Consumers are increasingly drawn to small brands with compelling and authentic narratives. In order to keep pace, larger companies must learn how to think small and either create their own new brands or acquire disruptive DTC brands. With VC dollars at the ready, funding is enabling the growth of challenger brands and is expected to continue through 2021. More related articles: Farfetch's next move? testing the resale market, Retail at risk: analysts cite resale revolution,

After years of having personal data owned and handled by businesses, a more distrusting consumer now expects companies to reciprocate with radical transparency and sharing of information. For companies to meet a new bar for consumer trust they will need to offer a heightened level of transparency along dimensions such as value for money, creative integrity, and data protection. Key brand player Everlane. More related articles: Farfetch's next move? testing the resale market

Younger generations’ passion for social and environmental causes has reached critical mass, causing brands to become more fundamentally purpose-driven to attract both consumers and talent. Consumers from some, but not all markets will reward players that take a strong stance on social and environmental issues beyond traditional CSR. Brands like All-Birds and Drunk Elephant are front runners in this space. More related articles: Farfetch's next move? testing the resale marke

The lifespan of the fashion product is becoming more elastic as pre-owned, refurbished, repair and retail business models continue to evolve. Fashion players will increasingly tap into this market to gain access to new consumers seeking both affordability and a move away from the permanent ownership of clothing. Noting new power players like The Real Real, Thred-Up, and Urban Outfitters Nuuly. More related articles: Farfetch's next move? testing the resale market, Retail at r

End of Ownership The lifespan of the fashion product is becoming more elastic as pre-owned, refurbished, repair and retail business models continue to evolve. Fashion players will increasingly tap into this market to gain access to new consumers seeking both affordability and a move away from the permanent ownership of clothing. Noting new power players like The Real Real, Thred-Up, and Urban Outfitters Nuuly. Getting Woke Younger generations’ passion for social and environme

Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, who shot to global fame for inspiring worldwide student strikes to promote action against climate change, took her mission to U.S. President Donald Trump’s doorstep on this month with a protest outside the White House. Next came the “Climate Strike” in which youths and adults were encouraged to walk out of schools and work to urge more action on climate change. Trump is among a small minority of global leaders who have openly questioned the sc

25 million US fans to make E-Sport an Olympic game Esports, competitive video gaming, is fast becoming one of the most popular spectator sports in the world, especially among young men. There are an estimated 25 million US fans and 250 million viewers worldwide, and most of them also play. By 2020, it’s estimated that 70 million people may watch a single esports final. Game developers are now borrowing tactics from the traditional sports industry and establishing competitive

How to follow the trend and be sustainably conscious? Consumer views on ownership are changing – the closet of the future is about rotation, not accumulation. Research shows that younger consumers are driven by two key priorities: to be seen in new styles constantly and to be sustainably conscious. So there is much to celebrate in the phenomenal rise of the resale clothing market which offers variety, value, and sustainability. Changing attitudes towards ownership is propelli

The current system of ‘take, make, dispose’ is increasingly unsustainable. In order to protect our dwindling resources, and ensure the future prosperity of our planet we must start to transition from a linear model to a circular one, implementing a cradle-to-cradle approach where the product’s end life is factored into the initial design. A circular economy that is based on reducing waste can unleash trillions of dollars in growth opportunities in materials net saving, job cr

2019 is widely seen as the year the fashion industry ‘woke up’. Consumers, especially Millennials and Gen Zs, are increasingly concerned about environmental and social issues and have started to consider how their clothes are made, what they’re made of and what happens to them after they’re worn. The answer to these questions increasingly guides purchasing decisions, so there is a moral and economic imperative for the apparel industry to claim more responsibility across the s

Naked dressing has been a thing for decades. Think Kate Moss in a transparent metallic slip at an early-‘90s fashion party Rihanna in a bedazzled mesh Adam Selman gown at the CFDA Awards. Still, the look remains a daunting one to try IRL. No matter how popular the see-through trend has become, it still feels risky to go out in public with your undergarments (if even that) entirely exposed. Navigating how to wear sheer clothes without anxiety is possible though. it’s a matter

Fashion Week always feels like sensory overload, but the spring 2020 shows were particularly bright and colorful this season. They began with a bat mitzvah at Susan Alexandra and ended with a rainbow Marc Jacobs collection. The Marc show, in particular, billed itself as a “celebration of life, joy, equality, individuality, optimism, happiness, indulgence, dreams and a future unwritten,” as the designer’s heartfelt show notes read. It sounds like a tall order, but this really