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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.

  • Zoff Hong Kong eyewear chain boosting Convenience

    Zoff Hong Kong eyewear chain boosting Convenience

    Zoff Hong Kong may have only six stores for now, but the Japanese eyewear brand is proving a standout for local licensee Convenience Retail Asia.

    Victor Fung, chairman of the listed Fung Group affiliate, says Zoff Hong Kong has enjoyed “remarkable success” since CRA opened the first store in November 2017 at Cityplaza in Taikoo Shing. The five stores opened since are all in high-traffic locations popular with trendy young clientele, including one at Langham Place.

    Zoff’s business model is to offer customers a constantly refreshed range of frames to suit all styles, high quality frames at affordable prices and made onsite within a fast turnaround time. Fung says this is ideal for the new generation of consumers, always on the go.

    Zoff stores carry more than 2500 different frames and new items are introduced biweekly.

    The chain has also launched themed promotions, including a selection with popular actress and model Kiko Mizuhara and collections themed on Disney, Star Wars and Andy Warhol.

    CRA has invested heavily in brand advertising for the new chain, including outdoor advertising, prize promotions and joint marketing initiatives with other brands within the Fung Group.

    While CRA did not detail the chain’s financial performance, the company noted in its annual results that Zoff had contributed to both revenue and profit growth.

    “The group is proud to be the only licensee for the Zoff franchise in the world,” said Fung. “This fast-fashion eyewear chain, with its eye-catching blue-and-white branding, is highly regarded among Hong Kong’s young generation. Under the group’s guidance, Zoff has truly energised the Hong Kong eyewear market since entering in late 2017.”

    More Zoff stores are scheduled to open this calendar year.

    “The group remains bullish about the prospects for Zoff. Despite a number of competitors entering the market, our first-mover status and Hong Kongers’ affinity for the famous Zoff brand continue to drive healthy growth,” he said.

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  • H&M announces opening date of new Botany store

    H&M announces opening date of new Botany store

    H&M has announced the opening date of another bricks-and-mortar store in New Zealand, with the launch of Botany Town Centre location set for 2 May 2019.

    The retailer currently operates four stores in the country, with plans to open a 5th location at Tauranga Crossing on 4 April 2019, making the Botany store its 6th location.

    Last week, the fast fashion giant revealed there is already a 7th store in the works. It is set to open at Chartwell Shopping Centre this winter.

    The Botany Town Centre shop marks H&M’s third location in Auckland, following the opening of H&M at Sylvia Park Shopping Centre in October 2016 and Commercial Bay in 2018.

    Spanning approximately 2000sqm, the single-level store will showcase apparel and accessories for men, women, kids and baby.

    “We are thrilled to finally announce the opening date for our third Auckland store, and look forward to greeting our customers with an incredible fashion destination within a superb shopping centre” said Daniel Lattemann, country sales manager for H&M New Zealand.

    H&M entered the New Zealand market in 2016.

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  • David Jones plans board expansion

    David Jones plans board expansion

    David Jones’ South African parent company Woolworths Holdings has appointed two independent non-executive directors, David Kneale and Thembisa Skweyiya, effective March 11 2019.

    The business said it plans to add further non-executive directors moving forward.

    Skweyiya has previously held positions at Citigroup and Nedbank Capital, has been a non-executive director of Rothschild, and has risk, audit, social and ethics and sustainability committee experience at both public and private companies.

    Currently, Skweyiya serves as a non-executive director on the boards of Imperial Logistics Limited, Liberty Holdings Limited, Sumitomo Rubber South Africa Limited and Jonsson Workwear Limited.

    Kneale has over 40 years of local and international retail experience in senior leadership and executive roles, according the Woolworths Holdings, having previously been the chief executive of Clicks Group between 2006 and 2019.

    Kneale held senior retail positions at Boots plc, and served as the chief commercial officer and managing director of International Retail Development, as well as managing director at Waterstone’s Booksellers for approximately two years.

    The appointments are made as the group chief executive Ian Moir is stepping in to fill the shoes of departed David Jones boss David Thomas while the search for a replacement continues.

