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We believe in a world where you have total freedom to be you, without judgement. To experiment. To express yourself. To be brave and grab life as the extraordinary adventure it is. So we make sure everyone has an equal chance to discover all the amazing things they're capable of - no matter who they are, where they're from or what looks they like to boss. We exist to give you the confidence to be whoever you want to be.

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We believe in a world where you have total freedom to be you, without judgement. To experiment. To express yourself. To be brave and grab life as the extraordinary adventure it is. So we make sure everyone has an equal chance to discover all the amazing things they're capable of - no matter who they are, where they're from or what looks they like to boss.

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London - Succeeding within the retail industry remains a tremendous feat - especially within the fickle fashion market. As consumers around the globe continue to shift how, when and what they buy, keeping pace is vital part to any success story. But within the fashion industry, which continues to be plagued by record breaking store closures, bankruptcies and extreme discounting, there stands one British online pure-player which continues to buck this trend - Asos. Not many fashion retailers can boast of a 32 percent increase in sales, but that is precisely what the London-based retailer reported.

For the four months to June this year, Asos reported a total of 660.1 million pounds in sales and expects full year profits to hit 79.4 million pounds. With a market capitalization of close to 6.5 billion dollars (5.05 billion pounds), Asos is the most valuable online fashion retailer in the UK. But what is the secret to Asos's success story? FashionUnited takes a closer look at the secrets behind Asos's success and shares 5 main reasons behind Asos recent achievements.

1. Embracing the New

One of the main areas driving Asos business is its focus on the new. As the online retailer remains committed to offering its consumers the latest trends, Asos continually offers new products. Close to half (41 percent) of the online fashion retailer's current product assortment arrived in store over the last three months, with Asos offering between 2,500 and 7,000 new items every week, according to data from Edited, retail analytics firm. Asos also times the drop of its trends as well, rather than launching singular styles it waits until it has a full assortment before dropping them in one go, solidifying its position as a fast-fashion trend authority.

For example, in response to the ongoing athleisure trend, Asos has increased its sportswear offering by 268 percent during the first half of 2017 compared to the same period one year ago. In the same period, full price sell outs have increased by 100 percent. The top five most stocked brands Asos currently offers are Under Armour, Nike, Puma, Nike Running, Nike Training followed by Adidas and Reebok.

2. It's not about being the cheapest

Another area helping push Asos forward is price. Rather than focusing on being the cheapest, like many fast-fashion retailers, Asos offers a wide range of branded goods at different price-points. These third-party goods, which come from a number of brands, tend to be higher priced than its own in-house goods. This is strategy is much more in line with traditional catalogue retailers and helps Asos differentiate itself from other online fashion retailers, like Boohoo. In addition, Asos also focuses on offering stand-out, exclusive products which can't be found anywhere else.

Prices on these 'exclusive' products tend to skew higher than the rest of the assortment and also help establish Asos trend-leading reputation, according to Edited. Asos uses these exclusive products to drive specific trends it is offering as well. For example, the online fashion retailer recently featured exclusive athleisure products with Puma. Nike and Eliesse.

3. Strategical Discounting

Even though many retailers still struggle when it comes to discounting, Asos has developed a strong system for strategical discounting. Rather than lumping its discounted products together with its full-priced, Asos has a dedicated 'outlet' section on its website. This means that sale shoppers know exactly where to go if they are looking for a bargain and regular shoppers can focus on browsing through the new collections - although Asos even introduces new branded products directly into its outlet section as well.

Outside of its outlet, Asos does offer promotional discounting which is mostly driven by email discount codes. Key dates are in June and December, although over the last three months 20 out of 40 women's newsletters mentioned sales, according to Edited. Trends are not immune to discounting as well. At the moment 37.2 percent of Asos's UK sportswear offering is discounted by an average of 37 percent.

4. Solid Core

Although Asos is a trend driven e-tailer, the backbone of its fashion sales remains core items, which account for 8 percent of all its products, according to data from Edited. This includes wardrobe staples such as own-brand blue and black denim for men and women, Tommy Hilfiger shirts for men, Nike, Converse and Birkenstocks footwear, as well as simple own-brand shirts and blouses. In addition, Asos own Curve and Maternity lines also offer a range of core pieces, which continue to sell well.

5. All about the brand mix

Asos's leading trump card remains its breadth of its brand mix. Asos's own-brand assortment, which accounts for one-third of all its products, spreads across a range of categories including petite, tall, plus size and maternity lines. At the same time, Asos also focused on niches, such as wedding, reworked vintage and premium sectors, which help the fashion retailer expand its consumer reach and appeal to a diverse demographic. Asos's own branded strategy sees the fashion retailer focus on unique product over price-point, which gives Asos own-house label room to remain price competitive. Outside of Asos's own-brand offering, its best selling brands remain New Look, River Island, Nike, Boohoo, French Connection and Ted Baker, according to Edited.

"Asos's ability to grow in an increasingly crowded marketplace is an impressive feat, based on a careful combination of factors leading to bottom line growth," says Katie Smith, Senior senior fashion and retail analyst at Edited. "By moving quickly to offer a strong depth and breadth of assortments, Asos is viewed as both an attractive and highly convenient retailer to the consumer."

Photos: Asos AW17 Lookbook

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5 reasons why Asos continues to be successful

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IN-DEPTH London - Succeeding within the retail industry remains a tremendous feat - especially within the fickle fashion market. As consumers around the globe continue to shift how, when and what they buy, keeping pace is vital part to any succes

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Last evening (9 th October 2018), ASOS was announced as the 'Brand of the Year' at this this year's Marketing Week Masters, held at Tobacco Dock in London.

The other brands nominated for the award were The Guardian, Harry's, Heineken, Ikea, KFC, Lloyds Bank, Quorn and JD Wetherspoon.

YouGov BrandIndex data fed into the decision making process, which also included public votes and the thoughts of a panel of judges.

YouGov data underlines how the fashion brand has succeeded over the past few years.

If we examine ASOS's Purchase Consideration score among the public as a whole firstly, we see it has improved from 6% in July 2013, to 11% in July 2018.

Among ASOS's crucial target demographic - 62% of its customer base is aged 18-34 - Purchase Consideration continues to rise. If we look back over the past five years, we get a clear picture of progress on this front.

Among women aged 18-34, its score among this group has grown from around 25% to 35% now. Similarly, among men in the same age group, its rating has jumped from around 8% to 20%.

Instagram is of course crucial to the success of the brand among younger consumers. On this front YouGov brand tracking data indicates that heavy Instagram users (i.e. people that visit the four or more times a week) have a higher perception of ASOS across all brand health metrics, compared to non and low users.

Added to this, heavy Instagram users are also more than twice as likely to consider purchasing from the brand; 26% vs. 11%.

In short, ASOS continues to make great strides in an extremely competitive and hard-fought industry, appealing to its core-consumers with a mix of great prices and the latest must-have fashion items.

Image Getty

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ASOS - Marketing Week Masters 'Brand of the Year' | YouGov

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Last evening (9 th October 2018), ASOS was announced as the 'Brand of the Year' at this this year's Marketing Week Masters, held at Tobacco Dock in London. The other brands nominated for the award were The Guardian, Harry's, Heineken, Ikea, KFC, Lloyds Bank, Quorn and JD Wetherspoon.

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This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data.

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The jet-setting beauty is at home in the world's fashion capitals, but names Ghana and Kenya as her favourite destinations

The jet-setting beauty is at home in the world's fashion capitals, but names Ghana and Kenya as her favourite destinations

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British model Adwoa Aboah has a soft spot for Africa in her heart

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The jet-setting beauty is at home in the world's fashion capitals, but names Ghana and Kenya as her favourite destinations The jet-setting beauty is at home in the world's fashion capitals, but names Ghana and Kenya as her favourite destinations

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The British Fashion Council has announced the list of nominees for the annual Fashion Awards presented in partnership with Swarovski, where top names like Prada , Gucci , and Balenciaga lead the pack with the most nominations. However, a few Africans have been nominated for the prestigious awards.

The nominations for this year's Fashion Awards were announced in London on 23 October with five contenders in each category. The awards - which rebranded itself from the British Fashion Awards to the Fashion Awards in 2016 - celebrates the best of creativity and innovation in fashion, celebrating exceptional individuals, brands and businesses across the globe.

