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URW acquires 25% stake in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter, expect Westfield rebranding next year

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2 months ago

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October 24, 2025

French malls giant Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) and pension investor APG have announced URW’s acquisition of a 25% stake in St James Quarter. And it’s more than just a financial deal as URW will be actively involved in the destination that’s controlled by APG, with which it has already partnered in London.

St James Quarter

Majority owner APG retains its 75% stake in the landmark mixed-use destination in Edinburgh that has 110 retail, leisure and dining units across 80,300 sq m. Opened four years ago, it’s in the heart of the city and is among Europe’s 20 highest-footfall retail destinations, “reflecting its strong consumer appeal and strategic urban location within one of the most dynamic cities in the region”.

So what happens now? Within the new joint venture partnership, URW will manage the asset and the centre will be rebranded as a Westfield destination in 2026, “as it leverages URW’s outstanding operational capabilities, as well as innovative services including those provided by in-house retail media agency Westfield Rise”. 

This will generate additional income for URW, including asset management and retail media fees.

The French firm’s CEO Jean-Marie Tritant explained the reasoning behind the deal saying: “St James Quarter is a high-quality, fully redeveloped asset that perfectly aligns with our strategy to operate and grow dominant flagship destinations in key urban markets. This accretive transaction also supports with the Group’s ‘A Platform for Growth’ 2025-28 business plan, enabling us to expand our presence through a minority stake alongside APG, a strategic long-term partner. Together, we will elevate the asset’s performance by leveraging our retail operations and media expertise, as well as bringing the globally recognised Westfield brand to the destination.”

And Robert-Jan Foortse, Head of Real Estate Europe at APG, added: “Since its opening in 2021, St James Quarter has consistently strengthened its operational performance, establishing itself among the UK’s leading shopping destinations. The acquisition marks an exciting new chapter for the centre which will benefit from URW’s operational expertise and innovative services, as well as for our collaboration, building on the success of our partnership at Westfield Stratford City. APG is pleased to continue our strong relationship with URW as we pursue shared ambitions and long-term value creation, both for our joint investments and for St James Quarter in particular.”

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Boss presents inaugural ‘Boss Award’ in Miami Beach

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1 minute ago

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December 8, 2025

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December 8, 2025

Boss is further deepening its role as a patron of the international art scene and as a partner of Art Basel. At the inaugural Art Basel Awards Night in Miami Beach last week, the fashion house presented the Boss Award for Outstanding Achievement for the first time. The 2025 award goes to the artist Meriem Bennani, whose multimedia practice is renowned for its innovative, humorous, and critically engaged storytelling.

Meriem Bennani is known for weaving humour, pop-cultural aesthetics, and digital language into her storytelling. – BOSS

The Moroccan-born New Yorker works across a variety of artistic media, including video, sound, animation, sculpture, and large-scale installations. She is known for combining humour, pop-cultural aesthetics, and digital language in her narratives to create immersive, playful yet incisive works that resonate with audiences.

The prize was presented by CEO Daniel Grieder and creative director Marco Falcioni. The award will continue to recognise artistic practices that open up new perspectives and spark relevant social dialogue.

“I am deeply honoured to have my work recognised by such an iconic brand that has long championed innovative art that speaks to a wider public. This award inspires me to continue creating works that challenge perspectives and celebrate the beauty of collective experiences,” said Meriem Bennani at the award ceremony.

The highlight of the ceremony was the installation of an immersive catwalk entitled “1995–2025: 30 Years of Arts Sponsorship,” which spotlighted the brand’s arts patronage over the past three decades. Milestones included the “Paper Suit” by artist James Rosenquist from 1998, which marries the timeless craftsmanship of tailoring with the ephemerality of paper. Also featured were the Hugo Boss Prize, awarded for many years in collaboration with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum, and a retrospective of the Hugo Boss Asia Art Award, launched jointly with the Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai.

“Art has been an integral part of our DNA for over 30 years, and our partnership with Art Basel takes our commitment to a new level. We are proud to present the inaugural Boss Award for Outstanding Achievement to its first recipient, Meriem Bennani. This award marks the beginning of an exciting journey, and we look forward to shaping the future of art together,” said CEO Daniel Grieder.

The Art Basel Awards, launched in February, honoured 36 medallists from the contemporary art sector in nine categories. Bottom right, Meriem Bennani holds the Boss Award.
The Art Basel Awards, launched in February, honoured 36 medallists from the contemporary art sector in nine categories. Bottom right, Meriem Bennani holds the Boss Award. – HUGO BOSS

“Fashion is an integral part of our everyday lives and serves as a bridge between the individual and society, often blurring the line between functionality and art. From our beginnings to our latest fashion show, Hugo Boss has been committed to the dialogue between fashion and contemporary art, as it continues to inspire innovation, creativity, and forward-thinking ideas,” added creative director Marco Falcioni.

