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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.

  • Reliance Retail in talks to secure rights for Sephora

    Reliance Retail in talks to secure rights for Sephora

    Reliance Retail, run by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd, is in advanced talks to get the rights for beauty retailer Sephora in India, the Mint newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the matter.

    Sephora’s operations will transfer from Arvind Fashions Ltd to Reliance Retail if an agreement is reached, according to the report. On Wednesday, Arvind Fashions’ shares on BSE rose 11% to Rs 327.55 apiece.

    Reliance, Arvind Fashions and Sephora did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

    Sephora, owned by French luxury goods group LVMH, has 25 stores in 13 cities in India with brands in categories such as cosmetics, fragrances, skincare, makeup and hair care, according to Arvind Fashions’ annual report for the financial year 2021-22.

    Reliance plans to build a portfolio of 50 to 60 grocery, household and personal care brands within six months and is hiring an army of distributors to take them to mom-and-pop stores and bigger retail outlets across the nation, sources had told Reuters in May.

    Earlier this year, Reliance had signed a long-term franchise deal with French fashion house Balenciaga and partnered with Gap Inc to sell the U.S. clothing retailer’s brands locally.

  • American Eagle and Forever 21 to make a return to Japan

    American Eagle and Forever 21 to make a return to Japan

    Forever 21 and American Eagle Outfitters Inc. are set to return to Japan after both U.S. fast-fashion brands exited the market in 2019, according to company announcements on Wednesday.

    Forever 21 will begin e-commerce sales next February and open a physical store in the spring, according to Japanese trading company Itochu Corp., which acquired domestic sales and licensing rights for the brand.

    Forever 21 was acquired in 2020 by New York-based Authentic Brands Group (ABG). Itochu said in August it was working with ABG to expand Eddie Bauer stores in Japan after that brand closed its last shop in the country in December 2021.

    American Eagle said separately it was returning to Japan with two flagship stores in the Tokyo neighborhoods of Shibuya and Ikebukuro in October. The brand had only been available online in Japan following the closure of its last physical stores in 2019.

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  • Gap eliminates 500 corporate jobs amid shrinking margins

    Gap eliminates 500 corporate jobs amid shrinking margins

    Gap Inc is eliminating about 500 corporate jobs, the apparel chain said on Tuesday, as it struggles to protect margins and battles weak sales of outdated clothes at brands including Old Navy.

    The company is laying off staff and eliminating positions that are currently open across a range of departments, it said. The eliminated roles are mainly at its offices in San Francisco, New York and in Asia.

    Shares of the Banana Republic parent declined about 3 per cent in afternoon trade, taking the year-to-date decline to 48 per cent.

    Late last month, the company withdrew its annual forecasts due to an inventory glut and weak sales.

    Gap is in the middle of a CEO transition after Sonia Syngal stepped down earlier this year, and is currently led on an interim basis by Executive Chairman Bob Martin. The company had a workforce of about 97,000 employees as of Jan. 29, with around 9 per cent of employees working at its headquarters locations, according to a regulatory filing.

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  • Primark to stop sourcing from Myanmar after fresh probe

    Primark to stop sourcing from Myanmar after fresh probe

    UK fast fashion retailer Primark will make a “responsible exit” from the country following the Ethical Trade Initiative’s (ETI) latest report on human rights and responsible business conduct within the country.

    Primark described the situation in the country as “extremely concerning and very complex”, with international stakeholders holding differing views as to the best course of action for the garment sector.

    Last week, ETI urged companies involved in garment manufacture for export to reassess their presence in Myanmar as there has been “evidence of forced labour and exploitation at a sector level”, with evidence of workers facing long hours, low wages, unpaid overtime, and harassment.

    “This poses significant challenges to our ability to ensure the standards we require to protect the safety and rights of the people who make our clothes and products,” Primark said in a statement.

