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Moment Sun Man Jerome Starkey swoops on Russian warship in Wildcat chopper in dramatic showdown in English Channel
THIS is the moment Sun Man Jerome Starkey joined Royal Navy gunboats as they intercepted a Russian convoy in a dramatic Channel showdown.
HMS Iron Duke charged at full speed up to a Russian warship as a naval Wildcat helicopter swooped and circled as low as 80ft above the waves.
Armed Russian sentries scrambled to man machine guns on the decks of landing ship Aleksandkr Otrakovskiy, which led the six-vessel convoy.
Waves crashed over the Royal Navy frigate as it closed to within 1,000 yards of the rusting Russian warship.
The Wildcat chopper – with The Sun proudly onboard – was half that distance away as it scanned the Russian tank transporter with high-tech sensors and thermal optics.
It was the first time journalists have joined a Royal Navy intercept mission in living memory.
Cockpit displays in the Wildcat showed Russian sailors with Kalashnikov rifles slung across their chests as comrades manned heavy machine guns mounted on the warship’s bows.
It is the closest Britain’s armed forces have come to Russia’s military since tyrant Vladimir Putin illegally invaded Ukraine three years ago.
HMS Iron Duke, a Type 23 frigate, was one of four Royal Navy vessels that stalked the Russian ships towards a home base in the Baltics.
Plucky HMS Cutlass, one of the smallest warships in the impressive fleet, shadowed the convoy through the Strait of Gibraltar.
The Spanish and French navies watched them up to Brittany where Britain’s RFA Tide Surge and the offshore patrol ship HMS Tyne joined the French ship Rhone.
They were backed overhead by two French Rafale fighter jets – which flew multiple passes at 300ft – and an RAF P-8 Poseidon spy plane.
HMS Iron Duke’s captain Commander David Armstrong insisted the mission was vital to Britain’s security.
He told The Sun: “It is not enough to hope the Russians won’t do anything detrimental to our security.
“We need to be here to make sure they can’t.”
It was the 13th time his frigate, known as the Fleet Ready Escort, has bravely scrambled to meet Russian ships in the last six months.
The increased patrols come amid claims that Russia is attacking vital subsea cables in the Baltic Sea.
Cdr Armstrong added: “Part of Russia’s doctrine is quick wins, deescalate and deny – and that is what we are trying to guard against.
“They could cut subsea cables, say it’s nothing to do with us, and then ask the West ‘what are you going to do about it?’.
“The mission of the Fleet Ready Escort is to make sure the Russians – or any non-allied nation – don’t have that opportunity, because we are watching.
He added: “As a maritime nation we rely on trade by sea. So much of our food, our energy and data travels on or under the sea.
“Sea lines of communication are of critical importance.
“The protection of our critical national infrastructure relies on control of our territorial seas.”
HMS Iron Duke steamed out of Portsmouth at dusk on Wednesday as the Russian convoy approached Lands End.
The 436ft long frigate was armed Sting Ray torpedoes, devastating Sea Ceptor missiles, a 4.5inch main gun and crucially a well drilled crew of 180, ranging from 18 to 55 years old.
They were joined under the cover of darkness by a Wildcat naval helicopter from 815 Naval Air Squadron based at Yeovilton, Somerset.
Cdr Armstrong insisted he is never trying to give Putin or Russia a message but just doing his job.
He added: “What I can say, as the captain of a warship, is that if you are a non-allied vessel and you pose a potential threat to UK interests you should expect the Royal Navy to monitor you because that has been our job for hundreds of years.
“It is what the Navy does.”
As dawn broke on Thursday HMS Iron Duke was lurking beyond the horizon, out of sight of the Russian convoy.
On the captain’s orders, the engineers below deck spun up the ships two gas turbine engines which provided a power boost as they hit a top speed of 28 knots.
At the same time Wildcat launched from the flight deck and roared into view of the Russians.
At one point, commercial shipping forced HMS Iron Duke to close in to 1,000 yards of the Aleksandr Otrakovskiy before later opening up to two miles.
