Florentine ready-to-wear label Daniele Fiesoli, founded in 2000 by the eponymous businessman-designer, is continuing to invest in its womenswear collections, first introduced in 2020 and now accounting for 10% of sales. The label’s objective in 2025 is to grow the share of womenswear to 20% of its total revenue.
“With the Fall/Winter 2025-26 collection, it’s fair to say that Fiesoli’s womenswear has matured: I’m happy with the products that we have managed to create, both in terms of quality and style, and the market is responding very favourably,” said Daniele Fiesoli, speaking to FashionNetwork.com. “For womenswear, we have formed an all-women team, both in the design office and in manufacturing,” he added.
Daniele Fiesoli’s womenswear is currently available at some 200 retailers in Italy, Germany and France.
“With the next winter season, I’d be happy to grow the number to 250 quality stores, while increasing average order value,” added Fiesoli. “Once womenswear will generate interesting volumes, we could introduce monobrand [stores] commercialising our men’s and women’s lines together, finding a partner that is a retail specialist.”
In the meantime, Daniele Fiesoli is preparing to relaunch its official website. It won’t be simply an e-shop, but a platform designed to promote the label’s retail partners, a real showcase to support sales. “Our partners are people who invest in us, and our job is to invest in them,” said Fiesoli.
Daniele Fiesoli currently generates 35% of its business in Italy and 65% outside Italy. It is present in over 25 countries and regions, and its expansion markets are Japan, Korea and North America, “where we now have a distributor and are present in about 20 independent retailers, a number we would like to increase,” said Fiesoli.
The label is aiming to consolidate these regions while waiting for the Chinese market to flourish again, and at the same time to strengthen its position in its second-largest market, DACH. Scandinavia is a promising region, where Daniele Fiesoli is growing steadily.
After posting robust growth in the last few years, in 2024 the label recorded a revenue on par with the previous year, at approximately €16 million, and is looking to the future with optimism: “2025 started well, our order collection for the summer season was up by 10%, a trend that is expected to continue for the winter season too,” said Fiesoli, adding that “our goal is to grow while maintaining our top-notch standards, combining quality, innovation and a strong connection with our partner clients.”
The byword for Daniele Fiesoli’s Fall/Winter 2025-26 collection is ‘layering’: “From a stylistic point of view, we’ve responded to the needs of our increasingly mild climate by creating lightweight, easily layered garments. We have put a lot of emphasis on quilted double-layer knitwear, which can turn into outerwear, worn over other tops; as well as sweaters that can be worn under a shirt.”
One of the season’s novelties is the Botanica capsule collection, a selection of 20 items combining comfort, quality and respect for the environment. Cashmere is the line’s key element, used both in its pure and recycled form. The garments are made using processes with a low environmental impact.
For example, the label is using vegetable dyes – with pigments extracted from plants, leaves, fruits, roots and flowers, resulting in fabrics with delicate, vibrant and natural colours – and salt dyes, a treatment that gives a natural stone-washed effect without using chemicals. “Using natural pigments, cashmere is dyed in the fibre, before being spun into yarn, for even greater colour stability,” concluded Fiesoli.
There are going to be quite a few contenders for the ‘best year ever’ winner in the shopping centre category. Entering the field is Caledonia Park, Scotland, with the premium designer outlet village’s owner/operator Railpen saying it experienced a “record-breaking year for sales and performance” in 2024.
The path to success was helped by the destination introducing seven new brands and securing a series of long-term renewals, “demonstrating the success of [our] strategic asset management”.
Surpassing 2023 levels, footfall rose 8%, “underlining the impact of its targeted leasing strategy tailored to evolving consumer demands” and standout categories included Health and Beauty, which saw a “staggering sales growth of 26%”. It said this was bolstered by the continued success of Rituals.
Also, the Black Friday weekend was “particularly successful” with a 19.1% uplift in sales vs the same period last year.
Last year’s key arrivals included Ben Sherman, which opened its first outlet location in Scotland there at the end of last year, taking a 1,500 sq ft space adjacent to fellow Scottish outlet debutant Moss, which recently opened its refurbished store, and kate spade new york.
