“I have seen with my own eyes, exotic leather is ethical and sustainable”, says Satoshi Kuwata, creative director of Japanese brand Setchu in an interview granted to Lampoon Magazine. The focus of the chat is the sourcing of exotic leather. Exotic leather is ethical “There, crocodile isn’t luxury as we know. It’s their livelihood. The...
The August braking of leather exports from Brazil can be read on two levels (both negative). Not only, given the buying attitude of the South American country’s main customers, it again marks the weakness of international demand. But it represents a further deterioration, acknowledges the benchmark association CICB, for Brazilian foreign sales in comparison with...
Louis Vuitton takes a zero-tolerance approach to counterfeiting — and the courts have backed the luxury house against a French flea market. In the United States, meanwhile, Hermès’s practice of selling its most coveted handbags only to clients who have already purchased other products from the brand has been deemed not unlawful. Louis Vuitton’s victory...
In 2024, the leather share of the global footwear market is holding up compared to rubber/plastic and textile. The material mix in global exports has remained relatively stable over the past decade according to the World Footwear Yearbook 2025. The annual report that compiles the Portuguese footwear, components and leather goods association APICCAPS. Italy is...
On 19 February, CEO Paulo Martins passed away unexpectedly at the age of 49. He had first joined Portuguese shoemaker Celita (owner of the Ambitious brand) as an employee before becoming majority shareholder and CEO. For the company, based in Guimarães, his untimely and sudden loss was a shock. Yet the business is determined to...
Ralph Lauren and Tapestry may be very different companies, yet they share a lot of traits. Both are growing strongly in their home market (meaning the US), redefining affordable luxury, expanding their customer bases and raising prices with ease. Just as in China, where consumers are increasingly drawn to local brands (even if those brands […]
The curtain has fallen on New York Fashion Week. Running from 11 to 16 September, the American fashion week closed with a multitude of collections reflecting a city in constant flux, yet increasingly a mirror of an America that feels consigned to the past — an era of collective dreams, forgotten democratic glamour and shared...
Within the contemporary fashion scene, the role of the creative director is no longer that of the isolated genius dictating trends from the top of an ivory tower. Nicolas Ghesquière, who has been at the helm of Louis Vuitton for more than a decade, stated it Corriere della Sera. Today he embodies a new figure, […]
Despite the global increments in footwear production in 2024, the European shoe industry confirmed to be increasingly declining with its -9.5%. The Old Continent now accounts for just 2.3% of world production, says the World Footwear Yearbook 2025, the report produced by the Portuguese footwear, accessories and leather goods association APICCAPS. European shoe in global...
While the world of haute couture is monopolized by the controversy of price lists that too high (with all the depressive consequences for the market) to be reasonable, the global average export price of shoes in 2024 has decreased. Sure, it was coming from a long inflationary trend: it went from $8.83 per pair in […]
China and India are producers and consumers. The U.S., Japan and Russia are big buyers. In Europe shoe shopping declines, but there are countries, including Italy, that import and then re-export. This is the map of shoe consumption according to the World Footwear Yearbook 2025, the study of the Portuguese footwear, components and leather goods […]
US tariffs are having a twofold impact. The resulting, and inevitable, rise in shoe prices is worrying the footwear industry, while the same phenomenon in luxury handbags is playing to the advantage of resale platforms. Here is how industry insiders see the contrasting market outlooks. The double effect of tariffs In the United States, 2.5 […]
More staff and new machinery to increase output — that is the focus of the investment by the Bosnian division of Boxmark, the Austrian-headquartered leather multinational with subsidiaries in seven countries across three continents. According to local press reports, Sarajevo’s Ministry of Labour has announced that the EUR 6.6 million expansion plan will commence in […]
Lineapelle and Simac Tanning Tech were presented in Rome, marking a new chapter in the revitalization of the Italian industrial system. Italy is focusing on these two key events to strengthen the competitiveness of Made in Italy in the leather and fashion technology sectors. Presented today, Sept. 11, at the ITA Agency site in the […]
Fashion month has begun, and it all kicks off in New York. From 11 to 16 September, the Big Apple transforms into an open-air stage, with fashion setting the city’s tempo. New York Fashion Week returns with a packed schedule of shows, marked by high-profile comebacks and notable absences. With 62 shows on the calendar,...
The future of Armani is now mapped out: either a sale or a stock market listing. This is what was written into his will by Giorgio Armani himself, who named LVMH, L’Oréal and EssilorLuxottica as his three preferred successors in ownership. It is a surprising twist, given that the late “King Giorgio” had previously rebuffed […]
The gold rush is back — the race for the next it-bag. A few years ago, it was mainly the luxury labels in the running; today, far more brands have joined the chase, eager to seize the slice of the market left open by soaring high-fashion prices. Both established names and newcomers are lining up....
In the first half of 2025, the leather trade balance is critical. This is according to Alliance France Cuir’s report that imports remain stable while exports drop slightly, signaling a shift in trade flows. Asia gains ground as a strategic partner, while Europe loses centrality. At the same time, a quality trend asserts itself: less […]
Let’s begin at the end, with a phrase by Daniele Amato — designer, founder of the Amato Daniele brand, and heir to his family’s leather-goods tradition under the Leu Locati label. He spoke these words yesterday morning in Milan, at Spazio Lineapelle, during the launch of the eighth edition of the Lineapelle Designers Edition, scheduled […]
The Italian leather and fashion accessories’ industry, amid duties, obstacles and declining markets, face a downturn, but show surprising resilience. According to data released by Confindustria Accessori Moda, 2024 ended with a turnover of 30 billion euro, down 8.6% from the previous year. The negative trend continues in the first half of 2025, with a […]
