Drapers
Amy Shields

Amy Shields is news editor of Drapers.

Moss Bros sells off Cecil Gee to free up cash for core business

24 June 2011
Moss Bros, the menswear group, will remain committed to its formal menswear chain Savoy Taylors Guild after disposing of its Cecil Gee chain for £1.7m to JD Sports Fashion.
SuperGroup seeks to rally investor support

21 June 2011
SuperGroup, the young fashion business, has met with analysts to allay investor concerns that its Superdry brand has become overexposed.
JD acquires Spanish sports chain and Cecil Gee stores

20 June 2011
JD Sports Fashion has acquired Spanish fashion and footwear chain Sprinter and eight Cecil Gee stores from menswear group Moss Bros.
N Brown reshuffles Figleaves management to lead business

17 June 2011
N Brown, the home shopping group which owns lingerie etailer Figleaves, will not replace the role of chief executive vacated by Julia Reynolds and has reshuffled its senior management team to lead the business.
Team behind Aurora sizes up troubled Jane Norman

17 June 2011
Aurora chief Mike Shearwood set to pick up womenswear retailer if it is placed into administration
BBC apologises to Primark over faked child labour footage

16 June 2011
The BBC has issued an apology to value fashion giant Primark after a three year inquiry revealed that the broadcaster used faked imagery of child labour in a Panorama expose.
Republic asks banks for headroom

13 June 2011
Republic, the branded young fashion chain, has asked its banks for increased financial flexibility as it contends with challenging trading conditions.
Vera Wang opens shop-in-shop with Browns

13 June 2011
Designer label Vera Wang has opened its first European shop-in-shop in London as part of a collaboration with iconic designer indie Browns.
Buyers circle Life & Style

10 June 2011
SKG Capital, the private equity business, is thought to be the frontrunner to acquire Life & Style which has gone in to administration.
New Look vows return to value-led heritage

10 June 2011
Chairman Alistair McGeorge will focus on fast fashion with broad appeal.
Jane Norman boss steps down

8 June 2011
Jane Norman managing director Ian Findlay is understood to have stepped down from the beleaguered women’s young fashion chain.
New Look profits tumble 40%

8 June 2011
New Look, the value fashion chain, said that underlying profits slumped 40% and UK like-for-likes dropped 7.1% in its full year to March 26 as it suffered from “significant” disruption to the business.
Life & Style on brink of administration

7 June 2011
Life & Style, the fashion and homewares business born out of the administration of womenswear chain Ethel Austin, is on the brink of collapse after just over a year in existence.
SuperGroup shares fall as promotional activity unnerves investors

7 June 2011
Shares in SuperGroup dropped after it emerged that the young fashion business, which has a strict no-discounting policy, offered some online customers 20% off in-store purchases last weekend.
Suit prices to rise by 10% as wool prices at record high

6 June 2011
The price of a wool suit is set to rise by at least 10% as the cost of wool doubled to a record high in the past 12 months.
House of Fraser and Debenhams set to trigger flurry of early Sales

3 June 2011
Department stores’ decision to move forward summer Sales could force other retailers to follow suit.
Merger deal brings Wolsey 1755 to UK

3 June 2011
British heritage menswear brand Wolsey has acquired subsidiary Wolsey Scandinavia.
Kurt Geiger sold to Jones Group for £215m

2 June 2011
UPDATED: US retail giant Jones Group has confirmed it has bought premium footwear retailer Kurt Geiger for £215m.
Debenhams to enter US market with Sears tie-up

31 May 2011
Debenhams, the department store chain, could enter the US by opening space in Sears department stores.
Debenhams shares jump on talk of bid from Poon

27 May 2011
Shares in Debenhams rose on speculation of a bid from Hong Kong-based Dickson Poon, the owner of Harvey Nichols.
Aurora expands 90-minute delivery

27 May 2011
Aurora Fashions, the group behind womenswear chains including Coast, Oasis and Warehouse, has rolled out its 90-minute delivery option to all of its chains and is to open it up to areas beyond the M25.
Selfridges' Anita Barr switches to menswear role

24 May 2011
Selfridges director of womenswear Anita Barr is to return to her menswear roots after being appointed director of menswear at the iconic department store chain.
Allan Leighton confirmed as Peacocks chairman

24 May 2011
Peacocks, the value chain, has confirmed that is has appointed former Asda chief executive Allan Leighton as chairman.
Aurora to extend 90-minute delivery option outside M25

24 May 2011
Aurora Fashions, the group behind womenswear chains including Coast, Oasis and Warehouse, has rolled out its 90 minute delivery option to all of its chains and will open it up to areas beyond the M25.
Marks & Spencer makes market share gains

24 May 2011
Marks & Spencer said clothing sales grew 4.2% in the year to April 2 and that it made market share gains across all of its fashion categories.
M&S clothing supremo Bostock 'never wanted' to be boss

23 May 2011
Marks & Spencer clothing boss Kate Bostock has admitted that she “never wanted to be chief executive” of the retail giant and said that she was working closely with incumbent Marc Bolland to iron out clothing ranging issues.
Jimmy Choo sold for £500m

23 May 2011
Jimmy Choo, the luxury footwear and accessories label, has been acquired by luxury goods group Labelux for £500m.
UKFT Export Awards open for entries

20 May 2011
The UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) has launched its 25th Export Awards.
Fashion sales fall at John Lewis as market 'challenging'

20 May 2011
Fashion sales at John Lewis fell 1% during the week to May 14 with kidswear the strongest performing category as parents bought last minute back to school items online.
JD Sports in pole position to acquire Peter Werth

20 May 2011
JD Sports Fashion has emerged as the frontrunner to buy beleaguered menswear brand Peter Werth, which helped rack up massive losses of £4.4m at its parent company Brand Acquisitions over the two years to January 31.
Portas’s high street task wins backing from indies

20 May 2011
Indies have welcomed the high-profile appointment of Mary Portas to lead a government review into the future of the high street, but the self-proclaimed Queen of Shops has admitted to underestimating the size of the task.
Net-a-Porter sales strong as Richemont profits soar

19 May 2011
Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group which owns brands including Dunhill, Chloé and Cartier, said that sales and profits soared in the year to March 31 and that etailer Net-a-Porter performed ahead of plan.
Moss Bros sales soar

19 May 2011
Moss Bros, the menswear group, said sales soared in the 15 weeks to May 14 but remained cautious for the year ahead as consumer spending remains volatile.
House of Fraser full year profits soar

18 May 2011
House of Fraser, the department store chain, said that EBITDA rose by 44% in the year to January 29 and it has issued a £250m bond.
Harrods and Harvey Nichols call for relaxation of Chinese visa restrictions

18 May 2011
The bosses of Harrods and Harvey Nichols have again called on the government to make it easier for high-spending Chinese shoppers to visit London by relaxing visa restrictions.
Pink Soda joins Peter Werth in administration

16 May 2011
UPDATED: The investors behind Brand Acquisitions, the parent company behind Peter Werth and Pink Soda, have pulled the plug on the business, forcing both brands in to administration. However, the impact to autumn 11 deliveries should be “limited”.
Peter Werth in administration

16 May 2011
Peter Werth, the menswear brand, is in administration Drapers has learned.
American Eagle circles London for first UK store

16 May 2011
US young fashion chain American Eagle Outfitters will debut in the UK in London and has plans to open up to 100 stores in the country.
Debenhams auctions early payment terms to suppliers

13 May 2011
Those that offer biggest discounts get paid quicker under department store chain’s bidding war plan.
Fashion players climb the 2011 Rich List

9 May 2011
Fashion’s high net-worth individuals have seen their fortunes rise in 2011 according to The Sunday Times Rich List, with Selfridges and Primark owners the Weston family and Sir Philip Green claiming the top fashion spots.
Darren Blackhurst confirmed as new chief of Matalan

5 May 2011
Darren Blackhurst has been confirmed as chief executive of Matalan, according to headhunters Flint Hyde.
Magic and Pret a Porter team up to bring brands to the US

5 May 2011
US trade show Magic has agreed a deal with French trade show Pret a Porter Paris to bring brands to the US at its next trade show in Las Vegas in August.
Shopper numbers fall by a third on Kate and Will's big day

4 May 2011
Shopper numbers plunged by a third on the day of the royal wedding as millions of people tuned in to watch the nuptials.
Next sales benefit from sunny Easter and royal wedding fever

4 May 2011
Next has upped its full year sales and profits forecast after a strong Easter helped to drive fashion sales at the chain.
Ugg drives first quarter sales at Deckers

3 May 2011
Deckers Outdoor, the US owner of footwear brand Ugg, said that strong sales of the sheepskin boot brand helped first quarter sales to rise but that its second quarter performance would be impacted by the move to wholesale in the UK.
Sunglasses and kidswear lift sales at John Lewis

28 April 2011
Fashion sales were lifted at the John Lewis department store chain in the week to April 23 when the country basked in spring sunshine by sales of seasonal items such as sunglasses and kidswear.
Leighton in frame for top job at Peacocks

28 April 2011
Former Asda chief executive Allan Leighton is the front-runner to become chairman of value chain Peacocks.
JJB Sports wins £65m lifeline

27 April 2011
JJB Sports’ shareholders have approved the retailer’s £65m fundraising.
All Saints boss to secure new backing as deadline looms

26 April 2011
All Saints chief executive Stephen Craig is believed to be in talks with new investors to secure a sale of the young fashion business, which has been given a deadline to secure its future by its main backers.
New Look appoints Alistair McGeorge as executive chairman

26 April 2011
New Look has named former Matalan chief executive Alistair McGeorge executive chairman.
Debenhams trialling online shopping in smaller stores

21 April 2011
Debenhams is to pilot online shopping areas on the shopfloors of its medium-sized department stores in a bid to grow market share in the stagnant trading environment.
TJ Hughes turnaround starts with new sourcing strategy

21 April 2011
The new chairman of TJ Hughes has refinanced the discount department store business and set out to redress its sourcing strategy after soaring costs and slumping margins drove the business to the brink.
Argos to launch licensed clothing for autumn 11

20 April 2011
Argos has confirmed that it will launch a clothing range for the first time in autumn 11.
Kate Middleton picks Warehouse for honeymoon dresses

20 April 2011
Queen-in-waiting and budding style icon Kate Middleton has spent £225 on honeymoon outfits at young fashion chain Warehouse.
Adidas Japan investigated for alleged price-fixing of EasyTone footwear

20 April 2011
Sports giant Adidas’ Japanese division is under investigation by the Fair Trade Commission in the country for allegedly coercing retailers in to not discounting Reebok’s EasyTone muscle-toning footwear.
Stephen Sunnucks to head up Gap's international arm

19 April 2011
US casualwear giant Gap has centralised its overseas operations to London and promoted European president Stephen Sunnucks.
Deckers appoints European president

19 April 2011
US footwear group, Deckers Outdoor Corporation, has appointed former Urban Outfitters global president Stephen Murray as president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Asia Pacific to generate half of Burberry's sales

18 April 2011
Burberry has said that the Asia Pacific region will generate half of the luxury label’s business within three to five years as it celebrated the opening of its flagship store in Beijing.
Jane Norman chases younger women with trend-led revamp

15 April 2011
Jane Norman has kicked off a radical overhaul of its product and image to target a younger, trend-savvy shopper.
Debenhams boss Rob Templeman to stand down

14 April 2011
Debenhams chief executive Rob Templeman is to retire later this year and hand the reins to his deputy, Michael Sharp.
Matalan to close London buying office

13 April 2011
Matalan, the value chain, is to close its London buying office and move its buying operations back to its Lancashire headquarters.
New Look courts Alistair McGeorge for chairman role

13 April 2011
New Look is understood to be in talks with former Matalan chief executive Alistair McGeorge about taking on the role of executive chairman at the beleaguered business.
JD Sports cautious despite 28% profit jump

13 April 2011
JD Sports Fashion has warned of a tough outlook despite notching up a 28% increase in full year pre-tax profits. Its sports fascias outperformed its young fashion chains but trade has deteriorated in the last eight weeks.
Tom Singh lures Barbara Horspool back to New Look

12 April 2011
Barbara Horspool, New Look’s group design director who quit last month ahead of a spectacular shake-up of personnel at the value chain, has been persuaded to stay at the business in an elevated role by chairman and founder Tom Singh.
Primark to open in retail park

11 April 2011
Primark, the value chain, has set its sights on opening its first store in a retail park.
Harvey Nicks profit up despite hit to shoppers’ spending

8 April 2011
High-end shoppers are not immune to the slowdown in trade experienced in recent weeks, with luxury shopping destination Harvey Nichols reporting a fall-off in trade.
Mim sell-off on hold in New Look review

8 April 2011
New Look founder Tom Singh is believed to have postponed a sale of its French basics chain Mim after he kicked off a review of the New Look business.
Beales plots own-label push after snapping up 19 stores

8 April 2011
Beales will return to profit within 18 months after completing a reverse takeover of 19 Westgate department stores from Anglia Regional Co-operative Society (ARCS), which will give the department store group more stores than John Lewis.
Bonmarché moves step closer to sale

8 April 2011
The Peacock Group has entered exclusive talks with private equity investor Duke Street about a sale of its mainstream womenswear chain Bonmarché.
My-wardrobe appoints Asos digital marketing manager

7 April 2011
My-wardrobe.com, the luxury etailer, has appointed former Asos digital marketing manager Troy Munns as head of menswear.
Beales to acquire 19 department stores

5 April 2011
Beales, the department store chain, is to more than double its store numbers with the acquisition of 19 stores from Anglia Regional Co-operative Society.
All Saints in second round of exclusive sale talks

5 April 2011
US private equity houses MSD Capital and Goode Partners are understood to have entered in to exclusive talks to buy young fashion chain All Saints.
Marks & Spencer fourth quarter clothing sales set to fall

4 April 2011
Marks & Spencer is set to report its first drop in underlying clothing sales for more than a year when it updates on its final quarter trading this week.
All Saints lender appoints advisors

