More for Less

                                                         Fashion’s New Spin Cycle

The finale ends. Backstage, there are hugs, kisses, and flowers. The merchandising team packs everything away, while dressers count each garment. Out front, the audience trickles out, editors rushing to airports, buyers calculating orders, friends lingering for one last glass of champagne. Lights down, music off, fashion week moves on.

This June, just 48 hours after the Prada Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show, something unusual happened. As reported by Interview Magazine, Miuccia Prada returned to her office with Raf Simons and Charlie Porter for an on-the-record conversation. What unfolded was less a recap than a reckoning: the relevance of fashion today, the industry in flux, and the weight of creativity in troubled times.

From posting quotas to constant content, the tempo is no longer set by fashion houses but by social media. A draining, never ending flow of “next, next, next” has flattened everything. I like to use the image of chandeliers: if a room is full of them, it is nearly impossible to notice any single one. That is the chaos marketing has created. Fail to meet the algorithm’s demands, and your engagement, your audience, your visibility is punished.

We have become slaves to more, more, more. Each year more creators enter from TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram. Every time another 16 year old gets a TikTok account, it becomes harder to stand out. In this ocean of everything, we notice nothing.

BoF–McKinsey’s State of Fashion shows the fatigue: Instagram engagement rates fell 30 percent in 2022, 68 percent of consumers are bothered by sponsored content, and 65 percent turn less to influencers. Gen Z loses attention after 1.3 seconds. McKinsey also shows the mobile journey converts far worse than desktop, 3.2 percent on desktop versus 0.9 percent on mobile. That gap is the scroll-to-click problem in numbers.

The future is slowing down, building community, cultivating cult-like followings. The pendulum swings from excess to intimacy. Brands that grow will invest in experiences that make customers feel seen and heard. Think of the Friends bar, a place where everyone knows your name, or at least your profile picture. The way forward is not sameness but point of view.

This reminds me of the 90’s when suburban kids cut their hair, dyed it with Manic Panic, and pierced everything, not just rebellion, but a cry to be seen and understood. Consumer data and AI can now go deeper, creating more trustworthy relationships. McKinsey finds demand rising for niche products, with younger shoppers more open to smaller brands. In one luxury survey, 31 percent of Gen Z were open to smaller brands versus 22 percent of Gen X, and “brand name” dropped from the top purchase factor to fifth between 2019 and 2022. Depth is the soil where true communities grow.

The economy doesn’t look bright, but hunger for something special has not faded. Unique products and stories must be placed in front of the customer more often. McKinsey shows media time grows just 1–2 percent a year while content explodes. Americans spend 13 hours a day on media, much of it split across devices. Quality attention is scarcer. The job is to earn focused moments, not just impressions. Speaking of focused moments, when’s the last time you saw a white Mercedes? 

Cheap Thrills

 The Luxury Resale Trap, A Market Built on Fake, Counterfeits.

I tend to stay away from selling luxury fashion products unless there is a distribution deal directly with the fashion houses, especially when it involves a secondhand or resale business model. Unless you are dealing directly with the fashion house. Which they generally do not allow for re-sale, therefore you risk fraudulent merchandise entering your inventory. This is a serious problem in fashion, and unless you have worked in luxury resale, you would not know. When I see investors putting money into these business models without a deep knowledge of the luxury market, I wish they would not. Without an authentication component, the outcome is predictable: counterfeit luxury goods being sold to consumers. Once that happens, trust is gone, and the brand of the business is essentially finished.

Even when purchasing from an overseas distributor in Italy or Paris, you run the risk of receiving high-quality fraudulent products, often manufactured in Italy or sewn in China, that can pass as authentic without strict provenance verification and a proper chain of custody. These business models are amateur and aspirational, the kinds of ventures every fashion enthusiast thinks they can start when launching a business online. Investors hear names like Gucci, Prada, and Chanel. What they do not hear is fake, counterfeit, and grey market goods flooding platforms without proper authentication. This leads to brand dilution, erosion of consumer trust, lawsuits, and reputational damage that can permanently destroy a business. At the end of the day, this is amateur territory for the untrained eye.

