On the FW 26 runways, designers showed a renewed interest in the bold silhouettes of the 1980s, reflecting a broader shift toward statement dressing. The decade’s defining styles, jewel-toned colors, strong shoulders on blazers and blouses, and the little black dress for evening, conveying female confidence and authority. Embellishments, like bows, were similarly oversized.

These looks tap into a type of power dressing originally popularized by Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana and Azzedine Alaïa among others. By using innovative fabrics and fresh accessories, designers kept the looks modern and up-to-date.

Balmain FW26 by Antonin Tron

Look 8: a deep teal-colored, high-neck midi dress featuring long sleeves and an intricate knot and drape detailing at the waist.

Costelloe FW26 by William Costelloe

Look 30: a light brown lightweight silk turtleneck with exaggerated, structured shoulders and draped-front Irish wool tweed pants in windowpane checks, buttoned at the ankles.

Luisa Spagnoli FW26 by Nicoletta Spagnoli

Look 34: a royal blue viscose-blend satin jumpsuit with prominent, sculpted shoulders and a deep V-neck wrap front, cinched with a black belt.

Mugler FW26 by Miguel Castro Freitas

Look 16: a high-neck, long-sleeved satin blouse featuring a purple "V" shape on a magenta background with wide, architectural shoulders and high-waisted, pleated stirrup pants in taupe, cinched at the waist with a wide black leather belt.

Christian Siriano FW26

Stella McCartney FW26

Look 24: a silk magenta-colored mock-neck blouse with long sleeves ending in oversized, contrasting navy blue cuffs and high-waisted navy-blue stirrup pants.

Valentino FW26 by Alessandro Michele

Look 2: a fuchsia pink jacket featuring padded shoulders, a deep, plunging V-neckline and a pleated fan style embellishment over a black lace top with a matching slim-fit, midi-length pencil skirt.

Dolce & Gabbana FW26

Look 40: a black pinstripe wool-blend one-button blazer with a heavily cinched waist over a shirt and tie and matching relaxed-fit pants.

Giada FW26 by Gabriele Colangelo

Look 19: a grey sweater featuring bold, architectural shoulders with a cream-colored, asymmetric skirt with a distinct elongated train, sheer black hose and cream-colored pumps.

No. 21 by Alessandro Dell'Acqua

Look 4: strapless knee-length black cocktail dress featuring an oversized bow that extends from the waist to the hip with black and silver spectator pumps.

As tulips begin to bloom in the valleys and trees start to bud, the winter high season returns to the mountains. At Easter, snow enthusiasts travel to the mountains one last time to enjoy the final runs of the season.

What is the current state of the ski and snowboard market? For decades, the health of the industry could be reliably gauged at the Ispo sports trade fair in Munich, which was long dominated by winter sports. This has changed significantly in recent years. The number of exhibitors in this category has decreased year after year. The large mega-booths of market leaders have given way to smaller formats, until hardly any brands remained and hardware almost completely disappeared. Has the industry already bowed out in the face of rising temperatures due to climate change?

Ski market is growing

“It is not as many always claim: ‘There is no more snow, and therefore people are not skiing as much’. That is not true,” contradicts Hans Taubenberger, founder and managing director of the German premium ski label Toni Sailer Sports. Martin Lien, chief commercial officer at the Norwegian freeski and outdoor provider Norrøna, even identifies a “growing interest in skiing in many countries”.

Intersport Austria, for example, reported an “exceptionally positive” winter business for 2025/26 in its January interim report, with a 6 percent increase in turnover year-over-year. The driving forces were ski rental (up 12 percent) and the sale of skis and ski boots (up 22 percent). Alpine winter sports are therefore not in decline, but are undergoing a profound reorganisation or a “phase of renewal”, as Stefano Saccone, brand president at the Swedish ski and outdoor brand Peak Performance, puts it.

Transformation of the ski market

What exactly is being reorganised? A look at the ski regions provides some insight. “Skiing has become extremely expensive in recent years and is affordable for fewer and fewer people,” explains Hans Taubenberger of Toni Sailer. A ski pass now costs between 50 and 100 euros per day per person. This is in addition to increased accommodation and food costs, as well as the cost of equipment.

Fewer people and families can or want to afford a ski holiday. Skiing is therefore losing its importance as a mass sport and family event. It is increasingly positioning itself in the premium segment with greater internationalisation and a growing focus on affluent target groups.

Additionally, the sport is increasingly shifting to high-altitude, snow-sure destinations such as Zermatt, St. Moritz or Lech Zürs am Arlberg. These locations combine several success factors: reliable snow conditions despite climate change; continuous investment in infrastructure; and a diverse range of experiences that extend far beyond skiing, from luxury hotels and culinary offerings to high-end retail. The latter is now often located directly within luxury hotels.

Smaller, lower-altitude ski resorts, on the other hand, face a long-term threat to their existence due to a lack of guaranteed snow, the high cost of artificial snowmaking and a lack of investment. Growth is therefore no longer driven by volume but by value.

Retail is also restructuring

This shift is clearly visible in retail. “The number of retailers in the lowlands has changed significantly,” Taubenberger continues. “In medium-sized towns and outside of ski resorts, there are fewer and fewer retailers buying skiwear.”

While the company supplied around 20 retailers throughout Germany a few years ago, today it only serves the five major key accounts, such as Sport Schuster in Munich and Breuninger in Stuttgart. At the same time, turnover has clearly shifted: Toni Sailer Sports now generates 80 percent of its turnover in ski resorts and only 20 percent in cities. “There has been a major shift,” says Taubenberger. The growing e-commerce business is further reinforcing this trend.

Regional decoupling secures value retention

This development even has its advantages. Skiwear has long been out of sync with the seasonal rhythms of retailers outside of ski resorts. While the first markdowns are already happening in the lowlands before Christmas because the spring collections are about to arrive, the winter season is only just beginning in the ski resorts.

Shops in ski destinations have long complained about these distorted competitive conditions. This regional shift in the retail structure makes it more likely that ski products will retain their value for longer. The aim, however, remains to deliver the goods as early as possible.

Taubenberger says: “We deliver very early. The goods are available at the beginning of September.” He even calls the early delivery date a “secret to success”. In high-altitude areas, the ski season often starts in the autumn, or skiing is even possible all year round thanks to glaciers. Those who already have new stock in their shops at that time can build up a good turnover cushion right at the start of the season.

“We had a cold snap at the end of September and sold well. That immediately creates a positive atmosphere,” he reports on the course of the current season.

New competitors reflect market attractiveness

The continued appeal of the ski market is demonstrated by the many fashion brands that now regularly present ski capsule collections. These range from luxury houses like Louis Vuitton, Prada and Dior to the fashion retailer H&M. Other brands collaborate with ski legends, such as Ferragamo with Alberto Tomba, or open their own stores with ski capsules in ski resorts, as Loro Piana recently did in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Hans Taubenberger, whose company is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, welcomes this competition. “When such brands invest in ski collections, it shows that it is an interesting segment. We are relaxed because we are much more functional and have many years of experience.”

Other ski brands share this view. Stefano Saccone of Peak Performance says: “The more brands that enter this area, the more the relevance of the segment is underlined.” He is not so much talking about fashion brands entering the ski market, but rather about a growing differentiation within it.

“While traditional brands continue to shape the industry, we are seeing an influx of newcomers, especially in piste skiing, who bring a fresh aesthetic and tap into the growing, lifestyle-oriented consumer base.” It is precisely this increasing number of newcomers he is referring to when he speaks of “the phase of renewal” mentioned earlier.

Differentiation of the sport

This specialisation and the emergence of new brands originate from within the sport of skiing itself. Martin Lien of Norrøna elaborates: “We often talk about the ‘strong ski culture’ with which we identify. In reality, however, we encounter a multitude of different subcultures, each with its own interests, perspectives, identity markers, opinions, desires, needs and visions.”

There are elite athletes; ski touring enthusiasts, with and without ice axes or crampons; classic piste skiers; snowboarders; freeskiers; and those who like to take the lift to the summit but then hike 200 vertical metres with skins before descending back into the valley through deep powder. They all have different technical requirements for their clothing, which sometimes needs to be as light and breathable as possible, and at other times, such as when riding a lift, requires more insulation.

And to design. Even the pioneering snowboard brand Burton, which revolutionised skiing in the late 1970s with the commercialisation of the snowboard and reinvented it for a young target group, recognises this evolution and creates its own lines for new audiences.

“Our designs are driven by how riders want to look and feel. An example is our [ak] line (named after Alaska), which became a standalone collection in 2000 to provide our top big-mountain riders with super-technical gear. [ak] was born out of necessity: riders pushing deeper into the backcountry needed technical gear with an added style that represented them as snowboarders,” explains Mike Gratz, creative director of product at Burton Snowboards.

Back to nature as a counter-trend

Ultimately, the increased interest in off-piste skiing can also be seen as a reaction to the traditional ski world. Those who are no longer willing to pay high prices for lift passes every day and want to escape the classic ski scene on the pistes are looking for alternatives, and finding them away from the groomed slopes.

“Skiing in untouched snow has always been the holy grail of the ski world, but it is now more popular than ever. The queues at the lifts in popular ski resorts are getting longer, and the prices for lift passes are rising. This, combined with a general trend of seeking peace and harmony in nature, clearly shows that backcountry skiing in its many forms will continue to grow in popularity,” says a convinced Martin Lien of Norrøna. Norrøna therefore not only supports its target group with the right equipment but also offers guided tours to untouched, spectacular ski areas in Norway and many other countries.

The backcountry thus becomes the antithesis of classic ski tourism: less infrastructure, less consumption, but more personal responsibility, natural experience and authenticity. It is also “in many ways the opposite of the digital world,” adds Stefano Saccone of Peak Performance. In all its different forms, from freeriding to ski touring, this area is developing into a dynamic segment of winter sports.

Olympics: a showcase for the sport

The question remains as to whether and how the Winter Olympics in February contributed to the interest in skiing. From the perspective of ski brands, they play an important role in the visibility and emotional appeal of winter sports.

“Major international events are incredibly important to us, not just as a company, but for the sport of snowboarding as a whole. Every four years we have a unique opportunity to show the world what it really means to be a snowboarder,” says Mike Gratz of Burton. “They are an international celebration and a showcase for winter sports,” adds Martin Lien of Norrøna, even if this can rarely be measured in concrete sales growth.

The fashion industry also used the Winter Olympics to put itself in the spotlight, much like it did at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. Numerous collaborations and sponsorship deals with teams and top athletes show how much fashion companies now see sport as a stage, and the extensive media coverage of the athletes' outfits proves them right.

It is therefore unlikely that winter sports will prematurely succumb to climate change.

Orlando International Fashion Week (OIFW) has entered into a new partnership with the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival as part of the theatre festival’s 35th anniversary celebrations this year.

As part of the partnership, OIFW will host a showcase on May 16, 2026, within the Outdoor stage that will include avant-garde, futuristic, and experimental fashion designs that reflect the spirit and nature of the Fringe festival. The collaboration between the two organizations is in line with their shared broader goal of uplifting artists, fostering inclusive creative spaces, and connecting communities through the arts.

“Fringe and OIFW share a commitment to creating platforms where artists can take risks, express themselves freely, and connect with diverse audiences,” said Rob Henlon, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Orlando International Fashion Week, in a statement. “This collaboration allows fashion to live within a broader artistic conversation, which is exactly where it belongs.”

Designers are now invited to register for OIFW's Fringe fashion showcase, with submissions encouraged to reflect modern, edgy concepts, artistic storytelling, and bold, experimental design.

“This partnership is exactly what Fringe is about, bringing different art forms together in a way that’s inclusive, expressive, and community-driven,” continued Tempestt Halstead of the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival. “We’re excited to create space for fashion to be part of that story.”

Now in its 35th year, the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival is the longest-running Fringe festival in the United States. Held each May, it offers an unjuried, uncensored platform for independent artists across performance, visual art, and music, and returns 100 percent of ticket sales directly to the artists.

“As someone who serves on the board with both organizations, this partnership represents the best of what Orlando’s creative ecosystem can be,” said Dr. John Payne-Rios, OIFW Advisory Board Member and arts advocate. “It brings together fashion, theatre, and community in a way that expands access, celebrates diverse voices, and creates meaningful opportunities for artists to be seen and supported.”

Nashville continues to evolve as more than just a music city, as the capital of Tennessee attracts more and more local and international fashion brands and retailers. Five fashion brands, including Brunello Cucinelli, Zimmermann, Staud, Malbon, and Eberjey, recently announced the opening of their debut stores in Wedgewood, highlighting the current shift taking place within the city’s retail offering.

The first to open is luxury Italian lifestyle brand Brunello Cucinelli, which opened the doors of its 3,650 square foot store at 505 Houston Street just last month. Located across the street from Hermès, the new store offers a curated assortment of  Brunello Cucinelli’s women’s and men’s wear collection. 

Sleep and loungewear retailer Eberjey is set to open a 919-square-foot store at 1209 Brown Street in spring 2026, which will offer the retailer’s full assortment and mark its sixth US retail location. Australian swimwear and ready-to-wear retailer Zimmermann will open a 2,186 square foot store at 503 Houston Street in the summer of 2026, marking its 32nd store in the US to date.

Los Angeles-based apparel brand Staud aims to open a 1,742 square foot boutique in the summer of 2026 as well. Located at 515 Houston Suite 101, the upcoming opening of its Nashville stores comes on the heels of the brand’s continued retail expansion, including its recent store opening at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa in March. 

Lastly, golf and lifestyle brand Malbon is set to open a 2,534-square-foot retail unit at 501 Houston Street in summer 2026. The new retail location in Nashville will reportedly serve as a community hub, combining retail with ongoing events and collaborations especially tailored to the local market.

The upcoming store openings add to the growing momentum around Wedgewood Village, AJ Capital's 18-acre mixed-use development in Wedgewood Houston, which spans more than 1.6 million square feet of residential, retail, and office space across multiple phases. The new brands join a strong lineup of openings already slated for 2026, including Momotaro and Middleman.

“This dynamic assemblage of global retailers solidifies Wedgewood Village as a preeminent destination for contemporary fashion and culture—not just in Nashville, but across the entire Southeast,” said Kyle Allen, AJ Capital Senior Vice President of Retail, in a statement. “Nashville continues to draw major brands from across the globe, and this represents another significant milestone for the city as it strengthens its position as a tier-one destination.”

Fashion for Good has launched the Mass Balance Demonstrator, a new collaborative industry initiative to implement and scale a chain-of-custody system that traces biomass-based PET through textile supply chains. 

The project is part of the global innovation platform's broader goal of accelerating decarbonisation across the apparel sector. Today, biosynthetic materials remain a small fraction of projected textile output for 2030, held back by underdeveloped commercial infrastructure, low production volumes, and high costs. 

Mass balance attribution (MBA) offers a practical bridge in the meantime. Borrowed from industries such as renewable energy and sustainable forestry, the MBA is a chain-of-custody production model that allows renewable and fossil-based feedstocks to be mixed within the same production system. The amount of renewable input is measured, recorded, and independently verified, and a proportional share is then allocated to the final output, in this case, biomass-attributed PET, though the model can apply to other fibres, such as nylon. 

Importantly, this does not mean every product physically contains renewable material; rather, it reflects a strictly controlled accounting of renewable feedstock entering the system, with certified attributes unable to be counted twice. "We are at a point where the industry wants to move and adopt biosynthetics, but the production frameworks and commercial infrastructure haven't caught up," said Katrin Ley, Managing Director at Fashion for Good, in a statement. 

"The Mass Balance Demonstrator project is about closing that gap: building the impact and commercial evidence, the blueprint, and the feedback loops that will allow the MBA model to scale with integrity." The new initiative brings together leading players from the industry, including Bestseller, Beyond Yoga, On, Paradise Textiles, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), Indorama Ventures, ISCC, UPM Biochemicals, and Textile Exchange. 

The MBA project has four core aims: to physically produce biomass-attributed resin and yarns that match conventional performance standards; to measure full greenhouse gas emissions from cradle to grave; to develop a practical roadmap for scaling biomass-attributed PET across the apparel sector; and to share findings with climate initiatives and standard-setting bodies to help shape credible industry guidance on MBA.

"Polyester is our second biggest fibre by volume, which means we are continuously investigating improvements in this category,” added Anders Schorling Overgård, Material Research Lead at Bestseller. “By taking part in this project, we are building experience within mass balance attribution and bio-attributed polyester. Hopefully, as we collaborate with other great partners, this can initiate pathways that can support scaling of renewable feedstocks (or inputs) going forward.” 

Children's wear specialist Carter’s, Inc. has teamed up with sportswear brand Umbro to launch a limited edition collection of soccer apparel for children.

Launching April 6, the Carter’s x Umbro collection aims to “celebrate the energy of the beautiful game through the eyes of its youngest fans.” The resulting collection includes country-inspired soccer kits from famous football countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Canada, England, France, Germany, Spain, and the United States.

“This collaboration is about experiencing the world’s game through the eyes of kids,” said Sarah Crockett, Chief Marketing Officer at Carter’s, in a statement. “Soccer is one of those rare moments that brings families together across cultures and generations. We wanted to create something that captures that energy and helps even the youngest fans feel part of the excitement.”

Available in sizes as small as newborn to 14, key pieces in the collection include a baby romper with embroidery and bold prints, a v-neck soccer jersey with team-inspired prints and patches, a play-ready skort with built-in inner shorts, and breathable mesh shorts with an inner drawcord.

“Umbro has always been rooted in the culture and pride of the world’s game,” added Andie Lipton, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Creative & Communications at Iconix International. “Partnering with Carter’s lets us bring that legacy to the next generation of fans in a way that feels authentic and fun for families.”

The Carter’s x Umbro collection will launch on April 6 in Carter’s retail stores nationwide and online at Carters.com, with prices between 24 and 28 US dollars.

Etsy is set to ban the sale of all animal fur from August 2026, following a 50-plus-day protest campaign by the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade (CAFT). The global online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods has updated its Animal Products Policy and confirmed in a separate email to CAFT its decision. 

In addition to prohibiting the sale of products made from animal species that are threatened or endangered from August 11, 2026, Etsy will also ban all products made from or containing natural fur from animals killed for their pelts, “regardless of age or origin.” Etsy’s Animal Products Policy notes that this includes goods such as “ raw pelts, finished garments, and accessories made with real fur from animals such as mink, fox, and rabbit,” but does not include taxidermy or byproduct animal materials like leather, wool, or sheepskin.

Current fur sellers on Etsy have already been notified of the updated policy and made aware that their listings will be removed in the future. The decision is said to follow a 58-day campaign led by CAFT that included more than 50 protests of Etsy and its affiliates across 17 cities, including a disruption of Etsy’s presentation at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in San Francisco on March 3. 

In response to Etsy’s policy change, Suzie Stork, executive Director of CAFT, said in a statement: “Etsy’s policy sets a new standard for online retailers. Fur is losing. Designers are dropping it, publications are not promoting it, and now, Etsy, one of the world's largest e-commerce marketplaces, is banning it. The industry has nowhere left to hide. CAFT’s attention is now fully directed at Milan Fashion Week and LVMH. All designers and affiliates who work with Milan Fashion Week should be paying close attention.”

Animal fur keeps losing ground within the fashion industry, but the debate is far from over

Milan Fashion Week has been an ongoing target of anti-fur protests as part of an ongoing campaign from CAFT. Etsy’s decision to ban fur comes after a year of marked acceleration concerning animal welfare across the fashion industry. For example, last March saw global non-profit animal welfare organization Four Paws unite 100 brands in a call on Australia's wool industry to end live lamb cutting. In May 2025, Chinese giant Shein Marketplace banned fur and exotic skins, while Australian Fashion Week removed all wildlife-derived materials from its runways, and Asics committed to phasing out kangaroo skin in its footwear. 

June 2025 saw Sweden introduce an import ban on fur products linked to animal cruelty, followed in July 2025 by the EFSA recommending cage-free fur farming. Then, in October 2025, Condé Nast pledged to remove fur from its publications, and in December 2025, Poland enacted a national fur farming ban, the CFDA prohibited fur at New York Fashion Week, Hearst Magazines committed to no longer promoting animal fur in its titles, and US designer Rick Owens announced the removal of fur from future collections. 

These changes regarding animal fur reflect a decades-long trajectory, as since the 1980s, global awareness concerning the impact of fur farming and fur production has increased, with attention surrounding the suffering of millions of animals emerging, alongside the significant environmental impact and public health risks. With governments and political parties also weighing in, the European Commission was expected to issue a proposal regarding the future of fur farming across the region last month. 

However, recently, news emerged that the EU Commission remains internally divided over whether to ban fur farming across the EU, with some commissioners favouring an outright ban in response to a 1.5-million-signature citizens' initiative, while others prefer simply tightening existing animal welfare regulations. With only five EU member states still permitting fur farming, and the EFSA having concluded that welfare problems in the sector cannot be resolved through regulation alone, pressure on Brussels to act is mounting.

Not all industries are aligned with the end of the fur trade. Across the Atlantic Ocean, certain fur sectors appear to be thriving, with Canada's fur institute reporting a surge in demand and record-breaking prices, with a recent auction in North Bay seeing Canadian bobcat prices rise more than 300 percent year-on-year and strong international buyer turnout from across Europe and Asia. Industry leaders attribute the growth to rising consumer appetite for natural, durable, and responsibly sourced products, and are calling on the Canadian government to support continued market access for fur and seal goods abroad.

“There’s a growing interest in quality, long-lasting fur and seal products,” said Doug Chiasson, executive director of the Fur Institute of Canada, in a statement. “Canada is known for the resilience and dedication of its industry, which is rooted in the tireless efforts of Indigenous and non-Indigenous trappers throughout these lands over the centuries. The good that comes out of their work and the work of all in this industry has withstood the test of time, and perhaps more than anything else, the propaganda thrown at it by others.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is regarded as a key future technology in European retail. However, a recent study by London-based market research firm Retail Economics and Swedish technology provider Voyado reveals a significant gap between strategic ambition and practical implementation within the sector.

The report, “The State of AI in European Retail Marketing & E-Commerce”, highlights that the industry is in a transitional phase. While initial progress is evident, structural challenges continue to hinder development.

“The next two years represent a turning point as AI shifts from experimentation to a competitive necessity. Retailers are on a journey: most have begun testing and deploying AI, yet only a few have reached a stage where they are achieving consistent commercial returns,” said Richard Lim, CEO at Retail Economics.

Differences in the use of AI

The importance of AI is no longer questioned by most companies. There is a consensus that data-driven technologies will be crucial for future competitiveness, efficiency and customer satisfaction. The study shows, however, that the level of maturity varies significantly. While some pioneers have already deeply integrated AI into their processes, a large proportion of businesses remain in the experimental stage, testing individual use cases.

The use of AI is particularly widespread in marketing and e-commerce, where direct effects on revenue and customer loyalty are visible. Key applications include personalised product recommendations, automated campaign management and data-based analyses of customer behaviour. AI is also increasingly used for pricing and demand forecasting. In these areas, companies report measurable improvements, such as higher conversion rates or more efficient use of marketing budgets.

Hurdles in AI implementation

The study also identifies key obstacles preventing broader scaling. Problems with the data foundation are a primary concern. Many businesses struggle with incomplete, poorly structured or siloed datasets, which complicate the use of powerful AI models. Additional challenges include internal resistance to AI and a shortage of qualified professionals, slowing the development and implementation of relevant solutions. The integration of new technologies into existing IT systems also frequently proves complex.

In Europe, regulatory requirements and data protection also play a significant role, necessitating further adjustments.

AI as a strategic pillar

Beyond technological issues, the study also focuses on organisational aspects. Successful companies are primarily distinguished by their internal structure. They strategically embed AI at the leadership level, foster collaboration between specialist departments and IT, and adopt agile working methods. They also invest in targeted training to build the necessary skills internally. These factors are proving crucial for moving beyond testing to sustainably scaling AI.

Conclusion: Competition for the best AI solutions is increasing

Looking ahead, the study paints a clear picture: the importance of AI in European retail will continue to grow. Generative AI, in particular, opens up new possibilities in areas such as automated content creation, customer service and more precise offer personalisation. Companies that adopt these technologies early and effectively are likely to secure long-term competitive advantages.

AI is therefore no longer an option in European retail, but a necessity. The decisive factor will be how quickly businesses can overcome existing hurdles and develop scalable solutions from initial pilot projects. The competition for data-driven business models has already begun.

Madrid – To mark the Earth Month celebrations that begin every April, Spanish brand Ecoalf, a pioneer in merging sustainability and fashion design, has launched a controversial and striking campaign. The campaign reinvents the “Make America Great Again” slogan, which is associated with the presidential terms of US President Donald J. Trump. This initiative will be followed by the launch of a circular accessories capsule.

Although a widely repeated slogan within the US political landscape since Donald Trump used it for his 2016 presidential campaign, “Make America Great Again” has not only summarised the foundations of his intended policies but has also formed an entire political and social movement. This movement is known as “MAGA”, the acronym for the mantra. Trump popularised this message through the use of striking caps. These items have been consistently “trolled” since the 2016 campaign, especially by figures and movements opposing the policies he implemented during his first term from January 2017 to January 2021, and his current second term, which began on January 20, 2025.

Among these acts of visible opposition to the US president and his policies, images were released this week of the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, wearing a red cap. The cap was a gift from Sara Aagesen, third vice president and minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. It reinvents the aesthetic of Trump's caps, replacing the MAGA slogan with the phrase “Make Science Great Again”. The images, taken from the president's TikTok post, quickly fuelled controversy given the increasingly direct confrontation between the two leaders. Ecoalf has now surprisingly joined this “war of the caps”. The brand has also reinvented the caps popularised by the MAGA movement, appropriating the design for a green cap marked with the white slogan “Make Planet Earth Great Again”.

Advocating for the protection of the planet

Designed for the April 2026 Earth Month celebrations, which will include the official International Earth Day on Wednesday the 22nd, the cap itself will not be produced or sold, at least for now. Its design and image serve only to illustrate and promote the campaign launched by Ecoalf. This advertising and awareness initiative kicked off this past Wednesday, April 1, with the installation of a large banner on Madrid's Gran Vía.

Sources close to the brand acknowledge that this is a risky move, firstly due to its clear political undertones and secondly because of the current tense diplomatic relations between the US and European countries, particularly Spain. Ecoalf wants to make it clear that the campaign is not intended to generate any kind of political debate, but rather a social one focused on protecting the planet. Ecoalf perceives that this discourse, after initially guiding people's behaviour and the policies of various governments and institutions, has cooled down. It is now on the verge of becoming irrelevant, condemning recent sustainability efforts to being nothing more than a passing trend. The brand has actively sought to counter this scenario by installing this large banner in the heart of Madrid. This is the cornerstone of a campaign that will be extended to some of the world's most iconic cities using Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI).

“For some time now, we have felt that protecting and caring for the planet has been forgotten and has lost its place in the conversation,” warns Javier Goyeneche, founder and president of Ecoalf, in a statement shared by the Spanish fashion brand. He adds that in light of this, “we wanted to share a simple message to remind people that protecting the planet is not a trend or a campaign, but a matter of responsibility towards future generations”.

A banner... turned into fashion

Installed on the façade of number 58 Gran Vía in Madrid, halfway between Plaza del Callao and Plaza de España, the 43x27 metre banner featuring the green cap with the slogan “Make Planet Earth Great Again” will not disappear after the campaign. Instead, it will be repurposed and used to create a capsule collection of bags. These unique, limited-edition pieces will be sold by Ecoalf to convey a dual message. Firstly, the need to defend the protection of the planet as an undeniable commitment for all of humanity. Secondly, to assert its own identity as a fashion brand that is equally committed to both design and sustainability.

“Where others see waste, Ecoalf sees an opportunity,” the Spanish fashion brand summarises. “Therefore, the billboard will be transformed into a limited collection of bags, which will carry with them a piece of the hope” that is being spread through this action. With this initiative, Ecoalf “reinforces the brand's commitment to the circular economy,” while also sending the message that “caring for the planet is not a trend, and it knows no borders; it is a collective responsibility.” This is a way of approaching the world that “today, more than ever, Ecoalf wants to highlight to us all, with a message of hope and inspiration for present and future generations”.

Eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica has made an overseas acquisition. The company has acquired a “significant” stake in Top Charoen, making it a partner. The transaction, for which financial details were not disclosed, consolidates the long-standing collaboration between the two companies.

“The partnership with Top Charoen strengthens our presence in one of the most significant Asian countries. It also contributes to raising the standards of vision care and supports the development of the new wearable category. In the same way, we continue to provide our optical customers with innovative and high-quality products and services. We are working together to promote greater awareness of the importance of visual health and to respond concretely to the growing demand in Asia,” commented Francesco Milleri, chairman and chief executive officer, and Paul du Saillant, deputy chief executive officer of EssilorLuxottica, in a note.

Top Charoen is the leading optical retail chain in Thailand, with over 2,000 stores in the country.

Founded in 1947 with the opening of the first store in Saraburi, the company also had a travelling programme to bring vision care services to more rural areas. Today, Top Charoen operates through several banners. These include Top Charoen; Luxoptic; Eye Class; Eye Bright; Eye Sport; Big C Optical; Robinson Optical and Beautiful Optic.

The company is also active in e-commerce, through a proprietary platform and a selected presence on local third-party marketplaces.

Interview As the gap between sustainability goals and industry reality grows, Textile Exchange is shifting from a focus on guidance to one of shared accountability. In an interview with FashionUnited, Sarah Needham, chief engagement and partnerships officer, and Beth Jensen, chief impact officer, discuss the organisation's new action-oriented membership structure, designed to bridge the divide between ambition and measurable impact.

From unifying global standards to supporting raw material producers at the start of the supply chain, they explore how standardised data and collective action are helping brands navigate emerging regulations and drive a high-tech transition toward preferred production systems.

When deciding to shift to a more action-oriented membership structure, what industry gaps or frustrations did Textile Exchange recognise that made it clear the organisation needed to move beyond engagement and towards accountability?

Sarah Needham: Membership has always been central to Textile Exchange’s impact. We have built a global community of over 700 members across the supply chain and supported them with resources, data, connection, events, and expertise. But as the gap between ambition and reality has widened, it’s clear that guidance alone is no longer enough.

The shift to a more action-oriented membership structure reflects the need for deeper engagement and greater accountability. We want to support members to make measurable, credible contributions to industry-wide goals, in an effort to drive beneficial outcomes for climate, nature, people and animals. Practically, that means clearer expectations around increasing both supply and demand for materials from preferred production systems and aligning members around a shared pathway toward system-level change.

The new Action and Community cohort structure introduces clearer pathways for different types of organisations. How do you expect this structure to change how brands, suppliers, and other stakeholders collaborate across the value chain?

Needham: The two-cohort structure reflects the distinct needs and goals of different types of organisations working within the industry, while creating clearer, more purposeful pathways for collaboration.

The Action Cohort brings together brands, retailers, suppliers, and Tier 4 stakeholders who directly source or produce raw materials and want a clear direction to meet targets. It is designed for those already taking steps toward sourcing or producing through systems that verify best practices and scaling preferred production systems. These members commit to taking tangible action on sourcing and production, moving from reporting on progress to implementing verified best practices and helping to scale preferred production systems.

A key shift here is bringing both ends of the supply chain together to work through shared challenges via collective action, helping to build alignment, trust and systemic solutions.

The Community Cohort supports organisations whose work sits outside of direct sourcing or production, such as academics, non-profits, solution providers, and Tier 1–3 supply chain partners. This cohort provides space to build expertise, share insights, and exchange best practices, ensuring knowledge and learning continue to follow across the wider system.

Together, these cohorts are designed to strengthen collaboration by clarifying roles, aligning actions and connecting organisations around shared goals.

Recent progress tracking acknowledges that the industry is not currently on track to reach its 45 percent GHG emissions reduction target. What role do you see Textile Exchange playing in closing the gap between sustainability ambition and measurable impact?

Beth Jensen: Textile Exchange's mission is to transform how we produce, choose, and reuse materials to benefit people and places at the source. Our role in closing the gap between ambition and progress has three core parts: setting clear direction, convening for action, and enabling and reporting on credible progress, through mechanisms such as our Materials Benchmark and Materials Market Report.

Textile Exchange has developed a set of actions and aggregate targets for six priority fibre and raw material production systems: cotton, wool, bovine leather, polyester, nylon, and manmade cellulosic fibres (MMCFs). The aggregate targets are set for 2030 and 2035, providing a clear direction of travel for the industry. These targets are grounded in extensive data analysis and research, mapping against voluntary and regulatory frameworks, and extensive stakeholder engagement.

