There’s been a lot of activity on the stores front for fashion retailer AllSaints, and the latest is an upsize and becomes one of its “most prominent this year”, at high-end outlet specialist Bicester Village.
The new 2,362 sq ft boutique, located in the Village Square, replaces the its previous unit “following strong footfall and growing customer demand”, it said.
The larger space enables AllSaints “to deliver an enhanced in-store experience, via a broader product range and refined aesthetic”.
It also becomes the first of AllSaints’ UK Value Retail locations to feature its elevated design concept, already in place at both the Meadowhall and Trafford malls and originally launched in Los Angeles in 2024.
With a “distinct boutique feel”, the store emphasises a “more personalised, clienteling-led experience”, with a unique window display incorporating a new hanging mannequin system.
Customisation is also available with any leather product purchased at the store, “reflecting AllSaints’ reputation for iconic leather jackets”, and sits alongside an expanded selection of products, across apparel, footwear, accessories and handbags, as well as a dedicated fragrance area, “a key focus for the brand in 2025”.
This store will also be among the first to introduce mobile till points, as part of a wider store rollout taking place over the coming months, it noted.
Catherine Jobling, AllSaints’ COO, said: “Our new and improved Bicester Village location reflects our strategic focus on investing in standout stores where we know our brand resonates strongly.” And the brand’s global retail director, Frankie Mallinson, added: “Bicester Village is a key location for us, and this larger boutique allows us to make a bigger statement across product, presentation and experience. Its opening reflects the strength of our partnership with Value Retail and the hard work invested on both sides.”
The upsized store follows quickly on from other UK store openings in Glasgow’s Princes Square last month, and London’s St Pancras station and Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre in April.
Copenhagen-based fashion house Ganni has announced the appointment of three executives to key roles: Marcelo Noschese as president, Americas; Marie Valot as director of communications and public relations; and Guillaume Dacquet as director of marketing and image. All three will report directly to Ganni’s chief executive, Laura du Rusquec, and will work closely with the Executive Committee.
Marie Valot, Director of Communications and Public Relations, and Guillaume Dacquet, Director of Marketing and Image. – DR
Based in New York, Marcelo Noschese will be responsible for Ganni’s retail, wholesale, and e-commerce operations across the Americas. He has held senior leadership roles at houses including Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Ferragamo. Prior to joining Ganni, he was CEO of Prada Americas, overseeing operations in the US, Canada, and Latin America.
Marie Valot joins Ganni as director of communications and public relations. She has more than 15 years’ experience in brand communications, VIP and influencer strategies, and international partnerships. She previously led international communications for Balmain, Nina Ricci, and KCD Paris, where she spearheaded global campaigns, media strategies, and cross-functional projects.
Guillaume Dacquet has been appointed director of marketing and image. He joins Ganni from Estée Lauder Companies, where he worked on international rebranding initiatives and long-term communications platforms. He has also held roles within LVMH Beauty, notably for the Dior, Guerlain, Givenchy, Fresh, and Stella McCartney brands, in positions spanning strategic planning, consumer research, and innovation.
These three appointments form part of efforts to strengthen Ganni’s global organisation. According to Laura du Rusquec, the company’s chief executive, these hires are intended to support the implementation of the company’s long-term global vision.
Founded in Copenhagen in 2000, Ganni is a contemporary fashion house stocked by numerous international retailers and operating boutiques in Europe, the US, and Asia. A certified B Corp, the company publishes an annual responsibility report and develops initiatives focused on innovation, notably through its ‘Fabrics of the Future’ programme and projects related to the circular economy. L Catterton acquired a majority stake in the company in 2017.
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United Colors of Benetton has partnered with the fifth and final season of television series Stranger Things to launch a collaborative collection for men, women, and children in the Indian market.
United Colors of Benetton’s collaboration with Stranger Things – United Colors of Benetton
The casual wear collection was developed in close collaboration with Stranger Things’ costume designer Amy Parris and was inspired by Benetton’s own style archive, the brand announced in a press release. Some of the looks in the collection are reinterpreted 1980s archive pieces from Benetton, which have already featured the new series of Stranger Things, while others have been created in continuity with the original outfits.
