Editors' Top Reads: News from Primark, Nadine Merabi, Designer Exchange and more...

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

Primark turns SKIMS’ London launch into a marketing opportunity

This week I wrote about one of the cheekiest marketing stunts I have seen in quite a long time. Just as SKIMS opened its Regent Street flagship store, Primark placed a mobile billboard just in front to promote its £9 shaping bodysuit as a lower-priced alternative to Kim Kardashian’s widely popular shapewear offering.

The slogan on the van showed models wearing the brand's own version of the bodysuit, with the slogan reading: "These Kim's prefer Primark £9 shaping bodysuit". In direct comparison, SKIMS Seamless Sculpt Thong Bodysuit, available in the Regent Street store, currently retails at £84.

The move follows Primark's announcement last week that it had lowered prices across hundreds of products as part of a new “Iconic Value” initiative aimed at reinforcing its position as a destination for affordable fashion. While the move strengthens the retailer's value credentials, the reset also put it into closer price competition with online giant Shein, whose cost advantage is coming under regulatory pressure, argued our Editor-in-Chief Lauretta Roberts this week.

Camilla Rydzek, Senior News and Features Writer. 

Fashion and textiles industry urges PM Burnham to back British-made uniforms through public contracts

Congratulations to Fashion Roundtable for reading the mood music of the new Andy Burnham regime and trying to push this to the top of the agenda. The tireless fashion think tank and lobby group, led by Tamara Cincik, has issued an open letter to the Government urging them to implement a British-made-first policy, when it comes to the public procurement of uniforms, beginning with medical and military personnel.

The group, which has the backing of business support platform Make it British and a number of other fashion industry signatories, argues that such a policy would support what is left of the UK fashion and textiles manufacturing base, and, hopefully, serve to grow it. The signatories have been at pains to point out, though, that handing over lucrative contracts to companies that are merely registered in the UK is not an acceptable solution. The uniforms must be made in factories here, many of which are in the North, which supports the aims of Burnham's Number 10 initiative.

Burnham himself appears to appreciate British-made clothing and is often seen wearing made-in-Manchester Private White VC. The tabloid press jumped on this, criticising a so-called man of the people for wearing £80 t-shirts. But that approach seems to have backfired as the counter-argument that he's wearing durable clothing that supports British industry and jobs and industry is a far stronger one. Better that than he wears something cheap that is made in China. And better still would be his backing of this fine initiative to make uniforms here too.

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

How I started in fashion: Nadine Merabi, founder of MERABI

Nadine Merabi's journey from competitive hockey player to fashion founder wasn't conventional, but creativity had always been part of her life. Inspired by her stylish Lebanese father, she developed an early appreciation for the confidence that great design and dressing can inspire.

In 2015, she launched her brand with a £250 sewing machine, creating beautifully crafted occasionwear designed to make women feel their best. Her designs quickly caught the attention of Selfridges, leading to a full collection and the rapid growth of the business.

Today, the Manchester-based brand offers occasionwear, bridal, jumpsuits and denim, with a flagship store on London's South Molton Street and customers around the world. While Merabi no longer makes each piece by hand, she remains closely involved in every collection as the brand's Creative Director, overseeing both design and production. She shares the story behind her unexpected career path and the insights that have shaped her success.

Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer. 

The Interview: Designer Exchange CEO on keeping the ‘buy, sell and exchange’ strategy simple and opening more stores

Knightsbridge-based ‘buy, sell and exchange’ business Designer Exchange has opened its sixth store today, and its second in Spain, adding a 1,720 sq ft store in Barcelona to its one in Madrid.

It comes hot on the heels of its fourth UK store, which opened in Newcastle last month, with the company’s CEO, Dominic Durante, very much a believer in the bricks-and-mortar retail model.

Our interview with him makes for an interesting read, as the business, which sells a constantly evolving selection of pre-owned handbags, accessories and ready-to-wear from some of the world's most sought-after fashion houses, including Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Miu Miu, pretty much sticks to the same simple strategy as it did when it was established in 2013.

