News

​Ongoing heatwaves (negative) and back-to-school season (positive) played their parts in defining the UK’s retail footfall across 2-30 August period.

​Women over 40 are increasingly seeking beauty advice designed specifically for them, with new Google search data revealing “huge” year-on-year increases across skincare, make-up and beauty searches.

The August heat was a killer for retail footfall and it also seemed to suppress spending on discretionary categories, the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker showed on Friday (4 September).

John Lewis is stepping up investment in content creation as customers increasingly find ⁠products through AI agents, seeking to keep them engaged in what it called a “difficult economy.”

Menswear brand Moss has launched its AW26 looks, enlisting friends of the brand to present the season’s ‘In Good Company’ message.

​Heritage sports/lifestyle accessories brand New Era has signed a 10-year lease for a flagship store on London’s revitalised Oxford Street, adjacent to Selfridges department store and close to Bond Street Tube station.

The company has acquired a majority stake in the Italian company Caron Technology, a specialist in cutting-room preparation systems, with which it has collaborated for nearly two decades.

One year after the death of its founder, Italian fashion house Giorgio Armani is entering a pivotal phase, just as the time for the planned sale of an initial stake is drawing closer.

After several months of anticipation, LVMH and its 2026 jury have just awarded the LVMH Prize, the Karl Lagerfeld Prize, and the Savoir-Faire Prize to three of the nine finalists announced last April.

The Spanish luxury house has expanded its roster of global ambassadors, appointing English actor Spike Fearn as the face of the brand, following the March appointment of American actress Julia Garner.

​Luxury fashion label Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla has stepped into fine jewellery and launched its debut collection, accompanied by a campaign starring actor Dimple Kapadia.

The brand’s first German brick-and-mortar store, in a prime Hamburg location, comprises 800 m² of retail space and will open on September 10. PTH Group is the partner for this retail launch.

Unsecured creditors of Harvey Nichols — which include major luxury names — will get back only “up to 15%” of what they’re owed, a new filing at Companies House suggests.

The trade fair organiser will launch a new chapter of its “Territories of Savoir-Faire” platform. After France, Japan, and Portugal, the fair will turn its focus in January to India’s creative heritage.

It’s a familiar story but the sale process for Very Group looks to be off again, despite interest from a number of parties including, reportedly, China’s JD.com.

​Retailers may congratulate themselves thinking they’ve cracked the issues around unified (in-store and online) commerce but they’d be surprised their customers don’t feel the same was and shoppers still have complaints.

The French label has unveiled the new look of its long-standing Parisian flagship on rue Vieille du Temple, featuring minimalistic interiors that will be replicated in Sandro’s 750 stores worldwide.

​French Connection has launched its AW26 campaign with the Your Call creative “centred on the everyday decisions made before anyone else gets a say”.

Cartier on Thursday announced the opening of a new store in Orlando, as the high-end jeweler expands its retail footprint across Florida and the U.S. 

Outdoor apparel company Patagonia Inc. is suing the Trump administration over its move to drastically shrink the boundaries of protected lands in Utah. 

The US-based footwear and accessories brand will open its first store in the country and launch its own e-commerce platform, as part of a strategy that combines a physical presence with digital expansion.

​The Estée Lauder Companies is reshuffling leadership across its luxury beauty portfolio, appointing Justin Boxford to the newly created role of global president, luxury beauty brands.

Victoria’s Secret (VS&Co.) on Thursday said sales for the second quarter rose 10% to $1.611 billion, prompting the U.S. lingerie giant to lift is sales guidance for the year.

​BeautySpace, the discovery-driven beauty retail and wholesale platform powered by The PCA Companies, is set to open its first brick-and-mortar location in New York City’s Union Square on September 10.

The 41-piece collection draws inspiration from Venice Beach and Southern California, combining oversized silhouettes, bold graphics and gender-fluid design with Palm Angels’ established streetwear codes.

Lululemon Athletica on Thursday slashed its ​full-year forecasts again, underscoring that incoming CEO Heidi O’Neill has her work cut out — to win back shoppers from ‌newer rivals by revamping the brand’s product line.

New York Fashion Week launches next week with a lineup of American heritage ⁠brands that have managed to lure in younger Gen Z shoppers, despite broader struggles in the global luxury sector.

Oura, the maker of smart wearable ⁠Oura Ring, filed the paperwork for its U.S. initial public offering ⁠on Thursday.

The British footwear brand is also preparing to open its first brick-and-mortar shop in Mexico City.

European luxury stocks fell on Thursday, extending recent losses as investors grew increasingly cautious about ⁠the sector’s recovery prospects. Shares in sector bellwether LVMH fell 2.3%.