When Meghan Markle wears a brand, sales tend to take off. That’s what happened for James Bartle, founder of Outland Denim. It’s an Australian firm that creates opportunities for at-risk women to learn a useful trade; something that then makes them self-sufficient.
Nike, Under Armour and Ralph Lauren have all benefited from Uncle Drew’s experience and insights over the years. As the first African American to hold various higher-ranking positions within the fashion world, he has a lot of wisdom to share when it comes to diversity, authenticity and effective storytelling.
Hermes understands that natural dyes work just as well as synthetic ones, without damaging the environment. However, a lot of industry folk are skeptical about this belief, including Keith Recker when he was first approached about it during his time at Saks Fifth Avenue.
YouGov is one of the largest consumer research groups in the world. In this very special episode, we interview Cara David, Managing Partner responsible for the Affluent Perspective Global Study – YouGov’s comprehensive annual report into the affluent population and how they buy luxury items (among other things).
Fast fashion might not immediately come to mind when thinking about sustainability, but Queen of Raw founder Stephanie Benedetto would tell you otherwise. She works with this category, as well top luxury players and many other brands to turn dead stock into a financial opportunity that reduces the fashion industry’s negative impact on the environment.
Tom Smarte was a family-run hatmaker founded in the late 18th century in Devon, England. Yet after the fourth Thomas Smarte died in the First World War, the brand lay silent until 2013 when Allon Zloof decided to revive it. As a designer hatmaker himself, he knew what needed to be done to bring the brand back.
Lululemon, Ralph Lauren, Levi’s – Gary Lenett has worked with the largest brands in the industry but 6 years ago, after three decades in the denim business, he wanted something different. That was the start of DUER, a fast-growing “adventure-ready apparel” brand based in Vancouver, Canada.
It’s an often-overlooked segment of the market. But the silent majority, in the words of our guest Jennifer Mackey-Mary, can represent a good opportunity for certain fashion brands willing to make the effort to serve them.
An overheard comment prompted artist and sculptor Rosemary Goodenough to print 150 copies of her work onto silk scarves. That simple act launched a luxury brand that has become something of a hidden gem for consumers who want something you can’t find in every luxury retailer.
Gender diversity often makes people uncomfortable. But it’s important both from a societal viewpoint as well as in strictly business terms. To help us better understand this topic, we welcome Joshua Williams, assistant professor at Parsons and a founder of QueerCut, a marketplace for queer shoppers.
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