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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.

  • Le Saunda sales continue to fall

    Le Saunda sales continue to fall

    Hong Kong-headquartered shoe retailer Le Saunda shut down 52 stores during the year to February as it worked to mitigate falling sales in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The embattled shoe retailer recorded a profit for the full year of US$16.6 million, although this was entirely due to material gains on the return of its former manufacturing plant at Shunde in Guangdong for which Le Saunda booked a material gain of $25.4 million. Local government grants to mitigate the impact of the pandemic added around $1.4 million to income.

    Total revenue for the year fell by 19.3 percent to US$97.2 million due to store closures and trading restrictions related to government measures to slow the spread of Covid.

    Efforts to reduce overheads across the business resulted in selling and distribution expenses falling 28.5 percent to $37.4 million. The company also managed to cut inventory by 44.1 percent year on year, some of that relating to fewer raw materials after the Shunde plant was closed.

    In a stock exchange filing, chairman James Ngai said the pandemic led to a “severe winter” for greater China’s retail industry.

    Le Saunda responded by outsourcing manufacturing, closing unviable stores, tapping into social commerce, and expanding online sales channels through the “livestream shopping” model. It launched the Le Saunda Y collection online, aimed at catering to the preferences and buying behavior of younger female consumers, and upgraded its loyalty scheme to a WeChat Mini Program.

    “During the pandemic, the group was determined to innovate, grasp the pulse of the market and introduce new elements to its brands, so as to maintain the competitive edge of its brands and its leading position in the female footwear market,” he said.

    As at the end of February Le Saunda had 297 stores (down 34) under its core branding, and 40 Linea Rosa stores (down 12).

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  • BTS stores to pop up in four Asian cities

    BTS stores to pop up in four Asian cities

    Hybe, the entertainment company behind Kpop superstars BTS, is to launch three more BTS pop-up stores across four Asian cities after success in Bangkok.

    The company said it will roll out the album-themed stores in Manila, Taipei and Singapore this year, due to the increasing demand for BTS merchandise.

    Following the launch in Bangkok earlier this month, the BTS Map of the Soul stores will be launched in Manila this week and Taipei this September. The two stores will offer products themed to the Kpop group’s hit album ‘Map of the Soul:7’.

    Meanwhile, the Space of BTS store will open in Singapore this Friday (May 28), featuring everyday items and fashion products. The store will remain open until August 15.

    “The K-pop act’s stores have made visits to fans across the globe even amid the new coronavirus pandemic,” the company said in a statement.

    The launch of BTS-themed pop-up stores follows the release of the group’s latest hit ‘Butter’ last week.

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  • H&M begins placing orders in Myanmar again after pause in wake of coup

    H&M begins placing orders in Myanmar again after pause in wake of coup

    Swedish fashion retailer H&M said on Monday it was gradually beginning to place new orders again with its suppliers in Myanmar after a temporary pause following the military coup in the country in February.

    “With our decision, we want to avoid the imminent risk of our suppliers having to close their factories which would inevitably result in unemployment for tens of thousands of garment workers,” it said in an emailed statement.

    H&M said that after due diligence, it had concluded the company had no direct links with the military in Myanmar. “We are now looking for legal guidance on how to handle any potential indirect links international companies may have.”

    The world’s second-biggest fashion retailer in March said it was shocked by the use of deadly force against protesters in Myanmar and that it had paused placing orders in the country.

    Shortly after the military seized power, it was among the 55 foreign investors in Myanmar who signed a statement committing to the country and employees there during developments of “deep concern”.

    It said on Monday it remained deeply concerned about the situation in Myanmar.

  • Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works to be split into separate companies

    Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works to be split into separate companies

    Lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works are to be demerged into two separately listed companies after parent L Brands opted not to sell the struggling apparel business.

    “Both Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret are leaders in their respective markets and, as separate businesses, each will be ideally positioned to benefit from a sharpened focus on pursuing growth strategies best suited to each company’s customer base and strategic objectives,” said L Brands chair Sarah Nash.

    The board has been mulling the sale or spin-off of Victoria’s Secret for more than a year, a process that went into hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Talks were held with “multiple” potential buyers, the company said, is a process during which the company was advised by Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan.

    Neil Saunders, MD at GlobalData, described the decision as “telling”, suggesting that L Brands was not able to secure a bid that it considered compelling.

    “The divorce gives Victoria’s Secret no place to hide. Its numbers will no longer be flattered by the contribution of Bath & Body Works and its management team will be fully accountable to investors. Such accountability is no bad thing and will likely sharpen efforts to enact a genuine turnaround at the company.”

