Main Image: Roman Originals

PRShots Roundup brings you the latest retail news from Sosandar, AO, Topps, Halfords, PrettyLittleThing, Le Coq Sportif, JD Williams, Tesco, Zara and Next. Plus, how to avoid returns from haul culture, how accessories can enhance the brand experience and more.  

THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS

Sosandar sales drop 27% but profits improve

Sosandar half ending 30 Sept sales were down 27% to £16.2m, with pre-tax losses narrowing by 50% to £0.7m.

UK shop price inflation stays low

British Retail Consortium-NielsenIQ Shop Price Index for the first week of November, shows year-on-year shop price inflation at -0.6%, slightly up from October’s -0.8% figure.

AO raises forecast following strong profit and sales growth

AO sales for the half ending 30 Sept revenues grew 6% to £512m and adjusted profit before tax was up 30% to £17m and is now projecting adjusted profit before tax for the year to be £39-44m.

Topps Tiles sales hit by big-ticket slowdown

Topps Tiles saw sales drop as shoppers held back on big-ticket home improvement spending. However, Topps managed to take market share despite the trading environment.

Halfords urges government to reform apprenticeship levy as sales and profits stall

Halfords sales for the quarter ending 27 Sept were down 1% to £864.8m, and underlying profit before tax came in at £21.0m, broadly in line with 2023.

Boohoo's Prettylittlething has weak year as it swings to a loss

Boohoo Group’s Prettylittlething subsidiary sales for the year to March were down to £475.8m from £634.1m, and a pre-tax loss of £6.5m, down from a profit of £22m the previous year.

Sports goods manufacturer Le Coq Sportif placed under bankruptcy administration

The sports equipment manufacturer Le Coq Sportif has been placed under judicial restructuring proceedings by the Paris Commercial Court.

Half of Brits more likely to shop during ‘Crimbo Limbo’ than Black Friday

‘Crimbo Limbo’ - the period between Christmas and New Year - will see 84% of brits shopping just as much, if not more, than they do on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the January sales.

Fashion and clothing retailers expected to be Black Friday winners

Fashion and clothing retailers are expected to see the largest uplift in sales this Black Friday compared to last year.

TRENDS, SUSTAINABILITY, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY

How to avoid returns from haul culture

Ordering lots of clothing for creating social media content or to find the right size before returning the majority has become routine behaviour among Gen Z. Tackling it is a complex challenge.

How accessories can enhance the brand experience

Accessories and extras are no longer just supplementary products for retailers; they play a crucial role in reinforcing brand identities and creating a cohesive shopping experience.

How Ted Baker’s online operator vows to ‘reinforce’ the brand

Ted Baker's new owner Authentic Brands Group's operating partner United Legwear & Apparel Co explains how it plans to recapture consumers' attention.

How JD Williams ambassador Gok Wan is giving fashion a 'fresh perspective' for midlife women

Gok Wan turned 50 this year, giving him a fresh perspective on style, taste and fashion in midlife which he’s using at JD Williams in his new 'Midlife Redefined Party Edit'.

BRAND NEWS

Tesco to open over 150 Express stores in next 3 years

Tesco is planning to open over 150 Express convenience stores in the UK over the next three years as it ramps up expansion plans.

Next to take over House of Fraser space at Bluewater

Next is to significantly grow its presence at Bluewater by taking on the former House of Fraser space and tripling its footprint at the shopping centre.

The 9 Instagram metrics you need to track in 2025

Overwhelmed by all the different Instagram metrics you could possibly track? Stick to these top insights for maximum impact.

Zara reveals its debut collection with Kate Moss

Zara has unveiled its highly anticipated collection with supermodel Kate Moss, bringing the two fashion powerhouses together for a series of high-profile capsule staples.

Khloé Kardashian debuts first signature fragrance

Khloé Kardashian has teamed up with Luxe Brands to launch her first signature fragrance XO Khloé and is available now at Harrods and debuts in the US at Ulta Beauty in December.

Louis Vuitton launches new immersive game on Discord

Louis Vuitton unveiled a new immersive digital game ‘Enigma’ on the Discord platform. The game involves a daily mystery and a game to locate Vivienne, Louis Vuitton’s iconic mascot.

AND FINALLY

Eliane Heilbronn, matriarch behind the Chanel empire, dies at 99

Eliane Heilbronn, was the key architect behind Chanel’s rise to success and who helped secure Karl Lagerfeld as the brand’s creative force has passed away at the age of 99.

PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES

What were our users searching for on PRShots Week ending November 22^nd 2024?

1/ Christmas

2/ AW24

3/ Leopard

4/ SS25

5/ Sequin

6/ Candle

7/ Cushion

8/ Bathroom

9/ Lighting  

10/ Sofa

NEW BRANDS TO PRSHOTS

Frangipani was established in 2010, and produces men’s shirts and accessories crafted from high-quality materials and featuring bold prints or subtle contrasts. With each shirt embodying a perfect balance of comfort and elegance.

Mission C founder Qes discovered that CBD oil helped his Grandad - who was living with dementia - feel calm and contented, he knew it could help others too. So he created a natural and accessible remedy for people looking to improve their quality of life.

Saywood was created in 2020 by Harriet Saywood-Bellisario, who graduated from the London College of Fashion before working at Paul Smith, Richard Nicoll and Label/Mix. The brand specialises in beautiful edits of wardrobe essentials and classics contemporised with unexpected details made to be worn and re-worn.

Jellycat is the brand of the moment and has been around for a quarter of a century. Over this time, their unmistakable characters have gained the affection of millions across 77 countries.

Priestleys was founded by husband and wife team James and Karen and specialises in producing little luxuries in their Lincolnshire workshop.  Their leather bags, belts, wallets and accessories are handcrafted using responsibly sourced leathers from gold and silver-rated tanneries in Europe and are supplemented with ranges of scarves and jewellery.

Sims Wear was founded by Billy Sims-Hilditch with the idea of creating British made menswear, using best-in-class natural fibres. The range is all home produced in Aberdeenshire from fibre carding and spinning, through to knitting, weaving, cutting and sewing.

HELP WITH YOUR IMAGE SEARCHES

The latest images on PRShots are found here https://www.prshots.com/whatsnew why not bookmark the page for a regular feed of the latest images on PRShots!! You can select the latest images from the last 24 hours, week, or month.

BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES

Clothing, beauty and accessories

Roman Originals has more AW24 imagery, new Petite, Curve and Dusk campaign ranges of womenswear for cosy evenings and big events, new nightwear ranges with pyjamas and cosy dressing gowns.

M&S has new menswear and womenswear from its Christmas adverts, a Bella Freud bag collaboration, the Christmas beauty advent calendar, party outfits for all the family, Christmas clothing, accessories and lingerie sets as well as post-surgery bras, the Dress the Nation range with Vernon Kay and AJ Odudu.

Primark has new accessories, a new ski range, a new Rita Ora collaboration of clothing, shoes, bags, jewellery and accessories, and new tie-ups with Wicked, The Grinch, Sonic the Movie and Ashleigh Huish.

New Look has more new November outfits, winter and occasion wear outfits for women, plus ranges of womenswear including coats, jumpers, skirts and tops.

Monsoon has new designer ranges, plus clothes, shoes, boots, bags and accessories for Christmas, new edits for women and kids, bags, shoes, jewellery and accessories.

Matalan has a new Taylor & Wright collaboration of menswear, a menopause lingerie range plus a new collaboration with The Lion King, Marvel, Paddington and Alder Hey hospital, Christmas women’s eveningwear, outdoor clothing, footwear, Christmas and Winter outfits for the whole family.

TK Maxx has SS25 clothing and accessory ranges including crochet outfits, Christmas gift-guides for men, women, kids and pets, plus new menswear and womenswear ranges including coats, jackets and hoodies.

River Island has a Christmas Gift Guide and Christmas jumpers, plus new Premium and Winter Reds collections, along with party outfits and accessories for the Christmas season for men, women and children.

Very has new V by very ranges of clothes and footwear including metallics, sequins and faux fur, a new Michelle Keegan collaboration, new Grinch-themed pyjamas for all the family, stocking filler accessories, partywear ranges.

George at Asda has a Children in Need range, women’s and menswear for Christmas occasions and parties, Children in Need Christmas outfits, a new Roksanda and Tickled Pink collaboration clothing ranges.

Peacocks has new Christmas jumpers and fashion, Caprice Christmas pyjama collections, new womenswear, a new Louise Redknapp AW and Christmas Edit, a Michael Owen collaboration and new AW24 womenswear and jewellery.

Fatface has a new Copper & Black range of womenswear, new menswear, and kids clothing, plus Christmas clothing, accessories and jewellery for all the family plus gifts for under £50, plus more AW24 Edit ranges of womenswear. 

