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New Look design director resigns

By Wendela van den Broek

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New Look’s design director for womenswear, Carolyn Mackenzie, has resigned from the post she held at the British retailer for ten years.

According to a report by trade magazine Drapers, Mackenzie, who was also responsible for buying and merchandising at the British retailer, will join Australian womenswear retailer Forever New as brand director, a newly created role. Meanwhile, New Look is busy searching for her replacement.

Mackenzie’s departure signals yet another in a series of changes at New Look. The company changed hands in June when 90 percent was acquired by South African mogul Christo Wiese’s investment vehicle Brait for 780 million pounds. The retail chain’s management and relatives of founder Tom Singh held onto the remaining 10 percent.

Following the sale of New Look, general manager Paul Mason and president Cath Kidston left the firm.

New Look, which recently posted a second quarter increase of 5.9 percent to 756 million pounds, has undergone further major changes such as the sale of its French business Mim last year, the expansion of its product range to include higher-end items, and international expansion. It has opened 52 stores in China, and plans to have 85 stores in the region by March 2016.

The retailer currently counts around 800 stores in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Africa, including 600 in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

New Look