Member Exclusives
Why Japanese E-Commerce Giant Rakuten Is Betting Big on AI
The e-tailer’s head of fashion Ryo Matsumara sees its recent investments in semantic search and other artificial intelligence features as key to driving sales growth in the country’s lucrative but lagging online luxury market.
How the French Do DTC
Sézane, Rouje and Polène are leading a wave of French direct-to-consumer labels that are gaining global traction with products that trade on the country’s style authority at a fraction of luxury prices; brand identities that are distinctive, but rarely niche; savvy community building; and a mix of physical and digital retail.
Generative-AI Design Platform Raspberry AI Raises $24 Million
Silicon Valley venture firm Andreessen Horowitz led the round as Raspberry AI looks to expand its customer base and accelerate product development.
Oliviero Toscani, ‘Shockvertising’ Pioneer, Dies at 82
The photographer lensed the provocative advertising campaigns — addressing social issues including race, religion, sexuality and war — that helped make Benetton one of the world’s biggest clothing brands.
Exclusive: Charlotte Tilbury Comes For Her Copycats
The makeup artist and mogul is taking aim at rampant “dupes” of her best-selling products with a new campaign: “Legendary. For A Reason.”
The Return of the Non-Smart Watch
Mark Zuckerberg’s $900,000 Greubel Forsey watch signals his embrace of a growing trend among Gen-Z and beyond: the return of traditional mechanical wristwatches, as the younger generation seeks nostalgia, authenticity, and subtle status symbols amid the decline of smartwatches.
Los Angeles Faces Little Relief From Fires as Winds Persist
Southern California’s devastating wildfires are not only threatening lives and properties but also disrupting key fashion hubs, posing risks to luxury retailers and cultural landmarks, as the industry braces for long-term impacts on supply chains and real estate.
This Week: Countdown to the TikTok Ban
Barring a last-minute intervention by the US Supreme Court, these may be the final days of social media as we know it. Plus, men’s shows and luxury earnings season kick off.
LA Brands Pause Business as Usual for Wildfire Relief
Fashion and beauty companies have closed stores, offices and warehouses to focus on donations for those affected by the ongoing wildfires.
What’s Behind the 2025 M&A Wave
True Religion, Kapital and Christian Lacroix are among the brands that have changed hands recently, but bigger deals may still be some ways off.
The Business of Beauty Haul of Fame: Can You Dupe Your Way to the Top?
MCoBeauty is blatant in its copycat approach. Today, it enters Target.
Messika: Inside French Jewellery’s Most Disruptive Success
By backing up casual designs and edgy, celebrity-fronted campaigns with deep-rooted diamond industry expertise, Messika has built a global jewellery empire. Husband and wife duo Valérie Messika and CEO Jean-Baptiste Sassine share their vision for the brand’s 20th anniversary year and beyond.