Drapers
Lorna Hall
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Rock Couture tunes up for growth
17 December 2008
Rock Couture, the three-store multi-branded outlet concept run by fashion entrepreneur Robert de Keyser, will expand to 12 stores next year. -
UKFE merges with BCIA to create super trade body
12 December 2008
UK Fashion Exports will merge with the British Clothing Industry Association, to create a super trade body to represent the entire fashion trade sector. -
De Keyser to launch Jfour denim in UK
8 December 2008
Fashion entrepreneur Robert de Keyser is to launch Italian denim concept Jfour into the UK and plans to open 24 stores over the next 12 months. -
Fashion execs predict 4.7% volume decline
13 November 2008
More than half of fashion and footwear executive believe sales volumes will decrease in 2009 according to a survey by fashion software specialist Prologic. -
Geoff van Sonsbeeck
7 November 2008
The chief executive of maternitywear etailer Isabella Oliver is building on its Drapers Awards victory last year by diversifying into womenswear, part of an ambitious plan to take its turnover to £75m. -
David Carter-Johnson
3 November 2008
The Adams Childrenswear chief executive admits that the business was broken when he was brought on board, but he is determined to come up with a long-term fix by turning the retailer into “Topshop for kids”. -
Westfield will 'force Oxford Street to respond'
30 October 2008
Retail leaders called for the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street following the opening of the Westfield London shopping centre. -
Sir Philip Green positive on trading
30 October 2008
Speaking at the opening of the Westfield London shopping centre this morning, Sir Philip Green said that the week’s trading so far had been ‘a good positive one’. -
M&S to launch new women's sub-brand
30 October 2008
Marks & Spencer is to launch a new womenswear sub-brand next year to bridge the gap between Per Una and its Classics offer. -
Service key at Debenhams Westfield store
30 October 2008
Debenhams is pushing customer service initiatives at its new London flagship, its first new store in London for 90 years, which opened at Westfield London in White City this week. -
Gorland founder Salim Kamourieh dies
15 October 2008
The fashion industry has reacted with shock to news of the sudden death of fashion agent and distributor Salim Kamourieh. -
Annmarie Flood
9 October 2008
The boss of young fashion chain A-Wear rose from changing room assistant to chief executive, and is now making the biggest leap of her career by taking the business across the Irish Sea to the UK. -
Six Whiting Street, Bury St Edmunds
9 October 2008
Menswear emporium Six Whiting Street blends contemporary style with a classic gentlemen’s club feel. -
Peter Dundas appointed artistic director at Emilio Pucci
19 September 2008
Peter Dundas is to take over as artistic director at Italian fashion house Emilio Pucci replacing Britsh designer Matthew Williamson who left in July. -
Fashion sales star player at John Lewis
19 September 2008
Fashion sales led the charge in a solid set of weekly trading figures at John Lewis last week according to the group's figures. -
Simon Wolfson calls for confidence in banking sector
19 September 2008
Next chief executive Simon Wolfson urged the public to have confidence in the banking sector on the BBC’s Question Time current affairs programme last night. -
Next ready for tough Christmas
12 September 2008
Next is dropping its Christmas TV ads and cutting back on seasonal staff recruitment in anticipation of tough trading over the festive season. -
Next prepares to weather the storm
11 September 2008
Next boss Simon Wolfson is nothing if not succinct, and his summation of the position his business is in at the retailer’s interim results was characteristically pithy. “We are in the eye of the storm,” he said. -
Colour and prints lift Irish gloom
5 September 2008
Hot colours and bold prints in Irish designers’ spring 09 collections injected some enthusiasm into a depressed independent retail community at Dublin Fashion Week. -
Designer labels clamber to open on Mount Street
2 September 2008
French luxury label Lanvin and German designer brand Wunderkind are the latest names to sign up for stores on Mount Street in London’s Mayfair. -
Bruuns Bazaar
14 August 2008
Having cemented its international reputation, the Danish contemporary label is set for a renewed assault on the UK. -
Jonathan Heilbron
14 August 2008
His banking colleagues thought he was crazy when he left to work for shirt retailer Thomas Pink, but as chief executive Jonathan Heilbron has steered the business into uncharted territories in terms of sales and growth. -
Pure attendance rises despite the slowdown
11 August 2008
Buyers were backing core brands in greater depth for spring 09 at womenswear show Pure at Olympia in London this week as they tightened their belts to prepare for tough times ahead. -
Firetrap to launch transactional site
6 August 2008
