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May retail sales in Australia jumped 0.6 per cent. It follows an enormous one per cent surge in April, which was the largest monthly increase in over two years.
As a result of the recent spending spree, the year-on-year increase rocketed to 3.82 per cent, the fastest pace since April 2016.
In May sales of household goods, clothing, footwear and personal accessories, cafes, restaurants and takeaway food and food retailing all increased. Sales of furniture, floor coverings, house wares and textile goods also rose by two per cent while those for hardware, building and garden supplies increased by a slightly smaller 1.5 per cent.
Sales in New South Wales jumped by 1.3 per cent, the fastest of any state or territory. Sales increased by 1.2 per cent in Victoria and Tasmania, and by one per cent in the ACT. South Australia and Western Australia also pitched in with gains of 0.8 per cent and 0.3 per cent respectively.
Those strong results helped to offset a drop in sales in Queensland and the Northern Territory of 1.1 per cent and 0.5 per cent.
Questions remain whether one-off factors have driven retail sales higher over the past two months, but recent economic data, particularly around the labor market, new car sales and tourism, has been pretty strong.
And Australia’s population is currently growing far quicker than what many previously thought.
These are all factors that would generally support retail sales growth, and with consumer confidence also edging higher, it suggests that perhaps the outlook for retailers is not as bad as expected.
Arvind’s fall/winter ’18 range is called Senses. The idea is to explore the aesthetics of denim, turning to new textures and hues and bringing them to life in a range of silhouettes. What sets the collection apart is its extensive line of fabrics with tencel lyocell fibers in various blends, which Arvind tapped has into to give its denim greater dimension plus that ever-softer hand-feel that consumers are constantly after.
Senses takes global influences and connects them with local values. The combined narrative is a sensory exploration of the denim fabric for the fall/winter season.
Arvind, which has been in business for more than 70 years, aimed its expertise at producing denim 30 years ago and now produces more than 110 million meters of the fabric each year. The focus at Arvind is to keep technology ultra-modern, ideas innovative and denim at the forefront of what the market wants.
The collection has traditional twills in different weights along with a few novelty weaves. The focus has been on sustainable fibers and achieving better wash-downs and color casts.
Tencel fibers have been extremely popular in women’s fashion, thanks to luster, drape and softness. However, it can be used successfully in menswear fabrications, taking advantage of its strength and comfort. So Arvind developed a men’s collection called Tencel Fibers Y Not.
Bangladesh’s overall export earnings in financial year ’17 were 1.68 per cent higher than they were a year ago.
But export earnings from the apparel industry rose only by 0.20 per cent. Of the total amount, knitwear products earned three per cent more than in the same period a year ago. Woven products’ earnings fell 2.35 per cent compared to a year ago.
June export earnings fell 15.27 per cent compared to the same period last year.
Among the reasons for the lackluster export growth are a fall in the average price of products, ongoing structural reforms in the apparel industry, an economic slowdown, a sluggish demand in export destinations, devaluation of the euro and appreciation of the currency against the dollar.
Readymade garment manufacturers are working hard to face the challenges by introducing production engineering, technological upgrades etc.
Special incentives, including a five per cent cash incentive on the value of Freight on Board, may be offered for at least the next two years. To bring about sound export growth, one of the possible measures is a long-term policy support, including tax holiday for ten years, for new investors to attract investment.
The country may focus on readymade garment product diversification.
American Eagle Outfitters debuts its new campaign for fall 2017 with an inspiring cast and innovative denim. The New American Jean, a collection of denim including new fits, washes and fabrications, is made to move without compromising design. As a recognized leading denim destination, the American Eagle Outfitters' back-to-school collection marks its largest denim offering yet, with a range of 15 fits for women and 11 for men that hits stores and online July 8th.
Handpicked for their ability to break stereotypes and credibility in their multi-hyphenated careers, the fall 2017 campaign features a new cast of millennials from varied industries and backgrounds including model-actress-vlogger, Amanda Steele, champion bull rider-model, Bonner Bolton, professional basketball player-artist, Brandon Ingram, model-inclusivity activist, Halima Aden, model-body positive activist, Iskra Lawrence and rapper-actor, Joey Bada. Shown in unretouched, motivational imagery and video, the campaign captures the cast alongside a backdrop representing their particular style, passion and personality.
