The upcoming season of London Fashion Week will usher in a period of newness. New leadership has taken the helm, a new strategy is underway, and new, or in some cases returning, names on the schedule have tongues wagging. Taking place September 17 to 21, the latest edition will also most notably arrive under the British Fashion Council’s newly introduced ‘BFC 2030: Access, Creativity, Growth’ strategy, which intends to position LFW as a “high-impact growth platform” instead of just a promotional event.

Among the biggest changes to the schedule are the return of Alexander McQueen and Mulberry, alongside Marks & Spencer, which will be making its official LFW debut. At the same time, the BFC is expanding the event beyond the traditional fashion week format through consumer-facing experiences and its freshly created Fashion Britain programme. Collectively, the developments point to an LFW increasingly focused on connecting British fashion’s creative reputation with commercial opportunity, consumers, retailers and regional economies.

McQueen and Mulberry bring British heritage back to LFW

The return of Alexander McQueen from Paris to London is one of the most significant developments for the new season. The British luxury house, which last showed in London in February 2016 for a one-season homecoming led by then-creative director Sarah Burton, has long been presenting its collections in Paris, making its decision to return a notable endorsement of the capital’s creative ecosystem and the role LFW can play in showcasing established British luxury to an international audience. On the return, the brand's CEO, Gianfranco D’Attis, said: “Bringing McQueen back to London Fashion Week is a meaningful moment for the house. London is where our story began and remains central to our identity.”

Mulberry is another British staple returning to the schedule as it enters a new creative chapter under Christopher Kane. His debut forms part of the brand’s 'Back to the Mulberry Spirit' strategy, which returns British creativity, craft and culture at the centre of its direction. CEO Andrea Baldo said: “London has long been a global platform for creativity and culture, making it the ideal stage to debut the Mulberry by Christopher Kane collection.” The presence of both houses gives LFW that much needed weight at the luxury end of the market, something it has long struggled with, while reinforcing the BFC’s efforts to ensure British fashion can combine creative influence with sustainable commercial growth.

A broader schedule brings fashion and retail closer together

The wider schedule continues to bring together established British names including Burberry, Erdem, Richard Quinn, Roksanda and Simone Rocha with NewGen designers and newer international talent. Marks & Spencer, however, represents a particularly notable addition because of its position outside the traditional luxury and designer fashion-week model. The department store's first official LFW show will coincide with its centenary and will use a “see now, buy now” format, allowing customers to purchase the collection immediately online and in stores.

“At M&S we focus on designing clothes with style, quality and value, and making fashion accessible to all,” said Stuart Machin, the retailer's CEO. He added that “customers can shop the collections online or from M&S stores across the UK". The approach provides a direct link between runway exposure and retail, removing the typical delay between a collection being presented and becoming commercially available. Its involvement points to LFW's mission to position itself as a platform that can drive customer engagement and sales, while also providing industry visibility where needed.

The runway is becoming more experiential

The shift towards a broader and more consumer-facing fashion week can also be seen elsewhere. Swedish fashion giant H&M is returning with a reimagined show developed with Nick Knight and Showstudio, Ebay will stage a catwalk focused on pre-loved fashion, J.L-A.L will combine its fashion presentation with an immersive experience, and the 5000 showcase will incorporate a sound bath. Selfridges will also spotlight a curated edit of British designers.

Such presentations reflect an evolving trend seen across global fashion weeks to stage productions that provide something beyond the clothes themselves, whether that be through entertainment, culture, participation or a stronger connection with the consumer. That gives retailers more opportunities to use LFW as part of their own storytelling and customer engagement strategies, while further supporting the BFC’s ambition to expand fashion week into a broader cultural platform.

Fashion Britain takes LFW beyond London

The biggest change to LFW’s structure could come through Fashion Britain, which will bring more than 1,000 events to London, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Bristol, Dundee and Edinburgh. Rather than simply making LFW bigger, the initiative addresses the concentration of investment, talent and opportunities in London, a long-standing challenge for the UK fashion industry, despite the strength of creative and fashion communities across the country.

The initiative forms part of the BFC 2030 strategy's 'Decentralise to Amplify' pillar. Retailers including Westfield, Liverpool One, Fenwick, Ebay and Marks & Spencer will participate, giving businesses across different regions a direct role in the programme.

“It’s vital that we recognise, celebrate and invest in talent wherever it exists across the UK,” said Laura Weir, who was appointed CEO of the BFC last year. “Fashion Britain is about decentralising fashion, by creating stronger pathways for creativity, opportunity and growth in every part of the country.”

A strategic reset for the BFC

For the BFC itself, the upcoming LFW forms just part of a broader reset underway at the council. Its BFC 2030 strategy, outlined earlier this year, is built around access, creativity and growth, with a greater emphasis on commercialising British fashion and creating the conditions for designers and businesses to scale. That direction will now continue under incoming chair Pavita Cooper, who takes over from David Pemsel on October 1, following the announcement of her appointment this week.

Cooper brings experience from senior roles at Lloyds Banking Group and Christie’s and currently sits on the boards of The Old Vic and The King’s Trust. She said: “My priority will be to champion fashion as an important driver of UK growth and help strengthen the environment in which British designers, entrepreneurs and businesses can start, scale and compete globally.” Caroline Issa has also been appointed deputy chair, adding further industry expertise to the BFC’s leadership team.

What retailers should watch this season

For retailers, LFW SS27 will be worth watching for three reasons. The return of British luxury names such as McQueen and Mulberry strengthens London’s international and heritage credentials, while the increasing commercialisation of the runway, through Marks & Spencer's see-now-buy-now model and Ebay's focus on resale, demonstrates how fashion week can connect directly with retail propositions. At the same time, Fashion Britain is expanding the audience and geography of LFW, bringing activity into regional cities and placing retailers closer to the centre of the programme.

The coming edition will therefore be an early test of whether the BFC can turn LFW into the kind of high-impact growth platform it is striving for in BFC 2030, with the capability to merge British creativity with commerce, culture, consumers and regional economies.

Old Navy is making a bigger move into activewear with the launch of Old Navy Sport, a new sub-brand designed to give the retailer’s growing category a distinct identity.

Ralph Lauren Corporation said on Tuesday that it cut absolute greenhouse-gas emissions by 42 percent from its fiscal 2020 baseline and increased global financial support for cancer-related organizations by 14 percent, as part of the first-year update on its Timeless by Design 2030 sustainability strategy.

Istituto Marangoni Firenze is exploring the role of fragrance beyond traditional perfumery through two projects connecting students and alumni with the worlds of design, hospitality and sensory experience.

At Aquaflor in Florence on September 11, students and alumni contributed to a multimedia installation created around two new fragrances. The project translates the scents’ ingredients and references to India into moving images and sound, offering an example of how olfactory concepts can be developed through visual and audio design.

The school is also participating in Pitti Fragranze with a September 12 talk, “The Scent of Hospitality,” examining how fragrance is being used in hotels, resorts and destinations to shape identity, memories and perceptions of place. Speakers include Magna Pars General Manager Barbara Rohner, brand and olfactory designer Ilaria Legato, and Firmenich maître parfumeur Sophie Labbé.

For fashion and design education, the projects demonstrate how fragrance can become a cross-disciplinary area of study, linking creative direction and sensory design with branding, hospitality and cultural storytelling. The initiative places student and alumni work within an industry context while expanding the ways designers can communicate experiences beyond visual formats.

The Lycra Company has appointed Hua Du as its new chief executive officer, effective on Monday. The announcement comes almost six months after the company filed for Chapter 11 in March and exited two months later.

Du succeeds Dean Williams, who served as interim chief executive officer and will continue in his role as chief financial officer.

“With his extensive technical expertise, operational leadership, and global customer focus, we are confident that Hua has the experience and vision to help shape a successful future for the business. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank Dean Williams for his leadership as interim CEO during this period of transition,” Bruce Rubin, executive chairman of the company’s board of directors, said in a statement.

Du said he is "honored to join this exceptional organization as we unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth.”

The Lycra Company filed for Chapter 11 protection in the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas on March 17, implementing a restructuring support agreement reached with the overwhelming majority of its creditors to eliminate approximately 1.2 billion dollars of long-term debt. It emerged from Chapter 11 on 20 May, eliminating more than 1.2 billion dollars in long-term debt and securing more than 75 million dollars in new equity funding through a prepackaged reorganisation.

In Pictures

Gap has announced a collaboration with A.P.C., comprising a 39-piece autumn collection spanning menswear, womenswear and accessories that goes on sale on Friday.

Denim anchors the range, drawn from both brands' archives and built around vintage wash techniques. Men's pieces including the denim jacket and relaxed straight jeans use Japanese denim, at 150 and 120 pounds respectively. Women's styles apply Gap's rigid cotton denim to existing fits such as the High Rise Stride and Low Rise 90s Loose, alongside a shaped denim jacket with an archive-inspired lining.

Beyond denim, the collection covers tailoring, Oxford shirting, outerwear, knitwear and accessories, with cashmere, wool and corduroy in the mix. A reworked sailor stripe runs as a motif, joined by mod-influenced matching sets and dual-brand graphics. Fleece hoodies and accessories carry a Gap arch logo reworked through A.P.C.'s treatment.

Mark Breitbard, president and chief executive of Gap brand, said the company was drawn to A.P.C. for "their distinctive Parisian perspective and commitment to timeless essentials", which it had combined with "Gap's heritage of modern American style in a way that feels authentic to both brands".

A.P.C. founder Jean Touitou framed the project around a single idea. "For me, there is a chic way to be casual and a casual way to be chic," he said. "The research of that balance is at the heart of this collaboration, which brings the concept of 'sheer casual' to life. Friendship and shared cultural affinities between America and France are also at the root of this project."

The campaign centres on a short film, The Long Way, directed by Karl Cannone, styled by Alastair McKimm and overseen by Gap's head of creative Calvin Leung. Shot in Montmartre and drawing on 1960s cinema, it stars American rapper ian and French DJ Paloma Le Friant, and premieres on Gap's own channels alongside the launch.

The UK assortment runs to 34 pieces, priced from 25 to 245 pounds, and will be sold on gap.co.uk and at Gap's Covent Garden store in London. The collection is also being distributed across Japan, Europe, Turkey, China, Mexico, Australia and the Middle East.

Interview Luxury Indian bridalwear has long been difficult to buy in the United States. David's Bridal thinks its scale can change that. On Tuesday, the retailer launched a co-designed 15-piece collection with Kynah.

The collection follows the curated launch the two announced in March, and moves the relationship from selection to joint design. The first phase, a gallery of 25 curated Kynah looks, produced a response the retailer had not anticipated.

"We knew there was a real opportunity to better serve Indian and South Asian brides at the kind of scale only David's can provide, but what the data couldn't tell us was just how deeply the community wanted to see itself represented," Kelly Cook, chief executive of David's Bridal, told FashionUnited. "The response from the community made the emotional importance of cultural bridal representation incredibly clear."

It also revealed that demand sat well beyond the bride. "The excitement came from brides, but also from wedding parties, family members and guests who were looking for something that felt authentic to the celebration," said Cook. "The opportunity isn't just the wedding dress. It's the entire wardrobe around the celebration."

That thinking shaped the new collection, which the two companies spent close to a year developing. "The first phase of our partnership gave us something research couldn't: a real, emotional guest response. We saw the excitement, we listened to what women were asking for, and we learned where we could add value," said Cook. "The first launch opened the door. This collection is us walking through it together."

The 15 pieces are designed to cover the sequence of events that make up an Indian wedding, from Haldi and Mehndi through Sangeet, ceremony and reception.

"We wanted each one to have a distinct personality and purpose, while still feeling like part of one wardrobe for the full celebration," said Cook. "There's a beautiful mix of lehengas, saris, sets and even a gown that brings traditional Indian beadwork into a classic Western silhouette. That mix was intentional because the modern bridal guest doesn't necessarily want to choose between 'traditional' and 'Western.' She can want both or all, sometimes in the same weekend."

Starting prices of around 900 dollars sit well below what luxury Indian bridalwear typically commands in the US, where the category has long been hard to shop. Cook said the saving comes from infrastructure rather than from the product itself.

"We're bringing together Kynah's design expertise and artisan network with David's retail infrastructure and reach. That means guests can discover these pieces through a bridal retailer they already know, while still getting the craftsmanship, embellishment and artistry that make Indian fashion so elegant and special," she said. "Starting around 900 dollars is meaningful because we're not talking about stripping away what makes these pieces beautiful in order to make them more accessible."

Kynah works with artisans and more than 70 designers across India and South Asia. Asked how hand embellishment survives contact with David's scale, Cook said the answer lies in what does not get scaled.

"By being very intentional about what we scale and what we don't. Scale should make great fashion easier to access; it shouldn't mean taking the soul, character, or beauty out of it," she said. "Some of these pieces take up to 100 hours to create. You can't manufacture that kind of artistry out of the process. Our job is to help more people discover it."

Indian bridal is the company's first cultural expansion in its more than 75 years. "We've been part of millions of wedding journeys, so we understand that a wedding is never just about a dress. It's about family, culture, traditions, emotions and a whole lot of opinions around what you're going to wear," she said. "75 years doesn't mean we're standing still. It means we've had 75 years of practice reinventing ourselves."

The collection launches online first, with trunk shows planned in David's Bridal stores later in the year. It sits within a wider repositioning the company calls its "Aisle to Algorithm" evolution.

"Acceleration is about continuing our evolution from a traditional bridal retailer into an asset-light, digital-first destination where guests can discover more designers, more styles and more of the things they need for their entire wedding journey," said Cook. "We've built the foundation. Now it's time to have some fun with it."

In Pictures

Mizuno Sportstyle has partnered with Han Kjøbenhavn on a 10-piece footwear and apparel collection for autumn/winter 2026, launching on Friday through stockists across EMEA and globally.

The Wave Mujin TL anchors the release at 180 euros. Built on Mizuno's trail-running platform, it uses a crumpled-texture upper for a weathered, industrial surface and a custom-developed Michelin outsole. Detailing includes a rubberised downstrap, technical eyelets with rope laces and Han Kjøbenhavn branding throughout.

The apparel runs on a transparent windproof shell fabric used across four pieces. The Jacket Matt, at 250 euros, has a back vent, adjustable hood and waist toggles, a chest pocket and a reflective collaboration logo. The matching Tech Gilet and Shorts Matt are both 130 euros, with mesh ventilation panels, front buckles and zipped pockets. A Cap Matt completes the group at 50 euros. Base layers include a T-shirt at 75 euros, a long sleeve at 85 euros and tights at 120 euros, with socks at 20 euros.

The Danish brand, known for pairing Scandinavian design with experimental fabrication, built the collection around materials it associates with the suburban city: fog, dust and bin bags, reframed as overlooked everyday texture.

A short film, Permanently in Between, accompanies the launch. It follows figures moving through water, concrete and architecture, revealing product through light and movement rather than conventional placement.

Jigsaw has appointed Melanie Walker as design director, bringing in a designer who spent nearly a decade building Victoria Beckham's ready-to-wear business to lead product and creative direction through the next phase of its turnaround.

The appointment lands a day after the brand reported an 18 percent year-on-year sales increase for spring/summer 2026, covering the six months to July. Store sales rose 11 percent on a like-for-like basis and online grew 21 percent, split between 19 percent in the UK and 48 percent internationally. Dresses were the standout category, up 43 percent on occasion wear and print, and a yellow suit launched in March sold out inside three weeks.

Walker's brief, as the company describes it, is to sharpen a recognisable Jigsaw signature and build on the categories already selling, while making the product offer robust enough to scale across channels and into the United States.

Two decades behind other people's labels

Walker joined Victoria Beckham in 2008 as the brand's first employee, helping establish its ready-to-wear infrastructure when it was still a small capsule business. She became head of design for ready-to-wear in 2013, running mainline and pre-collections and overseeing the design and studio teams, and stayed until 2017.

Her career began at Roland Mouret, followed by Jonathan Saunders and then Freda, the in-house womenswear label at Matches Fashion, where she was head of design. Since 2017 she has worked independently, consulting for Hurlingham 1875, Alice Made This and Paper London, and most recently leading a uniform redesign for travel company Abercrombie & Kent as part of its brand repositioning.

"It is a great honour to join Jigsaw as design director," Walker said. "I have always been inspired by the rich history of this British brand and its strong connection to arts and culture. Excellent quality, fit and fabric will be at the forefront of every design decision."

Tikki Godley, managing director, said she had followed Walker's career for years and expected her to "bring a creative and modern vision to Jigsaw, inspired by our rich history making clothes for people who care about how clothes are made: quality, fit and fabric, and a commitment to backing British design."

Target has appointed Mark Weinstein as chief marketing and guest experience officer, filling a role it created in February and has been recruiting for externally ever since.

Weinstein starts immediately and reports to chief executive Michael Fiddelke. He arrives from Hilton, where he was global chief marketing officer across the group's 28 brands and its Hilton Honors loyalty programme, and also headed its luxury brands.

His remit at Target runs wider than marketing. Alongside brand and guest experience across discovery, shopping and cultural presence, he takes responsibility for Roundel, the retailer's retail media network, and Target+, its curated third-party marketplace. Both are margin-accretive businesses that sit outside conventional marketing ownership.

"As we continue writing the next chapter at Target, deepening how we know and engage our guests will be critical to our success," Fiddelke said. "Mark has a proven ability to understand what consumers value and turn those insights into brand connections that feel relevant and personal."

Weinstein said the retailer had "the rare ability to be both deeply familiar and continually surprising", adding: "We have an enormous opportunity to bring the brand to life across every interaction with consumers, creating experiences that feel unmistakably Target while giving people new reasons to engage with, choose and prefer us."

The last seat at the table

The appointment closes out a leadership rebuild Fiddelke began within days of taking over from Brian Cornell in February. That reshuffle moved Cara Sylvester from chief guest experience officer to chief merchandising officer and Lisa Roath from food and essentials to chief operating officer, saw chief commercial officer Rick Gomez depart and merchandising chief Jill Sando retire, and launched an external search for a combined guest experience and marketing role. Weinstein is the result of that search, and the only outside hire among the four.

He joins at a better moment than the one Fiddelke inherited. Target had posted three consecutive years of declining comparable sales, weighed down by discretionary categories that account for close to a third of annual revenue, and by consumer backlash over changes to its diversity policies. The company also cut about 1,800 corporate roles in October 2025.

Performance has since turned. Target reported a 6.7 percent rise in net sales to 25.4 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2026, with digital comparable sales up 8.9 percent, and raised full-year net sales growth guidance to around 4 percent. Comparable sales rose 2.7 percent in the quarter ended in August, with food and beverage up 7.2 percent. Fiddelke has described home and apparel as a multi-year repair job.

Takko Fashion is continuing its record-breaking performance.

Madrid – Building on our latest analysis of the Spanish fashion multinational, Tendam reported its results for the first half of its 2026 financial year on Monday. The company appears to be moving away from its aggressive commercial policy based on a discounted pricing model. The six-month period, from March 1 to August 31, saw the owner of Cortefiel, Springfield and Women'secret close with a solid performance, showing double-digit growth in sales and profit.

Marco Viganò is the new CEO of Jil Sander. The manager takes on the role this Tuesday and reports directly to Otb Group CEO Ubaldo Minelli. Minelli led Jil Sander on an interim basis during the transition period (Serge Brunschwig left the company on July 31, 2025, for personal reasons).

New ceo to support brand development and further strengthen its positioning

“Jil Sander is a brand with a creative heritage and a distinctive identity that make it unique in the global luxury landscape. Marco Viganò's experience and his knowledge of international markets will contribute to its growth path, supporting its development and further strengthening its positioning,” Ubaldo Minelli, CEO of Otb Group, said in a statement.

Marco Viganò has extensive international experience in the luxury sector. Before joining Jil Sander, he held the position of global chief client officer and president Emea at Moncler. There, he led client development and customer experience strategies, aiming to strengthen the relationship between the brand and its international clientele.

Throughout his career, the manager has taken on roles of increasing responsibility at some of the most prestigious international luxury companies. He has held commercial and operational leadership positions, including chief commercial officer at Audemars Piguet and chief operating officer at Saint Laurent. He has also held positions at Louis Vuitton, Gucci and L'Oréal, developing an international career path across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Russia, complemented by his experience at McKinsey & Company.

Viganò holds a degree in Business and Economics from the Catholic University of Milan.

Los Angeles - The brightest stars in television hit the red carpet Monday for the Emmy Awards, television's equivalent of the Oscars, and they certainly gave fashion fans something to talk about.

Here are some of the top looks seen at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles:

All the sparkles

The women of Hollywood know that under the bright lights, a bit of shimmer goes a long way.

Zendaya, who often turns heads with her red carpet flair, glistened in a custom silver Prada gown featuring a plunging neckline and plenty of bling -- crystals embroidered into the dress and diamonds in her ears.

A sassy short haircut completed the look for the actress, a past winner who is again a nominee for her work on "Euphoria."

Selena Gomez, a nominee for best comedy actress for "Only Murders in the Building," oozed glamour in a strapless gold column gown from Louis Vuitton, her hair long, loose and curly.

Host Mariska Hargitay, already a two-time Emmy winner this year for her documentary "My Mom Jayne," looked radiant in a glittering fire engine red, curve-hugging Monse gown that cascaded to the floor in a fringed train.

Her daughter Amaya wore a matching look, with both appearing to channel the spirit of Hargitay's mother, late movie icon Jayne Mansfield.

Soft pastels

Other stars at the Peacock Theater opted for softer looks, in dreamy hues of green, lavender and pale blue.

Elle Fanning, the star of Apple TV's quirky "Margo's Got Money Troubles" who is nominated alongside Gomez, rocked a sleeveless sparkling green Ralph Lauren slip dress with a shoulder tassel that trailed to the floor.

