The Business of Fashion Podcast

Michelle Yeoh has captivated audiences for decades, from her iconic role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to her Oscar-winning performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Over her storied career, she has consistently pushed boundaries, proving her versatility both on and off the screen, breaking paths as an Asian woman on the global stage. Now, at the age of 62 Michelle has scored coveted global ambassador roles at not one, but two of fashion’s top luxury brands — Balenciaga and Bottega Veneta."Fashion has changed, and it’s not just about dressing younger people," Yeoh says. "You have to find representation across different generations, and I think what I represent is being proud that you are different, that you are older — and there’s nothing wrong with that. Just before the Oscars a silly television commentator said, ‘You’re past your prime because you’re 50-something.’ How dare you? How dare anybody tell you what you are capable of?”This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Yeoh to discuss her winding journey to the big screen and why fashion is finally embracing older women.Key Insights:  Yeoh’s path to stardom began with her early passion for dance, which she began as a child in Malaysia before travelling to England to study further. When she had to set her dance dreams aside due to injury, the shift opened the door to acting in action and martial arts films alongside actors like Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Jet Li. “I watched [Hung] do the choreography and the fighting, and I thought, ‘this is exactly like dance,’” she says. “This is choreography. We all know what we are doing, it's about how you transfer the energy and the speed of the rhythm.”On success and failures, Yeoh embraces the lows moment as opportunities to transform. “Failures are what make you learn. If you're only successful, how do you know that's the way? ... It's the journey, not just the destination," says Yeoh. "And in that journey, that's where you learn. That's where you grow, where you meet, where you engage, and that's where you have a full life.”Yeoh places a deep emphasis on trust and collaboration when choosing her creative partners. “Once I choose to work with you, then I have to trust you. I have to believe that you have the right vision,” she shares. “If I don’t trust you, then I don’t think I’ll be able to give you my best. I have to believe in your vision, that you know what you’re doing, and that we’re in this together."Additional Resources:How Michelle Yeoh Conquered Fashion | BoF 

The beauty industry thrives on virality, but in the age of social media, that can be a double-edged sword. One viral TikTok video can catapult a brand to success — or bring it to its knees. From Youthforia’s foundation shade controversy to Huda Beauty’s mislabeling error, brands are discovering that managing customer expectations and addressing backlash swiftly is critical to their survival.“It happens pretty fast when it does happen. … Sometimes it’s an unknown creator who can make [a product] go viral for all the wrong reasons,” says beauty correspondent Daniela Morosini. “You have to be willing to listen when they tell you that you got it wrong.”Key InsightsBuilding a strong brand community involves more than just creating a product; it means engaging with your customers and allowing them to have a meaningful role in your brand’s development. “If you're going to create a community to help your brand grow, you need to understand that those customers want a seat at the table,” says Morosini. Listening to customer feedback, especially when things go wrong, is crucial. Being proactive in addressing customer complaints is crucial. As demonstrated by Huda Beauty’s mislabeling issue, taking responsibility early on and offering solutions can stop a backlash from spiralling. Morosini notes, “She took full accountability and offered to make everybody whole if they’d bought the wrong shade.”Hair care products, especially those tied to hair loss, tend to evoke emotional responses and intense scrutiny. The stakes are high as hair loss is a sensitive, deeply personal issue. As Morosini points out, “There are so many factors that can cause hair loss… people don't want to roll the dice if there's even a 1% chance a product could be the cause.”Complexion product mishaps can be particularly damaging for beauty brands, as they quickly highlight inclusivity gaps. “It’s just so obvious when a brand has missed the mark with complexion,” says Morosini. “Oftentimes the scandals that seem to cause a lot of blowback, they come back to that exclusionary point,” she adds. “Nobody likes to feel left out.”Additional Resources:What to Do When a Beauty Product Launch Goes Wrong | BoFWhy Beauty Brands Keep Getting Accused of Causing Hair Loss — and What They Can Do About It -Editor's Note: This podcast was amended on Oct. 17 2024 to clarify YSL as the maker of the blush product.

