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Category: Fashion

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Fashion news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Puma sales drops as 233 new stores open across China

    Puma sales drops as 233 new stores open across China

    Puma sales surged by 15.5 per cent on a currency-adjusted basis in the first half of this year, to €2.546 billion.

    The Asia-Pacific region led the way, with sales soaring 21.6 per cent in the second quarter, closely followed by the Americas, up by 19.7 per cent. Net earnings rose by 46.3 per cent to €144.1 million.

    “The second quarter of 2019 developed very positively for us, with sales growing 15.7 per cent currency-adjusted and earnings before interest and tax increasing 39 per cent,” said CEO Bjorn Gulden. “All divisions and all regions saw healthy improvement.”

    New styles of footwear sold well, apparel continued to be strong, replenishment orders for both apparel and footwear developed and the company’s direct-to-consumer business also performed well, he said.

    Within Asia, China was the main growth driver for the sportswear brand, without breaking down Puma sales figures by market.

    From a product-division perspective, the sales growth was driven by double-digit growth in apparel with an increase of 24.8 per cent as well as in footwear, which grew by 11.7 per cent.

    Wholesale continued to drive growth with an increase of 13.8 per cent currency-adjusted, supported by the strong performance of key accounts. Sales through Puma’s owned-and-operated retail sales increased by 21.5 per cent currency-adjusted to €599.6 million including e-commerce.

    In China Puma opened a net 33 owned-and-operated retail stores during the first six months and its partners a further 200.

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  • Superdry India to launch E-commerce initiative

    Superdry India to launch E-commerce initiative

    A dedicated Superdry India website is set to launch later this month.

    The British fashion retailer already trades in the territory online via Myntra, Ajio and Amazon via a deal with Reliance Brands. The new direct-to-consumer platform, launching mid-August, serves as the next step in the firm’s expansion plans.

    Superdry India, which has recently achieved double-digit growth, expects to generate 7 to 10 per cent of its revenues through the new site within the next year as it also moves to expand its physical footprint within the country.

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  • Prada sales rise as markdowns capped

    Prada sales rise as markdowns capped

    Prada sales rose 2 percent in the first half of the year, as improving full-price sales and solid growth in its wholesale channel offset the impact of a move to cut back on markdowns.

    The Hong Kong-listed Italian luxury fashion group said this year it would stop offering end-of-season promotions in its stores and be more selective with wholesalers to support full-price sales to lift margins and protect its brands.

    Prada sales had risen last year for the first time in four years, helped by a new strategy aimed at rejuvenating the brand, which focused on renovating shops, new products, and digital sales.

    In the first half of 2019, revenue totaled US$1.73 billion, which was flat when stripping out the impact of currency swings.

    The retail network declined 3 percent affected by the phase-out of markdown sales, while the wholesale channel rose 14 percent driven by online sales, with the rationalization not having any impact yeton that part of the business.

    Prada warned however it will affect results in the short-term.

    Operating profit, or earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), decreased 13 percent to US$166 million, equivalent to 9.6 percent of sales. The group’s operating profit margin has been declining every year since 2012 when it stood at 27 percent.

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  • Sephora data breach impacts APAC consumers

    Sephora data breach impacts APAC consumers

    A Sephora data breach has been confirmed, spanning customers from Hong Kong across Southeast Asia and into Australasia.

    The LVMH-owned company has emailed online customers who may have been affected confirming some of their data may have been accessed and copied.

    The international beauty retailer said an unknown number of customers have been affected in territories including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, New Zealand and Australia. Stores were not affected with the compromised data relating only to people using the brand’s online services in the region.

    The firm sent an email out to its users on Monday explaining that the breach had become apparent over the course of the past fortnight.

    “Some personal information may have been exposed to unauthorized third parties,” said the email signed by Sephora’s MD Southeast Asia Alia Gogi, “including first and last name, date of birth, gender, email address and encrypted password, as well as data related to beauty preferences.”

    The email (pictured above) explaining the Sephora data breach stated that credit card information does not appear to have been accessed and that personal data had not been misused.

    The firm has responded by resetting all existing passwords and conducting a full security review, as well as offering customers a free personal monitoring service, available via a unique code and sign-up link directing users to a third party solutions provider.

  • Nike planning to sell off Hurley surfwear brand

    Nike planning to sell off Hurley surfwear brand

    Nike is considering the sale of its Hurley surfwear brand, according to a Reuters report.