1 April 2011
Lloyds Banking Group, the main lender to All Saints, has appointed accountancy firm KPMG to advise on its options should the young fashion chain fail to attract a buyer in the next week.
Warm weather impacts John Lewis fashion sales

1 April 2011
Fashion sales slumped 7.6% at John Lewis last week after the warm weather resulted in a fall-off in footfall and the late fall of Easter disrupted sales patterns.
HoF considers click-and-collect stores

1 April 2011
House of Fraser is exploring opportunities to maximise its multi-channel sales by scouting for small stores that could be used by click-and-collect customers.
Trade show to create 'Chinese Bread & Butter'

31 March 2011
Chinese young fashion trade show Chic is to emulate Berlin trade show Bread & Butter with its next edition in the hope of attracting over 100 international brands and designers.
Jaeger extends delivery to a further seven countries

29 March 2011
Premium retailer Jaeger has opened up its website to a further seven international markets.
John Lewis launches 'never ending refund'

28 March 2011
John Lewis has scrapped its 28-day return period and launched a “never ending refund” in a bid to attract cautious customers.
West End riots cost retailers £5m

28 March 2011
Retailers in the West End of London are understood to have lost at least £5m in sales following the riots in the capital over the weekend.
Next Lebanese PM closes in on All Saints deal

25 March 2011
All Saints is close to being bought by surprise suitor M1, a Beirut-based business co-founded by the likely next Lebanese Prime Minister, in partnership with Richard Sharp, the former head of Goldman Sachs’ private equity firm. A deal could be finalised as early as Monday.
TJ Hughes sold to Endless and management

25 March 2011
TJ Hughes, the discount department store chain, has been acquired by its management backed by restructuring specialist Endless in a move predicted by Drapers.
TJ Hughes sold

25 March 2011
TJ Hughes, the discount department store, has been refinanced and sold to a restructuring specialist, thought to be Endless.
Next: autumn 11 price rises to hit 10%

24 March 2011
Next has said that clothing prices could rise by up to 10% for autumn 11 and that businesses must adapt to a fundamentally changed retail landscape dominated by inflation and lower consumer expenditure.
Fashion sales drop at John Lewis

18 March 2011
Fashion sales dropped 2.6% in the week to March 12 as the department store came up against strong comparatives.
Alan Sugar’s plan to save manufacturing skills

18 March 2011
Entrepreneur says ‘incubator factories’ would support UK production growth.
Saks to pull John Galliano menswear collection

16 March 2011
Luxury US department store Saks is understood to have pulled disgraced British designer John Galliano’s eponymous menswear collection from its New York store, following his spectacular fall from grace.
Levi's appoints head of women's merchandising and design

16 March 2011
Denim giant Levi’s as appointed Laurie Etheridge as global head of women’s merchandising and design.
Gucci signs joint venture to directly open stores in UAE

16 March 2011
Gucci, the brand owned by french luxury goods group PPR, is to enter the United Arab Emirates after signing a joint venture with Middle Eastern luxury retailer Al Tayer Insignia.
Next drops womenswear prices by 7%, claims Credit Suisse

15 March 2011
Next has dropped the price of its current season womenswear by 7%, according to broker Credit Suisse, flying in the face of many retailers’ decision to up prices in line with cost price inflation.
Debenhams drives first half margins and profits

15 March 2011
Debenhams’ commitment to driving its own-label ranges and managing markdown in its first half helped it to offset some of the cost pressures endemic in the clothing sector and increase margins, the department store said.
All Saints boss claims Kaupthing used British savers' cash to prop up shares

14 March 2011
Kevin Stanford, the chairman of young fashion chain All Saints and co-founder of womenswear business Karen Millen, has claimed that collapsed Icelandic bank Kaupthing used cash from British deposits to artificially inflate its own share price.
Jane Norman chief Saj Shah exits after 35 years

25 February 2011
Jane Norman veteran Saj Shah has taken early retirement from the women’s young fashion chain, Drapers has learnt.
Horspool joins Oasis to oversee more feminine design direction

25 February 2011
Barbara Horspool, the outgoing group design director at New Look, will build on Oasis’s feminine and contemporary handwriting when she joins the women’s young fashion chain as design director this summer.
Wade to bolt trade show onto Boxpark

25 February 2011
Roger Wade, founder of pop-up mall Boxpark in London’s Shoreditch, is to launch a trade show to give brands that have signed up to the scheme a platform to showcase future collections to the trade.
Fashion sales fall at John Lewis

25 February 2011
Fashion sales at department store John Lewis dropped 0.2% in the week to February 19, although online fashion sales soared.
Sebastian Manes

25 February 2011
Selfridges’ buying director for womenswear, accessories and kidswear enjoys taking risks. His latest wheeze - the ground-breaking Shoe Galleries - proves they usually pay off
New Look's Wightman and Horspool in shock exit

23 February 2011
Barbara Horspool, group design director at New Look and the driving force behind the value chain’s fashion credentials, has quit to join women’s young fashion chain Oasis. Meanwhile New Look’s group buying director for clothing Roger Wightman will also leave the fast-fashion chain after Julian Kilmartin was appointed to the role.
John Lewis chief warns against interest rate rises

22 February 2011
John Lewis managing director Andy Street has warned that a rise in interest rates would negatively impact consumer confidence.
John Lewis to open store in Birmingham

21 February 2011
John Lewis is to open a department store in Birmingham restarting its store expansion strategy after developers jettisoned plans during the recession.
Rescued Paul Costelloe opens London Fashion Week

18 February 2011
A newly rescued Paul Costelloe opened London Fashion Week this morning sending a flurry of checks, skater skirts and boxy jackets down the catwalk.
New Look drafts in Kilmartin to steer product overhaul

18 February 2011
Ex-Primark and M&S product guru’s arrival set to trigger shake-up after chain’s 2010 sales slump
Pure Footwear

18 February 2011
Autumn 11
Pure Spirit

18 February 2011
Spring 11
Paul Costelloe womenswear rescued from administration

16 February 2011
Paul Costelloe womenswear has been rescued from administration by Cesar Araujo the owner and chief executive of Portuguese supply group Calvelex, which had links to the London Fashion Week label’s previous licensee.
Shop vacancy rates rise in 2010

15 February 2011
The number of empty shops in Britain has continued to rise in 2010, highlighting a marked north-south divide.
Alexa Chung and Anna Dello Russo model for Net-a-Porter magazine

11 February 2011
Net-a-Porter, the luxury etailer, has used celebrities for the first time to model its new season’s collection in its print magazine.
UK store acquisitions will add £3.5m to Hugo Boss profits

11 February, 2011
Hugo Boss UK is set to boost its profits by £3.5m in 2011 after its acquisition of 15 franchise stores previously operated by Moss Bros.
Copenhagen trade shows 'upbeat'

8 February 2011
The Copenhagen Fashion Fairs, organiser of Copenhagen trade shows CPH Vision and Terminal-2, has celebrated an “upbeat” trade show season.
M&S poaches Tesco's Laura Wade-Gery for ecommerce role

7 February 2011
Marks & Spencer has appointed Tesco ecommerce boss Laura Wade-Gery as executive director multi-channel ecommerce.
Tom Ford to show during London Fashion Week

7 February 2011
Designer Tom Ford will show his much-anticipated second womenswear collection during London Fashion Week.
John Lewis denies change to price matching policy

7 February 2011
John Lewis has denied claims that it has altered the terms and conditions of its Never Knowingly Undersold price matching policy after rewording its pledge.
IMAGE GALLERY: David Koma designs capsule range for Topshop

7 February 2011
David koma has become the latest womenswear designer to launch a capsule collection for young fashion chain Topshop.
Moss Bros sells Hugo Boss franchise for £16.5m

7 February 2011
Moss Bros, the menswear group, is to sell its 15 Hugo Boss franchised stores to Hugo Boss UK for £16.5m.
Harrods to welcome Chinese credit cards

3 February 2011
Harrods, the iconic department store, is to accept domestic Chinese debit and credit card UnionPay in a signal of the growing importance of Chinese shoppers’ spending power to the luxury retail sector.
Jimmy Choo to take control of Japanese venture

3 February 2011
Jimmy Choo, the luxury footwear and accessories brand, is set to take control of its Japanese retail business and open a string of stores in the country.
Hollyoaks actors to hire out dresses worn by the stars

3 February 2011
Hollyoaks actors Jennifer Metcalfe, Claire Cooper and ex-castmate Leah Hackett have launched a celebrity dress hire business.
Mama Jeanius maternity brand launches

3 February 2011
Maternity denim brand Mama Jeanius has launched online.
MBT appoints head of sales

3 February 2011
Masai GB, owner of comfort footwear brand MBT, has appointed Robert Lambert as head of sales for the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Selfridges Group finalises de Bijenkorf deal

31 January 2011
Selfridges Group, the group which owns iconic department store chain Selfridges, Irish department store Brown Thomas and Canadian department store business Holt Renfrew, has completed its acquisition of Dutch luxury department store chain de Bijenkorf.
High Court rules in favour of SuperGroup

31 January 2011
SuperGroup, the owner of young fashion brand and chain Superdry and Cult Clothing, has pledged to protect its brand after winning a legal case in which it alleged an infringement of its design rights.
Retailers sign up to Facebook Deals service

31 January 2011
Retailers including Benetton and Debenhams have teamed up with social network Facebook to offer its users discounts specific to their location.
Former TK Maxx boss Susanne Given joins John Lewis

31 January 2011
John Lewis has appointed Susanne Given, the former managing director of TK Maxx in the UK and Republic of Ireland, to a senior product or fashion role at the department store chain.
Vergo Retail brand assets to be sold

31 January 2011
The administrators to independent department store group Vergo Retail have appointed specialists to sell off the brand assets of the group which hit the buffers in May last year.
Bench for sale with £250m price tag

31 January 2011
Young fashion brand Bench and sister label Hooch have been put up for sale.
Jones Bootmaker in £40m sale

31 January 2011
Jones Bootmaker is set to be snapped up by Dutch group Macintosh Retail Group in a deal which is believed to value the footwear chain at £40m.
Bread & Butter visitors up but no-show for new trends

28 January 2011
Bread & Butter put in another solid performance at its autumn 11 edition, although there were signs that some more directional indies looked to other trade shows for inspiration for the season.
Block colours and contrast

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Bread & Butter

28 January 2011
Buyers at the Berlin trade show found plenty of proven winners but few new trends
Bread & Butter: Best of the rest

28 January 2011
A round-up of the other streetwear trends making their mark at Bread & Butter for autumn 11
Burnt orange checks

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Corduroy

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Creasing

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Dirty denims

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Mustard

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Nordic Knits

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Panelling

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Parkas and Padded jackets

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Quilting

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Rip-and-repair denim

28 January 2011
Autumn 11
Beales narrows losses by a third

27 January 2011
Beales, the independent department store chain, has reduced its full year losses for the third year running.
H&M Q3 profits hit by cotton price hikes

27 January 2011
H&M, the Swedish fast fashion chain, said that profits fell in the final three months of its financial year after being impacted by the rising price of cotton.
Billionaire cuts investment in American Apparel

27 January 2011
Billionaire Ron Burkle has cut his stake in US young fashion chain American Apparel.
Bread & Butter celebrates 'record' show

26 January 2011
The organisers of Bread & Butter have celebrated a ‘record’ edition of the streetwear trade show and said that the number of UK buyers at the event in Berlin increased on the previous year.
First images of Boux Avenue product revealed

26 January 2011
Entrepreneur Theo Paphitis has unveiled the first product images for his lingerie chain Boux Avenue which will open in late March.
JD Sports Fashion buys Irish chain Champion

25 January 2011
JD Sports Fashion has bought Irish sports fashion retailer Champion.
Matalan festive like-for-likes slump 4.5%

25 January 2011
Matalan, the value chain, said like-for-like sales slumped over the Christmas trading period after its stores were cut off by the snow in December.
Harrods breaks the £1bn sales barrier

24 January 2011
Harrods has broken through the £1bn sales barrier after a sparkling Christmas.
Tapered-leg jeans

21 January 2011
Autumn 11
Brands upbeat as Bread & Butter opens

19 January 2011
The mood on the opening day of streetwear trade show Bread & Butter was upbeat, with queues of buyers forming outside Berlin’s Tempelhof airport long before the doors opened this morning.
Pitti Uomo foreign buyer numbers soar

18 January 2011
Pitti Uomo has said that the number of foreign visitors to the January edition of the menswear trade show soared by 9% on the last edition, indicating a strong sense of recovery.
Peacocks to launch Daisy Lowe swimwear range

17 January 2011
Peacocks, the value retailer, has partnered with Daisy Lowe to launch a range of retro-inspired swimwear designed by the model.
Pentland stake creates cash injection for Sarah Coggles

14 January 2011
Manchester Square Enterprises, a subsidiary of Pentland Group, has made a multimillion-pound investment in York-based super indie Sarah Coggles.
Sarah Coggles boss vows to transform online fashion

14 January 2011
Owner Mark Bage tells Amy Shields about the premium indie’s growth plans following investment.
PPR creates ecommerce division

13 January 2011
PPR, the French luxury goods group, is to create a new business unit devoted to online retail and said it wanted online sales to account for 10% of Gucci Group and Puma’s revenues.
Jacques Vert festive sales rise 1.9%

13 January 2011
Jacques Vert, the womenswear group which includes brands Jacques Vert, Windsmoor, Planet and Precis, saw like-for-like sales rise 1.9% in the eleven weeks to January 8.
Non-food Christmas sales at Tesco 'subdued'

13 January 2011
Non-food growth at Tesco was subdued over Christmas after the snow impeded its shoppers from travelling to its stores.
Selfridges' Anne Pitcher promoted to managing director

12 January 2011
Selfridges has promoted buying and merchandising director Anne Pitcher to managing director of the iconic department store chain.
Peacocks Group sales and profits soar

