Retail News CRM

Category: Fashion

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Fashion news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Nike and Adidas face supply-chain disruption after Vietnam factory closure

    Nike and Adidas face supply-chain disruption after Vietnam factory closure

    Taiwan’s Pou Chen, which makes footwear for companies such as Nike and Adidas, suspended operations at its plant in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday as COVID-19 curbs hit factories in the country’s business hub.

    Vietnam’s health ministry said in a statement that production at Pou Chen’s Pouyuen Vietnam factory would be suspended for 10 days.

    State media said 49 infections had been detected at the plant in Ho Chi Minh City, which is at the epicenter of the country’s worst coronavirus outbreak.

    The company did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

    Shares in Pou Chen, the world’s largest manufacturer of branded athletic and casual footwear, closed down 1.3% on Wednesday.

    After successfully containing the disease for much of the pandemic, Vietnam has faced a more stubborn outbreak since late April.

    Record infections and strict curbs on movement have left plants operating below capacity in northern provinces where suppliers for Apple, Samsung Electronics and other global tech firms are located, sources have said.

    Pouyuen Vietnam, the largest employer in the city with 56,000 workers, was unable to arrange for its workers to sleep at the site as required by authorities to allow the business to remain open, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

    Last year, Pouyuen Vietnam was ordered to suspend its production for two days after failing to meet local social distancing rules.

    Earlier this week, state media said authorities also ordered 29 companies in the Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, an industrial park, to suspend production due to the outbreak.

    In the neighboring Saigon Hi-Tech Park, which houses international companies, more than 700 infections were detected in recent days and authorities ordered companies to shut units with infected workers, state media reported.

    Despite the latest outbreak, Vietnam has recorded far lower caseloads than many other countries with 36,605 infections in total and 130 deaths.

    Lees ook:

  • China sales help Armani bounce back from pandemic

    China sales help Armani bounce back from pandemic

    Sales at Giorgio Armani jumped 34% in the first half of 2021 as business in China and the United States helped the Italian fashion group bounce back, although it said it could be next year before it fully recovers from the pandemic.

    “The goal is to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2022, with… over 2 billion euros in direct consolidated revenues,” Chairman and CEO Giorgio Armani said on Sunday in a statement announcing 2020 results and the trend for January-June.

    The luxury group said consolidated net sales had fallen 25% last year to 1.6 billion euros ($1.9 billion), with most of the decline occurring in the first half of 2020.

    Luxury goods sales around the world fell sharply last year for the first time in years as the pandemic forced shop closures and brought international tourism to a virtual halt.

    “The drop in revenues in 2020 should be read not only as a consequence of the pandemic but also in line with Giorgio Armani’s own strategic principle of ‘less is more’,” said Armani Deputy Managing Director Giuseppe Marsocci.

    The Milan-based group did not give the value of total sales in January-June but said the positive sales trend so far this year pointed to a much better profitability scenario for 2021.

    For the whole of last year the group made a consolidated net profit of 90 million euros but an operating loss (EBIT) of 29 million euros.

    It also said on Sunday that its financial position improved significantly in the first half with net cash and cash equivalents of 1.088 billion euros “ensuring the financial resources necessary for the Group’s medium to long-term stability and growth”.

    Speculation about succession plans at Armani has come to the fore recently, especially after the 87-year-old designer said he could consider teaming up with another Italian company.

    Sources said earlier this month that John Elkann, scion of Italy’s Agnelli family, had explored a possible tie-up as part of plans to build a luxury conglomerate.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Burberry opens new London flagship

    Burberry opens new London flagship

    Change is afoot at Burberry. Since 2018, the British heritage brand’s Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci has been reimagining the label with the goal of finessing its high-end luxury status. Working closely with CEO Marco Gobbetti, who recently announced he’ll be stepping down from his role at the end of the year, Tisci has revamped Burberry’s aesthetic image. From a logo rebrand by Peter Saville to a CGI campaign with Nick Knight and Tom Wandrag, Tisci’s collections have modernized house codes and staples such as the trench coat, whilst also setting a more conceptual agenda, as seen in the S/S 22 menswear collection. Now, Burberry debuts its new flagship store at No.1 Sloane Street, London, inviting the world to experience the Burberry universe afresh.

