Who decides what you wear? Meet fashion's formidable silent force - The Guardian |
- Who decides what you wear? Meet fashion's formidable silent force - The Guardian
- 100 Thieves continues to lead in esports branding, fashion - ESPN
- Comfy Downtime Looks Courtesy Of Fashion Brand, Splendid - Forbes
- Coronavirus supply shortage: Oakland clothing designer pivots from selling fashion to face masks - KGO-TV
| Who decides what you wear? Meet fashion's formidable silent force - The Guardian Posted: 04 Apr 2020 09:00 AM PDT If the familiar list of the most influential fashion figures is beginning to sound predictable – sorry Anna, sorry Beyoncé – meet someone who wields no less influence but is not (yet) a household name: Elizabeth von der Goltz. As the global buying director for Net-a-Porter, the world's largest multibrand luxury retailer, von der Goltz is to fashion what a conductor is to the orchestra: everyone looks to her to see what's coming next. Her role is to scout, source and nurture brands and designers (from established to emerging, in everything from lingerie to sportswear); cut deals in order sell their designs; and to do everything she can to support the brand and its sales. That's the basic outline. In reality, her job is a task of titanic proportions. Von der Goltz's much-coveted position demands a nose for new talent and a finely honed instinct for trends – clothes as well as concepts – years before they materialise. And she must do that with the conviction of someone unfazed by the multi-million-pound budgets she is responsible for, and the confidence of someone who understands the cultural differences between the 170 countries that Net-a-Porter serves. She is fashion's formidable silent force, yet on every occasion I've encountered her – whether navigating an army of street-style photographers fighting to get her picture in the rain, or being delayed for two hours on board a London-Milan flight and missing countless appointments – she is never anything but calm, cool and approachable, with a mega-watt smile. Little wonder she is a part of a wave of retail directors attracting attention. Whereas in the past these roles remained relatively under the radar outside of the fashion industry, they are now basking in widespread recognition.  "It really has changed. I don't know if any of us anticipated it. I didn't," laughs von der Goltz, 46, who has nearly 25 years' experience. "I think people didn't understand before. Even when I was in school, I didn't think about how fashion gets into the store. Now people are thinking: 'Who's behind it? Who are these people?' And it's not just fashion. People are so much more interested in what happens behind the scenes." Von der Goltz's recent appearance on the Netflix hit Next in Fashion, which saw 10 fledgling designers battle it out to win a $250,000 prize and sell their collections on Net-a-Porter, is one of the many ways the veil is being lifted. As a guest judge on the series finale, von der Goltz was arguably the most important person on the panel. The cash prize might sound impressive, but becoming a success on her product pages affords a designer the widespread recognition necessary to make them several times the prize money and validates everything they've worked for. On the flipside, if a designer isn't ready, it could spell catastrophe. "It's a huge consideration," says von der Goltz, her chirpy American accent placing the emphasis on huge. "At Net-a-Porter we have three warehouses we ship to around the world – London, New York and Hong Kong – so even when we're buying a small buy, it's actually huge! We can make or break a brand and so we have a responsibility to help them develop and evolve, because we almost change the structure of their company just by asking them to complete our order." She compares it to a marriage: "You have to believe that they're ready to build a business, because then we're in it for a long time." Von der Goltz has form for placing her bets wisely. By her own humble admission she has been "extremely influential" for years. Before taking the top job at the London-based juggernaut in 2017, von der Goltz was the designer buyer for 16 years at Fifth Avenue landmark store Bergdorf Goodman, where, she says, "brands – even big designers – would come to me for advice". Far from just selling fashion, she is responsible for the existence of fashion houses. The founders of Monse, who are also creative directors at Oscar de la Renta, first came to von der Goltz with sketches – now it's one of New York fashion week's highlights. She persuaded Valentino to start producing the pre-fall and cruise collections. "I told them, work with me, we need this delivery. If it works, I'm totally happy for you to sell it to the rest of the world," she says. "Now it's huge business!" What von der Goltz gives out in support, she gets back tenfold. Vincent Ho, co-founder of the avant-garde New York collective Peter Do, which started on Instagram, calls her a fairy godmother. "She works for Net-a-Porter, but she's really helpful to our brand – telling us what to look out for," Ho says. "She's always accessible – whether it's through an Instagram DM, an email, or a text, she's willing to help us at any given moment. And she's so personable," Ho says with a hint of mischief. "She responds to stories; she talks about food – she's one of us." Von der Goltz has had a front row seat not just to every fashion show but at every major fashion evolution for the best part of the last two decades – and right now is no different. Her arrival at Net-a-Porter also coincided with one of the most polarising eras in fashion, with the spotlight on sustainability highlighting the unmanageable volume of clothing in the world. Federico Marchetti, CEO of Net-a-Porter, told Women's Wear Daily in December that its 10 distribution centres worldwide total "almost 100 soccer fields in eight countries". While a buyer plays a key role in an industry that has been heavily criticised for creating and selling too much stuff, von der Goltz is characteristically articulate and informed. "The customer doesn't need to choose between style or sustainability any longer – they can now have both," she tells me over email after our call. "The product we buy – and therefore what our customers buy – is particularly important as the production of fashion and textiles has a significant impact on the welfare of people and ecosystems."  