12 January 2011
Peacocks Group, which operates value chain Peacocks and mature womenswear business Bonmarche, said EBITDA and sales rose across the group last year.
Womenswear sales continue to slow in December

11 January 2011
Womenswear sales in December continued to lag behind other categories after trade in the fashion and footwear sectors was hit by the snow during the month.
Aurora to outsource distribution and IT functions

10 January 2011
Aurora Fashions, the fashion group which comprises womenswear chains Oasis, Coast, Karen Millen and Warehouse, is to outsource its distribution and IT functions.
Debenhams like-for-likes slow, market share up

10 January 2011
Debenhams said like-for-like sales at the department store chain were impacted by the snow in December but that it had made market share gains across the board.
John Lewis Partnership to make record £500m investment

6 January 2011
John Lewis Partnership, the employee-owned business which includes the John Lewis department store chain, is to invest a record £500m in 2011 and indicated that the department store chain would be ready to expand overseas by the year’s end.
Arnotts reverses sales and EBITDA declines

6 January 2011
Troubled Dublin department store Arnotts said that it expected sales to have bounced back in 2010 after a dramatic fall off in turnover the previous year.
Snow costs Next £22m, like-for-likes fall 6.1%

5 January 2011
Snow in the run up to Christmas and heavy pre-Christmas discounting impacted Next’s sales by £22m, the retailer said.
Retailers fear tough year as price hikes bite

4 January 2011
Retailers, which saw shoppers flood the high street in the new year in a bid to beat today’s VAT increase, are braced to phase in price increases in the coming weeks.
John Lewis breaks sales records

30 December 2010
John Lewis has smashed its single day’s sales record during its post-Christmas Clearance.
Strong Christmas trading at Hammerson centres

30 December 2010
Shopping centre owner Hammerson has reported a strong start to the post-Christmas Sales period, with 2.25 million shoppers visiting its nine regional shopping centres over the three days from Boxing Day.
Lindsay Lohan to create footwear line

30 December 2010
Actress Lindsay Lohan is set to expand her fashion brand in to footwear, according to reports.
Paul Smith profits jump £3m

30 December 2010
British designer label Paul Smith has paid out a £3.4m dividend after a bumper year in which profits hit the £25m mark.
Post-Christmas Sales 'crucial', says KPMG.

30 December 2010
UK non-food sales were hit in December by a fall off in spending because of the snow and concerns over the economic outlook, KPMG said this morning.
Harvey Nichols reports record Sale

30 December 2010
Harvey Nichols, the luxury department store business, said that its post-Christmas Sale had broken records despite tube strikes in the capital, reduced trading hours on Boxing Day and problems with transportation due to the snow.
Apax buys German value retailer Takko

23 December 2010
Apax, the private equity company behind value retailer New Look, has acquired German value clothing company Takko Fashion.
Debenhams launches biggest ever Sale

23 December 2010
Debenhams has fired the starter gun on its biggest ever Sale with discounts of up to 70% online from today and in stores from Boxing Day.
Adidas to outpace Nike in 2015, says chief

23 December 2010
Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer has claimed that the German sportswear giant will grow faster than US rival Nike in 2015.
Second Royal wedding fashion debate

22 December 2010
News of a second Royal wedding has again sparked the question: ‘What will the bride and groom wear on the momentus day?’
Cerruti bought by Chinese business Trinity

22 December 2010
Fashion house Cerruti has been bought by Chinese menswear business Trinity for an amount that will not exceed €53m (£45m).
VF Corporation in $57m deal for Rock & Republic

21 December 2010
VF Corporation, the US owner of brands including The North Face, Wrangler, 7 For All Mankind and Lee, has signed a deal to buy premium denim brand Rock & Republic for $57m (£36.8m), according to reports.
VIDEO: Tommy Hilfiger Christmas ad campaign

21 December 2010
Tommy Hilfiger has debuted its first cinema ad campaign since 2005.
Gap to investigate Bangladesh factory fire

16 December 2010
Gap has said it was “terribly saddened” by the deaths of workers at a Bangladeshi factory razed to the ground by a fire this week, and that it would investigate the cause of the blaze.
Newgen Men winners announced

16 December 2010
Menswear designers including Christopher Shannon, James Long, JW Anderson and Katie Eary were among the recipients of the British Fashion Council’s Newgen Men sponsorship.
Baugur boss Johannesson avoids New York court case

15 December 2010
Jon Asgeir Johannesson, the boss of defunct Icelandic investor Baugur, has avoided a court case in the US after a judge in New York threw out a legal case against the London-based investor which claimed he was involved in a $2bn (£1.2bn) fraud.
H&M sales soar after Lanvin success

15 December 2010
H&M, the Swedish fast fashion chain, said like-for-like sales jumped 8% in November, the month in which it launched its sell-out Lanvin collection.
Fire rages at key Bangladeshi clothing factory

14 December 2010
A factory in Bangladesh which is understood to supply retailers in Europe including H&M has been razed to the ground by a fire which has killed four workers and injured 100 more.
VIDEO: Harvey Nichols tongue-in-cheek Christmas viral

14 December 2010
Luxury department store Harvey Nichols has aired a tongue-in-cheek Christmas viral video sending up the fashionistas who use their dogs as the ultimate fashion accessory.
Tube strikes set for Boxing Day

13 December 2010
London retailers are braced for a further blow to sales this Christmas after Tube drivers voted in favour of a walkout on Boxing Day.
Bangladeshi textile workers clash with police over pay

13 December 2010
Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers have clashed with police over the failure of factories to implement a new, higher minimum wage.
John Lewis has record week as high street sales thaw

13 December 2010
John Lewis had its best ever weekly sales performance last week as customers returned to the high street after the heavy snow.
PPR scotches Burberry takeover talk

10 December 2010
French luxury group PPR, the business behind brands including Gucci, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen, has ruled out any potential deal to acquire British luxury brand Burberry.
Situation ‘critical’ as snow freezes sales

10 December 2010
Retailers to promote heavily next week to offset ‘irreversible’ damage to trade.
Womenswear sales fall in November

7 December 2010
Womenswear sales fell year-on-year in November despite a strong performance from menswear and kidswear.
Bespoke shopping concept checks in at The Savoy hotel

3 December 2010
Fashion heavyweights including former Arnotts chief executive David Riddiford, former Liberty creative director Yasmin Sewell and former Aquascutum creative director Valerie Wickes have backed a new luxury retail venture offering bespoke shopping services to guests at some of the world’s leading hotels.
IMAGE GALLERY: First look at Tom Ford's debut collection

1 December 2010
Tom Ford has unveiled the first imagery of his highly-anticipated debut womenswear collection to consumers in an exclusive interview in magazine Harper’s Bazaar.
Primark's Oxford Street store sets sales record

30 November 2010
Primark notched up record sales of £820,000 at its flagship store on London’s Oxford Street on Saturday, according to newspaper reports.
Harold Tillman awarded CBE at Buckingham Palace

26 November 2010
British Fashion Council chairman Harold Tillman has been awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace.
Strike action threat to Christmas Sales

26 November 2010
Mixed fortunes for retailers as tube strikes cast shadow over festive trading, royal wedding promises spending bonanza and Irish retailers fear for future.
Tesco's Middleton-inspired dress sells out as national holiday announced

24 November 2010
Tesco’s £16 F&F dress in the style of the one Kate Middleton wore to announce her engagement to Prince William sold out online just one hour after it went on sale.
Maxeda's Hunkemoller bought by PAI

23 November 2010
Dutch lingerie chain Hunkemöller has been sold to private equity business PAI.
Lanvin for H&M launches

23 November 2010
UPDATED: Lanvin’s much-anticipated collection for high street retailer H&M sold out within hours after it launched on Tuesday with hoardes of shoppers queuing to get their hands on the coveted items.
Kurt Geiger sales soar as festive party season begins

23 November 2010
Kurt Geiger said Christmas would be strong for the footwear group after like-for-like sales soared 30% in the week commencing November 15 and the festive party season kicked off.
All Saints secures loan from Icelandic banks

22 November 2010
All Saints has agreed a loan with its Icelandic backers to fund further expansion, according to reports.
Cold weather drives fashion sales at John Lewis

22 November 2010
John Lewis said total sales surged 12% to £88m in the week to Saturday after a strong performance from cold weather related clothing.
Joules boosts board to steer expansion

19 November 2010
Lifestyle brand and retailer Joules has appointed former Fat Face chief executive Louise Barnes as chairman in a raft of board-level appointments to spearhead ambitious growth plans.
John Lewis reports strong start to week

18 November 2010
John Lewis saw sales surge 11.3% over the last four days driven by a strong performance from fashion and helped by the colder weather.
Who will Kate pick to design the dress of the century?

17 November 2010
The fashion industry and the world is on tenterhooks to see who queen-in-waiting Kate Middleton will pick to create her bridal dress which will be seen by millions at her wedding to Prince William next year.
DRAPERS FASHION SUMMIT: Aurora to launch 90 minute delivery option

16 November 2010
Aurora Fashions, the group behind womenswear chains Warehouse, Coast, Karen Millen and Oasis, is to launch 90 minute delivery slots in what it claims is a fashion first.
Fashion prices to soar 4.7% in time for Christmas

15 November 2010
Clothing and footwear prices could rise by up to 4.7% in the last quarter of 2010 according to retail consultancy Verdict, the highest increase since 1991.
George Davies ploughs £9m into S'Porter

15 November 2010
Entrepreneur George Davies has injected close to £9m into the company behind his troubled womenswear chain GIVe and sports fashion business S’Porter.
Kidswear kicks off Christmas at John Lewis

15 November 2010
Department store John Lewis said sales jumped 11.5% week-on-week in the seven days to Saturday, with a strong performance from kidswear.
Fashion sales and profits soar at Richemont

12 November 2010
Richemont, the Swiss luxury goods group behind brands including Dunhill, Chloe and etailer Net-a-Porter, has reported double digit sales growth in its fashion and accessories division.
VIDEO: John Lewis launches Christmas ad following 'subdued' week

12 November 2010
John Lewis has reported a subdued week in the seven days to November 6, following a strong half term.
TJ Hughes new boss announced as Tennant steps down

11 November 2010
TJ Hughes chief executive Sue Tennant will leave the discount department store at the end of the year, five months after private equity backers Silverfleet pulled a sale of the business.
New Look like-for-likes slump against strong comparatives

11 November 2010
New Look said that group like-for-likes fell 3% in the 26 weeks to September 25 after the value chain came up against strong comparatives and was impacted by the disruption caused by the relocation of its head office to London.
Debenhams mulls extended Edition

5 November 2010
Debenhams may develop its Edition concept for emerging designers into full Designers At ranges, according to the department store chain’s group trading director Suzanne Harlow.
Selfridges reveals fantasy world Christmas windows

29 October 2010
Selfridges has unveiled its much-anticipated Christmas windows.
Cold weather boosts sales at John Lewis

29 October 2010
Fashion sales at department store chain John Lewis rose 14% in the week to October 23, as the cold weather drove a strong seasonal uplift and sales of Barbour jackets doubled.
Fashion drives October sales growth

28 October 2010
Retail sales in October were higher than the same month a year ago following a strong performance from fashion, according to the CBI’s monthly Distributive Trades Survey.
Primark reclaims top spot in market share battle

27 October 2010
Primark, the value fashion giant, returned to the top spot as the UK’s largest clothing retailer by volume over the summer, ahead of Asda and Marks & Spencer.
Olivier Theyskens becomes artistic director of Theory

26 October 2010
Belgian designer Olivier Theyskens has become artistic director of US brand Theory.
Peacocks' bidders revealed

25 October 2010
The two private equity firms understood to have made an unsolicited approach for value group Peacocks are believed to be Bain Capital and Blackstone.
Matalan reports "satisfactory" first half

20 October 2010
Matalan has reported a “satisfactory” first half performance and confirmed that Alistair McGeorge has stepped down as chief executive.
Peacocks receives bid approaches

18 October 2010
The owners of Peacocks have received an approach for the business two weeks after the value chain’s management pulled a sale process.
Plenty of trends for spring, but which are the winners?

