<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:geo="http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#" > <channel> <title>COVID19 - Underlines Magazine</title> <atom:link href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/tag/covid19/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 17 Jan 2022 11:31:43 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-GB</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1</generator> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">112297075</site> <item> <title>Immagine Italia & Co. postponed until March</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/17/immagine-italia-co-postponed-until-march/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 17 Jan 2022 11:31:27 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Trade shows]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Immagine Italia & Co.]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=47422</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The 15th edition of the Immagine Italia & Co. Underwear, Lingerie and Homewear’s Fair, initially scheduled for the first weekend of February, will be held on March 5, 6, 7,…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/17/immagine-italia-co-postponed-until-march/">Immagine Italia & Co. postponed until March</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-47423 aligncenter" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Immagine-Italia-March-22.jpg?resize=600%2C218" alt="" width="600" height="218" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Immagine-Italia-March-22.jpg?w=600&ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Immagine-Italia-March-22.jpg?resize=350%2C127&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Immagine-Italia-March-22.jpg?resize=170%2C62&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Immagine-Italia-March-22.jpg?resize=585%2C213&ssl=1 585w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The 15th edition of the <a href="https://www.immagineitalia.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Immagine Italia & Co.</a> Underwear, Lingerie and Homewear’s Fair, initially scheduled for the first weekend of February, will be held on March 5, 6, 7, 2022. Following careful consideration, the board of Underbeach S.r.l. together with the exhibitors of Immagine Italia & co. agreed to postpone the fair a month in order to outdistance from the peak of infections expected by the experts in the coming weeks. Not an easy decision, taken due to the worsening of the health emergency at the return from holidays and in light of the too close proximity of the event.</p> <blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">“Within two weeks the contagion situation has drastically worsened causing widespread uncertainty among operators in the sector,” explains Alessandro Legnaioli, president of Immagine Italia & Co. “We reacted immediately, discussing with the exhibiting companies and probing the interest of our visitors to participate. Keeping the initial dates would have been very risky considering the increase in Omicron variant cases: most of the buyers surveyed underline the need to see in person the collections for next FW but stated more tranquillity in attending the Fair on the weekend 5-7 of March.”</p> </blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">The access protocols will also be strengthened: entry to the show will be allowed only to operators in possession of a reinforced green pass and visitor registration will take place exclusively online on the website www.immagineitalia.eu.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/17/immagine-italia-co-postponed-until-march/">Immagine Italia & Co. postponed until March</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">47422</post-id> </item> <item> <title>INDX Shows to run in a COVID secure format</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/17/indx-shows-run-covid-secure-format/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 17 Jan 2022 05:55:12 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Trade shows]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[INDX]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=47413</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>With a busy schedule of trade shows planned for 2022, INDX organisers are delighted to confirm that the shows will go ahead under current government guidance for large indoor events…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/17/indx-shows-run-covid-secure-format/">INDX Shows to run in a COVID secure format</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">With a busy schedule of trade shows planned for 2022, INDX organisers are delighted to confirm that the shows will go ahead under current government guidance for large indoor events and trade shows. As well as mandatory face coverings, visitors must present either their COVID-19 pass or proof of a recent negative lateral flow test on arrival.</p> <blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">Head of Events, Jane Bartlett says: “Two years on, we’d all hoped the pandemic would be over. Instead, we’re learning to live with changing COVID restrictions in a way that allows us to carry on with our lives as normally – and safely – as possible.”</p> </blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">The show calendar kicks off with INDX Furniture on 23-25 January, followed by INDX Kidswear on 30- 31 January and INDX Womenswear & Footwear, Menswear & Footwear, Intimate Apparel and a combined Housewares & Linens show in February. Details and registration for all upcoming shows can be found on the <a href="https://www.indxshows.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">INDX website</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Exhibitors are signing up daily and visitor registrations are building, reflecting the confidence in the safety measures despite the challenges from the Omicron variant. The health and safety of visitors, exhibitors and employees are of the utmost importance and INDX continue to monitor guidance and comply with regulations. Visitors are encouraged to <a href="https://www.indxshows.co.uk/visit/covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">check the COVID page</a> on the INDX website for the latest updates before attending.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/17/indx-shows-run-covid-secure-format/">INDX Shows to run in a COVID secure format</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">47413</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfilière Paris postpone January edition</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/06/salon-international-lingerie-interfiliere-paris-postpone-january-edition/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 06 Jan 2022 03:25:19 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Trade shows]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Interfiliere Paris]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Salon International de la Lingerie & du Swimwear]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=47100</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Due to the current health situation, Organisers of Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfiliere have postponed the forthcoming January event (22-24) to June 18-20, 2022. The postponement to June will…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/06/salon-international-lingerie-interfiliere-paris-postpone-january-edition/">Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfilière Paris postpone January edition</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-47102" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SIL-Interfiliere-2022.jpg?resize=500%2C266" alt="" width="500" height="266" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SIL-Interfiliere-2022.jpg?resize=780%2C416&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SIL-Interfiliere-2022.jpg?resize=350%2C186&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SIL-Interfiliere-2022.jpg?resize=170%2C91&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SIL-Interfiliere-2022.jpg?resize=768%2C409&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SIL-Interfiliere-2022.jpg?resize=1170%2C623&ssl=1 1170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SIL-Interfiliere-2022.jpg?resize=585%2C312&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/SIL-Interfiliere-2022.jpg?w=1314&ssl=1 1314w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Due to the current health situation, Organisers of <a href="https://saloninternationaldelalingerie.