Marks & Spencer rolls out loyalty scheme internationally

Image: Marks & Spencer Marks & Spencer has announced that it will be rolling out its Sparks loyalty scheme globally, across India and 25 other targeted online markets, including the US and Australia. Customers signed up with Sparks will have access to a personalised programme of offers and rewards. Additionally, those shopping in the British retailer’s 94 India-based stores will also have the chance to instantly win a free shopping spree. In the UK and Ireland, Sparks will continue to operate as a digital-first experience, with customers now able to purchase and be rewarded through the scheme via its international flagship websites, as well as the Marks & Spencer app in India. The roll out is credited to the Sparks platform’s ability to be scalable across multiple different markets, the retailer said in a release, which has further allowed it to understand its “growing” international customer base. “Over the last 18 months we’ve got on with the job of building and expanding the global reach of Marks & Spencer,” said Katie Bickerstaffe, co-chief executive. She continued: “But to become a truly global brand we need to make shopping at Marks & Spencer rewarding no matter where you shop. The reset of Sparks in the UK in 2020 delivered a step-change, and we’re now taking those lessons into international markets, so that we can better understand and serve our global customer base.”
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Dune Group swings to profit amid pandemic recovery

Image: Dune, Facebook Dune swung to a profit in the year to January 29 after its stores reopened following the end of lockdowns. The London-based group made an EBITDA of 2.9 million pounds compared to a loss of 9.8 million pounds a year earlier. The company was hit hard by the pandemic when it was forced to close its stores across the UK and Europe. It launched a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) in 2021, resulting in the majority of its stores moving to a turnover rent-based model. A long list of other UK fashion companies launched CVAs during the pandemic, including LK Bennett, New Look, AllSaints, Bair Group, Hotter Shoes, and Monsoon Accessorize. Returning demand Dune said it has experienced an uplift in demand for fashion footwear and accessories since lockdown restrictions were eased. It said recovery post Covid has been “encouraging”, with many stores now achieving pre-pandemic levels of sales. During the year, Dune opened six outlet stores, one full price store, and has expanded the number of online marketplaces it partners with. The company also appointed Nigel Darwin as its new CEO last month. While Dune has shown signs of recovery from the pandemic, it warned that there remain challenges ahead, including “difficulties in shipping from suppliers which has resulted in stock shortages at times”. “The board actively manages the stock position and trading stance to ensure there is no significant disruption to operations,” it added.
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Racers, cows and Balenciagamania: Street styles from Milan and Paris