    Thomas had been in the position for almost 18 months, and resigned abruptly, citing personal reasons. He had been the target of an internal discrimination complaint last year, but was cleared of any wrongdoing in November 2018.

  • Kathmandu suffers a data breach, customers potentially exposed

    Kathmandu suffers a data breach, customers potentially exposed

    An unidentified third-party has breached Kathmandu’s website and potentially accessed customers’ personal information and payment details, the outdoor retailer revealed on Wednesday.

    The business was alerted to the breach, which took place between January 8 and February 12, 2019, through bank fraud monitoring.

    A Kathmandu spokesperson told that the business is currently investigating how many customers are affected by the breach, but that it remains an ongoing process.

    “Whilst the independent forensic investigation is ongoing, we are notifying customers and relevant authorities as soon as practicable,” Kathmandu chief executive Xavier Simonet said.

    “As a company, Kathmandu takes the privacy of customer data extremely seriously and we unreservedly apologise to any customers who many have been impacted.”

    The business has enlisted the help of external IT and cyber security experts to assist in investigating the circumstances, and to confirm which customers have been impacted.

    While the financial impact of the incident is still unclear, the dual-listed retailer saw its stock price fall to $2.31 per share after the announcement, though rebounded to $2.37 by the end of trade.

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  • Hypebeast Japan to launch with on-boarding of Akihiro Wajima, former Director of Farfetch Japan

    Hypebeast Japan to launch with on-boarding of Akihiro Wajima, former Director of Farfetch Japan

    Hypebeast Ltd. is pleased to announce the official launch of Hypebeast Japan Ltd., grounding its cultural influence in the region and marking another step in furthering expansion in Asia. The Company is also pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Akihiro Wajima, former director of Farfetch Japan, as the new Managing Director of Hypebeast Japan Ltd., who will play an instrumental role in leading the Hypebeast Japan team to success and continue to push forward its market share. Japan is known for its impressive lens and unique take on expressing local and global culture. Hypebeast Japan, being one of Hypebeast’s flagship language sites, has been steadily building a distinctive editorial voice for its streetwear, music and lifestyle space in the country.

    “Japan is one of my favorite places in the world – it’s one of the top places globally for cultural opportunities, and possesses an inquisitive, progressive and ready audience to the types of activations, content curation, e-commerce services, and creative production which are indigenous to Hypebeast,” said Kevin Ma, CEO of Hypebeast Ltd. “We are ready to take our business in Japan to the next level. As a first step, we will focus on expanding local editorial coverage and content in Japan, which will help to connect its unique cultural voice to the rest of the world through our Hypebeast platform.”

    “I am pleased to lead Hypebeast Japan Ltd. and help the team to achieve a new level. Along with Kevin Ma and the team, I am sure we will achieve something exciting together and build a strong presence in Japan,” said Akihiro Wajima.

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  • Valextra Beijing flagship finally unveiled

    Valextra Beijing flagship finally unveiled

    Luxury leather good brand Valextra has opened a flagship store in Beijing.

    Valextra Beijing flagship 1

     

    Valextra-Beijing-flagship handbag close up

    The luxe label, which recently launched much-publicised spaces in Shanghai and Chengdu, has taken a unit at high-profile location Taikoo Li Sanlitun. The Valextra Beijing space at the open-air shopping mall features an expansive glass facade with a lofty ceiling, maximising on ambient daylight, and an interior design created by London-based Italian designer Martino Gamper.

    Valextra Beijing flagship 3

    To the right of the boutique, diamond-shaped wooden shelves display the brand’s first sneakers capsule collection, opposite a selection of small leather goods. Travel bags and suitcases are showcased on light blue terrazzo stands and plinth at the top level.

    The Valextra Beijing store also features a high-end rest area to the back with a plush green sofa and matching geometric-shaped coffee table.

    Valextra Beijing flagship 4

  • Indian fashion chain Reliance Trends to open over 2,000 stores

    Indian fashion chain Reliance Trends to open over 2,000 stores

    Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries will expand its low-cost fashion store network Reliance Trends to 2500 locations within five years.

    The chain currently has just 557 stores in 160 cites, and will target a presence in 140 more, involving deeper penetration into tier 3 and 4 cities.