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Salon International de la Lingerie</a> and <a href="https://interfiliere-paris.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interfiliere</a> have postponed the forthcoming January event (22-24) to June 18-20, 2022. The postponement to June will allow the show to offer a comprehensive overview of the Lingerie x Loungewear x Swimwear x Activewear markets for all global stakeholders in Paris at Porte de Versailles, Hall 7.2. Visitors who have already ordered their badges for the January edition will be provided with access to the show in June.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/01/06/salon-international-lingerie-interfiliere-paris-postpone-january-edition/">Salon International de la Lingerie and Interfilière Paris postpone January edition</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">47100</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Swimwear and intimate apparel swept up in wave of technological change affecting fashion retail</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/30/swimwear-intimate-apparel-technological-change-affecting-fashion-retail/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 30 Sep 2021 07:18:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=45521</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The fashion retail industry as we know it, including the swimwear and intimate apparel sub-sectors, are living on borrowed time. The global pandemic has served to accelerate a wave of…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/30/swimwear-intimate-apparel-technological-change-affecting-fashion-retail/">Swimwear and intimate apparel swept up in wave of technological change affecting fashion retail</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">The fashion retail industry as we know it, including the swimwear and intimate apparel sub-sectors, are living on borrowed time. The global pandemic has served to accelerate a wave of technological transformation that was already washing over the industry, says Eleanor Thomas, Head of Research at <a href="https://www.wholeeprime.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wholee Prime</a>.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Rarely has the fragility of Britain’s supply chains been more self-evident than during the current petrol crisis. But the fragility we are observing also extends to every aspect of the retail industry, including fashion. Last year, the UK apparel retail sector accounted for £52 billion worth of sales and employed some 555,000 people. Despite the industry’s size and scale, however, the challenges confronting large swathes of it, including the swimwear and lingerie subsectors, are vast. Even before the global pandemic the shifts in the industry’s tectonic plates were sizable. Coronavirus has only accelerated this trend.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Resilience in the face of changing consumer demand</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Driving the transformation is the fashion industry’s need to strengthen its resilience to cope with shifting patterns in consumer needs and behaviour. Technology, particularly as an enabler of automation, has been a primary driver in enhancing resilience and accelerating market value. Evidence of this is abundant, just look at the surge of e-commerce and the decline of the high street.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In terms of fashion retail, while coronavirus has wrought a devastating blow to many of its competitors, Boohoo has showcased the nimble effectiveness of a technology-based autonomous operation by capitalising on the situation and acquiring brands. The company has fewer than 3,000 employees and yet is valued at over £3 billion – in contrast, Marks & Spencer has 80,000 employees and is valued at under £2 billion.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Next generation online retailing</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Innovation is also being seen in the function performed by online retail platforms. Launched amidst the height of the pandemic, Singapore-based shopping app Wholee Prime has served to transform the traditional online retail model pioneered by the likes of eBay and Amazon. Their platform works by connecting its members directly with over 100,000 qualified factories and manufacturers from across the globe, offering them access to millions of modern consumer fashion and lifestyle products across a range of categories, including swimwear and intimate apparel.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The app gives users access to a global shopping platform offering good quality products at lower prices, where users only pay for the production cost on millions of products across a range of categories, including swimwear, intimate apparel and other fashion and lifestyle items. The price paid is the price set by the manufacturer and saves consumers from having to pay for the distribution and marketing costs they usually face.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Autonomous distribution</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Advancements in drone and vehicle technology are allowing fashion retailers to bolster resilience and reduce their dependency on labour by automating the distribution of goods from the warehouse to the consumer. The low cost of drone delivery also provides manufacturers with the ability to begin circumventing the warehouse entirely and deliver goods direct from the factory to the door, cutting out a key element of the traditional supply chain and bolstering resilience by reducing manual dependency.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Autonomous checkouts</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Driven by a need both to improve consumer experience, while also reducing human dependence, autonomous checkouts offer consumers the opportunity to enter a fashion retailer, choose their products and leave.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">California-based start-up <a href="https://aifi.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AiFi</a> has introduced a scalable autonomous solution with major retailers such as French supermarket chain Carrefour, Albert Heijn in the Netherlands, and Valora in Switzerland. On the security front, UK disruptor <a href="https://www.thirdeyelabs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ThirdEye</a> is developing context-aware alert systems to detect relevant events in CCTV streams for retailers. Both start-ups rely on a combination of AI-based machine vision, cameras, edge computing, and sensor fusion technology.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">5G is key</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">A central enabler to key areas of technological innovation in the fashion retail sector is 5G telecommunications. Currently being rolled out across the UK, the technology offers consumers multi-gigabyte connection speeds eliminating lag-time, delivering greater reliability and enabling consumers to connect to retailers in real-time. 5G is central to revolutionising user experience in retail – in London alone, telecoms provider Vodafone estimates 5G will deliver economic benefits to the UK economy in excess of £30 billion by 2030.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The technology also offers fashion retailers the opportunity to benefit from richer consumer data in real-time, in turn driving improved consumer marketing campaigns.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Virtual reality retail</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">With the speed offered by 5G, shopping in virtual reality can become ubiquitous, vastly improving customer involvement, from virtual tours of shops to finding products from the comfort of their own home. 5G will profoundly change the way consumers buy things, allowing them to experience a product before they purchase it. With augmented reality tipped to reach a value of £150 billion in 2020, the role of 5G in the modern retail experience offers a well of untapped potential for those companies willing to embrace it.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">COVID-19 and its implications for the fashion retail industry</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">COVID-19 has illustrated the challenges the traditional retail industry faces. But far from being insurmountable, the challenges confronting the industry can be overcome through the embrace of technological innovation, improving resilience and driving growth.