Half of exhibitors at Interfiliere HK'19 showcased sustainable efforts
Started in 2007, Interfiliere Hong Kong is one of many Eurovet trade shows for intimates and swimwear. The two-day annual event has reinvented its conventional trade fair format into a selective networking platform since 2017, focusing on body fashion, bringing together buyers, select innovative mills, accessory suppliers and original equipment and design manufacturers (OEM/ODM) from all over the world. Show director Marine Veillon briefs us about the highlights of the show held on 20-21 March and shares insights into the trends in the lingerie, swimwear and activewear markets.
What was the theme of the recent Interfiliere Hong Kong?
Interfiliere shows cover several themes, thanks to the variety of events like networking meetings, forums, conferences and onsite events.
This year's show focused on sustainability and circularity, through dedicated conferences and panel discussions, and the presentation to the industry of a public-private partnership (PPP) project we launched with support from the German ministry for economic cooperation and development and four Indonesian lingerie manufacturers. The underlying idea is to work with these four companies and a specialised consultant to go a step further in their sustainability initiative and in reducing waste.
Innovation plays a big role in Interfiliere Hong Kong. With the help of a steering committee comprising key brands' sourcing and design directors, we select only the most innovative exhibitors for the show. We also give the stage to some exhibitors to showcase their latest developments.
We dug into Gen Z consumers and emerging consumption patterns through conferences by Tmall and Daxue Consulting.
And finally, trends are always a key theme in our events. The Creativ' Lab presented the fall-winter 2020/21 trends and cast the light on the designers and 'makers' of the body fashion industry. Vanessa Causse decoded the coming fall/winter trends and inspirations.
What are the major trends in terms of fabrics, colour & prints, style & fits, trims & accessories for A/W 2019?
We analysed these trends through socio-cultural signs. The first macro trend would be a 'Loving Voice', celebrating all bodies and skin tones, all differences and emphasising the natural and inclusivity. Its colour range is an array of skin tone colours, from pastel to deeper pink/skin/nude tones-natural, vaporous and fluid materials, with specific hand work and know how such as lace or embroidery.
A second voice is the 'Emancipated' one, speaking about a new feminism and casual seduction. Lingerie blurs the boundaries with ready-to-wear, easy-to-wear or as an accessory in the outfit, through superposition of layers. Colour palette includes light bluish greys and lavender tones.
The third voice is a 'Bold' one, with strong identity, colour-built shapes, contrasts and a clear influence of sports and a search for multi-functionality, simplicity but also creativity and innovation. Comfortable, stretch fabrics and elastics play an important role.
The last voice trending is, quite instinctively, the 'Natural Voice', speaking about balance, harmony and concerns about the society and environment. Tones are light and vaporous pinks, purple, grass and bluish greens. We go back to natural and light materials, vintage prints or embellishments, natural dyes mixed with one another. We ask transparency about the ingredients and manufacturing process, chemicals and products used.
Please share with us details of the trend forecast discussed in the Creativ' Lab at the show.
There are six main trends we can draw inspiration from, the first being Nature's Ornaments, inspired from natural, graphical (webs, veins, crackles) in the earth and nature's colours. The second would be Modern Seduction, influenced by streetwear, with strong contrasts and motifs, coming in shades of red, black and nude. Thirdly, we talked about the New Bodyfashion Wardrobe, from athleisure to streetwear, multi-functionality being the key, in a mix of natural and very technical fabrics, including coatings. Unpredictability comes next, inspired from Gucci for instance, with a craziness in patterns mix and multiple colours. Romanticism then, in nude and light colours, with surface effects and new materials or vintage effect. And finally Making, Keeping, Reusing, inspired by the new bio-economy, this trend being dominated by natural or cozy knits and materials.
What were the key highlights of the show? How different is the show compared to Interfiliere Paris?
Interfiliere Hong Kong is a unique event in the Interfiliere family. We have developed it as a selective networking platform at human scale. Furthermore, all our exhibitors are confirmed by a steering committee gathering influential buyers like Lululemon, Puma, Aimer, Etam-Unidz, Neiwai, Decathlon, John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Gourami, Charmante and Wacoal. The aim of this committee is to assist us in curating the most relevant offer for our visitors. Our visitors are invited by our team and we give priority to decision makers, designers and new brands.
One of the highlights of the show would definitely be the Gallery, a space accessible only to visitors, where they can see, feel and gather digital information about each exhibitor and its latest samples, as well as the most representative of their know-how and collection.
We were also extremely happy to host the Poly-U final year students catwalk show. The 12 best students of the Intimate Apparel class each presented three garments to the public, and a jury of professionals picked six of those for the next step-developing three more garments and showing their collection to a major catwalk show in June.
And the Creativ'Lab, of course, was impossible to miss. A mighty structure with a roof made of a myriad of coloured paintbrushes, and under this roof samples are exhibited and shopping illustrates the trends.
