Apparels

Primark has opened its first standalone Home store in Great Britain at Manchester’s Trafford Palazzo, spanning nearly 12,000 sq ft over two floors.
The store offers bedding, décor, storage and a mezzanine travel section.
The launch featured live entertainment and voucher giveaways, while Trafford Palazzo and Market Street stores also received upgrades, marking Primark’s lifestyle push.

Nike has been named the world’s strongest apparel brand with a BSI score of 94.7, and the second strongest brand globally across all sectors, per Brand Finance 2025.
Chanel overtook Louis Vuitton as the most valuable apparel brand at $37.9 billion.
France’s nine brands contribute 37 per cent of total value.
Reebok is the fastest-growing brand.

Indian clothing retailers are experiencing supply shortages. This is due to the ban on road imports from Bangladesh. The new policy allows imports only through seaports. This change has caused delays of 2-3 weeks. Retailers are now stocking fresh collections. The impact is visible as they manage end-of-season sales.

Egypt’s readymade garment exports rose by 26 per cent YoY to nearly $1.939 billion during the first seven months this year, according to the Apparel Export Council (AEC).
Expressing optimism that this momentum will accelerate from August onwards, AEC chairperson Fadel Marzouk projected additional growth of up to 35 per cent.
AEC has set a medium-term target to increase exports to $12 billion by 2031.

South Korea’s apparel imports stayed nearly flat at $6.52 billion in January–July 2025 versus $6.55 billion a year earlier, with knitted apparel rising slightly and non-knitted declining.
July imports dipped 2.6 per cent year-on-year but jumped 28.6 per cent from June.
The country saw filament and fabric exports fall over 13 per cent in H1 2025, reflecting weaker global demand.

Kiaasa, a women’s ethnic wear brand, is set to launch its IPO. The Bombay Stock Exchange has approved the IPO on the SME platform. The IPO aims to raise ₹55 crore through fresh equity shares. The funds will fuel new store openings and expansion plans. Kiaasa currently operates over 100 outlets across 20 states.

A recent Presidential decree in Mexico temporarily suspended imports of finished footwear under the Manufacturing, Maquiladora and Export Services Industry programme.
Signed on August 23, the decree was announced by Minister of Economy Marcelo Ebrard, who said it aims at protecting the domestic footwear industry.
The sector contracted by 12.8 per cent YoY in 2024, losing nearly 11,000 formal jobs.

US retailers referenced Nike shoes as most popular in 38.2 per cent of checks in Stifel’s Back to School sneaker survey—a 23.2-pps YoY drop versus 2024 and an all-time low dating back to the survey’s beginning in 2008.
Though Nike is losing a few steps with consumers, its popularity rose in top e-commerce sellers.
There’s a broadening landscape of shoe popularity across brands, styles and price points.

Dollar General has posted strong Q2 FY25 results with net sales up 5.1 per cent to $10.7 billion and same-store sales rising 2.8 per cent.
Gross margin improved to 31.3 per cent, operating profit climbed 8.3 per cent to $595.4 million, and EPS rose 9.4 per cent to $1.86.
The retailer lifted full-year guidance, expecting sales growth of 4.3–4.8 per cent and EPS of $5.8–6.3.

The GJEPC is appealing to the Centre for immediate relief as the US tariffs of 50% on Indian goods are impacting the gems and jewellery industry. Exporters had anticipated tariff action, but the unexpected duty has left the industry reeling, especially in Surat.