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Ultimately, the by-product of the successive lockdowns we’ve experienced will be to have accelerated the industry’s pace of change. A slow adoption of technological change is unacceptable. Consumer expectations toward their shopping experiences will continue to grow and will last well beyond lockdown. Those fashion retailers failing to embrace the pace of rapid technological change look set to become a footnote in retail history.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/30/swimwear-intimate-apparel-technological-change-affecting-fashion-retail/">Swimwear and intimate apparel swept up in wave of technological change affecting fashion retail</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">45521</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Lingerie brands must embrace new comfort zone as behaviours shift</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/24/lingerie-brands-must-embrace-new-comfort-zone-as-behaviours-shift/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 24 Sep 2021 04:09:24 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=45338</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Underlines welcomes guest writer, Alain Sévaux, RFID Market Development Manager, Avery Dennison Smartrac (RFID – Radio Frequency Identification) Omnichannel retailing has become a gold standard for the fashion industry in…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/24/lingerie-brands-must-embrace-new-comfort-zone-as-behaviours-shift/">Lingerie brands must embrace new comfort zone as behaviours shift</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Underlines welcomes guest writer, Alain Sévaux, RFID Market Development Manager, <a href="https://rfid.averydennison.com/en/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Avery Dennison Smartrac</a> (RFID – Radio Frequency Identification)</em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Omnichannel retailing has become a gold standard for the fashion industry in recent years and now we’re seeing the intimates sector evolve too, reflecting not only consumer trends but also wider societal change. The merging of physical and digital retail has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the pressure to create a seamless omnichannel experience is the new reality for brands and retailers.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Today, consumers are discovering brands in new ways, and seeking convenience, transparency and new experiences to guide their shopping decisions. Research from <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/solutions/periscope/our-insights/surveys/reinventing-retail">Periscope McKinsey</a> illustrates how shopper behaviour and expectations have shifted in the pandemic. Consumers reiterated their demand for frictionless experiences and their stated importance to easily find products in store increased by 14%. An effective <a href="http://www.osscube.com/omnichannel-integration">omnichannel strategy </a>meets these needs by providing a convenient and consistent experience across all customer touch points, whether it is a desktop, mobile app or tablet, or brick and mortar shop.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">According to <a href="https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/intimate-wear-market.html">Allied Market Research</a> the global intimate wear market will be worth a staggering $325 billion by 2025: that figure alone is proof to how influential the sector is and when we consider that retailers with a strong omnichannel strategy enjoy an average retention rate of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/06/15/omnichannel-cx-how-to-overcome-technologys-artificial-divide-and-succeed-at-being-seamless/?sh=39263aaa3205">89% compared to 33%</a>, the business value is evident.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">A successful omnichannel strategy must start with accurate store inventory. Retail stores have traditionally struggled at accurately tracking inventory. Consider the complexity of stores where everything is unpacked and individually displayed and potentially hundreds of people have access to each item. Not having an accurate picture of your inventory in real time can lead to item shrinkage resulting in loss of sales as well as disappointed customers and a negative brand experience.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This problem is heightened when we consider increased consumer expectation that an item is available in store for pickup or same-day delivery. Customers have no patience for waiting, they expect instant availability and an omnichannel approach enables them to get the same experience everywhere and make their purchase via their choice of channel without any delay.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Technological innovation</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">The right technology can help brands overcome store inventory accuracy hurdles. At Avery Dennison Smartrac we’re helping multiple brands across the fashion and intimates’ sectors to digitise their store inventory tracking using IoT solutions like RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) . We’ve found that RFID technology can bring inventory accuracy up to 99 percent compared to traditional store inventory accuracy, which is often below 70 per cent. In the apparel industry alone, RFID has proven to reduce inventories by 2-13% while at the same time providing a sales lift of <a href="https://www.gs1uk.org/rfidinretailing">1.5-5.5%</a>. Moreover, according to a recent <a href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/retail/new-era-rfid?c=acn_glb_retailsupplychalinkedin_12253528&n=smc_0621&abc=retail+supply+chain_linkedin_100002195590627&linkId=100000053626162">Accenture retail report</a>, 87% of the respondents said focusing on RFID enabled them to deliver better omnichannel experiences during the pandemic.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-45345" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?resize=764%2C502" alt="" width="764" height="502" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?w=764&ssl=1 764w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?resize=350%2C230&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?resize=170%2C112&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?resize=585%2C384&ssl=1 585w" sizes="(max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px" /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The first step to implement RFID inventory is to add a RFID label to each item. Technological advancements mean the size of the RFID tag is small enough, so it integrates into a hangtag in a discreet and elegant way. In essence, it replaces traditional inventory systems like the barcode. With the addition of the RFID label, every part of a product receives a unique identifier, what we sometimes refer to as a “digital twin”. It means that for every single item you can store details such as location, serial number, manufacturer, photo, use history, materials used, source origins and much more.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">One of the many advantages of RFID is that it can track inventory more efficiently and provide real-time data. In fact, our customers tell us that the technology is easy to use and results in time savings; simply wave a scanner over a rack of undergarments, eliminating the need for line-of-sight barcode scanning and the need to touch every individual object in order to count it.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Best-in-class</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">One brand getting very creative with RFID technology is <a href="https://etam.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Etam</a>. As the number one lingerie brand in France with a long heritage of more than 100 years, Etam has long stood out as an industry pioneer embracing digital transformation. This adoption was underpinned in 2007 with Etam’s ‘Undiz’ spin off aimed at ‘Generation Z’. With some 1,200 new lines every season the brand used RFID to move fast, with a specific “Order Management System” providing a global vision of stock, whatever the location. The brand now enables consumers to order an item available from anywhere, not just the store they happen to be standing in.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Providing a best-in-class retail and omnichannel experience in the lingerie segment is at the heart of Etam’s business. In order to achieve this, the brand is exclusively deploying digital ID technology from Avery Dennison Smartrac. This includes RFID and QR coded hangtags to digitise the whole value chain and processes, along with vendor shipments, store inventory accuracy, self check-outs, returns or reverse logistics, e-commerce, and the retailer’s Try@home initiative.