    A general downturn in the sector has pushed other industry players within the space into significant difficulties, including rival brand Quiksilver – which filed for bankruptcy in 2015. Nike’s potential sale of its Hurley brand is reportedly likely to be a reaction to the same trends and an indication that the surfwear segment is not showing signs of recovery.

    “The surf/skate market has been soft,” said NPD Group VP and senior industry adviser of sports Matt Powell. “Hurley has not been a growth story for some time.”

    Nike’s potential sales price for the brand has not been disclosed.

  • L’Oreal and Shopee partner to launch AI(R) powered beauty tools

    L’Oreal and Shopee partner to launch AI(R) powered beauty tools

    Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan has teamed up with L’Oréal the world leader in beauty and skincare to roll out artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) powered tools on Shopee’s platform. The joint partnership demonstrates both Shopee’s and L’Oréal’s commitment to continuously innovate and power Southeast Asia’s beauty and skincare categories into the future, and to provide shoppers a convenient and personalised online shopping experience. The AI and AR powered tools will also benefit millions of users across Southeast Asia, especially digitally-savvy millennials who are drawn to innovation, creativity and a sense of self-discovery.

    With L’Oréal’s AI and AR powered tools, Shopee BeautyCam by ModiFace and the Effaclar Spotscan by La Roche-Posay, Shopee users are able to digitally try on different shades of L’Oréal’s lipsticks as well as receive personalised advice on the best L’Oréal skincare treatments to tackle acne. Users only need Shopee’s app and a front-facing camera on a mobile device to access these tools. The partnership also sees L’Oréal tapping into Shopee’s key interactive entertainment features such as Shopee LIVE and Shopee Slice to deepen consumer engagement.

    Ian Ho, Regional Managing Director, Shopee said, “We are excited to partner L’Oréal to bring these AI and AR powered tools to our platform. This partnership demonstrates our joint commitment to transform Southeast Asia’s beauty and skincare market with innovation and technology. With more consumers purchasing their beauty and skincare essentials with Shopee, we are confident that shoppers will enjoy a more personalised and seamless shopping experience with these digital innovation tools.”

    With more consumers entrusting mobile self-diagnostic tools to help uncover what best suits them,  the digital innovation tools, Shopee BeautyCam and Effaclar Spotscan on Shopee, will help consumers better understand their individual beauty and skincare needs as they shop online. With more than 95% of Shopee’s transactions occurring on mobile across the region, the partnership promises shoppers a seamless mobile shopping experience, from the use of L’Oréal’s mobile AI and AR powered tools to discover products, to delivering the products right to their doorstep. The launch of these digital innovation tools is done in collaboration with both of L’Oréal’s make-up and skincare divisions.

    The Shopee BeautyCam employs AR simulation to allow Shopee users to try different shades of make-up, resulting in photo-realistic results in the form of a video or a selfie. To achieve this, ModiFace by L’Oréal uses AI-enabled shade calibration, AI-powered analysis of information provided by makeup brands, as well as images and descriptions available on social media. The Shopee BeautyCam will launch on Shopee Singapore during L’Oréal’s campaign, ‘International Lipstick Day’, from 27 to 29 July and in conjunction with International Lipstick Day on 29 July. Shopee users will be able to try the feature first with L’Oréal lipsticks. The proprietary technology will eventually be extended across other L’Oréal make-up products in the future across Southeast Asia.

    L’Oréal’s other AI-powered digital innovation tool, Effaclar Spotscan, harnesses artificial intelligence technology to offer users instant, personalised and professional acne analyses. Users are awarded an acne score and are given a personalised Effaclar routine with specific skin care tips to best tackle their acne spots. Featured during selected campaigns, the tool was launched in conjunction with other in-app activations such as in-app dermatologist consultations. Effaclar Spotscan was launched successfully on Shopee Singapore in March this year, and will be incorporated in the upcoming L’Oréal campaign, ‘Your Best Skin Yet’, from 12 to 15 August.

    Ninell Sobiecka, Vice President, Active Cosmetics Division, APAC said, “We are pleased to partner Shopee to make our first acne diagnostics tool, the Effaclar Spotscan by La Roche-Posay, available to users across Southeast Asia. This AI-powered tool helps users make more educated skin care choices based on their own unique skin type, all in the comfort of their own homes with the Shopee app. Together with Shopee, we are committed to empowering users and making lives better with innovative technology.”

