There’s never a bad time to be the main choice as a fashion destination, but M&S has taken top-of-the-tree status this Christmas when it comes to AI gift inspiration. And in the Beauty category, Charlotte Tilbury has been mentioned more than any other cosmetics brand while Decathlon took top spot in the Sports category.
M&S
That’s all down to the ‘AI Christmas Nice List’ compiled by digital marketing and PR agency Tank, revealing which UK retailers AI favours for Christmas gifting by analysing hundreds of ChatGPT responses across 10 retail sectors, awarding a mention score based on how early products are recommended.
And of the top fashion searches, M&S achieved the highest mention score (21) in the category. And that was out of nearly 150 websites.
Following M&S, shoppers are more likely to see fashion picks from Next, Barbour and John Lewis, with mention scores of 20, 17 and 15, respectively.
Next, it has to be noted, also received three more total mentions than M&S, but “these were later in AI’s response and scored lower overall”, the report said.
High ratings for British heritage brand Barbour and John Lewis were helped by their annual Christmas ads bringing in press coverage and social media attention to drive holiday demand, with this year’s ad including Barbour’s retuned link-up with Shaun The Sheep.
Other big name fashion recommendations include Matalan at number five (14 mentions), followed by Sainsbury’s TU Clothing (11 mentions), Longchamp (10), accessories brand Fairfax & Favor and White Stuff (both 8 mentions).
John Lewis also showed up the most overall in ChatGPT, with 31 mentions across eight out of 10 sectors analysed including Home and Food & Drink categories.
Martin Harris, head of digital at Tank, commented on the research: “ChatGPT is used everyday for personal and commercial queries such as Christmas gift ideas, so if fashion brands aren’t appearing for the relevant results, they could be missing out on sales. AI search is important for retailers and while there is hesitancy around it, it is essential brands are discoverable where shoppers are searching for information.
“While some small retailers could struggle with being found in AI during peak seasons like Christmas, it presents an opportunity to improve visibility in their niche. Consumers can also use AI to find niche brands and products. That’s why it’s even more important retailers know what their customers want and have a strategy to appear in the relevant results.”
Aditya Birla Group’s corporate social enterprise Aadyam Handwoven has named Sobhita Dhulipala as its new brand ambassador, who will contribute to the brand’s ‘Culture Beyond Textiles’ vision of preserving India’s weaving legacies.
Sobhita Dhulipala wearing a saree by Aadyam Handwoven – Aadyam Handwoven
“Aadyam has always stood for the people behind the loom, the cultures that shape our craft, and the traditions that continue to evolve. Sobhita is a woman of today who exemplifies this thinking with an innate sensitivity that is in tandem with our narrative,” said Aadyam Handwoven’s business lead Manish Saksena in a press release. “Her connect to handlooms is personal and intuitive, and her presence strengthens our endeavour to make Indian craftsmanship aspirational for a new generation.”
Aadyam Handwoven retails fashion and homeware goods designed to highlight Indian textile heritage and translate it for modern shoppers. The label aims to harness Dhulipala’s pan-India popularity to raise awareness about the brand and its textile ecosystem.
“I’ve always believed that craft carries emotion,” said Sobhita Dhulipala. “When something is made by hand, it holds the imprint of the person who created it. Aadyam’s work with weaving communities, combined with its philosophy of celebrating culture in all its forms, makes this association very special for me. I am honoured to lend my voice to a brand that champions artistry with purpose.”
One year on from his passing, Catalan fashion company Mango is commemorating the legacy of Isak Andic. In memory of its founder, who lost his life on December 14, 2024 in a tragic mountaineering accident in Barcelona, Mango has undertaken a series of commemorative initiatives across its stores and corporate channels to highlight the business, human, and philanthropic legacy of the entrepreneur, born in Istanbul in 1953.
Exterior of the Catalan brand’s store on Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona, adorned with a special tribute to Isak Andic. – Mango
In this context, some of the company’s most emblematic stores have dressed their windows with a portrait of Andic and messages inside that evoke his legacy. Specifically, the tributes have reached its stores from Paseo de Gracia in Barcelona to Serrano in Madrid, as well as international locations such as Oxford Street in London, Fifth Avenue in New York, and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan. In parallel, Mango added a black ribbon to its e-commerce platform and shared a commemorative video on its internal channels and social media.
The audiovisual tribute, produced by company employees drawing on hours of archival footage and interviews, captures the founder’s lessons and reflections in his own voice. “Isak was a visionary who transformed a personal dream into a global brand. His legacy remains a constant source of inspiration for all of us,” the company shared on its LinkedIn profile alongside the video, adding that “his spirit lives on in every step we take towards the future, as we continue to work to fulfil his vision and ensure that Mango is a project he would be proud of.”
For his part, the group’s CEO and executive chairman, Toni Ruiz, shared a personal letter addressed to Andic, both internally and on his LinkedIn profile, in which he reaffirmed that the values that defined the founder will guide the brand’s next steps. In it, he remembers Andic as “a brilliant entrepreneur and an exceptional person,” stressing that “there has not been a single day on which we have not remembered him.” “Mango continues to sail steadily towards new horizons,” he said.
Ruiz recalled the conversations and ideas left unfinished and highlighted the trust that the founder placed in the team, noting that “Mango is made up of excellent professionals and even better people.” The executive also reviewed the milestones of the past year, from double-digit growth to international expansion and momentum across all product lines, as well as progress at Mango Campus and the company’s focus on innovation and artificial intelligence- areas that Andic always emphasised. “What could have been a difficult year, we have together turned into a historic one,” he stressed. The letter concludes with a message of gratitude on behalf of the 17,000 people who make up the company and with the phrase the founder often repeated: “the sky is the limit.”
In parallel, during the last year there have also been significant changes in the structure of the family holding company that owns Mango. Following the death of Isak Andic, his three children reorganised the family’s companies under Punta Na Holding, the entity that brings together the family investment vehicles and controls the vast majority of the fashion company’s capital. In this context, the eldest son, Jonathan Andic, stepped down in June from his position as global director of Mango Man, a role he had held for 17 years, to focus fully on managing the family’s investment companies, which include business and property investments, sharing corporate governance responsibilities with his sisters Sarah and Judith.
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Expanding women’s fashion retailer Wyse London is set to open a pop-up store in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Saturday (13 December).
Wyse London
The 550 sq ft space on Frederick Street isn’t just for Christmas as it’s opening until next May, housing the brand’s latest styles from its Autumn/Winter collection, including bestsellers the Liana Chunky Funnel Neck Jumper, Philippa Pea Coat and festive dresses and tops.
The pop-up marks the latest in a series of new store openings, “following the successful introduction to the North of England” in York in September. That became its fourth permanent UK store, joining the brand’s two in London – Chelsea and Marylebone – as well as Southwold, Suffolk.
More stores, both pop-up and permanent, are planned over 2026 both nationally and internationally, the retailer said.
Founder Marielle Wyse added: “Edinburgh has become an increasingly significant city for us, as we’ve seen a rapidly growing community of customers shopping with us online, so opening a physical pop-up feels like the natural next step.
“The city’s cultural heritage and vibrant population offers a setting that aligns perfectly with our brand values, while the thriving tourism scene brings an energy and international audience we’re excited to welcome. With a discerning retail landscape, the city gives us a unique opportunity to build deeper relationships with both existing and new customers.”
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