The Business of Fashion Podcast

While the initial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic manifested in workplaces through budget cuts, layoffs and furlough schemes, the crisis also inspired a widespread re-evaluation of our relationship with work. Amid the so-called “Great Resignation,” Business Insider estimated over 38 million workers quit their jobs in 2021, with many seeking a better balance between life and work, and greater meaning in the work they do. These evolving expectations are having a profound impact on how leaders have to run their businesses. At BoF VOICES 2021, Kevin J. Delaney, co-founder and CEO of media and Charter and former editor-in-chief of Quartz, examined the qualities leaders need to assimilate today. On this week’s episode of The BoF Podcast, Delaney says: “One question I hear often from leaders is how do they find the right balance between a focus on operational performance of their business and these new expectations of their employees?” Explore employment opportunities across more than 350 businesses on BoF Careers,The Global Marketplace for Fashion Talent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The traditional fashion value chain is linear: fibres are grown, harvested, spun into fabric and stitched into garments, which are then distributed to retailers, sold, worn and discarded.  “The way we make and use things accounts for 45 percent of greenhouse gases and 90 percent of biodiversity loss,” said Dame Ellen MacArthur at BoF VOICES 2021.   In this conversation with BoF’s Sarah Kent,  MacArthur lays  out a vision for an alternate “circular” economy where the lifecycle of garments is extended through better design, including the use of more resilient, recyclable materials, and using systems throughout the manufacturing and sales process to facilitate items’ repair, reuse, and eventual transformation into something new.  But this kind of systemic change will require a collective and coordinated push from suppliers, designers, brands and retailers across fashion’s value chain. “We need to work together to make this happen. You need the entire value chain in the room,” said MacArthur, adding that though such comprehensive change is a challenge, it's also an opportunity. Circular business models, including resale and rental, are on track to become a $700 billion market representing 23 percent of the fashion industry by 2030.  “Business as usual doesn't work,” said MacArthur. “It's not the solution.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At BoF VOICES 2021, Futurists Martin Raymond and Christopher Sanderson examined  the series of fast-paced changes that will dominate the wider world in the coming decade — and advised on how brands must adapt.  The world is at the beginning of an era defined by the emergence of fast-paced change at a never-before-seen scale, Martin Raymond and Christopher Sanderson, futurists and founders of The Future Laboratory consultancy said to a rapt audience at BoF VOICES 2021. They dubbed this moment the “Transformative Twenties.”  The pandemic’s shock and subsequent shifts are just the beginning. A series of radical resets driven by new technologies, climate change and shifting demographics will require businesses to become more agile and flexible to keep up with the pace of change. Individuals will demand more sustainable, equitable and decentralised societies.  Amid all this change, the dynamic between brands and their customers has already moved away from being purely transactional to focusing on collaboration and candour as the key tenets of a business model in flux. “We are moving through a decade in which we are proactively looking for the businesses, the brands, the products, the goods and the services that will help us on our journey to become healthier, wealthier and happier,” said Sanderson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fashion designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez share their journey from wunderkinds to entrepreneurs, discussing struggles with investors, regaining control in 2018, and achieving profitability post-pandemic. They highlight the evolution of their brand, overcoming challenges, pivoting during COVID-19, and defining brand identity in the fashion industry.

Matthew Scullin from Microworks, known for partnering with luxury brand Hermès, dives into the fascinating world of mycelium and mushrooms. They discuss how mushrooms are revolutionizing the fashion industry by offering sustainable material alternatives. The conversation touches on the health benefits of fungi, from boosting immunity to mental wellness. Moreover, they emphasize the ecological importance of fungi and how they challenge traditional perceptions, encouraging a broader appreciation for these powerful organisms.

On the heels of selling a 24 percent stake in his namesake label, valuing it at $2.7 billion, Louboutin spoke with Rozan Ahmed at BoF VOICES 2021 about how his identity and upbringing have shaped his approach to business and life. Join BoF Professional for the analysis and advice you need. Get 30 days for just $1 or explore group subscriptions for your business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jay Shetty speaks about the importance of finding purpose and shares a guided meditation. The podcast explores the influence of perception on our choices, the lack of purpose among young people in the UK, and finding meaning in work. It also discusses habits for finding purpose and embracing your unique journey and purpose.

Up until a week ago, Jonathan Anderson was set to show his J.W. Anderson show in Milan, but Omicron has put paid to that, and Jonathan had to quickly change his plans and instead film a presentation at the Scala in Kings Cross London. BoF's editor at large, Tim Blanks, sat down with Jonathan to discuss his responses to the challenges presented by the pandemic. Jonathan has done everything from a show in a box to a show on a wall, and this time he has continued his optimism and enthusiasm in the face of the pandemic.  Read Tim Blanks' full article here.  Join BoF Professional for the analysis and advice you need. Get 30 days for just $1 or explore group subscriptions for your business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic has upped pressure on brands and corporations to take action on issues from climate change to social justice. More and more investors are asking for it and more customers are demanding it.  So what role do businesses need to play in creating the kind of society we want to live in?  Dame Vivian Hunt is  one of the most important voices in British business. During her talk at VOICES 2021, she made the case for stakeholder capitalism. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At this year's edition of VOICES, performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon sat down with Harris Reed, a recent Central Saint Martins graduate who has emerged as one of the industry’s brightest rising stars and is vocal about pushing gender-fluid fashion to the mainstream.  Reed and Alok spoke about concrete opportunities for industry stakeholders to de-gender fashion. While many fashion companies want to be seen working with gender non-binary people, few are baking their gender-free principles into their businesses beyond one-off collaborations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.