They are aligned with Textile Exchange’s Preferred Production System principles, and are designed to support the achievement of the industry’s overarching climate and nature impact goals. Brand and retailer members will set their own meaningful goals aligned to the aggregate targets.

Textile Exchange also convenes its global membership to support organisations’ progress against climate and nature impact goals. For those organisations already reporting and sourcing or producing through verified production systems, and for Textile Exchange’s strategic partner organisations, there will be an opportunity to co-create the “Lead” step of the Action Cohort membership pathway.

Through coordinated collective action in this step, members will benefit from pooled resources and equitable decision-making, bringing together funding, expertise, and networks. With the right structures in place, members will be supported to take decisive actions that contribute to system-wide transformation beyond what any one organisation can deliver alone.

Finally, we support progress through Textile Exchange’s tools, standards, reports and guidance, while tracking progress via mechanisms such as the Materials Benchmark and Materials Market Report.

Impact data is an important backbone to the progress we want to see. Textile Exchange’s work on impact data is guided by its “LCA+” approach, which acknowledges that Life Cycle Assessment data can be a useful tool for understanding the impact of materials and production systems, but that for a truly holistic view of impact, other areas outside of what is covered by traditional LCA methodology (such as biodiversity, soil health, human rights and livelihoods, and animal welfare) should also be addressed.

Textile Exchange is developing seven LCA studies across different material categories, which will include “LCA+” content where possible. These studies will help increase the availability and quality of LCA data available to the industry, enabling more accurate modelling and progress tracking of GHG emissions and other impacts. The first of these studies, Life Cycle Assessment for Cotton, was released on March 26. Textile Exchange also released Ensuring Integrity in the Use of Life Cycle Assessment Data in 2025, which provides a foundational understanding of how LCA data should and should not be used.

We hope to help move the industry beyond isolated efforts toward coordinated action and achieve beneficial outcomes that no single organisation could achieve alone.

A key focus of the new strategy is Tier 4: farmers and raw material producers at the start of the supply chain. Why is it so important to shift attention to this level now, and how will the new structure better support them?

Needham: Tier 4 stakeholders—raw material producers—are critical to delivering beneficial outcomes for climate, nature, people and animals. Yet they often carry a disproportionate share of the cost and risk when transitioning to preferred production systems.

In bringing the two ends of the supply chain together, the Action Cohort in particular gives Tier 4 members the opportunity to share their perspectives, challenges, experiences, and needs. This will help brands and retailers to shape their own sourcing strategies to better support Tier 4 to make the transition to preferred production systems.

The aim is to ensure that transformation at the start of the supply chain is not only expected, but enabled.

The upcoming Materials Matter Standard aims to unify and simplify the standards landscape. In practical terms, how will this make it easier for brands and producers to adopt preferred production systems?

Jensen: The Materials Matter Standard unifies and harmonises Textile Exchange’s current standards, creating a more consistent and streamlined approach to certification across a variety of material production systems. The Materials Matter Standard, and other standards that include credible verification mechanisms, provide a straightforward way to adopt and scale verified best practices.

Textile Exchange is also emphasising partnerships with existing certification and material programmes. Why is collaboration, rather than building entirely new systems, the right approach for accelerating industry change?

Needham: We recognise that there are already credible systems and programs in place, which brands and suppliers are actively using. Textile Exchange’s approach is to align with the existing ecosystem where possible to avoid duplication, lower barriers to adoption, and avoid further fragmentation across the industry.

Fashion brands are operating in a challenging climate, with geopolitical instability, ESG pushback in some markets, and stricter regulations emerging in others. How is Textile Exchange helping its members navigate this complexity while still progressing on climate and nature goals?

Jensen: Textile Exchange’s new membership structure, particularly the Action Cohort, is designed specifically to support members through these types of challenges. The pathways to preferred production systems include a series of step-wise recommended actions and aggregate targets, providing a shared direction of travel for the industry towards sourcing and producing fibres and materials from preferred production systems. Collective action opportunities will be designed to address challenges that no individual company can solve alone and which are barriers to further transitions to preferred production systems.

Underpinning the Action Cohort are the reports, research, and impact data offered by Textile Exchange, including our forthcoming Life Cycle Assessment reports which provide updated and/or new impact data for key raw material and fibre categories, and our work on developing and implementing an approach to setting and measuring nature-related impact across the industry.

Looking ahead to 2030, what would success look like for Textile Exchange under this new strategy, and what kind of transformation do you hope to see across the fashion and textile industry as a result?

Needham: Our membership community represents leading, influential organisations from across the fashion, textile, and apparel industry. In guiding our members along a shared pathway and vision, we have the opportunity to create collective change that is more impactful than what each of our members can achieve alone.

Success for our new membership structure is a clear shift in the trajectory of our members’ material sourcing and production, making demonstrable progress towards preferred production systems that show clear beneficial outcomes for people, animals, climate, and nature.

Collective action projects, as part of the “Lead” step, are ongoing and leading to beneficial outcomes in the landscape. The achievement of the aggregate targets would involve Action cohort members making more informed raw materials production and sourcing decisions in line with the preferred production system principles and pathways. Action cohort members’ involvement would bring actors in the space together to support the regeneration and transformation of the production systems towards beneficial outcomes and impacts for climate and nature.

By 2030, we would like to see the Materials Matter System widely adopted as a practical, scalable system that supports the shift from fragmented approaches to systemic change, where preferred production systems become the norm across the industry.

A recycling plant has been developed in China that uses artificial intelligence to quickly and automatically analyse textile waste according to its material composition. The “Fastsort-Textile” machine was developed by the Chinese company DataBeyond and named one of the best inventions of 2025 by The Times Magazine.

The plant combines a conveyor belt system with an AI scanner measuring approximately five by two metres. There, the material composition of each individual garment is analysed in less than a second, with the results displayed live. The system then automatically sorts the textiles by fibre type, such as polyester or nylon, and directs them into the appropriate recycling streams. Items that do not meet defined quality criteria are sorted out. Previously, up to 50 percent of the textiles processed were considered non-recyclable and were disposed of or incinerated. With the Fastsort-Textile machine, this proportion is said to have fallen to 30 percent.

The machine achieves a high level of efficiency. Around 100 kilograms of clothing are sorted in two to three minutes, totalling up to two tonnes per hour. This is significantly faster and more precise than the manual sorting that has been common practice until now. The Fastsort machine is also said to be able to sort by details such as colours and neckline types on T-shirts. For shredded textiles, it sorts out contaminants like sequins, buttons, and zips.

The machine is located in an industrial park in Zhangjiagang, a small city on the east coast of China. The company, DataBeyond, is a Chinese technology firm founded in 2018 that now operates globally. It specialises in AI-supported sorting solutions for recycling processes. Its European branch is located in Italy.

The company primarily develops optical and AI-based sorting systems for various waste streams, such as plastics and textiles, and is one of the leading providers of such technologies in China.

The company's goal is to make recycling processes more efficient through automation and to advance the transition to a more digitised circular economy.

Utrecht, Netherlands - "After about 30 minutes, I knew it was the one," confides Lara Peters, looking at her sleek, second-hand wedding dress. She had just said "I do" to her partner amidst the hustle and bustle of Utrecht station in the Netherlands.

Two days earlier, the bride found her dress in a pop-up shop at the station. The shop is run by the Dutch organisation "Free Fashion", which has decided to tackle the wedding industry as part of its promotion of circular fashion.

"Getting the message across that you can opt for sustainable choices for your wedding is very important to me," explains Peters, 42, to AFP.

To draw attention to an issue they care about, the sustainable development communicator and her husband, Mathijs Dordregter, 44, opted for a wedding in the busiest station in the Netherlands. The event was partly organised by Free Fashion.

"We know that in terms of emissions, making a wedding dress is roughly equivalent to a 250-kilometre car journey," explains Nina Reimert, project manager at Free Fashion, to AFP. "Since they are made of all sorts of materials, they are also really difficult to recycle."

"So, at the moment, it is a real nightmare. With 17,000 weddings a year in the Netherlands, you can do the maths," continues Reimert, 42.

To raise public awareness of this environmentally harmful overconsumption, Free Fashion launched an online appeal. The aim is to convince future brides to give a new lease of life to pre-loved dresses.

Celebrate love for the planet

For Lot van Os, who co-founded Free Fashion, the wedding dress is a powerful symbol as it is usually only worn once.

"When we celebrate love, we should also celebrate love for the planet," he told AFP.

With around 800 volunteers, Free Fashion is approached by local councils wishing to achieve their circular economy and waste reduction targets.

The foundation, which also presents itself as a fashion brand, works within companies by organising clothing swaps among employees.

"We also talk about this circular transition that we have to go through, because it is not a question of 'if' but rather 'when' things will change," continues the 33-year-old Dutchman.

Vegetarian meal and public transport

"There are already enough clothes in the world for the next six generations," reads a sign next to a rail in the station's pop-up shop, which holds several dozen white dresses.

Well aware of this alarming reality, the bride and groom did not just stick to the dress. In addition to Dordregter, who bought a second-hand suit, all the couple's guests arrived at the station dressed in their finest charity shop finds.

"Of course, we are going to opt for a vegetarian meal at the restaurant and we will get there by bus or perhaps by bike. Everything I bought for the wedding has already been used in previous weddings," says Peters with a smile.

Regarding the fate of her dress after the big day: "It is not going to end up in my wardrobe!" affirms the bride, determined to perpetuate this new tradition.

UK commercial real estate owner Derwent London has exchanged contracts for the disposal of Horseferry House SW1 to an overseas investor. The 164,900 square foot building serves as the global headquarters for British fashion brand Burberry.

The transaction is valued at 131.8 million pounds (174.5 million dollars) before rental top-ups. The sale price is reported to be marginally below the December 2025 book value. Completion of the deal is scheduled for June 2026.

Investment and asset management

Derwent London originally acquired the Westminster property in 2005 for 34 million pounds. Following the acquisition, the Group completed a substantial refurbishment of the site. It was subsequently pre-let to Burberry.

In late 2025, the Group regeared the lease with Burberry. This agreement extended the term by five years to 2043 with no break clauses. The lease also incorporates two five-yearly fixed uplifts scheduled for 2033 and 2038.

Strategic disposal targets

Derwent London chief executive, Paul Williams, stated that the disposal crystallises an approximate 8.4 percent internal rate of return (IRR) over the 21-year ownership period. This performance outperformed the MSCI Central London Office Index by approximately 240 basis points per annum.

Williams noted that the Group has exchanged contracts on approximately 275 million pounds of sales since the start of the year. The company is currently in discussions regarding a further 100 million pounds in potential disposals. These actions are part of a three year disposal target of one billion pounds.

The Group is the largest London office-focused real estate investment trust (REIT). As of December 31, 2025, its commercial portfolio was valued at 5.1 billion pounds. Other landmark buildings in its 5.3 million square foot portfolio include 25 Baker Street W1 and the White Collar Factory EC1.

Thirty years, 80 million euros in turnover and an unwavering global ambition. As it celebrates three decades of success, Sessùn is accelerating its international expansion. This provides an opportunity to review the retail strategy of a Marseille-based success story.

Sessùn and its boutiques: a curatorial approach

Sessùn currently generates 64 percent of its business through its own stores, with the online channel accounting for 19 percent and wholesale for 17 percent. This figure attests to the care the brand takes with its retail portfolio and demonstrates the strength of its physical retail strategy.

For several years now, Sessùn has capitalised on an image rooted in craftsmanship and local cultural heritage. This approach is evident in each of its boutiques, where earthy tones and natural materials complement each other. From Shanghai to Paris, via Amsterdam and Copenhagen, Sessùn has developed a lifestyle approach to fashion. The brand instils a curated decor in its boutiques, combining antique lighting with terracotta pieces.

Today, the company has nearly 100 points-of-sale across eight countries and nearly 48 percent of total revenue is generated in international markets.

Openings planned in Europe and beyond

Until 2024, Sessùn's presence in Northern Europe was exclusively through department stores. The year 2025 marks a change with the opening of its own branches in Copenhagen and Amsterdam, located in the iconic Pilestræde and Negen Straatjes districts. Development in the Netherlands will continue in 2026 with a planned opening in Rotterdam.

In Belgium, the brand has consolidated its position with new spaces in Ghent, Knokke and Uccle, in addition to its existing locations in Antwerp and Brussels. Italy is also a new target market for 2026, with the establishment of a first boutique in Milan and a dedicated space in the Rinascente department store.

In Luxembourg, the label initiated a strategic alliance with the premium multi-brand retailer Smets in 2025, notably presenting the exhibition “Divine Palette: Exploring Colors and Textures” designed by Capucine Guhur, winner of the Sessùn Craft Prize 2023. A boutique opening is planned there for 2026.

In Switzerland, the brand is complementing its long-standing presence with new spaces planned in Geneva and Lucerne this year within the Globus department stores.

In Latin America, the brand has also established a presence in the centre of Mexico City, within the Palacio department stores.

Sessùn has also opened a space of nearly 100 square metres in the Reel shopping centre in Shanghai, developed with the studio Antes Architecture. In 2026, this Asian expansion will accelerate with three new locations planned in China, including Shenzhen and Hangzhou.

US sportswear giant Nike has seen a jury verdict in its favour reversed by a federal judge in Manhattan, effectively nullifying a 355,450 dollars damages award against Canadian athleticwear company Lululemon USA Inc. (Lululemon).

The decision, signed by district judge Arun Subramanian on March 24, 2025, follows a legal battle initiated in 2023. Nike had originally alleged that Lululemon infringed two patents regarding innovations in sneaker structures, specifically concerning the knit construction of footwear uppers.

While a jury had previously determined that Lululemon infringed claims one and 14 of US Patent No. 8,266,749, Subramanian ruled that the patent in question was invalid. The judge stated that the technology would have been obvious to an ordinary person in the field at the time of its invention.

Details of patent claims

The litigation focused on several of Lululemon’s running and training models, including the Blissfeel, Blissfeel 2, Chargefeel Low, and Strongfeel shoes. Nike had sought damages representing at least 5 percent of the revenues generated from these specific products.

The court decree noted that while Lululemon was initially found to have infringed the '749 patent through the importation and sale of these models, it did not infringe claims of a second patent, US Patent No. 9,375,046. Furthermore, the court found that the '046 patent was not invalid as anticipated by the Nike Lunar one.

Despite the initial March 7, 2025, verdict awarding Nike 355,450 dollars, the subsequent ruling on patent invalidity removes Lululemon’s liability for these damages.

Ongoing legal friction

This footwear dispute is not the only legal engagement between the two industry leaders. Nike previously filed a separate lawsuit against Lululemon in 2022 regarding the Mirror Home Gym.

That case, which alleges infringement of patents related to digital fitness technology, remains ongoing in the New York court system.

The way jeans are processed in the factory largely determines their environmental impact when washed by the consumer. New research, shared by The Microfibre Consortium (TMC) on LinkedIn, shows that combining mercerised yarn (treated cotton) with specific washes can reduce fibre shedding by 77 to 93 percent per wash cycle.

The processes for two popular finishes proved most problematic. These were stone washed, popular for the faded look it gives jeans, and towel washed, where jeans are washed with bleached towels for a speckled effect. The friction in these processes damages the fabric, causing a high level of fibre shedding even after five washes by the consumer.

This effect was significantly less pronounced with more intensive bleach washes (heavy bleach) and ice washes, which are treated with pumice stone for a ‘frozen’ effect, turning the blue dye of the jeans white. These treatments make the fabric smoother, which slows down further fibre degradation during washing.

The study highlights the importance of design choices in making the denim industry more sustainable. However, these are preliminary conclusions and not yet sufficient for brands to base their strategies on. A heavy chemical wash may be beneficial for fibre retention, yet it could perform poorly in other areas, such as causing water pollution during production. TMC is therefore urging brands to find a balance between a clean production process and a more sustainable use phase.

The study ‘Evaluation of microfiber emissions from treated denim fabrics in domestic laundry: Exploring low-emission treatments’ was published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering.

France's Clear Fashion app has reached a major operational milestone; more than 27,000 products can now be scanned in-store to instantly retrieve their official environmental impact score.

The achievement comes five months after the country's government launched the French Environmental Cost scheme, a labeling initiative that entered its voluntary phase in October 2025. Through the scheme, every garment gets a numerical score based on environmental impact: the lower the number, the better. The tool considers a product's entire life, from raw material to the factory to the shop floor, as well as how easy it is to recycle or repair.

Often dubbed the 'Yuka of fashion', Clear Fashion is applying the scanning concept, already widely adopted in the food sector, to textiles. This new feature allows consumers to access a garment's environmental score by simply scanning its barcode. The deployment comes at a crucial time, as environmental labelling still struggles to gain traction with the general public.

27,000 products already indexed, from mass-market retail to luxury

The strength of this update lies in its comprehensiveness. The app makes all products whose impact has been calculated and submitted to the official government portal scannable, regardless of the technical partner (such as Clear Fashion or Fairly Made) that assisted the brand in the process:

• Mass-market and high street retail: Kiabi, TEX (Carrefour), Tissaia (E.Leclerc), Okaïdi, Bonobo.

• Premium and designer labels: Courrèges, Paul Smith, Soeur, Sessùn, ba&sh.

• Outdoor and sustainable brands: Millet, Rossignol, Picture, 1083, Loom, Lagoped.

Access to the scan is conditional on brands having calculated their impact via the official textile environmental labelling portal. The score is expressed in impact points according to the government's methodology and quantifies the product's ecological footprint. A higher number signifies a greater impact.

Link between public authorities and the field

A pioneer since 2018, Clear Fashion has collaborated with public authorities since 2020 to define the framework for this methodology. The company is acting as an interpreter of the regulation for the end consumer by launching this feature.

“Clear Fashion acts as a practical link between brands, consumers and public authorities,” states the press release. The objective is to establish a new purchasing habit, transforming complex technical data into an instant indicator for choice.

Beyond ecology: emergence of the 'Fashion Score'

While the official environmental impact is the cornerstone of the scheme, some brands are choosing to go further. Retailers such as Sessùn, Picture and Carrefour are also displaying the 'Fashion Score'.

Rated from 0 to 100, this index provides a broader assessment of the product by incorporating criteria not covered by the strict government labelling, such as:

• Social production conditions.

• Toxicity and health issues.

• Animal welfare.

“We are committed to transparency. Like the Nutri-Score in the food industry, the Fashion Score can become a simple benchmark to help consumers make more informed choices,” emphasises Bertrand Swiderski, CSR director at Carrefour.

Acceleration expected for autumn 2026

The volume of scannable products is expected to grow exponentially in the coming months. This momentum will accelerate by October 2026, a date when default calculation methods will simplify access to the scheme for latecomers.

With more than 400,000 users and a growing profile, Clear Fashion intends to influence consumer purchasing decisions in the coming months. This will be particularly evident during its presentations at the ChangeNOW summit, where the team will demonstrate this real-time transparency tool.

During the crisis meeting on the largely blocked Strait of Hormuz, participating countries discussed possible further sanctions against Tehran.

The British Foreign Office announced this following an online meeting convened by the UK with representatives from more than 40 countries. Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper spoke of a determination among many countries to open the strait, which is vital for global trade. No concrete steps have been taken for the time being.

Measures to increase pressure on Iran discussed

According to the statement, measures to increase pressure on Iran were discussed at the meeting, including economic and political ones, “such as sanctions”, should the Strait of Hormuz remain closed. Numerous sanctions are already in place against Iran, for example in the energy sector.

Another measure could be cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) “to ensure that the first stranded ships can get underway again”, according to the statement. The IMO recently announced that it is already working on evacuation plans for the numerous stranded ships and seafarers.

Meeting of military planners in London next week

The impact of the Iranian blockade on the economy is enormous. After the US and Israel attacked Iran, Tehran brought shipping through the Strait of Hormuz to a virtual standstill with attacks and threats. This is also why Cooper repeatedly denounced Tehran's “recklessness”. Iran has taken the “global economy hostage”, she said.

Even before the crisis meeting, which Germany also attended, Cooper announced a meeting of military planners. They are scheduled to meet next week in Northwood, north of London, as the British Ministry of Defence wrote on X. The meeting will discuss “feasible options to ensure the accessibility and security of the Strait of Hormuz for shipping”.

The autumn/winter 2026 edition of Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) is almost here, and with it comes an internationally-fronted schedule bolstered by homegrown talent. Spanning April 8 to 12, VFW is bringing together more than 40 designers from over 10 countries to reflect its “multicultural approach” to fashion week.

The decision to maintain a more global perspective is one that has been championed by organisers over the fashion week’s 24 years of existence, granting the event international attention and providing both renowned designers and emerging talent with a far-reaching platform to showcase their presence.

Across the five days, VFW has been intentional in curating a lineup that platforms sustainable, cultural and individual fashion, a press release said, all showcased in an immersive runway experience held at the David Lam Hall, Chinese Culture Centre of Greater Vancouver.

Founder of VFW, Jamal Abdourahman, commented: “At VFW, diversity is our greatest strength. We bring together the most incredible design talent from across Canada and the wider world, presenting the most forward-thinking creative concepts to the industry. Fashion is a truly global phenomenon, and it’s inspiring to see such a strong mix of designers all under one roof here in Vancouver.”

Among the lineup is Japan’s aim/aimee of Sankei Studio, which will be presenting a show rooted in Japanese craftsmanship. The brand will be joined by other Japanese names, including Manami Suzuki and Yuko Nishiyama, as well as Korea’s Bluetamburin.

Elsewhere, local design talent takes up much of the schedule. Richard Wei, Alex S. Yu, Eduardo Ramos and Augusta Fashion & Textiles will show alongside Indigenous designer Ay Lelum. Emerging names will be represented by Bahar Kianpour and Jumper Zhang, while Vancouver Community College will showcase next generation talent.

“Attendees can expect a compelling mix of avant-garde concepts, modern minimalism, and timeless silhouettes—offering a visionary glimpse into the future of fashion where global perspectives and local voices seamlessly intersect,” organisers said.

Seattle-based department store Nordstrom has seen its revenue return to levels last recorded before the global pandemic, occurring less than one year after the company transitioned to private ownership in a 6.25 billion dollars transaction, according to Bloomberg.

The retailer reported that sales rose to approximately 15.80 billion dollars last year. This figure represents an increase from 15 billion dollars in the prior year and aligns with the record-high revenue achieved in 2019, prior to the market shifts accelerated by Covid-19 lockdowns.

The recovery follows a strategic acquisition completed in May, in which the Nordstrom family and Mexican department store chain Liverpool secured the company in an all-cash deal. Under the current ownership structure, Liverpool maintains a 49.9 percent stake while the Nordstrom family holds 50.1 percent.

Profitability and market positioning

The company has experienced significant gains in its operational performance. Pro-forma earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), used as a measure of the profitability of its operations, rose 61 percent to 799 million dollars last year.

Revenue for the three months ended January 31, 2026, increased 7 percent to 4.60 billion dollars. A spokesperson for Nordstrom confirmed these financial results following an initial report by Fortune regarding the annual revenue growth.

Strategic shift away from public markets

The move to take the century-old retail chain private was driven by the founding family’s belief that the brand would achieve greater success away from the scrutiny and short-term demands of public market investors.

The partnership with Liverpool has allowed the company to stabilize its financial trajectory while navigating the evolving retail landscape. Recent performance suggests the brand has successfully mitigated the impact of the shift toward e-commerce that initially pressured traditional brick and mortar department stores.

Is the textile supply chain really as complex as commonly claimed? Does traceability thus remain merely a corporate buzzword rather than a reality of Tier 4 operations? What role does the informal sector play in the textile supply chain? And how can the physical-digital gap be bridged in rural farming? These and other pertinent questions prove that sustainability is no longer a moral luxury or a consumer-driven trend—it is a rigorous, data-backed financial imperative that starts long before a fibre ever reaches the factory floor.

FashionUnited spoke to supply chain expert Devendra Gupta, head of product at global certifier OekoTex, for a deep dive into the friction between high-level sustainability goals and the ground-level realities of the textile supply chain.

Could you talk a little bit about your background and how you got into the role that you are in?

I did a bachelor's in fashion at National Institute of Fashion Technology in India, and post that I moved to a couple of countries across Asia—from Hong Kong to Bahrain, to Oman, to Jordan—and then to Spain and Germany, and now I am here, in Zurich.

Throughout the journey, it has always been the fashion sector. Initially, I did a lot of factory setups, which allowed me to understand whatever is needed for the whole supply chain to function, from each department to each supply chain actor. It was quite useful to be part of these whole conversations in terms of understanding the customer angle—what they want from the supply chain actor—and also understanding the pain point from the supply chain actor side, in terms of feasibility.

Sustainability caught up in the last decade. It was quite good to have a first-hand experience of how things start—from basic environmental data to social compliances, to wastewater requirements, to traceability. The latter is very much in demand right now but was not in 2013 when I started.

In 2017, the focus was on recycled polyester; that was the "best thing to do in the world" and nothing else beat that. Campaigns from Adidas and Nike reflected this mindset. I was dealing with major buyers across the US—from Walmart to Target to Levi's—so understanding the compliance and ESG requirements was quite good.

Then I moved to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), heading the circular economy and fashion sector. That is how I got into the whole certification topic on chain of custody, traceability and impacts on the ground that happen when a decision is made in Europe at someone’s office. How does it impact a person in Vietnam or Brazil? It is quite different. It was important visibility because I have always been involved with Tier 0, 1 and 2 but never with Tier 4. I realised how a decision taken over Zoom can have a ripple effect and impact somebody sitting somewhere else who might not have a meal because we decided to stop or change supply chain partners. In June last year, I joined Oeko-Tex. It is a new phase for the organisation as well because traceability is new in terms of the farm-to-product level.

One excuse brands and retailers like to use is that the fashion supply chain is “too complicated” to allow for complete traceability. In your experience, has it become easier with new data tools, or is there still something to that old excuse?

It is a mix of both. If you ask, ‘has it become easier?,’ I would say no, because the requirements are evolving. You never actually know what you mean by traceability today; it could be so different for one company versus another.

The complexity is based on the number of actors involved. These actors are often not well-funded or oriented with technology, and the margins are not that high. The infrastructure requirement to build a proper traceability chain is taken out of somebody’s pocket. In the end, I would be questioned: ‘We do not have that much margin; can we accept that increase in pricing needed to maintain traceability?’ Especially at Tier 4 or Tier 3 level, where even the infrastructure is not available for traceability to happen digitally. In some regions, do we even know if a cell tower is there to log in?

I want to make this point that the textile industry is constantly being compared to sectors that are really advanced and have high profit margins. But there is no way you can compare fashion to pharmaceuticals or automotive manufacturing. Car manufacturing is owned by seven or eight brands in the world, which means they have all the capital to streamline things. For them, it is vendor management motivation rather than traceability motivation; there is no apple-to-apple comparison.

How can the digital-physical gap be bridged, especially in Tier 4 where load shedding and lack of internet are realities?

Load shedding is such a good example. South Africa struggles today with it; I was trying to have calls with a billion-dollar plant but they were not connecting because the internet was down. To bridge that, it can never be just technology. It has to go hand-in-hand with action points: capacity building, knowledge sharing and making it as simple as possible.

I know there are apps that can be done offline and retrieve data once there is connectivity. But one-size-fits-all is definitely not working. We need to build consensus. For instance, these farmers are not just cultivating cotton; they are doing food crops. Different schemes have to come together to standardise data. If they are using Excel, the format has to be similar, not one person collecting in pounds, another in kilograms and yet another in metric tonnes. Just for a farmer to upload everything in kilograms versus three different formats would be very helpful to bridge that gap.

What would be a good incentive for farmers to start digitising?

We have to be logical: the incentive is finance, so provide a good share pricing. For farmers, every square hectare brings in a certain amount of money. They always have the ballpark figure of revenue versus expenses. The incentive is that the ballpark figure increases with the effort they put in. That is 99 percent of what motivates them: fair pricing and fair remuneration. The other 1percent is improving operational performance, but that takes years to show. Pricing is simple: ‘You used to get 100 US dollars per kilogram, now you are getting 110.’

Do you find that younger generations are helping to mobilise this digitisation?

This may be the case in India but India is quite different from the rest of the world. Adoption is high because of access to cheaper smartphones and plans. I have not seen the same attitude in other nations where the cost is high or priorities are different. In Spain and Italy, nobody is in the villages anymore; these are dying villages. In developing economies, the manpower is still there. What works is the tech model—employing group certification managers who do all the data collection for, say, 50 farmers. Cooperatives. As long as they get fair pricing, it is a win-win.

How can people be incentivised to share sensitive data like origin and cost?

People are realising that this is going to be a level playing field going forward based on regulations like EPR and the digital product passport (DPP). Brands are signing transparency pledges and going beyond Tier 2. Slowly, a realisation is happening that they cannot play around with a dollar here and a dollar there anymore. They have to compete on performance and ESG, not on hiding data to charge more. This realisation is painful for the sector because it was a trade advantage they had for decades. In some cases, it is ripping off the bandaid.

There are also disclosing data incentives in terms of bank loans. If you have ESG data and third-party audits, you get a preferred financial rate. On a 15 million US dollar loan, a 1 percent reduction is 150,000 US dollars—that is enough for your ESG projects and reporting. Almost all standard banks are offering better rates now because they have an obligation from the EU Commission to invest in greener companies.

It is said that audits do not provide a real-time picture. How can one implement continuous monitoring?

An audit is five days out of 360. You cannot say that a successful audit means that the work is done; there is so much more to a day. An audit only checks the integrity of the process. Triangulation is important. For an organic cotton audit, we look for each lot to be uploaded on the platform. It checks input, output and conversion losses. Once you have these data points on a platform, you see the signals.

We are working on our platform to go to the third level. If cotton production in India, for example, was low this year, is it even possible for a certain tonnage to be produced later? This takes years of data standardisation. Today it is a lot of ad-hoc case-to-case scenarios, using World Bank reports and risk parameters to identify what is happening on the ground so auditors know where to focus.

What technologies are actually used to ensure that the material in a garment comes from a specific farm?

The technology could be Excel, or a digital platform, or blockchain. It depends on how complex the supply chain is. I think ‘risk tooling’ is the best phrase. If you are a brand, you need to identify the branches’ and ‘leaves’ of your supply chain. From 100,000 farms, you narrow it down to 20 farms that are your risk areas—biodiversity or water hotspots.

What we use is a digital platform that works on blockchain because of data integrity, but it depends on your budget. The goal is to avoid cornering people. Sixty-seven percent of the market is polyester; organic cotton is only 2 percent. If we push them into a corner before they can scale, we kill the incentive. We have seen cases where farmers move to unknown crops that do not require the same scrutiny just to survive.

What about informal and home-based workers? Will they ever be formalised into the supply chain?

The percentage of informal workers is more than 60 percent today, it is huge, especially in the rise of the waste economy. There is a major risk for informal workers regarding wages, chemical hazards and social hazards. We are trying to see what we can provide as an assurance, because for a brand, it is a reputational risk.

It can be formalised if there is a proper margin of profit. Government incentives, like EPR laws in Europe, will slowly formalise the sector. These workers were hidden for a long time. Ten years ago, social standards were not even clear. We need to acknowledge we lost people along the way and figure out an action plan to include them. Brands can act as role models—if a big brand includes the informal sector in their policies, others will follow.

How do you handle cases where sustainable fibres get mixed with conventional ones at mill level?

The mixing scenario started with ‘mass balance’ as a way to scale—the intention was positive because of the non-availability of sustainable fibres. But at Oeko-Tex, we have rejected all kinds of mass balance approaches.

We apply the segregation approach. Material has to be strictly separated in the warehouse and production lines, otherwise, lab tests for GMOs and pesticides would fail. Other schemes that are only paper-based might allow mass balance to focus on the overall increase of sustainable fibres, but our strength is the lab and physical traceability.

What needs to change?

Many people think consumers decide everything, but I do not believe in that. Business decisions, regulatory needs and financial incentives drive change. If the people in the industry have the right knowledge and access to finance, they will act. If you do not have profit, you cannot scale these sustainability these projects. There is no doubt about that in my head. There would be no rise of Temu and Shein in Europe if all consumers decided that they will only buy sustainability materials or can afford the premium.It is proven that Sustainability pays for the bottom line. We are running out of excuses. We have too many sustainability managers who have never set foot in a factory; their decisions come from a handbook rather than what is feasible. We need to apply the Pareto Principle: focus on what creates the most impact, rather than nitty-gritty details that nobody has the money to pay for.

