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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.

  • Puma South Korea names new CEO

    Puma South Korea names new CEO

    Puma Korea announced on the 12th that it has appointed Lee Na-young as its new CEO. The new CEO is said to be a sales and marketing expert with more than 20 years of experience in the distribution industry related to sporting goods and food and beverages. She has been working as a sports brand expert for domestic and global offices of Reebok and Adidas for the last 10 years or so. She joined Puma Korea in 2020 and oversaw sales and marketing operations.

    Puma Korea expects that the new CEO Lee will actively and quickly respond to the rapidly changing market conditions in line with the brand slogan ‘FOREVER FASTER’ based on his rich experience in sports goods and distribution and marketing. In particular, Puma reflected an active and quick response strategy not only in its products, but also in its organization and management culture. In the rapidly changing era after the COVID-19 pandemic (global pandemic), we have organized an organization with an optimized brand and introduced a quick decision-making system. Product production has been promoted localization.

    New CEO Lee said, “While the overall growth of the sports goods and sportswear industry has been stagnant due to the recent COVID-19 impact, Puma has continued to innovate to target changing consumer tastes. We will develop an aggressive business centering on marketing,” he said.

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  • Uniqlo launches online alteration service

    Uniqlo launches online alteration service

    Fashion is a great tool of self-expression, but it’s not always accessible for people with disabilities, illnesses, and injuries. Since a lot of clothes can be hard to put on when your mobility is limited, there are very few clothes available, and a lot of disabled people, especially in Japan, have a hard time finding clothing that’s easy to wear but also stylish.

    That’s why former Uniqlo employee Teppei Maeda started clothing alterations service Kiyasuku, which translates as “easy to put on” or “easy to wear.” After discussing clothing options for people with disabilities with a hearing-impaired coworker, Maeda decided to interview hundreds of people to learn more. That’s how he found out that the biggest fashion challenge for people with disabilities is that there just aren’t enough types of clothes they can wear.

    So Maeda began to think about what he could do to help, and that’s how Kiyasuku, Japan’s first-ever online tailoring service specifically for individuals with disabilities, was born. The company offers to modify the parts of clothes that make them difficult to put on. For example, they can alter T-shirts and sweatshirts so that they open up in the front, and remove zippers and buttons and replace them with velcro. They can work with all kinds of garments, from casual wear to outerwear. That’s a service that’s hard to find.

    The order process is also extremely easy and all done online. Once you have an item of clothing you want to be altered, you access the website, indicate what alterations you want, and choose your tailor. After a digital meeting with the tailor through the website, you send off your clothes via the post, and they’ll fix it up for you and send it back.

    The staff at Kiyasuku are highly dedicated to the cause with an earnest desire to help people in need, so you can rest assured that your clothing will be well taken care of. One member is even the parent of a child with a disability, who learned to sew by altering clothes for their child.

    Kiyasuku sounds like a great service that lets people wear clothes they want to wear, not just because it’s something they’ll be able to wear. Want to wear the latest Pokemon graphic tees from UNIQLO, but can’t pull them over your head? Want to be comfy and stylish at home with hakama pajamas but find them tricky to get on? Or have you always wanted to go gothic lolita but never thought you could be able to put all the different pieces together? Kiyasuku can probably help.

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  • Pandora names new China GM

    Pandora names new China GM

    Pandora has named former FMCG and beauty industry executive Irving Holmes Wong as general manager for China to lead the Danish jewelry brand’s growth in a “key market”.

    Irving Holmes Wong, who previously held senior management positions at Avon, Bacardi-Martini, Revlon, and L’Oreal, will join Pandora as senior vice president and general manager of the Greater China cluster, reporting to chief commercial officer, Martino Pessina.

    He will be responsible for Pandora’s business in the Greater China region, which employs more than 2,000 people and covers 250 concept stores across mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau.