    Despite the digital race towards virtual living and surge in online shopping during the pandemic, placing a focus on real-life stores remains a priority for luxury big dogs like Burberry. In 2020, the brand opened a hybrid physical-digital store in Shenzhen, China, to cater to local shoppers as the country slowly reopened ahead of the West. As stores worldwide begin inviting shoppers back in, brands must be mindful of where they’re placing their bets on consumers making a physical trip to the store after months of placing orders online. The new Burberry flagship offers a unique shopping experience, telling the stories behind the brand’s latest collections and drops such as the signature Olympia and TB bags to entice visitors back to the physical.

    Designed with the renowned architect Vincenzo De Cotiis, the store merges Burberry’s past, present and future. Architecture references British classicism and brutalism, whilst the Burberry house check can be found throughout the space, such as on mirrored lighting grids in the ceiling. A dedicated area on the ground floor spotlights the trench coat made from gabardine, which the brand’s founder Thomas Burberry invented in 1879. Head upstairs to womenswear and menswear, and you’ll find sculptural furniture, seating and fixtures, in a space that offers the ultimate luxury experience.

  • Bally signs up Johnny Huang as brand ambassador

    Bally signs up Johnny Huang as brand ambassador

    Bally is underlining the strength of the Chinese consumer with its latest campaign as it has signed up Chinese actor and model Huang Jingyu, also known as Johnny Huang, as the campaign’s star and as its brand ambassador more widely.

    “The award-winning Chinese actor will reinterpret our pioneering spirit with his signature style and edge,” the company said. In its 170th anniversary year, it’s also planning plenty of major activities with the celebrity.

    The company has 60 stores in China and a dedicated webstore there, as well as a prominent presence on e-tail sites like Tmall and on local social media.

    Buit it’s not all about China, of course, with the actor also being known internationally. In fact, his appointment is the first time a Chinese personality has acted as global face for the label.

    The company said its new spokesmodel is “a formidable actor” with a “dynamic personality and modern sense of style” that works well with Bally.

    As well as fronting the AW21 campaign alongside model Zhao Jiali, he will continue as the brand’s ambassador for its SS22 imagery and will appear at Bally events such as store openings like that for the planned Bally Hike pop-up in Beijing. That store will feature a dedicated hiking clothing and accessories collection.

  • LVMH takes control of Off-White label

    LVMH takes control of Off-White label

    French luxury group LVMH is acquiring a 60% stake in Off-White, the label of designer Virgil Abloh who has been responsible for Louis Vuitton’s men’s collections since 2018.

    LVMH reports that it has taken a majority stake in Off-White, the brand launched in Milan in 2013 by American designer Virgil Abloh. This will give the world’s largest luxury goods company a firm foothold in streetwear, a highly profitable segment that has risen to prominence within haute couture in recent years.

    LVMH will own 60% of the brand while the founder will retain a 40% stake. Further details of the transaction were not disclosed, writes Les Echos.

    Until now, Off-White was controlled by New Guards, an Italian group that also owns Palm Angels and Heron Preston. New Guards was bought by Farfetch in August 2019 for around 600 million euros. As a licensee, Farfetch will continue to operate the brand.

    Within its segment, Off-White is a major player. The label already has 56 stores worldwide and counts more than 10 million followers on Instagram. In February, Andrea Grilli, the big boss of New Guards, announced that he is aiming for sales of one billion dollars within five to ten years.

    The deal highlights the ever-closer partnership between Abloh and the French luxury house. The story began in 2007, when the designer of Ghanaian-American descent, who at the time was still artistic director for Kanye West, collaborated on the creation of a Fendi collection. In 2015, Abloh was then a finalist for the LVMH Young Designer Award. Three years ago, he was appointed head of Louis Vuitton’s men’s collections.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Nike could run out of Vietnamese sneakers

    Nike could run out of Vietnamese sneakers

    The shutdown of two contract manufacturers in Vietnam due to Covid-19 could worsen Nike’s sneaker supply problems, a market research company has warned.

