Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.fashion team.
The Interview: Founder Aimee Smale on building Odd Muse, one timeless piece at a time
At just 22, Aimee Smale launched her clothing brand, Odd Muse, from her bedroom during the Covid-19 pandemic. What began as a personal project has since evolved into a $30 million fashion business, with a one-million-strong Instagram following and retail spaces in both London and New York.
As a young woman myself, I’m naturally drawn to success stories that champion women and showcase what can be achieved at such a young age. As someone who also spends a lot of time on social media, I’ve frequently come across Aimee and Odd Muse online, which made me particularly keen to learn more about the founder behind the business.
In this conversation, Smale shares the story behind Odd Muse, the inspiration that shaped the brand, and why community has been central to its growth. She also reflects on her approach to building a lasting business and the lessons she has learnt along the way.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
Karen Millen returns to UK high street after seven years
It’s great to see a British brand make a high street return. So many went online only during the tricky pre- and post-pandemic era, in part because many of them got snapped up by online retail group Debenhams (formerly Boohoo Group). Karen Millen was one such case, having been acquired by Debenhams, along with Coast, in 2019. Its stores were not part of the deal.
Debenhams wanted the IP of Karen Millen and you can understand why as it has always had a distinct handwriting (it’s perfect for the modern working woman) and a defined customer base. I’ve always felt Debenhams did a good job of honouring the Karen Millen brand in the designs it has produced since the acquisition and now it’s great to see it available on the high street once more.
A deal has been signed with The Foschini Group (TFG) to make Karen Millen available in its stores. which includes Hobbs and Whistles. So far only three locations have been revealed (read about them here) and the businesses have been tight lipped about how many locations will follow. Obviously, it is to be hoped many more locations will follow as Karen Millen will sit nicely next to those two brands, where its past fans will be pleased to see it again, and new ones will no doubt be created too.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
The Interview: The Materialist’s co-founder Liv Khan on why deadstock fabric is a sourcing opportunity, not a compromise
I had the great pleasure of speaking to Liv Khan, the co-founder of The Materialist, a business that is turning a structural problem across fashion manufacturing – surplus fabric – into a scalable sourcing channel for brands at every level of the market.
Khan co-founded The Materialist together with Lavinia Santovetti in 2024, and says the platform now holds over 10,000 fabric varieties in its showroom, with fabric rolls available at various quantities, from 30 to 3,000 metre lengths.
In this interview, Khan addresses misconceptions around deadstock quality and scale, explains why fashion has historically handled surplus differently from other industries, and sets out what it takes for brands to move deadstock from capsule experiment to embedded sourcing strategy.
Camilla Rydzek, Senior News Writer.
