Sneakers have driven growth for the sportswear industry for decades, in recent years accelerated by the pandemic and work-from-home culture. However, a recent Bank of America report sparked debate by suggesting the sneaker boom may be nearing an end, including a rare double downgrade of Adidas. 

On The Debrief, sports correspondent Mike Sykes joins hosts Brian Baskin and Sheena Butler-Young to examine whether slowing growth marks a genuine reversal of casual dressing, or a return to more sustainable demand shaped by price sensitivity, comfort and experimentation rather than hype.

 

Key Insights:

The Bank of America report struck a nerve because it questioned a decades-long growth story about the sneaker industry. ?This one was the first one in a while that seemed to spell a bit of doom and gloom for the industry,? Sykes says. ?Everyone has been on pins and needles for the last couple of years as Nike has been in its downturn? and Bank of America is saying, yeah, it?s over.? The double downgrade of Adidas amplified that anxiety. ?If Adidas is getting the double downgrade here, what does that mean for everyone else?? Sykes asks. The implication was not just brand-specific weakness, but the possibility that the sneaker cycle itself had run out of road.However, slower growth does not necessarily mean sneakers are ?over?. Instead, the data may reflect a market adjusting after years of abnormal acceleration. ?Everyone else seems to feel like things are going at least okay,? Sykes says. ?Maybe not perfect, but nothing is perfect in this economy right now.? He notes that among the analysts and industry figures he spoke to, there was little appetite for declaring the trend finished. ?People are still into sneakers,? says Sykes. Sneakers and sportswear have lasted because they are easy to understand, easy to buy and relatively affordable compared to many fashion categories. ?Sneakers are generally just accessible for people. It?s an easy trend to follow,? Sykes says. ?You can easily spot which ones are cool and it?s very easy to hop on the bandwagon.? That accessibility matters even more in a strained economy. As Sykes highlights, with consumers weighing ?do I wanna buy this next outfit or do I want to buy groceries,? sportswear?s practicality continues to anchor demand.For the sneaker cycle to truly turn, something has to replace it ? either a new hit product within the category or a different footwear trend entirely. Right now, what is emerging is not a shift toward formality, but a widening of what casual footwear looks like, as displayed by the popularity of Nike?s ReactX Rejuven8 recovery clog. ?Speaking to people who have wanted this shoe, it?s mostly about the comfort,? Sykes explains. ?As far as ending the casualisation trend, this is not a shoe that would do that. This is a shoe that would entrench it.?

Additional Resources:

Have Sneaker Sales Finally Peaked? | BoF The Sneakers That Mattered Most in 2025 | BoFSneaker Resale Isn?t the Business It Used To Be | BoF  

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Willa Bennett is the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan and Seventeen ? two of the most influential legacy media brands now being reimagined for a social-first, creator-driven era.

Bennett grew up in Los Angeles, trained as a ballerina and studied journalism at Sarah Lawrence before building a standout career at Bustle Digital Group, GQ and Highsnobiety. Along the way, she?s helped redefine how youth culture is covered ? not by chasing everything, but by sharpening point of view, taste and authority.

?This generation has access to everything,? says Bennett, ?which is exactly why there?s a real hunger for curation, real taste and a voice you can trust.?

This week on The BoF Podcast, Imran Amed, founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion, sat down with Bennett to talk about what young audiences actually want from media today, why curation matters more than ever and how she?s refocusing Cosmopolitan and Seventeen ? creatively, culturally and commercially ? for the next generation.

Key Insights: 

Bennett cold emailed her way into Seventeen, two weeks after graduating in 2013. Spotting social?s potential before it was prized, she asked: ?Can I post the cover on Instagram?? and was told, ?Yeah, sure ? no one?s going to see it.? Later stints at Bustle and GQ sharpened her point of view, with a breakthrough at Highsnobiety. Putting Billie Eilish on her first cover of Highsnobiety ?was so intuitive,? she says, and it was a signal she could match youth culture with editorial authority.Bennett argues the job of legacy media is selection, not saturation. ?This generation has access to so much online, but that also means that there is a real hunger for curation ? and real curation, not performative curation,? she says, adding that Cosmopolitan?s remit is to be ?a place that young people can trust when it comes to love and relationships.?After an era of chasing scale, Bennett sees a return to meaningful, well-made stories: ?We?re seeing real editorials again,? she says, while also noting Cosmopolitan?s social focus: ?We?re up 500 percent year over year just in views on Instagram ? That prioritisation of social media has been really important.?Bennett?s advice to new journalists is to publish everywhere while honing a distinctive point of view. ?Use all the platforms now ? get your voice out and really cultivate it,? she says. ?As we figure out what this new era is, I think it?ll be even more important to have a very distinct point of view.?

Additional Resources:

Willa Bennett | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry Inside Willa Bennett?s First Issue of ?Cosmopolitan? | BoF 

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Saks? bankruptcy was widely expected, yet still felt like a shock to the fashion system. 

The department store giant?s Chapter 11 filing outlines $1.75 billion in restructuring finance and $3.4 billion owed to as many as 25,000 creditors ? including $136 million to Chanel alone. Who will get paid, and what Saks looks like at the other end of the bankruptcy process, is an open question. 

Former Neiman Marcus chief Geoffroy van Raemdonck will lead the reset. As BoF?s retail editor Cat Chen puts it, Saks will need to ?shrink in order to grow,? curb discounting, and rebuild trust through clienteling and service.

Key Insights:

Missed vendor payments undermined confidence in Saks Global soon after it acquired Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. ?Even after Saks created these new payment terms, they weren?t able to stick to their instalments,? Chen says. Labels ?stopped shipping to Saks entirely,? creating ?a death spiral where Saks wasn?t getting good inventory, and this hurt their ability to attract customers,? and sales slid further.When Saks Global acquired Neiman Marcus, both companies were extremely levered going in, with savings being swallowed by interest. The plan pitched $500 million in cost savings, but Saks Global took on more debt ? $2.2 billion in bonds. As Chen explains, with margins in multi-brand retail already slim, ?they were ill-fated because? a chunk of whatever sales or savings they were able to generate would be going toward interest payments.? As Saks has 10,000 to 25,000 creditors, owed $3.4 billion, bankruptcy court will approve a list of critical vendors that are essential to Saks?s business. While conglomerates will cope, ?it's really the smaller independent brands that might be owed less money, but the amount that they're owed are just so much more critical to their business operations. These are the players that are the most vulnerable right now,? Chen warns ? and it?s not just brands. A model shared she?s ?owed $46,000...and can?t pay rent now.?Now, Saks must reset its business. Van Raemdonck ?took Neiman Marcus in and out of bankruptcy,? yet Chen is blunt about the reality of the situation: ?Saks Global will have to shrink in order to grow.? That means closing stores, stabilising cash flow and getting ruthless about discounting. From there, Chen says Saks has to compete on experience, delivering the best customer service and catering to their VICs. 

Additional Resources:

Saks Global Files for Bankruptcy After Monthslong Hunt for Cash | BoF Chanel, Gucci and Capri Holdings: The Brands Topping Saks? Creditor List | BoF

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2026 opens with real movement in beauty deals. 

As first reported by The Business of Beauty, Estée Lauder is exploring a packaged sale of Too Faced, Smashbox and Dr. Jart to free up cash and refocus the portfolio. 

Who?s next? Colour fatigue is depressing makeup valuations, while fragrance, bodycare and haircare are drawing the most credible buyer interest, particularly from beauty conglomerates. 

 

Executive editor of The Business of Beauty, Priya Rao joins Brian Baskin and Sheena Butler-Young to unpack what this year of beauty deals has to offer. 

Key Insights:

With Estée Lauder exploring a bundled sale of Too Faced, Smashbox and Dr. Jart, this portfolio reset signals a valuation reality check. The goal is to free up cash and refocus on culturally relevant, digital-native brands like The Ordinary and Le Labo. As Rao notes, ?Deciem sells more skincare products than all of Estée Lauder?s other skincare brands combined,? and ?Le Labo is also continuing to be on fire, even though Santal 33 has been around for 15 years.? Colour fatigue is depressing valuations in makeup. Over the past few years, artistry and colour brands have gone to market to find a buyer, but quickly found a landscape already flooded with similar offerings. ?There were so many colour brands on the market. People were waiting for the next great one, so they weren?t willing to make a bet on any of these brands until the full slate was out,? says Rao. The result was some colour brands being left in the market, on and off, for over a year. She explains: ?It?s kind of like buying a house ? why am I going to buy this house at a premium when I could be buying at a discount??Fragrance, meanwhile, remains a booming, high-margin lane. ?All these other beauty businesses ? hair care, body and fragrance ? are more incremental to a strategic,? says Rao. While private equity is trying across the board, Rao advises that ?if you want L?Oréal, LVMH or Estée Lauder, you have to be in categories that add incremental value, rather than ones they?re still trying to figure out.?Haircare offers the clearest near-term upside for acquirers. ?Amika has the number one or number two dry shampoo at Sephora,? and its move into Ulta taps ?a huge haircare business because of their back bar program?, says Rao. In mass hair care, Not Your Mother?s, which has had its longevity questioned in the past, shows durability and runway. Focused on styling and texture, Rao notes that it ?hasn?t even played with shampoo and conditioner yet ? in mass hair care, that?s where you play to make the big bucks.?

Additional Resources:

Exclusive: Estée Lauder Companies Has Put Three Brands Up for Sale | BoF Prestige Hair Care?s Shampoo Problem | BoF Why Fragrance Is the Latest Red Carpet Accessory | BoF 

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What began as scrappy self-publishing has become a finely tuned industry machine. Influencing is now big business. Four of the industry?s most influential creators came together at BoF VOICES 2025 to take a hard look at what influencing has become ? and where it should go in the future. 

Susanna Lau opens the conversation by ditching the earnest tropes and asking a harder question: how can creators keep their integrity as agencies, briefs and budgets multiply?

Bryan Yambao reflects on the pre-iPhone ?wild west? ? scanning magazines, posting affiliate links from his bedroom in Manila, and the shock of realising that the people he wrote about were suddenly reading him.

Camille Charrière charts the shift from ?do your thing? freedom to 30-page briefs and layered gatekeepers, arguing that creators must push back to preserve the audience trust that made them valuable in the first place.

And through the lens of satire, Gstaad Guy challenges brands to confront what their communities are already saying ? before they say it out loud.

Together, they interrogate luxury?s malaise ? and the need to recalibrate the industry around craft, community and credibility.

Key Insights: 

Even with industry recognition, Yambao still feels like an outsider and uses that distance to stay candid. ?I still feel like I?m an outsider,? he says, recalling the early days: ?There was no roadmap. All I knew was that I had a voice.? The monetisation that followed, from early affiliate cheques to today?s industrialised commerce media, only reinforced his responsibility. ?Since I kind of have a seat [at] the table, I want to say things with meaning and hold people to a higher standard,? he says.Charrière argues creators aren?t brand billboards ? they?re people with convictions, and audience trust depends on that. After a year of speaking out, she recalls a major house ?got me on a call with seven lawyers saying that now in my contract it was going to be written that I had to be neutral politically because I?d gone to a protest.? She continues, ?I said, absolutely not.I?m not a brand. I?m an ambassador for you, but we are people, we are not brands ? my online self is an extension of my offline self.?Gstaad Guy argues that credibility now depends on pre-empting audience scepticism. ?Consumers are getting smarter, products are getting dumber,? he says. The remedy is to meet somewhere in between and let creators use their own language to test narratives honestly: ?Have someone like [me] say something first so you can tell the story ? the language of comedy and satire allows for that to be more digestible,? he says.

Additional Resources:

Susanna Lau, Bryan Yambao, Camille Charrière and Gstaad Guy: Twenty Years of the Influencer Economy in Fashion | BoF Gstaad Guy | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry Camille Charrière | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry Bryan Grey Yambao | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry

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BoF and McKinsey?s annual State of Fashion report finds the industry entering 2026 with caution: 46 percent of executives expect conditions to worsen, citing geopolitics, macro volatility and the risk of shoppers pulling back. Yet there is also a pulse of optimism around AI-driven efficiency, luxury?s creative recalibration and fresh consumer interest in categories from smart glasses to fine jewellery.

Tariffs remain the dominant near-term swing factor. Brands mitigated pain in 2025 by pulling forward inventory, but as that cushion runs out, the full impact shows up in 2026 in costs and pricing. More broadly, luxury?s era of price-led growth has run its course; as BoF correspondent Marc Bain puts it, if you ask customers to pay more, you have to ?actually offer the value for the price.?

Key Insights:

The mood has shifted from ?uncertain? in 2025 to ?challenging? in 2026. Companies feel better equipped but are bracing for a tougher year. ?Uncertainty was ?we don?t know what?s going to happen?. The challenge is, we know what is going to happen and it?s going to be tough,? says Bain.Tariffs will continue to bite in 2026, and price hikes will be part of the playbook. Brands used a mix of mitigation tactics in 2025, but many still expect to pass on costs. ?The strategy that the highest number of executives said was their way of mitigating the tariff impact was raising prices,? Bain notes. ?To some degree, there's just no way around that. You can do it strategically, but at some point you're probably going to have to raise prices.?Jewellery is the consumer bright spot for the year ahead, as the category has steadily outperformed thanks to steadier, more gradual price rises, exciting design and a strong perception of value retention. ?It?s hard luxury? you can wear it a lot and it can still be in good shape,? Bain says, adding that more women self-purchasing are reinforcing demand, with maximal accessories over minimal wardrobes adding another tailwind. He adds, ?It sounds almost silly in 2026, but a big shift has been that more women are actually buying jewellery for themselves.According to Bain, 2026 is the year AI gets embedded into the fashion ecosystem. Expect a ?two steps forward, one step back? year where efficiency wins drive adoption even as mishaps make headlines. ?Companies don?t feel like they can sit out AI,? Bain says. ?It?s not like everyone by the end of next year is going to be using ChatGPT instead of Google, but the expectation is it'll be a significantly higher number than [2025]. And at a certain point, even if it's 5 percent of shoppers ? it's still enough that you as a business have to start accounting for it.   

Additional Resources:

The 10 Themes That Will Define the Fashion Agenda in the Year Ahead | BoF The Perfect Package: What It Takes to Be a Fashion Leader in 2026 | BoFThe Top Trends That Will Define Beauty in 2026 | BoF 

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A DJ from South Africa who survived a life-altering accident on the night of Nelson Mandela?s release, Black Coffee has gone on to headline the world?s biggest stages. At BoF VOICES 2025, he reflected on building global credibility ? and on reshaping how the African continent is seen.

 ?If you Google a picture of Africa ? it?s not going to be the most positive picture you see,? he says. ?To be a DJ in South Africa, it?s one of the toughest things because almost every DJ is amazing. To be a DJ on the global level is way tougher because I come from a continent that was ? or maybe still is ? not seen as how it truly is.? 

In conversation with BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed, Black Coffee talk about rejecting pigeonholes, earning trust on a global level, and opening doors for the next generation.

