I keep coming back to this question. AI can create more than anyone now. It knows more than anyone. So what's actually scarce? The ability to filter. To choose. To know what matters. That's taste. Everyone thinks they have it. But scroll through your feed — same products, same references, same coffee table books. Where does imitation end and taste begin? There's a reason Big Tech is hiring tastemakers. Algorithms optimize for engagement. Curators optimize for meaning. The good news: I've heard taste can be trained. So I started. It's not just scrolling. It's asking why something works. What references it pulls from. After a couple of months, some pattern recognition is emerging. Turns out, as with many things, practice is the shortcut.

Caught my eye

The iconic Prada 1998 campaign

Trends — what’s bubbling underneath the headlines

• The shopping haul has gone luxury

  I've noticed more Chanel unboxings on my feed lately. Turns out I'm not alone. The FT reported shoppers lining up for hours for Matthieu Blazy's first collection.

  From 2023 to 2025, haul and unboxing content grew 22% on social media.

  The irony: all this conspicuous consumption is happening while luxury is in a slump. In some ways, the haul is the purchase motivation and the video matters more than the product.

  Virality drives sales, but when the content matters more than the thing itself, what exactly are the brands selling?

• Experiences over things

  Harvey Nichols dedicated its entire floor to wellness — Pilates studio overlooking the London skyline, cryotherapy chamber, IV infusions, laser treatments, etc. You can train, recover, treat, and refuel without leaving the building. Department stores used to sell products. Now they're selling time — how you spend it, how you feel after. The bag you can buy online. The reformer class with a view of London, you can't.

• AI is the answer

  This week, two more fashion companies announced AI initiatives. OTB Group — (Diesel, Jil Sander, etc.) — partnered with Google Cloud on virtual try-on. Zalando, reporting Q1 revenues up but profits down, said it's leaning harder into AI for personalization and search.

  At this point, AI seems to be the solution to every problem in retail. Whether it actually is — we'll see.

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

• LVMH is going from buyer to seller. For decades, Bernard Arnault built the world's largest luxury empire through relentless acquisition. That playbook is changing.

  LVMH is now exploring sales of Marc Jacobs, its 50% stake in Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, Make Up For Ever, Fresh, Joseph Phelps Vineyards, and Eminente rum. If these deals go through, it would be one of the biggest portfolio shake-ups in the company's nearly 40-year history.

  Marc Jacobs was reportedly in talks with Authentic Brands Group for around $1 billion — the deal fell through. Fenty Beauty is valued between €1.5 billion and €2.5 billion. Together, these could raise several billion to reinvest in Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany. This isn't panic. It's focus.

• Coach is becoming the anti-luxury luxury brand. I watched Devil Wears Prada 2 this weekend. Emily — the ultimate fashion snob — ends up leaving her Dior job and landing at Coach. And this is very on point. Tapestry reported earnings. Coach revenue up 29%. Two million new customers in the quarter. Gen Z accounts for 35% of new acquisitions. Management is talking about Coach as a $10 billion brand.

  While the high end struggles with price fatigue, Coach is winning the customer who wants quality without the €5,000 price tag.

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!

• Ongoing | London - Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life In Style exhibition

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