As per data from Export Promotion Bureau, Bangladesh readymade garment exports declined by 3.73 per cent in the first eight months of fiscal 2020-21 compared on year-on-year basis.

Category-wise, knitwear exports increased by 4.06 per cent to $11.345 billion in July-February 2020-21, as against exports of $1.898 billion during the same period of the previous fiscal, reports SRTEPC.

However, exports of woven apparel decreased by 11.49 per cent to $9.691 billion during the period under review, compared to exports of $10.948 billion during the comparable period of 2019-20.

Woven and knitted apparel and clothing accessories’ exports together accounted for 81.32 per cent of $25.862 billion worth of total exports made by Bangladesh during the first eight months of the current fiscal.

Meanwhile, home textile exports increased by 38.92 per cent to $730.82 million during the eight-month period under review, compared to exports of $526.08 million during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

In the fiscal ending June 30, 2020, readymade garment exports from Bangladesh declined 18.12 per cent to $27.949 billion compared to exports of $34.133 billion in the previous fiscal, mainly on account of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. For the current fiscal, the country has set an export target of $33.785 billion.

While the UK and parts of Europe are still in lockdown, sales in parts of Asia, such as China and Korea, have bounced back. As per Sourcing Journal, nearly 90 per cent of Prada SpA’s sales in the second half were driven by Mainland China (up 52 percent), Taiwan (up 61 percent), and Korea (up 22 percent).

British luxury firm Burberry expects its revenue and adjusted operating profit in the fourth quarter to be higher than expected due to a strong rebound in sales since December. The brand expects comparable store sales to increase by 32 percent while group revenue is expected to fall by 10 percent to 11 percent, and adjusted operating margin to be in the range of 15.5 percent to 16.5 percent.

British retailer JD Sports Fashion will acquire a 60 percent stake in Marketing Investment Group SA (MIG). Founded in 1989, MIG is majority owned by brothers Andrzej and Zbigniew Grzçaka. It operates 410 retail stores and e-commerce sites across nine countries in Central and Eastern Europe. The retail businesses sell a wide range of sports fashion footwear, apparel and accessories from leading global brands, mostly under the Sizeer and 50 Style nameplates. For the year ending January 31, 2020, MIG generated revenues of $277.6 million.

Victor Herrero has been appointed the new CEO of UK-based shoe retailer Clarks. As per reports, Herrero will assume the role after Hong Kong-based investment firm LionRock Capital completes its £100 million ($139 million) purchase of a controlling take in the company.

Herrero, who had been a non-executive director on Clarks’ board, will take over the responsibility from Giorgio Presca, who has served as Clarks’ chief executive for the last two years. Presca is moving on to pursue other opportunities, according to a press release.

Herrero was chief executive officer of Guess from 2015 to 2019. He also worked with Inditex, the parent of Zara for 12 years. Currently, he is the chairman of Bossini and a non-executive director of Viva China Holdings Limited.

LionRock Capital is reportedly in the process of putting together a new management team to support Herrero.

Next plans to extend its online platform to host smaller brands.

As per Retail Gazette, the fashion retailer currently has a £2 billion online business and is using its advantage of logistics, customer databases and warehouses to launch a “total platform” business to become more like an Ocado for fashion rather than a high street chain.

Lord Wofson, CEO, Next said, the retailer seeks to develop a new revenue stream by using Next’s assets to provide a full service for smaller fashion brands to sell and distribute products online

At the moment, Next’s platform has only Childsplay, a designer childrenswear retailer, but it has set up a pay-as-you go model for more brands to use the service with a fixed commission.The development of the platform is similar to online grocer Ocado’s journey from an online grocery retailer into a technology business.

Next owns the UK licence for Victoria’s Secret and was a frontrunner to buy Topshop out of administration in a joint bid with Authentic Brands of the US.

As per Pablo Isla, President, Inditex, the group expects to grow by 4 per cent post pandemic. As per Fashion Network, the company will continue to focus on its online channel which has recorded over 46 million orders, through a strategy hinging on inventory integration and an extensive adoption of RFID technology.

