Showing just how big an occasion St Patrick’s Day (17 March) is, the event boosted the latest three-day (Saturday-Monday) UK retail footfall, which came in up 4.1% year-on-year in regional markets outside of London, according to MRI Software data.
Image: Pexels
Total footfall was up 8.1% in all UK retail destinations compared to St Patrick’s Day last year.
Understandably, there was 51.9% footfall surge in Northern Ireland, by far the highest in the UK, as market towns also saw a 31.3% uplift.
The related holiday moving to a Monday this year, rather than falling on a Sunday in 2024, likely played a key role in this increase, the report said.
“For the first time in seven years, thousands of people lined the streets on Monday for St Patrick’s Day parades across towns and cities in Northern Ireland, “reinforcing the strong economic and social impact of the celebrations”, the report added.
The surge is also likely to have also been fuelled by major sporting events including the football Carabou Cup Final and the final day of the rugby Six Nations Championships.
“The combination of events, extended festivities, and major sporting occasions contributed to a strong weekend for UK retail and hospitality sectors, providing optimism for the year ahead”, MRI Software added.
Kith is set to open its latest flagship store in the city of Osaka on Friday, marking its second flagship in Japan, following its Tokyo location.
Kith expands in Japan with new Osaka flagship. – Kith
Located in northern Osaka, the new flagship sits within a bustling shopping complex across from the newly developed Umekita Park.
The store’s main room is characterized by Venetian plaster walls, Mountain White Danby stone flooring, and a Rosewood ceiling, highlighting men’s and women’s apparel along the perimeter. The central focus is a monolithic travertine structure that houses accessories and lifestyle pieces on the exterior, and a display of footwear on the inside.
Across the street, Kith Kids introduces a vibrant, playful space with multicolored Kith Monogram wallpaper and a design crafted from Rosa Portugalo, Verde Paradise, and Mediterranean Blue stone.
Next door, Kith Treats opens its second ice cream shop in Japan, complete with an exclusive Osaka-inspired treat. It will offer a modern and airy ambiance with Rosa Aurora walls, Mediterranean Blue stone, and a colorful seating area along the ice cream bar.
For the opening, Kith has teamed up with New Balance for two exclusive sneaker releases: the Made in USA 992 and the Made in UK 991v2, available in a limited-edition color palette.
It will equally launch an exclusive in-store capsule collection featuring apparel and accessories inspired by Osaka’s culture and the flagship store. The collection includes jackets, tees, crewnecks, and hoodies featuring custom graphics and logos, alongside Nolan Trucker Caps and engraved keyrings.
In partnership with New Era, Kith presents two Hanshin Tigers and Orix Buffaloes caps, honoring Japan’s deep-rooted baseball tradition. Lastly, Kith has collaborated with Kaikado, a heritage Japanese brand with a 150-year legacy, to introduce a special edition travel-friendly tea canister, alongside their iconic handcrafted tea caddies.
The house of Karl Lagerfeld, Maison Karl Lagerfeld, has unveiled its latest link-up, a collaboration with Borsalino, the famed Italian brand known for its iconic hats and millinery.
Borsalino X Karl Lagerfeld collection – Courtesy
In his brilliant career, Karl Lagerfeld practically invented the fashion collab with his legendary linkup with H&M back in 2004, through to his swimwear with Vilebrequin. While his brand recently produced joint efforts with Vans skateboard shoes and Atelier recycled jeans.
Now, his house’s latest tie-up is entitled “Borsalino x Karl Lagerfeld”, a five-piece premium capsule made in Italy that blends the brands’ collective heritage of classic elegance, premium quality and savoir-faire.
The capsule’s hero piece is a hand-woven, wide-brimmed straw Panama hat with a Borsalino x Karl Lagerfeld ribbon, enriched by a personalized grosgrain loop for a tailored touch. Crafted with over 160 years of weaving expertise, Borsalino’s Panama hats are accurately made with traditional weaving methods updated with new materials, colors and attention to detail for a more contemporary lifestyle.
Each hat is accompanied by a bespoke Borsalino x Karl Lagerfeld keepsake box.
Channeling the brand’s signature black-and-white expressionist aesthetic, the collection also features tailored summer pieces, including a silk-blend pareo along with a silk tunic cover-up for women, and a silk-blend polo shirt for men.
Borsalino remains arguably the single most famous men’s hat of all: donned by Humphrey Bogart in the most famous scene in cinema – his farewell to Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca”; and by Marcello Mastroianni in “8 ½”; Jean-Paul Belmondo in “Breathless” and Toni Servillo in “The Great Beauty”.
Each look can be completed with a classic canvas tote bag – versatile enough to go from the beach to the city.
The Borsalino x Karl Lagerfeld collection will be available from Monday, March 24, in selected Karl Lagerfeld and Borsalino stores, plus online at brand’s respective web-stores.
Pieces will range from €199 for ready-to-wear pieces to €449 for the exclusive Panama hat.
Amazon lost its fight against a record 746 million euro ($812.4 million) fine handed out by Luxembourg’s privacy regulator four years ago as a court sided with the watchdog, according to a statement on the regulator’s website.
Reuters
The Luxembourg National Commission for Data Protection (CNPD) said the country’s administrative court dismissed Amazon’s appeal in a March 18 ruling.
The watchdog had penalised Amazon for processing personal data in breach of EU privacy rules known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Europe has taken a tough line against such violations, with its landmark law setting the benchmark for other countries.
CNPD said its decision, which also included measures for Amazon to fix the issue, will remain suspended during the appeal period.
Amazon said it was considering appealing the court ruling.
It said the CNPD’s decision “imposed an unprecedented fine based on subjective interpretations of the law about which they had not previously published any interpretive guidance”.