Latest news with #EricaDavies
Telegraph
01-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
How midlife women are influencing fashion
Relatability. Authenticity. Sense of humour. Knowledge. They sound like qualities you'd list as requirements on a dating app. But we're not here to talk about finding love; we're talking about finding shoes, and the app in question isn't Bumble but Instagram. Then again, the quest for the perfect partner has much in common with the quest for the perfect shoes (or bag, dress, coat or trouser suit – not to mention dinner plates, rug and mascara). So endless is the choice, so manifold and confusing the products, that the right ones can feel as elusive as the right romance. In which case, think of Lucy Owen as your Cupid. You might not know her, but she knows you. In fact, she's probably dressed you. If you're a woman of a certain age (ballpark: 35 to 60) with a love of fashion and an Instagram account, the chances are that Owen has influenced your wardrobe without you even knowing. Owen, 49, is not an influencer herself ('Absolutely not!' she splutters) but she manages some of the most successful ones in their fields, including Vogue 's global beauty and wellness director Jessica Diner, Red 's editor-in-chief Sarah Tomczak, writer and interiors guru Katherine Ormerod, lawyer Thandi Maqubela, beauty journalist Sarah Jossel and author and stylist Erica Davies – Owen's first client, and among the ones with the most followers (281,000 and counting). But as anyone in the social-media influencer game will tell you, it's not really about follower numbers. It's about engagement – and expertise. In an era when anyone can (and often erroneously does) call themselves an influencer, Owen's USP is that her clients are experts in their areas, carefully chosen for the depth and wealth of their experience. 'They're real women, not just content creators, in the sense that they also have full-time jobs as editors, authors and lawyers, and are balancing those with their commercial work at the weekend,' she explains. 'That's what makes these women real.' It's also what makes them desirable to brands. As mostly 'midfluencers' (mid-life influencers), they're connected to a demographic of women – their followers – who trust every pronouncement they make. Trust doesn't come lightly: it has to be earned. And once it's earned, you'd be remiss not to monetise it. That's where Owen comes in. At this point, it might be useful for Owen to explain what an influencer is. 'An influencer is a person of influence who works commercially with brands to produce content that they then share on their social channels,' she says, with the practised air of someone who has rattled this off many times before. 'I don't particularly like the word,' she adds. It's certainly become a divisive term, one that even influencers themselves sometimes shy away from. As for how they monetise their influence, this varies enormously, and can range from being paid a fixed fee per post, to longer-term arrangements that might include brand collaborations, special 'edits', ambassadorships (being contracted to promote and wear a brand) and event hosting. When we meet for coffee in Soho, central London, Owen looks as stylish as her clients, and certainly not in need of any fashion advice. Married with two young adult sons, after decades working as a fashion PR (her first job was with the industry legend Lynne Franks), she founded Lucy Owen Talent (LOT) in 2018, with a mission to match the right labels with the right influencers. So far, she's brokered deals with brands including John Lewis, Hush, Dune, Radley, Sézane, Ruggable, Vinted and L'Occitane. Sometimes she pitches, sometimes they approach her. 'I have a network of contacts, who are also my friends. They trust me, and I respect them. Brands know that when they give me their budget, I'll help them spend it wisely. They are going to get the ROI [return on investment] they need.' From the beginning, Owen knew that she wanted to have a niche: 'Women with authority, who had a background in fashion, beauty, interiors, lifestyle, styling, art directing and journalism. They were the women who inspired me as a consumer. It was them who I wanted to tell me what the best white T-shirt was.' Both high-street and high-end fashion labels were slow to grasp the fact that midlife women are the demographic with most of the spending power, despite rarely being courted and routinely being underserved. 'They just didn't want to go there,' says Owen. 'A lot of brands still don't get it. There are still some that put out collections that only go up to a size 12. It's horrifying. But I do think the landscape is changing.' The companies that Owen works with view her as a conduit who can connect them with her clients, who will in turn connect them with their own highly engaged followers. 'It's making them understand that on the internet, life doesn't stop at 40 or 50. Everything's been reconfigured with social media growing and developing as it has. Now, women have accessibility to people – to midfluencers, as they can be termed – that they didn't have before. They didn't get that constant flow of content from a magazine. You can also shop from Instagram. You can see what this person of influence is wearing – someone you admire and respect – and you can press the button, buy it, and have it delivered the next day.' The appeal to brands is neatly illustrated by Erica Davies, whose post about being unable to find boots that fit her led to a collaboration with John Lewis in 2021. 'Erica had thousands of DMs [direct messages] from followers who also couldn't find boots to fit their calves. We pitched it to John Lewis, and they jumped on it. They were really agile and smart. That led to Erica doing a coat collection [in 2022]. She's still a brand ambassador. I like to work with brands that want to partner long-term, because that's what resonates with people's communities. When they see that repeated moment, it makes sense.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by John Lewis & Partners (@johnlewis) Emma Moran, head of PR at John Lewis, reiterates the value of these collaborations – and has the statistics to back it up. 