Katherine LaNasa, last year's winner for best drama supporting actress for "The Pitt," and a nominee again this time around, was a vision in a simple sky blue Louis Vuitton gown with spaghetti straps.

And Sarah Pidgeon, a nominee for the much-talked-about limited series "Love Story: John F Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette," stunned on the peacock blue carpet -- in celebration of NBC's 100th anniversary -- wearing a purple Chanel slip dress with silver bead and pearl accents.

Dapper men

The Emmys usually does not deliver an adventurous red carpet, especially for the guys, but a few stood out.

Colman Domingo, a double nominee for his work on "Euphoria" and "The Four Seasons," is always raising the fashion bar for Hollywood's men, and he did not disappoint.

He wore a soft brown Valentino jacket with a Mandarin collar and knob buttons, a sassy fuschia sash belt fastened with an elaborate silver brooch and fluid cream trousers.

Noah Wyle, who won for the second year in a row for best drama actor for his gritty medical drama "The Pitt," donned a tan tuxedo jacket with silky lapels and black trousers from Brunello Cucinelli.

Dress the part

If you want to win an Emmy, you need to...dress like an Emmy?

For Meg Stalter, a nominee for best comedy supporting actress for "Hacks" who is known for zany red carpet takes, that appears to be the plan.

She showed up in a gold midriff-baring top and hot pants, gold body paint, necklaces, wings and carrying an atom, exactly like the winged woman statuette she hopes to take home.

Over 450 FashionUnited business articles spanning the half-year reporting season, published until Monday, describe an industry that is cautiously upbeat but sharply divided. In six out of 10 reports, companies described rising sales or improving profits, and that majority widened from July into August as second-quarter figures came in. More companies raised full-year guidance than cut it: Adidas, Ralph Lauren, Levi Strauss, Birkenstock and most US off-price and department store chains lifted their outlooks, while JD Sports, Zalando, Lululemon and Under Armour moved the other way. The mood is relief rather than confidence.

Danilo Piarulli is the new chief executive officer of Autry.

"The appointment marks a significant step in Autry's evolution. The brand aims to capitalise on the international growth recorded in recent years through an increasingly structured and agile approach to developing direct retail, selective distribution, geographical expansion and brand consolidation," a statement explained.

“This is a forward-looking choice, which I consider a natural evolution of our corporate organisation,” said Roberta Benaglia, chief executive officer of Style Capital and chairwoman of Autry.

Piarulli has over a decade of experience managing the growth and international development of global brands. The executive joins Autry after 13 years at Golden Goose, where he held several leadership roles, eventually becoming chief consumer officer and an executive member of the board of directors.

The executive began his career in finance, gaining experience at companies like PwC before moving into the fashion sector, first at Geox and later at Golden Goose. At Golden Goose, he progressively expanded his responsibilities. He started as chief financial officer and later focused on business development, brand strategy and international markets. This demonstrated a comprehensive vision for the organisational and commercial challenges associated with growing a premium brand.

Style Capital acquired a controlling stake in Autry in 2024

“He is a manager with a strategic vision who is also extremely operational and focused on execution: processes, people, control and orderly growth. The combination of intuition and execution, along with his deep knowledge of the premium lifestyle sector and experience in the various stages of a company's development, make Danilo the ideal profile for Autry. The brand will continue to strengthen its organisation; expand its retail with discipline; maintain distribution selectivity; grow its identity and focus on internationalisation,” Benaglia continued.

“The brand's fundamentals, encapsulated in an exceptional product positioned in a protected and favourable price range, deserve to find the right acceleration in international development. This should be guided by an imagery and narrative capable of speaking directly and empathetically to the consumer, making them fall in love with genuine, unadulterated values. In the transition from a product-driven success to a truly global brand, there is only one natural strategic response: getting ever closer to the end customer through the development of direct-to-consumer,” Piarulli explained.

Style Capital acquired a controlling stake in Autry in 2024. The brand has seen rapid growth, reaching a turnover of 150 million, driven by the wholesale channel, an already consolidated digital presence and the promising development of its retail network.

The company currently has 12 stores across Europe and Asia. It aims to progressively develop its direct retail network, seizing further opportunities in strategic international markets, with a particular focus on the US, South Korea and Japan.

Rhone has created a chief merchandising officer role and filled it with Alexa Andersen, most recently senior vice president of merchandising at Puma North America, WWD reported.

Andersen will oversee both the merchandising and design teams at the Stamford, Connecticut company. She brings more than 20 years in performance apparel, having run Puma's North America merchandising organisation across wholesale and direct-to-consumer, covering footwear, apparel and accessories as well as collaborations and partnerships.

Before Puma she was at Lululemon, leading product creation and merchandising for strategic initiatives including technical performance categories and global brand moments such as the Olympic Games. Earlier in her career she held merchandising leadership roles at Adidas, Asics and Nike.

Nate Checketts, chief executive and co-founder, said Andersen's record building merchandising organisations at major brands spoke for itself, but that what stood out was the alignment in values. "Alexa understands that great product and long-term brand building go hand in hand, and she's going to be an incredible partner as we continue to grow with intention," he said.

Andersen, who was raised in Mexico and has lived in the United States, Italy and the Netherlands, framed the move as a deliberate step away from scale. "After spending my career at some incredible big brands, I've seen how the pressure to deliver short-term growth can sometimes pull focus away from long-term vision and brand building," she said. "What drew me to Rhone is the chance to be part of a business that's moved past the start-up stage but is still very much in growth mode, where you can actually see the fruits of your labor."

Where the business stands

Rhone was founded in 2014 by brothers Nate and Ben Checketts, initially as a web-only men's activewear label pitched at what the founders called weekday warriors. It began with a 100,000 dollar friends-and-family round and has since raised roughly 37 million dollars in total, with its most recent round in January 2025.

The company reached profitability in 2020 and has built out physical retail steadily, operating around 20 stores in the United States as of early this year, including a Hudson Yards flagship in New York it redesigned in 2024. Wholesale runs through Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's and REI, and the brand has positioned itself as the leading men's partner for Equinox and Peloton.

Recent activity has leaned into lifecycle and community rather than new categories. In January the company launched reRhone, a brand-owned resale operation built with the platform Archive, starting with inventory from selected customer returns and slated to widen through 2026. Its marketing continues to centre on mental fitness, a theme Andersen singled out in her statement.

Rhone is privately held and does not disclose revenue.

This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and edited by a FashionUnited journalist.

U.S. Polo Assn. has appointed David Swetman as global design lead for men's and boys', recruiting from Abercrombie & Fitch as it builds out its senior team.

Swetman spent 18 years at A&F, most recently as senior concept designer for global menswear, where he is credited with a significant part in the reinvention of the company's men's business. A Central Saint Martins graduate, he previously interned at Paul Smith and Reiss.

"I am excited to join U.S. Polo Assn. during a period of exceptional global growth and momentum," said Swetman in a statement. "The brand's authentic heritage in the sport of polo, combined with its expanding global footprint and strong foundation for future growth, presents a tremendous opportunity to further elevate the men's and boys’ businesses across our global markets as we continue to engage the next generation of consumers."

His remit covers design vision and product direction for all men's and boys' apparel across the brand worldwide, including design, trend forecasting, concept development, seasonal storytelling and category innovation. He will work with the brand's licensee network to set a single global design direction while leaving room for regional variation.

"As we continue to expand around the world, we remain committed to investing in exceptional talent that can elevate our product offerings, strengthen our global design capabilities, and shape the future of our men’s and boys’ businesses around the world,” said J. Michael Prince, president and CEO of USPA Global, the company that manages the multi-billion-dollar sports brand, U.S. Polo Assn. “David's experience translating consumer insights into building successful global collections, and contributing to one of the industry's most notable brand transformations makes him an outstanding addition to our team as we execute our elevated brand plan and goal of $4 billion in global retail sales."

The numbers behind the target

The appointment comes off five consecutive record years. USPA Global reported 2.7 billion dollars in worldwide retail sales for 2025, up from 2.5 billion in 2024 and 2.4 billion in 2023, with North America its largest region and growth reported across India, the Middle East, Western Europe and Latin America.

The 4 billion dollar figure Prince referenced is a long-term goal rather than a forecast, and sits alongside targets of 1,500 stores, 100 digital sites and 25 million social media followers. The brand currently operates around 1,200 stores worldwide, having raised its store target timeline to 2030, and sells in more than 190 countries through roughly 50 e-commerce sites in 20 languages.

Much of that reach runs through licensees rather than owned operations, which is what makes a single global design authority for menswear a structural change rather than a personnel one. Swetman's job is to impose one product direction across a network that has grown market by market.

The brand's marketing continues to lean on the sport itself. Its ESPN partnership, which carries the U.S. Open Polo Championship from the USPA National Polo Center in Palm Beach County, has been extended through 2026, with further broadcast deals covering TNT and Eurosport in Europe, Star Sports in India and BeIn Sports in the Middle East.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America has placed president and chief executive Steven Kolb on leave following an altercation with PETA protesters at the Cos runway show during New York Fashion Week, Business of Fashion reported.

In a statement, the organisation said it takes the matter very seriously and that Kolb will be on leave pending a full review, adding that the CFDA is committed to working with dissenting voices and to respectful engagement with differing viewpoints.

The incident took place on Sunday at WSA at 175 Water Street, where activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals walked onto the runway carrying placards and shouting about the use of sheep's wool by Cos and its owner, H&M Group. Footage captured by Fashionista and circulated widely online shows Kolb wrestling one protester to the floor and pushing another against a window, covering their mouths in both cases.

Kolb issued an initial statement saying he had reacted inappropriately and should have left the situation to the security team. He posted a fuller apology to his personal Instagram Stories on Monday.

As reported by Business of Fashion, Kolb wrote that reviewing the videos had made him understand the reaction they generated and that he did not recognise the person in them. He said he was taking voluntary leave and meeting a professional to ensure it never happened again, that he held himself accountable, and that he had accepted an invitation from PETA to discuss its concerns and hoped to apologise in person to the two individuals involved.

Calls for Kolb's resignation or a formal reprimand grew as the footage spread. PETA confirmed that the activists involved in the altercation were filing a police report and plan to pursue criminal charges. “Today’s actions show how top people in fashion use violence to silence people who expose how sheep are beaten, bloodied, and violently killed for scarves and sweaters,” PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement on Sunday. “PETA is calling on H&M and COS to ban wool from its collections and is urging everyone to shop elsewhere until they do.”

The protest targeted H&M Group's wool sourcing. PETA has accused the retailer of misleading consumers over responsible wool claims, citing a PETA Asia investigation into a certified South African operation in the group's supply chain.

Kolb joined the CFDA in 2006 and was appointed chief executive in 2011. The organisation represents more than 300 American designers and runs initiatives including the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and the annual CFDA Awards.

Madrid – As Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid (MBFW Madrid) gets underway in Madrid, the Spanish fashion industry is also focusing on Italy. The 108th edition of Lineapelle Milan kicks off there this Tuesday. The international sourcing trade show specialises in leather, materials, accessories and components for the footwear, leather goods and fashion industries, and will hold its second edition of the year from September 15 to 17.

Following on from the MICAM Milano trade show, which took place in the Lombardy capital from September 13 to 15, Lineapelle will traditionally hold its second edition of the year alongside the Simac-Tanning Tech fair. Simac-Tanning Tech specialises in machinery for the same footwear, leather goods and tanning sectors. This second edition of the sourcing show is therefore of dual strategic value. Its exhibition will expand across a total of six halls at the Milano-Rho exhibition centre. These six areas total approximately 39,000 square metres. Halls 9, 11 and 13 are reserved for leather and tanning companies; halls 22 and 24 for components; and hall 15 for fabrics and synthetic materials. This general zoning is completed by the trend areas, the true heart of the Milanese show. These areas feature around 2,000 exhibited items representing the most innovative and outstanding proposals from exhibiting companies. The items include leathers, components, fabrics and synthetic materials for the upcoming autumn/winter 2027/2028 season. These particularly noteworthy proposals are concentrated in the three trend areas located in halls 9, 15 and 22, where photography is not permitted.

Looking beyond this exhibition structure, the organisers of the Milanese show have announced that a total of 1,029 exhibiting companies will participate in this September edition. FashionUnited Spain will have the opportunity to attend in person, invited by the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), the Italian public agency for foreign trade promotion. Of these companies, approximately 47 percent are tanneries, 33 percent are accessories and components firms, 16 percent are fabric and synthetic fibre companies, and the remaining 4 percent are chemical, service and other companies, all present at this sourcing show. The trade fair has a distinctly international profile, which will once again be evident at this event despite the complex macroeconomic environment affecting the fashion industry. This applies to both exhibiting companies and visitors. It remains to be seen whether it will surpass the figures of the previous edition in February 2026. That event was attended by nearly 16,000 visitors from a hundred countries, most of them European.

“The economic climate continues to affect the supply chain, reducing production and trade volumes,” stated the management of Lineapelle. “This has led many companies to face serious difficulties, while also prompting many others to try to consolidate and seek new forms of collaboration.” In such a context, “the firm and decisive response of the exhibitors is particularly significant, with the confirmation of the participation of the largest and most established companies in the sector” in this edition of the fair. Equally noteworthy is “the international profile of the pre-registered visitors, among whom there is a particularly notable representation of professionals from the United States, France, Germany, Spain, the UK, India and China”. This attendance will help to highlight the “international character of the event,” a nature that will be further reinforced “by a delegation of professionals and agents from the sector from abroad, whose participation has been made possible thanks to the collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency and the MAECI (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy)”.

Spain, third most represented country (along with Turkey)

Promoted with the image of a gumball machine and the slogan “That’s It,” referring to how the show offers endless possibilities to industry professionals, the exhibition's offerings are broken down by market. 54 percent of the exhibiting companies are Italian and the remaining 46 percent are international, coming from 38 countries. This group is led by China (126 exhibitors), followed by Spain (61 exhibitors) and Turkey (61 exhibitors), as the main independent countries with the highest representation at this sourcing show.

The Spanish companies presenting their latest innovations and proposals for the autumn/winter 2027/2028 season at this edition of Lineapelle Milan are: Adetex; Adornos Clement; AG Textil; American Supply Corporation; Antisa Componentes; Arneplant; Artesa Manufacturas; Britigraf; Castell Artículos para Calzado y Cinturones; Caster; Castex Fashion; Cauchos Ruiz-Alejos; Colomer 1792; Combalia; Cordonfil; Cueros Exóticos Valencia; Curtidos Badia; Curtidos J. Vázquez; Curtidos Lajara; Curtits Aqualata; Dercosa; Despell; Etimed Etiquetas; Eustaqui Cantó Cano; Fabrica Exportadora Metálica; Fornituras Clement; Futurapiel; Gabriel Poveda Ferriols; Hosbo; Incusa; Inpelsa; Insoletec; José Ferrández Andrés; Juan Poveda Group; La Doma de Curtidos; Miguel Farres Rojas; Mipe Textil; Miret y CIA; Moron Group; Nordium; Padronesa Industrial de Curtidos; Palomares Piel; Pems Cambrillones; Picusa; Plaginsa; Poveda Textil; Quinorgan; Riba Guixa Curtidos; Rubi Zippers; Sanitipies; San Martin; Splenda; Spumatex; Tecno Adornos del Sureste; Tejidos Roja; Tejiplast; Texless Ecofabrics; Texpiel Textiles; Textigor; Unichem Iberica and Verdeveleno.

Of these 61 Spanish exhibiting companies, the Spanish Association of Component Companies for Footwear and Leather Goods (AEC) has coordinated the participation of some 40 companies in this edition of Lineapelle Milan. This action was undertaken with the support of ICEX and responds to the strategic value of an event that the AEC maintains within its sectoral plan to support companies in the sector. This will be highlighted by the exhibition of proposals from the participating companies in this initiative. They will occupy an exhibition area of more than 1,500 square metres. The Valencian Community is the region with the most weight in this group of exhibitors promoted by the AEC, with 82 percent of the total. This representation is completed by the participation of companies from the provinces of Albacete, Barcelona, La Rioja and Zaragoza.

“The Spanish companies in the sector participate prominently in the fair, placing Spain as the third country with the highest number of exhibitors,” and from there, “strengthening the sector's image internationally” and highlighting its “great competitive and reference capacity” within the industry, noted the AEC. They emphasised that its “technical knowledge, commitment to sustainability, innovation and the creation of avant-garde articles inspired by the latest market trends, makes the Spanish components sector a global benchmark”. This is a position that Spanish companies are setting out to claim and defend by participating “in the most important trade fair in the sector worldwide”. The show thus offers them “the opportunity to exhibit the new autumn/winter 2027/2028 collections to the international visitors who attend the event,” an activation that is “essential in their strategy of expansion into new markets,” as well as to “consolidate business with their international clients”.

In this context, the footwear association added, “from AEC we hope that our exhibitors maintain a good level of business, as it is the most important fair on the international circuit, being the global epicentre where the most influential buyers in the tanning, fabrics and components sector for footwear, leather goods and upholstery discover the materials to shape their new collections”. Among these proposals, they are confident that those presented by Spanish companies will stand out again. They arrive at this new edition of Lineapelle with a wide variety of “innovations geared towards the demands of international brands,” which today are concentrated in areas as diverse as “materials with innovative and quality finishes, sustainable proposals, customisation capacity and production flexibility”.

Futurmoda, from October 14 to 15

After this latest edition of Lineapelle, whose next event is already scheduled for February 23 to 25, 2027, Spanish footwear and footwear and leather goods components companies will meet as hosts at the next edition of the Spanish trade show Futurmoda. The trade fair, reserved for companies and professionals in the footwear and leather goods sector, will hold its next edition on October 14 and 15, 2026, at the IFA-Fira Alacant exhibition centre in the Alicante town of Elche.

Madrid – Spanish fashion and beauty multinational the Puig Group is strengthening its position in the strategic dermo-cosmetics segment. It has formalised an agreement with the pharmaceutical company Esteve to acquire its 50 percent stake in the dermo-cosmetics and skincare brand Isdin. The transaction, valued at a total of 1.2 billion euros, will result in the company, chaired by Marc Puig, holding 100 percent of the dermatological company's share capital.

Seoul Fashion Week has become an increasingly important international fashion platform and a serious buying destination for global retailers, with particular interest in the city’s emerging generation of Korean designers. The FW26 edition attracted 99 international buyers from 23 countries, generating reported order consultations worth 7.54 million dollars, up from 7.45 million dollars the previous season.

The SS27 edition took place from September 1–6, 2026, centered on Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), with additional events at Lotte World Tower in Jamsil. The season featured 31 brand runway shows and presentations, alongside a trade show showcasing around 100 brands.

In The Trenches

The absolute standout item of the season. Trench coats dominated across multiple collections, shown in a variety of fresh ways, from updated khaki and animal print to sheer and mesh versions.

Greedilous SS27 by Younhee Park

A trench coat with deep notch lapels, buttoned storm flaps, a loosely cinched waist belt, and a stylized floral lining. Accessories included a woven straw hobo bag, the Adidas Golf Originals Bucket Hat and flower embellished sneakers.

Kelly Shin SS27 by Shin Soo-jin

A relaxed-fit metallic mesh trench coat styled with structured shoulders, wide lapels, and a coordinating waist tie, paired with knee-high black patent leather boots.

Lie SS27 by Chung Chung Lee

A gabardine trench coat with soft epaulets and a loose waist tie in light beige with contrasting mint/pale sage green panels on the lapels and upper storm flap. The coat was styled over fringe-textured striped pants.

Re Rhee SS27 by Junebok Rhee and Hyunjung Joo

A light-beige, oversized double-breasted trench coat crafted with a distinct creased and wrinkled texture, complete with a wrapped waist belt and button detailing, styled with black hose and ankle boots.

Hannah Shin SS27 by Shinhana

An oversized biker-style trench jacket and matching asymmetrical wrap midi skirt in a monochrome grey python pattern, with black suede boots.

The White Way

Head-to-toe white makes a fresh statement for SS27, with Seoul designers giving the monochromatic look a distinctly sporty, technical edge. Performance-inspired fabrics, streamlined silhouettes and athletic details bring a futuristic quality to the clean white palette, while keeping the overall look crisp and contemporary.

Daily Mirror SS27 by Kim Joo-han

An exaggerated, billowing oversized jacket equipped with a functional chest pouch, an extended utility collar, and toggle drawstrings, styled over an asymmetrical, deconstructed white skirt-trousers combination.

Dunst SS27

A cropped zip-up hoodie featuring an embroidered chest logo, layered over a longer vertically striped button-down shirt, relaxed, flowing white wide-leg trousers. Accessories include black thong sandals, a black leather tote bag and dark sunglasses.

Lie SS27 by Chung Chung Lee

An oyster-white zip-up blouson jacket featuring an exaggerated high collar with crisp points, gathered elastic waistband details, and voluminous long sleeves, semi-sheer asymmetrical wrap skirt over relaxed-fit, crinkled textured wide-leg trousers.

Lie Sang Bong SS27

An asymmetrical, split-material long-sleeve shirt. One side features a solid white fabric printed with a portrait of Frida Kahlo; the other side is sheer, translucent mesh decorated with an oversized safety pin graphic and high-waisted micro-pleated wide-leg sheer trousers and futuristic white eyewear.

Sling Stone SS27 by JongChul Park

A sheer white organza trench coat with see-through paneled tailoring, a distinctive oversized collar, a tie-waist belt, and casual frayed stitch details along the edges, styled with black athletic boots.

Greedilous SS27 by Younhee Park

A jacket with three-dimensional fabric manipulation resembling clustered floral rosettes or fabric ruffles, tapering into fitted sleeves that flare slightly at the cuffs with a tiered, high-low midi skirt featuring eyelet trim along its hemlines. Accessories included high-top athletic sneakers and white Adidas socks.

