Editors' Top Reads: News from John Lewis, Vinted, Longchamp and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
Longchamp turns Sloane Square into a surf-inspired pop-up
I’ve always find myself covering pop-ups on our beauty site, TheIndustry.beauty, so it was a nice change to spotlight a fashion activation this week. I headed to Sloane Square to experience Longchamp’s surf-inspired pop-up, “La Plage Longchamp” - and it delivered full summer-in-the-south-of-France energy, with a surf-inspired twist.
Open daily until 12 May, from 10am to 7pm, the space is designed as a seasonal beach-style destination that blends retail, food and culture. It feels less like a traditional pop-up and more like a curated summer escape in the heart of London.
Visitors can enjoy a menu of refreshing, summer-inspired drinks and ice creams. The activation also offers complimentary workshops bookable via Eventbrite, from shell painting to watercolour sessions led by artists, creating a hands-on, creative experience.
Elsewhere, there’s an interactive Mölkky game, Polaroid photography with customisable stickers, and live DJ sets on selected evenings - including across the bank holiday weekend - with music playing from a campervan installation that reinforces the laid-back beach theme.
If you’re nearby, it’s worth a visit - ideally on a sunny day for the full effect.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
Vinted confirms BlackRock investment as it completes €880 million secondary share deal
Vinted’s stratospheric rise just keeps going. The second-hand marketplace has just completed an €880 million (£770 million) secondary share transaction that values the company at €8 billion (£6.9 billion), and now counts asset manager BlackRock among its new investors.
This follows the company’s latest financial results, which were published earlier this month and revealed a 38% jump in annual revenue to €1.1 billion (£957 million) for 2025, with an especially strong performance in women’s and children’s clothing.
I am more than fascinated to see how much Vinted is going to keep growing, especially as it looks to expand into even more European markets and the US, where it re-launched its brand earlier this year. It has also been entering different avenues of business, investing in logistics through Vinted Go and moving into different categories such as tech appliances.
What does this mean for competitors such as eBay, and its acquisition of Depop? Vinted proudly positioned its valuation as reflective of its “unique financial profile - fast growth at scale with sustained profitability”. I think this is such a great case study of how circular business models can scale today. There is so much opportunity for Vinted to expand and grow, and I think this will both increase competition but also encourage new entrants to start investing in this space. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen next. 2026 is proving to be a very interesting time for circular businesses.
Camilla Rydzek, Senior News & Features Writer.
John Lewis expands loyalty programme as it continues £800m transformation
John Lewis is on the up. I bumped into the CEO of a fashion brand this week who told me that they were impressed with the new management team at John Lewis (in particular MD Peter Ruis and commercial director Vikki Kavanagh). Relationships with fashion brands are apparently much more flexible and mutually beneficial.
Now it's focusing on levelling up its relationships with consumers with a new loyalty scheme that is focused on its beauty community. The beauty community is a key one to focus on, since that market continues to go like a runaway train. Women (and it is largely women) are prepared to drop significant sums on the latest skincare and make-up, and if John Lewis can become a preferred destination for them, then it has a chance to draw them in to take a look at its refreshed fashion offer too.
On a side note, the retailer is also insisting HQ staff return to the office. They should be seen there more often than they are not. So many companies are doing this now. Let's hope a happy side effect is that it drives the sale of more office attire.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
Lacoste builds on new visual identity with ‘Life is a Beautiful Sport’ campaign
It was great to see the launch of Lacoste’s new campaign this week, marking the return of its ‘Life is a Beautiful Sport’ message and coming a week after the brand presented us with its new visual identity which ‘returns to its roots’.
Set to the tune of ‘Paris Latino’ the short film, titled ‘A Run Through Paris’, starts with a young woman appearing out of a hedge and clutching a yellow tennis ball, before running through the streets of Paris via an aristocrat’s garden, a flower stand, the Opéra, a busy kitchen and a golf course - saying “Pardon” at every turn - before landing on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the central court of Roland-Garros.
As she hands the ball to Lacoste brand ambassador and tennis great Novak Djokovic to serve, she is revealed as a ball girl all along, dressed in Lacoste top, pleated skirt and trainers. It’s very French, classy and super chic, as well as a whole lot of fun. Directed by Fredrik Bond, a director recognised for his iconic campaigns and sensitive storytelling, it’s also a top-end production.
The accompanying print campaign, which echoes the spirit of the film but in different “everyday settings”, looks great too. Fashion needs more of this.
Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor.
