News
Ferragamo appoints Fabrizio Freda as Special Strategic Advisor
Ferragamo Finanziaria, the holding company of the Ferragamo family and the controlling shareholder of the luxury group, has appointed the former CEO of The Estée Lauder Companies as Special Strategic Advisor
Yue Yen signals steep first-quarter profit drop of up to 55%
The Hong Kong-based footwear manufacturer expects its first-quarter profit attributable to owners to fall 50-55% amid market headwinds, including fluctuating demand and reciprocal tariffs
Japan Retail: fashion falls out of step with the market
Although inflation is cooling and the macroeconomic situation in Japan is stabilising, consumer confidence remains fragile. Against this backdrop, the fashion industry appears to have fallen out of step, with clothing and footwear prices remaining high while demand continues to weaken. This is evident in the continued decline in apparel and textile sales, contrasting with the resilience of the broader retail sector. At the same time, the weak yen is inflating import costs, forcing footwear companies to pay more without achieving significant increases in sales volume
Kering takes minority stake in Icicle owner ICCF
The France-based luxury group has acquired a minority stake in Chinese fashion group ICCF, best known for its flagship brand Icicle, as part of a partnership between the two companies
Stella International posts modest first-quarter growth as it ramps up capacity
The Hong Kong-based group highlighted that it is ramping up capacity in Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Vietnam as part of its 2026 ‘investment year’, while reporting modest growth in the first quarter
TOWORKFOR launches reusable CleanStep overshoe
The Portuguese safety footwear brand has launched CleanStep, a reusable overshoe that enables users to move between environments without leaving marks or dirt on floors
Allbirds pivots from footwear to AI infrastructure
The sneaker brand is still selling its intellectual property and footwear assets to the American Exchange Group, but it will be shifting its focus to AI compute infrastructure in its new life
Hermès grows, but momentum eases in the first quarter
The France-based luxury group reported solid growth in the first quarter of 2026. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and uneven regional trends had a negative impact on performance
Primark launches first UK mobile app
The fashion retailer has launched its first mobile-friendly customer app in the UK. This follows its successful launches in Ireland and Italy, and is part of its ongoing investment in digital technology
FAIST Voices: meet Bolflex
As part of the FAIST project, the Portuguese rubber sole manufacturer is breaking new ground in the field of Industry 4.0, while also deepening its commitment to recycled materials, a goal the company has pursued for a long time
Early Easter boosts UK retail sales but clothing and footwear lag
The early Easter resulted in stronger-than-expected growth in UK retail sales in March. However, this masked the ongoing weakness of discretionary categories, particularly clothing and footwear
US Retail: footwear under pressure as retail holds
Although overall sales remained stable in 2025, performance within the fashion sector was mixed, with clothing outperforming the far more volatile footwear segment. At the same time, weakening consumer sentiment persisted despite easing monetary policy, signalling growing uncertainty. This is particularly evident in footwear imports, which reversed sharply after a strong start to the year and declined alongside retail sales, even as import prices continued to rise. The combination of falling volumes and higher costs points to a sector increasingly squeezed by soft demand and ongoing supply-side issues
Puma appoints first ever Vice President Creative Direction
The Germany-based sportswear company has appointed James Carnes to the newly created role of Senior Vice President of Creative Direction. He will oversee creative direction, innovation and product excellence
Kering signals slow recovery despite Gucci’s weakness
The France-based luxury group has reported early signs of recovery. However, growth across several of its Houses has been partly offset by continued weakness at its flagship label, Gucci
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