Resale company The RealReal has been in a rough spot. Last July, it announced an accelerate plan to reach profitability — which it has yet to achieve in its 12 years of existence, including in the four years since going public. Last week, in a cost-cutting effort, the company announced...

Last week, The RealReal announced major layoffs and store closures in order to shore up profitability. Plus, Kering announced a new head of brand safety role, and Etsy was accused of being a haven for counterfeiters.

The DTC revolution created some giant brands, from Allbirds to Glossier to Parade. But after the e-commerce boom of 2021 died down by the end of 2022, many of those same DTC mainstays found themselves turning to wholesale to maintain growth.

It took over a year after the untimely death of Virgil Abloh for Louis Vuitton to announce who would be taking over in his role as men’s creative director. But the reactions to the announcement that famed musician Pharrell Williams was the pick were instantaneous.

On this week’s episode, we discuss New York Fashion Week, including the possibility of spectacle overshadowing the clothes, and the impactful moments and looks from the week. Also in the show: a discussion of Pharrell Williams taking over as men’s creative director at Louis Vuitton.

But in an industry increasingly focused on spectacle and a media landscape that forces brands to compete for attention with the endless scrolls of TikTok feeds, can clothes speak for themselves?

At both Another Tomorrow and Tanner Fletcher, the emphasis was on clothes that could be personally styled by the people who wear them.

Phoebe Philo’s return date was announced, as Philo stans rejoiced. Elsewhere last week, Balenciaga and Adidas revealed negative impacts of their 2022 controversies, and NYFW officially kicked off.

Like September’s NYFW, it feels like a pre-pandemic fashion week. But not all the throwbacks to old times are good.