Shein Group Ltd.’s sales in the US have taken a hit since the Trump administration ended a tariff exemption for small shipments that helped fuel the fast-growing retailer’s growth.
Shein is known for its trend driven fast fashion – Reuters
The policy, called de minimis, ended on August 29, and in September Shein’s observed sales declined about 8% from the same period a year ago, according to data from Bloomberg Second Measure, which tracks the transactions of an anonymous set of US shoppers. That marked the second-worst monthly performance of the past three years.
The Trump administration has said one of the reasons it ended the policy, which allowed shipments worth no more than $800 to enter the US duty-free, was to even the playing field for US companies. Closely held Shein, founded in mainland China and now headquartered in Singapore, has been growing rapidly in recent years, aided by undercutting competitors on price with goods made in Asia. Quarterly sales nearly hit $10 billion in the first three months of the year, Bloomberg reported in July.
The end of de minimis will help Shein’s competitors in fast fashion, said Poonam Goyal, a senior analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence covering retail e-commerce. Other big players in the sector include H&M and Zara.
“The playing field has been levelled,” with the end of de minimis, Goyal said. “That means their prices aren’t as competitive as they were in the past.” Shein didn’t respond to a request for comment for this story.
The White House’s first step on de minimis came in early May when it removed the exemption on shipments from China. Shein raised prices- including some dramatically- ahead of the change, Bloomberg reported at the time. The company’s US business also took a hit then, with monthly sales declining almost 11%, according to Second Measure.
Shein has since slowed its pursuit of an initial public offering. The retailer has also been diversifying its supply chain, including reducing its reliance on China.
Natasha Kuliecza, a sophomore at Rutgers University and frequent Shein shopper, said she has looked into alternatives, such as Amazon and Target, after seeing prices rise and delivery times lengthen at Shein.
“As a college student, I’m trying to save money with everything,” Kuliecza said. “So when I want more clothes, I’d rather just go the cheaper route.”
Victoria’s Secret & Co. on Friday reported better-than-expected sales in the third quarter, prompting the U.S. lingerie giant to raise its full year outlook.
Victoria’s Secret raises full-year outlook on strong Q3. – Victoria’s Secret
The Ohio-based company said sales for the three months ending November 1 totalled $1.472 billion, up 9% from the third quarter of 2024 and above its previously communicated guidance range of $1.390 billion to $1.420 billion. Meanwhile, total comparable sales for the third quarter of 2025 increased 8%.
Victoria’s Secret recouped its earnings, reporting a net loss of $37 million, or $0.46 per diluted share, compared to net loss of $56 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2024.
“With two iconic brands, Victoria’s Secret and Pink, a curated product assortment, high-emotion marketing and a relentless customer focus, we are reinforcing our leadership in global intimates and beauty,” said Victoria’s Secret & Co. CEO, Hillary Super.
“As we continue to advance our Path to Potential strategy, we are accelerating global growth, elevating brand distinctiveness, and unlocking greater value across our ecosystem to drive long-term profitable growth.”
Looking ahead, the company is now forecasting full-year net sales in the range of $6.450 billion to $6.480 billion, compared to prior guidance of $6.330 billion to $6.410 billion for the full year 2025. Adjusted net income per diluted share is estimated to be in the range of $2.40 to $2.65, compared to prior guidance of $1.80 to $2.20.
For the fourth quarter, the company is forecasting net sales to be in the range of $2.170 billion to $2.200 billion compared to last year’s fourth quarter net sales of $2.106 billion.
Bernard Arnault has paid homage to the late Frank Gehry, the brilliant Canadian-born architect who passed away on Friday in Los Angeles.
Frank Gehry
For Arnault, Gehry designed the Fondation Louis Vuitton, widely seen as the most important work of contemporary architecture ever commissioned by a luxury brand.
Gehry died aged 96 Friday after a short respiratory illness, bringing to an end a truly remarkable career that included buildings such the highly acclaimed Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, his greatest masterpiece.