    The planned expansion will involve an integration with the firm’s online activities and will serve as a gambit to seize a commanding market share of consumer spending against e-commerce competitors Amazon and Flipkart.

    The move follows recent restrictions on foreign investment into India that have at least temporarily disadvantaged the online giants. The new legislation bans online retailers from making exclusive contracts with vendors, among other restrictions.

    The Reliance Trends expansion is expected to help the firm boost its own labels in a territory that is home to the world’s largest population of millennial consumers.

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  • Le Saunda sales plunge with 30 per cent

    Le Saunda sales plunge with 30 per cent

    Le Saunda sales plunged 30 per cent in the fourth quarter as the embattled shoe retailer struggles to attract customers.

    According to a stock exchange filing, sales at Le Saunda’s self-owned stores fell by 29.9 per cent in the quarter, with same-store sales declining 17.4 per cent.

    That followed a cull of 161 stores over 12 months across Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

    Sales by the group’s e-commerce business fell by 4.1 per cent, compared with the same period last year.

    Le Saunda has 526 stores remaining across its three markets, with 464 of them self-owned and 62 franchised on the mainland.

    The company said it expects the group to record a net loss attributable to shareholders for the 2018-19 financial year, primarily attributable to the decrease in sales, and a declining gross profit margin. Le Saunda did not give an estimate for the loss.

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  • UNIQLO to Launch UTs Celebrating Megahit Capcom Game Series Monster Hunter and Street Fighter

    UNIQLO to Launch UTs Celebrating Megahit Capcom Game Series Monster Hunter and Street Fighter

    UNIQLO, Japanese global apparel retailer, announces that it will launch a special UT (UNIQLO graphic T-shirts) collaboration collection that celebrates the megahit game series Monster Hunter™ and Street Fighter® from Capcom, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games. The Game by Street Fighter UT collection will begin rolling out at UNIQLO stores and through UNIQLO.com starting Monday, April 15. The Game by Monster Hunter UT collection will be available in Mid-June.

    Making its arcade debut in 1987, the Street Fighter game series is considered the progenitor of the fighting game boom that began in the 1990s. A new collection of unique UT designs celebrating the Street Fighter franchise highlights world warriors such as Ryu and Ken in various designs. Street Fighter®UTs include designs with controller button commands, as well as a pixel art rendition of a rare double K.O. from the game. Artwork from the latest Street Fighter title popular in the international esports scene, Street Fighter® V: Arcade Edition, features dramatic illustrations of the games’ iconic characters.

  • UNIQLO to Open its Second Largest Store in Singapore at Jewel Changi Airport

    UNIQLO to Open its Second Largest Store in Singapore at Jewel Changi Airport

    After opening its Global Flagship Store at Orchard Central in 2016, UNIQLO will welcome its second largest store in Singapore on 11 April 2019, as it sets foot in the iconic Jewel Changi Airport. Aspiring to showcase its LifeWear ethos to the world, UNIQLO aims to leverage Jewel – a choice lifestyle destination that will draw in both locals and visitors globally – to share its brand experience that champions Simple Made Better through constant innovation.

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  • PVH opens third Tommy Hilfiger store

    PVH opens third Tommy Hilfiger store

    US-based PVH Corporation opened its 13th full-price Tommy Hilfiger store in Australia on Friday, just days after the fashion brand held its Tommy Now runway event in Paris, featuring a collection designed in partnership with American actress and brand ambassador, Zendaya.

    The new store, located in Sydney’s Mosman suburb, showcases the TommyXZendaya collection and the brand’s Spring 2019 collection, in keeping with Tommy Hilfiger’s early adoption of the ‘see now, buy  now’ runway trend. Customers can also shop the brand’s denim collection and newly launched men’s and women’s sportswear collections.

    The store, which opened on International Women’s Day, also offers the brand’s IWD capsule collection, which features t-shirts and sweaters with inspirational slogans, such as: “Be the change” and “Powerful”. The brand is donating $1 from every style sold to the International Women’s Development Agency, a non-profit that works to advance women’s rights and gender equality in Asia Pacific.