In difficult times like these, how can risks be navigated?

If we look at the last few years, shaped by Covid, climate-related disruptions and current geopolitical instability affecting so much more than just shipping, energy and raw materials, it is quite clear that our supply chains cannot just be built on the cheapest price option but on resilience.

For brands, honestly, it goes down to investing in long-term partnerships, clarity on risks and avoiding short-term decisions. I think that for suppliers, the risks are even higher. They cannot continue to operate in a black box and need to understand their own supply chains better, whether in terms of raw materials, water or energy as these disruptions are not only operational or financial, but they also have a direct impact on livelihoods across the supply chain.

This is where traceability becomes very important and it should not be seen as just another compliance requirement, but as a tool to visualise risks and manage them more effectively.

Interview

Resale is no longer a niche or sustainability-led initiative. It is taking measurable market share from traditional retail, with the global market projected to reach 393 billion dollars by 2030. ThredUp remains one of the sector’s leading players in the US.

Here, resale grew at nearly four times a faster rate than the overall apparel market, even outpacing its global trajectory, according to ThredUp’s latest Resale Report. Now in its 14th edition, the report has become both a diagnostic and strategic tool, tracking consumer behaviour and the structural forces shaping resale.

For ThredUp, these insights have driven a strategic shift from a high-volume marketplace to a more infrastructure-led model. Following a 2025 rebrand and a renewed focus on the US, after exiting Europe in 2024, the company reported revenue of 310.8 million dollars, up 20 percent year-over-year.

Speaking to FashionUnited, chief strategy officer, Alon Rotem, explained the brand refresh exhibited both maturity and market evolution: “We were a startup once, but we went public in 2021 and revenues are north of 300 million dollars at this point. As we’ve scaled, it’s been important to refresh our brand at intervals. What you see today is a more streamlined, cleaner look that is accessible for our entire customer base.”

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From demand-constrained to supply-constrained

ThredUp’s rebrand was a targeted effort to align its consumer-facing identity with the growing sophistication of the resale market. At its core is a cleaner, more elevated visual language, led by a new ‘infinity’ emblem: a thread-drawn ‘T’ symbolising circularity and the interconnected nature of secondhand fashion.

The update reflects the company’s shift towards a more polished, experience-driven platform, a pivot that is closely tied to a series of product upgrades on the site designed to enhance usability on both sides of the marketplace. For buyers, this includes AI-powered discovery tools, weekly trend edits, and more detailed listings with improved imagery and product data. For sellers, operational changes, such as streamlined doorstep pick-ups and transparent payout systems, aim to reduce friction and encourage participation.

This repositioning comes as resale increasingly transitions into a default starting point instead of an alternative channel. According to the report, 41 percent of consumers now look to secondhand first for value, while 46 percent browse resale before buying new. In the US, the market is projected to reach 78.8 billion dollars by 2030, adding 23.3 billion dollars in incremental value.

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Resale is no longer demand-constrained but limited by supply, forcing platforms to rethink seller incentives and logistics. Rotem noted: “The industry is now supply-constrained, not demand-constrained. Everyone wants the stuff. Now it’s up to the industry to go find all of the supply that’s out there and make it available.”

For ThredUp, the move from a solely transactional marketplace to a dual-sided platform is characterised by its Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) offering, which since last year is now available to brands without platform fees. By embedding resale capabilities directly into retailers’ ecosystems, ThredUp is positioning itself as an established backend utility, providing the infrastructure in a market that remains operationally immature.

The rise of the ‘liquid closet’

Central to this shift is how consumers now view clothing as an asset rather than a sunk cost. According to the report, 60 percent consider resale value when buying new, while 57 percent resell for income, more than double last year. Rotem described this as a fundamental shift in consumer psychology. “[Gen Z] see their clothes as assets to be liquidated to fund the next purchase. The ‘digital closet’ will become a normal behaviour, allowing consumers to constantly ‘edit’ and rotate their wardrobe,” he explained.

This ‘liquid closet’ model is reshaping the design of resale platforms, making speed, convenience, and control more important than maximising resale price. This dynamic is reflected in the data, where 36 percent of consumers say they would sell more frequently if payouts were faster, while 31 percent of non-sellers said they would start reselling if AI automates the listing process.

In response, ThredUp introduced peer-to-peer listings, allowing sellers to retain control while accessing platform demand. Launched in late 2025, the feature has already doubled average selling prices. “The reason we added peer-to-peer wasn’t necessarily just to go ‘premium’. It was to serve the marketplace more broadly. We recognise many sellers want to retain control: they want to house the item, determine the pricing, take the photos, and answer the buyer questions. We want to be a unified platform where you have the best of both worlds,” Rotem noted.

Discovery beyond platforms

Nearly half of secondhand discovery (46 percent) now happens outside resale platforms, driven by social media and creators. This fragmentation is pushing retailers to reconsider where transactions begin. ThredUp itself has taken to experimenting with new distribution channels, including TikTok Shop. In January 2026, ThredUp sold around 100,000 Clean Out Kits via TikTok Shop, highlighting the power of passive discovery.

This shift towards social discovery has likely contributed to the company’s surge in buyer acquisition, with its active buyer base growing 30 percent last year. Rotem said: “Our job is to meet the customer where they are. We started selling Clean Out Kits on TikTok Shop and in the month of January, we sold something like a hundred thousand kits.”

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The ‘premium’ pivot, without going luxury

At the same time, ThredUp is recalibrating its assortment in response to shifting demand. Premium goods now account for 18 percent of revenue, though ThredUp maintains its position in the “middle ground,” with an average selling price of 25 to 30 dollars.

“We definitely want to continue to own the middle ground,” he added. “Even in our peer-to-peer beta, where pieces are two to three times higher, there’s a lot of distance between the value and the mass brands all the way up through premium and upscale before you get to the luxury space where items cost several hundred dollars. We think we can serve that whole market in between.”

Similarly, Rotem recognises a trend among consumers of combining affordable pieces with more upscale pieces in what he deemed as “high-low fashion”. The strategic positioning also aligns with consumers increasingly rejecting low-quality garments that cannot be resold. In the report, 49 percent of shoppers say they have already reduced purchases of such items, making the middle market a more scalable venture.

Solving the ‘single SKU’ problem with AI

Operationally, resale remains complex. Unlike traditional retail, inventory is non-standardised, with millions of unique items: what ThredUp calls a “single SKU” model. “Resale has inherently been a lot harder to shop,” Rotem explained. “On ThredUp, there are four or five million different items available at any given time. In order to find the needle in the haystack and make sure customers don’t feel “thrift overwhelmed”, we need to develop powerful tools.”

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AI is central to solving this, enabling product data extraction, visual search, and pricing optimisation, driving improvements in conversion, loyalty, and return rates. According to the report, 81 percent of AI users say it improves the resale experience, while 69 percent would use it to find specific items. AI is therefore helping to dismantle any friction that has previously defined secondhand shopping, enhancing efficiency in the process.

AI’s adoption throughout the industry has been met with both caution and acceptance, yet Rotem affirms that ThredUp itself has aimed to be thoughtful about its integration, ensuring continued internal discussions about how it is rolled out. “We are optimistic about how AI can benefit our business and our customers. When you look at resale versus traditional retail, AI advancements will disproportionately benefit resale,” he added. “If AI normalises resale behaviour and causes people to choose secondhand over new, we think that is a net positive for society.”

Resale as compliance and a competitive necessity

It would be hard to discuss the resale market without also acknowledging its place as in the circular economy. As regulatory pressures accelerate, so does the adoption of resale, particularly as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks and broader sustainability mandates begin to take hold in the US.

Brands and retailers are moving to either reevaluate their product lifecycles, or directly build resale into their operating models. While 66 percent of retailers view resale as a compliance tool, only 16 percent are equipped to scale it, and 58 percent see lacking a resale presence as a structural disadvantage. This gap between intent and capability is where ThredUp’s RaaS model is gaining traction. By removing platform fees and lowering the barrier to entry, the company is hoping to serve both as a compliance and commercial partner.

“Retailers totally get it now. Regulation is increasing the need for resale for compliance reasons, and they realise that from a supply chain standpoint, resale is a hedge against things like tariffs. But the gap is that while they know it’s a permanent structural disadvantage to lack a resale presence, the vast majority don’t have the resources to scale it yet,” Rotem elaborated.

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ThredUp has partnered with brands including Gap, J.Crew, and Tommy Hilfiger, while also enabling international players like Beyond Retro to access the US market. Though ThredUp had exited Europe in 2024, partnerships with retailers outside of the US suggests a different approach to tackling the region.

When asked about the future of ThredUp’s European ties, Rotem said: “It wasn’t a permanent retreat, it was a specific business decision to improve the financial profile of our US business as a public company and demonstrate profitable growth sooner. In the long run, we remain open to new opportunities.”

Profitability through platform evolution

While not yet profitable, ThredUp is shifting from volume-driven growth to a multi-layered model combining marketplace transactions, peer-to-peer listings, and B2B infrastructure. This strategy reflects a broader shift within the resale sector, requiring platforms to reduce operational friction and capture value across a garment’s entire lifecycle.

“The resale report tells us the market is growing not just in size, but in rate. Consumers are increasingly looking at secondhand first, which suggests it’s a better value proposition: price, availability, and sustainability all play a role,” Rotem said. “Our job is to execute on that opportunity by making sure we have great supply, from consumers’ closets and brand partners. In terms of whether we’re a retailer or infrastructure, the answer is both.”

The Decathlon group published its annual results this Thursday, announcing a 4.0 percent increase in turnover compared to the 2024 financial year. It also reported a 7.1 percent growth in gross merchandise volume (GMV) at constant exchange rates. These improving figures are accompanied by strong operational profitability, with an EBITDA of 1.8 billion euros.

As the sports retailer celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the group it belongs to reached a turnover of 16.8 billion euros in 2025. This figure demonstrates the company's resilience after a lacklustre 2024.

In 2025, the French group's EBITDA increased by 21 percent to 1.8 billion euros, while its net profit grew by 16 percent to 910 million euros.

According to Decathlon, this performance is explained by “the strength of Decathlon's integrated model, combining design, production and distribution, and its ability to offer products with the best value for money to its customers worldwide.”

The French retailer is currently continuing its retail expansion. The group plans to open ten new Decathlon stores in Spain during the first half of 2026, as well as 25 new stores in Germany. In France, the retailer is also strengthening its local strategy by opening its ninth Parisian store. This new location is integrated within a Boulanger store, a chain specialising in home appliances and multimedia.

US luxury retailer Saks Global has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement with an ad hoc group of senior secured bondholders, securing a commitment for 500 million dollars in exit financing as it prepares to emerge from Chapter 11.

The agreement is a key step in the company’s broader restructuring process, with Saks continuing discussions with stakeholders on a Plan of Reorganisation, which is expected to be filed in the coming weeks.

Saks Global aims to establish a stronger financial foundation and position its three luxury banners, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, for long-term growth.

In a statement, Geoffroy van Raemdonck, CEO of Saks Global, said: “Achieving this important milestone underscores the progress we are making on our transformation and reflects our capital partners' confidence in our go-forward vision, guided by our relentless devotion to the luxury customer.

“As we advance the restructuring process and position Saks Global for the future, our focus remains on strengthening our brand partner relationships, and delivering an expertly curated product assortment and personalized service for our luxury customers.”

The company expects to emerge from Chapter 11 this summer with a streamlined capital structure and improved liquidity. Its strategy includes an integrated retail model combining physical stores in key luxury markets with e-commerce and remote selling services.

Since the bankruptcy filing, Saks Global has reported progress across operations, with more than 650 brands resuming shipments, inventory receipts increasing, and improvements in customer engagement, including higher spend per visit and stronger online conversion.

Van Raemdonck added: “In a short period of time, we've taken decisive actions and made meaningful progress in stabilising the business and strengthening our relationships with brand partners. Our sales and inventory results continue to outperform our internal plans.”

Madrid – Following the guidelines set for the execution of its 2023 to 2027 Long-Term Incentive Plan, the Spanish fashion multinational Inditex group has distributed 14.8 million euros (17.06 million dollars) in shares among its top executives.

The company has included Carlos Torretta, husband of its executive chairwoman Marta Ortega Pérez, in this group of beneficiaries, despite him not holding any position within the Spanish company's senior management.

Inditex distributes shares among top executives

On July 11, 2023, during the Inditex Annual General Meeting, shareholders of the Spanish fashion multinational approved a long-term incentive plan. This plan, involving payment in cash and shares, is aimed at members of the management team, including executive directors and other company employees. It aligns with the new remuneration policy for Inditex directors for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 financial years.

The plan covers the period from 2023 to 2027 and is structured in two cycles. The first runs from February 1, 2023, to January 31, 2026, followed by a second cycle from February 1, 2024, to January 31, 2027. During these periods, the company's top executives will be rewarded with a maximum of 7.5 million shares, with 183,750 allocated to its chief executive officer. They will be informed individually of these rewards and their economic equivalent. The rewards for the first cycle (2023 to 2026) will be delivered in the calendar month following the 2025 Inditex annual accounts. Those for the second cycle (2024 to 2027) will be delivered in the calendar month following the presentation of the 2026 results.

Based on this remuneration scheme, following the presentation of Inditex's 2025 annual accounts on March 11, the company has now paid these incentives. It has distributed a total of 301,220 shares to its management, at a unit price of 49.24 euros per share. These figures bring the total value of the shares distributed by Inditex, as part of the first phase of its long-term incentive plan, to over 14.83 million euros.

From Óscar García Maceiras to Carlos Torretta

As reported by the Spanish company's management to the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), Inditex has rewarded a total of 14 top executives as part of this first stage of its incentive plan. This group includes Carlos Torretta, husband of Marta Ortega Pérez, who has been the non-executive chairwoman of Inditex since April 1, 2022. This is despite the fact that, as stated in the records filed with the CNMV, he is not recognised as holding any position within the company's senior management. He is only designated as a “person closely associated” with the non-executive chairwoman of Inditex.

Delving into the share-based reward by Inditex, as of April 1, 2026, the company has awarded Óscar García Maceiras, the group's chief executive officer, a total of 39,908 new shares, valued at over 1.96 million euros. This volume of group shares makes Maceiras the executive receiving the most shares from the first cycle of the incentive plan.

Below Maceiras, the company has clearly defined two levels of executive rewards through the delivery of company shares. The first level involves the distribution of 26,515 shares, valued at 1.30 million euros, which have been individually awarded to: José Miguel Díaz Miranda, chief financial and operating officer of Zara; Ignacio Fernández Fernández, corporate general manager of Inditex; Javier García Torralbo, director of the digital department; Begoña López-Cano Ibarreche, chief people officer; María Beatriz Padín Santos, director of the women's department at Zara; Jorge Pérez Marcote, director of Massimo Dutti and brother-in-law of Amancio Ortega; Óscar Pérez Marcote, director of Zara and also brother-in-law of Amancio Ortega; and Javier Monteoliva Díaz, general counsel and secretary of the Board of Directors of Inditex.

At a second, lower level, rewards of 14,734 shares, valued at over 725 thousand euros, have been received by three top executives of the Spanish fashion multinational. These individuals are Antonio Flórez de la Fuente, director of Bershka; José Andrés Sánchez Iglesias, chief financial officer of Inditex; and Jordi Triquell Valls, director of Stradivarius.

610 thousand euros in shares for Carlos Torretta since 2022

Completing the previously mentioned distributions, it has also been reported that the company has awarded shares to individuals without recognised positions at Inditex. As part of the same first cycle of the 2023 to 2027 long-term incentive plan, 1,021 shares, valued at 50.27 thousand euros, were given to Francisco Galán González, husband of Zara's director of womenswear, María Beatriz Padín. Additionally, 3,969 shares, valued at 195.43 thousand euros, were awarded to Carlos Torretta, husband of Marta Ortega. The information submitted to the CNMV does not recognise him as holding any position within Inditex. This is despite confirmation in September 2019—following his marriage to Marta Ortega in November 2018—that he had joined the communications department of Zara's e-commerce division.

Focusing on these rewards, this is not the first time that either Francisco Galán or Carlos Torretta have been included as beneficiaries in Inditex's incentive plan for senior management. Specifically, Torretta, Marta Ortega's husband, has received a total of 12,695 Inditex shares between April 2022 and April 2026. These shares, with an assigned price ranging from 19.74 to 49.24 euros per share, bring the total value of the shares Torretta has periodically received from Inditex for his “association” with Marta Ortega to 610.39 thousand euros.

First tranche of buyback programme completed

To support these obligations to its executives (and other interested parties), undertaken under the 2023 to 2027 long-term incentive plan and expanded after the approval of a new 2025 to 2029 long-term incentive plan at the last Inditex Annual General Meeting, Inditex announced on February 4 that it was launching a temporary share buyback programme. The programme is structured in two tranches. The company informed the CNMV on March 25 that it had completed the first tranche, reaching the maximum target of 1.6 million shares.

In detail, the buyback programme stipulated the purchase of Inditex shares on the market for a maximum of 180 million euros, for the acquisition of a maximum of three million shares. Of these shares, 1.6 million were to be acquired between February 5 and March 31, 2026, with the remaining up to 1.4 million to be acquired during the second tranche of the programme, running from May 1 to June 30 of this year. For this period, the company will now have just over 97.32 million euros to acquire the remaining 1.4 million shares, after completing the first cycle of the buyback programme by acquiring the exact maximum of 1.6 million shares for a total of 82.67 million euros.

For their acquisition, Inditex increased its portfolio of own shares by acquiring 199 thousand shares between February 5 and 6; 516,249 shares between March 12 and 18; and finally, by purchasing 884,751 own shares between March 19 and 25. These shares were acquired at prices ranging from 49.29 euros for a block of shares purchased on March 23, to 57.92 euros per share for a block purchased on February 5.

Interview

British heritage brand Kent&Curwen, established in 1926, has come a long way from creating ties for Oxford and Cambridge universities and inventing the first cricket jumper, to become synonymous with collegiate and sporting styles, blending British tradition with a "rebellious spirit” under the creative leadership of Daniel Kearns.

2026 marks the British brand’s centenary year, and chief creative officer, Kearns, who has previously designed for Alexander McQueen and Italian luxury label Cerruti 1881, spotlighted Kent&Curwen’s roots in dressing students, royals, rugby players, rowers and cricketers, with a catwalk showcase at the historic Westminster School in London, which sits in the precincts of Westminster Abbey.

The autumn/winter 2026 collection entitled ‘Whipplesnaith,’ drew inspiration from the elusive, secret society of the Night Climbers of Cambridge from the 1930s and Noël Howard Symington, known as Whipplesnaith, the British author and ringleader of the cult nocturnal sport, and used the group’s rebellious nature to celebrate seeing things from another perspective to add “a playful attitude” to the collegiate style Kent&Curwen has become known for.

“I’m so happy to be able to give this brand the voice it should have for its 100 years,” Kearns told FashionUnited backstage after the show. “Kent&Curwen kind of actually created a lot of preppy and other elements in our daily lives, and I think that deserves to be noticed.

“British culture is built on a staple of foundations of dress codes, but there is a reverence and the irreverence in breaking those codes. We are always trying to see through new eyes, and like the Night Climbers, I loved the idea of seeing it from another perspective.”

From Club ties to cricket jumpers: Kent&Curwen celebrates centenary

This translated into Kearns designing a collection that renewed the perspective of British classics, combining the daring Night Climbers utilitarian and collegiate style with the brand’s heritage roots to offer a playful, youthful rebellion with unexpected takes on traditional British outerwear and slim silhouetted suiting showcased on the catwalk alongside whimsical volumes and deconstructed knits.

Highlights included the classic trench reimagined in patent finishes, evoking the shimmering light of the nighttime streets, and high-collared capes and voluminous coats, reminiscent of academic robes, were styled over stripy ties, pleated skirts and knee-high socks to offer a modern and more expressive twist on the traditional preppy style.

There were also quilted jumpers, barn coats with oversized collars and pockets, ribbed knit dresses with swishy skirts, and slouchy knits, which all played out in a colour palette that emerged from midnight blue and black through muted taupes and autumnal browns, to uniform greys and soft pastels, with pops of collegiate reds, bright lilacs and burnt oranges.

As the brand continues to evolve, so does the sense of creating a “total look,” with Kearns adding in tasselled loafers, ornate brooches and delicate corsages, which are intermixed with house embroidered insignias, oversized ribbed cord bags and even clutches shaped like rugby balls to offer a playful youthfulness to the collection.

“There’s a little playfulness with the collection,” added Kearns. “The brooches represent how the Night Climbers actually climbed and put their initials on the stained glass with diamonds, while the shoes act almost like the pomp and ceremony of British culture.”

Interview with Kent&Curwen chief creative officer Daniel Kearns

Under the Chinese owner Biemlofen, Kent&Curwen is pushing forward with its expansion plans to open more stores in China, supported by the signing of the brand’s first global ambassador, Chinese singer Xin Liu, while also looking to establish a new London flagship store to re-anchor the brand in its home territory.

With Kent&Curwen celebrating its 100th anniversary, how do you balance heritage and its extensive archive with developing a fashion brand for the modern era?

For me, heritage is always the starting point. Kent&Curwen has such a rich archive rooted in British institutions, such as sport and academia, and what interests me is how you reinterpret that in a way that feels relevant today. It’s about looking at those codes and shifting the perspective slightly, making them feel lighter and more playful.

What is it about the brand’s heritage motifs, such as the Three Lions or the Rose, that still appeals?

Those motifs carry a sense of identity and recognition that’s quite powerful. They’re deeply embedded in British culture, but they’re also very graphic and adaptable. What I find interesting is how you can take something so familiar and recontextualise it so it feels fresh again.

Since the relaunch of the brand in 2023, the first couple of seasons seemed to celebrate the brand’s preppy origins. Where do you plan to take it this season?

The early seasons were about re-establishing the foundations and understanding the language of the brand again. This season feels more confident and more expressive. We’re still rooted in that collegiate world, but we’re starting to introduce a more rebellious spirit coming through, which feels important.

There seems to be a focus on a younger customer – is that intentional?

It’s less about targeting a specific age group and more about a mindset. I’m interested in a customer who is curious, who appreciates heritage but doesn’t feel bound by it.

You also added womenswear with the relaunch - how is that area of the brand developing?

Womenswear has been a really exciting part of the evolution. It’s allowed us to explore the codes of the brand in a different way. I can take elements like tailoring, knitwear or collegiate references and reinterpret them with a slightly different energy. It’s still early, but it’s growing in a very organic way and becoming an important part of the overall conversation.

What would you say are the brand’s signature pieces?

Knitwear is definitely at the heart of the brand, particularly pieces like collegiate crewnecks with the rose or lion motifs. Rugby shirts and polos are also key, as they tie directly back to the sporting heritage. And then tailoring, which really anchors the collection in that institutional, British space.

Are there plans to develop Kent&Curwen into a full lifestyle brand, adding extra categories to the apparel and accessories?

I think it’s something that can evolve naturally over time. The focus right now is on strengthening the core product and identity. But Kent&Curwen has always had the potential to extend beyond clothing, given its roots in lifestyle and institutions. It’s about making sure any expansion feels authentic and considered.

How does the sense of Britishness running through the brand resonate with the Chinese consumer, where the brand is planning to open more stores? Have you added elements to the collection to target this growing consumer base?

There’s a strong appreciation for British heritage and craftsmanship in China, particularly when it feels genuine. What’s important for me is that the collections remain rooted in an authentic British perspective.

At the same time, we’re aware of a global audience, so it’s about ensuring the product feels relevant and wearable across different markets rather than designing specifically for one.

You just announced Chinese singer Xin Liu as a global brand ambassador - why did you choose her?

Xin Liu brings a really interesting balance of strength and individuality. She has a distinct point of view and a strong cultural presence, which aligns with how we see the brand evolving. It felt like a natural connection.

Other than China, what other markets are Kent&Curwen actively targeting?

We’re looking at a number of key international markets, with a particular focus on strengthening our presence in the UK and building awareness more broadly across Europe. It’s about growing in a measured way and ensuring the brand feels consistent globally.

Are there any plans for physical retail in the UK and the US?

Yes, the UK is a priority for us, particularly as we reconnect the brand to its roots. Physical retail is an important part of that, alongside a stronger direct-to-consumer approach.

Other than the catwalk show, how else is the brand celebrating its centenary?

The show is the focal point, but the centenary is really about a broader reflection on the brand’s history and future. We're working on some exciting moments; all rooted in the same idea of revisiting heritage through a contemporary lens.

US activewear brand Fabletics is further expanding its presence in Germany. On Thursday, the company announced a “groundbreaking partnership” with the Berlin luxury department store KaDeWe. The brand will now open its own shop-in-shop space on the fourth floor.

The opening, planned for the spring, holds special significance for the sportswear provider. “With more than 160 square metres, the new space will be Fabletics' largest retail presence in Europe to date,” a statement read. The company had previously announced similar agreements with retail chains such as Peek & Cloppenburg and SportScheck to expand in the German retail market.

Mark Ralea, general manager Europe at Fabletics, emphasised the significance of the collaboration. “Our partnership with KaDeWe marks a decisive milestone in the development of the Fabletics brand. The opening of our largest retail location in Europe – in one of the continent's most prestigious department stores – underscores our commitment to a strong omnichannel strategy,” he explained in a statement.

“This collaboration allows us to reach customers in a high-quality, experience-oriented environment while remaining true to our core philosophy: luxury-inspired activewear that is accessible to everyone,” said Ralea. “Being part of this innovative wellness and longevity destination perfectly reflects who we are as a brand and how we envision the future of retail.”

Students from Vancouver Community College are set to showcase collections inspired by diverse cultural backgrounds and sustainability themes at Vancouver Fashion Week, highlighting the intersection of global influences and local creativity.

Twelve fashion students from the college’s Fashion Design & Production Diploma will present original garments on the runway during the event. The collections draw on a wide range of inspirations, including Indigenous, Colombian, Chinese, Filipino and South Korean cultural heritage, alongside conceptual references such as marionettes and even the anatomy of a blister. Sustainability and longevity also play a central role, with many students prioritising responsible material choices and production methods.

The opportunity provides students with hands-on industry exposure. Organisers emphasised that showcasing emerging talent on a professional runway connects education directly with the realities of the global fashion industry and helps build networks early in designers’ careers.

Faculty members noted that the collections represent the culmination of two years of intensive, practical training, with students designing, drafting and constructing their own final garments before presenting them to an international audience.

The runway presentation will also feature alumni designers, reinforcing the programme’s industry pathways and continued engagement with graduates.

On Wednesday, shares in Adidas and Puma defied the disappointing outlook from US competitor Nike. While Nike's stock slumped by 10.5 percent to 47.25 dollars in pre-market US trading, the shares of the two German sportswear manufacturers recovered in a very strong overall market.

In the Dax, however, Adidas shares rose by a below-average 0.6 percent to 137.45 euros after two days of gains, while the leading German index climbed by 2 percent. In contrast, Puma jumped by an above-average 4.5 percent to 22.69 euros. The index of medium-sized companies, the MDax, gained 2.5 percent at the same time.

A trader said that in addition to general investor optimism that the war in Iran would soon be over, Adidas was primarily helped by a well-received event held by the sportswear manufacturer ahead of its quarterly results on April 29. “This shows that Nike has its own internal issues, so a direct comparison to industry peers like Adidas and Puma is not applicable. If anything, the word is that Nike's weakness is proving to be a strength for the others.”

The previous day, for instance, Jefferies analyst James Grzinic commented positively on Adidas' pre-close call. He wrote that the event confirmed a continued positive balance between the maturity of the Terrace sneaker segment and strong demand for apparel and running. According to Grzinic, the models of the new Hyperboost running shoe also appear “promising” at first glance.

Analyst Jürgen Kolb of Kepler Cheuvreux also wrote positively about Adidas. While the German company reaffirmed its annual targets, expecting stronger sales growth in the first half of the year than in the second, Nike needs more time overall.

The US group exceeded expectations in its most recent business quarter. However, the absolute development regarding the decline in sales and operating margin shows that the American company is in a repositioning process. It has become clear that a return to growth will not happen sooner than expected. This, in turn, “offers Adidas the opportunity to strengthen its market position, as the company has expanded its product range and benefits from a strong brand image.” Nike exceeded expectations in its third business quarter, but its outlook disappointed the market.

According to stock market expert Andreas Lipkow from the broker CMC Markets, the significant rise in Puma's shares on the day is likely fuelled by renewed takeover speculation in addition to the generally positive market sentiment. At the end of January, the Chinese group Anta Sports Products announced its intention to acquire a major stake. The parent company of brands such as Atomic, Fila, Jack Wolfskin, Salomon and Wilson announced about two months ago that it intended to acquire a stake of just over 29 percent from the French billionaire Pinault family, subject to regulatory approval.

British fashion retailer AllSaints has partnered with Impact Analytics, an AI-native solution for retail decision-making, pricing, merchandising, and inventory optimisation, to modernise and scale its buying and merchandising operations to streamline its business processes.

In a statement, AllSaints said it has selected Impact Analytics to adopt AI-native planning tools to support its growth, improve forecast accuracy, and empower its teams to focus on value-added decision-making rather than data manipulation, and support its move away from a legacy environment heavily reliant on spreadsheets, manual workflows, and fragmented decision-making.

Alfie Meekings, chief transformation and technology officer at AllSaints, said: “At AllSaints, one of the four pillars of our transformation is to become data-driven and powered by AI. We have a great team, but they have to spend so much time manually pulling and analysing data.

“This partnership allows us to eliminate repetitive, low-value tasks so our merchandisers can focus on understanding what is truly happening in our brand and make quicker, higher-quality decisions to get the right products in the right places for our customers.”

Founded in 1994, AllSaints has grown into a global omni-channel brand spanning the UK, Europe, North America, and Asia, with a presence across owned stores, wholesale partnerships, franchised locations, and a strong digital platform.

As the brand continues to scale internationally, AllSaints states that investing in advanced technology will support “faster, smarter, and more connected merchandising decisions,” and it will be utilising Impact Analytics end-to-end AI-native supply chain, planning, pricing and business intelligence platform to cover all of its supply chain and merchandising planning lifecycle.

Impact Analytics will be implementing a phased rollout of its solutions, including CortexEye for agentic AI-native business intelligence; allocation and replenishment; markdown and promotional pricing optimisation; merchandise financial planning; and assortment and range planning.

AllSaints notes that a core focus of the move to AI support is “accelerating weekly trading cadence”. Currently, the retailer’s Monday trading packs require teams to begin data collation as early as Sunday to “gain clarity by Monday afternoon”. By using Impact Analytics’ CortexEye, the complete Monday Trading Pack will be available to the team by 8 am Monday, broken down by department and team, “enabling trade meetings to begin immediately and decisive action to be taken by midday”.

Meekings added: “We are excited to leverage agentic AI to empower our teams to do what they do best. Instead of losing valuable time preparing reports, we can start the week aligned, informed, and ready to act.

“I want our teams to log on and be told what’s happening across the globe in our brand and where we need to focus our energy, rather than having to seek out those answers.”

Textile Exchange has released a comprehensive set of policies providing guidance for certification holders defining the steps required as they move from the organisation's existing standards to its it new Materials Matter Standard.

The Transition Policy outlines the actions organisations must take to align with the new standard. The Scope and Eligibility Policy, meanwhile, clarifies material eligibility, certification scope, minimum thresholds, available certification options, and the responsibilities of certified organisations.

In addition, Textile Exchange has updated the Policy for Scope and Transaction Certificates and related templates to simplify handling and verification of certificates, providing standardized criteria, format, and text for certification bodies and users.

The Materials Matter Standard will come into effect on December 31, 2026, with mandatory compliance by December 31, 2027. The release of these policies is the next step in helping brands and suppliers prepare for a more consistent, transparent, and sustainable standards framework in the textile industry, the organisation said.

Ashley Gill, chief standards and strategy officer at Textile Exchange, commented: “This is a key moment in the transition to the Materials Matter Standard. Publishing these policies provides organisations with the clarity they need to prepare for the shift toward a more unified, impact-driven standards system.

"As we undertake this exciting transition together, we recognise our community may need additional support and guidance. We’re committed to working closely with them and providing the resources they need to navigate the changes and move forward with confidence.”

Sulzer, a Swiss industrial engineering and manufacturing company, has officially joined Spinnova’s ecosystem to support the availability of the firm's fibre in the textile market. The collaboration expands on Sulzer’s role in Spinnova’s technology development and strengthens the consortium with advanced engineering expertise.