    In preliminary first-quarter results revealed along with the restructuring announcement, L Brands said it expects to record operating income of about US$570 million – $380 million from Bath & Body Works and $245 million from Victoria’s Secret.

    Nash said the company had made “significant progress in the turnaround of Victoria’s Secret business” during the past 10 months, implementing merchandise and marketing initiatives to drive top-line growth, and cutting costs, “which together have dramatically increased profitability”.

    Saunders was less bullish about the achievement saying there was “little evidence” on the surface to support claims the brand is on a pathway to recovery.

    “Last year, sales fell by 29.7 percent. Admittedly, this came against the backdrop of the pandemic, but the full-year performance was somewhat worse than that of the overall apparel market and considerably worse than rivals like Aerie. This is not to say that no progress has been made at Victoria’s Secret; however, the impact on the business has been negligible.

    “L Brands could be relying on the fact that as it enters its new fiscal year, growth rates will look very strong because they come up against soft comparatives from 2020,” he said. “However, this is a mathematical sleight of hand rather than a true indication of progress. Indeed, compared to 2019, sales will probably remain down.”

    He said creating two separate public companies makes sense given the current bull market and the move would likely create value for shareholders over time.

    “This is especially so for Bath & Body Works which, despite being the more successful of the two brands, is often overlooked and overshadowed by its less impressive sibling.”

    Meanwhile, L Brands said CEO Andrew Meslow would continue to hold his position and take the helm of Bath & Body Works after the spin-off. Victoria’s Secret CEO Martin Waters will continue to lead the new standalone business.

    Meslow said he expected L Brands to deliver a record first-quarter earnings result, driven by an exceptional performance at Bath & Body Works and a “significant improvement” at Victoria’s Secret. Final results will be revealed on May 19.

    L Brands operates 2681 company-operated specialty stores in the US, Canada, and greater China, has a further 700 franchised locations worldwide, and sells online.

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  • Tod’s unveils revamped Marina Bay Sands boutique

    Tod’s unveils revamped Marina Bay Sands boutique

    Italian fashion brand Tod’s has unveiled the new look of its boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

    Spanning about 135sqm, the Tod’s Marina Bay Sands follows the brand’s store concept with signature elements that can be found in other stores, such as silver and taupe saddle-stitched leather paneled steel vitrines and marble.

    “The boutique is linear, modern, and in line with the brand’s image worldwide,” the company said in a statement.

    Floor-to-ceiling glass doors at the entrance allow Tod’s to display its latest products with different setups. The storehouses a full selection of Tod’s bags, shoes, and accessories, including its Full Summer Collection which will be sold exclusively at the Marina Bay Sands outlet.

    Founded in 1920, Tod’s operates more than 200 stores, including large flagship stores in Europe, the US, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Australia.

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  • Moncler unveils Enfant boutique in Hong Kong

    Moncler unveils Enfant boutique in Hong Kong

    Moncler announces the opening of its new boutique entirely dedicated to the Moncler Enfant collection in Ocean Terminal, further strengthening its brand presence in the luxury shopping mall through the already existing flagship store opened in 2017.

    The store spans over 140 square meters, of which nearly 100 square meters dedicated to sales. The store will be divided into two areas. The front room will be finished with a mix of fine materials such as chêne fume paneling, walls covered with wooden boiserie in red, orange, yellow, and beige red colorways, smoked oak parquet, and handmade red carpets with polka dots in dark red and yellow that adorn the floor. The second room will be finished with polka dots wallpaper and handmade yellow carpets.

    Inspired by the Moncler heritage, a brand born in the mountains, a small cable car from Italy will be displayed in the store to create a more playful area, taking a step closer to the children’s world. The new premises reflect the iconic and unique Moncler aesthetics, creating the distinctive warm and welcoming atmosphere peculiar to House’s stores worldwide.

    The Moncler Enfant collection features the mini-me version of the Moncler collections, the hallmarks of which are adapted to children’s needs for practicality and flexibility as well as re-interpreted with a playful and exciting exploration of new styles and colorway

    Moncler has delved into a brighter world for the imagining of its Spring-Summer 21 Enfant Collection. The season’scolorful universe – inspired by soft spring afternoons and the joy of sport – is heightened by technical innovations and advanced fabrications that bestride the most transient of seasons with ease. Higher featherweights for the early season give way to airy layers for later in spring, with particular care given to the development of categories such as T-Shirts and trousers for a modular approach to dressing that’s totally in tune with children’s energy.

