Aniseh Abukharma

Crocs said new stores and wholesale deals will boost its struggling Hey Dude DTC brand. * Crocs on Thursday reported overall Q2 revenues rose 3.6% year over year to $1.1 billion, with direct-to-consumer revenue up 8.9% and wholesale down 1.3%. * Troubles at the HeyDude brand continued, with revenues plunging 17.5% to $198 million; DTC dropped 7.6% to $84 million as wholesale plummeted 23.5% to $114 million. The Crocs brand rose 9.7% to $914 million, with DTC up 12.5% to $479 million and wholesale up 6.9%. * Gross margin expanded to 61.4% from 57.9% a year ago. Net income rose 7.8% to $228.9 million. Crocs remains a robust brand, in part because its shoes are not only popular but also relatively affordable at a time when consumers remain cautious. In North America during the first half of the year, for example, the namesake brand rose 6%, compared to flat sales in the overall market, CEO Andrew Rees told analysts Thursday. HEYDUDE is a different story. The #DTC brand, which is expanding its brick-and-mortar channel via wholesale and its own stores, has consistently posted disappointing results that have led executives to lower expectations. Rees acknowledged that disappointment again on Thursday but said the brand is nevertheless “making an extremely solid contribution to our overall financial picture in terms of revenues, margin and profitability.” Executives also said that new #stores, #wholesale deals, and overseas distribution, along with more favorable year-on-year pricing comparisons, will give HeyDude a boost toward the end of the year. The brand “has a lot of potential,” according to Rees, who described it as “a lightweight, comfortable, easy on-and-off product that is extremely compelling,” and that can be manufactured in various colors and fabrics. “We are extremely bullish against long-term projections for HeyDude and as bullish as we were when we bought the brand,” he said. Crocs acquired the brand two years ago for $2.5 billion. However, the company does expect more immediate declines at HeyDude, though they maintained their full-year outlook for the brand, expecting revenues to fall between 8% and 10%. That may be a tall order. With their estimate that its revenues will fall 14% to 16% in Q3, that would take growth of 12% to 18% in the holiday quarter. #brands #footwear #retail #ecommerce Daphne Howard for Retail Dive 

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I enjoyed chatting with Inside Retail US about the FTC’s attempts to block the Tapestry x Capri Holdings Limited merger. As I told them, the decision does a great disservice to the retail industry and to American companies trying to create brand houses to rival those in Europe – at least in terms of scale. More importantly, however, the case is based on extremely poor logic and a misreading of how the market works. The FTC is meddling in areas that it doesn’t adequately understand. It all too often operates in a theoretical bubble that is divorced from reality. More of my views in the article… https://lnkd.in/eqXTmefT #retail #retailnews #regulation #luxury #handbags

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Thrilled to have taken the main stage at Grow NY last week alongside Adrial Jaan Bhatia, President of Primitive Apparel, to wrap up the event. Thanks Ryan Criswell for hosting the panel. At Hodinkee, we hold two core principles dear: Community and Credibility. Here’s a bit on why they matter to us. Credibility at Hodinkee is about trust and reliability. We achieve this through: --> Accuracy: Precision in our reporting. --> Authority: Recognized expertise, often cited by reputable sources. --> Consistency: Continual delivery of high-quality content. --> Engagement: Building respectful and responsive relationships with our audience. --> Objectivity: Presenting multiple perspectives fairly. --> Transparency: Clearly identify sources and disclose any conflicts of interest. Beyond credibility, the power of community distinguishes us significantly from just having an audience. Hodinkee grew into an eight-figure business with virtually zero traditional marketing spend, propelled by a robust community. This illustrates not just audience reach, but deep engagement—where members actively contribute, share, and champion our brand. The distinction? An audience watches, but a community participates. And that participation has been a cornerstone of our success.

