EDITED: Inside Retail

Resale is grabbing headlines with mass market leaders, SHEIN and Zara, making big bets in the pre-loved fashion market. We also see resale impact the luxury space, too, with The RealReal hoping to change size inclusivity challenges through a new partnership with luxury plus size fashion retailer, 11 Honoré, who we've previously had on Inside Retail. Lizzy de Bruin, Lead of Strategic Inventory at Depop joins Grace Hill, EDITED’s Director of Retail Strategy in the latest episode of Inside Retail. The conversation covers the commercial growth of the business and the future of the resale market. Download it now from where you get your podcasts and don't forget to subscribe!

According to reports published by Bloomberg, the athleisure market is estimated to be $662 billion by 2030. This growth, coupled with a more casual return-to-work dress code post-pandemic, has sportswear top of mind for retailers and consumers. PUMA’s mission of “Forever Faster” is the global sports brand’s promise to provide their customers with the right product in the right place in terms of design, pricing, and distribution. But what's the fastest way to achieve those goals in an industry that has so many moving pieces, in so many places all at once? Technology. Tune in for the first episode of 2023 to hear Colette give her opinions on the most important metrics for her team and which data tools have helped them go from strength to strength.

Fashion subcultures have become the latest trend influence to have you on your radar, whether it’s Gorpcore, Cottagecore or even Pamcore, it’s hard to keep up! We’ll delve into what they actually mean to the consumer and the key subcultures to look out for in 2023. It’s critical in these uncertain times to know exactly what your customers are willing to spend their disposable income on to ensure a customer-centric approach to assortment planning. With that in mind, today on the podcast we’re joined by Robyn Smith. Robyn is a Fashion & Retail Analyst at EDITED and she tells us why every retailer needs to pay attention to subcultures. As an added bonus, if you want to know the difference between Blokecore and Mermaidcore don’t miss this episode! Find out more about some of the key insights mentioned in this episode. https://blog.edited.com/blog/global-gen-z-trends

Last week saw EDITED relaunch EDITIONS, a live evening of panel discussions on subjects surrounding the Art & Science of Retail. One of our guests discussing Navigating Retail During Economic Uncertainty was Ed Healy, now the Chief of Commercial at VIEVE and formerly Commercial Director at L'Oréal. We decided it was the perfect time to revisit his podcast with EDITED recorded during the height of the pandemic. 80s icons such as Boy George and Prince normalized the use of men’s beauty products and opened the doors to what we’re seeing today. Now the likes of Harry Styles and Jaden Smith are also seen frequently wearing makeup and supporting the use of beauty products. However, education in this area is still lacking in order to obtain wider adoption. In our latest episode, Ed Healy, Commercial Director at L’Oreal, discusses the shift in attitudes as he sees a new digital and gender-neutral future for beauty. With over 10 years of experience in sales and marketing, Ed has worked with a range of companies, including luxury brands within L’Oreal UK, startups and iconic beauty giants.

Handbags and small leather goods occupy a special place in the retail market. A recent report by the Business of Fashion, which EDITED was thrilled to provide data insight on has underlined this. According to their recent company reports, 50% of Prada sales and as high as 72% of Bottega Veneta sales are attributed to handbag and small leather goods purchases. To talk about this today on the podcast we’re joined by Diana Lee, the Director of Research and Analysis at The Business of Fashion, who was instrumental in delivering "The New Era of Designer Bags" report from BoF Insights. We discussed how the report came about and what the key takeaways are for retailers and brands, who currently occupy the luxury space, as well as the challenger brands that aspire to get there. If you want to find out more about the report and all the amazing changes in the handbag market click on this link. https://www.businessoffashion.com/reports/luxury/reportsluxurythe-new-era-of-designer-bags-redefining-leather-goods-report-bof-insights-handbags-resale/

On today’s episode of Inside Retail we’re joined by Chief Marketing Officer of Edited, Juliana Prather. She built her career in global retail and brand strategy, starting in worldwide sales for iconic accessory brands, such as Givenchy and Nine West Group; gaining expert knowledge of the global retail landscape through traveling extensively to Asia and Latin America, as the leader of Liz Claiborne’s portfolio brands. In a wide-ranging discussion Juliana uses her three-decade long experience in the retail industry to shine a light on a variety of topics. Find out why embracing data can make your business more creative and how the retail industry can cope with an oncoming recession. We also discuss the crucial difference between the 2008 economic crisis and our current economic downturn and the one thing that could help brands stay competitive. If you’re interested in the topic, check out this article that offers a playbook for dealing with a recession.

