The Know Daily - Tuesday 13 May 2025

_{Read in 4m 45 ∙ Listening to Geri Halliwell ∙}

It’s the start of National Smile Month 😊 Here’s something to make you smile and a reminder to get those gnashers checked!

🪡 Women designing for women

A new wave of women are taking over the UK’s biggest fashion brands – and they’re designing with women, not trends, in mind.

Tell me more…
From Whistles to Marks & Spencer, a surge of female creative directors are reshaping British high street fashion. These women are industry heavyweights, many of whom earned their stripes during the heyday of Topshop (take me back) and are now channelling that experience into striking a balance between fashion that’s both practical and chic.

Who are they?
Jacqui Markham, ex-Topshop and ASOS design director, has taken the reins at Whistles, hoping to breathe new life into the label. Maddy Evans is steering the ship at M&S womenswear, where her savvy helped the brand become 2023’s biggest womenswear retailer in the UK. Then there’s Clare Waight Keller – formerly artistic director at Givenchy – whose SS25 collection with Uniqlo has nailed the “quiet luxury” brief. Over at Cos, Karin Gustafsson continues her reign, bringing clean lines and sustainable fabrics to minimalist shoppers.

But why now?
There’s a growing appetite for clothes that get women – how they live, move, and want to feel. “Our team’s lived experiences help us understand and relate to our customer and what she needs in her day to day life,” Whistles’s product director, Camille Sullivan, told The Guardian. After years of micro-trends and clothes designed more for Instagram than day-to-day life, consumers are increasingly aware of fast fashion’s environmental and social impact. These designers are shifting the focus back to longevity and dressing for yourself rather than a fleeting aesthetic. 

Anything else I should know?
It’s not just a win for consumers, but for the industry too. Women are not only leading the conversation on what we wear, but how it’s made, marketed, and sold. Of course, most of these brands still operate within the fast fashion model – but this shift in leadership shows that change can start from the top. With fewer gimmicks and more substance, it could signal a fresh, sustainably-focussed era of high street fashion.

Want to know more? Listen to this episode of Woman’s Hour for a deeper dive.

🙏🏻 Peaceful press: Pope Leo XIV has used his first press conference to call for an end to the polarising 'war of words' within the media.

• The bigger story: The new pontiff urged journalists to "disarm communication" by rejecting prejudice. He emphasised the importance of truthful reporting and called for the release of imprisoned journalists worldwide, highlighting the "precious gift of free speech and the press". 

🧬 Autoimmune antidote: Researchers are developing "inverse vaccines" that could offer potential relief for autoimmune conditions like multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes.

🕺 Singing sensations: The Eurovision Song Contest kicks off today in the Swiss city of Basel – here’s everything you need to know about today’s semi-final. 

⛱️ Reel-y recommended: Expedia have just launched an AI-powered tool which allows you to convert any public Instagram Reel into a bookable itinerary. 

📚 Analog academies: EU ministers gathered yesterday to discuss how to better protect young people online, including a potential full ban on mobile phones in schools.

🚙 Airborne automobile: A production-ready flying car that transforms from road vehicle to aircraft in under two minutes is set for release next year.

💃🏼 Demure dress code: The Cannes Film Festival has issued an updated red carpet dress code that rules out nudity and “voluminous” outfits.

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Trivia answer:  B) Oat milk nabbed the top spot with one British factory churning 200m litres per year.

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