Luxury fashion has quickly morphed away from Old Hollywood glamour to sneakers and nylon belts. But for online retailer Mytheresa, that air of sophistication and charm is still the heart of its business. "We love the true luxury part of the [fashion] business," said Michael Kliger, CEO of Mytheresa, on this week's Glossy Podcast. "It is by definition a limited set of brands that you could count as luxury." With roots as a boutique in Munich starting in 1987, Mytheresa has evolved alongside changes in luxury, including with its launch of a menswear category in 2020 and the company's IPO in January. Although the retailer maintains a focus on "traditional" luxury brands, like Valentino, Prada and Gucci, as well as occasions, like a "garden party," Mytheresa also carries "cooler, new [brands] like Jacquemus," in response to evolving customer tastes, which accelerated during the pandemic, said Kliger.  In contrast to other luxury retailers, Mytheresa carries fewer than 250 brands, living up to its tagline of, 'The finest edit in luxury fashion." "We always say the journey of our customers starts with an occasion in mind, not with a product in mind," said Kliger. Mytheresa's focus on occasion did not falter during the pandemic, when sales of cashmere, knitwear, sneakers and slide shoes boomed as shoppers traded in galas for the living room couch. And on the other side of luxury, categories like vacation wear, formal dresses and party clothes have rebounded more recently, he said.

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Mytheresa’s Michael Kliger on competing for luxury shoppers: 'In the end, the customer is the judge'

Although "The World's Most Comfortable Thong" may seem like an oxymoron, intimates and sleepwear brand Hanky Panky continues to hold the title unironically 35 years after the release of its cult-favorite 4811 thong. While the brand celebrates its heritage with the anniversary of the iconic one-size-fits-all thong, which makes up over 60% of Hanky Panky's sales, it's simultaneously going through a brand refresh, said Brenda Berger, co-CEO of Hanky Panky, on this week's Glossy Podcast. Berger, who served as the head of sales and marketing from 2004 to 2013, rejoined Hanky Panky as co-CEO in 2019 when the "rebrand conversation" started, she said.  After 44 years in business, Berger and the Hanky Panky team are focused on refreshing the brand while maintaining its sense of heritage, she said. Berger has overseen the launch of Hanky Panky's new website, logo and digital marketing strategies, as well as its new influencer partnerships and TikTok and Instagram strategies.  "[These tactics] better tell the stories of our core products," said Berger. "What was happening prior was word of mouth ... [We shifted our] marketing content to storytelling, and we're now taking more ownership of it and placing it on our platforms."

Hanky Panky’s Brenda Berger on refreshing the brand: 'We want women to feel supported'

On the Glossy Week in Review podcast, hosts Danny Parisi and Zofia Zwieglinska break down some of the biggest fashion news stories of the week. In this week's episode: Nike paused its Travis Scott collaborations, wholesale marketplace Faire raised $400 million and Bottega Veneta got a new creative director (while rumors swirled about why Daniel Lee left so abruptly). Plus, a closer look at Shein's massive -- and unethical -- growth.

Week in Review: Nike's Travis Scott problem, Faire's big fundraising round, Bottega's new creative director and an inside look at Shein

Jewelry company Gorjana is growing, self-funded and profitable, but its founders insist that it was a slow and tricky road. "No home runs here," Gorjana Reidel said on the Glossy Podcast. She and her husband, Jason Griffin Reidel, first sold their jewelry in small boutiques before partnering with Nordstrom in 2014. "We were kind of the pioneers of the category that you see so many people getting into now, of gold, delicate, layering jewelry," Griffin Reidel said. Early on, Nordstrom partnered with the brand, launching it in 25 stores at a time (the Reidels got to pick which ones), and Gorjana Jewelry is now available across the chain's approximately 120 outlets. But despite its success with Nordstrom, in recent years Gorjana has made the shift to selling direct-to-consumer via its own stores and e-commerce site. Three years ago, 90% of Gorjana’s sales were coming through wholesale channels and only 10% from DTC. Today, 80% of sales are direct-to-consumer. Gorjana has nearly 200 employees and, by the end of May, the company plans to have 16 stores across California, New York City and Arizona -- the coronavirus pandemic notwithstanding. Gorjana Reidel and Jason Griffin Reidel talked about the benefits of boot-strapping a business, their secret to growing steadily even through the financial crisis of 2008 and their advice for entrepreneurs.

Gorjana's founders on growing a profitable jewelry business: 'No home runs here'

For our final episode of Glossy Trend Watch: Influencer Edition, senior technology reporter Katie Richards sits down with Danielle Bernstein of We Wore What. Danielle is a fashion blogger turned clothing designer, brand founder, author and entrepreneur. When she got started as an influencer, payment schemes were a bit arbitrary. "There weren't any set fees for posting on a blog, taking photos for a brand," Bernstein said. "We sort of went off of what modeling agencies traditionally did for models." Since those uncertain days, Bernstein has developed longer-term collaborations with brands and launched a workflow tool for influencers, and she has a book in the works. Glossy Trend Watch: Influencer Edition features interviews with some of the most prominent fashion influencers on how they’ve used their success and social media followings to launch major brands. Our guests -- including Julia Engel and Moti Ankari -- made the leap from interacting with existing brands online to creating some of their own.

