Prada Sales Rose 17% Last Year, Driven by Asia, Miu Miu Brand

Models present creations from the Prada Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection during Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, February 22, 2024. (Reuters)
Models present creations from the Prada Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection during Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, February 22, 2024. (Reuters)
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Prada Sales Rose 17% Last Year, Driven by Asia, Miu Miu Brand

Models present creations from the Prada Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection during Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, February 22, 2024. (Reuters)
Models present creations from the Prada Fall-Winter 2024/2025 collection during Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, February 22, 2024. (Reuters)

Italian luxury group Prada said on Thursday its 2023 net revenues rose 17% at constant exchange rates, driven by growth in Asia and the outstanding performance of its Miu Miu brand, and expects to outperform the market this year.

The group's net revenues totaled 4.7 billion euros ($5.1 billion) last year, broadly in line with analysts' expectations, after a "very positive" fourth quarter which also showed a 17% sales increase.

The two first months of 2024 showed a similar trend to the one reported in the fourth quarter, Prada's Chief Executive Andrea Guerra told analysts in a conference call.

In 2023 as a whole, sales in the Asia Pacific area rose 24%, Europe grew 14% after slowing down in the second half, and sales in the Americas were flat.

Prada's adjusted operating profit rose 26% to 1.06 billion euros last year.

"As with 2023, while quarterly growth trajectory may not be linear through the year, we retain our firm ambition of delivering solid, sustainable, above-market growth," CEO Andrea Guerra said in the statement.

The group, which owns the eponymous brand as well as Miu-Miu, Church's and Car Shoe, proposed a divided of 0.137 euros per share.



Shein to Open Pop-up Store in South Africa to Woo More Shoppers

A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. (Reuters)
A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. (Reuters)
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Shein to Open Pop-up Store in South Africa to Woo More Shoppers

A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. (Reuters)
A view of a Shein pop-up store at a mall in Singapore April 4, 2024. (Reuters)

Fast-fashion giant Shein, known for its $5 tops and $10 dresses, will open a pop-up store in Johannesburg, South Africa in August as the online retailer aims to expand its brand recognition in the country.

Shein, founded in China, and its rival Temu have aggressively expanded worldwide as online shopping has surged after the COVID pandemic. They have been accused of exploiting tax loopholes by exporting China-made products in small quantities to avoid higher duties.

Shein will open its pop-up store from Aug. 2-11 as an "exhibition space" for customers to try on trendy fashion and lifestyle products and order them online at a discount, the company said in its South African Instagram post on Tuesday.

Local influencers were tapped for a pre-opening marketing campaign.

Brick-and-mortar and online fashion retailers have urged South African regulators to impose a 45% import duty on all clothing item imports, no matter the price, to level the playing field. Shein, which is planning to go public in Britain, taps a network of largely China-based suppliers which take small initial orders and scale up based on demand.

A Shein spokesperson told Reuters the retailer is engaging with South African regulators to ensure its continued compliance with local laws.

"That said, such tax measures are not critical to the success of our business or the competitive prices we offer our consumers. We keep our prices affordable through our technology-based on-demand business model and flexible supply chain," the spokesperson added.