Adidas Y3 Spring/Summer 2010 | Source: Adidas

Adidas Net Profit Drops 65 percent (WSJ)
“Adidas reported a sharper-than-expected 65% fall in quarterly net profit Wednesday, but said it expects a rise in 2010 sales and earnings.”

H&M plans two-for-one stock split (Reuters)
“The world’s third largest fashion chain by sales said on Wednesday its board would propose the split at its annual shareholders’ meeting on April 29 and it would take effect between May 20 and June 18.”

Tesco launches recycled clothing collection (Guardian)
“The news that Tesco have collaborated with an ethical fashion label to create a line of recycled clothing for the Florence & Fred label may raise a few eyebrows.”

Christian Lacroix eyeing comeback (Independent)
“Lacroix’s ready-to-wear and haute couture might be things of the past… but the label will be branching out into stationery, sunglasses, and home decoration.”

Fashion is still a feminist issue (Times)
“Did Miuccia Prada really say after last week’s show in Milan that she was a former feminist? I lent in closer.  Yes, that’s what she’d said all right. ‘Feminism?’ she sighed, ‘it doesn’t really exist anymore does it?”

Rodarte’s Target (Vogue)
“Rodarte will join the ranks of Erin Fetherston, Jovovich-Hawk, Rogan and Jonathan Saunders (among others), as the latest designers to collaborate with American retailer Target as part of its Go International series.”

Clessidra Pulls Out Of Deal With Cavalli (WSJ)
“Italian private equity fund Clessidra SGR SpA has pulled out of a deal with fashion house Roberto Cavalli after disagreement over the value of the company, a person familiar with the situation told Dow Jones Newswires on Wednesday. The talks collapsed just two months after Cavalli and Clessidra signed a letter of intent for the fund to buy 30% of the fashion house.”

Mark Ronson designs trainers for Gucci’s Pop-Up Store (Elle UK)
“Gucci launches ‘Gucci Icon-Temporary’, a pop-up trainer store that will travel the world. The shop will stock 18 trainer designs in all, 16 for men and two for women. And for that extra limited edition-ness Gucci has collaborated with DJ and trainer addict Mark Ronson to design one exclusive, unisex trainer for each city.”

Adidas profits plunge 93% (Drapers)
“Adidas suffered a 93 percent plunge in profits in its second quarter as the downturn continues to take its toll on consumer spending.”

Naomi Sims, the First Black Supermodel (Time)
“A tall, striking, confident, chiseled, brown-skinned beauty, she has forever changed how America defines beautiful.”

Mango ad campaign (Iran), courtesy of Mango

High fashion and Hollywood glamour as Mango open stores around the world (Times)
After a successful launch in Iran, Mango looks to move further into the Middle East, setting up a store in Irbil, Iraq.

Is luxury fashion good for the planet? (Observer)
“Premium brands don’t have the best reputation when it comes to social and environmental issues, but change is in the air.”

Matthew Williamson returns to London Fashion Week (Drapers)
“Matthew Williamson will join Burberry at London Fashion Week in September to help celebrate the event’s 25th birthday.”

Topshop confirms US roll out (Drapers)
“Sir Philip Green, the owner of Topshop, has confirmed he plans to open a second store in New York after the debut Manhattan store achieved strong sales in its first two months of trading.”

Adidas doesn’t want to run before learning to walk (Business Standard)
“Adidas, which launched its premium lifestyle product – Originals – in India two years ago, is still in the process of educating customers about the different story that the collections, represented by the Trefoil logo, has to tell vis-à-vis its regular ‘performance’ brands.”

Adidas ad camapaign, courtesy of Adidas

Adidas issues profit warning (Drapers)
“Pre-tax profits at the Adidas group sunk by 97% to just €5 million (£4.4m) in the first three months of 2009. Currency-neutral group sales fell 6% to €2.58 billion (£2.28bn), compared to €2.62bn (£2.32bn) in the first three months of 2009.”

The Sui Target (Vogue UK)
“ANNA SUI has become the second designer to participate in discount retailer Target’s Designer Collaboration series.”

Zegna expands business despite downturn (Gulf News)
“Paolo Zegna, spoke to Gulf News on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of his company’s first Global Concept Store in the Middle East designed by world renowned retail architect Peter Marino, at Dubai Mall, which was opened yesterday.”

Kenneth Cole Posts First-Qtr. Loss (WWD)
“Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. on Tuesday posted a first-quarter loss and a decline in revenues.For the three months ended March 31, the company lost $8.2 million.” (Subscription required)

Adidas Profits Leap 151 Percent (WWD)
Adidas’ net profits is up 151% due to lower marketing expenses. (Subscription required)

Brazilians decide beach culture should help capture retail dominance (IHT)
With the launch of a beachwear fashion week in October 2008, Brazilian brands are beginning to find their place in the international swimwear market.

Ethical Luxury: Could the Luxury Industry Be Headed Back to Its Roots? (The Luxe Chronicles)
A return to the values of craftsmanship may define the next era of luxury.

Hermès Jumps in Paris After Credit Suisse Upgrades Shares (Bloomberg)
Credits Suisse upgraded Hermès from underperform to neutral.

Online fashion firm ASOS H1 profit up 68 pct (The Guardian)
In another signal that affordable online retailers could fare better than bricks and mortar operations in the economic downturn, ASOS H1 profit rockets up 68%.

H&M Still In Fashion (Forbes)
“Swedish-fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz posted a decent set of October sales.” But “analysts warned the company would not be able to avoid the ripple effects of the global financial crisis.”

Has Abercrombie Lost Its Shirt? (Motley Fool)
Abercrombie & Fitch’s  skimpy aesthetic is also reflected in the company’s declining sales performance for Q3 2008.

Profits flat at Burberry (Drapers)
“Burberry saw sales rise 20% in the first half of the year with pre-tax profit flat during the period, but warned of tougher trading since the start of the second half.”

Adidas to launch new brand (Drapers)
Adidas will launch SLVR, a new lifestyle collection which “will sit alongside Adidas’ Y-3 and Adidas Originals sub-brands.”

ASOS homepage, photo courtesy of ASOS.

Pimp your Google homepage (CNet)
iGoogle, the popular service from the Internet behomoth, has partnered with Oscar de la Renta, Tory Burch and Dolce & Gabbana to provide designer skins for users to personalise their iGoogle pages.

Adidas wins $305m in copyright case (WWD)
Following our revelations about Steve Madden’s blatant copying, Adidas is awarded $305m in the largest award ever in a trademark case against Payless.

Valerie talks to Vanessa (Financial Times)
Vanessa Friedman interviews Valerie Hermann, chief executive of Yves Saint Laurent, to learn how she is digging the historic French house out of the red.

The Fashion Billionaires (Forbes)
Forbes has released a list of the world’s fashion billionaires, with Amancia Ortega, Stefan Persson and Bernard Arnault heading up the list.