Retail News CRM

Tag: Footwear

  • Shanghai Tang signs up famed Chinese footwear designer Bing Xu

    Shanghai Tang signs up famed Chinese footwear designer Bing Xu

    Hong Kong luxury fashion house Shanghai Tang has released a collection of footwear with newly appointed chief shoe designer Bing Xu.

    The new collection includes a relaxed and laid back take on Bing Xu’s famous Belgian loafer and two slip-on shoes.

    In a nod to the newly started Year of the Rat, one of the shoe designs features an embroidered picture of a cat toying with a mouse. Others feature vivid tiger and dragon embroidery.

    A sought-after Chinese designer in recent years, Bing Xu founded his luxury footwear label in 2013 and started to present his collections independently in Milan in 2017. The brand is frequently featured in major fashion and lifestyle magazines.

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  • Conscious consumers a major threat to fashion and footwear retailers

    Conscious consumers a major threat to fashion and footwear retailers

    Conscious consumers pose “the biggest threat to clothing and footwear retailers in 2020” according to research by GlobalData.

    When asked about their intentions last month, 19.2 percent of UK consumers said they planned to spend less than average on retail products, according to the survey of 2000 nationally representative shoppers.

    “A worrying 48.9 percent of these consumers said they are making a conscious effort to buy less stuff,” said Sofie Willmott, lead retail analyst at GlobalData.

    “Although some shoppers will struggle to keep up this mindful mentality past January, the shift away from spending on non-essential retail products is set to continue throughout the year as consumers prioritize spend on holidays, activities and meals out, and especially as sustainability concerns seep into their consciences.

    “With sustainability becoming a bigger consideration for more consumers, the easiest way they can reduce their impact on the environment is by not buying anything new. Buying second-hand items or reducing the number of clothing and footwear products they purchase is a win-win for consumers who are focused on spending their disposable income wisely while also acting in a sustainable way, but these shifting shopping habits will not help struggling retailers in what is already a challenging and highly competitive trading landscape,” said Willmott.

    Early signs of a new wave of conscious consumers came with the results of discount-fashion retailer Primark. For the 16 weeks to January 4, Primark recorded a marginal decline in like-for-like sales. Willmott says that suggests volume growth will be difficult for clothing retailers to achieve this year.

    “In order to thrive in testing times, it is vital that retailers provide transparency in their supply chains and although years of building a production process with the main aim of providing fast fashion at accessible prices will be difficult to transform into an environmentally sustainable operation, retailers should clearly convey the steps they are taking.

    A brand’s positive environmental stance must be communicated through aspects that customers can interact with. For example, & Other Stories offers 10 percent off a purchase when you bring back an empty beauty container and H&M has garment collection bins in store which customers can donate a bag of clothes to and receive a £5 voucher to use at H&M when they spend £25 or more,” she said.

    “Sustainable clothing pioneer Reformation has taken it to more of an extreme giving their customers the option to purchase ‘climate credits’ such as a credit for an international flight for £22 which offsets the carbon emissions.”

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  • Crocs attracts A-listers as brand ambassadors

    Crocs attracts A-listers as brand ambassadors

    Casual footwear brand Crocs has added five new global ambassadors as it launches the fourth year of its Come As You Are global marketing campaign.

    Crocs’ lineup of famous faces now includes Suzu Hirose, Yang Mi, Zooey Deschanel, Sejeong and Priyanka Chopra. The global ambassadors for the Crocs brand this year are tasked with inspiring fans to feel comfortable in their own shoes.

    In addition to the global ambassadors, Crocs has also enlisted a diverse cast of models and influencers to bring more personal meaning to the brand message. The influencers and models will be featured in campaign photography and imagery that will be rolled out this year and will be encouraged to engage with fans through forums like social media.

    “The fourth iteration of the Come As You Are campaign is a proclamation to our fans: It’s time to stand up and stand out,” said Crocs chief marketing officer Terence Reilly. “Our new lineup of global brand ambassadors and ‘One-Of-A-Kinds’ ambassadors offers the perfect mix of star power and authentic representation to help CrocNation feel empowered and emboldened to own who they are.”

    Alongside the campaign, Crocs’ marketing efforts will focus on new, style-forward products as well as footwear comfort innovation.

    To help spread the word, Come As You Are will be seen through various digital, social, print, and in-store marketing materials with a global focus on countries including China, Japan, South Korea, the US, and Germany.

  • Ethical shoe retailer Toms collapses

    Ethical shoe retailer Toms collapses

    Ownership of ethical American shoe retailer Toms will be transferred to its creditors.