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Knowing how crucial touch, feel and fit is in the lingerie sector, Try@home gives consumers the convenient option to try up to five items in the comfort of their own home. After twelve days, the articles are either returned to the store, or their price is debited from the customer’s account.</p> <div class="penci-post-gallery-container justified column-3" data-height="250" data-margin="3"><a class="item-gallery-justified" href="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_RFID_1-2.jpg?fit=1575%2C1900&ssl=1" data-rel="penci-gallery-image-content"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_RFID_1-2.jpg?fit=585%2C706&ssl=1" alt="" title="Etam_RFID_1"></a><a class="item-gallery-justified" href="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_RFID_3-2.jpg?fit=1473%2C1900&ssl=1" data-rel="penci-gallery-image-content"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_RFID_3-2.jpg?fit=585%2C755&ssl=1" alt="" title="Etam_RFID_3"></a></div> <p style="text-align: justify;"> <p style="text-align: justify;"> <p style="text-align: justify;">Inventory accuracy in-store is crucial and vital to consumer satisfaction. Typically, Etam customers combine several products in their basket, such as one bra and two pairs of knickers. Given the huge number of SKUs covering a wide variation in sizes and cup depth, Etam needs to guarantee the availability of at least three styles to respond to customer purchasing habits. RFID plays a critical role in achieving this required stock accuracy, making sure inventory is precisely tracked, taking account of the constant flow of purchases and returns.</p> <blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">According to Benjamin Durand-Servoingt, COO at Etam Group, “The functionality offered by Avery Dennison Smartrac’s products is critical to our drive to remain the lingerie market leader in terms of consumer experience and our omnichannel strategy. Happy consumers are repeat customers, so our goal was to make the buying process as smooth as possible, by ensuring that the right products are available in-store, and that the consumer can engage with us throughout the purchase process. Rather than a transaction, we create a relationship tailored to our consumers’ buying preferences and behaviour. That relationship has become even more important in the still-uncertain times of COVID-19.”</p> </blockquote> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Transparency from source to store</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">RFID and other digital identity technologies can also enable sustainability efforts. Following high profile movements like #PayUp, consumers expect and demand transparency. Now more than ever they want to know the impact that their garments have. They want to know how they’re made, who made them, where they’ve come from, what is in them, and ultimately what they should do with them once they’ve reached the end of their useful life. Digital identity technologies can help to bridge that divide between brands and consumers, reinventing the rules of engagement.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The deployment of digital IDs is critical to Etam’s transparency project. Customers can scan the product label by means of a QR code with their smartphone to get instant access to short videos that provide insights into the actual factory where the item was produced. This further supports Etam’s sustainability efforts, but also broadens the consumer experience.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">By the end of 2021, Etam plans to extend its transparency programme to every item sold, which is truly a pioneering breakthrough within the textile industry.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What’s next for intimates?</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Intimates have fallen behind other fashion categories in addressing sustainability, but we’re starting to see the necessary shift and some great innovation in the sector. For example, direct-to-consumer brands are also reconsidering how delivery and returns can incorporate ethical practices. Lingerie brand, <a href="https://harperwilde.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Harper Wilde</a>, uses the returns process as a channel to allow its customers to send old or unwanted bras back to the company to recycle or repurpose, regardless of which brand they are.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Digital technologies are essential for a circular business model as brands need to be able to identify the materials of a product to give it a second life. This becomes even more complex with lingerie as you have a mixture of fibres in any single product and bras alone are typically made up of 25 to 40 components. Digital identity technologies can certify the origin of materials down to each fibre, making the future of what’s possible incredibly exciting for business, people and the planet.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Today, lingerie brands that can strengthen their omnichannel efforts, provide seamless experiences, enable end-to-end transparency and offer personalised and meaningful interactions will fortify their brand equity, reinforce their market positions, and ensure they are future-fit and resilient for our ever-changing world.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">For more information on Avery Dennison and to access the latest trends and insights in omnichannel retail, download the <a href="https://avydn.co/regenerative-retail-economy-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Regenerative Retail Economy Report</a>.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/24/lingerie-brands-must-embrace-new-comfort-zone-as-behaviours-shift/">Lingerie brands must embrace new comfort zone as behaviours shift</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">45338</post-id> </item> <item> <title>The 4 biggest challenges facing independent retailers right now</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/21/the-4-biggest-challenges-facing-independent-retailers-right-now/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 21 Sep 2021 03:00:40 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=45302</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>There’s no doubt that the past 18 months have been challenging for all retailers and continue to be. Many well-established retailers have unfortunately gone out of business and our high…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/21/the-4-biggest-challenges-facing-independent-retailers-right-now/">The 4 biggest challenges facing independent retailers right now</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">There’s no doubt that the past 18 months have been challenging for all retailers and continue to be. Many well-established retailers have unfortunately gone out of business and our high streets are recovering very slowly. Small retailers have faced the biggest challenges with the switch to online shopping and an increasingly crowded marketplace. In the piece below, Gabriella Peace, Communications Manager of <a href="https://www.ukgreetings.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UK Greetings</a>, discusses the current biggest challenges independent retailers are facing and what you can do about them.</p> <h5 style="text-align: justify;">Competing with online</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have generated the biggest shift to online shopping we’ve ever seen. Many independent retailers had no choice but to close their doors without an e-commerce site in place. This is set to be an ongoing issue, with half of the global consumers intending to <a href="https://unctad.org/news/covid-19-has-changed-online-shopping-forever-survey-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">continue shopping online more frequently</a> post-pandemic. Research has shown that <a href="https://review42.com/resources/what-percentage-of-small-businesses-have-a-website/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">fewer than two-thirds of small businesses</a> have a website, while up to 80% of consumers research a company online before visiting or buying. This presents a significant challenge for smaller retailers that don’t have the resources to maintain a website.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">During the pandemic, online marketplaces have soared in profitability – online behemoth Amazon has <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/29/technology/amazons-profits-triple.