A Touch of Cobalt Blue

A vivid cobalt blue emerged as a standout color across the Seoul SS27 runways, appearing in everything from head-to-toe looks to individual accessories. The highly saturated shade brought a contemporary energy to streamlined silhouettes.

Big Park S27 by Park Youn-soo

An electric cobalt blue cropped, zip-up utility jacket with ruffled and frayed sleeves, styled with an elongated, structured column skirt, both with white tipping and black mules.

Daily Mirror SS27 by Kim Joo-han

A cobalt blue half-zip anorak windbreaker jacket paired with an asymmetric draped grey mini skirt that extends into a dramatic, trailing fabric tail down the side. Accessories included white socks and black patent pumps.

Dunst SS27

An oversized, double-breasted longline overcoat featuring sharp peaked lapels and a cobalt blue cashmere scarf finished with a tassel fringe. A black bag and white lace-ups finished the look.

SFW SS27

A white graphic Jordan "Air" t-shirt layered over a pattern-printed long-sleeve undershirt, paired with cobalt blue slim-fit pants, dark sneakers with contrast laces, layered chunky chains, a blue beanie, and oversized ski goggles.

Hannah Shin SS27 by Shinhana

A textured floor-length black tank dress with a vibrant cobalt blue faux fur wrap and gold chain necklaces. .

The Denim Edit

Denim takes on a prominent role for SS27, with designers pairing jeans with tops and jackets in a wide variety of cuts, proportions and washes. From relaxed, oversized silhouettes to more directional shapes, the fabric is used for both everyday separates and coordinated looks, highlighting its continued versatility for contemporary wardrobes.

Doucan SS27 by Chunghoon Choi

A printed, ruffled, chiffon crop top with dark-wash straight-leg jeans embellished with faux pearl embellishments lining the pockets and outer leg seams.

Dunst SS27

A collarless black boucle tweed jacket over a white crewneck t-shirt and light-wash, wide-leg jeans. Accessories include black sunglasses, belt and patent flats.

Greedilous SS27 by Younhee Park

A multi-colored floral long-sleeve mesh top layered with typographic detailing. Relaxed, wide-leg light wash denim jeans featuring side-stripe panel detailing and an embroidered Adidas Trefoil logo near the pocket. Accessories included a floral-print baseball cap, oversized red-framed wrap sunglasses, a red Adidas cross-body messenger bag, and a black bandana tied around the waistband loop, white sneakers finished with ruffled blue fabric overlays at the ankles.

Holy Number SS27 by Kyungho Choi and Hyunheui Song

Heavily faded and distressed wide-leg jeans paired with a cropped, raw-hemmed white tweed jacket. Accessories included a black leather statement belt featuring a prominent rhinestone buckle, a small animal-print bag and a long pendant necklace.

Lie SS27 by Chung Chung Lee

A sleeveless, crisp white cowl-neck top featuring asymmetrical pleats, a gathered front fabric structure, and a thin matching waist-tie. Relaxed, wide-leg pants with a textured blue and dark navy abstract/mottled dye pattern that resembles distressed denim. Accessories included a large slouchy, red bag and white sandals.

Bob Mackie, the designer whose work shaped the public images of Cher, Carol Burnett, Diana Ross and other high-profile performers, has died at 87. The announcement was made Monday through Mackie’s official Instagram account.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that Mr. Bob Mackie passed away today. He lived his 87 years to the fullest, fulfilling his dream of being a Fashion and Costume Designer, which is all he ever wanted to do. His genius and extraordinary designs will live on forever, continuing to bring beauty into this world," read the statement.

No cause of death was immediately announced.

Mackie worked across television, film, theater and fashion during a career that lasted more than six decades. He received multiple Emmy Awards and three Academy Award nominations, and won a Tony Award for his costume designs for The Cher Show. His costumes combined glamour, humor and theatricality, often using sequins, feathers, crystals, metallic fabrics and revealing silhouettes. His clients included Cher, Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Elton John, Miley Cyrus and Diana Ross. He became widely known as the “Sultan of Sequins," as well as one of the inventors of sheer dressing.

Mackie's creative partnership with Cher was especially influential in his career. Mackie designed many of the singer’s most recognizable stage and public appearances, helping establish the bold, highly stylized image that became central to her career.

He was also closely associated with The Carol Burnett Show, designing costumes for the long-running television program and collaborating with Burnett on some of its best-known characters and sketches. His work for the show demonstrated his ability to make clothing function as both fashion and comedy.

Burnett paid tribute to Mackie in a statement to USA Today on Monday.

“Sadness doesn't come close to how I feel. I loved him very much,” she wrote. “As for his genius, there are fashion designers who don't do costumes and there are costume designers who don't do fashion. Bob did it all. There was no one like him.”

The costume designer also owned his namesake brand through an entity called Bob Mackie Design Group, which was 60 percent owned by Schwartz and only 40 percent by Mackie.

Far from the fantasy of glamour and the front row, fashion week is primarily a marathon for public relations teams. With New York Fashion Week wrapping up and handing over the reins to London, and Paris and Milan to follow, many interns and junior assistants are preparing to face their first major event rush. Between regretting stilettos within the first hour and escorting VIPs through the kitchens, Caroline Charles, founder of the eponymous press office, lifts the veil on the reality of the job and shares her lessons.

Formalwear is an illusion: prioritise mobility

What is the biggest myth about starting out in an agency? Thinking that attending a show as staff is the same as being a guest. The illusion of the “spectacle” frequently leads junior staff to overdress. “Often, the girls wear heels that are too high and after an hour they have to change because in our profession we are always on the move, we are not static,” recounts Caroline Charles. The public relations profession demands constant movement. A professional yet endurance-focused outfit is the first golden rule for a successful event.

Lack of involvement is an unforgivable misstep

Access to the show venue is a filter in itself. “If they are not capable, we don’t bring them to shows,” explains Charles. You must therefore prove your reliability beforehand. Once on-site, the test is no longer technical, but behavioural. For a PR professional, the ultimate mistake, particularly noticeable in the new generation, is giving the impression of “not being involved”. The chaos of an event demands total commitment. A passive intern who waits for orders without grasping the urgency or the collective stakes instantly closes the door on future employment.

DNA of the job: responsiveness and knowing your place

Conversely, the assistant or intern who stands out is not identified by grand gestures, but by a precise attitude. The profile destined for success possesses this particular “DNA” which boils down to two notions: being extremely responsive while knowing how to stay in your place. It is about understanding your role in the overall machine, intervening the moment the team needs you, without ever overplaying your part or crowding the space.

Networking is done at the door, through observation

It is often said that a good PR professional is invisible on the day of the event. How, then, can a junior team member hope to build a contact book without seeming opportunistic or bypassing their managers? The key lies in strategic tasks, such as managing the entrance. Handling check-in and seating is a formidable school of observation. It is the perfect opportunity to memorise faces, associate names with titles and understand the layout of influential guests, thereby laying the foundations of a professional network without ever forcing contact.

Knowing how to improvise

“At one of my first shows with Béatrice Keller for Versace, we had to coordinate with security to identify VIPs and ensure everything went smoothly,” recalls Charles. The communications expert also admits to having had to escort guests out through the kitchens to facilitate things. When the unexpected occurs, it is resourcefulness combined with composure that saves the event, even if it means making unorthodox decisions. A good PR professional always finds an emergency exit.

Ganni and Hunter are releasing a limited-edition collection of weatherproof apparel and accessories. The collaboration combines the British heritage of Hunter with the Danish design style of Ganni, according to a press release.

The collection consists of three ponchos; matching rain hats; a protective poncho cover for the Ganni Bou Bag; high Chelsea-style Wellington boots; and an umbrella. The items are made from waterproof materials and are available in various colours, including Ganni's signature leopard print.

Prices for the collection range from 100 to 370 euros. The umbrella costs 100 euros, the waterproof bucket hats 130 euros and the Wellington boots 230 euros. The Balmoral ankle boots are available for 330 euros, while the waterproof ponchos cost 370 euros.

For Hunter, the collaboration marks an expansion of its range into outdoor apparel. The 170-year-old British brand is known for its Wellington boots and rainwear. This is the first collaboration between Ganni and Hunter.

“Hunter is an iconic British brand. Bringing their heritage together with Ganni's Copenhagen perspective feels like an exciting dialogue between two worlds,” said Ditte Reffstrup, creative director at Ganni. According to Reffstrup, practical items can also have a distinct design.

Matthew Salter, EVP of partnership marketing at Authentic Brands Group, owner of Hunter, said that the collaboration combines Hunter's heritage with Ganni's design approach.

The collection is now available via the Hunter website and at selected Ganni and Hunter retail locations worldwide.

What Goes Around Comes Around has appointed Rachel Zoe as style director, formalizing a relationship between the stylist and the vintage luxury reseller that goes back decades.

Zoe's remit covers seasonal collections, styling, special projects and events across the year. Her first output, The Rachel Zoe Edit, is a selection drawn from the company's archive, unveiled at its Wooster Street store in New York during fashion week and now selling in store and on whatgoesaroundnyc.com. Further projects and appearances are due over the next year.

Seth Weisser, co-founder and chief executive, said: "Rachel has been part of the WGACA story for decades, and she understands this business in a way that very few people do. When we started, vintage wasn't a part of the luxury conversation. Rachel has played a huge role as has WGACA in changing the public perception to where we are today. Bringing her style direction to the company will help continue to build the business and trust we have earned over the past three decades."

Zoe said the company had long been her first stop for vintage. "Every time I visit their stores or website, I'm inspired and excited to add to my collections. Their curations are unrivalled as is their impeccable focus on the best of the best of all of my favorite brands. Expanding my long-standing relationship with the WGACA in this official role feels like a natural evolution."

Gerard Maione, co-founder and chief creative officer, framed the appointment around shared instincts. "Rachel and WGACA have always shared the same belief that great vintage pieces are timeless heirlooms that reflect individuality," he said. "She has such a strong sense of fashion history, but her instinct is always to make it feel on trend, relevant and translatable. Creatively, there's a real alignment in how we see things, and I'm excited to see where we can take that together."

Zoe built her reputation styling celebrity clients through the 2000s and became a public figure in her own right through the Bravo series The Rachel Zoe Project, which ran from 2008. She has since worked across her own label and styling ventures.

Weisser and Maione founded WGACA in 1993. The business operates stores in New York and other US markets alongside its e-commerce site, and positions itself on authentication of pre-owned luxury goods.

That positioning has been tested in court. A federal jury in Manhattan found in 2024 that the company had infringed Chanel's trademarks, and a final judgment entered in February 2025 imposed 4 million dollars in statutory damages, a permanent injunction on its use of Chanel branding and disgorgement of profits on unauthorised Chanel-branded items. WGACA has appealed to the Second Circuit and has maintained its authenticity guarantee throughout.

This article was drafted with the assistance of AI and edited by a FashionUnited journalist.

Madrid – The US has remained Inditex's largest market by turnover, second only to Spain, since 2021. This is a position the Spanish fashion multinational fully intends to build upon. The company's chief executive officer has announced a new “country plan” through to 2027, following the release of its results for the first half of 2026.

The British Fashion Council has announced that Sandra Choi will receive a Special Recognition Award at The Fashion Awards 2026, held on November 30 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Choi has led the creative direction of Jimmy Choo since joining in 1996 as one of the brand's founding creative voices, making her among the longest-serving creative directors in the industry. The BFC cited her ability to combine creative direction with commercial performance over three decades, keeping the label among Britain's most influential luxury brands.

The council also pointed to her work outside the studio, describing her as an advocate for craftsmanship and emerging talent who has mentored others and represented British fashion internationally.

"I am truly honoured to receive this recognition from the British Fashion Council. When I think back to where we began in East London all those years ago, I could never have imagined where this journey would take us. What stays with me most are the talented people I have had the privilege to work alongside," said Choi. "Fashion is never the work of one person; it is built through creativity, craft, collaboration, and a shared belief in making something meaningful."

Laura Weir, chief executive of the British Fashion Council, said: "Sandra Choi is one of fashion's most respected creative leaders. Her vision has shaped Jimmy Choo into an enduring global brand while continually championing the people and talent that drive our industry. We are delighted to honour Sandra at The Fashion Awards 2026 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to fashion."

Proceeds from The Fashion Awards fund the BFC's work supporting British designers and businesses. Pandora returns as presenting partner, with Johnnie Walker and The Peninsula London as official partners.

Hundreds of fans gathered outside the Monceau hotel in Paris where Céline Dion is staying. The concert, her first in five years, showed that her ‘heart will go on’ for her audience despite a debilitating illness. The performance also featured several outfit changes, none of which were done ‘all by herself’.

What did Céline Dion wear for her first concert in Paris?

The Québécois superstar entered the stage to the sound of On ne change pas, frequently changing her looks throughout the performance.

She first wore a Christian Dior dress, designed by Jonathan Anderson for the fall/winter 2026 couture show, inspired by Christian Dior's Francis Poulenc silhouette from the spring/summer 1950 haute couture collection.

The dress, crafted from black muslin and organza, is constructed around a fully pleated bustier. This extends at the waist into a sculptural peplum, creating a corolla silhouette. Its impact stems from textile experimentation and the resulting technique and craftsmanship.

Around her neck, Céline wore Boucheron’s “The Address” necklace. This high jewellery piece is set with an emerald-cut diamond of over ten carats and required 1,107 hours of work to create.

From Dior to Givenchy, J’irai où tu iras

For her performance of the song from Titanic, she wore a total look by Schiaparelli. She then launched into a disco medley featuring I Feel Love; I’m Alive; That’s the Way It Is; and Sweet Dreams. The jacket was inspired by a 1937 creation by Elsa Schiaparelli.

Wearing a total look by Maison Alaïa, the singer delivered a spectacular a cappella rendition of “anymore” from the track All by myself. The performance was a display of vocal prowess, ending with tears and a sigh of relief.

For this custom Alaïa look, Céline wore a sculptural black plastron paired with a long skirt. The construction echoes the house's archives, specifically the famous moulded black leather bustier created by Azzedine in 2003.

She also wore an openwork black Tom Ford dress by Haider Ackermann to perform Ziggy. The high-cut dress-jumpsuit was fitting for a girl unlike any other.

Finally, Celine Dion paid tribute to her icon, opera singer Maria Callas. She wore a Givenchy dress by Sarah Burton, covered in silver embroidery and enhanced by a custom cape of powder pink torn organza.

Performing to Alfredo Catalani's La Wally, she proved that, in her own words, ‘il suffisait d’aimer’ and believing in one's dreams could revive the vibrato in her voice.

Ebay has appointed Saskia Meier-Andrae as its vice president (VP) and general manager (GM) for Europe.

Meier-Andrae is taking on a newly created position that consolidates the management of the entire EU marketplace business, Ebay announced on Friday. She has been promoted from within the company. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has been responsible for the German market as general manager since March 2024, and additionally for the Central Europe region since September 2025. Previously, she worked for the US-based online furniture retailer Wayfair, most recently as head of Germany. In her new role, she will continue to manage the German market and report to Oliver Klinck, VP and GM of global markets and consumer-to-consumer.

“Over the past two and a half years, Saskia Meier-Andrae has played a decisive role in shaping our strategic growth course. She also understands how to combine the advantages of scale with the diverse requirements of our European markets. This makes her the right person to bring our EU marketplaces closer together and shape the next phase of our development in Europe,” said Klinck.

Stronger positioning at a European level

The appointment is intended to promote cross-border trade within the EU. According to the statement, Ebay also aims to prioritise more at a European level, build cross-market capabilities and scale successful solutions more quickly. The goal is for the country-specific marketplaces to work more closely together, while responsibility for individual markets will remain with the local teams.

“For us, the question is not: European or local? The question is: where does European scale create more value, and where is local proximity the decisive advantage?” said Meier-Andrae. “Proximity to our community is one of Ebay’s great strengths and therefore remains an essential part of our model.”

According to Ebay, the authenticity guarantee for pre-loved fashion and luxury items demonstrates what closer integration can look like. Since August, the service has been available to buyers and sellers in France and Italy as well as Germany, with authentication continuing to take place in Germany. Approved items receive greater visibility across the three markets.

Ebay has been expanding its fashion business for some time. In February, the company announced the acquisition of the resale marketplace Depop from Etsy for around 1.20 billion US dollars.

JD Institute of Fashion Technology has launched House of JD, an e-commerce marketplace designed to give students, alumni and emerging designers a route from completed design projects to the commercial market.

Launched in Mumbai on September 14, the platform covers fashion, interiors, textiles, art, objects and lifestyle. It is intended to allow creative talent to showcase and sell work while gaining experience in presenting, positioning and commercialising products.

The marketplace will be organised into five categories — hoJD Student, hoJD Next, hoJD Signature, hoJD Collective and hoJD Legendary — bringing together different stages of the institute’s wider design ecosystem. Unlike an open marketplace, House of JD says participating designers and products will undergo a curation process before being featured.

For fashion students and educators, the initiative highlights an increasingly important part of design education: understanding what happens after a collection or project is completed. By providing a potential route to consumers, House of JD aims to give emerging designers practical exposure to the commercial side of creative work.

In Pictures J.Crew and Eckhaus Latta have announced a limited-edition collection, with designers Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta reworking a set of J.Crew staples. It arrives Tuesday at jcrew.com and in selected J.Crew stores, priced between 75 and 650 dollars.

Eckhaus Latta's version of the J.Crew Rollneck sweater, made for the brand's Rollneck Remix project earlier this year, drew enough response to justify a full range. The result covers knitwear, outerwear, shirting, denim, bottoms and accessories, plus a Rollneck cut for children.

Research for the collection started in J.Crew's own catalogue archive. Working through decades of material, the designers took cues from the colour palettes, proportions and signature styles the brand ran through the 1990s. Recognisable pieces — the barn jacket, the Rollneck, a rugby shirt, chinos, a pleated skirt, a twinset and a duffle coat — have been altered through changes to texture, cut and construction.

"The inspiration for us was really J.Crew. It is an iconic American brand with a rich heritage. We rummaged through a lot of its catalogs from the '90s as points of reference. That period was our childhood, so our aesthetics and tastes will always be shaped by it," said Eckhaus and Latta.

Olympia Gayot, creative director of women's and kids at J.Crew, said the aim was to keep what makes the New York label recognisable. "We wanted to preserve the experimentation, individuality and sense of community that make Eckhaus Latta so distinctive, along with the unpretentious New York energy they bring to clothes designed for how people actually live. The catalogs became a major source of inspiration, revealing an era of the brand that already possessed a little downtown tension."

The accompanying campaign was shot by Luna Conte, with motion directed by Brett Milspaw. It is staged as a house party, with a cast drawn from artists, athletes, musicians and academics.

"This collaboration is a celebration of the expansiveness of American style and the many ways it can be interpreted. Great collaborations create new entry points into each brand, and the campaign brings that idea to life through a house party where the J.Crew and Eckhaus Latta communities come together," said Julia Collier, chief marketing officer of J.Crew.

Madrid – Following its acquisition in July 2025 by the Emirati company 2PointZero—formerly known as Multiply Group—the Spanish fashion multinational Tendam is set to play a key role within the new retail division of its new parent company. This position contrasts sharply with the long-standing off-price policy of its various portfolio brands. It seems clear the company is preparing to move away from this approach through a “value generation” strategy.

StyleBuddy is making a bigger bet than simply adding AI features to a fashion website. Under Founder and CEO Siddharth Pandit, the company is building an AI-powered commerce layer designed specifically for fashion - one that helps brands move shoppers from discovery to styling, visualisation and purchase within a more intelligent journey.

Pandit's starting point is straightforward: online fashion still asks shoppers to do too much imagining. A product grid can show what is available, but it cannot easily answer whether a look suits the shopper, works for a particular occasion, pairs with other pieces, or feels right before checkout. StyleBuddy is being built around that decision gap.

The company has already built a community of more than 100,000 users and engaged with 100+ fashion brands. It is now expanding that foundation into a broader StyleBuddy AI fashion commerce platform for brands, with three connected growth paths: Sell With StyleBuddy, Agentic Storefront and Virtual Try-On. All three are powered by the same AI styling engine and product catalogue layer.

Sell With StyleBuddy gives fashion brands access to StyleBuddy's shopper ecosystem, where products can be discovered through styling-led recommendations rather than being buried in a conventional feed. The ambition is to make discovery more contextual: shoppers arrive with an occasion, a mood, a budget or a style intent, and AI helps connect that intent to relevant products and complete looks.

The Agentic Storefront takes the same intelligence into a brand's own e-commerce site. StyleBuddy's AI stylist sits on top of the existing storefront and allows shoppers to describe what they are looking for in natural language. The system can recommend coordinated outfits from the brand's own catalogue, remember shopper preferences and keep the customer inside the brand's checkout journey. The goal is to make the storefront behave less like a database and more like an always-on digital stylist.

Virtual Try-On addresses another major point of hesitation: visual confidence. StyleBuddy's technology lets shoppers see how garments may look before purchase, while also giving brands a faster way to create visual fashion content. The company is extending this capability with AI content tools for product imagery, styling and background generation, making the proposition relevant to merchandising and marketing teams as well as to shoppers.

What makes the platform distinctive is the way these pieces are being connected. StyleBuddy is not positioning virtual try-on as an isolated widget, or conversational AI as a chatbot attached to a product page. Its vision is one intelligence layer across the fashion journey - discovery, styling, visualisation, content and commerce - with brands able to adopt one capability or combine them.

That ambition is closely tied to Pandit's own view of what fashion commerce should become. Digital shopping removed much of the emotional confidence of trying something on in a store and replaced it with flat images, filters and guesswork. StyleBuddy's aim is to put more intelligence and confidence back into that journey, while still keeping the brand in control of the customer relationship.

