CONTRIBUTING EDITORS MICHAEL MACKO, CRAIG CRAWFORD
ART DIRECTOR MIKE STEVEN FRANCOIS
CONTRIBUTING CREATIVE DIRECTORS NANCY CAMPBELL
TREVETT MCCANDLISS
ADVERTISING
GROUP PUBLISHER LIZETTE CHIN
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER CHARLES GARONE
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION MANAGERS LAURIE GUPTILL, FERN MESHULAM, KATHY WENZLER
MARKETING & PRODUCTION SPECIALIST CATHERINE ROSARIO
OFFICE MANAGER MARIA MARTUCCI
ACCOUNTING KASIE CARLETON, URSZULA JANECZKO, BRUCE LIBERMAN
ADVISORY BOARD
TINA ANIVERSARIO NORDSTROM
SAM GLASER STITCHED
KARL-EDWIN GUERRE NO CHASER/GUERRISMS
KATIE LIU & MICHAEL KREIMAN BLACK DOG 8 SHOWROOM
ALAN LEINEN HALLS
STEVE PRUITT BLACKS RETAIL
WAINSCOT MEDIA
CHAIRMAN CARROLL V. DOWDEN
PRESIDENT & CEO MARK DOWDEN
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/VICE PRESIDENT STEVEN RESNICK
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS LIZETTE CHIN, RITA GUARNA
VICE PRESIDENTS NIGEL EDELSHAIN, THOMAS FLANNERY, NOELLE HEFFERNAN, MARIA REGAN
CORPORATE OFFICE
A NEW WORLD ORDER PREPARING FOR
Know that we are stronger than our many new challenges.
Sitting in on MR’s recent CEO Exchange between Mark Weber (former CEO of PVH and Donna Karan, now radio host of the Always in Fashion podcast) and Jamie Salter, founder, chairman and CEO of Authentic Brands, I found it fascinating to watch these two experienced CEOs talk business. Their upward ascent from humble beginnings, the comradery and respect between them, their shared history in licensing, their intrinsic understanding of the fashion industry, and their willingness to divulge success secrets made for fascinating verbal debate and discourse. I couldn’t help but be impressed by the ever-growing $30+ billion company that Salter has created over the past decade, and some of the unconventional ways he’s gone about building his empire.
A few of his success secrets: He never spends money that he doesn’t have. He has a saying at ABG: “Tell everybody everything. There are no secrets here.” When it comes to licensing, he produces nothing but controls everything. He hires and promotes smart young people, helping them move up the corporate ladder.
Congrats to Salter and his ABG team for their work ethic, their impressive acquisitions (now at 50+ brands), and the $30+ billion company that continues to expand worldwide. And a big thanks to Mark Weber for a great interview!
Also in this issue, our legal expert Doug Hand tackles three timely topics: Trump’s tariffs, due to take effect on January 20th, our government’s new anti-trust concerns, and fashion’s impact on the environment and global labor. In today’s unpredictable environment, Hand suggests fashion companies revisit their sourcing and manufacturing partners, building price flexibility into all new contracts. They should also consider near-shoring, often easier to manage than documenting supply chain transparency long distance.
More essential reading, our Vendor Crystal Ball feature in which menswear manufacturers face a precarious future and possible tariffs. Contributing writer Eric Jennings, former men’s fashion director at Saks Fifth Ave, speaks with top merchants on how new definitions of sportswear will change the future of men’s fashion. In our Women to Watch series, Bugatchi’s Cecile Revah shares secrets on building a dynamic brand, and ITA trade commissioner Erica Di Giancarlo discusses new opportunities as Italian brands look to partner with U.S. retailers. Always a must-read, Peerless Clothing president Dan Orwig shares company plans as the largest clothing manufacturer in North America deals with the prospect of tariffs. And as shown in our fabulous fashion pages, relaxed luxe tailoring is clearly the way to go for fall/holiday 2025!
Finally, we couldn’t resist sharing two very personal stories. Tie designer Lee Allison tells a harrowing tale of a recent motorcycle accident that almost did him in, and star salesmen Jim Hines from Rodes in Louisville talks about rising above racism to hit the million-dollar mark at age 80. Two talented gentlemen with two different stories, both overcoming big challenges, both thankful for the support of the special people in our kind and compassionate menswear industry.
We hope you enjoy these and all the other features in this issue of MR. Hoping to see many of you in New York City, and at the upcoming, always inspiring Chicago Collective. John and Charles look forward to greeting you in Dallas.
With best wishes for some exciting fall 2025 shopping ahead! Karen, Lizette, John & Charles
FASHION LAW WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2025
By Douglas Hand
This past year was an interesting one at the intersection of the fashion industry and the law, and 2025 has the potential to bring even more significant changes. Let’s take a look at some of them and how they may impact your business.
Tariffs and Reshoring
The Trump administration has promised significant tariff increases for many of the countries from which apparel manufacturing is currently sourced. Increases of up to 60-100% are being proposed for imported goods from China, and trade policy may involve a universal tariff applied to other countries of 10-20%, with even potentially larger increases close to home. To wit, notwithstanding the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (which is supposed to allow for duty-free imports between the countries), Trump announced a plan to impose 25% tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico to take effect on January 20, 2025.
Amidst this unpredictable trade landscape, companies will need to reassess sourcing and manufacturing partners and strategies by looking within our own borders. Beyond the cost savings of reshoring production (i.e., no tariffs), certain proposed US regulations (detailed below) centered on supply chain transparency also support reshoring as it is far easier for companies to perform diligence on local factories and comply with proposed regulations.
Moreover, contractual obligations with wholesale accounts relating to pricing will be an important element for companies to consider. In the potentially fluctuating tariff environment of 2025, before finalizing mid to long-term agreements for delivering goods at a certain price, it will be wise for companies to try to build in pricing flexibility based on tariff increases.
Anti-Trust Concerns
Fashion brands have traditionally relied on M&A to drive growth. While European brand aggregators LVMH, Kering, and Richemont have expanded into luxury conglomerates here in the United States, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently taken an active role in thwarting such consolidation. Case in point, last year’s announced merger between Tapestry and Capri Holdings was blocked by the FTC, which argued
that the combined company would have a dominant share of the “accessible luxury” handbag market.
Other recent anti-trust actions involving the fashion industry include Shein–Temu, a class action involving Hermes sales practices, and the FTC’s suit against Amazon related to pricing practices. The notable increase in FTC activity in the fashion industry demonstrates the agency’s willingness to target transactions even if they involve niche markets or “discretionary” products.
This adds a layer of complexity to potential fashion M&A transactions. In many cases, the parties to a potential deal will have to build in the increased costs, lengthening of the closing period, and lack of certainty an FTC review layers onto a transaction.
New Domestic Regulations
US regulation of the fashion industry may soon be a reality to address the industry’s historic negative impact on the environment and global labor. Proposed regulations like the New York Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act would require any fashion company selling in New York with global revenues of $100 million or more to provide a comprehensive report on their energy, greenhouse gas emissions, water, plastic, and chemical management to the Attorney General. Such companies are also required to conduct mandatory due diligence to prevent labor abuses.
If adopted, companies that fail to follow these regulations could face fines of up to $15,000 per day, with the proceeds going to environmental justice organizations. Other pending regulations in other states and Federally are also potentially up for passage in 2025, making it a year to pay particular attention to fashion law.
Douglas Hand is one of the preeminent fashion lawyers in the country. His industry bona fides include member of the CFDA Fashion Awards Guild, chairman of the board of FIT, professor of fashion law at NYU and Cardozo Schools of Law, and recognized Super Lawyer for the past 10 years. He can be reached at dhand@hballp.com.
THE DIGITAL PRODUCT PASSPORT
What Every Retailer Needs to Know
By Craig Crawford
With its roots in EU legislation, the mandated Digital Product Passport (DPP) for apparel and accessories is coming, bringing significant implications and opportunities for American retailers. Designed to boost authentication, transparency, and sustainability, this initiative requires both retailers and brands to adopt technologies for storing and sharing detailed product information. Pending and existing legislation will necessitate disclosures on carbon and environmental footprints, durability, recyclability, repairability, content of recycled materials, supply chain traceability, and compliance certifications. Private-label products sold in the EU will also require DPPs, with proposed U.S. legislation echoing similar sentiments.
“The first fundamental step here is the idea of the apparel industry being a regulated industry,” says Cyrus Gilbert-Rolfe, Chief Commercial Officer of Kezzler, a connected products platform managing digital product identities and life cycle events. More than 30 billion products carry a Kezzler code. “Other industries like pharmaceuticals and alcohol are tightly regulated. The apparel industry is far bigger. This is a big deal.”
The Green Claims Directive is clear: “If you don’t have data, don’t make a claim.” Questions like “How many washes can this garment withstand?” and “What’s the environmental impact of washing?” are pressing for the industry. Additionally, labels must include information about disassembly, recycling, and disposal, a shift from the traditional linear supply chain mindset. This change reflects international mandates already present in Canada, France, and Germany.
“There will definitely be compliance issues for retailers,” GilbertRolfe notes. “Retailers won’t be able to knowingly sell items without a valid DPP. Market surveillance authorities will ensure compliance, requiring systems to store and access information.” However, benefits include better communication of sustainability credentials, enhanced consumer experiences, and opportunities for early adopters to position themselves as sustainability leaders.
What is a Digital Product Passport?
A DPP is a structured collection of product information accessed via a unique identifier, such as a QR code. This technology allows consumers to retrieve detailed information—like user manuals or product provenance—by scanning a barcode or QR code with a smartphone.
Regulatory Landscape
The EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) introduces requirements for circularity, durability, repairability, recyclability, and DPPs, while banning the destruction of unsold goods in textiles and footwear. Non-compliance fines range from €50,000 to €8 million for companies earning under €400 million, and up to 2% of revenue for larger companies. Germany also enforces exclusions from public business for up to three years.
