Press
Korea Textile News reports on IADS data on stalling sales and women's fashion's shift
Korea Textile News reports on IADS data on stalling sales and women's fashion's shift
Korea Textile News cited IADS's Global Department Store Monitor 2024-2025, which found average sales growth of just 0.63% across 58 member department stores, a modest rebound from the prior year's 1.6% decline. It also cited an IADS press release on women's fashion, where contemporary and premium brands now account for 31% of sales among members, ahead of high-street and mid-price brands at 22% and advanced contemporary at 21%, alongside a rise in online women's fashion sales to 22% in 2025 from 20% in 2024.
Read the full Korea Textile News article below:
Fashion Network covers how IADS members are overhauling womenswear for 2025-26
Fashion Network covers how IADS members are overhauling womenswear for 2025-26
An IADS press release covered by Fashion Network found that the contemporary and premium segment now accounts for 31% of women's ready-to-wear sales among IADS members, ahead of high-street brands at 22% and advanced contemporary at 21%. Online sales are also climbing, now nearly 22% of the network's women's business, up from 20% in 2024. The release pointed to Dubai's Tryano as seeing its strongest sell-through in the EUR 400-800 range, driving labels such as Sandro, Maje, Max Mara, Self-Portrait, Jacquemus and Ami Paris.
Read the Fashion Network articles:
UK edition
Modaes details IADS findings on affordable luxury's dominance in department stores
Modaes details IADS findings on affordable luxury's dominance in department stores
Modaes reported on an IADS press release finding that affordable luxury now leads women's fashion floors at major department stores, accounting for 31% of the category versus 22% for mid-to-high-end brands and 21% for advanced contemporary fashion. IADS members' bestsellers recur across markets, from Sandro, Maje, Max Mara and Self-Portrait in contemporary to Victoria Beckham, Ami Paris and Jacquemus higher up, while online's share of women's fashion sales rose to 22% in 2025 from 20% the year before. The release described purchasing trends as increasingly split between digital and physical channels.
Read the full Modaes article below:
Department stores embrace accessible luxury as it captures nearly a third of women’s fashion
Pambianco News examines IADS report on accessible luxury reshaping department store floors
Pambianco News examines IADS report on accessible luxury reshaping department store floors
An IADS press release covered by Pambianco News found that contemporary and premium tiers now dominate the women's fashion segment map, holding 31% of the category in department stores, ahead of high-street and mid-range brands at 22% and advanced contemporary at 21%. Bloomingdale's, Breuninger and Ukraine's Tsum Kyiv all expect affordable luxury and premium-contemporary to be their largest segments within two years, while Abu Dhabi's Tryano pointed to the EUR 400-800 price bracket as its strongest sell-through range. The release also found department stores' online share of women's fashion sales climbing to nearly 22% in 2025 from about 20% in 2024.
Read the full Pambianco News article below:
The rise of accessible luxury: in department stores, premium-contemporary women's wear dominates
IADS Press Release - Women’s Fashion changes shape
IADS Press Release - Women’s Fashion changes shape
Women’s Fashion remains one of the largest categories in the department store mix, and its overall weight barely moved in 2025-26. Everything inside it did. The contemporary and premium tiers now dominate the segment map; buying strategies are being divided between digital and physical; denim is pulling department stores in opposite directions; and the presentation standards once reserved for luxury are increasingly being set by mid-market chains.
Luxury under pressure, contemporary in command
The defining structural feature of Women’s Fashion in 2025-26 is the dominance of the middle market. Across IADS members, the contemporary and premium segment accounts for 31% of the Women’s Fashion business on average, followed by high-street and mid-range at 22% and advanced contemporary at 21%.
The direction of travel is broadly shared. Bloomingdale’s anticipates that affordable luxury and designer, together with contemporary and premium, will be the largest segments within two years. Breuninger is moving toward affordable luxury and advanced contemporary, and TSUM Kyiv already identifies affordable luxury as its strongest segment, with contemporary gaining ground. Tryano (Chalhoub Group) is more precise still, pointing to the €400-€800 bracket as the corridor where sell-through is strongest. Across markets as different as these, the same names recur among members’ best sellers: Sandro, Maje, Max Mara and Self-Portrait in contemporary, Victoria Beckham, Ami Paris and Jacquemus higher up the ladder.
At the top end, the situation is different. El Palacio de Hierro has redirected part of its buying budget toward affordable luxury entry price points to offset the decline at the higher end, while its contemporary and premium business continues to grow. At Galeries Lafayette, luxury remains central to the flagship’s business despite the current challenges, and the response has been to elevate the environment rather than retreat from the segment: the premiumisation of the Haussmann flagship is complete and is being rolled out across other French stores.
Depth or newness: the answer depends on the channel
One of the most debated questions in Women’s Fashion buying is whether to concentrate purchasing power on proven brands or to diversify into newness. IADS members have reached different answers and, more importantly, different answers for different channels. Breuninger, whose Women’s Fashion business is predominantly online, offers the clearest articulation: depth belongs to digital, where customers search for familiar brands and expect a well-stocked assortment, while newness belongs to physical stores, which must generate excitement and give customers a reason to come. The two are not competing priorities but separate domains.
Others are adapting. After a year of concentrating its buying on proven brands, El Palacio de Hierro is rebalancing its assortment to preserve its role in surprising and inspiring customers. TSUM Kyiv arrived from the opposite direction: carryover products stopped selling from 2024, prompting the department store to inject newness into long-established brands with the selectivity that operating under wartime conditions demands.
