Retail News CRM

Tag: Fashion

  • Inglot Vietnam makes debut in Vietnam

    Inglot Vietnam makes debut in Vietnam

    Polish cosmetics brand Inglot has opened its first Vietnam store, inside Vincom Lieu Giai in Hanoi. Located on the first floor of the shopping centre, the Inglot Vietnam store offers a free makeup area for customers to try its products before purchasing. Makeup artists are available to help customers find the right tones and ‘look’. Inglot Vietnam says the first store is something of a trial by the company before it opens a flagship shop in the nation’s commercial capital, Ho Chi Minh City, by the end of next month.

    Inglot is well known for its bolt shades and its Freedom System, which allows users and makeup artists to arrange eyeshadows, blush and lipsticks into on-the-go palettes. The brand has more than 900 stores in 75 countries.

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  • Sarment Holdings, Blackberry join to deliver security for luxury customer

    Sarment Holdings, Blackberry join to deliver security for luxury customer

    Sarment Holding Limited is pleased to announce that it is partnering with BlackBerry to co-develop KEYYES CHAT, a highly-encrypted messaging application to provide identity and overall data security management for Sarment’s rapidly growing ultra-high, and high-net worth user base. The development of KEYYES CHAT will be in conjunction with a series of other security-focused applications which are anticipated to be launched starting in 2019.

    The KEYYES CHAT application has been developed with the BlackBerry Spark Communications Services SDK, which provides end-to-end encrypted chat, voice, video and data transfer functionality. It includes FIPS-validated, app-level, AES 256-bit encryption to ensure data is always protected on a device, across the mobile network and into the enterprise infrastructure.

    “Working in collaboration with BlackBerry was an obvious choice for Sarment, given they have long been regarded as a global leader in secured data and communications. Integrating this technology into Sarment’s digital ecosystem KEYYES is one of the steps we are taking to continue to provide our communities with useful tools they can trust. We started with bookings, purchases, deliveries and now we are adding communication to solve the issue of privacy and data security for our growing user-base. By leveraging BlackBerry’s Spark Communications Services SDK communication technology, KEYYES CHAT users can feel confident that their data and privacy are certifiably secured,” said Will Beattie, Chief Technology Officer of Sarment Group.

    In 2018, Sarment launched a unique offering which has quickly garnered the attention of the luxury industry by migrating its network of consumers and luxury brand partners into a unique digital ecosystem named KEYYES. ​KEYYES works as a curator, service provider and experience planner. Users discover expert insights, purchase curated goods and make bookings at featured lifestyle venues like restaurants, bars, art galleries, spas, wellness retreats, fashion houses, private clubs, automotive showrooms and designer’s workshops. KEYYES is currently available in 5 cities in Asia and the Company is targeting to be in over 20 additional cities worldwide in the next 3 years.

    KEYYES CHAT will be integrated in KEYYES App but will also be available to the general public in a lighter format with the same level of end-to-end encrypted security. It will give users the possibility to discover and be informed about KEYYES world if they are not yet a member.

    “We are extremely excited to be working with BlackBerry to address the cyber security and overall privacy of our users, and look forward to growing the breadth of our technology and specific application portfolio together in the coming months and years,” said Quentin Chiarugi, CEO of Sarment Group. “Sarment plans to migrate all its employees’ communications and its partners using KEYYES CHAT as the only communication tool when the application is launched. We want to showcase to our corporate partners how valuable KEYYES can be for their own employees and their customers.”

    “As more and more of our private lives are shared and conducted online, the need for secure communications is critical,” said ​Alex Thurber, SVP and GM of Mobility Solutions, BlackBerry. “KEYYES delivers a useful service for high-net worth individuals, whose data may be of value to those with malicious intent, and being able to trust in the integrity of the chat system will be a primary decision-making factor for them in considering the service. With the BlackBerry Spark Communications SDK, KEYYES CHAT will allow seamless communication between members, partners and employees while protecting the privacy and security of its users.”