The influencer landscape has shifted dramatically over the last decade. While the image of influencers posting flawless selfies on exotic, brand-sponsored trips still resonates, the reality has become far more complex. Influencers now host live shoppable streams, publish newsletters on Substack and engage in intimate group chats. Their goal is not just to build a following and wait for brands to come calling, but to establish multiple sources of income through affiliate links, brand deals, and subscription models.“Influencers and creators have realised that they need to diversify and be on multiple platforms. They need to be connecting with their followers in multiple ways and have a deeper relationship with their followers,” says Diana Pearl, senior news and features editor.  “Even five years ago, there were people who didn't really take this industry very seriously and didn't realise the difference they could make for their brand. Now it is impossible to ignore.”Key Insights:In the evolving digital landscape, influencers and creators are no longer relying on a single platform for success. Diversifying their presence across platforms, from Instagram to Substack, is key. Pearl emphasises, “It’s really all just about diversification... not relying so much on one source, not having to rely so much on Instagram, the algorithm, affiliate links and brand deals.”While macro-influencers may reach a broader audience, smaller influencers often have more engaged, loyal followers. “Once you get so big and you've got millions and millions of followers, you can't have that type of relationship with 5 million people the way you can with 100,000,” says Pearl.The rivalry between influencer marketing platforms LTK and ShopMy highlights a shift in the landscape, with ShopMy offering influencers more control and transparency. Pearl explains that while LTK encourages creators to centralise their content on its app, ShopMy allows influencers to share across platforms. “We know our audience, we know what content resonates with them. But if you hand us this really detailed brief and expect us to act like a traditional ad agency... it’s just not going to come off as authentic,” Pearl explains.The industry is becoming more nuanced, with clear distinctions emerging between influencers and creators. While creators focus on producing unique, engaging content, influencers drive sales and hold sway over purchasing decisions. Influence remains the key asset in the industry, one that can be translated across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Substack. "At the end of the day, the most valuable commodity in this business is influence," Pearl explains.By understanding their goals and selecting the right partner to meet them, brands can optimise the impact of their influencer campaigns and better connect with their target audiences. “Brands just need to be smart about what are your goals, what’s the right type of person to achieve these goals or right type of partner and who should we go with from there?” says Pearl. Additional Resources:The Widening Gap Between Influencers and CreatorsThe Fight for Influencer Marketing Dollars Heats UpWhat’s Driving the Influencer Subscription Boom

Amid economic uncertainty, a global luxury industry slowdown, and conflicts erupting around the world, designers at the Spring/Summer 2025 shows balanced restraint and expression, resulting in collections that sought deeper emotional and intellectual impact. Megabrands scaled back fashion week festivities as they battened down the hatches with budget cuts and streamlined shows.“I think there's a general caution and a realignment. I think the state of the world is more conducive to reflection than extravagance,” says Tim Blanks, The Business of Fashion’s editor at large.It was the designers who took creative risks that stood out. At Marni, Francesco Risso created a cinematic spectacle, transforming cotton into expressive designs, emphasising simple beauty amid turmoil. Alessandro Michele made his anticipated debut at Valentino, honoring the legacy of Valentino Garavani while infusing his flair. At Loewe, Jonathan Anderson played with scale, encouraging audiences to rethink aesthetics.In this episode of The BoF Podcast, Imran Amed sits down with Tim Blanks to unpack the highlights of Fashion Month and discuss how the current global climate is influencing designers and brands.Key InsightsIn his eagerly awaited debut for Valentino, Alessandro Michele seamlessly integrated his unique creative approach with the storied heritage of the house. Blanks describes the collaboration as “a natural consummation ... like lovers meeting after decades of being apart and that kind of explosion of joy.”Sabato De Sarno's recent work at Gucci reflects the complexities of redefining a brand with a rich and influential legacy. While attempting to honor Gucci's heritage, his collections have faced criticism for lacking the distinctive and bold creative direction of his predecessors. Blanks remarks, “the problem is creating a new story for Gucci when the old stories are just so overpowering.”At Loewe, Jonathan Anderson pushed boundaries by experimenting with scale and perspective. His designs included oversized hoop skirts that seemed to hover. "He likes to challenge people's points of view," Blanks observes, adding that Anderson provokes thought "by showing them something that makes them wonder, how would I wear that? How would I sit in that?"Emerging designer Duran Lantink made a strong impression with his collection featuring extreme shapes refined into wearable forms. “Those clothes are a physical realization of independent thinking. What we need is more independent thought... fashion needs more of that," Blanks says.Amed echoes the importance of nurturing new talent, saying, “I think the future of the fashion industry is in good hands with some of these younger designers that haven't necessarily had a big role in a house yet but certainly deserve an opportunity to show what they can do. I think that's part of what we need in the industry—to move away from this lack of risk-taking. Safety and being safe, that's just boring.”Additional resourcesIn Paris, the Boys Can’t Help It!Beauty Is Still DefianceWhat Does Pressure Look Like in Milan?