'Our 2021 boot collection in collaboration with Erica Davies was incredibly successful and testament to [the reasons behind] our long-term partnership with her. The Viola style sold out within 24 hours, and during the launch week, 50 per cent of our bestselling women's footwear styles were from the Erica Davies collection.' Owen declines to name the most successful midfluencer on her roster ('They all have a place'), but Davies seems to be among those who have netted the most brand partnerships. You can see why she's so in-demand: her Instagram Reels are warm, informative and self-deprecating, so she comes across more like a friend than a teacher or preacher. That she's a contented size 12-14 also connects her to a demographic who are more likely to be persuaded to try a trend that Davies wears than if it was worn by a remote 18-year-old model. Davies' power to shift product makes her an attractive prospect to retailers. 'We wanted to work with Erica on her own edit after seeing the 'Erica effect' for ourselves,' says Jill Gate, brand and marketing director for George at Asda. 'She shared our tiered dress on her [Instagram] Stories last summer and it went viral, with customers up and down the country asking for it. We've really seen the power of her influence with our leopard puffer coat, which has been the highest-searched product this year on the George site.' Another of Owen's clients, fashion journalist Katherine Ormerod, has also carved out a niche in interiors, after turning her hand to DIY in a bid to perk up her rented London home. Her frank, informative posts have amassed a loyal following that brands are keen to tap into, and have led to partnerships with Dune, Baukjen and Ruggable. 'Our audience has reacted so positively,' says Ruggable's senior marketing director, Charlotte Ford, 'with Katherine's edit driving a 40 per cent increase in traffic to the rugs on-site.' As for how her clients retain authenticity when their followers know they're being paid to promote things, it's a question of trust, Owen explains – provided the transactional element is transparent (which it has to be by law). Followers have faith that the influencers will only promote products that align with their values. Things get more opaque when I ask specific questions about money, and Owen understandably demurs from talking numbers. A recent report by the influencer-insights agency Corq, based on 50 lifestyle influencers, found that creator fees for a single video asset for Instagram or TikTok ranged from £450 to £2,500 for those with audiences of less than 100,000, rising to £7,000 for those with one million. Longer-term brand ambassadorships will be worth considerably more, and could rise to six figures, especially if they involve product development. While she might manage them, Owen says she never manages her clients' content. 'I leave that to them. They are the experts. Of course, I check in. I meet with them regularly, talk about any worries or concerns. But I wouldn't dream of telling them what content to create. They all have their own unique tone of voice, and I will always strategically allocate work to them so there's space for all of them, and I can work differently with each of them.' As with any profession, being an influencer is not without its challenges. In her 2018 book Why Social Media Is Ruining Your Life, Ormerod writes honestly about the disconnect between her real life and her Instagram persona, and the pressures of creating and maintaining the sort of perfect lifestyle that appeals to followers and is lucrative for brands. 'There's always going to be pressure when you're professionally popular,' she says now. 'As a woman in mid-life, I've definitely passed my palatable-to-everyone era, which can be tricky. This industry can sometimes feel like the more innocuous and basic your brand, the more you're rewarded.' But, she explains, 'While I always want to keep the quality of my work high, I don't labour over the reaction to what I post or say. I don't care to try and control that, because it's an exercise in futility.' While tales of backstabbing and jealousy abound in the influencer community (among everyone – not just women), Owen insists there is no rivalry between her clients, largely because she's mindful about who she represents. 'I'm very careful and curated in my approach to who joins the roster. It needs to be balanced. I'm constantly thinking about diversity in terms of having women of colour on there, and also in terms of size, and representing mid- and plus-sized women.' She turns down far more people than she takes on. 'I don't want the agency to be huge, or to scale it in a way that means I lose control.' Even after being in business for seven years, her team still numbers a modest three, representing 12 clients. 'We're full-on,' she says, smiling. 'I still speak to all of my clients all the time. I'm still the one who negotiates the deals. Our job is to support them, and give them the bandwidth to be able to do their commercial work in addition to their demanding [day] jobs. That's not easy. They need someone in their corner who can fight fires for them. I'm emotionally as well as commercially invested in these women. They're my friends.' And she's their mentor. 'I've taught them all that there's great power in saying no, something that can be really hard for women,' she notes, citing one of her recent signings, who 'had been saying yes to everything'. 'I told her she needed to trust me, be brave and let me help her to work out what the right fit was.' Does she have a crystal ball that can divine what women will want to wear in six months' time? 'I don't,' she says, laughing. 'Although I do think people are tired of dresses. I know I am.' As for her own future, she says, 'I just want to carry on doing the best job that I can. I'm very happy being in the background, doing the work, and helping these women's dreams come true. I feel I'm on a journey with them. I just want them to win.' And to make the rest of us look more stylish while she's at it.