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  • Burberry unveils first-ever Chinese New Year campaign

    Burberry unveils first-ever Chinese New Year campaign

    British luxury fashion house Burberry has unveiled its first Chinese New Year campaign, celebrating family traditions and togetherness. The commercials, shot and directed by photographer Ethan James Green, star Chinese actresses and Burberry brand ambassadors Zhao Wei and Zhou Dongyu, who make their Burberry campaign debut. Inspired by classic portraiture, the campaign has been reimagined in an informal urban environment, and features classic Burberry pieces including archive-print scarves, the trench coat and tailoring, contrasting with urban staples including hoodies, t-shirts and joggers, all of which are now available globally online and in-store.

    “The campaign draws on the concept of families reuniting for the most important holiday of the year, and represents a sense of belonging, but in a very fresh way,” explains Zhao Wei. “It was great fun being back on set with Zhou Dongyu – I enjoyed it very much!”

    Gallery of the campaign (4 images) :

    Zhou Dongyu added: “A family portrait is a very simple concept, but the ceremonial sense behind it holds so much more. For me, being able to go home once a year to spend quality time with my family is something I value above all else, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

    For the campaign, Zhao Wei wore a sleeveless keyhole detail top, reissued Society-print silk scarf and gold plated link drop earrings. Zhou Dongyu wore a vintage check wool jacket with palladium plated link drop earrings.

  • Ermanno Scervino opened store in Chinese Hangzhou

    Ermanno Scervino opened store in Chinese Hangzhou

    Italian fashion house Ermanno Scervino is launching a new boutique in Chinese Hangzhou. The 140sqm store, located inside the Hangzhou Tower shopping centre, houses the brand’s womenswear and menswear pret-a-porter and accessories collections. Its interior design follows the style of the maison’s flagship store inaugurated in Florence last June, with large surfaces featuring industrial concrete flooring and concrete wall finishing punctuated by inlaid and laminated gold frames. The store showcases wooden furnishings with stucco decorations and retro-inspired details.

    “The growth and development of our brand in Far East has been proceeding systematically and consistently since a few years now,” said Ermanno Scervino Group CEO Toni Scervino.

    “After Shanghai and our recent opening in Hong Kong, Hangzhou is now a further step forward. The Chinese clientele is proving more and more its passion for the tailoring and Made in Italy proposal of our Maison. In collaboration with our partner Riqing we are therefore working to be more and more present on the territory”.

  • FitFlop flagship opens in Philippines

    FitFlop flagship opens in Philippines

    London footwear brand FitFlop has opened a new flagship store in SM Mall of Asia, Philippines. The new FitFlop Galleon store is the largest FitFlop store in the world to date and now serves as the brand’s global flagship. It is operated by The Primer Group of Companies, the brand’s exclusive distributor in the Philippines. According to a press release, “FitFlop is confident that it will be able to reach and inspire more superwomen to seize life’s opportunities and take on whatever comes their way.”

    The brand’s product line is designed to combine precision ergonomics with functional design, specialising in comfortable footwear for women.

    FitFlop Galleon is currently offering its Spring/Summer 2019 line, inspired by exotic destinations and bustling bazaars, as well as athleisure fashion that features its proprietary Anatomicush sole.

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  • Vegan fashion trend booming in Korea

    Vegan fashion trend booming in Korea

    Stroking down the plush set of colorful fibers, it is hard to tell they could be anything but fur. Hanging in the corner of an ethical fashion store in Dongdaemun, the fur-free fur coats and silk-free silk robes are soft and luxurious, but without the cost of brutality against animals. Striving to spare harm inflicted on animals for the sake of style, vegan fashion has been spreading in South Korea in recent years.

    The word “fake” does not fully describe the trend, as the garments are not purposed as second choice low-quality replacements. They are considered more of a fashionably ethical statement now, rejecting the use of animal materials or cruelty in obtaining them.

    Strictly speaking, vegan fashion is different from eco-friendly fashion, although the phrases are often used interchangeably. Something vegan may not necessarily follow best practices for the environment, or vice versa, but the two often go hand in hand.

    The international movement toward fashion going vegan began its rapid spread as many prominent luxury brands announced themselves “fur-free.” In October last year, Gucci went fur-free, followed by British fashion company Burberry in September this year. Other pricey labels, including Versace, Giorgio Armani, Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren have also declared moves to ban fur.