    The fashion retailer said its only option was to begin working towards a responsible exit from Myanmar. The company will work closely with its partners and stakeholders both there and internationally to make sure the exit follows the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

    “We will continue to monitor for compliance with our Code of Conduct as we work through this, and as an immediate priority, we are looking at what additional measures we can put in place to support workers in our supplier factories through this interim period,” the company said.

  • Furla appoints Giorgio Presca as its new CEO

    Furla appoints Giorgio Presca as its new CEO

    Italian luxury brand Furla has announced the appointment of Giorgio Presca as the group’s new chief executive officer, effective immediately.

    Presca will succeed COO Devis Bassetto, who temporarily held the position of CEO since April, following the exit of Mauro Sabatini.

    Presca joins the Bologna-based company with 30 years of fashion industry experience.

    He most recently served as CEO of Clarks, prior to which he held the same position at Golden Goose, Geox and Citizens of Humanity.

    Additionally, he has also worked in executive positions for a number of fashion brands such as Diesel and Levis.

    “I am delighted that Giorgio Presca joins Furla as CEO, he is a skilled leader with a strong ability in reinforcing global fashion brands and driving profitable and safe growth,” said Giovanna Furlanetto, president of Fondazione Furla, in a release.

    Furlanetto continued: “Mr Presca shares our values and our determination to establish Furla as a real democratic brand, the only Italian brand in its category. This appointment also stands to highlight my whole family’s willingness to continue with the full control of our business and lead it into the future.”

  • Cos launches its first store in Taiwan

    Cos launches its first store in Taiwan

    Swedish fashion brand Cos has expanded its store network into Taiwan, opening its first brick-and-mortar store at the Taipei 101 Shopping Center.The 700sqm flagship also marks Cos’ first concept store in the world. While Cos Taipei 101’s exterior features forest green, the interior is dominated by a warm neutral tone, delivering a cool and tranquil atmosphere.  Minimal design with organic textures and recycled elements was put in place, including bamboo furnishings, slate-shaped cashier cou

    Minimal design with organic textures and recycled elements was implemented, including bamboo furnishings, slate-shaped cashier counters, stone magnetic floors and aluminum display shelves. Meanwhile, the table surface is made from Richlite material, which is manufactured from recycled paper and phenolic resin.

    “Opening a store in Taipei is an exciting step,” said Petra Lerch, MD of Cos Asia Pacific. “We have been planning to enter this market for some time, and launching this new brick-and-mortar store is like the first place to connect with local customers.”

    Founded in 2007, H&M Group-owned fashion label entered Asia in 2012 in Hong Kong. Since then, Cos has gradually expanded its presence in the continent, launching in markets including China, Japan, South Korea and Malaysia. The brand opened its first store in the Philippines last year. Cos currently operates more than 280 physical stores around the world.

  • Patagonia founder gives away company to help fight climate crisis

    Patagonia founder gives away company to help fight climate crisis

    Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, who has previously expressed his reluctance at amassing wealth, is giving away his company.

    The outdoor apparel company will now be in the hands of a trust and a nonprofit organization. All future profits will be donated to help fight climate change, the company announced Wednesday.

    “It’s been a half-century since we began our experiment in responsible business,” Chouinard, 84, said. “If we have any hope of a thriving planet 50 years from now, it demands all of us doing all we can with the resources we have. As the business leader I never wanted to be, I am doing my part.”

    He added, “Instead of extracting value from nature and transforming it into wealth, we are using the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the source. We’re making Earth our only shareholder. I am dead serious about saving this planet.”

    The Patagonia Purpose Trust will control all voting stock of the company (2%), while the Holdfast Collective, a climate change nonprofit, will own all nonvoting stock (98%).

    Chouinard, a board member, said in a statement that while trying to fight climate change, he realized his company was contributing to it. So he had been thinking about what to do with the business.

    One option was to sell it and donate the money, but Chouinard said he was concerned new owners might not hold the same values or keep the same employees. The other option was to become a publicly traded entity.

