Bölümler
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Bieber, a celebrity and influential beauty figure with a strong Gen-Z following, launched Rhode just three years ago, quickly distinguishing the brand with minimalist product offerings closely tied to Bieber's personal aesthetic. She just sold to E.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion, even as rival celebrity beauty brands struggle to grow sales or attract buyers.
Priya Rao, executive editor at The Business of Beauty at BoF, joins the Business of Fashion's Brian Baskin and Sheena Butler-Young to discuss how Rhode distinguished itself in a crowded celebrity beauty landscape, why E.l.f. Beauty saw strategic value in the acquisition, and what this landmark deal signals about the evolving beauty industry.
Key Insights:
Rhode’s clean, minimal brand aesthetic also mirrors e.l.f.’s broader mission, albeit at a different price point. "There’s something about Rhode’s branding that really makes sense with what E.l.f. already does. They both want to be accessible but aspirational," Rao notes. Like Rhode, "E.l.f. has always had a really good sense of what young people want," says Rao.The success of Rhode demonstrates that differentiated, clearly communicated value propositions continue to resonate strongly in the beauty market. "From the consumer side, this just shows that the right brand can find the right price at any time, as long as you're able to point and show you offer something different," explains Rao.Rao highlights how rare it is for a celebrity beauty brand to resonate beyond hype. "Most celebrity beauty brands are not succeeding at this level," she says. Rhode’s limited and focused product assortment have also contributed to its success. "She's not launching everything under the sun," says Rao. "She’s focusing on what she knows and what her audience connects with, and that’s why it’s working."The acquisition isn't just about short-term gain – E.l.f. sees lasting value. "This isn't a flash in the pan for them," says Rao. "They’re betting on Rhode being a long-term growth engine, not just a trendy pick-up."Additional Resources:
E.l.f. Beauty Acquires Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Skin for $1 Billion | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Giancarlo Giammetti met Valentino Garavani by chance on July 31, 1960, setting in motion one of fashion’s most enduring — and most successful — creative partnerships. Together, they transformed Valentino into a global fashion powerhouse, celebrated for its elegance, craftsmanship, and cultural influence.
In 2016, Giammetti co-founded the Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giancarlo Giammetti to preserve their remarkable legacy, promote creativity, and foster charitable and educational initiatives.
This week in Rome, BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed had the honour of sitting down with Mr Giammetti at PM23, the newly opened home of the foundation, located right next to the Valentino headquarters where their journey together first began.
In this exclusive interview, Mr Giammetti reflects on the founding days of Valentino, the importance of protecting creativity in a fashion market that prioritises commercialisation, and why it is critical for the industry to support future generations of designers who are overlooked by a fashion system under pressure.
“This continuous change of people, using people to cover jobs … it makes a big confusion. None of them really becomes a part of the legacy of the company. That’s what is a big problem today,” says Giammetti.
Key Insights:
Giammetti highlights the strength of his decades-long partnership with Valentino, emphasising their deep personal and professional connection. “We grew up related so much to each other that we cannot be separate,” he says. “Even when we had some rupture in our private life, after a while, we kept our family. That’s why we have such a big family – because all of our friends became friends of our family with us.”Giammetti expresses concern about the fashion industry's current state, noting the disconnect between creative integrity and business pressures. "Designers have become their own stars, they have their own style, and they don’t want to really become a witness to the work of the companies where they are hired to prolong life – they want to work for themselves," he says. "It’s not just negative, it’s offensive."Giammetti believes in preserving the heritage of fashion through new means. “I hate fashion museums. I think that to see all the mannequins like Madame Tussauds look really like wax things. I don’t think there is a life inside,” he says. “With digital work, you have to work with that to project your legacy in a different way.”Giving advice to aspiring creatives, Giammetti encourages young designers to remain true to themselves and avoid distractions. "Be yourself. Don't get distracted. You have to believe in yourself and do what you want."Additional Resources:
‘Beauty Creates Beauty’: Valentino Founders Tease New Cultural Space in Rome | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Eksik bölüm mü var?
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The beauty sector historically thrived during economic downturns, earning a recession-proof reputation encapsulated in the “lipstick index.” However, recent earnings from major beauty conglomerates like Estée Lauder, L'Oréal, Coty and Shiseido indicate that beauty’s resilience is being tested. Sales are declining, layoffs are coming and consumer habits appear to be shifting dramatically.
BoF Senior Beauty Correspondent Daniela Morosini joins Brian Baskin and Sheena Butler-Young on The Debrief to examine what's driving this slowdown and how the industry is adapting.
Key Insights:
Traditionally, small luxury purchases like beauty products thrived during economic pressure. But the landscape has changed. “Prices have really, really grown, and there's just so much more to choose from,” says Morosini. The combination of escalating prices, excessive market saturation, and a shift to online platforms like Amazon and TikTok has diluted the impact of small luxury indulgences. "It's really hard to get seen. So even if you have a more affordable product that more people can afford, you still have to get people to come and look at you and come and interact with you," she adds.Brands once benefited from consistent replenishment and customer loyalty. Today, consumers are more transient, constantly seeking newness. “Customers seem to have this insatiable appetite for more products and more newness,” Morosini notes. But after years of heavy consumption, shoppers are starting to tire of new for the sake of new. “Something that’s really starting to come into focus is that, specifically, American middle-class shoppers are starting to buy fewer beauty products – and that’s having a big knock-on effect.”As consumers become more price-sensitive, brands need to redefine value beyond just pricing. Morosini suggests brands return to basics, emphasising their core strengths and fostering loyalty through consistent, quality products rather than frequent launches. "People are really, really attuned to perceptions of value," says Morosini.Additional Resources:
The Beauty Slowdown, Explained | BoFThe End of the Lipstick Index | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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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 research analyst at Bernstein – as featured in the debut issue of System Collections.
