Drapers
Laura Weir

Laura joined Drapers two and half years ago from Retail Week magazine. She writes news and features for the magazine and for Drapersonline.com. Her specialist areas of expertise include footwear and young fashion. Laura also leads the independent retailer content within Drapers including editing the Independent News section and compiling the weekly independent news email bulletin. She also manages the Off The Record and Indicator sections in the magazine and online.

  • 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.

  • Karl Lagerfeld brand to stay in Apax stable

    17 March 2010

    Karl Lagerfeld SAS, a wholly owned subsidary of the Tommy Hilfiger Group, is not part of Phillips-Van Heusen’s $3 billion acquisition of Hilfiger’s company, according to reports.

  • Lloyds puts TM Lewin stake on the market

    15 March 2010

    Shirt specialist TM Lewin is exploring its options after Lloyds Banking Group put its 20% stake in the business on the market.

  • The weekend newspaper round up: March 13 to 14, 2010

    15 March 2010

    A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers.

  • Clogs

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Coloured Brogues

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Fur

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Golf

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Hiking

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Panelling

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Velvet

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Wedges

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Zips and studs

    13 March 2010

    Autumn 10

  • River Island makes a grab for kidswear

    6 March 2010

    River Island is to take on rival Next and capitalise on the demise of Adams with the launch of a mini-me kidswear range across selected stores next month.

  • Pavers in merger deal with Shoe-shop.com

    6 March 2010

    Stuart Paver, owner and managing director of Pavers Shoes, has acquired 100% of Shoe-shop.com, the etail business he co-founded, and plans to merge it with mid-market footwear chain Pavers to become a global multichannel footwear retailer.

  • Milan Fashion Week: Gucci, Versus, Emilio Pucci

    2 March 2010

    While Gucci tuned into a calming minimalism at Milan Fashion Week, Emilio Pucci delved into the depths of luxurious gothic bohemia and Christopher Kane for Versus once again showcased his rare talent for understanding the desires of the young designer consumer.

  • Milan Fashion Week: Dolce & Gabbana, Versace

    1 March 2010

    Dolce & Gabbana went back to basics with a sensitive and seductive show while Versace dialled into a space age sexiness as Milan’s fashion powerhouses opted for simplicity and modernity respectively.

  • Milan Fashion Week: Prada, D&G

    26 February 2010

    A coy, yet retro femininity punctuated the Prada catwalk while D&G plumped for an après ski theme as the fashion powerhouse duo showed at Milan Fashion Week yesterday.

  • Fashion sales 21% up at John Lewis

    26 February 2010

    Department store chain John Lewis recorded an uplift in turnover of 15.1% to £51.9m last week.

  • Supergroup presses ahead with float despite mixed feedback on pricing

    26 February 2010

    SuperGroup, the company behind Superdry and Cult Clothing has expressed commitment to a flotation on the London Stock Exchange despite concerns over pricing.

  • SRG sets 2011 profit target following CVA approval

    27 February 2010

    Speciality Retail Group (SRG) chairman Peter Lucas said the menswear retail group - which includes the Suits You chain - would turn a profit in the year to January 2011 after its Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) was approved this week.

  • Clarks loses ground to rivals in footwear sales

    27 February 2010

    Footwear giant Clarks has been hammered by rival high street retailers on both volume and value sales, according to figures seen by Drapers.

  • Malcolm Collins

    27 February 2010

    The New Look footwear and accessories boss has made the retailer the leading force in footwear in just 12 years. Next on the agendais a roll-out of footwear standalones.

  • February sales outperform expectations say CBI

    25 February 2010

    The UK high street outperformed expectations in February with retailers recording the strongest growth in sales volumes in over two years, the Confederation of British Industry said today.

  • Menswear Day closes LFW

    25 February 2010

    London Fashion Week came to a close yesterday with Menswear Day designers showcasing varied looks from classic Savile Row tailoring to acid green PVC and gimp masks.

  • Twiggy slams fur on the LFW catwalk

    25 February 2010

    Model Twiggy has criticised designers for using real fur at London Fashion Week.

  • Riva Shoes in administration

    23 February 2010

    Norfolk-based footwear brand Riva Shoes has collapsed into administration.

  • Matthew Williamson slips into the red

    22 February 2010

    Designer brand Matthew Williamson Holdings slipped £1.4m into the red in 2008, according to reports.

  • Pure London Footwear

    20 February 2010

    Autumn 10

  • Martin Lacey to leave Cruise

    17 February 2010

    Martin Lacey, the buying director of designer mini-chain Cruise, is to leave the business.

  • Abercrombie & Fitch net income drops 31%

    17 February 2010

    Abercrombie & Fitch Co has recorded a 31% drop in net income to $47.5m (£30.1m) over the 13 weeks to January 30 while total sales fell 5% to $936m (£594m).

  • Burberry to restructure Spanish division

    17 February 2010

    Luxury heritage brand Burberry is to restructure its Spanish arm in a bid to bring the division in line with the global business.

  • Mulberry raises outlook

    17 February 2010

    Luxury leather goods and clothing brand Mulberry has raised its full year outlook following a strong Christmas trading period.

  • Ads signal French Connection brand overhaul

    13 February 2010

    French Connection has kicked off a major brand repositioning with the launch of a dramatic new-look spring ad campaign, which is said to be its biggest since the launch of its infamous FCUK branding in 1997.

  • The Brandery

    13 February 2010

    A schizophreic mix of streetwear, lifestyle and premium labels was served up at the Barcelona trade fair.

  • Obituary: Alexander McQueen

    11 February 2010

    Born Lee Alexander McQueen, 17 March 1969 - 11 February 2010.

  • Alexander McQueen found dead

    11 February 2010

    UPDATED: Designer Alexander McQueen has been found dead at his home.

  • George Davies unveils spring 10 GIVe collection

    11 February 2010

    Retail veteran George Davies has unveiled the second collection for his womeswear offer GIVe.

  • Davies on GIVe one season on

    8 February 2010

    Retail veteran and serial brand creator George Davies has cut prices for spring 10 at his womenswear offer GIVe after its first season.

  • Fashion sales soar as John Lewis ends year in 'fine form'

    5 February 2010

    Department store chain John Lewis has reported strong trading in the final week of its financial year with fashion the star performer.

  • No sales growth expected at New Look's Mim until 2012

    5 February 2010

    Mim, the 300-store French young fashion retailer owned by New Look, is expected to report negative sales until 2012, according to research released as part of the retailer’s imminent float.

  • Huge brand showroom to open in Manchester

    6 February 2010

    Fashion entrepreneur David Mallon is to open a 60,000 sq ft showroom in Manchester in a bid to bring northern-based fashion brands together under one roof.

  • Visitor numbers double at The Brandery

    6 February 2010

    Spanish trade fair The Brandery has reported a 51% rise in visitor numbers to its second edition in Barcelona.

  • Abercrombie & Fitch January sales up

    4 February 2010

    American casualwear giant Abercrombie & Fitch recorded an 8% rise in same store sales over the four weeks to January 30.

  • Nathan Jenden to leave DVF

    4 February 2010

    Diane von Furstenberg creative director Nathan Jenden is to leave the brand to focus on his own label.

  • New Look team set for bumper pay out

    4 February 2010

    New Look’s management team is set to make millions of pounds from the retailer’s payment in kind (PIK) notes.

  • Designer Rooms in liquidation

    3 February 2010

    Designer outlet chain the Designer Rooms has been placed into liquidation after running into trouble during the Christmas period and racking up £1m of unmanageable debt.

  • Stitch teams up with London Fashion Network

    3 February 2010

    Menswear trade show Stitch has teamed up with networking event London Fashion Network to host a seminar at its inaugural show.

  • January price deflation slows to 1.4%

    3 February 2010

    Clothing and footwear shop price deflation slowed to 1.4% in January from 3.3% in December, the lowest level of deflation reported since October 2008.

  • Lipsy launches Pixie Lott collaboration

    2 February 2010

    Young fashion brand Lipsy has teamed up with Pixie Lott on a range co-designed by the popstar.

  • New Look gears up for March float

    1 February 2010

    Fast fashion chain New Look is expected to go ahead with a stock market floatation at the beginning of March according to reports.

  • Supergroup announces chairman to lead float

    29 January 2010

    Supergroup - owner of young fashion brand and chain Superdry, and Cult Clothing - has hired former Vodafone director Peter Bamford as chairman ahead of an IPO, as revealed by Drapers.

  • Bread & Butter on the ball ahead of World Cup

    30 January 2010

    Young fashion trade show Bread & Butter will embrace the 2010 football World Cup next season by screening games in a purpose-built stadium at the show in Berlin in an effort to protect attendance.

  • Rivals settle with Lipsy over design imitations

    30 January 2010

    Women’s young fashion brand Lipsy has reached undisclosed settlement agreements with two rivals over claims that two of its dresses were copied.

  • Weird Fish targets wholesale growth

    30 January 2010

    Ethical lifestyle brand Weird Fish has unveiled a three-year strategy to build the brand’s profile and expand its wholesale footprint in the UK after sales rose 20% in 2009.

  • Premium pulls record visitor numbers

    27 January 2010

    Visitors to Berlin trade fair Premium rose to 41,000 this season, with 11% of visitors from the UK and Ireland, and more than half of total visitors from overseas.

  • Optimism reigns among Bread & Butter visitors

    23 January 2010

    Young fashion brands and retailers were in a mood of optimistic resilience as young fashion trade show Bread & Butter kicked off this week in Berlin.

  • Tufnell to build brands from London showroom

    23 January 2010

    Fashion entrepreneur Greg Tufnell is to open a new central London showroom to host his burgeoning stable of brands next week.

  • G Star unveils new sub brand at Bread & Butter

    20 January 2010

    Dutch denim brand G Star has unveiled a new premium collection at Bread & Butter in Berlin today.

  • Bread & Butter kicks off with upbeat mood

    20 January 2010

    Young fashion trade show Bread & Butter got off to a steady start this morning with plenty of buyers braving the elements to get to Berlin.

  • Pepe Jeans signs Alexa Chung as new face

    19 January 2010

    Celebrity TV presenter Alexa Chung has been signed as the face of Pepe Jeans London for spring 2010.

  • Consumer Price Index jumps to 2.9%

    19 January 2010

    The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 2.9% in the year to December, up from 1.9% in November, according to the Office for National Statistics.

  • Snow continues to put a freeze on trade

    16 January 2010

    The heavy snow which has been falling across the country since the start of the year continued to disrupt trade for both independents and multiples this week, as staff struggled to get to work and customers avoided venturing out to take advantage of the January Sales.

  • Damian Scarlett

    16 January 2010

    Cloggs’ managing director explains how a change in strategy towards both bricks and clicks is driving significant growth for the footwear retailer

  • John Lewis website booms on the back of snow

    15 January 2010

    Snowy weather resulted in a 56% surge in internet sales for John Lewis over the week to January 9, offsetting a decline in sales at the 29-store chain.

  • McArthurGlen scores Christmas sales rise

    15 January 2010

    Sales at outlet chain McArthurGlen rose 4% over the five weeks to January 3 boosted by shoppers seeking out discounted designer clothing for Christmas parties and Christmas gifts.

  • Ugg and Jimmy Choo to collaborate on footwear collection

    13 January 2010

    Ugg Australia and luxury footwear label Jimmy Choo have teamed up to launch an ‘Ugg & Jimmy Choo’ women’s sheepskin footwear capsule collection.

  • Nick Samuel joins knitwear brand N.Peal

    13 January 2010

    N.Peal cashmere, the knitwear brand, has appointed former Hobbs managing director Nick Samuel as non-executive director.

  • Matalan records bumper Christmas sales

    13 January 2010

    Value fashion retailer Matalan has reported an “impressive” Christmas performance and expects continued growth.

  • BFC announces designer fund shortlist

    12 January 2010

    The British Fashion Council has revealed the names of the designers shortlisted for the inaugural British Fashion Council and Vogue Designer Fashion Fund.

  • Christmas sales flat at Debenhams

    12 January 2010

    Like-for-like sales at department store chain Debenhams were up 0.1% over the 18 weeks to January 2, 2010, and the retailer said the trading outlook remains uncertain.

  • Dune Group Christmas sales sparkle

    11 January 2010

    Footwear business The Dune Group, which comprises the Dune chain and the former Shoe Studio Group fascias, recorded a 17.4% rise in like-for-like sales over the Christmas period.

  • The weekend newspaper round up January 9 to 10, 2010

    11 January 2010

    A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers

  • Paul Smith warns of 'challenging' trading in 2010

    7 January 2010

    Paul Smith, the upmarket menswear business, has warned that trading this year will be “challenging” and reported a dip in full-year profits.

  • Ben Sherman to axe womenswear

    18 December 2009

    Young fashion brand Ben Sherman is proposing to exit its womenswear business and focus on menswear.

  • Baird Group closes in on Etiquette stake

    18 December 2009

    Menswear specialist Baird Group is on the brink of signing a deal to acquire a stake in hire supply business Etiquette.

  • Smythson sold for £18m

    17 December 2009

    Smythson, the luxury leather goods firm, has been sold for £18m.

  • Christmas clothing gift market to surpass £2.25bn

    17 December 2009

    Spending on Christmas gifts clothing is expected to surpass the £2.25bn recorded last year and hit it’s highest value in five years, according to market research firm TNS Worldpanel Fashion.

  • JJB records 52% sales fall

    17 December 2009

    JJB Sports has warned of “difficult” trading as sales over the 20 weeks to December 13 fell 52%.

  • Replay majority stake bought by new investors

    16 December 2009

    An acquisition vehicle has bought a majority 60% stake in Fashion Box SpA the owner of denim brands Replay, We Are Replay and Replay & Sons denim.

  • Scottish clothing sales record worst decline since May

    16 December 2009

    Scottish retail sales grew at a slower rate in November than in the rest of the UK for the third consecutive month with clothing sales dropping to their lowest levels since May.

  • Laura Ashley records 4.9% like-for-like sales rise

    16 December 2009

    Womenswear retailer Laura Ashley expects full year trading to be broadly in line with company expectations after like-for-like sales rose 4.9% over the first 19 weeks of the second half to 12 December.

  • Consumer price inflation rises to 1.9%

    15 December 2009

    The rate of consumer price inflation rose to 1.9% in November from 1.5% the previous month, although the price of clothing and footwear dipped, official statistics showed.

  • M&S sexist ad claims rejected by ASA

    15 December 2009

    The advertising regulator has thrown out claims of sexism over the Life on Mars actor Philip Glenister’s turn in Marks & Spencer’s Christmas TV campaign following about 100 complaints.

  • Chanel cleared of counterfeit claims

    14 December 2009

    A French court has thrown out accusations against Chanel of stealing a design from a knitwear supplier.

  • London retail sales surge ahead of Christmas

    14 December 2009

    London retailers posted their best sales for more than three years in November, raising hopes ahead of Christmas.

  • Cardiff shop sets Fenchurch blueprint

    12 December 2009

    Streetwear brand Fenchurch has unveiled a retail store concept at its second store in the St David’s shopping centre in Cardiff that will provide a blueprint for openings from 2010.

  • Terry Bates to lead UK assault by Denham

    12 December 2009

    Dutch denim brand Denham has appointed former G-Star and Replay boss Terry Bates as UK managing director to lead a full-scale offensive on the UK jeans market.

  • Former Drapers editor appointed director general of UKFT

    9 December 2009

    Eric Musgrave, the former editorial director of Drapers magazine, has been appointed director general of the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT).

  • Clothing and footwear price deflation at 5.5% in November

    9 December 2009

    Deflation in clothing and footwear in November increased to 5.5% from 5.3% in October as the category continued to put pressure on overall non-food deflation during discounting in the run-up to Christmas.

  • Etailers gear up for busiest day of the year

    7 December 2009

    Today is to be the busiest day of the year for etailers with Christmas shoppers expected to spend at least £350m on festive gifts online.

  • Supergroup kicks off Irish ambitions with Cult store

    4 December 2009

    Supergroup, the company behind young fashion retailer Cult and the Superdry brand, is to make its standalone retail debut in the Republic of Ireland despite thetroubled Irish trading climate.

  • John Lewis fashion sales up 19%

    3 December 2009

    Department store retailer John Lewis has reported trade from Sunday to Wednesday is up 12% on last year boosted by fashion sales which were up 19%.

  • Escada UK bought in pre-pack administration

    3 December 2009

    The UK subsidiary of German womenswear brand Escada has been bought by Subco Limited, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mittal Trust.

  • Stella McCartney and Morrissey to launch shoe label

    3 December 2009

    Fashion designer Stella McCartney has teamed up with singer Morrissey to launch a leather-free footwear collection.

  • Asda wins rights to sell offical FIFA World Cup product

    3 December 2009

    Supermarket Asda has won the rights to sell official World Cup products next summer after its parent Walmart struck a deal with FIFA’s worldwide master licensee.

  • New Look appoints advisors for IPO

    3 December 2009

    Fast-fashion chain New Look has appointed a trio of investment banks to advise on its planned return to the stockmarket next year.

  • Footwear industry dismayed by tariff turnaround

    2 December 2009

    EU member states Germany, Austria and Malta, have decided to abstain on a crucial vote on whether or not to extend anti-dumping duties on footwear imports from China and Vietnam angering the UK footwear industry.

  • Liberty of London to team up with Target

    2 December 2009

    Liberty of London, the brand famed for its prints and owned by department store Liberty, has confirmed it has signed a deal with US value chain Target to create a range of clothing and accessories for the store.

  • Industry wins initial victory on Asia duties

    28 November 2009

    The footwear industry is celebrating a first-round victory in the battle to block proposals to extend anti-dumping duties on leather footwear imported from China and Vietnam.

  • New Look found guilty over Oxford Street fire

    25 November 2009

    Fast-fashion chain New Look has been slapped with a hefty fine following a blaze at the retailer’s Oxford Street store two years ago which gutted the building.

  • French Connection records flat retail sales

    25 November 2009

    French Connection saw like-for-like retail sales in the UK and Europe rise 0.3% over the 16 weeks ended November 24. However its wholesale division continued to struggle.

  • John Lewis sales up 15%

    23 November 2009

    Sales at John Lewis jumped 15% for the week to November 21, helped by a strong performance of branded menswear across the 29-store chain.

  • Jeans Nation rebrands to Fit after relocation

    21 November 2009

    Young fashion retailer Jeans Nation has rebranded to Fit and relocated to Hereford High Street, the first indie to open on the street in 50 years.

  • Pitti Uomo to revamp spring 10 edition

    21 November 2009

    Italian mainstream menswear show Pitti Uomo will be given a facelift in time for its spring 10 edition in a bid to boost its profile on the trade show circuit.

  • Tough climate blamed for Bruno Saint Hilaire’s UK exit

    21 November 2009

    French contemporary menswear brand Bruno Saint Hilaire is to pull out of the UK market for autumn 10.

  • ONS Retail sales up 3% in October

    19 November 2009

    Retail sales rose 3% by value year-on-year in October and volume was ahead 3.4%, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The month-on-month rise was 0.4%.

  • Drapers Award Winners 2009

    19 November 2009

    Tom Singh, the founder of fast-fashion chain New Look, was awarded the Drapers Lifetime Achievement Award last night, as the fashion industry gathered to celebrate the best retailers and brands in the market.

  • First-round victory for Drapers' Dump The Duties footwear campaign

    19 November 2009

    European member states have voted against the extension of anti-dumping duties on leather footwear sourced from China and Vietnam after Drapers, along with leading industry suppliers and retailers, lobbied to Dump The Duties.

  • Ted Baker interim wholesale sales fall 25%

    19 November 2009

    Ted Baker recorded a 25% drop in wholesale sales over the 13 weeks to November 14, while retail sales climbed 19.8% over the period.

  • October Scottish retail sales lag behind UK

    18 November 2009

    Retail sales in Scotland grew by 1.5% like-for-like in October, with non-food sales little better than flat at 0.4%.

  • Superdry gears up for stock market float

    16 November 2009

    Supergroup, the fashion business behind the Superdry brand, will storm into the FTSE 250 next year with a stock-market listing valuing the business at £400m.

  • Asos interim profit climbs 9%

    16 November 2009

    Online fashion giant Asos.com recorded rising sales and profits during the six months to September 30, bucking the downturn.

  • Bread & Butter to host Diesel’s trade show comeback

    14 November 2009

    Denim brand Diesel is to make a return to Bread & Butter after an eight-year hiatus from the streetwear trade show.

  • New initiatives pay off at The Dressing Room

    14 November 2009

    A raft of recession-beating initiatives have helped womenswear boutique The Dressing Room achieve record annual sales figures.

  • USC to sponsor NME Awards

    13 November 2009

    Young fashion multiple USC is to sponsor the best new band category at the NME music Awards.

  • Asda sales growth slows during Q3

    12 November 2009

    Asda has reported a slowdown in sales growth over Q3 and said it would save shoppers £150m this Christmas.

  • Details of Flannels CVA proposal revealed

    12 November 2009

    Designer mini-chain Flannels has unveiled details of its CVA proposal including payment terms to suppliers.

  • John Lewis to delay VAT increase

    12 November 2009

    Department store retailer John Lewis may steal a march on the rest of the high street by holding off passing on the higher rate of VAT until the end of January.

  • BFC unveils winners of eco fashion mentoring scheme

    12 November 2009

    The British Fashion Council has revealed the winners of a programme to help develop eco-fashion businesses as part of its ethical fashion initiative Estethica. 

  • Christopher Bailey promoted to Burberry chief creative officer

    11 November 2009

    Burberry creative director Christopher Bailey has been promoted to the newly created role of Burberry chief creative officer.

  • Retail bosses promote West End traffic free day

    11 November 2009

    Retailers including Arcadia Group boss Sir Philip Green and Harold Tillman, owner of Jaeger and Aquascutum, were among the retail bosses who gathered this morning to promote the fifth traffic free Christmas shopping day in London’s West End.

  • Sainsbury's records 18.5% increase in interim profit

    11 November 2009

    Sainsbury’s has unveiled a leap in interim profits and said that non-food sales - which include fashion - are growing at two and a half times the rate of food sales.

  • 'Middle-class shoplifters' in record crime wave

    10 November 2009

    Levels of shoplifting hit a record high over the past year as the ‘middle-class shoplifter’ turned to crime to fund a high standard of living in the recession.

  • What the weekend papers said: November 7-8

    9 November 2009

    A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers

  • Max Mara profits slump

    9 November 2009

    Annual net profit at Max Mara almost halved in 2008, dropping to €20.1m (£17.9m) from €44.5m (£39.6m) the year before as the global recession hit the Italian womenswear brand’s bottom line.

  • Minister wants to ‘champion fashion’

    7 November 2009

    The UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) has a new advocate in recently reappointed minister for culture and tourism Lady Hodge, who has pledged to back the body in its fight to win improved support for UK suppliers.

  • Patrick Ritchie

    7 November 2009

    A change of strategy during a recession is a bold move, but for the ‘control freak’ owner of two-store Aberdeen menswear indie Signature, it’s one that has paid off.

