Foot Locker, Inc. announced on Wednesday that Franklin Bracken, currently executive vice president and chief commercial officer, has been appointed to the role of president, effective immediately.
Foot Locker
Bracken will continue reporting to Mary Dillon, Foot Locker’s chief executive officer.
In his new role, the president will work alongside Dillon on the execution of the firm’s “Lace Up Plan”, aimed to elevate the omni-retail experience, enhance productivity, and create long-term shareholder value. Bracken will also continue to oversee global retail operations, merchandising, marketing, digital, loyalty, and real estate.
With over 30 years of experience in brand management, consulting, digital transformation, marketing, merchandising, and retail operations, Bracken joined Foot Locker in 2010 and has since held several senior leadership roles of increasing responsibility across the company.
Prior to Foot Locker, Bracken held senior management roles at The Coca-Cola Company, SABMiller, and began his career as a management consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“We are delighted to recognize Frank’s leadership and valuable contributions to Foot Locker, Inc. with this appointment,” said Dillon.
“Over his 15-year tenure, Frank has led several important initiatives across the business, including playing a critical role in the development and execution of our Lace Up Plan, building our brand partnerships, and advancing our omnichannel capabilities. I look forward to continuing to partner with him in his new role as we execute our strategies, further our significant progress in advancing the Lace Up Plan, and create sustained value for our stakeholders.”
Foot Locker is a U.S.-based specialty footwear retailer which today boasts some 2,400 retail stores in 26 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, and a licensed store presence in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
“It’s an honor to be named president as we continue building on the momentum of our Lace Up Plan,” said Bracken. “Looking ahead to the remainder of 2025 and beyond, we are well-positioned to accelerate our progress and deliver on our long-term operational and financial goals as we enter the next phase of execution. We remain committed to expanding sneaker culture and elevating the omnichannel experience for our customers and brand partners, and I’m confident our proven consumer-focused initiatives will further deepen customer engagement, strengthen our market position, and drive meaningful business results.”
In its most recenting trading update earlier this month, Foot Locker announced a fourth-quarter sales drop of 5.8%, in the three months ended February 1.
The company, which operates Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Atmos and WSS, said sales reached $2,243 million, as compared with sales of $2,380 million in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Skims has opened the doors to its first-ever West Coast flagship store, in Los Angeles.
Skims opens first West Coast flagship store in Los Angeles. – Skims
Designed by the design studio Rafael de Cárdenas, Ltd., the 4,546-square-foot space is characterized by the intimate, body-focused aesthetic that defines Skims.
Notable features include the brand’s signature rounded-edge fixtures, custom tonal mannequins, and a seamless shopping layout. A 12-foot sculpture by Vanessa Beecroft welcomes visitors, while a sophisticated mix of Corian, ultrasuede, and carefully curated lighting complete the space.
The new flagship houses products for both women and men, including best-selling collections like Fits Everybody, Cotton, and Ultimate Bras. Customers will also have access to exclusive drops, such as the NikeSkims collection, and an LA-exclusive ‘Skims loves LA’ merchandise line.
“Opening a Skims store in Los Angeles is a full-circle moment. This city has been a huge part of my life, and having a space here where people can experience the brand in person makes it even more special”, said Kim Kardashian, co-founder & chief creative officer. “We’re just getting started, and I can’t wait for what’s ahead.”
The store opening follows the launch of multiple new locations across the U.S including its New York Fifth Avenue flagship, with even more locations planned for 2025. Other stores can be found in Georgetown, Aventura, Austin, Houston, and Atlanta.
“Los Angeles has always been an important market for Skims and the place we call home, so opening a flagship store here was the natural next step,” added Jens Grede, co-founder & CEO, Skims. “Seeing our standalone stores come to life has been incredible, and we’re excited to keep expanding, giving both new and loyal customers a space to fully experience Skims.”
To celebrate the launch, Skims is collaborating with Mel’s Drive-In to create Skims Drive-In, a reimagined dining experience running from April 2nd to April 6th. The historic diner will undergo a Skims-inspired transformation, featuring a custom photo booth, an exclusive menu, and signature design elements infused into Mel’s retro aesthetic.
Luxury fashion label Vivienne Westwood made its India debut with its first-ever fashion show celebrating the country’s rich textile heritage at the iconic Gateway of India in Mumbai.
Vivienne Westwood makes India debut with fashion show in Mumbai – Vivienne Westwood
The fashion show with a 166-feet-long runway featured a selection of spring/summer 2025 Vivienne Westwood looks and special archive pieces alongside a capsule collection crafted with the hand-woven fabrics from India.
The special capsule collection included fabrics like chanderi silks, khadi cotton, wool and silk sourced from across India by Khadi India and Aaranya from Madhya Pradesh.
The fashion event was attended by Royal families from across India, Bollywood personalities, designers, and industry influencers.
Commenting on the show, Andreas Kronthaler, creative director at Vivienne Westwood in a press release said, “India is such a vast country, so rich with history and culture and we are honoured to be showing here at the monumental Gateway of India. I loved getting to know the Khadi and Chanderi fabrics – there is a lightness, a crispiness, an opulence, and a feeling that there is something behind them- it is the culture of India.”
Carlo D’Amario CEO of Vivienne Westwood added, “We are honoured to present a show in India and to create a collection which celebrates India’s rich textile heritage and traditional hand-woven industries. At Vivienne Westwood we have long championed craftsmanship and heritage and have partnered for decades with local industries and artisans in the UK, as well as in Europe and Africa, and are now proud to partner with the artisanal hand-crafted textile industry of India for this show.”
The show was organised in partnership with the Department of Textiles, Government of Maharashtra and Vivz Fashion School.
Boux Avenue’s relationship with Liverpool One has been so positive, the lingerie brand is upgrading to a permanent new store at the major retail and leisure destination.
Boux Avenue
The new store is set to open on 17 April on the venue’s Lower South John Street.
Key ranges include signature lace and exclusively embroidered lingerie collections alongside style/comfort ranges for nightwear and swimwear.
With summer next on the agenda, Boux Avenue said it continues to also be the “one-stop destination for holiday essentials. And its bra-fitting service (spanning A-G cup sizes) advises on the best size and style for bust shape, can be either a walk-in or bookable service.
To celebrate the opening day afternoon, Boux Avenue will be offering a goody bag worth £24 for the first 50 shoppers who spend £40-plus, while the store will also be hiding Golden Tickets to win Boux Avenue gift cards worth up to £100. Early evening celebrations will include a live DJ set, drinks and free embroidery to personalise a purchase.
Further celebrations between 18-20 April will include the free embroidery service to personalise purchases.
The news comes after we heard that digital fashion brand Arne is moving into permanent physical retail territory for the first time and has chosen Liverpool One for its debut.
The mall has also enhanced its premium retail watch line-up with the arrival of Breitling making its city debut.
But it’s not all about openings as Harvey Nichols is also closing its long-established three-storey Beauty Bazaar store there.