This conversation was recorded on March 14, about two weeks before Donald Trump’s shock announcement of so-called reciprocal tariffs on countries around the world, most notably China.
Together, Amed and Solca explore major shifts in the global luxury market, the growing fatigue with high prices and mass production, and why creativity, innovation and strategic alignment between business and creative leadership are more crucial than ever.
“These companies are run by human beings, and if you don't give people incentives to change, they will kill you. If you see that you're making as much money as you like, and the business is as good as it ever was, then you probably will not change very much,” says Solca. “Adjusting to a more normal environment is causing a lot of soul-searching and getting these companies back in line.”
Amed adds: “Where brands work best is where there is that impeccable alignment between the creative leadership and the business leadership. Many creative directors feel like a lot of decision-making and creativity is being dictated to them rather than being in conversation with them."
Key Insights:
Excessive price hikes and product ubiquity are causing consumer pushback. Amed says, "When customers look at a €10,000 bag that used to cost half of that, there's real pressure because the value proposition no longer adds up." Solca stresses, "If people need to pay these prices, they must be excited; they need to feel they haven’t seen these products yet, and that they desire them." Amed adds, "Brands need to inject new creative energy to get customers excited again."In a stagnant market, luxury brands can no longer rely on organic demand and must compete aggressively for market share. "In order to grow now, brands need to actively win market share from competitors," says Amed. This shift has forced operational changes. "Fashion shows are getting smaller, not just for intimacy, but also to cut costs." Solca agrees: "A lot of the costs in this industry are fixed ... When sales decline by as much as 20 percent, you really need to cut the fixed portion of your costs."Maintaining exclusivity remains essential. Solca notes, "The nature of the industry is that you need to sell exclusivity or perceived exclusivity." He warns high visibility can backfire: "Smaller brands hit gold, but at one point, they succumb to that very success because they become too visible and people move elsewhere. They tend to face a glass ceiling around €2 to 3 billion."Effective luxury strategies hinge on strong creative-business collaboration. As Amed explains, "Where brands work best is where there is that impeccable alignment between the creative leadership and the business leadership."Additional Resources:
System Launches New Bi-Annual ‘System Collections’ | BoF Inside Luxury’s Slowdown | BoF The State of Fashion: Luxury | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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As inflation bites and politics polarise, the fashion industry in 2025 is facing unprecedented pressure to hold onto its customers. Brands are looking to community as a deeper and more emotional form of engagement. But building true community takes more than buzzwords.
In this episode, BoF correspondent Lei Takanashi joins hosts Sheena Butler-Young and Brian Baskin to unpack his case study on what it really means to cultivate community in fashion and how brands are navigating the pitfalls.
Key Insights:
In a time when consumers are thinking hard about every purchase, community offers a sense of connection and meaning that goes beyond the product itself. "When I'm shopping today, I'm thinking more about what eggs I'm going to buy this week than the latest release from a brand," says Takanashi. "What really now drives me to make a purchase is like, what does this brand represent? What are its values? How has it improved my life beyond just something I wear?"Different communities serve different purposes, each demanding a unique approach. Takanashi outlines three community types: activity-based, personality-driven and values-driven. Activity-based communities are rooted in shared interests or habits, such as running, where engagement happens naturally through events or clubs. Personality-driven communities hinge on a founder’s charisma and relatability: "People have to see that founder story and kind of see themselves in their shoes." Values-driven communities connect through shared beliefs and causes, but those values must be dynamic. “Your definition of a value can’t be rigid,” says Takanashi. “You have to adapt to how consumers perceive these things.”As brands grow, scaling community takes local focus to remain authentic. "As long as you stay committed to a localized approach and understand that it’s not one size fits all," Takanashi says, pointing to Arc'teryx and Supreme as examples of brands that scale through local relevance and hiring. In addition to staying local, real-world interaction matters and brands shouldn’t rely solely on digital engagement. “You should really be there in person at pop-ups, shake hands with people, talk to the customer... Every brand I spoke about in this case study made some effort to show up in real life."Additional Resources:
Case Study | How Brands Build Genuine Communities | BoFWhat Makes a True Community Brand? | BoFHow Brands Make Community More Than a Buzzword | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Africa is experiencing an exciting shift, creatively and commercially, with growing global attention on its rapidly expanding middle-class population. Yet, local fashion entrepreneurs must navigate unique operational challenges and misconceptions about the quality and reputation of "Made in Africa."
Pink Mango’s Maryse Mbonyumutwa entered apparel manufacturing in Rwanda to address both economic and social sustainability. "[Africa] is sustainable by nature, as we've not fully industrialised yet," he says.
Laduma Ngxokolo, founder of South African luxury knitwear brand MaXhosa Africa, drew inspiration from his culture's traditional designs: "How do we take local traditional aesthetics and modernise them?" he asked.
To celebrate African creativity, Reni Folawiyo founded the concept store Alara in Nigeria. "I started Alara from a very emotional place to elevate African creators, both on the continent and the diaspora," Folawiyo says. "The idea of elevating but also empowering remains in everything we do."
On this episode of The BoF Podcast, an illuminating conversation unfolds on stage at BoF CROSSROADS 2025, where Mbonyumutwa, Ngxokolo, and Folawiyo, alongside Sudanese-British writer Rozan Ahmed, discussed Africa's unique contributions to fashion, the opportunities in sustainable manufacturing, and how they are redefining what it means to produce, create and sell in Africa.
