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Retail Gazette •

Interview: Gymshark’s Noel Mack on #LiftLondon, community, and never feeling done - Retail Gazette

Gymshark is famous for its community, but until you see it in person, it’s hard to grasp.
This was the brand’s first Lift event in London and the energy was impossible to ignore. As I stepped onto the platform, everywhere I looked, people were head-to-toe in Gymshark, buzzing with excitement.

On the way to the venue, attendees wasted no time striking up conversations and making friends: “Ah, you must be going to Lift”. “Love the tee!” “Who are you most excited to see?”
Stepping off, Drumsheds l...
Retail Gazette •

From social media to Carnaby Street: Tala CEO on building more than hype - Retail Gazette

The influencer brand boom shows no signs of slowing — but Tala is playing a different game.
Launched in 2019 by influencer-turned-entrepreneur Grace Beverley, Tala began as a digital-only brand focused on core activewear — delivering thoughtfully designed, flattering essentials for women, made by women.
In an increasingly saturated market, it quickly stood out. Within its first year, Tala generated £5.2m in sales, thanks to a strong online community and a focus on quality over hype.
Since then,...
Retail Gazette •

Interview: How Asos is building the ultimate brand portfolio to stay ahead in fashion - Retail Gazette

Asos is collecting brands like infinity stones. This year alone, the online fashion giant has added 60 new names to its ever-expanding roster pushing the total past 800 and counting.
It already carries the brands you know and love — think Nike, Motel, All Saints and Topshop — but that doesn’t mean it’s slowing down anytime soon.
At the heart of Asos’ recovery strategy is this fresh approach to brands — blending heritage names with buzzy newcomers to deliver the relevance today’s shoppers are hun...
Retail Gazette •

Interview: Gymshark's GM on its global growth and why it has no ‘big competitors’ - Retail Gazette

Since its inception in 2012, Gymshark has redefined the gymwear industry, rapidly evolving from a startup to a global fitness powerhouse with an unwavering focus on community and innovation.
As the brand prepares to unveil its third permanent London store this weekend in Westfield London, Retail Gazette sits down with Adidas Veteran Hannah Mercer, Gymshark’s first-ever general manager of wholesale and retail, to discuss her vision for the company’s global domination.

Gymshark’s newest flagship...
Retail Gazette •

Interview: Pinterest UK head of retail on turning home trends into reality with its Primark collab - Retail Gazette

Primark has long been a leader in providing affordable, on-trend home décor, but its latest collaboration with Pinterest brings a new level of innovation.
By tapping into Pinterest’s real-time trend data, the high street retailer has launched three new collections—Cosy Cottage, Minamaluxe, and Dainty Décor— inspired by trending homeware searches on the platform.

These collections can now be found more than 100 stores, as well as across 70 store windows, with Pinterest-powered visuals promoting...
Retail Gazette •

Interview: How Asos is banking on a summer of stylish sport to drive growth

There’s no denying it’s been a tough few years for Asos. Since the online boom of the pandemic died down, it has grappled with the resurgence of physical retail, fierce competition from the likes of Shein and pinched wallets amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

After pulling in an almost £300m full-year loss last year, the online retailer has been in turnaround mode, clearing stock and resetting its commercial model to focus on profitability. But now the retailer has its eye on growth opport
Retail Gazette •

Interview: How Clarks is blending heritage with innovation to remain relevant - Retail Gazette

Clarks may be approaching its 200th anniversary next year, but the footwear giant isn’t harking back to the past – it’s focusing on the new, as it looks to attract new customers through innovative designs and exclusive collaborations.
The team leading this push for the Somerset-headquartered firm has a distinctly international feel. French footwear veteran Olivier Motteau leads the retailer’s European business and comes with spades of experience having led New Balance across Europe. Prior to thi...
Retail Gazette •

Interview: The woman putting the magic into Nike stores

Nike is the biggest sportswear brand in the world, fuelled by constant innovation, iconic products and dynamic marketing. However, a growing reason for its success are its showstopping stores. The sportswear giant has been pursuing a direct-to-consumer strategy since 2017 to drive more sales through its own channels. This has seen it cut ties with some retail partners, including Amazon, but also invest more in its own channels, including a raft of new store concepts.

The woman responsible for i
Retail Gazette •

Interview: Gymshark's Ben Francis - 'I want it to be iconic all around the world' - Retail Gazette

Since launching in 2012, Gymshark has captured the hearts, minds and wallets of fitness obsessed consumers across the globe with its practical products and community-centric approach.
As the gymwear giant prepares to open its second store in Westfield Stratford this weekend, CEO Ben Francis speaks to Retail Gazette on his expansion plans as he looks to make Gymshark “a globally iconic brand”.
Gymshark first entered the world of bricks and mortar back in 2022 when it opened the doors to its highl...
Retail Gazette •

Interview: How Arc’teryx ascended to the top of streetwear's dizzy heights

The growing demand for luxury outerwear first started to take hold following the post-pandemic consumer shift towards wellness and healthy lifestyles.

Now, the thirst for stylish technical gear from high-profile athleisure brands such as North Face, Lululemon, and Canada Goose shows no sign of slowing, with the blend of fashion and functionality making them equally suited for both adventures on the slopes and coffees on the high street.