    China is the world’s largest jewelry market, and Pandora states the region has “significant growth opportunities”. As part of its Phoenix strategy, Pandora has set a long-term target to triple the Chinese business versus 2019 and laid out a two-phase plan to achieve the growth. In the first phase, Pandora will solidify the brand by establishing the core proposition of collectability, affordability and self-expression, while the second phase will focus on growing Pandora’s store network.

    In 2021, Pandora generated 1.1 billion Danish Krone revenue in mainland China, accounting for approximately 5 percent of the company’s total revenue.

    Commenting on the appointment, Pessina said in a statement: “Irving is a senior executive who has successfully transformed and grown businesses in China and neighbouring markets. He is a strategic brand-builder and brings valuable turnaround and growth-acceleration experience that will help us strengthen our position in Greater China and reach our Phoenix targets.”

    Wong, who will join Pandora on April 7, added: “I feel passionate about reviving the brand in China and leading our coming growth chapter. Pandora’s ambition and strong commitment to the region is very motivating. I find Pandora to be a legacy brand with a clear purpose and story and look very much forward to joining.”

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  • Sephora makes Vietnam debut

    Sephora makes Vietnam debut

    Beauty retailer Sephora has entered the Vietnamese market with a dedicated ecommerce store after an initial trial period of five months.

    Local customers can now buy directly from Sephora online, but there is no word yet on whether the global brand will open a physical store.

    About 90% of Vietnam’s cosmetics market is filled with foreign brands, led by South Korean products and followed by European and Japanese names. Market revenue, on the other hand, is pegged at US$514 million.

    Sephora enhanced its Asian presence in 2019 with debuts in South Korea, Hong Kong, and New Zealand. It now has 200 stores in 16 Asian countries.

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  • Gross margin growth helps Esprit produce first profit in five years

    Gross margin growth helps Esprit produce first profit in five years

    After flagging an expected return to profitability for the full year earlier this month, Esprit on Wednesday announced its final results and said that revenues rose to HK$8.3 billion (€953m/£808m/US$1bn) in 2021.

    It didn’t give a comparable revenue figure but said that net profit surged “significantly” to $381 million. The company had made a $414 million loss in the final six months of 2020, the closest comparable period after it changed its financial year-end date.

    Revenue in the year was affected by lockdowns in the company’s major European markets in Q1 and further restrictions in Q4, but the group still generated strong revenue across all three of its channels combined (e-commerce, wholesale, and owned retail stores).

    Of course, a big chunk of sales came online — both its own and third-party sites — during lockdowns, helping it to make up for some of the negative impacts as far as physical stores were concerned. Another driver of growth came from selling fewer discounted products from the company’s retail business compared to 2020.

    Looking ahead, it expects to be negatively affected by the “lingering effects of the pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine”. The “already unstable logistics industry and disrupted supply chain” will also likely be further issues that will result in higher costs.

    But it believes it’s “on track to ongoing profit growth” nonetheless.

    CEO and COO Pal William Eui Won said: “The remarkable results are definitely a testament to the company’s collective efforts by devoted staff at Esprit, including the successful migration of selected strategic functions from Germany back to Hong Kong, Esprit’s new global headquarters.

    “Combining expertise from the two offices has created a stronger organizational balance and workplace synergy. It is also evident that the current management team has crafted the correct infrastructure to re-establish Esprit to become a market leader. We will continue to strengthen it by becoming a truly omnipresent brand and enhancing our product portfolio that fits with the company’s mission of making our customers ‘feel good to look good’.”

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  • Central Retail becomes Reebok’s sole Thai distributor

    Central Retail becomes Reebok’s sole Thai distributor

    Sports brand Reebok has appointed CRC Sports, a subsidiary of Central Retail, as its sole distributor in Thailand.

    According to CRC Sports, it will take responsibility for e-commerce operations and the wholesale distribution of Reebok, pushing growth opportunities and aims to make Reebok one of the top five sports brands in Thailand.

    CRC Sports plans to expand Reebok’s network to more than 100 locations this year and enhance Reebok’s online presence through websites and e-commerce marketplaces like Lazada, Shopee and Central.