Key Insights:
Africa's potential lies in sustainable manufacturing and social responsibility. Mbonyumutwa explains, "Africa is here to offer social sustainability ... to make sure that now when we talk about environmental sustainability and social sustainability they are aligned."Local retail can powerfully celebrate and elevate global African creativity. Folawiyo's vision for Alara was clear. "I started Alara in a very emotional place. I wanted to celebrate African creators, both on the continent and in the diaspora. I wanted to elevate their work, because I hadn't seen it done anywhere else," she says. “It was a self-empowerment, self-determination moment and I wanted it to be celebratory.” "Made in Africa" must represent prestige, not affordability. Ngxokolo says, "It's not cheap, yet there's a perception that anything that is made in Africa should be reasonably priced or cheap. We put in our heart and souls into our work and present it to the world so that it sits next to their level of brands.”Additional Resources:
BoF CROSSROADS 2025: How to Tap into Fashion’s Future Growth MarketsDesigned, Made and Sold in Africa | BoF CROSSROADS 2025 | YoutubeHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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On May 12, the US and China reached a deal to temporarily reduce tariffs for 90 days, offering a breather from an escalating trade war. Stocks surged on the news, but experts warn this relief might not fully resolve deeper industry uncertainties or consumer anxieties.
BoF retail editor Cathleen Chen and technology correspondent Marc Bain join hosts Brian Baskin and Sheena Butler-Young to unpack the ramifications of the tariff pause and what the fashion industry can expect moving forward.
Key Insights:
Tariffs have reduced, but costs still remain high. The Trump administration’s initial 145 percent tariff effectively banned imports from China, a situation now alleviated but not fully resolved. "Lowering that to 30% is a different situation," Bain explains. "It's saying, go ahead, import your stuff, but it's gonna still be expensive."The tariff pause offers temporary clarity, but major production hubs like Vietnam and Cambodia face continuing uncertainty. "Depending on what happens with those negotiations, the whole landscape could shift," Bain notes, as retailers remain cautious about long-term production decisions.Tariffs are not the industry's only concern as consumer sentiment will significantly shape demand. "Beyond what's going to happen with tariffs with dozens of countries, there's also the issue of consumer confidence and sentiment and whether there will be demand to drive sales for the products that do end up in the U.S.," Chen highlights, questioning the robustness of future sales.Despite an easing in the tariff rate for small shipments from platforms like Shein and Temu, the overall uncertainty around the future of the “de minimis” loophole might dampen consumer enthusiasm. "All the news about Shein and Temu has been enough to just keep that customer away," Chen suggests. "I feel like there might be this attitude of, we had a good run of really cheap stuff for a couple of years and maybe you've had enough of it now."Brands should focus on diversifying their supply chains and strengthening industry partnerships. Bain advises brands to "have some redundancy built in. So if one location becomes untenable, you can shift to another spot." Meanwhile, Chen emphasises the importance of collaboration: "Now is a really great time to forge stronger ties to your suppliers, your vendors, even your retail partners," ensuring shared responsibility and minimised impact on consumers.Additional Resources:
With the Trade War on Pause, Here’s What’s Next for Fashion | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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A strange new genre of TikTok videos is challenging long-held assumptions about how luxury products are made. Often shot in anonymous Chinese factories, these videos claim that the so-called "superfakes" flooding the market are indistinguishable from, and sometimes made in the same factories as, high-end bags from the likes of Chanel or Louis Vuitton.
While all evidence points to these claims being false, the repetition of these videos has amplified a growing narrative: that luxury pricing is inflated, quality is slipping and production secrets are being exposed. Fuelled further by the U.S.-China tariff dispute and the allure of buying a $10,000 bag for $300, this narrative is resonating with a social media audience increasingly disillusioned with luxury’s mystique.
In this episode, BoF's chief sustainability correspondent Sarah Kent joins hosts Sheena Butler-Young and Brian Baskin to break down what’s really happening behind the scenes – and why silence might not be a viable strategy for brands much longer.
Key Insights:
TikTok's "superfake" narrative may be fiction, but it's feeding real consumer doubt. While only a few viral TikTok videos explicitly claim to produce fakes in the same factories as luxury goods, that idea has travelled widely and taken root. "It is supremely unlikely that any factory that had a real relationship with any luxury brand would go on TikTok to market superfakes," Kent notes. Yet the repetition of these claims underscores luxury's ongoing transparency issue. In the absence of accessible facts, falsehoods thrive.Today’s best craftsmanship isn’t always in Europe as high-quality manufacturing has shifted globally. “For instance, if you were making performance footwear or sneakers in particular, China, Cambodia, and Vietnam are probably the best factories you can find in the world to do that,” Kent explains. “If you want to make a luxury product of that quality, you probably don’t want to make that in France or Italy." The fake bag narrative is irresistible but damaging to luxury. Even those who know the claims are likely untrue find them hard to shake. "It's a delicious narrative," Kent says. One that plays into an existing story of overpricing, declining quality, and aloofness in luxury. Brands have long relied on mythology and mystique. But as Kent notes, that strategy is less effective in a social media age, where misinformation travels fast and reputations can erode overnight. Consumers are questioning whether luxury is worth the price and Kent says consumer doubt "isn’t going away". Luxury brands need to explain more clearly why their products carry such high price tags to slow this erosion of trust that has accelerated since the pandemic, as prices rose and quality concerns mounted. "If brands aren't giving compelling information that explains where their stuff is made and why it’s valued in this manner then those questions aren't going to fade," Kent warns.Additional Resources:
Luxury Has a Fake News Problem. Is Silence the Right Strategy? | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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It's a pivotal moment for modest fashion. Spending by Muslim consumers on fashion is projected to hit $428 billion by 2027, marking significant annual growth. Yet despite booming demand, modest fashion remains commercially fragmented and struggles for global recognition.
