UK business minister Jonathan Reynolds will meet with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on Tuesday to advance discussions on a bilateral trade agreement, the British embassy said.
Reuters
Reynolds will discuss deeper UK-U.S. ties to benefit industry, business and consumers, building on discussions first launched by U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer during an Oval Office meeting last month, it said.
“The UK and U.S. share a fair and balanced relationship, one that has benefited both sides for many decades,” Reynolds said in a statement, calling his visit the latest step in the UK’s “pragmatic and positive engagement with the new administration to agree a wider economic deal in both our interests.”
Britain, unlike the European Union, did not immediately retaliate after Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports took effect March 12, hoping to negotiate a trade deal and stave off a broader round of reciprocal tariffs that Trump says he will announce on April 2.
Trump said last month the two countries might reach a bilateral trade deal that would avert duties.
Britain and the U.S. engaged in five rounds of trade negotiations toward such a deal during Trump’s first term in office, but failed to reach an agreement before he left office. The work was shelved by his successor, former president Joe Biden.
Britain’s ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, said the two allies hoped to set up a “full spectrum technology partnership” building on critical U.S.-UK collaboration on nuclear technologies during World War Two and joint work developing the internet.
In a commentary published on Monday in the Hill newspaper, Mandelson underscored the importance of continued collaboration – now on artificial intelligence – given today’s intense rivalries with adversaries in that sector.
He mapped out potential partnerships in biotechnologies, including genomics, protein design and engineering, as well as joint work on advanced data centers, the world’s first advanced quantum computer, and nuclear technology.
“The U.S. and UK are natural allies to work together to deliver generational advances,” he said. “America and Britain can achieve more together than they can do apart.”
The U.S. is Britain’s single largest country trading partner, with more than $1.5 trillion invested in each other’s economies across key sectors including financial services, energy and technology.
In 2024, Inditex expanded its presence with new store openings across 47 markets, reinforcing its dominance in global fashion retail. But where is the company focusing its expansion strategy, and what does its commercial trajectory look like for 2025? Closing its latest fiscal year on January 31, the Spanish powerhouse marked a significant milestone with its first store openings in Uzbekistan. Now, the group is poised to push forward, adding Iraq to its ever-growing list of markets.
Inditex is set to debut in Iraq in 2025 – Inditex
”We will enter Iraq with stores from all our retail brands, allowing us to introduce our fashion to a broad new customer base. Expanding into a new country not only assesses demand but also measures the market’s reception of our collections. We are incredibly excited about this next step,” stated an Inditex executive during the group’s annual financial presentation, where it reported a 7.5% increase in sales and a 9% rise in profits for 2024.
Alongside its expansion into Iraq, Inditex is reinforcing its presence in strategic global cities, with new flagship locations set to open in Nanjing, China; Athens, Greece; Eindhoven, Netherlands; and Osaka, Japan. Meanwhile, ZaraMan is making a statement with a high-profile opening on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, one of Europe’s most prestigious shopping avenues.
Several of Inditex’s other brands are also expanding into new markets in 2025. Bershka will debut in Sweden, Oysho will enter the Netherlands and Germany, and Stradivarius will launch in Austria.
“We will continue executing projects that secure our presence in the most iconic retail destinations around the world,” noted CEO Óscar García Maceiras, citing Zara’s upcoming flagship openings in Nanjing, China, and The Grove, Los Angeles, as prime examples. In addition, Inditex will introduce its third El Apartamento concept—a luxurious retail space merging Zara and Zara Home—within its Serrano Street flagship in Madrid. Meanwhile, London’s Oxford Street will welcome Pull&Bear and Massimo Dutti, while in Paris, Oysho will establish a presence in the distinguished La Madeleine district.
The United States, Inditex’s second-largest market after Spain, remains a strategic priority. In 2025, the company plans to open, renovate, or expand eight stores, with another 13 projects scheduled for 2026. The Los Angeles location will be joined by another opening at Forum Las Vegas, in addition to significant renovations and expansions in Boston and New York’s Hudson Yards.