    “The heritage and potential of Reebok and its product portfolio support our efforts to offer even more of the best sporting trends to the new generation,” said Tony Morton, president of CRC Sports Company.

    “To have a world-renowned sports brand like Reebok in our portfolio helps to solidify our position as the go-to destination for sports apparel, shoes and sports equipment.”

    Other channels such as Click & Collect, Personal Shoppers, Call & Shop, Line Chat & Shop, and Facebook Live events are used to offer retail experiences for Reebok’s customers in Thailand.

  • L’Occitane buys Australian skincare brand Grown Alchemist

    L’Occitane buys Australian skincare brand Grown Alchemist

    Hong Kong-listed beauty giant L’Occitane Group has acquired a majority stake in Australian-based clean skincare brand Grown Alchemist for an undisclosed sum.

    Grown Alchemist was founded in 2008 by Melbourne siblings, Jeremy and Keston Muijis, with a focus on futuristic anti-aging technology and unique botanical skincare formulas for optimal skin health. The brand opened a flagship store in Melbourne in 2020, “gearing for the next phase of [our] journey with a full-scale omnichannel presence to further augment global sales”.

    “With a unique and inspiring brand story and international fan base, Grown Alchemist is poised for international scalability and rapid growth,” said Andre Hoffmann, vice chairman & CEO of L’Occitane Group.

    The acquisition of Grown Alchemist is part of L’Occitane’s plan to further broaden its health-conscious beauty portfolio, attracting influential millennial and Gen Z customers.

    The deal follows L’Occitane’s acquisition of Sol de Janeiro’s 83-per-cent stake last November, which is known for the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream brand.

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  • As western retail brands exit, Russia looks east for replacements

    As western retail brands exit, Russia looks east for replacements

    Russia is looking to China, India, Iran and Turkey to plug the gap created by an exodus of western retail companies, an industry body said on Friday, as Moscow grapples to find ways to combat its growing isolation in the face of sanctions.

    The Russian Council of Shopping Centres (RCSC), an organisation representing developers, shopping centre owners and retail chain operators, said it was negotiating with its corresponding representatives in the four countries about finding alternatives to western brands.

    “A list of foreign companies that have temporarily ceased operations in Russia was sent to them so that appropriate equivalents can be found,” a statement on the RCSC website read.

    “Over time this will help supplement or completely replace goods of the defunct brands with ones of a similar quality and design.”

    Dozens of big brands have temporarily shuttered operations or exited the country since Russia sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 in what it calls a special operation.

    Sanctions have hampered supply chains and fuelled panic buying among some Russians, with medicine and sugar shortages reported, and accelerating inflation is set to send prices higher.

    During an RCSC meeting of more than 100 market participants, the challenges facing Russian retailers were discussed.

    RCSC cited Igor Maltinsky, director of development at Melon Fashion Group, as saying that the main challenge facing domestic retail firms was the uncontrollable growth of production costs, due to huge increases in procurement and logistics costs, as well as many other related factors.

    Melon owns four, mainly women’s, fashion brands – Zarina, Befree, Love Republic and Sela and had 846 stores across Russia and CIS at the end of 2021. It had been planning to hold an initial public offering (IPO) this year.

    On Thursday, Swedish real estate firm Eastnine, a minority shareholder in Melon, said the planned IPO had been postponed. It said western sanctions had negatively affected the company, making valuing it very difficult.

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  • 7-Eleven to sell body scrub online made from coffee

    7-Eleven to sell body scrub online made from coffee

    In what’s likely the most unexpected beauty launch of the year, 7-Eleven has officially entered the world of beauty with the release of their $1 coffee body scrub.

    The strictly limited edition scrub, which will be sold exclusively via online retailer Adore Beauty from Tuesday 22 March, is made from the same aromatic Arabica and Robusta beans found in the millions of cups of freshly ground coffee sold each year at 7-Eleven.