Emirati fashion designer Rabia Zargarpur founded her namesake brand after confronting the severe lack of modest clothing options in post-9/11 America.
"In 2000, you couldn't even find modest basics," Zargarpur says. "That was a huge aha moment for me. We are so neglected. Why isn't there a single label catering to the needs of our women? And so I took charge and created my brand."
Kerim Türe, founder of the Istanbul-based modest fashion e-tailer Modanisa, initially tried to convince existing brands to move online. When they declined, he took matters into his own hands, building a global e-commerce powerhouse from scratch.
"The clothes we put on ourselves, a piece of fabric, it's part of our identity, part of our self-confidence," Türe says. "We believe all women deserve to look their best without compromising their beliefs."
For Linda Anggrea, CEO of the Modinity Group, the absence of modest fashion brands in major Indonesian shopping malls was glaring. She seized the opportunity, growing her brand from a single scarf line to a multi-brand group with over 100 retail locations.
"We want to feel good about ourselves, we want to feel comfortable," Anggrea says. "If we put that concept into whatever we are doing, it will easily translate into a good collection but still fit modest values."
This week on The BoF Podcast, in a compelling conversation with Forbes Middle East presenter Sally Mousa, at BoF CROSSROADS 2025, Rabia Zargarpur, Kerim Ture, and Linda Anggrea explore the growing influence of modest fashion, discuss its evolving presence in mainstream markets, and outline the steps necessary for sustainable growth, authentic collaborations, and global recognition.
Key Insights:
Authenticity is vital as modest fashion gains mainstream popularity. “There needs to be authenticity and they need to understand our values and work with us. If they work with, they would have better solutions,” says Zargarpur. Highlighting the transparency of superficial engagement by mainstream brands she adds, “We're not just about caftans. ... We're about sustainability, ethical practices, creativity and innovation. Why can't you make that kind of stuff for me the way you do for your other consumers?”The industry stands at a pivotal crossroads between short-term individual success and long-term collective growth. Anggrea underscores the importance of unity, even within her own brands: "We're at a crossroads whether we want to go fast alone or go far together. Each brand has its own voice, but we have one shared mission. That modest fashion is not only accepted, but actually expected."Supporting emerging designers is essential for the future of modest fashion. "We need more brands coming from inside," says Türe. "Designers and business people need to come together." He adds, "We are the colonised South. We need to bring our own branch to the world right now."Additional Resources:
BoF CROSSROADS 2025: How to Tap into Fashion’s Future Growth Markets Modest Fashion’s Big Asia OpportunityHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Costume Institute's 2025 exhibition, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," celebrated its opening at the annual Met Gala, marking the first menswear-focused exhibit in two decades and the first ever centred exclusively on Black fashion. Inspired by Monica L. Miller's seminal work on Black dandyism, the exhibition took a scholarly approach to exploring the historical and cultural significance of Black tailoring. The gala’s official dress code, "Tailored for You," provided a broader and more personal prompt, encouraging guests to interpret tailoring through their own unique perspectives.
DTC correspondent Malique Morris and joins senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young and executive editor Brian Baskin to reflect on the night’s boldest looks, the broader discussion on representation and inclusion at the event, and how the prestigious gala could evolve to better support diverse talent.
Key Insights:
The Costume Institute's 2025 exhibition emphasised fashion as a powerful tool used by Black communities to assert dignity and counteract societal prejudice. Organised into 12 sections, each exploring a different aspect of Black dandyism, it thoughtfully included historically significant garments, like abolitionist Frederick Douglass's tailcoat, underscoring the profound role that meticulously tailored attire has played in activism and representation. "It showed how our activism, while not reduced to an aesthetic, is indeed linked to how we wear beautifully cut clothing,” explains Morris.Natural hair was heavily featured in this year’s gala looks. "Black people's natural hair has always been up for debate, especially when it's of tightly coiled texture. Doechii said so much by wearing that beautiful crown on fashion's biggest night,” says Morris. “Redefining, but also defining what is so natural to us is absolutely stunning and worthy of praise at the utmost event like the Met Gala.”The presence of influencers at culturally prestigious events like the Met Gala remains contentious. Morris questioned the necessity of influencer inclusion, advocating instead for prominence to be given to figures whose cultural impact is undeniable and long-lasting. "The people who were actually shifting culture in a really meaningful way, who have stood the test of time and are icons, it makes a lot of sense for them to take up so much oxygen,” he says. “With this Met specifically, when we're talking about the designers and them having more of a buy-in and them having more of a presence, we're moving in the right direction.”Meaningful progression for the Met Gala, and similar institutions, involves sustained and systemic representation rather than temporary or symbolic inclusion. Morris advocates for lasting change, suggesting a shift towards consistent visibility for independent designers from diverse backgrounds. "I want indie brands having an outsized presence at the Met Gala to be endemic," says Morris. “I think that will be the progress.”Additional Resources:
Black Beauty Excellence Was the Star of the Met Gala At the Met Gala, Dandies Owned the Night Rethinking Luxury’s Relationship With Black ConsumersHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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It’s been a complicated year for luxury. The sector was already grappling with slowing growth but now American tariffs have disrupted global supply chains, driven prices upwards and dented consumer confidence.
But there's another, deeper long-term challenge that the industry needs to contend with: the perceived trivialisation of high-end fashion. But brands that place craftsmanship at their core are able to overcome this and connect with customers in a deeper way.
Mexican designer Carla Fernández has long been at the forefront of ethical, craft-based fashion. Her brand collaborates closely with Indigenous artisans across Mexico, promoting traditional craftsmanship and advocating for policies like collective intellectual property rights.
