With New Year’s fitness resolutions a big focus, January is a popular time for activewear brands to unveil new seasonal collections. And it’s also a time for completely new brands, which is what we now have from George at Asda.
The popular supermarket fashion brand has officially added Gym Locker, its new sportswear label.
The debut follows a successful online trial last year with the line being launched more widely as “an affordable answer to high-quality, contemporary athleisure for both men and women”.
It will be carried in 50 of the supermarket giant’s stores, as well as on the George webstore, with further drops planned for later in the year.
The range is available in sizes XS to XXL and as is the case with so many activewear ranges these days, features “pieces that are designed to be worn both in and outside of the gym”.
The launch collection is based on tones of cream, mauve, and muted grey. Prices start at £7 with the line-up including accessories, comfort fit tops, oversized hoodies, and four styles of sculpted leggings, “each designed to support every activity with exceptional durability, flexibility and comfort”.
We’ve heard how important leggings are in other high street active ranges and this is clearly going to be the case for the new George line. They’re made from Power Performance and Skin Fabric material, with the retailer saying “the squat-proof leggings maintain full opacity under the pressure of deep squats and stretches as well as featuring moisture-wicking properties, drawing sweat from the skin to keep users dry and comfortable even during the most intense workouts”.
The fabrics’ contouring capability “also offers a flattering fit that moulds to the body, providing gentle compression and support while enhancing natural curves for unrestricted motion without bunching or sagging”.
A brand spokesperson said: “Since we rolled out the online trial of Gym Locker last autumn, we have seen an unprecedented uplift from our customers seeking out and buying into sportswear.”
Deckers Outdoor on Thursday beat third-quarter sales estimates on robust holiday demand for its Hoka running shoes, but an in-line annual forecast caused the footwear maker’s shares to tumble 17% in extended trading.
Hoka shoes with their oversized soles have been gaining market share from brands such as Nike in the sportswear category. The brand, which retails for up to $300 in the United States, have also enjoyed full-price sales.
This drove up the company’s third-quarter revenue by 17% to $1.83 billion, beating analysts’ average estimate of $1.73 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. Deckers also raised its annual net sales forecast for a second time this year.
“The guidance looks pretty conservative and considering the beat, it’s bit of a negative read into the out quarter,” said Drake MacFarlane, analyst at MScience.
The popularity of the Hoka shoes and the success of the company’s Ugg boots and sandals has helped it post double-digit revenue growth for nearly seven quarters.
The company now expects annual net sales to increase about 15% to $4.9 billion, compared with its prior expectation of about 12% growth to $4.8 billion. Analysts estimated an increase of 14.9% to $4.93 billion.
Deckers expects annual earnings per share of $5.75 to $5.80, compared with its prior forecast of $5.15 to $5.25.
Amazon.com is increasing its advertising on billionaire Elon Musk’s social media platform X, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The major shift comes after the e-commerce giant withdrew much of its advertising from the platform more than a year ago due to concerns over hate speech.
In 2023, Apple also pulled all of its advertising from X and has recently been in discussions about testing ads on the platform, the report said.
Several ad agencies, tech and media companies had also suspended advertising on X following Musk’s endorsement of an antisemitic post that falsely accused members of the Jewish community of inciting hatred against white people.
Monthly U.S. ad revenue at social media platform X has declined by at least 55% year-over-year each month since Musk bought the company, formerly known as Twitter, in October 2022. He had acknowledged that an extended boycott by advertisers could bankrupt X.
Musk has become one of the most influential figures following President Donald Trump‘s re-election. He now leads the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to cut $2 trillion in government spending.
Italian luxury goods group Salvatore Ferragamo said on Thursday its revenue dropped by 4% at constant currencies in the fourth quarter, flagging “encouraging results” from its direct-to-consumer sales which were overall flat in the last three months of the year.
Sales in the North American region, which accounted for 29% of total revenue, were up 6.3% in the quarter. However, the Asia Pacific area saw a 25% drop in revenue at constant exchange rates.
The slowdown in global demand for luxury goods, especially in China, has made the group’s turnaround harder. Overall preliminary revenues reached 1.03 billion euros in 2024, in line with analysts’ estimates, according to an LSEG consensus.
“January shows an acceleration in our DTC channel’s growth, albeit supported by the different timing of the Chinese New Year and a favourable comparison base versus last year”, Chief Executive Marco Gobbetti said in a statement.