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Digital SEO & Product Copywriter at Stella McCartney in London | Vogue Business Talent

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Apply now at Vogue Business Talent for the Digital SEO & Product Copywriter role at Stella McCartney in London

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Main activities include: Content:

Support in content creation, by participating in Social Media creative briefs + follow-up

Benchmarking of competition content strategy

Social Media:

Preparation of monthly animation plans for Facebook / IG

Monthly reporting of social networks (owned &earned) performance

Adhoc analysis through ELC social listening tools

Influence/PR:

Participate in conversations and back&forths with influencers and agencies to coordinate and operate Earned media influencers activations

Participate in Press Releases elaboration

Coordination:

Coordinate the markets on an international scope on all consumer engagement related topics (incl. local paid media strategies & activations, local influencers strategies & activations, ad hoc reporting) + follow-up with the markets

Support in the design of all the Consumer Engagement presentations, to be shared with the top management, markets and regional teams

Competition analysis (Social, in store, ...) / Best practices identification

Qualifications:

Soon to graduate from a business school, with at least 1 first corporate work experience

Fluency in French and English is a mandatory

Analytical / synthetic

Autonomy / proactivity

Conscientiousness and precision in projects follow-up

Mastery of basic tools Word, Excel, PPT

Flexibility & ability to handle several projects / stakeholders / key contacts

Interest for digital / beauty industry is a plus

Someone who enjoys creative writing is a plus

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Global Consumer Engagement & Digital Marketing Internship H/F - Darphin

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Apply now at Vogue Business Talent for the Global Consumer Engagement & Digital Marketing Intern role at Estēe Lauder Companies in France

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Paid Media Executive job - Manchester, UK | boohoo | boohoo group careers

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Please note: This website includes an accessibility system. Press Control-F11 to adjust the website to the visually impaired who are using a screen reader; Press Control-F10 to open an accessibility menu.

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Digital SEO & Copywriter - Stella McCartney 

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Digital SEO & Copywriter - Stella McCartney 

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-  You should possess an inherent understanding of communicating fashion product descriptions, sustainability information.

- Understand and appreciate technical fashion terminology.

-  Be a savvy writer with strong communication skills to be capable of speaking confidently to target audiences, to effectively drive and edit copy for multiple social media accounts.

-  Regularly read fashion publications to stay on top of/ahead of industry trends, as well as what’s been written about the brand.

-  Be confident to create decks and present concepts to internal and external stakeholders.

-  The ability to effectively tell the brand story by using tone and character is key to capture the essence of the brand whilst incorporating there sustainable and ethical values.

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-  An enthusiastic team player with a genuine obsession for talent and content creators. With a strong interest in fashion, trends and pop-culture that the brands audience love.

-  Have a deep understanding of the social media landscape, particularly: Instagram, TikTok and YouTube and be fully immersed in youth culture and digital trends.

-  Harbouring a real interest in the development of the social media landscape and how this will affect how the brand needs to adapt their talent approach.

-  Impeccable organisation skills and the ability to keep projects moving and ensure deadlines are met.

-   Ability to act as an ambassador for the brand on shoots with talent and partner brands.

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Global Consumer Engagement & Digital Marketing Internship - Estee Lauder 

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Global Consumer Engagement & Digital Marketing Internship - Estee Lauder 

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-  Be analytical, autonomous and proactive with an interest for digital/beauty industry.

-  Flexibility and the ability to handle several projects, stakeholders and key contacts.

-  Conscientiousness and precision in projects follow up.

-  Mastery of basic tools: Word, Excel, PPT and someone who enjoys creative writing.

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-  Someone who possess an interest in digital marketing who can work in a fast pasted environment where you must be able to adapt and be agile.

-  A person who is willing to challenge to status quo, be innovative, open to trying new things and pushing boundaries.

-  Proficient in Microsoft office with special attention to Excel and good working knowledge of Google Analytics.

-  Passion for PPC and digital marketing, with effective communication and reporting skills.

-  Highly numerate and strong communication, numerical and analytical skills for when working within the team, wider team or when working externally with suppliers.

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Digital SEO & Copywriter - Stella McCartney

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Digital SEO & Copywriter - Stella McCartney

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-  Continually checking and updating existing website, connecting with relevant stakeholders to ensure everything is in line with the brands current tone of voice, latest sustainability information and designs/materials.

-  Connecting with the visuals department to execute narratives for everything from day-to-day ad-hoc visuals to partnering with art directors to develop concepts.

-  Managing newsletter campaigns, homepage and landing page messaging, ensuring it speaks to the brands consumer and drives sales, as well as extending the brands voice to online POS via all product descriptions and translations.

-  Working with various teams to communicate clothing and accessories qualities in product descriptions and the materials innovative and conscious nature.

-  Applying copy guidelines to ensure brand alignment and correct use of the brands voice across product descriptions, homepage and website content, and newsletters to drive sales and storytelling whilst adhering to SEO best practices.

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-  Complete end to end management of the brands insiders including: Talent briefing, talent negotiation, contracting, and ensuring all content is created to brief.

-  Relationship management working with the ASOS insiders, internal stakeholders and external brands to always ensure talent approach is in line with the target audience.

-  Be an advocate for and PR the brands insider programme internally and with 3rd party brands and support the team with general admin tasks in relation to talent partnerships.

-  Working with a broad remit of industry contacts including talent and model agents, influencers and talent, VIPs, and internal stakeholders always ensuring content approach is in line with the target audience.

-  Support press showroom appointments with the team’s talent pool to aid product seeding as part of campaign amplification from organic to paid content creation support.

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Global Consumer Engagement & Digital Marketing Internship - Estee Lauder

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Global Consumer Engagement & Digital Marketing Internship - Estee Lauder

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-  Support in content creation, by participating in social media creative briefs, follow-ups and measuring the performance of competitions content strategy.

-  Preparation of monthly animation plans for social media platforms along with monthly reporting and analysis of social networks performance.

-  Participate in conversations and back and forth with influencers and agencies to coordinate and operate earned media influencer activation and participate in press releases elaboration.

-  Coordinate the markets on an international scope on all consumer engagement related topics, including local paid media strategies and activations, local influencers strategies and activations, ad hoc reporting and follow up with the market.

-  Support in the design of all the consumer engagement presentations, to be shared with the top management, markets and regional teams along with competitor analysis and identifying the best practices.

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-  Plan, implement, optimise, and manage paid search/social and shopping campaigns for various international countries.

-  Ensure paid social, PPC and google shopping campaigns are optimised according to best practice guidelines.

-  Managing PPC accounts profitably and within agreed target ROI, whilst growing existing PPC accounts through continuous account developments.

-  Constantly achieve agreed KPIs along with performing regular keyword research, preparation and analysis, weekly negative keyword research and search query reporting.

-  Work with online acquisition manager to ensure all paid search activity falls in line with the wider paid media and digital marketing strategy. Perform on going competitor analysis and reporting.

-  Provide daily, weekly, monthly campaign, bespoke reports and analysis.

-  Work with the merchandising team to plan accurate stock allocations for promotional activity and day-to day forecasted sales.

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“Evie is an extremely hard-working individual and also very helpful around the department & others when needed. Evie’s multiple skills allows her to be confident when working under pressure, also very good with Guests and liaising with her colleagues. A very professional approach is essential when working at Rudding Park, Evie certainly meets & exceeds those requirements. I could not recommend Evie highly enough, a true professional & an asset to Conference & Banqueting” - Joe M. Fernandes

Meeting & Events Operations Manager, Rudding park.

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Daisy streets Marketing manager, Lauren Adams – guest speaker 

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Daisy streets Marketing manager, Lauren Adams – guest speaker 

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Key skills she spoke about during her talk:

- Presentation skills are key as you need to be prepared for presenting ideas in industry small or larger groups.

- Group work is not always working with people you like so you need to be understanding of this and be able to still work effectively despite differences.

- You will be using skills that you don’t like on a daily basis.

- Presentation skills are key during interviews in securing the job, thought and effort shows, enthusiasm over experience.

- Take notes during the interview and ask thoughtful questions, you should be thinking if you want to work there is it the right brand for you.

- Opportunities at smaller brands allow you to make your mark.

- Gaining many contacts is key, she got positions based on her connections from previous roles so try not to burn bridges.

- Make things stand out on your CV, anything not on the description don’t include it, it’s all about marketing yourself.

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Evie Brown - Junior Food and Beverage Supervisor - Rudding Park | LinkedIn

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View Evie Brown’s profile on LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional community. Evie has 1 job listed on their profile. See the complete profile on LinkedIn and discover Evie’s connections and jobs at similar companies.

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BoF's Marc Bain and Daniel-Yaw Miller unpack the findings from our case studyFashion's New Rules For Sports Marketing.

Created by BoF's journalists and editors, in conjunction with our wider network of leading fashion creatives, thought-leaders, and innovators, Masterclasses are in-depth webinars with supporting resources, designed to deliver key learning outcomes on critical industry topics.

