Drapers
3 April 2010
View all stories from this issue.
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West End sales boosted by early spring sales
Poor weather and early sales of spring fashion helped to drive respectable retail sales in London’s West End over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. -
‘A great opportunity’
Between talks, Drapers got networking with the delegates at the inaugural Next Generation Academy event. Below and overleaf are just a few of the many who were inspired -
20% of top rent paying retailers in financial trouble
A fifth of the retailers that pay top rents of £100 per sq ft or more in UK retail parks are either in administration or subject to company voluntary arrangements. -
Asos captures the mood
Confectioner Cadbury’s Caramel Bunny is fronting a new interactive campaign for the fashion etailer -
Bad weather fails to wash away optimism
Despite their best efforts, the rain, wind and snow of the past months did not dampen the enthusiasm of buyers and suppliers, and the selling season ended on a reasonably positive note. -
Bags
Autumn 10 -
Barbara Kennington
The new chairman of student support body Texprint tells Gemma Dunn about her career highs and why it’s a great time to be in fashion -
Barratts, Oxford Street, London
Footwear chain Barratts has raised its game on Oxford Street with a revamp that brings one of the thoroughfare’s more tired stalwarts up to date -
Best of the Rest
Autumn 10 -
Brit brands greeted in Russia with love
Along with 25 other British brands, we at Bernshaw were invited to the Best of British design showcase in Russia last month. -
Cath Kidston confirms sale and lays out international expansion plans
Cath Kidston has confirmed it has been bought by private equity vehicle TA Associates and has laid out plans for international expansion. -
Clothing and footwear deflation slows to 0.9%
The rate of deflation on clothing and footwear slowed to 0.9% in March 2010, down from 4.9% in March 2009, according to the British Retail Consortium-Nielsen Shop Price Index. -
Consumer confidence falls back in March
Consumer confidence fell in March after improving during January and February. -
Diesel sets up new business division for Black Gold
Italian denim brand Diesel has set up a new division for premium label Diesel Black Gold to lead the development of the business. -
Do homework to make Hobbs’ grade
Hobbs merchandise and production director Susan Millen said that when it came to hiring new talent, she looked for people who can build relationships and who had done their homework on Hobbs. -
Donna Ida debuts new concept in third store
Premium denim indie Donna Ida opened its third store last month, in London’s Belgravia, complete with radical new branding and a fresh store concept. -
Elaine McPherson buys Ethel Austin for second time
Ethel Austin, the value chain, has been sold back to Elaine McPherson for a second time for an undisclosed amount. -
Ex-Fat Face buyer to lead HMV’s fashion venture
Former Fat Face head of menswear buying Richard Stockwell is to lead entertainment group HMV’s plans to generate 9% of its £1.96bn turnover from fashion sales by 2013. -
Faith attracts investors
Footwear retailer Faith has received offers of investment and said it expects to complete a deal within “the next few days”. -
Fashion sales at John Lewis jump 25%
Fashion sales drove another strong week at department store John Lewis as the warmer weather drove sales of summer ranges. -
Findel chairman Keith Chapman steps down
Keith Chapman the chairman of Findel, the home shopping group behind sports etailer Kitbag.com, has stepped down from his role at the business. -
First Sports Direct TV ads hit screens
Sports Direct has aired its first television adverts as it focuses its ambitions on becoming Europe’s most profitable sports retailer. -
Footwear
Autumn 10 -
Fran & Jane makes UK retail debut
Irish contemporary womenswear mini-chain Fran & Jane will open its first UK store stocking its eponymous brand on King’s Road in west London on Friday. -
Gant appoints Bob Andrews as creative director
Swedish lifestyle brand Gant has appointed Bob Andrews as creative director. -
Harrods not for sale, says Fayed
Harrods owner Mohamed Fayed has told employees that the iconic Knightsbridge department store is not for sale after an unsolicited approach for the business. -
Havaianas targets year-round sales
Flip-flops brand Havaianas plans to extend its product range with a selection of year-round shoes and accessories in an attempt to cross beyond the spring season. -
Holland: young designers need more support
Designer Henry Holland has called on the industry to do more to support young design talent and UK manufacturing. -
Hot Tuna raises £1.5m
Surfwear brand Hot Tuna has raised £1.5m in an equity share placing to develop product ranges and increase production. -
Invest in storefits to beat slump, says Harrods boss
Harrods managing director Michael Ward has warned retailers that it is essential to invest in store environments during the downturn to give shoppers a reason to trade up. -
James Pow
The chief executive of Cruise is using his turnaround expertise to take the designer mini-chain back to its luxury roots and grow sales with more exclusive brands, better supplier terms and a greater focus on etail -
Jenny Clarke
Merchandise director at indie department store Stringers in Lytham, Lancashire. Brands include French Connection, Noa Noa, Van Dal, Viyella -
John Lewis open to young labels
John Lewis is to “turn up its boutique factor” and is looking to takeon more up-and-coming brands following the recession. -
John Skelton leaves Oki-ni
John Skelton, the creative director of premium etailer Oki-ni, has left the business. -
Laura Ashley profit rise driven by strong UK performance
Laura Ashley’s group pre-tax profit climbed 7.8% to £11m in the year to January 30, driven by a strong performance in the UK. -
Levi's shifts focus to retail
Levi’s will focus on retail and ramp up its European store opening programme this year. -
M&S's Q4 sales beat expectations as it gains clothing market share
Marks & Spencer has posted a 5.1% increase in fourth quarter like-for-like sales, well above expectations, driven by a strong performance from its non-food categories, including clothing. -
