DTC Dispatch #012

LATEST NEWS

How TikTok’s ‘Mob Wives’ are fueling the resurgence in fur

Edwards-Lowell furs didn’t expect 2023 to be a good year. In anticipation of the ban on the sale of new furs that went into effect in California in January 2023, the company had transitioned its business from selling furs to storing them. Owner Paul Matsumoto and Natalie Bloomingdale, founder and CEO of e-tailer The Sil, teamed up to host an online auction of coats from Edwards Lowell Furs’ extensive collection of pre-owned furs. The first batch sold out in a matter of minutes.

TikTok’s ‘Mob Wives’ aesthetic, characterized by animal prints, heavy gold jewelry, glossy leather trousers, perfectly coiffed hair, and of course, a massive fur coat, has already racked up over 127 million views on TikTok, according to Trendalytics. The sentiment around fur has shifted as the mob wife aesthetic endears the material to a new generation of consumers.

Our take: Edwards-Lowell furs is benefiting from the power of social media, and more specifically TikTok, to bring trends back into fashion. While fur has often been a fabric of controversy in the fashion industry, a trend like ‘Mob Wives’ can glamorize the fabric and make it desirable for consumers.

Stella McCartney is now selling edible supplements for skin

Stella McCartney, the designer known for her leather-free and fur-free fashions, is venturing into the world of ingestibles. The British designer, who already has a skincare line called Stella, has introduced a range of gluten - and GMO-free edible supplements called Alter-Care that purportedly help protect the skin by preventing collagen destruction and protecting against premature aging, WWD reported.

Our take: Although not many fashion brands have experimented with skin supplements, the global wellness industry is doing extremely well, generating $5.6 trillion in 2022, per the Global Wellness institute. While skincare supplements may still be somewhat niche, especially for fashion brands, Stella McCartney’s Alter-Care capsules could pave the way for other brands to begin experimenting and producing supplements.

How Macy’s is using personalization to retain customers

Macy’s SVP of customer journey, Bennett Fox-Glassman, described how the department store is revamping the customer experience through hyper-personalized and connected journeys. Under Fox-Glassman’s leadership, Macy’s is dedicating more resources to better understanding consumer behavior, in order to then increase brand loyalty and ultimately drive sales. “Our aspiration is that, whether you receive an e-mail, walk into a store, open the app or see a Macy’s ad, we are speaking to you with one voice.” says Fox-Glassman.

Our take: Macy’s is a long standing department store who has unfortunately also felt the affects of consumers going online and in-app to purchase. According to Fox-Glassman, Macy’s omnichannel and multi-category approach is what is going to set them apart from competitors and continue to approach personalization with their customers.

5 ways the pandemic is still impacting retail

While many aspects of the retail business have steadily begun to resemble pre-pandemic 2019, there are a few important ways the pandemic continues to affect the industry:

1. The hybrid workplace is changing the retail landscape

2. E-commerce got a lift

3. Inventory remains a problem

4. Buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) endures

5. Self-checkout may not

Our take: The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way many of us lived our lives, and continue to do so 4 years later. Many industries are still facing impacts of the pandemic, retail included. It is likely that online shopping will continue to grow in popularity and we may never see retail shopping return to pre-pandemic norms.

FEATURED CONTENT

How Tarte has sold 578K+ products on TikTok shop

Tarte cosmetics is a multi 9-figure revenue brand, already doing $10M+ in revenue on TikTok Shop. They’re also reporting a triple digit halo effect on retail sales for products featured in it’s shop. This successful growth can all be attributed to organic, live streams, and affiliate influencers.

Our take: Tarte is embracing where the industry is and capitalizing on this opportunity. According to Jonathan Snow, this is the first time he has seen organic and influencer consistently drive direct performance in nearly 10 years. It will be interesting to see what other brands learn from Tarte and meet their consumers on TikTok shop.

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