15 October 2010
Womenswear chains face dilemma over how to pick spring 11’s key items following catwalk season.
Michael Ward

15 October 2010
‘It’s not a daunting task to run Harrods,’ says the department store’s managing director who, despite his boss’s notoriety, thrived under ex-Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed.
Matthew Williamson set to launch diffusion range

12 October 2010
Designer Matthew Williamson is understood to be set to launch his first diffusion collection for autumn 11, with the working title Muse.
Gap apologises and scraps new logo after uproar

12 October 2010
Gap has done a rapid about face and said that it would revert to its traditional blue box logo after a disastrous reaction to a new logo unveiled in America last week.
Net-a-Porter snaps up Koodos.com

11 October 2010
Net-a-Porter, the luxury etailer, has acquired the assets of discount fashion etailer Koodos.com which has been put in to administration.
Gap president defends controversial new logo

8 October 2010
Gap’s North American president Marka Hansen has defended the US casualwear chain’s controversial new logo and said she wanted customers to “take notice” of the chain and “see what it stands for today”.
Accessorize launches standalone website

8 October 2010
Accessorize, the accessories chain owned by Monsoon Accessorize, has launched a standalone website.
Fashion leads strong performance at John Lewis

8 October 2010
Department store chain John Lewis recorded strong fashion sales growth in the week to October 2 with kidswear, knitwear and outerwear performing strongly.
Whistles poised to return to the black

8 October 2010
Shepherdson confident that the womenswear chain has “found its identity”.
Superbrand renaissance drives profits at Harrods

8 October 2010
Harrods managing director Michael Ward has heralded the renaissance of the superbrand and said shoppers have continued to trade up to investment pieces post the recession.
Value chains triumph in RSPCA’s welfare awards

8 October 2010
The winners of the RSPCA Good Business Awards were announced this week at an awards ceremony at One Marylebone in London.
Prada considers IPO

7 October 2010
Prada is considering an IPO next year, the Italian house’s fifth flotation in ten years.
Moss Bros appoints Maurice Helfgott as non-exec

7 October 2010
Moss Bros, the menswear specialist, has appointed retail investor Maurice Helfgott as an independent non-executive director.
John Lewis to launch mobile phone website

5 October 2010
John Lewis is set to launch a mobile-optimised version of its website on Monday.
Boudiche rescued by Scottish cashmere designer

4 October 2010
Scottish lingerie independent Boudiche has been acquired by Scottish knitwear designer Belinda Dickson for an undisclosed amount.
Hilfiger’s greatest hits

24 September 2010
To mark his brand’s 25th birthday, Tommy Hilfiger has created the Icons range, which revisits some of his all-American classics.
Hilfiger’s Icons mark 25 years of US cool

24 September 2010
Tommy Hilfiger, legendary designer and godfather of preppy Americana, has launched a capsule collection of heritage pieces to celebrate the brand’s 25th anniversary.
House of Fraser's Biba takes £300,000 in first week

22 September 2010
House of Fraser said that its Biba brand, which launched last week, took £300,000 in its first week on sale, making it the department store’s most successful brand launch to date.
Samantha Cameron to support LFW and the BFC

20 September 2010
Samantha Cameron, the wife of Prime Minister David Cameron, has pledged her support for London Fashion Week and the British Fashion Council.
House of Fraser considers out-of-town stores

20 September 2010
House of Fraser, the department store chain, is understood to be drawing up plans to open out-of-town stores.
American Apparel granted extension to file results

20 September 2010
American Apparel, the US chain, has had an extension granted by the New York Stock Exchange to file its results for the second quarter ended June 30 to avoid being delisted.
BFC: fashion worth £20bn to economy

17 September 2010
Report highlights value of UK fashion as bodies unite in call for funding.
Beales like-for-likes fall 1.7% but womenswear sales strong

17 September 2010
Indie department store chain Beales said like-for-like sales including concessions and VAT for the 45 weeks to September 11 dropped 1.7%, impacted by a fall-off in big ticket sales.
Emphasis is on quality for Principles by Ben de Lisi

17 September 2010
Designer Ben de Lisi talks Drapers through his spring 11 Principles collection for Debenhams.
PICTURE GALLERY: Selfridges Shoe Galleries

16 September 2010
Selfridges will offer a first glimpse of its much-hyped Shoe Galleries to the press tonight.
Fashion and online drive strong first half for John Lewis

16 September 2010
John Lewis said operating profits soared 76.8% to £35.9m in the first half to July 31, driven by a strong performance from fashion and johnlewis.com.
New Look's Kernan becomes chief operating officer

16 September 2010
New Look group managing director Will Kernan has been appointed chief operating officer of the value chain.
Stephanie Chen

10 September 2010
The resurrection of Biba by House of Fraser is just the start of a new chapter for the iconic womenswear brand, says the retailer’s womenswear and accessories boss.
Clothing deflation hits 2.6% in August

8 September 2010
Clothing and footwear deflation accelerated to 2.6% in August from 1.2% in July, the highest level of deflation reported since November 2009.
Debenhams launches surprise in-season Sale

7 September 2010
Department store chain Debenhams has launched a four day Sale Spectacular on new autumn stock, a highly unusual move for the department store.
John Lewis in profits bounce back

6 September 2010
John Lewis is expected to say that profits at the department store chain have returned to pre-recession levels when it updates on its half-year results this month and has unveiled its autumn ad campaign.
Supply chain crisis looms

21 August 2010
Fashion retailers and brands are facing a supply chain crisis as the Indian subcontinent grapples with a triple whammy of natural and man-made disasters and political unrest, which threatens to disrupt deliveries and heap further pressure on costs.
Angela Spindler

21 August 2010
The chief executive of The Original Factory Shop believes the discount department store chain has hit upon a winning formula that will take it to 500 stores by 2020
'Growing pains' at TK Maxx blamed for tumbling profits

19 August 2010
TJX Companies, the US parent company behind off-price retailer TK Maxx, has blamed the poor second quarter performance of its European business on operations in the UK and Ireland.
School uniform prices tumble

17 August 2010
The cost of buying school uniforms has nearly halved over the last six years.
House of Fraser launches overseas delivery

16 August 2010
Department store House of Fraser has launched its overseas delivery service as part of plans to achieve a 150% increase in online sales by the end of the year.
M&S throws credit lifeline to suppliers

14 August 2010
Bank deal gives suppliers better rates on borrowing against M&S invoices
M&S kicks off nationwide student collaboration initiative

12 August 2010
Marks & Spencer has teamed up with the Royal College of Art (RCA) to give its students the chance to create a collection for the chain’s Limited Collection.
Arnotts chairman leads board reshuffle

11 August 2010
Mark Schwartz, who was appointed chairman of Arnotts yesterday, has led a reshuffle of the board of the Irish department store and is reviewing its senior management team.
Aurora makes key appointments at Coast and Oasis

10 August 2010
Aurora Fashions has appointed Margaret McDonald, formerly chief executive of womenswear and footwear retailer LK Bennett, managing director of occasionwear chain Coast.
EU approves takeover of Arnotts

9 August 2010
The European Union has approved the takeover of iconic Irish department store Arnotts by its banks.
Beales buys Westgate department store in Rochdale

6 August 2010
Indie department store chain Beales has bought the Westgate department store in Rochdale for £300,000.
Footwear

7 August 2010
Spring 11
Selfridges unveils footwear strategy

7 August 2010
Selfridges is poised to open what it claims is the world’s largest footwear department in its London flagship store on Oxford Street.
Cotton prices set to stabilise

3 August 2010
Cotton prices could stabilise this year, after India - the world’s second-biggest exporter of raw cotton after China - looks set for a healthy harvest this year.
Pretty Green - IMAGE GALLERY

3 August 2010
Young fashion brand Pretty Green has opened its much-anticipated pop-up shop at 57 Carnaby Street, London.
Primark poaches Matalan’s John Lyttle for COO role

2 August 2010
Primark has poached John Lyttle from rival Matalan to the role of chief operating officer.
Jedward to launch high street fashion range

2 August 2010
X Factor stars twins Jedward are set to launch a clothing label called Pop Icons.
Baugur boss transfers assets after freezing order

2 August 2010
Former Baugur boss Jon Asgeir Johannesson transferred more than half a million pounds out of his accounts after the High Court issued a worldwide freezing order on his assets, according to reports.
Ugg Australia to move in to knitwear

2 August 2010
Ugg Australia, the footwear brand renowned for its sheepskin boots, is to expand in to knitwear.
John Lewis weekly fashion sales rise 11.2%

30 July 2010
Fashion sales were up 11.2% at John Lewis last week, reflecting strong demand for boys’ clothes, men’s formal wear and jewellery.
Strong young fashion sales bolster Aurora Fashions

31 July 2010
Aurora Fashions, which operates womenswear chains Oasis, Coast, Karen Millen and Warehouse, has seen a resurgence in sales at its young fashion chains after sunny weather tempted shoppers out to buy maxi dresses and floral prints.
Duo appointed to key Peacocks posts

31 July 2010
Value chain Peacocks has promoted Ben Smith to head of menswear and recruited supply veteran Ray Walters as head of buying for basics.
Mariella Burani former executives arrested

29 July 2010
Walter and Giovanni Burani, the former executives of Mariella Burani Fashion Group have been arrested following investigations of alleged fraudulent bankruptcy.
Arnotts could be sold for €1

29 July 2010
The future of Arnotts remains unclear after it emerged that the iconic Irish department store could be sold for a little as €1 as part of plans to restructure its debts.
Anglo Irish Bank seeks takeover of Arnotts

28 July 2010
Iconic Irish department store Arnotts is set to come under the control of Anglo Irish Bank
Aurora Fashions posts operating profit of £23m in inaugural year

26 July 2010
Aurora Fashions, the group which operates chains Oasis, Coast, Karen Millen and Warehouse, posted operating profits of £22.6m in the 11 months since it was reborn from the wreckage of the Icelandic financial meltdown.
Wolford full-year UK sales rise

23 July 2010
Wolford said UK sales rose during the year to April 30, despite a disappointing first half at the Austrian hosiery and lingerie business as a whole.
Memorial service for Lee Alexander McQueen set during LFW

23 July 2010
A private memorial service for late designer Lee Alexander McQueen is set to take place on Monday September 20 during London Fashion Week, according to reports.
John Lewis fashion sales continue to soar

23 July 2010
Fashion sales at John Lewis have continued to outperform all other categories at the department store, increasing by 20% in the week ending July 17.
Harvey Nichols in profits bounce back

24 July 2010
Profits return but chief executive warns of drop in shopper spend for 2011
Primark, Tesco and H&M to investigate alleged unethical factory practices

19 July 2010
Primark, Tesco and H&M have been lambasted after an investigation by the Daily Mail claimed that factories contracted by the high street retailers were exploiting its workers, in sweat shop conditions.
Net-a-Porter appoints buying director for menswear site

19 July 2010
Luxury etailer Net-a-Porter has appointed menswear buyer Toby Bateman to be buying director for its menswear site Mr Porter.
Selfridges celebrates early Christmas

19 July 2010
While the country prepares to bask in a mini-heatwave, Selfridges is getting in to the spirit of Christmas and is gearing up to open its Christmas store earlier than ever before.
Giles to return to LFW as line-up announced

15 July 2010
Giles Deacon will return to London Fashion Week in September.
Clothing sales hit in June

13 July 2010
Clothing and footwear sales slowed in June, impacted by a stronger performance in a sunny May - when shoppers were first tempted out to buy summer ranges - and by uncertainty surrounding the emergency Budget.
Former Baugur boss claims to be down to his 'last million'

12 July 2010
Jon Asgeir Johannesson, the former boss of collapsed Icelandic investor Baugur who made millions snapping up swathes of the UK high street, has claimed in court that he has only a little over a million of assets left.
Peter Scott & Company bought by Gloverall

12 July 2010
Scottish luxury knitwear brand Peter Scott & Company has been bought by duffle coat specialist Gloverall for an undisclosed amount.
HoF sets date for iconic Biba rebirth

10 July 2010
House of Fraser is set to relaunch British brand Biba in September in what the department store chain has hailed as the biggest fashion launch in its history.
Hopes of department store revival rest with own labels

10 July 2010
Suggestions that the department store model is severely under threat have been quashed by an upsurge in innovation and activity in the sector.
John Lewis showcases autumn 10 ranges at first ever catwalk show

8 July 2010
John Lewis has debuted a raft of new brands and designer collections for autumn 10 at its first ever catwalk show.
Funeral of Nick Samuel to take place on Thursday

5 July 2010
The funeral of former Hobbs boss Nick Samuel will take place on Thursday.
John Lewis appoints operations director

2 July 2010
John Lewis has appointed Dino Rocos as operations director, with responsibility for distribution and merchandising.
New Liberty owner vows to slimline branded offering

3 July 2010
Marco Capello, the new owner and chairman of Liberty, has outlined plans to scale back the London department store’s brands to focus on increasing the depth of its offer.
Harrods aims to boost own label by opening in-store boutiques

3 July 2010
Harrods is to drive its own-label offer with the opening of in-store boutiques for its eponymous clothing and accessories range.
Gucci and Fendi show kidswear at Pitti Bimbo

25 June 2010
Italian fashion brands, Gucci and Fendi, are launching their first kidswear ranges at Pitti Bimbo in Florence.
American Apparel renegotiates debt covenants

25 June 2010
American Apparel, the US fashion chain, has agreed a deal with its creditors and attracted a billionaire investor, ensuring that it would avoid breaching its debt covenants.
Matt McCormack

26 June 2010
John Lewis’s head of buying for menswear, leisure and sports is sweet-talking brands into joining his quest to create a ‘unique’ offer that consigns the retailer’s conservative image to history.
Victoria's Secret confirms first UK store as Pringle downsizes

24 June 2010
US lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret has confirmed it has signed for its first UK store on London’s upmarket New Bond Street in the site currently occupied by luxury knitwear brand Pringle.
LIVE UPDATE: The Budget

22 June 2010
Chancellor George Osborne has revealed the details of the Lib-Con emergency Budget today. Here Drapers follows the developments and their impact on the retail and wholesale sector.
Giles Deacon in London catwalk comeback

21 June 2010
Designer Giles Deacon is understood to be considering a return to the London catwalks in September.
Joplings in Sunderland to close

18 June 2010
Iconic independent department store Joplings in Sunderland, part of the beleaguered Vergo Retail group, is to close tomorrow.
Retail has changed forever, says Lovelock

19 June 2010
The face of the retail landscape has changed forever, according to Aurora Fashions chairman Derek Lovelock.
Summer Sale: Selfridges kicks off Summer Sale

14 June 2010
Selfridges has fired the starter gun for the Summer Sale period after the department store went in to Sale in its stores and online today.
Video: All Saints store, Broadway, New York

8 June 2010
All Saints opened a store on New York’s iconic shopping street Broadway late last month and racked up sales of nearly $1m (£680,000) in its first week of trading. See a video of the store here.
TJ Hughes pulls sale process

7 June 2010
TJ Hughes, the discount department store chain, has axed its sale process Drapers has learned.
Walmart outlines plans to grow George overseas

7 June 2010
Walmart, the US giant which owns Asda in the UK, has said that it will roll out Asda’s George clothing line in to further markets.
Footlocker bid speculation drives shares at JJB Sports

4 June 2010
Shares surged in JJB Sports yesterday after speculation that US sports footwear giant Footlocker could make a play for the sportswear retailer.
Beales acquires Robbs of Hexham

4 June 2010
Indie department store group Beales has acquired Robbs of Hexham from MCR, the administrator for beleaguered indie department store group Vergo Retail, for £250,000.
Reinvigorated Crombie embarks on expansion