    Chris Driver, Commercial General Manager, Consumer Products Division, APAC adds, “We are thrilled to partner Shopee to bring the Shopee BeautyCam by ModiFace to millions of users across the region and to reinvent the beauty industry. This technological innovation gives consumers the freedom and creativity to explore L’Oréal’s wide array of lipsticks and helps users learn more about which lipstick suits them best. All done within Shopee’s app, this provides users a convenient, effective and simple way to discover more make-up products as they make their next make-up purchase online.”Coupled with L’Oréal’s digital innovation tools, the partnership sees L’Oréal tapping into Shopee’s key interactive entertainment features such as Shopee LIVE, Shopee’s in-app live streaming feature, and Shopee Slice, a popular in-app game, to deepen engagement with consumers for a more personalised online retail experience. Through this, Shopee and L’Oréal are able to provide users higher entertainment value and benefits, as they learn more about L’Oréal’s extensive array of products, digital innovation tools, as well as make-up and skincare tips.

    All L’Oréal make-up and skincare products can be found via their respective official stores on Shopee, under Shopee Mall, which offers 15-days free returns, 100% authenticity, and free shipping.

    Download the Shopee app for free on the App Store or Google Play Store.

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  • Philipp Plein opens second Bangkok Store

    Philipp Plein opens second Bangkok Store

    Fashion label Philipp Plein has launched its second location in Thailand.

    The new Bangkok store at IconSiam Mall follows the brand’s first outlet in Phuket, which opened in 2016. The opening is in line with Philipp Plein’s general expansion plans in the region, with a store having just opened in Singapore and another to follow in the Philippines later this year.

    The Bangkok store’s shopfront is designed in black marble featuring a giant Swarovski crystal skull.

    The store also displays a Murano skull chandelier, hexagonal tables and metallic displays.

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  • LVMH sales up 15 per cent despite global tensions

    LVMH sales up 15 per cent despite global tensions

    Luxury brand owner LVMH has reported a solid 15 percent increase in sales in the first half of this year, shrugging off gloomy consumer sentiment in many markets.

    The parent of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Bulgari, Sephora, DFS, Moet and a raft of other brands recorded sales of €25.1 billion. Organic growth was 12 percent ahead of the same period a year earlier.

    Second quarter growth was also up by 15 per cent of the beginning of the year, with the US, Asia and Europe all showing good growth and an obvious rebound in France in the second quarter.

    While the company noted a slowdown in demand in Hong Kong and Macau over the past few months, its DFS department-store subsidiary recorded “good” performance during the first half of the year.

    Profit from recurring operations was €5.295 billion for the first half, up by 14 percent, with an operating margin reaching 21.1 per cent – about the same as last year.

    “These results once again illustrate the effectiveness of our strategy and the exceptional desirability of our Maisons, whose products transcend time,” said chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault.

    “Their constant demand for quality and their consistently refreshed creativity are key to LVMH’s success, always guided by a long-term vision, combining exemplarity and responsibility in all the company’s actions. Despite buoyant demand, we will continue to manage costs and remain vigilant into the second half of the year. We are therefore entering the second half of the year with confidence and count on the talent of our teams and their shared entrepreneurial passion to further increase, once again in 2019, our leadership in the world of high-quality products.”

    The company’s fashion and leather goods business group recorded organic sales growth of 18 percent and profit from recurring operations was up 17 percent. The Louis Vuitton brand business achieved growth in all businesses and regions. Christian Dior had “a remarkable performance during the first half,” the company said, with its new 30 Montaigne line a standout.

    The selective retailing business group achieved organic revenue growth of 8 percent, with profit from recurring operations up 17 percent. Within that group, Sephora recorded strong revenue growth and gained market share in all of its locations, LVMH reported.

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  • LVMH sales up despite global tensions

    LVMH sales up despite global tensions

    Luxury brand owner LVMH has reported a solid 15 percent increase in sales in the first half of this year, shrugging off gloomy consumer sentiment in many markets.

    The parent of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Bulgari, Sephora, DFS, Moet and a raft of other brands recorded sales of €25.1 billion. Organic growth was 12 percent ahead of the same period a year earlier.

    Second-quarter growth was also up by 15 percent of the beginning of the year, with the US, Asia and Europe all showing good growth and an obvious rebound in France in the second quarter.

    While the company noted a slowdown in demand in Hong Kong and Macau over the past few months, its DFS department-store subsidiary recorded “good” performance during the first half of the year.

    Profit from recurring operations was €5.295 billion for the first half, up by 14 percent, with operating margin reaching 21.1 percent – about the same as last year.

    “These results once again illustrate the effectiveness of our strategy and the exceptional desirability of our Maisons, whose products transcend time,” said chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault.

