Rowan Stacey

Two pieces of U.K. retail news from the last few weeks that I think are interesting; First Burberry had a stunning collapse of profits from £219 million last year to a loss of £53 million this year. A year ago they completed a £400 million share buy back. This has not had the desired effect on share prices, which are down 35% on the year. (Share buy backs effectively artificially inflat share prices by reducing the number available on the market.) Share prices have risen since the announcement, helped by the new CEO slashing revenue targets to one they have achieved in the past. And then Marks and Spencer have overtaken Waitrose & Partners in food sales for the first time ever. This has been largely attributed to M&S focusing on offering luxury treats. Which is the opposite strategy of their clothing. Because there is absolutely nothing luxury there. And I can’t wholly fathom how one brand creates such massively different shopping experiences, often in the same store. Walking through the clothes section can often feel like walking into a BHS of old. While the food store is like a candy store, and brings me personally more joy than a wander through Harvey Nichols food section. Because I can afford things in M&S 😂. Burberry is committing to continuing expensive luxury. Even under the new CEO who came from Coach. Which you could argue is more affordable. Investors seem pleased Burberry aren’t heading down that route. But where is the affordable luxury in women’s clothing now? #RetailNews #LuxuryFashion #ConsumerTrends

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So Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group are looking to purchase YOOX NET-A-PORTER from Richemont. Anyone else getting that feeling of foreboding? It seems the Frasers Group do like to fly a bit close to the line in regards to a competitive market place. They own 3 of the UK’s largest sports retailers. They put Matches into administration only to then buy it back but with none of the debt or staff. They only bought Wiggle’s brand names initially, then did a deal on leftover stock to push prices lower than they’ve ever been. Which isn’t great for brands who had their products listed at dirt cheap prices. They own 2 of the 3 largest cycling retailers in the U.K. Given the absolute stink the Competition and Markets Authority had about Wiggle’s merger with CRC, why is there radio silence on Frasers Group? Are they a bit too caught up in the Greens Claim Code to notice that the actions of the Frasers Group are bad for consumers, for the planet, and for working people? One day we will look upon the scars of the U.K. apparel industry and will wonder what happened. But the writing has been on the wall for a while. #retail #fashion #buyout

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Independent #fashion retailers have expressed concern over an email received last week from online boutique marketplace Trouva. Entitled “Late Payments Status,” the message informs businesses that there will be “a delay in August payment” due to an “integration project taking longer than anticipated.” Their email to sellers suggests they need to find more money for their IT project before you get paid for your stuff we sold??? Full story in Boutique magazine: https://lnkd.in/eEnwY9Nn #paydontdelay #cashflow #waitwatchers #smes #smallbusiness #latepayment #payments

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Fashion rental platform HURR has teamed up with Deliveroo to cut delivery times down to 20 minutes for central London customers. “You can select and rent your dresses from Hurr to your door faster than ever before, in as little as 20 minutes," said Hurr founder Victoria Prew. “Customer experience is at the heart of Hurr and this unique partnership will deliver your last minute or planned party wear looks to your door faster than fast fashion itself.” Find out more about the partnership by clicking the link below. #fashion #fashionnews #retailnews

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https://lnkd.in/deDypCgf Whilst the world is obsessed with AI and the potential game-changing power that it brings, there's another existing game-changer that many brands (especially in Retail) underestimate the value of - and that is the power of DATA and especially how it can be applied to Retail Media as an ecosystem for highly personalized targeting across the entire purchase value chain (and post). What Tesco & Nectar (for Saintsbury's) in the UK are doing is redefining how to grow market share. A couple of key observations: 1) 1st Party Data (own customer data) is GOLD and the more one is able to capture the better a business's LTV (and in turn profits) will be! 2) Organisations are too focused on the future "toys" e.g. Metaverse, Web3, AI... whilst neglecting full commitment & investment in their existing Customer Data Platforms (CDP's) that in turn can help power both ACQUISITION & RETENTION strategies via highly targeted and personalized CRM & Membership/Loyalty programs 3) Retail Media is the new "AI" for Retail & FMCG/CPG brands and can even be a profitable BU in its own right rather than being seen as a cost centre 4) Marketing, IT and the CFO/Finance BU's of an organisation need to create a single integrated structure to be able to execute and support such an ecosystem to ultimately achieve success #loyalty #customerdata #retailmedia #LTV #CRM #marketing

