This week’s quarterly earnings reports of American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. and Lululemon showed that physical retail is still worth it for companies that can afford to test models and markets, and offer up ample square footage for wary shoppers. It suggests the so-called retail apocalypse is not about the physical...

On quarterly earnings calls over the last two weeks, executives from Macy’s, Nordstrom and Guess Inc. assured stockholders that they’re in a “clean inventory position.” They cited fewer promotions, better margins and inventory that’s more aligned with consumer demand, compared to prior quarters. The claims did their part to address fashion’s...

But for fashion and beauty brands that have been monitoring these updates since Instagram launched its first shopping tool in 2016, the big pain point out of the gate still remains: the lack of access to customer data. But they’re already over it. 

On Tuesday, Facebook announced updates to its slow rollout of shopping features across Facebook and Instagram, which address some pain points for brands and provide access to more companies hoping to drive sales through the social channels.

Fashion brands are increasingly taking to resale platforms, both to compensate for the current lack of physical sales channels and to minimize losses on excess inventory. In doing so, they’re also getting in on the sustainability conversation at a time when brands’ processes are under a microscope. 

As consumers get used to the comforts of staying at home, including their WFH wardrobes, brands are adjusting their focus to make sweatpants and hoodies a significant portion of their business. 

With slowed sales and canceled orders from wholesale partners, many companies have found themselves both scrambling to get by and staring at heaps of wasted investments in the form of unsold inventory. It’s inspired many to rethink their production processes to eliminate the monetary risk.

Despite all the talk of Gen Z prioritizing values and breathing new life into corporate social responsibility, when it comes to fashion, many are gravitating to cute, cheap things that will resonate on social media. And this year’s TikTok boom is adding fuel to that fire.

Fashion brands are shifting away from department stores’ remaining value propositions, one of which is convenience via an abundance of products. For shoppers not willing to wait for even next-day delivery, there’s the option to run into a department store and find a choice style on a rack stocked with...