Hayley Fox

UK-based Footwear Freelancers — this one’s for you… 🇬🇧 For the first time, we included Freelance Rates in our annual Footwear Salary Guide. Here’s what we found when it comes to the UK market: 💰 A huge 91% of freelancers are working on day rates, making it the go-to model across the board. 📉 Developers, Fashion/Lifestyle and CMF designers are tending to charge below this baseline, 📈 while 3D and Performance specialists are pushing above it, ⚖️ and Innovation and Sustainability freelancers are sitting around the middle. Whether you’re hiring or freelancing, these insights are designed to help you understand where the market’s at — and where your value sits within it. 👉 Want to see how this compares globally? Check out the full Footwear Salary Guide here: https://lnkd.in/e87n26kz

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 What’s been happening in retail this week? ·      Marks and Spencer added Hush and WHISTLES to its Brands at M&S platform, offering over 300 products, including an exclusive 12-piece Hush collection. Womenswear remains the top-performing category, with sales up 18% last year. M&S is also expanding Nobody's Child pop-up shops to 56 locations. ·      Vinted will open its first luxury second-hand fashion pop-up, House of Vinted, in London’s The Adria Hotel on 22 March. Invitation-only guests can explore curated wardrobes featuring brands like Gucci and Prada Group. The space includes styling workshops and a ‘Luxury Style Surgery’ with consultant Manisha Sabharwal. ·      Shoezone Retail Limited launched a new app to enhance its omnichannel offering, featuring wish lists, an interactive returns portal, and exclusive discounts. Developed by Swipe & Tap - Mobile App Development, early trials showed a 17% higher conversion rate than email. ·      Aldi UK introduced the Mamia New Parent Fund, offering £100 vouchers weekly for a year to help new parents manage rising costs. ·      Tesco is trialling free food giveaways on reduced-to-clear items at select Express stores after 21:30 to cut food waste. ·      The Perfume Shop reported no difference in median pay between men and women, marking a 4.4pp improvement from last year. ·      Walgreens Boots Alliance will be sold to private equity firm Sycamore Partners in a $10bn deal, potentially rising to $23.7bn. The impact on Boots remains unclear ·      Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital is reportedly considering restructuring the arts and crafts retailer. Advisers from FRP Advisory have been engaged to explore options, including a company voluntary arrangement. Discussions are in the early stages, with no final decisions made. ·      WHSmith is nearing the sale of its high street business, with private equity firms Alteri and Modella Capital remaining in talks. A deal could be announced alongside interim results in April, marking a potential exit from 230 years of high street presence ·      Boohoo Group PLC rebranded to Debenhams Group as part of its shift to a marketplace-led business model, following the successful turnaround of the Debenhams brand. Sales fell 16% from £1.46bn to £1.22bn in the 52 weeks to February 2025. The group expects adjusted EBITDA of around £40m. ·      MANGO’s turnover rose 7.6% to €3.3bn (£2.8bn) in 2024, net profit increasing 27% to €219m (£183.9m). The retailer invested €219m (£183.9m) last year and plans a €600m (£503.8m) investment by 2026 to drive further growth. ·      Inditex sales rose 7.5% to €38.6bn (£32.5bn) in the year to 31 January, while pre-tax profit increased 10.3% to €7.6bn (£6.4bn). EBITDA grew 8.9% to €10.7bn (£9bn). The retailer expects a 5% profit increase for 2025/26, reaffirming its commitment to growth.   This is just a selection of news this week. Sign up below for more insight ⬇️ https//lnkd.in/d-z25aM

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Burberry recently announced plans to potentially reduce its workforce by 1,700 jobs, which accounts for approximately 18% of its global employees by 2027. The UK luxury brand is implementing new cost-saving measures to revitalise its operations. Several challenges have converged to impact Burberry simultaneously. These include an unsuccessful product and pricing strategy aimed at competing with like Hermes, a general downturn in the luxury market globally, and a decline in spending from key markets such as China. Despite these hurdles, Burberry's shift back to its core values and the focus on creating timeless collections is deemed as the right strategic direction, albeit a process that requires time to rebuild consumer trust and loyalty. While Burberry remains a personal favorite brand for many, there is acknowledgment that the CEO, Schulman, faces significant tasks in steering Burberry back to its former glory. Let's hope lingers that the projected job cuts may not reach the anticipated levels.

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👀 All eyes are on K-Beauty right now - and for good reason! We’ve seen the recent launch of K-Beauty dedicated stores in the UK, such as PURESEOUL • Korean Beauty in Manchester Arndale... They’ve nailed the formula for global success which is a blend of creativity, speed, and a skincare-first mindset that’s got the world hooked 😱🌍 So, what can UK beauty brands learn from their playbook? The answer is a lot really, but here are 3 quick lessons you can take and make them your own 👇

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6 Simple Tips for your CV✨ 1. Use Keywords from the job spec  2. Include a summary/profile  3. Tailor your CV to the brand and role 4. Highlight your skills  5. Have a tailored portfolio  6. Make sure your contact details are easy to see #cvtips #fashionindustry #cvtipsandtricks

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Tariffs are raising costs for luxury fashion brands, with some countries facing duties up to 54%. How will brands respond to the changing landscape? We’ve explored how rising tariffs are affecting recruitment in our latest article linked below. 👇 #tariffs #fashion #risingtariffs #Trump

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URGENT FOR FASHION COMPANIES LOOKING TO HIRE Did you know that recruitment fees are tax deductible for commercial businesses in the UK? That means when you invest in finding the right talent—whether through an agency, advertising, or other hiring costs—those expenses can usually be deducted against your profits. Why does this matter? It reduces your taxable profit. It helps offset the cost of bringing in great people. It means you can focus on building your team without worrying that recruitment spend is “lost money.” As long as the fees are wholly and exclusively for business purposes, HMRC treats them as an allowable expense—just like rent, salaries, or professional services. So if you’ve been hesitating to bring in help because of agency costs, remember: it’s not just an investment in your team, it’s a smart, tax-efficient investment in your business growth. #Recruitment #BusinessGrowth #Tips #Hiring #speed #specialist #fashion #dobsonwelch #dominicbarclay

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