Slow start to 2014.

Although the UK has started to show growth, all be it not across all sectors, the rest of Europe is lagging behind.

Caution is still the watchword.

At RFT Express we have one company where we would expect to see 150,000 garments in the warehouse, they are just dipping their toe in the market with a mere 300 men’s suits in the 2014 range coming in.

RFT are just receiving bookings for the N.E.C. Moda and Beta exhibitions in mid February. These are from companies who have missed the last couple of years from showing at this venue. Normally these exhibitions are filled months before, which just prove how bad take-up of units in these exhibitions has been, and still is.

High end Fashion News

The top end high fashion has done very well during the last 5 years, and yet according to Pambianco, Prada shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange have fallen 30% to 22 Hong Kong dollars.

They also report that according to an unnamed source Avon France is to enter receivership.

Meanwhile Argentina is to bring in new taxation to curb online sales from outside of Argentina.

Light at end of tunnel

Back in the UK and we could be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, but I still think caution is the word for 2014. For those companies who have struggled on through the recessions, 2013 was probably the hardest for most companies.

A lot of companies could tell we were coming out of the downturn created by the austerity plan, but with austerity expected to go on for another generation, it seemed to be that companies decided not to follow the coalition lead of cuts, but rather to create prosperity and growth instead.

We are still struggling with red tape in the UK, take a quick look at the amount of red tape involved in applying for an operator’s license to put a trailer on a transit van, in order to reduce delivery costs.

The UK is going through a dificult time, with David Camaron's proposed 'in-out referendum' on the EU, and the possibility of Scotland leaving Great Britain, both creating instabiity in cvompany planning.

If you like this article, hit the “Like” button.

p.s.
If you are stuck for something to buy your loved one this spring, Louis Vuitton is launching a new range of handbags, starting at 40,000 dollars. The dearest being a black crocodile leather handbag with a goatskin lining for a mere 48,000 dollars.

Wednesday 5 February 2014