The Glossy Podcast

After launching and selling her namesake maternity wear brand, Liz Lange began to long for her entrepreneurial days. To that end, she bought New York-based women's luxury label Figue, acquiring the 10-year-old brand in 2021 from founder Stephanie Von Watzdorf. Lange is currently CEO. "I wanted to be the entrepreneur. I didn't want to be the advisor or the investor," said Lange on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. Lange learned Figue was available for sale after spending years wearing and admiring the brand's clothes. "I knew [Figue] had 10 years of reputation-building [under its belt], which is very hard to accomplish. So I thought, 'Aha, maybe this is my next meant-to-be moment'," she said.  Along with its direct-to-consumer e-commerce site, the brand now sells in over 50 retail locations, including at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Lange classifies the brand as accessible and affordable luxury — its prices range from $73-$1,572. "I knew the brand was much more than a summer and vacation brand,

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, LVMH Ventures invests in lab-grown diamond company Lusix, as its portfolio brands Bulgari and Tiffany & Co. continue to swear off lab-grown stones; Christie's makes its play for sneakers and streetwear sales official with the launch of a dedicated vertical; and the prices of many crypto coins plummet, as more fashion companies including Farfetch announce they're newly accepting crypto payments.

When Alyssa Wasko was in college, she never thought she'd start a fashion brand. Fast-forward 13-years later, and Donni has become well-known for its elevated basics. In 2009, Wasko began making scarves to cope with the death of her father, Donald, for whom her company is named. Her college friends started placing orders and, eventually, she was selling scarves as a side gig while working at Chanel as a visual merchandiser. On the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast, Wasko said her years at Chanel prepared her well for her current role and that her Chanel co-workers were supportive of her side hustle. She also recalled hat, while getting her company off the ground, she sold scarves on Etsy and hosted trunk shows throughout the year. Now, Donni is sold in over 115 stores worldwide including Saks, Revolve, Holt Renfrew and Free People. Donni also sells direct-to-consumer through its brand website.  Drawing on its core characteristics of comfort and ease, Donni has since expanded from selling neck warmers and s

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, CEO Julie Wainwright abruptly leaves The RealReal after founding the company a decade ago; Fendi and Marc Jacobs plan to launch a collaboration, according to rumors; and the hosts delve into some of the insights from this week's Glossy Fashion & Luxury Summit, providing details from conversations with execs from Levi's, MyTheresa and Faith Connexion.

After being unable to find an ethically sourced diamond engagement ring, Beth Gerstein took matters into her own hands and co-founded Brilliant Earth in 2005. In the years to follow, Brilliant Earth disrupted industry practices by selling diamonds from ethically and environmentally responsible sources. “About two-thirds of the diamond industry is [made up of] neighborhood jewelers, so it's an industry that hasn't really evolved,” says Gerstein on the latest Glossy podcast.  Brilliant Earth prides itself on the highly personal experience it provides its customers in-store. The brand has 20 showrooms throughout the U.S. Its latest opened in Edina, Minnesota on June 2. It plans to open up to 15 more locations 2022.  During the pandemic in 2021, Brilliant Earth saw a 51% increase in annual net sales, reaching $380 million. And its first-quarter 2022 earnings report showed $100 million in net sales. Gerstein credits the brand’s success to its nimble supply chain. Beyond selling ethical jewelry, Brilliant Earth par

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down the biggest fashion news of the week. On this week's episode, British fast-fashion company Missguided entered bankruptcy and was bought out by Frasers Group for $22 million, Kenzo's creative director Nigo announced plan to release sequential campaigns every month, and more fashion brands entered the pandemic-hot home goods category. 

