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.
New location and refreshed partnerships: What you need to know about Source Fashion
Source Fashion has almost arrived, and with it comes a number of major changes as the London-based manufacturing-focused fair continues to evolve. Running from July 7 to 9, the summer edition will emphasise the event’s overarching mission of spotlighting responsible sourcing. Around 305 exhibitors are expected to attend from across 19 countries...
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Gymshark founder reportedly considering buying back stake from General Atlantic
Gymshark founder and chief executive officer Ben Francis is believed to be in talks to buy back part of the stake held by private equity investor General Atlantic, according to the Financial Times, in a move that would increase his control of the activewear brand. The discussions reportedly centre on the size and valuation of the transaction,...
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Australia’s Bondi Active to debut in the UK
Sydney-based lifestyle brand Bondi Active is preparing to make its physical debut in the UK via a pop-up experience at Gymbody’s London store. The temporary space serves to accelerate a broader international growth strategy, initially focused on building up a UK presence. The activation will be held between July 11 to 21 at Gymbody’s Kensington...
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Met Police and retailers agree on action plan to tackle retail crime in London
Senior representatives from the Metropolitan Police, the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime and some of the UK's largest retailers have agreed a new action plan aimed at strengthening the response to retail crime across London. Following a roundtable at New Scotland Yard, the partners committed to improving intelligence sharing, prioritising...
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Former Superdry CFO to reportedly join Poundland
Shaun Wills, the former chief financial officer of Superdry, is reportedly preparing to join Poundland this month. According to Sky News, Wills will be taking up the CFO role at the struggling budget retailer, where a major turnaround is currently underway. Wills had served as CFO at Superdry from April 2012 to March 2015, before leaving when...
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Helen Connolly returns to Asda as CEO of George
Supermarket giant Asda has named Helen Connolly as the chief executive officer of its in-house fashion label, George. The appointment marks a return to the business for Connolly, who had previously spent 15 years with George across two periods. During her prior tenure with the company, Connolly held various leadership positions, including...
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Metrocentre welcomes largest regional Hollister store and Timberland North East debut
Gateshead’s Metrocentre has announced a number of new notable openings for this month amid an ongoing mission to secure prime, global retail brands. The shopping centre is now home to the largest regional store of Hollister, as well as Timberland’s first North East England store. Hollister has opened a 6,000 square foot space in the centre’s...
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Gap appoints new chief sustainability officer
US retail giant Gap has named Jeffrey Hogue, the former sustainability head of Levi Strauss, as its new chief sustainability officer. The news was announced by the company’s chief supply chain and transformation officer, Sally Gilligan, in a post on LinkedIn. Gilligan said Hogue would lead efforts across climate and equity to help advance...
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US denies renewal of USMCA
The White House has chosen not to renew its trilateral trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, also known as USMCA. The Trump administration has opted to conduct annual reviews of the deal after disagreeing with its current form. In a statement, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that following the most recent joint review, the US would...
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AEO names Ravi Thanawala as CFO
American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) has confirmed a transition among its leadership. The US apparel group’s long-time executive, Mike Mathias, will be stepping back from his role as executive vice president, chief financial officer, to become a non-executive strategic advisor to the company’s chairman and CEO, Jay Schottenstein. Mathias, who has...
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