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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.

  • Adidas’s biggest brand centre in SEA launches at Sunway Pyramid

    Adidas’s biggest brand centre in SEA launches at Sunway Pyramid

    Adidas Malaysia has unveiled its largest brand center in Southeast Asia at Sunway Pyramid. Spanning 1575sqm and two stories, Adidas Sunway Pyramid worked with renowned Malaysian graphic designer, Valen Lim, to create localized experience zones in the store.  The brand incorporates Malaysian design elements, such as prominent local landmarks in the store interior, representing the Adidas Trefoil logo that mimics an authentic old-school local shop front. Adidas also collaborated with Sunway Pyramid.

    The brand incorporates Malaysian design elements, such as prominent local landmarks in the store interior, representing the Adidas Trefoil logo that mimics an authentic old-school local shop front. Adidas also collaborated with Sunway Pyramid to celebrate the launch with the medal of honor bestowed on Sunway Pyramid’s lion head.

    “The ongoing business expansion journey we are in is in line with our mission to be the best sports brand in Malaysia,” said Sharmin Photographer, country manager at Adidas Malaysia. “Despite the pandemic having been very tough for most of us, we emerge stronger as we continue to persevere with our consumer-first mindset.”

    The brand offers a range of sports performance and sports style products, together with an in-store customization zone.

    Meanwhile, the ‘sustainability zone’, designed to educate consumers on marine plastic pollution, is furnished with structures that are produced using reclaimed wood and recycled yarn to support our commitment.

    “The adidas Brand Center has been designed to meet the needs across all age groups and highlights the breadth and depth of the brand,” said Photographer.

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  • Pandora has no plans to join platforms like Amazon or Farfetch

    Pandora has no plans to join platforms like Amazon or Farfetch

    Jewelry maker Pandora would prefer to invest in physical stores or its own online sales platform rather than join large e-commerce marketplaces like Amazon or Farfetch, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

    “If you’re a small and unknown brand, marketplaces offer a great opportunity, because they provide you with an audience. I already have an audience,” CEO Alexander Lacik said during an interview.

    Pandora, the world’s largest jewelry maker by production capacity, has found a niche between cheaper accessories sold by the likes of H&M and more expensive jewelry like that of Tiffany & Co .

    “Eight out of ten women globally are aware of our brand, so I don’t need to make you aware of me. What I need to do is to show you what I’ve got, and I can to this much better if I have a direct relationship with my customer,” he said.

    The $12.3 billion company, headquartered in Copenhagen, has increased investment in e-commerce during the pandemic. It is present on China’s T-mall platform but not on large global platforms like Amazon or Farfetch.

    “Marketplaces always have to make a compromise for all the clients they are serving. I don’t have to compromise,” he said.

    Pandora’s more than 2,600 physical stores remain the core of its business and accounted for 62% of global sales between July and September.

    “Nearly two-thirds of my customers are men buying jewelry for their girlfriends, wives, grandmothers, or children. And we know that men buying jewelry need help,” he said.

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  • Bimba Y Lola opening in China

    Bimba Y Lola opening in China

    Spanish contemporary fashion label Bimba Y Lola is launching in China with a joint venture with ImagineX, Lane Crawford Joyce Group’s distribution and brand management arm.

    With a corporate office to be set up in Shanghai, the brand aims to establish a retail presence on Alibaba’s Tmall and Tencent’s WeChat, and physical pop-ups by 2022, to ramp up brand awareness and customer following.

    It will be followed by store rollouts, with plans to open 30 points of sale across 15 major cities in China, including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Chongqing in the next five years.

    Founded in 2005, Bimba Y Lola targets fashion-forward Millennials and Generation Z with ready-to-wear, jewelry, and accessories. It operates more than 290 stores across 20 countries, including the U.K., France, Singapore, and South Korea.

    According to researchers at SEMrush, Bimba Y Lola’s website traffic saw some of the biggest surge pre-pandemic, outperforming traditional retail fashion leaders such as macys.com and online giant Amazon.

    Last month, Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon made her fashion campaign debut with the brand’s fall 2021 campaign, a jaunt through a digital landscape.

    Uxia Dominguez, founder and president of Bimba Y Lola, believes that in China, a market of strategic importance yet one that is unique and complex to navigate, ImagineX has the right channels to unlock the potential of the brand.

    Alice Wong, president of ImagineX, thinks that the brand will resonate well with “Chinese consumers, especially the Gen Zs and Millennials.”

