S. CEO & founder.

• Where performance and responsibility all together become the new norm
• Discover ROICA™ groundbreaking innovations in the sports field, and the bold partnerships that made them possible

Today ROICA™ main objective is to focus on and respond to new generation values in fashion. Values that are key for contemporary consumers, who are the ones leading the change throughout all the supply value chain, and have received even more attention since the beginning of the pandemic. ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei team knows that value creation is the basic foundation of contemporary business. Its teams are ready to go to the next level, answering to the market demand for top-notch innovation while sharing its responsibility efforts towards the new generation of consumer.

For this reason, the ROICA™ strategy is based on two key elements. On the one side, a strong focus on responsible innovation, able to respond to new fashion needs and desires while not harming the environment nor the society at large. On the other hand, a consolidation of partnerships along the whole supply chain through conversations and collaborations with companies sharing the ROICA™ values, in order to deliver creativity, solutions and design to all contemporary consumers.

It is of the utmost importance to share the current wardrobe stories developed and offered to contemporary consumer throughout our ROICA™ supply chain efforts. Starting from the various applications of ROICA™, from the fibre down to the outfits, passing from fabrics and manufacturing.

Activation
Performance sportswear styles for Gym, Athletics, Cycle wear, Athleisure as well as mindful Yoga and Exercisewear. Its main keywords are freedom, fit, performance and responsibility. Among the brands recurring to this application we can find:

- Edelvissa is an emerging all-Italian brand, born in the heart of Milan. The designer Elisabetta Bianco, who grew up under the wings of her grandfather and father, both expert knitters, decided to found a reality that would fully represent her vision of luxury homewear. Flanked by her partner and her brother, Elisabetta created a brand with a transparent soul, based on the quality of materials, complete product traceability and social and environmental sustainability. From the heart of Milan, Edelvissa aims to share the centuries-old textile culture and the high Italian craftsmanship tradition. In its first collection, a crop top with a beautiful embroidery of blooming flowers and a pair of comfortable, yet stylish leggings are both crafted from a Maglificio Ripa fabric developed with Q-NOVA® BY FULGAR recycled polyamide and ROICA™ EF* recycled stretch yarn, both GRS certified. Maglificio Ripa is a premium partner of ROICA™.

- Scott Racing Team: A partnership born in 2019 and celebrated at Ispo 2020, based on two premium partnerships: Rosti for the style and manufacturing, ROICA™’s partner Sitip for technical fabrics made from GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certified recycled yarns including ROICA™ EF*, the certified recycled stretch ingredient produced by Asahi Kasei. A synergy that has given life to high-tech clothing, customized for this team able to face the climatic conditions and the performances necessary to face the activity in the summer season: light resistance as well as maximum comfort. In addition to the values of sustainability, high performance, breathability, comfort on the skin, shape  retention and resistance, ease of maintenance, style and ergonomics, there is now the commercial distribution of the uniform, which finally passes from the team to the end consumer who can purchase it exclusively on the Rosti e-shop.

Manufy, a marketplace for sustainable fashion production has reached its thousandth production request. The platform connects conscious brands with sustainable manufacturers in hopes to create a cleaner future for the clothing industry.

The right conditions
The start-up, which launched in december of 2020, has seen a sharp increase in production requests the last couple of months. With trade shows being cancelled due to covid, lots of manufacturers and brands are looking for new ways to do business. Going digital was one of the logical steps. “We’ve seen many users that were used to more traditional ways of working join Manufy,” says co-founder Michiel Dicker. “Some of them didn’t have a website, so our platform helps them become visible online.”

An increase was also noticed on the brand side of Manufy. With most new brands being digital natives that have a strong focus on sustainability, the platform helps them to get started.

One-stop-shop
The production requests being placed on the platform cover a wide range of garments. Hoodies and t-shirts are popular, but the Manufy team also sees lots of shoes, caps, bags, dresses, swimwear and lingerie requests coming in. “This sometimes leads us to having to find manufacturers specifically for the job, but it helps us to create a better user experience!” explains Dicker.

Manufy uses feedback from its users to keep improving the platform. Aside from finding new manufacturers to fill production requests the team has been working on a lot of new functionalities based on input from users. A new version of the platform will be released very soon. “With Manufy 2.0 it will become easier to organise your projects, place re-orders and have all your production details in one place. Manufy will be your one-stop-shop for all your sourcing needs!” says Dicker.