Daily Mirror
14-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Asda shoppers 'very disappointed' as it axes discount card
Asda shoppers currently get 5% off fresh food, including meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, fresh fruit juice and smoothies, dairy and bakery products - but this discount will end on May 27 Asda will no longer offer discounts for Blue Light Card holders from later this month. Blue Light Card gives discounts to NHS, social care and emergency workers. Asda shoppers currently get 5% off fresh food, including meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, fresh fruit juice and smoothies, dairy and bakery products - but this discount will end on May 27. The supermarket previously offered a 10% discount for Blue Light Card holders but this was reduced to 5% in April 2024. Previously, shoppers would also get an extra 10% back into their cashpots when buying certain items. This includes homeware, fresh food, non-fresh foods, pet and laundry products, health and beauty, baby items, outdoor goods and toys. Devastated shoppers have reacted to the news on social media. One said: "Very disappointed in @asda for finishing blue light card discounts." A second said: "@asda getting rid of the blue light card scheme is pretty rubbish. Not making me want to carry on shopping with you now. The rewards app has gone downhill a lot." A third said: "@asda are to stop rewarding emergency service workers via Blue Light Card from 27th May. That's a shame." A fourth said: "Thanks to @Asda removing their Blue Light Card discount I will now have no incentive to shop there instead of Sainsbury's or Tesco." An Asda spokesperson said: "We launched our partnership with Blue Light Card during the pandemic to provide additional support for emergency workers and would like to thank them for the opportunity to work with them during the last five years. "Our focus now is on providing all our customers with outstanding value every time they visit our stores or shop with us online." Blue Light also sent an email out to customers. It said: "This change is one of several adjustments Asda is making across its business as it implements its new everyday pricing approach. "You can continue using the current offer for the next two weeks, up to and including Tuesday, 27 May." It comes after Asda opened its first stand-alone George concept store in Leeds last weekend. The shop features George clothing, home and garden ranges from the supermarket and is located in the Crown Point Retail Park. Highlights include the George Spring/Summer 2025 collection, as well as children's ranges from Erica Davies and Billie Faiers, plus the latest At Home with Stacey Solomon Spring/Summer collection. The new store also features an Asda cafe, with an upgraded menu of hot and cold food. As well as manned checkouts, there are self-service options plus click and collect. Asda wants to replace all its existing Asda Living stores with this new format.
Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Asda opens brand new type of store - and George clothing fans will love it
Highlights include the George Spring/Summer 2025 collection, as well as children's ranges from Erica Davies and Billie Faiers, plus the latest At Home with Stacey Solomon Spring/Summer collection Asda has opened its first stand-alone George concept store in Leeds. The shop features George clothing, home and garden ranges from the supermarket and is located in the Crown Point Retail Park. Asda wants to replace all its existing Asda Living stores with this new format. Highlights include the George Spring/Summer 2025 collection, as well as children's ranges from Erica Davies and Billie Faiers, plus the latest At Home with Stacey Solomon Spring/Summer collection. The new store also features an Asda cafe, with an upgraded menu of hot and cold food. As well as manned checkouts, there are self-service options plus click and collect. The new George store is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 8pm, Saturday from 9am to 7pm and Sunday from 11am to 5pm. George Chief Commercial Officer - Non-food and Retail, Liz Evans, said: "This new concept store represents an exciting step forward for the George brand and we're incredibly proud to launch it in Leeds first, the home of Asda. "We're confident customers will love the expanded collections, inspiring collaborations, and convenient shopping experience the store offers. "We were also thrilled to welcome Mel B, a true Leeds icon, to help us celebrate the opening, and equally proud to support Leeds Women's Aid and the vital work it does to support women and families in the city." The new store was opened on Saturday with a launch event that was headlined by Spice Girls icon and Leeds native, Mel B. To mark the launch, Asda donated £2,000 to Women's Aid Leeds, a charity Mel B actively supports as a patron along with an additional £1,000 worth of homeware to help provide essentials to women and families in need. Speaking at the event, Mel B, said: "I'm really pleased to partner with George at Asda. They have made a significant donation to Leeds Women's Aid Refuge - both financial and practical - and as patron of National Women's Aid that is so important to me. 'I'm incredibly proud of my home city and for me it's all about coming together as a community and I hope this association with George and Asda will continue." Leeds Women's Aid CEO, Nik Peasgood, added: "Mel B is a wonderful patron of National Women's Aid and a truly passionate advocate for women and children experiencing domestic abuse. "As a proud Leeds lass, she's been a fantastic supporter of our work, and we're incredibly grateful to her and to Asda for its amazing generosity."
Scottish Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Asda to open first ever standalone George clothing store TOMORROW – is it near you?
Read to find out where the store opens SHOP TO IT Asda to open first ever standalone George clothing store TOMORROW – is it near you? SHOPPERS are in for a treat as a brand new high street fashion store opens its doors on Saturday - and it could be near you. Asda is launching its first-ever stand-alone George store, and it could be rolled out across the UK if it's a hit. 2 The new George store is truly unique Credit: Getty - Contributor The debut site opens at 9am on Saturday, May 10 in Leeds, taking over the old Asda Living at Crown Point Retail Park – and it's had a full-blown glow-up. The slick new store is packed with head-turning fashion, stylish homeware, must-have toys and baby bits – plus a fresh café to fuel your spree. There are 30 Asda Living stores across the UK, and bosses will decide later this year whether to roll out more George store after another trial run. Fashionistas can bag the Spring/Summer 2025 collection fronted by supermodel Yasmin Le Bon, plus new celeb collabs – including a chic kidswear range by Erica Davies and a sunshine-filled drop from Billie Faiers. And it's not just the clothes getting a makeover – the whole experience is sleeker, quicker and easier, with speedy self-checkouts, faster queues and slick Click & Collect. Shoppers will also be able to pop into the brand-new Kitchen café, where staffers are dishing up hot meals, cold bites and stone-baked pizzas. Liz Evans, Asda's Chief Commercial Officer for George and Retail, said: 'Our Asda Living stores have been a huge success – but as shopping habits change, we want to make it even easier for customers to enjoy quality, style and value with George at the heart of it." The George label launched in 1989 when fashion guru George Davies teamed up with Asda to make the UK's first-ever supermarket clothing brand. By 2004, it was the nation's biggest clothing retailer, and Asda launched its first Living store to expand into homeware. Today, George is still going strong in 560 stores and pulling in 260 million visits a year to The new store also features a revamped George Home range – packed with dreamy interiors, garden goodies and lifestyle buys, including Stacey Solomon's brand-new At Home range. It comes as Asda plans to open a wave of smaller Express stores in town centres from June to Christmas 2025, targeting busy urban shoppers. The bold move is part of Asda's fightback after sales slumped by five per cent in early 2023. Asda's market share has taken a hit, with discounters like Aldi and supermarket giants Tesco and Sainsbury's still dominating the battlefield. In other retail shake-ups, six Homebase stores will relaunch as The Range within days, following a rescue deal. The DIY chain collapsed into administration in November – but was partially saved by billionaire Chris Dawson, boss of The Range and Wilko. It's a rare win for the high street in what's shaping up to be another brutal year for big brands. With living costs climbing and online shopping booming, more retailers are struggling to stay afloat – and some landlords simply can't keep them going. How to save money at Asda It's worth signing up to the Asda Rewards scheme to save money at the supermarket. The loyalty scheme, which is free to join, lets you earn Cashpot points by completing "missions" like hitting spending targets or buying products in certain categories. You can also earn cashback by buying "star" products. If you're a regular shopper and often go for Asda's premium lines, it's worth taking on the "downshifting" challenge, too. This means going for budget lines instead, which could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your shopping. It's worth joining specific Facebook groups where shoppers flag bargain deals they've found online or in-store. Two worth checking are the Latest Deals Facebook Group and the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group. The Sun revealed earlier this year the best time to score deals at Asda is once in the morning and again in the evening. Look out for fresh produce like fruit and veg, often reduced to as low as 10p, especially during the morning reductions. Check the reduced shelf throughout the day as different times can offer varying discounts. How to bag a bargain SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain… Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with. Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks. Sales are when you can pick up a real steal. Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on. Sign up to mailing lists and you'll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use and are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer. Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping. Bargain hunters can also use B&M's scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out. And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you'll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
The Sun
09-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Asda to open first ever standalone George clothing store TOMORROW – is it near you?