    “What a disaster that would have been,” he said. “Even public companies with good intentions are under too much pressure to create short-term gain at the expense of long-term vitality and responsibility.”

    The company will continue to give 1% of its earnings to grassroots environmental groups, and the leadership will not change.

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  • L’Oreal China invests in niche fragrance brand Documents

    L’Oreal China invests in niche fragrance brand Documents

    L’Oréal’s investment branch in China, Shanghai Meicifang Investment (or Meicifang), has invested a minority stake of more than 10 million RMB (1.4 million USD) in the Chinese fragrance brand Documents. The recent move reflects L’Oréal’s action plan to enhance local cooperation for bigger growth.

    Founded in 2021 by former Nudake China Chief Executive Officer Zhaoran Meng, Documents is known for its edgy aesthetic and avant-garde store design. Despite only being in the market for only two years, the brand has quickly established a foothold in the premium niche fragrance market.

    Labelled as “the most expensive Chinese perfume brand”, Documents focuses on high-end perfume featuring Chinese ingredients such as star anise, mugwood, yulan magnolia and walnut. Perfume prices range from 850 RMB (122 USD) to 1,750 RMB (253 USD). Currently, the brand operates two stores in Shanghai and one in Beijing’s popular SKP-S shopping mall.

    For decades, international names such as Chanel and Dior have dominated China’s fragrance market. Now, niche Chinese fragrances are rising up as younger consumers take an interest in unique scents as well as domestic brands. Documents, in particular, has become all the rage among high-consumption Gen Z and millennials. Of these consumers, Gen Z composes 60-70% of the brand’s clientele.

    “Documents is not only an emerging pioneer in the Chinese high-end personalised beauty market, but also a Chinese fragrance brand popular among young Chinese shoppers for its signature oriental aesthetics,” Fabrice Megarbane, president of L’Oréal North Asia and CEO of L’Oréal China, told local media outlets.

    Overall, as China’s niche fragrance market continues to grow at lightning speed, L’Oréal secures its goal to expand its influence in the local market by investing in the sought-after brand Documents.

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  • Thai fashion retailer Pomelo culls staff

    Thai fashion retailer Pomelo culls staff

    The online fashion retailer cut about 55 employees, or 8% of its headcount, it said in a statement on Thursday in response to queries by Bloomberg News. The company said it streamlined its processes “to move toward more sustainable growth.”

    The Bangkok-based startup is in the midst of raising external capital and has engaged banks including Morgan Stanley to help with the effort, according to people familiar with the matter. The startup in August secured about $10 million from existing investors including Jungle Ventures, regulatory filings showed, and has raised a total of at least $83 million from investors including JD.com Inc. and Provident Growth Fund.

    Representatives for Pomelo and Morgan Stanley declined to comment on the fundraising effort.

    Pomelo is joining peers in the region trying to reduce cash burn as investors become less willing to bankroll growth without profits. Launched in 2013, Pomelo sells clothing and accessories online and in its retail stores in Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, according to its website.

    Many of Southeast Asia’s e-commerce companies are facing slower growth as macroeconomic conditions sour and consumers pull back on spending amid rising inflation. Sea Ltd.’s commerce arm Shopee in June made its first major job cuts and is scaling back its overseas footprint. The Singapore-based giant has lost almost $170 billion of its market value since an October high on questions about its money-making prospects.

     

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  • Byredo launches Hong Kong flagship store

    Byredo launches Hong Kong flagship store

    Fragrance company Byredo is focusing on its Asian expansion, opening its first flagship store in Hong Kong.  With the goal of “transforming memories and emotions into things and experiences,” Ben Gorham founded the European luxury brand Byredo in Stockholm in 2006. The retailer now has a presence in more than 40 countries and offices in key markets including China, Korea, the US and the UK. Source: Byredo Located on Causeway Bay’s Fashion Walk, the store features a dark grey b

    Located on Causeway Bay’s Fashion Walk, the store features a dark grey brick exterior and furniture like “a lacquered mechanical table, galvanised metal cabinets, cowskin daybed, douglas fir bag shelf, and counter”. All were designed by Halleroed – a Swedish design agency – in partnership with Byredo.

