The Debrief

Listen to BoF’s chief sustainability correspondent Sarah Kent discuss the challenges of marketing and scaling leather alternatives, the complexities of eco-friendly materials in fashion, the importance of transparent labeling, and the emergence of innovative materials like mushroom 'leather'.

In the past decade, the independent label has grown from downtown storefront to indie force with $40 million in net sales so far this year. BoF contributor M.C. Nanda breaks down how founder Gaëlle Drevet did it. Background: Whether you know it or not, you’ve come across The Frankie Shop. Founded by former journalist Gaëlle Drevet in 2014, the brand’s monochrome tracksuits, oversized blazers, T-shirts and cargo pants have become almost ubiquitous amongst a certain set of Instagram creators, and a staple for downtown fashion types across the globe. Over the past few years, the brand has expanded from a single Lower East Side Manhattan store front, to three (including two in Paris), inked retail partnerships with Matchesfashion and Ssense, and generated $40 million in net sales so far this year. Now, The Frankie Shop is charting its next phase of growth, with expansion into menswear and home. “There is consistent demand — they’re not over extending themselves, which I think can be a really hard brand to toe as a brand of this size,” said BoF contributor M.C. Nanda. Key Insights: The Frankie Shop started as a multi-brand store carrying up-and-coming brands that are now industry mainstays, including Ganni and Loulou Studio.Drevet soon started producing her own items. Her label took off partially because of her ability to stay attuned to, and draw in influencers with newness and keen styling — without having to resort to paid posts. The brand has managed to toe the lines between cool and cheesy, high end and accessible, basic and trendy. Often, items are paired with pieces from higher end labels like Toteme and The Row. The Frankie Shop operates on a drop model, which has kept it in demand and helped the independent brand grow in a manageable way without taking on additional funding. Additional resources:What’s Next for The Frankie ShopAimé Leon Dore’s Teddy Santis on New Balance and the Future of MenswearJoin BoF Professional today with our exclusive podcast listener discount of 25% off an annual membership, follow the link here and enter the coupon code ‘debrief’ at checkout. Want more from The Business of Fashion? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here.Follow The Debrief wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BoF retail correspondent Cathaleen Chen details the consumer shifts that have made it easier — and more popular than ever — to buy luxury dupes. Background: A growing number of young consumers are embracing counterfeit Prada loafers and Gucci bags, as the internet has made access to these dupes easier than ever. The value of the fake and pirated goods market has tripled since 2013 to be worth $3 trillion, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. That’s thanks to a number of factors. For one, websites like Aliexpress and DHgate connect consumers directly with counterfeit manufacturers. It’s no longer a necessity for the dupe-curious shopper to visit the shady alleys of Canal Street. Meanwhile, the skyrocketing prices of luxury products are pushing aspirational shoppers away. At the same time, the quality of luxury goods has diminished as much production has been outsourced to Asia, narrowing the gap between what’s real and what’s fake. Lastly, social media and constant seasonal trends have conditioned consumers to covet not only the “it” bag of the season but shoes, tank tops and more. “I think there’s a sense of consumer alienation with luxury goods — where it's like you’re super close to it, but at the same time it's extremely inaccessible,” said retail correspondent Cathaleen Chen. Key Insights: Counterfeits have gotten much easier to find and buy: Chinese websites like DHgate and AliExpress ship inexpensive dupes to Western consumers’ doorsteps.The counterfeit surge doesn't seem to be affecting the bottom lines of luxury goods companies, whose profits have only risen in the past few years. Resale plays an interesting role in the counterfeit conversation. On the one hand, resale could curb the continued growth of dupes by providing shoppers an entry to luxury pieces. On the other, resale is particularly vulnerable to fakes, as platforms have to be on guard against ever-more-sophisticated fakes. Additional resources:https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/luxury/fashion-counterfeit-problem-authentication-technology/ https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/global-markets/china-luxury-counterfeits-flourish-louis-vuitton-covid-19-douyin-pinduoduo/Join BoF Professional today with our exclusive podcast listener discount of 25% off an annual membership, follow the link here and enter the coupon code ‘debrief’ at checkout.  Want more from The Business of Fashion? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here. Follow The Debrief wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the economy weakens and funding dries up, digital brands may face pressure to sell from investors. To do so, they’ll need to prove they’re more than just another money-losing start-up.Background:Over the past few years, investors have been bullish on fast-growing digital brands — rewarding their rapid sales growth with sky-high valuations. More recently, physical retail has rebounded and e-commerce sales have shrunk. As a result, a number of digital-first brands are burning through cash as inflation and the cost of goods rises. VCs are increasingly wary of investing in companies without clear paths to profitability, so a number of those money-losing labels are finding it difficult to raise funds. Many, with few options to weather the imminent recession, are looking for an exit. “A great deal of these digital brands were growing at all costs… people did not anticipate a large slowdown and then a possible recession — so they weren’t managing their money well,” said Malique Morris, BoF direct-to-consumer correspondent. Key Insights:To catch the eye of a potential investor, brands must focus on profitability. But they also need to set themselves apart with new ideas and business models. A number of retailers struggling to adapt to shifting consumer tastes — like Victoria’s Secret, which acquired lingerie start-up Adore Me in November — are in need of a boost. To set the stage for an attractive exit, Ministry of Supply, which sells wrinkle-free dress shirts, has focused on getting old customers to make additional purchases, rather than acquire new ones. Seeing lower valuations, profitable brands that are attractive acquisition targets don’t have much incentive to sell at the moment. Additional Resources:https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/direct-to-consumer/buck-mason-ministry-of-supply-adore-me-dtc-acquisitions-/https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/entrepreneurship/why-venture-capital-is-a-bad-fit-for-most-fashion-businesses/https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/entrepreneurship/a-new-model-for-funding-fashion-start-ups/Join BoF Professional today with our exclusive podcast listener discount of 25% off an annual membership, follow the link here and enter the coupon code ‘debrief’ at checkout.  Want more from The Business of Fashion? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here. Follow The Debrief wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The BoF Insights team shares details from their recent report on why these young consumers are so crucial to the success of the fashion industry — and what brands can do to woo them. Background: Gen-Z, or those born between 1997 and 2010, accounts for 25 percent of the world’s population. With the oldest of the generation turning 25 this year, the group has already come into its own with a purchasing power of about $360 billion. Fashion brands have always chased youth, but Gen-Z brings a whole new set of marketing challenges. Having grown up in the midst of rapid technological advancement, a worsening climate crisis and global movements like Me Too and Black Lives Matter, Gen-Z has been characterised as more pragmatic and socially aware, while also being trend-fixated. The contradictions are endless.Key Insights: Sometimes, Gen-Z contradicts itself. For example, top fashion brands including Nike and Gucci were among the general group’s favourite brands — but smaller focus groups said they wanted to support underrepresented designers. As well, fast fashion brands like Shein are popular, but the group says they care about sustainability. Gen-Zers increasingly impact the economy. However, the group will come into its own with more financial insecurity than those before it. BoF Insights distilled the demographic down to a few key personas with distinct characteristics to understand its habits and behaviours: the forgers, signatures, satellites, rebels, explorers and idealists. Generally, brands should communicate with Gen-Z in a casual, natural, community-forward way. The group is less beholden to traditional tastemakers, and trends move fast. BoF Insights is the new data and analysis think tank from The Business of Fashion, arming fashion and luxury professionals with the business intelligence they need to make better strategic decisions. For more insights, please see BoF Insights’ archive on topics like designer bags, resale, digital fashion, and fashion’s supply chain.Additional resources:https://www.businessoffashion.com/reports/retail/gen-z-fashion-in-the-age-of-realism-bof-insights-social-media-report/https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/retail/implications-of-gen-z-for-the-fashion-industry-bof-insights-charts/https://www.businessoffashion.com/events/retail/gen-z-and-fashion-in-the-age-of-realism-bof-live-insights-report/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A panel of experts, including BoF’s Lauren Sherman and Diana Pearl, detail how the business of influencing has evolved — and where it's all going. Things move fast on the internet. In just the past few years, there have been a number of changes in the social media space and the influencer economy built around it. For one, brands