Cotton Traders has new Christmas jumpers, cosy womenswear and menswear for AW24 including jumpers, cardigans and coats.

Celtic &Co has new Christmas accessories, jumpers and cosy outfits from the winter.

Oliver Bonas has new women’s clothing, bags, shoes, accessories and jewellery for the New Year and SS25.

Bonmarché has new Christmas jumpers and partywear, lingerie ranges, new jewellery and accessory ranges for Christmas and the winter and AW24 clothing ranges.

Scamp & Dude has Christmas party outfits and new AW24 womenswear ranges.

Peachaus has new sleepwear and lingerie for AW24 and SS25.

Dune London has new shoes, boots and bags.

See additional new clothing and accessories images from

Accessorize Fable England Barbour London Grace Deichmann Shoe Zone Online Home Shop

Home, garden and food

Online Home Shop has new rugs, bedding, foot warmers, hot water bottles, heated pads, body wraps, plus bar stools and furniture, mirrors, cuddle cushions, shaped pillows and bolsters.

TK Maxx has a new 1960s-inspired summer range of kitchenware and furniture for the office, plus new gifting ranges, a wellness range for the New Year, Christmas gift-guides for the home.

Quorn Stone has new natural stone and tumbled herringbone cobbles outdoor ranges, marble ranges for the bathroom and kitchen and Limestone cobbles for outside.

Designers Guild has new Studio Stripes patterns for SS25.

Jan Constantine has new cushions for SS25 and Valentine’s day.

Fritz Fryer has new antique lighting ranges, kitchen lighting ranges, as well as lamps and lights for every room in the home.

M&S has a new Nordic notes Christmas decoration ranges, National Gallery collaboration, stocking filler Christmas images and new Fearne Cotton Happy Place range, Christmas homeware including tableware, soft furnishings, candles and diffusers, Christmas decorations, homeware and bedding ranges.

Ivyline has new planters, pots for its indoor living ranges.

Cult Furniture has a new collaboration with Daniela Tasca.

Oliver Bonas has new furniture and home accessories including mirrors, lighting and tableware for the New Year and SS25.

Fatface has a collaboration with homeless charity Shelter, Christmas decorations for the Christmas tree and homeware gifts.

George Home has a new Christmas decorations for the tree, tableware, soft furnishings and trees, Stacey Solomon Christmas and Autumn collaborations on cookware, bedding, dining, and homeware.

Primark has new Wicked and Grinch themed gifts for kids and pets, furniture, Christmas decorations and homeware gifts, AW24 furniture, homeware, bedding, diffusers and candles.

Matalan has SS25 homeware images for the dining room, bedroom, bathroom and garden, plus Christmas gifts and decorations, a new Connie the Cockapoo range, AW24 soft furnishings and gifts, a new AW Cosy Shop range of bedding and soft furnishings, Christmas bedding ranges and presents for pets.

Treats by Mars has new Galaxy ranges of hot chocolate. 

Cutter & Squidge has a new boxed cookie range.

Sofology has new SS25 Premiere and Westwood ranges of sofas, chairs and recliners.

Homesense has new Christmas gift ideas for family and pets as well as new Christmas decorations.

See additional new home images from

Hobbycraft The Gluttonous Gardener Arran Sense of Scotland Monsoon Habitat Home Bargains Very B&M Rebel Walls Dobbies Garden Centres Cambridge Imprint

DIARY

PRShots Retail Calendar Alerts

Days until Black Friday – 3

Days until Christmas – 29

Days until Valentine’s Day – 80

Days until Easter - 145
 

How to get your brand on the November media calendars

We are well into autumn and the Christmas season, and the media are looking for images that help them fill all those “what to buy on Black Friday” features, the endless Christmas gift guides, and all those “What to wear for the Christmas party season” articles.  

You should be uploading Black Friday and Christmas images for most media, but long lead-time magazines will be looking at January issues, so anything that helps illustrate the inevitable “New you for 2025” issues will also be welcomed. So, any athleisure, outdoor, healthy, sporty images will all be useful. 

As always, don’t forget to add keywords – Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Thanksgiving, Gifts, Christmas, Xmas, Winter, plus all those words beloved of home and women’s magazines like cosy, cosiness, hygge and wellbeing.

Clothing-wise the media are looking for party wear, party dresses, nightwear, going-out outfits, Christmas Jumpers, jumpers, scarves, bobble hats, beanies, cardigans, coatigans, jackets, and coats. So, make sure you have plenty of images in those categories uploaded and labelled with as many of those words as you can.    

