In a landmark ruling, the Delhi High Court has reaffirmed its stance against imitation. The court’s latest decision prohibits Aqualite Industries from manufacturing and distributing slippers that mirror the designs of Relaxo Footwears.

Hungary’s apparel imports dipped in early 2025 as inflation, weak consumer demand and disruptions linked to the Russia–Ukraine conflict weighed on trade.
Europe maintained its dominance due to shorter lead times and stable logistics, while Asia-Pacific made only gradual gains.
The sourcing pattern remains consistent, with limited diversification expected in the near term.

Levi Strauss & Co. is partnering with Microsoft to build an AI super-agent that streamlines corporate workflows and supports its DTC-first strategy, with rollout beginning in early 2026.
The company has also launched Outfitting, an AI styling tool on its app, and is expanding STITCH, an AI assistant for store teams, to 60 US locations ahead of broader deployment next year.

India’s goods trade deficit widened significantly to a record $42 billion in October, driven by a threefold surge in gold imports to $14.72 billion. This rise, coupled with a widening oil deficit, overshadowed a slight improvement in the electronics deficit. Merchandise exports also contracted sharply by 11.8% year-on-year, raising concerns about the country’s external balances amidst slowing global trade trends.

ZILO has unveiled its second dark store in the bustling city of Mumbai, taking a significant leap in its retail strategy. With an exciting range of new items including accessories, footwear, bags, watches, and fashion jewellery, this expansion is all about speed and variety. Customers can now enjoy quicker deliveries and an enriched inventory of fashionable lifestyle products.

Lenskart is broadening its horizons in the eyewear industry by welcoming the stylish Barcelona-based brand Meller to India. In an exciting twist, the company is also teaming up with Popmart to unveil a whimsical collection featuring beloved character designs.

India Bullion & Jewellers Association has asked Sebi to regulate digital gold platforms. This move aims to assure consumers they are not being misled. Digital gold is popular with young investors seeking easy access to funds and no locker fees. Sebi recently cautioned that these platforms are outside its oversight.

Political party Twenty20, founded by Kitex Garments promoters, plans to contest in half of Kerala’s districts for upcoming local body polls. The party aims to replicate its successful governance model, which has turned panchayats into revenue surplus entities, despite the chairman facing alleged harassment in Kerala.

In September, the government had imposed restrictions on imports of certain silver jewellery till March 31 next year. The move was aimed at curbing imports of these precious metals in the name of unstudded jewellery from countries like Thailand. India has a free trade agreement with ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations). Thailand is a member of this 10-nation group. The India-ASEAN free trade agreement on goods was signed in 2009.

UK clothing exports fell 1.61 per cent year on year to £244 million in September 2025, reflecting subdued global demand and ongoing post-Brexit competitiveness issues.
Fabric and fibre exports also weakened, despite some month-on-month improvement.
Q3 2025 exports remained significantly below last year, underscoring fragile international buying sentiment.