Direct Retail

London-based DTC womenswear brand Me+Em is betting that its lego-like approach to fashion, which built it a following in its home country, will translate to the US market.

For nearly a decade the beauty brand has built its marketing around sending social media celebrities on lavish vacations, a practice that’s become increasingly controversial. Could a trip to New York for 13 ordinary customers and their plus-ones to see Beyoncé in concert alter that perception? One reporter tagged along to find out.

While legacy players such as Trojan and Durex have dominated the male sexual wellness category for decades, new age brands are banking on expanding notions of masculinity, product innovation and approachable storytelling to capture the male-identifying consumer.

Influencer trips have come roaring back post-pandemic, sometimes to an opulent degree. A growing number of brands are toning down their events to deepen creator relationships without a PR headache.

Brands struggle to adapt to wholesale partners like Ssense because of their rampant discounting, which some say threatens the entire livelihood of independent fashion. But individual brands and retailers may have their own tricks up the sleeve.

For many emerging beauty brands, the early days of getting up and running has been the relatively easy part. Now, they need to confront even greater challenges to continue their growth trajectories, according to The State of Fashion: Beauty.

A growing number of beauty brands are including loyal customers in the product development process and offering ways for fans to directly benefit from their growth.

The State of Fashion: Beauty explores why outsized influence of today’s teens and twentysomethings over consumer industries mean beauty brands face a fast-changing challenge to adapt their businesses — from marketing to pricing strategies — to remain attractive to this hugely discerning cohort.

Some marketing experts predicted an exodus from social media as costs rose and effectiveness fell. But instead of leaving, brands got smarter about how they spend their marketing dollars.

Mounting customer acquisition costs and a pressure to grow fast have made it hard to build a profitable DTC business. BoF deputy editor Brian Baskin and retail correspondent Cathaleen Chen join Lauren Sherman to analyse the past, present and future of the market.