For decades, department stores were symbols of American retail success, but their shine has long since faded. Overexpansion that began in the 1990s, the growth of e-commerce and the decline of many malls has left a saturated market, with more stores than there is demand. Major department stores have been struggling for decades to adapt to changes in the way their customers shop, with little to show for it. "These challenges existed ten years ago, but the problem we have today is that it’s getting later and later, and more and more desperate for these department stores. Time is running out, and they still haven’t figured out the solution,” says retail editor Cat Chen.In this episode of The Debrief, BoF senior correspondent Sheena Butler-Young speaks with Chen about why department stores are struggling to stay relevant, how activist investors are complicating the picture, and whether following the approach of European department stores like Selfridges can save this iconic segment of the retail industry.  Key Insights:Activist investors have been targeting department stores like Macy’s and Kohl’s, but they are more interested in these companies’ real estate portfolios than retail. Chen highlights the parallels with Sears, where the investor Eddie Lampert spun out Sears’ real estate into a separate entity, ultimately leading to its bankruptcy. “The sentiment in the industry is that if these companies were bought out by activist investors it would not be a good sign for the health of these department stores. There wouldn’t be a long-term strategy for maintaining their health,” she says.Nordstrom's strategy for revival includes focusing on experiential retail, enhancing customer service, and possibly going private under the Nordstrom family’s ownership. These moves would allow them to invest in the long-term health of the company without the pressure of quarterly earnings. “The Nordstrom family is really set on making some radical, transformative changes to Nordstrom that they just can't make as a public entity,” Chen explains.European department stores are a potential model for American department stores to replicate. “Look at Selfridges or look at Le Bon Marché. People love spending time in those stores — tourists but also locals,” Chen says. Explaining how European stores are treated like flagships, with significant investments in customer experience and meticulous attention to detail, she adds, “these companies invest in the layout of the store — fixtures, carpeting, lighting — all of these details matter, and European department stores have done a great job making it happen.” Additional Resources:Why Nordstrom’s Founding Family Wants to Take the Retailer Private | BoFInnovation Won’t Save Department Stores. The Right Products Will. | BoFCan Saks, Neiman Marcus and Amazon Save the American Department Store? | BoF

Alessandro Michele’s whimsical, bold vision as creative director of Gucci revitalised the brand, turning it into a cultural juggernaut. Now, he’s attempting to do the same at Valentino, bringing his signature blend of nostalgia, craftsmanship, and artistic risk-taking to reimagine the Roman couture house. “This place has such a specific story,” he says. That name, Valentino—it’s a real name, with real life, with real love. … There is always Valentino somewhere with me.”This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Michele to discuss his evolution as a designer, his deep connection to Valentino’s heritage, and the importance of passion and obsession in achieving creative success.Key insightsAs creative director, Michele said that the weight of Valentino founder Valentino Garavani’s legacy continues to inspire and guide him, even in the smallest details of his work. “When I'm working by myself, with the people of the studio, with Jacopo, there is always Valentino somewhere with me. … There is always an open conversation with him because I can feel the things talking to me, through the dresses, the walls," he said.Contemplating the meaning of success, Michele emphasises the importance of remaining true to himself as a designer. “It’s more moving left and right, rather than up and down. … Success is when you are in the right place, when you're free to be yourself,” he said. His approach to fashion is personal and deeply intuitive, and he protects his creativity by concentrating on his own creative fulfilment rather than trying to please everyone. “I don't need to be someone else. I think a big designer or a good designer needs to be himself.” Michele approaches his work with a deep understanding that creativity comes with taking risks, both in life and in fashion. He views risk as an essential element of growth and evolution in his designs. "You are taking beautiful risks, but they are risks,” he said. “I like myself also for the things I did wrong. … Now that I’m a big boy, I like the Alessandro who did so many wrong things.”For Michele, the magic of fashion and creating a collection lies in the uncertainty. "You put all the ingredients inside, and it’s going to be real only when the first person starts to walk on the catwalk. That’s the magic," he said. “You feel that you were pregnant, but now the baby has a proper life and you can no longer be in control. It's outside and it's gonna walk by himself or herself.”Additional Resources:Alessandro Michele, Michelle Yeoh, Francesca Bellettini, Zac Posen and Angel Reese Are Our BoF 500 Cover Stars‘Hyper Beauty’: Inside Alessandro Michele’s Surprise Valentino Collection | BoFThe Logic Behind Valentino’s Alessandro Michele Appointment | BoF