The company has managed to reduce its stock levels and our inventor. In the last financial year, the group’s e-shops recorded 5.3 billion site visits altogether, with 15 million unique visitors and 132 million app downloads in 2020. This year, it plans to close around 400 stores across various markets. However, Inditex will continue opening physical stores future. Last year, the company included over 35 per cent of its items in the Join Life [sustainable fashion] line. Some 80 per cent of its facilities use renewable energy, and is also adopting operational models that ensure our stores worldwide are energy efficient

A coalition of more than 200 organizations have launched a campaign titled #PayYourWorkers to demand cash relief from apparel brands and retailers for suffering garment workers and reform of the industry.

The #PayYourWorkers campaign brings together more than 200 unions and civil society groups from over 40 countries to demand that brands provide immediate relief to garment workers and make enforceable commitments to reform their broken industry. With the website, the coalition is launching a petition, urging brands and retailers like Amazon, Nike, and Next to live up to their responsibility to contribute funds to sustain workers' income throughout the pandemic, respect the right to organize and bargain collectively, and make sure workers are never again left penniless if their factory goes bankrupt by signing onto a negotiated severance guarantee fund.

The PayYourWokers campaign includes grassroots worker unions like Garment Labour Union in India, major trade union federations, including UNI Global union, and international organizations and networks such as Oxfam and Clean Clothes Campaign. These trade unions and activists are holding planned socially distanced in-person actions at store fronts and in front of factories in countries around the world this week, along with digital and social media actions.

H&M Group’s Q1 net sales dropped by 21 per cent in local currencies to SEK40 billion. . As per Fashion Network, the brand’s sales were significantly affected by the COVID-19 situation, with extensive restrictions and (at most) over 1,800 stores temporarily closed”.

Yet the situation seemed to be improving as early as February, with stores reopening in a number of markets. As of March 13, only 900 of the companies stores remained shut. This boosted sales during March by as much as 10 per cent in local currencies. The company’s was helped by the launch of the Simone Rocha collaboration this month, which has been a sell-out so far.

Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) AB is a Swedish multinational clothing-retail company known for its fast-fashion clothing for men, women, teenagers and children. The company operates in 74 countries with over 5,000 stores under the various company brands, with 126,000 full-time equivalent positions. It is the second-largest global clothing retailer, behind Spain-based Inditex. Founded by Erling Persson and run by his son Stefan Persson and Helena Helmersson, the company makes its online shopping available in 33 countries.

Adidas has opened its first global flagship across the Middle East, India and Africa in The Dubai Mall. As per reports, focusing on sustainability, the technologically advanced store blurs the lines between the physical and the digital realm to provide a snapshot of the future of retail

Through this store, adidas alters the brick-and-mortar experience through technological innovations aiming to improve consumer-to-brand relations. The store includes its new “Bring it to Me” initiative — a futuristic concept tailored specifically for consumer needs. Redefining uninterrupted browsing by bringing products directly to you, its screen-clad RFID Smart Fitting Room also creates an immersive experience giving you the ability to cycle through different backdrops to see whether your fits can withstand real-life scenarios.

The store boasts a bespoke lineup of additional in-store concessions such as MakerLab — the one-stop-shop for customizing purchases that will enlist specialist staff in hosting a variety of activations. To further build on its community-led ethos, London-based shoe care leaders Crep Protect maintain a permanent space to bring together and nurture the local community’s affinity for sneakers.

Alongside the best sports offerings from adidas, this unique 15,909sqft space also marks the introduction of the region’s first dedicated Outdoor collection, focused in particular, on hiking and trail running. A prominent women’s and kid’s area houses a wide selection of products in addition to an internal DXB shop stocking Dubai-only exclusives as well as the latest collaborative releases.

Rated gold by the LEED green building certification body, the store also provides an educational area for the importance of eco-friendly practices relayed via both digital and analog means.

Inspired by international fashion culture, the essence of Duke’s spring/summer collection remains Indian. Featuring floral and nature-inspired prints with clean cuts, the collection uses light and airy fabrics such as cotton linen, pique, single jersey sub and textured materials to offer customers a wide range of T-shirts, shirts, denim, trousers, tops, jeggings, activewear, sportswear, accessories, and footwear. Aimed at mid-income customers its priced between Rs 425 and Rs 2,499.

