Global Vibes

Job cuts
UNITED STATES: Apparel maker Hanesbrands has announced it will close nine plants across five countries and cut more than 8000 jobs in an attempt to reduce costs. The T-shirt and sock maker, which is also behind the brands Hanes, Champion and Playtex, is shifting production to countries where labour costs are lower. As part of the current restructuring it will close seven plants by the end of 2008 - sewing plants in El Salvador, Honduras and Costa Rica together with two yarn plants, a knit-fabric textile plant and an inventory storage warehouse in the US. In 2009, the company also expects to also close a sewing plant in Mexico and a knit-fabric textile plant in the US. The consolidation will cost about $76 million.

Trade deals
UNITED KINGDOM: Privately owned womenswear chain Monsoon is trialing a pilot scheme to pay its suppliers early in return for discounts. The brand has admitted talking to suppliers about receiving discounts in exchange for a 60-day payment term. The chain declined to comment on the level of discounting proposed or whether it could vary among different suppliers. However the move has received mixed reactions from suppliers who claim they'd prefer 30 days and no discount.

Westwood arrival
HONG KONG: A long-running fashion retrospective by British designer Vivienne Westwood will go on display in Hong Kong in December after being delayed for three years after the government rejected it as "inappropriate". Swire Island East has now succeeded in securing the exhibition for Hong Kong. After opening at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2004, A Life in Fashion went on show over the next three years in Shanghai, Taipei, Bangkok, Tokyo, Canberra and cities in the US. It features more than 140 designs and 70 objects selected from V&A's collection and Westwood's archives. The free Westwood exhibition will run from December 1 to January 31. 
 
Anti-dumping duties remain
CHINA: The European Commission has extended anti-dumping duties on footwear imported from China and Vietnam in spite of its member states voting to allow the tariffs to lapse. As a result European Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson will now carry out a review of the decision. The duties, which amount to 16.5 per cent on Chinese leather footwear imports and 10 per cent on Vietnamese leather footwear imports, add further pressure to ailing retailers in the footwear sector. They were introduced two years ago after shoe manufacturers pleaded with the EU to introduce a measure to prevent the market being swamped with cheap imports from the Far East.

Administrators called
UNITED KINGDOM: The trading business behind the Miss Sixty and Energie brands and stores in the UK is the latest fashion business to go into administration. The firm appointed as administrator, Vantis Business Recovery Services, said everything would continue to trade as normal with no break in supply and all items still to be delivered. The administrator said it is not currently seeking a buyer for the business, but was hopeful there would be "some form of restructure". The company trades from 12 high street stores and has concessions in major department stores across the country.