- The Pre-Read
- Posts
- The secret of infinite productivity
The secret of infinite productivity
Texting the customer, low-cost fashion offline, toys become fashion, Rick Owens provokes, Substack monetizes, and LVMH goes quiet.

This week, I looked back at the last 12 weeks — which I’ve lived tried to live by the book The 12-Week Year. The concept is simple: set clear, measurable goals and track your progress regularly.
I didn’t hit every single goal. But honestly, I can’t think of another 12-week stretch where I got this much done outside of client work: launching and writing this newsletter, creating 30+ short-form content pieces, getting back into consistent strength and endurance workouts, reading multiple books, meeting new people every week and couple other things.
I read The 12-Week Year at the start of the year — and looking back, it might’ve shaped my year more than anything else. We overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can do in a year. The simple structure helped me distinguish motion from progress. If you’ve been feeling scattered or stuck, give this book a shot.
Caught my eye
In a tiny corner of the internet, I found the account of Concha García Zaera — a 90-something grandmother from Valencia, Spain, known for creating stunning digital paintings using Microsoft Paint

Trends — what’s bubbling underneath the headlines
Text me, don’t email.
Listrak, a marketing platform used by many retail and DTC brands, says SMS is booming. Brands are sending more personalized text campaigns — back-in-stock alerts, exclusive offers, and cart nudges — and it’s working: SMS revenue rose 30% in the first half of the year. Meanwhile, email is declining. Click-through and revenue from email dropped 29%, partly due to inbox fatigue and Apple Mail privacy changes. Looks like, if you’re still optimizing email, you might be solving yesterday’s problem.
Inditex reboots Lefties
Inditex is bringing its budget brand Lefties to France. I’ll admit — I had never heard of this brand before this week, but it’s surprisingly popular in countries like Spain, Mexico, and Turkey. Originally a Zara outlet, Lefties is now a full-fledged ultra-low-cost brand — and unlike Shein or Temu, it’s brick-and-mortar. It’s an interesting dynamic: Shein may dominate online, but the battle for the price-conscious shopper is now moving offline too.
Elie Saab sets sail
Elie Saab is the latest luxury brand to enter the superyacht game (remember Giorgio Armani’s yacht a couple of months ago?) — launching a 120-foot vessel in collaboration with Italian shipbuilder Maiora. Fashion brands are pushing into ultra-high-net-worth experiences — not just clothes, but homes, hotels, and now yachts. Because when your best client already owns the dress, the bag, the fragrance… what’s left to sell?Fashion’s toy moment
After the success of Labubu, now a fashion brand GCDS is entering fashion-meets-toy — this time with a Polly Pocket collab. It includes a tiny toy playset, a pastel capsule collection, and even Polly-themed snacks. Sounds silly? Maybe. But fashion x toy crossovers are clearly having a moment. They tap into something emotional, collectible, and culturally sticky. I think this is a new way for brands to stand out.
Rick Owens puts his best foot forward — on OnlyFans
The designer launched a foot-focused account on the creator platform. He calls it “a little bit of wicked fun” and a response to moralism — but it’s also raising money for the foundation, supporting trans youth in Paris. I often say that brands and creators should meet their audience where they are. But this? Might be a step too far. Or maybe it’s just Rick being Rick — turning everything into fashion performance.
Business moves, big numbers & “wait, what?”
Valentino stays put — for now. Mayhoola denied reports it’s looking to sell Valentino to Kering. But Reuters makes a compelling case: it might actually be the smartest move Kering could make. Kering already owns 30% of the brand, but contract terms could force them to buy the rest by 2026 — just as debt is piling up and luxury demand slows. A sale now would mean a writedown. But it could also give Kering room to focus on the bigger task: reviving Gucci. Investors seem to agree — shares rose 3.5% on the rumor alone.
Substack raised $100M — but it's not just about newsletters anymore. The platform, once proudly ad-free, is now betting big on becoming a full-blown creator network and ads are officially on the roadmap. The $1.1B valuation (up 70% from 2021) reflects that shift. Substack could reshape the content economy again: blending community, commerce, and storytelling — a space to watch for brands, creators, and anyone tired of the algorithm randomness of traditional social media.
LVMH backs quiet luxury brand Molli. LVMH Luxury Ventures took a minority stake in Molli — a Paris-based knitwear brand founded in 1886 and revived in 201. You won’t see it all over social, but that’s kind of the point. LVMH’s venture arm, known for early bets on Aimé Leon Dore and Our Legacy, typically backs indie brands with global potential and soul. For Molli, the cash means expanding retail and e-commerce. For LVMH, maybe quite luxury is not yet dead.
Results in 30 sec (or less)
Company | Results | Notes |
---|---|---|
Revenue Q1 FY26: €5.41 B (▲6%YoY) | Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels delivered double-digit growth and offset the global slowdown in watches. | |
Revenue 1HY FY25: CHF 3.06 B (▼7.1% YoY) Operating profit: CHF 68 M (▼67%, margin 2.2% vs 5.9%) | No layoffs or factory shutdowns. Instead, Swatch is investing in staff, product development, and new AI-powered watches, readying for a rebound. | |
Retail Revenue Q1 FY26: £433 M (▼2% at constant rates) | A 1% dip isn’t a win — but it’s a significant shift from earlier decline. Burberry is stabilizing: fewer sales losses, more brand clarity, and early investor confidence |
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!
24.07.25 | Saint-Tropez - Summer Gala by Gala One
22.07-25.07.25 | London - Are We on Air pop-up DJs and aperitivo at Selfridges
25.07.-17.08.25 | Gstaad - Sant Ambroeus Summer pop-up at Alpina Gstaad
Ongoing | London - The Owners Club Cafe at Represent’s store
Thanks for reading! Have a great week.
Next steps
Please feel free to get in touch. I’d love to hear from you!
Forward this e-mail to a colleague or a friend
Read other content here
Reply