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">profited richly from worldwide national lockdowns</a>. A lot of this profit has come from independent retailers using the platform to sell their products, but is this a benefit to smaller brands? Or could it be a hindrance?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Amazon is now a viable option for small retailers to offer their products to a wider audience. However, because many people replaced shopping locally with shopping on Amazon, the market is saturated. With prices starting at only £25 a month, it’s a tempting option for small shops that can’t afford the upfront and ongoing costs of a dedicated website. You will, of course, need to supplement that with some marketing in order to stand out in the crowd. This brings us to our next point…</p> <h5 style="text-align: justify;">Effective marketing tactics on a budget</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">Marketing your business, especially to a wide audience, can be costly. If you’re going up against larger, more established businesses, it’s easy to get drowned out. For years, TV dominated advertising, while independent retailers used more traditional tactics. Now, online marketing is king, whether that’s organic search engine optimisation (SEO), paid search, or social media advertising.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Small retailers who have a dedicated website may be able to benefit from SEO and paid search advertising, but what about those who don’t? The answer may lie in social media marketing. If people are already familiar with your brand name locally but you don’t have a website, having a presence on social media is a great way to take up some search engine real estate when people Google your business. Posting regularly on social media – whether that’s new products, promotions, or activities – is a great way to keep your small brand front of mind. What’s more, if your loyal customers follow you, they can increase your reach by sharing your posts.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Setting up a Google My Business account is also essential to reach the people who may search your brand online. This will show your store’s location, opening times, and reviews. It’s a great way to drive footfall to your business without the need for a dedicated website.</p> <h5>COVID-19 isolation still poses staffing problems</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">We know that those who test positive must isolate for 10 days. However, as more of us are double-vaccinated, fewer people will be required to isolate if they’ve come into contact with a COVID-positive person. Isolation could still pose a problem in your business though.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In the past few months, one positive case could have shut down your business. Now, this isn’t the case, but we can’t become complacent – especially as you’re likely to have a low employee count. One ten-day absence could still negatively impact your business. Continuing to enforce strict hygiene rules in your shop will help you prevent the spread of COVID-19 and limit the chances of one of your employees – as well as your customers – catching it in your store.</p> <h5>Empty high streets</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">As a result of consumers shopping online more, many chain stores have closed some of their high-street branches. According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/14/great-britain-high-streets-lost-more-than-17500-chain-stores-in-2020-covid" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2021 research from PwC</a>, over 17,500 branches of chain stores closed as a result of the pandemic. A further study from LDC showed that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/24/british-high-street-lost-11000-shops-in-2020-study-shows" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">significantly fewer independent stores</a> closed for good, which is great news for small retailers.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The closure of many local shop branches is likely to bring both <a href="https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2021/05/how-a-rise-in-retail-vacancies-can-affect-the-uks-high-streets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">opportunity and challenges to independent retailers</a>. With more properties available in key locations, smaller retailers have the chance to move to a more lucrative location. However, unless enough of these properties are occupied, lower footfall may impact profitability.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Retail property rents have <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1186786/change-retail-rents-uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">dropped significantly since the beginning of 2020</a>, presenting a unique opportunity for small retailers. However, as high streets recover, caution must be taken when opting for a swanky new location. As more vacant stores are occupied and people return to the high street, rents may increase again to an unsustainable level.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Small retailers have long faced steeper hurdles than established enterprises. Many of these have been more acutely felt during multiple national lockdowns. As retail begins to recover from the effects of the pandemic, these are the key issues independent retailers will need to consider and possibly address.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/21/the-4-biggest-challenges-facing-independent-retailers-right-now/">The 4 biggest challenges facing independent retailers right now</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">45302</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight – How to rebuild your business and come back stronger after Covid-19</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/17/friday-insight-how-rebuild-business-come-back-stronger-after-covid-19/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Sep 2021 03:00:05 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=45233</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Emerging from almost two years of unpredictable economics and rapidly changing consumer demands, it’s likely your business has evolved at the pace of lightening and is almost unrecognisable compared to…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/17/friday-insight-how-rebuild-business-come-back-stronger-after-covid-19/">Friday Insight – How to rebuild your business and come back stronger after Covid-19</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Emerging from almost two years of unpredictable economics and rapidly changing consumer demands, it’s likely your business has evolved at the pace of lightening and is almost unrecognisable compared to its pre-pandemic self. And while the last thing a solo-preneur who spent multiple lockdown’s resolving myriad problems wants to consider right now is reassessing their business plan (yet again); with a full summer of ‘normality’ behind us and before the holiday season gathers pace, it really is an ideal time to review your position, product, and processes.</p> <div id="attachment_45234" style="width: 330px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-45234" class="wp-image-45234" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=320%2C271" alt="" width="320" height="271" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=350%2C296&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=780%2C659&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=170%2C144&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=768%2C649&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=585%2C495&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /><p id="caption-attachment-45234" class="wp-caption-text">Illustration: Bok Goodall</p></div> <p style="text-align: justify;">As Mary Portas wrote in a recent newsletter, “we can no longer predict where exactly people will be – whether that’s our customers, our employees or our suppliers” – so here are three things to do right now to rebuild your business and come back stronger after Covid-19.</p> <h4>Understand your numbers</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Intermittent trading, payment holidays and loans, and new infrastructure investments (from PPE and Perspex screens to e-commerce development and increased post and packing costs) make for a very different bottom line. Review the financial years spanning the pandemic to date to identify what percentage of income you’re spending in all categories now (everything from operations and cost of goods, to rent and rates) compared to the previous two years.