Fashion Studio Magazine: FASHION NEWS

By Eva Fydrych*

Buyers boast buoyant attitude

as they invest in SS15 at Pure London

Photos courtesy of Pure London

LONODN, UK - Pure London closed its doors last week on a successful SS15 edition at London Olympia. The diversity and quality of the brands on offer attracted buyers from a host of leading British and international retailers and e-tailers across the three days, spanning 3-5 August, 2014.

The vibrant atmosphere among the brands was met with an equally buoyant attitude from buyers as they invested in SS15 collections across fashion, footwear and accessories, as well as an abundance of AW14 pieces for short-order.

Buyers from department stores including Selfridges, Liberty, Fenwick, Debenhams, House of Fraser and John Lewis joined the plethora of leading multiples and e-tailers in attendance, such as Topshop, Next, Schuh, Avenue 32, Amazon, ASOS, Boohoo, Atterley Road and Anthopologie.

Buyers’ Briefing for S/S 15 Womenswear:

Key item: Fashion suit (Source: WGSN)

The list of independent stores was equally impressive, including a selection of buyers from boutiques known across the UK for their premium offerings and award-winning collections. These included the likes of Anne Furbank, The Dressing Room, The Dulwich Trader, N. Shelley, Maureen Cookson, Browns, Gray & Osbourn, Scarecrow Boutique and Hengelo Shop.

Brands, buyers and visitors praised the fresh new layout for this season, which provided an ease of flow between the six finely curated sections within a bright and inspirational environment. The element of newness to the show was enhanced by the architectural theme for this season, with a clean, defined aesthetic across all areas of the show.

Kate Payne, Co-Founder of Hengelo Shop, commented; “Both Helen (Co-Founder) and I felt it was the best edition of Pure London that we have been to since starting out 3 years ago. The layout was much better, there was more space, more light and it felt like a more sophisticated experience. We picked up some new brands, 2 of which were accessories, an area we are always looking to expand. Overall I felt the show had turned a real corner, it felt much more premium.”

Key colour: Tinted pastels (Source: WGSN)

Deryane Tadd, Founder of The Dressing Room, commented; "I've had a great day at the show today; Pure London looks sharper, cleaner and more contemporary this season. I've discovered some really good new brands that I wasn't aware of before coming to Pure London this season, which is always great."

Sach Kukadia, Founding Partner & Buying Director of Secretsales.com, commented; “All of our buying team are here to meet existing and new brands. Pure London has so many that are of interest to our target market. It’s really important to come here to see the trends and stay ahead of the curve.”

Designed to enhance the buying experience, the collections were brought to life in visually-stunning and high-energy catwalk shows. These took place across the two main stages at Pure London, presenting key trends in womenswear and young fashion for the seasons’ ahead.

Key details: Kimono sleeves (Source: WGSN)

Kate Dingle, Buyer at Boohoo.com, commented; “I have just seen the Womenswear Catwalk, and am really impressed by how strong the looks are. It’s great to see everything pulled together on the catwalk then to be able to see it individually on the stands."

Leah Kember-Hollands, Assistant Buyer at New Look, echoed this, commenting; "We came to the last edition but there are loads of new brands and a real updated profile this season, which is why we come year-on-year! The Spirit Catwalk was a real focus for us, we love Glamorous and Neon Rose and their price-point is spot on for us. There are always new brands coming through each season; Pure London has maintained what it does well, which is why we keep coming back!"

The positive vibes towards to show were reflected in buyers’ physical investment to AW14 and SS15, with many brands placing a record number of orders at the show this season.

Key details: Sport tipping (Source: WGSN)

Sofia Strazzanti-Lynes of Innocenza, Agent for Ilse Jacobsen, commented: “In the past, Autumn/Winter has notoriously been the stronger season, however we are seeing a real trend of buyers investing heavily into SS15 collections due to the early pre-Christmas sale dates creating a longer summer selling window.”

Angie Denapoli, Owner of first-time exhibitor Little White Lies, enthused; “In 27 years of business I have never had such a successful show as I have at Pure London this season. We’re new to the show and have already opened over 60 accounts with independent retailers across the UK, as well as El Corte Ingles and Edgars in South Africa. We also have loads of contacts to follow up with; what an incredible response to the brand - couldn’t be happier.”

Mark Ashton, CEO of Little Mistress Group, commented; “This has been our best Pure London ever; we thought last year was amazing but this has been on another level. Across the three brands (Little Mistress, Paper Dolls and Girls on Film) we have written orders for over 20,000 pieces, all independent retail driven, with the same total number of samples as last year.”

Key details: Colour-pop under layer (Source: WGSN)

The newly-edited Footwear and Accessories sections, with the introduction of Emerging Brands and Accessories Launch Pad, were also well-received by press, buyers and brands at the show.

Roula Dfouni, Founder and Designer of eponymous brand Roula Dfouni, commented; "This is the first show I've ever done in the UK and currently have no stockists over here so this is a completely new launch for us. My product is fairly niche but has gained a lot of good interest from independent stores who are looking for something a bit different. As I am new to the UK market, I was looking forward to meeting with UK buyers but was event more delighted to have placed orders on my first day at the show. It's a great show for a launching brand as you meet so many good contacts."

Julie Driscoll, Portfolio Director of Pure London at i2i Events Group, commented; “The overall consensus is that the look and feel of the show has really strengthened from the last season; this is due to the fine editing and investment in the presentation of the show. We’ve worked hard with the brands to meet the needs of the buyers, which is what Pure London is all about.”

Key Fabric & finish: Iridescent (Source: WGSN)

“We’ve heard fabulous success stories from brands across the show for whom trading has been significantly up, especially those promoting new, inspiring collections to engage their audience – it’s all about deepening the buy.”

The next edition of Pure London will take place from 8-10 February, 2015 at London Olympia. For more information and testimonials on the show, visit: www.purelondon.com

*Source: PURE LONDON

Catwalk Highlights