The first half of 2023 is already over. A lot has happened in the last few months, but some events should not be forgotten. FashionUnited has compiled the most important moments for you.
Adidas targeted by the Yes Men action alliance – fake press release and guerrilla show
The year begins with confusion at Adidas. A press release about a “revolutionary plan” at Adidas reaches the media. The news, which is almost indistinguishable from a regular Adidas news story, talks about the appointment of a co-CEO at Adidas, a former Cambodian garment worker and union leader. Adidas soon responded and announced that that the press release did not come from the German sportswear company.
Shortly thereafter, it turns out that the fake press release in connection with a guerrilla show during Berlin Fashion Week.
The show was presented as an Adidas show, but is actually a show by the New York-based action coalition The Yes Men. The event addresses allegations against Adidas that the company does not respect the rights of workers at its suppliers. The models at the show wore upcycled Adidas clothing and looked disheveled.
Adidas denies the allegations and states that it has been taking steps to ensure fair and safe working conditions for workers in its supply chain for 25 years.
Fashion entrepreneur Myriam Ullens de Schooten Whettnall shot dead
The fashion world was rocked by sad news in March. Myriam Ullens de Schooten Whettnall, founder of luxury brand Maison Ullens, is shot in front of her house.
The alleged perpetrator is the stepson Nicolas U. The fashion entrepreneur had been at odds with Nicolas U for years. Not only Ullens de Schooten Whettnall was shot at, her husband Guy Ullens was also hit. He survives the incident.
The crime comes a few months after Maison Ullens appointed a new creative director. The Belgian Christian Wijnants has taken on this task. At the time, Wijnants said he worked a lot with Ullens. The entrepreneur gives the designer suggestions and talks about her travels, on which the collections are based. Since the death of the brand founder, it remains uncertain how Maison Ullens will continue.
Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
The violent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria may at first appear to have nothing to do with the fashion industry, but nothing could be further from the truth. Several of the affected areas are located precisely where part of the textile industry is located. The various earthquakes claim thousands of victims.
Several initiatives are being launched to support those affected. For example, the online provider Amazon has a distribution center in Istanbul available to ship the donated items so that relief supplies reach the affected areas as quickly as possible. Other companies are donating amounts, such as Inditex with three million euros, Hugo Boss with 250,000 euros and H&M with 100,000 dollars. Other companies choose to donate products such as warm coats and everyday necessities. These include Bestseller, Inditex, but also Hugo Boss. Factory production times in the affected areas slowed, even if the sites were not destroyed. At the Kingpins Denim Fair explains Levent Bozgeyik from Iskur Denim, that it is also difficult to find people who want to work. “The machines were not damaged, the factories were not damaged (the company is based in Istanbul, which was not affected by the earthquakes, ed.), but very few people can work: this is our biggest today Problem. How are they supposed to think about work when they have no roof over their heads and no place to sleep? They have other things on their minds. We don’t need to fix our machines, we need to bring more people back.”
In the Name of Art: The MetaBirkin Process
The “MetaBirkin”: a digital artwork based on fashion house Hermès’ iconic Birkin bag. The fluffy digital editions look cute, but do they infringe Hermès intellectual property rights? That was the big question in February when the creator of the artwork was sued by the luxury fashion house and both parties meet in court. Digital creation against luxury fashion values.
Hermes wins the dispute. The court finds that artist Mason Rothschild benefited from the Hermès brand by creating the NFTs. Hermès receives 133,000 dollars (almost 125,000 euros) in damages. Rothschild then moved to dismiss the lawsuit in its entirety. In June, the luxury fashion house and the artist meet again in court. During the hearing, the court rules that the NFTs can no longer be sold. The reason for this is that the artist’s marketing statements could confuse consumers and hurt Hermès.
Shockwave: Scotch & Soda goes bankrupt but is bailed out by a US company
Finally, there’s the bankruptcy and reboot of Scotch & Soda. It came as a shock when the Dutch fashion brand announced in mid-March that she had filed for bankruptcy.
The application is made due to serious cash flow problems. These were caused by the closures during the corona pandemic, the energy crisis and high inflation, they say.
The media soon heard the verdict that Scotch & Soda’s positioning was flawed and that the company had grown too quickly and too much. Nevertheless, a new owner is found within a week: the US company Bluestar Alliance. The company eventually pays 60 million euros for the Dutch fashion chain. The wholesale and retail trade of Scotch & Soda in the USA will also be taken over by Bluestarand in France the brand stays thanks to a Takeover by the Belgian group Alain Broekaert active. In the United Kingdom but the shops are closing.
One thing is certain: Scotch & Soda must continue without CEO Frederick Lukoff. In June it was announced that the CEO left the Dutch brand in April and moved to British fashion brand Casablanca.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.uk. Translated and edited by Regina Henkel.