  • Web bargains cause indies’ seasonal strife

    7 November 2009

    Have suppliers crossed the line by selling current season branded stock to discount websites, or are they just doing what’s necessary to clear overstocks and survive?

  • Bäumler rescued in joint venture by Berwin & Berwin and UK agent

    6 November 2009

    German menswear brand Bäumler has been rescued from administration by suit specialist Berwin & Berwin and Baumler’s UK agent Jason Gerrard.

  • Mid-market spend begins to pick up

    6 November 2009

    Mid-market retailers reported a 2.1% rise in like-for-like sales in October, marking a cautious recovery in high street spending.

  • John Lewis scores best month of the year so far

    6 November 2009

    Sales at department store retailer John Lewis grew 7.8% to £61.8m in the week to October 31, against stern second-half comparisons and despite the mild start to autumn.

  • Indies rage at discount sites’ in-season stock

    6 November 2009

    Independent retailers have hit out at brands for offloading current season stock through discount etail sites, in the same week that leading clearance site Brand Alley was criticised by the advertising watchdog for misleading ads.

  • Postal strikes called off

    6 November 2009

    Retailers will be breathing a sigh of relief this morning as the postal strikes have been called off until at least the New Year.

  • Footwear anti-dumping extension to cost €1bn

    5 November 2009

    The European Commission’s proposal to extend anti-dumping duties on leather footwear from China and Vietnam would cost EU businesses and consumers in excess of €1bn (£90m) according to the European Footwear Alliance (EFA).

  • TM Lewin EBITDA climbs

    5 November 2009

    Shirt specialist TM Lewin reported a sales increase of 11% in its first half to August 29 while EBITDA climbed 15% over the period.

  • Polo Ralph Lauren in Q2 profit climb

    4 November 2009

    Profits at Polo Ralph Lauren were boosted over the first six-months of the year, helped by lower operating expenses and increased market share.

  • Hugo Boss European sales fall 13%

    2 November 2009

    Total European sales at Hugo Boss fell 13% to €852m (£766m) over the first nine months of 2009 as the brand and retailer was hit by a turbulent northern European and Spanish trading climate.

  • Aspecto beats slump as sales soar by 17%

    31 October 2009

    Young fashion independent Aspecto has reported a 17% rise in like-for-like sales and a robust start to the autumn season.

  • Speaking up for indies’ interests

    31 October 2009

    As part of Leeds Shopping Week, a panel including Mary Portas, Republic boss Tim Whitworth and Land Securities’ Gerald Jennings debated how fashion indies can overcome the many challenges they face.

  • Drapers celebrates Great British Fashion

    30 October 2009

    The great and the good of British fashion gathered last night to celebrate the British fashion industry and the unveiling of Drapers’ Great British Fashion special supplement.

  • Jones Bootmaker rolls out new-look shopfit

    30 October 2009

    Footwear retailer Jones Bootmaker has unveiled a new shopfit as part of plans to open 15 new stores over the next two years.

  • John Lewis fashion sales up 11%

    30 October 2009

    Fashion sales at department store retailer John Lewis jumped 11% year-on-year over the week to October 24 as new season merchandise began to feed through.

  • Portas: Primark is destroying UK indies

    30 October 2009

    Retail guru Mary Portas has launched a dramatic assault on Primark and the value sector, claiming it has “bastardised” good taste and “annihilated” indie retailing.

  • Debenhams' Woodhouse makes £7.2m in share sale

    29 October 2009

    Debenhams finance director Chris Woodhouse has sold 8.6 million shares in the department store group for £7.2m.

  • Dump The Duties: EU pushes back footwear vote

    29 October 2009

    The European Commission has delayed the deadline for the crucial vote by EU member states on whether to extend anti-dumping duties to give serious consideration to interested parties’ comments.

  • Second wave of postal strikes start

    29 October 2009

    A second wave of one-day postal strikes began today bringing further uncertainty to retailers planning their deliveries in the crucial run up to Christmas.

  • E-trader Group snaps up Koodos

    29 October 2009

    E-trader Group, a software development company founded by fashion entrepreneur Harold Tillman who retains a 2.5% stake in the business, has bought discount fashion e-tailer Koodos.

  • Blacks losses widen

    29 October 2009

    Blacks Leisure, the outdoor specialist, posted a sharp decline in first-half profits but said it is making progress with its restructuring, details of which which be revealed in coming weeks.

  • VF Corp third quarter profit falls

    27 October 2009

    Profits at VF Corporation, the parent company behind denim brands Wrangler and Lee, fell from $233.9m (£142.4m) to $217.9m (£132.7m) over the three months to October 3.

  • Kick duties into touch

    24 October 2009

    A proposal to extend anti-dumping duties on footwear from the Far East has incensed the industry. Voice your opposition by joining our campaign to Dump the Duties.

  • UKFT in credit insurance extension call

    24 October 2009

    The UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) has joined the British Retail Consortium (BRC) in calling for an extension of the Government’s temporary trade credit insurance top-up scheme, claiming the scheme has been “unsuccessful” so far.

  • Net-A-Porter head office relocates to Westfield London

    23 October 2009

    Luxury fashion etailer Net-A-Porter is to move its head office to shopping centre Westfield London.

  • Son of Escada founders mounts bid for brand

    23 October 2009

    The son of Escada’s founding family has teamed up with Maurizio Borletti, chairman of Italian department store La Rinascente, in an to effort rescue the insolvent German womenswear business, according to reports.

  • Online spending growth at all time low

    21 October 2009

    Online spending growth dropped to a record low in September as etailers were hit by heavy high street discounting and localised postal stikes.

  • Arcandor to close Quelle

    21 October 2009

    German catalogue firm Quelle is to close, resulting in the loss of up to 7,000 jobs, according to reports.

  • Giles Deacon to show at Pitti W

    16 October 2009

    British designer Giles Deacon is expected to show his Giles collection in Italy for the first time next year at womenswear trade show Pitti W.

  • John Lewis fashion sales soar 18%

    16 October 2009

    John Lewis sales rose 13% to £55.4m over the week to October 10 and fashion sales climbed 17.8% as colder weather drove sales of autumn product.

  • 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.

  • EU confirms proposed extension of footwear anti-dumping duties

    13 October 2009

    The European Commission has published a document confirming its proposal to extend anti-dumping taxes on Chinese and Vietnamese shoe imports for another 15 months.

  • Amazon steps up footwear push

    10 October 2009

    Etail giant Amazon unveiled its standalone footwear website Javari in the UK last week, offering free next day delivery of competitively priced branded shoes.

  • City manager hired to lift Birmingham indies

    10 October 2009

    Birmingham council has appointed a business manager to distribute a pot of £1m to help rejuvenate the city’s independent retail community.

  • For sale sign hoisted at Moda In Pelle chain

    10 October 2009

    Stephen Buck, the owner of women’s fashion footwear retailer and brand Moda In Pelle, has put the business up for sale.

  • Young designers win retail backing from Jimmy Choo

    10 October 2009

    Bespoke footwear designer Jimmy Choo has hand-picked two young designers to set up independent retail stores in central London’s Connaught Village.

  • Sarah Coggles berated for Grazia promotion

    9 October 2009

    Designer independent Sarah Coggles has angered its market rivals after launching a 30%-off promotion across its Coggles.com website in women’s glossy magazine Grazia.

  • Sainsbury's like-for-like growth slows

    7 October 2009

    Sainsbury’s has reported that total like-for-like sales slowed in its second quarter but that non-food, which includes clothing, is growing at nearly three times the rate of food.

  • Tesco profits climb to £1.4bn

    6 October 2009

    Tesco has reported a 1.5% rise in group first-half pre-tax profits to £1.4bn, boosted by a 6.6% growth in clothing sales.

  • Ciaran McCloskey leaves Moss Bros

    6 October 2009

    Moss Bros trading director Ciaran McCloskey has left the menswear retailer after two years.

  • French Connection to close Japan stores

    5 October 2009

    French Connection is to close its 21 stores in Japan over the next nine months and is looking for a licensee to operate the brand in the Japanese market.

  • 20% of indies forced to make job cuts in 2009

    03 October 2009

    Almost three quarters of British Shops and Stores Association (BSSA) members froze employee wage increases over the past year and 20% of members made redundancies to cut overheads at their businesses.

  • Goring to lead Arcadia and Bhs integration

    03 October 2009

    Arcadia lynchpin Mike Goring has been appointed as managing director at Bhs.

  • Jack & Jones hunts for UK franchise partners

    03 October 2009

    Danish brand house Bestseller is seeking independent retailers to open franchise stores for its young fashion brand Jack & Jones.

  • Signature 2 boosted by Sale strategy rethink

    03 October 2009

    Aberdeen indie Signature 2 notched up a 12.5% hike in sales for the five weeks to August 22 after introducing a shorter but sharper summer Sale strategy.

  • Alexon appoints group FD

    2 October 2009

    Alexon has appointed John Boyle as group finance director, replacing Robin Piggott who is standing down after more than 20 years at the retailer.

  • John Lewis womenswear drives 11.3% sales uplift

    2 October 2009

    Fashion sales at department store retailer John Lewis climbed 11.3% over the week to September 26 with womenswear putting in a particularly strong performance.

  • Indie veteran returns to retail with new concept

    2 October 2009

    Robert Wade-Smith, one of the most influential independent retailers of the 1990s, is poised to make a return to retail.

  • West End retailers face 38% rate hike

    30 September 2009

    Retailers in London’s West End face a rate rise of £500m under the revaluation of business rates, Westminster City Council has warned.

  • M&S slashes returns policy

    28 September 2009

    Marks & Spencer has introduced a 35-day returns policy cutting back its generous 90-day deadline.

  • JD pledges to remedy falling fashion sales 

    25 September 2009

    JD Sports Fashion got “too much wrong” with its summer product offer, resulting in a 2.4% fall in like-for-like sales in the sports retailer’s fashion division over the six weeks to September 12.

  • Bhs menswear added to Burton boss’s remit

    25 September 2009

    Arcadia is understood to have promoted Burton brand director Wesley Taylor to oversee the entire menswear offer at the newly merged Burton and Bhs.

  • John Lewis fashion sales rise 10.6%

    25 September 2009

    Fashion sales at department store retailer John Lewis soared by 10.6% during the week to September 19, with the majority of the retailer’s stores making gains on last year.

  • No delay on VAT hike says Mandelson

    25 September 2009

    Business secretary Lord Mandelson has ruled out a delay in the planned VAT increase at the end of this year.

  • JJB Sports spent £3.7m with director linked companies

    25 September 2009

    JJB Sports spent £3.7m in the past 18 months on goods and services from companies linked to its own directors.

  • Matt Hudson to leave Monsoon

    24 September 2009

    Monsoon managing director Matt Hudson is to leave the retailer at the end of the month.

  • London Fashion Week: Christopher Kane, House of Holland

    22 September 2009

    All eyes were on Christopher Kane at London Fashion Week yesterday to see how he would reinvent his girlish yet subversive designs for spring, while later in the day House of Holland packed a lace-led neon punch.

  • Intimas sold to fabric supplier

    21 September 2009

    Lingerie supplier Intimas has been rescued from administration by fabric supply business Linwood Fabrics.

  • Blacks Leisure considers closure of Sandcity

    21 September 2009

    Blacks Leisure is poised to close its Sandcity business, the division that distributes and sells the O’Neill franchise, according to reports.

  • Next claims Tesco has copied designs

    21 September 2009

    A legal row has erupted after high street multiple Next claimed that supermarket giant Tesco copied multiple clothing designs by the retailer.

  • Baird Group eyes rescue deal for troubled Bäumler

    19 September 2009

    Menswear specialist The Baird Group (formerly BMB) is believed to be in talks to buy Bäumler after the German menswear brand filed for insolvency.

  • Indies hold budget to fend off high street

    19 September 2009

    Young fashion womenswear independent retailers polled by Drapers dedicated as much as 50% of their budgets to in-season buying for spring 10 in an effort to keep up with the fast-moving fast fashion high street.

  • Republic bids to break £200m sales barrier

    19 September 2009

    Branded young fashion retailer Republic is set to increase its sales by a third this year to break the £200m barrier after opening its 100th store this week.

  • Micam slows at half way mark 

    18 September 2009

    Italian footwear tradeshow Micam got off to a busy start this week, but failed to maintain momentum into the second day, according to exhibitors.

  • Importers call on EU Commission to scrap anti-dumping

    15 September 2009

    A European importers’ association is calling for the European Commission to scrap its anti-dumping duties on Chinese and Vietnamese leather footwear, as the deadline to prolong or cancel the measures approaches.

  • GDS holds steady despite fall in visitors

    14 September 2009

    Exhibitors at German footwear fair GDS reported a steady show despite a fall in visitor numbers.

  • Harris Tweed cuts Scottish ties to avoid Lockerbie backlash

    14 September 2009

    Manufacturers of Harris Tweed are distancing themselves from their Scottish heritage to avoid a backlash over the controversial release of the Lockerbie bomber.

  • Manchester mall sets out cheap rent scheme

    12 September 2009

    Manchester’s Triangle shopping centre is offering independent retailers shop units to rent for as little as £500 a week to encourage them to open in the scheme.

  • Clarks widens its search to replace Bolliger in top job

    4 September 2009

    Melissa Potter, international managing director at the UK’s biggest footwear company Clarks, has been tipped as a strong contender to take over from chief executive Peter Bolliger when he retires next year.

  • Premium indies back London Fashion Week

    4 September 2009

    Premium womenswear independents have given their backing to  London Fashion Week, with 75% of those polled by Drapers’ Indicator survey planning to attend the spring 10 edition.

  • Ben Sherman losses widen

    4 September 2009

    Operating losses at Ben Sherman widened over the second quarter as the young fashion brand was hit by currency fluctuation and a decline in wholesale order shipments.

  • River Island renews Graduate Fashion Week sponsorship

    2 September 2009

    Young fashion multiple River Island has renewed its sponsorship of Graduate Fashion Week.

  • The weekend newspaper round up: Aug 29 - 30, 2009

    1 September 2009

    The best of the fashion business headlines from the weekend papers…

  • Clarks boss Peter Bolliger to retire

    1 September 2009

    Footwear giant Clarks has announced its chief executive Peter Bolliger will retire next year after seven years at the helm.

  • John Lewis fashion sales grow 0.3%

    29 August 2009

    Sales of fashion at department store retailer John Lewis increased 0.3% over the week to August 22, driven by a strong performance from kidswear and womenswear.

  • Guess European sales up 20.6%

    29 August 2009

    Sales at the European arm of American denim brand Guess jumped 20.6% to $210.2m (£128.8m) during the second quarter to August 1.

  • ‘Cloud’ lifts over reborn Cruise

    29 August 2009

    Cruise managing director John Heath has told Drapers the “cloud” hanging over the premium mini chain has been lifted after he pre-packed the retailer three months ago.

  • Daisy Chain Store refit is a cut-price success

    29 August 2009

    Kidswear retailer The Daisy Chain Store in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, has had a makeover on a shoestring budget after the recession forced owner Suzanne Francey to recost the revamp.

  • Move upmarket reaps rewards at Signature 2

    29 August 2009

    Young fashion indie Signature 2 has notched up a 12.5% increase in sales to £1.85m after the Aberdeen business was rebranded and relaunched 12 months ago.

  • Men’s brands head to Topman flagship

    28 August 2009

    Men’s young fashion chain Topman is parachuting in a host of new brands to its flagship Oxford Street branch, as part of the iconic London store’s revamp.

  • Rubin unveils strategy for Shoe Studio Group

    28 August 2009

    Dune executive chairman Daniel Rubin has set out his strategic vision for the Shoe Studio Group business he rescued from administration five months ago.

  • Kate Moss autumn range hits Topshop today

    27 August 2009

    The Kate Moss autumn 09 collection for Topshop has touched down in stores and on the retailer’s website this morning.

  • Demand for shop floor jobs soars

    24 August 2009

    The number of applicants for shop floor jobs is soaring, leaving young people struggling to compete with experienced staff for temporary vacancies on the high street.

  • Indies lambast £3m empty shops scheme

    22 August 2009

    Independent retailers have slammed a new £3m Government initiative to regenerate high streets that have been hit by the recession.

  • Mainstream market full of optimism for spring 10

    22 August 2009

    Mainstream independents are feeling upbeat about spring 10 after brands served up a raft of bold yet commercial looks for the season at trade shows Pure London and Moda.

  • Sales of Ghost founder’s Handwritten to hit £1m

    22 August 2009

    Ghost founder Tanya Sarne is set to break the £1m sales barrier with Handwritten, the premium womenswear brand she launched just over a year ago.

  • Barön Jon saved by founders’ rescue deal

    21 August 2009

    Branded menswear retailer Barön Jon has been bought out of administration by its founders, brothers Wayne and Lewis Selt.

  • New West End unveils High Street Fashion Week line-up

    21 August 2009

    The New West End Company has revealed its line-up and events for High Street Fashion Week which will take place on London’s Oxford Street next month.

  • Fashion sales steady at John Lewis

    21 August 2009

    John Lewis' sales fell 1.4% to £46.5m in the week to August 1. Fashion showed resilience, posting flat sales, despite good weather impacting footfall.

  • Gap international sales down 5%

    21 August 2009

    Gap’s international sales, which include sales from its UK stores, fell back 5% on a like-for-like basis.

  • Asos bolsters board

    21 August 2009

    Etail giant Asos has appointed Mary Turner, the chief executive of internet provider Tiscali to its board.

  • Retail sales up 3.3% says ONS

    20 August 2009

    The volume of retail sales in July was 3.3% higher than in July 2008 as aggressive discounting and seasonal weather drove sales.

  • Price inflation remains at 1.8% in July

    18 August 2009

    The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rate remained unchanged at 1.8% in July, confounding expectations that there would be another fall.

  • BFC launch menswear design initiative

    18 August 2009

    The British Fashion Council (BFC) has launched a new support initiative for up-and-coming menswear designers called NewGen Men, sponsored by Topman.

  • Arcandor retail divisions can remain in the business

    18 August 2009

    All divisions of insolvent German retail group Arcandor, including department store chain Karstadt and mail order business Primondo, are capable of remaining in the business and may not have to be closed down.

  • Abercrombie & Fitch reports second quarter profits slump

    17 August 2009

    US fashion group Abercrombie & Fitch has reported sales and profits tumbled over the thirteen weeks to August 1, 2009.

  • Faith poised to launch revamped website

    15 August 2009

    Faith is to unveil a new-look website and an SMS-led marketing strategy next week as part of a drive to boost online revenues by £1m.

  • Footwear sales boss to launch retail concept

    15 August 2009

    The former head of Lulu Guinness footwear Jemma Arnold is switching from a career in wholesale to one in retail.

  • Indies to be awarded cash to boost security

    15 August 2009

    Small retail businesses are being offered up to £3,000 each by the Government to upgrade their security measures.

  • Gap launches premium denim

    14 August 2009

    US casualwear giant Gap has launched a new denim range to take on the premium designer denim market.

  • Victory for Abercrombie & Fitch shop worker

    14 August 2009

    An Abercrombie & Fitch shop worker with a prosthetic arm has won her case for wrongful dismissal against the retailer.

  • Men's brands land at New Look

    14 August 2009

    New Look has launched branded menswear concessions as part of a venture with multi-brand young fashion business Hallett Retail.

  • Gap to open London pop-up store

    12 August 2009

    Casualwear giant Gap is to open a pop-up store in London to mark the 40th anniversary of the opening of Gap’s first denim store.

  • Brand Alley appoints former TK Maxx merchandiser as buying director

    11 August 2009

    Discount etailer Brand Alley UK has appointed Caroline Withey as buying director.

  • White Stuff appoints non-exec director

    11 August 2009

    Lifestyle retailer White Stuff has appointed The Body Shop managing director Alastair Kerr as non executive director to advise the business on international strategy.

  • Kurt Geiger EBITDA soars 21%

    10 August 2009

    Premium footwear business Kurt Geiger reported that full-year EBITDA rose 21% to £12.1m, bucking the retail downturn.

  • Behave, London

    8 August 2009

    When Londoners Geoff St James and Kip Jorgenson teamed up to start a business, the vision was to build an independent retail destination for cult denim, sourced from overseas.

  • Pentland’s One True Saxon slashes prices

    8 August 2009

    Men’s young fashion brand One True Saxon has cut wholesale prices by an average of 20% in a bid to compete with the high street and offer customers better margins.

  • 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

  • WDT boss to lead fast-fashion overhaul

    8 August 2009

    Asbed Momdjian, founder of World Design & Trade (WDT), the company behind young fashion brands Firetrap, Fullcircle and Sonneti, has outlined plans to turn the group into a specialist fast-fashion branded supply house and slammed the traditional two-collection, multi-brand retailer route to market as “dead”.

  • BFC signs second LFW venue

    7 August 2009

    The British Fashion Council (BFC) is to use London venue 180 The Strand as a second show venue for London Fashion Week (LFW) this September.

  • George Davies kicks off GIVe retail-roll

    6 August 2009

    Fashion entrepreneur George Davies is to open the first of his new GIVe womenswear stores at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent.

  • Gucci to set up pop-up shop

    5 August 2009

    Luxury brand Gucci will launch a travelling pop-up shop concept for its sneaker division which will open in London later this year.

  • Pan Philippou exits Firetrap-owner WDT

    4 August 2009

    World Design & Trade [WDT] chief executive Pan Philippou is to step down from the business, which owns the Firetrap, Fullcircle and Sonetti brands, on September 4.

  • Indies lambast proposed changes to planning rules

    3 August 2009

    The Government is facing mounting pressure from independent retailers and property groups to scrap plans to change town planning rules.

  • British Fashion Council signs up to UKFT

    3 August 2009

    The British Fashion Council (BFC) has signed up to the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) as the association pushes on with plans to become the single voice of the fashion and textile industry.

  • Brands’ cold-call tactics receive mixed response

    1 August 2009

    More than 70% of young fashion independents have experienced a noticeable increase in speculative calls and unannounced shop visits from brands and agents, who are reverting to traditional sales tactics during the recession.

  • Karl-Heinz Müller

    1 August 2009

    The Bread & Butter trade show concept may have come to its founder in a dream, but his vision has evolved into a market-leading reality which is a permanent fixture in the fashion calendar

  • Poor weather kicks off autumn sales

    1 August 2009

    High street shoppers headed straight to the autumn rails of black garments and showed little resistance to higher-priced product, according to multiple retailers who have seen an early take up of new stock thanks to the poor weather.

  • Vacant shop numbers soar

    31 July 2009

    The number of vacant shops on the high street has more than doubled over the past year according to a report by The Local Data Company.

  • Hugo Boss confident on outlook

    31 July 2009

    Hugo Boss saw its second quarter losses widen to €15.9 million (£13.5m) in the second quarter but reiterated its forecast for the year.

