High-end outlet specialist Bicester Village has formed an exclusive partnership with digital sustainability expert Save Your Wardrobe (SYW) to provide the mall’s members with an advanced aftercare service.
Bicester Village – Bicester Village
The partnership will see its AI-powered wardrobe management app “power a comprehensive digital experience leveraging its own advanced aftercare platform”.
Bicester Village Members can now access a range of services for the repair, alteration, and cleaning of clothing, bags, and shoes through the platform.
The customised platform features integrated automated logistics, live tracking, operational management, fluid customer communication and live data reporting “guaranteeing an efficient repair experience from booking to completion”.
Hasna Kourda, co-founder and CEO of SYW, said: “The partnership underscores the growing demand for aftercare solutions in the luxury retail space, and we’re proud to be the ones to power it.
“Our approach ensures effortless booking, smooth operations, and trusted craftsmanship, reinforcing our mission to embed circularity into the heart of the luxury shopping experience.”
In November, SWY said it made a “significant” move towards prioritising longevity in fashion by forming a similar partnership and London-based United Repair Centre to become a strategic service partner.
New York-based management firm Authentic Brands Group announced on Wednesday a new partnership with Unified Accessories for Izod belts and small leather goods.
Authentic inks partnership with Unified for Izod accessories. – Authentic
Under the agreement, Unified will be tasked with the design, production and distribution of a new collection of men’s belts, wallets and leather accessories. The collection will merge Izod’s signature American style with Unified’s expertise in crafting high-quality accessories.
“Izod is a celebrated brand with a strong connection to its heritage. We’re excited to continue to grow its lifestyle offerings in partnership with Unified,” said Jean Fei, senior vice president, active and classic brands – lifestyle at Authentic. “Unified’s expertise and commitment to quality perfectly aligns with the brand’s core values. We look forward to working together to bring these products to life.”
The product line is set to launch in Fall 2025 and will be available through multiple retail channels, including department stores, specialty retailers, and online platforms across the United States.
“We are proud to partner with Authentic to bring Izod’s style into the men’s accessories market,” added Scott Weiner, senior vice president of sales at Unified Accessories. “This collection reflects our shared commitment to quality craftsmanship and will connect with consumers seeking both style and function.”
Earlier this year, Authentic announced a new partnership with K9 Wear for the manufacturing and distribution of pet apparel for its Izod brand. Authentic acquired the Izod brand from U.S. fashion giant PVH Corp, in late 2021, along with fellow heritage brands Van Heusen and Arrow.
Intimates and apparel manufacturer and marketer Delta Galil Industries, Ltd. reported record full year sales of $2.05 billion on Tuesday, on the back of a strong fourth quarter.
Delta Galil reports record $2 billion sales in 2024. – Delta Galil
The Tel Aviv, Israel-based company, which owns labels such as 7 For All Mankind, Schiesser and Eminence, and holds licenses for brands including Wilson, Columbia and Tommy Hilfiger, said fourth quarter sales increased 18% to $599.2 million, driven by growth in all segments, channels and geographies.
For the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, online sales of the company’s brands increased 22% and 21%, respectively.
Net income in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $29.5 million, compared to $37.8 million in the same period last year. Diluted earnings per share, increased 9% to $1.43 in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to $1.31.
Net income in the full year 2024 increased 11% to $94.6 million, compared to $85.3 million in 2023. Diluted earnings per share, increased 18% to $3.82 compared to $3.25 in the same period last year.
“Delta’s strong fourth quarter financial results produced a record year of sales and robust profitability, reflecting our team’s resilience, creativity, and dedication inachieving excellent results,” said Isaac Dabah, CEO of Delta Galil.
“For the full year, I am proud to report that we exceeded our 2024 sales and EBITDA guidance, as we grew sales by 10% to over $2.0 billion, produced a record gross margin of 41.9% and expanded net income by 18% to $109 million. This performance generated strong operating cash flow excluding IFRS 16 of $153 million for the full year 2024. Strong profitability and operating cash flow also allowed us to return a record $33 million of dividends back to our shareholders, a 24% increase over the prior year.”
Looking ahead, the company expects 2025 full year sales to jump 4% to 6% reaching $2,118 to $2,165 million.
Shopify posted its best quarterly revenue growth in three years on Tuesday, as healthy consumer spending and the e-commerce company’s efforts to load its platform with AI features for sellers helped drive strong holiday sales.
Reuters
The Canadian company’s shares, however, were down about 2% in early trading as investors fretted over its weaker-than-expected current-quarter profit forecast.
Shopify has been investing heavily in building out AI-based tools that help its merchants with tasks ranging from image generation to inventory management, offering its ‘Shopify Magic’ suite of AI features across all subscription tiers for free.
Coupled with strong consumer spending online over the holiday season, the AI initiatives helped Shopify attract hundreds of merchants and also drove its revenue 31% higher from a year earlier to $2.81 billion in the fourth quarter, above analysts’ estimates of $2.73 billion according to data compiled by LSEG.
But Shopify’s investments into tech and expansion along with its partnership with companies such as PayPal are causing worries around margin growth. The company saw higher cloud and infrastructure hosting costs in the fourth quarter, CFO Jeff Hoffmeister said on a post-earnings call.
While the cost increase is not expected to have as much of an impact in the coming quarters, the company plans to invest heavily in research and development, marketing and into expansion in newer markets, Hoffmeister added.
Shopify expects gross profit dollars to grow at a low-twenties percentage rate in the current quarter, weaker than the 24.2% growth expected by analysts according to Visible Alpha.
“Investors may be pausing because of the profitability guidance… Shopify has been able to grow margins very substantially the last couple of years and investors want to make sure that there’s not any backsliding,” said D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria.
Shopify’s outlook for operating expense as a percentage of revenue to be 41% to 42% was also higher than expectations, Luria added.