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The True Cost of Fashion? Armani Faces Labor Exploitation Probe Luxury fashion house Armani faces controversy as a court in Milan placed a one-year administration order on Giorgio Armani Operations, a subsidiary accused of using subcontractors who exploited workers. Investigators found workers making Armani products for a fraction of the retail price, reportedly working long hours for meager wages. The company maintains it has measures in place to prevent such abuses, but this case adds to a growing concern about labor conditions in the luxury fashion industry. This news comes after another Italian fashion company, Alviero Martini, faced similar investigations. Italy is a major producer of luxury goods, but it seems ethical production practices may not be keeping pace with its fashion reputation. #FashionEthics #LaborExploitation #LuxuryFashion #SustainableFashion #SupplyChainTransparency #CorporateSocialResponsibility #italy

Reflecting on recent news about Bodyshop, it's fascinating to see how brands that once held a special place in our hearts can lose their resonance over time. I fondly recall the cult-favorite body butter products and their pioneering vegan philosophy. Despite these elements remaining important to customers, it appears that Bodyshop struggled to maintain its connection as a brand. It's perplexing to encounter managers who cling to outdated strategies, believing that what worked decades ago should still suffice today. In today's dynamic market, understanding user preferences and connecting with younger audiences are vital for staying relevant and thriving. Let's embrace change and adaptability to ensure our brands continue to resonate with consumers. Don't stay BEHIND! #adaptorperish #brandevolution #stayrelevant #skincare #marketinsights

Just returned from an incredible solo business trip to Germany, marking a significant milestone for both me and Advance Apparel. 🌍✈️ This was my first solo journey, and it was truly exciting to immerse myself in a new culture and connect with people in a different market. The experience reinforced the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones and embracing the opportunities that new environments present. Germany, with its rich history and vibrant economy, offers immense potential—especially in the souvenir market. As Advance Apparel looks to explore and expand into new territories, we're thrilled about the possibilities that lie ahead. Our vision for 2025 is ambitious, and Germany will play a key role in that growth. The value of face-to-face interactions with clients cannot be overstated. The depth of understanding, the trust built, and the progress made during in-person meetings simply can't be replicated virtually. This trip has reaffirmed how essential it is to engage directly with our partners and clients, laying the foundation for future success. Advance Apparel is on the rise, and we're always looking for new opportunities to collaborate. If you think there's something we can achieve together, let's connect! 🚀 #BusinessGrowth #GlobalExpansion #AdvanceApparel #Networking #NewMarkets #Souvenirs #Manufacturing #Merchandise

Re-Restructuring - Can there be a new Esprit? When William Pak arrived as CEO, it was pretty clear from the outset that the top manager pins his hopes on Esprit’s return to the USA where the clothing company was founded by Douglas Tomkins at the end of the 60s. The big question is: What’s Pak’s plan for the core market, Europe and especially Germany where Esprit has been suffering for a while? Well, now we know that he’s going to cut costs and shrink the operation. Several European and German subsidiaries have filed for Chapter 11. It’s the second time, since Esprit already did it in 2020. Why again? “2020 would have been the best moment to make all these changes, but for some reason they were only made superficially and not deeply enough”, says William in an interview with my colleague Sarah Speicher-Utsch. Check it out on TextilWirtschaft! #apparel #clothing #einzelhandel #mode #fashion #branding #marketing #restructuring #ecommerce #stores

How well do you know your supply chain? 🤨 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 In April, a court in Milan, Italy placed an Armani-owned entity in a one year receivership for failure to ensure basic standards within its supply chain. In this case, Giorgio Armani Operation — the production arm of the Giorgio Armani Group — hired two different factories, which then, in turn, hired another four subcontracted Chinese factories. At these subcontracted factories, workers were found to be paid about US $3.25 per hour for their labor. This is not a living wage. 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 Especially in countries like Italy, where there is a push to keep historical leather goods manufacturing jobs within the country, you can no longer pass blame to your first tier factories. You will be held accountable for any subcontractors obtained down the chain. The time has come to start getting your arms around the players in your supply chain. We can help. #henriespllc #wecanhelp #SOSKits #lawfirm #fashionlaw #corporatelaw #law #attorney #legalsupport

