Drapers
28 February 2009
View all stories from this issue.
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A little love goes a long way in a crisis
As a home-grown brand now into our seventh collection, we count our lucky stars that those critical growing years took place during a time of economic boom and hedonistic, celeb-driven spending. -
Acid spikes
Spring/Summer 10 -
Adili reshuffles boardroom
Ethical fashion website Adili plans to drive sales of its own-label product, after appointing Caroline Gitsham as product director as part of a wider boardroom shake-up. -
Asos appoints finance director
Asos, the young fashion etailer, has appointed Nick Beighton as finance director. -
Asos to deliver Gap’s etail aim
Gap is understood to have inked a deal with young fashion etailer Asos to launch its first transactional website in the UK. -
Aurora Fashions appoints property agents to advise on stores
Aurora Fashions, the new company which has rescued the Oasis, Karen Millen, Warehouse and Coast brands, has appointed property consultants Harper Dennis Hobbs to help manage the store portfolio. -
Aurora Fashions asks landlords to cut rents
Aurora Fashions, the new company which rescued Oasis, Karen Millen, Coast and Warehouse this week, is asking landlords to reduce rents on some of its stores to keep them trading. -
Austin Reed to roll out hire departments
Austin Reed is to roll out its formal hire service in association with Etiquette Hire to a further 29 stores this month. -
Barclays launches initiative to help UK retailers
Barclays Commercial Bank has launched a new initiative called The Turning the Corner programme, to help UK retail businesses through the recession. -
Blue
Spring/Summer 10 -
Breaking up is hard to do for tenants
The number of our retail tenant clients who have approached us for advice on exercising break options in their leases has been increasing. -
Build stronger links via social networks
Social media such as social networking websites and internet forums offer the most strategically important opportunity in digital marketing. -
Chris Ronnie resigns from JJB Sports
Chris Ronnie the chief executive of JJB Sports has resigned, one month after he was suspended. -
Coco Ribbon ceases trading
West London independent boutique Coco Ribbon has ceased trading after the economic downturn impacted sales. -
Creative LFW lifts the industry
London Fashion Week designers this week gave the fashion industry a lift and proved the sector has much to celebrate despite the recession, by showing a raft of creative but commercial collections. -
Debenhams Spectacular planned for tomorrow
Debenhams will hold a four-day New Season’s Spectacular offering discounts of up to 25% from tomorrow. -
Dr Martens Gallery
The autumn 09 collection from Dr Martens features some of the contemporary footwear brand’s most daring and diverse styles yet. -
Duo sign Sports Direct Dunlop deal
Former JJB Sports chief executive Tom Knight and footwear consultant Colin Ross have secured the European licence for Dunlop Footwear from Sports Direct’s licensing subsidiary, International Brand Management (IBML). -
EBTM heads for administration
EBTM, the music-inspired fashion etailer, is to go into administration after the board conceded there were no possibilities of maintaining value for shareholders. -
EBTM subsidiaries file for administration
The subsidiaries of EBTM, the fashion etailer which sells merchandise inspired by music, have filed for administration. -
Egomark gets funding under government scheme to help small businesses
Egomark, which distributes brands including Féraud, Marlboro Classics and Kenzo, has received funding under a government scheme to help small businesses through the recession. -
Elvi in administration
Plus-size womenswear chain Elvi has gone into administration for the second time in just over a year. -
Empty shops open up rent opportunities
Retailers looking to expand could land good deals on a swathe of retail properties in prime locations, as administrators try to offload stores from collapsed businesses. -
Emreco Autumn/Winter 2009
Introducing the Hollywood Icons Collection -
Entry deadline extended for Drapers Footwear Awards
The deadline for entries for The Drapers Footwear Awards 2009 has been extended by one week to March 11. -
Eveden moots redundancies
Lingerie group Eveden, which owns brands including Fantasie and Freya, could make up to 10% of its head office staff redundant as a result of the economic crisis. -
Feeling fashion’s pulse
Fashion retailers are feeling more pessimistic than the rest of the retail sector, according to a survey of leading executives -
Floaty layers
Spring/Summer 10 -
Freemans owner confirms job cuts, but looks to future
