Daily LInks
1. Billionaire Philip Green Fails to Get Sex-Discrimination Claim Thrown Out: Former Topshop boss’ attempt to be removed from a lawsuit accusing him of sex discrimination has been refused by a London tribunal. The claim is part of a constructive-dismissal case brought against the retail tycoon and his companies, Arcadia Group Ltd. and Top Shop/Top Man Ltd by Topshop’s former head of design. – Read More on Bloomberg
2. Retailers Cancel Orders From Asian Factories, Threatening Millions of Jobs: Primark’s parent company has suspended or canceled orders, while U.K. retailer Marks & Spencer Group PLC sent a note to suppliers this week suspending purchase orders that are due to be handed over. – Read More on WSJ
3. RELATED READ: The Global Garment Supply Chain Faces Significant Job Uncertainty Due to Coronavirus. With so many jobs on the line, working conditions risk quickly deteriorating at the hands of unscrupulous employers, particularly as worker desperation rises. “This can result in modern slavery, including situations of forced labor.” – Read More on TFL
4. How Will China’s Luxury Fashion Market Bounce Back? As more people in China begin to go back to work after a required quarantine period, many are looking at reduced salaries, which has led to more conservative spending. This will require brands to quickly develop a better understanding of consumer expectations on pricing and products during this time (and over the coming months), so they can reform their marketing strategies and approaches accordingly. – Read More on Jing
5. Everlane Reassures Workers, Then Lays Off and Furloughs Hundreds: The clothing retailer Everlane, the branding of which has long been insistently focused on “radical transparency” and ethical behavior in all parts of its business, has made sweeping layoffs, after sending an email to staffers assuring them the company was “stronger than ever” during the coronavirus pandemic. – Read More on Vice
6. RETRO READ: Radical Transparency? H&M and Zara Might Actually More Transparent Than Everlane. A closer look at Everlane’s website and marketing materials – which appears to be rife with vague language in place of definitive facts to support its claims of transparency and ethical production – reveals that there is almost certainly more at play in the Everlane model than meets the eye. – Read More on TFL
7. The apparel industry had an inventory problem before coronavirus. Now what? Since many apparel companies experienced shipment delays when Chinese factories did not recover for weeks due to COVID-19 concerns, spring was somewhat delayed already. “Effectively spring-summer is pushed to fall.” Anything in stock now that can be sold in fall, will be. – Read More on Retail Dive
