Amorepacific Turns Its Seoul Flagship Into AI-Powered Beauty Lab
Amorepacific has relaunched its Seoul flagship, Amore Yongsan, as an AI‑powered beauty laboratory. The new space combines retail, personalized cosmetics, and advanced skin‑analysis services under one roof. Central to the concept are City Lab, an AI‑driven skin and scalp diagnostic platform, and Amore Bespoke, an on‑demand service that lets shoppers co‑create custom makeup, lip and hair‑care products. The revamp aims to meet rising demand for tech‑enabled, immersive beauty experiences among younger and international consumers.
Delivery Hero CEO Niklas Ostberg Prepares to Step Down
Delivery Hero founder and CEO Niklas Ostberg will step down after 15 years, with a successor search slated to conclude by March 31 2027 and the transition completed by year‑end. The move aligns with a strategic review that emphasizes deeper market penetration,...
Sea Lifts Sales, Profit as Shopee Delivers Another Record Quarter
Sea Limited reported a strong first‑quarter performance, with revenue climbing 46.6% to $7.1 billion and gross profit up 40% to $3.1 billion. Net income rose 6.7% to $438.2 million and adjusted EBITDA hit $1 billion, reflecting robust growth across its e‑commerce, financial services and...
How Anita Fung Plans to Unlock Levi’s Next Chapter in China
Anita Fung, former Asia‑Pacific head of Burberry and Alexander McQueen, becomes managing director of Levi Strauss & Co. Greater China. She is tasked with restoring denim authority, accelerating disciplined direct‑to‑consumer growth, and making Levi’s a brand Chinese consumers deliberately choose. Fung...
Carlyle, Yum China Among Bidders for Jardines’ Asian KFC, Pizza Hut Business
Jardine Matheson’s restaurant arm, which runs about 1,000 KFC and Pizza Hut outlets in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Myanmar, and Vietnam, is up for sale. Carlyle Group, Yum China, and Taiwan’s Uni‑President have submitted non‑binding bids, with the transaction expected...
Diesel Relocates Osaka Flagship Store
Italian fashion label Diesel has shifted its Osaka flagship to the new Quartz Shinsaibashi building, a two‑story space that showcases a popcorn‑concrete façade and a red‑lit staircase. The redesign emphasizes the brand’s rebellious visual language and houses women’s apparel on...
Siam Piwat and Huawei Integrate Thai-First Wearable Tech Into Their Ecosystem
Siam Piwat, Thailand’s leading retail developer, has launched the OneSiam Global Visitor Card on Huawei Wearable devices, giving access to an estimated 200 million Huawei users worldwide. The integration targets high‑value tourists from China, Japan, Southeast Asia and other key markets,...
Diptyque Opens Hollywood Road Flagship in Hong Kong
Diptyque has launched a 100 sqm flagship boutique on Hong Kong’s Hollywood Road, expanding from its 2025 street‑level concept store. The two‑level duplex blends Parisian‑inspired interiors with Hong Kong’s architectural motifs, featuring a neon installation by local artist Jive Lau. The ground...
A Five-Part Examination of What Is Really Happening to China’s Department Stores
China’s department stores are in a deep slump, with sales barely up 0.1% in 2025 while the country’s GDP grew 5% and retail sales topped roughly $7 trillion. Only 22.2% of surveyed operators improved net profit, compared with 32% that grew...
Diipa Büller-Khosla Discusses Her Career Building Indē Wild
Indian‑born influencer Diipa Büller‑Khosla founded Indē Wild, an Ayurvedic‑based beauty line that recently debuted in Sephora’s US stores, marking the first homegrown Indian brand on the retailer’s shelves. Drawing on her mother’s dermatology‑Ayurveda background and her own digital‑media experience, she...
China Needs New Growth Drivers as Consumer Spending Has yet to Fill the Gap
China’s economy is projected to grow around 5% through 2025‑2026, but the underlying momentum has weakened. Growth slowed after 2017 as consumer spending turned slightly negative and export growth decelerated amid global uncertainty. Demographic headwinds—shrinking working‑age population and ageing—now drag...
