WE MEET ICONIC BRITISH RETAILER, TOM CHAPMAN

On the 25th of April, The Industry talks to Tom Chapman, founder of iconic British retailer, Matches.

While most reporting and attention has been placed on rescuing the high street - Mary Portas' high street review and its outright endorsement by the government - the last two weeks have also witnessed the sad developments of Jaeger and Aquascutum. Two of Britain's oldest and most renowned fashion labels and retailers kneel to the brink of destruction. Recession, competition and rigorous expansion have all been attributed as causes for this, suggesting that luxury brands are in fact not recession proof. Bearing this in mind it is suffice to say that The Industry's upcoming expert talk featuring Tom Chapman, founder of Matches interviewed by member of The Industry's advisory board and retail expert Frances Card – whose career spans from international brand director of Liberty to COO of Matches - could not come at a better time.

Since its creation in 1987 Matches has gone on to open 14 stores across London. In 2007 Matches launched their eponymous e-commerce site, which receives more than 7 million visitors a year- while dispatching more than 1000 articles a week across the globe. Chapman claims that a key ingredient to successful retailing is excellent customer service. This may sound repetitive but to what extent do retailers ensure that a consumer's shopping experience is in fact a delightful one? On the topic of experience Chapman's stores are all designed with an immaculate attention to details in order to provide the perfect shopping environment. For this, Chapman is a pioneer by endorsing the collaboration between art and fashion, by featuring the works of one of the first YBAs, Abigail Lane across his stores. Twenty years on from Lane and Chapman's first collaboration and a stronger tie up between art and fashion finds itself on the top of the British Fashion Council's agenda.

At The Industry's talk on the 25th of April at SWAROVSKI CRYSTALLIZED™ Frances Card will be asking retail maverick Tom Chapman for the ingredients of his recipe of success. How does a budding shop owner come about opening his/her first shop? What does one implement as the shop's core values? And, how do you come about choosing a seasonal collection? On the other hand, Chapman and Card will discuss the ways designers can approach retailers, and, offer advise to emerging designers on retailing issues.

Courtney Blackman, MD The Industry, says 'The Industry, addresses all issues that challenge the fashion industry, this way offering a holistic fashion insight to our list of members. Retail cannot be ignored. Our times are difficult and retail has suffered enormously, with its mishaps trickling down to the designers. By hosting a talk with Tom Chapman, a retailer who has altered his sector and has an incredible success story The Industry's event will be both current and insightful.’