Latest news with #LailaGohar
Fibre2Fashion
5 days ago
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
Finland's Marimekko's Q2 sales up 2% on retail gains, profit improves
Marimekko Corporation's net sales for Q2 2025 rose 2 per cent year-on-year to €44.5 million (~$51.88 million), supported by increased retail sales in Finland and internationally. Finnish sales grew 3 per cent, while international sales were up 1 per cent despite a significant, expected drop in licensing income. Growth was tempered by markedly lower non-recurring promotional deliveries in Finnish wholesale compared to a strong 2024 period. Operating profit improved to €6.3 million, with comparable operating profit at €6.5 million, representing 14.6 per cent of net sales. The gain was driven by higher sales and improved margins, partly offset by higher fixed costs. Marimekko's Q2 2025 sales rose 2 per cent to €44.5 million (~$51.88 million), with Finnish retail up 3 per cent and international sales up 1 per cent despite lower licensing income. Operating profit increased to €6.3 million. H1 sales grew 3 per cent to €84.1 million, driven by 7 per cent international growth. The company expects higher 2025 sales and margins but warns of global and tariff risks. For January–June 2025, net sales rose 3 per cent to €84.1 million. International sales increased 7 per cent, while Finnish sales were flat as retail gains offset wholesale weakness. Comparable operating profit declined to €10.9 million, or 13 per cent of net sales, due to lower margins and higher fixed costs, the company said in a media release. CEO Tiina Alahuhta-Kasko highlighted sustained omnichannel retail growth, up 6 per cent in Q2, as evidence of brand resilience in challenging markets. Strategic collaborations—such as a global footwear line with Crocs, café partnerships with Blue Bottle Coffee in the US and Asia, a design tie-up with Artek, and a capsule collection with artist Laila Gohar—boosted brand visibility. Events included Milan Design Week, Copenhagen's 3 Days of Design, Marimekko Day fashion shows in Helsinki, and the Field of Flowers exhibition in Asia. Network expansion in Q2 included new stores in Osaka and Kuala Lumpur, an outlet in Espoo, eight Asian and Finnish pop-ups, and the launch of online stores in New Zealand and in German language. Post-period, Marimekko announced its first flagship store in Paris, opening autumn 2025, alongside pop-ups at Le Bon Marché and Galeries Lafayette. For 2025, the company forecasts net sales to exceed 2024's €182.6 million, with a comparable operating profit margin of 16–19 per cent. Risks include global economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and higher US tariffs—the latter affecting a small share of sales but increasing procurement costs. Plans call for 10–15 new stores or shop-in-shops, primarily in Asia, while licensing income is expected to fall significantly from last year's record level. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)
Vogue
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
Broderie Anglaise Is Back: Getting Into Bed With the Traditional Embroidery Style at Copenhagen's 3 Days of Design
It's also in step with broader interiors and sartorial sensibilities that are leaning frilly and feminine. Look to Laila Gohar's Mediterranean port-inspired collection for Gohar World, which debuted at this year's Salone del Mobile in Milan: All big-bowed dinner napkins, pearl-weighted lace doily coasters, and bottles ensconced in Battenberg lace aprons. The recent Rococo revival, while looking to a more opulent and colorful era, has also seen ruching and ruffled details experiencing a renaissance. And inn fashion, and as we slide into summer, Chloé-esque bloomers, the vintage-inspired Dôen girl, and classic airy embroidered shirts abound. Broderie anglaise is so back. The collection began as something of a research project for Tekla—an exploration into a craft that is at once deeply historical and incredibly varied. Despite the name—which translates to 'English embroidery'—the practice originated in 16th century Eastern Europe. When it arrived in 19th century England and was named by French traders, broderie anglaise became a go-to for household linens, women's clothing, sleepwear, and children's clothes, appreciated for its practicality as well as its elegant detail. 'The process revealed a wide universe of techniques, each rooted in a tradition of care, time, and attention, adding a sense of nostalgia into every piece,' Juhl explains. The Modern Romance exhibition included some testers and development pieces—which also hints at future expansion for Tekla. 'The Broderie Anglaise collection marks a new chapter in this journey,' says Juhl. 'While it stays rooted in the Tekla philosophy, it explores a more decorative expression.' The collection, inspired by heirloom bed linens and heritage fabrics, follows the brand's sweet and nostalgic Christmas campaign The Patchwork Bear, which took inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen stories like The Princess and the Pea. That emotive storytelling continues which Broderie Anglaise, which features embroidered duvet covers, pillow shams, and decorative cushions with hand-tied closures and in multiple articulations of the broderie anglaise style; cut-out, layered eyelet patterns sit beside soft ruffles, ruching, and scalloped, floral, and geometric edges. Designed in Copenhagen and produced in Portugal, it is made with organic cotton, and lightly stonewashed to make it crisp and soft. 'We've introduced a visual language that feels more romantic, even expressive—yet still unmistakably Tekla,' says Juhl. 'This evolution reflects a natural progression for us, one that honors where we've come from, while making space for new interpretation and expanding on the home universe.'
Times
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Food-shaped candles are latest dinner party trend
If you see some half-melted strawberry tarts or unsavoury-looking fried chicken strewn across the table when you arrive at your next dinner party, don't be alarmed. Your host has not forgotten to clear up their last meal. They are trying to impress you with the latest middle-class homeware trend: food-shaped candles. Selfridges reports that food-shaped candles are now its fastest-selling table decoration and it has had to treble its range to meet demand. A triple layer cake candle weighing more than 2kg is one of the offerings at Selfridges SELFRIDGES The department store said candles in the form of a lemon, a fried egg and red grapes are among its top sellers. Candles that resemble a string of sausages, a slice of Gruyere, a baguette or a strawberry tart are also in strong demand. Prices range from £17 to £95. Leading the unusual trend is Laila Gohar, an Egyptian artist known for transforming ordinary food into striking sculptural and interactive installations, such as a rope of braided mozzarella and a swan made of artichoke leaves. One of Gohar's most popular food candles resembles, quite convincingly, a tin of biscuits. She also sells a set of strawberry candles, although none of her creations come cheap. Her set of four fried chicken candles, thankfully unscented, will set buyers back £38, significantly more than a bucket of the real thing from KFC. Fried chicken candles from Gohar World SELFRIDGES The striking creations have taken social media by storm and the hashtag #foodcandle has had tens of millions of views on TikTok. Some enterprising food influencers have even crossed the line into making edible candles. Erin Dittmer's video on how to make a 'butter candle' has been viewed more nearly 14 million times. This involves pouring melted butter and herbs into a paper cup containing an edible wick and then freezing it. Once solid, the paper cup is torn away, the lump of butter placed in a hole torn out of a farmhouse loaf and the wick set alight. The butter slowly melts down the bread, creating a delicious if messy snack. Erin Dittmer's butter candle in her video on TikTok The latest additions to the Selfridges food candle range come from the Italian firm Introna, which has been making candles since 1840. These include a 'pink pudding' candle at £45, a banana candle at £18 and green apple candle at £18. Selfridges said the strong interest in the candles is part of a wider trend for 'foodie decorations'. Last Christmas, for example, the store doubled its range of food and drink shaped baubles to meet demand. Gregory Krum, buying manager at Selfridges, said: 'If you want to bring a fun talking point to your dinner table, now is the time to think beyond the traditional candle.'
