Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Amazon, Harvey Nichols and Mulberry

Amazon opens regional depots to make faster deliveries

Amazon has opened a series of small, regional distribution depots under the brand “Amazon Logistics” to speed up customer deliveries as part of a £1bn UK investment plan.

The company has opened seven 50,000 sq ft fulfilment centres so far at leased sites around Birmingham, Oxford, Milton Keynes and other locations around London, including Croydon and Southall to make faster deliveries, according to the Telegraph. The company has further plans to open four more “mini” centres next year in the north-west of England, south-west, the Midlands and Yorkshire.

Amazon is teaming up with smaller companies such as City Sprint and Transline to take the product to customers’ doors.

Stacey Cartwright frontrunner for the top job at Harvey Nichols

Former Burberry finance chief, Stacey Cartwright has emerged as one of the possible candidates to take up the role of chief executive at Harvey Nichols from Joseph Wan, according to the Independent.

Wan, who is expected to retire later this year or in early 2014, has held the chief executive role since 1992. Cartwright left Burberry in July after nine years at the luxury label.

Mulberry teams up with Mackintosh to launch a new line

Mulberry has partnered with Scottish coat maker Mackintosh to launch a new line, according to the Independent. The team have created a £1,750 mac, which will be sold through online retailer Net-A-Porter from November.

Mackintosh cloth was created by Scottish chemist Charles Macintosh and items are still handmade in Scotland.