Sunday Scoop - Imagining Chanel via AI, Beauty News, Jewels, LA Shopping & more

Joor imagines what could happen at Chanel with the help of AI, lots of Beauty Industry News, Jewelry trends and I shop LA IRL.

Imaging what is next at Chanel

• I believe there is no denying both the opportunities and concerns surrounding AI generation in fashion design, but what is particularly interesting and helpful for the business side are the financial considerations and ability to test what could potentially sell or perform well.

• In an intriguing case study, the fashion experts at Joor leveraged the text-to-image AI tool Openart.ai to generate hypothetical outfits by studying the signature styles and design codes of influential fashion figures like Phoebe Philo, Hedi Slimane, Pierpaolo Piccioli, Sarah Burton, Haider Ackermann, and Jeremy Scott, then visualizing how their aesthetics might come together in a fictional lineup.

Based on these images do you have a favorite? Is this cool or creepy? Do you think AI did a solid representation of Chanel via X Designer? Share in the comments.

Striped Bags

I’ve seen this adorable striped bag everywhere this week and I love it. What a fun summer bag from Carven. I mean absolutely no shade, but one of the fun details of the new Away x La Ligne Bigger Carry-On* is the little striped laundry bag. Please do not question when you see me toting it around on its own. Perhaps to the hotel pool.

Independent Designers

Two Bay Area based brands, Freda Salvador & Wolfspout Sunglasses, paired up on a collab.

Beauty News

• I’m a huge Merit Beauty (and Katherine Power) fan. Some of my daily favorites include this Glow Serum, this flushed balm and now this matte lipstick in Vermillion (and if I wear foundation it is this.) I am so impressed by the success in the metrics (from “How Merit Won Over the Grown-Up Glossier Girl” by Liz Flora in Business of Fashion.)

  • 2023: $100M in retail sales/$50M in revenue. 2024 projected to EXCEED $100M in revenue.

  • E-commerce represents 50% of the sales and unlike other brands (like Rhode Beauty or Glossier) they launched with Sephora as a partner 1 month after launching online.

  • Key products all have a stick application for a quick, on-the-go utility. And by prioritizing sets and kits (driving customers to purchase multiple products) no single product represents more than 20% of revenue. This is brilliant!!

  • AOV is over $100. This is also incredible for a brand with an average price point that is likely closer to $32-$35 when you look at individual SKUs.

  • New Developments: Philippe Pinatel, former MAC Cosmetics Global President, was named CEO in February. Goldman Sachs was tapped as the bank to help explore exit opportunities for the brand.

  • What’s Next: expansion into Skincare (this is going to be great! Power also founded Versed Skincare) and an international push into the UK and Europe.

• Goop launched their first mascara, FeatherLash Lifting Serum Mascara for $28 Sunday (today). There is an article in WWD on the launch and they held an event Thursday evening. It is the fourth item in Goop’s color cosmetics business, joining Colorblur Glow Balm, Clean Nourishing Lip Balm and Bronzing Gel. I’d love to see them do more kits around this - “5 minute glow” and “all about the eyes.” etc. to increase AOV¹ and make it easy for shopper to discover new items and put together what works well.

• Rhode Beauty: Blush + Tinted Lips + Tinted iPhone lip case = big launch 6/20!

  • Monthly searches for “Rhode Lip Balm” (40,500) and “Rhode Phone Case” (14,800) and I can only imagine where the blush might fall. My assumption is that it will be at least 20K (higher than a phone case but not as universal as lip balm.)

  • There was a 200,000-plus waitlist for the original/grey iPhone case. The colors won’t be as popular since there are so many options, but now allows her customers to feel like they can each choose one to match their personality/show off color favorites.

  • We are still waiting to see where Rhode shows up in a physical retailer (Sephora? Ulta?) but these new launches for the Blush and new iPhone case colors make me really excited to see this IRL with physical displays. After visiting a Glossier store this weekend I’d also like to see what Rhode could do with more pop-ups. The lip photobooth experience was super engaging.

  • Read more from Priya Rao at Business of Fashion “Why Blush Might Catapult Hailey Bieber’s Rhode to Beauty’s Top Tier.”

Let’s Chat Jewels

• Seashells are having a moment (hi

  Grace Atwood
  - check her out featured in the article by Emma Childs for Marie Claire.) This pair of earrings are less literal with abalone and love the mint color of this Lizzie Fortunato shell necklace.

• I’m still on my pearl moment - I love the idea of these double drop earrings paired with these single drop earrings for a cool stacked look. These white pearls with tiny diamonds and a fun pair of crystal pearl hoops (at $55 a great gift idea for a June birthday - pearl is the birthstone.) All added to this pearl round-up with 24 pearly winners.

• Thinking of Kate’s beautiful Trooping the Colour moment and then checking out this Spencer Ring from Dorsey (also, this triple stack ring is incredible! three rings and multiple ways to wear and switch it up. Talk about versatility.)

LA Dispatch

I had the opportunity to do some IRL shopping in LA - I’ll post some roadtrip pics to my Instagram stories soon. But a few shopping thoughts.

• I saw that Allison Bornstein was hosting a travel styling & packing event at the Theory at the Brentwood Country Mart. She was so lovely and gave great advice. Styled some vacation ready looks, and I love how versatile this piece is. I had her sign my copy of her book, Wear It Well, too.

• Tried on the new Doen pieces IRL. This is my favorite of the newness (but I recently bought this similar dress) and I loved this dress and this dress too (FYI, sold out online but they still have inventory if you call the Brentwood store.)