 

Key Insights: 

To compete beyond South Africa, Black Coffee says he had to work on the music and the optics of Africa on the global stage. The solution was rigorous self-presentation: ?Whilst I was growing as a brand, fashion played a very big role for me. I was very conscious of how I presented myself,? he says. ?The bigger the brand, the more intentional I was. It took a lot of work.? That mix of sound, style and discipline underpinned his transition from local star to international headliner.The night Nelson Mandela walked free changed his life forever. Struck in a crowd by a taxi and left with a nerve damage injury, he channelled his recovery into music and silence into resolve. ?[Mandela?s] release from jail marked the beginning of a different journey for me, the first day of the beginning of Black Coffee,? he says. Speaking publicly about the accident only years later, he refused pity and insisted on being seen first as a musician with ?passion and love for music.?Black Coffee is blunt about structural bias. ?At the Grammys, instead of giving Tyla a number-one pop award, they will create a new genre or category where it?s best African,? he says. Reflecting on his own experience at the BET Awards, he recounts: ?We were all given our awards on Friday and we were not invited on the main show on Saturday.?His advice to young creatives is simple and radical: ?Just listen to your voice. That voice is the voice that will make you the greatest.? The mission is not only visibility but parity ? moving African talent from a side-room to the main stage.

Additional Resources:

 BoF VOICES 2025: Creativity as a Vehicle for Connection Black Coffee| BoF 500

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Born to South Sudanese parents and raised in Canada after arriving as refugees in 2002, Awar Odhiang grew up far from fashion?s orbit. She was studying health sciences and planning a career in medicine, when she was scouted at her first job. Her career began locally in Calgary, then accelerated fast after she launched internationally in 2019 ? with early runway breaks, a packed show schedule and global campaigns. Then came the moment that stopped the industry when she closed the most-watched debut of the season at Matthieu Blazy?s Chanel show in October.

?The moment that really allowed me to fill that space in that way was the freedom that I was given, truly,? she says. Backstage, Matthieu Blazy, Chanel?s new creative director encouraged her to own the moment. ?I just felt so free, so confident, so beautiful. You can tell Matthieu loves women just by his designs.?

In this conversation from BoF VOICES 2025, I speak with Awar about the gap between being celebrated publicly and understood privately, why inclusion has to extend to behind the camera and the boundaries she is setting to protect her sense of joy in an industry that rarely slows down.

Key Insights:

Odhiang recounts meeting agent Kelly Streit whilst working her first job in retail and her scouting story captures a pivotal shift in self-belief. ?That was a moment that now I can look back at and realise that he believed in me before I even believed in myself,? she says. From folding sweaters at Old Navy to international runways by 2019, she frames the leap as an intentional decision to embrace an unexpected opportunity.As a high profile dark skinned model, her growing visibility hasn?t eliminated her feelings of isolation. ?One of the darker sides of modelling I would say is really the [lack of] inclusion ? the fact that we?re still talking about this today really shows how big of a problem that is.? She defines inclusivity as being allowed to be at ease rather than just token representation: ?For me, inclusion is being able to be in a room and not have to translate yourself ? where you?re not the only person who looks like you, where you?re not the only person who?s expected to speak on certain matters.?Moreover, whilst diverse campaigns can signal progress, backstage the culture still lags behind. ?Being welcomed publicly and being understood privately ?. I think they?re two very different things,? Odhiang says. ?A lot of it [is] performative ? behind the scenes there?s no diversity. There?s nobody who?s really understanding you, your story, how you?ve been treated. So that?s really dismissed a lot.? Her call is for decision-room diversity, consistency rather than trends, and respect for lived experiences.As attention intensifies, Odhiang is resolute about boundaries and community. ?I would protect this joy, this joy in my heart, this joy of my soul, by continuing to set boundaries ? by also keeping the company around me honest and close, and by also not allowing the pace of the industry to impact the pace of me as a human,? she says. For her, sustainability is emotional as much as professional ? maintaining a human tempo amid fashion?s demands.

Additional Resources:

Awar Odhiag | BoF 500 Awar Odhiang: Choosing Joy

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Choosing ?sneaker of the year? has rarely been this contentious. In 2025 the debate has splintered opinion between incumbent players like Nike and contenders from Vans, Converse and New Balance as consumers test the field.

Whilst Nike?s shadow looms and expands with new silhouettes, real-world volume is being driven by ?regular? pairs like ASICS? black-and-silver GEL-1130.

In this episode of The Debrief, BoF?s Sheena Butler-Young and Brian Baskin sit down with Mike Sykes to unpack the data, the storytelling and what this year signals for 2026.

Key Insights:

In a widening market, this year?s debate has splintered opinions. Unlike typical years with ?two to three shoes,? 2025 felt like ?it?s five, it?s six, it?s seven, it?s eight,? says Sykes. He frames it as consumers testing ?Nike versus the field,? with many deciding, ?I?m actually gonna try the field for once,? which explains why we have seen credible contenders from Vans, Converse, New Balance and more.At the same time, reports of Nike?s demise are overdone. ?Nike has always ? and, in my opinion, probably will always ? be the industry standard. The company is just too big at this point; it makes too much money. Even when it fails, it?s still a notch above its competition,? says Sykes. The real question now is which Nike silhouettes win attention. A few years ago it was largely Jordan 1s, 3s and Dunks, however now styles like Infinite Archives 17, Awake?s Jordan 5, and Nigel Sylvester?s Jordan 4 are all taking space.Hype is increasingly powered by storytelling that feels personal rather than driven by pure scarcity. Nigel Sylvester?s Jordan 4 showed how ?over the top? yet authentic activations made fans attach to Nigel beyond the sneaker. ?He?s riding his bike, kissing babies, shaking hands,? says Sykes. It?s ?absolutely marketing? but designed to connect on emotion.On sneaker resale marketplace StockX, beneath the headline-grabbing premiums, Asics is moving serious volume with everyday pairs. As Mike notes, ?the black and silver Asics Gel-1130 is just a common shoe that you could probably just go to your Foot Locker and buy,? yet he sees ?people just buying the shoe up.? Set against hype, the GEL-1130 shows how ?regular everyday shoes that look cool? can dominate real-world sales even when they?re absent from sneaker-of-the-year shortlists.

Additional Resources:

The Sneakers That Mattered Most in 2025The Kicks You Wear: The Collab of the Year With Bimma WilliamsThe Kicks You Wear: The Death of Sneakers Is Overstated

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To close the first session of this year?s BoF VOICES on The Wider World, we wanted a voice that could cut through the noise and offer a clear, powerful call to action for human unity at a time when everything feels like it's breaking down. Few artists are better positioned to do that than Riz Ahmed.

An Oscar and Emmy-winning actor, producer and musician, Riz has built a career at the intersection of culture, politics and humanity ? from Sound of Metal to The Night Of, and through music and activism that challenge how stories are told, and who gets to tell them.

Drawing on his upcoming adaptation of Hamlet, set in contemporary London, he argues that one of the most famous speeches in history ? ?to be or not to be? ? has been misunderstood, de-radicalised and stripped of its original power. For Riz, Hamlet is not about despair or inaction. It?s about resistance, moral reckoning, and the fear that stops us from standing up when injustice feels overwhelming.

This is a talk about grief, complicity and courage. About why stories endure. And about what it means to take responsibility ? even when the cost feels high.

Key Insights: 

Ahead of the theatrical release of the Ahmed-produced 2025 film ?Hamlet? ? its first cinematic adaptation starring a person of colour ? the actor argues that the play?s famous soliloquy is not about suicide, but rather about summoning the courage to defy injustice. ??To be or not to be? is about resistance. The most famous lines ever written by a human being have been defanged, deradicalised. It?s about fighting back against oppression,? he says..The monologue, he argues, illustrates the importance of storytelling during a time when dominant cultural narratives attempt to divide people and to emphasise the illusion of in-groups and out-groups. ?In the same way that we need to rediscover the radical truth of this speech, I believe we need to rediscover the radical purpose and truth at the heart of storytelling,? he says. ?Storytelling has been lost to content and distraction and entertainment, but at its heart when it works best, it is reminding us of a very profound and very radical spiritual truth, which is that we are one.?Ahmed concludes that what people gain in achieving their purpose as storytellers ? to believe in their shared humanity ? is invaluable, despite the personal losses that may be incurred by doing so. ?Honestly the things that we are afraid of, the things that we stand to lose were never really ours. We will lose them, but what we stand to gain when we step into our purpose is something so profound,? he says.?What does it mean to rediscover our radical purpose as storytellers, insisting on our oneness in a time when people might try and divide us??

Additional Resources:

The BoF Podcast: Riz Ahmed on a Watershed Moment for the Fashion IndustryBoF VOICES 2025: Finding Connection in Turbulent Times

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Collectively, Clare Waight Keller and Maria Cornejo have over two decades of experience in the fashion industry. Waight Keller?s impressive career includes roles at Givenchy, Chloé and Gucci ? and today, she serves as creative director at Uniqlo. Cornejo?s New York?based label, founded nearly three decades ago, counts Michelle Obama and Christy Turlington Burns among its most devoted fans.

From deeply entrenched gender biases to the fear of returning to work after giving birth, women face a number of systemic barriers to reaching senior leadership positions in the fashion industry, insiders say. Today, some women designers have found success launching their own labels ? and when they do land leadership roles at major houses, often make it a priority to create opportunities for other women, which remain few and far between.

At the VOICES 10th anniversary, Waight Keller and Cornejo speak with senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young about what it?s like to work in an industry where women are the muses and chief customers, but the top commercial and creative roles are dominated by men.

 

Key Insights: 

Clare Waight Keller says that the inequalities between men and women in fashion are driven in part by the narrative that ?men are often seen as the implementers of big change, and women of stability, and so with stability we?re often also cornered into a commercial sense of aesthetic.? Both Waight Keller and Cornejo push back against this notion, saying that women aren?t less creative but simply more considerate of how real women want to dress.Maria Cornejo feels that ?there?s a big disconnect in fashion? from what's instagrammable and what is actual reality ? all the women I know who have independent businesses? we?re making clothes that women wear.? Both designers say they have encountered inequities as women in fashion, prompting Waight Keller to intentionally assemble an all-women team at Uniqlo. ?Women add so much richness into the conversation of clothing, we offer a completely different perspective which is equally powerful and equally relevant,? she says.

Additional Resources:

BoF VOICES 2025: Finding Connection in Turbulent TimesClare Waight Keller | BoF 500Maria Cornejo | BoF 500

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Instead of his usual place in the host?s seat, BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed appears this week as a guest in an interview with Jonathan Wingfield, editor-in-chief of System Magazine, alongside Luca Solca, senior analyst of global luxury goods at Bernstein ? as featured in the second issue of System Collections.

Recorded in late October, their discussion maps a luxury market defined by expectation swings, tighter cost control and headline creative resets, with pricing and value now at the centre of the consumer equation. Amed and Solca examine how luxury groups are refocusing, why design-led and more accessibly priced players are gaining ground, and the conditions required for a genuine comeback at the top end.

?Everyone seems to be fascinated with the ultra-wealthy spending, exorbitant amounts of money, but they are not the majority of the market ? they are a portion at most,? says Solca.

Amed agrees. ?Nobody out there really thinks any of these prices are justified,? he says. ?One of the big conundrums facing the industry is, how do they restructure that pricing pyramid? They can?t just reduce prices on the existing products that are in their core collection because that?s almost an admission of having broken that ceiling down.?

Key Insights:

After years of price hikes, the industry hasn?t just met its price ceiling ? it ?broke through that ceiling, smashed it to bits,? argues Amed. The core dilemma now is rebuilding the pricing pyramid without publicly walking back on prices. ?I just think some of the executives in the industry are just completely out of touch with how the average customer feels. That?s not just aspirational middle-class customers, that?s also the ultra wealthy customers. Nobody out there really thinks any of these prices are justified,? says Amed.Solca warns that chasing the top end customer cannot be the only approach for brands. ?Everyone seems to be fascinated with the ultra-wealthy spending exorbitant amounts of money, but...they are not the majority of the market. They are a portion at the most,? says Solca.However, price inflation at the very top has created space just below what?s considered traditional luxury for design-led brands with sharper value. ?It?s opened up a really interesting opportunity for smaller brands that are highly creative,? Amed says. He points to labels ?just below luxury and just above US contemporary,? where distinct product and accessible pricing meet demand for uniqueness.For Amed and Solca, the formula for success is for brands to bridge their DNA with the cultural zeitgeist and deliver real value to customers. Chasing trends that deny what a house stands for won?t work, like ?Gucci trying to look quiet is like a zebra camouflaging as a lion,? says Solca. Amed adds the customer value test in ?the relationship between what a customer pays and the perceived value of what they get in return.? If brands fail that test, ?they?ll be less and less a part of that overall mix of what customers spend their money on.?

Additional Resources:

Jonathan Wingfield | BoF 500The Debrief | 5 Big Questions About LuxuryPrada?s Versace Acquisition Closes, Now the Real Work Begins

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Luxury?s most eventful year in some time is closing with a bang. From Prada?s Versace acquisition to Matthieu Blazy?s debut Chanel Métiers d?Art collection, seismic industry developments are landing on an almost daily basis.

In this episode of The Debrief, senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young and executive editor Brian Baskin are joined by BoF?s Luxury editor Robert Williams, who unpacks all of the industry?s most pertinent news, including the strategic implications of A$AP Rocky?s partnership with Chanel, the rise of the beaten up handbag, and the future of luxury in 2026.

Key Insights: 

The luxury market?s forecast is cautiously optimistic, relying heavily on Chinese consumers and designer-led resets to revive the industry. Brands also need to grapple with justifying value after aggressive price increases in recent years. ?Pricing?s certainly going to be an issue and it?s going to be a big issue in the US, which is a really key market for maintaining the brand?s top line,? Williams said.With Prada?s acquisition of Versace closing this week, it remains unclear as to whether the brand will continue with Dario Vitale?s new approach to Versace, or steer towards a more classic, glossy aesthetic. ?[Versace] has gone through a pretty radical shift over the past couple of months and whether or not [Prada?s] going to want to continue with that is the biggest most urgent decision, and for them to clarify that for the market,? Williams said.Luxury dining is becoming increasingly popular across the world, but can luxury chains like Langosteria remain cool as they expand? ?Fashion once upon a time was all made by your local tailor, your local couturier, and once they decided they could scale taste, that was more desirable than just having something that was more small-scale ? In food it seems like it?s kind of the opposite,? Williams said.Originally inspired by Jane Birkin and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, beaten up bags are everywhere in luxury fashion today. ?There?s something about the fact that, no matter how much you wear out that bag and trash it, it?s still not going to break and fall apart. I think it just makes it a really cool style gesture. It shows you?re not someone who just bought into it yesterday,? Williams said.