In the U.S., the proposed Fashion Sustainability and Social Accountability Act would require brands with over $100 million in revenue to map 50% of their supply chains and verify sustainability claims, with penalties of up to 2% of revenue. The FABRIC Act would promote supply chain transparency, ethical production standards, and offer tax credits to U.S.-based manufacturers.
The Smart Product Evolution
Before DPP mandates, early adopters leveraged “smart products”— goods with digital identities enabling applications and insights throughout their lifecycle. These products offer engagement touchpoints, generate valuable consumer data, and enable new business models. From manufacturing and supply chain management to e-commerce and sustainability, smart products cater to diverse consumer needs while providing brands with insights into consumer behavior.
For example, food and beverage companies used QR codes on packaging to connect with end consumers. Diageo Brazil’s “Raise a Glass to Dad” campaign used QR codes on whisky bottles to deliver personalized video content, reaching 1 million Facebook fans and 880,000 followers via celebrity tweets. Similarly, fashion brands like Ralph Lauren and Levi’s utilized QR codes to verify product authenticity, combating counterfeiting and providing consumer data regardless of the sales channel.
“Authenticity in the supply chain is crucial for fashion brands,” says Gilbert-Rolfe. “Counterfeit products damage reputations and
bottom lines. Digital IDs ensure authenticity, offering peace of mind for brands, retailers, and customers. Brands can quickly identify counterfeit sources and protect their reputation.”
According to the 2022 McKinsey State of Fashion Report, two out of five fashion executives had adopted or planned to adopt product passports, citing traceability, counterfeit protection, lifecycle transparency, and digital consumer engagement as key use cases.
Empowered Retailers and Consumers
Smart products create richer shopping experiences by transparently sharing product journeys, fostering brand loyalty, and aligning with consumer values. They empower consumers and businesses to compare sustainability credentials, facilitating better purchasing, repair, and recycling decisions. For example, a retailer can advise a consumer on repairing a garment, extending its life.
Gilbert-Rolfe highlights post-sale opportunities: “Brands like Patagonia and Nudie Jeans sell second-hand garments empowered by DPP authenticity. Automation will soon enable easier uploads of garments to resale platforms, getting unused garments back into circulation.”
At the July 2023 Première Vision show in Paris, l’Institut Français de la Mode (IFM) reported that 52.6% of U.S. men bought second-hand clothing in 2022, up from 49.7% in 2019, driven by price and sustainability concerns. When disposing of garments, 44.4% opted to resell online, and 42.1% chose thrift stores. Information on durability, repairability, and recyclability ranked highest in importance for U.S. consumers, surpassing traceability and material information.
Continued on page 54
NORWEGIAN FASHION BRAND HOLZWEILER PARTNERED WITH TRIMCO GROUP AND KEZZLER TO INCLUDE ACCESS TO ITS DIGITAL PRODUCT PASSPORT (DPP) RIGHT ON THE PRODUCT LABEL.
SMART PRODUCTS USE CASES
In Praise of Compassionate GENTLEMEN
By Lee Allison
I don’t know how last August’s Chicago Collective was for you, but for me, it was horrible. I live in Chicago and was driving to the show Sunday morning on my scooter. (Think Vespa, although a different brand, but not one of those razor-like rental scooters). Dressed to the nines for the show, I turned into an underground parking area not far from The Mart, only to see a car coming out of nowhere, right at me. I had just a split-second to react, and with amazing cat-like reflexes I didn’t know I possessed, I somehow managed to avoid hitting the car.
That was the good news. The bad news was that, unlike a real cat that would have landed on all fours, I hit the ground on my right side HARD. I’m now on the ground, with my right foot under my 220-pound scooter, pulling and tugging to get it out. Just as I do, the guy who was driving the car now has his hands under my arms and helps me up, only to give me the once-over, a pat on the back and a “You look good!” He was likely referring to the clothes: a custom sport coat with a Lee Allison tie and pocket square!
Although I may have popped back up in style, I didn’t feel so hot. My ankle was throbbing, and when I put my hand up to my right collarbone, I felt a bump that hadn’t been there a minute before. But with the show waiting for me and the adrenaline flowing, I got back on that scooter to drive the final 100 yards and park. I then proceeded up one elevator, across Wells Street, over to the elevators in the middle of The Mart, up to the 7th floor, and then limped another 200 feet to my booth. Hours later, I learned this rather painful journey was all on a broken ankle.
When I got to my booth, the first words I heard were “Oh my God, what happened to you?” followed by “You’re white as a ghost and sweating up a storm.” Then a more succinct assessment: “You look like shit!”
It didn’t take me long to figure out I was pretty messed up. So after scrawling a note saying I’d had an accident, my booth neighbor Jim Seaman gently helped me get back to the elevators, down to the lobby, and into a cab for the short ride to the emergency room.
In a flash, I was surrounded by a team of trauma surgeons, but just as quickly, they seemed confused. One doctor said, “We were told you had a motorcycle accident, but you don’t look like a motorcycle accident.” (It was probably the coat, tie, and pocket square that threw him. Or maybe it was the tie bar, still at a jaunty angle.)
Another doctor joked, “Where’s the leather? And the beard?” A third added, “And the big gut?”
I wasn’t in a particularly jovial mood, but we did have a laugh over this. I was then in the ER for 10 hours, and when all the X-rays, scans, consultations, and tests were completed, I was handed a list of my injuries. From top to bottom: my right
collarbone was broken in two places, I had three broken ribs, and the previously mentioned ankle was also broken in two places. Seven breaks total.
With no back-up team, the Collective was shot for me. I did have a friend sit in my booth on Monday afternoon, and I was able to return to pack up on Tuesday with the help of my sister and brother-in-law.
But all was not lost, and that’s why I’m writing this piece. Sure, my show and sales sucked, and I lost money. Sure, I had the worst accident of my life. But my neighbors at the show, particularly Jim Seaman, his son Chris, and Greg Kern across the way, all helped in any way they could. Several retailers stepped up, took photos, and wrote their own orders. My booth display guy, Steve Felder of Alex Displays, blew me away when he told me to rip up his invoice for my booth set-up and break-down (a four-figure savings!).
I’d often heard that the menswear industry is special, clubby in a good way – gentlemanly, if you will. The silver lining of this accident made me realize how true this is. I’m grateful that my injuries weren’t worse, that I had my helmet on, and that I had friends and colleagues around me to help when I needed them.
So here’s a toast to our clubby and compassionate menswear industry. And to 2025 being a better year, at least for this well-dressed scooter rider (shown, above, before the accident).
P.S. -Against the advice of basically everyone, I have not sold the scooter, but in fact got back on it as soon as I could. If you live in a city with limited parking, you understand.
MENSWEAR REDEFINING THREE EMERGING TRENDS SHAPING THE FUTURE
By Eric Jennings
Over the past fifteen years, men’s fashion has seen dramatic transformations. The early 2010s brought back slim-cut suits and dapper dressing, popularized by the hit television show Mad Men, alongside the digital explosion of Instagram with fashion bloggers, and street-style photographers who captured the vibrant #menswear movement. By the mid-2010s, the style narrative took a 180-degree turn towards streetwear, influenced by cultural phenomena such as the hit show Empire and NBA pre-game tunnel walks, coinciding with Wall Street’s relaxation of dress codes. The late 2010s saw popular television shows like Succession and Billions spotlight discreet luxury, steering menswear towards minimalism without overt branding. The COVID-19 pandemic marked the early 2020s by radically altering everyday wear, emphasizing the necessity for comfort and functionality. As we approach Fall 2025, there is palpable excitement about another seismic shift in menswear. Leading voices in menswear are actively responding, focusing on three emerging trends that promise to redefine men’s fashion and jumpstart business in the coming seasons.
Reginald Christian, Senior Fashion Manager for Menswear at Saks Fifth Avenue, notes a growing preference for styles that balance discrete luxury with form and fabric. With minimalism, he notes, “the development...centers on form and functionality, offering products that address the effortless and clean aesthetic choice, as seen at APC and Theory.”
Jian DeLeon, Men’s Fashion Director at Nordstrom, adds, “Between TikTok and traditional media, several names for this trend revolve around a return to classic menswear that toes the line between sporty and elegant. We prefer the term ‘polished casual.’”
Bruce Pask, Senior Editorial Director at Neiman Marcus, reinforces this trend by highlighting the consumer’s growing appreciation for craftsmanship in the luxury market. “This rise of discrete luxury and the move toward minimalism is a real affirmation of the importance of quality and craft in clothing,” says Pask. He points
to Zegna’s Oasi Cashmere collection as a prime example of luxury that combines quality with environmental consciousness, underscoring its appeal to consumers who value sustainability and style.
Dan Farrington, GMM for Men’s at Mitchell’s, echoes a similar sentiment on the appeal of discrete luxury. Reflecting on the understated affluence of the Greenwich, Conn., community, loosely depicted in the TV show Billions, Farrington notes, “Our deepwealth customers gravitate towards brands like Loro Piana because they recognize it as the pinnacle of luxury— subtle yet supremely quality-driven.” He adds that this quiet luxury and minimalism are definitive elements that resonate well across their other markets, including cities like San Francisco and Seattle.
Murry Penner, owner of M Penner in Houston, Texas, comments: “My experience with this whole discrete luxury trend is that highly successful men have always enjoyed luxury for themselves. At my store, luxury has never been ‘loud and sparkly;’ it’s about what makes men feel good and like they are living the life they want to live.” He cites Zegna as an example of a brand doing minimalism well. “They’re monochromatic, but they introduce interesting colors tastefully.”
Trend 2: The Evolution of Fit—Balancing Fuller Silhouettes with Tailored Style
As the conversation shifts from minimalism to fit, designers continue to explore how best to dress the modern man. We spoke to Scott Butler, a recent NYU Retail & Luxury MBA graduate, who has been wearing the boxy cut for a while now and is already looking for what’s next. “As much as I liked my loose-fitting voluminous pants because they were so comfortable, now I’m looking at more straight-fitting pants, especially in denim jeans. For dressier pants, I still like them billowier because they give a more interesting silhouette.”
