As London Fashion Week AW16 nears, designers must pay attention to the increasing problem of copycat rip-offs February 18, 2016 As London Fashion Week gets underway, it's another reminder that designers must be vigilant to ensure their coveted designs aren’t copied by high-street retailers. Today’s copyists are quicker and better than ever before. The minute a model sets foot on the catwalk, a copycat design is already being sketched and, within a matter of weeks, or sometimes days, the [...]
LFW Autumn-Winter 2016: Mercedes Benz, BMW and DS battle it out on the catwalk ahead of London Fashion Week February 17, 2016 There's a battle for the catwalks raging between the world's biggest car manufacturers. Earlier this week, official London Fashion Week sponsors Mercedes-Benz announced its cars will be ferrying the fashion pack around when they gather in the capital for the bi-annual celebration of All That Is Trendy this weekend. It estimated that 32,000 miles will be driven between shows [...]
Auto Trader share price hits the gas as it hikes profit expectations February 17, 2016 It's been a bumpy ride in recent weeks on the test track that is the UK markets – but recently-listed Auto Trader isn't showing any signs of oversteer. In a trading update this morning, the company said it had performed well in the past four months, with a stronger-than-expected increase in average revenue per retailer forecourt. Because [...]
Forget Uber, take a flying water taxi home on Friday nights instead – as French inventor Alain Thebault shows off his SeaBubble February 16, 2016 Forget the ongoing battles between London’s traditional black cabs and Uber – if a French inventor has his way, flying water taxis could soon be hovering over the Thames. Boris Johnson is apparently among a group which has contacted the inventor, Alain Thebault, to ask about his new lightweight “SeaBubble” vehicle. The SeaBubble, described as “a bubble with [...]
Redefine International raises £115m to fund property deal February 16, 2016 Redefine International has raised £115m via a share placing to help fund its £437m acquisition of a portfolio of properties from insurer Aegon's UK Property Fund. The retail and commercial property investor, which is listed in both the UK and South Africa, bought the first tranche of the AUK Portfolio in October for £203.5m using existing cash resources and a [...]
George Osborne’s National Living Wage is a tax on employers hiring low-skilled workers February 16, 2016 A tip for the chancellor: if you want to save some easy money, slash your own propaganda budget. In London, we seem to be inundated with bus station ads championing what many consider to be misguided housing policies and by others highlighting the introduction of the new “National Living Wage” of £7.20 from April. It [...]
James Bond’s guide to bonds: Here’s how Daniel Craig, Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and George Lazenby would match up in the fixed income world February 15, 2016 The 007 franchise has remained a consistent money-spinner since 1963. But while James Bond always likes a Martini and a sharp-fitting tux, his character has shifted in line with the actors who’ve played him. As Daniel Craig is rumoured to be leaving the franchise to star in a US TV series, we ask, which financial bonds suit their movie namesake? And [...]
Aldi to open 80 stores and create 5,000 jobs in the UK this year February 15, 2016 Disruptive German supermarket Aldi will open 80 new stores in the UK this year, creating 5,000 jobs in the UK, it said this morning. The plans will take the supermarket's estate to 700 outlets in the UK, it said in a statement this morning. A spokesman for the retailer said the stores will be "right across the [...]
LFW Autumn-Winter ’16: Who are the London Fashion Week brands to bank on? How share prices for Marks & Spencer, Burberry and Mulberry are shaping up ahead of the the shows February 14, 2016 In a little over four days time, London will be buzzing with trendsetters as Fashion Week arrives in the capital. But, apart from rerouting your commute so it doesn't head through Soho, what does this mean for the average City A.M. reader? Here's a run down of the business news you need to know for some [...]
City Moves for 12 February 2016 | Who’s switching jobs February 12, 2016 JOHNS&CO High-end estate agents JOHNS&CO has appointed two new directors. Clynton Nel and Chris Boswell both join from Hamptons International. Clynton, who has joined the team as residential director, will be based in the firm’s new Marsh Wall office in Canary Wharf. He has over 13 years’ experience in the property industry, specialising in renewals [...]