Along with a healthy dose of raw talent, a group of South Asian American designers, hailing from India and Nepal, have leveraged their close ties to home to help build their brands and businesses. Spring 2013 looks from Prabal Gurung, Naeem Khan, Bibhu Mohapatra and Sachin + Babi | Source: Photo illustration by BoF NEW YORK, United States — Amongst a rapidly rising crop of New York-based Asian American designers, including bold-faced names like Jason Wu, Alexander Wang and Phillip Lim, i

Zara-owner Inditex, the biggest fashion retailer in the world, has posted its weakest profit growth in four years. The slowdown sent shares to a historic hight in Madrid stock exchange, spiking optimism that the retailer will continue reporting higher profit in the coming months. Inditex saw its net income rose 1.6 percent in the first quarter, the weakest growth since the first quarter of fiscal 2010. Net sales went up by 5 percent to 3.6 billion euros for the first quarter compared with the s

British luxury fashion champion Mulberry reported Thursday a decline in yearly profit for the first time in four years, dragged for weaker Asian appetite for luxury goods. Other trade peers such as John Lewis or Laura Ashley also felt the pain of cold weather and reluctant consumers. Pre-tax profit for the fiscal year ended 31 March declined to 26 million pounds from the 36 million pounds Mulberry earned last year. Revenue for the year fell 2 percent to 165 million pounds from 168 million as wh

Detlef Braun, member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH, said exhibitors and visitors from all segments were enthusiastic about the future-oriented concept of Techtextil and Texprocess “Techtextil and Texprocess have once again set new records,” said Detlef Braun, member of the executive board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH. “With an increase of 15% compared to the previous events, the two leading trade fairs confirmed the worldwide significance of technical textiles and textile-processi

US President Barack Obama US President Barack Obama could soon decide to cut off trade benefits for Bangladesh, in a largely symbolic response to tragedies in Bangladesh's garment sector that have cost more than 1,200 lives in the past eight months. The US Trade Representative’s office, with input from other government agencies, is completing its recommendations in preparation for a White House announcement by June 30. Even though the trade benefits affect less than 1% of Bangladeshi e

Workers are seen busy at a garment factory in Bangladesh An amendment to a defence authorisation bill has been moved in the United States House of Representatives requiring that Bangladesh-made garments sold at stores owned by US Department of Defence must come from factories that comply with fire and building safety accord. Two Democrats Congressmen George Miller who recently visited Bangladesh and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky piloted the amendment in the House of Representatives. “An am

Readymade Garment (RMG) exporters and different trade bodies have expressed deep concern over the present labour unrest in the sector and urged the government to take immediate steps to control the situation. The unrest is taking place in RMG factories located in the heart of the city in Eskaton; Malibag, Rampura, Mohakhali and Badda areas after Ashulia. The areas of labour unrest are extended demanding safe working place and enhancing wages despite different initiatives taken by the governme

It is called nanotechnology. It is changing the patterns of Philippines textiles. It was showcased by the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in a “neo-ethnic” fashion show yesterday. “The science community boasts of a breakthrough research with the textile industry having finally spun functional and smart textile that is comfortable, breathable, surprisingly water-repellent and even anti-microbial,” said Dr. Rowena L. Guevara, Ex

Garment exporter Ambattur Clothing, which has a huge manufacturing base in Bangladesh, says the current disenchantment with the working conditions in some of the country’s garment factories has not impacted its business. The industry will clean itself up and bounce back in a year, according to Vijay Mahtaney, Managing Director of the Chennai-headquartered company. Recent accidents (a fire accident and a building collapse) at two garment factories in Bangladesh, which killed several people, hav

In the 39th Annual General Meeting of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Mukesh Ambani discussed his plans to increase their polyester production capacity from the current 2.5 million tons per year (tpy) to 4 million tpy. He further added that the company would invest Rs 1500 billion over the next three years spread across all its five business segments - exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail and 4G. Reliance had set a stupendous fleet to become a