The European Union Intellectual Property Office (“EUIPO”) announced this week that it has reached “a major milestone,” receiving its five millionth EU Trade Mark (“EUTM”) and EU Design (“EUD”) application since its establishment in 1994. This achievement underscores the dynamism and creativity of European businesses, as well as the trust companies place in the EUIPO’s harmonized, cost-effective system. To meet rising demand, the Office says it is modernizing its processes, making applications faster and more user-friendly, while integrating AI tools to assist both applicants and examiners.
> Key practical advantages of EUTMs and EUDs, according to the EUIPO: (1) single application provides strong, uniform protection across all 27 EU Member States under one legal system; and (2) cost-effective way to secure exclusive rights, protect reputation, and open opportunities for licensing, partnerships, and expansion.
> Economic impact of registered IP rights, according to a 2025 study from the EUIPO and the European Patent Office …
– Firms with registered IP enjoy +23.8% higher revenue per employee and +22.1% higher wages.
– SMEs see a +44% revenue boost per employee compared to similar firms without registered IP.
– Large firms record a +16% revenue increase.
Looking ahead, the EUIPO will further expand its role in December 2025 by beginning to register Craft and Industrial Geographical Indications, adding another layer of protection for Europe’s creative and industrial heritage.
StockX has released its midyear “Big Facts: Brands Making Moves” report, revealing the fastest-growing brands on its platform across sneakers, apparel, accessories, collectibles, and footwear. Using first-half 2025 sales data compared to the same period in 2024, the report highlights surging consumer interest in performance sneakers, collectible toys, trading cards, and jerseys.
> Performance sneakers remain strong: Asics held the No. 1 spot with +71% growth, driven by the Gel-1130 and Gel-NYC, while Salomon returned to growth (+53%) on the strength of the XT-6 and XT-Whisper. Chinese sportswear brand Anta surged +51% thanks to Kyrie Irving’s signature line, and On grew +15% while avoiding the hype-driven collaboration model.
> Collectibles boom: Pop Mart’s Labubu continued its reign as the No. 1 collectibles brand on StockX, breaking multiple sales records and generating 2.4M searches in the first half of 2025 alone. The character’s popularity, sparked by the viral rise of bag charms and the thrill of “blind box” drops, has fueled a frenzy of repeat purchases. Sales in June 2025 more than doubled those in January, and July set yet another record. The most sought-after items include the Pop Mart Labubu The Monsters Exciting Macaron Vinyl Face Sealed Case and the I Found You Vinyl Doll, with buyers treating each drop like a limited sneaker release.
Labubu’s sustained momentum suggests the collectible’s cultural relevance is still climbing, and its blind box model could inspire similar surprise-driven strategies in other product categories.
> Murakami-powered accessory growth: New Era sales jumped +274% thanks to its MLB Tokyo Series collab, while Louis Vuitton climbed +133% with re-issued Murakami designs from their 2003 partnership.
> Jerseys drive apparel gains: Cactus Plant Flea Market soared +300% with Nike sport-inspired pieces, and Mitchell & Ness grew +40%, boosted by a +600% spike in Derrick Rose Bulls jersey sales.
> Shoes beyond sneakers: Clarks posted +58% growth with high-profile collaborations, and Bravest Studios debuted in the No. 5 spot with +32% growth from bold, maximalist designs.
> IN A NUTSHELL: StockX CEO Greg Schwartz says, “From the Labubu phenomenon to up-and-comers like Bravest Studios, there’s great energy in the secondary market right now.”
Ralph Lauren has turned vintage into a high-growth revenue engine, reportedly generating significant sum from resale, alone. The brand has quietly refined the playbook: buying back its own archive pieces from online marketplaces, authenticating and curating them, and reselling at more than 5x the typical going rate. “A 1990s Polo hunting vest? $500,” says Ryan Atkins, the co-Founder & CEO of circular commerce platform Supercycle. “A faded Rugby shirt from your uni days? Listed for triple what you’d find on eBay.”
The difference is not necessarily in the garments, themselves, but in the narrative. Branded as Ralph Lauren Vintage, these monthly drops are positioned as collectible, heritage-rich pieces, sold with the trust and provenance that only the original brand can provide, per Atkins. “Where peer-to-peer sellers might get $90, Ralph Lauren gets $450 because it controls the story, the channel, and the experience.” And these drops often sell out quickly, reinforcing the aura of scarcity.
The brand’s approach ties into a broader strategy Ralph Lauren has been building under its “Live On” sustainability platform, which also includes rental, repair, and recycling initiatives. It has experimented with resale partnerships, such as a Depop “Re/Sourced” curation, and is exploring how archive releases can drive both brand heat and circularity goals.
Ralph Lauren’s strategy is emerging as a blueprint for how to own the narrative, the customer, and the margin in the resale economy. And the bigger shift that is underway signals a new phase in fashion’s circular economy: resale is no longer a secondary market brands passively watch; it’s a primary growth lever they can actively design, control, and monetize.
> THE BOTTOM LINE: By bringing the resale channel in-house, brands (like Ralph Lauren and Rolex) can protect pricing power, preserve authenticity, and turn nostalgia into a profitable, renewable asset.
SMCP has resolved a long-running shareholder dispute, resulting in the return of a 15.5% stake in the French fashion group after a protracted cross-border legal battle. The conflict stemmed from the 2021 financial troubles of former majority shareholder Shandong Ruyi, which defaulted on debt linked to its holding in SMCP. The pledged shares were seized by creditors, then improperly transferred to a British Virgin Islands trust for a nominal sum, prompting legal action in multiple jurisdictions.
The dispute culminated in a Singapore High Court ruling on July 4, ordering that the stake be returned to Luxembourg-based holding company European TopSoho (“ETS”), which was under the supervision of a Luxembourg court. The shares were officially restored to ETS on August 11, closing a contentious chapter that had weighed on the Sandro, Maje, Claudie Pierlot, and Fursac parent company’s ownership structure.