20/03/2013

I Love MCR: Mancunion Independent Retailer Fashion Fight

Hey kittens!

Today I’m bringing you my fourth post as resident Fashionista for I Love Manchester. For this week’s edition, I’m bringing you some striking fashion news, right from the roots of Manchester…

It’s about a fight between an independent Mancunion retailer and a global conglomeration – and if we don’t care about Manchester’s fight for fashion, what sort of North-West fashionistas would we be? Grrr!

Last week I was lucky enough to attend Black White Denim‘s Spring/Summer 2013 fashion show (blog post and Youtube video to follow!) and was overwhelmed by the amount of chic in one place. So, I wasn’t that surprised to learn today of a currently battle taking place between Black White Denim and an international company trying to steal it’s identity – I mean, who wouldn’t want that amount of style in one place!

So kittens, our story begins as award-winning independent fashion retailer Black White Denim fights a ‘David and Goliath’ battle to stop its identity being stolen by a large South African distributor. The Cheshire-based boutique and e-commerce retailer, with an international client base, is under threat from The Scottish Knitwear Group, which run stores for Pringle and Ben Sherman and now plans to open an outlet called Black White Denim in Johannesburg. How cheeky!

As well as taking the same name and concept, material sent to potential partners of the new venture in the city’s wealthy Sandton district used key phrases already employed by the UK-based premium womenswear company. These include describing black and white as the ‘foundation colours’ and ‘building blocks’ of a woman’s wardrobe.

But don’t worry kitty cats, our glamour puss fights back!

Founder and managing director of Wilmslow-based Black White Denim, Jo Davies, commented: “I was outraged when I found out they were stealing our name. It is even worse coming from a company attached to a name like Pringle. We’re a small independent who has carved a livelihood by establishing a clear niche through a well thought-out, hard-won concept in which we have invested all we have. Now our whole business is under threat from a mass distributor cynically attempting to piggy-back on our concept.”

Black White Denim has written to Scottish Knitwear Group, requesting that they change the store’s name. However, Scottish Knitwear Group insist they are going ahead with their plans as they were ‘initiated with absolutely no ill intent’, leaving Black White Denim to pursue the matter through the courts… I guess we will just have to wait and see!

I’m sure that y’all who love Manchester as much as me will be backing our local independent boutique. Black White Denim, launched in 2010, has been hailed by the fashion world, quickly earning influence and a far-reaching reputation. Vogue called it a ”winning combination”, the company featured as one of the “Top 50 best boutiques outside of London” in the Sunday Telegraph and they are ranked no.4 in Drapers’ 100 Inspiring Indies

So kittens, what side are you on? Let me know in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, like my Facebook page and subscribe to my Youtube channel to keep up to date with all things fashion!

And if this wasn’t enough fashion fuel for ya, check out my other I Love Manchester articles here:
I Love MCR: Fashion Editor