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The latest player to enter the rapidly developing fashion rental market is Swedish fast fashion giant H&M, with a deft high street collection of archival evening wear. The high street fashion king unveiled this new rental concept at its latest concept store, H&M Sergels Torg in Stockholm. H&M Rental Service features a selection of some 50 frocks, wedding dresses and exotic evening tops that can be rented for one week by H&M members for 350 Swedish kroner (€35) each, as part of a customer loyalty program. The sizes range from EU 34 to 48, for clothes whose original price point was between 599 kroner (€60) and 3,000 kroner (€300). Members can book times for fittings with in-house personal stylists, allowing them to rent up to three pieces per week. All are made of sustainable materials, and come from H&M's Conscious Exclusive collections from 2012 to 2019. The plan is to test out the concept for three months; after which it may roll out in scores of stores, eventually adding menswear and accessories.

Rent the Runway is extending its partnership with famous department store Nordstrom. The two companies will be combining their capabilities along many dimensions, including creating new products together and incorporating Nordstrom inventory into the Rent the Runway system. For Rent the Runway customers, the most immediate and obvious shift they would observe is that they will be able to drop off their rentals at more Nordstrom locations in cities like San Francisco, Chicago, and Dallas. Trained stylists will be available at the Nordstrom locations to work with Rent the Runway members "to build out their ideal closet with a mix of rented and owned items from RTR & Nordstrom".

At a time when e-commerce is developing really fast, several innovative partnerships between online and offline retailers have emerged, such as Kohl's and Amazon or Target and Casper for instance, but it's hard to find a better match than Rent the Runway and Nordstrom, which both provide upscale apparel and focus on customer experience.

In a surprise move, luxury department store Harrods has announced that it will open its first standalone store outside of London next spring with a specialist beauty unit, located within Intu's Lakeside shopping centre in Essex. The new store will cover 2136sqm and will be called H-Beauty, featuring the upscale product offer for which Harrods is known. Big names (ex. Chanel and Dior) will be available, as well as popular disruptors like Huda Beauty, and brands that are completely new to the retailer. The store will also offer services such as facials and blow-dries. H-Beauty will also house a 'coffee-to-cocktail' bar.

This opening should be closely followed by a second location in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. H-Beauty will in no way resemble Harrods, even the branding has been redesigned, with Harrods' signature forest green packaging having been ditched in favour of a muted blush pink; this chain is intended to stand as a unique and distinct offer.

Beauty is a key category for Harrods and the company opened its 8360sqm beauty emporium in its flagship in June with a 835sqm skincare space having also opened this month. The space dedicated to beauty in the flagship is growing by more than 50%.

11 Honoré, an online retailer of luxury plus-size apparel for women, announced $10 million in new funding by a group of investors which includes Nordstrom. Led by Greycroft Partners, other investors include GC1 Ventures, Forerunner Ventures, Upfront Ventures, Canvas Ventures and Redpoint Ventures.

11 Honoré was founded two years ago on the premise that luxury apparel and personal styling services have neglected a lucrative fashion segment by relegating their target market to a narrow range of sizes.

But its NYFW appearance, and this latest funding round with money and other support from Nordstrom, demonstrate the strength of the company's rationale. With so little attention given to women of diverse body types for so many years, the apparel industry, particularly in luxury, is behind the curve in design and manufacturing. 11 Honoré, like Universal Standard, is helping fill that gap by working behind the scenes with designers and factories to ensure that garments are appropriately patterned, structured and constructed. Another key line of business for 11 Honoré is its styling service; which also fits with Nordstrom's strategy to offer services like styling and tailoring, both at its stores and through its subscription Trunk Club, to draw in customers and expand sales (Trunk Clubis an apparel subscription and styling service acquired by Nordstrom in 2014).

Nordstrom will host 11 Honoré trunk shows in Chicago and Nashville, Tennessee. The shows will expand to Atlanta, Detroit and other locations next month.

Department store chain Fenwick has launched its first-ever range of food and drink products in time for Christmas. The retailer has sourced products from growers, producers, bakers, chocolatiers, roasters and distillers across the UK for the 30-strong own-brand range, which is available in stores and online.