29 May 2010
Menswear retailer Crombie is to embark on an aggressive expansion and brand awareness campaign after it unveiled a reinvigorated offer under its new management.
Peter Ruis appointed buying and brand director at John Lewis

27 May 2010
John Lewis buying director of fashion Peter Ruis has been promoted to buying and brand director.
Vergo Retail administrators prepare to close all stores

26 May 2010
The administrators of Vergo Retail, the owner of iconic independent department stores including Robbs of Hexham and Joplings in Sunderland, are poised to close down all 19 of the group’s stores.
TJX Europe reports 1% rise in first quarter like-for-likes

25 May 2010
TJX Europe, the company which operates off-price fashion chain TK Maxx in the UK, said that like-for-like sales rose 1% in the first quarter to May 1.
Day Birger et Mikkelsen founder buys back brand

24 May 2010
The founder of Danish premium womenswear label Day Birger et Mikkelsen has taken back control of the business three years after he sold the business to collapsed Icelandic investor Baugur.
House of Fraser revives Dickins & Jones name

22 May 2010
House of Fraser is to relaunch the Dickins & Jones name for autumn 10 with the launch of a contemporary womenswear line named after the famous department store.
New UK and Ireland boss to drive Claire’s expansion

22 May 2010
Fashion accessories chain Claire’s has appointed Levi’s retail director Sheila Hamilton as managing director of its UK and Republic of Ireland division.
IMAGE GALLERY: Kate Moss models latest Topshop collection

19 May 2010
Kate Moss has appeared in an online video modelling her latest collection for Topshop.
BlueGem agrees terms of offer for Liberty

19 May 2010
The boards of Liberty and private equity vehicle BlueGem have reached an agreement on the terms of a recommended cash offer for the luxury department store.
Ethel Austin reborn as Life & Style

19 May 2010
Elaine McPherson, the former owner of Ethel Austin, has secured an injection of funds to launch fashion and homewares chain Life & Style, born from the ashes of the value chain which she rescued from administration for a second time in March.
Pyrrho counters Liberty's claims

18 May 2010
Pyrrho Investments, the investment vehicle which made a counter-bid for Liberty, has countered claims made by the board of the department store in regard to their offer.
Baugur boss to defend himself 'fully' in $2bn lawsuit

17 May 2010
Former Baugur boss Jon Asgeir Johannesson has said that he will defend himself against the claims made by Glitnir that he “looted” the nationalised Icelandic bank ahead of its collapse in 2008.
Phase Eight in management buy-out

17 May 2010
Phase Eight, the womenswear retail chain, is set to be taken over by its management in a deal backed by Russian investors, ending its links with the private equity arm of Icelandic bank Kaupthing.
Peacocks considers appointing advisers for potential sale

17 May 2010
The owners of Peacocks Group are understood to be considering appointing advisers to examine the value business’ options as it considers a possible sale.
Liberty defends deal process

17 May 2010
UPDATED: Liberty has defended its choice to recommend an offer for the luxury department store, after a rival suitor claimed to have been frozen out of the process.
Primark finance director to step down

14 May 2010
Primark’s long-serving finance director Paddy Prior is set to step down from the value chain.
Aurora Fashions hires Hash Ladha

15 May 2010
Aurora Fashions has appointed marketing and ecommerce guru Hash Ladha to the newly created role of group multichannel director.
Licensing route to return Liberty of London to profit

15 May 2010
Liberty chief executive Geoffroy de La Bourdonnaye has declared a “new beginning” for its Liberty of London brand and said it will become the fourth and final part of the business to become profitable after signing its first licensing deal this week.
Hugo Boss eyes China joint venture

13 May 2010
German fashion house Hugo Boss is in talks with Chinese fashion retailer and frranchise partner Rainbow Group to start a joint venture to drive growth in China.
Sainsbury’s profits ahead of expectations

13 May 2010
Sainsbury’s has reported underlying full-year pre-tax profits ahead of expectations up 17.5% to £610m and said clothing was a “star performer” in non-food.
Baugur boss Johannesson accused of 'looting' Icelandic bank

13 May 2010
Jon Asgeir Johannesson, the owner of the now defunct Icelandic investment vehicle Baugur, has been accused of spearheading the $2bn (£1.3bn) “looting” of Icelandic bank Glitnir before its collapse in October 2008.
Fashion sales slow in April as shoppers remain cautious

11 May 2010
Retail sales fell in April, impacted by the timing of Easter and pre-election nerves.
SuperGroup full year sales soar 83%

11 May 2010
SuperGroup, the young fashion business which owns brand Superdry and retail chain Cult, said that full-year group sales rose 83% to £139m in its first figures since it joined the stock market.
Harrods new owners consider international push

10 May 2010
The new owner of Harrods, Qatar Holding, is poised to push the button on overseas expansion, including a potential flagship Harrods store in Shanghai, following its £1.5bn acquisition of the Knightsbridge department store at the weekend.
Winner of Pringle Design Competition announced

7 May 2010
Pringle of Scotland, the luxury brand, and the British Fashion Council have today announced the winner of its Pringle Design Competition in association with the British Fashion Council’s Colleges Council.
Beleaguered Ittiere granted funds

7 May 2010
The administrators to Ittiere, the Italian manufacturing and licensing company which produces collections Just Cavalli, Galliano and Ermanno Scervino, have secured a €60.6m (£53m) cash injection for the business.
Liberty £32m sale moves closer

7 May 2010
Liberty, the iconic London department store, has confirmed that it is in talks with private equity firm BlueGem Capital Partners about a possible £32m sale of the business, as originally revealed by Drapers.
Fashionair.com future uncertain

7 May 2010
The future of Fashionair.com, the fashion website launched by pop svengali Simon Fuller, hangs in the balance as the site revealed today that it will not be adding new content to the site until the result of a strategic review by its parent company.
Mothercare eyes Blooming Marvellous

6 May 2010
Mothercare, the maternity specialist retail chain, is understood to be considering buying baby and maternity retailer Blooming Marvellous to boost its clothing offer.
Net-a-Porter launches denim boutique

6 May 2010
Net-a-Porter, the luxury etailer, has launched a dedicated denim boutique.
Nike to increase sales by 40% by 2015

6 May 2010
Nike has set its sights on adding 40% to its sales over the next five years to hit $27bn (£17.9bn), up from $19.2bn (£12.7bn) currently.
JD Sports Fashion appoints non-executive director

4 May 2010
JD Sports Fashion has appointed Andrew Leslie as non-executive director.
Fashion boosts John Lewis' sales

30 April 2010
John Lewis said that fashion sales “stole the show” and rose 16.1% at the department store chain in the week to April 24.
Ramadan date to trigger early Summer Sales

1 May 2010
Department stores are set to heap pressure on the high street and premium indies by bringing their summer Sales forward to clear stock and shift to full-price merchandise ahead of the lucrative pre-Ramadan shopping period.
Tony Brown

1 May 2010
Targeted promotions and an overhaul of its brand mix to include more own labels and young fashion have reinvigorated department store chain Beales. And its chief executive says there’s more to come
Nike, Louis Vuitton and Tesco top brand charts

29 April 2010
Brands and retailers including Nike, Louis Vuitton and Tesco have topped the charts of the world’s most valuable brands, according to research commissioned by communications agency WPP.
BFC Colleges Council Graduate winners announced

29 April 2010
The British Fashion Council (BFC) has announced the winners of the BFC Colleges Council Graduate Preview Day Awards.
Jimmy Choo's Tamara Mellon named chief creative officer

27 April 2010
Tamara Mellon has been appointed founder and chief creative officer of designer footwear label Jimmy Choo.
Moss Bros appoints chairman

27 April 2010
Moss Bros has appointed Debbie Hewitt as independent non-executive chairman.
Peacocks explores sale or refinancing

26 April 2010
The owners of Peacocks Group are understood to be considering a sale or refinancing of the value retail group.
Beales launches men’s standalone concept

24 April 2010
It is the first store opening for the 11-store retailer since the early 2000s and comes as Beales prepares to push the button on further expansion following stakebuilding by shareholder and property entrepreneur Andrew Perloff.
Faith in administration

22 April 2010
UPDATED: The administrators to footwear retailer Faith are seeking a going concern sale of the business after it went into administration today.
Fashion sales online jump 18%

22 April 2010
The sunshine helped boost online sales of spring wardrobes with sales of fashion up 28% year-on-year and 27% month-on-month in March.
Tesco clothing sales hit £1bn

20 April 2010
Tesco said that its full-year clothing sales rose 7.3% to hit £1bn, driven by a strong performance from kidswear, its F&F brand in Europe and its online offer.
Suitors circle Phase Eight

19 April 2010
Phase Eight, the womenswear retailer, has received expressions of interest from several private equity suitors, according to reports.
Debenhams defends own-bought strategy

17 April 2010
Debenhams deputy chief executive Michael Sharp has defended the department store chain’s shift to an own-bought strategy after a lacklustre response by the City to the department store’s current trading.
Debenhams makes market share gains as interim profits rise

13 April 2010
Department store group Debenhams has posted higher than expected interim profits after strong performances from its own-bought ranges and market share gains.
LK Bennett chief executive exits

12 April 2010
Margaret McDonald, the chief executive of premium retailer LK Bennett, is to step down from the business, Drapers has learnt.
Europe rejects China's appeal over footwear anti-dumping duties

12 April 2010
The European Commission rejected China’s call for a formal investigation by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) into anti-dumping duties on leather footwear imported from Vietnam and China.
Former Baugur boss sued for £30m by nationalised Icelandic bank

12 April 2010
Jon Asgeir Johannesson, the former boss of collapsed Icelandic investment vehicle Baugur, is being sued by nationalised Icelandic bank Glitnir for £30m over claims that he used his influence as a major shareholder to secure a personal loan.
Elaine McPherson buys Ethel Austin for second time

1 April 2010
Ethel Austin, the value chain, has been sold back to Elaine McPherson for a second time for an undisclosed amount.
Fashion sales at John Lewis jump 25%

1 April 2010
Fashion sales drove another strong week at department store John Lewis as the warmer weather drove sales of summer ranges.
Retailers back Tory plans to halt NI rise

1 April 2010
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.
Ex-Fat Face buyer to lead HMV’s fashion venture

1 April 2010
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.
Harrods not for sale, says Fayed

30 March 2010
Harrods owner Mohamed Fayed has told employees that the iconic Knightsbridge department store is not for sale after an unsolicited approach for the business.
Liberty records positive EBITDA for first time in a decade

30 March 2010
Iconic London department store Liberty has reported that EBITDA was in positive territory for the first time in a decade in the year to December 31.
Piper Private Equity backs MBO of Weird Fish

29 March 2010
Weird Fish managing director John Stockton has led a management buy out of the ethical lifestyle brand backed by investor Piper Private Equity.
The weekend newspaper round up: March 27 to 28 2010

29 March 2010
A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers.
Retail chiefs forecast slow consumer recovery

29 March 2010
Retail chiefs including Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose, Next chief executive Simon Wolfson and New Look chief executive Carl McPhail have warned against expecting a consumer recovery this year, a report has found.
Tom Ford poaches designers for womenswear line

26 March 2010
Designer Tom Ford is understood to be putting together a design team for his eponymous womenswear line.
Emanuel Ungaro not for sale, says owner

26 March 2010
The owner of Emanuel Ungaro, Asim Abdullah, has denied reports he is attempting to sell the beleaguered French fashion house.
John Lewis ramps up younger branded offer as sales soar

27 March 2010
John Lewis has cemented its position as a key high street fashion retailer with the addition of a raft of younger, more premium brands including G-Star and Diesel to its mix.
Marks & Spencer reveals new advertising strategy

22 March 2010
Marks & Spencer will this week unveil changes to its advertising and marketing strategy and has signed former footballer Jamie Redknapp as the face of its menswear campaign in print beginning in May.
Fidler and Herz join Bally

22 March 2010
Former Aquascutum designers Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz have been appointed creative directors of luxury accessories brand Bally.
Joseph Ettedgui: The industry pays tribute

19 March 2010
The industry has paid tribute to Joseph Ettedgui who passed away yesterday at the age of 74.
Joseph founder Ettedgui dies

19 March 2010
Legendary retailer Joseph Ettedgui, who founded the womenswear label Joseph, has died at the age of 74.
Rayner and Sturges acquires Cravats

19 March 2010
Cravats, the shirt and tie manufacturer, has been bought out of administration by Rayner and Sturges for an undisclosed sum.
Ethel Austin closes a further 81 stores after failing to secure buyer

17 March 2010
MCR, the administrators of Ethel Austin, will close a further 81 stores after failing to secure a buyer for the value chain.
Envy sold to SKG Capital boss

17 March 2010
Branded young fashion chain Envy Retail has been sold to a consortium of private equity investors including the boss of private equity firm SKG Capital, Chris Althorp-Gormlay.
Phase Eight receives bid approaches

17 March 2010
Womenswear chain Phase Eight is understood to have received a number of bid approaches.
Bonmarché launches transactional website

17 March 2010
Bonmarché, the mature womenswear retailer, will launch a transactional website on April 6.
Debenhams gains market share as sales rise

16 March 2010
Debenhams said that like-for-like sales at the department store were on an improving trend and that it has gained market share from rivals.
Moss Bros chairman resigns

15 March 2010
Moss Bros non-executive chairman David Adams has resigned from the menswear business.
Liberty sells freehold of landmark store

15 March 2010
Liberty is close to inking a deal for the sale-and-leaseback of its mock-Tudor department store in a move which is set to precede a sale of the operating business.
Arnotts mulls restructure

13 March 2010
Arnotts’ banks have drafted in a team of specialists including former Brown Thomas chief executive Nigel Blow to assist its management team with formulating a strategy for the troubled Irish department store.
Beales launches men’s young fashion offer

13 March 2010
Department store chain Beales has unveiled a men’s young fashion offer in its flagship Bournemouth store and plans to drive incremental sales from its menswear business by 30%.
Whistles sales on the up, says Shepherdson