  • John Lewis boosted by end of Sale

    31 July 2009

    A flurry of business at the end of the John Lewis summer Sale last week helped the department store to a 6.3% rise in sales to £48.6 million over the week to July 25.

  • CPD relaunch attracts 21,000 visitors

    30 July 2009

    German mainstream womenswear trade show CPD pulled in 21,000 visitors with a new look show this month.

  • Bagga Menswear puts web shopping in store

    25 July 2009

    Kent-based Bagga Menswear has revamped its traditional bricks-and-mortar retail business in Chislehurst into an innovative product and online shopping concept.

  • Crocs must bite back at threat of extinction

    25 July 2009

    With moulded footwear brand Crocs reported to be close to bankruptcy, how can ‘fashion phenomena’ brands ensure their long-term survival?

  • Swine flu hits high street sales

    24 July 2009

    High street fashion sales fell 8% over the week ended July 19 as uncertainty about the economy and fears about swine flu hit sales.

  • Julian Kilmartin to join Primark

    24 July 2009

    Primark has appointed former Marks & Spencer director Julian Kilmartin as buying and merchandising director.

  • John Lewis clothing sales up 6.5%

    24 July 2009

    Clothing sales at John Lewis jumped 6.5% last week on the back of its clearance Sale and a good early reaction to new season lines.

  • Retail sales jump in June

    23 July 2009

    Clothing and footwear sales rose 11.3% in June helped by early discounting and good weather.

  • Levi's buys European footwear licensee

    22 July 2009

    Levi Strauss & Co is to bring its footwear and accessories business in house after it bought DC Company, the brand’s footwear and accessories licensee in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

  • Escada plans rights issue rescue

    22 July 2009

    Escada, the German luxury womenswear group, has launched plans to raise €29 million (£25.1m) in a rights issue in a bid to stave off insolvency.

  • Crocs boss insists brand has a future

    20 July 2009

    The European managing director of Crocs has spoken out against reports that the plastic clog footwear brand has had its day.

  • Luke offers stockists 5% discount for autumn 09

    18 July 2009

    Young fashion brand Luke is passing on the savings it has made from the recent strengthening of sterling against the dollar to its independent stockists by offering a retrospective 5% discount on autumn 09 orders.

  • Bill Gates buys stake in JJB Sports

    16 July 2009

    Microsoft mogul Bill Gates has bought a 3.14% stake in JJB Sports prompting a massive jump in the retailer’s share price.

  • Intimas in administration

    15 July 2009

    Lingerie supply giant Intimas has collapsed into administration after it was hit by the weak sterling and tough trading.

  • Levi's swings to loss in second quarter

    15 July 2009

    Denim giant Levis Strauss & Co swung to a loss of $4.1 million (£2.5m) during the three months to May 3 after currency fluctuations and the soft wholesale market hit sales.

  • Brix Smith-Start

    4 July 2009

    ‘People think I’m mad,’ says the co-owner of three-store east London indie Start, but the success of her business and a burgeoning reputation as a TV stylist proves there is more method than madness

  • Indies click onto online portal to boost sales

    4 July 2009

    An increasing number of independent retailers are planning to plug into online portals to help raise their profile and drive online sales.

  • Paul & Shark agent takes pay cut to avoid price hikes

    4 July 2009

    G-Wood, the UK agent behind Paul & Shark, has met the casual menswear brand halfway and taken a cut in commission to enable it to fix spring 10 prices at autumn 08 levels.

  • Bread & Butter Berlin throws open its doors

    1 July 2009

    Young fashion fair Bread & Butter threw open the doors to its Tempelhof Airport location in Berlin this morning and while the first-morning crowds were somewhat lacking, exhibitors and buyers were confident the show would be a more business-like success.

  • Bread & Butter anticipation mounts

    30 June 2009

    Karl-Heinz Muller, the organiser of young fashion trade show Bread & Butter, is expecting more than 80,000 people to descend on the fair’s new location of Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, when the three-day event opens tomorrow.

  • A denim dust-up

    26 June 2009

    Premium denim brands are investing in new product and strategies as they battle to differentiate themselves from the high street’s own-label offers which are gaining market share in the UK

  • John Lewis fashion sales up 10%

    26 June 2009

    Fashion sales at John Lewis jumped 10% for the week to June 20 as the department store chain put in its best performance of the year so far.

  • Clements Ribeiro return to London Fashion Week

    26 June 2009

    Design duo Clements Ribeiro will return to the London Fashion Week schedule this September after a four year break.

  • Protests threaten launch of Bread & Butter Berlin

    26 June 2009

    A demonstration outside Tempelhof Airport in Berlin is threatening to overshadow the opening of streetwear fair Bread & Butter when it returns to the German capital next week.

  • Student alleges discrimination by Abercrombie & Fitch

    24 June 2009

    Abercrombie & Fitch is being sued by a woman who alleges the US retailer made her work in the stock room instead of on the shop floor because her prosthetic limb did not fit with the chain’s image.

  • Mr Shoes in administration

    23 June 2009

    Footwear retailer Mr Shoes has collapsed into administration.

  • Lingerie sales steady as buyers shun new labels

    20 June 2009

    Lingerie independents are cautious about the spring 10 buying season according to a Drapers Indicator poll, with more than half of those surveyed saying they will not be testing any new brands because of the tough trading climate.

  • Gieves & Hawkes sees sales boost

    19 June 2009

    Gieves & Hawkes has bucked the downturn with the Savile Row tailoring business notching up double digit growth over the past twelve months at its bespoke division.

  • Which side is your bread buttered?

    19 June 2009

    With streetwear show Bread & Butter on the horizon, Drapers asked the young fashion market for its views on trading and the spring 10 season

  • Kokosalaki to overhaul Diesel Black Gold

    17 June 2009

    Diesel Black Gold has pulled out of New York Fashion Week and drafted in Greek born designer Sophia Kokosalaki to overhaul its premium Black Gold womenswear collection.

  • Topshop Oxford Circus in swine flu alert

    16 June 2009

    Staff at the Topshop flagship store on Oxford Street have been put on alert after a shop worker contracted the swine flu virus.

  • Kokon To Zai, London

    13 June 2009

    Macabre props and objets d’art create a visual feast alongside an impressive serving of designer brands

  • House of Fraser hires IT director

    12 June 2009

    Department store retailer House of Fraser has promoted Duncan Gray to the new role of IT director.

  • Peter Werth owner saves Pink Soda

    12 June 2009

    Greg Tufnell, managing director of menswear brand Peter Werth, has led a deal to rescue women’s young fashion brand Pink Soda from administration, and has outlined plans to add more brands to his Brand Acquisitions stable.

  • Highlights: Sir Philip Green's interview on BBC2

    10 June 2009

    Sir Philip Green warned that inflation was “inevitable” and that the economy would continue “bumping along” in its current state unless banks started to open their doors to lending in an interview on BBC2’s Working Lunch programme this lunchtime.

  • Zara-owner Inditex sees net income fall 16%

    10 June 2009

    Inditex, the owner of fast-fashion giant Zara, saw net income fall 16% to €184m euros (£158m) in the first quarter ended April 30.

  • Play.com sponsors Take That tour

    8 June 2009

    CD-to-clothing etailer Play.com has secured the headline sponsorship of Take That’s The Circus Live tour 2009 as the business pushes to attract fashion hungry, female music lovers to its site.

  • Di Risio steps down from Versace

    8 June 2009

    Giancarlo Di Risio, chief executive of Italian fashion house Versace, has resigned.

  • New Look set to pounce on overseas shops

    6 June 2009

    High street multiple New Look is understood to be eyeing up struggling international chains to speed up its overseas expansion strategy.

  • Debenhams to raise £323m in share sale

    4 June 2009

    Debenhams plans to raise £323m via a share placing in a bid to slash its debt levels of £927m.

  • Aquascutum puts entire workforce into consultation

    3 June 2009

    Aquascutum has put its entire workforce into consultation, fuelling speculation about the future of the luxury heritage brand.

  • New Look EBITDA soars 10%

    3 June 2009

    High street multiple New Look has bucked the market downturn to notch up record results for the year to March 28.

  • Westfield London to cut service charges

    2 June 2009

    West London shopping centre Westfield London has slashed its service charges by 7%, after a long-running dispute with retailers.

  • Comfort footwear slips into something stylish

    30 May 2009

    The mainstream footwear market is hungry for trend-led styles and innovative materials as female shoppers in the comfort market become more style conscious.

  • John Lewis sees best week of the year

    29 May 2009

    John Lewis scored its best results of the year so far, with sales up 2% to £43 million over the week to May 23.

  • Christian Lacroix seeks creditor protection

    29 May 2009

    Christian Lacroix, the French fashion house, has filed for creditor protection at a Paris court.

  • Evisu hires chief executive

    27 May 2009

    Denim brand Evisu has hired denim aficionado Scott Morrison as global chief executive.

  • Bhs tightens supplier terms

    26 May 2009

    Sir Philip Green’s Bhs has sent a letter to suppliers demanding tighter terms as the business merges with the Arcadia group.

  • Indie sales squeezed as young men tighten belts

    23 May 2009

    The independent contemporary menswear market is being hampered by cautious younger shoppers cutting back on spending.

  • Confusion over Versace chief's position

    22 May 2009

    Confusion is mounting over the role of Versace chief executive Giancarlo Di Risio after the Versace family issued a statement denying he had tendered his resignation.

  • Kim Winser exits Aquascutum

    22 May 2009

    Aquascutum chief executive Kim Winser has left the luxury brand.

  • John Lewis sales down 0.7%

    22 May 2009

    John Lewis sales fell by 0.7% to £46.1million over the week the May 16, with varied weather across the country serving up both challenges and opportunities for the department store.

  • Management rejig at New Look + video of first TV ad

    22 May 2009

    New Look has promoted Will Kernan to group managing director (owned stores), overseeing its entire network of company-owned stores.

  • David Bensadoun

    22 May 2009

    Despite being a leader in the North American footwear market, Aldo has had its work cut out breaking into the UK. Aldo Global’s group vice president explains how the business ticks.

  • Skillsmart VM finalists announced

    21 May 2009

    Skillsmart Retail has revealed the finalists of its live visual merchandising competition, skillVM, following five weeks of live heats at shopping centres around the UK.

  • Halston appoints Marios Schwab as creative director

    20 May 2009

    London Fashion Week designer Marios Schwab has been appointed creative director at designer brand Halston.

  • Womenswear boosts French Connection

    20 May 2009

    French Connection’s saw UK and Europe like-for-like sales rise 2% for the three months ended May 16, thanks to a strong performance on womenswear.

  • Peacocks appoints former Faith director

    20 May 2009

    Peacocks has boosted its buying team with the appointment of former Faith director Steve Swaby as head of buying for footwear and accessories and Claire Brimblecombe from New Look as head of buying for womenswear.

  • Gap to drive international openings

    20 May 2009

    US casualwear giant Gap is to ramp up store openings and enter six new markets over the coming year.

  • Topshop unveils Kate Moss high summer collection

    20 May 2009

    Topshop has unveiled its high summer Kate Moss for Topshop collection which hits stores tomorrow.

  • JD buys French footwear chain for £7m

    20 May 2009

    JD Sports Fashion has bought French sports footwear chain Chausport for €8 million (£7m), marking the retailer’s first foray overseas.

  • Retail Price Index falls to record low

    19 May 2009

    The Retail Price Index fell to a record low in April due to lower mortgage costs.

  • Indies urged to review business strategies

    16 May 2009

    Fashion independents must review their trading tactics in the recession, according to Range Consulting, a consultancy firm geared towards helping indies make the most of their businesses.

  • Müller demands prompt B&B payments

    16 May 2009

    Karl-Heinz Müller, the organiser of young fashion trade show Bread & Butter Berlin, has sent a letter to exhibitors ahead of the show’s next edition on July 1-3 demanding they pay for their stands on time and urging the trade to back the event through the economic downturn.

  • Cruise bought out of administration

    15 May 2009

    Designer mini-chain Cruise has been bought out of administration by its existing management team.

  • LVMH takes stake in Edun

    15 May 2009

    Luxury goods house LVMH has taken a minority stake in Edun, the ethical fashion brand founded by rock star Bono and his wife Ali Hewson.

  • ONS to change retail figure calcuations

    15 May 2009

    The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is to change the way it calculates its much criticised official retail sales figures.

  • John Lewis has best week of the year

    15 May 2009

    John Lewis notched up its best weekly sales performance so far this year, with only a marginal fall in sales of 0.4% to £46.8 million for the week to May 9.

  • Sainsbury's Tu range "star performer"

    13 May 2009

    Sainsbury’s has hailed it’s own-brand clothing range Tu a star performer as it unveiled robust full year preliminary results.

  • Blue Inc to launch womenswear online

    11 May 2009

    Young fashion retailer Blue Inc is to launch its womenswear range online following a successful trial in store.

  • Regulars brighten up sales at premium indies

    9 May 2009

    Sales at premium independents are being buoyed by a hunger for exclusive product and repeat trade, despite the recession. Almost half of those independents polled by Drapers reported better trading last week against the year before.

  • Drapers Footwear Award Winners announced

    8 May 2009

    Pentland Group chairman Stephen Rubin picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Drapers Footwear Awards 2009 last night at a glittering ceremony at London’s Park Lane Hilton Hotel.

  • Tesco invests £150m in Clubcard relaunch

    8 May 2009

    Tesco is to inject £150m into the relaunch of its Clubcard as part of a new customer loyalty drive allowing shoppers to double the value of their vouchers.

  • Marks & Spencer admits it "boobed"

    8 May 2009

    Marks & Spencer has axed its £2 surcharge on the price of bigger bras following mounting public and media pressure.

  • John Lewis trading steady

    8 May 2009

    Trading at John Lewis was steady last week with four out of seven days seeing flat sales year-on-year, and a drop of 3.1% overall.

  • Matthew Williamson launches online

    7 May 2009

    Designer Matthew Williamson is launching a transactional website next week in a bid to widen his customer pool and grow the label’s market presence.

  • Laura J eats up Lollipop to promote own label

    2 May 2009

    Young fashion footwear boutique Lollipop has been rebranded to Laura J to capitalise on the name of its own-label footwear brand.

  • Tesco eyes young fashion labels for web

    2 May 2009

    Tesco, the UK’s biggest retailer, has stepped up its assault on the branded young fashion market, putting brands such as Firetrap, Fred Perry, Fullcircle, Ben Sherman, Gio-Goi and Lambretta at the top of its wish list for its new clothing website.

  • Shopper numbers down 3.7% in April

    1 May 2009

    UK shopper numbers dropped by 3.7% last month with Scotland, Wales and London suffering the biggest declines according to research company Experian.

  • Fashion retail insolvencies rise 36%

    27 April 2009

    Clothing and footwear retail insolvencies rose sharply in the first quarter of 2009 according to data from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

  • Consultants kick off Jane Norman review

    25 April 2009

    Women’s young fashion chain Jane Norman has drafted in accountancy company PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to assess the “operational efficiencies” of the business, three months after one of its major shareholders, Baugur, went into administration.

  • Sales rise at Clarks fails to lift profits

    25 April 2009

    Footwear giant Clarks grew sales and clawed back market share for the year ended January 31, but underlying operating profits fell 2.9% to £93.3 million because of increased discounting.

  • March fashion sales show growth

    24 April 2009

    Fashion and footwear retail sales volumes increased 8.4% in March according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

  • Footwear sales soar in the week to April 19

    24 April 2009

    Like-for-like high street clothing sales rose 0.6% for the week ended April 19 and footwear sales soared 7.2% according to BDO Stoy Hayward’s High Street Sales tracker.

  • John Lewis suffers weak Easter

    24 April 2009

    John Lewis sales fell 11.6% to £43.18m for the week ended April 18 due to warm weather and a shorter trading period because of Easter Sunday, but fashion sales were ahead 5%.

  • Americana pulls plug on Hooch brand

    24 April 2009

    Americana International has closed its Hooch brand after sales collapsed in the tough economic climate.

  • Beth Ditto to design a collection for Evans

    23 April 2009

    Plus-size retailer Evans has confirmed that singer Beth Ditto is to design a collection for the business.

  • Yasmin Le Bon to launch Wallis collection

    22 April 2009

    Supermodel Yasmin Le Bon is to design a collection for Arcadia-owned womenswear chain Wallis.

  • Indies report flat sales over bank holiday weekend

    18 April 2009

    The crucial Easter trading weekend failed to pack a punch for independent retailers polled by Drapers this week.

  • BFC calls for New Gen entries

    16 April 2009

    The British Fashion Council is calling for applications to its New Generation support scheme.

  • By Caprice Lingerie increases bra sizes

    16 April 2009

    By Caprice Lingerie has boosted the range of the cup sizes in its collection to a G cup.

  • Levi's sees Q1 profits slashed

    15 April 2009

    Net income at denim brand Levi’s sank by 50% to $48 million (£32m) in the first quarter ended March 1.

  • Feminique owner sells store after 28 years

    4 April 2009

    Independent retail entrepreneur Lorraine Paige has sold her mainstream womenswear business Feminique in Leamington Spa to former Debenhams sales manager Gary Barnes.

  • The Convenience Store pops up

    28 March 2009

    Premium independent The Convenience Store is to temporarily leave its current location at the foot of a west London high-rise to open a pop-up shop in the city’s St Martins Lane Hotel, from March 19-April 19.

  • Topshop takes on US

    27 March 2009

    As Sir Philip Green boarded his private jet for New York last week after celebrating his 57th birthday at exclusive London nightclub Annabel’s, he must have had just one thing on his mind.

  • Duo take Jones Bootmaker back

    27 March 2009

    Footwear veterans Ken Bartle and Peter Phillips and a group of investors have injected £4.5 million into the Jones Bootmaker to take back control of the business which had links to Icelandic investors.

  • Li & Fung snaps up Shubiz

    27 March 2009

    Global supply group Li & Fung has bought footwear supplier Shubiz for about £15 million to help offset the loss of its women’s footwear orders with Marks & Spencer, which it supplied via its Peter Black business.

  • Oxford Street to be pedestrianised over Bank Holiday

    27 March 2009

    Landmark shopping destination London Oxford Street will close to traffic on Saturday May 23 - the second Bank Holiday weekend in May.

  • John Lewis sales fall 12.6%

    27 March 2009

    Sales at John Lewis fell by 12.6% to £44.41 million for the week ended March 21 due to the warm weather and the shift in the Easter calendar date.

  • Venture capitalist buys into Fly53

    23 March 2009

    Venture capitalist firm Key Capital Partners (KCP) has invested £3.6 million in a 35% stake in streetwear brand Fly53.

  • Bhs brands to debut in Outfit

    21 March 2009

    Department store chain Bhs’s own labels are to be parachuted into Arcadia Group’s discount chain Outfit in the second part of a trial by Sir Philip Green to move his two businesses closer together.

  • Liberty launches Open Day to support British design talent

    20 March 2009

    Liberty will host an open day where up and coming designers will have the opportunity to present their ranges to its buying team and battle for a chance to be stocked in the department store.

  • Liam Gallagher to launch menswear brand - WATCH VIDEO

    20 March 2009

    Rock star and Oasis front man Liam Gallagher is set to launch a wholesale clothing label later this year.

  • Nick Robertson to become Skillsmart Retail patron

    19 March 2009

    Asos.com chief executive Nick Robertson is to become the first online retail patron of Sector Skills Council body Skillsmart Retail.

  • Hush Puppies to launch shoe design competition

    18 March 2009

    Footwear brand Hush Puppies is launching a competition to find the next big thing in footwear design and the winning entrant will have their shoes put into production and then sold by high street retailer Schuh.

  • French Connection swings to £5.5m loss

    18 March 2009

    French Connection has plunged into the red reporting a pre-tax loss before impairment of goodwill charge of £5.5 million for the year ended January 31.

  • GDS visitor numbers fall 6%

    17 March 2009

    The number of visitors to German footwear trade show GDS declined by 6% to 31,000 this season.

  • Ben Luscombe

    14 March 2009

    Its short lead times and close relationships with stockists have made Henleys a force to be reckoned with in young fashion, and now its managing director is ramping up its retail presence

  • Hotter Comfort Concept, York

    14 March 2009

    Footwear brand Hotter Comfort Concept’s shopfit goes back to nature as part of a wider rebranding

  • Pink Soda close to collapse

    14 March 2009

    The management team behind Pink Soda were seeking a last-minute rescue deal for the young fashion brand and high street supply business as Drapers went to press.

  • Tailoring trend poses dilemma for multiples

    13 March 2009

    High street retailers will draw on the architectural and 1980s power-dressing trends shown on the international catwalks for autumn 09, but the trend for tailoring and sombre colours is likely to present the high street with significant challenges.

  • Paris Fashion Week: Chanel

    11 March 2009

    A romantic interpretation of regency dress inspired by Beau Brummel and Karl Lagerfeld’s signature look of fanciful monochrome and bolero touches was showcased on the Chanel catwalk at Paris Fashion Week yesterday.

  • Micam attendance falls

    10 March 2009

    International visitors to Micam, the Italian footwear trade show, dropped back 9.4% to 18,945 as the global downturn continued to bite into retailer’s travel and buying budgets.

  • Dramatic retail market consolidation ahead

    10 March 2009

    Three-quarters of senior business executives expect dramatic consolidation in the retail market this year, as strong retailers use the recession as an opportunity to acquire weaker businesses.

  • Founders back at USC

    7 March 2009

    Young fashion brands have hailed the return of David Douglas and Angus Morrison to USC, the branded young fashion chain they founded in 1989, as a clear sign the business will be restored to its former glory.

  • New Look hosts more concessions

    6 March 2009

    New Look is more than doubling the number of its in-store branded fashion concessions with multi-brand young fashion business Hallett Retail.

  • Trade slow at Micam

    5 March 2009

    Italian footwear show Micam got of to a slow start this week according to exhibitors.

  • Kevin Stanford loses legal battle with Icelandic bank Kaupthing

    4 March 2009

    Retail entrepreneur Kevin Stanford is understood to owe more than £250 million to Icelandic bank Kaupthing, and the bank has blocked his plans to issue new shares in young fashion chain All Saints, according to reports.

  • Coco Ribbon ceases trading

    3 March 2009

    West London independent boutique Coco Ribbon has ceased trading after the economic downturn impacted sales.

  • Green and Shepherdson debate tactics for the recession

    2 March 2009

    High street fashion tycoon Sir Philip Green has cited speed of the supply chain rather than price as the only way to stay ahead in the current economic climate.

  • Duo sign Sports Direct Dunlop deal

    28 February 2009

    Former JJB Sports chief executive Tom Knight and footwear consultant Colin Ross have secured the European licence for Dunlop Footwear from Sports Direct’s licensing subsidiary, International Brand Management (IBML).

  • Guide to promote indies is mapped out by The Hut

    28 February 2009

    The owners of designer independent The Hut in Stamford, Lincolnshire, have launched a guide to promote small businesses in UK market towns.