With an impressive background in e-commerce roles at Macy's, eBay and Walmart, Jill Ramsey became the CEO of AKA Brands in 2020. Founded in 2018, AKA Brands is a global platform that aids in supporting and scaling brands while enhancing their profitability through an asset-light operating model. AKA Brands currently has five distinct portfolio brands: Princess Polly, Culture Kings, Petal and Pup, Mnml and Rebdolls. "We invest in digitally native direct-to-consumer fashion brands and accelerate their growth through the synergies harnessed as a group," Ramsey said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. The company IPO'd in September 2021, raising $110 million, which "was a big opportunity to share our story with the world," she said. "There's a generation of young brands born on social media and are good at [producing] front-end content. They know how to create inspirational content that resonates with their end customer and spot the right fashion to connect with their audience. On their own, these young

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi breaks down the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, he's joined by Glossy Pop's Sara Spruch-Feiner for a special episode, diving into some of the pop-culture stories you can read on Glossy Pop. On this week's episode: Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's Dolce & Gabbana-branded wedding showed the natural next step for the endlessly monetized life of an influencer; Emily Weiss's departure from Glossier spotlighted the evolution of a DTC brand pioneer; and finally, Demna's vision for Balenciaga recently resulted in a run of fascinating collaborations and shows.

After five years in business, Jane Winchester Paradis’s jewelry brand, Jane Win, has earned fans including Jill Biden and Debra Messing. The brand's focus is bold coin charms, inspired by antique coins of the 1900s, that are worn on gold necklaces. Topped with meaningful symbols and words like "hope," the coins are often purchased to mark important moments in one’s life, Winchester Paradis said on the latest Glossy Podcast.  Jane Win's sales increased 113% during the pandemic, from December 2020 to December 2021. It relies on DTC and wholesale sales channels, and regularly hosts trunk shows to give customers an in-person shopping experience.

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down the biggest fashion news of the week. On this week's episode, Tom Ford stepped down from his role as chairman of the CFDA after three years, leaving the organization at a crossroads; Gucci's Cosmogonie show in Puglia was an example of extravagant, idiosyncratic fashion not dictated by data and algorithms; and Nike's collaboration with Jacquemus was yet another example of high and low fashion coming together.

When founder and CEO Stacey Boyd set out to create her company, Olivela, she wanted to establish a luxury shopping platform with a philanthropic mission baked into the core business model. The 5-year-old company donates 20% of net proceeds from every purchase to the consumer's charity of choice from Olivela's list of partners, at no cost to the consumer or brand partners.  “There are three pillars we work in,” Boyd said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. Olivela focuses on women’s empowerment, climate action and health and wellness. “The name is ‘Olive’ for olive trees, a symbol of growth and wisdom, and ‘vela,’ which is Latin for the sails of the ship, with the idea that we help set people forward on the best path in life.” “Purpose matters to [our customers],” said Boyd. “As we think about developing and creating the Olivela website, no one is going to buy something simply because it does good. Our customer is going to buy a bag because she loves the bag. She’s going to choose to buy it from Olive

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff run through some of the biggest fashion news stories of the week. This week, Marco Gobbetti, the new CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo, announced plans to double the company's sales in the next three years, with the help of new creative director of Maximilian Davis; earnings reports from resale companies The RealReal and ThredUp revealed divergent paths for the sector as inflation affects their sales; and a few major brands spoke up about defending reproductive rights in the wake of the leaked Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, but most have been hesitant to speak up.

Since the birth of Frame, Erik Torstensson, co-founder and creative director, has always envisioned the clothing line becoming a lifestyle destination. In the decade since its debut, it has expanded beyond a denim-focused assortment to include a wide variety of clothing and accessories.  “I don't think there is an enormous urgency to Frame, and I like that,” Torstensson said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “I don't want Frame to be a hype brand, necessarily." Frame projected $200 million in annual revenue for 2021. Frame’s designs are inspired by the men and women who surround Torstensson. Recently, he has drawn inspiration from his two step-daughters, Bella and Ava, and girlfriend, Natalie Massenet, co-founder and managing partner at Imaginary Ventures. Torstensson expressed his self-awareness in understanding that, as a straight, 40-year-old white man, there are many aspects of women’s fashion he does not know. 

