Antitrust newsletter

Privacy and cybersecurity

Adidas cyber attack

Sportswear giant Adidas recently confirmed that it was the target of a significant cyberattack, shedding light on increasing cybersecurity vulnerabilities within the retail sector.

According to a press release published on Adidas’s website on 23 May 2025, cybercriminals gained unauthorised access to certain consumer data, primarily consisting of contact information for individuals who had previously interacted with Adidas’s customer support services. It seems that no passwords, credit card details, or other payment data were compromised in the incident.

The breach occurred through a third-party customer service provider. We have observed a general increase in these types of third-party breaches, representing a recurring weak point in supply chains for retailers that rely on external vendors to manage their customers’ personal data.

In response, Adidas immediately took steps to contain the breach, launched a comprehensive investigation and began notifying potentially affected consumers in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

This event highlights the growing risks faced by retail brands as online and omnichannel commerce expands. To keep pace with evolving threats, businesses must treat cybersecurity as a strategic priority, to safeguard both customer trust and brand reputation, as well as to ensure operational continuity. The Adidas case underscores that resilience in the digital age depends not only on a company’s internal safeguards but also on the safeguards adopted by every company within its supply chain.

Fashion, Luxury & Education Summit – 14 July 2025

On 14 July 2025, Norton Rose Fulbright Milan hosted the Fashion, Luxury & Education Summit, together with Accademia Cerebra. The event provided a high-level forum for dialogue on the future of fashion and luxury, focusing on themes such as sustainability, innovation, AI, and the evolving role of education.

Highlights included:

• A conversation with Giovanni Baldi (Dolce & Gabbana, Commercial Director EMEA) on the intersection between style, strategy and leadership;

• A panel discussion on "The Road Ahead for 2025", featuring insights from Niccolò Pallesi (General Counsel of Ferretti Group Yachts), Sheaham Stephen (President of Sheaham Stephen Sapphires), and Bruno Conterno (CEO of Nice Footwear);

• A timely discussion on AI and luxury law, with legal experts — including Patrizia Pedretti (Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright) — addressing challenges regarding copyright, data ethics, and digital creativity.

The summit brought together industry professionals, legal experts, and academics from leading UK universities, closing with an open forum that emphasized the value of inclusive, cross-sector dialogue in shaping the industry's future.