Pickle’s Post

The Hidden Risk for Execs: Misunderstanding the Resale Surge In a candid conversation with the CEO of a well-known fashion brand, we were, of course, discussing resale and its implications. He wasn’t convinced it was a threat to his brand. His teenagers thrift all the time, yet he saw no danger. Why? He believed it was just a phase, like Gen X’s flirtation with sustainability in the late 90's and early 2000's. It hit me—this mindset is common among today’s executives. They remember Gen X talking about sustainability but shifting back to conventional shopping once they had money. They see today’s thrifting trend as similar, destined to fade. But in my work at Trove, I’ve seen firsthand that this is not the case. Here’s the twist: Millennials and Gen Z aren’t thrifting out of necessity. They’re digital natives who have found a smarter way to shop, almost like they know a secret that older generations don’t understand. They grew up with everything at their fingertips, and thrifting fits perfectly into their lives. It’s not just about saving money or sustainability; it’s about the thrill of the hunt, finding aspirational brands at a fraction of the cost. It’s a way to upscale their wardrobes without breaking the bank. This isn’t a temporary phase; it’s a fundamental shift. These younger generations have discovered a "hack": buying better items used and selling them back reduces the cost per use or wear. Instead of focusing solely on the initial purchase price, they see the bigger picture. They mix used fashion, fast fashion, and premium new pieces seamlessly. It’s perfectly consistent to buy some resale, some fast fashion, and some high-end new items. They’re making a statement, curating unique styles, and being part of a community that values access over accumulation. Thrifting and resale are growing at five times the rate of fashion retail because it’s not just about sustainability or finances, though those are great bonuses but they are no longer the primary drivers. It’s about being smarter shoppers. It’s a desire for more, smarter, better. Not being aware of shifts in shopping is dangerous, but even more risky is seeing the change and thinking it’s the same as what you’ve seen before. Dismissing it as something already understood overlooks the fundamental shifts in consumer behavior. Thrifting today is a smarter, more aspirational way to shop in the digital age, and recognizing this can make all the difference. Adam Werbach Ken Pucker Cynthia Power James Reinhart Terry Boyle Trove Chris Riley Andy Murray Wayne Kulkin Joel Makower Joe Macleod Adam Rome Roy Notowitz Sasha Radovich Brook Porter Shelley Bransten J.R. Siegel Dara O'Rourke Gayle Tait Shaun Ellis Gam Dias Kerry Whorton Cooper Cathy Halligan Peter WhitcombShalini Unnikrishnan Zach First Molly Wood Ellen Weinreb Steve Hoffman Cyrus Wadia Nellie Cohen Wilson Griffin Matthew Nichols Paul Straub Adam Siegel

Last week, I noticed a surprising new entrant in my most used apps - alongside my many hours on Whatsapp, TikTok and Instagram, I spent over an hour on Vinted. And it looks like I'm not the only one. What is it that makes this simple little P2P second-hand clothes app so addictive? ⏩ It has the scarcity factor. Every item is a unique listing - made especially powerful by the notifications you get when someone else buys something you'd favourited! The Instagram-esque feed adds to the feeling of searching for a nugget of fashion gold. 👗 Tapping into 'little treat' culture, a barely worn top or dress on Vinted can cost you a fiver rather than many times that on the high street - less than a takeaway lunch these days. The huge amount of options means pricing is fiercely competitive and you can get a bargain even on higher-end labels. 🌿 I feel less guilty about the environmental impact vs. other clothes shopping. The shocking effects of fast fashion have been well documented, and I've massively reduced my first-hand purchases. Although there is still an impact from deliveries from Vinted, I feel better about it, especially for things like festival outfits I might not get loads of wear from. What do I think they could do better? 🤖 Massive opportunity to improve search functionality by letting customers describe in natural language what they're looking for. There's SO MUCH stuff on the platform, it can be overwhelming to filter through. 📸 Some of the photos are, truly, terrible. Hard for the platform to control when they're user-generated, but a little bit of AI-generated feedback on uploaded photos would make the shopping process so much easier. https://lnkd.in/ewRWkChE #vinted #retail #fashion #insights #secondhand

