Retail News CRM

Tag: Footwear

  • Ecco is heading back to the Philippines

    Ecco is heading back to the Philippines

    Danish footwear brand Ecco is returning to the Philippines through a shop-in-shop concept at SM malls.

    The brand has launched spaces at SM Store Makati, SM Store Mall of Asia, and SM Megamall’s third floor Bridgeway Building. The openings are part of the label’s strategy to continue its expansion in the territory as more shop-in-shop formats and eventually, concept stores at select SM malls are being planned.

    Ecco operates in 87 countries at 2989 shops and shop-in-shops and  15,000 sales points globally. It remains one of the only major international shoe manufacturers to own and manage every step of the shoemaking process.

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  • Belle to spin off Topsports International

    Belle to spin off Topsports International

    Chinese footwear manufacturer and retailer Belle International has filed papers for a public listing of its sportswear business Topsports International.

    The spinoff was first proposed more than a year ago by the company’s private equity owners Hillhouse Capital and CDH who took Belle private in a US$6.8 billion deal in July 2017.

    The float, scheduled for the second half of this year, would raise an estimated $1 billion.

    Topsport International is the largest sportswear retailer in Mainland China, with 8343 stores selling foreign labels including Nike and Adidas. It had a market share estimated at 15.9 percent last year when its revenue rose 22.4 percent to US$3.85 billion and its gross profit by 18 percent.

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  • US shoes-from-plastic brand begins Outlet rollout

    US shoes-from-plastic brand begins Outlet rollout

    Online shoes-from-plastic brand Rothy’s is opening its first physical stores in four key US locations.

    The brand creates women’s shoes from recycled materials, including plastic bottles, and has a burgeoning following in the territory. Its new stores will open in downtown Manhattan, Los Angeles, Boston and Washington DC.

    A further five locations are planned to open in the US next year. To date Rothy’s has operated just one store – in its home city of San Francisco. But it has sold online across the US and internationally.

    The shoes are all flats with knitted materials, retailing from $125–165. The popularity of the footwear has rested on the Rothy’s marketing savvy and advertising investment on social media. The firm has thus far raised $42 million and earnt $140 million in revenue last year. It has recycled around 32 million plastic bottles.

  • Massive slump in Le Saunda sales

    Massive slump in Le Saunda sales

    After reporting another full-year loss last month struggling footwear retailer Le Saunda said it was expecting a return to same-store sales growth after the bulk of its restructuring program had been implemented.

    Yesterday, however, the company reported a first-quarter slump in sales of 25.2 per cent. Same-store Le Saunda sales fell 6.6 per cent and online sales were down 16.1 per cent.

    The company did not release sales figures in currency terms, just percentage changes – and it reminded shareholders that the data was based on unaudited operational data.

    Last financial year the company closed 126 stores, but as of May 31 this year, store count was down 178 outlets compared with the same period last year, suggesting the closures are continuing.

    Announcing the results last month, chairman James Ngai said the company’s objective in the new financial year was to return to same-store sales growth to improve overall performance.

    “After this year’s restructuring exercise, the group believes that its physical store network has resumed to a relatively healthy level. The management team will continue to monitor closely the operating performances and timely eliminate low-efficient stores so that we can concentrate our resources in developing new stores with greater growth potential,” he said.

    However this month’s trading update suggests substantial work has yet to be completed before Le Saunda returns to positive sales growth – and profitability. Ngai’s comments were reported on May 22, just nine days before the end of the quarter in which the company’s sales performance was trending in the opposite direction to his upbeat comments.

    As at May 31, the group had 486 outlets in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. Of those 428 were self-owned outlets across the markets and 58 were franchised stores on the mainland.

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  • VF Corporation to collaborate with Redress

    VF Corporation to collaborate with Redress

    Global apparel, footwear and accessories retailer VF Corporation is entering an exclusive collaboration with environmental charity Redress to deliver the Redress Design Award 2019 x VF Challenge in Hong Kong.

    The award is the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition and works to educate emerging fashion designers around the world about sustainable design techniques to drive growth towards a circular fashion system.