[TREND WATCH] We Wore What founder Danielle Bernstein on making the move from influencer to fashion designer

Amanda Uprichard's namesake fashion company has quickly reshaped its supply line to work in a world living with the coronavirus. "Now, we make maybe 90% of our stuff here because of the virus," Uprichard said about her New York operation. Previously, half of the line's manufacturing was based in China. "Anyone that's in manufacturing, you're just affected by the supply chain," she added. "But I do believe China will be completely normal in another month." For Uprichard, making things out of New York was a return to the brand's beginnings. Everything was made out of New York City, "until about a year and a half ago, when we started switching to China because the resources are drying up here," she said. Uprichard talked about the importance of influencers, the reality TV show "The Bachelor" and walking away from Amazon (and, just maybe, going back to it).

Amanda Uprichard on how her namesake brand is handling the coronavirus epidemic

Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing you bonus episodes of the Glossy Podcast. Glossy Trend Watch: Influencer Edition features interviews with some of the most prominent fashion influencers on how they’ve used their success and social media followings to launch major brands. Our guests made the leap from interacting with existing brands online to creating some of their own. For our second episode, Glossy senior technology reporter Katie Richards sits down with Moti Ankari, a menswear blogger who co-founded footwear brand Ankari Floruss with fellow blogger Marcel Floruss. "I was actually one of the first wave of male influencers," Ankari said. "Nine years ago, there were like five of us out there." Tellingly, the word "influencer" didn't exist to describe someone making a living off of their social media connections -- the word got its own entry on Dictionary.com in 2016. Ankari talks about learning the ins and outs of designing footwear and how to leverage his social following to drive sales.

[TREND WATCH] Moti Ankari on going from Instagramming shoes to selling them

Rent the Runway, but for jewelry. That was the animating idea behind Switch, the company that buys and rents out jewelry for $29 a month. "Ultimately, jewelry is a very different product from apparel, for rental," Kadisha Cohn said on the Glossy Podcast. "It's a perfect product for rental. You don't really feel like it's ever been worn before. We sanitize it, we polish it, we kind of bring that shine and make it feel like it's new -- and oftentimes, it is new," Kadisha Cohn said. Switch also authenticates the jewelry in its collection, which includes thousands of styles. ("We have Chanel, Hermès, Dior, real diamonds and gold," Kadisha Cohn said, also listing Sophie Ratner, Mateo and Do Not Disturb.) Some of Switch's items are one of a kind, and none are valued under $100. Their average value is about $700, which is basically the cost of being a Switch member for two years. "In two years, to have an endless rotation of jewelry instead of just purchasing one piece -- that, probably, after two years you'd be sick of -- is a really good value for our customers," Kadisha Cohn said. Switch buys jewelry from the public, for either cash, membership credit or credit to be spent toward purchasing an item outright. "If you fall in love with something, you may want to end up buying that," Kadisha Cohn said. Kadisha Cohn talked about what goes into jewelry authentication, what to make of wear and tear, and why her career leap into gems was unexpected.

Switch co-founder Liana Kadisha Cohn on bringing the rental model to designer jewelry

Over the next few weeks, we’re bringing you bonus episodes of the Glossy Podcast. Glossy Trend Watch: Influencer Edition features interviews with some of the most prominent fashion influencers on how they’ve used their success and social media followings to launch major brands. Our guests made the leap from interacting with existing brands online to creating some of their own. For our first episode, Glossy senior technology reporter Katie Richards sits down with Julia Engel, who leveraged her fashion and lifestyle blog Gal Meets Glam to build the Gal Meets Glam Collection, a fashion brand focused on timeless, classic pieces including dresses, coats and sweaters. On the first episode of our limited series, Engel talks about transitioning from blogger to brand founder, learning the ins and outs of the apparel industry and finding the right wholesale partners.

[TREND WATCH] Influencer Julia Engel on prioritizing her own brand

Despite sharing a name with a popular music streaming platform, Pandora -- the jewelry company -- never had a problem with name recognition. Charisse Hughes, the company's CMO for the Americas, put the company's name recognition at 90%. "People know Pandora," Hughes said on the Glossy Podcast. However, that hasn't meant that people are buying from the brand. The company lost more than a quarter of its market value in 2017, followed by another 61% in 2018. Hughes attributed the decline to a lack of innovation in the brand's aesthetic and not using consumer data to react to shoppers' wishes. But the company has made changes, bringing on a new CEO last year, striking partnerships with the likes of Millie Bobby Brown to appeal to younger consumers and overhauling its stores with engraving stations and a popular items section. "There's no silver bullet to get us back to where we need to be," Hughes said. Hughes talked about the company's iconic charm bracelet (which is turning 20 this year), Pandora's take on experiential retail and partnering with Disney.