The core range includes: dark chocolate and slim ginger biscuits, milk chocolate caramel biscuits, blonde chocolate toffee biscuits, breakfast Assam whole leaf tea, Earl Grey whole leaf tea, milk drinking chocolate flakes, gourmet mini-mallows, hand-roast arabica coffee, strawberry and Yorkshire rhubarb jam, blackberry and blackcurrant jam, satsuma & Whitby gin marmalade jam, plum gin liqueur, blackberry and ginger gin liqueur, and milk and dark chocolate bars. It also includes seven seasonal lines for Christmas, with each in bespoke packaging.

Fenwick said it would grow the core range next year with the regular introduction of new products.

After a contentious three-month auction process, Authentic Brands Group and B. Riley Financial Inc. are the new owners of Barneys New York, in a deal that will see most of the struggling luxury retailer's remaining stores close and its name licensed to rival Saks Fifth Avenue.

As part of its plan to monetise Barneys' intellectual property, ABG will close remaining stores and sell off the inventory. In addition to storewide sales, the retailer will offer private sales events to its most loyal customers.

Barneys filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in August, after losing a rent dispute with its Madison Avenue flagship landlord, Ben Ashkenazy. The arbitration ruling resulted in a 72 percent hike in rent, from $16.2 million annually to $27.9 million, which went into effect in January.

read BOF article: It's Official: Barneys New York's New Owner Is Authentic Brands Group

The iconic toy store FAO Schwarz has opened its second store in Europe in Arnotts of Dublin. The first European store opened recently at Selfridges in London. The 157-year-old brand is famous for its walk-on piano keyboard featured in the film Big. FAO Schwarz returned to New York's Rockefeller Plazalast year under new owner TreeSixty Group after shutting its flagship store on Fifth Avenue in 2015 when the brand was still owned by Toys R Us. The London outpost is the largest after Beijing which opened in May. Arnotts in Dublin is part of the Selfridges group (as is Brown Thomas in Dublin).

Macy's landmark store at Third Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Seattle will close in February of next year, ending a long history of retail and holiday tradition. The closure ends a 90-year run of retail in that space. "After careful consideration, Macy's, Inc. has decided to sell the Downtown Seattle Macy's building," Blair Rosenberg, Macy's director of corporate communications, said in a statement. Rosenberg's statement did not detail the reasons behind the decision to sell. Clearance sales will begin in January 2020. The store will close at the end of February.

Selfridges is launching an exclusive augmented reality (AR) experience in a deal with premium footwear label Auxiliary. The overall campaign is called Continuous Play and it's the first of its kind to use Facebook's Spark AR platform. It debuted in the men's footwear department with the retailer boldly it will "redefine immersive retail". On Auxiliary's Instagram account, the shoe firm said that Selfridges was "nice enough to provide a bottomless void for us to display our shoes on, thank you kindly for that […]"

video of Selfridges AR experience

The major department stores in Japan saw sales of luxury items increase in September ahead of a hike in consumption tax from 8 to 10%. Sales growth levels were similar to those seen in March 2014 when the tax increased from 5 to 8%. Stores admitted that the figures were boosted by low results in the same month last year. Watches, handbags and jewellery saw strong sales.

Thus Takashimaya saw sales up 33.2%, while Isetan Mitsukoshi was up 23.7%. Sogo & Seibu sales climbed 20.2%, and J Front, operator of Daimaru and Matsuzakaya, experienced a growth of 30.8%. J Front and Isetan are optimistic and expect less of a decline in October than was the case in 2014. On the other hand, Takashimaya said that sales already show signs of slowing. Sogo & Seibu will hold events such as gourmet fairs to minimise sales falls in the coming months.

For this Christmas in Paris, Galeries Lafayette marks the occasion by setting up an ice-skating rink on the Haussmann flagship's rooftop. From 20 November to 31 December 2019, the 160sqm rink will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Accessible for free, you'll be able to enjoy the ice-skating rink while being amazed by the incredible view of the Parisian rooftops, which include the Eiffel Tower and the Opera Garnier.

