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COMMENT: Dress Barn tries Tween Brands on for size

03/07/2009
While many specialty retailers have recently been shedding concepts, Dress Barn seems to think there's something to be gained from adding struggling fashion chain Tween Brands to its portfolio. Leonie Barrie looks at the detail of last week's merger deal - and asks what's really in it for the two companies?

GERMANY: New dates announced for next IMB Forum

03/07/2009
The dates of next year's IMB Forum - the specialist IT event for the apparel and textile industry - have been moved from May to November 2010.

HONDURAS: Growing calls for trade sanctions following coup

03/07/2009
There are growing calls for global sanctions to be imposed on Honduras unless democracy is restored following the military coup which has ousted Honduran President Manuel Zelaya.

INDIA: Higher costs push S Kumars to FY profit drop

03/07/2009
Indian fabric and apparel maker S Kumars Nationwide Ltd, one half of an investment group that has successfully bid for bankrupt US suit maker Hartmarx Corporation, has posted a 5.1% drop in full-year profit as soaring sales failed to offset higher costs.

ITALY: Prada negotiates loan extension - report

03/07/2009
Italian fashion firm Prada has won a two-year extension to loans taken out with its main creditor, reports local media.

ITALY: Valentino silent on lender talks

03/07/2009
Valentino Fashion Group is not commenting on reports it is under pressure from lenders to renegotiate its debt arrangements.

RUSSIA: Fashion market eyeing growth despite tough 2009

03/07/2009
The fashion and footwear market in Russia is forecast to fall by around 5% this year as clothing sales slump amid the financial crisis.

SOUTH AFRICA: Union praises move to hike apparel import tariffs

03/07/2009
Proposals to raise import tariffs on more than 35 different garment types imported into South Africa have been praised by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).

THAILAND: Workers union appeals to Triumph plant - report

03/07/2009
Reports in Thailand say that workers who have lost their jobs at Body Fashion Thailand - due to restructuring at lingerie maker Triumph International - are asking for higher compensation through their unions.

Top stories on just-style this week...

03/07/2009
Here is a roundup of the top five most-read stories on just-style this week. Click on each headline for the full story.

UK: New Look enlists public for brand launch

03/07/2009
Fashion retailer New Look is enlisting the help of the Great British public to promote its new, pop star-inspired clothing brand, Idol London.

US: Beyoncé linked to new fashion label

03/07/2009
Pop star Beyoncé is reportedly bringing out a new fashion label named after her latest album I Am ... Sasha Fierce.

US: CEO set to acquire Hirsch International

03/07/2009
The CEO of embroidery equipment supplier Hirsch International is poised to acquire the company after making an improved offer to the board.

US: Ex-CEO Ron Snyder steps down from Crocs board

03/07/2009
Ron Snyder has resigned as a member of the board of directors of Crocs Inc, the plastic clog maker said yesterday (2 July).

US: Polo Ralph Lauren adds new director

03/07/2009
Carlson Companies president and CEO Hubert Joly has joined the board of directors at apparel company Polo Ralph Lauren, the company has announced.

US: The Talbots completes J Jill sale

03/07/2009
Women's wear retailer The Talbots has completed the sale of its J Jill brand to private equity group Golden Gate Capital for US$75m, less an $8.1m adjustment on closing.

CHINA: STR doubles testing capacity at new laboratory

02/07/2009
Testing and inspection firm Specialized Technology Resources (STR) has nearly doubled the size of its quality assurance laboratories in China to meet growing demand for its services in the Asia Pacific region.

GERMANY: Adessa rescued by former owner

02/07/2009
German insolvency specialist Rolf-Dieter Moenning has announced the rescue of fashion firm Adessa Moden from bankruptcy.

INDIA: Arvind ends Hartmarx tie-up

02/07/2009
Textile producer Arvind has ended its association with US suit maker Hartmarx following the company's bankruptcy and subsequent acquisition.

ISRAEL: OptiTex develops in-house fabric testing tool

02/07/2009
OptiTex is launching a new device that enables companies to test fabrics in-house without having to use a costly, time-consuming external service.

JAPAN: Uniqlo June like-for-likes up 6.4%

02/07/2009
Aggressive sales and marketing activities helped cut-price apparel retailer Uniqlo to boost its same store sales in Japan by 6.4% in June, the company announced.

SRI LANKA: Post-war garment makers head east

02/07/2009
Sri Lanka is encouraging garment manufacturers to set up operations in the country's eastern district, now that its long-lasting civil conflicts with the Tamil Tigers have halted.

US: Cargill buys back Teijin's NatureWorks fibre stake

02/07/2009
US-based Cargill is taking over full ownership of NatureWorks LLC, which makes fibres from renewable sources such as corn, from Japanese synthetic fibre and chemicals group Teijin Limited.

US: Global sports markets flatten amid recession - research

02/07/2009
Worldwide sales of sports equipment, apparel, and footwear sales remained flat at US$284bn in 2008 - but in what is seen as good news for the industry, sales of 'sport use' apparel and footwear products are on the rise.

US: Nike launches Transformers footwear

02/07/2009
The Transformers film sequel is the inspiration behind a new collection of three performance basketball shoes launched by sportswear giant Nike.