On her watch, Net-a-Porter has launched two things she is passionate about: the Vanguard programme, which gives new designers access to the entire company, including legal, marketing and business development teams; and Net Sustain, which platforms community, craft and locally sourced products. Putting sustainability at the top of the agenda is integral to any buyer's reputation right now: "Our aim is to give a voice to the brands on site, big or small, that are truly making positive changes by providing them with a platform to highlight their best practice." She points to "the advancement of data, AI and VR capabilities" increasingly aiding the buyer's role in the future. Von der Goltz is good at adapting. Born in New York, her family were globetrotters – her father was in private equity, her mother an art gallerist. Tokyo, London and then Hong Kong called, where she grew up with her older brother and went to the German-Swiss school. An art history degree in Washington DC followed, including an internship at Christie's in London. A career in art was not for her, she discovered, but the formative years and inherited talents for business and creativity proved invaluable. "You really have to have two sides of the brain to be a buyer, because so much of the work is financial and analytical. We have to grow our business double digits year on year. But the other side takes a lot of instinct, taste and creativity, because you're the one setting the trends of what people are buying." Note that this is always at least six months in advance, so there's no temperature- taking from the style on the street. After Hong Kong, on the advice of a friend who worked at the legendary fashion boutique Joyce, von der Goltz relocated to New York to pursue her love of fashion. After landing a temping position at Barneys ("It was my Mecca!") she put her head down and eventually became an assistant buyer in the "private label" area of the store, which at the time was designed by Dutch designer Ronald Van Der Kemp. It was 1997 – and the break she needed. "In that role, you didn't just buy, you started from complete scratch; everything from ordering the sample fabric to the finish of a garment. It was a great place to start, because I learned so much about fabrication, how much fabric it takes to make a jacket, production in Italy, all of that. I feel fabrics now and designers say, 'This is expensive because it comes from this mill', and I'm like: 'I know exactly what you're talking about!'"  After working her way up through Barneys, a brief spell at the now closed New York institution Henri Bendel, and her nearly two decades at Bergdorf's, von der Goltz was already an industry authority – especially when it came to what makes a good buyer. Being an excellent negotiator is mandatory: "We negotiate down to the core with each of our brands – it's all about margin and probability, so you have to have that leadership voice in the industry." You also need to have a great world view. "I love people with a liberal arts background who read fiction, watch movies, travel, love art and architecture, because so much of what we're doing is influenced by the culture around us. The customer is global, so you have to understand who she is, what's she doing every day; when she's travelling; what she's seeing, what her hobbies are." When in London, where she is based full-time now with her husband Andreas, she practises what she preaches. In between managing a team of 50, relentless schedules of back-to-back meetings and round-the-world attendances at London, Milan, Paris, Shanghai, Copenhagen, Seoul, Sydney and Tbilisi fashion weeks, she keeps her finger on the pulse. As for what the woman who presents women with what to wear wears, von der Goltz looks forward to getting dressed every day and brushes off any suggestion of pressure – even if she is becoming one of fashion's most photographed people. "I innately love fashion!" she enthuses. "I love clothes – even when I'm doing Pilates or I'm in the mountains, I have an idea of how I want to look in my head." Favourites include Gabriela Hearst, Altuzarra, Citizens of Humanity and, of course, Peter Do, which give her what she calls a mix of high and low. She adds: "Comfort and confidence are always most important." Perhaps another reason why von der Goltz has enjoyed such a long and successful career is that she's not afraid to say the things that, 10 years ago, would have been considered sacrilege in the fashion buyer's rulebook. First up: money doesn't necessarily buy you style. "There is not a defined way of saying someone has style or not – if you have the money, you have access, but there are so many people out there with the most amazing style wearing clothes from the high street." Second, there are no rules. "The world has changed so much that's it's not about trends dictating any more, so you can express yourself," she says. But maybe look for her cue, too. This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. All our journalism is independent and is in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative. By clicking on an affiliate link, you accept that third-party cookies will be set. More information.  |
