2021 APRIL
iApparel Journal Quarterly Issue
We have been lockdown since March 8, 2020 in the US when the Covid-19 was still an epidemic. But soon this was extended worldwide and it affected the mankind on the global scale, and it was soon declared as pandemic. Until this writing we haven’t seen the spreading of the Covid-19 being slowing down and we even can’t contain it, although it was since last December some countries have started the vaccination.
Starting this issue, we would like to select a picture to highlight our quarterly issue, and we have picked the International Women’s Day to remember. We have also an article devoted to this day.
– Andrew Sia
Founder & Publisher
Preview all articles of this
quarterly issue !
Special Report
Written at the Beginning of the Year
By Andrew Sia
In our January issue, we have started the year with a very bleak view. We would like to use this article to motivate our readers to come forward and think positively. We hope that when the world’s population would have reached a certain level of receiving the vaccination, we can start an immune system. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
Global Fashion & Exhibition Calendar - April to December 2021
By Andrew Sia
When I was preparing the article, I wrote that our world has been shut down for over a year now and this has affected many businesses and people’s lives, but this is far from over. When I started to comb through all the shows and exhibitions, I found that many of them have been holding back because of the travel ban. This impact is very bad as it has brought the air travel and the hospitality industry down to their knees We don’t know when can this be normalized. Everything is done through tele-conference and carry out in virtual.
I have found out that the exhibition industry is a $11 billion business. What comes together with it are the hospitality industry and the traveling industry, I can name them as hotels, air traveling, restaurants and all the relating service industries. Not to forget that these exhibitions and tradeshows are promoting different industries and the businesses that they representing are astronomical.
I noted a show in particular, and it is also one of the oldest shows that I have come across and it is the Swimwear Miami, and it will normally take place in July at Miami Beach Convention Center. But I have noticed that it has stopped for two years already. This is a severe blow to the swimwear industry. We just have to wait until everything can recover from the pandemic.
I leave the contact here just in case www.swimshow.com
Breaking News: I have just noticed that the show will be on this time from July 10 to 13 and will be held at Miami Beach Convention Center. It will be held both physical and digital and obviously thevaccine has built up our confidence.
Coronavirus Regional Report, January 2021
– We highlighted the report with the vaccinations out there.
Coronavirus Regional Report, February 2021
– We opened the article with the African report.
Coronavirus Regional Report, March 2021
– We introduced the Southeast Asian countries
By Andrew Sia
We have been covering this since April 2020. We have selected those countries where we have the manufacturing activities and also where our key markets are. Hopefully that this can be given as a guideline.
Are we Ready for 5G
By Andrew Sia
5G is about connectivity and the speed. And because of the great number of the cell towers to boost its speed, the connection is using the radio signal. For the going forward, all the computer peripherals will be connected wireless.
But we have learned not to worry as we don’t need to jump into 5G immediately as there are enough users for the 4G and the service providers will be careful not to disrupt this very large group of users.
Market Intelligence
Market Intelligence Part 1 & 2
By Andrew Sia
Part 1
Would like to highlight one of the news clips, the J. Front Retailing, which is a fashion subscription service in Japan where customers can sign up and pay for a monthly fee of ¥11,000 for three clothing items.
Part 2
“Chinese Consumer’s Behavior Post-Covid” is a report that should draw your attention.
Fashion & Design
2021 Pantone Color Trend -
Ultimate Gray
| Illuminating
& Other Vivid Fashion Colors
by InDigest Team
Plaster gray can be used quite easily and easy to please the female group. But the yellow color has not be an easy color to tackle. The article further introduced green, pale rose, and crimson has made the article more exciting.
Work-From-Home Culture Brought by Coronavirus
by InDigest
It is the second article by the team InDigest and it opened the article by declaring that a new trend is emerging – the Elevated Loungewear. I found that this statement is very powerful and this is what the market wants.
Jil Sander's Minimalist Fashion
By Andrew Sia
Throughout this article, we can find many quotes that are reflecting the talent and the vision of Jil Sander.
I especially like one of her quotes: “My aesthetic comes from what I appreciate in life, what I learn, and my perception of the times.” – Jil Sander
She has a long history in the fashion world and I want to wish her well with her collaboration with Fast Retailing—Uniqlo, for the +J line.
Spring / Summer 2022 Trends Report
By Genevieve Redding
Genevieve has been one of our regular contributor for this special column. I hope that you will find it interesting. Like the title suggested that it is the fashion and color trends for 2022. She is suggesting five themes in Vintage Lace, Pressed Flowers, Chalked Pastels, Metallic Muse, and Optimistic Pink. How much we crave for the next Spring that can bring us hope again.
