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Find out what’s happening across retail markets and product categories, as well as apparel and footwear chains, department stores, and discount/variety retailers
Top stories on just-style this week...
10 February 2012
The most-read stories on just-style this week included news that Nike has lent its support to a new waterless fabric dyeing process, the recommendation that international brands and retailers address the low wages of Cambodian garment workers, and reports that despite facing a tough year, China's textile and clothing industry is set for further growth.
PHILIPPINES: Uniqlo to open first store in June
10 February 2012
Japanese retail giant Fast Retailing Co Ltd is to open its first Uniqlo casual clothing store in the Philippines later this year, to add to its growing presence in South East Asia.
GERMANY: Gerry Weber to buy insolvent retailer Wissmach
10 February 2012
German fashion firm Gerry Weber International AG is taking over the assets of insolvent women's wear retailer Wissmach Modefilialen GmbH, the company revealed today (10 February).
CANADA: Trimera to speed domestic design and production
10 February 2012
Apparel maker Trimera Group is opening two domestic development and production facilities next month to provide customers with on-site design centres as well as seamless knitting capabilities to help cut the time it takes to commercialise, test and launch products.
US: True Religion Q4 profit dips, sales robust
10 February 2012
Luxury jeanswear brand True Religion Apparel recorded slightly lower fourth quarter profits, but increased sales on the back of a 23.7% revenue surge in US retail.
US: Perry Ellis inks men's wear deal with Duckie Brown
10 February 2012
Apparel maker Perry Ellis International Inc has tapped men's wear designer duo Duckie Brown to create a new apparel collection for the Perry Ellis sportswear brand.
FINLAND: Investments weigh on Marikekko FY profit
10 February 2012
Finnish fashion and textiles firm Marimekko Group today (10 February) posted a 57% drop in full-year operating profit as changes to its domestic distribution network and investments in its international expansion overshadowed higher sales.
UK: Woolmark relaunches Cool Wool campaign
10 February 2012
The Woolmark Company is hoping to boost uptake of lightweight Merino suiting fabrics this summer with the reintroduction of its 'Cool Wool' campaign.
US: Zero discharge initiative "should include suppliers"
9 February 2012
Plans by six apparel and footwear brands and retailers to eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals from their supply chains by 2020 have been widely praised by a group of stakeholders - but are aiming for a challenging deadline and should have been expanded to include suppliers, they say.
Viewpoint: Cambodia's garment sector faces continued challenges
9 February 2012
With much of the success of Cambodia's garment industry based on its well-publicised commitment to basic labour standards, it's perhaps not surprising that the sector finds itself under a spotlight when it comes to wider worker welfare issues. Indeed, several events that have taken place in recent weeks highlight some of the challenges faced by the local industry.
US: Ralph Lauren ups FY guidance after buoyant Q3
9 February 2012
Luxury apparel business Ralph Lauren Corporation increased its full-year revenue guidance after a double-digit third quarter sales increase and a marginal rise in profit.
GERMANY: Hugo Boss hits FY record after buoyant Q4
9 February 2012
Designer fashion house Hugo Boss recorded strong revenue and earnings growth in the fourth quarter to reach record levels of sales and profits for 2011.
CANADA: Gildan Q1 loss blamed on destocking
9 February 2012
Gildan Activewear slid to a first quarter loss as sales fell by 8.3%, and despite a strong retail showing thanks to new acquisition Gold Toe Moretz.
UK: Retailer Shoon collapses into administration
9 February 2012
Family owned footwear and clothing retailer Shoon Limited has collapsed into administration after failing to sell some of its loss-making shops.
CAMBODIA: Tribunal urges "immediate steps" on garment pay
8 February 2012
A two-day hearing in which over 200 Cambodian garment workers gathered to give evidence on pay and conditions at factories has recommended that international brands and retailers take "immediate steps" to address the issue of poverty wages for factory workers.
US: Nike backs waterless fabric dyeing process
8 February 2012
Sporting goods giant Nike Inc has teamed up with a Dutch textile machinery company that has developed a way to dye fabrics without using water - and says it hopes to boost the technology's uptake throughout the apparel industry.
US: Cotton costs halve Levi Strauss Q4 profit
8 February 2012
Jeans giant Levi Strauss & Co has seen its fourth quarter profit nearly cut in half as rising cotton costs outpaced higher ticket prices.
EU: Industry group backs anti-counterfeiting pact
8 February 2012
The body representing the European textile and apparel industry is urging the European Parliament and EU member states to adopt legislation designed to combat global copyright infringement - despite mounting public opposition to the treaty.
UK: M&S recycles 100m hangers in six months
8 February 2012
Retailer Marks & Spencer says giving its customers the option not to take coat hangers home with them has led to 100m hangers being recycled in the last six months - as well as raising GBP370,000 (US$585,000) for children's charity UNICEF.
UK: Shop-price inflation nears two-year low in January
8 February 2012
UK shop-price inflation rose at its slowest pace in almost two years in January as retailers held down prices for cash-strapped customers, according to new figures published today (8 February).
UK: Slowing January sales to weigh on SuperGroup FY
8 February 2012
Shares in clothing retailer SuperGroup Plc have fallen by 18% in early trading today (8 February) after the owner of the Superdry youth clothing brand warned full-year pre-tax profit would be at the lower end of forecasts after sales slowed in January.
UK: Mothercare names LoveFilm's Calver as new CEO
8 February 2012
Mother, baby and children's goods retailer Mothercare Plc today (8 February) named Simon Calver, head of Amazon Inc's LoveFilm International unit, as its new chief executive officer.
FRANCE: 3 Suisses managing director quits post
8 February 2012
Laurence Paganini, the managing director of French home shopping group 3 Suisses, has quit her post.
NETHERLANDS: IAF appointments strengthen its structure
8 February 2012
The International Apparel Federation (IAF) has made three new appointments aimed at giving the global group "more strength and expertise to improve the value added to our members."
US: LF USA eyes expansion at new Greensboro office
7 February 2012
LF USA, a subsidiary of Hong Kong based consumer goods sourcing giant Li & Fung Limited, has opened new offices in Greensboro, North Carolina and hinted that expansion is likely.
CANADA: Walmart to invest $750m in expanding operations
7 February 2012
Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc is to invest more than CAD750m (US$753.8m) in expanding its Canadian operations as rival Target Corportation prepares for its move into the country next year.
Comment: Perception is part of the Chinese apparel puzzle
7 February 2012
2011 is shaping up to be the worst year for China in a decade. Full year figures have not yet been released, but in the 10 months ending 31 October 2011, China's US market share measured both in units and by value was down over 4% compared with the same period in 2010. The question, asks David Birnbaum, is why?
UK: January retail sales dip as discounts continue
7 February 2012
UK retail like-for-like sales fell 0.3% in January, making the month the second worst January since the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor began in 1995.
CHINA: Ex-Woolworths exec to lead Walmart operations
7 February 2012
Long-time Woolworths executive Greg Foran has been appointed as the new president and CEO of Walmart China, leading the retail giant’s expansion plans there.
DENMARK: IC Companys repeats H2 profit fears
7 February 2012
Managers at clothing business IC Companys have repeated their fears that the company could suffer a second half loss of DKK10m (US$1.8m) or more if economic conditions deteriorate in the coming months.