According to Saks, Christian notes their customer “gravitates toward enduring shapes, such as classic suits or straight-leg trousers,
when it comes to tailoring, but fuller silhouettes continue to gain attention.” He notes that Lemaire is a brand that does this well: “Christophe does a fantastic job at offering striking, full silhouettes.”
Bruce Pask describes Neiman Marcus’s approach to navigating traditional tailoring and contemporary tastes, noting the popularity of roomier fits and innovative proportions, particularly in denim and trousers. “In our luxury tailoring world, we continue to stand for an impeccable fit. At the same time, in our fashion-driven designer sportswear world, we have seen a real shift in interest toward roomier fits. This is most prevalent in the world of denim and trousers,” he explains.
Penner says, “When it comes to oversized silhouettes, I’ve wanted to do that for a while now.” He has proactively educated his clientele about the advantages of relaxed fits. “Every man wants to be comfortable, so we’re starting to move back to that idea when we’re looking to increase the silhouette,” he reveals. So, to keep things interesting, “we’re experimenting with fuller fits.”
This spring, we saw ultralight fabrics in airy outerwear and technically complex, unlined lightweight tailoring,” he notes.
Seizing
Opportunities in Market Gaps
Agility in identifying and exploiting market gaps remains a key strategy among industry leaders. Penner and Drinkwater both maximize their Made to Measure (MTM) programs. Says Penner, “Customized sportswear is a much more significant part of our MTM than in the past, probably 25% of our business now.”
Climate is also a significant factor in the gaps retailers must fill. “I’m looking for lightweights and colors for the fall season. In Houston, the only thing that’s cold here with regularity is the restaurants,” says Penner wryly. He’s looking for soft-knit sportscoats, light sweater jackets, and colors. “Even in the fall season, we need more color! The gap in the fall is around color and weight.”
Gary Drinkwater, owner of Drinkwater’s in Cambridge, Mass., responds to fuller fits with caution. “We have not actively started presenting that to our customers.” However, he notes, “We do a fuller pant from Universal Works with an elastic waist, drawstring, and pleat. I’m about a season away from introducing more pleated, fuller options.”
Trend 3: Functional Fashion—Blurring the Lines Between Outdoor, Active, and Everyday Wear
Active and outdoor lifestyle elements address men’s need for functional items in their wardrobes. “Whether it’s a breathable sweat suit or a moisture-wicking shirt from Rhone,” according to Christian at Saks, “our customer is looking for less delicate yet innovative pieces that allow movement.”
DeLeon of Nordstrom highlights the functional nature of modern menswear: “Elevated fabrics like brushed jerseys and textured wools give knitwear, from half-zips to collared sweaters, a more rugged touch that still feels refined.”
Butler notes that “Platforms like TikTok showcase trends like hiking-core” and how guys can style technical clothing for both outdoor activities and everyday urban wear. This trend reflects a broader shift towards garments that offer functionality without sacrificing style. He cites Alo as a good example of a brand that blends active and everyday wear.
Pask adds that Neiman Marcus customers expect performance and comfort from their everyday apparel, with the increasing integration of hybrid fabrics and technical styles into daily wardrobes. “We also see the crossover of technical styles, especially outerwear, that have expanded options in the business wardrobe.
Reflecting on the recent trends, Farrington acknowledges a gap in their buying post-pandemic. “Activewear exploded during the pandemic, and though we initially thought the trend would decline, cutting back was perhaps premature,” he admits. Farrington plans to bolster their activewear offerings next fall. “We’d like to add more technical fabrics from our existing brands, and we’re looking to add a few new active and outdoor brands.”
Butler articulates a sentiment that resonates with the current consumer mindset focused on sustainability and long-term value, “I’m pivoting towards buying things I know I’ll wear for years that will age well and last through trend cycles. I’m thinking both in terms of material and silhouette. I’m trying to be more conscious of buying from brands with a proven track record of doing things well,” he states. This perspective underscores a broader market trend towards durability and sustainability, which are increasingly important in fashion purchasing decisions.
Challenging the Norms
These industry insights underline a pivotal time in men’s fashion, full of opportunities to redefine comfort and style. As we approach Fall 2025, it’s clear that many of menswear’s leaders are eager to innovate and change. This new era of men’s apparel is about merging style with comfort and challenging the norms. So, as we embrace this shift, we must ask ourselves: in a world where style meets comfort, how prepared are we to redefine the norms of menswear? The answers we find could redefine men’s fashion for years to come.
Eric Jennings has over twenty years of experience in the menswear industry, working in creative direction, marketing strategies, and brand development at high-profile companies such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Peerless Clothing, and Hugo Boss.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Erica Di Giovancarlo, ITA Trade Commissioner, talks partnerships.
By Karen Alberg Grossman
As always, the Chicago Collective is a perfect venue for viewing the best of Italian menswear. Here we catch up with ITA Trade Commissioner Erica Di Giovancarlo to get her take on new opportunities.
What can retailers expect from the ITA at the upcoming Chicago men’s show?
There’s going to be a lot of “new” to discover! Of the 62+ sponsored brands, there are 14 new to the show. Of course, the ITA will continue to host its trademark lounge in the center of the Italian Pavilion, featuring a complimentary espresso bar in the mornings, and an aperitivo with Italian-curated cocktails and bites in the afternoons.
This season’s special theme is “cinema”, celebrating imagery in motion, amplified by attendance at the show of key menswear content creators. ITA will also sponsor a very special post-show networking event for sponsored brands and their American retail partners.
Also, the ITA has invested more deeply in influencer marketing and multi-channel opportunities to communicate our brands. We’ll have some top menswear creative
voices circulating the show, bringing their own spin on American-meets-Italian style. This will be fun to see in person and on social media. Retailers can follow our coverage at @extraitastyle on Instagram.
We’re also excited to announce a new class of Made in Italy fashion and accessories brands for ITA’s proprietary B2B platform, extraitastyle.com. More than 130+ brands will debut collections on-site for retail buyers next month; the response from retailers to this free tool has been fantastic.
How would you define “luxury” in 2025?
To me, luxury in 2025 means knowing the story behind a brand. It’s the opposite of mindless, mass-produced fast-fashion. It’s understanding the provenance of the materials used, the “why” behind design choices and craft techniques, and the story of a brand’s vision. Real luxury is a deeply personal engagement with the products you choose to bring into your life, products you select to be a part of your life for many, many years. It’s real people, real artisans, real passion, world-class materials and lifetimes dedicated to honing special skills. The best part is when these “real” stories can be communicated and shared as a part of the human experience.
“MANY OF OUR SPONSORED ITALIAN BRANDS ARE READY TO COLLABORATE ON PRIVATE LABEL.”
What have you learned from this past year living and working in NYC?
Living in NYC is, of course, a unique experience. The pace of both life and business seems to run faster here, for better or for worse. There’s continuous energy and noise, and that accelerated pace often dictates how we communicate and how we spend our time. But it also provides endless opportunities and that’s what makes the U.S. market so attractive to people and businesses overseas.
In Italy, the pace of life and business is a bit slower, but intentionally so; there’s a greater emphasis on slowing down to ensure quality, independent of outside influences. It’s fascinating to juxtapose these cultural differences, to better understand each other and learn how to strike a balance, which is everyone’s goal in the realm of true global commerce.
Have you had any time to fit in opera, museums or Broadway shows since we last spoke six months ago?
Every now and then, when work allows me to attend cultural events, I really enjoy going to the theater. The offer here in New York is huge! Lately, I saw some lovely ballet performances at Joyce Theater and Lincoln Center that truly refreshed my creative soul!
Any other messages you’d like to give U.S. retailers before the show?
I hope they realize the proclivity of many of our sponsored Italian brands to collaborate on private label. Many of our brands are open to lending their world-class Made in Italy production capabilities to retailers for capsule collections. Retailers are invited to visit the ITA booth on the show floor for suggestions re: which brands could be beneficial to meet with for private label inquiries. The creative opportunities are endless.
DI GIOVANCARLO AND ITA’S ALESSIO NANNI, HEAD OF FASHION AND BEAUTY.
Preview the Camouflage AR&J FW25-26 Collection exclusively at the Chicago Collective February 1st to 4th in the ITA section Booth#5103 book your appointment now at info@ollivergrey.com
SUPER SELLER SECRETS OF A
Rodes salesman Jim Hines is breaking records at age 80!
By Karen Alberg Grossman
“IT’S ABOUT HAVING A SMILE ON YOUR FACE AND STARTING A CONVERSATION.”
JIM HINES, RODES
Not too many clothing salesmen can sell $1 million worth of suits per year, but just shy of his 80th birthday, and after almost 60 years at Rodes in Louisville, super seller Jim Hines has broken through the million-dollar milestone. There’s no one more delighted than Rodes president Howard Vogt, who describes Jim as “a terrific guy who started working here right out of the military, where he’d spent three years as a clerk and typist in the U.S. Army. He was the first man of color to work at Rodes at a time when racial tensions in Louisville were high… He started as a stock clerk unloading trucks and quickly proved himself as a seller.”
Jim never let the color barrier stop him. “It’s about having a smile on your face and starting a conversation,” he explains. Other success secrets: He is incredibly organized, keeping hand-written lists of his customers’ preferences. He has an innate feel for which colors/ models/fits/fabrics will make a guy look his best. He personally dresses to the nines. He’s helped style thousands of men in highend clothing, becoming one of the top Zegna sellers in the country. He genuinely loves the team he works with at Rodes and considers
them family. He truly believes in the transformative power of fine clothing. “Once you make the investment and put on that perfect suit, the change is amazing!”