Firetrap will unveil a trans-actional website in November as it focuses on building its retail sales in the UK and overseas. -
Pan Philippou
2 August 2008
WDT’s chief executive was brought in with a remit to overhaul all aspects of the business, and has set himself the task of discovering the DNA of its Firetrap, Sonetti and Fullcircle brands. -
Ensure you are in a class of your own
2 August 2008
Next’s tentative admission that it is considering putting branded clothing into its stores (see page 4) is more interesting for what it says about the plight of mid-market high street multiples in today’s straitened trading climate than what it says about Next as a business. -
Shoppers cut back at M&S
22 July 2008
Marks & Spencer shoppers are cutting back on “fripperies” and only buying garments if they are dual purpose, executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose declared this week after a profit warning from the retailer. -
M&S’s Rose wins backing at AGM
22 July 2008
Marks & Spencer chief executive and chairman Sir Stuart Rose was forced to defend a 60% drop in the retailer’s share price at the company’s AGM held in London last week. -
Pitti Bimbo hit by credit crunch
1 July 2008
Visitor numbers to European kidswear event Pitti Bimbo fell slightly from 8,100 to 7,647 this season reflecting tougher trading in some parts of the continent. -
A sense of occasion
28 June 2008
The value of the occasionwear market is growing, but which retailers are getting the benefit of this extra spending? -
Indies must go back to basics
21 June 2008
Two episodes of Mary Queen of Shops in and I have already started shouting at the telly – sometimes at the shop owners and sometimes at Mary Portas.At the moment, it’s mainly at the shop owners – about an 80/20 split – but what the first two episodes have rammed home is the potential for complacency among independent boutiques. -
Royal Ascot fashions
19 June 2008
Drapers spent a day at the races to see what looks and labels women were putting together to come up with their race day outfits. -
Foreign spending to be hit by world events
18 June 2008
The Beijing Olympics and Ramadan and the US presidential election will all have a dramatic affect on foreign tourist spending in the UK this year. -
Anne Horton
14 June 2008
Family-owned department stores in the UK’s regions are disappearing fast as they are swallowed up by larger private groups such as Fenwick or they cash in on freeholds by selling to developers. -
Retailers need to measure costs of global sourcing
10 June 2008
Retailers need to be able to measure the true cost of their global sourcing strategies to get the most value out of their supply chain. -
Men’s online spend soars
7 June 2008
Men’s spending on clothing and footwear online grew faster than women’s last year, figures show. -
Marchpole signs Ungaro deal for Korea
5 June 2008
Marchpole has signed an exclusive licence and distribution deal for Emanuel Ungaro in South Korea. -
Sir Stuart Rose receives knighthood
5 June 2008
Marks & Spencer chief executive Sir Stuart Rose received his knighthood from the Queen yesterday at Buckingham Palace. -
Sales give upturn to May shopper numbers
5 June 2008
Non-food shopping trips in May rose by 2.2% year on year making it the busiest May on the high street for the last three years. -
Oliver Sweeney launches footwear amnesty
4 June 2008
Luxury men's footwear brand Oliver Sweeney is calling on customers to donate old shoes to raise cash for Third World development. -
Peter Lucas plans new era for BCIA
4 June 2008
New British Clothing Industry Association (BCIA) boss Peter Lucas is looking to recruit members from a broader cross section of the industry. -
Online clothing and footwear sales rise 38%
3 June 2008
The total online clothing and footwear market grew by 38% to £1.7 billion in 2007 up from £1.2bn in 2006, according to a report by Verdict Research. -
M&S moves towards the margins
1 June 2008
The strategy to push better and best sales is the right one for Marks & Spencer, but how easy will it be to execute? -
Better best focus at M&S
24 May 2008
Marks & Spencer will launch Autograph Essentials this autumn into 120 stores. -
Nigel Blow
24 May 2008
After 14 years working for Mohamed Al Fayed at Harrods, Nigel Blow was headhunted by Irish department store business Brown Thomas to lead it through its next stage of development. -
Mansfield’s “king of coats” Frank Russell dies aged 83
17 May 2008
Frank Russell, founder of UK outerwear brand Mansfield and nicknamed “king of coats”, died last week aged 83. -
King of Coats Frank Russell dies aged 83
14 May 2008
Frank Russell, the founder and owner of British outerwear brand Mansfield, whose nickname in the trade was 'king of coats', died last week at the age of 83. -
Taking note of the euro
10 May 2008
The strength of the euro is forcing independents to consider whether to forward buy the currency to protect their margins. -
Anne Pitcher
3 May 2008
The first lady of the UK’s department stores has worked at all of London’s top retailers and is now buying and merchandise director at Selfridges. -