    The collaboration is being supported by financial contributions from VF and charitable grants from the VF Foundation, a private philanthropic foundation funded by VF Corporation.

    “This collaboration presents a unique opportunity for VF to provide mentorship to the next generation of fashion leaders while also learning from them,” said VF executive VP & group president APAC region Kevin Bailey, “all with an emphasis on advancing a more sustainable business model for our industry.”

    VF’s collaboration with Redress will provide 10 shortlisted emerging designers the opportunity to learn from one of the world’s foremost leaders in apparel and footwear.

    Designers will present their competition collections on September 5th at the live Grand Final at Centrestage in Hong Kong.

  • Ziera closing stores as part of Restructuring Plan

    Ziera closing stores as part of Restructuring Plan

    New Zealand women’s shoe brand Ziera has appointed a new CEO and chairman to transform the business into a digital-first omnichannel retailer.

    Ziera has announced a new partnership with The Iconic to grow its e-commerce presence, which will make it less reliant physical locations. The retailer plans to have fewer high street stores but offers higher quality service in the top locations is retains.

    “We will always have flagship stores on the ground where customers can come in, check out the range and get fitted properly,” said Ziera chairman Andrew Robertson.

    “But, once we have customized their footprint, their details can be stored online and they can then also buy with confidence from one of our digital channels.”

    In addition to its partnership with The Iconic, Ziera has also forged an exclusive trading relationship with Foot Mechanics, a New Zealand-based podiatry business, which will offer a core Ziera range at its 17 clinics as well as online.

    This relationship will make Foot Mechanics one of Ziera’s largest wholesale partners in New Zealand.

    Additionally, three of the brand’s stores will close in July as a result of expiring leases – Bridge Road in Melbourne, Garden City in Brisbane, and Orange in New South Wales – further pushing the brand to embrace online capabilities.

    The retailer has appointed a new chairman in Robertson, a new chief executive in Martin Bremner, and a new head of product design in Rosie Jamieson.

    Bremner was previously chief executive of Super Liquor Holdings, and has helped businesses through similar transformational periods before. Since Bremner joined in 2018, Ziera’s online sales have grown by approximately 33 percent, and has become it’s biggest “store”.

    Jamieson has more than two decades of experience in footwear creation, having previously worked at Hush Puppies, Sacha London, and Hotton. According to the brand, her involvement has seen the “reinvention” of the Ziera range.

    “Exciting times lie ahead of Ziera as we transform our business into an omnichannel retailer that provides customers with a convenient and easy experience, allowing them to shop however and whenever they choose,” Robertson said.

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  • Global footwear brands lobby Trump

    Global footwear brands lobby Trump

    A group of 173 footwear companies, including Adidas, Converse, Foot Locker, Hush Puppies, Nike, Puma, Reebok, Ugg and Under Armour, have requested US President Donald Trump immediately remove footwear from the list of imported products to be tariffed from China.

    According to a joint statement released by the businesses, Trump’s additional 25 per cent tariff on footwear would be “catastrophic” for consumers, companies in the industry and the American economy as a whole.

    “Any increase in the cost of importing shoes has a direct impact on the American footwear consumer,” the statement reads.

    “It is an unavoidable fact that as prices go up at the border due to transportation costs, labor rate increases, or additional duties, the consumer pays more for the product.”

    The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) association estimated that the proposed change in import costs would add US$7 billion in additional costs to be picked up by the consumer per year.

    According to the statement, the proposed tariffs would be placed atop of tariffs that already affect the industry, in some cases causing some customers to pay nearly 100 per cent duty on their shoes.

    “This is unfathomable,” the statement reads.

    “On behalf of our hundreds of millions of footwear consumers and hundreds of thousands of employees, we ask that you immediately stop this action to increase tax burden… It is time to bring this trade war to an end.”

    Footwear retailers and brands are not the only ones making statements about the effect Trump’s tariffs are having on their businesses. Walmart last week warned the tariffs are already hurting its furniture segment, and will hit its clothing and accessories segment next.

    Macy’s also warned that its furniture category has been impacted by the trade war.

    Morgan Stanley analysts have warned that a collapse of the ongoing trade talks between China and the US, and longer lasting tariffs on trade between the two countries, would “mean that we might not be able to avert the tightening of financial conditions and a full-blown recession.”