“The future is handmade because the objects that are handmade get inspiration from your community, from your environment,” says Fernández. “It goes through your eyes, then it goes to your heart and comes out from your hands. And those are objects that have a soul."
After experiencing first-hand how the fashion industry overlooks contributions from the Global South, Tunisian entrepreneur Kenza Fourati co-founded OSAY The Label, a brand focused on elevating artisan footwear crafted in Tunisia and using sustainable materials and traditional techniques.
“I'm very angry with this kind of perspective that it's designed somewhere in the Global North, like Paris or Milan, and then it's handmade in the Global South, like Morocco, Tunisia. It feels very fragmented,” she says.
This week on The BoF Podcast, a riveting conversation from BoF CROSSROADS 2025, Carla Fernández and Kenza Fourati discuss the power of craft-based fashion, how to collaborate ethically with artisans and indigenous communities while redefining what true luxury means.
Key Insights:
Fashion is an essential vehicle for storytelling. “Textile and text are very connected. If you walk in someone else's shoes, you connect with that person, and you see the unseen and the irrelevant," explains Fourati. Through this perspective, fashion becomes a powerful medium to foster understanding and build connections between diverse cultures and experiences.Fernández shares that growing up in Mexico, she realised early on that the fashion industry often ignored the contributions indigenous people make to craftsmanship. "At the age of 12, I realised that the haute couture of my country, claimed not to be fashion, was made by artisans in the mountains, deserts and jungles."The disconnect between where fashion is designed and where it is made reflects broader inequities in the system. Fernández says, "In the global north, they keep focusing on the individual as the big name. In Indigenous communities, creation comes from all of us. Collaboration is the most important part.”True luxury is ethical, inclusive and deeply connected to origins and values. Fernández concludes that authenticity is inseparable from ethics. "In true luxury, there is no oppression. To be original, you have to go back to the origins." Fourati adds, "True luxury is being able to wear your values and wear your story."Additional Resources:
BoF CROSSROADS 2025: How to Tap into Fashion’s Future Growth Markets Carla Fernández Tena | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion IndustryHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Viral microtrends, the fleeting aesthetics popularised on platforms like TikTok, have defined recent fashion moments for young consumers. From the playful "Cottagecore" to the fleeting "Mob Wife", these trends have rapidly cycled through social media feeds and retail shelves. Post-pandemic experimentation drove this cycle, however, the once-accelerating churn of microtrends is beginning to slow, as Gen-Z shoppers seek authenticity, durability and individuality in their fashion choices.
On this episode of The Debrief, senior editorial associate Joan Kennedy joins senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young to talk about what's behind the slowdown in microtrends and what this shift means for retailers and brands.
Key Insights:
Microtrends gained momentum post-pandemic when young consumers had extra savings, more leisure time, and a desire to explore various identities through fashion. However, the novelty and playful experimentation eventually led to consumer fatigue. Kennedy explains, "Young shoppers are really looking to grasp onto something solid right now," noting an increased awareness that many trends felt "goofy" or even "fake." She adds, “people are talking more than ever about just this viral churn and how wasteful it is."Young consumers increasingly align their fashion choices with specific cultural events, creating marketing opportunities for retailers. "This whole sense of 'what I am doing is how I'm dressing' has become very popular among young shoppers," Kennedy explains, highlighting opportunities around events like the Barbie movie and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour. Retailers can better predict long-lasting trends by monitoring multi-season appeal and connections beyond social media. Kennedy cites Revolve's chief merchandising officer, Divya Mathur, who recommends looking for trends that "span multiple seasons" and have relevance across social media, runway, and pop culture. Kennedy advises retailers to "lean into more evergreen, identity-based marketing," and rethink "what virality looks like" as consumer engagement evolves. “With a lot of these trends, something goes viral and a brand gets a tonne of sales. But let's take a step back as that might shift and brands have to be ready for that.”Additional Resources:
The Decline and Fall of the Viral Microtrend | BoF The Life Cycle of a Viral Fashion Trend | BoFHow the Internet Disrupted Fashion’s Trend Cycle | BoF How to Keep Up With TikTok’s Lightning-Fast Trend Cycle | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Over the last few decades, Dubai has rapidly transformed from a humble trading port into a global hub for business, tourism, and innovation. With favourable economic policies, strategic location, and an ambitious young workforce, Dubai has become a vibrant destination at the intersection of Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Entrepreneur Anas Bukhash has experienced and capitalised on this transformation firsthand. As the host of one of the Middle East’s most-watched talk shows and founder of influencer marketing agency Bukhash Brothers, Anas embodies the entrepreneurial spirit of Dubai.
"It's a 50-something-year-old country. It's younger than our fathers and our mothers,” says Bukhash. “So imagine if you come up with an idea and you just moved to Dubai – you could be the first one and then you have that edge of being the pioneer in that field.”
This week on The BoF Podcast, Bukhash joins BoF Founder and CEO Imran Amed at BoF CROSSROADS in Dubai to discuss how the city’s openness and youthfulness have shaped a thriving, innovation-driven culture.
