Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine April Issue 2019 | Page 70

RETAIL CURRENT THE LATEST NEWS HAVE YOUR SAY For the latest news on apparel and textile, make sure that you visit https://apparelresources.com/top-news/ Write to Apparel Resources, B-32, South Extension-1, New Delhi (110049), India or email: [email protected] Following backlash, Decathlon plans to not sell hijabs in France French sportswear retailer Decathlon has given up on its plans to sell hijab for women runners in France following a public outcry. the practice of sports. It’s a fact that many women run wearing hijabs which is not suitable for running. Our goal was simple: to propose a product specifically adapted to this purpose, without judgment”. The outfit, designed to increase ‘comfort’ when practising sports, has already hit the Morocco market and was set to hit the French stores soon. However, the backlash was so strong that the brand had to choose otherwise. “We are making the decision… to not market this product in France at this time,” Decathlon spokesman Xavier Rivoire told a radio station. However, French politicians Lydia Guirous and François-Xavier Bellamy argued that hijabs should not be normalised in French society, as they symbolise women’s submission to men. Although hijabs are not prohibited by French law, they remain a sensitive topic in the country, especially following the Charlie Hebdo shooting and terror attacks of 2015, both perpetrated by Muslim fundamentalists. Commenting on the controversy, Decathlon said on Twitter, “We want to democratise Ironically, Nike already sells a sports hijab called ‘Nike Pro’ all over the world, including France, since 2017. Macy's fights sales dip; announces restructuring to save US $ 100 million in annual costs The decision comes as the store chain is facing sluggish same-store sales and with this aims to reduce costs and improve profitability. The plan would result in annual cost savings of US $ 100 million and includes elimination of 100 Vice President positions. announcing to further streamline our management structure will allow us to move faster, reduce costs and be more responsive to changing customer expectations. Importantly, these changes build the foundation we need to achieve meaningful enterprise productivity improvements. These actions impact colleagues who have made strong contributions to the company over the years, and I thank them for their service,” maintained Jeff Gennette, CEO, Macy’s. The company’s results for the quarter managed to beat Wall Street expectations because they were lowered after the department store chain announced sluggish holiday sales last month. “The steps we are Macy’s is under pressure to reinvent itself as shoppers have increasingly started buying online. Macy’s has been expanding its store labels and opening more off-price backstage stores within Macy’s outlets. Macy’s, the largest US department store chain, is embarking on a multi-year restructuring programme that will shrink its management structure and make it more nimble in a competitive retail environment. 70 Apparel Online Bangladesh | APRIL 2019 | www.apparelresources.com  The store chain has also rolled out technology that allows customers to skip the line at the register. It is also expanding virtual reality technology in furniture and cosmetics sections. The company’s revamped loyalty card programme has helped keep its best customers engaged. Macy’s earned net income of US $ 740 million, or US $ 2.37 per share, in the period ended February 2. This compares with the net income of US $ 1.35 billion, or US $ 4.38 per share, in the year- earlier period. Adjusted results were US $ 2.73 per share.