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Editor's Comment: The overlooked buying power of Generation X
In a world where a drumming gorilla is an effective tool for advertising chocolate, it is not unusual to see a conceptual ad campaign that does not feature the product.
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The Drapers Digital Festival and Awards 2020 are fast approaching. Make sure you don't miss out by securing your place today!
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Retail
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Celtic & Co: cream of Cornwall
The owners of Drapers’ International Footwear Business of the Year 2019, Cornish brand Celtic & Co – Kath and Nick Whitworth – are striding into new territory.
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Entries are now open for the Drapers Footwear Awards 2020. We have 18 exciting categories up for grabs, so make sure you enter your business now!
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Product & Trade Shows
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The lingerie expert driving Myla London
Myla London’s chief operating officer, Leila Habibi, turns to her close knit team when she needs advice and is looking forward to bringing the brand to a larger audience.
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Business Operations
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Step up your game in footwear
Fresh product, a strong stance on sustainability and a top-notch online presence are vital to thrive in footwear
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The Drapers Digital Festival and Awards 2020 are fast approaching. Make sure you don't miss out by securing your place today!
Get tickets and tables here
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People
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Celtic & Co: cream of Cornwall
The owners of Drapers’ International Footwear Business of the Year 2019, Cornish brand Celtic & Co – Kath and Nick Whitworth – are striding into new territory.
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Five-star style: why online reviews are a fashion necessitySubscription
In a digital world, online reviews are an increasingly important way for retailers to connect with their customers – building trust and responding to feedback to help shape their offers and grow their businesses.
Toast opens seventh London store Subscription
Bagir takes legal action against Shandong RuyiSubscription
Gymshark to open first pop-up store Subscription
Hammerson sells seven retail parksSubscription
Struggling Victoria's Secret sold Subscription
Drapers recognises fashion’s top employersSubscription
Bonmarché sold to Philip Day's Peacocks Subscription
Clothing sales experience 'Boris bounce' Subscription
Drop in Asian buyers hits Micam footfall Subscription
Laura Ashley to return to its roots, says CEOSubscription
Sperry hires new global president Subscription
Authentic Brands Group acquires Forever 21Subscription
Laura Ashley falls further into the red Subscription
John Lewis wins top customer approvalSubscription
Autumn 20 footwear buying guide
News analysis
The Drapers Interview
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Step up your game in footwear Subscription
Fresh product, a strong stance on sustainability and a top-notch online presence are vital to thrive in footwear
Who caters for the fashion-conscious fifties? Subscription
The age group is a valuable market – but they are being underestimated by the retailers who once drew them in. So where are they shopping?
Drapers' pick of Micam autumn 20Subscription
Even in a comparatively quiet edition of Micam, new brands were making noise. Here are Drapers’ favourites.
The top ten trends to know from London Fashion Week Subscription
The capital saw a return to feminine dressing for the new season, including statement dresses and romantic details such as feathers and frills.
London Fashion Week autumn 20: the Drapers verdictSubscription
Not even a storm could keep showgoers away from the capital’s vibrant schedule.
Net-a-Porter's Libby Page reflects on the fourth day of London Fashion WeekSubscription
The capital’s famous creativity was on full display on the penultimate day of shows, which saw collections from big and emerging names alike.
Harrods' Maria Milano gives her highlights from day three of London Fashion WeekSubscription
There was more than enough sparkle and glamour to lift show goers’ spirits at the third day of London Fashion Week, even as Storm Dennis continued to pelt the capital.
Browns buying director Ida Petersson's verdict on the second day of London Fashion WeekSubscription
Storm Dennis set upon the capital with full force and saw attendees attempting to avoid the downpour, but a line-up of vibrant shows made up for the grey weather.
London Fashion Week Autumn 20
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Drapers reveals 30 Under 30 rising stars of fashion retailSubscription
As the fashion industry returns to its collective desks and shop floors each January, Drapers celebrates and supports the retail leaders of the future in our Next Generation initiative.
The 100 most powerful people in fashion retailSubscription
In a tumultuous year for fashion retail, Drapers Power 100 lists the people who have shaped the industry in 2019.
Guide to Growth: Your questions answered Subscription
Our new portal focuses on answering the questions brands and retailers want answered.
Drapers branded fashion content section Brand Showcase brings you the collections you can't afford to miss
Fashioning the Funko universe with MD Andy OddieSubscription
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Drapers' editorial features and fashion specials 2020Subscription
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Editor's Comment: The overlooked buying power of Generation X
In a world where a drumming gorilla is an effective tool for advertising chocolate, it is not unusual to see a conceptual ad campaign that does not feature the product.
