Apparels

Bata India has launched its “Bata Price Promise” initiative, proactively implementing the GST rate cut on footwear priced below Rs 1,000 before the official rollout. Prices at Bata outlets now reflect a 7% reduction, with the company absorbing the difference to provide immediate savings to customers. This move aims to make festive shopping more affordable and accessible.

For the Bengaluru-based company, which announced its first results after listing on the Indian bourses, total expenses during the quarter rose 29% to Rs 538.4 crore, led by a 51% jump in employee benefit costs to Rs 62.9 crore.

Giorgio Armani, the iconic Italian designer and founder of the Armani Group, has passed away at the age of 90. He remained actively involved in his company until his final days, leaving behind a legacy of minimalist elegance and independence. Armani’s family and long-time employees are committed to carrying forward his vision and values, ensuring the continued success of the brand.

Skechers has opened its largest factory mall store at Dolphin Mall, Miami, spanning 26,017 square feet.
The immersive Skechers World of Sports features racetracks, courts, and digital displays, offering performance and lifestyle footwear, apparel, and accessories.
The August 29 launch, attended by athlete Julius Randle, highlights Skechers’ global expansion of its performance retail concept.

Brand Studio Lifestyle aims to expand its offline presence to 75 exclusive brand outlets by March 2026, complemented by shop-in-shop setups in 600 large format stores. Highlander and Tokyo Talkies recently launched a 12,000 sq. ft. flagship store in Bengaluru, marking their 40th outlet since entering the offline market in February 2024.

House of Zelena, a Bengaluru startup specializing in maternity wear, has secured Rs 7 crore in seed funding. Sprout Venture Partners and M Venture Partners co-led the investment round. GSF and angel investors also participated. The company plans to use the funds to enhance its supply chain. They will also invest in product development and community building.

Dick’s Sporting Goods and Foot Locker announced preliminary results of shareholder elections for their merger.
Around 92.6 per cent of Foot Locker shareholders opted for stock consideration (0.1168 Dick’s shares per Foot Locker share), while only 1.2 per cent chose cash consideration of $24 per share.
Shareholders who did not elect will receive cash, and fractional shares will be settled in cash.

The Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) expresses concern over the proposed GST hike on garments priced above Rs 2,500, fearing it will negatively impact the middle class and organized garment manufacturers already struggling with tariff wars.

The New York-based private equity firm is in talks to buy 10% in Kalyan’s lifestyle brand for Rs 850 crore. It will buy part of the stake from Kalyan Jewellers, while the rest will be newly issued shares in Candere.

Sri Lanka’s garment exports rose 9 per cent to $2.85 billion in Jan–Jul 2025, driven by strong apparel demand, while textile exports dipped 4.8 per cent.
Combined textile and garment exports made up over half of industrial shipments.
July saw an 8.3 per cent export rise, while apparel imports surged 35.2 per cent, signalling a revival in domestic consumption.