Lululemon promotes Meghan Frank to CFO

Sportswear apparel brand Lululemon has announced the promotion of Meghan Frank as the new chief financial officer (CFO), effective November 23. She is the company’s first female CFO. In this role, Frank will be responsible for the company’s asset protection, its facilities, finance, investor relations, operations excellence, strategy functions, tax and treasury. She joined the company in 2016 as the senior vice president of financial planning and analysis. Since April, she has been the company’s interim co-CFO along with Alex Grieve, the vice president and controller for the company. Prior to working for Lululemon, Frank held senior roles at Ross Stores and J.Crew. Calvin McDonald, CEO of Lululemon, said in a statement: “Meghan has a unique and comprehensive understanding of retail gained through her experience across finance and merchandise planning. “Earlier this year, when we started to navigate the Covid-19 environment, Meghan confidently took on more responsibility within the company and demonstrated agility, business acumen, and natural leadership skills. I’m thrilled to be working closely with her in her new role and benefiting from her strategic insights.” Frank commented: “I’m honoured to be taking on this role and working alongside an incredibly talented leadership team. We continue to see many opportunities ahead for lululemon and I’m excited to be part of the journey as we further build on our momentum and work to deliver on our strategic growth priorities.”
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Q&A with Joshua Williams of Fashion Consort, host of News Bytes

INTERVIEW Joshua Williams, the host of NewsBytes and creator of the weekly podcast series, Retail Revolution, has been gaining attention for his in-depth conversations with special guest speakers such as photographer Nigel Barker (America's Next Top Model) and Luisa Herrera-Garcia (SVP of Production at John Varvatos). A professor and consultant, Williams is currently the MPS Associate Director at Parsons School of Design and is often asked to speak at events worldwide as well as appear on news broadcasts to share his expertise on current issues in the fashion industry and fashion higher education. Also the founder of Fashion Consort, a consultancy that draws on a deep network of experts and professionals to produce content that inspires, entertains and educates businesses, students and consumers. Williams launched his short-form podcast in February as a more personal and intimate way to connect with an audience. Less than a year later, News Bytes is being distributed in partnership with FashionUnited to expand its international reach. Tell us about Fashion Consort, how did it begin? I started Fashion Consort to really rethink what fashion could be. After 13 years in e-commerce and online marketing, I realized early on as a VP of Marketing and a Director of Branding/Web Strategy that there was a democratization of the fashion conversation. Today, our clients have included Vh1 Save the Music, West East Magazine and Dossier Journal. Fashion Consort is on a mission to facilitate learning and knowledge, and to engage in open and honest conversations, all with a goal to better our shared future. Your podcasts seem to focus on current issues, innovations and authentic human connections. How do you think the way we connect has changed because of the global pandemic? Before the pandemic, I’d always have to put on my armour going into business meetings. I feel that this crisis has made the fashion industry peer behind the screen, meaning it has allowed us to know more about one another on a personal level. During video calls, we’re now seeing a glimpse into the homes of major designers, executives or getting to know our colleagues in their home life. I hope that when we come back from this crisis, this more personal connection between everyone in the industry will remain. How do you think have these changes affected the fashion industry creatively? I think there has also been a renaissance of creativity that’s happening as the fashion industry is propelled into adapting to new forms of content creation and technology. Today, it’s Tik Tok, but tomorrow there will be a new trend on the horizon. Did you always want to work in fashion and can you share any advice with young professionals just about to enter this industry? I’ve always been curious and coming from a theater and music background, a natural creator. It was while working on Broadway that I tried my hand at producing a fashion show. That experience made me see how fast paced the fashion industry is when it comes to realizing ideas, which was not the case in theater. It really ignited my interest in this industry of creativity and commerce. When did you start recording podcasts and why? As a fashion consultant, I help train companies, so I wanted to find a better and more engaging way to communicate and educate people. Podcasts are a great way to engage listeners differently, in a large part because most people these days are so busy and may not have time to read long articles. Around February of this year, I started News Bytes to go underneath and to really get behind the surface of the glimmering image of fashion. For example, when I interview top executives or celebrities, I ask them what issues they face in their jobs or the struggles they have to overcome to remain at the top. In the realm of fashion education, with all the students graduating digitally, I discuss pressing issues such as how will they find jobs in the design industry virtually. Joshua interviews The Tailory with Danielle Cooper and Phil I was already teaching retail in class to graduate students at Parsons right before Covid hit and I had all of these special guests, CEOs and executives that I wanted to bring into class, but couldn’t anymore. So with my colleague, Christopher Lacy, we started Retail Revolution and recorded ten episodes within a week. Then, we realized that more and more people were tuning in. Something that came out of just trying to help solve a problem now has around 500 downloads per episode. I see these weekly podcasts as a platform where my guest speakers and I can be critical, offer different perspectives and a space to have open discussions addressing topics that matter to the industry from all angles. As a fashion educator, I’m constantly speaking to students who are the zeitgeist of their generation and the demographic these fashion companies market to. I see the News Bytes podcast series as an honest platform for open dialogue, to discuss ideas and find solutions. Joshua with Dapper Dan How did the partnership between Fashion Consort and FashionUnited come about and what do you envision with this collaboration? Around September, my weekly podcasts were getting traction online. At the same time, I was also featured in the case study FashionUnited contributor, Jackie Mallon, reported on Black Lives Matter in a fashion school. I’ve always appreciated FashionUnited’s unique stories, so I reached out directly to Esmerij, the editor-in-chief. We hit it off immediately and I see our partnership as a vehicle in exploration and sharing of knowledge to interact with an even wider audience. Listen to News Bytes podcast by clicking here >> Photos: courtesy of Joshua Williams
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Non-essential stores in Northern Ireland to close for two weeks