Zegna rep Mattia Serafino appreciates Jim’s talent and wrote this note after Jim’s recent record-breaking Zegna trunk show. “Mr. Hines wakes up at 5:30 am to get ready for work, rocking the floor in his elegant 15MilMil15 Zegna Made to Measure suit, the same floor he’s rocked since 1966 when he started his career, the first black person helping customers at Rodes.
“Although Zegna week officially started yesterday, Jim began his CRM activation a month in advance, writing in his notebook a customer list, specifying dates and times of his texts and follow up calls to confirm attendance at the trunk show. His customers always show up: to listen to his advice or simply to say hi. Everyone is happy to meet with him.
“This picture was taken yesterday evening at 9:30 pm after a very long day of work and a super successful trunk show. In the photo, Mr. Hines is smiling, proud of his great achievement. May his smile motivate us all to wake up each morning, eager to hit goals or simply to live a glorious day. I thank Jim not only for his immense dedication, hard work and passion for Zegna, but most importantly for his inspiration.”
Another nice part of the story: Jim met his future wife in 1983 when Cheri, then a new Rodes employee, was tasked with shadowing him on the selling floor. They’ve been married for 36 years, working together as a team: Jim presenting the suit, Cheri the shirts and accessories. “There’s an art to sharing the stage,” Cheri explained to writer Anne Marshall for Louisville Magazine. “If I step in, he steps out. Not a lot of people can do that…” Clearly, this dance has worked well for them: the duo has been number 1 and 2 sellers for several consecutive years, with Jim now joining Cheri at the million-dollar level.
While Jim has no immediate plans to retire (he’s considering a special trip and perhaps a family celebration for his February 11th birthday), Cheri has said that when the time comes, she hopes he will retire gradually. “His presence on the selling floor is worth a lot. Even if he no longer sells every customer himself, Jim just being there is a key part of the sale.”
PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: JIM WITH HIS WIFE CHERI, WITH RODES PRESIDENT HOWARD VOGT, AND WITH ZEGNA’S MAURO PAOLUCCI AND MATTIA SERAFINO.
DAN ORWIG Talks Tailored Clothing
Betting on Core and Luxury as winning strategies.
By Karen Alberg Grossman
Speaking for the largest tailored clothing company in North America, Peerless president Dan Orwig has a good handle on where the business is headed and what will most impact sales moving forward. Here, he speaks with MR about challenges and opportunities in the tailored clothing business for fall 2025 and beyond.
What’s the good news in the tailored clothing business these days?
In the beginning of Q3, the business was a bit soft, but as we got deeper into the fall/holiday season, we saw some nice momentum. Seasonal items were strong, with sport coats leading the charge, from corduroy and velvet to seasonal fancies. It seems that consumer confidence is high, which has been good for the holiday season. We believe consumer spending will continue to be healthy into the first half of 2025.
How worried are you about proposed tariffs impacting prices? Have you made any moves to change sourcing?
Of course we have concerns. We are strategically reacting without overreacting. We believe our diversity and balanced supply chain will help us navigate the tariff uncertainty.
What strategic changes are you making in your business for 2025?
Our strategy is to continue to focus on our core business. We’re leaning into our brand relationships to ensure we show up to the consumer with a cohesive DNA for each brand. We believe the more we can align with our brand partners every season, the stronger our overall presentations to the consumers will be.
What are your biggest challenges going into 2025?
I’d have to say the supply chain. End to end supply chain has become so critical to the business. We are consistently looking to evolve and improve.
What in your fall ’25 collections are you most excited about?
Our new softer silhouettes continue to be winners, as have the new double-breasted sport coats. In addition, our corduroy offerings in fashion colors look fresh and vibrant when they hit selling floors. They were a hit this past fall and should be even stronger for fall ’25.
Which of your retail accounts are doing well, and what are they doing right?
For the dress-up category, retailers who are investing in sales training so their sellers can help consumers with sizing and fit are seeing positive returns on the investment.
What’s been the impact of online shopping on tailored clothing business?
This past year we saw a very strong trend of in-store growth surpassing online growth. Online has maintained its level of penetration but has not grown substantially for the tailored clothing category.
What do you see as your greatest opportunities for growth going forward?
We believe there’s an opportunity for us in the luxury space. As we partner with more premium brands, the combination of the brand name, the use of high-end luxury fabrics, and the exceptional craftsmanship coming out of our owned and operated Montreal factory is a powerful and winning formula.
“OF COURSE PEERLESS HAS CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIAL TARIFFS: WE ARE STRATEGICALLY REACTING WITHOUT OVERREACTING.”
HART SCHAFFNER MARX
TAILORED
MERIDIAN MEN: A store with a Montana soul.
By Beth Bernstein
MERIDIAN MEN 107 EAST MAIN STREET, BOZEMAN, MT 59715 (406) 585-0608 MERIDIANBOUTIQUE.COM / OWNERS: HALEY CONNOLLY AND JOSH BOWDEN
In late 2023, Haley Connolly and Josh Bowden opened Meridian Men just a few doors down from Meridian, the women’s boutique they’d operated for 30 years in downtown Bozeman, Montana. Now they’re bringing authentic, Big Sky style to the men of “The most livable place.”
How do you choose the brands you carry?
We seek out brands that delight and inspire, combining international influences with local heritage. We choose pieces that celebrate Big Sky country and its boundless beauty. Meridian style is one-of-a-kind, bold, understated, easy, and elevated. We feature hand-selected collections of everyday essentials, statement pieces, and accessories inspired by a Montana state of mind, a Montana soul.
What is your best-selling category?
In our men’s location, shirting is our bread and butter; we feel we know our shirting customer both inside and out. From the hip tourist looking to freshen up his closet, to the rugged mountain man looking for versatility, we have a little something for everyone when it comes to our vast array of shirts.
How would you describe your store?
A community-driven space emphasizing quality over quantity with a thoughtful
curation of menswear designers you can’t find elsewhere. Additionally, there are exclusive drops, collaborations with unique brands and great music always.
Like a Ray Charles album, Meridian Men is about a slow-burn experience that leaves you feeling energized and inspired. We’re here for styling advice, intellectual conversation, and tips for where to dine in Bozeman. We want our customers to take off their jackets and stay awhile. This isn’t just a men’s clothing store — it’s a space for kicking back and connecting.
Do you do more business in-store or online? In-store. Our e-commerce presence continues to grow with exciting developments to come in the near future, but our physical location is our heart and soul.
How involved are you and your store in the local community?
We strive to show up daily as our whole selves to meet the people who flow in and out of our doors. We’re still getting to know the gents stepping into our men’s store. We love to talk and laugh with all of our clients and spend our energy helping them find the items they feel are made for them.
In addition to building lasting relationships with our clients, we highly prioritize giving
back to our community. We’ve evolved our website into a community-first platform where we share our perspectives on fashion and culture in Bozeman. In January 2024, we launched a journal called The Fine Line to share interviews, lifestyle and styling tips, and more to connect with our community and beyond.
Partnering with numerous local businesses, we’re able to participate in fun and engaging giveaways and events. We’ve also donated to a slew of charitable organizations to support and grow our uniquely special community. These include Big Sky Youth Empowerment, Haven, Heart of the Valley, Longfellow Elementary, Montana Wilderness School, MSU Women’s Leadership Organization, Prospera, United Way, and more.
What are the challenges and advantages of being an independent retailer?
The biggest challenge is competition from larger, established brands and online marketplaces. The biggest advantage is the ability to offer a more personalized and unique shopping experience through a thoughtfully handpicked brand assortment and store aesthetic. Being an independent small business has allowed us to spend more one-on-one time with each client. It’s of utmost importance for us to connect with every single customer and provide them with exceptional customer service while keeping the community at the heart of everything we do.
Beth Bernstein is a freelance writer specializing in fine jewelry and contemporary culture.
IN BUSINESS, AND IN LIFE! HOW TO SUCCEED
Mark Weber interviews ABG founder/chairman/CEO Jamie Salter
Edited by Karen Alberg Grossman,
with thanks to WOR’s I Heart Media and the ABG team
Mark Weber: I started this CEO Exchange series in partnership with MR Magazine because I believe CEOs run the world. The U.S. now has a CEO president, a business leader who heads our country. With big positions come big responsibilities: CEOs must ensure the companies they represent provide for the owners, shareholders, stockholders, and all constituents that benefit from well-run companies.
I’m fascinated by CEOs. I’ve been a CEO twice in my career, at PVH and at LVMH Inc. I was also Chairman and CEO of Donna Karan, and I now do regular podcasts for iHeart Media WOR in New York. I understand what it takes and what it feels like to be a CEO. I’m particularly pleased to have the first interview in this series with a gentleman named Jamie Salter, CEO of Authentic Brands Group, one of the most important (if not the most important) companies in fashion right now. Authentic’s influence accounts for more than $32 billion in worldwide retail sales, accomplished within a 15-year period.
How did one man have the vision to create this global empire? To find partners to manage and operate these companies and create a consistent financial return? Tens of thousands of people have jobs in the USA and around the world, thanks to Authentic and its leader, founder, and CEO Jamie Salter. Jamie, how did you do it?
Jamie Salter: First of all, I didn’t build Authentic; the company was built by the people who work here together. I believe that’s really our special sauce: we all know what each of us is doing all the time; we can fill in for each other as needed. So, if I’m working with your son, Jarrod Weber, or with Marc Rosen or any Authentic exec, the minute I plan that meeting, I pick up the phone and get someone else involved right away. Why is that important? Because any conversation you’re having with someone at Authentic will inevitably be communicated to another person five minutes later. We have a saying here: Tell everybody everything. There are no secrets.
Mark: Do you want to tell the story of how we met, or should I?
Jamie: You were CEO of PVH; I came into your office wanting to license Izod for footwear, and you wanted a big guarantee. We eventually signed the contract, but when it wasn’t going so well, I went to find you at the PVH offices to discuss the problem. And you said, “I’m sorry you’re having a problem with the GMR, but unfortunately, you signed a contract. If you want out of that GMR, I’m happy to let you out of it, but it will cost you.” I think we settled on two or three years of the minimums on the contract. I clearly had to write a check to get out of that deal.
