Articles by Rachel Douglass
Represent CEO Paul Spencer on global expansion, category growth and brand identity
“When I joined Represent, the boys [founders George and Michael Heaton] had already created something incredibly special,” Paul Spencer, CEO of the British luxury brand said, when asked about his journey so far at the helm. “My role was never to corporatise that or take away what made the brand successful. It was to build the infrastructure,...
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Liberty London's new head of design talks balancing heritage with contemporary evolution
Luxury department store Liberty London is continuing efforts to solidify the foundations of its in-house fashion category with the appointment of Sinead O’Brien as its new head of design. O’Brien had previously worked under Vivienne Westwood before taking up consultancy roles at brands like Erdem and Roksanda. At Liberty, her first collection...
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WeWoreWhat relaunches with new identity as Danielle Bernstein seeks brand reset
WeWoreWhat is entering a new chapter as founder and chief executive Danielle Bernstein relaunches the 15-year-old fashion brand with a new creative identity, "elevated" materials and a starker separation between the company and her personal profile. The relaunch comes after years of controversy surrounding Bernstein and WeWoreWhat, including...
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UK retail footfall falls 2.9 percent in September ahead of Budget
UK retail footfall fell 2.9 percent year on year in September, down from a 1.7 percent decline in August, according to the latest BRC-Sensormatic data. Shopping centre footfall fell 3.5 percent during the month, followed by high streets at 3.0 percent and retail parks at 1.7 percent. Across the UK, footfall declined 3.4 percent in England, 3.0...
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From face masks to Fenwick: Somebody Else’s Guy founder on building a North East upcycling brand
When Sam Fender walked out on stage wearing one of Somebody Else’s Guys’ designs, the brand’s founder Corey Dixon knew she had arrived at a turning point. “That was when the North East first found the brand,” she told FashionUnited. Next to the onslaught of new attention brought to the upcycling label from an audience that stretched even beyond...
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Bath Spa and A Single Thread launch four-year sustainable fashion programme
Bath Spa University’s Future Fashion Works and A Single Thread CIC have launched a four-year sustainable fashion programme backed by The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund, aiming to reach more than 250,000 people across the UK. Dubbed Restitch the Future, the programme will develop a network of community-led high street hubs...
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UK retail footfall posts strongest September growth since 2023
UK retail footfall fell 4.2 percent month-on-month in September as the summer period ended, but remained 1.3 percent higher year-on-year, marking the strongest annual growth since 2023, according to MRI Software. High streets recorded the strongest annual uptick at 1.8 percent, followed by retail parks at 0.9 percent and shopping centres at 0.6...
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From pop-ups to permanence: Re:Bourn founder on building a new model for vintage retail
In the midst of the pandemic, Sophie Cabourn was confronted with an issue; her personal vintage archive was outgrowing her surroundings. After returning to Newcastle following a period in London, and like many during lockdown, she turned to resale as a solution. For Cabourn, however, her pieces, many high luxury and rare, required a more...
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Nike, Patagonia, Under Armour join new microfibre pollution alliance
Nike, Patagonia, Under Armour, Lululemon, Cotopaxi and REI Co-op are among the founding members of a new industry initiative focused on reducing microfibre pollution across the apparel supply chain. The Microfibre Action Alliance (MAA), launched by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), encourages apparel companies to collaborate the acceleration,...
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Campaign for Wool names new chairman following Peter Ackroyd's passing
Ian Maclean has been appointed chairman of the Campaign for Wool, succeeding the late Peter Ackroyd, who died unexpectedly in July 2026 after serving as chairman since January 2025. Maclean’s appointment was unanimously backed by the organisation's Funders’ Board. He brings extensive experience across UK manufacturing, fashion and textiles to...
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