Editors’ Top Reads: Burberry, Agent Provocateur, John Lewis and more…
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
Burberry launches turnaround as sales continue to slump
Interesting isn’t it that it took an American CEO to come into a flagship British brand and state the obvious fact that the previous (British) CEO had apparently missed?
As sales at Burberry continued to slump (revenue fell 20% year-on-year to £1.09 billion in the half year ending 28 September), Joshua Schulman pointed out that the house had focused on modernising its brand “at the expense of celebrating our heritage”. Correct.
Schulman intends to re-focus on its core category of outerwear (it had been chasing the luxury handbag and high fashion space) and underscore its Britishness. The first two campaigns under Schulman are very promising – its Christmas campaign dropped this week and now I really want a scarf (and it’s been a long time since I’ve thought about wanting anything from Burberry).
Let’s hope Schulman’s vision is given the time it needs to bear fruit and this great British brand can recover and remain British (rumours are circling that Moncler is eyeing a takeover, which I’m rather hoping does not come to pass).
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
Wicked proves it’s ‘popular’ with fashion brand collaborations
I don’t mean to brag, but I was one of the lucky ones who saw the original cast in Wicked the Musical. Wide-eyed and aged eight, my love for Wicked was ignited (my vocal cords never recovered). Almost two decades later, on the cusp of Wicked the Movie’s release, countless fashion brands have collaborated with Universal to launch Wicked-themed collections. It seems as though emerald green is the new Barbie pink.
From Marks & Spencer to Primark, retailers and fashion brands are putting Wicked (pardon the pun) spins on fashion with a slew of collaborative collections. Whether shoppers are Elphaba or Glinda coded, with an ever-growing list of spell-binding collaborations, there’s something for everyone.
Fusing two of my biggest passions in life, I deep-dived into the must-have Wicked-inspired fashion collections that are gracing the British high street. Read up on the brands who got involved and the bewitching products they’re bringing to the table here.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
Agent Provocateur launches racy Christmas campaign starring Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch
Luxury lingerie brand Agent Provocateur really has come up with a Christmas cracker when it comes to festive commercials.
Sexy, fun and full of glamour, it stars model and TV personality Abbey Clancy and her husband, former England footballer and pundit, Peter Crouch, a genuinely funny guy who often doesn’t mind being the brunt of the joke.
“Crouchie” as he is often referred to, is playing snooker in a pub opposite a hotel where he is meant to be having a raunchy rendezvous with red lingerie clad Clancy. When she bursts in the pub (still only in the lingerie, stockings and suspenders) to confront her forgetful hubby, the scene is set for an unexpected reminder not to forget date night this Christmas.
It’s great casting, and wonderfully acted, complete with a glammed-up Jaime Winstone playing the pub landlady – doing her nails as she watches it all pan out.
Tom Bottomley, Contributing Editor.
John Lewis Christmas ad stars sister in last-minute dash back in time
It’s no secret that John Lewis knows how to create a memorable advert – it wouldn’t have such a big reputation for it otherwise. In fact, the launch of its highly anticipated Christmas ad each year has embedded itself in UK festive culture, with so many still remembered to this day.
This year’s Christmas ad takes a trip down memory lane, following a woman frantically buying a last-minute gift for her sister. Revealed yesterday, the advert opens with heroine Sally running into the retailer’s Oxford Street flagship store – the first time a John Lewis store has appeared in its Christmas ad – 15 minutes before closing time.
Falling through a rack of dresses, she steps into the attic of her childhood home and begins a journey through her memories of growing up with her sister as she searches for a thoughtful present. Returning to reality, Sally meets her sister outside the store with her wrapped gift, and as they walk away her sister is reflected in the John Lewis window as the child from her memories, finishing with the strapline: “The secret to finding the perfect gift? Knowing where to look”.
Watch the full ad here, and if one isn’t enough, check out our round-up of the British department store’s previous festive ads too!
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