13 March 2010
Whistles chief executive Jane Shepherdson has said sales have been on an upward curve at the premium womenswear chain after customers responded well to new collections.
Suzanne Harlow

13 March 2010
Debenhams’ group trading director has been juggling multiple product launches and strategic changes at the department store chain - and that’s just how she likes it
Burberry files lawsuit against TK Maxx parent

10 March 2010
Burberry has filed a trademark lawsuit against TK Maxx parent company TJX Companies, accusing the US retailer of selling counterfeit goods at its US fascias.
Micam hailed a success

9 March 2010
The organisers of international footwear tradeshow Micam hailed this season’s edition a success and “one of the first signals of the long-awaited recovery”.
John Lewis commercial director takes on 'bricks and clicks'

9 March 2010
John Lewis has charged commercial director Andrea O’Donnell with overseeing retail development, format development and retail implementation at the department store chain.
Clothing and footwear sales grow in February

9 March 2010
Clothing and footwear sales growth continued in February after the sector benefitted from posptoned January sales.
Matalan founder to pay himself £250m dividend

8 March 2010
Matalan founder John Hargreaves is set to pay himself a £250m dividend as part of refinancing plans at the value chain.
Aquascutum designers hand in resignation

4 March 2010
Aquascutum designers Graeme Fidler and Michael Herz have handed in their resignation and will leave the British luxury brand to move on to new projects.
Bolland can lead clothing at M&S, insists Rose

4 March 2010
Marks & Spencer executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose has dismissed concerns that incoming chief executive Marc Bolland has no clothing experience and said “he is smart enough to learn”.
Kim Winser appointed chairman of Agent Provocateur

3 March 2010
Agent Provocateur, the luxury lingerie chain, has appointed former Aquascutum chief executive Kim Winser as chairman.
Sir Stuart Rose to step down early as chairman

3 March 2010
Marks & Spencer executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose has said he will step down earlier than July 2011 and hailed incoming chief executive Marc Bolland as “absolutely the right man” for the job.
Liberty considering £40m freehold sale

1 March 2010
Liberty has confirmed that investors are circling the luxury department store’s iconic Tudor-style building to lease it back to the company.
Tesco partners with ethical label

1 March 2010
Tesco has joined forces with ethical label From Somewhere to create a diffusion line made from recycled materials.
Alexander McQueen chief pays tribute to designer

27 February 2010
Alexander McQueen chief executive Jonathan Akeroyd has spoken for the first time since the tragic death of the British designer label’s creator, Lee Alexander McQueen, and paid tribute to his “exceptional talent”.
Selfridges soft-launches transactional website

27 February 2010
Selfridges has launched a beta version of its much-anticipated transactional website.
How London's stores dressed up for LFW

27 February 2010
On the opening day of London Fashion Week, Drapers took a trip around the capital’s West End to see which retailers got in to the spirit of London’s prime fashion event.
TJX Europe full-year like-for-likes rise 5%

24 February 2010
TJX Europe, the operator of off-price retailer TK Maxx, said like-for-like sales rose 5% in the full year to January 30.
J Crew debuts wholesale on Net-a-Porter

24 February 2010
American casualwear brand J Crew will be available in the UK for the first time via luxury etailer Net-a-Porter.
House of Fraser to open stores in Middle East

24 February 2010
House of Fraser has entered in to a partnership with Retail Arabia International to open stores in the Middle East.
Matalan considers refinancing

22 February 2010
Matalan is reportedly considering a refinancing following its axed sale.
Fashion leads online sales growth

22 February 2010
Clothing and footwear continued to drive online growth in January, when total online retail sales growth slowed to its lowest annual rate.
Primark first-half like-for-likes rise 8%

22 February 2010
Primark said that sales in the first half of the year were ahead of expectations.
House of Fraser drafts in web guru

19 February 2010
House of Fraser has drafted in multichannel guru Robin Terrell to lead online and international operations at the department store group.
Label

20 February 2010
Autumn 10
QS targets a profit for first time in 10 years

20 February 2010
Value retailer QS is on track to make a profit this year, after a decade spent languishing in the red.
Gucci Group reports strong fourth quarter

18 February 2010
Gucci Group, the luxury goods division of French retail giant PPR, reported strong sales growth in the fourth quarter of 2009, and said that it demonstrated an improving sales trend.
House of Fraser in debt talks with banks

17 February 2010
House of Fraser is in talks with its lenders to renegotiate its banking covenants in order to fund the expansion of its own ranges.
Ballet bought out of administration by shareholder

16 February 2010
Ballet Lingerie has been rescued from administration by majority shareholder EBI Apparel, as predicted by Drapersonline.com.
Alexander McQueen: sales soar and models in catwalk homage

15 February 2010
Sales of iconic Alexander McQueen pieces soared 1,400% at the end of last week, in the days following the British designer’s tragic death.
Blacks sells Mambo

15 February 2010
Blacks Leisure, the troubled outdoor retailer, has sold its Mambo surfwear brand for £800,000.
New Look axes IPO

12 February 2010
New Look has pulled its IPO process, citing an unfavourable market backdrop.
Fashion leads performance at John Lewis

12 February 2010
Fashion sales at John Lewis rose 42% year-on-year in the week to February 6, its strongest growth in two years.
Jane Norman ‘turns a corner’ after turbulent year

13 February 2010
Women’s young fashion chain Jane Norman has “turned a corner” and returned to like-for-like growth after a turbulent year in which EBITDA halved
Peacocks Group bullish about 2010 prospects

13 February 2010
Peacocks Group chief executive Richard Kirk said the group had “never felt more confident” and was expected to reveal a strong return to form in the year to March.
Matalan sale process axed

10 February 2010
The sale of Matalan has been pulled after potential buyers failed to meet founder John Hargreaves’ price hopes for the value retailer.
John Lewis appoints director of retail operations

10 February 2010
John Lewis has promoted Andrew Murphy to director of retail operations.
Up to 129 Ethel Austin stores set to close

10 February 2010
The administrators to Ethel Austin have earmarked half of the value retailer’s 270-store portfolio for closure.
Prada profits ahead of forecasts

9 February 2010
Luxury label Prada said that its operating profit for 2009 would come in ahead of its own expectations, due to a rise of more than 14% in retail sales.
Ethel Austin hits the buffers

8 February 2010
Value retailer Ethel Austin has fallen in to administration, in a move predicted by Drapersonline.com on Friday.
Debenhams marketing director to join Arcadia

8 February 2010
Debenhams marketing director Alison Jones is set to leave the department store to join Arcadia Group.
Ethel Austin files intention to appoint administrators

5 February 2010
Value retailer Ethel Austin has filed an intention to appoint administrators.
Baugur chief defends investor’s strategy a year on

6 February 2010
Former Baugur chief executive Gunnar Sigurdsson has defended the Icelandic investor’s strategy a year on from its spectacular collapse.
Baugur: one year on

6 February 2010
The dust from investor Baugur’s collapse has settled and the impact of its fall from grace on the high street can now be assessed
Jo Hooper

6 February 2010
John Lewis’s head of womenswear has overseen a revolution in the retailer’s fashion offer by luring fashion-forward brands to sit alongside high street favourites and developing impressive own labels
TK Maxx readies itself for Euro assault

6 February 2010
TJX Europe, which operates off-price retailer TK Maxx, has shaken up its team as it steps up its drive to become a pan-European retailer.
Value specialists’ growth outpaces supermarkets

6 February 2010
Primark, TK Maxx and Peacocks have led a “dramatic recovery” in the value sector between 2007 and 2009 at the expense of the supermarkets.
EFA welcomes China's request for WTO consultation in to anti-dumping duties

4 February 2010
The European Footwear Alliance (EFA) has welcomed the Chinese government’s decision to request a World Trade Organisation (WTO) consultation on EU anti-dumping measures imposed on Chinese and Vietnamese leather footwear.
Bolland's M&S pay deal 'ridiculous', say shareholders

2 February 2010
Investors and shareholder advisory groups have lambasted the pay package awarded to incoming Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland.
New Look confirms IPO

2 February 2010
New Look confirmed this morning that it will float on the stock exchange and set out the first details of the IPO, set to value the business at £1.7bn.
Marc Bolland to take up M&S role from May

1 February 2010
Marc Bolland will start his role as chief executive at Marks & Spencer from May 1.
Li & Fung in sourcing deal with Walmart

28 January 2010
Li & Fung, the Hong Kong-based supplier to retailers including Marks & Spencer and Zara, said today that it had inked a deal with Asda parent Walmart to supply clothes to the US giant.
H&M full year like-for-likes fall

28 January 2010
Swedish retail giant H&M said like-for-like sales fell 5% in its full year to November 30 but reported a strong start to 2010.
Ethel Austin secures funding

27 January 2010
Discount retailer Ethel Austin is set to complete a refinancing deal to ensure its future, following rumours of late payments to staff and suppliers.
Retailers urged to invest in China

27 January 2010
Retailers and UK business leaders are being urged to take advantage of rapid growth in China where average wealth is booming.
Consumer confidence rises but saving soars

25 January 2010
Consumer confidence increased for the third consecutive quarter, although confidence levels remained below pre-recession highs.
Beales pre-tax losses reduce by 35%

25 January 2010
Independent department store chain Beales said like-for-like sales rose 2.8% at Christmas and that full-year pre-tax losses reduced by more than a third.
Adams falls into administration

22 January 2010
Kidswear business Adams has fallen into administration for the third time in three years.
Debenhams to axe 170 jobs in Ireland

22 January 2010
Debenhams is poised to cut 170 full-time jobs in the Republic of Ireland.
Fashion sales bring strong close to year for John Lewis

22 January 2010
John Lewis said that a strong performance from fashion drove sales across the department store chain and that the retailer was finishing its financial year with a “flourish”.
Georgina Goodman on expansion trail after £4m investment

19 January 2010
High end footwear business Georgina Goodman will expand its wholesale and retail offer and bolster its management team after securing a £4m investment.
Halston signs Sarah Jessica Parker as chief creative officer

19 January 2010
Halston has appointed Sex and the City actress Sarah Jessica Parker as president and chief creative officer.
Giorgio Armani collaborates with Reebok International

19 January 2010
Giorgio Armani and Reebok International have partnered to produce a cobranded collection.
Clarks appoints Melissa Potter chief executive

18 January 2010
Clarks has appointed Melissa Potter chief executive of the footwear giant.
London retail sales soar 12% in December

18 January 2010
Like-for-like sales in December in London were at their highest for seven years, up 12% against a year ago when sales dropped 0.7% in the wake of the banking collapse.
The only way is up for prices

16 January 2010
After a decade of deflation, the clothing sector looks set to come under pressure to raise prices in 2010. Will retailers be able to avoid passing the increase on to customers?
Peacocks celebrates ‘cracking’ Christmas

11 January 2010
Peacocks said that “cracking” Christmas trading at the value group was boosted by the success of its Pearl Lowe for Peacocks party dresses.
House of Fraser toasts Christmas success

11 January 2010
House of Fraser said like-for-like sales over the eight weeks to January 2 rose 7.1%.
Happit hits the buffers

8 January 2010
Scottish value chain Happit and cashmere manufacturer JJ & HB Cashmere Mills both hit the buffers this week after poor trading conditions impacted sales.
Like-for-likes drop at Gap's international stores

7 January 2010
Gap, the US casualwear giant, said like-for-likes at its international stores fell 1% in the five weeks to January 2, compared with a 5% drop over the same period last year.
New Look celebrates Christmas sales growth

7 January 2010
New Look said like-for-likes in the UK rose 5.9% over the 14 week period to January 2.
Supergroup posts record Christmas

5 January 2010
Supergroup, the young fashion company which owns the Superdry brand and Cult chain, scored a record Christmas with like-for-likes up 29% in the five weeks to January 3.
John Lewis fashion sales soar 22% at Christmas

5 January 2010
Sales of fashion at department store John Lewis rose by more than a fifth in the five weeks to January 2, setting a high standard for trading over the crucial Christmas period.
Footfall up 9% on New Year's Day

4 January 2010
Footfall on New Year’s Day rose 9% year-on-year, according to the Preliminary Experian FootFall UK National Index.
Hermione de Paula wins Vauxhall Fashion Scout Merit Award

18 December 2009
Vauxhall Fashion Scout has awarded Hermione de Paula the Merit Award for autumn 10.
Ghost concessions to be axed and prices cut

18 December 2009
Premium womenswear brand Ghost is set to axe its department store concessions and lower its prices.
Emanuel Ungaro chief resigns

17 December 2009
Emanuel Ungaro president and chief executive Mounir Moufarrige has resigned just two months after a collection by American actress Lindsay Lohan was slated.
Jaeger set sights on Europe

15 December 2009
Jaeger, the British heritage brand, is set to re-enter the European market after revealing sales are on an improving trend.
The weekend newspaper round up December 12 to 13, 2009

14 December 2009
A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers
Hugo Boss backer to stay on for two years

14 December 2009
German private equity house Permira has said it will not exit menswear giant Hugo Boss for a couple of years.
John Lewis breaks records again

14 December 2009
John Lewis has continued its run of strong sales to notch up another record week.
Aurora director takes control at Warehouse

11 December 2009
Aurora Fashions has appointed Meg Lustman to the newly created role of managing director of its Warehouse young fashion chain.
Growth at Jaeger slows

11 December 2009
Profits at womenswear chain Jaeger halved in the year to February 28.
John Lewis set for record week online

10 December 2009
John Lewis has revealed that sales in the week so far have continued to rise as shoppers flock to the department store in the run-up to Christmas.
Moss Bros sales on improving trend

10 December 2009
Moss Bros, the menswear retailer, has revealed that sales have improved over the 18 weeks to December 5, with like-for-likes up 5.5% over the period.
Clothing sales hit in November

8 December 2009
Clothing sales in November were adversely impacted by the mild weather during the month and comparisons with 2008 when the high street was in the throes of a discounting war.
John Lewis reports best-ever week

