Newsletter No 45 / 26 November 2021                           

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SA Fashion Week invites entries for New Talent Search 2022

SA Fashion Week is on the lookout for talented up-and-coming womenswear designers to enter its New Talent Search for 2022. This year’s theme is ‘Show Us Your Print’ and briefs creators to change how we view fabric design within fashion design.

This year’s theme is ‘Show Us Your Print’ and briefs creators to change how we view fabric design within fashion design.

SA Fashion Week states that printing has become an integral part of fashion design, and allows brands to offer their consumers something unique.

To enter the New Talent Search designers must:

• Consider fabrics that have the least impact on the environment
• Use natural linen, cotton, and sustainably sourced fabrics
• Keep fur and leather-free
• Ensure their design includes print on at least 50% of the garments
• Employ zero-waste cutting such as draping, knitting, or use a zero-waste pattern
• Provide consumer care instructions to increase the garment’s longevity
• Create a timeless and trans-seasonal collection
Designs should be based on 2022 world trends and combine contemporary shapes, styles and construction with the designer’s unique inspiration and design talent. Applicants should also research slow fashion to make sure they understand it in a way that you can live it and play a role in shaping the future of Sustainable Fashion.

The SA Fashion Week New Talent Search is open to ladieswear designers whose businesses are based in South Africa. All designer applicants must supply a minimum of one store (this can include their store or online store) and must be under 10 years in business to qualify to enter. Semi-finalists, based on their talent, their ability to follow the brief, and their capacity to supply more stores, are selected by a panel of industry-leading judges.

The prize

The winner will walk away with the total prize value of R45,500, including:

• R20,000 towards developing a SS22 collection
• Participation in the 2023 New Talent Search show one year later, valued at R12,500
• One free stand at the SAFW Designer Pop-Up, valued at R 6,000

All finalists will receive a free stand at the SS22 Trade Show, where they can do market research and sell to boutiques, departmental stores, and online stores.

Find more information on the competition here, and enter here.   Bizcommunity

Newly renovated 75 on Plein handed over to Truworths

By Monique Holtzhausen

After five years of extensive renovations and refurbishments, Afroteq Advisory was part of the professional team who officially handed over the completed and elegant “75 on Plein” to Truworths on Friday, 12 November 2021.

Located in the heart of Cape Town’s Central Business District (CBD), Plein Street is steeped in history and is undoubtedly one of the Mother City’s most well-known boulevards. The Plein Park building was originally designed by KMH Architects in 1962 and housed the old Department of Justice.  Five decades later, KMH was re-appointed to give the old building a new lease on life by creating a modern and sleek aesthetic.

“What started out in 2016 as a relatively small project to design and execute the fit-out of two floors of the building for the Truworths’ call centre, turned into a major, four year project that saw the old brown and drab building from a forgotten era transformed into a 16 floor, state-of-the art office block that has been renovated according to world class Facilities Management and green building specifications,” says Pieter Vlok, Senior Project Manager at Afroteq Advisory Pty (Ltd).

Truworths tasked Afroteq with the responsibility of managing the diverse team of professionals and contractors involved in the project, and to ensure that the renovated building was not only aligned to Green Building Standards, but that best-in-class Facilities Management principles were also followed in the design, construction and operation phases so that the ongoing maintenance of the building would be as cost effective and efficient as possible. These extensive refurbishments include:

Installing new services infrastructure (from basement to roof), including new HVAC systems, fire protection and security upgrades. Refurbishing the main entrance and lobby situated on the ground floor in Plein Street. Renovating the 10th and 11th floors for the Truworths Group’s call centre and completing white box preparation of the 12th to 16th floors for future tenants. Installing a new lightweight structural steel extension of the 10th floor, as well as a contemporary, wraparound curtain wall façade made from performance glass as prominent new features. Installing a borehole water system and a mechanism to recycle grey water in order to reduce water consumption. Supporting a temperature-controlled environment with the use of blinds and shade controls, ventilation and sun control with the bespoke, perforated metal façade.

Speaking at the official launch of the building, Grant Young of Truworths said: “What an amazing journey this has been! We are all incredibly excited and proud of how the project evolved and turned out. The way this team of professionals worked with each other, epitomises the Truworths philosophy of working in teams and forming powerful partnerships.  Our sincere thanks and congratulations go to Afroteq Advisory, GVK Siya Zama Construction, KMH Architects, Bernard James & Partners as QS’s as well as consulting engineering firms KFD Wilkinson, TRIOCON and GIBB. Despite the many challenges they had to face along the way, each one of them worked tirelessly with passion, commitment and dedication to deliver an excellent project safely, on time and within budget”.

Even before its completion, 75 on Plein attracted attention and won several industry awards for its building excellence, including being named the Site of the Year (2018), SHEQ construction manager of the year (2018), successful ISO audits (9001, 14001 and 45001), awarded second place in the MBA regional competition (2019), achieving an average of 90 % on internal audits and 95 % on external audits and an impressive 0.6 LTIFR (lost time due to injuries on site) for over more than 330 216 hours worked.

“We would like to thank Truworths for giving us the opportunity to manage the renovation project for them, and every professional team member who helped to successfully complete the project. It truly was an honour and a pleasure to work with such a diverse group of people with different areas of expertise, but with inexhaustible energy, commitment and determination. We have created something magnificent that will bear testimony to this passion for many generations to come,” Pieter concluded.

