FASHION
Lauren Sherman
•
February 23, 2026
Calvin Klein’s ‘Love Story’ Opportunity & LVMH’s Spirit Struggles
News and notes on LVMH’s shrinking spirits business; the much-anticipated Burberry collection in London, designer Simone Rocha’s runway show at Alexandra Palace, and what ‘Love Story’ gets right about C.B.K. and ’90s-era Calvin Klein.
Lauren Sherman
•
February 23, 2026
The Red Carpet Wars, 2026 Edition
The big three players in luxury fashion dominate the celebrity ambassador market—and gain more power with every awards season. That means the rest are left to play moneyball with their rosters.
Sarah Shapiro
•
February 20, 2026
SCOTUS’s Tariff Ruling Aftershocks & Aritzia’s Fred Segal Era
News and notes on how the blockbuster Supreme Court tariff ruling will ripple through the retail industry, and Aritzia’s acquisition of Fred Segal’s intellectual property.
Sarah Shapiro
•
February 20, 2026
The Week in Shopping: Instagram’s “Shop the Look” Wars
Influencers are outraged that Instagram is adding shoppable links to their posts without their involvement or consent, while other users may want to ask why Meta is quietly stress-testing the limits of the platform’s terms of service.
Les Wexner’s Last Stand & Epstein’s Modelworld Connections
News and notes on Les Wexner’s testimony regarding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Plus, Epstein’s entanglements with the modeling industry and Bode’s new outpost in Tokyo.
J.Crew Cuts
Menswear designer Brendon Babenzien’s exit at J.Crew is a signal that a recent stretch of buzz-building at everyone’s favorite mall brand is giving way to the realities of retail at scale.
Lauren Sherman
•
February 18, 2026
Ferragamo’s Designer Mystery & Balenciaga’s Celebrity Partners
News and notes on Ferragamo’s designer mishegas, Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’ conversation with The Cut, and Balenciaga’s new roster of 11 celebrity partners.
Rachel Strugatz
•
February 18, 2026
With Bader’d Breath…
The beauty industry has been circling an acquisition of Augustinus Bader for years. Has the high-end-skincare brand waited too long for its big exit?
Lauren Sherman
•
February 17, 2026
A J.Crew Designer Exit & GQ’s Global Reset
News and notes on J.Crew menswear designer Brendon Babenzien’s sudden exit from the company, GQ officially announcing Adam Baidawi as its global editorial director, and the emergence of a new GLP substance.
Sarah Shapiro
•
February 17, 2026
The Luxury-Handbag Hunger Games
Half a million people tuned in to watch MrBeast give away a $39,000 Birkin bag on Whatnot, where live auctions of luxury brands like Chanel and Cartier are becoming a spectator sport. Could this be the future of resale?
Lauren Sherman
•
February 16, 2026
Wexner’s Epstein Reckoning & Susan Plagemann’s Next Act
News and notes on Les Wexner’s upcoming congressional deposition about Jeffrey Epstein, former Condé publisher Susan Plagemann’s new gig at modeling agency Elite World, and the proliferation of walk-up fashion showrooms in New York.
Lauren Sherman
•
February 16, 2026
The NYFW Fantasy Designer Draft
A dispatch on the most burning hypotheses, best and worst brand and designer performances, and many existential questions from the New York shows last week.
Sarah Shapiro
•
February 13, 2026
The Bad Bunny Boomlet & A Saks Global Shocker
News and notes on the demand for Bad Bunny’s Adidas collabs since the Super Bowl, and Saks Global’s surprising post-bankruptcy foot-traffic bounce.
Sarah Shapiro
•
February 13, 2026
The Week in Shopping: The Fur Is Flying
January’s ShopMy data points to a low-key luxury formula—fur coats, straight-leg jeans, and relaxed trousers—with Nour Hammour and Atorie leading the outerwear surge and easy pants from La Ligne reinforcing 2026’s subdued mood.
GQ Succession Intel & J.Crew Scales Back
News and notes on Adam Baidawi’s expected ascent at GQ following Will Welch’s departure, how Dario Vitale’s lone Versace collection looks in person, and a wave of layoffs at J.Crew and Madewell.
Luca, I Am Your Father
With a quarter under his belt, Luca de Meo’s vision for a Kering turnaround is beginning to sharpen: insulate against the fashion cycle, let Demna cook, and lean on nontraditional executive talent, among other things. But that’s all going to take time—and patience.
Lauren Sherman & Rachel Strugatz
•
February 11, 2026
Chloe Malle’s Long Wintour & Goop’s Shrinkage
News and notes on Chloe Malle’s debut Vogue issue and the challenge of succeeding Anna Wintour, plus Goop’s quiet retrenchment in Santa Monica.