Suzler is a major player in applications for industrial infrastructure, striving to help customers improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and implement circular economy solutions. Through this partnership, Sulzer will contribute its knowledge in pumping, mixing, and fibre suspension flows to enhance Spinnova’s industrialisation efforts.

The two companies have a history of collaboration. Sulzer previously supported Spinnova during its Woodspin demonstration factory project, from planning to production ramp-up, and helped develop the piloting environment for MFC (microfibrillated cellulose) production. Beyond providing machinery, the partnership involved close co-development to improve process efficiency.

Spinnova’s consortium is designed to accelerate the scaling of its technology and fibre supply by engaging partners across the value chain. Sulzer’s contributions are expected to improve cost competitiveness and industrial readiness.

In a statement, Mikko Kautto, responsible for Technology Concept and Partners at Spinnova, said: “Co-development with Sulzer strengthens our offering to scale up Spinnova’s technology. By combining Sulzer’s technology and engineering expertise with our concept, we can industrialise more effectively and improve competitiveness at large scale.”

At US fashion group PVH Corporation (PVH), the strategic priorities are clear. The company is focusing entirely on strengthening its two heritage brands, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. Collaborations with prominent figures from the music and cultural sectors play a key role in this strategy. Recently, prestigious partnerships in professional sports have also been added, which is now itself part of the global entertainment industry.

On the occasion of presenting the results for the 2025/26 financial year, PVH CEO Stefan Larsson articulated a clear definition of the message the group aims for with its main brands. “It has to be 100 percent iconic and 100 percent current,” he explained during a conference call on Wednesday. The group's focus is therefore on updating traditional values in a contemporary way.

There is a clear objective behind this. As part of the current 'PVH+' reform strategy, the group aims to appeal to younger target audiences who promise particular advantages. “Members of Gen Z and young millennials are particularly style-conscious. They shop more frequently, spend more and are more loyal,” Larsson emphasised, citing internal data analysis. PVH is therefore specifically targeting its marketing activities on social media channels and digital platforms towards these consumers.

At Calvin Klein, stars like Bad Bunny, Rosalía and Jung Kook are boosting demand

Influential testimonials play a significant role in this. In this context, Larsson pointed to the measurable success of recent Calvin Klein underwear campaigns featuring Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny and Spanish musician Rosalía. These led to sales increases of 20 percent in menswear and 13 percent in womenswear, the CEO explained.

The collaboration with South Korean singer Jung Kook was reportedly even more successful. Sales of products featured by the K-pop star in a recent Calvin Klein campaign immediately increased by 50 percent, Larsson noted.

The latest Calvin Klein campaign with actress Dakota Johnson for the current spring collection has also already had an impact. Traffic to the brand's website increased by a double-digit percentage after its launch in Europe, Larsson explained. Sales have also developed “strongly” since then.

Success of TV series ‘Love Story’ brought Calvin Klein classics back into focus

The brand recently received an additional, unexpected boost from the hit TV series ‘Love Story’. In the show, lead actress Sarah Pidgeon embodied the classic 1990s style of Calvin Klein in her role as Carolyn Bessette. This brought the label's historic core values back into the spotlight for fashion-conscious viewers. “You can't talk about Calvin Klein right now without mentioning ‘Love Story’,” Larsson admitted in light of the surprising response. “You can't plan something like that.”

The group reacted quickly to the series' success, which caused search queries for historic Calvin Klein products to soar. The brand dressed Pidgeon for the most recent Oscar party. It also opened a specially designed pop-up store in New York's SoHo district, which achieved astonishing sales according to Larsson. Additionally, a dedicated section called the ‘90s Edit’ was launched on its online shop to highlight the brand's classic styles.

Tommy Hilfiger focuses on prominent partners from professional sports

While marketing for Calvin Klein focuses on fashion history and top-tier pop culture stars, PVH has recently emphasised the connection to professional sports for Tommy Hilfiger. Last summer, the brand announced its collaboration with the new Formula 1 team, Cadillac. In January, the label entered into an outfitter partnership with the historic English football club FC Liverpool. According to Larsson, this led to a tripling of demand for the featured products in Europe.

A special case was the collaboration with American football star Travis Kelce, unveiled just a few days ago. As a three-time Super Bowl winner, the Kansas City Chiefs professional is a sports icon. However, he gained worldwide cultural relevance through his relationship with pop titan Taylor Swift. Kelce, who will now act as a “global brand ambassador and creative partner” for Tommy Hilfiger, thus serves multiple target audiences.

The connection to pop culture has a long tradition at the brand. It achieved its global breakthrough in the 1990s through close collaboration with up-and-coming hip-hop stars. A pivotal moment was an appearance by rapper Snoop Dogg in 1994, who wore a Tommy Hilfiger outfit on the popular TV show ‘Saturday Night Live’. He ultimately helped the brand make the leap from the subculture scene to the fashion mainstream.

The group continues to rely on such partnerships, recently demonstrating a remarkable instinct. After all, artists like Bad Bunny and Rosalía are now among the most influential worldwide. However, like Jung Kook, they have managed to preserve their identity and therefore continue to appeal to diverse regional target audiences.

Given the global challenges facing the fashion industry, the measurable success of these collaborations is currently not enough to help PVH make significant leaps. For the current 2026/27 financial year, the group's management again expects only a modest increase in sales.

The British Fashion Council (BFC), which recently placed educational initiatives at the heart of its four-year strategic roadmap, has announced a new partnership with British heritage brand Barbour to launch an annual fashion design scholarship.

Launching under the BFC Foundation, the BFC x Barbour scholarship will provide funding and mentoring to a BA or MA fashion student studying at a BFC Colleges Council member university, which includes institutes such as UAL London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins, De Montfort University, Edinburgh College of Art, Manchester Fashion Institute, and the Royal College of Art.

Designed to reflect Barbour’s values of innovation and quality craftsmanship, the scholarship will support the recipient’s early career development “from education into the fashion industry”.

Dame Margaret Barbour, chair of Barbour, said in a statement: "The launch of the BFC x Barbour Scholarship is an important step in supporting and mentoring the next generation of designers.

“For over 130 years, Barbour has been committed to British craftsmanship, innovation and quality; through this partnership, we look forward to sharing our heritage, expertise and values to guide and inspire young designers on their creative journey."

The BFC x Barbour scholarship sits alongside existing BFC Foundation named scholarships, including Chanel, Dior and Joe Casely-Hayford.

The new scholarship follows the launch of the BFC’s new ‘2030: Access, Creativity, Growth’ strategy under chief executive, Laura Weir, which has plans to treble named branded scholarships in fashion, creative excellence and education to the value of 500,000 pounds over the next three years, as it looks to deepen support for designers at every stage through education, funding and industry access.

Weir added: “As set out in the BFC’s recently announced strategy, we are committed to increasing the number of named, brand-partnered scholarships across fashion, creative excellence and education and this scholarship is a direct delivery against that ambition.

“Scholarships like this are about more than funding. They open access and opportunity, ensuring creativity is not confined to geography or privilege but reaches talent wherever it exists across the UK. Barbour’s reputation for heritage and innovation makes them a brilliant collaborator on this mission.”

The full list of BFC Colleges Council members able to apply for the scholarship include: Arts University Bournemouth, Bath Spa University, Birmingham City University, Buckinghamshire New University, Cardiff School of Art and Design, Carmarthen School of Art, UAL Central Saint Martins, Coventry University, De Montfort University, Edinburgh College of Art, Falmouth University, Glasgow School of Art, Gray's School of Art, Kingston School of Art, Leeds Arts University, UAL London College of Fashion, London Metropolitan University, Manchester Fashion Institute, Middlesex University, Northumbria University, Nottingham Trent University, Ravensbourne University London, Royal College of Art, Sheffield Hallam University, University for the Creative Arts Epsom, University of Brighton, University of East London, University of Leeds, University of Salford, University of South Wales, University of the West of England Bristol, University of Westminster and Winchester School of Art.

The collaboration builds on Barbour’s student competition through the BFC Colleges Council earlier this year, which challenged fashion design students to reimagine tartan through the core values of craftsmanship, recontextualising fabrics through the lens of modernity, whilst still staying true to the original Barbour tartan set.

Three winners will be selected in spring, receiving 5,000 pounds each, alongside the opportunity to participate in an activation with Barbour during London Fashion Week in September 2026.

Paul Wilkinson, group deputy managing director at Barbour, added: “Tartan has played an important part in Barbour’s story since the company was founded in 1894. This competition gives students the chance to reimagine Barbour’s original and authentic tartans in contemporary shapes and fabrics, while remaining true to our heritage.

“Students will also have the opportunity to collaborate with our design team, gaining invaluable insight into how to balance modernity with authenticity, creating designs that truly embody tartan, a timeless symbol of our brand story.”

When Donald Trump issued an invitation to the White House Rose Garden exactly one year ago, it was already clear to many that something significant was coming. The topic was to be tariffs, “unfair trade” and the American economy. The US president celebrated it as “Liberation Day”. In Germany, the EU and other parts of the world, however, his tariff announcements caused dismay. Many saw the world on the brink of a trade war.

On that day, the US president imposed tariffs on almost the entire world, not even sparing traditional partners. “The friend is in many cases worse than the enemy,” he said. The US economy had been “plundered”, “robbed” and “raped”. Now was the time to fight back.

Since then, governments, companies, consumers and courts have been grappling with the consequences. In a landmark ruling in February, the US Supreme Court largely overturned the tariffs based on their legal foundation. Trump then resorted to the next tariff law. One year later, it remains unclear where Trump's tariff offensive is heading.

These three issues could still slow down Trump's tariff plans.

1. Can Trump's administration keep the tariffs?

For the US administration, the tariffs are important for two reasons. Firstly, the hope is that more companies will establish themselves in the US instead of exporting there. The US trade deficit with the EU, for example, has been a thorn in Trump's side for years.

Secondly, Trump is targeting the revenue from the tariffs to finance tax cuts, among other things. However, it is unclear how much of the tariff revenue will actually benefit the government.

A few weeks ago, a New York court cleared the way for refunds for companies. Importers are entitled to repayments for tariffs already paid, provided they are the duties overturned by the US Supreme Court. According to calculations by the University of Pennsylvania, the amount is approximately 175 billion dollars. This would correspond to about 2.5 percent of the budget. The US logistics group Fedex, among others, filed a lawsuit following the ruling.

2. How reliable is Trump's new tariff instrument?

Immediately after the ruling, Trump had the next tariff tool ready: first 10, then 15 percent. The US president based this on a 1974 trade act that allows him to impose tariffs on imports for up to 150 days. After that, congressional approval would be necessary.

Experts assume, however, that such an extension is unlikely just a few months before the midterm elections in November. The tariffs are unpopular not only with trading partners but also with the domestic population.

It is conceivable that Trump will resort to another law from the summer onwards. His administration recently launched an investigation into whether structural overcapacities among trading partners are detrimental to the US economy, including in individual sectors of the European Union. In the past, the US has used this mechanism to impose punitive tariffs on China.

Regardless of which tariff law Trump ultimately relies on, the Supreme Court's ruling generally sets strict limits on the president's ability to levy tariffs. However, it could take years for the courts to provide clarity, a problem that Trump might no longer face as president.

3. EU parliament demands changes – EU deal remains open

In the EU, a year after “Liberation Day”, the mood is still sombre. Although the community of states managed to avert threatened tariffs of 30 percent after tough negotiations, the EU had to swallow several bitter pills for the deal finalised at the end of July at Trump's golf resort in Turnberry, Scotland.

Additionally, from the EU's perspective, the US has already violated the agreement on several occasions. Just a few weeks after it was concluded, tariffs on more than 400 products containing steel or aluminium were raised from 15 to 50 percent.

The European Parliament, in particular, wants to link points of the agreement to security clauses, thereby forcing Trump to honour his commitments. It also demands that the US reduce the remaining tariffs on EU steel and aluminium derivatives to 15 percent within six months of the agreement coming into force. The US ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, had previously warned the EU against making any further changes to the agreement.

German companies continue to face an uncertain future

The “Liberation Day” tariff shock left clear marks on the German economy. In 2025, exports to the US collapsed, and China replaced the United States as the most important trading partner. “Massive tariff increases, erratic changes and persistent legal uncertainty are noticeably slowing down trade with our most important sales market,” said Melanie Vogelbach, an expert in economic policy at the DIHK.

From the US perspective, the tariffs have also missed their target, said Vogelbach. Direct investment from Germany in the US has declined significantly, and companies intend to reduce it further. “The shift of production to the US at the expense of Europe, as sought by the US administration, is therefore not happening.”

Apparel provider Esprit presented its financial results for the first fiscal year following its major restructuring on Monday. After divesting the majority of its operational business, the parent company, Esprit Holdings Ltd., is now focusing entirely on a licensing model for the once-popular brand. Consequently, losses were significantly lower than in the previous year. However, revenues also saw a considerable decline.

The reported net loss attributable to shareholders shrank from around 1.2 billion Hong Kong dollars (0.15 billion dollars) in 2024 to 20.5 million Hong Kong dollars, following extensive cuts to its business activities. The previous year's figures, however, had included the immense losses from the now-discontinued operations. The loss from continuing operations was reduced from 266.5 million to 42.6 million Hong Kong dollars.

Simultaneously, revenue from continuing operations, which is now generated entirely from licensing income, decreased to 20.5 million Hong Kong dollars. This was less than half of the previous year's figure of 42 million Hong Kong dollars. The company attributed the decline to the loss of licensing income in Europe, which was once the brand's most important market by a significant margin. Esprit sold the brand rights for the region to Deichmann subsidiary Fasbra SE during the insolvency proceedings of its German subsidiaries.

Esprit focuses on China and North America

The company now holds all brand rights for non-European regions. The exception is the brand rights for footwear in the US, which were also sold to Deichmann. The focus is now on rebuilding Esprit's presence in Asia and America in collaboration with local licensing partners. Activities in Greater China and North America are central to this strategy.

Esprit sees opportunities, particularly in the current shift in consumer behaviour. The company explained that consumers continue to value established brands but are shopping more price-consciously due to the overall economic situation. Esprit now aims to further establish itself in this segment within its target markets, using its new, cost-efficient business model.

Carven, owned by Icicle Carven China France (ICCF), a subsidiary of the premium Chinese brand Icicle, has announced the departure of Mark Thomas. He became artistic director following the departure of Louise Trotter and will leave the house at the end of April 2026.

Mark Thomas joined Carven in 2023 as senior designer and Louise Trotter's right-hand. He actively contributed to the house's new stylistic language, which featured a clean silhouette, wearable sophistication and a clear commercial focus.

He succeeded Louise Trotter, who left for Bottega Veneta, becoming artistic director of Carven in March 2025.

“His vision and creations have helped to affirm the brand's identity and style, and to solidly reposition Carven on the fashion scene,” the press release stated.

Mark Thomas or a stylistic continuity started with Louise Trotter

“I would like to sincerely thank everyone I have had the pleasure of working with over the past few years for helping to write new chapters for this beautiful house,” commented Mark Thomas in the statement. “I am deeply grateful to Ms Shawna Tao* and Mr Ye* for the opportunity they have given me, and I have the utmost respect for Madame Carven, who founded the house in 1945. As I look forward to new adventures, I wish the brand every success and a promising future.”

Carven wishes Mark Thomas every success in his future career. The house's next steps will be announced later this year. The next Paris show is scheduled for the spring/summer 2027 season.

• Shawna Tao is the co-founder of the Chinese brand Icicle and head of the ICCF group. ** Mr Ye, co-founder of Icicle and chairman of the ICCF group

Maison Margiela has inaugurated its first show outside of Paris in Shanghai. The brand is also launching a road trip across China, combining collections, exhibitions and activations.

“This is the first time we have held a show outside of Paris,” Glenn Martens, artistic director of Maison Margiela, told FashionUnited in Shanghai. “The brand entered China in 2019, so it was really important for us to do it properly.”

Unveiled on April 1, 2026, during Shanghai Fashion Week, the autumn/winter 2026/2027 show presented both the ready-to-wear and Artisanal collections, some pieces of which will never be produced. Maison Margiela's founding codes are celebrated and revisited: the bianchetto white; the fusion of fabrics; the assembly of disparate materials; and the anonymity of masks.

This will be followed on Thursday, April 2, by a presentation of the artisanal collection, menswear and womenswear ready-to-wear, and the autumn/winter 2026/2026 pre-collection.

Celebrating house codes to optimise development in a growing market

In Shanghai, the show is accompanied by an initial exhibition on the pedestrianised Yan Dang road (Huangpu district). This will be followed by three others.

This unprecedented show in China marks the start of MaisonMargiela/folders, twelve days of exhibitions and activations in four Chinese cities: Shanghai; Beijing, with “Anonymity: Our History of Masks” (from April 7 to 12); Chengdu, with “Tabi: Collectors” (from April 9 to 13); and Shenzhen, with “Bianchetto: Atelier Experience” (on April 11 and 12).

All these events are open to the public without an appointment, with the exception of “Bianchetto: Atelier Experience”. On site, employees dressed in the famous white coat explained the house's codes to visiting passers-by.

“It connects with what Martin did to be in tune with reality: free markets, shows open to everyone. We try to reproduce this through our travelling exhibitions,” adds Martens. “I have already been to China three times for work. This time, however, I fully intend to enjoy my weekend in Beijing.”

The call for entries for Dutch Design Week 2026 is now open, inviting designers, cultural institutions, brands and entrepreneurs to submit projects for the upcoming edition, which takes place from 17 to 25 October in Eindhoven. Applications are open until 16 June, with organisers encouraging submissions that reflect the full spectrum of the design field, from speculative and research-driven work to industrial and hands-on projects.

Organised by the Dutch Design Foundation, the event continues to serve as a global stage for both emerging talent and established names. Previous participants include designers and studios such as Maarten Baas, Studio Drift and Formafantasma, underscoring the event’s role in spotlighting innovative ideas and future-focused perspectives.

To support applicants, open walk-in sessions will be held at the Dutch Design Foundation office on selected dates in April, May and June. According to Miriam van der Lubbe, the initiative comes at a time when design plays a crucial role in addressing social and environmental challenges, positioning Dutch Design Week as a platform where ideas can connect with opportunities and shape new ways forward.

French luxury group Kering announced on Wednesday it has sold a majority stake in a building in Milan to the Qatari Al Mirqab Group for over 1 billion euros (1.15 billion dollars).

Kering announced the acquisition of the building for approximately 1.3 billion euros in April 2024. In a press release on Wednesday, the group stated it is “contributing this asset to a newly formed joint stock company, 80 percent owned by Al Mirqab Group and 20 percent by Kering”.

The luxury giant stated it received 729 million euros upon completion of the transaction, while the additional 432 million euros will be paid five years later.

Located on a corner of Milan's Quadrilatero della Moda, “this 18th-century building is one of the most important on via Monte Napoleone and holds an iconic position in the heart of the city's most prestigious district,” Kering noted in its statement.

The group explained it seeks to secure key locations for its houses while strengthening its financial flexibility.

Kering, which is undergoing a transformation, has previously announced this type of partnership. This includes a portfolio of assets in Paris, such as the Hôtel de Nocé on Place Vendôme and two buildings on Avenue Montaigne, in early 2025. Following this transaction, investment firm Ardian acquired a 60 percent stake in this property portfolio, with Kering retaining the remaining 40 percent.

In December, it signed a new agreement with Ardian for the sale of its building on Fifth Avenue in New York for 766 million euros. In this case too, Kering stated it would hold 40 percent of the joint venture created with Ardian, which owns 60 percent.

The group (Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga...), which saw its net profit fall by more than tenfold in 2025, has been undergoing a restructuring since the arrival in September of its new chief executive officer, Luca de Meo, the former head of Renault.

The US-based Wacoal International Corporation (WIC), which serves as the parent company of Wacoal America, Inc., has announced an agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of Glamorise. Based in New York, Glamorise specializes in the design, development, and e-commerce-driven sales of women’s innerwear.

The strategic move is intended to strengthen the business operations of the Japanese-founded Wacoal group within the US market. By integrating the 105-year legacy of Glamorise, Wacoal aims to enhance its product development capabilities specifically within the larger band and cup size segment.

The acquisition is further designed to establish a profitable business platform by leveraging the digital marketing expertise and proprietary e-commerce operations of the New York firm. This integration is expected to accelerate the expansion of the customer base and enhance overall brand awareness.

Integration of digital commerce and size inclusivity

Wacoal, founded in Japan in 1949 and launched in the US in 1985, has positioned itself as a category leader in department and specialty stores. The group emphasizes technical innovation and high-quality materials, supported by a national team of fit consultants.

The acquisition of Glamorise allows Wacoal to build stronger direct-to-consumer (DTC) capabilities. By utilizing the digital know-how of the acquired entity, the group intends to drive further growth and profitability across its entire portfolio.

Wacoal America president and chief executive officer, Mitch Kauffman, stated: “This acquisition greatly enhances Wacoal's position and experience in the digital commerce space and enables us to serve more women than ever before.”

Strategic alignment of brand heritage

The partnership unites two long-standing entities within the intimates sector. Glamorise CEO, Jon Pundyk, noted that the agreement begins a new chapter that joins the history of the brand regarding size inclusivity with the technical excellence of the Wacoal group.

Pundyk expressed that the collaboration is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of every woman through a shared vision of premium quality and superior fit. The transaction marks a significant step in the evolution of the group as it shifts toward a more digital-centric business model.

The hosiery and apparel supplier Falke KGaA, based in Schmallenberg in the Sauerland region of Germany, celebrated its 130th anniversary last year. The family business now employs the fifth generation and combines traditional craftsmanship values with continuous product development. The range includes sheer tights, trainer socks and functional textiles, as well as compression and shaping items.

FashionUnited spoke with Franz-Peter Falke, great-grandson of the founder Franz Falke-Rohen, about current challenges, what makes a brand, logistics, sales development and more. As a managing partner, he runs the company together with his cousin Paul Falke Jr. and CEO Martin Winkler.

You are leading a company with a 131-year history through a time of multiple crises (supply chains, energy prices, purchasing power). what specific virtues of a family business are proving to be your most important anchor?

Our company was founded in 1895. We have experienced many highs and lows over the decades. We have overcome these challenges through a traditional yet forward-looking approach. Our success is also due to our curiosity and openness to global developments, which has allowed us to help shape the future. Our family business signifies not only tradition but also a commitment to a modern approach towards our employees and the society we live in.

As a family business, we do not think and act in terms of short-term success, but in generations. Against this backdrop, we see crises not only as negative but also as an opportunity to proactively adapt to new situations time and again.

Supply chain issues are a major topic at the moment. We have established long-standing, positive relationships with our stakeholders, developing shared expertise and trust. This enables us to ensure a degree of stability and, consequently, a degree of independence.

You manufacture very close to or within Europe, specifically in Germany.

We believe in manufacturing as close to our sales markets as possible. The complexity of our product range, combined with our high quality standards, makes it difficult to outsource individual processes without compromising our brand promise.

They say perfection is in the details. what seemingly insignificant detail in a Falke product is, for you personally, proof of the highest quality?

You have to consider the entire process and the interconnectedness of the supply chain. This includes everything from yarn development with spinners to development with machine manufacturers, and most importantly, our internal expertise. We develop for the future together. These diverse inputs are crucial for our capacity for innovation.

It is not possible to single out one element. The combination, the sum of all parts, is what ultimately creates uniqueness. Every individual and every link in the chain must be perfectly coordinated to secure long-term trust and appreciation for the brand. This is a major challenge.

Competition from the Far East is flooding the market with products that offer little to no brand promise. how do you view this issue?

A brand is independent of the product itself; it operates on a different level. Many companies can make good products, but they lack the essence of what constitutes a ‘brand’. This essence is built on affinity. An exclusive focus on the product and its promise is no longer the sole decisive competitive factor. It remains a very important factor, the foundation of the promise. However, brand desirability and consumer trust are increasingly playing out on an emotional and affinity-based level.

At Falke, we have a triad of values. Alongside our quality promise, innovation is crucial. This innovation requires creativity in all areas, not just from designers but at every stage and in every part of the company. We cannot create a brand ourselves; we are made into a brand by our consumers. This is achieved through credibility, the trust built over many years and the affinity of our customers. The more consistently we pursue this, the more stable we become. Our mission is to create modern clothing for modern people.

You said that a company is made into a brand by its consumers. could you elaborate on that a little?

As a family business, we have our own mission and values that we live by, which are upheld by all employees across generations. Our mission, “to make modern clothing for modern people,” sounds very abstract and ambitious. When we delve into its deeper meaning, we see that modernity implies a constantly self-changing objective for any given period; the goal itself evolves. The understanding of modernity was different in 1950 than in 1980, and it is different again today. The core values of the brand, however, are a fixed point in a constantly changing world.

When we are curious and have the openness and passion to be a market leader that shapes the industry, rather than just a follower, our mission becomes a sort of “perpetuum mobile”. It presents a challenge and a responsibility to shape the company. Living our values and attitudes results in an offering that becomes synonymous with what the Falke brand represents to people.

In an inflationary environment, consumer spending is under pressure. how do you convey ‘value for money’ to customers when a pair of socks is priced significantly above the market average?

Our goal as a company is to offer “fair value” to our customers. This value is comprised of product performance and the appreciation for our brand. This appreciation ultimately leads to value creation, which allows us to ensure the company's viability.

Innovation and creativity require talented people who stay with a company long-term. do you face challenges with this in Schmallenberg, given that it is not Milan, Hamburg or Munich?

I see creativity as multidimensional. It stems from individual departments and from the collaboration between all departments and employees. We have employees who have been with us for generations. They not only possess technical expertise but also share a passion for continuous improvement. This identity, ingrained in our employees, is what makes us unique as a company and as a brand. A “brand” cannot be understood on a purely rational level; a “brand” must be felt, irrespective of location.

We must delve deep into the brand and understand its culture. It is also important to immerse ourselves in different cultures worldwide to fulfil our claim to modernity. In Germany, we often talk about the strength of the Mittelstand and craftsmanship. Sociologically, we have always been a nation of innovators. Their primary motivation was not initially to make money, but to prove to themselves that they could always improve something.

On the topic of globalisation, Falke operates as a global player in over 60 countries. how do you balance the need for global scale with the ‘Made in Germany’ or ‘Made in Europe’ promise that is core to your brand identity?

In my view, our European culture is unique and a great asset in global competition.

I am against the ‘Made in Germany’ and ‘Made in Europe’ labels. Other countries and nations are equally competitive. We therefore focus on our core brand, our brand values and our vision. Through brand appeal, we attract a ‘like-minded’ global customer base that we concentrate on.

Could you elaborate a little on the expansion of logistics in Schmallenberg? does this mean hiring new employees or investing in technology and automation?

Schmallenberg continues to be a development centre and creative hub.

Consumer behaviour and their purchasing habits have changed dramatically in recent years. We are experiencing serious structural weaknesses in the retail sector, which continues to be of great importance to us. The e-commerce sector is becoming increasingly important and now accounts for a significant share of our business.

This leads to increased complexity due to smaller shipments, requiring greater precision and speed. It demands new solutions in our logistics structure. Ensuring this requires significant financial investment, not only in technology but also in people.

So, if I understand correctly, a large proportion of goods are actually dispatched from Schmallenberg.

That is correct. The entire process, from yarn to finished product, is controlled in Schmallenberg. The quality of the yarns is checked here before they are sent to the various production sites. The finished products are then returned to Schmallenberg and dispatched to customers worldwide from there.

That is impressive. will you continue to invest in logistics in Schmallenberg?

The increasing complexity I mentioned can only be managed efficiently by people to a certain extent. Major investments in data collection and management, in particular, enable us to handle this complexity.

The human factor, however, remains crucial. Many things cannot be automated. The skills of our employees and their teamwork are still a decisive factor for our quantitative and qualitative productivity. The “craftsmanship mindset” of all our employees allows us to differentiate our offering and enables us to continually renew our brand promise.

How do you see sales developing over the next few years, especially after the decline in recent years?

As our company's history shows, there are always highs and lows. I believe that by living our core mission intensively and acting with caution, we are on the right path to achieving our ultimate goal: ensuring the long-term viability of our company.

Turnover is not everything. The crucial factor is sustainable value creation, which allows us to continuously invest in our future and secure our viability as a company.

How do US tariffs or the new EU free trade agreement with India affect a company like Falke?

All tariffs are inherently negative. They do not help with the global networking of societies, and they are certainly not helpful for globalisation. The rise of protectionism worldwide hinders business and prosperity. Yes, we face challenges with tariffs that are economically damaging to us.

We see new free trade agreements as an opportunity. The more freely we can operate as a company for the benefit of society, the more effectively we can conduct our business.

For a long time, the role of a fashion salesperson followed a strictly transactional logic: welcome, present, and close the sale. This function was clear and focused on immediate results, and it certainly proved its worth. Today, however, it no longer aligns with the reality of contemporary retail.

In 2026, the point-of-sale is no longer merely a distribution channel. It has become a key strategic space, a crucial intersection where brand image, loyalty, and customer experience are forged. Within this new paradigm, the sales advisor is undergoing a profound transformation. They are shedding the simple role of a commercial player to embrace the much richer one of a brand ambassador.

This change is far from anecdotal; it signifies a major structural transformation. It encapsulates new consumer expectations, the rise of technology, and the repositioning of brick and mortar retail at the heart of the fashion ecosystem.

Customer who no longer needs convincing, but understanding

Today's consumer arrives in-store with an unprecedented level of information. They have researched online, compared prices, viewed collections and, in many cases, already interacted with the brand across various channels. The boutique is no longer the first point of contact. It is now a single step in a complex omnichannel journey.

In this context, the value of a sales advisor no longer lies in their ability to explain the product. Instead, it rests on their capacity to understand customer expectations, add meaning, and enrich the experience.

A major evolution in purchasing motivations also contributes to this shift. Particularly in the premium and luxury segments, customers are not just seeking a product. They are looking for an experience that is consistent with the brand's universe, expecting advice, personalisation, and a highly emotional interaction.

More technology, higher demands… and a greater human touch

The integration of in-store technology has been a primary driver of retail's transformation. Clienteling tools, access to global stock, advanced payment solutions, and artificial intelligence have all helped to optimise operations and raise standards.

Far from replacing the sales advisor, this evolution has actually strengthened their role. The more efficient technology becomes, the more apparent the value of the human touch is.

The ability to build trust, read between the lines, adapt one's approach, and establish an authentic connection remains irreplaceable. This context gives rise to the “virtuoso advisor”: a professional who combines commercial expertise, relational intelligence, and a deep understanding of the brand's world.

Key skills of the virtuoso advisor

Being a “virtuoso advisor” is not simply about higher performance; it is about embodying a new definition of the profession.

Emotional intelligence as a central pillar

Every client is unique and requires a bespoke approach. The best advisors can quickly decipher expectations, adjust their stance, and create a seamless, natural rapport.

Clienteling as a long-term vision

Performance is no longer limited to the immediate sale. The advisor builds a lasting relationship, nurtures the connection, and anticipates future needs. Client retention has become a key strategic lever in daily operations.

Mastery of brand storytelling

In an environment where products are easily accessible, storytelling becomes a key differentiator. The advisor embodies the brand, conveying its history, values, and identity, thereby transforming every interaction into an experience.

Technological agility

Digital tools are now an integral part of the daily in-store routine. The advisor must use them seamlessly, not as a constraint, but as a tool to enrich the customer experience.

Expanded performance culture

Performance indicators are evolving. Beyond conversion rates, they now include the quality of the relationship, client retention, and long-term customer value. The advisor, therefore, adopts a genuine business-oriented perspective.

New definition of talent in retail

This transformation of the role profoundly redefines the criteria for recruitment and talent development. The profile of a “good sales advisor” as it was once known is no longer sufficient.

Brands are now seeking hybrid profiles: professionals who can combine aesthetic sensibility, emotional intelligence, and a results-driven focus. They are looking for talent capable of representing the brand, building connections, and generating long-term value.

Furthermore, one factor is gaining increasing importance: the ability to envision a long-term career in retail. The sector is progressively establishing itself as a genuine path for professional development, particularly within the premium and luxury segments.

Revaluing retail: a strategic challenge

Retail still suffers from a somewhat reductive perception, often viewed as a temporary stopgap rather than a career choice. This perspective, however, is increasingly out of step with the reality of the industry.

