THE 2024 RETAIL SPECIAL

It’s been an eventful year in the fashion and retail space. The retail spending orgy that characterized the pandemic ground to a halt.

Inflation has taken its toll on all of us. Even the super wealthy have cut back, with luxury brands limping along.

Which brings us to this special edition.

Who are the fashion & retail 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦 and 𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗦 of 2024?

Here's my take-

🏆 WINNERS

THE FRENCH INVASION They’ll win you over with subtlety. The Olympics brought Paris into our lives this summer. Their designers, meanwhile, have made their way onto every fashion girl stateside.

What are women wearing with their Sambas? (look out Adidas, the Speedcat is on the prowl) Chic style by Sézane, Loulou Studio, and the Frankie Shop. Even Alaïa is back. All worn with a decidedly French Polène Numéro Dix.

RALPH LAUREN While the Olympics brought The Thrill of Victory onto our screens, Team USA looked fantastically dressed. I’ve also spotted Ralph’s Coffee NYC baseball caps in Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, Barcelona, and Paris.

All of which means- America’s own Ralph Lauren is back, baby.

AARON LEVINE If you’ve been in the Menswear space for a minute, you know of this guy. If a brand has gone stale or needs to be made fresh for a new audience, this is the creative wizard you hire. Brands like Club Monaco, Abercrombie, Hickey-Freeman, and Jack Spade have all felt the power of his aesthetic.

This autumn, he launched his eponymous sportswear brand, and he’s one you’re going to be hearing more about.

🤦🏻‍♂️ LOSERS

NIKE The world’s largest sportswear brand has had a tough go of it lately. I think it’s no longer just a product problem, they’ve got a brand problem. When the Dunks look like the Jordan 1s look like the Court Visions, they've become a copycat of themselves.

The problem is even bigger when cool kid low-profile Adidas and Puma trainers and big, ugly Ons and Hokas are in the hearts and minds and on the feet of athletes and nonathletes alike.

LUXURY MULTIBRAND With Matches shutting down and Farfetch sold for a fraction of its previous value, multi-brand luxury isn’t the rocket ship that it was in 2022. The Saks & Neiman’s merger is a Hail Mary that brings to mind the Sears & Kmart merger of decades past. (full disclosure, I started my career at Saks)

APPLE When innovation means verticalizing your supply chain (we make our own chips now!), which means nothing to consumers, the creators and disruptors internally have likely been sidelined and put on special projects. I miss the anticipation of wondering what Apple will do next (and I don't mean crushing things). I am however looking forward to the launch of the iPhone 23 in 2031, what about you?

I'm looking forward to a new year 🗓️!

CHAD