Independent brands are going through it, y’all. In the last two weeks, Mara Hoffman, Calvin Luo, and The Vampire’s Wife have announced the closing of their doors due to sustainability challenges, burnout, and the volatile wholesale market.

Business of Fashion, Vogue Business, and WWD are all reporting on the weak points of managing an independent brand post-COVID with Business of Fashion noting that “a slowing luxury market is putting significant pressure on fashion businesses big and small”. @Vogue Business cites burnout as a major factor in the closing of independent brands quoting Calvin Luo, “Looking ahead, I see a path that becomes highly commercialised and commoditised, where dealing with numbers overshadows the creative process, and most of my energy is spent on non-design-related tasks.”

As a farewell-for-now, Mara Hoffman pieces are still available to purchase on the brand’s website and 260 Sample Sale will host the Mara Hoffman New York Sample Sale in Soho from June 5th - June 9th. Products from The Vampire’s Wife are no longer available on their website, but the Music Room in London’s Mayfair district hosted a “Goodbye Sale” from May 24th to May 26th.

The fashion market is oversaturated. Fast fashion brands make it easy to overconsume; the wholesale model is unstable, especially for emerging brands that rely on it to grow their business; the direct-to-consumer path includes many additional costs to sustain; and it’s become even more challenging for brands to stand out and attract their target audience online.

How can society shift into a more holistic and sustainable approach to fashion where we only buy what we need from brands that align with our ethics and values? How can brands diversify their revenue streams instead of solely relying on wholesale models like Matches, which was placed into administration earlier this year, and risk unsold stock “being sold at deep discounts to clear the warehouses”? While there’s no blanket answer, it’s become more important that designers not put all their eggs in one basket.

One way to prevent independent brands from faltering is continued education. AZ Academy is stepping in to help. Formerly AZ Factory, the retail side of the business is being phased out by the end of July to make room for an academy and invite 10 to 20 designers into a one-year scholarship program beginning in early 2025 in Milan.

WWD reports, “Topics to be covered… include creativity, innovation, sustainability, production, finance, legal, marketing, and inclusivity as well as an immersive experience with suppliers and tutorships”. Masterclasses, individual coaching opportunities, factory tours, and internships will also be available for scholarship recipients with the program concluding with “a final presentation of a fully reviewed and ready-to-pitch business case proposal, collection, and industrial plan for potential investors”.

It’s not a total solution, but it’s a start. Lately, I’ve been diving deeper into the state of the fashion industry. With changing consumer tastes, new digital trends, adjustments in brick-and-mortar strategies, and constant sustainability concerns, the entire industry is due for a shift. I’m interested to see what the remainder of 2024 has in store.

Welcome to Weekly Staples! A brief overview of my favorite fashion industry articles from the week related to marketing, retail trends, and events.

Masterful Marketing

Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show to Return in Late 2024 via Business of Fashion

Oh, I have thoughts. As a long-time fan of the Victoria’s Secret runway show, I had always been torn between enjoying the show’s glitz, glamour, and aspiration while simultaneously being turned off by the lack of diversity. And while I believe the criticism from the show’s viewers was warranted, I think the brand’s reaction was too hard of a pivot.

After subscribing to Amazon Prime to watch Victoria’s Secret: The Tour ‘23 last year, I was even more confused about the brand’s new direction. In the description for its trailer on Prime Video’s YouTube channel, the documentary was described as “a celebration of women and global creatives, looking at fashion and art through a cinematic narrative lens”. However, the concept didn’t align with the Victoria’s Secret we all knew and used to love.

It was a tragic case of “right message, wrong messenger”. (The documentary currently averages 1.7 out of 5 stars on Amazon.) Hopefully, this year’s revamped show will give us everything we’ve been missing with a healthier mix of bodies, skin tones, and hair textures.