Photo: Nick Leuze The fashion weeks of the SS23 season are behind us. However, as is well known, the trends can not only be found on the catwalks, but also on the streets. The looks can be calm and classic, but also really wild like in the cowshed. FashionUnited has summarized what was pulled out of the streetwear cauldron during the fashion weeks in Milan and Paris. Balenciagamania Balenciaga is a hot topic on the runway every season with his staging on the catwalk and the approach to design: a wild mix of controversy and kitsch squeezed into a mixture of streetwear and high fashion by creative director Demna Gvasalia. Between sportswear and rave look. Photos: Nick Leuze Fans not only dig into the French fashion house's pieces - sunglasses and bags with prints like the Eiffel Tower are popular - but also the aesthetic, which sits somewhere between rave culture and sportswear. This is crowned with pop culture elements and a pinch of ugly chic. The Hello Kitty fan meets Barbie Overload look meets outfits that could have come straight from a pop-punk music video from the 2010s. A movement that naturally stands out between elegant looks with long dresses and suits. Photos: Nick Leuze Racers The race driver looks also gains momentum. In pole position is the racing jacket, which uses the colors of the respective racing team and at the same time becomes a billboard for the many sponsors who adorn the jackets as photos or prints. A fashionable cover is supplied by the fashion house Prada, among others, which is active as an outfitter for various sports such as sailing and extreme sports and whose logo also adorns such jackets. Unlike on the racetrack, fashion for the racing theme offers significantly more scope and so a jersey with racing stripes can become a dress with cut-outs, which of course also promote the dynamic of the look. Racing jackets and other fast looks. Photos: Nick Leuze Witch Dance and the Modern Middle Ages Not only happy, playful looks were shown on the streets of Paris and Milan. A dark veil swept through the streets. A touch of gothic romance paired with a classic image of European witches. The black outfits brought back the Middle Ages with a twist through modern fabrics and combinations. A coarsely knitted top in combination with a hood and an iron belt are reminiscent of a modern form of knight's armor, which becomes a cool look with sunglasses. But a look of light-colored corsets with bows in combination with a dark, flared maxi skirt also fits in this direction. A dark hat, under the brim of which part of the face disappears, which is combined with a dark, closed coat, creates a much more reserved, but still similarly gloomy aura. It becomes mythical on the streets of Paris & Milan. Photos: Nick Leuze Matrix coats It stays dark: A long black leather coat takes center stage this season. Since the first Matrix film came out in the late 90s, the dark leather coat has had a strong appeal that is currently being used by women who wear it. The rest of the outfit becomes almost irrelevant and in most cases is quite reserved. A black turtleneck or a light blouse under the coat round off the look in a simple way. But actually almost everything can be worn or hidden under a black leather coat. Black leather coats. Photos: Nick Leuze Cow spots We stick to the leather, or rather its origin: the cow. The mammal's spots were a popular pattern on the streets of Paris and Milan. But it didn't necessarily have to be real leather, jackets made of animal-friendly, vegan leather look and plush coats were also on display. The spots also vary in looks between different shades of brown and black, just like real cows. Since the cow patch jacket is a real eye-catcher, the look can be rounded off with simple jeans and a turtleneck sweater that matches the color of the pattern. Cow spots. Fotos: Nick Leuze Casual tie During the women's fashion weeks, the focus was also on the street, especially on the womenswear looks. Of course men were also present. So that they don't feel like they're stepping on their toes, the last trend is dedicated to them, which appropriately focuses on the very formal accessory. This season, the tie has been recontextualized not only in womenswear – as part of the Y2K trend, the return of the rocking schoolgirl ala Avril Lavign with a loose tie knot over a simple top – but also in menswear. Here the tie remains pulled up, but is integrated into a casual look – far removed from the business look with a suit and patent-leather shoes. Casual Ties. Photos: Nick Leuze The possibilities are varied, whether in addition to a casual oversized shirt with a print, wide trousers and a peaked cap or in a leather version in combination with BDSM elements such as a dog collar, rivets and even more leather, the tie can be personalized and integrated style. This article was originally published on FashionUnited.DE, translated and edited to English.
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End. opens first dedicated women’s store in Newcastle upon Tyne

Image: End. Women In Pictures Luxury retailer End. have opened its first dedicated womenswear store in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, as part of its continued physical retail expansion that has included recent openings in Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow. End. Women occupies the brand’s former location on Grainger Street and showcases a revamped store that blends End.’s signature stylistic codes and architectural details with a modern palette tailor-made to showcase their womenswear portfolio. Image: End. Women The store celebrates the diversity of womenswear, explained End., while offering “forward-thinking product and trailblazing collaborations,” across a varied selection of lifestyle, luxury, sneakers and sportswear, from cutting-edge contemporary and luxury favourites to athleisure staples and unisex products. Highlights include a modern skincare area and a sneaker zone. Rebecca Osei-Baidoo, womenswear buyer at End., said in a statement: “Women have always shopped at End. for the best menswear, adopting it and making it their own. With the opening of End. Women, we wanted to service our female customers and their unique style of dressing with authenticity. “Staying true to who we are, End. Women’s actively engages with our existing consumer, giving her a broader offering to seamlessly shop, and championing the way women are really dressing out in the world.” Image: End. Women Dedicated product launches for End. Women’s will be offered via the End. app and through the brand’s integrated omni-channel offering to seamlessly blend the women’s physical store with the End. online experience, added the retailer. In addition to the women’s store opening, End. added that it has plans to open its first dedicated flagship in Europe in early 2023, with the retailer selecting Milan for its “ground-breaking” store. Image: End. Women Image: End. Women
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Consumers want to shop sustainably, what are the opportunities for brands?

