Matthew Arrowsmith (right), owner and creative director of Hong Kong shoe label Cipher, talks about the world of footwear and fashion's increasingly global network.
"As the movement back towards quality of product rather than branded design continues, traditional manufacturing locations such as those in Maine, Portugal and Italy are seeing a resurgence. Also, material usage within the shoes themselves continues to develop, especially in the sports-shoe market. Nike fly-knit is one well-publicised example. I can only see this accelerating as the input materials for 3D printing improve."
"Collaborations and relaunches of classics continue to catch the headlines. There is a definite movement towards semi-formality married with the highest standard of production and material selection as men become more free to don footwear of their choosing given the modern working environment. Brands are reinventing retro shapes with a modern, more avant-garde twist. Also, sportswear being made using methods usually reserved for luxury products is being seen more and more."
"The collection is called Journey to Wakkanai. The [collection's] palette and textural references are inspired by Japan's north island winter. We describe the journey from Hokkaido's Northern Circuit through to Wakkanai, the northernmost tip of the country, so the winter white frosts and deep dark nights there have been reflected, with matt finishes, to provide the core of the range."