But as an aside, I’m happy to say that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree: your son Jarrod (Global President of Sports and Lifestyle, a talented executive who’s worked for Authentic for about 11 years) feels the same way you do and holds our licensees to the contract. This is important. The licensing business is like the real estate business: when they rent out their spaces, they expect their tenants to pay their rent. If their tenants don’t pay, they get evicted. It’s rarely a friendly conversation. Fortunately, Authentic has a default percentage of less than half of one percent. But those conversations do happen from time to time.
MARC WEBER, LEFT, AND JAMIE SALTER, RIGHT, ON THE SET OF CEO EXHANGE.
SALVATORE SORRENTINO
SOZZI MILANO
EDO CAMICIE SARTORIALI
PAOLO SCAFORA NAPOLI
KB NAPOLI
CASTORI
ALTA MODA BELT
GRAN SASSO
CAMOUFLAGE AR AND J
CALABRESE 1924
GALA GLOVES GARRETT
ARTICO
CAMICERIA SANNINO
DI BELLO BY FONTANI
GALLOTTI
GUERCILENA 1944
ITALO FERRETTI
ALESSANDRO GHERARDI
FEFÈ NAPOLI
FIORONI
EMANUELE MAFFEIS
FOULON MILANO
FRAY
FUGÀTO
ANGELO ROMA
GALÀ
GALLIA
ALESSANDRO GILLES
L’IMPERMEABILE
LENOCI
MYTHS
PASHMERE
PASOTTI
PIETRASALATA NAPOLI
PAOLO ALBIZZATI
PAOLO VITALE
PLOUMANAC’H
TOMBOLINI
SCUDERI
RICHARD GRAND
AGF MAROSTICA
SERÀ FINE SILK
SALVATORE MARTORANA
ADESI CASHMERE
STEFANO CAU
MAURO BLASISARTORIA PARTENOPEA
MONTECHIARO
MORGANO
ATHISON
DUCANERO
CORDONE1956
ANDREA BOSSI
ARCURI TIES
ASTORFLEX 1820
MAZZOLENI GLOVES
CORTIGIANI
BUTTERO
Now Playing:
IN
CHICAGO
CHICAGO COLLECTIVE | FEBRUARY 1-4, 2025
The Italian Trade Agency presents 62+ Italian menswear collections, featuring tailored clothing, sportswear, outerwear, denim, footwear, leather goods & accessories. While at the show, don’t forget to visit the ITA lounge; to rest, re-group & refresh!
ADESI CASHMERE | 5104
AGF MAROSTICA | 2110
ALESSANDRO GHERARDI | 2122
ALESSANDRO GILLES | 5094
ALTA MODA BELT | 4095
ANDREA BOSSI / ITAL WEAR | 5100
ANGELO ROMA | 3123
ARCURI TIES | 3109
ARTICO | 5101
ASTORFLEX 1820 | 4093
ATHISON | 3101 6105 |
EDO CAMICIE SARTORIALI | 5106
EMANUELE MAFFEIS | 5096
ESCLUSIVO ITALIANO | 3113
FEFÈ NAPOLI | 2108
FIORONI | 2102
FLY3 | 6099
FOULON MILANO | 2112
FRAY | 3100
FUGATO | 3117
GALÀ | 3105
GALA GLOVES | 4100
GALLIA | 2100
GALLOTTI | 5093
GARRETT | 4094A
GRAN SASSO | 2124
GUERCILENA 1944 | 4099
ITALO FERRETTI | 3095
KB NAPOLI | 2114
L’IMPERMEABILE / ZEROSETTANTA STUDIO | 3099
LENOCI | 4096
MAURO BLASI / SARTORIA PARTENOPEA | 2118
MAZZOLENI GLOVES | 5105
MONTECHIARO / IMPULSO | 5099
MORGANO | 3094
MYTHS | 6101
ORTIGNI 1930 | 3103
PAOLO ALBIZZATI | 3123
PAOLO SCAFORA NAPOLI | 3115
PAOLO VITALE | 3107
PASHMERE | 6093
PASOTTI | 3096
PIETRASALATA NAPOLI | 2116
PLOUMANAC’H | 2094
RICHARD GRAND | 2106
SALVATORE MARTORANA | 6095
SALVATORE SORRENTINO | 2126
SCUDERI | 3111
SERÀ FINE SILK | 6103
SOZZI MILANO | 3123
STEFANO CAU | 5095
TOMBOLINI | 3125
Mark: Thanks for mentioning my son. How’s he doing?
Jamie: There’s no doubt there are days when I think he should get a haircut… But seriously, he’s amazing! What you’ve taught him about running a business has clearly sunk in. It’s also clear that you’ve been teaching him about golf… He’s too good!
Mark: When I first applied for a job at PVH, the guy who interviewed me asked me what I wanted to earn. I gave him some crazy number, and he said, “Let me teach you something. You go to an interview, and they ask you about money. You tell them money doesn’t matter. You tell them what matters is that you learn the business from a top company, and in time, the money will take care of itself.” But I grew up as a corporate exec: I knew I was going to get a paycheck; I knew I was going to get stock in the company; I knew I was secure. But you, Jamie, weren’t you ever scared about starting your own business and having to figure out where the first dollar would come from?
Jamie: You’re going to laugh, but when I had my first job, a paper route, I made a deal with my brothers that if they delivered the papers for me, I’d give them the money I received from the paper company, but I’d get to collect the tips. So right from my first job, I figured out how to make pretty good money.
I can also tell you that never in my career did I spend more than I made. I didn’t understand what EBITDA was until much later, but I always thought that if you made money after you paid your taxes, that’s how much money you made. I didn’t understand leverage until I started Authentic, but I’ve always been a person who lives within his means. When people ask me why Authentic does as well as it does, it’s because we’ve never over-leveraged the company. In fact, we have the lowest leverage today that we’ve
ever had. Although private equity might disagree (they like to take money out...), the fact is that we’re leveraged at 2.3x when we could leverage the company at almost twice that. Based on how much money we make, we could take close to $3 billion off the table right now if we wanted to go where most brand management companies are leveraged.
I’ve always been that person who, if I have money, might buy something, but if I don’t have money, I wouldn’t even think about it. I’ve lived my whole life that way, and I can tell you that I can’t think of a moment in my life when I was financially strapped. Maybe once, way back when I was running a company called Gen-X, which I owned. We were starting to get a little over-leveraged. But that’s because business was going through the roof, and we were trying to finance everything. My CFO came to my office and said, “No more growth. You need to slow down, Mr. Salter, so we can catch up.” That was the only time things got a little tough — and a year later, we sold the company for a lot of money. So that was good advice from my CFO…
Mark: My father-in-law used to say, “Make a dollar, save two, let the money work for you.” How do you find people to invest in your company?
Jamie: That’s the part no one really understands. We’ve never taken money, other than from Leonard Green 15 years ago, when we raised $50 million. I put in $20 million, they put in $30 million, and we never drew down. All these transactions you hear about by BlackRock and other great sovereigns and private equity firms they’ve just been buying and selling from each other. Where these big investors have been coming in, it’s been on secondaries, not primaries. We have self-financed this company from day one.
ALL IN THE SALTER FAMILY: DYLAN, SAMANTHA, COREY, OLIVIA, JADE, BLAIR, CHASE, LOGAN, JAMIE, NATASHA, TYLER, SHERYL, SARAH, LILY, MATTHEW AND LYLA SALTER.
WITH MARILYN: DAVID GARDNER (FAR LEFT), DAVID BECKHAM (SECOND FROM LEFT), COREY SALTER (SECOND FROM RIGHT ON GROUND), AND JAMIE SALTER (SECOND FROM RIGHT STANDING), FEATURING AUTHENTIC BRANDED SNOWBOARDS INCLUDING MARILYN MONROE, MUHAMMAD ALI, AND VOLCOM.
Mark: How do you contend with investors coming in and inspecting the return every two, three, or five years?
Jamie: We’re very lucky: the returns have been outstanding, around 25–30% per year. Can we continue to give these types of returns to investors? I think we can, because the deals we make are getting bigger. The question is, how big can we get? I think we can get a lot bigger. Whereas we started out buying smaller companies, we’re now buying companies worth $2.5 billion.
Mark: Is it more difficult buying a billion-dollar company than a $100 million company?
Jamie: As my friend Michael Rubin would say, they’re just zeros. Buying a big company is the same amount of work as buying a small company. Actually, large companies are less work because they’re more established. It’s easier for them to convert to our model and for us to license them around the world.
Mark: Is it more pressure making the giant deals?
Jamie: Most of my pressure comes from my wife, when she talks to me about ‘balance.’ She’ll say, ‘Jamie, you’re in the room, but you’re not really present. You’re looking at your emails; you’re on the phone. You’re not going to get these moments with grandchildren again, so you need to be in the moment.’ I know she’s right; she’s always right. And as I get older, I’m increasingly convinced that I need more balance in my life… Fortunately, I can rely on my terrific Authentic team for backup.
Mark: Where did you first get the idea to build a business with all profits coming from licensing?
Jamie: From PVH, from you! You were the master; you perfected licensing. The only difference is that I decided to license the core product in addition to specific categories. Michael Kors is a great example. Laurence Stroll is a fan of mine and obviously an early adopter of the licensing business. Tommy Hilfiger is another friend and early adopter. When I looked at PVH to study how they made their money, it was instantly clear that they made it in licensing. But they weren’t licensing the core product. I believed that if you found the right partner—a best-in-class partner—why couldn’t you also license the core?
