Editors' Top Reads: News from Liberty, Elizabeth Scarlett, Von Dutch and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
Liberty Retail Managing Director to exit after 15 years
It's hard not to descend into cliché and wheel out the 'end of an era' line, but it truly is. After 15 years at Liberty, Sarah Coonan is standing down as Retail Managing Director at the end of January.
Sarah embodies Liberty. She is both creative and commercially smart, and, for someone with such a huge job, incredibly down to earth and accessible.
We've had the pleasure of interviewing her a number of times (she's pictured here at one of our events), and she has always been generous with her knowledge and passionate about Liberty and, more importantly, its customers.
Liberty has had its challenges but seems to somehow sail on when others have floundered, and this year it celebrates its 150th birthday. That resilience is in no small part down to its edit and its constant innovation and creativity. There is always something to look at in Liberty, and often you would see Sarah herself walking the floor.
I have no insight to share on her next move, but she leaves Liberty in good shape and for that, we should all be thankful.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
When it comes to pricing, luxury is still living on another planet
This week, I chose Marcus’s column as my 'Top Read' because it tapped into something everyone in fashion is thinking but few are saying with such clarity: luxury has become so detached from reality that it’s almost comical. What struck me most reading his piece is how sharply he captures that mood, especially in moments like Versace sending £3,000 jeans down the runway and social media instantly dragging the brand for releasing new-season pieces that cost more than the vintage styles they reference. As he puts it, luxury pricing today feels "truly out of this world," and it’s hard to disagree.
On one hand, there's the chaos of runway sticker shock with the much bigger story unfolding behind the scenes: the European Commission slamming Gucci, Chloé and Loewe with €157 million in fines for price-fixing. It’s a moment that exposes the industry’s worst-kept secret - the policing of wholesale partners under the guise of "brand protection". But why only these three? And how far does this really go inside the big groups?
Shoppers are increasingly vocal about paying more for products that feel worse, and the column doesn’t shy away from naming the brands whose pricing architectures have drifted into satire. The example of JW Anderson, from previously "fun pricing" to £1,500 crushed watering cans, perfectly crystallises how absurd luxury can look from the outside.
It also highlights where transparency and grounded pricing are breaking through, with Celine emerging as the unlikely voice of reason. The feature gives credit where it’s due, noting that Michael Rider’s early collections bring "realism" and an accessible Parisian modernity that feels refreshing in a market obsessed with inflationary theatrics.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
The Interview: Elizabeth Scarlett founder on 10 years of growth, strategic collaborations, and purpose-driven business
From garden centres to gift shops and department stores, Elizabeth Scarlett has become renowned for its embroidered bags and accessories for travel, beauty, and everything in between. And it’s not just a pretty brand, it’s a giving one, too. Through meaningful charity partnerships, Elizabeth Scarlett has built a reputation as a label that gives back, blending style with purpose.
In this interview with TheIndustry.fashion, founder Elizabeth Petrides reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped the brand’s growth. She opens up about the challenges and triumphs of scaling a business while staying true to her signature style, and how she continues to innovate in a competitive market.
Elizabeth also shares her dream collaboration with a British designer, offering a glimpse into her vision for the future, and explains how her business model is designed to make a tangible difference through thoughtful charitable initiatives. For her, fashion isn’t just about looking good - it’s about doing good, too.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
Von Dutch reveals collaboration with Jake Paul ahead of Anthony Joshua fight
Got to hand it to Von Dutch for teaming up with YouTube sensation-turned-boxer-turned men’s bodycare brand founder Jake Paul for a collaboration collection that’s dual-branded with Paul’s ‘W’ brand and Von Dutch Loves - the US streetwear brand’s collaboration arm.
Love him or hate him, you just can’t escape him. If they want to put the Y2K-associated fashion brand - once worn by the likes of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears - firmly back on the map, there aren’t many influencers with such a large and loyal following (28.2 million on Instagram alone) to jump into bed with.
Now Jake Paul is back in the spotlight (is he ever out of it?) because he’s taking on British boxer and two-time world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua in Miami on 19 December in an eight-round contest, which will be broadcast live on Netflix. Joshua has, of course, been slated for giving professional boxing a bad name for taking on such a bout, while Jake Paul has been called daft because of the damage Joshua could inflict on him in the ring. But both will walk away with millions of dollars, so do they really care?
Von Dutch, meanwhile, can lap up being in the spotlight along with Jake Paul, with the new collection going live on 25 November, including via the brand’s UK website, though it will have launched a ‘pre-sale’ the day before, giving fans the chance to purchase signed pieces ahead of the main launch.
I can see it selling well, with suede trucker caps featuring Von Dutch’s iconic oval logo along with W’s neon strike logo priced at £55, an oversized tee at £60, and a varsity jacket at £120. But the main win is, of course, the PR aspect.
Not only is it a win for Von Dutch, but you can bet that Jake Paul’s W men’s deodorant, body spray, and body wash - already supplied to US retail giant Walmart - will also shift more than a few thousand extra units.
