Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
H&M reveals its latest designer collab, coming to stores this September
H&M has revealed its hotly anticipated upcoming designer collaboration. From Jimmy Choo to Paco Rabanne, the brand has collaborated with some of the most sought-after luxury brands of the century.First collaborating with Karl Lagerfeld in 2004, the H&M collaborative collections have become sellouts ever since, with shoppers camping outside stores to get their hands on designer pieces for less.
Now, the fashion brand has announced it is collaborating with Indian designer Anamika Khanna, who founded her eponymous label in the 1990s, bringing the beadwork and glamour she’s renowned for available to high street consumers on 5 September.
I look forward to seeing how the designer brings the sartorial codes of India to an international customer at a high street price point – not to mention the chaos and flurry of fashionistas marching down to their local H&M stores to get their hands on a limited-edition piece.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
John Lewis proposes tech overhaul to improve customer service
It did raise a smile this week when John Lewis announced a multi-million pound investment for a “complete technology overhaul” and “restructuring” of its in-store staff – promising improved customer service as its priority. While we were led to believe there would be more staff on the shopfloor, something John Lewis never used to be lacking (though in recent times they have certainly seemed more scarce), in fact there are plans to axe 153 jobs – approximately 1% of its workforce.
The “tech overhaul” will apparently make the remaining staff much more efficient and ready and waiting to greet and serve customers. The technology investments include £5 million to be spent on new digital headsets to allow staff to easily interact with one another across the store at the touch of a button, while also looking like they could jump on stage as back-up at a Taylor Swift concert any time soon.
In addition, John Lewis is introducing mobile payment to its 5,000 “Partner devices”, allowing staff to serve customers on the shop floor rather than having to direct them to the nearest till (the hardship!). This will apparently speed up transactions for customers, reduce queues and importantly increase sales and conversion.
A John Lewis spokesperson said: “We’re seeking to make sure Partners are in the right place at the right time to help customers. We’re also removing unnecessary tasks, and introducing new technology to make their roles easier.” Surely if a shop-floor staff Partner is not “in the right place at the right time” to serve a customer then they are in the wrong job. And what are the “unnecessary tasks” that need to be removed?
I’ve never heard of working on a shop floor selling quality goods sounding so complicated and in need of being made easier. The old ways of knowledgeable staff on hand to answer questions, give decent advice and sell something sound groundbreaking!
Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor.
Did the “elevated” Paris Olympics work for luxury and LVMH?
When the French Olympic Committee was sprung into action in 2020, they knew one thing for certain: the Parisian games were going to be chic. So no one was surprised to see the medal bearers H to T in Louis V, bearing medals designed by Chaumet (in a Louis Vuitton Damier checked case, no less).
French luxury giant LVMH announced in July 2023 that it would be an official sponsor of the Paris Olympics. The chatter surrounding the news was significant, and did not only pertain to how stylish one can look whilst slinging a shotput. LVMH is the largest French company in the world, with total revenues of over €86.2 billion in 2023, and the world’s richest man at its helm. Critics argued that this made LVMH’s €150 million investment seem a teensy bit like shrapnel from Bernard Arnault’s (said rich man) petty cash jar—something I am certain he has.
This feature neatly examines whether the investment, shrapnel or not, was worth it for LVMH and the wider luxury sector, and ponders whether kitting your Olympic team out in Berluti (where the average T-shirt is priced around the £500 mark) was a necessary move for a house whose brands already get an incredible amount of exposure as it is.
Katie Ross, Content Marketing & Events Executive.
New data reveals big opportunity for brands ahead of back to school period
With the new school year ahead, Gen Z is poised to spend an average of £1,600 per person on back to school items. Representing a whopping total spend of £4.3 billion, it’s a time-sensitive opportunity brands can’t afford to overlook. That’s according to a new trend report by student discount platform UNiDAYS.
The research highlights that despite sizeable spending across all categories during the back to campus period, there are a few key areas where Gen Z students intend to spend big. To find out what those categories are (and access some interesting data), read more about the opportunity for brands ahead of back to school period here.
As Derek Morrison, MD Retail Marketplace at UNiDAYS, says, it’s essential that brands align with and enable students to fully embrace and enjoy this exciting time. “In the spirit of discovery, appealing to freshers with free trials and exclusive content is a sure way to drive engagement,” he adds. Now go ahead and check it out.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
JD Sports to open four new stores in the UK and Republic of Ireland
There are a lot of stores opening of late, aren’t there? It’s a very pleasing trend to note indeed. This week brought us news that JD Sports plans to open four new stores across the UK and Republic of Ireland this summer, as it continues its expansion into new locations.
New stores are due to launch in Lowestoft, Wembley and Cork in August and Sheffield in September 2024 and the brand says it remains “keen to continue growing our presence” in this market.
I picked this story to highlight here but in the past week, we’ve also heard that US contemporary women’s brand Veronica Beard is opening its second London store in Chelsea, Ben Sherman is opening in London’s Soho and in Brighton, and Office is stepping into Centre:mk in Milton Keynes. That’s just this week. It feels like the news pages of TheIndustry.fashion are awash with news of new stores (and it’s the same picture over on our sister site TheIndustry.beauty).
What’s particularly pleasing is these news stores are cropping up all over the country and not just in the capital. The UK remains challenged (and the recent riots haven’t helped) but, dare I say it, I am allowing myself to feel a little bit optimistic after so many years of downbeat messages.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
