Intimates and swim specialist Bravissimo Limited has filed its accounts for the period to the end of March and they showed much higher sales. However, it’s hard to get a clear picture of just how the company is faring.
Bravissimo
The UK-based company is part of Bravissimo Group Limited, which acts as its holding entity, as well as being the holding company for the US arm of the business.
That parent company was wholly acquired by Wacoal Europe Ltd partway through the period in late September last year. But the firm’s year-end date was changed to 31 March from 31 October at that point, which means the current period is 17 months against 12 months the ‘year’ before.
But with that in mind, its’s still worth looking at the figures for the UK operation.
For the 17 months reported, the company’s revenue was £79.3 million. For the comparison period (the 12 months to the end of October 2023) it was £57.6 million. Gross profit in the latest period was £49 million compared to £36.2 million for the shorter period previously. The gross profit margin for the most recent extra long ‘year’ was 61.8% compared to 6.2% in the previous year. That’s because the elongated period included two autumn seasons and autumn and winter sales typically have lower margins due to fewer swimwear pieces being shifted (swimwear has higher margins).
But the company said that despite the challenging inflationary environment cost were well controlled and the reported operating profit for the 17 months was £1.4 million. Had the firm being reporting its financial year as it did previously, that figure would have been £2.6 million, up from £2.5 million the year before.
Bravissimo also said that it had more active customers at the end of the latest period compared to the previous year and its website traffic was up as well, although retail store footfall dropped slightly. The website conversion rate edged upwards and the retail conversion rate was broadly stable.
In the previous year, the company said it had fully recovered from the effects of the pandemic, but it’s likely that the current year will feature worse results than those just filed.
In June 2025, the company said a warehouse fire meant disruption and delays to supply chains for its online customers. The fire was quickly extinguished, but the disruptions involving having to find temporary storage facilities. The brand stopped accepting orders online or over the phone until the issue was resolved.
It only reported being back online in late September but at least it said the business saw a 70% year-on-year rise in total sales on the day of its relaunch. Lingerie sales alone were up 90% compared to the same day last year.
Pacsun announced on Thursday it plans to opens its first Dubai store in early 2026, after the U.S. retailer open nine domestic stores in 2025 with 20-35 slated to open across the U.S. next year.
Pacsun
The debut flagship Dubai store will be Pacsun’s first international location in its 40-year history, and comes after the retailer revealed it had inked a new regional partnership in the Middle East with Majid Al Futtaim, earlier this month.
Under the agreement, Pacsun said it plans to open up to 20 stores across the Middle East over the next five years, including another flagship location in Abu Dhabi.
The Dubai location comes on the back of two recent store openings across the U.S. — in New York City and Westchester — as the Los Angeles-based retailer looks to capitalise on double-digit growth in in-store traffic.
Looking ahead, the brand plans to add 20–35 new stores over the next three years, with nine leases already signed for 2026 — making next year the biggest domestic retail expansion for the company in nearly two decades.
“Our stores have become cultural touch points for a generation that values experience as much as product. What begins on our social channels—inspiration and community—ultimately drives young people to see it in person. Doubling down on brick-and-mortar simply reflects what our community is already telling us,” said Brieane Olson, chief executive officer, Pacsun.
Earlier this month, PacSun launched a curated resale shop, introducing PS Vintage Powered by Springy, a dedicated collection of thousands of one-of-a-kind vintage pieces for men and women.
Montpellier-based group Socri Limited has announced a change of identity to become Ceiba, a name registered in around thirty countries to support the group’s international ambitions.
Ceiba
The group notably operates the Polygone shopping centres in Béziers and Montpellier, the Galeries Lafayette department stores in Avignon and Béziers, and the La Coupole shopping centre in Nîmes.
“Ceiba is a logical step,” explained its chairman, Nicolas Chambon. “We are not changing what we do; we are embracing what we have become. This new name allows us to assert an identity that is clear, committed, and true to our values.”
The name Ceiba, taken from the sacred Latin American tree, had already been used by the group’s U.S. subsidiary. Its adoption at group level “forms part of a deliberate international trajectory,” according to the company, which was founded in 2023.
The company’s new logo – Ceiba
The group’s Nîmes shopping centre recently welcomed the opening of a Galeries Lafayette store, inaugurated on October 2. The opening is reported to have delivered a 45% increase in footfall at the 13,500-square-metre shopping centre at the start of autumn.
MadaLuxe Group on Thursday said it has acquired fine jewelry brand Ippolita, as the U.S. lifestyle group looks to bolster its portfolio and expand into the fine jewelry category.
Ippolita
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Under the deal, founder of Ippolita, Ippolita Rostagno, will continue in her role as chief creative officer, overseeing all aspects of design across the brand’s jewelry collections.
“I founded Ippolita with the belief that fine jewelry should celebrate the artistry of the hand and honor the individuality of the women who wear it,” said Rostagno. “Joining MadaLuxe Group opens an exciting new chapter—one that allows us to protect our heritage while embracing meaningful opportunities for growth. I am delighted to continue guiding the brand’s creative vision as we reach an even broader global audience.”
Launching in 1999 exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, Ippolita is known for its sculptural jewelery that blends contemporary design with Italian craftsmanship. Today, the brand is sold through leading luxury retailers and boutiques worldwide.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ippolita into the MadaLuxe Group family,” said Adam Freede, CEO and co-founder of MadaLuxe Group, which added it will support the New York fine jewelry brand’s continued growth across key markets worldwide.
“Ippolita is an iconic brand with a rich artistic heritage, extraordinary customer loyalty, and a timeless visual vocabulary. We see significant opportunity to drive brand growth through strategic support and investment. Above all, we saw a great chance to add someone as talented as Ippolita to the MadaLuxe family, who views the importance of people and company culture the same way that we do.”