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  • Hollister teams with social media stars to launch new brand Social Tourist

    Hollister teams with social media stars to launch new brand Social Tourist

    Hollister Co., a division of Abercrombie and Fitch is building upon its successful relationship with leading social media personalities Charli and Dixie D’Amelio to launch Social Tourist, a new trend-forward apparel brand within the Abercrombie & Fitch Co. portfolio. For its initial May 20 launch, Social Tourist will be available exclusively in Hollister stores and online.

    The launch of Social Tourist marks the beginning of an exclusive, multi-year apparel agreement between Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and the D’Amelio sisters. The new brand has been imagined and inspired by Charli and Dixie’s experiences at the epicenter of social media, and also reflects Gen Z’s unique lens of living in a digitally native environment. Hollister has leveraged its pool of talent, resources, and global reach, as well as its connection to the global teen customer, to authentically bring Charli and Dixie’s vision to life.

    Working together with Hollister, Charli and Dixie have been involved in every aspect of Social Tourist, including product selection, design, branding, positioning and marketing. The family has a strong background in the apparel industry with their father, Marc D’Amelio, having over 30 years of experience in sales and design. Marc will serve as a consultant for Social Tourist.

    Social Tourist will have four distinct apparel lines: gender-inclusive items, trend pieces such as dresses and skirts, everyday essentials featuring premium basics, and swim. Each collection will include limited-edition items, with new products dropping approximately every month.

    “We’ve always loved fashion, and it’s been amazing to be so involved in this process. We feel like Social Tourist really represents both of us and explores how our generation is balancing who they are on social media with real life,” said Dixie D’Amelio. “The first product drop is all about introducing the brand to our fans, and the second drop in June reflects our individual personalities – designs that reflect Dixie’s personality are a bit edgier, with dark color palettes and patterns, where my vibe is shown through super feminine and cute styles. We can’t wait to put our vision out into the world!” added Charli D’Amelio.

    “Charli and Dixie are the quintessential example of what it’s like to grow up in the digital world, and we’ve always believed they authentically represent our teen customers’ mindset both online and in real life. We’re thrilled to unlock new opportunities for all of us beyond our co-created products, which strongly resonated with our global customers. Given the high demand, we knew we could take our relationship further,” said Kristin Scott, Global Brand President at Abercrombie & Fitch Co. “Creating a new brand virtually was no small feat, but the excitement and energy of the D’Amelio family, combined with the talent and experience of the Hollister family, has allowed us to push boundaries and make this a reality.”

    In working with Hollister since 2020, the social media stars have served as “Chief Jeanealogists,” where they tested and approved every aspect of Hollister’s denim; launched the #MoreHappyDenimDance TikTok challenge, which garnered over 5.4 billion views worldwide; and dropped a series of limited-edition, co-created collections. The sisters currently have a combined 250 million followers across their social media handles and in November 2020, Charli became the first TikTok user to surpass 100 million followers on the platform.

    Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is represented by Philip Daniels of Ginsburg Daniels Kallis and Bruce Paige of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease. The D’Amelios are represented by UTA and Gary Stiffelman, Robert Kahan, and Kevin Yorn.

    Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

    A&F cautions that any forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) contained herein or made by management or spokespeople of A&F involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various important factors, many of which may be beyond the Company’s control. Words such as “estimate,” “project,” “plan,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Except as may be required by applicable law, we assume no obligation to publicly update or revise our forward-looking statements.

    Risks and uncertainties related to the duration and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company and the factors disclosed in “ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS” of A&F’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 30, 2021, in some cases have affected, and in the future could affect, the company’s financial performance and could cause actual results for fiscal 2021 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any of the forward-looking statements included in this press release or otherwise made by management.

  • Havaianas has best quarter in a decade as China sales surge

    Havaianas has best quarter in a decade as China sales surge

    Havaianas’ global expansion — prioritizing Europe, China, and the U.S., in addition to Brazil — remains on a strong path. The world market leader in open footwear delivered revenue growth in all regions, including distributors. Outside Brazil, net revenues in constant currency reached R$317.9 million (~US$59.2 million) in 1Q21, climbing 27% year-over-year. Volume increased 34.3% in the period to 7.9 million pairs/pieces. At 24%, EBITDA was 16 p.p. higher than a year earlier.

    On May 3, Havaianas brand owner Alpargatas announced the acquisition of technology startup company ioasys to boost the Havaianas brand growth, with global expansion, acceleration of online sales, and extension of the product portfolio as its pillars. Acquired company ioasys has a proven track record of success in end-to-end digital solutions and a strong culture centered on user experience.

    In the so-called Big Bets, or priority markets, year-over-year growth in net revenues in constant currency reached 26% in Europe, 13% in the U.S., and 736% in China in 1Q21. All these markets also saw margin gains.

