Drapers
John Ryan

John Ryan is Group Stores Editor across Drapers and Retail Week

Phase Eight, James St, London

18 May 2013
A Phase Eight store tends to be one of those shops that you feel ought to be a well-to-do indie, but is actually part of a relatively substantial chain.
Jaeger Boutique, Regent Street

11 May 2013
Jaeger has been through tough times in the past couple of years.
14oz, Kurfürstendamm, Berlin

1 May 2013
Berlin can probably lay claim to being the best place in Europe, if not the world, in which to pick up a pair of jeans.
Uniqlo, Place de l’Opéra, Paris

27 April 2013
Uniqlo has had a store at the upscale Place de l’Opéra since 2009 and it serves as a flagship for the French market (although this is a particularly small fleet, currently composed of just three vessels).
Francis Ferent, Brussels

20 April 2013
In the popular imagination, Brussels is the home of the EU, chips and possibly something to do with Tintin.
Machine-A, Brewer Street, Soho

13 April 2013
There are times when you feel your age. Normally this is when you walk into a store and see clothing that even in your most outré moments you probably wouldn’t consider because it is, well, just not for you.
Shopfitting & VM: Strong foundations for bricks and mortar

6 April 2013
In the final part of our Best Practice series, our experts look at how physical stores can stand firm against online competition and the tough economy
Gant Rugger, Beak Street, Soho

6 April 2013
Think Gant and the image that comes to mind may range from the middle-aged and relatively affluent gent gracing the golf course to a senior member of the accounts payable department on a smart-casual social evening with colleagues.
H&M, Oxford Circus

30 March 2013
Two stores in as many weeks, or one and a half at least.
& Other Stories, London

23 March 2013
It’s not often that a brand new format opens, and when it’s an overseas retailer it’s unlikely London will be the chosen destination.
Denim & Supply, Amsterdam

16 March 2013
Kalverstraat is a long pedestrianised thoroughfare in the middle of Amsterdam filled with a mix of generally mid-market brands and retailers.
Multichannel interiors: Bricks, clicks, or both?

16 March 2013
Online fashion and physical stores are coming of age as retailers seek to fuse the two worlds into a compelling offer.
& Other Stories lands on Regent Street

8 March 2013
Regent Street scores a retail global first this morning as new H&M format & Other Stories opens its doors at 12pm.
LN-CC, Dalston

9 March 2013
So here’s an idea for a shop. Why not restrict the number of shoppers who can come in, and make them book an appointment to look around?
The Cambridge Satchel Company, Covent Garden

2 March 2013
Those old enough to remember the school satchel, prior to the nylon bag printed with the school name becoming almost ubiquitous, will recall that it came in two colours: brown (well, more or less oxblood) or black.
The Dressing Room, St Albans

23 February 2013
St Albans on a wet Monday in February has a rather low-key feel about it, but then where doesn’t?
Urban Outfitters, Marble Arch

16 February 2013
Funny how every time a new store opens and it’s big, it becomes the latest and greatest iteration of what a retailer is up to as far as store design, visual merchandising and anything else you care to mention.
Dover Street Market, London

9 February 2013
In case you didn’t know, it’s changeover time in Japanese shops - the point at which entire stores are closed for a short period, remerchandised and then reopened to an admiring public.
The good, the bad & the ugly: Part 2

2 February 2013
It’s time to name and shame Shopwatch’s lowest-scoring retailers for 2012.
The good, the bad & the ugly: Part 1

26 January 2013
How four stores achieved the highest Shopwatch scores in 2012.
Zara, Park House, Oxford Street

19 January 2013
For many, the run-up to Christmas passes in something of a blur.
Diesel Village, Regent Street

12 January 2013
So picture this. You’re a big international Italian denim brand that has a store in Covent Garden and another on Carnaby Street. That’s central London pretty much sewn up, isn’t it?
Christmas windows

15 December 2012
Retailers are no Scrooges when it comes to festive displays. We check out their efforts.
Store design: Step inside the future

15 December 2012
Retail design experts pick out the major in-store innovations unveiled on the high street this year.
F&F, Pitsea, Essex

8 December 2012
Pitsea is on the fringes of the Essex metropolis of Basildon and one of its more conspicuous features is a giant flyover. Beneath this structure is the UK’s largest Tesco Extra, by floor space at least.
Melissa Pop-up 2, South Molton Street, London

1 December 2012
THE BASICS
New Look, 500 Oxford Street, London

24 November 2012
It’s a little while since New Look revealed its store design hand with a new look New Look store in High Wycombe.
Men’s shoe department, Selfridges

17 November 2012
Another day, another larger shoe department – each one bigger than the last.
Evisu, Newburgh Street, London

10 November 2012
Japanese denim brand Evisu has been something of a cult hit for years.
Esentai Mall, Almaty

3 November 2012
The thing about Kazakhstan is how little the average Brit knows about it. This is the ninth biggest country in the world, has a population of just 16.5 million and Almaty, its commercial capital, is a financial hub for central Asia.
Schuh Kids, Lakeside

27 October 2012
When it comes to children’s footwear, it’s all about the parents.
Topshop, Selfridges

20 October 2012
Topshop’s a democratic brand.
Golfino, South Molton Street, Mayfair

13 October 2012
West End shoppers head for South Molton Street expecting to spend more than they will do along almost the whole of Oxford Street.
The Loft, KaDeWe, Berlin