    Britain’s Stella McCartney — the second-generation animal rights activist daughter of Linda and the Beetles’ Paul McCartney — is believed to gotten the ball rolling in 2001, and currently stands as one of the leading eco-friendly fashion brands in the world. Now, slapping on the word “vegan” is a marketing strategy seemingly guaranteeing good sales.

    The vegan and similar fashion trends are more prevalent in the winter, as outdoor labels increasingly introduce items that either exclude animal materials or try to stick to ethical standards in using animal matters.

    A number of global outdoor companies, including The North Face, Adidas and Reebok, have launched “Responsible Down Standard” certified down coats this winter. RDS is a global standard developed in 2014 to ensure that down and feathers come from animals that have not been subjected to unnecessary harm. Local outdoor brand Black Yak also received RDS certification for all of its down coats released this year.

    Some brands have taken it a step further and developed artificial materials as replacements. The North Face introduced its own thermal filling, “V-Motion,” in 2016, and ‘”T-Ball” this year, whereas LG Fashion’s A.T.Corner presented as its 2018 winter centerpiece a mustang jacket with eco-fur lining inside.

    According to Galleria Department store, which held an eco-friendly fashion week at the end of last month, environmentally friendly garments, including animal-free ones, have increased by 20 percent compared to last year on the women’s fashion floor.

    GS Shopping, a TV shopping firm, exceeded its initial sales goals for RDS certified items, including Reebok’s heavy goose down long coat, which sold out in less than half an hour on the channel.

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  • Crabtree & Evelyn Singapore closes all stores

    Crabtree & Evelyn Singapore closes all stores

    Crabtree & Evelyn Singapore is in the process of closing all of its 12 stores on the island and will move exclusively online. The closures follow the placing of the Canadian business into bankruptcy protection last month, resulting in the closure of its 19 stores there as it liquidates its stock. Crabtree & Evelyn was founded in the US in 1972, expanding to the UK in 1980. It was sold to a Malaysian company in 1996, with its US subsidiary entering bankruptcy protection in 2009, resulting in the closure of about a quarter of its store network.

    The business was bought by Hong Kong investment company Khuan Choo International in mid 2012 for US$155 million before being sold to the current owner, another Hong Kong company, Nan Hai Corporation, four years later. Listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, Nan Hai’s primary business focus is operating cinemas and digital entertainment services, mostly in Mainland China. It has no other specific retail or cosmetics investments.

    In March last year Nan Hai said it had invested in expanding and revitalising the Crabtree & Evelyn product range and that it would expand the brand into the mainland: “Crabtree & Evelyn will fully enter the PRC market in 2018 and the development of [an] e-commerce platform and membership system will be its business focus for 2018, thereby creating synergy with the e-commerce and membership strategies of the group’s cinema operations, which would be beneficial to the long-term development of the group,” the company said in a stock exchange filing.

    Online expansion was also planned in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia, but it made no mention of closing stores and it is not clear in which markets it owns its retail operations and in which it has distribution partners.

    According to a report, the business there filed for bankruptcy citing “significant losses” due to changing consumer demand, rising competition online and an ongoing decline in footfall in its stores.

    Crabtree & Evelyn Singapore is expected to continue trading from two stores in the city – Ngee Ann City and Paragon – until January 31, where it will honour gift vouchers. It has wound down its offline loyalty program in favour of a new online version.

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  • Canada Goose opens store in Beijing

    Canada Goose opens store in Beijing

    Winter clothing firm Canada Goose has finally opened its first Mainland Chinese store in Beijing. In a launch rumoured to be delayed due to political tensions between China and Canada – and dismissed by the firm as the result of construction delays – extensive queues saw shoppers waiting for over an hour for the opportunity to purchase the CNY9000 (US$1300) parka jackets.

    The brand has previously enjoyed significant popularity in Hong Kong.

    An email from the firm to news agency Reuters read “We are proud of our newest store in China and look forward to welcoming our fans”.

