The exemptions had been discontinued on March ** this year as the government did not issue a fresh notification before the expiry of the previous one. As a result, duty exemptions were unavailable to Indian exporters from April until the new notification was issued on October **.

Under the latest notification, imports of materials including wet blue, crust, and finished leather; buckles, zips, soles, linings, and fittings will continue to enjoy Nil customs duty when used in the manufacture of leather garments, footwear, and accessories meant for export.

Italian fashion group Prada continues to deliver solid performance with retail sales of €3,647 million (‘$4.26 billion), up 9 per cent in the nine months ended September 30, 2025. In the third quarter, the company’s retail sales grew 8 per cent, in line with the second quarter.

Prada achieved double-digit growth in Asia Pacific (10 per cent), with improving trends in Mainland China. Europe rose 6 per cent, supported by resilient local demand and steady tourism. The Americas advanced 15 per cent, showing sequential acceleration in the third quarter. Japan grew 3 per cent, with stronger local and traveller demand after exceptional tourism in 2024. The Middle East delivered robust 21 per cent growth, moderating slightly in the third quarter.

Prada Group’s retail sales increased 9 per cent to €3,647 million (‘$4.26 billion) in the nine months to September 2025, with the third quarter up 8 per cent.
Asia Pacific grew 10 per cent, the Americas 15 per cent, Europe 6 per cent, Japan 3 per cent, and the Middle East 21 per cent.
Miu Miu surged 41 per cent, while Prada remained resilient.

“The consistency of our results, in a complex macroeconomic environment, confirms the strength of our brands and the validity of our strategy. With the one just closed, the group has delivered 19 quarters of uninterrupted growth. We continue to focus on creativity, product excellence and craftsmanship as foundations for enduring relevance and long-term development. These principles guide us as we navigate an evolving landscape with confidence, discipline and responsibility,” Patrizio Bertelli, Prada Group chairman and executive director, said.

Prada showed good resilience, with retail sales at -1.6 per cent over the nine-month period and -0.8 per cent in Q3. The brand continued to express its creative dynamism, driving a well-balanced product category mix and a consistent focus across strategic price points. The Womenswear SS26 fashion show offered a unique reflection on the role of clothes in reaction to the overloaded contemporary culture, the company said in a press release.

Miu Miu progressed on a healthy growth trajectory at 41 per cent y-o-y, with the third quarter at 29 per cent, driven by widespread appreciation across categories and geographies, as its captivating aesthetics continued to nurture the global influence of the brand. The SS26 fashion show underlined the social importance of work in women’s life. The FW25 campaign re-imagined wardrobe archetypes through a fluid interplay of tailoring and feminine silhouettes, while the Atheneum pop-up initiative embedded collegiate codes with the brand’s irreverence.

“Our performance confirms the health of our brands and further solid, diligent execution by our teams. Prada accelerated versus the previous quarter; Miu Miu has maintained a sustained growth trajectory for 4 years, including in this quarter that was facing triple-digit comps. Despite a still challenging environment, we remain confident in our trajectory, focusing on products and experiences that spark emotional engagement, while further improving our speed and flexibility,” Andrea Guerra, group chief executive officer, said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)

In France, the Galeries Lafayette group made its position clear as soon as the Société des Grands Magasins announced its plan to introduce ultra-fast-fashion brand Shein into five regional Galeries Lafayette stores that SGM has operated for several years. After weeks of negotiations, and on the eve of Shein taking up more than 1,000 square metres at BHV, the two parties formally acknowledged their disagreement in a joint press release.

“Galeries Lafayette and the SGM group have agreed to terminate the affiliation agreements that have bound them since 2021 for the seven stores that SGM owns and operates under the Galeries Lafayette banner,” read the statement. “These stores are located in Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Mans, Limoges, Orléans, and Reims.”

Frédéric Merlin‘s company SGM has announced that it will operate these department stores under a new name, to be revealed shortly.

“This decision stems from a strategic divergence within the collaboration,” read the joint press release. “This collaboration will end in the coming weeks, according to a timetable which is currently being finalised.”

These stores, located in prime sites in major French cities, currently carry numerous Galeries Lafayette own-brand ranges and brands listed by the Galeries Lafayette group’s central buying office. Due to this, the continuity of operations at these locations is now in question.

The two parties state that they are “pursuing their discussions in a constructive spirit and doing their utmost to ensure an orderly transition that respects teams and customers.” Nonetheless, customers and employees will naturally be concerned about this situation.