6 October 2012
Traditionally, KaDeWe is noted as continental Europe’s largest department store. Translated, this means it isn’t as big as Harrods, but is nonetheless one of the beasts in the department store jungle.
Republic, Leeds

29 September 2012
Back in the day, if you’d mentioned the words republic and Yorkshire in the same breath, thoughts might have turned to Arthur Scargill, or perhaps some now defunct coal mines.
Burberry, Regent Street

22 September 2012
It’s been two years in the making, has a selling area bigger than many small supermarkets and uses a palette of materials that is normally confined to palaces, mansions and Italian lakeside villas.
Thackerays, Nottingham

15 September 2012
When it comes to better-end shopping, Nottingham is an impressive place. In part this may be related to the fact Paul Smith hails from these parts, and indeed there is a large, well-stocked branch in the city.
Boudoir Femme, Cambridge

8 September 2012
Being an independent retailer means being the equivalent of a renaissance man or woman.
Bosideng, South Molton Street, London

1 September 2012
Walk around Hong Kong’s Central District and you’ll see men dressed as if they’ve chosen some of the lightweight pieces on offer at Bosideng’s new London store.
Marks & Spencer unveils its second largest store

29 August 2012
Marks & Spencer has today revealed a plethora of new innovations as it launched its second biggest store, in Cheshire Oaks.
Victoria’s Secret, Westfield, Stratford City

25 August 2012
There are a number of retail brands that might reasonably be accused of Disneyfication and among them, lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret would probably be able to stand proud.
JD Sports, New Street, Birmingham

18 August 2012
The self-styled ‘King of Trainers’ has revamped its store on Birmingham’s New Street and at a stroke it has become the chain’s most expensively fitted-out branch, according to a helpful member of staff.
Diesel, Covent Garden

11 August 2012
There’s been a Diesel flagship in the heart of Covent Garden for ages and it’s always been good, if a trifle pricey.
Melissa, Covent Garden

4 August 2012
What is it about Brazil that its mass-market footwear always seems to be made from an artificial material?
Sandro Homme, Westbourne Grove

28 July 2012
The clue is in the name with Sandro Homme.
Shopfits on a shoestring

28 July 2012
It’s worth freshening up stores to maintain footfall, but retailers often balk at the expense. However, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
IMAGE GALLERY: Victoria's Secret debuts at Westfield Stratford

24 July 2012
Victoria’s Secret, the US lingerie retailer, threw open the doors on its first UK store this morning, at Westfield’s Stratford City shopping centre.
Marks & Spencer vs Next, Oxford Street

21 July 2012
Last week, Marks & Spencer revealed that like-for-like sales of general merchandise in the UK fell 6.8% in the first quarter.
Coast flagship, Oxford Street

14 July 2012
Occasionwear” is a niche category in the fashion market, where a garment may be purchased in mild panic and be worn only a couple of times before a new item is considered.
Aigle, Champs-Élysées, Paris

7 July 2012
Rubber wellington boots are, you might imagine, a fairly low-cost commodity. But it’s also true that you can spend a fair amount on a pair of Hunters because, well, they’re Hunters.
Crocs, Bluewater

30 June 2012
It’s actually quite hard not to have a view on Crocs.
Lacoste, Knightsbridge

23 June 2012
Think Lacoste and you might picture a polo shirt with a crocodile motif on the left breast.
Liberty, Westfield Stratford City

16 June 2012
Editing is something we hear a lot about these days – it’s supposed to be the process by which we are saved the trouble of perusing endless brands and sorting the wheat from the chaff.
George at Asda, Bolton

9 June 2012
For many people, the deal as far as supermarket clothing is concerned is simple: stack it unimaginatively and sell it at a lower price than elsewhere.
Jubilee Watch - Kingston

2 June 2012
Sitting on the train from Waterloo and just before arriving at Clapham Junction, an elongated billboard informs you that there is ‘An extra long bank holiday thanks to Her Majesty for everyone’.
John Lewis menswear department, Oxford Street

26 May 2012
Fans of Evelyn Waugh would probably have looked fondly at the John Lewis menswear department in days gone by.
Zara

19 May 2012
With more than 1,600 stores across the globe, how does the Spanish retailer maintain consistency while remaining relevant to local shoppers? We went to La Coruña to find out.
Custo Barcelona, Westfield, Stratford

12 May 2012
Custo Barcelona opened its first UK store a little under two weeks ago.
Boux Avenue, Westfield London

5 May 2012
It’s about a year since Theo Paphitis, Dragons’ Den star and lingerie entrepreneur, was glad-handing the media an hour or so ahead of the opening of his first Boux Avenue store in Lakeside.
New Look pushes button on store refits after trial success

28 April 2012
New Look will begin rolling out a new store concept after four trial stores “massively” outperformed equivalent stores in the rest of the business.
Taking the plunge

28 April 2012
You’ve done what you can in your home market, so is it time to consider overseas expansion? It may be, but be aware that things can be very different out there
Wolsey, London

28 April 2012
How do you take a brand that’s a mass-market player and reposition it for desirability? Not an easy task really, particularly if it’s a brand that’s well known.
Gina Tricot - Södermalm, Stockholm

21 April 2012
Set against the UK’s hefty population, Sweden’s 9,415,000 (2011 census) doesn’t sound very much.
Moss Bros, Regent Street

