Retail News CRM

Tag: Fashion

  • Hugo Boss growth relies on Asia sales

    Hugo Boss growth relies on Asia sales

    German fashion retailer Hugo Boss sees Asia as a cornerstone of its growth strategy, saying while it already enjoys above-average growth in the region, there is potential for more. In a briefing to investors in London, the company’s managing board said it expects Asia will account for 20 per cent of its global sales by 2022, up one third from the current 15 per cent.

    “The board is convinced the group still has considerable growth potential particularly in Asia. Sales in the region are expected to increase on average at a double-digit percentage rate per year by 2022, with China playing a key role,” the company said in a statement.

    “In addition to the optimisation and expansion of the local retail network, the online business, also in cooperation with various multi-brand platforms, should contribute to above-average sales growth in particular.”

    Globally, Hugo Boss will focus on personalisation and speed to boost brand desirability between now and 2022. The company plans to increase currency-adjusted sales by between 5 per cent and 7 per cent annually for the next four years and grow its operating margin to 15 per cent. Operating profit will grow “significantly faster than sales,” the company said.

    “We have set ourselves high targets for the coming years”, said CEO Mark Langer.

    “We want to grow faster than the market, and expect our operating profit to develop significantly better than our sales. The successful realignment of our brands Boss and Hugo has laid the foundation for this. We will further increase the personalisation of our offerings in the future and speed up central processes in the course of further developing our strategy. Our overall aim is clear: We want to be the most desirable premium fashion and lifestyle brand globally.”

    Personalisation will be developed by adopting a more individualised customer approach, a personalised product range, “a unique shopping experience” and by building on its extensive experience in made-to-measure clothing.
    On the speed front, Hugo Boss plans to make its business processes “considerably more agile”.

    “This will enable the company to react to customer needs and to new market trends even more quickly and flexibly in the future. The existing skills of Hugo Boss in product design and development, our modern logistics and IT infrastructure and the use of digital showrooms will be the key levers,” the company said.

    It also plans to quadruple its own online sales by 2022.

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  • Gentle Monster opens second store in Singapore

    Gentle Monster opens second store in Singapore

    South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster has opened a second store in Singapore at Marina Bay Sands. The launch, coming more than a year since the opening of Gentle Monster’s first store in Southeast Asia at Ion Orchard, is part of the brand’s “13” project. According to the brand, the project is “based on a story of an extreme ecological change the Earth would have to endure in the future due to a tilt of its axis, caused by the Moon being pushed farther away from planet Earth.”

    The concept serves as a metaphor to describe modern-day people who seem “obsessed and overwhelmed by the invalid information they receive daily.”

    To celebrate the opening of the new location, Gentle Monster has teamed up with fashion blogger Yoyo Cao to come up with a special edition of the brand’s popular Cobalt sunglasses model. The limited edition eyewear features a trendy tear drop-shaped frame along with details such as a twisted bridge and an inner template engraved with the word “Yoyokulala”.

    The Gentle Monster x Yoyokulala eyewear will retail at S$368.

    Find out the interior of the store below (5 images) :

  • High tech Nike NYC store opens

    High tech Nike NYC store opens

    Nike opened its newest Nike House of Innovation overnight, a 68,000sqft, six-storey store on Fifth Avenue.

    Nike NYC is described by the sportswear brand as a cross-category premium store, “the pinnacle expression of modern retail, representing the best of Nike global product, experiences and sport innovation”.

    “Nike NYC is designed to be a dynamic store environment, that is just as personal and responsive as digital,” said Heidi O’Neill, Nike Direct president. “This premium destination gives consumers an authentic, immersive and human connection to the Nike Brand.”

    The store is packed with technology, interactive experiential features and zones for both professional athletes and amateurs.

    Nike NYC uses the Nike App to create digitally connected journeys for consumers to discover, learn about and find the products they want quickly and easily. New and expanded Nike App in-store features include Shop the Look, Instant Checkout and updated functionalities with Scan to Try which the company says will give consumers greater opportunity to shop in-store displays, checkout in-store or request to try-on items throughout the store.