In order for a luxury bag or shoe to be deemed legitimate, authentic paperwork and expert verification must be in place, but in today’s market even the paperwork can be fraudulent. Counterfeit goods now make up over 3.3 percent of global trade, worth more than $460 billion annually, and in the EU alone they account for nearly 5 percent of imports. On resale platforms, almost 1 in 10 items are fake or unidentifiable, meaning that if a site lists 1,000 products, around 100 of them will be counterfeit or questionable. At the same time, AI verification tools flag more than a quarter of online listings, which translates to about 250 out of 1,000 products being flagged as counterfeit. The upside is that demand is clearly there, so we will continue to see a steady flow of consumers, sellers eager to offload their luxury goods for quick cash and buyers hoping to acquire luxury at a discount. There will be legitimate transactions, but there will also be a sea of counterfeits, grey-market products, and fraudulent paperwork overwhelming the space, which makes the luxury resale market not just risky, but a trap waiting to collapse under the weight of fake-luxury. 

The takeaway? With all the shiny photos, shots of the inside lining, and perfectly even stitching, Grandma’s new Gucci purse that you bought from an online luxury retailer might actually be a Ducci. 

C'est la Vie

 Anna Wintour Exits Vogue

Anna Wintour, who without a doubt is the most influential, most recognized person in fashion for the last 50 years. Aside from Yves Saint Laurent, John Galliano, Naomi Campbell, Donatella Versace, André Leon Talley, Alexander McQueen, and Vivienne Westwood, she had become not only a household name that transcended fashion into global fame, you don’t  have to be in fashion to know these names. But at the helm of them all has been Anna. From the front row of every major show to the most important invitees and celebrities, her decisive and critical judgment spearheaded what we now call fashion, media, and celebrity. Anna's approval or disapproval could make or break your life and career.

A legacy built on media, Anna's father, Charles Wintour, was editor of the London Evening Standard from 1959 to 1976 and significantly influenced her passion for journalism. She faced considerable resistance early in her career; she dropped out of school at 18 and began working at Harper's & Queen in London, later moving to New York, where she was fired from Harper’s Bazaar for her audacious creative choices, such as using unconventional models and settings. She began mixing things up; luxury with  denim, on the November 1988 American Vogue cover featuring Michaela Bercu in Christian Lacroix paired with Guess jeans. She rocked the conservative boat of fashion, kicked down old, stagnant doors, and ushered in an era of what we identify as fashion today, celebrity, popularity, movers and shakers of all shapes, colors, and understood that fashion seeped beyond the bourgeoisie, across ethnicities and cultures. Who was "in" was less about money and more about fresh, now, controversial figures who got people talking, turning pages, and filling front rows, in a billion-dollar way. At the end of the day, she knew the psychographics of the world, and for 37 years she had us awaiting the next big cover in grocery store lines, working with the best and most eccentric fashion editors to bring magic from runways to magazine stands at your local grocery store. The elites of the world were now at our fingertips, the who, the why, and the things we should pay attention to.

Like every major force in any era slaying dragons, she was not short of press, good, bad, and those that wear Prada. Both witty and unapologetic, she was talked about, feared, and admired. Regardless of the headline, she pushed on, for nearly four decades.

Anna Wintour is fashion, dedication with a look created entirely her own: large 'don't bother me’ sunglasses and an immaculately cut bob with bangs. From Galliano to Owens, Lagerfeld to Jacobs, she opened doors to the greatest minds in fashion for the last 37 years. Courageous and unafraid to upset the status quo.

Her integrity and commitment to journalism and newness merged big media with big personalities. It is hard to imagine fashion's power without the most powerful person in the front row. She almost seems more like a Queen of the 20th and 21st centuries than an Editor-in-Chief.

Her accomplishments are too many to record in one retrospective, but aside from fashion, she had major global impact on the world, notably igniting the Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, transforming it into one of the most significant fundraising events globally. She has not stepped far away; though she has stepped down, she will still hold the position of Global Chief Content Officer for Condé Nast. 