The venue’s “targeted and considered leasing strategy” also resulted in several lease renewals for long-standing tenants, including Polo Ralph Lauren, who has now committed to another five years at the destination, as well as Berghaus, and Levi’s, “signifying appeal for both brands and visitors across the country”.
Maria Averkina, asset & development manager at Railpen, said: “2024 has been a standout year for us as we remain strong in our position as the go-to place for outlet debuts in Scotland.
“[The] record footfall and sales, [puts] us on a positive trajectory as we kick off 2025, and our portfolio of brands is continuing to excel, catering to our visitors tastes. Our focus will remain on supporting existing tenants as well as attracting new ones, with several discussions already under way with leading retailers.”
American lifestyle and accessories brand Cole Haan announced on Thursday the opening of its third New York City location.
Located at the corner of 5th Avenue and 19th Street in the historic Flatiron District, the 1,622-square-foot store offers an immersive shopping experience for customers to explore Cole Haan’s diverse collections across lifestyle, sport, and dress categories.
Housed within a 1904 neo-Renaissance landmark building, the new store boasts floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space in natural light. Design elements, including herringbone wood flooring, mosaic tiles, aged iron chandeliers, and custom-built shelving, create an inviting atmosphere that bridges the brand’s heritage with its forward-thinking approach. Completing the space is artwork throughout the store including macro photography of the iconic Flatiron Building.
“New York has long been a key and successful market for Cole Haan, and we’re excited to open a new store in this vibrant city in the iconic Flatiron District,” said Jack Boys, CEO of Cole Haan.
“This next step in our brand and retail journey offers a unique opportunity to engage with both long-time and new customers allowing us to share our most innovative products and classic designs in one of the world’s most inspiring neighborhoods.”
The store opens with Cole Haan’s Spring 2025 collection. Customers will find new products in Men’s including the OriginalGrand Energyweave Oxfords, alongside best-selling styles. In women’s, new styles include the Georgie Ballet and Graclyn MaryJane Ballet Flats, as well as the Carolyn Foldover Tote in the handbag category.
Cole Haan currently operates over 500 stores in nearly 100 countries worldwide.
Five years down the line, how’s Brexit been for British fashion retail sales? Pretty much a disaster, according to the updated ‘Brexit to Breakthrough – Market Expansion for UK Brands’ report by Retail Economics and software company Tradebyte.
British retail sales to the European Union have not only dropped by a staggering £5.9 billion since Brexit, clothing exports have been hit the hardest, falling by over 60% from £7.4 billion in 2019 to £2.7 billion in 2023.
Apparel has been supplanted by Health and Beauty (plus electricals, DIY and gardening) becoming the top exporters in non-food retail, now making up three-quarters of UK retail exports to the EU.
Meanwhile, the value of non-food retail exports has fallen by almost 18% since 2019, despite hefty inflation softening the decline, the report notes.
Additional trade frictions caused by Brexit-related complexities such as increased logistics costs, customs complexities, and regulatory hurdles, “are curtailing international online retail opportunities for UK-based brands and retailers (worth an estimated £322.6 bn to EU economies)”, it also said.
Any good news? Despite these setbacks, online marketplaces have emerged as vital platforms for UK brands to regain ground in the lucrative European e-commerce market. Online marketplaces now account for at least £133bn (40%) of EU e-commerce.
“Five years after Brexit, UK retailers are still navigating its long-term effects, particularly when it comes to trading with EU consumers. Many have experienced a significant drop in trade flows, making it harder to maintain connections with key European markets,” said Richard Lim, CEO, Retail Economics.
“For brands looking to expand internationally, digital marketplaces have become an essential lifeline, providing a practical route to reach global audiences while overcoming complex trade barriers. By embracing these platforms, retailers can mitigate some of the challenges posed by Brexit and refocus on growth opportunities in an increasingly competitive global market.”
Alexander Otto, head of corporate relations at Tradebyte, added: ”Brexit has transformed the UK retail landscape, creating significant obstacles for UK brands and retailers aiming to expand in Europe, and making it far harder for them to tap into the flourishing EU e-commerce market.
”Online marketplaces now represent a platform for innovation and a scalable, low-risk path to reach affluent and younger EU consumers across a range of markets. They have emerged as crucial platforms to offset the challenges of Brexit and offer vital growth drivers in a competitive global market.”