    CEO Jim Alling addressed a letter to employees informing them of the transfer from current owners Bain Capital and founder Blake Mycoskie to Jefferies Financial Group, Nexus Capital Management and Brookfield Asset Management.

    The move is intended to “identify the best path forward for our company,” read the letter. It entails a new investment of US$35 million and an enhanced capital structure including debt relief. The shoe retailer Toms distributes products through more than 500 stores worldwide, including department stores and single-brand outlets.

    The firm would have collapsed entirely this year facing a crippling debt of $300 million if the restructure and rescue plan had not proceeded.

    Toms was founded in 2006 by Mycoskie, a Texas entrepreneur, to design and retail shoes, later adding eyewear, coffee, apparel and handbags. Its business model was based on business with a purpose concept, with the company donating a pair of shoes to the underprivileged for every pair sold. By 2012 more than 2 million pairs of new shoes had been given to children in need around the world, including in Argentina, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Rwanda, South Africa and the US.

    In Asia the company-operated stores with partners in Japan and the Philippines. In 2014 it opened a store in Bangkok’s CentralWorld and Central Embassy shopping centers in partnership with Star Fashion Co. The CentralWorld store has since closed, but it still shows on Central Embassy’s store directory.

    At the time, Hajime Birnbaum, international sales and marketing director for shoe retailer Toms, said taking the brand into Thailand, which he described as a very pro

  • Rumoured Dr Martens sale could fetch up to £1.2 billion

    Rumoured Dr Martens sale could fetch up to £1.2 billion

    Private-equity group Carlyle is reportedly considering a more-than-£1 billion bid for British footwear brand Dr Martens.

    According to Bloomberg, citing internal sources, current owner Permira, a European investment company, has engaged Goldman Sachs and another firm to evaluate options for the future of the Dr Martens business. An IPO is also a possibility.

    Bloomberg stressed that no firm offer has been lodged as yet and there is no guarantee a sale will proceed. None of the three parties have commented publicly on the reports.

    Permira paid £300 million for Dr Martens in 2014 and has since rebuilt and expanded the business through both physical stores and online. It now has 109 standalone stores worldwide in addition to a presence in a vast network of multi-brand footwear retailers.

    With suggestions the footwear brand could now be worth as much as £1.2 billion, Permira is likely to earn a massive return on its investment.

    The company’s earnings before interest and tax rose 70 percent last year to £85 million.

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  • South Korea’s E-Land Group completes US shoe business exit

    South Korea’s E-Land Group completes US shoe business exit

    South Korean conglomerate E-Land Group is pulling its OTZ Shoes brand from the US market, six years after buying it.

    E-land Group, through its subsidiary E-Land USA Holdings, bought the California-based OTZ Shoes at US$8.5 million in 2013. But now, the conglomerate has decided to withdraw the brand from the country and develop it in South Korea instead, completing its exit from the US footwear market.

    OTZ will be marketed as a private brand in South Korea by its fashion unit E-Land World and will be sold at its multi-shoe brand store Folder. The brand is aimed at catering to young customers aged 15 to 25.

    Aside from growing the brand at home, E-Land Group says it plans to boost its sales overseas to achieve its target of 50 billion won (US$43 million) sales annually.

    E-Land Group sold its subsidiary E-Land Footwear, which owns brands K-Swiss, Palladium, Supra, PLDM and KR3W, to Chinese sportswear company Xtep International Holdings for US$260 million three months ago.

    E-Land Group is Korea’s largest integrated fashion and retail company, owning around 250 brands and operating more than 10,000 stores worldwide.

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  • Swedish retailer Sneakersnstuff making debut in Tokyo

    Swedish retailer Sneakersnstuff making debut in Tokyo

    Stockholm-based retailer Sneakersnstuff is about to open a flagship store in Tokyo, its first Asia location.

    The retailer, known for its sneakers, said the Tokyo store will open on December 14 on Log Road in Daikanyama, which is home to high-end boutiques and restaurants.

    Designed by Stockholm-based design studio Bofink, the store will combine the best of both Scandinavian and Japanese design. And more than just a retail space, it will be a multifunctional lifestyle store with an inclusion of a cafe.

    “It features handcrafted and handmade furniture by Swedish and European artists and furniture makers, beautiful and unique colorways, traditional Japanese heritage materials, 3D-printed pieces and more,” Sneakersnstuff said in a statement.

