Bright sunshine and blue skies greeted Drapers – as well as door staff holding playful parasols – when it visited Scoop on 14 July, in the middle of a London heatwave.
Inside, the show’s “Magical Edition” theme mirrored the summery day, with the exhibition decorated in flowers and bright colours. In a nod to the late 1960s, the sounds of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and The Beatles, and mannequins seated atop vintage funfair carousel horses, added an element of psychedelia.
More than 200 brands were exhibiting, with 35 from France, 25 from Spain, 10 from Greece, 20 from Italy, 20 from Denmark and the remainder from the UK and rest of the world. As well as womenswear, the show featured footwear and accessories brands such as Melissa and an expanded beauty and fragrance offering.
Buying teams browsing the aisles included John Lewis Partnership and Frasers Group, independent department stores Morleys and Jarrolds, and boutiques Bod & Ted and The Dressing Room. Exhibitors that Drapers spoke with reported that Monday’s edition was busier than the Sunday, with both orders being written and appointments being made.
Event organisers told Drapers the SS26 edition of Scoop had welcomed far more international buyers from Europe than usual – as well as an increase in Irish and Scottish buyers. The lunch queue at the cafe was buzzing with chatter in different languages when Drapers took a quick break.
Scoop’s founder and managing director Karen Radley said that during her efforts to find newness for the show she had visited Barcelona – “There are lots of interesting young designers coming out of Spain” – and that the event had been “very relaxed, they [visitors] like the new venue”. Radley said she had initially been “very nervous” about the move to the Olympia National hall from Olympia West – as it seemed like it might be harder to decorate – but was positive about the move.
María Dolores Arráez, head of consumer goods at the Spanish Embassy Commercial Office – which was helping with 15 Spanish brands exhibit at the show – agreed. “Businesses are very happy with the new location, the feedback has been excellent so far,” she told Drapers.
She added: “They [brands] all have different targets and Scoop gives them a good variety in the price segment they’re looking for.”
Brigit Rhodes – manager of Hope Womenswear boutique in Norden, just outside Rochdale, greater Manchester, and sister shop to Drapers Award-winning indie chain, Hope Menswear – told Drapers it was “definitely busier, buzzier, and better than last year – there are more commercial, sellable brands.”
Rhodes noted that even though she has been attending Scoop for years it is “expensive – the travel, and staying in a hotel”.
Lisa Hempstock, owner of Sister womenswear boutique in Sheffield, told Drapers Scoop was “busier than yesterday” and that she was happy to see this edition feature more accessories than previous ones. “It’s nice to have them here,” she added – explaining that she likes to see as many brands as possible in one place, as she was attending “looking for new [brands] and getting a recce on existing ones.”
Hempstock said that trade for her business was “up and down” at the moment, noting National Insurance contributions and business rates rises as contributing to the challenges. “It’s almost like they want to destroy small businesses,” she said, of the UK government.
Both Rhodes and Hempstock had written orders by the time they spoke to Drapers, as had founder of St Albans’ Drapers Award-winning The Dressing Room, Deryane Tadd.
“It’s been good – a nice and positive energy,” Tadd told Drapers. “I’m here looking for that brand that jumps out that you have to have, a reason [for customers] to come into the store – a real must-have. It’s hard to put your finger on that until you see it in real life.”
Long-established denim brands Lee and Wrangler were showing at Scoop for the first time, on the hunt for stockists like Tadd’s. Senior key account manager at owner Kontoor Brands, Emma McConnell, told Drapers they were exhibiting as part of a focus on the UK womenswear market, and was trying to find boutiques that can help them reach those consumers.
“We’re looking to elevate [the brands],” McConnell explained – adding that both Lee and Wrangler are expanding their womenswear offers. “We want to position Lee and Wrangler alongside premium denim brands they [womenswear boutiques] already stock.
She added: “We’ve made appointments – some of the right people have come by the stand.”
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