    “They have an increasing appetite for international accessible-luxury and affordable brands with cutting edge design, which truly stands out from the crowd,” she added.

    ImagineX manages 25 brands, including Salvatore Ferragamo, Canada Goose, Ba&sh and Club Monaco, with 448 points of sale across 48 cities in the Greater China region.

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  • Uniqlo clothes plans to produce from recycled materials by 2030

    Uniqlo clothes plans to produce from recycled materials by 2030

    Uniqlo owner Fast Retailing says its clothes will be made of 50% recycled materials by 2030 as it works toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

    The goal was announced on Thursday along with other sustainability targets and follows an announcement in February that Fast Retailing is shooting for carbon neutrality by 2050.

    Currently, about 15% of the polyester the apparel maker uses comes from recycled PET bottles. The company says it will start with synthetic fibers such as rayon and nylon as it begins to raise its garments’ recycled materials ratio.

    Fast also articulated its carbon emissions reduction plan toward 2030. In its own operations, the company intends to reduce these emissions by 90% from 2019 levels.

    Improving energy efficiency at its stores will be key as the stores account for the majority of the company’s total emissions. Fast aims to emit 40% less from its roadside stores and 20% less from its stores inside malls.

    It will accelerate its stores’ switch from electricity to renewable energy sources. Currently, 64 Uniqlo stores in nine European countries run on renewable energy. All stores in North America and some in Southeast Asia will follow suit and complete the switch by the end of this fiscal year ending next August, the company said.

    Fast also aims to encourage companies along its supply chain to reduce their emissions. Among its raw material providers and sewing factories, it is shooting for a 20% cut in emissions by 2030, based on 2019 levels.

    It will consider granting financial support to help factories invest in facilities.

    The fashion industry is widely considered the world’s second most polluting industry.

    Fast Retailing Director Koji Yanai told reporters that the company will reduce waste by improving the accuracy of its production volume forecasts and by reforming its logistics operations. It expects these steps to help it sell out of what it makes.

    The casual apparel maker will also collect more used clothes. Yanai said the company hopes to launch a collection service that utilizes the delivery personnel involved in bringing orders to customers’ doors. In Yanai’s vision, when a new jacket is delivered, the customer will be able to hand the driver an old jacket.

    Fast also plans to collaborate more with manufacturers in other industries, including carmakers and building material producers. It and material maker Toray will set up a research facility in 2022 that will specialize in the circulation of apparel and new material development.

    Other apparel brands are moving in the same direction. Patagonia, a U.S.-based maker of outdoor clothing, intends to make its garments with all recycled materials by 2025. Swedish fast-fashion giant Hennes & Mauritz has a 2030 goal for all of its clothing to be made of either recycled or sustainably sourced materials.

    Compared with other brands, Fast’s target is relatively lackluster. “We’re putting our customers first and presenting this as the maximum number our brand can commit to,” Yanai said. “We do not consider our target low.

    “From now on, people will evaluate what kind of responsibility each brand is trying to fulfill after selling clothes.”

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  • Prada sees second-hand fashion as opportunity, weighs partnerships

    Prada sees second-hand fashion as opportunity, weighs partnerships

    Italian fashion group Prada sees opportunity in the booming second-hand fashion sector which it can develop both in-house and through partnerships, marketing chief and heir designate Lorenzo Bertelli said.

    The market for pre-owned chic bags and clothes has surged over the last three years, driven by younger, more environmentally conscious shoppers looking for affordable high-end goods.

    It is expected to reach 33 billion euros ($37.2 billion) in size this year after growing by 65% between 2017 and 2021, according to consultancy Bain. This compares with 12% growth for brand new luxury goods.

    Some rival luxury companies are already exploring the sector. Earlier this year, French conglomerate Kering took a 5% stake in Vestiaire Collective, a leading platform for second-hand clothes and handbags. Kering’s star brand Gucci also formed a partnership with U.S.-based resale platform The RealReal last year.

    “Second hand is a strategy we have been investigating for more than a year,” Lorenzo Bertelli, the eldest son of co-Chief Executives Patrizio Bertelli and Miuccia Prada, and the future brand leader, said in an interview.

    “I cannot disclose too much but for sure second-hand is there. We will take it as an opportunity.

    “It can be a partnership with a player or it can be something more in-house, or both of them, a sort of hybrid solution like for e-commerce,” he said.

