Fashion
Bankrupt jewellery retailer Claire’s to sell its North American business
By
Reuters
Published
August 21, 2025
Jewellery retailer Claire’s said on Wednesday it would sell its North American business to private equity firm Ames Watson for $104 million in cash, in a deal that will keep at least 795 retail locations in business.
The sale agreement will “allow the Claire’s brand to remain a prominent retailer for teens, tweens, and young girls around the world,” Claire’s said in a court document filed on Wednesday.
Ames Watson, a private holding company that owns athletic apparel brands including Champion Teamwear and Lids, is acquiring Claire’s brand and up to 950 Claire’s stores, according to court documents. Claire’s has halted “going out of business sales” at all stores that could be sold, but it will continue liquidation sales at other locations.
Claire’s, which sells earrings and fashion accessories for teens and young girls, filed for earlier this month with more than $690 million in debt. The company, which previously filed for, operates more than 2,300 stores across 17 countries in North America and Europe.
Ames Watson co-founder Lawrence Berger said in a statement that the firm was “committed to investing in its (Claire’s) future by preserving a significant retail footprint across North America.”
Ames Watson will also provide noncash considerations as part of the sale, such as taking on liabilities owed to Claire’s vendors and landlords, continuing to employ current retail staff at acquired Claire’s stores, and extending $36 million in credit that the bankrupt company can use to address some of its pre-existing debt.
Claire’s will seek approval of the sale on Thursday at a court hearing in Wilmington, Delaware. Claire’s has suffered in recent years from increased competition, high rent costs, and new tariffs on imports from supplier nations such as China, Thailand and Vietnam.
© Thomson Reuters 2025 All rights reserved.
Fashion
CCPIT to facilitate exchanges, collaboration between Chinese, US firms
CCPIT has approved 119 activities for Chinese enterprises to participate in US-based exhibitions this year; 30 are over by February, CCPIT spokesperson Wang Wenshuai told in a press conference.
It will also utilise its dedicated working group for foreign-funded enterprises, ensuring that the reasonable demands of US-funded enterprises are met, Wang was cited as saying by a state-controlled media outlet.
The China Council for the Promotion of International Trade will facilitate exchanges and collaboration between Chinese and US firms in investment, trade and technology.
It has approved 119 activities for Chinese enterprises to participate in US-based exhibitions this year; 30 are over by February.
It will also utilise its dedicated working group for foreign-funded enterprises to address US firms’ demand.
CCPIT will use events like the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation CEO Summit and the B20 business activities during the December G20 Leaders’ Summit as an opportunity to work with all parties, including the US business community, to build consensus, deepen co-operation and promote inclusive, strong and sustainable growth of the Asia-Pacific and global economies, Wang added.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Fashion
European Commission, Switzerland sign broad package of agreements
The package establishes a modern framework for both sides, enabling frictionless access to a market of 460 million consumers in key sectors, delivering economic benefits to both parties.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Swiss President Guy Parmelin yesterday signed a broad package of agreements aimed at deepening and expanding EU-Switzerland ties.
By aligning standards and rules in closely integrated areas, it will provide legal certainty, simplify trade in goods like medical devices and food products, and ease cross-border supply for businesses on both sides.
By aligning standards and rules in closely integrated areas, it will provide legal certainty, simplify trade in goods like medical devices and food products, and ease cross-border supply for businesses on both sides of the border.
Additionally, it will ensure more consistent rules for individuals who live, work or study across the EU-Swiss border. Switzerland will contribute to the development of legislation in the areas covered by the package and will have the opportunity to influence these rules as they are being designed.
“By modernising and deepening our ties across key sectors, from trade and transport to health and energy—we are strengthening legal certainty, fostering innovation and creating new opportunities for our citizens and businesses,” von der Leyen said in a release from the Commission.
The package includes updates to four already existing agreements, which already give Switzerland access to the EU internal market, regarding air transport, land transport, the free movement of persons and mutual recognition of conformity assessment.
New agreements on food safety, electricity, health and Switzerland’s participation in the EU Agency for the Space Programme were signed. A new agreement introduced a permanent and fair financial contribution by Switzerland to economic and social cohesion within the EU.
Apart from a protocol on parliamentary cooperation, the package includes also a joint declaration on the establishment of a high-level dialogue on the broad bilateral package.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
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