House of Fraser

Drapers analyses why UK retailers are choosing to wind down their Irish arms, and the impact it is having on the country’s retail scene.

London department stores face Drapers’ secret shopper’s scrutiny

As Mint Velvet celebrates its 10th anniversary this month, co-founder and CEO Liz Houghton has big plans for growth with the support of its new owner.

To say it has been a turbulent week for Sports Direct Group is an understatement.

Over the past few years, there have been a number of unexpected appointments to the top rungs of traditional fashion retailers, as they have sought to break away from accepted thinking. 

Following the pre-pack administration purchase of Coast by Karen Millen this week, Drapers investigates the pros and cons of the process and what, if anything, can be done to make the process more transparent.

To stand still is to go backwards. This well-known mantra has been quoted a thousand times, but is more relevant today than it ever has been.

Challenging times require strong leadership. Nowhere is this more true than on the UK high street, where fashion bosses are battling a sluggish economy and shaky consumer confidence in an ever-changing retail industry 

As the House of Fraser saga rumbles on and the repercussions continue to hit suppliers, there is much debate about who should be held accountable for the department store chain’s demise. 

There have been several times of late that I have urged the government to step in and support this industry, and unfortunately this week is no exception.