Thursday Round Up: Why January is the best month for retail, how food is influencing fashion & beauty, Uniqlo & Charlotte Tilbury in Covent Garden, and what you can expect from me in 2025.
#60: This is In The Loop’s Thursday round-up where you’ll find retail, fashion & beauty news and trends, through the lens of a retail strategist who loves to shop, share & dive in to all the latest.
Retail discounts have been flooding my inbox since November, and I’m still overwhelmed by the sheer number of sales online and on the high street.
January used to be a time of fresh starts and new stock, but this year many retailers are still trying to clear excess inventory half way through the month. What’s surprised me the most is seeing traditional continuity lines and bestsellers for brands on discount in January.
Some examples that gave me pause for thought:
I don’t recall ever seeing The White Company Winter candle range on +20% discount, let alone in January. Is this a sign that customers are turning to cheaper alternatives of luxury items during tricky economic times?
Seeing the racks and racks of outerwear on discount in Hobbs told me that the unseasonal UK weather has taken its toll on retail sales and margins.
Sweaty Betty had many sizes available in store across bestsellers, suggesting that brighter colours of activewear might have fallen out of favour with customers as they look to invest in classic multipurpose pieces.
Away from sale lines, I was pleased to see the new Valentine’s Day range at Anthropologie and new season lines being launched in Mango and Arket.
With that, let’s dive in to the first issue of the Thursday Round Up of 2025. Here’s what you can expect this week:
Reflections of a Retail Strategist on why January is my favourite month for fashion and beauty
So Many Thoughts on the growing relationship between food and fashion & beauty
Out and About in Covent Garden, feat Uniqlo and the new Charlotte Tilbury store
Bookmarked articles you need on your reading list
Updates on what you can expect from In The Loop and Retail Collaborative in 2025
💫 Reflections of a Retail Strategist
January is my favourite month. It’s a controversial take so let me explain why:
As a customer, January serves a dual purpose: finding a genuine bargain for an item I’ve had my eye on and discovering new season products to put on my wishlist for spring.
Let’s start with savings. I find that Black Friday deals represent less of a saving than end-of-season sales with the added discount in the final days of clearance. Looking for a new coat for next winter, or some sparkle for Christmas? There’s no better time than January for looking ahead.
On the theme of planning ahead, while everyone is making resolutions, I’m also building a spring wish list for fashion and beauty buys I’m looking to purchase once the warmer weather starts rolling in. Researching trends and knowing what I really want to add to my wardrobe and beauty cabinet in January means less impulse purchases and more thoughtful shopping decisions come March.
As a retail strategist, January is the perfect time to clear out the old and bring in the new, both in terms of stock and strategy. What worked last year? What didn’t? Are there SKUs that should be discontinued and a new direction you could take your business strategy in? January can be quiet in terms of sales and footfall, so retailers should use this time to plan their annual strategy and review their processes.
If you need help with aligning your vision to your business strategy and processes, my Strategy Intensive package could be exactly what you’re looking for; find out more here.
If you’re looking for a bigger refresh in 2025, I can help you review your retail operations, clarify your goals and create a plan of action with my Business Health Check service; find out more here.
💡 So Many Thoughts on the relationship between food and fashion & beauty.
For the past couple of years we’ve seen a huge uptick in the number of fashion and beauty retailers using food as part of their strategy, whether it’s opening a full-scale luxury dining and chocolate experience à la Louis Vuitton, creating marketing buzz with a coffee shop like Ralph Lauren, using classic flavours to launch a new products like Glossier’s new Black Cherry range, using food as print to create a stand-out dress like Reformation, or Miu Miu getting customers excited about its new London pop-up with free matcha.
