Retail Diary - Week of February 12, 2024

This Week's Topics:  

• NYFW News

• Cultural Moments impacting Fashion

• New Collabs, Launches, Stores & News

• What else I ❤️️ 

NYFW News

• The Cut reporting - wow! They are nailing it. This article, “Hanging On By a Thread” Why an Independent Designer today can dress celebrities, win awards, and still be one paycheck away from shuttering - by Danya Issawi is phenomenal. It breaks down all the challenges of being a Fashion Designer/Brand starting out. The expenses, the challenges with DTC (being at the whims of the algorithm), managing both the business side and the creativity. The real costs behind going Wholesale that the Brand has to cover and how difficult Retailers can make it (although it is so hard on the Retailer side too - but we have to work together.) I highly recommend reading it.

• Rachel Tashjian writes for the Washington Post about what is “cool” this NYFW and it is indie designers like Willy Chavarria and Eckhaus Latta.

• I’ll fan girl over Tashjian a bit more, I loved this under 4 minute video where she takes us with her on a day at NYFW.

• Marisa Meltzer (who recently had her book Glossy published - you can review my Retail Diary Book Club on that here) wrote a piece for the NYTimes that was shared many times over. And for good reason. American Sportswear has been really strong and growing, and Fashion Designer Daniella Kallmeyer is one of the amazing designers responsible for this moment. With the attention grabbing title “Lesbian Chic, for All” is a great read to learn about the Kallmeyer client, the tip that opening her pop-up across the street from Aesthetician Christine Chin helped launch with the ideal customer for her line and I loved learning that we both studied at the London College of Fashion.

Coach

• I listened to Rundown podcast from The Modern Retail Podcast on the week in review and they discussed how big the Tabby collection is for Coach. The silhouette of the Tabby is similar to the Fendi. What is great about that for Coach’s business is that it can be iterated upon, drive collectors and Coach can design at various price points depending on materials used.

• Data wise, the Tabby sales doubled over the past year. This style/Coach is over indexing with newer and younger consumers. This feels exciting for Coach because they seem to be able to grow with some shoppers who continue to love the brand but also bring in many new consumers. It is hard for brands if they can’t appeal to a new/younger consumer. Last year Coach saw 2.5 Million new customers.

• This fabulously marketed Instagram post from Coach highlights that they are heavily going after the multi bag trend (increase the Average Order Volume/AOV!) and layering on the charms too. The comments on the post show that the audience is into this trend and the large tote is another big trend (I’m thinking The Row Margaux vibes. I’ll write more below on big totes trends.) Again, this harkens back to the Jane Birkin trend we saw last season at Miu Miu and the European shows. (PS My next visit to NYC I want to go to a Don’t Let Disco Bead Event and create my own. Who is joining me?)

Trending in Street Style and on the Runway

• With one of the bags of the moment, The Row Margaux, and even the L.L. Bean Boat and Tote, we are seeing the increase in Totes as a key handbag style. Reported here by Vogue Business.

• It is strong for sales because they are often higher retails. The all leather styles of The Row, Loro Piana and Bottega Veneta speak to the quiet luxury trend.

• As many are schlepping so much back to the office and on-the-go they are certainly practical - although not great for our backs. A little funny though after the “ludicrously capacious bag” from Succession, no?

Tory Burch

• As this is 1) Tory Burch’s 20th Anniversary and 2) Season 2 to 3 of a major “Toryssance” we are getting lots of Tory Burch content. This is a great interview with Tory Burch in the WSJ.

• You can see all the looks from Vogue here. It was another really well received show and it is being said that her stepdaughter, Pookie Burch, is a creative force that really pushes Tory in this newer, fresher direction. Pookie previously had her own line Trademark that she designed with her sister. (Don’t get this Pookie confused with the other Pookie that showed up at Tory Burch.)

More Designers I loved

• Helmut Lang/Peter Do was another really strong show. I also really liked this content that WSJ Executive Fashion Director Rory Satran published on TikTok on the plaid print.

• For the strong, chic, working woman’s wardrobe: Khaite (read more about Khaite’s business and where they are going, 40% business DTC, here from Business of Fashion), Altuzarra, Proenza Schouler.

• Love the texture, detail and originality in Diotima’s designs.

All images via links in this post.

