The Whispering rebrand

According to Drapers online, UK high street supplier Rajan Group is searching for brand acquisitions or licences now that it has rebranded its business as Whispering Smith. The group reckons that recession-struck young fashion brands are ripe for the picking. Group sales rose 10% to £60 million for the year to year-end 31 March, with net profits rising 43% to £250,000 -- a sign of how slender profit margins can be in the cut-throat market for fashion goods.

Fashionista has been listening to the financial pundits and agrees that Whispering Smith may find that now is the right time for a shopping spree. And although a good name counts for a lot in some circles, Fashionista is less sure that the name of a holding company is that important. Perhaps the trendy young brands in Whispering Smith's sights may prefer to be bought by a group with an interesting name but ultimately survival, especially in this market, will be uppermost in their throughts.