'There's no silver bullet': Pandora's Charisse Hughes on charting a growth-driven plan

Birdies co-founder Bianca Gates started her company as a side hustle while working at Facebook, but it took a two-month sabbatical to realize she ought to dedicate herself to the shoe company full-time. "We saw the impact of me jumping in and helping out more," Gates said on the Glossy Podcast. "We started to look at different data points. There were sales, editors were talking about us, celebrities wearing us, people wanting to invest, and I thought: 'I guess this is kind of that moment where you just take that leap of faith.'" Birdies launched in 2015 and has since raised $10 million in funding, opened a brick-and-mortar store in San Francisco and expanded its original product line -- slipper-like shoes chic enough for a party host -- to include tougher-soled shoes that can be worn about town. Gates talked about that critical moment mid-sabbatical, her evolving leadership style and the reason the startup rush for unicorn status is like the housing crisis.

Birdies co-founder Bianca Gates on how the shoe company adapts to shoppers' needs

In a 35-minute conversation, James Miller brought up the concepts of speed and the need to keep up repeatedly. "If you stand still for too long, then you're just going to fall behind," he said on this week's Glossy Podcast. Miller would know about those things. He's the CEO of the Collected Group and just took on the added role of chief creative officer last week. That puts him in charge of the design as well as the business side of the clothing company's three brands: Joie, Equipment and Current/Elliott. Still, the group plays within the industry's established timelines: "We do 12 deliveries a year for each brand, and they're sold in seasons," Miller said. It was late January, and he was fresh from reviewing some of the deliveries that would go out this fall. Where the Collected Group does innovate is in its gender-fluid clothing, its emphasis on email marketing over social media and its sustainable practices that extend even to the clothes' labelling.

The Collected Group's James Miller: 'The U.S. department store model isn't going anywhere'

This week, we bring you a bonus, New York Fashion Week Edition of the Glossy Podcast, featuring Christine Currence, the president and owner of Badgley Mischka. Glossy Podcast host Jill Manoff sits down with Currence to discuss working with Rent the Runway, collaborating with a game app and making big adjustments this season, as Oscar Sunday overlapped with fashion week.

'The anti-fast fashion': Badgley Mischka president Christine Currence on not following every last trend

Sali Christeson has worked in industries from banking to big tech, but one thing has remained consistent about her day-to-day work life: "I've always been frustrated with shopping for workwear," she said on the Glossy Podcast. Christeson found the same pain point among her friends, which was further confirmed by a study she stumbled on in 2015. The study's authors measured "the impact of what someone wears on their bottom line over [their] lifetime," Christeson said, meaning that your look impacts your salary and job level. "It ends up being a 20% to 40% difference on your personal income. That was the catalyst for me. I read that, and I was like, 'OK, see ya, corporate world!'" Argent, the women's workwear company she went on to found, has offices in San Francisco and New York, and sells direct-to-consumer items ranging from blazers and pants to dresses. Since launch, the company has raised more than $4 million in Seed funding (with a Series A coming toward the end of the year, Christeson said), and has been worn by the likes of Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Arianna Huffington, Gloria Steinem, Awkwafina and Amy Poehler. Christeson talked about the benefits of boot-strapping her business, the shifting consumer expectations brought about by Amazon and the joy of pockets.

'I like to be scrappy': Argent founder Sali Christeson on easing into fundraising

Whatever the challenges of Mel Peralta's job, he has an honest customer keeping him on track. "Kids don't lie to you," Peralta said on the Glossy Podcast. "They'll let you know if they think your stuff is whack or your stuff is dope." Peralta is head of the new Foot Locker-owned brand incubator known as Greenhouse, which partners with both established labels in the sneaker game -- like Fila and K-Swiss -- and up-and-comers who might create the youth market's next cult product. Accordingly, the retailer changed its mission statement last year, saying it aimed "to inspire and empower youth culture." In Peralta's words, "Project Greenhouse is Foot Locker's incubator to find what's next." The company wants to do that by being involved with designs from square one. "Because we are a product creation hub -- and we're not just launching other people's things -- we have to be involved with every single project at the very beginning," Peralta said. The incubator's products are mostly sold via its own app, but they've also been sold at Foot Locker events, at boutiques and, one time, at a restaurant in Paris. Peralta talked about his longtime love for footwear, the passion of the sneakerhead community and the SpongeBob-branded shoe that's all the rage with kids.

Foot Locker's Mel Peralta: 'You want to be able to stop the scroll'

The Glossy Podcast is a weekly show discussing the impact of technology on the fashion and luxury industries with the people making change happen.

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