    Much like the retailer’s coffee, the product’s very reasonable price tag is sure to excite beauty lovers, with the body scrub retailing for just $1.

    Australian actor Olympia Valance has also been revealed as the face of the new product, saying, “Coffee and skincare products are two things I can’t live without, so being the face of 7-Eleven’s Coffee Body Scrub was a no brainer. Now I can exfoliate, rejuvenate and caffeinate with the same great coffee Australians have been enjoying for years.”

    7-Eleven’s Head of Marketing Communications, Adam Jacka, added that the Coffee Body Scrub is a fun and innovative way to showcase the quality of coffee that Australians enjoy every day.

    “We’re thrilled to be launching 2022’s most unexpected arrival in beauty, the 7-Eleven Coffee Body Scrub. We take great pride in sourcing great quality beans from across the world to provide great coffee to customers every day,” he said.

    The product is made from the same Arabica and Robusta beans found in 7-Eleven’s famous coffee.

    “We wanted to showcase the quality of our coffee beans in new ways. More than 71 million cups are already enjoyed across Australia each year but we know some are still yet to try our iconic coffee. Seriously, our coffee beans are so good we’ve made a coffee scrub out of them!”

    The 7-Eleven Coffee Scrub is produced locally in Australia, is 100% naturally derived, vegan and cruelty-free.

    The limited-edition 7-Eleven Coffee Body Scrub will be available to purchase for $1 with every purchase over $20 via Adore Beauty on 22nd March 2022, strictly while stocks last.

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  • Canada Goose ramps up Japan expansion with Sazaby League

    Canada Goose ramps up Japan expansion with Sazaby League

    Canada Goose Holdings Inc. (“Canada Goose” or the “Company”) and longstanding partner Sazaby League Ltd. (“Sazaby League”) have entered into an agreement to create the joint venture Canada Goose Japan, with plans to accelerate DTC expansion, including stores.

    This agreement will replace an exclusive national distributor arrangement between Sazaby League and Canada Goose. Commencing in April, the existing distribution will be assumed by the joint venture, of which each partner will own 50 per cent. Current distribution includes a permanent Canada Goose retail store in Tokyo, a national e-Commerce site, as well as wholesale points of distribution across the country. The new operating model is expected to significantly increase revenue and gross profit per unit from the existing business. Canada Goose Japan is also expected to generate C$60m – C$65m in total revenue in fiscal 2023, which is roughly double the contribution from this market in fiscal 2022.

    “Japan is one of the world’s largest and most influential luxury markets and has long been an important consumer market for Canada Goose,” said Dani Reiss, President & CEO, Canada Goose. “This new agreement sets the stage for the acceleration of our growth in Japan, across both DTC and wholesale. We are excited to expand our existing operations with Sazaby League and know their successful history building strong consumer brands in the market will help drive us forward.”

    “We are proud to partner with Canada Goose and to be part of their continued growth in Japan,” said Yoji Hirai, CEO of Canada Goose Japan. “Canada Goose is a global performance luxury lifestyle brand, known for their unparallel product and industry-leading sustainability commitme

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  • Sa Sa starts selling 700 products on Foodpanda Hong Kong

    Sa Sa starts selling 700 products on Foodpanda Hong Kong

    Sa Sa is pleased to announce today its official entry onto foodpanda mall in Hong Kong, an online grocery and goods shopping mall under foodpanda. Through foodpanda mall’s round-the-clock delivery service, Sa Sa will open up for local customers a more convenient way of shopping to enhance customer experience. The move also marks Sa Sa’s advancement in the development of online-merge-offline (“OMO”) functions.

    Sa Sa is offering about 700 selected products on foodpanda mall, including anti-epidemic products for which Hong Kong citizens have an urgent need, and popular products such as cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, hair care, and body care products as well as health supplements. After customers have placed orders at the online supermarket, foodpanda’s couriers will collect the goods at Sa Sa’s physical stores and deliver them to the customers in as fast as 10 minutes. Customers can thus quickly obtain the products without going out, especially meeting their urgent needs for anti-epidemic products and their favorite items within the cosmetic and personal care categories. This service will initially be piloted at 20 of Sa Sa’s stores and will be rolled out at more stores in the future.