Northern Ireland is to close all non-essential stores for two weeks as part of a new lockdown coming into force on 27 November. Stormont First Minister Arlene Foster said Thursday: “The executive has been presented today with the sobering prospect of our hospitals becoming overwhelmed within weeks. “It is clear that a tough, carefully timed, intervention is required to give us the best chance to have a safe and happy Christmas and further into the new year period.” The government also said there should be no household gatherings other than those involving support bubbles, and that people should work from home “if at all possible”. Deputy first minister Michelle O'Neill said: “It is a difficult and challenging decision and as a mother and daughter I understand how difficult these new interventions will be on family lives. “Given the gravity of the situation there is no other choice but to act now.” Photo credit: Pexels
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B4U New Project - Bravo Super Store- 1st Store is launched in Lahore

Podcast: Where Brains Meet Beauty talks to Priya Rao

In this episode, Where Brains Meet Beauty talks to Glossy executive editor, Priya Rao, about networking discomfort, feeling like an outsider and her career journey. Listen to the podcast below. Source: Where Brains Meet Beauty via Listen Notes
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Podcast: The Glossy Podcast interviews CEO Jue Wong

In this episode, The Glossy Podcast interviews CEO of haircare brand Olaplex Jue Wong about what it means to be an omnichannel company. Listen to the podcast below. Source: The Glossy Podcast via Megaphone
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Video: Gucci presents episode three of short film series featuring Harry Styles

In this video, Gucci presents episode three, featuring Harry Styles, of its seven-part short film series called the ‘Ouverture of something that never ended’ directed by Gus Van Sant and Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele. The seven-part series will show the new collection by Alessandro Michele and stars actress Silvia Calderoni. The collection will also be presented during the GucciFest fashion and film festival from November 16-22. Watch episode three below. Video: Gucci via YouTube Photo credit: Gucci, Facebook
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HUF AND FIRST DOWN TEAM UP FOR 90's NYC-INSPIRED REVERSIBLE BUBBLE DOWN JACKET AND SCARF

This holiday, HUF proudly partners with heritage outerwear label, FIRST DOWN, on a collaborative cold-weather capsule consisting of a reversible Bubble Down Jacket and Scarf with signature HUF-green highlights. The HUF x FIRST DOWN Jacket is a reversible silhouette reinterpreting FIRST DOWN’s original Bubble Down—a staple among New York City’s 90's hip hop scene. Insulated with a super-warm 700g power down-fill, the front side features FIRST DOWN’s iconic mountain-peak logo while the reverse is complete with custom HUF art printed oversized across the back. An accompanying down-filled muffler scarf is reversible to offer an all-black look at front, HUF-green on the reverse, and a secret stash pocket to hide your goods. The limited-edition HUF x FIRST DOWN scarf and jacket will retail for $85 and $460 respectively, and release Thursday November 19th, exclusively at HUF flagship stores and www.hufworldwide.com .  
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Hatter to the British royals presents new collection in St. Petersburg

