Carine Roitfeld and her son Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld have unveiled Players, a new sports and media venture that launches for SS25 with Restoin Roitfeld as editor-in-chief and NBA star Dwyane Wade as its first guest editor. Carine Roitfeld is co-founder and head of fashion.

The fashion and multimedia brand is fronted by a bi-annual “collectors magazine” and will expand into “custom publishing, limited edition capsule collections and exclusive collaborations with top athletes and designers”, we’re told.

The duo said that Wade’s role in the inaugural issue sets the tone for Players’ “unique blend of high fashion storytelling, cultural influence and immersive brand experiences”.

Restoin Roitfeld added: “we are building something beyond the magazine – an intersection of fashion, culture and sport that speaks to a new generation of readers and collaborators.

“This venture will open doors for a new wave of creatives – writers, stylist photographers and designers – who have never worked with the CR team before, bringing fresh perspectives and storytelling to players. It will also really find how brands are featured, placing them in unexpected factors and collaborations that feel disruptive, modern and culturally irrelevant”.

They believe that the “fusion of sports and high fashion has never been more topical. Social media has transformed athletes into the new style stars of today”.

As mentioned, it will be more than a magazine and beyond editorial storytelling will foster a global network of creatives athletes and fashion insiders with the aforementioned custom publishing and product drops elements also key to creating a durable brand.

In-the-news Debenhams has turned its attention away from corporate matters to tell us the brand is heading to the races. The digital department store has signed a two-year partnership deal to sponsor The Jockey Club and its premier racecourses.

Specifically, the ‘Debenhams Day Spa’ is to launch at four of the UK’s key fixtures, creating “unrivalled moments of glamour and excitement” to deliver immersive race-day beauty experiences at some of the most prestigious fixtures on the racing calendar across 2025-2026.

It all begins with the upcoming Cheltenham Festival (15-18 March), followed by Epsom’s Derby Festival (7-8 June), Sandown Park (5-6 July), Newmarket’s July Festival (12-14 July), and the Grand National Festival in 2026.

We’re told the partnership unites “two British icons in retail and racing, blending Debenhams’ legacy of championing personal style and self-expression with The Jockey Club’s heritage of elegance and performance”. And the aim is “creating a modern space for racegoers to indulge in the very best of fashion and beauty from Debenhams”.

The Day Spas are luxury pop-up destinations that will provide spectators with interactive beauty moments and touch-ups using L’Oréal Luxe products (Lancome, YSL, Prada, Armani and Viktor + Rolf).

The spas will also feature pieces from the Coast at Debenhams fashion collections.

Beyond race-day activations, the partnership includes year-round branding across The Jockey Club’s 15 racecourses, “delivering consistent exposure to race-day audiences and an average ITV viewership of 400,000 across 85 fixtures annually”.

Dan Finley, CEO of Debenhams, said: “Horse racing embodies elegance, excitement and unforgettable memories – values that align perfectly with our ethos. Our Debenhams’ Day Spas will offer racegoers an irresistible opportunity to unwind, indulge and feel their very best throughout the day.”
 

Best-know for its trainers, New Balance is increasingly turning its attention to the comfort/leisure footwear sector.

Described as a “new market opportunity for New Balance”, the introduction of the new ‘Made in UK Allerdale’ comes about as the brand “looks beyond only retro running by capitalising on a shift towards a more formal and tailored approach to fashion”, according to New Balance creative design manager Sam Pearce.

The ‘Allerdale’ is the latest addition to its ‘Made in UK’ collection with the all-new model “combining the brand’s “walking shoe heritage and contemporary design for a more formal aesthetic”.

Designed for both “comfort and elegance”, the Allerdale’s craftsmanship and style is paired with the brand’s signature FuelCell cushioning comfort technology.

The model features a cupped sole unit, with heavy-duty stitching and a hiking-inspired tread. Made with premium leather and suede, the shoe is finished with minimalist branding marked by an embroidered flying New Balance logo.

Pearce added: “Building on the legacy of our revolutionary Hiker models, and our lesser-known walking collection of the 1980s – which were also made in England – this design was born and named by its very surroundings. The ‘Allerdale’ is a modern expression of a classic style, built for those who want to walk their own path.”

The Allerdale, in brown leather, will be available globally online from 20 March.