Fashion, luxury and lifestyle news aggregator – summer 2026

Fashion on the field: luxury brands in sports

Brands are increasingly partnering with sports teams and high-profile global events such as the World Cup and Formula One to enhance their global visibility.

Nike, in particular, has collaborated with various luxury brands to create football apparel worn by national teams, which is available to consumers at this year’s World Cup. One notable partnership has been with Jacquemus for the French national team. This collaboration featured a blue pre-match jersey that will also feature as part of a wider collection inspired by founder Simon Porte Jacquemus’ ‘lifelong connection to football’.

Other notable Nike partnerships include the Virgil Abloh Archive (VAA) for the US national team, which featured a pre-match top inspired by the graphics used at the 1994 World Cup alongside vintage sailing aesthetics. Meanwhile, its collaboration with Palace Skateboards for the English national team includes a collection featuring performance and lifestyle wear, with the most sought-after piece being a short-sleeved football top with St George as a stained-glass window.

Meanwhile, Loewe announced that it has secured a four-year partnership to dress Spain’s men’s and women’s national teams. Designed by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, the wardrobe features casual outfits and leather goods that the teams will wear during international tournaments, beginning with the 2026 World Cup.

In Formula One, the recent Monaco Grand Prix marked Louis Vuitton’s second season as an official partner and the first as title partner. The brand designed the trophy trunk, which featured a monogram canvas with a red and white ‘V’ for victory in tribute to the principality’s flag.

Looking ahead, Gucci will become the title partner to Alpine Formula One Team in 2027, making them the first luxury fashion house to serve as a title partner in Formula One. The partnership will see the team race in Gucci’s iconic colour scheme, instead of the usual blue and pink. President and CEO of Gucci, Francesca Bellettini, stated that this new partnership reflects the ambition for the brand as Formula One offers a ‘unique converge of performance, culture and global reach’ which Alpine can help realise.

From online to Oxford Street: Topshop’s comeback

Topshop, the London-founded brand, struggled following the collapse of Arcadia Group, leading to the closure of all its stores, including its Oxford Street flagship venue. In February 2021, ASOS acquired the brand and relaunched it as an online-only offering through its own website.

Recently, Topshop.com has launched online in Ireland, one of its most engaged markets outside of the UK, with around 50,000 customers shopping for the brand via ASOS in 2025. Following a year of expansion, the dedicated Topshop website is now live in 24 EU countries, offering their full range. The brand has also started to re-establish a physical presence, returning to the high street this year with concessions in John Lewis following a residency at Liberty. It is rumoured that Topshop could return to Oxford Street next year, marking a full-circle moment.

ASOS is also said to be considering a move into physical retail. Following a number of successful pop-ups back in 2022, its CEO José Antonio Ramos Calamonte said it is exploring options for a physical outlet. While nothing has been confirmed, reports suggest it is looking at locations in London.

With both of these online brands potentially moving into bricks-and-mortar retail, it is an increasingly optimistic time for the revival of the high street.

Frasers eyes Metrocentre megadeal

Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group, owner of Sports Direct and several other retail brands, is reportedly considering a £500 million bid for the Metrocentre in Gateshead, a move that could mark its biggest property acquisition to date. Property giant LandSec is also understood to be interested in the site.

The Metrocentre, one of the UK’s largest shopping centres, attracts around 16 million visitors a year. It has been put up for sale with Knight Frank managing the process and initial bids expected shortly.

If the deal goes ahead, it would represent a significant step in Frasers’ strategy of expanding its ownership of major retail destinations, giving it greater control over locations where its brands, including Flannels, operate. The group already has a presence at the site and has been actively growing its portfolio, with several outlet and retail park acquisitions earlier this year, including its £217.6 million purchase of Braehead retail park near Glasgow.

The new face of beauty: 2026 market trends

Skincare continues to dominate the global beauty market and is expected to retain its leading position through to 2030. McKinsey has reported shifted consumer preferences towards more affordable brands – particularly those with clinical credibility and dermatological endorsement, as well as Korean beauty innovations. Meanwhile, luxury brands face growing competition from aesthetic and wellness services that promise more noticeable results.

Muji, the Japanese retailer known for its minimalist stationery and household goods, is one such retailer seeking to capitalise on the appetite for affordable skincare. Driven by strong domestic performance of its products, the company is expanding its accessible skincare range across key international markets, to accelerate global growth.

Meanwhile, deal activity underscores the increasing dominance of clinically backed skincare. Last month, private equity firm Bridgepoint agreed to acquire Obagi Medical, the dermatological skincare and aesthetics business of Waldencast plc. The deal highlights the strong market positioning of physician-dispense and dermatology-led skincare brands, as consumers prioritise efficacy and clinical proof over branding. The prospective acquisition will boost Bridgepoint’s clinical skincare portfolio, which also includes RoC Skincare.

McKinsey also predicts sustained growth in the fragrance market across all price segments,  forecasting that by the end of the decade the sector will rival haircare as the second biggest beauty category.

Estée Lauder has announced the expansion of its UK manufacturing capabilities by integrating its long-standing home fragrance and candle supplier, Contract Candles, into its operations. Earlier this year, the company also ended merger talks with Puig, which owns brands including Jean Paul Gaultier, Charlotte Tilbury, Carolina Herrera and Dries van Noten – a deal that would have significantly strengthened its fragrance portfolio. The decision demonstrates a more selective, value-driven approach as beauty players refine their portfolios amid intensifying competition across the industry.