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Tag: clothes

  • Hermes reopens Lee Gardens store in Causeway Bay

    Hermes reopens Lee Gardens store in Causeway Bay

    Hermes has reopened its expanded store at Lee Gardens in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

    The store first opened in 1997 and is one of the luxury brand’s six stores in the metropolis.

    Hermes partnered with Parisian architecture agency RDAI for the expanded store’s design, which draws inspiration from nearby natural landscape.

    The expanded store now features three storeys, with its curves and ridges inspired by Hong Kong’s masonry wall trees and the interior showcasing metallic panels.

    A triptych of horses in motion by Japanese artist Ryu Mitarai is displayed at its three windows, which can be seen from the outside.

    The lower floor flaunts Hermes’ men’s and women’s ready-to-wear items, equestrian goods, home collection, and has two private rooms.

    A wooden cocoon on the first floor presents leather, watches, and jewellery metiers.

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  • Italian outerwear label Herno makes global duty-free debut in Korea

    Italian outerwear label Herno makes global duty-free debut in Korea

    Italian luxury brand Herno has made its first presence in South Korea, in partnership with Shinsegae International. The launch also marks Herno’s first presence in a duty-free shop.

    Located on the ninth floor of the Shinsegae Duty-Free Myeongdong branch, the store offers its latest winter collection in a variety of colors, with products made primarily of cashmere, silk, goose down, and nylon.

    “Even though outerwear is expensive, there is a perception that people buy high-quality products and wear them for a long time, so the demand for luxury padding is steadily increasing,” said a representative for Shinsegae International Herno.

    “As the number of travelers leaving overseas, including foreign tourists, is rapidly increasing ahead of the end of the year. We are expecting a good response from the Shinsegae Duty Free Myeongdong branch.”

    Herno, founded in 1948 by Giuseppe Marnezi, is notable for not showing its logos, in line with the quiet luxury trend. The decision to create a duty-free store was made in reaction to South Korea’s emergence as a centre of luxury fashion, the recent growth in international tourists visiting Korea, and the rapid increase in overseas travel by Koreans.

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  • Prada sales surge in nine months

    Prada sales surge in nine months

    Prada Group enjoyed higher net revenue in the first nine months of FY23, with Miu Miu delivering outstanding results, attributed to growing brand awareness and increasingly strong client relationships worldwide.

    The luxury retailer saw net revenue rise 17 percent year over year to US$3.53 billion in the nine months ended September 30.

    Retail sales of Prada brand jumped 13 percent, while Miu Miu surged 49 percent.

    “In the third quarter, Prada remained on a sound growth trajectory, driven by solid full-price like-for-like sales. Miu Miu continued to deliver a strong performance across all geographies and categories,” said Andrea Guerra, CEO at Prada Group.

    “In an uncertain geopolitical and economic backdrop that requires us to stay vigilant, we continue to see positive momentum in the business and strong excitement around our brands, positioning us well for Q4 and vis-à-vis our ambition to deliver solid, sustainable, and above-market growth in FY23.”

    The group’s retail sales soared 17 percent to $3.15 billion while wholesale sales inched 6 percent higher to $307.6 million. Royalties swelled 67 percent to US$77.2 million.

    Japan posted the highest retail sales growth across all geographies at 47 percent. Retail sales in Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East grew 21 percent, 17 percent, and 12 percent, respectively.

    The company experienced a slight decline of 1 percent in retail sales in the Americas.

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  • Bulgari opens concept store in Tokyo’s Omotesando

    Bulgari opens concept store in Tokyo’s Omotesando

    Luxury jeweller Bulgari has opened its concept store on one of the most bustling shopping streets in Japan’s Tokyo, Omotesando.

    The store is inspired by Rome and has yellow as the dominant colour flowing throughout the store, seeking to deliver the sensation of a vacation to the Italian capital, with sunshine and great architecture.

    The store boasts a saffron-coloured facade with a variety of accessories such as necklaces, watches, and bags.

    Bulgari originally opened its doors in Japan more than 37 years ago, and in 2007, it opened its largest store in Tokyo’s famed Ginza retail district.

    The company now operates in major cities in Japan including Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Okayama, Hiroshima, Matsuyama, and Fukuoka.

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  • Gap appoints Chris Blakeslee president and CEO of Athleta

    Gap appoints Chris Blakeslee president and CEO of Athleta

    Gap announced that it is appointing Chris Blakeslee as the new President and CEO of Athleta, joining the company August 7. In this role, Blakeslee will drive strategic growth for the portfolio’s nearly $1.5 billion1 women’s active and lifestyle brand, and certified B Corporation, building on the foundation of Athleta’s product innovation and its mission to ignite a community of active, healthy, confident women and girls who empower each other to reach their true potential through the ‘Power of She.

    Blakeslee brings broad expertise in the apparel retail and wholesale industries, holding roles across marketing, sales, product portfolio management, operations, and supply chain, serving most recently as President of sister companies Alo Yoga and Bella+Canvas since 2017. In that time, Alo Yoga grew to over $1 billion in sales in 2022, nearly doubling its year-over-year growth.

    “A true brand champion, Chris is known for driving results in high-growth businesses through the blend of creativity and operational rigor,” said Bob Martin, Executive Chairman and Interim CEO, Gap Inc. “Chris is a strong, decisive leader and proven business driver across multiple industries, including active apparel and wellness – one of the fastest and most aspirational retail sectors – making him well suited to guide Athleta into long-term, sustainable growth rooted in delivering high-quality performance product and a rich omni shopping experience.”

    “I’m thrilled to join the Gap Inc. team and to lead Athleta – a brand I’ve long admired. I see incredible runway for the brand to capitalize on its unique, purpose-led positioning and performance product innovation, leveraging its assets across marketing, stores, product and community to deliver consistent growth,” said Blakeslee. “There is something really captivating about the ‘Power of She’ when it comes to engaging women and girls in all aspects of life, and I can’t wait to jump in with the teams to harness this in a way that will further serve customers’ wants and needs.”

    Blakeslee joins a strong and dedicated Athleta leadership team, including Chief Creative Officer, Julia Leach, who was appointed in May to clearly and consistently articulate the brand voice and vision across all its touch points.

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  • Charles & Keith opens first flagship store in South Korea

    Charles & Keith opens first flagship store in South Korea

    CHARLES & KEITH’s inaugural duplex flagship store in South Korea, situated in the vibrant shopping district of Gangnam, Seoul, is now open. Spanning an expansive area of over 330 sqm, the two-storey flagship store stands as the largest CHARLES & KEITH boutique in South Korea. Staying true to the brand’s signature minimalist aesthetic, the brand-new flagship store showcases a thoughtfully designed interior characterized by gradual curves and fluid lines. These design elements are seamlessly integrated with a clean and understated colour scheme, resulting in a space that emanates a modern and refined ambiance.

    The flagship store features striking sculptural artworks by South Korean artist Jeesun Park, making a bold statement throughout the space. These sculptures, while harmoniously complementing the spatial design, stand out with their unique shapes and artistic presence. Fragmented hemispheres, arcs, cut-out shapes, ellipses, and other unfinished forms intertwine to create new compositions.

    In addition to its remarkable features, the flagship store in South Korea is the first in the country to introduce Made for Me by CHARLES & KEITH, an exclusive in-house personalization service. This offering empowers customers to express their unique individuality by embroidering their names onto selected items. The embroidery also includes two exclusive icons inspired by Seoul: a magpie and a graphic artwork depicting the city’s vibrant essence. Going beyond the celebration of creativity and individuality, the Made for Me service adds an invaluable personal touch that brings deeper meaning to the act of gifting.

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  • Dior to open its largest store in South Korea

    Dior to open its largest store in South Korea

    Following the launch of its concept store in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong district last year, LVMH-owned luxury house Dior will open its largest brick-and-mortar store in South Korea in the second half of this year.

    Located inside one of the country’s largest department stores Hyundai Department Store Pangyo, Dior’s new flagship store will mark the largest among women’s boutiques, except for the men’s/women’s boutiques ‘House of Dior,’ ‘Dior Sung Soo,’ and The Hyundai Seoul Dior Boutique.

    Christian Dior Couture Korea’s net income swelled 54.8 percent on-year to $184 million last year, while its operating profit and sales in South Korea both rose over 50 percent on-year, according to its regulatory filing.

    Hyundai Department Store said last year it planned to invest approximately 200 billion won in upgrading its six branches: Apgujeong, The Hyundai Seoul, the Trade Centre branch, the Mok-dong branch, the Pangyo branch, and the Daegu branch.

    Dior has also just named Haerin, a member of the Kpop group NewJeans, as its new brand ambassador for Jewellery and House Ambassador for Fashion and Beauty at Dior.