Also, make sure that if your clothing is made from a fabric associated with winter that it’s flagged up somewhere in the title/keyword or in more information. Wool (woolovers are a thing), cashmere, fur (faux obviously), velvet, plus the year’s big trends of sequins, metallics, red and gold.     

If you’re aiming at being included in Christmas Guides, then make sure you have added prices. Guides are normally price-led eg “Presents under £50”, “Party dresses for less than £150” and without prices, your items won’t be included.     

If you’re a PRShots brand user and you need more ideas, then take a look at the keywords that media are searching for on PRShots and try and add those in.

If you’re looking for more hooks to help promote your brand and products, then see the list of days, weeks and fortnights below.

November Diary - Weeks/Months

Events to add to your marketing diary for November include.

Movember which centres around men’s health issues and moustaches, so beard and shaving-related things might be useful. It’s also World Pancreatic Cancer Month, World Vegan Month, Men’s Health Awareness Month, and in the US, it’s also National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Month, Sweet Potato Month and Candy Month.

Weeks to celebrate in November include;

Transgender Awareness Week (13^th-19^th)

November - Days

28^th – Thanksgiving (US) 

29^th – Black Friday 

30^th – US Small Business Saturday 

30^th – St Andrew’s Day (Bank Holiday Scotland)

NB - All dates have been checked, but some events may change due to unforeseen circumstances or have not been fully confirmed for 2024 by the authorities controlling the event(s). 

How to get your brand in the media in December

Christmas is nearly over by now for the media; there are just a few dailies, weeklies, websites and influencers doing last-minute gift guides for Christmas but for most print media it’s the New Year, and what’s happening in 2025.  

You should be uploading SS25 outfits and home goods for those “A new you for 2025” and “Redecorate for 2025” issues, so athleisure, outdoor healthy sporty images will all be useful, plus anything for the home. 

As always don’t forget to add keywords – New Year, Gifts, Spring, Christmas, Xmas, Holidays, Winter plus all those words beloved of home magazines like cosy, cosiness, hygge, wellbeing.

Clothing wise the media are still looking for going out outfits for Christmas and New Year, so party wear, party dresses, nightwear and also winter clothing like jumpers, scarves, bobble hats, beanies, cardigans, coatigans, jackets, coats are still being looked for. So, make sure that you have plenty of images in those categories uploaded and labelled with as many of those words as you can.

You can also start to look at holiday clothing and outfits for when the weather gets a little warmer so make sure SS25 is flagged on your drops even if they’re not yet available until 2025 – If they’re not on sale until Jan or Feb then use the On Sale date field to flag this up. You can either add a specific date, 2/2/25 or if you’re not sure then you can use the text “available first week in Feb.”  

If you’re a PRShots brand user and you need more ideas, then take a look at the keywords that media are searching for on PRShots and try and add those in.

If you’re looking for more hooks to help promote your brand and products, then see the list of days, weeks and fortnights below.

December Diary - Weeks/Months

December is all about Christmas and New Year events, but it’s also AIDS Awareness Month, Universal Human Rights Month, Decembeard, and No Gender December.

Additionally, the 1st week (2nd-6th) is UK Charity Week, and Kwanzaa (26th - 1st Jan).

December Diary - Days

1^st – World AIDS Day

1^st – Advent Sunday/First Sunday of Advent 

2^nd – St Andrew’s Day (Scotland)

2^nd – Cyber Monday

2^nd – Four years since the second-lockdown ended in the UK 

2^nd – English Breakfast Day

3^rd – National day of giving (US) 

6^th – St Nicholas Day

7^th – Returns will start to come back from Black Friday sales – be ready for them

7^th – UK Small Business Saturday

10^th – Human Rights Day

12^th – Christmas Jumper Day (See https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/christmas-jumper-day)

18^th – Stilton Day

19^th – National Regifting Day 

21^st – Winter Solstice 

21^st – Super Saturday/Panic Saturday

25^th – Christmas Day

25^th – Hanukkah begins

26^th – Boxing Day

31^st – New Year’s Eve

NB - All dates have been checked, but some events may change due to unforeseen circumstances or have not been fully confirmed for 2024 by the authorities controlling the event(s). 

Do you have any news on your brand that you want us to feature, or have a new appointee or a new event that you would like us to feature? Get in touch at news@prshots.com We don't charge, so get emailing now!!!