The Glossy Podcast

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Week in Review: Nike's Travis Scott problem, Faire's big fundraising round, Bottega's new creative director and an inside look at Shein Nov 19, 2021

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On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, hosts Danny Parisi and Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news stories of the week.

In this week's episode: Nike paused its Travis Scott collaborations, wholesale marketplace Faire raised $400 million and Bottega Veneta got a new creative director (while rumors swirled about why Daniel Lee left so abruptly). Plus, a closer look at Shein's massive -- and unethical -- growth.

MCM’s Dirk Schönberger on maintaining 'a glimpse of heritage’ as the brand evolves Nov 17, 2021

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Out with the old and in with the ... old? In June 2021, MCM unveiled a novel, but old-school logo for the first time in its 45 year history. Although the new take on the iconic Visetos print signifies the brand’s evolution, the vintage-inspired Italian jacquard fabric is meant to convey MCM’s past in step with the ever-changing fashion industry.

“Heritage creates so much emotion for [the] consumer,” said Dirk Schönberger, global creative director of MCM, on this week’s Glossy Podcast.

Still, MCM knows adapting is a constant in fashion. Its computer-generated take on the logo and its choice of non-leather fabrics demonstrate the brand’s ongoing need for change.

“If you look closer, you see the cubes that we have are consisting of the diamonds from our original logo,” he said, referring to MCM’s new Cubic Monogram, part of the second phase of the brand’s refresh that launched on October 4.

In addition to the updated logos, Schönberger has facilitated MCM’s collaborations with Gen-Z heavyweights like Billie Eilish, for example, who starred in the brand’s fall/winter 2019 campaign.

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

Luxury fashion’s "ivory towers"

“Luxury fashion has changed because of the influence of street and sportswear. That had a major influence. That's why I'm saying Adidas was also fashion, but it was a different kind of fashion. And you could say that luxury fashion’s ivory towers [are] crumbling because of the influence of street and sportswear. But if you see, then, how luxurious the sportswear has become, maybe the ivory tower just got a little bit higher. Because now even the democratic pieces are exclusive and expensive. I wouldn't say that the ivory tower is crumbling, [but] it created little, extra towers that are also growing … With the influence of street and sportswear, it brought luxury fashion into a completely different space. It was not this rich, mature consumer all of a sudden, but it was again, the youth culture that influenced fashion.”

A pandemic reset

“How we reacted [in the last two years] was, we focused, we were super concentrated, it was not panic mode. It was, ‘Okay, let's have a good look at ourselves, what could we improve from [the] product, from [the] size of [the] collection?’ The whole sustainability topic became even more important than it was already before. There were a lot of serious conversations, but they were always directed to the future. It was not, ‘How are we going to save the company?’ But it was, ‘What do we need to do to be a better brand once this is over?’ And this is what we've done and I'm proud of all the teams that have been working as if nothing has happened from home. And we still managed to do business as usual. And at the end, we came out as a more sustainable company, a more focused company. It forced us to cut off things that were not as necessary as we thought they would be.

Week in Review: Daniel Lee leaves Bottega Veneta, Dior's first London show in years and the biggest collab drops of the week Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

On this week's Glossy Week in Review podcast, hosts fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff review the fashion news that didn't get covered in Glossy's weekly reporting.

This week, the biggest news was Daniel Lee's abrupt departure from Bottega Veneta, three years after taking over as creative director and earning the brand wide acclaim. Also on the show: Dior's first menswear show in London since 2016, the future of London as a fashion hub, the big collaborations that dropped or were announced this week, and the keys to a good collaboration.

CEO Mike Cirker on Alpha Industries' evolution from military outfitter to lifestyle brand Nov 10, 2021

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Fashion has always existed on a spectrum, and right now, that runs the gamut from workleisure to platform Crocs and nightclub-lingerie. For all-American apparel brand Alpha Industries, its military-esque style neatly fits into those intersecting extremes.

But, Alpha Industries' evolution from military outfitter to consumer-facing lifestyle brand does not mean sacrificing its roots. "We're never going to stop selling the [military] surplus," said Mike Cirker, president and CEO of Alpha Industries.

Alpha Industries, founded by Cirker's grandfather in 1959, expanded the reach of its bomber coats, aviation flight jackets and parkas in the '70s as individuals became enamored by the style of the "American cool guys" in the military worldwide. While the brand continues to associate with service stars, such as with its Heritage Collection that pays homage to its original Mil-Spec Flight Jacket, Alpha Industries has also dipped into the world of entertainment. In 2016, the brand collaborated with Kanye West on the rapper's Yeezy tour merchandise bomber jacket. It also teamed with celebrity stylist Maeve Reilly, who dresses Hailey Bieber and Megan Fox, on Alpha's fall 2021 collection.

"We're pushing the boundaries on reinventing old military or utilitarian wear for today's [consumer]," said Cirker. "It's about the story for us."

Week in Review: COP26, Nike in the metaverse and American Eagle's shipping acquisitions Nov 05, 2021

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In this week's Glossy Week in Review podcast, which breaks down the biggest news stories in fashion, fashion reporter Danny Parisi is joined by fellow Glossy reporter Zofia Zwieglinska for a discussion on COP26 and fashion's responsibility to the environment.

Also on this week's episode: Nike's trademarks signal that it may be entering the metaverse soon, and American Eagle acquired yet another shipping logistics company.

