Dr Martens wants its customers to “Feel the Buzz” with the footwear brand’s first statement launch of the year. Statement? The introduction of the Buzz shoe reflects “a big shift in women’s footwear trends being heavily rooted in the 90’s and nostalgiaI,” notes the brand’s footwear designer Bridie Husband.
Inspired by its own 90’s archive, the shoe is “bold, bouncy and barrel-edged, with bubble branding to boot”.
The five-eye lace-up shoe “blend[s] classic DM accents with a chunky, comfortable sole and vibrant upper”, to provide the wearer with a fresh footwear alternative for spring.
It comes with a statement leaf pattern on an undersole also marked with the brand’s signature grooving pattern while stretched with contours that echo the curvature of the sole tagged with rubberised bubble brand patches. It’s also fitted with padded ankle collars for extra cushioning alongside the trademark DM’s bouncing sole construction secured with yellow welt stitching.
Husband added: ’‘The Buzz has a sporty, streetwear aesthetic that our wearers haven’t seen from us in recent seasons.”
And that “big shift” in women’s footwear trends means it was “the perfect time to bring back elements of such a sought-after archive shoe. There’s a sense of physical elevation and confidence that comes with a big platform sole and we’ve added padding for extra comfort, so we’re really excited to see how [customers] will react to the new style and make it their own,” she added.
The collection is available now in a variety of statement colours, patterns, and materials, including textured Hair On leather with a leopard print, soL Grizzly and Milled Nappa leather, and durable EH Suede.
Kenvue Inc. announced on Thursday net sales increased 0.1% to $15.5 billion for the full year ended December 29, 2024, on the back of softer-than-expected sales growth.
Kenvue reports flat 2024 sales. – Neutrogena
Fourth quarter, net sales decreased 0.1%. By segment, the self-care segment and the skin health and beauty segment climbed 2.1% year-over-year to $1.59 billion in net sales, and 1% to $1.01 billion, respectively. Meanwhile, the essential health segment recorded a 4.1% drop in fourth-quarter net sales to $1.08 billion.
Kenvue-owned brands include Neutrogena, Aveeno, Band-Aid Brand, Johnson’s, Listerine, and Tylenol.
“We delivered on our 2024 profit commitments despite headwinds that resulted in softer than expected sales growth and we enter 2025 as a more competitive company with stronger foundations,” said Thibaut Mongon, chief executive officer.
“We remain focused on leveraging our increased brand investments to accelerate growth and deliver long-term value creation centered around profitable growth, durable cash flow generation, and disciplined capital allocation.”
Looking ahead, the company expects a 2025 net sales change of -1% to +1% year-over-year, with organic sales growth of 2% to 4%. Kenvue projects flat to 2% year-over-year growth in adjusted diluted earnings per share for 2025,
“As Kenvue enters our next chapter, we expect to accelerate performance throughout the year, while navigating the dynamic external environment contemplated within our outlook,” added Paul Ruh, chief financial officer.
“We expect to drive further productivity and operational efficiency gains, which will fund our planned increase in brand investments, positioning us to grow adjusted operating margin for the year.”
France’s L’Oreal said on Thursday that Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, granddaughter of the company’s founder and one of the world’s richest women, planned to step down from the board, with her son Jean-Victor to take over her role as vice-chair.
Reuters
Jean-Victor Meyers, 38, and younger brother Nicolas Meyers are already directors on the board.
Bettencourt Meyers has also proposed the family-owned holding company Tethys, L’Oreal’s largest shareholder, join the board, alongside her sons.
The proposal will be voted on at the annual general meeting on April 29, the company said in a statement.
Elf Beauty’s shares tumbled over 20% in extended trading on Thursday, after the cosmetics company cut its annual net sales and profit forecasts, citing weak demand in the mass beauty category at the start of the year.
Reuters
Elf Beauty is known for its vegan lip oils and makeup products at affordable price points, which are also available at drugstores and supermarkets such as Walgreens and Target.
Demand was softer in the mass beauty channel in January, and some of Elf’s newer products were “off to a slower start”, Chief Executive Officer Tarang Amin told Reuters.
“Elf’s core Gen Z demographic has been distracted by natural disasters, political change, and uncertainty over TikTok’s fate, and that’s likely to weigh on the brand through the rest of its fiscal year,” said Sky Canaves, principal analyst at Emarketer.
President Donald Trump‘s new 10% tariffs on imports from China could also force the company to raise prices, with about 80% of its products being manufactured in China, down from 100% five years ago.
Consumer uncertainty over inflation and the state of the economy weighed on the mass category in January, executives said on a post-earnings call.
The company now expects annual net sales of $1.30 billion to 1.31 billion, down from a prior target of $1.315 billion to 1.335 billion. It also lowered its annual adjusted profit per share target to $3.27 to 3.32 from $3.47 to 3.53.
Elf’s net sales for the third quarter, ended December 31, grew 31% to $355.32 million, beating estimates of $329.67 million, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Beauty giant Estee Lauder said earlier this week that it would cut more jobs and noted it was taking a hit from weakness in travel retail demand for beauty products in Asia.