    Calls to boycott the brand were made on social media following Canada’s arrest of Huawei Technologies’ CFO Meng Wanzhou, a situation that has sparked a 37 per cent drop in the value of Canada Goose shares in Toronto.

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  • Pooey Puitton toy purse makers file lawsuit against Louis Vuitton

    Pooey Puitton toy purse makers file lawsuit against Louis Vuitton

    Toy company MGA Entertainment has preemptively sued Louis Vuitton in an attempt to prevent the fashion house from taking actions that might impact sales of its slime-filled children’s purse Pooey Puitton. Filed 28 December 2018 in Los Angeles federal court, the lawsuit aims to prevent any potential claims of trademark infringement that Louis Vuitton might have against the plastic, poop-shaped purse.

    Instead, it asserts that the product is a “protected parody” of Louis Vuitton’s luxury handbags.

    The Pooey Puitton plastic purse takes the shape of a poop emoji with a handle and sparkly eyes. It is printed with a colourful, printed monogram, similar to the floral trademark pattern found on Louis Vuitton products, particularly the Spring/Summer 2003 collaboration with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.

    Intended as a children’s toy, the purse is designed to store “unicorn poop”, a glittery toy slime.

    The children’s toy manufacturer launched the lawsuit in response to a claim that Pooey Puitton’s name and image violates the fashion label’s intellectual property rights.

    But MGA Entertainment asserted that “no reasonable consumer would mistake the Pooey product for a Louis Vuitton handbag”, citing the difference in material, price, marketing and stockists.

    According to the toy giant, the product is actually a parody of the luxury fashion brand, “designed to mock, criticise, and make fun of the wealth and celebrity” associated with Louis Vuitton products.

    “The use of the Pooey name and Pooey product in association with a product line of magical unicorn poop is intended to criticise or comment upon the rich and famous, the Louis Vuitton name, the ‘LV’ marks, and on their conspicuous consumption,” the statement reads.

    The interlocking “L” and “V” floral monogram pattern was designed by Louis Vuitton’s son, Georges Vuitton, in 1896.

    This is not the first time that MGA Entertainment has found itself in legal battles. The brand was famously sued by Barbie-manufacturer Mattel for allegedly stealing the idea behind its Bratz doll franchise.

    Elsewhere, Virgil Abloh – who was appointed artistic director of menswear for Louis Vuitton in March 2018 – unveiled his polychromatic menswear collection for the brand during Paris fashion week.

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  • Blackberrys Charts Upon The Next Growth Chapter

    Blackberrys Charts Upon The Next Growth Chapter

    Following an exceptionally successful year, amidst 8 months of re-branding, Blackberrys plans to significantly increase its long-term guidance in 2019. In April 2018 the company revealed its new face to the world after 27 years of its inception. In 2019, Blackberrys intends to strongly accelerate its retail presence and sales growth as part of its long-term strategic business plan.

    Blackberrys is currently present across 350 cities in India and operates more than 260 EBOs and 700+ MBOs. In 2018, Blackberrys added 50 new doors to its retail footprint and is confident of adding upto 50 more in the current financial year.

    In the New Year the company will continue bolstering marketing programs both in store and through online and offline media. The company has earmarked a marketing budget of Rs 55 crore for the current financial year.

    In 2018, Blackberrys launched several consumer centric brand campaigns including India Khaki week, The Distinguished Gentleman Rides, Style partnership with Bollywood blockbuster Race 3 and Lord of Giza to name a few, which were very well accepted by the customers and trade alike.

    Blackberrys is consistently investing in building a par excellence consumer experience using Machine Learning based analytics, and extensively leveraging the digital presence for redefining the Indian man’s Fashion journey.

    Nikhil Mohan, Founder Director at Blackberrys sharing his thoughts on the same added, “Our 2018 results and our positive outlook for 2019 are proof that our strategy is paying off. Company’s growth, grounded in deep acceptance of our brand, led by the product quality, innovation and service, is remarkably healthy. The new development model implemented across, has paved the way for increased value creation along with profitable, sustained and consistent organic growth. We are expecting an accelerated growth in coming years with a strong focus on developing newer wardrobe propositions and our retail presence across the country.

