Top Fashion & Retail News Update
Here’s your updated global Fashion & Retail This Week news roundup, based on the latest reports:
Closures & Restructuring
River Island (UK)
Announced the closure of 33 stores—six of them in Scotland—including Banbury, Edinburgh, and others. These locations will remain open into January 2026 while River Island negotiates rent cuts; an additional ~70 stores are also at potential risk
thesun.co.uk
Otterburn Mills (UK)
The historic 18th-century knitwear brand, once favored by the Royal Family and high-end houses, has liquidated, closing permanently and cutting 28 jobs due to high costs and weak footfall
voguebusiness.com
Macy’s (USA)
Continuing its “Bold New Chapter” plan, Macy’s is closing 66 underperforming U.S. locations in 2025, with a broader goal of shuttering 150 stores by 2026 and investing in stronger “go-forward” formats
retailsector.co.uk
Hudson’s Bay (Canada)
Completed liquidation of all 80 Hudson’s Bay department stores by June 1, 2025, resulting in around 8,000 job losses. Its intellectual property was acquired by Canadian Tire
linkedin.com
The Return of Disposable Fashion
️ Openings & Strategic Expansions
Anthropologie (UK)
Opened its second Scottish location at Glasgow’s Princes Square on June 6, marking continued lifestyle-focused growth in the UK
reuters.com
JD Sports (UK)
Unveiled its largest-ever global retail location—a 41,000 sq ft flagship—at Manchester’s Trafford Centre, featuring exclusive brand collaborations and immersive experiences
retail-week.com
Market & Policy Trends
Luxury Experiential Pivot (China)
High-end brands like Louis Vuitton and Prada are launching immersive, experience-focused stores in China—such as LV’s ship-shaped Shanghai flagship with a café—to reinvigorate slowing luxury sales. Meanwhile, Gucci plans to close about ten stores in the same market
reuters.com
Middle East Expansion (Luxury)
With a 6% rise in Gulf luxury sales to $12.8 bn last year, brands including Prada, Hermès, Zegna, and Chanel are expanding in the region, even as geopolitical tensions pose short-term risks
reuters.com
How Fast Fashion Sacrifices Quality for Profit
Innovation & Market Strategy
Reliance & ABFRL (India)
Indian fashion retailers are restructuring: Reliance Retail grew EBITDA by dropping underperforming stores, while ABFRL rationalized outlets for better profit margins. The focus is now on strategically locating larger, metro-focused stores
dfupublications.com
Summary
Retail is undergoing diversification in strategy: while many high‑street and legacy chains face closures due to rising costs, consumer shifts, and online competition, others are doubling down on growth through experiential formats and strategic location expansion. Luxury brands are fine-tuning their global footprint, and Indian retailers are sharpening profitability with data-driven store strategies.
Let me know if you’d like a deeper dive into any of these stories—such as financial breakdowns, regional analysis, or the outlook for consumer recovery.