Articles by AFP
Two very partial takeover bids for footwear brand André
Two very partial takeover bids for the footwear brand André, which has been in administration since the end of April, were published on Thursday by the Paris Commercial Court. The first of these bids comes from the Brittany-based group Beaumanoir, owner of Sarenza, which has previously acquired Naf Naf, Jennyfer and La Halle. Beaumanoir,...
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EU backs small parcel duties to tackle China import flood
EU states on Thursday agreed to scrap a bloc-wide duty exemption on low-value orders from the likes of retail giants Temu and Shein to help tackle a flood of cheap Chinese imports. Currently there is no levy on packages worth less than 150 euros ($174) imported directly to consumers in the 27-nation bloc, in many cases via Chinese-founded...
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Mellon Blue diamond sells for 25.6 million dollars
The Mellon Blue, a 9.51-carat fancy vivid blue diamond formerly owned by the US art collector Bunny Mellon, sold for 25.6 million dollars at auction on Tuesday. The diamond was sold by auctioneers Christie's in Geneva as part of its Magnificent Jewels sale in the Swiss city. The gem sold for 20,525,000 Swiss francs at the Hotel des Bergues,...
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Rare Patek Philippe watch sells for 17.6 million dollars
A Patek Philippe timepiece that in 2016 became the most expensive wristwatch ever sold at auction fetched an even higher price this weekend, auctioneers Phillips said Sunday. The watch sold for 14,190,000 Swiss francs (17.6 million dollars), surpassing the 11 million francs it fetched nine years ago, or 11 million dollars at the time. The Patek...
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Italy gears up to fight fast fashion
Milan, Italy - The Italian fashion industry is looking to defend itself against Shein. The platform recently challenged the industry on its home turf in Milan with a chic collection and an army of influencers. "Hundreds of thousands of parcels arrive at our homes every day. We must react," Luca Sburlati, president of the fashion employers'...
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Paris urges Brussels to take action against Asian platform Shein
Paris, November 6, 2025 (AFP) - The European Commission “must take action” and sanction the online platform Shein, which is “clearly in breach of European regulations,” urged the French minister of foreign affairs on Thursday. “It has been three years since the regulations were adopted; the European Commission must take action,” stated Jean-Noël...
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Shein opens first physical store in Paris, drawing bargain hunters to BHV
Paris - Out of “curiosity” or because “it’s cheaper”, customers began to gather outside the department store on Wednesday. They were waiting for the opening of the Shein store at BHV in Paris at 1pm, despite the controversies surrounding the Asian giant's practices. UPDATE France suspends operations of online platform Shein “My husband doesn’t...
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What 'thinking sustainably' means at Lagos Fashion Week
Lagos - Four days before the Éki kéré show at Lagos Fashion Week, sewing machines were still whirring in the workshop of this popular Nigerian brand. The studio is located in the heart of the cultural and economic capital of Africa's most populous country. On that day, brand founder Abasiekeme Ukanireh gathered models and seamstresses for the...
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Antwerp Six member Marina Yee has passed away
Belgian designer Marina Yee, a member of the Antwerp Six collective which revolutionised fashion in the 1980s, passed away on Sunday at the age of 67, the ModeMuseum Antwerpen has announced. “Her name is inextricably linked to the legendary Antwerp Six collective, which put Belgian fashion on the global map,” the museum emphasised. In 1986, six...
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Shein prepares to open a store in Paris' BHV Marais
The Asian ultra-fast fashion giant Shein, criticised for its practices, will open its first-ever permanent physical store in the world at BHV in Paris on Wednesday. The announcement was made on Friday on Instagram by Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), the owner of BHV. The brand, whose factories are mostly in China, will offer its thousands of...
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