14 April 2012
Until recently, Moss Bros had been troubled with regular financial losses and the sense it had lost its way.
Marks & Spencer, Paris

5 April 2012
How about this for a strategy? Move into a new market overseas, open a number of stores, then when things go bad, close them.
Zara, New York

31 March 2012
The fact Zara has opted to open a “global flagship” at a street number more usually identified as the mark of the beast seems unlikely to have any impact on a project that has all the hallmarks of a job well done.
The Kooples, Knightsbridge

23 March 2012
Since its enigmatic ads introduced it to the UK public, the French retailer has spread rapidly. But does its Gallic style successfully translate?
Exclusive: Jaeger head office team in consultation as Springett reviews business

16 March 2012
Jaeger has put its head office team in consultation as part of a review of its business, Drapers can exclusively reveal.
Carhartt, Shoreditch

16 March 2012
The workwear brand has a ready-made fanbase in east London, hence this store is very different to its Covent Garden stablemates.
Monki, Carnaby Street

9 March 2012
Hot on the heels of the Cheap Monday store opening on Carnaby Street comes Monki. It’s from the same H&M stable and sits next door.
Cheap Monday, Carnaby Street

2 March 2012
The H&M-owned brand picked London for its second store, and the location and pricing suggest it will do well on any day of the week.
Sarah Coggles, York

24 February 2012
Poised to conduct a major refurb and with the title of Drapers’ Most Inspiring Indie tucked under its belt, this premium retailer goes from strength to strength.
Miss London, Guildford

17 February 2012
It’s got a prime location and has only been open for three weeks, but this womenswear store’s collection gets lost in space.
Barbour, Covent Garden

10 February 2012
This flagship store for the purveyor of waxed jackets is finding favour with the urban set as it seeks to be all things to all style lovers.
Forever 21, Westfield Stratford

3 February 2012
The third Forever 21 to open in the UK is enormous and is one of the anchors at Westfield Stratford, but is it in a position to capitalise on Peacocks’ troubles?
Jacuzzi, Berlin

27 January 2012
Bread & Butter gives the streetwear crowd a good excuse to visit Berlin’s retail hot spots – Jacuzzi is one of those worth stepping into.
Religion, Notting Hill

20 January 2012
Will west London shoppers be worshipping at this cult young fashion brand’s Portobello Road store?
Superdry, Croydon

13 January 2012
The young fashion chain’s arrival is a much-needed boost for the town after last year’s riots and a lack of recent retail excitement.
Onitsuka Tiger, Newburgh Street

6 January 2012
Footwear brand Onitsuka Tiger goes for a sharp, minimalist look in keeping with its Japanese heritage. If only the product range wasn’t so minimal too.
An inside job

16 December 2011
Retailers defied a year of worsening trading conditions to create some memorable store interiors, albeit almost exclusively in London.
Replay, Carnaby Street

16 December 2011
The denim brand’s store in this young fashion mecca has been given a welcome revamp, but does it live up to last year’s excellent Paris flagship?
Louis Vuitton Maison Vs Mulberry

9 December 2011
Christmas remains important at the high end of the market, but when it comes to designer bags, will it be a Vuitton or Mulberry? With price not an issue in this rarified market, it’s all about the finer details.
Gilly Hicks opens with a splash in Cardiff

8 December 2011
Abercrombie & Fitch owned lingerie, beach and nightwear brand, Gilly Hicks, has opened at the St David’s Centre in Cardiff.
M&S Vs Next

2 December 2011
It’s a tough time for the mid-market, so how are two of its prime movers looking in the run-up to Christmas? We visited M&S and Next’s Oxford Street stores, where the battle for festive sales is at its most intense
H&M Vs Forever 21

25 November 2011
A battle is being waged on Oxford Street between two of fast fashion’s behemoths.
Kickers, Rue du Four, Paris

18 November 2011
To some people, this French footwear brand’s best days were in the distant 1980s, but its new flagship attempts to breathe fresh life into its offer.
Quiksilver, Covent Garden

11 November 2011
Genuine and wannabe boardsports aficionados will no doubt hotfoot it down to Quiksilver, but does the store’s new look stand out in this busy shopping area?
Coach, New Bond Street, London

4 November 2011
The US accessories and bag brand has opened an impressive flagship in upscale surroundings, which pulls off the trick of being high-end but accessible.
Oasis, Argyll Street, London

28 October 2011
The intriguing new interior at the womenswear chain’s flagship, complete with iPads and limited-edition garments, is likely to put it back on must-visit lists.
Dune, Trafford Centre, Manchester

21 October 2011
The footwear chain has a fresh store format on show that employs a few new tricks in an attempt to stand out in the crowded mid-market arena.
Topman General Store, Shoreditch

14 October 2011
The menswear chain’s new store is fashion’s equivalent of a stealth bomber – it sells high street product but flies under the radar by looking like an indie.
14oz Shoes, Berlin Mitte

7 October 2011
Denim destination 14oz has converted its discount store in Berlin’s Mitte district into a footwear, bags and accessories store, to impressive effect.
Ben Sherman, Portobello Road

30 September 2011
The Mod label has opened a concept store in London that takes its lead from quirky indies – it’s a world away from what you’d expect from a big brand.
Timberland, Westfield Stratford City

