Images_Digital_Edition_January_2019

INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 14 images JANUARY 2019 PRINT SHOP POOCHES #38 Belle Whether it‘s pedigree pups or mangy mutts, decorators‘ dogs are valued members of staff at embroidery and print shops from Barking to Furness. This month we have Belle from Fantasy Prints, Berwick- upon-Tweed, Northumberland Full name: Belle Dougall Breed: Yorkshire terrier Age: 11 years old Time at company: Six years Job title: Paw-ffice manager Job description: Belle’s key roles are maintaining order within the team and providing cuddles when necessary. She is also a part-time cleaner – she allows no food to touch any surface that she can reach, meaning she also has earned the title of ‘lunchtime supervisor‘. She is also tasked with greeting customers and melting hearts, which she takes great pleasure in. Special skills: Spotting birds from miles away, successfully chasing away the bin lorry each week and hearing the toaster pop from another room and being at your feet before you can start buttering. Favourite colour: Pantone 2707U and 7534c. These are Belle’s favourite colours as they remind her of her favourite toy, ‘Elephanty‘, which she has had since she was a puppy all those years ago. www.fantasyprints.co.uk “If I shake your hand, I get the toast, right?“ Comfort is king, reports athleisure conference At the Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry‘s (ASBCI) athleisure conference in November, the importance of comfort was raised time and again. “Customers are not prepared to sacrifice their new-found comfort and they are willing to pay more for it,“ said Jutta Vo Quang from global technology group Freudenberg, as she outlined the performance characteristics she believes are here to stay, all of which are designed to enhance the comfort of the wearer. And it is in functionality that one of the great opportunities of athleisure lies, both in communication and innovation, says the association. “At what point does a polyester jersey become a running vest?“ asked Helen Colebourn from Bureau Veritas. The answer, says the ASBCI, is the point at which the retailer promotes it as such by highlighting its performance properties, whether these are inherent or engineered. “Making technology visible through design features, co-branding or point-of- sale marketing helps the consumer understand how a garment will enhance their life, and that’s what athleisure is all about,“ it added. But that doesn’t mean design has no place, the association asserted: athleisure is where fashion and function meet and the convenience of the ‘wear anywhere’ legging is matched by the desire to buy into the latest mini trend or capsule collection. “It’s hyper consumption v hyper collaboration,“ said Terence Senford, head of men’s athleisure for Boss Menswear. “One thing is fuelling the other.“ Product cycles are shorter, production runs smaller and product is more customised. In such a dynamic marketplace, agility and adaptability are more important than ever, says the ASBCI, and the brands that can pivot in new directions as the opportunity arises will be the real winners. “Speed is the name of the game,“ concluded Jovita Balseviciene from technology company Lectra. “Being the first to market with a wide range of quality products, priced right, is the key to success.“ www.asbci.co.uk ASBCI‘s conference in November focused on athleisure For the latest industry news visit: www.images-magazine.com