Drapers
21 November 2009
View all stories from this issue.
-
A short guide to the revised reporting rules
The implementation of the Companies Act 2006 was lengthy, starting in January 2007 and ending in October this year. -
Alexon outlook positive despite 14% drop in like-for-likes
Alexon posted a 14% slump in like-for-like sales for the 16 weeks to November 21 after its planned lower level of summer Sale activity affected footfall and sales in August and September. -
Asda Income Tracker: Families £10 a week better off than last year
The average UK family had £10 a week more disposable income in October 2009 than in the same month last year, according to the latest report from the Asda Income Tracker. -
Aspecto toasts Birmingham opening
Premium young fashion indie Aspecto this week opened its ninth store, at Pavilions shopping centre in Birmingham. -
Austin Reed
Spring 10 -
Baracuta, Covent Garden, London
Opened two weeks ago and with a three-month lifespan, the heritage brand’s pop-up shop gives a lesson in creating a storefit on a budget. -
Baugur founder seeks investment
Jon Asgeir Johannesson, the founder of collapsed Icelandic investment vehicle Baugur, has approached former colleagues seeking investment for his Icelandic retail business Hagar. -
BFC British Fashion Awards shortlist announced
The British Fashion Council has released the shortlist of nominees for the British Fashion ‘Oscars’ which takes place on December 9, bringing the 25th anniversary celebrations of London Fashion Week to an end. -
Bhs launches Lola Love t-shirt range
Bhs has signed a deal to create a clothing range for publisher HarperCollins’ tween/teen brand Lola Love. -
Blacks CVA vote expected to be approved today
Blacks Leisure is expected to have its Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) approved by landlords today, which would secure the future of the outdoor retailer. -
Blacks Leisure CVA approved
Blacks Leisure, the troubled sportswear retailer, has had its Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) approved by its landlords at a creditors meeting today. -
Bradbury: industry must back young retail talent
River Island chief executive Richard Bradbury has called on retailers and the Government to do more to support young people wanting to begin a career in the fashion industry. -
Bruce McLaren
Bruce McLaren owner of plus-size menswear indie Dalziel Kingsize in Woking, Surrey -
Coast
Spring 10 -
Cos
Spring 10 -
Dagmar
UK buyers have been impressed by this Swedish womenswear brand’s sexy yet versatile designs. -
Drapers Awards 2009: Best dressed
Drapers’ find the best dressed at the 2009 Drapers Awards. -
Drapersonline.com: Your fashion essential
Drapersonline.com has become an indispensible source of news, trend information and comment for the UK fashion industry. From November 27 we will be asking you to subscribe in order to access all the valuable content on Drapersonline.com. -
Ebay's strategy causes site to collapse
The failure of online auction site Ebay on Saturday highlighted concerns about its ability to handle bulk listings by large retailers and wholesalers. -
French Connection records flat retail sales
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. -
Full English for Topshop's US shoppers
Topshop offered early shoppers a free English breakfast at its US store today to entice them through its doors as US retailers kick off their traditional holiday Sale season. -
George at Asda to hold prices despite VAT rise
George at Asda managing director Anthony Thompson has vowed that the value retailer will not push up ticket prices on January 1 despite VAT returning to 17.5%. -
Give your customers a voice
Frustrated shoppers will look elsewhere if your site doesn’t make it easy for them to communicate with you. -
Harold Tillman to boost manufacturing
British Fashion Council chairman Harold Tillman has upped his commitment to supporting UK fashion once again by spearheading a project to boost the UK’s manufacturing industry. -
Harrogate Lingerie Exhibition shelved
Harrogate Lingerie & Swimwear Exhibition has cancelled its February edition. The trade show’s longer-term future is unclear after exhibitors switched to new rival event Moda Lingerie & Swimwear. -
Hobbs
Spring 10 -
Industry backs Bolland as new Marks & Spencer boss
Marc Bolland, the newly named successor to Sir Stuart Rose as chief executive of Marks & Spencer, will not be hampered by lack of clothing experience, say fashion industry insiders. -
Jaeger
Spring 10 -
Jaeger
Spring 10 -
Jeans Nation rebrands to Fit after relocation
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. -
John Lewis integrates online into core business
John Lewis Direct managing director Robin Terrell will leave in the new year ahead of an integration of the department store chain’s online arm into the mainline John Lewis business. -
John Lewis sales up 15%
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. -
John Lewis weekly sales up 20% so far
Sales at John Lewis department stores are up over 20% for the period of Sunday to Wednesday this week compared with the same time last year, boosted by strong performance in Christmas gifts lines. -
Julianneboutique.com
There has been a large growth in the number of lifestyle brands coming into the online retail market recently, as they extend beyond their original product category. -
Karen Millen
Spring 10 -
Keely Deininger
The designer and director of kidswear brand Little Linens tells Eve Oxberry how a background in supply helps her stay competitive. -
Kidswear indicator, 0-4 year-olds, November 21 2009
Access Drapers’ unique source of sales information from kidswear retailers, revealing the best-selling brands, the hottest products and the latest issues to affect 0-4 year-olds by clicking on the PDF. -
Kidswear indicator, 5-12 year-olds, November 21 2009
Access Drapers’ unique source of sales information from kidswear retailers, revealing the best-selling brands, the hottest products and the latest issues to affect 5-12 year-olds by clicking on the PDF. -
Late arrival of a designer recession
Flannels has issued a CVA proposal, Cruise directors have left the indie business and the Luella label has ceased trading. What’s gone wrong in the designer sector? -
Late payment slows in textiles and clothing industry
The late payment culture among textiles and clothing companies is showing signs of improvement, according to Experian’s Late Payment Index. -