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As an Executive Recruiter in Retail - I get to speak to some of the worlds most talented Creatives (one of the BEST parts of my job). ❤️ Here are 3 trends I have noticed from speaking to Product Executives and what they are seeking as they look for their next opportunity: + A connection to the product the are working on is essential; do they use it, wear it, feel passionately about it. Further to that these Executives want to feel aligned to the greater purpose, mission and values of the brand, this has become a non-negotiable. ✨ + Living in the same city as HQ is not imperative. While it is important to see, touch and feel product, it is also important to have autonomy over their schedule and the flexibility to navigate their very full lives. A hybrid work environment is the perfect balance for a Product Executive. They are well versed in living remotely and flying in regularly for key product/leadership meetings. 🌍 + Budget and ability to travel. Trade shows, factory visits and inspiration trips are essential to the success of a creative. While budgets have been tight in recent years prioritizing travel is key to fulfill their responsibilities. ✈️ Product Executives/Recruiters, what else is on your list? #retail #apparel #CPG #retailindustry #recruitmenttrends #executives #executiverecruitment #eleveneleventalent

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Dear mass fashion: the big picture is that the US consumer continues to set spending records Up nearly 6% yoy in March to $19 TRILLION What exactly is this macro environment fashion exec bros keep blaming for their utter failure to keep up w/girls on TikTok? NYX does not suffer this issue have ya’ll not heard?? #duckplump IT’S FOR LIPS ONLY #iykyk That’s how you get the #1 video on TikTok TODAY It's no accident sales followed B/c the TikTok consumer is spontaneous She’s a power user And actively engages in her own trend research She can’t wait to share her #dupe She craves new experiences, variety, freedom, & trends Your job this era is to get her attention + motivate her to act Product & content development must intersect w/creator passion & audience interests - this is how you win the era of social commerce A market worth $11.1T by 2030 run by digital natives unlocking products communities can’t wait to promote is simple Well if you have the right tools ;) Stop paying millions for one-off one size fits none mass campaigns For trend forcing reports And inventory no one asked for Toss kpis based on reach & frequency Get down to the neighborhoods b/c I can all but guarantee the super user in her bedroom understands more about community than any exec bro Hence historic stockouts, unsold inventory, profit loss totaling $1.77T ly WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY TikTok was a cultural disruption that unsettled the capital TikTok Shop gives ALL people in the districts financial freedom This is why the ban Most social listening or ai platforms I’ve demo’d are arduous b/c you have to know that something’s already happened or go down hours long rabbit holes to find out where the conversation originated, who has the most influence, & why it resonates NONE of them dig into communities This is THE opportunity B/c this is where social commerce originates & gets amplified trends are irrelevant if you don't know who to connect them to I want to know what the problems are, what people are talking about to help them NOW I want to know the people getting others to participate in the dms, in the comments Social listening is a result of a conversation that’s already happened– I want to know happening NOW to join w/content + products while it still matters and to serve Given these insights, brands could become the conduits for the remix... Just ingest what's working now & produce something similar, fast At scale Not 6 months later The market is real time - creators will start to use every ai tool up & down the video value chain And your job is to keep pace if you wish to sell stuff The inability & unwillingness to serve is a massive 150-door closing problem Macy's can't enter a bold new chapter until they identify their power users w/ precision & understand that speed + relevance trumps everything in social commerce #thegreatfashionreset #creatoreconomy #communitycommerce #contentistheproduct #tiktokisthestore

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What if a single store visit could be your stepping stone to a big promotion? This isn't a hypothetical for some retail leaders; it's their resume. 🚀 Yolanda Vega Director of Stores (Southeast & Central US) at Zadig&Voltaire was once promoted after a remarkable store visit. Fun fact: So was I. With over two decades of retail leadership at brands like Gap, J.Crew, and Ralph Lauren, Yolanda has carved out a reputation for transforming store environments into stories of strategic vision and success. 🛍️ 🎯 In this week’s episode of FRONTLINE FRIDAYS, Yolanda and I dissect strategies and preparation techniques that ensure store leaders not only perform exceptionally during these visits — but also how directors can coach their teams to take ownership of their roles and become champions of their own stories. ✅ Click “ATTEND” in the link below to join us live on Friday or to receive the replay in your inbox. See you there! #RetailLeaders #RetailInnovators #RetailOperations #LeadershipTraining #StoreSuccess #RetailInnovatio

