The Glossy 50 honors the year’s biggest changemakers across fashion and beauty. More from the series →
Under Hali Borenstein’s leadership, Reformation has evolved from a cult sustainability pioneer into a global fashion brand. This year, the brand further expanded its reach and deepened its cultural impact.
“For the last several years, we’ve been on a path of growth and learning,” said Borenstein. “This year has been about staying agile and creative in how we meet our goals.” The brand generated approximately $350 million in revenue in 2023, the last year it disclosed its financials.
Reformation will close the year with 15 new store openings across 12 international markets, bringing its total fleet to around 65 locations. A newly opened flagship in Paris, designed with locally sourced furniture and a warmer, elevated aesthetic, marks a new era of retail for the brand. “Each store now feels connected to its city,” Borenstein said. “Paris has its own look, which is chic, local and reflective of its culture.”
At the same time, Reformation has continued expanding beyond its ready-to-wear roots. The brand introduced fine jewelry, priced $148–$448, in spring 2025. Made entirely from recycled 24-karat gold, sterling silver and brass bases, it was developed according to Reformation’s sustainability standards. “Our customer was clearly asking for jewelry,” said Borenstein. “We saw a white space for beautiful pieces that are responsibly made, so we built it with the same rigor we bring to apparel.”
The design direction for the jewelry line drew from the brand’s own style archives, plus incorporated vintage-inspired and 1980s art-deco details, and creative input from designer Clare Waight Keller. Early performance has been strong: The launch quickly sold through initial stock, attracting both new and returning customers. “It’s exciting to see people treating our jewelry as an extension of the full Reformation look,” Borenstein said.
One of Reformation’s most visible cultural plays this year was its product collaboration with Nara Smith (12.1 million TikTok followers), released in June 2025. The 20-piece collection included dresses, skirts, tops, shoes, a pajama set and a handbag. The brand has made a habit of engaging in a limited number of high-impact collaborations each year.
“There was an organic admiration for Nara within the team,” said Borenstein. “Her appeal is broad and unexpected, and she introduces us to new audiences while staying true to who we are.”
The parody-style video for the collection’s campaign shows Smith running from a “following” social media presence, where she divulges she’s not “that into cooking.” It became Reformation’s second-most-viewed piece of content to date (2.6 million Instagram views), only trailing February’s “Perfect Boyfriend” campaign film starring Pete Davidson. And it reinforced the brand’s ability to blend humor, femininity and relevance. “It was fun and surprising, and showed Reformation in a fresh light,” she said.
The brand has become known for communicating using a voice described by Borenstein as “smart, funny, confident and a little snarky.” That tone extends across everything from social media posts to email newsletters.
“One of our values is literally, ‘Be a friend,’” she said. “We want the customer to feel like she knows us.”
For marketing, Reformation relies heavily on influencer partnerships. “Some brands have gone all in on transactional influencer programs,” Borenstein said. “That’s not us. For Reformation, authenticity matters more than scale.” In practice, this means gifting pieces and collaborating with creators who are genuine fans of the brand, rather than buying into large paid-influencer networks. Borenstein said this is the strategy the brand will continue to focus on in 2026.
Operationally, 2025 has tested Reformation’s agility. But Reformation’s diversified supply chain, built during the pandemic, has provided flexibility amid tariffs. “We can turn geographies on and off faster than most brands, while still upholding sustainability standards,” Borenstein said.
Sustainability remains central. The company’s long-term targets include becoming circular by 2030 and ultimately climate-positive, supported by innovation in fibers and recycling. In the past year, Reformation has accelerated its adoption of Naya, a lower-impact, recycled acetate alternative to silk — one of the brand’s highest-emission materials. “We’ll never ask customers to trade off between looking good and doing good,” Borenstein said. “That balance is everything.”
More than half of Reformation’s customers are repeat buyers, and a recent overhaul of its data systems has enabled personalized, one-to-one communication across digital and retail channels. “We call our customer service team ‘customer love,’ because that’s exactly what it is,” Borenstein said. “That sense of care and connection drives retention.”
Looking to 2026, Borenstein sees awareness as Reformation’s greatest opportunity. “Our brand recognition is still surprisingly low for our size,” she said. “Moms and daughters shop us; Gen Z and Boomers shop us. The next chapter is about telling our story louder.”
