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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.
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Entries are now open for the Drapers Digital Awards, part of the Digital Festival 2020. We have 15 categories up for grabs, so make sure you enter your business now!
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The menswear brand banking on independents
Guide London has taken an independent approach to business to withstand the troubles of a shrinking high street.
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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 man behind Ben Sherman's winning British style
Ben Sherman clothing boss Mark Williams is proud of showing at London Fashion Week Men’s and outfitting Team GB for the Olympics.
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Business Operations
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Thinking a decade ahead: NRF Big Show 2020
The National Retail Federation’s NRF Big Show 2020 showcased the technology that retailers need to think about today to stay ahead of the game in the future.
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Entries are now open for the Drapers Digital Awards, part of the Digital Festival 2020. We have 15 categories up for grabs, so make sure you enter your business now!
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The menswear brand banking on independents
Guide London has taken an independent approach to business to withstand the troubles of a shrinking high street.
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Autumn 20 menswear buying guide
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More Arcadia stores to close Subscription
Amazon opens new Manchester officeSubscription
This week's need-to-know people movesSubscription
Retail health at 'record low'Subscription
First Look: Barbour launches premium sub-brandSubscription
Christmas boost for Crew ClothingSubscription
Boux Avenue seeks to slash rentsSubscription
M&S poaches another Arcadia directorSubscription
Totême appoints CEOSubscription
Frasers Group closes further Jack Wills storesSubscription
Shoe Zone appoints chairmanSubscription
Moss Bros sales fallSubscription
N Brown warns on profitsSubscription
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The Drapers Interview
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The 11 best brands to know from Berlin for autumn 20Subscription
Drapers picks the top brands to know from Berlin’s Panorama, Premium and Seek.
Thinking a decade ahead: NRF Big Show 2020Subscription
The National Retail Federation’s NRF Big Show 2020 showcased the technology that retailers need to think about today to stay ahead of the game in the future.
Jacket Required preview: what you need to know about the autumn 20 editionSubscription
What’s new and the brands to watch out for at the upcoming edition of the menswear trade show.
Tokyo: Olympic opportunities and hurdles for retailersSubscription
Ahead of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Drapers explores how international retailers can enter this dynamic market.
Autumn 20 trends to note from Milan Fashion Week Men’sSubscription
Drapers recaps the trends you need to know from the Milan Fashion Week Men’s autumn catwalks.
Buying season kicks off with positive PittiSubscription
The autumn 20 edition of Italian menswear trade show Pitti Uomo was comparatively slow, but exhibitors praised the quality of buyers
Drapers' pick of Pitti Uomo autumn 20Subscription
Fly solo or join the band?Subscription
Drapers explores whether the fashion industry’s young talent should branch out alone or become part of a bigger business.
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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.
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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.
Editor's Comment: Still a lot to be proud of on the high street
This week Drapers celebrates an incredible 132 years. Looking back at the industry over that time there have been huge changes and challenges to overcome but there has also been plenty to celebrate.
Comment: Putting the preppy pep back into Jack Wills
Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct has acquired lifestyle retailer Jack Wills for £12.8m. What will it take to revive the flagging business?
Editor's Comment: HoF won't survive without strong supplier relationships
To say it has been a turbulent week for Sports Direct Group is an understatement.
Comment: Quality of buyers makes up for quantity at Jacket Required
In the sweltering heat of one of London’s hottest days of the year, the spring 20 edition of menswear trade show Jacket Required was judged by exhibitors and buyers alike to be relatively quiet.
Editor's Comment: Industry support must be Johnson's top priority
Consumer confidence is low, the high street is in the midst of one of its most challenging periods yet, Brexit is imminent, and the UK has a new prime minister, Boris Johnson.
Comment: Steady spring 20 at Pure London and Scoop
The spring 20 editions of UK trade shows Pure London and Scoop, which ran concurrently in London on 21-23 July, got off to a sunny yet slow start on Sunday, although both shows picked up across the three days.
Editor’s Comment: Make high streets local focal destinations
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the high street is not dead.
Comment: What does Asos's fall from grace tell us?
In the wake of Asos’s second profit warning in seven months, Stephen Springham, head of retail research at property consultancy Knight Frank argues that ecommerce is not a golden ticket to success.
Spotted: why Zara’s dotty dress went viral
It’s summer’s dress sensation – but why has Zara’s polka-dot maxi-dress taken the high street by storm?
Editor’s Comment: Retail visionary Arthur Ryan never forgot his roots
The industry is saddened this week by the loss of retail stalwart, Arthur Ryan, who has died aged 83. My thoughts go to all of his family, friends and colleagues.
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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.
