Renowned designer Thakoon Panichgul is back to work after a two-year sabbatical from the world of fashion: "I traveled -- went to Cuba, went to Mexico City, went to Bali, went to Thailand, Marrakesh. I needed time to open up the mind and figure out what this fashion world is all about," he said. In this week’s episode of the Glossy Podcast, Jill Manoff sits down with Panichgul to discuss what today's consumers want in a clothing brand and why he's a firm believer in the DTC model.
Sep 18, 2019•35 min
Emily Current and Meritt Elliott have been business partners for 20 years, owning and running at least three companies over the timespan, while collaborating with brands including Kate Spade and Pottery Barn and styling celebs on the side. First came denim brand Current Elliott, which they sold and, soon after, launched L.A.-based apparel company The Great. "We didn't set out to get into the denim industry or disrupt the denim industry; we just knew that we couldn't find what we wanted," said Cu...
Sep 12, 2019•37 min
This week, we bring you a bonus, New York Fashion Week Edition of the Glossy Podcast, featuring Misha Nonoo, founder and creative director of her namesake fashion brand. Editor-in-chief Jill Manoff sits down with Nonoo to discuss the evolution of her company's business model, its plans for physical retail and the downfall of the traditional runway show.
Sep 11, 2019•35 min
When marketing platform Zyper launched two years ago, brands were just starting to work with influencers and micro-influencers had barely begun to emerge. Since, influencers have become a line item in most every brand’s marketing budget, and the space has expanded to include even nano-influencers, or influencers with fewer than 1,000 followers. But influencer marketing’s heyday may have already come and gone. The reason, according to Zyper CEO Amber Atherton: “Influencer content has become inaut...
Sep 04, 2019•31 min
When Gregoire Baret joined Aldo Group in 2015, “omnichannel” wasn’t the industry-wide buzzword it is today. But even now, there’s some mystery around his unique, trendy-sounding position of senior director of omnichannel experience design. “Omnichannel experience design is about the consumer journey,” said Baret. “It’s about improving the shopping experience through communication, services, tools -- anything that’s going to help someone discover the right and relevant products.” In addition to t...
Aug 28, 2019•32 min
On this week's episode of the Glossy Podcast, Hilary Milnes sits down with Hudson Yards CMO Stacey Feder to discuss the planning process that went into building and marketing the new development, the way Hudson Yards works with retailers. and the evolving meaning of 'experiential.'
Aug 21, 2019•29 min
Before Aman Advani was the co-founder and CEO of performance-infused businesswear brand Ministry of Supply, he was a consultant. Spending most of his days on a plane, in a boardroom or traveling from one hotel to the next, Advani was exhausted by the upkeep his formal workwear required, including lots of ironing and frequent trips to the dry cleaners. He decided he needed to find a way to make these clothes work for his life. So in 2012, Advani co-founded Ministry of Supply with Gihan Amarasiriw...
Aug 14, 2019•33 min
When Monica Zwirner and Lucy Wallace Eustice joined forces to start their own company in 2000, they were on a mission to create beautiful, functional, luxury bags. After carefully sourcing their materials and manufacturers, the pair chose to launch their brand, MZ Wallace, by opening and operating a store, which in turn gave them direct access to the customers and their feedback. Just a few short years later, in 2004, the brand launched its e-commerce operation, continuing to operate as a direct...
Aug 07, 2019•36 min
When David Fischer started Highsnobiety in 2005, it was a humble blog for discussing all things fashion and culture. Over the years, the brand grew and flourished into a full-fledged media brand, but remained true to its streetwear roots. Now, in the company's latest expansion, it's taking on e-commerce. Highsnobiety's e-commerce business focuses on carefully curated assortments as well as brand collaborations, released in a drop model and launched with an exclusive relaunch of Prada menswear li...
Jul 31, 2019•46 min
When Sandra Makarem was working in the buying department at Bloomingdale's, she began to see a discrepancy between shoppers' and retailers' behavior. So she decided to create The Collective Child. The Collective Child's model is similar to that of other clothing subscription companies: Subscribers share their preferences, they receive a curated selection of items to suit their needs, and then they keep what they want and send back what they don't. What makes The Collective Child unique is that i...