People looked at me and said, “No, you won’t be able to do that because you can’t control the DNA of the brand.” And I said, “Yeah, we can. I mean, Disney controls their brands. You can’t change Mickey Mouse’s ears, right? So why don’t we just put together a great rule book? We’ll create it, we’ll give you all the rules of the game. We’ll control the distribution. We’ll give you the right brand books. We’ll give you the DNA. We’ll control all the marketing. We’ll do everything that Michael Kors did, that PVH did, except we’re not going to own the inventory, and we’re not going to design the product.”
So it’s really simple: we sign a contract, we license out the brand. We produce nothing, but we control everything. We control the distribution, the marketing, and what the product looks like…
Mark: Why wouldn’t the brands just do that themselves?
Jamie: Ah, that’s a good question. The reason they can’t do it as well themselves is because when we buy these brands, we license them out to best-in-class companies, by category, by territory. We know all the best partners around the world, so when we buy a brand, we know who’s going to be best at Champion team sports, Champion footwear or Champion socks. It differs by territory; the key is that the brand remains cohesive across the globe.
Also, while most companies have five or 10 people in licensing, we have 525 employees worldwide. From Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. through Friday afternoon at 5:00 p.m., they are thinking about licensing.
Mark: How do you navigate being in one retailer versus another? Consumers are relatively consistent when they buy batteries, but in fashion, it’s a little more complicated.
Jamie: We go where the consumer goes, and that changes. TJ Maxx used to be a dirty word in the apparel business; there was a certain stigma attached to selling to them. Then Ralph started selling to TJ Maxx, (and opening his own outlet stores) and the stigma was
CATSKIING
gone. Today, distribution is getting tighter, and it’s changing: there are clubs, there are off-price retailers. Department stores are having a tougher time. Some of the independent, omnichannel stores are doing well. And there’s this new company—have you heard of it? Ten years ago, brands were scared to sell on Amazon; now, it’s the first place people search to find what they want. If it’s not on Amazon, people might think it’s not a good brand, right? We follow where the consumer goes, which is why our model is a good one. We don’t have a lot of anchors holding us down; we can move quickly and credibly.
Mark: I’m a Yankee fan, and I’ve noticed that you’re promoting Reebok in Yankee Stadium. Can you talk a little about where you like spending money?
Jamie: Unlike other brand management companies, we’re big spenders on marketing. We’ve learned that when we spend, our partners spend too. In fact, for every dollar we spend, our partners spend five. So the good news is, yes, we spend money, but our partners spend more. We’re achieving a five-to-one return on every marketing dollar we spend.
brand. By the time we make the bid, we’re about 85% confident of the outcome.
Mark: What’s the one that got away from you? Was it Martha Stewart?
Jamie: We’ve had two opportunities to buy that brand and we passed on both. We didn’t pass because Martha Stewart is a bad brand—we think it’s a fantastic brand. It just didn’t fit our model of what we wanted to do at the time. However, we’ve learned a lot since acquiring Sports Illustrated, so if somebody brought us the Martha Stewart brand today, we’d probably take it.
Mark: What brand that you don’t own would you most like to acquire? Under Armour?
Jamie: I think it’s a great brand and completely undervalued. And you know I’m a cheerleader—I want them to succeed. Some people might assume I’d want a competing brand to fail so I can buy it for less money, but that’s not how we operate. We want everyone to succeed because, at the end of the day, the more brands that succeed, the better the overall business becomes.
“WE HAVE A SAYING AT ABG: TELL EVERYBODY EVERYTHING. THERE ARE NO SECRETS HERE.”
JAMIE SALTER
Jamie: The other thing that’s incredibly different here: we have about 85 or 90 people in marketing. Clearly, marketing today is driven by social media and digital platforms. Fortunately, although we didn’t have much money 15 years ago, we nonetheless invested in an incredible digital platform. We understood social media better than anyone in the apparel, accessory and footwear space.
Mark: To what extent has your low-leverage strategy contributed to Authentic’s success?
Jamie: To a tremendous extent! When we bid for a deal, we bid with money ready to go. It goes back to my philosophy: if you don’t have the money, don’t make the bid. So we always have the money before we make the bid—that’s number one. Number two: we have one of the best teams in the business, capable of figuring out where we can license globally.
Also important: when we have a good feeling about a brand, we’re constantly talking to our global partners about it. We start thinking about the brand long before we bid for it. We’ll actually build a model in advance so we know exactly where we might take that
You know the debt market is pretty high today, right? And a lot of companies borrowed money at low rates five or seven years ago. Well, that debt is coming due over the next couple of years, and few companies will be able to refinance at those low rates. This will put enormous pressure on these companies. We’ve already seen it start to unravel at certain companies that had to sell a hyped-up brand in order to raise capital to reduce their debt load. To sustain interest rates at seven or 7.5 percent, other companies might have to do the same. If they’re earning 10 percent, it’s kind of hard to make the math work.
Mark: MR readers want to know: what is your take on the future of men’s fashion?
Jamie: I believe we’re going back to dressing well. Look at what’s going on with kids right now. We had an era of ripped jeans and sloppy clothes, but we’re moving away from that, getting back to dressing more carefully. I like the men’s business because it’s more stable than the women’s: you don’t have to change the fashion as often. What’s more, men are incredibly loyal to their favorite brands, and they don’t return purchases as often as women do. I believe
“FROM
7:00 A.M. MONDAY THROUGH 5:00 P.M. FRIDAY, ALL WE THINK ABOUT
IS LICENSING.”
JAMIE SALTER
menswear is a great business to be in today: guys feel better when they dress better.
Mark: Among your 50 or so brands, do you have an absolute favorite?
Jamie: Marilyn Monroe. She’s the gift that keeps on giving. And I think that with AI in the spotlight, we’re going to put Marilyn back into the movie business. She’s not our biggest brand by any means, but she’s one of the first brands we bought, so she’s close to my heart. You can go to my house and see Marilyn everywhere. When people ask why, I say it’s because Marilyn built that house, she really did.
Our biggest brand, however, is Reebok: I grew up with Reebok footwear, so I have a huge love for that brand. I also love our board sports brands: Quiksilver, Billabong, Volcom, Roxy, Spyder, because I grew up in the action sports business. At the end of the day, I look at all 50 brands, and they’re all my children. And I love my kids equally, right? Reebok is our biggest brand, but I love Van Heusen, Sperry and Adrianne Vittadini just as much as I love Reebok. Sure, when it gets right down to it, I might feel more connected to Reebok than I do to Vittadini, but Vittadini is a great brand. And then we have our luxury brands like Judith Leiber, one of my favorites. It’s tiny and might be tiny for a long time, but guess what? Every female I meet, and every male business partner, asks if I can get them a Judith Leiber bag, for themselves or for their wife. Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl carrying a jeweled, football-shaped Judith Leiber bag—now that was incredible PR!
Mark: Wasn’t that Shaq’s idea?
Jamie: It was. He contacted me one day and suggested we make a Judith Leiber football bag to give to Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl. I said, “How are we going to do that?” and he said, “We’ll just call her up, tell her we have a gift for her, and we’ll see her at the Super Bowl.” I said, “No, no, we have to give her the bag before the Super Bowl so she comes in holding it.” And Shaq says, “No problem.” Sure enough, he got her the bag before the Super Bowl, and I got to meet Taylor Swift at the game. We were with her in the VIP box for a good 15 minutes, chatting, taking pictures, and she invited us to stay and watch the rest of the game. We declined, not wanting to impose, but in retrospect, we should have stayed. But what a great experience meeting her, knowing what she’s done for the NFL, for women and the sport, and for the unbelievable job Fanatics is doing with fashion.
Mark: What’s the best perk of being CEO of Authentic? Meeting celebrities? A great seat at events?
Jamie: There are certainly many perks including the use of an airplane that affords me many good times with family, colleagues and friends. Being happy and making others happy along the way: that’s the extraordinary feeling of being a successful CEO.
Look, I love what I do. I love the people I work with. I love that my four children are here at the company; I believe working with one’s children is the greatest dream of any father. I’m always posting all kinds of pictures of my family, of those little grandkids. And I’m having a great time.
But I also love the people here at Authentic. We’ve got this young generation, my partner calls them alphas. Their average age is about 37, and they are so smart, much smarter than we are. And that’s really the greatest part of Authentic. We’re not scared to put these young entrepreneurs in charge. We’re a company looking toward the future, and I’m incredibly proud of that.
MILKEN CONFERENCE BTS: L TO R: COREY SALTER, COO; DYLAN SALTER, EVP; JAMIE SALTER, FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN, AND CEO; MICHAEL MILKEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE MILKEN INSTITUTE; DAVID BECKHAM; TYLER SALTER, SVP; MATTHEW SALTER, EVP.
CRYSTAL BALL PART 2: VENDOR VIEW
By Karen Alberg Grossman
Ron Balinsky, Ballin
It’s not my nature to worry, so at the moment I’m not planning major changes. Right now, the U.S. economy is strong, and I expect it will continue to be strong. I don’t see people dressing differently than they have been: guys who like to dress up will continue to do so, the billionaires in their jeans and T-shirts will continue to wear jeans and T-shirts.
I don’t have a crystal ball, but I believe the current retail landscape reaffirms the importance of independent stores. I believe we’re still a business of touch-and-feel and that online business will never dominate. In fact, those merchants with the most successful online businesses are those who’ve figured out how to personalize the online experience. They email the shopper the week after his purchase to offer that item in another color or to suggest a perfect shirt to go with his new pants. There are AI tools to automate this type of thing: those who figure it out will see business improve significantly. New tariffs will probably factor into our pricing at some point. I’m hopeful, however, that any increases will be short-lived. As for fashion, I believe pleated pants will grow in importance, but not overnight. Canada has the luxury of being a little ahead of the U.S. in terms of fashion. Although we’re seeing a lot of pleated pants coming out of Europe, the trend is not widespread here. It’s trending slightly, but where retailers have pushed too hard, it’s not yet working…”
Cecile Revah, Bugatchi
Over the past several years we've implemented exciting changes to elevate our design aesthetic, enhance cohesiveness, and infuse innovation into our seasonal collections. These efforts are driven by our deep understanding of our customers' needs and our commitment to providing them with exactly what they want.
