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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.

  • Fila opens its flagship heritage store in Pune India

    Fila opens its flagship heritage store in Pune India

    After the success of Fila India’s flagship heritage store in Mumbai, Fila has just launched its new heritage store in Pune. Sneaking its way into the affluent neighborhood of Viman Nagar at the bustling Phoenix Market City mall Pune, the store is a 1,068 sq. ft. mecca for sneakerheads and sports fashion enthusiasts alike.

    The bold, oversized, backlit logo is configured to reveal the store’s exteriors from afar. Also reflecting its classic-meets-contemporary vibe with iconic red, white and blue colour palette, the muted store interiors serve as the ideal backdrop to showcase a show-stopping and vibrant Fila Heritage autumn/winter 2018 collection. Global campaign images are displayed around the store as a visual treat to the eyes.

    Talking about the store launch, Rohan Batra, MD of Cravatex Brands Ltd. said, “Quick on the heels of our flagship heritage store launch in Mumbai, we are excited to launch our second store in the young, vibrant city of Pune. With a dominantly cosmopolitan and fashionable student community, Pune seemed like the perfect pit stop on the road to taking on the sports fashion segment in India.”

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  • Malaysia to have first Victoria’s Secret Lingerie Store

    Malaysia to have first Victoria’s Secret Lingerie Store

    The first full-range Victoria’s Secret Malaysia store has opened. Located in Mid Valley Megamall, the boutique has been launched by the US brand’s regional partner Valiram Group, which is also behind Victoria’s Secret stores in Macau, Bali and Singapore, (but not Hong Kong and Mainland China). It is reportedly planning more stores in Jakarta, Bangkok and Melbourne, Australia.

    The Kuala Lumpur store takes up 8233sqft, and has dedicated space for diffusion lines Pink and Victoria Sport, as well as the beauty products and perfume ranges stocked in earlier Victoria’s Secret stores in Malaysia.

    Many celebrities attended a formal opening earlier this month and social media key influencers including Joi Lynn have been photographed at the store.

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  • Tod’s is not for sale

    Tod’s is not for sale

    Speaking at the 2018 Milano Fashion Global Summit, Tod’s Chairman and CEO Diego Della Valle denied rumours surrounding a possible sale of the Tod’s group, reports WWD. The report quoted Della Valle saying: “This rumor is a “recurring” one, but “if we really had to do an operation, it would be to buy, not to sell. “We are preparing the company for the next 10 years, when we will surely be attentive to new consumers, but carefully avoiding going overboard in chasing trends. We must not lose sight of who we are,” he added.

    Speculations followed after an Italian newspaper reported on Monday that Della Valle’s reorganization of the family’s holding companies may be an indication to a future sale of the group.

    The Della Valle family currently owns majority 60 percent of the Tod’s group through two separate holding companies – the Di.Vi. Finanziaria vehicle and the Diego Della Valle & C.

    For the first six months, Tod’s reported a 2.8 percent decline in its net profit to 33.7 million euros, while sales decreased 1.3 percent to 477 million euros compared to 483 million euros in the first half of the previous year but increased 1.8 percent at constant exchange.

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  • New Look to no longer selling in China

    New Look to no longer selling in China

    Embattled UK fashion retailer New Look is to quite China, closing some 130 remaining stores. The move follows a strategic review of the China business announced back in June, when the company put the brakes on an ambitious 450-store rollout plan after opening just 148.

    New Look has appointed property specialist CBRE to find new tenants for the 130 remaining stores in the country.

    In March, South African-owned New Look signed a Company Voluntary Arrangement with its creditors and landlords in the UK allowing 60 stores there to be closed. Chairman Alistair McGeorge at the time cast doubt on the future of the China plans announced by former CEO Anders Kristiansen.

    New Look’s China exit comes two months after rival chain Topshop terminated a franchise agreement with local partner Shangpin “by mutual agreement”.

  • UNIQLO x ALEXANDER WANG Collection to be launced on November 9

    UNIQLO x ALEXANDER WANG Collection to be launced on November 9

    UNIQLO announced that it will launch the new UNIQLO and ALEXANDER WANG collaboration line in 20 countries and regions around the world on 9 November. In Singapore, the collection will first launch online at UNIQLO.com on 8 November and it will be available in stores from 9 November. The full range will be available at UNIQLO Orchard Central Global Flagship Store and through UNIQLO.com. Selected items will be available at all UNIQLO stores. The range takes the UNIQLO HEATTECH concept of enjoying light and fashionable dressing even in cold seasons and expresses it with new ideas, creating LifeWear that presents HEATTECH as more stylish wear.

    Two images from the launch campaign Warmth Reimagined depict products in an ice block. The metaphorical visual aims to express the thought that HEATTECH transcends the cold and is warm enough to melt away the ice it is encased in. The campaign speaks to the idea that, even though these items are technically ‘innerwear,’ they may be worn as ‘outerwear’ or as visible layers. There is no reason to hide these beautiful, warming garments. Hence Warmth Reimagined.

    The new collection of HEATTECH and HEATTECH Extra Warm items comprises fashionable innerwear with the original functionality of HEATTECH, allowing the wearer to be warm and stylish even in cold seasons. The silhouettes are sharp and slim overall, while the women’s tank top features a unique back design and can be styled with other pieces from the collection. HEATTECH underwear is available in both men’s and women’s lines for the first time. The men’s items include both briefs and boxers, while the women’s range has a bra and shorts. The waist is adorned with a logo, a design element for wearers to casually show.

    The collaboration line includes a range of colours from Alexander Wang’s classic black to neon green. The line also incorporates neo-futuristic elements and sporty styling, such as glossy rib materials reminiscent of 80s fashion. The visual presentation of the comfortable, bias weave fabric is another characteristic of this collection. The fabric itself uniquely changes with body movement, with V-shaped patterns appearing on the surface.

  • New fashion inspiration for young South Koreans

    New fashion inspiration for young South Koreans

    Among young South Koreans, civic rights activist and Democratic presidential nominee Jesse Jackson’s 1988 campaign T-shirts and French fashion brand Balenciaga’s Bernie Sanders-inspired caps are some of the hottest fashion items at the moment. “What size is it?” “Has it been sold yet?” Comments like these quickly appear when well-kept secondhand Bernie Sanders caps are put up for sale in online communities, as a brand new one could cost nearly US$310.

    Celebrities like actor Ha Yeon-soo and singer HyunA have been seen sporting the Balenciaga cap, the design of which has been inspired by US politician Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign logo.

    The Jesse Jackson-inspired T-shirts appear within reach for a wider demographic, as they are sold at a much cheaper price, ranging between 10,000 and 20,000 won.

    Other than being seen as fashionable, the two items share another thing in common. They are both inspired by progressive US presidential campaigns from the past, yet their origins receive little to no attention from South Korean consumers.

    The comments from major Web portal Naver speak volumes.

    “It hugs my body perfectly,” one comment about Jesse Jackson T-shirts read, while another said, “It goes well with my denim.”

    YouTuber Seni, who specializes in makeup and fashion, did a video on a hip-hop festival look in September, which she complete with the Bernie Sanders-inspired Balenciaga cap.

    During the video, the YouTuber got ready for a music festival but the background knowledge behind the cap’s design did not take center stage.

    Online fashion retailer Yuiiyuii, which sells Jesse Jackson T-shirts, says it’s mostly the design of the shirt that has gained popularity despite its originally political nature.

    “Not just Jesse Jackson but other T-shirts with similar fonts and colors gained popularity beginning around last summer.”

    While the two figures once contended for the leadership of the United States, their profile in Korea is not as strong as other US political figures such as President Obama and former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

    On a rare occasion in September, Jesse Jackson met with President Moon Jae-in during his visit to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

    During the meeting, Jackson praised Moon’s North Korea policy and called the South Korean president a “breath of fresh air,” adding Moon was following in the footsteps of South African President Nelson Mandela and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.

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  • Amorepacific Group to expand in Australia

    Amorepacific Group to expand in Australia

    Amorepacific Group, the L’Oreal of Korea, is ramping up its presence in the Australian and New Zealand markets, as demand for Korean beauty products remains unabated. Over the last several months, the company has set up a head office in Melbourne under the direction of country manager Caroline Dunlop, launched its global luxury brands Amorepacific and Laneige at Mecca Cosmetica and Sephora, respectively, and opened two bricks-and-mortar stores under the banner of its popular natural beauty brand Innisfree in Melbourne. A third Innisfree store is due to open before the end of the year.

    Amorepacific Group said it will continue to further ramp up its expansion into the Oceania region after having closely studying the Australia and New Zealand beauty markets and their customers for several years. The company noted that Australia ranks among the the top five countries in the world for average cosmetics spending per person.

    “Australian and New Zealand customers are beauty conscious; taking great interest in global beauty trends and cosmetic ingredients. They also put a significant amount of time and effort into taking care of and protecting their skin against environmental factors in the region. In addition, their preference for natural makeup and healthy skin has led to a growing interest in K-beauty,” the group said in a statement.

