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.
Wolverine Worldwide raises FY outlook as Q2 outpaces expectations
US footwear group Wolverine Worldwide (WWW) has raised its full-year outlook after a stronger-than-expected second quarter, with growth led by its Merrell and Saucony brands. The footwear group reported revenue of 506.4 million dollars for the three months to July 4, up 6.8 percent year-on-year and 6.1 percent on a constant-currency basis....
BusinessMemberloading...
Frasers Group acquires Harvey Nichols: What this means for the luxury retailer
Frasers Group, the British retail giant owned by Mike Ashley, has confirmed its acquisition of luxury department store Harvey Nichols following weeks of rumours surrounding the potential deal. The transaction includes the retailer’s six stores, including its locations in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh, and its newly furnished...
BusinessFeaturedMemberloading...
Ellen MacArthur Foundation tapped to help UAE deliver circularity policy framework
Circular textiles NGO Ellen MacArthur Foundation has said it will be working with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on developing and delivering a national textiles circularity policy framework. The project forms part of the UAE’s wider Naseej initiative, a Presidential-level programme focused on supporting the country’s transition towards a...
BusinessMemberloading...
Karen Millen returns to physical retail through TFG partnership
British womenswear brand Karen Millen is making its return to the high street through a new wholesale partnership with The Foschini Group (TFG), the parent company of Hobbs, Phase Eight and Whistles. The brand will first be stocked in TFG’s Fosse Park store in Leicester from August 14, before rolling out into locations at Aberdeen Union Square...
RetailMemberloading...
South Korea’s Blue Elephant opens first US flagship store in LA
South Korean eyewear label Blue Elephant has made its physical debut in the US with the opening of its first regional flagship store in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles. Located at 300 N. Beverly Drive, the 7,000 square foot space marks a milestone in an ongoing global expansion for the brand, which plans to use the site as a strategic hub for the US....
RetailMemberloading...
Retailers consider agency workers amid zero-hour contract overhaul in UK
The UK government has estimated that reforms to zero hours and similar contracts could cost employers between 350 million pounds and 2.9 billion pounds a year, with retailers among the sectors expected to feel the greatest impact. The analysis, published to support a consultation on the reforms, explores proposals that would give eligible...
RetailMemberloading...
West Midlands Mayor announces 10 million pound high street funding boost
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker has launched a 10 million pound programme with the goal of bringing more life back to the region’s high streets. Funding associated with the programme is set to help empty shops, local businesses and town and city centre spaces. The High Streets and Growth Incubator will initially support several locations...
RetailMemberloading...
Samsonite Group to acquire Béis in 210 million dollar deal
Samsonite Group has agreed to acquire Béis, the lifestyle and travel brand founded by actress and entrepreneur Shay Mitchell, in a deal valuing the business at approximately 210 million dollars. The acquisition will see Samsonite acquire 85 percent of Béis for 178.5 million dollars, funded through cash and available borrowing capacity. Mitchell...
BusinessMemberloading...
Fabletics plots 20 new international stores with expansion into India, South and Central America
Activewear giant Fabletics has revealed plans to triple its international store estate. The activewear brand is plotting 20 new locations over the next year, looking to its “proven US retail model” as the blueprint. Over the cited period, the label will venture into several new markets, including India, the UAE, Colombia, Peru, and Central...
BusinessMemberloading...
Australia’s Peter Alexander closes UK stores
Australian fashion brand Peter Alexander has announced the closure of its stores in the UK in response to the “continued negative outlook” of the region and “sustained difficult trading conditions”. The news was confirmed by its parent company Premier Retail, which said the brand’s three existing bricks-and-mortar stores in Bluewater, Stratford...
RetailMemberloading...