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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.

  • GuangYuYuan mixes medicine with fashion

    GuangYuYuan mixes medicine with fashion

    In a Paris Fashion Week first, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) brand, GuangYuYuan Chinese Herbal Medicine, has sponsored a runway show.

    With a history of nearly 500 years, it is the oldest TCM brand in China. GuangYuYuan board chairman Guo Jiaxue says the brand’s Paris Fashion Week campaign is all about connecting with younger consumers.

    “We are the oldest of the ‘big four’ TCM brands, so it’s easy to mistake us for being old fashioned. Today, we are reinterpreting our legacy with innovation and flair.”

    Its global debut in Paris was as a sponsor for fashion designer Liu Qing, also known as Big-King. It was also his first Paris runway show.

    Big-King typifies the young customer GuangYuYuan is seeking out. At the show, he revealed 10 modern looks using elements inspired by traditional Chinese motifs and themes. The event was attended by celebrities such Celina Jade, and representatives from top fashion houses including Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

    Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin presents GuangYuYuan Chairman Guo Jiaxue with an award for “Most Influential and Innovative International Brand” at the 2017 Select Fashion Awards

    The unusual collaboration between a TCM brand and fashion design was the brainchild of new hire Wang Xinyu, GM GuangYuYuan’s brand centre. Wang is leading the company through a marketing modernisation strategy. The runway show was co-organised with tech giant Tencent.

    Founded in 1541, GuangYuYuan was acquired by pharmaceutical conglomerate Xi’an Dongsheng Group in 2003, and in 2006 the Chinese Ministry of Commerce gave the brand its “Time-Honoured Brand” appellation. Two of GuangYuYuan’s oldest products have been declared to be part of China’s intangible cultural heritage, and their formulas have been named national secrets.

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  • Luxury retailer Coach rebrands to ‘Tapestry’

    Luxury retailer Coach rebrands to ‘Tapestry’

    To better incorporate all of the brands it now owns, luxury goods company Coach of New York is changing its name to Tapestry.

    The company that came to prominence in the Mad Men era now owns brands like Stuart Weitzman and Kate Spade & Co as well.

    Chief executive Victor Luis said on Wednesday the name Tapestry is more inclusive.

    Coach acquired Stuart Weitzman in 2015 in a deal valued up to US$574 million. It spent US$2.4 billion for Kate Spade this year, seeking to broaden its appeal.

    The Coach brand of bags and other goods is alive and well, but it becomes one of three brands sold by the company that will be called Tapestry.

    “Three years ago we laid out our vision to transform Coach and announced our intention to grow beyond the Coach brand,” said Victor Luis, CEO of the luxury firm in a statement.

    “Through the execution of our strategic plan and with the acquisitions of Stuart Weitzman in 2015 and Kate Spade & Company just this summer, we have realised these goals.

    “We are now at a defining moment in our corporate reinvention, having evolved from a mono-brand specialty retailer to a true house of emotional, desirable brands, all leveraging our strong operational foundation.”

    Luis said each of brand under the new Tapestry label has a unique proposition and fulfils “different fashion sensibilities and emotional needs within the very attractive and growing $80 billion global market” for premium handbag and accessories, footwear and outerwear.

    “In Tapestry, we found a name that speaks to creativity, craftsmanship, authenticity and inclusivity on a shared platform and values.

    “As such, we believe that Tapestry can grow with our portfolio and with our current brands as they extend into new categories and markets.

    “Most importantly, we are establishing a strong and distinct corporate identity, which enables our brands to express their individual personalities and unique language to consumers.”

    A website with the new name, which becomes official at the end of the month, is up and running.

    The change is part of Coach’s pursuit of younger shoppers who may not feel the same draw to store windows on Manhattan’s 5th Avenue.

    Coach began as a small workshop in Manhattan in 1941, and became a fashion powerhouse in the early 1960s though innovate designs.

    Coach Inc will also be changing its ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange from “COH” to “TPR”.

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  • Wines and spirits contribution to LVMH luxury business

    Wines and spirits contribution to LVMH luxury business

    It has been a bubbly nine months for the LVMH luxury business – with the exception of its wines and spirits division, which was hampered by supply constraints.

    Revenue grew by 14 per cent for the period to reach €30.1 billion (US$35.4 billion).

    With organic revenue growth of 12 per cent, the third quarter continues the trend for the year, says the group. The revenue increase was despite a negative currency impact of 5 per cent and a positive structural impact of 7 per cent, reflecting the integration of Christian Dior Couture.

    All business groups recorded double-digit organic growth, with the exception of wines and spirits where growth was 8 per cent. Champagne volumes were up 4 per cent, with particularly strong demand in Europe and Japan. Hennessy cognac had a volume increase of 9 per cent despite a third-quarter decline related to limited supply.

    LVMH’s selective retailing business group had organic revenue growth of 12 per cent. Online sales grew at a steady pace, and DFS had sustained growth, particularly in Hong Kong and Macau. The T Galleria store in Cambodia has also developed well, says the group.

    Organic growth of 14 per cent was recorded by the fashion and leather goods business group. It attributes this to innovation, such as the launch of Louis Vuitton’s first smartwatch.

    “The qualitative development of the distribution network continues, as illustrated by the opening of the Maison Louis Vuitton Vendome in Paris, which brings together under one roof all the savoir-faire of the maison,” says the group.

    Highlights during the period included Fendi opening stores in the US and Rimowa being consolidated. Donna Karan was sold at the end of last year.

    There was also 14 per organic growth in perfumes and cosmetics. Perfumes benefitted from the launch of the eau de parfum Miss Dior. Guerlain rolled out Mon Guerlain fragrance internationally, and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna had an “exceptional” start.

    Watches and jewellery had 13 per cent organic revenue growth, with Bulgari achieving “a remarkable performance” with the rapid growth of its signature jewellery collections Serpenti, Diva and B.Zero1.

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  • Design first for Victoria’s Secret catwalk show

    Design first for Victoria’s Secret catwalk show

    Victoria’s Secret has engaged Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing to create styles for its annual catwalk show, with a capsule collection to launch in stores the following day, November 29.

    While the lingerie brand often calls upon designers to create runway pieces, this is the first first time it has partnered with a fashion house on an in-store collection.

    There is also a parallel in that Rousteing has his “Balmain Army”, models who regularly star in his campaigns, while Victoria’s Secret uses star models for its shows.

    For the Shanghai showcase on November 28, the French designer is tipped to choose friends Sara Sampaio, Joan Smalls, Alessandra Ambrosio and Karlie Kloss to model his first mainline foray into underwear.

  • Alfred Dunhill launches store in Beijing

    Alfred Dunhill launches store in Beijing

    British luxury goods brand Alfred Dunhill has opened a store in Beijing, at the SKP Shopping Center.

    Offering the brand’s complete range of products for men, the store features the new Dunhill retail design concept.

    Based in London, the brand specialises in ready-to-wear, custom and bespoke menswear, leather goods, and accessories. Alfred Dunhill is owned by the Richemont group.

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  • Secoo signs exclusive European footwear deal

    Secoo signs exclusive European footwear deal

    Chinese lifestyle platform Secoo Holding has signed a deal to be the exclusive partner in China for the European Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC).

    With the agreement covering more than 100 European footwear brands, Secoo Group has secured the exclusive China rights to 87 per cent of the supply of European premium footwear.

    Representing the footwear industry in the European Union, CEC has a membership that includes companies in 18 EU countries as well as five countries in Central and Eastern Europe. They include leading brands from Italy, France, Sweden and the UK.

    CEC sees China as its next major opportunity. President Cleto Sagripanti says many European footwear brands lack access to rapidly growing markets such China.

    “Secoo already has wide access to China’s high-end customers and, at the same time, provides protection for our intellectual properties.”

    Secoo has 15.4 per cent of the Asian market, as well as a quarter of the high-end online market in China.

    With nine years in the business, the platform has 15 million registered users with the average purchase per customer exceeding RMB3500 (US$520), and 300,000 SKUs in stock.

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  • Suitsupply launches women’s chain, Suistudio

    Suitsupply launches women’s chain, Suistudio

    Fashion disruptor Suitsupply is taking its new concept targeting women international.

    Suistudio will open its first US store in New York City at the end of October, with both banners planning to roll out across the continental US.

    Suitsupply has so far opened 84 stores internationally, including in Hong Kong and Bangkok, to support it successful webstore. The concept is selling suits tailor-made in-store while the customer waits.

    In a bid to position itself apart from Suitsupply, Suistudio has released an edgy, if potentially controversial, advertising campaign with the message: “We’re #notdressingmen,” featuring model Rianne ten Haken. The theme shows a woman in a stylish suit while her male partner is naked, is designed to convey the message Suistudio is taking women’s suiting every bit as seriously as men’s.

    Suistudio recently launched its online store, which the company says is already proving a success.

    “The key to customer satisfaction is not only the true to size fit, but also offering both “the now” and “the classic” suit styles that women have been asking for,” the company says.

    Like Suitsupply, Suistudio combines high-quality Italian fabrics like Vitale Barberis Canonico and Ferla (mills from the Biella Region) with expert tailoring that is hand-finished. The result, a power suit.

    “We’ve been asked consistently for a long time to make a women’s collection,” explained CEO/founder Fokke de Jong. “Our brand is about bringing high-quality product for attainable price points. It isn’t a snap your fingers and done sort of project. After years of preparation, I think we finally nailed it. A perfect fit that our customers are excited to wear.”

    Suistudio’s suits and coats are priced between US$399 and $699, trousers $199 to $299 and jackets $299 to $699.

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  • Michael Kors reopens Makati flagship store

    Michael Kors reopens Makati flagship store

    Affordable luxury leather goods brand Michael Kors has finished renovating its flagship store in Manila, reopening to the Filipino customer in October 2017.

    Located at Greenbelt 5, the improved Makati store unveils a new play on metal accents — as seen on shelves and fixtures – for the US brand.

    The New York handbag and accessories retailer is locally distributed in the Asian nation by Stores Specialists Inc. (SSI), and is looking to ramp up sales in the Philippines.

    “Michael Kors has contemporary styling and great value. It is very up to date with trends interpreted in a way that resonates with every kind of style,” SSI Group president Anton Huang, told local media.

    According to Huang, Michael Kors bags, accessories and footwear remain the Philippines’ most sought after item.

    However, Michael Kors Philippines has witnessed an increase in sales for ready-to-wear lines, adding the brand’s success is rising as more customers adopt a sophisticated lifestyle.

    “Ready-to-wear apparel has become more important to our customers. It  is been successful. For apparel, there’s growth season after season.”

    In addition to the newly reopened Makati flagship, Michael Kors has other stores in the Philippines located at Central Square on Bonifacio High Street, Newport Mall, Power Plant Mall, Rustan’s Makati, and Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

    Kors had been grappling with declining sales in recent quarters as more people shop online. The firm has faced over-distribution of its products and a reliance on promotions to boost sales also eroded some of Kors’ brand value and its appeal.

    However, in August 2017, Michael Kors Holdings reported better-than-expected profit for the first quarter as it cut down on promotions and sold more premium handbags, it said.

    Looking ahead, the company expects fiscal 2018 revenue of about $4.28 billion, slightly higher than its earlier forecast of $4.25 billion.

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  • Longchamp Singapore reopens at Paragon

    Longchamp Singapore reopens at Paragon

    Longchamp Singapore has reopened its Paragon mall boutique.

    Marking the relaunch at 02-40 kiosk, the French luxury leather brand released its Mademoiselle Longchamp range of bags, which is exclusively distributed there until September 15, and at all Longchamp outlets thereafter.

    Inspired by 1970s heroines such as Jane Birkin and Francoise Hardy, the bags are available in black, grey, cognac and mimosa, and are sold from US$630 to $1955.

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  • Céline opens in Sydney

    Céline opens in Sydney

    French maison Céline has opened its second Australian store in Sydney.

    Located on level four of Sydney’s Westfield Shopping Centre, the 186-square-metre store is designed with clean lines and pared-back simplicity, hallmarks of the brand’s creative director, Phoebe Philo.

    Raw materials such as onyx, fired terracotta, carved lime wood and industrial chipboard mix in with foliage, and bounce off black metal hanging rails, brought to life by a concrete floor in grey.

    A central sculpture wall divides each room, with bespoke furnishings – designed by Danish artist FOS – splattered throughout. Features include mirrors, a jewellery table, sunglasses and jewellery display casing, and a large seating area in ceramic and wood.
    The new Sydney flagship hosts Céline’s autumn/winter 2017 collection, as well as a range of ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories.

    The Sydney store is the brand’s 141st store globally. The first Australian flagship opened in Melbourne’s Chadstone shopping centre in 2016.

    Founded in 1945 by Céline Vipiana, the Paris house is today owned by global luxury conglomerate LVMH group.

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  • Asia Beauty Group deal for ‘beauty park’

    Asia Beauty Group deal for ‘beauty park’

    A consortium comprising a Macau firm and two Mainland Chinese companies has signed an agreement with Hong Kong’s Asia Beauty Group Holding to open a “beauty park” in Grand MixC, an urban complex being developed in Hengqin.