“I am profoundly saddened by the passing of Frank Gehry, in whom I lose a very dear friend and for whom I shall forever retain boundless admiration. I owe to him one of the longest, most intense, and most ambitious creative partnerships I have ever had the privilege to experience. His oeuvre, crowned by the Pritzker Prize, is immense. He will remain a genius of lightness, transparency, and grace,” Arnault said in a release.
In October 2014, in the presence of French president François Hollande, Gehry and Arnault opened the Fondation Louis Vuitton, a brilliant Deconstructivist building with a price tag that ran to some €800 million. Riffing on late 19th-century French architecture which revolutionized the use of glass like the Grand Palais and combining that with computer technology and 3D design, Gehry created a beautiful structure. Built on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, its unique shape suggested a giant sailboat gathering wind in its sails.
Fondation Louis Vuitton – Courtesy
“Frank Gehry – who possessed an unparalleled gift for shaping forms, pleating glass like canvas, making it dance like a silhouette – will long endure as a living source of inspiration for Louis Vuitton as well as for all the maisons of the LVMH group. With the Fondation Louis Vuitton pour la Création, he bestowed upon Paris and upon France his greatest masterpiece, the highest expression of his creative power, commensurate with the friendship he bore our city and the affection he showed for our culture,” Arnault added.
Gehry was to go on a design several stores and handbags for Louis Vuitton and has two more buildings in the pipeline for the luxury marque. A super-store concept building on Rodeo Drive in LA, due to open in two years, and an adjacent structure beside Louis Vuitton Foundation.
“My wife, my children, and I express our deepest condolences to his wife, Berta, and to his children,” concluded Arnault.
Abel Richard, a new Italian luxury handbag brand, made its global debut in Miami during Art Basel over the weekend.
Handbag brand Abel Richard makes global debut in Miami. – Abel Richard
Founded by entrepreneur and designer Abel Richard Bullock, the brand fuses Italian craftsmanship with materials more commonly found in private aviation, yachting, and automotive luxury.
The launch coincides with the opening of its Miami Design District boutique, where the brand is exhibiting its first style, the Chrono bag—an architectural silhouette that requires more than 1,000 hours to produce and starts at $170,000.
“In our experience, fashion is about feeling, identity, and a sense of belonging. Creating truly one of a kind designs such as the Chrono that embody these feelings is deeply meaningful to us,” said Bullock. “Our hope is that every time someone carries one of our signature Abel Richard bags, they feel a deep connection to their individuality and can express these feelings wearing our designs.”
The Chrono launches in three editions. The Bianco Lustre model features 24K gold mirror accents, pale leather and a pearlescent lacquered shell, priced at $207,000. The Titanio model is produced with satin-brushed proprietary titanium alloy, dark leather and carbon fiber for $170,000. The Noir model is made in matte-black forged carbon and priced at $179,000.
“The Chrono demonstrates what’s possible when innovation drives every decision,” added Bullock. “Its creation is incredibly challenging, but the results are extraordinary. Each piece goes through a thorough process where every curve is calculated to shape the silhouette perfectly. Any small misstep can compromise the design, which is why only pieces that meet every standard move to full production. Hundreds of hours of work go into perfecting each piece, coming together in the Chrono, a singular design that celebrates artistry.”
The Miami Design District boutique spans 3,777 square feet with a gallery-like interior designed in marble, walnut, and brushed brass finishes. Each handbag is presented individually, with curved architectural lines and ambient lighting intended to create a museum-like atmosphere.
The Miami flagship follows a soft opening in Beverly Hills and marks the beginning of a wider retail rollout. Abel Richard plans to open additional boutiques in Manhattan, Scottsdale, London, and Dubai beginning in the first quarter of 2026, as it introduces its limited-edition collections to a global audience.
The Beverly Hills location at 236 N. Rodeo Drive is now open to the public, while the Miami boutique at 3921 NE 2nd Avenue continues to expand its presence.