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Where do you need to re-adjust to comfortably cover outgoings going forward? Can you build in contingency savings? Taking a fresh look at the figures will highlight the strongest income streams too. How does this new view align with your business vision and goals?</p> <h4><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">Clarify your vision</span></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">The pandemic-pause shone a spotlight on what we each find important and gave rise to entirely new ways of working. So, ask yourself what you want to do and how you want to be going forward. Perhaps you created a virtual service that was a surprising success; you discovered you work better on different days or shoppers preferred different times; or consider how it felt to connect with clients in new ways and whether you want more or less of that. Our pre-pandemic patterns and habits are primed for reinvention – take advantage to evolve in ways you truly enjoy.</span></p> <h4><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">Re-connect with your customer</span></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">The demands of our customers have changed dramatically, and now is the time to ask what they really want from their intimate apparel in this new era. Not only does this offer a genuine incentive to re-engage with your audience, and demonstrate you have their best interests at the heart of all you do; but a short, well considered questionnaire sent to a segment of your customer database will return truly valuable data. Not only will the information customers share clarify the exact problems they’re facing right now, but it will also put you in command of creating and offering appropriate solutions, ensuring you meet your audience where they are right now, and naturally re-asserting your position as the authority in your area of expertise.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Taking time for each of these tasks now won’t only strengthen your position in delivering a seamless customer experience while staying true to your vision and values, but underpins business strength, and re-defines decision making to stay on course no matter what’s around the corner.</p> <hr /> <p style="text-align: justify;">If you have a question, or need help navigating a challenge in your business and would like to discuss consultancy or mentoring options, write to Sarah Connelly at <a href="mailto:hello@sarahconnelly.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hello@sarahconnelly.co.uk</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/17/friday-insight-how-rebuild-business-come-back-stronger-after-covid-19/">Friday Insight – How to rebuild your business and come back stronger after Covid-19</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">45233</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Creating a business during a pandemic – Anook Athletics</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/08/27/creating-business-during-pandemic-anook-athletics/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 27 Aug 2021 03:00:46 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Anook Athletics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Friday Interview]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=44944</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Ahead of our next print issue on maternity and post-surgical underwear (October 2021) Underlines talks with Allie Lindenmuth, Founder of Anook Athletics, which was created at the end of 2019…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/08/27/creating-business-during-pandemic-anook-athletics/">Creating a business during a pandemic – Anook Athletics</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Ahead of our next print issue on maternity and post-surgical underwear (October 2021) Underlines talks with Allie Lindenmuth, Founder of <a href="https://anookathletics.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anook Athletics</a>, which was created at the end of 2019 to offer athletic wear fit for purpose to pregnant, postnatal and nursing women.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">So how did you get to this point?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Before launching Anook, I was balancing teaching prenatal yoga and working in development for the non profit world. Giving back to my community has always been what feeds my soul.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">How did the brand start?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">I launched Anook Athletics in the fall of 2019. After becoming a mom myself in late 2016 and many years of teaching pre and postnatal yoga, I realised the complete lack of high quality workout wear for moms. I wanted to create a product for women that would last their entire motherhood journey from the first thoughts of conception, to many years postpartum.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Where do you look for design inspiration?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">I have been athletic my entire life and have been practicing yoga for over 20 years. When designing pieces for Anook, I thought about all the different athletic lines out there and what I loved and didn’t love. I really wanted to create a line that met the needs of women and was made for their bodies as opposed to clothes that women needed to make work for their pregnancies.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-44946" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?resize=780%2C520" alt="" width="780" height="520" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?resize=350%2C233&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?resize=170%2C113&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?resize=1170%2C780&ssl=1 1170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?resize=585%2C390&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?resize=263%2C175&ssl=1 263w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_2.jpeg?w=1200&ssl=1 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">What is different about designing athletic wear and particularly your sector?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">We are working with a moving target. We had to create pieces that would grow and retract with the female body. All our fittings have tested models in all phases of motherhood and pregancy to really get the right fit!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">What are the highlights of your collection?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Our Nila Bra, Poppy Leggings and our Birdie Skort are our most beloved styles. People love our materials and fit and we are so happy to offer these pieces.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Whom do you follow in social media to keep ahead of trends?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">We honestly try not to focus on the latest trends but instead work on classic pieces that will be relevant for years to come.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Describe the person who wears your designs: what is their style?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">We cater to the athletic, chic mom. Our community is looking for pieces that can be worn from the gym, to school pick up, to lunch.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">A Typical Week in your life</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">I am always balancing being a mom to two littles ones and getting emails and calls in where I can. It is a constant juggling act!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Your proudest moment to date?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">All the feedback we get from mamas who find us. They are so excited and we are so grateful for their support!</p> <div class="penci-post-gallery-container masonry column-2" data-height="250" data-margin="3"><div class="inner-gallery-masonry-container"><div class="item-gallery-masonry"><a class="" href="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_1-e1629872531686.jpeg?fit=634%2C900&ssl=1" data-rel="penci-gallery-image-content"><div class="inner-item-masonry-gallery"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_1-e1629872531686.jpeg?fit=585%2C830&ssl=1" alt="" title="Anook-Athletics_1"></div></a></div><div class="item-gallery-masonry"><a class="" href="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_3.jpeg?fit=900%2C1350&ssl=1" data-rel="penci-gallery-image-content"><div class="inner-item-masonry-gallery"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anook-Athletics_3.jpeg?fit=585%2C878&ssl=1" alt="" title="Anook-Athletics_3"></div></a></div></div></div> <p> </p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Your next big challenge?