    The store is planned as something of a testbed for Nike’s digital service offerings which will “continue to evolve … giving NikePlus members even more choice in their shopping journey”.

    “Powered by digital commerce data and inspired by Nike’s newest retail concept, Nike Live, the ground floor of Nike NYC features the new Speed Shop – offering on-the-go access to the products local members know and love most,” the company said.

    Consumers can shop these curated New York City favourites alongside seasonal picks, visit the Nike Sneaker Bar or reserve items in the Nike App and pick them up in the Speed Shop digital lockers.

    On the fifth-floor is the Nike Expert Studio – the company’s first dedicated floor to provide even more personal service to NikePlus members, including bookable sessions with Nike Experts and the Nike by You Studio, offering members-only exclusive seasonal products, one-on-one styling sessions and even create personalised products.

    Nike NYC features separate product floors for men, women and kids. On the fourth floor is the Nike Sneaker Lab, billed as home to the largest concentration of seasonally current Nike footwear anywhere in the world.

    The entrance to the store – dubbed the Nike Arena – showcases the most immersive seasonal and sport-inspired storytelling moments from the brand.

    The store’s exterior features slumped and carved glass designed to “reflect and create motion that mirrors the movement of athletes”, elevates the Nike Swoosh logo and reflects “the iconic aesthetic of Nike Air”.

    Technology at Nike NYC

    Here’s a quick rundown of the new and existing technology featuring in the new flagship:

    Shop the Look: By scanning a QR code on an in-store mannequin, consumers can browse every single item on the mannequin, check to see if their size is available in-store or online and see available colours. Then with just a tap, they can request for select products to be sent to a fitting room of their choice or receive the items from a store athlete at a designated pick-up spot.

    Nike Instant Checkout: Using Nike Scan, NikePlus members can skip the line and easily checkout from within their Nike App using stored or new payment methods. Members can scan the product(s) of their choice, check out like a traditional Nike App purchase and receive their payment receipt within the app. Nike Instant Checkout stations are positioned throughout Nike NYC so that shoppers can fold and bag products if they choose before leaving the store.

    Nike Scan to Try: While this technology was released earlier this year it has now been refined and expanded. After discovering any product in the store and scanning the item to learn more, shoppers can now simply tap “request to try-on” for various items. Requested products can then be collected at designated pick-up areas in Nike NYC, or they can be reserved to a fitting room location of the consumer’s choice.

    Nike Reserve: Using the Nike App, NikePlus members can reserve product at home to pick up in store. They can shop the product they want in the Nike App and then complete their purchase with an in-store athlete or with Nike Instant Checkout.

    Retail Home: When entering Nike NYC, members will gain access to an array of new features and content via their Nike App homepage.

    NikePlus Unlocks: NikePlus Member Unlocks are delivered through the Nike App to reward the best of Nike product, to deliver immersive brand experiences, to award activity achievements and to share partner rewards with members. Member Unlocks can be given directly from a Nike Expert in-store or targeted to consumers based on their sport and style interests. Select Member Unlocks may also be delivered to consumers outside of Nike NYC, which they can redeem in-store with an athlete.

    Product Concierge: If a product is unavailable in Nike NYC, an in-store staff member can search inventory across the entire marketplace – online or offline in Nike-owned stores, as well as its reseller network. If found, and available to ship or reserve, customers can have the item held at a local store or have it delivered. This service will be exclusively available on the fifth floor Nike Expert Studio Service Desk.

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  • The Longines Masters of Hong Kong is back

    The Longines Masters of Hong Kong is back

    Anticipation is building as the countdown to the new Season of the Longines Masters Series enters its final stage. The new season of the international Show Jumping Series will start in Paris, home to the European leg of the Grand Slam Indoor of Show Jumping, on November 29 – December 2, 2018 before it continues its journey across continents to Hong Kong on February 15 – 17, 2019, at AsiaWorld Expo and New York on April 25 – 28, 2019.

    Together with Title Partner and Official Timekeeper Longines and hosted by Founding Partner the Hong Kong Jockey Club, EEM held a Press Conference in Hong Kong this week to kick off the seventh edition of the Longines Masters of Hong Kong, alongside its official partners.