Ghanaian-born Adwoa Aboah is in line for Model of the Year. Aboah has been the face of a number of notable brands such as Giorgio Armani and Burberry, presenting a nostalgic campaign for the latter with her family back in Ghana. Adwoa Aboah, who took home the 2017 accolade for Model of the Year, will be competing this year alongside Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber, Winnie Harlow and Adut Akech.

At just 18 years old, Sudanese-born Adut Akech Bior is also up for Model of the Year. Akech made her fashion week runway debut as an exclusive in the Saint Laurent S/S 17 show, and has been embraced by Karl Lagerfeld, mentored by Naomi Campbell, and featured in the much-coveted Pirelli Calendar.

Virgil Abloh, who made history as the first black artistic director of Louis Vuitton Menswear -a stellar debut collection which celebrated the influence black people have had on street culture, was nominated in three categories: Designer of the Year (Himself for Louis Vuitton), Brand of the Year and Urban Luxe (Off-White).

The list also features familiar names like Alessandro Michele , Demna Gvasalia , Ricardo Tisci , and Pierpaolo Piccioli , all getting nods from the council.

"We are delighted to reveal the nominees for the 2018 Fashion Awards ," said Nadja Swarovski, member of the executive board at Swarovski. "Representing fashion's most inspiring emerging and established talents, this list is the perfect showcase for the energy and diversity of the industry today."

For the first time, this year's awards will also honour 100 of the most innovative and inspiring talents from around the world, ranging from makeup artists and models to digital influencers and journalists, voted for by 2,000 members of the fashion industry.

"Each and every one of them is being recognised for their creative excellence and innovation," BFC chair, Stephanie Phair, told press at the briefing. "I look forward to celebrating them alongside the rest of the industry from across the globe."
The 10 pre-announced awards will be given out at a star-studded ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall on 10 December.

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Virgil Abloh, Adwoa Aboah, Adut Akech in line for the 2018Fashion Awards

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The British Fashion Council has announced the list of nominees for the annual Fashion Awards presented in partnership with Swarovski, where top names like Prada , Gucci , and Balenciaga lead the pack with the most nominations. However, a few Africans have been nominated for the prestigious awards.

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The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends

The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends

Each season ASOS's Made in Kenya collection, now in its ninth year, brings a fresh pop of colour to our habitual ASOS scrolling.

The summer 2018 collection just dropped on the site, and it's brimming with every brightly-coloured, geometric, fruity and floral print your spring wardrobe could possibly need.

They've also given the collection a fresh spin this season by inviting a group of young creatives to collaborate in the design process.

Brother and sister blogger duo Velma Rossa and Oliver Asike 2manysiblings and Beats 1 Radio presenter Julie Adenuga joined model Leomie Anderson to envision sunshine yellow jumpsuits, abstract Hawaiian shirts and geometric-print kimonos.

We are particularly loving this abstract print, one-shouldered dress which taps into the season's 80s trend.

But it's not just the jazzy prints and sunny hues that'll give you the feel-good factor.

Since they launched the first Made in Kenya collection back in 2010, ASOS has worked with social enterprise SOKO Kenya to construct the clothes in Kenyan factories that provide fairly paid, safe employment and training for some of the poorest members of the local community.

Not only does the initiative create job opportunities in a disadvantaged area of the region but ASOS also provide on-going practical support and employee training to help develop the SOKO Kenya team and, in the eight years, since launch, SOKO Kenya has grown from four to over 50 employees.

ASOS also established a stitching academy in partnership with SOKO, to equip locals with the sewing skills to start businesses and get jobs. They also have educational initiatives on personal and feminine hygiene in schools in the pipeline.

The collection numbers 30 items in total (some have dropped now, with more to come in August) and it includes a selection of menswear for the first time.

Shop it here.

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Made in Kenya: the perfect summer holiday collection from ASOS

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Each season ASOS's Made in Kenya collection, now in its ninth year, brings a fresh pop of colour to our habitual ASOS scrolling. The summer 2018 collection just dropped on the site, and it's brimming with every brightly-coloured, geometric, fruity and floral print your spring wardrobe could possibly need.

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As social media becomes a more integrated part of our lives, influencer marketing has exploded. People are turning to their favorite Instagram models, Twitter personalities and YouTube stars for advice and recommendations on purchasing decisions.

These influencers are trusted by millions of consumers, and marketers are paying attention. It turns out 86% of them used influencer marketing since last year, and budgets for influencer marketing are skyrocketing.

Social media has given normal people an opportunity to build their own brand through stimulating content and engagement. These new influencers are more relatable than traditional celebrities. Since more people are joining social media networks every day, companies have begun to realize they can leverage these platforms for marketing.

Interest in influencer marketing has only raised, which means a lot of research has been conducted which has produced interesting statistics. So let's take a look at some of the most eye-popping results of these studies. Here are 20 influencer marketing stats that will surprise you.

1) 70% of Teens Trust Influencers More than Traditional Celebrities

2) 86% of Women Use Social Media for Purchasing Advice

This statistic should be important to any brand that either has women as their primary target audience or within their scope of ideal customers.

It seems if you want to reach more women and get them to buy your product or service, you need to be present on social media and aware of the influencers that they are interested in. And this behavior is growing as 45% of women claim to be more active on social media that they were just 2 years ago.

When it comes to influencer marketing, over half of women made purchases due to influencer posts with Facebook and Instagram being the preferred platforms. The key to engaging this cohort through influencers is to be genuine and inspirational.

3) 49% of Consumers Depend on Influencer Recommendations

This statistic demonstrates the growing importance of social media influences for brands to connect with their audiences. Not only do 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations but 40% had purchased something after seeing it on Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

If consumers feel confident about an influencer's recommendation, they are more likely to make a purchase. Brands are able to piggyback on the trust of influencers.

4) 6 in 10 Teens Follow Advice From Influencers Over Celebrities

The word of a celebrity isn't as valuable as it used to be. Not only do customers have a hard time trusting brands, but also traditional celebrities seem to have lost the influence they once had.

Influencers have the power to forge strong ties with fans and experience a more engaged audience gaining 3 times as many views, twice as many actions and 12 times as many comments compared to videos from traditional celebrities.

It seems these days' consumers trust social media influencers and their peers above anybody else. Power has shifted to social media influencers.

5) Influencer Marketing Campaigns Earn $6.50 for Every Dollar Spent

With 59% of marketers planning to increase their influencer marketing budgets, this area of marketing is becoming the fastest growing channel for brands beating organic search, paid search and email marketing.

According to a Tomson study, businesses earn $6.50 for each dollar spent on influencers with the top 13% earning $20 or even more. That's a significant return on investment considering that over half of marketers also consider the customers they acquire through this route as better prospects.

In terms fo influencer channels, blogs and Facebook are cited as the most effective platforms.

6) Influencer Marketing Is the Fastest-Growing Online Customer-Acquisition Method

More brands are hopping on the influencer marketing train. It's becoming more important than ever to build relationships with influencers who resonate with your brand and to create campaigns, which are aligned with the values of an influencer's followers.

In addition, 22% of marketers say influencer marketing is the most cost-effective method of obtaining new customers.

7) 57% of Fashion and Beauty Companies Engage in Influencer Marketing

Fashion and beauty are industries that rely heavily on influencer marketing as organic growth for brands has become more challenging without advertising and amplification.

In this sector, 57% of companies now use influencers as part of their marketing mix while 21% are planning to add this to their strategy in the coming year.

Many brands now use influencers to great success such as Lush using Grav3yardgirl and Nicole Guerriero gaining thousands of views on YouTube. However, while many fashion and beauty brands are keen on using influencers, many want to ensure that a brand affinity exists in order to drive success.

8) Major Brands Plan to Increase Spend on Influencer Marketing

More brands and marketers are coming to realize the incredible results that influence marketing can produce. This impact is resulting in an increase in spend with 67% of marketers planning to increase their budgets in the next 12 months particularly on Instagram.

Not only is spend increasing to help boost brand awareness, reach new audiences and improve brand advocacy, but it's fast becoming the key channel for many marketers.

