Articles by AFP
Switzerland, Britain conclude 'modernised' free trade deal talks
Switzerland and Britain have concluded negotiations on an upgraded free trade agreement, Bern said Monday, saying the deal would boost legal certainty for businesses in both countries. Following Britain's 2016 decision to leave the European Union, London swiftly concluded a trade agreement with Switzerland in 2019 to stake out their trade...
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Venezuelan fashion house stitches body bags for quake victims
Seamstresses at Venezuelan fashion label By Efrain Mogollon are used to making colorful dresses with ruffled sleeves and elegant draped skirts, but these days they face a grim task: making body bags for thousands of quake victims. They never thought they would be making something so morbid, but like other Venezuelan operations, their workshop...
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China approves Shein's Hong Kong listing application
Fashion titan Shein has won approval from China's market watchdog for its initial public offering application in Hong Kong, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said in a statement on Friday. Shein's plan to sell up to 341.6 million shares and list on the Hong Kong stock exchange is approved, the CSRC said. Plans to list the company in New...
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Czech Republic: 70,000 pairs of shoes destroyed in a fire
A fire in a warehouse in Zlin, Czech Republic, destroyed 70,000 pairs of shoes on Thursday. The warehouse is located on the site of the former Bata shoe manufacturing empire. The company Vasky, which manufactured the shoes, reported its losses at seven million dollars. No one was injured, firefighters confirmed. They added that the fire was...
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French court bans Shein from selling products imitating Lacoste crocodile in EU
Paris - A French court on Thursday provisionally banned the Asian e-commerce giant from selling items on its platform that feature the famous Lacoste crocodile logo. Pending a final ruling, the Paris judicial court “has taken provisional measures throughout the European Union”. The aim is to “prevent infringement of Lacoste’s renowned trademarks...
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Martin Margiela auction reaches 1.39 million euros
Paris - After a career spent scrupulously avoiding being photographed, Belgian fashion star Martin Margiela auctioned off part of his personal archives on Thursday, fetching over one million euros. Fans of the 69-year-old pioneer, who retired in 2009, had the opportunity to acquire items ranging from sketches to one of his signature white work...
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Indian haute couture presence 'overdue', says designer Manish Malhotra
Indian designers are a growing presence at Paris Haute Couture Week -- "overdue" representation for a country that has long played a role behind the scenes, the latest newcomer, Manish Malhotra, told AFP. Malhotra, 59, became the fourth Indian designer after Rahul Mishra, Gaurav Gupta and Vaishali S to join the official Paris calendar this week,...
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Black and cream and very Roman at Fendi haute couture show
Fendi presented its first haute couture show under designer Maria Grazia Chiuri Thursday, showing off a luxurious collection of black and cream looks -- and a tribute to longtime couturier Karl Lagerfeld. Held in Rome, where Fendi was established in 1925, and attended by celebrities including Monica Bellucci, Jessica Alba and Italian influencer...
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Light and stars: highlights from haute couture week
Paris - Paris haute couture week, which concludes on Thursday, delivered several memorable moments. From a luminous mini-dress to fully reversible pieces and the presence of stars like Bad Bunny and Pedro Pascal, here are five key highlights. Luminous attire Fractal Universe dress, Iris Van Herpen haute couture AW26. Credits: ©...
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Fire at Chinese shoe factory causes "heavy casualties", says President Xi
Beijing - A fire at a shoe factory in China on Thursday resulted in “heavy casualties”, according to President Xi Jinping. Nearly 200 firefighters and rescue workers were mobilised, according to official authorities and media. The fire broke out around midday (4am GMT) at the Huiteng factory in Jinjiang, in the Fujian province (south-east of the...
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