Cultural moments impacting Fashion

Which really just means more Super Bowl chatter

• With the Super Bowl in the past I thought I’d be over this content but 1) it shared the data that “varsity” is a trending search term up 10% and 2) I think we’ll see this carry in to next football season and also basketball and baseball season because we have more references for inspo. WAGs1 are having a moment. WSJ “Taylor Swift’s Sporty Style is Worth Stealing, On Super Bowl Sunday and Beyond”

• Elizabeth Holmes

  , who I 1000% trust for the insights behind why celebs and royalty dress the way they do - the meaning behind it, wrote about “Taylor Swift’s Game Day Style Strategy”

• Lots of conversations around commercials, and one of the major ones was “why so many Temu ads?” And for many, “what is Temu?” Thankfully, we have “Temu is Speedrunning American Familiarity” from Amanda Mull for The Atlantic to answer all the Temu questions with the financials behind it too.

• Beyoncé’s new music!!! I’m obsessed. Also, she supported her nephew this week and sat front row at Luar.

New Collabs, Launches, Stores & News

• Collabed

  • Mejuri x Ganni coming soon. I’m excited to see Mejuri doing this and it should be a win for their jewelry line.

  • Cos x Linda Farrow

• Launched

  • I wrote recently about Jane Herman’s LA Vintage Denim Guide and the fashion influencers/experts mentioning With Love Lenny. They are doing a pop-up this spring in NYC this May.

  • Popular Brooklyn jewelry boutique Catbird opening in Georgetown

    • Skims is also opening in Georgetown - DC is where it is at?!?

  • Welcome

    Susan Orlean

    to Substack with Wordy Bird - a fashion newsletter. I have always loved Orlean’s writing and she launched with the ode to enchanted black pants and even mentioned the famous High Sport Kick Flares because it is what is heavily in the fashion zeitgeist now.

• Stores & News

  • Brands and Retailers are having to grapple with how to handle returns and shoppers who are frequent returners. I can see both sides of this and do think there is an opportunity around this challenge. This article from The Cut “The Return Grift Is Over” highlights the conversations.

    • First, it is hard to know your size (vary brand to brand and don’t even get me started on denim!) and shopping online allowed us to try-on at home and was all about convenience. The verbiage about what is allowed and isn’t is very vague and what about delivering amazing customer service and being loyal to your strongest shoppers?

    • On the other hand, this article gives an example of a stylist who is borrowing clothing, removing tags, getting the products dirty and dry cleaning, putting tags back on and sending back. This is not appropriate for working with a Retailer. I agree it is hard to be a stylist without the proper channels to work through (PR relationship, influencer marketing etc) but this isn’t the way to go about it. A customer doesn’t want to purchase this product that has already been worn/used unless it is through a consignment/second hand retailer.

    • I have a lot of thoughts here and can see both sides - which in an exciting way shows me there is a big business opportunity (and perhaps some shoppers/stylist should be using rental like Nova Octo, RTR or Nuuly etc in these cases.)

What else I ❤️️ 

• WSJ - This year the idea of buying your own Valentine’s Day Gift has become newsworthy. I’m all for spoiling yourself. Data from Civic Science too. Is this something you did this Valentine’s? If so, let me know in the comments how you treated yourself.

• Just discovered this Instagram that chronicles Anna Wintour’s wardrobe.

• Had a chuckle and loved this piece for The Cut (seriously awesome this issue) written by

  Emilia Petrarca

  on “17 Designer Handbags That Reflect the Real You” loving the illustrations, descriptions and chosen handbags.

• A day in the life of making a Hermés Kelly from Vogue Runway.

• 1960s style aligns with return of kick flare pants (link to my Fashion Spiral earlier this week on the history & trend.)

• Recently I posted about Boat Shoes as the popular Spring shoe silhouette and

  Best Friend

  did a fun recap here of Boat Shoes.

• Looking for more “cool2” accessories? WSJ reports on the latest trends in watches and general Women’s Accessories.

• Vogue shared Gab Waller’s current It List and I’m noticing a few trends. 1) heavy looking/substantial architectural metal details 2) a couple of longer more rectangular and shallow handbags. Overall more interesting and organic shapes and materials for spring.

• March’s Vogue cover star is Miuccia Prada. Catch up on my Prada Fashion Spiral here.

• Jimmy Kimmel Oscars preview/trailer. Hilarious spin on Barbie. Well done.

  What's Next?

  London Fashion Week is up next starting on Friday, February 16.

  Also, I’m working on my Retail Math 101 newsletter - if you have any questions or want me to focus on anything in particular, add to the comments here or email me sarahshapiro@substack.com. I love hearing from y’all - thank you for all the comments and notes! Part one will be ready by the end of the month.

  Thanks for reading Deep Dive Edition 152

  Sarah Shapiro