SGB Update Outdoor
Sunglass Hut Parent Sees Q4 Sales Rise 6.8%…
Luxottica Group S.p.A., the parent company of Sunglass Hut and Ray Ban, posted its fourth consecutive year of double-digit sales growth for fiscal 2006. The company saw gains in both its wholesale and retail distribution channels with wholesale growing at
VF Corp. Sells Intimates Business to Fruit of the Loom…
VF Corporation has signed a definitive agreement to sell its global intimate apparel business to Fruit of the Loom, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. for $350 million in cash. The agreement is subject to government approvals and customary clo
SIA.07 Show Sees Resilient Energy…
With frighteningly warm weather impacting the entire east coast and a very late start to the season in California, SIA.07 could have been a depressing event, but the market in attendance appeared to shrug off the issue and drive pretty positive energy on
NRF: Half of Gift Cards Not Yet Cashed In…
According to an NRF survey, conducted by BIGresearch, shoppers said they had spent less than half of the value of their gift cards (37.3% on average) by the second week in January. Though gift cards were expected to be a common holiday gift, they were ev
Commodity Prices Hurt Unifi’s Q2
Unifi experienced a significant decline in commodity-based, partially oriented yarn (POY) during the company’s fiscal second quarter, which ended in December. These lower volumes in September and October were caused by higher commodity prices, which slowe
Suitor Found for Time4 Media
Bonnier AB, a family-owned media group based in Sweden with operations in more than 20 countries and particular focus on northern Europe, has reached an agreement to purchase Time4 Media and The Parenting Group, from Time Inc. The combined operations have
The PGA Show Demonstrates the New Faces of Golf…
The golf industry is in flux with an infusion of new technologies, aesthetics, and styles creating a series of dichotomies in the marketplace. Apparel vendors are offering multiple lines with one focused on the technical and the other on the traditional.
Icebreaker Plans Portland Design Center
Icebreaker will open a global design center in Portland, Oregon. In conjunction with the new design center, the company has also appointed Sandy Larowe as VP of product design. Larowe will establish a US-based global design team to work closely with the
Ashworth Returns to Namesake Brand…
Ashworth, Inc. will see the return of its founder, John Ashworth, as a consultant on all aspects of Ashworth brand development…
VF Completes Eagle Creek Acquisition
VF Outdoor, Inc. has completed its previously announced acquisition of Eagle Creek, Inc. Terms were not disclosed. VF expects the Eagle Creek brand to add approximately $30 million to 2007 revenues and to sustain high single-digit sales growth over the ne
NGF: More Courses Close Than Open in 2006
The National Golf Foundation reports that there was negative net growth in golf facilities in 2006 for the first time in six decades. According to the NGF 146 18-hole equivalent courses closed during the year, well above the 119.5 courses that opened. The
SIA.07 Shrugs Off Weather to Host Upbeat Show…
With frighteningly warm weather impacting the entire east coast and a very late start to the season in California, SIA.07 could have been a depressing event. However, nothing could be further from the truth. Vendors, one after another, expressed their sur
Reef Board Build-Off Raises $30k in Total
The Reef Board Build-Off showcased and auctioned off an impressive array of one-of-a-kind surfboards at the ASR tradeshow this past weekend. The event raised over $20,000 with proceeds going to each shapers charity of choice. Rich Pavel came out on top af
ASR Show Sees Urban Offset Mountain…
This show was not as well attended as in previous years. There however does not seem to be a slowdown in business in the Skate/Surf space. The overlap of the SIA.07 show and the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market likely pulled winter sports merchants elsewher
Clif Bar Returns as Mavericks Sponsor
In an ongoing effort to protect and preserve Half Moon Bay, the Mavericks surf break and its surrounding environment, Clif Bar & Co. will return as a partner for The 2007 Mavericks Surf Contest. In addition to the purchase of wind energy credits to offse