As one of the more high-end retailers to have benefitted
Retail Gazette •

Interview: Kick Game - from sneaker reseller to luxury retailer

If you are a fan of trainers and streetwear, you’ll be familiar with Kick Game.

However, it’s fast becoming a brand the rest of the population is starting to notice with flagship stores opening across major cities including London, Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham and even Milan.

The idea of reselling trainers from prime locations such as Covent Garden would have been unheard of until just a few years ago. But Kick Game provides a platform for people to sell sneakers and doesn’t buy any stock
Retail Gazette •

Interview: The woman giving The Body Shop a much-needed makeover

The Body Shop is undergoing a makeover that is seeing it go back to its activist roots.

The retailer, which was a pioneer of both anti-animal testing and recyclable packaging since its inception in the 1970s, has been accused of losing its connection with the activist spirit that founder Dame Anita Roddick instilled across the business.

This has arguably made it less relevant to today’s consumers, which has taken its toll on sales of late. In its last quarter, sales plummeted 19.5% in constant
Retail Gazette •

Interview: Nobody’s Child – the M&S-backed retailer gunning for growth - Retail Gazette

Nobody’s Child is grabbing attention. The brand, in which M&S holds a 27% stake, has a growing presence on the high street, through not only its 60 M&S pop-ups but its three own stores.
It also took home Retail Gazette’s Fashion Game Changer award last month.
The retailer, which will turn 10 next year, is bringing eco-conscious fashion to the masses and is now sold in 200 stores worldwide, having doubled its bricks-and-mortar presence year on year.
“We’ve got incredible reach. We’re obviously on...
Retail Gazette •

Interview: How Jack Wolfskin CEO Richard Collier is making outdoor-wear trendy

Outdoors wear has always been about practicality, performance and durability however in recent years, people are opting to don parka coats and hiking boots for fashion.

The trendiness of outerwear has increased massively with outerwear retailers partnering with luxury fashion houses and influencers to flog their latest ranges and social campaigns.

At the start of the year, The North Face and Supreme unveiled a collection which featured mountaineering apparel and accessories with a streetwear f
Retail Gazette •

Interview: How Decathlon is using digital to stay ahead of the sporting pack

When global sportswear giant Decathlon hired Ikea’s digital boss Barbara Martin Coppola as its new chief executive last year it signalled its desire to compete with the world’s best in online.

While Coppola – who spent seven years at Google prior to her stint as the Swedish furniture giant’s first chief digital officer – certainly ups Decathlon’s digital expertise, plans were already in place to transform the business on this front.

Jérôme Dubreuil joined the sportswear giant in January 2020 t
Retail Gazette •

How Gymshark boss Ben Francis is building an 'iconic global brand'

The bar(bell) was set high for Gymshark’s highly anticipated, first-ever flagship store on Regent Street, which will finally open its doors on Saturday after being in the works for over a year.

Gymshark, which was valued at £1 billion in 2020, has risen from disruptor to a retail force to be reckoned with – and expectations are through the roof that it’s flagship store will be equally disruptive.

Ahead of the opening, Retail Gazette had a sneak peek of the former J Crew store and chatted with
Retail Gazette •

Tala CEO Grace Beverley: Thriving in the 'oxymoronic' world of sustainable fashion

Grace Beverley has already founded two successful companies at the tender age of 25 – workout app Shreddy and the sustainable-activewear brand taking both social media – and consumers – by storm: Tala.

Beverley founded Tala in May 2019 and generated sales of £5.2 million in less than a year of trading as it struck a chord with hordes of Gen Z consumers searching for affordable high-performance activewear that was truly sustainable thanks to its powerful influencer marketing strategy.

It’s grow
Retail Gazette •

Interview: How Superdrug is primed for future growth

Starting with a single store in Putney, London in 1964, Superdrug has evolved into a health and beauty retail giant over the course of six decades.
Known for its focus on value and competitive pricing, the retailer quickly expanded to over 800 stores nationwide. This value stance has seen the business thrive amid the cost-of-living crisis as it enters its 60th year, and just yesterday revealed that pre-tax profits had soared 43% to £111.6m in the year to 30 December.
Its market share grew for th...
Retail Gazette •

Interview: 66°North CEO on bringing a piece of Iceland to London

While many UK shoppers will be familiar with cult Icelandic brand 66°North, the outdoor wear retailer has not ventured outside of Scandinavia – until today that is.

This morning the doors will open to its 3,500 sq ft flagship store on Regent Street, its first store outside of Iceland and Denmark.

Ahead of the grand opening, Retail Gazette sits down 66°North chief executive Helgi Óskarsson to find out what shoppers can expect.

The retailer could not have picked a better time to launch its firs
Retail Gazette •

Interview: How Molly-Mae Hague plans to move PrettyLittleThing away from throwaway fashion

When you think of sustainable fashion retailers, PrettyLittleThing probably isn’t one that springs to mind.

The fast fashion brand is best known for its cut-price clothing – it caused controversy by selling dresses for as little as 8p during Black Friday 2020 – and, as part of the Boohoo Group, was embroiled in a sweatshop scandal, when factory workers in Leicester were found to be making garments for below the minimum wage in poor conditions.

However, PrettyLittleThing’s new UK and EU creativ
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