No more exclusive supply agreements for school uniform retailer after tribunal confirms consent agreement

The Tribunal has confirmed, as an order, a consent agreement whereby a school uniform supplier/retailer agrees to no longer enter into exclusive supply agreements with schools and school groups – and to change existing supply agreements to this end.

The consent agreement between McCullagh and Bothwell (Hyde Park) (Pty) Ltd; McCullagh and Bothwell (Pty) Ltd; and DRRW Investments (Pty) Ltd (collectively, “McCullagh and Bothwell”) and the Competition Commission (“the Commission”) forms part of greater efforts to increase competition, reduce barriers to entry and ensure cheaper prices in the school unforms market.

In accordance with the consent agreement, McCullagh and Bothwell will have to, among others, ensure that any new supply agreements with schools do not contain a clause whereby it is appointed as the sole stockist of school uniform items. Existing supply agreements must also be amended to have a termination date of no later than five years after the date of signature of the amended agreement. In addition, new supply agreements must be limited to a period of no more than five years and McCullagh and Bothwell cannot enter into any evergreen agreements.

A public version of the consent agreement, which contains further details, will be made available on the Tribunal’s website at www.comptrib.co.za in due course.

Background

Prior to 2015, the Commission received numerous complaints relating to the high cost of school uniform items and exclusive agreements preventing suppliers from entering the market. The Commission undertook various advocacy initiatives to address these concerns.

In 2017, the Commission launched an investigation into several schools and school uniform manufacturers and suppliers for possible contraventions of the Competition Act, following numerous complaints received from parents and school uniform suppliers.

The Commission’s investigation found that exclusive supply agreements of a long duration enable school uniform suppliers to charge customers higher prices and prevent other potential suppliers from entering the market and competing for customers. Such agreements mean that customers can only source school uniform items from one supplier. This means the customers become a captured market, increasing the risk that the supplier may charge high prices.

The investigation concluded that exclusive supply agreements may substantially prevent or lessen competition in the market by excluding potential and existing school uniform suppliers from entering into or growing in the relevant market.

In respect of McCullagh and Bothwell, the Commission concluded that the exclusive agreements between McCullagh and Bothwell and schools are likely to have contravened sections 5(1), 8(a) and/or 8(c) of the Competition Act. This is disputed by McCullagh and Bothwell.

McCullagh and Bothwell’s cooperation

In the consent agreement, the Commission states that McCullagh and Bothwell has readily cooperated since the beginning of the investigation and has started amending existing supply agreements.

McCullagh and Bothwell does not make any admission of liability and contends that it has not engaged in any unlawful conduct in contravention of the Competition Act, as described in the consent agreement.

The Commission, in turn, says that the interests of consumers and competitors in the relevant market would be better served by ensuring changes in the market now, by obtaining undertakings from the respondents regarding future conduct, rather than proceeding with lengthy litigation proceedings to achieve the same outcome.

Pepkor final results September 2021

Revenue for the year was 9.2% higher at R77.3 billion (R70.8 billion) and gross profit grew 9.6% to R26.5 billion (2020: R24.2 billion). Operating profit leaped by more than 100% to R9.1 billion (2020: R1.5 billion) and profit attributable to owners of the parent soared to R4.9 billion (2020: loss attributable to owners of the parent R2.9 billion). Furthermore, headline earnings per share from continuing operations climbed to 135.4 cents per share (2020: 64.7 cents per share).

Dividend
The board declared a dividend of 44.2 cents per ordinary share payable to shareholders on Monday, 24 January 2022.

Company outlook

The retail market remains constrained as South Africa is confronted with record levels of unemployment. The full effect of COVID-19 is still playing out and having a major impact on consumers in the lower end of the market. Despite this challenging operating environment, Pepkor is ideally positioned in the discount and value segment of the market to serve our customers with affordable products and services. Sales growth has been under pressure during the first part of the new financial year as most brands contend with an exceptionally high base in the prior year. Performance compared to 2019, however, remains positive.

Supply chain disruptions have impacted the group, resulting in increased costs and delays in product inflows. The backlog has been improving and stock levels are expected to normalise for the December trading period. The group’s merchandise and logistics teams, in conjunction with its stable supply base, have done well to keep prices intact but higher levels of inflation are expected towards the end of 2022. Pepkor is building on its existing local partnerships with strategic vendors to develop growth plans in support of its local sourcing and manufacturing strategy.

Pepkor’s balance sheet has been strengthened substantially and provides flexibility should opportunities in the market arise. A process to refinance funding of R5.0 billion repayable in FY23 has commenced with the intention to extend this over a longer term and further reduce the group’s cost of funding. The process is expected to be completed early in 2022 and will further strengthen the group’s liquidity and debt repayment profile.

Store expansion will continue across most of the brands as Pepkor intends to open approximately 300 new stores in the new financial year. The majority of these stores will be in PEP and Ackermans which are the most profitable and robust brands in the group. The objective is to keep gaining market share in the adult wear categories through the Pepkor Speciality business and Ackermans Woman. The group is pleased that all its businesses have performed well over the past year and endeavours to continue this momentum. Management is confident that the group’s retail brands will execute on their customer value propositions and continue to grow their profitability during the coming financial year

Classifieds:-

“We’ve had a recent enquiry for a manufacturer/supplier of tulle/netting/veiling fabric. Please contact me with your company details if this is a product you can offer” carla@newsbriefs.co.za

                                                                                                                 Did you know……..

The most talked about Oscars dresses of all time

Edy Williams, 1986

More than a decade after gracing the red carpet in a bikini, Edy decided to take an even more daring approach. Carefully arranged strands of pearls leave very little to the imagination in this outfit

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