Cape Town, W. Cape, SA (07 November 2025) – Asics South Africa has appointed Sean van Wyk as its new GM on 01 January. He replaces Barry Mellis.

Asics’ director emerging markets EMEA, Stefan Heinrich, said in statement: “Barry has been leading our business operations in South Africa successfully since 2018 making Asics a respected brand in the territory. He navigated and guided the team through difficult COVID times and managed to grow the Asics business significantly together with our wholesale partners. We wish him all the best for his post Asics career.

“At the same time, we are very happy that Sean van Wyk will become the new General Manager of Asics in South Africa. Sean comes with over 20 years of experience in leadership roles within the sports industry, including senior marketing and sales roles in India, Middle East and South Africa. Most recently, Sean has been leading the Bounty Apparel organisation as Managing Director. He is a keen sportsman and runner completing 11 marathons.” 

New York, U.S. (12 November 2025) – Brand management company Bluestar Alliance has completed its acquisition of workwear and lifestyle brand Dickies from VF Corporation. It said in a release that “the addition of Dickies reinforces Bluestar Alliance's position as one of the world's leading brand management firms, bridging heritage, lifestyle, luxury, and cultural influence across its expanding global portfolio, specifically within its growing youth luxury division”.

Other recent acquisitions by Bluestar Alliance have been Palm Angels (2025), Off-White (2024), Scotch & Soda (2023), and Hurley (2019).

“With the addition of Dickies, Bluestar Alliance's portfolio now represents more than $13 billion in global retail sales, with more than half of revenue generated internationally, supported by over 600 licensees, 500 international retail stores, millions of engaged consumers worldwide, and dedicated teams in Costa Mesa, Columbus, New York, Amsterdam, London and Milan.”

It said Dickies' “strong following and crossover appeal between utility and streetwear make it a natural fit alongside Bluestar Alliance's culturally driven brands. Together with luxury and youth-driven labels … Dickies will further strengthen Bluestar Alliance's presence in the streetwear and contemporary apparel spaces.”

It said Dickies “will enter a new phase of expansion, leveraging the company's infrastructure and proven model of strategic partnerships, design innovation, and omnichannel distribution to scale globally with a retail and partner-first mindset. This approach will allow the brand to extend its reach by introducing new categories including denim, footwear, and elevated lifestyle offerings; collaborating with culturally relevant street, skate, and fashion brands; and expanding its global footprint in the EMEA and APAC regions, with a specific focus on Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the UAE; while preserving the authenticity and heritage that define Dickies' legacy.”

Bluestar said it “is actively looking to bring established brands with strong heritage and loyal communities into its ecosystem and growing international brand portfolio”.

LA Group, which distributes Dickies in Southern Africa, didn’t respond to a request for comment on how the change of ownership would affect distribution. 

Cape Town, W. Cape, SA – The general issues affecting consumers – and therefore their mood and willingness to spend – are worse now than they were this time last year, National Clothing Retail Federation (NCRF) executive director Michael Lawrence said on Saturday.

“There’s uncertainty and that impacts on disposable income,” he said. “Also, we don’t have the upside of lower interest rates, a better exchange rate, and the introduction of the 2-pot system to improve their mood.

“This year, we haven’t seen an appetite by investors to create jobs – especially industrial jobs.

“For retailers, we have seen immense uncertainty in trade architecture. They have been forced to recognise that consumption is a lot quieter now.

“In stock markets – globally – there is much more interest in tech stocks than retail.”

But there were also positive trends, he said.

“We do think there are positive political developments on the horizon.

“The DTIC is recognising that its industrial development policies have to work – they can’t just subsidise machinery for the sake of it. Investments have to produce goods that people want to buy.

“There is always some appetite for consumers to buy – in South Africa, across our borders, or internationally.

“And things move in cycles. There can’t be constant growth, and retailers will do what’s necessary to start the next upward cycle.” 

 Midrand, Gauteng, SA – Lekhau Sehoana, who founded the now closed Drip Footwear retail business, has founded an online retail site trading as Kite Cartel which currently advertises 1 shoe style in 2 colours, retailing at R1299, marked ‘sold out’, and 2 T-shirts. Kite Cartel hasn’t yet responded to questions about its plans.

Geneva (05 November 2025) – Testing, inspection and certification company SGS will host a complimentary webinar, ‘Enhancing sustainability claims and brand reputation in the textile and footwear industry’, on 25 November.

Regulators have responded to public concern and consumer demand for sustainability in the textiles and footwear industry by introducing stricter requirements, placing pressure on businesses to ensure credible claims and avoid misleading advertising. While this can be challenging and requires expert knowledge, meeting these requirements also presents opportunities to build consumer trust.

This webinar explores the latest trends impacting sustainability in the industry, providing insights into the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology. Presenters Evelyn Ma and Frank Kempe will also provide an introduction to the SGS green marks covering preferred materials, which enable brands to gain a competitive advantage in global markets through trusted certification or verification, and present case studies to illustrate best practices and common pitfalls.

For companies looking for insights into the latest regulatory trends, this webinar leverages SGS’s experience and knowledge for a better understanding of key sustainability developments in the industry.

This webinar is ideal for professionals across the textile, apparel and footwear industries, including designers, product developers, quality assurance specialists, sustainability experts, compliance managers and marketing teams from brands, retailers and manufacturers.

Interested parties should register here now for more information.