British fashion fairs Pure London and Scoop returned to the English capital on Sunday, showcasing the latest SS24 collections at separate but concurrent events.
Leading womenswear show Pure, which closed at its usual venue at the Olympia London exhibition center on Tuesday afternoon, welcomed hundreds of brands, buyers and other industry professionals to showcase the latest collections in fashion, footwear and accessories .
Brands present this season included an eclectic mix of new faces and returning labels including Desigual, Emme Marella, Penny Black, Mirla Beane, GWD by George Davies, Haris Cotton, Glamorous, Humility, Joules, La Fee Maraboutee, Les Waves and One Hundred Stars.
Newcomers to the July issue of Pure included London-based designer Jocie Juritz, who introduced her eponymous shoe label. “This is my first show and it’s a whole new experience, but so far it’s been really interesting,” said Juritz on the first day of the three-day event.
“I think I’ve made great new connections and networked with a lot of people I wouldn’t have met otherwise, which is very exciting,” added Juritz. “I have the best seat, I’m right next to the networking hub and not far from the catwalk, so there’s a lot of walk-in customers here.”
The Jayley brand, which was back, enjoyed a “fantastic response” to its collections, which were presented on the Pure London catwalk. “There’s a really strong and positive energy – it’s wonderful,” gushed Sinead Bradford of Jayley.
Pure London Events Director Gloria Sandrucci is proud of the catwalk shows as one of the features of Pure London that sets it apart from national and international competition. The “Catwalk Show” takes place three times a day in the center of the extensive exhibition center and shows the collections of the participating brands.
What’s new?
This season, Pure has teamed up with Graduate Fashion Week for the first time to showcase some of the designs from this year’s winners, including Lucy James from Arts University Bournemouth, Rachel Hunt Piers from Birmingham City University and Phoebe Potter from Edinburgh college of art
According to Sandrucci, the partnership is a way to “support new talent and designers” while also attracting a younger audience to the event – an aspect that trade shows have increasingly focused on in recent years.
Another initiative by Pure to attract younger visitors is the launch of a new ‘Pop’ section, showcasing a curated mix of streetwear, alternative unisex collections, vintage labels and festival wear.
According to Sandrucci, the Pure also stands out from the competition thanks to its partnership with trend consultancy firm Vesuvius. On Monday, Vesuvius Creative Director Malaika Ewande highlighted two overarching trends for the SS24/25 season: ‘Quest for innovation’ and ‘Ultra Elevated Basics’.
Stay tuned for more in-depth coverage of Vesuvius trend analysis SS24/25 from FashionUnited in the coming days.
Finding solutions in an evolving industry
Finding solutions in a rapidly evolving and often challenging fashion and retail landscape has been one of this season’s most pressing themes. Source Fashion, which started as a smaller part of Pure London but has since grown into its own manufacturing and sourcing show, covered topics such as sustainability and navigating the post-Brexit landscape.
Jack Stratten, trend forecaster at Insider Trends, spoke about disruptive new business models and the importance of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, which he believes will play a key role in ethical sourcing in the future. “AI can help reduce waste,” he said. “Retailers need to be open to how technology can help reduce waste.”
Another topic covered this season, and one often discussed at UK trade shows, was the impact of post-Brexit changes on the fashion industry. The issue was discussed at a seminar entitled ‘What does the new UK agreement on unilateral preferences mean for global procurement?’ on Monday, bringing together Karen Johnson, Sofie Kinsey and Rupert Casson from the UK’s Department for Foreign Affairs, Commonwealth and Development ( FCDO) and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) gave an insight into the new British legislation – the Trading Scheme for Developing Countries (DCTS).
The topic of sustainability also played an important role at Pure London: On Monday, the most pressing issues such as regenerative design, resale and recycling were dealt with in a panel discussion.
Scoop: an ode to Morocco
Scoop, the premium contemporary fashion show also hosted by parent company Hyve Group, took place from Sunday to Tuesday in an adjacent but separate building.
Offering a more upscale offering than Pure, the event featured over 250 designers as well as buyers from companies including McElhinneys, Annas, Katherine Draisey, Applause, Courtyard, 32 The Guild, Cordelia James, Sister, Moda Rosa and Lulu & M The new faces of the season included Marches Rosa, Saint Armont and Agua Bendita, among others.
“This is my first time exhibiting at Scoop and it has been a great show so far. I met the buyers I wanted to meet and I found the show inspiring and motivating,” commented Caroline Edge from lingerie brand Aubade.
“This is exactly how it should be. Not only did I meet the buyers I wanted to see, but I also got a lot of interest from new sales channels. The Scoop really has a great vibe and energy,” added Edge.
In this edition of Scoop, visitors were welcomed into a Moroccan-inspired “wonderland” – with walls adorned with patterned wallpaper, relaxation areas made of rattan and wood, and large flower boxes.
Skinwear brand The Seated Queen, which manufactures all of its products in the UK and sources it from traceable suppliers including women’s cooperatives in Ghana and Morocco, also attended the event for the first time this year.
The Seated Queen’s Libby Banks said the vegan and natural ingredients “resonated with shop owners and we had a lot of interest and great conversations.”
Pure London and Scoop ended Tuesday and will return for the next season in January 2024.
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.uk. Translated and edited by Simone Preuss.