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 | Fitbit Acquires Smartwatch Manufacturer, Wearables Cling to Relevancy at CES
Fitbit looks to the luxury market as it acquires smartwatch start-up Vector, and a new generation of wearables appear at CES.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Rent the Runway Raises $60M, How WeChat Became the App for Everything
This week, online rental platform Rent the Runway raises $60 million and the rise of social media app WeChat in China.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Instagram Wants to be Pinterest, Shiseido Invests in Beauty Tech
This week, Instagram borrows from Pinterest with a 'Save for Later' button and Shiseido creates an internal venture capital organisation to develop innovative beauty products and services.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | AR Will Beat VR, Weibo Lures Luxury Brands
This week, the comeback of Chinese social media app Weibo has attracted luxury brands and why augmented reality is set to be bigger than virtual reality.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | The Rise of Voice Control, 3-D Printing, High Fashion Embraces Self-Checkout
This week, voice control assistants like Amazon Echo gain traction, 3-D printing and fashion continue to collaborate and Rebecca Minkoff tests self-checkout services.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Le Tote Bets Big on Data, Virtual Fitting-Rooms, Talking Bots
This week, subscription box Le Tote harnesses big data to curate clothes for customers, virtual fitting-rooms make shopping online easier and talking bots help us get more out of AI.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Instagram's New Features, The Era of Predictive Commerce
This week, Instagram launches live video and vanishing chat images, and how predictive AI will change the way we shop.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Shoppers Prioritise Speedy Delivery, $1BN E-Commerce Venture Targets Middle East
This week, a report reveals the importance of speedy delivery services to holiday shoppers and a $1 billion e-commerce venture from Saudi Arabia PIF and Alabbar targets the Middle East's growing online retail market.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Fake Retail Apps on the Rise, How to Maximise Mobile Retail
This week, fake retail apps surge in the run up to the holidays and how to make use of mobile retail, as it overtakes desktop for the first time.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Digital-First Vogue Arabia, Styling Algorithms
This week, Condé Nast launches digital-first Vogue Arabia, and a lab in South Korea creates a search engine for fashion items.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | LVMH Says No to Amazon, Pay By Nodding
This week, LVMH says it will never sell on Amazon and Alibaba allows VR customers to pay by nodding.
Technology
Bits & Bytes | Clothes Created By Robots, Google and Facebook's VR Race
This week, robot-made clothes are closer to being a reality and Facebook and Google focus on VR.
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.