• Obsessed with the new Toteme shop on Melrose (please excuse my geography/directions. I don’t know LA that well.) Allie was an amazing SA² who helped me try on some dream pieces. Let’s just say I added a handbag to my b-day wishlist (you can wear it 3 different ways with an adjustable strap) and tried on a few Fall Coats I’m still eyeing from LY and hope to finally snag this year. I’m also in love with this handbag (found on Poshmark, couldn’t find this color online) - note that navy suede is popping up everywhere, or perhaps I’m just noticing it, and I’m super into it.

• I always love shopping The RealReal IRL because you never know what you will find or what the edit will be. That is such a fun treat as it always feels like a fresh and unique edit. I tried on some fun sunglasses, classic shoes (a little too big for me.)

• Stopped in the Glossier store too and was so excited to see the new Lip Liners in person. I’ve been needing a new one as I don’t care for any of my current ones, so I bought Grip and Bit. Ideal neutral shades with a hint of color for me. The Editors (what Glossier calls their SA) also pointed out that they were designed to match…well, you remember what I wrote last time. I also bought the Strawberry Balm Dotcom for my daughter as a surprise.

🛍️ 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. 🛍️

Fun Finds

• The precursor to Red Pants are these great red shorts from Soldout.nyc. Pair with the top for a set and I finish with my leather flip flops I’ve been wearing all summer.

• Love tennis core but have no intention of hitting the courts? Have your Zendaya moment in this.

• I see a lot of questions about the best one piece swimsuit. I won’t shut up about my favorite Left on Friday bathing suit.

• This mule caught my eye. After lots of round toe ballet flats for me this is a point worth making note of.

• Net is making me think this is the next loafer. And Jamie Haller’s Camp Loafer is back in stock and it is an excellent summer loafer.

• Loving this as a transitional shoe. Mary Janes are sticking around.

• Congrats

  laura reilly
  on the launch of your collection with Linnea Lund. Love this shade of blue!

• Denim Capsule from Mansur Gavriel - love this!!! I would have launched in late July/early August around Pre-Fall and back to school with this darker shade of denim. But I’m still into it. Ballet flats are really fun. Ever since the Chanel ballet flat I’ve enjoyed a denim ballet moment.

• Spotted another pair of great kick flares, this time from Simkhai (a lot of impressive Simkhai pieces lately - I’ve also hearted this and this.) (Here are my top 5 Kick Flares, I love this style and own all 5 of these.)

• PSA: Major sale at Bluemercury - up to 30% off with code SUMMER and as a buy more save more event. Ends on 6/17/24. I reordered my favorite Body Oil and go-to Vitamin C.

Wrapping It Up:

• Best Friends
  made me feel so nostalgic with this one. E S P R I T 🌈 S U M M E R

• Art instillation meets activation meets education in fakes from The RealReal “On Canal Street, Fake Bags That Are Not for Sale”

• Reading Vanessa Friedman’s interview with Dries Van Noten made me respect and admire the designer even more. A really beautiful piece ahead of his last show as Designer of his eponymous label. “Dries Van Noten Takes His Exit.” (gift link to read behind paywall.)

• Favorite Podcast listen from my roadtrip: Laura Vinroot Poole's podcast interviews are fantastic - entertaining yet insightful. Her chat with Derek Lam was a highlight for me. What resonated was Lam's perspective on the interplay between design and commerce in fashion. As a designer, he has to create pieces that are artistically appealing while still being commercially viable. It's that blend of creativity and market savviness that intrigues me as a buyer and merchant. Like Lam, I relish seeing the real-world impact, especially the wins, that stem from smart business decisions in retail. Hearing his journey and thought process was both inspiring and relatable.

Enjoy your Sunday Scoop. xx

Sarah Shapiro

What’s Next

Instead of the Retail Rundown on Tuesday, I will send a Fashion 🌀 Spiral on Wednesday (hint: a beloved “basic” I bet 99.99% of readers own.) Any guesses? Deep Dive Thursday.

Catch up on Sarah’s Retail Diary:

Away x La Ligne: Stripes & Travel Gear

Deep Dive - Week of June 10th 2024 - Launching new products and all the fashion, beauty and retail news

Retail Rundown: Luxury Notes, Rhode Blush & new Beauty innovation

Last Sunday Scoop - DVF, fashion podcasts and cool content

Fashion 🌀 Re-Spiral: Seeing Stripes, American Sportswear is Having a Moment and Fashion 🌀 Spiral: Straw Bags

Retail 101: Math & Financials , Retail 101: Math & Financials Part Deux (Markdowns) and Retail 101: Buying Decisions Chapter 3

❤️ To let me know you appreciate the Sunday Fashion News.

📧 Maybe even share with someone else who would enjoy.

📱Find Sarah’s Retail Diary on Instagram

💬 If you are on the Substack app or platform join the chat and I’m happy to respond to any questions in the chat or comments here.

You can email me at sarahshapiro@substack.com with any requests or thoughts too - I’d love to hear.

FYI: I use affiliate links where applicable which means I may get a small commission from things you buy (at no cost to you.) Thank you for supporting my work and trusting me. Love that we can enjoy Fashion & Retail together in this space.

Items marked with * have been kindly gifted by brands. Thoughts, selections, and reviews are my own.

1. AOV = Average Order Volume. The average amount a customer spends in one transaction. As a retailer the goal is for this to increase over time and testing.

2. SA = Sales Associate