It does feel like a piece of fashion, at least as we know it, has died, even though she is very much alive. For me, Anna was the image, the person in the front row to look for to know whether or not a show was worth watching, what print she was going to wear, and how she was going to mix accessories over prints this season. But no one can work forever. Imagine dedicating your whole life to fashion, your entire existence to an industry, and doing it consistently well, making history as one of the most prominent, if not the most prominent, figures in fashion for the last 100 years. Anna could see things that no one else could see, and that seems to be the main ingredient to making history, seeing what others cannot, and having the courage to act despite those inklings being against tradition. The next appointee will undoubtedly be fashion's rebound, merely a placeholder until fashion falls in love with the next long-term visionary to take us into future decades of fashion to come. 

Anna was the epitome of transformative leadership, not just a buzzword, but genuinely transformative. She led the brand from print to digital; her ability to spot trends and capitalize on what people want to see and pay for cannot be overstated.

Transitions in history are sometimes good and sometimes challenging. This is one of those transitions where we cannot immediately say, "Change is good." There is no one who can fill her shoes, only continue forward with all she has built, bringing fashion into the new age of complexities and what's next. Like all things in fashion, despite their relevance, it's about what's now, who's now, and who's next. We hope to see Anna still in the front row, continuing to open doors for new talents and designers, as she has for the last 37 years.

Agentic AI 

Turning Fashion Retail into a Sci-Fi Sequel

Agentic AI is now, not just another LinkedIn hot topic for retailers to frivolously ponder over while deciding whether a tech spend makes sense. It’s turning the flux capacitor of retail into a Christina Aguilera simulation circa 1999 of Genie in a Bottle, but this time, in real life.

As we hoverboard into 2025, AI isn't just tagging along—it’s driving the DeLorean. In this deep dive, I explore how Agentic AI is reshaping retail in ways that feel straight out of sci-fi, from smart inventory restocks to AI that knows your style better than your best friend. Agentic will be the Carrie Bradshaw to your Samantha. A friend you can't go a day without texting, trusting with your biggest retail decisions, and maybe even letting it choose your shoes. 

Imagine a retail world where inventory never runs out, because it already knew what was coming. Think of I, Robot (2004), where robots work in seamless harmony with humans to keep operations flowing. That kind of autonomous precision is exactly what Agentic AI brings to inventory management. It monitors stock in real-time, forecasts demand based on everything from weather to social media buzz, and initiates restocks automatically. Picture this: a cold front sweeps into Chicago, and before anyone even reaches for a coat, jackets are already en route to regional warehouses. It’s retail clairvoyance—the kind we saw in Minority Report (2002), only this time it’s predicting purchases, not crimes.

Let’s get personal! Agentic AI is not just about logistics—it’s about knowing you. Step into a store reminiscent of the soft-spoken intimacy of Her (2013), and you're greeted by a display that remembers your skincare routine, your preferred shades, and maybe even that product you glanced at online last night. It suggests solutions like Ava in Ex Machina (2015)—responsive, intuitive, and almost eerily insightful. If it’s makeup at Sephora or sneakers at Nike, AI is crafting an experience so predictive, it will feel telepathic.

The potential of this tech isn’t evenly distributed. Large retailers like Walmart and Amazon are poised to go full Blade Runner 2049 with their advanced, data-obsessed infrastructures. These giants already use predictive algorithms to anticipate demand, but Agentic AI will elevate that with real-time decision-making, price optimization, and even emotional intelligence embedded in marketing campaigns. It's eerie, efficient, and inevitable.

Yet the real plot twist is that small businesses now have a shot at starring roles. Think Chef (2014), where the protagonist ditches the corporate grind for an entrepreneurial journey driven by digital tools. Or Moneyball (2011), where data helps the underdog beat the system. With Agentic AI, a local boutique can track micro-trends, adjust prices dynamically, and engage customers with the precision of a global brand—no IT department required. It’s not just competing; it’s thriving. Excited yet?

Of course, every sci-fi leap comes with its dark side. The benefits of efficiency, scalability, and personalization are clear. With AI running logistics and customer interactions, humans are free to focus on creativity and connection. It echoes The Social Network (2010), where code and vision scale empires. But what happens when the tech knows too much or starts making decisions we can't understand?