Patience is what makes newness work. A consensus emerged that three seasons is the realistic minimum before a new brand delivers significant results, with Boyner putting the horizon at two to three seasons, and El Palacio de Hierro committing to at least three buying cycles while investing in visibility through marketing and e-commerce support. Bloomingdale’s adds an operational dimension that buying decisions alone cannot solve: new brands are routinely placed in less prominent areas of the floor, where even a well-chosen brand struggles to build awareness. Its response has been to create dedicated “launch pads”, permanent spaces giving emerging brands the exposure their sales potential requires.
Denim: one category, two opposite realities
The denim picture is divided. El Palacio de Hierro and TSUM Kyiv see denim decline, with premium brands losing traction. In response, the latter has refocused on fewer premium brands, stopped carryovers, and shifted to new looks at clearly premium price points, making the investment in quality visible and deliberate.
Bloomingdale’s experiences the opposite. Denim demand is growing both in-store and online, and premium denim labels such as Rag & Bone, Frame, Mother and Agolde have delivered explosive growth in the US market, with price increases absorbed without customer resistance. This is attributed to four factors: achieving critical mass in the assortment; making every store a genuine denim destination; embracing fit diversity beyond the skinny silhouette, so that customers feel they need one of each style rather than a replacement for the last; and deploying trained denim specialists on the floor, since denim is an intimidating category to shop and guidance through fits, rises and washes converts. As IADS partner and retail analyst Newstores observes, the terrain is structurally difficult, with Zara developing credible options at low price points and heritage brands such as Levi’s multiplying city-centre flagships.
Online growth turns returns into a structural cost
The members’ average online share of Women’s Fashion rose from approximately 20% in 2024 to nearly 22% in 2025, making returns a structural cost rather than an operational nuisance. El Palacio de Hierro has harmonised all size guides to eliminate returns caused by inconsistent sizing, resulting in a clear decrease in return rates since then, and has replaced its single return rule with category-specific policies, though size exchanges remain. The decisive factor was communication: the policy was presented as information rather than restriction, with clear signage at every cashier point and online before purchase, and customer reaction has been positive.
Owning the floor, when everyone else raises their game
Mid-market and high-street retailers now apply luxury presentation techniques directly, on a simple principle: the more that is taken out, the more value accrues to what remains. The fourth floor of Zara’s Calle Serrano flagship in Madrid, named El Apartamento, reads as a contemporary art gallery that happens to sell clothes; Bershka in Ibiza brings holographic screens and lifestyle merchandising to the mass market. This democratisation of the premium store experience is a challenge for department stores: differentiation is harder when every competitor raises its presentation game.
Newstores’ prescription is direct: department stores must own their environment and own the brands they stock rather than allowing brands to dictate their point of sale. John Lewis has brought Topshop back as a shop-in-shop strictly on John Lewis’s terms, controlling what goes where, how it is lit, and how the space connects with its surroundings. Selfridges applies the same logic in its rotating Corner Shop, where brand-name visibility is deliberately reduced so that customers notice Selfridges first.
The pressures in Women’s Fashion are real, and the responses are equally concrete: segment repositioning, channel-specific buying, patient brand building measured in seasons rather than weeks, and floor ownership wrested back from brands. The department store’s enduring advantage in the category lies in its capacity to hold complexity together, depth and newness, digital and physical, the established and the emerging, within a single curated environment that no algorithm, marketplace or mono-brand boutique can replicate.
About Newstores
Newstores is a service that delivers daily information about stores that have just opened, been refurbished or remodelled. It analyses what this means for the market and where it points in terms of trends and the direction that retail is taking. Newstores provides a global view of what’s happening from Seoul to London, and from Mexico to Dubai. Issuing four annual trend reports detailing the major moves, Newstores helps retailers make informed decisions. Newstores is compiled, edited and written by John Ryan, a retailer and journalist with more than 30 years of experience, covering all categories, from food to fashion.
Contact: johnhilldown@aol.com
About IADS
The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network that facilitates exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.
Today, IADS permanent members include Almacenes Siman (El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica), Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.
Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €41 billion in combined annual turnover, achieved through over 563 stores with 257,000 associates in 32 countries.
Through its activities and partnerships with Retail Hub, RH-ISAC, and Newstores, the Association remains constantly up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.
Press Contact: IADS, press@iads.org
Read the full press release below:
Download the full press release, in English, here.
Read the full press release, in French, below:
Download the full press release, in French, here.
WWD reports on affordable luxury's rise in department stores
WWD reports on affordable luxury's rise in department stores
Contemporary and premium brands now dominate department stores' women's fashion floors, according to a new IADS study covered by WWD, with the segment capturing 31% of the category versus 22% for high-street and mid-range and 21% for advanced contemporary. The report identified recurring bestsellers across IADS members, including Sandro, Maje, Max Mara and Self-Portrait in contemporary, and Victoria Beckham, Ami Paris and Jacquemus higher up, alongside a widening online share, up to 22% of department store sales in 2025 from 20% the year before. IADS recommended stores "embrace fit diversity" to sustain denim sell-through amid a mixed picture across markets.
Read the full WWD article below:
Affordable Luxury Is Gaining Ground in Department Stores
WWD highlights IADS's take on Celine Dion's residency as a retail tailwind
WWD highlights IADS's take on Celine Dion's residency as a retail tailwind
IADS forecasts a lasting retail boost from Celine Dion's five-week Paris residency, according to WWD, drawing on the association's earlier review of the Taylor Swift, Blackpink and BTS engagements. IADS found that landmark cultural events act as demand shocks for premium retail, particularly department stores positioned as destinations in their own right, and noted that Dion's core following, aged 35 to 60, closely matches flagship stores' typical customer profile. The association expects the strongest retail benefit to land in the weeks after the concerts, timed to feed into the critical Q4 trading period.
