SquadLocker Appoints VP Of Operations

SquadLocker, the uniform and custom team gear provider, appointed Jim Day as vice president operations to support the company’s growth and expansion.
He was previously vice president of global supply chain at ’47, a sports lifestyle brand.

GymShark Secures Equity Funding

GymShark, the U.K.-based fitness apparel start-up, announced it will enter a strategic partnership with General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, in its first-ever fundraise, valuing the business at over £1 billion.  In conjunction with General Atlantic’s investment, Founder Ben Francis has increased his stake in the company to over 70 percent.

Retail Sales Increase 1.2 Percent In July

The U.S. Census Bureau reported overall retail sales during July were up 1.2 percent seasonally adjusted from June and up 2.7 percent year-over-year.  The July gain over June was lower than the 1.9 percent expected by economists, according to Reuters.

Ralph Lauren Announces Investment In Natural Fiber Welding

Ralph Lauren Corporation announced a minority investment in Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. (NFW), a sustainable material science startup that has developed a process to reuse natural fibers – such as cotton waste – into patented, high-performance materials. As a part of the investment, Ralph Lauren will help scale NFW’s patented process and develop performance apparel made from natural, sustainable materials.

Asics Sales Drop 21.5 Percent In Half

Asics Corp. reported a loss in the six months ended June 30 as sales dropped 21.5 percent. In North America, sales were down 27.1 percent but online sales grew 151 percent in the region. In the second quarter, sales were down 30.4 percent globally and 26.5 percent in North America.

Hurley Family Launching Apparel Line With John John Florence

Kandui Holdings LLC, founded by the Hurley family, announced plans to launch Florence Marine X, an apparel collection in collaboration with two-time world champion surfer John John Florence. The partnership comes after Kandui in early August acquired the outstanding assets and intellectual property of the Simple footwear brand.

Iconix’s Q2 Revenues Slump 35 Percent

Iconix Brand Group, Inc., the parent of Starter, Pony, Umbro, Danskin, and a number of other lifestyle brands, reported sales in the second quarter fell 35.1 percent to $22.3 million compared to $34.4 million in the prior-year quarter.

PVH Hires Nike Exec To Head HR

PVH Corp. announced Julie Fuller, Nike’s vice president of global talent and organizational effectiveness, will join the company next month and assume the role of chief human resources officer on January 1, 2021.