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.
JD Sports to close 175 Hibbett stores as restructuring continues
JD Sports has said it is planning to close around 175 Hibbett stores over the next three years as part of an ongoing optimisation of its North American footprint. Speaking during the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call, chief executive Régis Schultz said the retailer is focusing on closing smaller and lower-performing stores while...
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Inside Fashion in Helsinki 2026: From shaping Nordic identity to platforming new voices
This month, Helsinki is preparing for a new edition of its annual Fashion in Helsinki event. With an official schedule running May 26 to 30, the occasion is overflowing with independent, young, and in some cases well-established talent from the region, underlining the city’s status as a growing fashion capital. While many of these locations...
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Prévu founder Jake Hall passes away, tributes roll in
Jake Hall, the founder of menswear brand Prévu Studio and former The Only Way is Essex (Towie) star, has passed away aged 35. According to media reports, Hall died in a holiday villa in Majorca after “a tragic accident” that led to fatal head injuries. Hall first garnered acclaim when joining the Towie cast in 2015. The same year he launched Pré...
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Harvey Nichols appoints new buying director for menswear and non-apparel
Harvey Nichols has appointed Shaun Donnelly as buying director for non-apparel and menswear. Donnelly confirmed the news in a post on LinkedIn, where he said he was “happy to share” he was starting the new role and looked forward to “driving the next phase of growth across menswear, footwear and accessories with an incredible team”. Donnelly...
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Atelier Ninety Five makes retail debut with exclusive Selfridges launch
Contemporary womenswear label Atelier Ninety Five has launched exclusively at Selfridges, marking the brand’s first retail partnership and physical store presence. The launch introduces the brand to Selfridges’ international luxury customer base with a curated edit from its SS26 collection, including lace co-ords, draped jersey pieces, relaxed...
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Farfetch launches premium service offering faster delivery and elevated touchpoints
Luxury platform Farfetch has introduced a new premium service designed to elevate the customer experience through immersive brand pages and faster delivery. ‘Farfetch First’ is initially launching across Europe, including in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Switzerland, with a phased global rollout due to follow. The service offers users a...
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Old Navy names Michael Francis as chief customer officer
Gap Inc. has appointed a former advisor of Old Navy to the role of chief customer officer of the brand. Michael Francis will take up the executive position alongside the role of head of marketing shared services for the group. Francis has previously served as president of JCPenney, chief marketing officer at Target, and chief global brand...
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Fashion-Enter Ltd receives King’s Award for Enterprise in sustainable development
Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL), a British clothing manufacturer and the organiser of Leicester Made & Regions, has been awarded the King’s Award for Enterprise 2026 in the Sustainable Development category. The award recognises the organisation’s efforts in sustainability integration within fashion manufacturing and education, specifically in the...
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Castore secures 90 million pounds in funding to invest in growth and digital capabilities
Sportswear brand Castore has secured a 90 million pound facility with banking partners as it continues to pursue global expansion and rollout a growth strategy. The company said it would use the funding to facilitate new retail openings across the UK, as well as support growth into the Middle East and Asia. In a statement, Mark Rowan, global...
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Steve Madden reports Q1 sales growth, Kurt Geiger drives performance
Steve Madden has reported an 18 percent increase in revenue for the first quarter of 2026, reaching 653.1 million dollars, supported by growth in direct-to-consumer and contributions from Kurt Geiger. Net income rose to 71.8 million dollars, compared to 40.4 million dollars in the same period last year. However, adjusted net income declined to...
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