Additional Resources:

Prada?s Versace Acquisition Closes, Now the Real Work BeginsHow Beat-Up Bags Became a Luxury Status SymbolBreaking Down Chanel?s A$AP Rocky Partnership

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Francesco Carrozzini grew up inside the rarefied world of Vogue Italia ? not just observing it, but living it. As the son of Franca Sozzani, the magazine?s legendary editor-in-chief, fashion wasn?t just part of his surroundings, it was a language he was exposed to everyday.

He became a photographer and filmmaker, but it was only later that he turned the camera towards the most personal and complicated subject in his life: his relationship with his mother. The documentary Franca: Chaos and Creation premiered in Venice just before her passing in 2016 following a battle with lung cancer. 

?When I asked her to take a look at the first cut of the film, she said, ?This is the most mediocre thing I've ever seen. Do yourself a favor and find a point of view.? That opened my eyes on the importance of always trying to find a point of view,? Carrozzini recalls. ?In a regular relationship between mother and son, that might have been excruciating. In ours, it wasn't, because we treated each other like friends.?

Since Franca?s passing, Carrozzini has been working to transform memory into meaning. He co-founded the Franca Fund for Preventive Genomics ? an initiative advancing genomic screening to prevent the disease that took his mother?s life.

 

BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed met Carrozzini in Doha, Qatar, where last weekend he hosted the fund?s first-ever gala and they spoke about what it means to honour someone not by preserving their legacy, but by evolving it.

Key Insights: 

Growing up inside Vogue Italia shaped Carrozzini's eye and his expectations of 'normal'. He recalls going to the offices, and making his own magazines. "This was a time before computers so they were cutting up pictures and there was spray glue. [...] That's how magazines were made. I would go and do the same,? he says. "That was my special big extended family, because my mother's job was her life." Beyond the film itself, Carrozzini shared that it was the end-of-life collaboration that mattered the most. ?The actual big stories were those last months of our relationship, finishing the film and then screening it in Venice,? he says. ?All of a sudden the lights turn on and everyone's crying because some people know, some people don't, but we look at each other and we're like, ?This is sort of like our last big moment together.??Carrozzini clearly distinguishes tribute from true legacy. ?Memory and legacy often get confused. Just remembering someone feels like you're carrying their legacy, but it's not. I really wanted something meaningful, as an act of love, taking something personal and making it collective.? That impulse led Carrozzini to genomics research with Harvard geneticist Dr Robert Green, backing pioneering newborn-genome studies and accelerating grants. 

Additional Resources:

Fashion Trust Arabia Names Prize Winners in Qatar | BoF Franca Sozzani, 1950 - 2016 | BoF 

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As the holiday shopping season approaches, consumer sentiment is slumping, yet spending is bifurcated ? the top end keeps buying while the bottom 80 percent is more cautious. With Black Friday looming, brands are recalibrating promotions around value, desirability and hero products rather than blanket discounts. In luxury, upheaval at several department stores has created white space for rivals to woo high-spending clients through aggressive clienteling and tighter, faster vendor partnerships. 

In this episode of The Debrief, hosts Brian Baskin and Sheena Butler-Young speak with BoF reporters Cat Chen and Malique Morris about how brands are planning the season.

Key Insights: 

Consumer spending hasn?t vanished, but it?s shifted toward shoppers who still feel flush. As Chen notes, ?people are not really feeling rosy about the state of the economy, but the irony is that they?re still spending money.? Since Covid, ?spending has been driven by the wealthier segment,? and it?s clear that ?what consumers want is value? they want to get a good deal, but they don?t want to buy a cheap product.? For retailers, that means ?more sophistication around price architecture? and using AI ?to price products perfectly.??Black Friday?Cyber Monday is not a fix for a mediocre year,? says Morris. Instead, winners are ?prioritising desirability over discounts,? introducing ?new products specifically for this time? and pushing ?hero best-selling product.? The old playbook is out, and ?slapping a 50% off everything discount on Instagram is not gonna cut it,? says Morris. In the ?age of curation,? even deal-hunters expect editing, storytelling and reasons to stop scrolling.Morris argues that even in a discount-driven moment like Black Friday, shoppers still want offers to feel edited and intentional, and brands are responding with more curated tactics rather than blanket markdowns. ?We?re in the age of curation and so even when people are expecting deals, they don?t want to feel like they?re just getting slopped,? says Morris. Tariffs and margin pressure mean many brands cannot afford a race to the bottom, pushing them to plan inventory more carefully, introduce new products specifically for this period and reserve discounts for hero items.Chen explains that this holiday season is especially high stakes for luxury multi-brand retailers because a few big players are stumbling ? and everyone else is trying to capitalise. ?Saks and SSENSE and Luisa Via Roma are three players that have faced pretty bad challenges this year,? she says. ?They have opened up white space for their competitors on healthier financial footing to come in and basically eat their lunch and acquire their customers, acquire their sales.? The response is an aggressive push on clienteling and talent: retailers are not just targeting wealthy individuals, but also the salespeople and stylists who already manage those relationships.

Additional Resources:

Brands Try to Get the Tone Right for Holiday 2025 | BoF Inside Luxury Retailers? Bare-Knuckle Fight to Win the Holidays | BoF Black Friday Beauty Goes Beyond the Discount | BoF 

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Over the last two years, demand for luxury fashion has softened as aspirational shoppers have pulled back and consumer fatigue has crept in. Yet, Prada Group has continued to grow, by prioritising brand DNA, employing disciplined curation and creating strong connections to  contemporary culture.

?Prada is culture, culture is discussion, culture is opinions. The more you?re discussed, the more you?re able to be influenced by other people's opinions. I think this is unbelievably fruitful,? says Guerra. ?This is not a vertical thing; it's a total constant confrontation and change of opinions. This is how things are born in the Prada brand ? and I love it.?

This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder Imran Amed quizzes Mr Guerra on the luxury business model from developing pricing strategies to the importance of creative tension and cultural relevance.

Key Insights: 

To navigate a shaky market, brands need to simplify and go back to their DNA. ?Brands have gone all over in the past 10 years. And I think that today it's a time that you simplify and you do your own thing,? says Guerra. ?Your brand has a DNA, and that DNA cannot be killed in the long term ?This is where people are recognising you, so you need to go back there. There are certain things we need to do better again, but better again means to go back some years. ? On the industry?s post-pandemic price hikes, Guerra says ?If I?m not able to sell you an emotion, then we discuss pricing. If we discuss pricing, then I?ve failed on the first part.? Some brands, he adds, have been spoilt by certain trends, like inflation. ?At a certain stage for some brands it was easy just to increase prices,? he says. Now Guerra says, ?we?re back to normal? ? and the conversation should return to ?creativity, innovation [and] our ability to tell people about emotions.?The decision to acquire  Versace was a strategic, long-term bet.. ?Versace is a fantastic Italian, authentic, unique, credible brand which has a huge complementary role inside our group ? hitting different aesthetics, different consumer bases,? yet sharing roots in culture. The mandate is steady, patient value-building. ?There are no broken things. We have an opportunity, and the opportunity is long term. I?m not expecting any sort of tangible numeric result tomorrow morning. We have fixed certain milestones which are very important, but it will take time. And we have the patience.?For Guerra, durable desirability is born from managed friction. ?There is a history of relationship and tension between the DNA of a brand and a creative impulse, and this tension in the long term must be a positive equation,? he says. ?When I talk about culture, we are doing culture ourselves ? When you are buying a Prada product, you are buying an opinion, and I am happy that you?re buying an opinion.?

Additional Resources:

BoF VOICES 2025: Untangling the Fashion Industry?s Future Prada?s Lorenzo Bertelli to Become Versace Executive Chairman | BoF 

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As COP30 gets underway in Belém, a port city on the edge of the Brazilian rainforest, the mood is sober. A decade after the Paris Agreement was adopted internationally to limit global warming, many of the world?s largest fashion companies have fallen short on emissions cuts ? and some are moving in the wrong direction, emitting pollutants at an even higher rate than in previous years.

In this episode of The Debrief, senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young and executive editor Brian Baskin are joined by BoF reporters, Sarah Kent and Shayeza Walid, to examine why progress has stalled, how fast-fashion growth is reshaping the landscape, and what practical steps ? from decarbonising supply chains to adapting factories to extreme heat ? are needed next.

 

Key Insights: 

Kent says, ?I would not say any brand has a credible pathway right now to meet their targets for 2030,? ?Even companies that have shown that they?re able to reduce their emissions to date, driving down their carbon footprint over the next five years is going to be harder, more complex and more costly? and really no one company can do that alone.?Kent highlights the industry?s deep structural bind: ?The fundamental conflict at the heart of the fashion industry?s climate commitments is that you?ve got a business built on extracting stuff and producing stuff and selling stuff. The more stuff they sell, the better the business does, but the worse the environmental impact is,? ?Profitability and sales growth are fundamentally at odds with the environmental commitments companies have made.?Short-term thinking still in the boardroom locks in higher climate impacts, adaptation costs and supply-chain risk. As Kent puts it, ?On climate, if you don?t act, you don?t have to make these big investments, and you can keep growing your business and things will trundle along for some time. But the longer you wait to act, the worse the climate impacts you?re going to have to deal with are going to be, and the higher the cost of mitigating them, adapting to them, and trying to continue this business in a climate-constrained world.?Voluntary commitments aren?t enough at fast fashion?s scale. Walid points to Shein: ?Shein?s case is very instructive. There?s limits to voluntary commitments, which is what the majority of these brands have made.? She continues, ?When the business model is built on speed and volume? it just shows that voluntary commitments are maybe not enough for a fashion brand ? especially a brand as big as Shein ? to actually tangibly reduce its emissions when its entire business case doesn?t stand for that.?Climate impacts are now serious human and corporate risks. ?It?s not just a corporate issue anymore,? says Walid. ?People who have the visuals recognise the reality of what?s happening in these factories and the people who are making clothes at the end of the day.? Kent adds: ?People who are suffering from heat stress are not as productive? floods are disruptive to production, to logistics, to supply chains. Just because we have not yet seen a major disruption to the apparel supply chain from these climate crises yet is more luck than anything else.?

Additional Resources:

Can Fashion Still Meet Its Climate Promises? | BoF The Frayed Edge: Is Fashion Quiet Quitting on Climate? | BoF 

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Amber Valletta grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, spending time on her grandparents? farm. Her childhood was defined by open fields, a freshwater creek and a simple rule from her mother: go outside and use your imagination.

At 15, a local modelling class set her on an unexpected path that would take her first to Milan, and then around the world. Within a few years, Amber became one of the defining faces of 1990s fashion ? the Tom Ford Gucci era, the great editorials and the campaigns that shaped a generation?s idea of beauty.

But by her mid-20s, success had taken its toll. Amber stepped away from modelling, got sober, became a mother, pursued acting and found purpose in environmental advocacy. Today, as a United Nations Environment Programme goodwill ambassador, she?s using her influence to push for real change on climate, biodiversity and pollution.

?I don?t make my life all about me,? she told me. ?I make it about other people too ? about connection and love. When you have that, life is so much more enjoyable.?

 

This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder Imran Amed sits down with Amber Valletta to  trace her journey from Tulsa to the world?s fashion capitals, how sobriety transformed her life at 25 and why she believes fashion must finally take responsibility for its impact on the planet.

Key Insights: 

Valletta?s childhood in nature forged a creative compass and the ability to adapt anywhere.That self-reliance became a career asset when she landed in Europe as a teenager: ?I have this strange thing that I?ve always had ? it?s like wherever you plant me, I grow. I?m like a weed or something, like an Oklahoma weed.? Those early years also taught her to observe and self-teach: ?No one taught me. I just started figuring it out ? you look, you watch, you listen.?Opening Tom Ford?s Gucci Fall/Winter 1995 show gave Valletta a once-in-a-career jolt. ?When I walked out on the runway, it was probably one of the few times I?ve had that adrenaline rush ? that spotlight came on and boom,? Valletta recalls. The moment was so impactful because it diverged from what dominated the time: ?Nothing looked like that ? it was like a shot of adrenaline for everybody,? she says.Valletta was recently named UN Environment Programme goodwill ambassador, where she is focused on climate change, biodiversity loss and on ?fashion?s role as one of the biggest polluters.? The brief is practical: ?We need to invest in innovation and investment in decarbonisation ? We need all hands on deck. We need collaboration,? she says, warning, ?If it doesn?t change, we?re going to implode on ourselves.?Valletta?s guidance for a fulfilling life is simple: ?Do what you love. Serve a higher purpose. Enjoy the moment. Enjoy where you?re at.? She couples that with practical habits for staying power. ?I ask questions, I show up with a lot of gratitude ? I try not to do too much so that when I show up to work, I?m fully present for everybody.? 

Additional Resources:

 Amber Valletta | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry Can Fashion Still Meet Its Climate Promises? | BoF 

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Colourful charms, Labubu-laden handbags and a ring on every finger ? accessories sales are booming. A surge of necklace stacks, playful rings and quirky charms is being driven by Gen Z?s push for personal style, using add-ons to customise minimalist wardrobes on a budget. With apparel prices up, accessories act as ?little luxuries? and entry points into brands. Retail is responding, with buyers widening small-leather-goods assortments and e-commerce shoots now styling bags with charms to encourage add-on purchases. 

BoF reporter Diana Pearl joins The Debrief to unpack what?s fuelling the accessory pile-on, how labels are capitalising on it, and how far the trend can go before the cycle turns.  

Key Insights: 

According to Pearl, Gen Z is reaching for accessories as a way to personalise their minimalist wardrobes. ?Gen Z, which is really looking to define their sense of personal style, is leaning on accessories to do so, especially because minimalism in clothing is still very popular? but they also wanna have a little more fun and accessories are a way to do that,? she says. Regarding the longevity of this trend, Pearl adds, ?I think we'll see a consumer that is primed to think of accessories as a more important part of their wardrobe ? not just like a finishing touch, but a core element of it.?The Labubu craze captures the mood of the accessories trend ? playful, collective and endlessly customisable. ?There?s so many different Labubus. There?s a bit of that thrill of the hunt to try to find the right one. You can add it to an Hermès bag or a $100 leather tote from J. Crew,? says Pearl. For many shoppers, she says, ?it really speaks to that desire for fun and adding a personal touch. People want things that make them feel good.?While luxury houses profit from entry-level add-ons, Pearl sees independent makers riding the wave. ?I think it probably is helping luxury brands but I think even more than that, it?s helping small brands that really can make these cute accessories that feel distinct and different from what everyone else has, because I think a huge part of this is that quest for personal style, wanting something unique,? says Pearl. Pearl frames the moment as a behavioural shift rather than a transient trend. She argues, ?trends go away, but they never fully go away. I think every trend leaves a lasting impact or impression on us.  Maybe Labubus, toe rings, and bag charms won?t be quite as popular, but maybe they?ll evolve.? Crucially, ?I think that this has unlocked something in people? it will have a lasting after effects of this trend, even if not everybody is wearing five necklaces at once in a year from now.?