23 September 2011
The outdoor brand impressed with its storefit in Westfield London, so how does its new opening in Westfield’s Stratford mega mall compare?
Ralph Lauren Rugby, London

16 September 2011
The label from the country of American Football brings Rugby, its new format, to Covent Garden in a European first.
Monki, Selfridges, London

9 September 2011
Upscale Selfridges is a strange location for the UK debut of a quirky Swedish retailer known for its cheap fast fashion, but this shop-in-shop is a success.
Choice, Lakeside

2 September 2011
With a change of location in Lakeside, the Essex indie has opened a store that breaks little new ground but is in tune with its brand-obsessed customers.
Mary & House of Fraser, London

26 August 2011
Mary Portas has put her money where her mouth is with a shop-in-shop at HoF’s Oxford Street store, but does it measure up to her own exacting standards?
Closed by 14oz, Berlin

19 August 2011
Despite its name, this edgy casualwear retailer is very much open for business in the German capital, thanks to its relationship with local denim act 14oz.
Van Mildert, Meadowhall

12 August 2011
The Northeast indie’s most southerly outpost to date looks to have successfully repeated its winning formula, despite its less-than-obvious neighbours
Forever 21, Oxford Street

5 August 2011
Young fashion retailer Forever 21 has opened its first London store, but how will this American import fare against the local value-led competition?
Primark and New Look, Oxford Street, London

29 July 2011
New Look and Primark have turned the far west end of Oxford Street into a Mecca for bargain hunters, but depending on which retailer you visit, the value shopping experience can vary widely
Aldo, Oxford Street, London

22 July 2011
The Canadian footwear chain has opened a store that it claims is a flagship for thåe business in this country. But is it a true standard bearer?
Jaeger London, Canary Wharf

15 July 2011
This small store serving the area’s businesswomen is trading far ahead of expectations thanks to a new fit-out and a precise understanding of its customer.
Niketown, London

8 July 2011
With a new second floor and large areas that have been remodelled, Nike has ensured its huge central London store sets the pace for sports retail
CK Calvin Klein, Manchester

1 July 2011
Calvin Klein’s bridge collection is all about understated cool, and its first UK standalone store does this well. But it runs the risk of relative anonymity
Christmas decorations

24 June 2011
Creating a festive window display is a retail tradition, but making yours stand out from the crowd is the difficult bit. Here are some stores that pulled it off.
Anthropologie sets sights on up to 10 UK stores

16 June 2011
US fashion and homewares retailer Anthropologie has said it could have more than 10 stores in the UK as it opened its third shop in Edinburgh this week.
Men’s Shoe Salon, Harrods, London

3 June 2011
Whether you want £35 espadrilles or £12,000 crocodile-skin shoes, the luxury retailer’s revamped men’s footwear department is a welcoming environment.
Havaianas, London

27 May 2011
The Brazilian flip-flop brand has opened its first UK store off Carnaby Street. While the vast product range impresses, a few retail basics seem to be amiss.
Oakley, Covent Garden

13 May 2011
Sunglasses shoppers in search of something special will flock to the brand’s revamped London flagship, where the shopfit offers a post-apocalyptic vision.
Monsoon, Oxford Street

6 May 2011
This flagship store’s refurbishment and Summer of Love-style product is set off perfectly by an early burst of hot weather, wooing central London shoppers.
Lee, Westfield, London

21 April 2011
The heritage denim brand’s second UK standalone goes head to head with some of the jeans market’s biggest players - and makes a strong showing.
Seize the Games’ golden opportunity

15 April 2011
Retailers can benefit financially from the London Olympics, but only if they stick to the organisers’ strict codes governing what can and can’t be done.
Michael Kors, Regent Street

8 April 2011
US designer womenswear brand Michael Kors’ second UK store is a different breed from the first, with a flashy shopfit but much more accessible prices.
New Look, Oxford Street

1 April 2011
With major changes within the team at the helm of New Look, it seemed a good time to revisit the London flagship to gauge its effect on the shopfloor
Y-3, London

25 March 2011
The designer-meets-sportswear brand has finally opened in the UK with a stylish store in the centre of the capital. The only potential problem is the hefty price tags
Kurt Geiger, Notting Hill

18 March 2011
Take elements from Kurt Geiger’s Covent Garden flagship, add some boho, art deco flavours, and what do you get? The retailer’s new Portobello Road store.
Roland Mouret, London

11 March 2011
Stock may be thin on the ground in the designer’s first standalone store but the surroundings and visual merchandising provide plenty to catch the eye.
Harrods London, Women's Shoe Department

4 March 2011
No expense has been spared in the makeover of Harrods’ women’s footwear department and the money has been well spent, with the glamorous surroundings complementing the luxury offer.
Accessorize, Oxford Street

25 February 2011
What was just another shop on London’s main retail strip has been given a makeover, turning the accessories retailer into a true destination.
Edition, Newburgh Street, London

18 February 2011
An excellent designer offer, high street price tags and an attractive shopfit mean Debenhams is onto a winner with its first-ever pop-up store
Mackintosh, Mayfair, London

4 February, 2011
Rainwear brand Mackintosh’s first standalone store on Mount Street in Mayfair turns a functional clothing item into something to be coveted
Happy Shop, Berlin

28 January 2011
The latest arrival on the German capital’s rough and ready alternative retail scene is an object lesson in making the most of a rather bleak location
Mary’s Living and Giving Shop, Primrose Hill, London