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M.M.LaFleur & Perigold are teaming up and Modern Retail asked me why brand collaborations are important and what makes them successful. Some thoughts: - When you think about what consumers are craving, it’s really being a part of a community - When brands are purposeful, they think through what that lifestyle would be, and they give you a more holistic experience around that - When you’re more inventive about these strategy partnerships, instead of just getting them in the door to know your brand the one time, the value proposition you’re delivering is also much stronger From a strategy perspective, not only does a collaboration help save on acquisition costs but it can lead to a stickier customer. See the full piece: https://lnkd.in/erk_KuP3 Cc MG2 Design

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It’s that time again as BeautyMatter digests the Amazon Prime Day data to surface the most compelling insights, results, and key takeaways related to beauty and wellness. 👄 Momentum Commerce - Amazon is slated to grow 19.9% in 2024, with Beauty & Personal Care forecasted to grow 26%. 👄 Liquid I.V. Packets and COSRX Snail Mucin Serum ranked number 3 and 5 respectively based on number of units sold according to Numerator. 👄 According to Impact Analytics, Beauty category discounts rose from 11% to 13%, a 2% increase that ensures beauty products remain attractive to price-sensitive consumers while protecting margins. 👄 The category that saw the strongest among the non-Amazon retailers tracked by Salesforce was Health & Beauty up 16%. Dig In For More Data: https://lnkd.in/ePp-Et4v #primeday #amazon #beautyindustry #trends2024

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We’ve all heard of the Veblen Effect: named after economist Thorstein Veblen, it theorizes that for certain consumers, higher prices may increase the appeal of a product due to its perceived status symbol. We’ve also all grown accustomed to the idea that luxury is associated with high or higher prices, which often enhance the allure of luxury goods, as they symbolize exclusivity and prestige. So, how about ‘luxury beauty products offered at an affordable price point, namely $10-and-under’? That is the breaking news with Pretty Smart’s exclusive launch at 2,800 Walmart stores. (Please read again: ‘2,800’ is the number of stores, not the price). I guess in this day and age of fluidity and relativity, we must adapt to new norms, such as our acquired knowledge of luxury. #luxury #retail #massmerchandisers #beauty #omnichannel #salesstrategy #linkedinpostsbymariopace https://lnkd.in/eTKSTGTf

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The business of beauty has changed remarkably in the last few years. I wrote about the changing beauty landscape and what brands need to do to compete: https://lnkd.in/eVkbzsfy

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🚀 Big news in luxury retail and an interesting article from Vogue Business Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus Group Marcus are nearing a $3 billion merger, with support from Amazon and Salesforce. This merger could reshape the industry, leveraging Amazon's e-commerce and logistics prowess and Salesforce's top-tier CRM solutions. 🔗 Maghan McDowell

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Get to $1MM in Sales for your Fashion Brand with Wholesale! Everyone wants to get into Saks, Anthro and Revolve and other large retailers, but one BIG question to ask is: Can you afford to do wholesale? It’s crucial to understand the margins for wholesaling your line. Typically, you'll need to give wholesale accounts a generous margin for them to make money. At Alala, we use aim for a 60-65% margin when pricing for wholesale and then a 2.25-2.5x markup from wholesale to retail. If you don’t have strong COGS, you might end up losing money going wholesale, especially when factoring in other costs like warehousing and shipping. Get your COGS under control before considering selling to other stores. At the very least, try to break even initially. More insights coming soon! Subscribe to my Substack for weekly newsletters about how to grow your fashion brand to $1MM in sales. #Wholesale101 #Margin #COGS #FashionBusiness