Read the full WWD article below:
What to Watch: The Celine Dion Effect on Paris Retail Will Go On and On
WWD features IADS insight on floor space shifting away from luxury handbags
WWD features IADS insight on floor space shifting away from luxury handbags
Luxury handbag demand is cooling as shoppers shift toward jewellery, accessible leather brands and secondhand pieces, WWD reported. IADS director of markets and events Christine Montard told the outlet that department stores are reallocating floor space to more affordable brands such as Polène, DeMellier, Dragon Diffusion and Songmont to offset softness at labels like Gucci and Balenciaga, while beauty, particularly lipsticks and niche fragrances, is flourishing. She noted customers are trading down to cheaper leather goods like belts and diverting some spend toward in-store hospitality experiences.
Read the full WWD article below:
What to Watch: Brands, Retailers Are Battling Luxury Handbag Fatigue
Fashion Network covers IADS beauty findings across eight global editions
Fashion Network covers IADS beauty findings across eight global editions
Fashion Network reported on IADS research into the evolution of the beauty category in department stores across eight regional editions. According to IADS data, beauty holds a stable 16% of member turnover in 2024-2025, while the luxury segment has surged to 52% of beauty sales — up from 39% the prior year — at the expense of prestige and premium. Fragrance now accounts for 56% of beauty sales, driven by niche perfumery, with Tryano, El Palacio de Hierro, Galeries Lafayette and Manor expanding their portfolios. The article also highlights the rise of longevity-led skincare, Asian beauty formats, and the growing role of in-store services such as barbershops.
Read the Fashion Network articles:
IADS Press release: Beauty, rewritten - category convergence and the longevity revolution
IADS Press release: Beauty, rewritten - category convergence and the longevity revolution
The beauty category is transforming. Luxury is growing, fragrance is consolidating its dominance, longevity is rewriting skincare, and the contest is increasingly being fought on the physical floor.
Across IADS members, beauty maintained its share of total turnover at an average of 16% in 2024 and 2025. Yet beyond the headline stability, the forces reshaping the category are anything but quiet: luxury and fragrance are surging, new skincare paradigms are emerging, and the physical store is being rethought.
Luxury and fragrances take the lead
The most decisive shift recorded across IADS members is the accelerating migration toward luxury. The luxury segment now accounts for 52% of beauty sales on average, up sharply from 39% the prior year on a like-for-like basis, a gain that has come predominantly at the expense of the prestige and premium segments.
Within product categories, fragrance has emerged as the undisputed engine of growth, rising to 56% of beauty sales, and taking share from both skincare and makeup. This trend is particularly pronounced at Tryano (Chalhoub Group), where niche fragrances are performing exceptionally well. El Palacio de Hierro has responded to this dynamic by opening La Galería Olfativa, a dedicated niche fragrance destination in its flagship store, and describes its younger consumers as highly educated about ingredients and deeply committed to their personal olfactive identity. Galeries Lafayette and Manor continue to expand their niche fragrance portfolios, anticipating further growth. Niche fragrance brands have also proved resilient to promotional pressure across markets and demographics.
Beyond the wrinkle cream: longevity, dermo-cosmetics and Asian beauty
The language of anti-ageing is being replaced by the vocabulary of longevity, a shift El Palacio de Hierro reads as a cultural inflexion point with real commercial consequences. Brands now frame their offer around cellular health, energy and lifespan, incorporating vitamins, sleep optimisation and nutrition into their propositions, placing the department store at the intersection of beauty and preventive health. Biohacking is part of the same movement: Manor points to NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) and NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide), compounds associated with cellular energy and longevity, as among the most closely watched developments in the supplement space. Meanwhile, beauty tech is earning permanent space on the floor rather than sitting in seasonal corners: device brands such as Foreo and Medicube are moving from novelty to assortment staples.
The rise of dermo-cosmetics is accelerating the longevity shift. Younger consumers visit dermatologists more frequently than any previous generation and arrive in-store better educated and hungry for clinical skincare, as El Palacio de Hierro noted in Mexico. In France, Galeries Lafayette has acted on this by opening a large French pharmacy space within its Wellness Galerie in Haussmann, which drew traffic from its first day.
As Boyner mentioned, the appeal of Asian beauty in Turkey rests on a combination of high-performance formulations, accessible price points and a strong affinity with younger, digitally engaged consumers. K-Beauty is established across most markets, with Manor already beyond its introduction phase. C-Beauty (Chinese beauty) and J-Beauty (Japanese beauty) are the next wave, with J-Beauty proving particularly compelling in haircare and makeup. Brands such as Oshima Tsubaki and Fino illustrate the category's momentum. This intersects with a broader move into scalp care, which members are beginning to build out as the skincare mindset extends to the scalp.
Men's beauty: fragrance leads, grooming consolidates
Men's beauty is maturing unevenly. Fragrance is the clear engine, with men increasingly buying for themselves rather than receiving beauty as a gift, and established skincare and grooming names such as Clinique and Clarins outperforming newer entrants. Men's makeup, by contrast, remains a slow build across most markets.
Online keeps taking share
Online continued to gain ground, rising to an average of 16% of members' beauty turnover in 2025, up from 14% a year earlier, with a wide spread among members. Growth is now less about presence than about matching category to channel, since not every beauty segment converts the same way online.