In addition to the campaign soundtrack, each cast member adds their own personal style to the fall 2017 back-to-school collection and the brand's advanced denim -- The New American Jean. The updated jean collection, which sets new standards in style, fit, comfort and wash, is made for this generation and how they move and create. New fits and styles for fall include five rises in the best-selling Jegging, new destroyed washes and the brand's interpretation of the Tom Girl and Mom Jean for women. For men, the brand debuts extended black denim, slimmer fits and an expanded assortment of its popular flex denim.
Chad Kessler, American Eagle Outfitters Global Brand Presidentsays that the company is continuously evolving the technology to represent a new standard in denim and hopes inspire this generation to make their mark through creativity and self-expression.
Zara would go slow on expansion, due to lack of availability of high quality retail spaces, which can generate reasonable sales throughput and global fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz plans to open eight stores in the second half of 2017, while Inditex Trent is the joint venture between Zara brand owner Inditex and Tata Group’s retail arm Trent. When it entered India in 2010, Zara was an oasis to Indians thirsting for fashion. Long lines of shoppers queued up at malls, in a frenzy only a few brands in India have managed to replicate. It was instant retail success for Inditex, Zara’s Spanish-based parent company, and for a long time, sales were phenomenal.
But almost six years later, growth at the world’s largest fast-fashion brand has slowed down a notch in India, as a shortage of new shopping malls makes it hard for Zara, which has more than 2,100 stores in 88 countries, to keep adding outlets in India. For the year ending March 31 2016, Zara’s revenue in India grew 17 per cent to Rs842.57 crore, trailing the 24 per ecnt growth reported a year earlier. Further Zara clothes are much more upmarket in terms of fashion which is also a reason for the brand unable to expand in smaller cities.
Arvind Singhal, chairman, Technopak, says that many malls are on revenue sharing basis and given the strong sales performance shown by H&M many mall owners are ready to offer them cheaper rentals compared to its rivals, which is helping the company to focus on aggressive expansion.
H&M has signed leases for eight new store locations, to open in the second half of 2017, and is also planning its online shop launch in 2018. With an accumulated space of more than 160,000 sqft, these stores will be launched in new cities as well as cities with currently operational stores, said a spokesperson of the company. H&M will continue its strong expansion in new cities. The brand plans to open two more store in the Southern part of the country.
An American clothing company Miami Fitwear removed leggings carrying images of Lord Ganesha from its website after Hindus objected.
Hindus in the US found images of the deity on leggings highly disrespectful. Ganesha is revered in Hinduism and worshipped in temples or homes.
Miami Fitwear is an athleisure and lifestyle company. Its products include leggings, capris, pants. It claims to handcraft every legging. The now removed True Wisdom Ganesha leggings were priced at 98 dollars and its description included: “We hope our hand-drawn Ganesha leggings help you remember how beautifully strong and wise you are when you decided to use your energy in a positive way.”
There are about three million Hindus in the US. They said the lord can’t be adorned on legs and that inappropriate use of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay. They suggested corporations send their senior executives for training in religious and cultural sensitivity so that they have an understanding of the feelings of customers and communities when introducing new products or launching advertising campaigns. They say Hindus are for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred.
Hinduism is among the oldest and the third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents.
Protests by traders in the state has refused to die down with retail shopkeepers and textile merchants considering for beefing up their agitation.
Wholesale shops of clothes remained closed for the second consecutive day, though retailers opened after shops. Strike was called against the lathicharge on textile traders in Surat and imposition of 5 per cent GST on textile sector.
A meeting was called to decide on further course of action. Wholesale dealers are likely to open their shops tomorrow but if there is unanimous demand for close down, everyone will join says Suresh Saini, office bearer of Rajasthan Cloth Traders Association (RCTA). Earlier, RCTA went on a four day strike from June 27 to June 30.
At the time of the meeting some traders claim for pan India strike to make their efforts count. They felt that any action in isolation will not put any pressure on the government.
