Corporate and M&A
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ArticlePortwest takes over Grupo Kondor Colombia
Portwest, an Irish provider of workwear, safety footwear and personal protective equipment, has acquired a majority shareholding in Grupo Kondor Colombia, the market leader in safety footwear in Colombia. No financial details were available. The acquisition supports Portwest’s strategy of expanding its global manufacturing and distribution footprint and strengthening its ...
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ArticleWormland files for insolvency again
Just over a year after emerging from bankruptcy, the German men’s fashion retailer Wormland has once again filed for insolvency with the Osnabrück District Court. Despite the filing, business operations will continue while the company seeks new investors, said the provisional insolvency administrator, Stephan Michels. All nine stores – ...
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ArticleASF 4.0 launches its Portuguese 'megafactory' after raising fresh cash
Advanced Shoe Factory 4.0 (ASF 4.0), a unit of the French textile producer Chamatex Group, said that it is proceeding with the launch of a “megafactory” in Portugal with the goal of producing 1.5 million pairs of sports shoes annually from 2030. The project is part of ASF 4.0’s ambition ...
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ArticleShoe Carnival to change name to Shoe Station
Shoe Carnival’s board unanimously voted to change the corporate name of the US footwear retailer to Shoe Station Group. The decision still has to be approved by shareholders at the annual general meeting scheduled in June 2026. ”We are building a simpler, more efficient company with one team, one infrastructure, ...
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ArticleBirkenstock to open a new production facility in Germany
Birkenstock is set to open a new manufacturing plant in Wittichenau, in the Saxony region, dedicated to the production of its signature cork-latex footbeds. The company has acquired the former Maja furniture factory in the Brischko district for around €18 million. The 78,000-square-meter production and logistics complex has been ...
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ArticlePrimark could be spun off by its parent company
Associated British Foods (ABF) is mulling a split of its Primark and global food businesses under a review of its group structure, as it looks to unlock value in a tough consumer environment. ABF’s Chief Executive, George Weston, said the group’s “unique and exceptional food business” had been “less well ...
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ArticleClosed’s future is secured
After approximately two months of intensive investor negotiations, the German fashion label Closed has found a new owner. The German Federal Cartel Office has approved the sale of the insolvent brand to Capital-Home, the investment company of the entrepreneurial Böck family, majority owners of the Marc O’Polo Group. Under the ...
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ArticleRoyer goes into receivership
Groupe Royer, which is struggling with its debt burden, was placed into receivership by a commercial tribunal based in Rennes, Brittany, the region where the French footwear company is based. “To cope with the successive crises since 2022, the group has implemented various plans to revitalize its business and improve ...
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ArticleAdvance Capital Partners and Mass to acquire Leder & Schuh
Advance Capital Partners, a Slovenian private equity firm, and Mass, a Slovenian retailer, have reached an agreement with owners of Leder & Schuh to acquire the Austrian company. With roots dating back to 1872, Leder & Schuh is one of Europe’s oldest footwear retailers. It operates 210 Humanic and Shoe4You ...
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ArticleBirkenstock buys its Australian distributor
Birkenstock Holding, the UK-based parent company of the German sandal maker, signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of its long-standing distributor Birkenstock Australia Pty. Ltd. “This acquisition seeks to ensure a seamless succession for the two founders of Birkenstock Australia – Marcel and Manuela Goerke. Birkenstock’s commitment to invest ...
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ArticleArklyz continues to expand in footwear with the acquisition of Gabor
Arklyz, a Swiss sports and lifestyle firm, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Gabor Shoes together with all its operating subsidiaries. No financial details were released. “Gabor is a highly respected brand with deep roots in quality and comfort excellence,” said Param Singh, the owner and CEO of Arklyz. ...
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ArticleGörtz is also insolvent in Austria, investor plans comeback in Hamburg
Following its second collapse in Germany since 2023, the troubled Hamburg-based shoe retailer Görtz has now filed for insolvency in Austria as well. The company, now operating under the name GAT Retail GmbH, said it intends to restructure and continue operations. The Austrian filing affects 108 creditors, with claims totaling ...
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ArticleDäumling stops shoe production in Germany
After more than seven decades of domestic manufacturing, the children’s shoe brand Däumling is shutting down its production facility in Bruchweiler-Bärenbach, in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. The move comes amid declining sales and mounting cost pressures, marking another blow to the country’s struggling footwear industry, which has seen ...
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ArticleOnygo closes all stores after failed rescue attempt
The insolvent German shoe and fashion retailer Onygo is permanently closing all its remaining stores across the country and laying off 150 employees, following a failed rescue attempt. The move marks another casualty in Germany’s struggling retail sector. In an interview with trade magazine TextilWirtschaft, Onygo’s Managing Director, Frank ...
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ArticleVida Shoes buys Munro
New York-based Vida Shoes International has acquired Munro, an Arkansas-based footwear brand specializing in comfort and fit-driven styles for women. The purchase aims to strengthenVida’s position in the comfort category. “Munro is a brand rooted in quality, integrity and a loyal customer base that spans generations. We’re honored to welcome ...
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ArticleBirkenstock hikes its full-year sales guidance
Birkenstock Holding, the UK-based parent company of the German sandal maker, has increased its full-year sales guidance and is acquiring a manufacturing site in Germany. The company expects fourth-quarter revenues to total at least €520 million, representing year-over-year growth of at least 14 percent on a reported basis and 18 ...
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ArticleMysize buys ShoeSize.Me to offer footwear sizing recommendations
MySize, an Israeli AI-driven measurement and fashion technology solutions provider, has bought ShoeSize.Me, a European SaaS company specializing in AI-powered footwear sizing and fit solutions, in a transaction structured primarily as a share deal. MySize issued 241,093 shares of common stock to the sellers of ShoeSize.Me plus a cash payment ...
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ArticleGiorgio Armani leaves instructions for the sale of his group
The Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani SpA should sell a 15 percent stake to the French luxury goods group LVMH, the Franco-Italian eyewear group EssilorLuxottica, the French beauty and cosmetics group L’Oréal or another luxury group in the next 12 to 18 months, the designer Giorgio Armani has stipulated in ...
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ArticleAuthentic Brands Group takes over Guess
Guess has agreed to be taken private by a group of investors including Authentic Brands Group (ABG) in a deal valuing the American apparel company $1.4 billion, including debt. Under the terms of the deal, some of Guess’ existing shareholders, including Paul Marciano, Maurice Marciano, Nicolai Marciano and the company’s ...
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ArticleGabor launches a new brand strategy, cuts jobs at its Portuguese plant
The German footwear manufacturer Gabor Shoes is revamping its brand identity for the spring/summer 2026 season in a bid to expand its international footprint and customer base. The new brand strategy, “Gabor One,” aims to unify its digital and physical presence across products, packaging and marketing materials, with a focus ...
