A Classic Reborn

L.L. Bean has found a new audience in Gen-Z. The company reported that its net revenue in 2022 reached the second strongest result in its more than century-long history. The “Ironic Boat and Tote” trend is partly behind the spike, in which younger customers put L.L. Bean’s personalized embroidery services to work to sew ironic words and phrases onto their totes. There’s even an Instagram account dedicated to the ironic tote movement, @Ironicboatandtote.

Dupe Swap

Stainless Steel Sustainability

Reusable water bottle brand Hydro Flask has launched the first of its kind trade-in program in efforts to reduce its company footprint. Customers can trade in used or damaged insulated water bottles, tumblers, and stainless steel products in exchange for redeemable store credit. Each product earns customers a $5 promo code. We’re sensing a theme here.

CIN CIN!

Athleisure brand Lululemon hosted a twoday “Dupe Swap” pop-up in L.A., giving away a free pair of $98 Align leggings to around a thousand attendees in exchange for a pair of knockoffs. “Dupes,” affordable copies of a product, have drawn a lot of attention on social media as users share popular dupes with their following. Chief brand officer at Lululemon said the activation was intended to showcase the brand’s “superiority in this space” by allowing attendees to feel the difference themselves. Unsurprisingly, coverage of the event soared on social media.

You may have first seen non-alcoholic apertif brand Ghia on Shark Tank. Now the mod beverage brand has reformulated their spirits-free product (intended to mix with something sparkling) and settled into a new office— or should we say house. The young company works out of a two-bedroom Tudor home in Beachwood Canyon, Los Angeles to inspire creativity and collaboration. The heart of the warmly decorated and freshly muraled office, of course, is the kitchen. Ghia is far from the first contemporary brand that’s opted to work out a single-family dwelling over a skyscraper: see Lauren Conrad and Seth Rogan’s lifestyle companies. Ghia