    Nitin Mohan, Co-founder Director at Blackberrys said, “We are committed to developing a ownership and entrepreneurial brand culture at employee level as it’s pivotal for the company in achieving its long-term objectives. As part of the accelerated growth plan, Blackberrys is focusing its HR initiatives on talent development and performance management.  The company plans to launch its new office very soon in Gurgaon, reflecting the collaborative work culture and with a young & fresh look and feel.”

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  • Indian shop fit industry poised for sustainable growth in 2019

    Indian shop fit industry poised for sustainable growth in 2019

    The Indian retail sector is growing faster than ever before and is one of the fastest growing in the world. According to a Deloitte Report, the Indian retail industry is expected to grow to US $1.1 trillion by 2020, registering a CAGR of 8.79 percent between 2000 and 2020. This growth can be attributed to the growing young population of the country, rise in disposable income, change in lifestyle and most importantly, digitization and connectivity.

    Though brands are investing heavily in online retail, traditional retail continues to be their core focus and hence, demand for shop fit designers and manufacturers only continues to grow.

    Changing retail landscape and role of retail shop fitting

    2018 was a redefining period for Indian retail industry. From huge investments by international players to M&A, downsizing of physical stores from traditional players to investing in physical stores by ecommerce players, the retail industry witnessed significant changes.

    As the debate around relevance and profitability of brick-and-mortar stores continues, retailers continue to invest in physical stores and thrive to provide the best shopping experience for customers. The traditional, one-size-fits-all store formats are slowly decreasing and brands are now continuously working towards exploring creative concepts to rejuvenate the look and feel of the store to stay relevant and attract their respective consumer targets.

    Every brand has a different approach in designing retail outlets and so are their shop fit requirements. For example, a sportswear brand store will have a spacious interiors, relaxed furniture for seating, minimum product placement on shelves to create clutter free picking up of products and eye-catching digital display of celebrated sports personalities on the walls to influence customer’s shopping. Whereas, a clothing brand store for infants and children has shop fittings and fixtures of lower height making it easy for kids to select what they want and have popular animated characters all over the store. This is where the expertise of shop fitters come into the picture. Shop fitters play a very important role in building successful retail brands by planning, designing and manufacturing shop fit and fixtures that reflect a brand’s ethos. They closely work with the brands to execute their designs and ideas for Visual Merchandising.

    Growth opportunities for shop fit industry

    A study by JLL suggests that the country is expected to see the highest mall supply in the next three years (2018 – 2020) touching 19.4 million square feet. Due to the radical shifts in the consumption pattern of new-age consumers, brands see tremendous untapped potential in small towns and cities (Tier II and III) they will expand their footprints in these geographies and continue to invest in physical stores.

    Brands continue to focus on integrating online and off-line shopping and the concept of ‘Experiential shopping centers’ will gain importance. Physical stores will double as fulfillment centers to help process online orders. Like in other markets, the concept of BOPIS, i.e. “Buy Online, Pickup In-Store”, which gives customer the flexibility to shop (order) online and visit the nearest store to try the product and collect it may become popular among people. As customer shopping experience, engagement and purpose of the physical store becomes more crucial, brands will regularly invest in store design, interiors, shop fits and new concepts in order to differentiate themselves from competitors. A good fit-out raises a brand’s profile, efficacy and creates a positive perception about the brand. Hence, there is a growth opportunity for shop fitting industry.

    Adding to this, the trend of solo entrepreneurs entering the market and small scale traditional retailers who wish to revamp their business rely on professional shop fitters for retail store design, floor planning, shop fits, etc. which will also give a boost to the shop fit industry.

    Conclusion:

    As organized retail industry continues to grow in the country, it possesses a great opportunity for the shop fit industry. Decisions by brands to downsize the store formats may hurt the shop fit industry’s business and profitability, but there will definitely be significant growth as more brands are now looking to establish their offline presence and also increase their physical presence across markets. In addition to this, with the new rules regarding single brand retail ownership, many new foreign brands will look to enter the Indian market.