    “Havaianas is stronger than ever, inspired by people in Brazil and around the world. The brand has expanded globally, accelerated online sales, and broadened its portfolio with innovation and sustainable technologies. We take pride not only in our ability to expand revenues and profits, but also to support society in the fight against the pandemic and in socio-environmental causes. We are on the right track to capture the full potential of Havaianas,” says Beto Funari, CEO of Alpargatas, owner of Havaianas, a brand that is present in more than 130 countries. The Brazilian multinational disclosed earnings on Monday, May 3.

    After a solid performance in 2020, the company had its best first quarter in a decade, delivering expanding revenues, margins, and EBITDA. Consolidated net revenues climbed 32.7% year-over-year to R$901.3 million (~US$168 million). Recurring EBITDA totaled R$158.7 million (~US$ 29.6 million), almost double the figure seen in 1Q20. Recurring net income increased 73.3% year-over-year to R$135 million (~US$25.1 million). These results supported cash generation of R$237 million (~US$44 million), and the company ended the quarter with a financial position of R$698 million (~US$130 million).

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  • Innisfree closes all Canadian stores

    Innisfree closes all Canadian stores

    South Korean ‘naturalism-oriented’ cosmetic brand Innisfree is closing all of its Canadian stores and the company is blaming the COVID-19 pandemic. Innisfree opened its first Canadian store almost two years ago and plans were in place for a cross-Canada expansion.

    “Circumstances have changed over the past year and we anticipate that the health and safety risks of COVID-19 will be impacting our ability to deliver the right experience for the remainder of 2021 and beyond,” said Innisfree in a statement on social media. “In that challenging context, we, unfortunately, had to make the difficult decision to close all Innisfree retail stores in Canada.”

    Innisfree said its stores at the Yorkdale Shopping Centre and the Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto will both shut forever on May 8. The same statement noted that the CF Toronto Eaton Centre and CF Markville stores had already been shut. Ontario is currently in an extended retail lockdown until at least May 20.

    The Yorkdale Innisfree location was the first in Canada when it opened in August of 2019. The CF Toronto Eaton Centre location came soon after as part of the beginning of a cross-Canada expansion that never came to fruition.

    In 2020, Innisfree had planned to expand its Canadian operations by adding more stores to the Greater Toronto Area as well as markets including Vancouver. Brokers in CBRE’s Vancouver office had said that they were working with the brand on a multi-location expansion including at the Metropolis at Metrotown, and industry chatter noted that West Edmonton Mall was in line to possibly get a store as well. The mall-based expansion could have seen Innisfree open stores in most of Canada’s leading shopping centers coast-to-coast over the course of several years.

    The pandemic took the wind out of the sails for many brands expanding in the Canadian market, and Innisfree is a surprising one to announce its Canadian exit. The beautiful bright Innisfree stores were often busy with customers seeking out the brand’s popular beauty products that quickly became highly coveted as they gained consumer awareness.

    Innisfree announced in February that the brand would be available at Sephora stores in Canada as well as online. It hasn’t been confirmed if the announcement was made in anticipation of Innisfree shutting its own standalone stores. The standalone direct-to-consumer brand store model was a trend that picking up speed across the country prior to the pandemic.

    Innisfree, which operates hundreds of stores globally, is part of the Seoul-based AmorePacific Corporation, which features 33 health, beauty, and personal brands under its corporate umbrella. AmorePacific launched the Innisfree brand in 2002. The brand had several stores in the United States and had shut all of them by late 2020. The brand is carried at Sephora in the US according to Innisfree’s website.

    Innisfree’s slogan is “Clean Island, where clean nature and healthy beauty coexist happily,” and the brand is known to be eco-friendly — something sought by many consumers lately. Particularly targeting women aged in their 20’s and 30’s, Innisfree is said to be South Korea’s first all-natural brand with many of its ingredients being sourced from Jeju Island. Its products include a wide range of products for both women and men including skincare, makeup, hair and body products, fragrances, beauty tools, and sun care.

    About 80% of Innisfree’s ingredients are natural and the company says that its products are “plant-to-bottle”. The company also promotes its “green life” with activities such as reforestation efforts, recycling programs, and even an ‘eco-hankie’ to replace disposable paper products. The company donates 1% of its profits to eco-initiatives.

    Innisfree is the latest international retailer to pull out of the Canadian market, and the second beauty brand to shut since the start of the pandemic last year. We reported in November of 2020 that L’Oréal-owned NYX Cosmetics was also in the process of shutting its Canadian stores after entering the market in 2015. At the same time, we’re getting word from industry insiders that several new international brands will be entering the Canadian market by opening stores this year, and we’ll be reporting on several of these in the coming days.