  • Industry pays tribute to supply pioneer ‘Lal’ Kumar

    28 February 2009

    A pioneer of the Manchester clothing trade and international supply entrepreneur, Krishan ‘Lal’ Kumar, has died aged 75.

  • Irregular Choice, London Gallery

    28 February 2009

    If anywhere can brighten shoppers’ moods, it is this footwear brand’s debut UK store on Carnaby Street

  • Richard Kottler

    28 February 2009

    The chief executive of the British Footwear Association tells Laura Weir why the UK footwear industry deserves a big round of applause

  • Ziff appeals to suppliers in Stylo plan

    28 February 2009

    Stylo chief executive and chairman Michael Ziff embarked on a charm offensive with suppliers this week, in a bid to stabilise the footwear group and discuss its post-administration strategy.

  • Blooming Marvellous rescued from administration

    25 February 2009

    Maternitywear retailer Blooming Marvellous has been bought out of administration by a new company formed by Ethel Austin owner Elaine McPherson.

  • Green confirms Arcadia and Bhs integration

    25 February 2009

    Owner of Arcadia and Bhs Sir Philip Green has confirmed that Bhs will be operationally integrated into the Arcadia Group and be run as one of its brands.

  • London Fashion Week: House of Holland

    25 February 2009

    Henry Holland served up his most sophisticated House of Holland collection to date yesterday via a range bursting with accomplished cuts and bold shapes with a graduated-colour palette tribute to Pantone.

  • Sarah Brown visits LFW

    23 February 2009

    Sarah Brown, the wife of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, pitched up at The Exhibition at London Fashion Week today to lend support to the event, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

  • Laura Weir, Senior reporter

    23 February 2009

    Overall the Oscar outfits were disappointing this year as a recession related sobriety washed over the red carpet.

  • Pavers rescue Equity Shoes

    20 February 2009

    Pavers Shoes has rescued mainstream footwear brand Equity Shoes from liquidation.

  • Luke Mayhew appointed BRC chairman

    20 February 2009

    Luke Mayhew, the former managing director of John Lewis and former chairman of young fashion chain Bank, has been appointed chairman of the British Retail Consortium.

  • Topshop New York: image gallery

    20 February 2009

    Although the store interior is still firmly under wraps, Drapers has some of the latest external images of the new Topshop store in New York, due to open on April 2.

  • John Lewis sales fall

    20 February 2009

    Sales at John Lewis fell by 3.2% to £44 million for the week ended February 14, but fashion sales were in positive territory.

  • Shake-up looms in footwear market

    19 February 2009

    Almost £400 million of sales, equivalent to a 7.1% slice of the £5.6 billion footwear market, was up for grabs this week after further upheaval in the sector.

  • Oxford Summer School scholarships up for grabs

    17 February 2009

    Retail bodies Skillsmart Retail and the Retail Trust have teamed up to offer 10 free places at the next edition of the Oxford Summer School.

  • John Lewis sales hit by snow

    13 February 2009

    Sales at department store John Lewis fell by 17.1% to £37 million for the week ended February 7 after heavy snowfall deterred shoppers.

  • Paul Costelloe spring deliveries stolen

    11 February 2009

    The first deliveries of Paul Costello’s spring 09 collection were stolen in the early hours of Wednesday last week from a vehicle destined for the London Fashion Week label’s warehouse.

  • Browning Group ceases trading

    10 February 2009

    Footwear supplier Browning Group has ceased trading after 23 years blaming tough trading conditions, the weakness of the sterling and a lack of available credit insurance for making it an unviable business. The uncertainty surrounding the future of Stylo, its largest customer, is also thought to have been a factor.

  • Baugur head office staff axed

    10 February 2009

    Nearly all of the head office staff at retail investment firm Baugur are expected to be made redundant today.

  • John Lewis full year sales finish 0.3% up

    6 February 2009

    John Lewis ended its trading year with “something of a whimper” last week when sales fell 1.6% to £43.51m, but full year sales ended 0.3% up.

  • Turnbull & Asser to set up tailoring academy

    5 February 2009

    Turnbull & Asser has hired David Gale as master shirt maker to develop a training academy at the tailoring brand.

  • Microzine in administration

    5 February 2009

    Microzine, the independent branded fashion store in Liverpool, has gone into administration.

  • Alexa Chung to front New Look campaign

    4 February 2009

    Television presenter and model Alexa Chung is to front an advertising campaign for high street multiple New Look.

  • Barcelona not ready to give up Bread & Butter

    31 January 2009

    Uncertainty shadows Bread & Butter’s future as Barcelona threatens to launch a breakaway event in response to the trade show’s rumoured return to Berlin

  • Barcelona show to rival B&B

    31 January 2009

    Barcelona mayor Jordi Hereu is planning the launch of a rival show to Bread & Butter this summer after the streetwear fair confirmed it was heading back to its roots in Berlin.

  • Lipsy stores anger stockists

    31 January 2009

    Plans by mid-market chain Next to carve out shops for its Lipsy brand from some of its larger units have angered independent stockists.

  • Irregular Choice store opening, Carnaby Street, London

    27 January 2009

    Drapers’ Laura Weir and Antony Hawman attend the new store opening of footwear brand Irregular Choice on Carnaby Street, London, December 2008.

  • Optimistic mood at Bread & Butter opening

    26 January 2009

    Buyers and exhibitors were in optimistic mood at the launch of Bread & Butter in Barcelona this morning, despite the fact attendance is likely to be down as the recession bites into travel budgets.

  • Bread & Butter Autumn 09

    24 January 2009

    Buyers spent their time in Barcelona backing big brands rather than hunting out challenging new trends

  • Bread & Butter brands play it safe with trends

    22 January 2009

    Trends at the Bread & Butter exhibition in Barcelona have been on the safe side so far, with denim collections to cover all bases, industrial-look influences and only some 80s inspired styles.

  • Browns’ footwear success inspires standalone store

    17 January 2009

    Designer fashion boutique Browns is to open a standalone footwear store in London as the retailer capitalises on its fastest-growing product category.

  • Ex-New Look duo start consultancy

    17 January 2009

    Two former New Look executives with a combined experience of 50 years in the fashion industry have launched a consultancy service.

  • Michael Greenberg

    17 January 2009

    Although most businesses are taking a defensive stance during the economic downturn, Skechers’ president is sure of continuing the footwear brand’s dramatic growth.

  • Dune to open in De Gruchy

    15 January 2009

    Footwear retailer Dune is to open a concession in Jersey-based department store De Gruchy.

  • Browns to open new London shoe boutique

    14 January 2009

    Designer fashion boutique Browns is to open a standalone footwear store in London as the retailer capitalises on its fastest-growing product category.

  • Erin Mullaney on Browns' new London shoe boutique

    14 January 2009

    Upmarket independent Browns is to launch a standalone footwear store during London Fashion Week. Ahead of the soft launch at the end of January, Browns buying director Erin Mullaney tells Laura Weir why the landmark retailer is opening a boutique dedicated to shoes.

  • Blue Inc sales up 6% over Xmas

    12 January 2009

    Young fashion retailer Blue Inc notched up a like-for-like sales increase of 6% for the six weeks to January 4.

  • Office reports strong Christmas trading

    12 January 2009

    Fashion footwear chain Office bucked the downturn over the Christmas period with like-for-like sales up 5.4% for the six weeks to January 4.

  • Sir Philip Green asks landlords for better terms

    9 January 2009

    Arcadia owner Sir Philip Green is seeking lower rents and better terms from landlords on stores whose leases are held by a company which has gone into administration, according to a report.

  • Shop Direct Xmas sales jump 9%

    9 January 2009

    Sales at home shopping business Shop Direct rose 9% over the six-week Christmas period to January 2.

  • Cult Clothing like-for-like sales up 23%

    7 January 2009

    Like-for-like sales at the retail arm of Cult Clothing and Superdry rose by 22.9% for the 10 weeks to January 4.

  • Tim Whitworth on Republic's shining Xmas performance

    6 January 2009

    Republic chief executive Tim Whitworth tells Drapers how the retailer outperformed the market over Christmas.

  • Stephen Gill leaves Browning Group

    6 January 2009

    Stephen Gill, the managing director of footwear supplier Browning, has left the business amidst difficult trading.

  • Indie trading hit over xmas

    6 January 2009

    Independent retailers were hit by weak Christmas trading over the festive period as year-on-year sales dipped.

  • Emma Somerset poised to go into administration

    6 January 2009

    Womenswear chain Emma Somerset is poised to enter administration today.

  • Mosaic in talks to raise cash

    5 January 2009

    Mosaic Fashion, the owner of retailers Karen Millen and Oasis, is in crunch talks with lenders in a bid to secure long term finance for the chain.

  • Westfield mall hosts Choice’s fifth store

    19 December 2008

    Designer independent Choice has opened a new £1.5 million store at the Westfield London shopping mall in White City.

  • Laura Ashley like-for-like sales down 10%

    19 December 2008

    Total stores sales at Laura Ashley rose 9.7% for the 20 weeks to December 13 due to store openings, but were down almost 10% on a like-for-like basis.

  • Vivienne Westwood signs Pamela Anderson to front campaign

    18 December 2008

    Actress and model Pamela Anderson is to front Vivienne Westwood's spring 09 advertising campaign.

  • CBI records ninth consecutive month of sales falls

    17 December 2008

    Retailers have recorded nine consecutive months of falling sales as the pre-Christmas build up failed to give the sector much needed respite from the downturn.

  • Religion and Bolongaro Trevor scrap joint stores

    17 December 2008

    Young fashion brands Religion and Bolongaro Trevor have ended their retail partnership just 14 months after launching a joint venture.

  • Explosives found in Paris department store

    16 December 2008

    Five packages of explosives have been found and disarmed in Printemps Haussman department store in Paris, according to reports.

  • TJ Hughes owner warns of tough 2009

    16 December 2008

    Distressed purchases, refinancing and equity injections will characterise private equity activity in the retail sector next year according to Silverfleet Capital, the fund behind discount chain TJ Hughes.

  • Onitsuka Tiger opens Liverpool store

    16 December 2008

    Onitsuka Tiger, the Japanese young fashion brand, has opened a new store in the Liverpool One shopping development.

  • Pieces of Eight pops up in Leeds for Xmas

    16 December 2008

    A pop-up boutique selling a selection of young designers’ collections has opened in the Clarence Dock development in Leeds and will trade until Christmas Eve.

  • Debenhams directors could get bonus boost next year

    12 December 2008

    Debenhams directors will have salaries frozen next year, but are set to gain from proposed changes to the executive bonus scheme.

  • Trade lifts at John Lewis

    12 December 2008

    Sales at department store group John Lewis were down 6.6% to £89.84 million over the week to December 6th, an improvement of 20% against the previous week.

  • BRC chairman makes play for Woolworths

    10 December 2008

    Sir Geoff Mulcahy, the tycoon who bought Woolworths in 1982, wants the chance to revive the value chain and save hundreds of jobs according to a report.

  • Diesel opens largest store

    8 December 2008

    Young fashion brand Diesel has opened its largest store to date in Milan, Italy and will open a similar concept shop in New York in the US this spring.

  • No Irish luck for retailers

    8 December 2008

    The 2.5% cut in UK VAT has dealt another blow to fashion retailers in the recession-hit Republic of Ireland. Can they discount their way out of trouble?

  • Independents slam tax proposals

    28 November 2008

    Independent retailers polled by Drapers this week slammed the 2.5% VAT cut as an out-of-touch move made by the government which they do not plan to pass on to their customers.

  • Per Una: George Davies' farewell collection unveiled

    28 November 2008

    Marks & Spencer unveiled George Davies' final collection for its Per Una sub-brand yesterday.

  • Consumer confidence poor in November

    28 November 2008

    Consumer confidence has improved slightly but still remains close to record low levels according to the latest GfK NOP survey.

  • TBC streetwear show is axed

    28 November 2008

    Streetwear and casualwear show To Be Confirmed (TBC) has closed after the planned relaunch edition in February failed to garner brand support.

  • Tonight: An audience with River Island founder Bernard Lewis

    27 November 2008

    River Island founder Bernard Lewis will be the guest speaker at the London Fashion Network event held tonight.

  • Fashion chains to pass on VAT cut

    26 November 2008

    Sir Philip Green's Arcadia Group has released a statement on behalf of a group of the high street's most powerful retailers confirming they will pass the VAT cut onto customers.

  • Duffer saved in buyout deal

    21 November 2008

    Streetwear brand Duffer of St George has been rescued from administration by the brand's management team.

  • Wolfson: 'It's a recession, not Armageddon'

    21 November 2008

    Simon Wolfson, the chief executive of high street retailer Next, has called for a realistic asessment of the current climate and 'susatinable and long-term' tax cuts ahead of next week's pre-budget report.

  • Discounting spreads across the high street

    21 November 2008

    Selfridges, Gap, Arcadia and Bhs have joined the raft of retailers offering discounts on the high street in an effort to get consumers back out shopping.

  • Allegra Hicks in administration

    20 November 2008

    Luxury brand Allegra Hicks has fallen into administration, blaming the credit crunch for its demise.

  • Marks & Spencer kicks off one-day Sale

    20 November 2008

    Marks & Spencer kicked off its one-day Sale this morning offering customers a 20%-off promotion in store and online.

  • Mothercare profits rocket 94%

    20 November 2008

    Mothercare's underlying pre-tax profits soared by 93.9% to £9.5 million over the 28 weeks to October 11.

  • Phase Eight boss leaves

    19 November 2008

    Simon Rider, the chief executive of womenswear retailer Phase Eight, has left the company.

  • Marchpole's Jean-Charles de Castelbajac subsidary rescued

    19 November 2008

    Marchpole Holdings' Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (JCC) subsidiary has been rescued by Swedish firm Atlas Design Group in a deal worth £3.15 million.

  • Adidas to launch new brand

    17 November 2008

    Sportswear giant Adidas is gearing up to launch a new label, SLVR in February next year.

  • Marchpole administrators close to rescue package

    14 November 2008

    The administrator of brand house and supply group Marchpole was understood to have received several expressions of interest in the business as Drapers went to press.

  • John Lewis sales drop 9.7%

    14 November 2008

    John Lewis sales fell by almost 10% over the week to November 8, as a combination of the economic uncertainty and poor weather hit trade.

  • Eton, London

    13 November 2008

    The men’s shirt retailer took a scholarly approach when refitting its London flagship.

  • Burton web boss resigns

    10 November 2008

    Barry Wyse the head of ecommerce for Burton has left the menswear chain to join web services business eCommera as director of marketing.

  • Consumer confidence hits new low

    7 November 2008

    Consumer confidence has fallen to a record low, with just one in five people optimistic that the recession will be over within a year.

  • New owner vows to boost brand mix at Edwards

    7 November 2008

    Heritage footwear retailer Edwards of Manchester is revamping its brand mix and store following a buyout of the business in May this year.

  • River Island recruits PR firm

    7 November 2008

    Young fashion retailer River Island has appointed financial PR firm Brunswick, in what is an unprecedented move for the publicity-shy retailer.

  • Hermes lowers sales outlook

    7 November 2008

    Hermes, the luxury group based in Paris, has warned investors of tough trading ahead, as the slowdown begins to make an impact on the luxury sector.

  • Net-a-Porter chief executive to leave

    7 November 2008

    Net-a-porter chief executive Sven Gaede is leaving the company.

  • Retail traffic down 3.1% in October

    7 November 2008

    The number of non-food shopping trips in the UK fell by 3.1% in October, compared to the same month in 2007, and by 1.3% against September 2008.

  • Fashion strong as sales pick up at John Lewis

    7 November 2008

    Sales at John Lewis fell by 1.3% to £57.42 million over the week to November 1 2008, but improved on the previous week thanks to cold weather and half term.

  • Sainsbury's to offer all employees qualifications

    6 November 2008

    Supermarket Sainsbury's is to offer its entire workforce of 150,000 employees the opportunity to gain qualifications equivalent to GCSE standard.

  • Asos launches maternitywear

    5 November 2008

    E-tail giant Asos has launched an own-label maternitywear range.

  • Pink Soda appoints managing director

    5 November 2008

    Young fashion brand Pink Soda has appointed former general manager of Columbia Sportswear Europe, John Evans, as managing director.

  • Hawick Knitwear plans to cut staff

    5 November 2008

    Hawick Knitwear, the Scottish textiles firm, is to cut 15% of staff at the business because of the consumer slowdown.

  • Kate Kuba steps up growth plans

    4 November 2008

    Women’s footwear retailer Kate Kuba is launching a wholesale range and plans to triple its store count in the UK.

  • Baugur in insurance talks

    4 November 2008

    Baugur has kicked off talks with some of the of the world’s largest credit insurance companies in a bid to get them back on side and reissue cover to suppliers to some of its retail investments.

  • Westfield London angers retailers with charge rise

    4 November 2008

    Westfield London has enraged retailers by pushing up its service charges just days after the centre opened for business.

  • Ugg Australia to open Harrods shop-in-shop

    3 November 2008

    Footwear brand Ugg Australia has inked a deal to open a new shop-in-shop within landmark London department store Harrods.

  • Superdry profits and sales up 100%

    3 November 2008

    Supergroup, the company behind the young fashion brand Superdry and retail chain Cult Clothing, recorded a sales and profits rise of more than 100% in the last five months.

  • Ghost rescued from administration

    31 October 2008

    Womenswear brand Ghost has been bought by fashion entrepreneur Touker Suleyman.

  • Stylo losses widen to £9.3m

    31 October 2008

    Stylo, the parent company behind footwear chains Barratts and Priceless, saw losses widen from £7.5 million to £9.3m over the first half of the year.

  • River Island pre-tax profits fall

    31 October 2008

    Pre-tax profits at River Island Clothing Co Ltd fell by 3.6% while turnover increased to £652 million during the year to December 29 2007.

  • Baugur bosses defiant at Westfield London launch

    31 October 2008

    The directors of Baugur were out in force and in defiant mood last night to celebrate the opening of the new House of Fraser store in Westfield London.

  • October footfall down 2.2%

    31 October 2008

    Footfall on the UK high street fell 2.2% in October and UK traffic to online retailers decreased by 0.5%, according to Experian.

  • Hugo Boss cuts forecast for 2008

    31 October 2008

    Hugo Boss has cut its sales and profit forecast for 2008 blaming a drop in sales in key markets and uncertain global economic conditions.

  • John Lewis sales slump 9.8%

    31 October 2008

    Sales at department store John Lewis fell by 9.8% to £52 million for the week ended October 25.

  • Victoria Beckham to star in Armani campaign

    29 October 2008

    Victoria Beckham is understood to have signed a deal to appear in a global advertising campaign for Emporio Armani women's lingerie.

  • Jaeger opens first accessories shop-in-shop

    29 October 2008

    Jaeger has unveiled its first standalone accessories shop-in-shop in Jenners department store in Edinburgh.

  • Topshop launches Kate Moss Christmas collection

    28 October 2008

    The eighth Kate Moss for Topshop collection hits stores today.

  • Stuart Trevor

    20 October 2008

    The founder of landmark fashion brand All Saints explains how he fell in love with fashion again during a break from the business before launching Bolongaro Trevor.

  • Start website relaunched after user-friendly revamp

    10 October 2008

    Designer boutique Start has relaunched its website in a bid to extend the Start brand and bring its online presence more in line with the bricks and mortar store.

  • Question Air hunts for cash to grow its label

    10 October 2008

    London-based designer independent Question Air is seeking third-party investment of up to £500,000 to develop its own-label business, FAQ, with a view to opening standalone stores for the brand.

  • Brands to piggyback Asos’s etail operation

    10 October 2008

    Asos is teaming up with smaller young fashion brands without a transactional website to offer them an online presence.

  • French Connection bolsters board

    9 October 2008

    French Connection has appointed Claire Kent, a former managing director with financial services firm Morgan Stanley, as a non-executive director.

  • Joy bought out of administration

    8 October 2008

    Young fashion business Joy and its assets have been bought out of administration by new company Louche London Ltd.

  • Jane Norman profits flat

    8 October 2008

    Profits at young fashion retailer Jane Norman were flat over the year to March 29 and sales increased by 13% to £150 million.

  • Arcadia and Mosaic to open at Bon Accord & St Nicholas

    8 October 2008

    Fashion giants Mosaic and Arcadia are gearing up to open stores in Aberdeen's largest shopping scheme Bon Accord & St Nicholas.

  • Kim Winser to lead Aquascutum MBO

    7 October 2008

    Kim Winser is gearing up to lead an MBO of Aquascutum, according to reports.

  • Bhs operating profit falls 40%

    7 October 2008

    Bhs has reported a 40% fall in full-year operating profit from £50 million to £30.2 million for the year ended March 29, 2008.

  • Stella McCartney breaks through £1m profit barrier

    6 October 2008

    Stella McCartney, the fashion house owned by Stella McCartney and fashion giant Gucci, posted pre-tax profit of £1.1m over the year to December 2007, on sales of £11m.

  • Few new trends at Micam show

    3 October 2008

    Milan footwear show Micam served up little in the way of new trends as total visitor numbers fell by more than 4,000 against this time last year.

  • Nick Samuel joins Adili board as chairman

    3 October 2008

    Former Hobbs boss Nick Samuel has joined ethical e-tailer Adili as non-executive chairman, as the company reported a loss of £1.58 million during its first full year as a listed company.

  • Womenswear drives Dr Kruger expansion

    3 October 2008

    Young fashion retailer Dr Kruger is upping its womenswear offer and building a new floor to host the growing category at its Lancaster store.

  • European boss exits Urban Outfitters

    3 October 2008

    Martin Parker, the European managing director of US young fashion chain Urban Outfitters, is retiring after 35 years in retail.

  • Anti dumping shoe tariffs extended

    3 October 2008

    The European Commission has extended anti-dumping duties on footwear imported from China and Vietnam.

  • John Lewis sales drop 8.3%

    3 October 2008

    Department store John Lewis has reported a sharp fall in sales over the week to September 27 as economic turmoil kept consumers away.

  • Miss Sixty UK business in administration

    1 October 2008

    Sixty UK Ltd, the business trading the Miss Sixty and Energie brands and stores in the UK, has gone into administration.

  • Consumer mood hit by financial market turmoil

    30 September 2008

    Consumer confidence picked up at the start of September only to be wiped out by financial market turmoil, according to a survey published today.

  • Londonedge visitor numbers flat

    29 September 2008

    Visitor numbers at alternative fashion show Londonedge were flat this season.

  • British Retail Consortium urges landlords to follow Hermes' lead

    29 September 2008

    The British Retail Consortium is calling on landlords to re-negotiate existing leases after landlord Hermes agreed to offer its tenants the chance to pay their rents monthly in advance.

  • Micam Spring/Summer 09

    27 September 2008

    Italian footwear fair Micam served up a 1970s platform revival and a cyclical return to boho, alongside a few surprises for spring 09.

  • JJB Sports posts a loss in 'worst retail recession ever'

    26 September 2008

    JJB Sports has reported an adjusted loss before tax of £9.7m for the 26 weeks to July 27 as sales fell by 5.6% to £344.7 million.