“We are currently present in 25 states in the country, and in 2026, we will reach 26, including North Carolina,” said the executive.
At the close of 2024, Inditex operated 5,563 stores worldwide, with its total store count decreasing by 129 compared to the previous year. Among its brands, Zara leads with 1,759 stores, followed by Bershka with 854, Stradivarius with 835, Pull&Bear with 800, Massimo Dutti with 528, Oysho with 396, and Zara Home with 391. In total, Inditex’s retail space surpassed 4.6 million square meters.
Beyond its brick-and-mortar presence, the group now operates e-commerce in 214 markets, with online sales soaring 12% in 2024, surpassing the €10 billion milestone (€10.16 billion) for the first time. Digital sales now account for 26.3% of total revenue, supported by 218 million active app users and 8.1 billion online visits, marking a 10% increase year-over-year.
Havaianas, the footwear brand renowned for its flip-flops, has tapped a new ambassador with a global reputation for Spring/Summer 2025, Gigi Hadid. The US top model, who has over 77 million followers on Instagram, will feature in many of Havaianas’s campaigns for next season, presenting models like the Brazil Logo and the Slim Point.
Gigi Hadid is Havaianas’s new face – DR
“Growing up at the beach, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t wearing this summer staple. I’m excited to be working with this team, and I love that Havaianas is making a comeback. I’ll make sure that flip-flops will feature everywhere, from Paris to New York to the beach,” said Hadid in a press release.
With Hadid as ambassador, Havaianas, owned by Brazilian group Alpargatas, is keen to establish itself as a genuine fashion label.
Havaianas has sold more than 5 billion pairs of flip-flops since it was founded, and currently operates approximately 1,000 stores worldwide, in addition to its network of multibrand retailers.
Moncler Grenoble has staged a high-altitude runway show in a snow-covered setting at the French Alpine resort of Courchevel, with an array of celebrities and the label’s ambassadors as guests.
Moncler Grenoble, Fall/Winter 2025-26 – DR
The luxury down jacket label brought to the resort’s airport, the Altiport, with a runway at over 2,000 metres altitude, some 140 looks by its heritage Moncler Grenoble line, combining high performance and style in a collection designed for both the pistes and après-ski.
The show took place at sunset in a cosy atmosphere, with snow-capped mountains in the backdrop and the guests warmly enveloped in white capes, sitting in front of a horseshoe-shaped walkway. The live soundtrack was a blend of modern and classical pieces played by a symphony orchestra.
The Moncler Grenoble Fall/Winter 2025 collection challenges the convention of Alpine apparel, drawing its inspiration from the world of tailoring. It blends meticulous materials research, refined knitwear, innovative techniques and fabric treatments with sophisticated embroidery and decorations, for a sartorial-tech approach exemplified by the intricate inlays on ski suits and jackets.
Knitwear features throughout the wardrobe, from outerwear to intermediate layers, and also includes skirts with a snug texture. Some of the outfits come in tweed-like textures obtained by applying wool embroidery on patchwork fabrics in lacquered nylon. Natural and faux shearling is used for wraparound coats and to decorate collars, cuffs and handbags.
Moncler Grenoble, Fall/Winter 2025-26 – DR
The collection includes some unexpected materials, like workwear-inspired denim and canvas, formalwear-style houndstooth wool, and even richly textured bouclé wool. The palette chiefly consists of neutral shades like white, beige, brown, and grey with hints of blue, brightened by flashes of red and deeper navy and black hues.
Moncler Grenoble also presented an exclusive snowboard by Whitespace, designed by snowboarding legend and global Moncler ambassador Shaun White. The board, whose innovative shape is suitable to all terrains, adds to the collection’s range of high-performance equipment.
The show was the crowning event of an Alpine weekend organised by Moncler in the picturesque Les Trois Vallées resort, the label’s guests enjoying a range of skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing activities.