RIVER ISLAND v THE REST OF THE HIGH STREET • Zara: Sales increased by 10.4% to €35.9 billion, with gross profit up 11.9%. • Uniqlo: Sales increased by 12.2% to €20 billion, with gross profit rising by 28%. • M&S: Sales grew by 11.5% to €4 billion (including home), with profits of €400 million. • Next: Sales increased by 8.8% to €6 billion, with profits up 5.7%. • River Island: Sales declined by 15% to €850 million, with a pre-tax loss of €38 million. They say that competition, particularly from fast-fashion giant Shein, has been a significant issue for River Island. Additionally, shipping disruptions in the Red Sea and challenges in clearing excess stock have further compounded the problem. However, it’s well documented that M&S invested in a new team of product developers to overhaul its product range—and what a great job they have done! ZARA is often seen as the gold standard of fashion, offering a perfect balance of point-of-view (POV) products alongside a strong range of seasonal essentials. NEXT has consistently focused on its private-label products, with a highly experienced team of buyers and merchandisers driving their success. We all appreciate the easy navigation and well-curated collections from UNIQLO. So, whether it’s: • Excellent color planning, • Strong range-building, • A focus on quality fabrications, • The longevity of essential items, • Having the right quantities in the right place at the right time, • A clear value equation. Are these the factors that differentiate a sustainable business from one that struggles with external threats? #sustainable #productstrategy #colourplanning #rangebuilding #bdalondon #trendhub #bespoke

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This week we closed a Series A funding round at TALA! And today Sky News called it breaking news 🗣🪐🤯😅 https://lnkd.in/gkNv7bAH I can’t quite believe it’s been three years since starting our first funding round, and in that time since we started the last round TALA has grown tenfold & stayed profitable every single year in an incredibly tough market. As a team we’ve innovated, gone boldly into whole new products, made lots and lots of mistakes (!!) and invested countless hours into making sure we’re never complacent for our customers - and I could not be prouder of us. I got a bit emotional looking back at our previous round’s pitch deck where we reached every single promise we set and over delivered for our shareholders too which I’m really proud of. And let me tell you, because I think it’s important to be transparent, funding rounds are gruelling! It’s taken us 7 months to get this closed, and it’s so far from just signing on the dotted line. When it comes to due diligence there is never a stone in the business unturned, you have to be constantly hitting new targets whilst running the business alongside which is actually the worst thing in the world to be completely honest 😂 It’s like you’re driving down a motorway but also building the car at the same time and also having to make sure the people in the car are doing okay and maybe also feeling car sick. That being said, I will never take this moment for granted. We’re a female-founded business with a female CEO and majority female leadership positions, in a country where just 2% of VC funding in the UK goes to female-founded businesses—so I don't underestimate how statistically almost impossible it is to reach this stage of funding, let alone a business lifecycle. This is a HUGE moment for the team, and we’ll be celebrating in the office this week 🪩 but it also goes so far beyond me. This is a huge thank you to anyone who’s ever interracted with, bought from, worn or talked about TALA. I take the responsibility to build you your ideal clothing company very very seriously, and I’m so honoured to have the opportunity 🤍 Haven’t tried TALA yet? I guess now’s the time to see why we’re rated above all competitors on TrustPilot + why our customers come back for more month after month: wearetala.com

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Just read this insightful article about Vinted impressive turnaround—moving into profit after a 61% rise in sales, reaching €596 million in revenue! 📈 They turned a previous €20 million loss into a €17.8 million profit. They’ve expanded into new markets like Denmark and Finland, and ventured into luxury resale by acquiring @Rebelle. It’s fascinating to see how the pre-loved movement is reshaping the retail landscape, with big names like Primark and H&M also embracing secondhand fashion. Embracing sustainability and the circular economy seems to be the way forward. Could this be the future of retail? Exciting times ahead! 👉 Read the full article here on The Business of Fashion https://lnkd.in/ei_DqJ8e #CircularEconomy #Secondhand #Vinted #resale #Sustainability