9) The Influencer Marketing Industry is Expected to Hit $10bn by 2020

10) 74% of People Trust Social Networks to Guide Purchasing Decisions

About three-quarters of consumers trust opinions they find on social media, including those from friends, families, and influencers, to help them make the right decision about buying a product or service.

This creates huge opportunities for marketers in the promotion of products (sponsored or not) to reach new audiences and influence key cohorts such as millennials and Gen Z.

11. Influencer Marketing has Surpassed Print Marketing

What this means is brands are undergoing a transition in the ways they spend their marketing budgets. Expensive and inefficient ad buys, such as those found in newspapers and magazines, are giving way to influencer marketing.

The return on investment in influencer marketing is far outpacing any traditional medium.

12. 40% of Customers Use Ad-Blocking Technology

13. Marketers spend $25,000-$50,000 on Influencer Marketing Campaigns

Spending on influencers has gone up over the past few years, and it's only going to increase.

Many budgets for influencer marketing are on the rise with marketers expected to invest an average of $25,000-$50,000 in multifaceted campaigns, which is in line with many external marketing budgets of small-to-medium sized companies.

14) 40% of Twitter Users Made a Purchase Based on a Tweet

15) 67% of Marketers Promote Content With the Help of Influencers

16) Facebook Is the Most Influential Social Media Network

17) YouTube Is Hot on Facebook's Heels

18) 60% of Consumers Have Been Influenced by Social Media or Blog While Shopping at a Store

19) Purchase Intent Increased by 5.2x by Influencers on Twitter

Part of influencer marketing research means discovering which social media networks are most suitable for promoting your brand and where your target audience can be found.

According to Twitter influencers created a 5.2x increase in purchase intent when users were exposed to brand and influencer tweets compared to 2.7x when just shown brand tweets.

20) 71% of Marketers Believe Influencer Partnerships are Good for Business

Join the Social Influencer Marketing Party

It's better late than never when it comes to developing an influencer marketing campaign. A good way to start would be to reach out to some of your industry's top influencers and show off your great product or service. Otherwise, do research on some of the big-time social media influencers and find out which ones have your target audience as a significant portion of their following and go from there.

Either way, understanding how to use influencer marketing to its true potential will help to drive brand awareness, leads and revenue.

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20 Influencer Marketing Statistics that Will Surprise You

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As social media becomes a more integrated part of our lives, influencer marketing has exploded. People are turning to their favorite Instagram models, Twitter personalities and YouTube stars for advice and recommendations on purchasing decisions. These influencers are trusted by millions of consumers, and marketers are paying attention.

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The ASOS Made in Kenya Line Shows the Difference Between Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation

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A look inside the brand’s factory in Africa.

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The 2018 edition of the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria came to a close on Sunday, with more than 15 designers showcasing their collections on the runway.
Some of the designers whose collections were on display include Modela Couture, Kola Kuddus, Godwin Green, Claire Albert, Erenti, Jazzeffect Designs, SOA by House of Oduduwa, Elegante by Tiannah Styling and Kunle's Kembe by Ire Clothings.

Celebrities and socialites present at the fashion week finale include Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, ooni of Ife, Olufunsho Amosun, first lady of Ogun state, senator Florence Ita-Giwa, Abbah Folawiyo, Opral Benson, among others.
Collections Personalities
Copyright 2019 TheCable. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from TheCable.

Follow us on twitter @Thecablestyle

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PHOTOS: Collections, models and celebrities at African Fashion Week Nigeria

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The 2018 edition of the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria came to a close on Sunday, with more than 15 designers showcasing their collections on the runway. Some of the designers whose collections were on display include Modela Couture, Kola Kuddus, Godwin Green, Claire Albert, Erenti, Jazzeffect Designs, SOA by House of Oduduwa, Elegante by Tiannah Styling and Kunle's Kembe by Ire Clothings.

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To maintain and conserve your LOEWE item in its best condition we recommend the following:

Your knitwear item will best preserve its original shape if it is folded and stored on a flat surface.

Garments made of natural fibers, such as linen and cotton, should be kept in a dry place.

Pilling effect is a natural characteristic that can be reduced by avoiding an excessive friction.

Your leather garment will maintain all its qualities if it is not directly exposed to sources of light and heat; also if it is stored in a cloth dust bag. If your item gets wet, remove any excess moisture without rubbing, dab with a soft cloth and let dry at room temperature.

Avoid contact with water, oils, perfumes or cosmetics.

Always follow care instructions described on the label.

Your knitwear item will best preserve its original shape if it is folded and stored on a flat surface.

LOEWE offers a care and cleaning service for all its leather goods.

We invite you to visit one of our stores, where we will be glad to offer our help!

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To maintain and conserve your LOEWE item in its best condition we recommend the following: Your knitwear item will best preserve its original shape if it is folded and stored on a flat surface. Garments made of natural fibers, such as linen and cotton, should be kept in a dry place.

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The Stone Belted Waist Cargo Pocket Front Shorts. Head online and shop this season's range of shorts at PrettyLittleThing. Express delivery available.

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Weekend plans? Secured. The Pocket in Shorts feature a high-waisted silhouette and utility design flap tops pockets at front.

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With diversity being one of the most important discussions taking place in today's world, ASOS is giving everyone a lesson in how to champion it properly.

As Twitter user Anna pointed out over the weekend, ASOS uses a diverse range of models and unedited pictures to reflect how beauty can come in all kinds of forms. Posting a series of photos from the ASOS website, Anna wrote: "thank you for keeping it real @ASOS".

The images she selected showed back rolls, scars, moles, stretch marks. The models used were of different ethnicities, with different body shapes. It's refreshing to see a series of pictures truly reflecting the diversity of womankind - especially when it's with the intention of selling clothes, because it's realistic.

When just one type of body is visible on catwalks or in advertising campaigns, it's hard for women who can't identify to feel like they fit in, or that they're 'okay' just as they are. But let's face it: if we all looked exactly the same, the world would be a pretty boring place.

It's not the first time ASOS has received praise online for its choice of models and pictures. Last month, Twitter user Madeleine posted photographs of an ASOS bandeau bikini which did not edit out the model's stomach rolls. It might seem a simple act, but by including pictures of the model's so-called imperfections in the selection, it's a reminder for women who buy it that they don't necessarily need to look like Kendall Jenner when they wear it.

"Thank u ASOS for these angles", wrote Madeleine on the post. In response, she received over 60,000 likes, and was retweeted more than 17,000 times, indicating how much it resounded with others.

There's a clear lesson to be learned here: the people who are buying clothes want to see what they look like on real bodies. Listen and learn, high street.
Follow Cat on Instagram.

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ASOS praised for using unedited pictures of 'imperfect' models

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With diversity being one of the most important discussions taking place in today's world, ASOS is giving everyone a lesson in how to champion it properly. As Twitter user Anna pointed out over the weekend, ASOS uses a diverse range of models and unedited pictures to reflect how beauty can come in all kinds of forms. Posting a series of photos from the ASOS website, Anna wrote: "thank you for keeping it real @ASOS".

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Asos has announced a 28% increase in profit before tax to £102m for the year to 31 August, despite investing heavily to support its future growth.

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In the past two years, a number of European companies-among them, H&M, Primark, and Tesco-began sourcing some of their garments from Ethiopia. The rest of the apparel industry took notice: since 2013, there has been rising interest in not just Ethiopia but also other East African countries as potential sourcing destinations for apparel. Also contributing to the buzz is the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which gives certain countries in sub-Saharan Africa duty-free access to the US market.

What is the true potential of East Africa to grow into a major garment-sourcing hub? To find out, we visited factories in the region; interviewed stakeholders, including manufacturers and buyers; and analyzed market data. In addition, we conducted our third survey of chief purchasing officers (CPOs), this time with a series of questions focused on East Africa. This year, 40 apparel CPOs, representing a combined $70 billion in 2014 purchasing volume, responded to our survey. We found that East Africa could indeed become a more important center for apparel sourcing, but only if stakeholders-buyers, governments, and manufacturers-work together to improve business conditions in the region.

Up-and-coming sourcing countries

Nearly three-quarters of survey respondents said, as they did in 2011 and 2013, that over the next five years they expect to reduce their purchases from Chinese firms. Chinese apparel production has indeed fallen since 2010-but China remains the undisputed giant of garment manufacturing, with approximately $177 billion in apparel exports in 2013.

