Attire Accessories -Jul/Aug 2018 (Issue 71)

ATTIRE 15 NEWS & EVENTS RETAILERS MUST GET SHARPER ON CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT TO AVOID CHURN, WARNS TRYZENS New retail sales figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) highlight the pressing need for retailers to focus on making the customer experience more innovative and engaging, according to ecommerce systems integrator Tryzens. The integrator has urged retailers to review and update their digital capabilities to weather the current storm. Announced recently, the BRC KPMG retail sales monitor report revealed the sharpest decline in retail sales since 1995. UK retail sales fell by 4.2 per cent on a like- for-like basis compared with April 2017, reinforcing the notion that the UK may see negative growth in 2018, making the UK one of the declining retail markets in the world. Commenting on the figures, Andy Burton, CEO of Tryzens, said: “Whilst one set of analysis should not be a precursor of things to come, these numbers should act as a cautionary note to retailers that continued economic and geopolitical uncertainty can markedly affect overall sales. Consumers are still spending, but how, where and when they do is dramatically changing. “Retailers now need to fight harder to win their share of customers’ wallets and ensure that their channels are aligned with the market. At the same time, they need to make customer engagement consistent, intuitive and engaging experience for the consumer.The retailers that are winning in the market today are the ones that have perfected their digital customer- engagement strategies and have the agility to adapt quickly to market changes.This is because they have cracked the challenges of achieving a single view of their customers and stock, coupled with a flexible enhancement delivery model.” He continued: “The digital revolution we are currently going through means that there are some relatively simple steps that they can take to improve their performance. Retailers never had the amount of access to consumers and their shopping data as they do today to gain insights into their target market and how their customers shop and spend, which can be leveraged to improve service and engagement. “To succeed in this climate, it is essential that retailers showcase great products, demonstrate good value and provide consistency of offers (and access to them) across channels with a strong responsive design across device types to drive sales conversion and loyalty.” Visit tryzens.com for more information. CHARITABLE LUXURY FASHION LABEL ADAM AND ALICE MAKES ITS DEBUT AT LONDON FASHION WEEK Indian-born Asvika Kathiresan debuted her London-based luxury fashion label, Adam and Alice, at London Fashion Week. From classic ready-to-wear collections to exquisite custom made pieces, everything is made using solely natural fabrics, with silk being the superstar, as the brand is totally committed to green fashion and aims to support small-scale industries. Creative director Asvika is a firm believer in repurposing and recycling, relying on short and transparent supply chains and using strictly locally sourced materials. She is relentless in her pursuit to try to reduce the negative social and environmental impacts of fashion without compromising on style, design and quality. She said: “Sustainable fashion is still at an immature stage. How we think and act can contribute towards a global cause.The shopping behaviour of consumers can bring a big change because they are the true voice of the fashion industry and the industry will listen when we all work together to make our Mother Earth beautiful and safe.” An advocate for natural fibres, Asvika uses fabrics such as silk, wool and cotton for her collections. Her dream is to create timeless items that are perceived as assets and can be passed down to loved ones through the generations. Another issue she takes into consideration is pollution – worth trillions of pounds, the fashion industry happens to be the most polluted of all. Every year, massive quantities of used clothes are exported outside the UK to be recycled or trashed, which only creates polluted air for people living on the other side of the world. On the social side, the designer supports ethical trade and tries to fight labour exploitation in every way she can. She continues to offer work to the artisans and craftsmen some high street retailers are eliminating by favouring cheap apparel mass production because she strongly believes in art, imagination and talented people. Visit adamandalice.com ➨