    Following the launch of the “click-and-collect” service, Sa Sa’s partnership with foodpanda mall will further enhance the OMO development of the Group’s physical stores and its online business in Hong Kong. It also provides customers with one more customer-centric and convenient channel for online shopping, complementing Sa Sa’s shopping website.

    Sa Sa and foodpanda mall will be able to manifest their respective advantages in the partnership and generate synergy. As a leading “one-stop beauty product specialty store”, Sa Sa will enrich foodpanda mall’s product assortment with its richly diverse, hot-selling cosmetics, health supplements and anti-epidemic products. Both foodpanda and Sa Sa have large customer bases, which can enable mutual conversion and thus enlarge their respective target customer bases. Sa Sa can also strengthen and expand its own base of young customers by serving foodpanda members who are used to “Quick Commerce”.

    Dr Simon Kwok, SBS, JP, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Group, said, “Sa Sa is honoured to have entered foodpanda’s online platform which is widely popular with consumers in Hong Kong. Online shopping is gaining traction. The trend is especially more pronounced amid the raging pandemic as more consumers would rather stay at home than go out to protect themselves against the disease. We believe that foodpanda’s quick delivery meets our customers’ increasing demand for convenient, fast online shopping service. In the light of the urgent demand for anti-epidemic products, we are offering them at foodpanda mall in the hope of providing citizens one more convenient shopping channel to help fight the pandemic. We also hope to enhance the OMO function at Sa Sa’s operation through the partnership with foodpanda mall so as to provide customers with a more seamless and convenient shopping experience.”

    Ryan Lai, Managing Director of foodpanda Hong Kong, said, “Via our mature logistics infrastructure, our dedicated delivery fleet and ongoing data analysis, we hope to continue to pioneer ‘Q-Commerce’, providing quick and convenient delivery service to meet the needs of Hong Kong people. We are extremely pleased to have Sa Sa as a foodpanda mall retail partner, benefiting from complementary strengths in advancing each other’s OMO business strategy, and elevating customers’ shopping experience for personal care, health and beauty products etc. This partnership also expands and diversifies foodpanda mall’s product offerings, to better satisfy the wants and needs of our customers.”

    To celebrate its partnership with Sa Sa, foodpanda mall launches promotional offers from 15 March to 30 April . Customers will enjoy a HK$50 discount upon spending of HK$400 or above with their first purchase at Sa Sa on foodpanda mall by entering the promotional offer code “SASA” while the offers last.

  • Li Ning products banned from the US over North Korean slave labour claim

    Li Ning products banned from the US over North Korean slave labour claim

    Merchandise manufactured by Chinese sportswear giant Li Ning has been banned from entering the US with the company accused of using North Korean labour in its supply chain.

    The US Customs and Border Protection announced on Tuesday that – under the terms of Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) – the entry of goods “mined, produced, manufactured wholly or in part by North Korean nationals or North Korean citizens anywhere in the world” is prohibited.

    However, the agency has not yet disclosed where it believes Li Ning uses the North Korean labour or in which part of the rogue state Li Ning sources products or materials.

    “CAATSA is yet another tool in CBP’s trade enforcement arsenal that allows us to uphold the fundamental value of human dignity and to ensure the goods that enter the US are free from forced labour,” said AnnMarie Highsmith, of the Office of Trade Executive Assistant Commissioner.

    Under US law, Li Ning now has 30 days to provide “clear and convincing evidence” that its merchandise was not produced with convict labour, forced labour, or indentured labour under penal sanctions in order to export its products to the US.

    Founded in 1989, Li Ning was named after a former Chinese Olympic gymnast, the brand’s founder. The company reported 4.2 per cent growth with US$2.22 billion in sales in 2020 despite the pandemic. Li-Ning was an official marketing partner of the National Basketball Association and had sponsorship deals with 10 players, including Dwayne Wade.