Hongkong Land Unveils New Retail Tenants at $8bn Shanghai Development
Hongkong Land announced a new roster of high‑end retailers for Westbund Central, its $8 billion mixed‑use development in Shanghai’s Xuhui District. Phase two introduces designer lifestyle brands such as Issey Miyake, Leica, House of Läderach, Hay and Paulmann, complementing the food‑and‑beverage...
Coupang Edges Back to Growth as Recovery Takes Hold
South Korean e‑commerce giant Coupang reported an 8 percent YoY revenue increase to $8.5 billion in Q1 FY26, signaling the start of a recovery after a data‑breach‑induced slump. Management said order frequency, customer engagement and membership metrics improved throughout the quarter, though...
Shiro Opens First Hong Kong Store at K11 Musea
Japanese fragrance brand Shiro opened its first Hong Kong boutique inside K11 Musea, a mall celebrated for art‑centric retail. The 1,200‑sq‑ft store blends contemporary design with local heritage, using bamboo scaffolding and reclaimed tin to echo Hong Kong’s historic architecture. Central to the...
Electrolux Appoints Dyson Veteran Bernard Chong to Lead Apac Push
Electrolux Group named Bernard Chong, former Dyson Greater China president, as head of its Asia‑Pacific region effective June 1. Chong will operate from Bangkok and report directly to CEO Yannick Fierling. He brings experience leading over 1,000 employees and executing brand...
China’s Meiyijia Enters Vietnam Under Ohmee Brand
China’s convenience‑store giant Meiyijia has entered Vietnam under the overseas brand Ohmee, launching three stores in Hanoi. The rollout marks the chain’s first retail footprint outside China after building a network of more than 40,000 domestic outlets. Meiyijia will rely...
Toys R Us Hong Kong Marks 40 Years with Ocean Terminal Flagship Revamp
Toys R Us Asia celebrated the 40th anniversary of its Hong Kong debut by unveiling a major overhaul of its Ocean Terminal flagship in Tsim Sha Tsui. The redesign introduces nine store‑in‑store concepts, including dedicated zones for Pokémon, Tomica, Bandai, Lego, Nintendo, Sanrio, Sylvanian Families,...
Grab Hits Record Earnings as Demand Remains Elevated Despite Fuel Crisis
Grab Holdings posted a record first‑quarter, with revenue climbing 24% to $955 million and adjusted EBITDA jumping 46% to $154 million. Delivery revenue rose 23% to $510 million, mobility grew 19% to $337 million, and financial services surged 43% to $107 million. Profit surged from...
What Lanvin Group’s FY2025 Numbers Actually Tell Us
Lanvin Group posted a stark FY2025 decline, with revenue dropping 18% to €240 million (≈$259 million) and net loss expanding to €263 million (≈$284 million). The flagship Lanvin label saw sales tumble 30% to €58 million, while Greater China revenues fell 51%, leaving the region...
Ones to Watch 2026: Uni Beauty, Graza, Monday Haircare and More
Inside Retail Asia’s second "Ones to Watch 2026" roundup spotlights five fast‑growing CPG brands—Graza, House of Balance, Nguyen Coffee Supply, Monday Haircare and Uni Beauty. Graza, a U.S. olive‑oil brand, posted $48.4 million in 2024 revenue by blending premium Spanish olives...
How China’s New Trade Rules Aim to Nullify Trump Sovereignty Push
Beijing unveiled broad trade rules that allow Chinese authorities to investigate and punish foreign firms that shift sourcing away from China, a move announced just weeks before President Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping. The regulations target any “suspension of normal...
SM Home Unveils Redesigned Makati Flagship as Overhaul Expands
SM Home is reopening its Makati flagship this week with a redesigned store concept, the first rollout under a new retail framework. The layout now features dedicated zones for kitchen, dining, living, bedroom, bathroom, storage, laundry, cleaning, and a gift...
Sales Down, but Lanvin Sees Stability in Q2 After Restructuring Efforts
Lanvin Group reported full‑year revenue of $281 million, an 18% decline year‑on‑year, as sales across its portfolio weakened. The flagship Lanvin brand saw the steepest drop, with revenue falling 30% to $68 million, while Wolford and Sergio Rossi also posted double‑digit declines. Despite...
Why Is China’s Factory Activity Rising Despite Global Risks?
China’s official manufacturing PMI rose to 50.3 in April, marking a second month of expansion as manufacturers accelerated production to meet a surge in export orders—the strongest in two years—while stockpiling ahead of potential price hikes from the Middle East...
