Articles by FashionUnited
UK store fashion posts strongest week in 21 as heat drives demand
UK store fashion sales recorded their strongest week in 21 weeks, growing +12.33% in a seven-day period covering the spring bank holiday and half-term break, according to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker. The result, which compares to a -3.17% base in the same week last year, was driven by two record-breaking late-spring heatwaves that...
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Chirag Patel: the trustee reshaping Pentland's family empire
Chirag Patel became chief executive officer of Pentland Brands on January 1, 2021, inheriting a portfolio built around swimming pools, gyms, rugby pitches and the great outdoors at the precise moment a pandemic had closed most of them. A year into the job, asked what he had learned, he did not reach for a growth metric. He reached for a...
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Three years of Joannes Soënen at Jules: the turnaround architect
When Joannes Soënen took the helm of Jules in June 2023, the French menswear chain was carrying the weight of a recent cyberattack, a shrinking top line and a store network that had aged out of step with its customers. Roughly two years later, the business he describes as having undergone "a rapid turnaround between 2023 and 2024" was back to...
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Video: History of Loewe, told by Antonio Banderas
This animated video, narrated by Antonio Banderas himself, traces the 180-year history of Loewe, from its origins in 1845 as a modest leather goods workshop in Madrid to becoming a global benchmark in the luxury sector. The narrative explores how the brand fused Spanish artisanal expertise with the commercial vision of its German founder,...
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Fashion pulse: United Kingdom — April 2026
Consumer prices (April) UK headline CPI eased to +2.8 percent year-on-year in April 2026 per the Office for National Statistics (ONS), down from plus 3.3 percent in March — the lowest reading since March 2025 and a 50 basis-point single-month moderation. The Bank of England targets headline CPI at 2 percent, so April sits 80 basis points above...
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Heatwave triggers UK fashion rebound led by surge in store sales
UK fashion sales rebounded sharply in the latest week, with an early-season heatwave driving renewed demand across both physical and online channels, according to the latest BDO High Street Sales Tracker. Total fashion like-for-like (LFL) sales rose +4.59%, against a negative base of -1.14% for the same week last year. Store fashion led the...
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Video: Denim professionals discuss industry dynamics and future vision
This piece revisits the FRESH BLOOD series by highlighting a conversation with two young denim professionals, Lucille Ix (22) and Lucas Van de Woestyne (27). Both grew up in the industry, and their families have known each other for generations. The discussion covers how the massive denim industry operates as a small community, the longevity of...
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Spring/Summer 2027 Trend Report: Navigating a Polycrisis Season of Pleasure, Protection and the Quiet Return of Elegance
Executive summary: A confluence of held polarities and considered pleasure defines SS27 The spring/summer 2027 season arrives in a global context trend forecasters describe with unusual unanimity. WGSN and Coloro frame 2027 as a "polycrisis" that will push consumers toward community and nature. David Shah, speaking at Mare di Moda, reads the...
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Video: Pierre-Alexis Dumas details Hermès handbag creation on 60 Minutes
Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas recently provided the renowned news magazine 60 Minutes with an exclusive, intimate look inside the hallowed workshops of the Parisian fashion house. During the segment, Dumas meticulously detailed the intricate, generations-old craftsmanship and specialized skills required to create their globally...
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Alipay introduces artificial intelligence payment infrastructure
Chinese digital platform Alipay has introduced its full-stack artificial intelligence payment solution to partners across various industries, including traditional retailers and technology firms. The company debuted two new services this week, AI Wallet and Token Pay, to support the rapid growth of the agentic commerce ecosystem. The launch...
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