21 January 2011
Mary Portas and Save the Children have opened their third charity shop and opted for a new look to ensure it is in keeping with its chi-chi surroundings.
Aéropostale, New York

14 January 2011
US casualwear chain Aéropostale has opened a flagship store on Times Square, with all of the razzmatazz you’d expect in the location.
Clarks, Exeter

7 January 2011
Don’t be fooled by the standard exterior. Clarks’ new-format store looks good, shows the product well and emphasises its family friendly ethos.
Stores offer a wealth of creative retailing

17 December 2010
It was a good year for indies, for blockbusting fashion statements and pop-up shops, but not every new opening or store revamp was up to scratch.
Gilly Hicks, Westfield London

10 December 2010
Abercrombie & Fitch-owned underwear brand Gilly Hicks has opened its first UK store, but shoppers may get the feeling they’ve seen it all before.
7 For All Mankind, Regent Street

3 December 2010
The premium LA denim brand has opened a UK flagship in central London, but the shopfit might not convince customers it justifies the price tags
River Island, Reading

26 November 2010
The young fashion retailer drew on in-house talent to design its new store concept, which looks good but lacks sparkle.
Replay, Paris

19 November 2010
The Belle Époque-inspired storefit at the denim brand’s French flagship should put shoppers in the mood to spend.
Denham, east London

12 November 2010
Premium denim brand Denham has chosen trendy Shoreditch to open its first UK standalone store which, like the product, is big on small details
Paolo de Cesare

12 November 2010
Despite having no previous department store experience, the president and director-general of Printemps has put it back on the map as a shrine to Parisian luxury retail
TK Maxx, City of London

5 November 2010
Bankers and stockbrokers get to enjoy a more upmarket incarnation of the off-price retailer, with labels such as Chloé and Versace at bargain prices.
High & Mighty, London

29 October 2010
The chain for tall and large men has revamped its flagship as its new owner, mail-order group N Brown, looks to grow beyond its 14-store UK presence
Trunk, Chiltern Street, London

22 October 2010
Menswear indie Trunk proves to be a treasure chest of delights aimed at a preppy and quirky audience - but with prices that are distinctly aspirational.
Biba, House of Fraser, London

15 October 2010
In spite of the high-profile spat with founder Barbara Hulanicki, Biba’s arrival in House of Fraser’s Oxford Street store is finding favour with shoppers.
Uniqlo, Bluewater

8 October 2010
The fast fashion retailer has opened a store outside London - just. Located in Bluewater, its second foray beyond the capital should prove productive.
Emporio Armani, Manchester

1 October 2010
The Italian luxury brand’s new flagship in central Manchester aims to be an upscale fashion department store, and it doesn’t disappoint.
Raw leather, silk and wool follow cotton price hikes

1 October 2010
Retailers and brands will use a combination of re-engineered price points and January’s VAT rise to mask rising prices on leather, silk and wool from the consumer next spring.
The weekend newspaper round up: September 25 to 26, 2010

27 September 2010
A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers.
Record year for White Stuff

27 September 2010
Lifestyle retailer and brand White Stuff has proved it has the right stuff with a record year that has seen sales and profit soar.
Selfridges Shoe Galleries, London

24 September 2010
Selfridges has opened the world’s largest footwear department with a splash of cash and stylings that will leave the competition wondering how to respond.
Browns Shop 24, London

17 September 2010
Designer haven Browns has created a new-look space aimed at wealthy wardrobe builders who might have one eye on the bank balance.
Kuyichi, Manchester

10 September 2010
The Dutch ethical brand’s first standalone store shows that being green need not damage your style credentials - although it could put a dent in your wallet.
Benetton, Oxford Circus, London

3 September 2010
The refurbished UK flagship retains the Italian lifestyle chain’s colourful signature identity yet gives it a more mature feel with high-quality furnishings.
Club Monaco, Toronto, Canada

28 August 2010
Unheard of in Europe, the Polo Ralph Lauren-owned chain’s slick approach to visual merchandising has made it a major force in North America and Asia
Boutique by Jaeger, London

21 August 2010
The premium retailer is attempting to broaden its appeal with a younger, more affordable sub-brand, Boutique. Its London pop-up shop showcases the collection
Kurt Geiger, Covent Garden

14 August 2010
The premium footwear retailer has opened a flagship store that combines glamour with the serious business of selling volume product
One True Saxon, London

7 August 2010
The men’s young fashion brand has created a pop-up store which creates an impression that is greater than the sum of its parts
Acne, Dover Street, London

31 July 2010
Swedish premium brand Acne’s first UK store, in London’s affluent Mayfair, resurrects the white box format on the premise that less really is more
Marie-France Cohen

24 July 2010
An eclectic store that gives its profits to charity may not seem like the most sound of business ventures, but the owner of Merci in Paris is no ordinary retailer
The Sting, Piccadilly Circus

24 July 2010
Dutch fashion retailer The Sting has opened its first UK store in arguably London’s highest-profile location, but it fails to stand out from the crowd
WeSC, Neal Street, London

17 July 2010
Hardcore boardwear enthusiasts will be delighted with WeSC’s second UK store, but it is unlikely to widen the brand’s appeal
True Religion, Covent Garden

10 July 2010
Premium denim worshippers will welcome the US brand’s first UK standalone store, but perhaps too much care has been taken over its ‘distressed’ elements
Desigual, Paris