The retailer had conducted research showing that a majority of UK consumers expect luxury retailers to be more proactive than high street names as far sustainability is concerned. It also showed 64% of consumers are seeking cruelty-free products and 72% want to cut back on waste.

The Paris-based luxury resale site Vestiaire Collective is opening its first permanent brick-and-mortar retail space in a new tie-up with British heritage department store Selfridges. The 40sqm space, housed within the store's third-floor designer studio, opens on October 30 with 200 items on sale, including 10 rare vintage pieces which Vestiaire Collective has sourced especially for its new location. A special online edit will also be available to buy on Selfridges' website.

Vestiaire and Selfridges will work together to curate the assortment so that it will complement the department store's seasonal fashion buys. Vestiaire Collective products will be labelled as "pre-loved" to differentiate it from Selfridges' up-to-date luxury inventory. Shoppers will also be able to sell through a dedicated re-sale point in the store that will act as the physical incarnation of Vestiaire's Concierge Service.

Vestiaire Collective's choice to partner with Selfridges gives it access to brick-and-mortar retail expertise, which lies outside of the core competency of the tech-focused company. The new outpost will also benefit from the high foot traffic Selfridges attracts in its prime location on London's busy Oxford Street.

Selfridges joins a growing number of legacy retailers looking to branch into new retail models. In April, Neiman Marcus invested in the space by acquiring a minority stake in Fashionphile; while Nordstrom recently inked a partnership with clothing-rental service Rent the Runway. Within the mass segment, Macy's recently announced a partnership with resale site thredUP.

Later this month, the company will launch a permanent showroom for the brand, strategically located in Paris to capture the high traffic of wholesale buyers that visit the city each season.

Hudson's Bay Company, the Canadian department store business that also owns Saks Fifth Avenue, has agreed to a buyout by a consortium of investors led by its chairman, in a deal that would allow it to navigate an increasingly challenging retail and real estate market out of the public spotlight. The consortium offered to buy the 43 per cent of HBC it does not already own for C$10.30 per share, a 62 per cent premium to the group's share price before the consortium led by executive chairman Richard Baker made its interest in acquiring the entirety of the company known in June. The deal values the retailer's equity at C$1.9bn (US$1.45bn). HBC carried about C$6.6bn of net debt as of August, according to Bloomberg data. The buyout price falls near the low-end of an acceptable range that a special committee of HBC board members had prepared by its advisers, underlining the continued struggles facing retailers, and department store companies in particular.

Changes at John Lewis Partnership include cutting costs by £100m a year, and merging its two divisions, department stores and supermarkets to avoid duplication. Around one-third of management roles will be lost in the shift. Paula Nickolds, managing director of John Lewis stores, will become executive director of brand, heading a team of eight executives, while Rob Collins, managing director of Waitrose will leave early next year. According to the current chairman who is being replaced in early February 2020, these measures would have been difficult to take for the new chairman in her first year.  According to management, the new structure reflects the overlap between the two divisions: 80% of customers who spend most at the group shop both at Waitrose and John Lewis.

See press release for more details of structure and executive team.

press release on john lewis restructuring

In the updated beauty department, dubbed 'Nordstrom Beauty Haven,' shoppers can find a range of beauty, wellness and haircare products in addition to dedicated beauty boutiques for brands. As a further luxe boost, the department also offers in-store services like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Suite, Base Coat Nail Salon and Light Salon, a light bar offering LED beauty treatments.

Furthermore, in order to provide a modern shopping experience, the store is home to 'Express Services,' a new service concept making its debut at the SoNo Collection location. With its own specific 250sqm department, Express Services allows customers to pick-up online orders, try them on, issue express returns and access alterations and tailoring services in-store. Additional special services include curbside pickup, personal styling and bra and prosthesis fitters.

As the positive impacts of increased tourism to the UK (due to the weak pound) have annualised out, Harrods must now work to attract domestic shoppers by introducing new brands and experiences.

