In Pictures: Tess Daly’s Naia Beach Launches Men’s Swimwear
Tess Daly’s Naïa Beach has launched a men’s swimwear collection, offering five designs in solid and printed styles. Each pair includes functional details such as a zip‑back pocket, velcro side pockets, a back hook and drawstring closure. Prices are positioned between £85 and £89, mirroring the brand’s premium positioning. The launch follows Naïa’s 2021 founding, its recent activewear debut, and recent Drapers Independents Awards recognition.
Crocs Readies First Full-Price Store in France
Crocs will open its first full‑price store in Paris in June 2026, marking a strategic shift toward premium retail in Europe. The launch is part of a broader 2026 expansion plan that follows recent outlet openings in the UK. In 2025...
Vestiaire Collective Restructures Executive Team
Vestiaire Collective has appointed Thomas Hezard and Rémi Bouchez as its new heads of innovation, consolidating strategy, product and engineering under seasoned insiders. Both executives have spent more than seven years at the company, with Hezard previously overseeing strategy, people...
LK Bennett Clearance Sale Deepens in Bid to Shift Stock
LK Bennett, the UK premium womenswear label, launched a deeper clearance, raising discounts to at least 60% across all merchandise. The sale follows its January acquisition by US restructuring firm Gordon Brothers, which bought the brand and intellectual property out...
The Rise of AI Fashion Models
Drapers reports a rapid increase in AI‑generated fashion models, highlighting how brands are swapping digital avatars for human talent. The technology promises faster turnaround, unlimited styling options, and lower production costs. However, the shift raises legal questions around copyright, image...
First Look: John Lewis and Labrum’s SS26 Menswear Drop
John Lewis and Labrum are releasing a 35‑piece SS26 menswear collection on 19 March, available online and in five UK stores. The line expands beyond clothing into footwear, bags and homeware, showcasing West African heritage through Nomoli and Adinkra motifs. Prices span...
Why Women Belong at the Heart of Retail Logistics: ‘You Learn How a Business Really Works’
Louise Cartner, general manager of Sportsshoes.com, argues that women are essential to retail logistics, citing her own warehousing stint as a catalyst for deeper business insight. She highlights how hands‑on logistics work teaches end‑to‑end operations, decision‑making speed, and cost awareness....
Boden to Open Second US Store
Boden is opening its second U.S. store at Hill Center Green Hills in Nashville, expanding its physical footprint after a successful debut in Atlanta. The Nashville shop will feature a womenswear edit tailored for warm‑weather dressing, including swimwear and dresses. The move...
Middle East Conflict: Supply Chain Disruption Is ‘Last Thing’ Fashion Retail Needs
The ongoing Middle East conflict is jeopardising the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global shipping, and pushing oil prices to record highs. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has pledged that Britain will avoid a wider war while...
Why George Has Got It: Asda’s Recipe for Fashion Success
Asda’s private‑label clothing line George is becoming a key growth engine, helping to offset thin grocery margins. Vice‑president Karl Doyle announced plans for 100 standalone George stores within five years, alongside a major online revamp. The brand’s affordable style is...
Alpaca Apparel Wins Drapers Den 2026
Alpaca Apparel, founded in 2021, creates 100 % alpaca‑wool garments using undyed yarn spun in Northern Ireland on renewable electricity. The fully UK‑based supply chain runs from alpaca shearing to Leicester knitting, producing biodegradable pieces priced between £95 and £325. The...
Nobody’s Child Readies New Bluewater Store
Nobody’s Child, the London‑based womenswear label, will open its eighth brick‑and‑mortar store at Bluewater on 27 March. The 1,200 sq ft shop sits on the ground floor of the Lower Guildhall precinct, next to Zara and Oliver Bonas. The launch follows a recent rollout...
Business Rates Revaluation 2026: Fashion Retail Faces a Fresh Cost Squeeze
The UK’s business rates revaluation takes effect on 1 April 2026, resetting the tax base for commercial properties. Andrea Barnes of Form Property warns that the new valuations will lift rates for many high‑street locations, hitting fashion retailers hard. Analysts expect cost...
Etro Creative Director Exits
Italian designer Marco De Vincenzo is leaving Etro, ending a tenure that began in June 2022. The house praised his role in strengthening brand identity during a period of growth and stylistic renewal. Etro framed the exit as mutual, aligning...
Drapers Conscious Fashion Awards 2026: Who Was at the Party?
The Drapers Conscious Fashion Awards took place on 11 March 2026, gathering leading advocates of responsible fashion. The event highlighted sustainable brands, circular supply‑chain innovations and zero‑waste collections. Industry executives, designers and investors networked to celebrate achievements and discuss future ESG...