    The heir to Prada’s empire, who said he wants to keep the family-controlled group independent when he takes the reins in a few years, doesn’t seem fazed by the future challenges of the ever-changing luxury sector.

    “Rallying and sport, in general, taught me a lot. (It) teaches you to never give up and also a lot of humility, in the sense that you have to learn,” he said. “Sometimes sport is cruel when you want to measure yourself.”

  • Armani banning angora wool from next winter season

    Armani banning angora wool from next winter season

    The Italian luxury company joins a string of brands banning the extremely soft wool removed from live rabbits, under pressure from animal rights organizations and more environmentally conscious shoppers.

    Last month, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) announced that luxury e-commerce platform Farfetch would stop selling angora wool by April 2022.

    The organization launched a campaign years ago to ban angora wool, which is mainly produced in China, describing the techniques used to strip the fur from rabbits as cruel.

    Armani’s move marks another step towards sustainability after the group banned animal fur in 2016 and signed in 2019 the ‘Fashion Pact’ with other major industry players to address climate change, the company said in a statement.

  • Canada Goose under fresh fire in China over no-return policies

    Canada Goose under fresh fire in China over no-return policies

    China’s top consumer protection organization has warned Canada Goose Holdings Inc against “bullying” customers in China with its return policies, just three months after the winterwear brand was fined for false advertising.

    The premium down jacket manufacturer has been a hot topic on Chinese social media in recent days over its handling of a case involving a customer who wanted a refund of her purchases amounting to 11,400 yuan (US$1,790.17) after finding quality issues.

    She said she was told by Canada Goose that all products sold at its retail stores in mainland China were strictly non-refundable, according to her account which went viral online.

    State-backed media such as the Global Times newspaper later cited Canada Goose as denying that it had a no-refund policy and that all products sold at its retail stores in mainland China were refundable in line with Chinese laws. The company did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

    That has not failed to quell criticism of the brand.

    “No brand has any privileges in front of consumers,” the government-backed China Consumer Association (CCA) said in an opinion piece posted on its website on Thursday morning.

    “If you don’t do what you say, regard yourself as a big brand, behave arrogantly and in a superior way, adopt discriminatory policies, be condescending and bully customers, you will for sure lose the trust of consumers and be abandoned by the market,” the CCA said.

    Representatives of the brand were summoned for talks on Wednesday by the Shanghai Consumer Council to explain its refund policy in China.

    The dressing-down of Canada Goose comes as tension between China and Western countries has fuelled patriotism and driven some shoppers to turn to home-grown labels.

    Canada Goose was also fined 450,000 yuan in September in China for “misleading” consumers in its ads.

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  • Hiersun Group unveils stunning 3D store design

    Hiersun Group unveils stunning 3D store design

    Hiersun Group’s jewelry label, I Do, has unveiled the ‘Peaceful Elephant’ I Do Artist store in Wuhan, China, created by AntiStatics Architecture in collaboration with artist Yue Min Jun.

    Located on the Han-river shopping street, I Do Wuhan stands out from its surroundings with a stunning facade featuring a giant diamond structured elephant sculpture and a white wavy installation.

    “The elephant is a symbol of wisdom, strength, and unity,” the design studio said on Facebook. “In the bustling urban environment, we hope that the shape of an elephant within a weathered cave environment will bring people to a primitive and romantic atmosphere.”

    Located in the heart of the store is the world’s tallest 3D printed lattice metal sculpture using parametric design and digital fabrication. The 9-meter tall artwork features Minjun’s signature laughing figure sitting on an elephant’s back, spanning two floors through a central core.

    The 250sqm retail space is light and airy with what the designers describe as “fluid ribbons of robotically milled formwork continuously wrapping the space, and further enveloping the visitors within a warm embrace”. A cave-like space is carved out of the interiors wrapping the visitors in a continuously fluid environment and drawing people through the floor plan.

    Jewelry displays are designed with diamond crystal structures. The twisting staircase leads customers to the second floor, which houses a minibar and a VIP commission area.

  • Ebay secures focus on sneaker market with authenticator acquisition

    Ebay secures focus on sneaker market with authenticator acquisition

    eBay Inc. and Sneaker Con Digital have entered into a definitive agreement under which eBay has acquired Sneaker Con’s authentication business, a sneaker authenticator with operations in the U.S., U.K, Canada, Australia and Germany.