So far in this mini-series, we’ve looked at how AI and data are driving major change in the world of commerce and how that change is impacting customers' buying behavior. But what can business leaders do to use that data? In this episode of Tech Talks, EDITED's Chief Retail Scientist, Michael Ross, and John Squire, Founder of Dynamic Action, offer recommendations for retailers looking to enhance customer experience by developing ways to reward their most loyal buyers but also properly manage their customer delivery on promise, so vital to winning and losing a sale. They explain how the wrong data can lead you to misdiagnose a business problem, the role of marketplaces in this data-driven world and why technology can be an amazing facilitator but also be an obstacle in a retail environment. If you’re interested in marketplaces and how they impact the world of retail, check out our conversation with Rebecca Lacerda, the head of digital marketplaces at Crocs.

On today’s episode we are diving into the topic of digital marketplaces, these range from Amazon and Zalando in the west to JD and Alibaba in the Asia-Pacific. They make up 60 percent of all e-commerce sales across the globe according to Huge’s consumer research. To discuss the topic of how brands can approach and maximize this channel, Grace Hill spoke to Rebecca Lacerda, Head of Digital Marketplaces at Crocs. She uses her experience at the iconic shoe brand to explain how brands can engage with marketplaces, what the pitfalls are that brands can avoid and where she sees the future of digital marketplaces going. For more info on digital marketplaces check out our interview with Helen Riley from 2020, back when she was the fashion acquisition manager for eBay. https://blog.edited.com/blog/resources/podcast-unedited-inside-retail-etailers-and-online-marketplace

As technology continues to eliminate many of the tasks humans used to do manually, the question remains what can be fully automated and what is still best guided by a human hand. For some, it's all or nothing, man or machine. But what of a much more complex situation? To say go from a self driving car to one that no longer requires a steering wheel? For retail executives the choice of what automation to use - and how much - is an especially intriguing question in an industry that has put best practices into place which have worked successfully for decades. In this episode of Tech Talks, EDITED's Senior Vice President of Retail Science, Michael Ross, and John Squire, Founder of Dynamic Action discuss the human versus automation equation. What is the difference between humans making decisions and those where humans are in the loop, being assisted by a machine? From human in the loop with exceptions to human on the loop and finally to a world of full automation. Data Scientist or Retail Strategist - this is the show for you!

For a brand whose customers prefer to keep Boston Proper to themselves in order to be the best dressed at any occasion, the company prides itself on knowing everything about their ideal consumer profile, who they call "Lucy." In this episode of Inside Retail, Grace sits down with President & CEO Sheryl Clark to discuss how important Lucy is to the brand's decision making process and how it's helped propel the company to $100M in revenue.

Merchandisers used to be responsible for a few hundred decisions every week. But with technology now allowing consumers unparalleled power at the click of their smartphone, from scanning products for personalized promotions, seeking out similar styles at other retailers or simply comparing prices, the game has changed. What does it mean for a brand to go from setting business strategy from numbers on spreadsheets to allowing machine learning to help them make sense of millions of data points to drive sales and customer engagement? In this episode of Tech Talks, EDITED's Senior Vice President of Retail Science, Michael Ross, and John Squire, Founder of Dynamic Action join host Grace Hill to discuss retail's new reality when it comes to decision making and how AI and analytics have once again asked retailers to pivot from their comfort zones into a world where customers have more information than ever to make their own decisions.

They weren't the first in retail fashion to start a meme account dedicated to their overworked and underappeciated lives, but the creative force behind ThisMerchLife is now the one everyone aspires to. One of the first things you need to know about this special episode is that the identity of ThisMerchLife's founder had to be kept in the strictest secrecy for them to agree to appear on the show. Their voice has been altered and the location of the recording was kept under wraps. Seems that turning a mirror on an entire industry, even in a fun way, doesn't appeal to everyone. Since it's inception, while the lighthearted nature of the retail grind continues to make this a daily must visit account by industry insiders, it's also become a way for those in merchandising to network, give each other new ideas and yes, also vent to a sympathetic and knowing audience. In short, it's done what social media was meant to do all along - be a welcoming space for like minded people So, whether you're a merchandiser, a buyer or some other important cog in the wheel of retail, sit back, relax and enjoy - just don't do it at your desk! :)

In today's global and digital marketplace, many retailers have gone from analyzing weekly data from their brick and mortar stores to monitoring real-time metrics from their websites - and the difference between a quick churn and a customer for life often rests on a brand's ability to have what that consumer wants, in stock, when they want it. In this episode of Tech Talks, EDITED's Senior Vice President of Retail Science, Michael Ross, and President/Chief Strategy Officer, John Squire, join host Grace Hill to discuss retail's new reality when it comes to retention and how AI and analytics have shifted the goal of savvy retailers from thinking of product as their most important asset to that of their customers themselves.