The Boss Award is endowed with $100,000 and supports both future projects and a charitable initiative of the laureate’s choice. The award is open to living artists working across all media, with a particular focus on emerging talents who are shaping discussions within and beyond the art world.
 

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Comité Colbert elects Hélène Poulit-Duquesne as new chair of luxury federation

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December 8, 2025

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December 8, 2025

The Comité Colbert has unanimously elected Hélène Poulit-Duquesne to be the new chair of the leading French luxury federation. Poulit-Duquesne, the CEO of Maison Boucheron, succeeds Laurent Boillot. She will take up her new responsibilities in June 2026, working alongside Bénédicte Épinay, general delegate of the Comité Colbert.

Hélène Poulit-Duquesne – Boucheron

 
Poulit-Duquesne has been a long-term active member of the Comité Colbert. As CEO of Maison Boucheron, she has served on the association’s board of directors since 2018 and became its vice president in May 2022.
 
“I am proud and happy for the trust placed in me today. My roadmap is to continue supporting the Comité Colbert’s major challenges: promoting our expertise and supporting our industries, collectively promoting our values and our Houses internationally, and placing sustainable development, a future challenge for the planet and our professions, at the heart of our strategies,” said the Boucheron CEO in a release.

The Comité Colbert’s membership includes a wide variety of French luxury labels such as fashion houses like Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Dior, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Balmain; fine wines like Château Lafitte Rothschild and Perrier Jouët champagne; perfume brands- Frédéric Malle, Guerlain, and Francis Kurkdjian; jewellers such as Van Cleef & Arpels and Messika; and master chefs and restaurants including Yannick Alléno, Taillevent, and Guy Savoy.
 
“Each Maison of the Comité Colbert, beyond its individual performance and regardless of its market share and size, has a greater role to play: that of defending values that are universal and cement the foundation of our collective: the values of art, culture, and craftsmanship, the hand of man. Because they have meaning, they give meaning. They enrich the lives of millions of people and inspire them to dream,” insisted Poulit-Duquesne.
 
A notably experienced executive, Poulit-Duquesne has held senior positions in three of the largest luxury groups in the world- LVMH, Richemont, and Kering.
 
Hélène Poulit-Duquesne is a graduate of ESSEC Business School in the Paris suburbs, who began her career at LVMH before joining Cartier International, the key brand in the Richemont Group, in 1998. In 2010, she joined its Executive Committee as director of international marketing, before joining the Kering Group at the end of 2015 as CEO of Maison Boucheron.
 
“I am delighted at the prospect of working with Hélène Poulit-Duquesne to serve, together with our collective, the influence of an industry whose excellence and creativity are one of the major jewels in the crown of the French economy. We are committed to supporting its development, honouring its expertise, and amplifying its international influence,” added Épinay.
 
Created in 1954 on the initiative of famed perfumer Jean-Jacques Guerlain, the Comité Colbert is a non-profit association recognised as being of public interest, bringing together 98 French luxury houses and 17 cultural institutions. The Comité Colbert’s goal is to work together to promote the French art of living internationally, as well as to preserve and pass on French expertise and creativity.

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British photographer Martin Parr dies aged 73

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December 8, 2025

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Nicola Mira

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December 8, 2025

British photographer Martin Parr, renowned for his colour-saturated pictures and the ironic gaze with which he observed his compatriots’ daily life, passed away on Saturday aged 73. The announcement was made by the Martin Parr Foundation in a press release.

Martin Parr – Afp

“It is with great sadness that we announce that Martin Parr (1952-2025) died on December 6, 2025, at home in Bristol,” stated the foundation. Magnum Photos, the agency for which Parr had worked for a very long time, gave the sad news at the same time.
 
Parr became famous thanks to his highly recognisable aesthetic featuring close-up shots and a saturated palette, and the amused, sympathetic eye with which he observed his favourite themes, like mass tourism and consumerism, and his subjects, from sunbathers with crimson-baked skin to village fête participants.

Over the last 30 years, Parr’s style won over many fashion labels, and he collaborated with some of the top luxury houses. Last year, the Fashion Faux Parr book traced his links with the fashion world, featuring some 25 images taken over the course of several decades.
 
Parr’s influence extended beyond the domain of photography aficionados, even if his documentary-style work, sometimes described as kitsch, earned him as many admirers as detractors.
 
Parr was born in Surrey on May 23, 1952. He was introduced to photography by his grandfather, an enthusiast himself, and began taking pictures in black and white, like the great masters of the 1970s.
 
He rose to prominence in the mid-1980s, with The Last Resort, a study of working-class people on holiday in New Brighton in Merseyside. It was a foretaste of his future work, notable for the use of flash photography for exteriors shots too.
 
After a career fraught with challenges, Parr became a full member of Magnum Photos in 1994, despite Henri Cartier-Bresson’s initial opposition. He went on to lead the agency from 2013 to 2017.

With AFP

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