    The Longines Masters of Hong Kong attracts each year the best Show Jumping horses and riders on the planet for three days in six competitions, created course designed by Frank Rothenberger, for a total prize money of US$ 680,620.

    For the first time, show jumping riders from Asia will compete in a world class event alongside the international stars of the sport.

    An array of exhibitors will be present from the likes of Longines who will present time pieces at their boutique.

    A dedicated equestrian corner will bring together the likes of Kingsland, Fieldstone, Horse Pilot and Equict.

    Hermès Sellier will invite visitors to experience the brands historic equestrian goods.

    Technology and art will also be featured with the Maserati Simulation Driving Experience

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  • Muji reopen largest store outside Asia

    Muji reopen largest store outside Asia

    Muji Canada is reopening its original Toronto location next week as its first flagship store in the country’s east. The Muji Atrium opened four years ago as the company’s first location in Canada. While the previous store occupied 5658sqft of retail space, the new flagship store will reach 19,110sqft spread over two floors, becoming the largest Muji store outside of Asia.

    “During the four years since we expanded to Canada, we opened seven additional stores and gradually increased our range of products and services,” said Muji Canada president Toru Akita.

    “By allowing us to reach out to more people and to further convey our philosophy, the Atrium flagship store will open a new chapter for Muji in Canada.

    “Through interactive events, innovative projects, and new partnerships, we wish to connect and evolve together with local communities and contribute to the creation of a better quality of life.”

    The location will carry Muji Canada’s full range of merchandise of more than 4000 items – including household goods, apparel, and food – and offer many products and services only available in select Muji flagship stores around the world, such as a coffee counter serving ethically sourced coffee and an aroma bar that will allow customers to create customised fragrances from more than 40 essential oils.

    Muji Atrium will feature two new customisation services for customers to personalise their products for the first time outside of Japan, including a digital fabric printing service and laser engraving service

    Muji Atrium will be the only location in Eastern Canada to carry books, made-to-order curtains and rugs, the Muji Labo collection, maternity wear, a brand new activewear collection and more.

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  • Dolce & Gabbana’s Christmas pop-up at Galaxy Macau

    Dolce & Gabbana’s Christmas pop-up at Galaxy Macau

    Dolce & Gabbana is launching a new Pop Up at The Promenade Shops, Galaxy Macau, featuring its iconic colorful Christmas characters and festive decorations. Inspired by traditional Sicilian parades, the exclusive-to-Asia pop-up store features the brand’s latest collections and inventive installations.

    Shoppers will be the first to experience the pop-up at the Pearl Lobby of The Promenade Shops from 16 November 2018 through 6 January 2019.

    The italian brand will light up the Pearl Lobby with luminaria (festive lights) and ornate, hand-painted Sicilian carreto (carts).

    The craft of making carreto has been handed down from generation to generation and is often a focal point of Dolce & Gabbana’s aesthetics.

    At The Promenade Shops, they will carry the latest men’s, women’s and children’s prêt-à-porter and accessories collections, as well as an exclusive, Chinese-inspired collection featuring the beloved and playful panda.

    Shoppers purchasing at the pop-up will be entitled to various customization activities for personalized Dolce & Gabbana gifts.

    Hazel Wong, Senior Vice President of Retail for Galaxy Macau, said, “We are excited to host an unmissable, Sicilian-style Christmas celebration with delightful Chinese accents courtesy of legendary Italian fashion brand Dolce&Gabbana.”

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  • Cluse opened a new store in Singapore

    Cluse opened a new store in Singapore

    CLUSE opened a new store in Singapore, in Takashimaya Shopping Centre on 15th November, with the leading Asian brand curator Bluebell Group. CLUSE is an Amsterdam based watch and jewellery brand, risen to fame for fashionable watches inspired by minimal French design.

    Ever-since, CLUSE has expanded their collections to host a range of both watch and jewellery lines with the ambition to create pieces for every woman, in a celebration of the uniqueness of everyone who wears the brand.

    The new store in Singapore holds classic collections by CLUSE.

