Deep Dive - Week of October 7th 2024 - Gap's latest, denim's newest, collabs & launches to prep for holiday
From Gap x Cult Gaia to a new designer denim line, AI shopping assistants to luxury e-commerce shakeups, this week's Retail Diary Deep Dive is jam-packed with all the news you need in one place.
There is so much to talk about this week and my goal with the Deep Dive is to share it all. Well, all the stuff I want to discuss, and this week there was a lot. So I hope you don’t mind that we get into all of it.
This Week's Topics:
New Collabs
New Launches - featuring new denim line Rúadh
Field Notes
New Store Openings & Pop-ups
Retail & Technology News - an interview with Hillary Kerr on ISA
The Business Section
MyTheresa - YNAP Acquisition
Victoria’s Secret News
More Fashion & Beauty News
People in the News
What else I ❤️️
New Collabs
Gap x Cult Gaia
This week we saw the announcement that Gap’s latest collab is with Cult Gaia. A holiday collab that will launch 10/10 at 12pm ET. As I write I’m waiting to see if they launch early (the expectation is that it will launch 10/9 at 12pm ET for card holders on the mobile app.)
The collection will have 35 pieces with prices from $35 (for a baseball cap) to $498 (for a pair of leather pants.)
Opportunities:
Execute and communicate the launch at the time shared (Gap x Doen launched early and then was quickly OOS1 in the key styles) and ensure adequate inventory to sustain initial excitement.
Doen shared that their largest online traffic day for shopdoen.com was the day of the Gap collab. Likewise, Cult Gaia’s site needs to be prepared to handle the increased traffic.
Prepared to handle more visitors
Prepared to capture the visitors and re-engage them in the future
Convert them to their accessories (oh wow! love the bags) and newest fragrance launch.
Surprise and delight - I’d throw a fragrance sample in with every Gap x Cult Gaia online purchase (even if Cult Gaia has to pay for that insert.)
More details here from Marie Claire.
Wicked
With a movie that has been hyped for multiple years (and a hit Broadway Show that has been around for 21 years) is it any surprise that we are seeing collabs?
Perhaps one of the smartest/cutest collabs was when my Gen Alpha daughter opened the latest American Girl holiday catalog and saw the Disney Princess collab and the Wicked collab. This is brilliant.
Béis collab - I think the green hardcase is a really interesting iteration.
Beekman 1802 x Wicked (there are a ton more but I’m stopping here.)
More Collabs
Rotate H&M launches on Thursday October 10th. This is their second capsule collection and will have 15 pieces.
Madewell partnered with Reluxe Fashion to merchandise a 550 piece vintage collection for sale online and in select stores. This is a smart move as it helps drives customers to see the curated assortment however the challenge (and benefit to working with a partner like Reluxe) is that to execute a project like this with “one-of-a-kind” pieces where each sku has 1 unit (to add to the catalog, inventory, optimize with SEO and marketing) is a huge lift. I love that by finding designer vintage pieces (Alaia, Celine Phoebe Philo, etc) they were able to have “designer name” + Madewell in a description together. You can see the product here. My recommendation is to make the PLP2 more responsive - once items sell and are “sold out” merchandise them to the bottom of the page so it is easy to see what is still available.
Magda Butrym launched an exclusive collection for MyTheresa and there are plenty of perfect holiday and evening event dresses. There are evening dresses with floral appliqués (signature for Magda Butrym) in ruched jersey brown, mini red and green sequins. And if you (like me) like ballet flats, there are a great pair of brown satin crystal ballet flats.
Favorite Daughter launched an exclusive collection at Moda Operandi. Check it out here.
Sam’s Club is not a retailer I often write about, but they partnered with Influencer/Creator Remi Bader and I think we need to keep an eye on this for reach and opportunity. The price points are $14.86 - $25.88 (I know, so specific) and the sizes are 00 to 32WW or XS to 6X. There are 600 US and Puerto Rico locations (although this will be mostly sold online) and an estimate of 69 million Sam’s Clubs members (Amazon Prime was estimated at 166 million and Costco at 73 million.) Bader partnered with her father on this line who is in the garment industry and the CEO at Seven7 Jeans.
Set Active x Parke is gearing up to collab. The reversible sweatshirt is a smart design. I love this breakdown from .@thebrandblueprint
Farm Rio x Adidas is back for a 10 year Anniversary collab.
