Interview news and archive

Toms' next chapter: CEO Jessica Alsing discusses brand resurgence and global market expansion

Earlier this year, Toms found its new chief executive in Jessica Alsing, the first woman to helm the global footwear brand. Her appointment marked the beginning of a new phase defined by growth, innovation and a renewed take on philanthropic giving, the latter a core pillar in the brand’s legacy. Upon her appointment, Alsing underlined a focus...

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Fashion |Interview

Engineering next-gen luxury: Behind the launch of Rae Temily’s namesake brand

Having dedicated much of her career to developing other people’s brands, Raechel Temily – Rae to everyone that knows her – eventually embarked on a journey to establish her own luxury label. Launched April 2025, the brand, fittingly dubbed Temily, emerged almost as a response to a market that seemed to have lost touch with the emotional core of...

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Business|Interview

Peter Alexander on expanding his pyjamas brand internationally

Australian premium sleepwear and lifestyle brand Peter Alexander has been in the UK for just over a year. Since its online launch, the sleepwear and gifting brand, a household name in its home country and New Zealand, has opened three stores in London and Kent, and is fast becoming a high street staple. What started with a 3,000 Australian...

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Fashion |Interview

The sneaker year 2025: Between retro hype, skate influences and new visions

Sneakers remain relevant in 2025, particularly within the streetwear scene, even as classic shoe models gain popularity among younger consumers. We reviewed the year with Berlin-based sneaker expert Amadeus Thüner and discussed the top releases, highlights and wishlists for 2026. Which sneaker releases impressed you most this year? The “Sneaker...

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Business|Interview

AI in Fashion: How Hunkemöller uses AI for customer insight, price optimisation and store clustering

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing the fashion industry. While some companies are waiting, others are taking bold steps forward. In this edition of the AI in Fashion series, FashionUnited speaks with Gordon Smit, the technology director of Dutch lingerie company Hunkemöller. 1. How do you view AI and what does Hunkemöller use it...

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Fairs|Interview

Exploring Wonderland: The journey of UK lingerie trade fair founders

Lingerie is a lucrative sector in the UK. According to Grand View Horizon, the market reported a revenue of 4.5 billion dollars in 2024, and is expected to reach eight billion dollars by 2033. Despite its prevalence, regional trade representation for the category has been fairly scarce – reflecting a gap in the market the founders of Wonderland...

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And they also teach…Makeba Lewis, Textile Designer, sustainability consultant and teacher at Central Saint Martins

Makeba Lewis has built a career that bridges creativity, craftsmanship and conscious innovation. From the Royal College of Art to her current role at Central Saint Martins, her work explores the intersections of material experimentation, well-being and heritage techniques. This interview is part of And They Also Teach, a series by FashionUnited...

Changemakers in fashion (part 6): Dr. Natascha van der Velden on what progress looks like

There are countless sustainability initiatives, but who in the fashion industry is truly driving the transition, whether their efforts are visible to the public or not? We interview changemakers, consultants, sustainability experts and activists in fashion. What can we learn from their work? In episode 6: Dr. ir. Natascha van der Velden, an...

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Business|CEO Interview

Eco Age CEO John Higginson on the new era of proof-based sustainability

As regulators tighten the screws and consumers demand verifiable sustainability data, brands across fashion and luxury are being forced into a new era of transparency. Eco Age—long recognised for its influence on sustainability strategy, policy engagement and industry-wide advocacy—has been tracking this shift closely. Its CEO, John Higginson,...

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Retail|Interview

Swedish kidswear brand Newbie accelerates UK store rollout, eyes global growth in 2026

Newbie is having a growth spurt. Since emerging as a separate business unit from its parent company Kappahl, the Swedish kidswear brand has embarked on an ambitious growth strategy across Europe and the UK, where it has just opened its 11th store. The UK is a priority market for the brand, which has established a dedicated audience among British...

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Fashion |Interview

Decoding AW26 trends and shifting consumer patterns: Heuritech's AI-driven forecasts

Since its launch in 2013, Paris-based trend forecasting platform Heuritech has relied on artificial intelligence (AI) to formulate its own forecasts for each season. Its technology scans millions of social media images monthly, receiving data points on what consumers are wearing and identifying over 20,000 trends spanning material and...

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Business|Interview

Co-leadership at Otto: insights into an innovative leadership model

Management positions are often advertised as full-time roles, which excludes people who work part-time. However, other models are possible, such as co-leadership, where more than one person holds the same management role. At Hamburg-based retailer Otto, Jennifer Halemba and her former colleague Marleen Hinzmann shared the head of recruiting...