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🌟 Exciting News from Saks: Embracing Growth and Innovation 🌟 Saks and Neiman Marcus are joining forces to create Saks Global! As Marc Metrick, CEO of Saks, mentioned recently to WWD, their focus remains on what they can control amidst regulatory processes. The strategy is clear: to drive growth and enhance customer experiences. Named "Saks Global," this new entity reflects their commitment to leveraging technology and real estate assets to redefine luxury retail. While discussions about international expansion are underway, their immediate priority is strengthening the brand presence in North America. "We understand the importance of financial stability and responsibility. Rest assured, the merger's financing will not affect day-to-day operations or vendor relationships. Our goal is to maintain transparency and uphold our commitments to partners." say Mark to WWD. This merger marks a significant step forward for Saks Global in the Luxury Retail journey. As they look forward to continuing to provide exceptional experiences for their customers and creating new opportunities for their brand partners. Now I wonder, after this exciting merger, how will Saks Global redefine luxury retail and elevate customer experiences in the years to come? Stay tuned for more updates as we navigate this exciting chapter together! 🚀 #SaksGlobal #LuxuryRetail #Innovation #GrowthStrategy

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Tons of opportunities in the below post

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Charlotte Palermino is the CEO & cofounder of Dieux Skin. I was Blown Away by her transparency. If you are someone looking to partner with friends and make a business this episode is for you. Charlotte, @joycedeezy and @marta came together with a perfect balance of strengths to launch Dieux Skin. Entrepreneurship can be lonely and talking to Charlotte I realized that partnership is not only possible it can be one of the biggest assets to accelerated growth. “The first 3 years were very very hard.” - @charlotteparler On Episode 19 of @ittakesavillagepod, co-founder and CEO of @dieuxskin, Charlotte Palermino, shares with us the intricacies of building a clinically vetted and price transparent skincare line even when she was told that “it was a bad idea.” We delve into various topics including: *making friends with beauty founders in the industry *addressing the impact of diet culture on women’s health and well-being *dispelling myths in skincare. * the early work as a brand founder * not taking a salary the first couple years * balancing being a consultant while building a company * finding a manufacturer * how to find an investor and what to look for Join us at @ittakesavillagepod, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and you can watch THE FULL episode on YouTube. https://lnkd.in/e4Ke4_Vc https://lnkd.in/e6HePwEb #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurpodcast #podcastshow #ittakesavillagepodcast #raisinganentrepreneur #businesstips #businesspodcast #businessgrowth #businessstrategy #BeautyPodcast #BusinessPodcast #PodcastClip #BeautyTips #BusinessAdvice #Entrepreneur #PodcastEpisode #BeautyAndBusiness #BusinessGrowth #ContentCreation #PodcastLife #BeautyCommunity #BusinessCommunity #Inspiration #SuccessStories

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🧟‍♀️ It struck me that Modern Retail’s recent article on DTC Zombies references two brands (Feat and Outdoor Voices) situated within the athleisure apparel space. Just as retailers anticipated a permanent shift from in-store shopping to e-commerce after the pandemic it was expected everyone would continue wearing athleisure at the same frequency after lockdowns. 📈 Projecting market demand for athleisure is challenging because it sits in the in-between spaces. Athleisure blurs traditional clothing lines, raising questions: Are hoodies and sweatpants athleisure? What about t-shirts? Is loungewear indoor athleisure or a separate category? Is “Bad Sandy” wearing a leather jacket and leggings at the end of “Grease” athleisure? The definition is fluid, influenced more by styling and usage than by distinct categories. 👗 While many women still wear yoga pants beyond the mat, there’s also a resurgence in tailored bottoms, exemplified by Aritzia’s wide-leg trousers. Dresses and skirts have made a comeback with a return to more careerwear and occasion dressing. Women consumers are embracing a post-pandemic wardrobe era with more distinctive outfitting propositions than 4 years ago. 🧘🏻‍♀️Of the upstart DTC brands described as athleisure in recent years, only Alo Yoga is the major competitive threat to Lulu’s women’s business. Not even Nike or adidas have been able to pull that off with apparel, though they have tried. Alo is smaller in volume than Lulu, but growing 30% YoY with a higher proportion of women’s consumers. Gap Inc. has also successfully evolved Athleta from a catalog business (old-school DTC) into a growing omnichannel concept that exclusively serves women and girls. 🏃🏾‍♀️Lululemon may have popularized leggings as casual wear, but it remains rooted in its athletic heritage, evident in its partnerships with Team Canada at the Olympics. Alo Yoga and Athleta’s very names indicate that activewear is the core of their brand. The latter has even attracted high-profile former Nike athletes Allyson Felix and Simone Biles as brand partners. 🎽 While at first glance DTC athleisure may be seen as a fading opportunity, Lulu Lemon, Alo Yoga, and Athleta are all DTC brands leading in the space. This would suggest that winning in DTC athleisure is less about positioning a brand in the in-between spaces but rather winning with women’s performance apparel. #merchandising #sportswear #athleisure #trends #DTC #fashion