Working in fashion retail today means operating in a demanding, dynamic, and constantly evolving environment. The role requires a diverse skill set, a strong capacity for adaptation, and a high level of interpersonal excellence.

The virtuoso advisor embodies this new generation of talent: well-rounded professionals who stand at the intersection of performance, emotion, and strategy.

Beyond the sale: true competitive advantage

At a time when digitalisation has facilitated product access and standardised certain aspects of the shopping experience, differentiation now depends on the quality of human interaction.

The brick and mortar store is not disappearing; it is transforming into a space for brand expression, embodied by the people who represent it every day. In this context, the real challenge for retail in 2026 is not solely technological; it is profoundly human. Highlighting, training, and retaining these professionals has become a major strategic lever. Ultimately, memorable experiences are what build strong brands. In this equation, the virtuoso advisor is no longer an exception but has become the new standard.

George Cleverley is Mayfair's only shoemaker to have been hand-lasting shoes since 1958, making it one of London's most storied names. The brand's signature chisel toe and razor-sharp silhouette have graced the feet of some of the world's most discerning men, from historical figures like Winston Churchill to today's collectors who appreciate the mastery in every detail. This film goes behind the scenes to meet the dedicated craftsmen—the last, the leather, and the legend—who uphold the George Cleverley legacy.

Madrid – The upcoming 37th edition of the 080 Barcelona Fashion runway, scheduled to take place from April 14 to 17, has seen its international presence diminished. This follows the withdrawal of US fashion brand Luar from the schedule. The event had been relying on the brand to help boost its profile as an international platform.

The management of 080 Barcelona Fashion itself announced the news. This contradicts what was stated during the official presentation of the upcoming 37th edition of the event, which took place just one week ago. With only 12 days until the event begins, the fashion brand Luar will not be participating in the schedule for this first edition of the 2026 runway. The absence is attributed to “force majeure”, although the specific reasons why the brand and its founder and creative director, New York-based designer of Dominican origin, Raúl López, will not be participating have not been disclosed.

Following this, 080 stated in a press release: “We inform you that the fashion brand Luar will not be able to take part in the show schedule for the April edition of 080 Barcelona Fashion”. The non-attendance and participation is due to “force majeure, beyond the control of both the organisation and the brand itself”.

Schedule adjustments

As highlighted during the aforementioned official presentation of this 37th edition of 080, Luar was set to be one of the main protagonists of the upcoming event. The brand's position in the fashion industry has been steadily growing since it dressed Lady Gaga for the historic halftime show at the last Super Bowl, where she performed as part of the show headlined by Bad Bunny.

For this edition, 080 was hoping to boost its international profile, particularly with Luar's participation. This was alongside other anticipated events like the debut of Adolfo Domínguez on the Barcelona circuit. Other international participants include Nazzal Studio, the fashion and art studio by emerging Jordanian-Palestinian designer Sylwia Nazzal; and David Catalán, the fashion brand by the eponymous Spanish designer based in Portugal. Catalán is becoming a regular at Milan Men's Fashion Week, where he presented his autumn/winter 2026/2027 collection on the official schedule last January.

Luar's absence not only diminishes the event's international aspirations but also necessitates a readjustment of the schedule planned by the organisation. According to an announcement from the 080 management at the beginning of March, Luar was originally scheduled to close the shows on the third and penultimate day of runway presentations, Thursday, April 16. The event organisers will announce the new schedule for this edition “in the coming days”. It now appears that a total of 25 brands and designers will ultimately participate, pending further notice.

Following Luar's withdrawal, “in the coming days, 080 Barcelona Fashion will communicate the corresponding updates to the official show schedule for the upcoming edition,” which will proceed as planned “from April 14 to 17 at Port Vell” in Barcelona. The statement concluded by addressing Luar directly: “080 Barcelona Fashion hopes to have their participation in future editions, a sentiment shared by the brand”.

Dubai – Louis Vuitton, Dior, Louboutin... In Dubai's Mall of the Emirates, one luxury boutique follows another. A month into the regional war, their teams of unoccupied salespeople watch for customers or scroll through their phones out of boredom.

Having just left Chanel, a rare customer who wishes to remain anonymous is adamant that people “should not come” to Dubai right now. “It’s dangerous, there’s a war. It’s different for me, I’m from here. If I die, I die with my family,” she explains. She is dressed in a black robe and niqab, with an orange bag from the Hermès boutique opposite on her arm.

The impeccably dressed salespeople say they have been instructed not to speak. One of them, however, briefly describes the general atmosphere. “Of course there are fewer customers, but this is felt most among tourists; locals continue to visit. Fortunately, we have a large local clientele, so no one is panicking”.

Dubai's patiently cultivated image as a safe haven for wealthy expatriates and a temple of luxury shopping took a blow. This happened when Iranian missiles and drones struck its landmarks at the beginning of the conflict, which was triggered by the Israeli-American offensive against Iran.

Tourists fled, and the luxury industry turned to positive thinking. An industry insider, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that “the prevailing feeling”, after the initial “shock”, “is that the situation is temporary and will resolve quickly”.

"Fashion avenue"

The market share of the Middle East, one of the few growing regions, is significant. It accounts for between 6 and 8 percent of brands' global turnover, according to analysts at Bernstein.

They estimate that luxury sales in the region for March will be halved. This is mainly due to the drop in tourism, both for visitors and those in transit, with major hubs like the airports in Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi either closed or operating at reduced capacity these days.

More than half of the region's luxury boutiques are located in Saudi Arabia and the Emirates. The most profitable and highest-selling of these are gathered in the Dubai Mall, another of the city's imposing shopping centres.

With its waterfalls, giant aquarium, 1,200 stores and over 110 million annual visitors, this behemoth of bling boasts of being the most visited place on the planet.

There are no guided tourist groups on this late March Saturday evening, but the regulars are here. Customers seem more eager to enter the newly opened low-cost retailer Primark than the spectacular and glittering “Fashion avenue”, which houses the giant luxury boutiques.

Like Covid

To avoid “creating unnecessary concern” or harming the “reputation” of the Emirates, property developer Emaar has forbidden retailers from closing or reducing their opening hours. The industry insider interviewed by AFP claims that luxury brands requesting this were threatened with lease termination.

Their footfall has “collapsed”, according to Bernstein analysts, and several brands have reassigned their salespeople to online clienteling. They say the strategy has proven particularly effective in a region full of wealthy clients “with nothing else to do but shop”, much like “during Covid”.

Hoping for a swift end to the conflict, the industry is also counting on a “revenge spending” phenomenon from “relieved” customers. The industry insider analyses that “the key is the return of tourists”.

According to the insider, the worst-case scenario is a prolonged conflict with sporadic attacks on the Gulf, which would risk permanently affecting Dubai's appeal.

At the Mall of the Emirates, nestled between luxury retailers, the famous and imposing artificial ski slope is just as deserted. Faces buried in their parkas to withstand the sub-zero temperatures, employees wait around while the ski lift runs almost empty. They are all waiting for the tourists to return.

American fashion and lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger, known for its preppy “American cool” aesthetic, is continuing to drive forward with its fashion-tainment strategy, combining sports, fashion and entertainment, by adding NFL star Travis Kelce to its roster as it looks to target the growing pre-game tunnel walk.

Tommy Hilfiger has a 40-year legacy of partnering with athletes, teams, and events across motorsport, football (soccer), sailing, golf, and snow sports, as well as TV and movie stars, including F1 legend Lewis Hamilton, tennis champion Rafael Nadal, actress Zendaya, actor Damson Idris, and even Liverpool Football Club.

In a statement, the brand, owned by part of PVH Corp., said that Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and three-time Super Bowl champion, and fiancé to pop sensation Taylor Swift, known for his bold game-day looks, was a “defining voice of his generation,” and would be working with the brand as a global ambassador as well as a creative collaborator.

“Travis Kelce is one of the most magnetic figures in sport and culture today,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “He is at the forefront of a new generation of athletes expressing themselves through style, with a down-to-earth quality that people immediately connect with. I’m excited to see how he brings his fearless, fun-loving and bold take on ‘Prep Made Current’ to fans around the world.”

The collaboration, which will begin in the autumn, is much more than just a face of a campaign; it is a multi-season partnership, which will see Kelce starring in campaigns, as well as co-designing menswear and accessories that will reimagine and elevate Tommy icons.

Tommy Hilfiger to tap into the “tunnel-walk” effect with Travis Kelce partnership

This isn’t Kelce’s first foray into fashion, the NFL star has his own sportswear and lifestyle brand Tru Kolors, founded in 2019, rooted in the “joy of dressing for the moment; from golden hours, to game days and to courtside nights,” which fuses varsity nostalgia with streetstyle apparel with T-shirts, jackets, crewnecks, joggers, and accessories. Kelce’s brand also launched a limited-edition collection with retailer American Eagle last summer.

No details have been revealed about what Kelce’s collection with Tommy Hilfiger will look like, just that he will be “refreshing ‘Prep Made Current’ through his vibrant lens,” drawing from his “bold, personal point of view,” which he brings to the tunnel-walk and red carpet.

Commenting on the collaboration, Kelce added: “I’ve long admired Tommy Hilfiger as an iconic American brand. Ever since high school, when I used to ask my mom to buy Sailing Gear jackets, I’ve been drawn towards the brand’s confident style and, over the years, have respected its ability to be classic and consistent while still evolving.

“Getting to work with Tommy and put my own twist on timeless pieces, in a way that feels original for today, is a dream come true.”

It is a clever move from Tommy Hilfiger to add Kelce to its growing roster of collaborators, as he helps align the brand with the NFL, which is increasingly integrating fashion and retail activations, as seen at the Super Bowl in February, which included fashion shows, designer collaborations and sustainability workshops. A partnership with the NFL itself isn’t currently possible, as US retailer Abercrombie & Fitch signed a multi-year deal last August to become the league’s official fashion partner, but with Kelce, they add themselves into the NFL landscape, as well as being in close proximity to Taylor Swift and her influence.

Travis Kelce to co-design his own collection with Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger’s fashion-tainment strategy is working, as the fashion and lifestyle brand reported that its revenue increased by 3.9 percent to 4.77 billion US dollars in its most recent financial year, which ended on February 1.

Kelce joining the brand follows several sports tie-ups in recent years, including a landmark partnership with Liverpool FC, as the football club’s official global partner. The deal sees Tommy Hilfiger dressing Liverpool FC’s men’s and women’s players to evolve the tunnel walk in the Premier League, including bespoke head-to-toe looks for players and key backroom staff, as well as the club showcasing curated Tommy Hilfiger collections, including the brand’s apparel, denim, accessories, and footwear across campaigns and select match days.

Tommy Hilfiger also strengthened its ties with Formula 1 with a multi-year apparel and lifestyle sponsorship deal with Cadillac, the new Formula 1 team backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors, which joined the grid this season, after it previously had ties to Mercedes-AMG F1 and collaborated with F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.

As official apparel partners, the Cadillac F1 team kits feature Tommy Hilfiger's signature design and iconography, with the designer fashion brand’s logo displayed on the car, driver suits and helmets. The brand also launched a fanwear collection in February with pieces mirroring the official team kit, including driver caps, T-shirts and polos.

Tommy Hilfiger, which states the collaboration with Cadillac F1 will set “a new standard for lifestyle partnerships in the sport,” will also include city-inspired race specials that capture the energy of Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas, built around themes of heritage and character, highlighting the team’s identity, race locations, and drivers.

The brand also stepped into the world of basketball in February 2025 with a new collaboration with sports lifestyle brand ’47, celebrating five National Basketball Association (NBA) teams, the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and New York Knicks.

French company Reju has been awarded a 135 million euro (156.6 million dollars) subsidy from the Dutch government to advance its plans for a recycling centre in Limburg. The company, which is owned by the French tech firm Technip Energies, announced the development in a press release.

The funds originate from the National Investment Scheme for Climate Projects in Industry (NIKI). This programme is designed to scale up innovative tech solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Dutch industry. The application period opened last summer with a total available budget of 211 million euros, meaning Reju has been awarded over half of the total amount.

The new facility will be located at the Chemelot industrial park in Sittard-Geleen. It is designed to recycle post-consumer textiles made from hard-to-recycle, mixed fabrics, which are typically polyester blends. Reju claims its technology can convert these materials into new textiles.

According to the company, this process reduces carbon dioxide emissions by approximately half compared to the production of virgin polyester. Reju reports that the subsidy finalises the investment decision for the Limburg project. The plans were first announced last May.

US brand management giant Authentic Brands Group has reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Converse should Nike decide to divest the footwear label, according to a Bloomberg report.

The media outlet stated that while no formal talks were currently underway, the interest from Authentic, the parent company of brands like Reebok and Champion, comes as Converse continues to face a challenging fiscal period.

The brand’s performance has significantly lagged behind the broader Nike portfolio. For the quarter ended November 30, 2025, Converse reported a 30 percent drop in sales to 300 million dollars. In contrast, Nike’s overall sales were up 1 percent during the same period. An analyst cited by Bloomberg suggests Converse could see a further 26 percent drop in sales for the most recent quarter.

Despite Converse’s status, and the enduring popularity of its Chuck Taylor shoe model, the brand has struggled to maintain momentum. In response, Nike has attempted several revival strategies, including integrating comfort technology into classic models, re-entering the professional basketball market, and implementing international reorganisations.

Nike’s chief executive officer Elliott Hill acknowledged receiving inquiries regarding a potential sale, yet reaffirmed that the US sportswear giant was committed to the brand, stating that Converse remains a core part of the group’s roster. For Authentic, however, Converse would align with its model of rebuilding brands through global licensing and commercial partnerships.

Farfetch has released its latest index, utilising internal sales data and global search volumes from 2025 to identify the products redefining luxury wardrobes in 2026. The findings highlight a significant market shift toward “wearable luxury”, a reference to items that balance cultural prestige and everyday utility.

In footwear, the Adidas Samba emerged as the most in-demand item globally, amassing over 52.3 million searches. Its transition from a sports classic to a luxury staple points at a broader trend toward low-profile, retro-inspired trainers. Following closely is the New Balance 9060, with nearly 48 million searches, exhibited a continued interest in exaggerated, technical midsoles. Other high-performers include the Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 and the Maison Margiela Replica.

In the clothing category, the Moncler Maya jacket holds the top spot with over 1.1 million searches. The Index notes that its high-gloss finish and functional down filling make it a "statement" for modern winter wardrobes. The Max Mara Teddy Coat also remains a dominant investment piece, alongside "quiet luxury" essentials like the Ami de Cœur T-Shirt from Ami Paris and Comme des Garçons Play Heart-Patch T-Shirt.

For accessories, the data reflects a reliability-first approach. In bags, the Longchamp Le Pliage leads with over two million searches, valued for its foldable, lightweight design. The Coach Tabby and Marc Jacobs The Tote follow as top-tier "daily drivers”. Prada’s Symbole sunglasses are the leading accessory for eyewear, followed by the Tom Ford Bronson, both favoured for their architectural, face-framing structures.

Doralice Belli, head of merchandising at Farfetch, noted that these high-demand products succeed by complementing existing personal styles rather than replacing them. The Index concludes that the most successful luxury items in 2026 are those that "slot easily into real wardrobes" across work, travel, and leisure.

Following Simone Rocha, Dsm Kei Ninomiya and Danish brand Sunflower, there will be another special guest for Pitti Uomo, the trade fair scheduled in Florence from June 16 to 19. This is JiyongKim, the brand named after South Korean designer Jiyong Kim, who stood out among the top talents at the 2024 edition of the Lvmh Prize. During Pitti Uomo, JiyongKim will present its vision through a project-event conceived for Florence and created in its distinctive style at the Fortezza da Basso. The special event is supported by the Fondazione Pitti Discovery and the Korea Creative Content Agency.

“Participating as a special guest at Pitti Uomo in June is both an honour and a significant moment. For JiyongKim, clothing is not seen as something static, but as something that evolves over time and through exposure. Our ‘Sun-Bleach’ process allows natural forces to shape each garment, leaving unique and unrepeatable marks behind,” said Jiyong Kim, in a note.

“For this project, instead of a single moment, we have envisioned an exhibition where clothes, space and time can interact together. Moving away from the traditional runway show format, we aim to offer a more immersive and layered experience. Our goal is to present work that continuously interacts with its surroundings, always remaining open to change,” added the South Korean designer.

“We felt it was important to bring his fresh approach to the second life of materials to Pitti Uomo, in relation to the incessant flow of time. Each garment is conceived as a cog in a sustainable, yet unrepeatable, natural cycle. It is an authorial intervention that transforms vintage fabrics and garments into unique pieces, with signs of transience and references to the climate crisis. Jiyong Kim’s is therefore an artistic and slow fashion ideology, which enhances the authenticity of experience and transforms it into beauty,” added Francesca Tacconi, special events coordinator at Pitti Immagine.

JiyongKim is a brand that challenges fashion conventions through an experimental and rebellious perspective, following an unprecedented aesthetic. Alongside the ‘sun-bleach’ technique, the brand creates unique garments with special workmanship and experimental silhouettes. This technique eliminates chemical treatments, relying exclusively on natural forces. For several months, fabrics are exposed to sunlight and the elements, allowing a natural fading linked to atmospheric alteration to emerge.

The design is based on the in-depth study of the human body and garment structure, to be translated according to 3D modelling.

In Pictures

Luxury Australian fashion brand Camilla has unveiled a capsule collection in collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, celebrating fashion as “wearable art”.

The capsule collection, launching on April 7, features womenswear, menswear and accessories in six original prints, inspired by works of art in The Met and its interior, including cascading gowns, tailoring and separates, crafted from rich silk satin, silk georgette, chiffon and cotton velvet.

Camilla Franks, founder and creative director at Camilla, said in a statement: “Not all art was meant to stand still. It was meant to move: to live, to dance, to be worn.

“This collection honours art as a living, breathing thing. These pieces are wild and soulful, made to be adored, admired, and loved into oblivion. This is history with a heartbeat, dressed for a new era.”

At the heart of the collection is a selection of “Camilla collectables,” with intricately embellished, “statement-making” creations available in limited numbers, which have been designed for “the special moments in life”.

Franks added: “The Met is a place where the past has a pulse. I wandered labyrinths of inspiration, soaking up centuries of rich textiles, tapestries, hand-painted porcelain, and intricate jewellery.

“This collection pays homage to the museum’s grandeur while bringing both its spirit and some of its most illustrious treasures to life in a way that’s joyful, bold, and utterly rich.”

The Met x Camilla collection will be available in select Camilla boutiques and wholesale partners, as well as online. Dresses range from 600 to 3,500 Australian dollars, with a limited number of pinnacle designs priced up to 6,000 Australian dollars.

British heritage brands worn by Queen Elizabeth II are collaborating with the Royal Collection Trust, a charity and department of the Royal Household, to launch new pieces to celebrate the centenary of her birth, all tied together through the ‘Old Stewart Tartan,’ inspired by the Scottish landscape.

The centenary collection will see items from Burberry, Launer London, Kinloch Anderson, Corgi Socks, Dents, Floris and Fulton Umbrellas, all of which are current or past Royal Warrant Holders and were brands frequently worn by Queen Elizabeth II throughout her life.

The range has been designed to accompany the ‘Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style’ exhibition, opening on April 10 at The King’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, which will be the largest exhibition of the late monarch’s clothing and accessories ever staged.

Highlights from the centenary collection include new iterations of Launer London’s black Traviata bag and green Judi bag, featuring tartan linings supplied by Kinloch Anderson. The heritage brand supplied the Queen with handmade handbags for more than 50 years and was granted a Royal Warrant in 1968, and three of its bags from the Queen’s personal collection will be on show as part of the exhibition.

Kinloch Anderson, the Scottish experts in tartans, Highland dress and kiltmaking, which held Queen Elizabeth II’s Royal Warrant of Appointment for tailoring and kiltmaking for the duration of her reign, has designed several tartans for the Royal Household, including the Old Stewart Tartan. New pieces created for the centenary include a lambswool throw made in Scotland, a silk pocket square and a silk tie, all in the Old Stewart Tartan.

Corgi Socks, run by the fifth and sixth generations of the Jones family in Carmarthenshire, Wales, has designed handfinished socks in the Old Stewart Tartan pattern, while family-owned Floris, the only perfumer to hold a Royal Warrant from the Queen, has crafted a centenary edition of night scented jasmine eau de toilette, presented in bespoke packaging decorated with the Old Stewart Tartan.

Fulton Umbrellas, which became known for supplying the Queen with transparent ‘Birdcage’ umbrellas, has designed a new clear birdcage-shaped umbrella with an Old Stewart Tartan trim, and Dents, which created gloves for Her late Majesty throughout her 70-year reign, has crafted traditionally made leather gloves in a choice of green or navy, presented in a box featuring the Old Stewart Tartan.

These pieces add to Burberry’s capsule collection announced last month, featuring pieces inspired by the Queen’s wardrobe, including a long gabardine car coat tailored in Yorkshire, a cashmere scarf woven in Scotland, a silk twill scarf with a hand-painted depiction of Balmoral Castle and a gold-plated brooch in the shape of a corgi. A new holly green colourway of the Burberry House Check has also been created especially for the capsule to honour Queen Elizabeth II and is inspired by the Old Stewart Tartan.

Products in the Royal Warrant Holder collaboration ranges can be purchased online from Royalcollectionshop.co.uk and in Royal Collection Trust Shops in London, Edinburgh and Windsor. The Burberry collaboration is also available in Burberry shops worldwide and online, while the Launer London collaboration is also available from the Launer London showroom and online. The Kinloch Anderson products will be available from early April and the Fulton Umbrellas birdcage umbrella is available exclusively from Royal Collection Trust Shops in London, Edinburgh and Windsor.

Denim manufacturer Calik Denim has appointed Eray Karaduman as general manager, as it looks to realise its long-term vision of expanding its global impact across key markets, including the US, Europe, and the Far East.

Calik Denim, known for its innovation and sustainability, is looking to the future with a new sustainability framework, ‘Passion for Denim, Passion for Life,’ which positions responsible production not as an initiative, but as a core business model under new general manager Karaduman.

In a statement, Calik Denim said its renewed strategic focus will see the company rethinking “every layer of denim manufacturing to build a more resilient and future-ready ecosystem,” from raw material sourcing to advanced production technologies.

A key milestone is the company’s Net Zero roadmap, which sees Calik Denim reinforcing its transition toward a lower-carbon future and reducing its emissions across the entire value chain, supported by science-based targets and investments in renewable energy and low-impact technologies.

“Calik Denim has a strong heritage, but more importantly, a powerful and exciting future ahead,” said Karaduman. “Our focus is clear: to lead the transformation of denim through innovation, responsible production, and a globally connected mindset. We are not only adapting to change, we are actively shaping it.”

Its new vision will be showcased in the brand’s autumn/winter 2027/28 ‘Earth Echoes’ collection launching at the Kingpins Show Amsterdam on April 15-16. ‘Earth Echoes’ draws inspiration from nature’s internal balance and hidden structures, added Calik, bringing together advanced material engineering and innovative fibre compositions to offer “a new perspective on how denim can evolve both technically and aesthetically”.

Karaduman added: “Our upcoming collection, Earth Echoes, reflects our vision of combining advanced engineering with a more natural, intuitive understanding of materials. It represents not only where denim is today, but where it is heading.”

Madrid – Spanish footwear and fashion brand Flabelus is setting its sights on the UK. It aims to unlock its full growth potential in the market with the help of logistics company Bleckmann. The brand has just appointed Bleckmann as its exclusive partner for all its logistics operations in the British market.

With a presence in the UK through both physical and online channels, Flabelus stands out today as one of the most vibrant and burgeoning new voices in the Spanish fashion ecosystem. Since its founding in 2020, the brand has operated both nationally and internationally. It sells its footwear and fashion collections globally through its online channel and in over 42 countries via a growing physical retail network. This network consists of both multi-brand points-of-sale and monobrand stores operating under the Flabelus name. Among these boutiques are 31 company-owned stores that the brand has opened in the last six years since its creation by entrepreneur Beatriz de los Mozos. These are located in countries such as Spain, the US, Mexico, Portugal, Italy, France and the UK, in demanding cities like Madrid, New York, Mexico City, Lisbon, Milan, Paris and London. These stores are part of a wider network of over 700 locations worldwide where Flabelus' collections, primarily footwear, are currently sold.

In this context of sustained global growth and expansion, the logistics operations required to maintain Flabelus's operations optimally are particularly demanding. This is crucial for ensuring an equally optimal shopping experience for its growing customer base. These demands are even more pronounced in the British market. This is due to the company's diversified operations in the UK, where it is active across retail, multi-brand and online channels, and the disruption to imports caused by Brexit. While Brexit maintains preferential treatment for imports from the European Union to the UK with zero percent tariffs, it still requires a series of bureaucratic procedures that slow down the import process. Faced with this complex scenario and its challenges, Flabelus has decided to appoint Bleckmann as its “exclusive logistics partner” for the UK.

“Prioritising the customer at every stage has been fundamental to our growth,” stated María Fernándes-Álva de Zunzunegui, global operations director at Flabelus. “For this reason, and to continue honouring that commitment, we demand the same level of excellence from our partners.” She added that based on this demand, “Bleckmann has demonstrated the ideal balance between logistics expertise and a commitment to service excellence,” which is why the operator was chosen as Flabelus's “exclusive logistics partner” for the British market.

“Fast-growing brands need a partner who can manage the entire process, from freight transport and customs to warehousing, last-mile delivery and returns,” added Fernando Sainz Martínez-Vara de Rey, business development director at Bleckmann. “That is precisely our role,” he continued, highlighting the logistics operator's position as a leading partner in this field, especially for fashion and lifestyle brands. He emphasised that they aim to support these brands with their services so that “they can focus fully on growing”.

Operations centre in Burton

As a result of the partnership with Bleckmann, all of Flabelus's logistics operations in the UK will be managed from one of the logistics company's centres in the British town of Burton. This location is north of London and within the UK's so-called “golden triangle of logistics”. The centre's geographical position will help to speed up and reduce delivery times for Flabelus products, both to the physical stores where its collections are sold and to the end customer who has purchased them online.

Bleckmann will support all these operations, which are both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C). This will be achieved through a transport network and distribution centres in Spain and the UK, enabling comprehensive supply chain management for all of Flabelus's B2B and B2C orders; specialised customs teams operating on both sides of the English Channel will streamline the administrative procedures for UK imports; and a logistics centre in Burton-on-Trent where the Spanish company will have a “flexible” storage space that can be expanded as Flabelus's operations in the country grow. From these facilities, Bleckmann will also be responsible for dispatching the Spanish brand's goods, thanks to its agreements with various last-mile logistics partners. All these operations will be enhanced and streamlined through the full integration of Bleckmann's logistics services with Flabelus's e-commerce operations. This will allow teams from both companies to track operations in real-time.

“This end-to-end omnichannel setup offers Flabelus complete oversight of the entire delivery cycle, from outbound shipments to returns and exchanges, ensuring that all customer touchpoints can be optimised to reflect the brand's premium positioning,” Bleckmann stated. The logistics operator also highlighted this partnership with Flabelus, describing it as a “clear example of Bleckmann's approach to designing logistics solutions tailored to client needs, backed by decades of industry experience.” They added that “every aspect of the collaboration has been designed to meet Flabelus's operational requirements, completely freeing them from burdens so they can accelerate their commercial ambitions”.

American designer brand Michael Kors has strengthened its presence in China with the opening of a new flagship store in Beijing’s China World mall, a luxury retail hub in the city, which includes Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Gucci, Prada, and Dior.

Spanning 3,500 square feet, the Beijing flagship features Michael Kors’ newest global retail concept, with dedicated areas for accessories, footwear, ready-to-wear, sunglasses, watches, jewellery and fragrances.

The store has been designed to showcase the brand’s approach to luxury, with residential décor cues running throughout the space, with warm wood contrasting with marble accents and soft, neutral tones to embody “the effortless sophistication” that defines the Michael Kors aesthetic.

The Beijing store also features the brand’s first-ever in-store café, set within the Jet Set lounge, a concept located in global flagship destinations designed to serve as a contemporary expression of the brand's “jet set spirit” and as an immersive, experiential space for consumers to relax and “indulge in all the brand has to offer”.

The café menu offers “a taste of New York in the heart of Beijing,” with coffees and teas served alongside an array of sweet and savoury items.

Commenting on the opening, Michael Kors said in a statement: “I am very excited to be launching our flagship store at Beijing China World. This new store will be home to the world’s first Jet Set Lounge that features a café concept.

“China is an exciting market. I’m always inspired by our customers there, who have an incredible love for fashion and style.”

Danish jewellery brand Pandora has opened a new distribution centre in Canada to strengthen its operations in the region, a move aimed at minimising the company’s exposure to US tariffs.

The new online distribution centre in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, will handle Pandora’s growing Canadian online business, as the country has emerged as one of the brand’s fast-growing markets, with revenue growing more than 50 percent since 2019 and surpassing 1 billion Danish kroner in 2025.

Currently, more than 20 percent of Pandora’s Canadian sales come from online sales, and orders used to be handled from distribution centres in the US. By moving processing to Canada, Pandora states it will cut delivery times by up to 50 percent, 2-4 days instead of 5-7, as well as simplify returns.

The shift also reduces Pandora’s exposure to US tariffs, as online jewellery orders destined for the Canadian market no longer need to pass through US customs.

Tania Brosseau, vice president of Canada, said in a statement: “The new distribution centre is an important step forward for Pandora in Canada. It means faster deliveries, more reliable service and a better overall experience for our Canadian customers.

“The new centre also reflects how we continually optimise our global distribution network to support long-term growth and strengthen our global supply chain.”

Operated by GXO Logistics, the Mississauga facility is capable of processing up to 12,500 online orders per day and serves as the first site to implement Pandora’s new logistics architecture designed to deliver better stock availability and higher order accuracy, as the centre uses an advanced “pick-to-light” order system, guiding employees with pinpoint lights that indicate exactly which items to place in a specific jewellery order. This speeds up order processing and reduces the risk of errors.

Pandora has 96 stores across Canada and employs more than 1,400 people. Its Canadian retail network is served directly from the company’s central distribution hub in Thailand.

Goat Group, the global platform for sneakers, apparel and accessories, which includes Alias, Flight Club, Goat and Grailed, is targeting a “broader consumer” with the launch of Sneakers.com, an affordable platform, where the average price point is just 70 US dollars.

In a statement, Goat Group said that Sneakers.com e-commerce concept has been launched as a “one-stop destination for everyday sneaker shoppers, designed to serve a wider audience who are looking for the right fit “at the best price without compromising on quality, trust or experience”.

Eddy Lu, co-founder and chief executive of Goat Group, said: "Each of our brands is built for a distinct consumer, and Sneakers.com allows us to reach people in a new and meaningful way. It broadens our offering while staying true to who we are.

"People want to feel good about what they're spending, knowing they're getting a great deal without compromising on quality, and that's what this brand is all about."

The Sneakers.com platform brings together a curated selection of footwear from brands including Adidas, Hoka, On, Nike, Puma, Reebok, and New Balance, for men, women and children, spanning categories such as casual, running, basketball, training, football, and hiking.

Lu added: "We've spent over a decade building the infrastructure that powers Goat Group, and Sneakers.com brings that to a broader audience. In fact, we're now positioned to serve a customer at every stage of their footwear buying journey, from their everyday purchase to their most coveted grail.”

Madrid – Decathlon’s acquisition of specific Intersport assets in Spain has encountered a significant regulatory hurdle. The Spanish antitrust authority, Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC), has escalated the transaction to a "second phase" analysis.

This move, triggered by potential competition risks identified during a preliminary review, does not yet signal a prohibition of the deal, but it indicates that the regulator requires a deeper investigation into how the purchase might stifle market competition.

Decathlon's bid for Intersport assets in question

The deal follows a period of financial instability for Intersport’s Spanish subsidiary, which filed for creditor protection in March 2025 due to insolvency. By July of that year, the companies—Intersport, Intersport CCS, and Intersport Retail One—entered liquidation. The court subsequently consolidated their assets into two main units: a Central Purchasing Office and a retail network of 34 stores.

While Intersport France secured the purchasing office with a 300,000 euros bid, the retail stores were put up for an out-of-court bidding war. To encourage buyers, the court eventually allowed these units to be "unbundled" to individualize assets with their own operational viability.

Decathlon entered the bidding process following these relaxed rules, notifying the CNMC of its intent on December 31, 2025.

