SGB Update Apparel

Nike Expands Partnership With China High School Basketball League

Nike is partnering with the China School Sports Federation [CSSF] to expand the China High School Basketball League [CHBL], increasing the league’s intranational reach, investing in league marketing strategies and providing playing apparel beginning in the 2019-20 season.

Fanatics Appoints Nike Exec As CFO

Fanatics appointed Michener (Mich) Chandlee as chief financial officer. Chandlee, who brings to Fanatics nearly 30 years of global finance experience – including the last 18 years with Nike – will oversee the business and financial planning, accounting, investor relations, purchasing, tax, treasury and divisional finance for the company.

Stage Stores Announces Total Company Conversion To Off-Price

Based on the success of the conversion strategy, the company plans to begin converting its remaining department stores in February of 2020, and expects to be operating approximately 700 predominantly small-market Gordmans off-price stores by the third quarter of fiscal 2020.

Nike’s Colin Kaepernick Ad Wins Emmy

Nike’s controversial “Dream Crazy” commercial featuring Colin Kaepernick won the Creative Arts Emmy for Outstanding Commercial.

Moncler Tops Dow Jones Sustainability Indices

Moncler entered for the first time the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) World and Europe and was recognized as the Industry Leader in the ‘Textiles, Apparel & Luxury Goods’ sector.

VF To Expand Operations In West Tennessee

VF plans to expand its current Workwear operations in Henning, TN, and locate a new facility in Covington, TN, investing nearly $7.5 million and creating over 220 new jobs in West Tennessee.

Neiman Marcus CFO Steps Down

Neiman Marcus Group’s Chief Financial Officer Adam Orvos is leaving the company to join another “as a natural progression in his career.”

August Retail Sales Grew 4.1 Percent

Retail sales were up 0.4 percent in August seasonally adjusted from July and up 4.6 percent unadjusted year-over-year, the National Retail Federation said.

NFL Merchandise Sales Surge In Week 1

Week 1 NFL merchandise sales at NFLShop.com and across the entire Fanatics network of e-commerce sites (which also includes many of the NFL Clubs online stores) were up 30 percent year-over-year, according to the NFL.

Duluth Holdings Cuts Full-Year Guidance On Q2 Shortfall

Duluth Holdings Inc., the parent of Duluth Trading, reduced its outlook for sales and earnings for the year after reporting second-quarter results that came in below Wall Street targets. Stephen Schlecht, the company’s founder who just reassumed the role of CEO, said, “We know that our performance in the first half of this fiscal year fell below our expectations, and that now all our attention and resources must be completely focused on delivering a successful fourth quarter.”

JD Sports Seeing Modest Improvement At Finish Line

JD Sports reported Finish Line’s comps grew 3 percent in the first half and showed slight improvement in product margins. The sixth JD Sports banner opened in the U.S. with success being found in expanded apparel range. A JD Sports’ Times Square location is scheduled to open in spring 2020.

J.C. Penney To Open Outdoor-Themed In-Store Shops

J.C. Penney said Tuesday that it plans to launch an Outdoor Shop, selling apparel and other excursion gear, in 100 of its roughly 830 department stores next month. The company also announced the launch of an in-house brand called St. John’s Bay Outdoor.