BFC unveils programme for LFW City Wide Celebration

Image: British Fashion Council The British Fashion Council (BFC) has unveiled the programme of the latest City Wide Celebration as part of the upcoming edition of London Fashion Week. Set to take place from February 17 to 21, the schedule includes a range of public events and activities held by retailers, restaurants and cultural institutions around London. Over 450 of these events will take place at shopping destinations in the city, with participating brands to include Selfridges, Browns and Matchesfashion, at which an exclusive pop-up cafe will be housed. Activities range from workshops to panel discussions, as well as promotions, collection previews and styling sessions. Among other public events are that of in-store retail experiences, including Labrum’s immersive space, an exhibition at Jigsaw and the ‘World’s Smallest Department Store’ by Anya Hindmarch. Further installations will take on a sustainability focus, as will be seen in Aniela’s interactive space that looks to promote methods of upcycling. A similar concept can also be found at the likes of Studio Noirgaze, River Island and Peter Jones, which will each offer a selection of archive, upcycled or handmade garments. The full schedule can be found on London Fashion Week’s dedicated website, alongside the official schedule for the week itself.
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Inflation to add 18.2 billion pounds in non-food retail sales

Sale signs in shop window. Image: Unsplash A new report has found that inflation in the UK could result in a 2.6 percent increase in non-food retail sales, driven by rising consumer prices. According to research by Metapack, ShipStation and Retail Economics, the sector’s sales value is expected to hit 249 billion pounds in 2023, up 18.2 billion pounds of spending on the previous year. However, while the increase initially presents itself as a positive, the E-commerce Delivery Benchmark Report stated that the rise will be caused by businesses looking to increase the price of products in the coming year. In a survey of over 730 retail firms across eight international markets, it was found that 80 percent were planning to increase the price of products, with 40 percent noting that rising costs would be the biggest challenge in 2023. It falls in line with retailers facing rising input and operating costs, causing many to pass on such costs to consumers in a bid to preserve margins. The shift could also be seen among consumer sentiments towards the economy, with 66 percent of consumer respondents citing inflation as their biggest concern. Three quarters further stated that they plan to change their buying habits, either by only making necessary purchases or reducing their spending completely. Despite this, retailers are said to be remaining optimistic about trading prospects in 2023, with more businesses holding a positive perspective over a negative one. Cost over convenience Various factors will play into shifting consumer behaviour, the report noted, including that of delivery costs, for which customers seemingly are moving away from speed and convenience in favour of lower prices. This contrasted the response of retailers, with over a quarter reporting that they planned to increase cost of delivery for customers, while only 18 percent said they wouldn’t. Meanwhile, retail models deemed more affordable for consumers were favoured during the report. This included an increase in interest for online resale marketplaces and second hand purchasing, with over 25 percent of consumers saying they planned to buy from these companies more often in the near future. The report noted that this shift is likely an offset of cost-of-living concerns, possibly accelerating the move to a circular economy. In the end, this behavioural change could result in discounters coming out on top, leaving mid-tier retailers at a potential loss if they don’t adapt. While luxury is less likely to see such an impact, 61 percent of shoppers in this category still stated they planned to tighten their spending, many of which adding they would switch to cheaper brands when buying clothing. Beauty remains priority On the other hand, beauty and health continued to remain an important factor for UK consumers. One in three respondents said they did not plan to change their spending habits in this area, with a further 14 percent preferring to trade down instead of purchase less. In the report, Richard Lim, CEO of Retail Economics said: “Retailers will continue to face a toxic mix of pressures this year as rising input and operating costs collide against a backdrop of weaker consumer demand, rising interest rates and shifting consumer behaviours. “These conditions favour those retailers who have strong balance sheets who can invest heavily in price, leverage data to target their most valued customers and win new ones, while efficiently utilising stores to provide a truly omnichannel proposition. “Those that carry high levels of debt, have weak pricing power and sit in the middle of the market could find life very difficult.”
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JCPenney names Keith Melker chief transformation and strategy officer