It was then that Designer Exchange’s first store opened in Knightsbridge, just around the corner from where its flagship store is today.

Unlike traditional consignment platforms, Designer Exchange purchases luxury items directly from customers, offering immediate payment or an enhanced exchange voucher. Every item undergoes a rigorous authentication process before reaching the shop floor, providing confidence for buyers and a simple, transparent experience for sellers.

While Designer Exchange does also have a strong online presence, it’s the physical stores that “remain central to the business”. Durante says that’s what differentiates it.

What is also interesting is that Designer Exchange is part of CeX (Complete Entertainment Exchange), a global leader in second-hand retail and where many a decent mobile phone gets bought and sold.

Durante explains that CeX already had a significant presence in Spain, which gave them access to an “established infrastructure, local market knowledge and operational support”.

That made Madrid a very attractive opportunity and reduced many of the challenges associated with entering a new market. Hence, Barcelona was the next “natural step”, with expansion into further European countries now very much the plan. Another one to watch how it grows.

Tom Bottomley, Contributor. 

Luxury consumers see fur and exotic skins as ‘less luxurious’, report finds

I found this report particularly interesting because it challenges what luxury has traditionally been associated with. For years, fur and exotic skins have been seen as symbols of exclusivity, but the research suggests that many luxury consumers now place greater value on innovation, sustainability and ethical production.

What stood out to me most was that 95% of those surveyed believed the use of fur and wild animal skins made luxury brands appear less prestigious. It highlights how consumer expectations are evolving, particularly as younger generations become more conscious of the environmental and ethical impact of their purchases.

As luxury continues to redefine itself, it will be interesting to see whether more brands invest in next-generation materials that balance craftsmanship with sustainability.

Catherine Rowe-Kosary, Junior Writer.

Poundland owner Gordon Brothers joins Harvey Nichols auction

When it emerged that Harvey Nichols owner – Hong Kong-based billionaire Sir Dickson Poon – was considering offloading the business after 35 years of ownership, I immediately assumed it would end up in either Asian or Middle Eastern hands. Especially given the likely sale price, the geographic spread of its stores and the investment needed to revive its fortunes.

However, while there is interest from Asia and the Middle East (from Reliance Retail and Chalhoub Group respectively), we have ended up with a somewhat unexpected list of suitors. High street giant NEXT is acquisitive but it wouldn't have been first on my list of potentially interested parties. However a move for Harvey Nichols would, in one fell swoop, give it a huge foothold in luxury, which is a space it has been circling over the years with limited success. So there's that.

Then we have Frasers Group, owner of Frasers, Flannels, Sports Direct and more, which was initially said to have been interested in the regional stores only, but is now talking of a tilt at the entire group. Frasers is ambitous; it's currently piling pressure on the board at Hugo Boss as it seeks to wrest control of the German fashion giant, and this week it was revealed that it has bought a small stake in Burberry. Given past experience, we shouldn't expect that stake to stay small for long.

Now, Gordon Brothers, the US-based turnaround specialist, is reported to have thrown its hat its the ring. Gordon Brothers typically buys distressed retail brands with distinct design identities that it can parlay into its asset-light licensing model, which it has successfully done with Laura Ashley and soon will do with Radley. Harvey Nichols doesn't quite fall into that box but the precedent of buying the IP of a beloved department store has been set by fellow American group Authentic Brands, which acquired Barneys New York in 2019. The idea was to use the Barneys name on a range of products, which it does, but we are expecting to see some stores return with reports suggesting a new, smaller format store is set to open in Florida soon, with others in the pipeline.

Could Gordon Brothers be thinking of a similar move? Seems likely. I'd be devastated if, like Barneys, the flagship store was closed though. However each potential bidder is being asked to commit £60m investment in the future development of the business, so maybe Sir Dickson won't let that happen.

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