3 July 2010
The future looks bright in terms of both product and sales at the Spanish chain, which has made a statement of intent with its new Paris flagship
Fenwick, New Bond Street, London

26 June 2010
Vintage finds, retro lighting and an abundance of space for stock and mannequins have further enhanced the department store’s luxury environment
Arndale, Manchester

19 June 2010
The best in mainstream retailing is presented in a slightly anonymous environment in the newer part of this landmark shopping centre.
Louis Vuitton, New Bond Street

12 June 2010
Extraordinary furnishings and deep pockets are the norm when you enter the rarified atmosphere of the luxury brand’snew London flagship
Richmond Classics, Bournemouth

5 June 2010
This stalwart young fashion indie has doubled in size by adding a pharmacy-styled department which dispenses a healthy dose of fun to its customers
Suit Supply, Lime Street, London

29 May 2010
The sale of men’s formalwear needn’t be a dull affair, judging by Dutch retailer Suit Supply’s striking new store in the City of London
Canali, New Bond Street, London

22 May 2010
Upscale Italian menswear label Canali has opened a flagship store which is heavy on Milanese slick but light on attention-grabbing design features
John Lewis, Welwyn Garden City

15 May 2010
After a successful trial in Cardiff, the retailer’s fashion floor is rolling out to sites such as the Hertfordshire town
Gucci, Covent Garden, London

1 May 2010
The luxury brand brings a sense of exclusivity to the pop-up concept, with a temporary space that will exist only for as long it takes to sell the trainers inside
Fat Face, Brighton

24 April 2010
A former post office is the venue for the lifestyle retailer’s distinctive new store, which has a laid-back feel in keeping with Brighton’s surfer chic
Ted Baker, Floral Street, London

17 April 2010
The lifestyle retailer’s refurbished Covent Garden flagship proves the ‘retail is detail’ cliché’ with a feat of visual merchandising that leaves nothing to chance
TK Maxx Woman, Putney, London

10 April 2010
Off-price retailer TK Maxx has launched its new women-only concept in southwest London, mixing designer bargains with cheap-as-chips brands
Barratts, Oxford Street, London

3 April 2010
Footwear chain Barratts has raised its game on Oxford Street with a revamp that brings one of the thoroughfare’s more tired stalwarts up to date
Industry pays tribute to Joseph

27 March 2010
The industry has celebrated the achievements of legendary retailer and brand creator Joseph Ettedgui, founder of the eponymous womens-wear firm, who died last week aged 74 following a battle with cancer.
Carla Sozzani

27 March 2010
Italian super indie 10 Corso Como has built a reputation for spotting up-and-coming design talent, and the former fashion editor behind it says her philosophy is simply to buy what she likes
Ringspun plots Far Eastern expansion

27 March 2010
Young fashion label Ringspun is to open 30 franchise stores and concessions in Taiwan over the next three years as part of an international retail push.
Louis Vuitton loses Google battle

24 March 2010
Google has won its long-running legal battle with luxury brand Louis Vuitton over the use of its Adwords service.
Alexon raises £20.3m to fund turnaround

23 March 2010
Alexon Group has successfully raised £20.3m via a capital raising to help speed its recovery.
Phillips-Van Heusen out of the red

23 March 2010
Calvin Klein owner Phillips-Van Heusen posted a profit of $27m (£17.9m) for the three months to January 31, against a $37.9m (£25.2m) loss for the same period last year.
Versace family will not sell shares

22 March 2010
The Versace label is on track to be profitable once more and there will be no sale of its shares by family members, according to chief executive Gian Giacomo Ferraris.
All Saints, Notting Hill, London

20 March 2010
Portobello Road traditionalists may be unhappy about its presence, but the young fashion chain’s flagship works hard to fit in
Harvey Nichols, London

13 March 2010
The luxury department store has revamped its flagship’s fourth floor and upped its fashion quota with a younger, more accessibly priced offer
Toast, Cheltenham

6 March 2010
Contemporary womenswear retailer Toast has just seven standalone stores, with the latest opening on Valentine’s Day in the posh part of Cheltenham.
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.
Wolf & Badger, Notting Hill, London

27 February 2010
The art gallery-like space in this high-end store gives new design talent the chance to display their wares to the moneyed shoppers of Notting Hill.
New Look, Oxford Street, London

13 February 2010
New Look sits firmly in the value sector and shoppers entering one of its stores do so with the expectation of not having to dig too deep when making a purchase. In days gone by, they would probably also have expected a stripped-for-action store environment, cheap and cheerful, bright and breezy - the retail equivalent of a no-frills airline.
Gant, Regent Street, London

6 February 2010
The preppy lifestyle brand’s new flagship puts its entire collection under one roof for the first time in the UK, all presented in an elegant, understated shopfit
Dover Street Market Tachiagari, London

30 January 2010
Dover Street Market’s bi-annual Tachiagari makes a visit to this upmarket fashion hot spot a must for those interested in creative merchandising
Wise before the event

30 January 2010
With the World Cup and a general election on the horizon, plus a growing interest in ethics, there are plenty of issues around which retailers can build marketing campaigns in 2010. But beware of overkill, say experts
American idols take to the stage in UK

23 January 2010
J Crew is the latest in a long line of US clothing retailers to target the UK. So what’s the attraction and is it worth all the expense?
Shopwatch: American Eagle, Times Square, New York