    The fact that South Korea’s Changshin Vietnam and Taiwan’s Pou Chen Corp in HCMC have stopped operating since last week “may exacerbate the supply chain disruptions that the company has had to deal with,” S&P Global Market Intelligence said in a report.

    Vietnam accounted for 49 percent of U.S. seaborne imports linked to Nike and its products in the second quarter, it said.

    Nike said in fiscal 2020 contract factories in Vietnam made roughly 50 percent of its branded footwear.

    There is a refocusing on China, the report said, pointing out that in the second quarter of this year, growth of U.S. seaborne imports linked to Nike from Vietnam was 6.6 percent year-on-year while it was 54.6 percent for China.

    A Nike spokeswoman said in an emailed statement: “We continue to work with our suppliers to support their efforts in response to the dynamic and unprecedented nature of Covid-19.”

    HCMC has recorded over 39,500 Covid-19 cases since April 27.

    Lees ook:

  • Nike supplier halts production at three Vietnam plants due to Covid-19

    Nike supplier halts production at three Vietnam plants due to Covid-19

    Changshin Vietnam, a South Korean shoemaker, became the second major Nike supplier to suspend production in Vietnam as it shut three of its factories near HCMC on Thursday due to a coronavirus outbreak.

    The factories in Dong Nai province, which employ nearly 42,000 workers, will remain shut until July 20, the Vietnamese government said in a statement, adding many of the 177 infection cases detected in the province were from the factories.

    Nike did not respond for comment outside U.S. business hours, while calls to Changshin went unanswered.

    On Wednesday, Taiwan’s Pou Chen Corp, which makes footwear for Nike and Adidas, suspended operations at its plant in Ho Chi Minh City. The plant will be closed until July 23 for “health and safety considerations”, the company said, adding it did not expect a major financial impact.

    Vietnam had until recently successfully contained coronavirus outbreaks, with limited disruption to its crucial manufacturing sector. However, since late April, it has seen record cases on many days this month, most of those in the commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City and its neighboring industrial provinces of Dong Nai and Binh Duong.

    The country has recorded 38,200 infections and 138 deaths overall, a vast majority of those since May.

    Almost all of Nike’s footwear is manufactured outside the United States. The company has said contract factories in Vietnam produced about 50 percent of total Nike brand footwear in fiscal 2020, but did not specify the volumes that came from Changshin or Pou Chen.

    The latest resurgence in virus cases could signal another hiccup for the world’s largest sportswear chain in 2021, after container shortages and U.S. port congestion held up Nike’s inventory earlier in the year.

    “Having the factories shut for one or two weeks for Nike is going to cause a massive problem for its supply chain,” China Market Research Group analyst Shaun Rein said, adding the shutdown would lead to price hikes.

    Nike also saw its China sales take a hit after calls to boycott global brands for their comments around forced labor in Xinjiang.

    Eclat Textile Co, a Taiwan-based garment and fabric supplier, has suspended production at its Dong Nai plant until July 17, it told the Taipei stock exchange.

    Lees ook:

  • Uniqlo takes over Superdry’s London flagship

    Uniqlo takes over Superdry’s London flagship

    The parent company of Uniqlo, Fast Retailing Group has signed a letting for the former Superdry store on Regent Street.

    The store is expected to sell a mixture of both Theory and Uniqlo clothing.

    The contemporary fashion brand Theory launched in New York in 1997 and at the end of February 2021, it holds 436 stores worldwide.

    The Japanese fashion retailer’s other brands, including US-based denim brand J Brand, could also be sold in the store, property sources said.

    The store is expected to open later this year although the exact date is not yet known.

    Last month Superdry closed the doors to its Regent Street flagship store, which first opened in 2011.

    The retailer is currently considering several locations in the capital, including Forever 21’s former flagship store on Oxford Street, which was forced to closed last year after the retailer filed for administration in the UK.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Malaysia’s Industronics to launch online pre-owned watch platform

    Malaysia’s Industronics to launch online pre-owned watch platform

    Industronics Bhd is tapping on the US$17 billion pre-owned luxury watch market through Ecgo International Ltd, its wholly-owned subsidiary in Hong Kong.

