Fashion retailer French Connection has blamed rising costs and shrinking margins for “disappointing” losses. Losses rose to £3.5m ($6.2m) in the six months to 31 July against a loss of £2.5m at the same time last year.

It added that while UK and European sales had risen, increased overheads and staff costs had offset any gains.

Looking ahead the firm remained cautious warning that difficult economic conditions would continue to effect the business in the short term.

The group added that it would continue to build on the strong performance of its ladies’ wear division, and “mirror this success within our men’s wear business” reported the BBC.

“It would appear that the economic environment is unlikely to improve in the short-term and that therefore any gains we make will have to be achieved through significant out-performance by our ranges,” chairman Stephen Marks added.

This November the very first award dedicated to ethical fashion, ‘RE:Fashion’, will take place in London. Eleven awards will celebrate  the social and environmental improvements in retail, manufacture and consumer engagement. Winning entries will need to prove their style credentials. The RE: Fashion judges will be looking for on trend fashion that makes a difference. Renowned for revolutionizing men’s tailoring, fashion designer Ozwald Boateng is a patron of RE:Fashion.

High profile partners include Hilary Alexander (Fashion Editor of The Telegraph), Jane Shepherdson, Ann-Sofie Back and fashion designer Todd Lynn.

In Early 2009, New York will see the launch of Matthew Williamson US flagship store. The retail space of the luxury fashion label will be located at 413, West 14th Street, New York.

In August 2007 TSM Capital acquired an equity stake in Matthew Williamson Holdings, Ltd. Baugur Group, which invested in the Company in 2006 maintain a significant equity interest in the business. TSM Capital made the investment in collaboration with the Aronsson Group. Matthew Williamson and Joseph Velosa, the Company’s founders, between them retain a majority stake in the Company.

Designer and President Matthew Williamson commented: “I am very excited to be opening my own store in New York.Each Matthew Williamson store is a very personal design opportunity to express my brand and I am really looking forward to working on this and making the store a reality over the coming months.”

The Matthew Williamson brand was established in London in 1997, and opened its first boutique on Bruton Street, London in 2004.The store received industry acclaim for its award-winning design. The Company currently has a customer portfolio which includes 170 prestigious wholesale accounts around the world.

Click Here: Papua New Guinea Rugby Shop

Mr Roberto Cavalli doesn’t think he’s too old for ‘entertainment & nightlife’. The 68-year old designer of sexy-fashion will shake up the Dubai scene with the November opening of his Cavalli Club in the Fairmont Hotel on Sheikh Zaved Road. Two floors, its own private entrance and a surface of an estimated 25.000 square feet.

Roberto Cavalli chose the Pragma Group as his partner for this important undertaking. He says “Dubai is a city of the future and the Cavalli Club is a futuristic space created with the whole world in mind.”

There will be a room showcasing jewellery, watches and exclusive accessories from Cavalli Maison, the Italian and sushi restaurants are selected by Cavalli, as well as a Cavalli wine and Cavalli wodka. The Club offers to the public a complete Roberto Cavalli lifestyle experience and a new way of shopping at a non-conventional time of day.

Opening in November 2008. Too far? Wait for the new club in Florence, expected to open a few months later.

Click Here: Samon Rugby Shop

20 Emerging jewellers are offered a unique opportunity with the introduction of the Coutts New Jewellers Awards. As part of Coutts London Jewellery Week, the new award supports up-and-coming talent in jewellery design and craft. Particularly vulnerable in the current economic climate, winners are offered a wide array of expertise by taking part in the Coutts Business Development Forum, receiving advice on how to remain resilient during these testing times.

The event will see winners schooled in how to sustain and grow their business, through inspiring lectures by industry experts across a broad range of fields including brand development, business planning, funding, marketing and PR. All specialists in their chosen fields, speakers will be drawn from both within and outside the jewellery industry to ensure that the winners receive relevant tips on how to maximise their presence in the marketplace. Leading jeweller Stephen Webster will host a lunch.

Open to any business that is less than four years old and based in London, the Coutts New Jewellers Awards will provide winners with complimentary bronze level participation in Coutts London Jewellery Week, which runs from the 8-14 June 2009. This will grant an online presence on the event’s website, a listing in the Guide circulated throughout the capital and benefit from international media promotion to significantly raising their profile.

Announcing the launch of the Coutts New Jewellers Awards, Sarah Deaves, Chief Executive Coutts & Co. commented: “We have extensive experience of working with some of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs and are delighted to pass on this knowledge to help support the next generation of entrepreneurs in the jewellery industry. With this in mind, we are pleased to introduce the Coutts Business Development Forum which will be held in March.”

Entries will be judged according to the creativity of their planned event for Coutts London Jewellery Week, the company’s current profile and its portfolio of design. All applications for the Coutts New Jewellers Awards must be received by Friday 9th January 2009 and the winners will be announced by Friday 16th January.