Key Insights:
Dubai’s youthfulness provides a significant advantage for entrepreneurs. "It's a 50-something-year-old country," says Bukhash. "It's younger than our fathers and our mothers. So imagine if you come up with an idea and you just moved to Dubai – you could be the first one."Dubai offers entrepreneurs the unique possibility of becoming a pioneer. "If you're fast and you actually have a dream, I think Dubai is one of the few places in the world where you could be the first," says Bukhash. “You have that edge of being the pioneer in that field. If you do that in London or you do it in New York, you're probably number 500.”The rise of Dubai as a content capital is both a blessing and a curse. “Everybody has a smartphone, everybody can claim they are a life coach, or a media personality,” says Bukhash. “But the beauty is the direct journalism and reviews from creators with integrity. You see the situation in a certain country, in a certain place and it's quite a positive aspect.”Still, Bukhash stresses that social media and content creation should be approached with balance. “Let's not also get too hooked on it because then we don't live and experience things properly. In order to get better content as well, you need to travel and see and interview people and have dinners and just feel creative,” he says.Additional Resources:
BoF CROSSROADS 2025: Unpacking Fashion’s Future MarketsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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From the legendary Hermès Birkin to recent sensations like Alaïa’s Teckel, luxury handbags have long held a distinctive power within the fashion world. Blending brand heritage, practicality, and emotional resonance, handbags often become a signature item for brands to capture consumer attention and drive commercial success. But the ongoing challenge for luxury brands is maintaining innovation, managing consumer desire, and navigating a landscape rife with copycats and shifting trends.
On this episode of The Debrief, senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young speaks with luxury correspondent Simone Stern Carbone about the power of an iconic handbag and the delicate balance brands must achieve to keep them relevant.
Key Insights:
Bags often become the most recognisable symbols of luxury brands, significantly contributing to their financial performance. For instance, Alaïa’s Teckel bag – a playful, wiener dog-shaped design – helped offset the weaker performance of parent company Richemont’s other fashion labels. “That one bag was able to do so much, not just for the brand but for the larger company that the brand sits under,” says Stern Carbone. “That just says so much about the impact that a single wiener dog-shaped bag can potentially have.”Handbags are particularly attractive as entry-level luxury items because they are recognisable status symbols. “Consumers might not recognise jeans from Bottega, but they will recognise whether a bag is Louis Vuitton,” explains Stern Carbone. “Bags are something that people will purchase time and time again; they will use them daily. And if done right, it really becomes the totemic product for a brand.”Successful handbag designs can become immediate targets for imitation due to limited legal protections and the ease of replicating shapes and materials. “Once the bag gets copied, it's already over,” notes Stern Carbone, underscoring the need for continuous innovation or artificial scarcity, as mastered by Hermès with its Birkin and Kelly bags.Brands must innovate thoughtfully, staying true to their heritage and core identity rather than pursuing novelty for novelty’s sake. “Empower your creative design teams and give new voices a chance,” advises Stern Carbone. “The beautiful thing is there's variety for everybody. Brands just need to authentically strike the cord with their loyal consumer base… and handbags are a way to do it.”Additional Resources:
In a Market of Copycats, Handbag Innovators Stand Out | BoF Can Slouchy Work Bags and a Selfie Mirror Grow Delvaux? | BoF How Polène Is Growing French DTC Handbags Into an International Success | BoF On the Wings of Céline | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Right from the outset, Tory Burch had a vision: to create a business where profit and purpose could go hand in hand. She was quick to take her brand global, first to Tokyo in 2009, and then on to Rome, Paris, Shanghai and beyond.
Today, Tory Burch operates more than 350 stores around the world and across the Global South, including the Middle East, Latin America and South East Asia.
Her partner in life and business, Pierre-Yves Roussel, joined the company as CEO in 2019 after working with some of the industry’s top creatives as Chairman and CEO of the fashion group at LVMH. Together, they’ve taken a measured, intentional approach to growth, balancing global ambition with a focus on finding local relevance.
“It seems so superficial to hear, ‘let's just transplant a Westerner into a [different] market. That's just the opposite of how we look at things,” says Burch. "Authenticity is what people are going to be looking for more and more," adds Roussel. "You don't try to please every customer in the world. You attract the people that relate to who you are and what you stand for and what you propose."
This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and CEO Imran Amed in conversation with Tory and Pierre-Yves from BoF CROSSROADS in Dubai, exploring what it means to build an authentic, global brand in today’s competitive fashion marketplace.
Key Insights:
Burch believes purpose should drive business strategy. “From day one, my business plan was how do we have a successful business with incredible products that actually have deeper meaning and support a foundation for women entrepreneurs,” she says.Roussel emphasises authenticity as the key differentiator in today’s saturated fashion landscape. "People probably feel that there's too much formula around. Everyone is doing pretty much the same thing. People are really looking for authenticity."Operating globally requires deep local insights. For Burch and Roussel, global expansion isn’t about transplanting a fixed brand formula. Instead, it’s about deeply understanding and respecting local traditions. "It seems superficial to transplant a Westerner into a market – that's the opposite of how we look at things," says Burch. Roussel adds, "You don't change the essence of who you are, but you translate it into the local culture."Navigating uncertainty, like shifting global tariffs, requires resilience. "Grace under pressure is very important," says Burch. "You have to be calm, not overreact or overcorrect, because it’s an iterative process."Thoughtful growth is central to Burch and Roussel’s strategy. "I've always wanted to be the most exceptional company, not necessarily the biggest," Burch explains. Roussel adds that "it's more about being focused and really going after things we really want."Additional Resources:
BoF CROSSROADS 2025: How to Tap into Fashion’s Future Growth MarketsAfter the ‘Toryssance’: Tory Burch’s Balancing Act | BoFThe BoF Podcast: Tory Burch on Finding Purpose in Female EmpowermentHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In early April, President Donald Trump announced an unprecedented wave of tariffs, imposing duties as high as 145 percent on imports from China. Among the rationales offered were the prospect of a US manufacturing renaissance.
The American fashion sector – heavily reliant on overseas production, particularly in China – now faces significant disruption. Some brands are adapting quickly, leveraging their domestic operations and leaning into a ‘Made in USA’ identity. Others are reevaluating their reliance on China as their primary sourcing destination. But the prospect of a mass return of garment manufacturing jobs remains a remote possibility, most economists and fashion industry experts say.
In this episode of The Debrief, BoF correspondents Malique Morris and Marc Bain join executive editor Brian Baskin and senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young to assess whether the dream of American-made fashion is any closer to reality.
Key Insights:
The ‘Made in USA’ dream remains out of reach due to the lack of US manufacturing infrastructure. "The infrastructure just literally isn't here," says Bain. "Even if you use US grown cotton, most of the time that cotton is shipped out of the US to be spun into yarn and woven into fabric somewhere else. These are all sorts of things that we just don't have here. It's been lost over decades and it would take decades to get it back.”Brands that already manufacture domestically are seeing success from marketing craftsmanship, experience and emotional value. The outdoor clothing company Filson, for example, offers walking tours around their manufacturing facility that shares a space with their Seattle headquarters. “Fashion is already an emotional purchase, and consumers do care about the story behind a brand. That's why brand marketing is so important for building the label,” says Morris. “This is another way to tap into that. It's storytelling, not nationalism.” Whereas the US has a lack of infrastructure for manufacturing, China is in the exact opposite position. Small brands might have their supply chain concentrated in one geographical area and are especially vulnerable to tariff changes. “If that area happens to be China and suddenly there's this giant more than doubling of tariffs, you are in serious trouble,” says Bain. Although cheap overseas clothing companies like Shein and Quince will now be subject to increased duties, consumers won’t abandon cheap fashion overnight. “Even if [middle-class shoppers] are not going to buy American-made brands that are significantly more expensive, maybe they'll go second-hand, maybe they'll vintage,” says Morris. “I think the hope here is that people will just get conditioned out of the idea that they can get $2 jeans and a $10 dress.”Additional Resources:
How Made-in-America Brands Turn Tariff Turmoil Into Opportunity | BoFWhy ‘Made in America’ Is Still a Fashion Fantasy | BoFUnravelling the Myth of ‘Made in America’ | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Born in the suburbs of Kolkata, India Sabyasachi Mukherjee grew up immersed in the rich cultural environment in the state of West Bengal. After attending fashion school, he focused on creating his own brand with a small team and a big vision: to create Indian fashion that honours tradition while setting a new global standard.
His first foray into the global market at New York Fashion Week in 2006 was dismissed by some critics as being “too ethnic”, but he remained undeterred, returning to India to build a business with power, presence, and purpose. Now he’s back in New York, creating a sensation with his first store outside India. The reception has been much warmer even if the core philosophy remains the same.
“The clothing hasn’t changed at all. What’s changed is people’s perception – and I think nothing succeeds like success,” he says. “The only way you can succeed is to just stay strong. Because if you do not have a unique identity, you'll never be globally recognised.”
This week on The BoF Podcast, a conversation with Sabyasachi from BoF CROSSROADS which took place in Dubai, bringing together top business and creative leaders to examine opportunities for fashion, beauty and luxury brands in the Global South.
Key Insights:
Mukherjee’s early setbacks in New York taught him that success doesn’t come from fitting in, but rather from standing firm. "Keep holding onto your belief system because if you do not have a unique identity, you'll never be globally recognised.” His designs haven't changed over the years but perceptions have. “Once you start having authority to tell people that this is the way you want things to happen, people stand up and listen to you."Global brands often fail in India because they misunderstand its luxury consumer. "What they need to do is they need to have a stronger cultural connection with the country for people to understand why they should pay these kinds of prices," he says. "There's a misnomer about India that Indians buy cheap, but that's not true at all. I think Indians buy value. So if you can come and show the value of your brand to India, Indians will open up their wallets."Amid shifting geopolitics and US trade tariffs, Mukherjee sees an opportunity. "This becomes a wonderful opportunity for us to say that we can together create our own dominance. Many times we think the solution only lies in the West, not knowing how much stronger the solution is within our own ecosystem," he says. "I think a lot of people, a lot of countries, designers, markets, finance people, influencers, everybody will come together to push up the might of the Global South. It's going to happen for sure."Mukherjee believes cultural craftsmanship should be protected on a global scale. "While there are certain things that can be put under tariff, I think businesses which are made with craft and which are with local cultures should be exempted so that we can let them thrive and we can make the world a more richer, diverse, and a meaningful place to live in."Additional Resources:
BoF CROSSROADS 2025: Unpacking Fashion’s Future MarketsWhy Billionaire Industrialists Are Snapping Up India’s Fashion Brands | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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President Donald Trump announced an unprecedented wave of tariffs on April 2, imposing duties as high as 54 percent on fashion imports from key manufacturing countries, including China and Vietnam, and 20 percent on goods from the EU. These measures immediately sparked panic across global markets, ratcheting up the odds of a US recession and causing sharp stock price declines for major fashion brands such as Nike, Victoria's Secret and VF Corp.
Sustainability correspondent Sarah Kent and luxury correspondent Simone Stern Carbone join executive editor Brian Baskin and senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young to break down the tariffs’ effects on manufacturing, luxury brands, consumer behaviour and potential future shifts within the industry.
