I’m writing this somewhere in Toscana, between Siena and Montepulciano. And yes—Eurosummer, as seen on TikTok, is very real. This might be one of the rare times and places where American tourists clearly outnumber Germans, and needless to say, I was here meeting American friends too. There’s something humbling about being surrounded by so much beauty and age, where some of the buildings and objects are hundreds and thousands years old. There’s a quiet grandeur here that makes you think differently about time, value, and legacy. And perhaps it’s no coincidence that Tuscany is home to so many heritage fashion houses: Gucci, Pucci, Ferragamo, Roberto Cavalli—all born from this landscape that prizes longevity, craftsmanship, and legacy.

Caught my eye

Trends — what’s bubbling underneath the headlines

• The guest becomes the designer

  After staying at 33 Aman resorts, Kim Jones is now designing for them. With a 35-piece capsule for Aman Essentials, Kim Jones blurs the line between what we wear and how we live. Fashion now shapes how we travel, sleep, and recharge and is becoming a new kind of lifestyle uniform.

• From fast fashion to fast(er) life

  Zara just launched “Travel Mode”, a feature that lets customers ship orders directly to their destination—and even sends physical postcards from their vacation. It’s a small update with big implications. I've been thinking about how brands can make better use of the data and apps they already own—beyond just sales. It’s one of the earliest signs of a fashion brand becoming a seamless lifestyle OS.

• Travel is the product

  Hilton is launching its own luxury cruise—Waldorf Astoria Nile River Experience—just as Europe’s heritage train revival gains steam.
  From the Venice Simplon to the Belmond Royal Scotsman, the journey is becoming the destination.

• In the Battle Between Chanel and the Birkin… The Row Wins
  As Chanel chases Hermès with 80%+ price hikes, it's The Row’s Margaux bag that quietly claims the crown. It recently joined the elite ranks of products that cost more secondhand than new—alongside the Birkin and Patek Philippe watches. The lesson for other luxury brands is that cult products need to be scarce rather than stunningly expensive.

• The OG Birkin is just a basket

  Sotheby’s is auctioning the original Hermès Birkin. In less than two weeks, we’ll know who owns it (and for how many zeros). Wall Street Journal reminds us: the first Birkin wasn’t a bag. It was a picnic basket.

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

• Roberto Cavalli: from runway to server room? When the brand was acquired by Hussain Sajwani in 2019, the mission was to “carry forward its incredible legacy.” Now, Sajwani’s team explicitly says they’re exploring strategic partnerships—a clear signal they’re open to selling or bringing in investors. In the collision of heritage and returns, legacy loses out to liquidity.

• New money, same Staud. Staud just raised money from ultra-high-net-worth family offices. The goal? Expand retail, grow wholesale, and level up e‑commerce. But beneath the funding headline is something more interesting: fashion is increasingly becoming an asset class—and boutique brands like Staud are learning to scale without losing soul. The trick now is staying relatable while becoming global.

• Daydream, the AI shopping startup I’ve been quietly following for over a year, finally launched last week. It’s a conversational shopping assistant that lets users describe exactly what they’re looking for—“a dress for a Tuscan wedding”—and receive curated picks from over 8,000 brands. No ads, no filters—just clean, intuitive discovery.

  Personally, I think the 20% commission feels a lot for brands, especially given more cost-efficient channels. But it may be the price of building critical shopper mass. Still, it’s an exciting shift—and a bold bet on what the future of fashion discovery might look like.

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!

• 30.06.-03.07.25 | Berlin - Berlin Fashion Week

• 03.07.-09.07.25 | Paris - Sotheby’s Birkin display

• Ongoing until 09.07.25 | Paris - Balenciaga by Demna retrospective

• Ongoing until January 2026 | Paris - Rick Owens Temple of Love exhibition

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