In the eaves of the Botanic Sanctuary, a former monastery now a five-star hotel in the heart of Antwerp, fashion fans and professionals have gathered for the annual Fashion Talks. The room is intimate with its pointed roof and wooden beams, especially when so full. It resembles a clandestine church. This is fitting, as Antwerp is something of a fashion chapel, being the birthplace of the Antwerp Six.

Following them, much more talent emerged from Belgian fashion schools. Two of them are on stage today: Julian Klausner of Dries Van Noten and Rushemy Botter with his partner Lisi Herrebrugh of Botter and G-Star. They speak candidly about freedom, pressure and creativity within a major fashion house.

Just do it: Botter

Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh, the Dutch design duo behind Botter, continue to break new ground. They had a flying start with their own label in 2018, immediately winning major fashion awards. This was followed by the creative directorship at Nina Ricci and later for G-Star's Raw Research pinnacle line. What have the two learned from these rapid leaps?

The couple was in Rushemy's mother's kitchen when the headhunter called. Nina Ricci was a different kettle of fish: a more classic style and a larger company. Lisi: "Suddenly you had a huge team. The first week we were googling what everyone's job entailed. What does a communications director do? We did not want to let on that we did not know. Now we can be honest about it. We had no idea."

Consciously naive choices

Rushemy describes their acceptance of the role at Ricci as a consciously naive choice. There was no fear of taking on something big. It was not about prestige either, he says: "More a feeling of: we have a foot in the door. We are playing in the Champions League. We are going to Paris, that was a dream for us."

Nina Ricci needed the two for their 'cool factor'. Conversely, the Botter brand required visibility and funding, which was possible with the income from their work in Paris. "All the money we earned, we invested in Botter. The plan was for Botter to grow on its own. However, the reality is that Botter is very creative, Covid-19 hit, and we needed more to keep it alive and going, to continue our dream."

On the first day at Nina Ricci, an inflatable unicorn was waiting for the Botters - a symbol of the freedom that awaited them. The promise was carte blanche. That turned out to be quite a disappointment; there was a lot of pressure, says Lisi. "First you feel the pressure of the numbers. Then you have to be rigid in your vision. After a few years, it was time to move on."

Denim novices

At G-Star, they came in as denim novices. Now they are learning a lot, and it is enjoyable: from how the weaves are put together to the correct position of the fly. That helps to shake up such a company from the inside, says Rushemy. "Denim fanatics know everything, but rarely speak out - there are silent rules. We ask the questions and want to hear the answers that the company had come to take for granted."

Botter as a label was quiet for a while, but a relaunch is coming. "It's going to be sick," says Rushemy. He is not always so positive. There were also periods when they asked each other: will we ever be inspired again? "Sometimes we both feel miserable, then we are very quiet. The one who feels slightly less miserable has to pull the other out of it. We fight this together. It truly is a fight. You fight for your beliefs, for your design, for paying the rent, and for the survival of your company."

Praise for Klausner

Big shoes to fill? Klausner walks in them effortlessly. The brand-new creative director who succeeded Dries Van Noten is received like a superstar in Antwerp. Michelle Obama also wants him to continue this way, begins moderator Chioma Nnadi of British Vogue. Instead of going along with his star status, Klausner calmly explains how he came to his position.

Klausner grew up in Brussels and studied at La Cambre. He eventually ended up in Dries van Noten's Antwerp studio through connections, six years before his appointment as creative director. He describes his promotion as a careful, professional process. It was not just Dries' personal preference; he had to prove himself mainly to senior management.

"Moving into Dries' office was a strange moment for me. It still felt like his office; it is a very special place. It took a while before I felt comfortable in that space.”

Adapting

He learned from Dries not to give up when things go wrong, as it happens constantly. "Dries never wasted time on frustration or disappointment when things did not work or looked different than hoped. He reacted quickly, adapted fast and used setbacks to his advantage. You have to be able to bounce back quickly."

When asked about the archive, amidst high expectations, Klausner has to disappoint. It is an organised system where you mainly see a lot of black garment bags. He describes what Dries has created in forty years as a balance between dream and reality. This is the house's trademark, and Klausner explicitly adheres to it.

"There was always a lot of storytelling and fantasy within the house; however, we also have wardrobes to fill. The goal is to make a piece of clothing that serves someone and gives them joy or excitement. There is nothing more satisfying than someone wearing the pieces time and again, and still with the same affection decades later."

If he has to choose between too daring or too safe and commercial, he chooses the former. "That is also the spirit of the house and of the Antwerp designers: creativity must remain a priority." It is his ode to Dries.

Creative ping-pong

To students and young designers, he advises: dare to make mistakes and explain why something appeals to you. Dries called that creative ping-pong. "To play ping-pong well, you have to be able to explain your choices well.”

When asked what it means to be a Belgian designer, he says: "As a Belgian, you do not take yourself too seriously from the outset. There was hardly any fashion heritage in Antwerp, so the first wave of designers, the Antwerp Six, had everything still to do. There was no weight of a particular heritage or anything to be compared with. That provides a certain creative freedom. The idea of luxury is also not as present here. It is more about quality and creative integrity — something that has meaning and is made with intention. "

FashionUnited travelled to Antwerp at the invitation of Flanders District of Creativity.

The National Football League (NFL) and Fanatics, the licensed sports merchandise platform, have reimagined the classic NFL Nike jersey in the colours of England, France and Australia to celebrate the FIFA World Cup.

Inspired by the fusion of American sport and global football coming to North America, the three jerseys blend the colours, crests and heritage of each football federation, with the signature cut, mesh side panels, a loose fit and a satin twill woven jock tag of a classic NFL jersey.

Each jersey has its own design features, with England’s red jersey featuring the Three Lions crest on both sleeves, while an England wordmark sits above the number 26 on the front and back.

Australia’s jersey has been reimagined in green and gold, fronted by the Football Australia logo above the 26, with the federation's Commonwealth Coat of Arms on each sleeve, while France includes the Les Bleus' famous crest and colours, along with a graphic of the Statue of Liberty’s crown across the shoulders in a nod to it being 140 years since France gifted the statue to the US.

The limited-edition jerseys are available at Fanatics e-commerce priced at 105 pounds / 122 euros / 130 US dollars / 230 Australian dollars.

British women’s fashion brand Wyse London has appointed former Boden executive Cathy Newnes-Smith as its new chief executive officer, with immediate effect.

Newnes-Smith joins Wyse London following three and a half years as CEO of British lingerie and sleepwear brand Stripe & Stare, where she led the business through a significant period of growth and brand development.

Prior to this, Newnes-Smith spent 12 years at British clothing brand Boden, most recently serving on the executive leadership team as chief design and customer experience officer. In this role, she oversaw product design, buying, content and brand marketing, as well as creative and creative services.

In a statement, Wyse London said that Newnes-Smith brings “extensive experience” across brand building, customer experience, creative leadership and commercial growth, and will lead the brand through “its next chapter as the business continues to expand both its retail presence and digital offering”.

Commenting on the appointment, Marielle Wyse, founder of Wyse, said: "Cathy brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of our customer, making her an exceptional fit for Wyse London and our ambitions for the future. Her values, vision and commercial expertise are closely aligned with who we are as a brand and where we are heading.

“Both personally and professionally, I have enormous admiration and respect for Cathy. I have every confidence that she is the right person to lead Wyse through its next chapter, building on our strong foundations and driving the business forward as we continue to grow.”

Newnes-Smith added: "I am delighted to be joining Wyse, a brand I have admired for many years. Marielle and the team have always put customers at the heart of Wyse, understanding the power of clothes to give confidence, strength and joy.

“I am very much looking forward to working with Marielle and the team to continue growing the Wyse community in the years to come."

Founded in 2014, Wyse London began as a colourful cashmere brand and has grown into a full lifestyle label spanning knitwear, dresses, denim and outerwear. The contemporary brand also has a growing retail presence in the UK with stores in London, York, Burnham Market, and Southwold.

In Pictures

Lebanese luxury fashion house Elie Saab has unveiled a bespoke aircraft cabin in collaboration with aviation company Bombardier.

Described as “couture aviation”, the collaboration brings together Canadian Bombardier’s engineering and performance with Elie Saab’s timeless design to create a bespoke cabin design for the Global 8000 aircraft to showcase a “new expression of business aviation”.

The Global 8000 cabin has been reimagined as a sophisticated, harmonious space, defined by clean architectural lines, rich materials and a warm, timeless palette that aims to “enhance both openness and fluidity” with a generous lounge area at the heart of the cabin to foster “effortless comfort”.

Elie Saab Jr., chief executive of Elie Saab, said in a statement: “With Bombardier, we approached this collaboration with a haute couture mindset, elevating every material and detail into a carefully curated expression of luxury, precision and design excellence.

“This project also reflects our desire to accompany our clients in their daily lives wherever they are, extending the Elie Saab universe into every moment of their journey. It is truly a new approach to private aviation, where travel becomes a seamless continuation of refined living.”

This marks Elie Saab’s continued expansion beyond red-carpet gowns, into global luxury travel, yachts, private jets, residential property and hotels. The brand has partnered with luxury developers in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Mexico City, and Casablanca to design high-end residential towers, as well as open its first branded hotel in the Swiss Alps, which is expected to open in 2027. The brand is also bringing its luxury style to the sea in partnership with Italian shipyard Maiora, with a luxury yacht project.

Éric Martel, president and chief executive officer of Bombardier, added: “When we began discussions with Elie Saab, the Global 8000 was already well on the path to becoming a certified, operational aircraft. This allowed us to go beyond concepts and rethink the cabin as a true living space, while fully respecting the performance and operational realities of the aircraft.

“This collaboration pushes the boundaries of business aviation and reflects our relentless focus on elevating the customer experience.”

In a statement, the Supervisory Board of the Printemps group announced the appointment of Rémy Baume as its new CEO.

The position had been vacant since the departure of Jean-Marc Bellaiche. He left his role in September 2025 to lead the Greek hotel company Sani/Ikos Group.

“Retail is reinventing itself, but its most precious intangibles – novelty, pleasure, quality, and hospitality – remain. Since its inception, Printemps has been one of the great innovators in modern retail,” stated Rémy Baume in the release. “It is a sincere honour to take the helm of this pioneering institution. Together with its dedicated teams and magnificent partner brands, we will write a vibrant, human-focused new chapter, driven by all the possibilities of our time.”

Rémy Baume: a profile combining finance, consulting, retail and fashion

Rémy Baume, 50, is a graduate of ESCP Business School and holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. He began his career at Morgan Stanley as a financial analyst and later a mergers and acquisitions specialist, before joining McKinsey & Company.

He then continued his career at LVMH/Groupe Arnault as investment director, then at Carrefour, where he held several positions related to strategy, transformation and non-food, eventually becoming a member of the group's executive committee.

In 2013, he became president of Kidiliz Group (formerly Groupe Zannier), a specialist in children's ready-to-wear, before being appointed chairman and CEO of Zadig & Voltaire in 2020. During his career, he has also worked with companies and brands such as Kenzo, Paul Smith, Jean Paul Gaultier, Levi's and Catimini.

He is a multifaceted professional, an expert in the international development of major brands as well as in the management of family-owned groups.

“Rémy's career demonstrates his ability to combine strategic vision with operational excellence in a highly competitive environment,” commented the Printemps Supervisory Board. “This, combined with his deep understanding of transformation, retail, and brand challenges, is a major asset for positioning Printemps for sustainable growth.”

The Printemps group has been owned by the Qatari investment fund Divine Investments SA, controlled by the Qatari royal family, since 2013. With over 3,500 brands and a total area of 180,000 square metres, the Group has 3,000 employees.

Murcia-based Gobik, a company specialising in the world of sport, continues to grow, diversify and complete its brand universe, this time with the launch of “The One Off”. This is the name given to the new experimental line that the company is launching today. It promises to shape the new future of high-performance sportswear.

The company was founded in 2010 in the Murcian town of Yecla by entrepreneurial duo José Ramón Ortín and Alberto García. Their proposal surprisingly won a design competition for the local cycling club's training and competition kit. Since its inception, Gobik has remained dedicated to the world of high-performance and competitive cycling.

This commitment to its origins has not stopped the firm from undergoing a vibrant diversification process over the years. As a result of this evolution and growth, Gobik has expanded its horizons as a sports brand by venturing into running and triathlon. The brand has also moved into the lifestyle segment, offering fashion for both men and women. These collections include a variety of T-shirts, sweatshirts, trousers and accessories.

As the latest step in this process, the firm announced the launch of The One Off today, Monday, June 8, 2026. The first pieces from this new experimental line by Gobik are now available under this name. With it, the firm completes its ecosystem as a brand specialising in high-performance sport. The new line will develop disruptive and high-value proposals in both technical and design terms. Through these collections, Gobik aims to write the next chapter in the history of high-performance sportswear via The One Off.

“‘The One Off’ was born with the ambition of achieving global relevance, leveraging Gobik's technical know-how and targeting a profile with a sensitivity for fashion and design,” stated David Martínez, marketing department director at Gobik, in a statement released by the Murcia-based company.

It is aimed at consumers “who value technique as a form of cultural expression and understand that excellence is born from exclusivity and creative risk”. The company provides further context for this launch, noting that this new “experimental” line stems from the “conceptual curiosity” of “the search for what does not yet exist”. With this ambitious goal, “this new universe is an extension of Gobik's vision towards a more aspirational and free plane.” It is described as “the place where extreme functionality meets an avant-garde aesthetic, allowing next-generation fabrics and original patterns to take shape without the constraints of commercial seasons or mass consumption trends”.

Prototypes, limited series and a “careful” distribution

By merging the latest innovations in technical fabric and cutting-edge design under its umbrella, the new line's main driving force for development is the question: “What if the question matters more than the answer?”. This reflective question emphasises how the team behind The One Off will constantly focus on the future, which, by its very nature, is always yet to be written.

To shape this eternal tomorrow, the firm states that its product development process will move away from traditional models focused on a final design. Instead, it will concentrate on the development processes themselves, which will be used to create avant-garde models based on a “new language code”. This disruptive nature is the essence of the new “The One Off” line, which will materialise in the design, creation and sale of limited-edition collections, prototypes and “one-of-a-kind pieces”.

Initially, the items from this new experimental line will focus on cycling. They will be sold exclusively through the independent “The One Off” online shop, which is already live, and a selection of specialist stores.

Aerospace engineering combines with artisanal excellence and advanced product design to create astronaut garments. Yesterday in New York, Axiom Space and Prada presented the Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG), a garment designed to be worn by astronauts inside the next-generation Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit.

Specifically, the Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment was developed to protect astronauts from external elements during lunar surface exploration. Humanity is preparing to reach the moon again for the first time in over 50 years.

Next-generation garment guarantees cooling and ventilation

In 2024, Axiom Space and Prada presented the outer layer of the AxEMU. This garment is capable of withstanding the extreme thermal variations and micrometeorite-rich environment of the lunar South Pole, created with Prada's contribution to design and product development.

"When we presented the AxEMU, we announced that the collaboration between Prada and Axiom Space would continue beyond that first milestone. Today, we are proud to present a new achievement, born from the unique combination of Axiom Space's pioneering knowledge and Prada's know-how in design, pattern-making and advanced materials, in service of humanity's return to the lunar surface,” emphasised Lorenzo Bertelli, chief marketing officer and head of sustainability of the Prada Group, in a note.

“By combining the best of aerospace engineering with artisanal excellence and advanced product design, we have created a garment that neither company could have produced alone. It is precisely this type of cross-sector approach that will define the next era of human spaceflight,” added Jonathan Cirtain, CEO and president of Axiom Space.

The collaboration for the development of the LCVG benefited from Prada's expertise in knitting techniques and innovative design. The result is a next-generation garment designed with sophisticated 3D modelling techniques. It is capable of ensuring cooling and ventilation, while also improving comfort during extravehicular activities lasting up to eight hours.

Portuguese technology company Smartex has added a colour measurement and control tool for the textile industry to its solutions portfolio, strengthening its digitalisation offering for dyeing and manufacturing companies. The new solution, named Smartex CTRL Color, is now available in Europe. It is part of a broader strategy combining technological development, a closer relationship with fashion brands and a future funding round aimed at accelerating the company's international expansion.

The product was originally developed by a British company and is now integrated into the Smartex ecosystem. According to Portugal Textil, it allows for the automatic detection and monitoring of colour variations in knitted fabrics. With this addition, the company completes one of the capabilities it had not yet covered within its platform, which until now had focused mainly on the automatic detection of defects during manufacturing processes.

The integration of CTRL Color aligns with the company's vision of building a digital infrastructure capable of connecting various textile manufacturing processes. Beyond developing inspection systems, Smartex aims to consolidate a platform that allows for the capture and management of production data throughout the entire value chain, from fabric manufacturing to garment construction. The company has even developed a label that can adhere to textiles and withstand the chemical processes typical of the dyeing stages.

As Gilberto Loureiro, president of Smartex, explained a couple of weeks ago at the ETP annual conference, colour measurement represents one of the most complex challenges in textile quality control and is a leading cause of product rejection in the final stages of production.

This commitment to digitalisation has also led the company to invest nearly two million euros in traceability and Digital Product Passport (DPP) technologies. Although the adoption of these solutions remains limited, especially outside of Europe, Smartex believes that future regulatory changes will ultimately drive their development. Currently, Portuguese companies such as Impetus, Familitex, Acatel and Tintex are already using Smartex Loop, the platform developed by the company to manage traceability and production information.

The company has also entered a new organisational phase with the appointment of Max Easton as chief executive officer, while Gilberto Loureiro has taken on the presidency. The change aims to strengthen the direct relationship with fashion brands, an area the company considers strategic for accelerating technological adoption in the supply chain. Although Smartex already collaborates with groups such as H&M, Inditex and Calvin Klein, the company acknowledges that there is still significant growth potential in this segment.

With nearly 80 employees, a presence in more than ten countries and over 45 million euros raised since its founding, Smartex is now preparing for the next phase of its development. The priority is to consolidate its solutions for finished fabric and strengthen its positioning among international brands. In parallel, the company is considering a new funding round to accelerate its expansion and broaden the reach of its technological proposal, with which it aims to become one of the leading digital partners in the global textile industry.

British retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has signed a new franchise agreement in the Philippines with PT Mitra Adiperkasa Tbk (MAP), the Indonesia-based lifestyle retailer, to open stores in the region.

MAP has operated M&S’ franchise business for over 26 years, both in Indonesia and Vietnam, and will expand the British retailer across Southeast Asia into the Philippines, including adding its first store in Glorietta by the end of the year.

In a statement, M&S said the move was part of its strategy to work with “fewer, more strategic partners,” to support its ambitious growth plans in the region.

M&S has operated in the Philippines since 1984, and the new partnership with MAP covers fashion, home, beauty and food.

Mark Lemming, managing director of M&S International, said: “We are delighted to expand our partnership with MAP into the Philippines. Having played a pivotal role in driving our growth in Indonesia, MAP’s deep local expertise gives us confidence as we accelerate our growth plans in Southeast Asia.

“We know there is strong demand for the M&S brand in the Philippines, and we’re excited to reopen our stores and online channels later this year.”

Sameer Prasad, chief executive of MAP Fashion, added: “Taking over the M&S business in the Philippines marks an important milestone for MAP Fashion and reflects our commitment to growing iconic global brands across Southeast Asia.

“The Philippines is an exciting and fast-growing market, and Manila is the ideal place to begin this next chapter for M&S. With its strong heritage, trusted quality, and timeless appeal, M&S continues to resonate with consumers across generations. We look forward to strengthening the brand’s presence in the market and delivering an elevated retail experience for Filipino customers.”

British gymwear brand Gymshark has unveiled a new capsule collection with Bratz dolls, merging “fashion, fitness and attitude” to encourage women to “own their own individuality”.

At the core of the collaboration is to offer a gymwear collection that taps into what Gymshark calls a cultural shift around how women show up in fitness today, where they embrace strength and femininity at the same time, and express confidence without compromise.

This comes as research commissioned by Gymshark revealed that 53 percent of Gen Z women in the UK have changed their gym routine in some way because of how a space made them feel as a woman, 25 percent have switched gyms entirely, 23 percent have avoided going on occasions, and 6 percent have stopped altogether.

The study also found that 89 percent of women globally said their outfit impacts how they feel during a workout.

Hannah Hastings, head of brand at Gymshark, said in a statement: “This collab is a love letter to every girl who had a Bratz doll growing up. Culturally, Bratz marked something important, it was the first doll that was feminine, but also a bit rebellious, unapologetic, and unafraid to take up space.

“With so many women feeling pressured to downplay their femininity just to be taken seriously at the gym, we wanted to create something that encourages them to show up as themselves.”

The four-piece Gymshark x Bratz sculpting seamless collection includes a sports bra, crop top, shorts, and leggings in bold colourways including blue, pink and orange. It goes on sale exclusively at Gymshark.com from 7pm BST on June 8.

Jasmin Larian Hekmat, president and creative director at Bratz, added: “Bratz has always been about pushing culture forward and encouraging girls to own their individuality. With Gymshark x Bratz, we loved the opportunity to merge fashion, fitness, and attitude in a way that feels authentic to today’s generation.

“This collaboration is about showing that confidence comes from embracing every side of yourself, whether that’s glamorous, strong, playful, powerful and now bratty.”

To celebrate the launch, Gymshark held a pop-up in Wynwood, Miami, showcasing the ultimate “bratified” gym, which included a fully female-staffed outdoor gym designed entirely with women in mind. Highlights included purple turf to workout zones named ‘Bestie Zone’ and a ‘Heavyweight Dollz Club’.

British certified B Corp underwear and sleepwear brand Stripe & Stare has appointed co-founder Katie Lopes as its new chief executive officer.

In a statement, Stripe & Stare said that Lopes appointment marks a “new chapter” for the brand, and will see her leading the next phase of its “ambitious global expansion” plans.

Lopes co-founded the lingerie and sleepwear brand in 2017, where she spearheaded the six years of research and development for the brand’s signature knickers, which are crafted from Tencel fabric, 95% biodegradable and claim to offer a fit where the style doesn’t ride up or dig in.

The female-founded brand now generates more than 10 million pounds in annual revenue and has evolved into a thriving global direct-to-consumer business, disrupting a category traditionally dominated by heritage players. Its stockists include Selfridges, Shopbop and Nordstrom.

Stripe & Stare strive to become the leading comfort-led underwear brand

Commenting on the appointment, Tracy Lewis, board chair of Stripe & Stare, said: “Katie has been the heartbeat of Stripe & Stare since day one. Her passion, entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering commitment to our customers and community have helped build an extraordinary brand.

“She is uniquely positioned to lead Stripe & Stare into its next era of growth, and we're all so excited to see the business reach even greater heights under her leadership.”

As CEO, Lopes is being tasked with making Stripe & Stare the world's leading comfort-led underwear brand, through accelerating investment in product innovation, deepening customer relationships, and expanding its international footprint, as well as further strengthening its environmental commitments.

Lopes said: "Stepping into the role of CEO is both a privilege and an incredible opportunity. Eight years ago, we set out to create underwear that women never wanted to take off. Today, Stripe & Stare is so much more than a lingerie brand, it's a community, a movement and a business proving that purpose and profitability can thrive together.

“I'm enormously proud of what we've built and incredibly excited for what's next as we continue to scale globally, innovate relentlessly and bring the world's most comfortable knickers to even more women around the world."

Fashion District at London College of Fashion, UAL, a hub for fashion innovation in East London, connecting fashion, technology, business and education, has named London-based Pulpatronics, which is developing fully recyclable, metal-free RFID tags, as the winner of its Manufacturing Futures Innovation Challenge Prize 2026.

The annual award seeks technological and sustainable solutions to tackle the complex challenges facing fashion manufacturing, such as materials innovation, digital innovation, manufacturing processes, waste management, supply-chain and logistics, transparency and traceability, circular economy, and end-of-use.

Pulpatronics was crowned the winner for its fully recyclable, metal-free RFID tags, which aim to reduce carbon emissions, costs and electronic waste in inventory management, as its innovation laser-induces a conductive circuitry directly, eliminating the need for metal antennas, and its streamlined process means its tags are fully compatible with existing paper recycling systems.

RFID inlays in price tags are extremely resource-intensive and are costly to make, with Pulpatronics stating that more than 45 billion RFID tags are made for single use each year, usually ending up in landfills once the consumer removes the tag from its clothing. The London-based start-up believes its RFID tags could cut 60 percent in CO2 emissions annually, while also reducing the cost by up to 30 percent.

As the winner, Pulpatronics receives a cash prize of 15,000 pounds, alongside a year-long desk membership at The Trampery Fish Island Village, UKFT membership, legal support from Bates Wells, advisory hours from Chelsea Franklin Studio, and branding and communications guidance from Westbrook.

This year’s awards also named Tera Mira, a biomaterials company developing a compostable seaweed-based alternative to conventional elastane, and Danu Water, whose technology closes on-site water loops to help manufacturers reduce freshwater use, as runners-up. Infinity Blue, which recovers indigo from denim waste to reimagine colour as a continuously regenerative resource, was highly commended.

Each runner-up receives 5,000 pounds and access to the same package of support as the overall winner.

Adam Mansell, chief executive of the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT), who was on this year’s judging panel, said in a statement: “This year’s cohort showed a strong systems-thinking approach to manufacturing innovation. It was encouraging to see continued focus on early-stage processes such as dyestuffs, alongside practical solutions for retailers and manufacturers, ranging from RFID to water conservation.

“These start-ups have real potential to help address some of the industry’s key challenges - it has been really exciting to be part of the judging process.”

Jeweller Bulgari, part of the French luxury goods group LVMH, has appointed Stephan Kornfeld as managing director for Northern Europe.

Kornfeld took on his new role on June 1, the company announced on Monday. He is now responsible for business in the Northern Europe region, including retail and wholesale activities in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Scandinavia. In this role, he will play “an important part in accelerating business development, further improving the customer experience and promoting sustainable growth”.

The new head of Northern Europe joined Bulgari in 2021 as retail experience director for Northern Europe. Since then, he has “made a significant contribution to the further development of retail standards, the strengthening of the customer experience and the promotion of operational excellence,” according to a statement.

Kornfeld has been gaining extensive experience in the fashion and jewellery industry since 2009. He has held various management positions at Louis Vuitton, Arthur Arbesser, Thomas Pink and Repossi throughout his career.

In Pictures

German sportswear brand Adidas is teaming up with American retailer Nordstrom to offer immersive installations and pop-ups as part of its FIFA World Cup 2026 celebrations.

Spanning 35 Nordstrom doors nationwide, an immersive Adidas anchors the partnership at The Corner installation at the Nordstrom flagship in New York City, which runs until July 26, and a dedicated shop-in-shop at Nordstrom Downtown Seattle, alongside a curated Adidas presentation across 33 other stores in World Cup match cities, including Los Angeles, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Atlanta and Miami, as well as on Nordstrom.com.

The partnership offers a curated assortment, with Adidas’ signature footwear leading the offering, reimagined in World Cup colourways alongside a cross-category edit spanning men's, women's and kids, including FIFA-branded jerseys.

Tacey Powers, executive vice president and general merchandise manager of Shoes at Nordstrom, said in a statement: “The FIFA World Cup coming to North America is a once-in-a-generation cultural moment - one that unites people around the world through a universally shared passion.

“We couldn't be more excited to celebrate it alongside adidas, a partner who shares our commitment to bringing the best of both worlds to our customers. Together, we've created an experience that blends sports and style with a product offering that is curated, fashion-forward, and uniquely Nordstrom. From our NYC Flagship, and our hometown of Seattle, to stores across the country, we’re excited to bring this experience to life for our customers.”

Throughout the tournament, weekly activations will take place every Thursday, featuring gift with purchase offerings, sweet treat giveaways, and sweepstakes. Every other week, Archive Zone will spotlight an Adidas archive piece connected to that week’s featured country, while weekend events will be programmed to align with featured countries, such as Japan, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, bringing customers complimentary gifts and customisation with a qualifying purchase of 75 US dollars.

In Seattle, the shop-in-shop will run until July 20 and will support the city’s ‘Summer of Sports at Westlake Park,’ a free, open-to-the-public outdoor viewing destination with a Nordstrom VIP area, marquee matchups and food and drink, including watch parties on each of the tournament’s six Seattle match dates.

The Sweden-based philanthropic organisation H&M Foundation, privately funded by the Stefan Persson family, founders and majority owners of the H&M Group, has announced the 10 winners of its Global Change Award (GCA) 2026. The annual initiative recognises early-stage innovations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating the textile industry’s progress toward net zero by 2050.

The winning teams focus on raw material production and wet processing, which represent the most emissions-intensive stages of the textile value chain. This year’s cohort introduces solutions spanning bio-based material alternatives, textile-to-textile recycling methods, low-impact manufacturing, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

Beatrice Oldenburg, project manager at the H&M Foundation, stated: “What stands out this year is not just the strength of the ideas, but the people behind them. These changemakers combine deep understanding of real-world challenges with the drive to address them. A common thread across many of the solutions is resource efficiency, from reducing waste to making better use of existing materials and resources.”

Capital injection and scaling support

Each of the 10 selected winning teams will receive a 200,000 euros (around 2,31,000 dollars) grant, drawing from a total funding pool of two million euros. Alongside the financial injection, the winners enter the year-long GCA Changemaker Programme, organized in collaboration with strategic partners Accenture, the US-based professional services company, and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, the Sweden-based technical university.

The structural support programme focuses on systems thinking, industrial networking, and technical validation to scale early-stage concepts into commercial realities. The H&M Foundation operates on a non-profit model, retaining zero equity and no intellectual property rights from the participating companies to encourage open adoption across the global textile trade.

Karl-Johan Persson, board member of the H&M Foundation, commented: “The solutions we need already exist, what’s missing is speed and scale. By supporting changemakers at an early stage, we can help unlock the kind of innovations that don’t just improve the textile industry, but transform it.”

Since its inception in 2015, the challenge has supported 66 teams across 24 countries, distributing a total of 12 million euros in non-dilutive grants.

Focus on raw materials and digital innovation

The 2026 winners demonstrate a distinct shift toward scalable bio-synthetics and systemic automation tools designed to displace fossil-based polymers and high-impact inputs.

The materials sector features several next-generation developments:

1. India-based material startup Canvaloop introduces Agro-Lyocell, which processes agricultural waste into forest-free cellulosic fibres to replace wood-derived inputs;

2. Sweden-based biotechnology firm ArtSilk cultivates spider silk-inspired fibres using specific microorganisms;

3. Tanzania-based KelTex manufactures biodegradable leather alternatives using harvested seaweed;

4. UK-based innovator Tera Mira alters the stretch-wear sector by converting seaweed into performance elastic fibres, aiming to replace synthetic elastane with a bio-based counterpart;

5. India-based enterprise Microbeworks presents MicroBlue, a line of biodegradable textile dyes engineered to integrate directly into existing commercial dye house infrastructure.

In circularity and software engineering, the remaining winners leverage computational models to optimize supply chain inefficiencies:

6. US-based technology platform Alu employs behavioral psychology and AI models to transform digital product passports into consumer-facing tools for repair, resale, and circularity;

7. UK-based developer EntroMetrix creates proprietary AI models to deploy a digital twin of factory floors, allowing manufacturers to reduce energy and raw material waste;

8. France-based textile recycler Fiberly extracts cellulose from post-consumer waste using green chemistry, reconstructing it into engineered fibres that replicate the performance of cotton;

9. US-based biochemical company Rhea's Factory develops RheaCycle, utilizing AI-designed enzymes to break down polyester textile waste into virgin-grade monomer building blocks;

10. Bangladesh-based factory automation firm threadBridge introduces smart glasses integrated with computer vision to automate real-time fabric defect detection during production.

The ongoing initiative aligns with the foundation's mandate to support the global apparel industry in halving its aggregate greenhouse gas emissions every decade.

Carven has appointed a new design director. The French brand named Kai Nesselrath to the role, Carven announced on Monday. His first collection for the label will be presented during the upcoming Paris Fashion Week in the autumn.

As the brand's new design director, the German-born, Italian-raised designer succeeds Mark Thomas. His departure was announced in April by the brand, which is part of the ICCF (Icicle Carven China France) group. Thomas, who took over the position from current Bottega Veneta designer Louise Trotter, held the role for approximately 18 months.

Saint Laurent designer moves to Carven

Nesselrath studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma and took courses at London's Central Saint Martins fashion school, ultimately graduating from the Florentine fashion institute Polimoda. His career began under the direction of Karl Lagerfeld at the French luxury fashion house Chanel, before he moved to Saint Laurent where he worked for ten years. He was eventually appointed head designer for the womenswear collections before joining Carven.

According to the announcement, his appointment represents another important step in the brand's revitalisation, which began in 2023. The aim is to build on the fashion house's founding vision from 1945. This vision is a distinctively French yet inclusive approach to fashion, based on uncompromising creativity, outstanding product quality and relevance to modern life.

“We are delighted to welcome Kai to Carven,” said Shawna Tao, CEO of Carven. “A new generation's perspective on the world seems particularly important today. The essence of Carven lies in a fresh and bold creative spirit, and we are convinced that Kai is uniquely suited to interpret and express it.”

US fashion group G-III Apparel Group (G-III) has reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, ended April 30, 2026. The company reported net sales of 536 million dollars, representing an 8 percent decrease compared to the same period of the prior year.

Despite the revenue decline, net income for the first quarter increased to 66.50 million dollars, or 1.50 dollars per diluted share, including a 77.90 million dollar benefit under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. On a non-GAAP basis, net income per share for the first quarter was a loss of 0.21 dollars per share, compared to an income of 0.19 dollars per diluted share last year, while gross margin increased by 2,270 basis points to 64.9 percent.

G-III chairman and chief executive officer, Morris Goldfarb, stated: “The quarter was better than expected with both our net sales and earnings coming in ahead of guidance. Our go-forward portfolio saw continued momentum and healthy full-price selling, which contributed to meaningful gross margin expansion versus the prior year.”

