If there’s one thing that separates successful people from everyone else, it’s the time between idea and execution.

Last week, in my consulting alter ego, I was working with some high-profile and very accomplished people on a short project that sat somewhere between strategic investing and shareholder activism. The idea they brought to the table was… unexpected. At first glance, it felt almost too obvious. But I ran a quick back-of-the-envelope analysis, and by the end of the week it was clear: there’s real money to be made here. The only remaining question was, why hasn’t anyone done this already? And then they switched into execution mode super-quickly: within a week, they went from a rough idea to a pitch deck and a lineup of potential investors ready to finance the deal.

How many times have you had an idea — only to see someone else act on it first? Ideas are everywhere. The difference is who moves first. So if you’ve been sitting on one, consider this your permission to take the first step.

Caught my eye

Tadao Ando designed real Apple watch

This week’s deep-dive

Trends — what’s bubbling underneath the headlines

• Retail becoming ritual
  Alexander McQueen just launched a series of listening sessions in its London store, inviting guests to explore music, culture, and the brand’s world beyond clothes. It's a continuation of something we’ve been tracking for a while: fashion brands tapping into other senses — especially sound — to create deeper IRL intimacy.

• The role of retail is changing

  No one’s quite sure what it’s becoming. Traditional fashion retailers like Victoria’s Secret and Forever 21 continue to shrink their store footprints.

  Meanwhile, just last week, two brands often cited as case studies in DTC success — Casablanca and Anti Social Social Club — announced new store openings. Retail, if done right, isn’t the end of the funnel — it’s the beginning of the experience.

• Investment dressing, literally

  A recent report by live-shopping resale platform Whatnot reveals just how much luxury fashion has established itself as an investment category — even more than traditional financial instruments for some people.

  41% of respondents said they prioritize luxury handbags over their 401(k),
  while 49% said they’d rather invest in handbags than in the stock market. The lines are blurring. Investors are starting to think like consumers — and consumers are acting like investors.

• Counterfeits as soft power

  Entrupy's annual State of the Fake report reveals one unexpected outcome of current global conflicts is the role of counterfeit goods as an actual geopolitical tool. We tend to think of fakes as a nuisance or a fashion brand’s headache, but they’ve become a revenue stream for actors looking to circumvent sanctions, destabilize economies, or fund some shady operations.

  Even as AI tools make it easier to produce highly realistic fakes, technologies like blockchain and advanced image-recognition systems are simultaneously are also improving authentication. It's an arms race between fake and real, with fashion caught in the middle.

• The PR Firm that bought dinner

  The Independents—the luxury communications group behind Karla Otto—has just expanded into culinary storytelling with its acquisition of We Are Ona, the Paris-based studio known for immersive dining experiences with brands like Jacquemus, Chanel, Saint Laurent, and Alaïa. The move adds taste to The Independents’ live-experience toolkit, positioning them not just as a fashion PR group but as a full-stack creative agency spanning visuals, events, and now, food.

  It’s not hard to imagine what’s next: sound design, scent labs, niche architects. As luxury brands become more immersive, the real competition is expanding from between brands—to between the ecosystems building them.

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

• Circularity as a luxury strategy. Chanel has launched Nevold, an independent B2B platform focused on circularity. Its goal: to industrialize the production of high-quality recycled materials — tweeds, upcycled leather, and hybrid fiber yarns — without compromising the brand’s luxury standards.

  Nevold reflects Chanel’s continued investment in the invisible infrastructure of high fashion: materials, craft, and technical process. By embedding circularity at the fiber level — not the marketing level — Chanel positions it as a strategic asset. In this case, it looks like circularity isn’t an ESG move — it’s a luxury one.

• Corporate drama at Victoria’s Secret. The return of '80s and '90s aesthetics puts Victoria’s Secret in a strong position to ride the nostalgia wave — but instead, they’re busy fighting… themselves. An increasingly hostile standoff has emerged between the company’s activist investor (who owns ~13% of shares) and its management team. The investor has publicly criticized leadership for underperformance. Management’s response? A poison pill — a shareholder rights plan designed to block the investor from gaining control. A classic corporate defense move. Very 1980s, actually.

• Peter Kern, Lace Tycoon? Peter Kern, the former CEO of Expedia, is reportedly acquiring La Perla out of insolvency. Not the most obvious move for someone who built a career in online travel. This looks less like a passion play and more like an asset-driven bet: IP, brand equity, and a name that still holds weight, especially in a post–Victoria’s Secret rebrand landscape.

  I think it’s a smart strategic move into a luxury sub-category that’s undervalued, under-innovated, and wide open.

Results in 30 sec (or less)

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!

• 16.06.-17.06.25 | Naples - Max Mara Cruise collection

• 17.06.-21.06.25 | London - Royal Ascot

• 19.06.-22.06.25 | Basel - Art Basel

• Ongoing | Bodrum - Dioriviera pop-up

• Ongoing | Marbella - Dolce & Gabbana beach club at La Cabane

Next steps

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