He bought the most expensive home in LA for > $100 MILLION… And he founded his business with $0 in funding! Here’s how Richard Saghian took the American dream to the NEXT LEVEL: Richard was born in Iran in 1982. His family fled to America after the revolution and got into women’s fashion retail. In 2006, Richard followed in their footsteps… He opened a store with a simple idea: affordable clubbing clothes His goal: open 100 stores Result: only 5 stores BUT he got an idea to open an internet store... The web dev he hired quickly talked him out of it: “Where will you get traffic?” Richard didn't know. And his retail stores were going nowhere… In 2013, Richard noticed online stores selling the same clothes for 2X what he charged. He created an Instagram account for his best-selling styles. At first, nobody cared. But with time, something magical happened… Customers started posting THEIR OWN pictures with his clothes. His account got to >60K followers in a matter of weeks. They tended to be brown/black, young, curvy, and urban. Richard realized this group was ignored by other brands. Everything clicked 💡 Finally, he launched Fashion Nova’s website! That weekend, he completely sold out 💰 💰 💰 Another lightbulb moment! He came up with an idea for “ultra-fast fashion” How it works: Go from idea to samples in <24 hours. Get samples to models in <48 hours. Manufacture as much as possible locally, for speed. Within 2 weeks, they were selling the product with 2-day delivery! They test over 1000+ items / week. Within 18 months of launching the store, they did over $400M in sales! The flywheel was clear: sell clothes, people post them on IG offered free clothes to influencers sell more clothes In 2015, it was time to go even BIGGER. But celebs weren’t interested in sponsorships. So he found a small rap artist who fit the style of his clothes perfectly: Cardi B. She loved the clothes and began posting about them all the time. She was a small artist at the time, but in 2017, they struck GOLD when “Bodak Yellow” became a number 1 global hit. Other celebrities like the Kardashians jumped on board. This added to the flywheel and helped Richard create the "Viral Fashion" strategy that continued to drive their growth. “It’s important to have a lot of styles because our customers post so much online and need new clothes. We don’t want girls showing up to the club in the same outfit. We need 50 different denim jackets. Not just one.” - Richard Saghian Fashion Nova has not been controversy-free. But today, most of these issues are behind them as they scale at a rapid pace. Richard is extremely press-shy and has never shared numbers publicly. Unconfirmed reports have them doing >$1 BILLION in annual sales with >30% EBITDA margins. Richard still owns 100% 💰💰 Not bad for a guy with no funding…

How J.Crew failed to keep up with Modern-Day Fashion Retail In the fast-paced world of fashion retail, J.Crew stood as a beacon of classic American style for decades. While J.Crew's offerings remained synonymous with timeless elegance, their revenue growth failed to mirror this enduring appeal. The crux of J.Crew's revenue stagnation lies in its struggle to adapt to changing consumer preferences and market dynamics. ⭐️ Stagnant Product Innovation: J.Crew stuck to the same old styles, falling behind brands that tried new things. 💻 Weak Online Presence: While online shopping grew, J.Crew failed to focus on the massive opportunity online retail had. They joined late and didn't pay much attention to their site and social media. 🎯 Missed Trends: 𝗔𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 has been a big trend in fashion and has exploded in popularity over the last 5 years. Popular brands like 𝗟𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗹𝗼 have taken over this space however modern streetwear brands like Fashion Nova have hopped on this trend to increase the popularity of the brand. J.Crew was late to the party dropping a women's active line which primarily focuses on tennis. 📣 Boring ads: J.Crew's ads didn't speak to different kinds of shoppers. Basic generic "newspaper ads" H𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 🟢 Try on Haul  🟢 What's in my closet  🟢 Get ready with me  🟢 I'm bringing back J.Crew / J.Crew has made a comeback 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗝.𝗖𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗺𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱: 🔵 Revamp Products: Updating styles and materials to match trends could attract more customers. (still staying on brand) 🟠 Online Boost: Improving their website and app would've boosted online sales, reaching more shoppers. Customer Journey is key Also having that organic appeal on social media with customers talking about your product. 🟡 Adding in a true athleisure line. This would've widened their appeal, attracting new customers. J.Crew's story teaches us that in fashion, you need to keep changing and trying new things to stay successful. Want to save yourself from falling into this growth loophole? Well, you're in luck! 𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬% 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝟯𝟬 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 My team and I have crafted a comprehensive growth strategy guide. Simply comment "strategy" and I'll roll it out to you at no cost. Let's elevate your business together! #dtcbrands #marketing #growthmarketing

It's no secret that the availability of plus size clothing options has waned drastically over the last couple of years. We are seeing less diversity on the runway, retailers rolling back their short-lived size expansions, and an overall regression to exclusionary ideals. In a world where plus size people increasingly have fewer options, any newness can feel revolutionary - no matter the behind the scenes implications. Are new plus size lines still advantageous when they are ultra-fast fashion? Sharing my thoughts on the matter as it relates to Remi Bader's new clothing collection with Sam's Club (yes, Sam's Club). Available in sizes XS - 6X and priced under $30, the unexpected collaboration is a fascinating study. https://lnkd.in/eUDV9TH9

"Peer-to-peer fashion rental apps are angling to go mainstream in 2025 " ➡️ Clothing rental has become an increasingly popular option for shoppers looking for a cost-effective, sustainable way to try out new fashions. Until recently, though, much of the space was dominated by giants like Rent the Runway and Nuuly: companies with million-dollar market caps and partnerships with big-name brands. But now, smaller peer-to-peer rental services, which shoppers use to rent items from each other’s closets, are gaining steam and racking up thousands of users. https://buff.ly/3ZTt9kx