The company is also designing for scale. Its current brand proposition is built for fashion businesses across markets and digital channels, and StyleBuddy has stated an ambition to grow its ecosystem to more than 2 million users and 500+ participating fashion brands over the next 12 months. Its platform already references activity across 40+ markets, while the company continues to invest in consumer adoption, brand partnerships and AI-powered fashion experiences.

For Pandit, however, the longer-term goal is larger than user and brand counts. StyleBuddy wants to become part of the infrastructure through which fashion brands sell online: an AI layer that understands shopper intent, turns products into styled looks, helps customers visualise themselves in those looks, and creates a stronger bridge between inspiration and purchase.

Fashion e-commerce will continue to use search, filters and product grids. StyleBuddy's bet is that those interfaces will increasingly sit behind something more intelligent - a storefront that can listen, interpret, style, visualise and sell.

If that transition happens at scale, StyleBuddy wants to be one of the platforms defining it.

CFDA chief executive Steven Kolb got into a physical altercation with activists from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on Sunday’s H&M Cos show during New York Fashion Week. In videos now all over social media, Kolb is seen pushing a male protester towards a window, then covering his mouth, and later wrestling a female protester to the floor and covering her mouth. According to PETA, both activists are filing a police report and plan to pursue criminal charges.

After the incident, Kolb said on his Instagram stories that he “reacted inappropriately.” “It wasn’t my place to do so. I should have let the security team handle the situation,” he wrote.

PETA said the activists were protesting the commercial partnership between H&M Group and a farm certified by NATIVA, whose workers were allegedly caught on camera “kicking and stomping on terrified sheep and leaving them with gaping wounds after crude shearing,” the organization said.

“Today’s actions show how top people in fashion use violence to silence people who expose how sheep are beaten, bloodied, and violently killed for scarves and sweaters,” PETA Founder Ingrid Newkirk said in a statement on Sunday. “PETA is calling on H&M and COS to ban wool from its collections and is urging everyone to shop elsewhere until they do.”

This was NYFW’s first season in which animal fur was banned in collections. “There is already little to no fur shown at NYFW, but by taking this position, the CFDA hopes to inspire American designers to think more deeply about the fashion industry’s impact on animals. Consumers are moving away from products associated with animal cruelty, and we want to position American fashion as a leader on those fronts, while also driving material innovation,” Kolb said in December 2025, when the ban was announced.

Madrid – The spotlight remains on the Spanish capital following the sensational 'impasse' in its Fashion Week, caused by the first Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix held this weekend at the MadridRing circuit. We now welcome a new edition of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid (MBFW Madrid) catwalk. The event, with a particularly refreshed line-up, will take place in different locations across the city over the coming days, from this Monday, September 14, until next Saturday, September 19.

This new 84th edition of the catwalk brings with it many new features, which have been announced in recent weeks by its management and by FashionUnited. Taking over from the shows and presentations organised under the Madrid es Moda initiative, Madrid Fashion Week now opens up to the six days of MBFW Madrid catwalk activations. The event is organised by Ifema Madrid, with the support and funding of Madrid City Council. The main changes and attractions of this edition include a renewed line-up of brands and designers, who will present their collections from equally revitalised locations. The organisation assures that prizes totalling more than 120,000 euros will be awarded during the event.

“Fashion is much more than what happens on the catwalk,” it is the “sum of visions, careers, creative disciplines and talents capable of transforming a collection into a cultural language with a global impact.”

From this perspective and conviction, “Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid presents a new edition” from which it continues to “consolidate an ecosystem of awards that celebrates excellence in all its expressions,” reinforcing “the role of the catwalk as the main platform for promoting Spanish fashion.” This creative universe “continues to expand its projection.” In response, “the catwalk organised by Ifema Madrid together with Madrid City Council reinforces its commitment to the promotion and development of the sector,” as well as “its role as a showcase for the talent that defines the present and future of fashion” in this new edition of the catwalk. “A commitment that is complemented by the various awards of the edition,” they highlight; awards “that total more than 120,000 euros.”

From the returns of Adolfo Domínguez and Moises Nieto, to Alvarno

Focusing on the main protagonists of these days, the Spanish designers and fashion brands will present their collections, primarily for the spring/summer 2027 season, during the celebrations of this 84th edition of MBFW Madrid. The catwalk will host thirty-three shows, featuring 25 established fashion brands, six emerging designers, and two academic institutions. These will be complemented by presentations from up to ten emerging fashion brands in the EGO Showroom space at MBFW Madrid.

Breaking down the names on this edition's calendar in more detail, the returns to the official MBFW Madrid programme of Adolfo Domínguez are noteworthy. After not participating in the event since 2009, he returned to the catwalk in the September 2025 edition, but skipped the last one in March 2026, swapping Madrid for Barcelona to present his latest collection. Moises Nieto, who had not participated in the MBFW Madrid calendar since his show in January 2020, also returns. The house of Alvarno is another key return; as they pointed out in an interview with FashionUnited, they had not participated on the catwalk since January 2018. These are thus more than prominent and anticipated names for this edition. They will present their latest fashion proposals on the Madrid catwalk alongside equally established brands such as Pedro del Hierro—the fashion house of the Tendam group—; Simorra; Ágatha Ruiz de la Prada; Alex Rivière; Ernesto Narnajo; Baro Lucas; Acromatyx; Malne; the always well-celebrated Isabel Sanchis; Maison Mesa; Custo Barcelona; and Yolancris.

Alongside these returns and regulars of the Madrid circuit, the debuts of Celia B, the fashion house of Asturian designer Celia Bernardo, and Andalusian designer Antonio del Canto are also noteworthy. Del Canto joins after participating in the Ego circuit for emerging designers at the February and September 2025 editions of MBFW Madrid. These new additions join a programme in which the fashion houses of Juan Vidal, Palomo Spain, Álvaro Calafat, Redondo Brand and Alvarno hold a clearly distinct position with their independent shows, but within the official MBFW Madrid calendar. These will be rounded off by the six emerging designers selected by the organisation to show within the Ego circuit of this MBFW Madrid edition. All these shows are concentrated on the last day of presentations. In a change from previous editions, this has been moved from a Sunday to this coming Saturday, September 19. On this day, fashion students from the University of Nebrija will also present their collections, alongside UDIT, the two academic institutions participating in the official programme of this 84th edition of MBFW Madrid.

An edition in the city, and entirely outside the Ifema Madrid exhibition centre

Beyond the names on the renewed line-up—and the countless events and parties that will add colour to this September edition—the other great protagonist of this edition of MBFW Madrid is undoubtedly MBFW Madrid itself. For the first time since 1996, with the exception of the 2006 and 2007 editions held in the Paseo de Coches del Retiro, the catwalk will be held entirely outside the Ifema Madrid exhibition centre. The catwalk moves away from these facilities to take a decisive step closer to the city. This move initially projects the image of a particularly attractive and stimulating event. It is also beneficial for its interests in establishing itself as the best showcase and reference platform for the projection and visibility of Spanish fashion to both a national and international audience.

As a result of this commitment, this edition will have a total of three main venues where the different shows scheduled on the calendar will take place: the Invernadero del Palacio de Cristal de Arganzuela, where the programme will open, concentrating the shows of the inaugural day on Monday, September 14; the Galería de Cristal del Palacio de Cibeles, where the shows will continue throughout Tuesday, September 15; and the Campus de Comunicación y Artes of the University of Nebrija, on the Paseo de San Francisco de Sales in Madrid, where the shows of the established and emerging brands will be held on September 16, 17, 18 and 19.

The celebrations of this edition of MBFW Madrid will not stop there, extending to different emblematic locations in the city of Madrid throughout the event. Completing the information on the “independent shows” highlighted in the calendar, UDIT students will hold their “choral” show in the halls of the Circulo de Bellas Artes. Juan Vidal will present his new collection at the Hotel Palace; Palomo Spain from the rose garden of the Parque del Oeste; Álvaro Calafat also at the Hotel Palace; Redondo Brand from the gardens of the Palacio de Vista Alegre; and Alvarno from the incomparable setting of the Galería de las Colecciones Reales de Madrid.

With 13 awards for the promotion of Spanish fashion and the catwalk's projection

As part of its commitment to promoting Spanish fashion and its objectives to continue boosting its own projection within the international circuit of major industry events, a total of thirteen awards are scheduled to be presented by the catwalk and its main sponsors in this edition. This figure exceeds the twelve planned for the previous edition in March 2026, of which a total of eleven awards were ultimately presented. This followed the creation of the new “The Fashion Game Changers Award” and the replacement of the “Best Model Award x NARS” with the “El Corte Inglés Best Model Award,” after the department store group joined as an official sponsor of MBFW Madrid.

Following the pre-established order for their presentation, the “Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid National Designer Award,” the “Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid International Designer Award,” and “The Fashion Game Changers Award” are scheduled to be presented during the inaugural dinner. During the closing party, the winners of the “Mercedes-Benz Best Collection Award,” the “Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid Best Creative Makeup Proposal by NARS Award,” the “Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid – NARS Icon Award,” and the “El Corte Inglés Best Model Award” will be announced. The awards will be completed with those planned to be presented within the framework of Ego for emerging designers: the “Honorary EGO Award”; the “EGO New Brand Showroom Award”; the “Pyratex en trama Award”; the “International Ego Award”; the “Pelonio New Talent Award”; and the “Maison Piramide Award.” This last award will grant three emerging designers the opportunity to be part of the Maison Pyramide international showroom in Paris during its Fashion Week.

Accompanying this support for the internationalisation of the catwalk, MBFW Madrid is launching a “professional showroom” space and a new international “buyers” programme for this edition. Both initiatives are part of the internationalisation programme that the catwalk has started to implement, in collaboration with ICEX. This will facilitate the presence at this edition of the catwalk of well-recognised international profiles and buyers from the sector, such as Steff Yotka (I-D Magazine); David Martin (Odda Magazine); India Quinn (Condé Nast); Louise Owen (Aligned Talent); Amelia and Elisa Ochoa Mora (Sisterly Style); Madé Lapuerta (Data, But Make It Fashion); Sophie Goodwin (Tiger’s Eye); Francesca Mapelli (Cabana Magazine); Beka Gvishiani (Style Not Com); María Muñoz and Clare Holdbrook (Maison Pyramide); Helena Boissonnas (Le Bon Marché); Lina Malaika (HIA); Anastasia Encinas (La Samaritaine); Regina Leyba (FWRD); Hebah Baker (Sheerluxe); Diala Bassatne (ELLE Arabia); Caterina Ercoli (Antonioli); Laura Larbalestier (Harvey Nichols Doha); or Marcos Fecchino (MF Studio), the protagonist of one of the main initiatives launched by Inditex during this 2026 summer 'rentrée'.

Official show schedule for the 84th edition of MBFW Madrid

Following the failed takeover by Frasers Group, the supervisory board chairman of fashion group Hugo Boss is stepping down. Stephan Sturm has decided to resign from his position as a member of the supervisory board, effective October 15, the company announced on Monday in Metzingen. The decision follows “constructive discussions against the backdrop of recent changes in the shareholder structure”.

Background to the takeover attempt by Frasers Group

Frasers Group had attempted to take control of Hugo Boss in recent months. Although the takeover narrowly failed, the British company recently held almost 48 percent of the fashion house. The relationship between the major shareholder and the company's management has been tense for some time. Frasers withdrew its confidence in supervisory board chairman Sturm in December, for example. There was also disagreement over the dividend payment.

Sturm had been a member and chairman of the board since May 2025. Hugo Boss will now search for a successor.

CEO Interview

For several seasons, men's footwear was heavily dominated by chunky running shoes, retro trainers and technical sneakers. SS27 suggests a desire for something more refined and considered.

Among the various footwear styles shown in the Milan and Paris runway shows for SS27, the classic lace-up in many iterations dominated. The obvious reason for this is that menswear is moving back toward footwear with structure, craft and a sense of dressing, while simultaneously making those traditionally formal shoes lighter, softer and more casual.

The important thing is that designers aren't simply bringing back the traditional dress shoe. They are rebuilding the lace-up for a contemporary wardrobe — softer leather, rounded or elongated toes, lighter soles, exaggerated proportions and unexpected materials. Here are ten dress, deck and casual styles for men from the SS27 collections.

Dior Homme SS27 by Jonathan Anderson

A slim-profile distressed off-white silk satin Oxford with frayed edges, a slightly square toe box and embroidered ladybug embellishment.

Thom Browne SS27

A low-top full brogue wingtip derby shoe in polished white patent leather on a tan-colored leather midsole paired with a chunky, block-style medium-height heel and the signature tricolor striped grosgrain pull-tab.

Louis Vuitton SS27 by Pharrell Williams

A beige canvas shoe with raw, frayed, and heavily distressed edges along the collar and overlays with unlaced metallic eyelets, a leather heel pull-tab and an embossed ‘V’ emblem on the tongue.

Dries Van Noten SS27 by Julian Klausner

A lace-up shoe with a minimalist profile in a cheetah and leopard patterned calf-hair.

Auralee SS27 by Ryota Iwai

A black calfskin leather deck shoe with an apron toe and moc-toe detailing with rivet-free tonal lacing.

Egonlab SS27 by Florentin Glémarec and Kévin Nompeix

A deck shoe with a moc-toe apron design, two-eyelet leather lace-up closure, white contrast perimeter stitching, and a low-profile black rubber sole.

Kiko Kostadinov SS27

A shoe with a layered blend of textured black mesh and structured rubberlike dark blue leather overlays with a newly developed integrated lacing system.

Taakk SS27 by Takuya Morikawa

An ultra-low profile, deconstructed flat leather lace-up shoe with an extended, bunched lace-up front

Qasimi SS27

The Ultra III Bloom shoe in off-white eco material with its signature injection-molded cage upper designed with a geometric honeycomb cutout upper and a quick-toggle lace system.

Saul Nash x Toworkfor SS27

A boat shoe with a textured mesh and suede upper and a signature drawstring-style lace system on a thick black sole.

The announcement was made this week and marks a tipping point for the fashion industry: the acquisition of the historic trend forecasting agency NellyRodi by the Ifop group (French Institute of Public Opinion). This alliance between a pillar of creative forecasting and a giant in data and sociology signals a new era. This transformation has become a matter of survival. The recent liquidation of Promostyl, another pioneering trend agency in the sector, serves as a stark reminder. Forecasting is no longer (just) about mood boards. It now lies at the intersection of data, consumer behaviour and brand strategy.

As generative artificial intelligence democratises access to global data, trend agencies face an existential paradox. Since everyone uses the same AI models to analyse the market, how can they continue to sell foresight? Faced with the threat of algorithmic homogenisation, trend forecasting agencies are undergoing a profound transformation.

Illusion of AI's omniscience and the trap of standardisation

The arrival of LLMs (GPT, DeepSeek or Claude) has transformed the research phase. AI can simultaneously scan and organise articles, academic research, social conversations and product launches on a superhuman scale. This computing power, however, comes with a major bias: it flattens creativity.

"The goal is not to let the 'loudest voice' win, as AI might by giving more weight to the most visible content, but to build a collective forward-looking vision," states Anne Etienne-Reboul, CEO of the Peclers agency. She highlights the fundamental difference between trend reporting (reporting on what already exists, which AI does very well) and trend forecasting (anticipating what will emerge).

AI generates what the agency Future Snoops calls "baseline" trends, built on common data. However, as the agency points out, the historic value of forecasting has always been in divergence. Worse still, the algorithm lacks commercial instinct. When asked about this, fashion expert Fériel Karoui illustrates it perfectly: "AI can help sort through the chaos of social media (...) but it misses contextual and sentimental parameters. We need to analyse the relevance of the figures and distinguish between a viral media success that floods the internet and a future commercial success." She cites the omnipresence of skirts in menswear shows: a powerful symbol of deconstruction on social networks, but a highly improbable commercial success for all market players.

New profession: from forecaster to anti-noise curator

The profusion generated by AI has paradoxically made the human filter indispensable. Yesterday's major unifying trends have shattered. "Trends are increasingly fragmented," observes Fériel Karoui, pointing to the emergence of internet micro-communities (the "-core" or "-maxxing" aesthetics).

In this landscape saturated with "content slop" and fake news, the agency's role is changing. It is no longer about prescribing fashion, but about knowing which information deserves attention. As the Future Snoops team summarises in an email: "AI can surface a thousand signals, but you need a person who understands culture, attends trade shows, watches the catwalks and lives the industry from the inside to know which three signals matter and why."

Clients no longer pay to know "what's next," but to navigate the chaos. Bespoke service is becoming the norm. Faced with paradoxical trends and tighter budgets, the role of the trend agency is to identify, from the multitude, the exact movement that will resonate with a brand's specific DNA and its target audience.

Yet, despite the digitalisation of insights, the legendary trend book – that heavy binder filled with fabric swatches and silhouettes to illustrate seasonal themes – is not dead. Faced with the mass generation of synthetic images, the CEO of Peclers is categorical: "No AI in our trend books!" The agency insists on absolute traceability with precise bibliographies of its sources, and an unapologetic return to pure craftsmanship to counter the machine. The director also notes that her books are still consulted today by style, design, marketing, retail and forecasting teams, "who use them as tools for inspiration and anticipation".

Algorithmic counter-attack: closed AI and bespoke solutions

Far from rejecting technology, agencies are fighting back by developing their own hybrid ecosystems. They no longer use AI to scour the open web, but to intelligently query their own closed, historical databases. Peclers has developed its own internal tool, while Future Snoops is deploying conversational tools like "Ask FS" and "MUSE".

The revolution lies in this "Living Intelligence". Rather than delivering a static report that is valid for 18 months, agencies now allow their clients to track the migration of a signal in real time (from wellness to fashion, then to retail design). Above all, they are democratising access to these insights internally. With a simple natural language prompt, a marketing junior or a finance director can query 25 years of forecasting archives, guaranteed to be free of algorithmic hallucinations.

"The questions our clients are asking are changing. It's no longer 'what's happening?', but 'what matters to my brand?' and 'how can we better stand out?'" confirms Future Snoops. The technological tool is used for absolute personalisation, allowing designers to interpret a trend with their own palettes, materials and silhouettes.

While artificial intelligence has made information overabundant, it has made critical judgement extremely rare. By combining the rigour of data with human sensibility, trend forecasting agencies are proving that the algorithm is just a compass; only the cultural analyst knows how to read the map.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) has announced the nominees and honourees for the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards, presented by Amazon Fashion, recognising leading American designers and creative figures across fashion, media and culture. The awards will take place November 2, 2026, at New York’s American Museum of Natural History, hosted by Keke Palmer.

The nominees for American Womenswear Designer of the Year are Catherine Holstein for Khaite, Michael Kors, Rachel Scott for Diotima, Tory Burch and Wes Gordon for Carolina Herrera. The American Menswear Designer of the Year nominees are Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne for Public School New York, Ralph Lauren, Thom Browne, Todd Snyder and Willy Chavarria.

In accessories, nominees include Ana Khouri, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen for The Row, Raul Lopez for Luar, Sophie Buhai and Stuart Vevers for Coach. The Google American Emerging Designer of the Year nominees include Colleen Allen, Emily Dawn Long, Julia Ferentinos for Juju Vera, Julian Louie for Aubero and Zane Li for Lii.

Among this year’s honourees, Tory Burch will receive the Positive Change Award, while photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin will receive the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award. Anthony Vaccarello will receive the International Designer of the Year Award for Saint Laurent, marking his decade at the French house.

Eva Chen, Linda Fargo and Susan Cianciolo will also receive awards recognising their contributions to fashion media, American fashion and sustainable creative practice.

CFDA's CEO and president, Steven Kolb, stated: “The CFDA Fashion Awards presented by Amazon Fashion are a defining moment for American creativity, bringing our community together to recognize the designers and creative voices whose talent, vision, and originality continue to move our industry forward.

"This year feels especially meaningful as we celebrate the extraordinary breadth of American creativity and its influence on culture around the world. We are proud to honor those shaping fashion today while creating a platform that inspires and supports the generation that will define its future.”

A row over women's dress in Rwanda has become a flashpoint for young people chafing under the country's heavy-handed policing.

The tiny nation in the Great Lakes region of east Africa presents itself as a foreigner-friendly tourism and investment destination.

But its puritanical streak has come to the fore as police have cracked down in recent weeks on supposedly "indecent behaviour".

A video went viral last week for showing a young woman being manhandled into a police wagon in the town of Rubavu for wearing a dress that showed her legs.

It followed anger among concertgoers in the capital, Kigali, after many were refused entry on style grounds to a show by Tanzanian star Diamond Platnumz on August 29 at the BK Arena stadium.

"I was wearing a short blazer dress, nothing really scandalous, but I was turned away. I was mad. It was very demeaning," said one rejected attendee, Grace Uwinkamiye, 24.

"My friends didn't take it well at all. One of them has gone to a neighbouring country to stay there for a while," she added.

The incidents sparked outrage on social media.

"A woman's body is not an invitation for control. No woman should be told what she is 'allowed' to wear, and no one deserves violence, humiliation or fear because of her clothing," posted well-known model Pamella Uwicyeza.

Police were forced to apologise for the incident in Rubavu, saying the officers involved had been arrested and the young woman released.

But it was no accident. A police campaign was announced in early August against "indecent behaviour".

There have been reports of raids on house parties, and there are strict new closing times for bars and clubs.

The government appears worried about partying, and "sexualised" fashion choices for women.

"When we do not produce enough of our own cultural references, other people's definitions of beauty, desirability and modernity can very easily become our own," warned Sandrine Umutoni, minister of state for youth and arts, on social media.

'Hard to read'

Rwandans have a reputation for quietly accepting authoritarian governance as the price of stability and growth, but the new rules have touched a nerve.