Cdr Armstrong said a sentry appeared on the top deck and sailors in body armour manned their ship’s machine guns.
But he insisted it was “nothing overly aggressive”.
The Russian flotilla included two warships, two container ships and two oil tankers for refuelling en route.
The pair of warships – the Aleksandr Otrakovskiy and Ivan Gren – were escorting container ships merchant vessels Sparta I and Sparta II, and the oil tankers General Skobolev and Yelnya.
Experts suspect they were laden with thousands of tons of arms and munitions after Moscow was forced to evacuate its Tartus naval base in Syria when former President Bashar al Assad was toppled by rebels last year.
At no point did the vessels pose a specific threat to Britain and the crews were “safe and professional,” the Navy said.
But there are fears the weapons on board will be used against Ukraine.
SEA SABOTAGE
Their passage through the Channel came days after Defence Secretary John Healey vowed to take “robust action” against suspected Russian subsea sabotage.
He ordered an Astute class nuclear submarine to surface yards away from the Russian spy ship Yantar last year after it was suspected of interfering with subsea cables in the Irish Sea.
In a stark message to President Putin, Healey said: “We see you.
“We know what you are doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.”
Finland also boarded a Russian vessel suspected of dragging its anchor to deliberately sever an internet cable.
And Baltic states are considering using anti-piracy laws to seize Russian “ghost ships” which are smuggling oil to evade global sanctions.
But for many of the crew it was just another day at work.
Leading Seaman James Chadwick, 24, from Manchester said: “To us it is just a standard day.
“We have been trained to do it, we know exactly what to do and how to react in any situation.”
He said team work was key to the vessel’s success.
He added: “You always have to rely on teamwork. If you don’t have the engineers or the medics or the chefs it wouldn’t run.”
Sailors like James spent a staggering 215 days away from home last year.
His shipmate Louis Barker, 21, from Skipton, said the sense camaraderie was key.
He said: “People always have so much going on at home it can be very very difficult.
“When you talk about teamwork you have got to make sure your oppos and the people around you are doing alright.”
Commander Armstrong agreed.
He said: “The British people are very lucky that we have young sailors who are so dedicated to king and country that they are prepared to do this.
“This is service, and we all signed up for, but sometimes the public forgets.”
Match for Hope 2025 LIVE SCORE: KSI scores HORROR own goal during THRILLER as Henry and Speed star- latest updates
THE Match for Hope is HERE – and has been an absolutely thrilling encounter so far!
Team Chunkz x IShowSpeed are going head-to-head with Team KSI x AboFlah in a blockbuster charity match, which last year raised $8.8MILLION for charity, helping an estimated 70,000 school children in countries around the world.
Football legends such as Thierry Henry, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro, Del Piero, Andres Iniesta and David Silva will feature alongside some of the biggest names on the internet.
The game got off to a dramatic start when KSI netted an absolutely AWFUL own goal – from a Speed assist.
But after a strong start by Chunkz and Speed’s team it was one-way traffic as KSI and AboFlah’s team took charge and had a 5-2 lead by half-time.
- Kick off time: 5pm GMT/8pm local time
- FREE live stream: Chunkz’s official YouTube channel
- Team Chunkz x IShowSpeed: Thogden, Tobi Brown, Harry Pinero, Manny Brown, AJ Shabeel, Andres Iniesta, David Silva, IShowSpeed, Chunkz, Taiyo, Kimura, Eman SV2.
- Team KSI x AboFlah: David Vujanic, KSI, Danny Aarons, Angry Ginge, Miniminter, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Del Piero, Musaed Al Fouzan, Billy Wingrove, AboFlah, Thierry Henry.
- Donate to Education Above All Foundation
Follow our live blog below…
Brighton vs Chelsea LIVE SCORE: Blues eye back-to-back Premier League wins as they seek revenge against Seagulls
BRIGHTON welcome Chelsea to the Amex for a huge Premier League clash TONIGHT.