    Tokyo will be Sneakersnstuff’s seventh location worldwide, joining Stockholm, London, Berlin, New York, Los Angeles and Paris.

    The retailer first announced a plan to expand into Asia in October last year.

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  • Ecco India opens its first store

    Ecco India opens its first store

    Ecco India has opened its first store in the country, located at Gurgaon Ambience shopping mall in New Delhi.

    Steen Borgholm, CEO of the Danish shoe and leather goods brand, says the company sees potential in the Indian retail market, despite the challenges.

    “We see strong demand from consumers who know what they want, and who appreciate the quality and consistent brand experience they get from Ecco. We continuously work to understand our customers better, and we hope to be able to convey the passion of our employees and our brand story to them,” he said.

    Ecco India has an expansion strategy which includes opening 20 concept stores in major cities over the next three years. It will also launch an online store in the first quarter of next year, allowing approximately 1.3 billion Indians to shop its products from the website.

    But first, says EVP for global sales, Michel Krol, the company will focus on positioning the brand in India, where the majority of the consumers are price sensitive.

    “We would like to take a long-term strategy to become a successful brand in India. That is why we will start with a small footprint to focus first on brand building so that the Indian consumer understands the brand’s narrative as to why the premium price we charge is justified,” says Krol.

    Founded in Denmark in 163, family-owned Ecco has more than 2250 stores worldwide, along with more than 14,000 points of sale. It owns and manages every aspect of the value chain from tanneries and shoe manufacturing to wholesale and retail activities.

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  • Bata India opens its largest outlet store in India

    Bata India opens its largest outlet store in India

    Footwear retailer Bata India has opened a 6000sqft experiential outlet in Infiniti Mall, Malad.

    The store hosts a large Sneaker Studio, extensive fashion footwear, and handbags collection, workwear ranges for men and women among others. A highlighted feature is the outlet’s Happy Feet Centre for specialized foot care services, such as 3D foot scanning, an on-site podiatrist and a premium shoe laundry.

    The site features omnichannel enablement to allow delivery to the home of any chosen shoe, not in stock. Real-time shopper feedback is captured on the store’s NPS platform.

    “Expanding our retail footprint and channel presence continues to be our core focus for the year,” said Bata India CEO Sandeep Kataria. “All stores are being designed under the global Red format to standardize the brand imagery across the globe. We are focusing on innovating our product portfolio and are constantly increasing newness by introducing New Arrivals Every Friday.”

    Bata India has more than 150 franchise stores throughout the territory and intends to launch 500 stores by 2024.

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  • Vans, The North Face parent reports huge Chinese growth

    Vans, The North Face parent reports huge Chinese growth

    VF Corporation – parent of brands including Vans and The North Face – says sales in China soared 20 percent in the September quarter.

    Expressed in constant currency terms, they rose by 24 percent year on year.

    The China performance was a key factor in the company’s global sales rising 5 percent in the quarter to US$3.4 billion, or by 6 percent when excluding acquisitions and divestments.

    Globally, Vans led the way with sales up 14 percent and The North Face improved by 8 percent.

    “We’re pleased with the strength of our second-quarter and first-half results, driven by our two largest brands and our international and direct-to-consumer platforms,” said Steve Rendle, chairman, president, and CEO. “The quality and fundamentals of our business remain solid as a result of the focus and strategic execution of our business teams around the globe.”

    He said that despite an increasingly uncertain geopolitical and macroeconomic environment, the company is confident in the trajectory of its business.

    “We remain deeply committed to transforming VF into a more consumer-minded and retail-centric organization while delivering superior returns to shareholders.”

    Gross margin from continuing operations increased 90 basis points to 52.9 percent. Operating income on a reported basis was $579 million.

    The company still expects its full-year revenue to be about $11.8 billion, reflecting the growth of about 6 percent.

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  • Geox Singapore opens X Store concept

    Geox Singapore opens X Store concept

    Italian shoe brand Geox has opened an X Store concept in Singapore with a new outlet in Paragon, Singapore.

    The concept fuses various design elements under one roof designed to convey Italian quality, contemporary design, sustainability and digital technology. It offers a multi-sensorial shopping experience which uses technology to engage the senses both inside and outside the premises. A wide entrance door is pierced with circular cut-outs alluding to the holes on Geox soles.

    The core of the new store rests on a digitalised screen that explains the principle of breathability to customers, detailing current trends and available collections as well as providing detailed descriptions of the patents for each unique Geox product.