The question isn’t whether this strategic move is worth the investment (it is), but why? Here are some of the benefits of retailers aligning themselves with the hospitality industry:
Shoppers are looking for experiences above all else, and food is the ultimate sensory experience to create excitement and buzz;
In the online shopping era, customers are craving connection; food and dining experiences in particular are social events which smart retailers are tapping in to;
Creating an experience around a brand encourages customers to spend more time in the brand sphere, soaking in all it has to offer;
Sharing is caring, and customers quickly become marketers when they post about their experience online;
It’s a differentiating factor that creates a unique moment in the customer-retailer relationship;
Food and dining conjure up a feeling of community and belonging, creating an immersive experience that goes beyond the product and the sale to create a unique experience almost every time;
It links the brand to the individual’s lifestyle; this intersection is where magic (and shopping) happens;
It invites customers to experience the lifestyle of a brand in a fun way; in this overstimulated and oversaturated market, customers are seeking moments of downtime and connection.
Final thoughts
I wonder if this type of genuine connection will lead to fewer returns as customers buy in to the brand before buying in to the products
My prediction- food inspired fashion and beauty will continue to be a major trend for 2025
🏬 Out and About
My first visit of 2025 to Covent Garden was a quick one, but I have a lot to report back.
The new Charlotte Tilbury store is finally open, and it doesn’t disappoint. Two floors of make-up, skincare and perfectly Instagrammable interiors makes for a fun store experience for any beauty enthusiast. The layout is open and easy to navigate with sales advisors on hand to help with testing and choosing the perfect products. Here are some highlights:
You enter the store on what looks like a lipstick carpet
You can shop by look with these curated sets
You can try before you buy with these hero products in mini format
Body care is a huge beauty trend in 2025- I spotted this Naturium display in Boots (I’ll have more on this topic of trends in next week’s Retail Lab that you definitely don’t want to miss)
January brings me joy every year and I’m glad to see RIXO embracing this theme with the launch of their new collection.
Uniqlo in Covent Garden is one of the best stores I’ve visited lately. It’s bright, minimal and the perfect antidote to the busy street it’s on. Set over 3 floors, it houses all of the brand’s core lines, bestsellers and collaborations, all while creating a serene shopping experience.
🔖 Bookmarked
Tax increases in the UK don’t just impact retailers, but customer experience too. As staff costs spiral, brands are looking for ways to save money, and the installation of self-service tills are on the up, with even Next rolling out a trial. Who can blame them? I worry that fewer staff will lead to frustrated customers and falling sales at a time when the sector desperately needs to encourage in-person shopping for add-on sales and sustainability.
I loved reading this article on Vogue Business about quiet luxury and dupe culture because I’m always on the hunt for label-less luxe separates that people ask me where I found.
Influencer culture has been blamed for hauls and spiralling return rates, but could a change be on the horizon? We’re seeing “deinfluencing” coming through as a micro trend; what could this mean for the resale market and investment pieces? This article on The Cut is well worth reading.
If you’re interested in how Sephora became the key controlling player in the global $30bn beauty industry, this article in Fast Company is one you don’t want to miss.
I love a good fashion success story. British fashion had a tough 2024, but Barbour has largely bucked the trend. This article in The Telegraph takes a closer look at how it became a staple for everyone from the royal family to hikers.
📌 Updates
In case you missed it, as well as writing In The Loop, I’m a Retail Strategist. With my business Retail Collaborative, I help retailers create a strategy that works for them and their business.
I offer three main services:
Strategy Intensive - perfect if you need a strategy overhaul and a clear plan of action.
Business Health Check - this is for you if you’re ready to rethink your operations to make your business run more smoothly and efficiently.
Business Support - I offer ongoing strategic support for your business if you need medium to long-term help.
Get in touch if you want to know more about the services I offer, or sign up here for a FREE Collaboration Session if you want me to help answer your three biggest retail questions.
In 2025, I will continue to publish In The Loop twice a week, with Retail Lab going out every Tuesday and this weekly round up every Thursday. I love writing these newsletters and I can’t wait to share more of my musings with you; whether you’re a retailer or a shopper, In The Loop is your behind-the-scenes take on all things retail which I hope you’ll continue to subscribe to.
If like me you enjoy listening to your favourite content, you’ll be pleased to know that from next week, I’ll be including audio in the newsletters.
Stay tuned for even more retail insights and musings in 2025 here on Substack, Linkedin and Instagram.
Until next week,
Hina