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Tag: Fashion

  • The Kooples is looking to Asia for expansion

    The Kooples is looking to Asia for expansion

    Parisian fashion label The Kooples is looking to Asia for expansion, starting with two monobrand stores in Hong Kong in November.

    It is about to sign a partnership deal with a regional retail group, with its Hong Kong stores to be in the Harbour City and Pacific Place shopping malls.

    This will build on the handful of retail outlets it currently has in Asia, stores and retail corners mainly in Thailand and South Korea.

    Above all, the new partnership will lead to the opening of the label’s first stores on Mainland China, from next year. The Kooples’ only presence in China is a retail corner at the Galeries Lafayette department store in Beijing. Similar formats could follow as Galeries Lafayette is a partner, and is planning further stores in China.

    Meanwhile, The Kooples is evaluating the launch of a dedicated China e-commerce site.

    Following Hong Kong and China, the Parisian label and its local partner are also considering Japan.

    In the fiscal year to August 31, The Kooples’ revenue was around €220 million (US$263.1 million), on par with the previous year, and the company sees Asia as a crucial growth driver for the 400-store brand.

    “Asia’s the next challenge” says GM Nicolas Dreyfus.

    The Kooples has appointed the director for its Asian subsidiary: former Balmain Asia COO Laetitia Mergui.

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  • In Good Company expands to the Philippines

    In Good Company expands to the Philippines

    Singapore-based fashion label In Good Company has expanded into the Philippines with its first shop in The SM Store Makati.

    The store, located on level 2, offers all seasonless clothing, classic silhouettes and accessories.

    In Good Company also brings its latest collection called Capsule 11. Using draping techniques, the collection is inspired by the 80s and 90s trends.

    “We explored new shapes and draping techniques that create more movement and dimensionality, as well as new hardware such as oversized grommets, hanging ties and d-rings that give the capsule a modern utilitarian look, in an ultra-wearable way,” said creative director and co-founder Sven Tan.

    Besides the Philippines, In Good Company has recently launched in Dubai at Robinsons Department Store.

    The brand also has standalone lifestyle stores in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand

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  • Furla sales soar 63 per cent in Asia-Pacific

    Furla sales soar 63 per cent in Asia-Pacific

    Italian fashion group Furla continues to thrive in Asia, the region now accounting for half its global sales.

    After recording its highest-yet turnover and profit in 2016, Furla sales rose a further 23.5 per cent in the half year to June 30, reaching euro 238 million.

    The Asia-Pacific region registered 63 per cent growth, with China, South Korea and Australia standout markets. Sales in Japan rose 16 per cent.

    With products available in over 100 countries, Furla Group has 444 mono-brand stores, about half of which are directly managed, and is present in over 1200 multi-brand and department stores.

    “The results of the first half of 2017 make us very proud and underline the way turnover has doubled over the last three years,” commented CEO Alberto Camerlengo.

    “This growth, in extremely complex scenarios, is important in all markets as is the improvement in the quality of our distribution network and of our relationship with our strategic partners,” he said.

    Our intent is to continue growing organically both in our diverse product categories and in our geographic footprint.”

    Japan is by far Furla’s largest country market, accounting for 24 per cent of its sales. The rest of the Asia-Pacific region accounted for a further 24 per cent in the half year. Europe, Middle East and Africa accounted for 45 per cent and the US for 7 per cent.

    Furla’s travel retail channel has also grown substantially: up 47 per cent, thanks to a presence in 52 countries, with a total of 292 sales points ranging from boutiques to corners, shop-in-shops, aircraft and cruise ships.

    Across all channels, organic growth was a major factor in the group’s success, but like-for-like sales in directly operated stores also registered double-digit growth.

    In the second half of this year, Furla plans to open new stores in Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo and Prague.

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  • Vans/Karl Lagerfeld collaborate on capsule collection Featuring 12 styles

    Vans/Karl Lagerfeld collaborate on capsule collection Featuring 12 styles

    Featuring 12 styles, the collection reinterprets the US skateboarding shoe brand’s classic styles through the lens of the iconic German fashion house. The designs were revealed at the Bread & Butter trend show in Berlin, and launches worldwide tomorrow at Karl Lagerfeld boutiques, select Vans accounts, Vans.com and Kar.com.

