Global job losses in fashion and are climbing in 2025.
Shoe firms and fashion retailers — including Nike, Puma, Saks Global and Target, among others — are cutting jobs as part of a larger trend across corporate America and beyond. So far in 2025, the tally has reached a minimum of 17,267 job cuts.
Global shipping and logistics firm United Parcel Service Inc., which ships many of the online shoe orders, conducted sweeping cuts this year that saw 48,000 positions eliminated thus far. UPS is moving more operations toward automation. It also will see a 50 percent cut in its Amazon package volume by the middle of 2026.
And with AI driving some of the change, tech firms have also been reducing their global workforces. Intel is slated to cut 24,000 jobs, while Microsoft is expected to shed 9,000 employees. Consulting firm Accenture is believed to be cutting at least 11,000 this year, mostly in roles that do not match current AI needs. Other sectors are cutting jobs too, Chevron is shedding 8,000 jobs while competitor BP cut 7,700 roles, and beauty firm Estée Lauder is cutting 7,000 positions this year.
A report last month from global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas said there were nearly 950,000 job cuts in the U.S. from January through September, representing the highest year-to-day total since 2020 when nearly 2.1 million cuts were announced and the fifth highest year-to-date total in the 36 years Challenger has reported. It noted that many of the cuts are due to AI and automation gains. A flurry of job elimination announcements in October adds to that 950,000 tally. And while the government sector has born the brunt of the jobs lost thus far, the Challenger report noted that tech and retail have also been impacted.
Overall, Challenger said U.S. retailers thus far through September have announced 86,233 job cuts, up 203 percent from the 28,440 cuts announced during the same year-ago period. The tally for U.S. retail does not separate out data either for different retail sectors or by distribution channel.
“Now is when we typically see retailers bulk up for the holidays, but so far, plans have been slow to come, reflecting caution. With lower consumer confidence and tariff pressures ahead, we predict the hiring season will be muted,” Challenger’s senior vice president and labor expert Andy Challenger said.
Below is the list of fashion firms cutting jobs.
Adidas AG
Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden said in January that the company will shed 500 “obsolete” positions at company headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The job cuts weren’t part of any cost-savings plan but aimed at “reducing complexity and ensure sustainable success in the future.”
Amazon.com Inc.
The online marketplace platform, said in October that it plans to cut 14,000 corporate jobs. It’s the latest in a line of job cuts since the COVID-19 pandemic. Included in the job cuts were an undisclosed number from its Zappos division. Amazon acquired Zappos in July 2009 in an all-stock transaction valued at $1.2 billion.
Burberry Group plc
The British fashion firm said in May it would eliminate 1,700 jobs, or 18 percent of its worldwide workforce. The move is part of a strategy to cut about $130 million in costs by 2027. Burberry posted an operating loss of 3 million pounds and a 17 percent drop in revenue for the year that ended in March.
Carter’s Inc.
The company said in October that it would lay off 300 corporate staffers, or 15 percent of its workforce, by the end of this year. The company also said it plans to close 150 North American stores over the next three years, about 50 more doors than initially expected. The cuts were disclosed when the children’s retailer said third quarter profits were down, impacted largely by tariffs. In addition to apparel, the retailer also sells shoes and socks.
Hudson’s Bay Co.
The Hudson’s Bay retail chain, Canada’s oldest department store for over 350 years, shut down operations in May following the conclusion of its liquidation sale. The shut-down resulted in the loss of 8,347 jobs.
Kohl’s Corp.
The department store retailer said in late January that it had cut about 10 percent of its corporate jobs. The expectation was that half of those cuts would be from the elimination of open positions. Kohl’s also said in early January when it was still led by then CEO Tom Kingsbury that it was closing 27 store locations. Since then, the retailer has been under the leadership of new CEO Ashley Buchanan.
Lululemon
The yoga-inspired apparel brand said in June that 150 jobs would be cut at corporate headquarters as part of a change-up of its organizational structure. The eliminated positions were from Lululemon’s store support centers. A company spokesperson told Footwear News that the change-up was to allow the company to “operate with more agility and further invest in our growth.”