US: Polo Ralph Lauren signs new Olympics deal

02/07/2009
Apparel company Polo Ralph Lauren is to continue its association with the US Olympic and Paralympic teams, supplying outfits for the 2010 and 2012 games.

US: RFID in action at American Apparel

02/07/2009
Apparel and retail executives who are interested in RFID now have the chance to see how American Apparel is using the technology to overcome inventory accuracy and replenishment challenges at selected retail stores.

US: Textile, apparel manufacturing falls in June

02/07/2009
Even though the contraction of the US manufacturing sector was less than expected in June, just-published figures show apparel and textile mills are among those sectors where output continues to fall.

VIETNAM: Material centre closes after brief trial

02/07/2009
Vietnam's Lien Anh Company has had to close its Material Center for Textile, Garment and Footwear just one month into operations, as the country's manufacturers continue to favour imports to make garments.

ARGENTINA: C&A quits country, closes 20 stores

01/07/2009
Fashion retailer C&A is pulling out of Argentina, closing all 20 stores and cutting more than 1,000 jobs around the country.

AUSTRALIA: Billabong picks NGC PLM solution

01/07/2009
Surfwear company Billabong has chosen NGC (New Generation Computing) to provide software solutions for its PLM and global sourcing activities.

GERMANY: Tüv Süd expanding into North America

01/07/2009
Tüv Süd is expanding its clothing and footwear testing, inspection and certification activities into North America.

INDIA: Pantaloon ends Planet Retail joint venture

01/07/2009
Pantaloon Retail India, the country's largest retailer, is to exit from Planet Retail Holdings, its joint venture with Magnus Fashion Trade.

UK: just-style launches job and recruitment service

01/07/2009
Following significant investment, just-style.com, the world's leading online information resource for the global apparel and footwear industries, has announced the relaunch of its job and recruitment service.

UK: M&S sees 1.7% UK sales boost in Q1

01/07/2009
UK retail giant Marks and Spencer saw clothing sales rise 1.4% in the first quarter, contributing towards an overall 1.7% UK sales climb, the company reported today (1 July).

US: American Apparel in illegal worker probe

01/07/2009
Nearly 2,000 American Apparel employees in Los Angeles are working illegally and face dismissal following an investigation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

US: NFL confirms licensing court hearing

01/07/2009
The US National Football League (NFL) has confirmed that its exclusive licensing deal with sporting goods firm Reebok for all 32 of its teams faces a Supreme Court challenge.

US: Simparel appoints new director of implementations

01/07/2009
New York-based ERP solutions provider Simparel has announced the appointment of Linda Hemphill as the company's director of implementations.

ANALYSIS: New US trade bills unlikely to help apparel firms

30/06/2009
Two new textile trade bills currently making their way through the US legislature claim to promote economic and political stability in some of the world's poorest countries. But Mike Flanagan believes they are both deeply unrealistic, and that their impact on apparel makers, importers and retailers could be damaging too.

AUSTRALIA: Rip Curl appoints new group CEO

30/06/2009
Surf, ski and mountain wear firm Rip Curl International has announced the appointment of Olivier Cantet as its new group chief executive officer, effective tomorrow (1 July).

BANGLADESH: Factories torched in garment worker riots

30/06/2009
Rioting garment workers have set factories and warehouses on fire amid continuing unrest on the outskirts of Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.

HONDURAS: No impact from coup, says Gildan

30/06/2009
The military coup in Honduras has had "no impact" on the operations of apparel group Gildan Activewear, the company says.

INDIA: Bombay Rayon Fashion posts INR1.37bn FY profit

30/06/2009
Fabric and apparel maker Bombay Rayon Fashion Ltd has posted a full-year consolidated net profit of INR1.37bn (US$28.6m).

JAPAN: Burberry franchisees target 50 openings by 2015

30/06/2009
The two Japanese corporations who hold the Burberry franchise in Japan under the name Burberry International say they are set to open 50 more Burberry shops by 2015.

JAPAN: Unitika develops new sportswear fibre

30/06/2009
Japan's Unitika Textiles says it is readying a new line of sportswear made from "Thermotron" - which retains heat.

SOUTH AFRICA: Industry calls for hike in apparel import tariffs

30/06/2009
The union representing South Africa's clothing, textile and leather industry has lodged a request with the government to raise import tariffs on more than 35 different garment types.

US: Hartmarx execs leave after takeover

30/06/2009
Three leading executives have departed suit maker Hartmarx following the bankrupt company's takeover by London-based Emerisque Brands.

US: Levi's rolls out 'Go Forth' ad campaign

30/06/2009
Denim brand Levi's is launching a new advertising campaign called 'Go Forth' in North America.

US: Pumpkin Patch to shutter 20 stores

30/06/2009
Children's wear retailer Pumpkin Patch is to close more than half of its stores in the US as the New Zealand-based company reins in its international expansion.

US: Reebok's NFL license case reaches court - reports

30/06/2009
Adidas Group-owned sporting goods brand Reebok is facing a US Supreme Court over its exclusive license with the the National Football League (NFL), according to media reports.

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