Reimagining the shop floor: services, space and identity
Services, too, are being reassessed. Barbershops are consistently top performers wherever they open, as at Magasin du Nord and El Palacio de Hierro, whose paid-service ecosystem enjoys strong client acceptance because services are embedded in the store's self-definition as a destination rather than a shop. Its operators are local and vary by city and store, reflecting a community-based clientele.
Beyond commercial strategy, IADS partner and retail analyst Newstores urged multi-brand retailers to own their environment, warning against the visual cacophony in which retailers' own voices disappear. The clearest example of getting this right, according to Newstores, is Douglas's Cologne flagship, where even Charlotte Tilbury's maximalist aesthetic has been toned down to sit coherently within Douglas's identity, and where AI-powered smart mirrors add to the experience without overwhelming it. Boots' new fragrance-only store in London applies the same discipline: the brands are present, but the environment is unmistakably Boots.
Global beauty retail points to an era of creative ambition and format experimentation. Harmay's Beijing flagship deploys industrial minimalism to radical effect, stripping away all distraction. Tamburins in Tokyo places a giant dachshund sculpture where product display would normally sit, because stopping traffic is itself a commercial act. Holland & Barrett's Cardiff store opens with no product at all — just cushions, seating and a single question: "How are you feeling?" Rituals on Oxford Street runs a wellness clinic on its first floor whose treatment cabins stay consistently occupied, justifying the investment on one of the world's most expensive retail streets. The lesson is common to all: beauty retail that is merely a place to buy products is no longer enough.
The forces shaping beauty in department stores today are complex. Consumers are better informed, more demanding and more selective than before. Categories once kept separate — beauty and wellness, product and service, skincare and nutrition — are converging into hybrid formats that test the limits of traditional retail organisation. Against this backdrop, the department store's most valuable asset is its capacity to offer what no algorithm, marketplace or mono-brand environment can replicate: the depth of a curated multi-brand universe and a genuine sense of discovery.
About Newstores
Newstores is a service that delivers daily information about stores that have just opened, been refurbished or remodelled. It analyses what this means for the market and where it points in terms of trends and the direction that retail is taking. Newstores provides a global view of what’s happening from Seoul to London, and from Mexico to Dubai. Issuing four annual trend reports detailing the major moves, Newstores helps retailers make informed decisions. Newstores is compiled, edited and written by John Ryan, a retailer and journalist with more than 30 years of experience, covering all categories, from food to fashion.
Contact: johnhilldown@aol.com
About IADS
The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network that facilitates exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.
Today, IADS permanent members include Almacenes Siman (El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica), Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.
Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than € 41 billion in combined annual turnover, achieved through over 563 stores and 257,000 associates in 32 countries.
Through its activities and partnerships with Retail Hub, RH-ISAC, and Newstores, the Association remains constantly up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.
Press Contact: IADS, press@iads.org
Read the full press release below:
Download the full press release, in English, here.
Read the full press release, in French, below:
Logos Press picks up IADS footwear data via Fashion Network on department store strategies
Logos Press picks up IADS footwear data via Fashion Network on department store strategies
Moldovan publication Logos Press covered IADS footwear data — citing Fashion Network's reporting — on how global department stores are navigating a shift away from the sneaker market. IADS figures show footwear accounts for 5% of women's and 3% of men's revenue across members in 2024-2025, with Breuninger, John Lewis, Manor, and El Palacio de Hierro pivoting towards versatile styles, private-label development, and in-store experience.
Read the full Logos Press article below:
Department stores are looking for new growth opportunities in the footwear market
Fashion Network draws on IADS data on department stores adapting to the post-sneaker
Fashion Network draws on IADS data on department stores adapting to the post-sneaker
Fashion Network covered how global department stores are responding to a maturing sneaker market, using IADS data and member insights across its UK, French, and German editions. According to IADS, footwear accounts for 5% of revenue for women and 3% for men across its members in 2024-2025, with digital channels now driving 43% of women's and 36% of men's footwear sales. The article details how members including Breuninger, El Palacio de Hierro, John Lewis, Galeries Lafayette, Bloomingdale's, and Tryano are recalibrating their footwear offer — shifting towards versatile styles, own-brand development, AI-assisted operations, and exclusive in-store experiences.
Read the Fashion Network articles:
IADS Press release: The great footwear reset - how department stores are navigating the post-sneaker era
IADS Press release: The great footwear reset - how department stores are navigating the post-sneaker era
The global footwear category is undergoing a fundamental recalibration. While sneakers remain a commercial anchor, department stores worldwide are seeing consumer demand shift toward more polished, versatile styles, alongside rising expectations for precision service and immersive experiences that digital channels cannot replicate.
The footwear business across IADS members demonstrates stability in turnover share. Women's shoes maintain a consistent 5% of total business across 2024-2025, while men's shoes hold steady at an average share of 3%. Yet beneath this stability lies significant strategic transformation as department stores rewire their operations, assortments and customer engagement models.
Sneaker recalibration: from explosive growth to strategic rightsizing
Comfort remains the foundation of footwear purchasing across all markets. Brands such as On, Adidas, New Balance, Ugg, Birkenstock and Golden Goose continue to anchor performance. However, the sneaker supercycle that defined the past decade is showing clear signs of maturation.
Breuninger exemplifies this shift. Despite delivering its strongest sneaker performance in 2025, with luxury customers purchasing three pairs of Adidas at once, whereas they previously bought one pair of luxury sneakers, the German department store anticipates reducing the total sneaker share of sales. The company has reviewed its women's sneaker brand assortment, with a focus on Veja, Autry, Axel Arigato, Asics, Adidas and On, which continue growing. The collaboration with Adidas delivered a steady increase in customers under 24, demonstrating that strategic brand partnerships can drive recruitment even as the category matures.
