Interiors: Victorian dandy and perfumer Atkinsons returns to Burlington Arcade and we get an early preview of its 19th century-inspired decor November 24, 2017 On the black marble bar the bottles of pale and amber liquid are neatly lined up in a row. I inhale the powerful aromas one at a time like a fine wine or rare whisky. This bar, however, doesn’t serve booze, it’s the centrepiece of the new Atkinsons fragrance shop in Burlington Arcade and the [...]
Burberry shares continue to drop over UBS downgrade and lack of Christopher Bailey successor November 10, 2017 Burberry reported solid growth for the first half of the year yesterday, but its shares closed down almost 10 per cent at 1,787p. Investors were unconvinced by new CEO Marco Gobbetti’s ambitions to take the brand more upmarket, with optimism dented by memories of rival Mulberry’s failed move away from affordable luxury to a high-end [...]
Bell Pottinger faces client exodus: Top firms seek to distance themselves from disgraced PR firm | City A.M. September 5, 2017 Bell Pottinger is facing an exodus of clients as companies seek to distance themselves from the disgraced PR firm. The iconic company, which was kicked out of the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) on Monday, is now scrambling to regroup. City A.M. understands Bell Pottinger wants to name a new boss this week, following [...]
Interiors: Inside the newly-opened London Flower School and why the capital is the home of floral artistry June 2, 2017 In King’s Cross, the newly-opened London Flower School is bustling with Chinese students indulging their passion for plants. Floral art is so big in Asia that up to 80 per cent of students at UK flower schools arrive from China, Korea and Japan. Why do they come so far? Because London is the world leader [...]
Brunch in Dubai is luxurious in the extreme. Just be careful not to eat the golden macarons – they’re purely decorative… May 12, 2017 Visiting a destination for the first time is like being on a first date. You want to go to a nice restaurant, you’d like him to be charming, but arriving with six dozen roses and a list of potential baby names is probably overkill. Dubai is like the most try-hard of bunny boiler boyfriends, the [...]
UK fashion industry showcases its wares at London fashion week February 19, 2017 Designers, buyers and supermodels have descended on the capital for its 65th fashion week. The trade fare is hosting over 5,000 guests and will showcase collections from 120 designers including Burberry, Mulberry and Donatella Versace's Versus line. Designers will be trying to entice buyers and drum up business across more than 51 catwalk shows. And [...]
John Lewis cashed in ahead of the subdued Christmas period January 4, 2017 John Lewis cashed in in the lead-up to Christmas, before families deserted festive shopping on the high street for feasting at the dinner table. For the week starting 19 December, the department store made sales totaling £175.6m. Christmas Day and Boxing Day – when most John Lewis shops are shut – took place during the comparative week in [...]
Mulberry profits hit by weak sterling December 8, 2016 Revenues were up in the first half of the year for luxury handbag brand Mulberry – but profits were dented by the weak pound, it said today. The Somerset-based manufacturer said revenues rose 10 per cent to £74.5m in the 26 weeks to the end of September, up from £67.8m the year before – but it [...]
House of Fraser sales flat as it warns on a volatile trading environment that isn’t going away September 27, 2016 House of Fraser announced sales in the first half of the financial year were unchanged on a year ago, warning that it faces a "volatile trading environment" that is unlikely to change. Home was House of Fraser's strongest category, with sales for the 26 weeks to 30 July increasing by 4.5 per cent. But the House [...]
For the love of bags: Jardine of London founder Mary Jardine talks music cases, the Queen, Brexit, and why she’s on the hunt for a partner August 22, 2016 "It felt like I’d always been the spectator. It dawned on me that I wanted to be the one taking part; the one driving something forward.” Mary Jardine, founder of handbag startup Jardine of London, was approaching her fiftieth birthday when she decided she was going to set up her own business. Jardine of London isn’t [...]