"For the first time, I felt like fighting for my rights," said Uwinkamiye, the concertgoer.

"The conversation is not only about miniskirts," said lawyer and political analyst Louis Gitinywa. "It's about how people are governed. People are frustrated that decisions are taken without them being included."

Others seem willing to compromise.

Outside a concert for Nigerian star, Rema, this weekend, young people wore noticeably modest outfits. BK Arena had warned them in advance that "intimate areas must remain adequately covered".

Asked if she would normally wear her trousers and blouse combo, one concertgoer told AFP: "Are you kidding me?

"This is the first time I'm dressing like this for a show. I didn't want to miss Rema's show for anything (but) I couldn't risk being treated with their usual indignities."

For expats, it has been a confusing insight into Rwanda's prudish side.

"Rwanda is hard to read!" said one foreign student at the concert.

"It's not a religious state -- it closes churches. But when you think it is a secular state, it arrests women putting on mini-skirts and closes bars and clubs early."

Rwanda's long-time ruler, President Paul Kagame, has expressed deep disdain for churches, saying many steal money and do nothing to develop the country. Thousands have been closed.

But the former military commander also demands decorum from his people.

"It's like authorities are irked when people have a stretch of fun and happiness," said the foreign student.

Princess Diana's famous "revenge dress" that she wore on the evening that then-Prince Charles made a public admission of adultery is to be auctioned in New York in December.

Diana wore the daring off-the-shoulder gown to a gala dinner in London in 1994 on the day that her husband, now the king, admitted during a TV interview to being unfaithful.

"Princess Diana turned the dress into one of the most powerful messages she ever made, during one of the most scrutinized and emotionally charged episodes of her life," said Morgane Halimi of Sotheby's, which announced the upcoming sale on Thursday.

It "gave license to anyone, but especially women, to use fashion beyond adornment and much more intentionally and meaningfully: as a shield, a weapon or both," she said.

The dress, designed by Christina Stambolian, is estimated to fetch between 150,000 and 300,000 dollars, with some proceeds going to charity.

It was previously auctioned for cancer and AIDS charities in 1997, shortly before Diana died in a car accident in Paris at the age of 36.

Madrid – As one of the main events in the calendar for the second half of the year, this Sunday sees the opening of a new, 102nd edition of Micam. The international footwear trade fair in Milan will run from September 13 to 15. Leading footwear firms will present their latest innovations and collections for the upcoming spring/summer 2027 season. Spain will be the second most represented country, only behind Italy.

Held in conjunction with the Mipel trade show, which specialises in handbags, accessories and leather goods, and alongside the Milano Fashion&Jewels trade show, specialising in jewellery (from September 12 to 14); The One Milano, for fashion garments and accessories (from September 12 to 14); and Lineapelle/SIMAC, for leather and machinery for footwear and leather goods (from September 15 to 17), the trade fair will open its doors this Sunday, the 13th, at the Milano-Rho exhibition centre, welcoming some 758 exhibiting brands. These firms are split 50/50 between national Italian and international brands from 29 countries. Italy is the main country represented by the number of exhibitors, followed by Spain, Turkey, Brazil, Germany and Portugal.

As with every new edition of a trade show, the organisation aims to surpass the figures of previous editions. The September 2025 edition saw Micam and Mipel register some 20,362 visitors from 126 countries. The attendance was split between 43 percent Italian visitors and 57 percent international visitors, highlighting the marked international character of this event. This is undoubtedly one of the most important factors for Spanish brands to continue to rely on Micam in their internationalisation strategies. These strategies, with the support of the Federación de Industrias del Calzado Español (Fice), the footwear association responsible for coordinating the sector's participation in the trade fair, and the backing of Icex, are being maintained in a particularly challenging environment for the sector, as highlighted this week by the latest data on the evolution of industrial footwear production in Spain during July.

“Spanish footwear faces a complex international scenario, but it does so from a position of strength,” argues Vicente Pastor, president of Fice. “The growth of our exports and the significant Spanish presence at Micam reflect our companies' ability to adapt, innovate and compete in the most demanding markets.” He adds that “our challenge” now is “to continue advancing in internationalisation and to consolidate the positioning of ‘Shoes from Spain’ as a benchmark for design, quality, innovation and value-added manufacturing.”

Growth in exports, in value and volume, during the first half of the year

According to data from foreign trade reports published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Enterprise, based on data from the Customs Department of the Tax Agency, Fice states that during the first half of 2026, Spanish footwear exports reached 1,706 million euros, with 90 million pairs of shoes exported. These figures represent a growth in both value (plus 1.5 percent) and volume (plus 1.8 percent) compared to the same period last year. The main purchasing countries were France, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Poland. The United States is the sixth largest importer of Spanish footwear and the first outside the European Union.

However, the Ministry of Economy had already announced in August that footwear exports at the end of the first half had grown very slightly to 1,799.7 million euros (plus 0.3 percent). This is a higher total but a more moderate growth compared to the figures now provided by Fice. The association highlights that “these data show the weight that internationalisation continues to have in the strategy of the Spanish footwear industry.” They also emphasise “the importance of professional trade fairs like Micam for generating new business opportunities and consolidating the presence of Spanish brands in foreign markets.”

With 109 brands and 88 Spanish exhibiting companies

With this ambition, Fice, which started “the season” by debuting at the Première Vision Paris sourcing trade fair, is coordinating the Spanish participation in this upcoming edition of Micam. Spanish footwear will arrive with proposals for the spring/summer 2027 season from 109 brands, represented by 88 exhibiting companies. These are considerable figures, allowing Spain to continue to present itself as the second country with the largest presence by number of exhibitors at the trade fair, only behind Italy. However, they are slightly down on the September 2025 edition. That event saw the participation of 135 Spanish brands from 106 exhibiting companies; 26 more brands and 18 more exhibiting companies than in this September 2026 edition.

This national “pavilion” includes well-known and respected brands such as Hispanitas, Unisa, El Naturalista, Victoria, XTI, Pretty Ballerinas and Castellano. Fice will be giving it an extra boost of visibility from its own stand, operated under the “Shoes from Spain” brand, and through various initiatives launched during the trade fair. By region, the brands are led by those from the Valencian Community (origin of 50 percent of the total exhibitors), followed by La Rioja (17 percent); the Region of Murcia (9 percent); Catalonia (8 percent); the Balearic Islands (6 percent); Castilla-La Mancha (5 percent); the Community of Madrid (2 percent); and Aragon, Galicia and the Principality of Asturias (1 percent each).

Donning doll-like dresses with voluminous skirts, young women on stage roar in rage about rape and sexism they experienced in Japan, using theatre and "cute" fashion to denounce male-dominated society.

Meet TremendousCircus, Japan's self-described radical feminist theatre troupe that embraces the flamboyant Gothic Lolita aesthetic as a powerful symbol of womanhood and defence against sexual violence.

The global #MeToo movement hasn't caught on in Japan, and many survivors are too scared to come forward despite a handful of high-profile cases that have forced a reckoning.

Driven by what it terms "radical victim feminism", the fringe group weaves its shows with accounts of sexual violence and harassment faced by members and their fandom, collectively dubbed "militants".

During a recent performance in Tokyo, actors screamed slogans such as "war for women" as they portrayed stylised revolutionists fighting an AI tyrant dubbed "Big Father" in a dystopian future.

Dressed in pink, white and black, the nine women sported Japanese Lolita fashion, a substyle that fuses the bell-shaped silhouettes of Victorian clothing with macabre goth motifs.

"My goal is to be a role model who can show that a joyful future can await sexual violence survivors," 28-year-old actor Chino, a rape survivor who co-founded the troupe, told AFP.

Having recently concluded a legal battle surrounding her own case, Chino is determined not to let that assault define her life.

"I want to wear pretty clothes and go explore a lot of places," she said.

"That single moment when I was raped is far shorter than a whole life ahead of me that I should care about and try to enrich."

'Armour'

TremendousCircus, whose members agreed to be identified using their professional names, debuted in 2016 with a focus on LGBTQ rights.

The all-women group -- except for one co-founder, an openly gay man -- now charges men up to twice as much as women spectators in a dig at Japan's doggedly wide gender wage gap, double the OECD average.

From blouse to jumper skirt and drawers to petticoat, TremendousCircus's multi-layered garments are the "exact opposite of form-fitting, scant and sexually arousing clothes many men crave", said Chino.

"We can repel men while wearing pretty clothes," she said.

Members say in Japan -- which ranked 118th out of 148 economies in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index last year -- women are regularly bumped into and ogled at by men on crowded trains while subjected to patriarchal expectations for marriage and childbirth, especially in rural areas.

A 2024 government survey found that around one in 10 young people in Japan have been groped at least once, the vast majority women.

Even off stage, member Hina Haruka braves the sizzling summer heat in Gothic Lolita-style "armour", with a white lace parasol and bonnet.

"These cannot be easily taken off, so they help protect women from rape as well," the pigtailed 27-year-old told AFP.

In the Gothic Lolita world "we can wear pink and go all out with frills and cuteness no matter how old we are", she said.

"That makes me think I'm fulfilling the version of myself that I love, and valuing my feelings as a woman -- there's something very feminist about that."

'Help each other'

Arguing that every woman in Japan is in some way a victim of its misogynistic society, Chino said radical victim feminism, which centres on the needs of sexual violence survivors, "has the potential to unite all women".

During their latest performance titled "Unite", TremendousCircus actors depicted killings of men and ferociously ripped apart AI-generated photos of men's faces.

The group does not outright disavow dating, marriage, childbirth and sex with men like some radical feminists do in South Korea, for example, Chino said.

Instead, "we welcome all women", including mothers and sex workers, because "women should be free to live however they want", she said.

Formerly in prostitution, Mizuki Shikyoin recalls being systematically "groomed" by her male boss.

"Now I know. Everything I thought was 'given' by a boyfriend or a pimp through rape and sex was in fact what was taken away from me," the 27-year-old bellowed in an anguish-filled monologue during "Unite".

"I used to think I was helpless without men, but I was wrong. I can't do everything alone, but when women help each other we can do anything," Shikyoin told AFP.

The message resonated deeply with the dozens of audience members, most of them women, who smiled and sobbed as three-hour "Unite" ended.

"It made me realise how our society is centred around men and understand why my life hasn't gone well sometimes," Ayaka, 37, told AFP, only giving her first name.

"I can live a bit more positively now."

US fashion platform Rent the Runway, Inc. (Rent the Runway) has reported a 20.8 percent increase in total revenue to 97.70 million dollars for the second quarter ended July 31, 2026, compared to 80.90 million dollars in the second quarter of fiscal 2025.

Madrid – Spanish fashion and accessories firm Bimba y Lola has once again demonstrated its solid business model. The company has successfully navigated a challenging first half of 2026, as reflected in the key financial figures released for the first half of its new fiscal year.

British streetwear retailer End. is launching End. Label, its first full own-brand menswear and womenswear collection, as it looks to build on its positioning as a fashion and lifestyle platform.

Launching September 14 online and across End.’s UK flagship stores in London, Newcastle, Manchester and Glasgow, as well as its European flagship in Milan, the collection spans ready-to-wear, accessories and jewellery.

End. Label focuses on versatile wardrobe staples, with relaxed silhouettes and a monochromatic palette, seen across a range spanning leather outerwear, Portuguese organic cotton shirting and jersey, womenswear dresses and tailoring, alongside Italian wool and cashmere-blend pieces and sterling silver jewellery.

The launch follows a period of strategic change for the Newcastle-born retailer, which in May 2025, appointed Sebastian Suhl as CEO, succeeding Parker Gunderson. Suhl previously held senior leadership roles at Givenchy, Valentino, Marc Jacobs and Trussardi.

In the following November, End. also named Martin Wieczorek as its first chief product officer, a newly created role following his work as a consultant with the retailer. Upon appoinment he was tasked with evolving the brand mix, product offering and customer experience.

The retailer’s move into own-brand product comes as it seeks its next phase of growth following financial difficulties and a recapitalisation led by private equity firm Apollo in 2024.

Suhl commented: “The launch of End. Label felt like a natural evolution for us after 20 years of curating brands, designers and products. and understanding our core consumers’ wants and needs. End. is a brand uniquely positioned between fashion discovery and expression, British cultural styling codes and contemporary lifestyle.

"This collection offers our consumers high quality yet accessibly priced wardrobe solutions informed by our ethos and a real understanding of how people who operate at this convergence want to dress today.”

US apparel and e-commerce company Digital Brands Group (DBG) says it has secured a binding two-year US programme worth 165 million dollars, covering apparel, footwear and toiletries for 771,481 people re-entering the workforce.

Budget retail giant Primark is set to enter Mexico through a strategic partnership with Mexican retail group El Puerto de Liverpool, marking another step in the fashion retailer’s broader international expansion.

Madrid – With over 180 years of history, Barcelona-based Santa Eulalia has a truly unparalleled legacy in the fashion world, both globally and specifically within Spain and Barcelona itself. This week, coinciding with the end-of-summer 'rentrée', the boutique is celebrating this history by commemorating the centenary of its first fashion show.

To set the scene, we must first focus on the year 1843. In Barcelona, on the central, narrow and evocative Carrer de la Boqueria, a small shop specialising in fabrics opened. This was barely six years after Thierry Hermès had opened his first saddlery workshop in Paris, the origin of the house of Hermès. It was also three years before the collective workshop that traces the origins of Loewe began. This is where we find the beginnings of Santa Eulalia. Of the three, it is the only one whose origins are most faithfully linked to the world of fashion. From its earliest days, it ventured into clothing, naturally bespoke — prêt-à-porter would not emerge until the late 1950s — for both men and women.

Building on its identity as a fashion house, Santa Eulalia opened and moved in 1898 to a new modernist building on Pla de la Boqueria square, on La Rambla, built for the shop by the renowned architect of the time, Pere Falqués. The boutique was located on the site of the old Santa Eulalia gate. According to tradition, this was the place of martyrdom of the city's patron saint. The store was decorated with an image of the saint on its façade and was eventually renamed Almacenes Santa Eulalia. The company adopted this name around 1900, and the historic fashion house has been operating under it ever since. With over 180 years of history, one of its greatest milestones was the celebration of its first fashion show in 1926. This was a major event for Barcelona and Spain at the time. Santa Eulalia showcased its own creations on a catwalk, just as the great Parisian fashion houses of the era were doing. The initiative created such a sensation that invitations to subsequent shows became personal. The fashion house decided to highlight the creations of Pere Formosa, first an apprentice and later master of the sewing workshop, who revolutionised the fashion house. He would eventually become part of the Sans family, who have owned Santa Eulalia for four generations.

A perfume with 'heritage'

To celebrate and commemorate this particular milestone in the history of Santa Eulalia, the house has presented 'Heritas' this week. The brand has evolved and adapted to the changing realities of fashion, establishing itself today as one of the most emblematic and recognised multi-brand boutiques in Europe and the world. The name, Latin for 'Heritage', has been given to the new creation in Santa Eulalia's own fragrance family. This is a product category the house first introduced in 1947 with the launch of its first 'eau de cologne', and which it relaunched in 2014 with a renewed and complete collection of its own fragrances.

Generally understood as a line that highlights and reinforces the brand's 'global vocation', it is sold not only in-house but also in a curated selection of perfumeries in Barcelona, Spain, and various European, Middle Eastern and international markets. Santa Eulalia's family of olfactory creations is now complete with this latest addition. It is the first created for the house by Chris Maurice, a third-generation Barcelona perfumer who has designed a fragrance for Santa Eulalia inspired by that first fashion show, drawing on his links with the city and the fashion house itself. He knew the shop as a child through his grandmother, a regular client of the house. He has paid tribute to its heritage and legacy with an olfactory construction 'in three stages'. It has a top note of white flowers and frangipani flower, the star of this fragrance, which also incorporates an element particularly characteristic of Catalan modernist decorative motifs; a heart of vanilla and iris notes; and base notes of sandalwood, benzoin and white musk. The house gave us an exclusive preview of the composition last Wednesday, September 9, during an olfactory workshop held inside its boutique at 93 Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona. It is now on sale in 15 ml (35 euros) and 75 ml (180 euros) sizes.

“Chris has known Santa Eulalia since he was a child,” says Luis Sans, president of Santa Eulalia. “His grandmother was a client of the house and he remembers accompanying her when she came to try on her Haute Couture dresses.” He adds that Maurice “is from Barcelona, belongs to the third generation of a family of perfumers and has experienced this world first-hand.” With all that background, “who better than someone with that bond to create a true olfactory tribute to our one hundred years of Haute Couture,” he notes. His statements also make it clear that, while not a requirement or limitation to be from Barcelona, the essential thing for developing the project was to have someone with the ability and sensitivity to truly convey the history of Santa Eulalia as a fashion house through a scent, as well as its links with the fashion world and, of course, with Barcelona. “We are Barcelona,” stresses the boutique's management.

An immersive presentation

To celebrate this launch and welcome Barcelona's high society back to the city after the usual summer break, Santa Eulalia held a launch party for the new 'Heritas' fragrance on the evening of Wednesday, September 9, with a sensational party at La Paloma. The venue, which opened in 1903, is considered the oldest ballroom in Europe. Inside, the house offered a meticulously crafted immersive experience, which we were also pleased to experience first-hand. It merged the worlds of perfumery, music, gastronomy, lighting and, of course, fashion, all centred around the identity of the 'Heritas' fragrance itself.

Around 500 guests attended, including clients and representatives from the media and Barcelona society with links to Santa Eulalia, as well as the worlds of fashion and culture. Notable attendees at La Paloma included interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán; actress and presenter Marta Torné; actor Daniel Horwath; models Lucas Prada, Pau Ramis, and Jorge and Edu Román; photographer Martín Gatti; and DJ and influencer Gerard Estadella. The party began with three 'olfactory capsules' inside the space, offering the chance to smell the three dominant notes of the fragrance in all their intensity: frangipani flower, sandalwood and vanilla. The sensory experience was completed with the gift of scarves scented with the new 'Heritas' fragrance, a gesture that filled the entire room with the delicate aroma of the new Santa Eulalia perfume. The drinks menu also featured four cocktails created by Javier de las Muelas, inspired by and scented with notes linked to the fragrance. This succession of sensory impressions was topped off by a live performance from the American group Brothers of Soul. This was accompanied by an ambient light show that also sought to generate the sensations conveyed by the olfactory construction of the 'Heritas' fragrance, and chocolates by Christian Escribà. These small white and dark chocolate delights played on the black and white combination that was set as the event's 'dress code', in turn referencing Santa Eulalia's corporate visual code.

Just as with the creation of the perfume itself, “we wanted to surround ourselves with talent,” praises Luis Sans. “They are all internationally recognised professionals in their respective fields, but at the same time deeply linked to Barcelona.” He continues: “That local component was very important to us because ‘Heritas’ is born from our history, but also from our city.” This is why it was important that “this celebration had deeply Barcelonian roots.” Based on this commitment, “Santa Eulalia and La Paloma are two historic, family-run companies closely linked to Barcelona.” “We felt there were many similarities between the two,” and therefore “it was the perfect place to celebrate these one hundred years of Haute Couture.”

With silk scarves and a DeMellier collaboration

The fragrance launch and the series of immersive activations are just part of a series of initiatives that Santa Eulalia has decided to launch to commemorate the centenary of its first fashion show. The historic boutique will celebrate the event with the launch of a limited edition of three natural silk scarves, printed with original illustrations from the house's historic posters of the 1930s, created for Santa Eulalia by J. Perajordi, Porta and José Luis Rey Vila.

Three designs, conceived as collector's items, will be sold throughout this commemorative year. They will be joined by an exclusive handbag model created for Santa Eulalia by the London-based brand DeMellier, inspired by the same 1926 fashion show. The brand stands out in Santa Eulalia's current offering as one of the new accessories brands to be included in its curated product selection. Despite its British nature, it is worth noting that it was founded by the Spanish, and specifically Barcelona-born, Mireia Llusia-Lindh. In the creative and entrepreneur, Santa Eulalia has found the perfect partner to celebrate its legacy as a fashion house, alongside this fragrance and the collection of scarves.

October’s Very Own (OVO), the lifestyle and apparel label co-founded by Drake, is facing further legal complications following its recent deal with Authentic Brands Group and Vince Holding Corp., with lender A.R.I. OVO Growth Capital claiming it was not informed of the transaction and remains owed more than five million Canadian dollars.

Luxury house Dior, a powerhouse of the LVMH group, has announced a two-year creative collaboration with production company A24. The partnership covers the film, theatre and live events sectors. This agreement makes Dior the main partner of the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York.

The partnership was launched at the Cherry Lane Theatre to mark the first anniversary of its reopening under the management of A24. The event highlighted the iconic venue's heritage with Both Ends, a unique performance by cabaret artist Justin Vivian Bond, directed by Zack Winokur. The performance was directly inspired by the poet and playwright Edna St. Vincent Millay, one of the theatre's founders.

For the occasion, Dior's artistic director, Jonathan Anderson, designed bespoke costumes and Justin Vivian Bond notably wore an archive piece by Paul Poiret. The French couturier's work served as inspiration for Dior's autumn/winter 2026 collection.

As part of this exclusive deal, Dior and A24 are committed to supporting both established and emerging creative talent through specific on-screen and off-screen programming. The aim is to create “bridges between artists and the public,” according to the press release. The house of Dior also stated that the two entities will support student projects, “offering them the opportunity to familiarise themselves with both the creative and technical dimensions of film and theatre”.

This is not the first time a fashion house of this scale has ventured into this area. In 2023, French luxury brand Saint Laurent announced the creation of a film production company, Saint Laurent Productions.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Jonathan Anderson specified that it will not be about selling bags at all. He added: “It's about credibility. For me, the main challenge is to appeal to the younger generation. This does not mean you absolutely have to have a handbag on a cinema screen to sell it. It's about selling the idea that a brand is authentic”.