Ever feel like you’re drowning in a sea of fast fashion? Marcus Milione, the brain behind Minted New York, isn't just following trends; he's setting them. This Manhattan-based brand is all about high-quality materials, thoughtful design, and limited drops that leave you wanting more. From athletic wear to vintage-inspired pieces, each item is meticulously crafted and released in small batches to ensure the highest quality. Marcus didn’t just stumble into the fashion world; he made a splash on TikTok, amassing over 12 million likes by showcasing the behind-the-scenes magic of Minted New York. He’s turned his passion for fitness and fashion into a thriving community, proving that you can indeed build a business from TikTok. Why is Minted New York such a standout? Here’s the scoop: Quality Over Quantity: Marcus spends 1-2 months between drops to perfect each piece, ensuring every item meets the brand’s high standards. The latest drop, featuring the highly anticipated Canvas Jacket, sold out within an hour! Talk about demand! Community-Driven: Marcus listens to his followers, incorporating their feedback into his designs. From making adjustable tote straps to perfecting the fit of apparel, he’s building a brand with his community, not just for them. Transparency & Integrity: No pre-orders here! Marcus believes in having skin in the game, so he funds production himself. This commitment ensures that when you order from Minted, you’re getting high-quality items delivered quickly, often within 2-3 days. Building in Public: By sharing the creation process on TikTok, Marcus not only markets his products but also educates and engages his audience. His approach has turned casual viewers into loyal customers who feel connected to the brand’s journey. Lifestyle Integration: While Marcus primarily focuses on his business and the quality of his clothing, he also offers glimpses into his personal lifestyle. His passion for running frequently features on his account, which naturally led to the launch of a running apparel line under Minted New York. Minted New York isn’t just a brand; it’s a movement. It’s a show of how thoughtfulness is the number one growth lever in a world full of short wins.

'Just another fashion store on Instagram.' That's what they said about Alice Hall's Pink Boutique Ltd in 2012. Today? It's a £30M empire. But here's the part no one talks about... She started with just £90 in her spare bedroom. No fancy investors. No marketing team. No industry connections. Just one insight that changed everything: Women weren't looking for cheaper clothes. They were looking for someone who understood them. While competitors fought over prices, Alice did something different: She listened. Every DM. Every comment. Every customer service call. The patterns emerged: Women wanted: - Next-day delivery for last-minute events - Honest sizing advice - Real photos on real bodies - Someone who spoke their language So Alice built exactly that. Not a store. A community. Her secret? She treated social media like a coffee shop, not a billboard. When others posted product shots, she shared behind-the-scenes glimpses. When they chased new customers, she celebrated existing ones. When they pushed discounts, she shared styling tips. The results? - 80% customer return rate - £30M annual revenue - 2M+ social followers But the real magic? Word spread. Orders doubled. Costs dropped. All because she focused on one thing: Making customers feel seen, not sold to. Today, Pink Boutique isn't just a fashion brand. It's proof that customer connection beats customer acquisition. Want to know the best part? Alice never raised investment. Never spent millions on ads. Never "growth hacked" her way up. She just understood one truth: In ecommerce, the brand that listens hardest, wins biggest. And that's something any founder can do. Starting tomorrow. What are your customers trying to tell you?"

✨ Fashion Rental Trend ✨ 🌱 Fashion rental is redefining how we stay stylish while staying sustainable. It offers endless wardrobe options for those one-off occasions without the commitment—or the full price tag. Whether it’s a wedding, a gala, or a desire to try something new, renting lets you enjoy variety while reducing fashion waste. ♻️ What’s your take on fashion rental? Have you tried any services like Nuuly, Rent The Runway, or similar? We’d love to hear your experience and thoughts! #SustainableFashion #FashionRental #ConsciousLiving #SlowFashion

Why Thrifting is the New Cool As the CEO of Mousse, I’ve witnessed a significant cultural shift in how we approach fashion—and it’s all about thrifting! 🌍✨ In a world where sustainability is no longer just a buzzword but a necessity, thrifting has emerged as a powerful movement. Here’s my thoughts about why it’s become the go-to choice for so many, especially among GenZ: 1. Sustainability Matters With climate change at the forefront of our minds, thrifting offers a way to reduce our carbon footprint. The younger generation cares about the environment - as well as being cool. 2. Embrace Individuality Thrifting is all about expressing your unique style. Forget cookie-cutter fashion, thrift stores are treasure troves filled with one-of-a-kind pieces that let you stand out from the crowd. Who doesn't want to stand out in a world of clean girls? lol. 3. Budget-Friendly Fashion Let’s be real—fashion can be expensive! Thrifting allows you to build a stylish wardrobe without breaking the bank. High-quality items at affordable prices? Yes, please! 4. Cultural Shift Thanks to social media and influencers, thrifting has shed its old stigma and is now celebrated as a trendy option. Platforms like TikTok are showcasing stylish outfits sourced from thrift stores, inspiring others to join this exciting movement. In conclusion, thrifting isn’t just cool - it’s essential for the future of fashion. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of fashion together! 💚 #Thrifting #Sustainability #Fashion #GenZ #Mousse #AtlantaFashion