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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.

  • Bossini Singapore opens new store concept at Jewel Changi

    Bossini Singapore opens new store concept at Jewel Changi

    Bossini Singapore opened a new store concept at Jewel Changi today. The fashion retailer says shoppers can look forward to an enhanced visual and shopping experience in the new store.

    The interior is fitted out with materials that resemble nature while walls are fitted with LED TV screens and an interactive Lego panel for further engagement.

    The entrance is designed with three-dimensional LED lights for an inviting shop-front.

    The store will carry athleisure wear, windbreakers, jogger pants and quick-dry tops and regularly changing collaborative capsules. Past such collaborations include Disney characters featuring on an extensive and fun range of t-shirts, jackets, dresses and bottoms for both adults and kids.

    Local souvenirs for tourists are also in the pipeline.

    Bossini Singapore opens new store concept at Jewel Changi

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  • Giordano sales down in China

    Giordano sales down in China

    Giordano sales in Greater China plunged by 17.7 per cent during the first quarter, dragging group-wide sales down by 10.8 per cent, or 8.5 per cent on a constant currency basis.

    In a stock exchange filing on the eve of the holiday weekend the casual apparel retailer blamed the downturn on “uncertainty stemming from the Sino-US trade dispute and abnormally warm weather”.

    Giordano sales in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam remained stable during the quarter, and in the fledgling Middle East market rose by 10 per cent to HK$80 million, slightly compensating for the heavy impact of China.

    By market, Mainland China sales fell from $378 million to $295 million, in Hong Kong and Macau from $248 million to $225 million and in Taiwan from $201 million to $161 million. In the rest of Asia-Pacific, they declined from $422 million to $398 million.

    In the three months to March 31, inventories rose from HK$507 million to $512 million.

    During the quarter, Giordano closed two stores in Hong Kong and Macau and reduced directly operated stores on the mainland by 31, but opened 19 franchised outlets.

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  • Sephora heads to Seoul, Korea

    Sephora heads to Seoul, Korea

    LVMH-owned cosmetics retailer Sephora will launch its first outlet in South Korea this October.

    The first Sephora South Korea retail space will take up 547sqft in Gangnam, featuring hundreds of brands as well as home-brand products under the Sephora label.

    “Sephora will contribute to expanding the local beauty market by proposing a new standard,” said Sephora Korea CEO Kim Dong-ju.

    The Sephora South Korea store will be the first of six planned to be trading by next year, along with an online store.

    Sephora operates more than 3000 outlets worldwide and has a strong presence in Asia. It also plans to make a return to Hong Kong soon, opening in space at IFC mall.

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  • Primark opens world’s largest fashion store

    Primark opens world’s largest fashion store

    Primark has launched the world’s largest fashion store in Birmingham, the UK. The 160,100sqft store is built over five stories and has been officially recognised by Guinness as the largest fashion store in the world. It has effectively taken over the former Pavilion shopping centre in the city’s downtown heart.

    The entire building is given over to Primark’s ranges and includes several in-store shops, a custom lab for personalised goods, and three dining options including a Disney-themed cafe and the first own-brand Primark cafe.

    Primark’s store design director Sanjay Dihman told that the combination of food-and-beverage offers will attract footfall, along with the new store design and the sheer scale of the store.

    “People will be intrigued by that, and also personalisation, barbers and the beauty studio make it whole collection of different offers that will attract footfall.”

    The store, believed to have cost £70 million to construct, also contains a Duck and Dry salon, a Duck and File Xpress nail boutique, and Joe Mills barber shop.

    The Irish retailer launched in 1969, entering the US market in 2015 where it plans to expand beyond its current nine outlets.

  • Marks & Spencer Singapore store opens at Jewel Changi

    Marks & Spencer Singapore store opens at Jewel Changi

    Marks & Spencer Singapore will open its Jewel Changi store this Wednesday.

    The 13,000sqft space offers M&S’s clothing and accessories across womenswear, menswear, lingerie and kidswear.

    The store also features Food Hall which will include nearly 3000 lines of food and drinks, including international award-winning wines.

    Customers can expect a variety of chilled food and drinks including fresh sandwiches, prepared salads, fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy, prepared meals, inspired by world cuisines.

    The new store also features an M&S in-store bakery, selling coffee-to-go and patisserie goods.

    “Our new store at Jewel Changi Airport will combine the best of our clothing collections and high-quality food with an inspiring shopping environment and exceptional customer service, offering a truly special experience,” said Christine Choi, Marks & Spencer Asia CEO.

    A new feature of the Jewel Changi store will be unique name badges for staff which bear ‘Singlish’ taglines such as ‘I am Stylo Milo, ‘I am Tok Kong’, and a few other variations embracing local culture.