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BoF Masterclass | Fashion's New Rules For Sports Marketing

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Join us for a BoF Professional Masterclass that explores the topic in our latest Case Study, "Fashion's New Rules For Sports Marketing."

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A fully-funded opportunity (worth up to £600) to gain external certification from Adobe to evidence competency in Video and Design apps. Whatever your starting point, sharpen your skills and evidence self-development with a completely flexible process.

Adobe is the industry-leading provider of software for video, design, photography and the web. Its packages are widely used throughout the creative industries, but they also support productivity and communication in a whole range of sectors. Evidence of your competencies through an officially endorsed Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) certification can really build your profile, and evidence your ability to manage your own ongoing development. Certification with associated training normally costs anything up to £600, but through Man Met Rise, students across five of Adobe's major applications.

To access this opportunity, enrol on this Self Study Pack and follow the instructions inside

Important: To access this course, you'll need to enrol:[

Key Information Points Varies Effort Varies Prerequisites none Release Date 22/9/22

Author Info

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A fully-funded opportunity (worth up to £600) to gain external certification from Adobe to evidence competency in Video and Design apps. Whatever your starting point, sharpen your skills and evidence self-development with a completely flexible process. Adobe is the industry-leading provider of software for video, design, photography and the web.

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The Business of Fashion is pleased to announce BoF VOICES 2023, our annual gathering for big thinkers, returns on November 28 - November 30, to unite the movers, shakers and trailblazers of the global fashion industry with the thought leaders, entrepreneurs and inspiring people who are shaping the wider world.

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Professional Development Online Training Courses | LinkedIn Learning, formerly Lynda.com

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Our Professional Development online training courses from LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) provide you with the skills you need, from the fundamentals to advanced tips. Browse our wide selection of Professional Development classes to find exactly what you’re looking for.

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This activity is offered as part of Future Me Week - five days of exciting opportunities to develop your skills, deepen understanding, gain experience and takes steps towards an exciting Future You.

Come along to this session hosted by L'oreal to understand how to promote your unique combination of skills, experience, and personality to employers. Learn how to leverage your personal brand when applying for jobs and when you start your first graduate job to make a strong first impression. Your personal brand helps you to stand out from everyone else and L'oreal will help you to start identifying yours.

Future me week offers a week of inspirational sessions and is the perfect place to work towards your Future me plan goals. Hear from motivational speakers, increase your confidence and boost your skills and experience. Develop your graduate attributes without leaving the Manchester Met campus.

This session is open to all students at all levels of study.

Associated Badges:

In A Nutshell...

Gain valuable insights... into various industries and professions.

Get connected... by hearing from potential employers and industry experts.

Develop graduate attributes... that will help you take the next step in your career journey.

Improve your job applications...by getting tips and tricks on how to stand out to employers.

Earn up to 5 Rise points ... which can be recognised within your degree.

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This activity is offered as part of Future Me Week - five days of exciting opportunities to develop your skills, deepen understanding, gain experience and takes steps towards an exciting Future You. Come along to this session hosted by L'oreal to understand how to promote your unique combination of skills, experience, and personality to employers.

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‎The Run-Through with Vogue on Apple Podcasts

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The author has shared a Podcast. You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future. Accept

Background

Pharrell Williams has been part of the global cultural consciousness for the better part of two decades as a rapper, songwriter and music producer. But earlier this year, when he was named men's creative director for Louis Vuitton, his career took on a whole new trajectory.

This week on The BoF Podcast, Williams joins BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed to discuss his new vision for luxury at Louis Vuitton as part of a BoF 500 cover story, examining his journey into the luxury industry, his vision for Louis Vuitton and how he is thinking about stepping into the shoes of his predecessor Virgil Abloh.

"He has giant shoes for one to try to fill. But that's not what I'm here to do,"Williams told Amed on the podcast."I'm not here to fill my brother's shoes. My brother's shoes are his shoes. And the steps that he took are his steps. And I would never want to get in the way of that."

Key Insights

Williams is approaching the design process from the point of view of a customer. "When I got here, I was so excited and I knew all the things that I wanted to do because I am the consumer," he says. "I know what it is that I'm looking for so I design from the lenses of what it is that I'm going to need."

Williams has his eye on expanding the Louis Vuitton brand, not just in terms of sales volume, but also the brand's core values and who it aligns itself with, hinting at forming new partnerships. "Growth is not just in sales growth, it's also growth in perspective," he says.

At the core of Williams' mission is to make Louis Vuitton menswear centred around people, both its customers and those who work for the brand. "The material items that we offer are important, and these are beautiful objects, but they are the result of something more valuable, which is the humans and their ideas that work here ... that's what you're buying."

For those looking to find their own creative path , Williams' advice is simple: "When you see a block, there's a way around it...Curiosity is going to be the fuel to help you do that," he explains. "And don't look back. For what? You can see how far you come later."

Additional Resources

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The BoF Podcast | Pharrell Williams On His Vision for Louis Vuitton

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BoF's founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with the men's creative director of Louis Vuitton to discuss his journey into the luxury industry and his plans for the world's largest luxury brand.

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1 million marks the spot💪🏽 Today we reached a staggering 1 million sales in the first hour of our biggest restock day to date. Surpassing all expectations, this has been a huge achievement to kick off our Black Friday week! Huge thanks to our exceptional team and incredible customers who support our journey. With a new launch and Black Friday deals still to come, we aren't quite finished just yet 🏃🏽♀️

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Sisters and Seekers Ltd | 10,641 followers on LinkedIn. Sisters & Seekers - "From Two Sisters to Another" | Sisters & Seekers is the up and coming online fashion brand, known for its cohesive aesthetic, sisterhood empowerment and unique yet on trend designs at an affordable high street price.

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REFY | 22,645 followers on LinkedIn. Redefining beauty. | REFY is all about simplifying beauty. We're committed to creating products and a community that inspire you to be your most confident self. We develop only the essentials, products that are easy-to-use and multifunctional, that work for your on-the-go lifestyle, where simplicity and efficiency are key.

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The "Queen of Thrift," Bay Garnett discovers her guests' most memorable outfits from their childhood and beyond - trying to get to the bottom of the fabric of their lives, whilst we pick up some great secondhand style and thrifting tips along the way.Get involved! And don't forget - keep on thrifting!We have some super exciting guests lined up including Paloma Faith, Rachel Weisz, Charlotte Tilbury, Corinne Bailey Rae and Sophie Ellis Bextor. And that is just the start!Follow me at @baygarnett on Instagram

The "Queen of Thrift," Bay Garnett discovers her guests' most memorable outfits from their childhood and beyond - trying to get to the bottom of the fabric of their lives, whilst we pick up some great secondhand style and thrifting tips along the way.Get involved! And don't forget - keep on thrifting!We have some super exciting guests lined up including Paloma Faith, Rachel Weisz, Charlotte Tilbury, Corinne Bailey Rae and Sophie Ellis Bextor. And that is just the start!Follow me at @baygarnett on Instagram

Why is the host always shouting?!

Actually shocked me when I had my headphones in, during the Sienna Miller interview & the host inexplicably begins shouting over & over again. Detracts from enjoyment.

Fun and inspiring

This is fast becoming one of my favourite podcasts. I love Bay's chatty, informal style and the passion her guests have for vintage and second hand fashion. As a lifelong thrifter and vintage lover, it's so wonderful that this is becoming a far more mainstream way of shopping.

Impossible to listen to

I really wanted to like this but find the sound quality to be extremely off putting. I had to give up on the Poppy Delavigne episode. Poppy's voice varied wildly: sometimes loud, sometimes quiet without warning. Bay sounded like she was speaking down a very bad far away phone line. Big disparity in the levels and clarity. Massively irritating.

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The "Queen of Thrift," Bay Garnett discovers her guests' most memorable outfits from their childhood and beyond - trying to get to the bottom of the fabric of their lives, whilst we pick up some great secondhand style and thrifting tips along the way.Get involved! And don't forget - keep on thriftin...

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A small genuine family brand that has become really popular. They have great marketing strategies including recently growing their TikTok by creating fun behind the scenes content. The Seekers community where you can join and receive benefits, along with exclusive drops and great content marketing, making the consumer feel part of a community.

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Sisters Alice and Maisie Jones started up their Sisters & Seekers label from their garden shed in North Wales in 2017. Every year since then they've had to relocate to larger premises - growing to a team of 15 as well as creating a menswear "brother brand" called Brother + Kin in the height of the pandemic.