    From their original La Bohéme collection of women’s watches with oversized dials and minimalist features, to their La Vedette collection with small dial sizes, inspired by starlets of the past.

    The store also features their iconic collection of square watches, named La Garconne, as well as their other most popular watch collections, Minuit, Triomphe, and La Roche.

    Usually focusing on women’s accessories, this time a year CLUSE revealed both a feminine gift box, including their bestselling La Garçonne with an additional strap, and a first-time ever masculine gift box – featuring the  company’s classic La Bohème design, with an additional nato strap large enough to fit a bigger wrist.

    Both of these festive season sets are packaged in new, specially designed gift boxes which hint to the style of the watches inside.

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  • Tomei Malaysia sells skincare, cosmetics distribution business

    Tomei Malaysia sells skincare, cosmetics distribution business

    Tomei Consolidated Bhd’s wholly owned subsidiary Flawless Skin Care Sdn Bhd (FSC) today sold its business of distributing the skincare and cosmetic products of “The history of Whoo” and “belif” as a going concern for RM8.97 million.

    FSC, whose principal activity is retailing of skin care and cosmetic products, this week entered into an asset purchase agreement with LG Household & Health Care Malaysia Sdn Bhd for the exercise.

    LG is a company incorporated in Malaysia with its principal activities in the area of skin care and cosmetic products.

    FSC agrees to sell and LG, relying on the several representations, warranties and undertakings contained in the agreement, agreed to purchase free from all encumbrances the whole of the business as a going concern.

    “The disposal would enable Tomei to utilise its resources and focus on the core businesses of the group in the gold and jewellery business,” it said.

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  • Palace set collaboration with Polo Ralph Lauren in Seoul

    Palace set collaboration with Polo Ralph Lauren in Seoul

    Streetwear label Palace and Polo Ralph Lauren, the luxury fashion brand, have brought their recent collaboration to Seoul after a show in London. The hotly anticipated crossover saw queues forming from the night before its Saturday morning release at the RL Garosu store to secure purchases of premium limited-edition items.

    Popular products included a Kickflip Polo Bear knit sweater and teddy bear, both of which were posted online within an hour of selling out at sizeable markups.

    Buyers were limited to purchases of one item per product and up to 10 products in total.

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  • Farfetch’s CEO calls for an industry-wide halt on discounts

    Farfetch’s CEO calls for an industry-wide halt on discounts

    Fashion brands need to put their foot down and take action to prevent “a race to the bottom” in terms of discounts as they threaten the survival of the whole fashion retail eco-system, Farfetch Chief Executive and Founder José Neves said.

    Online and offline retailers are resorting so much to promotions there are only two months in the year during which there aren’t any: September and February.

    “So, the system is really crumbling,” Neves said. “The industry needs to think very strategically about how they are going to avoid a race to the bottom in terms of promotions and discounts.”

    He recommended that fashion brands turn into concessions those wholesale accounts, both online and offline, that do the most visible and damaging discounts.

    He suggested brands follow the example of Chanel, which last week, announced it was going to turn into concessions its wholesale distribution accounts in the United States with department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.

    Chanel said the move was intended to better control interaction with its customers.

    “The cycle of discounts is getting earlier and earlier,” Neves remarked. “If you speak to the CEO of any brand they will all say the same thing: we don’t let them do that, we shout at them, if you do it next time, we will stop working with you. And guess what, next season it is the same thing again and again, so their threats are useless. This is a preoccupation for the whole industry. People know what is happening. People talk about it and no-one does anything.”

    Heavy discounts at department stores started with the 2008-2009 financial crisis and have never really stopped since.

    Retailers have a herd mentality: if one discounts, the others follow. And no big department store will stop doing discounts by its own initiative for fear of losing business to rivals.

    Neves foresaw that the only way for the industry to get out of this conundrum was for brands to step in and take concrete action.

    However, on a brighter note, Neves foresaw solid growth in demand for fashion in the medium to longer term, in part because consumers increasingly feel they need to invest in fashion to differentiate themselves and look good on their social media accounts.