23 January 2010
The US young fashion chain’s newly opened flagship marries a jaw-dropping exterior with a stunning interior
Shopwatch: Firetrap, Meadowhall, Sheffield

16 January 2010
The brand’s new look uses industrial props and the macabre to put it at the leading edge of Meadowhall’s fashion offer
Elle 17 and 25 Ten go online to extend reach

9 January 2010
Liverpool womenswear indie Elle 17 is to launch a transactional website later this month to satisfy demand for its collections from customers in the south of England and overseas.
Shop Watching: United Nude, Amsterdam

9 January 2010
Anglo-Dutch footwear brand United Nude has opened a flagship store which mixes dark and light to create a fresh vision of retail design
Shop price inflation rises in December

6 January 2010
Shop inflation rose sharply in December to 2.2%, from 0.2% in November, according to the BRC Nielsen Shop Price Index.
Etailers scramble for last minute sales

24 December 2009
Same day deliveries are being offered by a brace of retailers online today in a last-ditch attempt to maximise full-price sales
Claire's to go for European expansion drive in 2010

24 December 2009
Accessories retailer Claire’s intends to open significantly more stores during 2010 than this year.
JD takes over Australian and New Zealand Canterbury distributors

24 December 2009
The sports retail group has acquired stakes in the Australian and New Zealand distribution companies for rugby brand Canterbury
Uniqlo unveils +J spring 10 collection

23 December 2009
The latest collection in the collbaoration between Uniqlo and Jil Sander was previewed in Tokyo yesterday.
Boxing Day could prove biggest shopping day of the year

23 December 2009
The day after Christmas could be “Super Saturday” for retailers according to Jonathan de Mello, director of retail and property at Experian.
Next is most popular clothing website in week to December 19

22 December 2009
Figures from Experian Hitwise show that Next garnered the greatest number of hits online in the apparel and accessories category in the final full week before Christmas.
Gabriella Forte to quit D&G

22 December 2009
Gabriella Forte, who joined Dolce & Gabbana USA in 2002 as president and licensing director is to leave the Milanese fashion label.
Uniqlo's European expansion gathers pace

22 December 2009
Uniqlo plans to expand across Europe in 2010 with cities such as Madrid, Barcelona and Milan, plus a city in Germany all being targeted for store openings.
Big names return to London Fashion Week

21 December 2009
Matthew Williamson, Jonathan Saunders, Pringle and Antonio Berardi will join Burberry Prorsum in returning to show at London Fashion Week in February.
Selfridges ditches larger sizes

21 December 2009
Selfridges has been accused of alienating larger sized customers after it dropped the plus-size Marina Rinaldi brand, which runs from a size 14-26, which means it now only carries collections up to a size 18.
Kuyichi embarks on UK retail roll-out

19 December 2009
Dutch ethical young fashion brand Kuyichi is to open up to 10 franchise stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland alongside a series of company-owned stores as part of a long-term brand-building exercise.
Prada, Paris

19 December 2009
Prada’s temporary store is no ordinary pop-up shop, with a super-luxe feel and extravagant design that would give most permanent stores an inferiority complex.
Monsoon returns to the US with Accessorize

18 December 2009
Monsoon is poised to open five Accessorize stores in the US next year as the retailer tries once more to crack the North American market.
Barbour, Fouberts Place, London

12 December 2009
It may be synonymous with the huntin’, fishin’ and shootin’ set but Barbour is now hobnobbing with London’s trend followers in a store off Carnaby Street.
Pop-up shops are here to stay

11 December 2009
The temporary store is now an established part of the retail landscape as empty retail units go begging, but is there real value in it for the fashion sector?
Chelsea Cobbler, Mayfair, London

5 December 2009
Despite being a pop-up store, The Dune Group’s new men’s footwear business in London’s West End has an air of permanence about it.
VAT rise puts retailers back to square one

4 December 2009
After a year pegged back at 15%, VAT is due to return to 17.5% on January 1. What material impact will the increase have on retailers’ margins in 2010?
M&Co reveals storefit and expansion plans

4 December 2009
Value retailer M&Co, which operates 290 stores in the UK, has unveiled a new-look store concept and pushed the button on a 2010 expansion strategy.
Bread & Butter confirms July dates

2 December 2009
Young fashion and streetwear show Bread & Butter has unveiled the dateline for its spring 11 edition.
Yoox to float on Italian bourse

2 December 2009
Italian online retailer Yoox is set to float on Milan’s stockmarket this week.
Mary Portas launches charity chain

2 December 2009
Retail guru Mary Portas has launched her own chain of charity shops under the Mary’s Living and Giving Shop fascia.
"Cyber Monday" sales up 16% in the US

1 December 2009
US consumers flocked online to do their Christmas shopping yesterday with etailers recording a 16% rise in year-on-year sales.
Winners of Fashioning the Future Awards unveiled

1 December 2009
The London College of Fashion has unveiled the winners of its Fashioning the Future Awards 2009.
US shoppers discount driven on Black Friday

30 November 2009
US retail sales on Black Friday, the post Thanksgiving shopping day in the States, were marginally ahead of 2008, but shoppers were out looking for bargains and did not spend on full price goods or luxury items.
Selfridges heads for £100m profit in centenary year

