SGB Update Apparel
Astral Expands U.S. Regional Indie Sales Team
“As Astral continues to expand into the broader outdoor market, it becomes more and more crucial to invest in the strength and reach of our on-the-ground sales team,” —Christian Mason, Director, B2B Sales, Astral
ICSC’s Survey Finds Back-To-School Shoppers Seeking Promotions
The 2025 ICSC Back-to-School Consumer Survey found that nine in ten respondents said promotions influence their purchases throughout the season, with 46 percent stating they plan their shopping around specific promotional events, such as Target Circle Week, Amazon Prime Day, Walmart Deals, or Labor Day sales.
Gymshark Opens Store in Manchester, England
The company opened a store in Manchester, marking its first standalone UK store outside of London. The activewear brand now has five stores with plans to open a store in New York City later this year.
Vuori Accelerates Global Expansion with New Stores in Asia
Vuori announced an acceleration of its global expansion in Asia with the opening of its first stores in Seoul, Korea, this September under a franchise partnership, followed by another in Beijing, China in October. The California activewear brand has also expanded its digital reach with its e-commerce platform now live in 11 additional countries.
Nordisk Forms Partnership to Expand In China
The Danish outdoor brand entered a partnership with K2 Korea and China’s BA Capital to establish a strategic joint venture in China, including the opening of the first Nordisk stores in the country.
Arc’teryx to Open Store in Bethesda, Maryland
The store at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, MD, is expected to open this fall. The outdoor brand, owned by Amer Sports, operates two stores nearby in Washington, D.C., including one in the Georgetown area.
Survey: Dads Lead Move to Earlier BTS Shopping Trend
A survey commissioned by Smarty, a rewards app, found 70 percent of U.S. consumers are starting their BTS shopping earlier than in previous years amid tariff concerns, with dads taking the lead across nearly every category, from spending more to prioritizing quality.
Swing Control Adds Brand Manager to Nancy Robitaille’s Designer Role
Before joining Swing Control, Robitaille spent over a decade as the head designer at Fila Golf Sportswear for Fersten Worldwide. She was also a designer for Fitmatics Performance Apparel for Fersten.
Tiger Finance Appoints Managing Director, National Sales
Tiger Finance, which has invested in several active lifestyle and retail businesses, promoted Jason Rae, an asset-based lending veteran, as managing director, National Sales. Rae previously co-led Tiger Valuation Services’ Business Development team and covered the New England and Canadian markets.
Li & Fung Acquires UK-Based Hosiery Supplier Orrsum
Hong Kong-headquartered supply chain management company Li & Fung has acquired Orrsum, a UK-based manufacturer of hosiery, underwear and loungewear, for an undisclosed amount.sed sum. Founded in 1998, Orrsum reports that it produces over 50 million pairs of socks for distribution to more than 5,000 retail doors worldwide each year.
Centric Brands Appoints President of Kid’s Division
Based in New York, Rob Smith will report directly to CEO Jason Rabin as president of the company’s Kids’ Division and join the company’s executive leadership team. He replaces Steve Pinkow who has served as Kid’s Group president for 17 years.
Asics Recommits to Boston; Signs Lease on Downtown Office Space
The company has signed a lease to occupy 44,000 square feet of office space at 179 Lincoln Street in downtown Boston, a slightly smaller location compared to its nearby Boston headquarters, which measures 60,000 square feet and opened in 2018.
Athleta’s Head of Strategy Joins Sur La Table as President
Dan Goldman was VP at Gap, Inc. and head of strategy at Athleta + Banana Republic from November 2020 to July 2025. Previously, he served as global vice president of strategy, consumer insights, and innovation at The North Face.
Raleigh’s Runologie Shutters
The only independently owned and operated specialty running store in Raleigh was located at 1614 Automotive Way near the Mordecai neighborhood. The store closed on June 30
NRF Chief Economist to Transition to Senior Economic Advisor
Jack Kleinhenz, the NRF’s chief economist since 2010, is stepping down to serve in a new capacity as senior economic advisor. NRF Executive Director of Research Mark Mathews will become NRF’s new chief economist while continuing to lead the research team.