A style renaissance that changed how many men dress – mostly for the better – has congealed into a sea of sameness, at least in the eyes of a growing number of fashion critics and influencers. Too many interchangeable brands take the same approach, blending tailoring with casualwear in neutral-toned collections that are stylish but often fail to inspire. The look is often derided as a menswear “starter pack,” but remains popular with consumers. This week on The Debrief, Brian Baskin sits down with correspondents Malique Morris and Lei Takanashi to discuss why this “starter pack” approach works for the industry - but at the cost of long-term brand building and customer loyalty. Additionally, they probe what brands must do to recapture consumers' imagination.“Any brand can make a good product, but what makes a brand good, especially a good menswear brand, is having a great story that's worth telling,” says Takanashi.Key Insights:Menswear brands today are following a familiar formula, leading to a prevalence of “starter pack” lookbooks. “They all do some sort of version of this. Approachability, timeless, stylish and handsome but inoffensive look,” says Morris. This marketing playbook, popularised by brands like Aimé Leon Dore and followed by many others, has led to a lack of creativity and experimentation. As Morris puts it, “everything is good and nothing is great. So if everyone can dress well, then no one is actually cool.”What makes brands stand out over decades isn’t radical changes in design, but compelling storytelling and mythmaking. Morris argues consumers may not be loyal to today’s menswear brands in the long term if they're just buying into a trendy and easy to copy aesthetic. But Takanashi notes that for certain brands that are seen as authentically embracing this style, their best bet is stick to what’s worked: “I feel like in the case of brands like Aimé Leon Dore and Supreme, the long game for them is becoming a heritage label … they have such a distinct point of view that they will always have a core consumer.” As Morris puts it, “what brands should think about is just being themselves.”Additional resources:Why Menswear Is Getting a Marketing Refresh | BoFCan Off-White Get Back on Track? | BoFHow the Streetwear Customer Is Evolving | BoF 

The renowned grime MC and rapper Skepta knows that there’s no such thing as an overnight success. After the rapper launched his fashion brand, Mains, in 2017, it was put on pause after a split from his manufacturer before making a return to London Fashion Week last year. Progress, he believes, takes time and resilience.  "Like anything in the world, the best way to learn is to do it and fail,” he said. “I know that it’s not a short road … you have to be in it to win. And it could take one pair of shoes. It could take a hat, could take one bag … If you don't carry on trying and failing, you won't get there." This week on The BoF Podcast, BoF founder and editor-in-chief Imran Amed sits down with Skepta to discuss Mains’ revival, his philosophy of perseverance and why he refuses to follow conventional rules in the fashion industry. Key InsightsSkepta’s love for fashion was sparked by his passion for underground music and the style he saw at garage events. “I'm getting turned away from clubs… and when I'm getting turned away, I'm looking in the queue and there's people wearing Versace, Moschino, Patrick Cox loafers,” he says. The way that clothes and music felt, tied together to shape his taste. “That was where I really fell in love with fashion. The aspiration of wanting to wear the clothes, but also listening to the music that you listen to when you wear the clothes."Skepta’s journey as a fashion customer, with a keen eye for garment construction and detail, led him to launch his own brand. "Years and years of experience of buying clothes and looking at stitches and the inside jackets, the panels, I just felt like I was experienced enough to give the tailoring expertise as well as the love and the true magical passion that's not taught in school. ... Paired with a great designer, Mikey Pearce, and team, it was almost like divine intervention for me to just do it."Skepta’s creative process is iterative. "With music, you can actually change the audio after it’s even out, but with clothes you definitely can’t, so until it’s out I'm always changing. I'm always adapting and figuring out,” he says. “I don't like putting boundaries on thought. I think we should always be able to adapt and change.”"I'm doing one show a year. Spring, summer or winter altogether. Boys and girls in my show, they're all wearing the same clothes." This creative freedom allows Skepta to fully enjoy the process, believing it's important to not take fashion too seriously. "It should be fun. And I see a lot of people that go into fashion and adhere to the rules that have been set, then they start having a bad time doing something that they love. That’s crazy to me."Associated Articles:In London, Plasticine and Messy Dressing | BoFHow to Bring a Personal Touch to PR | BoF