Key Insights:
The belief that these tariffs could quickly restore US-based fashion manufacturing is unrealistic. "It would take years of investment to build up the infrastructure and skill base within the US to replace manufacturing capacity that has been moving abroad for decades. For the apparel industry, it just does not exist on the scale that would be needed," explains Kent.Luxury brands, traditionally insulated by European-based production, will also face pressure. "Even for luxury brands that pride themselves for their production in countries like mostly France and Italy, they are going to be hit with some tariffs too," Stern Carbone points out.The tariffs introduce a complex challenge for luxury brands, requiring careful balancing of price adjustments, consumer sentiment and creativity amid ongoing economic uncertainty. "It's this mix between pricing, demand, maybe a lack of creativity, and also incentivising customers to actually purchase luxury goods," says Stern Carbone. "You don't know what [Trump] is going to do next, you don't know if this is going to stick, so are you going to spend $10,000 on a handbag - even if you can technically afford it - when you don't know what tomorrow brings?" emphasises Kent.The industry isn’t entirely powerless. "Brands have a voice. Brands are part of the global economy. Brands can lobby," says Kent. "They can make it known that they don't like this. If you're not raising your voice and saying, 'hey, this is really hurting big business and it's not making America great again,' then you're not even trying."Additional Resources:
Trump’s Tariffs Rock Fashion’s Supply Chain | BoFExplainer: How Trump’s Tariffs Threaten Luxury Fashion | BoFOp-Ed | Fashion’s Reset: What Tariffs Are Forcing Us to Finally Fix | BoF Executive Memo | An Action Plan for Navigating Trump’s TariffsHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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After years of honing his craft at Savile Row, studying at Central Saint Martins, and working for Givenchy, Edun and Golden Goose, Japanese designer Satoshi Kuwata created the brand Setchu, a deeply personal response to his passion for blending Japanese and Western ideas.
Grounded in precision tailoring and shaped by the poetic restraint of the kimono, Kuwata’s work reflects a lifelong pursuit of balance – between cultures, between past and future, and between creativity and business.
“Once you meet the Western garment, it's free. You can do whatever you want. Some people go too crazy, but designers like Rei Kawakubo, and Yohji Yamamoto are geniuses, for understanding the flow of the fabric, understanding the shape of it but still keeping their Japaneseness,” shares Kuwata.
Kuwata joins BoF Founder and CEO Imran Amed to explore how his Japanese upbringing shaped his creative vision, how Savile Row and Saint Martins gave him the tools to execute it, and why he’s just as focused on designing a company as he is designing clothes.
Key Insights:
Kuwata's design identity is rooted in a lifelong tension between his Japanese heritage and Western training. Having studied Savile Row tailoring and graduated from Central Saint Martins, he continues to explore how 2D kimono principles and 3D Western garment construction can coexist in one garment and one brand. “Setchu is the journey of finding the right balance,” he says.Kuwata’s years at Savile Row shaped his technical fluency and deep respect for tradition. “I really loved British designers because of tailoring … because that’s the most complicated garment,” he says. Working at prestigious houses like Huntsman, he absorbed a culture of precision, etiquette and generational craftsmanship. “I was probably the last generation to feel or to experience that kind of old culture,” he reflects. That foundation now anchors his design approach, even as he pushes toward innovation.Kuwata wants Setchu to be a new kind of fashion company that is collaborative, thoughtful, and grounded in mutual respect. He believes in designing a workplace culture as intentionally as he designs garments. “As a leader, … I'd like to design a company as well. I'd like to design a beautiful relationship as well, he says. “If I have a good team, I don’t need to tell them to finish on time – they’ll do it even earlier.”Building an independent brand comes with real challenges, from financial anxiety to industry expectations, but Kuwata reframes pressure as opportunity. “Fashion is fashion. It’s not 100% that people love your collection. I don't take it as pressure. I always take it as an opportunity, and I always dream big.”Additional Resources:
Satoshi Kuwata | BoF 500 | The People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry Satoshi Kuwata’s Setchu Wins the 2023 LVMH Prize | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Fast-fashion giant H&M recently announced its plans to deploy AI-generated "digital twins" of real-life models in marketing campaigns. While H&M argues it's proactively managing inevitable industry changes, including by working with models to compensate them for use of their AI versions, the decision has sparked significant backlash. Comments on social media and statements by industry figures highlight deep-seated anxieties around job security, creative integrity and the value of the human element in fashion.
BoF correspondents Marc Bain and Haley Crawford discuss the potential outcomes and tensions arising from AI’s expanding role in fashion marketing.
Key Insights:
H&M is just the tip of the iceberg: Fashion brands are increasingly embracing AI, from fast fashion to luxury. While AI-generated imagery has quietly infiltrated lower-end markets for some time, H&M's public embrace signifies its move out into the open, and into the world of high-profile campaigns. High-end brands like Coach and Estée Lauder have started using AI for product-focused imagery, indicating a cautious yet clear shift. "Coach uses Adobe Firefly to create digital twins of its products… to scale marketing content and test designs," says Crawford, highlighting how AI is already reshaping marketing across the fashion spectrum.Transparency around AI use in marketing is still inconsistent, and regulations are lagging behind. "The technology is moving so rapidly, it's making its way out into the world already, and the law is trying to catch up," Bain explains. While the EU is moving toward legislating transparency in AI-generated imagery, the lack of clear rules globally adds complexity for brands and consumers alike, creating uncertainty around ethical marketing standards.The rise of AI-generated imagery raises concerns over the loss of the creative collaboration intrinsic to traditional fashion shoots. "What's really at risk of being lost here is that communal process of creating fashion imagery," says Bain. "Some level of creativity and humanity, in addition to all the jobs themselves, which are also hugely important, will also be lost."As AI image generation continues to be adopted by brands, it is creating increased competition, forcing both digital and traditional creatives to innovate further. "You can't only live in an endlessly self-referential cycle of AI image generation, even if AI is piecing different concepts together to generate newness," Crawford says. "People working on photography, art, whatever the artistic format is, will only get more creative and people are going to experiment more to stand out."Additional Resources:
H&M Knows Its AI Models Will Be Controversial | BoFThe Fake Fashion Campaigns That Show AI’s Future in Marketing | BoFHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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