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The Glossy Podcast is a weekly show on the impact of technology on the fashion and luxury industries with the people making change happen.
Week in Review: Jacquemus's CEO departure, Abecrombie & Fitch's rebirth, Chiara Ferragni's charity scandal
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we discuss the abrupt departure of Jacquemus CEO Bastien Daguzan and what it means for the brand, the rebirth of Abercrombie & Fitch last year, and a scandal involving Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni.
28:4405/01/2024
Harlem's Fashion Row founder Brandice Daniel on the state of DE&I in fashion: ‘The regression is disheartening’
2023 was a big year for Harlem’s Fashion Row, the agency that launched in 2007 to connect brands and designers of color. To start, the company partnered with H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Nordstrom, and Abercrombie & Fitch; launched the combined e-commerce site and Black and Latinx designer directory, HFR & Co.; and published a coffee-table book, “Fashion In Color.”
Similarly, the company’s list of 2020 accomplishments was long.
“2020 was a pivotal year for us,” said Brandice Daniel, founder and CEO of Harlem’s Fashion Row, on the Glossy Podcast. “We started our nonprofit, Icon360; we got a million-dollar donation from the CFDA and Vogue; and Anna Wintour had me in her editor's letter in August. It opened up so many doors for HFR.”
During the episode, along with discussing fashion’s fluctuating prioritization of inclusivity over the last four years, Daniel shares her secrets to driving deals between emerging designers and mega fashion companies and her hopes for fashion’s future.
40:1503/01/2024
Glossy's Year in Review: AI, IPOs and the great luxury slowdown
Every week on the Glossy Week in Review Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi is joined by co-hosts editor-in-chief Jill Manoff and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska to break down the biggest fashion news stories of the week.
But on this special Year in Review episode, we talk about some of the biggest news stories of the year, including the rise of generative AI and what it can (and cannot) do for the industry, the reason why luxury brands have struggled so much this year, the effects of the great creative director reshuffling, the rise of TikTok Shop and the flurry of new fashion companies going public.
We also go into some of our predictions from last year’s Year in Review episode, which included some that were spot on, like more greenwashing legislation coming into effect, and others that were a little bit off, like Farfetch buying a major fashion brand. And we finish it off with some predictions for the next year, including the legal issues that may arise from the use of generative AI in fashion design and the fact that brands could start investing in selling more experiences over more stuff.
Thanks for listening to the Week in Review all year. Please join us next year for more discussions about the biggest news in fashion.
47:0729/12/2023
MCM’s Dan Manioci: 'You have to be quick and respond to the customer in real time’
In 2018, after working as an advertising director for companies including Hearst and The Economist, among others, Dan Manioci joined luxury leather goods company MCM as vp of marketing and global performance. According to him, the five years since have served as a master class in luxury marketing.
“You have this preconceived notion of what it's like [to work in-house at a luxury brand], but it's so much more work than I could have ever thought,” Manioci said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “On the publishing side, you have to understand how to manage a budget, so I had that [expertise] coming in. But you also need to understand what makes the consumer engaged, what makes them move and what the trends are. … And you need to understand consumer profiles; how the retail industry works, in fine detail; and who the key players are at the wholesalers. For example: Who are the merchandisers you need to be listening to? It's a true education. And I think that's what has also made me stay [at the brand] for as long as I have. I've been learning from all these amazing people.”
At the same time, he’s led key moves that have worked to fuel the brand’s revenue and engagement. Over the last couple of years, those have included building marketing plans around buzzy brand faces including Billie Eilish and Cindy Crawford. And, more recently, he’s elevated MCM’s digital presence as part of a new strategic direction.
In 2023, MCM launched a company-wide plan that included updating the creative team and upping the focus on digital channels and young shoppers.
Manioci discussed the brand’s new focus, including how it’s resonating in the rapidly evolving luxury climate. He also shared the strategy behind MCM’s recent presence at men’s fashion week and the factors behind its increasing success in the ready-to-wear category.
41:1027/12/2023
J.McLaughlin CEO Mary Ellen Coyne on achieving high AOV, high LTV and high margins
At 46 years old, classic American sportswear brand J.McLaughlin isn't afraid of change. That's thanks, in large part, to Mary Ellen Coyne, who's been the company's CEO since 2016.
"I'm firmly a leader who believes in testing and learning," she said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast.
In the last seven years, she's had "a field day" leading improvements to the brand's products, processes and overall presentation, she said. "We've re-platformed every segment of the business, and it's had a tremendous impact on the growth of the brand."
This year alone, the company underwent its first-ever brand refresh, which included overhauling its logo and digital presence.
Also in 2023, a large focus was on opening stores, with reaching new consumers as the goal.
“Customer acquisition is our No. 1 opportunity for growth,” Coyne said.
Currently, J.McLaughlin has 173 store locations. It plans to open 10-12 more in each of the next three years, bringing its total store count to more than 200. In early December, it opened its first store dedicated to menswear, in Palm Beach, Florida. Stores now account for three-fourths of its sales, while 1% of sales are driven through its one retail partner, Dillard’s, and the remainder are made online.
33:5820/12/2023
Week in Review: COP28's fossil fuel commitment and Generative AI's impact
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international correspondent Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
On this final Week in Review episode of the year, we speak about the news coming out of COP28 in Dubai, including an explicit commitment to move away from fossil fuels by 2050. We also talk about the rise of generative AI in fashion, including which use cases are viable and which are just hype.
28:3115/12/2023
Me+Em’s Clare Hornby: We’ve maintained our ‘price-quality equation’ by only selling DTC
Clare Hornby's 14-year-old fashion brand, Me+Em, has hit its stride. From 2021 to 2022, it grew its revenue from £46 million to £80 million. What's more, it's been profitable for seven years. That's despite selling exclusively direct-to-consumer, when, it seems, every digital native brand is falling back on wholesale partners.
"It was when I started building out the team that you started to see the [business's] acceleration," Hornby said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. It's worth noting that MatchesFashion investor Highland Europe bought a minority stake in the company in early 2022.
Me+Em, which specializes in "flattering, functional, forever" women's clothing, has opened seven stores in the U.K., where it is headquartered. But now, its focus is on U.S. expansion. Starting in March, it will open two stores in NYC, followed by one in the Hamptons, in rapid succession. The plan is to follow those up with fourth and fifth locations soon after.
“We like you to bring in your dog, bring in your kid and bring in your partner, and we like you to dwell,” Hornby said. “As a result, our stores [form] communities, all by themselves.”
30:1613/12/2023
Week in Review: Talking watches with guest co-host Quaid Walker of Bezel
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi breaks down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, he's joined by special guest co-host Quaid Walker, co-founder and CEO of the online watch marketplace Bezel to talk about the tumultuous watch industry.
Parisi and Walker discuss why luxury watch prices keep falling, even amid apparent high demand. They also talk about the watch brands embracing brick-and-mortar retail and the future of the primary and secondary watch markets.
25:0008/12/2023
Pistola’s Grace Na on winning customers with an ‘opening premium price point’
Ten years ago, Grace Na launched her L.A.-based denim brand Pistola after seeing a white space in the market.
“At the time, a lot of the premium labels were owned and run by men, and the premium price point was really expensive,” Na said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “There was a miss for an opening-premium-price-point denim line that was still super high quality, and that had amazing fits and of-the-moment style.”
In getting the brand off the ground, it helped that she had great experience in the fashion industry as a buyer and a planner. She also had support from her husband’s family, which had spent 30 years running a denim business.
Pistola started as a wholesale-only business, eventually selling through 1,000 retail doors. It also ran a private-label business on the side. But today, it’s focused on ramping up its direct sales, among other growth opportunities. For example, soon, it will launch a mommy-and-me capsule collection. And within the next few years, it will embark on international expansion.
Pisola is privately owned and has been profitable since year one, Na said.
27:4606/12/2023
Week in Review: Farfetch may go private, workers strike at Gucci
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we talk about rumors that Farfetch may be going private soon and what that means for the wider luxury retail world. Additionally, we talk about a strike at Gucci against the company’s decision to move its design headquarters.
20:1101/12/2023
Summersalt's Lori Coulter and Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin on success beyond swimsuits and e-commerce
A lot has changed for Summersalt since 2017, when it launched as an online-only, perfect-fit swimsuit brand and quickly gained popularity on Instagram. For starters, it has since expanded to product categories including sleepwear, activewear and intimates, Plus, it now operates stores, on top of its e-commerce site, allowing customers to shop IRL in West Palm Beach, Myrtle Beach and Nashville. And Instagram is just one piece of a larger marketing pie.
The growing business is the brainchild of Lori Coulter and Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin, serial entrepreneurs with complementary skill sets who managed to find each other and make a go of an ambitious business plan from their shared home of St. Louis.
"I was creating strategy and branding for amazing brands while running my own agency. Then, after doing that for about seven years, I realized I wanted to eat, sleep and breathe a brand," Chattaram Chamberlin said, regarding her road to Summersalt, on the latest Glossy Podcast.
As for Coulter, she was running a made-to-measure swimwear business, which had perfected the fits of its styles, mastered quick-turnaround manufacturing and maintained accessible price points. At the same time, she was tracking the evolving e-commerce environment and realizing the opportunities it presented. "I decided to create a business plan and develop a collection," she said. She initially approached Chattaram Chamberlin about hiring her agency, and the partnership took off from there.
Now, six years later, Coulter and Chattaram Chamberlin are preparing for yet another year of growth. Their plans for 2024 include opening more stores and doubling down on collaborations, following their successful collections with brands including Diane von Furstenberg and Rifle Paper Co.
38:0729/11/2023
Week in Review: Saks Fifth Avenue struggles to pay vendors, Gucci sues retail partners
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international fashion reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
On this week’s episode, we discuss the state of luxury retail by looking at Saks Fifth Avenue’s reported inability to pay its brands and Gucci's lawsuit against three retailers alleging that they sold counterfeit products.
17:5724/11/2023
Tanya Taylor on longevity in the fashion industry and new growth opportunities
Surviving as a completely self-funded fashion brand for 10 years is no easy feat. However, designer Tanya Taylor beat the odds. This year, her namesake brand is celebrating a decade in business.
Also this year, Tanya Taylor opened its first store, in September — the new flagship is located on NYC's iconic Madison Avenue. To commemorate 10 years, the company threw a star-studded launch party at the historic Carlyle Hotel, located directly across the street from the store.
As for the future, Taylor said she's excited about the company's next phase of growth. For this week's episode of the Glossy Fashion Podcast, Taylor sat down with Jill Manoff, Glossy's editor-in-chief, to talk about her brand's evolution and current direction, especially considering its retail expansion.
33:1022/11/2023
Week in Review: Plummeting watch prices, Black Friday strategies, garment worker strikes in Bangladesh
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international correspondent Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we discuss what’s causing luxury watch prices to plummet, what strategies brands are tackling for Black Friday and to what extent the ongoing garment worker strikes in Bangladesh are impacting the fashion industry.
24:3917/11/2023
Eyewear brand founder Garrett Leight: A recession is ‘a great time’ to start a business
Garrett Leight grew up in the eyewear industry. The founder of the Venice Beach-based eyewear brand Garrett Leight California Optical is also the son of Larry Leight, founder of eyewear brand Oliver Peoples. So it’s no surprise that his namesake brand has seen significant success. For example, it sells 65% direct, but it also sells in top luxury retailers including Bergdorf Goodman and Dover Street Market. What’s more, it’s collaborated with brands from JJJJound to Rimowa and opened nine stores. Its brand fans include Brad Pitt and Elton John.
Now approaching his brand’s 15th year in business, Leight still sees plenty of opportunities for growth and evolution. On the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast, Leight discusses the brand’s website refresh, set for January, as well as its next marketing play, focused on turning best-sellers into classics.
51:1215/11/2023
Week in Review: The state of jewelry, CFDA Awards winners, The RealReal's road to profitabiltiy
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we discuss the diverging fortunes of Pandora and De Beers and how they exemplify what’s happening in jewelry; the CFDA Awards, including the big winners; and The RealReal’s continued efforts to reach profitability.
25:1610/11/2023
La Ligne CEO Molly Howard on building a 'healthy, profitable, sustainable business'
In 2016, Molly Howard, Valerie Macaulay and Meredith Melling launched the fashion brand La Ligne determined to do fashion and business differently.
For their part, Macaulay and Melling had been Vogue editors for years and had grown tired of brands "that felt like they had to reinvent themselves season after season," according to Howard. Meanwhile, Howard had spent a couple of years working long hours in investment banking for Credit Suisse. At the time, she'd decided that, when her time came to run a company, she'd give everyone a voice by doing away with traditional hierarchies. What's more, she'd start the workday at 10 a.m.
Now CEO of La Ligne, Howard’s made good on those promises, she said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. And Macaulay and Melling have successfully disrupted the fashion system by fulfilling their desire for a "timeless, democratic" brand. La Ligne’s pieces center on the classic stripe pattern, yet the brand offers plenty of versatility — it even sells denim.
Howard, Macaulay and Melling were first introduced after a common acquaintance noticed that they were all consulting brands but in very different ways: Howard was offering business assistance, while Macaulay and Melling were supporting creative teams. Since coming together to launch La Ligne, their complementing strengths have served the business well. For one, the brand just launched its fifth retail location, in Marin County, California, plus it’s currently expanding internationally. And, it’s worth noting, its styles were “Anna Wintour’s preferred Covid attire,” said Howard, referencing images of the Vogue editor during lockdown.
49:1208/11/2023
Week in Review: Canada Goose slows, Watchbox rebrands, Alo Yoga seeks investment
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we discuss some of the challenges facing Canadian outerwear brand Canada Goose, the reason Watchbox underwent a rebrand and the reports that Alo Yoga is seeking a $10 billion valuation.
29:3903/11/2023
Hervé Léger's Melissa Lefere-Cobb and Michelle Ochs on reviving the brand with ‘product, price and PR’
For Hervé Léger, the early aughts — and its big celeb-driven PR moments — are back.
“I wanted to be back in Us Magazine,” said Melissa LeFere-Cobb, division head of Hervé Léger, while discussing her plans to reignite the brand on the Glossy Podcast. She was referencing Hervé Léger’s original heyday, when the brand’s signature bandage dresses were a style staple for every “it” girl from Paris Hilton to Britney Spears. In 2021, three years after stepping into her role and getting the brand’s new products into the hands of stylist Law Roach and others with fashion influence, LeFere-Cobb’s wish came true. Celebs including Jennifer Lopez began re-embracing the brand, and Us, among other publications, took notice.
“The bandage dress will always be a pillar” of Hervé Léger, said Michelle Ochs, who was enlisted by LeFere-Cobb to join the brand as creative director in June. Prior, she was one-half of the creative duo behind the fashion brand Cushnie et Ochs, before going solo via the Et Ochs brand in 2021.
However, today, thanks in large part to the fresh eye that Ochs is bringing to its collections, Hervé Léger is much more than body-con minidresses — and it’s in growth mode. Together, LeFere-Cobb and Ochs are setting plans for product category and international expansion as they build toward the brand’s next great era.
This episode was recorded during a Glossy+ member event at the Hervé Léger showroom in the Empire State Building.
43:4901/11/2023
Week in Review: Luxury’s bumpy ride, Steve Madden’s latest acquisition and beauty’s Prop 65 problem
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff are joined by Glossy’s new West Coast Correspondent, Lexy Lebsack, and break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
On this week’s episode, we discuss how luxury brands are dealing with the many factors slowing their growth, why Steve Madden acquired the apparel brand Almost Famous and how beauty brands are dealing with Prop 65 lawsuits.
35:2627/10/2023
Rowan founder Louisa Schneider on creating an ear-piercing brand for Gen Alpha
After working 20-plus years in investment banking sales and trading with a focus on retail companies, Louisa Schneider was inspired by her daughter to create the brand Rowan in 2018. Schneider realized that the ear-piercing category was focused primarily on fashion and convenience rather than the piercing procedure and healing process.
Since then, the company has focused on a procedure-first approach, with nurses performing its piercings. It leveraged insights from its nurses and medical board to create single-use hand-pressurized devices for piercing that are more sanitary and precise than traditional piercing techniques. Rowan is the only piercing company that has its own medical board, which includes a plastic surgeon and a pediatrician.
Now, Schneider is growing the business while keeping practicality in mind. In January, Rowan launched earrings that can be worn while playing sports. And It launched its first standalone store in 2019 in New York. Creating an inclusive working culture for nurses and making stores a place where customers can celebrate special moments have remained priorities.
Rowan has raised more than $30 million to date from Kevin Durant's Thirty Five Ventures and Beechwood Capital, and it's now focused on a country-wide mall expansion. It currently has 30 freestanding locations, with six more underway. Rowan expects to double the number of its locations within the next year. Schneider also plans to tackle global expansion over the next three years with hundreds of stores. The company briefly experimented with a “store-within-a-store” model at 300 Target locations in 2021, but it now focuses on its own locations, where it has greater control over the customer experience and culture.
Schneider joined the Glossy Podcast to talk about the brand and its recent openings. In October, Rowan opened its doors in Preston Royal Village Mall in Dallas. It is the fourth ear-piercing brand to move into the Dallas market in the past three years, joining Wildlike, Maria Tash and, most recently, Studs. The Preston Royal store is the brand’s fifth Texas location, following stores in Southlake and Fort Worth.
46:5525/10/2023
Week in Review: Adidas recovers from Yeezy fallout, TikTok adds authentication, the lab-grown diamond industry takes a hit
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
On this week’s episode, we discuss how Adidas has fared since its decision to cut ties with Kanye West, why TikTok launched a new authentication service for vintage handbags and to what extent the collapse of one of the largest lab-grown diamond manufacturers will impact the industry.
24:4520/10/2023
Century 21's Larry Mentzer and Judy Duzich on driving the store's comeback
Century 21 was once known as the go-to New York City destination for bargain hunters looking to find a treasure amid racks of off-price clothes. But the pandemic had a negative impact on the company, which was overstretched with 13 stores, and it was forced to close down in 2020.
But according to Larry Mentzer, COO of the newly relaunched Century 21, plans for the store’s big comeback were already being laid out before it even closed.
“Once the decision was made, that we needed to permanently close the business, it was probably that same day or the next day that the conversation started about reopening the business and relaunching the brand,” Mentzer said on this week's episode of the Glossy Podcast. “We are fortunate that we have passionate owners that just have a love for New York City, a love for retail and a love for the Century 21 brand, which was not only a New York City institution, but a family institution.”
Mentzer and Judy Duzich, vp and general merchandising director of Century 21, joined the Glossy Podcast to talk about the store’s grand reopening in May of this year. Lots of changes were made, according to Duzich, including paring the retail fleet down from 13 stores to just one.
37:5718/10/2023
Introducing The Return Season Two
Digiday Media and WorkLife is proud to present season two of The Return, a podcast about what it’s like for Gen Z to enter the workforce for the first time in a post-pandemic world.
In season one, The Return followed an Atlanta-based advertising agency as the company returned to the office after a two-year pandemic hiatus. There were clear challenges among this population of workers who knew what a “normal” office used to look like. But what about a generation that is entering the workforce post-pandemic and has nothing to compare it to? That’s what we uncover across eight episodes in season two of The Return.
We see headlines repeatedly accusing this generation of being lazy, unmotivated, quiet quitters. But what's the real story behind this generation's attitude about work?
In season two of The Return, we speak with Gen Zers across the country to lift the lid on what motivates and inspires this young generation of workers, and how they’re not as work-shy as they’re often depicted. We also speak with seasoned workplace experts who can put the changing expectations of these young professionals into context.
We dive into why values are so important to Gen Zers, whether or not they are loyal to their employers, how they use TikTok for career advice, what it means to be a young professional who is a boss to older workers, and so much more.
Season two of The Return is hosted by Cloey Callahan, a Gen Zer and senior reporter at Digiday Media’s WorkLife, and produced by Digiday Media's audio producer Sara Patterson.
Subscribe to the WorkLife podcast now on Apple Podcasts – or wherever you get your podcasts – to hear the first episode on Wednesday, Oct. 18.
02:5315/10/2023
Week in Review: What's causing the slowdown in luxury demand?
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we discuss what's behind the slowdown in luxury demand across the industry, whether China can pick up the slack for luxury brands and why companies often suffer on their first day after an IPO.
20:1613/10/2023
Designer Charles Harbison on challenging the established fashion system: 'It's bringing about negative outcomes'
Charles Harbison relaunched Harbison Studio in 2022, six years after putting the luxury fashion brand on pause. And it’s already clear that, this time around, he’s doing things differently.
“I’m building a brand with more authenticity,” Harbison said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “I've tried to do it before in the way that everyone said I should do it. And it just was not for me.”
Harbison was thrust into helming a fashion brand in 2013, when he launched Harbison Studio after an unexpected chain of events while between jobs: To avoid holes in his portfolio, after working 7-8 years for brands including Michael Kors and Billy Reid, he created and photographed a small fashion collection. He showed those to two advisors, who showed them to Vogue editors, which led to placement in Vogue’s September issue and an order from Ikram, Chicago’s influential boutique.
“In some ways, the cart was before the horse,” Harbison said. “I hate to say that because, in my perfect world, talent, craft and a love of fashion is the horse. But in our world now, with fashion, money's always the horse. And that is what I quickly learned over those two years of making clothes that I love, but not really building a business.”
Eventually, Harbison decided to step away from the brand, which had already gained fans including Michelle Obama and Beyoncé. But he’d always planned to return: “I moved to L.A. to regroup and center my wellness, but the thing that never left me was the fact that women love what I do. And there are so many people in the world who relate to it. [I knew that] one day, I’d come back and resume my conversation with them through clothes.”
Shortly after New York Fashion Week, in early October, Harbison met with Glossy to share how his return to fashion is playing out. Along with hinting at a new Bergdorf Goodman partnership, he promoted an active friends and family funding round. He plans to use the funds to expand his team and the brand’s product categories — it’s recently inched into jewelry and handbags, and shoes are next.
41:0511/10/2023
Week in Review: Sephoria's cancelation, fashion's IPO wave, Coach's Amazon launch
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
In this week’s episode, we discuss Sephora’s decision to cancel the first day of its annual Sephoria event due to inclement weather and the reaction from its fans. We also talk about the wave of brands going public in the next year, including Birkenstock and Vuori, and the debut of Coach on Amazon.
26:3506/10/2023
Macy's chief merchandising officer Nata Dvir on launching private-label brands 'anchored in insights'
Macy’s chief merchandising officer, Nata Dvir, is leading the company's private-brand evolution.
The department store is rethinking its portfolio of private label brands across all product categories, including men’s, women’s, kids and home. That includes adding, refreshing and editing brands through a new customer-centric strategy.
In August, Macy’s launched the private-label womenswear brand On 34th, which was informed by extensive research on its customer. The brand, which targets customers ages 30-50, centers on ready-to-wear items and accessories that were made to create thousands of outfit combinations.
“It was informed by over 100,000 online surveys that we did,” said Dvir. “We collected a lot of intelligence around what our customers were looking for. We also did 35 days of digital community engagement, where we viewed customer videos about what they're looking for, what's missing from their wardrobe and what role we could play. And we did hundreds of hours of in-store fittings and shop-alongs, which provided the kind of insight that you can only get when you're talking to somebody one-on-one.”
The company has been rethinking its retailer-brand strategies as well. “The mix of private and market brands was something we spent a lot of time strategizing around, with a focus on the future portfolio of brands that is going to be relevant for our customers today and in the future,” said Dvir. “Private brands are an important part of our overall strategy because they allow us to have a tremendous amount of oversight over the brand, from a distribution and design perspective, as well as a quality and fit [perspective]. They also drive a lot of loyalty and repeat visits.”
Macy's plans to release four additional private-label brands through 2025, each focused on a unique purpose and rooted in customer research, Dvir said.
36:0704/10/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Emerging Parisian designer Jude Ferrari — 'Buyers never buy from a brand’s first two seasons'
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In a dedicated podcast series running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event, as driven by technology.
In this episode, we sit down with Maria Buccellati, co-owner and CEO of Faith Connexion, the 20-year-old fashion brand that hosted a Paris Fashion Week show on Wednesday. Prior to the runway show, the brand wiped its Instagram clean before posting a series of images promoting the event and the brand’s plan to make spring 2024 a “redefining season.” Buccellati explained that, moving forward, the brand is taking a collaborative, “Faith Tribe” approach to design and prioritizing “phyygital” products. She also provided details on Faith Connexion’s planned expansion within the U.S. market.
24:2329/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Faith Connexion's Maria Buccellati on debuting a collaborative design approach at Paris Fashion Week
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In a dedicated podcast series running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event, as driven by technology.
In this episode, we sit down with Maria Buccellati, co-owner and CEO of Faith Connexion, the 20-year-old fashion brand that hosted a Paris Fashion Week show on Wednesday. Prior to the runway show, the brand wiped its Instagram clean before posting a series of images promoting the event and the brand’s plan to make spring 2024 a “redefining season.” Buccellati explained that, moving forward, the brand is taking a collaborative, “Faith Tribe” approach to design and prioritizing “phyygital” products. She also provided details on Faith Connexion’s planned expansion within the U.S. market.
26:4627/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Themoirè's Francesca Monaco on the evolution of sustainable fashion at Milan Fashion Week
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In a dedicated podcast series running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event, as driven by technology.
In this episode, we sit down with Francesca Monaco, the co-founder of the Milanese handbag and accessories brand Themoiré. Fresh off the brand’s show in Milan on Wednesday, Monaco spoke about how Themoirè uses its seasonal fashion shows to highlight the pillars of the brand, including its use of sustainable materials and its work with artisans from around the world. Monaco said the industry has made strides in the availability of better sustainable materials that can stand up to traditional animal leather, in terms of quality and price. But, as she explains in this episode, “We’re still at just the beginning.”
24:4522/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Lauren Amos on committing to street style and shopping Paris Fashion Week
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In a dedicated podcast series running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event, as driven by technology.
In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Amos, the founder of Atlanta-based retailers Wish and Antidote, which focus on streetwear and luxury fashion, respectively. Amos is also a Fashion Month regular and a bona fide street-style star — her avant-garde OOTDs have been chronicled by industry publications from Vogue to The Coveteur. Amos was joined on the podcast by Karlo Steel, Antidote's creative director and buyer, who hits the Fashion Month circuit with Amos every season. But, as he explained, it's more work than it is play. Seventy-five percent of the company's merchandise buys are made within days of their show debuts, he said. Amos and Steel also discuss the relevance of fashion shows, the state of luxury consumer behavior and the shows they're shopping this season.
28:5321/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Susan Fang on leveraging AI for her London Fashion Week show
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In this podcast series, running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event.
In this episode, we sit down with Susan Fang, founder of her namesake fashion brand, which will be debuting its spring collection during this season's London Fashion Week. With headquarters in China and the U.K., the brand — best known for pastel ruffled gowns — moved its focus to the Chinese market when China's lockdowns last year left the designer stranded. Now, the brand is back to its international outlook with a renewed focus on sustainability and technology. Ahead of her show, Fang discusses why she prioritized AI, and why balancing technology and creativity is a challenge for designers. She also talks about her collaboration strategy, having teamed with brands including Nike, Zara and Crocs.
29:3515/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: The show formats and product strategies that ruled NYFW
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In this podcast series, running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event.
In this final episode of our NYFW coverage, Glossy senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest brand strategies of the week, discuss insights from backstage designer interviews and give a preview of Glossy's ongoing Fashion Month podcast coverage.
23:0513/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Adeam's Hanako Maeda on making the most of a NYFW show
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In this podcast series, running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event.
In this episode, we sit down with Hanako Maeda, the founder, CEO and creative director of the luxury fashion brand Adeam. Made in Maeda's home country of Japan, Adeam's clothes have been a favorite of Asian and Asian-American celebrities like Harry Shum Jr. and Naomi Osaka. Maeda talks about how ballet shaped her latest collection, how brands can make the most of a slot at NYFW, and how a fashion show can benefit a brand in ways that lookbooks and Instagram posts can't. This episode was recorded in the midst of NYFW at Showfields' store in NoHo.
Related reads:
NYFW designer Hanako Maeda on testing ‘the limits of digital’ during the pandemic
Are fashion week parties really worth the expense?
27:5412/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Highsnobiety editor-in-chief Willa Bennett on building content, commerce and experiences around NYFW
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In this podcast series, running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event.
In this episode, we sit down with Willa Bennett, who joined fashion and media company Highsnobiety as its editor-in-chief in 2022. Highsnobiety had a presence at New York Fashion Week with a three-day “Neu York” pop-up shop and various on-site events. Bennett talks about how the company catered its content, commerce and experiential strategies to this season's fashion week. She also discusses how Highsnobiety covered the event and how that plays into her focused approach to running the publication. This episode was recorded amid bustling NYFW, in Showfields’ NoHo location.
Related reads:
With Highsnobiety scooped up, are other streetwear blogs next?
‘The new definition of luxury’: Highsnobiety unpacks how the landscape of high-end fashion has tilted toward accessibility
37:0011/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Studio 189's Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah on using fashion as an agent for social change
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In this podcast series, running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event.
In this episode, we sit down with Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah, founders of Studio 189, the 10-year-old fashion brand and social enterprise that hosted a runway show on Sunday. CFDA award-winning Studio 189 sustainably produces its clothing in Africa, plus it supports education, skills training and community-led projects. Dawson and Erwiah discuss how they’ve built and grown a company with purpose, and how a consistent presence at New York Fashion Week has served the brand well. This episode was recorded amid bustling NYFW, in Showfields’ NoHo location.
Related reads:
NYFW Briefing: Fashion brands tackle social change
The Folklore’s Amira Rasool on building a shopping platform with African and Black-owned brands at the forefront
27:3210/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: NYFW designer Jackson Wiederhoeft on learning from Thom Browne and gaining the CFDA's support
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In this podcast series, running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event.
In this episode, we sit down with emerging designer Jackson Wiederhoeft, whose training includes Parsons School of Design and three years under Thom Browne. Like Thom Browne’s, Wiederhoeft's collections are decidedly theatrical, whimsical and, therefore, perfectly suited to a runway. He discusses the importance of taking part in New York Fashion Week, as well as the business perks of his recent honor of being named an interim CFDA member.
Related reads:
Dora Maar CEO Lauren Wilson on leveraging NYFW’s marketing opportunities
Luxury Briefing: The new designer brand playbook champions lifestyle and accessibility
19:2209/09/2023
Fashion Month Edition: Dora Maar CEO Lauren Wilson on leveraging NYFW's marketing opportunities
It’s a new era for fashion month, where designer collections are just one piece of the pie. As brands across price points and specialties aim to compete in the increasingly competitive retail landscape, more are taking advantage of the opportunity and approaching it strategically. They’re cutting through the noise with innovative marketing tactics, introducing new commerce plays and leveraging advanced digital capabilities to best showcase their products. In this podcast series, running throughout Fashion Month Spring 2024, Glossy and influential leaders are breaking down the evolution of the experiential event, as driven by technology.
First up is Lauren Wilson, founder and CEO of Dora Maar, the luxury e-tailer that allows shoppers to buy from the closets of fashion icons. Along with sharing New York Fashion Week's importance to her evolving business, she discusses her plans for taking advantage of marketing and networking opps throughout the week. This episode was recorded amid bustling NYFW, in Showfields' NoHo location.
Related reads:
NYFW designer Jackson Wiederhoeft on learning from Thom Browne and gaining the CFDA’s support
Fashion Briefing: Inside the rise of influencer-driven resale sites
19:5408/09/2023
Serial entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore on why her footwear brand is 'really an engineering company'
Marcia Kilgore was born to be an entrepreneur.
"I found it very difficult to take direction from other people, … and I always found it difficult to work in places where the standards of the person who was running the place were, from my perspective, mediocre; it would frustrate me to no end," she said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast.
Plus, her personality traits are befitting a successful entrepreneur, she said. Among them: "being super curious, being solution-oriented, loving to experiment, having solutions for any kind of hurdles or roadblocks that come along, and being tough enough to never give in."
Based on her track record, she's used that to her advantage. Kilgore sold her first business, Bliss Spa, to LVMH in 1999. That was before starting the "masstige" beauty brand Soap & Glory, which she sold to Walgreens Boots Alliance in 2011. In the years since, she's launched Soaper Duper, Beauty Pie and FitFlop, the latter of which she described as a groundbreaker among footwear brands.
"I had this idea for a shoe that would align your body when you walked in it and give you energy [by] rebounding the energy from the ground up," she said. "Shoes had always just been drawn [by designers]. No one was thinking about how the shoe affects the person walking in it. … [FitFlop] is really an engineering company."
Kilgore said her entry into the footwear category, after building her career in beauty, made sense given that she’d been "very into reflexology" while running her spa business. As a one-time personal trainer, she was also into wellness. The shoe "connected the dots," in terms of her experience, she said.
Since first launching through the retailer Sweaty Betty — through which one customer email sold 8,000 pairs of its shoes — FitFlop has taken off internationally. Now, having opened the brand's first U.S. store, in SoHo in April, Kilgore is charting its stateside growth.
Related reads:
Sarah Flint and CEO Mary Beech: ‘2020 was the year we built the foundation to really scale’
Are heels over? What the footwear market will look like post-coronavirus
43:4406/09/2023
Week in Review: Kylie Jenner's potential new brand, Rolex's Bucherer acquisition, Lanvin's struggles
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we discuss the rumor that Kylie Jenner is allegedly planning to launch a “quiet luxury” brand with Jens and Emma Grede, the executives behind other brands in the Kardashian universe including Skims and Good American. Later, we talk Rolex buying Bucherer and the troubles facing Lanvin.
Read more:
Emma Grede, Good American | Glossy 50 2022
Can Rolex’s new resale program and booming secondhand market coexist?
Fashion Briefing: Lanvin Group stokes growth with fresh talent, celebrity faces and bags
25:5801/09/2023
Rebecca Hessel Cohen: LoveShackFancy's future could include restaurants and hotels
LoveShackFancy's tenth year in business has been a busy one. This month alone, the fashion brand has launched a product collaboration with Gap and announced an expansion to the beauty category. Its first fragrance will hit Sephora stores on September 6, six days before its New York Fashion Week presentation-slash-party.
It's safe to say that LoveShackFancy's feminine, flirty, vintage-inspired look has caught on. And steering its popularity is founder and creative director Rebecca Hessel Cohen. As she describes on this week's episode of the Glossy Podcast, her growth strategy for the brand includes "taking its iconic prints, colors and sensibility, and bringing it to life in different categories, price points and markets."
Before Gap, LoveShackFancy's brand collaborators included Target, American Girl, Bogner and Ford Bronco, among others. And, following fragrance, there's no telling what categories the brand will tackle next.
"Our customers want [LoveShackFancy] wine, champagne, and even hotels and restaurants," Hessel Cohen said, referencing a recent social media poll by the brand. "So, you never know. It's just all exciting and fun — and sometimes, the more unexpected, the better."
44:1930/08/2023
Week in Review: Abercrombie & Fitch's comeback and fashion's community playbook
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, fashion reporter Danny Parisi and Glossy Pop reporter Sara Spruch-Feiner break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
On this week’s episode, we discuss Abercrombie & Fitch's comeback over the last few years, including its ability to shed the exclusive, elitist image it held in the 2000s. Later, we talk about community building in fashion and how brands are using live events to build loyalty.
28:1825/08/2023
Sporty & Rich's Emily Oberg: 'Brands with a strong image stand the test of time'
Emily Oberg, founder and owner of the 5-year-old wellness-based brand Sporty & Rich, wants to change the definition of success.
"Never not working isn't cool. … You don't need to have a crazy work schedule, where you feel like you can't keep up, [in order] to be successful," Oberg said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. "At one point, that was the definition of success, but it's changing. And I want to be part of that change."
After starting her career in streetwear, working as a video personality at Complex before heading up womenswear at Kith, Oberg saw the opportunity to build an owned brand based on the success of her mood-board-style Instagram account, Sporty & Rich. She co-founded the brand as it stands in 2018. It has since earned fans including Hailey Bieber, collaborated with brands like Adidas, opened an experiential store in NYC's SoHo neighborhood and reached $30 million in annual revenue. Along with building Sporty & Rich to a $200 million brand, Oberg has big plans for its future.
"It's my vision to make a Sporty & Rich country club, where you have everything: colonics, your naturopath, you can do your blood work, you can do your tennis lessons, you can go to the pool, you can see your trainer, you can do a Pilates class," she said. "It would take a lot of resources and a lot of investment, but I hope to have these in every major city. That's [a place] where I'd want to spend my time."
50:0123/08/2023
Week in Review: Underwear brand Parade acquired, people are abandoning Threads, Aldi enters the sneaker game
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
On this week’s episode, we talk about the Gen-Z DTC underwear brand Parade selling itself off to a more established underwear licensing company, the reason so many people have abandoned Meta’s Twitter competitor Threads in the last month and the $13 sneaker line released by grocery store chain Aldi.
Further reading:
How Parade is building an underwear brand based on Gen-Z values
Fashion Briefing: Are text-based social platforms still valuable for brands?
29:1018/08/2023
Kurt Geiger CEO Neil Clifford: Private equity is 'underrated'
After 20 years at the helm of 60-year-old British footwear brand Kurt Geiger, Neil Clifford is more than halfway to leading the company to a record sales year.
Kurt Geiger has already made big, impactful changes. For example, five years ago, Clifford hired Michael Kors alum Steven Sousa to lead Kurt Geiger's North American expansion; the market now drives bigger sales for the brand than the U.K. The company has also expanded to other international markets, with its Dubai-based store quickly becoming its most successful, in terms of its sales per square foot. Kurt Geiger has 70 stores in the U.K.
In addition to stores, the company has upped its investment in marketing, doubling its dedicated budget in each of the past two years. The focus of the strategy is creating compelling imagery.
"It's very British [to be] much better at creativity and fun and joy than making money and [developing] business strategies," Clifford said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. "But look at how many brands around the world have British creative directors. That's not a coincidence."
Moving forward, thanks in part to a new round of funding, more stores are on the way. Kurt Geiger will open a new London flagship in mid-September. The brand then plans to launch 20-30 stores in North America over five years, starting in October. After three locations in Mexico, it will set up shop in Florida, Southern California and New York early next year.
And in November, it will expand focus to its men's business with plans for a big, product-focused campaign.
"We focus on design. We spend hours every day talking about product and … great value," Clifford said. "And we hope that formula transpires into something super desirable and super differentiating and disrupting — because we as Brits like to disrupt; anarchy is in our blood."
37:4616/08/2023
Week in Review: Allbirds struggles, Victoria's Secret brings back old models, British stylists unionize
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
This week, we talk about Allbirds struggling to stay on top of its declining sales, Victoria’s Secret going back to its old self with iconic models from its past and British celebrity stylists unionizing.
28:2611/08/2023
Rixo's Henrietta Rix on Brexit, US expansion and the issues with bridal shopping
Starting with a website and a tiny budget, friends Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey launched women's fashion brand Rixo in 2015 while studying fashion in London. Eight years later, the brand is growing, with a 70% revenue increase in 2022, plus it's launching new categories and expanding within the U.S. market. Rixo is best known for its vintage-inspired printed dresses and counts Taylor Swift and the Duchess of Cambridge as fans.
Rixo sells through its own stores, wholesale channels including independent stores and department stores, and its own e-commerce site. During the 2022 fiscal year, it earned $21 million in revenue, compared to $12 million the year prior. In April, the brand launched a flagship store on London's King’s Road, enlisting McCloskey’s twin sister, Culpa Studio's Gemma McCloskey, to design it The 5,000-square-foot space includes a standalone bridal suite that's available for private appointments, as well as alterations services, a coffee kiosk, cocktails and a private events “apartment” space on the second floor.
In January, Rixo introduced product categories including homeware, nightwear and bridal. Rixo is the only brand on the London Fashion Week schedule producing clothes in U.K. sizes through 24. It will launch its first styles available up to size 26 with influencer Abisola Omole in July.
On the Glossy Podcast, co-founder Henrietta Rix discusses the brand’s plans for the U.S., its new category strategy, the need for more inclusive sizing in the contemporary fashion market, the brand effects of Brexit and Rixo's mission to redefine accessible bridal shopping experiences.
32:5509/08/2023
Week in Review: Birkenstock's IPO, Prada's beauty launch and Phoebe Philo's return to fashion
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.
On this week’s episode, we discuss Birkenstock's road to IPO, Prada's beauty expansion via makeup and skin care, and Phoebe Philo's return to fashion, set to kick off in September.
24:2504/08/2023
Flower by Edie Parker's Brett Heyman on navigating 'wary' investors and dispensary-focused distribution
Thirteen years ago, Brett Heyman launched Edie Parker. Focused on acrylic clutch handbags, which soon became customizable, the brand married Heyman’s lifelong love of collecting vintage with her experience in luxury accessories PR, working for brands including Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci. She got the company off the ground by securing retail partners including Barneys and Bergdorf Goodman and leveraging her stylist contacts to get the bags in the hands of celebrities.
“My background was so helpful [in starting the company],” she said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “I always tell [budding] founders that it's really great to work in the industry that you want to break into, [in order] to meet people and to [make] some contacts and have a leg up. … I knew a lot of people. Plus, I knew what was missing. And I knew how to promote it and who to get to promote it.”
In 2016, Heyman expanded Edie Parker’s product assortment to the home decor category. And three years later, she launched the cannabis-adjacent spinoff brand Flower by Edie Parker. Its products include lighters, grinders and rolling papers, all in Edie Parker’s signature colorful, retro aesthetic. Oh, and there’s also a handbag with a retractable lighter that’s taken TikTok by storm and changed the business. With its growth fueled by the Burn Bag's sales, just four years in, Flower by Edie Parker now makes up 50% of the company’s total sales.
On the podcast, Heyman discusses how she’s catering to Flower’s “much more engaged,” “much more excited” shoppers, plus how she’s holding true to her brand’s DNA while building a business in a federally illegal industry.
30:0102/08/2023