    Macau’s San Fong Wang Property Development & Investment is also funding the construction of the RMB50 billion (US$7.52 billion) mixed-use complex. The two other parties are real-estate developer China Resources Land and financial services group China Resources Trust, according to information released by the Zhuhai government.

    Aimed at providing “one-stop fashion and leading cosmetic services” for women, the 20,000sqm park will include hairdressers, beauty salons, spas, catering, wedding services, photography resources, a themed hotel and a media centre within 10 theme areas. Hengqin is an island and special economic zone in Zhuhai, in Guangdong province.

    Previously owned by Ng Lap Seng, a Macau real-estate tycoon convicted on July 30 of bribery, money laundering and corruption, San Fong Wa is now headed by his son Ng Kei Nin.

    Completion of the beauty park is expected next year, when the first phase of the Grand MixC project is also expected to be completed. The complex is expected to become a retail and cultural destination, targeting the boutique trade and exhibitions, healthcare, cultural and creative activities as well as the hi-tech industry.

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  • Myer welcomes Android and Apple pay on new credit card

    Myer welcomes Android and Apple pay on new credit card

    Myer has become the first Aussie retailer to launch Android Pay and Apple Pay on a Visa card, in a move that the department store retailer says accelerates its commitment towards digital.

    Launching this month, the card is issued by Macquarie Bank and supplied by Visa payment technology. It allows shoppers to access smart phone digital wallets and designed to make it easier to track and manage spending through the Myer credit card app.

    The new card is also now the only way for customers to earn Myer one shopping credits on eligible credit card purchases.

    “The card will provide our customers with an easier way to pay and reward them for their loyalty,” said Richard Umbers, Myer CEO and managing director.

    “We are delighted with our partnership with Macquarie and Visa which will further accelerate the growth of Myer’s digital capability.”

    The head of Macquarie’s Banking and Financial Services Group, Greg Ward, said the finance firm had offered credit cards directly and through white label arrangements for “many years” and that the Myer partnership was the “latest step in supporting innovative digital banking solutions for Australians.”

    Stephen Karpin, Visa’s group country manager for ANZ and the South Pacific, said digital technology is driving “new and imaginative commerce experiences” within retail, and that “how people pay is at the heart of these experiences.”

    It’s the second tech-related launch embarked on by Myer in recent weeks, after the department store retailer dipped its toes into radio frequency identification technology, with a six to eight week trial.

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  • Bonia Vietnam moves south with second store

    Bonia Vietnam moves south with second store

    Leathergoods retailer Bonia Vietnam has opened its first Ho Chi Minh City boutique, at Crescent Mall.

    Covering 192sqm on the mall’s second floor, the store has a simple design featuring timber and bright colours as a background to the brand’s latest items.

    Celebrities attending the grand opening included actress/director Ngo Thanh Van, who joined Bonia representatives in cutting the opening ribbon.

    It is the Malaysian brand’s second store in Vietnam, the first being at Vincom Hanoi.

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  • Fashion link for Acer Philippines promotion

    Fashion link for Acer Philippines promotion

    A pre-holiday promotion has been launched by Acer Philippines in conjunction with SM men’s fashion brand Salvatore Mann.

    Backpacks and duffel bags are being given away for buyers of certain Acer projectors and computers. Under the promotion, which runs until October 15, holders of BDO Rewards, SM Advantage and SM Prestige cards will also receive exclusive Salvatore Mann sling bags.

    A fashion show featuring the exclusive Salvatore Mann collection designed especially for the promotion, has been held at SM Megamall’s Mega Fashion Hall.

    To introduce the campaign’s faces, Kita Kita stars Alessandra De Rossi and Empoy Marquez, Acer produced a short film, #KasyaPa.

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  • Sephora to open at Highpoint Shopping Centre

    Sephora to open at Highpoint Shopping Centre

    Global beauty giant Sehpora has today announced its next store location, continuing its extensive retail expansion in Australia, opening at Highpoint Shopping Centre this November.

    It’s the beauty retailer’s 13th Australian store and third in Victoria, (Melbourne Central and Chadstone), and follows hot on the heels of the cosmetic’s chainslatest opening at Erina Shopping Centre on the Central Coast yesterday.

    “The demand for more Melbourne stores has been considerable and we want to be able to meet the expectations of our local beauty aficionados,” said Sephora country manager Libby Amelia.

    “Highpoint Shopping Centre is a great fit for us and we’re looking forward to launching there next month. We have some super exciting activities planned for launch day to welcome Melbourne’s inner western beauties to the wonderful world of Sephora,” said Amelia.

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