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  • L Catterton Asia Selling RM Williams

    L Catterton Asia Selling RM Williams

    L Catterton Asia, the Singapore-based private equity firm, is set to sell its stake in Australian luxury footwear retailer RM Williams.

    The investment company, controlled by LVMH Group and the Arnault family, has put the business up for sale for US$500 million.

    If successful, the sale would mark the second major retail sector divestment by the fund in recent months, after it sold down its 58.86 percent stake in Chinese mall operator Sasseur Cayman Holding to just 1.36 percent.

    The RM Williams sale will be managed by investment bank Goldman Sachs.

    L Catterton currently owns 82 percent of the business, up from its initial 49 percent investment back in 2014.

    The other shareholders are IFM Investors, which manages not-for-profit superannuation investment funds, and actor Hugh Jackman.

    RM Williams has about 50 retail stores in Australia and London and exports to about 15 countries with a network of about 900 stockists. It was founded in 1932.

  • Louis Vuitton sues Belle International For Copycatting

    Louis Vuitton sues Belle International For Copycatting

    French luxury retailer says Hong Kong company’s shoe designs too similar to its own to be coincidental.

    Luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton is suing two Belle International subsidiaries for copyright infringement.

    The Chinese footwear brands are being taken to court over the design over a pair of trainers valued at HK$8950 (US$1140).

    A High Court document described the case accusing Hong Kong-registered firms Belle International (China) and Best Able Footwear of retailing sneakers substantially similar to its LV Archlight trainers. Louis Vuitton has demanded the firms cease all infringements and hand over or destroy the alleged copies.

    The trial date has yet to be scheduled.

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  • Xtep Takes Over Footwear brands Palladium, K-Swiss and Supra

    Xtep Takes Over Footwear brands Palladium, K-Swiss and Supra

    Palladium, K-Swiss and Supra brands sold by South Korean’owned E-Land Footwear USA.

    Hong Kong-listed sportswear giant Xtep International has bought three US footwear brands from South Korea’s E-Land USA.

    The Chinese company will pay US$260 million for all the outstanding shares in E-Land Footwear USA Holdings, which owns the K-Swiss, Palladium and Supra brands. Settlement is due by the end of July.

    Xtep chairman and CEO Ding Shui Po said the purchase marked the company’s move into “a new era of business” following a three-year strategic transformation.

    He said the brands would complement Xtep’s product portfolio “and elevate us as one of the leading global multi-brand sportswear companies”.

    “Not only will it strengthen Xtep’s foothold in the expanding Chinese sportswear market, but will also provide us with growth opportunities in untapped overseas markets such as Southeast Asia. In other words, Xtep has what it takes to speed up business growth both domestically and overseas in the years to come.”

    All three brands have global name recognition and are target the high end of the market.

    K-Swiss, a heritage athletic shoe brand which was founded in California in 1966, offers performance tennis footwear, lifestyle and fitness footwear targeting athletes and trendsetters. Palladium is one of the best-known global pampa boot brands established in France in 1947. Between them, the brands have a global presence covering more than 80 countries and territories.

    Ding Shui Po said the brands’ distinctive positioning and different target customer groups are highly complementary to Xtep’s brand portfolio.

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  • Tricker’s Tokyo Opens British footwear brand’s first Store

    Tricker’s Tokyo Opens British footwear brand’s first Store

    British footwear brand Tricker’s has opened its first shop outside the UK, choosing Japan.

    Tricker’s Tokyo store opened last Thursday, an exact replica of its London Jermyn Street shop.

    “Japan has been our biggest export market for more than 30 years,” read a notice on the brand’s Twitter account. “This is a bold development for a small business such as ours.”

    The opening celebrates the heritage brand’s 190th anniversary. It is known for its quality heavy brogue shoes and boots, and counts Prince Charles among its patrons.

  • Pazzion footwear launches cafe concept

    Pazzion footwear launches cafe concept

    Footwear retailer Pazzion has unveiled a cafe concept at Jewel Changi.

