​M&S’s powerful recovery story continued over the Christmas period with the UK retail giant saying Thursday that constant currency sales rose 18.6% year-on-year and 8.9% compared to two years ago.

​The new owners of Selfridges have major property development plans for the site in Oxford Street, London, with a luxury hotel and flats to be created. They will also continue to upgrade the main department store.

​It’s official — Thailand’s Central and Austria’s Signa are buying Selfridges Group from the Weston family. The transaction “will create one of the world’s leading omnichannel luxury department store groups”.

​Luxury London store Fortnum & Mason has named Iain Robertson to the newly created role of chief operating and innovation officer. He joins in February. 

​We’re more used to hearing about fashion collabs from Mr Porter but the luxury e-tailer has just unveiled a link-up that suggests it’s nodding towards a wider lifestyle offer.

Dior went into full court press in the first 48 hours of Paris Fashion Week – unveiling its new Cheval Blanc spa, feting its Dior Home and Kids creator Cordelia de Castellane, and unveiling a Miss Dior floral pop-up. 

​There was some good news coming out of Marks & Spencer for once on Friday as it upgraded its profit outlook after shoppers went online to buy more of its revamped clothing offer and also bought plenty of its foods.

LVMH's Moët Hennessy and Italy's Campari have agreed to team up to invest in wines and spirits e-commerce companies and create a European e-commerce player in the sector.

​The Arnault family have a new interest in the experiential economy, a thoroughly chic new restaurant, backed by Antoine Arnault and located in Paris' grandest square.

It’s been a busy week for Amélie Huynh, the CEO of Parfums D’Orsay, the inventive French perfume marque, who just launched a series of new scents and interior fragrances in Paris.

​The reopening of pubs, restaurants and entertainment venues on Monday boosted footfall to the West End this week, which would have had a positive knock-on effect on retailers in the district.

“Un café, s’il vous plaît!” Coffee time is about to return to Paris, notably at Emporio Armani Caffè, which will reopen for business on May 19, when France finally authorizes the use of restaurant and café terraces.

​M&S has unveiled a major realignment of its senior leadership team with CEO Steve Rowe making the changes after saying the firm has finished the ‘Fixing the Basics’ part of its strategy and is ready for the next step.

Singapore-based specialist in the digitisation of retail brands, Trax has announced that it has raised funds totalling €539 million ($640 million) which it will use to develop its services for retailers.

There are 34 days (and counting) to go until non-essential retail reopens in England and optimism mounts. And London's Covent Garden surely isn't alone in its enthusiasm to return to business.

The American brand founded by Ronnie Fieg is opening a store in the French capital. Spread over three floors, the 16,000-square-foot location not only offers the label's latest collections, but also a restaurant.