just-style bloggers
Leonie Barrie
JC Penney revamp a breath of fresh air?
30 January 2012 13:30
Given his success at building Apple's stores into the world's most successful retail operation, hopes have been high that Ron Johnson would also work his magic at JC Penney after joining as its new CEO in the autumn. And last week the wait was over, as he set out his new vision for the department store chain.
Petah Marian
M&S breathes sigh of relief as Plassat appointed to Carrefour
1 February 2012 14:36
Marks and Spencer will have breathed a sigh of relief following the appointment of Georges Plassat as CEO of Carrefour.
The just-style guest blog
Tech advances make work a home from home
28 September 2011 12:54
Launch shows for new software applications into the apparel industry are, I must admit, not a regular entry in my diary.
Latest just-style blogs
M&S breathes sigh of relief as Plassat appointed to Carrefour
By: Petah Marian - 1 Feb 2012 14:36
Marks and Spencer will have breathed a sigh of relief following the appointment of Georges Plassat as CEO of Carrefour.
JC Penney revamp a breath of fresh air?
By: Leonie Barrie - 30 Jan 2012 13:30
Given his success at building Apple's stores into the world's most successful retail operation, hopes have been high that Ron Johnson would also work his magic at JC Penney after joining as its new CEO in the autumn. And last week the wait was over, as he set out his new vision for the department store chain.
Retail sales paint too rosy a picture
By: Leonie Barrie - 23 Jan 2012 14:45
Heavy discounting by clothing and footwear stores in the run-up to Christmas helped UK retail sales edge up in December, according to official figures released last week. Sales volumes rose 0.6% between November and December, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said, and were 2.6% higher than December last year.
Clothing sales driven by Christmas promotions
By: Leonie Barrie - 16 Jan 2012 15:20
The UK's biggest clothing retailer, Marks & Spencer, has admitted that heavy discounting in the run-up to Christmas has eaten into profit margins - and that it is now eyeing extra cost savings to try to make up the shortfall.
New Year, same old issues
By: Leonie Barrie - 9 Jan 2012 18:47
Welcome to a new year here at just-style...and one that has resumed with the same old questions over the state of the US apparel retail market.
Optimism, pessimism and nudity - welcome to 2012
By: Petah Marian - 4 Jan 2012 14:23
While industry watchers wait for the US' top retailers to release their December sales tomorrow, across the pond, UK retailers began revealing their Christmas performance, with John Lewis and Next both posting positive results.
Happy Holidays from all at just-style.com
By: Leonie Barrie - 23 Dec 2011 17:25
The team here at just-style.com is now taking a well-earned break as the office shuts down for the annual Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Retailers' hopes pinned on Christmas shopping countdown
By: Petah Marian - 19 Dec 2011 14:28
As we come into the final shopping days before Christmas, there have been some distinctive differences in the mood of the US and the UK retail sectors.
Pre-Christmas discounting damages brands
By: Petah Marian - 15 Dec 2011 14:56
The traditional Boxing Day sales frenzy seems to have begun earlier this year, with desperate UK retailers trying to grab as many sales as possible before consumers tighten their belts again when the post-Christmas hangover kicks in.
UK retail sector under pressure
By: Leonie Barrie - 12 Dec 2011 18:26
In the same week that figures showed UK retailers achieved their weakest sales performance for six months in November, news also broke that thousands of jobs are at risk after several clothing and footwear chains were put up for sale.
Dance into 2012 with Tangerine Tango
By: Leonie Barrie - 9 Dec 2011 17:36
Now that another rollercoaster of a year is nearly over, you might want to know that 'Honeysuckle' helped us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigour. And next year, 'Tangerine Tango,' a spirited reddish orange, will help us on our way by continuing to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.
Topshop steps into Australia
By: Petah Marian - 8 Dec 2011 13:31
Topshop and Topman opened their first Australian store today in Melbourne.
Black Friday boosted by bargains
By: Leonie Barrie - 5 Dec 2011 13:24
US retailers posted a mixed bag of results in November, with earlier opening hours and Black Friday bargains helping to drive consumer traffic over the Thanksgiving weekend for some, but tougher comparisons with the year-ago period and weaker sales during the rest of the month weighing on others.
International opportunities gather speed
By: Leonie Barrie - 29 Nov 2011 17:21
US specialty clothing retailer Gap Inc last week opened its first flagship store in Hong Kong as part of ongoing plans to expand the international reach of its brands - and aims to triple its stores in the Greater China region by the end of its next financial year.
No respite for UK retailers
By: Petah Marian - 29 Nov 2011 14:53
While Christmas is the highlight of the year for most retailers, this year it will be even more important, with consumers set to curtail their spending again in the new year.
Just another Manic Monday?
By: Petah Marian - 28 Nov 2011 17:32
As US retailers give thanks for the jump in sales over Thanksgiving weekend, with shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday now firmly etched into the US shopping calendar, international retailers are now hoping to import these into the UK.
Paris offers no escape for M&S' domestic woes
By: Petah Marian - 24 Nov 2011 14:35
For all that Marks & Spencer had to be proud of today (24 November), it would be easy to imagine that chief executive Marc Bolland might be feeling a bit Down and Out in Paris and London, after its international success was dampened by concerns closer to home.
Black Friday begins on Thursday
By: Leonie Barrie - 23 Nov 2011 19:03
Next to the Saturday before Christmas, Black Friday - traditionally the day after Thanksgiving - ranks as the most important shopping day of the season. And a new survey from Deloitte suggests holiday shoppers won't let the side down this year, with 51% planning to be either online or in stores this weekend.
Black Friday a bargain bonanza
By: Leonie Barrie - 21 Nov 2011 15:31
As US retailers head towards Black Friday - the busiest shopping day of the year - at the end of this week, they can take some comfort from commerce department data showing sales at clothing stores rose 5.8% in October compared to last year.
just-style goes mobile
By: Leonie Barrie - 18 Nov 2011 15:12
The ability to shop on the go using a mobile device is seen as one of the most significant developments in the retail field in recent years. But for busy executives on the move, the ability to stay up-to-date on industry news and information is crucial too - which is why we've updated and upgraded just-style's mobile presence.
Design helps drive demand
By: Leonie Barrie - 14 Nov 2011 17:20
With figures from both sides of the Atlantic continuing to emphasise that shoppers, by and large, remain downbeat amidst economic gloom and uncertainty, two retailers last week emphasised the importance of quality and design in continuing to drive sales.
Does location matter?
By: Petah Marian - 11 Nov 2011 14:59
While it's a bit of a cliché to say the online retail allows retailers the ability to move abroad, what's becoming increasingly interesting is how rapidly online retailing is becoming a global business - and not just for the e-commerce specialists.
Weather weighs on October sales
By: Leonie Barrie - 7 Nov 2011 18:42
Growth in US same-store sales appeared to cool in October as weather and economic malaise weighed on retailers, putting extra pressure on businesses as they transition into the crucial holiday season.
VF turns a negative into a positive
By: Leonie Barrie - 1 Nov 2011 17:34
Apparel giant VF Corporation last week raised its full-year earnings and revenue guidance after a strong third quarter in which profits and sales both increased by more than 20%. The company recorded organic revenue growth of 16%, but gross margin declined thanks to higher product costs.
Monsoon rains threaten Thai makers
By: Leonie Barrie - 24 Oct 2011 15:23
Three months of heavy monsoon rains have left Thailand battling its worst flooding in decades, with the capital Bangkok currently under threat. As the country tries to contain rising water levels, the garment manufacturing industry has not been spared, just-style learnt last week, with at least four large clothing factories being forced to halt production.
Uzbek cotton ban has limited reach
By: Leonie Barrie - 21 Oct 2011 18:53
With more than more than 60 of the world's biggest and best-known apparel companies and brands - including Adidas, Burberry, C&A, Levi Strauss, Li &Fung, Liz Claiborne, PVH Corp and Wal-Mart Stores - already boycotting cotton from Uzbekistan, it's not surprising there were no western buyers at the annual cotton fair in Tashkent earlier this month.
Buying isn't always everything, but it certainly counts for a lot
By: Petah Marian - 19 Oct 2011 12:20
While H Gordon Selfridge, the founder of Selfridges, may have been the originator of that retail truism that "the customer is always right", he also ran his store guided by the philosophy to treat customers "as guests when they come and when they go, whether or not they buy".
All change on the brand front
By: Leonie Barrie - 17 Oct 2011 18:50
Struggling apparel firm Liz Claiborne Inc last week revealed plans to shed more brands, including its namesake line, for $328m as part of ongoing attempts to reduce its long-term debt. It will also change its name as the business refocuses on its core Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand and Kate Spade brands.
Sustainability - not just about the environment
By: Petah Marian - 14 Oct 2011 11:22
I had the pleasure of travelling up to Belper in Derbyshire yesterday (14 October) to see Courtaulds become the first UK clothing manufacturer to receive M&S eco-factory status.
Consumer caution weighs on holiday forecasts
By: Leonie Barrie - 10 Oct 2011 17:45
A strong end to the back-to-school shopping season and postponed demand following Hurricane Irene at the end of August contributed to the solid results rung up by many US retailers in September and reported on just-style last week. But consumer caution continues to hang over the latest holiday forecasts.
