Swiss Watch Exports Plunge as China and Hong Kong Demand Dries Up
Monthly Swiss watch exports suffered their biggest decline since 2020 as demand for premium and luxury timepieces in key markets including China and Hong Kong plunged.
Masahiro Okafuji
Company Snapshot
A pioneer of the fashion licensing and textiles business in Japan, under Okafuji’s leadership Itochu has rebalanced its portfolio towards consumer-facing businesses.
The News in Brief
Asos Says It Will Take ‘Necessary Actions’ After 18% Drop in Sales
Asos has said it will take “necessary actions” to transform its fortunes after the fast fashion retailer’s first-half losses widened and sales fell by nearly a fifth.
TikTok Divest-or-Ban Bill Heads to Fast Track in US Congress
The effort to force TikTok’s Chinese parent company ByteDance Ltd to divest its ownership of the social media platform would quickly become law under a plan outlined Wednesday by House Speaker Mike Johnson.
Lagardère Group Launches Egyptian Edition of Elle Magazine
The French publisher has appointed Tunis-based firm Nissa Editions Group as the local licensing partner and Cairo-based fashion media veteran Susan Sabet as both managing director and editor-in-chief of the new title.
Report: FTC to Consider Blocking Tapestry’s $8.5 Billion Capri Takeover
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is preparing to sue to block Coach parent Tapestry’s $8.5 billion deal to buy Michael Kors owner Capri Holdings, NYT Dealbook reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.
Harvey Nichols Appoints New CEO
Harvey Nichols has named Julia Goddard chief executive following the departure of Manju Malhotra — who held the post for 25 years — in late 2023.
Emerging Designer Platform The Folklore Raises $3.4 Million
The capital injection will strengthen the company’s earlier pivot from being an African designer e-commerce site to being a business-to-business venture helping emerging brands enter global retailers.
Adidas Is Seeing Hot Demand for Sambas and Yeezys
The German sportswear company now expects to generate operating profit of around €700 million ($743 million), an increase from the previous target of €500 million.