New Launches
New Denim! Rúadh
Jac Cameron's new brand Rùadh stands out with its deliberate edited approach. Drawing on her extensive experience as an industry veteran and denim expert, Cameron's latest venture marries meticulous craftsmanship with a deep connection to nature, aiming to restore fashion's status as a cherished art form. I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions about the denim and the launch:
Sarah Shapiro: Given your experience in the industry, what gap in the market did you identify that led you to create Rùadh? How will Rùadh be different from other denim brands?
Jac Cameron: Rùadh seeks to emphasize craftsmanship, quality, creativity and the enduring significance of well-crafted, sustainably made clothing. Our focus is to redefine traditional ready-to-wear with ethically sourced, natural materials and artisanal, small batch production. Having grown up on a farm in Scotland, I developed an early appreciation for the importance of the natural world. My mission with Rúadh is to foster an awareness of our purchasing power and bring back an appreciation for craft. Each piece is made to last and be cherished. The collection is very much defined by organic silhouettes inspired by natural formations and tailored to the female form. We created the Foundation collection, an 11-piece denim capsule at Saitex in LA, a vertically integrated, digitally operated 4.0 smart laundry facility, featuring a closed-loop water recycling system. Our goal is to integrate sustainable practices in everything we do—from material selection to a design process that works to reduce waste to packaging, and we are proud to have obtained B Corp Pending certification as a measure of our dedication. Rooted in artisanal craftsmanship and a commitment to quality and fit, the collection is grounded in enduring materials and illuminated with impeccable finishes. Our hardware is made in Italy from 60% recycled brass and 100% recycled stainless steel tacks in a semi-precious real gold finish.
Sarah Shapiro: You are offering a take-back program for worn pieces. Will the plan be to eventually resell the pieces, remake or recycle in another manner?
Jac Cameron: We believe in circular design. RÙADH accepts worn RÙADH clothing returns for 20% off future orders. We choose to either upcycle or fully recycle the garments, supporting circularity.
Sarah Shapiro: Is the plan to stay DTC or will there be a wholesale component? Do you plan to have opportunities for people to try-on in a pop-up or in store?
Jac Cameron: Ruadh.com is our primary store currently with some exciting conversations happening around wholesale partnerships. On a personal level I would love to have a store one day, as working with the customer is a true passion of mine.
Sarah Shapiro: I see you are launching with 11 styles - how did you edit to this assortment and what can we expect next?
Jac Cameron: Ruadh.com launched with an 11-piece capsule of denim, we will be layering on cut and sew knits for Spring 25 and are currently exploring development of sweaters made in Scotland for Fall 25. It is important to create meaningful relationships with our factory partners and build product that really speaks to the mission of Rúadh with a light footprint.
Thank you so much Jac and Rùadh. Thrilled to have a new denim line with a unique POV.
Fashion Launches
La Ligne launched their popular Marin sweater in a new v-neck. It isn’t too deep and comes in 3 great colors - black, cream and red. (10% off your first order with code SarahS10)
Donni has new arrivals - their Fall Drop 4 includes Cotton Cashmere Sweaters (cozy but not overwhelming. They feel so silky soft) and the Kick Flare Pant in a new box weave (I love this style pant and own 2 pairs from Donni.) (Sarah10 for 10% off at Donni. Excludes all sweaters, slippers and June Jewelry.) This week I shared in
’s Gatekeeping Substack that the Donni Kick Flare is one of my most worn items in my closet. Check the post out here.Hill House Home launched the first of three party capsules for this Holiday season. Highlights include a short bow party dress in red, the brocade Matilda dress (sleeves!) and one, two, three great Ellie Nap Dresses. (plus mini mom and me moments.) For more on HHH’s Drop Model check out Retail Diary Confidential on the brand here.
The newest Dorsey launch, the Tate rings are so stunning. This ring would be the perfect exclamation point for holiday event dressing. The details: 2.50 carat oval center stone with a double halo (1.92 carat inner halo with oval cut stones and a 0.45 carat outer halo with round cut stones.) Worth noting (or sharing as you drop holiday hints) October 13th (this Sunday!!) is the Holiday Cutoff for Custom Rings at Dorsey.
Did you see both Rimowa and Away launched small, hard case, crossbody bags in the past two weeks? Always makes me wonder what was in the air that made them come up with the idea around the same time. (Béis, Paravel, Monos….your move to make it a trend with the third iteration.)