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Focusing on expanding our wholesale programme.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Your worst move so far?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Launching 4 months before a global pandemic hit! Ha!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">What do you hope to achieve?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">I want to inspire other moms and my kids to not be afraid to take risks. If you think of an idea and you feel it could work, do everything you need to do to make it happen. You won’t regret it.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">What about time out?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">When I can, I take a few moments each day to reset and recentre. It is crucial for me to get in my yoga each day, even if it is only for a few moments.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/08/27/creating-business-during-pandemic-anook-athletics/">Creating a business during a pandemic – Anook Athletics</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">44944</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Creating a business during a pandemic – ELAN Lingerie</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/08/20/creating-business-during-pandemic-elan-lingerie/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 20 Aug 2021 03:00:36 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ELAN Lingerie]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Friday Interview]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=44806</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Next in our series of new special features, we speak to Jemima Ellis, founder of ELAN Lingerie, who started her business just on the cusp of the pandemic in early…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/08/20/creating-business-during-pandemic-elan-lingerie/">Creating a business during a pandemic – ELAN Lingerie</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Next in our series of new special features, we speak to Jemima Ellis, founder of <a href="https://www.elanlingerie.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ELAN Lingerie</a>, who started her business just on the cusp of the pandemic in early 2020. She was inspired to create feminine post-surgical bras after her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 (and after many failed shopping trips with her!). Jemima took advice from industry experts over the past 18 months to design, develop and create a range of 3 pocketed bra styles and 2 briefs made in sustainable bamboo fabric, which is a first in the sector. Jemima and her brand have already been shortlisted for industry awards and all whilst she still holds down another full-time job!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">What did you do before launching the brand?<img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-44807" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Jemima-Ellis-350x350.jpg?resize=320%2C320" alt="" width="320" height="320" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Jemima-Ellis.jpg?resize=350%2C350&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Jemima-Ellis.jpg?resize=170%2C170&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Jemima-Ellis.jpg?resize=585%2C585&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Jemima-Ellis.jpg?w=750&ssl=1 750w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">My background is in Fashion Media and Marketing! This is what I spent 3 years studying at degree level up until the age of 21. Prior to this though I did a 2-year course in Fashion Textile Design so I learnt a fair bit then about design and the technical elements to creating a garment. I have always loved fashion, from a very young age and always had a particular love for intimate apparel.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">How did the brand start and when did you start working on it?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">When my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 (during my final year of uni) and had to undergo a mastectomy as part of her treatment, I was introduced to the world (the very boring world) of post-surgery bras. I was shocked at the lack of choice. I saw a huge gap in the market that infuriated me and fired something up within me to do something about it. My mother struggled to find something pretty and fun, something that made her feel like herself again. There were no sustainable options on the market either which raised concerns for me too.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This was when the idea of ELAN first came about and after a number of years, lots of research, focus groups and learning I decided to take the plunge and go for it! I officially launched the online store in April 2021 after about 18 months of developing designs and ideas during covid which did prove rather tricky at times!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">What are the highlights of your collection?</h4> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-44808" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Charlotte-Bra-e1628837133351-350x454.jpg?resize=320%2C415" alt="" width="320" height="415" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Charlotte-Bra-e1628837133351.jpg?resize=350%2C454&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Charlotte-Bra-e1628837133351.jpg?resize=170%2C220&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Charlotte-Bra-e1628837133351.jpg?resize=585%2C758&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Charlotte-Bra-e1628837133351.jpg?w=709&ssl=1 709w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">All of ELAN’s lingerie is made using sustainable and ethically sourced bamboo. This makes our bras unbelievably soft – I’ve not felt anything softer yet! The bras all feature pocketed cups that can be worn with or without breast forms, they have no uncomfortable wires, instead thick supportive underbands which are so comfy for all day wear.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">My favourite thing about ELAN’s bras is the gold hardware – especially the gorgeous heart sliders which took me months to source. I knew I had to have them as I thought they’d make the bras look extra special. Everyone loves the heart sliders!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Describe the person who wears your designs: what is their style?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">An ELAN customer is on trend. She wants to feel confident and special in her lingerie. She’s quite casual but smart with her style and really appreciates the small details. An ELAN customer believes in buying high quality pieces rather than supporting fast fashion and wants to be an eco-conscious consumer too.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">A Typical Week in your life</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Typically I would be speaking with my factory on a daily basis for updates on production, making decisions on last minute alterations to things and negotiating time frames with them. Planning social media posts, gathering content and writing copy for posts takes up a lot of time! Talking to customers on our live chat function, helping them work out what size would be best for them or emailing customers to offer advice and help. Have a check on my figures and working out potential promotions and offers that might improve sales and plotting them in on the calendar. I like to refresh and check in on the website too and I’m always looking at ways to make it more user friendly for my customers.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Your proudest moment to date?</h4> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-44810" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Ruth-Bra.jpg?resize=320%2C478" alt="" width="320" height="478" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Ruth-Bra.jpg?resize=350%2C523&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Ruth-Bra.jpg?resize=170%2C254&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Ruth-Bra.jpg?resize=585%2C874&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Ruth-Bra.jpg?w=700&ssl=1 700w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">One of my proudest moments has to be most recently when I was shortlisted for two separate awards. I have been shortlisted for GBEA’s ‘Young Entrepreneur Award’ which was amazing and I can’t wait to attend the awards ceremony to see if I have been lucky enough to win! Secondly, my nomination for ‘Best UK Startup’ by Start Ups Magazine. That was amazing and I’m so proud to have been nominated for both of those awards. It makes all the hard work so worth it.