Web refuseniks put their future at risk
3 May 2008
Where is the customer going to shop? Where is the growth going to come from? -
Marks & Spencer opens biggest London store in nine years
1 May 2008
Marks & Spencer has opened its first flagship store in London since Bluewater at Colliers Wood. -
Shopping: what women really want
26 April 2008
A recent fashion survey of 1,000 female shoppers presented some fascinating insights into where and how women shop. Drapers takes a look at the results. -
Alhokair’s acquisition trail targets retailers
19 April 2008
Saudi franchisee and mall developer Alhokair is on the acquisition trail with a war chest of cash to buy a fashion retailer. -
Ben Sherman recruits pair to join international push
19 April 2008
Ben Sherman has made two key appointments as it picks up the pace of its international retail and wholesale expansion. -
How to stay afloat across the pond
19 April 2008
At last week’s World Retail Congress in Barcelona, US retailers discussed the market’s prospects post credit crunch. -
Theory, London
18 April 2008
The US brand hopes its Westbourne Park standalone will be the first of several in the capital. -
H&M is Europe's most valuable retail brand
10 April 2008
H&M is the most valuable retail brand inEuropeaccording to brand consultancy Interbrand, which valued it at €10.36 billion (£8.26bn). -
Retail mergers inevitable in India and China
10 April 2008
Huge amounts of merger and acquisition activity is inevitable in the emerging retail markets of India and China as local entrepreneurs and multinationals battle it out for position, William Fung – group managing director of super supplier Li & Fung – told the World Retail Congress. -
Chasing the silver pound
3 April 2008
Older women are becoming increasingly fickle shoppers. With like-for-like sales at Alexon’s branded arm slipping 5% in the past year, how will the multi-brand group fight back? -
Xile, Edinburgh
3 April 2008
With product centre stage, Drapers’ Young Fashion Retailer of the Year is a mecca for trend-conscious shoppers. -
George sets its sights on number one
29 March 2008
Anthony Thompson, the new managing director of George at Asda, has ambitious growth targets for the next three years. -
George unveils massive growth targets
19 March 2008
George, Asda's fashion brand, has thrown down the gauntlet to Tesco and Marks & Spencer claiming it will be the number one supermarket clothing retailer by the end of this year and that it aims to take the top spot in volume market share by 2011. -
Selfridges to wait for 2010 for ecommerce launch
13 March 2008
Selfridges chief executive Paul Kelly said the department store business would not be rushed into online retail, but will wait until 2010 to launch its ecommerce site. -
Small businesses hampered by 'unrealistic' landlords and financiers
13 March 2008
Financiers and landlords should walk the walk rather than just talk the talk, a panel of fast growing independent retailers told the Retail Week conference today. -
Eastern Europe best bet for value retailers
13 March 2008
Eastern Europe provides the greatest opportunity for value retailers looking to expand internationally, Peacocks chief executive Richard Kirk told the Retail Week conference today. -
M&S' Rose warns trade will be tough until 2010
12 March 2008
Marks & Spencer executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose warned retailers today they should expect trade to remain tough until 2010. -
Build your retail brand says John Lewis Partnership boss
12 March 2008
Retailers that act as brands rather than just a group of fascias will engender loyalty from their customers, John Lewis Partnership chairman told the Retail Week conference in London this morning. -
Boudiche, Edinburgh
8 March 2008
Drapers’ Lingerie Retailer of the Year 2007 is still turning heads north of the border. -
Asos ups the ante to stay one click ahead
1 March 2008
While the rest of the high street and most of the independent sector is still finding its sea legs trading online, young fashion etailer Asos is looking to pull away from its clicks-and-bricks competitors by further differentiating its offer. -
Hussein Chalayan joins Puma as creative director
28 February 2008
Puma has appointed designer Hussein Chalayan as its creative director and bought a majority stake in his own-label business. -
Robert Duffy
22 February 2008
Marc Jacobs’ new London shop is tucked away in Mayfair. Brand president Robert Duffy explains why offbeat works. -
Hazel Curry
21 February 2008
Air passengers want more than ever from an airport retail offer. Hazel Curry is tasked with planning the fashion mix at BAA’s new Terminal 5 at Heathrow -
Jeremy Stakol
21 February 2008
Young fashion brand Lipsy is gunning for growth after being name-checked by a raft of celebrity fans. Lorna Hall learns about the brand’s ambitious plans -
Krishan Hundal
16 February 2008
As M&S’s head of general merchandise technology, Hundal leads the team that brought us anti-MRSA pyjamas and the non-iron shirt. He is also responsible for delivering the retailer’s Plan A eco strategy. -