The two sides met just six days ago, with Georginio Rutter and Karou Mitoma firing the Seagulls to a 2-1 win in the FA Cup fourth round.
Chelsea will be out for revenge this evening as they look to secure back-to-back wins in the Premier League.
Brighton are looking to end their run of two straight defeats and push up the table towards the European spots.
- Kick off time: 8pm GMT
- TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event
- Live stream: NOW/Sky Sports app
- Brighton team: To follow…
- Chelsea team: To follow…
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Follow our live blog below…
I was sick of spending £1.6k a year on Botox so swapped it for a 21p buy at 39 – it was great at freezing my face
A BEAUTY fan has revealed that she was sick of splashing cash on Botox, so decided to try a much more affordable method.
So if you’re on a mission to look youthful but don’t fancy having needles poked into your face, then fear not, we’ve got just the thing for you.
The 39-year-old, who admitted to spending £1,600 a year on Botox, has now found a purse-friendly alternative to reduce the appearance of fine lines.
And those on a budget will be thrilled to know that this handy trick costs just 21p – yes, you heard that correctly.
Skincare enthusiast Brittany Vasseur took to social media to share her fun beauty experiment, leaving many gobsmacked.
The content creator underwent a skincare test to see what would happen if she taped her face for a month.
Face taping is a Botox alternative that uses specialised tapes to temporarily freeze and retrain muscles so they don’t move as much, making wrinkles allegedly less visible.
Brittany, who was spending £400 just on forehead Botox every three months, confessed: “Botox was not lasting as long, as my body metabolises it really fast, so it would only really last for a couple of months.”
Not only this, but after being left terrified by the prospect of Botox poisoning, the blonde beauty instead turned to the much more natural method.
Brittany ordered herself some Frownies Anti-Wrinkle Patches, which you’ll find on Amazon for £29.95 for a pack of 144 pouches, which works out at just 21p per patch.
The vlogger explained that the patches need to be “pretty stiff to restrict the movement” and as a result, advised beauty enthusiasts to wet them first, using either a toner or water.
As she applied the unscented patches, which ‘dramatically reduce lines and wrinkles safely and naturally’, she confessed: “You do look a little funny while you wear them.”
In addition to Frownies, Brittany also tried the Morrow Smoothing Wrinkle Patches, which are infused with Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin E.
The clear patches work to plump up the skin, are slightly more expensive than Frownies and are currently not available in the UK.
How to reverse ageing in just 2 weeks, according to royal go-to nutritionist
LONDON -based Gabriela Peacock, who has helped the likes of Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie prepare for their weddings.
She told Fabulous: “The science is evident that we all have the power to make simple life changing alterations to better our future selves – no matter what genetic hand we might have been dealt with.
“The reality is, we all sometimes indulge in unhealthy eating habits like processed foods, smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol, inhaling city pollutants, and even drinking water from plastic bottles – none of this is good for us.
“All this does is promote the ageing process, but we all have the potential to change this.”
It may be hard, but try to keep away from sugary carbohydrates, because they feed chronic inflammation, which is one of the worst enemies of reversing ageing.
Now only will you end up putting on weight if you consume them regularly, but your energy and hormonal levels will be affected and this will influence how you look and feel.
Whatever your age or state of health, it’s never too late to reverse how quickly you are ageing and embrace the energy and vigour of a younger you.
Antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, and E, are essential in neutralising free radicals—the culprits behind premature ageing.
Integrating a spectrum of colourful fruits and vegetables into your diet provides a potent source of antioxidants.
Omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in fatty fish like salmon and flaxseeds, are vital for maintaining skin elasticity and hydration.
Omega-3s act as nourishment for your skin, locking in moisture and diminishing fine lines and wrinkles.
Collagen, a structural protein dwindling with age, can be replenished through collagen-rich foods like bone broth and lean protein sources.
But Brittany claimed that the Morrow patches are not as stiff as Frownies, which are said to ‘reverse signs of ageing’ and ‘retrain the underlying facial muscles to regain the strength and tone they have lost’.