are betting on influencers with day jobs, working with creators like Sky Ting Yoga founder Krissy Jones or James Whiteside, principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, as they look for relatable ambassadors to reach engaged audiences. The line between the average social media user and influencer is increasingly blurred as non-influencers endorse products online. Widely, people learn more about brands from other people, rather than brands’ own storytelling. It's becoming even more important for brands to be on every platform — and influencers to have their own platforms. Key Insights: In many ways, the shift represents a return to old days of influence — where hobbyists set up YouTube channels and churned out authentic content viewers found refreshingly relatable. Influencer pay increased almost 50 percent overall from 2020 to mid-2021, said Nord. But, there are a lot more influencers getting paid, which means more competition as brands have a deepening pool of options. There’s been a shift to video-first content. And younger generations are starting to snag brand deals from more established figures. Overall, marketers are paying whether influencers actually have influence — not just followers. Additional Resources:Why You Should Hire an Influencer With a Day Job: Influencers who gained online fame for offline pursuits are rapidly earning brand attention, but working with them requires a different type of partnership.Why Nordstrom Appears to Be Pivoting Away From Influencers: Influencers helped turn Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale into a major moment for the department store. This year, they say the retailer is leaning less on social media marketing, leading some creators to downplay the annual event.Is Now the Time to Hire a Virtual Influencer? Virtual influencers had faded from fashion campaigns, but now amid all the metaverse hype they’re popping up again, with Prada and Pacsun turning to virtual faces.The Complete Guide to Influencer Marketing: As the creator space has matured, brands must be thoughtful about crafting a strategy that leverages influencer marketing’s full power, considering everything from talent scouting to the effectiveness of metrics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Background: After years of build up, from its origins in cultural movements like New York’s hip-hop scene and LA’s skating community to early commercialisation in the early 2000s from brands like Fubu and Stussy and Japanese designers Nigo and Hiroshi Fujiwara, by the late 2010s, streetwear found itself at the centre of luxury fashion. The breaking point came in 2018, when, after success at his label Off-White, Virgil Abloh was named creative director of Louis Vuitton. But lately, streetwear institutions like Bape and Stussy have been losing heat — and luxury brands are pivoting away from streetwear staples like hoodies and sneakers. “Streetwear brands are more commercial and less connected to the actual street culture where they found their roots,” said BoF editorial associate Daniel-Yaw Miller. Key Insights: Streetwear brought items like puffer jackets and hoodies, graffiti details and logo-centric designs to high fashion runways. Lately, designers have been more focused on harder shoes, knitwear and tailoring. But, streetwear-centric items haven’t disappeared from brands’ assortments, they’re more absorbed into the core offerings — and in consumers' day-to-day wardrobe. A new crop of brands, including Daily Paper, Corteiz and Free The Youth, are making the case for streetwear’s enduring fashion relevance. Streetwear mainstay Supreme is still driving growth with its savvy marketing and collaborations. Owner VF Corp. said it expects the label to generate $600 million in revenue this year — up from $500 million when it was acquired in 2020. Additional Resources:Why Supreme Sold to VF Corporation: In a deal that values the New York streetwear brand at $2.1 billion, Supreme picks up a long-term partner with back-end prowess and ambitions to scale it past $1 billion in annual sales.Is Streetwear Still Cool? Luxury brands may have pivoted away from sneakers, puffer jackets and hoodies, but new labels like Corteiz and Free The Youth are making a case for street culture’s enduring relevance in fashion.Join BoF Professional today with our exclusive podcast listener discount of 25% off an annual membership, follow the link here and enter the coupon code ‘debrief’ at checkout. Want more from The Business of Fashion? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here.Follow The Debrief wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Williams, Luxury Editor at The Business of Fashion, dives into the remarkable success of Simon Porte Jacquemus, one of fashion’s hottest independent designers. They discuss how Jacquemus strategically uses Instagram to amplify his brand narrative and foster a unique luxury identity. Williams reveals how the brand has thrived without major investors, relying on accessible yet playful products like the 'Chiquito' bag. They also explore upcoming expansions into footwear and menswear, showcasing Jacquemus's ambitious plans for growth.

BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks describes the designer and businessman’s life, continuing impact on fashion, mysterious succession plans and newfound vulnerability.BackgroundOver his decades-long career, Giorgio Armani has built one of fashion’s most successful businesses. Known for his signature tailoring and functional glamour, at 88, he’s retained his dominance in an ever-changing, hyper-competitive industry. Amid speculation about what's to come for the Armani fashion empire, BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks met the titan at his garden in Milan for an intimate conversation about his life, business and future — including succession plans. “He was a revolutionary in his own way. I can think of maybe five people in fashion who had the impact he had,” said Blanks. Key Insights: The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates Armani has a personal net worth of $9.5 billion. He still owns and runs his company and as Blanks says, may value his independence more than anything. Rumours about Giorgio Armani’s future after Armani include a potential takeover by Bernard Arnault’s LVMH, the Agnelli family’s Exor or Valentino parent Mayhoola.One thing people don’t fully realise about Armani is he is an eccentric, said Blanks. Armani told Blanks his eccentricity lies in his radical approach to design, which is both streamlined and nuanced. Armani’s close relationship with partner Sergio Galeotti, who passed away in 1985, has helped fuel his ascent to status as fashion’s most successful designer. Now, Armani, who has no children and doesn’t claim many friends outside his family and his company, is leaning into a new kind of love and vulnerability, thanks to the presence of his collaborator’s young daughter at the office.  Additional Resources: Giorgio Armani: Lion in WinterJoin BoF Professional today with our exclusive podcast listener discount of 25% off an annual membership, follow the link here and enter the coupon code ‘debrief’ at checkout.  Want more from The Business of Fashion? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here. Follow The Debrief wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How the 75-year-old luxury house tripled its revenue in just four years, according to BoF luxury editor Robert Williams. Background: In 1947, months after being founded, Christian Dior Couture revolutionised dressing with its “New Look,” an exaggerated hourglass-shaped silhouette. In the ’80s, the then-withering brand was bought by entrepreneur Bernard Arnault, who would eventually transform it into one of the largest luxury labels in the world. In 2017, when LVMH — of which Arnault is CEO and chairman — took full control of the house, Dior transformed into one of fashion’s fastest-growing and most profitable labels — with estimated revenues of €6.6 billion.  “[LVMH] just said ‘We need to … do what it will take to get this business on the scale of these really big brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Chanel,’” said BoF luxury editor Robert Williams.  Key Insights: More than a decade after buying Dior, Arnault hired designer John Galliano — who introduced the Lady Dior bag — and appointed executive Sidney Toleando (now chief executive of LVMH fashion group) to refashion Dior as a modern luxury brand. While Galliano and Toledano fully cemented Dior as a global fashion and leathergoods player with a robust beauty business over their 15-year partnership, the brand entered a new phase in 2017, when Arnault moved Dior from his personal holdings to LVMH.The brand’s beauty and fashion lines are segmented, which has led to a certain amount of success, particularly in the company’s perfume business. Now, the brand is slowly starting to connect the two to power the business. Dior’s total control over its brand — where it only sells through its channels, doesn’t discount and isn’t separated out on LVMH’s balance sheet — allows it to protect itself from investor demands and excess product risk.  Additional Resources: https://www.businessoffashion.com/case-studies/luxury/christian-dior-strategy-lvmh-pietro-beccari-maria-grazia-chiuri-kim-jones/  https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/luxury/diors-maria-grazia-chiuri-a-fashion-hitmakers-method/ https://www.businessoffashion.com/podcasts/luxury/why-chanel-is-opening-private-boutiques/Join BoF Professional today with our exclusive podcast listener discount of 25% off an annual membership, follow the link here and enter the coupon code ‘debrief’ at checkout.  Want more from The Business of Fashion? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here. Follow The Debrief wherever you listen to podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.