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✨ Albeit exciting in the boardroom, as signalling of more shifts in the luxury retail landscape continue to morph the realities of the marketplace/department store domain, it’s all becoming stale and uninspiring on the ground where originality and point of difference are getting lost in the proverbial shuffle 🔀 The majority of these takeovers and M&As lack evolution and require only transactional profit margins and shareholder primacy as their main results driver on the other side; diluting the honest experience of a ‘brand’ that’s needed for long term growth. 🌎The world of retail started as a place where innovation, creativity and desire could come together to inspire connection and purchase - To my community rich with talent and pioneer ship, I say we can do better than let go of what we once understood so instinctively. #retail Niche NovAzure #peoplebeforprofit #design #innovate #grow

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This week on Luxury Unfiltered: "The industry’s dilemma? Too much focus on hype, too little focus on brand” by Daniel André Langer, founder and CEO of consulting firm Équité. "The current struggles of many luxury brands are not symptoms of a market slowdown," Writes Langer. "They are the result of insufficient internal definition of their value creation systems that fail to connect with consumers on a deeper, more meaningful level." Short-term, flashy solutions leave the brand "weaker" and more "vulnerable" than before. What is needed to solve this issue? According to Langer, "It is time to prioritize substance over spectacle and foundation over flashy stunts." Read here: https://lnkd.in/dASbjTNv #LuxuryDaily #LuxuryNews #LuxuryUnfiltered #MarketingStrategies

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Welcome to My Weekly 1-Minute Read: Top 3 Positive Stories in Retail! The Reinvention of an Iconic Brand:  Abercrombie & Fitch has pulled off an incredible transformation! Under CEO Fran Horowitz's leadership, this once struggling mall brand has become a Wall Street darling, boasting a 104% YTD increase. The secret sauce? Revamping products, modernizing stores, and rebranding as an inclusive and equitable retailer. Their journey shows that with dedication, patience, and a bit of bold change, anything is possible. Can't wait to see what's next for this iconic brand! #RetailReinvention #Leadership #InclusiveBranding The Merging of Digital and Physical JD.com, China's e-commerce giant, has partnered with Inditex, the Spanish fashion group. They launched a new Massimo Dutti flagship store on JD.com, featuring nearly 1,000 products, including exclusive items for JD customers. This collaboration highlights JD's role in connecting international brands with Chinese consumers and Inditex's commitment to digital transformation in China. #RetailPartnership #Ecommerce #FashionInnovation The Value of Community  REI Co-op has given back nearly $270 million to its community, supporting employees, nonprofits, and the planet. CEO Eric Artz emphasized their commitment to making a positive impact. Despite a slight sales dip to $3.8 billion, they returned over $200 million to 24 million co-op members. #CommunityImpact #REICoop #GivingBack Stay tuned for more positive stories in the retail world!

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