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  • Zara launching beauty range

    Zara launching beauty range

    Soon, you’ll be able to wear Zara from head to toe and from face to toenails. Yesterday, the retailer unveiled Zara Beauty, the company’s first-ever comprehensive beauty collection. It will be launching online and in select stores on May 12.

    To help create a line of cosmetics that felt playful, innovative, and fresh, the brand tapped world-renowned makeup artist Diane Kendal, who regularly dreams up editorial and international runway looks we inevitably end up thinking about a lot.

    “When Zara approached me to lead the creative direction of Zara Beauty, I saw an opportunity to make something that everyone would want to use. Zara has always reached such a diverse audience, and I wanted to bring that same big vision to beauty with a collection that is clean, refillable, and accessible to all,” Kendal said in a release. “I am really proud of what we have created: an expansive array of consciously unique formulas for eyes, lips, face, and nails.”

    When Kendal says “an expansive array,” she isn’t exaggerating in the slightest. The collection is launching with over 130 colors, six lip products (matte lipstick, satin lipstick, demi-matte lipstick, tinted balm, lip oil, lip gloss), six-shade eye-shadow palettes, smaller shadow duos, a matte-black eyeliner, loose metallic pigment, bronzer, blush palettes, highlighter, 39 nail polishes, and six makeup brushes — and that’s just to start.

    To showcase the endless possibilities and combinations you can make within the world of Zara Beauty, Kendal created a series of different looks that were captured by nine different talents —Steven Meisel, David Sims, Marilyn Minter, Oliver Hadlee Pearch, Zoë Ghertner, Craig McDean, Nadine Ijewere, Mario Sorrenti, and Fabien Baron — who each shot and shared their own personal vision of beauty for the campaign.

    Scroll through to get a taste of what will be in store next week and start plotting what you’re going to add to your cart — prices will range from $8 to $26, with refills starting at $5, so you should be able to cram in a good amount.

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  • Gucci opens Namiki flagship design

    Gucci opens Namiki flagship design

    The first store selling Gucci products in Japan, operated by Sun Motoyama, opened in Ginza in 1964 and the brand’s first boutique was unveiled in Tokyo in 1972. It was Gucci’s first store to open in Asia. Japan remains a stronghold, according to Gucci president and chief executive officer Marco Bizzarri. “We have never stopped believing in the Japanese market and continue to invest in it,” he observed. The most recent signal of this commitment is the opening of the Gucci Namiki unit in Ginza, the brand’s second flagship in Tokyo’s upscale district.

    The store also points to the “fundamental importance” of brick-and-mortar, said Bizzarri, despite the growing relevance of online transactions, which clearly accelerated during the pandemic and the lockdowns. “The narrative to connect with the customers, the moment in which you meet the brand, the one-to-one relations will continue to be very important, increasingly combined with the brand’s different distribution channels, and it’s all happening very quickly. The goal is to offer the best possible experience.”

    The concept conceived by creative director Alessandro Michele for the Namiki store is new and will not be replicated elsewhere, explained Bizzarri. The opening of the store, which covers three floors in a building on Namiki-dori Street — the same where Gucci started its business in Japan in 1964 — will unfold in three parts.

    The first two floors will be unveiled on April 29. Over a total space of more than 7,776 square feet, they will carry a full range of men’s and women’s ready-to-wear, handbags, luggage, accessories, shoes, jewelry, silks, belts, watches, eyewear, fragrances, and the Gucci Décor collection. The brand will also offer exclusive pieces, such as handbags in precious leathers and distinctive jewelry.

    Walls on the first and second levels use materials inspired by Japanese traditional bamboo work and are exclusively developed for #GucciNamiki.

    The third floor, scheduled to open in the fall, will house the Gucci Apartment, which, by appointment, will allow privacy and be dedicated to made-to-order, personalization and other special services. It will also showcase the Gucci Décor collection.

    Photos from François Pinault’s private collection will be on display. “This is the first Apartment in a Gucci store,” observed Bizzarri.

    Additionally, later in the year, a Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura will open on the fourth level of the building, curated by the three-Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura, a childhood friend of Bizzarri’s.

    One way to differentiate the stores is through food, said Bizzarri, paying close attention to the territory and giving a local flavor to each. The restaurant will be the third in the world following the first at the Gucci Garden in Florence in 2018, followed by one in Los Angeles on the rooftop of the Beverly Hills flagship.

    Further linking with the country, artwork by Japanese artist and longtime friend of the house Yuko Higuchi will embellish the Osteria’s façade on Namiki-dori Street. Celebrating the opening, illustrations by Higuchi will also adorn limited-edition items, available in the store. Gucci has been collaborating with the Tokyo-based artist on several projects, including a special spring 2018 and fall 2020 kids capsule collection. One of her works also decorates one of the Galleria walls of the Gucci Garden in Florence.

    The store may attract some additional interest in light of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, expected to kick off on July 23, but Bizzarri said this was purely a coincidence and never meant to coincide with the event. “Gucci has been working on the store for a long time, and it was conceived for local customers,” he said.

    Japan accounts for 7 percent of Gucci’s revenues, which in 2020 amounted to 7.44 billion euros. There are a total of 67 Gucci stores in Japan.

    Kering chief financial officer Jean-Marc Duplaix, presenting the group’s annual results last month, said “Japan improved in the fourth quarter on a somewhat easier comp base, containing its decline to 10 percent, supported by nice growth with local customers,” in the wake of the pandemic and the lack of tourist flows.

    Courting local clientele and Asia are clearly a focus in 2021, as Bizzarri revealed Gucci will also open “a very important store in Seoul” by the end of the year. A fourth Osteria — and “last,” said Bizzarri — will also find a home in that venue. In that case, Gucci will work with a Korean artist for the facade.

    Gucci has recently launched several dedicated initiatives in Japan. Last June, debuting its first circular collection Gucci Off the Grid, an entire range of products were created in a special blue color exclusively for the Japanese market in a selection of genderless bags, wallets, sneakers, rtw and hats. Japanese musician Miyavi, another friend of the house, was featured in the ad campaign.

    In July 2020, for the opening of the Gucci Miyashita Park store, graphic designer Tadanori Yokoo and illustrator Shohei Otomo were invited to develop new artworks dedicated to the brand, inspired by Gucci key visual codes, displayed at the store and at the Shibuya station.

    Last October, Gucci released the second issue of the Chime Zine, including a special section focused on Japan, with essays, interviews and artwork related to feminism, gender and self-expression in Japanese society. Contributors include Yuki Chizui, a sushi chef and owner of a sushi restaurant with an all-female staff; Yume Morimoto, a queer feminist writer and founder of a bilingual zine, and members of WAIFU, a resistance nightlife party founded on the principles of intersectional feminism and inclusion. The cover of the Japan spotlight featured women of Bluestocking, Japan’s first feminist literary journal credited with helping to launch the feminist movement in Japan.

    Bizzarri said the Gucci 9 live video call experience, offered by the Gucci Live service that debuted last May in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region, which helped discover the collection remotely, is being expanded to Japan.

    Gucci, which marks its centenary this year, has been receiving additional attention from the Ridley Scott “House of Gucci” film that is currently being filmed in Italy. The film offers a dramatized version of the real-life events in the late 1980s and early ’90s that led to the murder of Maurizio Gucci — the grandson of Guccio Gucci, the founder of the Italian fashion house. In the film, Lady Gaga plays the role of Patrizia Reggiani, who commissioned the murder of her ex-husband Maurizio Gucci, played by Adam Driver.

    Asked to comment on the film, Bizzarri underscored that the Gucci family is no longer involved in the brand today, and that the movie will not extend to the post-Investcorp developments and thus not be related to the current owner, Kering, owned by the Pinault family. He added that the company is allowing “total creative freedom” to the production.

  • Puma’s China sales slowly up

    Puma’s China sales slowly up

    After a pandemic-served beatdown last year, Puma has clawed its way to recovery. On February 24, the German sportswear giant reported that sales jumped 9 percent to 1.52 billion euros in the last three months of 2020 — a promising upswing from the 55-percent plummet in its second quarter. Overall, sales were down 1.4 percent to 5.23 billion euros for the financial year.

    This rebound was led by strong performance in the Asia Pacific, which surged 11.8 percent in the fourth quarter to 480.5 million euros, driven by mainland China. But the country alone was not enough to stop the region’s full-year sales from falling 3.2 percent compared to 2019 levels, down to 1.48 billion euros.

    Given the importance of these global markets, Puma doubled down on establishing local relevance, particularly through sports, influencers, and communication platforms. This was not only reflected in the brand’s return to basketball and collaboration with grammy-winning artist J. Cole, but also its increasing partnerships with popular Chinese talents, including actors Yang Yang, Li Xian, and Liu Haoran as well as supermodel Liu Wen.

    The brand further grew its China footprint by leveraging the country’s biggest shopping holiday, Singles’ Day, logging 2.8 million orders and 80 million euros in revenue over the week. And already, Puma is making good on its goal to design more products specific to the market, partnering with Hong Kong-based artist Michael Lau, “The Godfather of Toy Figures,” to ring in the new year.