Designer Philip Treacy, a haute couture hatmaker to the British royals and American stars, presented his collection in Saint Petersburg on Wednesday saying "we all need entertainment" during a pandemic. The 53-year-old Irishman, who counts among his clients Queen Elizabeth II, the Duchess of Cambridge and Madonna, unveiled the collection at Saint Petersburg's Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this autumn. Speaking to reporters at Russia's largest private museum of contemporary art, Treacy said he had defied the pandemic to bring his collection to the country's second city because people needed a happy distraction and Saint Petersburgers responded especially well to his creations. "We all need entertainment at the moment...to distract us from what's actually happening worldwide," said Treacy, described by Vogue magazine as "perhaps the greatest living milliner." Forty-six pieces of the designer's work feature in the "Maestro Philip Treacy" exhibition which opens on Friday and will run until March 21. He said he was "very touched" by the warm reception the first exhibition of his works were received in Russia's former imperial capital in 2015. "Hats are about elegance and beauty," Treacy said, adding that residents of Saint Petersburg "understand the power of the hat" because they live in one of the world's most beautiful cities. "You live within elegance and beauty," he said. Presenting the new exhibition, the Erarta museum said that "both Petersburg and the museum got under Philip Treacy's skin."(AFP)
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Podcast: Fashion is your Business talks to founder Albert Saniger

In this episode, Fashion is your Business talks to the founder of the Nate app, Albert Saniger. He provides an inside look at the app which is the first universal accelerator for mobile checkout. Listen to the podcast below. Source: Fashion is your Business via Stitcher
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IBM enters the fashion space with a blockchain platform to track sustainability

IBM (NYSE: IBM) and KAYA&KATO, a German uniforms and work wear manufacturer, have joined forces to develop a blockchain network for the fashion industry. The initiative counts on the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Development (BMZ) and is designed to create transparency about the origin of garments. The network will provide open access to information regarding the fibre used or how the completion of the final product took place, giving consumers assurance that their clothes are sustainably produced. More and more fashion firms are adopting blockchain technology to improve their supply chains or to build trust in their product authenticity verification processes. “Blockchain technology is a catalyst for collaboration and transparency across industries and within supply chains,” said Christian Schultze-Wolters, Director of Blockchain, IBM. “Blockchain technology today is being used to help increase visibility and agility in supply chains in industries including automotive manufacturing, mining, electronics production and even the cultivation and distribution of many types of food. By creating shared visibility, the technology helps foster trust among companies and their suppliers, businesses and especially their consumers. We want to set an example within the industry and offer other companies the opportunity to join us in advancing development and helping to create solutions for supply chain.” Digitalisation of sustainability, an unexpected outcome of the global crisis There is increasing demand from consumers to understand the environmental impact of the products they buy. According to a global study conducted this year by the IBM Institute for Business Value in association with the National Retail Federation, 77 percent of consumers surveyed say that sustainability is important to them, and 57 percent surveyed said they are willing to change their purchasing habits to help reduce negative impact to the environment. Within the garment industry, these attitudes are more prevalent among and more important to younger demographics. A recent survey of European consumers by Morning Consult commissioned by IBM found that 75 percent of respondents said they are concerned about the level of waste in the fashion industry. Furthermore, 64 percent of respondents said they would be more likely to buy the garment if new technologies could prove sustainability claims. Blockchain network to benefit sustainable and ethical producers and labels “The advancement of sustainability and digitization is crucial to our forward-looking approach. This project combines both aspects in an excellent way by promoting supply chain transparency. For KAYA&KATO, there are multiple compelling reasons to initiate the development of a blockchain network and we look forward to implementation and eagerly await the first solutions in cooperation with IBM,” says Dr. Stefan Rennicke, co-founder and managing director of KAYA&KATO GmbH. This new application of blockchain technology to document and trace the supply chain for textiles will allow suppliers of organic cotton and customers of KAYA&KATO alike to identify the origin and where the fabrics were processed as well as gain an understanding into each production and distribution step. The aim is to create transparency and to help develop secured protocol for the traceability of ecological materials. All the permissioned parties involved will be able to access the transaction data recorded in blocks in an unchangeable record on the chain. “The advancement of sustainability and digitization is crucial to our forward-looking approach. This project combines both aspects in an excellent way by promoting supply chain transparency. For KAYA&KATO, there are multiple compelling reasons to initiate the development of a blockchain network and we look forward to implementation and eagerly await the first solutions in cooperation with IBM,” says Dr. Stefan Rennicke, co-founder and managing director of KAYA&KATO GmbH. Many within the fashion industry are working to help address changing consumer attitudes while creating ways to be more transparent about the environmental impact of the materials they use. Blockchain is well-suited to help garment manufacturers and their suppliers work together to create a permanent, immutable record of the origin of all materials used in production to build trust.
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Universal Works x Sebago | AW20

