We’ve all been there. A friend’s wedding is three days away and you don’t have anything to wear. The last thing you want to do is drag yourself around high-street shops, so it inevitably you turn to ASOS. After all, the company is known for its next day delivery and simple free returns service. Though many of us are reliant on the online fast fashion retailer for last-minute holiday purchases or big seasonal shops, a new report shows that ASOS’s pre-tax losses ballooned to almost £300m in the year to 3 September, compared with £31m the previous year, according to the results published on Wednesday (1 November). Despite its huge popularity, the once undisputed queen of online retailers now faces stiff competition from abroad, challenging economic headwinds, and a maturing clientele potentially seeking a more tailored experience. Leading some to ask, is ASOS in SOS? When ASOS was launched in 2000, the online retailer was considered revolutionary. It was like a supersize department store at your fingertips and became the first online retailer that UK customers could visit and find hundreds of dresses for £30 all in one place. But, in recent years, the company has been cutting its stock as it faces severe profit and revenue losses. In July and August, the retailer said it was hit by wet during the summer months, forcing the retailer to cut its stock by 30 per cent. Some experts now say that the holes within ASOS’s business model are becoming apparent. Rick Smith, Managing Director of business recovery firm Forbes Burton tells The Independent that ASOS’s business model of allowing large numbers of free returns makes the company susceptible to financial losses during challenging economic conditions. “The buying culture within their target demographic sees several items returned for each order placed, which can make for slim profit margins,” Smith explains. “ASOS has enjoyed a stratospheric rise since their inception, but have perhaps reached their ceiling now and need to cut their cloth accordingly, especially given the amount of economic headwinds [such as as the cost of living crisis] in play at the moment.” The buying habits of consumers have also shifted in the 23 years since ASOS launched. Smith says that sifting through hundreds of products has become a painstaking and often unenjoyable task for its customers. “Once large online retailers get to a certain size, it can become laborious for customers to scour their whole catalogue,” Smith explains. “The online fashion landscape is evolving now to a point that customers are looking for a more tailored service from websites.” With the rise of shopping on social media, too, young people are increasingly buying individual items from retailers on Instagram and TikTok or instead shopping directly from the brands that ASOS stocks, such as Pull and Bear, Stüssy and Bershka, which all have their own websites. “ASOS’s busy 20-something [target] market doesn’t necessarily have the time to sift through dozens of item pages,” adds Smith. “So curated collections and recommendations based on user input may be one of the changes they eventually look at.” ASOS, which originally stood for As Seen On Screen, initially started trading with the tagline “Buy what you see on film and TV” as it exclusively sold imitations of clothing worn by celebrities. That business model quickly expanded away from the world of replica products: ASOS now offers 850 affordable to mid-range high-street brands and ships to 196 countries. But the company is also now tackling a debt issue, with net debt including leases now at £648.5m, up from £533m the year before. Analysts predict that the online fashion site may need to raise quick cash soon – potentially through the rumoured sale of its Topshop brand, which ASOS acquired when the Arcadia Group went bust in 2021 and closed Topshop’s bricks and mortar stores. Despite the profit slump and predicted future losses, José Antonio Ramos Calamonte, ASOS’s chief executive, said in the report that the company has made “good progress” in “a very challenging environment” and would continue to invest in its brand and stock more fashionable lines of clothing. The company plans to spend £30m more on marketing and said it was going “back to fashion” with its products “geared around fashion and excitement”. As ASOS faces huge losses, it was reported this week that the Chinese-founded retailer Shein has acquired UK company Missguided, with plans to “reignite” the online retailer that was only bought out of administration by Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group a year and a half ago. Despite calls for boycotts from anti-fashion campaigners, Shein is currently valued at around £53bn, having expanded globally and bought many of its rival brands. In 2022, it was the most-googled fashion brand in the world and made a reported £18.9bn in revenue, suggesting that fast fashion is not falling out of favour with consumers who want to find entire outfits on a budget. 