Strategic acquisition of Marc Jacobs

The financial report follows the company's recently announced definitive agreement to acquire the US designer brand Marc Jacobs in partnership with brand management firm WHP Global. The transaction will establish a 50/50 joint venture to hold the intellectual property of the brand, with G-III managing the global operating business.

Goldfarb added: “Marc Jacobs is one of the most influential brands in fashion, and we see tremendous opportunity to build on its strong foundation and drive long-term growth across categories, channels, and geographies.” The current financial outlook does not incorporate any potential impact from this pending transaction.

Revision of fiscal year 2027 earnings outlook

Based on the first quarter performance, G-III has updated its financial guidance for the full fiscal year ending January 31, 2027. Net sales are projected to reach approximately 2.71 billion dollars, down from 2.96 billion dollars in fiscal year 2026. This estimation accounts for an anticipated loss of approximately 470 million dollars in sales from Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger products.

Full year net income is expected to range between 171 million dollars and 175 million dollars, with diluted earnings per share between 3.85 dollars and 3.95 dollars. This is an increase from the net income of 67.40 million dollars reported in fiscal year 2026. Non-GAAP net income is projected between 95.00 million dollars and 99 million dollars, down from 116.20 million dollars in the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA is forecast between 178 million dollars and 182 million dollars, compared to 192.40 million dollars in fiscal year 2026.

For the second quarter ending July 31, 2026, G-III expects net sales of approximately 570 million dollars, compared to 613.30 million dollars in the second quarter of the prior year. Second quarter net income and non-GAAP net income are both projected to sit between 7 million dollars and 11 million dollars, compared to 10.90 million dollars and 11.20 million dollars respectively in the same period last year.

The US bankruptcy court for the southern district of Texas has approved the reorganization plan of Saks Global Enterprises LLC (Saks Global), a US multi-brand luxury retail company. The plan gained support across the capital structure from participating creditors, with an overwhelming majority voting in favour. Confirmation of the plan allows the company to exit chapter 11 in the coming weeks with a strengthened financial foundation.

“Securing approval of our Plan is an incredible achievement for Saks Global, and the broad-based support we have received from our capital partners, brand partners and other key stakeholders reflects confidence in our future,” said Geoffroy van Raemdonck, chief executive officer of Saks Global. Van Raemdonck added that with the commitment of capital partners and the dedication of the team, the company is on track to emerge stronger and more focused, poised for profitable and sustainable growth.

Upon emergence, the debt of Saks Global will be reduced significantly, by nearly 75 percent, and the company will have the liquidity necessary to support operations and invest in its future. The plan establishes the foundation for the retailer to accelerate sales growth, with a focus on strong full-price selling. The company aims to generate 9 billion dollars in total gross merchandise value and double-digit adjusted EBITDA by fiscal year 2030.

Progress toward sustainable growth

Brandy Richardson, chief financial officer of Saks Global, noted that with significantly reduced debt on the balance sheet at emergence and having already achieved substantial cost savings through the optimization of its footprint, operations, and organization, the business is well positioned for future success.

In less than five months, Saks Global has progressed in evolving its business to support a more sustainable future. This includes establishing an improved capital structure and strengthening relationships with brand partners to facilitate the delivery of a curated product assortment.

The company has also optimized its store footprint and supply chain network to support its integrated retail model. This model is anchored by the best-performing stores in markets with a high concentration of luxury customers, alongside distinct e-commerce platforms and remote selling services. Saks Global has also focused on its core luxury business by streamlining the majority of its off-price business to prioritize luxury and full-price selling, while right-sizing the corporate team to align with this strategy.

The actions of the company are translating into sustained momentum. Store sales for the go-forward operations continue to show steady improvement, reflecting stronger customer engagement as a result of increased inventory.

Shares of Lululemon Athletica fell about 8 percent on Friday to an over seven-year low of 109.36 dollars, Reuters reported, after the activewear retailer cut its full-year profit forecast and signalled mounting operational pressures. The sharp selloff reflected growing investor concern about the pace of the activewear retailer's turnaround and the challenges facing incoming chief executive Heidi O'Neill, who is set to assume the role in September.

The earnings disappointment has intensified scrutiny of a business grappling with weakening brand momentum, rising competition and a series of product-related setbacks. The market reaction has also significantly compressed Lululemon's valuation, with the company now trading at roughly 10 times forward earnings, well below rivals such as Nike and Adidas.

Brand challenges and product missteps weigh on sentiment

Investor confidence has been undermined by concerns over both brand perception and product execution. Management acknowledged that recent sales trends were affected by negative media coverage and social media commentary linked to a prolonged proxy battle with founder Chip Wilson.

Wilson has publicly criticised the company's leadership, arguing that the brand has lost some of its premium appeal while attempting to broaden its market reach. Those concerns have been amplified by customer complaints regarding product quality and innovation.

The company faced backlash following the launch of its 108-dollar "Get Low" leggings, with consumers posting on social media that the garments were see-through. Other recent collections have also drawn criticism over fit, design and overall product quality, raising questions about Lululemon's ability to maintain its premium positioning.

Analysts warn of structural risks

The operational slowdown prompted French banking group BNP Paribas to downgrade the stock from Neutral to Underperform and cut its price target to 88 dollars, implying further downside from post-earnings trading levels.

In a research note, analysts Laurent Vasilescu, Aubrey Tianello and Leah Yang argued that the company's challenges extend beyond short-term execution issues and reflect deeper structural concerns that could persist through fiscal 2027.

Among the key risks identified was Lululemon's continued expansion of its store footprint despite declining comparable sales in the Americas, where same-store sales fell 5 percent. Analysts warned that the resulting fixed-cost pressures could weigh on profitability for several years.

They also pointed to what they described as a dilution of focus within the company's core business. Investments in newer categories, including footwear, self-care and technology products, have coincided with weaker performance in Lululemon's foundational yoga apparel business.

At the same time, growth in China—long regarded as one of the retailer's strongest expansion markets, has begun to slow. Excluding the benefit of a Chinese New Year calendar shift, comparable sales growth in the region moderated to approximately 5 percent.

Profitability under pressure

First-quarter results highlighted the scale of the financial challenges facing management.

Operating income declined 37 percent year over year to 276.95 million dollars, while operating margin contracted by 730 basis points to 11.2 percent. Net income fell to 195.05 million dollars, resulting in diluted earnings per share of 1.69 dollars, compared with 2.60 dollars a year earlier.

According to estimates cited by brokerage firm William Blair, Lululemon's full-year operating margin is expected to decline by approximately 380 basis points to 16.1 percent, which would represent the company's lowest margin level since 2006.

O'Neill faces high-stakes leadership transition

The pressure on incoming CEO Heidi O'Neill is mounting as analysts reassess the company's prospects. At least nine brokerages have reduced their price targets in recent months, with the median target falling from 205 dollars to 149 dollars over the past three months.

Investors remain uncertain whether management's strategy of increasing discounts on older inventory will be sufficient to stabilise demand and improve performance.

The challenge for O'Neill is compounded by the long lead times inherent in apparel manufacturing, meaning many product decisions for 2027 have already been made. As a result, investors will be closely watching whether she can oversee a successful product reset, restore confidence in the brand and reignite growth in North America while preserving Lululemon's premium market positioning.

Mystery shopping has long been a familiar tool in fashion retail for assessing in-store customer experience. Previously used primarily to monitor service agreements, its focus is increasingly shifting towards learning and improvement. Retailers now use insights from store visits as input for coaching, training and discussions on the shop floor. To better understand this development, FashionUnited spoke with fashion retailers, industry organisations and a retail expert.

Research agency Excap, based in Groningen and Antwerp, no longer views mystery shopping as a standalone measurement tool. It is now seen as part of a broader analysis of the customer experience. Arjen van Hijum, managing director of Excap, personally confirmed this to FashionUnited. The agency, which began with in-store mystery shopping over 20 years ago, now focuses on the entire customer journey, incorporating both physical stores and online touchpoints. “How a customer experiences a brand depends on many touchpoints,” stated Excap. Within fashion retail, the store remains a key moment for orientation, advice and trying on products.

According to Excap, retailers use mystery shopping for a variety of reasons. Brands use it to assess how their products are presented and recommended in stores. Other organisations use it to measure the extent to which employees apply trained sales techniques on the shop floor. Larger retail chains also use the tool to monitor whether brand values and desired practices are consistently implemented across different branches. The emphasis is often on aspects such as customer approach, product knowledge and the progression of the sales conversation.

G-Star and My Jewellery on mystery shopping as a development tool

FashionUnited spoke with G-Star and My Jewellery about their use of mystery shopping within their retail organisations. Both brands collaborate with the platform Secret View, using the tool systematically to measure the store experience with a strong focus on coaching and team development.

At G-Star, a mystery shopper visits every store each quarter to assess the customer experience based on predetermined criteria. The results are immediately accessible to store managers, who then discuss them with their teams. Pascal de Boer, retail director at G-Star, emphasises that the insights are used not just to measure performance, but to implement targeted improvements and share successes within the organisation. Dashboards also allow for the analysis of results at a regional, national or channel level, revealing broader trends.

My Jewellery also employs mystery shopping to monitor the experience within its physical boutiques. The focus is firmly on service as a key differentiator in its stores. According to the brand, the results provide insight into how customers perceive the store and highlight opportunities for improvement. These insights subsequently form the basis for training and coaching at both team and organisational levels.

Both retailers use dashboards to monitor performance and track developments. G-Star emphasises the systematic measurement and analysis of store performance. My Jewellery, however, explicitly uses the outcomes to further optimise the store experience, focusing on customer approach, product knowledge and visual merchandising.

According to both brands, the effectiveness of mystery shopping is closely linked to the internal application of its results. Transparency, a focus on development and the active involvement of store teams in the follow-up process are crucial. When insights are used as a basis for feedback and training, employees generally perceive the tool as both educational and motivating.

At G-Star, this approach has led to measurable improvements in store performance, with a consistent rise in mystery shopping scores between the first assessment in 2025 and the first in 2026.

More retail examples: Inno, Carhartt, Les Soeurs, Ziengs and Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet

G-Star and MyJewellery are not the only companies using mystery shopping services. Several providers offer these services in the Netherlands. Companies such as Inno; Carhartt; Les Soeurs; Ziengs; and Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet (in no particular order) work with Excap, for example.

According to the agency, each of these organisations uses mystery shopping to meet specific objectives. It is used to assess how brands are promoted within multi-brand environments; to test the application of sales and advisory skills training by employees; and to gain insight into the quality of sales conversations on the shop floor. Larger organisations also use the tool to monitor the consistent implementation of brand values, terminology and desired customer approaches across different branches.

More focus on omnichannel and speed

The application of mystery shopping is also shifting towards a broader view of the customer journey. There is a greater focus on the cohesion between online and offline channels, for instance by including e-commerce experiences or in-store return processes.

The speed of reporting has also increased. While results were previously available only after several weeks, clients now often expect insights via dashboards within a few days. “Our clients expect and, if requested, receive insight into results within 48 hours. This ranges from individual visit reports to a dashboard where we link various data sources,” stated Excap.

According to Excap, mystery shopping also requires a clear cost-benefit analysis. The initial investment can be a barrier for some organisations, with the return not always being immediately apparent. The agency emphasises that success depends partly on internal positioning. Excap notes that mystery shopping is more readily accepted on the shop floor when introduced as part of a broader vision for employee training and development, rather than as a standalone monitoring tool.

This approach aligns with the experiences of G-Star and My Jewellery, where mystery shopping is explicitly used as a learning instrument. By sharing results transparently and using them for coaching and training, store teams there generally find the tool motivating and educational.

The agency also notes an increase in online mystery shopping. The tool is used to test digital applications, such as e-commerce functionalities or new technologies for online fitting and personalisation. Companies use mystery shoppers in these instances to gain insight into the usability and customer experience of these tools. According to Excap, combining these insights with existing customer data allows organisations to better connect customer experience with commercial performance over time.

De Onderzoekfabriek on how its use is shifting towards development

In fashion stores, mystery shopping often focuses on moments of personal contact between staff and customers. This includes the greeting; enquiring about needs; providing suitable product advice; assisting in the fitting room; and completing the sale. A spokesperson for De Onderzoekfabriek told FashionUnited that these interactions are crucial in determining whether a customer ultimately makes a purchase. Retailers also use the results to identify differences between branches, allowing them to investigate where service agreements are being met more or less effectively.

The spokesperson provided FashionUnited with a practical example. At a large shoe chain, mystery shopping revealed that while customers were greeted, staff often asked only general questions such as “can I help you?”. After coaching on asking more targeted questions, such as the occasion for the shoes or the desired style, there was an improvement in both the mystery shopping scores for advice and closing the sale, as well as in the number of purchases.

The agency observes developments similar to those seen by Excap. These include the use of dashboards and data analysis for faster access to results and the growing integration with online customer journeys via e-commerce or chat. De Onderzoekfabriek also notes an increased use of photo and video materials to more concretely illustrate situations from store visits during the coaching or training of store teams.

Retail expert Dirk Mulder: objectivity depends on execution

To gain a broader, independent perspective on this development, FashionUnited also spoke with retail expert Dirk Mulder of ING. He believes the value of mystery shopping depends heavily on how organisations implement the tool. “If you use it to hold employees accountable, it remains a monitoring tool. If you use it as a basis for feedback, training and discussion, it becomes a coaching instrument,” Mulder stated.

He believes mystery shopping can help improve service and customer experience, but the measurement tool is not entirely objective. The outcomes depend on factors such as the timing of the assessment, the frequency of visits and the mystery shopper's interpretation. Establishing clear criteria and scenarios beforehand can, however, increase objectivity.

When organisations use the results as a basis for training and development, it can contribute to a better store experience and, in the long term, to commercial performance. He notes that direct effects on revenue are difficult to prove. Improved service can, however, encourage customers to stay in the store longer, spend more and return more frequently.

Looking ahead, Mulder expects mystery shopping to evolve further towards a broader, omnichannel approach. This will involve assessing not only the physical store experience but also online touchpoints and the cohesion between both channels throughout the entire customer journey.

Andrew Tiller has been named the new creative director of Asos. The creative joins the e-commerce giant from Stella McCartney, where he had served as visual director for over two years.

Tiller confirmed the news on his LinkedIn account, where he said: “Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey so far – for your support and encouragement along the way. I’m excited for what’s ahead.”

Prior to Stella McCartney, Tiller had held a slew of design-led creative roles. At social media giant Meta, he was a creative strategist for two years, overseeing marketing for clients like Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton.

He has also served as senior director, brand creative for Stuart Weitzman and as creative director for Laird + Partners, DJA, Mariotestino+, and TillerWilliams.

Tiller’s arrival at Asos comes amid a continued transformation at the e-tailer, focused on achieving sustainable profitable growth rather than chasing top-line revenue.

At the crux of the strategy is the overhaul of the company’s product model, evident in the expansion of its ‘Test & React’ approach that reduces the time it takes to get trending items from design to the platform.

This, alongside further structural changes, have seemingly yielded strong results, with Asos increasing its adjusted EBITDA by 51.5 million pounds for FY25, reflecting the impact of its new commercial and stock operating models.

In the report, CEO José Antonio Ramos Calamonte said the most difficult work was behind the company and he was “more confident than ever that we have the right strategy and capabilities to achieve our ambition to become the most exciting destination for fashion-lovers”.

Pinterest has extended its partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) as it doubles down on AI infrastructure. The social media platform has confirmed a four billion dollar commitment to utilise AWS Trainium and Graviton to train and run AI models at scale through 2031.

The agreement, described as the largest infrastructure deal in the company’s history, will see Pinterest put to use Amazon’s custom silicon chips to host and run language models and vision-language models that power personalised visual search and AI-assisted discovery. Pinterest will also expand its use of Graviton, AWS’ processors designed for cloud computing workloads, to run discovery systems.

This latest agreement expands on Pinterest and AWS’ existing relationship spanning back to 2010. Since the partnership’s inception, the duo have worked to enhance Pinterest’s reliability, efficiency and performance, and have built what is said to be “one of the largest-scale data lakes” – a repository that stores raw data – on AWS.

Pinterest has also been broadening its use of AI in an effort to enhance discovery. The platform has introduced features such as Taste Graph and Pinterest Assistant that provide users with advanced recommendation systems and conversational discovery options, all to improve and personalise its online experience.

Now, the company said the renewed commitment supports the next phase of growth across AI model implementation, with AWS to provide further flexibility, hardware optionality, and infrastructure efficiency to accelerate its AI vision, Pinterest’s chief technology officer, Matt Madrigal, stated.

“This strategic partnership will help accelerate AI innovation at Pinterest, improving both our consumer experience and advertiser performance by advancing our proprietary models and our use of open-source models,” Madrigal added.

Japanese fastening products manufacturer YKK Corporation (YKK) has announced plans to construct a third manufacturing plant in India for its subsidiary, YKK India Private Limited (YKK India). The facility will be located at Origins by Mahindra, Chennai, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The expansion is designed to address the growing domestic demand and export-oriented manufacturing markets in India. The country has been expanding as one of the leading global producers of textiles and apparel. The new factory will work in coordination with the two existing YKK India production facilities located in Bawal, Haryana, in northern India.

YKK has committed an investment of 150 million dollars for the project, which covers land, buildings, machinery, and equipment. The development will feature a land area of 149,936 square metres and a building area of 74,658 square metres. Construction is scheduled for completion in February 2028.

According to the group, the state-of-the-art facility will integrate advanced technologies. Through this expansion, YKK plans to promote locally rooted business operations, expand regional employment opportunities, and establish a production system capable of delivering products that meet a wide range of customer needs.

YKK India was established on September 26, 1995, and is currently led by president Jin Deguchi. The subsidiary's corporate headquarters is based in New Delhi alongside multiple regional offices across India and overseas offices in Nepal, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.

CEO profile

Chirag Patel became chief executive officer of Pentland Brands on January 1, 2021, inheriting a portfolio built around swimming pools, gyms, rugby pitches and the great outdoors at the precise moment a pandemic had closed most of them. A year into the job, asked what he had learned, he did not reach for a growth metric. He reached for a distinction. There was endurance, which "can sustain us through short periods of adversity," he reflected, and then there was "true resilience, which comes from rest and being able to switch off."

It is a revealing answer from a man who is neither the founder of the company he runs nor a member of the family that owns it. Patel is a professional operator entrusted with a near-century-old brand house, and the balance of ambition and patience defines a tenure spent steadying, simplifying and quietly rewiring one of Britain's best-known sportswear groups.

From data to the dugout

Patel's route into fashion was indirect. Before Pentland he held sales and marketing roles at the market intelligence firm Datamonitor and the fitness equipment company Power Plate International, environments built on data and measurable outcomes rather than seasonal instinct. He took a master of business administration (MBA) from Cardiff University, an early lean toward strategy over design.

He joined Pentland in 2011 as global vice president of marketing and product for Mitre, the group's heritage football brand, and became managing director of Mitre in 2013. That gave him profit-and-loss ownership of an established name in a crowded category before his remit widened, with a move to Lacoste Chaussures in 2014 as global vice president of product and marketing, then onto the group's executive team.

The long apprenticeship

Patel's ascent was deliberate rather than sudden. He joined the Pentland Brands executive team in the mid-2010s as a strategy and portfolio director, leading the investment in US sneaker brand SeaVees and the footwear joint venture with the Lacoste group. He was appointed chief operating officer in early 2018, taking ownership of the operating model and governance, and on arrival set out a familiar ambition: to "build our great portfolio of active and footwear brands."

He later became deputy chief executive officer, the role he held immediately before succeeding Andy Long, who moved to parent company Pentland Group. His first test was immediate: integrating the newly licensed Speedo North America business during lockdown, an achievement he said left him "humbled," completed "almost entirely remotely."

That first year was not merely survival. Sales held up across all three regions, with Endura and Berghaus thriving as consumers turned to cycling and the outdoors. ellesse delivered what Pentland billed as the world's first shoppable livestream concert with TikTok, drawing 2.20 billion impressions, while athletes in Speedo suits took 60 percent of gold medals and every individual world record at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

One global business

Patel's organising idea is deceptively plain: run Pentland as one global business rather than a federation of semi-independent brands. In practice that has meant concentrating capability where it is strongest and consolidating the group's London teams into a single hub near Farringdon, which he called "a world-class space in the beating heart of London." The flip side, announced in 2023, was the removal of roughly 90 roles, the uncomfortable arithmetic of a leaner model.

He pairs this with a preference for speed, encouraging teams to test disruptive ideas inside a heritage company, a habit he has also brought to an advisory role with the Confederation of British Industry on agile working. When inflation squeezed his markets, his instinct was operational: to "be sharper in our business operations" and sharpen forecasting against "what's happening around us."

Positive business as a second bottom line

The most distinctive feature of Patel's strategy is that he treats social and environmental performance as a measure of success on a par with profit. "For us, success is measured from both a financial perspective and against our 100-1-0 positive business targets," he has said. Launched in November 2021, the framework commits the company by its 2032 centenary to help 100 million consumers live active, sustainable lifestyles, improve the lives of one million people in its communities, and reach net zero through a 90 percent cut in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions.

These are not decorative goals. Pentland restructured its annual bonus so that payouts trigger only once positive business targets are met, regardless of sales and profit. The proof points are tangible: Berghaus became the first brand in the portfolio to win B Corp status and repaired around 15,000 items in 2023 through its free Repairhaus service, while a partnership with the platform Segura advanced supply chain traceability. By the end of 2023, Patel reported, the company had helped 34 million consumers live healthier lives and improved 298,000 lives in its communities.

Brands that make life better

For all the strategy, Patel keeps returning to a simpler purpose: "pioneering brands that make life better." The portfolio under him has leaned into product and culture in equal measure, from Speedo's Fastskin racing suits to Canterbury's rugby boots and Endura's push into mountain biking footwear, and he has named the next frontiers plainly, pointing to "Speedo in China, Endura in the US and Berghaus in Germany."

Recent moves show a willingness to reshape relationships when the economics change. In 2025 Lacoste bought out Pentland's 50 percent stake in their footwear joint venture, taking full control, while in July Pentland signed an exclusive licence handing the US rights for ellesse to The Iconic Brand Corporation, which will design, produce and market it stateside from spring 2026. Early in 2026 the group named a new president for the Americas and deepened a supply chain partnership with Maersk to support North American expansion. The throughline is editing as much as accumulation, fitting an owner measuring returns across generations.

In the news

Patel is a familiar name in trade media without being a public personality, appearing regularly in Drapers, SGB Media, Retail Week and FashionNetwork around strategy, leadership and sustainability. He rarely courts mainstream attention.

The most sensitive coverage of his tenure concerns the 2023 reorganisation and the redundancies that came with it, handled by the trade press as a business decision rather than a scandal. There is no significant controversy attached to his name. He is content to let the brands speak louder than he does.

The personal ledger

Patel's outside commitments mirror the values he states inside the business. He is a trustee of the UK charity In Kind Direct, which redistributes consumer goods to people in need, an ambassador for Retail Week's 'Be Inspired' programme championing women in retail leadership, and has backed a mentoring scheme for young people from Black, Asian, minority ethnic and underserved communities.

The most personal note he has struck publicly concerns sustainability of a different kind. Reflecting on the pandemic, he argued that always-on technology had blurred work and home, and that "creating a culture where our people are able to do other things that matter to them has never been more important." The same conviction runs through his business language: "Behind our brands are our people," he has said, "our biggest asset." It surfaces in company action too: in June 2026 Pentland partnered with Graduate Fashion Week, hosting its own careers space for students and graduates.

Ask Patel what unlocks growth and he starts not with markets or margins but with the people who make the products and the brands they build, the two things he believes outlast any economic cycle. For a custodian of a family enterprise designed to outlive any single chief executive, it is a fitting way to keep score.

As we look toward Spring/Summer 2027, four distinct menswear directions emerge that will respond to evolving consumer needs and cultural shifts. These directions spotlight overarching themes of cross-category elements, price-first driven versatility demands in consumerism, and the rising desire for authenticity in design.

Ivy League callbacks and archival styles

Gen Z and Millennial men’s stylistic profiles are growing up with them, maturing from initial fashion interests of late 2010’s streetwear to more sophisticated sartorial styles as they solidify themselves in both the workforce, and their day-to-day lives. This has driven a significant resurgence in both heritage and archival styles, opening more semi-formal and classical tailoring silhouettes to a wider range of wearing occasions outside of campus, the country club, and the office.

Brands like Soshiotsuki and Giorgio Armani are reviving ‘80s and ‘90s corporate power suit silhouettes, draped button-ups, and flowing pants, with the latter brand even fully indulging in a dedicated archival capsule collection re-release full of elegantly tailored recreations of their iconic looks from 1979 to 1994. Ralph Lauren’s return to the Milan runway after over 20 years celebrated playful colorblocked primaries, knitted varsity jacket-style cardigans, and classic straight-leg jeans. Ivy League callbacks don’t stop there, with J. Press’s NYFW runway debut’s collegiate homage celebrating “Take Ivy,” a 1965 lookbook of original American Ivy League style photographed by Teruyoshi Hayashida. Iconic sport coats, varsity jackets, and polos are being revitalized with more modern fits/layering, contemporary tweaks to heritage patterns, and highly saturated hues in a blend between familiar shapes and fashion-forward reiterations.

Commercial transitions

In growing demands for elevated design that speaks to authenticity, community, and celebration of various subcultures or backgrounds, multiple sectors such as streetwear, fast fashion, and even luxury apparel are undergoing a transitional period in order to reconnect with commercial audiences still keen on price-first shopping.

Willy Chavarria’s move to Paris runways brought his ethnic and culturally-driven storytelling to the world stage, reintroducing a mixture of contemporary design cues to streetwear staples that feel truly authentic. Baggy, oversized jeans, draped tracksuits, and drop-shoulder jerseys feel like truer day-to-day garments compared to other ready-to-wear assortments, connecting strongly to a wider range of shoppers. Chavarria’s recent Vatísimo collaboration with retail giant Zara also signals a major shift in fast fashion labels attempting to break into more elevated scenes backed by established design talent–a notion the Spanish brand seems to be fully invested in with its hiring of John Galliano as creative director in a similar move to Gap’s Zac Posen hire.

Even legacy luxury brands such as Gucci are experimenting with shifting their image to a more commercial base, with mixed reactions to their runway models and styling being oriented around younger internet personalities and celebrities sporting sagging leather pants, cross-body bags, and shining coated denim finishes.

Dramatically romantic silhouettes

Jonathan Anderson’s tenure at Dior has sustained its positive attention for bringing back dramatically romantic, historical silhouettes. While functionality, affordability, and wearability remain other main drivers for SS27, premium authentic artistic expressions that connect to the consumer’s rising fulfillment of hobbies, passions, and other interests outside of their traditional jobs support brands who unapologetically pursue passionately expressive approaches. Amidst Dior Men’s iconic modernized Bar Jacket silhouette revival, AMI Paris’s romantic bow-plackett shirting, and Celine’s royal gold button sport coats, a middle ground between the avant-garde and existing maximalism trends is emerging.

Brands at market level are already beginning to interpret more romantic and theatrical design cues, connecting again to Willy Chavarria’s Vatísimo collection with Zara that featured all-white double-breasted peak lapel suiting, voluminous silhouettes, and an entire short film to accompany its release. Similarly, GapStudio’s decorative ribbon shirting and ornate button denim blazer elevate basic go-to’s.

Multi-functional wardrobe

Rising prices and brands that lead with quality or natural material campaigns are driving the average consumer to become more aware of basic components and concepts surrounding design. This has resulted in trending online surface-level discourse surrounding the general negative outlook on the use of polyester, overall product lifespan, and garment practicality or versatility. Broader cultural lifestyle shifts are also occurring, with more people returning to the office, meddling with the already-blurred lines between work-life balances that have skewed towards satisfaction found outside of the career, and more in community or leisurely based activities. Between a more cautious consumer and the desire to preserve comfort or leisure-style apparel, men are showcasing more unwillingness to sustain two wardrobes, one for work, and one for play, bringing an easygoing and effortless vacation style into more wearing occasions.

Isabel Marant’s bone-colored unstructured suits and rounded bomber jackets showcase the range of traditional silhouettes made vacation-adaptable, while Ziggy Chen’s comfortably-fitting cotton, linen, and hemp suits, pants, and shirting all push notions surrounding natural material usage even further. Kartik Research’s worldly plant-based dyes, embroidered florals, and zero-electricity handloomed production processes result in well-tailored, easygoing stylable heirlooms. More accessible brands like Our Legacy or Banana Republic are following suit, with effortlessly flowy silhouettes that utilize richly introspective neutral tones or sun-dried vacation palettes atop a deep lineup of cotton and linen suits, tailored drawstring pants, and button-ups.

Menswear is entering an era of more nuance, opting for more themes that challenge current trends’ ability to connect with their consumers beyond surface-level visuals. Cultural influences beyond the designer studio are ushering in a new wave of re-introduced archives, a return to authentic experience-driven streetwear, premium romantic historical silhouettes, and cross-category versatility amidst the inability to sustain occasion-specific wardrobes.

Emerging designer Ellie Brown is set to stage her first major runway event this summer, using adaptive fashion to challenge traditional ideas about accessibility and representation in the industry.

Brown, a recent graduate of Manchester Metropolitan University, founded adaptive fashion label Recondition in 2025 after experiencing firsthand the challenges of dressing while using a wheelchair following a serious ankle injury.

On 27 June, the young designer will present Disability Pride Catwalk: A Space for Each Other at Aviva Studios, featuring 16 disabled, neurodivergent and chronically ill models wearing adaptive garments developed through collaboration with people who have lived experience of disability.

The collection includes practical design features such as wheelchair-accessible pockets, ring-pull zips for people with reduced dexterity, and adaptable sleeves designed to accommodate prosthetic limbs and medical devices. New pieces debuting on the runway include a dress, jumpsuit, skirt and additional denim styles.

Brown works alongside a co-design group with varying disabilities to ensure the garments meet real-world needs while maintaining a contemporary aesthetic. The approach reflects a growing movement among emerging designers who are challenging fashion's traditional standards by placing inclusivity and accessibility at the centre of the design process.

The event comes as adaptive fashion gains greater visibility across the industry, although advocates argue that mainstream fashion still fails to adequately serve disabled consumers. Through her first large-scale catwalk presentation, Brown hopes to demonstrate that accessible fashion can be both functional and desirable, while encouraging broader conversations about representation and inclusion within the sector.

For a designer at the beginning of her career, the event marks a significant milestone and positions Brown among a new generation of fashion graduates using design as a tool for social change.

The Australian Fashion Council (AFC) is set to broaden its horizons with the launch of a new showroom at Paris Fashion Week’s SS27 edition dedicated to Australian designers. The initiative comes as a continuation of the organisation’s Global Gateways export programme, and marks what the council said is a “structural step-change” in how the local sector approaches the international market.

Taking place during Paris’ womenswear season between September 28 and October 6, the showroom will spotlight 15 emerging, established and First Nations designers, who will be introduced to international buyers and press while also attending the Australian Ambassador’s Residence.

Applications for the programme are open via two pathways; the AFW Track, for designers who presented during Australian Fashion Week 2025 or 2026; and a national competitive track open to wider AFC members. The final cohort will be announced in July 2026, with a pre-departure export readiness programme to then commence immediately.

Through Global Gateways: Paris 2026, the AFC hopes to address the prior lack of infrastructure and government-backing that has previously disabled designers from accessing sustained international relationships. The ability to venture further afield comes after the council was selected as one of a number of organisations to participate in the government’s Accessing New Markets Initiative (ANMI), a 50 million dollar Austrade export diversification programme bolstering sector-specific export initiatives.

Global Gateways: Paris builds on first ever government-backed fashion sector strategy

The Paris activation received further investment from New South Wales’ Create NSW as part of its NSW Fashion Sector Strategy 2025-2028, which was developed alongside the AFC and has been pitted as the first government fashion sector strategy. Establishing international export opportunities is a core pillar of the strategy, with 250,000 dollars made available to back emerging designers specifically, as they grow their business. Dedicated places in the showroom have been set up for NSW designers.

On a broader scale, Australian government officials have also recognised the importance of the country’s fashion sector, which is said to contribute 27.2 billion dollars to the national economy and employs nearly 500,000 people. Elsewhere, the recently secured new deal between the EU and Australia, which includes the elimination of tariffs on exports to the EU, has also opened up the market to 27 countries.

At the crux of the mission is getting designers in front of international press and buyers. Interest is already evident at Australian Fashion Week, where representatives from the likes of Revolve, Net-A-Porter, Revolve and Selfridges have previously been in attendance, including at its most recent edition held May 11 to 15.

By venturing into Paris, however, AFC’s executive chair, Marianne Perkovic, said designers will gain access to “the single most concentrated buyer market in the world”. “This will be a significant moment for Australian fashion on the world stage and we look forward to working with our partners at Austrade and Create NSW to support the global growth of the Australian fashion sector,” she added.

From the perspective of Jay Meek, general manager of Austrade’s Trade Diversification Taskforce, Global Gateways: Paris reflects efforts to combine the reach of Austrade’s global network and the sector knowledge of peak bodies like AFC to broaden the global scope of Australian businesses. He called the showroom concept “structured, commercially focused, and built on a clear understanding of where global buyers are and what they need to see”.

Montevideo - Designer Gabriela Hearst cultivated her passion for sustainable luxury during a childhood surrounded by nature, farm animals and starry skies in the remote Uruguayan countryside. She has since taken this concept global, combining natural fibres, artisanal craftsmanship and low environmental impact.

Approaching her 50th birthday, Hearst is an established name in high fashion circles. She was the first Latin American to lead the French house Chloé (2020-2023). For the past decade, her personal brand has been chosen by celebrities such as Kate Middleton, Julia Roberts and former US first lady Jill Biden.

Although she is based and built her career primarily in New York, she told AFP that everything she knows about “quality and sustainability” was learned in her native Uruguay. The country, a livestock-farming nation of just 3.4 million people, is where she discovered “true beauty”.