Beauty Launches
Rhode announced (with the help of the newest Rhode ambassador, Claudia Schiffer) their newest product - Barrier Butter. Barrier Butter will launch October 28th $38 for the 5 oz and $22 for the 1.35 oz (whew, you are paying $16.20 an oz for the small size!!) After watching the video on the PDP3, I felt like the use case for the intense moisturizer sounded somewhat similar to Summer Friday’s Jet Lag Mask ($49 for 2.25 oz.) So I compared some of the ingredients:
While both products aim to provide intense hydration and skin barrier support, they approach this goal slightly differently:
Rhode's Barrier Butter appears to be a richer, more oil-based formula with a focus on peptides and multiple forms of hyaluronic acid.
Summer Friday’s Jet Lag Mask seems to be a more traditional water-based moisturizer with a strong emphasis on niacinamide and plant extracts.
Merit has announced their first fragrance, Retrospect, launching October 22nd. This has continued to be the year of fragrance and a huge year for Merit (they also expanded into skincare this year with their Priming Moisturizer and also launched the Brow Duo.) I have so many Merit products I love and keep in my top drawer (my grab and go beauty items to throw on pre-zoom) that I created a ShopMy edit here.
Field Notes
Pajama Pants for Day
WSJ wrote about pajama pants trending. Let’s add some more context:
It all goes back to Miuccia Prada - the Fall/Winter 2024 Miu Miu Runway Show had pearls & pajamas.
We saw boxer shorts trending a lot over the summer, especially with matching button-ups or part of a set. For fall it makes sense that we move towards pajama pants.
Fits in well with the WFH wardrobe. And who doesn’t love an easy set?!?
I love that this is a trend across many age groups and I see it a lot with tweens and teens too.
What I also love about this is the proliferation of more pajama sets. I really appreciate a pajama set I can wear around friends when on vacation or in my own house when the kids have sleep overs.
My picks:
this set from Lunya is so comfortable and the pants can absolutely be worn out (maybe if you have a dog to walk, for example.) Other Lunya sets I love, this silk and they just launched brushed flannel for the whole family. (Get 15% off with code retaildiary)
If you want to go with the Miu Miu moment and add some pearls, I’d go with this set from Petite Plume. I also love this stripe set from Petite Plume - she’s bold.
Have you heard, pointelle is trending too. Great pair of Negative pointelle pants here and Donni in a ton of colors.
If actual pajama pants are a step too far for you, move out of the pajama & lounge wear section and into the RTW. At this very moment I’m wearing these cotton Pop pants. For a bit heavier weight I like these Bubble pants. Silk pants from Donni are perfection. (Sarah10 for 10% off at Donni.)
Or get fancy with the silk pajama pants from Toteme.
Brooching the Subject
Remember how last year at the Oscars we were seeing so many men in Bro-oches? I expected this to help the brooch/pin in the jewelry industry and I have seen more sticking around - but also styled in a more original way.
Jenny Bird has launched Brooches as a new category. There is one style for now (in silver and gold) but I expect this will be a category they can expand into with future collections.
Check out how Heaven Mayhem styled the brooch on the tank top strap. They’ve also styled on headscarves.
Wear as a conversational piece - a vase.
Now that we are styling coats for fall (see the Wrap Coat) I expect to see brooches accessorize the lapels.
New Store Openings & Pop-Ups
Primark is opening at Herald Square in what will be their US Flagship locations. The first Primark opened in the US in September and the plan is to be at 60 locations by 2026.
Marfa Stance has a pop-up in Tribeca now through the end of October. Perfect to plan ahead with your winter coat system. I love their buildable styles that you can add to over time.
Attersee Trunk Shows: Marin Country Mart at Hero Shop on 10/24 and 10/25 (I’ll likely be there 10/24) and LA 10/29 & 10/30.
If you are in, or plan to be, in the Bay Area November 16th get your ticket to the Marché shopping event. There will be over 70 women-owned brands including True Botanicals, Year & Day, Credo Beauty, Starling, elsie green, OZMA, Freda Salvador and Art Life Practice. I bought tickets this week and can’t wait.
FYI: Earlier this week I launched a template that you can copy & paste (lightly edit) and send to your company requesting to get Retail Diary expensed.
Retail & Technology News
Multiple new launches in the Technology space, especially around shopping & AI caught my attention. The first is from WhoWhatWear, so naturally, I reached out to
and the amazing team at WWW to learn more.Who What Wear's Intelligent Shopping Assistant, ISA—an AI-powered chatbot launched last week in beta. Combining cutting-edge artificial intelligence with Who What Wear's industry-leading editorial expertise, ISA offers highly curated fashion and beauty product recommendations at your fingertips. Whether you're searching for the perfect fall boots or this season's trendiest lipstick, ISA is your personal stylist, beauty guru, and shopping expert rolled into one, available 24/7 to elevate your shopping experience. I played around with it some and like all other AI chatbots, there are limitations, but it is a fun way to search. You can check it out here.
Sarah Shapiro: ISA is described as being trained on Who What Wear's editorial expertise. How do you balance maintaining the human touch of your editors with the AI-powered recommendations? Are there any unexpected synergies or challenges you've encountered in this blend of human and artificial intelligence?
: The beauty of ISA is that while it may be powered by AI, all of the content has been written by a very real and talented editorial team, who our audience knows and trusts! We’re simply just expanding the ways that our readers can discover and shop our editor-tested content, with recommendations tailored to their exact specifications, such as price, style, and retailer. It's still early days for ISA, which is currently in beta. We are gathering and welcoming feedback from our audience about their experience with the tool and what other capabilities they'd like to see in future iterations.
Sarah Shapiro: With the holiday season approaching, how do you envision ISA changing the way consumers approach gift shopping? Are there any specific features or capabilities you're particularly excited about for this use case?
Hillary Kerr: As we approach the holiday season and content ramps up around what to wear to various gatherings and events, ISA offers another way for our audience to quickly make shopping and styling decisions, and that's really exciting. We also have the ability to integrate custom prompts or produce standalone chatbots for advertisers and brands interested in leveraging ISA technology for bespoke use-cases, such as a bot dedicated to generating gift ideas from a sole retailer during the holiday season. Meaning they can experiment with AI alongside us and reach shoppers in a really unique way during a very crowded time.
Sarah Shapiro: Looking ahead, how do you see AI-powered shopping assistants like ISA shaping the future of fashion journalism and e-commerce? Are there any potential features or integrations you're considering that could revolutionize how readers interact with Who What Wear's content?
Hillary Kerr: We are always looking at new ways to offer our audience thoughtful, curated, shoppable content, whether that’s through our newsletters, podcasts, live streams, social channels or the stories on our site. We see AI as something that is complementary to all of this, and gives our audience one more way to engage with our work. For us, nothing will ever replace the editor expertise that our audience comes to us for every day, as they look to discover what new items to buy and how to style them.
Right now ISA has been released primarily as a shopping recommendations tool using Who What Wear's editorial content and editor curation, giving readers a quicker way to find products that already have our seal of approval, but the beta launch will also give us insight into how users want to interact and engage with this kind of tech so we can continue to iterate on how ISA best serves our audience.
As ISA becomes more sophisticated, I think it will be wildly helpful for moments when our audience needs quick and specific shopping suggestions, but doesn’t have the time to read an entire story or multiple stories. Sometimes you want to come to a trusted source—that’s us, Who What Wear—and just shop vetted products, whether that’s an excellent pair of fall boots or an autumnal blush from Rhode. For moments like that, ISA is a wonderful way to utilize our content.
Thank you so much to Hillary Kerr and the team at WWW for answering questions for Retail Diary. Congrats on the launch.
More Retail & Technology News
Gab Waller, a top fashion sourcer, has created an AI platform, named “Sourced By” to help personal shoppers improve the back-end experience and roll all the tools needed to invoice, collect payments, handle inventory and requests.
🛍️ 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. 🛍️
The Business Section
MyTheresa - YNAP Acquisition
TL;DR: Richemont is selling Yoox Net-a-Porter (YNAP) to Mytheresa, creating a combined luxury e-commerce business with 3 billion Euros in sales. The deal aims to turn around YNAP's struggling operations and strengthen Mytheresa's position in the luxury e-commerce market. (More here from the WSJ)
Market Consolidation: This deal represents a significant consolidation in the luxury e-commerce sector, which has been under pressure due to high customer acquisition costs, brands prioritizing direct-to-consumer channels, and a slowdown in luxury demand.
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