Among CPOs surveyed, Bangladesh remains at the top of the list of future sourcing destinations, with 48 percent of respondents including the country in their top three (Exhibit 1). And 62 percent said they intend to increase their sourcing value from Bangladesh over the next five years. The next two up-and-coming countries are Vietnam and India, where, respectively, 59 percent and 54 percent of surveyed CPOs plan to increase their sourcing value in the next five years. Yet the combined apparel exports of Bangladesh ($24 billion), Vietnam ($17 billion), and India ($17 billion) still amount to less than one-third of China's.

For the first time in our survey, African nations appear on the list of countries expected to play more important roles in apparel manufacturing. Ethiopia, notably, is seventh on the list.

The East Africa opportunity

According to United Nations projections, sub-Saharan Africa will have the highest growth in working-age population anywhere over the next 20 years. By 2035, the working-age population in the region is expected to be as large as China's today-more than 900 million people. This massive labor pool is capturing the attention of several industries, including apparel.

Within sub-Saharan Africa, East African countries-especially Ethiopia and Kenya, and to a lesser extent Uganda and Tanzania-are of interest to apparel buyers (Exhibit 2). The governments of both Ethiopia and Kenya are taking steps to develop their domestic textile and garment industries.

Each of the two countries has strengths and weaknesses. Our research and interviews revealed, for example, that Ethiopia has cost advantages whereas Kenya boasts higher production efficiency. Challenges common to both countries include poor infrastructure, cumbersome customs processes, a dearth of technical and managerial talent, and low levels of social and environmental compliance.

Ethiopia

Apparel buyers today are sourcing basic, large-volume items from Ethiopia: T-shirts accounted for 46 percent of the country's exports to the EU-15, and trousers 31 percent. As much as 60 percent of exports are sent to Germany and 10 percent to the United States. But Ethiopia accounts for a mere 0.01 percent of total apparel exports, according to the World Trade Organization.

Why, then, is Ethiopia such a hot topic for apparel buyers? Our interviewees and survey respondents said the biggest reason is cost: Ethiopia's wages for garment workers are among the lowest globally, at below $60 per month, and work-permit costs for foreign workers are less than one-tenth those in neighboring Kenya. Additionally, Ethiopia has low electricity prices. The country has a strong supply of hydroelectric power, and while the power grid is not the most reliable, the Ethiopian government is building a separate grid for new industrial zones currently under development.

Ethiopia could someday become a source of raw materials: it has more than 3.2 million hectares of land with a suitable climate for cotton cultivation. Yet, barely 7 percent of that land is being used today. The combination of low land-utilization rates, planning errors, low crop yields, and quality problems means Ethiopia has had to import cotton. Social compliance has also been an issue. For example, organic-cotton cultivation recently suffered a setback after garment manufacturers supplying European firms became entangled in land-grabbing accusations in Ethiopia's Omo Valley.

Another problem is production efficiency, which currently runs between 40 and 50 percent, and long lead times. Eighty percent of the CPOs in our survey cited production inefficiency as a challenge to the growth of apparel sourcing in Ethiopia.

Kenya

Like Ethiopia's, Kenya's apparel industry currently specializes in supplying high-volume bulk basics such as trousers, which account for 58 percent of its exports to the United States. The typical minimum order size is 10,000 pieces; the country's larger players have minimum order sizes of 25,000 to 50,000 pieces.

Kenya has benefited greatly from AGOA-92 percent of its apparel exports in 2013 went to the United States, according to UN Comtrade. Suppliers we interviewed said the EU's Economic Partnership Agreement isn't as much of an incentive: the overall duty-free advantage is less than that of AGOA, and the competition with low-cost Asian countries is stiff, as they too are benefiting from preferential agreements with the European Union. Some Kenyan manufacturers said they aren't eager to expand their business to Europe because they perceive European buyers as more demanding with respect to lead times, order sizes, and quality.

The capacity of Kenya's garment factories has grown markedly in recent years, thanks to foreign direct investments from Asia and the Middle East, as well as support from the Export Processing Zones developed by the Kenyan government. Factories have grown larger and more efficient; they now have around 1,500 employees on average compared with around 560 in the year 2000.

However, as a result of the lack of a local upstream industry, manufacturers must import fabrics-which means considerably longer lead times. Fabrics from overseas can take up to 40 days to make their way through customs and to a garment factory. Manufacturers and buyers alike said that another challenge of doing business in Kenya is comparatively high labor costs, with monthly wages for garment workers in the $120 to $150 range. Energy costs are also high, and because the power supply is spotty, factories often have to rely on generators. In Africa, power from generators works out to be four times as expensive as power from the grid.

Like Ethiopia, Kenya will need to address compliance and risk issues if it is to attract more international buyers. According to the CPOs we surveyed, corruption, high crime rates, and poor social compliance are among the core challenges they face in Kenya.

Future scenarios for East Africa

As part of our analysis, we created, tested, and refined three scenarios for the evolution of East Africa-in particular, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda-over the next decade (Exhibit 3). In 2013, these four countries' apparel exports totaled $337 million.

The first scenario is that East Africa will remain a niche market. This scenario assumes that free-trade agreements with the United States and the European Union will continue. In part as a result of volatility in currencies and equity markets, the prospects for the region will remain rather modest.

In the second scenario, East Africa becomes a new sourcing option for several large players in the basics categories, and the region's apparel exports more than double. In this scenario, East Africa's garment companies move beyond cut, make, and trim facilities and embark on the path to vertical integration-but this process could take several years. If East Africa is to experience sustainable growth in garment manufacturing, collaboration among all stakeholders is a must.

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A third scenario assumes that major apparel companies from around the world begin to open sourcing offices in East Africa. The region attracts enough investment to upgrade facilities and recruit skilled workers, and its export volumes approach those of countries such as Mexico or Pakistan. But even in this scenario, it could take years for vertically integrated, indigenous players to appear in the region-and that might be achievable only if the countries cooperate to build regional value chains.
If East Africa is to experience sustainable growth in garment manufacturing, collaboration among all stakeholders is a must. Governments, for instance, might consider whether to invest in infrastructure, support local entrepreneurs, diversify free-trade agreements, and build market-oriented educational institutions. Suppliers will need to embrace performance improvements and management training, upgrade their facilities and offerings, and enter into long-term partnerships with buyers. All parties will need to make every effort to ensure social and environmental compliance. Buyers, for their part, would do well to support the capability-building efforts of East African suppliers and begin to evaluate the region as a true strategic option rather than just a testing ground.

This article is adapted from Sourcing in a volatile world: The East Africa opportunity (PDF-2MB), an April 2015 report from the Apparel, Fashion & Luxury Group in McKinsey's Retail Practice.

About the author(s)

Achim Berg is a principal in McKinsey's Frankfurt office, Saskia Hedrich is a senior expert in the Munich office, and Bill Russo is a director in the Nairobi office.

The authors wish to thank Benedikt Berlemann for his contributions to this article and the research that underlies it.

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East Africa: The next hub for apparel sourcing?

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In the past two years, a number of European companies-among them, H&M, Primark, and Tesco-began sourcing some of their garments from Ethiopia. The rest of the apparel industry took notice: since 2013, there has been rising interest in not just Ethiopia but also other East African countries as potential sourcing destinations for apparel.

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In 2012 we moved into our own purpose built eco-factory. To minimise SOKO's environmental impact, the eco-factory was built from compressed earth, a traditional form of building in Kenya. The roof was designed with ventilation gaps that create airflow to minimise the need for electric fans.

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A ship transport is one type of a watercraft which would carry passengers such as the people and also goods or cargo. Since in history, this watercraft became on of the largest freight carriers. Even if the importance of this for the people has been decreasing due to new aviation, it can still be useful in some other purposes like pleasure cruises and short trips. This is also cheaper when compared to the air transports.

Vehicles types that are being used in this are sailboats, boats, barges, and ships and the transportation is made in any distances by passing through oceans, rivers, lakes, and rivers. These also have some other purposes which include commerce, military, and also recreation purposes. Nay kinds of materials and of goods may be transported through boat shipping. The purpose may be impractical only if the goods that are to be moved are perishable like food.