    “Their constant demand for quality and their consistently refreshed creativity are key to LVMH’s success, always guided by a long-term vision, combining exemplarity and responsibility in all the company’s actions. Despite buoyant demand, we will continue to manage costs and remain vigilant into the second half of the year. We are therefore entering the second half of the year with confidence and count on the talent of our teams and their shared entrepreneurial passion to further increase, once again in 2019, our leadership in the world of high-quality products.”

    The company’s fashion and leather goods business group recorded organic sales growth of 18 percent and profit from recurring operations was up 17 percent. The Louis Vuitton brand business achieved growth in all businesses and regions. Christian Dior had “a remarkable performance during the first half,” the company said, with its new 30 Montaigne line a standout.

    The selective retailing business group achieved organic revenue growth of 8 percent, with profit from recurring operations up 17 percent. Within that group, Sephora recorded strong revenue growth and gained market share in all of its locations, LVMH reported.

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  • Sands Macao Fashion Week 2019 insights

    Sands Macao Fashion Week 2019 insights

    Sands Resorts Macao will host the Sands Macao Fashion Week 2019 from October 17 to 23 with a week of fashion shows, exhibitions and promotions.

    The event, being held for the third time, is designed to showcase the many retail outlets at Sands Shoppes Macao and the upcoming autumn/winter collections. Apart from the opening night invitation-only event, all other events are free and open to the general public. With approximately 850 stores, Sands Shoppes Macao is the territory’s largest duty-free luxury-shopping experience.

    Sands Macao Fashion Week 2019 will feature a packed program, showcasing leading luxury and lifestyle brands across The Shoppes at Venetian, The Shoppes at Four Seasons, The Shoppes at Cotai Central and The Shoppes at Parisian. The week will be launched with a glamorous event for VIP guests, media and key industry influencers.

    Aimed at both the fashion industry and the general public, Sands Macao Fashion Week 2019 will present a series of ready-to-wear group runway shows spotlighting current collections together with various retail workshops and initiatives across the integrated resort.

    As with the two previous events, outstanding local designers hosted by the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center (CPTTM) will again be invited to participate in Sands Macao Fashion Week 2019 as part of Sands China Ltd.’s ongoing campaign to support Macao’s cultural and creative industries.

    “Following its launch two years ago, Sands Macao Fashion Week continues to go from strength to strength,” said Las Vegas Sands Corp’s executive VP of global retail, David Sylvester.

    “As with the previous editions, this year’s SMFW will represent a celebration of all things fashion, taking in some of the biggest brands alongside boutique labels, with a spotlight on Macao’s homegrown fashion industry. We’re anticipating a thrilling week.”

    Sands Macao Fashion Week 2019 will also feature offers and exclusive promotions on a wide range of products.

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  • China key driver for Hermes sales growth

    China key driver for Hermes sales growth

    Chinese consumers have been credited with driving a 14.7 per cent rise in Hermes’ sales in the June quarter.

    While the Sino-US trade war may have been impacting on many brands, subduing consumer confidence and generating uncertainty, the French luxury leather retailer seems immune to the tempest.

    Sales reached €1.67 billion, exceeding analysts forecasts, with first-half sales totalling €3.28 billion.

    “Hermes sales were very dynamic in the first half of 2019, in all regions and in all business lines,” said CEO Axel Dumas.

    The fastest-growing region, however, was Asia (excluding Japan) where sales soared 18.6 per cent in the second quarter, excluding currency effects. Hermes referred to “positive momentum in continental China and double-digit growth in all other countries in the area” in a statement.

    Eric du Halgouet, Hermes’ finance director, said sales in Hong Kong rose by a double-digit rate during the first half year, despite the impact of June’s pro-democracy demonstrations when two of the company’s stores had to close briefly.

    Sales in Japan rose by nearly 10 per cent.

    Sales of the company’s core business lines, including handbags, rose by 12.2 per cent, while ready-to-wear fashion and accessories achieved 16.9 per cent growth.

    Jewellery and homewares posted the highest growth, at 21 per cent.

    In the statement, Hermes said that despite growing economic, geopolitical and monetary uncertainties around the world, the group confirms an ambitious goal for revenue growth in the medium term, at constant exchange rates.

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  • Skechers in Singapore opens Southeast Asia’s largest store yet

    Skechers in Singapore opens Southeast Asia’s largest store yet

    Skechers in Singapore has opened the brand’s largest experience store in Southeast Asia, at  Jewel Changi airport.