Interview GWM Germany CCO , Steffen Cost: “I firmly believe in the classic dealer network” January 16, 2024 Interview was conducted by Andreas Wehner,Kfz-Betrieb One year after the European market launch, the Chinese manufacturer Great Wall changed its brand strategy and nomenclature and adapted the sales concept in the important German market. Chief Commercial Officer Steffen Cost explains the background. You have been on the market in Europe for about a year. How do you assess Great Wall Motor's European market launch? We are satisfied. As of November 2023, we have sold around 6,000 cars. That's okay. That's not a huge volume, but so far we're only active in a limited number of markets, namely Germany, Ireland, Great Britain, Sweden and Israel. What's more important than sales figures: In the countries where we sell cars, we have found companies as partners that are key players in their business - like the Emil Frey Group in Germany. The fact that these partners trust us as manufacturers shows that we are on the right path. This is how we measure success. You started with Ora and Wey as separate brands. After less than a year, you changed your brand strategy and appeared as GWM. Wey and Ora have become product lines. What are the backgrounds? When Great Wall began preparing for the European market launch, the conditions were completely different: there were too few cars on the market, especially electrically powered ones. And there were hardly any Chinese brands active in Europe. Things have now completely turned around. The focus on GWM allows us to focus all our efforts and all our resources on this one brand. That makes us stronger. And this also has advantages for our partners. For example in retail: you only need one showroom in just one CI. This also makes the business case more attractive. At the moment, however, not all existing Ora dealers will also be selling GWM Wey vehicles in the future... That's right. This also makes sense in the development phase. In the future, we want all dealers to offer all models. Most Chinese manufacturers have a whole range of brands. This is initially confusing for the customer. Did such considerations also play a role? You first have to understand the Chinese approach. The brands there are developed according to segments, while European manufacturers want to operate as full-range retailers if possible. In China, it also makes sense for many car manufacturers to start with several brands, because the sales volume is much larger and you can reach very targeted target groups. The customer sees through that, I'm sure. However, we are in the situation where our sales figures are initially still quite low. And we can reach customers better with a brand. #automotive #retail #autohaus #kfz #emilfrey #gwm https://lnkd.in/e7FmbcJs

How well do you know your supply chain? 🤨 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 In April, a court in Milan, Italy placed an Armani-owned entity in a one year receivership for failure to ensure basic standards within its supply chain. In this case, Giorgio Armani Operation — the production arm of the Giorgio Armani Group — hired two different factories, which then, in turn, hired another four subcontracted Chinese factories. At these subcontracted factories, workers were found to be paid about US $3.25 per hour for their labor. This is not a living wage. 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 🏭 Especially in countries like Italy, where there is a push to keep historical leather goods manufacturing jobs within the country, you can no longer pass blame to your first tier factories. You will be held accountable for any subcontractors obtained down the chain. The time has come to start getting your arms around the players in your supply chain. We can help. #henriespllc #wecanhelp #SOSKits #lawfirm #fashionlaw #corporatelaw #law #attorney #legalsupport

Be your own Boss, control your costs - Under the leadership of CEO Daniel Grieder, HUGO BOSS has recorded double-digit sales growth in 2022 and 2023. 2024 turns out to be far more challenging. After having cut the outlook for FY from 3 to 6% to just 1 to 4% sales growth, Grieder and his team are stepping on the costs brakes, including distribution, marketing and administration. "We look at personnel costs, too", says CFO Yves Müller who indicates that Hugo Boss might reduce the number of sales employees in the stores in light of lower customer traffic, thereby "taking advantage of fluctuation". Still, Grieder and his team stick to their goal to reach 5 bn Euros in sales. Maybe not in 2025, but "slightly delayed". There's reason for cautious optimism: 1) Hugo is doing well, thanks to its new denim line Hugo Blue. 2) Order intake from wholesalers is robust. 3) A new campaign that features Naomi Campbell and David Beckham is launched at the end of August and might create buzz. Check-out the details on TextilWirtschaft. #sales #apparel #branding #marketing #premium #mode #fashion #clothing #company #marketing #capitalmarkets #outlook #germany

Exclusive: Dr. Martens plc has put around 150 roles at risk of redundancy at its UK and US head offices as part of a £20-25m cost-saving plan, Drapers has learned. Read the full story below. #DrMartens #jobcuts #fashion #retail #retailnews #redundancy

Corporate greed in luxury brands. Luxury brands should know exactly where their products are being made but many do not and deny responsibility. The reason is simple to keep costs down and profits up. Most luxury brands make huge profits, so they can afford to pay reasonable salaries.