CNMC conduct an in-depth study before making a final ruling

Although rumors circulated that the French giant intended to buy Intersport’s entire Spanish operation, sources close to the company clarified that they are only pursuing strategic assets to strengthen their existing commercial network. This focus has largely landed on Intersport’s high-performing stores in the Canary Islands, particularly in Tenerife. This regional network outperformed mainland stores significantly between 2022 and 2024, generating 39.6 million euros in revenue with healthy margins between 41 percent and 43 percent.

The CNMC’s decision to move to a second-phase study on March 30, 2026, stems specifically from concerns regarding the sporting goods market on the island of Tenerife. The regulator warned that the acquisition could create a "high concentration" in the sale of technical equipment and footwear, potentially reducing competitive pressure. According to the CNMC, the deal could lead to "reduced offer and variety of sports products—especially from third-party brands," as well as lower service quality and limited access for new competitors.

Decathlon has already offered commitments to mitigate these risks, but the CNMC deemed them "insufficient." The regulator will now conduct an in-depth study, allowing for third-party arguments before issuing a final ruling that could authorize, condition, or block the transaction entirely.

It is now official: Kering and L’Oréal finalised their beauty partnership on March 31, 2026. The 4 billion euro (4.64 billion dollars) deal redefines the global luxury cosmetics market. It also marks a structural turning point for the two French leaders.

Initially announced in October 2025, the alliance has received the green light from competition authorities. L’Oréal officially takes control of Kering Beauté, an entity that includes the prestigious Maison Creed. It also includes the fragrance and cosmetics licences for the group's iconic houses (Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen).

Cash and royalties deal

The financial terms of the agreement reveal a transaction optimized for immediate growth:

• Cash payment: L’Oréal has paid 4 billion euros in cash to Kering today.

• Recurring revenue: Beyond the sale price, Kering will receive royalties on the use of its licensed brands.

• Operational synergies: Kering will now benefit from L’Oréal's R&D, production, and media power.

For Kering: delegating to accelerate

Under the direction of Luca de Meo, Kering is making a pragmatic choice. After attempting to internalise its Beauty division, the group has chosen to rely on the industrial expertise of the world leader. The objective is to “open a new phase of acceleration” for its luxury brands by offering them access to the world's most advanced innovation platforms. For Kering, which achieved a turnover of 14.7 billion euros in 2025, this cash injection allows it to consolidate its positions in its core businesses (leather goods and jewellery).

For L’Oréal: consolidating luxury hegemony

For Nicolas Hieronimus, this acquisition is a natural extension of the historic collaboration around Yves Saint Laurent Beauté. By integrating Creed and the other Kering licences, L’Oréal is strengthening its dominance in the ‘Luxury Beauty’ segment. The group is betting on unlocking the potential of these brands for the “next 50 years”.

Beyond fragrance: a focus on ‘longevity’

The most forward-looking point in the statement is the creation of a joint venture dedicated to wellness and longevity. The alliance is not limited to fragrances; it extends to the new territories of health and life science. This pivot suggests that the two groups anticipate the growing fusion between traditional luxury and medical ‘Deep Tech’ applied to beauty.

Analysis

This finalisation comes in a French economic context marked by a stabilisation of inflation (1.1 percent in February 2026, according to the Banque de France). The luxury sector, although resilient, must face rising energy costs and increasingly complex value chains. By joining forces, Kering and L’Oréal are creating a high-performing defensive and offensive ecosystem. Kering secures its margin and desirability, while L’Oréal locks down the market's most coveted assets.

In 2016, a New Zealand football player-turned-entrepreneur and a biotech engineer launched a wool sneaker on Kickstarter. They hit their 30,000 dollars goal in five days, raised 119,000 dollars in total, and set in motion one of the most instructive brand stories of the decade. This week, Allbirds agreed to sell all of its intellectual property and assets to American Exchange Group, the company behind Aerosoles, for 39 million dollars, a figure that is roughly one-tenth of what it raised in its 2021 IPO alone.

From Silicon Valley darling to acquisition

At its peak, Allbirds was valued at over 4 billion dollars. The Wool Runner became the unofficial footwear of Silicon Valley, worn by venture capitalists, startup founders, and, most visibly, Barack Obama. The brand was a genuine pioneer: B Corp certified by its second year, it open-sourced SweetFoam, its carbon-negative sugarcane midsole, freely sharing the innovation with competitors in the name of decarbonising the industry. Alongside Warby Parker and Casper, it helped define what a modern direct-to-consumer brand could be: purpose-led, story-rich, premium without legacy.

"Can't someone send him a pair of Jordans?" — GQ, on President Obama wearing Allbirds' Wool Runners, 2020

That same GQ line signals the ceiling Allbirds could never break through. The brand deliberately framed itself as a sustainability company rather than a shoe company, what academics have described as "anti-fashion" — a brand deliberately indifferent to trends. Where Patagonia's fleece became a garment that stylists, editors and influencers could absorb, riff on, and elevate (hello Hermès), Allbirds' silhouette never offered that kind of creative surface. It was too quiet, too functional, and too thoroughly owned by a single tribe. Once the tech-bro association calcified, the fashion world moved away from the shoes, not toward them. You would not see them on a mood board, on the feet of an editor at fashion week, or styled into a look, not because they were ugly per se, but because they carried no directional charge.

The commercial unravelling followed a familiar DTC script. One product carried the entire brand. Expansion into apparel and retail stores stretched the company before it had the depth to support it. When investor appetite for growth-over-profit collapsed post-IPO, the stock fell from 28.64 dollars on its first trading day to under 5 dollars in under eight months. A Nasdaq delisting notice came in April 2024. Co-founder Tim Brown stepped back as co-CEO. Stores closed. The apparel line was cut. In March 2026, the company agreed to wind down.

What remains is a brand with genuine innovation in its past, and a cautionary note for any sustainability-led label that mistakes cultural ubiquity for fashion relevance. The two are not the same thing, and Allbirds never found a way to be both.

The British Fashion Council has unveiled a new long-term strategy aimed at repositioning the organisation as a business accelerator, with a strong emphasis on education, skills development and structured pathways for emerging designers.

The initiative, titled “BFC 2030: Access, Creativity, Growth,” sets out to transform the council from a promoter of British fashion into a strategic platform supporting sustainable business development across the industry. The plan will reshape key events, including London Fashion Week and The Fashion Awards, to function as growth platforms designed to deliver commercial value and wider access.

Stronger links between education and industry

Central to the strategy is the creation of clearer pathways from education into professional careers. The council plans to work more closely with educational institutions and introduce initiatives such as a mini-MBA programme for fashion professionals, alongside redesigned scholarships focused on craft, innovation and manufacturing.

The strategy also aims to integrate funding, education, skills training and partnerships into a connected system supporting talent development at multiple career stages. This approach seeks to move from fragmented support to coordinated pathways that guide designers from study into sustainable business growth.

Supporting future designers

By expanding scholarship programmes and strengthening mentoring, the council intends to provide opportunities for students and early-career creatives to build both creative and commercial capabilities. The redesigned initiatives are expected to accelerate access to industry knowledge and offer practical support for developing resilient businesses.

The organisation also plans to broaden participation beyond London, creating UK-wide opportunities for education and professional development. This shift is designed to increase accessibility for aspiring designers across different regions and backgrounds.

Long-term industry development

The first three years of the strategy will focus on building a structured growth framework, with the fourth year dedicated to measuring impact and scaling initiatives. The council has also set a target to increase revenue to £18 million by 2030, supporting investment in education-linked programmes and industry development.

By strengthening links between education, mentoring and business development, the British Fashion Council’s 2030 strategy positions learning and skills training as central to nurturing future designers and ensuring the long-term resilience of the UK fashion sector.

US fashion group PVH increased its revenue in the 2025/26 financial year. However, profit fell significantly due to adverse conditions and negative special effects. The results, published on Tuesday by the parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, were above market expectations.

Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein see revenue increase

In the most recent financial year, which ended on February 1, group revenue reached 8.95 billion dollars. This was an increase of 3.4 percent compared to the previous year. Adjusted for currency fluctuations, revenue rose by 0.5 percent.

Both core brands contributed to the growth. Tommy Hilfiger's revenue rose by 3.9 percent to 4.77 billion dollars, or +0.5 percent on a currency-adjusted basis. Calvin Klein posted an increase of 2.8 percent to 3.96 billion dollars, also +0.5 percent on a currency-adjusted basis.

Higher tariffs and write-downs impact earnings

The group's gross margin fell from 59.4 to 57.5 percent year-over-year. The company attributed this to higher import tariffs in the US, increased freight costs and more extensive discounts. PVH also had to make significant write-downs, causing earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to fall by 70 percent to 230.6 million dollars from 772.3 million dollars in the previous year. Net profit plummeted from 598.5 million to 25.3 million dollars.

Adjusted for special items, net income decreased by almost 17 percent to 553.2 million dollars. Adjusted earnings per share shrank from 11.74 to 11.40 dollars. This figure was significantly above the company's forecast of 10.85 to 11.00 dollars, largely due to surprisingly strong fourth-quarter results.

Management forecasts further progress

For the current 2026/27 financial year, management anticipates further modest progress despite ongoing difficult market conditions. Current forecasts suggest a slight increase in revenue. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to rise to between 11.80 and 12.10 dollars.

US womenswear retailer J.Jill has reported a decline in financial performance for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year ended January 31, 2026. Despite a downturn in overall sales and operating margins, the board of directors has declared a 12.5 percent increase in its quarterly cash dividend, signaling confidence in its long-term operational strategy.

Annual net sales fall 2.3 percent amid tariff pressures

For the full year ended January 31, 2026, the company recorded net sales of 596.50 million dollars, representing a 2.3 percent decrease from the 610.90 million dollars reported in the year ended February 1, 2025. Total company comparable sales, which include comparable store and direct-to-consumer (D2C) performance, fell by 3.1 percent year-over-year.

Profitability was impacted by significant external costs, notably incremental tariff expenses totaling approximately 7.50 million dollars for the fiscal year. Gross profit reached 409.70 million dollars, with a gross margin of 68.7 percent compared to 70.4 percent in the previous year. Net income for the fiscal year stood at 27.90 million dollars, down from 39.50 million dollars in the prior period.

J.Jill president and chief executive officer, Mary Ellen Coyne, noted that the company has focused on testing new product assortments and customer acquisition strategies throughout 2025.

“We remain focused on the important work required to position the business for sustainable growth,” Coyne stated. “Enabled by our disciplined operating model, we remain confident that the evolution of our product and marketing efforts will enhance and broaden the appeal and awareness of our incredible brand.”

Fiscal 2026 outlook and expansion plans

J.Jill concluded the year with 256 stores, having opened nine new locations and closed five. For the upcoming fiscal 2026, the company anticipates net sales to range from flat to a decline of 2 percent.

The outlook incorporates an expected 15.00 million dollars in incremental tariff costs and a planned capital expenditure of approximately 25.00 million dollars. Management expects to continue its physical expansion with approximately five net new store openings.

US brand Nike has reported financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2026, ending February 28, 2026, revealing a period of strategic rebalancing. The company recorded revenues of 11.3 billion dollars, remaining flat on a reported basis compared to the previous year. On a currency-neutral basis, revenues declined by 3 percent.

The results arrive as the Beaverton-based group continues its 'Win Now' initiative, a series of corrective measures aimed at improving marketplace health. Nike president and chief executive officer, Elliott Hill, noted that the company is deliberately removing "unhealthy inventory" of classic footwear franchises. This intentional reduction created a five-percentage point headwind for the quarter but is deemed necessary for long-term brand equity.

Segment performance and wholesale growth

While total revenue stagnated, the company saw a shift in channel dynamics. Wholesale revenues reached 6.50 billion dollars, an increase of 5 percent on a reported basis and 1 percent on a currency neutral basis. This growth was primarily fueled by strong demand in the North American market.

In contrast, Nike Direct (D2C) revenues fell to 4.50 billion dollars, representing a 4 percent decline. This was exacerbated by a 9 percent drop in Nike brand digital and a 5 percent decrease in Nike-owned stores.

Performance varied significantly across the brand portfolio. Nike brand revenues reached 11 billion dollars, up 1 percent reported but down 2 percent currency neutral, as growth in North America was offset by declines in Greater China and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region. Converse brand faced significant pressure, with revenues dropping 35 percent to 264 million dollars.

Sportswear category remained a headwind, declining in the low double digits during the period.

Margin pressure and tariff impacts

The group's gross margin decreased by 130 basis points to 40.2 percent, attributed largely to higher tariffs in North America. Executive vice president and chief financial officer, Matthew Friend, stated that higher tariffs are expected to remain a material headwind to gross margin through the first quarter of fiscal 2027.

Net income for the third quarter fell 35 percent to 520 million dollars or 35 cents per diluted share.

Strategic pivot to performance and local markets

Executive leadership emphasized that the current decline in the Nike Sportswear and Jordan Streetwear segments is a byproduct of prioritizing the performance category. Hill explained that the company focused first on running and football to rebuild brand authenticity.

“Ultimately, sport is what creates a halo over the sportswear and streetwear businesses,” Hill said, adding that the company is now moving from "defense to offense" in its lifestyle segments.

The group is also moving away from a 'direct-first' strategy in favor of a 'city-led' approach. This is particularly relevant in EMEA and Greater China, where the brand aims to become more "locally relevant." In China, the company is tightening execution across digital and physical retail to navigate structural challenges.

Even with immediate pressure on its income statement, Nike maintained its shareholder commitment by returning approximately 609 million dollars through dividends, marking 24 consecutive years of payout increases. However, the outlook remains cautious; Friend revealed that Nike expects fourth-quarter sales to decline between 2 percent and 4 percent, significantly missing Wall Street’s projected 1.9 percent increase. For the remainder of the calendar year, the company anticipates a low single-digit drop in revenue, as modest growth in North America fails to offset ongoing sales slumps in China.

CEO profile

At a time when many fashion brands are grappling with a volatile global economy and intense competition, Maximilian Böck, chief executive officer of the German fashion brand Marc O'Polo, remains committed to his goal of transforming the company into a truly global presence.

Böck's family led the brand, founded in Stockholm in 1967, to its current prominence. Since taking over, he has systematically initiated a transformation process. Under his leadership, the brand is aiming for an annual turnover of one billion euros. As CEO, he is driving Marc O'Polo's international expansion, modernising its brand identity and embedding sustainability into its corporate structure.

A family legacy

Maximilian Böck's connection to Marc O'Polo is deeply rooted in his family history. This story is closely intertwined with the brand's expansion into the German market. His father, Werner Böck, met the Swedish founders of Marc O'Polo at a menswear trade fair in Cologne in 1968.

Werner Böck, himself the son of a fashion retail family from Rosenheim, founded Marc O'Polo Deutschland Vertriebs GmbH in his mid-twenties and became the majority shareholder many years later. His son Maximilian grew up in this entrepreneurial environment. As a child, he watched his father fly to Stockholm once a week to contribute to product development and become increasingly involved with the brand. In 1997, Böck senior finally relocated the company headquarters from Stockholm to Stephanskirchen, Germany.

His father always left it open to him whether he would work for the company, Böck explained in an article about generational change in Manager Magazin. Böck earned a master's degree in business administration. At that time, it was not a given that he would work in the family business or in fashion. He was also interested in career paths as a controller or management consultant. At the beginning of his career, he therefore gained international experience through various stays abroad, including at the auditing firm KPMG in New York.

This period gave him a broader insight into global business practices before he delved deeper into the operational aspects of fashion retail. He deepened his understanding of the retail sector through various buying positions at the Düsseldorf-based department store chain Peek & Cloppenburg KG. These experiences provided him with a blend of financial acumen, an international perspective and practical retail experience that would later prove valuable.

Rise to the executive suite: from co-pilot to CEO

“I was already on the supervisory board of Marc O'Polo during my time at Peek & Cloppenburg,” Böck recalled in an interview with Manager Magazin. “Therefore, I was familiar with the most important issues, the board members before me and the history of the company.”

He began working operationally at Marc O'Polo in 2017. His first role within the company was as a buyer for the brand's own stores. He later took responsibility for the family business's entire retail operation, store network and e-commerce.

In June 2020, he became chief retail officer and co-managing director, working alongside the then-CEO Dieter Holzer. This preparatory phase allowed Böck to fully immerse himself in the brand's strategic direction and daily operations.

One year later, at the age of 32, Böck took on the role of chief executive officer of Marc O'Polo, assuming responsibility for more than 2,000 employees. His previous focus as chief retail officer on all business-to-consumer channels, including e-commerce, positioned him to drive the brand's digital development and omnichannel strategy. His appointment marked a generational shift, with his father, Werner Böck, remaining the majority shareholder and chairman of the supervisory board, according to the company's website.

“My father has not been operationally active at Marc O'Polo for more than ten years,” Böck noted in the Manager Magazin article. “The fact that I did not take over directly from him made it easier for me, I believe.”

On the way to becoming a global premium brand

Maximilian Böck's vision for Marc O'Polo is clearly global. He aims to transform the Germany-based brand into a leading modern and sustainable lifestyle brand in the global premium segment.

Under Böck, digitalisation is an integral part of the business model. While Marc O'Polo invests significantly in its own online presence, the company is not pursuing a digital-first strategy and also places great value on brick and mortar channels, he explained in a podcast interview with OMR, a Hamburg-based digital marketing platform. “Online only is not the path we want to take. Our customers can decide for themselves where they want to shop.” This omnichannel approach caters to the diverse preferences of consumers, ensuring a seamless shopping experience in both physical stores and on digital platforms.

Sustainability forms another central pillar of Böck's strategy. According to its own definition, the company offers almost 100 percent sustainable products, as stated in Marc O'Polo's sustainability report. The company has also achieved 'Leader' status with the Fair Wear Foundation, an initiative specialising in workers' rights in the supply chain, which further underscores its commitment.

In February, Marc O'Polo became one of the few fashion companies of its size worldwide to receive B Corporation certification, hoping to set a precedent in the industry.

“The renowned B Corp certification makes it visible and measurable that responsibility and economic success must be considered together,” said Maximilian Böck in a statement. “We see this certification as a clear signal and as an invitation to our industry to think about corporate responsibility holistically.”

Growth trajectory

Under the leadership of Maximilian Böck, Marc O'Polo has recorded considerable growth and reached significant milestones despite difficult market conditions. In the 2021/2022 financial year, the group achieved a turnover of 539 million euros. This represented an increase of 39 percent year-over-year and meant the company surpassed the half-a-billion euro turnover mark for the first time.

This strong performance continued, with the company achieving a net turnover of 630 million euros in the last financial year. It has grown by 60 percent over the past five years despite the challenging market environment, Böck said on the OMR podcast in August.

“The market has not helped us, but we have always had a good base. We are a great brand, super solid financially,” the CEO said proudly. “We have been working on many different aspects simultaneously, not just two or three, but hundreds.” Under his leadership, product development has become more data-driven, customer-centric and sustainable. In marketing, the approach to customers has been changed, and the Facebook page and webshop have been redesigned.

Future vision

Germany is traditionally Marc O'Polo's largest market, followed by Austria, Switzerland and Poland. Knitwear and puffer coats rank among the brand's best-loved pieces, while menswear has grown into a significant pillar, now making up around 40 percent of turnover. The Marc O'Polo Denim line — aimed at a younger crowd — along with footwear and accessories, have all gained traction, pointing to the wider appeal of the Marc O'Polo lifestyle.

A key driver of growth has been the brand's international expansion. Although the company is already present in 60 countries with 2,200 points-of-sale worldwide, Böck acknowledges that there are still more territories to conquer if the group is to move closer to its self-imposed target of one billion euros in turnover.

Markets such as Thailand and the United Arab Emirates are currently being targeted, where Marc O'Polo is exploring potential partnerships with local groups, Böck said on the OMR podcast. He prefers to wait and see regarding the US, given the customs uncertainty.

In October, the Böck family took over the struggling denim label Closed. Former Marc O'Polo managing director Dieter Holzer is now tasked with steering the Hamburg-based company back to calmer waters. It remains to be seen to what extent this acquisition will play a role in Marc O'Polo's operations.

A pragmatic CEO

Böck embodies a leadership style that is both down-to-earth and approachable. In Stephanskirchen, he is reportedly often called 'Maxi'. His background and statements suggest a team-oriented and down-to-earth perspective. He aims to be open and authentic and does not believe that CEOs need to be 'tough'.

“In the end, it is not just the CEO who decides, but the team,” Böck said on the OMR podcast about his entrepreneurial success.

Böck also sees his role as bringing the right people together. “The corporate culture is extremely important to us; we have invested in it for decades, even before my time. It is something special to work here,” said Böck. This enables the company to attract motivated top talent to Upper Bavaria.

He calls joining the family business a life decision, knowing that he would have to make sacrifices. For example, after becoming a father three years ago, he was unable to take parental leave like many of his friends, he told Manager Magazin.

“I do not question it. I have chosen the task and the responsibility – a great motivation for me. I consider the job a privilege.”

Patek Philippe has taken a decisive step in Spain by opening its first mono-brand boutique at 62 Calle de Serrano, in the heart of Madrid's Milla de Oro.

Although the opening took place discreetly at the end of February, the Swiss Maison has now officially announced the news. This consolidates its presence in the country and reaffirms a historic bond with the Spanish group Suárez, a trusted partner for over 50 years.

The 350 square metre establishment is spread over two floors and has been designed to offer a comprehensive luxury experience. It features a central area where customers can explore the collections with the guidance of specialist advisors; private rooms for collectors; and an experience lounge on the upper floor. This lounge combines a private bar with an environment designed for immersing oneself in the Maison's history and philosophy.

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The decision to open a standalone boutique comes amidst a complex backdrop for luxury watchmaking. Brands like Piaget have shared their intention to progressively reduce the size of their stores. They are focusing on more intimate experiences and personalised service over mass expansion. This reflects the pressure of the global market and the need to optimise each point-of-sale.

The Swiss slowdown is evident in data from the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry. It reported a 1.7 percent fall in the value of exports in 2025 to 25.6 billion Swiss francs. There was also a 4.8 percent decrease in volume, with 14.6 million units. Uncertainty persists in 2026, affected by the volatility of the US market and the global geopolitical situation.

Against this backdrop, Spain is emerging as a particularly dynamic luxury market. In 2025, the sector grew by 6 percent, reaching 2.14 billion euros. Madrid and Barcelona captured 69 percent of the revenue, according to the “Observatorio Sectorial” by Informa DBK.

During their first visit in eight years, MEPs in China have demanded greater control over the export of Chinese goods. “We have repeatedly stated that it is important for exports to be more strictly controlled by the Chinese side,” said Anna Cavazzini (Greens), chair of the European Parliament's internal market committee, in Beijing. She added that it is important for companies to comply with laws and adapt their policies more quickly than they have in the past during ongoing proceedings.

The nine-member group from the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection plans to visit the eastern Chinese economic hub of Shanghai after Beijing. They will meet with representatives from the online giant Alibaba and the e-commerce platforms Shein and Temu.

The European Commission initiated proceedings against Shein following the scandal over the sale of sex dolls with a childlike appearance. The Brussels authority also suspects Temu of not complying with EU rules.

The EU has also long criticised a flood of cheap goods from China entering the European economic area. According to the Commission, e-commerce imports into the EU via online marketplaces like Temu, Shein, Alibaba and others rose significantly to 4.6 billion small parcels in 2024. EU data indicates that 91 percent of these originated from China.

An end to the diplomatic frost?

This marks the first time in eight years that a delegation from the EU Parliament has visited China. Previously, a frosty period had prevailed in their mutual relations. This was due to trade disputes, China's relations with Russia in the Ukraine war and other issues. Last year, Beijing lifted sanctions against some MEPs.

Beijing's foreign ministry welcomed the trip to China. “We believe that the visit will promote exchange and cooperation between the legislative institutions,” said spokeswoman Mao Ning in Beijing. She added that it will improve understanding of China and advance the development of EU-China relations.

Abercrombie & Fitch is set to make its Northern Ireland debut later this year, marking a continued expansion of its UK retail footprint.

The brand will open a new store in Belfast’s Victoria Square, bringing its womenswear and menswear collections to the physical market for the first time. The space will reflect Abercrombie & Fitch’s updated positioning as a modern lifestyle label, focused on timeless, everyday apparel.

The launch also exhibits a growing confidence in Belfast as a retail destination for the group, with Abercrombie & Fitch joining its sister brand Hollister, which already operates in the city. The move underlines the company’s broader strategy of strengthening its presence across key regional markets in the UK and Ireland.

In recent years, Abercrombie & Fitch has been refining its brand image and store experience, shifting away from its former identity towards a more inclusive and contemporary offer. The Belfast opening aligns with this direction, aiming to connect with a wider customer base through updated product ranges and retail environments.

The new location will place Abercrombie & Fitch alongside a mix of international fashion and lifestyle brands, as it continues to expand its reach and reinforce its position in the European market.

Intersport Group has concluded the 2025 financial year with revenue growth.

The Bern-based retail group concluded 2025 with a year-over-year revenue increase of 0.4 percent, IIC-Intersport International Corporation GmbH announced on Tuesday. On a currency-neutral basis, growth was 1.2 percent.

The group is active in 40 countries and has a store network of 5,260 points of sale. During the period, it achieved a global omnichannel revenue of 14.1 billion euros. This performance underscored its “resilience, operational discipline and ongoing transformation” in a year affected by significant currency fluctuations.

“2025 was a stable and constructive year for Intersport,” said Tom Foley, CEO of the sports retail group. “Despite some external pressures, we were able to achieve continuous growth, strengthen profitability and make significant progress on our long-term strategic priorities. Our renewed and new partnerships, our commitment to performance categories and the passion of our teams worldwide strengthen our position at the heart of sport.”

Intersport achieved “strong results” in its core performance categories in 2025, with running emerging as the best-performing category.

Growth and consolidation

The expansion of its store networks, increasing customer engagement and continuous investment in local relevance have also driven strong progress in new and developing markets, the Bern-based company reported. Markets such as Turkey and Algeria benefited from steady expansion and rising demand in key categories. Existing markets like Greece, Canada and Ireland also recorded solid growth.

Additionally, several structural realignments were made “to strengthen regional integration and operational efficiency”. As a result, Slovenia now falls under the supervision of Austria, Denmark under Sweden, and Spain under France.

Final-year fashion students across the UK and Europe are invited to apply for the 2026 Fashion SVP Designer of the Year Award, with submissions now officially open. The competition offers emerging designers the opportunity to present their work live at FASHION SVP, taking place on 28–29 April 2026 at Olympia London.

Open to undergraduate and MA students, the award recognises innovation in design, sustainability and commercial thinking, aiming to bridge the gap between fashion education and industry. Finalists will showcase their collections to buyers, manufacturers and industry professionals, gaining exposure at a pivotal stage in their careers.

Last year’s Designer of the Year was Mingyu Li, an MA Fashion graduate from Kingston University. Judges praised the winning collection for its strong concept, research and execution. A panel of industry experts will again select shortlisted finalists, who will present their work during the event.

Entries close on 6 April 2026.

The award forms part of Fashion SVP, which brings together manufacturers from the UK, Turkey, Portugal and the Far East with sourcing professionals, brands and retailers. The 2026 edition comes as companies reassess global sourcing strategies amid rising costs, sustainability demands and shifting supply chains.

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has released its ‘BFC 2030’ strategy, ‘Access, Creativity, Growth’, a four-year roadmap designed to secure the UK fashion industry. Its development intends to help the sector navigate digital transformation and global market dynamics, ensuring the UK remains a destination for creative and commercial fashion talent.

Core principles and strategic objectives

The roadmap is built upon three principles designed to break the cycle of creative brilliance followed by commercial exit. These are Dismantle for Impact, a commitment to stripping away bureaucratic structures to allow for an agile organisation; Decentralise to Amplify, which ensures access to BFC resources is not restricted by geography; and Deploy Globally for Scale, creating a model that facilitates entry into markets like the US and Asia.

These principles inform five objectives, backed by an overhaul of funding pipelines. Rather than providing one-off grants that leave designers vulnerable, the BFC is moving toward an incubation model that prioritises business health.

The strategy also includes a campaign for high street policy reform, advocating for government support to revitalise retail spaces and position "Made in the UK" as a mark of prestige.

To enable these objectives, the BFC is implementing actions centred on technology and sustainability. The ‘Enablers’ section of the report outlines plans to integrate AI and data-driven insights into the designer support framework, helping brands optimise operations and understand consumer behaviours.

In response to environmental regulations, the BFC is deploying a Climate Action plan that provides designers with frameworks for waste reduction and supply chain transparency, building on the work of the Institute of Positive Fashion (IPF). There is also a focus on domestic production, aiming to bridge the gap between creative design and UK-based manufacturing to ensure quality and reduce carbon footprints.

Redefining the platforms: LFW and The Fashion Awards

Events such as London Fashion Week (LFW) and The Fashion Awards are being redefined to serve as more than promotional dates, instead positioning them as “high-impact growth platforms” that drive commercial value and strengthen the UK’s “global soft power”.

LFW will continue its gender-neutral evolution with an emphasis on ‘Citywide’ engagement, opening the event to a public audience to drive direct-to-consumer sales and community involvement. The event’s evolution is now emphasised by three strategic priorities: Designer First, Cultural Leadership, and Global Magnetism.

Under the first pillar, the BFC aims to champion excellence at a national scale, reimagining showcasing formats to balance creativity with commercial relevance and flexibility. Through Cultural Leadership, BFC intends to expand LFW’s reach beyond fashion boundaries, connecting the industry with film, performance, and society at large to amplify its creative influence across the UK. This is complemented by a focus on Global Magnetism, which seeks to reaffirm London as a destination for international investment and talent.

The Fashion Awards will remain the primary fundraiser for the BFC Foundation, with a mandate to secure the financial future of the organisation’s scholarship and talent support programmes.

Ambitions for the BFC community involve the creation of the BFC Fashion Assembly and the BFC Fashion House. The Fashion Assembly will serve as a collective focused on peer-to-peer mentoring, while the BFC Fashion House is envisioned as a physical and digital hub providing technical resources and workspace for emerging brands.

Educational initiatives and emerging talent

Educational initiatives are a cornerstone of this plan, highlighted by the launch of the BFC Mini MBA. This programme is designed to provide creative directors with business acumen, covering finance, strategy, and operations to ensure their labels remain viable.

These educational plans are backed by the trajectory of BFC alumni, such as Grade Wales Bonner and Erdem, who utilised BFC support to transition from talent to luxury powerhouses. The 2030 strategy aims to replicate these stories within a more supportive format by providing a route from education to international scaling.

Internationally, the BFC is establishing a ‘BFC International’ model, forging ties with global markets to facilitate entry into international retail for British designers. The organisation is looking to deepen its presence in key markets alongside the promotion of ‘Made in the UK’ fashion. The council aims to develop retail, brand, and philanthropic partnerships across priority territories with a focus on network and relationship building.

The success of BFC International will be measured by a ‘One Metric That Matters’ goal of securing 700,000 pounds in global funding within 24 months of launch. In its first year, the expansion will focus on a global partner and philanthropic programme to fuel the revenue pipeline. This will be followed by supporting British designers in securing access to international markets. By year three, the BFC intends for the International model to be recognised as a global engine for discovery, commerce, and UK fashion exports.

A challenging backdrop for the regional fashion industry

The strategy’s announcement follows challenges that have forced the BFC to reassess its role. Under the leadership of chief executive officer Laura Weir, appointed in 2025, and chairman David Pemsel, the organisation has been tasked with addressing an identity crisis for the organisation and its events, like London Fashion Week (LFW).

Historically, London has been celebrated as a “creative engine” having built a reputation on the innovation of its fashion schools and the rawness of its emerging designer talent. Yet, its creativity has often struggled to translate into commercial stability. The industry has a pattern of British-bred brands and designers achieving acclaim in London, only to move their runway shows or headquarters to Paris or Milan in pursuit of global reach and capital.

Internally, the BFC has also faced turbulence, including the decision to dismantle the traditional Men’s fashion week in favour of a gender-neutral platform. While intended to reflect consumer habits and reduce costs, the move had sparked discourse over whether London was losing influence.

Reports in 2025 also highlighted a “fear of regulation” among designers, as the industry struggles to align creative output with transparency and circularity requirements both domestically and internationally.

The ‘BFC 2030’ mission is to therefore ensure the industry becomes both creatively and commercially resilient. At its core, the strategy pushes for a decentralised model. Its premise acknowledges that for the UK to compete with the structures of Milan or the luxury conglomerates of Paris, it must amplify the strength of the entire UK ecosystem, creating a unified national front.