“When I was a girl, I wanted to travel, to see the world,” she said in an interview during her recent trip to Montevideo to present the Uruguayan delegation's uniforms for the World Cup.

After travelling the world, “I was able to appreciate what it is to grow up with those star-filled skies and nature. I learned to value eating food from the land, the quality and the natural luxury that surrounded me.”

Quality over quantity

“My mother had a very small wardrobe on the farm” with clothes “made by Tota, the family dressmaker.” Each new garment, however, was commissioned for “special moments in life: the trousseau; when you got married; when you had a child,” she recalls. “Clothes were inherited.”

Her call to choose quality over quantity, and to buy timeless pieces, challenges the current era of fast fashion and fleeting trends.

Hearst acknowledges that the vast majority cannot afford a wardrobe made of fine materials. She affirms, however, that they can contribute by curbing consumption.

“Students visited me and I asked them: how many of you buy fast fashion? There were about 25 of them and two or three raised their hands. I then asked how many buy vintage clothing, and they all raised their hands,” she recounts.

“There is so much clothing in the world, from everywhere, that you can buy vintage, second-hand fashion, and it's great. There is always a way to have less but better.”

Artisanal value in the age of AI

“The digital revolution and climate change are two forces that are shaping humanity,” she reflects.

In a world where everything seems to be accelerating, especially after the emergence of artificial intelligence, more than ever “there will be an authentic need for handmade creations.”

“The human element, the part of our brain that is unique to us and represents the brilliance of humanity, will become increasingly important,” says Hearst.

This humanity is one of the values she says she finds in her native country.

Here, a cooperative network of hundreds of female weavers, Manos del Uruguay, creates artisanal garments for Hearst's brand, using handlooms or simply a pair of knitting needles.

What is born from their hands in the Uruguayan countryside appears on catwalks, on the covers of magazines like Vogue, or on television, like a multicoloured blanket that caused a sensation after appearing on Sarah Jessica Parker's lap in the sequel to Sex and The City.

“It's incredible that our craftsmanship reaches so far,” Mabel Bargas, a 60-year-old weaver from the organisation, told AFP.

Along with the increase in demand, the collaboration with Hearst and other international brands has brought them more visibility.

It is a perfect match because both Manos del Uruguay and Gabriela Hearst have in their DNA the mission to elevate the artisanal knowledge related to “the slower life of the countryside,” explains Lucía Benítez, a designer at Manos del Uruguay.

For Hearst, the social impact of her work is a fundamental part of the legacy she wants to leave.

“We cannot lose the human connection.” Those who have the privilege of not struggling to survive “have a responsibility to help others,” she says.

“The best idea” is the one that “helps many,” she concludes.

The Middle Eastern market is facing significant disruption due to geopolitical tensions, inflation, and a decline in tourism. Experts from CXG are offering advice on crisis management and resilience for luxury brands already present in the Gulf countries or heavily reliant on this clientele.

CXG (Customer Experience Group) is a consulting and customer experience measurement firm specialising in the luxury and premium sectors. It currently supports over 200 luxury brands in more than 70 countries, particularly those facing major crises. The Gulf countries are currently experiencing such a situation.

The issue is particularly strategic because CXG considers Middle Eastern consumers a crucial clientele for high-value luxury purchases. Dubai and Riyadh have also established themselves as key hubs for the industry.

According to CXG, luxury brands have often successfully leveraged crises to evolve. In response to the current situation, the firm provides several potential courses of action.

Market diversification

CXG advises against depending on a single region. Brands must diversify their geographical exposure. Among Middle Eastern markets, they should consider Saudi Arabia a long-term priority due to Vision 2030.

Vision 2030 is Saudi Arabia's economic diversification strategy. It aims to reduce oil dependency by investing in tourism, culture, and high-end consumption.

Furthermore, luxury brands would benefit from serving their Gulf clients where they travel and make purchases, rather than focusing solely on boutiques within the region.

Extending relationships beyond the boutique

The boutique remains at the heart of the luxury experience, but it should no longer be the sole point of contact. According to CXG, brands must develop private clienteling; remote personalised services; proactive interactions with their clients; and strengthen local cultural integration.

Additionally, international brands would benefit from better understanding local cultural references rather than applying a uniform model across all markets.

Customer experience as a competitive advantage

The authors highlight that Middle Eastern consumers are not just experiencing logistical disruption but an emotionally complex situation. Brands are therefore encouraged to show empathy in their communications and interactions and to implement a controlled pricing policy to better cope with economic uncertainties.

For CXG, the ability to make each client feel recognised, understood, and valued remains the primary advantage of luxury.

In summary, according to CXG, the fundamentals of the Middle East remain strong: wealth; a young population; strong brand loyalty; and an appreciation for craftsmanship. The distinction will be between brands that use this period to strengthen their client relationships, organisation, and cultural understanding, and those that simply wait for a return to normality.

The summer of football begins next week with the opening match of the men's World Cup, held in the US, Canada, and Mexico. US sportswear brand Capelli Sport will also be participating, equipping the national team of Cape Verde and distributing licensed products from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

In Europe, the team sport specialist is primarily known for its partnerships with clubs such as VfL Osnabrück, Grasshopper Club Zürich, and Sheffield FC. Capelli Sport has been based for over ten years with its European headquarters in Ratingen, North Rhine-Westphalia, near Düsseldorf, in a major football hub.

In this interview, Mourheg discusses the company's expectations for the tournament, current business performance, and the markets Capelli Sport plans to expand into.

World Cup is approaching. What are your expectations for the tournament?

The tournament is particularly interesting for us for several reasons, especially because it is taking place on our doorstep. Our parent company is based in the US, with headquarters in New York City and New Jersey, and our distribution centre is just five minutes from the MetLife Stadium, where the final will be held.

This is an extremely important event for the market there. We are already the market leader in US amateur football; everything below Major League Soccer (MLS) is our core business. When a mega-event comes to the country, it boosts the entire sport. For us as the market leader, this means a noticeable push in revenue, player numbers, and membership growth, and new football clubs are formed. That is why we definitely want to be involved, with at least one nation on the pitch.

Do you have a rough idea of the revenue boost the tournament will bring?

It depends on how many of our existing clubs benefit and how many new clubs approach us. Historically, the entire market's focus shifts heavily towards football during such periods.

The host nation's performance also plays a role; if they are eliminated in the group stage, the effect quickly dissipates. In the US, one mega-event follows another seamlessly. It would therefore be beneficial for the sport if the US team progresses as far as possible. We anticipate a short-term increase of up to 10 percent in US youth football. Furthermore, World Cup years are generally growth years for sports brands. Since we serve the team sports market directly, bypassing retail, we feel such developments immediately within the current year.

How has the first half of the year been for you, both globally and in Europe?

Good. The Cape Verde partnership alone, announced this half-year, has automatically generated a lot of interest. Considering how few brands besides the three major players are represented at a World Cup, it is really just a handful. This helps us enormously, including in direct conversations with clubs. We also had other strong areas: lacrosse and field hockey, with the latter becoming increasingly active with the upcoming European Championship. Overall, it has been an eventful first half.

Can you comment on revenue development?

Not yet definitively. It is a very seasonal business, and a lot still happens over the course of the year. We are not a brand that waits for pre-order rounds. Since we serve the team sports market directly, our revenue developments are more immediate. When the season starts, we see what the year has brought. Other brands have long since closed their order books and can do little to change things for this year. Our cycle is different; there is still a lot of movement.

Besides the sportswear segment, you are also responsible for Capelli New York. Do you notice differences between the two areas given the current consumer sentiment?

Yes, definitely. The sports industry is developing differently from fashion. In the fashion and accessories sector, we are heavily dependent on general consumer sentiment and even the weather. If people shop less, it is immediately reflected. In team sports, however, the business is more stable. As long as the ball is rolling, there is momentum, relatively independent of the weather. There are more relevant cycles about the World Cup schedule, mega-events, or the sporting success of a national team.

How large is Capelli Sport in relation to the fashion division?

The sports brand is clearly the group's major growth sector. The fashion accessories business, primarily under Capelli New York, has existed since the company was founded 36 years ago. We are the market leader there, generating around 300 million in revenue. The growth potential in this segment is largely exhausted.

In sports, however, we have enormous growth rates. The brand has been around for 12 years, and we are now the market leader in US youth and amateur football, generating around 85 million in revenue worldwide. This is more than some long-established brands in Germany have achieved after over 100 years. Therefore, the balance between the two divisions at the group level is shifting rapidly. The focus is clearly on the sports brand.

How does this differ in Europe?

In Europe, the ratio is more balanced; we have been active here with the fashion division for 26 years. The revenue split between sports and fashion is approximately 50-50.

How are the sales channels structured?

In the fashion sector, it is a classic wholesale business. More importantly, we market our brand on our own self-managed spaces in large department stores without our own staff but with our own brand presence. We are present in stores like Galeria and P&C, among others. This is complemented by white-label production for large retailers and private label listings.

In the sports segment, direct sales is the core business. Our own sales team sells directly to clubs, building personal relationships. Wholesale plays a subordinate role there and is limited to merchandise products, such as fan jerseys like those for Cape Verde. We also work with sports generalists like Engelhorn, as well as with equipment, accessories, and balls, with the exception of club kits, which are not sold through retail.

Your football partnerships range from professional level to amateur sport, which are also present with integrated fan shops on your website. Where do you draw the line between sponsorship and customer?

It is not always about sponsorship. Many clubs cooperate with us because we provide services for them, such as creating a club collection or setting up a team shop in our online store. These are collaborations without a sponsorship character. A sponsorship begins at a certain level, and league affiliation is not the decisive criterion for us.

We do not see being present with our logo on television broadcasts as a primary goal. It is more important for us to build brand awareness in the region through an engagement with a professional club and then more easily enter into discussions with amateur clubs in the area. The bread-and-butter business is amateur football. The merchandise business with clubs like Alemannia Aachen or VfL Osnabrück, which have a large fanbase, is an added bonus.

There are no standalone Capelli Sport stores, correct?

Correct, we currently have no standalone stores. There were once pop-ups in New York on Fifth Avenue, but no permanent locations.

Do you rely solely on showrooms for these partnerships, and do all the clubs come to you in Ratingen?

Ratingen is the headquarters with a showroom and distribution centre, where we welcome many clubs. We also have many people on the ground in various regions, whether in Bavaria or the north, as well as abroad. In addition, there are separate showrooms in places like Manchester, London, Greece, and other markets. Sometimes, we also have partnerships with clubs where we use a local space for meetings, sample presentations, or as a base for our field sales team.

You are active in more than 20 markets in Europe. Which are the key markets?

Strategically, in the long term, it is of course the 'Big Five' – the markets where we must have a presence: England, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France. We have had a very strong presence in England with our own offices from the beginning, and Germany is our largest market and will remain so in ten years' time. Besides these two markets, we are also currently well-positioned in other markets.

Which countries are those?

We are really pushing ahead in Poland and have good clubs and partnerships there, currently with two teams in the top league. Denmark is a very strong market, which has grown partly because we are represented with our own club in the second division. The Capelli Sport stadium is about a quarter of an hour from Copenhagen, where we host many activities. That has grown very quickly and organically.

We are also very strong in the Balkans, with the Serbian national team and our own local team, among others. In Greece, we have an office and started very early with AEK Athens, back when they were in the Champions League.

Is a major club or a national team the door-opener for you in a market?

That is the classic approach. You start with a major club and build a structure around it to then be able to penetrate deeper into the individual markets.

We do not do everything at once. In some markets, we currently only have one major club and are putting deeper development on the back burner for now. It is also a relationship-driven business; often, a new market has emerged that was not even on the roadmap because a strong partnership presented itself. The great thing about Europe is that this works relatively smoothly, without trade barriers or currency differences. Whether we win a club in Bavaria or the Netherlands, the distance to the neighbouring country is even shorter.

You just mentioned the 'Big Five'. Are the other markets besides Germany and England more difficult to enter?

Yes, Italy is a classic example of this. We do not have a single partner there yet. The football market there is romantic and visibly very appealing; it clearly belongs to the 'Big Five' and must be addressed at some point. It is, however, a more complex market than others. As long as we still have enough growth potential in other markets, we prefer to take the easier path because it leads to success more quickly.

Finally, what are the next goals for the brand?

We want to expand our reach even further, especially in amateur football. In markets where we have so far only been active through professional engagements, we want to penetrate deeper: Denmark, Poland, Switzerland, and of course, Germany. In Germany, sales remain the clear number one priority; we are tapping into more and more regions and continuing to expand the sales team.

In the professional sector, the hope is always that existing clubs will continue to develop. A good example is VfL Osnabrück. We already had them under contract in the 2. Bundesliga, then unfortunately, they were relegated shortly after, and now they are back. That is the ideal scenario! You do not have to convince a new second-division club; instead, you write great stories together with the club. At the same time, we are in talks with all realistic professional clubs from league one to league four that become available, and new engagements will follow in the near future.

Canadian athletic apparel brand Lululemon Athletica Inc. (Lululemon) reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, ended June 4, 2026, revealing steady international growth alongside deceleration in its domestic market. As detailed in the official press release, total net revenue for the period reached 2.47 billion dollars, representing a 4 percent increase compared to 2.37 billion dollars in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. On a constant dollar basis, net revenue increased by 2 percent.

The company experienced varying performance across geographic regions. In the Americas, net revenue decreased by 3 percent, or 4 percent on a constant dollar basis. Conversely, international net revenue grew by 22 percent, driven by a 16 percent increase on a constant dollar basis, highlighting robust demand in overseas markets.

Comparable sales and margin contractions

Total comparable sales, which encompass company-operated retail locations and e-commerce, rose by 1 percent during the quarter, though they declined by 2 percent on a constant dollar basis.

Domestic retail channels remained constrained, with comparable sales in the Americas declining by 5 percent, or 6 percent on a constant dollar basis. International comparable sales cushioned this performance, increasing by 13 percent, or 8 percent on a constant dollar basis. Within the international segment, Mainland China delivered a 20 percent increase in comparable sales.

Gross profit decreased by 3 percent to 1.34 billion dollars from 1.38 billion dollars in the prior year period. Consequently, gross margin contracted by 410 basis points to 54.2 percent. Net income stood at 195.05 million dollars, representing diluted earnings per share (EPS) of 1.69 dollars. This performance marked a decrease from a net income of 314.57 million dollars, or 2.60 dollars per diluted share, in the same period last year.

Product updates and strategic agility

The financial update coincides with organizational adjustments following leadership shifts. Lululemon interim co-chief executive officer and chief financial officer, Meghan Frank, noted that while the team executed with speed, the business is currently navigating headwinds that have prompted revisions to the full-year outlook. Frank stated during the investor call that spikes of negative media and social commentary regarding product compositions and proxy contests impacted traffic, predominantly in China and the US.

Furthermore, Frank acknowledged that certain product launches failed to meet expectations. To address these trends, the brand is accelerating its chase capabilities by 20 percent relative to last year to read and react faster to consumer demands, with product focus shifting toward outerwear and lounge fabrics.

Interim co-CEO, president, and chief commercial officer, André Maestrini, reiterated that teams remain focused on core priorities to reignite growth, specifically building upon successful product capsules across train, tennis, and run.

Inventory control and store network development

Lululemon ended the first quarter of 2026 with 1.51 billion dollars in cash and cash equivalents, and maintained 593.60 million dollars of available capacity under its revolving credit facility.

Total inventories at quarter-end grew by 2 percent to 1.69 billion dollars compared to the first quarter of 2025. However, on a unit basis, inventories decreased by 4 percent, indicating healthier stock management and reduced volume risk. During the period, the company allocated 358.30 million dollars to repurchase 2.20 million of its own shares.

The activewear retailer continued to grow its physical footprint, opening five net new company-operated locations during the quarter to bring its global store count to 816 locations.

Updated financial outlook

For the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, Lululemon projects net revenue to range between 2.45 billion dollars and 2.48 billion dollars, representing a decline of 2 percent to 3 percent. Diluted EPS is anticipated to fall between 1.76 dollars and 1.81 dollars.

For the full fiscal year 2026, the company lowered its guidance. It now estimates net revenue to land between 11.00 billion dollars and 11.15 billion dollars, translating to a flat to 1 percent decline compared to fiscal year 2025. Full-year diluted EPS is projected to be between 10.95 dollars and 11.15 dollars.

Students from Southampton Solent University have secured 17 nominations across multiple categories at Graduate Fashion Week 2026, with 13 students shortlisted for awards recognising excellence in fashion design, styling, photography, marketing, media, and innovation.

The nominations were awarded by Graduate Fashion Foundation, which organises Graduate Fashion Week, one of the world's largest showcases of emerging fashion talent.

Emma Calder, course leader for Fashion, Fashion Photography, and Fashion Styling & Creative Direction at Solent University, said the achievement reflects the creativity, dedication, and collaborative spirit demonstrated by students throughout their studies.

The shortlisted students will participate in live judging sessions during Graduate Fashion Week, which takes place in London from 15–18 June. Finalists will also have access to networking events, industry talks, portfolio reviews, and recruitment opportunities with leading fashion employers.

Among those receiving multiple nominations are Kimi Nimaei, shortlisted for the Moving Image Award, Fashion Styling & Creative Direction Award, and Culture & Heritage Award; Emma Patel, nominated for both the Project Pitch Marketing Award and Fashion Innovation Award; and Tianey West, shortlisted for the Project Pitch Marketing Award and Inclusive Fashion Award.

Award winners will be announced during Graduate Fashion Week's evening receptions between 15 and 17 June. The nominations highlight Southampton Solent University's growing presence across fashion communication, media, marketing, styling, and creative direction disciplines as graduates prepare to enter the industry.

YKK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Koichi Matsushima; hereafter, YKK) has decided to construct a new factory for YKK India Private Limited in India, a country that is rapidly growing as one of the world’s leading producers of textiles and apparel.

YKK India Private Limited will construct a third manufacturing factory in India at “Origins by Mahindra, Chennai,” located in Tamil Nadu in southern India. The new factory will work in coordination with the two existing factories in Haryana in northern India and will be a state-of-the-art facility integrating YKK’s advanced technologies to address the growing domestic demand and export-oriented manufacturing markets.

At the new factory, YKK will also promote locally rooted business operations by expanding employment opportunities in the region and contributing to the local community, while establishing a production system capable of delivering products that meet a wide range of customer needs.

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced the winners of this year’s BFC Fashion Trust awards, with six designers selected to receive financial support and mentoring to help build their businesses.

For the 2026 edition, the winners are Clio Peppiatt, Conner Ives, Nicholas Daley, Paolo Carzana, Patrick McDowell and Tolu Coker. The news was confirmed by NSS Magazine.

The recipients were selected by a judging panel chaired by BFC board member and Tank CEO, Caroline Issa, alongside Joseph CEO, Barbara Campos; BFC Foundation co-chair, Narmina Marandi; and Kurt Geiger CEO, Neil Clifford, among others.

This year’s programme follows the launch of the council’s new strategy, ‘BFC 2030: Access, Creativity, Growth’, through which prizes and programmes for emerging talent have been refined and refocused towards delivering measurable outcomes, BFC’s chief executive officer, Laura Weir said.

The BFC Fashion Trust therefore remains “a vital part of that commitment, demonstrating the value of sustained, strategic support for British fashion businesses”, Weir added.

Since its inception in 2011, BFC Fashion Trust has backed 59 designer businesses through over three million pounds in funding, helping them to scale operations and build future-proof businesses.

Its presence has been amplified by the launch of the BFC’s new strategy, for which educational initiatives have been positioned as a cornerstone. Such a shift reflects the council’s intention to pivot efforts towards a formatting that promotes sustained, long-term growth for British designers.

As announced by FashionUnited in October 2025, Czech retailer Footshop is cementing its European expansion by opening its first-ever store in France. The store, which opened on June 3, 2026, is located at 63 rue de Rivoli in the heart of Paris's first arrondissement.

By targeting one of the French capital's busiest commercial hubs, situated between the Forum des Halles and La Samaritaine, the company secures a prime location within a highly dynamic ecosystem. France represents a key and closely watched market for streetwear and lifestyle. For Peter Hajduček, the group's founder and chief executive officer, this opening seemed inevitable: “Paris was never a question of if, only of when”. He stated in a press release that this location places the retailer at the centre of a particularly demanding environment, thereby justifying the independent player's ambition.

In today's fashion landscape, physical retail is striving to regain its standing and foster customer loyalty. This investment choice underscores a strategy to build cultural legitimacy among local communities. Aleš Pitro, the group's commercial director, also emphasises this commitment to actively participating in the local scene.

The Parisian store covers 170 square metres across two floors. It introduces a new architectural concept by Prague-based firm Rdth, which will later be rolled out to other stores in the network. The design features a refined industrial aesthetic, combining a raw concrete floor with modular stainless steel fixtures and translucent fabric panels brought to life by dynamic lighting. The space is designed to feel like a gallery, where clothing and trainers are displayed as if they were artefacts. Additionally, the façade features a distinctive digital installation by Czech artist Richard Loskot, which replaces traditional commercial signage.

The product offering combines world-renowned brands such as Nike, New Balance, Puma and Asics with more niche labels like Off-White, Heliot Emil and Represent. The retailer also showcases its own premium clothing line, FTSHP, alongside various exclusive collaborations.

This lifestyle product assortment strategy is supported by a robust financial foundation built over recent years. Following its stock market launch in August 2023, the group generated a turnover of 61.6 million euros in 2024, with 75 percent of this coming from international markets. Growth continued in the first half of 2025, with revenues reaching 36.5 million euros, a 38 percent year-over-year increase. With this sixth European location, Footshop aims to capitalise on the strength of its digital platforms, which generate 82 million visits annually. The goal is to firmly establish its authority within Europe's physical fashion retail landscape.

Is this the dawn of a new era for luxury? Faced with a marked slowdown over the past three years, the sector is trying to regain momentum by returning to fundamentals, streamlining portfolios and exploring new avenues.

Profits are down sharply for LVMH and Kering in 2025, and Burberry reported a net loss for its 2024/2025 financial year. The figures show a change in trend. The causes are numerous, including price increases that have tired customers, questions about product quality and a slowing Chinese market.

“Luxury, coming out of Covid-19, was boosted by revenge buying,” recalls Eric Briones, co-founder of the Paris School of Luxury, who has just published a book on the sector's transformation.

“When luxury was faced with this high demand, the artisanal model was undermined,” he says, citing subcontractor scandals in Italy. The Italian judiciary has been investigating major luxury names for two years over working conditions in sewing workshops, suspected of exploiting Chinese labour.

The demand boom was also accompanied by a price increase of up to 50 percent over three years for some brands, “without an increase in quality, or even with a decrease in quality,” he points out.

Price inflation, but also volume inflation: “There is a fundamental question,” explains Christophe Caïs, head of the luxury consultancy CXG. “How many bags can you sell globally before you become a little too present? We want to be exclusive and at the same time we want to do volume. At what point does this volume effect contradict your desire for exclusivity?”.

According to the consulting firm Bain & Company, the luxury market lost 20 million customers between 2024 and 2025, after having already lost 50 million in previous years.

After years of economic and geographical expansion for major luxury groups that have built themselves up as conglomerates, the time for rationalisation has come, specialists point out.

“There is a phase of refocusing on a form of portfolio coherence. We can decide to move away from or find a better partner for certain brands that are less part of a group's DNA,” analyses Léa Hubsch, a partner at the Kearney firm.

Experiential luxury

The global luxury giant LVMH, for example, recently sold the American brand Marc Jacobs after thirty years under its ownership. In January, it sold its Duty Free Shops (DFS) business in China.

On the side of the French group Kering, which is undergoing a major transformation, moves have also begun, including the sale of its beauty division to L'Oréal for four billion euros.

“This consolidation trend is set to continue, with conglomerates divesting their underperforming or strategically less important divisions to focus on their core businesses,” analyses the firm CXG in a recent report.

Another example is the acquisition of the Italian brand Versace by its competitor Prada for 1.25 billion euros in 2025. Other deals are expected, notably for the Italian house Giorgio Armani. In his will, the designer, who died last year, asked his heirs to sell his empire in the medium term to a luxury giant like LVMH or L'Oréal.

Within companies, rigour is the order of the day. Luca de Meo, the former head of Renault appointed to lead Kering last year, stressed during his strategy presentation in April that excellence must take precedence. This includes a return to fundamentals, store closures and a reduction in the number of product references for certain brands.

More broadly, industry specialists speak of a new luxury, one less focused on ostentatious products and more on the huge, fast-growing wellness market.

“Desire has shifted to the experiential: beauty; hospitality; transformative luxury,” says Eric Briones. Experts see the future particularly in wellness and longevity, with clinics worthy of luxury hotels. This is a sector where Kering has already begun to position itself, through a joint venture with L'Oréal announced a few months ago.

British shirt maker Charles Tyrwhitt has promoted its chief operating officer, Rebecca Howat, to the role of managing director.

Howat has been with the heritage retailer for over 12 years, having first joined in 2013 as head of merchandising before working her way up through positions spanning supply chain and logistics. She then became chief operating officer in 2023.

Her promotion was confirmed by the company to Retail Week, to which Luke Kingsnorth, CEO of the brand’s parent company Bectin, said that Howat “knows Charles Tyrwhitt inside out”.

Kingsnorth added that Howat “brings huge commercial and operational experience, and has a real understanding of what it takes to lead the business”.

Howat’s new role comes after a broader leadership shakeup at Bectin, with Kingsnorth’s own title shifting from chief executive of Charles Tyrwhitt to head of the group itself.

According to filings with Companies House, Bectin’s group turnover rose 5 percent to 637 million pounds for the year to August 2, 2025. While Charles Tyrwhitt’s profit doubled to 42.8 million pounds, its sister retailer, The White Company, saw profits drop to 2.2 million pounds.

Victoria’s Secret has said that its nine director nominees have received approval from three independent proxy advisors in the run up to its annual shareholder meeting, to be held on June 11.

Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass Lewis & Co and Egan-Jones Proxy Services have all issued recommendations for shareholders to vote ‘for’ the director nominees, including independent chair Donna James.

The company said the backing “reaffirms that our board is best positioned to continue overseeing the successful execution of our ‘Path to Potential’ strategy and continued value creation for shareholders”.

The lingerie brand’s leadership has faced increased scrutiny in recent months from activist investor Brett Blundy, whose investment vehicle BBRC International owns a 12.9 percent stake in the label. Blundy’s campaign for representation spans back to 2023, however, the entrepreneur has since escalated his efforts in an effort to secure a seat on the board.

In response, Victoria’s Secret has doubled down on its transformation strategy under CEO Hillary Super, underlining its focus on long-term growth and board refreshment. The company has also reported a 152 percent total shareholder return since Super’s appointment in August 2024.

In its latest statement, Victoria's Secret further shared that the strategy was already “generating very strong results”, with Q1 2026 earnings having “exceeded both top- and bottom-line guidance”. “Our momentum is broad-based across categories, channels, and geographies, and this strength was reflected in the market’s overwhelmingly positive response,” Victoria’s Secret added.

The apparel, footwear and textile industries are bracing for impact as the evolving conflict in the Middle East reshapes the global economic landscape. According to the OECD’s latest “Economic Outlook,” a severe energy shock is driving up inflationary pressures and stifling global growth — factors that directly threaten fashion supply chains, manufacturing costs and consumer discretionary spending.

Two likely scenarios

Given the volatile nature of the crisis, the OECD has mapped out two distinct paths forward, both of which demand immediate strategic pivoting from fashion executives and supply chain leaders: In Scenario 1, a time-limited disruption, energy production and trade in Gulf economies would progressively return to pre-conflict levels starting mid-2026. This would allow disruptions to gradually unwind, though the immediate sting to margins would remain.

Scenario 2, a prolonged disruption, is more dire: Current disruptions to energy production and exports would persist well into 2027. This scenario would affect the garment and textile industry as it assumes sustained high energy prices, intensifying risks of supply chain shortages, and a tightening of global financial conditions that could freeze capital investment.

“The global economy entered 2026 with robust momentum, but the outlook has weakened significantly since the start of the conflict in the Middle East, with effects likely to be felt for some time. The longer the disruptions last, the larger the economic and social costs become,” warned OECD secretary-general Mathias Cormann at the launch of the Economic Outlook on Wednesday.

“Any fiscal support that countries provide in response to the shock needs to be targeted towards those most in need and temporary, to avoid a further increase in public debt and preserve incentives to save energy. More broadly, countries need to lay the foundations for stronger growth and productivity by improving the business environment, enhancing skills and unlocking the benefits of AI and other transformative technologies,” he added, noting that structural agility and smart technological adoption will be vital to weathering the storm.

GDP growth projections and inflationary pressures

For fashion brands, slowing GDP growth translates directly to tighter consumer wallets. The OECD’s projections suggest a stark divergence depending on how long the conflict will last: In case of a time-limited disruption scenario, the OECD projects global growth slowing from 3.4 percent in 2025 to 2.8 percent in 2026 before picking up to 3.1 percent in 2027.

Looking at G20 countries, only India, Indonesia, China, Saudi Arabia, Argentina and Turkey would be above that project global average with 7.6, 5.1, 5, 4.5, 4.4 and 3.6 percent, respectively in 2026 and further growth in 2027. In North America, the United States’ GDP growth is projected at 2 percent in 2026 before slowing to 1.8 percent in 2027; Canada’s at 1.2 percent in 2026 and picking up again in 2027 to 1.7 percent while Mexico’s would more than double from 0.8 percent to 1.9 percent in 2027.

In the Euro zone, growth is projected to remain modest at 0.8 percent in 2026 before picking up to 1.2 percent in 2027. Below that average are Italy, France and Germany with a projected GDP of 0.5 , 0.7 and 0.7 percent, respectively, in 2026, with a slight increase to 0.6 percent and 0.8 percent for Italy and France in 2027 and a moderate increase for Germany to 1.1 percent. The UK’s GDP is projected at 0.9 percent in 2026 and 1.1 percent in 2027.

Under the prolonged disruption scenario, global growth would slow to 2.1 percent in 2026 and 1.8 percent in 2027, “leaving a lasting mark on many countries, especially in Asia, Europe and developing economies most vulnerable to the energy and food price shock,” sums up the OECD outlook.

Inflationary pressures would rise in both advanced and emerging market economies with the energy shock leading to higher commodity prices. Indirect effects would boost prices in general, especially for agricultural inputs and food. “In the time-limited disruption scenario, annual consumer price inflation in the G20 economies is collectively expected to rise to 4.0 percent in 2026, from 3.4 percent in 2025, before easing to 3.1 percent in 2027 as energy and food price pressures fade. Inflation would rise significantly higher in the prolonged disruption scenario,” concludes the OECD outlook.

What does that mean for the fashion industry?

The fashion sector is uniquely exposed to the inflationary pressures detailed in the report. Energy shocks act as a double-edged sword for the textile sector as they affect production costs: Synthetic fibre production (like polyester and nylon) is heavily dependent on petrochemicals, making raw material costs highly sensitive to oil price spikes. Logistics and freight is another affected area: Shipping costs are already on the rise as global trade routes adjust to the volatility, threatening margin-starved retail brands.

The inflation’s ripple effect would be felt In the best-case scenario, annual consumer price inflation in G20 economies is expected to climb to 4.0 percent in 2026 (up from 3.4 percent in 2025) before easing to 3.1 percent in 2027. Under a prolonged conflict, inflation would spike significantly higher. Higher food and energy prices mean apparel brands will be competing fiercely for a smaller share of the consumer's wallet.

For fashion and textile insiders, the message is clear: the era of predictable supply chains is on pause. To navigate the remainder of 2026 and 2027, brands must double down on efficiency. This means accelerating the adoption of AI for demand forecasting, optimising inventory to avoid costly overstock, and diversifying sourcing destinations to mitigate regional energy dependencies.

The European circular fashion market could surpass the 100 billion euro (116 million dollars) mark by 2030. This figure, revealed this Thursday by the Fédération de la mode circulaire (FMC) and KPMG, demonstrates the economic power of a market that was once a niche but is now a priority for companies in the sector.

A massive economic impact

The projection of 100 billion euros for circular fashion in 2030 represents more than 58 percent of the current turnover of the entire European textile industry (170 billion, according to EURATEX data). The economic weight of the four pillars of circular fashion – reinvent, reuse, repair and recycle – therefore represents more than just opportunities; it represents the future.

Currently accounting for around 6 percent of the European fashion market, eco-designed products could reach a share of nearly 15 percent by 2030, driven by regulatory changes. They could generate around 71 billion euros on their own. As the FMC points out, the design phase determines nearly 80 percent of an item's environmental impact. This stage is therefore essential to ensure the large-scale development of repair, reuse and recycling models.

European legislation: a catalyst for investment

Above all, the report highlights the decisive role of emerging regulations in supporting demand and investment. The harmonisation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes appears to be one of the most powerful levers for structuring the market.

Europe generates approximately 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste each year, but only about 20 percent is currently collected separately. By transferring end-of-life costs to producers, EPR helps finance the necessary infrastructure for collection, sorting and recycling. In addition, the digital product passport (DPP) and circular VAT projects are expected to increase traceability, transparency and competitiveness in the sector.

A strategic reorganisation of value chains

Supporting local repair and recycling services helps to strengthen the resilience of strategic textile supply chains and create long-term value. Mina Bishop, senior circular economy manager at KPMG, explains the importance of this transition: “For years, circular fashion was treated solely as a sustainability issue. Our study shows that it is also a strategic and industrial issue”.

Maxime Delavallée, president of the Fédération de la mode circulaire, confirms the key role of public institutions: “Our study shows that regulation can be a powerful accelerator for circular fashion.” He notes that appropriate tax measures, such as a circular VAT, would help make repair and resale more financially attractive, allowing the European market to capture a significant share of the 104 billion euros in opportunities identified for 2030.

Madrid – Following the presentation on Wednesday of Inditex's accounts for the first quarter of 2026, we now look beyond the record-breaking sales and profits. This analysis aims to understand exactly how the company has performed at the start of this financial year. The owner of Zara has begun the new fiscal year with a widespread improvement in its main economic indicators.