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Mulberry England has declined Frasers Group's higher bid of US $ 144 million, choosing instead to focus on future growth. The luxury brand’s majority shareholder, Challice, refused to sell, leading Mulberry to label the offer as 'unacceptable' after thorough discussions. Frasers, persistent in its interest, raised the offer to 150 pence per share, but Mulberry sees this as a disruptive time for sale. Despite turning down the bid, Mulberry acknowledges Frasers' support for the brand during recent fundraising efforts and hints at future discussions. The luxury label aims to strengthen its market presence and commercial performance. To read more, click here👉🏻  https://lnkd.in/gZMzkDBn #ApparelResources #Mulberry #FrasersGroup #LuxuryBrand #LuxuryFashion #FashionTakeover #BrandExpansion #BusinessStrategy #Challice #FashionNews #HighEndFashion #LuxuryHandbags #BusinessGrowth #BrandValue #TakeoverBid #MarketGrowth #CommercialPerformance #LuxuryMarket #ShareholderDecision #RetailNews #LuxuryAccessories #BrandSupport #FashionIndustry #InvestmentNews #BrandPreservation #FuturePlans

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We've got a serious digital behavior gap Actually it's more like a gulf... The threat to Western retail is existential at this point The retail trade sector lost 11,100 jobs in August, almost double the 5,600 jobs lost in August 2023 (Source: Yahoo Finance) All due to bankruptcies If Western retailers don't organize around digital behavior, we may not have an industry left Don't believe me? Just look at this incredible graphic from Johannes Stefan (link to original post in comments) Johannes compares a single retailer growth to multi-billion $ stock-listed Western retailers His analysis of SHEIN vs 31 western retailers with 2023 revenues totaling $383 BILLLION and therefore what he considers is a significant portion of the region’s total apparel market shows this: SHEIN’s $ revenue growth in 2022 and 2023 is higher than the COMBINED $ growth of ALL 25 established non-sportswear retailers in the sample 2023 revenue growth of established non-sportswear retailers was 4% SHEIN's revenue growth was 43% And as a reminder... Temu outpaced Shein in revenue last year And TikTok Shop outpaced Shein last month Before TikTok Shop turned a year old It's more than a fad It's behavior stuck in cement It's a fundamental shift in consumer behavior that's becoming deeply ingrained The appeal goes beyond mere fast fashion and entertainment; it's now about life-changing economic opportunities Anyone checking out the #momtok Mormons? They're not just selling products; they're reshaping social dynamics and economic structures This new paradigm is challenging even the most traditional gender roles... providing unprecedented financial independence It's more than just extra income It's about economic empowerment and the freedom to make life choices that were previously constrained by financial dependence The ability to generate substantial income through social commerce is giving individuals the power to reshape their lives, relationships, and communities Stefan's graph is a wake up call for western retail The future of retail is being coded in algorithms and played out on smartphones But we keep calm and carry on ordering inventory to sell 18 months from now It's not just changing how we shop – it's altering the very fabric of how everything is made and sold The question isn't if Western retail will change, but if it will change fast enough Those who adapt quickly will be at the forefront of the single most significant shift in retail since e-commerce began And that's not hyperbole This digital behavior gulf is real, and closing it isn't just about survival – it's about shaping the future of commerce and society The retail landscape is being rewritten, and with it, the economic destinies of millions in the entire value chain We can cry and complain about China's innovation or start to compete #thegreatfashionreset #creatortomanufacturer #communitycommerce #contentistheproduct #creatorsarethestore