    International luxury brands are paying close attention to the South Korean market as they employ various strategies to gain more customers, particularly those in Gen Z. According to Morgan Stanley, South Koreans were the world’s biggest spenders on personal luxury goods with the nation’s per capita spending amounting to US$325.

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  • Spain’s Mango plans U.S. expansion after China retreat

    Spain’s Mango plans U.S. expansion after China retreat

    Chief Executive Officer Toni Ruiz said that Spanish fashion retailer Mango is focusing on U.S. expansion after turning its back on China.

    After two previous attempts failed, mango is returning to the United States to offer higher-priced clothes meant for special occasions and parties. It will target states where online sales are already strong.

    The brand is already gaining more recognition in the U.S., dressed actress Amber Valletta for the Oscars after-party on Sunday, Ruiz told Reuters.

    “Something has changed,” he said in an interview at the company’s headquarters near Barcelona. “They now have a different and better perception of European brands.”

    Mango’s U.S. relaunch began with opening a flagship store on New York’s Fifth Avenue in May 2022. That was followed by expansion in Florida. This year, it will open stores in Texas, Georgia and California.

    The company hopes to have 40 stores in the U.S. by 2024, compared with 10 at present. That would place the U.S. in its top five global markets.

    Growth will be supported by the extension of a logistics centre in Catalonia, allowing it to shift 160 million items a year to serve shops and online customers globally, the company said.

    In contrast, Mango closed its remaining two stores in China last year. It maintains four franchise outlets and online sales through Alibaba’s Tmall e-commerce platform.

    “We are divesting in China,” said Ruiz. “We find it unattractive and have decided that it is not the priority for the next three years.”

    Mango reported record sales last year, helped by selling more items at higher prices. Its biggest rival, Inditex-owned label Zara, is expected to report record sales on Wednesday, partly due to its aggressive U.S. expansion.

    The recent aggressive entry of Chinese fast-fashion brands Shein and Temu into the same market is not a concern for Mango, said Ruiz.

    “It’s not our war,” he said. “If you were fighting with these brands you would be constantly lowering prices.”

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  • Fashion brand Unhidden brings clothes made for all bodies to LFW

    Fashion brand Unhidden brings clothes made for all bodies to LFW

    Fashion designer Victoria Jenkins unveiled stylish and practical clothes made for people with disabilities on the runway at London Fashion Week on Friday, in a collection intended to address a gap in the market.

    The ‘Unhidden: A New Era in Fashion’ event saw around 30 models who all live with a disability, chronic condition or visible difference model floaty dresses with easy access around the waist as well as colorful chiffon tie shirts with adjustable sleeves at footwear brand Kurt Geiger’s showroom.

    Designer Victoria Jenkins poses following her catwalk show “Unhidden: A New Era in Fashion”, with designs presented by models who all live with a disability, chronic condition or visible difference, during London Fashion Week in London, Britain, 17 February, 2023.

    “Unhidden is an adaptive fashion brand… primarily targeted at inclusion within the fashion of people with disabilities,” Jenkins told Reuters.

    During a hospital stay when another patient raised it, Jenkins, who has reduced mobility, first discovered a gap in the market for clothes designed with all bodies in mind in 2016.

    Surprised that only a few brands, including Tommy Hilfiger, offer such fashion for all, she decided to use her previous experience as a garment technologist to set up her own brand.

    A model presents a creation during the “Unhidden: A New Era in Fashion” catwalk show, with designs presented by models who all live with a disability, chronic condition or visible difference, during London Fashion Week in London, Britain, 17 February, 2023.

    “When I had this idea, it was like a light bulb and just everything changed,” she said.

    “It helps me personally… but also I see the impact around me of people being able to dress how they need to.”

    Jenkins demonstrated a royal blue shirt with pop snaps that open and close easily, as people who have had strokes can struggle with buttons.

    “It also has openings all down the arm,” she said, so that anyone going through treatment “can access their arm without taking any clothes off. It’s about dignity.”A model presents a creation during the “Unhidden: A New Era in Fashion” catwalk show, with designs presented by models who all live with a disability, chronic condition or visible difference, during London Fashion Week in London, Britain, 17 February, 2023. Model and content creator Jessica Ping-Wild, who uses a prosthetic leg and struggles to find suitable trousers, said a brand like Unhidden makes all the difference.

    “A designer taking into consideration the fact that bodies are different… it’s almost breaking that mould of beauty that has been so ingrained in society for centuries,” she said.

    Jenkins’ collection also includes shirts with longer backs for wheelchair users as well as tailor made suits. She hopes her clothes become even more readily available in the future.