Image: Sustainable shopping via Pexels Report Consumers are weighing sustainability decisions when it comes to shopping for clothing, with half of shoppers expected to consider the environmental impact of what they buy. The data comes from Bain & Company and WWF Italy’s latest report, which says shopping and purchasing trends among global fashion consumers are shifting towards sustainable practices in the coming years, creating new opportunities as well as challenges for fashion brands. Research from ‘How Brands Can Embrace the Sustainable Fashion Opportunity’, Bain and WWF find 15 percent of global fashion consumers are already highly concerned about sustainability and consistently make purchasing decisions to lower their impact. But the report concludes that this percentage is will quickly grow to more than half of fashion consumers as more shoppers gravitate toward sustainable practices. 65 percent of consumers care about the environment The report, which examines consumer behaviors related to sustainability and fashion, shows that of the nearly 5,900 fashion consumers across six countries (China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and US) that Bain surveyed, approximately 65 percent said they care about the environment, but only some regularly prioritize sustainability in their shopping. “Sustainable shopping is an inevitable change. Concern for sustainability is strong among younger generations – and growing overall. Hence, fashion brands need to embrace the sustainability conversation and make sustainable purchasing easier for all consumers. Brands that proactively design sustainability into their strategy and operations will cement their relevance and capture a windfall of unmet demand, now and into the future,” said Claudia D’Arpizio, global head of Fashion & Luxury at Bain & Company. “In fact, everyone will benefit from a commitment to sustainability from the fashion industry”. Distinguishing sustainable fashion is a challenge for shoppers In the report, Bain and WWF found a third of consumers unable to distinguish sustainable products or brands from those that aren’t. That challenge increases with age. One out of three Baby Boomer and Silent Generation respondents said they don’t know where to find sustainability information for brands or products. By comparison, only one out of five Gen Z and Gen Y/Millennial respondents reported the same difficulty. Be transparent In order to accelerate sustainable shopping, in-store displays, labels, and product descriptions need to be clear, easily available, and reliable, says the report. Best-in-class brands already include supply chain and partner information, material descriptions, and stories about the communities involved in the making of their clothing. Shedding light on their production processes engages consumers in a genuine and transparent way. Product packaging is another means to communicate (and practice) sustainability. Appeal to value-driven shoppers Brands can capitalise on the quality and durability aspects of sustainable fashion and appeal to value-seeking shoppers, as long as they achieve durability without compromising any social or environmental factors. By positioning durability as an element of sustainable fashion, brands offer consumers a win-win situation. Sustainable shopping should be easy Many shoppers follow the path of least resistance; their shopping habits are driven by convenience rather than social impact or public opinion. But with simpler and more convenient options, they would increase their sustainable purchasing. Have a sustainability mission Brands that proactively design sustainability into their strategy and operations will cement their relevance and capture a windfall of unmet demand, now and into the future. Most consumers want to purchase more sustainably; they just need help doing so. “Fashion brands are on the cusp of a great opportunity but are often overwhelmed by complexity, especially along lengthy supply chains. Brands have a social role in this epoch-making change: they are called to address the information gap, engage consumers on product durability and impact; and make sustainable purchases more convenient and appealing. This will make them successful, while help shifting consumers toward more sustainable consumption,”, concluded Federica Levato, senior partner at Milan’s office and EMEA Leader of Fashion & Luxury at Bain. Article source: 'How Brands Can Embrace the Sustainable Fashion Opportunity,' Bain & Company and WWF Italy
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