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Halloween is here, but many A-list celebrities kicked off the spooky celebrations early over the weekend. While this year’s Halloween falls on a Tuesday, several famous faces stepped out in some extravagant costumes all “Halloweekend” long. Some celebrities paid homage to fellow pop culture icons, while others tried their best to follow new costume guidelines issued by SAG-AFTRA. Last week, the guild prohibited members from dressing up as popular characters from major studio content. Instead, they were encouraged to wear costumes inspired by generalised characters, like ghosts, zombies, or witches. This meant that celebrities needed to put their creative costume skills to the test, and many succeeded - apart from Megan Fox, who defiantly hit out at SAG-AFTRA when she dressed up as Gogo Yubari from Kill Bill. From Paris Hilton to Kourtney Kardashian Barker, here are the best celebrity Halloween costumes of 2023. Adele The Grammy winner celebrated the spooky holiday with a performance at her Las Vegas residency, “Weekends with Adele”. She dressed up as Morticia Addams from The Addams Family for the occasion, complete with a long black wig, a floor-length black dress, and dramatic smokey eye makeup. Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies Longtime friends Ariana Grande and Elizabeth Gillies continued their Halloween tradition of acting out scenes from their favourite movies. This year the pair dressed up as characters from the 1995 film, Showgirls. Grande played Elizabeth Berkley’s character, Nomi Malone/Polly Ann Costello, while Gillies was Gina Gershon’s Cristal Connors. Last year, the Victorious co-stars reenacted scenes from Christopher Guest’s 2000 mockumentary, Best in Show. Austin Butler and Kaia Gerber Elvis star Austin Butler and his girlfriend, Kaia Gerber, went all out as Andy Warhol and 1960’s model Edie Sedgwick for Halloween. The celebrity couple, who have been dating since late 2021, attended the 2023 Casamigos Halloween party hosted by Gerber’s parents, Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber. Chloe Bailey Singer Chloe Bailey pulled out all the stops as Daenerys Targaryen, aka Mother of Dragons, from HBO’s Game of Thrones. The 25-year-old shared photos of her medieval costume to Instagram, where she posed in a gold-plated dress with Khlaeesi’s signature long blonde hair. Camila Mendes, Madelaine Petsch, and Lili Reinhart The Riverdale co-stars reunited this Halloween to become characters from the DC comic, Gotham City Sirens. Mendes appeared as Catwoman, Petsch was dressed as Poison Ivy, and Reinhart opted for Harley Quinn. Demi Lovato Camp Rock alum Demi Lovato went back to her Disney roots when she dressed up as Snow White for Halloween. The “Sorry Not Sorry” singer channelled the Disney princess with her signature blue, white, and yellow mini dress. Lovato made the look her own by adding a low-cut, leather corset top over the bodice. Ice Spice Ice Spice turned heads this Halloween when she shared photos of herself as the cartoon character, Betty Boop. The 23-year-old rapper posted photos to Instagram wearing Betty Boop’s signature black curled hair, along with a red strapless mini dress. Justin and Hailey Bieber Justin and Hailey Bieber took couples costumes to a whole new level when they coordinated in matching looks from The Flintstones. The singer and model attended Vas J Morgan and Michael Braun’s Halloween Party in Los Angeles dressed as the characters Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm from the cartoon series. The Rhode Beauty founder also shared photos of her separate Halloween costume: a white, lace underwear set inspired by Carmen Electra’s from the 2000 parody film, Scary Movie. Keke Palmer Halloween was a mother-son affair for Keke Palmer and her nine-month-old son, Leodis “Leo” Andrellton. The duo paid homage to Frankenstein, as the Nope star dressed up as the Bride of Frankenstein and her son as Dr Frankenstein. “He gave me LIFE,” she captioned her post on Instagram. For her second Halloween costume, Palmer dressed up as Tyra Banks’ character Eve in the 2000 movie Life-Size starring Lindsay Lohan, in which the doll Eve comes to life. Kendall Jenner Much like older sister Kim Kardashian did at the 2022 Met Gala, supermodel Kendall Jenner also channelled Marilyn Monroe with her Halloween costume this year. The 27-year-old wore a short, curled blonde wig and black turtleneck, as she dotted her left cheek with Monroe’s signature beauty mark. “Happy birthday mister president,” Jenner captioned her Instagram post. Kelsea Ballerini It was a Barbiecore Halloween this year, and country music singer Kelsea Ballerini went all out as Cowgirl Barbie from the Barbie movie. She shared photos to Instagram of her Halloween costume, which featured a hot pink vest and matching bell bottoms covered in stars. Ballerini completed the look with a pink paisley ascot around her neck and a white cowboy hat, straight from the summer blockbuster. Kim Kardashian and North West Famous mother-daughter duo Kim Kardashian and North West took a page out of the 1995 teen movie classic, Clueless, with their Halloween costumes. The Skims founder dressed up as Alicia Silverstone’s character of Cher Horowitz, complete with her iconic yellow plaid skirt and jacket, with a matching yellow vest and long blonde hair. Meanwhile, her 10-year-old daughter channelled Cher’s best friend, Dionne. Kourtney Kardashian For her Halloween costume this year, Kourtney Kardashian Barker took a page out of Kim Kardashian’s fashion archive. The Poosh founder recreated her sister’s floral-printed Givenchy gown she wore to the 2013 Met Gala when she was pregnant with her first child, North