The historic Portuguese luxury brand Vista Alegre, known for its porcelain, crystal, glassware, earthenware, and textiles, has partnered with Oma Living, India’s largest home and decoration retailer. The agreement follows Vista Alegre’s sale of its 50% stake in its Indian subsidiary, previously held through a joint venture with the Shree Sharda Group, according to ECO. The Portuguese group Vista Alegre, owned by conglomerate Visabeira and global football icon Cristiano Ronaldo, brought the athlete on board as an investor after he acquired 10% of the parent company and 30% of its Spanish subsidiary. Vista Alegre finalized the deal in the first half of 2025, a period during which it reported an 8.4% year-over-year drop in profits to €3.6 million. ECO attributed the decline largely to a 35% surge in energy costs and contacted the 200-year-old company for further details about the partnership and its strategy for Asia.
Vista Alegre launched its textile collection in 2020 and subsequently expanded it to include fashion accessories. – Fotografia: Vista Alegre
In a statement to ECO, Vista Alegre Atlantis’s Portuguese management said: “Its expanded network of luxury stores in this segment, in the main cities of India, will allow an increase in the exposure of Vista Alegre brand products, an increase in brand awareness and growth in sales in that country,” adding that it considers India “an absolutely relevant market for its growth in Asia.”
Although sales in Portugal grew by 240,000 euros by June, the company’s main growth continues to come from international markets, which represent 76% of its revenue. Its top three destinations are Germany, Spain, and France. Asia and the Middle East added 4.7 million euros to total sales, prompting the company to establish a new subsidiary in partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo. This unit will focus on developing both the Vista Alegre and Bordallo Pinheiro brands in these high-potential regions.
Vista Alegre’s interim financial report for H1 2025 also confirmed the formalization of the sale of 49% of Vista Alegre Atlantis S.A. to Shree Sharda (based in Delhi), along with the sale of the remaining 1% held by Vista Alegre itself.
In 2019, even before its expansion into textiles, Swiss watchmaker Franck Muller launched a special-edition timepiece, the Franck Muller Atlântico, limited to 20 units and featuring a crystal case crafted by Vista Alegre.
The Italian competition authority said on Tuesday it had opened two investigations into Swiss watchmaker Swatch and Japan’s Citizen Watch.
Reuters
The probes involve an alleged infringement of European rules on the fixing of retail prices displayed online by the groups’ authorised distributors.
The two companies may be limiting price competition among their retailers through a vertical agreement, by imposing retail prices on their distributors and adopting “retaliatory commercial measures” against those that fail to comply, the antitrust authority said in a statement.
The agency’s officials carried out inspections at the Italian offices of Swatch and Citizen on December 3.
Swatch and Citizen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
British retail tycoon Mike Ashley has pledged around 670 million pounds ($890.6 million) worth of shares in his sportswear and fashion retailer Frasers Group Plc as collateral for a loan from HSBC, according to filing on Tuesday.
Reuters
Ashley’s holding company, MASH Beta Limited, which holds the majority of Frasers’ issued share capital, pledged about 103.6 million ordinary shares.
Frasers’ shares were down about 1.3% at 646.5 pence as of Tuesday’s last close.
This move comes after the company’s heavy investments in newer geographies and taking or increasing shareholding in recent months across companies, from fashion groups to electrical retailers. Mike Ashley holds roughly a 73% stake in Frasers, according to data compiled by LSEG.
The company whose portfolio includes Sports Direct, House of Fraser and Flannels, reaffirmed its full-year profit forecast earlier this month.
G-III Apparel on Tuesday raised its full-year earnings forecast on the back of better-than-expected earnings in the third quarter, which also saw the U.S. firm’s sales drop 9% to $988.6 million.
Courtesy
The New York-based firm logged earnings of $80.6 million, or $1.84 per diluted share during the three months ending October 31, compared to $114.8 million, or $2.55 per diluted share, in the prior year’s third quarter.
While profits were lower than the same period last year, the owner of Karl Lagerfeld, Sonia Rykiel, and DKNY brands, “delivered a strong third quarter with gross margins and earnings far exceeding our expectations,” according to said Morris Goldfarb, G-III’s chairman and chief executive officer.
“This was driven by the strength of our go-forward portfolio, particularly our owned brands, as well as a healthy mix of full-price sales and our mitigation efforts against tariffs. I am pleased with how our brands are resonating with consumers and encouraged by the solid demand we have seen throughout the holiday season to date,” continued Goldfarb, who said his company is raising its fiscal 2026 earnings guidance to “reflect our third quarter outperformance tempered by the uncertainties around the consumer environment and tariff-related margin pressures.”
In June, G-III Apparel filed a $250-million lawsuit against PVH Corp., escalating tensions between the two fashion giants with allegations of breached licensing agreements and interference in business relationships. The complaint, filed in New York state court, targets PVH and its Calvin Klein Inc. and Tommy Hilfiger licensing divisions.
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