The Glossy Podcast

Amanda Parkes never thought she'd wind up in fashion. Then again, 2-year-old Pangaia, where she serves as chief innovation officer, isn't your typical fashion company.  "We are a materials science company," Parkes said on the latest Glossy Podcast. "We're all about the future of materials, and we really think that's an approach that can change the fashion industry from the inside out." However, many fashion fans best know Pangaia as the brand behind the rainbow-bright sweatsuits with lines of text that have been worn by Harry Styles and Kourtney Kardashian. Parkes started her career as a mechanical engineer and product designer, before eventually going back to school, at the M.I.T. Media Lab. There, she earned a hybrid computer science-materials science Ph.D. and the rare job title of fashion scientist. "I came into fashion through the back door," she said. "When I was in college, 20 years ago, there was no such thing as a fashion scientist." But, she said -- despite the lack of interplay between the two worl

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff discuss some of the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, a number of brands canceled or postponed their traditional NYFW shows. Nigo, the streetwear designer recently named artistic director of Kenzo, showed his first collection with the brand in Paris. And Fashion Nova was fined by the FTC for blocking bad reviews from appearing on its site, making it the first company to be formally punished for review-blocking.

Over the last two years, the fashion industry has experienced plenty of ups and downs – but 19-year-old contemporary brand Ba&sh has managed to remain on the upswing for the last 10 months. “[2021] was a record year,” Desiree Thomas, CEO of Ba&sh North America, said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “Since the middle of March last year, we’ve seen this excitement around getting dressed again; a lot of women are just wanting to take a moment for themselves and celebrate the joys of life.” As a result, Ba&sh has seen “explosive growth” in each of its sales channels. “We saw retail explode in all of our freestanding stores in North America,” she said. “And digital was also on fire.” Thomas joined Ba&sh in May 2021, after serving as brand president for 3.1 Phillip Lim and holding top sales roles at BCBGMaxAzria and Nicole Miller. She said she was lured by the brand’s focus on “joy, female femininity and empowerment.” Ba&sh was founded in France in 2003 by entrepreneurs and best friends Barbara Boccara and Sharon Krie

On this week's Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff discuss three of the biggest fashion news stories of the week. This week, the pair discuss the legacy of the late André Leon Talley, an outsized personality in the fashion world for decades, as well as LVMH's new minority stake in Aimé Leon Dore and Bally's hire of Rhude's Rhuigi Villaseñor as its new creative director.

Ariane Goldman is a serial entrepreneur with a specialty: “I'm always gonna try to create things people need,” she said on the latest Glossy Podcast.  In 2007, that meant launching Twobirds Bridesmaid, focused on bridesmaid dresses that women can wear more than once. And in 2011, she introduced Hatch. “I was pregnant with my first daughter, excited about this new endeavor that I was about to embark on. And I was absolutely surprised that there was nobody speaking to me. I didn't know how to speak the language, and I didn't know what to look for,” she said. “That was the lightbulb that went off. I knew that if I was feeling this way, there must have been other women looking for the same companionship and guidance through this next chapter.”  She started Hatch as a direct-to-consumer brand centered on clothing women can wear before, during and after pregnancy. Today, 20% of the company’s customers are women who aren’t pregnant, Goldman said.  The company has since expanded to product categories including beauty

On the latest Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff discuss the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, there was a flurry of news around Yeezy and Gap, including a new TV spot, a new product and the announcement of yet another collaborator -- "Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga" is set to roll out later this year. Also, data from The RealReal's annual consignment report shows a resurgence of ’90s fashion, and Savage x Fenty is opening its first five stores in the first half of the year.

More than seven years after working at J.Jill as CMO, Claire Spofford returned in February of 2021 to take on the role of CEO. “I already knew a lot about the customer and how connected and engaged she is with the J.Jill brand – that’s a strong foundation for any business,” Spofford said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “Plus, its premium casual positioning in the market is really relevant now. And there were all the fundamentals of it being a great brand with heritage.”  Indeed, J.Jill is more than 60 years old. But Spofford has moved fast to ensure evolution across the business and adoption of emerging tools and technologies that can contribute to its current growth. Personalization, an optimized store fleet and next-level customer experience – the latter, with the help of a new hire – are among her priorities. In mid-December, J.Jill reported a nearly 30% year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue.   “We’ve made great progress against our [pandemic] recovery this year and have gained some real traction,” sh

For this week's Glossy Week in Review podcast, fashion reporter Zofia Zwieglinska joined editor-in-chief Jill Manoff for a discussion on the three biggest stories of the week. This week, a look at the significance of the latest Prada x Adidas collection. Plus, what fashion's presence at CES says about the industry's focus on innovation, and how the Omicron variant is impacting physical retail, IRL fashion shows and beyond.

