The Japanese fashion retail sector is enjoying a standout year, with apparel and footwear sales surging to record highs, despite early signs of cooling demand. Strong Chinese tourist spending has helped to boost results, although geopolitical tensions pose risks for the future. Meanwhile, e-commerce continues to grow much faster than physical retail. Inflation is now converging across categories, with footwear prices rising in line with general inflation. However, the weakening yen is pushing up import costs, leaving retailers reliant on steady consumer demand to absorb rising costs
The Spanish owner of brands such as Zara and Massimo Dutti has reported accelerated sales growth in the third quarter of the year, emphasising its strong start to the final quarter of 2025
Brazilian companies JBS Couros and Viva have signed a binding memorandum of understanding to form a new group called JBS Viva. The new company will process over 20 million hides per year
Pietro Beccari, the current chair and CEO of Louis Vuitton, will take on the same roles at the LVMH Fashion Group from the 1st of January, while retaining his position at Louis Vuitton
The Italy-based luxury sneaker has reported a 13% year-on-year increase in revenue in the first nine months of the year, driven by the strength of its direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel across regions
The Italy-based luxury group has completed its acquisition of Versace from Capri Holdings for approximately 1.3 billion euros. The deal was announced in April
Data from the first nine months of the year shows that the Portuguese footwear industry is gaining ground in the main international markets, with year-on-year export increases of 3.8% in volume and 2.1% in value
The European Parliament has approved the Council’s proposal to postpone the EU Deforestation Regulation’s entry into force by one year, a move intended to simplify due diligence requirements for all stakeholders
We spoke to Marijn Verschure, the General Manager at CAST, a trading platform for footwear, sport and fashion. Among other topics, we discussed CAST’s role in the footwear ecosystem and the future of permanent showrooms and trade fairs
Authentic Brands Group (Authentic) has signed a long-term partnership with Orbico Group to expand the Dockers brand across Europe, including in markets such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, the UK
The UK-based footwear company has narrowed its first-half losses as revenue has risen slightly and full-price sales have strengthened, thanks to the early success of its consumer-first strategy
According to the latest State of Fashion report, 46% of executives expect industry conditions to worsen in 2026. Tariff pressures and shifting consumer behaviour are key concerns, while artificial intelligence is seen as a major opportunity
Since May, the UK’s textile, clothing, and footwear (TCF) sector has regained momentum, outperforming the total retail sector and benefiting from increased online demand. But this rebound masks underlying weaknesses in the footwear sector: consumer spending remains low amid persistent price deflation, and imports have fluctuated significantly as retailers adjust stock levels in response to volatile demand. With inflation still above the target rate and the Budget looming, the retail sector has entered the Golden Quarter with improved sales but constrained by economic uncertainty and cautious consumer behaviour
The not-for-profit membership association representing the leather industry has appointed Jim Deheer (Loop Marketing) and Carla Vélez (Leather Cluster Barcelona) to its Management Board