    Amorepacific is far from the only beauty retailer moving to capitalise on the booming beauty sector, but it may be better equipped than most to do so. The company is Korea’s oldest and largest beauty business, recording around US$6 billion ($8.5 billion) in annual sales, and has a physical presence in Asia, North America, Europe and Oceania.

    “I am so pleased to introduce Amorepacific Group’s global brands … to Australia and New Zealand this year,” Dunlop said.

    “These much-loved brands have enthralled customers around the world, and K-beauty has grown into a beauty category in its own right. As a K-beauty leader, Amorepacific Group is driving innovative beauty trends globally. Through Amorepacific Group, customers will be able to experience and benefit from the long-established expertise and true essence of Asian Beauty.”

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  • Clarks Shoes new store design showcased in Singapore store

    Clarks Shoes new store design showcased in Singapore store

    Singapore’s first Clarks Pure concept store opened its doors today, described as “a classic, understated and uncluttered retail space which reflects the brand’s history and modern spirit”. The new Clarks Singapore store is located in the Ion Orchard shopping centre. It is the first Pure store to be opened by the footwear brand in Southeast Asia and follows successful launches in Manchester and Glasgow, in the UK.

    Guillaume Nagy, president SEA & Oceania, at Clarks, said the store is designed to breath a new personality into the brand. It will be rolled out in other Southeast Asian markets during coming months.

    “We want to offer this elevated brand experience with the Pure store design,” said Nagy. “Singapore has an incredibly dynamic retail environment and we know the extension of Pure to Ion Orchard will be well received by existing and potential consumers. It is the first retail initial initiative of many to be implemented in the city state, turning Singapore into our flagship market and a centre of excellence for the region”

    Nagy said the focus of the store design was to make the shoe the star and to tell immersive stories that resonate with consumers.

    “Pure helps us achieve both in a way that is authentic to Clarks.”

    The new Clarks Singapore store features classic leather buttonback seats on birch floors and soothing neutral colours. It uses natural materials such as oak and timber to build on the themes of simplicity and honesty.

    Light boxes and opal resin podiums create a gallery-like display space for the collections. Brand and campaign imagery are displayed within the store for enhanced storytelling, while large-scale lightboxes draw consumers in and communicate key brand messages.

    The concept was designed by Stiff & Trevillion, whose spokesperson said Pure was chosen as the concept because it links to honesty.

    “Clarks uses honest design and materials in its shoes and we wanted the store design to reflect that through the use of natural materials and truthful lighting.”

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  • Positive trend for South Korean duty free sales

    Positive trend for South Korean duty free sales

    South Korean duty free sales in the first nine months of 2018 have exceeded total sales for 2017. Sales hit an all-time high of US$12.9 billion between January and September, according to Korea Duty Free Shops Association. That figure exceeds the US$12.8 billion recorded for full year 2017.

    The performance comes despite a significant fall in the number of Chinese tourists to South Korea since the THAAD dispute erupted in early 2017, with a number of restrictions imposed by the Chinese government including a ban on group tours.

    As reported, the latest Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) figures showed that Chinese arrivals were up just +6.5 percent year-on-year (to 3,059,075) in the first eight months of 2018, reflecting a very tough first quarter before Korean-Chinese relations improved as the THAAD dispute eased.

    In the first eight months of 2016 – long before the THAAD crisis began– some 5,608,046 Chinese arrived in South Korea. That figure is +83% higher than the 2018 performance over the same timeframe, highlighting the scale of the drop in Chinese tourist numbers.

    A key factor driving sales is the daigou phenomenon.

    Daigou (also known as ‘shuttle traders’ in South Korea) buy goods abroad (predominantly cosmetics but also a wide range of accessories and other premium and luxury goods, as well as commodity items such as milk powder) and resell them (often through well-organised networks) on the Mainland.

    As reported though, a Chinese government crackdown on returning daigou shoppers after the Golden Week holiday (1-7 October) has raised serious questions about the future of a sector that has buoyed Asia Pacific travel retail in recent times.

    Many South Korean retailers expect China to continue to ease economic and travel restrictions, including a full lifting of the ban on group tours in the near future.

    The return of group tours would be a significant boost – and could mean the pendulum swings back from individual shuttle traders to large group tours and traditional FIT business in terms of being the key driver of duty free sales.

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  • Hobbs launches in Hong Kong soon

    Hobbs launches in Hong Kong soon

    Hobbs will open its first store in Hong Kong in December, inside IFC mall. The UK womens fashion label has set a rapid expansion program this year, with the Hong Kong store marking its seventh new international market. Founded in London in 1981, initially specialising in shoes before expanding into the clothing and accessories, it has expanded across the UK, US and Germany and sells online.