There are real risks. Over-reliance on AI could erode the human touch that defines great retail. Think of Ex Machina again, where the creator is ultimately outwitted by his own creation. Data privacy concerns loom large too. Like in The Matrix (1999), consumers may not always know how much the system sees. And then there's automation’s impact on jobs, as RoboCop (2014) warned us, when machines replace people, the social cost can be high.

And here’s just a prediction: compounding innovation will accelerate so fast, we won’t recognize the workforce in 10 years. A lot of jobs will be replaced. There’s just no way around that with the speed of innovation and AI adoption in our daily lives.

The sci-fi futures we dreamed about are about to break through the atmosphere into our storefronts and shopping carts like a giant asteroid. Whether you're a multinational retailer or a one-person Etsy shop, the question isn't if you should engage with this tech, it’s how. Will you be Marty McFly, jumping in with curiosity and courage? Or will you get left in the past, clinging to analog while the world goes digital?

The road to the future is here. And yes, where we’re going, we still need roads, ethical application, and a solution that fits your world. But they might be lined with algorithmic intuition, virtual stylists, and AI dreaming in code. As Spock once said, 'Change is the essential process of all existence.'

Mugler

 Shaken, Not Stirred.

Designers are people and like any vividly creative person they are multi-dimensional. Thierry was one of the most multi-dimensional creators of the 90’s. Not only a master of volume, structure and tailoring but of showmanship and experiential fashion.

 If we are going to coin anyone the originator of show-stopping and jaw-dropping, it would be him. But this is not all that made his shows spectacular. It was his whole life and where he pulled his fantastical inspiration from but infused part of his other life, which was the nightlife. He hit the nose on the head with his influx of club culture, the bold, the bass and the beautiful. Edge would be an understatement because as soon as you thought you had the point of reference he surprised you with a more in-your-face or heavily displayed je ne sais quoi. He was true, a true designer of his time, living the mood, and embodiment as raw as the beats pounding from the speakers at his shows. The haute couture during the 90’s when real Aristocracy still filled the seats and influencers weren’t even born yet, Monsieur Thierry introduced this nosebleed section of upper society to the downtown world of African American Gay Culture, Sassy Voice overs and High sexual energy that only a circuit party from the 90’s could produce. 

Except with this it was in your lap. Other than Frederick Worth no one has pushed a hip line to such degrees before Thierry. The sculptural elements that seemed like they had fallen like an asteroid from space. Speaking of the moon, so were the bustiers, Linda Evangelista, Naomi, Jerry Hall, Veruschka, Shalom, Claudia Schiffer—the list goes on. Without his DNA running through every aspect of the shows it just wouldn’t be the Mugler without Thierry. The fun, the fantasy and the fashion. 

Fast forward to Casey Cadwallader, an American fashion designer taking over and dabbing his toes into the master’s shoes, was quite a big undertaking to begin with. Even the most prominent designers would find themselves falling short of the multi-dimensional multi-cultural direction that Thierry cumulated altogether so seamlessly. Yet he went for it. For 7 years, collection after collection, dissecting the archives of Mugler to revamp it and bring something fresh and new for buyers and editors to marvel at and essentially keep the house bringing in the dough. He didn’t hold back on talent. Casey Cadwallader's Spring/Summer 2020 Mugler collection featured top models including: Bella Hadid (who opened the show), Gigi Hadid, Irina Shayk, Debra Shaw, Hunter Schafer, Cindy Bruna, and Sora Choi. In December 2022, the house brought in $26.7 million USD. Although they have increased the net profits, the house has experienced some notable transitions and challenges. Mugler was acquired by L’Oréal in 2019 from Clarins Group, leading to the closure of the couture division in 2002. 

Couture is not dead but resuscitating any house after the founder has passed on is a challenge that a lot of legacy couture brands face. It’s tough and it’s even more of a challenge when the house is so rich with creativity, something so abstract that it would be hard for anyone to create something original under the auspices of such a once-in-a-lifetime creative genius. As the couture market shrinks, ingenuity and whopping budgets try to wrangle in the fans with production costs and celebrity marketing. Commercialization has long been a dirty word in couture but now it’s less about commercialization and more about maintaining the value for the customers to even think so much of these irreplaceable pieces to still buy. The houses that phase into new markets while trying to hold on to their origins have a challenge ahead of them. As billionaires and the super wealthy have their share of dry powder to throw at full wardrobes, but times have in fact changed.

