Ted Baker may not be a name immediately associated with sport but owner Authentic Brands Group is hoping it will be from next month when the new Ted Baker Sport line debuts.
Ted Baker Sport
And no, it’s not simply sporty pieces that are more about the ‘leisure’ element of the word ‘athleisure’ than the ‘ath’ bit. This is a full-on performance selection mixed in with a strong dose of trend and a very Ted Baker look (the use of archive Ted Baker prints helps here).
Launching on 13 November across the UK and Western Europe, the company’s offering men’s and women’s “performance apparel with British style”.
It added that the collection “redefines sportswear by blending innovative design, functional performance, and the brand’s signature British DNA”.
What we’re talking about here are pieces designed for the gym, for running, for the yoga mat, for the tennis court and more. And of course, as is the case with any modern active collection, the pieces can also work for any everyday activity the wearer chooses.
Ted Baker Sport
“Ted Baker has always been synonymous with quality, detail, and personality. With Ted Baker Sport, we’re bringing those values into a new space, where movement and performance meet effortless style,” said Henry Stupp, Authentic’s president, EMEAI.
Women’s highlights include supportive yoga bras and sculpt leggings with Vapour Dry and Aeroflow technology. There are layering pieces such as studio sweatshirts and wrap cardigans, and performance-driven tennis dresses and skorts in seasonal colours and prints.
For men, the range features Aeroflow performance tees, woven shorts with hidden storage, lightweight hybrid jackets, and warm-up track separates designed to “balance comfort with functionality”.
Fashion elements include peekaboo cuts on sweaters or scalloped trims on bras and leggings, reflective details and those aforementioned print accents. And an on-trend wine tone is a key colour.
As also mentioned, this is a performance collection so it uses fabrics like nylon-elastane blends, scuba knits, and lightweight wovens with technical benefits like stretch, shape retention, moisture management, and thermal comfort.
Its premium positioning sees pricing that starts at £35 for essentials and rises to £250 for layering pieces and outerwear.
Authentic acquired the once-high-flying brand back in 2022 and has been reviving it with new license agreements globally. And this latest move is clearly a big deal for the label.
Ted Baker Sport
It will be supported by PR and plenty of online activity plus influencer links (with an influencer event planned for next month, we’re told).
It said “this launch cements Ted Baker’s evolution into lifestyle performance, ensuring every detail echoes Ted Baker’s legacy while meeting the needs of the modern, active consumer”.
The newest ‘next-generation’ Frasers department store has opened at Queensgate Peterborough in the heart of the city.
Frasers Group
Spanning 60,000 sq ft across two floors, it brings together Frasers Group brands including Flannels, Sports Direct, USC, and Jack Wills under one roof.
The new destination “offers an elevated retail experience, providing access to the world’s most aspirational premium, lifestyle and sports brands”, across women’s, men’s, and kidswear, Frasers Group said.
It includes a dedicated 5,000 sq ft Flannels store, providing the Queensgate catchment “with the best in luxury and contemporary fashion, footwear, and accessories”.
This includes an extensive range of globally-recognised labels including Boss, Coach, Levi’s, Biba, Tommy Hilifger, Barbour, alongside sports brands under its Sports Direct banner, including Adidas, Nike, The North Face, Under Armour, New Balance, Everlast, Slazenger, Karrimor and USA Pro.
Ed Ginn, director of Investment Management for Queensgate operator Invesco Real Estate, said: “Frasers Group’s opening is the start of an exciting new chapter, and marks significant progress in our efforts to maintain Queensgate as a leading retail and leisure destination in the region and in the UK more widely.
“[The Frasers] addition… to the centre raises the bar for potential investment from brands to further enhance the shopping experience, as we continue to evolve Queensgate in a way that provides our catchment with everything they could need or want, in one place.”
Businessman Gerald Ratner has launched a surprise bid to buy the UK arm of the jewellery empire he famously trashed more than three decades ago after calling some products of his signature brand Ratners ‘total crap’.
Image: Ernest Jones
The businessman is seeking to acquire the British H Samuel and Ernest Jones chains from US-listed Signet Jewellers and install himself as chairman after he lost control of the businesses in the early 1990s, reported The Daily Telegraph.
Ratner has appealed to shareholders of the company as part of a bid to purchase the loss-making UK arm, which he said he has been “pursuing since the summer”.
The brands were once part of Ratners Group, the firm that he was forced to exit after he jokingly declared a few of its cheaper products were “total crap” in a speech at the Institute of Directors 30 years ago.
Ratner also remarked that some of the firm’s earrings were “cheaper than a prawn sandwich at Marks & Spencer – but I have to say, the sandwich will probably last longer than the earrings”.
The ensuing negative reaction from consumers and the wider business community gave rise to the phrase ‘to do a Ratner’ or destroy a valid business.
Ratner said he was attempting to acquire the UK division of Signet – which was formerly Ratners Group before it was rebranded – because he claimed its American owners were “doing everything wrong”.
The newspaper said that to launch his bid, Ratner has been in touch with Signet’s CEO. He’s understood to be backed by a consortium of primarily-British investors and has said they have the funds lined up.
He’s now launching an appeal directly to the company’s shareholders, who Ratner hopes should question why the US owners do not sell the loss-making division.
He told The Telegraph: “The reason we’re putting pressure on the shareholders is simply because of the fact that they’re doing so badly in the UK, they’re closing shops all the time and last year they sold their best shops.
“So we took the view that they’re not really interested in the UK. We approached them thinking that it’s in the interests of shareholders to just get rid of it.”
Signet is worth more than $3.7 billion (£2.8 billion) with a successful US operation but a loss-making UK division.
Frasers Group is reportedly considering a bid for failed business SilkFred as it continues to focus on acquiring brands that it sees as having growth potential or some unique properties in their business model that it can use in its wider operations.
SilkFred
SilkFred entered administration in October (although it was only officially announced last month) with Quantuma handling the process. The 15-year-old fashion company specialised in connecting womenswear designers and labels with consumers. Its particularly focus was occasionwear and unique pieces from indie brands.
News of Frasers’ (as-yet-unconfirmed) interest is hardly surprising. It continues to be one of the most acquisitive businesses in UK fashion. Only recently it has acquired both Braehead and Swindon Designer Outlet shopping destinations, a majority stake in luxury LA store The Webster, as well as adding to its already large ASOS stake (its 26% holding makes that company’s second-biggest shareholder).
The company hasn’t commented about SilkFred, although it would fit into its strategy of targeting younger consumers at a variety of price levels.
As mentioned, SilkFred went into administration this autumn, although here had been rumours of it struggling or a while.
Its most recent results covered 2023 and showed losses widening as sales fell as much as 46% to just £11.18 million.
Frasers, by contrast, is a giant of the retail sector with its half-year results up to the end of October showing revenue of £2.58 billion and retail trading profit of £411.4 million.