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PHYSICAL FASHION RETAIL’s PROBLEM (and an INVESTMENT opportunity) Inspired by a number of great folk like Phil McSweeney here on LinkedIn, I wanted to share an observation which challenges the norm. It’s primarily to find Angel investors and trigger their interest to investigate further. Though it’s just as helpful to fashion brands. Arguably more so, assuming you like to be on the right end of disruption. So here goes…. Once upon a time, you visited a store for the expertise and service. Then came the internet, which spotted you perhaps didn’t always need expertise but you did like convenience. What you certainly didn’t like was wasting money, so when you saw fuel costs, parking fees and traffic in general, all rising… you also spotted the same price online just without that cost and time required to visit a store. Plus online had your size… and hell yes, you can try on at home for free, as they’ll gladly let you return their goods (for free) as well. You even have at least a month to return them too! So what of the store? Well, someone thought it best to copy online and invest in self service there too. In fact, making it a ‘pick up and returns’ hub for online orders and clearly still making great profits as most logistic and warehouse operations avoid such high rental locations… Now… here’s the thing! It’s led to physical stores now only providing a service at the till. The problem is all that lost sale… Yet the sales magic happens when you put the service (way) before the till. “The horse before the cart”! Which, in a nutshell… is what My Secret Stylist is doing with its new concept store for fashion. Using smart tech that in the eyes of consumers is SERVICE and EXPERTISE all wrapped up as an EXPERIENCE you will want to revisit for. Built and developed by founders with retail, fashion, service, logistics and commercial expertise and direct experience. We offer fashion brands the opportunity to: 1. Sell twice as much, in half the space (yes that’s 4x more productive per square foot than your current stores), and 2. Use new customer data sets to drive sales and loyalty (think how Dunnhumby stepped changed Tesco), and 3. Prevent waste to the extent that it creates a unfair competitive advantage and is way ahead of the regulation curve (that’s coming), and 4. Integrate online so the two work in tandem, rather than internally compete. For Angel investors? An investment opportunity with global potential and if we do it right, creating return multiples that every VC will envy. What’s more? We’ve built most of the tech already via bootstrapping, with £200K of SEIS remaining (but expiring in October). Are you or do you know an Angel you ‘d be happy to recommend? Please discreetly DM me here on LinkedIn. Angels who have skills to help, like retail property expertise, will find us fun to work with and open to your thoughts. :0) #angelinvesting #angelinvestment #fashion #retail #futureoffashion

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Hi All! I've made a few new friends over the last few weeks, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to reintroduce myself, and the brand to you all. I am the Founder and Creative Director of Olyinka Lingerie, a bespoke luxury lingerie brand that empowers women with perfect fit. In my connections, the question I was most asked was, “Why the transition from accounting to fashion?” The answer is simple: While accounting was a path "inspired"  by my parents,  (and I use “inspired” lightly…) my heart always leaned toward creativity and fashion design. Now, as an entrepreneur, these worlds blend really well. Through this journey, I also uncovered my deeper mission. After struggling with body dysmorphia for many years—I decided I wanted to create a brand that focused on women reclaiming their individuality, identity and femininity. Olyinka Lingerie is more than just lingerie, It’s about embracing every woman’s unique body and redefining those unhealthy beauty standards that women have subconsciously measured themselves against. Our positioning is within the luxury market because of the bespoke nature of what we do, but we are also launching a ready-to-wear range that is more accessible.Stay tuned for more info... Sustainability is also key for us—you’ll notice we only have core pieces in our store. The idea is not to overproduce collections or products, which often leads to waste. Instead, we focus on creating timeless pieces that can be adapted to suit your style, ensuring long-lasting quality and sustainability. I’m very excited about the future! We’ve got exciting things in the works, from a new app, new empowering content and an ebook series focusing on body positivity and health. The digital space offers so many opportunities, and we’re here for it! Ready to build a community that supports women’s body health, confidence, and perfect fit. I’d love to further connect with you by asking you to follow our Linkedin Page Olyinka and help me grow this movement together! By the way I am also a cheerleader for women in business and I wanted to shoutout the amazing women I connected with this week who are doing some amazing things on these entrepreneurial streets. I'm in awe. ❤️ Tamu T. Tanyka Davson Cat Hoad Tonye Faloughi Nina Benning Michelle Banks Emily McCorkell Christine Kinnear Fin Wycherley💡Nara Daubeney PhD Marlou Cornelissen Marie-Claire F. Divya Eapen Tara Attfield-Tomes Jennifer Faith N.Denise Stephenson Nicole Ratcliffe 💤Laura Wharton (She/Her) Karrie Tilburn Rafmary Baker #Founders #startupfunding #InvestInInnovation #Entrepreneurship #DiversityIncreasesSuccess #femalefounders #FundingEquality #founders #innovation #femtech #fashion #lingerie #fashiontech