However, this type of transport can be very cost effective. The construction of this and as well as the maintenance do not require a very huge amount of capital investment. Cargoes are scheduled and may be changed. These include consumer products including heavy loads and bulk loads like coke, grains, coal, or ores. This became a significant role for bringing the parts to be closer anywhere in the world.

So here are the following pros and cons of this. The first advantage on this is it has lower costs. Since rivers, lakes, and oceans are just natural highways, thus, costs for its construction and its maintenance is not needed anymore. Water transportation has 2 main types which are the ocean and the inland transport. The inland transport is said to be the cheapest when carrying goods due to the low operation it has.

It also has a very large capacity, and thus, it can be able to carry large quantities of both bulky and heavy loads like coal, timber, etc. The services are flexible if compared to railways and this means that the requirements may be changed or adjusted from time to time. And lastly, it has a lower risks for accidents compared to other forms of transports.

And the next paragraphs are its disadvantages. The first disadvantage is its low speed. One important factor that needs to be considered for carrying goods is the speed. Speed affects the time especially in some cases in which there is a need for faster transportation. There are also limitations on the areas of operations.

At times, especially on sudden changes of season, during winter days, operations will surely be stopped, this is because the canals and rivers are frozen. And on summer seasons, water levels are low. The courses of rivers may sometimes have sudden changes and this may cause dislocating of trade routes. Small businesses are not recommended to utilized its use due to having a longer time when carrying.

The ocean transport also has 2 main types including coastal shipping and overseas shipping. The advantages of using these two includes no required huge amounts of investment since the operation takes place on natural tracks. And because sea has a smooth surface, lesser amount of tractive power is only required.

Reducing the risks for damages is also an advantage. These transportation are suitable also for moving goods into distant places. These are indispensable also to foreign trades.

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news and marketing: pros and cons of boat shipping

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News and Marketing: Pros And Cons Of Boat Shipping

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A ship transport is one type of a watercraft which would carry passengers such as the people and also goods or cargo. Since in history, this watercraft became on of the largest freight carriers. Even if the importance of this for the people has been decreasing due to new aviation, it can still be useful in some other purposes like pleasure cruises and short trips.

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There has been an obvious impact on the high street from online shopping as people realize its more convenient to shop from home. Convenience is really what's at the heart of it."

The ONS said that in 2018, among all adults, 78 per cent bought goods or services online in the last 12 months, up 1 percentage point since 2017 and 25 percentage points since 2008.

A higher proportion of younger adults were online shoppers compared with older adults, with 95 per cent of those aged 16 to 24 years and 96 per cent of those aged 25 to 34 years shopping online.

Of those adults who purchased online in the last three months, adults aged 16 to 24 years were most likely to shop online once or twice, whereas those aged 25 to 54 years were most likely to shop online more than 10 times in the same period.

All age groups were most likely to spend between £100 and £499.

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Pensioners abandoning the high street in favour of online shopping

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There has been an obvious impact on the high street from online shopping as people realize its more convenient to shop from home. Convenience is really what's at the heart of it." The ONS said that in 2018, among all adults, 78 per cent bought goods or services online in the last 12 months, up 1 percentage point since 2017 and 25 percentage points since 2008.

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Major western brands pay Indian garment workers 11p an hour

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Study reveals 'unchecked' exploitation of women and girls from marginalised communities

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I conducted this service to get a better knowledge of my target audience and if they would buy into my range or not.

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Fashion Trends 2019-2020 Shared by 40 Fashion Experts

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Fashion trends are always changing. The clothes we wear depend on the season but we are inspired by what the celebrities are wearing and what we see in fashion shows. Although, everyday people can't afford buying clothes from famous designers, if you know what items are prefered and how to match them, then you can easily recreate expensive outfits.

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Five days of sartorial splendour have come to an end in London, where Burberry, Vivienne Westwood and Erdem are among those to have showcased their autumn/winter collections for the editors, buyers and influencers at the vanguard of the industry.

But before the fashion week baton is passed from the British capital to Milan, where brands like Gucci, Prada and Versace will take centre stage, it's worth reflecting on the key trends that have emerged in the last few days.

From the preposterously large but thrilling gowns at Molly Goddard and Mary Katrantzou to lashings of audacious scarlet shades at Victoria Beckham and Paula Knorr, here's our roundup of the trends to note from London Fashion Week this season.

1. Ladies in red

Nothing sounds the fashion klaxon quite like brazen shades of scarlet. And this season, the runway was awash with the vixen-like colour.

It made its way onto everything, from scarves, pencil skirts and blouses at Victoria Beckham to 1980s-style mini dresses at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi and Grecian robes at Marta Jakubowski.

2. Midi skirts

There were rumours that the miniskirt was set for a renaissance thanks to the an exhibition on its inventor, Mary Quant, at the V&A, but if London Fashion Week is anything to go by, a more modest hemline will reign supreme this autumn.

No longer a slave to librarian stereotypes, this humble calf-grazing style is quite the wardrobe staple when we depart from summer's balmy embrace and head into colder climes. Team yours with an oversized knitted jumper and biker boots - a failsafe look for all shapes and sizes.

At Burberry, we saw chocolate-brown leather iterations in pencil skirt shapes, while Margaret Howell served up an earthier palette with an A-line silhouette. They're perfect for the office, and work just as well after hours. Make a savvy investment in one for autumn.

3. Show-stopping gowns

There was a time when the only British designer pushing tulle to its most voluminous limits was Molly Goddard, whose bright, exuberant tutu-like dresses became a sought-after staple after one was worn by actor Jodie Comer in BBC's hit TV show, Killing Eve.

While Goddard is indeed still sticking to her puffed-up roots - a fuchsia gown from her autumn/winter 2019 collection was widely shared on Instagram after her show - others labels have clearly taken note.

Mary Katrantzou, for example, sent models down the runway in a whole host of fabulously fluffy creations, including one canary-yellow gown as worn by model Natalia Vodianova. The look might've drawn comparisons to Sesame Street 's Big Bird, but who's to say fashion cannot be just as fun and playful as a childhood TV show?

4. Wallpaper florals

Florals were in full bloom all over the runways at New York Fashion Week - and they were just as abundant across the pond.

But next season's florals are far from prim and proper. At Erdem, they were ornate and nostalgic, conjuring up memories of your grandmother's retro wallpaper print.

Richard Quinn opted for a similarly vintage aesthetic, with various gowns and full-bodied skirts covered in sprawling petals and intricate thorns.

Elsewhere, at Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, flower prints injected a dose of optimism to what was otherwise a neutral-heavy collection, adorning loose orange suits and vermilion midi dresses.

5. Glitter, glitter everywhere

If there's one underlying motto for the season ahead, it's that you can never be too sparkly.

The trend has permeated the runways in London over the last five days, and not just in the party powerhouse labels you'd expect it (here's looking at you, Halpern).

In fact, everyone from Richard Quinn and Molly Goddard to Paula Knorr hopped aboard the glitter-soaked ship this time around via shimmering chain-like capes, giant Swarovski crystal embellishments on the necklines of dresses and sheer crop tops.

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The only London Fashion Week trends you need to know

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Five days of sartorial splendour have come to an end in London, where Burberry, Vivienne Westwood and Erdem are among those to have showcased their autumn/winter collections for the editors, buyers and influencers at the vanguard of the industry.

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I read these books during my research in order to give me inspiration for my range and gain more knowledge about the African culture.

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Africa: a continent in development

Africa is the world second-largest and also the second-most populated continent of the world, with around 1.2 billion people. There are only few countries to be avoided. Most of the continent is stable, safe and business is flourishing. The growing middle class in Africa, mostly located in the bigger cities, has substantial purchasing power.
How to find the right supplier and how to ensure that you get what you want, without any problems? Follow these guidelines for success.

Buying something and sourcing is something different

Buying something is mostly easy, if you know the supplier already. Sourcing is the process of finding the right supplier, who can either be a manufacturer, importer or distributor. And sourcing is all about getting the right pricing and delivery conditions.