    He also predicted consumers would have more disposable income due to changing spending patterns.

    “People are not buying cars anymore because they have Uber, they are not buying houses because they were priced out of the property market in most big cities because they need a 40 percent deposit and they will never be able to save that much. They do not buy holiday houses because they have Airbnb, so there is more disposable income to buy fashion,” Neves said.

    In September, Farfetch completed an initial public offering in New York that raised its profile and gave it a cash pile of more than $1 billion. Neves said its funds would be used to finance growth, win market share and make acquisitions “on an opportunistic” basis.

    Neves said Farfetch would only make acquisitions in areas in which it did not have expertise. In July, Farfetch acquired CuriosityChina, a marketing firm specialized in WeChat, the popular Chinese social media.

    In terms of geographic spread, Neves said India and South East Asia were among those regions Farfetch wished to expand into, but for now, the company needed to consolidate its recent expansion efforts which stretch from China, Japan and South Korea to Mexico, Russia, Brazil and the Middle East.

    “At the moment, it is a pause in oxygen for strategy,” Neves said. “But eventually, we will be in every major luxury market in the world.”

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  • Japan’s Shiseido formed Philippine unit with Luxasia

    Japan’s Shiseido formed Philippine unit with Luxasia

    Japanese beauty products firm Shiseido is partnering with Singaporean cosmetics agent Luxasia to expand into the Philippines market. The two firms will be setting up a partnership in the form of Shiseido Philippines Corp this December. Shiseido will retain the majority shareholding in the business, which will start operations next July once the sales channels of two local agents are integrated.

    According to the firm, the Philippine joint venture will enhance the product lineup of its prime brands in the market, Southeast Asia’s third-largest in the industry representing around US$3 billion in annual sales.

  • GU to Open Next-Generation Store “GU STYLE STUDIO”

    GU to Open Next-Generation Store “GU STYLE STUDIO”

    Japanese casualwear retailer GU will open a “next-generation” Style Studio in Harajuku this month, merging physical retail and advanced technologies. The studio will feature digital signage and a style creator app in the high-end retail district of Tokyo for the Fast Retailing-owned fashion brand.

    A spokesperson for the brand indicated the store will bridge online and in-store shopping and “will offer a new type of personalised fashion experience, enabling customers to discover outfits that perfectly match their individual style, using the innovative technology of the GU Style Creator Stand” and the accompanying app.

    Customers can check out the suitability of garments by having them digitally fitted on a personalised avatar of themselves based on a photo taken in the store. The avatar can be used as a basis to try and develop new styles.

    The store will open on November 30.

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  • A look into Furla recent success strategy

    A look into Furla recent success strategy

    Furla Group continues to grow, with 252 million euros in turnover in the first half of 2018, a 10.6% increase at constant exchange. Turnover increased in the first part of the year across all markets. In particular, the Asia Pacific region registered a 28.6% increase at constant exchange, while Japan saw a 9.5% increase. The United States also registered an excellent performance, with a 24.2% increase.

    Figures from the first half of the year reveal that Italy now accounts for 15% of total turnover; the EMEA region (excluding Italy), 28%; the APAC region, 27%; Japan, 23%; and the U.S., 7%.

    Extensive worldwide distribution continues to be among the Italian company’s strong points: Furla is present in 100 countries, with 471 monobrand stores situated in the most prestigious international shopping streets. It also has over 1.200 multibrand and department store sales points.

    Over the past several months, Furla Group has assumed full control of its retail distribution in China, Hong Kong and Macau.

    Travel retail played a fundamental role in the company’s growth, with year-on-year sales up by 23% in the sector, which accounts for 8% of Furla Group’s total turnover.

    The company is present in the travel retail channel in 64 countries, with a total of 298 sales points, including boutiques, corners, shop-in-shops, aircraft and cruise ships.

    Furla is carrying out a major investment plan that aims to consolidate its impressive growth trajectory over the past several years and make it sustainable.

    Significant resources are being directed toward strengthening the supply chain through the implementation of a more sophisticated information system better suited to the company’s current size.