    “Diversity without disability isn’t diversity. It feels like it’s the last taboo. People are still scared of the D word. You know, disabled is not a bad word,” she said.

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  • Diesel partners with Jaspal Group to expand in Southeast Asia

    Diesel partners with Jaspal Group to expand in Southeast Asia

    s to distribute and market the Italian fashion brand Diesel in Thailand and Vietnam, according to the Bangkok Post.

    Jaspal Group has opened Diesel’s first flagship store in Thailand inside Bangkok’s giant shopping mall CentralWorld, taking Diesel’s store count in the country to four.

    The new store was designed under the ‘Sunshine’ concept, featuring the brand’s signature red and white colour scheme. Located on the mall’s first floor, Diesel CentralWorld is home to the brand’s full range of ready-to-wear collections and accessories.

    Jaspal Group has also opened Vietnam’s first Diesel store inside the Takashimaya department store in Ho Chi Minh City. The company has a presence in three countries with 70 stores across different brands, including Lyn, Mango, Champion, CC Double O, and Superdry.

    LVMH-owned luxury fragrance house Maison Francis Kurkdjian has also opened a flagship store in Thailand at the luxury shopping complex IconSiam after five years of operation in the country in partnership with Prestige Products Thailand.

    The luxury fashion market in Vietnam and Thailand has experienced significant growth as demand for high-end products soars, especially now China’s border reopening has bolstered tourism there.

    Vietnam’s luxury fashion operator Imex Pacific Group Fashion, whose portfolio of brands includes Cartier and Christian Louboutin, has rece

  • H&M to shut high-profile Singapore store

    H&M to shut high-profile Singapore store

     H&M’ s two-storey Ion Orchard outlet is closing in March, after a run of more than a decade.

    Opened in 2012, the store’s last day of operations is on March 12, according to a Facebook post by the Swedish fast-fashion brand on Feb

    The post added: “But don’t worry. We’ll meet in other places.” The retailer, which currently has nine outlets in Singapore, shuttered two outlets in recent years.

    H&M’s Tampines Mall outlet was shut in August 2020, while its Waterway Point outlet in Punggol closed in January 2021.

    The Straits Times has contacted H&M for comment.

    H&M entered the Republic in 2011 with a flagship store at Somerset.

    The world’s No. 2 fashion retailer – behind Inditex, which owns Zara – has had a spate of closures in Europe, spurred by factors such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict and high inflation.

    According to media reports, one in five of its Britain-based stores had closed in the past few years, with four more stores earmarked to close this year citing “a rapid change in customer behaviour”.

    In October 2020, the retailer said it planned to cut 250 of its stores globally. As at Nov 30, 2022, it had 4,465 outlets worldwide.

    Luxury brands have weathered factors such as the Ukraine-Russia conflict far better than their high-street counterparts.

    While H&M saw its net profit fall 68 per cent from 2021 to 3.6 billion Swedish kronor (S$450 million), French multinational LVMH – which owns brands including Tiffany & Co, Christian Dior and Sephora – had a record year in 2022, raking in a 23 per cent jump to hit €79.2 billion (S$112.9 billion) in 2022.

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  • Diesel Japan opens Ginza flagship

    Diesel Japan opens Ginza flagship

    Italian fashion retailer Diesel has launched its new flagship store in Japan, at Ginza Marronnier Gate 1, Tokyo.

    The shop, which features two floors, is designed by creative director Glenn Martins with red and white as the primary theme colors. Diesel says this renovation reflects a refreshed image and looks under Martins’s creative guidance.

    The first floor’s walls, which are red and white, reflect the brand’s red logo, and the store aims to create a spacious, airy feel by using metal racks that surround it. It also includes a big sofa, modern industrial modules, and resin shelves.

    On the other side, the basement floor also has red and white displays and walls, as well as cutting-edge architectural features. Customers can purchase an all-gender selection of denim, apparel, shoes, bags, and accessories from the Diesel Fall/Winter 2022 collection and runway looks. In addition, products from the Diesel Ginza limited and pre-sale collections are now accessible in the red look that debuted during the Diesel 22FW fashion show in Tokyo in June.

    Diesel has made Japan one of its main markets after spending more than 36 years there. The apparel company debuted its first Asia-sized flagship shop in Ginza in 2008 and its first large-scale global concept store in Tokyo’s Shibuya neighborhood in 2010.

