According to Mastercard, denim’s rising popularity has fuelled an 8 percent increase in apparel sales this holiday season — the biggest jump since 2010. Some of the hottest athleisure brands, including Lululemon Athletica and Gap’s Athleta brand, are diversifying into the denim business, as athleisure seems to be losing market to jeanswear.

Lululemon has added more five-pocket jeans to its offerings for men, including the $128 ABC and Commission pants, which are made from stretchy material but shown with leather dress shoes.

Athleta is offering more dresses that can be worn to work, including the $108 Wilder long-sleeve or the $89 Santorini high-neck dress.

American Eagle recently witnessed a record-setting season for its jeans business. It was the best quarter for denim sales in the history of the 41-year-old company with the trend continuing into the fourth quarter.

According to the data by NPD, the sale of sneakers, sporty and fashion-focused alike, increased by 12 percent year to date through November, to $9.4 billion, but that was a third less than their growth rate over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, sales of fashion boots increased by 9 percent from September to November this year compared with a 7 percent decline over the same period last year, according to NPD. Customers also are buying shorter sweaters to pair with their jeans and boots instead of the longer tops that typically go with leggings.

In the absence of a deep sea port, exporters in Bangladesh cannot send goods directly to final destinations in Europe and the US.
Vessels take goods to Singapore, from where they are taken to their final destinations. But the port at Singapore is running past its capacity, so goods are stuck there for long.

So garment exporters are keen on using the sea port in Colombo as it would save them time and money. In the era of fast fashion a shorter lead time gives them a competitive edge.

If goods bound for Europe can be shipped via Sri Lanka instead of Singapore, exporters will be able to cut the lead time by 15 to 20 days. The cost of shipping would halve too. Up to 30 days can be shaved from the lead time as well.

As Colombo port is running at only 30 per cent of its capacity, using this port instead of the port at Singapore is very much a practical choice for exporters now.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka plan to collaborate in boosting apparel exports to Europe. One possible area for cooperation is export of some products to the EU through Sri Lanka for getting better prices. Another is value addition in export products.

"A survey by Bain & Company reveals, millennials, who make up one-third of China’s total consumers, were responsible for a growth in the Chinese market to 142 billion yuan in sales in 2017, about 20 per cent higher than the year before. Millennials are the generation born between in the early 1980s and early 2000s. In China, millennials comprise two distinct groups: those born after 1980 and those born after 1990. These millennials are referred to as the single most important demographic on the planet today by Goldman Sachs. Some luxe brands have caught the attention of millennial customers."

A survey by Bain & Company reveals, millennials, who make up one-third of China’s total consumers, were responsible for a growth in the Chinese market to 142 billion yuan in sales in 2017, about 20 per cent higher than the year before. Millennials are the generation born between in the early 1980s and early 2000s. In China, millennials comprise two distinct groups: those born after 1980 and those born after 1990. These millennials are referred to as the single most important demographic on the planet today by Goldman Sachs. Some luxe brands have caught the attention of millennial customers.

An amalgamation of manufacturing expertise with business acumen

Alexandre Arnault , the youngest CEO in luxury fashion, has re-launched collaborations with artist Olafur Eliasson, Fendi, M/M and cult streetwear brands Supreme and Off-White, to make the century-old suitcase brand one of the most sought-after names among his peers.

In June, Arnault released a couple of transparent polycarbonate suitcases costing $1,000 in partnership with the streetwear sensation Off-White by Virgil Abloh.

In 2016, Bernard Arnault’s LVMH bought an 80 per cent stake in Rimowa for US$716 million and immediately appointed Arnault as co-CEO, alongside Dieter Morszeck, the grandson of the suitcase’s founder. Today, it’s extending its reach to become more than a travel companion by marrying the “made in Germany” concept with LVMH’s business acumen.

Men’s fashion drives Balenciaga’s growth

Balenciaga is another brand that has caught the eye of millennials. In the Lyst Index, Balenciaga raced ahead of Gucci for three quarters in a row to become the most popular fashion brand. According to Cédric Charbit, the brand’s CEO, Balenciaga is also the fastest-growing brand at its parent company, Kering. Last year, Balenciaga saw a growth of over 100 per cent in several categories, thanks to the millennials who account for 60 per cent of the consumer base of the iconic label.