The "return to office" dynamic is also reshaping demand patterns. At El Palacio de Hierro, male customers increasingly seek formal yet comfortable options. Brands like Santoni, equipped with rubber soles, perform well in this emerging segment. John Lewis reports women's trainer sales stabilising after years of explosive growth, with Adidas and New Balance still excelling but ballerinas, Mary Janes and loafers gaining ground. Manor witnesses a similar slowdown in sneakers alongside rising demand for versatile, well-priced styles, reflecting heightened price sensitivity.
Yet sneakers retain strategic importance. Galeries Lafayette is leveraging sneaker momentum to build a lifestyle offering, and is considering creating a space that combines sneakers and ready-to-wear: a "brand destination." The ready-to-wear offering focuses on sport-adjacent pieces such as leggings, athleisure, and everyday wear, designed to increase cross-selling.
Strategic priorities: the missing middle and private-label differentiation
Department stores face a recurring challenge: identifying contemporary brands that bridge luxury and sport at accessible price points with genuine scale potential. Galeries Lafayette has identified several French brands showing promise in this segment: Bobbies, Odaje, Repetto, and Jonak. Sam Edelman serves this role for Tryano in the Middle East.
Premium brand scaling represents another strategic lever. Breuninger focuses on scaling Pomme d'Api, Alohas, Aeyde and Santoni to secure high-value customer segments. Breuninger also aims to increase its private-label share, focusing on high-quality European production.
At Galeries Lafayette, the private label serves as the entry-level brand. The assortment includes carryover styles providing continuity and margins, plus trend-responsive styles. Tryano is exploring private label in footwear following initial success in eveningwear.
Operational excellence: service precision and experiential differentiation
Service innovation is becoming a competitive differentiator. Breuninger's Stuttgart flagship has deployed dedicated “runners” on Fridays and Saturdays in the women's shoe section. Sales associates scan shoe barcodes and select the required sizes; shoes are delivered to the shop floor within 1 to 3 minutes, depending on traffic. During weekdays, associates can both sell and act as runners. The efficiency of this system in both service quality and sales uplift demonstrates that operational precision directly impacts commercial performance.
Store reinvestment demonstrates commitment to physical retail. John Lewis is updating flagship locations, including Oxford Street and Bluewater, to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Boyner's store layout emphasises newness by shifting the brand mix toward more affordable luxury brands. El Palacio de Hierro plans to double its exposure of contemporary and luxury shoes, with a presence both on the shoe floor and in ready-to-wear shop-in-shops, to drive traffic and cross-selling.
VIC (Very Important Customer) programming has become a strategic priority. Level Shoes drives loyalty through curated brand events; El Palacio de Hierro hosts VIC dinner experiences in partnership with top luxury brands; Sogo in Hong Kong offers brand workshops centred on craftsmanship storytelling. Going further, Breuninger organised an exclusive behind-the-scenes visit to a luxury Italian production facility for top clients , turning provenance and craftsmanship into a memorable loyalty tool.
Pop-up activations have become universal tactical tools. Tryano deploys in-store activations and pop-ups featuring Aquazzura, Ugg and Axel Arigato alongside On. Bloomingdale's organised an On pop-up in its NYC 59th Street dedicated space, and events with Veja and Ugg. Galeries Lafayette's pop-up strategy featured an Ugg takeover in the Champs-Élysées store during Paris Fashion Week. El Palacio de Hierro's portfolio spans Moon Boot, Zegna, Santoni and more. Boyner collaborates with Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Guess. Breuninger's interactive Copenhagen Studios pop-up in Munich featured influencer activations that leveraged digital creators' audiences to drive foot traffic.
Digital penetration and AI adoption
Online penetration for women's shoes has climbed to an average of 43% of category sales. Men's shoes show lower digital adoption, with an average share of 36%.
Breuninger has scaled online inventory for top-selling styles, ensuring availability and conversion. Boyner develops its marketplace by onboarding new brands to expand digital assortment. Galeries Lafayette reviews assortment, architecture, and open-to-buy allocation for leading brands.
AI is transitioning from experimentation to practical application. Tryano will relaunch e-commerce in 2026 using AI in photo shoots to improve efficiency. The Chalhoub Group has developed an AI assistant for its beauty app, FACES, which has led to longer time spent and higher conversion rates, an initiative that could transfer to other categories. Bloomingdale's is considering AI to optimise floor space and productivity. Boyner uses AI to monitor competitors' prices online.
Retail design principles reshaping footwear environments
Mid-market retailers are investing heavily in elevated store environments, sometimes rivalling luxury merchants on aesthetics. The "less is more" philosophy is filtering from luxury to mass market. As noted by IADS partner and retail analyst Newstores, Zara now employs spacious, edited displays helping customers feel relaxed rather than overwhelmed.
Lifestyle merchandising has become essential. Footwear is increasingly integrated with clothing and accessories as complete lifestyle presentations, as exemplified by Banana Republic's NYC flagship. Standalone shoe shops are becoming rare as category mixing drives additional sales.
Lower-priced retailers face the challenge of maintaining stock depth while projecting an aspirational atmosphere. Primark demonstrates how keeping low displays for shoes with multiple sizes allows sightlines while maintaining density without a discount feel.
Lighting has emerged as the single most critical design element. Marks & Spencer's newly opened Bath store uses backlit shelves and overhead spots to create hero lighting, strategically placing white shoes midway along walls to draw the eye across entire shelves. The principle: light the merchandise, not just the space.
