China Denim Trend: To explore the denim world
By Zhao Zihan
In the new denim era, what is the design trend and how is the market space? How to explore an effective co-branding marketing strategy between the internationally well-known fabric suppliers and the brand owners? With these questions, the China Denim Trend jointly organized by ISKO™ and China Textile Information Center (CTIC) was held in Beijing on June 7th, 2016.
This China Denim Trend not only opened a window for the future denim fashion but also established a shared platform for denim innovation. It is the first time for cooperation between CTIC and ISKO™, also an effective exploration based on professional statistics and international excellent enterprises’ experiences.
As representatives of the organizers, Li Binhong, Director of China Textiles Development Center, Marco Lucietti, ISKO™ Global Marketing Director, John Wong, Greater China General Manager of ISKO™, Danny Law, Greater China Chief Representative, and Umberto Brocchetto, General Manager of Creative Room™ Italy, attended the conference, together with Design Directors, Chief Procurement Officers, and Brand Managers from the first-class brands in China.
It is introduced that ISKO™ is part of SANKO TEKSTIL, the textiles division of SANKO Group. The multinational corporation is active in a wide range of sectors, from construction and energy to packaging, financial services, health care and education. Privately owned by the Konukoglu family, SANKO Group is one of Turkey’s largest conglomerates.
SANKO Group is a major investor in renewable energy and environmental protection, including hydroelectric and wind power plants. The company is also committed to charitable initiatives through the Sani Konukoglu Charity Foundation. Each year it provides scholarships to more than 1,500 university students, supports schools and hospitals through sponsorship and funds food aid for more than 50,000 families in need.
l John Wong, Greater China General Manager of ISKO™
Based on the conference today, ISKO™ wishes to make a thorough interpretation to the application of denim trend in Chinese market on a global perspective. Meanwhile, as the world’s number one producer of premium quality denim, ISKO™ will see an integration of its core design and R&D capabilities and creative design resources to continuously release the fashion value in collaboration with the downstream brands, which will further promote collaborative innovation between the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain as well as high-quality resources at home and abroad.
l Li Binhong, Director of China Textiles Development Center
During this China Denim Trend, CTIC and ISKO™, together with Chinese clothing brand designers and procurement representatives of international brands, carried out a creative dialogue to share information and exchange ideas based on the field of denim from such different perspectives as the consumer market, fashion design, technological innovation, and personnel training. It started the in-depth business cooperation between each other, as well as joint research and trend publishing.
It is also believed that in the future, ISKO™ will undoubtedly enjoy more substantial value in the Chinese market, while Chinese clothing brands will also create more exciting fashion for the consumers around the world.
l Marco Lucietti, ISKO™ Global Marketing Director
In his speech, Marco Lucietti shared with the audience the history of denim as well as the future and innovation of denim fabrics. He introduced a platform, ISKO ARQUAS™, which emerges as the perfect solution for today’s hottest trend: athleisure. The event is part of the project “The denim sapiens, from rigid to future species”, which ISKO™ started in 2013 in Biblioteca della Moda to reveal some of the steps in the pursuit of denim comfort. Today, this means exploring “The evolution from fashion to sport”, focusing on the growing importance of athleisure.
Athleisure is the new frontier in fashion; it mixes style and comfort, day-to-day living and the contemporary look. ISKO™ together with its design and style research center CREATIVE ROOM™ chose this occasion to present the ultimate denim evolution to the world: ISKO ARQUAS™, the activewear platform – backed by the expertise of the global leader in Premium Denim – for one-of-a-kind fabrics that deliver the performance required by sports and the style that fashion consumers are looking for.
This ISKO ARQUAS™ collection is structured into four families, conveying different shades of athleisure expression:
– DANCE, FITNESS, YOGA
– URBAN TECH
– BLUE OUTDOOR
– COMMUTER BIKING
l Li Lei, Creative Director of Trend Dept. / CTIC
From denim fabric style, silhouette, technology and other technical points of view as a starting point, he made a detailed analysis of Chinese denim market, fashion trends, retail purchase, and prediction of the future trends with the professional design language of fashion trends, providing practical and directive significance for the innovation and sustainability of Chinese clothing brands.
l Ronald Yan, ISKO™ China Market Consultant
Faced with changes in China’s consumer market, Ronald Yan conducted an in-depth analysis of intergenerational changes in consumption and changes in consumer platforms based on the consumption data of the people after 70s, 80s, and 90s respectively. On the topic, he stressed the impact of the new social interaction towards consumption that at an era of Internet+, the instant-online-celebrity economy has created a new commercial body for brands.
