Bryan Matthews

L'Oréal, Johnson & Johnson, and Burberry, some of the biggest fashion and beauty brands of all, are pledging to fight plastic waste at the source.     Burberry CEO Marco Gobbetti said: 'Plastic waste and pollution is one of the most pressing environmental concerns of our age.'       On Monday, a consortium including Burberry, H&M, L'Oréal, Inditex, Selfridges, Stella McCartney, Target, and Unilever announced their pledge to 'eradicate plastic waste and pollution at the source' by signing the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment.  Created by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in partnership with UN Environment, the Commitment was also signed by the Chilean and British governments and a legion of non-profits.     The document aims to reduce plastic waste using a range of targets, like abolishing single-use plastic from supply chains, and assuring 100 percent of plastic packaging is reused, recycled, or composted by 2025.     L'Oréal, Johns

The Skechers Foundation broke new fundraising records for children with special needs and education at Sunday’s 10th annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk.  Topping $2 million in contributions and totaling over $11 million since the Walk’s inauguration.  Supported by lead presenter Nickelodeon and media sponsor NBC4 Southern California, more than 15,000 walkers and participants showed up.  Entertainment and sports celebrities counted in legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, actress and model Brooke Burke, and fitness star Denise Austin.      Brooke said: 'At 10 years, the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk is bigger and better than ever.  In the years I’ve taken part, I’ve seen this event grow from a community movement to the largest event of its kind in California.  The one thing that never changes is the commitment that all these families and friends have for their children.  It’s such an incredible model for the great good our community can do for our kids.'     

Claus Porto, the famous 131-year-old Portuguese beauty and fragrance house, opens its first store outside of Portugal in New York's NoLIta neighborhood. The project was conceived by tacklebox architecture under the direction of Jeremy Barbour. The store's design defers to Portuguese architecture and craftsmanship with a 42-foot long freestanding archway of Portuguese cork. This futurist tunnel, with a carved surface of 1,500 faceted diamond tiles, is an allusion to the facade of Casa dos Bicos in Santa Maria Maior , with a nod to the São Bento Railway Station. Claus Porto's Flagship store is located in Porto, with a second outpost in Lisbon, on Rua da Misericórdia. An imposing washbasin sits in the heart of the space, an affirmation of the baptismal font and a celebration of the ritual of cleansing. The basin was carved from the same big block of Estremoz marble that gave life to its sister piece in Porto's Flagship Store. Located on 230 Eli

A new report from Clothesource contends the 2017 losses that dumped Sears into its bankruptcy filing are about the same as Amazon's losses on European retail alone.      Sears lost $981 million in 2017.  Like the $988 million loss at Amazon's European retail holding company, according to accounts filed at London's Companies House.     'In fact, with online sales accounting for 8.9% of US retail in 2017, the impact of Amazon, or any other online retailer, on Sears is widely over-rated,' says Mike Flanagan, CEO of Clothesource, an Oxford-based apparel industry consultancy.     Though the US Census Bureau shows online retail grew 15% in the first half of 2018, physical stores still accounted for three-quarters of America's retail growth.  Sales through physical stores have grown every year since the 2008 recession.     Sears was struggling to adapt to a changing world before e-commerce was invented, and it did no better after e-commerce came along. 

Timberland reveals an alliance with British designer Christopher Raeburn, who will serve as Global Creative Director.  Raeburn's label embodies smart and responsible fashion design.  Christopher will be an essential contributor to Timberland's global creative vision.  Assuring holistic design across all product categories, marketing, and in-store environments.  Elevating a commitment to responsible sourcing, inclusion, and community.       The three pillars of Raeburn's design ethos are remade, reduced, recycled.  These complement Timberland's enduring commitment to responsible manufacturing.  Steadily increasing use of recycled, organic, and renewable materials.  Raeburn also signals craftsmanship, innovation, and utility as central to his design philosophy.  These being natural and authentic connections to the Timberland® brand.     As creative director, Raeburn will work with Timberland's global product, marketing, and innovation teams.  Delivering a radic

Sands Resorts Macao hosted Sands Macao Fashion Week (SMFW) with fashion happenings, hypes, and shows throughout the blended space. Highlights were the Walk on Water runway shows at Shoppes at Venetian on a purpose-built catwalk on The Venetian® Macao's canals. Boutique Shows at Shoppes at Parisian and special events were open to both the trade and the public. SMFW was created to showcase the retail brands at Sands Shoppes Macao and to vitalize nascent local fashion designers. After the success of last year's debut, SMFW18 kicked off with Emporio Armani showing its Fall/Winter 2018 collection in concert with Rainbow Group. This at a private gala held in The Venetian® Macao's palatial main lobby, for 220 celebrities and a sprinkling of the fashion elite. Celebrity models leading the runway were Hao Yun Xiang , Lina Zhang, and Hui Jun Zhang. In the audience were Chinese actor Ryan Zheng , actress Karlina Zhang and actor and singer Jiro Wang. Actress and singe

The NetBase 2018 Europe Luxury Accessories Social Sentiment Report is out. It reveals the most – and least – loved luxury accessories brands, highlights the effects of sentiment on social media channels, and how it this affects perception in the European luxury market. For European luxury brands, customer experience is crucial. Their audience’s standards are exacting, and love lost may be forever. Luxury accessories aren’t merely flourishes to a big picture fashion ensemble. Collectively, they represent 62 percent of the European 87 billion euro personal luxury goods market. Paige Leidig , chief marketing officer at NetBase, said: 'Sentiment tells brands and marketers everything about the customers you hope to reach, what they want from you, what they want from competitors, and how much they want it. Luxury brands have a high sentiment on social media, so it's vital to understand how they can differentiate themselves and drive positive customer passion.'