The footwear category stands at an inflexion point. Department stores are actively reshaping their businesses through strategic brand curation, operational precision, immersive experiences, and service innovations that build community. While comfort-driven categories continue to anchor performance, the market is shifting toward polished, versatile styles balancing elegance with ease. Physical retail is justifying its existence through experiences that cannot be replicated digitally, VIC programming that builds loyalty, and service precision that customers can feel. In a world of infinite digital choice, department stores are demonstrating that the most powerful competitive advantage remains the ability to make customers feel that a physical space was designed for them.
Newstores is a service that delivers daily information about stores that have just opened, been refurbished or remodelled. It analyses what this means for the market and where it points in terms of trends and the direction that retail is taking. Newstores provides a global view of what’s happening from Seoul to London, and from Mexico to Dubai. Issuing four annual trend reports detailing the major moves, Newstores helps retailers make informed decisions. Newstores is compiled, edited and written by John Ryan, a retailer and journalist with more than 30 years of experience, covering all categories, from food to fashion.
Contact: johnhilldown@aol.com
The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network that facilitates exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.
Today, IADS permanent members include Almacenes Siman (El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica), Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.
Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than € 41billion in combined annual turnover, achieved through over 563 stores with 257,000 associates in 32 countries.
Through its activities and partnerships with Retail Hub, RH-ISAC, and Newstores, the Association remains constantly up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.
Press Contact: IADS, press@iads.org
Read the full press release below:
Download the full press release, in English, here.
Read the full press release, in French, below:
Business of Fashion features Almacenes Simán joining IADS in global markets brief
Business of Fashion features Almacenes Simán joining IADS in global markets brief
Business of Fashion's "Worldview" global markets brief reported on Central America's largest department store Almacenes Simán joining IADS. The San Salvador-based retailer, founded in 1921, operates 15 department stores across El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The article notes that Almacenes Simán joins fellow IADS members from Latin America including El Palacio de Hierro, Centro Beco and Falabella.
Read the full Business of Fashion article below:
Worldview | Brazilian Fashion Set to Gain from Mercosur-EU Trade Deal
IADS Press release: Almacenes Simán joins the International Association of Department Stores
IADS Press release: Almacenes Simán joins the International Association of Department Stores
Almacenes Simán, the largest and most influential department store group in Central America and a fourth-generation family-owned business, joins the IADS. Renowned for its unique dual role as a premier department store operator and a regional franchise partner for major global brands, and for its trusted retail heritage spanning over a century, Almacenes Simán is the first department store company from Central America to join the IADS since its inception in 1928.
Founded in 1921 by José J. Simán as a modest fabric-and-notions shop in San Salvador, Almacenes Simán has since evolved into the region's leading retail brand. With a rich heritage of adapting to local tastes while importing global standards, the company now operates a robust network of 15 full-line department stores across El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. These physical anchors are complemented by a growing digital ecosystem, including country-specific e-commerce platforms and the recently launched "Simán Express" format—satellite locations dedicated to click-and-collect services and curated assortments—demonstrating a sophisticated omnichannel strategy that bridges the physical and digital worlds.
The company’s commitment to world-class retail experiences is best exemplified by its modern flagships, such as the store at Lifestyle Center La Gran Vía in El Salvador, Multiplaza Escazú in Costa Rica and Miraflores Mall in Guatemala. Designed in collaboration with international firms such as Instore from Chile and Neumann & Rudy from New York, these retail destinations feature monumental façades, 18-foot ceilings, and a contemporary aesthetic that eschews traditional vernacular in favour of a truly international feel. These investments are part of a broader strategy to position Siman not just as a store, but as a lifestyle hub, anchoring the best shopping centres in Central America.
What truly sets Almacenes Simán apart is its unique hybrid business model within the Alsicorp structure. While maintaining its identity as a classic generalist department store offering fashion, home, beauty, and technology, the group also serves as a critical gateway for international retail in Central America. Through its sister entities, the group manages a vast portfolio of franchise operations for global giants, including Inditex brands (Zara, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, etc.), and is a key partner for major brands’ wholesale operations like Tendam, El Corte Inglés, Bestseller, Estee Lauder, and Samsung. This distinct operational structure allows Simán to leverage deep regional expertise across multiple formats, blending the exclusivity of a private department store with the agility of fast-fashion franchising.
In recent years, Almacenes Simán has solidified its reputation as a socially responsible corporate citizen. Celebrating over 100 years of history, the company has leveraged its centenary to reinforce employer branding and community engagement, positioning itself as a stable, professional, and values-driven employer in the region. This commitment extends to its customer base through a financial ecosystem that includes proprietary credit cards, fostering high loyalty and accessibility for middle- and upper-middle-income families across Central America.
By joining the Association, Almacenes Simán will contribute invaluable insights into managing complex, multi-country regional operations and successfully integrating franchise partnerships within a department store portfolio. Their membership strengthens the IADS framework, opening new avenues for collaboration on strategic challenges, from cross-border logistical integration to the modernisation of legacy retail brands in emerging markets.
About Almacenes Simán
Almacenes Simán is the largest department store chain in Central America. A Salvadoran company founded in 1921, it is headquartered in San Salvador, El Salvador, and has a presence throughout Central America. For over a century, the brand has established itself as a regional benchmark by offering a wide variety of products, including fashion, beauty, home goods, technology, and activewear, creating shopping experiences that combine quality, style, and service. As part of its value proposition, Simán offers financial solutions through Credisimán, its private label credit card, and Credisimán Visa, an international credit card that provides customers with greater flexibility, benefits, and access to exclusive services. Committed to the region's development, Almacenes Simán drives initiatives that create value for its customers, employees, and communities.
