Sunday Scoop - Catch up on retail news, The Row and micro-trend spotting
The end of NYFW means we still have lots of news to catch up on. The Row nabs investment from the Chanel and L'Oreal families, fashion micro-trend spotting and my favorite Substacks I've been reading.
Quick Hits:
Fashion
Loving another collab for
- the Clare V brand is really knocking it out of the park. I absolutely loved the Tracksmith collab and her latest is with the home goods brand Schoolhouse and it looks amazing. It is impressive that Clare V and Schoolhouse are able to create a collection on a smaller scale that looks so iconic to both brands. This NYTimes article talked about the connection between fashion and interior design as well as the tidbit that it was the Clare V brand that first reached out to Schoolhouse. I love this very cool pillow and these catch alls to hold jewelry (they also remind me of these fun colorful ones.)Sleep and loungewear brand Lake is celebrating 10 years and co-founders Anne Read Lattimore, chief executive officer, and Cassandra Cannon, chief creative officer spoke to WWD. They have a special stripe collection, The Stripe Archive, of best sellers for this big birthday.
In an attempt to grow back to the 16% sports bra market Victoria’s Secret once had, they are relaunching VSX activewear line which has their own proprietary fabric which will be made into leggings, sports bras and catsuits. VSX is currently launched on the Victoria’s Secret website with a buy more save more promotion to increase revenue quickly and drive urgency, conversion and get more products into people’s hands fast. This will also help drive trial before Q4 - Black Friday and gift giving season, hopefully driving more people back to stock up.
Also ready for a comeback, we are in a SeaVees moment. It feels so right. There is a classic sneaker, slip-on, bad weather (duck) boot and a casual slipper to wear indoors. All well priced.
Beauty Brands
I first saw the collaboration of artist CJ Hendry and Clé de Peau Beauty on Lindsay Silberman’s Instagram. Immediately caught my attention. This art installation was two years in the making. You can read more about it here from WWD. Very impressive.
Bobbi Brown spoke to the Financial Times about her family business, aka Jones Road, that she is building with her husband, son and daughter in law. It is pretty impressive that after her non-compete with Estée Lauder (25 years) she is able to do this again with no-make-up make-up in a totally different innovation and formulation. I’m a huge fan of the face pencils if you are looking for a product to try.
Rare Beauty two-fer: these two stories involving Rare Beauty I find interesting to come out at the same time.
Rare Beauty pauses their search for a buyer. They are no longer looking to sell (at least publicly.) Six months ago they hired bankers.
Selena Gomez, founder of Rare Beauty, was named to the Billionaire list with about 80% of her wealth coming from the beauty brand. She is estimated to own 51% of the brand that is now valued at $2 Billion.
Coincidentally, as we move towards the end of 2024 I’m interested in a recap of the beauty brands looking to sell/get acquired/invested this year and how it shook out for them. We’ve got Merit, Rare, Rhode, Glossier, Summer Fridays, Westman Atelier. All of these were hot commodities at the beginning of the year. All are still doing well but we haven’t heard of the big sale for any of them in that capacity. Yet. Although Summer Fridays did get a strategic growth investment.
Glossier news:
First, the brand is teasing Play coming back. Play was launched as a separate brand and was super colorful and sparkly. My assumption is that this time around it will be part of the same brand and not separated out. Glossier’s own quote is “You’re right guys. Glossier Play was a party, but this is a NEW party”
Second, Glossier has announced the latest recipients to their Grant Programme for Black-Founded brands. I think my favorite part of this program is that for the first time this year they are also awarding an alumni of the program an additional $100K to keep growing their business. It is so important as brands scale and grow to continue to get finances and mentorship for each stage of growth. Alicia Scott, founder of Range Beauty, a skincare line for eczema- and acne-prone skin was awarded the alumni grant this year.
