Attire Accessories - May/Jun 2019 (Issue 76)

INDUSTRY NEWS 17 RETAIL FOOTFALL DROPS IN FEBRUARY Springboard has released its retail footfall figures for February, reporting a drop of 2 per cent. This was the 15 th consecutive month of decline and a significant departure from last year, making 2019’s second month the weakest February in five years. On the high street, footfall declined by 1.9 per cent, marking seven months of weakening, while retail parks fell by 0.8 per cent, a sharp drop from last year. “Consumers have been cautious in their spending, leading to the biggest drop in February footfall for five years,” says Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium. “These figures echo the month’s poor retail sales figures, which saw weak growth, particularly in bricks-and-mortar stores. While real incomes have been rising over the last year, the uncertainty surrounding Brexit appears to be driving a needs-not-wants approach to shopping.” SIMPLY DEVINE LAUNCHES THIRD COLLECTION Simply Devine recently announced the launch of its third collection of designer headwear following a successful second year of trading. The new collection will debut this summer for SS2020 and features feathers, quills and veiling. Liz Devine-Wright, founder, will also unveil six new colours, including a green palette of emerald, sea green and peppermint, as well as new hues of light coral, almond, ivory, and banana. Old shades of pink, blue, silver and navy blue will still feature in the range. Liz prides herself on the customer service she provides to her wholesale customers, saying, “Because we are still relatively new to the wholesale trade, I want to ensure that we give the very best in customer service, which is why I have hand-delivered orders to many of my customers. That way, I can get feedback from them about which designs have sold well, but I can also get a feel for their business and recommend designs that I think would sell well for them – after all, I have also been in the retail business for more than 15 years too.” Visit simplydevine.co.uk