In Review 2023: Top 10 fashion interviews
This year saw TheIndustry.fashion's interview series continue to bring inspiring stories, retail insights and conversations from fashion's most influential business leaders. As 2024 approaches, TheIndustry.fashion has curated a list of the top ten fashion interview picks from 2023.
The Eric Musgrave Interview: Tarak Ramzan, the reclusive boss of Quiz, on dealing with the latest post-Covid challenge
After more than 50 years in the fashion trade, the quietly-spoken Ramzan, who turned 70 in January 2023, is notably resilient and refreshingly honest about the challenges he and his team – along with many others in the sector – are facing.
Our regular contributor Eric Musgrave, who has been writing about the industry for more than 40 years, spoke with Tarak Ramzan, the Founder of Quiz, the omnichannel value-driven womenswear retailer that has enjoyed annual sales of well over £100m yet is barely written about (possibly because it does not have many shops near London).
The Interview: George Davies. What George did next
George Davies is a household name, the man who gave us Next in the 1980s, George at Asda in the 90s and M&S’s Per Una in the 2000s.
Now he’s back, aged 81 - once again targeting womenswear and kidswear customers - with his latest brand, GWD, which launched wholesale in the UK at the Pure London trade show at Kensington Olympia in February 2023, to supply some of the best independent boutiques, particularly in market towns.
Davies told TheIndustry.fashion all about his colourful career and his new brand, which has an e-commerce website launching in the UK this September, alongside his daughter Melanie Davies, who is also the Managing Director of GWD.
The Interview: Stephanie and Samantha Frost, Co-founders of Pretty Lavish
Founded with £3,000 in 2013 by sister duo Stephanie and Samantha Frost, Pretty Lavish has transformed into a multi-million-pound womenswear brand best known for its affordable yet high-quality occasion wear and knitwear. Since launching its Instagram and partnering with influencers, Pretty Lavish has continuously garnered a following. Today the company, which boasts over 300k social media followers, is stocked not only independently, but also at ASOS and Selfridges.
The sister duo told TheIndustry.fashion how they grew their brand from a £3,000 investment to a multi-million-pound company and the importance of a strong marketing strategy.
The Interview: Superdry's Julian Dunkerton on the importance of affordability and sustainability
Julian Dunkerton founded Superdry in 2003 and has gone on to build a global retail business and brand with a reputation for quality, fit, design, and value for money.
Dunkerton told TheIndustry.fashion about his plans for the business, how Superdry is navigating a difficult retail environment, its new Merchant Store collection, how Merchant Store links with future business plans, and why sustainability is essential.
The Interview: Steven Bethell, Co-founder of Beyond Retro and BVH Services
In celebration of Earth Day 2023, the annual event to demonstrate support for environmental protection, TheIndustry.fashion spotlighted one of the biggest changemakers in the second-hand fashion scene - Steven Bethell.
TheIndustry.fashion spoke to Bethell, who is the Co-Founder of Bank and Vogue, Beyond Retro, Beyond Remade, and BVH Services. As co-founder of this family of companies, Bethell has been a leader and pioneer in the post-consumer textile space for over 20 years.
The Interview: Amy Smith, Chief Brand Officer at TOMS
Amy Smith serves as a member of TOMS' executive team, leading all aspects of the company’s corporate strategy, marketing, consumer insights, creative, impact, and the TOMS.com business.
TheIndustry.fashion caught up with Smith, Chief Brand Officer at TOMS, a year after she was featured on the podcast, to discuss the evolution of the business since it implemented the new impact model.
The Interview: Nina Briance, Founder of Cult Mia
Nina Briance is the Founder of Cult Mia, a values-driven marketplace for independent brands. The e-commerce platform brings limited-edition, global fashion to consumers while championing sustainability and high quality.
In this interview with TheIndustry.fashion, Briance spoke about Cult Mia, its progression since launching, how the retailer decides which brands to stock and why it introduced made-to-measure.
The Interview: Zoe Price-Smith, Chief Design and Product Officer at Boux Avenue
Zoe Price-Smith has held the position of Chief Design and Product Officer at Boux Avenue since February 2019. In her role, she applies over 20 years of design experience, helping to elevate the business and engage with more customers.
In this interview, TheIndustry.fashion spoke to Zoe Price-Smith about navigating the lingerie retail space and appealing to various shoppers, as well as Boux Avenue’s winning design formula.
TheIndustry.fashion LIVE! BFC CEO Caroline Rush on how innovation will help minimise returns
During TheIndustry.fashion LIVE! ‘Gain a return on returns’ in partnership with Bleckmann on Tuesday, a crowd of fashion industry professionals spent the day learning about how returns can be transformed from a profit drain to a profit driver.
Caroline Rush CBE, CEO of the British Fashion Council, spoke with Lauretta Roberts, Editor-In-Chief at TheIndustry.fashion about how returns can be minimised, the innovation coming from the next generation of designers, and why we all need to work together to create a more sustainable industry.
TheIndustry.fashion LIVE! Collagerie on blending content and commerce for an enhanced customer experience
During TheIndustry.fashion LIVE! 'A New Era For Fashion E-commerce' in partnership with Noatum Logistics and Pocket Styler, a crowd of fashion industry professionals spent the day learning about the areas of innovation businesses should focus on to meet the demands of today's consumer and drive business forward for the future.
Lucinda Chambers and Serena Hood, Co-founders of Collagerie, discussed blending content and commerce for an enhanced customer experience.