Sharing her honest verdict on Frownies, the influencer admitted: “I was pretty happy with how this made my face look the next morning.
I don’t get as much movement and it has the same feeling of Botox, so it’s definitely doing something
Brittany Vasseur
“You can see my nasolabial fold line is almost gone and it lasted for several hours throughout the day.”
And when it came to using the product on her forehead, she recognised that it did a “good job at freezing the wrinkles.”
As a result, she acknowledged: “For me, yes overall, face taping is worth it. It is something I am going to continue to do.”
Top beauty trends for 2025
Hayley Walker, Beauty Expert at Justmylook spoke exclusively to Fabulous about the big beauty trends for 2025.
Haircare
Hair gloss treatments are a must-have as beauty enthusiasts love the salon-quality shine and enhanced colour delivered by the trending treatment.
Hair glosses are multifunctional as they nourish the hair while offering a vibrant, healthy-looking finish, combining 2025’s core trends. This treatment is perfect for those seeking an affordable, at-home glow-up.
2025 will focus on skin repairing and texture-enhancing treatments.
Skincare
Rejuran treatment, a celebrity-endorsed procedure, will see a rise in demand this year as many seek to enhance the skin’s appearance. The procedure entails injecting polynucleotides derived from salmon DNA to enhance skin texture and elasticity. “Rejuvenation is expected to dominate 2025 skincare trends as many seek to a achieve flawless, youthful complexion.
Skincare routines will also include back-to-basic products for a simplified routine.
Ginseng cleansing oil and panthenol cream are among the trending products for 2025. The cleansing oil is excellent for dissolving makeup and impurities without clogging pores and is enriched with nourishing properties to leave the skin feeling and looking refreshed and radiant.
Makeup
Makeup trends will follow suit to achieve youthful and radiant looks. Under-eye brighteners will be sought-after products for delivering coverage while enhancing natural radiance. This beauty tool will complement natural beauty while improving and brightening dull skin.
Makeup looks will be bigger and bolder in 2025 with cluster lashes expected to surge this year. These lashes bring the glam to glamorous looks as they deliver dramatic volume to enhance everyday or special occasion looks.
Peel-off lip stains circulated the beauty industry in 2024 and are expected to dominate in 2025. The growing popularity of this product is due to its ability to provide long-lasting, transfer-proof colour to lips, enhancing a natural aesthetic. Additionally, cherry-coded aesthetics are expected to be everywhere this year as the deep, rich hue can be achieved using peel-off lip stains or bold lip looks for a dramatic effect.
Nails
2025 will be another year of countless, show-stopping nail trends. Goddess Nails and Aura Nails deserve an honourable mention as these designs channel an ethereal, celestial aesthetic for bold, self-expressing nails.
Not only did she claim to not have any irritation or breakouts with the patches, but she also claimed that her forehead was beginning to feel increasingly stiff.
She beamed: “I have noticed, and this is the crazy thing, that my forehead muscles are being retrained – I don’t get as much movement and it has the same feeling of Botox, so it’s definitely doing something.”
Beauty fans beam
The YouTube clip has clearly impressed many, as it has quickly racked up 90,000 views.
Social media users were left open-mouthed by Brittany’s results, and many eagerly flocked to the comments to express this.
I was contemplating getting Botox, but I will try the patches first! You look amazing!
YouTube user
One person said: “Wow! The tips in this video are brilliant and practical!”
Another added: “Thank you for doing this video, I’m 57 and I’m experiencing those deep nasal folds with that gravity pulling my cheeks down. I would love more natural solutions to help with this.”
A third commented: “I’ve never added so many things to my cart so fast!”
Whilst someone else chimed in: “Great video!! I’m 42 and never had Botox or fillers. I was contemplating getting Botox, but I will try the patches first! You look amazing!”
Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club
I’m a waitress, 5 things men do on Valentine’s Day that drive us mad – don’t forget we handle your food last
MANY loved-up couples will be getting ready to go out for their Valentine’s date.
