It’s Jubilee weekend and patriotism is sweeping the nation. When it comes to celebrating the best of British, our fashion industry has to be near the top of the list.
The industry is renowned – from the best high street shopping on the planet to our iconic design brands such as Burberry and Mulberry.
We set the trends and the rest of the world follows!
Our leading figures are global names – Alexander McQueen has never been hotter thanks, in part, to THAT royal wedding dress created by Sarah Burton, and Dame Vivienne Westwood has managed to transcend the decades, going from punk rebel to UK treasure.
Homegrown stars Kates Moss and Middleton, Alexa Chung and Victoria Beckham, have become international style icons, with the fashion pack watching their every move.
And the Queen herself knows how to rock an outfit or two. Her Maj is a fan of the dress and coat combo in block brights – from fuchsia pink to the primrose yellow Angela Kelly outfit she wore to Kate and Wills’ wedding.
She’s not a slave to fashion, but has found a style that works for her and she’s stuck to it. And she always stands out in a crowd.
She’s never without a hat to match, demure two-inch heels and a stylish handbag.
And, of course, she can rock a tiara without looking like she’s playing dress-up!
When it comes to street style, no one does it like we do – you only have to wander down any British high street to be inspired.
Unlike other nations who often play it safe (ie, dull), when it comes to fashion we’re not afraid to embrace our inner eccentric.
You only have to look at actress Tilda Swinton working an androgynous look on the red carpet in a man’s suit or Vivienne Westwood in a bustier that makes Madonna look like a shrinking violet.
Yep, we should be proud of our fashion heritage – even the Royal Mail is flying the flag for British style with a new collection of 10 stamps celebrating iconic designers past and present, including Paul Smith, Ossie Clark and Norman Hartnell, who designed the Queen’s wedding dress.
On Monday, I’ll be heading off to my local street party to celebrate and the entire family will no doubt be decked out in red, white and blue – armed with dips and nibbles (my contribution to the catering), royal masks and about 200 metres of fab Union Jack bunting to hang.
I can’t wait to start the dancing.
Cool Britannia rules OK!
Drivers won't benefit from falling oil prices - Citywire.co.uk
The price of oil fell below the $100 a barrel mark on Friday for the first time since last October, but a weaker pound means drivers won’t save a penny at the pumps.
A barrel of Brent crude fell to $98, down from $120 a barrel last month.
The 2p saving drivers should see at the pumps as a result of lower oil prices, however, has been 'knocked out' because the pound has fallen in value by 4% since the middle of May, the AA explained.
'Had the pound remained worth $1.61 instead of around $1.53 now, further falls in the NW Europe wholesale price of petrol (taking it below $1000 a tonne for the first time since January) would have saved drivers a further 2p a litre,' the AA said.
Meanwhile, retailers have also yet to pass on the full 10p a litre saving from previous falls in wholesale prices to drivers.
Drivers have seen a saving of just seven and a half pence per litre at the pumps, Luke Bosdet of the AA explained. So while a weaker pound means they will not benefit from the most recent drop in wholesale prices, they are still owed a two and a half pence saving from the wholesale price falls seen since mid-April.
Yesterday the average price of petrol in the UK stood at 134.92p a litre, down from the record high of 142.8p seen in April. The cost of diesel, meanwhile, has fallen from 147.93p to 140.52p.
Earlier this week, the government warned fuel companies that they were being given 'one last chance' to improve transparency in the market.
Retailers have long been accused of responding to increases in wholesale prices much more quickly than price falls – prices shoot up like a rocket and fall like a feather, said Bosdet.
Transport secretary Justine Greening has now ordered retailers to set up a code of practice that allows drivers to monitor changes in petrol and diesel prices. If they don't, the government has said it will implement legislation.
Retailers claim that the industry does not understand the complex pricing mechanism, said Bosdet. Yet this fall in the price of oil is a perfect example of why greater transparency in the market would benefit suppliers as well as drivers.
On the one hand transparency would show drivers that a quarter of the savings from the original fall in wholesale prices was yet to be reflected at the pump, while on the other retailers and suppliers accused of pocketing the benefits of falling oil prices, would be able to defend themselves as to why a weaker pound means there will be no added savings.
Gold Price Jump Wipes Out Week's Loss After Disappointing U.S. Nonfarms Report - marketoracle.co.uk
By: Ben_Traynor
WHOLESALE MARKET prices to Buy Gold jumped to $1589 per ounce on Friday, immediately after the release of worse-than-expected US nonfarm jobs data.
The US economy added 69,000 nonagricultural private sector jobs in May, according to official data published Friday, compared with analysts' forecasts for 150,000.
The US unemployment rate meantime ticked higher to 8.2% - up from 8.1% in April.
Gold's jump wiped out its losses for the week. By Friday afternoon in London, prices to Buy Gold looked set for a 0.6% gain on where they started the week.
Silver also spiked higher following the US jobs news, climbing to $28.14 per ounce – though this was still 1.4% down on the week.
"The larger trend [however] remains bearish," says technical analyst Russell Browne at bullion bank Scotia Mocatta.