Yum China Expands Footprint as Q1 Results Hit Record Highs
Yum China reported record Q1 FY26 results, opening 636 net new stores and boosting revenue 10% to $3.3 billion. Operating profit rose 12% to $447 million, while delivery now makes up 55% of sales. The company is scaling its KPRO healthy‑eating concept...
3Coins Opens Flagship Store in Kai Tak, Hong Kong
3Coins unveiled its largest Hong Kong flagship, a 5,100 sq ft store at Airside in Kai Tak, showcasing more than 2,500 items ranging from storage solutions to seasonal goods. The layout features a dedicated pet zone, a travel‑themed area that nods to the site’s...
Balenciaga Expands in Hong Kong with New K11 Musea Duplex Flagship
Balenciaga has opened a relocated, upgraded store at Hong Kong’s K11 Musea, creating its first duplex flagship in the market. The 461 sqm space spans two levels and showcases the brand’s Raw Architecture aesthetic, blending industrial materials with high‑luxury finishes. It...
Patchi Expands Into Lifestyle as Global Rebrand Debuts in Malaysia
Patchi, the Lebanese luxury chocolatier, unveiled a global rebrand in Malaysia to mark its 50th anniversary. The new visual language swaps the traditional black‑and‑gold palette for softer mint green, cream and orange tones, while interior layouts become more open and...
Meet the YouTuber Showcasing China’s EV Revolution
At the Beijing Auto Show, American YouTuber Ethan Robertson led international visitors through a showcase of Chinese electric SUVs, pickups and concept cars, emphasizing low prices and advanced tech. His Wheelsboy channel, with 210,000 subscribers, highlighted a $30,000 fully‑loaded Leapmotor...
Siam Piwat Positions Nextopia as the Future of Global Retail
Siam Piwat has launched Nextopia, a 15,000 sqm prototype sustainability platform inside Bangkok’s Siam Paragon, positioning it as a model for the future of global retail. The venue, opened in November, achieved zero waste to landfill, cut energy use by 47%...
Vietnam’s Masan Group Reveals Plans for Grocery Retail Arm IPO
Vietnam’s Masan Group announced plans to IPO its grocery retail arm WinCommerce, targeting a valuation of at least $10 billion. The company aims to list the business in 2028‑29 after turning the unit from a $140 million loss in 2019 to a...
Zomato Adjusts Pricing Clause After Pushback
Zomato has removed a contract clause that penalised restaurants for offering lower in‑house prices than those listed on its app. The clause, which could fine eateries up to three times the price differential, was never enforced but faced strong opposition...
Pop Mart Unveils Upgrades to Beijing Theme Park
Pop Mart announced the April 30 launch of the upgraded Labubu Forest Zone at its Beijing Pop Land theme park, adding new rides, carnival games, performances, and food‑and‑merchandise hubs featuring characters like Dimoo and The Monsters series. The expansion follows a year‑long renovation and...
Iran War Hits Asia’s Suppliers to Global Fast Fashion
The Iran‑War‑driven surge in fossil‑fuel prices is hitting polyester feedstock costs, pushing Indian yarn producer Filatex to pay roughly 30% more for PTA and MEG. Indian and Bangladeshi textile firms report sharp rises in yarn and thread prices, labor shortages,...
From the Field to the Floor: Dom Giampaolo on Leading Elite Supplements
Elite Supplements has grown from a single gym‑based shop in Canberra to a network of 151 stores across Australia, with 70 owned locations and the rest franchised. In 2019 the company abandoned a licensing model for franchising to regain brand...
Musinsa to Open Matin Kim Flagship in Tokyo
South Korean label Matin Kim is launching its first standalone flagship in Tokyo’s Harajuku district on April 26, 2026, under a partnership with e‑commerce giant Musinsa. The two‑floor, 195 sq m store follows the brand’s Shibuya and Nagoya locations and will showcase the Spring/Summer 2026...
Can China’s EV Surge Conquer Overseas Markets?
China’s auto sector is turning a domestic sales slump into an export drive, aiming to sell surplus electric vehicles abroad as domestic demand fell 18% YoY in Q1. Exports rose 20% to 5.8 million cars in 2023 and are projected to...