Coronavirus mutes steady Micam
Milan footwear trade show Micam was a quieter affair for autumn 20, as coronavirus and UK storms dampened footfall from international buyers.
Comment: Can Arcadia alumni spur an M&S clothing comeback?
Once the darling of the high street, Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group has been battling dwindling sales, profits and footfall as shoppers move on to fast fashion, digital-native rivals.
Editor’s Comment: Fashion's disruptors are driving welcome innovation
I was heartened by the Blitz spirit at trade show Pure London last weekend, where footfall remained steady despite the extremely stormy weather.
Première Vision shines despite coronavirus fears
A key date in the fashion industry’s diary, Parisian textile trade show Premiere Vision was a muted affair for spring 21, but still provided a panoply of creative fabrics
Editor’s Comment: The hard work of Brexit is just beginning
I listened to the celebratory Brexit fireworks last weekend with a growing sense of unease. It might be the end of three and a half years of political stalemate, but it is also the beginning of a new era of uncertainty.
Confident Copenhagen continues to shine
A busy week in the Danish capital brought star buyers, innovative brands and creative collections together for an event that is steadily gaining momentum and buzz.
Editor’s Comment: A roll of the dice for Jacket Required
Trade shows are notoriously cyclical, and last week I attended a much-changed edition of menswear show Jacket Required.
Harrogate Fashion Week does Yorkshire proud
The North Yorkshire trade show continues to gain traction as more brands seek a fresh space in which to exhibit.
Jacket Required's muted farewell to east London
Autumn 20 was a subdued season, but a new layout and shifted brand focus hinted at the wider changes to come for Jacket Required.
Just Around the Corner primes for the future
Amid developments in the menswear trade show scene, Just Around the Corner is updating its approach and heading for new challenges.
Editor’s Comment: Beales is a wake-up call on business rates
Over the 139 years since its first branch opened in Bournemouth, Beales has weathered two world wars, several recessions and going from private to public ownership and back again.
Comment: Why a stunning store was not enough to save The Shop at Bluebird
It was arguably one of London’s most beautiful stores: a lofty urban paradise that centred around an open courtyard topped by a vaulted glass atrium.
Comment: A circular economy is the only way forward for fashion
The carbon and water footprints of UK fashion have decreased significantly since we launched the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP) in 2012, writes Peter Maddox, director of WRAP UK [the Waste and Resources Action Programme].
Comment: Brit brands out in force in Berlin
The relevance of Berlin’s flagship trade shows for British buyers has been hotly debated in recent years. When Drapers headed to Panorama, Seek and Premium for the autumn 20 shows, UK buyers may have been scarce, but the new-look events had won over British brands.
Editor's Comment: Menswear that creates a 'moment' to remember
During menswear trade show Pitti Uomo in Florence last week, I headed to the striking Tepidarium Del Roster to see the latest collection from Italian heritage sportswear brand Sergio Tacchini.
Editor’s comment: Here's to a full-price happy new year
The first Christmas trading updates out of the gate started the new year and new decade on a positive note.
Retailer Insight: How prisoners can support UK manufacturing
Former prisoner Victoria Kate Johns explains why she created charity Leather Inside Out, which provides inmates with training in leather craft to help them find future employment
Comment: LFWM packs creative punch despite sparse schedule
A new year and a new decade dawned as London Fashion Week Men’s kicked off the autumn 20 season with three days of catwalk shows on 4-6 January.
Retailer insight: Pentland Brands' culture of innovation
Chirag Patel, chief operating officer at Pentland Brands, explains how the business is driving smart working to stay relevant in today’s market.
Sustainability: short-term survival or long-term success?
Sustainability is fundamental for a brand’s long-term survival, argues Elaine O’Hare, senior associate at law firm Stevens & Bolton.
Editor’s Comment: Ted Baker’s advisers have their work cut out
It has been a difficult year for many, but for Ted Baker it has been near catastrophic.
Editor’s Comment: Embrace the speed of change
The pace of change has never been this fast, yet it will never be this slow again. I have lost count of how many times I have heard this expression used in relation to fashion retail in 2019.
Comment: Why humans trump robots in fashion retail
Unlike other retail sectors, the nature of fashion makes a robot takeover impossible, argues Victoria Nightingale, retail and consumer partner at executive search firm Bailey Montagu.
Editor’s Comment: Black Friday at a turning point
As Black Friday has mutated from a one-day event into a fortnight of deals, more and more fashion retailers have fallen down the rabbit hole of heavy discounting in the weeks before Christmas.
Editor’s Comment: Business rates need a radical rethink
As the spectre of another general election looms – the second in just over two years – this week we ask the fashion retail industry what policies they think the next government should prioritise.
