International Strategy

Tiffany & Co. has taken a major step to controlling its destiny in the United Arab Emirates by restructuring its joint venture agreement with retailer Damas Jewellery. Damas, based in the U.A.E., is an international jewelry and watch retailer. Under the new partnership agreement between the two companies, all of the operational, merchandising and sales, and marketing management for the five Tiffany & Co. stores in the U.A.E. will be transferred from Damas to Tiffany. Previously, Tiffany sold its merchandise on a wholesale basis to Damas, which operated the Tiffany & Co. stores. 

Garnet Hill, an apparel and home decor retailer, announced plans to expand its product offerings to international consumers in more than 100 countries. By partnering with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce, Garnet Hill fortifies its position as a large and growing brand with international scale. In response to an overwhelming demand for its products cross-border and overseas, Garnet Hill engaged with FiftyOne to introduce its offerings to a global audience while staying true to its trusted brand. 

Wolverine Worldwide announced the formation of a joint venture with Tata International to market footwear and apparel in India. The new joint venture will initially be responsible for the wholesale distribution of Wolverine Worldwide's Merrell and Caterpillar footwear brands. The formation of this joint venture is a direct result of the efforts of Wolverine Worldwide's International Group, which was formed in January 2011. Entering into a joint venture provides Wolverine Worldwide with a more meaningful ownership stake and near-term brand impact than its traditional licensee or distributor business model, and reflects the importance of this fast-growing market to the company.

As the second part of a business collaboration, Wolverine Worldwide is purchasing a 49 percent stake in Forus' existing Colombian business, Forus SA Colombia, which currently has the rights to Wolverine's Hush Puppies and Cushe brands in Colombia. Forus SA Colombia currently owns and operates 23 retail locations and sells directly to Colombia's most important department stores and specialty footwear retailers.

Australia newspaper The Age reports Amazon.com is turning its eyes to the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia. "By having an Australian-based Amazon distribution centre, delivery times and possibly costs will be curtailed — not good news for a retail sector feeling the pinch from online sales," it wrote. In January, the Financial Review cited a Morgan Stanley report that said Amazon was considering setting up an Australian-based website and was looking for a data center in Australia for its web services business.

Macy's will soon have a Brazilian feel when the company debuts "O Mercado, the Market at Macy's" on April 22 in about 300 stores and online at Macys.com. The company describes O Mercado as a curated shop of Brazilian products, and it's the next installation of the retailer's "Brasil: A Magical Journey" campaign, which will officially kick off on May 16. "Brazil's burgeoning international appeal and enchanting culture inspired us to create a unique shopping environment that will bring even more newness, color and excitement to our stores," said Martine Reardon, Macy's chief marketing officer.

E-Mail This StoryPrinter-Friendly Format SportsOneSource Media Posted: 4/12/2012 Scandinavian-based Casall, Europe's premium fitness apparel line for more than 30 years and one of the world's first companies to design fashionable fitness apparel specifically for women, has launched in the U.S., with a robust online presence for consumers. Casall's functional styles are designed to inspire people to perform their best, look their best and feel their best," says U.S. General Manager Morgan Bayer. "This is what we like to call our Total Wellness Lifestyle." Casall's seasonal collections include yoga, pilates, activewear, running, and underwear. Unlike traditional activewear brands,

A spokesman for the Canadian Heritage Minister said that the government will conduct a review of Target’s store opening plans in the country to ensure its books, DVDs, music and other cultural products have enough Canadian content. The review, which comes as Target is laying the groundwork to open the first of 125 to 135 stores in former Zellers’ locations in 2013, falls under a “cultural heritage” provision in Canada’s foreign takeover law.

Under Armour, a cross-channel retailer of performance apparel, footwear and accessories, announced that Karl-Heinz ("Charlie") Maurath has been named president, Under Armour International, effective September 2012. Maurath brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience to his new role at Under Armour, which will include driving international growth, leading the brand's strategic expansion into key global markets and overseeing Under Armour's international business in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Wal-Mart currently has 2.1 million employees and it may be looking for some more soon in an unlikely place: Ethiopia. While the country is the second most populated in Africa, it's never been known for having scads of money floating around, but that's not stopping Wal-Mart from considering it as a place in need of its retail wonders.