There is something revealing about watching three films about fashion in relatively quick succession.

John Galliano, McQueen and Alice Winocour's Couture, starring Angelina Jolie, are very different films. One is a documentary about the rise, collapse and rehabilitation of one of fashion's most controversial designers; another is a portrait of a man whose mythology eventually consumed him; the third is fiction, set behind the scenes of haute couture.

Yet watching them together, I was left with a rather uncomfortable thought: how much has actually changed?

Fashion has become considerably better at talking about wellbeing. There is more discussion of burnout, mental health, sustainability and the importance of a healthier workplace. Luxury companies have HR departments, wellness programmes and entire vocabularies for employee welfare that would have been unrecognisable thirty years ago.

But the fundamental bargain between fashion and its most talented people seems remarkably intact.

A designer is still expected to produce. And produce. And produce.

The immediate context is the cancellation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's planned John Galliano: Horizons* exhibition. The Met and Galliano announced on August 31 that the exhibition, which had been scheduled for May 2027, would not proceed. The decision followed criticism over Galliano's racist and antisemitic remarks in 2011, for which he was convicted by a French court. Galliano has repeatedly apologised, undergone treatment for addiction and spoken publicly about his recovery.

There is a perfectly legitimate conversation to be had about whether a museum should devote a retrospective to an artist with such a record. There is also a legitimate conversation about whether artistic achievement can be separated from personal conduct.

What interests me, however, is a different omission.

In much of the debate, Galliano's behaviour in 2011 is examined in isolation, while the extraordinary circumstances in which he was operating are treated almost as background scenery.

At the height of his career, Galliano was producing 32 collections a year between his own label and Dior. He later described the workload himself: what had begun as two collections a year had become 32, with the work effectively becoming non-stop. In interviews after his collapse, he described being afraid to say no, taking on more and more work as his success grew, and eventually relying on alcohol, Valium and sleeping pills to keep functioning.

Thirty-two collections. That is roughly one collection every eleven days.

And these were not necessarily collections in the contemporary sense of a handful of looks assembled for Instagram. Galliano has said that individual collections could contain up to 1,000 pieces.

The number is almost difficult to comprehend. It is also worth remembering that Galliano was not simply designing clothes. His responsibilities extended across the increasingly elaborate machinery of a modern luxury house: ready-to-wear, couture, accessories, shop windows, marketing and the commercial demands attached to them.

The system worked because he kept producing. That is an uncomfortable distinction. A person can be visibly unwell and still be extremely productive. In fact, productivity can sometimes conceal how unwell someone actually is.

A functioning alcoholic who continues to deliver collections, attend fittings, satisfy executives, make the shows happen and keep the commercial machine moving can look, from the outside, like a person who is coping.

The designer as machine

The fashion industry has spent decades romanticising the tortured creative. The difficult genius. The obsessive perfectionist. The designer who works through the night. We admire the intensity because we associate it with talent. The problem is that the industry has also learnt how to monetise it. Alexander McQueen's story is particularly uncomfortable in this respect.

The 2018 documentary McQueen makes clear that the abrasive, confrontational public persona was only part of the man. People close to him describe someone considerably more tender and vulnerable, deeply attached to his parents, his family and his dogs. His relationship with Isabella Blow was foundational, and her suicide in 2007 profoundly affected him. His mother's death followed in 2010; McQueen died by suicide shortly afterwards. The documentary also explores his drug use, paranoia and increasingly troubled state of mind.

What is particularly striking is the way the industry turned his darkness into part of his mythology. McQueen was fashion's enfant terrible. But there is a difference between having a creative persona and becoming trapped inside it.

As Sleek observed after the documentary, the film leaves us with the image of a deeply troubled, drug-dependent and paranoid man who was continually revisiting childhood trauma, partly in order to live up to the reputation he had created for himself.

That is the part of fashion mythology that deserves more scrutiny. We celebrate the person who goes to extremes. Then, when the extremes become destructive, we treat the destruction as a private tragedy.

We know the problem

This is not a new observation. In 2015, Cathy Horyn's interview with Raf Simons for System Magazine, he spoke about the extraordinary compression of the fashion calendar. Six shows a year, he said, meant that collections could be produced in three weeks, sometimes five. His complaint was not simply that the workload was exhausting. It was that there was no longer enough time to think.

There was no incubation time. An idea, he explained, needs to be put aside for a week and reconsidered. Under the modern fashion schedule, that became almost impossible.

The problem with fashion's speed is not only that it exhausts people. It can also exhaust ideas. Creativity requires boredom. It requires time to wander around a thought without knowing where it is going. It requires looking at something, putting it away, forgetting about it and returning to it later.

The luxury business model increasingly asks for the opposite. What can we launch? What can we show? What can we sell? What is next? And what is next after that?

Alber Elbaz once said designers were expected to make things "bigger, better, faster" and increasingly cheaper. A singer can make ten great songs. A filmmaker can make five great films. A writer can produce three great books. But a designer can be expected to produce six to eight collections a year for decades.

His conclusion was almost comic in its simplicity: perhaps this is why some designers begin to behave strangely.

Elbaz understood the particular burden of running an independent house. In an earlier interview, he described the pressure of knowing that his creative decisions affected the salaries and livelihoods of everyone working for him. He was, as he put it, sometimes the conductor, sometimes the pianist, and sometimes the piano.

That last part is something people outside fashion often miss.

When the company is your own, there is no holiday

I know this from experience. When I was running my own fashion label, there was rarely a moment when I could simply stop.

January meant menswear. Which meant that December was not really December. While other people were thinking about Christmas, we were working on pricing, finishing samples, shooting the collection and preparing everything required for the next season.

Summer was no different. June meant menswear. September meant womenswear. The weeks in between were consumed by development, production, sales, deliveries, press, buyers and whatever had gone wrong that week and needed fixing.

August was theoretically the month when everyone went away. But when the company is yours, four weeks in August is not quite the same thing as four weeks in August when you are an employee.

Your employees go on holiday. You keep the company moving. Someone still has to answer the email. Someone still has to deal with the supplier. Someone still has to approve the sample, solve the production problem, speak to the buyer, chase the payment and think about what comes next.

And this is the paradox of fashion that is rarely visible in the finished product. The photograph looks effortless. The show lasts ten minutes. The business behind it can consume an entire year.

The people who said no

There have always been designers who recognised that the equation was unsustainable. Raf Simons left Dior. Alber Elbaz spoke repeatedly about needing more time. Dries Van Noten eventually stepped away from his own label after decades in the business. There is another, quieter group of people who simply decide they no longer want to live this way.

Patrick Cox is an interesting example. His career demonstrates both the possibilities and the contradictions of the fashion system: he built a highly successful shoe business, expanded internationally, licensed, collaborated and later returned to design. He has also stepped away from the centre of the fashion system at various points in his career rather than treating perpetual expansion as the only definition of success.

Christophe Decarnin's 2011 absence from Balmain's show offered a more stark example. He was reportedly under doctors' orders to rest after treatment for an illness variously described at the time as depression or exhaustion. He did not appear at his own show.

Not every designer who leaves a job is burnt out. Not every designer who works hard is mentally unwell. And certainly not every act of destructive behaviour can be explained by a demanding work schedule.

Galliano's antisemitic and racist remarks cannot simply be explained away by overwork or addiction. They were his responsibility, and he has acknowledged that. McQueen's suicide cannot be reduced to the fashion calendar. But neither should we pretend that the environment in which these people worked is irrelevant.

The system learns very slowly

Perhaps the most frustrating thing is that we already know the answer. A decade ago, Vogue was asking whether fashion's creative-director system was itself broken, pointing to the relentless number of collections, shows and commercial obligations being placed on designers. It warned that the industry risked losing some of its most interesting talent precisely because those people either could not, or would not, accept a 24-hour creative-directorship lifestyle.

When a designer burns out, the system does not necessarily slow down. It looks for a replacement.

Couture offers a different view

This is what made Couture, Alice Winocour's film starring Angelina Jolie, an interesting third film to watch alongside Galliano and McQueen.

The film is not about a tortured male genius. Winocour deliberately turns the camera towards the people normally left outside the mythology: seamstresses, make-up artists and models. She spent a year and a half backstage at fashion shows researching the film, and was given unprecedented access to Chanel's haute couture atelier.

It is a useful corrective. Because fashion does not only happen on the runway. It happens in the workroom. It happens at the fitting table. It happens in the sample room at ten in the evening. It happens when somebody is still sewing while the creative director has already moved on to the next idea.

The designer is only one part of the machine. But the designer has become the machine's most visible human component. We ask that person to generate the vision, embody the brand, sell the vision, defend the vision, travel for the vision, produce the vision and then, almost immediately, come up with another one.

When the collection succeeds, the designer is a genius. When it fails, the designer is replaced. When the designer becomes difficult, the designer is a problem. When the designer becomes ill, the designer is fragile. And when the designer finally breaks, we call it tragedy.

Perhaps we have confused endurance with talent

There is a dangerous idea embedded in fashion that the best people are the ones who can withstand the most. The designer who works all night is committed. The designer who produces ten things at once is a genius. But perhaps none of these things are measures of creativity. They are measures of endurance. And endurance is not the same thing as talent.

The most interesting future for luxury fashion may therefore not be one in which designers are asked to become even more efficient at producing more.

It may be one in which the industry becomes comfortable with less.

Time to think

The cancellation of John Galliano's Met exhibition will continue to generate arguments about accountability, redemption and whether an artist's work can be separated from the person who made it. Those arguments are important.

But perhaps there is another question worth asking. When we look back at the great designers of the last few decades, why do so many of their stories contain the same ingredients, relentless work, addiction, exhaustion, grief, isolation and, eventually, some form of escape?

Perhaps the question is not simply why these designers broke. Perhaps we should ask why the system was so impressed by how long they could keep going.

Matthias Bäumer, chief commercial officer (CCO) at Puma, is stepping down from his role on the executive board at the end of the month.

Bäumer has decided to take this step for “personal reasons”, Puma announced on Friday. His term will end on September 30. His responsibilities as head of sales and head of subsidiaries will be temporarily taken over by Puma's chief executive officer (CEO) Arthur Hoeld. A successor will be announced at a later date.

Bäumer has been with the German sporting goods group for almost 20 years. He joined the company in 2007 as sales director for the German, Belgian, Dutch and Luxembourg markets. Two years later, he took over as general manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH), a position he held for ten years. He was then responsible for the global Teamsport business unit. After leaving the executive board, he will continue to work for Puma in an advisory capacity and will represent the company on the supervisory board of the football club Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA.

“I would like to thank Matthias for his commitment to the brand, which he has shown in various roles within the company, and for his contribution to our three-year transformation process,” said Hoeld. “I am very pleased that he has agreed to continue to support us as a consultant.”

Bäumer was only appointed to the executive board in April 2025. His departure after around 18 months is the fourth change to the management team in a year and a half. This follows the change from Arne Freundt to Hoeld at the head of the group; the appointment of Andreas Hubert as chief operating officer (COO) in September 2025; and the change from Markus Neubrand to Mark Langer as chief financial officer (CFO) on May 1.

From October, the Puma executive board will consist of CEO Hoeld, CFO Langer, chief brand officer Maria Valdes and COO Hubert.

Columbia Sportswear Company has appointed Peter Rauch as the new president of its technical outdoor brand Mountain Hardwear. Rauch currently serves as the general manager of Columbia Brand North America.

He will assume the role on September 28, 2026. Rauch brings nearly 20 years of leadership experience across the Columbia family of brands.

"Throughout his career, Peter has built strong cross-functional partnerships, developed high-performing teams, and delivered meaningful business results,” said Peter Bragdon, president of Columbia Sportswear Company. "His deep understanding of our business, combined with his commitment to the outdoor industry and consumers we serve, positions him well to lead Mountain Hardwear into its next chapter.”

Current Mountain Hardwear president Troy Sicotte will transition into a new position as global vice president of sales for the brand, also effective September 28, 2026. Sicotte joined Mountain Hardwear nearly eight years ago and has led the brand as president for almost five years. In his new role, he will focus on strengthening marketplace and retail relationships.

Craig Zanon, executive vice president of Europe direct, Asia direct and emerging brands, added: "We are grateful for Troy's contributions and are excited about the leadership he will continue to bring to the brand. His deep industry expertise, strong retailer partnerships and global perspective position him well to help drive the Mountain Hardwear brand's next phase of growth and success.”

British footwear brand Dr Martens has announced the appointment of Katie Morton as global customer director. Morton will officially join the business on October 26, 2026, reporting directly to chief brand officer Carla Murphy.

In her new role, Morton will be responsible for strengthening the company's consumer-centric approach globally. She will also join the leadership team to support the business in executing its Levers for Growth strategy and reinforcing consumer insight within its operating model.

"Katie has an outstanding track record helping some of the world's most iconic brands better understand and serve their consumers," said Murphy. "Together with the recent appointments across our product and brand leadership teams, Katie's arrival strengthens our ability to better understand our consumers, respond to their evolving needs and create memorable brand experiences."

Morton brings over two decades of experience in consumer, omnichannel and business transformation across the fashion and retail sectors. She spent more than 17 years at luxury label Burberry, where she held various global leadership positions, most recently serving as global vice president of online to offline. More recently, she worked as an independent consultant advising brands such as department store Fortnum & Mason.

The appointment follows other recent additions to the leadership team at Dr Martens, including Isadora Versiani as global product design director and Nadia Svensson as global merchandising and product director.

US-based fashion company G-III Apparel Group (G-III) will directly assume control of its brand operations across Spain and Portugal starting December 31, 2026, ending its distribution alliance with All We Wear Group (AWWG).

Artist Tom Sachs is showcasing makeshift Chanel items in an installation set up in his New York studio, which has been transformed into a fake Chanel boutique.

Named "31 Rue Cambon", the installation opens on September 11 and will close on October 10. The timing is perfect, which should make Sachs' work an exciting topic of conversation for the crowd in New York for Fashion Week. The artist intends to make the world reflect on fashion. He wants to encourage people to question the "notion of authorship; value; work; desire; and the cultural mechanisms of luxury," according to the Thaddaeus Ropac gallery.

Specifically, "31 Rue Cambon" transforms the venue into a fully immersive Chanel boutique. The space is entirely populated with handmade reproductions of the house's iconic pieces: suits; accessories; furniture; jewellery; packaging; and retail displays. Constructed from salvaged materials such as plywood, acrylic, cardboard and tape, the work is based on the philosophy of 'bricolage'. This is a creative concept that involves using readily available materials, often repurposed or borrowed.

It features handmade jewellery incorporating Lego pieces or bicycle reflectors, as well as furniture inspired by Coco Chanel's famous Parisian apartment. The experience is complemented by a custom soundtrack that blends ambient music and horror films with the brand's advertising archives.

"31 Rue Cambon" is located a few minutes' walk from a Chanel store in Soho. Although the pieces on display are not wearable and nothing can be purchased, the desirability of the cardboard dresses and Lego jewellery still has an impact. According to several media outlets, the house of Chanel was never consulted about the project.

This is not the first time Sachs has poked fun at the image of major luxury names. The artist has been playing with the industry for several years, subverting products and logos through reclamation processes. "In one of his first exhibitions, he made Knoll office furniture from telephone directories and tape," recalls his biography on the Thaddaeus Ropac gallery website.

US department store group Macy’s has raised its full-year 2026 guidance after reporting stronger-than-expected second-quarter results, with comparable sales increasing across its portfolio.

British sportswear manufacturer Castore has found itself at the centre of sale speculation after reportedly receiving a series of unprompted takeover approaches from competitors.

In Pictures Bvlgari has unveiled its first public installation in the United States, a temporary golden structure on New York's High Line above Little West 12th Street. Titled "AuruBoros — Urban Memory and Collective Dream," the work is on view from September 10 to 20, following a private press preview on September 9.

The installation was created by Berlin-based duo Plastique Fantastique, made up of Marco Canevacci and Yena Young, and commissioned by Bvlgari for Serpenti Infinito in New York. It consists of pneumatic coiling forms in gold emerging from beneath The Standard, presented by the brand as giving shape to the pressures and rhythms beneath the city's surface.

AuruBoros is the latest stop in Serpenti Infinito, a travelling project that began in Shanghai in 2023 and continued through Seoul and Mumbai in 2025. Each iteration examines how a single symbol translates across cultures for a different city and audience.

"With Serpenti Infinito New York, Bvlgari reaffirms its enduring commitment to art as a universal language that connects cultures, inspires dialogue and celebrates creativity in all its forms," said Laura Burdese, Bvlgari chief executive, in a statement. "Bringing Serpenti to one of the world's most dynamic cultural capitals marks a meaningful new chapter in the icon's extraordinary journey, one that continues to evolve while remaining deeply rooted in our Roman heritage."

Alongside the installation, Bvlgari is unveiling a group of high jewellery pieces referencing the city's artistic history through the Serpenti motif: three new Serpenti Tubogas designs and a high accessories minaudière, all making their worldwide debut. The pieces will be available in selected boutiques from September.

In Pictures

247, the performance wear arm of British label Represent, has launched its first football product, the Puma x 247 Ultra Nitro 7 Ultimate FG, in partnership with Puma. Liverpool and Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo, a Puma athlete, fronts the campaign.

The boot follows two previous collaborations between the two brands in performance running. It reworks Puma's new-generation Ultra Nitro 7 through 247's design language and carries Nitrofoam Elite, a nitrogen-infused foam for energy return; an Ultraweave upper for lockdown and lightweight construction; and Puma's data-informed FastTrax 2.0 stud configuration.

"Football has always been deeply embedded in Represent, from our perspective on British football culture to the Champions collection we introduced earlier this year. Bringing 247 into football felt like a natural evolution of that relationship," said George Heaton, co-founder and creative director of Represent. "We've always approached 247 by translating performance through the Represent lens - bringing our own design language and attitude to technical products, rather than trying to replicate what already exists."

Heaton added: "We've worked closely with Puma on the Ultra and saw an opportunity to bring the distinctive DNA of 247 into an entirely new category. It's a serious performance boot at its core, but we've approached it through the Represent lens, giving it our own perspective, design language and attitude."

Represent chief executive Paul Spencer, formerly managing director of Puma's European operations, played a role in bringing the two companies together, according to the brand.

The Puma x 247 Ultra Nitro 7 Ultimate FG is now available.

New York – From a brocade jacket paired with ripped jeans to a sequined flapper dress over flowing trousers, Ralph Lauren presented a spring/summer 2027 collection “reinterpreting historical references” ahead of New York Fashion Week on Wednesday.

Tailored trousers were worn with a leather jacket, a boater hat and ballet flats, watched by French model Laetitia Casta and American actress Viola Davis.

A striped shirt was enhanced by a sequined plastron, while flowing trousers were paired with a tailcoat. True to the brand's aesthetic, navy blue and white dominated the palette, with touches of gold, beige and dusty pink. This first show, on the eve of the official opening of New York Fashion Week, was set to be followed in the evening by that of another American heavyweight, Coach.

In a slowing luxury market, the two brands are thriving. They cultivate a more accessible image and recorded double-digit revenue growth for the quarter ending late June 2026.

Ralph Lauren’s CEO Patrice Louvet champions an “inclusive” approach to luxury, with products ranging from 320,000-dollar watches to 12-dollar socks. The company saw its sales increase by 14 percent to 1.96 billion dollars.

Coach posted a 15 percent increase to 1.64 billion dollars, driven in particular by the success of its handbags with a younger clientele.

New York Fashion Week has a packed schedule on Thursday. It features Henry Zankov's debut at Diane von Furstenberg, shows from Proenza Schouler and Christian Siriano, as well as Tory Burch and, notably, Tommy Hilfiger.

The iconic American fashion brand made a splash in early September with an advertising campaign fronted by Travis Kelce, the famous American football player and husband of pop star Taylor Swift.

The line-up of some 70 shows and presentations also includes Michael Kors and Calvin Klein on Friday, Carolina Herrera on Monday, and Thom Browne closing the event on Tuesday.

Also of note, starting from this edition, is the ban on animal fur in collections on the official New York schedule.

The renowned Madrid-based communications and event production agency Pelonio Press is beginning a new chapter under the name AM, with a new visual identity, headquarters and corporate structure. The change also marks the separation of the activities previously carried out jointly by its three founding partners.

Paris - "Not all second-hand models are created equal." A report from the NGO Oxfam, published on Thursday, states that charity shops, commercial second-hand stores and platforms like Vinted have neither "the same objectives" nor "the same impacts".

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has found new leadership in Pavita Cooper, who will be taking up the role of chair from October 1, 2026. Cooper will succeed David Pemsel, who announced his exit from the council and its board last month, with his departure date set for September 30.

Cooper will bring a plethora of experience to the BFC, having held senior executive positions at Lloyds’s Banking Group and Christies. She is also currently on the board of The Old Vic and The King’s Trust, which oversees YNAP’s Modern Artisan Project and Chanel’s Métiers d’Art Atelier Fellowship.

In a statement, Cooper said it was an honour to take up the helm of the BFC, adding: “My priority will be to champion fashion as an important driver of UK growth and help strengthen the environment in which British designers, entrepreneurs and businesses can start, scale and compete globally.”

BFC 2030 in full swing

Her appointment comes on the back of the BFC announcing a new strategy: ‘BFC 2030: Access, Creativity, Growth’, a four-year roadmap focused on commercialising British fashion and supporting long-term industry growth. As part of the strategy, the BFC is set to implement the Fashion Britain initiative at the upcoming London Fashion Week in September, broadening the reach of the event throughout the country.

Cooper’s appointment reflects the organisation’s further ambitions to strengthen its influence among government and policymakers. She has been tasked with helping to “champion the strategic importance of the sector”, a mission that has been amplified under Laura Wier, who stepped into the chief executive officer role last year.