    The store offers a range of perfumes, body care, home fragrances and accessories, which focus on craftsmanship and quality. The Hong Kong flagship will also provide delivery services and customisation services for bespoke products.

    Byredo first entered Hong Kong in 2015, opening retail counters in the Lane Crawford department store. The brand was acquired by Puig in May with its two founders Ben Gorham and Manzanita Capital remaining shareholders.

    Gorham continues to provide leadership while Capital remains dedicated to the long-term expansion and vision of the brand.

  • Yoshitsu opens physical store in Hong Kong

    Yoshitsu opens physical store in Hong Kong

    Yoshitsu, a retailer and wholesaler of Japanese beauty and health products, as well as sundry products and other products in Japan, today announced the grand opening of its physical retail store (the “Store”) in Hong Kong on August 30, 2022. The Store is located at No. 118, 1/F, Nina Tower 1, No. 8 Yeung Uk Road, Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong, an iconic shopping destination. The opening hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday – Thursday, and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday – Sunday.

    The opening of the Store is a part of the Company’s long-term expansion plan to expand its footprint in Hong Kong. The Store features an extensive product assortment, including cosmetics, skincare, fragrances, cosmetic applicators and body care products. Customers will not only have a large selection of exclusive Japanese brands, but also receive personalized beauty assistance with finding new and trending products.

    Mr. Mei Kanayama, the Principal Executive Officer of Yoshitsu Co., Ltd, commented, “We are thrilled to bring our new store closer to more of our customers in Hong Kong. Providing a remarkable customer experience is the top priority for our business, and we will try to bring the best shopping experience to every customer. To celebrate its grand opening, the new store in Hong Kong will offer 5% off from the opening day to September 15, 2022. We are planning to have two more new stores open in Hong Kong in the remainder of 2022 and are excited to bring the beauty experience we offer to more new customers. We believe that our expansion strategy is in line with our goal to increase market share and achieve long-term growth.”

  • Japanese fashion label Enfold launches in South Korea

    Japanese fashion label Enfold launches in South Korea

    South Korean luxury fashion and lifestyle brand operator, Shinsegae International, is bringing Japanese up-market fashion label Enfold to the country, opening the brand’s first independent overseas store.  Enfold’s first South Korean store, scheduled to open on September 14, will occupy a 35sqm space on the fourth level of Shinsegae Department Store in Gangnam. The interior design will feature the key motif of the cylinder shape. “By bending the cylinder into various shapes, it can be

    “By bending the cylinder into various shapes, it can be used to represent people lying down, tilting their head, and standing still,” the company said. “It expresses the world view of Enfold that changes.”

    Found by Mizuki Ueda in Spring 2012, Enfold means to embrace. The brand plays with the concept of offering comfortable and elegant style to hide the form of the body, curating a lasting wardrobe rather than following seasonal trends. The brand has more than 10 stores in its home market.

    The launch is part of Enfold’s plan to expand its influence in overseas markets, after rolling out several pop-up stores in the US, London, Hong Kong, and Paris during the past few years.

    Enfold will join Shinsegae International’s portfolio of more than 40 high-end brands, including Celine, Chloe, and Banana Republic. The South Korean retailer has a network of more than 860 stores nationwide ranging from fashion, and beauty to lifestyle brands.

    Enfold is owned by Baroque Japan, which operates more than 20 fashion brands, including Moussy, Sly, Lilidia, and Shel’tter.

  • Desigual plans 60 stores in Mainland China

    Desigual plans 60 stores in Mainland China

    Spanish fashion label Desigual says it plans to open 60 stores in Mainland China, including flagships in Shanghai and Beijing.

    The launch will be via a joint venture with E-Shine, also a local partner of listed fashion company Septwolves Industrial.

