The way brands connect with their customers — established and potential ones — has changed drastically over the years and has redefined the way luxury and fashion brands interact with society as a whole.“Cultural cred is intangible. It transcends geography and demographics and isn’t created by one group alone. It’s ambiguous and imbued with nuance, making it hard to define and put into...

Can brick and mortar survive in the age of online shopping? As many shops and concept stores shut their doors, once again, Dover Street Market, the brainchild of Comme Des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo, stands out by celebrating its 15th anniversary.The concept store, which initially opened in September 2004, on Dover Street in London's Mayfair district, was open for almost twelve years, until...

Getting the first human to Mars in the 2030s hinges more on the relationship between science and the textiles industry than one might think.“We will have people on the moon, hopefully by the mid 2020s. I hope we don’t get stuck on the Moon. I hope we can push further and get people to Mars. That’s my job,” said Dr. Dava Newman, the former Deputy Administrator of NASA and a leading MIT Professor...

Italy’s Camera Nazionale Della Moda outlined the path towards diversity across the industry and how inclusion can be implemented throughout the fashion system, at a summit Tuesday, held at Milan’s historic Gerolamo children’s theater.Named “Including Diversity” the event coincided with World Disability Day, in an attempt to further underscore the chamber’s commitment, paving the way for a more...

British photographer John Rankin is one of the most distinguishable and prolific pop culture photographers of his generation. Yet, what perhaps truly sets his career apart from that of his contemporaries is his activism and the way he documents socio-political issues.Earlier this year, shortly after collaborating with Phil Ropy for the Surfrider Foundation, a grassroots non-profit environmental...

Gucci is taking major strides to drive its business among Chinese consumers and engage them by creating a digital community. On Monday, the Italian luxury goods maker announced a joint business partnership with Chinese internet goliath Tencent, to, in large part, innovate across Tencent’s unique digital ecosystem and resonate even more among Chinese consumers.The news follows a report released...

Is the hoodie the last true political garment?“The Hoodie,” the first exhibition to explore the socio-political role of this popular casual wear staple, opened Sunday at the Het Nieuwe Instituut, the Dutch institute for architecture, design and digital culture in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.The exhibition was curated by writer and curator Lou Stoppard. In recent history, the hoodie has emerged...

In a luxury world expected to rise four percent to 1.3 trillion euros this year, its top priority is a Chinese, young customer—someone who lives in “the now” and is totally digital.“Brands who understand this are set to grow. The consumer of today is all these things and wants to be listened to,” said lead Bain & Company luxury goods analyst, partner Claudia D’Arpizio, Thursday at the Altagamma...

The third and latest instalment of Gosha Rubchinskiy’s GR-Uniforma 3 project, was unveiled Thursday in conjunction with the opening of Modes, Milan’s brand-new omnichannel retail store.The store, which boasts interesting collaborations with London’s NTS Radio and the team behind Reading Room, a magazine shop celebrated by the independent Milanese print scene, served as the perfect backdrop for...

“What does the new era of empowerment look like at Victoria’s Secret?” asked a series of current adverts for the former lingerie giant. The answer? Well, it’s certainly not the annual televised fashion show which in recent years has gone from being the must-see blockbuster event of the year, full of fashion’s most famous faces cast as its iconic Angels, to being cancelled. Over and out. Parent...

Josh Luber, who turned his childhood passion for sneakers into a multi-billion dollar business, embodies the very definition of entrepreneurial spirit. For many, he is also the American Dream personified. After starting and selling several business ventures and obtaining his MBA, he created and launched Campless in 2013 while working at IBM. A blog of sorts, Campless became a way for Luber to...

Amazon Fashion is on a major uptick. With sales momentum driven by Gen Z and millennials, the online retail juggernaut is tailoring its Black Friday strategy to its consumer-crazed loyalists, using AI and social media indicators to outperform competitors.In fact, recent industry figures show that Amazon is the leading e-retailer in the United States. Although the majority of the company's...

What makes an e-commerce platform stand out nowadays? As the number of digital platforms selling clothing online increases exponentially, finding a way to emerge from the crowd is becoming progressively difficult.From The Real Real to Vestiare Collective and more, the fashion resale market has been thriving and as ThredUp’s 2019 Resale Report states, it is predicted to grow to nearly one point...

Today, the redefinition of the designer’s role and the new skillset required to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry are disturbing to most couturiers and fashion designers. Designers often feel that the brands they work for are operating at the expense of their authenticity and creativity — and sometimes even at the cost of their mental health.“The period of the designer being...

Colombian-born Johanna Ortiz is the latest designer to join the roster of creatives that have collaborated with fast-fashion giant H&M, the company said Tuesday in a statement.From Donatella Versace’s collection in 2011 to Giambattista Valli’s latest venture with the brand this past October, H&M has collaborated with an impressive array of high-fashion designers. This is the first time the...