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  • Burberry opens new French flagship store

    Burberry opens new French flagship store

    British luxury brand Burberry has unveiled its new French flagship store on Rue Saint-Honore, designed by architect Vincenzo de Cotiis.

    Located in the heart of Paris, the flagship features the brand’s new global design concept and offers customers what Burberry describes as a chance to experience a space that connects Burberry’s past, present and future.

    “The store represents all that we stand for as a brand – being authentic, bold and creative – and we look forward to inspiring our customers with a truly elevated British luxury experience in this iconic setting,” said Gianluca Flore, chief commercial officer at Burberry.

    The store has three floors. Its design features Burberry’s famous check concept with the main colours of beige, black, white and red. Burberry says it has achieved modernity and openness by using mirrored ceilings with intersecting metallic grids and chequerboard-style tiled floors.

    On the ground floor a hand-painted, recycled fibreglass sculpture by Vincenzo de Cotiis stands at the entrance. The first floor houses menswear.

    The second floor features the brand’s womenswear range. The space is designed with traditional French doors with Haussmann-era glazing, white terrazzo and mirrored elements. A women’s shoe room integrates seating and fixtures into the windowsills that emphasise the view into the city of Paris.

    The third and final floor houses an apartment space, the largest private area of any of Burberry’s stores worldwide, offering a bespoke and elevated in-house experience for VIP customers who prefer to browse goods in privacy.

    “This Paris opening writes a new chapter of Burberry’s timeless story.” said architect Vincenzo De Cotiis.

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  • Lululemon unveils its first footwear range

    Lululemon unveils its first footwear range

    Sportswear brand Lululemon has revealed its first-ever footwear collection for women, with a men’s collection to launch next year.

    The company will launch its debut running shoe called Blissfeel on 22 March online and in select stores across the UK, North America and Mainland China.

    Three additional styles will be released later in the year. Chargefeel – a cross-training shoe designed for gym training and short runs which will be available to buy alongside Restfeel – a post-workout shoe. While in the autumn the retailer will release Strongfeel, a training shoe designed to be used for “multi-directional movement”.

    Lululemon said that it applied insights and expertise gained over its 20 years of designing experience to create shoes that focused specifically on women’s requirements. It added that each design is meant to deliver a specific feeling and aims to create a balance of cushioning and support.

    Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald commented: “Footwear is the natural next step for us to expand and apply our long history of innovation in fit, feel and performance, and it represents an exciting moment for our brand. We are entering the footwear category the same way we built our apparel business—with products designed to solve unmet needs, made for women first.”

    Sun Choe, chief product officer at Lululemon, said: “We intentionally started with women first because we saw an opportunity to solve for the fact that, more often than not, performance shoes are designed for men and then adapted for women.”

    “That didn’t sit well with us. Innovating for women is in Lululemon’s DNA – now we’re bringing that same expertise to footwear, and women were part of this journey every step of the way.”

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  • Adidas announces new China chief as it looks to revive sales

    Adidas announces new China chief as it looks to revive sales

    Adidas has replaced its China chief, it said on Tuesday, as the German sportswear brand looks to revive sales in the world’s second-largest economy.

    The company has appointed Adrian Siu to take over from Jason Thomas, who became Adidas Greater China’s managing director in 2019, it said.

    Siu has held multiple roles with Adidas in Hong Kong and Shanghai and also served as the chief executive of the Chinese fashion label Cosmo Lady. Thomas will assume the role of senior vice president, global franchise, Adidas added.

    The company did not give a reason for the change, but said it would provide more details on its business during its full-year earnings conference on Wednesday.

    In the third quarter, Adidas saw Greater China sales fall 15%, and the company has launched an action plan to try to revive its fortunes in the country.

    Its Greater China business has been hit by pandemic restrictions and was targeted during a boycott of Western brands by Chinese consumers who criticized companies for saying they would not source cotton from Xinjiang after reports of human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims there.

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