Additional Resources:

How Far Can Fashion?s Accessory Obsession Go? | BoF Why Jewellery Feels Like a Better Deal Than a Handbag | BoFLuxury?s Untapped Opportunity in Men?s Jewellery | BoF

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Soon after sharing his graduate work from the London College of Fashion online, Hong Kong-born Robert Wun was approached by Joyce Boutique to buy his collection. Like many other independent designers, he found navigating the wholesale model challenging and during the pandemic he pivoted to serving clients with one-off, customised designs with couture level pricing. 

?I realised that, in order for me to have a strong wholesale business model or grow a brand, this is not the time yet,? Wun says. ?For me to sacrifice all these years ? to leave my family, to come all the way to London, to chase my dream ? everything I create needs to have a responsibility, not only for myself but also for the message that I?m trying to relay.?

This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder Imran Amed sit down with Robert Wun to discuss his path from Hong Kong to London to Paris Couture Week, and how he?s building a client-first business that protects his creativity while staying commercially viable.

Key Insights: 

Hong Kong?s cultural imprint shaped Wun's eye from an early age. Growing up in a city he saw as a creative engine, Wun points to icons like Wong Kar-wai as inspiration, adding that ?Hong Kong is almost a symbol of cultural leadership when it comes to Asia.? Wun recalls discovering how deeply global fashion intersected with the city, from Joyce Ma championing new designers to Jean Paul Gaultier creating stage pieces for musicians in Hong Kong. "You always had this idea that  creativity was powerful ... but I think what changed was a shift in culture and economic power," he says.When pandemic lockdowns halted the regular fashion calendar, it provided a reset for Wun. Being forced to release his Autumn/Winter 2021 collection with an iPhone shoot done in his studio kitchen, made him prioritise meaning and message. ?Everything I create needs to have a responsibility, not only for myself, but also for the message that I?m trying to relay,? he says. That conviction pushed Wun to prioritise work that is no longer ?to make money? but rather ?to communicate and be honest.? Wun has shifted from wholesale to bespoke orders and selective collaborations. ?We are a team of almost twelve now. We?ve turned from not making any profit at all to actually starting to make profit since last year, and we?re almost doubling in terms of turnover by the end of this year,? he says. The core is a loyal private clientele, and demand is anchored in the US ? particularly New York and Los Angeles millennials and Asian Americans ? plus art collectors and couples seeking modern ceremony wear. ?Our average for those couture orders ranges from £45,000 to £60,000,? Wun says, a mix that allows him to protect his creativity while running a commercially successful business.

Additional Resources:

 Robert Wun | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry Robert Wun: From Dalston to Place Vendôme | BoFThe Emerging Designers Pushing Fashion Forward | BoF 

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In late August, the US doubled duties on Indian goods to 50 percent, in what President Donald Trump described as a punishment for India?s purchases of Russian oil. Brands reacted immediately, postponing or cancelling orders and leaving factories in hubs like Tiruppur and Bengaluru half-filled. With shifts cut and workers laid off, the shock ricocheted through India?s export economy, exposing how little protection garment workers have while relief talks and trade diplomacy drag on.

Senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young and executive editor Brian Baskin are joined by BoF reporter Shayeza Walid to trace how trade policy in Washington quickly impacted the lives of India?s garment workers. 

Key Insights: 

The tariff that came into place at the end of August led some suppliers to feel ?punished for something they didn?t have any hand in,? as Walid puts it. She adds: ?That penalty was linked to India?s continued purchases of Russian crude oil,? and ?it hit very fast because brands immediately reacted to it once the 50 percent came into place.?The disruption hit export hubs first and hardest. With brands reluctant to absorb the shock, factories have been left to ?bear the brunt,? passing the pressure onto the most vulnerable link in the system. The result is workers facing furloughs, layoffs and open-ended uncertainty. ?These workers are largely migrant workers who? don't have the power to collectively bargain and kind of demand what they have the right to?, says Walid. As a result, migrant garment workers are bearing the brunt through layoffs, furloughs and lost income. The response from Western brands has been silence and arm?s-length accountability, as most work through layers of sub-contractors in India. Walid says that, despite public rhetoric on labour rights, ?in practice, there's not anything in place that would fix ? these short-term contracts and brands not knowing where subcontracting factories are connecting with suppliers.? During Covid, watchdog pressure pushed some labels to repay cancelled orders, but ?at this moment, that?s not something that we?re seeing,? Walid notes. In the meantime, a few large exporters are temporarily absorbing parts of the tariff to keep relationships alive ? an approach suppliers themselves say is unsustainable ? while smaller factories shut and workers absorb the shock.Beyond geopolitics, commercial terms and supply-chain opacity push risk onto workers. ?It?s really the purchasing practice and the way contracts work in the supply chain. In the exporting industry, that leaves workers in this really helpless condition,? says Walid. Complexity of the system also weakens accountability: ?It?s really extraordinarily difficult to get data and direct kind of causality from a particular brand,? and in hubs like Tirupur, ?subcontracting factories are essentially the main suppliers to these bigger factories because they just get such large volumes.?  

Additional Resources:

India?s Garment Workers Are Paying the Price for Trump?s Tariffs | BoF  Trump?s 50% Tariff Sows Fear Inside Indian Apparel Hub | BoF 

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Born in Dubai in 1978 when the city was still a modest trading port, Khalifa Bin Braik has witnessed the city?s rapid transformation  into a 21st-century global hub ? and helped shape its retail landscape as CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Asset Management. 

Majid Al Futtaim is behind the $1.4 billion transformation of Dubai?s second largest mall, The Mall of the Emirates, adding 20,000 sqm of additional retail space and 100 new stores with an enhanced mix of dining, wellness and cultural concepts. This development is in addition to its newest flagship destination, Ghaf Woods Mall: a first-of-its-kind concept merging retail experiences with the natural environment. 

Bin Braik reflects on Dubai?s?s post?pandemic acceleration and the company?s move from bricks-and-mortar stores to immersive third places.

 

?In just over four decades, the economy has grown circa 22 times. But what's even more remarkable is the mindset that has fueled this growth,? says Bin Braik. ?Dubai gives you the power to dream, plan, and execute flawlessly, all in one lifetime, really. It's a place that teaches you that nothing is too ambitious.?  

In this conversation with BoF founder Imran Amed, Bin Braik unpacks Dubai?s evolution, the transformation of physical retail, and where growth in the MENA region is coming from next.

Key Insights: 

Post-pandemic, Majid Al Futtaim has shifted retail from pure brick-and-mortar to a fully immersive, experiential destination creator. ?Consumers today demand more experiential, more curated spaces, but most importantly, with an intent or a very deep meaning and purpose.? Their formula blends retail with dining, entertainment and, crucially, wellness: ?[Our] DNA is curating an immersive lifestyle destination, blending retail with dining, wellness, ? entertainment and, most importantly, community.?According to Bin Braik, it?s a misconception that malls across the GCC region are homogeneous or that ?only luxury? drives Dubai. ?Each country has unique customer dynamics ? demographics and cultural nuances,? and the ?mid?market and convenience?driven segments are equally very, very important.? Physical retail ?continues to thrive,? supported by strong tourism and integrated experiences.Egypt is a key region for a next?wave opportunity. ?Today, Egypt?s luxury market is ? half of its true potential.? Despite challenges with imports, tariffs and infrastructure, Bin Braik argues that growth can be unlocked through investment and modernisation, with stabilisation ?[paving] the way for a more vibrant luxury ecosystem market.? He adds: ?I think very soon we'll start seeing investments into the luxury space within the Egyptian market.? To win in the MENA region, Bin Braik?s best advice for global brands is to ?strongly lean on localisation and the right partnerships,? and not to underestimate cultural nuance. ?Finding the right local partner with similar aspirations is key, but a partner that deeply understands the market and cultural heritage is so important.? 

 This episode of The BoF Podcast is part of a paid partnership with Majid Al Futtaim.

Additional Resources:

How Dubai Is Defying the Luxury Downturn | BoFInside the Fashion Opportunity in Dubai | BoF

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A new wave of AI shopping agents has emerged as Big Tech and start-ups alike vie for dominance of this new market. OpenAI, Google and Perplexity are experimenting with search-to-checkout, while fashion-specific entrants like Vêtir, Phia and Gensmo are learning users' tastes before recommending and purchasing across retailers. But before they get off the ground, trust, accuracy, privacy and simple usefulness remain open questions.

Senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young and executive editor Brian Baskin are joined by BoF reporter Malique Morris to map the agentic ecommerce landscape. 

Key Insights: 

AI shopping agents aim to move beyond static recommendations to truly act on a shopper?s behalf. As Morris explains, ?traditional e-commerce has algorithms that recommend items based on what you?ve already browsed or purchased,? whereas ?an AI shopping agent is supposed to learn the shopper and can act on their behalf,? handle ?very specific prompts? and, ultimately, complete the transaction.Agents are trying to replicate the best in-store experience for the ecommerce space. ?They?re supposed to be about replicating the in-store salesperson, surfacing the right piece based on the conversation that you might have,? says Morris. As a result, ?it?s not calling for brands to rethink how they?re designing their goods,? but more about tools that ?help them sell them better and help them get into the hands of the people who are actually really going to want them.?Early users are avid shoppers who love new technology. Morris doesn?t expect a sudden tipping point, but rather gradual mass adoption. ?Agentic commerce is [already] here because the tools are being built and experimentation is happening,? he says. ?People are going to be conditioned the same way that they were conditioned when Netflix  rolled out their algorithms, the same way TikTok and Instagram have with ?for you? pages. It?s here, it?s happening and it?s only going to get more efficient.?While the consumer should benefit from this new suite of AI shopping agents, Morris is blunt about power dynamics: ?Outside of ?the consumer is going to win,? I think it?s going to be who has the resources to perfect this.? Consolidation is to be expected as many smaller platforms are ?probably going to get consumed into an OpenAI or a Google or an Amazon. Those already huge [players] are probably going to be the ultimate winners.?

Additional Resources:

What It Will Take for Consumers to Let AI Shop For Them | BoF 

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Irish designer Sinéad O?Dwyer grew up in a household of creative entrepreneurs. Her father was a silversmith and a sculptor, her mother was a music educator and her grandmother knit and sewed uniforms.  Until the age of fourteen, there were no screens in her home, not even a TV. Instead, she was encouraged to read, craft and spend time outdoors. 

After studying  in the Netherlands and a formative stint in the fashion industry, she developed a critical stance on the industry?s narrow body ideals. 

?I saw quite a lot of models who were visibly ill. This glorification of vulnerability was really bizarre. It felt really insane to me that on the runway they look so pulled together, but then actually behind the scenes, there are so many emotional struggles happening,? she recalls. ?When you are wearing a garment, you are actually wearing an imprint of another person's body. ... I don't think people really understand that the fit model for a brand is so important.?

This week on The BoF Podcast, Imran Amed sat down with Sinead to discuss her practice which centres on diverse bodies and finding practical, sustainable routes to market through direct to consumer, bespoke clients, and carefully chosen retail partners.

Key Insights: 

As a trainee, O?Dwyer saw the jarring gap between runway images and backstage reality: ?I saw quite a lot of models who were visibly ill ? this glorification of vulnerability was really bizarre,? she recalls. ?It felt really insane to me that on the runway they look so pulled together ? but then actually behind the scenes, there are so many emotional struggles happening.? At the RCA, with Zoë Broach?s ethos of fashion as critical practice, she reframed her work toward contribution and change, interrogating fashion?s harmful beauty ideals. O?Dwyer?s MA research used live silicone casts of friends and family to visualise that ?when you are wearing a garment, you are actually wearing an imprint of another person?s body.? She critiques reliance on a single fit model and historic blocks, instead creating new blocks ?through my own gaze as a woman,? choosing what she finds beautiful and then cutting for that, before generalising across a collection.According to O?Dwyer, luxury brands tend to produce many styles in smaller quantities with fewer sizes. O?Dwyer?s answer to this problem is a mixed?model delivery: keep wholesale tight, invest margin in made?to?order ?at the same price as the ready?to?wear,? and prioritise pop?ups and try?on moments. The aim is fewer but better retail partners and closer relationships. Crucially, the industry-wise fix requires intent: ?People have to care. There has to be an investment in the whole industry. Initially you will lose a bit of money because you have to invest in that customer and say, ?we actually want to cater for you, we respect you?.?

Additional Resources:

The Emerging Designers Pushing Fashion Forward | BoF The Great Fashion Reset | Is Fashion Failing Emerging Designers? | BoFSinéad O?Dwyer | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry 

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This fashion month, models walked the tightrope between fantasy and function. On the runway, spectacle was dialled up to 100: Alaïa?s armless ?straitjacket? dress, Margiela?s metal mouthpieces, and Jean Paul Gaultier?s naked male body prints were among the pieces to spark a wider debate. 

Some critics have asked what feels like an obvious question: do designers actually understand ? or even care ? how women dress in their real lives?

BoF?s Diana Pearl and Cat Chen join senior editor Sheena Butler-Young to examine why criticism is intensifying now, the role of authorship and how brands can balance showmanship with wearability.

Key Insights: 

Designers face backlash when spectacle eclipses women?s realities. As Pearl observes, ?designers weren?t really designing for actual women ? or at worst, designing clothes that felt almost disrespectful.? To Pearl, many runway moments ?felt either like it was erasing the woman or immobilising them? like fashion is a form of torture.? Even if looks are ?dramatized for the runway,? she says, ?there?s still a message being sent? that can be interpreted as designers not respecting women. Chen doesn?t see this season as uniquely outrageous in a vacuum, but says context matters. She adds that criticism hits harder now amid other external circumstances, one of which is that many brands are struggling financially. ?The fact that these designers had a commercial incentive to be more resonant with consumers and then created these collections that didn't hit at that level, I think that made these collections so much more perceptible to be criticised in this way,? says Chen. Body diversity is the more urgent gap to fix. Pearl says the ultra-thin casting ?adds insult to injury? a parade of models that are all extremely thin and? unattainable,? compounding the sense that runways aren?t made with real women in mind. Chen goes further: ?the lack of body diversity on the runway is a huge problem,? noting data that shows representation ?falling straight down from 2023 to 2025.?Pearl notes perception shifts with who?s in charge: ?Women aren?t represented at the top, so it makes us more primed to look at a mouthpiece and feel it?s sexist because it?s coming from a male designer.? Still, she points to shows that balance both: Chanel?s debut ?felt very wearable? while staging delivered ?otherworldly? theatre, and Khaite?s runways pair mood with pieces that, also, ?feel very wearable.? Chen adds that smaller, women-led brands win by staying close to their customer: ?It?s really not about spectacle, it?s about being in the same room as their customers.?

Additional Resources:

Does Fashion Know What Women Want? | BoF Fashion?s Musical Chairs Ends ? With Men in Almost Every Seat. | BoF The Emerging Designers Pushing Fashion Forward | BoF 

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Born and raised in Nairobi, Katungulu Mwendwa grew up cradled in the  warmth and unpredictability of the bustling Kenyan capital and the hands-on craft traditions learned from her family ? basketry, pottery, leather and beadwork. A childhood fascination with cherished garments led her to pursue fashion studies in the UK, giving her both a technical grounding and a view of the global system.

Back home, she gave herself a double challenge: build a contemporary brand with deep cultural roots and make as much as possible on the African continent, working with local artisans and resource

?The global fashion world doesn't operate in isolation. You have Paris Fashion Week, you have New York ? why can't Nairobi be one of those places?? asks Mwendwa. ?I'm not trying to run for president, but I'm now a fashion designer. So how can I have an impact on my environment? How can I be the change I want to see??  

This week on the BoF Podcast, Imran Amed sits down with new BoF 500 member Katungulu Mwendwa to understand why making locally matters, how to design ?everyday armour?  people will keep for years, and what global buyers must change to unlock the potential of African fashion.

Key Insights: 

For Mwendwa, producing locally isn?t a marketing line, it?s the whole point: to grow skills and value chains at home. That means insisting on using local resources, bringing artisans into contemporary products and accepting the grind of building capacity. ?It was the most important thing ? How can I be the change I want to see? I?m so adamant about working with local resources, because if we don?t, why would anything change?? she says. The answer is to work with local resources and revive knowledge that?s slipping from view: ?A lot of our history is not easy to access ? Some practices are forgotten or not celebrated as much, and I use my work to reimagine or re-establish those traditional practices.?Mwendwa designs garments meant to outlast trends. ?I want to meet people [who] five years later, even ten years later, and hear they still have it in their closet and they?re hoping to pass it on because it?s so valuable, it?s well looked after,? she says. The goal is emotional durability: ?This is a piece I?m going to treasure ? I?ll wear [it] for special occasions, or because I just feel special today.? Building a fashion brand from Nairobi and starting in an ecosystem with little ready-made support means learning by doing. ?You literally do everything ? I was the tailor, pattern cutter, sales and comms,? Mwendwa explains. She also tapped into incubators and grants, selling through Nairobi retailers, lodges and select international stockists, but her message to global buyers is pragmatic and pointed: ?Change the way you work ? There?s a consumer who wants what?s on the continent ? they just don?t know it yet. We?re not talking big batches ? stop with, ?We need 250 pieces.? Offer a unique capsule batch for a period of time and see what that does.?

 

Additional Resources:

 Katungulu Mwendwa | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry The Emerging Designers Pushing Fashion Forward | BoF

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Retailers are racing to repackage shops as ?third places? ? low-pressure spaces to linger between home and work ? as post-pandemic footfall softens and social isolation rises. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg?s original idea centres on civic, low-barrier hubs like cafés and libraries rather than commercial destinations, yet brands are now adding seating, listening bars and in-store cafés to nudge dwell time, loyalty and favourable word of mouth. The best versions use subtle amenities that keep people comfortably in the space, but the sales impact is yet to be proven.

In this episode, BoF retail editor Cat Chen joins The Debrief to unpack why scale matters, how to measure success beyond sales, and where third-place experiments risk sliding from community into pure branding.

Key Insights: 

In their efforts to create third places, retailers are utilising food and beverage as subtle amenities that keep people lingering: it?s ?not about creating food and beverage as a destination, but about simply getting people to spend more time in the store,?? says Chen. Done well, that ?authentically [creates] a community,? and ?when you have this really positive experience in their ecosystem, you will feel very positively about the brand.? Still, she cautions: ?The idea of a third place as a way to drive sales for retailers is an unproven theory.??Community building is authentic and not a branding exercise,? Chen says. The worst versions of third places feel ?branded to death? and designed for photos more than social connection. ?At the end of the day, it's not about the social experience of being there, it's about taking a photo of it and being able to consume this luxury brand. That's akin to the first step of being able to afford their $3,000 handbag.? It all goes back to commerce and ?is very much the opposite of what Oldenburg meant.? Practical amenities in stores build goodwill. Western outfitter Tecovas? ?radical hospitality? includes a lounge and a free bar inside its store, Sephora succeeds with a hands-off approach when customers are trying samples, and Apple allows patrons to charge their phone or use the bathroom ? a small service that leaves a positive halo. As Chen puts it, food and beverage in a third place should be low commitment, cheap and have a low barrier to entry. ?There have been a lot of thinkpieces about private members? clubs popping up in New York and how this is tied to this desire for third places. Private member clubs are not third places, they are the antithesis of third places."  

Additional Resources:

Can a Store Ever Be a ?Third Place?? | BoF How Brands Make Community More Than a Buzzword | BoF

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We?ve just returned from what was undoubtedly the biggest fashion month ever, a high-stakes season that saw new creative directors debut their visions for fresh creative leadership under the spotlight at Chanel, Dior, Jil Sander, Loewe, Jean Paul Gaultier ? and many more.

So what to make of it all? Much of it was about expectations. For some designers like Jonathan Anderson at Dior and Pierpoalo Piccioli at Balenciaga, expectations were running high making it almost impossible to please the industry and online critics. Others like Dario Vitale at Versace and Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez at Loewe had been written off by some observers even before they showed ? leaving them the opportunity to surprise, delight and overdeliver. Only one show seems to have unanimously impressed all around: Matthieu Blazy?s big debut at Chanel, the last big show at Paris Fashion Week.

?It was the one show that incontrovertibly did what it had to do. Not just for the brand, but for the business, for the industry,? says Blanks. ?And I think people could leave Paris on the second to last day on an upbeat note. Earlier in the week, some of the most anticipated shows, like Jonathan at Dior or Pierpaolo at Balenciaga had been incredibly polarizing, and I think there seems to be relatively universal agreement on Chanel.? 

This week on the BoF podcast, Imran Amed sits down with Tim Blanks to unpack the highlights of Fashion Month, the designer versus house debate, and why time and empathy matter this season. 

Key Insights: 

According to Blanks, Blazy ?managed to do a Chanel that reflected [Coco Chanel], but also reflected his feelings about what she had done with his vocabulary, which is very craft-oriented, very experimental.? Crucially, Blazy struck a balance ?between what Chanel was and what Chanel needs to be,? he adds. At Dior, Anderson opened with an audacious collaboration with filmmaker journalist Adam Curtis on a short film that blended fashion with slasher horror. ?It was sort of an act of contextualisation for what he intends for the house,? says Blanks. Amed also welcomes Anderson?s measured exploration of the luxury house. ?The Loewe that he built was built over time. It took 10 years. And so I think we should expect the same with him at Dior,? he says. ?While maybe not everything in my view worked in that Dior show, I think that is the point because you learn from that.?For Duran Lantink, compatibility at Jean Paul Gaultier was never the issue. ?His attitude to everything is so similar to Gaultier?s attitude. The sort of provocation, the sex games,? says Blanks. Yet he was left wanting more. ?I wanted so much more from that show. And in the end, I did not feel that there was enough Gaultier or enough Duran.? Amid a debut-heavy season dominated by men, Sarah Burton?s second outing at Givenchy reads as a quiet counterpoint and a reminder of female authorship at the highest level. ?She?s really got the imp of the perverse in her,? says Blanks, before praising a show that was ?extremely elegant ? I thought I could see women wanting those clothes. The way she elongated things was so flattering and simple.? He adds, ?I really would love to see that collection take off.?

Additional Resources:

The Top 10 Shows of the Season

Did Fashion?s Season of Change Actually Change Anything? Yes and No

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From team-branded fashion shows to tunnel-walk capsules and luxury watch deals, sport and fashion are converging at speed. The NFL has rolled smaller licensing tie-ups into marquee partnerships, while the WNBA is emerging as a fertile ground for inventive brand-player collaborations. But alongside the growth is bloat: logo-slap collections, clearance-rack remnants and fuzzy KPIs.

Senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young and executive editor Brian Baskin are joined by BoF sports correspondent Mike Sykes to map the deals that resonate and the ones that miss ? and how success of these partnerships are being measured beyond the momentary halo.

Key Insights: 

The WNBA is a collaboration engine because players are the drivers, not passengers. ?I think the WNBA right now is a breeding ground for some of these deals in part because the players are eager to find these other opportunities to spread their portfolio,? Sykes says. That unlocks new formats: partnerships ?not just between teams and brands or the league and brands, but players themselves and the brands [that] manifest in really cool and unique ways.?Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) has supercharged women?s sports, and fashion is part of the bargaining. Sheena points out the 2021 shift when ?college athletes could not monetise their name, image, or likeness? and then stars like ?Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark were becoming brands in their own right.? That changes how teams and leagues engage players: ?fashion deals can be a bargaining chip on both sides of that equation.?As sports and fashion collaborations become more ubiquitous, authentic propositions are needed to cut through the noise. As Butler-Young puts it, the best examples ?take the collections seriously. They treat it like a real fashion product. ?Anything will do? ? people see through that.? Sykes agrees: ?To work with players, you have to work with teams that really want to do things the right way.? It has to make sense for the consumer, and when it doesn?t, the audience calls it out. ?The Chelsea and OVO collection was kind of a logo-slap.  Even the fans were like, ?This isn?t it.??  For some brands and athletes involved in these collaborations, partnerships are judged on reach and relevance rather than immediate revenue as the key marker of success. Sykes points to the NFL x Veronica Beard blazers: ?There?s still some of that product left and it?s 75 to 80 per cent discounted ? you have to look at that as a failure.? Yet the league ?takes a holistic view,? he says: even if one capsule doesn?t sell through, lessons on ?what you produce, how much, where you produce it, who your core audiences are? feed the next partnership.

Additional Resources:

Sports and Fashion Are Tighter Than Ever. But Who?s Really Winning? Has Fashion?s Convergence With Sports Gone Too Far?  How WNBA Players Are Using Merch to Underscore Their Value  

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Raised in a family of antique jewellery specialists, Kiki McDonough launched her namesake jewellery brand in 1985 with accessible pricing and pieces women could wear anywhere. Her early crystal-and-bow designs ended up in the V&A, while her growing client list came to include members of the royal family, and her brand has helped normalise women buying jewellery for themselves. 

At first, ?a man would come in and buy a piece of jewellery for his wife,? she says. Soon the couple arrived together and she would choose. Today, the behaviour is normalised. ?Now it?s just, ?I need a pair of earrings for my daughter?s wedding?? I think it?s all changed.? 

This week on The BoF Podcast, McDonough joins BoF?s founder and CEO Imran Amed, to reflect on her resilience through recessions and a pandemic, the enduring appeal of coloured gemstones, and why jewellery?s longevity and the everyday joy it can inspire.

Key Insights: 

When McDonough launched in 1985 she set out a clear price ladder that brought fine jewellery into everyday life. ?I thought the prices should be under £1,000 ? £95 to £950 and that?s where I started.? Her first pencil sketch became a heart crystal design that a Birmingham maker took ?a punt? on and they?re now in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The moment matched a broader cultural shift. As she puts it, the 1980s had ?an atmosphere ? full of can-do? and women were ?open to wearing something else.?She helped move jewellery from being gifted to being self purchased, a shift accelerated by social change and London?s Big Bang. At first, ?a man would come in and buy a piece of jewellery for his wife,? she says. Soon the couple arrived together and she would choose. Today, the behaviour is normalised. ?Now it?s just, ?I need a pair of earrings for my daughter?s wedding?? I think it?s all changed.? McDonough says jewellery outperforms fashion because it carries both longevity and daily joy. Pieces become heirlooms that keep working across generations. ?I?ve got lots of women now whose children are wearing the jewellery they bought from me 15 years ago,? she says. Four decades in, resilience and pacing have been McDonough?s strengths. ?I?ve [been through] two recessions, a pandemic and 10 prime ministers,? she says, crediting ?resilience, a sense of humour and common sense.? She built slowly and on her own terms. ?People used to say to me how many shops have you got and I?d say, ?I?ve got one shop and two children.?? The financial discipline needed for success, McDonough learned early. ?Look after the pennies because the pounds look after themselves,? she says. Her advice to founders is to start carefully, test products, preserve cash and keep going. ?It?s terribly important not to spend the money immediately ? pace yourself,? because momentum that lasts beats scale for scale?s sake, she adds. Her last piece of wisdom? A good brand can outlive its founder. ?I don?t believe that anyone is indispensable,? she says. 

Additional Resources:

How Statement Earrings Became Generation Selfie?s Favourite Trend Queen Elizabeth II?s Style Legacy

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Brands like Bubble, Starface and Byoma rode TikTok-native aesthetics to win Gen-Z hearts and Sephora shelf space with plush mascots, playful stickers and sensorial jelly textures. Founders close in age to their audience moved fast, crowd-sourced ideas and mastered algorithms. Now the oldest Gen Z consumers are nearing 30 and looking for fewer gimmicks and more proof that formulas work.

In this episode, senior beauty correspondent Daniela Morosini unpacks what still resonates, where the ?dopamine? look carries a credibility tax, and why channel strategy, product performance and smart casting matter more than ever.

Key Insights: 

Gen Z brands broke through by moving at internet speed and co-creating with their audience. ?These brands are all just so digitally native? and for a lot of them the founders were quite young themselves,? says Morosini. They were ?small, scrappy businesses [with] shorter product launch cycles [and] really savvy marketing.? Crucially, they ?did a lot of crowdsourcing, social listening, and were really plugged into internet forums,? so products felt made with, not just for, their audience.The ?fun? factor worked best online as visuals drove discovery: ?Goopy, gloopy, sticky things? look good in a video. You see someone put that on their face and then you want to try it.? At the same time, expectations have climbed as ?people are really quick to reject a product if it doesn?t perform exactly the way they want.? And bright, playful packaging can backfire for results-seekers: ?Colourful, bright things we associate with play, silliness, youth and frivolity? you might think, ?this is not a serious product.??If stalwarts like Neutrogena and Clearasil have long dominated the teen aisle, why can?t today?s Gen-Z-first labels simply stay youth brands rather than trying to age up? As Morosini puts it, legacy names ?have definitely ceded market share to some of these newer indies? these are brands you can find in every drugstore? [they?re] most teens? or tweens? introduction to the beauty category.? But ?those brands are not cool,? and the Gen-Z pioneers ?really want to be cool? and relevant,? not just ?the thing that your mum might pick up? when you?re complaining about having a spot.? The challenge is clear: ?it?s hard to be both legacy and cool.?Some labels are widening reach by changing where and what they sell. ?Byoma went into some more premium retail pretty quickly,? Morosini notes, adding that ?retailers really function as a marketing engine.? Others are broadening beyond a single hero. Ultimately, Morisini says survival hinges on utility. ?It will come down to the brands that truly have replenishable products differentiated enough, at the right price point, and genuinely offer unique enough results that people will continue to return to them once any maybe the noise around the texture or the packaging has died down.?

Additional Resources:

Bubble Was Built on Gen Z. Now, It Must Grow Up. | BoF The Gen-Z Whisperer: How Julie Schott Made Acne a Laughing Matter | BoFHow to Keep the Gen-Z Fragrance Boom Going | BoF 

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Growing up in Ohio, Edward Buchanan always knew he would have a creative career.

That interest first led him to art school at CCAD in Cleveland and then to the Parsons School of Design in New York, where he juggled jobs in visual merchandising with school and the city?s inspiring, pulsating nightlife. 

He got his big break in fashion when he was hired as the first design director at Bottega Veneta, which was then a small family-run business led by Vittorio and Lara Moltedo. He relocated to Italy in 1995 and has been building a professional career in fashion ever since, one of the few Black creatives in the Italian fashion system giving him a unique vantage point on the value of inclusivity.

In this episode of The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed sits down with Edward to retrace the designer?s formative years, look back at his time at Bottega Veneta and quiz him on how young creatives and people of colour can succeed in fashion today.

Key Insights: 

?When I was at Parsons, I excelled. I really loved being there and learning, the core. The pattern making, the cutting, the fabric ? the technical aspects of design I was just obsessed with,? Buchanan says. Even his time at Bottega was a learning process, ?I was really learning luxury goods while I was working at Bottega Veneta ? I went in with taste and an idea of understanding what this brand is or potentially what this could be.?After leaving Bottega Veneta, Buchanan wasn?t in contact with the brand for a long time; he felt his work went unrecognised. However, when he was included in the brand?s campaign to mark the 50th anniversary of the Intrecciato, a new relationship with the brand formed. ?I thought that this is an honest way of saying you did that job, you were here, and we respect the work that you did.?Despite strides made, Buchanan believes the fashion industry still has a way to go in regards to diversity, particularly in Italy. Buchanan says he will always advocate for people of colour, ?I feel like if I'm not encouraged and charged to speak in first person about my experience and reach out my hand to the others that look like me or are like me ? then there's no one else that's gonna do it.?Buchanan encourages young creatives to not just study design, but the other aspects of fashion, too. ?It?s necessary to be multifaceted as a creative and know the business ? I always instill in my students [to] find the honesty in your design, find what is the thing that you really believe in.?

Additional Resources:

Black, Creative and Collaborating Across Generations

Profile

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Luxury is struggling to connect with Gen Z, a cohort raised on TikTok and YouTube who research before they buy, shop vintage and resale as a first stop, and question whether soaring prices match product quality. While Millennials fuelled the last luxury boom via streetwear crossovers and scarcity-led drops, today?s younger shoppers are more value-driven and sceptical of polished brand theatre. In-store, rigid service models feel alien to a generation used to conversational creators.

This episode of The Debrief explores what ?worth it? means to Gen Z and how brands can earn it. Greater transparency on materials and craftsmanship, content that feels real rather than aspirational, and participation in the second-hand ecosystem will be critical to rebuilding trust and lifetime value with younger consumers. 

Key Insights: 

Gen Z are not tuning out of fashion, they?re interrogating it. As Takanashi puts it, ?[Gen Z] are so savvy. They can just look up what the Louis Vuitton bag is made of and see it?s actually canvas? Should I really spend a thousand dollars on that? Is there an alternative?? The backlash is philosophical as well as financial. Kwon says there?s a pervasive idea that luxury conglomerates are just trying to squeeze as much profit as possible. ?There is real ire and resentment among Gen Z around price hikes. I think we?re a generation that cares a lot about value for dollar,? she says. When the price, materials and narrative do not align, younger shoppers default to vintage, resale or opting out.Price justification starts with transparency and proof. ?Whether it's a thousand-dollar handbag or a $100 candle, you have to explain why luxury costs what it costs, that there?s this craftsmanship and heritage,? says Takanashi. But storytelling alone will not close the sale. ?Even then, it?s just so hard to convince that customer that craftsmanship is worth the money. You also have to play into their cultural interests and what they?re passionate about.? That means moving beyond heritage talking points to show living communities, real processes and credible creatives who make the brand feel current.Digitally native Gen Z want real content, not polished marketing campaigns. ?Our generation grew up on YouTube, ?how to build an outfit 101? ? that?s how we got our style advice, not from magazines,? says Kwon, which is why they still ?look to influencers and social media for trend analysis.? The tone matters as much as the channel. Takanashi argues that content should ?feel real, like an unboxing, not a glossy marketing campaign. ? Something that just feels like anyone could make it.? The formats that win are lo-fi, conversational and useful, with creators who will praise and critique in the same breath.Many first encounters with luxury now happen through second-hand, so brands need to embrace that ecosystem and give clear on-ramps back to full price. The product and the pitch must both feel meaningful. Kwon says Gen Z still wants ?a very beautiful story? and to ?feel like they?re a part of a movement.?

Additional Resources:

Why Luxury Needs to Rethink How It Speaks to Gen Z | BoF The Great Fashion Reset | Can Designer Revamps Save Fashion? | BoF 

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Belgian designer Glenn Martens grew up in Bruges, studied in Antwerp and cut his teeth in Paris, where lean years taught him every role from pattern cutting to PR. At Y/Project, he turned constraints into modular, shape-shifting design. At Diesel, he reset the brand around its founding spirit of joy, cheekiness and denim, replacing muddled codes with a clear manifesto and democratic shows that speak to a global community. Now balancing Diesel with Maison Margiela, Martens argues that fashion should make people happy while resisting the dopamine churn of instant judgement.

?We are just consuming visuals and we don't really have the time to go deep into the clothes, the storytelling, the construction, where it comes from. It just needs to be like a hit. It gets a bit more superficial,? he shares with Imran Amed, BoF founder and CEO. ?In 2025, a creative director has to be a socialite, has to be the king of social media and  there's so many more things that all my colleagues and I have to do outside of that runway. The beauty of fashion is it's a process and it's a build-up and it?s not happening in one show ? this is happening in three, four, five shows. So we need to respect that and celebrate that.?

This week on The BoF Podcast, Amed sits down with Martens to talk about learning every job in the studio, rebuilding Diesel around its founding values, as well as the pressure and possibility of this high-stakes season.

Key Insights: 

Martens argues that the industry?s chase for quick hits has flattened nuance, yet he is determined to hold the line on depth and craft. ?There is definitely a big part of me that loves to deep-dive into storytelling and construction, that likes to challenge construction and try to find new ways to create beauty and new ways to create clothes. I am very easily bored; I need to challenge myself. I love experimentation and that makes me happy.?At Diesel, Martens began by reconnecting the house to its core DNA. ?My biggest thing I did was resetting the whole thing and reminding everybody why Diesel was big in the first place. And I think that is something that is really important to never forget, that the success of a brand is the core reason why the brand is there and we should always connect to that and stay close to that.? He underscores the scale and breadth of the audience while keeping a unified voice. ?We are so diverse in our markets, so we are basically talking to everybody. Every single person in the world could, in theory, be a Diesel person, but we do that with one message and with one collection.?Martens is now continuing to turn the runway into a democratic platform that includes the wider community, not just the front row. ?I think a fashion show for us is very important because it accelerates the awareness of the brand and the direction you want to go. [Diesel] is talking about democracy. It is at heart a lifestyle brand.? For Diesel?s Spring/Summer 2026 show next week, Martens is pushing shows into public space to meet people where they are. ?The launch of that collection will be in the streets of Milan. It is going to be a three-and-a-half-hour egg hunt, showing the whole diversity of the town, and everybody can participate.?

 

Additional Resources:

Glenn Martens | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry Glenn Martens Has Come to Save Us | BoF

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Department stores and major e-tailers once incubated new labels with consistent buys and patience; today those channels are shrinking or unstable. Social platforms still create viral moments, but conversion is patchy and fast-fashion copycats shorten the runway for hit products. Against that backdrop, some designers are rewiring distribution, tightening assortments and adding more accessible entry points, while cultivating closer, direct relationships with customers and specialty boutiques.

The stakes are high industry-wide: without a healthy pipeline of young labels, fashion?s creative engine risks stalling. On this episode of The Debrief, BoF correspondent Joan Kennedy joins senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young to discuss how emerging designers are rebuilding their product pipeline around creativity to survive the great fashion reset.

Key Insights: 

Multi-brand partners that once incubated emerging brands are now demanding instant results, just as e-commerce economics have worsened. As Kennedy puts it, ?Wholesalers and retailers want to see performance from the get-go. There's more pressure to just be in a store, be slotted in, immediately perform. At the same time, we've seen e-commerce fall apart under the rising costs of everything.? The pressure is systemic: ?These retailers are really under pressure. After a few decades of being willing to take more risks, investors haven't seen the return on that. So it's hard to blame anybody; it's just what fashion is going through right now.?Visibility can soar while sales lag, creating a conversion gap designers must close with clearer paths to purchase. ?Fashion has been this industry of smoke and mirrors, but in recent years that's been really exacerbated by the fashion hype machine,? Kennedy says. ?It has led to this moment where designers have a lot of awareness on social media, not much of a business.? Many have ?built these really big audiences online, [who] don't have ways to buy into the brand, or just don't buy the brand.?Without dependable wholesale, labels are rebuilding their direct-to-consumer pipeline through smaller boutiques and sharper merchandising. ?A trend I've noticed is that more brands are going back to the trunk shows and creating intimate moments with their shoppers,? Kennedy notes. ?Specialty stores and independent boutiques have a very close relationship with their own shoppers, too. It's a little bit closer to demand and you can build a good relationship with the buyer there.? On product, brands like New York-based Area, known for its crystal-embellished clothing, are adding accessible entries: ?They?re introducing this line of basics with little rhinestones on them. It?s just more fun dresses at a more accessible price point.?As this fashion season unfolds, Kennedy points to creativity as the competitive edge. ?The source of optimism is how evident the importance of creativity is to this industry and how key that is to fuelling sales and building good businesses,? she says. ?You have to have a very specific product and focus your offering,? and remember that ?if [consumers] are going to spend, they want to spend on something that means a lot to them and really stands out ? something that is really unique.?

Additional Resources:

The Great Fashion Reset | Is Fashion Failing Emerging Designers? | BoF 

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This week, former editor-in-chief of British Vogue, Edward Enninful, unveiled EE72, a media platform and consultancy which blends  a print magazine, a ?slow digital? publishing platform and creative agency which aims to tell stories across fashion and lifestyle through the lens of culture.

?EE72 for me is a combination of everything I've done in my career. It's really where I want to be now. I want to be free and be able to do whatever I want,? says Enninful. ?I could have created something that was very avant-garde but I wanted something that anyone could pick up and feel welcomed. That was very important to me.?

Imran Amed, founder and CEO of The Business of Fashion, sat down with Enninful to discuss why he launched EE72, what it means to build a fashion media company  at a time when both industries  face existential challenges and how his newfound freedom informs his business strategy and creative decisions, from choosing a quarterly publishing cadence to selecting his first cover starJulia Roberts.

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EE72 is an opportunity for Enninftul  to move away from the confines of Condé Nast. ?I wanted it to be free and sort of be able to do whatever,? he says. That freedom extends to how he will publish: ?I?ve not really listened to what was commercially viable. I always went with my instincts and somehow they paid off. ? When we have something to say, we will say it. I call it ?slow digital'. We?re going to learn, we?re not going to build something ginormous waiting for people to come.?On his  choice  of Julia Roberts as the cover star of his first issue, Enninful says ?Julia represents something that society really needs. She is one of the biggest movie stars in the world. She is outspoken, she's a real woman. For me, inclusivity was never just about race; for me it was [also] about age.Julia for me represents the invisible woman, women in their 50s who are being told day in and day out it's about youth. The first message that I wanted to put out there was that everybody's welcome regardless of age.?Enninful is deliberately resisting an ad-driven kick-off for EE72. ?I didn?t go around to any houses to ask for ads, because in my head it was clear what we needed to do, how we needed it to start. And of course, we?re going to grow and things are going to change,? he shares. ?We?re going to be sitting here in a year?s time and you?re going to be saying, ?why are there so many ads??, but it?s the whole idea of growing organically.?His advice for the next generation of editors is simple but pragmatic. ?It?s easy for me to say follow your dreams, but practically, surround yourself with like-minded people. Surround yourself with people who can really help you when you?re down, because it?s going to be a tough journey,? he says. ?It?s not easy. You don?t just get up and end up being a superstar. Learn from your mistakes. Try new things, because that?s the only way you?re going to learn. If you?re playing it safe your whole career, that?s a problem.?

Additional Resources:

Edward Enninful | BoF 500Edward Enninful Launches Media and Entertainment CompanyEdward and Akua Enninful?s 72 Magazine To Star Julia Roberts on Debut Cover

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This fashion month arrives after years of post-pandemic boom giving way to a sharp slowdown in luxury demand. Weaker consumer confidence in China, pressure on aspirational shoppers and a wave of price hikes have left many brands struggling to keep momentum. To win back customers and justify higher prices, luxury houses are turning to new creative leadership. Runway debuts won?t provide complete solutions, but they will offer early signals of strategy, with some brands leaning into craftsmanship and heritage while others chase louder fashion moments.

Alongside executive editor Brian Baskin and senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young, luxury editor Robert Williams details why the real test will come in the weeks after the shows, when follow-through determines whether excitement lasts.

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Creative resets are a response to macro pressure and price inflation, not just consumer fatigue. ?This isn't just about people being tired of the way fashion looks or the kind of designs a designer was showing us but maybe more about the wider context in which those designs exist,? says Williams. As prices climb, luxury houses need to add tangible value: ?the prices for luxury brands have been hiked up so dramatically over the past few years, either the quality or technical craftsmanship ? needs to be improved, or the creative.?The role of the creative director is more constrained than ever before. As Williams explains, brands must excite new customers without alienating existing ones. ?You can't necessarily count on the fact that if you lose an old client from the previous vision, you're going to be able to get two more because you've got something fresh and new.? Unlike in earlier eras, ?brands that have tried to scrap their old business and just count on a new one coming in ? they've been burned in recent years.?Williams warns not to expect complete strategy blueprints on day one. ?I don't think we're gonna get a fully realised vision for how any company plans to totally turn itself around. But there's certainly gonna be some hints,? he says. Some houses may skew to visible craftsmanship and codes, as Bottega Veneta has done under the new hand of Louise Trotter. Others must take a different route. ?It will be quite interesting to see what Gucci and Dior do,? says Williams. ?Celebrating heritage is not what anyone is looking for them to do in the current market.?Some brands have had ?one really hot day? but then consumers quickly lost interest, while others managed to ?milk the content cycle for days and days and really make a big arrival,? says Williams. What matters next is sustaining attention: ?Are they able to keep the excitement alive in the days and weeks following the runway show??

Additional Resources:

The Great Fashion Reset | Can Designer Revamps Save Fashion?Ready for Relaunch? Jonathan Anderson?s Dior ChallengeWhy Gucci Picked DemnaWhy Chanel Chose Matthieu Blazy

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After a post-pandemic high, the fashion industry is facing a hard crisis. Growth has cooled, prices have surged, quality is under scrutiny and aspirational shoppers feel shut out, all while macro uncertainty dents confidence.

The industry is focused on a slew of shows where new designers are set to debut their visions, but this will not be enough to break out its malaise. Over the summer, the BoF editorial team has been working hard on a series of articles breaking down the various challenges that are facing fashion, from macroeconomic challenges, to trust issues and yes, a creative slump.

