from the editor
At a glance...
A star is lost: McQueen 1969 - 2010
ETHEL AUSTIN On February 11th a black cloud counting in an interview that GaGa. His work was never
TO CLOSE STORES
descended over the fashion in- he once stitched a crude insult merely about the aesthetic: it
Value retailer Ethel Austin is
dustry; design icon Alexander into the lining of a jacket for was inspired by emotion, psy-
to close around half its stores
McQueen was found dead at his Prince Charles. He was later ac- chology, science, history, fear
as part of the administration
London home aged a mere 40 cepted to study fashion design and fantasy, and played dark
process. 129 stores have been
years old. At the time of press at Central Saint Martins College against light. Throughout his
listed for closure meaning a sig-
his untimely death was suggest- of Art and Design and stylist career McQueen won the
nificant number of potential job
ed to have been suicide Isabella Blow famously bought British Designer of the Year
losses. The company employs a
following the recent death of his complete graduation collec- award four times and was
total of 3,100 staff across its
his mother, with whom tion. Blow and McQueen awarded a CBE. As his success
portfolio of 270 stores. Further
McQueen, known as Lee, was became friends and his distress blossomed he opened stores in
redundancies are likely at its
extremely close. McQueen was over her suicide in 2007 was London, Milan, New York, Los
warehouses and head office.
born in 1969 in London to par- made public by the press. Angeles and Las Vegas.
ents Ronald and Joyce, a taxi McQueen built a reputation for Flowers have been left outside
driver and teacher respectively. unconventional, lavish and in- his stores and a number of
One of six children, his love of spired collections, which he celebrities and spokespersons
SHOP VACANCIES fashion design came at an early presented in equally impressive have paid tribute to the star:
ON THE UP
age when he would make dress- ways. He jet-sprayed models for
Although the UK economy
es for his three sisters. the Spring 1999 show, recreated Alexandra Shulman, editor
is out of the recession, shop
After leaving school he landed a shipwreck for his Spring 2003 of British Vogue: “McQueen
vacancies are increasing ac-
an apprenticeship with collection and a human chess influenced a whole generation
cording to research by the
Anderson & Sheppard, the Savile game for Spring 2005. His of designers. His brilliant imagi-
Local Data Company (LDC). Its
Row tailors and later worked for Spring 2010 collection was in- nation knew no bounds.”
figures collected between July
Gieves & Hawkes as well as the- spired by evolution and the Designer Jeff Banks: “He was
and December 2009 show that
atrical costumiers Angels and potential for an ecological a strange combination of intel-
an average of 12.4 per cent of
Bermans. He became known for meltdown and included10-inch lect and manufacturing
shops are empty, an increase
his controversial personality, re- heels famously sported by Lady capability.”
on the 10 per cent announced
in June 2009.
NEW FACES FOR M&S
Marks & Spencer has added
some new names to its fash-
ion team. Dannii Minogue,
singer VV Brown and models
Lisa Snowdon and Ana Beatriz
Barrosas are new poster girls
for its Spring/Summer wom-
enswear campaign. Twiggy is
the only remaining face of the
retailer to be used in the cam-
paign, although Myleene
Klass is still working for M&S
in other projects.
DRAGON SUPPORTS
ENTREPRENEURS
Dragons’ Den star James Caan
has announced plans to open a
business academy focusing on
entrepreneurialism. The James
Caan Entrepreneurs’ Business
Academy is to open on March
20th and aims to provide
knowledge and guidance to
emerging entrepreneurs and
owners of small and medium consider a £500m bid for sofa retailer
sized businesses.
Movers and shakers
DFS. The move puts him against cur-
rent Debenhams chairman John
Tamara Salman, the creative director outcry over the pay proposed for the Lovering who is also working on a ri-
BOOTS AND
of Liberty of London, has left the deal. Members of the Association of val bid with Permira. Lovering is to be
business. Salman joined the high-end British Insurers (ABI) are in discussion as replaced on April 1st by new chairman
MOTHERCARE retailer in 2004 and redirected the to whether the size of deal, estimated Nigel Northridge. It has been suggest-
PARTNER
brand by drawing on the store’s at nearly £15m, is appropriate given ed that Templeman’s bid could be in
Boots and Mothercare have
archives to launch a selection of own the controversy over banker pay and breach of corporate governance rules
revealed plans to join to cre-
brand products. Liberty has not yet economic issues. Bolland has received a as under the Companies Act directors
ate a new children’s clothing
released a statement on Salman’s ex- £3.9m “golden hello” as well as basic have a duty to avoid any conflict of
and accessories brand to be
it and it is thought that its buying pay of £975,000 and a bonus worth interest and must obtain the permis-
sold through Boots stores in
director Ed Burstell will act as the in- up to 250 per cent of the salary. sion of the board prior to engaging in
the UK and Republic of
terim creative director. Bolland will join M&S on May 1st. any extra roles. Founder Lord Kirkham
Ireland. Boots already sells
Following Marks & Spencer’s an- Debenhams’ boss Rob Templeman is selling DFS. It has also received in-
Mothercare’s Early Learning
nouncement of Marc Bolland as its has shocked shareholders by partner- terest from Advent International and
Centre toys.
new chief executive, there has been ing with private equity firm Cinven to Warburg Pincus. Debenhams has also
4 Department Store Buyer
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