Pure London x JATC continued its successful run at London’s Olympia this week with strong turnout from UK and international retailers, as well as independents, e-tailers and department stores.
These brands included ASOS, John Lewis, Urban Outfitters, N.Shelley, Javelin, Ruby Room, Masion Quattro, Belle & Blossom, Sass & Edge, Jarrolds, The Mercantile London, Pamela Shiffer and many more.
The overwhelming impression from buyers was that they liked the freshness of the display.
“A great mix of mid-market to luxury brands, and very attractive brands,” said Bimbola Akinloye of John Lewis. “I love the diverse mix of categories and some smaller independent brands. We’ve reached out to new brands and highlighted some that we’ll be watching and keeping an eye on in the future.”
ASOS’s Kala Rai noted that the e-tailer “really likes having younger brands in the POP section. We loved Project x Paris which we felt was very relevant to our Gen Z customers. Overall, we thought the offering was more modern this season, and very relevant to us. There’s also more variety in the offering from plus-size to occasion wear.”
As for the brands on display, Alexandra Manescu, creative director of Alexandra Rivas, said the company had returned after a strong reception in February. But the reception this time around was even better: “The UK buyers and the market really appreciate the quality, they really respond to us as a designer-led brand and they understand our price point which is key. We were very happy with the level of buyers we saw.”
Meanwhile, Bertie and Bert is a brand that is less than three years old and was the first to participate in the event. “We have had a fantastic response to our spa and swim collections, accessories and luxury towels,” said the company’s Mitty Leach. “The connections we have made have been invaluable and we have received some great orders and met some amazing like-minded businesses and inspiring businesswomen.”
“It can be tough to break into the industry, but I love the creativity of the fashion industry,” admits Jackie Bennett, CEO of Keyah Muti. “For my first trade show, it was really amazing. The collection was really well received by visitors, the energy was great. Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, as a circular brand, we were really happy with the circularity content of the show.” This clearly coincides with the brand’s fashion offering – for example, one piece is a 1950s Swiss military jacket and another is an authentic Italian military parka.
Catwalk trends
The event also featured its usual runway programme and trends identified here (by its new trends partner, Trendhub from BDA London) including “Womanhood, which celebrates women’s triumphs, resilience and unwavering spirit; Cultivate, which focuses on handcrafted designs with exquisite attention to detail; Collective, where the focus is on clean, precise silhouettes, creating a minimalist aesthetic that stands the test of time; and Illusory[which]looks at the limitless possibilities of the virtual world, allowing us to transcend physical boundaries and truly escape.”
What it boils down to in practice for women is a rich colour palette of teal, deep burgundy, with hints of buttery yellow to combine strength with softness, celebrating complex feminine beauty.
Meanwhile, the Cultivate collection comes in muted earth tones alongside deep pink and sky blue. The garments are designed to “promote an understanding and appreciation of living in harmony with nature, seamlessly blending practicality and style.”
For Collective, it’s all about reviving simplicity through “the raw power of materials, embracing transparency and authenticity. Sophisticated and minimalist aesthetics rule, with wearable and attractive garments, infused with luxurious details. This trend highlights the beauty of simplicity and the power of collective creativity.”
Illusory draws on “free spirit” as well as AI and technology that “come together to create immersive experiences with life-like elements, creating illusions with a fantastical color palette. By blending shades of blue and green with whispers of red and yellow, this trend offers a calm and cosmopolitan vibe, exploring new dimensions of style and self-expression and encouraging individuals to escape into augmented worlds.”
Expert Insights
As for the other events that took place on stage at the exhibition – discussions and speakers – the programme included some major hot topics.
Andrew Zeni, founder of Nobody’s Child, discussed the evolution of technology in retail, specifically his company’s digital product passport technology.
“Digital product passports provide a huge opportunity for brands and retailers to speak more honestly to consumers, streamline processes, and turn this into a business opportunity with consumers. Through digital product passports, not only are consumers provided with transparent information to build brand trust, but they also open up a direct dialogue with consumers. Circularity is the future of fashion, and having a digital product passport for the initial manufacturing of a product is key to the next steps in the circular product journey,” he said.
Given the massive growth of social commerce, Maddie Foreman, Fashion Commerce Growth Lead at TikTok Shop, spoke to visitors about how to get started selling on TikTok Shop — understanding the opportunity, implementing setups, and strategies for success.
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