    From April 17 to June 11, shoppers can enjoy special offers including lucky draws and free M&S cooler bags.

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  • Rebecca Feng buys LK Bennett

    Rebecca Feng buys LK Bennett

    UK-based affordable-luxury fashion-brand LK Bennett has been sold to its Chinese franchise partner Rebecca Feng.

    Rebecca Feng, who operates the label’s business in China under a franchise agreement, competed with several interested buyers following the fashion retailer’s entry into administration last month, including founder Linda Bennett.

    The purchase reportedly places stores in Britain and Ireland in some danger of closure, which could affect up to 500 staff. It will also involve a review of the firm’s operations in Europe and the US, which filed bankruptcy proceedings earlier this month. The firm has some 200 locations globally.

    The brand was founded by Bennett in 1990 with the vision of bringing “a bit of Bond Street luxury to the High Street”. Initially known for its signature ‘kitten heels’ favoured by celebrities, the label grew to become a destination for feminine footwear. Ready-to-wear collections were introduced in 1998 establishing LK Bennett as a fashion house offering complete wardrobe solutions for all occasions.

    All of the label’s collections are designed in house with a theme that combines signature detailing with strong colours, distinctive prints and a flattering fit.

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  • Oysho Singapore opens first store in Singapore

    Oysho Singapore opens first store in Singapore

    Oysho Singapore is opening its first store this week, at Jewel Changi.

    The Spanish fashion label’s debut Singapore store spans 220sqm, and features a warm atmosphere, fitted out with materials such as wood and metal, combined with new furnishings.

    The store stocks products from all the brand’s categories, including sleepwear, lingerie, gym wear, beachwear, footwear, sportswear and accessories. Prices range from $7.90 to $299.

    The Oysho Sport range features garments suited to boxing, surfing, skiing and trekking. With a commitment to technical innovation, the brand’s garments include lines featuring aloe vera microcapsules, compression fabrics for muscle recovery, and Sensil Innergy Nylon 6.6 fabric which Oysho says enhances physical performance.

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  • Massimo Dutti Singapore opens at Jewel Changi

    Massimo Dutti Singapore opens at Jewel Changi

    Massimo Dutti Singapore has launched its sixth store, at Jewel Changi. The Inditex-owned fashion label’s almost 600sqm retail space features the brand’s newest design concept for the first time in Southeast Asia and following the opening of a similar outlet in Munich, Germany.

    Designed to look like a New York apartment, the new interior design layout expresses the natural evolution of the brand. The store concept is focused on lifestyle, offering a more enticing setting via the use of warm, high-quality materials such as wooden furniture and finishes and the use of plants – a blending of contemporary designer furniture that greatly reinforces this updated identity.

    As Massimo Dutti Singapore’s second largest store after Liat Tower, the new venue is in line with the Inditex Group’s latest approach to eco-efficiency.

    Electricity consumption has been reduced by some 30 per cent and water consumption by 40 per cent in comparison with its conventional stores. The eco-efficiency measures implemented include a store lighting system that optimises the lighting for the furnishings, and the exclusive use of LED bulbs. The lighting system also enables partial lighting of store spaces.

    The Changi store also features a Travel Collection, with easy-iron shirts and lightweight crease-resistant suits.

  • Beauty & You brings Find Kapoor and Olens into Hong Kong

    Beauty & You brings Find Kapoor and Olens into Hong Kong

    The Shilla Duty Free’s retail concept Beauty&You has become the first retailer in Hong Kong to launch exclusive South Korean brands Find Kapoor and Olens.

    Located at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), Beauty&You seeks to introduce a multitude of brands and product combinations to customers, placing strong emphasis on the concept of individuality and personalised offerings through a mix-and-match of a unique range of products.

    “We are ecstatic to have Beauty&You as the first retailer to bring Find Kapoor and Olens to the HKIA”, said a representative for Beauty&You. “These partnerships are a testament to our strong positioning and ability to collaborate with a multitude of brands, in order to bring all-round travel retail experiences and surprises to global travellers.”

    Beauty&You will feature Find Kapoor’s classic, minimalistic strapped handbags at a dedicated pop-up. Olens is a range of coloured contact lenses.

    These brand collaborations are tailored to the needs of all global travellers passing through HKIA, aiming to stimulate customers’ minds about beauty and styling, said The Shilla. Incorporating brand new product options and categories such as fashion accessories and coloured contact lenses, Beauty&You strives to break the traditional mindset of beauty as solely focused on skincare and cosmetics, helping consumers to achieve their own definitions.

