Published writing
CNN
Your favourite model? They might not be real
A recent campaign in Vogue featuring an artificially generated model has reignited debate over what it might mean for real-life models pushing for greater representation and diversity, and consumers who often face unrealistic expectations of beauty.
His celebrity transformations are bizarre and the process is captivating
From Madonna to Jack Nicholson, this performance artist attends Paris Fashion Week impersonating some of the world’s most famous celebrities.
Are luxury brands still worth the price?
After a year of sweatshops scares, steep price hikes and a brewing trade war, luxury brands are working hard to rebuild trust through storytelling that emphasizes craft and heritage.
She spent $2,600 on a designer bag from a trusted store. Was it a fake?
High-end retailers in the UK and US have been called out by customers who allege they have received counterfeit goods.
Fake tan, fancy nails: How marathons became a catwalk for beauty
When it comes to race preparation, beauty is playing an increasingly significant role for a new generation of runners.
The internet is raving about ‘nature’s Botox.’ Does it work?
After years of a high-end skincare boom, beauty enthusiasts are turning to ingredients you’d usually find in the food aisle, as a way to hydrate the skin and reduce acne.
Financial Times
Milan probes into Dior suppliers’ illegal labour unsettle luxury sector
Revelations show industry not immune to questionable practices.
From Tom Ford to Chanel, luxury brands rocked by creative upheaval
A shake-up across the high-end fashion sector marks an unprecedented period of change.
Hot in Hollywood — the fashion designers signing with top talent agencies
Companies including CAA, WME and UTA are adding designers to their rosters, marking a shift in the sector.
Valentino’s Jacopo Venturini: ‘We are selling dreams, emotions and entertainment’
The CEO on his strategy for the Italian house — and the new creative direction under Alessandro Michele.
Moncler chief on defying China’s new normal to ‘build the strongest brand ever’
Hot off investment from LVMH, Moncler wants to make greater inroads into the world’s second-largest economy. Remo Ruffini explains why.
Pietro Beccari: ‘There is no household in the world that doesn’t have Louis Vuitton’
The Louis Vuitton chief wants to turn the LVMH-owned luxury brand into a cultural juggernaut.
Diesel and Margiela owner Renzo Rosso is prioritising product over entertainment
OTB Group’s latest acquisition and forthcoming IPO is part of the founder’s plans to futureproof the business.
Knitwear label John Smedley wants to bring manufacturing home
By opening up its factory to third parties, the British heritage brand hopes to encourage domestic production.
Dover Street Market Paris: A home for fashion’s independent minds
Luxury retail pioneers Adrian Joffe and Carla Sozzani reflect on their radical approach.
The Fendis on family, fragrance and future direction
Mother and daughter join artistic director Kim Jones to talk about the forging of a ‘new chapter’ at the luxury powerhouse.
Where is the next great Japanese fashion designer?
A wave of Japanese designers revolutionised fashion in the 1980s. New talents are emerging — but can they hope for the same global influence?
Independent fashion labels are struggling
In a risk-averse retail landscape, diversification and caution have become key to survival.
Vogue Business
TikTok ushered in dupe culture. Now it’s grappling with fakes
Unauthorised beauty sellers have long plagued open marketplaces. Now, TikTok faces similar challenges with counterfeits and dupes.
The havoc and hype of ultra-realistic ‘fake’ fashion campaigns
The internet is awash with fantastical creations from brands that consumers will never see in the flesh. The creator behind Jacquemus’s viral Le Bambino bag-shaped buses discuss the opportunity and risks.
Tube Girl at Balmain? Internet personalities are invading fashion week
Sabrina Bahsoon, better known by her viral persona “Tube Girl”, is the hot new talent at fashion week. She joins a new wave of quirky online personalities, such as Madeline Argy, Amelia Dimoldenberg and Tommy Cash, sitting front row.
Donatella Versace and Dua Lipa talk creating a successful celebrity collab
The show prioritises accessibility and indicates a new era for celebrity collaborations.
How Frieze Seoul left the city’s fashion week in the dust
Despite moving its dates forward to align with the art fair, the city’s fashion week was largely overlooked.
The future of influencer marketing is offline and hyper-niche
As digital marketing costs rise and follower count becomes less significant, progressive brands are swapping product placements for physical activations with post-platform communities.
What the anti-influencer movement means for luxury
Consumers are developing a more critical view of influencers, reflected in social trends including ‘de-influencing’ and ‘corecore’.
Is one show a year enough? London’s emerging designers weigh in
In challenging times, some emerging brands in London, including Conner Ives, Chopova Lowena and Knwls, are opting to host fashion shows once a year. Buyers have mixed views.
Valentino and Dior bet on K-pop amid China tensions. Will it pay off?
Korea has taken the luxury sector by storm, with a flurry of brands appointing K-pop stars as global ambassadors. But, for brands targeting China, a nuanced approach is required.
Meet the “genuinfluencers” who don’t want to sell you anything
Brands are banking on an emerging crop of so-called “genuinfluencers”, who are more interested in using their platform to share advice and information rather than sell products.
Business of Fashion
Why puffer jackets are at the centre of South Korea’s class divide
While the explosive popularity of puffer jackets is a boon for outerwear brands like The North Face and Moncler, the trend highlights some uncomfortable truths about South Korean society.
Why Margiela's Tabi boot is minting money
As the enigmatic designer's split-toe shoe gains a celebrity following years after its initial release, retailers are cashing in.
Men are changing. Are brands keeping up?
Advertisers have invested billions in constructing an image of manhood defined by strength and power. But the mainstream perception of masculinity is changing.
What’s behind the lip gloss boom? 90s nostalgia, wellness and tinder
High-shine lacquered lips are back on the beauty radar. But like consumers, lip gloss has grown up.
This K-beauty brand is bigger than Chanel. But it’s in trouble
Amorepacific rode the K-beauty wave to become one of Asia’s most powerful cosmetics empires, surpassing beauty sales of Chanel and LVMH. But as it grapples with a patent battle and a turbulent China market, some wonder whether its heyday might be over.
Why Dolce & Gabbana is still frozen out of China
Two months after Stefano Gabbana called Chinese consumers an 'ignorant dirty smelling mafia,' the brand remains frozen out of the world's biggest luxury market.
International beauty brands are piling into South Korea
From Givenchy Beauty to Sephora, global beauty companies are targeting the growing opportunity in South Korea, but a phalanx of homegrown brands stands in their way.
The real world of Crazy Rich Asians
The rare Hollywood film with a largely Asian cast signals a major step forward for representation, but does it tell us anything about Asia’s luxury market?
A rare look inside Tokyo's Bunka Fashion College
The school has produced some of the world’s most celebrated avant-garde designers, from Yohji Yamamoto to Junya Watanabe.
i-D
Appropriation or appreciation? Unpacking south korea’s fascination with black culture
Is Seoul’s love for the hip-hop aesthetic more fetishistic than inclusive?
The dark side of china’s beauty boom
Young women have fallen into the trap of overspending, sometimes chasing after beauty at a price too high to pay.
Why a new generation of women are challenging South Korea’s beauty standards
A feminist “corset-free” movement is gathering steam in the world's plastic surgery capital.
Jing Daily
Luxury in limbo: How daigous are adapting admid China’s crackdown
Private shoppers in Europe discuss the recent Chinese government crackdown and how it has affected their business as well as the effects on the luxury market.
WWD
Authorities seize counterfeits on London’s Oxford Street
Authorities seized a haul of counterfeit designer clothing and accessories in a raid at a gift shop on Oxford Street.