Stacked Store Opens First Standalone Shop in Singapore
Stacked Store will launch its first standalone shop on May 16 at The Factory in Singapore’s New Bahru, marking the brand’s shift from a purely digital platform to a physical presence. The 1,200‑sq‑ft space is billed as a hybrid retail‑and‑discovery concept, showcasing...
Songmont Unveils Refreshed Shanghai Flagship
Songmont has reopened its Shanghai flagship on Huaihai Road, revamping the space first launched in 2021. The redesign retains the brand’s “Windy Mountain Valley” theme while adding new layout definitions, effectively splitting the store half old, half new. The refreshed...
Soaring Sales in China and Korea Drive Moncler’s Growth
Moncler Group posted a strong first quarter, reporting $1.03 billion in sales and a 12% year‑on‑year increase. Growth was driven by a 22% surge in Asian sales, particularly in China and South Korea, lifting the region’s share to 56.5% of total...
How a Briton’s Revival of Soviet-Era Watch Caught Putin’s Eye
British ex‑lawyer David Henderson‑Stewart revived the Soviet‑era Raketa watch brand, shifting it toward high‑end, "Made in Russia" timepieces. The St Petersburg factory now produces most components in‑house, selling watches priced between $700 and $3,500. A 2022 sighting of President Vladimir Putin...
Malaysian C-Store Giant KK Mart Reveals IPO Plan
Malaysian convenience‑store chain KK Mart Retail Bhd filed a draft prospectus to list on Bursa Malaysia. The company runs 996 KK Super Mart and KK Mart outlets nationwide. The IPO could involve up to 840 million shares, mixing 630 million existing shares...
If the Price Is Right: Four Key Pricing Strategies to Optimise Trade Plans
Understanding price elasticity is essential for optimizing trade plans. By applying econometric models to gauge both shelf‑price and promotional elasticities, retailers can classify products into four pricing strategies: Hi‑Lo Promoters, Price Leaders, Margin Builders, and Price Disrupters. Each strategy dictates...
Paragon Mall to Be Sold to CapitaLand for More than $3 Billion
Singapore’s iconic Paragon Mall is being sold to CapitaLand Integrated Commercial Trust (CICT) for over S$3.9 billion, roughly US$3 billion. The 94,411 sqm, six‑storey property on Orchard Road hosts more than 190 luxury brands. CICT will fund the acquisition by divesting Asia Square...
Can Perfectionist John Ternus Steer Apple Through the AI Age?
Apple’s long‑time hardware engineer John Ternus is set to replace Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, bringing a product‑first philosophy to a company that has lagged in AI. Ternus stresses leveraging technology to ship great products rather than shipping technology...
DFI Retail, Hutchison in Talks over Merging Hong Kong Supermarket Business
CK Hutchison Holdings and Jardine Matheson’s DFI Retail are negotiating a merger of their Hong Kong supermarket units, ParknShop and Wellcome. The combined entity would control just under half of the city’s grocery market. Hutchison is also preparing an IPO for...
What Can Bangladesh Learn From Pakistan’s Solar Shift?
Bangladesh’s reliance on spot LNG after the Iran‑Hormuz crisis cost it roughly $880 million—about 15% of its monthly import bill—while Pakistan avoided spot purchases by shifting to solar, cutting its fossil‑fuel import share to 25%. The divergent strategies highlight the financial...
Kering CEO: Gucci Can No Longer Treat China Like a ‘Trash Bin’
Kering CEO Luca de Meo warned that Gucci can no longer treat its Chinese business as a low‑effort growth channel. The brand’s stores suffer from poor locations and an outdated retail experience, while off‑price outlets have eroded its premium image. De Meo...
Golden Goose Opens Largest Flagship in Apac
Golden Goose unveiled its largest Asia‑Pacific flagship in Beijing’s upscale Taikoo Li precinct, occupying 475 sqm. The store mirrors the brand’s Venetian Haus, featuring industrial textures, a recreated cobbler workshop, and a library‑style reading area. Upper levels host a bespoke sneaker studio,...
Birkenstock Expands in Japan with First Flagship Store in Osaka
Birkenstock opened its first flagship store in Osaka’s Shinsaibashi district, bringing its directly operated locations in Japan to twelve. The two‑level space separates a Care Essentials area on the ground floor from a full footwear assortment on the second floor....