Summer Fridays launched a special Illuminating and Bronzing Drops bundle. It looks like the Bronzing bundle has already sold out but you can still grab the Illuminating. Using limited edition kits Summer Fridays is able to get customers to try key products. Sometimes one sku is the driver to get customers to try the secondary product. This kit includes both the Illuminating Drops and the ShadeDrops Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Mineral Milk Sunscreen in a bonus vegan leather pouch.
PSA: Today in the Palisades you can trade out your old Lip Gloss for a free Saie Glossybounce Lip Gloss. Brands engage customers to try the product (I’ve seen this done with denim donation/recycle, winter coats and sneakers.) It also gives the brand a reason to reach out and acquire customers as well as a story to talk to journalist about. My question is around the data with customers and life time value. Are these customers that come back to the brand and buy again or does it drive discount/deal seekers who aren’t loyal to the brand?
The Row’s new investors
TL:DR: The Row, the luxury fashion brand founded by the Olsen twins, just got major backing from the families behind Chanel (The Wertheimer Brothers) and L'Oréal (Françoise Bettencourt Meyers), valuing it at about $1 billion. This investment is likely to fuel expansion and new product categories while maintaining the brand's ultra-luxe, low-key vibe.
Details:
Investors include Chanel's Wertheimer family, L'Oréal's Bettencourt Meyers family, Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet, and Moda Operandi co-founder Lauren Santo Domingo.
Current estimated revenue is between $250-300 million
The brand has only four retail locations worldwide, suggesting significant room for expansion.
Potential growth areas include retail expansion, menswear development, and new categories like homeware, perfume, and beauty.
The Row's "quiet luxury" approach aligns well with current market trends moving away from logo-driven merchandising.
Challenges include maintaining exclusivity while growing, and ensuring consistent quality across product lines. (The Mara jelly shoe this summer proved challenging quality wise.)
This investment is seen as a major vote of confidence from established luxury players in The Row's long-term potential.
Ashley and Mary Kate Olsen are able to continue to keep control with this investment.
For more details, check out this article from BoF and this one too.
Blanket Statement
Imagine this done in my most Miranda Priestley voice (not really, but let’s have some fun here with trends and how it is all connected.)
Fashion History - the Blanket Stitch has been around a long time. I’ve seen both the late 1800s and the 4th Century quoted. Huge difference, but a long long time ago. This embroidery technique has deep roots in traditions including Guimaraes embroidery from Portugal, Old Rabat embroidery from Morocco, and Jebel Haraz embroidery for Yemen. A whipstitch is a similar style of embroidery. A blanket stitch can be used as a decorative touch, embroidery, holding two pieces together and often used in finishing the raw edges of items like blankets. Think of the edges of the Hermés blanket.
Toteme and Scandinavian styles seemed to have brought this back around in clothing (before Toteme can we think of anyone else using contrast blanket stitching as a central design detail in the 2020s before Toteme? Toteme launched their popular Blanket Wool Scarf Coat in 2021.) If there is any doubt of Toteme’s impact, here is an from Marie Claire written by Halie LeSavage article sharing how much fashion people love the brand right now. (Me. I’m fashion people in this case too.)
Fall 2023 I noticed blanket stitches in many more brands and in Fall 2024 I’m seeing a greater increase and earlier in the season too - either from top items returning this season, brands expanding this collection from strong sales LY or new brands entering with this as a key design detail. It continues to trickle down, up, across and all around.
Reasons it is likely popular now:
Toteme continues to sell the scarf coat and the sweaters with the blanket stitch well.
Along with Toteme and the example of the Hermés blanket, it is used in luxury products so the association is with upscale taste and items. Quiet luxury - adding the detail without a logo.
It is a relatively inexpensive way to add details to clothing. When trying to keep the costs down in manufacturing, extra details cost $$. This thread likely does add a little bit of extra cost, but not a lot. For most of the brands listed below it is likely somewhere between pennies and a couple of dollars which would result in $2 to $10 at retail and additional margin because the product feels more valuable with the extra detail.
Blanket Stitch round-up:
The Toteme scoat or just the scarf on sale (but heads up, final sale) and the sweater, aka jumper, as well. It makes a nice little collection from the brand.