    The company said in a statement that this acquisition is an extension of the ongoing collaboration between eBay and Sneaker Con, which has been critical to powering eBay’s Authenticity Guarantee. The service, which eBay launched in October 2020, offers full vetting and verification of select sneakers bought on the marketplace by a team of Sneaker Con’s industry experts. In just over a year, more than 1.55 million sneakers have been authenticated globally on eBay.

    “We partnered with Sneaker Con to launch sneaker authentication on eBay last year because the team shared our passion for the category. The response to our authentication offering has been overwhelming, and this acquisition allows us to continue to transform eBay and bring a higher level of trust and confidence to every transaction,” said Jordan Sweetnam, SVP and general manager of eBay North America.

    The company added that eBay will continue to build upon its offerings to accommodate resale market trends and ensure a seamless user experience that provides the community with a trusted marketplace.

    “We respect eBay’s commitment to the sneaker culture and are honored that Sneaker Con’s authentication business will be incorporated into their platform,” added Brad Fried, the company’s co-founder.

    Conceived in 2009, Sneaker Con has cultivated a global community of sneaker enthusiasts through its industry-leading events, where people gather to buy, sell and trade sought-after footwear. Sneaker Con launched its authentication business in 2018 to complement the events business and provide authentication services to further support the sneaker community.

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  • Japanese retailers expand Vietnam presence

    Japanese retailers expand Vietnam presence

    Japanese retailers have started to expand their business in Vietnam as localities loosen social distancing restrictions and accelerate vaccination against Covid-19.

    Coffee chain %Arabica, which currently has over 100 outlets in 18 countries, has announced it will open its first shop in Vietnam on walking street Nguyen Hue in District 1, HCMC.

    Late last month, casual wear producer and retailer Uniqlo opened a new store in Hanoi’s Ha Dong District, its 10th outlet in Vietnam. In early November, it had inaugurated an online store in the country.

    Beauty brand ReFa has announced it will open three stores in HCMC late this year before expanding to Hanoi by mid-2022.

    Retail group Aeon, which has invested $1.18 billion in Vietnam, plans to double the number of shopping malls across the country in the coming time. It also plans to list shares on the Vietnamese stock market, and facilitate export of Vietnamese seafood, garments and other products to Japan.

    According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam’s total goods retail sales and service revenues in October rose 18.5 percent over the previous month.

    Some Vietnamese securities companies, including VCSC and VNDirect, have predicted that the retail sector would grow late this year, when vaccination is stepped up, more economic activities resume and many festivals take place. The sector’s profit would increase over 20 percent this year.

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  • WatchBox secures $165 million to fund expansion

    WatchBox secures $165 million to fund expansion

    Luxury watches online platform, WatchBox, has raised US$165 million of equity capital led by The Radcliff Companies and The Spruce House Partnership.

    The lead investors were also joined by CMIA Capital Partners together with other existing investors. The funds raised will be invested in scaling its digital platform and expanding into new markets, according to the company.

    “Our investors and partners hail from a wide range of industries, from consumer to technology, finance, and professional sports, yet we are all bound by our love of watches,” said Justin Reis, co-founder, and global CEO at WatchBox. “With that foundation, we are now able to use technology to create the best customer experience in the industry.”

    Founded in 2017 by Justin Reis, Tay Liam Wee, and Danny Govberg, WatchBox has global locations in the US, Hong Kong, Singapore, Switzerland, and Dubai, with additional locations on the way. WatchBox is endorsed by professional athletes and watch enthusiasts including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Karl Anthony Towns.

    “We are reshaping the way high-value luxury is transacted online,” added Reis. “We built our proprietary concierge platform to enable efficiency and scale as we build personal connections with collectors around the world.”

  • Canada Goose names new Asia-Pacific president

    Canada Goose names new Asia-Pacific president

    Canada Goose has appointed Paul Cadman as its new president for the Asia-Pacific region.

    In his new role, Cadman will oversee the business’ activities including commercial, financial, and marketing across Apac markets, including Greater China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.

    “Paul is a trusted brand advisor, having consulted for us for years,” said Dani Reiss, president, and CEO of Canada Goose. “His extensive knowledge in the luxury sector and his deep experience in developing brands across the region has provided our team with a valuable perspective.”

    Cadman has more than 30 years of strategic luxury goods experience and held leadership positions with global brands, including Salvatore Ferragamo, Asprey & Garrard, Bvlgari, and Estee Lauder.

    “Paul’s experience, entrepreneurial nature, and regionally-specific industry knowledge make him the best fit for the role as we strengthen our brand presence and further execute against our long-term growth strategy,” said Reiss.