When did the red carpet turn into a costume party? via Vogue Business

I love the concept of actors using “method dressing” on the red carpet to promote their projects. It allows the actor to bring their character to life, gives the audience the opportunity to gain interest in the films being promoted, and allows brands to capitalize on viral red carpet moments. Law Roach and Zendaya are an amazing team that has mastered the art of creating a character narrative through modern and archival pieces. Similarly, the entire press run for Barbie with Margo Robbie dressed in a different look for each event was a genius marketing move. *Adds “Barbie: The World Tour” book to my cart*

Although I can understand Jose Criales-Unzueta’s view that “the looks should be able to stand on their own and leave room for interpretation, lest they become mere costumes”, I also believe these red carpet events are part of a larger marketing strategy for studios to promote their projects and make a profit. So as long as the looks continue to build awareness, I won’t complain.

Who is Australian Fashion Week for? via Vogue Business

Vogue Business notes the decision of Australian brands to either cater to industry insiders or consumers at Australian Fashion Week stating while “consumers want a longer show, with pieces they can buy now”, “industry players are there to assess a brand’s creative direction”. The cost to produce a show at the event has also proved to be another challenge for local designers and some like Christopher Esber, Zimmermann, and Dion Lee have even moved on to fashion shows in other countries to make “room for emerging talent to shine”. Phoebes Garland, Co-Founder of Garland & Garland, suggests “AFW may need to explore more affordable strategies” and “a clearer direction would also benefit, particularly to attract an international audience”.

Brands are making room for Pinterest in their ad budgets via Modern Retail

More brands are increasing their marketing budgets to include Pinterest content as the visual inspiration platform “revamps… to make it easier for people to buy things they see on the platform’s pin boards… Now, when users see something on the app they want to buy, they can click on it and get redirected to the retailer’s web store”. Pinterest CEO, Bill Ready, has also pitched the platform “as an alternative to social media apps like TikTok, which have come under heightened scrutiny about the psychological impact they have on users”.

100 years in, Zales is getting a brand refresh via Glossy

Zales is putting digital first to revamp their 100-year-old brand and attract new customers. Their strategy includes the implementation of Designer Edits (featuring emerging jewelry designers), new creator partnerships and brand activations, and “an open sale format, meaning certain products will be removed from behind glass cases to allow consumers to touch and feel the jewelry”.

Retail Rundown

Pacific Place sold for just a quarter of its value a decade ago, records show via Puget Sound Business Journal

With Pacific Place in downtown Seattle exchanging hands from Madison Marquette to BH Properties in May 2024, the Los Angeles-based commercial real estate investment firm “plans to breathe new life into the five-story, full-block mall”. Plans have not been confirmed or released to the public as of yet, however, I’m interested to see how BH Properties strategizes to increase foot traffic and lease the remaining 55% of retail space.

Ted Baker to Close in Bellevue after filing for Bankruptcy via Downtown Bellevue Network

So long to another favorite of mine. Ted Baker came through with a black metallic knitted mini dress and saved me from a fashion emergency a few years ago when my initial outfit plan fell through for a company Christmas party. Unfortunately, the UK-based retailer is closing its thirty-one North American stores after filing for bankruptcy in April 2024. And forget about shopping online, because their website, which is currently running a sale of “at least 40% off everything”, has removed the option to ship to the US and Canada. Vuori will replace Ted Baker in the Bellevue Square retail space later this year.

FullBeauty Brands is amassing a plus-size ‘digital mall’ of acquired brands via Glossy

Glossy reports FullBeauty Brands’ acquisition of three DTC plus-size brands in the last year, Cuup, Eloquii (formerly owned by Walmart), and Dia & Co. FullBeauty is adding to their digital mall of plus-size brands to give its customers more options to shop between brands all in one place as Bill Bass, CMO of FullBeauty, notes that “people end up spending more” on multiple brands “combined than they would have if they just shopped from one”. With other brands like Old Navy and Walmart divesting from the $81B plus-size market, FullBeauty is moving full speed ahead with their decades of experience serving their highly targeted audience.