But one woman has revealed it’s the worst day she has to get through as she spends it serving lovebirds.
Gemma, from the UK, works as a waitress and took to social media to warn people, particularly men what not to do to serving staff tonight.
She said: “You guys might call it Valentine’s Day, I call it one of the worst shifts of the year.”
To start things off, Gemma answered two questions upfront.
The first being that no, they wont have a table available if you’ve left it until the last minute and no, there won’t be a quiet table available.
The waitress explained: “Every motherf*cker in this building has asked for a quiet table preferably in the corner but you see you can’t all sit in the same place.”
Gemma also said many men ask for candles and flowers at the table, and that they would only offer candles.
“Do I look like a florist to you? Absolutely not, you will not be getting flowers,” she added.
Instead, it’s best to bring your own flowers to your romantic night out instead of asking someone else to do the hard work.
She was also fed up with customers asking if she was celebrating Valentine’s Day when she was clearly at work.
“Unfortunately, I have to be here for a full shift because you and every other person in this building choose to celebrate on the national day itself, I don’t get a choice,” Gemma said.
Last but not least, Gemma brought up the most important issue that she wanted all men to listen to.
She said that she’s happy to do anything to make your partner feel special, whether it’s extra bread or prosecco, but puts her foot down at men being rude to waitresses.
“You do not need to degrade the waitresses and the women around you to make your wife feel good okay,” she explained.
“She should feel good all the time, at home and in restaurants, so don’t talk to me like sh*t because I’m the last person to see your food.”
How to save money on Valentine's Day
ADELE Cooke, a senior consumer reporter at The Sun, explains how to save money on Valentine’s Day.
If you’re not careful Valentine’s Day can end up hitting your wallet.
I explain how to avoid the traps.
AVOID THE SET MENU
As February 14 falls on a Friday this year, consider going out for a meal on Saturday instead.
This is because many restaurants insist that you must order a set menu on Valentine’s Day, which can be very expensive.
Usually this is not the case on other days.
Some of the set menu items may also be on the regular dinner menu, so you can still order them without paying a premium.
LOVE IS…FINDING A DISCOUNT CODE
If you do want to go out for dinner on Valentine’s Day then look for restaurant deals on The Fork.
This website shows you all the restaurants with special offers and deals in your area.
If you’re eating in this year, you could save money with one of the dine-in-for-two options above.
Check the individual cost of each item in the deal to ensure you’re making the biggest saving.
Keep an eye out for discounts and vouchers in the run up to February 14.
Some companies run special promotions in the lead up to the big day.
Check websites such as Groupon, which offers special dining options or experiences.
DON’T OVERSPEND
It can be easy to fall into the trap of overspending when it comes to spoiling a loved one.
But if you do, you’ll be causing yourself long term financial pain.
I’m sure if you have a chat with your partner and explain what your budget is before February 14th then you can both be on the same page and you’ll avoid disappointing them.
The clip posted to her TikTok account @the_g_dogg has since gone viral with over 405k views and 79k likes.
People were quick to share their thoughts in the comments, with many hospitality workers agreeing with the waitress.
One person wrote: “As an ex-service worker I refuse to go to restaurants on these holidays as a form of silent protest hahahah.”
Another commented: “’Can we have a quiet table’ has to be up there with the most annoying questions asked. Saturday, fully booked, full staff. THERE’S NO QUIET TABLES.”
“If you could write this up so we can print it out and stick it to the door that would be great thank you,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “The reason why I left hospitality.”
“Yes, currently I am running around the shops trying to find rose petals for the restaurant,” claimed a fifth.
Someone else added: “I have to work tonight and I’m already stressing.”
Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: [email protected] and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.
Jack Catterall vs Arnold Barboza Jr undercard: All the confirmed bouts taking place on huge bill
BOXING fans cannot wait for the mouth-watering clash between Jack Catterall and Arnold Barboza this weekend.
The main stage battle between Catterall and Barboza is going to attract fans from all over the world.