About IADS
The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network that facilitates exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.
Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.
Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €40.5 billion in cumulated annual turnover, achieved through over 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.
Through its activities and partnerships with Retail Hub, RH-ISAC, and Newstores, the Association remains constantly up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.
Press Contact: IADS, press@iads.org
Read the full press release below:
Download the full press release, in English, here.
Read the full press release, in French, below:
Central do Varejo spotlights luxury retail panel moderated by IADS at the World Retail Congress
Central do Varejo spotlights luxury retail panel moderated by IADS at the World Retail Congress
Central do Varejo covered the "Future of Luxury" panel at the World Retail Congress, moderated by the IADS Managing Director, Selvane Mohandas du Ménil. The IADS presented data showing the luxury sector has lost €140 billion in market value and 50 million consumers since 2022. The discussion with executives from Selfridges, Diriyah Company, and Christian Louboutin explored the sector's evolution toward experience-driven models.
Read the full Central do Varejo article below:
World Retail Congress debate o futuro do luxo entre tradição, experiência e novas regras do consumo
iMille reports on IADS naming Robert Rooderkerk as first academic advisor
iMille reports on IADS naming Robert Rooderkerk as first academic advisor
iMille covered IADS's appointment of Robert Rooderkerk (Rotterdam School of Management) as the association's first academic adviser. The article highlights his expertise in omnichannel retail and retail analytics, and his role in supporting IADS Academy programmes, white papers and member knowledge transfer.
Read the full iMille article below:
Robert Rooderkerk joins IADS to lead research and innovation in retail
IADS Press release: IADS appoints an Academic Advisor
IADS Press release: IADS appoints an Academic Advisor
The International Association of Department Stores appoints first-ever Academic Advisor in 98-Year history.
Dr. Robert Rooderkerk of Rotterdam School of Management joins International Association of Department Stores to elevate thought leadership, research access, and strategic guidance for global department store leaders.
The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) has appointed Dr. Robert Rooderkerk, Associate Professor of Operations Management at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, as its first academic advisor. The decision was taken during the IADS General Assembly in Hong Kong in November 2025, marking a historic milestone for the Association founded in 1928.
Dr. Rooderkerk brings extensive expertise at the intersection of marketing and operations, with a specific focus on omnichannel retail and retail analytics. His appointment reflects IADS's commitment to strengthening thought leadership and providing its members with access to cutting-edge academic research and management frameworks tailored to the evolving challenges facing department stores worldwide.
As founding Academic Director of the MScBA Business Analytics & Management programme at Rotterdam School of Management—ranked 20th globally out of 200+ analytics programmes according to 2025 QS rankings—Dr. Rooderkerk has demonstrated proven capacity to translate academic insight into practical business value. He serves on the editorial board of Journal of Retailing and Production and Operations Management and leads the Retail Analytics Expert Practice at the Erasmus Centre for Data Analytics. Recently, Dr. Rooderkerk has led the development of a dedicated analytics track within RSM’s Full-Time MBA program, spearheading both the design and delivery of the new course Leading with Analytics: From Insights to Impact, which equips future leaders to create business value with decision-driven analytics. Dr. Rooderkerk also co-teaches a highly popular Retail Operations elective in RSM’s undergraduate program.
His research addresses critical retail challenges including the value of experience-centric stores, online fulfilment failures, sustainable assortment planning, and dynamic store staffing. Published in leading academic journals such as Production and Operations Management, Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, and management outlets including California Management Review and Harvard Business Review, his work has earned recognition including the Dutch Marketing Science Award and finalist positions for the Journal of Marketing Research best paper award.
In this advisor role, Dr. Rooderkerk will support IADS across three strategic pillars: improving knowledge transfer between members through more structured and actionable meeting formats; providing digestible external insights on analytics, innovation, and organisational design; and amplifying the department stores' industry voice. His collaboration with IADS will include contributions to the annual IADS Academy programme, white papers, case study development, and tailored in-house events for member companies.
Dr. Rooderkerk has collaborated with retailers, manufacturers, industry networks, and public organisations including Coca-Cola, Coolblue, Heineken, Jumbo Supermarkten, Philips, and the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. Several methods he developed, including assortment optimisation frameworks, have been implemented by companies across sectors. He has held visiting positions at the University of Florida, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, UCLA Anderson School of Management, and HEC Paris. In recognition of his ability to bridge retail academia and practice, Rethink Retail has recently named Dr. Rooderkerk a 2026 Top Retail Expert.
The appointment strengthens IADS's ability to deliver solution-driven insights to its members. Dr. Rooderkerk's work will complement the Association's existing partnerships with Retail Hub, RH-ISAC, and Newstores, ensuring members remain at the forefront of retail innovation and best practice.
Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) is the international business school of Erasmus University Rotterdam, located in the vibrant port city of Rotterdam and consistently recognised as one of Europe’s leading business schools. RSM holds the prestigious Triple Crown accreditation from AACSB International, EQUIS and AMBA, a distinction achieved by only about 1% of business schools worldwide. According to the Financial Times, RSM ranks #1 in the Benelux for its MBA and EMBA programmes and #1 in Europe for business research impact, underscoring its strength in both academic excellence and professional education. Offering a comprehensive portfolio of BSc, MSc, MBA, PhD and executive programmes, RSM integrates rigorous research with real-world relevance, emphasising responsible leadership, sustainability and data-driven decision-making. With a highly international student body and faculty, strong corporate partnerships, and an alumni network spanning more than 150 countries, RSM prepares graduates to become positive change-makers in a rapidly evolving global economy.
