SINGAPORE (July 1): You’re never too young to start wearing Balmain, it seems.

Baby fashionistas

The French fashion house has announced the launch of a mini collection for newborns for the spring/summer 2020 season, landing in stores and online via the label’s e-store (www.balmain.com). Each piece in this mini collection builds on the signature codes and patterns of the famous fashion house, helmed by creative director Olivier Rousteing, while also highlighting the label’s updated logo and recently introduced monogram. The French designer’s beloved marinière sailor stripes plus black-and-white patterns also feature in the capsule. Collection highlights include rompers, tops, hoodies, joggers, socks, caps and bibs. The capsule will be sold in stores and online via the Balmain e-store.

Pre-owned fashion push

Vestiaire Collective has unveiled big expansion plans, following the completion of a €40 million ($61.6 million) round of financing. The retail platform, which specialises in high-end, pre-owned fashion, said it will use the funding to launch “new technology solutions for the fashion ecosystem”, as well as to “empower its community” and “fuel continued international growth, and beyond.” The move follows the recent launch of the brand in multiple new markets including Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Brazil and Mexico.

Since its launch in Paris in 2009, Vestiaire Collective has grown to include more than eight million members globally. The platform vets its carefully curated catalogue of luxury items, of which 40,000 are submitted per week by a community of sellers. The company has spoken of its “huge ambitions to revolutionise the industry”, stating: “Resale is holding a pivotal role in driving the fashion ecosystem towards a more sustainable behaviour.”

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Pre-loved fashion is fast becoming a major trend, as shoppers embrace a more sustainable outlook. Recently, online retailer Farfetch launched a pilot scheme in Europe dubbed “Farfetch Second Life”, encouraging shoppers to part with their unwanted handbags in return for store credit. Fast fashion label & Other Stories also began tri- alling a second-hand clothing initiative in April, in partnership with Sellpy in Sweden, while upmarket department store Neiman Marcus announced that it had acquired a minority stake in Fashionphile, an online retailer focusing on pre-owned luxury handbags and accessories.

Fashion with a conscience

Net-a-Porter is the latest fashion retailer to up its sustainability game. The luxury site has unveiled Net Sustain (pictured above), an in-site platform for consumers looking for ethically made clothes and accessories.

The 26 brands appearing in the Sustain section have been vetted by the site to ensure that they meet at least one of five key attributes, spanning human, animal and environmental welfare and aligning with global best practices across the industry. Shoppers can peruse by category, with special sections for locally made pieces, fair trade and craftsmanship, sustainable materials, considered processes and pieces with a focus on recycling or upcycling.

The retailer is the latest in a string of major fashion players making it easier for shoppers to make ethical choices. Earlier this month, Gap announced a plan to use only sustainable cotton by the year 2025, while H&M has been working on an initiative that sees each fashion piece’s production country, supplier names, factory names and addresses, as well as the number of factory workers, published on its website.