    The selection process for suppliers is ongoing and crucial to guarantee continued high-quality, on-time manufacturing.

    The company has also paid great attention to its new e-commerce platform, which saw sales increase by 24.1% in the first half of this year.

    Continual investments in human resources have allowed Furla Group to create new positions: today, the number of employees worldwide is 2.514, compared with 2.362 in December 2017.

    The company is also boosting its investments in marketing and communication, with ever-greater emphasis on digital and social media.

    A new, elegant monogram inspired by Furla’s “F” was created and introduced in Milan during the city’s women’s fashion week in September 2018.

  • Victoria’s Secret apologises for ‘insensitive’ transgender model comment

    Victoria’s Secret apologises for ‘insensitive’ transgender model comment

    Following the backlash on social media, the chief marketing officer of L Brands, parent company of Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works, has posted an apology on Twitter for comments he made about transgender models. Ed Razek, L Brands’s CMO, released a statement on Twitter clarifying a comment he made in an interview with Vogue magazine, which read:

    “To be clear, we absolutely would cast a transgender model in our show. We’ve had transgender models come to castings… And like many others, they didn’t make it.”

    Razek and Monica Mitro, vice president of public relations for Victoria’s Secret, sat down in an interview with Vogue which touched on the topic on the casting team’s choices. Razek, who is part of the casting team, mentioned the company had considered putting plus-sized models and transgenders in the show but had not acted on it, since the company “did not market to the whole world.”

    L Brands has recently announced it is expecting a third quarter loss per share of about US$0.17.  The reported loss per share includes a total charge of about US$0.32 per share, which consists of an approximate pretax cash charge of US$20 million related to the closure of its Henri Bendel business, and an approximate pretax non-cash impairment charge of US$80 million related to certain Victoria’s Secret store assets.

    Excluding the charges mentioned, the company expects adjusted third quarter earnings per share to be approximately US$0.15, compared to its previous guidance of US$0.00 to US$0.05, principally driven by outperformance at Bath & Body Works.

    The company has recently reported an 8 per cent increase in sales of US$860.5 million for the four weeks ending November 3 and a 4 per cent increase in same-store sales for the period. It has seen a 6 per cent increase for the 13 weeks ending November 3 of US$2.78 billion compared to the previous corresponding period.

    L Brands, is scheduled to report third-quarter earnings on November 21.

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  • Hong Kong retail up in September despite massive growth slowdown

    Hong Kong retail up in September despite massive growth slowdown

    Retail sales in Hong Kong rose 1.4% year-on-year in September, signalling a considerable retail sales slowdown in the Asian economy, following a downwardly revised 7.9% increase in August. According to industry figures released on November 1, the September uptick is the smallest annual gain in Hong Kong retail sales since June 2017.

    The Census and Statistics Department (CENSTAD) attributed the slowdown to two factors, with the first being the temporary drag on inbound tourism from typhoon Mangkhut.

    Also, local consumer spending was reportedly hindered by negative sentiment, in light of the US-China trade conflicts and stock market corrections.

    Looking at the results closer by category, September food, alcoholic drinks and tobacco retail sales fell 0.8%, compared to an increase of 2.4% in August.

    Hong Kong fuel sales were down 2.9%, widening in terms of loss, compared to a 0.6% decline in the month prior.

    Hong Kong’s clothing and footwear retail sales figures fell a whopping 6.5%, compared to 3.4% in August, with growth stalling in September at department stores, up 1.1% compared to 11% in August.

    Likewise, jewellery, watches and clocks gained 5.3%, but proved to be a soft growth result, compared to the 22% lift last month.

    But not all categories in September underperformed.

    Retail sales at supermarkets swung to a 0.6% increase, compared to a decrease of 3.4%, while consumer durable goods gained 3.3% compared to 2.1% last month.

    Based on seasonally adjusted data, retail sales decreased by 3% in the third quarter, compared to the second quarter.

    Hong Kong retail sales have been on annual upward trajectory since 2005.

    For the last thirteen years, sales have gained on average 5.67%, with a high of 30.6% in February 2010.

    The lowest recorded result was an 18.5% downswing in February 2016.

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