If you count its unintentional year in beta, The Yes is just eight months old. Retail veteran Julie Bornstein planned to launch the fashion e-commerce platform, which she describes as "a new way to shop," in March 2020 -- but then Covid-19 hit. So, she waited two months and introduced the company in May, just before George Floyd was killed and "the world got even more complicated." As with companies across categories, the plan- and priority-shifting news The Yes faced in the year, and the following year, didn't stop there. "We operated in what felt like a beta timeframe," Bornstein said on the latest Glossy Podcast. "We ended up using that year to just improve the experience, onboard more brands, learn [what] our users liked and improve so many things. We decided we needed to launch web, [in addition to an app], which we did." The Yes's big differentiator among fashion marketplaces is the personalized experience it provides shoppers, largely based on individual products they like or dislike via a voluntary cl

In a special edition of the Glossy Podcast, Danny Parisi, senior fashion reporter, and Jill Manoff, editor-in-chief, review the year in fashion news. 2021 was eventful for fashion, to say the least. There were high-profile acquisitions, groundbreaking runway shows, notable deaths and abrupt executive departures. In this episode, the pair discuss three big stories from the year, toughing on all the interesting bits of news that fit those larger themes. They include: the growing dominance of resale in fashion; the rise of digital fashion, crypto and NFTs; and the new willingness for traditional rivals in luxury fashion to work together.

After becoming sold on accepting the CEO job at Aerosoles, Alison Bergen is hellbent on selling fashion fans on shopping the brand.  “I don’t think I ever thought I would end up at a comfort footwear brand. And I think [Aerosoles] offered me the job twice before I accepted it, because I had to get over my own snobbery,” Bergen said on the latest Glossy Podcast. Prior to Aerosoles, she held lead merchandising roles at Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors and Diane von Furstenberg.  “What finally attracted me to [Aerosoles] was the original story about the founder, Jules Schneider,” she said. “How and why he started the brand … felt like it was equally relevant today as it was revolutionary back in the late ’80s when he founded it… He thought, ‘Women shouldn't have to sacrifice comfort for style, or vice versa.’” Bergen joined the brand in 2018 with the goal of modernizing its approach to design and business — which has proven to be quite the feat.  “Taking a Titanic and trying to change the course doesn't happen by jus

For this week's Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi was joined by fashion reporter Zofia Zwieglinska to talk about the three biggest stories of the week. This week, Nike acquired digital fashion company RTFKT and Chanel hired a new CEO, fashion outsider Leena Nair. Also, Shein hired a new head of sustainability, in an effort to turn its image around, and Inditex shared how it's preparing for new leadership.

Cleobella founder and designer Angela O’Brien built her strong, 15-year-old business from an idea she had while galavanting around the globe. “My husband and I left our jobs in Southern California, and we did a trip around the world for a year -- we lived in a camper van in Europe, and we traveled all through Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. And we felt this freedom that we wanted more of,” O’Brien said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “So the idea became, ‘How do we create a business and keep this journey going?’” Now, she splits her time between living in Bali and doing business in Los Angeles, the headquarters of her globally-inspired, ethically-made fashion brand produced by artisans around the world.  The brand has a story worth telling, too, O’Brien said. “The customer cares how her product is made. And having that openness, and telling the story of the people and the hands and the hearts that make our product, that's what's most important to me. And that's what builds a legacy brand.” Cu

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, hosts senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff discuss the biggest fashion stories of the week. This week, they discuss Ralph Lauren's metaverse ambitions, timed with a new Roblox activation, Pete Davidson's partnership with Calvin Klein and Chanel's Advent calendar controversy.