In fact, they've had their most successful year to date during the Covid-19 crisis, especially after launching their highly sought-after and best-selling "Isolation Generation" collection in May, 2020, with the UK still in the first lockdown. In November, they projected to reach £100,000 in sales in 24 hours on Black Friday (27 November, 2020), but actually hit that many sales in the first hour. And on 23 February, 2021, Sisters & Seekers reached a staggering 250,000 followers on Instagram. The sisters talk us through their phenomenal rise
What ages are you and have you always got on as sisters?
Maisie Jones: I am 22 and Alice is 25, we have always got on well, but since working together every day we are closer than ever. There are definitely still disagreements, especially when things get stressful, but we wouldn't be able to do this without each other.
What were they both doing prior to launching Sisters & Seekers?
Alice Jones: I was working as a Junior Design Engineer and starting my degree in Architecture Design & Technology. Maisie was finishing sixth form and embarking on her degree in Business Management.
Amid the lockdowns and the surge in demand for loungewear, sportswear and athleisure products, how have you made yours stand out?
Maisie: We always try to hit three key points when designing; quality, fit and a focus on unique details. We often embellish original slogans or graphics on our pieces, or alternatively include unique branding that makes our pieces identifiable in the current market, for example our 'SEEKERS' badges. We also make sure our quality and fit is second-to-none, so you feel like you're getting that bang for your buck.
What's your real point of difference?
Alice: Our unique selling point is the "feeling" that comes with shopping Sisters & Seekers. All of our collections tell a story, all of our designs are curated down to every last detail, and all of our imagery aligns with our brand aesthetic. We showcase a diverse 'sisterhood' that allows everyone to feel special when wearing our clothes - even down to the way your parcel arrives wrapped like a gift in tissue paper. There is a lot of emotional attachment with our brand, and this magic only works if our team is applying a lot of attention to detail behind the scenes.
Who is your real target customer?
Maisie: Our target customer is between 18-30 years old. We maintain a range of price-points to allow for sisters at different stages in their young-adult life to have access to the brand. We are mindful of the first-year university students, all the way to the young woman in an established career with a little more disposable income. We appeal to the girl that wants something different yet on trend, the girl that loves to discover something new and share it with her friends.
Has Instagram played a big part in your success so far?
Alice: Yes, Instagram has been a huge tool for us in our journey so far. We built our following on Instagram from the ground up. We used to sell vintage clothing on the app Depop, so in the early days we did a lot of cross-promoting between the platforms to help get the word out about the brand, but the growth has been extremely organic. We think that a big contributing factor to this is how consistent we keep our feed. Everything circles back to our aesthetic and always has done, which is a great way to capture interest and followers from a first glance. We post 3-4 times a day right now, but we've always posted at least daily from the very start. We hit a real milestone on 23 February, 2021, reaching 250k followers on Instagram.
Why do you think you've had such quick success in three years?
Maisie: With all success, there's always a little bit of luck mixed in, but alongside that has been a huge amount of work. When we were working in our back garden, we lived and breathed the business 24/7. Up until the end of year two, we were consistently working at least 16-hour days to make sure we were perfecting all areas as best as we could, especially as we didn't start to take any staff on until after our first birthday, so workload was heavy. The team we have now built work tirelessly and are as passionate about the brand and seeing it succeed as we are, and we truly couldn't ask for anything better than that. That's definitely been the key to our continued growth, plus the ongoing support of our loyal customers.
What were your very first products and how has that grown now?
Alice: Our very first products were a variety of wholesale styles, leather jackets, dresses - very different to what we put out now. However, our first significant product that reflects our well-known "athleisure" style was the SisterSport Collection, that came around seven months after launch. That consisted of three oversized slogan hoodies, one of them being the "EXPOSED" hoodie which is still a favourite to this day. That was when we realised what direction we wanted to take the brand in, and when we really started getting a handle on our signature style.
Who built the website and when did you actually start selling your first ever Sisters & Seekers pieces?
Maisie: We actually got recommended a guy through our family that was starting out creating websites, so the price was low which was great for us at the time with very limited cash from our savings. We launched the brand in September 2017 with photos of us modelling the products, which we had shot each other wearing through the summer. Considering we were starting out from nothing, the launch was pretty successful.
Where are your products made and how has production been affected by the pandemic and forced closures?
Alice: Our products are made in various places, such as China, Turkey and the UK. Production was affected hugely during the first half of 2020, but we just had to do a lot of problem solving and pivoting to lessen the impact of that on the business as much as possible. It has helped having production in different locations across the world as closures in one country won't necessarily affect other product lines, which has allowed us to continue to release new pieces during such uncertain times.
Is Sisters & Seekers now strictly direct to consumer?
Maisie: We are currently direct to consumer from our website, however, we previously had concessions in a handful of Topshop stores - with talks to grow that, prior to their closure that is. We are also due to go live on ASOS.com as a new supplier, so customers will soon be able to shop us on there too.

Alice: We plan on being very selective of who we partner with or wholesale to in the future if the opportunity does arise. Sisters & Seekers main website will always be the place to go for the widest selection of our pieces.
How did you achieve £100k in sales in one hour on Black Friday last year?
Alice: To be quite honest, it was so unexpected that we can't pinpoint a definitive strategy of how we achieved that, however we believe it to be a combination of releasing a new collection the week prior to Black Friday, keeping our engagement on socials as high as possible in the run up to the launch, and running a cyber weekend giveaway. We also ran our biggest discount on Black Friday for 24 hours only, as that definitely creates a heightened sense of urgency rather than spreading it across a week. All of these things combined, alongside the massive efforts from the team behind the scenes, really propelled us into record sales.
Do you have any plans to open your own store in the future?
Maisie: As we said earlier, we have had experience in stores with Topshop and, although that was a fantastic opportunity and a huge learning curve for us, we believe the future is online and this is where we primarily plan to stay. However, it's definitely a case of never-say-never, and we would love to at least open some pop-up stores in the future for both brands.
When and why did you launch the Brother + Kin men's line and how well has it been received?
Alice: We launched the Brother + Kin men's line in September, 2020, with two other business partners. It was always on our radar to bring out a menswear line, but this was spurred on by a lot of Sisters & Seekers customers telling us that their boyfriends also love our stuff, and we even already had men shopping with us to purchase a lot of hoodies and fleeces. We were ready to launch before the pandemic hit, however we held off due to being unsure how it would be received during such uncertain times. Since going live, sales have been climbing month after month, and we feel like we are starting to really hit our stride with it now. It's surprising how different marketing menswear is to marketing womenswear.
What new products are you introducing?
Maisie: We are introducing a lot of new styles that we've never done before for SS21, and for AW21 we are focusing on hitting the season earlier than we have before - with a wider selection of pieces per collection to offer more choice to our customers.
How do you plan to keep on growing?
Alice: We are very grateful for the fact that there are still so many new avenues for us to explore in terms of growth. Everything we've gained so far has been very organic with little investment into our marketing, however moving forward we plan to push our growth with a much larger focus and budget dedicated to our marketing strategy and team. We keep our ears to the ground at all times, listening to our customers and always trying to get that one step ahead with our unique ideas.
Have influencers had a huge impact on sales growth?
Alice: We have actually invested little into our marketing and influencer budget up to this point, purely because the business has needed investment elsewhere while growing from a start-up, but also because influencers tend to shop with us organically and are genuine loyal customers of the brand, which is something we are very proud of.
Who do you see as your real inspirations and why?
Alice: There are a lot of inspirations in the industry for us for many different reasons, particularly women in business that are breaking the glass ceiling in the industry. However, we would say our real inspirations are each other. We both work equally hard to benefit each other, and to ultimately give one another the success and life we always hoped that we would be lucky enough to both share. Our drivers and inspiration are to give the best possible effort to the other sister, and vice versa.
Who would you most like to see wearing your products - on both Sisters & Seekers and Brother + Kin?
Maisie: We have a team vision board in the HQ meeting room with a selection of people we would love to see both brands worn by. It would certainly be cool to see Hailey and Justin Bieber kitted out.
Where would you say you sit in the market compared with other brands?
Alice: Our price point strategy covers a range of women at different stages in their early adult life. We would say we sit at a more expensive price point than PrettyLittleThing, but cheaper than a more luxury everyday brand like Fear of God.
Do you think you will continue to see big interest in your athleisure clothing when we come out of lockdown and all restrictions are lifted?
Maisie: Even prior to the pandemic our athleisure sets have always been bestsellers, so we are confident that we will continue to see this post-lockdown. However, we have adapted our upcoming collections to fit with life returning back to normal.
What are you looking forward to the most from a business perspective when we do finally come out of lockdown?
Alice: We are really excited to have more freedom with our shoot locations again, going abroad and so on, but we also have some new marketing ideas in the pipeline that we are excited to put into action when we can.
How has your business grown from March 2020 to March 2021?
Maisie: It's grown hugely since March 2020, in so many ways that we didn't expect but are strangely grateful for despite the year we've all had. A big driver of growth has been the team using this time to really refocus and push ahead in anticipation of life returning to normal. There have been very little distractions, so working hard has been a lot easier and it has been getting us all through this. We also believe that we've been more 'seen' this past year, with the majority of the world at home with not much else to do but go on their phones and browse the internet and social media.
When did you come up with the "Isolation Generation" collection?
Alice: We always have an ear to the ground and felt that we would like to release a product to mark such a strange event in all of our lives. From that, the 'Isolation Generation' capsule was born in May, 2020. We had the idea one evening at home in the spring and put the wheels in motion immediately. It was so in tune with the current circumstances and the year that we were having. We believe we have a very relatable identity which is another huge factor of our growth and success.
What were your best-selling products during Lockdown 1?
Maisie: Our best-selling line during Lockdown 1 was hands down the 'Isolation Generation' collection. We sold thousands of units by the time restrictions were lifted, and we were seeing it everywhere - even in real life not just on social media. It was our first ever drop to fully sell out the same day of release. Our customers couldn't get enough of it and demand continued throughout the rest of 2020.
Has Covid-19 actually proved to be a positive thing in terms of interest in your brand then?
Alice: In a strange way, yes. Covid-19 has affected us all negatively on a personal level, but in the eyes of the business it couldn't have been a more positive experience for us. We have maintained all our staff and given out promotions, grown new departments and invested in developing more designs. The interest in the brand has rocketed, especially because of our product type, but like Maisie said, we think primarily because so many people have 'found' the brand due to having more time on socials and online. We are so grateful for this and mindful of how lucky we have been.
How will you capitalise on that success when we are relatively back to normal
Alice: We have always reinvested back into the business. That has been key in our journey so far, and we will continue to do so. All of the success we have experienced is already contributing to new developments and ideas within the company that will evolve throughout 2021. We won't be taking our eye off the ball from here, even when normality does return. We're ready.
You will be coming out of lockdown a bit earlier in Wales compared to England, right? What's the general feeling like?
Maisie: Yes, slightly earlier than England! It will definitely help team moral when our social lives go back to normal, which I'm sure we can all relate to. We are a very close-knit team, so it's been strange to not be able to socialise outside of work. We all can't wait for that day to come.