This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed switches roles, inviting executive editor Brian Baskin to lead the conversation. Amed shares his views on one of the most consequential fashion seasons in years, with the luxury industry in a phase of deep reflection and potential transformation.

Key Insights: 

Amed traces the industry?s current struggles to a mix of forces that have built up over several years. ?You had external and internal factors in the industry that conspired to create what is now a perfect storm ? where customers feel like they've been completely duped. The industry is operating in a way that seems stuck in a different era,? he says , describing the post-pandemic state of luxury with declining quality and rising prices. At the same time, he cautions against silver bullets: ?I wouldn?t position this fashion week season as the season that's going to solve and change everything, because it's not. There's a lot more at work here.?Brands must deliver top-tier quality while rebuilding accessible entry points, as relentless price hikes have made it nearly impossible for aspirational customers to buy in. ?In a way, I think some brands have kind of poo-pooed the idea of that middle market customer,? says Amed. ?There was a time when you could go into Bottega or Chanel and buy small leather goods at a price that was high, but not out of control. Now everyone's completely priced out.To grow and still feel luxurious, brands must hard-wire quality and sustain a clear creative pulse. Using Vuitton as an example, Amed notes ?even though they?re producing in huge volumes, the quality of what they execute is still impeccable. ... That is a requirement for any brand operating at that scale, at those price points.? But product alone isn?t enough: ?What you can scale is a point of view. And it's the point of view at the very top that these designers are really responsible for. It's like you're creating an overall spirit and direction and energy.?September?s slate of debuts could be an turning point for luxury fashion: ?What I?m looking for is the energy. ? You have three of the most creative designers in our industry ? Matthieu Blazy, Demna and Jonathan Anderson ? taking over three of the biggest, most important luxury houses in the world,? says Amed. ?If that energy reflects the same kind of commitment, thoughtfulness, creativity, and taste that we've seen in those designers at their previous roles, then I think there is going to be a really meaningful inflection point this autumn.?

Additional Resources:

The Great Fashion Reset | Editor?s Letterhe Great Fashion Reset | How to Fix Luxury?s Trust Issues

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Ssense?s bankruptcy filing makes it the latest in a long line of online luxury retailers to find itself on the brink. In an internal memo, Ssense co-founder and CEO Rami Atallah blamed US tariffs for creating an ?immediate liquidity crisis.? But as BoF correspondent Malique Morris details, the real damage pre-dated the latest trade shock: years of training a young audience to wait for markdowns, overexposure to the US market, and leadership inertia as luxury slowed industry-wide.

With hosts Brian Baskin and Sheena Butler-Young, Morris unpacks how Ssense won indie labels and cultural clout but dulled its edge as discounts became the default. They also explore whether Ssense can keep its cool factor while courting full-price shoppers, and which outcomes will best protect the fragile ecosystem of small brands that rely on the platform.

Key Insights: 

Ssense?s strategy of serving younger, aspirational shoppers worked until markdowns became the main event, teaching customers to avoid full price and dulling the platform?s authority with brands. As Morris puts it, ?Ssense has been really smart about targeting this younger, aspirational luxury consumer ? but over time it turned into this cornerstone for luxury discounting online.? He continues: ?It just became associated with being the sale place, which then curbs credibility with designers.? The business model that once drove growth ultimately undercut it.Relying on a Canada-based warehouse feeding a majority-US customer base left Ssense acutely exposed to cross-border friction. Compounding the risk is the fact that it targets young, aspirational shoppers. ?Those shoppers? pockets aren?t bulletproof in an economic downturn,? explains Morris, so demand proved more fragile just as costs rose. Tariffs were the catalyst, not the cause, of pre-existing vulnerabilities.Even as conditions worsened, decision-making lagged. ?I think internally what?s happening is that they?re not acting fast enough to respond,? Morris says, adding that industry-wide pressures ?have fallen onto them in a particular way.? Slow moves on initiatives like personal shopping and incubation left Ssense leaning further into discounts, accelerating the slide towards creditor protection.  According to Morris, a reset doesn?t require abandoning the brand?s cultural core; it requires focusing it. ?What?s working well in e-commerce is having a niche and being clear in how you?re going to serve the best customers within that cohort,? Morris argues. ?In my mind, Ssense needs to refine its niche and make sure that it's attracting the consumers who will purchase without the need for always-on sales. ? There are shoppers in that Gen Z group, many of whom are almost 30, who have the pockets and the temperament to be seduced by curation and not by the fact the next Essence sale is going to ?hit different?.?  

Additional Resources:

Ssense to File for Bankruptcy Protection After Creditors Push for Sale | BoF Ssense: What Went Wrong | BoF 

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Clare Waight Keller?s career in fashion has been defined by her versatility as a designer and desire to step outside her comfort zone. She started out specialising in knitwear at the Royal College of Art before taking on a role in knitwear at Calvin Klein, before moving on to Ralph Lauren. She returned to Europe to work at Gucci under Tom Ford, and then stepped into creative director roles at Pringle, Chloé and Givenchy. Last week, it was announced that she was becoming the creative director of Japanese clothing retailer Uniqlo, which is targeted at the masses, not the classes. 

Seeing new challenges as an opportunity to learn and grow, has led Clare to make many unexpected decisions from the start of her career. 

?Those moments when you are pushed to your boundaries and don't quite know how to navigate? bring a great sense of drive for me. I love the idea of being uncomfortable with what I'm working on because it makes me learn quickly,? she said. ?I enjoy the process of change, and I guess that's why I've worked in so many different places.?

This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder Imran Amed sits down with Clare to discuss her varied career path and her experience working in American, Italian, British, French and now Japanese fashion companies and how this has shaped her outlook on the industry.

Key Insights

Growing up in Birmingham, England, Waight Keller was captivated by the vibrant subcultures she encountered. That influence led her towards art school, and eventually, fashion. ?I distinctly remember standing at a bus stop, going to college, with punks, skinheads or goths ? people who really expressed themselves through fashion and took it to a real sense of identity,? she said. ?They just seemed like the most interesting people. I wanted to be part of that.?After working for predominantly male creative directors, Clare felt it was time to express her own perspective, leading her to the creative director position at Chloé in 2011. ?There's such a sensibility that women have in fashion because you try it on yourself, you wear it, you feel it,? she said. ?I'm putting together what I believe to be my point of view of fashion."Waight Keller?s move to Uniqlo marked a shift from working in the world of luxury to mass fashion, which has required some adjustment. ?Understanding the scale was just extraordinary. In luxury fashion, you work on a much smaller scale, even at big brands,? she said. However, with this came new opportunities. ?With that scale comes incredible access to innovation, amazing fabric mills, and quality.? Even as her career flourished, Waight Keller came to discover the inherent gender bias women face in the industry. ?It's still fairly male-dominated in management and across the business side of fashion ... I had to make my family work around my career because even a season out in fashion can put you back a year, and people look at you differently.? With that, her advice to fellow female designers is not to ?be afraid of a challenge and having to learn on the ground."

Additional Resources

Do Mass Brands Need Creative Directors? | BoF The Logic Behind Givenchy's New Designer Appointment | BoFUniqlo Appoints Clare Waight Keller as Creative Director | BoF

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On her award-winning podcast ?Articles of Interest,? host and producer Avery Trufelman dives deep into the stories behind the clothes we wear. From the evolution of prep to the origins of wedding dresses, Avery guides her listeners through the multi-faceted layers behind the aesthetics of fashion. 

?It's crops, it's the earth, it's handwork, it's culture, it's society. You tug on a thread and you get everything,? she said. ?That's what I'm slowly realising [about fashion].?

This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Trufelman to discuss her path into podcasting, taking her lifelong passion for clothes and what they mean into an audio format, and what she?s learned about fashion along the way. 

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A self-proclaimed ?public radio nepo baby,? Trufelman has audio in her blood ? her parents met working at New York Public Radio. But while she grew up with audio, she didn?t start experimenting with fashion until she was a teenager, expressing herself through quirky thrifted fashion ensembles, much to the confusion of her peers. ?I knew in the back of my mind that it was too much, that I was sort of alienating people,? she says. ?It just made me realise how powerful clothing was. That dressing in this wild way sort of set me apart.?Trufelman initially came up with the idea for ?Articles of Interest? while interning at the design and architecture podcast ?99% Invisible.? Presenting a fashion podcast to an audience more focussed on architecture, Trufelman began to see the ways in which fashion touched every facet of life. ?In the beginning, fashion was sort of a dirty word for me,? she says. ?Now it's all about fashion because everything has fashion. Buildings have fashion, cars have fashion, colours have fashion. Fashion is just taste over time and the most easy way to measure that when you look at a picture of any era, it's the cars maybe, but mostly the clothes.?Four seasons into ?Articles of Interest,? Trufelman now finds herself with a rich archive to draw upon. ?I don't ever kill stories. I love to reuse interviews that I collected years ago. I'm always cutting them up and revisiting them because I believe that knowledge isn't like one and done. It isn't a single use thing. I believe in making this a long sustainable living archive.? Trufelman also sees the parallels between podcasts and fashion in the ways in which both allow us to engage with the world. ?People are listening to your voice while they're walking down the street and they're like noticing what people are wearing or they're noticing what people are doing. It's not undivided attention. It is divided attention. It's beautiful.?

Additional Resources:

The BoF 500: Avery TrufelmanRalph Lauren is Traveling Back in Time to Bring Back Preppy Chic

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Born in Sardinia on a sailing boat to self-described ?adventurous? parents, Francesco Risso grew up in an environment that fostered independence, spontaneity and a deep need to create. After formative years at Polimoda, FIT and Central Saint Martins ? where he studied under the late Louise Wilson ? he joined Prada, learning firsthand how to fuse conceptual exploration with a product that resonates in everyday life.

Now at Marni, Risso continues to embrace a method he likens to an artist?s studio, championing bold experimentation and surrounding himself with collaborators who push each other to new heights of creativity. 

?Creativity is ? in the way we give love to the things that we make and then we give to people. I feel I don?t see so much of that love around,? says Risso. ?We have to inject into products a strong and beautiful sense of making. That requires craft, it requires skills, it requires a lot of fatigue, it requires discipline.?

Risso joins BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed to explore how his unconventional childhood shaped his creative approach, why discipline and craft remain vital to fashion, and how meaningful collaboration can expand the boundaries of what?s possible.

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Growing up in a busy, non-traditional household, Risso learned to express himself by altering and reconstructing clothing he found in family closets. ?I started to develop this need to make with my hands as a means to communicate,? he says. ?I would find something in my grandmother?s closet, start to disrupt it and collage it to something from my sister?s wardrobe and we have a new piece.? This early experimentation laid the groundwork for his vision of and approach to design.From Louise Wilson at Central Saint Martins to Miuccia Prada, Risso has absorbed the value of rigorous research, conceptual thinking and extended ideation. ?You have to rely on your own strengths and your own capability to go and study, to go and research, to go and find your things,? he says. ?That is key to me, to become a designer with a voice.?Whether partnering with artists through an informal ?residency? or collaborating with brands like Hoka, Risso insists that a great tie-up is never about simply sticking art on a T-shirt or rushing a gimmick. ?Processes are about learning from each other ? and that generates a body of work that then becomes either art or clothes.? His focus on genuine exchange expands the creative horizon for both Marni and its collaborators.Risso?s advice to emerging designers is to appreciate the fundamentals of making in favour of more superficial aspirations. ?I dare young people to be more focused on engaging with the making, rather than just projecting in the future,? he says. ?A strong sense of making requires craft, it requires skills, it requires a lot of fatigue, it requires discipline.? This hands-on grounding, in his view, is essential for developing a lasting, meaningful design practice.

Additional Resources:

Francesco Risso | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry Exclusive: Inside Hoka?s Fashion Ambitions | BoFBackstage Pass | Marni and the Thread of Beauty | BoF 

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James Whitner ? founder of The Whitaker Group and the visionary behind retailers such as A Ma Maniére and Social Status ? reveals how culture, purpose, and empathy drive his approach to business. Whitner witnessed firsthand how marginalised communities often face limited options, shaping his commitment to serving communities typically overlooked by the fashion industry.  

?I think what helped me understand life is difficult, it's just seeing a difficult life, right? Watching people struggle and seeing that there is privilege in pain,? says Whitner, about growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. ?When I look at what we?re creating now, it has purpose and is about standing up Black culture at the centre,? Whitner adds. ?Everything is about real experiences and connections to people.?

This week on the BoF Podcast, founder and CEO Imran Amed sits down with Whitner to explore his journey, learn about the driving force behind The Whitaker Group?s community-centric retail experiences, and understand why authenticity and cultural connection are non-negotiables in today?s fashion landscape.

Key Insights: 

Intentionality and human connection are integral to James Whitner?s approach to retail spaces. Rather than focusing solely on product or profit, he strives to shape how people feel and engage with his brands. ?We want to be really intentional about how we make humans feel, our connection to humanity, and how we can build a community,? he explains, emphasising that empathy and shared purpose can help to forge vibrant, long-lasting communities.Whitner also contends that building authentic connections starts with recognising the integral role of culture and purpose. ?We sit in brand experiences and purpose because you can't leave culture out. I think everything we do is centred in culture,? he says. A key to Whitner?s success is resisting the temptation to be ?for everybody.? Instead, he focuses on aligning with partners who share his vision for serving specific audiences with integrity. ?If you want to work with brands who want to be for everybody, that means you?re for nobody,? he explains.Whitner champions an unwavering optimism that stays intact even amid shifting political headwinds. ?We have to wake up and work and we have to be optimistic about the things that we can accomplish. If not, we've already lost because an administration change doesn't mean that my feelings around the work we're doing has changed and it doesn't mean that we can't be as impactful as we've always been.?

Additional Resources:

Streetwear Maven James Whitner Launches A Ma Maniére?s First In-House Line | BoFWhere Are Fashion?s Black CEOs? | BoF

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Performance basketball shoes have long been embedded in fashion culture, from the iconic Air Jordans of the 1990s to the stylised sneakers worn in NBA tunnel walks. But over the last decade, interest in basketball shoes waned as sneakerheads turned to minimalist silhouettes, running shoes and fashion collabs. 

Now, a new wave of signature athletes, innovative design from emerging and legacy brands and growing energy around the WNBA are bringing basketball sneakers back into the fashion spotlight.

In this episode of The Debrief, BoF correspondents Lei Takanashi and Mike Sykes join hosts Sheena Butler-Young and Brian Baskin to unpack what's changed, what's still missing and what the future might hold.