Keith Melker, chief transformation and strategy officer at JCPenney. Image: JCPenney American shopping chain JCPenney has announced the appointment of Keith Melker as chief transformation and strategy officer. In the role, Melker has been tasked with overseeing the transformation office, ensuring related initiatives are executed to maximise value creation and defining the company’s corporate strategy. Key areas to be focused on are that of driving profitable consumer traffic, enhancing inventory management, advancing digital growth, exploring strategic partnerships and evolving the value delivery model, a press release read. Most recently, Melker served as chief executive officer for property management company Wehner Multifamily, prior to which he also held the position of chief strategy officer for Kimberly-Clark Corporation. Speaking on the appointment, Marc Rosen, CEO of JCPenney, said: “As we continue our transformation journey into 2023, we’re laser-focused on achieving our goals to better serve our customers as they turn to JCPenney for style and value. “Keith’s extensive experience in transformation work and strategic leadership abilities will make him a valued advisor in this next step for our organisation.” Meanwhile, Kate Mullen will remain as the retailer’s chief digital officer, continuing to play a vital role in its transformation journey.
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Grammys red carpet: bold colours, basic black, bling

Beyoncé wearing Gucci at 65th annual Grammy Awards. Image: Gucci Music's brightest stars on Sunday brought their fashion A-game to the Grammys red carpet, strutting their stuff in bold colours, slinky styles, major bling and barely-there gowns. While the Oscars are known for embracing a certain brand of Hollywood glamour, the Grammys are in your face: some of the most iconic fashion looks have emerged on music's biggest night, like Jennifer Lopez's plunging green Versace gown in 2000. Here's a look at what the A-listers wore to the Grammys: Rainbow effect If you want to get noticed on the red carpet, a pop of colour does the trick. Lizzo -- who won Record of the Year honours for "About Damn Time" -- served up major fashion drama in a voluminous orange Dolce and Gabbana cape with huge floral blooms, over a sleek corseted gown in the same vibrant hue with peach eye shadow, fingerless mesh gloves and nail art to match. Taylor Swift, who won the Grammy for best music video for "All Too Well," stunned in a two-piece bejeweled bluish-purple Roberto Cavalli number -- a long-sleeved crop top and long skirt -- in keeping with her album title "Midnights." Adele wearing Louis Vuitton at 65th annual Grammy Awards. Image: Louis Vuitton Adele, who won for Best Pop Solo Performance, wowed in a full-length Louis Vuitton burgundy gown with sculptural shoulder ruffles and a plunging neckline, her hair cascading in soft waves. At the gala, she was seated with Lizzo -- a major power duo. Super-producer Pharrell Williams rocked up in a quilted red leather ensemble -- with a (faux?) fur coat over the top and uber-cool blinged out sunglasses. And pop dreamboat Harry Styles -- who won Album of the Year honours and the award for Best Pop Vocal Album -- obviously couldn't choose which colour to go with, so he wore them all. The British singer donned a glittering Harlequin-patterned sleeveless jumpsuit in every hue of the rainbow encrusted with Swarovski crystals, leaving his chest bare to show off his body ink. Country folk rocker Brandi Carlile donned a sparkly black Versace suit with a long coat and a pop of color -- a fuchsia blouse that was more readily visible during her performance of her Grammy-winning song "Broken Horses." Harry Styles wearing Gucci at the 65th annual Grammys. Image: Gucci Bold in black Of course, some stars went for basic, but sexy, black. Olivia Rodrigo, last year's Grammy winner for Best New Artist, adopted the naked dress trend seen on several recent showbiz red carpets in a sheer floor-length black gown. Brazilian superstar Anitta, up for Best New Artist honors this year, also understood the assignment -- she slayed in a strapless Versace gown with see-through detailing and a long train. And Doja Cat, who wowed fashionistas at Paris fashion week with her exuberant looks and wild makeup, showed up in another Versace dress -- hers was a one-shoulder latex frock that hugged her curves, finished with long gloves. Simply flawless As the new all-time Grammy winners with 32 statuettes, Beyonce is in a class by herself, and that applies to her fashion as well. The 41-year-old superstar arrived at the gala more than an hour late -- due to traffic, host Trevor Noah said -- in a strapless Gucci corset gown with a silver skirt cut up to her hip and rippling out in shimmering ruffles to finish in a train. Elbow-length gloves finished off the look for the new reigning queen of the Grammys.(AFP)
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