Home shopping firm Freemans Grattan Holdings (FGH), formerly known as Otto UK, has confirmed more than 1,000 jobs will go at the company as part of a cost cutting drive designed to put the business in a stronger position to trade through the recession. -
Gap earnings rise but sales fall
Gap saw fourth quarter comparable sales fall 4% at its international stores, which includes its UK shops. -
Gap's international sales drop 6%
Gap’s international like-for-like sales, which includes its UK sales, fell 6% for the four weeks to February 28. Total group sales were down 12% to $795 million (£559m). -
Good weather boosts John Lewis fashion sales
Fashion sales at John Lewis rose 13.1% boosted by good weather, Easter, and a marketing campaign. -
Green and Shepherdson debate tactics for the recession
High street fashion tycoon Sir Philip Green has cited speed of the supply chain rather than price as the only way to stay ahead in the current economic climate. -
Guide to promote indies is mapped out by The Hut
The owners of designer independent The Hut in Stamford, Lincolnshire, have launched a guide to promote small businesses in UK market towns. -
Half-term boosts fashion at John Lewis
The half-term holiday helped John Lewis to a better week but sales remained down 1.5% at £45.1 million for the week ended February 21. -
Helen Hook
Drapers probes leading independents to get their View from the Shop Floor. -
House of Fraser launches 5-day discount event
House of Fraser has launched a five-day Sale event with discounts of up to 25% on selected lines, as the price war on the high street hots up. -
Industry pays tribute to supply pioneer ‘Lal’ Kumar
A pioneer of the Manchester clothing trade and international supply entrepreneur, Krishan ‘Lal’ Kumar, has died aged 75. -
Irregular Choice, London Gallery
If anywhere can brighten shoppers’ moods, it is this footwear brand’s debut UK store on Carnaby Street -
Kevin Stanford loses legal battle with Icelandic bank Kaupthing
Retail entrepreneur Kevin Stanford is understood to owe more than £250 million to Icelandic bank Kaupthing, and the bank has blocked his plans to issue new shares in young fashion chain All Saints, according to reports. -
Letters to February 28, 2009
The round-up of letters to the editor. -
LFW shows what makes Britain great
It is a truth universally acknowledged that good clothes have healing powers. -
Liquid silk effects
Spring/Summer 10 -
Marks & Spencer shares hit by analyst report
Marks & Spencer’s share price has been hit after a report by analyst Credit Suisse said that the company needed a strategy overhaul. -
Men's footwear indicator, February 28 2009
Access Drapers’ unique source of sales information from footwear retailers, revealing the best-selling brands, the hottest products and the latest issues to affect men’s footwear by clicking on the PDF. -
Milan Fashion Week: Prada mixes it up
It was a curious take on an austere mood over at Prada this season, where a sombre palette and heavy fabrics were mixed up with thigh high furry knickers, dangerously low cut dresses and armour-like leather shifts to create a disparity of looks. -
Milan Fashion Week: Sex appeal back at Versace
Last season’s amorous theme – remember those open zipped heart motifs? - was replaced with a renewed emphasis on sexiness for autumn 09, as Donatella Versace sent a raft of slinky, sultry outfits strutting down the Milanese catwalk. -
Milan Fashion Week: trend round-up
The glitz and glamour which traditionally takes centre stage at Milan Fashion Week returned to the Italian catwalks again for autumn 09, as designers focused on luxe fabrics, subversive sexiness and structured silhouettes to offer a strong, cohesive message to the watching buyers. -
Moda footwear Autumn 09
Contrast panels, distressed leathers and biker details enlivened a safe and sophisticated palette on footwear at Moda -
New Look hosts more concessions
New Look is more than doubling the number of its in-store branded fashion concessions with multi-brand young fashion business Hallett Retail. -
Off the record, February 28, 2009
The inside track on the parties and gossip for the week. -
One week left to enter the Drapers Footwear Awards
There’s just one week left to get your entries in for The Drapers Footwear Awards 2009. -
Panama Jack
Known for its comfort footwear, the Spanish brand is now targeting a younger, more contemporary customer -
Parcelnet
The UK’s largest home delivery courier company -
Paris textiles Spring 10
Mills may be steeling themselves for tough times but the exhibitors at Premiere Vision and Texworld in Paris are finding the silver lining -
Peter Davies makes offer for Principles
Peter Davies, the former chief executive of Rubicon, has made a formal offer to buy Principles from Mosaic Fashions. -
Primark acts on unethical suppliers
Value fashion retailer Primark has appointed Katherine Kirk to the newly created role of ethical trading director, as it battles to shake off the negative publicity surrounding its supply chain in recent months. -
Primark proves its value as sales rise
Value chain Primark has outperformed most of the rest of the retail sector, with like-for-like sales expected to be up 5% for the six months to February 28. -
Reiss plans young, cheaper sub-brand
Premium high street chain Reiss is launching a younger, lower-priced sub-brand for autumn to widen its customer base. -
Retail embarks on a learning curve
A new skills academy aims to provide tailored retail training and make the sector a more attractive career option -
Rhodes steps into Strutt Couture deal
Zandra Rhodes is to design a collection of footwear and accessories for contemporary women’s footwear brand Strutt Couture for spring 10. -
Richard Kottler
The chief executive of the British Footwear Association tells Laura Weir why the UK footwear industry deserves a big round of applause -
Rieker restarts Più Di Servas
Rieker has resurrected premium women’s footwear brand Più Di Servas, which had lain dormant since its acquisition by the German footwear company in 2000. -
Rising prices add lustre to footwear
A key issue facing footwear retailers is how to deal with price rises due to the fluctuations in the pound/euro rates and the effect of the dollar on Chinese and Far East manufacturing costs. -
Shhhhhhhh!
Which men’s footwear buyer got very rowdy on a recent foreign buying trip? After a few beers he was hear to shout “I’m the king of fashion” towards a group of bemused footwear suppliers. -
Shoe Studio sale to Dune confirmed
Dune has rescued The Shoe Studio Group, creating a £150 million footwear business, as predicted by Drapersonline.com March 3. -
Sir Philip Green to share tips on how retailers can beat the recession
Sir Philip Green, the owner of Arcadia, and Jane Shepherdson, chief executive of Whistles, will feature in a BBC Radio 4 programme about how fashion retailers can beat the recession at 11am this morning. -
Textured structure
Spring/Summer 10 -
Theo Paphitis at Skillsmart Retail seminar
Entrepreneur Theo Paphitis explains the value of apprenticeships. -
Therapy sets up online store
Men’s casualwear independent Therapy is launching its first transactional website to gain a slice of the growing online fashion market. -
This week in history...
This week in 2004 saw Tom Ford take his last bow as creative director of Gucci during Milan Fashion Week. -
Timberland Boot Co targets women
Timberland Boot Company has launched its first women’s footwear range for autumn 09. -
TK Maxx posts solid full year results
TK Maxx saw like-for-like sales rise 4% for the full year ended January 31. -
Tough comps knock John Lewis sales
Fashion sales at John Lewis dived 8.9% for the week to February 28, although the retailer said it was “no surprise” due to the tough comparisons with last year. -
Ursula Mascaró
Although architecture almost lured her away from the Menorcan family business set up by her grandfather who made ballet pumps, it seems shoes are in the footwear designer’s blood -
USC founders return to young fashion chain
David Douglas and Angus Morrison, the founders of USC, are returning to the young fashion chain they sold to Sir Tom Hunter’s West Coast Capital fund for around £45 million in 2004. -
Voisins teams up with Axle Woman
Voisins department store in Jersey has teamed up with mini chain Axle Woman to relaunch the department store’s womenswear department. -
Washed out prints
Spring/Summer 10 -
Watercolour style prints
Spring/Summer 10 -
Weak pound could trigger a rise in sales to tourists
Retailers are set to gain from an influx of foreign shoppers coming to the UK, particularly London, to take advantage of the weak pound, according to research. -
Weekend newspaper round-up: February 28-March 1
The best of the fashion business related headlines from the weekend newspapers… -
Willoughby bumps into Littlewoods
Home-shopping company Littlewoods has signed TV presenter Holly Willoughby (pictured) to create a maternitywear range. -
Women's footwear indicator, February 28 2009
Access Drapers’ unique source of sales information from footwear retailers, revealing the best-selling brands, the hottest products and the latest issues to affect women’s footwear by clicking on the PDF. -
Ziff appeals to suppliers in Stylo plan
Stylo chief executive and chairman Michael Ziff embarked on a charm offensive with suppliers this week, in a bid to stabilise the footwear group and discuss its post-administration strategy.