The Supervisory Board of adidas AG extended the appointment of Executive Board member Roland Auschel, responsible for Global Sales, by two years beyond 2022 until the end of 2024. Roland Auschel has been member of the Executive Board of adidas AG since 2013. At the same time, the Supervisory Board of adidas AG extended the appointment of Executive Board member Brian Grevy, responsible for Global Brands, by five years beyond 2022 until early 2028. Brian Grevy has been member of the Executive Board of adidas AG since 2020.

“On behalf of the Supervisory Board, I am very pleased to announce that we have extended the appointments of both Roland and Brian. Our long-term strategy ‘Own the Game’ has the consumer at its heart. Both Roland and Brian play key roles in bringing this consumer focus to life with their respective functions. We are convinced that they will continue the successful execution of our strategy together with the entire Executive Board”, stated Thomas Rabe, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of adidas AG.

ROICA™ main objective is to focus on and respond to new generation values in fashion. Values that are key for contemporary consumers, who are the ones leading the change throughout all the supply value chain, and have received even more attention since the beginning of the pandemic. ROICA™ by Asahi Kasei team knows that value creation is the basic foundation of contemporary business. Its teams are ready to go to the next level, answering to the market demand for innovation while sharing its responsibility efforts towards the new generation of consumer.

For this reason, the ROICA™ strategy is based on two key elements. On the one side, a strong focus on responsible innovation, able to respond to new fashion needs and desires while not harming the environment nor the society at large. On the other hand, a consolidation of partnerships along the whole supply chain through conversations and collaborations with companies sharing the ROICA™ values, in order to deliver creativity, solutions and design to all contemporary consumers. For example, in terms of fabric producers ROICA™ has been working alongside industry leaders such as Brugnoli, Candiani Denim, CIFRA, Dresdner Spitzen, Eusebio, Iluna Group, Innova Fabrics, Inter Jersey Milano, Lauma Fabrics, L/E Textile, Maglificio Ripa, M.I.T.I., Penn Italia - Penn Textile Solutions GmbH, Piave Maitex, Sitip S.p.A., Sofileta, Taubert Textil, Tessitura Colombo, TINTEX Textiles, TVB Textil-Vertrieb-Beratungs.

See attached document to read more about the current wardrobe stories.

For over 80 years Riri Group has established itself as a leading point of reference for the creation of details of style providing high-end fashion brands with top quality accessories – which now include zippers, buttons, metal components and fashion jewels.

All things style and sustainability: This year Première Vision Paris (08 – 10 February) will be once more the stage to show off the results. The new Spring/Summer 2023 line is inspired by three distinct eras and paths, but at the same time it conveys a total synergy and integration between the various divisions of the Group, coordinated and harmonised as well as united by their common interest in nature and sustainability.

SOUL COMFORT
Off-the-grid essentials between relaxation and style
Sparked from the contemporary need to balance happiness and security, while enriched by an aesthetic and provocative approach, this line embodies all the value and potential of a sustainabilityoriented communication for each and every product, as pieces feature the relevant information on the zip tape and on the button application support. This line presents softer colours that encompass a wide range of styles, including floral, summer satin and semi-transparency, accompanied by innovative yarns and sustainable materials, such as hemp, linen, silk, certified organic cotton, recycled nylon and bio-based polyester. The line also features stainless steel products, including mono-material buttons and zipper chains or the use of aluminium chains that stand out for their particular lightness.

OUTDOOR EXPRESSION
To always stand out
Inspired by nature and outdoor activities, in this section the focus is on attire codes that become the means through which everyone can express and enhance their look in every context, even when immersed in the surrounding environment. Coloured stripes and rubberized soft touch materials are the two essential concepts, combined with bright and flashy colours. The Storm Evo zip, reversed coated nylon zips (among which the one with the reflector catches the eye), and the recycled nylon buttons are back.

WISE EXCLUSIVITY
Smart and sustainable luxury
Each creation in this line is studied down to the smallest detail, to achieve luxury products that increase their value over time thanks to their sustainable process and long life cycle, achieved through multiple possibilities for use in different ways and areas. We find here the use of diamond, recreated in the laboratory with more sustainable techniques, but also zips with elegant and refined lines, the use of stainless steel and PVD and finally, the use of precious galvanic finishes on buttons, but also on chains and pullers. This path shows the important role collaboration plays between the divisions of the Riri Group, making it possible to create something unique and valuable.