Editors' Top Reads: News from Depop, Pulco, Nobody's Child and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
Pulco becomes first padel apparel brand to launch at Harrods
It was only a matter of time before someone smart jumped on the game of padel and created a decent apparel range around it.
That someone smart happens to be former President of Levi’s EMEA and CEO of Canterbury, Joe Middleton, who has swapped jeans and rugby shirts for premium padel kit with his Pulco brand, initially established in 2022, but this week making noise as the first brand associated with the racket sport to be stocked at Harrods.
Pulco is short for Acapulco in Mexico where the game was founded by one Enrique Corcuera in 1969. So the story goes, Corcuera wanted a racket sport he could play in his back garden, but it wasn’t big enough for a tennis court – so he modified the game and created padel.
It became and remained a niche sport for decades, but then jumped into the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic because it could be played outdoors and didn’t involve physical contact. It then blew up to such an extent that the sport was included in the 2023 European Games. To top it all off, in the same year the International Padel Federation no less revealed that there were more than 25 million padel players in more than 90 countries.
A lot of those people will have be waiting for a brand built around their love of the sport, enter Joe Middleton and his Creative Director at Pulco, Igo Theo Ian. They're are designing it in London using the very finest Italian fabrics, and it looks like decent kit.
The Harrods buyers know a good thing when they see it and have helped to establish a number of specialist sports brands. Pulco has the added advantage of offering "understated off-court elegance" in the form of hoodies, sweatshirts, caps, coaches jackets and more, as well as the more technical ‘Aircon Playing Shirt’ that keeps you cool on the court. My feeling is Middleton may have served up a match-winner.
Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor.
The Interview: TALA's CEO on building a lasting brand and its plans to conquer the globe
I recently sat down with Morgan Fowles, CEO of TALA, and it was one of those chats where you leave feeling inspired and slightly in awe of what a small team can do with the right vision. TALA, co-founded by Grace Beverley, has carved out a loyal following in the overcrowded activewear world – and it’s clear that authenticity, sustainability and a focus on the customer are at the heart of everything they do.
Morgan joined TALA in its early days, bringing experience from global fashion giants like LVMH and Farfetch, and it shows. From stabilising the company financially to scaling digitally, opening a Carnaby Street flagship and expanding internationally, she’s been there every step of the way.
What struck me most is how TALA balances growth with its sustainable values. There’s no push for impulse buying – instead, Morgan and her team prioritise transparency, early access and thoughtful drops. Scaling actually allows them to innovate more in their supply chain, which is a win for the planet and the customer.
While they’re staying activewear-focused, Morgan hinted at natural extensions into swim, outerwear and accessories – all designed to fit the way their customer moves through life, from the gym to brunch to the office.
After speaking with her, it’s easy to see why the brand has grown into a cult favourite and why people like me can’t stop watching what they do next.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
TheIndustry.fashion Awards Winners' Interview: Jody Plows, CEO, Nobody's Child
It’s no secret amongst TheIndustry.fashion team that I’m a big fan of Nobody’s Child - so much so that they have stopped asking where my outfits are from when I come into the office, as more often than not, they’re from Nobody’s Child (yay for my wardrobe, less so for my bank account).
As someone who has acquired quite a few pieces from the brand, I’m very familiar with its digital product passports. A handy QR code on each label that opens a world of transparency and sustainable credentials. It’s this innovative technology that earned Nobody’s Child the Best Use of Technology award at TheIndustry.Fashion Awards earlier this year.
In this series, TheIndustry.Fashion continues to celebrate the achievements of the winning brands from TheIndustry.Fashion Awards 2025 through a collection of dedicated interviews.
CEO Jody Plows discusses how the brand leverages technology to ensure transparency and traceability, the role regulation should play in holding the broader fashion industry accountable, the barriers preventing more brands from adopting circular models, and her advice for brands.
Depop reveals second-hand fast fashion is 'displacing' new purchases
Proof, as if we needed it, came this week that second-hand fast fashion is now displacing new purchases. Pre-loved fashion platform Depop partnered with The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) on research that reveals that in the UK 68% of purchases on Depop displace new purchases. It's a similar picture in other key global markets.
What's particularly interesting here is the intentionality of the purchases on the platform. Its largely young consumer base knows exactly which products they would like to buy and if they can't find them on first search, they keep searching. These are not purchases made on a whim. They have assessed the primary market, decided what they want and are deliberately searching the secondary market to see if they can buy it, before considering new.
Given the price of some these items, the cost savings can't be huge for the consumer, so this suggests there is more than price at play here but a desire not to fuel the creation of new product too.
It's a shift in behaviour that brands are going to have to adjust to if they are to remain relevant, and profitable. Embedding resale in their own platforms seems to be a key consideration, along with breaking the cycle of continued over production.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