    This follows the launch of Industronics’ luxury watch e-commerce platform, watch-exchanges.com.

    Executive director Datuk Chu Boon Tiong said based on data and overall market performance, the pre-owned luxury watch market showed promising growth prospects.

    “We are excited to capitalize on the growing trend with the launch of WatchExchange and aim to pave the way for a streamlined trading platform that will not only revolutionise the transactions of pre-owned luxury watches but drive further growth in this industry,” he said in a statement today.

    WatchExchange aims to be the first luxury watch e-commerce platform that issues authenticity certificates for pre-owned luxury watches in Malaysia and Asia Pacific.

    Some of the leading brands profiled are Audemars Piguet, Hublot, Patek Philippe, Tag Heuer, IWC, Omega, Jaeger LeCoultre, Panerai, Rolex and Breitling.

    Chu said pricing and demand for pre-owned luxury watches had been so strong over the last few years that even high-end watch brands were moving into the pre-owned market themselves.

    “However, the biggest challenge for the pre-owned luxury watch market lies in authenticating the watches.

    “Our role here is to ensure that the shoppers can safely purchase luxury watches on WatchExchange without having to worry about the security and authenticity of the pre-owned luxury watches,” he said.

    Industronics, with its team of professional and experienced watch appraisers, said it wanted to create a professional, safe trading environment that would elevate customers’ experience of purchasing pre-owned luxury watches to a new level.

    The company will set up offices in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, Canada and Europe, where sellers worldwide could visit for physical appraisals of their watch collections.

    The success of WatchExchange will depend on excellence in several key areas namely stability, sustainability, search engine optimization (SEO) and new media marketing.

    This will also require extensive funding to carry out both online advertising and offline promotional activities.

    Chu believes the competitive advantage for WatchExchange lies in the company’s ability to build a “unicorn” ecosystem around the region.

    “We do not think that the strength of the platform lies solely in the certification and authentication guarantees.

    “We intend to replicate the business models globally via partnerships with a locally listed company in the respective countries.

    “Among the markets that we are looking into are Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China and several emerging markets in Europe. Once our ecosystem matures, we will have so much more to offer to our customers, in terms of the variety of brands, models, and other services,” Chu said.

    According to a management consultancy firm Bain & Company, the global pre-owned luxury watch market was valued at US$17 billion in 2018.

    However, less than 20 per cent of that market is in the Asia Pacific region, while only 25 per cent of the total pre-owned luxury watch sales were online transactions.

    Euromonitor International, an independent strategic market research provider, estimates the value of retail sales of timepieces in Malaysia to grow by five per cent per annum between 2019 and 2022, to reach up to RM2.5 billion.

    Industronic is looking to set up a fund in Hong Kong to raise RM250 million from potential investors.

    Proceeds raised will be utilised to purchase different brands of luxury watches for resale on the company’s platform.

    Industronics aims to invest around RM25 million or 10 per cent of the total funding required, together with the Hong Kong Cyberport Fund, which will invest an equivalent amount or at a 1:1 ratio.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Asos to sell Topshop apparel through Nordstrom US stores

    Asos to sell Topshop apparel through Nordstrom US stores

    Online fashion group Asos has partnered with US retailer Nordstrom in a joint venture that will see Topshop clothes sold in physical stores again for the first time since the brand collapsed last year.

    The deal sees Nordstrom, which first struck a deal with the former Arcadia brand nine years ago, buy a minority stake in the Topshop, Topman, Miss Selfridge and HIIT brands that were bought out of administration by Asos earlier this year. No financial terms were disclosed.

    Asos said: “The joint-venture will help drive the growth of these brands and paves the way for exploration of a new wider strategic partnership aimed at building greater awareness and engagement in the US and Canadian market.”

    It is the first time Asos, which sells fashion aimed at 20-somethings, has struck a deal with a retailer with physical stores, having always only traded online in the past.