Key Insights: 

Basketball sneakers lost momentum with consumers when design became too functional and aesthetics too uniform. "All the styles just seemed kind of homogenous... There wasn't much difference there," said Sykes. "If you're not going to give us anything that looks different or anything that's unique, then people are going to go back and look into the past." This lack of innovation pushed sneakerheads toward nostalgic retro styles rather than new performance models.New stars like Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are reigniting interest in signature sneakers, not just through performance but personal style and personality. "He's got the bravado. He's like everything that you want from a signature athlete," said Mike of Edwards. "A lot of these new players... they have this grip on the culture," added Lei, referring to how their on-screen charisma and tunnel fits are helping bring basketball sneakers back to relevance.The women?s game has long been rich in style and creativity ? a fact the market is only now starting to catch up to. "Just seeing the creativity and the colour that has always been around the women's game when it comes to the sneakers that they've worn," said Mike. "It just makes it all the more disappointing... if we saw what we see today maybe five or 10 years ago, then the market right now would be completely different."In the past decade, attention shifted away from professional athletes and toward celebrity collaborators like Kanye West and Travis Scott. That dynamic is beginning to change. "From a brand perspective, the athletes just weren't the interesting players in the field," said Mike. "And so now I think the brands are circling back around and recentering athletes in a way that I think we haven't quite seen in a long time."

Additional Resources:

The Fashion Revival of Basketball Sneakers | BoFHow Soccer Conquered the US Sneaker Market | BoF  Sign up to Mike?s newsletter - Sports by Mike D. Sykes 

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In the five years since the pandemic, fashion and beauty workplaces have undergone seismic change. Amid mounting economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability and the ongoing climate crisis, a workplace reckoning is underway. Employees are re-evaluating what truly matters at work and for many, that means reassessing everything from their employers? values to compensation and flexibility.

According to BoF Careers? 2025 global survey of over 1,000 professionals in 74 countries, only 15 percent of respondents said they were satisfied in their current roles. Meanwhile, 45 percent are actively looking for new jobs and workers today are prioritising fair pay, career progression, flexibility, value alignment and transparency over legacy prestige or perks.

On this episode of The Debrief, senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young speaks with BoF?s commercial features director Sophie Soar to explore what talent really wants today and what employers need to do to attract and retain the best.

Key Insights: 

Employees don?t just want transparency; they expect it as a foundation for trust and progression. From salaries to promotions, clarity enables professionals to visualise their future and stay engaged. ?Transparency allows people to see their career trajectory at a business, as well as really visualising their future there and what it will look like,? said Soar. ?Maybe they don?t find that motivating, but it can also set clear expectations and goals for them to work towards.?Hybrid work remains popular, but it?s not just about flexibility. Without visible leadership, the in-office experience falls flat and fails to deliver meaningful career support or culture. ?If you are just providing a space that has a few desks and Wi-Fi, that is not creating the right kind of environment, the right set-up for community, as well as a comprehensive and effective working culture,? said Soar. ?If you want employees to be back in the office, then leaders need to be there as well. They need to lead by example.?While high-profile brands still appeal to candidates, they?re no longer enough on their own. Employees are increasingly prioritising ethics, compensation, and leadership over legacy status. ?When we were asking individuals as a part of the survey to share which companies they would most like to work for within the fashion and beauty industries, leaders were quite often called out by name,? said Soar. ?Lina Nair at Chanel and Brunello Cuccinelli, they were called out individually as being very inspiring to individuals and a very motivating reason to want to work at a company.?As jobseekers increasingly rely on tools like ChatGPT to craft their CVs and cover letters, authenticity and personalisation are becoming critical differentiators. Top employers aren?t looking for generic admiration; they want thoughtful, tailored applications that clearly map experience to the role. ?You kind of need to emphasise past the point of saying, ?I love your brand, and it would be great if I could work at your brand? ? that is really not going to resonate with individuals hiring,? said Soar. ?I would highly recommend making sure that if you're using this technology, you try and think about how you can put yourself into it.?

Additional Resources:

What Fashion and Beauty Professionals Want From Employers

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From a very young  age, Dutch designer Duran Lantink has been fascinated by the transformative power of fashion. 

His journey began in his early teens, culminating in his first runway show at just 14 years old. That collection, made from repurposed Diesel jeans and his grandmother?s tablecloth, was picked up by a local multi-brand store. And the rest is history.

Today, Duran is known in the industry for his  playful experimentation, innovative collections and provocative runway presentations.  

"I'm all figuring it out now. For me, I am just doing it step by step,? he shared. ?Later on I really fell in love with this sort of non-conformative thing and I feel that the House of Gautier is very much about freedom and about culture and about bringing artists in and all these things and I hope the freedom and the possibility to really bring that in and really bring back that vibe from the late 80s or the beginning of the 90s and that really excites me."

In Paris, for his first ever English-language podcast, BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed sat down with Lantink to talk to him about his personal fashion journey, understand the source of his creativity and how he?s thinking about stepping into the role of creative director at an iconic fashion brand.  

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Duran Lantink?s passion for fashion manifested early, culminating in his first runway show at just 14. Using repurposed Diesel jeans and his grandmother?s tablecloth, Lantink created a collection unexpectedly picked up by a local multi-brand store. "I think till now that has been my most commercially successful experience," Lantink jokes. But the moment was pivotal, crystallising his future path: "It probably was one of those moments where I really knew what I wanted to do in life."Lantink's creative ethos has always revolved around repurposing and transforming existing garments. This distinctive approach initially met resistance in traditional fashion schools. "I've always been obsessed with cutting up clothes, mixing clothes," he says. At times, educators dismissed him, suggesting he might be better suited as "a stylist or artist," but Lantink remained unwavering: "I didn't really care. I just wanted to do what works for me."Lantink's visibility skyrocketed after designing Janelle Monáe?s viral "vagina pants," but his industry breakthrough came during the pandemic with a drone-based fashion show. "I was finally able to reach a bigger audience because nobody could go anywhere anyway." The inventive showcase attracted support from influential industry figures, propelling his reputation internationally.Taking on the creative directorship at Jean Paul Gaultier signifies a new chapter for Lantink. The opportunity resonated deeply with his creative philosophy and personal history. "It went back to where I came from, this obsession with nightlife and people dressing up," he says. Embracing the legacy of freedom associated with Gaultier, Lantink expresses excitement for the creative potential: "The House of Gaultier is very much about freedom and culture. That really excites me."

Additional Resources:

Duran Lantink | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion IndustryExclusive: Jean Paul Gaultier Names Duran Lantink Creative Director

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The luxury industry trades on a carefully constructed marketing image, deeply linked to artful claims of exclusivity, craftsmanship, and impeccable standards. But a slew of Milanese court cases linking some of luxury?s biggest names to sweatshops on the outskirts of the fashion capital have sent uncomfortable shockwaves through the sector. Last week, LVMH-owned cashmere brand Loro Piana became the latest company caught up in the scandal. According to prosecutors, inadequate supply chain controls meant thousands of the brand?s cashmere jackets were made under exploitative conditions in illegal workshops. The scandals raise critical questions about luxury?s supply-chain integrity at a time when trust in the sector?s value proposition is already eroding.

This week on the Debrief, chief sustainability correspondent Sarah Kent joins Sheena Butler-Young to unpack the investigation and what it means for brands and consumers.

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Prosecutors in Milan argue that luxury brands? links to local sweatshops are a feature, not a bug in the system. Companies are negligent in how they monitor their supply chains and routinely turn a blind eye to red flags in order to maximise profits they say. "The crux of these cases is that big luxury brands are not really doing their homework," said Kent. Brands caught in the investigation say they have strong systems of controls in place and that they have cooperated with authorities to understand where things went wrong. Loro Piana, a brand long considered the pinnacle of luxury craftsmanship, is the latest ? and perhaps most surprising ? name to be swept up in the investigation. Renowned for its control over production and its sourcing of rare materials like baby cashmere and vicuña, Loro Piana sits in one of the most exclusive tiers of fashion, alongside labels like Hermès.Brands caught up in the scandal have been placed under court oversight to ensure they tighten up their supply-chain controls, but the broader systemic issues revealed by the Milanese investigations have no easy fix. "There are deep-seated economic challenges for an industry that is still largely very fragmented, made up of mom-and-pop shops competing on a global stage with countries that have much lower labour costs," said Kent. Manufacturers are under intense pressure on price, speed and flexibility, conditions that have helped give rise to  ?a cottage industry of cut-price suppliers that are not meeting Italy's own labour laws," she said.In the past, luxury brands have proved remarkably resilient to such scandals."What feels different this time is there is more jeopardy than there has been historically,? said Kent Hefty price increases over the past few years coupled with online complaints about declining quality are already fuelling a noisy debate about whether luxury brands are really worth the money. The sector?s alleged sweatshop links are ?feeding into a bigger conversation that's already happening in a dangerous way,? said Kent. ?This is not just a one-off scandal affecting one brand that can fade into the background.?

Additional Resources:

How Loro Piana Was Linked to Labour Exploitation | BoF If You Can?t Trust Loro Piana, Who Can You Trust? | BoF 

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Jérôme Mage is the founder and creative force behind Jacques Marie Mage, the luxury eyewear brand known for its distinctive silhouettes, limited production runs and deep-rooted storytelling. Originally from the Auvergne region in France, Mage relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of creative freedom and with a deep passion for California's outdoor culture. 

His brand comes from a personal mission to reimagine luxury through the lens of collectibility, history and craft, starting with an obsession about sunglasses from a young age. 

?When I was 10 years old, my brother was 15, he came back with a pair of Vuarnet in my house. ? I've never really seen my brother with glasses before and I was like wow looks so cool,? says Mage. I think for a lot of people it is transformative. ? We live in a modern world that can be quite intrusive. All day people?s lives are on display and I think it's very nice to hide behind a pair of sunglasses.?

With each design, Mage channels his vast array of influences ? from American mythologies to Napoleonic tailoring and iconic personalities ? and transforms them into expressive objects with enduring emotional power. 

Hot on the heels of the brand?s latest retail opening, BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed sat  down with Mage  at his new gallery on Rue de la Paix in Paris to explore how he built a cult luxury eyewear brand rooted in rarity, storytelling and craftsmanship ? and why having an  outsider?s perspective is en his greatest creative strength.

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"My story is one of collectibility. That?s why I think people collect those glasses,"  says mage. A lifelong collector of everything from vintage eyewear to Napoleonic uniforms, Mage believes the story behind an object is what gives it lasting value. "Each pair of glasses needs to be charged up, infused with a story: a story of the past, but told in a modern way for a new generation."Mage is critical of the contemporary luxury industry's shift towards mass production, emphasising  that true luxury must maintain an inherent rarity. ?I really wanted to return to a sense of rarity because for me there's no luxury without rarity ? it's impossible," he says. Mage believes the current model, predicated on constant growth, is unsustainable. To resist that pressure, he committed to a deliberately complex and limited production model: "I did everything limited edition because it was almost guaranteeing me that I wouldn't fall in that trap."For Mage, embracing the role of the outsider enables deeper creativity and more meaningful work. "If you accept that role of outsider, then you're able to have a point of view or create something that is more tangible, more unique, and that has more value," he says. "Because obviously you look at things from a different point of view than others. And that's a true quality in being an outsider." His advice to anyone who feels they don?t fit in? "Don't be discouraged. If you stick long enough with it, it'll become a great asset in life."

Additional Resources:

 Jacques Marie Mage | Latest news, analysis and jobs 

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After turning to other matters for a few weeks, President Donald Trump has reignited his aggressive tariff strategy, threatening sweeping new duties on key fashion-producing nations starting Aug. 1, as well as a fresh set of new levies on the EU, Brazil, South Korea and other trade partners.  

On this episode of The Debrief, correspondents Joan Kennedy and Marc Bain join hosts executive editor Brian Baskin and senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young to unpack how brands are reacting, where prices are headed, and why diversification may no longer be the solution it once was.

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Apparel prices in the US are finally starting to reflect the cost of tariffs. "We got the first bit of evidence that tariffs are actually having an impact on prices," said Kennedy, pointing to new CPI data showing apparel prices up 0.4% in June. "They're starting to rise because we're seeing inventory start to trickle onto shelves that are affected by these new duties." Bain added that shoppers are particularly sensitive: "It?s about managing perceptions... It?s why you see these brands putting out Instagram posts about tariffs and why they?re raising prices."Supply chain diversification isn't working like it used to. Brands once counted on shifting production as a way to dodge tariffs. But now, alternative hubs are also getting hit. "It is kind of like a game of whack-a-mole," said Kennedy. "One of the countries that was expected to benefit was Brazil... but we've seen a new 50% tariff threatened on Brazil." Bain noted that brands are now being advised to build in redundancy. "It?s not just about finding another source. It?s having some layer of redundancy built in."In response to rising costs and consumer fatigue, brands are reducing product variety and pricing selectively. Levi's, for example, announced they?re going to discontinue certain less popular styles during the holiday shopping season. Bain explained the logic: "If you know these are more sure bets, you?re less likely to have to discount them later... so as you're trying to offset the cost going up from tariffs, you can try to reduce your costs in other places too." Kennedy added: "We've seen brands get smart about where exactly they make these price hikes... like upping the price on a more fashion item, but keeping prices on staples stable."

Additional Resources:

What Trump?s Latest Tariff Threats Mean for Fashion | BoFHigher Clothing Prices Are Officially Here | BoF 

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The latest fashion season marked a period of significant transition with new creative leadership taking centre stage at some of luxury?s biggest houses. Highly anticipated debuts at Dior, Celine and Maison Margiela set the tone for a new direction, while designers like Rick Owens continued to redefine the emotional and aesthetic parameters of fashion. At Balenciaga, Demna bid farewell to his iconic aesthetic, setting the stage for his upcoming tenure at Gucci.

Against this backdrop, BoF?s editor-at-large Tim Blanks and editor-in-chief Imran Amed discuss the realities of a shifting luxury landscape and the growing tension around pricing, accessibility, and the future structure of the luxury market.

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Jonathan Anderson's debut at Dior represented the start of a carefully managed transformation. "Dior is like a performance for him; J.W. Anderson is the real Jonathan," says Blanks. "I felt he was on a mission to manage expectations. He was basically saying, give me time." The conceptual collection served as an opening statement rather than a full evolution.Rick Owens remains a source of creative independence and authenticity. "There is no compromise in what Rick Owens does. He is a beacon of hope," said Blanks. Amed also highlights how Owens' shows now offer a safe space that celebrates difference: "He's been talking about how he wanted to create a place where people who don't subscribe to conventional notions of beauty can find a place where they can fit in. It's always so remarkable at his shows and presentations because you can really see that all come to life."Demna?s final Balenciaga show symbolised a deliberate departure from his signature aesthetic. "He said goodbye to his Balenciaga," said Blanks. Amed observed, ?At Balenciaga, Demna needed to put more of his own codes into it. At Gucci, he has so much to work with.? With this pivot, Demna closes one chapter while preparing to reinterpret another legacy house.Amid a challenging economic environment, luxury brands are reconsidering their pricing strategies. ?Luxury always worked in this pyramid where you had very high-end customer spending at the top. That pyramid structure has been kind of bloated in the middle now,? explained Imran. Brands are being forced to reevaluate what ?entry-level? really means. ?They're thinking about what they can put at the bottom? the entry-level price points."

 

Additional Resources:

Paris Couture?s Life and Lifelessness | BoF 

Couture?s Age of Experience, Experience of Age | BoF

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