The rules rules of retail may have changed, but the winners of this year’s Oracle Retail Week Awards have adapted to them and thrived.

Have the rules that define British retailing changed irrevocably under the cultural and economic forces that have driven the recent evolution of consumer behaviour?

Rapid digitalisation, combined with a reappraisal of financial norms, has broken down old barriers but opened new pitfalls too.

The Oracle Retail Week Awards is more than a roll call of the leading achievements in the industry. It is a window into the industry’s development. Those looking for themes this year will note how closely the roster of winners reflects the opportunities these changing times have given birth to.

“What the winners really share in common is the strength of their brands”

But whether it’s Asos’ ability to cater to the customer’s desire for fast fashion, Aldi’s successful wooing of the middle classes or John Lewis’ excellence in multichannel retailing, what binds hese businesses together is less how they’ve been able to exploit the landscape and more why.

What these retailers really share in common is the strength of their brands. Each is marked by an identifiable culture. And importantly, each understands how that sense of self translates into serving customers.

Few retailers or personalities represent those virtues better than Ted Baker and its founder Ray Kelvin, who is honoured by the sector this year with the Outstanding Contribution to Retail award.

After 26 years of Ted Baker, Kelvin has remained steadfastly true to his original vision, living the brand to such an extent that it’s hard to know where he ends and Ted begins. Certainly, the company is innovative and entrepreneurial. But Kelvin has understood the virtue of remaining ruthlessly focused on product and the values of the Ted Baker brand.

Celebrating this outstanding career is a timely reminder that the path to success in retailing has ever been thus. The rules may have changed but the game remains the same.