  • Full review launched at Jones Bootmaker

    26 September 2008

    Footwear veteran Ken Bartle, chief executive at Jones Bootmaker, has announced a wideranging review of the footwear chain and its strategy.

  • John Lewis sales fall 5.6% but fashion bucks trend

    26 September 2008

    Sales at department store John Lewis fell by 5.6% to £47.34 million over the week to September 20 as tough comparatives, the weather, and turmoil in the economic markets hit trade.

  • JJB plots an indie-style OSC revamp

    26 September 2008

    Chris Lee, the managing director of JJB Sports’ lifestyle division, has kicked off a charm offensive with brands and suppliers outlining his vision to revamp Original Shoe Company into a ‘premium’ and ‘independent-style’ chain.

  • Bristol Cabot Circus opens

    25 September 2008

    Cabot Circus, the new £500 million scheme Bristol shopping centre scheme opens to the public today at midday.

  • Jane Norman hires trading director

    25 September 2008

    Sandy Goldsbrough has been appointed trading director at Jane Norman retailer.

  • Sales fall across the high street

    24 September 2008

    Sales fell for the majority of high street retailers during the first half of September and the outlook for October is bleak.

  • Microzine hosts freshers week bash to lure students

    23 September 2008

    Liverpool lifestyle independent Microzine has launched a marketing initiative to help win over new student shoppers.

  • Kiosk 78 brings rare denim labels to Leeds

    23 September 2008

    Kiosk 78, a new menswear retailer specialising in denim, has opened in Leeds stocking a selection of brands exclusive to the UK market.

  • Men's rejig at French Connection

    22 September 2008

    French Connection chairman and chief executive Stephen Marks has pledged to improve the business’s menswear ranges, after the category was left behind by improvements to womenswear.

  • Blog: London Fashion Week: Day Six

    22 September 2008

    The final day of Fashion Week was a more relaxed affair than the rest of the week, as London wound down slowly from the excitement of the Pammie and co the previous night.

  • Gap falls and H&M debuts in Best Global Brands list

    19 September 2008

    US casualwear chain Gap was the biggest fashion faller in the Interbrand Best Global Brands list this week but Swedish young fashion chain H&M made its chart debut.

  • Diesel's UK boss Riccardo Bellini transfers to Italy

    19 September 2008

    Riccardo Bellini, the managing director of Diesel UK, is to leave his position later this month to take up a new role at the brand's Italian headquarters.

  • Topshop delays US debut

    18 September 2008

    Topshop's US debut is understood to have been put back to spring 2009 because of construction problems at its New York site.

  • Scottish design talent gets boost

    15 September 2008

    Tessa Hartman, founder of the Scottish Fashion Awards, has launched The Scottish Fashion Council, to help promote Scottish fashion designers worldwide.

  • Givenchy poaches boss from John Galliano

    15 September 2008

    LVMH, the luxury goods group, has appointed Fabrizio Malverdi as chief executive of Givenchy.

  • Koh Samui and Feathers set up transactional sites

    12 September 2008

    London-based designer independents Koh Samui and Feathers have both made their first forays into etail.

  • Heartless drives VIP shopping experience

    12 September 2008

    Designer independent Heartless has launched a VIP car service to pick up customers and bring them to the store in Buckhurst Hill in Essex in a bid to drive sales.

  • New Look to reshape for global focus

    12 September 2008

    Young fashion chain New Look is on the hunt for a new chief operating officer from overseas and is understood to be planning a shake-up of its buying, merchandising and design teams to help it realise its global ambitions.

  • Cortefiel plans UK stores

    11 September 2008

    Spanish retail giant Cortefiel Group is bringing its lingerie chain Women'Secret to the UK and will also open standalone stores for its young fashion chain Springfield next year.

  • Lily Cole stars in M&S TV ad

    10 September 2008

    Marks & Spencer will air its autumn television advert tonight, which will feature model Lily Cole on screen for the first time.

  • Lily Cole stars in new M&S TV ad

    10 September 2008

    Marks & Spencer will unveil its autumn television advert tonight, which will feature model Lily Cole on screen for the first time.

  • Decision on footwear duties due next week

    10 September 2008

    The footwear industry will find out at midnight next Wednesday September 17 whether the European Commission plans to extend the import duties on leather footwear from China and Vietnam.

  • Kate Moss' autumn collection hits Topshop

    9 September 2008

    Kate Moss's seventh collection for Topshop has touched down in store today.

  • Diesel to host global 30th birthday party

    8 September 2008

    Diesel is to launch a global 24-hour party for fans of the brand called Diesel Triple XXX to celebrate its 30th birthday.

  • Miss Sixty launches e-commerce site

    5 September 2008

    Young fashion brand Miss Sixty has unveiled its first transactional e-commerce site.

  • Grazia launches website

    5 September 2008

    Weekly fashion glossy Grazia has launched www.graziadaily.co.uk to provide its readers with a daily fix of fashion and beauty news.

  • Gok Wan calls for respect to retail workers

    5 September 2008

    TV stylist Gok Wan has backed retail workers in the latest edition of Skillsmart Retail's magazine calling for a greater appreciation for those who work on the shopfloor.

  • The Original Factory Shop sees profits leap

    5 September 2008

    The Original Factory Shop saw pre-tax profits rise by 16.4% to £7.6 million for the year ended March 31 defying the downturn.

  • John Lewis sales edge up 1.6%

    5 September 2008

    Sales at John Lewis rose 1.6% to £50.3 million for the week ended August 30.

  • Henleys slashes accounts

    5 September 2008

    Henleys is slashing its account base by 25% after the credit crunch stymied the young fashion brand’s ability to insure orders from some of its stockists.

  • Comfort styles mix colours

    2 September 2008

    Citrus and pastel colours, metallic effects and floral detailing lead the way for comfort footwear next spring, with brands referencing broader spring 09 clothing trends.

  • Retail parks could lead retail recovery

    2 September 2008

    Retail parks are likely to lead the retail recovery and will emerge from the downturn as a more attractive shopping destination than traditional town centre locations, according to a report by Verdict Research.

  • Bates builds The Great China Wall in UK

    2 September 2008

    Terry Bates, former UK commercial director at denim brand Replay, is to launch US streetwear brand The Great China Wall in the UK.

  • Harvey Jacobson

    1 September 2008

    The managing director of footwear supplier Jacobson Group has risen from market trader to the Rich List, but his traditional business values and a penchant for doing a deal have stuck with him, not to mention his love of a prank.

  • Bread & Butter Footwear Spring 09

    30 August 2008

    Footwear brands at Bread & Butter Barcelona failed to stir up much excitement amongst visitors to the show.

  • Benetton sales increase

    29 August 2008

    Italian clothing retailer Benetton increased net revenues by 2.9% to €996 million (£803m) and boosted EBITDA by 15.7% to €156m (£125m) over the first half of 2008.

  • Benetton sales increase

    29 August 2008

    Italian clothing retailer Benetton increased net revenues by 2.9% to €996 million (£803m) and boosted EBITDA by 15.7% to €156m (£125m) over the first half of 2008.

  • Topshop and Hobbs sponsor FashionExpo

    29 August 2008

    Topshop and Hobbs are to sponsor emerging fashion talent exhibition FashionExpo.

  • Topshop and Hobbs sponsor FashionExpo

    29 August 2008

    Topshop and Hobbs are to sponsor emerging fashion talent exhibition FashionExpo.

  • Bid rumours boost Sainsbury's shares

    29 August 2008

    Speculation of a takeover bid for Sainsbury's sent shares up nearly 8% yesterday.

  • Bid rumours boost Sainsbury's shares

    29 August 2008

    Speculation of a takeover bid for Sainsbury's sent shares up nearly 8% yesterday.

  • Paul McAdam to leave Ben Sherman

    29 August 2008

    Paul McAdam, president of Ben Sherman North America, will leave his position at the brand today.

  • Paul McAdam to leave Ben Sherman

    29 August 2008

    Paul McAdam, president of Ben Sherman North America, will leave his position at the brand today.

  • Sir Philip Green calls for rent talks in letter to landlords

    29 August 2008

    Arcadia owner Sir Philip Green has sent a letter to landlords calling for a frank discussion as big retail names call for changes to rental payment terms.

  • Sir Philip Green calls for rent talks in letter to landlords

    29 August 2008

    Arcadia owner Sir Philip Green has sent a letter to landlords calling for a frank discussion as big retail names call for changes to rental payment terms.

  • John Lewis sales drop 2.4%

    29 August 2008

    Fashion sales outperformed the rest of John Lewis as overall sales dropped by 2.4% to £48.15 million over the week to August 23.

  • John Lewis sales drop 2.4%

    29 August 2008

    Fashion sales outperformed the rest of John Lewis as overall sales dropped by 2.4% to £48.15 million over the week to August 23.

  • Jane Norman sets web target

    28 August 2008

    Young fashion retailer Jane Norman has set a bullish £20 million sales target for its web business by 2010.

  • Jane Norman sets web target

    28 August 2008

    Young fashion retailer Jane Norman has set a bullish £20 million sales target for its web business by 2010.

  • Bank holiday disappoints high street

    28 August 2008

    Bank holiday sales in the UK were hit by a combination of poor weather, the credit crunch and the Olympics last weekend.

  • Bank holiday disappoints high street

    28 August 2008

    Bank holiday sales in the UK were hit by a combination of poor weather, the credit crunch and the Olympics last weekend.

  • Start-rite makes raft of new appointments

    28 August 2008

    Footwear brand Start-rite has bolstered its sales team with three new hirings as the brand sets its sights on boosting sales growth and brand awareness.

  • Start-rite makes raft of new appointments

    28 August 2008

    Footwear brand Start-rite has bolstered its sales team with three new hirings as the brand sets its sights on boosting sales growth and brand awareness.

  • Burberry pushes further into Russia and Kuwait

    28 August 2008

    Burberry has unveiled its sixth store in Russia and has opened its second store in Kuwait, as the luxury British brand expands its reach abroad.

  • Burberry pushes further into Russia and Kuwait

    28 August 2008

    Burberry has unveiled its sixth store in Russia and has opened its second store in Kuwait, as the luxury British brand expands its reach abroad.

  • River Island to sponsor fashion auction

    28 August 2008

    Young fashion retailer River Island is to sponsor the first Heart & Design charity auction which will feature specially commissioned works from Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs.

  • River Island to sponsor fashion auction

    28 August 2008

    Young fashion retailer River Island is to sponsor the first Heart & Design charity auction which will feature specially commissioned works from Karl Lagerfeld and Marc Jacobs.

  • Esprit reveals 24.5% net profit growth

    27 August 2008

    Young fashion chain Esprit has posted a 24.5% jump in net profit and a 25.6% increase in sales to HK$37.2 billion (£2.6 bn) over the year to June 30 2008.

  • Esprit reveals 24.5% net profit growth

    27 August 2008

    Young fashion chain Esprit has posted a 24.5% jump in net profit and a 25.6% increase in sales to HK$37.2 billion (£2.6 bn) over the year to June 30 2008.

  • Moss Bros restructures board

    27 August 2008

    Moss Bros has appointed former SRG boss Brian Brick as non-executive director, while founding family member Rowland Gee has stepped down from the Moss Bros board in a management rejig at the menswear chain.

  • Moss Bros restructures board

    27 August 2008

    Moss Bros has appointed former SRG boss Brian Brick as non-executive director, while founding family member Rowland Gee has stepped down from the Moss Bros board in a management rejig at the menswear chain.

  • John Lewis sales lose out to Olympics

    22 August 2008

    John Lewis sales dipped by 4.2% as The Olympics and summer exam results kept customers away from the shops.

  • To-orist owner opens directional Essex shop

    21 August 2008

    Brian Gathii, the man behind streetwear brand To-orist, has opened directional branded lifestyle boutique, Cranium Tie, in Woodford Green, Essex.

  • BRC to lobby Chancellor

    21 August 2008

    The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is today writing to Chancellor Alistair Darling to lobby for a cut in the costs faced by retailers, and to help restore consumer confidence.

  • British Fashion Council reveals scholarship winner

    21 August 2008

    The British Fashion Council has announced that the winner of its BFC MA Scholarship scheme is fashion designer Nabil El-Nayal.

  • M&S brings sales update forward

    20 August 2008

    Marks & Spencer is bringing its next sales update forward by a month rousing fears that the retailer will report another poor set of results this autumn.

  • Distressed Faith put up for sale

    15 August 2008

    Faith has been put on the market after Barclays, its bank, appointed restructuring specialists FTI Consulting, to run a fire-sale of the business.

  • John Lewis boosted by new fashion brands

    15 August 2008

    John Lewis said the unsettled weather drove footfall and boosted sales by 9.3% for the week ended August 9.

  • Affleck and Moffat scraps retail to focus on hirewear

    14 August 2008

    Menswear retailer Affleck and Moffat is to axe its retail arm to focus on its hire business after selling menswear since 1925.

  • Mixed mood at Moda

    14 August 2008

    A lack of new trends at the Moda exhibitions in Birmingham last week meant buyers spent their spring 09 budgets cautiously.

  • Steve Madden appoints permanent chief executive

    12 August 2008

    Steve Madden, the US footwear giant, has named Edward Rosenfeld as chairman and chief executive, with immediate effect.

  • Wrangler plots brand overhaul

    11 August 2008

    Wrangler president Giorgio Presca has implemented an overhaul of the denim brand's product, branding and delivery strategy for the UK market.

  • WSA Las Vegas Spring 09

    9 August 2008

    Economic worries hit visitor numbers at Las Vegas footwear show WSA, but there were some winning looks for those who did make the trip.

  • Retailers set rent reform meet

    8 August 2008

    Retail industry heavyweights including Sir Philip Green and Carpertright's Lord Harris are set to meet landlords next month to hammer our demands for wide-ranging rent reform.

  • The Wellcome Trust emerges as mystery M&S investor

    8 August 2008

    The Wellcome Trust, the UK's largest charity, has emerged as the mystery investor that has been building a stake in Marks & Spencer.

  • Tycoon raises stake in Woolworths

    8 August 2008

    Ardeshir Naghshineh, the Iranian property tycoon, mounted another share raid on Woolworths yesterday taking his stake in the retailer to more than 10%.

  • Sales rise 3.7% at John Lewis

    8 August 2008

    John Lewis has reported a welcome boost to trading with sales up 3.7% for the week ended August 2.

  • Streetwear labels’ jobs rejig

    7 August 2008

    Andy Rigg is to step down from Lee Cooper after three years in the latest in a series of high-profile departures in the young branded fashion sector.

  • Topshop eyes Chinese market

    7 August 2008

    Sir Philip Green, the retail tycoon and owner of Topshop, is understood to be mulling taking the young fashion chain to China.

  • Moncler gets private equity investment

    6 August 2008

    Private equity firm The Carlyle Group is to take a 48% stake in Moncler Group, the premium sportswear company.

  • Buckler, London

    2 August 2008

    Victoriana and 21st century elements collide in the US premium denim brand’s first UK store.

  • B&B boss weighs in to retail with 14oz store

    1 August 2008

    Bread & Butter Barcelona show organiser Karl-Heinz Müller has relaunched his 14oz retail concept in Berlin to showcase his vision for the streetwear and young fashion market.

  • Mood at WSA lacklustre

    31 July 2008

    The mood at WSA, the world's largest footwear fair in Las Vegas, was a sober one this season, lacking atmosphere and pace.

  • Wolford sales soar

    25 July 2008

    Hosiery and lingerie company Wolford has posted record sales for the year ended April along with a huge increase in EBIT.

  • Crocs warns on profits

    25 July 2008

    Crocs, the moulded footwear brand, has slashed its quarterly revenue and earnings per share forecast as the slowing US economy starts to bite.

  • Retail at risk of 'meltdown' over next decade

    25 July 2008

    The retail sector could plunge into crisis over the next 10 years as costs explode and consumer demand slows according to a report by Verdict Consulting.

  • Footpatrol to return to the streets under JD Sports

    24 July 2008

    JD Sports Fashion is to resurrect premium sneaker retailer Footpatrol after signing a deal to buy the business last week.

  • Miss L Fire founder to relaunch Shellys

    24 July 2008

    Lynsey Hand, the former buying director of footwear retailer Office and founder of footwear brand Miss L Fire, has been drafted in by Hong Kong-based manufacturer Eternal Best to relaunch Shellys, the brand it acquired from Stylo earlier this year.

  • UK director leaves Replay

    24 July 2008

    Terry Bates, the UK commercial director of denim brand Replay, has left the business after seven years.

  • Retail sales slow in June

    24 July 2008

    Retail sales volumes dropped 3.9% in June against May, and sales volumes in non-food retail dropped by 4.5% according to the Office of National Statistics.

  • Skechers sees record Q2 sales

    24 July 2008

    US footwear brand Skechers scored record second quarter revenues of $354.6 million (£178.1m) against $352.2m (£176.9m) but net earnings fell back slightly for the three months to June 30.

  • Hermes defies gloom

    23 July 2008

    Luxury goods group Hermes saw sales rise 12.1% to €398 million (£315m) for the second quarter, providing further evidence that the luxury sector is defying the retail downturn.

  • UK stockists angered by Nike’s retail ambitions

    22 July 2008

    Nike is plotting a significant roll-out of its retail concept in the UK but the plan has already upset some stockists.

  • More UK buyers make trip to Bread & Butter

    22 July 2008

    Visitor numbers at Bread & Butter fell for the first time in the show’s history during last week’s edition in Barcelona, but UK attendance was up against the previous year.

  • Harold Tillman buys stake in Beatrix Ong

    21 July 2008

    Jaeger owner Harold Tillman and Jaeger chief executive Belinda Earl have taken a controlling stake in upmarket footwear brand Beatrix Ong.

  • Tories unveil plan to tackle indie decline

    18 July 2008

    The Conservative party has released proposals for an action plan to help support independent retailers.

  • Crocs appoints new FD for Europe

    18 July 2008

    Moulded footwear brand Crocs has hired a new financial director for its European division.

  • Geox to open three UK stores

    18 July 2008

    Comfort footwear brand Geox is to open three more stores taking its UK portfolio to five.

  • Soaring online sales defy credit crunch

    18 July 2008

    UK shoppers spent over £26.5 billion online in the first six months of this year despite the credit crunch, up 38% on the first half of 2007.

  • John Lewis clearance helps end sales drop

    18 July 2008

    John Lewis has halted its run of poor sales after posting a 5.9% rise over the week to July 12.

  • Base London in restructure

    14 July 2008

    Men's footwear brand, Base London has restructured its sales and marketing departments, and brought back Mark Husted to head up sales and business development.

  • Application process open for Queen's Award for Enterprise

    14 July 2008

    Fashion and textile businesses are being urged to apply for the 2009 Queen's Awards for Enterprise – the Royal standard of excellence for outstanding business success.

  • Steven Cohen

    12 July 2008

    Mr Byrite may have been the butt of jokes in the 1990s, but out of its ashes grew Blue Inc, whose managing director is having the last laugh with growing sales and expansion plans.

  • Quiksilver to launch first womenswear line

    11 July 2008

    Boardsports brand Quiksilver is launching its first womenswear collection in August.

  • John Lewis sales slide but fashion is strong

    11 July 2008

    Sales at John Lewis slipped back by 1.3% last week, the eighth decline in nine weeks, although the retailer said it had a strong first week of Clearance.

  • Ashley adds Golddigga to his empire

    11 July 2008

    Sports Direct, the retailer founded by Mike Ashley, has bought young fashion brand Golddigga from administration.

  • Fat Face EBITDA flat

    11 July 2008

    Fat Face sales grew by 16.3% to £126.4 million for the year to May 31 but EBITDA was broadly flat at £26.6m.

  • Fashion Forward winners announced

    11 July 2008

    Designers Christopher Kane, Erdem, Marios Schwab and Roksanda Ilincic are the winners of the British Fashion Council's Fashion Forward award.

  • Tory party plans to tackle indie decline

    10 July 2008

    The Conservative party has unveiled proposals for an action plan to help support independent retailers.

  • BSSA lobbies government on indie decline

    10 July 2008

    The British Shops and Stores Association is calling upon the government to implement urgent action to save the UK's small retailers on the back of a Tory strategy document around small shops on the high street which is due to be unveiled today.

  • Primark Oxford Street flagship takes £200m

    9 July 2008

    Primark’s flagship Oxford Street store has generated sales of nearly £200 million since opening in April last year.

  • Warehouse to launch eco range

    8 July 2008

    Warehouse, the young fashion chain, is gearing up to launch its first eco-range called Ware-Eco.

  • Martin Schneider

    4 July 2008

    Martin Schneider, owner of young fashion independent Accent and a G-Star franchise in Leeds.

  • Trade slows at Bread & Butter, but indie turnout is high

    3 July 2008

    Momentum at Bread & Butter show in Barcelona has slowed this morning, despite an opportunistic start to the show yesterday. However, more retailers from the UK are expected to arrive this afternoon.

  • Manic Bread & Butter defies retail gloom

    2 July 2008

    Exhibitors were in positive mood as Bread & Butter Barcelona opened its doors this morning.

  • Scottish Fashion Awards winners revealed

    30 June 2008

    The best in Scottish fashion talent lit up the tartan carpet at Stirling castle for the third annual Scottish Fashion Awards last night.

  • Bartle to lead UK store roll-out for Terra Plana

    28 June 2008

    Footwear expert Ken Bartle has inked a deal to roll out stores in the UK for ethical footwear brand Terra Plana, in partnership with the business’s Clark family founders.

  • Buyers slice budgets ahead of B&B show

    28 June 2008

    Young fashion retailers heading out to Bread & Butter Barcelona next week have trimmed back their buying budgets despite reporting an uplift in trading.

  • Daniel Morris

    28 June 2008

    Pentland Brands has handed Daniel Morris, managing director of its streetwear brand Boxfresh, the task of taking the label global.

  • Cookson quits after two years as BSSA chairman

    28 June 2008

    Hilary Cookson, owner of occasionwear specialist Maureen Cookson in Whalley in Lancashire, has stood down from her role as chairman of the BSSA.

  • BSSA calls for united front as members fall

    28 June 2008

    The British Shops and Stores Association (BSSA) has rallied its members to stand together as chief executive John Dean revealed that member numbers fell by 12.4% during the year at its recent AGM.

  • Triumph pledges £50,000 to Breast Cancer Care

    27 June 2008

    Triumph, the lingerie brand, has pledged to donate £50,000 to Breast Cancer Care for the second year running.

  • Clements Ribeiro plots comeback

    27 June 2008

    Design duo Suzanne Clements and Inacio Ribeiro are gearing up for a full relaunch of their Clements Ribeiro label next year.

  • Buyers slice budgets ahead of B&B show

    27 June 2008

    Young fashion retailers heading out to Bread & Butter Barcelona next week have trimmed back their buying budgets despite reporting an uplift in trading.

  • John Lewis records sixth sales decline

    27 June 2008

    Sales at John Lewis have declined for the sixth time in seven weeks, but fashion sales boosted business.

