A UPS-inspired outfit from award-winning designer Jena.Theo has turned heads at the LondonFashion Week and showcased the integrator’s designs on moving closer to the catwalk in the
international fashion business.Cindy Miller, CEO for the UK, Ireland & Nordics at UPS, told CEP-Research that the company’ssupport for the up-and-coming brand reflected its desire to build relationships within theimportant fashion sector, but also to demonstrate its ability to understand the logistics andbusiness needs of small and medium-sized companies, as well as those of multinationals.
“A partnership between UPS and some of the fashion start-ups means that even though they arestarting out quite small, they can reach the world with their collections,” she said. “Providingcompanies like Jena.Theo and other small and medium-sized companies with business solutions enablesthem to focus on what they do best. We can get creative with the logistics solutions and Jena.Theocan get creative with the fabric.”
Miller said UPS already had a strong reputation in the fashion logistics sector around theworld, and worked with many of the well known brands. “But it is not just about the big players;for them to become big, companies have to start small and grow,” she said.
Both parties declined to discuss the financial relationship for the logistics partnership, whichbegan last September and covered all of Jena.Theo’s logistics requirements in the build-up to itsshow at London Fashion Week. CEP-Research understands that UPS provided its logistics services freeof charge, in exchange for the publicity coming from its involvement in supporting the high-profileevent and the increasingly acclaimed fashion label.
Miller said the relationship was a partnership rather than a sponsorship, with the formerimplying a continuing rather than a time-limited involvement. This was one of the ways UPS liked todo business, supporting small companies and then building the relationship as the company and itsneeds grow. With the Jena.Theo partnership, the intention was to continue to support the designerlogistically, but also to continue building connections within the UK fashion sector – includinggoing on a ‘mentoring tour’ with Jena.Theo of other fashion designers in the UK.
Miller added: “We are always looking for the next partner, and I would say that applies acrossindustry sectors. We continue to need the right partners to showcase our capability, and theirs,and so that they might grow with us.”
UPS began deepening its relationship with the UK fashion sector more than two years ago, bysupporting the Royal College of Art’s graduate fashion show. Jenny Holmes, one of the two foundingdesigners of Jena.Theo, told CEP-Research that it was because of this support that she contactedUPS after her label won the coveted Fashion Fringe at Covent Garden Award in 2009, to find outwhether UPS would provide logistics support for Jena.Theo’s rising logistics requirements.
“Before the show, we approached UPS because we needed support,” said Holmes. “I used to be abuyer, and I realised that the shipping part was as important as the creative part.” The two havebeen working together since last September, not just on the logistics for the London Fashion Weeklaunch, but for the globalised process of sourcing fabrics and garments.
“For example, we got the denim sampled and manufactured in Hong Kong, and we use a factory inRomania, because the way they execute the detailing there is outstanding,” added Holmes. She saidsamples are mainly moved by air, although the company would look at moving larger volumes by sea infuture, “for environmental reasons”. Following the London event, the whole show “grows legs andmoves to Paris”.
Fellow label founder Dimitris Theocharidis said: “Although we are still a small business, wehave a lot of the international logistics needs of a big business, because we have the same goals,but we don’t have the resources to do all of that by ourselves. We have got a strong product in theUK and parts of the US – for example we have people buying in places like New York and Colorado –and we are looking to expand that. I think the Japanese market might be good for us too, and theAsian market in general, because of the floatiness of our fabrics.”
Roger Carey, marketing manager for Jena.Theo, said the logistics requirements of a high-fashioncompany were extremely demanding, involving tight deadlines and irreplaceable, unique products. “Itis mission-critical,” he said. “For a show like this, we would receive a financial penalty if wecame to the venue too early, or if we are late leaving it.”
Miller said that although the requirements of the fashion sector were high, these were thingsthat a firm like UPS was used to handling every day.