Norma Kamali may have launched her namesake fashion brand more than 50 years ago, but the last two years have presented challenges like she’s never seen before. Luckily, working through them has had positive effects on her business.  “Covid and everything that went with it was -- for me, in the workplace -- like nothing [that’s come before it]. We’ve all experienced this for the first time,” she said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “It really got me to fast-forward the company to where we should be. Plus, it made us more efficient and it made us better strategically.” It's paying off: The business has grown by almost 3X since 2019, she said.  Kamali can be credited with pioneering such timely industry trends as athleisure and an e-commerce focus. And, she said, though her business has evolved, she’s held true to her core focuses. In terms of her designs, that means sticking to “clothing you feel good in, that isn’t crazy expensive and that you wear a lot,” she said.  She talked more about her “classic, timeless

On this week's episode of the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi is joined by editor-in-chief Jill Manoff and fashion reporter Zofia Zwieglinska to talk about some of the biggest news in the fashion world. As the biggest story of the week was the tragic passing of Virgil Abloh, we discussed his life and his influence on fashion. Also this week: a lackluster Black Friday and a report from Glossy's first U.K. event.

Luxury fashion has quickly morphed away from Old Hollywood glamour to sneakers and nylon belts. But for online retailer Mytheresa, that air of sophistication and charm is still the heart of its business. "We love the true luxury part of the [fashion] business," said Michael Kliger, CEO of Mytheresa, on this week's Glossy Podcast. "It is by definition a limited set of brands that you could count as luxury." With roots as a boutique in Munich starting in 1987, Mytheresa has evolved alongside changes in luxury, including with its launch of a menswear category in 2020 and the company's IPO in January. Although the retailer maintains a focus on "traditional" luxury brands, like Valentino, Prada and Gucci, as well as occasions, like a "garden party," Mytheresa also carries "cooler, new [brands] like Jacquemus," in response to evolving customer tastes, which accelerated during the pandemic, said Kliger.  In contrast to other luxury retailers, Mytheresa carries fewer than 250 brands, living up to its tagline of, 'The

Although "The World's Most Comfortable Thong" may seem like an oxymoron, intimates and sleepwear brand Hanky Panky continues to hold the title unironically 35 years after the release of its cult-favorite 4811 thong. While the brand celebrates its heritage with the anniversary of the iconic one-size-fits-all thong, which makes up over 60% of Hanky Panky's sales, it's simultaneously going through a brand refresh, said Brenda Berger, co-CEO of Hanky Panky, on this week's Glossy Podcast. Berger, who served as the head of sales and marketing from 2004 to 2013, rejoined Hanky Panky as co-CEO in 2019 when the "rebrand conversation" started, she said.  After 44 years in business, Berger and the Hanky Panky team are focused on refreshing the brand while maintaining its sense of heritage, she said. Berger has overseen the launch of Hanky Panky's new website, logo and digital marketing strategies, as well as its new influencer partnerships and TikTok and Instagram strategies.  "[These tactics] better tell the stories of

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, hosts Danny Parisi and Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news stories of the week. In this week's episode: Nike paused its Travis Scott collaborations, wholesale marketplace Faire raised $400 million and Bottega Veneta got a new creative director (while rumors swirled about why Daniel Lee left so abruptly). Plus, a closer look at Shein's massive -- and unethical -- growth.

Out with the old and in with the ... old? In June 2021, MCM unveiled a novel, but old-school logo for the first time in its 45 year history. Although the new take on the iconic Visetos print signifies the brand’s evolution, the vintage-inspired Italian jacquard fabric is meant to convey MCM’s past in step with the ever-changing fashion industry.  “Heritage creates so much emotion for [the] consumer,” said Dirk Schönberger, global creative director of MCM, on this week’s Glossy Podcast.  Still, MCM knows adapting is a constant in fashion. Its computer-generated take on the logo and its choice of non-leather fabrics demonstrate the brand’s ongoing need for change. “If you look closer, you see the cubes that we have are consisting of the diamonds from our original logo,” he said, referring to MCM’s new Cubic Monogram, part of the second phase of the brand’s refresh that launched on October 4. In addition to the updated logos, Schönberger has facilitated MCM’s collaborations with Gen-Z heavyweights like Billie Ei