Have a good procurement strategy in place

Procurement is the overall process of sourcing and buying (or purchasing). You should have a process in place, to optimise the balance between the effort in finding the right sources and negotiating a lower price, and the pricing itself. Typically for larger purchases, it makes sense to do a broad search and, especially where it comes to searches abroad, to hire somebody to do the sourcing for you.

Select the right manufacturers and double check

Before you start ordering complex products or large quantities, make sure that you check your source. If you don't go there yourself, then send somebody trusted, preferably who understands the local language and knows the local situation.

Check the export and import procedures

Import duties can limit the financial advantage of sourcing abroad. And customs formalities can further increase shipping times. Therefore check in advance whether the country that you are planning to source from and the applicable duties.

Alliance experts can help you find the right supplies abroad

Alliance experts is a global network of business development specialists. We are active in all important economies around the globe and meet many manufacturers and trading companies. With our international team we can relatively easy look for suppliers abroad who can provide you with a unique product features or a lower cost price.

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Buying and sourcing from Africa. What to import and how to procure? - Alliance Experts

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If you want to buy goods or source products from Africa, then you will have a broad choice. How to select the right supplier, and establish a good working relationship? Local knowledge and network is important in order to find the right parties to do business with.

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Africa may well be the next hot sourcing locale, but beyond the buzz, many brands don't know much about doing business there.

At an opening day panel at Sourcing at MAGIC Sunday, industry experts discussed the challenges and benefits of sourcing in Africa in a talk titled, "Looking Forward: From the Western Hemisphere to Africa-Pros and Cons."

As brands continuously look to diversify their supply chains and chase the best product at the lowest cost, the question often comes down to where to go next and how to work there successfully. According to Bill McRaith, chief supply chain officer at PVH, it's all about creating a balanced supply chain. "Right now we're in a period of fairly dramatic changes in the supply chain," he said.

McRaith noted that as brands talk about shifting sourcing away from Asia in favor of new locations, he's often asked which country will be the next China.

"The next China is not a where, it's a how you do business," he said. "But Africa seems to be the emergence of the next China."

Africa today is much like China was in the late 80s and early 90s, McRaith explained. There's little there, but the continent is developing.

The first thing to consider, however, McRaith said, is that the sizable continent cannot be discussed as one region and understood as such. Africa is big enough to fit all of the world's major players within it: the United States, China, India, Eastern Europe, Japan, the U.K., Spain, France, Germany and Italy, among others. "Africa is of a scale we've never dealt with," he said.

PVH has been manufacturing in Africa for some time, but the retail giant is now moving into the continent vertically, and overseeing all aspects of production from growing the cotton all the way through to the finished product.

According to McRaith, what makes Africa advantageous is that the cost of producing there is lower than many other regions brands source from due to: lower cost, plentiful and high work ethic labor; green energy at the lowest global rate (hydro electric and geothermal power); land available at subsidized rates to develop large-scale industrial parks and for growing cotton; duty free exports to the U.S. and Europe, and China free trade between East African countries; plus tax holidays.

Despite these advantages, Tom Travis, managing partner at Sandler, Travis and Rosenberg said people hadn't been using Africa well in the past because there were so many other low cost options. A chart of U.S. apparel imports from January to June 2014, shows sub-Saharan Africa ranks at the bottom of the list with $479.8 million worth, just 0.01% of the world's apparel imports. China, by comparison, exported $12.4 billion worth of apparel to the U.S., 33 percent of the world's total.

But free trade agreements always create opportunities for profit, Travis said. And under a U.S. preference program like the African Growth and Opportunity Act ( AGOA), eligible countries in Africa could present that opportunity.

AGOA allows sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market, provided they abide by the law, support human rights, promote poverty reduction and do not engage in corrupt activities. Of the 49 nations that qualify for AGOA, 25 have the effective visa system in place to ensure country of origin and guard against trans-shipment, and of those, only nine countries are taking advantage of the preference program, including Benin, Lesotho, Liberia, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Madagascar, which just regained its AGOA eligibility in June.

In 2013, U.S. imports from sub-Saharan African countries under AGOA and the related GSP program totaled $26.8 billion, more than three times the amount in 2001, the first full-year of AGOA trade, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

The AGOA trade preference is set to expire Sept. 30, 2015 and trade organizations are lobbying for the program's extension. In a statement last week, the United States Fashion Association ( USFIA) joined six U.S. and African fashion and retail trade organizations in a call for its immediate renewal. USFIA called for at least a 15-year renewal of AGOA and its accompanying third-country fabric provision, which allows duty-free access to the U.S. market for apparel made from fabric originating anywhere in the world.

AGOA's impending expiration date is already putting the region's opportunities at risk as brands that plan their sourcing strategies six to 12 months in advance are already considering leaving Africa because sourcing from the region would be cost-prohibitive without the duty free treatment.

"We hope that the discussions at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit last week, as well as the recent Congressional hearings, will lead to quick, long-term renewal of this important trade preference program so fashion brands and retailers can continue placing orders and expand their business in the AGOA region," USFIA president Julia K. Hughes said last week.

While many believe the preference program will be renewed, there's no certainty about what term it will be extended for. "People are going to have to work very hard and unify to get AGOA renewed," McRaith said. "I don't think it's going to be a cake walk."

Trepidation over AGOA's extension aside, JC Mazingue, apparel trade advisor for USAID East Africa Trade Hub said brands are slowly beginning to realize the advantages the continent has to offer. Energy in the region is cheap, Mazingue said, also admitting honestly that the region's logistics still need some help.

But the fact that PVH opened a regional office in Nairobi, Mazingue said, and H&M opened an office in Ethiopia, and Tesco intends to expand in the region, are indications that big brands are paying attention to Africa's promise.

"The East Africa Trade Hub has been getting more inquiries in the last 18 months than it has in the last five years," Mazingue said, noting that Ethiopia and Madagascar are the fastest expanding markets on the continent.

"The opportunity for Africa seems to be coming around the bend finally," Travis said.

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Africa may well be the next hot sourcing locale, but beyond the buzz, many brands don't know much about doing business there. At an opening day panel at Sourcing at MAGIC Sunday, industry experts discussed the challenges and benefits of sourcing in Africa in a talk titled, "Looking Forward: From the Western Hemisphere to Africa-Pros and Cons."

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2PM reports that 13 of the top 20 direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands are in the fashion and apparel industry. Brands like SHEIN, Chewy, and Gymshark make the shortlist, proving the crushing power fashion brands hold in the ecommerce space.

Digital innovation, rising globalization, and changes in consumer spending habits have catapulted the fashion industry into the midst of seismic shifts. But, thanks to rising inflation and supply chain pressures, the fashion sector is more unpredictable than ever.

This guide shares the statistics, trends, and strategies shaping the ecommerce fashion market in 2023 and beyond, giving you an updated look on where we are and where we're heading.

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Top fashion ecommerce trends in 2024

The above data points offer a wealth of growth opportunities for fashion and apparel retailers-despite the huge shifts in consumer behavior, global trade, and "normal" day-to-day lives for millions around the world.

Below are some of the latest ecommerce trends that you can work into your long-term fashion sales strategy.

Personalization is a balancing act

Into the metaverse

Brand-building over paid ads

Sustainability at the forefront

Social commerce

The transition back to brick-and-mortar

1. The rise of resale

Secondhand apparel is becoming a global phenomenon. The resale market grew 24% in 2022 alone, and is expected to reach a $218 billion market valuation by 2026.

Leading the trend is North American consumers, where the secondhand apparel market has grown eight times faster than the overall apparel market. Technology and online marketplaces are driving this trend, with 70% of consumers saying it's easier now to shop secondhand than it was five years ago.

Secondhand displaced nearly one billion new clothing purchases in 2021 that normally would have been bought new.

-ThredUp

Secondhand displaced nearly one billion new clothing purchases in 2021 that normally would have been bought new.

Fashion brands are taking notice. Dôen, a California-based premium fashion brand, is launching a resale program, called Hand Me Dôen. The program will allow customers to send in pre-owned Dôen products in exchange for store credit.

Dôen will host flash sales throughout the year when the resold product becomes available. The goal of not making resale available all the time is to prevent customers from visiting the site and finding it already picked over.

Shein is also launching a resale platform in the wake of criticism about its labor practices. Some experts are skeptical about the platform and believe it is simply a way for the company to greenwash its image.