SHOPPERS are in for a treat as a brand new high street fashion store opens its doors on Saturday - and it could be near you. Asda is launching its first-ever stand-alone George store, and it could be rolled out across the UK if it's a hit. 2 The debut site opens at 9am on Saturday, May 10 in Leeds, taking over the old Asda Living at Crown Point Retail Park – and it's had a full-blown glow-up. The slick new store is packed with head-turning fashion, stylish homeware, must-have toys and baby bits – plus a fresh café to fuel your spree. There are 30 Asda Living stores across the UK, and bosses will decide later this year whether to roll out more George store after another trial run. Fashionistas can bag the Spring/Summer 2025 collection fronted by supermodel Yasmin Le Bon, plus new celeb collabs – including a chic kidswear range by Erica Davies and a sunshine-filled drop from Billie Faiers. And it's not just the clothes getting a makeover – the whole experience is sleeker, quicker and easier, with speedy self-checkouts, faster queues and slick Click & Collect. Shoppers will also be able to pop into the brand-new Kitchen café, where staffers are dishing up hot meals, cold bites and stone-baked pizzas. Liz Evans, Asda's Chief Commercial Officer for George and Retail, said: 'Our Asda Living stores have been a huge success – but as shopping habits change, we want to make it even easier for customers to enjoy quality, style and value with George at the heart of it." The George label launched in 1989 when fashion guru George Davies teamed up with Asda to make the UK's first-ever supermarket clothing brand. By 2004, it was the nation's biggest clothing retailer, and Asda launched its first Living store to expand into homeware. Today, George is still going strong in 560 stores and pulling in 260 million visits a year to The new store also features a revamped George Home range – packed with dreamy interiors, garden goodies and lifestyle buys, including Stacey Solomon 's brand-new At Home range. It comes as Asda plans to open a wave of smaller Express stores in town centres from June to Christmas 2025, targeting busy urban shoppers. The bold move is part of Asda's fightback after sales slumped by five per cent in early 2023. Asda's market share has taken a hit, with discounters like Aldi and supermarket giants Tesco and Sainsbury's still dominating the battlefield. In other retail shake-ups, six Homebase stores will relaunch as The Range within days, following a rescue deal. The DIY chain collapsed into administration in November – but was partially saved by billionaire Chris Dawson, boss of The Range and Wilko. It's a rare win for the high street in what's shaping up to be another brutal year for big brands. With living costs climbing and online shopping booming, more retailers are struggling to stay afloat – and some landlords simply can't keep them going. How to save money at Asda It's worth signing up to the Asda Rewards scheme to save money at the supermarket. The loyalty scheme, which is free to join, lets you earn Cashpot points by completing "missions" like hitting spending targets or buying products in certain categories. You can also earn cashback by buying "star" products. If you're a regular shopper and often go for Asda's premium lines, it's worth taking on the "downshifting" challenge, too. This means going for budget lines instead, which could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your shopping. It's worth joining specific Facebook groups where shoppers flag bargain deals they've found online or in-store. Two worth checking are the Latest Deals Facebook Group and the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group. The Sun revealed earlier this year the best time to score deals at Asda is once in the morning and again in the evening. Look out for fresh produce like fruit and veg, often reduced to as low as 10p, especially during the morning reductions. Check the reduced shelf throughout the day as different times can offer varying discounts. How to bag a bargain SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain… Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with. Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks. Sales are when you can pick up a real steal. Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on. Sign up to mailing lists and you'll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use and are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer. Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping. Bargain hunters can also use B&M's scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out. And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you'll get some of your money back or a discount on the item. 2
