03. The Insider's Guide to Fashion's Open Secrets
Luxury's youth strategy, a free million dollar biz idea, and which founders' businesses are actually just expensive hobbies
Hello, happy Thursday and happy Retail Roundtable to all who celebrate!
I traveled really far for Shoptalk this week (it’s 10 minutes from my house), exhausted myself networking (had a girls breakfast at the Four Seasons overlooking the pool), and gained invaluable insights (shamelessly eavesdropped on everyone’s conversations at Starbucks while pretending to write this).
I did meet with some really incredible founders + operators and we’ll talk about that tea down below.
This has been a super busy week and I have a few things in the works to discuss next week, so we’re going to keep today on the quick bits side ~
BTW, feedback on the AMA series was:
+ questions via google form submission
+ split between a section within this current newsletter and a standalone, so we’ll start small for now and build out over time
+ ask Qs anonymously
+ and ALL topics would be helpful (plus some requests for building in public content which is coming soon!)
Submit anything you want to know here and I’ll answer it next week. It’ll be completely anonymous so if you wanna send me something juicy as well, PLS DO!
Today is going to essentially be a rapid fire so let’s get into it. Buyer beware, I’m an absolute yapper so these likely won’t be quick but I’ll do my best.
First, let's set the mood. Slip into those Missoni Giacomo slippers, pour whatever's left of that Ghia spritz into your favorite Maison Balzac glass, and silence those follow-up emails for the next 15 minutes.
It's Thursday, I've got some quick fashion intel and observations from Shoptalk, and even though this week's a bit more rapid-fire than usual, I promise it's worth the read.
Let's get into it, shall we?
Arcade raised a $25M Series A from Canaan and Forerunner, bringing their total to $42M, and announced their expansion into home goods. Their platform has already seen users create 650,000 jewelry designs since their beta launch just months ago + this category expansion signals the growing consumer appetite for AI-powered TRUE personalization in physical products beyond digital experiences.
A few fashion startups are hiring including: Reflaunt, 99 Yards Internship, Closai Internship, Sisterly Tribe, Maison de Nus Internship, Another Tomorrow, Stitch Fix and more. Honestly,
is your girl for this. I think we're entering a new chapter where companies are focusing on operational expertise rather than just growth at all costs—particularly notable at Stitch Fix, which seems to be recalibrating after recent struggles.Jennie is the newest Chanel 25 girl. The K-pop to luxury pipeline continues to strengthen as brands recognize that these stars drive significant Asian market growth (which has taken a massive downturn since COVID and has tanked outlooks for a multitude of brands globally). Expect this casting trend to accelerate as Western luxury houses compete for relevance with younger global consumers. We're witnessing a strategic pivot from brands traditionally focused on capturing HENRYs with the hope they'd evolve into HNWI. Now, luxury brands are leveraging social to create relationships with consumers at much earlier ages, cultivating brand affinity long before purchasing power materializes - essentially creating customers-in-waiting rather than chasing established spenders.
Proenza Schouler founders Jack McCollough + Lazaro Hernandez are the new creative directors at Loewe, replacing Jonathan Anderson and I’m starting to think that from a mathematical standpoint, we may never be settled in the creative director musical chair saga. This reshuffling of tried and true designers reveals how luxury conglomerates are prioritizing proven commercial success over artistic experimentation in uncertain economic times—a strategic shift that suggests we'll see more "safe" aesthetic choices across the industry.
People cannot stop raving about Collection C from Phoebe Philo but if you were ever doubting my girl then you can just see yourself out! Her DTC approach validates that brand equity can transcend traditional retail structures for luxury when there's genuine creative vision. The waitlist-generating power demonstrates how scarcity remains the ultimate luxury marketing tactic.
Evelyn Mora is launching "World Fashion Week" that's meant to be an always on, gamified and immersive experience to tackle overproduction issues + the lag in product availability. Rather than another metaverse gimmick, it's a pragmatic attempt to fundamentally restructure how fashion connects with consumers by making the experience more accessible, engaging, and aligned with digital-native shopping behaviors - potentially solving fashion's persistent struggle with timing and waste.
What I’m listening to: This episode of Pia’s Pod (cc:
) with Kira Mackenzie is a recent fav! Kira is not only so incredibly knowledgeable but an actual angel on earth. I always leave a pod with her feeling so inspired and wanting to read a dictionary, IYKYK. Also, my culture/subculture fix always comes from the solo eps of How Long Gone and it’s one of the rare (see: only) times where I will laugh with (not at) two straight men.What I'm reading: There’s always 3 things on my nightstand- something literary, something spicy and something industry- and TBH I haven’t finished any in a while. Current rotation is On Women by Susan Sontag, McMafia (a different kind of spice if you will) and industry has been my latest hack: see here!
