Latest News from Fashion Network
Fashion Network
39 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Kay Jewelers names Teddy Swims chief love officer
Kay Jewelers has named artist and style icon Teddy Swims as the brand's inaugural chief love officer. In this role, Swims will help lead Kay's mission to inspire everyone to 'Love Louder' through bold self-expression, meaningful connection, and personal storytelling. As part of the partnership, he also reimagined the 'Every Kiss Begins with Kay' jingle with his fresh energy and unmistakable vocals. "For more than a century, love has guided everything we do at Kay, and Teddy Swims embodies that same spirit in every song he sings, every style choice he makes, and every connection he shares with his fans,' said Stacee Johnson-Williams, president of Kay Jewelers and Peoples Jewellers. 'His authenticity, creativity, and heart make him the perfect partner to celebrate love and style in all its beautiful, bold forms.' Kay will equally sponsor Swims' 'I've Tried Everything But Therapy' North American tour, with the artist performing in Kay jewelry. His stage wardrobe will include alt-metal chains, diamond-encrusted necklaces and rings designed for layering, and stainless-steel bracelets. Lastly, Swims will introduce a Father's Day Assortment featuring a selected range of meaningful gifts that celebrates fatherhood in all its forms. 'I couldn't be more proud to step into my new role as chief love officer for Kay Jewelers. Kay's been in the game for over 100 years, helping people say 'I love you' without even saying a word. And now we're teaming up!' said Swims. 'We're working on my favorite jewelry pieces for every kind of love: Father's Day, self-love days, and those random Tuesdays when you just want to make someone smile. This ain't just a partnership. This is a love story. And we're just getting started.'
Fashion Network
39 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Fashion Network
Hurley launches first brand ambassador campaign with Travis Barker
Global apparel and lifestyle brand Hurley launched on Wednesday its first brand ambassador campaign and capsule collection with Travis Barker. Barker brings his distinct influence to every element of the limited-edition drop and innovative campaign. Camo prints, skull motifs, checker patterns, and old English graphics, define the collection, while staples like chinos, shorts, and overalls nod to Barker's signature wardrobe. The line also features surf and swimwear, alongside accessories including footwear, sunglasses, and headwear. The collection launches with a campaign shot at Barker's recording studio and throughout the streets of California, capturing his raw, rebellious spirit. Personal touches, from the instruments that built his career to his collectible cars and motorcycles, add authenticity to the visuals. "This collaboration is special for us as it showcases the synergy between the spirit and excitement of Hurley in its early days with who we are now as an internationally established brand with the power to do something really loud and exciting," said Joey Gabbay, CEO at Bluestar Alliance, Hurley's parent company. "Hurley has always believed that music and art are the common threads that bring us all together and having a legendary artist like Travis create custom designs and fits based on his own personal style sealed the deal for us. We strive for authenticity in everything we do, and this collaboration is a perfect symbol of that dedication.' Barker's connection with the Hurley brand spans decades. In the early 2000s, during Blink-182's explosive rise on the Warped Tour, he was already sporting Hurley tees and embodying the laid-back rebellion of Southern California. Now, over two decades later, he's officially channeling that legacy into a capsule collection. "This collection represents everything I love about the lifestyle I've carved out for myself," added Barker. "It's tattooed and poetic, chaotic and precise—a beautiful contradiction that just works. It's made for people like me, the punk kids, the surf community and the people who can't help but create. I love the freedom I was given with this process and believe that really comes through in the product and designs."