Jul 24, 2019•32 min
Sam Lobban has been working in men's fashion for nearly a decade. His career has taken him from the shop floor of a boutique in the U.K. to his current post, vp of men's fashion at Nordstrom. Throughout his expansive career, Lobban has had a front-row seat to the rapidly changing fashion industry. As he sees it, understanding the evolution of the industry is pretty simple: Things are moving faster, and more people are watching. Since joining the team at Nordstrom in 2018, Lobban has launched a h...
Jul 17, 2019•36 min
When Rachel Schectman founded Story, she wanted to create a space for experimenting with retail. At a time when many people were skeptical about the future of physical retail, Schectman believed, and proved, that a carefully curated retail experience could be successful. But a few years into a continuous cycle of revamping the store every other month, she wanted to find something bigger. So in spring of 2018, after weighing a few other possibilities, Schectman agreed to an acquisition by Macy's ...
Jul 10, 2019•36 min
When celebrity stylist and author, Micaela Erlanger started her styling business in 2013, the fashion world was a much different place than it is today: Instagram was still in its early days, collections came out according to a strict fashion calendar, and lookbooks were sent through snail mail. Today, Erlanger is working faster and has more access than ever before to new designers and brands. On this week's episode of The Glossy Podcast, Hilary Milnes sits down with Erlanger to discuss how the ...
Jul 03, 2019•31 min
With the rise of the internet forcing major changes across the fashion industry, the role of the buyer has remained largely the same. The curated assortments for ecommerce and in-store can vary and more brands are moving away from the traditional fashion calendar, but the buyer's focus has gone unchanged. For Alexandra Willinger, buying manager of designer secondary, sportswear, denim and outerwear at Intermix, her role over her 10-year buying career has only evolved in that it's expanded. For t...
Jul 01, 2019•32 min
Founded in 1996, Lafayette 148 has steadily grown to become a massive contemporary brand. Recently, co-founder and CEO Deirdre Quinn decided it was time to introduce change to the SoHo-native company. Following a headquarters move to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Quinn spent her time and resources reinvesting in the company. After decades of building out different departments and teams, her focus was shifted to finding a way to bring all parts of the company together, and to use these new efficiencies...
Jun 26, 2019•31 min
Sneakers are 60% to 65% of Saks Fifth Avenue’s men's business. Come July, the NYC flagship store will combine men's shoes on one floor as the luxury department store attempts to rebalance its formal and casual assortment. Louis DiGiacomo, svp and men’s general merchandising manager, joins Jill Manoff on the buyer edition of Glossy Trend Watch to discuss the biggest shifts in men’s fashion and the renovation of the men’s shoe department in Saks' New York flagship.
Jun 24, 2019•27 min
On this week's episode of The Glossy Podcast, Hilary Milnes sits down with Sarah Benady, ba&sh's CEO of North America, to discuss the difference between the French and American consumer, using unique offerings to connect with customers and fostering the perfect brand-investor partnership.
Jun 19, 2019•30 min
Mr. Porter, the online-only retail destination for designer menswear, launched in 2011. As it's evolved over the years, it's expanded its focus beyond luxury products and explored a variety of new ways to integrate more designers and products. As a result, the role of Daniel Todd, its senior buyer, has changed. Todd discusses how he works with Mr. Porter's editorial team and how the retailer is incorporating emerging designers on the platform.
Jun 17, 2019•28 min
When Coral Chung went to start her luxury accessories brand, Senreve, she felt pressure to do things the way that they had always been done. But by using a combination of consumer data, smart manufacturing and inventory planning, Chung has been able to side-step a lot of the downfalls of traditional luxury brands, like being forced to destroy excess product or deal with slow production. While she won't say "never'" regarding the possibility of joining a more traditional house of brands, Chung sa...
Jun 12, 2019•38 min
For modern retailers, a unique product curation has never been more make-or-break. To create a standout shopping experience in the crowded, competitive market, many fashion players are leaning on experienced buyers. Milan-born concept store 10 Corso Como, which opened its doors in 1990, has gained popularity among fashion and art fans for its one-of-a-kind assortment spanning rare photography books, designer home decor, private-label fashion and exclusive accessories collaborations. Prior to lau...
Jun 10, 2019•31 min
Adore Me launched as a direct-to-consumer intimates brand in 2012, using a wide range of sizes and competitive prices to take on the brands dominating the market. According to Romain Liot, the COO of Adore Me, the company's marriage of technology and fashion allows it to adapt to what the customer wants more easily than a traditional, established brand. On this week's episode of The Glossy Podcast, Hilary Milnes sits down with Liot to discuss how Adore Me measures the success of its products, wh...
Jun 05, 2019•39 min
It is no secret that the fashion industry has seen a lot of change in recent years. Steven Kolb, the president and CEO of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), has had a front row seat to it all. With the rise of direct-to-consumer, the impact of Instagram and emerging questions about the relevance of fashion weeks and seasonality, it's clear that fashion is evolving. According to Kolb, designers must be prepared to change, as well. On this week's episode of The Glossy Podcast, Hil...
May 29, 2019•41 min
When Janice Sullivan was interviewing to head up Rebecca Taylor, the designer promptly asked her asked her what exactly she planned on doing at the company. That was four years ago, and the beginning of Sullivan's revamp of the contemporary brand. Since joining the team, Sullivan has pushed the company in a direction that resembles a direct-to-consumer brand; put the customer first, and find a way to connect with them everywhere. On this week's episode of The Glossy Podcast, Hilary Milnes sits d...
May 22, 2019•35 min
Kerry Cooper knows how to build a brand. From managing global e-commerce at Walmart to scaling the marketing and operations at ModCloth, Cooper has spent a sizable portion of her career working with brands to grow and adapt to the changing retail landscape. In her latest role as the president and COO of 7-year-old footwear brand Rothy's, Cooper has entered into the Wild West of direct-to-consumer brands. The biggest difference, she said, is the sense of accountability. On this week's episode of ...
May 15, 2019•31 min
In September, Gap Inc. launched Hill City, a menswear brand meant to provide a perfect balance of performance and comfort, plus a sleek, minimalist look. Now, as the brand moves beyond launch stage, its general manager, Noah Palmer is focused on continuing to develop the identity of Hill City. On this week's episode of The Glossy Podcast, Hilary Milnes catches up with Palmer to discuss how he's building a new brand in a market full of legacy brands, how the brand's community of wear testers is s...
May 08, 2019•30 min
Jenny Fleiss has spent most of her recent career building companies that challenge the traditional consumer experience, and remove hurdles she's experienced in her own life. When she co-founded Rent The Runway, the popular service for designer clothing and accessory rentals, Fleiss was in her 20s and looking to solve the age-old problem she and her peers were constantly facing: of a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear. Now, in a new stage of her life as a working mother, Fleiss is taking ...
May 01, 2019•33 min
For Banana Republic CMO Mary Alderete, it's an exciting time to be in brand marketing. Alderete, who first worked at the company as a senior director of marketing in the early 2000s, left and returned a decade later, motivated by the challenge of developing a connection between Banana Republic and newer generations. She is now working with the brand's in-house creative agency to experiment with new storytelling formats and lean into influencer marketing, with NFL star Jared Goff as the newest ed...
Apr 24, 2019•33 min
After a decade of working in the fashion industry, Ganesh Srivats decided he needed something more. The fashion industry wasn't evolving at the pace he wanted, so he made the decision to join a company he felt was: Tesla. But after only three years, an opportunity arose in fashion that he couldn't resist. Now serving as the CEO of Moda Operandi, Srivats is using his passion for technology to make waves in the retail and fashion industries. By using a combination of consumer data–driven algorithm...
Apr 17, 2019•41 min
Before founding Staple Design, Jeff Staple was studying communication design at Parsons School of Design, sneaking into the silkscreen lab after hours to create small batches of shirts to sell at shops in SoHo. For Staple, this wasn't about designing clothes. Instead, he wanted to find a way to growth-hack his messaging. Now, nearly two decades later, Staple is widely recognized as one of the founding fathers of streetwear. His company has produced collaborations with the likes of Cole Haan, Dr....
Apr 12, 2019•35 min
When Stadium Goods was co-founded in 2015 by John McPheters and Jed Stiller, sneakers and streetwear were still part of an underground culture. But in recent years, street style has become more mainstream, and high-fashion and luxury brands have begun to embrace it. As a result, the marketplaces for these goods -- both primary and secondary -- have seen a rise of the tide. Stadium Goods, which has received funding from LVMH and others, was acquired by Farfetch in 2018. In this week's episode of ...
Apr 10, 2019•33 min