    That said, all Puma products did well in the fourth quarter, with apparel growing 15.7 percent, accessories up 7.3 percent, and footwear increasing 3.8 percent.

    “We clearly see a running boom in the whole world,” CEO Bjorn Gulden told journalists, adding that orders for 2021 are up almost 30 percent compared to last year, especially for running products.

    This tracks with Puma’s Q3 results, which showed strong demand for performance-related products, especially for individual sports like running or hiking. With the healthy living trend expected to persist after the pandemic, the sporting goods sector is positioned to weather the crisis better than most.

    But Puma isn’t out of the storm just yet. With almost half of its retail stores in Europe still closed and other markets operating under significant restrictions, the apparel maker is bracing for impact in the first half of 2021. However, the brand is also confident that its quick Q4 recovery and strong order book — along with global efforts to combat the virus — will lead to a moderate sales bump later this year.

    “I am convinced that 2021 will be a better year for us than 2020,” Gulden said. Knock on wood.

  • Gucci, Facebook file joint lawsuit against alleged counterfeiter

    Gucci, Facebook file joint lawsuit against alleged counterfeiter

    Gucci and Facebook have filed a joint lawsuit in California against an individual who allegedly used the U.S. group’s social media platforms to sell fake Gucci products, the two companies said on Tuesday.

    The initiative, a first of its kind for both Gucci and Facebook, is the latest example of an Internet giant joining forces with a luxury label to fight the proliferation of counterfeit goods being sold via social media.

    Amazon has filed similar lawsuits over the past year with Valentino and Ferragamo.

    In a statement, Gucci – the profit engine of French group Kering – and Facebook alleged the unidentified defendant used multiple Facebook and Instagram accounts to promote her international online counterfeit business.

    Online sales of luxury handbags, shoes, and garments have boomed over the past year as the coronavirus pandemic forced retailers to temporarily close their stores.

    Groups like Facebook are keen to make a bigger push into the luxury market and “social commerce”, but to do so they need to show that their platforms are not a conduit for counterfeiting and are safe for brands, some of which are reluctant to sell their products through third-party players.

    “More than one million pieces of content were removed from Facebook and Instagram in the first half of 2020, based on thousands of reports of counterfeit content from brand owners, including Gucci,” the statement said.

    It added that in 2020 alone the actions of Gucci’s in-house intellectual property team had resulted in four million online counterfeit product listings being taken down, the seizure of 4.1 million counterfeit products, and 45,000 websites, including social media accounts, being disabled.

  • Fashion designer Alber Elbaz has died

    Fashion designer Alber Elbaz has died

    Alber Elbaz, the fashion designer whose audacious designs transformed the storied French house Lanvin into an industry darling before his shock ouster in 2015, has died aged 59, the Richemont luxury group said Sunday.

    “It was with shock and enormous sadness that I heard of Alber’s sudden passing,” Richemont chairman Johann Rupert said in a statement. No cause of death was given.

    The veteran fashion journalist Suzy Menkes, citing Rupert in an Instagram post, said Elbaz “has left this world after a three-week struggle with Covid”.

    A company spokeswoman confirmed Elbaz had died from Covid on Saturday, but would not confirm reports he was being treated at the American Hospital in the Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine.

    Elbaz, an Israeli born in Morocco (as Albert), restored the luster to Lanvin during his 14 years at the helm of France’s oldest couture brand, giving classic tailoring a more playful edge.

    Hollywood stars including Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller were devotees, in particular of his svelt black cocktail dresses, and the house flourished financially during his tenure.

    “Women are more independent, more daring,” he told L’Express magazine in 2008.

    “A dress has to accompany them. They want to move with it, live with it. Movement is essential for me — it’s life.”

    ‘True pioneer’

    Instantly recognizable with his oversize round glasses and his penchant for bow ties, Elbaz also earned fans an affable and ebullient demeanor that set him apart in an industry known for prickly personalities.

    After beginning his career with the American designer Geoffrey Beene in New York, he took over at Guy Laroche in 1996 before joining Yves Saint Laurent in 1998 to design ready-to-wear collections for the French master.

    In 2001 he was hired by Lanvin shortly after its acquisition by a group of investors led by the Chinese billionaire Shaw-Lan Wang.

    Under his guidance, the storied brand refound its lost glamour and Elbaz himself became one of the fashion world’s most respected figures.

    He was also attuned to the lower ends of the market, collaborating with the Swedish fast-fashion giant H&M in 2010 for a hugely popular capsule collection.

    “I always told myself I’d never do a collection for a mass retailer, but what finally intrigued me was the idea that H&M was embracing luxury, rather than having Lanvin adapt itself to mass retailing… and without losing its soul,” Elbaz said at the time.

