Here's what's got us talking this week...
ANYA HINDMARCH'S RETAIL VILLAGE
British fashion designer Anya Hindmarch has opened a five-store ‘Village’ retail concept on the Cadogan Estate in Chelsea, London, near the original home of the brand. The Village concept consists of The Anya Café, The Village Hall, and The Plastic Store, which focuses on issues of sustainability and circularity. Meanwhile, The Labelled Store and The Bespoke Store offer best-selling pieces and personalisation. The retail concept aims to bring a vibrancy to Chelsea with a sense of innovation and community.
CROCS X HIDDEN VALLEY RANCH X THE HUNDREDS
Crocs have partnered with Hidden Valley Ranch and The Hundreds to produce an off-white croc featuring green speckles and food charms. The collaboration was announced over a two-day virtual festival supporting local restaurants, alongside a donation in partnership with The Hundreds and Family Style Food Fest to the Independent Hospitality Coalition. Crocs will also donate 10,000 pairs of its Crocs At Work shoes, helping hospitality workers impacted by Covid-19.
BROWNS ANNOUNCES KIDSWEAR LAUNCH
Luxury boutique retailer Browns is launching a kidswear department with 35 brands from newborn through to 16 years. Browns will showcase childrenswear capsules from brands new to the kidswear world, with a mix of established brands and brands from the next generation. Doodles made by children of the brand’s employees have been incorporated into a playful new kidswear logo to mark the evolution of the company.
IKEA’S INTEREST IN TOPSHOP FLAGSHIP TAKEOVER
Ikea is in advanced talks over the takeover of the iconic Topshop flagship on London’s Oxford Street, as part of the comapany’s plan to open smaller-format city centre stores. The Swedish homewares giant is going all-in on its strategy to appeal to urban millennial audiences, moving away from its warehouse-like stores. The vacant store announced a price tag of £420 million earlier this month, with JD Sports, Nike, Amazon, and Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group expressing interest.
JW ANDERSON’S DEBUT SNEAKER
Following a successful collaboration with Converse, Jonathan Anderson is launching his first independent sneaker under label JW Anderson. The design merges leather and canvas with a focus on deconstruction and craft, balancing out the technical elements of the product. The design features exaggerated proportions and striking colourways of over-saturated purple, green, orange, black, and white embellished with rough stitching. This sneaker debut highlights continued casualisation within the fashion market.
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