It remains to be seen whether fast fashion brands will be able to capitalize on the resale market in the same way luxury and premium brands have. However, one thing is certain: the resale market is here to stay, and it is only getting bigger.

2. Personalizing the customer journey

Personalization has long been hailed as the secret of modern ecommerce. By showing items a shopper was previously interested in, or retargeting them based on the activity they've had with your ecommerce website, you're providing a tailored online shopping experience-one that convinces them to buy.

Shopify research shows that 44% of customers are OK with brands using their personal information to personalize messaging and improve the customer experiences, such as product recommendations. But there's a fine line.

Online shoppers are increasingly concerned about their privacy. Too much personalization can be creepy, hence why brands that over-personalize are three times more likely to be abandoned by shoppers.

Culture Kings is the perfect example of how fashion ecommerce brands can balance under- and over-personalization. Instead of customizing the experience down to "first name" tags on the website, it built four global storefronts to sell in different currencies. The result? More than half of the fashion brand's revenue now comes from its ecommerce business.

I believe we'll see more local brands branching out and offering customized shopping experiences for international customers to remain competitive. This will include things like geo-targeted domain names, pricing in local currency, and local product shipping, with the help of third-party distribution or company-owned warehouses."

-Leanne Lee, Marketer at Blue Bungalow

3. More brands experimenting with the metaverse

The definition of "metaverse" is open to interpretation. The not-quite-defined promise of virtual societies is still in development, though the idea is that people can conduct daily activities-like connecting with friends, playing a game, and purchasing products-by using augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technology.

One type of item that functions both in and out of the metaverse is non-fungible tokens (NFTs)-unique digital tokens that can only be owned by one person, usually paid for in virtual currency like crypto. Data shows $87.03 million was spent on NFTs on January 1, 2022, alone.

Celebrities like Reese Witherspoon were mocked for predicting, "In the (near) future, every person will have a parallel digital identity. Avatars, crypto wallets, [and] digital goods will be the norm."

"In everything we do, we're helping the customer imagine. We want them to imagine being the man in every picture. To imagine us being their stylist. To imagine, 'That could be me wearing those clothes.' We're not so much curating content as curating imagination."

- Kevin Dao, Co-founder and CEO/CCO at ORO LA

In reality, fitness apparel brands like Under Armour are experimenting with NFTs in the retail space. Its Steph Curry collaboration reproduced shoes the basketball star wore when he broke the NBA record as all-time top three-point shooter.

Digital NFTs were released alongside the physical product launch. Owners of the NTFs could virtually wear the shoes in three metaverses: Decentraland, The Sandbox, and Gala Games.

Retailer Forever 21 partnered with Roblox to create virtual fashion ecommerce stores in its metaverse, appropriately named the Forever 21 Shop City. Players run the virtual store as if it was their own, and purchase merchandise for their avatar through the game.

With Forever 21 Shop City, our goal is to expand how we engage with customers, extending our presence and product in new ways."

- Katrina Glusac, chief merchandising officer at Forever 21

Fast-fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing also recently began showcasing products on virtual models. The brand posted the news to its Instagram page, turning its new "avatar in the metaverse" concept into a competition to spark conversation.

"Just like Fortnite community inspired Balenciaga's designs, fashion companies can move towards becoming creative collectives. Each collection can have its own identity within the brand universe, reputation, and community. Collectives can focus on the actual product designs and/or on content creation, with associated royalties based on item/content performance, delivering returns to creators in perpetuity and ensuring that a brand attracts the very top talent."

-Ana Andjelic, Founder of The Sociology of Business

Fashion brands are using Roblox to create immersive experiences for users and reach Gen Z audiences. This is just the beginning for fashion brands in the metaverse. As our world becomes more and more digitized, it's likely that we'll see even more brands experiment with NFTs and other virtual reality experiences. It's an exciting time to be a fashion fan, and we can't wait to see what brands come up with next.

4. Sustainability at the forefront

The fashion industry is no stranger to criticism. Fast-fashion brands especially are (sometimes rightly) chastised for the methods they use to manufacture and produce inventory.

In light of these criticisms making mainstream news, plus consumers' increasing commitment to eradicate climate change, some 52% of shoppers say they're more likely to purchase from a company with shared values.

An important value for modern fashion consumers? Sustainability. Statista's research shows 42% of global customers purchase eco-friendly and sustainable products. Certain countries are leading the trend-online shoppers in Vietnam, India, and the Philippines purchase sustainable products more often.

With people spending more time online, it is going to facilitate faster exchange of that information [about suppliers]. We've become more aware of how things that happen in far flung places affect us and the planet. That's been a real key change we've seen."

- Grace Beverly, Founder of TALA

Purchasing habits are also shifting off the back of the pandemic. Some 65% of customers plan to purchase more durable fashion items, with 71% planning to keep the items they already have for longer. The fashion resale market is booming for this reason-growing 11 times faster than traditional retail and tipped to reach a $77 billion valuation in the next five years.

Patagonia is one apparel brand with sustainability rooted in its brand values. The retailer actively campaigns for environmental causes, and demonstrates its commitment to sustainability with its Worn Wear program. Shoppers are encouraged to buy and sell used items instead of buying new.

We're proud to offer our customers a conscious shopping choice with sustainable, affordable pieces that are all handpicked and on trend, but we believe every brand needs to take responsibility, and push themselves to become more circular."

- Kate Peters, Managing Director of Beyond Retro

5. More investment in social commerce

Social media plays an integral role in the ecommerce marketing strategy of many online fashion brands. That's hardly surprising-our smartphone addiction is out of control. The typical social media user now spends about 15% of their waking life glued to an online networking app.

But the truth is: social media is no longer a place for shoppers to consume new fashion trends. Many social media platforms are evolving their business models to facilitate in-app shopping, helping online retailers reach customers actively in the purchasing frame of mind.

Social commerce sales are expected to nearly triple by 2025, with more than one-third of Facebook users planning to make a purchase directly through the platform in 2022.

Unfortunately, most brands are plagued by a single sin. Andy Crestodina, co-founder of Orbit Media, describes the situation perfectly: "Most branded content is advertising under a thin layer of information or entertainment. Scratch the paint, find an ad. It's the brand putting itself first."

Thankfully, fashion and social media are a match made in ecommerce heaven. Even when it comes to explicitly "branded" content, and especially on Instagram.

Social media engagement rates for global fashion brands are abysmal:

So, what types of content is working for fashion brands? Some 46% of consumers want to watch product videos before they buy. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are praised for driving sales for large fashion brands since shoppers can visualize the product on a real person. Bonus points if it's a social media influencer they already trust.

Long gone are the days of celebrities being only someone you'd see on TV. Today, anyone with a passion can become a celebrity in the social media niche-partly due to the rise of entertainment platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitch.

Beyond influencer marketing on social media, multichannel ecommerce integrates native selling off site to build direct buying paths in the places your audience spends their time. Social media platforms are creating their own commerce features-like Shopping on Instagram, Facebook Shops, buyable pins on Pinterest, and more.

Livestream shopping is also in its heyday. Nordstrom launched its own livestream shopping channel last year. It's in good company: 81% of companies plan to increase or maintain their investment in livestream selling to drive sales over the coming year.

Why? Because online brands are seeing conversion rates of up to 30% through Facebook and Instagram livestreams, along with lower product return rates.

"My prediction is that in a couple years, the hottest role for a brand to hire is going to be a head of live shopping."

-Kevin Gould, Co-founder of Glamnetic

6. The transition back to brick-and-mortar

The shopping experience is more complex than ever-especially in the fashion space. Some 22% of online returns happen because the product ordered online looks differently in the flesh. It's this never-ending challenge that's driving many fashion brands back into traditional retail.

"The future is neither ecommerce nor retail. It's just commerce. So the question becomes, 'How do you symbiotically integrate both channels?'"

-Hemant Chavan, founder of Brik + Clik

Data compiled in Shopify's Future of Commerce report proves omnichannel commerce isn't disappearing anytime soon. Modern consumers want both online and offline sales channels-and synergy between the two:

54% of consumers are likely to look at a product online and buy it in a physical store.

53% envision themselves doing the opposite: viewing products in-store and buying it online.

55% of consumers want to browse products online and check what's available in local stores.