Firstly, looking at Inditex's sales results for the first quarter of 2026, the company achieved 8.8 billion euros (10.21 billion dollars), a +5.75 percent year-over-year growth. This figure represents the highest sales volume in its history for a first quarter. During the same period, from February 1 to April 30, the cost of goods sold reached 3.4 billion euros. This amount is also a record high for a first quarter for Inditex. However, it grew at a slower rate than sales, increasing by only +3.95 percent compared to the 3,262 million euros in the first quarter of 2025.

As a result of these developments, Inditex reported a gross margin of 5.4 billion euros at the end of the first quarter. This is also the highest ever recorded by the company for the first three months of a fiscal year. It represents a +6.92 percent increase over the 5 billion euros gross margin recorded in the same period last year.

To fully understand how Inditex's operational efficiency has improved, these indicators culminate in a gross sales margin of 61.2 percent. This key metric is an increase of 60 basis points compared to the 60.6 percent gross margin recorded in the first quarter of 2025, setting another record high for Inditex in a first quarter. The company has consistently delivered margins above 60 percent at the start of the year since 2022. However, it has not yet achieved this milestone for a full financial year. The last peak was at the close of the 2025 financial year, which Inditex completed with a gross sales margin of 58.30 percent, after reaching a high of 62.2 percent during the third quarter.

Increased supplier financing

Regarding working capital dynamics, Inditex finished the first quarter of 2026 with an increased inventory level of 3.8 billion euros (+0.55 percent). Simultaneously, the amount owed to the company from specific operations and/or franchisees decreased to 1.06 billion euros (-5.49 percent), while the amount the company owes its creditors, mainly suppliers, rose to 10.8 billion euros (+3.75 percent).

As a result, the company ended the quarter with a negative working capital of -5.9 billion euros. This figure represents a +7.85 percent increase from the -5.5 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2025. It is also +42.75 percent higher than the -4,173 million at the close of the last financial year.

Rounding out the main financial indicators for Inditex in the first quarter of 2026, operating profit (EBITDA) grew to 2.6 billion euros (+7.31 percent), with the EBITDA margin increasing from 28.9 to 29.3 percent. Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose to 1.8 billion euros (+7 percent), with the EBIT margin moving from 19.8 to 20.1 percent.

106 fewer stores

Finally, regarding the evolution of its retail network, Inditex ended the first quarter of the year with a total of 5,456 stores. This figure represents a net closure of 106 stores over the past year, compared to the 5,562 stores it operated at the end of the same period last year. Of this net loss, only four stores were closed during this first quarter of 2026, considering the company ended its 2025 financial year with a total of 5,460 stores.

On a year-over-year basis, all of Inditex's chains have seen a reduction in their number of stores, with the sole exception of Lefties, which expanded its network to 217 stores (+8 stores). This contrasts with the net contractions in the retail networks of Zara, with 1,495 stores (-50 stores); Zara Home, with 376 stores (-12 stores); Pull&Bear, with 792 stores (-12 stores); Massimo Dutti, with 509 stores (-19 stores); Bershka, with 851 stores (-4 stores); Stradivarius, with 837 stores (-1 store); and Oysho, with 379 stores (-16 stores).

In this regard, Inditex notes that during the first quarter, optimisation projects were carried out across the retail networks of its various chains in 44 markets. These projects included refurbishments, relocations, new openings, and absorptions. The company is allocating the majority of the 2.3 billion euros in ordinary investments committed for 2026 to these initiatives, as announced last March during the presentation of the 2025 financial results. With these investments, Inditex aims to increase the productivity of its stores. Following its optimisation strategy, the company estimates a gross space growth of approximately +5 percent for 2026.

Italian fashion group OTB (Only the Brave) has acquired the remaining shares it did not already own in Viktor&Rolf. The Dutch fashion house is now fully owned by the Italian group, according to a press release. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

In 2008, the initial deal was signed between Viktor&Rolf and OTB. At that time, a majority stake of 51 percent was acquired. This was increased to 70 percent in 2019, with the remaining 30 percent split between the two founders, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren.

The duo will remain with the fashion house for at least another five years, which “confirms the central role of the two founders,” according to the statement. They will therefore continue as creative directors of the fashion house. The press release states that OTB and the designers intend to further develop the fashion house within the international luxury landscape. No further changes, apart from the shareholding structure, have been indicated. The deal does not appear to have any further direct impact on the Dutch fashion house's operations.

OTB acquires all shares in Viktor&Rolf

“It is our great pleasure to continue working as creative directors for Viktor&Rolf and to explore fashion as a testing ground for ideas and experimentation,” said Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren in the press release.

“Viktor and Rolf are among the most visionary and influential designers in contemporary fashion. Over the years, we have built an extraordinary journey together, based on mutual respect, creative freedom and a constant urge to experiment with the most innovative forms of expression in contemporary couture. With this next step we are taking today, we are further strengthening our bond with a Maison that is truly unique in the international luxury landscape and continues to distinguish itself through its creativity, artistic research and cultural relevance,” said Renzo Rosso, founder and chairman of the OTB Group. The OTB Group is the parent company of Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela and Marni, among others.

About Viktor&Rolf

Fashion house Viktor&Rolf was founded in 1993. Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren met at school in 1988 and founded the brand after winning an international competition. The duo is known for its avant-garde concepts that regularly blur the line between fashion and art.

Incubator organisation Fashion Trust US (FTUS) has extended its mentorship programme to London, where it hosted recent award winners over a three-day initiative designed to provide insight into building and scaling a luxury business.

Taking place from June 2 to 4, the programme was developed in partnership with Fashion Trust Arabia, the British Fashion Council, The Bicester Collection and Brand x Society. Designers participating included 2026 FTUS winners Zane Li of Lii; Andrea Marron; Josefína Baillères; Marcelle Barbosa of Amaramara; Maxwell Osborne and Kirsty Chen of an Only Child; and Deborah Won of Pisces Rising.

Participants were able to join workshops, panel discussions, and one-on-one mentoring sessions, exploring everything from investment strategies and wholesale to artificial intelligence and sustainability. Among the speakers and mentors were that of Good American co-founder Tugba Unkan; Emilia Wickstead; Elle UK editor-in-chief Kenya Hunt; and Anna Sweeting of The Equity Studio.

Speaking on the programme, founder of FTUS, Tania Fares, said: “One of the most valuable things we can offer designers is access to knowledge, expertise, and the people who can help shape their future. This programme creates opportunities for meaningful exchange while providing practical tools to help founders navigate the realities of building a business today.”

The London programme, which was celebrated with a cocktail event, coincided with the opening of applications for the fifth edition of the Fashion Trust US Awards, presented by Google. Eligible designers will be based in the US, and have either been in business for two to seven years or are recent graduates. The award ceremony will take place April 2027 in Los Angeles, with winners to receive financial grants and a year-long mentorship programme.

British clothing retailer Seasalt has announced the closure of its four US stores just two years on from its expansion into the market.

The Cornish company confirmed the news to Drapers, to which it said it was instead looking to grow its portfolio of partners in the US and Europe in the second half of the year, and thus wished to invest “accordingly in this area of the business”.

The statement continued: “Therefore, in order to focus our efforts and resources on third-party relationships moving forward, we have made a business decision to close our four existing Seasalt stores in the US.”

After first announcing expansion plans in November 2023, Seasalt opened locations in Falmouth, Massachusetts; Ardmore, Pennsylvania; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Shrewsbury, New Jersey.

All sites shuttered on May 17, bringing to an end a rollout that had at one time been fairly ambitious. The company had previously been eyeing around 20 locations in the US over the course of three years.

It added: “We have taken significant learnings from our international trading to date and we are approaching the next year and beyond with confidence despite the ongoing economic headwinds.”

Seasalt continues to report “significant success in the US and Europe” through its partnerships with department stores and online retailers. Its international sales, meanwhile, make up 16 percent of, with the company aiming for that figure to rise to 20 percent within the next year, it told Drapers.

For now, its focus seems to lie in Europe, specifically Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Earlier this year, CEO Paul Hayes confirmed plans to open three new stores in 2026, telling The Times that Seasalt had "built a very resilient business model" and was confident it could navigate this challenging period.

US apparel group PVH Corporation reported solid results for the first quarter of the 2026/27 fiscal year on Wednesday evening. However, management lowered its sales forecast for the full year due to the foreseeable negative impact of the war in Iran.

In the first quarter, which ended on May 3, group revenue amounted to almost 2.03 billion US dollars. This represented an increase of 2.1 percent compared to the same period last year. However, adjusted for currency fluctuations, revenue decreased by 2.3 percent.

Overall, the group exceeded expectations. According to the company, this was primarily due to growth in key categories for its two main brands in its own retail channels: namely denim and underwear at Calvin Klein, and sweatshirts and outerwear at Tommy Hilfiger.

Overall, Tommy Hilfiger's revenue increased by 2.8 percent (a 2.0 percent decrease on a currency-neutral basis) to 1.08 billion US dollars. Calvin Klein achieved an increase of 1.0 percent to 895.2 million US dollars, while on a currency-neutral basis, the label's revenue fell by 2.9 percent.

Middle East conflict impacts development in EMEA region

The individual market regions performed differently in the first quarter. The growth driver was the Asia-Pacific region, with a revenue increase of 10.0 percent (up 5.8 percent on a currency-neutral basis) to 387.0 million US dollars. In the EMEA region, which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa, the group's revenue rose by 2.0 percent to 946.1 million US dollars. However, on a currency-neutral basis, it decreased by 5.3 percent. The company attributed the unexpectedly weak performance in the region to the “ongoing effects of the Middle East conflict and its broad macroeconomic impact”. In the Americas, revenue shrank by 0.9 percent (down 1.7 percent on a currency-neutral basis) to 602.9 million US dollars. Global licensing revenue fell by 7.0 percent to 89.1 million US dollars.

The gross margin remained unchanged at 58.6 percent compared to the same period last year. According to the company, a favourable product mix; the expected repayment of illegal customs duties; lower product costs; and positive currency effects offset the impact of higher tariffs and more extensive discounts.

The bottom line was a reported net profit of 88.0 million US dollars, compared to a loss of 44.8 million US dollars in the first quarter of 2025/26. However, adjusted for special items, particularly high impairment charges and restructuring costs in the prior-year period, net income decreased by 21.2 percent to 93.4 million US dollars. This was, however, still above expectations.

Management lowers its sales forecast

CEO Stefan Larsson stressed that the group had achieved the goals of its current 'PVH+' reform plan in the first quarter. However, the impact of the Middle East conflict had “put pressure” on consumers in the EMEA region.

In light of the resulting weaker outlook for this region, management revised its sales forecast for the current fiscal year downwards. It now only expects revenue to be on par with the previous year, after previously anticipating a slight increase.

The earnings forecasts, however, remained unchanged. The group therefore continues to expect an operating margin adjusted for special items of around 8.8 percent and an adjusted profit per share in the range of 11.80 to 12.10 US dollars.

US clothing rental platform Rent the Runway has announced its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2026, ended April 10, 2026, revealing strong top-line momentum and narrowing losses.

Total revenue for the period reached 89.90 million dollars, representing a 29.20 percent increase year-over-year (YoY) compared to 69.60 million dollars in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. This performance exceeded the initial guidance provided by the company.

The revenue growth was supported by a 70.40 percent YoY increase in add-on revenue, which also rose 11 percent quarter-over-quarter. Management attributed this improvement to elevated subscriber engagement following a significant inventory expansion and various digital product upgrades executed during the prior year.

Key subscriber metrics and profitability shifts The platform experienced an increase across its subscriber segments during the quarter. The total number of ending subscribers grew by 7.60 percent to 196,147, while ending active subscribers increased by 5.80 percent to 155,692, while average active subscribers grew by 12.20 percent to reach 149,744.

Gross profit rose by 6.40 percent to 23.30 million dollars, however, gross margin contracted to 25.90 percent, down from 31.50 percent in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025.

Net loss narrowed substantially to 18.90 million dollars, down from a net loss of 26.10 million dollars in the prior year period. Net loss as a percentage of revenue improved from negative 37.50 percent to negative 21 percent.

Adjusted EBITDA was negative 0.80 million dollars, an improvement from negative 1.30 million dollars in the first quarter of 2025. This resulted in an adjusted EBITDA margin of negative 0.90 percent, compared to negative 1.90 percent YoY.

Executive transition and board appointments

The financial report follows the recent appointment of Teri Bariquit as interim chief executive officer and president. Bariquit succeeded co-founder Jennifer Hyman, who stepped down after 18 years in the leadership role. Hyman will serve as an advisor to the firm until January 2027 to facilitate the transition.

Bariquit, who joined the Rent The Runway's board of directors in October 2025, previously accumulated 37 years of retail experience, including a tenure as chief merchandising officer at US department store chain Nordstrom.

The executive team has been further expanded with the addition of Paige Thomas as chief commercial officer and Dave Loretta as interim chief financial officer. Thomas previously worked at Nordstrom and Signet Jewelers, while Loretta served as financial head at The Honest Company and Duluth Trading Company.

Financial outlook

For the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, the platform projects revenue to fall between 91 million dollars and 95 million dollars, with an adjusted EBITDA margin expected between 5 percent and 8 percent.

For the full fiscal year 2026, the company reaffirmed its previous guidance. It anticipates double-digit revenue growth compared to the full year 2025, driven by product and inventory investments.

The full-year adjusted EBITDA margin is expected to land between 4 percent and 7 percent, while total rental product acquired is projected to be between 45 million dollars and 50 million dollars, down from 74.90 million dollars in fiscal year 2025.

There is something quite rare about what Ségolène and Alexandra Jacmin do. No unnecessary noise, no growth at all costs, and no back-to-back Parisian shows just for the sake of being on a calendar. In 10 years, the two sisters have built Façon Jacmin with a logic that is almost akin to entrepreneurial craftsmanship: taking it step by step, staying true to their creative origins, and never compromising on quality.

From their own boutique in Antwerp and a network of carefully selected retailers, they have successfully established themselves far beyond Belgium. Asia is now their main business-to-business (B2B) market, a presence built gradually and almost organically. On the occasion of their tenth anniversary, FashionUnited met with the two founders to understand what ten years of independence teaches and demands.

In a few words, what is the aesthetic of Façon Jacmin?

Ségolène Jacmin: It is truly a wardrobe designed for the empowerment of the wearer, with pieces that are strong in both material and cut. We call the brand Façon Jacmin because it refers to the quality of the craftsmanship – the finishes and fabrics have always been very important to us. There are also many contrasts in the brand: masculine/feminine, oversized, fitted, and a mix of tailoring with a more street-style edge.

Alexandra Jacmin: We also deconstruct garments a lot to play with the codes of different types of pieces. Trompe-l'œil and illusion are recurring themes: playing with codes, deconstructing them, and transforming one garment to create another. We also see this in upcycling. As my sister said, we mix the masculine and feminine wardrobes extensively, with rather oversized proportions combined with more fitted pieces.

Why did you want to create your brand in 2016, and what was your mindset ten years ago?

SJ: I really wanted to create my own business, be independent, and do things from start to finish. I had worked in consulting, and something was missing... creativity, even though I did not have a creative background at all. Then there was the freedom to do things our own way, the satisfaction of starting something and watching it grow. I also wanted a tangible product rather than a service, and I have always loved building relationships – being in contact with people and evoking emotions through clothing. For me, it is really the entrepreneurial side combined with the creative product.

AJ: For me, it was really the creative aspect. I had worked for other designers and houses before creating the brand, and I wanted to create for myself, from scratch, not for an existing house. When my sister suggested it, I thought I had the experience and wanted to embark on a joint project with her. I also wanted to bring more confidence and strength to the people who wear our clothes. It was very stimulating to think that we could offer something extra through a garment.

“Over time, I gained more and more confidence and learned to let go.”

How have you evolved the style of Façon Jacmin over the past ten years?

AJ: It happened gradually. In the beginning, we really had to test materials and familiarise ourselves with many things. I did not have someone with me yet to truly explore everything I wanted to do. Over time, I gained more and more confidence and learned to let go. A few years ago, we welcomed a pattern cutter-designer to the team. With him, I was able to really let my creativity flow, whether in volumes, cuts, or finishes. This really helped in the brand's evolution. With my sister too, the pieces were perhaps more timeless in the beginning. Our eye has changed, our vision has evolved, and we wanted more to stand out, to innovate, and to make the product even more desirable.

What makes a product desirable?

AJ: It is true that it is difficult to say. I think it first has to please us, to give us something, and we have to feel good in the garment. Desirability goes hand in hand with comfort. We do not want a restrictive garment; that is the opposite of desirability. When you see a person constrained by their clothing, you can feel it. I believe desirability is also about how the person wears the piece, beyond the cut and colours. That is what creates desire, what brings desirability in my opinion.

SJ: Sometimes, we realise that for women, this balance between femininity and something strong is very important. For example, this piece [Ségolène is wearing a sweatshirt with a two-in-one zip feature], I think is very desirable. It works extremely well; it has an original side, but it is in the attitude, in the way it drapes. It is especially when you see the person feeling good in it, feeling strong. The person's energy is what makes the piece desirable.

What are Façon Jacmin's bestsellers?

SJ: The sweatshirt I am wearing, for example. We also have an upcycled bustier made from a T-shirt; it is super comfortable, very easy to wear, and sells very well. We have unisex jackets, the Fly and Marty models, which are very popular for their cut. There is also a jacket in what we call 'brown wax' – it is like leather, but it is not. We also have velvet models, the McFly Velvet, with a brown velvet under which blue denim appears at the points of wear. The shirts also do very well: they have a beautiful classic cut, but always with a twist, a bit of deconstruction.

The collections must have grown. How many pieces were there at the start, and how do you organise the quantity and pace today?

SJ: We have always done two seasons a year. The first collection had about 30 pieces. We evolved, each time carrying over half, or a little less. When we launched into B2B and international markets, we had to gradually increase the size of the collections. Today we are at around 80 new styles and 60 total references, so we have doubled. It is a lot.

AJ: Yes, counting all the material variations. We always try to have a balance between new styles and carry-over styles in different materials. This is also to offer different look proposals, because with a smaller number, it is difficult to offer real variety.

“Until now, we have always done everything to keep up with this pace, and it is only now that we are realising it may not be necessary.”

There is a lot of talk about the frantic pace of collections and professional burnout. Have you had to refuse certain things to protect your mental health or the brand's integrity?

SJ: Until now, we have always done everything to keep up with this pace, and it is only now that we are realising it may not be necessary. After several seasons in B2B, we realise it is going too fast. We never have time to step back, to analyse certain things, or to change others. It takes time to think, and that is really the negative point of B2B for me. Everyone maintains this rhythm and these urgencies, and one might wonder why. The public and the sector always need newness, ever faster. This is strongly felt in fashion, but ultimately it is a reflection of society as a whole.

Do you think a change is possible in the coming years?

SJ: It is difficult to say. On one hand, yes, some things will have to change. I find it hard to project into the future. We have been talking about slowing down, questioning fast fashion, and sustainability for a long time. We see some changes, but they are small compared to the bulk of the sector.

Can an independent brand like yours afford to slow down?

AJ: I would like us to present later than June. The problem is that afterwards, buyers have less budget available for orders. We are a bit stuck. We are a small brand; we can afford it less. It would imply a transition, skipping a season...

You are twin sisters, and the press often romanticises family duos. How does it work in practice when, for example, Alexandra's creativity clashes with the financial realities Ségolène must impose?

AJ: I will try to convince my sister that we need certain materials, even if they are expensive. Sometimes there are disagreements – she thinks about the cost and I have the results more in mind. I tell myself that despite the price, it will be convincing. We try to find alternatives.

SJ: It is a process. It was complicated at the beginning; we even had a coach at one point to better understand that we are different and communicate differently. Since then, it has been much better. I think being sisters really helps. If it were a partner with no family ties, it would be even more complicated. We can be frank with each other, and we know we will always get past it. The brand has brought us closer.

What are Façon Jacmin's successes that you are proud of?

AJ: First, the team. Over the years, we have really developed a great team. I was just thinking about it yesterday.

SJ: Me too, it is often the first thing I think of. Otherwise, a significant moment was the show in Paris. When I did the briefing with everyone and saw all those people gathered, I was wow, really moved. I was proud.

Are you considering another show in Paris?

SJ: In principle, yes. When we did it the first time, it was already with the idea of potentially doing it again. We also said, with Alex and Lola [Lola Clabots, the press manager who works with the brand], that if we did it again, it had to be done well: budget, time, everything. We are a small team; organising that every season is a heavy lift. So yes, why not, but without the pressure of the calendar. There are already enough constraints in the sector. If it also impacts the collection's progress, it is not sustainable. It is also a question of budget.

What is your assessment of that first Parisian show?

SJ: It helped us enormously. It gives credibility: buyers and industry people see it and think that it marks an evolution, that it is professional and serious.

AJ: Yes, it also helps for the online business. The main idea for me was to make a statement for B2B: to be taken seriously by buyers. We have a high-end positioning and are looking for that type of retailer, so it was important to show that we are on the calendar and that we are credible. I think we were happy; there were a lot of people, it was well done, and it was talked about a lot.

What advice would you give to young designers who want to launch independently?

SJ: You really have to be patient. Have the right expectations about development and know that it takes time to get where you want to be. You also have to be aware of the financial need it implies. Do not be naive; know that it requires a lot of investment and do not think that everything will run smoothly after one year.

AJ: And have a clear vision of what you want in terms of DNA. Know what products you want to create and be really good at what you do. There are so many brands on the market that you really need to have a clear idea and vision.

What are your plans for the future?

SJ: To continue to evolve well, stay true to our values, and grow the business in a controlled way, always with our initial idea. We have always done things step by step, and that is why we are satisfied today. So, more international presence, more retailers, and maybe pop-ups around the world, two or three a year, to raise brand awareness. We have also talked about potential future collaborations with established brands or otherwise.

What is Façon Jacmin's biggest market?

SJ: In B2B, it is Asia, specifically China. With the boutique and the website, it is Belgium. What is interesting is that on our site, the US at one point made up half of the orders. There is a retailer who sells our brand in New York, perhaps through a collaboration with influencers. Broadly speaking, Asia really represents an important market for us.

And Japan in particular?

SJ: Yes, Japan is where we started testing B2B. We had requests to stock the brand very early on. It took a little time, but yes, it is a good market. We already had many Japanese customers initially. I think the aesthetic speaks to them, and European products, especially Belgian ones, have a good reputation there.

And Façon Jacmin in ten years, what will it look like?

SJ: Even more customers, more retailers, and maybe a larger boutique in Antwerp, or another boutique elsewhere, perhaps in Paris.

AJ: I would like the boutique space to evolve, to be even more of an experience, and to better represent the brand as it is today.

The second edition of the “Africa Now” pop-up will take place from June 17 to July 8, 2026, at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, on the third floor of the Coupole building.

Through this pop-up, Galeries Lafayette highlights a new generation of African designers who reinterpret local craftsmanship, expertise and cultural references for the Western market. The event also promotes social initiatives linked to communities and local economic empowerment.

The 2026 edition expands its selection with an offering that includes ready-to-wear, bags, jewellery and accessories. The event is organised in partnership with Canex and the Tranoï trade show, the company Adama Paris and Studio Ka x Africa Fashion Up.

Designers selected by Canex x Tranoï

• Late For Work: Winner of the 2025 Fashion Trust Arabia Grand Prix, Moroccan designer Youssef Drissi reinterprets professional womenswear with structured silhouettes. Present for the second time, he told FashionUnited that he was very satisfied with the sales from the first pop-up in 2025.

• Judy Sanderson: Founded in 2020, this eponymous label develops an aesthetic nourished by African, European and Asian influences, adapted to the needs of the Western market.

• We Are Nbo: To create its jewellery from recycled and upcycled materials such as brass, wood or bone, Nairobi-based (Kenya) designer Michael Nguthu collaborates with artisans from marginalised backgrounds.

• Vanhu Vamwe: This leather goods brand is the great success of the Canex x Tranoï market launch. The Zimbabwean founding couple, Simba Nyawiri and Pam Samasuwo-Nyawiri, champions an artisanal and social approach.

Designers selected by Adama Paris

• Adama Paris: Kinshasa-born Adama Amanda Ndiaye is the founder of Dakar Fashion Week. She launched Fashion Africa Channel in 2014, a TV channel dedicated to African fashion. She is presenting an exclusive capsule for “Africa Now”.

• Ibrahim Fernandez: The self-taught Ivorian designer develops a premium wardrobe blending African influences, with traditional fabrics like wax and bazin, on contemporary silhouettes with a focus on tailoring.

• Sisters of Afrika: The ambition of the two founders, sisters Hélène Daba Diouf and Jeanne Diouf, is to promote Senegalese cultural heritage, the empowerment of women and the modernisation of traditional techniques.

• Christie Brown: Ghanaian designer Aisha Ayensu revisits traditional Ghanaian fabrics (wax, kente) and artisanal skills with a premium and international approach.

Designers selected by Africa Fashion Up x Studio Ka

• Studio Ka, founded by Valérie Ka, a French-Ivorian model turned entrepreneur and artistic director, is the showcase brand for the Africa Fashion Up programme, which supports African designers.

• Eric Raisina: This Malagasy designer trained at the École Duperré and the Institut Français de la Mode before collaborating with Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix. He works with natural materials such as silk fur and raffia lace.

• Kwiyiah Style: An Ivorian brand founded by designer Lucie Gomba. The brand develops womenswear blending African influences and contemporary lines.

• Talua: This contemporary luxury label develops leather goods, ready-to-wear and accessories, blending African heritage with modernity.

As a reminder: the travelling exhibition Africa Fashion is at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris for a presentation of contemporary African fashion, until July 26, 2026.

Graduate Fashion Foundation has announced a partnership with Pentland Brands for Graduate Fashion Week 2026 on LinkedIn, reinforcing links between emerging talent and industry employers.

As part of the collaboration, Pentland Brands will host a dedicated Careers Fair space at the event, giving students and graduates the opportunity to meet industry professionals, gain career advice, and explore opportunities across its portfolio of brands, including Berghaus, Speedo, Kickers, Mitre, ellesse, and Endura.

Graduate Fashion Week 2026, held in partnership with F&F Clothing, will take place at The Truman Brewery from 15–18 June. The annual event brings together students, universities, brands, and recruiters to celebrate emerging fashion talent and support the next generation of industry professionals.

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to creativity, innovation, and career development within the fashion, sportswear, and lifestyle sectors.

The start-up Tilt, an e-commerce platform specialising in live shopping and live auctions, has reached a key milestone by announcing a 26 million dollar funding round on LinkedIn. While the funding intends to accelerate the platform's technological innovations, the core element of this announcement is the major and highly strategic participation of Vinted Ventures.

Vinted Ventures is the first industry investor from the re-commerce world to back Tilt. With this investment, the financial arm of the second-hand platform provides essential validation for this new vision of live selling.

The partnership between Tilt and Vinted Ventures is not coincidental but stems from a deep industry synergy. While Vinted has structured and democratised the global second-hand market asynchronously, Tilt aims to achieve a similar transformation in real-time through the video format.

In a post on LinkedIn, Abhi Thanendran, co-founder and CEO of Tilt, highlights the power of this alliance: “What Vinted did for the second-hand market, we are doing for live selling. The support from Vinted Ventures, our first strategic investor from the re-commerce sector, is the strongest possible confirmation that the future of the market is right here.”

Other investors, including Balderton Capital, Earlybird and Seedcamp, also participated in this funding round, as reported by Business Insider.

The 37th edition of the ANDAM prize, led by Nathalie Dufour, has revealed its list of finalists for 2026.

The five finalists for the Grand Prix (300,000 euros) and the Special Prize (100,000 euros) are: Egonlab, Fidan Novruzova, Marie Adam-Leenaerdt, Pauline Dujancourt and Zomer.

The three finalists for the Pierre Bergé Prize (100,000 euros) are: Anthony Calydon, Boyarovskaya and Maitrepierre.

The three finalists for the Fashion Accessories Prize (100,000 euros) are: Bonastre, Mara Paris and Phileo.

The support offered to the 11 finalists includes several key benefits. These include access to Balenciaga's fabric and raw material stocks; one year of support from the press office Karla Otto; and access to Longchamp's deadstock leather and fabrics. Additionally, finalists will receive a workshop on sustainable development best practices by OTB Group, access to the Swarovski showroom and a strategic mentoring programme from Zalando.

French finalists will benefit from privileged access to the IFM accelerator and the financial expertise of the Institut pour le financement du cinéma et des industries culturelles (IFCIC).

As a reminder, the 2026 ANDAM Innovation Prize was won by Alphalyr, illustrating the rise of AI in the fashion value chain.

The jury meeting and award ceremony will take place on July 1, 2026. The jury is chaired by Alexandre Mattiussi, who is also the mentor for the Grand Prix. The event will be held in the gardens of the Parc Royal, at the Ministry of Culture.

Madrid – Valencia-based startup Flipflow, a market analytics firm specialising in the retail sector, announced this week that it has successfully completed a three million euro funding round. This injection of funds will allow the company to accelerate the technological development of its solutions for the retail industry and its international expansion plans. The company is focusing its efforts on the US and the countries of northern Europe.

According to reports from local media and publications specialising in the Spanish startup ecosystem, such as RH Lab, Expansión and El Referente, the investment round was led by Spanish venture capital firm 4Founders Capital. The Barcelona-based investment firm specialises in early-stage technology startups. Its portfolio includes investments in emerging companies such as GuruSup, a Spanish platform for artificial intelligence agents for customer service and process automation; Vidext, a startup focused on converting text into AI-generated videos; and BCome, a Spanish technology platform that provides solutions and tools for fashion industry companies to measure and manage environmental impact data.

Alongside 4Founders Capital, both new and existing Flipflow investors participated in the round as “strategic investors”. These include Abac Nest; Acurio Ventures; Lanai Capital Partners; Angels Capital, the investment vehicle of Juan Roig, president of Mercadona; Mango; and Puig. Notably, Angels Capital, Abac and Lanai participated in the 900,000 euro round that the startup closed in late 2023. Mango invested in the company through a convertible participating loan via its accelerator, Mango StartUp Studio, in early 2024. Puig is also understood to be among the new investors backing this latest funding round for the emerging company. Puig would be familiar with Flipflow's operations, as Isdin, a Spanish dermatological products company in which Puig holds a 50 percent stake, is one of the startup's clients. The platform reportedly already provides its services to manufacturers and retailers such as Gucci, Nestlé, Unilever, L’Oréal, Isdin and Mango.

Centralised data analytics platform for retail industry companies

Founded in 2021 by the entrepreneurial trio of Ricardo García (CEO), Ismael Gandarillas (chief technology officer) and Mario Rodríguez (chief customer officer), Flipflow launched the first versions of its unified data platform for retail companies that same year. The platform has since scaled up, particularly after joining the Lanzadera acceleration programme in 2022, a startup accelerator created in Valencia by Juan Roig. Roig invested in Flipflow during its first funding round in 2023. This fundraising helped to support its growth into other strategic sectors of the retail industry, attracting interest from new investors such as Mango and now the Puig group.

Continuing this trend of growth and consolidation, the new funds raised in this round will be used to accelerate Flipflow's technological development and international expansion into the US and northern Europe. The startup, which already operates in Spain and Latin America, remains focused on its goal of offering retail companies a centralised platform to manage their commercial, marketing and product management operations. To this end, it has also evolved its artificial intelligence-driven data analysis engines from reactive analysis of company realities to the design of proactive solutions for businesses.

“Retail can no longer be operated with fragmented tools, manual analysis and large consulting expenses,” says Ricardo García, co-founder and CEO of Flipflow. In this context, “our vision is to build the intelligence layer that guides companies to make decisions autonomously and at the same speed as the market moves”. To achieve this, the startup states, “every day we ingest and process millions of market signals using massive crawling, proprietary AI models and normalisation engines that convert chaotic data into a single, coherent and usable vision”. It connects “information from e-commerce, marketplaces, pricing, content, reviews, competitors, prices, promotions and supply, allowing companies to see their business as a complete system, not as silos”. “The retail OS” is “where critical decisions are made and where competitive intelligence becomes a real advantage,” they maintain. In this new reality, “Flipflow constitutes the strategic infrastructure of modern retail: the system that integrates heterogeneous data, interprets it in a unified way and converts it into immediate action within increasingly complex organisations”.

In short, Flipflow is presented as “the central brain of retail,” a “SaaS platform and copilot that unifies disparate data from the retail ecosystem”. This data comes from “online, physical and global market channels, with maximum granularity and precision,” and is then “transformed into actionable decisions”. With this, “our goal is for brands and retailers to understand not only ‘what is happening’” within their companies, they add, “but what each team and person in the organisation should do now” to respond to the reality revealed by the platform's centralised data.

British activewear brand Aybl has become embroiled in a legal dispute between its founders and one of its largest shareholders.

Lewis Morgan, a co-founder of Gymshark who invested 7 million pounds in Aybl in 2021 in exchange for a 20 percent stake, is reportedly suing brothers Reiss and Kristian Edgerton over his departure from the business, according to The Times.

Morgan alleges he was removed from the company under unfair circumstances and claims his position as both a director and employee was terminated following a short-notice meeting.

High Court filings seen by The Times allege that changes to Aybl's corporate structure reduced the value at which Morgan could sell his shares, while Morgan further claimed he was pushed out after refusing to include part of his stake in a proposed public listing.

The Edgerton brothers have rejected the allegations, describing them as unfounded. They argue that Morgan's involvement in Dubai-based supplements and energy drink business Ownkind created a conflict of interest, claiming the venture competed with Aybl's expansion ambitions beyond apparel.

The legal dispute comes as Aybl continues on a rapid growth trajectory, with the athleisure brand recently reporting revenues of more than 72 million pounds for the 15 months to June 2025, while profit after tax more than doubled to 9.4 million pounds.

