Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has impacted almost everyone on earth, but how has it specifically affected the fashion industry? First, let us rewind. The past couple of years have been quite tumultuous for the fashion world. The COVID outbreak put a strain on retail, and the future of fashion was in question. Thankfully, throughout 2020, online shopping and eCommerce rose dramatically, fueling innovation and bringing hope to the industry. As travel restrictions lowered in 2021, fashion retail seemed to be transitioning towards a “new normal” – harnessing the technological advancements brought on by the pandemic to make for a more efficient shopping experience. Although Omicron hampered retail growth in late…

“In a world where kindness is rare, where hierarchies still carry weight and where fashion can change the rules but sometimes ends up creating new ones, there was you. You changed the system with your genius, your humility and your authenticity. You led by example. You taught and inspired millions of young people and filled our days with the energy and optimism of those who want to change the world for the better.” This is what the Off-White team wrote on Instagram as a tribute to its founder and CEO Virgil Abloh, who passed away on November 28th due to a rare form of cancer. Across London, Paris, Hong Kong, New York,…

LVMH, the holding multinational corporation and luxury specialized conglomerate, seems to be about to proceed with its latest acquisition in the fashion industry, and this time the selected target is none other than Ralph Lauren. If those that until today are just rumors and speculations will then be officially confirmed, it may represent a shocking turning point for either the French holding or the American apparel brand. But let’s be cautious and analyze the facts, outlining why this kind of move could be beneficial or, conversely, unsuitable for the two giants. The first newspaper that spreaded the news was Axios, reporting about supposed and suspected “explanatory discussions” between LVMH and Ralph Lauren…

The metaverse seems to be the latest craze in the fashion industry with many brands diving full force into it with sneaker NFTs, exclusive virtual experiences and virtual clothing. Although many seem optimistic about the prospects of the metaverse in fashion, some more traditional brands are taking more coaxing than others.  Gucci has largely been in the forefront of fashion brands investing in the metaverse. In 2021, Gucci auctioned off its first pair of virtual sneakers that sold for around $12 a pair. The fashion house has also bought into the Metaverse by buying an undisclosed amount of land on The Sandbox which allows for the buying and developing of…

Counterfeiting is a phenomenon that plagues every sector in the market and, following an increasingly worrying growth trend, Forbes estimates it will reach the 2.8-trillion-dollar mark in 2022. Unlike other industries, faking fashion products is relatively simple: counterfeiters can just copy the look of garments and print the brand name on them. Their techniques have improved considerably over the years, managing to produce copies that are more and more faithful to the originals. Unfortunately, this parallel market severely harms sellers and buyers of authentic products, causing slow growth, image damage and higher costs to avoid purchasing counterfeit goods. In addition to market intermediaries and consumers, counterfeiting also causes significant damage…

The new age of marketing retail fashion, which stresses social entrepreneurship, has furthered many movements. However, this emphasis on social entrepreneurship has also led other, less philanthropic, companies to benefit from those movements without explicitly stating how they support them. For example, customers have pressured companies to engage in environmentally friendly business practices due to increasing concerns about the climate. Unfortunately, these eco-friendly alternative methods can severely decrease profit margins. For that reason, to forego any extra costs while maintaining a good brand image, some companies have reverted to participating in “greenwashing” and simply providing misleading information rather than changing their protocols. Due to the relevance of social movements and…

Last week, a bolt from the blue hit the fashion system: Daniel Lee and Bottega Veneta decided to part ways. According to the official statement released by Kering, the luxury Holding owner of Gucci and Balenciaga besides, precisely, Bottega Veneta, it was a “joint decision”, but this strategic move appears extremely unexpected and may hide the desire of Mr. Lee to join Phoebe Philo as co-creative director in her upcoming eponymous label. The choice becomes even more inexplicable when considering the huge growth and renewal movement embarked by the now former creative director since his arrival at the maison three years ago. Indeed, Mr. Lee immediately undertook serious disruptive decisions,…

Fashion week has finally been back on track. We all know that today fashion capitals are Paris, Milan, New York and London…but how did they manage to become the “Big Four” of the luxury world? Paris Paris has often claimed to be the epicentre of fashion and the homeland of tremendously good taste. Its reputation is built on a very powerful image of heritage and elegance. The forerunners of fashion as we intend it nowadays were, in fact, Charles Worth – the father of Haute Couture – and Paul Poiret – the inventor of sumptuous parades that have become a reference model for contemporary shows. By the 1920s and 1930s,…

The preventative measures imposed during lockdowns have influenced the fashion industry in several ways since the beginning of 2020. For instance, social distancing and travel impediments diverted shopping traffic online, resulting in increased eCommerce sales and advancements in digital marketing and contactless order fulfillment. Now, as countries open their borders and restrictions weaken, how will fashion retailers adapt? More importantly, how will they compete effectively in the new post-COVID environment? Rewinding, from March 2020 to April 2020, BigCommerce merchants saw online traffic increase by about 63 percent, consequently leading to higher sales. In particular, Central and Eastern Europe saw an increase in eCommerce retail sales by 29.1 percent since the…

On September 28, 2021, California passed a nation-leading law known as the Garment Worker Protection Act, SB 62, which introduces an unprecedented type of accountability in the industry. When we hear the word “sweatshops” we immediately think of third-world countries, widespread poverty and lack of fundamental labour and human rights. However, many people don’t know that sweatshops exist in well-developed and modern Western countries as well, both in Europe and in the United States. In particular, California has the highest concentration of garment industry workers in the U.S. and employs an estimated 45,000 workers in Los Angeles County, most of them being undocumented immigrant women from Asia and South America. A…