Economic significance and leadership perspective

This strategic pivot arrives at a time of economic significance for the sector, which contributes approximately 67.5 billion pounds to the UK economy and supports nearly 1.4 million jobs across the country according to Oxford Economics data. These figures, however, mask a period of pressure characterised by shifting global market dynamics, the complexities of post-Brexit trade, reports of skill gaps in manufacturing, and talent flight, seeing successful British exports move primary commercial activities to rival fashion capitals.

This was reaffirmed by chairman David Pemsel, who stated in the document that the strategy is a deliberate response to the need for focus, stronger pathways, and long-term sustainability and support across the British fashion ecosystem. He noted that the organisation is confident in this plan because it prioritises depth over dilution and commits to investing in talent while strengthening the connections between education, incubation and commerce.

“This is a moment of reset. Maintaining existing structures is no longer sufficient. The future of British fashion depends on access, capital, collaboration and accountability,” Pemsel added.

CEO Laura Weir reinforced this perspective, explaining that fashion is not ornamental but strategic, serving as culture’s common language that represents economics. She noted that the creative engine driving this impact is under strain from rising operating costs and intensifying international competition in the post-Brexit landscape.

Weir is committed to growing gross revenue at the BFC by 38 per cent to 18 million pounds by 2030 through disciplined, purposeful growth designed to build resilience. She emphasised that the BFC exists for moments like this, where a reset is required to secure the long-term competitiveness of British fashion. As the BFC begins the rollout of its 48 strategic projects, the focus remains on ensuring that regional fashion can withstand economic shifts while maintaining its reputation for innovation.

“The BFC cannot deliver this alone. But we can convene, catalyse and lead. The real change will come from collective ambition, cross-sector collaboration and accountability measured in impact, not rhetoric. This is not just a strategy for an industry. It is a commitment to protect and project one of Britain’s greatest cultural assets,” Weir concluded.

L’Oréal Italia and Istituto Marangoni have launched a new partnership aimed at reshaping beauty education by positioning hair and beauty disciplines alongside fashion and design as creative fields requiring both technical and conceptual expertise.

The initiative, developed with renowned hairstylist Rossano Ferretti, frames modern beauty professionals as hybrid creatives—combining artistry, storytelling and strategic thinking. The programme blends foundational training with specialisations in hair design, make-up and brand management, reflecting evolving industry demands.

The collaboration responds to growing demand for highly skilled talent across the salon and beauty ecosystem, emphasising digital fluency, personalisation and holistic client experience. The approach positions beauty as an increasingly nuanced dialogue between creator and client, rather than a standardised service.

Through new courses—including a three-year undergraduate programme and specialised professional training—the partnership aims to create a new generation of creative practitioners capable of integrating craft, business strategy and cultural awareness.

Overall, the initiative highlights a broader shift in beauty education, elevating hair and beauty disciplines to the same level of creative and intellectual rigour traditionally associated with fashion design.

Pitti Immagine has cancelled the E-p Summit edition, a trade fair scheduled for April 9, 2026 at the Stazione Leopolda in Florence, due to participation demand. A few months ago, a decision was made to reduce the event dedicated to fashion technologies to a single day. On March 19, as stated on the trade fair's website, the company decided to cancel it entirely.

"Following a careful evaluation of company commitments and participation request trends, Pitti Immagine has decided to cancel the upcoming edition of E-p Summit, scheduled for April nine in Florence, at the Stazione Leopolda. The company apologises to the operators who have already registered for this change of schedule and for any inconvenience this may cause, while guaranteeing a prompt refund of any expenses incurred," the statement reads.

Pitti Immagine cancels E-p Summit

"The cancellation of this edition of E-p Summit, which we prefer to call a suspension, is prompted by changes in the sector of events dedicated to digital technological innovations and by a series of overlaps in the calendar that create dispersion and confusion. Certainly, the news from the war fronts, with its impact on the economic situation, has not helped us," added Ivano Cauli, general manager of Pitti Immagine. He stressed that the company is working to find a format, date and opportunity to usefully reposition these activities within the Pitti Immagine portfolio as soon as possible.

April event was to be based on a new, focused, networking-oriented format

The format dedicated to enabling technologies for fashion has changed several times in recent years. Coupled with the trade fair's move from Milan to Florence from 2022 (the year of recovery after the forced suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic), it has failed to find a winning formula. The April event, for example, was supposed to be based on a new, focused, networking-oriented format.

"High-impact talks to share practical insights; demos near the stands to see the technologies in action; and qualified connection moments designed to create valuable contacts. A new layout and a continuous flow of activities will encourage discussion between brands and technology companies, accompanying participants to the traditional evening networking session," read the presentation of the event. The event was later cancelled and was also supposed to cover artificial intelligence and the digital product passport.

The first edition of the event dedicated to technology was called Decoded Fashion Milan and debuted in 2013, at La Pelota in Via Palermo. The Decoded Fashion event, at that time, took place from London to Singapore, from Tokyo to New York, in the most important fashion capitals. In 2018 Pitti decided to part ways with Decoded Fashion, creating an event dedicated to fashion technologies, named E-p Summit. The 2019 and 2020 Milan editions of the 'fashion tech' trade fair were also single-day events.

Kering has marked a new decisive step in its structural repositioning. The French luxury leader has formalised the acquisition of a 20 percent stake in the Raselli Franco group, a leading independent jewellery manufacturer in Europe, for a valuation of 115 million euros. This transaction, first announced in December 2025, paves the way for a majority stake scheduled for 2032.

While this move may initially seem like a simple industrial rationalisation with a supplier, it reflects a profound overhaul of Kering's operational model. The group is accelerating its expansion into fine jewellery while consolidating its control over the value chain.

From brand prestige to industrial sovereignty

For decades, the luxury industry thrived on a binary model, separating the creative aura of its houses from an outsourced and fragmented supply chain. This paradigm is now obsolete.

The gradual acquisition of a stake in Raselli Franco confirms a fundamental trend in luxury: vertical integration. The LVMH and Richemont groups have already extensively internalised their production capabilities, particularly in jewellery and watchmaking.

This economic logic responds to specific needs. Controlling the industrial process helps to guarantee consistent quality, increase market responsiveness and better manage margins. It is also an essential lever for ensuring the traceability of precious materials throughout the chain.

As Bain & Company analyses in its latest report on the luxury market, sovereign control of the supply chain has become a “critical competitive differentiator for players committed to a resilient and sustainable growth trajectory”.

In the jewellery sector, this issue is all the more fundamental. Unlike fashion, which is more suited to flexible outsourcing, fine jewellery requires exceptional technical expertise, millimetric precision and rigorous sourcing protocols.

A critical industrial asset for the Kering Jewellery division

This acquisition is a cornerstone for the Kering Jewellery division. Bringing together prestigious houses such as Boucheron, Pomellato, Dodo and Qeelin, this entity aims to establish itself as a powerful growth driver, complementing the fashion and leather goods pillars.

The integration of Raselli Franco brings this ambition to life. With a workforce of over 500 employees, the Italian manufacturer has an annual production of 300,000 pieces and sets over four million gems per year. It provides Kering with immediate industrial power and recognised technical expertise. Beyond volumetric capacity, the aim is to anchor fundamental skills at the heart of the group's ecosystem. This will foster enhanced synergy between the design, prototyping and manufacturing phases.

Diversification and dilution of Gucci risk exposure

This tactical move also addresses a portfolio diversification issue: the concentration of risk on the Gucci house. Historically, the Italian label has generated a predominant share of the group's turnover and operating profitability. A slowdown in its growth momentum immediately impacted consolidated performance, a risk long highlighted by the financial community. According to Reuters, Gucci contributed over 50 percent of operating income in previous financial years.

In this respect, jewellery is emerging as an effective diversification lever. Unlike fashion, this segment has longer product cycles; less seasonal volatility; attractive unit margins; and intrinsic heritage value. As McKinsey notes, luxury jewellery is “structurally more resilient to economic cycles, thanks to its emotional dimension and investment status”. By strengthening its assets in this market, Kering is prudently rebalancing its revenue streams.

A race for critical mass against sector leaders

Kering's offensive in jewellery responds to a compelling competitive necessity. Richemont asserts its dominance through the prestige of Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, while LVMH has significantly consolidated its position with the integration of Tiffany & Co. and the development of Bulgari. Faced with these hegemonic players, Kering retains a more modest market share.

Through the creation of the Kering Jewellery division, coupled with the gradual acquisition of a stake in Raselli Franco, the group seems to want to close the gap and achieve the necessary critical mass. However, the mere accumulation of assets is not enough. The sustainable competitive advantage of the leaders lies in the combination of brand desirability, retail excellence and industrial mastery. It is on this last strategic pillar that Raselli Franco acts as a performance accelerator.

Securing supply in a constrained environment

Beyond growth imperatives, this transaction responds to the growing regulatory and ethical constraints of the luxury industry. Jewellery production is subject to unprecedented traceability and sustainable sourcing requirements.

Raselli Franco is certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), the industry benchmark. This commitment aligns with Kering's sustainable development policy. As the World Gold Council points out, transparency and responsible sourcing are now non-negotiable criteria for luxury consumers. Retaining part of the production facility internally gives Kering greater control over these reputational and operational issues and reduces its dependence on third parties.

A long-term industrial gamble

The structure of the transaction reveals a cautious approach. Rather than an immediate and total acquisition, Kering has opted for a gradual integration plan, culminating in 2032.

This choice reflects a desire to manage the integration in stages, ensuring operational continuity and the alignment of stakeholder interests over the long term. It also confirms that Kering sees this transaction as a structuring investment for the coming decade, not just a tactical adjustment. In the luxury world, industrial assimilation takes time to align cultures, processes and expertise. By staggering the acquisition, the group mitigates execution risks while reaffirming its industrial vision.

Redefining the group's architecture

The acquisition of Raselli Franco transcends the scope of a one-off transaction. It is part of a global re-engineering of Kering's business model. The group seeks to dilute its exposure to the volatility of fashion, strengthen its positions in more resilient segments and bring value back in-house by controlling its industrial facilities.

Jewellery, with a turnover of 935 million euros (1,072 million dollars) in 2025, is emerging as a credible growth pillar in this new architecture. If this integration dynamic is successfully carried out, it could reconfigure the group's financial and operational balance, limiting its sensitivity to fashion cycles and building a more stable, sustainable and value-creating growth model.

Interview

Swedish brand Ninepine has opened its first physical store outside its home country. The brand has chosen the Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam. FashionUnited speaks with co-founder Benjamin Lau for more information about the brand and its expansion.

A brief introduction: Ninepine was founded in 2019 by Benjamin Lau and Kousha Torabi. The brand focuses on 'redefining everyday items'. “The company is based on the idea that no woman should have to choose between looking good and feeling good,” explains Lau. Core products include the Asana trousers, tailored trousers and the denim line. Those who have seen the company on social media will have noticed its advertisements highlighting the stretch element in its trousers, which still maintain an elegant appearance. The fit of the trousers is essential, and the brand takes feedback very seriously. For instance, the Asana trousers have been perfected eighteen times based on customer reviews, Lau explains. “We focus on identifying friction in women's daily lives and work on solutions based on feedback. This is how we continue to build the brand.”

The emphasis on fit is also reflected in the Amsterdam store. The products and fitting rooms are the main visual points, with a screen displaying brand imagery only at the back. “Once customers have tried on a pair of trousers, they often return later for another product,” says the founder about the products. The calm and minimalist design of the store aligns with the brand's aesthetic and minimises distractions.

Data-driven expansion: Ninepine lands in Amsterdam

Ninepine is not only found on Amsterdam's Van Baerlestraat. Its entry into the Netherlands was accompanied by a partnership with department store De Bijenkorf. A selection of Ninepine items is now available at various De Bijenkorf locations. For now, the partnership is limited to the department store. Lau emphasises that Ninepine wants to be where its customers are, so further wholesale partnerships may be on the horizon.

When it comes to international expansion, the Amsterdam store serves as a learning ground. “We want to learn from this location and do it right,” says Lau. If another store opens, the decision will be data-driven. “We want to be where our customer is and where there is strong demand. We want to give them the opportunity to have a strong online and offline experience.” The brand emphasises that the Amsterdam store is already performing very well, even though it only opened a few weeks ago.

Ninepine is currently focusing on the Scandinavian countries, the Benelux, Germany and the UK. The recent sale of 40 percent of the company's shares is helping Ninepine focus on further international expansion. “Ninepine is still led by its founders and continues to grow to meet customer demand; the Amsterdam store reflects the already strong Dutch customer base,” Lau clarifies.

Chanel has secured a partial win in a long-running legal dispute against The RealReal (TRR). A New York judge has moved to dismiss a number of the US resale platform’s counterclaims, narrowing the defense to more timely matters.

US district judge Vernon Broderick of the Southern District of New York granted a motion by Chanel to dismiss five counterclaims brought against it by TRR. The claims include allegations of antitrust violations under the Sherman Act and tortious interference.

TRR had accused the luxury house of using its market dominance to govern the secondary market by entering into exclusive agreements with retailers and publishers to shut out resellers.

Antitrust violations blocked

The court ruled, however, that the majority of these claims were time-barred. The alleged acts occurred in 2015 and 2016, placing them outside the three-to-four-year statute of limitations.

TRR argued that Chanel’s more recent actions, such as a 2019 incident where WWD allegedly blocked TRR’s advertisements due to a “huge partner”, constituted a “continuing violation”. Similarly, the platform accused Chanel of investing in and tolerating the resale of products on Farfetch while suing TRR for similar conduct. The judge found these claims lacked sufficient factual detail to prove an illegal conspiracy or market-wide harm.

Chanel filed its initial dispute against TRR back in November 2018, alleging that the platform was selling counterfeit handbags and using false advertising to suggest that Chanel authenticated TRR’s inventory.

Chanel argued that only the brand possesses the expertise and internal database required to verify its products. In 2021, TRR then filed counterclaims, alleging that Chanel was engaged in a “regional rebrand” designed to stifle competition and monopolise the market for its goods.

Chanel’s ‘unclean hands’ motion denied

While TRR’s counterclaims have been dismissed, the core of the case remains active, including the original claims regarding trademark counterfeiting and false advertising. Broderick further denied Chanel’s motion to strike TRR’s affirmative defense of “unclean hands”, meaning the platform can still argue that Chanel’s own alleged anticompetitive behaviour should prevent the luxury brand from winning its claims.

TRR has been granted until April 10 to seek formal leave to refile certain amended counterclaims related to the WWD and Farfetch allegations.

US footwear brand Allbirds has announced a definitive agreement to sell its intellectual property and specific assets and liabilities to American Exchange Group. The New York-based firm, which specializes in accessories design and manufacturing, will acquire the brand for an estimated 39 million dollars.

The transaction was negotiated by a special committee of independent directors and received unanimous approval from the Allbirds board of directors. A proxy statement detailing the asset sale and the subsequent dissolution and winding down of the company is expected to be filed by April 24, 2026. Allbirds anticipates the transaction will close in the second quarter of 2026.

Strategic shift for lifestyle footwear brand

Allbirds chief executive officer, Joe Vernachio, expressed gratitude to the teams responsible for building the brand identity over the last decade. Since its founding in 2015, the company has positioned itself as a modern lifestyle footwear brand utilizing innovative materials.

“This next chapter with American Exchange Group builds on the foundational work already completed and sets up the brand to thrive in the years ahead,” stated Vernachio. The brand became known for its signature Wool Runner and its focus on comfort-driven design.

Following the closing of the sale, a distribution of net proceeds to stockholders is expected during the third quarter of 2026. These proceeds will account for the costs associated with the wind-down of the business.

Financial reporting and transition

In light of the acquisition news, Allbirds canceled its earnings press release and conference call originally scheduled for March 31, 2026. The company still intends to file its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025.

The transition marks a significant pivot for the San Francisco-based company as it moves toward dissolution under the new ownership.

UK-based luxury lifestyle brand Perfect Moment has announced it has secured 12 million dollars in growth financing to strengthen its liquidity and support its strategic expansion. The capital injection follows the recently reported first profitable quarter for the brand and is intended to accelerate progress toward sustainable profitability.

The financing package is comprised of two distinct elements. The first is a 10 million dollar revolving credit facility provided by Krane Capital and X3 Higher Moment Fund (X Cubed). The second component is a separate two million dollar equity investment from Krane Capital.

Structured credit and premium equity investment

The 10 million dollar revolving credit facility includes 4 million dollars from Krane Capital and 6 million dollars from X Cubed. The facility has a term of 24 months and carries an interest rate of 12 percent per annum. These funds are designated for general corporate purposes, including working capital, product development, and the repayment of outstanding debt.

Simultaneously, Krane Capital has agreed to purchase 6,060,606 shares of Perfect Moment common stock at 0.33 dollars per share. This price represents a 75 percent premium to the closing share price of 0.19 dollars on March 27, 2026. This investment is intended to bolster the balance sheet and support compliance with the continued listing requirements of the NYSE American exchange.

Strategic expansion and market development

Perfect Moment executive chairman, Max Gottschalk, stated that the objective of the financing is to secure the capital necessary for long-term strategic execution. Gottschalk noted that with a leadership team in place and improving revenue trends and margins, the brand is building momentum toward sustainable profitability.

Gottschalk also highlighted the strategic importance of Krane Capital regarding its experience in China. The brand intends to leverage local market insights and relationships to partner with operators in the region. This collaboration is expected to accelerate a curated distribution strategy to ensure the brand is positioned appropriately within the premium segment.

The brand, which was founded in Chamonix, France, specialises in luxury outerwear and activewear. The new capital structure is designed to support near-to-medium term priorities, including product innovation and category expansion, as the brand seeks to scale its go-to-market capabilities.

Chanel is a maison synonymous with luxury and recognised globally, defined by timeless black and white chic and its 'ultimate luxury' identity. Founded in Paris in 1910 by fashion pioneer Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel, today it remains a powerhouse brand, now headquartered in London. Many of the elements introduced under Coco have endured, firmly establishing the brand’s identity. In fact, these hallmarks are continually drawn upon, reinvigorated and reimagined, including under current creative director Matthieu Blazy, whose first collection for the maison for SS26 was an instant sell-out.

Privately owned by the Wertheimer family, a structure still relatively common in the luxury fashion sector despite the broader retail industry’s move toward conglomerates and private-equity ownership, the maison continues to flourish, guided by its own creative vision as an independent brand and a member of the haute couture fashion industry.

Chanel’s core audience has long consisted of affluent women who value classic style, craftsmanship, and the ability to express themselves through fashion. While this demographic prevails, the brand has broadened its appeal and adapted to new markets and cultural shifts.

Intellectual property (IP) has been instrumental not only during its initial establishment but also in strengthening brand loyalty and reaching new consumers and followers. This article examines the IP rights that anchor Chanel’s identity and uphold the brand’s influence in today’s market and across the decades.

Trademarks

Easily recognisable, the two interlocking Cs, the initials of the eponymous founder, form the well-known logo designed by Coco Chanel. It remains a highly-recognised badge of origin, unchanged to this day.

The clean all-caps font of the CHANEL wordmark, often placed underneath the interlocking Cs, is in a Couture sans-serif font, evocative of the 1920s art deco era but bold enough to have withstood the test of time over a century later.

The ‘Chanel’ wordmark was registered in 1924, and though it is the name of the brand, has often been misused to identify non-branded items or counterfeit goods by third parties wishing to profit from Chanel’s hard-earned reputation. An example might be a tweed suit with no affiliation to the brand still being dubbed a ‘Chanel suit’.

‘Coco’ was registered in 1980 and is one of Chanel’s most valuable trade marks by which the founder was affectionately known, due mostly to its acquired goodwill and use in signature perfumes. It is created in the same sans-serif style as the CHANEL logo.

The use of tweed, the iconic soft textures that make up Chanel’s jackets and suits, are hallmarks in the brand’s toolkit and have been developed and reimagined overtime to evoke its heritage. In turn, Chanel’s legacy of craftsmanship has been protected through the acquisition of artisanal mills.

Recognisable design elements like the Camellia Chanel flower motif adorn various offerings such as cosmetic products, and the camellia essence itself is an ingredient in one of Chanel’s beauty ranges. The camellia has a long history of association with the brand, appearing in adaptations across clothing, jewellery and accessories.

Chanel’s is not an easy reputation to uphold as its popularity frequently breeds others trying to cash-in. The label is known to protect its trademarks and other IP through legal means, and has regularly enforced its rights successfully, for example:

• In 2025, a New York jury ruled in favour of Chanel, awarding the brand damages against second-hand reseller What Goes Around Comes Around (WGACA) which was found to be selling counterfeit Chanel branded handbags and creating a false impression of affiliation to Chanel.
• The Chanel v The RealReal (TRR) luxury resale case has been ongoing since 2018 and is related to the sale of counterfeit goods and trademark infringement, with multiple failed attempts at mediation. Most recently, a US court has dismissed the majority of the reseller’s counterclaims, eliminating a large part of its antitrust claims.

Other rights in the maison’s arsenal include registered designs such as the shape of shoes, bags, and perfume bottles. Chanel No. 5 perfume, the bottle of which was reportedly inspired by a whiskey decanter, heralded the beginning of investment in advertising in the 1970s with shrewd decision-making. It created a demand for the perfume by popularising it through Marilyn Monroe’s endorsement, inaugurating the importance of collaboration with celebrities.

People

Chanel’s celebrity driven strategy relies on a sophisticated IP framework. In addition to the above-mentioned IP protection, licensing agreements with clauses added protect IP and exclusivity in collaborations; Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) safeguard campaign confidentiality and protect the maison’s creative concepts during launches and campaigns; and copyright protection around campaign imagery ensures that only authorised representations of the brand are publicly circulated.

High-profile figures that represent the brand include: ‘the Face of’, currently Margot Robbie for No. 5 perfume; ‘Ambassadors’ (since the 1980s) and 'Muses' like Lily-Rose Depp and lately Ayo Edebiri; and ‘Friends’ and ‘Representatives’ such as Dua Lipa. Nicole Kidman has starred in short but impactful, memorable films. These icons attend fashion shows, are photographed on the red carpet and feature in ad campaigns, creating a buzz for the brand that helps cultivate Chanel’s audience and market share.

In Chanel’s posted social media guidelines, the working policy is clearly elucidated as the expectation for a company, geared to ensure the protection of the brand, its collaborators and its customers:

...You should never post or share any content that violates or infringes the IP rights of any third party. A good rule of thumb is, if your content is based on or incorporates someone else’s creation, make sure you have their permission to post it, even if the content is freely accessible...

With nearly 60 million followers on Instagram alone, it is essential that the message is clear both to follow legal guidance and to help counter the threat of online infringement.

Leadership

The evolution over the past decades, from when Karl Lagerfeld was chief designer and with the infusion of business savvy from the Wertheimer family, has worked well for Chanel’s brand image. Under current CEO Leena Nair, the first woman of Asian heritage to lead the house, Chanel is dedicated to gender equality and sustainability, with a commitment to achieving net-zero by 2040.

Creative director Matthieu Blazy was appointed in December 2024 and debuted with a space-themed runway show during Paris Fashion Week. His inaugural SS26 collection introduced a fantastical, mushroom-filled set while maintaining Chanel’s elegant DNA: simplicity, craftsmanship, and unmistakable design. He follows in the footsteps of Coco and Lagerfeld - big shoes to fill with their dedication to style and their own unique flair. Nicole Kidman’s return as a brand ambassador under the direction of Blazy demonstrates the maison’s multi-generational resonance.

Meanwhile, Chanel Beauty attempts to bridge the gap to a Gen Z audience by launching a sustainable beauty range that aims to be eco-friendly and innovative, while also keeping pace with modern expectation alongside preserving the classic Chanel ethos.

Conclusion

Coco Chanel’s belief that “fashion changes, but style endures” is evident in the maison’s strategic use of IP not merely as a defensive mechanism, but as an active expression of its brand DNA in extraordinary ways.

From trademarks and design rights to celebrity partnerships and strict enforcement, Chanel has leveraged IP not only to protect its heritage but to continually influence culture. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to evolve while remaining true to the foundational values that define the brand.

According to industry reports, French house Courrèges has quickly moved on from the departure of Nicolas Di Felice, which was announced just last week. This resolves the uncertainty surrounding its creative direction.

The owner, Artémis, the Pinault family's investment vehicle linked to Kering, has reportedly appointed British designer Drew Henry as the new creative director. This marks the beginning of a new era for the maison, starting May 6.

Working alongside chief executive officer Marie Leblanc, who remains in charge of operational management, Henry will now face the challenge of accelerating Courrèges' global expansion without diluting its distinctive DNA.

A graduate of Central Saint Martins, Henry has built a solid, though discreet, career. He is noted for his behind-the-scenes work at some of the industry's most influential houses. He was a close collaborator of Phoebe Philo during her time at Celine and also participated in the launch of her eponymous brand. His career includes strategic positions such as design director at JW Anderson and, more recently, vice president of runway design at Burberry.

The change follows a period of stability under the direction of Di Felice, who successfully led the relaunch of Courrèges for five years.

Forty years after Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene and Marina Yee shook up the fashion world at the British Designer Show in London, the Modemuseum Antwerpen (MoMu) is dedicating its first full exhibition to their legacy. The Antwerp Six showcases not only this chapter of rebellious Belgian fashion but also glimpses of their diverse personalities and the props of a blossoming friendship.

Two years ago, Geert Bruloot, the fashion entrepreneur who launched the Six as a group at the London trade fair in 1986, invited the designers to reflect on their work as friends. Based on these conversations and the research of MoMu curators Romy Cockx and Kaat Debo, each of the six was then allowed to help fill their own space in MoMu, in a presentation style that is unmistakably their own.

Mythical club

The Antwerp Six is not a brand, a fashion house, or an official trade association. The name sounds as mythical as it actually is, Bruloot states as he guides the fashion press into the first room. The six only worked closely together in London for three years. They were eventually banned for corrupting British fashion with their Belgian, avant-garde ideas at an illegal 'guerrilla' fashion show, forcing them to move on to that other fashion city, Paris (1988). After a joint collection, they each went their separate ways there. Nevertheless, the 'Six' label, coined by their British fashion agent Marysia Woronieczka and kept alive by the press, still sticks 40 years later.

In the entrance hall, you can learn many such nuances about the famous Antwerp fashion legend. You arrive and are immediately surrounded by the complete sensation of their history. Screens, photographs and video footage illustrate the major steps from their fashion education to their breakthrough. We see the young Six in the classroom alongside early sketches and their graduation collections. There are newspaper articles in which they discuss their rebellious visions for fashion, and reviews of the show spectacles, plus excerpts of them in short clips played on TV screens.

It is an overwhelming start to an exhibition. You get the impression that Cockx and Debo locked themselves in the archive and did not really want to choose. On the other hand, the arrival of the Six was just that explosive.

Among the papers, you also understand the era in which the Six grew up. They are children of the sixties and seventies, a time of change sealed by outspoken youth. They took part in labour protests (May 1968) and propagated sexual freedom, making loud music and art like pop and performance art. Fashion was important to their message. London became the centre for it, with the punk fashion of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood as its peak.

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Rebelling at the academy

Against this rebellious backdrop, a rather traditional fashion department was founded at the Antwerp Academy in 1963, focusing on pattern drawing and later on making theatre costumes. The students were overseen by Mary Prijot, trained in painting, who would also become the teacher of the six. She preferred her students to make neat clothes inspired by French haute couture, something à la Coco Chanel, not for hippies but for a respectable clientele. Our six fashion students, who became classmates after enrolling in 1976 and 1977, wanted none of that. They wanted to create new things, just like the artists of their time.

MoMu has beautifully depicted how they became attached to each other both professionally and personally. The six increasingly spent time together. They went out together and, through Van Noten's father who owned a menswear shop, forged invitations to get into fashion shows; these fakes are also on display behind glass in the museum.

Breakthrough

To fully understand the story, you need to spend a good portion of your museum time in that first room. There you will also learn about the formative years of the Six before their own labels, when they designed for Belgian brands like Bassetti and Jacques Laloux, and then about their breakthrough as a mythical collective. An important role in this was played by a competition to promote Belgian fabric manufacturers: The Golden Spool. The trophy, a spool, is also on display. When the Six kept winning it, they were disqualified. So they put on their own show (1985) in a warehouse on Antwerp's Scheldekaai, which unexpectedly attracted 3,000 paying visitors. Bruloot came into the picture and the rest is history.

At the exhibition's opening, Debo describes the arrival of the Six as a pivotal moment for the fashion world, but also for the city of Antwerp, which was already a textile city but without a clear fashion identity. Bikkembergs, Demeulemeester, Van Beirendonck, Van Noten, Van Saene and Yee made a difference in that, both together and individually. So much so that their success led to a flood of tourists. On the wall hang the advertisements: Antwerp appears as a shopping destination in Elle, i-D and on WWD. After half an hour in MoMu, you understand what the Six did for the city without even seeing the clothes.

Own mark

From that perspective - the Six as the foundation of the fashion city - they also had to have a say in their parts of the exhibition. We start with Dirk Bikkembergs, who deliberately waited a year to graduate solo to focus all attention on himself. The fashion image of the hyper-erotic, powerfully built sportsman originates from him. Raf Simons was inspired by it. MoMu's selection is shown on a large screen. Bikkembergs was also the one in the group who best understood the power of publicity, according to Bruloot. In the opening room, there was already a copy of his famous catalogues in which model Michel De Windt intimately embraces a pair of hiking boots.

We meet Walter Van Beirendonck in the flesh - or rather, his virtual clone, a talking face on a small screen hidden at the right height in an outfit of his own design. He is contemplating his career in dialogue with a robot from his own fantasy world, Puk Puk, surrounded by his 35 outfits that are just as 'poppy'. “They even call me the last punk,” says that Van Beirendonck.

Dirk Van Saene and Marina Yee were the most politically engaged, according to Bruloot, and logically worked on the border between fashion and art. “With Van Saene, there was always humour involved,” he says. In his designated space, five models circle on an automatic conveyor belt; he has given the audience funny faces, painted on boxes and bags. In the background, we see carefully chosen excerpts from five 'défilés', with free-spirited models in fur coats and checked blouses.

For Marina Yee, who passed away in 2025, a special tribute had to be created. The MoMu team photographically cleared out her studio, numbered everything, and rebuilt it. “She loved rubbish,” Bruloot knows. This is also evident from the copy of her workshop, full of trinkets and material tests.

Dries Van Noten is positioned among his virtuoso colleagues as the king of strong finales. For days, Bruloot worked with him to select the best images for the big screen - kill your darlings, his mentor adds. The scenography also shows how consistent his collections have been, with recurring rococo and chinoiserie prints, expensive fabrics, and strong craftsmanship.

The choice of Ann Demeulemeester to end the exhibition is deliberate; Bruloot knew it would result in something calm and strong. Her entire oeuvre, displayed on a glossy black floor, comes across as a single collection. With this, she immediately shows how much you can do with the colour black. Demeulemeester's pieces are so well-constructed that they could be worn season after season; retailers liked that. On the opposite wall hangs her favourite supermodel, 'Louise', framed in portrait form. Alongside her, the brand's style is explained: romantic, dark and androgynous.

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Opportunities for young talent

Bruloot regularly receives requests from young people to talk about the Six because there is a certain romance attached to them. “But you can't replicate it,” he impresses upon them. Nothing about the Antwerpers' success story was orchestrated; “a train stopped and they all jumped on.” They had no money - meetings with Bruloot took place in Van Noten's flat - but the drive to break through was enormous. Along the way, they learned what was needed about retail, building brands and the right presentation.

“They wrote a unique chapter in fashion history without a plan,” Bruloot states. According to him, the new generation of Belgian designers must now find that inspiration for themselves. With 40,000 graduates worldwide annually, not everyone will start their own fashion house, and that is not necessary. “It is especially necessary to support them in their search for an authentic identity.”

In that respect, the exhibition is more than a retrospective. MoMu wants to use the impact and legacy of the six as leverage for today's young talent. Hence the involvement of the Antwerp Academy, the city of Antwerp and Flanders Fashion in setting up affiliated programmes for the exhibition, such as ‘Waved Together’, a fashion show for young designers, and ‘Sew What’, a programme for children to learn to look critically at the principles of fashion consumption.

Pond full of pearls

"You have to invest in a wide pond of talent to be able to fish out the pearls," Debo explained her intention with the exhibition to the press. According to the curator, that trust in creation begins with seeing the smallest signals, such as a child making a remarkably good fashion sketch at the drawing table.