    Spanning 130sqm, the store design reflects Tommy Hilfiger’s new global retail concept, which fuses the brand’s American heritage with clean, modern finishes and a bright, airy aesthetic. A high-resolution digital screen showcases the brand’s latest global campaigns for an immersive brand experience.

    The Mosman store is the third Tommy Hilfiger store to open in the past eight months in Australia, reflecting the parent company’s efforts to minimise its exposure to Myer and other struggling department stores by increasing its retail presence. The brand opened a store in Burwood, NSW, in June 2018 and in Perth, WA, in October. The brand also launched an online presence in Australia in September.

    In a presentation to investors in May 2018, PVH Brands Australia, a 50-50 joint venture between PVH and local apparel retailer Gazal Corporation, which held the licences for  Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Van Heusen in the local market, said it would open 34 stores across the brands in the coming years.

    Since then, PVH has announced an agreement to acquire Gazal. The closing, which is subject to shareholder, court and regulatory approvals, is expected to occur in the second quarter of 2019.

    Tommy Hilfiger operates 1800 stores in over 100 countries around the world.

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  • American Eagle expands Aerie lingerie brand

    American Eagle expands Aerie lingerie brand

    Global apparel retailer American Eagle is boosting its Aerie lingerie brand, with plans to open 60 to 75 stores this year.

    The strategy, which coincides with rival brand Victoria’s Secret’s declining sales and series of store closures, involves both standalone locations and side-by-sides with American Eagle, predominantly in Texas and California. The company currently operates 1055 stores.

    “Aerie is a game changer by staying at the forefront of body positivity and women’s empowerment,” said Aerie’s global brand president Jennifer Foyle. “Our new cast of role models are even more inspirational. They embrace the Aerie lifestyle and were chosen for their influential voices, unique stories and commitment to increase the power and empowering our community.”

    The firm reported US$431 million in earnings for the last financial quarter, a 1 per cent rise over the previous year’s figures. Its total net sales also rose 1 per cent to $1.24 billion.

    “Strong execution by the teams drove a record fourth quarter and fiscal 2018, as we reached a milestone of $4 billion in annual revenue with increased operating profit,” said American Eagle’s CEO and chairman Jay Schottenstein.

    “Eagle and Aerie continued to deliver consistent performance by combining product innovation and great merchandise with an improved customer experience across channels. As we head into 2019, we will continue to leverage the strength of our brands, selling channels and the team’s commitment to continually raising the bar for our customers. The strength of our balance sheet and free cash flow enables us to make important investments in our business to fuel market share gains, future growth and returns to our shareholders.”

  • Chloe’s brand new flagship opens in Seoul

    Chloe’s brand new flagship opens in Seoul

    French fashion house Chloe has opened a new flagship in Seoul.

    The new 386sqm two-story boutique in the luxury shopping district of Cheongdam features an eye-catching facade consisting of beige marble stones and the maison’s logo in brass.

    Chloe flagship - Seoul 1

    The first floor entrance ushers clients into the accessories and small leather goods section, while on the second floor the full collection is hung up on brass rails, sitting alongside footwear.

    Chloe flagship - Seoul 2

    Furnishings and decor are used to express the brand’s vocabulary, mirroring the maison’s flagship boutique on avenue Montaigne which contrasts a light femininity with robust architectural details and raw mineral materials.

    Chloe flagship - Seoul 3

     

    Chloe flagship - Seoul 4

    Tender curvilinear forms on the ceiling, floor and furniture echo the roundness of the letters in the Chloe logo, while a palette of white and powdery beige rose warmed by mustard and polished natural brass illuminate the space.

    Vintage designer furniture is found on the second floor, which includes a private VIP space.

  • Estée Lauder Wants to Maximise Every Second of your Beauty Sleep

    Estée Lauder Wants to Maximise Every Second of your Beauty Sleep

    Join us as Estée Lauder celebrates its first ever Power of Night exclusive pop-up. Visit us from 23th to 24th March (11am to 8pm) to understand how modern life affects our skin and discover our iconic Advanced Night Repair serum maximises skin repair with every second of beauty sleep. Learn how a lack of sleep* and constant exposure to blue light** accelerates skin ageing, causes fine lines and a loss of firmness and pigmentation.

