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.
Fashion for Good launches industry project to benchmark PFAS alternatives
Fashion for Good, an Amsterdam-based regenerative fashion investment company, has launched Project DW(O)R-X, a collaborative initiative aimed at creating an industry benchmark for durable water- and oil-repellent (DW(O)R) finishes that do not contain PFAS, responding to the increased demand for safer alternatives to the persistent chemicals. The...
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What Reformation's IPO means for women-centric brands and sustainability values
Over the past several years, the presence of fashion IPOs has been noticeably declining following disappointing public debuts from direct-to-consumer brands like Allbirds and Rent the Runway. It is for this reason that when Reformation announced its intention to go public earlier this year, heads began turning towards what had at once been seen...
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Skims enters India through Reliance Brands partnership
Kim Kardashian's Skims is set to embark on a new venture into the Indian market through a partnership with Reliance Brands Limited (RBL), marking the shapewear and lifestyle brand's latest step in its international retail expansion. Under the agreement, RBL will operate Skims across physical stores and digital channels in India, with the brand's...
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Abercrombie reportedly mulling options for China business
US retail giant Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is believed to be exploring strategic options for its China business, including bringing in local partners to support future growth. According to a report by Bloomberg, which cited people familiar with the matter, the fashion retailer is working with an adviser to review its China operations in what could...
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Gap Inc. expands GCC presence through Chalhoub Group partnership
US apparel giant Gap Inc. has partnered with Middle East luxury retailer Chalhoub Group to expand Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with a phased omnichannel rollout beginning later this year. The partnership will launch online stores across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during the second half of...
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Rains expands into footwear after years of development
Danish outerwear brand Rains has expanded into footwear with the launch of its first in-house shoe category, introducing The Dry Boot and Mirage styles globally from August 5. The move marks Rains’ latest step towards becoming a broader lifestyle brand, extending beyond its core rainwear offering into footwear, alongside existing categories...
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Manolo Blahnik accelerates DTC strategy as wholesale weighs on 2025 results
Footwear specialist Manolo Blahnik is doubling down on its direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategy after wholesale challenges, particularly linked to Saks Global's bankruptcy, weighed on its 2025 financial performance. According to WWD, the luxury footwear brand reported turnover of 83.5 million euros for the year ended 31 December 2025, down 3...
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Lululemon faces California lawsuit over alleged 'phantom discount' pricing
Canadian athleisurewear giant Lululemon has been sued in California over allegations it used misleading reference pricing on products sold through its website. According to Modern Retail, the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by consumer Annette Cody, claims the activewear retailer displayed "fictitious regular prices" alongside...
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Signet acquires New York Fashion Week trademarks, CFDA reaffirms leadership
WME has sold the intellectual property, trademarks and digital assets associated with New York Fashion Week, NYFW and NYFW: The Shows to media and entertainment company Signet Fashion, according to WWD. Signet said it plans to build on NYFW's global profile through expanded live events, digital content, brand partnerships and year-round audience...
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UK government urged to prioritise domestic textile manufacturing through public procurement
Fashion Roundtable has published an open letter to the UK’s new prime minister Andy Burnham urging the government to use public procurement as a tool to rebuild the region’s fashion and textile manufacturing sector. Addressed to Burnham ahead of the finalisation of the proposed ‘Number 10 North’ initiative, the letter calls for public contracts...
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