This Saturday, February 15, Catterall can move one step closer to another long-awaited world title shot when he faces the 33-year-old American for the WBO interim super lightweight title.
The current holder of the WBO super-lightweight belt is Teofimo Lopez – whoever wins Saturday’s massive bout is expected to face Lopez next.
‘El Gato’ is looking for his latest crack at the biggest prizes after he famously lost a controversial split decision call for the undisputed light welterweight crown in 2022, which is still his only loss to date.
Having long since avenged his defeat to Josh Taylor, the British star knows victory over the impressive unbeaten American can solidify his status once more, but he knows how big of a battle awaits him.
Catterall is in promising form leading up to this fight, winning his last four fights, including a unanimous decision win over Regis Prograis.
Barboza Jr recorded his best win of his career last time out where he beat Jose Ramirez.
Catterall’s record consists of 30 wins (13 KOs) and only one loss, whereas his opponent has an incredible 31 wins (11 KOs) and yet to lose,
The winner of this fight will move even closer to a world title shot – even with such a massive main card fight – fans won’t want to miss the rest of the fight card.
How to watch Catterall vs Barboza and when is it?
- Catterall vs Barboza is being held at the Co-Op Live Arena, Manchester.
- The main event ringwalks are anticipated to be around 10pm.
- The undercard is expected to start at 7pm, and the whole thing will be streamed on DAZN.
- There is no separate PPV price, and it is included in the standard DAZN cost of £24.99 a month.
- Alternatively, you can keep up to date live on the SunSport blog.
Catterall vs Barboza full fight card
- Jack Catterall vs. Arnold Barboza Jr, for vacant WBO interim super lightweight title
- Zelfa Barrett vs. Jazza Dickens.
- Reece Bellotti vs. Michael Gomez Jr.
- Pat McCormack vs. Robbie Davies Jr.
- William Crolla vs. Ayoub Zakari.
- Conner Tudsbury vs. Sadaam Moamed Da Silva Caetano.
- Aqib Diaz vs. Lydon Chircop.
- Alfie Middlemiss vs. Caine Singh.
The real reason why In The Style crumbled from a booming £105m empire – and the key change that made celebs walk away
IN The Style, the fast fashion brand that was known for its countless celebrity collaborations, is said to be on the brink of administration.
First floated on the London Stock Exchange back in 2021, it was valued at a staggering £105 million.
But despite its original success, the business seems to have struggled since the departure of its founder and former CEO Adam Frisby, who had positioned the brand as a celeb and influencer favourite.
In 2023, after declining financial performance, In The Style was sold to investment company Baaj Capital for £1.2million.
But now, according to Sky News, the fashion brand is on the brink of collapse, with its glossy heyday a distant memory.
So what happened to the startup, which began in then-27-year-old Adam’s bedroom back in 2013?
A source exclusively tells Fabulous: “Adam had massive success with In The Style when it first launched.
“He teamed up with celebrities who had huge followings and became good mates with many of them.
“Those relationships he nurtured were authentic and were the backbone of why In The Style did so well.”
The first collaboration with The Only Way Is Essex star Lauren Pope quickly sold out and created much-needed buzz on social media.
From then on, it went from strength to strength, partnering with celebrities with massive social followings such as reality star Charlotte Crosby, Loose Women’s Stacey Solomon and EastEnders actress Jacqueline Jossa.
Our insider continues: “The business model also differed from other fast fashion brands who were paying huge endorsement fees for stars to be the face of their ranges.
“In The Style worked differently – celebs would help design the collections and they’d take a smaller upfront fee and then they would get commission based on how much of their own range they sold.
“This meant In The Style blew up on social media from all of the celeb and influencer posts, and for a long time things were flying high.”
By 2019, the brand had bagged its own six-part TV documentary series, Breaking Fashion.
Popular stars like The Mummy Diaries’ Billie Faiers, This Morning’s Alison Hammond and Towie diva Gemma Collins all launched ranges.
One collection with former Strictly Come Dancing star Saffron Barker, which dropped in 2020, broke records by selling £1million worth of stock in just two minutes.
In May 2022, the brand even partnered with Sun columnist Dame Deborah James before her untimely death, raising £1.8 million for Cancer Research.
But after close to a decade of great success, our insider says Adam felt burned out and decided to step down as CEO in 2021.
He returned later that year, and in February 2023 a bitter legal dispute was dismissed after businessman Paul Clements falsely claimed the idea for In The Style had been stolen from him by Adam.
Adam left ITS again by December 2023, relinquishing all shares in the business, with investors Baaj Capital taking over.
Our source claims: “Investors were brought in to run the business, but without Adam on hand things started to go downhill behind the scenes.
“Some suppliers were not being paid on time.
“Some of the celebrities and influencers who Adam had built great relationships with were also not paid on time, which was really frustrating.
“It is believed some of them have still not been paid to this day and many ended their relationships with the brand – not ideal for a business so focused on celebrities selling directly to consumers.”
Plus size influencer Carys Whittaker, who launched her first collection with the brand in 2021, took to Instagram Stories on Friday to claim that she has not been paid.
She wrote: “In my 8 years online I have never spoken out about a brand but I can’t stay quiet about this.
“I have worked with InTheStyle for the past 4 years and was due to have a collection launch soon which some of you knew about.
“I feel I have to say now that I’m no longer working with InTheStyle as… they owe me from last years collections.
“I have spoken to others who have worked with InTheStyle and they are in the same position as me.
“I have adored doing my collections for the past 4 years and can’t believe it has ended like this.
“I needed to share as I’m always honest with you guys about everything. I have no idea what’s happening within the business at this stage but my heart goes out to any staff or customers affected by whatever is going on.”
The Manchester-based firm, which describes itself as “a digital womenswear fashion brand that champions female empowerment, inclusivity and body confidence”, now works with fewer well-known stars.
More recently, despite working with popular Strictly pro Dianne Buswell, In The Style’s collaborations have become few and far between.
In December last year it was reported that the brand was cutting jobs and it also reported a pre-tax loss of £2.6m for the year to 31 March 2024.
Now, it is believed that FTS Recovery is set to act as administrator to the brand, while another insider told Sky News that a pre-pack insolvency, potentially involving private equity owner Baaj Capital, was one possible outcome from the process.
A “pre-pack administration” is an insolvency process for a business to sell its assets before appointing administrators.
It is a way in which a business can be sold to a third-party buyer.
In the meantime, consumers can still make purchases from inthestyle.com.
On Friday, Adam posted a statement about the insolvency on Instagram.
He wrote: “I am deeply saddened, though not surprised by the news. After years of proudly building and leading the business, I made the incredibly difficult decision to step away last year.
“I could no longer stay and witness the conduct that in my view went completely against the morals and values I had always built the brand on.
“I strongly encourage anyone with the ability to do so to further investigate this process and share their own experiences.
“My thoughts are with the employees, suppliers, collaborators and customers impacted by any of this. It’s disheartening to see so many people affected, and I truly hope for everyone’s sake, there will be more transparency through this process.”
In The Style has been approached for comment.
What does going into administration mean?
WHEN a company enters into administration, all control is passed to an appointed administrator.
The administrator has to leverage the company’s assets and business to repay creditors any outstanding debts.
Once a company enters administration, a “moratorium” is put in place which means no legal action can be taken against it.
Administrators write to your creditors and Companies House to say they’ve been appointed.
They try to stop the company from being liquidated (closing down), and if it can’t it pays as much of a company’s debts from its remaining assets.
The administrator has eight weeks to write a statement explaining what they plan to do to move the business forward.
This must be sent to creditors, employees and Companies House and invite them to approve or amend the plans at a meeting.
A Notice of Intention is used to inform concerning parties that a company intends to enter administration.
It is a physical document which is submitted to court, usually by directors aiming to prevent a company from being liquidated.
Like with a standard administration process, a Notice of Intention stops creditors from taking out any legal action over a company while they try and rectify the business.