Lisa Yang cardigan here. Lisa Yang has had a few sweaters with this detail.
This Simon Miller chunky sweater is fantastic and could easily be worn to stay warm on the sidelines/bleachers of sports, paired with jeans or over leggings.
English Factory: Knit Mini Dress would look great with knee high boots, a long cardigan and a sweater format. For development if they can apply a similar design across many items it can cut down on some costs (material sourcing, samples, design time etc.)
Rails: cropped ladylike jacket with blanket stitch and also in a thinner shirt you can get the detail without the bulk of a knit.
Dissh priced well and with more of a zigzag application.
Donni polar fleece blanket stitch built a few items that all work together.
Ann Taylor sharp price point and this sweater goes up to a size XXL. Available as a cardigan (coatigan) too. I think calling it a “coatigan” when it is clearly a cardigan is to take advantage of SEO for “blanket”+ “stitch”+ “coat”
I love this Sezané Betty cardigan and have had it in my cart many times. This might be the time I convert.
This Rag & Bone sweater has an oversized thermal knit stitch detail.
Quince’s version of the scarf coat has the same stitch.
J.Crew has a cashmere wrap in black and birch. I love wraps like this for travel or to keep on your desk chair to combat the harsh AC.
Even Eberjey jammies have the blanket stitch details.
Surprised I’m not seeing more handbags and shoes with these details, but I think this Freda Salvador tote bag is beautiful and the leather handcrafted whipstitching is a very cool detail. (Use code RETAILDIARY15 to receive 15% off for first time customers on full priced styles.)
Blanket Stitch details - history, why it is trending and the items that got me thinking about this detail.
Fashion Finds
Year Round Pieces
Want to know why we are all confused about what to wear? It is Fall and we are in September. But Fashion Month right now is all about Spring/Summer 2025 so we are being fed that inspiration on the runway too. AND it is still so warm in certain parts of the country/world. What weather are we dressing for? What do we feel like wearing? It is 🌀 a lot to think about.
I’m obsessed with uniform dressing and all-season style. I want to invest in pieces I can wear year round. Like a slip dress I can add sweaters to in fall and winter but wear with flip flops in summer. Or that sweater that is so light I can perfectly layer any season there is.
My Donni Kick Flare Pants were light enough to be year round for me. They are also the best WFH and running errands pants. (Use code Sarah10 for 10% off at Donni)
The La Ligne Lean Lines Cardigan works great unbuttoned for cool summer evenings and I like that it is thin enough to layer under blazers and coats for winter. If you want even lighter try their Ben Cardigan. (10% off your first order with code SarahS10)
Ballet Slippers and Loafers are another item I purchase/wear year round. Easiest shoes for me to style and wear.
Button down shirts are a key component of both uniform dressing and seasonless style. In the summer I unbutton more or layer a chambray shirt over a tank top and wear open. Winter I’ll layer a sweater over. I’ve been wearing this one in black* a lot lately. My new Alexa Chung x Madewell Oversized Denim Shirt arrived (it is very oversized - I took my typical size but I could have also sized down) and I’m excited to style this for Fall but I will absolutely wear year round.
A new way I’d like to style seasonless pieces - I’m loving the look of a long, thin, pointelle knit under a short sleeve thin sweater or a cropped button down shirt like this.
One thing I do like looking at in regards to the runway shows for future seasons, is how long we will be interested in various colors that are trending. For example, from these Staud images I can tell that red will continue (perhaps the more orange shades) and chocolate will too. So if you are loving reds and chocolate now they don’t feel like they will be a flash in the pan.
Bag Charms still hanging around
Based on Coach’s latest Spring/Summer 2025 runway show and street style looks during Fashion Month, Bag Charms are still hanging around. And for good reason:
We love to customize and personalize our style - and bag charms allow us to “decorate” any handbag without doing permanent damage. Tire of a look, take it off.
Curate and collect pieces over time. Memories of a fabulous vacation, scarf from a loved one, initials hanging off.
