Puma Partners with Spinnova for Wood-Based Fiber

Puma has partnered with Finnish textile material innovation company Spinnova to develop “proof-of-concept products” from wood-based Spinnova fiber for future collections, particularly for products in Puma’s Sportstyle category. 

L.L.Bean Making Additional Staff Cuts in Maine HQ

The retailer will lay off 50 to 75 employees at its corporate headquarters in Maine. These latest cuts equal approximately 2 percent to 3 percent of its Freeport-based staff and are the retailer’s second round this year.

Rally House Opens in Austin

Rally House has been growing its retail footprint in the Lone Star State for over a decade, starting in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Now, the company operates over 30 stores in the state, including in key college towns, including Waco, College Station, Lubbock and Houston.

Castore Hires Commercial Operations Leader

Danny Downs brings 15 years of experience from his time at Fanatics International, where he was head of commercial development and the company’s first general manager, including international operations for its e-commerce business.

J.Crew Group Hires CMO for J. Crew Brand

For nearly a year, J.Crew and its sister brand Madewell, also owned by the J.Crew Group, have operated without a CMO—Derek Yarbrough, former executive vice president and CMO of both brands, left in January 2024. The Group did not disclose if it would hire a CMO for the Madewell business.

Gymshark CFO Departs Amid Profit Decline

Gymshark did not provide a reason for Mat Dunn’s departure. He was hired in December 2022. The announcement follows the company reporting a £13m pre-tax profit for the year ending July 31, 2023, a decrease from £27.8m in the previous 12 months.