Drapers
9 August 2008
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A passage to India
It was with a great sense of excitement and anticipation that I and a colleague from Barclays Commercial Bank, Jane Galvin, who runs our Retail & Wholesale Mid Corporate Team in London, recently boarded a flight to India. -
Accessories up at John Lewis
Sales of accessories at John Lewis are up 85% on last year for the week ended July 27, as shoppers opted to freshen up their look with cheaper add-on buys, according to the department store group. -
Acorn chain fails to blossom
US womenswear group Christopher & Banks is axing its Acorn chain after continued poor performance. -
Adidas sales rise 12%
Adidas Group saw currency-neutral sales rise 12% to €5.1 billion (£4bn) for the first half, and 4% year-on-year in euro terms. -
AIS Menswear Spring 09
The AIS buying group’s menswear show in Solihull last week saw the middle market ease into a relaxed look. -
Base London appoints new distributor
Men's footwear brand Base London has appointed Street Style B.V as its European distributor. -
Beales directors reject offer for stake
Beales, the department store, has rejected an offer from property firm Wenhedge to buy a 28% stake in the business. -
Beales directors shun share offer
Beales’ new chief executive Tony Brown said there was more value in the group’s 11-store chain than was reflected in this week’s offer to buy 21.9% of the company’s stock. -
Brick Lane style is right up my street
A simple phrase that I have always stood by is “inspired by street style – origin of all styles”. -
Buyers upbeat at opening of Pure
Buyers at Pure shrugged off talks of an economic downturn, increasing their budgets for spring 09 and embracing next season's bright colour palette. -
Colour and florals lead trends at Pure
Innovative trend direction was thin on the ground at Pure London, with womenswear brands opting to play it safe and rehash summer 08's tried and tested trends for their spring 09 offerings. -
Delmod adds younger label
Womenswear brand Delmod has launched a sub-brand called Pure by Delmod for spring 09, aimed at a younger customer. -
Draping
Spring/Summer 09 -
Fashion is fastest growing online category
Fashion sales online are growing at a faster pace than any other retail category according to the latest report from Hitwise. -
First glimpse of Harvey Nichols Bristol
Harvey Nichols will open its sixth UK store in Bristol at the end of September. -
Footfall down 2% in July
Footfall fell by 2% in July against the same month last year, but was up 8.1% against a lacklustre June, according to SPSL's Retail Traffic Index. -
Gap sales slump in July
Gap saw like-for-like sales fall back 11% in July. -
George Davies' daughter to leave Per Una
George Davies' daughter is to leave Marks & Spencer's Per Una business. -
Give your brands a vote of confidence
Bullish, bewildered, cautious, carefree – the mood among independent store buyers at contemporary womenswear (and from next season unisex) trade fair Pure was mixed this week. -
Gok Wan
TV fashion’s man of the moment Gok Wan explains to Lauretta Roberts why he supports a master class for youngsters without a degree. -
Green? It’s also the colour of money
The Drapers/ICM poll on ethical production was a masterclass in consumer behaviour. -
H&M rejigs board
H&M has promoted Jyrki Tervonen to chief finance officer replacing Leif Persson effective from November. -
Harold Tillman eyes Austin Reed
Harold Tillman, the owner of Jaeger, is eyeing the Austin Reed chain, following speculation that it could be put up for sale by its owners Guy Naggar and Peter Klimt. -
Hugo Boss profits dip
Profits at German designer business Hugo Boss dropped 5% to €88 million (£69.8m) for the half year to July 31. -
Icon Live sets up own label
Accessories and jewellery giant Icon Live, which supplies major high street retailers, has launched its own jewellery brand and online store called Earring Boutique. -
Interest rates held
The Bank of England has held interest rates at 5%. -
Last launches etail operation
Brighton footwear independent Last has launched its first online store selling an exclusive mix of designer footwear. -
London Fashion Week unveils provisional schedule
London Fashion Week launched its provisional catwalk schedule today. -
London rents must be affordable, says BSSA
The British Shops and Stores Association has called for guarantees that premises earmarked for small businesses in new developments in London will have affordable rents. -
Loro Piana, London
In keeping with its customers, the Italian lifestyle brand’s fourth UK store oozes sophisticated affluence. -
M&S international boss takes on internet and homeware
