Articles by Rachel Douglass
Rachel has been with FashionUnited since mid-2021. Descending from the UK, she moved to the Netherlands in 2014 to attend Amsterdam Fashion Institute, where she studied a BA in International Fashion and Branding with a specialisation in Journalism.
At FashionUnited, Rachel covers daily news, from store openings to acquisitions, alongside which she focuses on research-based stories, interviews and on-the-ground event reporting. Her topics of interest include digital fashion, independent retail and current trends.
Activist investor ramps up pressure on Victoria’s Secret to disperse board
Barington Capital Group has called on Victoria’s Secret to make significant board changes in order to protect the lingerie brand from any hostile takeovers. This is according to sources for Reuters, which also referenced a letter from the activist investor issued to shareholders of Victoria’s Secret. In the letter, Barington, which owns over 1...
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Seraphine to explore strategic investment options as it eyes growth
Maternity brand Seraphine has commenced a process to identify a new investor as it looks towards its next phase of growth. The process is being overseen by advisors at Interpath, the firm confirmed to FashionUnited, with a variety of options being mulled, including, but not limited to, a new investor or a full sale. The news shortly follows...
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John Lewis taps former Marks & Spencer marketing head as CCO
British department store John Lewis has named Anna Braithwaite as its new chief customer officer. In the role, she has been tasked with leading the John Lewis brand and marketing across all channels, loyalty, customer experience and creative and content teams. Braithwaite, who will report to John Lewis’ managing director Peter Ruis after taking...
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Oxford Street pedestrianisation project receives public backing
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s plans to pedestrianise iconic shopping street Oxford Street are set to go ahead after receiving backing from both the public and local businesses. A consultation addressing the project found that around seven in ten parties supported Khan’s transformation plans, while two-thirds specifically approved of the...
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Harrods ‘considering legal options’ against estate of former owner
Harrods has said it is “considering legal options” against the estate of its former owner, the late Mohamed al-Fayed, who has been accused of sexually assaulting now-former staff members of the luxury department store. According to Sky News, the department store is planning to file a passing-over application in the High Court to secure the...
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In Pictures: Inside Asos' first US pop-up store in New York
Asos is venturing further over the Atlantic. Over the weekend, the British e-tailer inaugurated its first-ever US pop-up store in New York City, which it will temporarily call home until June 22. Located at 120 Wooster Street, SoHo, the ‘Summer, Styled by Asos’ pop-up features an edit of the brand’s SS25 collection for women and men over two...
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JPMorgan reportedly raises 6.5 billion dollar to fund sale of Skechers
Finance firm JPMorgan Chase & Co. is believed to have prepared for a 6.5 billion dollar debt offering in support of 3G Capital’s impending purchase of footwear brand Skechers. According to a source for Bloomberg, the debt sale could take place as soon as this week. The media outlet, which noted that a representative of the US corporation had...
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Liberty appoints new store director for Regent Street flagship
Luxury department store Liberty has named Beverley Devonish as the new store director of its London flagship on Regent Street. Devonish joins Liberty after founding and establishing her own independent creative platform, Bathsheba Arts, dedicated to uplifting and curating African and Caribbean Textile Art. Prior to this, she had served as store...
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BFC and Pandora name winners of inaugural Student Prize
The British Fashion Council (BFC), together with jewellery specialist Pandora, has announced the winners of the first Pandora x BFC Student Prize 2025. The recipients were unveiled during an event at London’s Old Sessions House, where student talent from the BFC Colleges Council network were honoured. For this edition, Elizabeth Knight, from the...
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Inside Mori’s 10-year growth playbook: Physical retail, pre-school expansion and US localisation
Now in its 10th year, Mori has its ambitions set on being more than just a babywear brand. Last month, the company made such a mission known by making its first acquisition: Kidly, another British label but for pre-school children. Now, Mori is also growing its retail network with the opening of a new store in Hampstead this summer, bringing its...
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