The Glossy Podcast

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Harlem's Fashion Row founder Brandice Daniel on the state of DE&I in fashion: ‘The regression is disheartening’ Jan 03, 2024

Show notes

2023 was a big year for Harlem’s Fashion Row, the agency that launched in 2007 to connect brands and designers of color. To start, the company partnered with H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Nordstrom, and Abercrombie & Fitch; launched the combined e-commerce site and Black and Latinx designer directory, HFR & Co.; and published a coffee-table book, “Fashion In Color.”

Similarly, the company’s list of 2020 accomplishments was long.

“2020 was a pivotal year for us,” said Brandice Daniel, founder and CEO of Harlem’s Fashion Row, on the Glossy Podcast. “We started our nonprofit, Icon360; we got a million-dollar donation from the CFDA and Vogue; and Anna Wintour had me in her editor's letter in August. It opened up so many doors for HFR.”

During the episode, along with discussing fashion’s fluctuating prioritization of inclusivity over the last four years, Daniel shares her secrets to driving deals between emerging designers and mega fashion companies and her hopes for fashion’s future.

Glossy's Year in Review: AI, IPOs and the great luxury slowdown Dec 29, 2023

Show notes

Every week on the Glossy Week in Review Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi is joined by co-hosts editor-in-chief Jill Manoff and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska to break down the biggest fashion news stories of the week.

But on this special Year in Review episode, we talk about some of the biggest news stories of the year, including the rise of generative AI and what it can (and cannot) do for the industry, the reason why luxury brands have struggled so much this year, the effects of the great creative director reshuffling, the rise of TikTok Shop and the flurry of new fashion companies going public.

We also go into some of our predictions from last year’s Year in Review episode, which included some that were spot on, like more greenwashing legislation coming into effect, and others that were a little bit off, like Farfetch buying a major fashion brand. And we finish it off with some predictions for the next year, including the legal issues that may arise from the use of generative AI in fashion design and the fact that brands could start investing in selling more experiences over more stuff.

Thanks for listening to the Week in Review all year. Please join us next year for more discussions about the biggest news in fashion.

MCM’s Dan Manioci: 'You have to be quick and respond to the customer in real time’ Dec 27, 2023

Show notes

In 2018, after working as an advertising director for companies including Hearst and The Economist, among others, Dan Manioci joined luxury leather goods company MCM as vp of marketing and global performance. According to him, the five years since have served as a master class in luxury marketing.

“You have this preconceived notion of what it's like [to work in-house at a luxury brand], but it's so much more work than I could have ever thought,” Manioci said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “On the publishing side, you have to understand how to manage a budget, so I had that [expertise] coming in. But you also need to understand what makes the consumer engaged, what makes them move and what the trends are. … And you need to understand consumer profiles; how the retail industry works, in fine detail; and who the key players are at the wholesalers. For example: Who are the merchandisers you need to be listening to? It's a true education. And I think that's what has also made me stay [at the brand] for as long as I have. I've been learning from all these amazing people.”

At the same time, he’s led key moves that have worked to fuel the brand’s revenue and engagement. Over the last couple of years, those have included building marketing plans around buzzy brand faces including Billie Eilish and Cindy Crawford. And, more recently, he’s elevated MCM’s digital presence as part of a new strategic direction.

In 2023, MCM launched a company-wide plan that included updating the creative team and upping the focus on digital channels and young shoppers.

Manioci discussed the brand’s new focus, including how it’s resonating in the rapidly evolving luxury climate. He also shared the strategy behind MCM’s recent presence at men’s fashion week and the factors behind its increasing success in the ready-to-wear category.

J.McLaughlin CEO Mary Ellen Coyne on achieving high AOV, high LTV and high margins Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

At 46 years old, classic American sportswear brand J.McLaughlin isn't afraid of change. That's thanks, in large part, to Mary Ellen Coyne, who's been the company's CEO since 2016.

"I'm firmly a leader who believes in testing and learning," she said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast.

In the last seven years, she's had "a field day" leading improvements to the brand's products, processes and overall presentation, she said. "We've re-platformed every segment of the business, and it's had a tremendous impact on the growth of the brand."

This year alone, the company underwent its first-ever brand refresh, which included overhauling its logo and digital presence.

Also in 2023, a large focus was on opening stores, with reaching new consumers as the goal.

“Customer acquisition is our No. 1 opportunity for growth,” Coyne said.

Currently, J.McLaughlin has 173 store locations. It plans to open 10-12 more in each of the next three years, bringing its total store count to more than 200. In early December, it opened its first store dedicated to menswear, in Palm Beach, Florida. Stores now account for three-fourths of its sales, while 1% of sales are driven through its one retail partner, Dillard’s, and the remainder are made online.