    Cadman also founded PMC Global Hong Kong, a strategic management and business consultancy focused on the luxury goods industry.

    The appointment is in line with Canada Goose’s strategy to deepen its influence in the Apac region, including its recent store openings in Harbin, Nanjing, Ningbo, Beijing, Taipei, and Macau.

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  • Balenciaga brings haute couture to Shanghai museum environment

    Balenciaga brings haute couture to Shanghai museum environment

    Balenciaga has taken its exclusive 50th Couture Collection to Shanghai, China, the first time it has introduced haute couture outside Paris.

    Presented at the Tank Shanghai museum, the collection features 30 looks created by Demna Gvasalia, creative director at Balenciaga. The museum was refurbished for the five-day event, housing a couture salon, a showroom, a grand hall, and a banquet room.

    “As China isn’t able to travel to Europe, either, I felt it was our duty to bring the Balenciaga 50th Couture Collection there,” said Gvasalia. “I’m proud to share with China this very important moment celebrating the culture, craftsmanship, and heritage of Balenciaga in an exhibition featuring my first couture collection.”

    The exterior was decorated with cream-colored curtains to hide the spaces’ new interiors.

    “Once inside, guests experience an environment that draws on the aesthetic tropes of Balenciaga’s recently restored historic couture salon and atelier, 10 Avenue George V,” the company said in a statement.

    The launch of haute couture in China celebrates the 50th anniversary of the last collection by Cristobal Balenciaga, demonstrating the brand’s ambition to take a bigger bite out of the growing Chinese luxury market.

  • Pomelo’s growth shows hope for retailers

    Pomelo’s growth shows hope for retailers

    Pomelo’s triple-digit revenue growth after re-opening across the region has shown hope for retailers in Southeast Asia as retail bounds back post-Covid lockdowns.

    In Thailand, the omnichannel retailer saw a spike in the platform’s revenue growth of 127 percent between August and October as the country eased restrictions with malls and restaurants reopening in September. Across the broader Southeast Asia region, Pomelo saw an increase in retail foot traffic of 84 percent.

    “We are currently seeing a dramatic increase in spending across all of the Pomelo channels since the reopening,” said David Jou, co-founder, and CEO at Pomelo Fashion. “Both online & offline are benefiting from the pent-up demand and this is a global trend happening everywhere across the world.

    “With the borders slowly beginning to open up and travel resuming, we expect to see another uptick in terms of demand for the fashion industry.”

    Prior to the reopening in the region, the retailer launched seven stores, including new locations in Kuala Lumpur, Rayong, and Chiang Mai. Pomelo currently operates 26 brick-and-mortar stores and has more than 600 other brands on its e-commerce platform.

    The omnichannel retailer recorded around 40 percent in revenue growth last year, while the fashion industry in Southeast Asia was down 25.5 percent due to the pandemic, according to Euromonitor. About 90 percent of Pomelo’ revenue was generated from e-commerce channels.

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  • South Korean retailer CJ Olive Young to raise US$1 billion in local IPO

    South Korean retailer CJ Olive Young to raise US$1 billion in local IPO

    South Korean health and beauty chain CJ Olive Young is looking to raise around US$1 billion in an initial public offering, as the company seeks to tap a booming market for new listings.

    The listing, which two sources aware of the matter say is set to take place early next year, comes as Korean IPOs have raised $21.4 billion so far this year, almost seven times the amount raised a year earlier, according to Refinitiv data.

    CJ Olive Young has appointed Mirae Asset Securities and Morgan Stanley as the main underwriters on the transaction while KB Securities and Credit Suisse will act as co-underwriters, a spokesperson told Reuters.

    A $1 billion fundraising, slated for early next year, would be double the amount the company was expected to raise, according to some bankers.

    Mirae Asset Securities, Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley declined to comment to Reuters. KB Securities did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    CJ Olive Young has about 1200 stores across South Korea, and delivers its products through a global distribution platform to 150 countries, according to its website.

    It reported an operating profit of $84.4 million last year, the company’s filing showed. The largest shareholder is CJ Corp with a 55.24-per-cent stake as of December.

    So far this year, 92 companies have listed in Korea compared with 59 last year, driven by robust retail demand, Refinitiv data shows.

    E-commerce firm Coupang Inc raised $4.5 billion when it was listed in New York in March, while video-game developer Krafton Inc raised $3.7 billion in its July listing in Seoul.

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