A high-profile partnership between Irish fashion retailer Primark and Coleen Rooney is worth millions, according to reports in the British press. Media personality Rooney, wife of footballer Wayne Rooney, will be the face of a new athleisure collection from the discount retailer. This is described as “stylish yet practical”. Rooney experienced a surge in popularity after she came second in the 2024 reality show “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” documented. This was followed by offers from top-class fashion houses. She allegedly turned this down to work with Primark. According to The Sun, she wanted to keep the collection affordable for “working mothers.” The collection is due to be available in Primark stores in March.
While the media focuses on Rooney’s move from the jungle of I’m A Celebrity to Primark’s retail space, industry insiders believe the true impact of the collaboration will be felt 5,000 miles away. Bangladesh is Primark’s second largest sourcing market after China and will not only benefit from increased order volumes, but also from Primark Cares’ strict social and environmental standards. The retail company’s sustainability strategy regulates such prominent collections.
Industry analysts note that a launch of this magnitude requires a robust supply chain. This directly translates into long-term security for Bangladeshi factories. Primark has previously expressed its intention to transform its value chain in Bangladesh and focus on high-quality, diversified products such as the Rooney collection. By awarding high-volume, high-value contracts, Primark creates the financial reserve necessary to enable factories to invest in better infrastructure and more stable employment for their employees.
Empowering women along the supply chain
The ‘Rooney Effect’ acts as a catalyst for Primark’s ongoing ethical initiatives. In its latest sustainability report, the retailer highlighted the expansion of its worker grievance mechanism, Tell Us, which was first tested in Bangladesh. For a collection as heavily under public scrutiny as Rooney’s, Primark is expected to use its most transparent and best-rated Tier 1 factories. This ensures that the workers who make these garments benefit from the retailer’s latest commitments to fair pay and health and safety testing.
Additionally, the focus on working mothers in the collection’s marketing reflects Primark’s internal commitment to empowering women in its supply chain. Programs like ‘Sudokkho’ have already trained tens of thousands of garment workers in Bangladesh. They were moved from simple sewing jobs to technical and managerial positions. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) insiders have previously expressed their willingness to collaborate on these sustainability goals. They see such big deals as a way to prove that fast fashion can be both affordable and ethically made.
Sustainable sourcing and long-term resilience
The collaboration with Rooney also serves as a lever for Primark’s cotton project. 74 percent of Primark clothing is now made from recycled or sustainably sourced materials. A significant portion of this new collection is likely to use cotton grown by the 300,000 farmers Primark has trained in the region. For Bangladeshi textile workers, this means working with higher quality, traceable materials. These comply with the ‘Primark Circular Product Standard’. This change reduces exposure to harsh chemicals that are often associated with processing low-quality textiles. This improves the immediate working environment in the factory.
Ultimately, the partnership strengthens Bangladesh’s position as a strategic partner for the discounter. As the country nears its exit from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026, the retailer is securing its Bangladeshi workforce for the future by associating a familiar face with products under the Primark Cares banner. Industry experts believe the benefits to the people behind the garments will be tangible. This is true as long as these deals remain tied to strict social impact data. Examples of this include the 35,000 eye tests for workers or the 200 percent increase in profits for project farmers. The benefits will be as tangible as the sales at the checkout.
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