Simon Berwin
9 February 2008
A long-established suit supply business and concessions in House of Fraser have cemented Berwin & Berwin’s success in the UK. -
PS boss snaps up Turkish factory to ensure quality
8 February 2008
Barrie Lewis, owner of mainstream womenswear brands Poppy and PS, has bought a Turkish factory to secure deliveries and quality for PS customers. -
Brands offer a port in the trading storm
8 February 2008
Just two weeks into February, we have already seen several big retailers bite the dust. Home shopping business Empire Stores and footwear chain Dolcis may be names that in recent times have lacked lustre, but in their day they really meant something to their customers. -
Brands offer a port in the trading storm
8 February 2008
Just two weeks into February, we have already seen several big retailers bite the dust. Home shopping business Empire Stores and footwear chain Dolcis may be names that in recent times have lacked lustre, but in their day they really meant something to their customers. -
Brands offer a port in the trading storm
8 February 2008
Just two weeks into February, we have already seen several big retailers bite the dust. Home shopping business Empire Stores and footwear chain Dolcis may be names that in recent times have lacked lustre, but in their day they really meant something to their customers. -
Bubble London welcomed by kidswear market
23 January 2008
Premium kidswear show Bubble London launched at London's Olympia this week with 70 exhibitors. -
Rose: trading will be rocky until next year
15 January 2008
Marks & Spencer chief executive Sir Stuart Rose has warned the market he expects the challenging trading climate to continue well into spring 09. -
Summary of Sir Stuart Rose's press call on Christmas Trading
9 January 2008
Drapers summarises the content of M&S chief executive Stuart Rose's conference call with national and trade press on January 9 following the release of the retailer's Christmas trading statement. -
Deals or no deals?
7 January 2008
New capital gains tax rules, the credit crunch and a slowdown in consumer spending will have a big impact on the prospects for selling businesses in 2008. -
Retail deals likely to soar ahead of 2008 tax rejig
4 January 2008
A hike in capital gains tax is likely to boost the number of retail deals in the first quarter of 2008, creating a buyers' market in terms of valuations put on fashion retailers and brands. -
Blog: Last-minute Christmas
18 December 2007
With only seven shopping days before Christmas, I’m really quite relaxed about the jobs that need to be done. -
Retailers say goodbye to Richard 'Ratty' Ratner
1 December 2007
Monday morning trading meetings were suspended yesterday as retailers from across the sector gathered to pay their respects to retail analyst Richard 'Ratty' Ratner, who died of a heart attack last month. -
Jeff Banks
27 November 2007
This year’s Drapers Lifetime Achievement Award winner has done it all, from a sell-out 1960s store to his own TV show. -
Book now for tomorrow's Drapers Fashion Summit
19 November 2007
It's your last chance to register for the Drapers Fashion Summit which is held tomorrow (November 20) and Wednesday (November 21) at London's Cumberland Hotel. -
Barrett Street refit will be blueprint for Reiss stores
17 November 2007
Reiss unveiled a new-look storefit at its London Barrett Street store last week. -
Sales rocket at M&S Autograph
10 November 2007
Autograph, Marks & Spencer’s premium sub-brand, is on course to be a £500 million business within the next 18 months and is outperforming the rest of the business’s clothing brands, according to chief executive Stuart Rose. -
Your chance to quiz speakers at Drapers Fashion Summit
3 November 2007
Drapers is giving its readers the chance to question the likes of M&S chief executive Stuart Rose, fashion retail TV makeover star Mary Portas and Reiss founder David Reiss at the Drapers Fashion Summit on November 20 and November 21. -
High Street Hit or Miss: Norwich
20 October 2007
Drapers puts Norwich’s multiples under the microscope, inspecting autumn womenswear and store environments. -
Next steps
13 October 2007
Last week Next opened its most up-to-date store at the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield. Drapers went along on opening day to take a look and gauge customer reaction -
Tailor-made for indies
6 October 2007
Chatting with a forthright independent retailer at the very top end of the market this week, I was amused to hear her long for the return of the tailored jacket. -
Nathan Jenden
2 October 2007
After making his name at Diane von Furstenberg, designer Nathan Jenden has more modest plans for his fledgling own label. -
Cold snap sees rise in sales at John Lewis
29 September 2007
Sales at John Lewis department stores were up 7.7% for the week to September 22. -
Fabric prices rise at Milano Unica as currency woes start to kick in
22 September 2007