“The connection between Benetton and Stranger Things came about almost by chance, at a vintage market in Los Angeles where I was looking for authentic ’80s pieces for the fourth season and where I repeatedly came across original United Colors of Benetton garments from that period,” said Parris in a press release. “Among them was a sweatshirt with the logo and the classic horizontal stripes, which was chosen for one of the characters and marked the first true encounter between the brand and Stranger Things. That intuition later led us to involve Benetton in creating the outfits of some of the fifth season’s protagonists, giving rise to a collaboration that unites the historical heritage of the brand with the aesthetics of the series.”
The ‘Stranger Colors of Benetton’ collection is accompanied by a campaign which mixes an ode to Benetton’s 1980s adverts with the world of Stranger Things. The selection of short- and long-sleeved T-shirts, sweatshirts, and knitwear has launched at Benetton’s stores and online in India with a second drop planned for February 2026.
The Louvre Museum closed its doors to thousands of disappointed visitors on Monday as staff launched a strike to protest working conditions at the Paris landmark, two months after a shocking robbery.
The glass entrance to the Louvre in Paris, France – DR
Workers are demanding extra staff and measures to tackle overcrowding, adding to the woes of the world’s most visited museum just as France is gearing up for the Christmas holidays.
The strike comes nearly two months after the museum was victim of an embarrassing daylight heist that saw crown jewels worth $102 million stolen.
“We are closed,” a security agent told visitors on Monday morning, according to an AFP journalist. “Come back in a few hours.”
Around 400 employees voted unanimously to continue their strike at a general meeting, the CGT and CFDT unions said.
“I’m very disappointed, because the Louvre was the main reason for our visit in Paris, because we wanted to see the ‘Mona Lisa’,” said 37-year-old Minsoo Kim, who travelled from Seoul to Paris with his wife for their honeymoon.
Natalia Brown, a 28-year-old tourist from London, said she was also disappointed. “At the same time, I understand why they’re doing it, it’s just unfortunate timing for us.”
Speaking on the eve of the action, Christian Galani, from the hard-left CGT union, said the strike would have broad support across the museum’s 2,200-strong workforce.
“We’re going to have a lot more strikers than usual,” Galani said. “Normally, it’s front-of-house and security staff. This time, there are scientists, documentarians, collections managers, even curators and colleagues in the workshops telling us they plan to go on strike.”
All have different grievances, adding up to a picture of staff discontent inside the institution, just as it finds itself in a harsh public spotlight following the shocking robbery on October 19.
Reception and security staff complain they are understaffed and required to manage vast flows of people, with the home of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” welcoming several million people beyond its planned capacity each year.
A spontaneous walk-out protest on June 16 this year led the museum to temporarily close.
The Louvre has become a symbol of so-called “over-tourism”, with the 30,000 daily visitors facing what unions call an “obstacle course” of hazards, long queues, and sub-standard toilets and catering.
Documentarians and curators are increasingly horrified by the state of disrepair inside the former royal palace, with a recent water leak and the closure of a gallery due to structural problems underlining the difficulties.
“The building is not in a good state,” chief Louvre architect Francois Chatillon admitted in front of lawmakers last month during a parliamentary hearing.
Under-fire Louvre boss Laurence des Cars, who faces persistent calls to resign, warned the government in January in a widely publicised memo about leaks, overheating and the declining visitor experience.
After the memo, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a massive renovation plan for the museum, expected to cost 700 million to 800 million euros (up to $940 million).
Questions continue to swirl since the break-in over whether it was avoidable and why a national treasure such as the Louvre appeared to be so poorly protected.
Two intruders used a portable extendable ladder to access the gallery containing the crown jewels, cutting through a glass door with angle grinders in front of startled visitors before stealing eight priceless items.
Investigations have since revealed that only one security camera was working outside when they struck, that guards in the control room did not have enough screens to watch the coverage in real time, and that police were initially misdirected.
Major security vulnerabilities were highlighted in several studies seen by management of the Louvre over the last decade, including a 2019 audit by experts at the jewellery company Van Cleef & Arpels.
Their findings stressed that the riverside balcony targeted by the thieves was a weak point and could be easily reached with an extendable ladder- exactly what transpired in the heist.
Politics8 years ago