The secret for Mugler might lie in out-of-the-box creativity. This is where their competitive advantage would have the most differentiation and leverage among so many of the same each season—creativity that seeps beyond the runway and across the scope of omnichannel, from must-see brick-and-mortar displays and events to experiential UX. The subcultural nuances that made the shows so unique—the music, the diversity that set his collection apart from the rest, the cool factor and the edge that many houses are missing—are the true edge that Thierry introduced to so many in the mainstream and super elite. It is not a manufactured edge that is being cookie-cut today by designers who have never had the experiences that shape one to create things so uninhibited and raw. And that is the Thierry Mugler magic we all came to love. 

The Chaos and Triumphs of The Y Project 

It happened: a story that shocked most of us, but like any hot topic of the week—compounded with all of the other tragedies and world-apocalyptic news—we paused, breezed over, and swiped up.

Those of us who are fanatical about the avant-garde and remember brands that stand out in our minds through the decades; paused, were caught off guard, and took a moment to relish in utter disappointment for the house; their team, and the magic they created each season.

The Y Project—the perfect blend of occult, design, submersion, and avant-garde ingredients that rarely make it to the mainstream. The collections were inspirational to designers and fashion die-hards, accessory whores, and the fashion nouveau. The collections were knocked off from China to Los Angeles—cheap renditions of incredible pieces that could only come from a bunch of passionate Parisian creatives who live and breathe design.

So what happened? With everything right—seasonal press coverage, meticulously cut and out-of-the-box fabric and textile pairings that made some of the most talented houses feel blah—how did it all go wrong?

Well, like any vertical, fashion is a business, and with freedom comes a price. Creativity, no matter how forward and enlightening, must sell, and it must repeat these sales at a rate that keeps the lights on and doors open. The Y Project is not a phenomenon in its closure—70% of fashion businesses close within their first five years, and since COVID-19, over 15,000 fashion-related businesses have shuttered worldwide. Not all make every online fashion feed as news.

Luxury fashion has taken quite the beating in the last few years; consumers' budgets are tight, and even in the wealthiest High Net Worth circles, people just aren't spending like they used to—at least not right now. Consumer behavior patterns have changed, costs have skyrocketed due to supply chain and logistics issues, and even the most elite have pulled back on spending. China, which seemed like a sure savior in consumer luxury spending, ended up being not as reliable as financial projections suggested. There's been a disconnect between getting consumers truly excited to buy whole wardrobes and balancing a click-through rate of increasingly noisy content.

The Y Project, without a doubt, was a marketing and design marvel that—despite its closing—is really hard to penetrate at the helm of the height of fashion. They reigned as the go-to avant-garde Ready-to-Wear/Streetwear brand for so long. Long in terms of Fashion Years, that is.

Founded in 2010, Y/Project was established in Paris by designers Yohan Serfaty and Gilles Elalouf, initially focusing on menswear with a distinctive avant-garde and architectural aesthetic. After three years and the tragic loss of its founder, Yohan Serfaty, to cancer, the appointment of Glenn Martens as the new Creative Director in 2014 propelled the brand forward. They dipped their brand’s toes into womenswear, melting traditional gender norms into gender fluidity.

In 2016, they struck gold with the stamp of approval from LVMH, winning the LVMH Prize for Young Designers. In 2017, another home run came with winning the ANDAM Grand Prize. Their collaboration with Uggs followed, further solidifying their influence on fashion culture.

Glenn doubled down on Y Project while simultaneously taking the role of Creative Director at Diesel. From collaborations with Jean Paul Gaultier to stealing the Paris press during Fashion Week, the Y Project pressed on. In 2023, revenue hit $11 million—a commercial success.