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A Vogue Business exclusive this morning: Last year, London-based repair pioneer The Restory, offering “aftercare for fashion”, entered a shock liquidation after a merger went awry. Now, its founders are back with a software solution that claims to — finally — make repair accessible and scalable. #Circulo is a white-label software for businesses engaged in repair — ranging from fashion brands and retailers to repair specialists. While repair businesses have previously relied on paper tickets and labour-intensive management systems, Circulo promises to streamline the process, automating price quotes and invoices, customer communication, workflow management and operations. Whether Circulo can deliver on its promises — and whether the industry is ready to let it try — is up for debate. The repair market has developed rapidly since The Restory debuted in 2017, but it still faces systemic and cultural challenges. Despite legislative pressure for brands and retailers to offer repair, many are stuck in the pilot phase, with limited will and budget to scale their services. Meanwhile, consumer engagement remains low compared to other circular business models. Read more below! Huge thanks to Emily Rea (Circulo), Josephine Philips (SOJO), Layla Sargent (The Seam), Hasna Kourda (Save Your Wardrobe), Natasha David (Ellen MacArthur Foundation), Sarah Robins (THE WASTE AND RESOURCES ACTION PROGRAMME), Suzie de Rohan Willner (TOAST), Patrick McDowell, Pinnas and Needles and Kate Fletcher for your insights.

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Great news for those high streets. Adapting store formats to suit smaller local markets is definitely the way forward. We all know that the more touch points customers have with a brand, the more they’re likely to spend overall. A curated range in a small store format on a demographically aligned high street is a win win and a great strategy for growth. It’s also a great strategy for the town - you can bet that once a small format The White Company store opens, other brands with a similar aspirational niche will join them. From a personal point of view, I’d love to see Knaresborough Hight Street following a similar trend. #localisation #evolvinghighstreet #curatedproductrange #thewhitecompany #propertymarket

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TikTok shop is a licence to print money for any small business. Follow these simple steps we used for a new fashion brand to 🚀🚀🚀 revenue from £0 to £100K in just 45 days... When you get to £100K, contact us to help with the next stages of growing your revenue 📈 Note: Product cost needs to be a maximum of 40% of your RRP for you to be able to scale profitably. 1. TikTok Live: Lives are sh*t and 9 times out of 10 you will lose money from them, but TikTok will reward your account for consistent Live streaming, making them key. 2. Create content on mass: Everyone will tell you that you need to get lots of creators promoting your product….obviously. BUT don’t produce content for the sake of producing content - your content needs to be at scale and high quality. 3. Content always wins: The key is to work with creators who create great content but also look like the brand's target consumer. Is it authentic? Make it authentic. One of the best pieces of content we received was a creator washing up in a dress because buyers believed she wore it in daily life and genuinely bought it. 4. Start commissions low and incentivise: Encourage the best creators to create more and drive revenue through incentives linked to revenue targets. Don’t pay 10% for 5 sales, pay 5% for 5 sales but 20% for 25 sales. 5. Work with creators on mass: Gift creators 10%-15% of your target revenue, with pre-agreed commissions and incentives. 6. Double-check packaging quality: It’s crazy how many companies send out products in a plain bag stuffed like a rugby ball. Not a good look or impression... 7. Triple-check packaging quality for the product: We have noticed a clear correlation between the standard of packaging and post rates from affiliates. 8. Send product out fast: We have noticed a clear correlation between delivery times and post rates from affiliates. They're 57% more likely to post 3+ times if they receive them the next day. 9. Organise experiences for top performers: Basically, build strong relationships with the affiliates making you money. 10. Ads: Run ads. 🚀🚀🚀 #TikTokShop #TikTokAds #TikTokAgency #TikTokMarketing 'We Know Social' 🐐. We have a proven track record of building brands through comprehensive creator marketing strategies and scaling through paid social adverts. Currently have availability in Q4 2024 for brands looking to win on TikTok 🥊

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N Brown Group has reported a profit before tax of £5.3m in the year to 2 March, compared with a loss of £71.1m in the previous year, driven by lower adjusting items and a focus on profitable sales. #retailnews #fashionnews #fashion #retail

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