Over 50% of adult shoppers use BOPIS, with 67% adding extra items to their carts when they can pick them up immediately.

Brands investing in brick-and-mortar retail include Canadian fashion brand SMYTHE, which opened its store in Toronto. After years of experimenting with pop-up shops, Gymshark also opened its first permanent flagship store in central London.

"A children's wear retailer I spoke to pivoted from in-store events to virtual shopping events via Zoom during COVID," says Kyle Monk, Director of Insight for British Retail Consortium.

"Suddenly, they were having one member of staff walking around the store selling products to two to 300 people per call every week, instead of just a few in person. Retailers who thought innovatively and pivoted thrived over the last period."

It's no wonder 53% of brands are investing in tools that allow them to sell anywhere.

Iconic streetwear retailer Culture Kings opened an experiential, 14,000-square-foot store in Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip in October 2022. Culture Kings is prioritizing a "retail-tainment" approach to physical retail, featuring a recording studio, Secret Room, and other immersive experiences. The company plans to open additional experiential stores in key US cities.

7. Investments in YouTube Shorts

Move over TikTok: Short-form video platform YouTube Shorts is gaining traction among fashion brands and creators. According to social media leads, YouTube Shorts offers a first-mover advantage similar to early TikTok adopters.

Brands like Nike, Skims, and American Eagle have already added Shorts to their marketing mix. Luxury brands like Gucci, Christian Dior, and Louis Vuitton are also getting on board.

Shorts see more than 30 billion daily views and attract 1.5 billion monthly users, according to YouTube. With these numbers, fashion brands can gain YouTube subscribers without investing in long-form video, receive high engagement rates, and boost sales.

Shopify and YouTube are teaming up to give merchants and creators a powerful new way to connect to consumers, build their businesses, and share their stories. With the launch of YouTube Shopping on Shopify, merchants can easily integrate their online store with one of the world's biggest entertainment platforms.
Learn more about YouTube Shopping.
8. Expanding into repair services

Fixing items rather than throwing them away is becoming a trend for fashion brands. Bottega Veneta recently announced that it's giving all customers a lifetime warranty on their handbags. Louis Vuitton will also repair any bag for a price, depending on the item and type of repair.

The expansion into repair services comes at the helm of sustainability. The fashion industry is becoming more aware of its environmental impact, and repairs are a cost-effective way to keep clothes in good condition longer.

Brands like Patagonia and Arc'teryx have opened repair centers, as have fast fashion retailers like Zara and Uniqlo. Repair-focused startups like The Restory have raised millions to date as interest in sustainable fashion and resale boosts demand to extend the life of garments.

9. The shift to wholesale

Inflation, supply chain issues, and lack of consumer spending is pushing DTC brands toward wholesale. A recent Glossy and Modern Retail survey shows that DTC brands are investing in other types of sales partnerships to diversify income.

When asked about performance over the past 12 months, 62% of respondents said wholesale revenue increased the most, even compared to direct sales. Brands see wholesale as a major business component moving forward too, with 80% predicting wholesale revenue will go up over the next year.

Digitally-native-seeking retail partnerships isn't a new thing. Harry's entered Target in 2016. DTC brands like Quip and Native followed suit into big-box retailers shortly after.

But 2023 marks a turning point for DTC brands rushing into wholesale. Sales are up at mass retailers like Target and Walmart. Ongoing supply chain disruptions are making direct channel fulfillment increasingly harder, harming profits.

So while the pressure to grow may be intense, there are still opportunities for DTC brands to find success. Wholesale partnerships may become essential for survival in coming years as DTC brands navigate the turbulent economic landscape.

Ecommerce fashion statistics

According to Statista, the ecommerce fashion industry's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is tipped to reach 14.2% between 2017 and 2025, with the industry hitting a $1 trillion valuation by 2024.

Sales of apparel, footwear, and accessories continue to rise, hitting $204.9 billion in the US alone. That's tipped to grow by 13% this year, with consumers set to spend $204.9 billion on fashion items online.

Driving this growth are four notable opportunities:

Expanding global markets outside the West

Increasing online access and smartphone penetration

Emerging worldwide middle classes with disposable income

Harnessing the power of celebrity and influencer culture

The biggest threats to established brands include:

The death of brand loyalty due to market saturation

Pressure from consumers to use ethically sourced and green manufacturing materials

Technological advancements with virtual worlds, such as NFTs and the metaverse

We'll get into strategies to combat these issues later. For now, let's examine how these big numbers play out in industry sub-verticals.

1. The COVID impact

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the last few years' fashion ecommerce predictions. When lockdowns were enforced globally in March 2020, 27% of US consumers said they planned to spend "somewhat" or "a lot" less on luxury and fashion items than they had budgeted prior.

Despite this, McKinsey named it the "perfect storm for fashion marketplaces." Brands like Zalando reported a 32% to 34% growth in gross merchandise value (GMV) during the second quarter of 2020. Fast-fashion brand Shein saw its valuation double, to $30 billion, making it the world's largest online-only fashion retailer.

One branch of fashion retail that has taken off is athleisure. Athleisure's market size was valued at $155.2 billion in 2018-a figure that's set only to rise.

Casualwear remains dominant on Amazon, with athleisure predicted to have a CAGR of 6.7% from 2019 to 2026 and reach $257.1 billion. The loungewear and sleepwear market shows similar signs of growth, poised to increase by $19.5 billion between 2020 to 2024.

The result? Fashion brands with an ecommerce store maintain a stronghold in athleisure style goods, like Nike and Lululemon, have reported incredible growth over the course of the pandemic.

2. Clothing and apparel

Lower digital barriers to entry for all clothing merchants offer the opportunity to market, sell, and fulfill orders globally and automatically. As a result, worldwide revenue and revenue per user (ARPU) are both projected to grow.

In the US alone, the apparel and accessory industries accounted for 29.5% of all ecommerce sales in 2021. In Europe, it's expected that by 2025, each consumer will spend $999 on fashion-related items over the course of a year.

3. Shoes segment

As a segment of ecommerce fashion, the shoe industry saw similar peaks in market value. In global market size, the footwear segment will increase from $365.5 billion in 2022 to $530.3 billion in 2027.

Asia is dominating this segment, holding 54% of the global footwear market (compared to just 14.8% for Europe and North America, respectively).

Athletic footwear is also a growing segment, tipped to generate $63.5 billion in 2023-a 23% increase from the $51.4 billion valuation in 2020.

4. Accessories and bags

Not surprising, the bags and accessories segment-although still growing at a stronger rate-will likewise see double-digit growth. The fashion accessory segment will have a CAGR of 12.3% between 2016 and 2026, with Asia-Pacific being the fastest growing market.

Those projections actually make bags and accessories one of the healthiest segments of ecommerce fashion, despite its absolute numbers being the smallest.

5. Jewelry and luxury

In 2020, the global jewelry market was valued at a total of $228 billion. It's forecasted to reach $307 billion by 2025, with ecommerce sites expected to facilitate 20.8% of sales in the luxury goods category this year. Luxury watches are set to take a huge slice of that revenue-customers will spend $9.3 billion on them in 2025.

The growth (despite coronavirus-related recessions) mirrors other financial crises. McKinsey predicted that consumers will "return more quickly to paying full price for quality, timeless goods, as was the case after the 2008-2009 financial crisis."

Increasing affluence in Asia-Pacific and in the Middle East drove up the average revenue per luxury good consumer to $313. Despite luxury goods sales seeing sluggish growth, at 3.4% annually, McKinsey forecasts indicate that ecommerce could triple in sales over the next decade-reaching €70 billion ($79.5 billion) by 2025.

The biggest threat is the affordable luxury market: Should the industry offer luxury goods at multiple price points to grow the market overall? Or will affordable luxury dilute or erode the high-end luxury market-dampening consumer confidence that what they are buying is "true luxury"?

Want more about the state of ecommerce fashion?

The state of ecommerce fashion is developing more quickly than ever. What worked two years ago is outdated now-largely due to consumer preferences changing, values becoming integral to the purchase decision, and footfall returning to brick-and-mortar stores.

Shopify's Commerce Trends Report: Get the ecommerce trends, insights, and advice you need to succeed in 2023
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