

WWD Voices
Fairchild Fashion Media
Welcome to WWD Voices, where you will find news, commentary, and industry insights as well as behind-the-scenes stories from the world of fashion apparel, retail, luxury, and beauty. Hosted by WWD editors with special guests.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 2, 2025 • 12min
Kohl's is Trapped in a 'Perfect Storm'
In this episode of From the Newsroom, WWD editors discuss the abrupt departure of the retailer's CEO.
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May 1, 2025 • 37min
The True Cost of Tariffs
Talk about tariffs has been filling newspapers, websites, airwaves, boardrooms, factory floors and dinner tables for a while, but reality is just starting to sink in now. What are the true costs of tariffs, and who is going to be paying for them?
In this episode, Ian Fredricks, president and CEO of Hilco, Consumer-Retail, chats with Lauren Parker, director, Fairchild Studio, about how tariff worries, both real and perceived, are affecting retailers and ultimately the consumer.
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Apr 30, 2025 • 19min
The Top 5 Consumer Behaviors to Watch in 2025, and Beyond
In this episode of WWD Voices In Detail, Sarah Engel shares insights into the consumer behaviors defining retail today.
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Apr 25, 2025 • 12min
Inside the Saks-Neiman Marcus Merger
In this episode of From the Newsroom, Evan Clark shares the mic with WWD's David Moin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 18, 2025 • 28min
Exotic Leather Truths: Conservation and Commerce CAN Co-Exist
There are many misconceptions about exotic leather—notably the python, crocodile and alligator skins that are transformed into the most luxe handbags and leathergoods. But when sourced and harvested legally and responsibly, these animals are valuable renewable natural resources that support the conservation of the species and their delicate habitats. They also provide income to local communities. In this episode, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studios, chats with Karen Giberson, president of the Accessories Council, and Christy Plott Gilmore, owner of the fifth-generation American Tanning & Leather LLC, as well as an exotic leather trade policy and CITES consultant (CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 18, 2025 • 14min
Prada Acquires Versace: A New Chapter in Luxury Fashion?
In this episode of "From the Newsroom," WWD editors explore the impetus behind the deal as well as its implications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 11, 2025 • 16min
From the Newsroom: Will the ‘Tariffpocalypse’ Transform Fashion Forever?
In this episode, WWD and Sourcing Journal editors weigh in on recent headlines and the implications of the current trade war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 8, 2025 • 22min
Tapestry Talks Luxury in the Digital Age
Yang Lu, the chief information officer at Tapestry, chats with Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studio, to learn how Tapestry is approaching luxury in this digital age.Upscale legacy brands have a challenge when it comes to technology. How do you blend future-facing digital strategy with the timelessness of luxury? How do you balance exclusivity with digital-first accessibility? And how do you integrate omnichannel innovation into personalization, as well as the in-store experience? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 3, 2025 • 19min
The Evolution of Payment Solutions with the President of Bolt
Fresh from the recent ShopTalk conference in Las Vegas, Justin Grooms, president of Bolt, joins WWD Voices host Arthur Zaczkiewicz to recap some of the trends that emerged from the event as well as how 2025 is evolving from a payments solutions perspective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 1, 2025 • 21min
Can Sustainability Survive? Inside SJ's Sustainability Report
The political will toward sustainability is constantly shifting, and with the official exit from the Paris Agreement and a ‘drill, baby drill’ fossil fuel mentality, things are moving in another direction. This has created a climate of uncertainty for eco-minded businesses seeking support from government sustainability requirements.That said, the underlying drivers of a sustainable future—innovation, tapping into cost-efficient renewable energy, and consumer demand for ethical practices—remain intact. In other words, eco-champions are a tenacious bunch.Sourcing Journal has dug deep into the situation with its State of the Industry Sustainability Report, released the same day as our Sustainability Summit in New York.To discuss how the industry is moving forward, Lauren Parker, director of Fairchild Studio, chats with two editors who wrote the majority of the report: Jasmin Malik Chua, SJ’s sourcing and labor editor, and Alex Harrell, SJ’s sustainability and innovation reporter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices