​Acquisition-hungry JD Sports Fashion has snapped up another business with the purchase of an 80% stake in Greek retailer Cosmos Sport SA. No terms were disclosed.

​Artsthread, the operation that helps designers and artists launch their own businesses and gain employment worldwide, has named the winners of its 2021 Global Design Graduate Show contest.

​Fast Retailing’s Uniqlo brand said its Beijing Sanlitun Global Flagship will open in China’s capital on November 6. It’s only the third of its Global Flagship format on China’s mainland and its very first in Beijing.

E-tail giant Alibaba is seeking to dethrone Chinese rival Shein from its powerful position in fast-fashion online retail with the launch of its own value-focused, trend-responsive fashion platform AllyLikes.

​An interesting collaboration launches this week with Victoria Beckham having linked up with The Woolmark Company to launch her first end-to-end traceable collection.

​Matalan revenues rose fast in Q2 but could have risen faster if not for supply chain issues. The company is staying cautious as logistics problems frustrate efforts to get the product customers want into its stores. 

​Very Group reported its full-year results on Tuesday with sales surging and pre-tax profits leaping even faster at the owner of the Very.co.uk and Littlewoods brands.

​The comeback of Laura Ashley in the fashion sector has begun as Batsheva Hay’s eponymous Batsheva label has linked up with the UK brand in a way makes the most of its heritage and targets the upscale shopper.

​Patrizio di Marco, is believed to be teaming up with private equity giant Carlyle again with a report that he’s set to take over as chairman of UK luxury retailer End.

​Luxury handbag subscription rental service Cocoon has announced its first ever pop-up shop with a debut at Harvey Nichols in London’s Knightsbridge. 

​There's been a debate around whether consumers will return to traditional office clothing after having worked from home in comfy loungewear, and current shop and search behaviour is giving us plenty of clues. 

Japanese giant Fast Retailing has reported operating profit above analysts’ expectations and expects the figure to climb further in the year ahead.

​The founder of Gymshark is reportedly preparing for a stock market float in London as the lifestyle-to-performance sportswear firm continues to grow fast.

​Outdoor brand Timberland has launched a new Europe-wide campaign featuring “four leading advocates to champion communities and create a better future”.

Clothing spend rose last month but the UK retail sector remains on a knife-edge with consumer confidence weak and supply chain issues a big worry, the monthly Barclaycard and BRC reports showed on Tuesday.

Clarks had a tough time of it last year, as did many others in the footwear sector. Sales plummeted and its losses in the 12 months to January 2021 grew. But the firm is upbeat about the future under its new ownership.