Apparel Retailers

Global clothier Gap Inc this week became the latest apparel retailer to identify the factories which produce its garments, helping shed light on how the world's clothing is made. But other brands now identifying factories include H&M, Nike, Levis and Adidas. Gap Inc revealed the names and street addresses of suppliers in countries such as China, Bangladesh, Egypt, Cambodia, Guatemala, India and Indonesia. 

Human Rights Watch, a human rights agency, welcomed Gap's disclosures as a boon to transparency in the apparel industry.Activists have targeted the highly profitable "fast-fashion" industry, which churns out new low-cost garments daily or weekly to maximize sales volumes, calling on retailers to improve labour and environmental conditions at supplier factories in the impoverished developing world.

Gap markets its apparel under brands including Old Navy, Athleta, and Banana Republic as well as The Gap in more than 3,700 stores around the world.

Fashion label Willow, once estimated to be worth $20 million, will be closing down its shops in a month, less than three years after it ousted its founder Kit Willow. Willow is owned by The Apparel Group, which also owns brands Sports-craft, SABA and JAG. 

Hidesign, a brand that has become synonymous with high-quality leather accessories such as bags, belts, and wallets,is an exemplary retailer that has seen its revenue grow from Rs.11.3 crore in fiscal year ended March 31, 2010 to Rs.97.72 crore in fiscal year ended March 31, 2014. The brand now mulls opening up seven new stores. The accessories market has evolved and shifted base from functionality to being a prime attraction. From handbags to sunglasses to shoes to even hair ornaments, the accessories industry works in tandem with the apparel industry.

Hidesign bags are made of the best vegetable tanned leathers, coupled with solid brass metal hardware – a complete ‘Make in India’ initiative. The retailer features its own leather tanneries and a loyal set of artisans that understand the brand ethos.

Hidesign was born out of the need to be distinct from the uniformity and synthetic flatness of the mass market.Every Hidesign product is uniquely handcrafted. There is no mass manufacture at Hidesign.

Raymond Ltd plans to come out with its Omnichannel strategy within a year to scale up its digital business and woo younger customers. Although, the apparel brand is facing no competition from e-commerce players owing to large customer base. The strategy would help the company to connect with younger customers. Rising sales logged by e-commerce players in general has made the Raymond think hard in terms of adding stores.

Raymond Ltd is one of the biggest retail chains with over 715 Raymond stores spread across 385 towns. Along with other brands under the Raymond portfolio - Park Avenue, Color Plus, Parx, Raymond ready-to-wear, it has more than 1,050 stores, which are both fully-owned and franchisee stores. 

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Among the retail industry pioneers, A Future Group firm, Future Lifestyle Fashions is firming up plans to raise Rs.500 crore from the domestic or overseas market on a private placement basis to bankroll its fashion retail business growth.The company is due to pass a special resolution at its annual general meeting scheduled for 29 August and further the company will also seek shareholder consent for reappointment of Kishore Biyani as the managing director of the company for three years with effect from 25 June.

The funds are to be borrowed in Indian or foreign currency by issue of debt instruments for an amount of up to Rs.500 crore in domestic or overseas market.The funds to be raised will remain within the overall borrowing limit of the company. Visit us for more Retail Industry News

Strong gender lines in kids items solidified in the 1980s as a way to boost sales.Pink for girls and blue for boys may have been a way to get parents to buy more because their sons and daughters were less likely to share clothes or toys. But things are changing, in part driven by consumers and sometimes kids themselves. Some girls want T-shirts with "Star Wars" characters, and some boys want to wear pink with the recent splurge of gender neutral clothing.Lands’ End, Target and Zara are among major retailers mixing up offerings with gender-neutral options.

After receiving a barrage of complaints last year from parents of girls incensed about its separation of toys by gender, Target has broken down those barriers. The retailer recently launched a gender-neutral line of home goods, dubbed Pillow-Fort (though it’s just starting to blur the lines in apparel). 

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The entire retail industry is at such a juncture when retailers are devising out new methods and IT applications to cater to the surging demands. Macy, a renowned apparel retailer, post devastating sales has chalked out a strategic IT plan, recognizing that the future of the stores is dependent on customer interest and that technological innovation may create renewed interest in shopping in stores.The retailer has introduced mobile AI tool in 10 of its stores which will give customers answers to questions they may have about the store they are shopping in.

The mobile AI tool at Macy’s comes in two varieties, one that encourages self-service and another that will allow a customer to summon a sales associate for help. While the customer will use a mobile device in the initial test stage, a mobile app is in preparation. Developed by IBM Watson, the new mobile tool make the sales force more efficient and less burdened with questions about location of merchandise or bathrooms. 

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Forever 21 fashion brand announced its plan to enter on the Romanian market and will open its first store in Bucharest this autumn. Exploring new retail markets is among the global trend for renowned retailers like Forever 21, while in Romania, it is a part of expansion of Teren Management Europe, exclusively franchised to the brand “Forever 21” in 9 countries from Europe. Until the end of 2016, the company plans to opens stores in five countries: Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia.

The Romanian retail market is one of the most important retail destination for us. Its potential, together with the development and modernization level from the last years, is impressive and promising. The store from ParkLake will offer customers a wide range of products on a surface of 1,600 sqm, on two floors.

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