Week of June 26th 2023
This Week's Topics:
Why is everyone talking about Shein?
What’s the Store-y
New Launches, Collabs, Investments, Acquisitions & New Appointments
What else I ❤️️
Why is everyone talking about Shein?
The fast fashion company Shein has known a lot of controversy. See here and here.
Most recently to combat the challenges in the US related to their allegations of inappropriate factory conditions, Shein invited selected influencers to visit a factory (that Shein likely prepped…) and post about it on social media. Even more backlash followed. Check out technology journalist Taylor Lorenz as she dives into the Shein Factory Influencer trip.
Read about it in The Washington Post, NYTimes, The Cut, Amy Odell from Back Row also has a great breakdown.
And a few parodies of what happened here: via @Ideservecouture on instagram and @colormelovely instagram parody PR conversation.
What’s the Store-y
Plenty of articles and musings in regards to new stores and store openings.
Bloomingdale’s mini “Bloomies” format and the strategy to growth by expanding with smaller footprint stores.
Hermés opens its latest store in Aspen, CO. US President Diane Mahady talks with WWD about the store strategy in the US and renovations in existing stores.
Madewell opened a new store on 68th and 3rd Avenue on the UES in NYC and Libby Waddle shares that this new store is the direction that future stores will be based on.
Boutique owner Elyse Walker opens on Madison Avenue in NYC. Her 9 locations are some of the highest-performing multi brand boutique stores in the US.
Ulla Johnson opens a LA Flagship designed by interior designer Kelly Wearstler.
Kim Kardashian’s Skims brand is opening their first stores next year. And sister Khloe Kardashian’s (and Emme Gerde’s) Good American opened her first store this week in LA.
Rough week for Tiffany & Co - the newly reopened flagship (post $500 million update) had a basement electrical fire this week. It happened before store opening and 100 people were evacuated to safety. WWD updated the story later today.
I want to share an incredible experience I had visiting a La Ligne store. Thoughtful one-on-one sales help and a special touch in my post purchase journey. It made shopping fun! Two days later I received an email “thank you” from my sales associate who also wink wink (and politely, not pushy) reminded me of the other dress I was thinking about so I could remember it for the future. I will certainly continue to shop them in the future (and I shared with friends my wonderful experience.) Overall I was impressed with the stores and shopping on the UES in NYC which isn’t always my top shopping destination. I also loved peering in the window of the Mashburn store and want to visit when they are open for the full experience. (Why can’t stores be open past 6pm!)
New Launches, Collabs, Investments, Acquisitions & New Appointments
Launched
Staud launched a fabulous (nailed it!) tennis and pickleball collection. They collabed with Keds on a tennis sneaker. You can read more about it in WWD.
Duster - a new dress line for women. Feels very in the vein of Hill House Home’s Nap dress or La Ligne dresses. The line is focused on female empowerment and the “house” dresses are meant to feel comfortable and put together.
Phoebe Philo’s long awaited eponymous line will reportedly launch this September via online collection drops.
Collabed
This is the summer of Barbie - with everyone partnering with the famous doll ahead of the summer movie. Bloomingdale’s x Barbie, Airbnb has Barbie’s Dreamhouse
Vuori collabed with Clae on footwear. I think this is a great way to dip a toe in to the footwear space for Vuori and seems like it would be an ideal direction for growth.
Invested
Aurora James (Founder/Designer Brother Vellies and Founder of the 15% Pledge) has launched Parity Fund - a fund dedicated to supporting Black Founders.
Acquired
Hunter (Wellies) was on the brink of administration (British equivalent of administration) but now Authentic Brand Groups has acquired them.
New Appointments
'Marie Claire' Names Nikki Ogunnaike New Editor in Chief I’m excited for this!
New CEO for Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty lingerie line. Hillary Super, ex CEO of Anthropologie will be the new CEO replacing Rihanna as she will stay on as executive chair.
What else I ❤️️
History of It Bags. and another luxury bag that was made with a lot of heart (would someone make you a Birkin bag by hand?)
And the latest strategy in Luxury Bags - increased prices and scarcity in supply to drive popularity and the resale market.
Who what wear interviews Liat Baruch (Sofia richie’s stylist). Great tips on on building a wardrobe.
Recap of the LV Pharrell show in Paris. Paris is the hottest fashion city right now and continuing to have a major moment.
A great recap in Lauren Sherman’s The Line Sheet about the financial rumors and insights on the business future of the Olsen twins fashion line The Row. Later this week Mary-Kate Olsen was photographed wearing the new trends we are REaDy for.
And because I can’t stop talking about how much I love Sherman’s Line Sheet, today she wrote about Kanye West teaming up with Dov Charney 🚨
J.Crew ex-President and super stylish star Jenna Lyons is gearing up for her big debut on Real Housewives of NY later in July on Bravo.
This week is apparently white tshirt recap time on the editorial calendar. I received newsletters that covered this topic from Monica Ainley DLV’s recap with her top 10 (all look great and many new to me brands) and Becky Malinksy’s favorites (I trust her.) Good time at the beginning of summer to stock up.
Carrie Bradshaw and the making of an It item. Many of the items went viral because it was featured on Sex and the City. Between the 25th Anniversary of SATC and the new season of And Just Like That, I’m sucked back into the SATC world and I love it.
Spotted this style skirt chic-ly worn by many ladies. Relaxed with flat sandals and a casual t-shirt tucked in. Cute with ballet flats and sneakers too.
Nicole Phelps insights in the Marc Jacobs show. 3 minutes in total!! Fashionista shared thoughts on the speedy show too.
Have you heard of Tomato Girl Summer? The latest after Coastal Grandma Summer.
Since I haven’t seen a fresh new item take off like this from so many brands so clearly, I can’t get enough of the content of mesh shoes. I was expecting next summer to be when they went even more mainstream, but then I found these.
Jennifer Lawrence Gotham image from Glamour
Jennifer Lawrence is making loads of press rounds for her new movie and her stylist this time around is Jamie Mizrahi and wow! So gorgeous. These images of Lawrence (above) are all over social media and are the early inspiration for Fall 2023. Mizrahi also recorded this fun video partnering with Jimmy Choo and styling Riley Keough. (I’m excited to see fantastic stylist like Jamie Mizrahi, Liat Baruch, Karla Welch and Allison Bornstein etc. getting well deserved recognition, press and book deals for their work.
Loving the ideas in this podcast, I really enjoy Anne Helen Petersen and her Work Appropriate podcast. Career pivots vs career tweaks. The idea that if I just quit my job everything will be fixed. Sometimes the problem is a little more nuanced.
Saw & Juliet and now I can’t stop listening to it on Spotify. The writing was hilarious too. So much fun.
What's Next?
I’m excited to explore Substack and have fun on this platform. I’d love feedback. What Substacks do you like to read? Email me sarahshapiro@substack.com and let me know.
Thanks for reading Edition 135.
Sarah Shapiro