Macy’s Inc.
The department store retailer is closing a distribution center in South Windsor, Conn., starting on Dec. 28, 2025. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) notice indicated that 106 employees will be impacted by the closure. The warehouse is connected to Macy’s Backstage operation, according to the WARN notice. Backstage is Macy’s off-price banner. The closure is part of the retailer’s “Bold New Chapter” initiative, a three-year turnaround strategy started in 2024 aimed at leveraging synergies across its brands between warehousing, legal, finance and back-end operations that include its supply chain network.
Nike Inc.
The sportswear and footwear brand also known as Swoosh told employees in August that it planned to reduce its corporate staff by 1 percent. The move is a follow-up to the company’s disclosure when it posted fourth quarter results in June that would realigning its operations and review cost-cutting measures as it continued with its turnaround strategy.
When Nike reported first quarter results on Sept. 30, it said that 8,000 employees were redirected to its “Sport Offense” initiative that aligns its three brands — Nike, Jordan and Converse — “into more nimble-focused teams by sport.”
The brand also laid off some tech employees in May and June, moving some of that work to third-party vendors. It wasn’t immediately clear how many jobs were impacted by the shift.
Nike cut over 1,600 jobs in 2024 as part of its $2 billion cost-savings plan.
Puma SE
The sportswear brand’s new CEO Arthur Hoeld said Thursday that the company would cut its “white collar” workforce by 900 jobs, bringing the total job cuts to 1,400 for the year. The reduction in staffing follows the 500 jobs cut in March. In total, Puma will have cut about 20 percent of its corporate workforce this year. Hoeld also said that Puma likely wouldn’t return to healthy growth until 2027. The disclosures were made as the company posted third quarter earnings results.
QVC Group
QVC Group, parent of the QVC and HSN home shopping TV networks, said in March that it would lay off 900 employees, or 5 percent of its global workforce, as part of a company reorganization. About 700 were from the HSN operation, following its move from a St. Petersburg campus in Florida to a Studio Park in West Chester, Penn., the home base for QVC. The home shopping network is shifting from primarily a cable TV model to a live social shopping platform. To that end, QVC Group is deepening its partnership with TikTok, a social and e-commerce platform that provides 24/7 shoppable livestream content. The company in February changed its name to QVC Group from Qurate.
REI Co-op
The retailer in January said it would cut 428 jobs, including 180 full-time roles and 248 part-time guides. The move is connected with the outdoor specialty retailer’s decision to shutter its 38-year-old adventure travel business Experiences.
More layoffs are expected in 2026 when the outdoor retailer closes its Paramus, N.J. store in the first quarter, followed by its Boston, Mass., location and its high profile 40,000 square-foot SoHo, N.Y., door later in the year.
Saks Global
The parent of Saks Fifth Avenue in August said it was cutting 90 employees, bringing the total jobs cut this year to 1,236. Saks Global in April cut 446 positions when it shuttered a fulfillment center in La Vergne, Tenn., as well as 550 workers who held positions considered duplicate roles across both store and corporate functions in connection to its Neiman Marcus integration. Saks Global acquired Neiman Marcus in December 2024 in a $2.7 billion transaction. And in February, Saks Global cut about 150 from its corporate staff across finance, legal and operations.
Target Corp.
The mass discounter said in October that it was eliminating 1,800 corporate positions, which includes 800 open jobs that will go unfilled. Michael Fiddelke, Target’s incoming CEO — he takes on the role starting on Feb. 1, 2026 — and current chief operating officer said in a memo to employees that the retailer’s changes to its corporate structure was due to “too many layers and overlapping work” that has resulted in slowed decision-making.
VF Corp.
As part of the firm’s strategy to turnaround its business, an additional 400 more positions would be cut across the apparel and shoe giant’s global operations. The company said in January that cuts were forthcoming as part of its reorganization efforts, but didn’t disclose the total number of employees who would be impacted. Last November, VF said it would cut over 242 jobs due to the planned closure of its distribution in Martinsville, Va., with the shutdown to occur in March.