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  • Ecco Store opening at Changi Airport Singapore

    Ecco Store opening at Changi Airport Singapore

    Ecco Singapore is opening its newest store in Southeast Asia at Jewel Changi this Wednesday.

    With a design different to other stores in the Ecco Singapore network, the new outlet was inspired by the brand’s philosophy of ‘natural motion’ as well as the greenery and waterfall environment unique to the Jewel Changi space.

    The shop carries a curated collection of the latest Ecco shoes and accessories for both women and men.

    “Since entering the Singapore market more than a decade ago, we have been blessed with tremendous support from our loyal customers who have come to know Ecco for our craftsmanship and premium quality footwear and leather goods,” said David To, GM for Ecco Shoes Singapore and Malaysia.

    “Ecco’s design philosophy is very much inspired by nature and thereby the natural organic features of Jewel is a perfect fit for us. That is why we have chosen this fresh expression of the Ecco brand for this new store to share a new experience with our local customers and Singapore visitors,” he added.

    Founded in 1963, Ecco now has more than 2200 owned shops and 14,000 sales points in 90 countries. The company achieved record sales of US$1.49 billion last year, and posted the highest profit in its 55-year history.

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  • Beaurepaires identifies nine years of payment issues

    Beaurepaires identifies nine years of payment issues

    Beaurepaires Australia revealed this week that around 3700 current and former employees were underpaid or overpaid due to a payroll error stretching back to 2010.

    Back payments to the affected staff are expected to cost the business approximately $1.8 million.

    Beaurepaires identified the payroll error during a review of its system conducted with the assistance of independent experts to ensure it was consistent with the Vehicle, Manufacturing, Repair, Services and Retail Award 2010.

    The error specifically relates to overtime and annual loading for shift workers, and was caused by a failure to update the payment system following changes to the award.

    “Paying our associates accurately is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of our business,” Scott Bennett, Beaurepaires director of retail operations, said.

    “We know it is of critical importance to our people, and also to the integrity and trust that Beaurepaires stands for. We want to be very clear in stating that this failure is completely unacceptable, and we take full responsibility for addressing the issue as quickly and transparently as possible.”

    Bennett added that as soon as the team realised what had happened, its priority became understanding how the mistake occurred and what was owed, and ensuring that affected associates are correctly compensated.

    The service network is working with external experts so that staff can have confidence in the outcome, and to ensure the analysis is completed as quickly and accurately as possible.

    Beaurepaires is the latest in a string of retailers to identify payment issues in the last year, with Lush and Super Retail Group having set aside $2 million and $7.9 million respectively to repay employees.

    The onus of these issues has largely been put on the complicated nature of the Modern Awards.

    “The industrial relations system in Australia is incredibly complicated, and small-medium size and large size businesses actively deal with it every day,” Dominique Lamb, CEO of the National Retail Association, said.

    “It’s absolutely likely if a business has grown quite rapidly over a period of time and has not maintained and continued to review those systems and look at how they’re paying and how they’re processing pay, this could absolutely happen to them.

    “If you aren’t checking your payroll systems, this is definitely the time to make sure you’re definitely getting it right.”

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  • Tong Liya helps Launching new H&M Conscious Collection

    Tong Liya helps Launching new H&M Conscious Collection

    Global fashion label H&M has launched its Conscious Collection with Chinese actress Tong Liya among the 13 women featured in the promotional campaign.

    Every piece in the collection is made from sustainably sourced materials, such as 100-per-cent organic cotton, Tencel or recycled polyester.

    “We’re absolutely thrilled to have this spring collection made out of sustainable materials,” said the brand’s head of design womenswear Maria Östblom. “With feminine, easy-going silhouettes, dreamy floral prints and separates all created by our in-house design team that can easily be mixed and matched, it shows how style and sustainability can work together beautifully.”

    The floral prints and earthy colours of the collection are styled to complement feminine details such as ruffles, off-the shoulder necklines and balloon sleeves.

    Throughout the month of April, H&M will not only celebrate their sustainability actions and goals as a company, but also highlight the Conscious Collection in stores all around the world. Promotions will emphasise H&M’s status as among the world’s largest users of sustainably-sourced materials and its continued commitment towards a sustainable fashion future.

    “This Conscious Collection is a wonderful step towards meeting one of our main goals – to use only 100 per cent recycled or other sustainably-sourced materials by 2030,” said H&M’s global sustainability manager Isak Roth. “Sustainability is one of our core values, and while there is a lot of work going into this throughout the entire value chain, it’s always exciting to see the more consumer-facing campaigns really showcase our conscious way of thinking.”

  • Uniqlo Parent Cuts Financial Outlook

    Uniqlo Parent Cuts Financial Outlook

    Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing has cut its annual operating forecast amid heavy discounting to offload winter clothes.