  • CBI says high street sales remain disappointing

    25 June 2008

    The Confederation of British Industry's distributive trades survey saw 39% of respondents report lower sales for the first half of June against last year.

  • Fashion Fringe unveils footwear winner

    25 June 2008

    Liam Fahy has won the first ever Fashion Fringe footwear design competition.

  • Perry Ellis hires new MD

    25 June 2008

    Perry Ellis International has appointed David Ward as managing director of its European business with immediate effect.

  • Demonstrators at Primark ahead of Panorama documentary

    23 June 2008

    A handful of campaigners gathered outside Primark’s London Oxford Street flagship this morning to demonstrate against the chain’s alleged use of child labour.

  • Goodhood rents out basement to artists

    21 June 2008

    High-end streetwear boutique Goodhood in Hoxton, east London, has rented out its basement studio to artistic types to secure an extra revenue stream and ensure it remains at the heart of the area’s creative scene.

  • Gola Classics

    21 June 2008

    The 103-year-old sportswear brand has finally notched up its first UK store, and has an appetite for more.

  • Summer Sales imminent amid mixed sales reports

    21 June 2008

    Young fashion independents and multiples have painted a mixed picture of trading but those reporting strong sales admitted they were up against seriously weak comparisons from last year when the summer floods began.

  • Retail chiefs slam ONS figures

    20 June 2008

    Arcadia and Bhs owner Sir Philip Green and Sainsburys chief executive Justin King have both rubbished the retail sales figures for May released by the Office of National Statistics yesterday.

  • Moss Bros chairman steps down

    20 June 2008

    Moss Bros chairman Keith Hamill has retired today.

  • Summer Fair kicks off this weekend

    20 June 2008

    Mary Portas, star of the BBC2 makeover programme Mary Queen of Shops, will be sharing her insights at Summer Fair, the accessories and gift show which kicks off on Sunday.

  • John Lewis sales slip

    20 June 2008

    John Lewis saw sales fall for the fifth time in six weeks with a drop of 4.4% to £45.6m for the week to June 14.

  • New Gen sponsorship winners announced

    18 June 2008

    A group of 20 young UK designers have been awarded The British Fashion Council's New Generation sponsorship, supported by Topshop, to help them take part in London Fashion Week this September.

  • Lowry Outlet Mall notches up record sales

    18 June 2008

    Sales at Manchester's Lowry Outlet Mall were up by 11.5% like for like over the May half term period.

  • Footasylum buys Drome

    14 June 2008

    Liverpool young fashion independent Drome has been sold outright to Footasylum.

  • Criminal founder dies

    14 June 2008

    Reza Dehghani Wright, founder of streetwear brand Criminal, has passed away aged just 32 after a battle with cancer.

  • Green prepares for Topshop's New York debut

    11 June 2008

    Arcadia owner Sir Philip Green is believed to be targeting sales of between $30 million (£15m) and $40m (£20m) from his first US branch of Topshop, scheduled to open in New York this October.

  • Phoenix Equity in exclusivity on LK Bennett

    10 June 2008

    Womenswear and footwear retailer LK Bennett is expected to be sold to Phoenix Equity Partners for between £80 million and £100m within weeks.

  • Cruise launches Jean Shop brand

    10 June 2008

    Designer independent Cruise is to introduce US denim brand Jean Shop for autumn 08 and has exclusive access to its customisation office in New York.

  • Indies set for TV makeover

    7 June 2008

    The second series of Mary Queen of Shops, in which five more independent retailers will be overhauled by retail guru Mary Portas, will air at 9pm on BBC2 on Monday.

  • Sam Cuthbert

    7 June 2008

    Drapers probe leading Independents to get their View From The Shop floor.

  • Sixty Group acquires accessories brand

    4 June 2008

    Sixty Group has bought Italian accessories brand Roberta di Camerino.

  • Sixty Group acquire accessories brand

    4 June 2008

    Sixty Group has bought accessories brand Roberta di Camerino and has vowed to reposition the brand and restore it to its former glory.

  • More retail insolvencies ahead

    4 June 2008

    The world’s biggest credit insurer, Euler Hermes, has warned that there are more retail administrations on the horizon as trading conditions worsen.

  • Ugsandkisses in name change

    4 June 2008

    Footwear etailer ugsandkisses.com has changed its name in a bid to expand its appeal and shake off customer perception that it is just an Ugg Australia stockist.

  • Farah reshuffles management team

    1 June 2008

    Farah has appointed TBC co-founder Mark McCann as European sales manager, as part of a raft of new appointments at the menswear brand.

  • TBC cancels August show ahead of bigger relaunch

    1 June 2008

    The August edition of streetwear show TBC has been cancelled after new organisers IDEX Media decided to relaunch the show in February 2009 for an international audience.

  • Bench, Glasgow

    1 June 2008

    A gritty urban shopfit in the streetwear brand’s Scottish flagship is lifted by some imaginative touches.

  • Mulberry to open in White City

    30 May 2008

    Luxury accessories brand Mulberry has signed a store at Westfield London's White City development.

  • Shopper numbers down by 1.5%

    30 May 2008

    Footfall fell by 1.5% in May against last year according to research firm Experian.

  • Third weekly sales fall for John Lewis

    30 May 2008

    Department store group John Lewis reported a 2.8% drop in sales, its third consecutive weekly fall.

  • Joseph hires chief executive from Furla

    30 May 2008

    Designer retailer Joseph has hired a new chief executive to drive the international expansion and development of the business.

  • Scottish Fashion Awards: Nominees revealed

    27 May 2008

    The nominations for the third annual Scottish Fashion Awards were unveiled today with ten awards, including the newly-created, Best Use of Tartan by an International Designer Award, up for grabs.

  • TBC August edition cancelled

    27 May 2008

    The August edition of streetwear show TBC has been cancelled after new organisers Idex Media decided to relaunch the show in February 2009.

  • Jacks Clothing snaps up Jersey rival Rock Island

    24 May 2008

    Boardsports independent Jacks Clothing has bought out fellow Jersey retailer Rock Island.

  • Browns beefs up with opening of third store

    24 May 2008

    Browns of York is preparing to open its third shop as part of the family-run independent department store’s expansion plan.

  • Details emerge of new Internaçionale owner

    24 May 2008

    A company with links to Indian retail and supply giant SKNL has emerged as the new owner of value fashion multipleInternaçionale, former sister chain of Au Naturale.

  • Carol Duncumb to exit Intimas

    23 May 2008

    Chief executive of lingerie group Intimas Carol Duncumb is to leave the business in August after six years at the helm.

  • Former Clarks boss to be deputy London Mayor

    23 May 2008

    Tim Parker, former Clarks chief executive, has been hired by London Mayor Boris Johnson, to become the deputy Mayor.

  • Chatham Marine appoints managing director

    23 May 2008

    Lifestyle brand Chatham Marine has appointed a new managing director to re-establish the brand after being acquired by the Stuart Marsh Group last year.

  • John Lewis fashion sales shine amid 'disappointing' performance

    23 May 2008

    Department store business John Lewis posted what it called a disappointing performance over the week to May 17.

  • Rocket Dog buys out UK distributor

    22 May 2008

    Rocket Dog Brands, the US footwear giant, has bought out its UK and European distributor Passion Sports International Ltd for an undisclosed sum.

  • New Look to unveil largest ever store

    21 May 2008

    New Look is gearing up to unveil its largest ever store in Liverpool One at the end of June.

  • M&S secures deal with Sex and the City stylist

    21 May 2008

    Marks & Spencer has inked a deal with Patricia Field, the influential stylist behind Sex and the City, to design a one-off fashion range which will launch in its stores this October.

  • Cotton USA claims fashion spend is rising

    21 May 2008

    Research commissioned by the American marketing body for US cotton, Cotton USA claims that the average UK consumer has spent more on clothing over the past three months against 2006 despite the credit crunch.

  • Church's reopens London store

    21 May 2008

    Luxury footwear brand Church's has reopened its Burlington Arcade store in London with a new blueprint shopfit it is expected to roll out across its portfolio.

  • Stockists slam Start-rite web sales

    17 May 2008

    Start-rite stockists have hit out against the launch of the kids’ footwear brand’s transactional website.

  • Stockists slam Start-rite web sales

    16 May 2008

    Start-rite stockists have hit out against the launch of the kids' footwear brand's transactional website.

  • Hip or hype? SATC mania

    13 May 2008

    The four outfits worn by The Sex in the City actresses at last night's London premiere has left me wondering…Does Sex in the City still have the fashion foresight it did four years ago or are the characters no longer credible as the empowered, New Yorkite fashionistas they portrayed?

  • Consultancy targets struggling retailers

    10 May 2008

    Two retailers with combined experience of 30 years in the fashion industry have launched a new consultancy service, with the aim of helping independents during the economic downturn.

  • US climate hits Jones Apparel

    10 May 2008

    Jones Apparel, the US clothing and footwear retailer, reported a fall in profits over the first quarter of 2008 but stressed that recent sales over the spring season had been encouraging.

  • Phoenix in running for LK Bennett

    9 May 2008

    Private equity firms Phoenix Equity Partners and Golden Gate Capital are understood to be vying to buy fashion and footwear retailer LK Bennett

  • Fashion insolvencies are at five-year high

    9 May 2008

    Fashion industry insolvencies have hit a five-year high, according to data from accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) seen exclusively by Drapers.

  • JD buys Nicholas Deakins

    9 May 2008

    The John David Group has snapped up premium footwear and clothing brand Nicholas Deakins.

  • Iconic Biba is in administration

    9 May 2008

    The licensee for Biba, the iconic 1960s label which was relaunched just two years ago, has fallen into administration.

  • David Weeks

    9 May 2008

    Drapers probe leading Independents to get their View From The Shop floor.

  • Sales up at John Lewis as summer arrives

    9 May 2008

    Sales at John Lewis stores increased 1.8% year-on-year over the week to May 3, as warm weather boosted footfall.

  • Crocs swings into loss

    8 May 2008

    Crocs, the brand best known for its brightly coloured clogs, made a loss of $4.5 million (£2.2m) in the first quarter of this year, down from net profits of $24.9m (£12.7m), for the same period the previous year.

  • Internacionale sold to mystery investor

    7 May 2008

    Value fashion chain Internacionale has been sold to a mystery overseas buyer.

  • Donna Ida to open second store in Westfield London

    3 May 2008

    Denim boutique Donna Ida is to open its second store, in the Westfield London development in White City.

  • Asos customers to be given personal touch

    3 May 2008

    Asos has hired a new IT director to develop an Amazon.com-style web platform for the young fashion etailer.

  • Lipsy maps out launch plans for US

    3 May 2008

    Young fashion brand Lipsy is gearing up to launch in the US later this year and is drawing up plans to open a New York office.

  • Firetrap gives green light to preview range strategy

    3 May 2008

    Firetrap is to introduce preview collections to help it deliver new looks to its stockists throughout the year.

  • New Look rejigs BMD team

    3 May 2008

    New Look has implemented a massive overhaul of its buying, merchandising and design teams following the promotion of Carl McPhail to chief executive and Paul Marchant to chief operating officer.

  • John Lewis reports mixed trading

    2 May 2008

    Department store chain John Lewis has said changeable trading patterns pushed sales growth below recent trends last week.

  • Bread & Butter launches textiles show

    2 May 2008

    Bread & Butter Barcelona is to launch a dedicated fabric show called The Source at its July event.

  • Hunter to sell off Qube to JJB

    2 May 2008

    Sir Tom Hunter is understood to be close to finalising a deal to sell his loss-making footwear chain Qube to JJB Sports, the company that earned him his first fortune. 

  • Moda in Pelle opens in Lakeside

    30 April 2008

    Fashion footwear retailer Moda in Pelle has opened a store at the Lakeside shopping centre in Thurrock.

  • London Fashion Week dates confirmed

    30 April 2008

    London Fashion Week will take place on September 14-19.

  • Fashion Fringe adds footwear to its competition

    29 April 2008

    Fashion Fringe, the competition which spots up and coming design talent, has extended its reach to take in rising talent in the footwear sector.

  • USC signs Premiership footballer as face of its Puma campaign

    28 April 2008

    USC has signed up Blackburn Rovers footballer and England international David Bentley for an exclusive photoshoot to promote the Puma ranges it stocks.

  • New chief executive at New Look

    28 April 2008

    New Look has reorganised its senior management team with the promotion of Phil Wrigley to executive chairman and Carl McPhail to chief executive with immediate effect.

  • Bath indies join forces as building work hits trade

    26 April 2008

    Independent retailers in Bath are up in arms at the building works in their city and have established a pressure group, the Bath Independent Group (BIG), in an attempt to make their voices heard.

  • McElhinneys unveils young fashion area

    26 April 2008

    McElhinneys of Ballybofey, the independent department store in the north-west of Ireland, has launched a young fashion concept as it expands beyond its mainstream clothing heartland.

  • Flagship heralds Freddy’s UK launch

    26 April 2008

    Italian sportswear brand Freddy has poached Timberland’s European commercial director Mike Thomas to spearhead its launch into the UK retail and wholesale market.

  • Moons steps down at Brantano

    26 April 2008

    Kurt Moons, the chief executive of out-of-town footwear retailer Brantano, has left the business three months after it was acquired by Dutch retail giant Macintosh Retail Group.

  • Anne Furbank’s empire grows

    26 April 2008

    Cambridgeshire indie Anne Furbank has bought rival womenswear independent Jane of Newmarket in Suffolk.

  • Anne Furbank's empire grows

    25 April 2008

    Cambridgeshire indie Anne Furbank has bought rival womenswear independent Jane of Newmarket in Suffolk.

  • Sales up 7% at John Lewis

    25 April 2008

    John Lewis sales rose 7% to £48.7 million in the week to April 19, despite the cold weather.

  • Retail sales fall back in March

    24 April 2008

    March retail sales fell back 0.4% against February according to figures from the Office of National Statistics - representing the sharpest fall since January 2007.

  • Baugur scoops export award

    23 April 2008

    Baugur, the Icelandic retail investment firm, has been awarded the President of Iceland’s Award for Export Achievement.

  • My-wardrobe.com unveils new look website

    23 April 2008

    Designer etailer My-wardrobe.com has relaunched its website to coincide with its second birthday.

  • Pentland wins Queen's Award for Enterprise

    23 April 2008

    Pentland Group has scored a hat trick, securing its third Queen's Enterprise Award.

  • LFW New Gen sponsorship deadline looms

    22 April 2008

    The last chance to apply for New Generation sponsorship for London Fashion Week is fast approaching.

  • Daks hires new head of finance

    22 April 2008

    Luxury brand Daks has hired a new head of finance from accessories giant Bulgari.

  • Livingstone goes for the fashion vote ahead of election

    21 April 2008

    London Mayor Ken Livingstone has made a direct play to secure the fashion vote ahead of the mayoral elections next month.

  • Mel B is new face of Ultimo

    21 April 2008

    Spice Girl Mel B has inked a deal to become the new face and body of lingerie brand Ultimo - the brand's biggest celebrity signing to date.

  • Womenswear chains boost senior teams

    19 April 2008

    Mainstream womenswear multiples New Look and Wallis are beefing up their management as they attempt to hold on to sales in a worsening economic environment.

  • Freya launches sports range

    18 April 2008

    Lingerie and swimwear brand house Eveden has launched a new sports lingerie line under its Freya brand called Freya Active.

  • John Lewis bucks trend with robust sales

    18 April 2008

    John Lewis scored a strong performance for the week to April 12, with fashion sales up 15.2% against the same week last year.

  • Adili buys Ascension but losses widen

    18 April 2008

    Ethical etailer Adili expects losses to widen to £1.4 million for the year after its was hit by increased markdowns and investment in the acquisition of ethical fashion brand Ascension.

  • Moda in Pelle pays out £250,000 to Gina

    15 April 2008

    Moda in Pelle has paid luxury footwear brand Gina £100,000 damages plus legal costs of £150,000 and will destroy 5,000 pairs of shoes after Gina accused it of copying its designs.

  • Tesco profits climb to £2.8 billion

    15 April 2008

    Tesco has unveiled an 11.8% rise in pre-tax profits to £2.8 billion for the 53 weeks to February but said that clothing sales growth had slowed.

  • Henleys launches transactional website

    14 April 2008

    Young fashion brand Henleys is aiming to make its online operation the brand's biggest store within its first year, after launching a transactional website.

  • Green quashes BHS sale rumours

    14 April 2008

    Sir Philip Green has denied a Sunday newspaper report that he is looking to exit his Bhs department store business.

  • Jo Bohling

    3 April 2008

    Branded young fashion chain USC is rolling out a radical strategy in a bid to return to profitability, and marketing boss Jo Bohling is its man on the ground.

  • Hush Puppies

    3 April 2008

    As Hush Puppies marks its 50th birthday this year, the footwear brand is already planning its next half a century.

  • New Look launches 360 degree mirror

    27 March 2008

    New Look has launched a 360 degree mirror, which enables shoppers to see their bottoms in that crucial pair of jeans.

  • EU to investigate Visa charges

    26 March 2008

    The EU is to launch an investigation into fees levied by Visa, a move welcomed by the British Retail Consortium.

  • Fresh fury over M&S restructure

    26 March 2008

    Legal and General, a shareholder in Marks & Spencer, has turned up the heat on M&S, rejecting fresh explanations over the promotion of Sir Stuart Rose from chief executive to executive chairman.

  • Westminster City Council rules out Oxford Street pedestrianisation

    25 March 2008

    Westminster City Council has published a £40 million Action Plan for London's Bond Street, Oxford Street and Regent Street ruling out pedestrianisation but pledging to give the district a makeover in time for the 2012 Olympics.

  • Steve Madden chief executive resigns

    25 March 2008

    The chief executive and chairman of US footwear brand Steve Madden has resigned. Jamieson Karson has has left the business to pursue other opportunities.

  • Men's revamp at De Gruchy

    20 March 2008

    The Collections Group has expanded its concession in Jersey department store De Gruchy, bringing in a raft of new brands including Hugo Boss, Polo Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.

  • Melanie Trevett

    20 March 2008

    Drapers probe leading Indies to get their View From The Shop floor.

  • Pentland Brands appoints new Red or Dead president

    19 March 2008

    Pentland Brands-owned fashion brand Red or Dead has appointed Julia Massey as brand president. Massey was formerly director of new businesses and licensing at Reebok International.

  • Aertex appoints new sales agency

    17 March 2008

    British menswear heritage label Aertex has shaken up its sales force as it looks to grow its independent account base.

  • Freedom eyes third store after record trading year

    15 March 2008

    Northern Ireland young fashion independent Freedom Clothing is on the hunt for a third store, following a record year of trading.

  • GDS in positive mood as pick up in numbers expected

    14 March 2008

    The mood at the first morning of German footwear fair GDS was upbeat with exhibitors optimistic, despite the grey weather slow moving visitor traffic.

  • Steve Madden

    14 March 2008

    The founder of the eponymous US footwear brand has had a colourful past. But with plans to conquer the UK market in full swing, the future looks even brighter.

  • Buyout deal saves Emma Somerset

    14 March 2008

    Womenswear mini-chain Emma Somerset has been rescued from administration by Moda In Pelle owner and serial retail investor Stephen Buck.

  • Jan Shutt

    13 March 2008

    Drapers probe leading Indies to get their View From The Shop floor.

  • Freesoul sold to Luxembourg investor

    12 March 2008

    Denim brand Freesoul has been sold to a private Luxembourg based investor for an undisclosed sum.

  • Claudia Schiffer appointed Graduate Fashion Week judge

    11 March 2008

    Graduate Fashion Week has appointed supermodel Claudia Schiffer to its board of judges this year’s event.

  • Sainsbury's launches plus and petite sub-brands

    11 March 2008

    Sainsbury's has launched two new sub-brands under its Tu clothing collection this spring.

  • Nell McAndrew is the new face of Adore Moi

    11 March 2008

    Model and celebrity Nell McAndrew has replaced Kimberley Stewart as the new face and body of lingerie range Adore Moi.

  • Ray Walters

    10 March 2008

    Last managing director Ray Walters tells Laura Weir about the challenges of creating a casual footwear brand from scratch.

  • Henry Holland

    10 March 2008

    House of Holland first hit the spotlight with its tongue-in-cheek slogan T-shirts. The man behind it tells Laura Weir about his journey so far.

  • Joe Bloggs

    10 March 2008

    Once synonymous with the Madchester music scene, today Joe Bloggs is more likely to be seen in the malls of Dubai.

  • Crocs, London

    10 March 2008

    US footwear phenomenon Crocs is snapping up shoppers in the heart of London’s Covent Garden.

  • Skechers

    9 March 2008

    Fifteen years ago, a small US footwear brand called Skechers unveiled its first ad campaign. A limited budget meant family members took part in the photo shoot to showcase the then-embryonic sports-utility footwear brand.

  • New Look pushes button on full internet roll-out

    8 March 2008

    New Look is to ramp up its online offer and kick-start a marketing campaign to drive traffic online after web transactions busted targets.

  • High street inspired by eclectic catwalks

    8 March 2008

    Young fashion multiples will draw on the Victoriana, punk and folk trends shown on the international catwalks in their autumn 08 ranges as they try to tempt cautious shoppers to spend on clothing.

  • Boxfresh ends Debenhams deal in bid to move upmarket

    8 March 2008

    Young fashion brand Boxfresh has pulled out of Debenhams as it aims to reposition itself more upmarket.

  • Faith loses retail operations boss

    8 March 2008

    Faith retail operations director Paul O’Neill, the only remaining member of the original management buyout team, has resigned after 16 years at the company.

  • SSG launches ethical footwear brand Toms

    4 March 2008

    Shoe Studio Group has secured an exclusive one season licensing deal with US ethical footwear label Toms.

  • Office heads to US in Topshop tie-up

    1 March 2008

    Footwear specialist Office is preparing to cross the pond as it fights back against the over-shopped UK high street.

  • Ugg boosts Deckers' fourth quarter

    29 February 2008

    Profits at Deckers Outdoor Corporation almost trebled on the back of strong sales from its Ugg brand during the fourth-quarter.

  • Alexander McQueen achieves profitability

    29 February 2008

    Alexander McQueen has achieved profitability and is gearing up for further international expansion on the back of positive trade. 

  • Gerry Weber to open first store outside of London

    29 February 2008

    German fashion brand Gerry Weber has signed a deal to open its first UK store outside of London.

  • Next launches Brand Directory

    29 February 2008

    Next has launched its branded young fashion e-tail venture Brand Directory.

  • Luxury department stores set to outpace sector

    29 February 2008

    The top three luxury department stores, Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols, are expected to outpace other department store businesses in 2008, after bucking the trading trend over the past six years.

  • John Lewis has slow February

    29 February 2008

    Department store John Lewis returned to sales growth for the week to February 23, but said that February had been a soft month for trading.

  • Kangol changes UK sales force

    28 February 2008

    Kangol has made changes to its sales force in both the north and south of England.

