Brands
Casio and Toyota unveil G-SHOCK MUDMAN GW-9500TLC edition
Mumbai: G-SHOCK, the trailblazing watch brand renowned for its exceptional durability and visionary craftsmanship, is excited to announce its latest collaboration with Toyota Land Cruiser, a fusion of rugged durability and automotive excellence. Introducing the G-SHOCK MUDMAN GW-9500TLC-1, a timepiece born from the relentless spirit of Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body (TLC) and the iconic toughness of G-SHOCK.
The GW-9500 stands proudly as the third evolution within the esteemed MUDMAN Series, following in the distinguished footsteps of its predecessors, the GW-9000 and GW-9300. Nestled within the prestigious Master of G series, renowned for its unparalleled resilience, the MUDMAN epitomizes durability in the face of adversity. Crafted to dominate the harshest landscapes, the MUDMAN GW-9500 TLC Edition, with its carbon core guard structure, is engineered to withstand the onslaught of dust, mud, and extreme elements.
The timepiece embodies the spirit of MUDMAN, renowned for delivering peak performance in the harshest conditions, and reflects the enduring challenge embraced by TLC, a seasoned participant in the Dakar Rally, widely regarded as the toughest race in the world. Designed to capture the feel of racing through desert sands, the sand-colored band is printed with a black splatter pattern that evokes tracks left by speeding racers. The stainless-steel bezel components — a first for a GW-9500 model — are ion plated in black to project a bold fearlessness that exudes both strength and practical luxury.
Moreover, this exclusive edition, adorned with the TLC team colors — blue, white, and red — enhances the design, with the team logo proudly displays on the band and case back, celebrating the dynamic collaboration between Toyota Auto Body and G-SHOCK.
This special-edition timepiece is a testament to G-SHOCK and Toyota’s shared commitment to unparalleled quality and thrilling exploration, exemplifying excellence and adventure. Its streamlined and compact profile hosts a sophisticated duplex LCD, providing essential data at a glance for navigating the toughest challenges. With radio-controlled calibration, every second is precise, making it a necessity in the unforgiving realm of extreme racing.
Priced at Rs 24,995, this timepiece is available at Casio India stores nationwide, or online at https://www.casio.com/in/watches/gshock/product.GW-9500TLC-1/
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