Looking ahead, we’re focused on maximizing the potential of all revenue channels while ensuring they align seamlessly with our brand vision. This includes our traditional wholesale partnerships, as well as the growing opportunities in e-commerce and retail. We view all challenges as opportunities to grow and adapt. While trade dynamics, tariffs, cost of goods, and inflation require careful attention, we’re confident that the key to future success lies in building resilience. By streamlining our supply chain and development processes, we aim to minimize risks and ensure that no single event, whether domestic or international, has a disproportionate impact on our business.
Dick Seitchik, Harmony
Our customer base looks to us for their more basic needs, not for what’s new and different, so our fall ’25 collection will not be much different from fall ’24. We’re not moving toward looser fits. Our two best-selling models—traditional and modern fit—will not be changing. We do DB’s only in a navy blazer. We’re not showing
Chicago Collective Booth #4130
“I BELIEVE THE CURRENT RETAIL LANDSCAPE REAFFIRMS THE IMPORTANCE OF INDEPENDENT STORES.”
RON BALINSKY, BALLIN
pleated pants. Our focus is on color and pattern work, mostly plaids in various configurations. A full 80 percent of our tailored clothing business is in sport coats. Aside from suit separates in five solid colors, our suit business is quite weak. Topcoats were a substantial part of our fall volume until last year; they now appear to have fallen off a cliff.
I’m very much concerned about the proposed tariffs. I believe that business in 2025 will be far more challenging than in 2023 or 2024. Pricepoints will be very important; fabric prices will be stable to down as will cut/make/trim. It’s likely that the personal spending of the man of the house will be under pressure in what’s bound to be a more inflationary environment. Tariffs will serve only to make our market more difficult.
Stephen Granovsky, Samuelsohn
Going into 2025, we’re taking a thoughtful approach to drive longterm success. We’re excited to re-launch our in-stock programs for S ’25, bringing renewed value to the market. Our goal is to operate seamlessly across all facets of our business—OTR, in-stock, and MTM. We’re investing in versatile fabrics and new models that appeal to a wider range of stores.
If tariffs on Canada increase, Samuelsohn will mitigate the impact on customers by collaborating with partners and maintaining our commitment to quality. By continuing to source premium fabrics and upholding our renowned fit and craftsmanship, we can ensure that value remains a priority.
Kareen Shaya, Raffi
Among our most successful moves: growing our in-stock programs to include both core and fashion items. We believe retailers deserve a healthy and balanced inventory to fuel sales. With Raffi, they never need to buy in depth because we always have goods in stock. On a personal note: our key objective these days is keeping Raffi’s legacy alive. Although he built a strong business that can run without him, we remain ever inspired by his optimistic spirit and innovative vision. He’s with us every step of the way as we create knits in finer gauges, lighter weights, softer feels, and beautiful colors suitable for year-round wear.
With a goal to adapt to changes, we’ll keep listening to what our customers want. Bottom line, our designs are meant to help men make the transition from boardroom to a night on the town. When a man looks good, he feels good about himself, and contributes to the world in more creative and positive ways.
Burak Ovunc, 34 Heritage
We’re expanding our sportswear collection, adding new styles and fabrics to meet evolving customer needs, attract new customers, and boost sales. We’re also driving brand awareness via social, influencer, and in-store events with our specialty store partners, collabs, digital/print media placements, and more. These allow us to continually reach out to and connect with new consumers.
Most importantly, we’ve integrated sustainability into our corporate culture, vision, products, and growth targets. Implementing eco-friendly practices appeals to today’s consumers and differentiates the 34Heritage brand. We’re proud to have been named number 8 out of 500 global companies on Time’s new list of Best in Sustainable Growth.
Other recent changes: we’ve streamlined operations to reduce costs and enhance the speed of delivery, ultimately generating more volume and improving profitability. And we’ve invested in strengthening our employee skills in specialty stores to improve productivity and customer service.
One of the critical challenges we face is adapting every season to changing consumer behaviors. Inflation is another challenge, as the rising price of goods and services impacts consumer spending power. Uncertain economic conditions make it difficult for everyone in the industry to plan long-term strategies, impacting investments and growth.
Trump's tariffs, particularly on goods imported from countries like China, could impact retail sales in several ways. Still, since most of our production is in Turkey, we foresee our sales unaffected by the tariff changes. To avoid tariffs, other wholesalers will likely look for alternative suppliers or manufacturing locations, which could lead to disruptions and increased costs during the transition. Tariffs generally lead to higher prices for imported goods. Retailers might pass these costs on to consumers, which could reduce demand if prices rise significantly.
My crystal ball: the menswear industry in 2030 will be characterized by greater adaptability, sustainability, and inclusivity, in response to changing consumer preferences and societal values. Fashion will shift towards casual and athleisure styles, driven by lifestyle changes and remote work trends. Brands focused on comfort and versatility may capture a larger market share. Sustainability will be a critical focus, with brands adopting eco-friendly materials and practices. The industry will likely prioritize DEI in marketing and Continued on page 34
RAFFI FOREVER
a way of life.
“LOOK YOUR BEST, TO FEEL YOUR BEST.”
- Raffi
product offerings. This could lead to a broader range of sizes, styles, and representations in menswear, appealing to diverse consumer bases. Local sourcing and near-shoring will likely increase to reduce supply chain risks and environmental impact. Brands will prioritize transparency and ethical sourcing to appeal to eco-conscious and social-conscious consumers.
Alison Mangaroo, Paisley&Gray
We're challenging the traditional suit concept with the "Unsuitable Suit." This concept includes multiple items in the same fabric – a blazer, a bomber jacket, a puffer coat, a topcoat, and a pair of pants – that can be styled and mixed for various occasions. Today's man seeks individuality, and this concept caters to that desire and allows him to confidently curate his own look.
The theme of our Fall ’25 Paisley & Gray collection is "Modern Heritage with a Twist." We've incorporated tweed, wool, and knit fabrics in an earthy, grounded color story with rich, warm accents in easy-to-wear, unexpected silhouettes.
Our prediction is that, as always, fit, quality, and value will remain core elements. We strive to help our customers feel confident and experience the feeling of wearing a high-end designer brand without the hefty price tag.
John Greco, Olliver Grey Menswear
As we move into 2025, Olliver Grey is prioritizing a thoughtful and strategic approach to continued expansion in the U.S. market. Our focus remains identifying select retail partners where our brand aligns seamlessly with their offerings and customer base.
Our strategy is centered on managed growth. We aim to ensure that our current retail partners continue to thrive. Supporting these partnerships is a top priority, as we believe that sustainable growth stems from strengthening existing relationships and ensuring mutual success. By carefully selecting new retail partners while maintaining our commitment to our current ones, Olliver Grey is poised for steady, meaningful growth in 2025.
New for us: a quick custom program within the Olliver Grey label. This made-to-measure program, made in Italy, will allow shoppers to customize their garments by selecting from a variety of fabrics, linings and buttons as well as making fit adjustments to the existing models. We’re currently in testing phase, aiming for a soft launch within the next few months.
As for the recent announcement by President Trump of potential tariffs, this has clearly sparked widespread discussion and concern among Canadian businesses. A proposed 25% tariff has garnered significant attention, raising concerns among customers and competitors alike. However, while the immediate reaction may be one of alarm, a closer analysis suggests the impact might not be as severe as we initially anticipated. If such a tariff were implemented, it would undoubtedly have a ripple effect on Canada’s economy,
strengthening the U.S. dollar and further weakening the Canadian dollar. However, the weakened Canadian dollar would help mitigate some of the tariff’s impact. While the effect may not be entirely offset, we’re prepared to absorb some of the costs to help minimize the impact to the retailer.
While uncertainty remains, our perspective is one of cautious optimism. My recent post-election conversations with retailers had everyone feeling positive for 2025.
Geoff Schneiderman, Eleventy
We’re always looking at our business for ways to reinvent our client experience around the brand. We’re obsessed with customer experience. There are so few aspects of the retail industry that are truly controllable, so we’re doing our best to drive these aspects to best position the brand for success.
Without a doubt the biggest challenge to growth in our industry is finding enthusiastic and motivated people who have chosen to make a career in fashion retailing. Eleventy has 11 retail stores and very high standards for those who wish to join our team. We’re less focused on prior sales experience and more interested in personality traits that might lead our clients to develop relationships with our sellers. We believe strongly that our product is desirable and does not need to be “sold”, but if a store associate can create a relationship with customers that brings them into the store more frequently, that translates into more transactions. The same holds true with our wholesale partners (who account for just over 50 percent of our revenue).
I’m not too worried about potential tariffs: It’s unclear at this time if Made in Italy will be involved, and fortunately, Eleventy has always believed in price/value product positioning. I’m more interested to see what might happen to those brands that were already stretching their margins (perhaps too far). We’ve begun exploring new procedures for importation that could allow for a lower duty rate, potentially benefitting all our customers.
My crystal ball shows that only the strongest and most innovative will survive. Clients have very little tolerance for the same old retail experience and have never had higher expectations for service.
“WE’VE ALREADY BEGUN EXPLORING NEW PROCEDURES FOR IMPORTATION THAT COULD ALLOW FOR A LOWER DUTY RATE.”
GEOFF SCHNEIDERMAN, ELEVENTY
Register to attend or apply to show your collection.
Las Vegas February 10-12 | August 18-20
Always intimate in setting and invigorating in energy, PROJECT Las Vegas showcases a curation of men’s and gender fluid apparel, footwear, and accessories.
www.projectfashionevents.com
CHANGING TIMES
Shoppable trends from the Chicago Collective.