  • Ann Summers co-founder steps back from business

    28 February 2008

    Ralph Gold, one of the co-founders of Ann Summers, has stepped down from the day-to-day running of Gold Group International, the chain's parent company.

  • Geox to double stores following strong results.

    27 February 2008

    Geox is planning to ramp up its worldwide retail presence by taking stores from 724 to 1,500 in two years, on the back of a strong performance in 2007.

  • Moss Bros shareholder to challenge Baugur with bid

    27 February 2008

    A private shareholder in Moss Bros is go up against Icelandic investment firm Baugur and table a rival bid for the menswear retailer.

  • Competitive Edge sells Southport site to Zucci

    23 February 2008

    North-west-based designer independent Competitive Edge is to sell its Southport store to the owner of three-store independent Zucci, and has closed its Competitive Edge Two Thousand holding company.

  • Retail roll-out fuels Firetrap growth

    23 February 2008

    Firetrap has ramped up its UK and international retail expansion plans under new chief executive Pan Philippou.

  • WSA steady but exhibitors frustrated over Micam date clash

    22 February 2008

    The first day of US footwear fair WSA was steady but WSA Collections, the designer sub-show, served up an exciting array of product.

  • The Icelandic raider's cool-headed conquests

    21 February 2008

    As fashion giant Baugur unveils its new superstore concept, its retail boss Gunnar Sigurdsson talks about the Icelandic group’s investment philosophy.

  • Hudson to target America

    15 February 2008

    Footwear brand Hudson is gearing up to push into the US market and will show at Las Vegas fair WSA this week.

  • LFW: Day Five Vivienne Westwood

    15 February 2008

    British fashion treasure Vivienne Westwood was back in the capital last night showing her hotly anticipated Red Label collection in London for the first time in nine years.

  • Good weather tempers John Lewis' return to form

    15 February 2008

    Strong sales growth returned at John Lewis, up 5.8% to £45.1 million for the week to February 9, although trading dipped with the good weather on Saturday.

  • West End trading boosts Shaftesbury

    15 February 2008

    Shaftesbury, the company that owns much of London's Carnaby Street and Covent Garden, is experiencing strong growth in rental values, despite signs of weakness in the overall property market.

  • Henleys launches new premium brand

    14 February 2008

    Young fashion brand Henleys has launched a new top-end streetwear range called Project Deluxe.

  • Yasmin le Bon is new face of House of Fraser

    14 February 2008

    Model Yasmin Le Bon is the star of House of Fraser’s spring 08 advertising campaign - the first time the department store has had a face for one of it’s campaigns.

  • Koodos.com to support LFW designers

    13 February 2008

    Online retailer Koodos.com has sponsored this year's Vauxhall Fashion Scout, the London Fashion Week event which supports young designers, and has pledged to mentor some of the designers taking part.

  • Fashion companies devastated by Camden fire

    13 February 2008

    Young fashion retailer Punkyfish was among the fashion retailers that were devastated by a huge fire in London's Camden last weekend.

  • Peacocks' profits soar

    13 February 2008

    Peacocks banked an EBITDA increase of 22% over the year to March 31 2007 helped by a recovery at its Bon Marche chain.

  • Anna Garner leaves Selfridges

    13 February 2008

    Anna Garner, the well respected head of womenswear, accessories and childrenswear at Selfridges has left the department store, after four years at the business.

  • USC, Nottingham

    12 February 2008

    USC introduced its slick new menswear format in Nottingham. But will the whole chain soon become female-free?

  • Stylo linked to Dolcis deal

    11 February 2008

    Stylo is understood to be in negotiations to buy beleaguered footwear chain Dolcis out of administration.

  • Pure opens in optimistic mood

    11 February 2008

    Womenswear exhibitors at Pure were upbeat on day one of the show but footfall was stronger in the footwear and accessories areas.

  • Trading slowdown leaves JT Morgan in administration

    8 February 2008

    Swansea-based independent department store JT Morgan has gone into administration with the loss of about 60 jobs, but a rescue deal is thought to be imminent.

  • Landlord steps in to save Afflecks Palace

    8 February 2008

    Iconic Manchester shopping emporium Afflecks Palace has been saved from closure after landlord Bruntwood bought the business from manager and founder Elaine Walsh.

  • Gap's January sales fall

    7 February 2008

    Sales at US casualwear giant Gap dropped 2% on a like-for-like basis for the four weeks to February 2, 2008.

  • Diesel Black Gold debuts at New York Fashion Week

    6 February 2008

    Denim brand Diesel launched a new luxury casualwear brand for men and women at New York Fashion Week yesterday.

  • Price deflation slows in New Year

    6 February 2008

    Price deflation on clothing and footwear has slowed down at the start of this year, according to the British Retail Consortium.

  • Price deflation slows in New Year

    6 February 2008

    Price deflation on clothing and footwear has slowed down at the start of this year, according to the British Retail Consortium.

  • CAT divides its footwear offer

    6 February 2008

    Footwear brand CAT has segmented its ranges as part of a repositioning of the business.

  • Paul Howard beats retail gloom with rising sales

    5 February 2008

    Cheshire menswear indie Paul Howard bucked the retail downturn by notching up a like-for-like sales rise of 15% in 2007.

  • Hunter gears up for exit after offloading d2 chain

    5 February 2008

    Sir Tom Hunter is to divest his small retail holdings after selling young fashion chain d2 this week.

  • Sector saved by Shoe Zone deal

    5 February 2008

    Shoe Zone has been hailed as the saviour of the footwear industry after it rescued the Stead & Simpson chain from administration.

  • Kinnaird buys Envy

    5 February 2008

    Retail entrepreneur John Kinnaird has bought struggling menswear chain Envy for £1.

  • Brands collaborate on (PRODUCT) RED Valentine's Day project

    4 February 2008

    (PRODUCT) RED, the global fund to help fight Aids, has brought together fashion brands to produce special edition Valentine's Day products to help raise money to fight the disease.

  • The Weekend Newspaper Round-Up

    4 February 2008

    The best of the business headlines from the weekend newspapers.

  • Triumph steps up store roll-out

    4 February 2008

    Lingerie brand Triumph has opened its fourth UK store.

  • Womenswear axed as TDF grows men’s offer

    1 February 2008

    Young branded fashion mini-chain TDF is to drop womenswear and launch a menswear-only format.

  • Tesco's department store proposal beaten by Waitrose

    31 January 2008

    Plans for Tesco's first ever department store look set to be turned down in favour of a rival scheme fronted by Waitrose, the John Lewis-owned supermarket.

  • Merrell buoys Wolverine Q4 results

    31 January 2008

    Active footwear brand Merrell has helped propel the Wolverine footwear group to an 8% rise in net earnings to $25.6 million (£12.9m) for the fourth quarter.

  • Clarks to launch kids' footwear in America

    30 January 2008

    Clarks is to launch its kids’ footwear in the US for autumn 08.

  • BRC and Skillsmart back government proposal

    30 January 2008

    The British Retail Consortium and Skillsmart Retail, the sector skills council for retail, have supported a Government pledge to increase skills in the workplace.

  • Debenhams takeover talk persists

    30 January 2008

    Department store group Debenhams is the subject of renewed bid speculation after Micky Jagtiani increased his stake in the retailer.

  • Shoe Zone buys Stead & Simpson

    28 January 2008

    Shoe Zone has rescued the Stead & Simpson, Shoe Express and Peter Briggs chains from administration as exclusively revealed by www.drapersonline.com (January 25).

  • Sir Tom Hunter sells D2

    28 January 2008

    Sir Tom Hunter has offloaded his D2 chain to streamline his retail porfolio.

  • The weekend newspaper round up

    28 January 2008

    The best of the business news from the weekend papers

  • Blog: A stylish affair

    25 January 2008

    The Elle Style Awards launch party was a fashionable affair last night. H&M on London's landmark Bond Street was the chosen venue for the awards launch party.

  • Collapsed Dolcis attracts suitors

    24 January 2008

    Collapsed footwear retailer Dolcis has attracted the interest of 40 parties who are looking at either acquiring the business as a going concern, interested in snapping up some of the property or rescuing the brand name, according to administrators KPMG.

  • Asos to recruit 50 new buyers to support rapid growth

    23 January 2008

    Etailer Asos.com is on the hunt for 50 buyers and merchandisers to bolster its team after racking up massive sales uplifts over Christmas.

  • Dolcis in administration

    21 January 2008

    Beleaguered footwear retailer Dolcis has collapsed into administration after a long-running battle to save the business by owner John Kinnaird.

  • The weekend newspaper round-up

    21 January 2008

    The best of the business news from the weekend's newspapers

  • Bread & Butter attendance rockets

    21 January 2008

    Last week's Bread & Butter Barcelona saw visitor numbers jump by 20% against the January show in 2007.

  • Dita Von Teese ties up with Wonderbra

    21 January 2008

    Burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese is to collaborate with lingerie brand Wonderbra on a limited edition lingerie collection.

  • Phlip owner launches a new menswear concept

    18 January 2008

    Aziz Abidat, the owner of London streetwear independent Phlip, has made his first foray into contemporary menswear with a new concept.

  • Model Agyness Deyn to star in Giles’ New Look ad push

    18 January 2008

    Model Agyness Deyn is to front the latest Giles Gold collection for New Look, which will hit stores on March 19.

  • Brits turn out for Bread & Butter as first day attendance soars

    17 January 2008

    The number of visitors to the first day of the Bread & Butter exhibition in Barcelona yesterday was up 23% compared with last January’s show.

  • Bread & Butter opens in optimistic mood

    16 January 2008

    Bread & Butter kicked off this morning with the thronging crowds of two seasons ago back in force.

  • Austin Reed’s footwear first

    15 January 2008

    Austin Reed has inked a deal with The Jacobson Group to produce its first footwear collection.

  • My-wardrobe hires new director

    15 January 2008

    My-wardrobe.com has recruited former Liberty fashion director Luisa de Paula as the business marches towards sales of £20 million within five years.

  • Jane Norman hunts for MD

    15 January 2008

    Jane Norman chief executive Saj Shah is scouting for a managing director who would take the reins from him when he retires.

  • Tesco posts strong Christmas sales

    15 January 2008

    Tesco unveiled a steady Christmas performance this morning which was driven by rapid international expansion and strong domestic growth.

  • Debenhams bucks the Christmas downturn

    15 January 2008

    Debenhams outperformed much of the high street this Christmas notching up a 2.2% increase in like-for-like sales for the four weeks to January 5.

  • The Weekend Newspaper Round-Up

    14 January 2008

    The best of the business news from the weekend newspapers.

  • JJB issues profit warning

    14 January 2008

    JJB Sports has issued a profit warning after an aggressive stock clearance strategy hammered gross margin.

  • Ted Baker posts 12.5% retail sales rise

    14 January 2008

    Ted Baker saw retail sales grow by 12.5% over the festive period for the seven week period ended Christmas Eve.

  • Harvey Jacobson buys 25 Famous Footwear stores

    11 January 2008

    Footwear tycoon Harvey Jacobson has bought 25 Famous Footwear outlet stores from Stead and Simpson for an undisclosed sum.

  • Landmark boss ups stake in Debenhams

    11 January 2008

    Bid speculation over Debenhams has increased after further stakebuilding by Milestone Resources, the investment vehicle linked to retail tycoon Micky Jagtiani.

  • Littlewoods Shop Direct posts strong Christmas trading

    11 January 2008

    Multi-channel retailer Littlewoods Shop Direct has posted a sales uplift of 7% for the six weeks to January 4, buoyed by strong internet sales.

  • Littlewoods Shop Direct posts strong christmas trading

    11 January 2008

    Multi-channel retailer Littlewoods Shop Direct has posted a sales uplift of 7% for the six weeks to January 4, buoyed by strong internet sales.

  • Brand backlash at Next web strategy

    11 January 2008

    Next is facing a supplier backlash after product destined for its new branded etail venture appeared on the main Next site.

  • Gap sales down 6% over Christmas

    10 January 2008

    Gap has joined the list of retailers who saw a dip in Christmas trading with like-for-like sales falling 6% in December. International sales, which covers the retailer's UK operation, dropped 1% against an 8% drop for the same period last year.

  • Gap's international sales up

    10 January 2008

    International sales at American-based retailer Gap rose 1% in November 2007, a marked improvement from the 8% decline in sales reported the same time in 2006.

  • 850 jobs at risk as Redcats closes Empire Stores

    10 January 2008

    Redcats is to shut its Empire stores home shopping business in the UK, affecting up to 850 jobs.

  • Ashton Kutcher to replace Sienna Miller as the face of Pepe

    7 January 2008

    Actor Ashton Kutcher is to be the face of Pepe Jeans London for the next two seasons, replacing Sienna Miller whose two year contract with the brand is up.

  • Mode City and Interfilière relocate to Paris

    7 January 2008

    French lingerie show Lyon Mode City and textile show Interfilière will relocate from Lyon to Paris for their September editions.

  • What the weekend papers said

    7 January 2008

    Media reports were split over the fortunes of Marks & Spencer over Christmas ahead of the retailer's third quarter results on Wednesday.

  • House of Fraser beats Christmas misery

    7 January 2008

    House of Fraser recorded like-for-like sales ahead 2.4% over the crucial Christmas trading period.

  • Jane Norman profits rocket

    7 January 2008

    Womenswear retailer Jane Norman saw operating profit more than double to £21.5 million last year.

  • Criminal axes wholesale after House of Fraser buyout

    5 January 2008

    The wholesale arm of Criminal has been axed after House of Fraser bought the exclusive license to the streetwear brand.

  • Crunch time for Dolcis as Epic exits

    3 January 2008

    The future of footwear chain Dolcis hung in the balance as Drapers went to press, following the shock exit of the retailer’s private equity backer Epic Reconstruction.

  • Limeys founder buys into Van-Niklas

    2 January 2008

    Roger Wilkinson, the former owner of mini-chain Limeys, has bought into men's accessories brand Van-Niklas.

  • Christmas rush comes late and online sales rocket

    2 January 2008

    The Christmas rush came late according to British Retail Consortium chief executive Kevin Hawkins, with shoppers holding off until the last moment and online sales experiencing a surge on Boxing Day said research firm SPSL.

  • WSA footwear show sold

    21 December 2007

    The holding company behind WSA, the world's largest footwear show, has been sold to a rival operator for an undisclosed sum.

  • BFC unveils action plan on healthy models

    21 December 2007

    The British Fashion Council has unveiled an action plan to ensure that models on London Fashion Week (LFW) catwalks are healthy and is lobbying society to stop encouraging unachievable body aesthetic.

  • Sell-off on the cards at Stead & Simpson

    21 December 2007

    Stead & Simpson is understood to be close to selling its Lilley & Skinner, Famous Footwear and Peter Briggs businesses amid rumours of tough trading.

  • BRC hails victory ruling in credit card case

    19 December 2007

    A European ruling that the charges levied by MasterCard on retailers for cross-border credit and debit card transactions are unlawful, has been hailed as a major victory by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

  • Figleaves.com reports brisk Christmas trading

    19 December 2007

    Lingerie etailer Figleaves.com has reported a 32% increase in trading against last Christmas as the popularity of online shopping continues to rise.

  • BRC hail victory ruling in credit card case

    19 December 2007

    A European ruling that the charges levied by MasterCard on retailers for cross-border credit and debit card transactions are unlawful, has been hailed as a major victory by the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

  • FootFall reveals mixed trading picture

    19 December 2007

    Customer counting group FootFall has revealed a mixed trading picture across the country with a massive 7% differential between the best and the worst areas of regional trading.

  • Matalan profits rise

    19 December 2007

    Discount retailer Matalan, which was taken private in a deal worth more than £800 last year, has revealed an 8.5% increase in pre-tax profits.

  • Indie market share dips as Sales kick in on high street

    18 December 2007

    Independent retailers’ market share fell during autumn 07 as smaller retailers lost out to heavy discounting by high street multiples.

  • TBC founder sets up shop on the internet

    18 December 2007

    Mark Batista, half of the duo behind London streetwear show To Be Confirmed, has launched a new online retail venture after TBC was taken over by Idex Media.

  • Baugur offloads Criminal

    18 December 2007

    Baugur is selling its streetwear brand Criminal two years after investing in the label. It is unclear who is buying the business, but House of Fraser, in which Baugur also has a stake, emerged as the most likely candidate as Drapers went to press.

  • Arcadia shuns value to move upmarket

    18 December 2007

    Sir Philip Green is shaking up his Arcadia Group brand portfolio as part of his strategy to shift away from the price-driven value market.

  • Westwood confirms return to LFW

    17 December 2007

    Vivienne Westwood is to return to London Fashion Week as predicted by Drapers (December 15).

  • Fashion Forward winners revealed

    17 December 2007

    London Fashion Week designers Roksanda Ilincic, Richard Nicoll and Jens Laugesen have won Fashion Forward sponsorship from Westfield London.

  • The Weekend Newspaper Round-up

    17 December 2007

    Highlights from the weekend papers December 15-16.

  • Household debt repayments higher than in 1991

    17 December 2007

    A record number of families are now having to allocate more than one fifth of their monthly salaries to debt repayments according to the Bank of England.

  • Mike Ashley to appoint himself chairman of Sports Direct

    17 December 2007

    Retail tycoon Mike Ashley is expected to promote himself to chairman at Sports Direct International this week after he failed to attract any big hitters to take on the position.

  • Topshop Oxford Circus protests a wash out

    7 December 2007

    Protests at Topshop Oxford Circus last night were as damp as the rain pounding London as a just a handful of campaigners gathered to wave banners outside the landmark store.

  • Interest rates trimmed to 5.5%

    6 December 2007

    The Bank of England has cut UK interest rates to 5.5%, from 5.75%, giving retailers a welcome boost ahead of Christmas.

  • Pay day and discounting boosts pre-Christmas shopping

    6 December 2007

    Pay day, discounting and promotions helped drive shoppers back out onto the high street last week according to research group SPSL.

  • Dave Snowdon

    5 December 2007

    AMG Group controls the UK distribution rights for Ugg, the most important footwear brand this decade. AMG sales and marketing director Dave Snowdon explains the Ugg evolution.

  • Riva Shoes agent dies

    5 December 2007

    Neil Mattison, the northern agent for Riva Shoes, has passed away.

  • Asos reports 83% sales rise

    5 December 2007

    Asos reported an 83% rise in sales to £31.8 million and 700% uplift in pre-tax profits to £2.4m for the six months to September 30.

  • One million shoppers headed to West End last weekend

    3 December 2007

    More than one million shoppers visited London’s West End and spent more than £100m during the Shop West End VIP Day on Saturday, which saw Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street go traffic-free.

  • The Weekend Paper Round-Up

    3 December 2007

    A round-up of fashion news headlines from the weekend's papers.

  • Yasmin Sewell to leave Browns

    3 December 2007

    Fashion buyer Yasmin Sewell is to leave Browns, one of the UK's leading independent boutiques, to set up her own fashion and retail consultancy business.

  • Marchpole signs first Castelbajac UK store

    3 December 2007

    Marchpole has signed its first UK flagship for French brand Jean Charles de Castelbajac.

  • N Brown rescues Nightingales and offloads Zendor

    3 December 2007

    Home shopping firm N Brown has disposed of its fulfillment arm Zendor.com and bought womenswear business Nightingales out of administration.

  • Asda sales boosted by almost £1bn

    1 December 2007

    Sales at Asda rose by almost £1 billion for the year to December 31 2006.

  • Retailers boosted by £12bn Christmas spend

    1 December 2007

    Christmas will be worth £12 billion to retailers this year according to the British Retail Consortium.

  • Topshop confirms New York location

    1 December 2007

    Sir Philip Green has confirmed Topshop will unveil its first New York flagship in September next year.

  • Rohan to axe wholesale arm

    30 November 2007

    Outdoor brand Rohan is to close its wholesale division next July to focus on its retail operations.

  • Christmas begins slower and later than last year

    30 November 2007

    The Christmas trading boost has started, albeit slower and later than last year, according to figures released today

  • New Look chairman steps down

    24 November 2007

    Richard Lapthorne has stepped down as chairman of New Look after two and a half years at the business.

  • Stella McCartney unveils new shop-in-shop

    24 November 2007

    Stella McCartney has unveiled a new retail blueprint at its shop-in-shop in Selfridges.

  • Topshop to open store in China

    24 November 2007

    Aracdia young fashion powerhouse Topshop is gearing up to open its first China store early next year.

  • Baugur appoints NM Rothschild to advise on Saks deal

    17 November 2007

    Baugur, the Icelandic investor has hired NM Rothschild and Finance to advise on its potential purchase of US department store group Saks Fifth Avenue.

  • French Connection warns on profit

    17 November 2007

    French Connection has issued a profit warning on the back of poor sales in August and October, sparking fears that Christmas may not come for fashion retailers this year.

  • Frontier founder Mark Blackburn shuts up shop

    17 November 2007

    Sportswear and footwear veteran Mark Blackburn has sold his Frontier footwear stores and quit the industry.

  • Indie influx ups style quota on Carnaby St

    17 November 2007

    A host of independents are set to open in London’s Carnaby Street area this month, following the launch of US-branded independent LA Sugar last Friday.

  • Retail sector booms in Ireland

    17 November 2007

    Rocketing retail spend and new developments in Ireland is bringing international retailers to the country according to a report by Verdict Research.

  • Book Now for the Drapers Awards

    10 November 2007

    Join the rest of the retail gliteratti and book your table today for The Drapers Awards 2007.

  • Buchanan Galleries to double in size

    10 November 2007

    Glasgow shopping centre Buchanan Galleries will become one of the largest shopping centres in the UK after Glasgow City Council approved plans to double the size of the centre.

  • Ethical e-tailer Adili.com to float on AIM market

    10 November 2007

    Adili.com, the ethical online fashion retailer, is gearing up for flotation onto AIM, just a year after launching.

  • Retail sales fall to lowest in almost a year

    10 November 2007

    October retail sales growth dropped to the weakest pace in almost a year according to The British Retail Consortium (BRC).

  • Sports Direct sells Finnish Amer stake

    10 November 2007

    Sports Direct has sold its stake in Finnish sportswear company Amer Sports at a profit, according to reports.

  • Tailored trends fail to woo female shoppers

    10 November 2007

    The autumn trend for tailored womenswear has failed to capture shopper imagination, according to young fashion independents.

  • The weekend paper round-up

    10 November 2007

    The best of the weekend's papers.

  • The Weekend Round-Up

    10 November 2007

    The best of the business news from the weekends papers.

  • Topshop set to sign New York flagship

    10 November 2007

    Sir Philip Green is poised to open a massive Topshop flagship in New York next summer as he bids to take a bite of fashion spend in the Big Apple.

  • USC posts £8.8 million operating loss

    10 November 2007

    USC, the branded young fashion chain owned by Scottish tycoon Sir Tom Hunter, posted an operating loss of £8.8m for the year to January 27. This was despite an increase in turnover to £105.1m from £100.2m.

