UK retail sales shrug off Brexit vote. Image copyright Reuters UK retail sales were stronger than expected in August, suggesting consumer confidence has held up in the wake of the Brexit vote.
Sales volumes fell by just 0.2% last month, the Office for National Statistics said, while sales were up 6.2% from August last year The ONS said the underlying pattern for the retail sector was "solid growth". "Overall the figures do not suggest any major fall in post-referendum consumer confidence," it said. The sales increase for July was also revised higher from 1.4% to 1.9% - the best performance for the month in 14 years. ING economist James Knightley said the figures offered further evidence that the UK was weathering the short-term effects of the Brexit vote well. "Sterling's fall is likely to have boosted sales of high-end items by foreign tourists as watches and fashions become relatively cheaper for them when bought in the UK versus elsewhere," he added.
Online-Only Asos Shines, Brexit Bad For Fashion. "Asos Outshines High-Street Rivals as Online-Only Model Bears Fruit" (The Financial Times) "The Aim-quoted online retailer is enjoying sales growth that its high-street rivals could not even dream of.
" "Brexit: What Does It Mean for Online Retailers? " (The Guardian) "With currency fluctuations and the potential burden of tariffs and taxes, e-tailers worry that leaving the EU will come at an almighty cost. " "Using an Algorithm to Figure Out What Luxury Customers Really Want" (Harvard Business Review) "The enormous volume of data collected from mystery shoppers, online reviews, social media, blogs, and ratings agencies about customer preferences and experiences has become too overwhelming for any business to assess. " Victoria Beckham defends use of skinny models at New York fashion week. Victoria Beckham has rounded on critics who complained about the choice of ultra slim models in her latest catwalk show.
Fans took to social media to complain that Victoria had sent a 'parade of skeletons' down the catwalk at her Spring/Summer 2016 show in New York in September. But the designer, 41, insists that her casting director liaised with the modelling agencies and ensured all the girls were healthy before the show. Scroll down for video Victoria came under fire for choosing a gaunt looking Peyton Knight, 17, to close her Spring/Summer 2016 show at New York fashion week in September The collection was well received by fashion critics, but the designer received hundreds of complaints on social media for choosing ultra thin models to showcase her latest pieces 'They're young, they're thin, but that doesn't mean they're ill,' Victoria said in an interview with the Telegraph.
Hundreds of her 15 million social media followers took her to task over the casting. Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 7 Lessons For Retail in the Age of E-Commerce. NEW YORK, United States — In 2011, when fashion industry veteran Rachel Shechtman decided to enter the world of physical retail, she knew the concept would, in many ways, have to serve as an antidote to the traditional store experience.
The result was Story, a 2,000-square-foot shop that gets a complete makeover — with a new design, range of products and marketing message — every four to eight weeks. Five years on, Story has become one of the most interesting studies in how people want to shop today. Its refreshing merchandising strategy, which relies on a rotating series of themes and sponsorship partners, is what helps the store stand apart from a sea of retailers struggling to understand the needs of customers whose demands have changed in the age of e-commerce. If time is the ultimate luxury and people want a higher return on investment of their time, you need to give them a reason to be in a physical space. Story founder Rachel Shechtman | Source: Courtesy It’s a method with legs. 1. Styling Politicians in the Age of Image Wars. PHILADELPHIA, United States — “Trump has a budget, Sanders has a budget, Hillary has a budget,” says Corey Roche, a personal stylist whose clients include politicians in Washington DC.
“There is [campaign] money allocated to fashion and clothes, because that is a huge part of marketing and branding.” Indeed, in today's media-saturated world, image is a key communications tool for heavyweight politicians as they craft their personal brands and election campaigns. Like actors, athletes and other celebrities, many major American politicians employ stylists and other image consultants. But the business of dressing politicians — some of the most heavily scrutinised public figures — comes with a unique set of challenges.
At major political events like this week’s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where Democratic party nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton is scheduled to make her acceptance speech on Thursday, the level of scrutiny is higher than ever. How Does Politics Affect the Fashion Industry? Fierceness and fabulousness aside, the fashion industry is a serious (and lucrative) business.
It is estimated that the fashion industry generates $500 million for Ontario annually. In fact, Toronto is home to the third largest design workforce in North America. However, Ontario has refused to recognize the fashion business as a cultural industry thereby making fashion designers ineligible to receive any arts grants and/or funding.
As Brexit Looms, Prime Minister Theresa May Looks to the Future of British Fa... LONDON, United Kingdom — Just as the Marc Jacobs show was closing New York Fashion Week across the Atlantic, scores of London-based designers, editors, buyers, executives and educators — from Christopher Bailey and Dame Vivienne Westwood to Vogue’s Alexandra Shulman and Browns founder Joan Burstein — assembled yesterday evening at 10 Downing Street, home of the new British Prime Minister Theresa May, as the unofficial kick off to London Fashion Week.
As the ornate room filled with people, guests wondered aloud, “Is she actually going to show up?” And if she did, “what will she say?”