Harrods is investing heavily in its flagship Knightsbridge store, spending £64.1m in FY2018/19 and £55m in FY2017/18, with expectations that this spend will rise even more in the current financial year. It has already boosted its beauty offer with the opening of a 836 sqm skincare emporium including exclusive brands and augmented reality mirrors. And it's also improving it' s menswear spaces. but it's clear that more work needs to be done in order to engage more strongly with UK-based shoppers.

Due to Harrods' existing strength among international visitors, it needs more investment in its online proposition, as rival Selfridges offers shoppers a delivery saver scheme including global shipping options, driving digital sales among international tourists after they have visited the store.

The luxury retailer has announced the launch of 'Neiman Marcus Clean Beauty,' an online shopping space where customers can browse natural beauty products that have not been tested on animals, and whose formulas contain no parabens, paraffins, phthalates, sulfates or silicones. Instore shoppers will also be able to identify the products, via a new "clean" circular icon located on beauty counters. The products in question span skincare, color cosmetics, haircare and nail solutions.

Neiman Marcus noted that its clean beauty product collection is part of the company's overall brand wellness initiative. Aside from shopping for healthier products, consumers can also buy activewear, sun care, health supplements and sleep collections through the retailer's online Wellness Guide.

press release: Neiman Marcus introduces 'Clean Beauty' online shop

Department store John Lewis will pay customers to return clothing they no longer want in Oxford trial. The 'BuyBack' trial, which launched on 4 October and runs for six weeks, allows 'my John Lewis' members to return preloved items from any womenswear and menswear brands stocked at John Lewis & Partners and receive £3 for each item. This can be spent in-store or online, or at its sister supermarket brand Waitrose. The company said all clothes brought in during the six-week trial, which has just begun, will be recycled in a variety of ways, including being turned into new products.

The interior design of EPH Veracruz brings together symbols and metaphors of local traditions of the Mexican port, as it was inspired by art deco and the

proximity to the sea.

This is the 14th location of Mexico's premier luxury department store chain.

Harrods has just opened its latest International Designer Room 2 on the second floor with a focus that's all about the brands. The 170 sqm ultra-luxe space was designed by David Collins Studio as a place to shop for fun rather than necessity. Previously located on the lower ground floor, this Designer Room houses "unique and forward-thinking brands" with 12 dedicated boutiques for labels.

The look is very contemporary with plenty stainless steel, white-veined black marble, and leather-lined changing rooms. Two pop-up areas will feature monthly installations from big names as well as emerging labels. The pop-ups will also play host to exclusives such as November's debut of new Beats Headphones. New scent launches, watches and other tech accessories are likely to be a big feature of the spaces too, given their importance to men's sales overall.

The new area continues the luxe concept established with last year's Superbrands opening and the launch of International Designer Room 1 last February. the International Designer Room 3 will be revealed later this year with new brands. Following that, Shoes & Accessories, Luxury and Contemporary and the Designer Casuals and Outdoor departments will migrate to their new Second Floor home.

The whole project is set to complete in 2020 by when the Second Floor will be a one-stop shop for all things menswear, including personal-shopping services, tailoring and bespoke areas alongside dedicated pop-up spaces, two restaurants and a barber.

More recently, anti-fur policies have expanded beyond brands and retailers to entire cities, states and countries, with California becoming the first U.S. state to ban the sale of fur last week and Ireland becoming the 15th European country to ban fur farming in June.

Following the opening of a Manhattan men store last year, family-owned Nordstrom group opened the doors to 29800sqm of retail space across seven-levels located at the base of Central Park Tower (the tallest residential building in the world). The New York store (which sells a wide variety of products across apparel, accessories, shoes, beauty, children's and home) boasts more than 200 fashion brands offering extended sizing, three floors dedicated to shoes and a spa-like beauty floor where 160 experts and five stylists are on hand to assist customers. The store also houses several exclusive partnerships and a concept space [currently inhabited by Burberry that includes an immersive room dedicated to the Thomas Burberry Monogram]. Nordstrom NYC offers several services, including personal styling and many eateries and restaurants.