Articles by Rachel Douglass
Rachel has been with FashionUnited since mid-2021. Descending from the UK, she moved to the Netherlands in 2014 to attend Amsterdam Fashion Institute, where she studied a BA in International Fashion and Branding with a specialisation in Journalism.
At FashionUnited, Rachel covers daily news, from store openings to acquisitions, alongside which she focuses on research-based stories, interviews and on-the-ground event reporting. Her topics of interest include digital fashion, independent retail and current trends.
Boardriders and Volcom to make Hawaii retail return under new partnerships
Boardriders is set to make its return to Hawaii through new partnerships under the group’s current parent company, Authentic Brands Group. The Levy Group has stepped up to reopen Volcom’s store in Haleiwa, while BR Japan will oversee the reopening of Boardriders’ Waikīkī location. Speaking on the plans, David Brooks, EVP of action and outdoor...
Retailloading...
Save The Duck scales new heights with mountain expedition as it preps store expansion
Innovation has long defined the outerwear sector, where performance, protection and material experimentation drive the market forward. For Save The Duck, which sits at a crossroads between technical outerwear and city fashion, this innovative mindset is embedded in its DNA. Built on an ethical and sustainable vision, the brand continues to seek...
Business|CEO Interview FeaturedMemberloading...
Pacsun reveals location of first store outside US, preps domestic retail expansion
Pacsun has confirmed the opening plans of its first store outside of the US. The American youth retailer is due to open its inaugural international store in spring 2026 at the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai. The news comes on the back of the company securing a regional partnership with Majid Al Futtaim, with which it is planning to open up to 20...
Retailloading...
2025 trends according to Lyst: Miu Miu reigns, Labubu charms, flip-flops pop
Lyst’s Year in Fashion report has become a definitive marker in highlighting the most influential movements across fashion. For 2025, the industry was shaped by divisive trends, intense controversy, and a collective desire for greater accessibility. It was Miu Miu, described as Prada’s “coquettish little sister”, that emerged as the undisputed...
Fashion Featuredloading...
Lululemon: Activist investor reportedly secures one billion dollar stake
An activist investor is believed to have snapped up a stake worth over one billion dollars in Canadian athleisure brand Lululemon. According to sources for Reuters, Elliott Investment Management has been working with former Ralph Lauren executive Jane Nielsen as it circles the currently unoccupied helm position. FashionUnited has contacted...
BusinessMemberloading...
Lululemon prepares to launch into six new markets for 2026
Canadian athleisure giant Lululemon has confirmed plans to expand into six new markets in the new year as part of a franchise partnership model that responds to growing demand. Making up what is set to become a “record” year in market rollouts, the company is due to enter Greece, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Romania through a new partnership...
BusinessMemberloading...
Tommy Hilfiger joins Spinnova consortium
US premium brand Tommy Hilfiger has become the newest partner of Spinnova, a Finnish fibre tech firm backed by Fashion for Good. The company has joined Spinnova’s consortium, a model the firm introduced earlier this year to encourage fashion brands to back efforts in scaling its flagship fibre offering. Aptly dubbed Spinnova, the textile is made...
Fashion loading...
Wax London reports strong year bolstered by international expansion and wholesale growth
British menswear brand Wax London has hailed 2025 as a “milestone” year, with performance bolstered by retail and wholesale growth. With this, the company is now preparing to move into its next phase, eyeing further international expansion. The company has utilised the period to expand its physical presence, opening its fourth standalone store...
BusinessMemberloading...
Jessica Alsing: Bringing Toms into the present day as its first woman CEO
Earlier this year, Californian-born footwear brand Toms, long-recognised for its signature Alpargatas shoe and social-impact ethos, entered a new phase of reinvention. To oversee that transition, the company appointed industry veteran Jessica Alsing as its new chief executive officer, marking the latest step in its ongoing repositioning. Known...
People|CEO Profile Featuredloading...
Founders of members-only platform Mile acquire Matches, prepare for 2026 relaunch
After a tenuous period that brought uncertainty to the future of Matches, it appears the ailing British e-tailer may have found a more promising home. Hulcan, a new luxury group created by the co-founders of members-only platform Mile, has stepped up to acquire the company as it prepares for a 2026 relaunch. The deal – financial details of which...
BusinessFeaturedMemberloading...