Retail News CRM

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.

  • Louis Vuitton India sales and profits surge

    Louis Vuitton India sales and profits surge

    Louis Vuitton India has reported a 24.5-per-cent increase in profit year on year, representing a doubling of income since 2017.

    Sales have grown by 41 percent since 2017 with the luxury retailer now operating three stores in the country, at Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

    The growth reflects a strengthening Indian luxury-goods market estimated to be worth about US$8 billion now and growing at a rate as high as 18 percent through to 2023.

    Louis Vuitton India’s net profit for the 2019 financial year was ₹16.17 crore (US$2.25 million), over ₹12.98 crores ($1.8 million) for the previous year, according to local regulatory filings.

    Globally, the company, LVMH recorded revenue of €53.7 billion last year, up 15 percent year on year.

    Meanwhile, LVMH India’s country manager Sunaina Kwatra has announced her intention to resign from the firm’s board.

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  • Uniqlo Launches New Game Model Worn by Global Brand Ambassador, Roger Federer

    Uniqlo Launches New Game Model Worn by Global Brand Ambassador, Roger Federer

    UNIQLO, Japanese global apparel retailer announces that it will offer replica game wear and other items worn at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships by its Global Brand Ambassador, Roger Federer. Items will be available from July 1, 2019 (Monday) at UNIQLO Orchard Central Flagship store and UNIQLO.COM. The new game wear model was developed by the design team at the UNIQLO Paris R&D Centre, led by Artistic Director Christophe Lemaire, in consultation with Roger Federer.

    Roger Federer – “It’s now been a year since I partnered with UNIQLO, and I still clearly remember the excitement of first walking on court in UNIQLO at last year’s Wimbledon Championships. I’m thankful to the design team at UNIQLO, and I appreciate UNIQLO’s efforts to have a vision beyond sports through its LifeWear philosophy. I’m looking forward to this year’s outfit as well as the many more opportunities to come.”

    Roger Federer model: A classic design for a classic tournament – The Roger Federer polo features a classic cutaway collar and design that is well suited to this traditional tournament and Roger Federer’s elegant playing style.

    Jointly developed by UNIQLO and Toray Industries, Dry EX features a special arched structure that dries faster than ordinary dry function material, preventing the steamy and sticky feeling due to perspiration to maintain comfort throughout play. The raised structure is well suited to the strenuous movements of tennis. Highly breathable mesh has been used in areas that accumulate sweat, helping to avoid overheating and allowing the athletes to be at their best during competitions.

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  • Zara to open at Changi Airport

    Zara to open at Changi Airport

    Spanish clothing brand Zara will open a shop in Singapore’s Changi Airport in May.

    The new store, in Terminal 3, is part of a broader plan by Singapore Zara franchisee, Dubai-based Al-Futtaim Group, to ramp up the Zara brand’s retail offer in the city state.

    In the same month, Al-Futtaim Group will reopen the brand’s store in Ion Orchard, in the heart of the Orchard Rd shopping strip, after an extensive renovation and expansion.

    The Zara expansion plan was outlined in concert with revelation of plans to refocus the Robinsons and Marks & Spencer operations in Singapore. Al-Futtaim Group also has Royal Sporting House in its retail brand portfolio.

    The company plans to open the first stand-alone Royal Sporting House Junior store at Suntec City in May, ranging footwear for those aged between six and 12.

    Kesri Kapur, head of the Al-Futtaim Group’s Asian business said the changes were about reacting to “the ever-evolving retail landscape” in Singapore.

    He said the relevancy of the mall space had to be balanced with the brand profile, shoppers’ consumption patterns and increasing competition as well as Singapore’s labour shortage, so the business “stayed relevant in the retail market”.

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  • LOEWE’s 4th store in Korea opens

    LOEWE’s 4th store in Korea opens

    Spanish brands LOEWE opened a women’s store on the second floor of the Hyundai Department Store. LOEWE is a Spanish leather brand with over 170 years of history and is now attracting the attention of global fashion people, led by designer Jonathan Anderson.

    According to LOEWE, the store is the 4th one to open in Korea, and Loewe plans on developing women’s bags, clothing, accessories and eye-wear in its newly opened store. In addition, the brand will present exclusive products for Hyundai Department Store in commemoration of the store opening.

    The concept of this store is known as ‘Casa Loewe’, designed by Brand Creative Director Jonathan Anderson, using materials such as Spanish limestone, walnut wood and concrete to feature strong mood.

    Eye-catching furniture exclusive to the store are displayed around the space. The brand had a specially-made carpet to show the LOEWE DNA “craftsmanship”.

    With the upcoming holiday season, LOEWE plans on releasing its “Mackintosh” capsule collection. Some items of the collection are exclusive to the Hyundai department store.

