The Glossy Podcast

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The Yes founder Julie Bornstein on building an 'industry-changing' retail platform Jan 05, 2022

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If you count its unintentional year in beta, The Yes is just eight months old.

Retail veteran Julie Bornstein planned to launch the fashion e-commerce platform, which she describes as "a new way to shop," in March 2020 -- but then Covid-19 hit. So, she waited two months and introduced the company in May, just before George Floyd was killed and "the world got even more complicated." As with companies across categories, the plan- and priority-shifting news The Yes faced in the year, and the following year, didn't stop there.

"We operated in what felt like a beta timeframe," Bornstein said on the latest Glossy Podcast. "We ended up using that year to just improve the experience, onboard more brands, learn [what] our users liked and improve so many things. We decided we needed to launch web, [in addition to an app], which we did."

The Yes's big differentiator among fashion marketplaces is the personalized experience it provides shoppers, largely based on individual products they like or dislike via a voluntary click of "Yes" or "No." Bornstein realized the potential for such a platform while holding C-suite positions at Stitch Fix (COO) and Sephora (CMO and chief digital officer).

It's worth noting that The Yes rolled out a rewards program dubbed "Yes Funds" on Tuesday, which Bornstein teased during the mid-December podcast recording: "I helped launch Beauty Insider at Sephora, so I'm a big fan of interesting programs that reward your best customer," she said.

Year in Review: In 2021, resale dominated, fashion went into the metaverse and unexpected collaborations abounded Dec 29, 2021

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In a special edition of the Glossy Podcast, Danny Parisi, senior fashion reporter, and Jill Manoff, editor-in-chief, review the year in fashion news.

2021 was eventful for fashion, to say the least. There were high-profile acquisitions, groundbreaking runway shows, notable deaths and abrupt executive departures. In this episode, the pair discuss three big stories from the year, toughing on all the interesting bits of news that fit those larger themes. They include: the growing dominance of resale in fashion; the rise of digital fashion, crypto and NFTs; and the new willingness for traditional rivals in luxury fashion to work together.

Aerosoles' Alison Bergen: We had to accept that we'd lose customers as we evolved Dec 22, 2021

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After becoming sold on accepting the CEO job at Aerosoles, Alison Bergen is hellbent on selling fashion fans on shopping the brand.

“I don’t think I ever thought I would end up at a comfort footwear brand. And I think [Aerosoles] offered me the job twice before I accepted it, because I had to get over my own snobbery,” Bergen said on the latest Glossy Podcast. Prior to Aerosoles, she held lead merchandising roles at Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors and Diane von Furstenberg.

“What finally attracted me to [Aerosoles] was the original story about the founder, Jules Schneider,” she said. “How and why he started the brand … felt like it was equally relevant today as it was revolutionary back in the late ’80s when he founded it… He thought, ‘Women shouldn't have to sacrifice comfort for style, or vice versa.’”

Bergen joined the brand in 2018 with the goal of modernizing its approach to design and business — which has proven to be quite the feat.

“Taking a Titanic and trying to change the course doesn't happen by just hitting one button,” she said. “You’re really repositioning and realigning so many facets of the business. Whether it was distribution, product, branding, team structure -- all of those things were going to change, in order to push this brand into relevancy and a healthy future, from a profitability perspective.”

Bergen also discussed the internal changes she’s made and the customer response to the brand's recent updates, including product pricing.

Week in Review: Nike acquires RTFKT, Chanel gets new CEO, Shein hires head of sustainability, Inditex preps for new leadership Dec 17, 2021

Show notes

For this week's Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi was joined by fashion reporter Zofia Zwieglinska to talk about the three biggest stories of the week.

This week, Nike acquired digital fashion company RTFKT and Chanel hired a new CEO, fashion outsider Leena Nair. Also, Shein hired a new head of sustainability, in an effort to turn its image around, and Inditex shared how it's preparing for new leadership.

Cleobella's Angela O'Brien on building a "slow, sustainable and profitable" fashion company Dec 15, 2021

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Cleobella founder and designer Angela O’Brien built her strong, 15-year-old business from an idea she had while galavanting around the globe.

“My husband and I left our jobs in Southern California, and we did a trip around the world for a year -- we lived in a camper van in Europe, and we traveled all through Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. And we felt this freedom that we wanted more of,” O’Brien said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “So the idea became, ‘How do we create a business and keep this journey going?’”

Now, she splits her time between living in Bali and doing business in Los Angeles, the headquarters of her globally-inspired, ethically-made fashion brand produced by artisans around the world.

The brand has a story worth telling, too, O’Brien said. “The customer cares how her product is made. And having that openness, and telling the story of the people and the hands and the hearts that make our product, that's what's most important to me. And that's what builds a legacy brand.”

Currently, the self-owned brand is in growth mode -- for example, it’s grown its DTC business 100% year-over-year, O’Brien said. She also discussed what’s fueling the growth, why she still believes in wholesale and why she won’t be fundraising any time soon.

Week in Review: Roblox and Ralph Lauren, Pete Davidson and Calvin Klein, and Chanel's Advent calendar Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, hosts senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff discuss the biggest fashion stories of the week.

This week, they discuss Ralph Lauren's metaverse ambitions, timed with a new Roblox activation, Pete Davidson's partnership with Calvin Klein and Chanel's Advent calendar controversy.

Designer Norma Kamali on how the pandemic 'fast-forwarded' her 50-year-old brand Dec 08, 2021

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Norma Kamali may have launched her namesake fashion brand more than 50 years ago, but the last two years have presented challenges like she’s never seen before. Luckily, working through them has had positive effects on her business.

“Covid and everything that went with it was -- for me, in the workplace -- like nothing [that’s come before it]. We’ve all experienced this for the first time,” she said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “It really got me to fast-forward the company to where we should be. Plus, it made us more efficient and it made us better strategically.”

It's paying off: The business has grown by almost 3X since 2019, she said.

Kamali can be credited with pioneering such timely industry trends as athleisure and an e-commerce focus. And, she said, though her business has evolved, she’s held true to her core focuses. In terms of her designs, that means sticking to “clothing you feel good in, that isn’t crazy expensive and that you wear a lot,” she said.

She talked more about her “classic, timeless style,” plus she explained why she’s dedicated to e-commerce channels, and how she's incorporating wellness into her fashion business.

Below are additional highlights from the conversation, which have been lightly edited for clarity.

Week in Review: Virgil Abloh, Black Friday and a report from Glossy's first UK event Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

On this week's episode of the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi is joined by editor-in-chief Jill Manoff and fashion reporter Zofia Zwieglinska to talk about some of the biggest news in the fashion world.

As the biggest story of the week was the tragic passing of Virgil Abloh, we discussed his life and his influence on fashion. Also this week: a lackluster Black Friday and a report from Glossy's first U.K. event.

Mytheresa’s Michael Kliger on competing for luxury shoppers: 'In the end, the customer is the judge' Dec 01, 2021

Show notes

Luxury fashion has quickly morphed away from Old Hollywood glamour to sneakers and nylon belts. But for online retailer Mytheresa, that air of sophistication and charm is still the heart of its business.

"We love the true luxury part of the [fashion] business," said Michael Kliger, CEO of Mytheresa, on this week's Glossy Podcast. "It is by definition a limited set of brands that you could count as luxury."

With roots as a boutique in Munich starting in 1987, Mytheresa has evolved alongside changes in luxury, including with its launch of a menswear category in 2020 and the company's IPO in January. Although the retailer maintains a focus on "traditional" luxury brands, like Valentino, Prada and Gucci, as well as occasions, like a "garden party," Mytheresa also carries "cooler, new [brands] like Jacquemus," in response to evolving customer tastes, which accelerated during the pandemic, said Kliger.

In contrast to other luxury retailers, Mytheresa carries fewer than 250 brands, living up to its tagline of, 'The finest edit in luxury fashion."

"We always say the journey of our customers starts with an occasion in mind, not with a product in mind," said Kliger.

Mytheresa's focus on occasion did not falter during the pandemic, when sales of cashmere, knitwear, sneakers and slide shoes boomed as shoppers traded in galas for the living room couch. And on the other side of luxury, categories like vacation wear, formal dresses and party clothes have rebounded more recently, he said.

Hanky Panky’s Brenda Berger on refreshing the brand: 'We want women to feel supported' Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

Although "The World's Most Comfortable Thong" may seem like an oxymoron, intimates and sleepwear brand Hanky Panky continues to hold the title unironically 35 years after the release of its cult-favorite 4811 thong.

While the brand celebrates its heritage with the anniversary of the iconic one-size-fits-all thong, which makes up over 60% of Hanky Panky's sales, it's simultaneously going through a brand refresh, said Brenda Berger, co-CEO of Hanky Panky, on this week's Glossy Podcast. Berger, who served as the head of sales and marketing from 2004 to 2013, rejoined Hanky Panky as co-CEO in 2019 when the "rebrand conversation" started, she said.

After 44 years in business, Berger and the Hanky Panky team are focused on refreshing the brand while maintaining its sense of heritage, she said. Berger has overseen the launch of Hanky Panky's new website, logo and digital marketing strategies, as well as its new influencer partnerships and TikTok and Instagram strategies.

"[These tactics] better tell the stories of our core products," said Berger. "What was happening prior was word of mouth ... [We shifted our] marketing content to storytelling, and we're now taking more ownership of it and placing it on our platforms."

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