They seemed to be in the clear, but what felt like sweet success soon turned into a bad sci-fi movie. Everything started to unravel. Eleven million in revenue doesn’t give us insight into the underbelly of the business—costs, expenses, and debt. Revenues mean nothing; it’s net profit that holds the ship together.

In June 2024, another blow to the house—unimaginably, two key figures in shaping the brand passed away, leading to conflicts and behind-the-scenes difficulties. The story gets more somber with the CEO, Pascal Conte-Jodra, departing from the company in July 2024. By September 2024, after 11 years of relentless ingenuity, the creative force behind Y Project, Glenn Martens, stepped down. And it was just downhill from there.

Like any dream that comes to fruition in the business world, things happen. With this house, so many unforeseen things happened—two key figures passing away, leadership departures, legal woes, pandemics, world crises, wars in the middle of the sea.

It’s incredible that they lasted as long as they did, and I am sure Yohan Serfaty and Gilles Elalouf would be applauding from the avant-garde house in the sky. I could go on about what we can learn from this, insert a bunch of metrics, cash-positive equations, and business acumen to further beat down their legacy, but I think there’s something more important to take away from the Y Project.

Ambitious souls built a house, gathered their close friends, followed their dream, pounded onward from nobodies to fashion juggernauts, endured unspeakable tragedies, rallied together, and inspired the old, the new, and the next generation of designers.

The Y Project sounds more like a poetic tragedy than a fashion business. But this is their life, and this is their story.

Raw, triumphant, inspiring, and now, what we all hope to become, Fashion History.

On the Go with LOEWE

The hottest new kid on the block for luxury leather goods 

      The Puzzle bag marked the debut in 2015 as Jonathan Anderson took the lead as the Creative Director of LOEWE and hasn't lost popularity since. Featuring a cuboid shape and precise cutting techniques, the Puzzle bag is renowned for its distinctive geometric lines.  This small version is crafted from classic calfskin and offers versatile carrying options including shoulder, crossbody, or hand carry. It includes a detachable and adjustable strap, a top handle, a zip closure with a calfskin puller, an external zip rear pocket, and an internal slip pocket. The bag is lined with herringbone cotton canvas and embossed with LOEWE's  famous Anagram.

The backstory, LOEWE is a Spanish luxury fashion house that specializes in leather goods, clothing, perfumes, and other fashion accessories. Founded in 1846 in Madrid, LOEWE became part of LVMH in 1996. It has recently surged in popularity, becoming one of the most talked-about brands in the fashion industry, not just for its creative prowess but also for its strong business performance.

Jonathan Anderson, the founder of J.W. Anderson, joined LOEWE as Creative Director and has been instrumental in the brand's transformation. Jonathan Anderson, the founder of J.W. Anderson launched in 2008 and quickly gained acclaim in the fashion world for its innovative designs. Since joining LOEWE in 2013, Anderson has brought his unique vision to the brand, resulting in dynamic forward-thinking collaborations and collections.

Noteworthy collaborations include Jonathan Anderson's partnership with Uniqlo, the Japanese retail giant known for its quality basics and logistics powerhouse. This collaboration features eight pieces for men and seven pieces for women, focusing on silhouette and practical design.

The SS24 women’s show drew inspiration from artist Lynda Benglis, whose monumental bronze sculptures influenced the collection's foundation than can be seen as the main attraction on this season's runway show. The collection also showcased unique jewelry, avant-garde textiles, oversized slouchy bottoms, large cable knits, sculptural gold buttons, flirty mini skirts, oversized Bermuda shorts, and classic colors mixed with army green, navy, and denim. The styling was easy and relaxed, featuring clean pulled-back hair, nude eyes, and subtly dusted skin for makeup.

LOEWE's new Flamenco purse, characterized by its ruched design and signature knots at the sides, is another highlight. This medium version, crafted from mellow nappa lambskin, can be carried as a shoulder, crossbody, or hand bag. It features a detachable and adjustable leather strap, a detachable donut chain adorned with an Anagram Pebble, a discreet magnetic closure, and a suede lining.

LOEWE continues to push the boundaries of fashion with its innovative designs and exceptional craftsmanship, making it a favorite among fashions 'it' girls.