    The brand is also growing in other markets like Singapore, Hong Kong, and Korea. In collaboration with RTG Consulting and Muse Group, Diesel launched China’s world’s first Diesel Hub last year. The 900sqm Hub combines dining and retail, with a restaurant named Diesel Brave Bar occupying nearly a fourth of the area.

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  • Ralph Lauren launches cafe in Pavilion KL

    Ralph Lauren launches cafe in Pavilion KL

    US luxury fashion label Ralph Lauren has launched a cafe in Malaysia, part of its plan to strengthen its presence in the Southeast Asia market.  The new coffee shop is located at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, right next to its fashion retail space. It provides both on-site and takeaway services and is adorned in Ralph Lauren’s signature white and green. Customers can purchase the brand’s exclusive blends, including Ralph’s Roast, Decaf, and Espresso, which are roasted and packaged in Phil

    The new coffee shop is located at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, right next to its fashion retail space. It provides both on-site and takeaway services and is adorned in Ralph Lauren’s signature white and green.

    Customers can purchase the brand’s exclusive blends, including Ralph’s Roast, Decaf, and Espresso, which are roasted and packaged in Philadelphia by La Colombe and use ethically cultivated beans from Central America, South America, and Africa.

    Ralph Lauren was established in 1967 and specializes in the creation, promotion, and sale of high-end lifestyle goods across five different categories, including clothing, home goods, fragrances, and hospitality.

    In 2014, Ralph Lauren launched its first coffee shop in New York City. Since then, it has expanded its network of coffee shops and Ralph’s Coffee trucks.

    Opening its first Asia outlet in Hong Kong in 2018, the company just opened a new store in the region in July, expanding its portfolio in Mainland China. Ralph Lauren also has operations in Japan and France.

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  • Burberry closes prominent Hong Kong flagship

    Burberry closes prominent Hong Kong flagship

    British luxury fashion house Burberry is the latest luxury brand to withdraw from Hong Kong’s famous shopping street Canton Road.

    The closure of the three-storey store came after Burberry shut its prominent Russell Street flagship last year, highlighting its struggles in a market still heavily impacted by Covid-19 restrictions.

    Canton Road is known as a hub for luxury brands and is home to the giant Harbour City shopping mall. The street was a common destination for Mainland tourists before the advent of Covid-19 and the closure of the border with the mainland. The Burberry Canton Road flagship opened in 2011 and was reported by WWD to have a monthly rent of US$1.12 million.

    The luxury retailer currently has 10 stores across the territory.

    Prior to Burberry, several luxury brands shut stores along the Canton Road retail strip due to the lack of tourists including Valentino, Tiffany & Co, and Coach. Earlier this year, Hong Kong introduced its strictest Covid-19 measures due to the spread of the Omicron variant, resulting in widespread retail and foodservice closures.

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  • H&M closes Shanghai flagship after Covid lockdowns

    H&M closes Shanghai flagship after Covid lockdowns

    H&M has shut its flagship Shanghai store, its latest closure in China where consumer demand has slumped amid COVID-19 lockdowns and the fast-fashion retailer has borne the brunt of a backlash against companies that refuse to use Xinjiang cotton.

    Although it was open earlier this month, the three-storey building in downtown Shanghai was on Friday boarded up with its H&M signage gone.

    The world’s second-biggest fast-fashion retailer entered China in 2007 with the opening of the Shanghai flagship store and rapidly expanded. It had more than 500 stores in mainland China early last year but its website currently only lists 376, including the flagship Shanghai store.

    The company declined to comment, citing a blackout period prior to its first-half earnings report on June 29.

    Although nearly a month has passed since Shanghai lifted a strict two-month lockdown, consumers have yet to return to malls in significant numbers.

    Chinese consumers have also beat a retreat from its products after a letter in which H&M expressed concerns about allegations of forced labour in the Xinjiang region came to light in 2021.

    Other brands that publicly disavowed Xinjiang cotton such as Inditex’s, Zara, Nike and Adidas have also suffered with Chinese netizens calling for boycotts and Chinese celebrities refusing to work with them.

    But the backlash against H&M, the first foreign retailer to express concerns, has been particularly harsh. Unlike other brands, its products remain unavailable on major Chinese e-commerce sites such as Tmall and JD.com.

    UN experts and rights groups estimate over a million people, mainly Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, have been detained in recent years in a vast system of camps in China’s western Xinjiang region.

    Many former inmates have said they were subject to ideological training and abuse in the camps. China denies all accusations of abuse.

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