West. Now, Kardashian Barker is pregnant with her fourth child and first baby with husband Travis Barker. “Freaky Friday,” she wrote on Instagram. The soon-to-be mother of four also shared a photo of her couples costume with the Blink-182 drummer. Kardashian and Barker dressed up as actors Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder in the 1988 movie, Beetlejuice. Their elaborate outfits resembled the ones worn during the scene in which Beetlejuice (Keaton) convinces Lydia (Ryder) to marry him. “I’m the ghost with the most, babe,” Kardasian captioned her post, quoting a line straight from the horror film. Lizzo The “Truth Hurts” singer turned into fellow musician Tina Turner with her Halloween costume. In photos posted to Instagram, Lizzo wore a leather mini dress with sparkly fringe, along with a Turner-inspired blonde wig. “Honouring Tina Turner,” she captioned her post. The queen of rock ‘n’ roll died earlier this year at age 83. Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly The Jennifer’s Body star hit out at SAG-AFTRA guidelines when she and her fiancé, Machine Gun Kelly, dressed up as characters from the 2001 film, Kill Bill. Fox wore a costume inspired by the schoolgirl assassin, Gogo Yubari, while MGK wore the iconic yellow jumpsuit Uma Thurman’s character wore in the film. Taking to Instagram, Fox tagged the official account for SAG-AFTRA in her caption, simply writing: “@sagaftra” Paris Hilton and Jessica Alba In honour of Britney Spears’ newly released memoir, The Woman in Me, Paris Hilton paid tribute to her longtime friend when she wore a replica of the blue flight attendant dress Spears donned in the “Toxic” music video. “Icons support icons,” Hilton wrote on Instagram, alongside photos of the iconic costume. Meanwhile, Jessica Alba also honoured the legendary pop star with her Halloween costume. She attended the star-studded Casamigos party in Los Angeles donning a blonde wig and nude, sparkly bodysuit - resembling another notable look Spears wore in the 2004 music video for “Toxic”. As for Heidi Klum, the queen of crazy Halloween costumes, she teased her upcoming look for her annual Halloween party. Taking to Instagram, the supermodel posed nude on a fluffy pink couch as she wrote in her caption: “The calm before the storm. “Three days to #heidihalloween2023,” she added. “My motto this Halloween: GO BIG OR GO HOME”. Last year, Klum broke the internet when she dressed up in a head-to-toe worm costume. Speaking to People, she explained that when it comes to Halloween costumes, Klum tries to “find things that people naturally wouldn’t do.” “Most people do nurses or police officers, but I was always looking for something that I hadn’t seen,” she said. While Klum is keeping this year’s costume close to her chest, she did previously describe it as “epic”. Read More 11 best kids’ Halloween outfits that will scare and delight 9 best horror stories to read this Halloween and beyond Kourtney Kardashian’s skeletons and other celebrity inspiration for Halloween Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals trick for limiting children’s Halloween candy hauls Kim Kardashian criticised for ‘tone-deaf’ Halloween decorations Jessica Alba and Paris Hilton pay tribute to Britney Spears for Halloween

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Kim Kardashian has announced the launch of a Skims bra with faux nipples wi a cheeky skit on Instagram. On 27 October, the Skims founder told her followers that the shapewear brand was launching the Ultimate Nipple Bra on 31 October, a new twist on the brand’s push-up bra that has “a built-in, faux nipple for shock factor”. In an Instagram video, Kardashian began the playful campaign by saying: “The Earth’s temperature is getting hotter and hotter. The sea levels are rising. The ice sheets are shrinking. And I’m not a scientist, but I do believe everyone can use their skillset to do their part.” “That’s why I’m introducing a brand-new bra with a built-in nipple, so no matter how hot it is, you’ll always look cold,” she continued. The reality TV star can be seen pointing to a detailed diagram of the bra and modelling it beneath neutral-hued Skims separates. The mogul then sat on a desk and tossed her hair back, telling viewers: “Some days are hard, but these nipples are harder. And unlike these icebergs, these aren’t going anywhere.” In her caption, Kardashian revealed that some of the money earned from the fashion drop will be donated to a good cause. “In addition to our investment in advancing carbon removal, Skims is proud to donate 10 per cent of sales from our Skims Ultimate Nipple Bra, as a one-time donation, to @1percentftp - a global network with thousands of businesses and environmental organisations working together to support people and the planet.” While the concept of the campaign was certainly original, it appeared to be a bit of a headscratcher for some people in the comment section. One Instagram user joked: “For a second I thought it was an April Fools but it’s October lol.” “I thought this was a joke,” someone else added, while another chimed in: “Kind of a slap in the face to our current climate crisis but okay.” Meanwhile, others praised the product’s inclusivity, noting that it would empower breast cancer survivors. Someone shared: “Women who have suffered from breast cancer and want that extra boost of