Alice: We think the general feeling is one of relief, but also of caution. I think everyone feels it's almost too good to be true after it being so strange for so long, but there is also a strong sense of hope and pride that we've got through this together.
Do you have any special products coming out to celebrate coming out of lockdown?
Maisie: It's our signature to put out funny and relevant slogans, and we've definitely got a lot lined up that we think our customers are going to love, so watch this space!

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The Interview: Alice and Maisie Jones, Co-founders, Directors and Lead Designers, Sisters & Seekers - TheIndustry.fashion

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Sisters Alice and Maisie Jones started up their Sisters & Seekers label from their garden shed in North Wales in 2017. Every year since then they've had to relocate to larger premises - growing to a team of 15 as well as creating a menswear "brother brand" called Brother + Kin in the height of the pandemic.

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Discover the most recent and relevant industry news and insights for fashion professionals working in marketing, to help you excel in your job interviews, promotion conversations or simply to perform better in the workplace by increasing your market awareness and emulating market leaders.

BoF Careers distils business intelligence from across the breadth of our content - editorial briefings, newsletters, case studies, podcasts and events, as well as the exclusive interviews and conversations we have with experts and market leaders every day - to deliver key takeaways and learnings in your job function.
Key articles and need-to-know insights for marketing professionals today:
This month, sector bellwether LVMH reported softening sales growth, the latest sign that the luxury goods boom is over as shoppers sober up from post-Covid, YOLO ("you only live once")-fuelled euphoria, and inflation and high interest rates weigh heavily on discretionary spending. Sales at LVMH's critical fashion and leather goods division, which includes key megabrands Louis Vuitton and Dior, grew just 9 percent in Q3, missing estimates by over two percentage points.

But a closer look at the results suggests that LVMH chairman Bernard Arnault has a few moves up his sleeve and may be able to play the sales miss to his advantage. For a group whose key fashion and leather goods portfolio has long been dependent on Louis Vuitton and Dior, the latest results revealed just how far the company has come in turning some of its smaller projects into multi-billion-dollar businesses, notably Hedi Slimane's Celine reboot and Jonathan Anderson's reinvention of Loewe.
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2. Unpacking Birkenstock's Underwhelming Public Debut
The verdict on Birkenstock's initial public offering: right company, wrong time. The 277-year-old German sandal-maker's stock was initially priced at $46, roughly in the middle of its expected range. But its value promptly dropped as shares began trading, ending the day down 12.6 percent at $40.20. Birkenstock ended the day with a market capitalisation of about $7.5 billion, still a hefty premium over the €4 billion ($4.3 billion) L Catterton paid for the brand in 2021. But that figure is below pre-IPO projections of up to a $10 billion valuation.
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"There are just a lot of concerns regarding the consumer segment," said Jessica Ramirez, retail analyst at Jane Hali & Associates. "We've heard from a number of retailers that the second half of the year is tough, and holiday sentiment isn't exactly high in the US market." The frosty reception for Birkenstock's shares is also a discouraging sign for other IPO hopefuls, including Arc-teryx-owner Amer Sports, which has filed for a public listing, and Kim Kardashian's Skims, which is rumoured to be exploring that option.

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Chloé has officially named Chemena Kamali as its next creative director. As previously reported in BoF, the Richemont-owned label had tapped Kamali to lead a parallel studio at Chloé as it prepared for the departure of former creative director Gabriela Hearst, who staged her last show for the brand on September 28 at Paris Fashion Week. Kamali joined Chloé from Saint Laurent, where she was a key deputy of Anthony Vaccarello, serving as design director for women's ready-to-wear, but has a history at Chloé, where she worked under designer Phoebe Philo and again as design director to Clare Waight Keller.
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Now back at the label and officially installed in the top creative job, Kamali has her work cut out for her. In recent years, Chloé has struggled to keep pace with rivals as sales surged for many luxury brands. Under Hearst, Chloé enjoyed momentum selling lower-priced items, such as its knit "Nama" sneakers, but struggled to sell the more expensive leather goods that once anchored its business, according to sources.

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The radical transformation of Victoria's Secret is over. The American lingerie chain has spent the last two years overhauling its hyper-sexualised image in a bid to regain cultural relevance and win back young consumers who preferred more on-trend upstarts like Savage X Fenty and Parade. Indeed, Victoria's Secret: The Tour '23, an attempt to revive the runway show format that launched on Amazon Prime Video last month, fell somewhere in between the personification of male lust of the brand's aughts-era heyday and the inclusive utopia promoted by its many disruptors.
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But in a presentation to investors in New York this month, it was clear which version of the brand Victoria's Secret executives see as its future. "Sexiness can be inclusive," said Greg Unis, brand president of Victoria's Secret and Pink, the company's sub-brand targeting younger consumers. "Sexiness can celebrate the diverse experiences of our customers and that's what we're focused on." The prime objective: improve profitability and cross back over $7 billion in annual sales.

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As more athletes are invited to sit front row at the biggest fashion week shows in Paris and Milan, their need for stylists, rather than "plugs" - a niche economy of personal shoppers who bring selections of logo-heavy luxury and streetwear items to athletes' houses or hotel rooms for them to buy and style themselves - is on the rise.
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While the convergence of fashion and sport is well documented, what often flies under the radar is the multifaceted roles that stylists and fashion consultants perform, helping mould their athlete clients into lifestyle influencers, and laying the groundwork for lucrative brand deals.

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After starting 2023 in vogue, on hopes of a rapid boost in Chinese sales after three years of lockdowns and the post-pandemic US spending boom showing few signs of letting up, the STOXX Europe Luxury 10 index has just posted its biggest quarterly slide since 2020. Some $175 billion has been knocked off the value of those 10 stocks since the end of March as China's recovery has been rocky and growth is slowing, while high inflation and rising interest rates are forcing US shoppers to tighten their purse strings.
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"The sector has de-rated sharply in the last 2 to 3 months, due to a combination of rising interest rates, investor positioning and in anticipation of earnings cuts," said Bernard Ahkong, co-CIO at UBS O'Connor Global Multi-Strategy Alpha. Morgan Stanley cut 6 percent from its 2024 earnings-per-share estimate for luxury goods, while Bank of America has slashed its forecast by 7 percent.

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Paris is just waking up from its August slumber, the air still thick with humidity. Pharrell enters a small, quiet room in the Louis Vuitton headquarters. He is zen-like and greets me [Imran Amed] with a head bow, his hands clasped together, a bit like an Indian namaste. He's more subdued than the last time we met at a 'Friendsgiving' dinner in London last November to mark the UK launch of Humanrace, the skincare line he launched in 2020. That night, he spoke passionately about US politics, his life in Miami and Kanye West.
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But that was a conversation from another time, before Pharrell's appointment as Louis Vuitton's men's creative director changed his life, turning the multi-hyphenate celebrity singer, producer and entrepreneur from the American South into one of the most visible figures in the global luxury industry. With the baton now passed to Pharrell, the second Black man to lead menswear at Vuitton, I was keen to hear how he would leave his imprint on the LVMH-owned house and luxury writ large. What is luxury according to Pharrell? And what does it all mean for his vision for Louis Vuitton, theworld's first €20-billion luxury brand?

