Inside Retail

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 Marketpl...

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 a...

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...

 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 number...

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 t...

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...

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...

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,...

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. Hosted on Acast. S...

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...

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 H...

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 Ch...

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 publica...

As reported by Juniper Research, global retail spending on AI is expected to reach $7.3 billion annually by 2022. However, a survey by Sloan Management Review and the Boston Consulting Group found fewer than 40% of companies who have invested in AI had seen business gains from it in the previous three years. So how can retailers make the most of their AI investment? With the acceleration of digita...

Ever wonder why dressing in certain colors boosts your mood? Or why do we seem to step into a time warp every year with trends from past decades on the runways? Well fashion brands are actually applying psychological theories and principles to encourage consumer spending. Despite the pandemic’s impact on retailers last year, the global fashion industry is projected to hit $2.25 trillion by 2025, a...

More fashion retailers are diving head first into the virtual fashion world by getting hot and heavy with digital experiments from virtual fashion shows to live stream shopping. With no end in sight for the trend towards more digital interactions, virtual fashion is emerging as a huge opportunity for brands - both as a revenue stream and a channel for product discovery.  An expert in this field, F...

K-beauty may be the most popular beauty regimen to come out of Asia, but South Asian beauty is also breaking into the Western world. The secret to healthy hair doesn’t just start and end with shampoo and conditioner - it requires a holistic wellness approach. Fable & Mane, a South Asian owned hair wellness brand, was founded on this core principle so we are excited to be joined by its founders...

From silhouette to fit and fabric, the complexity of designing lingerie products is an understated art. So what are the exciting technologies, innovations, and trends to know about when it comes to lingerie?  Like many other apparel categories, the lingerie industry is making strides to be more inclusive and mindful of today’s consumer pain points. M&S is one retailer leading the charge and of...

Two seemingly drastic retail markets with one similarity. An analysis into the untapped potential of these regions and why major retailers are looking to make headway there.  With globalization at full throttle, retailing in the Southern and Northern Hemispheres are more alike than different with consumers hungry for the next trend even during a worldwide pandemic.  Thanks to the internet and soci...

Is sexy back? Will suiting make a return? And what should we see across summer lines? We’ve learned a lot from the pandemic. Comfort dictated consumer spending, retailers used this time to course correct, plus there is now a stronger focus on DTC and omnichannel approaches. So instead of reminiscing on the past year any longer, we’re putting COVID behind us for this episode and looking forward to...

2020 marked the first major dip in luxury market growth, with Kering Group seeing sales drop 16.5%. But, there is hope. In Bain & Company’s 2020 Worldwide Luxury Market Monitor, the firm estimates that the market will recover to near pre-COVID-19 levels sometime between 2022 and 2023.  Traditionally reliant on in-store sales to drive growth, the pandemic has accelerated the importance of ecomm...

Loungewear was the category that shaped pandemic dressing, where EDITED data tracked an 855% increase in searches for loungewear.  When looking for a crossover between that and sleepwear, the Nap Dress hits this sweet spot. Coupled with lockdown measures and remote work, the popularity of the house dress has skyrocketed during the pandemic as a timeless and comfortable home wardrobe staple. With n...

Modest fashion has become an important avenue for women to respect their cultures, while expressing themselves through their clothes. With untapped potential, former founder of The Modist dives into the opportunities in this underserved market.  Modest dressing is a lifestyle for the greater half of the world. In order for brands to succeed in this space, they need to understand the different type...

Buying Black is a movement, not a moment. The resurgence of Black Lives Matter has shed light into the lack of availability there is to shop Black-owned brands. While retailers were quick to react and place these products in stores, there's an educational and relational element that shouldn't be ignored to ensure these voices are continuously heard. Despite the demand for more diverse pr...

In the US alone, it is estimated that dead inventory is costing retail $50 billion a year . To avoid this, people working in buying and merchandising shouldn't neglect the data-driven tools needed to compete in today’s challenging retail environment. Retailers have traditionally done assortment planning manually and are stuck using old, time-consuming processes. In this new age of retail, tre...