7 December 2009
John Lewis has recorded its best-ever week, with sales in the week to Saturday December 5 £1m ahead of its previous record week set in 2007.
Dump The Duties: European Commission disregards member states' vote

27 November 2009
The European Commission has made a direct appeal to the Member States Council to extend anti-dumping duties on imported leather footwear from China and Vietnam despite a majority of member states voting against the proposal.
Bhs launches Lola Love t-shirt range

27 November 2009
Bhs has signed a deal to create a clothing range for publisher HarperCollins’ tween/teen brand Lola Love.
Full English for Topshop's US shoppers

27 November 2009
Topshop offered early shoppers a free English breakfast at its US store today to entice them through its doors as US retailers kick off their traditional holiday Sale season.
BFC British Fashion Awards shortlist announced

27 November 2009
The British Fashion Council has released the shortlist of nominees for the British Fashion ‘Oscars’ which takes place on December 9, bringing the 25th anniversary celebrations of London Fashion Week to an end.
Selfridges and House of Fraser launch pre-Christmas promotions

26 November 2009
Selfridges and House of Fraser have pushed the button on pre-Christmas promotional events this week.
Online sales growth hit by postal strikes

25 November 2009
Online sales growth in October was impeded by the postal strikes, leading to a £53m fall in growth during the last week of the month.
Baugur founder seeks investment

24 November 2009
Jon Asgeir Johannesson, the founder of collapsed Icelandic investment vehicle Baugur, has approached former colleagues seeking investment for his Icelandic retail business Hagar.
Ebay's strategy causes site to collapse

24 November 2009
The failure of online auction site Ebay on Saturday highlighted concerns about its ability to handle bulk listings by large retailers and wholesalers.
Rochdale indies recruit live models to drive sales

21 November 2009
Three independent retailers in Rochdale have worked together to come up with a novel way of encouraging shoppers to visit their stores.
Bradbury: industry must back young retail talent

20 November 2009
River Island chief executive Richard Bradbury has called on retailers and the Government to do more to support young people wanting to begin a career in the fashion industry.
John Lewis integrates online into core business

20 November 2009
John Lewis Direct managing director Robin Terrell will leave in the new year ahead of an integration of the department store chain’s online arm into the mainline John Lewis business.
TJX Europe third quarter sales rise 1%

18 November 2009
Sales at TJX Europe, the parent company of off-price retailer TK Maxx, rose 1% on a like-for-like basis to $603m (£358.8m) in the third quarter of the year.
Debenhams confirms four-day Spectacular

16 November 2009
Debenhams has confirmed that it will launch its pre-Christmas Spectacular on Wednesday, promising price cuts of £250m, more than the same Spectacular last year.
Advent circles Matalan

16 November 2009
Advent International, the private equity fund, is set to launch a £1.5bn bid for Matalan, the discount retailer.
John Lewis sales top 2007 figures

16 November 2009
John Lewis has revealed that sales in the week to Saturday November 14 rose 17.1% on the year before to £71.9m and were £500,000 ahead of the equivalent week in 2007.
David Elliott

14 November 2009
The managing director of Voisins can draw on almost half a century of department store experience as he implements his vision for the Jersey independent’s future.
Shoppers flock to M&S Penny Bazaars

13 November 2009
Marks & Spencers kicked off its penny bazaar this morning and by 9am had served around 100,000 shoppers.
Weighing up the cost of Christmas

13 November 2009
With consumer confidence at a low, pre-Christmas discounting was brutal last year. So with a recovery on the horizon, will the high street cut just as deeply again?
John Lewis fashion sales rise 12.4%

13 November 2009
Fashion sales at John Lewis rose 12.4% during the week to November 7, but were impacted by the mild weather.
House of Fraser snaps up Biba

13 November 2009
House of Fraser has acquired iconic British womenswear brand Biba.
Debenhams fires early shot in Xmas Sales war

13 November 2009
Debenhams will fire a warning shot across the bows of its competitors on Wednesday by launching a pre-Christmas Spectacular promotion offering more price cuts than ever before.
Tesco and Asda in Christmas price war

13 November 2009
Tesco and Asda have both announced aggressive price cuts in the run up to Christmas.
Peacocks to sell CDs

11 November 2009
Peacocks is to start selling CD’s to take advantage of a gap left in the market since the collapse of Woolworths.
John Lewis to launch Christmas tv ad

11 November 2009
John Lewis will launch its Christmas television campaign this Sunday, aimed at reminding people of the excitement they felt as a child when they opened their presents on Christmas Day.
Puma sales slip

10 November 2009
Puma, the footwear, clothing and accessories brand owned by French retail giant PPR, revealed that total sales dropped 5.5% in the third quarter of the year to €673m (£604.5m)
Clothing drives seven-year sales high

10 November 2009
Retailers have had the best October for seven years, with like-for-like sales up 3.8% on a year ago.
Shoppers use 2m discount vouchers every day

10 November 2009
UK shoppers redeem more than 1,500 money-off vouchers every minute, or 2 million every day, saving £2.7bn per year.
Supermarkets in discount war

9 November 2009
The supermarkets have begun a discounting frenzy with Sales launched on clothing by Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda.
Burberry website celebrates the trench coat

9 November 2009
Burberry has launched a digital platform at artofthetrench.com, celebrating the British heritage brand’s iconic trench coat.
Footwear trade continues anti-dumping duties fight

7 November 2009
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and British Footwear Association (BFA) have vowed to continue lobbying the EU on its proposal to extend anti-dumping duties on Asian leather footwear after the passing of the deadline to lodge objections this week.
Higher-priced sales offset Primark’s margin decline

7 November 2009
Sales of higher-priced product helped to offset margin declines at Primark, which notched up a 7% like-for-like sales rise in the year to September 12.
Liberty sales 'stronger than last year'

6 November 2009
Liberty, the iconic London department store, has reported “strong” sales in July, driven by sales from its Liberty of London own-label brand and womenswear.
Primark like-for-likes up 7%

3 November 2009
Primark, the value fashion giant, revealed sales soared 20% in the year to September 12 with like-for-like growth of 7%.
Dump The Duties: Submission deadline nears

2 November 2009
There is only one day left for footwear suppliers and retailers to lobby their local MEP’s on proposals to extend anti-dumping duties on Asian leather footwear.
Consumer confidence at 18-month high

2 November 2009
Consumer confidence is at its highest level for 18 months, despite people remaining anxious about the prospect of unemployment.
Joseph Wan

30 October 2009
Having turned around department store Harvey Nichols once before, a seismic shift in the luxury landscape means its chief executive is looking to repeat the trick.
Topshop rents out stars’ dresses for party season

30 October 2009
Topshop has launched a raft of innovative marketing initiatives ahead of Christmas including a dress hire service and special pre-office party dressing rooms.
More postal strikes threaten online spend

30 October 2009
Consumers are set to shy away from shopping online and by mail order in the crucial festive period if the postal strikes continue.
Och-Ziff snaps up Debenhams stake

30 October 2009
Och-Ziff, the American hedge fund which backs fast-fashion chain Peacocks, has emerged as the largest shareholder in Debenhams with an 11 % stake in the department store.
Tommy Hilfiger European retail sales soar

28 October 2009
Tommy Hilfiger has revealed that global sales increased by 3.5% to EUR772m (£697.9m) in the six months to September 30.
TPG makes £500m profit from Debenhams exit

28 October 2009
Debenhams’ shareholder TPG, the American private equity group which took the department store private, has sold its remaining shares in the retailer, for a cool £500m profit.
Sports Direct set to lose biggest stakeholding

27 October 2009
Sports Direct, the sportswear retailer, is expected to lose its largest stakeholding today, as the administrator to collapsed Icelandic bank Kaupthing takes control of its shares in Blacks Leisure.
The weekend newspaper round up: October 24 to 25, 2009

26 October 2009
The best of the fashion business headlines from the weekend papers…
John Lewis online fashion sales triple

26 October 2009
John Lewis has reported that online fashion sales have performed ahead of expectations since the launch of its revamped site last month.
Matalan mulls £1.5bn sale

26 October 2009
Discount retailer Matalan is considering a £1.5bn sale after receiving a number of approaches.
Debenhams to recreate Principles range

24 October 2009
Debenhams has signed designer Ben de Lisi to relaunch Principles.
Government mulls concession on VAT

23 October 2009
The Government is to consider granting retailers extra time to update price labels in stores when the VAT rate reverts to 17.5% on January 1.
Harvey Nicks boss says luxury needs to evolve

23 October 2009
Harvey Nichols chief executive Joseph Wan has warned the luxury sector will not recover from the global banking collapse for at least five years after the downturn prompted a “substantial shift” in the mindset of shoppers.
The Guardian launches online fashion store

22 October 2009
Newspaper group, the Guardian News & Media, has launched an online fashion store.
Fashion and footwear sales values drop

22 October 2009
Retail sales growth was flat month-on-month in September, in contrast with expectations of a rise.
European trade and consumer bodies condemn calls to extend duties

22 October 2009
The European Footwear Alliance (EFA) and BEUC – the European consumers’ association - have lambasted calls by the Confederation of the Footwear Industry (CEC) for an extension of anti-dumping duties on Asian leather footwear.
Debenhams drives market share

22 October 2009
Debenhams has revealed that it has grown its market share in fashion last year after it converted trading space to own-label and increased margin.
Arcadia profits jump 13%

22 October 2009
The Arcadia Group has reported a 13% rise in pre-tax profits.
Dump The Duties: Lobby your MEP

21 October 2009
With only 20 days left before a crucial vote by EU member states on whether to extend anti-dumping duties on Asian footwear, Drapers and trade associations the British Retail Consortium and British Footwear Association are calling on suppliers, brands and retailers to lodge their objections to the levies with their local MEPs.
Debenhams opens on Amazon and eBay

20 October 2009
Debenhams has opened dedicated online stores at Amazon.co.uk and eBay.
Retailers call for extension of trade credit insurance top-up scheme

20 October 2009
Retailers have voiced their concerns that trade credit insurers do not assess risk accurately and said that the Government’s temporary Trade Credit Insurance Scheme was yet to help their business.
Dump The Duties: Add your voice

19 October 2009
The footwear industry is up in arms at plans by the European Commission to propose an extension of anti-dumping duties on leather footwear sourced in China and Vietnam. Join the British Retail Consortium, the British Footwear Association and retailers and suppliers to lend your support to the campaign to stamp out the duties.
London sales soar 7.5% on weak comps

19 October 2009
Retail sales in London rose 7.5% on a like-for-like basis during September compared with the same month a year ago, when sales dropped 0.2% as the banking crisis took hold.
Help fight anti-dumping duties

16 October 2009
Footwear retailers and suppliers have lambasted the European Commission’s decision to propose an extension of anti-dumping duties on leather footwear sourced in China and Vietnam.
Retail like-for-likes rise 2.8% in September

13 October 2009
Clothing and footwear sales grew in September, led by a strong performance from kidswear and back-to-school ranges.
M&S to relaunch website

12 October 2009
Marks & Spencer is to reveal a new look website with dramatic improvements to its online clothing shopping experience.
M&S in investor charm offensive

12 October 2009
Marks & Spencer’s investor and analyst day - its first for nearly a decade - is expected to offer some clues to the race to succeed Sir Stuart Rose as chief executive, with divisional heads including clothing chief Kate Bostock set to make presentations.
Sales rise fuels growth at TJ Hughes

10 October 2009
TJ Hughes will drive sales of its own-label fashion ranges and push ahead with expansion after it said turnover increased 9.1% to £261.3m in the year to January 31.
Yohji Yamamoto files for bankruptcy

9 October 2009
Japanese clothing designer Yohji Yamamoto’s fashion house has filed for bankruptcy.
Clothing heads promoted at Debenhams

9 October 2009
Debenhams has made a raft of internal promotions within its buying and merchandising teams.
Peacocks collaborates with Pearl Lowe

9 October 2009
Peacocks has collaborated with designer Pearl Lowe to launch a range of party dresses for Christmas.
Interest rates remain at 0.5%

8 October 2009
The Bank of England has kept interest rates unchanged for the seventh successive month.
EU proposes extension of footwear anti-dumping duties

8 October 2009
The European Commission has proposed extending anti-dumping duties on EU imports of Chinese and Vietnamese leather footwear for at least 15 months, according to unconfirmed reports.
Ted Baker performs ahead of expectations

8 October 2009
Ted Baker has reported an 18.4% drop in pre-tax profits to £6m over the 28 weeks to August 15 - a better than expected performance.
Amazon 'cancels' Royal Mail contract

8 October 2009
Amazon, the etailer, has reportedly cancelled its contract for certain items with Royal Mail after continued strike action threatened its pre-Christmas deliveries.
Clothing and footwear deflation increases to 5.7%

7 October 2009
Shop prices have fallen on a year ago and were deflationary for the second consecutive month, according to the British Retail Consortium-Nielsen Shop Price Index.
TJ Hughes sales and EBITDA soar

5 October 2009
TJ Hughes, the discount department store, said turnover increased 9.1% to £261.3m in its full year to January 31.
Mike Shearwood appointed ceo of Aurora Fashions

2 October 2009
***UPDATED***Mike Shearwood has been appointed chief executive of Aurora Fashions.
Burberry to end Japanese licence in 2015

2 October 2009
Burberry, the heritage brand, will end its clothing licence with Sanyo Shokai and Mitsui & Co in Japan five years earlier than originally planned.
Bay Trading shuts down 19 stores

2 October 2009
Bay Design, the business that bought former Alexon chain Bay Trading out of administration in April, is closing two thirds of its stores as it drives its concessions business and launches an online operation.
'Woolworths-like stores' set to open in November

1 October 2009
A Woolworths-like chain of stores is set to open next month under the name Alworths.
Giorgio Armani reshuffles management

1 October 2009
Giorgio Armani has made three senior management changes, after the 75-year-old founding designer revealed that he would ease his workload following an illness.
Hugo Boss signs Graeme Black to drive womenswear