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8. How 2023 Became the Year of the Lab-Grown Diamond
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Pandora was never a big player in the diamond category. It built its jewellery brand - one of the world's biggest with nearly $4 billion in revenue last year - on charm bracelets that sell for under $100. But the surging popularity of lab-grown stones, which are structurally identical to mined diamonds but sell for a fraction of the price, has opened the doors for even low-cost brands to offer serious bling.

First developed in the 1980s, these synthetic diamonds are produced by exposing pure carbon to a large amount of heat and pressure in a metal cube, eventually creating a diamond. The rapid rise of lab-grown stones is reverberating across the market. Pandora has raised its sales outlook twice this year, and its share price has more than doubled in the past year. Meanwhile, De Beers is cutting prices of mined stones by as much as 40 percent due to falling demand for traditional diamonds.

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What Fashion Marketing Professionals Need to Know Today

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BoF Careers provides essential sector insights for fashion professionals in marketing this month, to help you decode fashion's marketing landscape.

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Consumer survey finding young consumers are unhappy with the high amount of sponsored content on social media platforms and are relying less and less on fashion influencers - is traditional influencer marketing starting to change?

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Capturing consumers' attention online isn't about to get any easier for fashion businesses.

On Instagram, engagement rates have fallen, by roughly 30 percent year on year in 2022, while the reach of posts has diminished. Consumers are showing signs of fatigue towards traditional influencer marketing after years of being bombarded with product promotions and brand announcements. The BoF-McKinsey State of Fashion 2024 Consumer Survey found that 68 percent of respondents were unhappy about the high volume of sponsored content on social media platforms and 65 percent were turning less to fashion influencers than a few years ago. Young consumers are becoming particularly adept at tuning out the noise. One study found Gen-Z loses active attention for advertising after just 1.3 seconds.

Even in this environment, influencers continue to be a powerful channel for brands to break through the noise and connect with consumers, with the influencer-marketing industry forecast to reach $21.1 billion in 2023, up from $16.4 billion in 2022. However, the influencer landscape has been evolving in the past few years as consumers increasingly demand authenticity, entertainment and relatable personalities, with this trend likely to gather momentum in the year ahead.

According to the BoF-McKinsey consumer survey, consumers are gravitating towards relatable and authentic influencers far more than other attributes such as an aspirational lifestyle or celebrity status. Marketing and influencer firms echo these findings - a 2023 survey found that, although beautiful and aspirational content was effective, social media users were more likely to follow influencers whom they deem authentic and fun.

The changing dynamics are reflected in where users spend their time online. TikTok, often regarded as a platform that promotes authenticity, has taken the lead among some user groups. A March 2023 study estimated that US adults spent nearly 56 minutes a day on average on TikTok. By comparison, US adults spent just over 30 minutes on average on Instagram. TikTok's success, which has prompted Instagram to emulate the platform with its Reels video feature, is based largely on how it surfaces content, emphasising measures such as the time users spend on a post and whether they return. As a result, any creative and entertaining content can reach a wide audience, even if the creator doesn't have a high number of followers. The platform BeReal, meanwhile, saw surging user growth in 2022, and while there are doubts about its longevity, its emergence may well be a response to the perceived inauthenticity of social media's large incumbents.

The New Guard

Though consumers have rewarded greater authenticity online for some time, it is becoming more pronounced as influencers emphasise their individuality. Gen-Z in particular value pursuing their own unique identities and appreciate diversity among other attributes, according to a Stanford University study. This generation's favourite platform for following influencers is TikTok, which was also deemed the best platform by Gen-Z respondents for promoting a product through influencers in a 2022 survey, surpassing both YouTube and Instagram.

While traditional influencers who convey an aspirational lifestyle and command large audiences are likely to remain important for fashion marketing, other influencers who come across as less scripted or polished are already gaining audiences. Quirkiness, humour and vulnerability are helping this cohort stand out. A case in point is Alix Earle, who has built a following of nearly 6 million on TikTok, not with any sort of viral hit but rather with her apparent relatability and willingness to be herself. Madeline Argy's TikTok confessionals, which take the form of funny, rapid-fire videos such as a tearful questioning of what DJs actually do, have earned her roughly 5 million followers. And Sabrina Bahsoon, who goes by Tube Girl, shot to fame posting TikTok videos showing her dancing in the London Underground, an act that's been called "unapologetic self-expression."

While the styles of these creators differ, what unites them is their off-beat, personal approaches to creating content, which reads as being authentic to who they are rather than pursued purely for "likes" or to convey an unattainable ideal. The most-followed personality on TikTok is Khaby Lame, whose content featuring his humorous silent commentary on ridiculous online videos has attracted roughly 162 million followers.

Fashion brands are embracing these personalities and seeing the benefits. Bahsoon featured in Hugo Boss' most-viewed TikTok post, which has garnered more than 144 million views. Lame and Argy have fashion partnerships as well. For the debut of creative director Sabato de Sarno in September 2023, Gucci asked Amelia Dimoldenberg, who became popular conducting awkward interviews at a fried-chicken establishment, to attend the event and interview other guests.

Brands are also going down the path of creating deeper partnerships with influencers than one-off videos or fashion show invitations. For example, luxury brands Loro Piana and Audemars Piguet are working with the creator known as Gstaad Guy, who built his following parodying the tastes and attitudes of the ultra-wealthy. Both brands now dress Gstaad Guy and regularly invite him to events, such as Loro Piana's Spring/Summer 2024 show in Milan and Audemars Piguet's Tokyo launch of its collaboration with 1017 Alyx 9SM. Outside of luxury, online retailer Revolve has created a size-inclusive line with Remi Bader, a TikToker with 2.2 million followers who became popular for her humorous, unfiltered accounts of trying on clothing as a plus-size woman. Realising the importance and reach of these personalities, brands are investing significantly in their engagement - for example, Lame reportedly closed a $450,000 contract with Hugo Boss to walk its Milan Fashion Week show in 2022.

As this new guard of creators joins traditional influencers in fashion week front rows and in brand marketing, it offers consumers contrasting viewpoints and another channel for communicating a brand's message.

Be Creative

To be sure, capturing and holding the attention of consumers online in 2024 will likely require fashion marketers to break free of tried-and-tested initiatives. In addition to collaborating with celebrities and mega-influencers, they may also need to dedicate resources to identify talent that might not be on their current radars but offers untapped possibilities.

When creating content, brands might want to look beyond highly polished product promotions and push boundaries by developing innovative and surprising campaigns that resonate with followers and reach new audiences. This will still require campaigns to align with a brand's core image and values. In its own guidance to brands, TikTok recommends creating "actionable entertainment" that holds users' attention and can gain greater reach from the platform's content algorithm, among other benefits. Brands should also consider incorporating humour, self-awareness and unfiltered tones into short videos and other popular social media formats.

Because some of the most successful creators build their own online worlds, brands that partner with them might want to empower them with a degree of creative control. Rather than simply gifting items or sponsoring posts, they can collaborate closely to integrate the brand's presence into the influencer's content style. In the most ideal collaborations, a brand finds an avenue to convey its message and perspective in a manner that feels seamless and authentic. Gucci, for example, partnered with TikTok influencer Francis Bourgeois, who shares his passion for trainspotting with his followers, in campaigns such as the latest Gucci Gift and fashion week activations inspired by the scenic countryside, as a way to convey the joy and nostalgia of train travel.

Of course, fashion businesses should still exercise diligence to minimise potential image risks when taking new creative directions. But new directions are also likely to lead to some of the greatest rewards.
This article first appeared in The State of Fashion 2024, an in-depth report on the global fashion industry, co-published by BoF and McKinsey & Company.

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The Year Ahead: The Alluring New Face of Influencer Marketing

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From Gstaad Guy to Remi Bader, a new guard of creative personalities is revamping influencer marketing, The State of Fashion 2024 reveals.

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The rise of performance apparel is becoming popular among streetwear and mainstream consumers. The lifestyle shift caused by the pandemic could cause many other performance apparel brands to become popular.

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Tyler Jordan had recently moved to Vancouver in the autumn of 1993 and was looking for work when he chanced upon a mysterious handwritten job advert in his local climbing gym: "If you have a tendency to remain positive when shit hits the fan - call this number."

After putting it off for a week, the biology graduate and avid climber called the number. He spoke to Jeremy Guard, co-founder of a tiny, four-year-old business manufacturing climbing straps called Arc'teryx.

By the following Monday, Jordan was hired.

"My title was administrator, which meant I basically did whatever Jeremy told me to do," said Jordan. "There was about a dozen of us packed into a tiny office space - from there it was game on, the rest is history."

