BURBERRY TO THE RESCUE: Burberry has purchased the Yorkshire factory that specializes in making its trenches, coats and outerwear. The company said in a statement Friday it purchased the 24,000-square-foot facility in Rotherham from S.R. Gent, which had been planning to shutter the facility this month. Burberry plans to keep the factory’s 107 employees on board. In addition to Rotherham, Burberry produces with three other factories in the U.K., in Castleford, Treorchy and Keithley. — Samantha Conti
GOING FOR BAROQUE: Hot on the heels of a new D&G store in London, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana last week christened their first Dolce & Gabbana boutique in Madrid. The two-level unit carries both the women’s and men’s collections. Designed by David Chipperfield, the 7,500-square-foot space features a black glass lobby, black metal panel facade and black glass chandelier, intermingled with Sicilian vases, Mediterranean plants and Baroque chairs. — Priscilla Mark
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EASY DOES IT: Germany’s stringent shopping laws have been somewhat relaxed by nixing regulated end-of-season clearance sales. Storewide markdowns were formerly restricted to specific time periods in February and August. Now retailers can decide for themselves when and if to institute wide-scale markdowns. Not everyone is happy about the development. A spokesman for the German Retailers Association lamented that stores would now “lose two important national shopping events.” Laws controlling anniversary and going-out-of-business sales have also been struck from the books. — Melissa Drier
BEST IN SHOW: German women’s wear trade shows are sprouting up like spring flowers. Bread & Butter, a streetwear fair in the Siemens Cableworks in Spandau, is cooking up a second show. Milk & Honey, showcasing contemporary and higher-end women’s wear, accessories, shoe and lingerie collections, is slated for a Cableworks premiere Sept. 10-12, concurrent with Premium Exhibitions’ recently announced Premium Femme + and “to shoe” shows in Potsdamer Platz. Meanwhile, the Munich Fashion Fair, a top-of-the-line men’s wear show, plans to launch a women’s version Aug. 14-18, parallel to Munich Fashion Week. All three show organizations stress they do not intend to become a second CPD, the massive apparel trade fair in Düsseldorf next slated for Aug. 1-3, which now includes men’s, women’s and children’s ranges as well as a contracting side show. — M.D.
JUST FOR KICKS: Adidas-Salomon, official sponsor and outfitter of Real Madrid since 1998, has extended its association with the soccer team to 2012 in a move to increase its global brand profile. Already well known in Europe and Latin America, Real Madrid’s popularity in Asia and North America has been increasing, thanks to the appeal of players like David Beckham and matches scheduled to take place in those regions this summer. Adidas also has longstanding partnerships with AC Milan and Bayern Munich, soccer teams also known for their mass appeal and global aspirations. — Holly Miller
CAUSE CELEB: Pringle of Scotland has teamed up with one of the country’s other hottest properties, Ewan McGregor, to raise money and awareness for a Scottish children’s charity. Pringle has designed a limited-edition scarf with its signature lion logo. The scarves, available in charcoal and pink with an appliquéd lion, will retail for around $80 and will be sold in the U.K at Pringle’s flagships and at Harvey Nichols, and in Japan starting Oct. 10. Profits from the sales will be donated to the Children’s Hospice Association of Scotland. This is the second time that Pringle and McGregor are teaming up for the charity. Last May, Pringle created a T-shirt that McGregor promoted, sales of which raised $63,000 for the hospice. — Nina Jones