Cooper will be joined by Caroline Issa, the chief executive officer of Tank magazine, who is stepping into the newly created role of deputy chair. Issa will bring to the role her expertise and relationships across the global industry, as well as her connection to the designer community associated with the BFC.

Pemsel commented that the development of board appointments reflects the “importance of bringing together the right people” to deliver BFC 2030. “The mix of expertise represents the diversity and ambition in the strategy and our commitment to support, defend and promote British fashion. The appointment of Pavita as chair directly delivers on the need to supercharge the organisation's ability to engage with government and support the industry with its policy work and access to investment,” he continued.

Months after falling into administration, LK Bennett is set to be revived through a new strategic partnership between IMG Licensing and its parent company Gordon Brothers. The US brand management firm has tapped IMG to lead a regimaging of the British label that will see it move beyond its fashion-focus to become a broader lifestyle brand.

Harvey Nichols has relaunched its e-commerce operations weeks after Frasers Group acquired the luxury department store and rescued it from the clutches of administration.

Recycled materials firm Recover has named Enes Adak and Fehmi Yüksel as co-chief executive officers, marking the next stage of development in the company’s evolution.

Adak will continue to serve as chief product officer, overseeing Recover’s product, commercial and operations functions, while Yüksel will maintain the role of chief financial officer, leading strategic direction and stakeholder engagement.

In the dual CEO position, Adak and Yüksel have been tasked with leading Recover’s growth journey, centred around strengthening customer service, partner support across the textile value chain, enhancing operational delivery and expanding its global platform.

Adak has previously held senior leadership roles at Li & Fung and Forever 21, bringing nearly 20 years of experience to his new role at Recover. Yüksel, meanwhile, holds over 15 years of leadership experience, including in his prior positions at McKinsey & Company, where he served on the firm’s transformation and sustainability teams.

Recover’s executive chairman, Hans Ploos van Amstel, said the co-CEO structure intends to combine Adak’s operation and product leadership with Yüksel’s expertise in strategy, finance and business transformation. Ploos van Amstel added: “Together, they bring complementary capabilities that will help accelerate execution, strengthen our partnerships, and continue scaling the business globally.”

Adak said the focus will be on turning the “strong foundation” Recover has built into “greater scale and commercial impact”, while Yüksel noted that Recover was positioned with confidence amid a period in which the textile industry is accelerating its circular transition.

Yüksel continued: “Our priority is to strengthen partnerships across the industry, accelerate the adoption of recycled cotton at scale, expand our global platform, and continue building a business that creates long-term value for customers, shareholders and partners.”

In September 2026, the general shareholders' meeting of Manifattura Mario Colombo & C. SpA approved the composition of its new board of directors. The reorganisation of the group, owner of the Colmar brand, follows the death of former chairman, Mario Colombo, in April.

Structured managerial continuity

The new governance structure is designed to ensure the continuity of the strategic vision initiated by the previous management. The key board positions are distributed as follows:

• Giulio Colombo now assumes the role of chairman.
• Laura Colombo has been appointed vice-chairwoman.
• Carlo Colombo and Stefano Colombo hold the positions of directors.

To steer the corporate strategy, Giulio, Carlo and Stefano Colombo have also been appointed as managing directors. Each has been given specific responsibilities to streamline the group's operational management.

The new chairman, Giulio Colombo, detailed the group's ambitions in a statement sent to FashionUnited on the occasion of his appointment: “Through the renewal of its governance structure, Manifattura Mario Colombo & C. SpA reaffirms its commitment to sustainable and long-term growth, while preserving its strong family roots and further strengthening its focus on innovation and international development.”

This article was partly written with the support of an artificial intelligence tool before being supplemented and edited by a FashionUnited journalist.

UK e-commerce group THG PLC (THG) has announced its interim financial results for the half-year ended June 30, 2026, recording a 7.2 percent increase in group revenue on a continuing constant currency (CCY) basis to 828.7 million pounds (1,123 million dollars). Revenue reached 828.7 million pounds on a statutory basis, up 5.8 percent compared to 783.4 million pounds in the first half of 2025.

The collaborative collection between Barbour and Paul Smith is available from September 4 in Wp Store shops and on its e-commerce platform. The capsule collection comprises 38 pieces, including jackets and apparel for menswear and womenswear, accessories, and footwear. It explores the traditions and spirit of the Scottish Highland Games, offering a playful reinterpretation of British country style.

According to a statement, the new season centres on Paul Smith's reworking of two original and authentic Barbour tartans: the Classic and the Muted. In a reinterpretation based on Paul Smith's iconic bold use of colour, bright pinks, oranges and yellows replace the traditional shades of the two tartans, giving a new perspective to Barbour's heritage pattern. Throughout the collection, the tartans are featured on linings, trims, and statement fabrics.

Jackets remain a central element of the collaboration, with some iconic Barbour silhouettes reinvented with seasonal colours and new fabrics. Barbour's Beaufort jacket is updated with a large check pattern in merino wool. The design recalls both the Scottish heritage of the Barbour family and Paul Smith's tailoring influences with its characteristic overcheck details. Barbour's Transport jacket is updated in a charcoal mélange merino wool. Meanwhile, a deep navy velvet version of the Beaufort introduces a new texture to the line.

The collection also introduces two new seasonal colourways in a selection of classic waxed jackets: a rich, autumnal rust for the Beaufort and the Transport waxed jacket, and a deep bottle green for the Gamefair waxed jacket and the long Spey jackets.

Theory has announced the appointment of James Kelly as its new global chief executive officer as part of a leadership shuffle at the Fast Retailing-owned brand. Kelly will succeed Dinesh Tandon, who will be stepping into the role of global co-chief operating officer and will also return to the position of CEO of Theory’s China arm.

The company said the change in executive leadership forms part of a strategic realignment designed to back growth across markets, with Tandon to oversee one of the brand’s most important growth regions, China.

For Kelly, meanwhile, the new role extends his time within the Fast Retailing portfolio, which he has been a part of for 13 years. After helping to scale Uniqlo in the US before leading its market expansion in Canada, Kelly joined Theory in 2022 as chief financial officer and later as global co-COO.

He was credited with contributing to the stabilisation of Theory’s D2C business, while also overseeing business transformation across the US, UK and Europe. As global CEO, a position he holds alongside serving at the helm of sister brand Helmut Lang, Kelly will oversee global headquarters functions, commercial operations and growth initiatives.

In a statement, Kelly said: “It is an honour to lead Theory, a brand with an enduring legacy of timeless design, exceptional quality and New York creativity. Together with our talented teams, we will continue building on that foundation by delivering exceptional product and experiences for our customers globally.”

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) is warning users to remain vigilant against fraudulent websites attempting to replicate its official portal.

“Unauthorised third parties have created counterfeit websites that replicate the visual appearance, logos and layout of the official EUIPO web pages,” reads a statement from the organization. “These copycat sites are designed to deceive visitors into believing they are using authentic EUIPO services, with the aim of inducing them to perform unauthorised actions or download malicious software.”

EUIPO also confirmed in the statement that its official systems and databases have not been compromised.

EUIPO specifies that legitimate security checks never ask users to execute system commands. Official verification procedures, such as Captchas, will never ask you to open the operating system's command line, PowerShell, the Terminal or the “Run” window. They will also not ask you to copy and paste code onto your device.

EUIPO adds that users should always verify the domain. Fraudulent sites are hosted on external domains, outside of the EUIPO infrastructure.

Other useful recommendations include checking the address bar, never carrying out unexpected requests and reporting suspicious sites.

In Pictures Moncler has opened its largest flagship store globally on New York's Fifth Avenue, a 23,680-square-foot, two-level space in the General Motors Building at 767 Fifth Avenue, near Central Park.

UK-based conglomerate Associated British Foods (ABF) has issued a trading update for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026 ended September 12, 2026, revealing that group adjusted operating profit is expected to align with previous expectations, while adjusted earnings per share will exceed prior forecasts.

For the second consecutive year, the IED Madrid Fashion School presented its graduate show as part of Omoda Madrid es Moda.

The runway show, which introduced this format to the Madrid calendar in its first edition, strengthens the link between education and the professional world. It turns final degree projects into a showcase for a new generation of designers.

From all the submissions, a professional jury selected twelve collections for the runway. These were presented yesterday at the Espacio Jorge Juan, creating a deliberately diverse collective exhibition. The school's management claims this is “one of the main values of the event”.

“The diversity of the collections we will see on the runway today represents our greatest achievement: having contributed to training designers capable of building their own vision,” said Federico Antelo Granero, director of the IED Madrid Fashion School. He framed the school's work as a combination of “traditional craftsmanship with technological innovation”.

This edition's award went to Peio Santiesteban and his collection 'Flores para un Monstruo'. One of the looks had already been shown at the opening show of Madrid Fashion Week, held a few days ago at the Sabatini Gardens.

Beyond its aesthetic finish, the collection revealed a demanding construction, capable of creating complex architectural structures and layered fabric work. In his words, the collection was designed to explore “the fine line between violence and beauty to question who decides what a monster is”.

A high standard and diversity were evident throughout the presentation.

Alejandra Coco Bassey Oubiña, for example, started from contemporary identity and codes inherited from the past. Using tailoring as a starting point, she presented manipulated denim and structures full of construction details, with buttons that went beyond their functional purpose to take centre stage.

Sabela Yilmaz Peinó also worked with denim, presenting a frayed two-piece with a very interesting shape as part of her collection.

Penélope García, for her part, translated 'fileteado porteño', an ornamental language of urban space, onto the body. With this idea as a backdrop, curves, spirals and organic shapes formed a playful ready-to-wear collection.

In a more performance-art style, Álvaro Blanco presented 'Una tarde con amigos', a collection that, in the creative's words, “turns imagination into a refuge from rejection and loneliness”.

Following a similar light-hearted vein and moving completely away from ready-to-wear, Joane de la Quintana Urrutxurtu chose to include a colourful knitted ball as part of her 'Desastre' collection.

The French lingerie brand Aubade has made a key appointment. On Thursday, the company, which is part of the Swiss textile group Calida Group, announced the appointment of Anne Gilbert as head of human resources.

“With 17 years of experience in the luxury and retail industry, Anne Gilbert has extensive expertise in HR strategy; organisational transformation; employee relations and talent development,” Aubade stated in a press release.

In her new role, she will “support Aubade’s teams in the continued development of the Maison, placing talent, dedication and collective performance at the heart of her work,” the lingerie brand stated. Her appointment will also “further strengthen Aubade’s all-female senior leadership team.”

Istituto Marangoni Shanghai presented its 2026 graduate showcase, titled "VIA NOMADIS," on September 8 in Shanghai, transitioning from a standard runway format toward an immersive spatial and retail concept. Featuring collections from 10 graduating fashion designers alongside original media from fashion communication students, the event integrated digital projections, spatial architecture, and physical garments.

By framing student work within a broader narrative of physical and digital brand experience, the institution highlighted a strategic shift in fashion education toward multi-disciplinary competency and experiential commercial models.

Produced with technical and spatial support from digital firm Temple of Light, the showcase unfolded across three interconnected spaces designed to mirror evolving retail environments. The presentation combined a glass-lined runway passage with panoramic projection rooms that magnified garment textures, embellishments, and material details into virtual landscapes.

Operational backing from industry partners directly influenced the physical collections, with European fabric house Scabal supplying textiles and biotech materials developer SynMetabio providing innovative materials for select garments and accessories. Following the show, diplomatic representatives from Italy, Belgium, and France presented awards to graduates Liu Ziqi, Qin Ruiyang, and Zhang Han, recognizing design excellence, corporate integration, and cross-cultural craft application.

The structural redesign of the graduate showcase reflects broader recalibrations within fashion pedagogy as global retail shifts from transactional selling toward experiential storytelling. Rather than evaluating garment construction in isolation, the curriculum increasingly emphasizes conceptual development, spatial curation, and cross-media communication.

Academic leadership at the institution noted that broadening technical training into spatial design and digital media provides students with adaptable skills necessary to navigate an industry transformed by automated technologies and changing consumer behavior.

EXCLUSIVE

Report

Paris - Des Petits Hauts, Bérénice, Stella Forest and Not Shy returned to the Who's Next trade show, which ran from 5 - 7 September 2026. Armor Lux and Von Dutch exhibited for the first time. These six brands, each with a different profile, together show how the repositioning of the Parisian trade fair Who's Next contributes to their commercial development.

The first day of the Who's Next trade show (Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, Hall 1) was busy. This was no coincidence, given the actions taken by the organisers, WSN, to make the event dedicated to the spring/summer 2027 (SS27) collections more attractive.

“On this first day, around 3pm, we had nearly 8,500 visitors,” Frédéric Maus, CEO of WSN, told FashionUnited. “The entire edition should attract around 40,000 visitors for 1,300 exhibiting brands”.

According to Maus, this performance can be explained by the efforts made to optimise visitor numbers. “Three years ago, we created a service dedicated exclusively to buyers, whereas exhibitors normally invite their own buyers,” he explained. “Within this framework, we have developed hosted buyer programmes.”

To enhance the experience, WSN now organises Retail Tours in Paris, allowing visiting buyers to discover boutiques and exhibitions. The aim is for them to create a lasting memory associated with Who's Next, encouraging them to return in the future.

Share of international buyers at Who's Next has increased from 30 percent to 55 percent

The number one objective is to increase international visitor numbers. “In all my discussions with exhibitors, their need to expand internationally was a recurring theme,” acknowledged Frédéric Maus. “These things do not happen in five minutes; it is a long-term effort.”

As a result, Who's Next has shifted from a visitor base of 70 percent French and 30 percent international buyers to a majority of 55 percent foreign buyers.

This performance was achieved thanks to financial support from the Union Française des Industries Mode & Habillement (UFIMH) and a partnership with Shoppe Object. Shoppe Object is a trade show dedicated to design, home, lifestyle objects and gifts, which grew from seventy to over one hundred exhibitors in a single edition. According to Maus, the number of buyers coming specifically for this sector has almost tripled, with a majority being international.

Another contributing factor is the disappearance of major trade shows in Northern Europe (Germany) such as Panorama Berlin, Bread & Butter and Premium, which used to attract the majority of international visitors.

Evolution reflected in return of key brands to September 2026 edition

Another part of the strategy involved extending the textile and accessories offering to include decorative objects and cosmetics. This was done to adapt to the evolution of the multi-brand model towards the concept store format.

Simultaneously, WSN tightened its selection, resulting in the trade show being “sold out” by early July. “It would be tempting to try and get even more exhibitors,” the organiser added. “However, in the long term, and even in the medium term, that is a very poor idea.”

For several years, certain brands had stopped exhibiting at Who's Next. They felt the trade show generated too few new clients, particularly international ones, compared to the efforts in their own showrooms. On the first day of this most recent edition, several returning exhibitors already noted a more international and diverse visitor base.

Des Petits Hauts returns to find new multi-brand retailers

The return of Des Petits Hauts, a subsidiary of the French fashion group Gérard Darel, is significant. Despite developing a network of 93 stores in France and Europe, the brand remains committed to wholesale, its original distribution channel. It currently has approximately 550 multi-brand retailers, with 60 percent located internationally.

Following the Covid-19 crisis, the brand tightened its investments and began to measure returns more carefully. “We were always meeting the same clients we had for twenty years,” remarked Vanessa Sanchez, co-founder of Des Petits Hauts. “Since existing clients could be hosted in our agents' showrooms, the economic benefit of the trade show had diminished.”

For the September 2026 session, the wholesale director encouraged Des Petits Hauts to try again, arguing that the trade show “set the tone” for the season. “Everyone embraced the collection, they reassured each other, they argued and counter-argued,” the manager noted. “Participating in this show allowed us to gather feedback from buyers and test the relevance of the collection. For twenty years, after Who's Next, I could always predict my wholesale turnover and the number of pieces I would produce, accurate to within a thousand units.”

The goal of this renewed participation is to recruit new accounts, particularly from a new generation of multi-brand retailers. It also serves to remind retailers that the development of its own retail has not diverted Des Petits Hauts from wholesale.

This return, however, remains subject to a very pragmatic approach. In a challenging consumer climate, the brand is making future participation conditional on the return on investment from this edition.

Bérénice bets on a more international visitor base

After being absent from Who's Next for three and a half years, French ready-to-wear fashion brand Bérénice also made its return. The brand currently has 300 multi-brand stockists, down from 600 to 700 at its peak, in addition to 11 of its own boutiques and around 15 corners in department stores. Its turnover is approximately 13 million euros, compared to 25 million before the Covid-19 crisis.

The brand had gradually moved away from trade shows, judging their attendance to be declining and their profitability insufficient, in favour of its showroom. However, word-of-mouth among brands about the renewed dynamism of Who's Next convinced Aaron Krief, son of the brand's founder, Frédéric Krief, to try again.

His objective is specific: to meet buyers that Bérénice does not already reach through its usual channels, particularly internationally. On the first day, Krief, who took over the brand a year ago, said he was surprised: “I see French buyers in my showroom. Here, I have met many Chinese buyers, which has never happened before. I have also seen many from Lebanon, England and Spain, as well as a few French buyers.”

This new participation coincides with a rebranding effort and a commercial relaunch in new markets. Bérénice recently opened showrooms in the US and Dubai. China could follow as early as next season.

Stella Forest plans to expand its commercial network

Historically built around wholesale, the family-run brand Stella Forest works with four sales agents in France and has a network of approximately 250 multi-brand retailers. This is the distribution model on which Stella Forest has built its business for the past twenty years, and which it also deploys internationally through a network of agents.

Today, it produces around 50,000 pieces for the winter season and up to 80,000 for the summer.

Several of its agents had asked the brand to return to the trade show. For its director, Geoffrey Boniface, the value of participating again depended mainly on the ability of Who's Next to broaden its visitor base. Before making his decision, he conducted some research and noted that several other brands had also chosen to return.

By the first morning, he felt that the situation had changed. “The organisers have worked to attract a broader clientele, and I met many Spanish buyers this morning. Furthermore, Who's Next allows us to reconnect with our clients, discover trends and meet our suppliers.”

The management team also attended with the aim of expanding its sales network in target development areas.

Furthermore, in a market where the number of multi-brand retailers is contracting, Boniface believes that “over time, multi-brand retailers will need to become more focused. They will have to bet on four or five brands rather than multiplying their references, while also improving their merchandising.”

Not Shy champions trade show format over showroom

Absent from Who's Next for two years, Not Shy, a Parisian brand founded in 1998 specialising in cashmere, is now present in 30 countries. It has over 1,300 wholesale points of sale worldwide, including more than 200 in France, and around 20 of its own boutiques in the country. Its sales network is supported by six agents in France and approximately 30 in total worldwide.

The brand had chosen to prioritise its Parisian showroom and its presence at several international trade shows in countries such as Italy, Denmark, Germany and Korea.

Its return to Who's Next, however, was driven by pressure from its own commercial ecosystem. “By popular demand, clients, French and international agents, and the trade show organisers all asked me to return. We missed each other,” stated Mercedeh Vafaï, director of Not Shy.

She particularly acknowledges that the trade show serves a function that the showroom cannot fully replace: “There is a kind of dynamism at a trade show that you do not get in a showroom. You see many more people. This ability to multiply meetings gives the event renewed appeal.”

Vafaï also remains convinced of the relevance of the multi-brand model, despite the difficulties this distribution channel is facing. She highlights the advice, service and customer relationships that, in her view, continue to set independent retailers apart.

Armor Lux bets on wholesale to complete its territorial network

Armor Lux presents a slightly different case. The Breton brand is participating in Who's Next for the first time, alongside Bermudes, another brand from the Bonneterie d’Armor portfolio.

Armor Lux has around one hundred points of sale in France, with approximately three-quarters being owned stores and one-quarter franchises. It has some 400 multi-brand retailers in France and nearly 300 internationally. The brand manufactures between 800,000 and 900,000 pieces per year at its production sites.

Its presence at the trade show is driven by a desire to redevelop its business-to-business (B2B) channel. “We open new accounts each season,” highlighted the duo of Guillaume Thouvenot, sales director, and Marco Petrucci, export manager. They are looking to meet retailers not yet in their portfolio of French clients.

“We cannot be everywhere with our own stores. Opening ten stores in Paris would be no problem. However, opening a store in a small provincial town would be difficult to make profitable. Finding a very good partner in those areas is precisely what we are looking for here,” the sales managers explained.

This wholesale offensive accompanies an evolution in its offering. Without abandoning its core essentials and maritime DNA, Armor Lux has been developing more urban and casual collections for several seasons, which are being showcased at the trade show.

The aim is to present a broader image of the brand and strengthen its presence among a female clientele, which is still a minority in its export business. Internationally, sales are currently composed of approximately 80 percent menswear and 20 percent womenswear.

Von Dutch chooses Who's Next to accelerate its European relaunch

Von Dutch is participating in Who's Next for the first time as part of a new phase of its European development.

Von Dutch now belongs to the US group WSG. The brand's operation is based on a licensing system by territory and product category. In Europe, Textiss is responsible for developing several of Von Dutch's historic categories.

Simultaneously, DNAM, a Los Angeles-based group represented at Who's Next by sales account manager Elias Belhouane, manages several product categories. The group is also set to take over the brand's e-commerce, communications and social media in France and Europe.

The US brand, which became a global phenomenon in the early 2000s, aims to reposition itself with a new generation of fans of the Y2K trend. In France, its image remains strongly associated with the consumers who experienced its previous success. However, its US and UK customer base is now much younger and more female, primarily aged between 15 and 25.

The strategy involves developing its wholesale channel. The brand is currently distributed in approximately 300 points of sale in France. In the UK, initial trials are underway with Urban Outfitters and JD Sports.