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Aside from this, it has to be the feedback I get from very happy customers. I recently had feedback from a 67-year-old customer who had not felt comfortable or confident in her body since her mastectomy. She purchased the Charlotte set and very shortly after sending the order off I received the most amazing pictures from her. She had felt confident enough to do an ‘At Home’ photoshoot in her brand new lingerie and wanted to share the results with me!</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Seeing her confidence really shine through in the photos and knowing that the lingerie had made her feel special again made the months of hard work and sleepless nights worth it. Hearing positive feedback from customers truly has to be the best part about running a business, it’s what you do it for!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Your next big challenge?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">I would absolutely love to break into the swimwear market with ELAN and start offering pocketed bikinis as there is such a need for this! I have heard lots of feedback from women saying they’d love to see more fashionable post-surgery swimwear available so that is most certainly my next challenge. I also want to expand the size range too as we currently only go up to an F cup, I’d love to be more inclusive and offer a wider range of sizes too.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Your worst move so far?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Picking a factory that did not specialise in intimate apparel! That was a bad move. The nature of lingerie is that it is very specialist and often with intricate designs and features which really does need an expert eye. Some factories may over promise and say they can fulfil your production order even when they haven’t got the right expertise to do it properly! I made this mistake and learnt the hard way but I am absolutely delighted to say that I am now working with an incredible factory, Intimate Apparel Samples, who are total experts and have produced my collection so beautifully. I had a lucky escape but it’s a mistake I won’t make again, it could have cost me big time!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-44809" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Lucy-Bra.jpg?resize=320%2C427" alt="" width="320" height="427" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Lucy-Bra.jpg?resize=350%2C467&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Lucy-Bra.jpg?resize=170%2C227&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Lucy-Bra.jpg?resize=585%2C781&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ELAN-Lingerie_Lucy-Bra.jpg?w=700&ssl=1 700w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" />What do you hope to achieve?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">I would like for ELAN to expand and offer a wide range of products in the future. This is such an overlooked area of the market and I have so many plans for breaking into swimwear and leisurewear too.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">I would love to be successful enough to be able to dedicate all my time to ELAN as I’m currently working full-time elsewhere too! This does mean that I don’t get much downtime and I’m always juggling two jobs. It would be great to go full time with ELAN soon so I can expand a lot quicker!</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">What about time out?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Time out is so important, I really learnt that over the past 18 months or so. When things are going wrong in the business or I’m really struggling I do step away for a few days. It helps me to refocus and find the love again. It’s ok to not love your business every single second of every single day, there will be bad days and that’s ok! You have to allow yourself time to rest – I always come back more fired up and ready to go again!</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">I’m very lucky to have a gorgeous 2 year old cocker spaniel who is a great distraction when I need it. I’ll take him for a walk with my husband and I always feel much brighter and clearer. We are big foodies so love to go out for dinner, trying new local places or staying in and cooking together. I’m lucky enough to live in Devon so we are blessed with countless beautiful spots for walks and being by the sea always helps clear the mind.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/08/20/creating-business-during-pandemic-elan-lingerie/">Creating a business during a pandemic – ELAN Lingerie</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">44806</post-id> </item> <item> <title>New report highlights family business as crucial to pandemic recovery</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/07/02/new-report-highlights-family-business-crucial-pandemic-recovery/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 02 Jul 2021 02:00:16 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=43908</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The rebound of family businesses post-pandemic will be critical to the rebuilding of the UK economy, a new report has shown. The latest report by the IFB Research Foundation (IFBRF)…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/07/02/new-report-highlights-family-business-crucial-pandemic-recovery/">New report highlights family business as crucial to pandemic recovery</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">The rebound of family businesses post-pandemic will be critical to the rebuilding of the UK economy, a new report has shown. The latest report by the <a href="https://www.ifb.org.uk/ifb-research-foundation/ifb-research-foundation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IFB Research Foundation</a> (IFBRF) reveals that in 2019, family businesses contributed to almost 30 per cent of the UK’s national income. Over 100,000 new family businesses were created in the year running up to the pandemic, with 5.2 million family firms in total that employ over 14 million people in the UK.</p> <blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">Sir Michael Bibby, Chairman of the IFB Research Foundation, said: “This latest report from the IFB Research Foundation shows how, before the COVID-19 pandemic, family businesses were playing a critical role in the UK economy. The evidence highlights how the sector had been performing well and was largely optimistic about the future. The pandemic is likely to have had a dramatic impact on the outlook, and expectations of many UK small and medium-sized enterprises and this report will give us a great base from which to analyse the changes especially given some of the sectors in which family firms are most concentrated have been those hardest hit by COVID 19. It is interesting to note that the analysis also shows that family ownership does not affect the uptake of technology and so productivity, which is more correlated with the size of the company than the ownership.”</p> </blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">IFB Director General, Elizabeth Bagger, said: “This report from the IFB Research Foundation clearly shows how significant family businesses are to the strength, stability, and success of UK private enterprise. Before the pandemic, family businesses were growing exponentially. Family firms are the driving force across all regions, communities, and sectors of the UK and as such, are pivotal to the future prosperity of the country as we emerge from the pandemic. We must therefore ensure that family businesses are supported to recover and grow.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">“Supporting the adoption of new technologies can help family firms improve their processes and foster innovation, with the move towards these new technologies a trend which has been accelerated by the pandemic. UK Government-backed initiatives such as Evolve Digital support small family businesses to adopt digital technology, and more doors must open to allow family businesses to continue to rebuild.”</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/07/02/new-report-highlights-family-business-crucial-pandemic-recovery/">New report highlights family business as crucial to pandemic recovery</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">43908</post-id> </item> </channel> </rss>