    Covering both apparel and accessories, the offering makes a bold statement with a black and white palette, says Vans. Styles include a t-shirt and sweatshirt with the Vans x Karl Lagerfeld logo, a t-shirt with an image of Lagerfeld wearing a checkerboard tie, a black-and-white raglan-sleeve bomber, a leather backpack with K-quilted stitching, and a cap with a checkerboard brim.

    For the footwear there are six interpretations of Vans Classic styles, including the debut of the SK8-Hi Laceless platform and the Old Skool Laceless platform, both outfitted in luxe leather with K-quilted stitching atop white platform soles.

    There is also a black leather Classic Slip-On finished with K-quilted details. The Old Skool and Sk8-Hi Reissue have leather uppers outfitted with bouclé fabric quarter-panels atop a black outsole.

    Rounding out the assortment, the Vans Checkerboard Classic Slip-On has been remastered with a Vans x Karl Lagerfeld cameo print.

    “Working in close partnership, our teams designed this collection to reflect the unique histories of our respective brands,” says Vans senior footwear designer Angie Dita. “As a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld’s fashion DNA, we highlighted elements like boucle fabric and K-quilted stitching, and we reinterpreted Vans’ signature checkerboard pattern with Karl’s cameo silhouette motif.”

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  • Tommy Hilfiger taps Hong Kong actor Shawn Yue

    Tommy Hilfiger taps Hong Kong actor Shawn Yue

    Tommy Hilfiger has tapped Hong Kong actor Shawn Yue as its first Asian brand ambassador for its menswear range.

    Yue, 35, a former model and star of Internal Affairs II, among other movies, will represent the brand in marketing across the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

    China is a key driver of Tommy Hilfiger’s increasing sales globally after parent PVH bought back a 55 per cent controlling interest from its Chinese JV distribution partner in April last year. While the company did not reveal specific Chinese market data in its latest earnings report, it said China and Europe drove a 6 per cent improvement in the brand’s worldwide revenue, despite  North American sales sliding 5 per cent. It is targeting 405 stores in China by the end of this year.

    Fashion industry commentators says Yue’s appointment illustrates Tommy Hilfiger’s increasing commitment to Asian consumers.

    The first advertisements featuring Yue were due to appear today, (September 1). He features on a series of videos and in print commercials.

    Yue has 3 million followers on Instagram in China and 13 million on Weibo.

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  • Athleisure slowdown fails to dent Lululemon

    Athleisure slowdown fails to dent Lululemon

    Someone forgot to inform Lululemon there is a slowdown in the growth of the athleisure category.

    The Canadian company’s latest results stand in direct contrast to those of many other sporting retailers, with both total and comparable sales surging ahead by 13 per cent and 7 per cent, respectively. Online sales surged 30 per cent.

    The numbers are a testament to Lululemon’s brand strength, the credibility of its products, and to its constant focus on innovation. They have enabled the group to take share in a crowded, competitive marketplace where consumer demand is a little more muted than it once was.

    While the North American market is far from saturated, it is encouraging to see it pursue international growth. The brand is already a hit with younger Chinese shoppers with both new physical stores in China and the digital Tmall store performing well above expectations. Given the embryonic stage of development, there is significant headroom for future growth in China. The same argument applies, albeit to a lesser degree, in Europe.

    The latest results also underscore the fact that many of the problems faced by players like Dick’s or Foot Locker stem, not solely from the fact that athletic wear demand is more subdued, but because consumers are increasingly switching to buying directly from brands. Lululemon is proof that a well-configured, focused brand can secure customer loyalty far better than a retailer selling a diffuse range of different products with little coherence.

    Despite the great sales numbers, a slight disappointment comes from the bottom line, where operating margin and net income ($48.7 million) both fell. Some of this was down to asset impairment and resulting costs, but even when this is factored out the results were still weaker than the prior year. All that noted, the softer profit numbers are perfectly acceptable, mainly as they are a consequence of the various investments and initiatives Lululemon is undertaking to strengthen its position in the market Given these are bearing fruit, the long-term prognosis still looks good.

    Among these initiatives was Lululemon’s first global brand campaign, which launched in May, and helped to raise the profile of the company. Although the marketing focused on overtly yogic themes of breathing, letting go, self-discovery, and humility – the more general imagery resonated with a much wider audience. From our data, it is clear that Lululemon has successfully connected with new groups of customers as a result.

    Another area of success, partly but not solely driven by the marketing push, has been the number of men buying Lululemon product. Numbers have risen consistently over the past year or so, but we now see evidence that the trend is accelerating. Among Lululemon’s male shoppers, average spend is up as is the average number of products purchased. Some of this is the result of a much more comprehensive range of men’s product, especially beyond bottoms, which is the traditional entry product to the brand. The focus on performance materials and features has also proved very popular.

    In successfully pivoting from being a women’s brand to one that now appeals to both genders, Lululemon stands in marked contrast to Under Armour, which has seen only limited success in attracting women. This augurs well for the future as Lululemon has much more runway with male shoppers.

    Despite making much more effort with men, Lululemon has not lost its focus on womenswear. The complaint about bland product lines has now largely been fixed, with new colors, patterns, and styles helping to drive interest and purchases among many female shoppers. Equally, the continued investment in new fabrics and designs has encouraged upgrading and new purchases alike.

    Looking ahead, the balance of this year should be positive for sales. We are particularly encouraged about the holiday quarter as we think Lululemon will, once again, be a key gifting brand. While we caution that the restructuring of Ivivva and further investments may weigh down on the bottom line, this does not change the upward trajectory for Lululemon.

  • Jimmy Choo profits jump 174%

    Jimmy Choo profits jump 174%

    Luxury shoemaker Jimmy Choo Plc, which is being bought by U.S. retailer Michael Kors, said its pretax profit for the half year almost tripled, helped by its retail and licensing businesses.

    Pretax profit for the six month to June 30 was 18.1 million pounds ($23.4 million), compared to 6.6 million pounds last year. Revenue for the period rose 4.5 percent to 201.6 million pounds.

    Michael Kors agreed two months ago to buy Jimmy Choo for $1.2 billion, snapping up the British company whose towering stilettos have been made famous by celebrity customers from Princess Diana to Kendall Jenner.

    Jimmy Choo Chairman Peter Harf said the deal opened up exciting opportunities.

    “The shared vision and distinctive appeal of these two iconic brands will provide an exciting platform to achieve global leadership in luxury retail,” Harf said in a statement.

    Revenue at the company’s Japan unit rose 11 percent at constant currency helped by continued growth in its Men’s section.

    Excluding Japan, the company’s Asia business grew 8.2 percent at constant currency, driven by strong demand for seasonal fashion offerings.

    Shares in the company were up about 0.2 percent at 0740 GMT on the London stock market, trading close to the 230p offer price. ($1 = 0.7747 pounds) (Reporting by Sanjeeban Sarkar in Bengaluru; Editing by Keith Weir).

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  • Virtual Closet offers interactive approach to fashion

    Virtual Closet offers interactive approach to fashion

    In a first for Singapore, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands has unveiled an interactive concept, the Virtual Closet.

    Located on the Grand Colonnade of The Shoppes, it is an interactive platform enabling shoppers to browse the latest collections from Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana and Tom Ford. Each brand showcases its collections for at least a fortnight, with the closet closing its doors on October15.

    Set up to resemble a walk-in wardrobe, the Virtual Closet has interactive digital mirrors offering a 360-degree view of selected products. Visitors can interact with the display cases and mirrors to switch colours and designs clothing items and accessories.

    A feature is a multi-sensory photo booth where shoppers can choose a projected background and audio soundtrack as they pose for selfies. Those who upload their image on social media can win treats from restaurants at The Shoppes or Marina Bay Sands’ celebrity-chef restaurants.

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  • Solid growth for Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger in China

    Solid growth for Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger in China

    Strong performances by Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger in China helped propel solid half-year and second-quarter sales and profit growth for parent PVH Corporation.

    Chairman and CEO Emanuel Chirico said “better than expected” second-quarter results reflect the continued momentum and ongoing operating efficiencies across the company’s diversified business model.