    While the newly opened store is one for women, LOEWE opened the men’s store in Galleria department store last October.

    View gallery below for pictures (5 images) :

     

  • Strong demand in Brunei for Muslimah fashion

    Strong demand in Brunei for Muslimah fashion

    Malaysian designers and retailers of Muslimah fashion brands have found a strong demand in Brunei following exhibitions in the sultanate.

    One of the owners of Malaysian Muslim fashion outlet Busana Saizara, Ani Aizara, says she found Brunei “a very good place to do business” when she attended this year’s Brunei International Trade and Consumer Exhibition (BITC) for the first time. She followed up by taking part in the Brunei Islamic Fashion Exhibition (Bifex) last month.

    Aizara says her sales were so overwhelmingly positive during Bifex she had to ship more items over to replenish her stock, and her company is now in discussions with online store Dee Collections, which is interested in carrying the brand in Brunei.

    “We will hopefully be signing an MOU very soon,” says Aizara.

    Another Malaysian fashion store, House of Doll, also received encouraging sales at Bifex, reports The Brunei Times. The company launched its Hijab body mists and doll scarves during the expo before launching them in Kuala Lumpur.

    A company spokesman says it has already found a reseller for its new products and will be looking for more Brunei distributors before the end of the year.

    Sakura Malaysia brand director Suraya Sharifuddin says her brand has a strong following in Brunei through online shopping portal Fashion Valet. She says her company’s fragrances are in high demand in Brunei and sold “like hotcakes” at the Kuala Lumpur International Hijab Fair (KLIHF) in Brunei early this year.

    “We usually hold sales for our products in Kuala Lumpur during Ramadhan, but then we decided to hold the sales exclusively at Bifex because of the overwhelming reception in Brunei,” says Sharifuddin.

    Sakura has teamed up with Brunei fashion boutique Melur for distribution, and Sharifuddin says the brand hopes to launch its own clothing line in Brunei.

  • Red Cloud kickstarts Far East raw denim culture

    Red Cloud kickstarts Far East raw denim culture

    Red Cloud is a name few major retailers have yet heard of – but watch this space…

    Dubbed one of China’s first premium selvedge denim brands by influential fashion media monitor WGSN, it’s one of a new wave of independent denim makers carving out a new raw denim culture in Asia.

    Red Cloud’s new store is not exactly located in the heart of Hong Kong’s fashion highway – instead, you’ll find it tucked away in a narrow alley in Kwun Tong in Hong Kong’s industrial district.

    It’s the company’s second retail store, the first in its home city of Shenyang in the Mainland opened soon after the brand was founded in 2007.

    In an extensive interview with WGSN correspondent Anupreet Bhui, published online with photos of the store’s interior design, store manager Wan talks about the positioning of Red Cloud as a high end premium selvedge raw denim brand and how it has overcome the ‘Made in China’ tag.

    “The first thing that strikes you upon entering the shop is its old world charm garnished heavily with refreshing vintage interiors done up in a typical retro Hong Kong flavour that speaks out through its ceiling fan, authentic shop signage and hand picked furniture classics,” explains Bhui.

    “The shop is itself a labor of love by its owner Wan, who has hand built most of its fixtures and curated vintage furniture from all over Hong Kong and China. Wan is a good friend of Red Cloud founder Raymond and has helped him develop the business in Hong Kong as the sole distributer of Red Cloud & Co.”

    Wan says the shop has already built a fast-growing following among local denim connoisseurs.

    “At present there are a number of denim brands that are coming out in the market which may be selvedge and more expensive. However I really feel that for the consumer who truly understands high quality and authenticity, will continue to value Red Cloud & Co. Over these years, we are slowly but steadily building up our loyalist base who truly understand the difference. I am very optimistic about the future,” he told Bhui.

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  • Gucci America goes into battle with Forever 21

    Gucci America goes into battle with Forever 21

    Gucci America has filed a lawsuit against US fast-fashion retailer Forever 21 for allegedly copying its trademark “blue-red-blue” and “green-red-green” stripe webbing.

    Included in the filing in a Californian district court is a motion to dismiss a Forever 21 complaint against a threat of trademark litigation from the Italian luxury brand, and counterclaims of trademark infringement and dilution as well as unfair competition.

    “Gucci America brings these counterclaims because Forever 21 has challenged its most valuable and widely known marks,” says the document, “and further because Forever 21’s legal assault, like its business model, is built on undermining the very notion of trademark protection, which is of critical importance to Gucci America’s brand.”

    The lawsuit follows cease-and-desist letters Gucci sent the retailer over of its use of the stripe webbing on several items. The pieces include silver and floral bomber jackets, a jumper featuring a butterfly, a jumper with a green tiger motif, and a choker – all lookalike designs with striped webbing. The items are not currently listed on the Forever 21 website.