Week in Review: COP28's fossil fuel commitment and Generative AI's impact Dec 15, 2023

Show notes

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international correspondent Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.

On this final Week in Review episode of the year, we speak about the news coming out of COP28 in Dubai, including an explicit commitment to move away from fossil fuels by 2050. We also talk about the rise of generative AI in fashion, including which use cases are viable and which are just hype.

Me+Em’s Clare Hornby: We’ve maintained our ‘price-quality equation’ by only selling DTC Dec 13, 2023

Show notes

Clare Hornby's 14-year-old fashion brand, Me+Em, has hit its stride. From 2021 to 2022, it grew its revenue from £46 million to £80 million. What's more, it's been profitable for seven years. That's despite selling exclusively direct-to-consumer, when, it seems, every digital native brand is falling back on wholesale partners.

"It was when I started building out the team that you started to see the [business's] acceleration," Hornby said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. It's worth noting that MatchesFashion investor Highland Europe bought a minority stake in the company in early 2022.

Me+Em, which specializes in "flattering, functional, forever" women's clothing, has opened seven stores in the U.K., where it is headquartered. But now, its focus is on U.S. expansion. Starting in March, it will open two stores in NYC, followed by one in the Hamptons, in rapid succession. The plan is to follow those up with fourth and fifth locations soon after.

“We like you to bring in your dog, bring in your kid and bring in your partner, and we like you to dwell,” Hornby said. “As a result, our stores [form] communities, all by themselves.”

Week in Review: Talking watches with guest co-host Quaid Walker of Bezel Dec 08, 2023

Show notes

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 Quaid Walker, co-founder and CEO of the online watch marketplace Bezel to talk about the tumultuous watch industry.

Parisi and Walker discuss why luxury watch prices keep falling, even amid apparent high demand. They also talk about the watch brands embracing brick-and-mortar retail and the future of the primary and secondary watch markets.

Pistola’s Grace Na on winning customers with an ‘opening premium price point’ Dec 06, 2023

Show notes

Ten years ago, Grace Na launched her L.A.-based denim brand Pistola after seeing a white space in the market.

“At the time, a lot of the premium labels were owned and run by men, and the premium price point was really expensive,” Na said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “There was a miss for an opening-premium-price-point denim line that was still super high quality, and that had amazing fits and of-the-moment style.”

In getting the brand off the ground, it helped that she had great experience in the fashion industry as a buyer and a planner. She also had support from her husband’s family, which had spent 30 years running a denim business.

Pistola started as a wholesale-only business, eventually selling through 1,000 retail doors. It also ran a private-label business on the side. But today, it’s focused on ramping up its direct sales, among other growth opportunities. For example, soon, it will launch a mommy-and-me capsule collection. And within the next few years, it will embark on international expansion.

Pisola is privately owned and has been profitable since year one, Na said.

Week in Review: Farfetch may go private, workers strike at Gucci Dec 01, 2023

Show notes

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 rumors that Farfetch may be going private soon and what that means for the wider luxury retail world. Additionally, we talk about a strike at Gucci against the company’s decision to move its design headquarters.

Summersalt's Lori Coulter and Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin on success beyond swimsuits and e-commerce Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

A lot has changed for Summersalt since 2017, when it launched as an online-only, perfect-fit swimsuit brand and quickly gained popularity on Instagram. For starters, it has since expanded to product categories including sleepwear, activewear and intimates, Plus, it now operates stores, on top of its e-commerce site, allowing customers to shop IRL in West Palm Beach, Myrtle Beach and Nashville. And Instagram is just one piece of a larger marketing pie.

The growing business is the brainchild of Lori Coulter and Reshma Chattaram Chamberlin, serial entrepreneurs with complementary skill sets who managed to find each other and make a go of an ambitious business plan from their shared home of St. Louis.

"I was creating strategy and branding for amazing brands while running my own agency. Then, after doing that for about seven years, I realized I wanted to eat, sleep and breathe a brand," Chattaram Chamberlin said, regarding her road to Summersalt, on the latest Glossy Podcast.

As for Coulter, she was running a made-to-measure swimwear business, which had perfected the fits of its styles, mastered quick-turnaround manufacturing and maintained accessible price points. At the same time, she was tracking the evolving e-commerce environment and realizing the opportunities it presented. "I decided to create a business plan and develop a collection," she said. She initially approached Chattaram Chamberlin about hiring her agency, and the partnership took off from there.

Now, six years later, Coulter and Chattaram Chamberlin are preparing for yet another year of growth. Their plans for 2024 include opening more stores and doubling down on collaborations, following their successful collections with brands including Diane von Furstenberg and Rifle Paper Co.

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