Prada Not Looking at M&A, Sees 'Positive Surprise' from US

The logo of fashion house Prada is seen outside a shop in Milan, Italy, April 8, 2024. (Reuters)
The logo of fashion house Prada is seen outside a shop in Milan, Italy, April 8, 2024. (Reuters)
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Prada Not Looking at M&A, Sees 'Positive Surprise' from US

The logo of fashion house Prada is seen outside a shop in Milan, Italy, April 8, 2024. (Reuters)
The logo of fashion house Prada is seen outside a shop in Milan, Italy, April 8, 2024. (Reuters)

Italian luxury group Prada is not looking at big acquisitions as it is focused on the brands it already owns, its Chief Executive Andrea Guerra said on Monday.
Speaking at the FT Luxury Summit in Venice, Guerra added that he expected a positive surprise this year from the US market for the luxury sector, Reuters reported.
"I'm cautiously positive about the US. I think that Prada has a relationship with the American consumer, but maybe we have been a little bit under represented as a business there. So we've got homework to do," he added.
The CEO - appointed in January 2023 to lead the company as the next generation of its founding family gets ready to pick up the reins - said he did not know when the change at the helm would take place.
Lorenzo Bertelli, one of the two sons of Prada's founders Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli, is expected to be appointed CEO after Guerra.
In first quarter results published last month, Prada defied a slowdown across the luxury sector, reporting booming demand for its high fashion brand Miu Miu and continued growth in Asia.



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.