Editor’s Comment: Singles' Day is important – but let’s leave it in China
Chinese ecommerce platform Alibaba’s annual Singles’ Day discounting event dwarfs Black Friday in terms of sales, and provides an important opportunity for British brands to break into the lucrative Chinese market.
Retailer Insight: Build your high street tribe
Ahead of Small Business Saturday on 7 December, Hilary Cookson, Lifetime Achievement winner at the Drapers Independents Awards 2019, says collaborating with neighbouring retailers is vital
Editor’s Comment: A race to the bottom is not the solution
The first of this year’s Christmas adverts were unwrapped this week, but the festive cheer failed to mask an underlying anxiety as we wait to see how the Black-Friday-to-Boxing-Day period plays out.
Editor’s Comment: Mothercare has to shake up its whole approach
As the clocks went back and the temperature dropped last weekend, I headed to my local retail park to buy a new duvet for my son. I left disappointed – finding nowhere that sold a decent selection of children’s bedding – and caught myself wishing there was a Mothercare nearby.
Editor’s Comment: Brexit exposed fatal flaws at Bonmarché
Much like the weather, Brexit has become a somewhat convenient excuse for struggling retailers to explain away weak sales. But in the case of Bonmarché, it was the final nail in the coffin.
Retailer Insight: Visual merchandising must tell shoppers a story
Julie Schroer, senior creative manager at London womenswear independent Blaiz, Best Visual Merchandising and Store Design winner at the Drapers Independents Awards 2019, explains its award-winning approach.
Editor’s Comment: Masterclasses in connecting with customers
Changing shopping behaviours continue to rip through the fashion industry at speed, bringing both challenges and opportunities for retailers.
'Boris says "do or die" – I say UK will be a dead man walking'
A hard Brexit could be “catastrophic” for the fashion industry, writes Cécile Reinaud, founder and president of maternitywear brand Seraphine.
Editor’s Comment: Double tariff trouble for British fashion
British fashion retail has been dealt a double dose of bad news in recent days.
Editor’s Comment: the Karen Millen store cull was hard to watch
It was a sad moment walking past the closing Karen Millen store on the corner of Regent Street and Princes Street in central London last week.
Retailer Insight: Andrew Jennings on how to remain relevant
Retail has never been this fast and it will never be this slow again, writes Andrew Jennings, senior retail executive, author of Almost Is Not Good Enough and former boss of House of Fraser, Saks Fifth Avenue and Harrods.
Editor’s Comment: Facing the pressure of the fast fashion world
The high-stress world of fast fashion was laid bare last week in the first episode of a six-part BBC Three documentary on womenswear etailer In The Style.
Comment: Première Vision sets edgy autumn agenda
Sustainable innovations and Brexit were the top talking points at the autumn 20 edition of Paris textiles trade show Première Vision, as fabrics veered towards the dark and shimmering.
London Fashion Week: the Drapers verdict
International buyers flock to London’s womenswear designers for a balance between creativity and commerciality.
Retailer Insight: How China became a key market for Radley
When Radley was bought by private equity firm Bregal Freshstream in 2016, the business was well-established in the UK, but under-represented internationally, writes CEO Justin Stead.
Editor’s Comment: Brexit déjà vu at London Fashion Week
Yet again we find ourselves in the strange position of celebrating London as an international stage for British design talent, less than two months before the UK leaves the European Union.
Industry Comment: Collaborate to overcome fashion's new challenges
New skills and collaboration are vital for fashion SMEs, writes Judith Tolley, head of creative business incubator the Centre for Fashion Enterprise, as it opens its new business hub
Editor's Comment: There's fight left in our independent retailers
Judging for the Drapers Independents Awards is always a lively debate, and one that reassures me that it’s not all doom and gloom on the high street – there is so much innovation and success to celebrate.
Editor's Comment: Panic autumn Sales cause lasting damage
Widespread discounting on autumn stock before the summer has even come to an end has, worryingly, become common practice for many UK fashion retailers – and has potentially damaging implications.
Comment: Apprenticeships have the power to transform fashion
Creative and technical skills are vital for a thriving UK fashion and textiles industry, but skills shortages and risks to the talent pipeline are among the most urgent challenges facing the sector, writes John West, director of skills and training at the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT).
Industry comment: We need to be bold after Brexit
Agility, courage and determination will let businesses prosper after Brexit, despite the challenges, writes Lucy Reece-Raybould, CEO of the British Footwear Association.
Editor's Comment: Online profitability is a long game
Consumers are embracing online shopping, which requires fashion retailers to invest heavily in developing ecommerce – but an increasing number are questioning the return on that investment.