    “Our results reflect a planned increase of approximately $25 million of marketing compared to the prior year related to Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, which we believe will continue to drive market share gains and allow us to capitalise on the brands’ significant international expansion opportunities over the next several years.”

    Global revenue from the Calvin Klein business for the second quarter increased 8 per cent year-on-year to $786 million. But Calvin Klein’s non-US sales soared 20 per cent thanks to an “outstanding performance” in the wholesale business in Europe and China, and solid growth in the retail business, the latter due to a 6 per cent increase in international comparable-store sales and square footage expansion in company-operated stores.

    Calvin Klein North America revenue decreased 1 per cent.

    Tommy Hilfiger revenue rose 4 per cent to $892 million, with international revenue up 9 per cent to $492 million, again driven by strong performances in Europe and Asia. But Tommy Hilfiger North America revenue was down 2 per cent to $400 million compared to the prior year period.

    Consolidated group revenue was $2.1 billion, up 7 per cent year-on-year.

    For the first half year, Calvin Klein sales rose 6 per cent, Tommy Hilfiger by 5 per cent and total group revenue by 5 per cent  to $4.1 billion.

    Earnings before interest and taxes for the first six months of 2017 was $392 million, inclusive of a $17 million negative impact due to foreign currency exchange rates, compared to $371 million in the prior year period.

  • Li & Fung profit jumps to $170 million

    Li & Fung profit jumps to $170 million

    Global supply-chain manager Li & Fung saw its half-year core operating profit jump by 11.9 per cent to US$170 million.

    Profit attributable to shareholders increased by 51.3 per cent to $101 million, while total margin percentage increased by 0.1 point on a like-for-like basis to 11.5 per cent.

    Excluding the impact of the strategic divestment of the group’s Asia consumer and healthcare distribution business, turnover decreased by 2.1 per cent to $7.3 billion. On a reported basis, the fall was 9 per cent.

    “Subdued retail sentiment resulting from economic and geopolitical uncertainties continued to weigh on our brand and retail customers,” the group says.

    Its first half was the first execution period of its three-year plan (2017-2019). “At the core of this plan is our goal to build the supply chain of the future.”

    Accounting for 73 per cent of total turnover, its supply-chain business offers end-to-end services from product design and development to raw material and factory sourcing, as well as manufacturing control.

    Diversified clients

    Li & Fung says its diversified customer base includes brands, specialty stores, department stores, big-box retailers, e-commerce players, hypermarkets, off-price retailers and clubs. “We also converted our vendor base of more than 15,000 to a new customer base for services that
    can improve their efficiencies and compliance levels.”

    Previously its principal-to-principal business under its trading network, products has became an independent business segment under the group’s new structure. It mainly comprises sweaters, furniture and beauty verticals as well as onshore wholesale businesses, each with its own management team.

    “Our sweater vertical also announced a joint venture with South Ocean Knitters Holdings [Hong Kong], combining the resources of both entities to become one of the largest and most innovative knitwear suppliers globally,” says the group.

    Turnover for the segment fell by 8.1 per cent, however, to $1.5 billion, “largely because of anaemic consumer sentiment and an unstable economic environment”.

    Core operating profit tumbled by 28.6 per cent to $33 million while the core operating profit margin eased by 0.7 points to 2.2 per cent. Total margin decreased by 7 per cent to $318 million.

    The US remained the largest contributor to the business, accounting for 65 per cent of total turnover. Asia accounted for 10 per cent.

    Four verticals

    The group’s logistics business focusses on four core verticals: footwear and apparel, fast-moving
    consumer goods, F&B and healthcare.

    In April the group opened a 1 million sqft distribution hub in Singapore, the largest bonded warehouse in Asia. It has 212 distribution centres around the world and 21.5 million sqft of warehouse space. India, Japan, Korea and Vietnam have joined the network to take the group’s reach to 17 markets.

    “Our global network of more than 15,000 vendors, spanning more than 40 economies, allows for flexibility when moving orders from one production country,” says Li & Fung. During the first half, its top three sourcing countries continued to be China, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

    “While China accounted for more than 50 per cent of our sourcing unit volume, we have sizable sourcing operations in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Cambodia and other countries.”