| 100 Thieves continues to lead in esports branding, fashion - ESPN Posted: 03 Apr 2020 12:00 AM PDT
At 9:30 a.m. PT on Feb. 29, drone camera footage was posted to Matthew "Nadeshot" Haag's Twitter with the message "I'm blown away." A line of people dressed in red, black and white stretched past the sleek 100 Thieves compound and well beyond its closest Los Angeles neighbor, the fading blue awning of J.B. French Dry Cleaners. It was a half-hour before 100 Thieves' first retail storefront opened alongside the launch of its latest apparel line: the Numbers Collection. The Cash App Compound itself cleverly forces you to name its sponsor nearly every time you mention it. It houses a black storefront with red tinted windows that could easily belong on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, or on Rodeo Drive next to Zadig & Voltaire, Balenciaga (another esports favorite) or the series of Frank Lloyd Wright-designed buildings. ESPN Daily Newsletter: Sign up now! At its current location, the black monolith stands out -- odd, stylized architecture next to a dry cleaner and across from a spillway. While the easiest comparison to make is between 100 Thieves and James Jebbia's default streetwear brand Supreme, Nadeshot's 100 Thieves is a bit sleeker. An indoor reimagining of the open Supreme-style store layout with clothes for professional esports athletes rather than skaters -- the same esports athletes who sport Balenciaga or Louis Vuitton footwear. According to former Call of Duty pro player Nadeshot, the name of his brand was inspired by the hard work he saw his parents put in to raise him and his siblings, working nonstop in what he describes as "blue-collar jobs." "From their work ethic alone I've just seen that you have to put 100 percent of yourself into everything that you do if you want to be successful, if you want to go out and get the things that you want in life," Nadeshot said when describing what "100 Thieves" means to him. "And then 'thief' is to just go out and take what's not given to you. I've said this before, but most people are not going to have an easy life," Nadeshot said. 100 Thieves president and chief operating officer John Robinson credited Nadeshot for the brand's near-instant popularity. Nadeshot leveraged his own popularity from his Call of Duty days into a successful YouTube career while building 100 Thieves as not only an esports organization but also a lifestyle and apparel brand. The merchandising strategy was again reminiscent of Supreme, with limited drops of specific apparel until the lines sold out. "Matt has a better sense for his fans and the gaming community than anyone I've ever met. Before he started 100 Thieves he saw how brands like Jordan came from the basketball community, OVO came from the hip-hop community, and Supreme came from the skate community -- and asked himself why wasn't there something similar from gaming," Robinson said. Robinson describes his role as a complement to Nadeshot's, and since his hiring in late 2017 has focused on bringing a world-class apparel team to 100 Thieves from a variety of other sports, streetwear and designer fashion brands. In a world where esports -- or at the very least video games -- are mainstream, 100 Thieves occupies the nebulous space between. "He had the simple but powerful idea that they might want something unique, something a bit more premium," Robinson said. "Something that they would be proud to wear with these other brands they supported." Although Nadeshot and 100 Thieves are no longer in his signature game of Call of Duty, as late as the most recent Call of Duty League event in Los Angeles, Call of Duty fans sported immediately recognizable 100 Thieves gear in the Shrine Auditorium crowd. The 100 Thieves brand lives on in the esport through the apparel, some of which was from 2018 drops, while other pieces were from its most recent line: the Numbers Collection. The Numbers Collection is another testament to the strength of 100 Thieves' branding and name within the gaming and streetwear communities. Everything in the collection is a simple, bare-bones aesthetic, with "100" or "THIEVES" in Helvetica type. It was such a paring-down of traditional 100 Thieves designs that the pieces were nearly universally panned on social media for being ugly, lazy or both. Come release day, the line extended down the street and the collection sold out. "The whole Numbers Collections week, especially with the crowd that came to the Cash App Compound for our retail opening, I think we were blown away by how passionate our community is about our drops," Robinson said. "We had five staff on the floor when doors opened but needed 15 to get through the entire line, so it was cool to see our marketing and esports and content people jump in to help. On the design itself, we were going for something clean and modern, which was a bit different from our previous collections. It was our largest and most successful drop we've ever done, but we also heard the feedback, so there was a lot we could take away from that drop as we planned for future collections." Latest release: the 2020 Alternate Jersey On Saturday, 100 Thieves will release its black and grey 2020 