    Nordstrom has 350 brick-and-mortar stores in North America and a strong online business, which Asos hopes to tap into, despite having a strong internet presence of its own in the region.

    Asos will retain operational and creative control but will collaborate on reaching a larger customer base. This includes “an edit of the best Asos brands launching across Nordstrom.com and in selected high-impact Nordstrom stores”.

    The move is a significant one for Asos and comes five months after it bought the brands from administrators for Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia empire for £330 million.

    But while the retailer bought the brands, it decided not to take on the 70 stores, including the flagship site at London’s Oxford Circus, affecting around 2,500 workers.

    Asos boss Nick Beighton said: “With its long-established connection to Topshop, extensive US consumer insight, and unparalleled reach right across North America, Nordstrom is the right partner to help Asos accelerate the growth of our Topshop and Asos brands in this key market.

    Nordstrom president and chief brand officer Pete Nordstrom said: “We could not have found a better partner in Asos, the world leader in fashion for the 20-something customer.”

    The deal will help Nordstrom improve its assortment and services for millennials and a growing cohort of Generation Z shoppers, he said in an interview.

    “There’s a big opportunity for us to be more meaningful to 20-something customers and to young customers,” Mr Nordstrom. It also makes sense, after a year of retail dislocation, to strike a deal with an online-only fashion company like Asos, he said.

    “Particularly with the pandemic, what we thought was going to happen with the online business overtime ended up happening very quickly because stores were shut down,”

    Topshop and Nordstrom first teamed up in 2012, with the brand selling a range of clothes in the retailer’s US stores. It was part of the UK fashion brand’s first foray into the United States and eventually led to several Topshop stores in US cities.

    Lees ook:

  • Tag Heuer and Nintendo announce a Super Mario smartwatch

    Tag Heuer and Nintendo announce a Super Mario smartwatch

    Seems like everybody loves Mario the plumber. The iconic game character has appeared in more than 200 game titles since its first debut back in 1981. And now the Italian pipe-hero has found its way to the smartwatch industry.

    Tag Heuer – the luxury swiss watch brand – announced today that it’s collaborating with Nintendo to make a Super Mario edition of its Connected smartwatch. It’s super limited and also super expensive at $2,150 but then again, the non-Mario version is $1,800. If you’re a Nintendo fan and also love premium swiss watches, this one’s for you.

    The Super Mario watch comes with dedicated animations and also features a unique design. It’s instantly recognizable with its black and white strap and the M logo on the strap buckle. On the bezel, you’ll find familiar elements from the original game – like Super Mushroom, Pipe, Super Star, and Goal Pole. The interface is also cute and game-like – as you progress toward your fitness goals, Mario will reward you with different animations – from tipping his hat to getting on that victory pole. As far as features are concerned, it’s a WearOS device, so you got Google Assistant on board, along with other Google products like Google Pay, Calendar, Translate, Music, etc.

    Google Fit is taking care of your wellbeing, but the watch also has Tag Heuer’s own Sport, Golf, and Wellness apps. The Super Mario watch comes in a 45mm variant and weighs 86 grams (0.18 pounds). It’s water-resistant up to 5ATM, and Tag Heuer promises its 430mAh battery can last a full day.

    If you decide to pull the trigger on this one, you have to act quick – Tag Heuer is making only 2,000 of these and you can register for one right now. The official debut is just two days away – it’s July 15. Oh, and by the way, there’s also a cute Mario-themed box that goes with the watch.

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Cos launches its first Philippine store

    Cos launches its first Philippine store

    London-based fashion favorite COS opened its first Philippine store on Friday, June 25, at SM Aura Premier in Taguig City.

    The store, located close to the main entrance of the Bonifacio Global City mall, houses both womenswear and menswear and features the brand’s Spring-Summer 2021 collection.

    At its core, COS cares about sustainability. Its collections are dominated by wardrobe essentials that are designed to last beyond a season.

    Part of its commitments includes shifting to 100% sustainably sourced or recycled materials in its pieces and even its packaging. As of 2021, nearly 86% of its collection are sustainably sourced, according to the brand.

