The Glossy Podcast

In this discussion, Anu Narayanan, the President of Women’s and Home at Anthropologie, shares insights into the brand's evolution, particularly the innovative spin-off of Maeve into a standalone label. She emphasizes the significance of fresh perspectives and strategic investments in growth during uncertain times. The conversation also touches on broader industry challenges, including Zara's controversial ad bans and Gucci's labor disputes, highlighting the ongoing need for change in fashion ethics and practices.

Sara Spruch Feiner, a senior reporter specializing in beauty and fashion, joins to discuss some buzzworthy topics. They dive into the controversy around American Eagle's campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney, sparking debates about ethics and marketing strategies. The conversation shifts to Vogue's controversial use of AI in their ads, raising questions about representation. Lastly, they explore Ty Haney's return to Outdoor Voices, focusing on the brand's shift in aesthetics and media strategies, reflecting on the journey of female entrepreneurs in the industry.

Patience Anoe-Lamptey Battle, a luxury fragrance sales expert with 15 years of experience, shares her journey in high-end retail. She highlights the evolving landscape of fragrance sales and the critical role of relationship-building with clients. The conversation also touches on the importance of adapting to new consumer behaviors, particularly among Gen Z, and the complexities of commission structures in luxury retail. Additionally, the discussions reveal insights into navigating the competitive space of luxury sales and the magic behind storytelling in fragrance branding.

Stephen and Erica Malbon, co-founders of Malbon Golf, breathe fresh air into the sport with their edgy golf apparel. They share stories, including a memorable moment when an athlete was deemed too distracting in their gear. The couple discusses making golf fashionable and appealing for younger audiences, blending personal passion with trends. They emphasize the sport's transformation into a vibrant lifestyle choice, showcasing how innovative designs and celebrity endorsements are reshaping perceptions of golf.

Laura Meyer, the Founder and CEO of Envision Horizons, shares her insights on how brands can thrive on Amazon and other e-commerce platforms. They dive into the significant drop in consumer spending during Prime Day, with most purchases under $20. Laura highlights the evolving relationship between fashion brands and the marketplace, tackling the challenges of discoverability and competition. The conversation also touches on luxury retail's adaptation to tech innovations, especially the impact of Meta's investment in smart eyewear.

Lisa Yamner Green, co-founder and chief brands officer at Daydream, shares her insights from a career at Google and Condé Nast. The conversation dives into the bold fashion seen at the NBA Draft, showcasing personalized looks and designer collaborations. They discuss Skims' nostalgic swimwear line with Roberto Cavalli and the cultural shift toward men’s stylish flip-flops, including Louis Vuitton’s luxe designs. Green also unveils how Daydream uses AI to transform online shopping into a smarter, more personalized experience.

In this discussion, Kim Nemser, Chief Product and Supply Chain Officer at Warby Parker, shares insights from her experience in omnichannel retail. She dives into how Warby Parker is leveraging AI to enhance operations and customer experiences. The conversation also touches on Kering's unexpected new CEO from the automotive sector, FIFA's venture into luxury branding, and France's new legislation targeting fast fashion. These topics highlight the dynamic shifts in fashion and sustainability.

Victoria's Secret faces scrutiny as their earnings report reveals flat sales and a significant cyberattack. Torrid's closure of 180 stores adds to the retail turmoil, highlighting challenges for plus-size brands. A legal battle unfolds between Disney and Midjourney over AI image copyright issues. The luxury sector grapples with disturbing labor practices revealed in a probe into Dior’s manufacturing, raising questions about ethical consumerism. This sheds light on the hidden struggles of luxury brands amidst growing awareness of labor exploitation.

Bradley Carbone, Deputy CEO of Luisaviaroma, Joëlle Grunberg from McKinsey, and Tanner Graham of General Idea discuss luxury retail's future amid economic shifts. They dive into Saks' financial woes, including overdue payments and joint ventures. The experts highlight how brands are redefining luxury for various consumers while navigating tariffs and adjusting strategies. They emphasize the growing importance of storytelling and experiential marketing in attracting both high-net-worth and aspirational buyers in today's complex market.

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, in our news segment, we break down Nike’s return to Amazon as it rolls back the DTC-focused strategy it launched five years ago and returns to wholesale. We also discuss a lawsuit between Steve Madden and Adidas, which points to Adidas’s zealous protection of its stripe motif. And finally, we talk about Maria Grazia Chiuri stepping down as artistic director of Dior’s women’s collection. Later in the episode, we take a deep dive into AI-powered search. Google announced last week that it is revamping its search function, infusing every step with its Gemini AI technology. For fashion brands, the most notable announcement is a new AI-powered virtual try-on option in the Google Shopping tab of search results. The tool lets users pick nearly any item of clothing from a Google Shopping result, upload a photo of themselves, and see an AI-generated image of the clothing fit to their body. The result is a bit lackluster. We test-ran the program and found it prone to jumbled text and strange outfit choices. Additionally, it sometimes alters the item itself, making it appear different from the listing. But Google’s AI try-on feature does raise an interesting question for brands about the future of search engine optimization. For years, brands have structured their strategies around keyword optimization and other tactics designed to float them to the top of traditional search bar results. But as ChatGPT becomes a go-to search engine for many consumers and Google rolls out AI Mode, in which consumers can shop through a chat interface rather than a traditional search bar and results, those strategies may change. Moves like optimizing product listings to be more readable by an AI program may help get a brand to surface better in an AI search. For now, ChatGPT does not have ads in its AI search programs, but that will likely change. Google is still testing out exactly how ads will work in AI mode. But once ads become normalized within AI search, a whole new set of best practices around search optimization will need to be defined.