Mike Ashley’s Frasers Says It’s Taken Control of Hugo Boss
The British retail group has pushed its stake in the German apparel brand above 50 percent in a move that will turn Hugo Boss into a subsidiary of Frasers.
bits-and-bytes
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Amazon’s Smart Mirror Patent, The Face Mask of the Future
This week, Amazon wants to build a fitting room for the e-commerce experience, while beauty-tech company Foreo reimagines the Korean sheet-mask craze with a handheld device called the UFO.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Lessons from Nike at Amazon, Tencent and JD.com Invest in Online Retailer
This week, what fashion brands can learn from Nike's six months as an Amazon partner, while Tencent and JD.com invest $863 million in Vipshop.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Coty Revolts Against Amazon, Fashion in the Age of Biofabrication
This week, the European Union allows brands to block luxury goods from Amazon, while Modern Meadow biofabricates leather without animals.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Amazon Launches in Australia, Swarovski's AR App
This week, Amazon began retail operations in Australia, while Swarovski introduced an AR holiday experience.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Facial Recognition in Malls, Walmart vs Amazon
This week, retailers use facial recognition to collect customer data, while Walmart narrows price gap with Amazon.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Spotify to Launch Beauty, Amazon Could Be Worth $1 Trillion in 2018
This week, Spotify collaborates with Pat McGrath to expand merchandise into beauty, while Amazon's newer lines of business could raise its value to $1 trillion.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Apple Is Winning the Wearables Race, Poshmark's Personal Stylist
This week, Apple retakes top global wearables spot with the third generation Apple Watch, while Poshmark partners with Amazon for a voice-enabled styling engine.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Amazon Launches Augmented Reality Feature, Microsoft's Holograms
This week, Amazon's AR view allows customers to see a 3D rendering of a product, while Microsoft wants to bring holograms into retail.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Jason Wu Collaborates With Stitch Fix, Why Snapchat's Spectacles Failed
This week, Jason Wu launches a capsule collection with tech firm Stitch Fix, and why only 0.08 percent of Snapchat’s users bought its camera sunglasses.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Fitbit Pay Launches, Nike's Community-Driven Digital Studio
This week, Fitbit Pay arrives in the UK to rival Apple Pay, while Nike's s23NYC studio is using AI to build a community of sneakerheads.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | eBay Launches Authentication Programme; What the VPN Ban Means for Luxury in China
This week, eBay's verification programme aims to rival competition from sites like The Real Real, while the VPN ban could restrict access to marketing campaigns.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Amazon Acquires 3D Body Model Software, Is Spider Silk the Future of Fashion?
This week, Amazon buys 3D body scanning start-up Body Labs, while Miroslava Duma's fashion-tech incubator promotes sustainability with stem-cell leather and spider silk.
The News in Brief
Shein Agrees to Pay $100 Million to Settle US FTC Probe
The settlement, equivalent to 44 percent of the ultra fast-fashion company’s second-quarter profit, is the latest blow amid regulatory and tax crackdowns in Europe and the US that have hampered Shein’s growth.
Kering Drops 12% as Luxury Braces for Tough Winter
The recovery long promised by luxury brands seems nowhere in sight, as the expansion of war in the Middle East, along with China’s tax crackdown on the wealthy, piled further pressure on the world’s biggest luxury conglomerates in the third quarter, and executives buckled in for a tough winter.
UK Retail Sales Fall 0.4% in September, More Than Forecast
Sales fell in September as above-average temperatures hit demand for autumn clothing.
Elle Launches Moroccan Edition
Hitting newsstands in October, the magazine marks Elle’s 51st international edition, published under licence by the Geomedia group.
David’s Bridal Plans Spinoff and IPO of AI Wedding Planning Platform Pearl
Pearl, a subsidiary of David’s Bridal, will own David’s Bridal and license its intellectual property back to the bridalwear brand. David’s Bridal CEO Kelly Cook will serve as Pearl’s CEO.
L’Oréal Sales Beat Expectations as Premium Products Surge
The French giant handily beat expectations on strong demand for hair products at salons and premium skincare from its dermatological division.
P&G Beats Revenue Estimates, Flags Bigger Hit to Annual Profit
The maker of Pantene shampoo was helped by strong personal care demand, but expects higher commodity costs to reduce profit by about $1.4 billion this year.