The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network that facilitates exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.
Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.
Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €40.5 billion in cumulated annual turnover, achieved through over 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.
Through its activities and partnerships with Retail Hub, RH-ISAC, and Newstores, the Association remains constantly up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.
About the IADS Academy
The IADS Academy is an IADS transformative initiative started 30 years ago to help develop young talented executives into future leaders. During the 9-month programme, participants are asked to provide concrete and actionable answers to a question raised by CEO members. To that end, they learn, exchange and are empowered to solve a problem with a C-level vision. The IADS Academy allows them to foster relationships in a multi-cultural, multi-skilled group and gain a broader perspective on the operations of department stores.
Among current members, 3 CEOs and 1 COO are Academy Alumni. Over 30 years of existence, 29 companies from 22 countries have participated and the Academy trained 160+ high potential executives.
About the IADS White Paper collection
In its role of researching and documenting the most pressing challenges department stores face, the IADS produces an annual report for its members and the general public. The 2020 edition reflected on lessons from the pandemic. Then in 2021, the IADS White Paper examined digital transformation and its organisational impact. The 2022 edition analysed sustainability, CSR and ESG. In 2023, retail media and monetisation ecosystems were explored. And in 2024, the White Paper highlighted the crucial role of middle management.
Faithful to its mission of sharing insights with the general public and true to its vision of abolishing boundaries, the IADS makes its current and past White Paper digital issues available on its website (link: https://www.iads.org/white-papers). Hard copies can also be provided upon request.
Press Contact: IADS, press@iads.org
Read the full press release below:
Download the full press release, in English, here.
Read the full press release, in French, below:
Download the full press release, in French, here.
WWD profiles IADS appointment of Robert Rooderkerk as first academic adviser
WWD profiles IADS appointment of Robert Rooderkerk as first academic adviser
WWD covered IADS's appointment of Robert Rooderkerk (Rotterdam School of Management) as its first academic adviser. The role will support knowledge transfer across members and contribute to the IADS Academy programme, white papers, and case studies. Rooderkerk's research focus includes omnichannel retail, retail analytics, and experience-led store formats.
Read the full WWD article below:
IADS Names Robert Rooderkerk as First Academic Adviser to Boost Retail Research, Strategy Support
WWD quotes IADS on department store tactics for music tourism in Paris
WWD quotes IADS on department store tactics for music tourism in Paris
WWD featured IADS Managing Director Selvane Mohandas du Ménil on retail strategies for Celine Dion's 16-concert Paris residency this autumn. Du Ménil drew on IADS member precedents from K-pop tours in Asia — including activations by Lotte Department Store, Hyundai, and Sogo Hong Kong — and pointed to a potential "post-event glow" following the concerts.
Read the full WWD article below:
Paris Retailers Advised to Capitalize on 'Celine Dion Effect'
Fashion Network Italy analyses IADS study on department store shift to customer continuity
Fashion Network Italy analyses IADS study on department store shift to customer continuity
Fashion Network Italy analysed IADS’s latest research, introducing "customer continuity" as the next evolution beyond traditional omnichannel retail. The study highlights how department stores are moving from channel-based logic to unified customer journeys, measuring success through customer lifetime value rather than single-channel revenue. The article details member case studies from Breuninger's local orchestration, Boyner's 90-minute delivery, and Chalhoub Group's AI assistant "Layla.”
Read the full Fashion Network article below:
L’IADS promuove la "continuità cliente" in uno studio su omnicanalità e grandi magazzini
Paris Match features IADS on art's transformation in department store retail
Paris Match features IADS on art's transformation in department store retail
Paris Match explored the historical and contemporary role of art in department stores, quoting IADS on the evolution from window displays to permanent collections. The feature highlights installations at Galeries Lafayette and Centre Pompidou-Metz during Paris Fashion Week, and the pioneering art programs of Japanese department stores.
Read the full Paris Match article below:
«Les artistes sont passés des vitrines à des collections permanentes » : l'art, cet invité de marque
Modaes covers IADS data on a cooling department store recovery and regional disparities
Modaes covers IADS data on a cooling department store recovery and regional disparities
Modaes explores the IADS Global Department Store Monitor, finding the sector's post-pandemic recovery has effectively stalled, near-flat growth in 2025 after declining the year prior. The report identifies a 'vibecession'—a disconnect between macroeconomic stability and defensive consumer behaviour—with Latin America and India showing resilience while China and Hong Kong face structural challenges, and retailers shifting towards AI-powered inventory management and generative engine optimisation.
Read the full Modaes article:
Los grandes almacenes pinchan: el consumo enfría su recuperación global
Fashion Network examines IADS study on 'customer continuity' in omnichannel retail across four editions
Fashion Network examines IADS study on 'customer continuity' in omnichannel retail across four editions
Fashion Network covered the IADS's March 9 Press Release on omnichannel retail across four regional editions: UK, French, Turkish and Portuguese. The IADS study argues that 'omnichannel' has become an outdated concept, proposing 'customer continuity' as a new operating model that prioritises end-to-end customer journeys, unified customer identity, and lifetime value over channel-specific metrics. Member initiatives from Breuninger, Boyner, The Mall Group, Falabella, Chalhoub Group, and John Lewis illustrate four transformation levers: trade-area orchestration, app-first continuity, precision fulfilment, and AI-driven clienteling. Implementation at scale is planned across IADS members over the next 18 months.
Read the full Fashion Network articles:
Click here to read the IADS’ Omnichannel Press Release