EXCLUSIVE: Glossier Opens Las Vegas Store That Sells Lip Balm Alongside Bedazzled Baby Ts via WWD

Glossier recently opened its 13th standalone retail store in The Forum Shops in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas incorporating design inspiration from the city and a new mint shade of green to compliment the makeup brand’s signature millennial pink color scheme. The company continues to prioritize its retail channels with Chitra Balireddi, Glossier’s Chief Commercial Officer stating, “In wholesale, we express the brand to some degree. But the full manifestation happens in our stores, and not just from a design and aesthetic standpoint, but in terms of how our [staff] speaks about the brand, as well as a merchandise offer”. I’ll be sure to check out the retail space later this year during my trip to Las Vegas.

The Start-Ups Defying the Luxury E-Commerce Slump via Business of Fashion

While larger luxury e-commerce retailers are struggling to stay afloat, smaller luxury marketplaces are pedaling forward with clear goals of “appealing to aspirational shoppers with exclusive selections of $200-600 items from emerging brands” and growing “profitably by refusing to own any inventory, selling marketing services to their brand and boutique partners and keeping a lid on discounting”.

Charging brands a monthly fee in addition to commissions, requiring brand partners to submit product photography, and managing the responsibility for shipping their orders allow marketplaces like Cult Mia, Wolf & Badger, and Garmentory to keep their operating expenses low.

B.B.C., Chicago’s Beauty Retailer Offering Black-owned Brands, Expands to L.A. via WWD

There’s a bright spot for black beauty brands with the Black Beauty Collective’s expansion to Los Angeles with a second retail location. The Chicago-based brand offers a collective model for its brand partners. Founder Leslie Roberson explains, “They pay a monthly membership fee, and as part of their membership, they get access to retail shelf space, they’re able to do complete, unlimited activations in the store, they’re automatically on our online platform for no additional costs. And then they receive 100 percent of their retail sales.” The Los Angeles location was selected specifically because of the opportunity for brand partners to connect with the wealth of beauty influencers in the area.

Why Legacy Labels Still Want to Be DTC Brands via Business of Fashion

Many brands like Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, On, and Gucci are putting more energy into their DTC branches and cutting back on their wholesale retail strategies. Business of Fashion writes, “The focus on DTC comes amid continued challenges in multi-brand retail. The luxury e-commerce sector has been plagued with woes… Department stores, which have long faced decline as consumer preferences shift, are seeing their challenges ramp up, too. As struggling multi-brand retailers resort to rampant discounting to drive sales, luxury brands are opening more of their own stores and improving the shopping experience on their sites.”. While DTC strategies come with their challenges, given the right platforms, messaging, and customer focus, they can yield impressive results over time.

Conscious Content

How Athleisure Wear TOOK OVER America via Future Proof on YouTube

Get an overview of the rise of athleisure clothing from the popularity of Lululemon to the virality of GymShark with the help of fitness influencers on social media.

T.J. Maxx’s Recession-Proof Pricing Strategy, Explained via The Wall Street Journal on YouTube

T.J. Maxx continues to thrive in the retail space by sticking to its strategies of purchasing excess inventory from department stores, selling at “20-60% below regular retail prices, and using the anchoring effect to give the customer the illusion of a good deal. Similarly, according to Modern Retail, Liquidity Services, Inc., a reverse supply chain service company, has been purchasing offloaded merchandise from Target and selling them on platforms like eBay and Poshmark since 2013 and 2022, respectively, under the name “Bullseye Deals”.

What Happened to Etsy via CNBC on YouTube

Some long-time sellers on Etsy blame its CEO, Josh Silverman, for prioritizing profits and moving away from the brand’s original vision “allowing counterfeits and mass-produced items to thrive”.

Can good customer service make shopping fun again? via The Future of Shopping with Vogue Business Podcast

CEO of Reformation, Hali Borenstein, explains how her team incorporates a healthy mix of technology and person-to-person customer service into their retail stores to streamline the customer experience.