September isn’t just fashion month — it’s also Oktoberfest. And this year, Munich feels different: the city is buzzing with brand activations tied to the festival. I don’t remember seeing this level of activity before. At its core, Oktoberfest is still a local tradition, but the brand presence shows how seriously companies are taking cultural codes lately. In a fashion market crowded with noise and lacking growth, attention is everything. Whether on a runway or in a beer tent, the brands that win are the ones that embed themselves into the rituals and identities that matter most to their audience.

Caught my eye

David Lynch’s Midcentury Hollywood Hills house on sale for $15 Million

Trends — what’s bubbling underneath the headlines

• Taste that sells
  Condé Nast has launched Vette, a platform that lets readers shop products directly recommended by its editors, writers, and affiliated influencers. Many publishers have extended their tastemaking power into fashion brands or collaborations — think Highsnobiety or 032c — but from my understanding, Vette works differently. It doesn’t break the editorial medium; instead, it embeds commerce directly into it. Condé Nast calls it affiliate marketing 2.0: not just linking out, but owning the checkout. Media influence is not just about the conversation anymore — it’s about the conversion.

• Would you trust an algorithm over Anna Wintour?

  While Condé Nast’s Vette builds on the idea that people buy from people, Phia is betting on algorithmic discovery. The startup, founded by Phoebe Gates (yes, Bill Gates’ daughter), raised $8 million to scale its AI shopping agent. The pitch: a hyper-personalized assistant, search across retailers, and deliver curated picks. If successful, Phia could pull shopping discovery away from retailers and into third-party AI layers — though big players like OpenAI could easily fold this use case into their own platforms, leaving Phia redundant.

• The Labubu hangover
  Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company behind blind-box collectibles, has lost nearly $13 billion in value as the frenzy around its cult character Labubu cools off. Without Labubu, investors are questioning its ability to diversify and sustain growth. Pop Mart’s decline is a cautionary tale for hype-driven brands: viral hits can rocket valuations up — and pull them down just as fast.

• Meta’s Next Vision
  Meta and Ray-Ban upgraded their smart glasses — this time with an internal display. Unlike earlier models, which focused mainly on voice assistance and cameras, the new version integrates a screen visible only to the wearer. That shift takes the product from a lifestyle gadget into true augmented-reality territory, with potential uses in navigation, notifications, and even hands-free commerce.

Business moves, big numbers & “wait, what?”

• Shein’s Xcelerator pushback. Shein has launched Xcelerator, opening its supply chain and global marketplace to outside brands. But 22 European fashion organizations immediately hit back, warning of unfair competition, weak oversight, and risks to local supply chains. For small brands, it’s a tempting fast track to global reach. For the industry, it’s the debate over whether ultra-fast fashion can innovate without undermining ethics and regulation.

• Hermès Beats Birkin Lawsuit. A U.S. judge dismissed a class-action accusing Hermès of forcing customers to buy other products to access its coveted Birkin bags. Judge James Donato ruled this exclusivity isn’t an antitrust violation, closing the case with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled. Interestingly, the ruling confirms that scarcity and selective access remain legally protected tools in the luxury playbook.

• Ferragamo chooses independence. The Ferragamo family has made its position clear: it isn’t entertaining any “extraordinary” deals — code for mergers, acquisitions, or major outside investment. At a moment when European luxury is consolidating under giant groups, Ferragamo stands apart as a heritage house resisting scale. Instead of selling out, the family seems determined to carry out its own turnaround

• Gosha 2.0. Gosha Rubchinskiy — the Russian designer who defined post-Soviet streetwear in the 2010s and later worked under Comme des Garçons — is relaunching his namesake label after years away from the spotlight. Once a cult favorite for mixing skate, rave, and youth culture, Gosha had shifted into side projects and collaborations after his brand closed in 2018 amid controversy. His comeback taps into fashion’s nostalgia for early-2010s streetwear and the current appetite for archival revivals.

Wish I were there - pop-ups,  collabs, etc.

Pencil in, book the ticket, or just follow on social media — choose your option and let’s discuss afterwards!

• Starting 26.09.25 | Paris - Louis Vuitton Art Deco Exhibition

• Until 21.09.25 | London - Pop-up Le Lacoste Serve Cafe

• 27.09.-28.09.25 | London - Twin Peaks’ Double R Diner

• Ongoing | Paris - Lancaster Le Café

Next steps

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