    This year it has already opened points of sale in Kuwait, Japan, Beijing, Singapore, Belgium and South Africa.

    Hobbs CEO Meg Lustman said in an interview the company has partnered with a local company to establish a joint venture for the Hong Kong business, someone “who has great relationships with the landlords”.

    Hobbs is a sister brand of Whistles, which opened a store in IFC mall in April. The two brands, along with Phase Eight, are owned by the UK subsidiary of South African retail company The Foschini Group.
    Lustman said Whistles was doing well in Hong Kong and she is confident Hobbs will follow suit.

    “We can see our customer exists out there. When we’ve visited over the years, we’ve seen how many women are dressed for professional work. This is supported by demand from customers on our website.”

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  • Chow Tai Fook sales rises

    Chow Tai Fook sales rises

    Chow Tai Fook sales soared 25 per cent in Hong Kong and Macau in the September quarter.  On the mainland, sales rose by a solid 15 per cent. Same-store sales rose 23 per cent in Hong Kong and Macau and by 6 per cent on the mainland, according to a stock exchange filing by the company.

    But same-store volume growth told a different story: down 2 per cent in Hong Kong and Macau and up 1 per cent on the mainland, reflecting weaker gold prices which correspondingly drove more customers into stores.

    Chow Tai Fook’s sales of gold products grew by 41 per cent in Hong Kong and Macau and by 11 per cent in Mainland China

    Chairman, Dr Henry Kar-Shun, described the Hong Kong and Macau market growth as “impressive” during the quarter, “benefitting from buoyant consumer spending and resilient mainland visitation”.

    He said the same-store sales performance of gold products in both markets was driven by the increase in weight per piece sold. The company’s same-store average sale value on the mainland was HK$4000 compared to $3600 in the preceding quarter, while in Hong Kong and Macau, it rose from $7100 to $8500.

    The average international gold price declined by 5 per cent year on year during the quarter to September 30.

    Chow Tai Fook opened a net 162 points of sale in Mainland China during the quarter, which

    included 158 new Chow Tai Fook Jewellery spaces, three SoInLove spaces and one Chow Tai Fook T Mark space.

    In Hong Kong, Macau and other markets, the group opened one Hearts On Fire space and closed two CTF Watch stores in Hong Kong, and opened one Chow Tai Fook Jewellery space in South Korea. As at September 30 the company had 2822 points of sale globally.

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  • Canada Goose debuts in Hong Kong market

    Canada Goose debuts in Hong Kong market

    Canadian clothing manufacturer Canada Goose has opened its first Hong Kong store. Located in the IFC mall, the inaugural greater China store follows a partnership struck in May with Alibaba to launch the brand on the mainland. Canada Goose’s CEO in China Scott Cameron said the brand chose to open in Hong Kong because of its status as China’s fashion capital, as well as its strategic location between the mainland and the rest of the world.

    The brand’s new 2018 fall products are available in store as well as its classic down jacket and “Fusion Fit” collection for Asian wearers.

    The Alibaba partnership was created in part to ensure consumer access to genuine products in a market category frequently assailed by counterfeiting.

  • Fast fashion retailer Giordano sales surge in Hong Kong

    Fast fashion retailer Giordano sales surge in Hong Kong

    Giordano sales slid 5.2 per cent in the September quarter, according to a trading update by the fast-fashion retailer. Translated into constant currency basis, sales declined by 6.9 per cent, the company said. “We saw a sharp decline in sales as a result of dampened consumer confidence since June throughout the Asia Pacific region,” said chairman and CEO Peter Lau.

    Group comparable-store sales slipped by 2.8 per cent.

    However, Giordano sales in Hong Kong and Macau bucked the trend, rising by HK$2 million on a same-store basis in the quarter and by $6 million for the nine months to the end of September, reaching $226 million and $703 million respectively.

    Mainland China sales fell $30 million to $251 million.

    Lau said core Giordano lines accounted for 84.6 per cent of total brand sales. The company’s premium womenswear brand, Giordano Ladies, posted comp-stores growth of 3.3 per cent.

  • This Year’s Finest Watch Creations in Singapore

    This Year’s Finest Watch Creations in Singapore

    Malmaison boutique by The Hour Glass in the heart of Orchard Road hosts the exceptional exhibition featuring the 72 pre-selected watches. After Venice and Hong Kong, the 72 watches pre-selected by the jury of the 18th Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG) are being exhibited from October 17th to 21st in Singapore by renowned retailer The Hour Glass, within the splendid setting of its Malmaison boutique on Orchard Road.