    The apparel company has struggled with a shortage of popular winter items in the past, and overcompensated last winter by ordering too much inventory.

    The unseasonably warm weather hit sales of winter clothes which led to the decline of Fast Retailing’s first quarter profit.

    The company is undergoing the biggest revamp of its logistics and supply chain network to resolve the challenge it faced over winter.

    The Japanese retailer said it now expects an operating profit of  ¥260 billion (A$3.2 billion) for the financial year through August, compared to its previous forecast of  ¥270 billion in January. The revised outlook would still be a record high and represent a 10 per cent year-on-year rise.

    For the quarter ending February, Fast Retailing posted a double-digit increase in sales and profit in China, which has helped the brand turn in a better-than-expected rise in operating profit to ¥68 billion.

    The company reported declines in both revenue and profit in the first half of fiscal 2019, with revenue totaling ¥491.3 billion yen, down 5 per cent from the previous corresponding period, and operating profit totaling ¥67.7 billion yen, down 23.7 per cent from the previous year.

    First-half same-store sales, including online sales, declined 9 per cent.

    Online sales, which now account for 9.9 per cent of Uniqlo sales in Japan and 20 per cent in China, rose 30.3 per cent in the first half.

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  • Greater China and South Korea drive Massive Uniqlo sales

    Greater China and South Korea drive Massive Uniqlo sales

    Heavy discounting necessary to offload winter stock has hit Uniqlo sales. Parent Fast Retailing has struggled with a shortage of popular winter items in the past, and overcompensated last winter by ordering too much inventory ahead of what proved to be an unusually warm season.

    As a result, the Japanese retailer’s first-quarter profit took a hit which in turn impacted of first-half results issued yesterday.

    The company reported declines in both revenue and profit in the first half of the current financial year, with revenue totaling ¥491.3 billion, (US$4.397 billion) down 5 per cent from the previous corresponding period, and operating profit totaling ¥67.7 billion ($606 million), down 23.7 per cent from the previous year. Same-store sales fell 9 per cent, however online sales, which now account for 9.9 per cent of Uniqlo sales in Japan and 20 per cent in China, rose 30.3 per cent.

    The weak first quarter for Uniqlo sales was in part compensated for by a double-digit increase in sales and profit in China, which helped the brand turn in a better-than-expected rise in operating profit to ¥68 billion ($609 million) for the three months to February.

    The company said it now expects an operating profit of ¥260 billion for the financial year through August, compared to its previous forecast of  ¥270 billion in January. The revised outlook would still be a record high and represent a 10 per cent year-on-year rise.

    Uniqlo re-stated its medium-term vision of becoming the world’s number one apparel retailer.

    “In pursuit of this aim, we are focusing our efforts on expanding Uniqlo International and our GU casual fashion brand,” said Tadashi Yanai, chairman, president and CEO of Uniqlo. “We continue to increase Uniqlo store numbers in each country in which we operate, and open global flagship stores and large-format stores in major cities around the world to further develop Uniqlo as a global brand.”

    He said that within the company’s international division, Greater China and Southeast Asia are entering “a new stage of growth as key drivers of operational expansion”.

    Uniqlo Greater China generated double-digit growth in both revenue and profit in the first half of the year despite the dampening effect of the mild winter weather.

    “Within that region, our operation in Mainland China continued to report strong growth in revenue and profit of approximately 20 per cent year on year. Uniqlo South Korea also reported increases in both revenue and profit. Uniqlo Southeast Asia & Oceania generated significant rises in both revenue and profit thanks to strong increases in same-store sales in every single one of the region’s markets.

    Meanwhile, the company plans to open more GU stores in Japan, while expanding the brand’s international presence, primarily in Greater China and South Korea.

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  • Levi’s to opening 100 extra stores this year

    Levi’s to opening 100 extra stores this year

    San Francisco-based retailer Levi Strauss announced plans to open 100 new company-operated stores this year.

    The apparel maker, which launched on the US stock market last month, announced its plans for the store openings alongside a well-received debut batch of earnings as a public company.

    Company chief executive Chip Bergh told that most of the store openings would be in Europe and Asia, though mainline and outlet stores would open in the US as well.

    Levi’s posted a 7 per cent jump in net revenue to US$1.43 billion for the quarter ending February 24. The company produced a net income of US$147 million compared with the losses of US$19 million a year ago, when the results were hit with a tax-related charge.

    “We delivered our sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit constant-currency revenue growth,” Bergh said.

    “Growth was broad-based across all three regions and all channels, demonstrating that our strategies are working and our investments are paying off.”

    The 166-year-old brand operates 824 standalone stores, including 74 the retailer opened last year.

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