Apparels

Solitario, a sustainable luxury jewellery brand, is now in the Maldives. This marks its eighth international market. The brand is partnering with Essence Retail to offer lab-grown diamond collections. Solitario will open shop-in-shops at luxury resorts. A flagship boutique is planned at Marina CROSSROADS. Further expansion includes more shop-in-shops and a second flagship store.

Bangladesh’s RMG exports performance in the next few quarters will depend on the pace of economic recovery in major buying nations, stabilisation of global supply chains and the sector’s ability to diversify products and markets, the central bank noted.
Foreseeing a ‘cautiously moderate’ near-term outlook for the sector, it projected external demand uncertainty and emerging opportunities in key markets.

Jewellery brand CaratLane will open 40 new stores in the next financial year. About 10 percent of these will be company-owned. Expansion will focus on North, East, and South India. The company expects high double-digit revenue growth this fiscal year. CaratLane is also exploring international expansion in West Asia.

Jewellery retailers from India are facing a dramatic slump in sales across the Gulf nations, largely influenced by the ongoing conflict in West Asia. This turmoil has led to a staggering 70% decline in foot traffic and customer spending as reported by leading retailers for March alone.

Africa’s apparel exports rose to $13.27 billion in 2025, up 2.84 per cent YoY, continuing steady growth.
Europe dominated demand, led by Spain, while the US share declined.
Exports remained concentrated in key markets and cotton-based products, with North Africa benefiting from nearshoring, despite structural constraints and limited value addition.

Garment manufacturing costs in Asia have risen 10–20 per cent in 2026, with a clear shift in cost composition.
Logistics and energy have emerged as key volatility drivers, while raw materials remain dominant and increasingly unstable.
Labour’s relative importance is declining.
Competitiveness now depends on managing multi-layered cost risks, not just low-cost production.

China’s apparel exports showed a dual trend in 2025, with declining volumes and prices amid rising global competition, even as the US remained a premium market.
Export values and shipments fell, reflecting demand normalisation and sourcing shifts.
Despite pressure, China retained strong scale and higher value realisation in US-bound exports.

Shares in the Swedish group slipped as much as 6.6% after soft March ‌sales overshadowed a ⁠slightly ⁠bigger-than-expected rise in December-February profit thanks to tight cost control. A jump in energy prices since the start of the Iran ​war has fuelled concerns over inflation and cooled consumer demand, threatening to pressure retailers.

British clothing retailer Next warns of rising costs and weakening consumer demand due to the Iran war. The company anticipates potential price increases in June if the conflict continues. Next has factored in extra costs but has offset them for now.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Uniqlo have formed a landmark partnership featuring prominent “Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium” branding across the venue.
The collaboration, Uniqlo’s first major US sports deal, will include fan events, LifeWear giveaways, and dedicated in-store displays in California to strengthen engagement with both Dodgers fans and Uniqlo customers.