The Glossy Podcast

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down some of the biggest fashion news of the week.This week, CEO Julie Wainwright abruptly leaves The RealReal after founding the company a decade ago; Fendi and Marc Jacobs plan to launch a collaboration, according to rumors; and the hosts delve into some of the insights from this week's Glossy Fashion & Luxury Summit, providing details from conversations with execs from Levi's, MyTheresa and Faith Connexion.

After being unable to find an ethically sourced diamond engagement ring, Beth Gerstein took matters into her own hands and co-founded Brilliant Earth in 2005. In the years to follow, Brilliant Earth disrupted industry practices by selling diamonds from ethically and environmentally responsible sources. “About two-thirds of the diamond industry is [made up of] neighborhood jewelers, so it's an industry that hasn't really evolved,” says Gerstein on the latest Glossy podcast. Brilliant Earth prides itself on the highly personal experience it provides its customers in-store. The brand has 20 showrooms throughout the U.S. Its latest opened in Edina, Minnesota on June 2. It plans to open up to 15 more locations 2022. During the pandemic in 2021, Brilliant Earth saw a 51% increase in annual net sales, reaching $380 million. And its first-quarter 2022 earnings report showed $100 million in net sales. Gerstein credits the brand’s success to its nimble supply chain. Beyond selling ethical jewelry, Brilliant Earth partners with social programs like Feeding America and the Rainforest Alliance to further its global advocacy mission. 

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down the biggest fashion news of the week.On this week's episode, British fast-fashion company Missguided entered bankruptcy and was bought out by Frasers Group for $22 million, Kenzo's creative director Nigo announced plan to release sequential campaigns every month, and more fashion brands entered the pandemic-hot home goods category. 

With an impressive background in e-commerce roles at Macy's, eBay and Walmart, Jill Ramsey became the CEO of AKA Brands in 2020. Founded in 2018, AKA Brands is a global platform that aids in supporting and scaling brands while enhancing their profitability through an asset-light operating model. AKA Brands currently has five distinct portfolio brands: Princess Polly, Culture Kings, Petal and Pup, Mnml and Rebdolls."We invest in digitally native direct-to-consumer fashion brands and accelerate their growth through the synergies harnessed as a group," Ramsey said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. The company IPO'd in September 2021, raising $110 million, which "was a big opportunity to share our story with the world," she said."There's a generation of young brands born on social media and are good at [producing] front-end content. They know how to create inspirational content that resonates with their end customer and spot the right fashion to connect with their audience. On their own, these young brands can struggle to scale, which is where AKA comes in. We support them in scaling and networking with the other brands," said Ramsey.Glossy spoke to Ramsey about AKA Brands' unique business model, including its strategic acquisitions and digital-focused strategies, and the challenges and changes the company has experienced throughout the pandemic.

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi breaks down the biggest fashion news of the week. This week, he's joined by Glossy Pop's Sara Spruch-Feiner for a special episode, diving into some of the pop-culture stories you can read on Glossy Pop.On this week's episode: Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's Dolce & Gabbana-branded wedding showed the natural next step for the endlessly monetized life of an influencer; Emily Weiss's departure from Glossier spotlighted the evolution of a DTC brand pioneer; and finally, Demna's vision for Balenciaga recently resulted in a run of fascinating collaborations and shows.

After five years in business, Jane Winchester Paradis’s jewelry brand, Jane Win, has earned fans including Jill Biden and Debra Messing. The brand's focus is bold coin charms, inspired by antique coins of the 1900s, that are worn on gold necklaces. Topped with meaningful symbols and words like "hope," the coins are often purchased to mark important moments in one’s life, Winchester Paradis said on the latest Glossy Podcast. Jane Win's sales increased 113% during the pandemic, from December 2020 to December 2021. It relies on DTC and wholesale sales channels, and regularly hosts trunk shows to give customers an in-person shopping experience.

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff break down the biggest fashion news of the week.On this week's episode, Tom Ford stepped down from his role as chairman of the CFDA after three years, leaving the organization at a crossroads; Gucci's Cosmogonie show in Puglia was an example of extravagant, idiosyncratic fashion not dictated by data and algorithms; and Nike's collaboration with Jacquemus was yet another example of high and low fashion coming together.

When founder and CEO Stacey Boyd set out to create her company, Olivela, she wanted to establish a luxury shopping platform with a philanthropic mission baked into the core business model. The 5-year-old company donates 20% of net proceeds from every purchase to the consumer's charity of choice from Olivela's list of partners, at no cost to the consumer or brand partners. “There are three pillars we work in,” Boyd said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. Olivela focuses on women’s empowerment, climate action and health and wellness. “The name is ‘Olive’ for olive trees, a symbol of growth and wisdom, and ‘vela,’ which is Latin for the sails of the ship, with the idea that we help set people forward on the best path in life.”“Purpose matters to [our customers],” said Boyd. “As we think about developing and creating the Olivela website, no one is going to buy something simply because it does good. Our customer is going to buy a bag because she loves the bag. She’s going to choose to buy it from Olivela versus somewhere else because of the good that it does and because she has a choice as a consumer."

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and editor-in-chief Jill Manoff run through some of the biggest fashion news stories of the week.This week, Marco Gobbetti, the new CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo, announced plans to double the company's sales in the next three years, with the help of new creative director of Maximilian Davis; earnings reports from resale companies The RealReal and ThredUp revealed divergent paths for the sector as inflation affects their sales; and a few major brands spoke up about defending reproductive rights in the wake of the leaked Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, but most have been hesitant to speak up.

Since the birth of Frame, Erik Torstensson, co-founder and creative director, has always envisioned the clothing line becoming a lifestyle destination. In the decade since its debut, it has expanded beyond a denim-focused assortment to include a wide variety of clothing and accessories. “I don't think there is an enormous urgency to Frame, and I like that,” Torstensson said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “I don't want Frame to be a hype brand, necessarily." Frame projected $200 million in annual revenue for 2021.Frame’s designs are inspired by the men and women who surround Torstensson. Recently, he has drawn inspiration from his two step-daughters, Bella and Ava, and girlfriend, Natalie Massenet, co-founder and managing partner at Imaginary Ventures. Torstensson expressed his self-awareness in understanding that, as a straight, 40-year-old white man, there are many aspects of women’s fashion he does not know.