I came across the latest J.Crew catalogue — a clear reference to 1980s New York. It made me think about why nostalgia works so well in branding. It’s not just a look; it’s one of the smartest marketing tools. Brands like Sporty & Rich or Aime Leon Dore build the brand identity around sense of familiarity blending old aesthetics with modern relevance and creating products that feel both comforting and current. And somehow it’s not perceived as lack of innovation or creativity, but as timelessness in a market obsessed with the new.

Caught my eye

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Trends — what’s bubbling underneath the headlines

• Luxury’s Secondhand Problem

  Resale platforms like The RealReal are growing faster than the primary luxury market, which has now been flat for six quarters. WSJ writes: what once complemented luxury sales — shoppers reselling to buy new — is turning into direct competition, as younger consumers increasingly reinvest resale earnings into other pre-owned pieces. Now a $56 billion industry, resale is influencing how luxury is priced and perceived. We routinely check secondhand value before purchasing new, favoring brands that are likely to retain their worth. The resale economy isn’t going away — and for luxury brands, resistance is wasted energy. If you can’t fight it, own it

• The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is expanding south

  Belmond train will launch a new route from Paris to the Amalfi Coast starting May 4, 2026, marking its first journey into southern Italy. The three-night trip will pass through Florence and Rome before ending near Sorrento, where passengers transfer to coastal villas and Belmond’s seaside properties. As experiential luxury continues to outperform material spending, Belmond’s bet is not on getting somewhere faster, but arriving in style.

• Doing things as a strategy

  Outdoor Voices launched its equestrian collection. I recently attended a digital marketing conference where Outdoor Voices founder Ty Haney shared her approach to creating maximum buzz with minimum spend — and I was genuinely impressed by how deeply she understands her consumer. What makes Outdoor Voices strategy brilliant is its simplicity. The brand claimed a space that feels so obvious in hindsight, yet no one truly owned it before — recreation as lifestyle. Instead of betting on specific sports, Outdoor Voices centres its products and marketing around movement in its most casual forms: walking the dog, weekend hikes, horse riding, etc.

  In a category obsessed with performance, Outdoor Voices is a great example that the next real competitive edge isn’t fabric technology — it’s community, and good feeling

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

• Fashionphile Acquires Luxe CollectiveI’ve followed Luxe Collective on Instagram and TikTok for the past few years and have always admired the founders — two brothers whose mix of fashion insight, business transparency, and genuine passion built one of the most engaging resale communities online. When their warehouse was robbed earlier this year and they announced the business would close, it felt personal — as it often does when a brand grows in public and its followers grow emotionally invested.

  Now American reseller Fashionphile has acquired the startup as its first expansion into the U.K. and European resale market. The acquisition combines Fashionphile’s authentication and data-driven pricing infrastructure with Luxe Collective’s Gen Z-led, social-first audience — a smart blend of credibility and community.

• Kering’s $4 Billion Beauty Exit. Kering is reportedly nearing a $4 billion sale of its beauty unit to L’Oréal. Created in 2023, Kering Beauté oversees brands like Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen, and made its debut with the €3.5 billion acquisition of Creed, one of perfumery’s most profitable houses.

  But with Gucci struggling and group debt climbing to €9.5 billion, Kering is prioritizing its fashion turnaround over diversification. This is one of those difficult strategic decisions — shaped as much by financial necessity as by internal politics. I can imagine that retreating from bold moves like the beauty push isn’t easy. Under the new CEO, Kering seems ready to reset priorities, and more portfolio streamlining may follow.

• The cost of control. The European Commission has fined Gucci, Loewe, and Chloé a combined €157 million for violating EU competition law through resale price maintenance — restricting retailers from offering discounts on their products. The fines, issued after all three brands cooperated with investigators, mark one of the largest antitrust actions yet in the luxury sector. Regulators argued that the companies sought to “preserve brand prestige” by keeping prices artificially high across European markets. The ruling highlights a turning point in how Europe views luxury’s business model. Controlling image and pricing has long defined the sector’s power — now it’s becoming its legal weak spot.

• Chalhoub Backs Willy Chavarria in Global Growth Move. Designer Willy Chavarria has secured a minority investment from the Chalhoub Group. The group — which already partners with LVMH, Richemont, and Puig in the Middle East and recently invested in Anine Bing and Jennifer Fisher — is now expanding its portfolio through direct equity stakes in emerging labels. The move follows both the designer’s growing industry recognition — and recent controversy over his Adidas “Oaxaca Slip-On”, criticized for cultural appropriation.

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!

• 24.10.-26.10.25 | Paris - Art Basel Paris

• 25.10.25 | Monte-Carlo - Grand Prix de la Haute Joaillerie

• Starting 22.10.25 | Paris - Orient Express x Musée Des Arts Décoratifs exhibition

• Starting 25.10.25 | Paris - La Fondation Cartier exhibition

• Ongoing | Paris - Vanessa Paradis: Paradissime exhibition

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