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news stories of the week. This week, the discussion turns to the Met Gala and all the looks on dsplay that were both on-theme and off; Revolve's earnings, specifically how the company is handling its inventory load; and the future of Off-White after New Guards Group named Ibrahim Kamara as its new art and image director.

As CEO and designer of her nearly 20-year-old namesake fashion label, Nili Lotan has found success in the luxury fashion industry by going against the grain of fashion industry norms. The brand is reportedly on pace to bring in $100 million in revenue this year. “The motto of my business is that I make everything in the U.S. — that, in itself, means that luxury is built into the seams,” Lotan said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “I’ve been growing the business, and as my business has evolved, I’ve [gone from exclusively focusing on] timeless luxury essentials to being a full lifestyle and multi-category [brand].” The brand launched handbags in 2020. Next, it will roll out menswear, this summer, and additional accessories, in September. Lotan targets “an ageless woman,” calling her brand’s clothing an expression of a nonchalant attitude, which she believes is hard to find in a luxury fashion brand. “But the majority [of my customers] are 40- to 45-years old. And those are all working women who run a busy life th

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, hosts senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest news stories of the week. On this week's episode, Thom Browne's spring show at the Javits Center is representative of brands going outside the traditional fashion calendar, formats and venues; Simon Property Group reportedly makes a bid to buy Kohl's two years after it bought its rival JCPenney; and Victoria Beckham is launching a shapewear line at a time when the category is hot, but without the overtly body-positive messaging of other shapewear lines.

Batsheva Hay has found success in the fashion industry by simply making what she likes. In 2016, she launched the dress brand Batsheva, which has seen accelerated growth since the start of the pandemic. “I didn't set out to get into fashion at all,” Hay said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “I was actually a lawyer … and quit my job. And then I got excited to get dressed again in the way that I wanted, which included wearing lots of vintage clothing. I kept on going back to this thrifted Laura Ashley dress that I was just wearing to shreds… I found a pattern maker to remake it, but by that point, I’d changed [the concept] so much that it became a whole other Frankenstein creation. And that was the start, in my head, of wanting to make more.” And thus, Batsheva was born. Luckily for Hay, her original concept proved to be popular during the pandemic. “At first, [everyone] was all about wearing sweatpants, sweatpants, sweatpants,” she said. “But then I started this idea of the house dress, or a print

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, hosts senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff discuss some of the biggest fashion news stories of the week. On this week's episode, the hosts discuss Victoria's Secret's latest inclusivity plays of hiring its first male model and launching a gender-free tween brand. They also weigh in on the implications of Instagram opening up its product tagging capabilities, and they break down Lululemon's plan to double its annual sales to $12.5 billion by 2025.

Last month, Paris-based Vestiaire Collective acquired American competitor Tradesy, greatly expanding its shopper base in the states and putting it head-to-head with The RealReal. Now, the U.S. is Vestiaire Collective’s largest market. Even prior to the deal, its U.S. gross merchandise volume (GMV) was on the rise: It increased 75% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2022, according to Fanny Moizant, co-founder and president of Vestiaire Collective. “Our ambition is to build the leading global resale marketplace,” Moizant said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “[We want] to transform the fashion industry and the way people consume fashion. That's what motivates us and makes us wake up happy every morning.” The company is well on its way. With Tradesy, Vestiaire Collective now offers 5 million products by 3,000 brands, and it’s set to sell $1 billion in GMV on an annual basis.  “We are this massive platform, where everybody – at their own budget, taste and style – can find something really appeali

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, editor-in-chief Jill Manoff and fashion reporter Zofia Zwieglinska discuss some of the biggest fashion news stories of the week. On this week's episode, the hosts discuss LVMH's first-quarter 2022 earnings, showing a revenue increase of 29% year-over-year, as well as Lululemon's new resale program, offering more accessible leggings. They also recap the top takeaways from NFT Day and the biggest challenges in the beauty space, as reported by executives at Glossy's Beauty Leaders Dinner on Tuesday.