Former Saks Global chief executive officer Richard Baker has objected to the retailer’s proposed Chapter 11 reorganisation plan, potentially prompting what could result in a lengthy legal battle as the company moves towards emerging from bankruptcy.

In a filing with the US Bankruptcy Court in Houston, Baker, who oversaw Saks Global during its 2.7 billion dollar acquisition of Neiman Marcus before departing as the company filed for Chapter 11 protection in January, argued the retailer is attempting to remove legal protections preserved in his separation agreement.

The dispute specifically centres around indemnification rights granted to Baker when he left the luxury business, with the executive claiming that the proposed reorganisation plan would remove or limit those protections despite previous commitments.

Baker had filed the separation agreement with Saks when the retailer entered bankruptcy proceedings in January 2025. In the deal, he agreed not to compete with Saks for a period of time, to help the company with any necessary investigations, and in turn, he would keep certain legal protections, including the right to have the company cover legal expenses or liabilities related to his work.

Baker claims that Saks' reorganisation plan would make it harder for him to get reimbursement and would shift indemnification to insurance coverage. He added that the agreement was signed after the bankruptcy filing, so it can't legally be amended, and that he has fulfilled his side of the deal by cooperating. Baker has said that the plan will receive his backing if it is modified to clarify the preservation of his rights.

Baker's challenge comes amid continued scrutiny regarding the circumstances surrounding Saks Global’s collapse, with unsecured creditors, including fashion brands and suppliers owed significant sums, now expected to recover little directly through the bankruptcy process.

In May, Saks received approval from the Texas bankruptcy court for its reorganisation plan, opening it up to voting moving it closer to the goal of emerging from bankruptcy in the summer.

A creditor committee has further pushed for the creation of a 20 million dollar litigation trust to investigate potential claims linked to the retailer, including decision-making surrounding the Neiman Marcus acquisition, executive transactions and other historical business dealings.

The annual fashion show of the Art Academy of Latvia drew a large audience to Hanzas Perons on 29 May, showcasing 26 collections that explored the intersection of identity, craftsmanship, technology, and sustainability.

Held for the 33rd time, the event featured work from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral-level designers, reflecting the academy’s emphasis on conceptual fashion practice and contemporary design research. Organisers described the collections as offering diverse perspectives on fashion’s role in a rapidly changing cultural and technological landscape.

According to Agnese Narņicka, head of the academy’s Fashion Design Department, this year’s participants demonstrated how emerging designers are navigating the tension between tradition and innovation.

“The Fashion Show once again confirms that the new generation of designers consciously operates between tradition and change, formulating its own response to an era in which fashion is simultaneously criticized and constantly demanded,” Narņicka said.

The designers presenting collections included Aiva Strautmane, Ēriks Cariks, Edvards Ādams Valdzers and Akvelīna Frišmane, Rūta Strazdiņa, Lukass Gailis, Uģis Zauerhagens, Haralds Babris, Katrīna Ermanoviča-Hermanoviča, Kate Eisaka, Elza Evelīna Pāvulāne, Sofja Lurina, Aļika Vodņeva, Milana Mihailova, Annija Pauzere, Estere Līva Logina, Elvis Keišs, Letīcija Orlova, Santa Kirmuža-Svilāne, Pāvels Žeļezņaks, Elizabete Agate Meisīte, Madara Dāvida, Jurģis Emīls Liepiņš, Alise Sedliņa-Brūdere, Krišjānis Brasliņš, Patrīcija Sarmule, Anna Katrīna Elme, Artūrs Skurstenis, and Anna Jurjāne. For the first time, recent professional doctoral graduate Una Pūpola also participated with her own collection.

A strong focus on sustainability emerged throughout the event and was reflected in several of the awards presented by industry partners. Katrīna Ermanoviča-Hermanoviča received the AJ Power Recycling Sustainability Award for her collection Lost in Time (Laikā zudis), which judges said successfully integrated sustainability principles into both concept and execution. The award includes a scholarship to attend the internationally recognised fashion and photography festival in Hyères later this year.

Ermanoviča-Hermanoviča also received the Stockmann Sponsors’ Choice Award for a collection recognised for its combination of contemporary aesthetics, functionality, quality, and sustainable design principles.

The BURDA RĪGA x BERNINA Sponsors’ Choice Award was presented to Alise Sedliņa-Brūdere for The Black Kitchen (Melnā Virtuve), with judges citing craftsmanship, detailed handwork, and an experimental approach to fashion creation. Meanwhile, Elza Evelīna Pāvulāne received a Special Recognition Award for Instruction – Scarecrow (Instrukcija – Putnubiedēklis), earning the opportunity to stage a solo exhibition at the Central Museum of Textiles, one of Poland’s leading textile and fashion institutions.

Industry representatives noted that sustainability has become increasingly integrated into the design process of emerging fashion talent. Uldis Skrebs, a board member of AJ Power Recycling, said sustainability is no longer treated as an additional feature but has become embedded in material selection, production methods, and thinking around garment lifecycles.

The event also highlighted the growing relationship between traditional craftsmanship and digital technologies. Representatives from BURDA RĪGA x BERNINA praised participants for demonstrating technical skills across a variety of handcraft disciplines while simultaneously embracing contemporary digital possibilities.

The collections will remain accessible to the public through a showroom hosted by Stockmann from 10 to 14 June, where visitors can meet designers and purchase selected garments and accessories. The showcase will be followed by the academy’s annual Design Days and Graduation Exhibition, taking place across multiple venues in Riga from 12 to 28 June.

The fashion show was supported by Latvia’s State Culture Capital Foundation, the European Union’s FashionTex project under the Creative Europe programme, and a range of corporate and cultural partners. The event reflects broader trends in European fashion education, where sustainability, material innovation, and interdisciplinary design are increasingly central to how emerging designers are trained and evaluated.

The autumn/winter 2026/2027 Haute Couture Week will take place from Monday, July 6 to Thursday, July 9, 2026. It welcomes two new houses: Manish Malhotra and Standing Ground, blending the power of Indian luxury with young London-based design.

Manish Malhotra: Bollywood aesthetic comes to Paris Haute Couture Week

On Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 8pm CET, Indian designer Manish Malhotra will make his first official appearance on the Parisian schedule.

Before launching his own couture house in 2005, Manish Malhotra began as a costume designer for Indian cinema. He became one of Bollywood's influential designers, creating costumes for cult Bollywood films such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

The house has expanded into several areas: couture; bridal; menswear; ready-to-wear; accessories; beauty and high jewellery. It is rooted in Indian craftsmanship and reinterprets traditions through a contemporary approach to couture.

Standing Ground: From London scene to Parisian haute couture runways

On Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 6:30pm CET, Michael Stewart will debut on the Haute Couture schedule of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode with his brand Standing Ground. The Irish designer is not unknown in Paris, however. The label was already on the official womenswear ready-to-wear schedule for the autumn/winter 2025/2026 season.

A graduate of the Royal College of Art, the Irish designer develops an eveningwear wardrobe built around draping, textile sculpture, forms inspired by ancient Greek and Roman statues, and bespoke tailoring. The collections are often produced in small batches and favour a responsible approach to materials and manufacturing.

Discovered by the Fashion East incubator, where he made his debut during London Fashion Week in 2022, he received the LVMH Savoir-Faire prize in 2024.

The Textile Institute has announced an intensive short course designed to provide a comprehensive overview of textile materials, manufacturing processes and product performance for professionals working across the textile and apparel sector.

The programme is aimed at individuals involved in textile production, research and development, product development and commercial operations. Participants will explore the properties, production methods and applications of fibres, yarns and fabrics used in apparel, home textiles and technical textile products.

Core modules cover fibre production and performance, yarn manufacturing, weaving, warp and weft knitting, and nonwoven fabric technologies. The course also examines how different textile structures influence end-use performance and product applications.

The final day offers participants a choice of specialist modules focusing on dyeing and finishing processes or fabric testing and analysis. These sessions address topics including textile preparation, colouration principles, fabric specifications and performance evaluation.

According to the Textile Institute, the course is designed to provide both technical knowledge and a broader understanding of the textile value chain. Previous participants highlighted the opportunity to gain insight into processes outside their immediate areas of expertise and to develop a deeper understanding of textile manufacturing.

For fashion educators, the programme reflects growing industry demand for interdisciplinary knowledge that connects material science, production processes and product performance. As sustainability, innovation and technical expertise become increasingly important across the fashion sector, courses that bridge design and manufacturing knowledge continue to play a significant role in professional development.

Founded under Royal Charter in 1925, the Textile Institute is a global professional body for the textiles, clothing and footwear industries, with members in around 60 countries. Its activities focus on education, professional recognition, knowledge sharing and the promotion of excellence across the sector.

Online off-price fashion retailer BrandAlley has been acquired out of administration in a pre-pack sale, allowing the business to continue trading under new ownership.

Administrators from BDO were appointed to BrandAlley UK on 29 May before completing an immediate sale of the business and most of its assets to BrandAlley International Limited, a newly formed company described as unconnected to the previous owner.

The deal brings an end to a lengthy strategic review, which had been underway for several weeks following the appointment of advisors earlier this year. The company had initially been exploring a debt raise as it sought to address financial pressures despite remaining a sizeable player in the UK off-price market.

Founded in 2008, BrandAlley operates a members-only flash-sales model across fashion, beauty and homeware, working with more than 1,000 brands and offering discounts of up to 80 percent.

In a statement on its website, BrandAlley said the transaction secures the future of the business and that customers will see no disruption. Existing orders will be fulfilled as normal, while returns and refunds will continue to be honoured.

While the rescue preserves a significant portion of the business, it has resulted in job losses, according to various media platforms. Among BrandAlley's 163 employees, 88 have transferred to the new company, while 15 were made redundant upon administration. A further 60 employees have been retained temporarily to support the transition, with a total of 75 roles expected to be lost.

In its statement, the company said the sale marks “an exciting new chapter” and that it remains “business as usual” for customers.

Westminster City Council has said it will no longer pursue a judicial review of plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street, reducing the potential for a major legal battle over one of London's most significant regeneration projects.

The scheme, backed by London mayor Sadiq Khan, will see traffic removed from the area between Orchard Street and Great Portland Street, with the first section expected to become traffic-free later this summer. The project is being overseen by a mayoral development corporation, which transferred planning powers from the local authority to the mayor.

The decision marks a shift from the council's previous position following the Conservatives' return to control of Westminster earlier this month. The party had pledged to establish a legal fund to challenge the plans, yet legal advice indicated a judicial review would be unlikely to succeed and that any challenge would now be too late.

In a statement, the council said: “The advice we have is that a judicial review would be unlikely to succeed and that submitting a late claim for judicial review would result in refusal.”

Despite dropping the court challenge, Westminster said it remains concerned about issues including accessibility, bus routes and the impact on residents and businesses. The council confirmed it is exploring other legal and procedural options and that Swaddle has requested a meeting with Khan to discuss its concerns.

Oxford Street pedestrianisation has been debated for decades, and supporters argue it will help revitalise Europe's busiest shopping destination. Critics, meanwhile, have raised concerns around transport access, safety, servicing and increased pressure on surrounding roads.

France's fraud authority has issued two fines to Shein totalling over 22 million euros (25.56 million dollars), it announced on Wednesday. The authority cited failures related to product traceability, environmental claims, withdrawal periods and delivery times.

The institution, which reports to the French Ministry of Finance, has increased the total penalties imposed on the Asian fashion giant in France in recent years. These now amount to over 210 million euros in total.

The two latest fines were issued following a wide-ranging investigation into several e-commerce platforms, particularly non-European ones, including Shein.

The first fine, for 5.77 million euros, targets Infinite Styles Ecommerce Limited (ISEL), the company that sells clothing and accessories under the Shein brand.

The General Directorate for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) accuses Shein of failing to respect the 14-day withdrawal period for certain purchased products.

The DGCCRF also cited the omission of mandatory traceability information, such as the countries of weaving, dyeing and manufacturing for its garments. It also noted the failure to mention the presence of microplastics in fabrics. These are mainly found in polyester and are released into the water with every machine wash, which is a significant ecological problem.

Shein stated that the DGCCRF "confuses (...) the right of withdrawal with our more advantageous commercial returns policy". The company also cited a "technical incident" for the "temporary" absence of environmental information.

Furthermore, the DGCCRF fined another Shein company, Infinite Styles Services Limited (ISSL), 16.73 million euros. ISSL manages the marketplace, which is the online platform offering products from both Shein and its partner sellers.

The authority noted numerous breaches of consumer law. At the order confirmation stage, the unit price of each product is not provided. Delivery times, information on the identity of partner sellers and their contact details are also missing. This information must be provided on a "durable medium" to be retained by the customer.

Shein argued that this information is available in the customer's account.

Shein considers these sanctions to be "manifestly disproportionate and discriminatory", while minister of commerce Serge Papin has condemned the platform for "unfair competition".

Sports Direct has expanded into the Nordics with a new store in Helsinki, Finland. The Frasers Group-owned retailer has selected a 30,000 square foot site in Helsinki Citycenter Mall for its regional debut, as it continues to grow its international footprint.

Over two floors, the store will offer an extensive range of sports and lifestyle brands across menswear, womenswear, and kidswear, including collections from the likes of Nike, Adidas, and Puma. Its signature Running, Football, and Outdoor concepts are also present, as is a dedicated bike zone with servicing offerings designed to cater to the local community.

Its opening comes on the back of Frasers’ acquiring Norwegian sportswear retailer XXL, a move that built on the group’s wider Elevation Strategy and global expansion plans. By onboarding XXL and furthering Sports Direct’s reach, Frasers said it is well positioned in product availability and in-store experiences for the Nordics.

Lauren Barrie, chief retail officer at Frasers, said: “Opening our first Sports Direct store in the Nordics marks an important milestone in our international growth journey. The region is a key strategic market for us, with a strong affinity for sport and outdoor activity, and we’re pleased to be bringing the Sports Direct proposition to customers in Helsinki.”

The US has threatened 60 economies with new tariffs for failing to prevent imports of products made with alleged forced labour or for inadequately enforcing existing import bans. The Office of the US Trade Representative announced this late on Tuesday evening (local time).

Consequently, the European Union (EU), the UK and Switzerland, as well as countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Canada and China, can expect additional tariffs of between 10 and 12.5 percent. “It is unacceptable that our most important trading partners are doing nothing to prevent the import of goods produced using forced labour. This forces American workers to compete on an uneven playing field globally,” said Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, according to the statement. “We will no longer tolerate this inequality.”

Hearing deadline set for early July before new tariffs are due

The US Trade Representative is basing this on an investigation that began on March 12, as stated in the announcement. According to the statement, it was related to the “failure of various economies to enact and effectively enforce an import ban on goods produced using forced labour.” The tariffs are not scheduled to take effect immediately. Instead, objections can be raised until July 6, with a hearing scheduled for July 7.

China criticised the US action. The People's Republic has always opposed any kind of tariff measures, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning in Beijing. Tariff and trade wars are not in the interest of either side. Regarding the accusation of forced labour, Mao said that China rejects it. “There is no so-called forced labour in China,” she continued.

In the legal battle over his controversial tariff policy, US President Donald Trump achieved a partial victory in mid-May. An appeals court temporarily suspended a lower court's decision that had classified Trump's temporary tariffs on imports from around the world as illegal. Importers must now continue to pay the 10 percent levy for the time being.

Jacquemus has signed a deal with Nike and the Fédération Française de Football (FFF) to create a lifestyle fashion capsule. The collection will accompany Les Bleus, featuring players like Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué and Marcus Thuram, during the 2026 Football World Cup.

On Tuesday, June 16, 2026, the French national football team will play its first match against the African Cup champions, Senegal. On that day, all eyes will be on players like Kylian Mbappé, Désiré Doué, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Marcus Thuram, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise. These athletes are establishing themselves as style trendsetters.

On the same day, the fashion and lifestyle capsule, designed by Jacquemus and produced by Nike, the French national football team's kit supplier, will launch on Nike's distribution network.

During the championship, the players will wear a warm-up jersey. It will serve as a pre-match shirt.

In a 'vintage' navy blue, the jersey is adorned with fine vertical red and white stripes. On the left is the white Nike swoosh (logo). On the right are the two stars (signifying the team's cup wins in 1998 and 2018); the Gallic rooster; the French flag; and the Jacquemus name.

In addition to this jersey, the collection consists of jackets, tracksuit bottoms and shorts in the colours of Les Bleus.

Jacquemus x Nike x FFF: at the crossroads of sport, city and culture

Players' arrivals at Clairefontaine are now scrutinised as closely as celebrity appearances during fashion weeks. This collaboration offers Jacquemus direct visibility to a generation of consumers who follow both the sporting performance and the style of Les Bleus.

According to the press release, Simon Porte-Jacquemus said: “In France, football is more than a sport. It is part of everyday life and has always been a part of my life. Working with the French national team means representing a country, a culture, and unforgettable moments. It means everything to me.”

The collection is inspired by a vintage navy blue Nike tracksuit jacket that Jacquemus wore in his youth. It reinterprets the visual codes of the French team through his own aesthetic.

Furthermore, the designer moves away from the technical materials usually associated with sportswear, in favour of natural or man-made fabrics, in keeping with the spirit of his ready-to-wear.

This project is being carried out in partnership with the Sport dans la Ville association. It aims to support the integration of young people and provide community support through sport.

The Jacquemus x Nike x FFF collection will be available from June 11, 2026, through Jacquemus' channels.

Launched in 2022, the collaboration between Jacquemus and Nike has already resulted in several reinterpretations of the American group's iconic models, including the Air Humara, the J Force 1, the Air Max 1 and, more recently, the Moon Shoe. The partnership now extends to the FFF.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has unveiled the 10 finalists of its 2026 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund (CVFF).

This year’s finalists are Aisling Camps; Amir Taghi; Terrence Zhou of Bad Binch Tongtong; Emily Dawn Long; Jamie Haller; Julia Ferentinos of Juju Vera; Zane Li of Lii; George Inaki of Milamore; Claire Sullivan of Miss Claire Sullivan; and Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen.

The first presentations will be held June 10 following a celebratory cocktail reception. The winner, who will receive 300,000 dollars, will be revealed during a ceremony gala on October 20 in New York. The two runners up will receive 100,000 dollars.

This year marks the first time that animal welfare organisation, Humane World for Animals, will join as a Design Challenge partner. The CFDA said its inclusion intends to urge finalists to take part in a Material Innovation Challenge, prioritising bio-based, cruelty-free textiles.

New members of the selection committee, meanwhile, include Vogue’s incoming editor-in-chief Chloe Malle; Bloomingdale’s chief merchant, Denise Magid; EVP of global brand partnerships at Nordstrom, Yumi Shin; and designer Christopher John Rogers.

In a statement, CFDA chief executive officer and president, Steven Kolb, said the 2026 finalists reflected the “depth of talent and creativity emerging across American fashion today”. “Their unique perspectives and strong sense of purpose represent the future of our industry,” he added.

Victoria Beckham has opened the first US store of her eponymous brand at Bal Harbour Shops in Miami. The designer shared details of the opening on her Instagram account, where she said the location was intended to serve as an extension of the brand’s Mayfair flagship boutique in London.

It marks the first time a store outside of London will offer both fashion and a selection of Victoria Beckham Beauty products under one roof. “Expect a curated edit of ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as an exclusive capsule in a rich bronze colourway,” Beckham said.

The new location, which will remain open through September 30, 2026, comes on the heels of a successful brand turnaround for the Spice Girls alum, whose sales rose to 170 million dollars last year, reflecting a 19 percent increase on 2024 figures.

Leather goods has been a particularly strong category, contributing to more than 13 percent of the fashion division’s sales, with plans to grow this to sit between 30 and 35 percent over the next three years. Clothing accounts for 20 percent of sales.

Reports had initially suggested that in response to the strengthened performance, Backham was eyeing store locations in Paris and New York, the latter a reflection of the US’ role as a key market for the company, despite the bankruptcy of Saks causing uncertainty.

Something has shifted in the way people relate to fashion. Not dramatically, not overnight — but with the kind of quiet persistence that signals a genuine cultural change rather than a passing reaction.

After years of acceleration, digital saturation, and relentless novelty, consumers are no longer asking for more. They’re asking for better. For coherence, direction, and things that hold up — in the wardrobe, in the home, in the daily decisions that accumulate into a life. At C2 Fashion Studio, this is the undercurrent we’ve been tracking across markets and creative categories for the past two seasons. For spring/summer 2028, it crystallises into a single concept: Structured Clarity.

The term is precise by intention. This is not minimalism for its own sake, nor a retreat from innovation. It is a recalibration — a cultural demand for systems, products, and aesthetics that simplify decisions rather than multiply them. Innovation, in this paradigm, is no longer measured by novelty alone. It is measured by its capacity to improve wellbeing, enhance functionality, and create lasting relevance.

Three macro directions define the SS28 season

The first is Human Command Systems. As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in creative and commercial processes, consumers are placing growing value on human authorship, transparency, and intention. The future is not anti-technology — it is human-led technology. Products that carry the mark of considered judgement, that make the creative logic behind them legible, will hold a trust advantage that purely automated output cannot replicate.

The second is Bio-Symbiotic Realism. The body becomes the primary reference for design. Comfort, resilience, physical wellbeing, and environmental harmony are no longer aspirational add-ons — they are baseline expectations. Materials evolve accordingly: adaptive textiles, regenerative fibres, bio-based finishes that work with the body rather than simply covering it. Sustainability completes its long transition from communication message to product specification.

The third macro trend, Stabilising Cultures, may be the most defining. Consumers are not seeking constant stimulation. They are seeking equilibrium. Rituals, sensory wellbeing, and everyday balance are shaping purchasing decisions across categories — from colour preferences and material choices to retail environments and brand communication. Calm has become a strategic value, not a passive aesthetic.

The SS28 colour trend forecast reflects this logic precisely. The concept of Luminous Balance — a calibrated dialogue between brightness and depth — guides a palette of Ash Rose, Green Olive, Moonlit Ocean, Linen, and Aquacade. These are colours that energise without agitating, that ground without flattening. They express optimism with restraint. For brands and designers, the opportunity here is not to produce less — it is to decide better. The consumers arriving in 2028 are more selective, more attuned to coherence, and less tolerant of choices that feel like content rather than conviction. They are not rejecting quality or creativity. They are rejecting noise.

These shifts, together with the season’s trend forecasts, colour directions, consumer insights and material innovations, are explored in detail through the C2 Trend Platform, C2 Fashion Studio’s professional trend forecasting and trend intelligence platform. The greatest luxury of this season is not a material or a silhouette. It is clarity itself — the rare, increasingly valuable experience of encountering something that makes sense. That is the challenge spring/summer 2028 puts to the industry. For those willing to meet it, it is also the opportunity.

Cristina Capucci is the founder and creative director of C2 Fashion Studio, a global trend forecasting and trend intelligence agency based in Italy.

Website: C2fashionstudio.com

Madrid – Following the publication of its first quarter 2026 results, Inditex has called its investors to the 2026 Annual General Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, July 7. During the meeting, the appointment of José Ignacio Goirigolzarri Tellaeche as a new independent director on the Inditex Board of Directors will be proposed. Goirigolzarri is the former chief executive officer of BBVA and former executive chairman of CaixaBank.

According to information submitted by the Spanish fashion multinational to the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), the Inditex Board of Directors agreed to convene the company's ordinary Annual General Meeting during its meeting last Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The meeting is scheduled for 12pm Central European Summer Time (CEST) on Tuesday, July 7. Shareholders of the Spanish company can participate both online and in person by attending the meeting at Inditex's headquarters in Arteixo, A Coruña.

Beyond these formalities, the meeting's agenda has been structured around a total of nine points. The meeting will begin with the approval of the individual annual accounts and management report for the 2025 financial year. This will be followed by the approval of the annual accounts and management report of the consolidated group; the approval of the Consolidated Non-Financial Information and Sustainability Report; and the fourth point, of particular interest to investors, will be the approval of the proposed application of the 2025 financial year's results and the distribution of dividends.

In this regard, and following what was previously announced by Inditex's management during the presentation of its 2025 annual results on March 11, the Board of Directors will propose a dividend of 1.75 euros per share to the Annual General Meeting, charged to the 2025 results. This amount is 4.16 percent higher than the dividend agreed for the 2024 results. It consists of an ordinary dividend of 1.20 euros and an extraordinary dividend of 0.55 euros per share. These amounts will be paid in two equal instalments of 0.875 euros per share. The first was paid on May 4, and the second will be paid on November 2, 2026. The second payment will comprise the 0.55 euros extraordinary dividend and the remaining 0.325 euros per share proposed as the ordinary dividend.

Renewal of the board of directors

Continuing with the agenda, the fifth item will be the renewal of the Inditex Board of Directors. This governing body currently consists of 10 directors. The re-elections to be agreed upon are: Marta Ortega as a proprietary director; Óscar García Maceiras as an executive director; Flora Pérez Marcote—Marta Ortega's mother—as a proprietary director; Denise Patricia Kingsmill as an independent director; Pilar López Álvarez as an independent director; and Belén Romana García as an independent director.

Amancio Ortega, Roberto Cibeira and José Luis Durán Schulz will not be part of this renewal and will remain in their current positions on the board. Rodrigo Echenique Gordillo, however, will leave the Inditex Board of Directors when his term ends on July 12 this year. To fill this vacancy in the Spanish fashion multinational's governing body, the appointment of José Ignacio Goirigolzarri Tellaeche as a new independent director will be proposed to the Annual General Meeting. The board will thus remain unchanged with a total of 10 directors.

A well-recognised figure in the Spanish economic and financial world, Ignacio Goirigolzarri stood out during the 90s and the beginning of the 21st century as one of the main executives at BBVA, where he was appointed chief executive officer in 2001. He held this position until he left the company in 2009, taking early retirement. However, this did not mark the end of his professional life. Goirigolzarri returned to the forefront of the financial world with his appointment in 2012 as executive chairman of Bankia. He led the entity following the departure of Rodrigo Rato and during the period of the bank's partial nationalisation by the state. This stage concluded in March 2021 with the merger of Bankia and CaixaBank, under the latter's brand, with Goirigolzarri appointed as the new chairman of the resulting financial entity. He remained in this position until his resignation was announced on October 30, 2024, effective from January 1, 2025. From that date, the bank has been chaired by Tomás Muniesa, as non-executive chairman, with Gonzalo Gortázar remaining as chief executive officer.

Re-election of Ernst & Young and approval of remuneration policy

Completing the agenda for the upcoming Inditex Annual General Meeting, following the item on re-elections and new appointments to the Board, the re-election of Ernst & Young as the company's auditor for the 2026 financial year will be addressed. The meeting will conclude with the proposal for the approval of the directors' remuneration policy for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 financial years. This will be followed by a consultative vote on the Annual Report on Directors' Remuneration for the 2025 financial year. Finally, as a matter of procedure, the agenda includes the granting of powers for the execution of all resolutions passed during the meeting.

Fine Chaos is closing five years after its launch and will celebrate one last time during Copenhagen Fashion Week.

The Danish fashion brand, founded in early 2021 by Ludvig Isaksen and creative director Marc Møllerskov, will cease operations in August. Isaksen announced the news in an email to FashionUnited.

“The vision we set for ourselves in 2021 was one of the most important things in my life, and I am proud of what we have built,” said the co-founder. “However, the numbers have caught up with us, and we have decided to end the project on our own terms and shape the exit ourselves – in the way we see fit.”

With its dark, foundational aesthetic, Fine Chaos has been a fixture at Copenhagen Fashion Week in recent seasons, also exhibiting at the Danish fashion trade fair CIFF. According to its website, the brand had its own store in Copenhagen. It was also available from various fashion retailers in countries such as Denmark, Austria, and Belgium, as well as in Japan, South Korea, and China.

The brand's own community always played an important role, whether at fashion shows; pop-up and store events; or at hanger parties, clubs and warehouse raves. It was seen as the brand’s “infrastructure” rather than an “extension”. This community will be celebrated at a final event on August 7, the last day of Copenhagen Fashion Week. The final sale, which includes the current spring/summer 2026 collection, has already started on the brand's webshop.

Under Armour and Marine Serre are joining forces. The US sportswear group and the French fashion brand are launching a joint capsule collection, as both companies announced on Tuesday. Marking Under Armour's 30th anniversary, this is the company's first collaboration with another fashion brand.

Launching on June 5, the collection draws on Under Armour's sportswear archive from the 2000s. It is particularly inspired by the key innovation of the base layer, a functional foundation garment. This foundation is complemented by Marine Serre's perspective as a former professional tennis player and her signature ‘Second Skin’ with moon motifs, a recurring element in her work. These influences result in a collection that combines functionality with aesthetic appeal, focusing on movement, body awareness and precision.

“Sport has always been a part of my life. With Under Armour, I wanted to explore the beauty of movement through pieces that combine performance, precision and aesthetics – starting with the base layer, the element closest to the body and the experience of athletes,” says Marine Serre, founder and creative director of the brand.

The joint collection is characterised by a deliberately minimalist, sporty and functional design. It features stark black and white contrasts and utilises Under Armour's HeatGear material. A specially developed print combines the iconic trademarks of both brands: Marine Serre's moon and Under Armour's Heartbeat logo. This creates a shared symbol of discipline and progress. The collection is complemented by the re-release of the UA Proto Speed II trainer from the late 2000s. The shoe combines its original, distinctive material structure with modern details like leather elements and co-branding, thus uniting nostalgia with a contemporary reinterpretation.

The capsule collection will launch on June 5. It will initially be available on the French designer's online shop, in her stores and at a pop-up event in Paris from June 5 to 7. Later in the summer, the collection will be available worldwide through Under Armour.

UK online retail group Boohoo Group plc, which operates as Debenhams Group, reported a return to growth for its first quarter ended May 31, 2026. The company experienced an acceleration in its multi-year turnaround momentum, with group gross merchandise value, or GMV, increasing by 0.5 percent year-over-year.

Trading during May was notably strong, achieving GMV growth of approximately 8 percent. This performance was primarily led by the Debenhams brand and PrettyLittleThing, alongside improvements within Boohoo, BoohooMan and Karen Millen.

“Debenhams Group has returned to growth, and Q1 marks the inflection point we have been working towards,” stated Debenhams Group chief executive officer Dan Finley. “Group GMV grew 0.5% year on year - with May trading particularly strong at around 8%, led by the Debenhams brand and PrettyLittleThing.”

Profitability and cost reductions underpin turnaround

Adjusted EBITDA margin expanded during the period, which resulted in a substantial increase in adjusted EBITDA.

The company is progressing with its transition to an asset-light operational model. All fashion brands under the group have transitioned to the marketplace model, with approximately 25,000 brands and partners now integrated into the ecosystem.

Outlook remains positive for fiscal year

The company expects lease costs for the current year to decline to 13 million pounds; these costs will further reduce to 6 million pounds once the vacant US property lease is exited. The remaining 6 million pounds in ongoing lease obligations will cover the fully automated Sheffield warehouse, the Manchester head office, and a small London footprint.

The board of directors expressed confidence in achieving double-digit percentage growth in full-year adjusted EBITDA from the 53 million pounds guided for fiscal year 2026 in March. Net debt to adjusted EBITDA is on track to fall below 1x in the current year, driven by trading cashflow and planned asset disposals. These divestments include the Burnley property and the US warehouse, both of which are scheduled for disposal in the current year.

Finley added that the financial turnaround was driven by warehouse consolidation, a comprehensive cost reset, and the rebuilding of every brand onto a single proprietary platform. The executive reiterated corporate guidance pointing toward double-digit adjusted EBITDA growth and free cash flow generation for fiscal year 2027.

Full-year financial results for the period ended February 28, 2026 are scheduled for release within the next two weeks.

Madrid – Spanish fashion multinational Inditex group reported its results for the first quarter of 2026 earlier today. The company, which owns chains such as Zara, Bershka and Massimo Dutti, completed the three-month period from February 1 to April 30 by recording its best first-quarter results in its history.

According to information submitted by the Spanish group's management to the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV), Inditex reported first-quarter sales totalling 8.75 billion euros (10.17 billion dollars). This amount represents a 5.75 percent increase from the 8.27 billion euros invoiced by the company during the same period in 2025. The group, chaired by Marta Ortega, has consequently delivered the best first quarter in its history, setting a new record for the first three months of a financial year. This is a very positive result, particularly as the company estimates that at constant exchange rates, sales would have seen even stronger growth of 8.8 percent.

In line with this strong sales performance, Inditex reported a net profit of 1.38 billion euros for the same period. This figure represents a 5.36 percent increase compared to the 1.31 billion euros in net profit recorded during the same period last year. It also marks another new record for Inditex for a first quarter.

Reactivation of growth

A detailed breakdown of how the company's different chains contributed to these total revenue and profit figures is not yet available. This information will be released on September 9 with the publication of the first-half results. However, the figures announced today clearly show a revival in Inditex's performance in both sales and profits compared to the latest financial data released by the Spanish fashion multinational.

Regarding sales performance, the 5.75 percent growth recorded at the start of the 2026 financial year significantly surpasses the 1.52 percent experienced during the same period last year. This growth is also higher than the 4.88 percent recorded in the third quarter, which was the highest of the entire financial year. Furthermore, it exceeds the 3.19 percent growth with which the company concluded the last fiscal year of 2025, achieving total sales of 39.86 billion euros.

Similarly, in terms of profitability, the 5.36 percent growth rate comfortably surpasses the 0.46 percent recorded in the first quarter of 2025 compared to 2024. It is, however, lower than the 12.77 percent growth seen in the fourth quarter of 2025. Inditex completed that year with a 5.84 percent increase in net profit, amounting to 6.22 billion euros.

Outlook for 2026

Looking ahead to the rest of the financial year, the initial estimate for the start of the second quarter shows sales at constant exchange rates between May 1 and June 1 maintaining a year-over-year growth rate of 11.5 percent. For the full 2026 financial year, Inditex reiterates its forecast of a stable gross margin (+/- 50 basis points) and anticipates a currency impact of -1 percent on sales.