Sebago®’s co-branding venture with Universal Works is back Artisanal, contemporary, comfortable and creative: here is the new FW 2020 capsule A year after they first met, and two collections later, American brand Sebago ® and British brand Universal Works are back with a new capsule collection for fall-winter 2020. Inspired by Native American traditions, Sebago ® with Universal Works once again combines artisan workmanship with contemporary trends, creative sleekness and comfort. After a first collaboration which revisited Sebago ® Campsides, and a second dedicated to Docksides, this third co-branding reinterprets three styles from the previous labels. The first is Jack Docksides slip-ons, on offer in three different colors and fabrics, all featuring a double logo in gold lettering on the insole and on a patch on the back of the shoes: blue cotton with brown dots, available from 8th October; dark blue burel wool with black soles, from 15th October; red burel wool with brown outlines and white foxing, from 22 October. Two outdoor Sebago ®designs: the Cayuga; mid boots in light suede with removable fringes at the base of the tongue, and the Seneca, in dark leather, available from 11th November. The offer is completed by a new version of Campsides Koala with a suede strap and ‘O-ring buckle, complete in three different colors: chocolate, black, and olive. Available from mid-November. Sebago ® with Universal Works is available in selected stores across Europe, in Universal Works stores and on its website.
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QUIZ partners with TV star Vicky Pattison to launch new festive collection

12 November 2020: QUIZ, the omni-channel fashion brand, has today unveiled its Christmas collection, created in partnership with TV celebrity Vicky Pattison. The new 30-piece collection comprises a variety of festive favourites, from cosy knitted casualwear and animal print knitwear to playful mini dresses and skirts. Extra detail is added with power shoulders, statement sleeves, ruching and soft tailoring. The colour palette consists of festive reds and greens mixed with bold black, monochromes and neutrals. Vicky Pattison first appeared on reality TV show Geordie Shore before being crowned the winner of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2015. She has since appeared as a regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women as well as presenting Ex on the Beach: Body SOS and filming a documentary following her life, titled Vicky Pattison: The Break Up. Sheraz Ramzan, Chief Commercial Officer of QUIZ, commented: “We’re thrilled to have Vicky Pattison as the face of our new QUIZ Christmas collection, and we can’t wait for our customers to see and enjoy these festive, fun pieces. The collection offers something for everyone on any occasion, combining top party-style picks with smart-casual casualwear.” The new range is available today in selected stores and online at https://www.quizclothing.co.uk/collections/vicky-pattison/ About QUIZ QUIZ is an omni-channel fashion brand, specialising in occasion wear and dressy casual wear. QUIZ delivers a distinct proposition that empowers its fashion forward customers to stand out from the crowd. QUIZ's buying and design teams constantly develop its own product lines, ensuring the latest glamorous looks at value prices. This fast, flexible supply chain, together with the winning formula of style, quality, value and speed-to-market has enabled QUIZ to grow rapidly into an international brand with standalone stores, concessions, franchise stores, wholesale partners and international online partners in 22 countries. QUIZ operates through an omni-channel business model, which encompasses online sales, standalone stores, concessions, international franchises and wholesale arrangements.
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Sequential Brands Group records profit in Q3