    “He was one of the most creative, funniest men in fashion, and a true pioneer in the industry,” Edward Enninful, editor-in-chief of British Vogue, said on Instagram.

    “He was also one of the most talented designers I’ve ever worked with — even though he always preferred to call himself ‘a dressmaker’.”

    So it was all the more shocking when Elbaz was unceremoniously fired as Lanvin’s creative director in October 2015, reportedly after a clash with Wang.

    Elbaz never joined another fashion house afterward but formed a series of partnerships, including with the Swiss-based conglomerate Richemont in 2019.

    Lanvin, for its part, reported its first annual loss in a decade following his departure and has since cycled through a series of creative directors.

    “Alber had a richly deserved reputation as one of the industry’s brightest and most beloved figures,” Richemont’s Rupert said.

    “His inclusive vision of fashion made women feel beautiful and comfortable by blending traditional craftsmanship with technology — highly innovative projects which sought to redefine the industry.”

    French President Emmanuel Macron said the designer had “made French elegance shine around the world”.

    “He extended and enriched the line of designers who forged the legend of French elegance,” Macron said in a statement.

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  • Adidas quits Hong Kong Central as retail stagnation continues

    Adidas quits Hong Kong Central as retail stagnation continues

    Adidas is exiting Hong Kong’s Central prime business district. The German sportswear giant signed a HK$4.34 million a month, or HK$52.1 million a year, lease for the 13,000 sq ft shop at 36 Queen’s Road in 2015. Removal staff were seen dismantling shelves and putting away stock on Wednesday.

    “After a thorough review we have decided to close the Adidas Brand Center on Queen’s Road,” the company said on Wednesday. “We continue to have a strong presence in Hong Kong, with more than 20 Adidas stores and multiple franchise stores.”

    Adidas is potentially following in the footsteps of Gap, Topshop, and Esprit, brands that have either shut shop in Central or exited Hong Kong altogether. International brands that rely heavily on mainland Chinese and other tourists for sales in Hong Kong have found themselves unable to sustain business operations after the city essentially closed its borders early last year to combat and contain its coronavirus outbreak. Visitor arrivals dropped by about 94 percent last year to 3.57 million. Retail sales too fell, by 24.3 percent to HK$326.5 billion.

    “It is not surprising to see major retailers closing down, especially their prime flagship shops,” said Hannah Jeong, head of the valuation and advisory services at Colliers International in Hong Kong. “Despite a 25 percent drop in overall retail shop rents, and some prime street shops facing up to a 50 percent reduction in rents, operations costs including rental expenses are still not yet sustainable, given the large cuts in revenue.”

    Rents on Russell Street in Hong Kong’s prime shopping district Causeway Bay stood at US$2,671 per square foot in 2018. By the second quarter of 2019, it was the world’s most expensive shopping avenue, with rents at US$2,745 per square foot a year on average, according to commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield. The city’s exorbitant rents coupled with plunging retail sales have made business operations unviable for many retailers.

    Adidas’s lease for the space expired last year and it opted for a short-term deal, which suggests “the brand might leave at any time”, said Thomas Chan, research analyst at property agency Midland IC&I. “According to market news, a local bank may lease the premises for over HK$2 million a month, down almost 54 percent compared with the last lease, if the deal is sealed,” he said.

    The city will see more reasonable shop operations, given the softening of the retail market, said Colliers’ Jeong. “Flagship shops will find it difficult to make a profit. Therefore, we will see more brands looking for smaller shops to maximize the dollar spend per square foot. This does not necessarily mean that retail brands are closing down, or withdrawing from the Hong Kong market. It is rather that shop requirements of retailers are changing.”

    Indeed, Adidas itself rented the shop at 36 Queen’s Road at a rate that was 22.5 percent cheaper than that paid by its previous tenant, US luxury brand Coach, according to the Land Registry.

    The number of foreign brands have expanded in Central of late. Casual clothes brand American Eagle has taken up a 7,000 sq ft space vacated by Gap in LHT Tower just a few steps away from the vacated Adidas shop. In October last year, mid-priced French sporting goods retailer Decathlon rented a 9,300 sq ft shop previously rented by luxury leather goods retailer MCM in Entertainment Building in Central.

    “It is quite common to see retailers come and go across different retail districts in Hong Kong, as they adjust their retail strategies. As retail rents have dropped significantly, by as much as 60 percent from their peak in the third quarter of 2014, international retailers are in fact looking for prime spaces to take advantage of the cheaper rents,” said Lawrence Wan, senior director, advisory and transaction services – retail, at CBRE.