We’re in an era of endless options, constant drops, and algorithm-driven trends…but what are people actually buying?
I sit down with retail expert and Puck writer Sarah Shapiro to do a real-time “channel check” on the fashion industry. From what’s selling in stores right now to the pieces quietly dominating across data, and the brands actually getting it right, we break down what’s working, what’s not, how to actually make sense of it all, and where you should be shopping.
In this conversation, we get into:
Timestamps
00:00 Intro, “retail whisperer” and setting up the spring channel check
02:00 What a channel check actually is and how to read a store
04:00 The rise of “easy pants” spotted IRL (channel check in the wild)
05:30 Why people are moving away from leggings (but not fully)
07:00 Girlfriend Collective leggings, High Sport pants, and the “cookie theory”
08:30 What stores are actually doing well right now (Mohawk, curated retail)
10:30 Discovery in stores vs overwhelming assortments
11:30 The problem with endless scroll and too many options
13:00 What defines a “mall brand” today and how retail categories have changed
15:00 What people are actually buying right now (ShopMy + Puck data)
17:00 Seasonal shift: what spring shopping will look like
18:30 The “airplane pant” and why product framing sells
20:00 Brands to watch right now (Still Here denim and expansion beyond hero pieces)
21:30 The $300–$800 “middle market” and how people are shopping it
22:30 Why resale is changing how we think about buying clothes
24:00 The RealReal mindset: depreciation, longevity, and wearing your clothes
25:00 Her background: from retail to Substack to Puck
27:00 AI in retail: where it works (logistics, tagging) vs where it doesn’t (taste)
29:00 Why AI styling still misses nuance and personal language
31:00 The future of retail: tech vs human experience in stores
32:00 How to filter the noise and actually figure out your personal style
33:00 “Let’s Get You Dressed” — what to wear to a big business meeting
35:00 Investment pieces, blazers, and how to shop strategically (RealReal, vintage)
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