    The 5000sqft duplex store’s interior has been designed with an overall modern and sleek look, achieved through the use of bright lighting and cement panels.

    On opening day, more than 2500 shoppers and 250 invited guests were at the store to participate in activities including a fashion and dance showcase.

    “For the past 10 years, Skechers has been evolving and improving ourselves in terms of retail shopping,” said Vincent Leung, president of Skechers Southeast Asia.

    “Our clear direction is to create a wonderful customer shopping experience, with Brand Experience Stores in China, Hong Kong, and now our very first in Southeast Asia right here at Jewel Changi Airport.”

    A staircase between Levels 1 and 2 features a colourful wall mural designed by Diplomat, a group of young budding Singapore artists, adding energetic hip-hop and street-cred elements to the space.

    There is also a photo zone on Level 2, where visitors can take selfies with a fun photo-wall.

    Another highlight of the Skechers in Singapore store exclusive to Jewel is a customisation zone, where one can personalise selected Skechers shoes or apparel with embroidery or heat press.

    Guests of the opening were able to make their own customised pouch, choosing motifs to create a unique souvenir of the event.

  • Buyers line up for troubled Jack Wills

    Buyers line up for troubled Jack Wills

    Prospective suitors are lining up to bid for troubled fashion retailer Jack Wills.  Among those on the list are Marquee Brands – the parent of Ben Sherman – Sports Direct and Philip Day, who owns Edinburgh Woollen Mill and who recently took a controlling interest in distressed women’s-wear retailer Bonmarche.

    Among other prospective buyers identified by Retail Gazette as in “the early stages of assessing a possible offer” for Jack Wills are Crew Clothing, restructuring firm Hilco and investment firm Alteri.

    BlueGem began canvassing for prospective buyers for Jack Wills early this month after engaging advisory firm KPMG to prepare a review of the business’ prospects. According to companies office records, Jack Wills lost £29.3 million for the year to January 31 last year, and a £28 million cash injection from BlueGem in January this year has been almost exhausted.

    BlueGem has said it would retain a minority stake in the business, which it clearly still believes in.

    “The current investors believe the business can benefit from being part of a larger platform and would welcome the opportunity to retain a minority stake, which allows them to realise value from their investment to date,” the KPMG document reads.

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  • SMCP launched Sandro on Farfetch

    SMCP launched Sandro on Farfetch

    Fashion group SMCP is to launch its Sandro brand on Farfetch. The Chinese-controlled, French-based affordable luxury retailer says the 13 million-plus clients per month around the world that Farfetch attracts will be an ideal partner to enable Sandro to address a wider, premium customer base.

    “We are delighted with this new partnership with one of the major digital players of the luxury sector,” said Sandro CEO Isabelle Allouch.  “We are convinced that having our products on Farfetch will contribute to Sandro’s digital expansion across the globe, positioning it as a high-end luxury brand and enhancing its worldwide visibility and awareness.”

    She said the partnership marks a key milestone in the global roll-out of SMCP’s digital strategy, bringing together online and offline shopping.

    “It perfectly complements the group’s growing digital presence alongside the successful global deployment of our own websites, and further diversifies its digital sales channels, enabling the group to reach more than 190 countries across the world.”

    The partnership comes just three months after the announcement of a landmark partnership with JD.

  • Hong Kong protests affect Richemont sales

    Hong Kong protests affect Richemont sales

    Protests in Hong Kong have likely contributed to an unexpected drop in revenues for Richemont sales in a key luxury market.

    The Cartier timepiece brand owner saw a 2-per-cent drop in sales in the last quarter and experienced a 3.9-per-cent fall in its stock price.

    The effect has not been across the board within the luxury sector: competitors Burberry and Swatch announced positive results for the period, although Swatch did also note the impact on sales following the highly publicized protests.

    Part of the difference in results lies in a recent inventory glut for Richemont over the past two-to-three years, compelling the firm to buy back unsold products from the market. According to the firm, the measured distribution tactics are intended to make its products scarcer, and that its new watches will be released in the next quarter.

    Shipments of Swiss watches to Hong Kong dropped 27 percent in June, averaging 6.6 percent for the first half. The decline corresponds with a general drop in Swiss watch exports, which fell 11 percent in June, partially set off by a boom in the mainland Chinese luxury industry, shifting sales away from Hong Kong where margins are typically higher due to lower taxes.

    Boosted sales on the mainland did help Richemont post a 9-per-cent rise in comparable revenue for the quarter to June 30, offsetting the effect of the Hong Kong protests.

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