Prada has appointed Silvia Onofri as Chief Executive Officer of its Miu Miu brand, the Italian luxury group said on Thursday.
Onofri, former president of outerwear brand Napapijri, with previous executive roles at Bulgari and Bally, will take her new role starting on February 26.
Former Miu Miu CEO Benedetta Petruzzo left the label in September to join Christian Dior Couture.
Miu Miu, the second largest brand in the Prada Group, recorded strong growth in 2024, with sales almost doubling year-on-year in January-September.
Sephora continues to build its UK store portfolio with Manchester seen as a strategic part of its plans, warranting a second city store.
The French beauty giant said following “the immense success” of its Northern debut last spring with the opening of its first store outside of London at Manchester’s Trafford Centre, a second in is now scheduled for Manchester Arndale, the largest inner-city shopping destination.
The opening will become Sephora’s 10th UK store and follows other 2025 debuts at Liverpool One and Sheffield’s Meadowhall Shopping Centre.
Sarah Boyd, managing director, Sephora UK, said: “Manchester showed us phenomenal support when we opened our first store in the region, which blew away all our expectations. We are thrilled bringing a second beauty playground to our customers in this vibrant and culturally rich city, allowing us to reach even more shoppers with a city centre location at Arndale.
“We already know there is strong appetite from beauty enthusiasts in Manchester as we saw over 2,000 eager customers queue on our opening day last year, and we look forward to recreating the same energy at Arndale and to continue providing an unparalleled beauty experience like no other.”
Steve Gray, head of European Retail Asset Management at Global Mutual, joint asset managers alongside M&G Real Estate, added: “Sephora is an excellent addition to the Manchester Arndale line up as it cements our position as the go-to destination for beauty and fashion brands. The arrival of Sephora continues the strong momentum of international brands selecting Manchester Arndale as they expand their UK retail footprint. This highlights the confidence these retailers have in Manchester Arndale’s continued strong performance and how we continue to attract shoppers from across the North West and beyond.”
Moncler SpA released annual results “above market expectations” on Thursday afternoon as it detailed ongoing sales increases and a rise in profits, with the Moncler brand strong for much of the year and Stone Island improving in the final quarter.
Consolidated revenues increased 7% at constant exchange rates (CER) and 4% on a reported basis, hitting just under €3.109 billion.
The Moncler brand saw its revenues rising 8% CER and 5% reported to €2.707 billion. It enjoyed a “solid performance” in the fourth quarter (up 8% CER) “mostly driven by the acceleration of the Direct-To-Consumer channel”, which was up 9% CER, “despite a tough comparable base and still volatile market trends”. Growth improved in all regions compared with the previous quarter.
Stone Island was less buoyant for the year as a whole but much stronger in Q4. For the full year, revenues actually fell 1% CER and 2% reported to €401.6 million. But in Q4, they rose 10% CER with all regions accelerating. The DTC channel was up a healthy 15% CER in the quarter and although the wholesale channel still dipped 1%, that was a better performance than the rest of the year.
So what did that all mean for profits? Group EBIT rose to €916.3 million from €893.8 million, and while the EBIT margin was down very slightly (at 29.5% compare to 30% a year earlier) it was still “resilient”, especially given the tough environment.
Group net profit rose 5% to €639.6 million and the group had a healthy cash position.
Chairman and CEO Remo Ruffini was understandably upbeat: “In 2024 our group achieved remarkable results and showed strong resilience in a complex and volatile environment… underscoring the strength of our business model and operational discipline.
“Over the past year, we have doubled down on what makes our brands truly distinctive. The events of Moncler Grenoble in St. Moritz and Moncler Genius in Shanghai — the most impactful one in the brand’s history — brought our disruptive creativity to life, redefining the concept of brand experience. Meanwhile, Stone Island continued to reinforce its unique identity through a series of powerful brand initiatives, deepening connections with both new and loyal communities.
“As we move into 2025, while the global macroeconomic context remains uncertain, we are confident in our ability to navigate evolving market dynamics. Inspired by our heritage, our passion for innovation, and our ambition to push boundaries beyond conventions, we are shaping the future of our brands to drive sustainable growth and create long-term value.”
Britain’s business secretary said a London listing set a “gold standard” in terms of environmental, labour and tax regulation, countering any risk of moral hazard, when asked about Chinese online retailer Shein‘s intention to float.
Jonathan Reynolds’ signal of support for the IPO came after London was dealt a blow when Unilever chose Amsterdam for the main listing of its ice cream business on Thursday. Shein confidentially filed papers with Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in June last year, sources have told Reuters. But it has taken longer than typically expected for the regulator to sign off on a listing that could value the company at $50 billion.
Reynolds said the FCA made decisions about listings so he was speaking in abstract terms. “Our aspiration should be if there’s a business doing a lot of business in the UK, the gold standard for us is regulating from the UK,” he told reporters after a speech on Thursday. Shein has faced allegations that it uses cotton from China’s Xinjiang province, where the United States has accused the Chinese government of human rights abuses. Beijing denies any abuses.
It has also been accused of damaging the environment and avoiding tax, prompting some UK lawmakers to question its suitability for going public in the UK. Shein refutes these allegations.
Reynolds said: “If we have any concerns about any company, the best way to make sure we don’t have those concerns in the future is to regulate them here in the UK. “So I don’t see (a listing) as a moral hazard or controversial.”
Reynolds said he had wanted Unilever to opt for London, where it has its main listing. “We do a lot of work talking to a range of businesses to make sure they understand the political desire for them to come to the UK,” he said.
Pension reforms were one example of the steps the government was taking, he said. “But I feel we will not maybe turn around some of the sentiment until we’ve got some of those high profile success stories,” he said. “I would have liked Unilever in the UK.”