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The brand said that the closures were a strategic decision as its wholesale operations and retail partnerships continued to go “from strength to strength”.

Seasalt launched its first US shop in September 2024 and had grown its footprint in the region to four sites by early 2026. However, the business confirmed that the four stores had shut by 17 May.

The company is now seeking to commit more resources to bolstering its third-party relationships across the US and Europe, including its department stores and online fashion and lifestyle retailers.

Seasalt noted that its international revenues currently made up 16 per cent of its total sales and formed a “significant growth opportunity”.

A spokesperson for the brand said: “We plan to grow our portfolio of partners in the US and Europe in the second half of this year, and we are investing accordingly in this area of the business.”

The business is aiming to see its international revenues surpass 20 per cent over the next year by refocusing on its third-party relationships. 

Seasalt said it had taken “significant learnings” from its international trading to date and was “approaching the next year and beyond with confidence despite the ongoing economic headwinds”.

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The fast fashion giant said currency-adjusted sales rose 11.5 per cent in May, beating forecasts for 8 per cent growth and offering reassurance that the retailer continues to attract shoppers despite pressure on household budgets.

For its first quarter, which ran from February to April, Inditex reported currency-adjusted sales growth of 8.8 per cent.

The Spanish retail group posted quarterly sales of €8.75 billion, equivalent to around $10.17 billion.

Profitability also improved during the period, with gross margin rising to 61.2 per cent from 60.6 per cent a year earlier.

The margin uplift suggests Inditex has been able to protect profits despite higher raw material and freight costs.

The stronger trading update is likely to be welcomed by investors, with Inditex shares having fallen since the start of the year.

The retailer, which also owns brands including Pull&Bear, Bershka, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius, has continued to benefit from its fast-moving supply chain and ability to respond quickly to changing fashion trends.

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As part of the app experience, customers can browse products and receive styling advise and recommendations.

Head of Digital Product at ASOS Melissa Lim explains that the retailer decided to implement an AI stylist feature on ChatGPT because it had found that consumers were increasingly using agentic platforms as part of their shopping journey.

She says: “For us, this is about being present where customers are already discovering fashion and making sure ASOS is part of that inspiration journey, rather than sitting on the side-lines.

“The ASOS Stylist app helps us show up in that moment of inspiration, reach new potential customers and drive discovery back to ASOS.com.”

According to Lim, the ASOS Stylist app in ChatGPT is part of its strategy to reduce friction in the shopping experience. It’s part of a plan to meet consumers where they are.

She adds: “It is also a natural extension of our role as The Stylist at ASOS: helping customers discover, combine and wear fashion with confidence.

“By bringing that styling support into new platforms, we can show up earlier in the inspiration journey and make it easier for customers to turn ideas into outfits and outfits into purchases.

Lim highlights that the stylist tool recommends products that are “genuinely” right for the consumer.

She says: “At ASOS, we see our role as helping people style themselves with confidence, not steering them towards products that serve a short-term commercial objective.

“The value of this experience lies in giving customers recommendations they can trust, because building that trust over time matters far more than any immediate gain. That principle was fundamental to how we designed the stylist.”

She explains that up until now, ChatGPT has primarily been a text-focused experience. However, fashion is a visual experience and can oftentimes be an emotional purchase. Movement, draping and fabric details all come into consideration when buying clothes.

She says: “Our experience is designed to be highly visual, bringing immersive product imagery and video, including livestream content, directly into the chat.

“We’ve applied learnings from years refining the e-commerce journey on ASOS to create familiar user interface (UI) patterns so shopping in ChatGPT feels more familiar. This shows in the way ASOS Stylist presents an edit or recommends similar items as alternatives.”

She highlights that the retailer’s Stylist app enables its customers to shop more “confidently” as it offers advice and guided conversation on how to shop for a particular body shape or style.

She says: “User research and A/B test insights from our product pages also show that videos provide more nuanced information about fit, so bringing this more prominently within the chat experience allows customers to better visualise how an item might look like on them.”

Lim adds that the retailer made the decision not to allow consumers to log in to their ASOS accounts through the ChatGPT for the initial release, so consumers are referred back to ASOS.

However, if customers have chosen to preserve its chat history within ChatGPT itself, the stylist will have access to previous conversations.

Lim says: “It’s still early days, but so far we have seen promising early engagement, with traffic from the ChatGPT channel increasing since launch, especially from new users.

“Once this new audience lands on ASOS, we see them actively browsing and saving products rather than leaving without any further interaction.”

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Edmonds joined the business in 2023 as chief marketing and digital officer before becoming chief operating officer in July 2025.

Prior to joining Sealskinz, he co-founded running underwear brand Runderwear, where he served as chief executive and later as an adviser.

Sealskinz, which is owned by Ted Baker founder Ray Kelvin, has been led by Blackman for the past three and a half years. He had previously served as chairman of the business.

Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Blackman said the time had come to “make way for the brand’s next chapter” and hand over the reins.

“It has been the honour to lead this incredible brand and team through its transformation into the modern, agile business it is today,” he said.