    Meanwhile, the group’s strong balance sheet, including $1 billion raised last year via the strategic divestment of its Asia consumer healthcare and distribution business, has provided it with maximum flexibility to fund future growth, the group says. This includes $150 million for digitalisation over the next three years.

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  • David Jones’ profit drop amid slowing sales

    David Jones’ profit drop amid slowing sales

    Department store giant David Jones’ sales growth has weakened markedly amid a decline in consumer spending and a poorly received private label clothing range.

    DJs recorded a 25 per cent drop in operating profit while total sales edged up one per cent in the year to June 25 compared to the prior year, which enjoyed sales growth of 8.4 per cent.

    South African parent company Woolworths Holdings – not related to the Australian supermarket chain – said the collapse of electronics retailer Dick Smith last year, which had concession stores inside David Jones stores, impacted growth by one per cent.

    The high-end retailer’s crucial comparable store sales, which excludes Dick Smith, declined 0.7 per cent – sharply lower than the prior year’s seven per cent growth in comparable sales.

    “Sales growth slowed in the second half as consumer sentiment worsened, although our share of the department store and specialty market grew marginally,” the company said in a statement on Thursday.

    Woolworths Holdings chief executive Ian Moir said David Jones suffered a disappointing private label performance but lessons had been learnt and remedial action was being taken.

    The group’s other Australian business, the Country Road Group – which includes the Country road and Witchery apparel brands – had a 5.1 per cent lift in sales and showed a marked improvement in the second half, with newly acquired Politix adding 3.7 per cent to growth.

    Sales in comparable stores however declined by 0.4 per cent.

    Moir said Country Road’s “above-market performance” reflected changes made to the business over the past 18 months and ongoing improvements to ranges during the year.

    Woolworths stated it’s in the process of rolling out its new beauty offering across its clothing and general merchandise division, which will include international brands Chanel and Estee Lauder for the first time.

    “Sales growth slowed in the second half, as consumer sentiment worsened, although our share of the department store and specialty market grew marginally,” said Moir.

    Looking ahead, Woolworths expects market conditions in the year ahead “to be constrained by the same economic and political conditions that impacted our performance during the year under review”.

    “We will continue to invest in various transformational initiatives, most notably in David Jones, and remain  confident that our strategies will deliver future – fit businesses capable of long-term profitable growth. We expect our food and clothing businesses in both South Africa and Australia to continue to outperform their respective markets.”

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  • LVMH’s Cha Ling opens first China store

    LVMH’s Cha Ling opens first China store

    Luxury high-end skincare brand Cha Ling has launched its first store in China, opening a flagship outlet in Shanghai.

    Cha Ling, which means ‘tea forest’ in Mandarin, is inspired by the rare Chinese Pu’er tea — a type of tea known for its anti-oxidant and anti-ageing properties

    The LVMH Group-owned cosmetic venture launched in Paris just 18 months ago, and is the brainchild of Guerlain president and CEO Laurent Boillot.

    The brand is created in the Guerlain labs in France, with ingredients from Yunnan where farmers harvest 500-year-old tea trees.

    Products include Pu’er-infused cleansing powder, serums, massage cream and a “steam tablet” for purifying pores. Prices range from $20 to $200.

    Cha Ling is also planning to expand to Beijing and Chengdu soon, according to local media reports. Meanwhile, following the move into China, other stores are slated to open in international markets.

    Cha Lang first launched in French department store Le Bon Marché in January 2016. In February 2016, it opened its first standalone in Hong Kong inside the Harbour City shopping mall.

    It now has a second Hong Kong location in Causeway Bay and plans to open a standalone Paris boutique this year.

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  • Prada duo launches exclusively with The Shilla Duty Free

    Prada duo launches exclusively with The Shilla Duty Free

    Puig is partnering with The Shilla Duty Free and Changi Airport to exclusively launch the latest Prada fragrance duo: La Femme Prada L’Eau and L’Homme Prada L’Eau.

    The scents are available exclusively at The Shilla Duty Free for two weeks before a wider roll-out. It is the first time that Prada fragrances have been available at Changi Airport before launching anywhere else.

