Daily LInks
1. The founders of Dollar Shave Club, Warby Parker and other billion-dollar companies exploited giant rivals’ weaknesses (i.e., high prices or inconvenience or a stodgy image) and changed the way you buy your basics: The decline in brand loyalty has helped power the rise of the new direct-to-consumer brands, as has the fact that “it’s never been cheaper to start a business, although I think it’s never been harder to scale a business.” – Read More on the NY Times
2. Luxury brands accuse their fast fashion counterparts of being polluters, but high-end brands are just as bad: Hot Hollywood label Rhude made its Paris debut with a collection complete with an eco narrative. “When Rhude designer Rhuigi Villasenor was questioned backstage, he admitted there was nothing sustainable about his collection.” – Read More on SCMP
3. Distressed Clothing: Offensive or Just Fashion? Search “distressed” on e-commerce site Net-a-Porter and hundreds of jeans, shoes, sweaters and T-shirts pop up. Yet, at least some critics find it unseemly to co-opt the look of poverty. – Read More on the WSJ
4. The leggings war heats up, as more fashion brands move into activewear: As the global activewear industry continues to grow, more companies are moving into the space to rival incumbents. But as more fashion brands cross over into the space and new sportswear brands pop up, the threat of leggings fatigue looms. – Read More on Glossy
5. Have We Reached Peak Globalization? ”The next wave of globalization will be structurally changed by the effects of technology. Products that were previously physical have now become apps, many are of which are free. Technology, data, and AI are also disrupting the rhythm and cadence of the globalization cycle, inasmuch as they are borderless and therefore drive interconnectivity.” – Read More on Bloomberg