“To say we’ve seen an immense amount of change would be an understatement, but I leave feeling incredibly proud of the platform we’ve built and the team that is now ready to fuel its future growth.”

Blackman said Edmonds had played a central role in driving Sealskinz’s recent digital and commercial strategy.

“I am so incredibly pleased to share that Richard Edmonds will be stepping up as our new CEO,” he said.

“Over the last 2.5 years, he has been the engine behind our digital growth and global sales strategy. He has a clear, ambitious mission for Sealskinz, and he has my and the board’s fullest support.”

Sealskinz is known for its waterproof outdoor accessories and apparel, including socks, gloves and hats, serving customers across cycling, running, hiking and other outdoor activities.

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The store, which opened on 29 May in Helsinki Citycenter Mall, spans two floors and 30,000 sq ft.

It stocks global names including Nike, Adidas, Puma, Under Armour, The North Face, and Columbia across menswear, womenswear, and kidswear.

The store features activewear giant’s signature running, football, and outdoor concepts, offering customers “high-quality products and equipment to support their sporting journeys”.

Additionally, a dedicated bike zone in the store serves the local community and reflects Finland’s strong outdoor sports culture. The bike workshop provides servicing and maintenance repairs for shoppers.

The flagship is further complemented by USC, offering a selection of fashion, footwear and accessories from brands such as Hugo and Lacoste.

Frasers Group chief retail officer Lauren Barrie said: “Opening our first Sports Direct store in the Nordics marks an important milestone in our international growth journey. 

“The region is a key strategic market for us, with a strong affinity for sport and outdoor activity, and we’re pleased to be bringing the Sports Direct proposition to customers in Helsinki.”

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The resale app has benefited from the growing popularity of second-hand shopping during the cost of living crisis, with YouGov Profiles data showing that a third of Britons buy used items at least once every three months.

Vinted has become one of the biggest winners from this shift, particularly in fashion, where it has built strong consumer recognition and appeal.

According to YouGov BrandIndex, Vinted recorded an Impression score of 27.3, more than double the average UK clothing and apparel brand score of 12.3.

The platform also significantly outperformed fashion retailers on Value, scoring 21.3 compared with an industry average of 3.5, while its Quality score of 13.7 was slightly ahead of the fashion sector average of 13.0.

Customer sentiment towards the marketplace was also strong, with Vinted registering a Satisfaction score of 24.3, compared with an average of 10.4 across clothing and apparel brands.

However, YouGov said fashion is only one of the categories Vinted is targeting as it looks to support the “normalisation of second-hand” shopping.

The company has already moved into areas such as technology and books, and YouGov data suggests its brand appeal could translate beyond clothing.

Vinted’s Impression score of 27.3 was ahead of both high street retailers, at 16.4, and general retailers, at 12.5.

The marketplace also performed strongly on Value, scoring 21.3 compared with 6.4 for both high street and general retailers.

Its Satisfaction score of 24.3 was also ahead of high street retailers at 15.2 and general retailers at 12.0.

Vinted underperformed high street retailers on Quality, with a score of 13.7 compared with 15.1, although YouGov noted that the platform is competing with new products while selling second-hand goods. It still scored higher than general retailers, which recorded 10.8.

The research also found that Vinted is more than twice as likely to be considered by consumers than brands across the clothing, high street and general retail sectors.

Vinted’s Consideration score stood at 33.9, compared with 9.4 for clothing and apparel brands, 15.3 for high street retailers and 12.5 for general retailers.

YouGov said the platform’s combination of low prices, broad product range and sustainability-led positioning could give it appeal well beyond fashion as demand for second-hand shopping continues to grow.

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The online fashion giant said the expansion reflects changing menswear shopping habits, with its own research showing almost 40 per cent of men browse online for clothing inspiration every week.

ASOS said bringing new brands and curated edits together in one place would make it easier for shoppers to move from inspiration to purchase.

As part of the expansion, ASOS has become a wholesale partner for Gap in the UK and Ireland, marking a major addition to its menswear portfolio.

The Gap launch includes more than 100 products, spanning some of the brand’s best-known staples, from denim and knits to relaxed linen co-ords.

ASOS partner brands and flexible fulfilment director Shazmeen Malik said: “At ASOS, we’re known for great wardrobe staples, but we’re also the destination for the latest trends and inspiration.

“Over the last two years, 40 per cent of our men’s branded portfolio has been newly acquired, bringing together trusted names like Gap and Huf alongside a fresh mix of contemporary and streetwear brands.

“It means customers can discover something new while still finding those everyday pieces they know and love.”

The retailer’s expanded streetwear offer is led by brands including Pegador, Huf and Cernucci, with collections featuring bold graphics, statement silhouettes and logo-led pieces.

Stan Ray adds a workwear-inspired edge to the range, offering practical casual styles designed for everyday versatility.

Other new additions include Belier, Capo and BLKVIS, which bring smart-casual essentials and elevated everyday pieces to the platform.

The ranges include textured knits, premium basics, tailored trousers, coordinated sets, linen and crochet pieces designed to work across different occasions.

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