    As a leader in skin repair for over 35 years, Estée Lauder continuously studies the key factors behind visible skin ageing. Research shows that a lack of sleep not only affects our skin’s natural reparative process but also accelerates premature signs of skin ageing.

    Sleeping less than five hours every night increases the impact of stress on the body, resulting in a breakdown of collagen and elastin, causing it to be more susceptible to damage caused by environmental aggressors*.

    Modern life equals multiple skin assaults and the constant exposure to blue light, especially at night, disrupts the skin’s natural repair process and causes accelerated skin ageing**.

    It is no surprise then that a good night’s sleep is not only important to recharge the body but also helps keep skin youthful and healthy.

    Beauty Sleep In Progress

    During our exclusive pop-up, learn about Estée Lauder’s iconic Advanced Night Repair in the Living Room. Through an interactive night discovery quiz, discover how our patented ChronoluxCB™ Technology works with the body’s natural circadian rhythm to boost skin repair and renewal functions for a radiant and youthful look when you wake.

    In the bedroom, explore different ways of using Advanced Night Repair serum with our Power Of Night film series muses Joanne Peh, Nurul Aini and Oon Shu An and journey with them through our Insta-worthy beauty stations. Learn beauty hacks with Estée Lauder’s breakthrough repair serum for all your beauty occasions by strengthening the skin, improving hydration and enhancing your skin’s glow.

    Take our discovery quiz and bring home your very own Advanced Night Repair serum sample to kick start your Advanced Night Repair beauty regimen.

    Create your customised bedtime renewal routine and steal the spotlight with our Pro Artists using our best-selling Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation and our new luxury lipstick collection Pure Color Desire.

    Scribe your sleep resolutions on the Sleeping Beauties Wall and join us in spreading the love for Advanced Night Repair by posting your favourite sleeping beauty images on the ‘gram. Tag your photos with the event hashtags to enter the Estée Lauder #PowerOfNightSG Instagram contest, and stand a chance to win a full-size bottle of Advanced Night Repair.

    Unleash the power of night with Singapore’s #1 serum — Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair.

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  • Watson and L’Oréal’s ModiFace drive retail innovation with the launch of virtual makeup try-on service

    Watson and L’Oréal’s ModiFace drive retail innovation with the launch of virtual makeup try-on service

    L’Oréal’s AI and AR company ModiFace and A.S. Watson Group (“ASW”) announce the launch of the virtual makeup try-on #ColourMe, making ModiFace’s industry-leading AR technology available to consumers across Asia on mobile.

    #ColourMe, launching in March, is a virtual try-on service which will be available on Watsons mobile apps providing shoppers with the opportunity to virtually try on 300 makeup products including lipsticks, mascara, eyeshadow, brow colouring and foundation. Users will also be able to try on recommended trend looks, create and save their own look creations, as well as capture photos and videos of their makeup. Products associated with each look can be delivered to the shopper’s home or collected from a local Watsons store as quickly as four hours.

    The technology will roll out with L’Oréal Paris and Maybelline brands in the first phase of the launch, and it will be available exclusively in e-commerce mobile apps of Watsons Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore. ASW will consider extending the collaboration to other brands and markets across its portfolio in Asia and Europe in the future.

    Malina Ngai, A.S. Watson Group Chief Operating Officer is excited about the new digital experience created with the support of L’Oréal, “Customers are at the heart of all our innovations. We strive to create bespoke online and offline experiences that add value for their lifestyle. We have a shared vision with L’Oréal in driving digital leadership in beauty, and we discussed about creating the exclusive experience since the second half of last year utilizing ModiFace’s technology. Together we will transform the way beauty lovers discover and experience makeup and a one-stop shopping experience on our mobile app.”

    Alexis Perakis-Valat, President of L’Oréal’s Consumer Products Division, says, “Digital technologies are about to revolutionize retail, making shopping more entertaining, easy and personalized. We want to be a driving force of this transformation and so does A.S. Watson who is a long-standing and trusted retail partner for us. This is why we are thrilled to launch the virtual makeup try-on #ColourMe powered by our own beauty AR and AI company Modiface. This technology offers consumers a unique way to discover and enjoy makeup and will allow us to further reinvent the beauty experience in the future”.

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