    Being an allied industry of the retail sector, the shop fit industry grows hand-in-hand with the retail industry. As brands continue to invest in visual merchandising and store design, they rely on experienced and quality focused shop-fit manufacturers to partner with them. The role of shop fitters cannot be understated in helping the retail brands build their identity, differentiate them from competitors and attract footfall in the store by their innovative designs and store concepts. Shop fitting is an important investment for retail brands and when done right can translate to improved business and performance. Overall, the outlook for the shop fit industry is positive.

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  • Honey Birdette debuts in US

    Honey Birdette debuts in US

    Australian Lingerie brand Honey Birdette has launched its first US store in Westfield Century City, Los Angeles, focused on a unique design including whisky bar carts and ‘press-for-champagne’ buttons. The store will offer exclusive and limited-edition products, and is fronted by a glass mirrored store front centred by a gold tiled entry arch.

    “We are focusing on unique designs concepts for all of our future boutiques and each footprint will have its own unique element,” Honey Birdette founder and managing director Eloise Monaghan said.

    “Some might have a champagne bar for example, a private salon in one, a peep show in another, a stage or a catwalk.”

    The store opened to more than 500 shoppers who lined up to shop the brand physically for the first time in the US, and featured a DJ, champagne towers and confetti cannons.

    The brand currently trades within 57 locations in Australia, as well as across three locations in the United Kingdom.

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  • Kathmandu Australia drops expectations after slow holiday sales

    Kathmandu Australia drops expectations after slow holiday sales

    Outdoor retailer Kathmandu has seen sales fall over the first 15 weeks of the 2019 fiscal year after sales during the December Summer Sale failed to reach expectations, deflating the retailer’s projections for 1H2019. Same store sales for the 22 weeks ending 30 December fell 1 per cent year on year, falling 0.2 per cent in Australia and 2.4 per cent in New Zealand.

    “Following strong same store sales growth in Q1, we are disappointed in trading results in Australia and New Zealand over the Christmas and Boxing Day period,” Kathmandu chief executive Xavier Simonet said.

    “Despite sales being below expectation it is pleasing to see the improvement in retail gross margin and continuing strong growth from the recently acquired Oboz business.”

    Gross margin improved to roughly 64 per cent over the period, partially offsetting the lower than expected sales to date for the 2019 year.

    First half sales in US footwear brand Oboz are now projected to grow 35 per cent to approximately $23.5 million (NZ$27.5 million), and see a gross margin of 40 per cent.

    Total group profits are expected to reach approximately 4 – 8 per cent above 1H2018, assuming current trends continue.

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  • Thailand’s Supersports stores rebranded as fashion shops

    Thailand’s Supersports stores rebranded as fashion shops

    Thailand’s CRC Sports has rebranded its Supersports business as a sports fashion store in a move targeting millennials. Last month’s rebranding modernises the business’s image and transforms the performance store model into the fashion world. The logo has also been revised with green motifs to suggest environmental awareness.

    Three Supersports stores have already been updated with the new look, including the CentralWorld location, with 50 stores scheduled to follow early next year.

    President Tony Morton said: “Our new motto is ‘The new Supersports, where Sport is fashion’, in response to the trend of millennials being fashion-conscious, cool, healthy and cheerful.”

    The firm will also expand its online sales efforts in the coming year, with the total market size for sporting goods in Thailand expected to be worth THB30 billion (US$916.3 million) by the end of this year.

    Supersports drew in THB300 million ($9.163 million) in online sales last year – 3.5 per cent of Supersports’ THB8.5 billion ($259.78 million) total revenue – and expects online sales to reach THB500 million ($15.28 million) next year.

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  • Miu Miu Siam Paragon boutique reopened

    Miu Miu Siam Paragon boutique reopened

    Italian fashion brand Miu Miu is reopening its Siam Paragon boutique as the first Thai location to introduce its new concept store. The new 140sqm outlet strengthens the brand’s presence in Bangkok with a refreshed interior design and new collections of its signature accessories, bag, shoe and ready-to-wear collections.

    Among Miu Miu’s current offerings are evening dresses enhanced by Swarovski crystals and garments featuring 60’s-inspired elements.

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