Hugo Boss Sees Broadly Stable 2025 Sales, Flags Muted Demand in 1st Quarter

FILE PHOTO: Men's shoes are on display at the Boss store in London, Britain, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Men's shoes are on display at the Boss store in London, Britain, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo
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Hugo Boss Sees Broadly Stable 2025 Sales, Flags Muted Demand in 1st Quarter

FILE PHOTO: Men's shoes are on display at the Boss store in London, Britain, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Men's shoes are on display at the Boss store in London, Britain, May 30, 2024. REUTERS/Chris J. Ratcliffe/File Photo

Hugo Boss said muted consumer sentiment was having an impact on its business in the current quarter as it forecast 2025 sales broadly in line with last year's level on Thursday.
The upmarket fashion company has sought to boost the popularity of its brand through selected marketing investments, while increasing profits by limiting costs, despite weakening consumer demand and a polarization of consumer preferences towards either high-end luxury or cheaper fast-fashion offers.
It sees annual sales development between a 2% decline and a 2% increase, to a range of 4.2 billion to 4.4 billion euros ($4.57 billion to $4.79 billion), following 3% growth to 4.3 billion euros in 2024, Reuters reported.
"Macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility remains high, weighing on consumer sentiment and impacting our business performance since the beginning of the year," CEO Daniel Grieder said in a statement.
Analysts had estimated annual sales of 4.26 billion euros for 2024 and 4.44 billion euros for 2025, a company-provided poll showed.
The Hugo Boss shares were up 3.8% in early Frankfurt trade despite the cautious comments, with Baader Helvea's analyst Volker Bosse pointing to a solid outlook for operating profit.
The company expects full-year earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to rise between 5% and 22%, coming in between 380 million and 440 million euros, compared to a 12% decline to 361 million euros last year.
At its midpoint, the guidance would imply EBIT of 410 million euros, against analysts' estimate of 414 million euros.
The company also said sales growth was "particularly robust" in the last three months of 2024, boosted by a successful holiday season.
Group sales were 1.25 billion euros in the fourth quarter, beating analysts' expectations of 1.20 billion euros, with currency-adjusted sales in the Americas region rising 8% helped by a high single-digit percent uptick in the key US market.
"Sales in China remained below the prior-year level, reflecting overall muted local consumer demand," it added.



Globes Red Carpet: Chic Black, Elegant Dresses and a Bit of Politics

Ariana Grande is a nominee for her turn as Glinda in 'Wicked: For Good'. Frederic J. Brown / AFP
Ariana Grande is a nominee for her turn as Glinda in 'Wicked: For Good'. Frederic J. Brown / AFP
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Globes Red Carpet: Chic Black, Elegant Dresses and a Bit of Politics

Ariana Grande is a nominee for her turn as Glinda in 'Wicked: For Good'. Frederic J. Brown / AFP
Ariana Grande is a nominee for her turn as Glinda in 'Wicked: For Good'. Frederic J. Brown / AFP

Hollywood's top stars hit the red carpet on Sunday for the Golden Globes, the first major event on the road to the Oscars, and they delivered lots of old-school glamour.

Here is a glance at some of the looks seen at the Beverly Hilton Hotel:

Ever-chic black

Selena Gomez is a newlywed and her happiness shows. The best comedy actress nominee for her work on "Only Murders in the Building" radiated joy as she arrived on the arm of her husband Benny Blanco.

She oozed sophistication in a black Chanel column gown with a frothy white feathered strapless neckline, her black bob swept into soft waves.

Gomez was not alone in striking an understated pose, with lots of stars opting for black or dark, wintry hues.

Teyana Taylor, a winner for her searing turn as a leftist revolutionary in hotly-tipped film "One Battle After Another," scorched the carpet in a cut-out backless black Schiaparelli gown with a halter neckline -- and a cheeky crystal bow on her backside.

Ariana Grande ("Wicked: For Good"), who competed with Taylor for the award for best supporting actress, turned heads in a black textured Vivienne Westwood ballgown with an asymmetrical neckline and a bubble silhouette before trailing to the floor.

Her hair was swept into her signature ponytail, and she kept the jewelry simple with a diamond choker.

Amy Madigan, also in their category for her villainous turn in "Weapons," went for a tuxedo look with cropped pants and patent leather boots.

Nominee Jenna Ortega embraced the goth chic of her title character in "Wednesday" in a black high-neck Dilara Findikoglu gown with glittering epaulets and cut-offs that revealed a bit of side boob... and part of her hip bone.

