

The Glossy Podcast
Glossy
The Glossy Podcast is a weekly show on the impact of technology on the fashion and luxury industries with the people making change happen.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 5, 2023 • 34min
Away CMO Carla Dunham: 'Digital is wonderfully optimized, but we still need contact'
When Carla Dunham joined the luggage brand Away as its CMO in November 2022, the focus became expanding the DTC brand's marketing efforts through an on-the-pulse strategy. Leveraging Dunham’s marketing experience spanning Foxtrot, Equinox, Kate Spade and Amazon, Away is now tapping into new audiences. The focus for the brand's marketing has shifted to using TV strategies, testing AI-integrated marketing and expanding the U.S. retail footprint.An AI-powered pop-up in Venice, California on the weekend of June 24 promoted its new “Extraordinary Is Out There” campaign. Participants filled out questionnaires to create their ideal AI world and later received a curated postcard showing their ideal destination. On the podcast, Dunham discussed why it's important for brands to engage in mobile TV audiences, why choosing strong store associates is especially important for travel goods brands and why functional design is key. According to Dunham, Away is currently focused on expanding its customer insights group and its presence in the U.S.

Jun 30, 2023 • 28min
Week in Review: UN greenwashing guidance, Skims retail expansion, the Shein influencer trip
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.This week, we talk about the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen and new anti-greenwashing guidance from the U.N., Skims opening its first retail stores and the Shein influencer trip.

Jun 28, 2023 • 30min
Founder Amahlia Stevens on selling Vitamin A Swimwear: ‘We’ve always been self-funded and under-resourced’
When designer Amahlia Stevens launched Vitamin A Swimwear in 2000, she was ahead of the curve. Along with championing body positivity by introducing the concept of bikini separates that can be mixed and matched, she prioritized sustainable, local production after getting a crash course on Patagonia's processes through her work with the brand.Today, California-based Vitamin A sells 50% direct to consumer and 50% through its 200 wholesale channels, which include Holt Renfrew and Revolve. Announced on Wednesday, Vitamin A was just acquired by Swim USA, a family-owned company that also counts Miraclesuit and Amoressa in its portfolio — its licensed brands include Polo Ralph Lauren and Reebok. On the podcast, Stevens shares why the deal made sense for Vitamin A and how it will work to grow the "under-resourced" brand. She hinted that branded stores, international expansion and product collaborations are around the corner under the new ownership.

Jun 23, 2023 • 29min
Week in Review: Pharrell's new vision for Louis Vuitton, Christopher Kane's troubles, Vans' upscale collection
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.This week, we take a deep dive into Pharrell Williams’ first collection for Louis Vuitton and its accompanying, extravagant Paris show. Later, we talk about the potential shutdown of Christopher Kane and the new premium line by Vans.

Jun 21, 2023 • 44min
Frank and Oak's Elisabeth de Gramont: 'It's important to actually quantify our sustainability'
Elisabeth de Gramont has been chief brand officer at the Canadian sustainable apparel brand Frank and Oak for more than two years. In that time, under her leadership, the brand's become more transparent and more communicative about its sustainable efforts than ever.Just this year, Frank and Oak launched its first sustainability progress report, a 17-page document granting an inside look at the material impact of the brand’s production and the concrete steps it's taking to reduce that impact. The report was spearheaded by de Gramont herself, but it required the participation of almost every team at the company.“We felt confident about how our factories and how we were doing things,” de Gramont said. “But it’s important for us to then say, 'OK, can we actually quantify what we’re doing and what we’re working toward?' We talk a lot about material science, so this was our chance to actually show what percentage of our clothing is using those sustainable fibers and what we’d like it to be.”De Gramont joined the Glossy Podcast to talk more about how Frank and Oak communicates its sustainability goals to its audience and what related investments it's making now. For example, all of the brand's deliveries in Canada are currently being completed by electric vehicles.

Jun 16, 2023 • 29min
Week in Review: Talking high-end jewelry news with Sotheby's Frank Everett
On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi breaks down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, he's joined by special guest co-host Frank Everett, vice chairman of jewels in the Americas for Sotheby's.The two discuss Chanel's new tweed-inspired jewelry collection, the widening gap between aspirational shoppers and true luxury shoppers, and recent record-breaking sales of colored diamonds and rubies at Sotheby's.

Jun 14, 2023 • 35min
Aureum Collective founder Cass DiMicco: 'You don't need a million followers to launch a brand'
When Cass DiMicco founded her jewelry brand, Aureum Collective, in 2019, she became the face of the brand. An influencer in her own right with nearly 500,000 followers on Instagram, DiMicco models all the products and is featured heavily in the brand’s advertising, in addition to founding and designing for the brand.According to DiMicco, she initially worried that her existing audience wouldn’t be enough to launch the brand. At the time, she only had 150,000 followers.“I thought that you needed to have a million followers to be able to launch a successful brand, but I realized that’s not exactly the case,” DiMicco said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “I had 150,000 followers, but those people were all following me specifically for fashion and style. Whatever brand I ended up creating, their tastes would align with it.”DiMicco spoke to Glossy about how she founded her brand, how her own influencer status plays into the brand’s marketing, and how she’s navigating pricing and luxury in the changing climate.

Jun 9, 2023 • 25min
Week in Review: Telfar ends Bag Security, fashion returns to the office and Stitch Fix may leave the U.K.
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, we talk about the end of Telfar's popular Bag Security Program, the impact of the return to the office for companies like Rent the Runway and the future of Stitch Fix in the U.K.

Jun 7, 2023 • 34min
Jewelry designer Roxanne Assoulin: 'I don't want to be an aspirational brand'
Roxanne Assoulin has been in the jewelry business for over 40 years. But, thanks to its reliance on bold colors and youthful designs, her 7-year-old namesake brand feels as fresh as ever. Prior to launching her own brand, Assoulin designed for major brands like Michael Kors and had her jewelry sold in major department stores like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.Her current brand took off thanks to boosts from influencers like Leandra Medine, who happens to be a friend of the family.“We never paid influencers,” Assoulin said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “Leandra had dated my son when she, like, 17. She’s best friends with my daughter-in-law. I asked her to come to the office and tell me what she thought of what I was working on, and she took some pictures. I said, ‘Don’t post those pictures anywhere,’ and she said, ‘No worries, no worries.” That night, she posted them.”The early buzz helped propel the brand, which grew 300% between 2017 and 2018. Now, Roxanne Assoulin is carried by both online retailers like MatchesFashion and brick-and-mortar stores like Nordstrom.But in many ways, Assoulin said she’s still figuring out where to take the brand next. She characterized herself as a “gut person,” who focuses on her own creative sense to help guide the business through challenges like the pandemic and the current decreased spending caused by inflation. For this week's Glossy Podcast, she spoke with Glossy editor-in-chief Jill Manoff about this philosophy, as well as her work with influencers, her history in the business and the inspiration behind her colorful jewelry.

Jun 2, 2023 • 20min
Week in Review: U.S. luxury spending, eBay's streetwear authentication, StockX lowers seller fees
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.In this week’s episode, we discuss the recent earnings forecast from Capri Holdings and its implications for the U.S. and Chinese luxury markets. We also talk about eBay’s new streetwear authentication program and StockX's restructuring of seller fees.