1 October 2009
Hugo Boss has named London-based designer Graeme Black as creative consultant for the Boss Black women’s collection.
George Davies opens first GIVe store

30 September 2009
Entrepreneur and serial brand creator George Davies opened his first GIVe store on London’s Regent Street today.
Alexon reports 12.6% slump in first half like-for-likes

30 September 2009
Alexon, the mainstream womenswear retailer, said half-year like-for-like sales fell 12.6% as it reported a pretax loss and said recent trading had been “challenging”.
Asos first-half sales soar 47%

30 September 2009
Asos, the etailer, said sales rose 47% in the six months to September 30, with profits “marginally ahead” of last year.
M&S clothing sales rise 2.7% in Q2

30 September 2009
Clothing sales at Marks & Spencer jumped 2.7% in the 13 weeks to September 26, outperforming the rest of the business.
Blacks to shut 89 loss-making stores

30 September 2009
Blacks Leisure, the outdoor specialist, is to shut 89 of its loss-making stores and cut jobs at its head office as part of a restructuring.
CBI: Footwear retailers enjoy growth

29 September 2009
Footwear retailers have been singled out by the CBI as enjoying solid growth as conditions in the retail sector begin to stabilise according to the association’s monthly Distributive Trades Survey.
Moss Bros notches up £3m first-half loss

29 September 2009
Moss Bros has reported first-half losses of £3m compared with a £2.2m loss for the same period last year.
New Look set for IPO

28 September 2009
New Look is set to return to the stock market with a float early next year, six years after it was taken private.
H&M signs Sonia Rykiel

28 September 2009
Swedish clothing chain H&M has signed French fashion veteran Sonia Rykiel to design a range of lingerie and related accessories to be launched on December 5.
House of Fraser in talks with All Saints over future

25 September 2009
House of Fraser is in discussions with young fashion retailer All Saints about the future of their relationship.
Debenhams goes Dutch with own label

25 September 2009
Debenhams has launched some of its own-label brands in shop-in-shops for Dutch department store Vroom & Dreesmann (V&D).
Blacks Leisure puts Sandcity into administration

23 September 2009
Blacks Leisure has appointed administrators KPMG to its boardwear business, Sandcity.
Paul Kelly reinstalled as head of Brown Thomas

23 September 2009
Selfridges chief executive Paul Kelly has been reinstalled as head of Irish luxury department store Brown Thomas as part of a surprise reshuffle in which Brown Thomas chief executive Nigel Blow has left the group.
Blacks Leisure says weak trading at its boardwear business could lead to banking covenant breach

22 September 2009
Blacks Leisure has warned that tough trading at its boardwear division may result in the sportswear retailer breaching its banking covenants and has struck a standstill agreement with its bank.
Retail bosses warn of a 'roller-coaster' Christmas and tough start to 2010

22 September 2009
Retail chiefs including Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose, John Lewis Partnership chairman Charlie Mayfield and New Look chief executive Carl McPhail have warned that retailers face further pressures on consumer spending throughout 2010.
Fashion drives UK online sales

22 September 2009
Clothing sales drove a strong performance from UK online sales in August, which rose more than expected as shoppers were tempted by competitive pricing and improved returns policies.
Primark to overtake Tesco as 'most feared' retailer

22 September 2009
Value fashion giant Primark will become Britain’s “sharpest and most feared” retailer replacing Tesco, according to Verdict Research.
The weekend newspaper round up, September 19 - 20 2009

21 September 2009
A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers…
Boden reports increased UK demand in first half

21 September 2009
Boden, the catalogue and internet retailer, reported sales in the first half to June 30 rose by 20%, or 6% excluding the impact of foreign exchange rates.
John Lewis unveils new womenswear concept

18 September 2009
John Lewis has unveiled the details of its new premium womenswear concept set to debut in its Cardiff store next week.
New York Fashion Week: Proenza Schouler and Oscar de La Renta

17 September 2009
After a number of New York designers failed to ignite imaginations over the pond this week, the cool which oozed from Proenza Schouler’s spring offering made up for some lost ground in the innovation stakes.
Burberry to launch social networking site

17 September 2009
Luxury brand Burberry will launch a social networking site next month.
John Lewis forecasts less discounting at Christmas

17 September 2009
John Lewis managing director Andy Street has forecast that there will be less high street discounting during the crucial festive period as the department store said that sales fell by 2.9% to £1.21bn over the first half.
Scottish sales rise 0.8% in August

16 September 2009
The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said it sees “hints of optimism” on the high street after like-for-like sales rose 0.8% in August, compared with a year earlier.
Inditex profits drop 8%

16 September 2009
Inditex has revealed an 8% drop in half-year earnings despite rising sales.
Next delivers first-half pre-tax profits of £185.5m

16 September 2009
Next has raised its annual earnings forecast after delivering a 6.9% rise in first-half pre-tax profit to £185.5m.
Debenhams forecasts profit growth despite sales drop

15 September 2009
Debenhams has forecast a rise in annual profits, despite a revamp of its department stores impacting sales.
John Lewis set to add £70m to its online fashion sales by 2011

14 September 2009
John Lewis has relaunched its online fashion offer and is set to drive sales by 30% this year.
Asda launches Asian clothing range

14 September 2009
Asda has launched a line of affordable Asian clothing, in what it claims is the first move by a high street retailer to produce such a range.
Victoria Beckham unveils spring 10 collection

14 September 2009
A series of small fashion shows as opposed to one extravaganza was held by Victoria Beckham to unveil her latest collection at New York Fashion Week.
Paul Marchant promoted to Primark chief executive

11 September 2009
Primark has promoted Paul Marchant to chief executive of the value fashion giant.
Drapers Awards 2009 shortlist announced

11 September 2009
The shortlist for the Drapers Awards 2009 has been announced.
House of Fraser holds back Christmas discounting

11 September 2009
House of Fraser has said it will not go on full Sale in the run-up to the crucial Christmas trading period, after revealing like-for-like sales were on an improving trend and stock levels were down.
Fashion sales up at John Lewis

11 September 2009
Sales of fashion at department store retailer John Lewis rose 1.7% over the week to September 5, as the impact of last-minute back to school trade was clearly felt.
High & Mighty sale to N Brown confirmed

10 September 2009
High & Mighty, the outsize menswear retailer, has been sold to JD Williams & Company, part of the N Brown Group, as part of a pre-pack administration.
Fashion's Night Out: Full listing of tonight's events

10 September 2009
Tonight, London’s retailers, designers and celebrities will celebrate the fashion industry and raise shopping spirits.
House of Fraser to up own-label offer

10 September 2009
House of Fraser has committed to dramatically increase its proportion of own-label.
Matalan: First store opening in three years

10 September 2009
Out of town discount retailer Matalan will open its first new store in three years next week.
Debenhams to launch four day Megaday Sale

8 September 2009
Debenhams will launch a Megaday Sale tomorrow, eight days after the end of its Bank Holiday Summer Sale.
Arcandor boss set for multi-million euro pay off

29 August 2009
The chief executive of insolvent German retailer Arcandor is in talks to step down from his role on Tuesday and pocket up to €15m (£13.2m) for six months’ work.
Consumer confidence holds steady for third consecutive month

29 August 2009
Consumer confidence held firm for the third month in a row in August and remains up year-on-year.
Italian fashion giant Gruppo Coin eyes UK

29 August 2009
Italian fashion retailer Gruppo Coin is scouting the UK for potential locations for its Coin department store and OVS fast-fashion chains.
HoF buying head joins John Lewis

29 August 2009
House of Fraser head of buying for menswear and kidswear Matt McCormack is to step down in September – the third high-profile departure from the department store chain this month.
The Fashion Business Club to interview Nathan Jenden

28 August 2009
The Fashion Business Club (FBC) will interview Nathan Jenden, the creative director of Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) and Nathan Jenden at its September 24 meeting.
UK families better off by £9 a week in July

25 August 2009
The average UK family was £9 a month better off in July than they were in the same month last year, according to Asda’s monthly income tracker.
Chris Ronnie returns controversial emails to JJB

24 August 2009
JJB Sports chairman Sir David Jones has threatened Chris Ronnie, the retailer’s former chief executive, with legal action unless he returns documents and emails relating to his time at JJB.
The Carbon Trust to help indies slash energy costs

24 August 2009
The Carbon Trust will help thousands of small and medium-sized retailers to cut energy costs by as much as £41m.
Debenhams demands better supplier terms

24 August 2009
Debenhams has written to suppliers asking for improved payment terms.
BT2 ups womenswear offer in Dundrum store

22 August 2009
Irish department store business Brown Thomas has pulled menswear from its younger branded fashion department store format BT2 in Dundrum, Dublin, and expanded its portfolio of womenswear brands in the store.
Raging Bull to charge into Debenhams stores

22 August 2009
Raging Bull, the sports and leisure clothing line owned by England rugby star Phil Vickery, has inked a deal with Debenhams that could see the department store chain become its largest stockist.
Calvin Klein owner Phillips-Van Heusen upgrades full year forecasts

20 August 2009
New York based menswear giant Phillips-Van Heusen, owner of the Calvin Klein and Van Heusen brands, has reported second quarter figures which came in ahead of expectations.
House of Fraser head of men's buying to join rival John Lewis

20 August 2009
House of Fraser head of buying for menswear & childrenswear, Matt McCormack, is to leave the department store in September.
Fashion sales robust but discounting at 'highest ever' levels, TNS reports

20 August 2009
Good early summer weather helped fashion retailers notch up their best performance since last November.
Saks losses widen

19 August 2009
Luxury US department store business Saks has posted a loss of $54.5m (£32.9m) in the three months to August 1, as its well-heeled shoppers spend less in the downturn.
Clothing and footwear sales in London drop back during July

17 August 2009
Clothing and footwear sales in London fell back during July as the wet weather during the month drove sales of indoor items such as homewares and furniture.
Premium department stores defy downturn

15 August 2009
Iconic department stores Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Fenwick have defied the retail gloom to notch up robust sales and profits over the past year.
Fashion drives surprise uplift in Irish retail sales

14 August 2009
Retail sales in Ireland in June have increased for the first time in four months.
John Lewis autumn ranges well received

14 August 2009
Fashion sales at John Lewis fell 2.8% in the week to August 8 after a strong July was offset by the warmer August weather last weekend.
Escada files for bankruptcy protection

14 August 2009
German fashion house Escada has filed for bankruptcy protection.
Handle the pound with care

14 August 2009
While the stronger pound could be good news for suppliers and retailers, a cautious approach is still advisable.
Glasgow city centre in marketing drive

13 August 2009
Glasgow city centre is launching a £300,000 marketing initiative in a bid to fight off competition from out of town shopping centres.
M&S unveils Autograph Essentials

13 August 2009
Marks & Spencer has unveiled a new collection of menswear staples for its Autograph range.
Arcandor faces break up

13 August 2009
German retail group Arcandor, which filed for insolvency in June, has ended its search for an “anchor” investor to keep the business afloat, which may lead to a break up of the company.
Fenwick sales rise as profits slip

12 August 2009
Department store group Fenwick has revealed a robust set of full year results.
Harrods has record year

12 August 2009
Iconic department store Harrods has reported a record year after a strong performance from its international brands and womenswear.
Ann Summers appoints marketing director

12 August 2009
Ann Summers has hired Fiona Davis as marketing director to drive the lingerie retailer’s growth plans.
VAT increase to cost retailers £90m

12 August 2009
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has forecast that the return of VAT to 17.5% on January 1 will cost retailers £90m, as the Conservative party refused to rule out raising VAT further if they come to power.
Escada insolvency looms

12 August 2009
German fashion house Escada has failed to get enough backing for a crucial part of its financial restructuring plans and said it will file for insolvency this week.
New Look unveils Idol collection

11 August 2009
New Look has unveiled its higher-priced rock-inspired Idol collection.
Escada teeters on the brink

11 August 2009
German fashion house Escada has said that it will file for insolvency later this week if a crucial part of its financial restructuring program is not successful.
Clothing sales drop back in July

11 August 2009
Clothing sales slowed in July, despite a strong response by customers to new autumn ranges.
Profits at Cath Kidston soar

10 August 2009
Profits at Cath Kidston grew to £4.6m in the year to March, up from £2.9m the year before.
M&Co full year operating profits fall

10 August 2009
Mackays stores, which trades as M&Co, has revealed that operating profits before amortisation and goodwill fell from £9.8m to £8.6m in the year to February 20.
Chris Ronnie and Sir David Jones considered taking JJB private

10 August 2009
Chris Ronnie, the former JJB Sports chief executive, who was sacked after being held responsible for the retailer’s demise, has claimed executive chairman Sir David Jones considered taking the business private.
Pure London buyers shrug off downturn

8 August 2009
The mood among visitors to the womenswear trade show last week was one of optimism for spring 10
Kevin Stanford in loans investigation

7 August 2009
Details of loans granted to a company owned by retail entrepreneur Kevin Stanford by collapsed Icelandic bank Kaupthing have been passed to criminal investigators in Iceland.
Crocs reports second quarter losses

7 August 2009
Footwear retailer and manufacturer Crocs has reported a second quarter loss after a slump in wholesale sales and the impact of one-off charges.
Fashion sales soar at John Lewis

7 August 2009
Fashion sales at John Lewis grew 8.2% in the week to August 1, versus a 2.2% rise in the comparable week last year.
Indies to get security help from Government

6 August 2009
Small retail businesses are being offered up to £3,000 each by the Government to upgrade their security measures.
Polo Ralph Lauren sales and profits fall

6 August 2009
Polo Ralph Lauren has notched up first quarter sales of $1bn (£588.6m), an 8% fall on the same period last year.
Talks with Cavalli about sale of stake stall

5 August 2009
Talks with Roberto Cavalli and Italian private equity group Clessidra have broken down after the designer refused to reduce his valuation of the fashion brand.

DrapersAmy Shields

Drapers
Amy Shields