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  • Saado eyes US expansion after Southeast Asian success

    Saado eyes US expansion after Southeast Asian success

    Vietnamese startup footwear brand Saado plans to expand its retail network into the US after successful launch in Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar within just a year – all without a single store.

    Last month, Saado launched its products on Amazon in the US, using the tagline “US Brand, Vietnam Soul”.

    “By applying for a US trademark, our brand is able to protect our products while enabling us to sell the sandals at more competitive prices” said Le Lam Hai Phung, CEO at Saado.

    Despite successful growth in four countries, Phung added he had no intention to set up physical outlets and planned to focus on a direct-to-consumer “Uber in Retail” business model instead.

    Founded in January last year, Saado has partnered with 40 stores throughout Vietnam as well as selling direct online and through marketplace platforms like Shopee. The company plans to enter three other Asian markets by the end of next year.

  • Global Vans shoe design competition kicks off

    Global Vans shoe design competition kicks off

    Sports shoe & apparel brand Vans is launching its interactive “Vans shoe customisation competition”, designed to inspire artists around the world.

    The Global Custom Culture competition aims to provide the means for self-expression through digital and canvas mediums unique to Vans. This is the inaugural year of the Vans shoe customization competition, encouraging artists from around the world to turn a pair of classic Vans shoes into their personal art piece.

    The contest will award three winners – one each from Asia Pacific, North America and Europe –  a US$25,000, and the designers will have their shoes produced and sold by Vans, experience a trip to the Vans design headquarters in Southern California, and have the opportunity to partner with Vans to donate $100,000 to a charity that will further enable creative communities.

    “Our goal through Vans Global Custom Culture is to create a platform that is accessible to everyone,” said Vans senior director of global brand marketing April Vitkus. “A barrier to creativity is having access to the tools needed to create something unique, and as a brand it’s our purpose and commitment to provide a range of platforms to empower and enable individuals.”

    The public will have the chance to vote for their favorite design submissions, helping determine the top 10 finalists from each geographic region, in early October. Once the top 10 have been selected, the Vans shoe customization competition finalists will receive a pair of Era shoes to apply a new design onto Vans’ literal canvas. The top 10 will be announced on December 5, where all the artist’s creations will be displayed online for a public vote.

    On December 19, Vans representatives from the design and marketing teams, as well as selected art ambassadors, will choose one grand prize winner in each region.

    Throughout the month of September, Vans will host creative workshops, as a way to participate and support competition participants in a collaborative environment.

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  • Esprit shoe range to be developed with Germany’s Deichmann

    Esprit shoe range to be developed with Germany’s Deichmann

    Hong Kong-headquartered fashion brand Esprit has signed a deal with German shoe retailer Deichmann to jointly develop a footwear range.

    The range will be positioned as offering value for money with designs evolving to reflect fast-changing market trends. It will go on sale in Esprit stores and online during the northern hemisphere spring of next year. Deichmann stores will also carry an Esprit-branded lineup.

    Deichmann will manage the materials sourcing and supply chain requirements to ship product to wholesalers, while the two companies will work together on the designs.

    “In collaboration with Esprit, we would like to be at the forefront of setting trends in the development of fashionable shoe ranges, and we consider Esprit to be a valuable addition to our footwear range,” said Heinrich Deichmann, the company’s chairman.

    “We are looking forward to a close and successful collaboration.”

    Esprit group CEO Anders Kristiansen said Deichmann has enormous expertise in the shoe business and a good understanding of the Esprit brand.

    “I am convinced that together we will develop inspired and fashionable shoes with great quality for our customers,” he said.

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  • S. Culture warns shareholder for loss

    S. Culture warns shareholder for loss

    S. Culture International has warned shareholders it expects to post a net loss in the range of HK$3 million to $4 million for the six months to June. That would equate to as much as 10 times last year’s first-half loss of $400,000.

    The Hong Kong-listed retailer sells a range of international footwear brands including Clarks, Josef Seibel, The Flexx and Yokono. It has a network of around 100 stores across Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan trading as S.Culture, Shoe Mart and Scoops and under individual brands, such as Clarks, Clarks Originals and Josef Seibel.

    Last March S. Culture hinted at a change of fortune after closing non-performing stores and booking gains from property disposals.

    But yesterday the company essentially revealed its shoe-trading business did not return enough profit to compensate for the absence of a one-off property gain last year, worth $7.57 million.  The company said another factor in the looming loss was overheads relating to the expansion of the management team it is putting in position to oversee the group’s future development.

    The exact result will be revealed later this month.