By John Russel Jones
No matter what trend suits your customer, you’ll find it at the Chicago Collective this season. To use a Mark Twain quote, “It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try to keep up with Chicago—she outgrows his prophecies faster than he can make them. She is always a novelty; for she is never the Chicago you saw when you passed through the last time.”
What are our prophecies for Fall/Winter 2025?
• We’re seeing quiet luxury continue, and with that, the double-breasted jacket, in both tailored clothing and outerwear, will once again take center stage.
• Fuller trousers? Soon, yes, but not quite yet. Ease your customer into the idea with a slightly fuller silhouette in soft, comfortable fabrics.
• Knitwear, especially sweaters, seem more important than ever, and we’re loving nautically-inspired silhouettes. Where last year we were all about stepping out of sneakers and into loafers, this season we’re headed into still relaxed, easy footwear.
• Finally, an overall trend: for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction, so we see Bohemian style spinning off of quiet luxury, rendered in soft, easy-to-wear fabrics and silhouettes.
CHICAGO
SUNDAY: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
MONDAY: 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
TUESDAY: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
MARCH 2-4, 2025
THE MART, CHICAGO FLOOR 7
SUN/MON/TUE
OPENING NIGHT PARTY: SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2025 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM THE WOMEN’S EDITION OF YOUR FAVORITE SHOW.
Our Women’s Edition features everything you love about Chicago Collective. Buyers can expect a focused offering of incredible brands, an easy to shop floor, a fun opening night party, special pop-up events and our popular buyer hotel reimbursement program.
Double Barrelled
The double-breasted jacket (or coat) reflects a newly relaxed, more nuanced take on style this season. While still projecting strength and virility, it’s also a nod towards easy elegance, bringing sartorial splendor to just about any outfit.
Perfect Knits
It’s time to get guys into something with just a little more pizazz. Classic fisherman and marine-inspired looks still impart a preppy, sporty charm, functional and handsome, but also provide a certain bad-boy, “you know you want to touch this” magnetism.
Clockwise from above, Luigi Bianchi Sartoria, Briglia 1949, and Barena Venezia.
Clockwise from above, Naadam, Altea, and Boglioli.
Pants’ Dance
While the voluminous pants of the runways may not be catching stride just yet, men are ready for something soft and comfortable, and, as Dave Sweedler at Zanella says, saleable! Coming up next? “Offered in the right fabric, with the right drape, and styling—think Gene Kelly in An American in Paris—I believe this is a great retro look for Spring ’26.”
True Shoes
Nothing speaks louder for a man than his shoes, and it’s time for statement-making footwear. Sneakers will always have a place in our hearts, but it’s time to step up to something a skosh more formal. Not ready for derbys or Oxford lace-ups just yet? These casual styles will ease the transition to a new administration.
Top, Florsheim, above left, Aurelian, and above right, Want Les Essentials.
Clockwise from above, Zanella, Road to Nowhere, and 34 Heritage.
Bohemian Groove
Think of it less as a revolution, and more as a very cool way to be alternative and non-conformist. It’s about bringing a level of controlled, careful cool to the conversation, without losing sight that the medium (in this case the wardrobe) is the message.
Work & Play
One more Mark Twain quote: “No, Sir, not a day’s work in all my life. What I have done I have done, because it has been play. If it had been work I shouldn’t have done it.”
Besides offering the finest menswear, the show’s events offer plenty of opportunities to raise a glass with our industry mates. Check chicagocollectivemens.com/ events for a full listing complete with Google Calendar and ICS links.
The opening night party, sponsored by Mac Jeans, is on Sunday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
Other events throughout the show include:
• Espresso, coffee and doughnuts
• Bloody Marys and Mimosas
• Negronis, sake, and whiskey tastings
• Beer bars, and much more
• Visit Bosca to receive a complimentary wallet
• The Barbour Coat + Luggage Check lightens the load.
Upper left, Original Madras Trading Co., lower left, The Normal Brand, and right, Bugatti.
Tallia coat, Ravazzolo suit, Universal Works turtleneck and hat.
Robert Barakett hooded sweater, Barena Venezia pants, Izipizi readers.
President’s suit, Robert Barakett turtleneck, Thomas Mason scarf.
Talent: Ken Barnett (Contact: Scott Zimmerman at SKZ Management (323) 378-5152); producer: John Jones; stylist: Michael Macko; photographer: Marko Kalfa; groomer: Linsey Marmorato/Honey Artists; styling assistant: Lauren Corcoran; photo assistant: Eriko Andres; theatrical lighting: Phill Hill and Joe Kimple.
Special thanks to Victoria Hanavan at The Sheen Center for Thought & Culture (sheencenter.org) for our location and to Raffael Pacitti, the writer of Mister Halston (halstonplay.com). Learn more about the play at mr-mag.com/Halston-play.
and
Vintage & Black Weatherproof blazer, pants,
hooded sweater, Frye boots.
Continued from page 10
The Future of Fashion
The DPP represents a transformative shift, promoting transparency, sustainability, and consumer engagement. By providing detailed product information, brands and retailers can meet regulatory requirements while creating deeper connections with consumers. As demand for traceability and environmental accountability rises, the DPP is poised to reshape the industry toward a more digital and sustainable future.
When asked how environmental labeling laws might affect consumption habits, 55.2% of respondents said they’d prioritize products with lower environmental impact. London-based department store Selfridges has embraced circular models through its Project Earth initiative, focusing on resale, rental, repair, and refill. By 2022, resale revenue grew 4.5 times, rental revenue grew 3.1 times, and refill revenue grew 4.6 times. In 2023, the initiative achieved a 280% revenue increase, with resale and refill models leading growth.
Josh Scacheri, Design Director at Gieves and Hawkes and founder of sustainable brand Love Hero, sees DPP benefits extending beyond compliance. He envisions the DPP shifting responsibility from supply chains to consumers. One example of this— bespoke Savile Row garments could carry customer profiles to future generations, preserving legacy through transparency and traceability.
Gilbert-Rolfe agrees. “A lot of responsibility today is focused on the supply chain. With the DPP, the shift can be on the consumer.”
Using the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire as an example, he explains the importance of linking products to consumers. The fire, caused by a recalled refrigerator the owner hadn’t registered, resulted in 72 deaths. “The idea that I can discard something environmentally destructive without accountability will likely disappear,” he says. “Apparel might follow suit. Abandoned garments could be traced to their owners, marking a societal shift toward accountability and sustainability.”
The DPP initiative underscores a pivotal change in the apparel industry, aligning with consumer expectations and regulatory demands. As brands and retailers adapt, the future of fashion becomes increasingly digital, sustainable, and interconnected.
Craig Crawford is a two time Tabbie award winning author and founderprenuer of Crawford IT, (crawfordit.com) a London-based consulting firm specializing in the digital transformation of brands; Instagram @getamobilelife; +44 07834584785
UK Fashion and Textile Association www.ukft.org/ukftglobalbrands @ukftorg
at Chicago Collective February 1-4, 2025
WONDER WOMAN
In Search of Excitement Cecile Revah
By Karen Alberg Grossman
“IF I COULD GO BACK, I’D FOCUS MORE ON TAKING RISKS EARLIER IN MY CAREER.”
Bugatchi founder and CEO Cecile Revah knows a thing or two about men’s fashion and how to build a dynamic company. Here, we salute the fabulous woman behind four decades of exceptional leadership!
What do you love most about the business?
That each season brings the thrill of discovery. I enjoy exploring new ideas and traveling to trade shows and to Europe and Asia for inspiration. Every season offers fresh opportunities to advance the brand and embrace new possibilities. While fashion trends are cyclical and larger macroeconomic factors can affect our plans, I view these challenges as part of the excitement that keeps the industry dynamic and constantly evolving.
How would you describe yourself as a manager?
Early in my career, I was deeply involved in nearly every aspect of the company, which gave me an invaluable understanding of its inner workings. This foundation is essential for a CEO. As the company grew, I gradually embraced the importance of stepping back and empowering my talented team, allowing them to excel in their respective roles. While I strive not to micromanage, old habits die hard, and naturally, I keep a close eye on the key areas that drive our success. Striking this balance allows us to scale effectively while remaining true to our vision. From the start, I have always maintained an open-door policy, ensuring that I am accessible to all levels of staff. I continue to make myself very available whenever I am needed.
What are you most proud of?
I am incredibly humbled and proud of the journey I’ve had over the past 43 years. It’s been a privilege to witness and contribute to the growth and evolution of the industry, constantly learning and adapting along the way. What truly fills me with pride is the relationships I’ve built, both within the company and with our partners, as well as the ability to inspire and mentor the next generation of talent. Seeing the impact of our work, the brand we’ve built, and the positive influence we’ve had on those we’ve worked with is something I’ll always cherish.
What is your road not taken?
If I hadn’t pursued fashion, I’d likely be knee-deep in real estate development
with my brother Daniel, co-founder of Bugatchi. We’d tackle the property world with the same passion, focusing more on chic spaces and locations than fabric blends! Ultimately, I’m grateful for the path I’ve taken, as it’s allowed me to do what I love and build something meaningful. That said, I wouldn’t mind exploring real estate someday to keep myself challenged!
Your passions outside of work?
Without a doubt, the most precious thing outside of my work is my growing family. I have five grandchildren, with one more on the way, and they bring endless joy to my life. There’s something special about spoiling them with all the love, treats, and attention they deserve. Life doesn’t get much better than that!
Your biggest mistake: what would you do differently if you could go back?
I would focus more on taking risks earlier in my career, especially in areas where I now see opportunities for innovation. In the beginning, I may have been too cautious, attempting to perfect every detail before moving ahead. Ultimately, every decision and experience has brought me to where I am today, so I wouldn’t change a thing: it’s all part of the journey.
Any dreams of retirement?
That’s not in the cards for me! Honestly, I’d get bored after a week. For me, retirement would be a vacation, not a lifestyle. I guess I’m just wired to keep going, to constantly seek out and dive into the next exciting project.