There has to be consolidated efforts. There has been consensus over taking associations of other state in confidence and give call for all India movement, added Saini.
On the front of food items too voices of agitation are simmering. After Gujrat, grain markets in Rajasthan may face yet another round of closure against abolishing role of commission agents with roll out of Goods and Service Tax (GST).
On the other hand Babulal Gupta, chairman, Rajasthan Khadya Padarth Vayapar Sangh says that the mandis are open but hardly work is happening there. Without commission agents, no work can take place and mandis will not function. With Gujrat going on strike we too will sit and decide on it next week.
Small traders also alleged that there is still incomplete information on GST and they feel helpless in front of new tax regime. Traders from both urban areas and rural areas were not given any training on new taxation law. If we are unaware about the law, how they are expected to follow, says Vishnu Agarwal, wholesaler and member of RKPVS.
Turkey has imposed customs duties on textiles and garments from India and some other countries.
For Indian exporters, the imposition of the additional duties has resulted in a sharp increase in levies for textiles and garments from 8 per cent and 12 per cent to 28 per cent and 42 per cent respectively. This has been a big disincentive for Indian exporters to expand in the Turkish market.
There are reasons to believe Turkey might not have followed the prescribed criteria for imposition of safeguard duties as they are not applicable on all countries. The additional duties have not been imposed on EU members or Turkey’s free trade agreement partners. Hence they may be discriminatory.
India’s garment exports to Turkey declined from 650 million dollars in 2011-12 to 340 million dollars in 2016-17 while textile exports increased marginally from 330 million dollars to 430 million dollars in the same period.
During a conference in Brussels, in February 2016, European law firms made it clear that the Turkish additional duties on the imports of textile, apparel, and an increasing number of other products like carpets, rugs, bedding, leather bags, are illegal. These duties are in breach of WTO rules and, as far as Turkish imports of EU and Euro-Mediterranean products are concerned, they are also in breach of the EU-Turkey Customs Union.
Avantex Paris will be held, September 18 to 21, 2017. This is a show that offers technical and technological solutions and services for all branches of fashion like clothing and fashion accessories. It is aimed at designers and professionals.
The show in September 2017 will focus on innovative fabrics. Avantex will build on activities that are crucial in developing new technologies in the textiles, clothing and accessories sectors.
With over thirty exhibitors, the event is expanding to offer a vast range of textiles, which are becoming ever more technical and innovative and are showcased against a backdrop designed by the show’s artistic directors.
The trade show will attest to the diversity of research and development. Some amazing technical materials are likely to be seized on by the fashion sector. Textile collections from Taiwan and an increased presence from component manufacturers, Korean and Chinese, will be fundamental at Avantex.
Avantex will have a wall of images to highlight the activities taking place there and will aim to demonstrate the links between technology and clothing through a series of presentations and round tables moderated by experts on the inherent issues in the market and which make up the exhibition: materials and components, clothing and accessories, prototype studio, smart retail.
Apparel Sourcing will be held in France, September 18 to 21, 2017.
This is the number one platform in Europe for sourcing. It offers a range of products from international manufacturers like China, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India, Taiwan and Pakistan. On display will be knits, dresses and blouses, bespoke tailoring, casual wear, sportswear, outerwear, corporate wear, accessories etc. for men, women and children.
Apparel Sourcing continues healthy growth and has already registered 25 per cent more exhibitors, a double-digit increase for each show.
There will be a series of lectures about the latest developments in the sector, news from exhibitors and catwalk shows.
Myanmar will be exhibiting for the first time. Chiefly known for its range of casual wear, Myanmar will be showcasing far more technical products, one of the drivers for growth in the country.
Vietnam will return with a pavilion housing ten stands. Turkey will have an increased presence, in particular with fresh solutions for children's organic knitwear. The Chinese made-to-measure workshop will showcase from workshop to shop and from tradition to excellence.
Major Indian scarf manufacturers will exhibit shawls and scarves.
Peru is awaited with great interest. This is a country with a wealth of textile tradition going back 5000 years. It will present ready-to-wear collections for men, women and children and accessories made from one of the finest natural resources of the country: alpaca.
