Articles by Danielle Wightman-Stone

Innovation or gimmick: Coperni showcases spray-on fabric live at PFW

For spring/summer 2023, Parisian label Coperni placed innovation at the heart of its Paris Fashion Week show by spray-painting a slip dress onto Bella Hadid live on the catwalk. For the finale, the supermodel walked onto a platform, wearing nothing but nude underwear and one arm placed demurely across her breasts, before she was spray painted...

MRI Software acquires footfall provider Springboard

Real estate software solutions MRI Software has acquired UK-based Springboard, the leading provider of footfall counting and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered analytics for retailers, landlords, and government bodies. Founded in 2002, Springboard holds the industry’s largest and most comprehensive data set on footfall and serves more than 450...

Versace to revitalise retail offering with new store concept

Italian fashion house Versace is introducing a new store concept and expanding its retail network, while also setting out to revitalise existing boutiques around the world. In a statement, Versace said that it would be opening a series of new flagship stores in “key global cities,” alongside a worldwide rollout of a new boutique concept designed...

Mulberry launches outerwear capsule inspired by Softie bag

Mulberry has evolved its contemporary Softie bag style into an outerwear capsule collection for autumn/winter 2022. The Softie bag was launched in February 2022 and has made an impact with its distinctive puffy quilting. That signature detailing has been translated into a tactile outerwear collection “fusing functionality with a fashion-forward...

Paul Smith unveils limited-edition Stan Smith sneakers

British designer Paul Smith has teamed up with German sportswear giant Adidas and football club Manchester United on a limited-edition Stan Smith sneaker for autumn/winter 2022. The collaboration is in honour of the long-standing partnership between Manchester United and Paul Smith, which serves as the club’s official tailoring partner and...

Scotch & Soda continues European expansion with new stores

Amsterdam-based fashion and lifestyle brand Scotch & Soda is continuing its retail strategy and expansion in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region with the opening of two new stores in London, and one in Copenhagen. The brand opened a store in Old Spitalfields Market, and a flagship in Covent Garden in London, alongside a new flagship...

Manolo Blahnik reports record sales in 2021

Luxury footwear and accessories brand Manolo Blahnik had a strong 2021, returning to profitability and reporting record sales for its 50th anniversary year. In a statement, Manolo Blahnik said it was a “strong financial performance,” filled with international growth and global online development, and its turnover was up 65 percent to 69.9...

The Met to dedicate its next exhibition to Karl Lagerfeld

30 Sept 2022 - Culture

The Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has confirmed that its spring 2023 exhibition will be dedicated to the late Karl Lagerfeld. The exhibition, entitled ‘Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty’ was announced at a press conference during Paris Fashion Week, and will showcase the late designer’s career by exploring his “creative...

Fashion District names shortlist for Design Futures 2022

29 Sept 2022 - Fashion

The Fashion District has named nine emerging designers on the shortlist for its Design Futures 2022 - Innovation Challenge Prize to find a new sustainable solution that will develop design for circularity and revolutionise the fashion industry. The nine sustainably driven fashion designers are using “innovative approaches to circularity” to...

‘Real Leather. Stay Different.’ launches African talent showcase

29 Sept 2022 - Fashion

The ‘Real Leather. Stay Different.’ international student design competition from the Leather and Hide Council of America is launching an African talent leather design showcase in 2023 in partnership with the African Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI). The African Talent Leather Design Showcase 2023 aims to educate the next...