    Most clothing pieces start at P2,000, with accessories costing upwards of P2,000 as well. The store also has in-house consultants to help you shop and plan your outfits.

    COS is located on the first floor of SM Aura Premiere in Taguig City. Customers must follow COVID-19 safety protocols, including the wearing of masks and face shields, as well as social distancing.

  • Paul Frank parent Futurity Brands names China CEO

    Paul Frank parent Futurity Brands names China CEO

    Futurity Brands Limited announced today the appointment of Mr. Zhu Jianshi, as Chief Executive Officer of Futurity Brands China. Stan Wan, Futurity Brands Chairman and Group CEO, said: “After a rigorous search, the Board concluded that Mr. Zhu’s expertise and considerable experience in the licensing, fashion and retail sector, along with his exemplary track record of achievements as a CEO and COO made him the outstanding candidate for the role.

    Mr. Zhu is an accomplished leader and has consistently demonstrated throughout his career the ability to innovate and introduce high-performance strategies in challenging environments yielding impressive growth and significant value creation. I look forward to his partnership in China to create a new chapter of success for the Futurity Brands Group.”

    Lees ook:

    Lees ook:

  • Gap to close all 81 stores across the UK, Ireland

    Gap to close all 81 stores across the UK, Ireland

    The firm said it would close all its stores “in a phased manner” between the end of August and the end of September.

    This includes 19 stores that were already scheduled to close in July as their leases were expiring.

    The company has not disclosed how many employees the closures will affect, but will shortly start a consultation process with the staff.

    The firm said it was “not exiting the UK market” and would continue to offer a web-based store when all the shops had closed.

    A Gap spokesperson said the decision followed a strategic review of its European business.

    Gap was a big hit when it first opened in the UK back in 1987, famous for its hoodies and sweatshirts. But in recent years, it has struggled to stay relevant, resorting to prolific discounting to pull shoppers in. That left Gap in a weak position to withstand the turmoil of a global pandemic.

    It launched a strategic review of its entire European operations last autumn, warning that it was considering closing all its UK stores. Just a few weeks ago, 19 store closures were announced – now the rest of them will close as well.

    Gap blamed what it described as market dynamics – in other words, the huge shift to internet shopping. It’s going online-only, just like Debenhams and Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia group. It’s yet another famous name bidding a retreat from our High Streets, adding to the challenge of what to do with empty shops.

    The closure is because Gap failed to keep up with the competition by not offering enough variety or being as cheap as competitors such as Primark.

    “The brands you want to shop within physical retail have to have so much more than just products on offer, they have to have a purpose,” she says.

    The company said it was in negotiations with another firm to take over all of its French stores.

    In Italy, Gap said it was in discussions with a partner for the potential acquisition of the stores there.

    “We believe in Gap’s global brand power. We are executing against Gap’s Power Plan and partnering to amplify our global reach,” the spokesperson said.

    “We are not exiting the UK market. We will continue to run and operate our Gap e-commerce business in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.”

    A source close to the company said that it had seen rapid uptake of internet shopping for its clothes in the UK since the pandemic-enforced lockdowns.

  • Hugo Boss showcasts its first Japanese flagship store

    Hugo Boss showcasts its first Japanese flagship store

    German luxury fashion house Hugo Boss has launched its first Boss flagship store on Tokyo’s famous shopping street the Ginza.

    Spanning two stories, the Hugo Boss Japan flagship occupies 480sqm of the Tokyu Plaza Ginza shopping centre. The store features a giant glass facade where a digital wall is installed to showcase campaign videos and content.

    Meanwhile, the store interior design follows a white, black, and beige colour palette, using materials such as marble, wood and chrome. While the first floor houses men’s and women’s apparel, accessories, and fragrances, the second floor features a personalization space called ‘Made to Measure’, where customers can enjoy tailoring services.

    Marking the launch, the Hugo Boss Japan flagship store also houses a limited-edition capsule collection and a corner offering limited items with HB-Moji graphics, including hoodies, T-shirts, shorts, and caps.

    Lees ook: