Back in 2015, WWD unknowingly signaled the end of Style.com. Turns out they were spot on.
After much fanfare, waiting, and pomp and circumstance, Style.com was relaunched…and then promptly shut down this week. We’d be lying if we said this was a shocker. (885 words)
Ana Andjelic – Rethinking luxury’s technology gameplan.
Longstanding luxury brands tend to treat technology as a marketing play or a value-add that sits on top of their business models – rather than harnessing technology to actually transform their businesses. Ana Andjelic’s argument: It’s a terrible approach. (652 words)
Bridging the gap between swim and adventure, Summersalt becomes an ambitious addition to a swimwear market in flux.
There’s a lot to like about Summersalt, a confident new swimwear specialist hoping to redefine the category. We spoke to co-founders Lori Coulter and Reshma Chamberlin about toning down the sex appeal, and becoming a category killer. (1,371 words)
Modern luxury companies don’t win best-in-class face-offs. They offer better bundles.
An Everlane will never beat an Hermes in absolute product quality – and it doesn’t need to. Best-in-class quality only takes you so far, and modern luxury brands are offering something far more compelling: a better overall bundle for shoppers. (924 words)
A closer look at Australian modern luxury brands. Spoiler alert: It’s not (just) about Aesop.
It’s easy when thinking about the brands coming out of Australia to believe Aesop is the only one that (really) matters. Butt there are others––like P. Johnson Tailors and Mon Purse––that are making noise on a global stage. (1,181 words)
Panty Raid: A rundown of the new lingerie players putting the pressure on Victoria’s Secret.
A primer on Lively, Beija Flor, Negative Underwear, and the rest of the modern luxury lingerie upstarts that are making life miserable for Victoria’s Secret and Agent Provocateur. (1,289 words)
Kyle Chayka: Lululemon Lab is cultivating exclusivity in an era of omnipresence.
For round two of his “Perceptive Consumer” column, Kyle Chayka argues: Omnichannel seems to be top of mind for all manner of retailers, both old and new. But at Lululemon Lab, in-store exclusives are the order of the day. (875 words)
Growth markets: China hogs the headlines, but for emerging brands, mature markets matter far more.
We spoke to several modern luxury brands to ask: Is the Chinese market really a growth market for them? And if not, which markets are? (1221 words)
Getting active: Equinox is quickly becoming a go-to retail partner for activewear upstarts.
Equinox is rigorously focused on listening to its members — and members are saying they want more of what the new class of activewear companies like Rhone, Ten Thousand, and ISAORA, have to offer. (774 words)
Jewelry market assessment: Tiffany is down, and new brands are stealing Gen Y shoppers.
The global market is in flux, and big brands, Tiffany among them, are feeling the pressure. Meet the new class of jewelry upstarts that are leading the way, winning hearts and minds, and eroding legacy market share. (1,255 words)