Lower luxury (entry) price point without having to design a handbag that is under $1K or whatever the going rate is. A brand can play at aspirational luxury at a super accessible price point.
Continue to add newness. It is much easier to drop new bag charms throughout a season than to design a brand new collection of handbags.
Super adaptable and able to move quickly - if this trend goes away, back to keychains.
Here is my bag charm edit and the latest new ones I’ve found:
if you aren’t DIY but you like the look - here is one from Etsy where you can build your own
Disco Drip from don’t let disco
Tortoise and a gold puffy heart will look great with all the chocolate looks for Fall
Don’t forget to add a silk scarf and while you are at it, The RealReal has a realreal good assortment - these are items that are great to have fun with and then resell when you want to mix it up.
Accessory wise, now is the time that iPhone cases will be selling well - time to switch it up for the iPhone 16. I need a new case for my Ossa chain. Any other phone cases worth checking out?
And one Beauty Find
I ordered and have been using the new Westman Atelier Vital Skincare Concealer. First of all, Westman Atelier packaging is so…satisfying. They are so luxe, have a nice weight to them, feel so wonderful and are packaged to be portable. Second, this concealer is creamy and doesn’t cake up. It has nice coverage and blends well. I’m really liking it.
🛍️ Quick note: I write a lot (too much good stuff to share!) so if you’re reading via email only, you may need to click through to the web version or read on the Substack app. I promise it will be worth it. 🛍️
Substacks to Scroll
IRL conversations on Substacks & affiliate marketing
I attended the Vogue Business x ShopMy panel at Nine Orchard. Hilary Milnes of Vogues Business asked excellent questions from the panelists (Hill House Home Founder and CEO Nell Diamond (check out my Retail Confidential on how they handle the drop model here),
founder of The Stripe and , Co-Founder and COO at ShopMy and Founder and CEO of Dorsey (check out my Brand Crush on the brand here) and author of )All the speakers agreed on a few key points.
First, data analytics are crucial for every business these days - and it is so important to have easy access to this data.
Second, affiliate marketing has been a game-changer. It's given both brands and influencers more room to grow their businesses.
Plus, it's helping companies find new customers more easily and profitably.
And lastly, it's opening doors for people to discover brands they might never have found otherwise.
I found inspiration in every single item from
’s “Ask A Stylist: High Street Heroes.” High Street retailers in the U.K. would be similar to mall brands in the US. I love how the inspiration drew from is more of a classic and upscale style vs fast fashion inspiration. These are pieces that are still timeless, seasonless and can be worn year after year.- from shared a great look at color forecasting, the impact on trends and the potential opulence swing we are headed towards “Is Maximalism Starting to Come Back?”
Enjoyed reading
send on Clinique and their attempt at Into The Gloss named “The Wink” and many thoughts on the brand and business. Plus, the title is fantastic “Clinique is the Granny Panties of the Beauty World.”Fall Inspiration from:
- “I asked 6 fashion insiders what's on their fall moodboard and shopping list!”
- “In Case You Missed It, Pre Fall Fever.”
Loved the question of “What Would Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy Wear To The Park?” that
answers.
Enjoy your Sunday Scoop. xx
Sarah Shapiro
What’s Next
Let’s hit the road on Tuesday with a travel post. Makes sense with Fashion Weeks in Europe. I’ll keep covering the latest news in the Deep Dive on Thursday and no loafing around next weekend. Or maybe - working on something fun for a Sunday Scoop.
Catch up on Retail Diary:
Deep Dive - Week of September 9th 2024 - NYFW in a New York Minute
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I sort of get why they sensed play originally but I also think that was a little premature at the time and I’d like to see what they can do with play again because if they can launch it again with some things that are really cool and like the party version of the core gloss line I think they can do really well with it, but I also think there has to be some innovation to it, which was what originally was good listening to their community. I remember I remember that everybody loved that liquid highlighter, but the problem was around the biodegradability in the shimmer, and if they can figure that out and bring those back, I feel like making those a core part of a new line would be amazing.
Love a blanket stitch!!