From which countries was the representation strongest? Companies from which new countries exhibited?
Most companies exhibiting in the show are from Asia-Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Indonesia (with two new exhibitors), Japan and South Korea (both with new exhibitors in fabrics), and India. But we also had exhibitors from France and a new exhibitor, 3T Transfers, from Lithuania.
Visitors are mostly from Asia as well, with Hong Kong and China ranking high, followed by Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and India. But buyers from the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Russia also visited the show.
What are the macro consumer trends in innerwear and swimwear globally? Any specific trends in Asia?
The key trend in lingerie and swim is the EASY to WEAR.
The sublimated body, the famous 90-60-90 that rocked a whole generation is now out. The lingerie sector goes even further towards more fluidity, more freedom of the body, less built-in and structured, simpler, multi-functional and with maximum comfort, without losing any of the fashion aspect. There is no limitation of genre, style, rhythm. From now on, the practical and comfort aspects become the primary criteria of purchase.
This translates into minimalist looks, linear cuts, without details. The work of the cut is the main design. We see ranges inspired by neutrals and shades of grey for easy-to-combine shades.
In Asia specifically, some brands like Voiment or Neiwai follow this trend well. Asian morphologies also allow the better development of this trend. We have also noted that in Asia, and more particularly in China, the promise made by the impact of the product on the health is key to consumers.
Do you see the incorporation of smart textiles and artificial intelligence (AI) in innerwear?
Indeed, we see. For instance, some elastic bands or fabrics changing colour with the body temperature, or T-shirts embedding smart technology to monitor heart rate, posture and other parameters. There is also a company manufacturing a polyester that can be washed with water only at normal temperature, without any chemicals. In a more anecdotic trend, we see some male underwear built in with materials blocking any kind of waves. This will grow for sure in the coming years as technological developments enable innovations to be embedded within fibres or very thin fabrics.
What is the percentage of fibres, fabrics, accessories, laces & embroideries and OEM/ODM exhibitors at the fair?
It is always difficult to be precise as some companies and exhibitors are able to produce two or more of the product categories you mentioned. Innovative producers sometimes explore new fields.
Around 30 per cent of our exhibitors were OEM/ODMs. Fabric producers accounted for 28 per cent, followed by lace manufacturers at 22 per cent. Manufacturers of accessories and embroideries made the remaining 20 per cent.
How would you describe the market for innerwear and swimwear in Asia? What factors are shaping the industry?
We see a clear growth in consumption of both innerwear and swimwear in Asia, led by China. Growing disposable income, popularisation of water sports, fit figures and the development of athleisure have been supporting the market. In addition, innerwear and swimwear have ceased to be merely 'functional' purchases; those are now considered fashion, and consumers in this part of the world buy more pieces than before.
Today in China, the lingerie market is rather fragmented, with the top 10 brands holding around 20 per cent cumulative market share, whereas in the United States, the top five brands control 70 per cent of the domestic market. This enables numerous new brands to enter the game in loungewear, lingerie, swimwear, yoga/activewear, not only in China, but also in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. They are ultra-creative, play with lingerie, sports, fashion codes and their online presence facilitates distribution. It is estimated that within a few years, half of the lingerie, swimwear and activewear purchases will be made online in China.
How are concepts like sustainability and blockchain placed at the show? What percentage of innerwear at the show is sustainable?
Eco-responsibility and transparency are already at the heart of the concerns of lingerie and swimsuits and fashion brands more broadly. As the textile sector is highly criticised for these aspects, brands are already working on these at the product level and also in terms of their communication around these commitments.
At Interfiliere Hong Kong this year-and it is a steady trend in our Asian shows-half of the exhibiting companies have developed a sustainable range or invested in a sustainable manufacturing process. This year we invited Redress to moderate a panel on 'design for recyclability-Can the intimates sector reach circularity?', and SuPPPort to talk about 'Future Fibres and Fabrics, materials that will change the fashion industry'. Both conferences were full, which shows the importance of these exchanges.
In addition, as I briefly explained above, we have introduced to the public the project we are currently working on in Indonesia. It is a public-private partnership programme with a German ministry. We are working hand in hand with four major Indonesian lingerie manufacturers, who all have already committed to a more sustainable body fashion manufacturing industry, and who were exhibitors at the show-Kewalram, Sipatatex, BusanaRemajaAgracipta and WSK-and are also part of the projects involved with the Indonesian Textile Association or AsosiasiPertekstilan Indonesia (API ) and the Maranatha University in Bandung. The objectives of the projects are to support these four companies in their sustainability efforts, including optimising the use of resources, minimising solid waste and creating circular loops. It also aims at spreading best practices across the whole textile industry, and hence the invaluable participation of API and Maranatha University to help us reach out to more current and future industry players.
Sustainability is not an option, neither for the consumer nor for the industry. (HO)
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