Articles by Rachel Douglass
Rachel has been with FashionUnited since mid-2021. Descending from the UK, she moved to the Netherlands in 2014 to attend Amsterdam Fashion Institute, where she studied a BA in International Fashion and Branding with a specialisation in Journalism.
At FashionUnited, Rachel covers daily news, from store openings to acquisitions, alongside which she focuses on research-based stories, interviews and on-the-ground event reporting. Her topics of interest include digital fashion, independent retail and current trends.
Gap introduces conversational AI-driven experiences to online shopping
Gap Inc. is introducing two new technologies to its online shopping experience, each designed to “transform how customers shop” and instill confidence into their e-commerce journey. One feature, built alongside AI body data platform Bold Metrics, will see Gap embed predictive fit guidance into “AI-driven shopping flows”. With this, customers...
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H&M and Stella McCartney launch Insights Board to encourage sustainability dialogue
Swedish retailer H&M has partnered with long-time collaborator Stella McCartney to launch a specialised board tasked with continuing dialogue around sustainability in fashion. The ‘Insights Board’ assembled for its first in-person meeting in London this week, bringing together members selected for their contrasting voices and perspectives...
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Debenhams Group names Richard Vanoli as MD of Debenhams
Richard Vanoli has been named as the new managing director of the Debenhams brand, parent company Debenhams Group has confirmed. The appointment comes as Debenhams itself continues to lead a business-wide turnaround at the group, which had first acquired the retailer out of administration in 2021. Since then, Debenhams Group – formerly known as...
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Frasers Group increases exposure to Asos
Sports Direct’s parent company has increased its financial commitment to Asos. According to a regulatory filing, Frasers Group has purchased additional "sold put options", increasing its total exposure in the e-commerce company to 29.26 percent. Frasers currently holds 23.33 percent of direct shares, making it one of Asos' largest shareholders....
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Mango opens new store on London’s King’s Road amid broader expansion
Spanish retail giant Mango is continuing its UK expansion with a new store on King’s Road in London. The site, spanning 5,920 square feet, comes in response to strong regional financial performance for the brand, which reported a 20 percent growth in UK turnover during 2025. Located in Chelsea, the store offers Mango’s latest womenswear...
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H&M launches toolkit allowing brands to apply its System Map
H&M Foundation, the non-profit organisation of Swedish retailer H&M, is launching an open-access toolkit that allows brands, suppliers, policymakers, and investors to integrate the company’s System Map into their own business. Launched in 2024 by the H&M Foundation, the System Map serves as a visual framework of the full textile value chain,...
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Canada’s Garage launches in the UK with first two stores
Canadian-born brand Garage has made its first official steps into the UK market with its first store opening at Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent. This debut location will be followed by an additional store on Oxford Street, due to open March 27. Both sites intend to serve as full expressions of the Montreal brand’s global identity, offering its...
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Janie and Jack opens first UK flagship, prepares for wider global expansion
Matri Group has opened its debut UK flagship store for its brands Janie and Jack and Hatch on London’s King’s Road, marking the international debut of its platform and the first European retail space to bring both labels together under one roof. Located in Chelsea’s redeveloped The Gaumont, the store represents a strategic move into one of the...
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H&M brings new store concept to Brighton
H&M has introduced a new “elevated and innovative” store concept to Brighton, UK, marking a continued evolution of its store portfolio. The store, located at Churchill Square, offers womenswear, menswear, kids, and beauty, as well as H&M Home, the retailer’s homeware and lifestyle brand which is making its debut in the city. Store enhancements...
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Tomorrow Group acquired by Italian investor Progetto 11
London-based brand development firm Tomorrow Group has found a new owner in Progetto 11, the Italian holding company of e-tailer The Level Group. Andrea Ciccoli, co-founder of The Level Group, confirmed the news to WWD, stating that the deal would “ensure the operational continuity” of the fashion platform. While financial details were not...
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