    Forever 21 filed its case in June, seeking protection against a threat of trademark litigation. Its complaint said Gucci should not be allowed to claim that it alone has a monopoly on all blue-red-blue and green-red-green striped clothing and accessories.

    Responding to the latest action, Forever 21 says it brought its lawsuit because it believes its position has merit.

    To prove trademark infringement, Gucci must demonstrate a high degree of possibility that a consumer seeing the Forever 21 items could be deceived into believing they may be Gucci products or part of a collaboration with Forever 21.

    Forever 21 is already being pounded by lawsuits this year from other international brands.

    German sportswear brand Puma, also owned by Gucci parent Kering, this year filed a lawsuit claiming Forever 21 had copied three shoe designs from its Fenty Puma by Rihanna collection.  Swimwear brand Mara Hoffman is also suing Forever 21 for infringing copyright of its leaf print, and another German sportswear company, Adidas, claims Forever 21 has used its three-stripe trademark on footwear and clothing.

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  • BeeBio aims to sweeten travel retail’s skincare offer

    BeeBio aims to sweeten travel retail’s skincare offer

    Key ingredients within the range include active medical grade Manuka honey – known for its healing properties – natural bee products (bee venom, Royal Jelly) and anti-oxidant botanicals from New Zealand. The products regenerate new skin cells by 80%, according to research conducted by the brand.

    BeeBio is performing strongly on the Australian domestic market, and earlier this year entered the inflight travel retail sector, with listings onboard Singapore Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines and Cathay Pacific. The brand is targeting a presence onboard 15 airlines by the end of the year.

    The BeeBio portfolio includes cleansing, moisturising and treatment lines. Star products include the Venomenous Bee Venom and Active Manuka Honey Anti-Aging Face Masque, Active Manuka Honey Eye Crème with Bee Venom, Royal Jelly Facial Crème and Active Manuka Honey Day Crème with SPF15. Body and hand care products are also available, while an anti-ageing serum is in the pipeline.

    “We believe we have a premium offer and want to go global,” Sales Director Liz Kolovos told The Moodie Report. “We are targeting travel retail expansion, and have already created special travel packs and exclusives for the channel.”

  • Pop-up Perfume Store by Louis Vuitton

    Pop-up Perfume Store by Louis Vuitton

    All seven Louis Vuitton fragrances feature in a Les Parfums pop-up store at Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 until November 28.

    Louis Vuitton has also created a limited-edition (100 pieces) monogrammed orchid travel case exclusive to the pop-up.

    There is also a travel set including a travel bottle and seven perfume cartridges, along with a cartridge of Eau Neutre to clean the bottle and atomiser in between changes. The set is being launched in Singapore first.

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  • Lululemon and employer branding

    Lululemon and employer branding

    Lululemon Athletica Inc. is beefing up benefits to attract and retain workers, offering full-time employees from three to six months of paid parental leave. The gender-neutral benefit awards three months of paid leave to full-time workers who have been at the yogawear company for two years. Employees with five or more years at the firm qualify for six paid months off. At Lululemon, workers are considered full-time if they work 24 hours a week.

    “When you think about an investment, there’s also all of those areas where it’s really hard to quantify because of the contribution and the return,” said Susan Gelinas, senior vice president for people and culture at Vancouver-based Lululemon. “We just see this as something that’s right to do for our people.”

    In the U.S., without any federal requirement for paid parental leave, it’s up to individual companies to offer a benefit, and about 35 percent do, according to a survey from the Society for Human Resource Management. Still, 84 percent of workers in the U.S. don’t have access to paid family leave, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    The majority of Lululemon’s full-time staffers in the U.S. have been with the company for two or more years, while one-fifth have worked there five or more years. As of January 2018, about 60 percent of Lululemon’s 13,400 workers were based in the U.S. The company declined to say how much the new policy would cost.

    Employees working in Canada already receive some paid parental leave, a portion of which comes from the government’s unemployment insurance program. That compensation is partial, and Lululemon’s offer there is a “paid top-up,” Gelinas said in an interview.

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  • Angel Chen x HM collaboration reflects East-meet-West street style

    Angel Chen x HM collaboration reflects East-meet-West street style

    &M has released its first collaboration with Chinese designer Angel Chen.

    The new Angel Chen x HM collection is inspired by the theme of “Kung Fu” and portrays an East-meets-West street style with a combination of vivid colors and embroidery. It sports a chic navy blue bomber jacket with dragon embroideries featuring a calligraphic “Kung Fu” design on the cuffs, while the women’s collection portrays the artist’s signature red hue with an oversized jacket and mini skirt combo that fuses both contemporary street style and Asian traditional elements.