The strong euro meant higher prices for US and Japanese buyers at Italian fabric fair Milano Unica. -
Next raises its ethical stance as industry faces second backlash
8 September 2007
Next has introduced a new logo to communicate its ethical stance as the industry is battered by a second round of allegations about poor conditions at clothing factories. -
It's shopping, but not as we know it
1 September 2007
Good grief. How much more doom and gloom can the multiple retailers take? Not only have private equity firms put buyouts - otherwise known as management cash-ins - on hold due to the crisis in the debt markets, but now apparently no one is visiting their stores. -
Karen Millen on hunt for Paris flagship
1 September 2007
Karen Millen is seeking a flagship store in Paris to support a concessions roll-out in the Galleries Lafayette department stores in France. -
Suppliers asked to pay for HoF rebranding
1 September 2007
House of Fraser is to ask suppliers to contribute to its £50 million rebranding to help it reposition as an upmarket department store. -
Fightingfit
18 August 2007
With its emphasis on fit, James Jeans was one of the LA denim brands to survive the premium jeans gold rush. Here its founders tell Lorna Hall how they plan to build the business in the long term -
Moving target
11 August 2007
Mod brand Ben Sherman is bringing its UK offer in line with its more premium global image. Chief executive Miles Gray tells Lorna Hall why the move is needed -
Two twists in the tale from retailers
14 July 2007
A few days at Barcelona streetwear show Bread & Butter was a welcome reminder of why it is vital to get out in the market as often as possible, whether it's by stalking the floors of your competitors, hunting out new showrooms or wearing out shoe leather at a trade show. -
Womenswear fortune favours the bold
7 July 2007
I spoke to the owner of a young fashion brand the other day and the news was not good. Menswear was bad, he reported; womenswear was a bloodbath. -
Putting the pieces together
12 May 2007
As Jigsaw reveals its new direction for autumn 07, Drapers talks to creative director Louise Trotter to find out more about the retailer's evolution -
Back to the floor
5 May 2007
In his four years at the helm of Selfridges, Paul Kelly has spent as much time as possible on the shop floor finding out what makes his staff tick. He takes Drapers on a tour of the retailer’s London flagship -
High street Hit or Miss Brighton
28 April 2007
Drapers returns to Brighton to review its high street womenswear offer for spring, with product ranges and store environments put under the spotlight -
Selfridges to overhaul women's Superbrands
28 April 2007
London department store Selfridges will revamp its womenswear Superbrands room within the next 18 months as it continues to innovate and differentiate itself from its rivals. -
In Theory
21 April 2007
US womenswear brand Theory aims to make its mark in the UK with standalone retail stores. Founder Andrew Rosen explains why he is keen to crack the market -
Bank on Basler
3 March 2007
For years, the name Basler has meant money in the till for upmarket classic womenswear retailers. But a 'safe' image presents its own problems, so how can the management team move the brand forward without alienating its core customers? -
Birger Queen
24 February 2007
In four years the By Malene Birger brand has grown from nothing into an £8m operation. And designer Malene Birger is hungry for more -
Visitor numbers rocket at Copenhagen's top shows
17 February 2007
Copenhagen Fashion Week continued to grow this season, with both its mainstream trade fair CIFF and contemporary event CPH Vision recording double-digit increases in visitor numbers. -
Doing the legwork will pay dividends
10 February 2007
Autumn 07 trends exhibited at the womenswear shows in Paris and Dusseldorf last weekend were exciting and commercial - which all points to the potential for a really positive season. There are some fantastic offerings out there, with perhaps the only drawback being that womenswear retailers will have to be strategic in their buying and merchandising to ensure that they can introduce enough colour into their offer. -
The spin on Spring
10 February 2007
Economic concerns were the only dampener on a more positive Pitti Filati in Florence -
Can foreign retailers spice up the UK?
3 February 2007
February has kicked in with the usual spinning of the fashion jobs roundabout. This week's issue is full of news of executive entries and exits across all areas of the high street - it seems that those CVs were being polished up before the turn of the year. -
Kidswear is anything but child's play
13 January 2007
History has taught me that there is always someone out there who can make money out of the carcass of a floundering business. -
Always look on the bright side of life
6 January 2007
After a week away from the office, I breezed back into work on the wave of a New Year's resolution to be more positive. It's my annual vow and generally lasts about as long as a committed smoker's attempt to give up the evil weed.