Luke unifies its brands and revamps footwear
Men’s young fashion label Luke is to consolidate its offer for autumn 10 by moving its more premium Luke Roper brand under the main Luke umbrella as a sub-brand called Luke Limited Edition, and revamping its footwear line to better reflect the Luke brand. -
Marc Bolland: a charmer who can force through change
Urbane, charming and debonair – three words that could as easily be applied to Marc Bolland as to Sir Stuart Rose. And while Bolland may not be a well-known name among fashion retailers and suppliers, he is fêted in grocery circles and in the City for his transformation of Morrisons. -
Mardou & Dean
London agent Chiltern Street Studios has added Norwegian premium jeans label Mardou & Dean to its portfolio. -
Marketing push at Asos to drive sales
Etail giant Asos is to ramp up investment in marketing and increase delivery options in a bid to grow sales. -
New Look found guilty over Oxford Street fire
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. -
New store concept for Kookaï
Contemporary womenswear brand Kookaï is to unveil a new store concept this week as part of its repositioning in the UK. -
Off the record, November 21, 2009
The inside track on the parties and gossip for the week. -
Online sales growth hit by postal strikes
Online sales growth in October was impeded by the postal strikes, leading to a £53m fall in growth during the last week of the month. -
Pitti Uomo to revamp spring 10 edition
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. -
PPR chief expands on plans for sales and acquisitions
PPR chief executive François Pinault has revealed that he plans to sell the retail arms of the French group “the sooner, the better” but said he hadn’t created a deadline for the planned divestments. -
PPR to shed retail businesses to focus on branded portfolio
French retail group PPR is to sell off part of its retail portfolio to raise cash ahead of plans to acquire new brands, according to reports. -
Prime minister proposes funding for small businesses
A growth capital fund to boost investment in small businesses was proposed by Gordon Brown yesterday. -
Reiss
Spring 10 -
Reiss
Spring 10 -
Reiss EBITDA fall despite sales rise
Reiss recorded a decline in EBITDA last year as the global banking crisis took its toll on the 99-store chain’s second half performance. -
Retail sales volumes up again in November
Retail sales volumes were up for the second month running in November, and further growth is expected next month, according to figures from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). -
Retail Trust Search for a Star
Drapers’ Sara White attends the London auditions of Retail Trust Search for a Star. -
Robert Bensoussan warns of discounting damage
LK Bennett chairman, luxury expert and serial fashion investor Robert Bensoussan has warned that the high street has come close to being irreparably damaged by high levels of discounting and constant promotions. -
Roberto Cavalli launches transactional website
Roberto Cavalli today launched its first online store, which is transactional in 46 countries across Europe, the US and Asia. -
Rochdale indies recruit live models to drive sales
Three independent retailers in Rochdale have worked together to come up with a novel way of encouraging shoppers to visit their stores. -
Selfridges and House of Fraser launch pre-Christmas promotions
Selfridges and House of Fraser have pushed the button on pre-Christmas promotional events this week. -
Shhhhhhhh!
Which retail boss like to be called Sven after the former England manager Sven Goran Eriksson? This retailer thinks they both share equal success with the ladies. -
Sir Stuart Rose's Desert Island Discs
Marks & Spencer chairman Sir Stuart Rose featured on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs programme yesterday. -
Sports Direct appoints chairman
Sports Direct, the sportswear retailer founded by controversial tycoon Mike Ashley, has appointed Dr Keith Hellawell as non-executive chairman. -
Start, Rivington Street, Shoreditch, east London
Chosen by Chris Dewar-Dixon, director of graphic and interior design agency Four IV. -
Stores rediscover the art of customer service
The recession has driven most stores back to personal service with a vengeance, and I am so pleased to be able to benefit from this. I’ve hated the past several years of watching friends and loved ones spending vast amounts of money in some of my favourite stores and receiving little or no attention, and certainly not getting the after-service that they should. -
Supergroup seeks chairman for float
Supergroup, the company behind young fashion retailer Cult and the Superdry brand, is to beef up its management ahead of a planned stock market flotation next year, which would value the business at a minimum of £400m. -
Supermarkets' non-food sales to grow 40% by 2014
Non-food sales from supermarkets are expected to increase by 40% to £16.2bn in 2014, representing nearly 10p in every pound spent in the grocers. -
SuperTrash thinks a Lott of Pixie
Contemporary womenswear label SuperTrash has signed pop star Pixie Lott to front its winter campaign and quarterly brand magazine. -
Tesco
Spring 10 -
Tesco
Spring 10 -
The weekend newspaper round up: November 21 to 22, 2009
A round up of the best fashion business stories from the weekend’s newspapers. -
Tom Singh
The modest New Look entrepreneur is the pioneer of fast fashion on the high street. As he picks up the Drapers 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award, he reflects on his 40-year career. -
Tough climate blamed for Bruno Saint Hilaire’s UK exit
French contemporary menswear brand Bruno Saint Hilaire is to pull out of the UK market for autumn 10. -
Why Bolland is just what Marks & Spencer needs
So just who is Marc Bolland, the new chief executive of Marks & Spencer? -
Will Christmas bring back the big spenders?
There does seem to be a general feeling of optimism in the air, though. House prices rose again last month for the third consecutive month, according to a survey by Housetrack, and the Bank of England kindly opted not to increase interest rates in October, making all us homeowners feel a little richer. -
Woolworths owner mulls high street return
Woolworths may return to the high street as a 200-store chain as brand owner Shop Direct considers launching a bricks and mortar franchise strategy.