Crafted for the free-spirited young fashionistas, the collection offers casual light colors including soft blush, lime green and pale blue blended with strong earthy tones like burgundy and navy blue. The cotton or poly-cotton fabrics are a treat for casual lovers. Menswear collection also offers essentials range comprising tank tops and graphic printed T-shirts in cotton and rayon fabrics.

Soft designs, airy fabrics for a relaxed feel

Known for its clean fittings, Duke relaxes its tailoring for the spring/summer collection by offering softer designs, airy fabrics and relaxed textures. The brand deploys its expert workmanship and craft techniques throughout the collection with superb fits and interesting patterns. Full of strip designs, prints, embroideries around collars, the collection embodies Duke’s passion for precision and quality and offers complete value for money with user-friendly characteristics.

“The range reflects our commitment to meet the needs of modern customers through its sophisticated, bold designs and robust features, says Kuntal Raj Jain, Director, Duke Fashions. “Each garment reflects the vivacity of today’s youth who are our main target audience. We aim to offer complete value for money by launching international designs and styles at affordable rates,” he adds.

Classic colors, graceful styles for authenticity

Duke has also updated its exclusive Militaire collection ’21 for men by adding a wide range of T-shirts, polos, shorts, lowers, bermudas, and accessories. The classic color combination of this collection combined with graceful styling lends a touch of originality and authenticity to the range.

Shaping Indian industry with diverse styles and network

Winner of the President’s Award and three national awards: Excellent Quality Readymade Garments, Outstanding Entrepreneurship, and Quality Garments; Duke is known for standardized fits, superior quality, a wide range of styles. Incepted in Ludhiana in 1966, the brand was also crowned India’s Power Brand in the US. It is known for innovations and product quality, and has widely shaped the Indian hosiery industry. It connects with customers through online operations, over 4,000 MBOs and 400 EBOs across India.

The 14th Five Year Plan and long term goals proposed by China’s local governments not only aim to transform its textile and apparel industry but also strengthen its manufacturing capabilities by 2035. As per a China Textile report, the Tianjin province aims to set up industrial clusters in the textile and light industry with an investment of 200 billion yuan by 2025. Manufacturing sector will add 25 per cent more value to the regional GDP while other emerging industries will add 40 per cent of added value of industrial enterprises above designated size.

Developing smart and green textiles

The Jiangsu Province will focus on building quality infrastructure, robust standards, measurements, patents, etc. It will bring in a large-scale technological transformation by promoting smart manufacturing and introducing high-end, smart and green textiles. The province will also support mergers and reorganizations, and shut down outdated factories.

Zhejiang Province will upgrade its manufacturing capabilities and industrial chain. It will build advanced textile and apparel clusters by reorganizing its textile dyeing and printing units, promote the development of chemical fibers, high-end and green textile fabrics, and new apparel and home textile brands, for building a world-class textile manufacturing cluster.

Hubei Province will focus on improving the variety and quality of textile and other consumer goods. It will also launch new brands, and encourage professional development of enterprises.

Shaanxi Province will promote the transformation of the textile industry by developing new high-end, intelligent, and green buildings. The province will also promote the transition of private economy towards the mid-to-high end of the industrial chain and value chain.

Modernizing traditional setups

One common aim for all these provinces is to modernize their traditional industrial chains. Beijing will promote the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regions in a systematic manner, while Shanghai will accelerate the development of six key industries of advanced materials and fashionable consumer goods. It will also create high-end industrial clusters and promote construction of industrial parks across the region.

The Jiangxi Province will focus on the apparel and home textile industry b though technological transformation, brand promotion and extension of industrial chain. It will also develop industrial textiles, viscose fibers, own brands, textile clusters and a fashion center in the country.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will develop emerging industries with new materials and graphite resources. It will also build new graphite (ene) material production bases in Ulanqab.

Heilongjiang Province will accelerate development of carbon-based materials by using key core technologies.