l Dialogue among fashion brand representatives
Themed on “Reviewing the history and innovative future of denim, focusing on the new denim consumption trend in China”, the dialogue among fashion representatives including Danny Law, Greater China Chief Representative, Ronald Yan, ISKO™ China Market Consultant, Peng Shan, Design Director of INMAN, and Zhou Shaoen from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. The dialogue focused on the difficulty and excitement as well as layout of Chinese denim market, the collaborative innovation of the supply chain and the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, and the marketing mode of co-branding integration of both domestic and overseas brands.
l Umberto Brocchetto, General Manager of Creative Room™ Italy & Villi Bortolon, Manager of Creative Room™ Italy
In a way of questions and answers, Umberto Brocchetto and Villi Bortolon Illustrated ISKO™ innovative washing process, and showcased the latest garment samples, attaching great importance to the following three sectors: ISKO™ R&D, ISKOTECA™, and CREATIVE ROOM™.
“Our team continually designs and develops exceptional innovations that have been patented worldwide to certify ISKO™ intellectual property. As a proven assurance of product integrity, ISKO™ patents and trademarks guarantee flawless quality and uncompromising performance every time. From spinning to finishing, every stage of production is state of the art. With industry-leading expertise in complex fabrics, we offer infinite opportunities for fashion designers and our brand partners to stay a step ahead of the market, to interpret upcoming trends and bring their creative visions to life.”
New product development at ISKO™ reflects a constant flow of inspiration and ideas that shape denim culture. This rich fusion of diverse influences is supported by the three dedicated think-tanks – strategic centers of design excellence focused on key aspects of denim lifestyle plus the latest trends, technologies and treatments from the world’s fashion hotspots.
ISKOTECA™: San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy – a specialist research resource with a complete product library including a display of every single one of the 25,000 ISKO™ concepts.
CREATIVE ROOM™: Castelfranco, Veneto, Italy – the design and research center for fashion, jeans wear, sportswear and street wear brands.
CREATIVE ROOM™: Istanbul, Turkey – opened in 2014 with a special focus on retail trends, wash treatments and accessories plus a global archive of samples.
ISKO I-SKOOL™: “The Winner Cellar - A selection of talent and denim innovation by ISKO™”
- Selection Contest in China
Gold Award Winners
Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University
Hao Linqi
Beijing institute of Fashion Technology
Danny Law is talking with two sponsors.
Interactive communication between Stephen Miner from Avery Dennison and the guests
Release of the latest ISKO™ Denim Washing Process
Prof. Li Wei (L) from Academy of Art & Design, Tsinghua University & Prof. Guo Ruiping (R) from Beijing institute of Fashion Technology
ISKO™ commitment to high quality standards and environmental friendly approach are endorsed by internationally recognized accreditations.
l OEKO TEX 100 Standard
Independent certification for textile raw, intermediate and end products at all stages of processing.
l GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards)
Certification for products made with 100% organic cotton.
l ISO 9000
Certıfıcatıon of applying high standard principles of the quality management system within the organisation.
l ISO 9001 – ISO 9002B
Certification of manufacturing processes in line with the highest internationally recognized quality standards.
l GRS (Global Recycled Standard)
Certification of using recycling material in the final product.
l Organic Content Standard (OCS)
Verification of a final product contains the accurate amount of a given organically grown material.
ISKO™: From product to Concept, from Concept to product
Woven into everything we do, this ethos has made ISKO™ the world’s number one producer of premium quality denim. It’s a philosophy that constantly drives us to bring innovative textile concepts to market, creating exciting possibilities at the cutting edge of fashion for customers worldwide.
ISKO™’s route to textiles began in 1904 and in 1989 we opened our 300,000 m2 manufacturing plant, making ISKO™ the world’s largest denim manufacturer under one roof. With 1,500 high-tech automated looms, global distribution of employees and production capacity of 250 million meters of fabric per year, our portfolio includes more than 25,000 products.
ISKO™ sales are rapidly expanding globally, including a strong presence in 30 countries and an international network of textile technologists, design experts and retail specialists. ISKO™ brands and fabrics deliver unbeatable value and competitive difference for our customers in every niche of the denim market, protecting our customers with our patents and trademarks.