Jordan would eventually become CEO in 2005. By then, Arc'teryx had become the go-to brand for cutting-edge mountaineering gear. That same year, it was bought by Amer Sports - a Finnish holding company that presides over a roster of outdoors and sporting goods brands, including tennis racket and basketball manufacturer Wilson - as an afterthought in Amer's quest to land French ski and trail footwear company Salomon, which was the parent company to Arc'teryx.

When Jordan stepped down in 2012, the Canadian brand was closing in on annual revenue of $200 million. Then, in the latter half of the 2010s, it saw interest and sales soar among fashion consumers, becoming a coveted collaborator and a poster brand for the gorpcore trend, in which outdoor apparel like technical jackets and hiking boots have become stylish everyday pieces.

After Amer Sports was acquired by a consortium led by China sportswear giant Anta in 2019, the new ownership mapped out an ambitious growth plan.

The goal for each of the three brands is to reach €1 billion ($1.1 billion) in annual sales, and for the group to reach €5 billion in total revenue, up from €3.4 million in 2022, according to Anta's earnings report in March. It didn't specify a timeframe, but said it was "making steady progress".

Looking to capitalise on this momentum, Anta and its co-investors held preliminary talks with investment banks in December to explore an IPO of Amer Sports, which could raise as much as $1 billion, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Anta has overhauled Amer Sports' centralised approach to operating the portfolio, instead allowing each brand to be more autonomous. The retailer also wants to strengthen the brands' apparel assortment and shift away from wholesale to prioritise direct-to-consumer sales.

While trends like gorpcore will inevitably rise and fade, demand for performance apparel was driven by permanent lifestyle changes following the pandemic, and brands like Arc'teryx and Salomon are particularly well-positioned to succeed. Arc'teryx, for example, has been adopted by unlikely consumer groups, with its gilets and shell jackets becoming the uniform of the Silicon Valley tech bro crowd (the brand even opened a store there in 2021).

"Not all brands will survive the end of the gorpcore cycle, but the likes of Arc'teryx and Salomon have never attached themselves to it or adapted their core products," said Clayton Chambers, a sportswear and menswear journalist. "Rather, [they've positioned] their businesses more as luxury offerings, both in terms of price point and collaborations."

The Deal That Almost Didn't Happen

By 2000, Arc'teryx had expanded into apparel and scaled considerably - posting revenues of 30 million CAD ($22 million) that year - and in 2002 was acquired by the joint Adidas-Salomon group.

Three years later, Adidas divested the Salomon business - along with its subsidiary Arc'teryx - for €485 million ($537 million) to Amer Sports. Adidas had pivoted to focus solely on ball sports, and Amer wanted to build a roster of leading sports equipment businesses. Also in its portfolio is Swedish outerwear label Peak Performance, ski equipment specialists Atomic and Armada, as well as Louisville Slugger, a 140-year-old baseball bat manufacturer.

But Arc'teryx almost didn't make it in as part of the deal, according to Jordan.

"When Amer acquired Salomon, they didn't know all that much about Arc'teryx - they were only interested in sporting equipment companies and definitely had no interest in apparel or soft goods at the time," he told BoF.

After another decade of rapid growth for both brands, Amer Sports was acquired in late 2018 for $5.2 billion by a consortium of buyers led by Anta Sports, China's largest sportswear company, and also includes Tencent, private equity firm Fountain Vest Partners and Lululemon founder Chip Wilson.

Anta's Plan

Scaling Amer's operations first required an overhaul of its previous centralised approach, in which brand leaders spent more time working with Amer and its board rather than on day-to-day decision-making for their brands, said Jordan. The new ownership brought on a new slate of executives, installing then-Anta president Jie Zheng as Amer's chief executive. Zheng then tapped former Lululemon executive Stuart Haselden to lead Arc'teryx, and Franco Fogliato, a Colombia and VF Corp. alum, to head up Salomon.

They were tasked with two major objectives: increase the share of direct-to-consumer sales and lean into the favourable fashion cycle by expanding apparel offerings.

"When the new shareholders came on board in 2019, they made a lot of changes in the brand's direct-to-consumer focus, which are working very well in terms of letting the brand be more independent and more agile," said Fogliato.

Arcteryx, for instance, is reducing wholesale exposure from accounting for 66 percent of sales in 2019 to 25 percent by the end of 2023. Retail expansion has also been "an incredibly important part of the strategy, with the brand growing its global network of 120 stores with new locations in North America and Asia over the past two years and targeting Europe next, said Haselden.

Anta's changes have yielded promising results, according to Amer chief financial officer Andrew Page. Amer's revenue of €3.4 billion in 2022 reflected a 22 percent increase from the year before, he said. EBITDA also increased by 8.8 percent to RMB 2.58 billion ($373 million) in the same period, per Anta's annual report.

Conquering Fashion

All three brands are investing in introducing fashion-forward apparel, which carry some of the same technical credentials as their sport-focussed products.

For Arc'teryx, the key is to drive apparel sales without diluting core performance products like its Gore-Tex parka jackets, thermal base layers and hiking trousers. To do so, the brand launched a sub-label called Veilance, a collection of trendy, minimal pieces, including down jackets, wool blazers and trousers, as well as accessories like bucket hats and backpacks.

The commitment to apparel may require the heaviest effort from Wilson, which for decades has focussed on sports equipment rather than sportswear. Apparel currently accounts for a tiny segment of the business now, including tennis tops and shirts and tracksuits, according to Amanda Lamb, vice president of Wilson. But the brand has begun introducing more non-performance apparel, like a $150 basketball varsity jacket. It's also pursuing high-profile fashion collaborations such as an apparel capsule with Kith, as well as a Louis Vuitton basketball it created with the late Virgil Abloh for the NBA Finals in 2021.

Wilson is looking to build out its retail footprint, opening new stores across the US and China, including a New York flagship and an outpost in the Santa Monica promenade, which opened last weekend.

At Salomon, Fogliato's key objective is to make the brand's apparel "a more premium offering," he said. The brand's sport-style product range - which includes its ubiquitous XT-6 - is one of its fastest-growing categories, having been boosted by an endless list of celebrities and collaborations with luxury and streetwear players.

For Fogliato, Salomon's progress under the new Amer ownership was perfectly demonstrated in February when Rihanna performed the Super Bowl halftime show wearing a pair of the MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon Cross Low sneakers. Earlier that day, several of the brand's athletes using Salomon gear won gold medals at the cross-country skiing and biathlon World Cup - the same sport that Salomon designed equipment for when it began in 1947 as a family-owned business in the French Alps.

"I don't think there's many brands at all in the world who can have such credibility in both fashion and performance sport at the same time," Fogliato said.

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The Gorpcore Empire Behind Salomon and Arc'teryx

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Amer Sports plans to scale its three largest companies, including tennis racket maker Wilson, into €1 billion sportswear megabrands by cutting back on wholesale and leaning into their fashion appeal, without altering their core product offerings.

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Fashion industry executives looking towards 2024 are on edge. The most prominent sentiment among fashion leaders is "uncertainty," according to the BoF-McKinsey State of Fashion 2024 Executive Survey. Causes for concern include geopolitical events, weakened economies and the continuing impact of high interest rates. Yet executives also see some reason for optimism in specific markets and segments.

Looking ahead to 2024, 26 percent of respondents to the survey conducted in early September expected conditions to improve year on year, 37 percent expected conditions remain the same and 38 percent expected the situation to worsen, marking the biggest divide in executives' expectations for the year ahead since the inception of the BoF-McKinsey survey in 2017. Yet the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in October underscores the uncertain environment, raising questions about whether a regional widening of the conflict could impact the global economy and have ramifications for the fashion industry.

Geopolitics continue to be a firm fixture on executive radars - 62 percent of respondents to the survey cited geopolitical instability as the top risk to growth, while economic volatility is cited by 55 percent.

Inflation concerns appear to be diminishing. Among surveyed respondents, 51 percent cited inflation compared to 78 percent in the previous year's survey, perhaps an acknowledgement that central bank policies are starting to achieve their intended results, after inflation rates began rising to historic highs in the US and Europe in 2022.

As for business performance, top-line year-on-year growth is expected to be lacklustre in 2024, at between 2 percent and 4 percent globally, according to the McKinsey Fashion Growth Forecasts. However, regional and country variations in both luxury and non-luxury segments will be evident.

Non-Luxury's Steady Path

Overall, non-luxury retail sales growth is forecast to remain steady year on year in 2024 at between 2 percent and 4 percent. In Europe, non-luxury growth of between 1 percent and 3 percent is expected, after recording 5 percent in the first half of 2023 and 1 percent to 3 percent in the second half, due to slumping consumer confidence and declining household savings, amon

g other factors. When taking into account the forecasted high core inflation of around 3 percent to 4 percent, the growth outlook is even more limited.

In the US, non-luxury growth is forecast at 0 percent to 2 percent amid declining consumer sentiment. Slightly slower increases in the rate of inflation - forecast at around 2 percent to 3 percent in 2024 - may result in mildly more positive growth. However, a "soft landing" is forecast if, as expected, the country avoids outright recession, helping inflation to get under control more quickly than in Europe. E-commerce activity is expected to pick up after the post-pandemic slowdown in which consumers rebalanced spend towards in-store retail. Among survey respondents, 64 percent identified owned online channels as a more important growth driver than in the previous year.