Among the male stars in attendance, Colman Domingo was as usual a standout, wearing head-to-toe black Valentino, with silvery appliques scattered from his left shoulder down his lapel to his waist.

Jennifer Lopez is no stranger to strong fashion statements. Her plunging green Versace gown at the Grammys in 2000 is still a reference for winning the red carpet by adopting the "less is more" rule.

On Sunday, Lopez -- whose turn in "Kiss of the Spider Woman" was overlooked by Globes voters -- wore a figure-hugging sheer gown with bronze patterns snaking over her body, ending in a mermaid fishtail.

Jennifer Lawrence --nominated for best drama actress in a film for "Die My Love" -- got the memo as well, rocking a barely-there sheer nude Givenchy gown with only a smattering of strategically placed flowers.

- Stars slam deadly ICE shooting -

Hollywood never quite has a night out without a bit of politics coming into play.

On Sunday, some of the stars including nominee Mark Ruffalo wore pins with the messages "BE GOOD" -- a reference to Renee Good, the Minneapolis woman who was shot and killed by a federal immigration agent.

Comedian Wanda Sykes wore the same pin on her lapel, while actress Natasha Lyonne, a nominee for her TV show "Poker Face," attached one to her clutch handbag.

The campaign is endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), one of the country's most prominent civil rights organizations.

 


UK's Next Edges Up Profit Outlook after Christmas Sales Beat Expectations

FILE PHOTO: Shoppers walk past a NEXT retail store on Oxford Street in London, Britain, December 28, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infante/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Shoppers walk past a NEXT retail store on Oxford Street in London, Britain, December 28, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infante/File Photo
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UK's Next Edges Up Profit Outlook after Christmas Sales Beat Expectations

FILE PHOTO: Shoppers walk past a NEXT retail store on Oxford Street in London, Britain, December 28, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infante/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Shoppers walk past a NEXT retail store on Oxford Street in London, Britain, December 28, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infante/File Photo

British fashion retailer Next on Tuesday reported a better-than-expected 10.6% increase in full-price sales for the nine weeks to December 27 and edged up its annual profit guidance for the fifth time over the last year.

Subdued UK ⁠consumer confidence ahead of Christmas coupled with unseasonably mild weather had left analysts cautious about clothing retailers' festive trading prospects.

However, Next reported a 5.9% increase in UK ⁠sales year-on-year, with international sales up 38.3%.

According to Reuters, the group said it now expected to report a pretax profit of 1.15 billion pounds ($1.56 billion) for its year to January 2026, up from previous guidance of 1.135 billion pounds and the 1.011 billion pounds it made in ⁠2024/25 when it breached the 1 billion pounds mark for the first time.

Next forecast a further 4.5% increase in profit to 1.202 billion pounds for its 2026/27 year, on full-price sales up 4.5%.

Shares in Next have risen 43% over the last year.


Saudi Fashion Commission Issues Research Paper on 'Fashion Week Economics'

The Saudi Fashion Commission logo
The Saudi Fashion Commission logo
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Saudi Fashion Commission Issues Research Paper on 'Fashion Week Economics'

The Saudi Fashion Commission logo
The Saudi Fashion Commission logo

The Saudi Fashion Commission has issued its research paper for the fourth quarter of 2025, titled Fashion Week Economics, as part of its continued commitment to providing leading sector insights through the Fashion Futures platform.

The paper presents an in-depth analysis of Riyadh Fashion Week's contribution to local economic growth and explores the role of global fashion weeks in the global economy.

It highlights how Riyadh Fashion Week reflects the Kingdom's cultural and creative development, marking the beginning of a new era for Saudi creative industries, one driven by cultural confidence and economic ambition, through a dynamic integration of creativity, commerce, and culture aligned with the vision of a thriving creative economy.

The research also examines themes including the economic and cultural value of fashion weeks worldwide, the role of fashion-week events as global economic drivers, and case studies of various brands showcased at Riyadh Fashion Week 2025.

Through publishing this paper, the Fashion Commission continues to provide essential economic data and sector insights into the rapidly evolving fashion industry.

Riyadh Fashion Week targets designers, brands, creative talent, buyers, retailers, sponsors, and partners, serving as a central platform for opportunities across the market. Its rapid expansion across three editions, featuring more than 100 participating brands and attracting approximately 27,000 visitors, has delivered significant value in terms of media presence, relationship building, and business growth for participants.

The participation of major global fashion houses such as Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney in the third edition further reflects Riyadh’s growing influence in international luxury circles and its increasing global standing.