    On show for five days within this stunning environment imbued with art and culture, the exhibition open to the public welcomes visitors eager to admire the year’s finest watch creations, competing to win the prestigious “Aiguille d’Or” Grand Prix or one of the 16 awards to be handed out in Geneva on November 9th.

    “Our organizational mission to advance watch culture necessitates us to devote resources to deepen our engagement with the watch collecting community both in Singapore and in the region,” Michael Tay, Group Managing Director of Singapore’s leading watch retailer and member of the jury of the GPHG 2018, said.

    Rare Opportunity

    The principal partner of the GPHG, LGT Private Banking, is also taking part in the event by choosing to offer its clients exclusive initiation sessions into the technical and artistic finesse of the timepieces on show, in the company of watchmaking experts.

    A rare opportunity for these end customers to admire within a single location the diversity of today’s watchmaking creativity expressed through models by more than 40 different brands.

    Annual Salute

    Created in 2001 and overseen since 2011 by a foundation recognised as a public interest organisation, the GPHG is intended as an annual salute to the excellence of the contemporary watchmaking art.

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  • DFS launches 10th anniversary edition of Masters of Time

    DFS launches 10th anniversary edition of Masters of Time

    DFS Group (DFS), the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, is launching the tenth edition of its world-leading Masters of Time exhibition this December, with a special anniversary collection that highlights craftsmanship, design and innovation. This year’s exhibition, titled “Masters of Time X”, will be unveiled during a two-day gala weekend at T Galleria by DFS, Macau, Shoppes at Four Seasons, featuring the finest watches and jewelry from some of the world’s most renowned brands including several pieces created especially in celebration of the event.

    Masters of Time is recognized as the world’s premier retail exhibition of luxury timepieces and jewelry, and is a signature event in DFS’ Masters Series, which showcases DFS’ leadership and innovation in curating and creating exceptional experiences across its five pillars of luxury: Wines and Spirits, Beauty and Fragrances, Watches and Jewelry, Fashion and Accessories, and Food and Gifts. Created by DFS in 2008 to bring the very best brands in the world of watchmaking, and their ambassadors, together with enthusiasts and collectors alike, the event is traditionally hosted each year in the exciting shopping enclave of Macau.

    The anniversary Masters of Time X collection represents the most exclusive selection of watches and jewelry that DFS has ever presented to its customers, with each piece chosen by its expert merchant teams after more than a year of meticulous searching. Masters of Time X showcases the height of craftsmanship as well as the best of design and innovation for both men and women, featuring over 450 exceptional, rare watches and exclusive jewelry masterpieces from 30 world-famous brands including Bulgari, Franck Muller, Hublot, IWC, Jaquet Droz, Piaget, Roger Dubuis, Tag Heuer, Ulysse Nardin and Zenith. This year, in commemoration of the milestone tenth edition, several pieces have been created especially for DFS and Masters of Time.

    A curated selection of fine jewelry will also be featured as part of the Masters of Time X collection. Highlights include Bulgari’s “Diva’s Dream” set, Tiffany “Paper Flowers” necklace, Piaget’s “Sunny Side of Life Golden Spirit” cuff bracelet, Boucheron’s “Plume de Paon & Hopi” set and Tasaki’s “Ritz Paris Par Tasaki ‘Elégance’” necklace.

    “As we enter our tenth year of DFS’ Masters of Time, the desires of our customers have never been more central to our carefully curated collection. We have worked with some of the most famous brands in the world to create and select masterpieces to captivate experienced collectors and first-time buyers alike,” said Matthew Green, DFS Group Senior Vice President, Watches and Jewelry. “This is a collection worthy of this milestone anniversary, and we are delighted to welcome new and existing customers to discover something truly unforgettable at Masters of Time X.”

    The Masters of Time X collection will be unveiled during a two-day gala weekend at T Galleria by DFS, Macau, Shoppes at Four Seasons from December 7-9. The collection will be available for viewing and purchase in Macau from December 7, 2018 until end-February 2019.

    In commemoration of Masters of Time’s tenth anniversary, new locations have been added to the event’s agenda to reach DFS customers outside of Macau. In September, Masters of Time X was pre-launched to European customers at DFS’ flagship store in Venice, T Fondaco dei Tedeschi, followed by immersive dinners in Chengdu and Shanghai in October, all featuring a selection of bespoke and rare watch and jewelry pieces. In 2019, the Masters of Time X collection will travel to a selection of DFS T Galleria stores around the world.