Patrick Henry, aka Richfresh, on how he manifested his mark on the luxury fashion industry Nov 03, 2021

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Adolescence -- the transitional stage between the ages of 13 and 19 -- typically signifies the development of a person’s social, romantic and career consciousness. For Patrick Henry, an L.A.-based tailor and luxury fashion brand founder, it encompassed just that. While his self-taught sewing endeavor at age 13 was motivated by his desire to pick up “pretty girls,” it led to his passion for fashion, which is now exemplified through his custom suits worn by stars including The Weeknd and Justin Bieber.

“The term luxury in itself is evolving,” said Henry on the latest Glossy Podcast. "[For clothing,] it's all in the details: It's the stitching, it's the precision, it’s where the garment is produced, what material it’s produced with and the little trims.”

Richfresh, known best for its custom suits, many of which are characterized by Henry's signature track stripes, has since become synonymous with the term “luxe-leisure,” a term coined by Henry himself to describe the “the luxury version of athleisure.” And its pieces have been sported by A-Listers including Kodak Black, Barack Obama and Reese Witherspoon.

While the Richfresh business remains 95% custom, Henry’s business was not spared from the tribulations of Covid-19. But the challenges paved the path for the Binghampton collection, Henry’s first ready-to-wear line that was limited to 25 pieces. Looking ahead, Henry’s signature stripe, which he considers the closest thing to a Richfresh logo, will be available on a host of men’s and women’s silhouettes in 2022, he said.

“It's important, as we move into ready-to-wear [and] potentially open up stores, that I do this right and I get the right funding,” he said.

Week in Review: Fendi x Skims, Poshmark opening up to brands and Bottega Veneta's Detroit show Oct 29, 2021

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On Glossy's Week in Review podcast, fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff discuss the biggest fashion news of the week.

This week, the Fendi and Skims collaboration that was leaked last month was finally, officially, announced; Bottega Veneta, guided by creative director Daniel Lee's affection for Detroit, had its third show off of the seasonal calendar in the Motor City; and Poshmark began letting brands sell directly on its platform.

Monique Lhuillier on pandemic weddings: 'Love was postponed, but not canceled' Oct 27, 2021

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In terms of the luxury industry, a silk mask was much more representative of the last, pandemic-riddled 19 months than a silk dress. Despite this, love and the respective multi-million-dollar wedding industry built around it were not canceled.

”Love was postponed, but not canceled,” said Monique Lhuillier, co-founder and creative director of her namesake luxury brand, on the latest Glossy Podcast.

Before she founded her brand in 1996, an engaged Lhuillier was faced with the two “extremes” of either “traditional” or “minimal” dresses, she said. “I wanted something that had the elements of tradition -- the lace, the long sleeve -- but with an open back, giving [brides] something unexpected. And that's what I set out to do.”

As Monique Lhuillier, the brand, celebrates its 25-year anniversary, Lhuillier and Tom Bugbee, her co-founder and husband, are continuing to bridge the design gap with the brand’s extensive custom and ready-to-wear bridal and bridesmaid dresses, accessories and shoes.

When events came to a halt last year, Monique Lhuillier and its clientele held onto glimmers of tulle and lace, and the hope that traditional weddings would soon return. Using social media posts, the brand’s nationwide retail locations and customer service representatives, the company never lost contact with brides, Lhuillier said.

In the future, Lhuillier said she hopes to continue growing the brand’s DTC business, as well as its presence internationally, on the red carpet and in the beauty space. “We are exploring everything,” she said. “Because you have to stay ahead.”

Week in Review: CFDA Awards, Richemont's Net-a-Porter problem and Farfetch's new private label Oct 22, 2021

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On this week's episode of the Glossy Week in Review podcast, fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff start by discussing some of the honorees at this year's CFDA awards, including Zendaya, Anya Taylor-Joy and the Model Alliance.

Also on the slate this week: the rumors that Richemont may divest from its stake in Net-a-Porter, the distinction between Net-a-Porter's and Farfetch's strategies, and Farfetch's new private label brand, There Was One.

Mack Weldon CMO Talia Handler on growing brand experience with integrated marketing Oct 20, 2021

Show notes

While the pandemic caused many proverbial doors of opportunity to close, other doors were pushed open. That was the case for Talia Handler, CMO of men's basics brand Mack Weldon. Handler, who most recently worked as an e-commerce strategy consultant at TikTok, jumped from the agency side of marketing to her new position at 10-year-old Mack Weldon in May 2021.

"We benefited from working from home -- from people who want to be comfortable, but still look great," said Handler of the digital-first brand's latest campaign, on the Glossy Podcast. "It has been amazing to see that growth over the past few months with our new integrated campaign and our more integrated go-to-market approach."

The TV-centric campaign Handler was referring to was centered on "the expression 'buy some time' [and also] what we now call our Daily Wear System, which is the sum of all the parts of everything that we make that works together," she said. Since its launch in 2011, the brand has expanded it product line from underwear to T-shirts, socks and sweatpants that together "produce radically efficient wardrobing," Handler said.

For Handler, taking on a new role at the company during the pandemic carried more benefits than not, including engaging with its "amazing brand fans," she said. "We bring in our customers not to help us design a product, but to help us perfect it for the uses that they want to apply it towards," said Handler.

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