In China, non-luxury demand remains relatively weak compared to historical growth rates, reflecting economic uncertainty and subdued consumer confidence. Even so, growth is projected to outpace that of the US and Europe, at 4 percent to 6 percent. Positive factors include subdued inflation and the ongoing expansion of the middle class, which is underpinning demand for contemporary and premium fashion. Consumer sentiment shifts towards trading down are also bolstering the large mass-market segment. More opportunities within growth categories such as sportswear and outdoor wear will likely be spurred by government initiatives and shifting consumer preferences for healthier lifestyles and wellbeing.

Luxury's Restraint

Luxury's global retail sales growth is forecast to slow to between 3 percent and 5 percent in 2024, from between 5 percent and 7 percent in 2023, as consumers restrain spending after a post-pandemic shopping surge.

In Europe, year-on-year growth of between 3 percent and 5 percent is predicted in 2024, compared to 10 percent in the first half of 2023 and 5 percent to 7 percent in the second half of the year. An anticipated rise in inbound tourism, boosted by Paris' hosting of the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, will likely be a growth driver, as will a pipeline of store openings in tier two and tier three cities across Europe.

In the US, luxury is expected to grow at 2 percent to 4 percent year on year in 2024, compared to 1 percent in the first half of 2023 and between 1 percent and 3 percent in the second half. This would represent a return to the long-term pace, with slightly stronger sales driven by higher-end aspirational brands. However, the luxury boom of recent years is not likely be rekindled. Rather, stabilisation at a lower level is expected. A strong dollar against, for example, the euro may also lead to some spend shifting abroad.

As for China, luxury growth of 4 percent to 6 percent is expected, compared to 16 percent in the first half of 2023, which dropped to between 1 percent and 3 percent in the second half. Though moving in the right direction, the projected growth rate in the year ahead stands in sharp contrast to 2020′s 32 percent and 2021′s 40 percent. Renewed uptake of international travel may dampen domestic demand, as affluent consumers resume shopping for luxury outside the country. However, it's worth noting that the size of China's luxury market remains almost double what it was in 2019.

While the biggest fashion markets are seeing only tepid signs of renewed growth, others may be more compelling. When asked about the countries or regions they believe will be the most promising in the year ahead compared to 2023 in the survey conducted in September, executives cited the Middle East (51 percent net intent), India (39 percent net intent) and Asia Pacific (34 percent net intent). North America and China recorded 8 percent and 3 percent respectively, while Western Europe was negative 11 percent.

As for expanding physical footprints, the US, Middle East and Asia Pacific stand out as priorities, with executives reporting net intent of 44 percent, 45 percent and 45 percent respectively. North America is the biggest investment destination, with 48 percent of executives citing footprint expansion plans in the region, compared to 44 percent in Western Europe.

Eyes on the Prize

In 2024, 71 percent of surveyed executives said they will focus on increasing sales, compared to 63 percent the previous year. Achieving that growth will likely require laser-sharp attention on pricing and promotion strategies, with a large portion of investment directed to potential quick wins.

Indeed, pricing strategies are likely to be particularly critical given weakening prospects for volume growth. Net intent to raise prices across the industry is 50 percent, with 69 percent of executives planning to lift prices, compared to 58 percent a year ago. Among the surveyed executives, 44 percent expect to raise prices by up to 5 percent, while 25 percent plan price increases of more than 5 percent. Companies that succeed in driving growth through price rises will likely take a precise, carefully tailored approach.

Simultaneously, decision makers will likely keep a tight grip on costs and investments. However, the industry has already seen widespread cost cutting, suggesting the focus should be on stricter controls rather than cuts.

The good news is that executives expect cost pressure to abate, with just 18 percent of executives predicting their companies' cost of goods sold (COGS) to grow more than 5 percent next year and 19 percent expecting selling, general and administrative expense (SG&A) to rise more than 5 percent. This is in contrast to last year, when 55 percent expected COGS growth of more than 5 percent, and 40 percent expected SG&A growth of more than 5 percent. One reason is fading concern about inflation, with 12 percent and 18 percent of executives expecting COGS and SG&A respectively to remain steady, compared to 1 percent and 3 percent last year. Additionally, the successful implementation of cost measures over the last couple of years have already absorbed many of the potential cuts.

Strategic Priorities

As climate change continues to gather pace, fashion executives remain focused on building more sustainable businesses. When identifying the biggest challenges and opportunities in the year ahead, some 12 percent cite sustainability as a principal opportunity for 2024, placing it at the top of the C-suite agenda. However, reflecting the scale of the task and rising regulatory pressure, 12 percent also name it as a top challenge. Finding a balanced way to implement sustainability improvements and risk-reduction programmes with competitive advantages is likely to be a key challenge for fashion executives in 2024.

Another opportunity high on executives' agendas is an innovation that has been surrounded by buzz in 2023: artificial intelligence, and particularly generative AI. Given its application across the fashion value chain and among functions, fashion companies are already starting to experiment cautiously. Those efforts are likely to continue in 2024, with a view to scaling use cases where there are demonstrable performance upsides.

As for consumers across markets, discretionary spend is likely to zero in on categories and brands on which they feel they can rely. Hard luxury goods - jewellery and watches - as well as leather goods are emerging as key categories, as more players enter the market and consumers seek to invest in pieces that will maintain or increase in value over time. Meanwhile, focused brand-building may help companies stave off challenges across segments, with consumers gravitating towards brands with the greatest differentiation and brand storytelling.

In the face of an uncertain future marred by continued macroeconomic challenges, fashion executives may need to make bold decisions: leading players cannot allow an ambiguous outlook to cloud decision making when seeking to capture growth opportunities ahead.

The 10 fashion industry themes that will set the agenda in 2024:
1. Fragmented Future
In 2024, the global economic outlook will likely continue to be unsettled. As new and ongoing financial, geopolitical and other challenges weigh heavily on consumer confidence, fashion markets in the US, Europe and China are facing differing headwinds, requiring suppliers, brands and retailers to bolster contingency planning, among other measures.
2. Climate Urgency
The frequency and intensity of extreme weather-related events in 2023 mean the climate crisis has become even more visible, leaving the fashion value chain especially vulnerable. With climate risks worsening across continents, the fashion industry can't hold off any longer on building resilience into its supply chains and helping to abate emissions.
3. Vacation Mode
Consumers are gearing up for the biggest year of travel since before the pandemic. But a shift in values means travellers have a different set of expectations, even as shopping remains high on the agenda. Brands and retailers should consider refreshing distribution and category strategies to meet travellers wherever they are.
4. The New Face of Influence
It's time for brand marketers to update their influencer playbooks. A new guard of creative personalities is gaining brands' attention, winning trust and fandom among key audiences. Working with these personalities in 2024 will require a different type of partnership, an emphasis on video and a willingness to relinquish a degree of creative control.
5. Outdoors Reinvented
Technical outdoor wear has been propelled by consumers' post-pandemic embrace of healthier lifestyles as well as "gorpcore," and is likely to accelerate even further in 2024. More outdoor brands will likely launch lifestyle collections while lifestyle brands embed technical elements into collections, further blurring the lines between functionality and style.
6. Gen AI's Creative Crossroad
After generative AI's breakout year in 2023, use cases are emerging across creative industries, including fashion. Capturing the value of this transformative technology in 2024 will require fashion players to look beyond automation and explore its potential to augment the work of human creatives.
7. Fast Fashion's Power Plays
Fast-fashion competition will likely become even fiercer in the year ahead. Challengers, led by Shein and Temu, are changing tactics around price, customer experience and speed. Success for disruptors and incumbents will likely hinge on their ability to adapt to evolving consumer preferences, while navigating regulations that may impact the industry.
8. All Eyes on Brand
Brand marketing will likely be back in the limelight in the year ahead as the fashion industry confronts a shifting landscape in which performance marketing no longer reigns. Consumers' emotional connections to brands will likely be critical as fashion marketers reorientate their playbooks to emphasise long-term brand-building strategies.
9. Sustainability Rules
The era of the fashion industry self-regulating sustainability is drawing to a close around the world. Across jurisdictions, new rules could have a widespread impact on both consumers and fashion players. Brands and manufacturers need to revamp business models to align with the changes ahead.
10. Bullwhip Snaps Back
Changes in consumer demand have resulted in the "bullwhip effect," where cuts to orders increase in magnitude at different parts of a supply chain, putting pressure on fashion's suppliers. Now, if supply is to keep pace with anticipated renewed demand, brands and retailers should consider focusing on transparency and bolstering strategic partnerships.
This article first appeared in The State of Fashion 2024, an in-depth report on the global fashion industry, co-published by BoF and McKinsey & Company.