Fashion Quote by Elsa Schiaparelli
Written by : Andrew Sia
Illustrated by : Elita Lam
She caught my attention when I was writing about another famous designer, Paul Poiret, who was her mentor but who wasn’t so lucky as he went broke in his final years.
Elsa came forward and offered for his burial and in this world we will need more people like Elsa, especially in our fashion world. She earned my respect.
I am happy that someone, in fact, Marco Zanini, revived the brand and her legacy in 2013 and I hope that it is doing well.
Market Report
Market Report | Short Read - Part 1 to Part 3
By Andrew Sia
Short Read - Part 1
I would like to lead you to the article titled as “Starting of Covid-19 Vaccines in Asia” as I have noticed that the Asian countries are being the least being vaccinated.
Short Read - Part 2
Please refer to the news clips as general.
Short Read - Part 3
As described above, please refer to the news clips. But during this time AstraZeneca has been in the news for being a vaccine that is causing a lot of controversy in Europe.
China the Giant Juggernaut Part 6
By Andrew Sia
This is the series that I am using to deal with the issues of China and we can catch up with the latest. We can find so many opportunities within the lines.
Lately, we have seen a lot of negativity about China is the foreign policy. Perhaps it is time to examine what is there still to repair this relationship and help one another to lift ourselves from this mess created by the Covid-19 and look forward to the human’s future together. The world is like a village now and to live in a harmonize way is very important. If we can solve this, our domestic issues are not going to be difficult to overcome.
Coronavirus Impact on the Economy of United Kingdom
By Andrew Sia
United Kingdom has been badly hit by the Covid-19, but also this time the Brexit has been effective since January 1. The report is good for reference. But we can see that the government of UK has been funding the retail industry and we hope that all these measures will help the country to go through this very dark moment.
Coronavirus Impact on the Retail Landscape in the US
By Andrew Sia
The report is showing you data and facts. Again, like any reports, we can use the report to learn for what happened and position ourselves when things can be normalized.
How Fast Fashion Conglomerates Strive Through the Pandemic
The article has left me a lot of questions about our industry. Is it resilient during the Covid-19 is one of the questions. We have witnessed a lot of retailers scrambling for cover when it was broken out in February. I heard from one of the Bangladeshi, who is a garment manufacturer, said that there was the missing of trust. Going forward when everything is quieted down, we have to repair and to build up strong alliances. In this business we need both sides.
By Andrew Sia
Dedicated to the International Women's Day 2021
By Andrew Sia
The theme for this year is: Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a Covid-19 world. I have paid tributes to the leading women leaders and women workers.
ENVIRONMENTAL & SUSTAINABILITY
Progress Report on the Paris Climate Agreement - Part 11
By Andrew Sia
In this issue we have noticed the US returning to the Paris Climate Accord of the United States under the new president, Joe Biden. We have also read about Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, who will be back to play the important role in the Climate Change.
OP 26 this year will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from November 1 to 12. We hope by then it will be safer for traveling and can bring success to this summit.
With this article we brought out the “green Hydrogen” and we will report more about this in the coming issue.
Different Façades of Sustainable Fashion
By Andrew Sia
Sustainability is the buzzword for the fashion industry. It is getting more demanding and like what the title suggested there are many façades for us to practice. Going forward, we will be doing more articles in regarding to this topic.
SUPPLY CHAIN
A Road Map of Canada
By Andrew Sia
In this report, we deal with the history and all the useful information for understanding more about the country. We found that it is a very admirable country putting its people first in every respect. If our readers have more questions, we will be delighted to make more studies and hope that we can help.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP & BUSINESS
More on Franchise During the Pandemic
By Andrew Sia
This is the follow up of the previous article “Franchising – Starting Your Own Business” in our January issue. Again, we hope that it can benefit you.
BOOK REPORT
How To Give Up Plastic by Will McCallum
Report by Andrew Sia
It is about the plastic-free lifestyle and earlier on we have already reported about plastic bottle that caused a lot of garbage on our planet earth. Together with the other garbage, it formed the gyres in our different oceans.
Please use this as a guidebook to change our habits that we built at the convenience of plastics.
ACADEMIC & EDUCATION
Newark School of Fashion & Design
By Caroline Kopas
This school will start in the coming September as the high school. Together with the Newark School of Global Studies, the Newark School of Data Science and Information Technology, Science Park High School, Arts High School, Technology High School, American History High School, they are preparing the education for the community in Newark.