Glossy

Your Reformer’s Emma Stallworthy joined the Glossy Beauty Podcast to discuss the company’s growth and expansion to the U.S. in September, the secret sauce behind growing its digital class subscriptions, its beauty and wellness partnerships, and the overall rise of autonomous pilates classes.

After 11 years under Dave Kimbell's leadership, Ulta is planning for the future by appointing Kecia Steelman as its new CEO. During his time as CEO, Kimbell was committed to ensuring diversity and inclusiveness at Ulta Beauty in order to enhance its market leadership, according to a statement from Ulta. This drove record-level brand love and awareness for the retailer, according to Ulta, and Steelman said it is a commitment she will continue to uphold. “Ulta Beauty is more than a beauty retailer – we are a destination that helps bring to life all the beautiful possibilities that lie within every guest and associate who walks through our doors,” Steelman said. “I am confident the strategic priorities we shared last fall will enable us to capture greater market share in beauty and wellness and deliver long-term profitable growth.” Along with announcing the succession plan, Ulta also shared a better fourth-quarter outlook than previously predicted thanks to “stronger-than-expected performance during the holiday season.” Ulta shares are now up 2% following these updates from the company. Story by Dania Gutierrez-Flores

Fashion brands have a larger presence at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, taking place this week in Las Vegas. REVOLVE’s leadership team spotlighted the company’s AI retail innovation, adidas executives spoke about the company’s innovative approach to the creator economy, and Coach CEO Todd Kahn debuted the brand’s latest material innovation in collaboration with four-year partner GenPhoenix. At the event on Thursday, Coach announced a line of Coach Classic products produced using Gen Phoenix’s new recycled leather-derived material called Helios. The products will be comparable to Coach’s upcycled Coachtopia products, at $150-$550. In this piece by Zofia Zwieglinska, we speak to Elyse Winer.

January 15 is the date when the International Longshoremen’s Association and the shipping companies employing its members must have a new contract agreement to avoid a strike. But with just a week left before that date, that doesn’t seem likely. Negotiations between the ILA and the United States Maritime Alliance, known as USMX, only just restarted as of January 7, barely a week before the deadline, and the two sides reportedly had not met in person since November. According to analysis provided to Glossy from supply chain risk management company Everstream Analytics, a strike is likely. In this piece by Danny Parisi, we speak to Mirko Woitzik, Sabah Mikha of MeUndies, and Inessa Vike of VIKE Beauty.

Slow and steady growth is the name of the game for skin-care brand Dr. Idriss Skincare, which was founded by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Shereene Idriss in 2022. Dr. Idriss has 2.3 million followers across Instagram and TikTok. Dermatologist-backed beauty brands have gained prominence in recent years due to a shift in consumer demand for clinically efficacious brands that offer spa-level results at home. In this piece by Tatiana Pile, we speak to Ariel Gold, and Cara Kamenev of Stripes Beauty.

The Museum of Modern Art Design Store has earned a reputation as a destination for product discovery and a source of cool, limited-edition, gift-worthy finds. On the fashion side, those have included exclusive collaborations with Champion and New Era. On this week’s Glossy Podcast, the curator behind the store’s assortment, MoMA Retail’s CHAY COSTELLO, breaks down her merchandising secrets.

With an increasing focus on third-party sellers and luxury goods, Walmart’s marketplace is becoming a key element of its growth strategy, and the numbers show it’s paying off. According to Walmart, the marketplace elevates the company’s profile as a digital shopping destination by adding higher-profile, in-demand brands that its customers are searching for but are not typically distributed at Walmart. In December, there was much buzz surrounding Walmart’s “Wirkin,” a third-party seller knockoff of the iconic Hermès Birkin retailing for as low as $78. Made by third-party seller Kamugo from a mix of genuine cowhide and synthetic leather, the Wirkin has been going viral on TikTok and Instagram over the last few weeks. In this piece by Zofia Zwieglinska, we speak to Neil Saunders of GlobalData Retail.

On January 14, Brooke Shields will publish her third book, “Brooke Shields is not allowed to get old.” And on January 8, her seven-month-old hair-care brand, Commence, will debut its first brand campaign, with paid media behind it on Meta and Google. The campaign aims to showcase the brand’s “playful, confident and fearless” customer, who is age 40-plus, in a way that other brands aren’t, said Shields. She noted that under 1% of all ads feature women 60 and older, even though one out of six people is over 65. “Our goal is to celebrate our brand values — aging gracefully and fearlessly, with joy and authenticity — in an approachable and creative format. [And we want] our community to feel represented in every visual they see from us.” Story by Sara Spruch-Feiner

The global wellness industry was valued at $6.8 trillion last year and is expected to reach $9 trillion in the next three years, doubling its size in 2019, according to industry trade group Global Wellness Institute. Read more: https://lnkd.in/etWc_hSs

In 2024, 18-year-old The Row elevated its status from a coveted label among fashion insiders to a prominent player in the global luxury market. A capital raise, retail expansion and a focus on core values have defined the brand’s recent growth trajectory. For the first quarter of 2024, The Row made its debut on The Lyst Index’s Top 20 Brands. Where searches for the brand increased by 93%, and searches for the brand’s Margaux tote increased by 198% year-over-year, making it the hottest product of the quarter. Story by Zofia Zwieglinska