The Trends to Know From Paris Fashion Week AW26
Paris Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2026 (March 4‑10) delivered a vivid mix of frothy frills, vintage‑inspired silhouettes and expertly crafted pleats across the runway. Designers emphasized fluid volume, nostalgic tailoring and texture‑rich fabrics, while colour palettes swung between muted earth tones and...
The Rise of Gift Cards: Gift Your Customers Personal Style
Gift cards are experiencing renewed growth, especially in fashion, as UK consumers bought them for others 16% of the time in the first half of 2025, up from 15.8% a year earlier. Self‑gift purchases also climbed to 9%, reflecting a...
How M&S Is Embedding Circular Models with Ebay and Reskinned
Marks & Spencer has launched a dedicated clothing resale platform by partnering with eBay and technology provider Reskinned. The initiative, part of M&S’s “Another Life” circularity program, allows customers to sell pre‑owned garments on eBay while the brand focuses on...
Retailers and Suppliers Urge Government Action on UK-India Trade Deal
The UK‑India free‑trade agreement, finalised in July 2025, promises to remove the 8‑12% duties on most Indian textiles, garments and footwear entering the UK. Retailers and suppliers, however, are frustrated by the still‑pending ratification in the UK Parliament, leaving tariffs...
Drapers Launches AI Intelligence Tool
Fashion industry news outlet Drapers has unveiled Ask Drapers, an AI‑powered intelligence tool that answers user queries using its own editorial archive. The platform taps more than 68,000 fact‑checked articles covering retail trends, data, and analysis, delivering instant, summarized insights....
What’s M&S’s Womenswear Strategy for Spring/Summer 26?
Marks & Spencer’s women’s wear spring/summer 26 line leans heavily on bomber jackets and straight‑leg denim, with barrel‑leg jeans still the top seller. The retailer reports growth among under‑35 and under‑55 shoppers while maintaining dominance with customers over 55. A new mid‑month...
Crocs to Open First Full-Price UK Store
Crocs opened its first full‑price UK mainline store on 20 March at Westfield Stratford City, a 1,496 sq ft space showcasing the brand’s complete adult and kids range, Jibbitz charms, and a Lego partnership. The launch is a cornerstone of Crocs’ 2026 retail...
Founder’s Diary: Baukjen’s Baukjen De Swaan Arons
Baukjen founder Baukjen de Swaan Arons details the premium womenswear label’s push into the United States and Europe while maintaining a sustainable growth model. She outlines the operational hurdles of scaling production, supply‑chain transparency, and brand positioning in new markets. The diary...
Nadine Merabi Drafts in Former Jigsaw and Matches Bosses as Advisers
Nadine Merabi has appointed former Jigsaw CEO Hash Ladha and ex‑Matches chief Nick Beighton as part‑time advisers to help reshape its organisational structure. Ladha will work two days a week and Beighton three days a month, both serving as non‑executive directors...
Drapers Conscious Fashion Manifesto – Make Your Voice Heard
Drapers has published a Conscious Fashion Manifesto urging the UK government to provide clearer sustainability regulations, financial incentives and stronger recycling infrastructure for the fashion retail sector. The manifesto highlights the industry’s £62 bn annual contribution to the economy, 1.3 million jobs...
Matalan Secures £25m Investment to Fuel Growth
Matalan has secured a £25 million investment from core investors including Invesco, Tresidor, Man Group and Napier Park. The capital will fund store‑estate modernisation, digital capability upgrades and seasonal product expansion, with 40 additional stores slated for refresh by the first half...
Paul Smith Posts a Loss Amid Wholesale Struggles
Paul Smith reported a pre‑tax loss of £16.7 m for the year to 30 June 2025, widening from a £5.4 m loss the previous year. Turnover fell 8% to £181 m as wholesale revenue slumped 16%, while ecommerce sales rose 14%. Gross profit declined 7%...
How to Nagivate the Line Between Greenwashing and Greenhushing
Brands and retailers are confronting intensified regulatory scrutiny and potential sanctions over sustainability claims, prompting many to adopt “greenhushing” – the practice of keeping environmental initiatives hidden. While this approach reduces the risk of violating emerging green‑claim laws, it also...
Albaray, Drapers Conscious Fashion Campaign, Asda’s George and More
Albaray marks its fifth anniversary with fresh collaborations and expanded retail partnerships while reaffirming its sustainable ethos. Drapers has released a Conscious Fashion Manifesto urging government support for Made‑in‑UK production, recycling infrastructure, compliance financing, and clear sustainability guidance. The CMA’s...