    La Femme Prada L’Eau and L’Homme Prada L’Eau are said to offer a new olfactory signature to Prada Parfums.

    To celebrate the launch, Puig and Shilla will introduce a personalisation and gifting concept at Changi Airport over the coming months.

    La Femme Prada L’Eau opens with green frangipani flower enriched by Mandarin essence and smoothed by ylang ylang notes. Tuberose gives depth to the scent. L’Homme Prada L’Eau features amber and iris mingled with red ginger and neroli. Other notes include cedar and sandalwood.

    The bottle and packaging for La Femme Prada L’Eau and L’Homme Prada L’Eau are dressed in Prada’s signature Saffiano leather: Pink for the feminine scent and light blue for the masculine.

    Changi Airport Group Airside Concessions Group Senior Vice President Teo Chew Hoon said: “At Changi Airport, we take pride in delivering newness, surprise and excitement to our savvy shoppers.

    With the first-in-the-world launch of the La Femme Prada L’Eau and L’Homme Prada L’Eau, we are confident that these distinctive, curated fragrances will resonate with the modern woman and man, and invite travellers to be amongst the first to embark on this journey of self-discovery with us.”

    The Shilla Duty Free Vice President of Global Merchandise Division Raelene Johnson commented: “The Shilla Duty Free has always been committed to creating exclusive retail experiences for our travel shoppers.

    This time, we are proud to partner with Puig to announce the first-in-the-world launch for its new Prada fragrances.

  • Spanish fashion brand El Ganso heads to Middle East

    Spanish fashion brand El Ganso heads to Middle East

    Spanish fashion brand El Ganso is to expand into the Middle East, opening its first store in Kuwait.

    The store – to be located in The Avenues shopping centre, will be operated in partnership with retail franchise business MH Alshaya.

    El Ganso was founded in 2004 in Madrid and specialises in “fun, elegant clothing for individuals with class, in search of a unique style”.

    The brand says its style is a cosmopolitan look, with colours and ranges from preppy American looks to the more alternative Berlin style, “and not forgetting a touch of English elegance”. Every collection is designed and manufactured 100 per cent in Europe from local raw materials, using new fabrics and yarns from quality Italian houses such as Subalpino.

    Co-founder and CEO Alvaro Cebrian said the company is excited to be introducing El Ganso into Kuwait and the wider region.

    “The brand’s design ethos is rooted in on our experiences of global culture and we are sure its hallmarks of confident colour, quality and innovative detail will appeal to fashion-forward consumers in this region. We look forward to welcoming customers to our store.”

    Kuwait will join 190 stores in 11 countries, including cities like London, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Amsterdam, Berlin and Lisbon.

    “The new El Ganso store will stock collections for both men and women, boasting styles and designs that reflect the individuality of nonconformists, who are in search of unique attire with a clear focus on design, quality, innovation and attention to detail,” said Cebrian.

  • Cos to open third store in Melbourne

    Cos to open third store in Melbourne

    H&M-owned Cos is opening its third Melbourne store in the inner suburb of Armadale this spring.

    Spanning 248sqm, the single-level store will hold the brand’s SS17 collection and feature an internal courtyard and skylight space.

    The fashion brand said it will use the original Edwardian architectural features of the early 20th century building and incorporate its “aesthetic of clean and modern lines combined with natural elements.”

    “We hope that this new store will allow our customers to continue to explore Cos in a great new environment,” said Marie Honda, managing director of Cos.

    Cos, which stands for Collection of Style, is H&M’s second-largest brand and targets a slightly older consumer with its minimalist aesthetic and higher price points.

    It is positioned alongside the Swedish company’s other brands, Other Stories, Cheap Monday, H&M Home, Monki and Weekday.

    “An important part of the H&M group’s strategy is to develop, launch and build new global brands,” said H&M CEO Karl-Johan Persson in July.

    “A good example of this is Cos, which will reach revenues of around 10 billion Swedish krona this year with profitability in line with that of the H&M brand. The value of Cos today already far exceeds the amount we invested in it, and this is just the beginning of the journey.”

    Cos’s opening at Armadale follows a recent spate of fashion brands moving into the area, with Decjuba Kids and Rebecca Valance recently opening in the suburb.