A day earlier, gold's final London Fix of May 2012 was down 5.6% on April's last Fix – the third monthly fall in a row by Gold Fix prices. Spot Gold meantime – which back on February 29 fell by $100 an ounce after the PM Fix – ended May by making fourth straight monthly loss in Dollar terms.
By London Fix prices, gold has not fallen four months in a row since summer 1999.
In contrast with gold, European stock markets fell following the nonfarms release, extending their losses from Friday morning's trading.
Earlier in the day, German 10-year Bund yields fell to a fresh all-time low below 1.15%, while on the currency markets the Euro sank to its lowest level against the Dollar since June 2010.
Spain's banking system meantime saw €97 billion of capital leave the country in the first three months of 2012, according to figures published Thursday evening by the Spanish central bank. The Spanish government, which this week saw its implied 10-Year borrowing costs breach 6.7% for the first time since November, is trying to raise €19 billion to rescue nationalized lender Bankia.
The International Monetary Fund yesterday denied rumors that Spain's government has approached it for a bailout.
Over in Ireland, votes were being counted Friday following yesterday's referendum on whether or not to ratify the European Union's new fiscal treaty, which would impose limits of government borrowing.
"We are very, very confident [of a 'Yes' vote]," said Lucinda Creighton, Ireland's European affairs minister.
Press reports suggest around half of those eligible to vote in the referendum actually did so.
In Greece meantime, the biggest pro-bailout party New Democracy leads second place Syriza in the opinion polls, with just over a fortnight to go until the June 17 elections, news agency Bloomberg reports.
Syriza's leader Alexis Tsipras said Friday that the bailout agreement is a failure, reiterating that Syriza would reverse some of the Greek government reforms if elected, including privatizations and cuts to public sector wages.
"The [bailout] memorandum equals a return to the Drachma," Tsipras added.
The Eurozone's purchasing manager's index for manufacturing, a survey indicator of whether the sector is expanding or contracting, fell from 45.9 in April to 45.1 last month, figures published Friday show. A PMI above 50 indicates sector expansion.
Germany's PMI meantime fell to 45.2 in May – down from 46.2 a month earlier.
The Eurozone's unemployment rate meantime remained at 11.0%.
On the currency markets, the Euro fell to a two-year low against the Dollar Friday morning, remaining below $1.24.
European Central Bank president Mario Draghi warned Thursday that the current Eurozone structure is "unsustainable".
"At the moment, Europe and downside risks to the Euro are the problem for gold," says Michael Lewis, head of commodities research at Deutsche Bank.
"Dollar strength is going to be the big problem over the next few weeks."
The US Dollar Index, which measures the currency's strength against a basket of other currencies, hit its highest level since August 2010 this morning.
Here in the UK, manufacturing activity fell into contraction last month. May's manufacturing PMI was 45.9, compared to 50.2 in April. The consensus forecast among analysts ahead of Friday's PMI publication was for a figure just below 50.
The disappointing UK PMI figure "has increased dramatically the likelihood of the [Bank of England] announcing more quantitative easing next Thursday," reckons Deutsche Bank's chief UK economist George Buckley.
Manufacturing activity also slowed in China, the world's largest source of demand to Buy Gold in the first three months of 2012.
May's official PMI figure was 50.4, down from 53.3 in April. HSBC's PMI meantime, which looks at smaller Chinese firms, showed ongoing manufacturing contraction, falling to 48.4 from 48.7.
In India meantime, traditionally the world's biggest gold buying nation, gold demand for 2012 will fall by 4% by volume compared to last year – but will be 4% up in value terms – according to a report published by researchers at Morgan Stanley.
By Ben Traynor
BullionVault.com
Gold price chart, no delay | Buy gold online at live prices
Editor of Gold News, the analysis and investment research site from world-leading gold ownership service BullionVault, Ben Traynor was formerly editor of the Fleet Street Letter, the UK's longest-running investment letter. A Cambridge economics graduate, he is a professional writer and editor with a specialist interest in monetary economics.(c) BullionVault 2012
Please Note: This article is to inform your thinking, not lead it. Only you can decide the best place for your money, and any decision you make will put your money at risk. Information or data included here may have already been overtaken by events – and must be verified elsewhere – should you choose to act on it.
© 2005-2012 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication.
Comments
Window shopping becomes windows shopping - easier.com
The instant buzz of shopping online has reached a new high for clothes shopping, with 44% of Brits now hitting the net at least once a month or more for their clothing purchases, with a committed 3% doing this daily. This is second only to groceries (50%) in terms of the nation’s buying habits, according to new research from Cotton Council International, published today.
Clothes shopping online has risen to 13% - up from only 3% two years ago, with consumers moving away from chain and speciality stores (down from 43% to 31.5%). Today’s research reveals 42% of consumers now use the internet to compare products and prices across stores; a third (33%) go online to browse the latest styles.
Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe, International Marketing Manager, Cotton Council International comments: “Our research reveals that there has been a marked uplift for people going online to research and buy clothing, but not at the expense of quality. This trend has seen retailers across the board take more of an interest in their online clothing offering – ensuring the customer experience, delivered both on and offline, is second to none.”
