Editors' Top Reads: News from Hugo Boss, Christopher Bailey, Luke 1977 and more...

Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.

Former Burberry CEO Christopher Bailey buys British ceramics house

I've been incredibly grumpy about the news of the demise of Denby Pottery and the lack of any Government support in keeping this icon of British culture and craftsmanship alive (in fact Government policies were actively working against it).

Some bright news in the gloom emerged however when it was revealed that former Burberry CEO and Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey has led a buyout of Burleigh Pottery, which was part of the Denby group, and which has been making beautiful pottery since 1851. The move secures the future of Burleigh's Middleport Pottery site. which has been operating since 1889.

Burleigh is known for its elegant shapes and distinctive transfer prints and I am looking forward to seeing Christopher Bailey editions of those in future. It has been eight years since Bailey left Burberry and his creative genius has been much missed in fashion. It is exciting to see him turn his had to helping to resurrect another British icon, which he did with Burberry.

If someone out there wants to save Denby, which is known for its more robust mid-20th Century designs (I have a house full of it), then I would be even happier.

Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.

Frasers Group's Hugo Boss bid: six years of stake-building culminate in €1.98bn offer

I was swept up this week by the news that Mike Ashley's Frasers Group launched a voluntary public takeover offer for Hugo Boss.

Frasers already owns 26.06% of the German premium fashion company's share capital, after steadily building up its ownership over six years. The takeover offer now covers the remaining 73.94% and values the shares, which Frasers does not yet hold, at approximately €1.98 billion (£1.73 billion).

While Frasers presents the move as long-term value creation, and notes that it sees Hugo Boss as a "a key brand partner", scepticism remains about the bid's prospects.

Andrea Ferdinando Leggieri, consumer analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, said the bid "appears opportunistic" and does not clarify Frasers' strategy for the brand. "It's not obvious what levers Frasers could pull to speed recovery at the premium apparel company," he said.

It lands as Hugo Boss works through a strategic reset after falling sales, with its Q1 26 sales declining by 6%, reflecting ongoing brand and channel adjustments under the brand's turnaround strategy.

As someone who has seen Hugo Boss in its heyday (I grew up in Germany at a time when it felt like there was a store on every corner) I do wonder as well just what exactly Frasers has to offer Hugo Boss.

For now, the Hugo Boss board is mulling over Frasers' offer, and it's uncertain exactly what will happen with the bid. I, for one, am very curious to see what happens next.

Camilla Rydzek, Senior News and Features Writer.

The Interview: The Luke 1977 team on 25 years of kitting out lads, opening stores and redefining matchday culture

It was great to catch up with Simon Poole and his son, Connor, who remarkably has now been working for Luke 1977 for 15 years, as well as with the brand’s Head of Retail, Luke Enston, who used to run Vivienne Westwood’s off-price business and who happens to be Simon’s son-in-law.

Simon has far more fashion industry tales in his locker that what was revealed in our interview, but there’s plenty of interesting industry insights talked about across the board. He tells of building the brand from scratch back in 2001 with his wife, Deborah, and designer Luke Roper, a fashion graduate from Central Saint Martins at the time, right through to Connor’s social media savvy of today, and Enston’s take on elevating the brand’s stores and creating a boutique-style feel, even in its outlet locations.

Over the years, Luke 1977 has built up a large fan base, including stars of sport, film and music, and one that was massively increased in the Midlands in particular when the brand got the kit deal for Aston Villa for the 2018/19 season. The team won promotion back to the Premiership from the Championship, complete with poster boy and best player Jack Grealish proudly sporting the Luke logo on his chest, in the knowledge that the designer behind it, Luke Roper, was and is a massive Villa fan.

There’s a few surprises in how they’ve expanded their product range in recent years too, so well worth getting the kettle on and having a good read.

Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor.