Fashion
Fast Retailing’s ‘other brands’ see mixed results
Published
October 10, 2025
Fast Retailing’s strong full-year results for FY25 yesterday (sales and profits both higher) were mainly about its star Uniqlo brand. But the company operates a number of other brands, so how did they fare?
The youth-focused GU brand saw revenue rising 3.6% to ¥330.7 billion but same-store sales were flat and business profit dropped by as much as 12.6% to ¥28.3 billion. The company said the brand was “unable to maximise sales due to insufficient creation of hit products that captured mass fashion trends and shortages of strong-selling items.”
It added that its selling, general and administrative expense ratio increased on the back of higher personnel costs associated with wage increases and higher costs linked the opening of the GU store in the US.
As for the Global Brands division, revenue here fell 5.3% to ¥131.5 billion but the the segment managed to generate a business profit of ¥2.6 billion (compared to just ¥0.1 billion in FY24) after losses from the Comptoir des Cotonniers operation were halved. That was even though its revenue dropped as it saw improvements in both the gross profit margin and the selling, general and administrative expense ratio.
Yet the segment reported an operating loss of ¥0.9 billion (compared to a ¥0.6 billion operating profit in FY24) due to the firm recording impairment and other losses of ¥3.9 billion associated with structural reforms at the Comptoir des Cotonniers label.
Theory meanwhile reported declines in both revenue and profit, although the company didn’t share just what those falls were. It said “sales of core products struggled to gain momentum and Theory sales in the Mainland China market were adversely impacted by declining consumer appetite”.
Finally, PLST generated significantly higher revenue and profit, but again, we don’t know the specific numbers. We do know, however, that its improvements were due to “strong sales of wide pants and sheer sweaters”.
Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
Global growth is forecast at roughly 3 per cent over the medium term, down from 3.7 per cent before the COVID-19 pandemic, she noted.
“Global growth patterns have been changing over the years, notably with China decelerating steadily while India develops into a key growth engine,” IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva recently said.
She suggested Asian economics to deepen internal trade to include more final goods and more services and press forward with reforms to strengthen the service sector and access to finance.
She was addressing the opening event of the Milken Centre for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD) in Washington, DC.
She suggested Asian economics to deepen internal trade to include more final goods and more services and press forward with reforms to strengthen the service sector and access to finance. IMF’s analysis suggests a push for more regional integration—notably by lowering nontariff barriers—could raise gross domestic product (GDP) by 1.8 per cent in the long run, she noted.
“Comprehensive business-friendly reforms, combined with progress in building the Continental Free Trade Area, could lift the real GDP per capita of the median African country by over 10 per cent,” she observed on Sub-Saharan Africa.
She recommended Europe to consider appointing a ‘single market czar’ with real authority to drive reforms forward. “Remove border frictions in the labour market, goods and services trade, energy and finance. Build a single European financial system. Build an energy union. Complete your project. And catch up with the private sector dynamism of the US,” she added.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
Published
October 10, 2025
Occasion wear brand Kalki Fashion has launched a 6,000 square foot flagship store in Mumbai’s Kala Ghoda with a dedicated bridal segment, featuring several private suites, and an exclusive ‘Kala Ghoda’ capsule line.
“Opening in Kala Ghoda isn’t just about unveiling a flagship, it’s about creating a space for you,” said Kalki Fashion’s CEO Saurabh Gupta in a press release. “This store is imagined as a cultural landmark where every detail is designed to make you feel part of something timeless.”
The store is housed within a heritage building and contrasts its original façade with a contemporary style interior, designed to give shoppers the feeling of traversing a gallery. With zones dedicated to bridalwear, occasion-wear, and menswear, Kalki Fashion proposes a curated shopping experience tailored to the entire wedding party.
The bridal area features family-sized private suites for fittings and trousseau planning with floor-to-ceiling mirrors offering a theatrical touch. The store also integrates technology with digital styling tools and virtual consults for brides based abroad as well as natural-light try-on suites and personalisation studios. Exclusively available at this location, Kalki’s new Kala Ghoda limited edition capsule line features garments inspired by the Mumbai district’s signature art and architecture, translating arches, heritage motifs, and gallery-inspired details into wearable looks.
“Kala Ghoda, with its blend of heritage and modernity, reflects who our customers are, rooted in tradition yet always evolving,” said Gupta. “In many ways, it feels like coming home, to Bombay, to the people, and to the stories that made us who we are.”
Copyright © 2025 FashionNetwork.com All rights reserved.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that Hanoi is pursuing trade deals aimed at cushioning the economy from tariff pressures imposed by its largest export market. The announcement follows estimates by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which warned that US duties could reduce Vietnam’s exports to the US by as much as 20 per cent, making it the most affected country in Southeast Asia.
Vietnam expanded its export footprint from 104 countries in 2024 to 132 in 2025, even as plans are underway to pursue FTAs with new partners to cushion the impact of tariffs.
According to UNDP estimates, US duties could slash Vietnam’s exports to the US by up to 20 per cent, making it the most heavily impacted country in Southeast Asia from US tariff measures.
The US has imposed tariffs of 20 per cent on most Vietnamese goods and up to 40 per cent on items transhipped via Vietnam.
In response, Hanoi is reportedly targeting the conclusion of free trade agreements with Latin America’s Mercosur bloc and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) by the end of 2025.
These moves are seen as a strategic attempt to both offset the immediate fallout from US trade actions and broaden Vietnam’s global footprint.
While FTAs are a key pillar of the response strategy, experts underline the importance of market diversification to hedge against rising geopolitical and policy risks and Vietnam’s textile and apparel sector—a core component of its export economy—has already taken steps in this direction.
According to the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), the industry has expanded its export reach from 104 destinations in 2024 to 132 in 2025.
Vietnamese firms are now delivering high-quality garments to markets such as China, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and across ASEAN.
In tandem with geographic diversification, to comply with increasingly stringent standards in key export markets, Vietnamese garment manufacturers are also accelerating shifts toward green production and sustainable development. Firms are investing in advanced machinery, upgrading workforce capabilities, and moving away from traditional cut-make-trim (CMT) models to higher-value production formats such as free-on-board (FOB), original design manufacturing (ODM), and original brand manufacturing (OBM).
So, despite headwinds on account of US tariffs and global trade volatility, industry stakeholders remain optimistic about the sector’s growth potential as companies actively expand into new markets to drive exports and hedge against geopolitical risks.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DR)
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