  • Baugur confirms plans for joint Saks bid

    3 November 2007

    Icelandic investor Baugur has confirmed it is plotting a bid for Saks Fifth Avenue with the Dubai based Landmark Group, as revealed exclusively in Drapers magazine (October 20th).

  • Dutch footwear firm makes Brantano bid

    3 November 2007

    Out-of-town footwear giant Brantano is being stalked by European retail conglomerate Macintosh Retail Group, which will launch a 160 million (£111m) bid for the company.

  • Gap withdraws product after child labour allegations

    3 November 2007

    Fashion chain Gap has withdrawn kidswear from its stores after allegations that it was made using child labour in India.

  • Macintosh retail Group to bid for Brantano

    3 November 2007

    European retail giant the Macintosh Retail Group is to mount a bid for out-of-town shoe chain Brantano valuing the business at £111 million.

  • Usdaw vows to protect shop staff from violence

    3 November 2007

    Retail union Usdaw has pledged to protect its members from violence after the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported a 50% increase in violence against shop workers.

  • Internaçionale chief exec exits

    27 October 2007

    Internaçionale chief executive Norrie Stewart is understood to have left the business, just a year after its £45 million management buyout.His departure follows the exit of two other directors a fortnight ago, when Gerard Gavan and Graham Clements left the business and their roles as operations director and logistics director respectively.

  • Jacobson Group to revive Ravel name

    27 October 2007

    Gola distributor Jacobson Group is to relaunch the Ravel name back on to the market as a wholesale offer, after buying the brand for an undisclosed amount.

  • LK Bennett's For Sale sign puts buyers on bid alert

    27 October 2007

    Womenswear retailer LK Bennett has appointed investment giant Rothschild to lead the sale of the chain, three years after a previous £75 million sale collapsed.

  • Psyche celebrates 25 years as hotel scheme is unveiled

    27 October 2007

    Middlesbrough department store Psyche celebrated its 25th birthday this week as owner Steve Cochrane prepares to unveil a fashion-themed hotel.

  • Blue Inc’s sales flourish after expansion drive

    20 October 2007

    Menswear chain Blue Inc is expected to post a 50% hike in sales this year, just 12 months after it was bought by acquisition vehicle Marlow Retail.

  • Sir Tom Hunter assures suppliers: ‘USC is back’

    20 October 2007

    Sir Tom Hunter has promised USC suppliers that the branded fashion chain is back on track, and has stumped up £4 million to reinvigorate the retailer’s store portfolio.

  • New Look’s PR mastermind jumps ship to River Island

    20 October 2007

    Sarah Walters, who created New Look’s trail-blazing celebrity and designer tie-ups, has quit to join high street rival River Island.

  • Baugur plans Saks takeover to lead its assault on the US

    20 October 2007

    A Baugur consortium is plotting a takeover bid for US department store Saks Fifth Avenue, marking the serial investor’s biggest strike across the pond, Drapers magazine exclusively reports.

  • EBTM posts full year loss

    20 October 2007

    Fashion etailer EBTM posted a full-year pre-tax loss of £0.66 million against a loss of £0.39m last year but said it was optimistic that a string of acquisitions and new orders had strengthened its market position.

  • Mosaic Fashions brands link up with Asos.com

    20 October 2007

    Mosaic Fashions brands Oasis and Coast are selling on Asos.com.

  • The Weekend Round-Up

    20 October 2007

    The best of the business news from the weekend papers.

  • Licensing push at B Brands

    13 October 2007

    Footwear supplier B Brands has set aside £2 million to spend on brand licences. B Brands managing director Richard Shetliffe said he had already secured a footwear licensing deal, to add to the B Brands roster of footwear licenses which include Morgan and Fullcircle, but declined to reveal details.

  • High street inspired by feminine trends

    13 October 2007

    Womenswear multiples have hailed spring 08’s feminine catwalk trends as good news for high street sales, following last spring’s sales washout.

  • CBI lobbies for 'modest' minimum wage increase

    13 October 2007

    A modest rise in the UK minimum wage is needed next year if UK businesses are to remain competitive, according to the Confederation of Business Industry.

  • Derek Lovelock steps down as chairman at Jacques Vert

    13 October 2007

    Derek Lovelock has stepped down from his position as non-executive chairman at Jacques Vert to focus on his role as chief executive at Mosaic Fashions.

  • Gresham Blake Opens London Base

    13 October 2007

    Brighton-based tailor Gresham Blake has opened its first out of Brighton fitting room on London’s South Molton Street.

  • Levi Strauss Europe posts sales leap

    13 October 2007

    Sales at Levi Strauss Europe jumped by 14% to US$246 million (£121m) for the three months to August 26, thanks to new fits and styles, according to the company. European operating profit for the period rose 1% against last year to US$51m (£25m).

  • The Weekend Paper Round-Up

    13 October 2007

    The highlights from Sunday's business pages

  • Faith leads race to win Envy concessions deal

    6 October 2007

    Faith is expected to win the footwear concessions deal with menswear chain Envy when the contract expires next year, delivering a blow to rival concessionaire Dolcis.

  • Four Marketing set to snap up Woodhouse

    6 October 2007

    Brand agency Four Marketing is close to sealing a deal to buy Speciality Retail Group’s menswear fascia Woodhouse.

  • Internaçionale duo in shock exit

    6 October 2007

    Two linchpins of the Internaçionale MBO team have left, just 12 months after the £45 million buyout.

  • French Connection signs new ad agency for spring 08 campaigns

    6 October 2007

    French Connection is understood to have hired a new creative agency for spring 08. A source close to the company said it had brought in US agency Baron & Baron to oversee the future direction of its ad campaigns.

  • Asos sales rocket 80%

    6 October 2007

    Etail giant ASOS.com recorded an 80% sales hike for the six months to September 30.

  • Chunk completes management buy-out after MD calls it a day

    6 October 2007

    Managers at young fashion T-shirt brand Chunk have staged a management buy-out of the business.

  • D2 says first-ever loss is ‘just a blip’

    6 October 2007

    Sir Tom Hunter’s young fashion chain D2 has posted the first loss in its six-year history. Accounts filed this week at Companies House showed sales at the business were flat at £50 million for the year to January 31, while pre-tax losses hit £1.7m against a pre-tax profit of £1.4m the previous year.

  • House of Fraser plans small format fashion stores

    6 October 2007

    Department store chain House of Fraser is developing a small store fashion format called HOF to roll-out into town centres and smaller scale cities.

  • Lambert Howarth falls into administration

    6 October 2007

    Footwear supply giant Lambert Howarth has gone into administration after failing to raise millions of pounds of desperately needed funding.

  • Monsoon Boss Secures Shareholder Support

    6 October 2007

    Monsoon boss Peter Simon has been given the green light to take the company private by one of its key shareholders.

  • Postal Strike to Wreak Havoc on Mail Order Sales

    6 October 2007

    The postal strike will cause chaos for mail order companies according to Flying Brands boss Mark Dugdale and The Catalogue Exchange trade body, who are urging the unions to back down and call off the strike.

  • Shopper numbers for September hold firm

    6 October 2007

    The Northern Rock crisis failed to hit the high street as hard as expected last month despite fears that widespread consumer panic would damage sales.

  • Sir Philip Green unveils Bhs recovery

    6 October 2007

    Bhs, the department store chain owned by Sir Philip Green, has reported a 17% increase in full year pre-tax profit to £49.4 million for the year to March.

  • The Weekend Paper Round-Up

    6 October 2007

    Here is a round-up of fashion news headlines from the weekend’s papers.

  • UK interest rates kept on hold at 5.75%

    6 October 2007

    The British Retail Consortium has condemned the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee's decision to keep interest rates on hold at 5.75% for October.

  • Under the skin

    6 October 2007

    Python skin is everywhere at the moment, whether it is punctuating the high fashion sashaying down the Milanese catwalks or trimming a pair of Mary-Jane shoes at footwear fair Micam.

  • Record visitor numbers for Micam but hard-up UK buyers stay away

    29 September 2007

    Italian footwear fair Micam recorded its highest-ever attendance figures at last week’s spring 08 edition.

  • Two bidders battle it out to land Ravel brand name

    29 September 2007

    A sale of the Ravel brand name is understood to be imminent, with final bids due next week.

  • Original Factory Shop up for sale

    29 September 2007

    Discounter the Original Factory Shop has been put up for sale by its private equity owners for an estimated £70 to £80 million.

  • Daniel Rubin

    27 September 2007

    After scooping two Drapers Footwear Awards last month, including Multiple of the Year, Dune chief executive Daniel Rubin aims to cement the retailer’s success with a new shopfit and overseas growth

  • Numbers up but mood is mixed at Off-Price

    22 September 2007

    Exhibitors were split over the success of the Off-Price Show last week, despite a 5% hike in visitor numbers.

  • Organisers step up the pace at expanded GDS

    22 September 2007

    German footwear show GDS received a positive response from visitors, thanks to an 8% increase in new exhibitors.

  • Organisers step up the pace at expanded GDS

    22 September 2007

    German footwear show GDS received a positive response from visitors, thanks to an 8% increase in new exhibitors.

  • Suppliers ‘furious’ at House of Fraser’s demand for refit cash

    22 September 2007

    House of Fraser is facing a supplier backlash after demanding that brands and concessionaires help to finance its £250 million rebranding programme.

  • Franchise boost at French Connection

    8 September 2007

    French Connection franchisees have reported mixed sales this summer, but the market is predicting group performance will be up against last year ahead of next week's interim results.

  • Clarks set for online onslaught

    8 September 2007

    Clarks is to shake up the footwear market by launching its first ecommerce site next April.

  • Indies find that only the strong survive

    1 September 2007

    Young fashion independents have been hit by a wave of administrations. Although some have bounced back, others may not be so lucky. So how can indies stay afloat?

  • Scorah Pattullo founder aims to kick-start US footwear brand

    1 September 2007

    Johnnie Pattullo, co-founder of footwear brand Scorah Pattullo, has joined the board of US footwear label Gwendolyn Carrie.

  • Barratts bags 10-store Bay Trading shoe deal

    25 August 2007

    Footwear retailer Barratts has snapped up 10 of Bay Trading's 75 footwear concessions from Dolcis.

  • Baugur sizes up Noir to boost its premium portfolio

    25 August 2007

    Icelandic investor Baugur is mulling a move to buy Danish brand Noir.

  • Denim retailers backing flared styles for autumn

    25 August 2007

    Retailers and buyers are hailing the revival of the kick-flare jean but slim is still in, bringing a sales boost and a season of two cuts.

  • Fayre bet

    25 August 2007

    Shoefayre nearly bit the dust 18 months ago and has now been put up for sale by owner The Co-operative Group. Laura Weir meets managing director Simon Palmer to examine the retailer's rescue plan

  • Monserrat owners pledge to resurrect Brother 2 Brother

    25 August 2007

    Premium independent Brother 2 Brother is to be resurrected by branded fashion retailer Monserrat.

  • New Look sale is unlikely this year

    25 August 2007

    Young fashion chain New Look will not be sold before 2008, despite reports that buyout firm Blackstone has resumed talks with its private equity owners.

  • Kurt Geiger snaps up the licence for French Connection footwear

    18 August 2007

    Footwear retailer Kurt Geiger has acquired the French Connection footwear licence as it attempts to inject a new revenue stream into the business.

  • Place your bets

    11 August 2007

    Laura Weir headed to Las Vegas to weigh up the odds and decide which of the brands at footwear trade show WSA could be worth a gamble for UK buyers

  • Steve Madden ready to set foot in the UK

    11 August 2007

    US footwear brand Steve Madden is to debut in the UK after joining forces with a distribution partner.

  • Diffusion out of administration and plotting revamp of shops

    28 July 2007

    Branded independent chain Diffusion is gearing up to open two more G-Star franchise stores and revamp parts of the business, after its owners bought it out of administration last week.

  • Firetrap ignites its growth with Scottish retail debut

    28 July 2007

    Firetrap is gearing up to open a 6,000sq ft flagship in Edinburgh for autumn, as part of the brand's retail roll-out strategy.

  • HoF senior buyer heads to Diesel to run UK retail arm

    28 July 2007

    House of Fraser senior buyer Pablo Sueiras has been poached by fashion brand Diesel to lead its UK retail operations.

  • 21 new openings on the cards for Cult Clothing and Superdry

    21 July 2007

    Cheltenham-based young fashion chain Cult Clothing and sister brand Superdry are embarking on a 21-outlet expansion drive over the next year.

  • Academy awards

    21 July 2007

    As the first students of the Fashion Retail Academy collect their diplomas, Drapers attends the graduation to ask if retail is a skill that can be learnt

  • Shoefayre hoists For Sale sign as Co-op seeks footwear exit

    21 July 2007

    Value footwear retailer Shoefayre is being touted around the market as its owner The Co-operative Group looks to dispose of its only interest in the fashion and footwear sector.

  • Ben Sherman to cut 150 UK stockists in move upmarket

    14 July 2007

    Ben Sherman is cutting its UK distribution by 20% over the next year as it moves to bring the domestic brand in line with its more premium global positioning.

  • Bread & Butter to grow next season after strong turnout

    14 July 2007

    The mood was upbeat at Bread & Butter Barcelona last week, boosted by a stronger international turnout and the announcement of expansion plans for next season's show.

  • Next prepares for online assault with branded young fashion site

    14 July 2007

    Next is gearing up for a huge push into young branded fashion, through an etail format selling denim, footwear and sportswear under the working title 'The Branded Directory'.

  • Staff numbers to rocket as profits fuel growth at Asos

    14 July 2007

    Young fashion etailer Asos.com is to almost double staff numbers in a bid to grow the business, following a 144% hike in annual profits to £3.4 million.

  • Leaping ahead

    7 July 2007

    After being named Drapers' Young Fashion Footwear Retailer of the Year in May, Bullfrogs owners Michael Ashison and Demian Brewster tell Laura Weir what has spawned their success

  • Refinancing likely at New Look

    7 July 2007

    The aborted £2 billion sale of New Look has prompted its owners to look at refinancing the business in a bid to release cash.

  • Shoefayre drafts in a new buying team

    7 July 2007

    Shoefayre has hired a new buying and merchandising team as part of a £10 million restructure.

  • USC rethinks management roles

    7 July 2007

    Branded young fashion chain USC has reshuffled its management team following a strategic review at the retailer.

  • Bronx and Reflexe clash in Italy

    30 June 2007

    Footwear brand Bronx and Italian sample manufacturer Reflexe clashed last week at Italian footwear fair Expo Riva Schuh in Garda, resulting in the seizure of Bronx's sample range.

  • Almost Famous rejigs offer and eyes growth

    23 June 2007

    Women's young fashion brand Almost Famous is to realign its market positioning ahead of a franchise push next year.

  • Crocs to bite into clothing after snappy global results

    23 June 2007

    Quirky footwear brand Crocs is launching a clothing range and embark- ing on an ambitious retail roll-out after more than tripling its global profits.

  • Kinnaird circles Envy and Ravel in acquisition drive

    23 June 2007

    Retail entrepreneur John Kinnaird is in talks with Alexon Group and Clarks about buying young fashion chain Envy and resurrecting the Ravel brand name.

  • Sombre mood in run-up to BBB

    23 June 2007

    Buyers are downbeat ahead of streetwear show Bread & Butter, which kicks off in Barcelona next month.

  • Young fashion trade heats up ahead of midsummer Sales

    16 June 2007

    Young fashion independents and multiples have painted a positive trading picture six weeks into the summer season, with most not planning to go on Sale until the start of July.

  • Bhs director takes charge of New Look's menswear

    9 June 2007

    Bhs menswear director Steve Lawton is leaving the department store giant to take up a job at acquisition target New Look.

  • Religion signs Zakee Shariff for autumn 07

    9 June 2007

    Young fashion brand Religion is to collaborate with designer Zakee Shariff on a collection for the coming next season.

  • Shutopia to grow after Stylo legal triumph

    9 June 2007

    Footwear group Stylo aims to open 50 out-of-town Shutopia stores over the next fours years, after winning a legal dispute with an independent retailer over the business name.

  • Indie chain Limeys snapped up by Icelandic investor after collapse

    2 June 2007

    Private equity fund KCAJ has bought mini-chain Limeys for what is believed to have been a knock-down price of between £1 million and £2m, after it collapsed last week.

  • New Look eyes sales boom in IT overhaul

    26 May 2007

    New Look predicts it will make millions of pounds worth of extra sales on the back of a new IT system being implemented this summer.

  • Shoefayre boss to join TK Maxx

    26 May 2007

    Shoefayre managing director Lyle Findlay is moving to TK Maxx to take over as senior vice president for UK retail.

  • USC refocuses to beef up men's offer

    26 May 2007

    Young fashion retailer USC is set to ditch its own-brand womenswear and halve its branded women's offer in a bid to become a menswear-focused retailer.

  • End of the road for Ravel as Clarks swings the axe

    12 May 2007

    The news that veteran footwear chain Ravel is to vanish from the high street, to be replaced by its parent Clarks’ fascia, highlights the middle-market footwear sector’s unforgiving climate

  • Green upbeat as footfall rockets after Moss launch

    5 May 2007

    Sir Philip Green is hailing the launch of the Kate Moss collection a success after footfall at Topshop rocketed on 'K-Day'.

  • Clarks and Stylo hit by £35m EU tariffs

    5 May 2007

    Footwear giants Stylo and Clarks expect to have lost a combined £35 million by this time next year due to EU tariffs imposed on shoes imported from Vietnam and China in 2006.

  • Cash injection and supplier rethink kick off Stead & Simpson's recovery

    28 April 2007

    Footwear group Stead & Simpson is hoping that a strategy overhaul and a £30 million refinancing package will help to turn it around under new chief executive David White.

  • Moss moves to secure her brand

    28 April 2007

    Kate Moss could be gearing up to build an online branded empire, after she trademarked her name and included a specific clause focused on internet retailing.

  • Maxi dresses sweep into the high street's summer sellers

    21 April 2007

    Womenswear multiples are hailing floor-skimming maxi dresses as the early trend hit for summer, amid positive trading on the high street.

  • Shock departures at New Look as shake-up begins

    31 March 2007

    New Look menswear director Andy King and business change director Kate Gibbins have left the business as part of wider management restructuring.

  • Boot camp

    24 March 2007

    Tough, androgynous workwear-inspired styles were the order of the day at footwear show Micam, with patent and metallics also stepping into the limelight

  • Brantano stores set for a revamp

    24 March 2007

    Footwear retailer Brantano is undergoing a multi-million pound overhaul in the face of growing competition.

  • Owner slams industry as Brother 2 Brother goes under

    24 March 2007

    Sheffield-based independent Brother 2 Brother has gone into administration after more than 18 years of trading.

  • Visitors leave Micam early as tube strike takes its toll

    24 March 2007

    Buyers and exhibitors were in a buoyant mood at Italian footwear show Micam last week, despite a mass exodus on Saturday following a rumoured tube strike in Milan.

  • Comfort zone

    17 March 2007

    A trek around the GDS footwear fair in Dusseldorf proves that comfort styles need not always be boring

  • Footwear licence axed as French Connection profits dive

    17 March 2007

    French Connection will not renew its licensing deal with footwear supplier Lambert Howarth as it shakes up its footwear strategy.

  • Giles Deacon gears up for next New Look collection

    17 March 2007

    Designer Giles Deacon is already planning the next stage of his collaboration with New Look, after his Gold by Giles range was quickly snapped up by shoppers following its debut on Tuesday.

  • Investors tempted as Strutt Couture seeks growth funds

    10 March 2007

    Footwear brand Strutt Couture is being circled by investors looking to snap up a minority holding in the business.

  • Rise in franchise sales lends hope to French Connection

    10 March 2007

    French Connection franchisees are achieving about 10% like-for-like growth according to sources in the industry, suggesting the company is experiencing a retail recovery.

  • Kurt Geiger men's footwear steps out of House of Fraser

    10 March 2007

    Kurt Geiger men’s footwear offer is being axed from 16 House of Fraser stores as the department store business rejigs its offer in a large-scale review.

  • Bestseller begins UK retail push

    3 March 2007

    Fashion house Bestseller is planning a UK push with a new multi-branded format, signalling the retail roll-out of the Danish business's Vero Moda brand.

  • New Look unlikely to float as City confidence crumbles

    3 March 2007

    Young fashion chain New Look is unlikely to float, according to leading City analysts, following a loss of confidence in fashion retail IPOs after Debenhams returned to market last year.

  • Nudie drops Ralf after legal feud

    3 March 2007

    Swedish denim brand Nudie Jeans has been forced by Polo Ralph Lauren to rebrand one of its core styles.

  • Stead & Simpson shake-up begins

    24 February 2007

    Stead & Simpson boss David Lockyer has left the business, as incoming chief executive David White kicks off a shake-up at the retailer.

  • Johnsons on the expansion trail with plans for seven new stores

    17 February 2007

    South-east-based indepen-dent Johnsons Footwear is to double its number of stores by 2010, with plans to open seven shops in a growth and modernisation strategy.

  • States visit

    17 February 2007

    Las Vegas footwear show WSA is a priority for those in the US market, but how relevant is it for UK visitors? Drapers hops across the pond to check it out

  • TBC's move has mixed response

    17 February 2007

    Young fashion show TBC received mixed reviews from exhibitors, although visitors were mostly in favour of its new location.

  • New Look signs Horspool to lead its trend offensive

    10 February 2007

    New Look has drafted in former Marks & Spencer head of womenswear design Barbara Horspool to spearhead its trend division and oversee the entire collection.

  • Brand shake-up on the cards at Dolcis

    3 February 2007

    New Dolcis owner rethinks brands and own-label offer ..

  • Psyche rejigs its fashion layout

    3 February 2007

    Independent department store Psyche in Middlesbrough is undergoing a total overhaul that will create a new 8,000 sq ft young fashion hall and boost its menswear areas.

  • Clarks' no-show angers Scots

    3 February 2007

    Clarks has shunned its Scottish stockists after deciding not to show product in their home territory to save on costs.

  • Evans rebrands Essence as it rolls out new concept

    13 January 2007

    Plus-size womenswear chain Evans is to rebrand its Essence range and roll out at least 10 new concept stores this year as part of an overhaul of the business.

  • Focal point

    13 January 2007

    After snapping up sports casual label Sergio Tacchini last year, brand house Focus Group is back in the spotlight. Directors Michael and David Gilbert reveal how keeping a low profile is now harder than ever

  • Jane Norman jubilant after cracking Xmas

    13 January 2007

    Young fashion chain Jane Norman has reported record Christmas sales, with coats, knitwear and trousers performing best over the festive period.

  • New Look ramps up expansion strategy

    13 January 2007

    New Look is scouting for its third location on London's Oxford Street as it steps up its aggressive opening plan.

  • eBay urged to end 'illegal' sales

    6 January 2007

    Some of the high street's biggest names are lobbying the government to stop allegedly stolen goods worth millions of pounds being sold on eBay.

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