Click Here: Tonga Rugby Shop

Image: Coutts London Jewellery Week

At the time when votes are the magic word, Gap introduces its “Vote for” marketing campaign, which will run through the US presidential election, November 4. Centered on a customizable classic white t-shirt that simply says, “Vote for…”, Gap is encouraging Americans to fill in the blank with whatever word, expression or presidential candidate they are passionate about.

Click Here: Italy Rugby Shop

In addition to the “Vote for…” t-shirt that is sold in the stores and on the website, the campaign features “Vote for” buttons and an original song by musician Matt White. Store windows will feature images of 70 real people who filled in the blanks on their T-shirts at Gap events over the summer. On its website, Gap has posted personal webisodes by acclaimed actors, architects and political activists, talking about how they would fill in the blank.

“For nearly 40 years, self expression and individuality have been an integral part of the heart and soul of Gap,” said Ivy Ross, executive vice president of Gap Marketing. “With this historic election upon us, we wanted to provide Americans with a platform to voice their opinions.”

As part of the campaign, Gap has enlisted the support of political activist and American TV and film icon Norman Lear who founded Declare Yourself, a nonpartisan campaign aiming to empower every eligible American to register to vote.

Watch out for Elle Magazine’s website in the upcoming weeks. The fashion publication teamed up with the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood with two unique auctions showcased in its December issue. In the first auction, 30 new-season handbags, donated by top designers, will be auctioned online through the Elle website to raise funds for the charity. Prime Minister’s wife Sarah Brown is patron of the charity.

The online auction, hosted by Buy Once Give Twice, will be on until the 5th December. The 30 handbags, donated by designers including Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Roberto Cavalli, Emilio Pucci, Alexander McQueen and Marni, are worth almost £30,000. Ninety per cent of all funds raised throughout the auction will be donated to the White Ribbon Alliance.

Elle Editor-in-Chief Lorraine Candy commented: “In some parts of India, women say goodbye to their children and family before they give birth – such is the risk they will die. It is unbearable to think that this is happening in this day and age, when something as simple as a £2 sterile birth kit could save their lives. Supplying midwives with flip-flops will help save lives; getting mobile phones to remote villages will help save lives. The WRA is an effective and female-focused charity, which makes an immediate difference in any of the areas it works in.”

For the current December issue of Elle, legendary photographer Gilles Bensimon joined the magazine’s campaign. He took an exclusive set of photographs featuring celebrities and their best friends demonstrating the importance of close relationships. Celebrities featured include Kelly Osbourne with boyfriend Luke Worrall, actresses Anna Friel, Tamsin Egerton and Milla Jovovich among others. The nine Smile photos will be auctioned at a later date to raise money for the charity.

Every year, 500,000 women die in pregnancy or childbirth and nearly all those deaths are preventable. Elle is working with Sarah Brown and the White Ribbon Alliance to help save those lives in future. For the future Elle is looking to collaborate on a number of other projects and initiatives with the White Ribbon Alliance.

Image: Elle.com

Topshop will bring a little bit of the Big Apple to London. Award winning denim label J Brand will work together on an exclusive collaboration with the British high street store. The US premium denim brand will debut with a limited edition capsule collection at Topshop’s Oxford Circus flagship store at the end of November.

“We see this collaboration with Topshop as a great opportunity to be part of a groundbreaking company, and create a special product for them that is in keeping with our aesthetic, yet presented in a new way”, said Susie Crippen, J Brand co-founder and Creative Director.

J Brand for Topshop will consist of three low-rise styles named by the New York neighbourhoods that stand for the styles of the women who wear them. The Brooklyn style is the new denim staple: a 12-inch pencil leg; the Nolita is a classic cigarette leg with a 14-inch leg opening; and the Manhattan is a slim fit 22-inch bell-bottom. These styles will be available in washes that range from dark and clean to vintage-inspired distressed washes.

Click Here: New Zealand Rugby Shop

Next will this week unveil a fall in full-year profits of around 14pc following a drop-off in sales brought on by the credit crisis. Analysts expect the chain, which also owns the Directory catalogue business, to reveal that pre-tax profit for the year to January was £428m, down from £498.1m last year.

The company, which is run by chief executive Simon Wolfson, has already said that sales fell last year. At Christmas the retailer reported a like-for-like sales drop of 7pc, at the bottom of the -4pc to -7pc range that it had given the market. Observers expect sales to be -6pc in 2009 and -4pc in 2010.

Eastpak has announced a collaboration with Californian designer Rick Owens. The results are a hybrid of very exclusive pieces consisting of 9 bags and 2 outerwear garments that will be sold at premium retailers and Eastpak icon stores worldwide from September 2009.

Created in 1976 Eastpak is the authentic brand for packs and bags famed for their style, toughness & functionality. Eastpak has taken pride in being recognised as an innovative, fun brand, having previously collaborated with designers such as Raf Simons.

Today Eastpak produces apparel, bags and accessories that combine style, utility and value for money. Eastpak is a lifestyle brand that supports numerous bands, artists and athletes worldwide.

Click Here: juicy couture perfume