What I wore: I honestly think I snapped on the Shoptalk outfits and there was no office siren in sight, linking here! As per ush, I took not one photo except this one which I would deem less than helpful. I took TTS on everything but you should v much size down in the Posse set. BTW- they are an incred slow fashion brand I found on Moda and am loving. While you’re at it, take a size down in the Frankie Shop blazer because it is SO oversized (I got a M and am swimming).
What I’m gossiping about: I think women should get their bag left, right, up, down- HOWEVER they can. Men owe us for the Salem Witch Trials and I'll say it with my whole chest. However, I had an interesting starter conversation with a creator-based tech founder over coffee this week about the reality behind some influencer’s businesses, i.e. the not surprising fact of how many creators actually started with substantial financial backing, which never makes it into their origin stories. That part I don’t care about AT ALL because you can’t control it and just as a whole, who gives a fuck? However, that led into an off-shoot conversation that I found much more interesting…
One with two other friends where we discussed these "founders" who position themselves as business visionaries while their creator income is actually bankrolling what are essentially vanity projects. The classic "fake it till you make it" has evolved into "claim it before you do it so you can actually do it" strategy.
Where's the line between manifestation, hustling smart, and just straight-up misrepresentation? And more importantly - does it even matter so long as the content is valuable and EVENTUALLY the products actually work? I'm genuinely curious how your media literacy is these days - do you clock these patterns or do you take creator success stories at face value? Do you care?What I’m currently obsessed with:
• Coffee DJ sets (the 30+ in me appreciates both the vibe and the fact that I don't have to leave my house at night. I am a flake. You should learn this about me now.)• Saying I'm going to post on IG but absolutely never doing it
• These Back 70 mules for quick errands this summer
• Vegas hitting 80 degrees and finally getting a Blue Bottle like the rest of civilization
• Making fun of the viral morning routine guy (I REFUSE to link him) for being his wife’s little doll
What I’m side-eyeing: The viral morning routine guy who is his wife’s little doll (seriously why is she feeding him and wiping up after him?)
What’s in my cart: I’m on a no-buy post Shoptalk haul bc $$$ but I’ve been eyeing this because I think it’s the chicest way to bring a bottle of Wölffer Rosé to a friend’s house this summer.
What I learned this week: Democratization of established industries will be the biggest biz disruptor after AI.
What fake business I want to start this week: You know how everyone says buy 'investment pieces' but no one actually knows what will hold value? Imagine an app that analyzes historical resale data, current consumer purchasing patterns (demographics, attribution, creative director favorability, etc.) to show you which luxury items are actually worth investing in... Like, is that Prada Re-Edition really going to hold value or should you go for the vintage Lady Dior? Someone create this for me.
What I’d give a TED Talk on after two drinks: How the loss of early 2000s-mid 2010 boutique culture was the downfall of personal style. And also how cool Australian girls are.
What would get me out of bed at 6 AM: Apparently nothing because I talked the most shit last week about all of the 7am brand runs I was signed up for at Shoptalk and went to absolutely none of them.
What I’d invest in if I had VC money and zero shame: Buying Crocs and shutting them down. I’m so sorry.
What I’m fake gatekeeping: Exactly 1 person told me that my hair was incredible this week and now it’s my whole personality. Go get a cut with Franck, the founder of IGK. You’ll never be hotter. I would post the price here but my husband will see it.
What brand I’d let sponsor my life: Evian.
What should be studied in a business school case study: Are you sick of me bringing up Polyvore’s demise yet? Add on a psychology class to study how many female tech founders sprouted from this trauma as well.
What feels like a money laundering scheme but IS NOT! (for legal reasons this is a joke): Quince. I know you were thinking it too.
That's all the brain power I have for today. If you made it this far, do you feel like we're closer? Are we best friends? I'm about to go eat my bodyweight in Mafaldine while watching yesterday's Abbott as a form of recovery / self-care from the week.
LYLAS!
See you next week <3
Carly
I also wrote about it earlier this week but it’s so clearly about valuation vs vision with the fashion houses and the white men save a few are getting stale
That fake business is an amazing idea and and should be done!! Let me know if you need a business partner haha