Mainstream Menswear Indicator, April 3, 2010
Access Drapers’ unique source of sales information from mainstream retailers, revealing the best-selling brands, the hottest products and the latest issues to affect menswear by clicking on the PDF. -
Making the cut in design
New Look group design director Barbara Horspool told young designers how to get a foot on the career ladder -
Mango sales up 5.7% as international expansion gathers pace
Mango has announced total sales rose 5.7% to €1.48bn (£1.3bn) excluding VAT in 2009 and has confirmed that it will open its 1,500th global store in 2010. -
Matalan completes £525m refinancing
Value retailer Matalan has refinanced by raising £525m of debt. -
Mobile technology key to retail’s future
The rise of Generation Y will accelerate the trend for shopping for clothing on mobile phones, according to William Higham, founder of consumer research consultancy The Next Big Thing. -
Mothercare sales hit by bad weather in fourth quarter
Maternity specialist Mothercare suffered a slowdown in like-for-like sales in its core UK market during the fourth quarter but annual turnover exceeded £1bn for the first time. -
New Look’s value market share overtakes Next
New Look is understood to have leapfrogged Next in the most recent clothing value market share rankings. -
Off the record, April 3, 2010
The inside track on the parties and gossip for the week. -
One to watch: Matinique
Danish menswear label Matinique draws its inspiration from 1950s beatniks for its autumn 10 range, entitled On the Road, mixing a laid-back feel with more formal, masculine pieces. -
Open your mind to outside influences
To stay ahead of the game businesses must be alert to globalisation, consumer power, multichannel and sustainability, says Pentland Brands’ Andy Rubin -
Put people development at the top of your agenda
Stephen Selby managing director, Success Appointments -
Recovery will be slow, brand bosses warn
Pentland Brands chief executive Andy Rubin has warned that consumer spending and the UK economy is unlikely to ever return to the heady heights of the early noughties, while the bosses of British brands Ben Sherman and Bench believe spring 11 is the earliest prospect for any upturn. -
Retail round-up: What the weekend papers said - April 3 to April 5
A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers. -
Retailers back Tory plans to halt NI rise
Retail chiefs including Marks & Spencer executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose, Next chief executive Simon Wolfson and Harvey Nichols chief executive Joseph Wan have backed the Conservative party’s plans to reverse part of Labour’s National Insurance rise. -
Richemont acquires Net-a-Porter
Luxury goods group Richemont has confirmed it will buy Net-a-Porter in a deal that values the designer etailer at £350m. -
Sarah Coggles, York
Chosen by Richard Ash, founder of Green Room Retail Design -
Self-promotion pays off, say rising stars
Self-promotion and delivering on results are the two key factors in building a successful career and climbing the fashion ladder, according to two of the industry’s rising stars. -
Shhhhhhhh!
Which brand discovered its head office staff had spent £70,000 on taxi rides in one year when it took a close look at cost control? -
Shop Direct names Gareth Jones as retail director
Shop Direct Group has promoted Gareth Jones to oversee all of its brands as retail director. -
Sports Direct makes offer for Faith
Sports Direct is among five bidders to have made offers to invest in footwear specialist Faith, it is understood. -
Sports Direct pulls out of Blacks bid over supplier concerns
Sports Direct has pulled out of bidding for Blacks Leisure amid concerns that the outdoor retailer’s suppliers would not agree to work with the sportswear retailer if its acquisition attempt was successful. -
Stolen Girlfriends Club
Its cool, edgy look is earning this contemporary brand a following among directional retailers -
Strong start to the year for H&M
Swedish young fashion retailer H&M has announced a strong first quarter with sales up 7% in the three months to February 28. -
Ted Baker targets India and US
Ted Baker, the quirky lifestyle retailer and brand, is expected to expand its retail offer into India in 2012. -
The industry’s future is in safe hands
Pentland Brands boss Andy Rubin imparted a chilling forecast this week: that the fashion sector will never know it as good as it did through the credit boom earlier this decade. -
The industry’s future is in safe hands
Pentland Brands boss Andy Rubin imparted a chilling forecast this week: that the fashion sector will never know it as good as it did through the credit boom earlier this decade. -
Tory plans ‘do not include an increase in VAT’
The Conservative Party has insisted that it would not need to increase VAT in order to cut the deficit if it forms the next Government as Prime Minister Gordon Brown is today expected to confirm that the next general election will be held on May 6. -
UK households £6 a week worse off than last year
The average UK household was 3.8% worse off in February than a year ago as weaker earnings and inflationary pressures hit discretionary income. -
West End retailers call for longer Boxing Day trading
Retailers including Arcadia, Debenhams and Selfridges have backed a campaign to allow stores to open for a full trading day on Boxing Day, which this year falls on a Sunday. -
Why it’s worth investing in tomorrow’s leaders
Drapers hosted 100 bright young fashion stars at its inaugural Next Generation Academy event at London’s Soho Hotel last week. -
Womenswear Mainstream indicator, April 3, 2010
Access Drapers’ unique source of sales information from mainstream retailers, revealing the best-selling brands, the hottest products and the latest issues to affect womenswear by clicking on the PDF. -
Wrangler rolls out shop-in-shops
Denim brand Wrangler has announced the expansion of its shop-in shop programme which will see it offer the concept to independents and department stores across the UK. -
www.selfridges.com
The first thing you notice when going to the home page of Selfridges’ much-anticipated transactional website is the lack of product or model shots.