Has there ever been a bigger cultural disrupter than Rihanna? When she burst into the public eye 15 years ago with her hit "Pon De Replay" the charts were dominated by Top 40 mainstays like Mariah Carey and Kelly Clarkson. Since then she's had 14 number one songs, won 9 Grammy's and is the wealthiest female artist in the world. Her biggest influence as a global superstar though may be her lingerie brand, Savage X Fenty, still only four years old but already synonymous with being inclusive to everyone regardless of size, gender or ethnicity. On this episode, Grace Hill talks to Natalie Guzman, Co-President & CMO of the brand about Rihanna's hands on approach and the ways the company continues to set the trends that so many others in retail are chasing.

EDITED is excited to introduce our new miniseries, EDITED: Tech Talks - which focuses on AI and the changing face of technology in the retail industry. We’ll be unpacking the key questions businesses need to know to compete in a rapidly-changing retail landscape with the power of this groundbreaking technology. Season 1 kicks off with the help of EDITED’s Senior Vice President of Retail Science, Michael Ross, and President John Squire, joining host Grace Hill for this five part, in-depth series. Episode 1 Asks: AI in Retail & ECommerce: How Can it Drive Your Business? In this introduction, Michael & John start with the basics. What is AI and how can businesses better define this increasingly ubiquitous concept into a successful and meaningful strategy. While everyday uses of AI are found in tasks previously performed by humans (think Google or Alexa) it's applications for brands and retailers offer a new way to use this technology to solve complex problems through machine learning.

Founded less than two years ago, streetwear brand BOBBLEHAUS is already leading the conversation when it comes to the future of fashion. One that is genderless, sustainable and inclusive. In this conversation, Founders, Abi Lierheimer and Ophelia Chen chat with Grace Hill about what makes their forward thinking brand tick and why challenging the status quo is the only way to go.

London may be the home base for The Own Studio, but their brides are walking down aisles all over the world. Whether doing fittings locally or offering consultations virtually, their styles are contemporary, impeccably tailored, sophisticated and sustainable - designed to be worn again, not wrapped in plastic and put into storage unhappily ever after. Now, with the Coronavirus first shutting down, then slowly re-opening and recently threatening to affect everyday life again, how can a betrothed manage the most important detail of her big day beyond saying "I do"? On this episode, Grace Hill talks with best friends and founders of The Own Studio, Jess Kaye and Rosie Williams, about all things bridal in a pre and post-Covid universe.

Reducing the environmental footprint from one of the of the world's most recognized shoe brands may seem like an obvious pun, but it truly describes the mission of Clarks. Since their inception in 1825, they have designed more than 22,000 styles, like the iconic Desert Boot, and are now trying to preserve not only Cyrus and James Clarks legacy, but the planet itself. On this episode, Grace Hill talks with Lisa Ly, Sustainability Manager at Clarks, whose big shoes are leading the way towards a more sustainable future at the company.

It’s no secret how wasteful and polluting the fashion industry is. As a true child of the Sixties, and early-adopter vegetarian parents, Stella McCartney was being introduced to sustainability long before it took root in our collective consciousness. So, when she hired the first ever Worldwide Sustainability and Innovation Director at her eponymous brand, she looked to Claire Bergkamp. Now the Chief Operating Officer at Textile Exchange, a global nonprofit that creates leaders in the preferred fiber and materials industry, Claire joins us to discuss the very important work being done to educate retailers on the ways they can help avert the ongoing climate crisis.

With the return of in-person runway shows, many brands approached this fashion season much differently than we’ve ever seen before. From Balenciaga’s Simpson collab to some digital shows, is this the future of runway? To get an editorial perspective on the major runway trends seen across all the cities, we invited Editor in Chief of WhoWhatWear UK, Hannah Almassi, onto the podcast. As the publication’s first EIC, Hannah launched the WhoWhatWear UK site and continues to build out its team, content strategy and editorial calendar. WhoWhatWear UK serves a core audience of fashion and beauty readers across the UK and Europe. Each season, our expert team of in-house analysts cover the shows extensively with specific reports catered to each city. Read our round up of the top commercial trends in our analyst approved Spring 2022 trends, with the addition of EDITED data alongside it. Sign up to our weekly Insider Briefing to get the latest industry news and exclusive market analysis here. Don’t forget to rate, review and subscribe to unEDITED! Get in touch at unedited@edited.com if there’s someone you think would be a great guest for our show too.