This year’s findings also shows that when shopping, Brits are choosing natural fibres, with over a third feeling that better quality clothing comes from natural fibres. And when shopping it’s cotton that comes out in front as the fabric of choice, with over a half of consumers heralding it as their preferred fibre for the clothes they like to wear the most.
Mirroring the economic climate, only 10% of us bought more than £500 on clothes last year, with the average amount spent being only £230. Over half of Brits fear they have less money to spend on clothing compared to last year, making spotting a bargain more important than ever as 40% of us now admit we buy clothes with at least a 20% discount all or most of the time. We’re also shopping less for ourselves than two years ago, as the figures indicate a 9% drop, which leaves just 40% of us now shopping once a month or more for clothes.
Nonetheless, a prevailing trait for British shoppers remains the desire for quality – with almost 60% of us preferring to spend more on better quality items, with 61% of consumers viewing ‘good quality’ clothes as those that are durable and long-lasting.
Cotton Council International’s biennial research – The Global Lifestyle Monitor Survey (GLM) investigates a wide range of lifestyle issues related to clothing, shopping and textiles among UK residents.
Stephanie Thiers-Ratcliffe, continues: “Today’s shoppers are more vigilant than ever – thinking harder about their clothing purchases and examining what and how much they need to buy. When shoppers are spending their cash they are ensuring that they get the best value by choosing quality items. Our COTTON USA ‘Naturally’ Mark is a symbol of purity, strength, comfort and quality and helps shoppers to identify premium cotton items that are made to last.”
New York takes a dismal FOURTH place in list of best U.S. cities for shopping - and you'll never guess the top three - Daily Mail
|
It is regarded as the fashion capital of the world by many and yet New York has taken a dismal fourth place in a list of America's best cities for shopping.
The news will no doubt come as shock to the thousands of New Yorkers who consider the bustling metropolis to be by far the most sartorially sophisticated city in the country.
But according to a survey conducted by Travel + Leisure magazine, when it comes to a general consumer experience, New Orleans, Santa Fe and Charleston have superior stores.
Not so fashionable now: New York took fourth place in Travel + Leisure's list of best U.S. cities for shopping behind New Orleans, Santa Fe and Charleston
The travel publication asked readers to rate 35 U.S. cities with scores between one and five across categories such as nightlife, culture, people, quality of life and shopping.
The shopping category was divided into subcategories of luxury stores, independent boutiques, antiques markets, flea markets and interior design stores and the results subsequently combined for an overall score.
Bottom of the list was Orlando, Salt Lake City and Anchorage, the latter having also earned itself last place in the Best Dressed stakes.
Though New York took the number one spot in the luxury store sub-division followed by Chicago and Los Angeles, it failed to perform when it came to the other types of retail locale.
Despite the perennially trendy downtown area with its plethora of boutiques jam packed with fashionistas, not to mention Brooklyn's hipster contribution to fashion, in the independent category, New York City came a surprising fourth, beaten even by Savannah, Georgia.
When the New York Daily News revealed the results of the poll to nursing student Josh Belier, he exclaimed: 'New Orleans? Really? I’ve never heard anyone say: "Hey, let’s take a trip to New Orleans to go shopping." Everyone comes to New York to shop.'
Top spot: Readers voted New Orleans the best place overall for eager consumers across a variety of sub-divisions such as luxury, boutique and antique shopping
Perhaps not any more. At least certainly not for antiques and thrift store finds. Regardless of the popularity and abundance of New York's flea markets and second hand furniture stores, the city didn't even feature in the top ten list for either category.
Again the southern cities fared far better with Houston, Texas rounding out the top ten.
And if all those chic Manhattan interiors magazines led you to believe New York was the place to go for home design think again, it came a poor eighth.
The concluding result was that over all New York only closely beat San Juan, Puerto Rico in a top ten list that featured LA, San Francisco and Philadelphia as well.
Student Anthony Colone, 29, who is about to move to New York from Delaware told the Daily News: 'That must be a mistake. That's just stupid. New York City is the shopping capital of the world.'
AMERICA'S BEST SHOPPING CITIES
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
2. Santa Fe, New Mexico
3. Charleston, South Carolina
4. New York City, New York
5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6. San Juan, Puerto Rico
7. Los Angeles, California
8. Savannah, Georgia
9. San Francisco, California
10. Providence, Rhode Island
AMERICA'S WORST SHOPPING CITIES
1. Anchorage, Alaska
2. Orlando, Florida
3. Salt Lake City, Utah
4. Atlanta, Georgia
5. Dallas/Forth Worth, Texas
6. Las Vegas, Nevada
7. Baltimore, Maryland
8. Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona
9. Washington, D.C.
10. Memphis, Tennessee
I'm from NYC and I absolutely LOVE shopping here! I wouldn't say it's the best place though as I haven't really shopped anywhere else. I'd love to shop in London one day or Paris or Milan!!
- Dinnyq, NYC, US, 02/6/2012 03:27
Report abuse