Editor's Comment: A pleasure and a privilege
When I joined Drapers in June 2005, I could not have imagined the challenges and opportunities the next 14 years would bring.
Retailer Insight: Breathe some lifestyle into footwear retail
Brands and retailers need to widen their view and delight their customers to remain successful, writes Gerard Levy, owner of independent footwear retailer Spice London and footwear agency Gil Agencies.
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Redefining Retail: the high street in 2020 and beyond
A new report from New West End Company and Springwise considers the shape of retail in the next decade. Drapers brought together retailers to debate how the industry can redefine itself.
Drapers and Klarna launch Next Generation Entrepreneurs
Our new report lists the founders challenging the status quo.
How to achieve growth in a difficult climate
Our new report, Growth in a Changing Economy, explores how fashion brands and retailers can achieve growth in an uncertain climate.
Guide to Growth: Your questions answered
Our new portal focuses on answering the questions brands and retailers want answered.
Mapping the multichannel customer journey: Connected Consumer 2019
The Connected Consumer – Drapers’ multichannel customer insight report – shines a light on how fashion shoppers are using mobile, social and store shopping.
How sustainability is changing the fashion economy
Drapers has collaborated with Raconteur on a new report, the Fashion Economy, published in The Times today.
Webcast: Increasing profitability with automation
Our webcast explored how brands are using analytics and automation to increase profit.
Gen Z and Millennials
Between them, Generation Z and millennials – broadly, shoppers in their late teens, twenties and thirties – attract endless attention, and represent fashion’s consumers of both the present and future.
Five ways AI is working for fashion retailers
It’s not just a buzzword – artificial intelligence is changing how retailers do business in tangible ways. In our new report, we speak to some of the retailers using the technology about how AI is changing things for them.
Drapers multichannel trends report 2019
Drapers’ multichannel trends report explores the most important trends in cross channel retail this year. Download it here for interviews with River Island, M&S, Mango and more.
If you entered fashion to be creative, don't fear automation
Until recently, technology and fashion and may not have seemed natural bedfellows, and yet today, from design to marketing, from production to distribution, technology is influencing every facet of our industry.
What sold well online over Christmas 2018?
Drapers, in partnership with Ebay, provides a quarterly snapshot of data on online fashion retail’s KPIs and trends.
Coming up: Drapers multichannel roundtable
Drapers’ multichannel breakfast will explore how the cross-channel mix is evolving in fashion in 2019.
Webinar: Lessons from Christmas 2018
Drapers’ webinar explores key lessons and insights from Christmas 2018.
Drapers Guide: Customer Reviews
How customer reviews are changing fashion, and our step by step guide to making the most of them.
Personalisation for anonymous shoppers
Most of the visitors to a retailer’s website are anonymous. How can the experience be tailored to them without knowing who they are?
The opportunities of off-price fashion
As sustainability - and squeezed margins - continue to put pressure on retailers to improve management of excess stock, off-price fashion has become a hot topic. Drapers’ new report explores its opportunities.
The new rules of digital customer experience
What does the ideal digital customer experience look like today, and who are the retailers leading the way?
What Nike, Asos and Everlane have in common
Join us for a live briefing on what makes a great digital experience, and hear who’s getting it right.
Webinar: The future of data in online retail
Retailers are starting to learn more about their shoppers based on their online behaviour - something that is becoming more important in a post-GDPR world.
Where automation can help
Our new report pinpoints the parts of the customer journey that technology is improving.
Facing fashion's sustainable challenge
Sustainability in fashion is the hot topic of the moment, and was the subject of discussion at Drapers’ latest roundtable.
Mastering mobile as the 2018 peak approaches
The 2018 retail peak is nearly upon us, and mobile will be playing a more important role than ever.
Webinar: Next-generation digital marketing
How are retailers’ email strategies evolving?
Customer insight: How fashion’s multichannel consumers are evolving
Our annual survey of fashion shoppers provides in-depth insight into what shoppers want in a multichannel retail world.
Ecommerce Snapshot: Fashion's Q3 online performance
The Drapers Ecommerce Snapshot gives a comprehensive overview of fashion’s digital performance over the last quarter.
Building a continuous customer view
The single customer view is at the forefront of retailers’ minds, but GDPR and continuing customer concerns about privacy mean it is no easy win
Video: How 3D software is impacting design
Fashion retailers gathered at the Soho Hotel in June to discuss how 3D fashion is changing the industry.
Instagram's new tools for fashion retailers
In partnership with Instagram, Drapers explores the platform’s range of recent new tools - including the launch of IGTV last month - and how they are boosting consumer engagement.
Solving fashion's sustainability problem
Fashion is one of the world’s most polluting industries.
