Barneys under Dubai ownership?
Luxury fashion retailer Barneys New York is close to finding a new owner. According to various media reports, owner Jones Apparel Group is close to an agreement to sell the retailer to Isithmar, the investment arm of the Dubai government for about $825 million. This is more than double the amount Jones Apparel Group paid…
Bella Freud quits Biba
Designer Bella Freud has quit Biba to focus on her own collection. Biba, which shows during London Fashion Week, was relaunched only last year, failing expectations to return to its iconic status of the 60s. “Even when I was working with Biba, I was doing my own collection on a minute scale. Now, I really…
Designers turn to Milan men’s fashion week
Milan men’s fashion week is geared to be the hot ticket for the men’s shows in June this season. New additions to the already jam-packed designer schedule include Dries van Noten, who formerly showed his men’s collections at Paris Men’s Fashion Week. Following van Noten is Marc Jacobs, who also plans to show his men’s…
Wintour-hater jailed
Fashion writer Peter Braunstein, who fantasized about killing Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, has been sentenced to eighteen years in jail. The former Women’s Wear Daily writer was convicted yesterday of dressing up as a fire fighter, tying up, terrorizing and sexually molesting a former colleague for hours on end. Braunstein appeared in court under the…
World Retail Awards recognizes Zara and Kate Moss
Zara owner Inditex, the Spanish retailer, and Kate Moss last week were crowned as Retailer of the Year and Icon of the Year at the inaugural World Retail Awards in Barcelona. The successful high street company “had a stunning year and continued to build on its reputation to deliver fast fashion” said judges. Inditex won…
China’s textile industry sees surge in profit
China’s textile industry reported profits of 11.2 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion U.S. dollars) in the first two months of 2007, up 38.7 percent on the same period last year. Statistics from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said the added value of the textile industry grew 17.9 percent year-on-year in the January-February period.…
House of Fraser to cut discount promotion
House of Fraser is piling pressure on rival Debenhams in the crucial run-up to Christmas. The department store is overhauling its advertising strategy and reducing its focus on cut-price promotions. A review to be presented to senior management this week will outline plans to spend more money pushing full-price products. Celebrity endorsements will also be…
Uniqlo celebrates 50 years of Manga
This summer, Uniqlo stores are embellished in super-size Manga characters. Taking influence from its Japanese heritage, enormous Manga characters and comic strips have taken over the windows and interiors of Uniqlo’s stores in the West End. Working with one of Japan’s biggest Manga publisher Shogakukan, Uniqlo created a commemorative collaboration celebrating 50 years of Weekly…
High street sales growth ends
Hopes of stronger high street sales failed to materialise in February and instead sales growth came to a halt, while the prices of goods rose strongly, the CBI said this week. A third (34%) of respondents to the latest Distributive Trades Survey said year-on-year sales volumes rose in the first.” half of February, while 36%…
Jas M.B. goes green
Green is the new black and luxurious accessory designer Jas M.B. has picked up the latest trend by teaming up with prolific fashion designer Katherine Hamnett. For Spring/Summer 2008, Jas M.B. designed an environmental friendly men and women’s bag range. The collection is produced according to the environmental policies of today. The range exists of…