US media company Condé Nast announced the appointment of Violaine Gressier as chief business officer for France, effective June 22, 2026.

Based in the Paris office of Condé Nast and reporting to Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, the chief revenue officer of Condé Nast, Gressier will oversee all revenue activities across the portfolio of the company in France. Her remit includes titles such as Vogue France, GQ, Vanity Fair and AD.

In this role, Gressier will lead teams across advertising, brand partnerships, creative solutions and events. Her primary focus will centre on accelerating revenue growth, driving innovation across platforms and strengthening corporate relationships with clients and partners in the French market.

Strategic alignment and luxury agenda

Gressier will work closely with editorial and brand leadership teams to further align commercial and go-to-market strategies. The executive is tasked with developing new revenue opportunities and fostering cross-functional collaboration across the organisation.

Gressier will also contribute to the Global Fashion & Luxury agenda of Condé Nast. This responsibility involves strengthening connectivity between France and the broader luxury partnerships and opportunities of the company.

The executive joins Condé Nast from US technology firm Meta, where she served as global head of luxury. In that position, Gressier led strategic partnerships and growth initiatives for various global luxury brands.

Extensive experience in luxury ecosystem

During her tenure at Meta, Gressier established and developed the Global Luxury Hub of the company in Paris and served as a member of the Meta France Executive Committee. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles across media, advertising and luxury, including positions at French agencies BETC Etoile Rouge and EuropaCorp.

Gressier began her career at French travel hospitality company Club Med and is a graduate of ESSEC Business School. She also holds a board member certificate from emlyon business school.

“Violaine brings exceptional expertise, deep knowledge of the luxury ecosystem and a strong understanding of how brands can connect with audiences in increasingly innovative ways,” Herbst-Brady said in a press release. “France remains one of Condé Nast's most important and influential markets globally, as home to many of the world's leading luxury houses and groups.”

Herbst-Brady added that the leadership of Gressier will play a key role as the publisher continues to evolve its commercial capabilities, strengthen client partnerships and unlock new opportunities.

“Condé Nast has shaped the way the world sees luxury for over a century,” Gressier said regarding her appointment. “Joining at this moment — when the intersection of content, technology and commerce is being completely reimagined — feels like the most exciting brief I could be handed.”

Gressier noted that she looks forward to contributing to the success of the company in France and beyond, citing the editorial authority, cultural credibility and global brand relationships of the publisher.

British Land has appointed Joanne McNamara as its new chief executive officer, succeeding Simon Carter, who is stepping down after 18 years with the company, including the last five as CEO.

McNamara joins from Oxford Properties, where she currently serves as executive vice president, Europe. Oxford Properties is the global real estate investment, development and management arm of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), one of Canada's largest pension funds.

Industry expert McNamara is new CEO of British Land

A real estate industry veteran with more than two decades of experience, McNamara joined Oxford in 2010 as one of the company's first London-based employees. During her 16-year tenure, she oversaw several major investment and development transactions and played a key role in building Oxford's European platform, which now comprises more than 70 employees and manages approximately 8 billion pounds in assets across the office, retail, logistics and residential sectors.

Before joining Oxford, McNamara held positions at Hammerson and DTZ. She currently serves on Oxford's Global Executive and Investment Committees and is also a member of the OMERS portfolio management committee. Until 2025, she was a non-executive director of ESR Group.

British Land said McNamara has a maximum notice period of six months and is expected to join the company no later than the end of November.

Corporate leadership transitions

William Rucker, chairman of British Land, welcomed the appointment, describing McNamara as "one of Europe's most respected real estate professionals."

"With her deep expertise in real estate, valuable experience in the world of private capital and a strong reputation for decisive leadership, she is exceptionally well placed to drive the business forward," Rucker said.

McNamara said she had long admired British Land and its track record of creating and managing leading real estate destinations across the UK.

"I am very much looking forward to working with the Board, Executive Committee and all of my new colleagues as we work together to build on what is already a fantastic platform for growth," she said.

McNamara succeeds Carter, who is leaving British Land to become chief executive officer of logistics real estate company P3 Logistics Parks.

The “Mould Crisis” of 2026 is a direct byproduct of the extended maritime detour around the Cape of Good Hope, which has become a semi-permanent fixture due to the 2026 Strait of Hormuz (SoH) closure and continued Red Sea instability.

What began as a logistical delay has evolved into a quality assurance nightmare, particularly for shipments originating in high-humidity hubs like Bangladesh, Vietnam and Indonesia. The Financial Times recently dedicated a specialised report (“The Cape Route Detour and the Microclimatic Risks to Global Apparel Intermediaries”) to the subject.

“The prolonged exposure to fluctuating maritime microclimates has turned what used to be a simple transit delay into a catastrophic cargo degradation issue,’ noted a senior supply chain analyst in the report. “We are seeing unprecedented volumes of inventory compromised before they ever touch a European dock, forcing brands to choose between expensive localised salvage operations or complete stock write-offs.”

While the crisis is very real, statements from fashion brands and retailers remain scarce as companies navigate the reputational risks associated with damaged inventory. The fact is, though, that garment and textile supply chains are changing.

The “incubation” effect

Under ‘normal’ circumstances (meaning pre-SoH closure), a garment container from Dhaka to Rotterdam would take around 30 days. Current rerouting has pushed this to 45 to 55 days, equalling 50 to 88 percent longer journeys.

Mould spores (specifically Aspergillus and Penicillium) typically require 14 to 21 days of sustained high humidity to colonise fabric. Thus, the Cape route keeps garments in the “danger zone” for double the usual time, hence brands and retailers need to account for this critical window.

In addition, the longer routes mean that containers now cross the equator twice — once down the coast of Africa and once back up — where they experience extreme temperature fluctuations. This causes “container sweat” or condensation that drips from the ceiling directly onto cardboard cartons, compromising the silica gel packets inside within the first 15 days (the “sweat cycle”).

Two-fold risk mitigation

Logistics managers are currently using a two-tier strategy to mitigate these risks, both of which are eroding profit margins: One is the chemical and mechanical pre-treatment: Brands are mandating “anti-mould stickers,” which release chlorine dioxide gas, and VCI (Vapor Corrosion Inhibitor) liners for all maritime cargo. While the latter are safe for humans to handle when used as directed, breathing in chlorine dioxide gas or ingesting it poses severe health risks, thus increasing the risk to dock workers and anyone opening the containers and handling the products.

Then there is the top-off strategy: Brands are still shipping 80 percent of an order by sea, but because sea freight is quite unreliable, top off the remaining 20 percent via expensive air freight. This ensures that even if a sea container arrives with mould-damaged stock, the air top-off provides enough clean inventory to launch a collection on time.

Mould-prevention measures

While this may work in the short run, the industry is currently also rapidly pivoting toward active rather than passive protection.

Smart desiccants are packets with RFID indicators that change colour or signal when they reach 100 percent saturation. This way, logistics teams can identify at-risk containers before they are even opened. Smart desiccants carry a 5 to 15 percent markup on bulk packaging compared to standard or passive desiccants.

Pneumatic textile channels are integrating airflow structures into the garment folding process. This improves micro-climate stability inside the polybag during long transit. This can be initiated at the stitching stage itself, while robotic air blasts can be utilised through automatic folding machines. While initially incurring costs and reprogramming may be required, this strategy should amortise quickly.

Bio-based fungicides like peppermint or lemongrass-based coatings are applied during the finishing stage of manufacturing. This provides a natural, non-toxic barrier that inhibits spore growth for up to 90 days. Lemongrass is typically abundantly grown and found in tropical climates; it is cheaper than nanotechnology-enabled antimicrobial coatings, which are priced at approximately 19 to 38 US dollars per litre. These solutions are typically applied at a ratio of 0.2 to 1.35 percent of the textile’s dry weight.

The salvage industry

One industry’s loss, another one’s gain — a new sub-sector of logistics has emerged in view of the 2026 mould crisis: ozone remediation centres. Major ports like Antwerp and Felixstowe now have dedicated ‘garment recovery’ facilities where mould-affected shipments are treated with high-concentration ozone gas and UV light to kill spores before being re-packaged for sale. This process costs roughly 2 to 3.35 US dollars per garment, a cost most brands are now forced to build into their 2026 pricing models.

What is mould?

Fabric mould is a type of fungus (like the ones mentioned above) that feeds on organic materials within textile fibres like cotton wool and linen, but also synthetic fibres like polyester and nylon. It thrives in damp, dark and humid environments like sea freight containers. Mould may appear as ‘fuzzy’ or ‘slim spots in black, green, grey or white, depending on the type of fungus. A distinct, musty odour can confirm mould suspicion.

What is the difference between mould and mildew? While mildew is also a fungus, it is a surface fungus that stays flat and looks powdery. It is typically white, grey or yellow in colour and easy to wipe away. Thus, it is easier to eliminate and less of a threat. It can be stopped in most cases with a bit of bleach.

Finnish textile group Marimekko Corporation has appointed a new executive as part of a structural reform. On Tuesday, the company announced the appointment of Karolin Stjerna as chief operating officer (COO), supply chain.

The 41-year-old will take on the newly created position on June 8, join the company's management team and will report directly to CEO and president Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko. She will be responsible for the supply chain, including product development; sourcing; quality control and logistics, as well as the company's own printing facility in Helsinki. Stjerna joins from Danish fashion brand Ganni, where she most recently held the position of COO.

Marimekko separates supply chain and product portfolio management

The appointment was made as part of a redistribution of responsibilities within Marimekko's management team. The company decided to organisationally separate this area from product portfolio management. This decision was made due to the “strategic role” of the supply chain in a rapidly changing environment characterised by “various uncertainties”, according to a statement.

Product portfolio management will be taken over by the merchandising team in the future, for which Marimekko is currently looking for a director. In the interim, this area will be managed by chief marketing officer Sanna-Kaisa Niikko.

The company also announced that Tina Broma is stepping down from her position as chief supply chain and product officer (CSCPO) with immediate effect as part of the restructuring. This decision was made by “mutual agreement”, Marimekko explained.

US lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret & Co. exceeded its own targets and analysts' expectations in the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year. The management subsequently raised its full-year forecast on Tuesday.

In the 13 weeks to May 2, the parent company of the Victoria’s Secret, Pink and Adore Me brands generated sales of 1.56 billion dollars. This represented an increase of 15.3 percent compared to the same quarter last year.

Sales in brick and mortar stores in North America rose by 11.3 percent to 802.8 million dollars. In direct sales, it grew by 8.4 percent to 469.4 million dollars.

Revenue from the international business increased by 44.9 percent to 287.4 million dollars. This was partly because sales in the European Union markets, previously managed in the direct sales segment, are now recorded in this division.

Lingerie retailer more than triples its operating profit

The operating profit rose to 76.3 million dollars, thanks to an improvement in the gross margin. According to the company, this was achieved through lower discounts and more efficient cost management. This was more than three times higher than in the same period of the previous year, when it was just 19.8 million dollars.

The bottom line was a net profit attributable to shareholders of 47.7 million dollars. The group had closed the first quarter of the previous year with a corresponding loss of almost 1.7 million dollars.

CEO Hillary Super praises “strong start”

In light of the latest figures, CEO Hillary Super spoke of a “strong start” to the new financial year. She emphasised that the group had exceeded its own expectations in terms of sales and profit. Double-digit growth for the Victoria’s Secret and Pink brands and in the cosmetics category contributed to this.

The recent development and “continued momentum” prompted the management to raise its forecast for the full year. The sales target, which was previously between 6.85 and 6.95 billion dollars, has been increased to between 7.03 and 7.13 billion dollars. The forecast for adjusted operating profit is now between 550 and 580 million dollars. Previously, only 430 to 460 million dollars had been forecast.

Madrid – Modelia, the Spanish international business-to-business (B2B) platform specialising in AI-generated image creation and management for the fashion industry, has announced the successful completion of a 1.2 million dollar seed funding round. The capital will be used to drive and further scale its operations, with the US currently standing as its largest market.

According to details provided by the Spanish tech platform, Modelia was founded in 2024 by entrepreneurs Iván Rodríguez, its chief executive officer, and René Haas, its chief technology officer. The company has closed a 1.2 million dollar seed round. The funding was led by Spanish investment fund Next Tier, which specialises in artificial intelligence start-ups. Other existing investors also participated, including US-based Rapid Scale and Spanish investment firm Archipelago Next. A group of business angels from the fashion sector completed the round. Notably, Nacho Rivera, co-founder and co-chief executive officer of fashion brand Blue Banana alongside Juan Fernández-Estrada, participated in a personal capacity.

“We are living in one of those moments when an entire industry changes its language,” said Iván Rodríguez, co-founder and chief executive officer of Modelia. He noted that the emergence of artificial intelligence “has made the ability to generate an image accessible to everyone.” However, “producing fashion images on an industrial scale, true to the garment, true to the brand, edition after edition, collection after collection, is still a craft,” which is where Modelia comes in. He argued that while “small brands cannot operationalise AI on their own,” large ones “cannot do it without governance or workflows.” In response to these challenges, “Modelia is the infrastructure that closes that gap,” working towards the goal of “building the standard on which fashion imagery will be produced for the next 10 years.”

“What convinced us about Modelia was finding a team that combines top-tier technical execution with a deep understanding of the sector they serve,” added Patricia Pastor, founder and manager of the Spanish fund Next Tier, which led the investment round. “In applied AI, every advance in large models does not narrow the space for vertical start-ups; it expands it.” She explained that, in this context, “the defensive moat is no longer in the model, but in the application layer, in sector-specific workflows and in the user experience.” Against this backdrop, “Modelia understood before anyone else that fashion brands do not want to choose between AI models; they want production results,” Pastor added. Based on these demands, she stressed, “we see Iván and René, along with their team, as the natural candidates to lead this vertical globally.”

New funds to scale international operations

Modelia's current clients include multinationals such as Desigual and All We Wear Group (AWWG), the parent company of fashion brands Pepe Jeans, Façonnable and Hackett. The platform has also established collaborations with key industry events like Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid, where it was an official sponsor during the last edition in March. This highlights the company's distinctly international profile. Its global footprint is further emphasised by its revenue figures. The management team noted that the United States currently accounts for 44 percent of its total global revenue, with Europe as the second-largest market at 27 percent. The remaining revenue comes from operations in Asia and other smaller markets. Over the last six months, Modelia's platform has processed more than 300,000 SKUs for brands from 26 countries.

Building on these metrics and with the support of the funds raised, the company aims to accelerate and scale its operations. To achieve this, Modelia will “allocate the new funding to completing its enterprise platform layer, with new capabilities for consistency, style control, business rules, approval workflows” and enhancing “collaboration between teams and APIs to integrate into the e-commerce processes of large brands.” The platform aims to strengthen “its commercial expansion in Europe and the United States, its two main markets,” focusing on securing new “enterprise accounts in the fashion sector” with its AI image generation services. These services offer companies “garment fidelity, automatic application of brand guidelines, reusable models, governance, team collaboration and traceability.” This allows “a visual campaign that traditionally required weeks of production, model coordination, photography, editing and channel adaptation” to be “produced in hours, maintaining brand consistency across collections, geographies and commercial formats.”

“We are in a moment of acceleration for the ecosystem,” said Rodríguez. “Each new generation of generalist models reduces cost and latency, unlocking enterprise use cases that were not viable months ago due to ROI.” He continued, “In this context, value shifts to the orchestration and application layer,” where “deciding which model solves each task, integrating it into real production flows and ensuring brand fidelity at scale” is key, and “this is precisely where Modelia operates.” He acknowledged, “we are aware of where we are,” and that Modelia is “a young company in a category that is still being defined.” However, “every advance in large models makes us stronger, not weaker, because our job is not to compete with them but to turn them into reliable industrial production for a brand.” He concluded, “we have the right team, technology, clients and investors to aspire to lead this category globally.”

Buenos Aires - For fashion students dreaming of launching their own label after graduation, the industry has never been more accessible — or more competitive.

Today, young creatives can build a brand directly from their phones, promote collections through social media, connect with manufacturers online and even use artificial intelligence to create campaigns before securing a first investor. But according to Simon Collins, the former Parsons School of Fashion dean now based in China, where he works as an educator and runs his own design consultancy, the core challenge of fashion entrepreneurship remains the same: creating something people genuinely connect with. “Your tools have changed, but what you need to do hasn’t changed,” Collins explains during an interview with FashionUnited. “You still need a good idea”.

From fashion school to industry: Starting your own brand after graduation

Fashion entrepreneurship starts before graduation

One of Collins’ strongest points is that students should not wait until graduation to start building their careers.

At Parsons, he encouraged students to intern early, attend industry events and begin developing professional networks from the beginning of their studies. According to him, the graduates who succeed are usually the ones who were already actively involved in the industry while still studying.

“You should be interning every weekend. You should be going to every event. You should be meeting people,” he explains. “You don’t want to graduate and suddenly decide it’s time to build a network.” For Collins, entrepreneurship is less about officially founding a company and more about developing an entrepreneurial mindset early on. Students who proactively seek opportunities, build relationships and test ideas before graduating tend to adapt faster to the realities of the industry.

Technology changed the tools, not the fundamentals

Over the past decade, launching a fashion brand has become significantly more accessible. Collins points to the rise of social media, e-commerce platforms, AI-generated content and digital production networks as tools that dramatically lowered entry barriers for young designers.

“Now you can start your own brand while you’re still at school, using your phone,” he says. “You can create campaigns using AI, promote through social media and even sell directly through those same platforms.” But despite these technological changes, Collins insists the fundamentals of building a successful fashion business remain the same.

“That doesn’t mean it’s any good though,” he says. “You still need to figure out why people are going to buy your product.”According to him, many students become too focused on personal inspiration instead of understanding consumer desire.“Your inspiration is important to you, but nobody else cares,” he points out. “People care about how it looks, how it feels and what it means to them.”

Why emotional connection matters more than originality

For Collins, one of the biggest mistakes young designers make is overestimating originality while underestimating emotional connection.

Fashion, he argues, is fundamentally about making people feel good — whether through confidence, identity, belonging or self-expression.“You have to decide who your customer is and make them feel good,” he states. This emotional factor is often what differentiates memorable brands from forgettable ones. Collins believes successful emerging labels are not necessarily the most revolutionary, but the ones capable of clearly communicating who they are, who they are for and why they matter. “A strong brand has a strong story,” he explains. “Not ‘my grandmother inspired me’ — but understanding where you’re selling, who your customer is and why there’s room for your brand in the market.”

Building visibility before building a company

In today’s fashion landscape, Collins believes social media presence has become one of the most valuable forms of early-stage brand equity.

“These days, you need to build your IP,” he says, referring to personal branding and audience development. “If someone has a million followers on social media, that’s huge.” But beyond visibility itself, Collins sees audience-building as proof of initiative and business intelligence.

According to him, students should approach social media strategically — not simply as self-promotion, but as a tool for testing ideas, building communities and understanding how to communicate with consumers. At the same time, he stresses that digital visibility alone is not enough without consistency and execution. “There are some people you meet and you immediately think: you’re going to be successful,” he observes. “And others you barely remember.”

The reality of funding and financial independence

One of the most direct moments in the interview comes when Collins addresses one of the biggest concerns among graduates: funding.

“You’re not going to get funding,” he points out. “No one is going to give you money.” Rather than waiting for investors, he encourages graduates to focus on generating momentum independently — even at a very small scale.

“You’ve got to make money somehow. Be a bartender if necessary,” he says. “Sell a few garments. Start small. Make it happen.” For Collins, self-initiative is often what convinces others to eventually offer support. “If you’re helping yourself, people will want to help you,” he explains. “But if you’re not helping yourself, why should anyone else?”

This pragmatic perspective reflects a broader shift in fashion entrepreneurship, where young designers increasingly combine freelance work, internships, personal projects and small-scale production while gradually building their brands.

Entrepreneurship and employment are not opposites

Despite encouraging entrepreneurial thinking, Collins does not romanticize launching a brand immediately after graduation. In fact, his advice for most graduates is to first gain industry experience within established companies. “Every single day that goes by, you learn more,” he explains and adds: “Make mistakes on someone else’s money first.”

According to Collins, working inside a company allows young creatives to better understand production, communication, business operations and team dynamics before taking on the risks of entrepreneurship. At the same time, he believes entrepreneurial qualities are equally valuable inside large organizations. “If they ask you to make coffee, make really good coffee,” he suggests. “Be proactive. Bring ideas. Show initiative.” For him, successful careers — whether entrepreneurial or corporate — are ultimately built on the same foundation: curiosity, adaptability, consistency and the ability to create value.

Brands that succeed understand their audience

When asked about brands that successfully identified opportunities early on, Collins highlights Skims as a strong example.

For him, the success of the brand came from recognizing an underserved market and building a clear emotional and commercial proposition around it. “The minute I saw it, I thought: that’s brilliant,” he says.

He also points to Parsons alumni such as Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler and Jason Wu as examples of designers who successfully translated personal identity into coherent brands early in their careers. “They personified the brand,” Collins explains. “People understood who they were and what they stood for.”

The value of adaptability

Throughout the interview, Collins repeatedly returns to one idea: adaptability. While strategy matters, he believes rigid plans quickly become obsolete in an industry that constantly changes. “You need to be heuristic,” he emphasizes. “If circumstances change on day two, you change everything.”

For graduates entering today’s fashion industry, that flexibility may be one of the most important professional skills of all. “The strategy is not knowing exactly what will happen,” Collins concludes. “The strategy is knowing how to find the answer when things change.”

Madrid – On Running, or simply On for true sports enthusiasts, celebrated the final of its ‘On Squad Race’ initiative in Barcelona this past weekend, featuring teams from France, Italy and Spain. The relay competition has been promoted globally by the brand. FashionUnited had the privilege of participating first-hand, an experience that provided the perfect backdrop to uncover the Swiss sportswear brand's strategy for Spain.

In just over 15 years, On has established itself as a benchmark brand in the sports world. This is a significant milestone for a company that has managed to compete head-to-head with historic giants like Nike and Adidas, whose origins date back over 60 and 75 years, respectively. On is undoubtedly one of the sportswear brands of the moment. From this position, the company is working hard to strike a difficult balance. It aims to continue growing as a premium brand while focusing on further consolidating its identity and, crucially, avoiding becoming a victim of its own success.

The story of falling into irrelevance is a familiar one in the fashion world. On is trying to shield itself from this fate by executing a meticulous and well-studied strategy. This strategy is applied both globally and is aligned with the respective roadmaps designed for each of its key markets, including Spain. This past weekend, Spain hosted the final of the 'On Squad Race' relay between France, Italy and Spain. This international initiative, driven by On, serves as a perfect example of one of the main pillars of its strategic plan and business model: community connection. This key factor currently acts as a unifying constant for all of On's operations and strategies. On this basis, the company outlines and executes its various 'country initiatives'. For On's roadmap in Spain, the Swiss sportswear brand is focusing its attention on the country's two largest cities: Madrid and Barcelona.

More community

As a core element of its business model, we begin our breakdown of On's strategic plan for Spain with its 'connection with the community'. This factor is "multidimensional" in both form and substance, as evidenced by the 'On Squad Race' relay competition. The initiative allows On to go beyond organising the usual running clubs promoted by sports brands in major cities. It offers a different experience to the same community of people interested in sports and running.

To clarify exactly how On is building and assembling a "community" through activations like this, we will use the first-hand experience from this past Friday, May 29, in Barcelona, during the 'On Squad Race' final between France, Italy and Spain. The competition features teams of four runners representing their broader running communities. The Barcelona final was held after preliminary qualifying rounds in each of these countries. The French team Jolie Foulée won, with the Spanish teams No Breaks Squad and Apalarun finishing second and third, respectively. With this result, the French team's runners emerged as the winners of the race, earning a spot in the grand final of this global initiative, which will be held in Los Angeles.

Through the 'On Squad Race', the brand has created a dynamic of healthy competition around a relay race. This allows On to connect with its target audience of sports and running enthusiasts, offering them a unique experience. It also helps establish connections and relationships that extend beyond the product and any commercial transaction. At the same time, On strengthens ties with its commercial partners and local running communities. Through them, it organises the events for the various races and finals taking place worldwide as part of this initiative, from Beijing to Los Angeles; Medellín; Tokyo; Rio de Janeiro; Sydney; Lima; Buenos Aires; Mexico City; and now, Barcelona.

“‘On Squad Race’ is a global series of activations centred around the running community, with a strong focus on community,” emphasises Antonio Melero, marketing director for Southern EMEA at On, during a conversation with FashionUnited just minutes after the Barcelona final concluded at the incomparable setting of Montjuïc castle. “The reality of running communities and ‘Community Cruises’ is that they are emerging very actively within the sports world, especially in major global cities, and brands obviously want to join this trend.” In On's case, we launched the 'On Squad Race' relay competition primarily because “we found it interesting to promote an activation that would bring community members together without necessarily establishing active, direct collaborations with them, and for them to unite simply for the sake of the activity.”

“The whole ‘Community Cruise’ concept, which also has a significant social component, is a fantastic phenomenon that is bringing young people closer to running,” adds Melero. “As a premium brand, we wanted to offer them something that truly fits their community positioning, so they could first enjoy the experience and then also use it as a vehicle to generate visibility.” From an internal perspective, the competition also allows On to “tap into the current fertile ground of ‘Run Cruises’ and the running community at a local level, especially in key cities, to fuel the running industry and rejuvenate it.” At a brand level, On was “interested in reaching a younger consumer and, as a premium brand, providing them with an experience very different from a typical race on an athletics track.” These two factors emerge as the main drivers that will clearly shape the Swiss brand's strategies in its commitment to building more community, both globally and in Spain.

Focus as a premium brand

Focusing on the specific keys of On's "country plan" for Spain, the first thing to highlight is its premium brand approach towards the consumer. On carefully maintains this through all its initiatives and executions as a sports brand, whether through activations like the 'On Squad Race' relay or its commercial activities. The brand admits this was a challenge, facing a price-driven market like Spain. However, they report a very successful performance despite maintaining a no-discount pricing policy and tight control over the brand's exposure in the multi-brand channel.

“In terms of positioning, we will never deviate one millimetre from being a premium brand, which means we operate in a more niche part of the consumer pyramid,” Melero points out. “In a market like Spain, which is very price-driven, knowing how to work it well means making certain decisions that, in most cases, involve giving up a large part of the distribution the market offers. We will not deviate from that,” he warns. This strategy, despite the risks, is clearly proving very positive for the brand. “Even playing the no-discount game and implementing other policies to guarantee this positioning, the market is responding very well. It was one of the big unknowns when you enter a very price-driven market as a premium brand, and you don't know how it will react. Fortunately, Spain is reacting very positively to our commercial strategy.”

New openings in Madrid and Barcelona

On has had its own store in Spain since November 2025, when its first store in the country opened at 17 Calle de Serrano in Madrid. This opening, in the heart of the Salamanca district, the capital's "golden mile," perfectly exemplifies the premium positioning strategy Melero detailed. On's marketing director for Southern EMEA also revealed the next steps the brand plans to take in Spain. Madrid and now Barcelona will be the locations from which it will seek to strengthen its operations in the country.

First flagship store on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona

Starting with Barcelona, the choice of the city to host the 'On Squad Race' final between France, Italy and Spain is the "icing on the cake" for the brand's investments in the city in recent years. These investments include On's sponsorship of the last two editions of the Barcelona Marathon. The brand's growing presence in the city's sports scene complements the activities carried out from its head office in Barcelona. However, this contrasts with the lack of an On store in the city. The absence of a store is not for lack of trying, but due to the difficulty in finding a retail space that meets all of On's requirements for establishing a presence in Barcelona. On has confirmed to FashionUnited its plans to open its own store in the city. This store is set to be the brand's first flagship in the country, and they are currently waiting to find the ideal retail location for its opening. On emphasises that the location will definitely be on Barcelona's Paseo de Gracia.

As one of the "key cities" identified by On, a label also applied to strategic locations like Milan, Paris, London and Berlin, “in Barcelona, there has been an organic investment over the last three years that is generating very good results and performance. While it's true we don't have our own store yet, it's purely a logistical issue of not having found the location we want,” Melero explains. For the location, “our goal is Paseo de Gracia.” “Until we find the right place, we won't make the move, but the decision has been made,” as has the decision that Barcelona will be a “flagship location.”

Second store in Madrid

The store concept for Barcelona will therefore be different from the smaller "chapter store" model with which On entered Spain and Madrid, with the opening of its first store on Serrano last November. On is already considering reinforcing the operations of this establishment with a second, similar "experiential" store, which would be different from the "flagship store" model planned for Barcelona. This difference is due to On's outstanding performance in Barcelona, which is similar to that in Madrid, but achieved without even having its own point-of-sale to support it.

“We opened in Madrid with the ‘chapter’ concept, which is a more limited format, and with just that one store, things are going as well as in Barcelona, where we haven't invested yet.” From there, “we are already considering a second store in Madrid,” Melero reveals. This opening will align with On's strategic objectives for Spain, just as the first store in Madrid did. For that city, “it was very clear that Serrano had to be one of the main objectives” for the brand, “and it was.” “In Madrid, luckily, things came together very quickly and smoothly, but we still haven't reached the point of investing in Madrid as a city,” in the same way it is already being done in Barcelona. The city, compared to Madrid, “has evolved much more quickly” because “the brand structure is here,” and also because “we decided to bet” on making a series of investments that “have helped us a lot to create a footprint in the local community and with the local customer.” This influence has been capped off “after the investment of recent years with an event” like the 'On Squad Race' final. It will be crowned by the long-awaited On store on Paseo de Gracia.

Istituto Europeo di Design is marking its 60th anniversary with recognition from the prestigious Compasso d’Oro, one of the design industry’s most respected awards.

The honour comes as IED celebrates six decades of design education and launches a series of initiatives under the theme “Plural Intelligences,” a concept that explores how different forms of knowledge, creativity, and innovation can work together to address contemporary social and environmental challenges.

Founded in 1966, IED has grown into an international network of design schools with campuses across Italy, Spain, and Brazil. The institution offers programmes in fashion, design, visual arts, communication, and management, and has become known for its emphasis on combining academic learning with industry collaboration.

The award highlights IED’s long-standing contribution to design education and its role in training generations of creative professionals. Throughout its history, the institution has sought to connect design practice with technological innovation, cultural research, and business development, reflecting broader changes in the global creative industries.

In fashion education, IED has expanded its focus beyond traditional design training to include sustainability, digital technologies, fashion communication, and business strategy. Its programmes encourage students to engage with emerging challenges facing the industry, including environmental responsibility, changing consumer behaviour, and the integration of new technologies into design processes.

The anniversary year also includes exhibitions, talks, student showcases, and international projects designed to highlight the work of current students and alumni. These initiatives aim to reinforce the institution’s position within the global design and fashion education landscape while encouraging dialogue around the future of creative professions.

The Compasso d’Oro, established in 1954, is widely regarded as one of the most influential awards in industrial and product design. The recognition places IED among a select group of institutions and organisations acknowledged for their contributions to design excellence and innovation.

As fashion and design education continue to evolve, schools such as IED are increasingly focusing on interdisciplinary learning and preparing students for careers that require a combination of creative, technological, and strategic skills. The award underscores the growing role educational institutions play in shaping the next generation of designers and creative leaders.

Fashion, for Adebayo Oke-Lawal, did not begin with the idea of building a brand. It began much earlier, in observation—in watching how people around him expressed themselves through clothing, but also how much remained hidden underneath it. Growing up in Nigeria, he became aware early on of the silence around softness, vulnerability, and emotion, especially in relation to masculinity. Clothing became a way of speaking into that silence.

Not loudly. But honestly.

“I was never interested in creating clothes purely for beauty or trend,” Adebayo Oke-Lawal says. “I wanted to create pieces that explored humanity, identity, vulnerability, and the complexity of being African beyond generalisations.”

Founded in 2011 in Lagos, Orange Culture has grown into one of the most emotionally distinct voices within contemporary African fashion. Not because it tries to dominate space, but because it understands how to hold it.

Speaking with him, there is always ease. Nothing feels overly constructed. Even when he speaks about systems, production, or industry structures, there is always a human thread underneath. And maybe that is what makes the work stay with people.

At home in Nigeria, Orange Culture exists within conversations around identity, emotional visibility, and masculinity. Across the continent, it belongs to a wider generation of designers reshaping what African fashion can be when it is not filtered through expectation. Outside Africa, it continues to enter global conversations that are still learning to read African design with depth rather than assumption.

Still, none of this happened quickly.

The brand grew through experimentation, community, mistakes, and time. Today, it works through a close network of artisans, pattern cutters, stylists, and production teams based mainly in Lagos. The process remains intimate and hands-on rather than performative collaboration.

Everything is designed and produced in Lagos. On purpose.

“Nigeria has incredible craftsmanship, talent, textile knowledge, and creative energy,” he says. “I have always wanted Orange Culture to contribute to that space.”

Lagos runs through the work completely—not only visually, but emotionally.

The city moves with an intensity that is difficult to explain unless you have lived inside it. Loud, beautiful, exhausting, chaotic, resilient—sometimes all within the same hour. That rhythm carries into the clothes: in movement, in layering, in softness against structure, in fabrics that fall gently over sculpted forms.

Nothing feels flat. Colour carries emotion rather than decoration. Soft pink refuses simplicity. Orange holds warmth without becoming loud. Clashing tones create tension that lingers rather than resolves. Even contradiction is held gently, without the need to settle it.

“I want people to feel seen in the clothes rather than simply styled by them,” he says.

In Lagos, this language is often understood instinctively. Emotional codes already exist in everyday life—softness and survival coexisting, expression and restraint sitting side by side without conflict.

Outside Nigeria, the reading shifts.

In cities like London and Berlin, the first entry point is often emotional—the openness, the vulnerability, the way masculinity is questioned through fabric and form. But underneath that are cultural layers rooted in lived experience that take longer to unfold. He does not rush that process.

“The core remains the same,” he says. “What changes is how we open the door for people to enter the world.”

If Lagos is instinct, London is structure.