Sequential Brands Group Total revenue for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020 at Sequential Brands Group was 24 million dollars compared to 25.4 million dollars in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations reached 18.9 million dollars compared to 13.2 million dollars in the prior year quarter. On a GAAP basis, the company said in a statement, income from continuing operations was 4.5 million dollars or 2.71 dollars per diluted share, compared to loss of 18.4 million dollars or 11.31 dollars per diluted share in the same quarter last year, while non-GAAP net income was 2.1 million dollars or 1.30 dollars per diluted share compared to a non-GAAP net loss of 0.9 million dollars or 53 cents per diluted share, in the prior year quarter. Total revenue for the nine months was 66.8 million dollars compared to 77.3 million dollars in the prior year period. On a GAAP basis, loss from continuing operations for the period was 83.8 million dollars or 50.96 dollars per diluted share compared to 26.4 million dollars or 16.36 dollars per diluted share for the nine months ended September 30, 2019, while non-GAAP net loss was 10 million dollars or 6.08 dollars per diluted share compared to 7.7 million dollars or 4.74 dollars per diluted share, in the prior year period. The company added that adjusted EBITDA reached 43.7 million dollars compared to 37.7 million dollars in the prior year period. Picture:Joe's Jeans website
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Video: Gucci presents trailer for short film series

In this video, Gucci presents a trailer for its short film series called the ‘Ouverture of something that never ended’ directed by Gus Van Sant and Gucci’s creative director, Alessandro Michele. The series will show the new collection by Alessandro Michele and stars actress Silvia Calderoni. The collection will also be presented during the GucciFest fashion and film festival from November 16-22. Watch the trailer for episode one below. Video: Gucci via YouTube Photo credit: Gucci, Facebook
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Video: The Fashion Archive reviews designer Jil Sander's FW20 collection at Uniqlo

In this video, The Fashion Archive takes a first look at fashion designer Jil Sander and her FW20 collection at Uniqlo. Watch the video below. Source: The Fashion Archive via YouTube Photo credit: Uniqlo Nederland, Facebook
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Tailored Brands expects to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy by end of November

Men’s Wearhouse owner Tailored Brands has announced it expects to exit Chapter 11 bankruptcy by the end of November after winning approval for its reorganisation plan by the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. The company filed for bankruptcy back in August after experiencing a significant hit from Covid-19. In July, the company announced it would be cutting around 20 percent of its corporate workforce and closing around 500 retail stores to mitigate the financial impact of the pandemic. Under the terms of its approved reorganization, the company said it will emerge with a strengthened capital structure having eliminated 686 million dollars of funded debt from its balance sheet. The capital structure of the reorganized company is expected to consist of a 430 million dollars ABL facility, a 365 million dollar exit term loan and a 75 millions of cash from a new debt facility “to support ongoing operations and strategic initiatives”. Tailored Brands president and CEO Dinesh Lathi described the latest news as a “milestone” for the company. “Over the past three months, we have not only continued to advance steadily through this financial restructuring but also implemented new buy online, pick up in store and contactless payment technology to better serve our customers during the pandemic; further curated our assortments to make them more shoppable and relevant; opened our first next generation store in Shenandoah, Texas; developed new partnerships; and continued to advance important diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, consistent with our corporate values.” Photo credit: Men’s Wearhouse, Facebook
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In pictures: Uniqlo’s “Museum of Tomorrow” at CIIE

Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo participated in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) for the first time this year, which took place from 5th to 10th November in Shanghai. Part of Uniqlo’s presentation was “The Art and Science of LifeWear,” Uniqlo’s LifeWear global brand exhibition, which took place in New York, Paris and London in previous years. At 1,500 square meters (more than 16,000 square feet), “The Art and Science of LifeWear” was the largest exhibition space in the consumer goods category at CIIE. The space titled “Museum of Tomorrow” showcased the innovation and technology behind Uniqlo products, the craftsmanship that goes into creating high-quality clothing, as well as sustainability initiatives and the first public exhibition of the upcoming “+J” collection in renewed collaboration with legendary designer Jil Sander. The exhibition was also accessible virtually for Uniqlo customers at the company’s digital flagship store in Tokyo. “Uniqlo is pleased to have introduced ‘The Art and Science of LifeWear’ and its product and services innovations to consumers in China and around the world through the CIIE platform. We hope that with our participation we could inspire a better future life, and new lifestyles, for people everywhere. Uniqlo is full of confidence about the Chinese market and consumers going forward, and the company plans to continue to deepen its roots into low tiered cities in China,” commented Jalin Wu, group executive officer of Fast Retailing and CMO of Uniqlo China, in a press release. Uniqlo’s “Museum of Tomorrow” presents Ultra Light Down, AIRism and HeatTech technology The “Museum of Tomorrow” exhibition attracted more than 300 representatives of the domestic and foreign media, as well as more than 200,000 visitors who wanted to experience it and understand the technology behind the products. They were greeted by giant versions of Uniqlo’s Ultra Light Down jackets, which were hanging from the ceiling. The exhibition explained the technology behind the jacket and how it combines warmth and lightness. Showcasing Uniqlo’s innerwear offerings, the “Museum of Tomorrow” also featured three experiments to demonstrate how the various functions of AIRism regulate the air under clothing, releasing heat and humidity to provide comfortable dryness. Another station highlighted the bio-warming technology found in HeatTech innerwear, which was introduced in 2003. “For the first time I saw the technology behind Ultra Light Down, and through technology experiments featuring AIRism and HeatTech, I realised how many innovations of science and design actually go into a piece of clothing that allows us to switch freely between different life scenarios more efficiently, comfortably and stylishly,” said one media representative. The CIIE also saw the first public presentation of the “+J” fall/winter 2020 collection, which launched in Uniqlo stores and online at the same time. The collection marks the return of the brand’s collaboration with Jil Sander, who brings her signature modern style to this new line for women and men. Uniqlo presents “+J” collection, 3D knitting, Blocktech and sustainability with BlueCycle Among other highlights of Uniqlo’s CIIE showcase was a knitting machine. Using Wholegarment technology in China for the first time, Uniqlo showed the art of revolutionary 3D seamless knitting. The garments produced in this way fit the body perfectly and bring a new wearing experience of stylish comfort. The space also featured a Blocktech lab, where experiments clearly demonstrated the high-tech utility of outerwear and its windproof, waterproof and breathable functions, which provide comfortable protection against cold. Uniqlo also displayed its “UTs” (Uniqlo t-shirts), which offer an array of authentic pop culture and art graphics from around the world, allowing the wearer to express their individuality. At the Uniqlo Masterpiece Studio display, the brand highlighted the quality created through persistent craftsmanship, refined cutting and fabric selection, which defines the value of clothing. Uniqlo also featured its global sustainable development and innovation efforts, for example with the world debut of BlueCycle, a rebranding of Uniqlo’s innovative water-saving technology that allows for significantly less water use in the jeans production process. This technology from the company’s Jeans Innovation Center, established in Los Angeles in 2016, was part of a wider exhibit highlighting the history and evolution of Uniqlo jeans and its six types of denim fabric. Also read: * Uniqlo starts recycling down with Re.Uniqlo * Uniqlo helps over 10,000 people through partnership with charity: water * Fast Retailing profit drops on weak sales, expects recovery in FY21 Photos: Uniqlo
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CMA decision to block JD Sports’ acquisition of Footasylum overturned

The UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal has overturned a decision made earlier this year by the country’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to block an acquisition by JD Sports of rival sportswear retailer Footasylum. The CMA announced in May it had blocked the 90 million pound deal after finding it would result in “substantial lessening of competition nationally” which could lead to fewer discounts or lower quality of customer service. JD Sports appealed the decision, arguing that the assessment of the impact of the merger on competition was too broad and that the CMA hadn’t gathered enough information regarding the effects of Covid-19 on the wider retail sector. The CMA announced Friday that it supported the “way in which the CMA assessed the effects of the merger on consumers” but found that it did not “go far enough” in its information gathering about the impact of the pandemic. JD Sports-Footasylum deal back on the table “The CMA welcomes the Tribunal’s strong endorsement of its approach to making sure that mergers don’t leave UK shoppers worse off. Today’s judgment reinforces the way in which we analyse and assess the evidence we receive in these cases, and the decisions we make to protect consumers,” CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said in a statement. “However, we are disappointed that the Tribunal disagreed with the CMA’s approach to information gathering about the specific impact of coronavirus on the sector given the circumstances at that time. We will now take stock of today’s judgment and carefully consider our next steps, including whether to appeal.” Peter Cowgill, executive chairman of JD Sports Fashion Plc, commented: “We have always maintained that this merger would provide significant long-term benefits to customers, colleagues and brand partners, and so we are very pleased with the Competition Appeal Tribunal's judgment today. “The entire case will now go back to the CMA for re-consideration and we look forward to presenting further evidence which demonstrates the true extent to which the competitive landscape has evolved, in particular as a result of the unprecedented challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.” Photo credit: Footasylum
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