Fashion Network
an hour ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
LVMH sees room to lift prices 2–3%, says deputy CEO
French luxury group LVMH has room to raise prices of high-end products by around 2–3% without likely affecting demand from luxury clients, but it would be difficult to lift prices of cognac or beauty products, company executives said on Wednesday. "We can increase prices by 2% to 3% per year," deputy CEO Stéphane Bianchi told members of the French parliament in a hearing on Wednesday, when asked about his group's ability to offset potential tariffs. Citing the example of high jewelry, Bianchi said buyers of the group's most expensive products would absorb such price hikes, but cautioned that "this does not mean the (price) elasticity is infinite." U.S. President Donald Trump this week backed away from his threat to impose 50% tariffs on imports from the European Union next month, restoring a July 9 deadline to allow for talks between Washington and the 27-nation bloc to produce a deal. Raising the prices of lower-priced beauty products and cognac would be more complicated, added finance chief Cécile Cabanis, saying 'the capacity to raise prices is not there.' LVMH executives said they still plan to continue investing in China, although they had noticed that Chinese consumers have been traveling and spending less over the past three months. Demand in the United States, however, showed the first signs of a rebound, but as long as trade tensions with the European Union over threatened tariffs are not being eased, the climate will remain difficult, said Bianchi.
Fashion Network
2 hours ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
Pepkor's fashion chain Ayana aims for hundreds of stores in South Africa
Recently launched fashion chain Ayana could have hundreds of stores, the CEO of its owner Pepkor told Reuters, as the South African retailer targets trendier customers and embraces the fast-fashion model of some rivals. Pepkor, the owner of the budget Pep and Ackermans clothing chains, is underrepresented in the adult clothing market, especially womenswear. Recently, it expanded into that market by acquiring fashion businesses such as Legit, Style, and Swagga. It launched 32 Ayana stores in February by converting discontinued Ackermans womenswear stores. The brand is more fashionable than Pepkor's core chains and aims to refresh its ranges more frequently, with some shoppers comparing its style and store layout to Inditex -owned Zara. "This is not like a thousand-store chain. It will be, I suppose, a couple of hundred if it's really successful, maybe two or three hundred," Pieter Erasmus, chief executive officer of Pepkor, told Reuters on Tuesday. Ayana targets fashion-conscious young women with its waistcoats, bow mini dresses, and collarless jackets, "but at a price which is affordable," Erasmus added, compared to international brands like H&M. "Customers have responded well in the store, in sales, but also on social media. So we think that there's an opportunity for this brand in South Africa to do, again, I don't like using this word 'Zara-type' aspirational (fashion)," he said. He added that Ayana was also trying to tap customers who "are currently buying from some Chinese (retailers like) Shein. There's an opportunity to really address that. So we're going to put a big effort into it." Online-only retailers Shein and Temu have grown rapidly by shipping inexpensive products directly to consumers, forcing local retailers to find new ways of differentiating themselves. Ayana currently sources its stock from Asia, particularly China, and locally in order to respond faster to changing trends, Erasmus said. ($1 = 17.9112 rand)
Fashion Network
2 hours ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
Abercrombie surges on raised outlook after tallying tariff cost
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. shares rose sharply in premarket trading Wednesday after the retailer upped its full-year outlook, suggesting the retailer is confident in its ability to navigate the changing tariff landscape. The fashion retailer now sees full-year net sales growth of 3% to 6%, up from its estimate of 3% to 5% in March. This includes approximately $50 million of tariff expenses. Comparable sales for the Abercrombie namesake brand fell 10% in the quarter ending May 3, a bigger drop than analysts were anticipating, the New Albany, Ohio-based company said. Hollister brand comparable sales were up 23%, far surpassing expectations. While Abercrombie's fashion mix has drawn in a broader audience and increased sales in recent quarters under Chief Executive Officer Fran Horowitz, the company now faces uncertainty due to the Trump administration's shifting tariff policies. Chinese goods had faced tariffs of as much as 145% until President Donald Trump paused the hike earlier this month. But Abercrombie has been reducing its exposure to China in recent years, with its imports representing 7% of the total cost of merchandise receipts in fiscal 2024, down from 13% two years earlier. Vietnam is the retailer's top vendor, followed by Cambodia and India. Abercrombie shares gained as much as 33% in premarket trading in New York on Wednesday. Year to date, the stock had fallen 48% through Tuesday's close as the S&P 500 Index gained 0.7%.