In London, Orange Culture moves more directly through fashion systems—showrooms, buyers, press, retail calendars, and the machinery of visibility. It becomes less about discovery and more about navigation.

“London is about structure,” he says. “There is a clearer framework around how things operate. It is about understanding systems and how relationships shape growth.”

But building from Lagos means building without full infrastructure. Production, logistics, funding, access—much of it must be solved in real time. Nothing is guaranteed.

“There are constant points of resistance,” he says. “But there is also strength in the way people adapt and continue building despite limitations.”

Orange Culture today moves between ready-to-wear and made-to-order pieces, often extending into garments shaped by handwork, beading, and weaving. Nothing feels rushed. You sense the human hand in every stage.

Over time, Oke-Lawal has become more intentional about what enters the process.

“I have learned to say no when things do not align, even if they look good on the surface,” he says.

I first met Adebayo through early conversations on collaboration, later inviting him to speak on a panel during Frankfurt Fashion Week in 2021, the virtual edition organised by Fashion Council Germany. What stayed with me was not only what he said, but how he speaks—measured, grounded, always returning to feeling rather than theory.

Since then, Orange Culture has returned to Germany, Berlin Fashion Week to be precise, with this season marking its third showcase in the city.

Berlin, for him, offers something specific—not polish, but permission.

“Berlin feels like a city that allows for emotional honesty,” he says. “There is less pressure toward perfection. It allows process, experimentation, even discomfort.”

That openness mirrors his own creative rhythm. Ideas begin long before they become garments—in memory, conversation, grief, music, or emotion not yet shaped into form. He remains closely involved from concept to final presentation, ensuring the emotional thread is not lost.

Alongside the collections, Orange Mentorship has emerged quietly within the brand, offering young creatives in Nigeria access to studio processes, conversations, and proximity to how fashion actually functions beyond aesthetics.

“What I try to pass on is that fashion is bigger than clothes,” he says. “I encourage emotional honesty, discipline, storytelling, collaboration, and sustainability in thinking.”

And perhaps that is what stays with you most after speaking with him. Not just the work itself, but the care behind it.

Beyond seasons and collections, there is a quieter pursuit. “I am still in pursuit of building something sustainable and meaningful,” he says. “Creating a space where the brand can exist fully on its own terms, while also opening doors for others coming from similar places.”

Basel-born Kié Lee founded her label Kié Einzelgänger in New York in 2016, before relocating to Antwerp. Now in her 30s, she feels right at home among the spheres of Raf Simons, Ann Demeulemeester, and Jurgi Persoons. Parallels can be drawn with her own designs.

Lee draws creative strength from solitude. It shows in the pervasive use of black in her oeuvre, and strong silhouettes that do the talking. This visual language has led to an ongoing collaboration with Yohji Yamamoto for his avant-garde sub-label, Wildside, since 2022.

At the Antwerp Fashion Festival, opening June 4, she presents an art installation titled ‘Evidence’: screen prints on fabrics and garments, using self-portraits as a recurring motif.

You were a natural fit to the local scene of Antwerp. How is the energy different?

New York City is a great city. I still miss it a lot, but the main reason I left was the harsh economics of running a studio there. Paying high rent for such a small space just wasn't fair. Designers need high ceilings and big floors. I started to think about moving.

Unfortunately, I went through bankruptcy at the time; I started with an LLC in New York at 23. Fashion business is a huge investment; it’s obvious how that went wrong.

Rebranding in Antwerp feels very strong. I knew how to deal with this. I came with just two suitcases. The city became a safe, creative hub for me because I feel lonely here, and I'm able to focus. People are nice. A part of the 21st-century generation, I can connect internationally without problems. I think I'm going to stay here.

You introduce loneliness as something constructive.

Loneliness doesn't mean sadness for me. I was born in Switzerland, I went to Korea, I went to New York — I went through many things. I need my solitude now. I feel uncomfortable if I don't have my lonely time. If I don't have that pause built in, I don't know where I am.

In the brand’s formative years, you travelled through Japan a lot.

My admiration for Japanese designers from the 80s and 90s is what brought me to Japan at age 20 — I simply wanted to find where those pieces came from, who made them. The suppliers there are on another level, especially in dyeing — the colour tone is just different.

Over nearly nine years, I've built strong relationships with sourcing and production partners in Japan, and I've stayed with them because my audience comes from that same era (80s, 90s). They know the quality, and they expect it.

I've also learned a lot from how the Japanese work: so disciplined, precise, and they think about my future as a designer. There's really no reason for me to stop working with them, but as the brand grows, I’ll need to diversify and find partners in Europe as well.

Aesthetically, your collaboration with Yohji Yamamoto feels like a natural convergence. How was it to work together?

I was 23 when we met. It was a very generous gesture from such an established brand to offer an opportunity to a young person. Through that gesture alone, I learned a lot about having that kind of attitude.

I was in New York wearing his clothing when a team member spotted me. I was introduced to the director, and he asked if I had ever come to the Paris show. I said no — I was at Parsons, studying fashion. I decided to fly out. I spent 3,000 dollars and lost my passport on the first day to a pickpocket. It was crazy, but I had to go.

There's a spiritual form of unity in the Yamamoto team — everyone moving toward the same goal, focused. There is a lot of emotion in our kind of work, yet they just made things happen.

You're now on Wild Side Volume 5. How does the creative process work?

With the project, Yamamoto wants to merge emerging and more established brands and artists to collaborate. We meet in Paris, we meet in Japan. The process is very long. I have to ship patterns, fabric, and prototypes back and forth. We communicate mostly by mail. It's difficult, but that's how we work.

The work has changed over the years — it's much tougher now, because of how quickly the industry moves. There is no holiday. I don't remember the last time I hung out. But I'm happy.

You earned a Master’s degree in Visual Arts from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts later in your career, in 2022. Why move into the arts?

The reason I started fine art was creative stagnation. I'm a photo freak on the side. My photographer mentor recommended a Nikon ZF-C. Since then, I've taken a photo of myself almost every week. Then I started to print on clothing. I had to go to Japan last year to figure out how to do it, how sensitive it is to heat, and how to wash the textile afterwards. Because of fine art, I was able to progress my craft.

What will you be showing at the fashion festival in Antwerp?

You'll see my silkscreen print originals alongside garments bearing the same portraits, in Tommy Simoens contemporary art gallery, in the historic centre. He's also from New York. When we met last year, we connected immediately.

My first series of print production goes back to 2023. I developed this technique over two years. I worked with an artist in Japan — he's 63 years old and extraordinarily professional. I gave him my series of self-portraits, he retouched them, and then I printed them with silkscreen. I also dyed the paper to make it look like a 1920s–1940s print from the Showa period in Japan, which is my obsession era.

You've passed your thirties. What have you learned about your craft and profession?

I learned how important it is to have people who can stimulate me — whether they make me angry, hurt me with confidence, make me sad, or even make me question myself. That's the only way you get hungry for the next step. I shifted my environment to be full of people I admire.

After that, I realised how important efficiency is. Not many people can endure this kind of lifestyle. That’s why I invented my pie system — after turning 30, after I encountered so many failures, and some of my friends left me, too. I needed a way to survive.

I divide my day into a pie: I start with the most realistic things — facing the numbers, finance, and results. Reality first. In the middle part, I practice skills: languages, new techniques, and something to learn. After that, I release myself to think about something impossible — brainstorming, creative things that aren't realistic yet.

I prepare my pie during cardio. I wake up every day at 5 AM, go directly to the gym, and decide what I have to do throughout the day. I also sleep very early.

Why is facing reality first important to you?

Fashion is not art — it's a calculated business, and we designers have to sell. In the 80s, I believe it was different. Spiritually, fashion was something else. I do believe art and fashion can coexist, but we have to live with the reality that luxury and art are also businesses. Otherwise, they become polarised.

Given the high pressure on the job nowadays, is a degree in fashion still enough?

I went to Parsons New York for my fashion bachelor's. It was a great course — they teach you about your resume, how to get a job. I saw interviews with European fashion students who were able to speak about themselves very well. It felt more reflective, and I wanted to experience that. That’s why I went to the academy.

For three years, I spent a lot of time writing about Surrealism and Dadaism, which was my focus. My language changed. I learned how to speak about myself — and that's very important.

How do you plan to learn, continuously?

I want to deepen the research I have already focused on. I'm going to practice silkscreens again — that feels like a PhD to me. I learn new techniques, I make new things, and I can show the work to my audience through Instagram. I consider this my learning school for now. I’m sure I'll get stuck again at some point. Then, I will consider a PhD.

The manager has over 25 years of international experience in the luxury sector, with a solid track record in brand development, retail excellence and customer engagement in key markets.

Most recently, he held the role of chief executive officer at Prada, where he successfully strengthened the brand's appeal and drove growth through a more disciplined and customer-centric approach. Previously, he held senior management roles at LVMH and Richemont in Asia, America and Europe, consistently delivering business expansion and operational transformation.

"I am very pleased to welcome Gianfranco to Kering. He brings a powerful combination of strategic vision, operational rigour and deep experience in the luxury sector. His ability to refine brand identity while driving disciplined execution will be key to refocusing Alexander McQueen and unlocking its full potential. I am confident that, together with the teams, he will lead the maison into its next phase of development," emphasised Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, in a statement.

"Alexander McQueen is entering a new phase focused on strengthening its distinctive positioning, supported by a leaner, more disciplined model structured around targeted collections, a resized retail network and a simplified organisation. In this context, Gianfranco D'Attis will lead the Maison's next phase of development, with a clear focus on strengthening brand clarity, elevating execution and improving financial performance," a statement read.

"Kering would like to express its sincere thanks to Gianfilippo Testa for his commitment and contributions over the past few years. As he has decided to leave the group later this year, we wish him all the best for the next chapter in his professional career," the statement concluded.

China-based luxury fashion group Lanvin Group announced the appointment of Xi Luo as chief financial officer, effective June 1, 2026. In this position, Luo will manage the financial operations of the company, including financial planning and analysis, accounting, controllership, treasury, investments, and investor relations.

Luo possesses more than 20 years of experience across the finance, investment, and capital markets sectors. Most recently, he served as the chief financial officer of China-based firm Fosun Capital, managing financing, investment exits, and capital management initiatives. Prior to that role, Luo held senior finance leadership positions at China-based healthcare platform We Doctor, logistics platform Cainiao Network, and technology conglomerate Alibaba Group.

Lanvin names new CFO

Earlier in his career, Luo worked at professional services network KPMG in the UK, China, and the US, specialising in audit, financial due diligence, and cross-border transactions. He holds a bachelor of management degree from the University of Manchester and is a chartered accountant certified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

Executive leadership transitions

Zhen Huang, chairman of Lanvin, stated that the group is pleased to welcome Luo at an important stage of corporate development. Huang noted that the deep experience of Luo across finance and capital markets, combined with a global perspective, will strengthen the organisation and support long-term strategic priorities.

Luo added that the company represents a unique combination of heritage luxury brands and international growth potential. He expressed enthusiasm about working alongside the management team to enhance financial management capabilities and contribute to the next phase of global expansion.

In connection with the appointment, Andy Lew will cease serving as interim chief financial officer, effective June 1, 2026. Lew will continue to serve as the executive president of the company, retaining all other current positions and responsibilities within the group and its subsidiaries.

The company manages iconic global brands including Lanvin, Wolford, Sergio Rossi, and St. John Knits.

Madrid – Zara has announced the upcoming launch of a capsule collection designed with the renowned New York actress, model and socialite Marisa Berenson, generating considerable anticipation and surprise. She is one of the most recognised figures in the fashion and film worlds of the 70s. After many years as a regular collaborator with Inditex's main fashion chain, she has finally taken the step to create her first fashion and homeware capsule for the brand. The actress and model is making her design debut with Zara at the age of 79.

From a business perspective, it is necessary to highlight the strategic value of this initiative by Zara with Marisa Berenson. Although it may seem repetitive, it demonstrates how carefully planned each collaborative step is at Inditex's main fashion chain. The model and actress has appeared as the face of the brand on several occasions, most recently for the 50th anniversary of its first store opening. This collaboration further strengthens her ties with Zara and the Spanish fashion multinational, chaired by Marta Ortega. She is designing a fashion and homeware collection for the first time in her life, reflecting her personal and professional journey. This is a milestone for the actress and model. It also highlights how Zara is steadily progressing towards its goal of transforming from a brand where everyone wants to shop to a brand with which everyone wants to collaborate. This presumed strategy was noted following the launch of its collaborative collection with Bad Bunny just over a week ago.

Following that launch, FashionUnited analysed how Inditex and Zara seem to have placed collaborations with Bad Bunny and the signing of John Galliano at the core of their immediate strategies to reactivate Zara's growth. The capsule with Marisa Berenson does not contradict this analysis; it confirms it. It confirms how the renewed collaboration policy is becoming an increasingly strategic and differentiating lever in Zara's business model. Óscar García Maceiras, chief executive officer of Inditex, highlighted on March 11 during the presentation of the 2025 annual results that in 2026, they “will continue” to develop collaborations “with global figures from the world of design, culture and art”. In this specific case, the launch of an eclectic and intergenerational womenswear and homeware collection demonstrates Zara's focus. The brand aims to become “the firm everyone wants to collaborate with” while also reinforcing its goal of being “the firm where everyone wants to shop” and is able to.

Under the influence of Elsa Schiaparelli

This combination of complementary purposes reveals a collaborative capsule collection based on a dual strategy that Zara seems focused on to reactivate its growth. On one hand, the brand aims to collaborate with cultural figures to connect with today's audience, as seen with Bad Bunny. This even led Inditex's chairwoman, Marta Ortega, to dance on stage with the Puerto Rican singer. On the other hand, Zara seeks to establish itself as a fashion house, not just a clothing chain, through collaborations with influential industry figures like Gibraltarian designer John Galliano. These strategies converge in the figure of Marisa Berenson, a fashion and film icon of the 70s. Through this intergenerational collection, the chain once again seeks to validate its status as a fashion house. The collection is created with none other than the natural heir of the great Elsa Schiaparelli. She was the founder of the house of Schiaparelli; a historic rival of Coco Chanel; a pioneer in fostering a collaborative and symbiotic culture between different art disciplines, with collaborations with Salvador Dalí and Jean Cocteau; and Marisa Berenson's maternal grandmother.

Berenson confesses that this family relationship and the intimate influence of her grandmother have most marked her style. This, in turn, has shaped the pieces the actress has created as part of this collaborative capsule collection. The collection includes references to some of the most striking outfits she has worn over the years, both on and off the big screen and in photoshoots. She has worked under the direction of artists, photographers and film directors such as Irving Penn; Stanley Kubrick; Andy Warhol; Bob Fosse; Clint Eastwood; Luca Guadagnino; and Luchino Visconti. She made her big-screen debut with Visconti, playing the wife of Gustav von Aschenbach in the cult film 'Death in Venice'.

“I have created a capsule collection” that is a reflection of “my life and my films,” says Marisa Berenson in a statement provided by Zara. The statement, collected for the brand by none other than Hamish Bowles, global editor at large for Vogue magazine, highlights how “it has been an exciting adventure to bring together this multigenerational universe” that she holds dear, to create this collection. It is markedly influenced by her personal style, which is in turn an inheritance from the tastes of the great Elsa Schiaparelli. “What I learned from my grandmother was independence and a certain originality, as well as an eclectic taste,” she acknowledges, while also recalling how nervous she used to get when she had to visit her. “I would start to tremble just thinking about it,” she recalls, because “she couldn't believe the way I dressed in the 70s,” and “she thought my generation was the most vulgar, and that there was no elegance or style anymore.”

From 'shocking' pink to swimwear and jewelled dresses

Proving the perception that the past always seems better, and that in fashion, the past has a patina of elegance and style that outshines the contemporary, the collection responds to the ideal of an “endless summer,” from Capri to Saint-Tropez, notes Marisa Berenson. It is a timeless interlude built on reinterpretations of 60s, 70s and 80s fashion from a modern perspective. This gives rise to “The House of Marisa” collection of womenswear and homeware, which is also peppered with references to her own wardrobe and the unique universe Berenson has always showcased over the years.

Focusing on the offering, and starting with womenswear, the collection is built on a colour palette dominated by black, emerald green, and gold and silver finishes. 'Shocking' pink, the emblematic colour of the house of Schiaparelli, serves as a tonal accent. This chromatic symphony gives way to garments such as gold lamé shorts; a short, balloon-shaped cape; a silver lamé bomber jacket; a pink linen dress; cardigan-style jackets; and various tunics, dresses and shirts in coral orange or Nile green tones. The clothing collection is completed with jewelled swimwear adorned with beads and snake motifs—one of the main iconographies of the collection—and a full range of footwear, hats, turbans, and costume jewellery. The presence of 'jewelled' finishes and pieces is one of the most distinctive elements of this collection. It seems to establish a direct dialogue not only with Berenson's personal taste but also with the striking photographs of her nude—'dressed' only in a link necklace—that Irving Penn took for Vogue magazine. Hamish Bowles claims these photos caused Elsa Schiaparelli to stop speaking to Diana Vreeland, the historic American editor who was then director of the Condé Nast publication.

As for the homeware collection, it presents a similar style that flirts with the surrealist heritage of Elsa Schiaparelli. Key pieces include cutlery with coral-shaped handles; glassware decorated with zodiac signs; as well as candlesticks; tableware; embroidered scarves; decorative plates; notebooks; and pillows. All these pieces are decorated with coral motifs or references to the world of constellations and stars, similar to the snake motif in the clothing. These are as characteristic of Elsa Schiaparelli's imagery as the 'shocking' pink found in pieces like wrap skirts and dresses in this collection.

“Marisa has created 45 pieces for an endless summer,” which include “everything from beachwear, dresses, jackets, and trousers... to homeware,” with “rugs and tableware” and even “cutlery that, in Marisa's words, is ‘formal but beautiful and whimsical’,” Zara remarks. Influenced by her grandmother's “so eclectic and haphazardly arranged” residence, “this eclectic approach to decoration would mark her life,” and “it also defines the homeware collection that Marisa has conceived for Zara.” The collection is described as “an intoxicating mix of influences, offering colour, embroidery and pure splendour,” while also dialoguing with the clothing collection, which is “although slightly evocative, also fully modern.” These are “light and seductive” pieces with which Berenson “revives the 70s style for those girls who have only dreamed of it, who have only imagined it.”

This summer, on July 9 at 2pm CEST, a historic auction for the fashion world will take place in Paris. For the first time, Martin Margiela, founder of Maison Margiela, is partnering with auctioneers to organise the sale of his personal archives. The date is already shaping up to be a major event for numerous collectors and enthusiasts.

The sale, organised by Parisian auction house Maurice Auction in collaboration with London-based Kerry Taylor Auctions, will feature over 200 lots from designer Martin Margiela's personal archives. The collection covers the period from 1984 to 2008. It ranges from his creations for the Canette d'Or in Antwerp to his departure from Maison Martin Margiela, with a few more recent pieces made during the pandemic.

To please several collectors and institutions

The most remarkable aspect of this auction is the designer's direct involvement. This is the very first time a designer of this stature has partnered with an auction house during his lifetime to offer, sort and authenticate his own personal archives.

“After many years of moving archives from one place to another and lending them for exhibitions, I felt it was time to part with some of my fashion memories,” Martin Margiela said in the press release accompanying the announcement. “After long consideration, it was the idea of pleasing several collectors and institutions that finally convinced me to entrust them to the world.”

Intimate work relics

While the meaning of the word 'archive' has become overused, shifting from a museum term to a genuine fashion trend (such as Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn Monroe's iconic dress at the 2022 MET Gala), the sale of Martin Margiela's pieces restores the concept to its original depth.

Far from celebrity fetishism or appropriation for communication purposes, this event brings us back to the very essence of the historical record: the raw documentation of a creative process.

Among the pieces in the exhibition catalogue are intimate work relics and objects that bear witness to the history of a house that has greatly influenced the fashion system. These include a 1987 work file from when Martin Margiela was looking for a manufacturer in Italy (estimated between 5,000 and 8,000 euros); a white coat worn by the founder; one of the famous white cotton aprons worn by the house's employees (estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 euros); and Tabi Graffiti from 1991 (estimated between 30,000 and 50,000 euros). Also noteworthy is the sale of the designer's personal telephone, repainted with Meudon white, an object known to connoisseurs and estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 euros.

Léa Bouchet's Hermès wardrobe

The sale will also feature approximately 60 outfits, bags, shoes and fashion accessories from the wardrobe of Léa Bouchet, Martin Margiela's mother. Very close to his mother, who supported him from a young age, the designer gifted her many pieces reflecting his work at Hermès between 1997 and 2003.

“Also presented are the Hermès clothes of my late mother, which have become difficult to keep in perfect condition,” Martin Margiela specified. “These creations, from my tenure from 1997 to 2003 at the eponymous house, require special care despite their very high quality of workmanship and materials.”

Among the Hermès items are shoes from 1998, about which he states: “For my first autumn/winter 1998-1999 collection, I focused on comfort. At the time, Pierre Hardy had created a trainer called ‘Quick’, which I integrated into my silhouettes. I also wanted a heeled version for a different walk. The idea was to design a court shoe that captured the spirit of the Hermès trainer. I opted for crepe soles and a sturdy heel.”

Exhibition designed as an unpacking

Before the sale, an exhibition organised by Bob Verhelst, a long-time friend of the designer, will immerse professionals and visitors in a scenography reminiscent of a small early 20th-century workshop. This approach will allow for a direct experience with the materiality and fragility of the objects, the majority of which have never been revealed to the public.

According to Alex Baddeley, fashion specialist and auctioneer at Kerry Taylor Auctions: “This auction offers unprecedented access to the personal archives of a designer whose reputation is as enigmatic as it is profound. Martin's innovative designs and runway presentations have changed the landscape of fashion forever.”

Graduating students from the Apparel Design department at Rhode Island School of Design showcased their work through Collection 2026, the institution’s annual exhibition celebrating the creativity, technical skills and research-driven approach of its senior designers.

According to a press release from the school, the showcase featured collections developed over the course of the students’ final year, offering a glimpse into how emerging designers are responding to contemporary issues through fashion. Themes explored across the collections included sustainability, identity, craftsmanship, material innovation, technology and cultural storytelling, reflecting the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of fashion education.

More than a traditional runway presentation, Collection 2026 demonstrates RISD’s emphasis on combining creative experimentation with critical thinking and problem-solving. Students are encouraged to investigate social, environmental and personal narratives through design while developing the technical expertise needed to bring their ideas to life.

The annual showcase also serves as an important professional platform, providing graduating designers with exposure to industry leaders, employers, media and potential collaborators as they prepare to enter the fashion workforce or pursue further study.

As fashion education continues to evolve, Collection 2026 highlights how institutions such as RISD are preparing students not only as designers, but also as innovators and creative thinkers capable of addressing the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the global fashion industry.

Interview

Ireland’s first domestic luxury conglomerate, VYKO, have laid out an ambitious blueprint to usher in a new era for Irish luxury on the global stage. Launched in April, the group announced plans to raise 50 million euros this year to acquire and scale heritage and contemporary brands by driving digital, media, and e-commerce strategies.

Founded by former LVMH, Puig and Google executive Ashley McDonnell, VYKO is looking to scale Irish brands in fashion, jewellery, beauty, spirits, and fine food globally, by acquiring minority to full stakes, from 35 to 100 percent, with its first acquisitions expected by the end of 2026.

The group states it is addressing “a longstanding gap in the market” in Ireland by setting up a luxury conglomerate, which mirrors the approach of legacy conglomerates, such as LVMH and Kering, by combining digital commerce, marketing, international communications, retail development and supply chain management, with a “more technology-led and flexible structure”.

A key strategy is to focus on investing in heritage craftsmanship, with plans to back brands working with traditional Irish materials and techniques, such as Donegal tweed and Aran knitwear, as it looks "to align heritage production with global luxury demand, at a time when consumers are placing greater emphasis on provenance and authenticity”.

To find out more about how VYKO is planning to become the Irish LVMH, FashionUnited spoke to McDonnell on the driving force behind her desire to build the future of the Irish luxury ecosystem, the focus on heritage craftsmanship, and why she believes now is the right time for Irish brands to shine on a global scale.

What was the driving inspiration behind founding VYKO?

I have spent over a decade working in-house at luxury powerhouses like LVMH, Dior, and Puig, as well as at Google where I managed the LVMH portfolio. Throughout my time in Paris and across global luxury capitals, I would constantly look back at Ireland and see this extraordinary, raw creative talent and exceptional homegrown brands.

Irish brands have often reached out to me, asked for introductions to the major luxury groups, looking for investment or to be acquired; however, they were rarely reaching an overall standard of brand experience to be taken seriously by major groups, and regardless, they were also not on track for the revenue required to be eligible for an investment or acquisition.

What we have lacked in Ireland is not talent or creativity; it’s the institutional framework, the scaling expertise, and the global infrastructure to back them up. I wanted to bring learnings from the playbooks, synergies, and strategic learnings that I’d been exposed to inside the world's leading conglomerates and bring them home to build Ireland's first structured luxury brands group.

Why is now the right time to build a holding company specifically for Irish brands?

Timing is everything. For a long time, the global luxury landscape was entirely dominated by legacy European structures, but the digital age has completely democratised how consumer brands scale. Right now, Ireland is experiencing an unprecedented cultural and creative renaissance on the global stage.

Simultaneously, consumers are experiencing 'luxury fatigue' from mass-produced heritage items and are actively seeking niche brands which have authentic storytelling, sustainable practices, and profound craftsmanship - all of which are inherently embedded in Irish design. Up until now, there has been a missing link: a dedicated platform capable of transforming an independent Irish creative into a globally viable luxury business. With VYKO, we are providing that vehicle at the exact moment the global market is hungry for what Ireland has to offer.

What is it that's so special about Ireland and its culture?

Ireland is home to some of the richest textiles, materials and artisan heritage in the world, yet we historically haven't positioned or commercialised them with the same elevated prestige that France or Italy have mastered for centuries. We are ready to change that narrative.

Beyond our heritage, Ireland is having a massive, undeniable cultural moment right now. From our actors winning Oscars to visionaries like Jonathan Anderson shaping the global fashion landscape, Irish creativity is driving the cultural zeitgeist. There is an unmistakable energy, a poetic storytelling ability, and a warmth to Irish culture that gives our products an immediate emotional resonance. We aren't just selling products; we are exporting a piece of modern Irish culture.

VYKO’s mandate spans fashion, beauty, spirits, and fine food. In a tightening venture capital environment, why pursue a multi-vertical strategy rather than perfecting a "playbook" in a single category like fashion or beauty first?

While a single-vertical approach might seem safer on paper, it misses the true scope of the opportunity. Ireland has immense, untapped luxury potential across all of these categories, and they don't live in silos - they enrich one another.

Look at the most successful luxury conglomerates in history: the multi-vertical model offers incredible structural resilience, especially in a tighter macro-environment.

Furthermore, the cross-category synergies are endless. The digital acquisition strategies we use for a beauty brand can elevate a fine food brand, and the retail relationships we nurture through fashion can open doors for our spirits portfolio. By building a diversified luxury ecosystem from day one, we create a more robust corporate structure while celebrating the full spectrum of premium Irish lifestyle.

You emphasised a more technology-led and flexible structure - what does that mean in practice?

We are incredibly fortunate to be one of the first luxury groups born directly into the digital age. Legacy conglomerates are currently facing a lot of friction, often forced to divest or restructure due to massive fixed overheads and rigid, traditional in-house teams. At VYKO, we are building a lean, agile model.

In practice, this means we leverage technology to automate and optimise back-end operations, while remaining highly flexible on the creative and operational side. We don't want massive, rigid in-house departments for PR or digital marketing. Instead, we are building a fluid network of world-class, expert partners - many of whom are specialists I’ve worked with over the last ten years. This decentralised, expert-led structure allows us to be fast, highly efficient and incredibly impactful without the heavy corporate drag.

Much of Ireland's luxury heritage is rooted in craftsmanship like Donegal tweed or Aran knitwear. Is VYKO’s strategy strictly brand acquisition, or do you plan to invest vertically in the manufacturing facilities to secure your supply chain?

We absolutely plan to invest vertically and ensure a robust landscape for Irish brands to be able to manufacture in Ireland whenever possible. Quality is a very important trait of true luxury, and you cannot guarantee quality without tight control over your supply chain.

Ireland’s heritage crafts are precious, but they are also vulnerable if the manufacturing infrastructure isn't protected and modernised. By investing directly into vertical manufacturing and facilities, VYKO isn't just securing its own supply chain and ensuring ethical, premium production; we are actively preserving and future-proofing the very craftsmanship that makes these brands valuable in the first place.

Holding companies like LVMH or Kering are designed for long-term ownership. Is the goal for VYKO to remain a permanent home for these brands, or are you building them toward a future IPO or eventual sale to a larger global conglomerate?

Given the natural complexity, long-term brand-building cycles and emotional capital involved in the luxury industry, quick flips simply do not work. Our ultimate vision is for these brands to grow, evolve, and remain with us.

We are building VYKO to be a permanent, nurturing home for Irish luxury. While a future IPO is certainly a milestone that could support our long-term scaling ambitions down the line, our immediate and core focus is sustainable, long-term global growth.

When do you expect to announce the group's first investment?

We have spent months meticulously vetting and analysing hundreds of Irish labels. We are currently on track to officially announce VYKO's first investments before the end of this year. Our initial rollout will feature a curated portfolio of three brands, all within the fashion category, so that we can take advantage of synergies right from the start.

How are you building your team around you to drive VYKO's success?

The luxury business operates on a very specific set of psychological principles, relationship networks and operational standards. As a result, we are focused on securing talent with international experience who understand the nuances of the luxury space.

We are actively bringing together a team of people who have been on the inside of the world's biggest legacy brands, who know how the global giants operate, but who also possess the entrepreneurial vision to see the massive, untapped potential awaiting here in Ireland.

How will your role as the founder of Ireland Fashion Week serve as a strategic incubator for VYKO’s future acquisition pipeline?

Ireland Fashion Week has already proven to be a platform greatly needed in Ireland to nurture and support the broader creative talent - from designers to photographers, videographers, makeup artists, models and beyond. It’s been an incredibly rewarding experience to build out this platform, hiring over 500 people in its first year and bringing learnings from global fashion weeks to ensure Ireland is not left behind.

Beyond being a talent scout, Ireland Fashion Week serves as a vital strategic platform to elevate the entire ecosystem. It generates international noise, attracts global media and changemakers, and aims to put Ireland firmly on the global fashion calendar.

Can you share your long-term plans for Ireland Fashion Week?

In our inaugural year, we were incredibly proud to support 54 designers. For Year 2, we are scaling that impact significantly - growing to support over 90 designers and introducing an innovative, interactive showroom concept which will not just feature fashion but also jewellery, accessories, hats and more.

Ultimately, our grand ambition is for Ireland Fashion Week to evolve into a cultural celebration - a landmark global festival for fashion but also Irish music, art and film. This month, we shot our hero campaign in the West of Ireland, which goes live on September 17. This campaign isn't just about showcasing fashion, but it will serve as a powerful statement of the exact cultural impact we are here to make.

A new Erasmus+-funded initiative, FashionSkills4Better, has been launched to support sustainable fashion education and vocational training across Europe and Latin America. Running for 30 months, the project brings together nine partners from six countries to help develop the skills needed for the fashion industry's green and digital transition.

The programme focuses on sustainability, circular economy practices, digital innovation and regenerative design, while creating new opportunities for students, educators, designers, entrepreneurs and SMEs.

Key activities will include the development of a specialised training programme, the creation of Living Fashion Labs in Latin America, digital learning tools, international workshops and collaborative research projects.

By connecting education with industry needs, FashionSkills4Better aims to prepare future fashion professionals for a more sustainable, circular and socially responsible fashion sector while strengthening cooperation between Europe and Latin America.

Founded in 1846 as a small leather goods workshop in Madrid, Loewe has established itself almost two centuries later as the world's second oldest luxury house still in operation, behind only Hermès. Its longevity is thanks to a constant desire for transformation.

The brand's history is also evoked in the animated short film narrated by Antonio Banderas that accompanies this anniversary. It dates back to the initial workshop where Spanish artisans handcrafted wallets, bags and everyday leather objects. The arrival of a German merchant who acquired the business and gave it his surname—“Loewe”, the German word for “lion”—marked the beginning of a new era. Shortly after, the house became a supplier to the Spanish crown, solidifying its prestige.

Throughout the 20th century, Loewe accompanied the cultural and social changes of its time. Its activities ranged from its connection to the world of cinema and legends linking it to figures like Ernest Hemingway and Ava Gardner, to its expansion into prêt-à-porter in the sixties. In this context, the Amazona bag was born, conceived as a symbol of a new idea of female independence. In 1988, the creation of the Loewe Foundation further strengthened its commitment to art and craftsmanship. This consolidated a vision where time does not move linearly but is constantly reinterpreted.

Today, the brand's historical archive is not seen as a nostalgic repository, but as a living space for research, experimentation, and aesthetic reinvention. Under the creative direction of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Loewe celebrates its 180th anniversary by reaffirming the very tension between heritage and innovation that has defined its evolution.

The commemoration is articulated through a global campaign photographed by American artist Talia Chetrit. It brings together a cast of cultural and creative figures including Julia Garner; Salma Abu Deif; Giselle; Kara Wai; Sissy Spacek; and Kara Walker. The ensemble constructs a choral narrative that connects different generations and disciplines under a single idea: legacy understood as a constantly evolving process.

The campaign is structured around a reinterpretation of the house's archive through some of its most emblematic bags. These range from the Flamenco from the eighties to the Puzzle from 2015, and also include the new Amazona 180, a contemporary reinterpretation of the original 1975 design.

This same approach extends to a capsule collection available from June 3, which translates the campaign's codes to ready-to-wear, accessories and leather goods. The lion motifs—a direct reference to the etymological origin of Loewe—act as a common thread throughout garments, embroideries and charms, reinforcing the symbolic continuity between past and present.

