The fashion and retail industries are grappling with mounting challenges as new tariffs and a shifting global trade landscape create widespread uncertainty. In the latest episode of WWD Voices’ “From the Newsroom, host Arthur Zaczkiewicz sat down with Kate Nishimura of Sourcing Journal and Evan Clark of WWD to make sense of the chaos behind recent headlines.
[To listen to the episode, CLICK HERE]
The editors discussed how U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to hit pause on some of his new tariffs is offering a short-lived reprieve for retailers. However, the increase in tariffs on Chinese goods to an astronomical 145 percent continues to send shockwaves through the fashion apparel and footwear industry. Nishimura quoted Nate Herman of the American Apparel and Footwear Association, who described current conditions as “chaos and paralysis” as companies face uncertainty when planning for the next quarter.
Clark noted the impact on Walmart, one of the world’s largest retailers, as the company navigates tariffs that hit its international supply chain particularly hard. Despite this, Walmart has maintained its guidance, signaling cautious optimism for now.
“If these tariffs truly stick, the business model for much of the fashion industry could just stop working,” Clark warned. The escalating costs are expected to ripple across supply chains, leading to fewer products on shelves and rising prices for consumers.
For ongoing coverage of these developments, visit WWD and Sourcing Journal. Here are some of the headlines that informed today’s episode:
Amazon Pulls Plug on Some China Orders, Footing Vendors with Tariff Bill
Update: Trump Drives Another Nail Into De Minimis
Skims, Versace and Dockers: How Tariffs Turned the Fashion Deal Market Into the Price Is Right
Walmart Stands Strong Despite Tariffs, E-commerce Business Hits Profitability
Markets Rally as Trump Backtracks, Pausing Tariffs for 90 Days
Prada Acquires Versace for 1.25 Billion Euros
US-Bound Cargo Set to Plummet 20% in Second Half on Tariff Worries
White House Clarifies That Duties on China Have Hit 145%
Markets Rally as Trump Backtracks, Pausing Tariffs For 90 Days