Sophisticated counterfeits and a culture of hassle-free returns have created an expensive problem for retailers.

Department stores and e-commerce sites like Selfridges, Farfetch and Galeries Lafayette are making moves to promote more sustainable fashion, a shift that could have a powerful impact on the industry.

Starting next year, the UK luxury department store chain will only sell leather derived from agricultural livestock, joining a growing number of retailers and brands that have banned crocodile, python and other exotic skins.

The store has long been pronounced dead, but for market-leading talent, retail careers have never been more creative or exciting as they drive the industry's reinvention.