    Located next to the Pazzion boutique, the 45-seat Pazzion Cafe is designed in monochromatic tones of black and white, peppered with grey and gold, and vintage-style pendant lights.

    A feature wall with an inset shelving unit displays vintage-looking props, including a typewriter, telephone and metal globe, making the cafe an Instagram-worthy spot.

    More seating is arranged outside, overlooking the Rain Vortex.

    “Pazzion cafe provides our customers with a much-needed cosy spot to rest their feet while enjoying our specially curated menu and a cup of coffee,” said Tom Ng, Pazzion’s founder.

    Established in 2002, Pazzion has stores in Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

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  • Puma Store in Dhaka marks First Milestone

    Puma Store in Dhaka marks First Milestone

    The new Puma Bangladesh flagship just opened in Dhaka marks the sportswear brand’s largest yet in the country.

    The 2220sqft location showcasing the firm’s latest performance and sportstyle products is the brand’s first flagship in Dhaka, the largest full-price store in the country across global brands; and the first entry by any international brand into the Bangladeshi market, according to its employee publication.

    “The store is a great brand statement for us in the heart of the capital city of Dhaka,” said Puma India MD Abhishek Ganguly. “The response we are getting is far beyond expectations. The economy in Bangladesh is going in the right direction and sport is getting more and more popular. We will continue to focus and expand in the market.”

    The Puma brand has been brought into the country by its regional partner, textile & apparel manufacturer DBL Group.

    “We are looking at expanding our footprint in the region, and what better way than launching our very own flagship store,” said DBL Group MD M A Jabbar. “Through our iconic flagship store we aim to bring the best Puma experience and product to our consumers.”

    The brand aims to expand within Bangladesh with more outlets to come in the unspecified future.

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  • Ecco Store opening at Changi Airport Singapore

    Ecco Store opening at Changi Airport Singapore

    Ecco Singapore is opening its newest store in Southeast Asia at Jewel Changi this Wednesday.

    With a design different to other stores in the Ecco Singapore network, the new outlet was inspired by the brand’s philosophy of ‘natural motion’ as well as the greenery and waterfall environment unique to the Jewel Changi space.

    The shop carries a curated collection of the latest Ecco shoes and accessories for both women and men.

    “Since entering the Singapore market more than a decade ago, we have been blessed with tremendous support from our loyal customers who have come to know Ecco for our craftsmanship and premium quality footwear and leather goods,” said David To, GM for Ecco Shoes Singapore and Malaysia.

    “Ecco’s design philosophy is very much inspired by nature and thereby the natural organic features of Jewel is a perfect fit for us. That is why we have chosen this fresh expression of the Ecco brand for this new store to share a new experience with our local customers and Singapore visitors,” he added.

    Founded in 1963, Ecco now has more than 2200 owned shops and 14,000 sales points in 90 countries. The company achieved record sales of US$1.49 billion last year, and posted the highest profit in its 55-year history.

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  • Foot Locker Opens in Jewel Changi Airport, Celebrating Youth and Sneaker Culture

    Foot Locker Opens in Jewel Changi Airport, Celebrating Youth and Sneaker Culture

    Located in Jewel Changi Airport, the two-story space with a dedicated women’s and kids’ area, delivers an engaging retail experience, combining premium products, elevated in-store presentations, as well as enhanced customer experiences.

    With impressive footwear and apparel collections from global brand partners, customers can expect elevated product storytelling from Nike, adidas, Puma, Fila and Champion. The store celebrates basketball culture, offering a premium selection of sneakers and apparel from Nike and Jordan, and features the widest selection of Nike Air Max Plus (TN’s) available in market.

    The store features specially commissioned artwork by local artist Clogtwo, setting the tone for how Foot Locker will regularly tailor the store to the local community.

    To celebrate the launch, Foot Locker hosted a preview event for media. Attendees experienced Xbox gaming, a pop up nail bar and Nike customisation.

    Commenting on the new store, Tomas Petersson, VP and GM, Foot Locker Asia said, “The Jewel store gives Foot Locker a great opportunity to engage and inspire youth culture within the local community. We designed a space that celebrates the city’s creative community and inspires Singapore’ssneaker enthusiasts.”

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