confidence are going to appreciate this so much.” Another person commented: “I’ve just battled breast cancer and lost my right breast so for me this is genius! Can’t wait to get one.” One person suggested that if people really wanted their nipples to have a perkier look, they should “get them pierced” instead. Someone else praised Kardashian’s marketing strategy, noting: “Got to give it to you girl, you’re a marketing genius.” The latest campaign is one of many new launches for Skims in the past few weeks. Most recently, Kardashian recruited athletes such as Neymar Jr, Nick Bosa, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to model a Skims menswear line in a viral, much-talked-about campaign. “The expansion into the menswear space is a major milestone for the brand, and a testament to Skims’ commitment to providing solutions for everybody,” Kardashian said in a statement. “I am incredibly excited about this next chapter for Skims and cannot wait for everyone to experience our amazing range of products.” Read More Why Kim Kardashian didn’t take Karl Lagerfeld’s cat to the Met Gala ‘A healthier addiction than drugs’: How Elton John got hooked on photography ‘Ozempic is exposing holes in the body positivity movement’ Why Kim Kardashian didn’t take Karl Lagerfeld’s cat to the Met Gala ‘A healthier addiction than drugs’: How Elton John got hooked on photography ‘Ozempic is exposing holes in the body positivity movement’

Kim Kardashian initially planned on attending the 2023 Met Gala with a very unusual plus one – the late Karl Lagerfeld’s cat, Choupette. During an episode of The Kardashians, the 43-year-old reality star made the revelation about who she’d be attending the fashion extravaganza with. “I am going to the Met with Karl Lagerfeld’s cat as my date, and I’m so excited,” she said while on a trip to Paris, documented before the 2023 New York event which was in honour of Lagerfeld. While she said her trip to Paris gave her the “perfect” opportunity to “come and meet Choupette”, she confessed that she was “nervous” about that introduction. “I feel like I’m going on a blind date,” she added. As she reflected on her time working with the late fashion designer, she also acknowledged what “an honour it is to bring his baby” to the Met Gala. As Choupette was brought over to Kardashian, she gently petted the animal and called her “beautiful”. However, Choupette started to hiss at Kardashian, who responded by moving her hand away. “It’s OK, I act like that sometimes too,” she added. Kardashian also acknowledged that the cat may take some time to cosy up to her. “I think Choupette is playing hard to get,” she said during a confessional interview. “Maybe she just has to warm up, you know?” After The Kardashians star described the pet as “feisty” when they were meeting, she also shared her concerns about Choupette not being comfortable around her at all. “Choupette is really key to my whole vibe for the Met Gala this year,” she added during the confessional interview. “So if we don’t vibe, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I just hope she warms up to me…cause this wouldn’t be cute.” When Kardashian tried to pet Choupette, and said “please don’t bite me,” the cat once again hissed at her. “Choupette, can I touch you?” the reality star asked, while gently putting her hand toward the pet. “Okay, we’ll chill.” After the cat proceeded to hiss at Kardashian multiple times, the KKW Beauty founder made her decision. “I’m getting a little bit nervous, and I think I just fully wanna pivot,” she said. “There’s so many factors that I think could be negative, especially with the cameras and the people, even if she’s scared of the camera and not me.” She added: “I don’t think it’s fair for Choupette. So I think I realised really quickly that…Choupette, we’re not a match. So I am not bringing her to the Met.” When Kardashian had the opportunity to actually hold the cat in her arms, Choupette once again hissed at her. Back in April, Kardashian shared her first selfie on Instagram with the cat. “Had a date with @choupetteofficiel in Paris. We then spent some time at @karllagerfeld’s office to get a little inspiration for the Met,” she wrote in the caption. Although the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star didn’t bring Lagerfeld’s cat to the fashion event this year, she did walk the red carpet in an extravagant outfit. For the occasion, she wore a nude bodysuit and was covered head-to-toe in a series of pearl necklaces. The look – which was designed by Schiaparelli’s creative director, Daniel Roseberry – was also completed with a white, floor-length coat. To follow the theme of the Met Gala, many famous faces honoured Lagerfeld by dressing up as Choupette, as actor Jared Leto wore a giant white fluffy cat costume. Doja Cat also wore cat-inspired prosthetics on her face, cat-eye make-up, and a diamond hanging on her forehead. Read More Geri Halliwell says Spice Girls fan Kim Kardashian would be called ‘Smart Spice’ Kourtney Kardashian jokes about rows with Kim in birthday message North West announces she has dyslexia during a TikTok livestream Kim Kardashian ‘scared out of her mind’ to tell Kanye West about male nanny The blunt text Kanye West got from Julia Fox when he tried to get her to sign an NDA ‘A healthier addiction than drugs’: How Elton John got hooked on photography