30 November 2009
A strong start to Christmas trading has been the icing on the cake for department store group Selfridges, which said its profits would bust the £100 million market in this, its 100th year of trading.
Shopwatch: 14oz, Berlin

28 November 2009
Open for a year, 14oz sets the standard by which other jeans retailers should measure themselves. It’s worth a visit just to see what’s possible.
Baracuta, Covent Garden, London

21 November 2009
Opened two weeks ago and with a three-month lifespan, the heritage brand’s pop-up shop gives a lesson in creating a storefit on a budget.
‘Business as usual’ at Escada after rescue

14 November 2009
German luxury womenswear brand Escada has vowed that spring 10 deliveries will hit stores on time after it was rescued from administration and its spiralling debts last week.
Cult, St David’s, Cardiff

14 November 2009
Despite the downturn, young fashion retailer Cult has continued its rapid rise and has now opened its biggest store to date. But does bigger mean better?
Debenhams research reveals men's underwear secrets

11 November 2009
Research by Debenhams shows that men only buy their own underwear over a 17 year period in their lifetime
Karstadt to be restructured

11 November 2009
German retail group Arcandor has said that it is seeking buyers or investors for its Karstadt department store chain.
Third quarter provides cold comfort for Irish Retailers

10 November 2009
Menswear failures a certainty during the next two quarters
La Perla to rationalise brand strategy

9 November 2009
Italian lingerie firm La Perla is to rationalise its brand portfolio and lower prices in a move it claims will boost its market share.
Diversion at Sunday Best, Rawtenstall

7 November 2009
A new young fashion floor has almost doubled the selling area at this Lancashire indie, which looks to Manchester for its retail competition
Ann Harvey, Oxford Street, London

31 October 2009
A revamp of its plus-size womenswear business Ann Harvey’s flagship store is the first step in owner Alexon’s bid to turn around its flagging fortunes.
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.
Indies consider courier services as further postal strikes loom

26 October 2009
Talks aimed at resolving the postal dispute have kicked off in London this morning.
Foundation moves on up with premium floor

24 October 2009
Premium womenswear independent Foundation is halfway through an expansion of its Cheltenham store that will see the shop double in size, from 550 sq ft to 1,100 sq ft, by mid-November.
Room 14 hunts for brands after investing in website

24 October 2009
Ashton-under-Lyne men’s young fashion indie Room 14 has launched a transactional website and shelved plans for a second bricks-and-mortar store.
Ben Sherman, Savile Row, London

17 October 2009
The 1960s-influenced brand has opened a men’s tailoring store in the rarefied surroundings of Savile Row in a bid to grab a slice of the bespoke action.
New Look Shoes & Accessories, Bristol

9 October 2009
Until very recently, New Look ruled the roost in the fashion footwear stakes. With an enormous range and an uncanny knack of having the right style at the right price, each store seemed to sell out almost as quickly as stock appeared.
Italian and Spanish footwear manufacturers to fight for EU protection

29 September 2009
Italian and Spanish footwear manufacturers are preparing to fight for continued European protection against the import of cheap shoes from the Far East.
Jacques Vert predicts full-year profit increase

28 September 2009
Mainstream womenswear retailer Jacques Vert will announce at its AGM today a 0.8% like-for-like fall in sales for the 22 weeks since the beginning of April, but said that it anticipated increased pre-tax profits for the full year.
Topman, Oxford Circus

25 September 2009
Bigger, louder and edgier than what it replaces, the new Topman flagship at Oxford Circus ups the ante for men’s young fashion in the capital.
Value footwear lands on its feet in recession

18 September 2009
The value footwear market has grown as sales fall across the rest of the sector. But are shoppers’ habits changing for good or will value players’ success fade with the downturn?
Pull and Bear, central London

12 September 2009
Young fashion chain Pull and Bear opened its fourth UK store two weeks ago, and the expensive-looking shopfit has been pulling in the crowds on Oxford Street.
A changing playground for uniforms

11 September 2009
Supermarkets have led a race to the bottom for low-cost school uniform offers, but what are the ramifications of this on the market and are shoppers the only winners?
Daks appoints new managing director

9 September 2009
British tailoring brand Daks has appointed John Suirdale as its new managing director with immediate effect.
Richemont sales fall 16%

9 September 2009
Luxury goods group Richemont has posted a 16% sales decline, at actual exchange rates, for the five months to August 30
Debenhams to confirm Henry Holland deal

9 September 2009
Debenhams is expected to confirm that it has signed London Fashion Week designer Henry Holland to join its Designers at Debenhams range at its pre-close trading update next week.
New Look to launch social media platform via YouTube

8 September 2009
New Look is to launch a weekly online interactive TV show which will be distributed via an eponymously branded YouTube channel.
What the weekend newspapers said (September 5-6)

7 September 2009
The best of the fashion business-related headlines from the weekend newspapers….
YMC, Soho, London

05 September 2009
An eclectic, arty interior with eye-catching props, created on a limited budget, shows real design bravery at contemporary brand YMC’s debut standalone
Indigo launched at Marks & Spencer Marble Arch

3 September 2009
Marks & Spencer unveiled its new casualwear sub-brand Indigo at its London Marble Arch flagship yesterday.
Losses widen at Dawson International

1 September 2009
Luxury knitwear manufacturer Dawson International has unveiled widening losses during the half-year to July 4.

DrapersJohn Ryan

Drapers
John Ryan