    The Angel Chen x H&M collaboration collection will be available in selected H&M stores globally as well as its online store hm.com from September 26.

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  • Luk Fook sales drop 10 per cent in latest quarter

    Luk Fook sales drop 10 per cent in latest quarter

    Luk Fook sales in the third quarter fell 10 per cent on a same-store basis. “Recent market sentiment has been adversely impacted by the US-China trade war, the depreciation of Renminbi, and downward pressure in the stock and property markets,” said chairman Wai Sheung Wong ina  stock exchange filing. Luk Fook says same-store sales of gold products fell by 9 per cent and of gem-set jewellery by 8 per cent.

    The company’s disappointing figures come in the same week as rival jeweller Chow Tai Fook reported an 11 per cent decline in sales across Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

    Wong said the Renminbi’s depreciation led to higher tendency for customers to purchase lower-value items, resulting in a double-digit drop in the average selling price of gem-set jewellery products.

    Same-store Luk Fook sales in Mainland China fell by 14 per cent, with gold products down 16 per cent and gem-set jewellery down 5 per cent.

    As at December 31 the company operated 221 of its own Lukfook stores, including 150 on the mainland, 49 in Hong Kong, 11 in Macau and 11 overseas. It supplied 1573 licensed shops on the mainland, one in Cambodia and one in the Philippines, making a total of 1796 worldwide.

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  • Hong Kong is next destination for Korean fashion retailer F&F

    Hong Kong is next destination for Korean fashion retailer F&F

    Korean fashion retailer F&F has revealed plans to open in Hong Kong.

    Details are sketchy, but the company has signed an affiliate and will open its first standalone store in January, according to Korean analysts.

    F&F - MBL

    The expansion follows a stunning 28.6 per cent increase in sales in its home market in the fourth quarter of its latest financial year, which has promoted stock market analysts to rate the stock a “buy”. Profit has soared 36 per cent this year and is on track for a further 20 per cent growth in the 2018 financial year, according to analysts.

    F&F - MBL Kids

    F&F manufactures and retails fashion apparel and accessories for men, women and children under eight brands: MLB, MLB Kids, Discovery, Discovery Kids, Banila, B. By Banila, Collected and Lost Garden. The company focuses on casual apparel, dresses, blouses and sportswear.

    F&F Banila

    Besides its own retail outlets, it sells through department stores and wholesalers.

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  • Zayn Malik returns to Penshoppe

    Zayn Malik returns to Penshoppe

    Philippine fashion brand Penshoppe has announced Zayn Malik as its newest endorser.

    The British R&B singer made his debut with the Spring Summer 2018 Collection.

    The brand has released photos show the singer wearing bold, bright prints and comfy-looking fabrics, fit tee with vertical stripes, and men’s resort shirt with floral print.

    “As Zayn continues to dominate the global music charts, we also see him as someone who has also joined the world of fashion with his signature style. Through the years, Zayn has developed his own fashion-based following and continues to stand out in strength and style – just like Penshoppe,” says Jeff Bascon, Penshoppe’s brand director.

    Zayn Malik used to be an endorser of Penshoppe’s with his former bandmates in One Direction in 2012.

    After splitting from One Direction in 2015, Zayn released his debut solo album in March 2016.

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  • Adidas, Reebook supplier to sack 6,000 workers

    Adidas, Reebook supplier to sack 6,000 workers

    Footwear maker Pou Yuen Vietnam, the largest employer in HCMC, will lay off nearly 6,000 workers, or 10% of its workforce, amid a decline in orders.

    This is the biggest layoff of the Taiwanese company, a supplier to Adidas and Reebok, since its operation in HCMC in 1996.

    At a recent meeting with city authorities, the company’s management said with orders plummeting their factories are forced to reduce staff.

    Since the end of last year they have been adjusting production plans, furloughing workers and rearranging them between factories.

    They expect to lay off 5,744 workers in two batches on June 24 and July 8. The discharged staff will be paid compensation at the rate of 80% of their last drawn salary for every year they worked.

    During the notice period, workers not coming to work will still be paid full wages.

    Pregnant workers, on maternity leave, having kids under 12 years, from poor households, disabled, and facing other disadvantages will not be laid off.

    Pou Yuen had laid off 2,358 workers in February and over 2,800 in June 2020 just after Covid broke out.

    Layoffs are also happening in many other companies due to the bleak economic situation.

    A survey by the city Department of Labors, Invalids, and Social Affairs of 4,000 firms in Q1 found 31% had reduced their workforce and only 19% increased it.

    Layoffs often occur in footwear, garments, construction, and food processing sectors.

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