    Desigual aims to reach an annual turnover of US$40 million five years from now, with half coming from online and the remainder from sales through physical stores. The company said its primary focus will be Chinese digital channels.

    “This collaboration is in line with our strategy of continuing to develop our business in the Asian market, growing China as well as Japan, which is our main market outside of Europe, as well as in other significant markets such as South Korea,” said Alberto Ojinaga, MD at Desigual.

    “Our goal is for sales made through the digital channel and those coming from geographies outside of Europe to represent 60 per cent of turnover by next year. Right now this percentage stands at 49 per cent.”

    The move is part of the fashion company’s strategy to secure more market shares in Asia, which constitutes 6.5 per cent of its international business. Desigual entered China in 2014 via Tmall launch.

    “Knowledge of consumer habits and preferences in the Chinese market is key to success,” Ojinaga added. “Our objective is to achieve even greater growth in the digital environment and to reach out to new customers with products designed for them and suited to the characteristics of the market.”

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  • Ami Paris opens its largest flagship

    Ami Paris opens its largest flagship

    Ami Paris, the Parisian fashion label, is expanding its Asian footprint with the opening of its first brick-and-mortar store in Seould, South Korea, which it describes as its largest boutique globally.

    The store, located in the city’s Garosu-gil area, contains a retail space of 300sqm over four storeys, stocking menswear, womenswear and accessories.

    It features a spiral staircase and mirror-decorated objects, as well as lighting throughout the space. Black, beige, and white are the three main colours running throughout the store.

    “It’s a major step for us, given the importance of Korea in our business. But, it’s beyond numbers, because of Korea’s soft power,” CEO Nicolas Santi-Weil told Vogue Business.

    “We have been looking at the market since the beginning – they are trendsetters.”

    Vogue Business reports Ami Paris debuted in South Korea in 2013 with Samsung as its local partner. Since then, it has expanded its presence to include shops-in-shops in upscale malls, wholesale accounts in multi-brand stores, an e-commerce website, and now the new flagship.

    The brand has stores in Japan and China in Asia, as well as operations in the US and the UK.

    Ami Paris was founded by Alexandre Mattiussi in 2011 to provide stylish and comprehensive wardrobes for men and women, blurring the lines between casual and chic.

    Ami’s new Spring-Summer 2023 collection will be showcased during Seoul Fashion Week on October 11. This marks the first time the brand to come back to hosting international fashion shows after the long Covid-19 pandemic.

  • Underwear label Triumph refreshes brand vision to ‘remain relevant’

    Underwear label Triumph refreshes brand vision to ‘remain relevant’

    German, family-owned lingerie brand Triumph has diversified its product offer and refreshed its brand vision. Alana Jones, head of marketing at Triumph Australia, described the transformation as “only natural” for a historical brand to remain relevant.

    “Women’s lives, attitudes, wants and needs are forever developing, and as such, brands need to move and adapt alongside them,” she said.

    The brand says it aims to “contemporise” the fits of its products to suit the “ever-evolving underwear landscape better”.

    Triumph surveyed 20,000 females worldwide to understand a “monumental shift” taking place in their lives. The brand says women no longer wish to engage with brands promoting toxic or unrealistic body stereotypes.

    The survey concluded that consumers are “seeking out” brands that understand them as individuals taking all their complexities and nuances into consideration.

    “From the products they purchase, the images they see, through to their purchase experience, both online and in-store, we want to create a consistently memorable consumer journey by being distinctive, inspirational and relevant,” said Jones.

    Coinciding with this renewal, the brand’s new Spring/Summer 22 season includes new products and sizings celebrating women’s individuality. The season is led by a variety of Shape Smart Syles which includes an adaptable underwear concept called Triumph Flex Smart – which follows the unique movements of a woman’s body and supports them.

    Likewise, Triumph’s Fit Smart collection also features material that physically adapts to the body and adjusts to meet individual needs. A new wire-free Shape Smart bra has been designed to enhance and accentuate women’s natural curves, available in 35 size variations.