Were the Six a unique cohort or have we become more selective? That question hangs in the air for seven rooms. Is there a chance of a repeat of such a fusion of great talent? Learning and continuing to learn is certainly a prerequisite. That schooling is a recurring theme in the Antwerp Six. Even Marina Yee, who created a very limited body of work, always continued to study fashion. Until the last days before her death, she learned about fashion by continuing to look at old collections and drawing.

The Antwerp Six is an initiative of MoMu in collaboration with the city of Antwerp and with the support of EventFlanders, and runs until January 17, 2027.

From April 9 to 11, Manhattan’s luxury corridors will double as a distributed exhibition space. Under the banner “Icons of Italy,” 43 flagship boutiques representing 56 Italian brands spanning fashion, design, jewellery, automotive, yachting, food and wine will host installations and cultural activations aimed at reframing retail as a vehicle for storytelling rather than transaction.

The initiative is curated by Altagamma, the foundation representing Italy’s high end cultural and creative industries, and lands just ahead of Italy’s Made in Italy National Day on April 15, the anniversary of the birth of Leonardo da Vinci. The symbolism is deliberate, a nod to the cross disciplinary ingenuity that Italian brands frequently invoke as shorthand for their global positioning.

Italy’s luxury engine, exported

For Italian fashion and design groups, the US remains a cornerstone market. According to industry data from Confindustria Moda and Altagamma, the broader Italian fashion system generates more than 100 billion euros in annual turnover, with exports accounting for roughly two thirds of production. The United States consistently ranks among the top destinations for Italian fashion exports, alongside France, Germany and China.

Within personal luxury goods, Bain and Company has repeatedly identified the US as one of the largest single markets globally, accounting for roughly a quarter to a third of global luxury consumption in recent years. For many Italian houses, particularly in leather goods, footwear and high jewellery, North America represents both a mature revenue base and a testing ground for experiential retail concepts.

New York plays an outsized role in that equation. Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue and SoHo remain strategic flagships for brands seeking visibility, clienteling depth and cultural proximity to US tastemakers. The city is also home to a dense network of collectors, museum institutions and design galleries that have historically amplified Italian design, from postwar industrial furniture to contemporary automotive and yacht design.

Retail as cultural infrastructure

Rather than staging a centralised fair or trade show, “Icons of Italy” opts for a decentralised model. Individual boutiques will transform into temporary cultural spaces hosting installations that highlight specific objects or experiences deemed emblematic of Italian creativity.

The format aligns with a broader shift in luxury retail. As store productivity normalises post pandemic and wholesale channels recalibrate, mono brand flagships are increasingly tasked with delivering narrative immersion. Limited time installations and cross category collaborations, particularly in New York, have become tools to drive footfall and reinforce brand equity without resorting to discounting.

By aggregating multiple sectors including fashion, automotive, fine food, hospitality and yachting under one umbrella, the initiative also reflects the structure of the Italian luxury ecosystem itself. Italy’s competitive advantage lies less in conglomerate scale and more in a dense network of specialised, often family controlled companies clustered in regional districts such as leather in Tuscany, knitwear in Emilia Romagna, eyewear in Veneto and tailoring in Campania.

Why New York?

The choice of Manhattan is not incidental. The United States was among the earliest and most influential adopters of Italian ready to wear in the postwar era, helping elevate designers from Florence and Milan onto the global stage. American department stores and buyers were instrumental in scaling Italian fashion exports in the 1950s and 1960s, while US media and Hollywood amplified the aspirational appeal of Made in Italy.

Today, that cultural exchange runs both ways. US consumers have shaped product categories, from logo driven leather goods to performance luxury hybrids, while American capital markets have become increasingly relevant for Italian groups seeking growth. At the same time, Italian brands continue to leverage manufacturing credibility and craft narratives that resonate with US clients seeking authenticity and traceability.

“Icons of Italy” positions itself within that long standing dialogue, but with a contemporary twist, blending retail, tourism and experiential marketing. Visitors who engage with the programme can enter a contest offering two night stays at 18 Italian luxury hotels, effectively extending the in store narrative into destination travel.

Strategic timing

The activation arrives at a moment of recalibration in global luxury. With growth in parts of Asia moderating and geopolitical uncertainties affecting consumer sentiment, brands are refocusing on core markets such as the US. Recent sector analyses indicate that North American demand has proven relatively resilient, particularly in the high end segment.

For Italian companies, many of which remain export driven, reinforcing brand heat in New York is both symbolic and practical. It strengthens relationships with local clientele, engages international visitors and underscores the breadth of Italy’s creative industries beyond fashion alone.

Supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency, the project also functions as soft power. By foregrounding craftsmanship, regional identity and cross sector excellence, it reinforces the Made in Italy label at a time when supply chain transparency and country of origin credentials carry renewed weight.

For fashion and retail professionals, the event offers a live case study in collaborative market activation, demonstrating how multiple independent brands can leverage a shared national narrative to amplify visibility in one of the world’s most competitive luxury environments without retreating into the conventions of a trade fair or marketing spectacle.

Finnish textile group Marimekko Corporation is driving its growth in Asia. On Monday, the company announced its expansion into two new markets: Indonesia and the Philippines. The aim is to strengthen the brand's presence in the “dynamic markets of Southeast Asia”, according to a statement.

According to the company, the first new openings in both countries are scheduled for this summer. As is customary in the region, the group is relying on “loose licensing partnerships”. In Indonesia, Marimekko is collaborating with PT Panen Lestari Indonesia, a company belonging to the MAP Group. The first store in the country is set to open in early summer in the capital, Jakarta, located in the Plaza Senayan shopping centre.

The partner for the Philippines is Rustan Commercial Corporation. The market entry is planned with the gradual opening of four shop-in-shop spaces in luxury department stores in the Metro Manila region.

According to Marimekko, the growth steps now announced are in line with its expansion strategy, which runs until 2027. The company explained that under the plans, Asia is “the most important geographical region for international growth”, as a long-term increase in demand for the brand's products is expected there.

Marimekko currently has 94 stores and shop-in-shop spaces, as well as its own online shops in various markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Of these, 24 locations are in Southeast Asia alone. The textile provider also has online stores in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Guess Jeans has partnered with cult Japanese label Hysteric Glamour to create a special Spring/Summer 2026 collection that connects California surf & skate nostalgia with Tokyo’s counterculture appeal.

Set to launch April 3, the collaborative collection is inspired by both brands’ legacies, reimagining archival designs and classic silhouettes from Guess Jeans through Hysteric Glamour’s signature graphic and subversive lens. The collection features vintage West Coast iconography from Guess Jeans with iconic Hysteric motifs, which have been layered and remixed on different styles. 

“Guess Jeans and I have shared the same era. For this collaboration, I reinterpreted the nostalgia I once felt for Guess Jeans through the lens of Hysteric Glamour. I hope the next generation will enjoy styling these pieces in their own way,” said Nobuhiko Kitamura, founder of Hysteric Glamour, in a statement.

Labels are appliquéd over pockets and stitched across pieces from the collection like archival stickers, adding a tactile, handcrafted feel. Embossed and laser-treated denim is paired with textured, Venice Beach–inspired retro multi-stripe fabrics, resulting in a bold collection that feels both nostalgic and new.

“This collaboration represents a natural synergy between two brands that have always celebrated individuality, youth culture, and bold self-expression. Bringing together the visual worlds of Guess Jeans and Hysteric Glamour allows us to honour our heritage while creating something new, playful and unexpected for the next generation,” said Nicolai Marciano, Chief New Business Development Officer at Guess Jeans.

A new campaign, shot on location at a motel in Los Angeles, which channels cinematic nostalgia and portrays a cast that fluidly navigates between both cultural spheres, will simultaneously launch via social media with the collection.

The upcoming launch of the collaborative collection is part of Marciano’s wider international push to position Guess Jeans at the intersection of fashion, music, and art, while spotlighting Japan’s continued influence on global youth culture. Building on its global relaunch, Guess Jeans continues to expand through international activations and cultural partnerships.

The Guess Jeans x Hysteric Glamour Spring 2026 collection will launch at flagship stores in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Berlin, alongside select retailers and global e-commerce platforms.

Founded in 1984, Hysteric Glamour has grown into a defining force in Harajuku’s countercultural scene, mixing rock, pop art, and Americana into a rebellious aesthetic that connected Japanese street culture with Western influences.

The French edition of the “FashionUnited Top 300 Instagram Index” highlights the enormous digital reach of the country's fashion industry.

Brands that perform well with multi-brand retailers also dominate online. This ranking shows that French business-to-business (B2B) labels, from denim to high-end streetwear, have a considerable social media reach and inspire an audience of several million people.

The full ranking

Methodology

This ranking includes over 300 B2B fashion brands registered in France in the FashionUnited International Brand Directory. The number of followers was recorded in March 2026 from the Instagram profile pages. The brands are ranked according to their total number of followers. Subsidiary brands that use the same Instagram account as their parent company have been counted twice.

About the FashionUnited Brand Directory

The FashionUnited Brand Directory is the world's most comprehensive database of fashion brands, listing over 5,000 brands from more than 50 countries. Each brand profile contains company information, details about its social media presence and its business sector.

View the various segment and local indexes on the Global Fashion Instagram Index.

US fashion brand Edikted has expanded its physical retail network with the opening of its first standalone location in Europe.

Located at 52 to 55 Carnaby Street, London, the 4,800 square feet store houses a complete range of Edikted’s streetstyle and runway-inspired womenswear and accessories.

In a statement, Edikted’s head of retail, Mina Fam, underlined Carnaby Street’s iconic status, which made it an ideal location for the company’s first store outside the US.

In a statement, Edikted’s head of retail, Mina Fam, underlined Carnaby Street’s iconic status, which made it an ideal location for the company’s first store outside the US.

Fam continued: “This opening allows us to bring something exclusive to UK customers, offering a carefully curated range of apparel and accessories they can’t find anywhere else.

“Surrounded by standout brands and a style-conscious audience, we’re able to build on the success we’ve achieved in the US, while establishing Edikted as a must-visit brand in Europe.”

Edikted’s venture across the pond comes on the back of strong growth in its home region, where it currently operates 11 physical stores.

It was therefore “key we launch somewhere we can benefit from a dedicated and trend-savvy customer base”, Fam had said earlier this year when speaking on plans for a London store.

ANALYSIS It is not a coincidence that Jacob Elordi chooses to wear womenswear from Chanel or Bottega Veneta off-duty, without sponsorship, stylist, or explanation. Or that A$AP Rocky becomes a face of Chanel despite the house producing no menswear line. What makes these moments significant is not the celebrity behaviour itself, it is what it signals about the consumer behind it.

More than half of Gen Z consumers believe gender-neutral clothing is the future of fashion. 56% prefer brands that offer gender-neutral options, while 33% have already purchased from gender-fluid collections. The global unisex apparel market, worth $11.73 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $62 billion by 2033.

So here is the question fashion professionals should be sitting with: if the consumer has already moved, what is the industry waiting for?

The rules were invented

Gendered clothing categories are not a natural law. For most of human history, clothing differentiated social status far more than sex. Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans wore draped and wrapped garments across genders; variation was expressed through material and decoration, not binary form. It was only in the late eighteenth century that Western menswear underwent what the psychoanalyst John Carl Flügel called the "great male renunciation": a decisive cultural shift in which men abandoned ornamentation in favour of sobriety and restraint, effectively outsourcing visual expression to womenswear. Before that moment, pink was associated with financial power and physical bravery, or decoration signalled status, not gender.

The binary the modern fashion industry is built around is, in historical terms, both recent and culturally specific. Worth remembering the next time a buying meeting treats "menswear" and "womenswear" as self-evident, permanent categories. However, the industry still rests on assumptions that are rarely questioned

For instance, have you ever wondered why tweed is considered feminine? It was originally woven for men on Scottish moors, Coco Chanel borrowed it for women and made it iconic. Or is sheer inherently womanly because it is delicate? Is a suit masculine because it has structure? These distinctions underpin how collections are designed, how stores are organised, and how consumers are guided through the act of shopping. They are historical accidents. And right now, they are starting to break.

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The long road to now

Fashion has challenged these rules before, but usually from the margins. David Bowie in a dress, Prince in lingerie on stage, Kurt Cobain in floral dresses, these were framed as provocations. Which at the time were important culturally, but merely outliers.

What changed now was scale and normalisation. Harry Styles's 2020 Vogue cover translated gender fluidity into something the mainstream could process. What has followed is a generation of cultural figures: Timothée Chalamet, or Jacob Elordi, who are not dressing to make a statement, they are simply dressing. Chalamet's sheer blouses and embellished tailoring no longer register as controversial, and Elordi wore a women's Chanel jacket on the Wuthering Heights press tour without a stylist's directive and without sponsorship and now all publications reference him as the best dressed man.

These men are not the cause of a shift, they are its consequence. The cause is structural: a generation of male consumers increasingly comfortable with ambiguity, sensitivity, and self-expression in how they dress. That is the shift. And for fashion professionals, the more interesting question is not whether it is happening, but what it means for the business.

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What this means for buyers and brands

The male consumer who is engaging with this shift is not a niche customer. He is typically higher-spend, more brand-loyal, and less driven by trend cycles than the streetwear cohort that dominated the previous decade. Independent retailers who moved early, stocking labels like Séfr, Bode, Auralee or even COS several seasons ago, are already seeing this commercially. These labels are selling craft, texture, and emotional register: chunky artisanal knitwear, worn-in tailoring in natural fibres, earthy palettes, considered silhouettes.

For instance, the men's bag has quietly become a genuine retail category, and the search data proves it. According to Google Trends, search interest in men's bags grew 3,750% over the past twelve months, outpacing women's bag searches, which grew 2,400% over the same period (line chart). And within the related searches to “men’s bags”, the ones rising the most are “tote bag”, “men's tote bag”, or “men’s beach bag” (bar chart) – signaling this normalisation of more typically womanly items.

For buyers, the practical implication is a product mix question, not an identity question. Which categories translate? Which labels are already operating in this space? How do you merchandise it without it reading as a trend stunt? The answer, from the retailers doing it well, is to lead with quality and craft, not with the gender conversation. The customer is shopping a wardrobe.

The global menswear market is projected to grow from $620 billion in 2024 to nearly $1 trillion by 2033, with evolving gender norms explicitly cited as a structural driver, which is a great commercial signal.

Where is menswear going?

Not toward androgyny as a statement. Toward something more commercially viable, which I like to call “romantic realism”: a softening of the male wardrobe that is less about transgression and more about texture, craft, and emotional register. The question now is whether the rest of the industry's infrastructure, its buying floors, brand categories, trade show organisation, and the language it uses to describe clothing, is capable of meeting him.

Menswear and womenswear as fixed, distinct categories made sense in the world the "great male renunciation" created. That world is over and brands and retailers that recognise this first, not as a social position, but as a commercial reality, will be the ones best positioned for what comes next.

Clothes don't have a gender. And they never really did, the industry built its entire architecture around the idea anyway. Now it is going to have to rebuild, and the ones who start now will have the advantage.

Nearly a year on from its acquisition of Foot Locker, parent company Dick’s Sporting Goods has begun a series of layoffs within the operations of the sportswear retailer.

The news was confirmed to Footwear News by unnamed sources. FashionUnited has contacted Dick’s with a request to comment.

Some employees were reportedly asked to ‘return to office’ in Foot Locker’s New York headquarters this week or in Florida for Champs Sports. Others were asked to relocate, however, the number of those impacted is currently unknown.

Speaking to Footwear News, Matt Powell, advisor at Spurwink River, acknowledged that, like most mergers and acquisitions, redundancies, particularly in back of house, were expected.

He noted, however, that the integration of Foot Locker into the Dick’s business had “gone better than expected”.

Dick’s pursued a takeover of Foot Locker last year, marking a new venture into international waters for the American retailer and a new home for the ailing footwear specialist, which had been facing widening losses.

At the time of the acquisition, Dick’s said it had identified opportunities to align the strengths of the two brands, leveraging their differentiated retail formats, global scale, and existing brand partnerships.

In the FY25 report of Dick’s, executive chairman Edward Stack said the recent pilot phase of a simplified merchandising concept at 11 Foot Locker stores had been successful, prompting the planned roll out across 250 other locations across the US and Europe later this year.

Slim’s Fashion and Arts School has named an industry expert as its new director, reinforcing its focus on strengthening fashion education and industry alignment in the Philippines.

The school, founded by National Artist for Fashion Design Salvacion Lim Higgins—also known as “Slim”—is widely recognised for shaping generations of Filipino designers and creatives.

According to the announcement, the newly appointed director brings extensive professional experience and aims to enhance the institution’s curriculum, strengthen industry partnerships and expand opportunities for students entering the fashion sector.

The leadership change is expected to further develop programmes that combine technical training with business and creative skills, reflecting evolving demands in the fashion and creative industries.

The move underscores the school’s continued role in nurturing talent within the Philippine fashion ecosystem while adapting its educational approach to contemporary industry needs.

Graaff-Reinet (South Africa) - The Karoo, a vast South African semi-desert, is criss-crossed by dirt tracks. These paths lead to several centuries-old farms where angora goats graze, raised for their mohair. The country accounts for over half of the world's production of this natural fibre.

Steel blades of pumping windmills are the only things punctuating the "veld", the South African grassy steppe. After several kilometres on a bumpy track, scrolled gables, typical of Dutch colonial architecture, emerge.

"Wheatlands 1912", reads one of them. "This is the newest building here", explains farmer Lloyd Short, who grew up on the 7,700-hectare family farm.

Wheatlands does not owe its reputation to the charm of its refined retreat. The treasure of the place is its angora goats, unique animals with drooping ears, curved horns and a golden fleece. Their silky, downy locks sell for up to 900 rands per kilo and are used to make jumpers and knitwear, most often blended with wool.

The Italian spinning company Vitale Barberis Canonico, one of the most prestigious suit fabric manufacturers, also sources South African mohair. "The first two shearings are the most lucrative", explains Lloyd Short. The seventh-generation farmer then collects an average of 1 kg per animal at the first shearing, then 1.5 kg at the second. The weight then increases slightly with age, but the fibre loses quality as the animal gets older.

He owns about 2,000 angora goats, as many as his brother. The Shorts are fortunate to be the sole suppliers to a famous French fashion house. This is a way for the brand to ensure the traceability of its supply chain with a trusted producer and to protect its image.

South African mohair suffered a crisis in 2018 that left the industry wary. The animal rights NGO Peta had released a video of an incident, which farmers claim is extremely rare: a goat being put down after an artery was accidentally cut during shearing.

Overnight, many international brands publicly announced they were abandoning the fibre. It took two years to convince the fashion world to return, following the implementation of a responsible farming label that includes third-party audits.

"In 2020, the situation changed and demand started to pick up a bit", explains Marco Coetzee, director of the industry's representative body, Mohair South Africa.

From Turkey to the Karoo

The country supplied 56 percent of global production in 2024, according to its figures. The sector provides around 30,000 jobs, including hundreds in the Karoo, which has become an unexpected home for the angora goat, a breed originating from Turkey.

Its introduction in the first half of the 19th century is unclear. Was it a gift from an Ottoman dignitary or an import by a British military officer? Accounts differ, but nearly two centuries later, the angoras feast on the local succulent plants.

"You find magnificent species of the veld here, sweet-tasting plants. Almost everything is edible", praises Sean Hobson, owner of Martyrsford farm, which has been breeding angoras since 1865. "Regions with higher humidity are not as suitable for fibre production", he details. "You find many more parasites and ticks there."

To protect themselves, the goats are regularly passed through dipping tanks between the two annual shearings. A conditioner bath also serves to give the locks of hair a "good start" to "create that beautiful curl", according to Hobson.

"The whole world buys mohair, primarily for its lustre. It's not just that it shines, but it brings out the colours", describes Pierre van der Vyver, general manager of the broker House of Fiber.

The scent of a sheepfold fills his warehouse, where hundreds of mohair bales rest, a stone's throw from the docks of Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth). Along with its main competitor OVK, also South African, they share more than 70 percent of the world market almost equally, with neighbouring Lesotho alone accounting for 16 percent of it.

Almost all clients, except for Vitale Barberis Canonico, buy it in balls. It is processed by a duopoly, again South African (Samil and Stucken), which shares the sector in the same proportions and processes fibres from Australia and the UK.

"The Chinese would like to compete with us, but fortunately, working with mohair requires a lot of technical know-how", analyses van der Vyver. "It's a much slower process than for wool. It's a special fibre." It thrives in the desert.

Manchester-based Debenhams Group, the online platform operated by Boohoo Group plc, has announced it delivered 53 million pounds (70.16 million dollars) in adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the financial year ending February 28, 2026. This figure represents a 36 percent increase compared to the previous year and sits comfortably ahead of the guidance issued by the board in January 2026.

The performance was bolstered by a significant 76 percent increase in adjusted EBITDA during the second half of the year. While gross merchandise value (GMV) trends remained negative, the group reported three consecutive quarters of improvement, ending February at 5 percent below the prior year.

Strategic pivot to marketplace model

The group is currently transitioning to an asset-lite marketplace model, which group chief executive officer Dan Finley credited for the improved financial standing. As part of this turnaround, the company has completed a warehouse consolidation, rightsized its stock base, and delivered a new technology re-platform. “Our pivot to the stock-lite, capital-lite, highly profitable marketplace is working,” Finley stated. He noted that the cost base has been reset and the majority of onerous costs have been exited, allowing the management team to shift its focus toward growth.

The group's cost-reduction strategy resulted in a fixed cost exit rate of 119 million pounds, which was 11 million pounds lower than the 130 million pounds guided in February 2026. The company remains on track to reach a fixed cost target of 100 million pounds in the financial year ending February 28, 2027.

Debt reduction and cash flow outlook

Debenhams Group reported net debt of 90 million pounds at the end of February 2026, representing less than two times adjusted EBITDA. This reduction was supported by a 40 million pound fundraise completed in February 2026. The board expects net debt to fall below one time adjusted EBITDA by the end of FY27.

Following the 53 million pound adjusted EBITDA outturn for FY26, the board has raised its FY27 guidance, expecting double-digit growth in adjusted EBITDA. The group, which serves millions of customers across destinations including Debenhams, Karen Millen, Boohoo, MAN and PLT, remains focused on growing its marketplace model.

Luxury group Kering announced on Monday the selection of the ten fellows for the inaugural edition of its Kering CRAFT (Creative Residency for Artisanship, Fashion and Technology) programme. Developed in partnership with Shanghai Fashion Week, this residency scheme aims to support the emergence of a new generation of Chinese designers by fostering exchanges with international creative communities.

In March 2026, a committee of experts from Kering, Shanghai Fashion Week and an international advisory board evaluated the applications based on criteria of creativity, artisanal excellence, growth prospects and the embodiment of future luxury trends. In a statement, the group specified that more than 100 candidates have applied for the programme since applications opened in December 2025.

The programme offers an immersive journey between Milan, Paris and Shanghai. Residents will benefit from hands-on learning and mentoring by world-renowned experts. One such expert is Demna, artistic director of Gucci and a member of the advisory board, who expressed his fascination with the technical know-how and innovation in China.

The ten talents of the 2026 class, specialising in fashion and jewellery design, were selected for their ability to reinterpret Chinese culture and philosophy in an international context. Many of them are graduates of European fashion schools, such as Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art.

Ten Chinese designers selected for the CRAFT programme:

• Cai Jiaen (Je Cai): Proposes a modular and seasonless system that encourages long-term use.
• Hu Nan (Nan Knits): An expert in contemporary knitwear, he explores new garment structures.
• Longhong Ziwei (Soft Mountains): Transforms endangered crafts of the Yi ethnic group into minimalist designs.
• Qi Yueqi (Yueqi Qi): The designer combines narrative design with an exclusive bead-weaving technique.
• Wang Fengchen (Feng Chen Wang): Known for her futuristic and deconstructed aesthetic.
• Wei Donghui (Jacques Wei): Balances artistic expression and commercial sense with an East-meets-West vision (a graduate of Atelier Chardon Savard).
• XIA Rong (macro'Senses): Explores high-end women's ready-to-wear through sensory perception.
• Xu Hao (qiqi): Works on the intimacy between the body and the object through natural materials.
• Yu Gengyi (Midnight Opera House): Translates the aesthetics of oriental opera into jewellery.
• Zhong Zixin (Zhong Zixin): A lifestyle brand inspired by the concept of 'home', at the crossroads of sculpture and fashion.

This article was partly written with the support of an artificial intelligence tool before being supplemented and edited by a FashionUnited journalist.

British fashion brand AllSaints has appointed Nichole Strydom as its new chief merchant, a position she will take up from May 5.

In the role, Strydom has been tasked with leading the company’s global merchandising strategy, overseeing buying, merchandising and sourcing across all regions and channels.

She will work alongside chief creative officer Aaron Esh to support the creative team through commercial execution, striving for the mission to accelerate growth.

In a statement, AllSaints’ CEO, Peter Wood, underlined Strydom’s “proven track record of driving performance across complex and fast-moving international retail markets”.

“Her expertise will help us harness customer and partner insights, sharpen our execution and ensure our merchandising operating model delivers for our brand,” Wood continued.

Strydom joins AllSaints from Zalando, where she most recently served as commercial director for the international e-tailer's premium portfolio. This formed part of her over 20 years in the global fashion and retail industry.

On her new role, Strydom said: “AllSaints has a distinctive creative identity and a strong global following. Retail is evolving rapidly as customer expectations change, and I’m excited to join the brand at such a pivotal moment.

“My focus will be on aligning commercial strategy with customer insight to drive sustainable growth, deepen brand affinity and support AllSaints’ continued evolution.”

Zalando seeks successor

It is not yet clear who will take over from Strydom at Zalando. The online retailer is currently in the process of finding a successor for the role, a spokesperson told FashionUnited in response to an enquiry. An update on the current situation will be provided in due course.

“We are very grateful to Nichole for her dedication and the valuable contributions she has made during her time with the company, and wish her all the best for the future,” said a statement from Berlin.

In a candid and insightful interview with Mr Porter, celebrated menswear designer Aaron Levine delves into the philosophy underpinning his distinctive approach to style. Levine, a figure widely recognized for demystifying fashion and making it feel approachable and genuinely wearable, offers a masterclass in elegant, everyday dressing.

The core of his style doctrine rests on a compelling trio of principles: simplicity, uncompromising quality, and the profound importance of self-knowledge in dressing. For Levine, the secret to achieving great personal style isn't chasing fleeting trends or acquiring an extravagant wardrobe. Instead, it is rooted in curating a collection of refined essentials—pieces that are built to last and seamlessly integrate into a variety of outfits.

He argues that true style is a quiet confidence found in uncomplicated, well-executed garments. This focus on simplicity ensures versatility, making the morning dressing routine effortless and anxiety-free. By prioritizing quality over quantity, Levine advocates for investing in fewer, superior pieces. These are the clothes that not only fit better and look sharper but also develop character over time, becoming beloved, reliable staples.

Adidas recently unveiled the kits for the men's 2026 FIFA World Cup (WC) in the US, Canada and Mexico. For the Chinese market, the Herzogenaurach-based sportswear brand celebrated the launch with an event featuring a fashion show and other activities.

Fashion show and retro market

After unveiling the new kits for 25 national teams in mid-March, the company brought its Chinese community together for a three-day event at the historic Xintiandi Laguna Primary School, Adidas announced. The event kicked off with a fashion show in the schoolyard, unveiling the kits and aiming to evoke early memories of football and childhood breaks. The collection was presented by brand ambassador and actor Dylan Wang (Wáng Hèdì), as well as the football teams from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Tongji University.

Over the following two days, Adidas hosted an interactive market in the main building in collaboration with local creative market Common Rare. This included stalls with retro kits, screen-printing workshops and vinyl records. Other activities included a “skateboarding class”, street dance flash mobs and a “World Cup-themed canteen”.

World Cup archive with collector's items

On the fourth floor of the building, the “World Cup Archive” offered a look back at the shared history of Adidas and the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), which organises the World Cup. The exhibition featured rare collector's items, historic kits and photographs. A central element was the return of the Trefoil logo to the national kits for the upcoming WC after 36 years. The logo is associated with the Adidas Originals lifestyle line.

OTB Group has launched the fifth edition of its School of Craftsmanship, an in-house academy aimed at training future talents in Made in Italy luxury manufacturing, during celebrations for Italy’s National Day of Made in Italy.

The programme, hosted at Staff International in Noventa Vicentina, will run two editions in 2026, one beginning in March and another in September, and, for the first time, introduce specialised pathways in collection product development, pattern making and tailoring.

The initiative is designed to pass on artisanal and manufacturing expertise to younger generations, combining classroom learning with hands-on training alongside master artisans. Participants complete a six-month programme that includes workshops, mentoring and a professional traineeship focused on the luxury production cycle.

The launch event was attended by Adolfo Urso and hosted by Renzo Rosso and Ubaldo Minelli. The programme emphasises sustainability, innovation and the preservation of Italian craftsmanship skills.

Since its inception, the academy has trained more than 50 young talents, with over 85 percent subsequently hired within group companies, demonstrating strong employability outcomes.

OTB owns brands including Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni and Viktor&Rolf, and the School of Craftsmanship supports the group’s strategy of strengthening the Made in Italy supply chain by developing skilled professionals for the luxury sector.

Marseille (France) - The Marseille commercial court on Friday reviewed bids from three candidates to take over the Marseille-based ready-to-wear company Jott, known for its colourful down jackets. These were selected from around 15 potential buyers who came forward in February. The court will announce its decision on April 13.

The Jott brand ('Just over the top'), founded in 2010, was placed into administration in December. The Amoniss group is an investment company with a portfolio that includes the brands Chevignon, Lee Cooper and the retailer Pimkie, which was acquired from the Mulliez family in 2023. The group has received the majority of votes from the case's stakeholders, according to one of the parties involved. These stakeholders include the administrator, the judicial representative, the wage guarantee scheme (AGS) and the bank.

This bid appears to offer the best guarantees, with the takeover of 77 percent of the French workforce and the best sale price of three million for stock and assets. The takeover proposal by employees and one of the founders, named Project Mars, received only two votes from the representatives of Jott France and Jott Opération, two entities of the Marseille-based company. Project Mars plans to retain only 34 percent of employees and sets the sale price at 900,000 euros.

Finally, the proposal from BCR-I, a holding company that took over the menswear brand Café Coton in June, received no votes. It plans to retain only 28 percent of the workforce and offered 400,000 euros for the sale.

The Origin group, associated with Middle Eastern interests, did not present its bid on Friday as it had not secured the necessary bank guarantees, the same source specified.

The Jott company, headquartered in Marseille, has a network of stores mainly in France and Europe. It employed 254 people in France in 2025 with a turnover of 70 million euros. The subsidiary managing the stores in the Netherlands and Belgium is also subject to bankruptcy (liquidation) proceedings in Brussels.

"Jott is not just a local company, but a Marseille success story," stated "Mode in Sud", the region's fashion business union, in a press release in December when the bankruptcy was filed. The union expressed concern about an example that is "highly significant for our fashion ecosystem in the South". In recent years, the French ready-to-wear sector has been suffering a severe crisis, weighed down in particular by competition from second-hand fashion and ultra-fast fashion from Asia.

Marks & Spencer is debuting its clothing line in the US through a new partnership with Nordstrom. A range of the British department store’s womenswear collection will be stocked across 30 Nordstrom locations, spanning Los Angeles to New York.

Both in-store and online, the American premium retailer will offer over 60 items from Marks & Spencer, including pieces from its casual brand, Per Una, as well as its M&S Collection line.

The decision to venture further into the US responds to a growing demand for M&S products seen among customers in the region, the retailer said. Awareness of the brand grew following the 2022 launch of M&S Food in Target, the performance of which has motivated Marks & Spencer to also expand the global reach of its fashion line.

It further builds on ongoing efforts by Marks & Spencer to expand globally by leveraging the infrastructure of partners through “scalable, repeatable operating models”. A similar strategy has already been undertaken in Australia, where Marks & Spencer debuted last year through David Jones. Here, the retailer is now planning to expand its offering this month, with the introduction of lingerie and other womenswear and menswear.

In a statement, managing director of international at Marks & Spencer, Mark Lemming: “Our purpose is to bring the best of M&S to customers around the world. With strong brand momentum as the UK’s most trusted retailer and now leading in style, quality and value perceptions in our womenswear range, now is the time to build our brand awareness in the US Fashion market and establish ourselves as a globally trusted brand. We’re delighted to partner with Nordstrom, a partner who shares our values and will support us as we accelerate our growth.”