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The 10 Themes That Will Define the Fashion Agenda in the Year Ahead

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The 10 themes in The State of Fashion 2024, the authoritative annual report from The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company, highlight how leaders can identify growth opportunities even amid a climate of uncertainty and instability.

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“Evolution keeps the brand relevant, but purpose makes a brand immortal” Richard Dickson - a key person whose roles includes design and development, brand marketing and innovation strategy.

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This year, Barbie-mania swept the globe. A key architect of that phenomenon was Richard Dickson, who served as president and chief operating officer of Barbie's parent company, Mattel, for almost a decade. There, he revived Barbie, a name that had lost its cultural relevance, and brought it firmly back into the zeitgeist. Now, Dickson is taking his talent for revitalising fading icons to Gap, where he was appointed CEO in July 2023.
"Evolution keeps the brand relevant, but purpose makes a brand immortal," says Dickson.
This week on The BoF Podcast, Dickson joins BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed to discuss the power of brands and his vision for rebooting Gap in a live conversation from BoF VOICES 2023.
Key Insights:
When Dickson arrived at Mattel, the Barbie brand was at a low point, with lagging sales and diminished relevance. Dickson pushed the brand to embrace dolls with different body types and ethnicities. "The process itself was really going back to the roots, going back to the purpose ... What made it so great to begin with? The origin story of the brand was that it was designed to inspire the limitless potential of girls," he explains.
Determining purpose is what fuelled his work at Mattel; now, he's applying the same mindset at Gap. "There can be nothing more inspiring than taking that cue and figuring out how to create that cultural conversation today, using our brands as a platform to actually create a better world."
Dickson recognises that Gap needs a stronger point of view. "We're not going to get to where we want overnight. But we have extraordinary people. We have a culture that is going to be unlocked with extraordinary creativity... and I am privileged and honoured to be the leader at this particular time," he says.
Additional Resources:
Richard Dickson at VOICES 2023: Perpetual Relevance in the Age of Distraction​Is Gap's CEO 'Kenough' for Investors Seeking a Turnaround?Breaking Down the Barbie Phenomenon, From Mattel to ChanelGap Surpasses Expectations in Early Win for New CEO Dickson

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richard dickson on how to recapture the magic of gap

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‎The Business of Fashion Podcast: Richard Dickson on How to Recapture the Magic of Gap on Apple Podcasts

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This year, Barbie-mania swept the globe. A key architect of that phenomenon was Richard Dickson, who served as president and chief operating officer of Barbie's parent company, Mattel, for almost a decade. There, he revived Barbie, a name that had lost its cultural relevance, and brought it firmly b...

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Simon Porte Jacquemus - very inspiring launched the brand in 2009 and is now a big name in the luxury market. He utilises the power of social media and personal branding along with creating a unique personality and visual representation that sets a brand apart.

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If we are talking about the most talented young designer of this century, we are pretty sure that Simon Porte Jacquemus will be on top of the list.

Founder and designer of Jacquemus, Simon Porte Jacquemus hails from the South of France and then moved to Paris when he was eighteen. We call him a self-taught designer because he had no fashion education, but he is now one of the most successful designers in the fashion industry.

The inspiration for the Jacquemus fashion label comes from his mother's maiden name, Valérie. Sadly, she passed away in a car accident when Simon Porte Jacquemus was as young as 19. She is an eternal inspiration because she gave him enormous strength and a big smile.

After losing his beloved mother, he said to himself: "OK, from now on, I just have to do what I want." Realising that life is too unpredictable, he felt the need to quickly make his dreams come true. That is why he decided to launch his brand immediately in 2009.

Jacquemus 10th Anniversary show

Back to 2009: The beginning of Jacquemus' fashion history

Fashion history was made after Simon Porte Jacquemus first released the first collection of his namesake brand in 2009. Two years later, his garments caught the attention of Rei Kawabuko and Adrian Joffe, the founder and creative genius and the president and CEO of Comme des Garçons respectively.

He was later offered a job as a sales assistant at Comme des Garçons in Paris, so he could support himself financially while making his designs to be shown during Paris Fashion Week in 2012.

Jacquemus has often described his collections as 'naive, raw and smiley'. When he was young, he was obsessed with French movies, so he would always start writing the film script and imagine the girls in the stories before creating his looks.

Jacquemus' hottest catwalk moments around France: From the cult spring-summer 2020 anniversary show in Valensole's lavender fields to the latest fall-winter 2022 défilé in Southern France's Camargue surrounded by gigantic mounds of salt

Many of Jacquemus' collections continue to be inspired by the designer's childhood memories, holidays and his mother. It's all about memories that Simon Porte Jacquemus pays homage to through geometric designs and evocative fabrics conveying a sense of freedom as if the models on the catwalk were ideally swimming in the sea or basking in the sun, joyful and innocent.

The brand's styles are minimalist, asymmetrical, surrealist and effortless. Jacquemus apparel was initially conceived to dress a woman gaining self-confidence through her clothes, thus enhancing her uniqueness.

After a series of heartfelt womenswear-only collections, often described as 'biographies', Simon Porte Jacquemus decided to debut his first menswear collection by staging a spring-summer 2019 show at the Calanque de Sormiou between Marseille and Cassis in June 2018. True to the Jacquemus tradition of naming the designer's collections, like the previous "La Piscine", "La Bomba", and "Le Souk" seasons, the brand's first men's collection was called "Le Gadjo," which roughly translates to "the gipsy."

The best collection to mention to enhance the brand's style and history is the 10th-anniversary spring-summer 2020 show in 2019, known as "Le Coup De Soleil" or "the sunburn" in English.

Looks from Jacquemus 10th anniversary collection show

The runway show was in Valensole, a few miles from Simon Porte Jacquemus' childhood home. The fashion show, surrounded by lavender flowers, created a surreal scene for a fashion moment that is still unforgettable today.

Taking inspiration from all the women, people and artists who inspired him to reach the highest point, the key muses for Simon Porte Jacquemus were Hockey, Christo and Jeanne-Claud. The 10-year-anniversary collection took us back to the springtime of his life, as seen in his designs' colours and prints.

Back to the Ville Lumière: When Jacquemus wasn't touring the country with shows, the brand was rocking at Paris Fashion Week

Let's look at another collection that more closely reflects the personal history of Simon Porte Jacquemus: L'Année 97, standing for The Year 1997 and referring to the co-ed autumn-winter collection 2020/21.

The year 1997 is not just any ordinary year, but the time the designer first created a skirt for his mother at the age of 7. The starting point for this collection was that Jacquemus was worried about himself, so he started to question things: are people really in need of fashion? Is all this useful?

These doubts came to him for the first time in his career, so he presented outfits that could be sophisticated yet minimal.

Each piece in this collection still best represents the brand's identity, consisting of a typical hot girl and a hype boy, but everyone looks sexy. Below, we selected the most recognisable looks from L'Année 97 collection to enhance Simon Porte Jacquemus' signature style.

The look on the left was the focus of this collection's theme and inspiration. French supermodel and actress Laetitia Casta wore the skirt Simon Porte Jacquemus created for his beloved mother, a long linen pencil skirt paired with an off-shoulder knit bandeau and a dark beige best-seller bag called Le Bambino.

The look in the middle is outstanding to show the country-boy aesthetic, as the model wore a yellow vest, loose-fitting shirt and cargo trousers. Last but not least, the look on the right presents an innovative but minimalist businesswoman wearing an oversised blazer, asymmetric dress and high boots. The model also went with a bandana and a belted bag by Jacquemus to reveal this look's charismatic, chic appeal.

The most popular mini-bags on the shelves of one-off boutiques and the decade's larger-than-life celebrities as the brand's biggest fans sitting front row at shows: Here are the Jacquemus stand-out moments

Up to this paragraph, some readers might be curious to know what else this self-taught designer from Provence does. Moving on to iconic products, he is the one who created the mini-bag phenomenon after launching the Le Chiquito bag in the spring-summer 2018 collection.

Le Chiquito is a small bag made of leather and suede, with long curved handles and a golden Jacquemus logo. Once it became a must-have for its unique design, many celebrities have fallen in love with this bag, such as Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid and Beyoncé.

Pioneering positive change and inclusivity: The Jacquemus journey

Moreover, he is courageous and sympathetic. The 32-year-old designer fights alongside the LGBTQ+ communities to make people better understand the value of inclusivity in all its forms, including different body types, skin types and ages.

Among his many initiatives, he launched his "Le Splash" campaign for spring-summer 2021 during Pride month.

Le Splash collection featuring Bad Bunny

Benjamas Kanjanawutisit
Student in the Fashion Promotion, Communication and Digital Media Master's programme, Milan

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How Jacquemus is shaking up the fashion world | ISTITUTO MARANGONI

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From inventing the mini-bag phenomenon to attracting larger-than-life celebrities, through the hot-ticket shows staged around France: here is all about this 20th century cult brand