The project is completed by a special edition of Loewe Magazine Issue 11, which expands the cultural dimension of the initiative by positioning the archive as an active space for reinterpretation.

This animated video, narrated by Antonio Banderas himself, traces the 180-year history of Loewe, from its origins in 1845 as a modest leather goods workshop in Madrid to becoming a global benchmark in the luxury sector. The narrative explores how the brand fused Spanish artisanal expertise with the commercial vision of its German founder, achieving key milestones such as becoming a supplier to the royal household and introducing ready-to-wear in the 1960s.

Watch the video below:

Source: Loewe via YouTube.

Madrid – In one of the week's major business stories, Puig held its 2026 Annual General Meeting last Friday, May 29. The meeting proceeded as planned, with shareholders approving every item on the agenda. These items ranged from the approval of the group's financial and non-financial statements for the 2025 financial year to the renewal of its Board of Directors. During the meeting, the company announced the presentation date for its new strategic plan. It also issued a clear warning following the collapse of negotiations with The Estée Lauder: “Puig is not for sale”.

According to Puig's management, a qualified majority of shareholders in the Spanish multinational group approved all proposals presented by the Board of Directors during the Annual General Meeting. The agenda was structured around 13 points for discussion. The agenda began with the review and approval of Puig's annual accounts for the 2025 financial year. The Spanish company concluded the year with sales reaching 5.04 billion euros (a 5.26 percent increase) and profits of 617.10 million euros (a 13.74 percent increase). This solid performance in both revenue and net profit contrasts sharply with the company's negative stock market performance since its IPO. Shares closed last Friday with a cumulative drop of 34.16 percent, falling from their initial public offering price of 24.50 euros to 16.13 euros at the close of trading on Friday, May 29.

Beyond the approval of the agenda items, which was largely a formality given the Puig family's control over 93.21 percent of voting rights, a key moment was the address by Marc Puig, the executive chairman. He spoke to shareholders who attended the meeting exclusively online, with no in-person attendance. Puig used his speech to defend the recent negotiations with Estée Lauder, despite them ending without an agreement. He also reaffirmed the Puig family's commitment to the company and their decision to remain as reference shareholders. Finally, he clarified that the negotiation process with Estée Lauder does not imply that Puig is for sale; in fact, the opposite is true.

“Although these talks did not result in a transaction, they highlighted the strong recognition Puig has achieved in the sector,” stated Marc Puig during his address to the company's shareholders at the meeting. Elaborating on the reasons for the lack of agreement, he added, “the potential combination would have required aligning three key aspects of a possible merger: governance; business leadership; and economic considerations that correctly recognised the company's value and were fair to all stakeholders”.

“In any case, as has been made clear throughout this process, Puig is not for sale,” asserted its executive chairman, a member of the third generation of the founding family leading the Spanish group. “We have always maintained that the family is and will remain a long-term shareholder, and this would have been the case even in the contemplated business combination.” Looking ahead to the company's next chapter, he said, “we have a very exciting long-term project, with very well-positioned brands, a winning team, a very solid balance sheet, and a history of over 110 years that supports us”.

Approval of dividend and renewal of Board of Directors

In addition to the approval of the accounts, financial and non-financial reports, and the authorisation to grant “Class B” shares to executive directors as payment for the variable components of their remuneration, two other key points from Puig's AGM are worth noting. The first, following the agenda's order, concerned the approval and distribution of the dividend. The second related to the renewal of Puig's Board of Directors.

Regarding the first point, in line with the announcement made by Puig's Board of Directors last February during the 2025 results presentation, the AGM has approved a gross dividend of 0.42 euros per share, to be paid from the 2025 profit. This amounts to a total of approximately 617.10 million euros. The board has agreed to allocate 435.54 million euros as available funds, with 198 million euros designated as a voluntary reserve and the remaining 237.47 million euros for this year's dividend payment. This amount aligns with Puig's shareholder remuneration policy of approximately 40 percent of its net profit. The dividend will be paid to shareholders from June 17, with the final date to be eligible for payment being Friday, June 12.

Regarding the renewal of the Board of Directors, the AGM approved the re-election of eight board members: Marc Puig (executive director); Nicolas Mirzayantz (independent director); Daniel Lalonde (independent director); Ángeles García-Poveda Morera (independent director); Jordi Constans Fernández; Ioannis Petrides; Rafael Cerezo Laporta; and Christine Ann Mei (independent director). The appointments of Jose Manuel Albesa as executive director and Julie Van Ongevalle as a new independent director were also approved. Following the resignation of Josep Oliu, it was agreed to set the number of Board of Directors members at 13.

Additionally, among the items discussed at the AGM, the proposals that faced the most opposition from Puig shareholders were the approval of the company's director remuneration policy, with 31.37 million votes against, and the approval of granting Class B shares to executive directors, with 33.65 million votes against. This opposition was notably weak against the majority power held by the Puig family, representing only 1.51 percent and 1.62 percent of the total voting rights, respectively.

Presentation of new strategic plan on October 28

Looking beyond the Annual General Meeting, during which Jose Manuel Albesa made his debut before shareholders as Puig's new chief executive officer, the company reiterated its outlook for 2026. It expects to close the year “growing above the premium beauty market” with a stable adjusted EBITDA margin at the same level as the end of 2025. The company ended 2025 with an adjusted EBITDA of 1.05 billion euros (a 7.8 percent increase) and a margin of 20.7 percent. To reinforce these trends and build further momentum, the company has scheduled the presentation of its new strategic plan for October 28. This will coincide with the eventual celebration of Puig's first “Capital Markets Day”. The event was initially scheduled for April 16 and 17, then moved to April 14, and was ultimately postponed indefinitely following the start of negotiations with Estée Lauder.

“The leadership of this management team gives us the confidence to move further and faster, building Puig with greater scale and agility,” stated Jose Manuel Albesa. He was addressing shareholders about the management changes agreed upon last March, including his own appointment as the new CEO. “Over the last five years, Puig has been the fastest-growing multi-brand premium beauty company in the industry, significantly outperforming the global premium beauty market.” “We are not only growing rapidly, but we are also becoming a more balanced, global, and resilient company.” Building on these strengths after concluding its 2021 to 2025 strategic plan, the company is now preparing for its next phase of growth. To this end, “our teams have worked intensively on defining our new strategic plan,” which “was originally scheduled to be presented during our Capital Markets Day”. He added, “I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their patience and understanding regarding the event's postponement. I am pleased to confirm that our Capital Markets Day will be held on October 28 in Madrid.”

Regarding the new roadmap, Albesa elaborated, “without revealing too many details that we will save for the Capital Markets Day, I can say that the future involves scaling up what is already working. In short, it means consolidating our three-axis brands; strengthening our leadership in the ‘Niche’ segment; continuing to revolutionise ‘Prestige’ perfumery; and, beyond our core business, positioning ‘Derma’ as a new pillar of growth.” This will all be part of a new strategic plan, which will demonstrate that “we have full confidence in our ability to continue creating value while remaining true to what has always made us unique”.

From this same forward-looking perspective, Marc Puig noted during his speech, “what I see today is a company that is stronger than ever. Above all, I see a company with the confidence, ambition, and values needed to build for future generations.” He added, “as executive chairman, my commitment is to help protect this vision and guide Puig in its next stage, so that future generations inherit an even stronger, more admired, and more relevant company than the one we lead today.”

The Textile ETP Annual Assembly brought together over one hundred professionals from the textile industry at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute (AMFI) last week. Researchers, engineers, innovation managers and technology companies attended the event. It was marked by the challenges of an industry seeking to redefine its future amidst regulatory pressure, digitalisation and growing concerns about the sector's competitiveness.

Among the presentations and debates dedicated to the digital transformation of the European textile and apparel industry, one concept emerged as the central theme of the meeting: data. It was present in almost every speech. Data appeared not only as a technological tool but as the sector's new strategic raw material; a common language and the invisible infrastructure upon which a new industrial architecture is being built.

With different nuances, the message was repeated throughout the two-day event: under the idea of share and conquer, sharing to advance. The premise is as simple as it is ambitious. Only an industry capable of exchanging information in a structured way can build a truly competitive and sustainable long-term model.

System built on excess

For Lutz Walter, secretary general of Textile ETP, digitalisation cannot be understood solely as a lever for efficiency. In his view, it represents an opportunity to correct some of the structural inefficiencies of a model that for decades has been producing more than the market can absorb.

Every year, between 150 and 166 billion garments are produced worldwide, equivalent to about 20 pieces per person. However, only 30 to 40 percent are sold at full price. Another 30 percent end up in promotions and discounts, while up to 10 percent never find an end consumer.

The presentation by Ahmed Zaidi of Huubland Technologies offered a complementary perspective. He warned of the risk that the industry is focusing its efforts on optimising a model that is fundamentally broken. “The problem is that we are adding artificial intelligence to broken systems, without changing the system”.

The ultra-fast fashion company Shein is rarely used as an example in the fashion industry. However, in the context of Textile ETP, it appeared on several occasions as a case study for a very specific reason. It exemplifies what happens when a supply chain operates constantly fed by shared information, working on real-time data streams.

Zaidi argued that the competitive advantage of this model lies not only in speed or technology but in the continuous exchange of information between all links in the supply chain. This is something much more complex to replicate in Europe. The result is reduced production times; flexible factories; reactive systems; and immediate access to demand data. This allows for more precise production adjustments and a move towards on-demand models. However, this format has only worked in China; they themselves tried to clone it in Brazil without success.

The main obstacle, however, remains cultural. Many brands continue to view data as an asset to be protected even from their own suppliers. This attitude limits collaboration and hinders the construction of truly agile supply chains.

Data spaces

The key is to share the right information, at the right level of complexity, in a controlled environment.

This was explained by Dena Arabsolgar of Syxis Innovation Hub. She presented European data spaces as an architecture designed to facilitate the secure and governed exchange of information throughout the value chain, without companies losing control over their own data. Each organisation retains its own systems and information bases, while a network of connectors allows everyone to communicate with each other without needing to centralise the data in a single location.

The gap between the discourse on digitalisation and the reality of many factories was made clear in the presentation by Gilberto Loureiro, co-founder of Smartex, based on his experience in Asia. Many processes still rely on manual fabric inspections. “When you visit a textile factory in Asia, where almost 85 percent of the world's textiles are produced, you travel twenty years into the past,” Loureiro summarised.

“Inefficiency has become the norm.” In many factories, data is still recorded with pen and paper. It is difficult to imagine truly agile supply chains or future tools like the digital product passport if the technological reality at the source of the chain is ignored. Looking the other way would be, as Zaidi said, “putting a supersonic AI rocket on a horse-drawn carriage”.

In response, Smartex has developed defect detection systems using cameras installed directly on circular knitting machines. The technology identifies manufacturing errors in real time, automatically stops production and prevents defects from spreading throughout an entire run. Loureiro also presented a QR code technology capable of withstanding industrial dyeing processes, which can facilitate supply chain tracking from the raw material itself. However, the market reception was limited, despite its minimal added cost of just one cent per kilogram. This highlights the ongoing difficulties many innovations face in achieving widespread adoption in the sector.

The technology, therefore, already exists; what is still lacking is the collective will to adopt it. He, like many other speakers, argues that as long as legislation does not drive progress, many of these solutions will continue to lack the necessary attention, even though they already anticipate and shape the future of the industry.

Structural barriers

Lutz Walter's diagnosis identified several persistent obstacles to the sector's digital transformation: a lack of interoperability between systems; the limited capacity of SMEs to invest in digitalisation; the uneven quality of available data; a cultural resistance to making information-based decisions; and a disconnect between European machinery manufacturers and the real needs of production.

To this list, Mario Jorge Machado, president of Euratex, added a decisive factor: structural cost disadvantages that erode European competitiveness. These include higher labour costs; environmental regulatory requirements; and rising energy prices, including the European Emissions Trading System, which adds around 40 euros per tonne of CO₂. A systematically higher cost of capital than in markets like China or the US is also particularly relevant.

“Europe is losing industry at a rate of around -4 percent per year,” warned Machado. “In ten years, we will have -40 percent less industry.” In this context, the Antwerp industrial summit, held two months ago with the president of the European Commission and several heads of state in attendance, was cited as a political turning point. For the first time in decades, industry is once again a priority on the agenda.

Circularity with an incomplete equation

Much of the conference was framed by the weight of incoming European legislation, a cross-cutting theme on the agenda. The sessions on the ESPR, the DPP, the AI Act and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks underlined a shared idea: without structured information management, their effective implementation is impossible.

David Schoenwerth, policy officer at the European Commission's DG CONNECT, outlined Brussels' ambition to position Europe as an “AI continent”. This is supported by a Data Union Strategy designed to address three structural challenges: the scarcity of training data for AI systems; regulatory complexity; and the new geopolitical dynamics around digital sovereignty. Between 2021 and 2024, the Commission channelled 336 million euros into the deployment of data spaces, with an additional 100 million planned for later phases.

However, the contrast between the regulatory architecture and the industry's actual implementation capacity re-emerged in several presentations. Eugenio Alessandro Canepa of the Piacenza Group noted that the European framework still lacks clear operational guidance, particularly regarding responsibility for data capture and management along the value chain. Joffrey Delfgaauw, head of innovation at O’Neill Europe, summed it up pragmatically: “We talk about getting the data, but sometimes it simply doesn't exist.” In parallel, companies like Schijvens, represented by its CEO Jaap Rijnsdorp, are already developing internal traceability systems to bring production and the end-user closer together.

Workforce of the future

The gap is not only technological but also generational. Anne Schwarz-Pfeiffer, a researcher in smart textiles, pointed out that traditional academic cycles are too slow for an industry where knowledge in digitalisation and artificial intelligence is updated in just two or three years. “The problem is no longer what we teach, but how quickly we are able to adapt it”.

From the Fashion and Textile Innovation Lab+ at HOGENT University, Aleksandra Delac presented the Skills for Circularity project. This is a consortium of 23 partners in 12 countries that analysed over 300 job offers, nearly 200 company surveys and multiple industry interviews. The study points to a growing demand for hybrid profiles capable of combining textile knowledge with skills in data, sustainability and regulation. The biggest gap identified by companies is not technical but interpretative: translating regulatory complexity into real operational processes. The first edition of the training programme has already been launched and has a waiting list.

Decisive decade

Walter closed the conference with four possible scenarios for the European textile industry in 2035, built around two variables: where value is generated and where production is concentrated. The most favourable scenario, the “Digital Renaissance,” envisions a specialised, competitive European industry supported by highly digitalised regional value chains. A second model, the “European Mediterranean Digital Belt,” proposes production distributed between Europe and neighbouring countries, connected by shared information infrastructures.

The other two scenarios describe less optimistic trajectories: a progressive outsourcing of manufacturing to Asia or, at the extreme, a structural loss of industrial and technological capacity on the continent.

“The future is not written,” Walter recalled. “But the decisions are being made now, and they will define the next decade.” This idea summarises the spirit of the meeting: digital transformation is no longer seen as an isolated technological project, but as the factor that will determine industrial survival, investment attraction and regulatory adaptability.

The next Textile ETP annual conference will be held in France, maintaining the itinerant format that each year moves the debate to a different industrial ecosystem to connect with local players.

Paris - Amazon plans to invest more than 15 billion euros (17.49 billion dollars) in France over three years. The company announced on Monday "three new logistics sites" intended to create 1,000 permanent jobs. These will be in addition to the more than 7,000 already promised by the company in early May.

"Amazon is strengthening its presence (...) (in France) with three new logistics sites in Pays de la Loire, Ile-de-France and Nouvelle-Aquitaine," the e-commerce giant announced in a statement during the annual Choose France summit, organised by the Elysée Palace to attract foreign investment.

When contacted by AFP, Amazon specified that this would include one distribution centre and two delivery depots.

"These new investments reflect our confidence in the economic potential of the regions," said Jean-Baptiste Thomas, general manager of Amazon in France, as quoted in the statement.

"With the distribution centre planned for late 2027 in Ensisheim, Alsace, these four sites represent more than 400 million euros in investment and more than 3,000 permanent jobs," the company stated in its press release. These sites are part of the investment plan announced by Amazon in early May. This is its largest investment in France to date, totalling more than 15 billion euros by 2028. The company added that this will bring "the number of jobs created by the company to more than 8,000."

These job creations "will begin from 2026, with the upcoming opening of three distribution centres" in Illiers-Combray (Eure-et-Loir), Beauvais (Oise) and Colombier-Saugnieu (Rhône), the logistics company highlighted in early May.

The plan also includes developing cloud and artificial intelligence capabilities and consolidating the existing network. "Between 2019 and 2025, we opened two warehouses. In 2026, we are opening three, then two next year," summarised Thomas, general manager of Amazon in France, in an interview with Ouest-France on Monday.

Founded in 1994, the US giant established its presence in France in 2000. It was the third country it launched in outside the US, following Germany and the UK.

Facing competition from Asian platforms in recent years, the group claims to have invested "more than 30 billion euros in the French economy" since 2010. It also claims to have "more than 25,000 permanent employees spread across more than 35 sites."

Madrid – Clearing up any lingering doubts about the strategic nature of the collaboration between Inditex and Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny, Marta Ortega was spotted among the 'VIP' guests at the artist's first concert in Madrid this Saturday, May 30. The partnership is an attempt to reactivate the flagging growth of Zara, its main fashion chain. Ortega is the non-executive chairwoman of the Spanish fashion multinational. Her presence, which did not go unnoticed, came just four days before the company is due to present its first results for the 2026 financial year.

As FashionUnited highlighted just under a week ago, one of the most interesting questions at the start of this financial year is the extent to which the Spanish company is succeeding in reviving Zara's growth. The company's main fashion chain is using high-profile activations with both short and medium-to-long term goals, through its partnerships with Bad Bunny and designer John Galliano, respectively. It is hoped that the first quarter 2026 turnover figures, which the company will present this Wednesday, June 3, will shed some light on this issue. However, more detail is expected from Inditex's first-half accounts, scheduled for release on September 9.

In this context, and following various activations with the Puerto Rican singer at the start of the year, Saturday saw the first of ten Bad Bunny concerts in Madrid. Zara dressed him for his highly publicised performance on February 8 during the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show; for his attendance at the Met Gala on May 4; and launched a first collaborative capsule collection with him at the end of last month. The concerts in the Spanish capital will run from May 30 to June 15. All performances will take place at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium, following shows in Barcelona on May 22 and 23, as part of his 'Debí tirar más fotos World Tour'. There was already great anticipation about which well-known figures the Puerto Rican singer would invite to enjoy his concerts from 'La Casita'. This is a second stage that recreates a typical Puerto Rican house. From there, as seen during the Super Bowl show, the singer performs each concert surrounded by 'VIP' guests. These guests include both famous faces and anonymous members of the public chosen by Bad Bunny's team. This mix of profiles is both poetic and inspiring, prompting reflection on the nature of social relevance, who is considered important, and who makes that distinction. To some surprise, Marta Ortega, daughter of Amancio Ortega and chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Inditex, was among them.

'Hidden' asset for Inditex and Zara?

Even with the clear collaborative relationship between Bad Bunny, Zara, and Inditex since the beginning of the year, it was certainly striking to see the chairwoman of the Spanish fashion multinational on stage at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. As non-executive chairwoman and ultimately head of its Board of Directors, she was one of the well-known guests at the singer's first 'casita' in Madrid. This presence contrasts sharply with the expected behaviour of a chairman of a major Ibex 35 listed company. Such profiles are typically more inclined to shield themselves from the risks of excessive public exposure, which can place too much focus on their personal lives.

Aware of these dangers, we can clearly see an evolution in how Marta Ortega has managed her public image in recent years. This has been particularly evident since her appointment as non-executive chairwoman of Inditex, a position she has held since April 1, 2022. Before this date, Amancio Ortega's youngest daughter had maintained a relatively low profile. A notable exception was her wedding to Carlos Torretta, for which she wore a Valentino Haute Couture gown designed exclusively for her by Pier Paolo Piccioli. In parallel with her appointment, she began to strengthen her public image by organising a retrospective of Peter Lindbergh's work in A Coruña in February 2022. This exhibition laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Marta Ortega Pérez Foundation (MOP Foundation), which has since grown its influence as a cultural driver in the city of A Coruña.

The creation of this foundation and the implementation of its various cultural programmes were in line with what would be expected from the chairwoman of a fashion multinational like Inditex. At the same time, however, Marta Ortega seems to have become an additional asset for the company. This began to be highlighted with her attendance as a guest at the high-profile Dior show in Seville in June 2022. The then non-executive chairwoman of Inditex attended the presentation wearing an original and exclusive creation made for her by the Zara team. Just over a month later, this design was presented as a key piece in the fashion chain's new 'Atelier' collection line. Following a controversy, the line was discontinued after the capsule launched in December 2023. This left a void that the chain has since filled with its 'Into the Process' line, introduced in September 2024.

Alongside Ester Expósito and Chiara Ferragni, dressed in 'Benito Antonio x Zara'

Marta Ortega seems to be consolidating her role as a 'hidden' asset for Inditex and Zara. This approach starkly contrasts with the discreet anonymity her father, Amancio Ortega, has maintained throughout his career. One of the clearest moments of the new public relevance being acquired by the chairwoman of the Spanish fashion giant was her debut as a guest at the last Met Gala. She attended the premier fashion event of the year with her husband, wearing a creation designed exclusively for her by John Galliano. As we noted, Bad Bunny attended the same event in a total look by Zara, and American singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks wore the first design by John Galliano for Zara. In any case, Ortega's presence was particularly noteworthy. Just as at the Dior show in Seville, her attendance once again blurred the lines between her private life, her representative duties for Inditex, and commercial activation.

If her grand public debut among fashion's elite was already a topic of discussion, we now have this public overexposure less than a month later. Marta Ortega starred as one of the guests at Bad Bunny's 'La Casita' during his debut concert in Madrid this past Saturday, May 30. During the concert, the chairwoman of Inditex's board was seen dancing closely with the Puerto Rican singer. They were on a stage that also hosted other well-known Spanish and international social and artistic figures, such as actresses Ester Expósito and María León, and Italian influencer and former Tod's board member, Chiara Ferragni. From this stage, Ortega once again blurred the boundaries between her private life and her public profile as chairwoman of Inditex.

This was once again highlighted, of course, through fashion. Specifically, it was evident in the outfit that the daughter of Amancio Ortega and Flora Pérez wore to the concert. It consisted, as one might expect, of a total look from the capsule collection created with the Puerto Rican singer. From the 'Benito Antonio x Zara' collection, the Inditex chairwoman wore fluid sea green trousers (49.95 euros) and a multicoloured 'slim cropped' T-shirt. The T-shirt featured a sea blue body, dusty red sleeves, and a round neck with grass green ribbed trim (25.95 euros).

Parisian fashion label Casablanca has unveiled a collaborative ready-to-wear and pastry collection with French luxury patisserie house Ladurée, designed as a “journey between taste and style”.

Launching on June 3, the Ladurée x Casablanca features limited-edition pomelo-mint macarons and gift boxes, which will be available until September 1, alongside a capsule of ready-to-wear and accessories, including shirts, T-shirts, jumpers, a silk scarf, sweatshirt, shorts, a cap and tote bag.

Charaf Tajer, founder and creative director of Casablanca, said in a statement: “As someone who grew up in Paris, Ladurée has always felt like a true institution to me – an iconic establishment tied to so many memories of celebration, from gifting cakes as a ritual to breakfasts with loved ones.

“As kids, it almost felt untouchable. There’s a natural synergy between our two worlds: a shared attention to detail, a classic yet colourful palette, and above all, an appreciation for beauty and joy. It’s a real honour to collaborate with them.”

At the heart of the collaboration is a “shared passion for travel,” explains both brands, with the creative centred around an artwork painted exclusively for the collaboration, an idealistic scene of a dreamlike chateau nested within an opulent French garden, framed by tennis courts and palm trees, under the blanket of a pastel sunset sky.

This central motif and the signature co-branding flow through the entire collection, from the bespoke packaging design housing macarons through to the ready-to-wear and accessories, embroidered across crochet bags and intricately placed onto silk shirts.

For the sweet treats, Ladurée’s executive chef of pastry, Julien Alvarez, has developed a distinctive new flavour, pomelo and mint, described as being “fresh and luminous,” while evoking “the lightness of summer, balancing vibrancy, bitterness and softness”.

Alvarez added: “Following a trip to Japan, Charaf shared his inspiration for the pairing of pomelo and mint. We then approached it as a subtle balance between freshness, bitterness and sweetness, creating a bright and distinctive signature perfectly suited to summer.”

Pastries start at 2.85 pounds for a single macaron filled with pomelo-mint fruit paste, while a limited-edition Ladurée x Casablanca gift box will retail for 44 pounds at Ladurée stores worldwide.

The apparel and accessories will range from 160 pounds for a silk scarf to 770 pounds for the long-sleeved silk satin shirt. The collection will be sold on Casablanca’s website, at its flagships in Paris and Los Angeles, as well as select retailers around the world.

Exactly one hundred years ago, on June 1, 1926, Norma Jeane Mortenson was born in Los Angeles. She chose the name under which she would live on as a sex symbol, model, actress and singer herself on her thirtieth birthday. Marilyn Monroe christened herself an icon, but for her wardrobe, she needed William Travilla. What was the costume designer's contribution to the Monroe 'brand'?

Natural talent

William Travilla (1920–1990) grew up in Los Angeles, just like Monroe, only without the orphanages and foster homes. "Billy" showed so much talent at the age of eight that he was admitted to the prestigious private Chouinard School of Art. As a teenager, he earned extra money by selling sketches of showgirls in burlesque clubs for three dollars each. Their bodies, and how they moved, fascinated him.

After a period of study and extensive travel, he would surrender to his talent. In 1949, he won his only Oscar for Best Costume Design. Together with two colleagues, he provided the historical menswear for the Spanish romance The Adventures of Don Juan.

Yet his true calling lay in sculpting the female figure, preferably with theatrical costumes. By dressing actresses like Sonja Henie, Ann Sheridan and Jean Peters, his name circulated through the hills of Beverly Hills. From then on, he was simply 'Travilla'. Monroe became his most important muse.

Travilla loved the glamour in the clothes themselves but was less fond of the scene. He was also a hands-on person. As a student, he helped his father with jobs at his car tyre company. He preferred to escape the Hollywood environment, sometimes for months, to take refuge in an unfamiliar culture, such as a tribe in Africa or South America. This down-to-earth nature is reflected in the solid construction of his costumes.

In 1957, Travilla left the film studios behind to establish his own fashion house, again named 'Travilla'. In the late seventies, he moved into television during the heyday of American drama series. After his death in 1990, business partners kept the now-popular clothing line active. The brand was sold in luxury department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue until 2002.

Travilla meets Monroe

In 1950, when Monroe was still a relatively unknown actress, she borrowed Travilla's fitting room. He was under contract with Twentieth Century Fox at the time. One of the most fruitful creative alliances in Hollywood grew from that fleeting encounter. Monroe became a good friend, and even briefly, a lover. She would send him a nude calendar, signed with the words: "Billy, dear, please dress me forever. I love you, Marilyn."

Eight films

Monroe and Travilla subsequently collaborated on eight feature films: Don't Bother to Knock (1952, black cocktail dress); Monkey Business (1952, silk midi dress); Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953, the iconic gold halter dress and pink satin gown); How to Marry a Millionaire (1953, lace and satin evening gowns); River of No Return (1954, red showgirl dress); There's No Business Like Show Business (1954, transparent and champagne-coloured dresses); The Seven Year Itch (1955, the world-famous white pleated 'subway dress'); and Bus Stop (1956, green-and-black showgirl bustier dress).

Beneath seemingly simple clothes, Travilla built structures with corsets, boning, padding and metal wire to emphasise Monroe's hourglass figure. In doing so, he avoided explicit nudity, as it removes the tension. He found illusion more powerful. He was right about that.

Monroe was not superficial on the inside either. The roles as a blonde, or a doll, were mostly imposed on her by Twentieth Century Fox. Even her sultry voice was an affectation, a technique to mask her stutter. Travilla knew the thoughtful woman behind the public bombshell persona. With his considered, suggestive designs, he made a silent contribution to her star status.

Dresses that made history

Travilla's most famous creation is the white 'subway dress' from the famous night scene in The Seven Year Itch, which blows up over a grate, immortalising Monroe's public image. For the fabric, he chose ivory-white cellulose acetate crepe. He preferred natural fabrics like silk, but a synthetic component was necessary to achieve the sunburst pleat structure. To accomplish this feat, Travilla did not rely on local seamstresses but sent the fabric to the Antonini sisters in Rome. They applied the pleats by hand. The dress was auctioned in 2011 for 4.6 million dollars.

Two years earlier, Travilla had already shown how well he worked under pressure with the pink evening gown in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). For the number 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend', he had originally designed a barely-there fishnet bodysuit. The studio head thought it was an excellent idea until Monroe's nude photos surfaced, with all the ensuing consequences. He was given 48 hours to create a more modest alternative. Travilla sewed a strapless 'shocking pink' silk dress in record time, reinforced on the inside with felt. The large bow on the back is not simply pinned on but is attached to the top of the bodice with an intricate pleat.

Copenhagen-based accessory brand, Lié Studio, known for its minimalist, timeless jewellery, hair accessories, and leather goods, is expanding into eyewear with the launch of its debut sunglasses collection this month.

Founded in late 2021 by Danish twin sisters and fashion models Amalie and Cecilie Moosgaard, the brand is adding eyewear for the first time with its pre-fall 2026 collection, introducing frames that reference “classic eyewear codes with a contemporary sensibility”.

Launching on June 1, the collection will feature three styles, the ‘Lee,’ ‘Matteo,’ and ‘Robyn,’ which have been designed to offer “confidence, elegance, and everyday wearability,” with silhouettes including a softly rounded and oversized shape, a classic square frame, and a subtle cat-eye form.

The frames have been designed to offer “thoughtful proportions” for a flattering fit, with sculpted lines and sleek temples to “add character without being overpowering,” as well as to be worn season after season.

The collection has been crafted in Italy from premium Mazzucchelli acetate and finished with lenses offering 100 percent UVA and UVB protection, with each style available in a range of colourways, including black, light and dark tortoise, and burgundy.

The sunglasses are priced at 220 pounds/euros / 270 US dollars, and will be available in-store, on lie-studio.com, and at select retailers globally.

British heritage brand Hunter, known for its wellington boots and signature ‘Hunter Green’ colour, has partnered with colour-centric British home décor brand Lick to launch a limited-edition paint shade, ‘Green 170’.

The collaborative paint shade has been created to celebrate Hunter’s 170-year legacy with a contemporary interpretation of the footwear brand’s heritage shade, which Lick describes as “an elevated, design-forward green that balances nostalgia with modernity”.

Hunter said the collaboration combines its “instantly recognisable green with Lick’s contemporary approach to colour,” with a paint hue crafted in a soft-sheen, high-quality eggshell finish, designed to “subtly mirror the signature sheen of Hunter’s Original Tall Boot”.

The ‘Green 170’ paint colour, infused with rich blue and black undertones, aims to be both “grounding and elegant,” as well as “calming yet quietly uplifting,” explains Lick, and reflects its belief that “colour carries emotional meaning, connecting us to places, memories and moments”.

Lick have also ensured that the paint shade takes in Hunter’s outdoor practicality in mind, combining the colour with a hard-wearing, scrub and stain-resistant formula “made to be lived in, much like the Original Tall Boot”.

Since becoming part of Authentic Brands Group’s portfolio in 2023, Hunter has been expanding its fashion and lifestyle reach through collaborations, including combining its outdoor functionality with the whimsical femininity of womenswear brand LoveShackFancy on a footwear collection and a Western-inspired streetwear collaboration with British luxury brand Represent.

Tash Bradley, director of interior design at Lick, said in a statement: “Rooted in Hunter’s outdoor heritage, the shade naturally lends itself to the spaces where everyday life begins and ends. Hallways and boot rooms, where muddy boots are kicked off after countryside walks or rainy city days, feel like a natural home for ‘Green 170’.

“Yet the versatility of this shade extends far beyond practical spaces. Its rich depth and balancing undertones make it equally at home in living rooms, dining spaces or bedrooms, creating interiors that feel grounded, welcoming and quietly sophisticated.”

US footwear group Genesco reported a 3 percent increase in net sales for the first quarter of fiscal 2027, reaching 487 million dollars compared to 474 million dollars in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.

The revenue increase was driven by a 2 percent rise in comparable sales, including a 3 percent gain in same store sales, which helped offset the impact of net store closures. Performance across the brand portfolio was mixed, led by a 6 percent increase at Johnston & Murphy, a 5 percent gain at Journeys and a 4 percent increase at Genesco Brands. Conversely, sales at Schuh declined by 5 percent, or 9 percent on a constant currency basis.

Gross margin for the quarter improved by 30 basis points to 47 percent of sales, up from 46.7 percent in the previous year.

Outlook raised following positive start

The group recorded a GAAP operating loss of 15.4 million dollars, narrowing from a loss of 28.1 million dollars in the same period last year. Adjusted operating loss was 23.9 million dollars compared to 27.9 million dollars in fiscal 2026, representing an adjusted operating margin loss of 4.9 percent of sales. GAAP loss from continuing operations was 14.8 million dollars, while adjusted loss from continuing operations stood at 22.7 million dollars, or 2.18 dollars per share.

During the quarter, the company opened two stores and closed 30 locations, ending the period with 1,208 stores. Genesco did not repurchase shares during the quarter and retains 29.8 million dollars under its authorized repurchase programme.

Following the first quarter performance, Genesco board chair, president and chief executive officer Mimi Vaughn expressed confidence in the company's strategic initiatives. Based on the results, the group raised its full-year adjusted diluted earnings per share outlook to a range of 2 dollars to 2.40 dollars, up from the previous guidance of 1.90 dollars to 2.30 dollars. Total sales for the full year are still expected to be down 1 percent to flat, while YoY comparable sales are projected to increase between 1 percent and 2 percent.