alternate jerseys. Black on black (or dark grey foil in this case) is a risky move, although I'll jump in here briefly to say that the jerseys look much better in person than they do in photographs. The 100 Thieves design team sampled over two dozen different color combinations for the alternate jerseys, but this was the color scheme the players liked best. "The League, CS and Fortnite players immediately loved the black on black so we wanted to put it right at the top of the year," Robinson said. "[Martin "MrSavage" Foss Andersen] won Dreamhack Anaheim wearing it so we're excited to see our League team wear it for playoffs this month as well." The 100 Thieves League of Legends team will sport them Saturday as it faces off against top-seeded Cloud 9 in the North American League of Legends Championship Series spring playoffs, although the players won't be walking onto a stage. Due to the coronavirus outbreak in the United States, these matches will all be played remotely online. All of the profits from sales of alternate jerseys will be donated to support coronavirus relief. "Esports has been one of the few bright spots in a really tough month. We know everyone is feeling the impact of COVID-19 so we wanted to give our fans an opportunity to effectively give to charity while also getting something cool in return," Robinson said. "We're fortunate to be in a very stable financial situation at 100 Thieves, so it's times like these we should be giving back."  |
| Comfy Downtime Looks Courtesy Of Fashion Brand, Splendid - Forbes Posted: 04 Apr 2020 03:18 PM PDT Los Angeles-based brand, Splendid are known for their cozy gear. Think downtime comfiness, but it's totally elevated allowing you to lounge in style. And what's more, their Creative Director, Holly Shapiro has shared her insider tips as to what we should be wearing for our cozy indoor days.
Thermal Weekend Jogger: Classic jogger pants made from cozy thermal knit. Features a relaxed fit with adjustable drawstring waistband and banded ankles. We love this as a set with the matching cardigan. Supersoft Brushed French Terry Jogger: Some say it's made of magic, we say our Super Soft French Terry is made of a premium modal cotton that's brushed for insane softness. It's comforting, it's classic, and yes-it's really, really soft.These effortlessly cozy pants are perfect for all your errand-running, at-home lounging needs!  Supersoft Brushed French Terry Jogger SplendidDream Slub Pullover: Your favorite pullover made from our ultra-soft and lightweight Dream Slub material is knit to have a slightly loose fit with dropped shoulders for an extra laid-back feel.  Dream Slub Pullover SplendidDream Slub Short: Drawstring shorts made from soft knit for everyday casual wear. Features silver hardware accents, off seam pockets, and a raw edge hem.  Dream Slub Short SplendidSupersoft Inlet Pullover: Buttery on the outside and lined with a touch of fleece, this pullover was made for cool spring nights. Supersoft With Rib Wide Leg Pants: Lightweight and lounge-worthy, these pants let you move through your day in style and softness.  Supersoft With Rib Wide Leg Pants SplendidSupersoft With Rib Sweater: With a relaxed cowl neck and just-right drape, this top is a favorite for easy elegance. Horizon Jogger: Your new Saturday morning joggers, complete with an of-the-moment tie dye touch. Horizon Hoodie: Your new Saturday morning hoodie, complete with an of-the-moment tie dye touch. Shop the label on their website.  |
| Posted: 04 Apr 2020 07:00 PM PDT  OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Lesley Evers' clothing store in Rockridge is closed for the time being due to the novel coronavirus, but is using this time to put her design skills to work. Evers is known for selling printed dresses, but since COVID-19 brought upon a shortage in masks, she began making cloth face masks. RELATED: Face covers, not surgical masks, recommended across Bay Area; health officials urge people to choose cloth material "Well, my brother and sister are both nurses, and when the virus started they both said, 'you have to make masks,'" Evers said. Evers posted a picture of a mask on Facebook earlier this week and within 24 hours, people ordered more than 2,000 of them. The cloth masks are lined with an anti-microbial banner that could serve as a barrier, blocking germs, Evers explained. Jimmy Holliman, president of Pinole based company, Eonyx, specializes in working with conductive, polymer chemistries and is working with Evers in providing the inner lining. "Nobody's ever been interested in our properties and codings until today," Holliman said. "All of a sudden, everybody is looking for something more than the N-95 mask in terms of protection." "We're not going out, making any claims at this point. But we're going to put the materials through a complete round of testing at all available laboratories," Holliman says. RELATED: How to make face masks from materials found at home Evers says she hopes to make about 800 masks a day and a team of seamstresses are back on the job. They're changing from making fashion statements, to possibly saving lives. On Lesley Evers' website, she is selling six assorted print masks for $95. "I am using all profits to make additional masks to donate to care workers. And another BONUS- keep my Oakland CA seamstresses busy! They are so happy to make them. Thank you for shopping," the website writes. Get the latest news, information and videos about the novel coronavirus pandemic here RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
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