Marks & Spencer has handed responsibility for its internet business and homewares business to its head of international Carl Leaver, fuelling speculation he could be the front runner to succeed Sir Stuart Rose as chief executive. -
Marchpole posts heavy losses
Marchpole swung to a pre-tax loss of £6.1 million for the 53 weeks ended April 5, against a £6.3m profit the previous year. -
Marchpole signs DKNY deal
Brand house Marchpole has signed a joint venture deal with Donna Karan International to produce a DKNY menswear range for spring 09. -
Marchpole signs DKNY license
Marchpole has signed a joint venture and strategic licensing agreement with Donna Karan International to design and distribute a full range of DKNY menswear. -
Moncler gets private equity investment
Private equity firm The Carlyle Group is to take a 48% stake in Moncler Group, the premium sportswear company. -
Myla unveils autumn campaign
Luxury lingerie brand Myla has unveiled its new autumn 08 campaign featuring US model Lydia Hearst. -
Neurotica slays dragons for cash
Contemporary womenswear brand Neurotica has developed a diffusion range and is looking for new accounts following brand owner and designer Victoria McGrane’s appearance on BBC TV show Dragon’s Den. -
Oska ditches men’s range
Mainstream German brand Oska has ceased production of its menswear collection in order to concentrate on its womenswear. -
Otto steadies ship with cost savings
Sales at Otto UK have stabilised after slipping back just 2.2% to £709.4 million for the year ended February 28. -
Peacocks denies refinancing deal
Peacocks chief executive Richard Kirk has denied reports that the value chain is in talks with banks over refinancing its debt. -
Peacocks to open Woolworths concessions
Peacocks will unveil three concessions in Woolworths later this year, with the first set to open on August 20 in Camberley. -
Pentland sales defy downturn
Pentland Group, the parent company of mega brands Lacoste, Speedo and Kickers and majority shareholder in retailer JD Sports Fashions, is ready to swoop on more brands after it defied the sector gloom to post a 6% rise in sales and profits at its branded division. -
Price points to expand at La Senza
Lingerie retailer La Senza will expand its entry and exit price points as it gears up to open its largest store to date at the Westfield London shopping centre in London’s White City. -
Pure attendance rises despite the slowdown
Buyers were backing core brands in greater depth for spring 09 at womenswear show Pure at Olympia in London this week as they tightened their belts to prepare for tough times ahead. -
Pure womenswear Spring 09
Although time has finally been called on smock tops, womenswear trends barely moved on from last spring -
Retail health slides
The 'health' of the retail sector is at its poorest since April 2006, with conditions set to worsen for the rest of the year. -
Retailers set rent reform meet
Retail industry heavyweights including Sir Philip Green and Carpertright's Lord Harris are set to meet landlords next month to hammer our demands for wide-ranging rent reform. -
Richard Singlehurst
Drapers probe leading Independents to get their View From The Shop floor. -
Sales rise 3.7% at John Lewis
John Lewis has reported a welcome boost to trading with sales up 3.7% for the week ended August 2. -
School’s out for summer
The back-to-school market is becoming increasingly ruthless as retailers slash prices in a bid to protect overall kidswear sales. -
Sem Per Lei
The mainstream brand’s 40- to 50-year-old female customers are being given a younger look for spring 09. -
Shipton & Heneage kicks off search for sixth store
Shipton & Heneage is looking to open its sixth store after sales grew by 10% year-on-year to £2.2 million. -
Streetwear labels’ jobs rejig
Andy Rigg is to step down from Lee Cooper after three years in the latest in a series of high-profile departures in the young branded fashion sector. -
The Drapers Interview: Joseph Ettedgui
Joseph Ettedgui was the founder of the eponymous womenswear label. He passed away in London yesterday. In Drapers’ last in depth interview with him in August 2008, the humble Ettedgui described his passion for the industry he helped to shape. -
The Wellcome Trust emerges as mystery M&S investor
The Wellcome Trust, the UK's largest charity, has emerged as the mystery investor that has been building a stake in Marks & Spencer. -
Topshop eyes Chinese market
Sir Philip Green, the retail tycoon and owner of Topshop, is understood to be mulling taking the young fashion chain to China. -
Tycoon raises stake in Woolworths
Ardeshir Naghshineh, the Iranian property tycoon, mounted another share raid on Woolworths yesterday taking his stake in the retailer to more than 10%. -
WSA Las Vegas Spring 09
Economic worries hit visitor numbers at Las Vegas footwear show WSA, but there were some winning looks for those who did make the trip.