Men’s fashion is also becoming a strength for the couture-turned-edgy brand. In 2016, Gvasalia brought the men’s line back to the house after 17 years. The brand is no longer the couture house that Cristóbal Balenciaga founded in 1919, nor the elegant brand imagined by former creative director Alexander Wang. They now offer flea-market vintage, cool hoodies, big logo prints and off-the-shoulder parkas.

Balenciaga products that have made the biggest impression are sneakers. Its sock-sneakers infiltrated the wardrobes of celebrities and fashionistas, especially the limited-edition, bright-red pair reinvented by Parisian retailer Colette. The stacked-sole Triple S, which costs US$850, is a global bestseller online and offline.

Millennials to continue dominating luxe market

Nowhere is Balenciaga’s influence more noticeable than among China’s millennials. In late April, an incident involving Chinese customers being mistreated as they were queuing for the new Balenciaga sneakers in a Paris department store went viral on Weibo. It led to a short boycott of Balenciaga, and prompted an apology from the brand.

Right now, the luxury industry is being universally disrupted by the young game changers, from the sellers to the shoppers. The young, affluent, savvy yet ephemeral millennials have taken the industry off guard. The Chinese cohort will continue to dominate the market as the nation’s economy booms and the balinghou and jiulinghou take over as the consuming class. Capturing the coterie is crucial for luxury companies. A distinctive brand identity with high-quality products is just an essential start; a cultural understanding of their needs and desires is the key for brands to win the battle in this hefty fashion reshuffle.

"Accounting for 47 per cent of the total value in Top 50 Most Valuable French Brands 2019 ranking, the luxury sector demonstrates the powerful position of traditional fashion houses within the country's corporate landscape. The rankings, released by WPP and Kantar, boasts of six new entries along with legendary brands Louis Vuitton, in the first position, Chanel at second and Hermes third. The new entries include: Céline at the 38 position, Van Cleef & Arpels 43rd , Vichy at 41st , Tefal on 46th Carte D’Or on 44th and Maisons Du Monde on the 49th position."

Accounting for 47 per cent of the total value in Top 50 Most Valuable French Brands 2019 ranking, the luxury sector demonstrates the powerful position of traditional fashion houses within the country's corporate landscape. The rankings, released by WPP and Kantar, boasts of six new entries along with legendary brands Louis Vuitton, in the first position, Chanel at second and Hermes third.

Low innovation score dips total brand value

The new entries include: Céline at the 38 position, Van Cleef & Arpels 43rd , Vichy at 41st , Tefal on 46th Carte D’Or on 44th and Maisons Du Monde on the 49th position. The total value of top 50 brands rose 12 per cent, which though significantly ahead of the 2.3 per cent increase in the country's GDP, is less compared to the 21 per cent rise in total brand value seen in the BrandZ Global Top 100 Brands earlier this year.

A primary reason for this is comparatively low perceived innovation score for France's top brands. Taking 100 as the benchmark for this measure, the Top 50 most valuable French brands average 103 compared to 113 for both BrandZ Global Top 50 and the US Top 50 rankings.

Innovating with responsibility

Some French brands are emphasising on innovation by encouraging staff to act as brand ambassadors on social media and providing opportunities for consumers to test products. The number of brands that aim to be socially responsible has also grown 14 per cent over the past year, double the rate for brands that are low scorers. Brands in the Top 10 for CSR include: Decathlon, Michelin, Air France and Credit Agricole.

Trend alert

One of the best ways brands can boost innovation is through partnerships between traditional and new brands. The BrandZ French Top 50 study highlighted a few industry trends that included:

Dior, with its growth of 58 per cent over the last year, was the fastest riser in the ranking with Rémy Martin growing 39 per cent and Saint Laurent by 34 per cent.

French shoppers are opting for quality over quantity. From 29 per cent, the percentage of shoppers who preferred better fresh produce has grown to 33 per cent.

French consumers who preferred online shopping have reached 34 million, increasing 13 per cent over last year.

Technology and fashion are the most preferred sectors for online shopping

Shoppers are seeking ways to support local food producers with 58 per cent opting for local products.

Commissioned by WPP, the valuation behind the BrandZ™ Top 50 Most Valuable French Brands was conducted by brand equity research experts Kantar Millward Brown. The methodology is similar to the one used to calculate the annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking, which is now in its 13th year.