Its presence at Who's Next is therefore less about securing immediate orders and more about network development and visibility. “My goal is to meet distributors and reconnect with medium to large-volume clients,” explained Belhouane, who added that he does not expect “instant gratification” from this first participation.

Next Who's Next: January 16 to 18, 2027, for the autumn/winter 2027/2028 collections.

Interview Melanie Marsden co-founded Lounge in a spare bedroom in 2016 with 1,000 pounds and a conviction that comfortable underwear could still feel luxurious. A decade and more than 100 million pounds in annual sales later, she is applying the same argument to blazers, trousers and athleisure.

Paris - The number of visitors to the Temu and AliExpress websites significantly declined in France during the second quarter. This drop occurred even before the implementation of the three euro European tax targeting small parcels, Fevad and Médiamétrie revealed on Wednesday.

NPTC Group of Colleges has been awarded a 2026 Princess Royal Training Award in recognition of its specialized staff development programme focused on sustainability, ethical fashion, and circular design.

The educational institution was acknowledged for its faculty training initiative, which facilitated the launch of a Level 3 Sustainable Fashion qualification and its subsequent expansion into Level 1 and 2 provisions. Established by the City & Guilds Foundation, the annual award identifies organizations that demonstrate a measurable correlation between employee development and broader operational and social impact.

The college’s curriculum was developed through a collaborative partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion, making it the first further education institution in the UK to co-create a bespoke training package with the research center.

Localized industry projects

This targeted faculty upskilling has driven significant operational expansion, directly contributing to a successful Shared Prosperity Fund bid that financed the creation of the new Newtown Fashion and Textiles Academy. The practical application of this training has also resulted in localized industry projects, including a Working with Wool program and a live design brief producing garments for the agricultural mental health charity, The DPJ Foundation.

By formalizing sustainability training for educators, NPTC Group of Colleges is actively addressing a critical skills deficit within the domestic fashion supply chain. Embedding circular design principles at the foundational vocational level ensures that emerging talent is equipped to navigate shifting environmental regulations and commercial demands before progressing to higher education or the workforce.

This strategic focus bolsters the college's viability as a regional training hub while offering a scalable framework for integrating climate-conscious technical skills into fashion curricula across the broader education sector.

Pinterest was long considered a platform where women primarily sought inspiration. This image is changing. Men are increasingly claiming the platform for themselves, and not just for outfit ideas anymore. Sports, travel, hobbies, interior design and grooming; the range of topics men engage with on Pinterest has become broader than ever.

The development is particularly dynamic among young users. Searches from Gen Z have increased by 17 percent year-over-year. More than 62 percent of monthly searches from male users now come from this age group.

What is striking is not a single trend, but the sheer breadth of interests. Men are looking for ways to spend their leisure time more consciously, create spaces for social evenings or discover new hobbies. Demand for “offline hobbies” has increased by 551 percent, and “no phone ideas” grew by 581 percent. Joint activities are also gaining traction. “Running club” saw an increase of 749 percent, “Hyrox” 193 percent and “padel tournament” 103 percent.

What initially sounds like a pure lifestyle trend also has a distinctly fashionable side. As interest grows in how one's daily life should look and feel, the question of personal appearance also comes into sharper focus. Consequently, Pinterest data shows significant trends in workwear, leather, accessories, colour and grooming.

Workwear becomes new everyday uniform

One of the most noticeable movements revolves around functional clothing. Searches for “workwear outfit men” have increased by 314 percent, while “vintage workwear outfit men” saw an even stronger rise of 442 percent.

Individual garments with functional origins are also coming to the forefront. The M-65 field jacket is being searched for 148 percent more often, “American workwear style” 143 percent more and the French chore coat 41 percent more.

Workwear is thus increasingly detaching from its original purpose. Field jackets, sturdy jackets and chore coats are establishing themselves as fashion basics that transition effortlessly between the outdoors, leisure and the city. Other movements in the search data support this. “Trucker hat outfit mens” increased by 159 percent and “retro sneakers mens” by 31 percent.

The interplay of function and nostalgia is noteworthy here. Instead of futuristic techwear, garments whose aesthetic refers to craftsmanship, work and historical models are coming to the forefront. Menswear is thus embracing a look that is intended to appear authentic and down-to-earth, without being limited to its original purpose.

Leather becomes versatile style element

A similar pattern is emerging with leather. The material is not only making a comeback through the classic leather jacket but is also appearing in more and more areas of the male wardrobe.

Searches for “handmade leather wallet” (plus 290 percent) and “leather tote bag men” (plus 176 percent) saw particularly strong increases. “Men's leather bag” also grew by 112 percent. In accessories, leather bracelets recorded a rise of 106 percent and leather bag charms 174 percent.

Leather is also becoming more diverse in clothing itself. Searches for a cherry-red leather jacket increased by 117 percent and for a motorcycle leather jacket by 97 percent. In footwear, knee-high leather boots rose by 113 percent and leather loafers by 64 percent.

Leather is thus moving away from its classic biker association. In addition to black jackets, bags, shoes and coloured versions are now coming to the forefront. The material is becoming a unifying element in a wardrobe that can effortlessly switch between rugged, high-quality and fashionable.

Pink becomes accent in menswear

There is also more experimentation with colour, and pink is one of the most striking examples.

Searches for “pink shirt outfit men aesthetic” increased by 338 percent, while “dusty pink shirt outfit men” saw a growth of 283 percent. Pink jackets (plus 70 percent), shoes (plus 67 percent) and scarves (plus 39 percent) are also being searched for more frequently.

The aim is clearly not to completely replace the classic men's colour palette. Instead, pink is used selectively as a single element, such as a shirt, jacket, shoe or accessory. This allows an otherwise understated look to be broken up with relatively little effort.

The same pattern is evident in the beauty sector. Searches for “pink highlights men” are up by 68 percent. The colour is thus not only becoming part of clothing but is also increasingly being incorporated into personal looks through hair and styling.

Accessories gain importance

While clothing often revolves around functional or classic pieces, accessories offer significantly more room for individualisation. This is most evident in jewellery. Searches for “men chain necklace” increased by 351 percent and for “mens silver cuff bracelet” by 194 percent. Jewellery is thus increasingly becoming an independent component of male looks, rather than just an addition for special occasions.

Bags are also developing into an important style statement. “Duffle bag men” increased by 311 percent, “gym bag men” by 129 percent and “mens leather crossbody bag” by 71 percent.

This aligns with the growing importance of utilitywear. Products that were originally intended to be primarily practical are becoming visible, deliberately used components of an outfit through material, shape and styling.

Hair and beards become part of overall look

The increased focus on personal appearance is also evident in hair and beards. Interest in modern haircuts, partly inspired by East Asian and subcultural looks, is growing particularly strongly.

“Soft wolf cut men” saw an increase of 1,154 percent and “modern wolf cut men” 553 percent. “Curly wolf cut men” (plus 245 percent), “modern mullet men” (plus 223 percent) and “Korean two block haircut men” (plus 212 percent) also saw significant growth. The increase in certain beard styles is even more pronounced. Searches for “beard fade men” are up by 764 percent and for “Italian beard fade” by 725 percent.

Styling is thus increasingly considered independently of clothing. A haircut or beard can shape the character of an otherwise simple outfit just as much as a jacket or a pair of shoes.

New perspective on male consumer

The Pinterest data reveals not a single major trend, but rather an interplay of different developments. Functional clothing meets a stronger interest in materials and accessories; classic men's looks are given colour accents; and grooming is becoming a natural part of personal appearance.

These developments are not detached from other interests. The strong growth in outdoor activities, craftsmanship, travel and communal leisure activities creates a context in which workwear and utilitywear are particularly relevant. Leather, sturdy bags or functional jackets fit this lifestyle as well as an urban daily life.

For brands and retailers, this means that menswear can increasingly be conceived in terms of lifestyle and combinations. The Pinterest search data is not a direct indicator of sales. Instead, it shows which themes and aesthetics are currently gaining attention. Nevertheless, clear signals for menswear can be derived from it.

Seven fashion graduates from Heriot-Watt University’s Design School debuted their final collections at the inaugural Scotland Fashion Now event, hosted at the V&A Dundee from September 3 to 6. The newly established annual showcase, which featured a catwalk presentation alongside industry-led workshops, aims to spotlight emerging design talent within the Scottish fashion sector.

The graduate exhibition also integrated students from the Edinburgh College of Art, The Glasgow School of Art, and Gray’s School of Art, representing a consolidated effort to elevate the visibility of the region's academic institutions on a commercial platform.

The selected Heriot-Watt cohort presented work that addressed a broad spectrum of contemporary design methodologies, encompassing sustainable practice, technical garment development, and cultural heritage. Specific collections reflected current market trajectories and sociological themes, such as Oliver Milne’s exploration of inclusive, gender-fluid menswear and Thomas Crane’s integration of Western American silhouettes with traditional Scottish textiles.

The breadth of the showcased work, which also spanned demi-couture techniques and contemporary tailoring, illustrates a curriculum structured around both conceptual storytelling and rigorous commercial application.

The alignment of academic showcases with high-profile cultural venues like the V&A Dundee underscores a strategic push to bridge the transition from higher education to professional practice. According to Dr. Danying Yang, Programme Director for Fashion and Fashion Technology at Heriot-Watt, the event provides an essential platform for emerging designers to interface directly with industry professionals.

By facilitating these connections in a highly visible setting, the initiative bolsters the overall proposition of Scottish fashion education, ensuring that regional institutions remain competitive hubs for talent discovery and industry integration.

The Wall Street Journal has released an insightful feature exploring the global market for luxury Japanese denim, a niche segment where garments regularly command $500 or more. Highly relevant for fashion students, designers, and supply chain professionals, the report provides a comprehensive overview of how Japan transitioned from repurposing post-WWII American denim scraps to becoming the epicenter of artisanal selvedge manufacturing.

The video highlights the intense dedication to traditional craftsmanship that distinguishes Japanese textile production. While many American manufacturers shifted toward offshoring and mass production in the late 20th century to drive immediate profit, Japanese mills preserved heritage techniques. The report details meticulous rope-dyeing processes and the continued use of rare, vintage shuttle looms—specifically legacy Toyota models—that create the durable, heavyweight fabrics prized by the modern apparel industry.

Central to the discussion is the cult-like following behind premium labels such as Iron Heart. The piece delves into the consumer psychology of "denimheads," a largely male demographic that approaches clothing from a hobbyist and engineering perspective. These consumers seek out raw, unwashed denim to create highly personalized wear patterns, known as "fades," which physically record the wearer's lifestyle over time.

Crucially for B2B professionals, the video also addresses current bottlenecks in the textile supply chain. Due to surging global demand, major American brands are now aggressively muscling into the same limited Japanese mills they once ignored. This heightened competition for authentic manufacturing capacity has stretched production timelines for a single pair of jeans to anywhere from 12 to 24 months, offering a stark case study on the complex realities of scaling slow-fashion craftsmanship.

The Australian Fashion Council has selected 12 labels for Australian Fashion Rooms, a trade showroom it will stage in Paris during the womenswear season, marking the biggest international initiative the peak body has attempted.

The cohort is Amy Lawrance, Buai, Caroline Reznik, ESSE, Haluminous, Ilio Nema, Maara Collective, Madre Natura, Miimi & Jiinda, NGALI, Paolo Sebastian and Romance Was Born, spanning couture, ready-to-wear, First Nations-led practice, artisanal craft and experimental design. Half have previously shown at Australian Fashion Week through group shows or solo runways.

The showroom runs from September 30 to October 4 at Galerie Poggi, 135 Rue Saint-Martin in the fourth arrondissement, open from 9.30am to 7pm. Buyer and industry appointments are handled through the AFC.

Public money behind the push

The programme is funded through Austrade's Trade Diversification Network, the delivery model for the 50 million dollar Accessing New Markets Initiative, and by Create NSW under the NSW Fashion Sector Strategy 2025-2028. That strategy, which the state government describes as the first of its kind in Australia, lists export pathways for NSW designers among its six priorities.

Australian Fashion Rooms sits inside AFC Global Gateways, the council's export platform, which previously activated in Hong Kong. Paris is its largest outing so far, with further markets slated for 2027.

Marianne Perkovic, executive chair of the AFC, said: "Australian creativity is distinctive, globally relevant and deserves to be seen on the world stage. AFC's Australian Fashion Rooms creates a genuine point of discovery in Paris, connecting 12 Australian designers directly with the buyers, media and industry leaders who can turn international interest into commercial opportunity."

She added that the council's aim went beyond visibility: "With the support of Austrade and Create NSW, our ambition is not simply to showcase Australian fashion to the world, but to help our brands build lasting global businesses."

Perkovic put the domestic industry's contribution at 27.2 billion Australian dollars to the economy and 7.2 billion in exports.

Jay Meek, general manager for Austrade's Trade Diversification Taskforce, said: "This cohort of 12 Australian fashion designers showcases the value of the Trade Diversification Network in action, bringing together Austrade's global reach and the AFC's industry expertise to connect Australian designers with international buyers and new growth opportunities."

Selection and staging

An advisory panel informed the line-up, drawing on Aje, Camilla and Marc, David Jones and 10 Magazine alongside Dan Thawley, Kellie Hush and Yatu Widders Hunt. Participating designers are working through a readiness programme covering brand positioning, wholesale and export preparation ahead of the trip.

The showroom is being staged as a gallery-style environment, with a food offer developed by Australian chef and food stylist Sian Redgrave and coffee from Sydney roaster The Little Marionette. The programme opens with a reception at the Australian Embassy in Paris hosted by ambassador Lynette Wood.

The Paris move comes as the AFC continues to run Australian Fashion Week itself, having taken the event over in 2025 after IMG exited its Australian events business. The 2026 edition, its thirtieth, ran in May at Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art.

Bostick will advise NRF president and chief executive Matthew Shay and the board on legal, regulatory and reputational risk. Her brief covers litigation, governance, antitrust compliance, tax-exempt and political-law matters, intellectual property, contracting, privacy and cybersecurity, alongside management of the in-house legal team.

Shay said: "Marissa's diverse experience as a prosecutor and litigator in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, combined with her work representing a global retail and technology company, makes her an ideal choice for this role. Her insights and perspective will be indispensable as we work to achieve NRF's policy and legal goals on behalf of our members."

Bostick joins from Sideman & Bancroft, where she was the inaugural partner and head of the firm's Washington, DC office. Before that she was global head of litigation at the Motion Picture Association of America and a founding member of Amazon's Counterfeit Crimes Unit, the enforcement team the platform set up to pursue sellers of fake goods. She served as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, is a Fulbright Scholar, and began her career at O'Melveny & Myers in New York after taking her JD at Columbia Law School.

"NRF has long been the leading voice for retail on Capitol Hill and in courts across the country," Bostick said. "Retail touches every community large and small, and I look forward to bringing my experience in litigation, brand protection and policy to help NRF's members navigate an increasingly complex legal and regulatory landscape."

The appointment gives the association a legal chief with counterfeit and IP enforcement experience at a point when its stated policy priorities include organised retail crime, tariffs and card interchange fees. NRF litigates directly as well as lobbying, filing suits of its own, joining actions brought by member companies and other trade groups, and submitting amicus briefs in cases affecting the industry.

The federation says retail is the largest private-sector employer in the United States, contributing 5.3 trillion dollars to annual GDP and supporting 55 million jobs, or more than one in four.

Puma has appointed Steve Cecchini as senior vice president of sports marketing. He will take up his new position on October 1, 2026, and will report directly to CEO Arthur Höld, the Herzogenaurach-based sporting goods manufacturer announced on Wednesday.

In his new role, Cecchini will further develop the company's sports marketing organisation and proactively build and manage partnerships that reflect the company's brand identity, according to the announcement. Through these partnerships and collaborations with athletes, the company's position as a leading global sports brand is to be strengthened.

“Partnerships with our athletes, teams and federations are crucial to who we are as a brand,” said Puma CEO Arthur Höld. “I am firmly convinced that Steve is the right person to lead our team proactively and strategically and to manage Puma's sports marketing portfolio. He will help us create high visibility for Puma and its performance products and clearly position us as one of the top three sports brands in the world.”

The world of sport is not new to Cecchini. The designated senior vice president of sports marketing is moving to Puma from Nike. At the US sports company, he held the position of general manager of global football clubs, federations, leagues and partnerships. In this role, he was responsible for complex, long-term partnerships and also developed and implemented a product, marketing and market strategy for this business area. He previously worked in various strategy and business development positions at Nike and at Hilfiger's parent company, PVH Corp.

Burton Snowboards has appointed Denny Bruce as chief executive, ending a search that began when John Lacy left the Vermont company in the spring after nearly 29 years.

Bruce starts on September 21 and succeeds Donna Carpenter, the company's owner, who has held the post on an interim basis since June. Carpenter remains chairman of the board. The appointment lands as the family-owned business, founded in 1977, approaches its 50th anniversary.

Bruce worked at Burton once before, as Mid-Atlantic brand manager between 2003 and 2005. He went on to senior roles at Vans, Skullcandy and Traeger, and served as global brand president of Dickies at VF Corporation, where he oversaw the repositioning of the century-old workwear label across core and premium lifestyle channels. Most recently he was chief executive of pizza oven maker Gozney, which he took from a European direct-to-consumer business to an omnichannel one with global distribution.

Burton framed his remit in commercial terms: building the marketplace strategy, brand platform and commercial architecture to carry the company through its next phase, without loosening the rider relationship the business was built on. His portfolio covers both Burton and Anon, the group's helmet and goggle line.

"When we started this search, I knew we needed someone pretty unusual, someone who could lead and grow a global business, but who also deeply understood our culture, our values, our sport and why protecting the heart and soul of this company matters so much," Carpenter said. "Denny doesn't need to be taught what Burton means or why snowboarding matters. It's already part of who he is. He loves what Burton is, believes in what we can become, and has the experience to get us there. He respects what it means to be rider-driven, and he understands that being family-owned is one of our greatest strengths."

Bruce said the return carried personal weight. "To come back to the company where my snowboarding career began, and to work alongside Donna mentoring the next generation, is incredibly meaningful to me," he said, adding that he intends to act as "an advocate for the community that has been foundational to everything I've done in my career."

A leadership gap since the spring

Lacy's departure was confirmed in April and took effect at the end of June. He had joined Burton in 1997 in a rider service role, became president in 2015, then co-chief executive alongside Carpenter in 2018, before taking sole charge in February 2020 following the death of founder Jake Burton Carpenter. His tenure covered the pandemic, subsequent supply chain disruption and an expansion push in China. Burton declined at the time to give a reason for the exit.

The company has not disclosed revenue or trading figures. It remains privately held and owned by Donna Carpenter, with headquarters in Burlington, Vermont and offices in Austria, Japan, Australia, Canada and China. Burton was the first snowboard company to obtain B Corporation certification.

H&M has appointed Aneta Pokucinska managing director of North America and general manager for the United States, combining regional oversight with direct control of the group's largest market outside Europe.

Pokucinska has held the North America managing director role since July 2026. The addition of the US general manager title gives her responsibility for day-to-day performance in the market alongside the wider regional brief covering the United States and Canada. She sits on H&M's executive management team and reports to group chief executive Daniel Ervér.

The company said her focus will be on strengthening market performance, improving the customer experience and supporting the development of the business across both countries.

"I'm honored to take on these expanded responsibilities and help shape the future of H&M across North America," Pokucinska said. "Our success is driven by our customers and our teams, and our ability to continuously evolve. Together, we will strengthen our market position, elevate the customer experience, and deliver growth across both the U.S. and Canada."

Two decades inside the business

Pokucinska joined H&M in 2006 as a part-time sales associate in Katowice, Poland, while studying at the University of Silesia, moving into visual merchandising the following year. She was named head of merchandising for the East Europe region in 2014, covering five countries, before relocating to the Stockholm head office as global head of merchandising for the H&M brand in 2018. She has also served as head of business transformation.

Her regional experience spans three continents. Before the North America appointment she was regional manager for the Americas as well as North East Asia and East Asia, having earlier led the business in Japan and other Asian markets.

Primark is launching its activewear range under its own name, Primark Form, to establish a more technically advanced offering in the lower price segment.

The current autumn/winter collection is the first to be released under the new name, Primark announced on Monday. It follows what the company describes as its largest activewear range to date, which the fashion retailer unveiled at the start of the year. Primark Form will be available year-round and includes womenswear, menswear and kidswear.

The line is divided into several product groups. Smooth Support focuses on breathable, moisture-wicking material with four-way stretch. Buttery Soft is designed for yoga and pilates. The Running group combines water-repellent materials with reflective details, and Seam Free features a seamless construction.

The menswear range adds a quilted jacket and a gilet with Thermolite padding, as well as Seam-Free shirts made from Airdinamics material. For children, the line includes elasticated tracksuits, performance T-shirts, tops and leggings. According to Primark, prices range between five and 30 euros.

“With Primark Form, we want to show that good-looking, well-fitting and functional activewear does not have to be expensive,” said Steve Lawton, chief product officer at Primark.

Primark was founded in Ireland in 1969 and, according to the company, operates more than 480 stores in 19 countries across Europe, the US and the Middle East. In Germany, the fashion retailer employs more than 4,000 people across 28 locations.

This article was created with the help of AI.

Updated Direct-to-consumer brand Teveo, based in Ansbach, Germany, is set to open its first physical retail space in late 2026. The Cologne site on Ehrenstrasse will span some 950 square metres across two floors, marking the start of a longer-term retail strategy.

Madrid – The Spanish fashion multinational Inditex group (Inditex), parent company of popular fashion chains such as Bershka, Massimo Dutti and Zara, its flagship and “star” chain, reported its results for the first half of its current 2026 fiscal year earlier today. The period, from February 1 to July 31, saw the company once again record new all-time highs in both sales and profits.