Eighty-one and counting. Space NK is to open its first new store of 2025 at the major Landsec-operated Bluewater mall in Kent.

The premium beauty retailer has chosen a trading space totalling 2,760 sq ft and it debuts before its 82nd store, set to open this summer at the equally massive Hammerson-operated Birmingham Bullring. That will be its largest store (5,500 sq ft) outside of London.

Number 83 could be another major flagship location… at London’s Oxford Circus, adjacent to the new Ikea store, although that is yet to be officially confirmed.

Back to Bluewater, and the store will feature “over 100 of the world’s most coveted beauty brands”. 

As with the Bullring,the store has been “designed with the customer experience in mind [with a] truly sensorial experience in which customers can rely on receiving unbiased advice and expert curation of the world’s best beauty brands, alongside an experience that provides space for customers to stay and play in a retail concept that has bespoke spaces”.
 
This store also marks a return to Bluewater for SpaceNK, with the original store, which had a much smaller footprint, closing in 2012.
 
Charlie Evans, head of retail at Space NK, said: “With its vibrant atmosphere and exceptional visitor experience, Bluewater is the ideal location for us to connect with even more customers and showcase our unique offerings in the heart of Kent. This opening marks an important step in expanding our presence in the region.”
 
Pablo Sueiras, Head of Brand Account Management at Landsec added: “We continue to see strong growth from the best in beauty retail and Space NK’s exceptional curation makes them the destination for luxury beauty discovery.  Space NK’s new store promises an unparalleled shopping experience for the millions of Bluewater guests who visit each year.”

Recent beauty developments at Bluewater have included the opening of Sephora and Superdrug moving into a larger space. The closure of House of Frasers there, which had a large prestige beauty department, has also opened up opportunities for other retailers to fill the gap left behind.

Debenhams Group — formerly Boohoo Group — has announced its headline sponsorship of Graduate Fashion Week 2025 (GFW), building on the Debenhams brand’s long-standing partnership with the Graduate Fashion Foundation (GFF).

The company said the move reflects its “heritage in championing British designers and its ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of home-grown talent”.

The deal comes with the chance for young creatives to win an in-house contract at Debenhams Group by entering the ‘Debenhams Catwalk to Collection’ Award.

The company, which owns Karen Millen, MAN, PrettyLittleThing, Coast, Oasis and Warehouse, as well as Debenhams and Boohoo, will sponsor the event that takes place from 13-16 June.

The fashion week is hosted by the charitable foundation and over the past 33 years, more than 100,000 students have been supported by the charity, with designers benefiting having included Stella McCartney, Giles Deacon and Julien MacDonald.  

The company has worked with GFF since 2016, supporting nearly 30,000 aspiring fashion creatives and this is its sixth year as GFW’s sponsor.

The ‘Catwalk to Collection’ Award will see 20 shortlisted designers taking part in the Debenhams Catwalk Show, which will be hosted on the opening night of GFW. The show will be curated by the Debenhams team, with a focus on commercial collections produced by graduate designers at British universities that are members of GFF. 

Last year saw Eleanor McMahon from The Manchester Fashion Institute as overall winner. But the judges were also impressed by the designs of Sonny Matthews and Ivy Chow, and all three were given a year-long contract. Their collections will go on sale this summer.  

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. has become the first Major League Baseball player to be the face of Nike underwear.

In this role, Acuña Jr. will star in Nike’s Spring 2025 campaign, bringing his signature energy, charisma, and MVP-caliber to the global campaign.

The Venezuelan made his entrance into Major League Baseball with the Atlanta Braves in 2018, just four years after signing as an international free agent. He earned the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year award, followed by four All-Star selections, three Silver Slugger Awards, and two league-leading seasons in stolen bases.

In 2023, Acuña Jr. etched his name into the record books by delivering one of the most dominant individual seasons in MLB history. He became just the fifth player ever to join the exclusive 40-40 club—hitting at least 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in a single season.

​He joins a lineup of previously featured elite athletes in Nike underwear campaigns, including Portuguese soccer star Rúben Dias, Minnesota Timberwolves standout Rudy Gobert, and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray.