Eightyards GmbH, the wholly-owned subsidiary that Hugo Boss announced late last year, has now officially started its business operations.
Markéta Miltenberger and Placido Klitzke – HUGO BOSS
Based in Metzingen, it enables the company (in which the UK’s Frasers Group is the second-largest shareholder) to repurpose its surplus materials into new use.
Eightyards focuses on three core business areas: reselling, reusing as well as re-, up- and downcycling of the group’s surplus textiles to customers in the fashion industry and beyond.
It’s run by two of the company’s former employees: director Markéta Miltenberger and co-director Placido Klitzke.
“The creation of Eightyards shows our great internal talents and their entrepreneurial spirit. I am excited to see the contribution that Eightyards will deliver to the circular economy,” said Hugo Boss CEO Daniel Grieder.
As well as reselling, Eightyards offers to transform unused fabrics into new products from clothing, to tote bags, shoe bags, etuis for pens, and pillowcases.
The new venture also has plans to extend its services to other material supply sources in the future.
The company has already started collaborating on first projects with customers from the fashion and telecoms sector with Hugo Boss saying the ambition over the coming years is to “establish the venture as one of the key global facilitators for the repurposing of surplus materials”.
Miltenberger said that as a subsidiary of the giant German business, “we have access to high-quality surplus materials which have been sourced under high ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) standards. This is an asset we want to leverage for our customers. Our aim is to drive cross-industry collaboration with partners beyond the fashion sector.”
Australian high-end fashion brand Camilla and Marc already has an online presence in the UK and Europe and now it’s beginning its physical rollout with the opening of its first dedicated retail space within Galeries Lafayette Haussman in Paris.
Calling it a “milestone”, the company said it “signals the brand’s deepened presence on the international stage, bringing its distinctive vision to one of the world’s most revered fashion capitals”.
It’s actually the very first international boutique for the label and is located on Level 2 in the giant department store and tourist magnet.
We’re told the 37 sq m space is a “considered expression of refined craftsmanship and classic elegance, offering an intimate, service-driven retail experience that embodies the brand’s dedication to quality, innovation, and timeless design”.
The corner is grounded in a deep, rich palette, with high-gloss burgundy panels “that evoke the hues of the Australian landscape, enveloping the space, creating a striking contrast against the chrome metal fixtures that shift with the light”.
It will house the the full Camilla and Marc offer including its accessories, leathergoods and jewellery in addition to its clothing.
Creative director, Camilla Freeman-Topper said: “Opening our first store space in Paris is a really special moment for me, a dream come true.”
And her sibling and CEO, Marc Freeman, added: “Galeries Lafayette is one of the most visited, iconic department stores in the world, making it the perfect location for this pivotal step in our global expansion. As an internationally recognised destination for fashion, this opening reflects our commitment to building a meaningful presence in Europe. As we continue to grow, it’s important for us to create unique and immersive brand experiences for our customers around the world.”
Chinese giant Alibaba announced on Monday that it will invest €50 billion in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, just days after a high-profile meeting between its founder Jack Ma and President Xi Jinping.
A passerby takes a selfie in front of the Alibaba logo in Shanghai’s Xuhui district, 22 February 2025. – HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP
Based in Hangzhou, eastern China, Alibaba owns some of the country’s most popular e-commerce platforms, notably Taobao, and ranks among China’s tech giants.
Investors have flocked to Chinese technology stocks since early 2025. Alibaba’s share price recently surged to a three-year high.
The company further boosted investor confidence last week by reporting strong quarterly sales growth, highlighting the sector’s recovery after years of downturn.
Alibaba announced plans to invest “at least 380 billion yuan (€50 billion)” over the next three years to enhance its cloud computing and AI infrastructure. The strategy underscores the company’s commitment to long-term innovation and AI-driven growth.
Alibaba did not specify how it will divide the €50 billion investment between cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Record investment
Alibaba stated that this investment will surpass its total spending on AI and cloud computing over the past decade.
The announcement follows last week’s rare meeting involving Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and several prominent figures from the private sector, widely seen as a positive signal for China’s tech industry.
A few days later, Alibaba reported stronger-than-expected quarterly sales growth of 8%, reaching 280 billion yuan (€36.8 billion) in the third quarter of its fiscal year.
Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu praised these results as evidence of “significant progress” in the group’s “user-first, AI-driven strategy, ” highlighting renewed growth in the company’s core businesses.
Chinese authorities introduced strict regulations in 2020, targeting the previously loosely regulated technology sector. This significantly disrupted many tech companies, including Alibaba.
DeepSeek
But these tech giants have recently shown signs of recovery, boosted by investor optimism over Chinese advances in artificial intelligence—especially following the success of startup DeepSeek’s conversational AI.
This resurgence occurs as China urgently seeks to revive sluggish domestic consumption following the pandemic, further complicated by a property crisis, high youth unemployment, and household uncertainty about the future.
In his meeting with private-sector leaders last week, President Xi Jinping described current economic difficulties as “surmountable,” signaling support for technology giants, which play a key role in driving consumption.
Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma, who stepped down as company head but reportedly retains a significant stake, also attended the meeting.
His presence was seen as a sign of rehabilitation for the charismatic entrepreneur, who had maintained a low profile since openly criticizing financial regulators in 2020.
K-Pop’s global appeal continues to defy the ups and downs of the music business and its ongoing popularity means its stars remain in high demand for marketing campaigns, especially for fashion firms.
Yeji for Roger Vivier
Now Roger Vivier has announced Yeji as brand ambassador. The French luxury footwear and accessories company said that “as a leading figure in the K-pop world, Yeji embodies a bold and contemporary vision of style, perfectly aligning with the Maison’s heritage of elegance, creativity, and innovation”.
And it added that she’s “an icon for a new generation of fashion-forward individuals. Her influence extends far beyond music, shaping the cultural landscape and connecting with a dynamic global audience. With this partnership, Roger Vivier strengthens its ever-growing relationship with the world of K-pop, embracing its undeniable impact on contemporary fashion and luxury”.
The company stressed its “commitment to embracing a diverse and global vision of luxury” and said it looks forward to “showcasing this creative synergy through upcoming projects and exclusive collaborations”.
The label has drawn its ambassadors and campaign stars from a wide pool of celebrities around the world. Last summer, for instance, it announced Xin Zhilei as its latest brand ambassador, saying the award-winning Chinese actress will work with the company to “celebrate some of the brand’s most iconic creations”.
And just a few months earlier it unveiled American Academy Award winner Laura Dern — its “ambassador and friend of the House” — in its latest campaign, the first installation of the Vivier Express ‘Travelling Icons’ video series.
Entertainment8 years ago