Posts by Kevin Harson
Beauty M&A Faces Further Uncertainty Amid Tariffs
Last year was a particularly slow one when it came to beauty M&A on the back of consumers tightening their belts in Asia, early signs of weakening demand in the U.S. and a slew of leadership changes across the category. Now, another issue is in the mix: the rapidly changing U.S. policy on tariffs. At…
Read MoreEXCLUSIVE: Everything Is (Too) Placid on Prada’s Boat
CALM WATERS: While competitors are trying to navigate through the waves of luxury consumption’s slowdown, trade war woes and market challenges, things seem idyllic at Prada, backed by its parent company’s performance — sales rose 15 percent to 5.43 billion euros last year versus 2023 — and judging by its recent acquisition of Versace in…
Read MoreWho’s Winning the Lip Liner Wars?
WEB COLLAGE TK MONDAY 4/14 Just as lip treatments, oils and glosses have exploded in recent years, their lip liner counterparts have also seen a surge — or rather, a resurgence. Data from Spate shows that since September 2022, lip liners have seen sustained growth by social media buzz and Google searches, with conversation surrounding…
Read MoreAneesah Morrow Gets Ready in Coach for the WNBA Draft
With a few hours to go before the red carpet at the WNBA draft night, LSU forward Aneesah Morrow was fighting off nerves. “I’ve been stressing a little bit,” she admitted. “I’ve just been trying to stay present, enjoy this moment because it’s definitely surreal.” Morrow had her hands in a gel nail dryer, eye…
Read MoreKiki Iriafen Gets Ready for the 2025 WNBA Draft
“I feel like it’s hitting me right now that in a few hours I’m going to be drafted,” said Kiki Iriafen from the glam chair. A few hours ahead of the WNBA draft, the USC player was in her hotel room at the Equinox Hotel in Manhattan having her hair and makeup done in her…
Read MoreCheat Sheets for ‘The Great Gatsby’s’ Centennial
One hundred years after F. Scott Fitzgerald published “The Great Gatsby,” the novel’s influence hasn’t exactly dimmed. From illuminating the Empire State Building in green — as a wink at that green light that Jay Gatsby looked to on Daisy Buchanan’s dock — to exploring licensing and exhibition opportunities, what some consider to be the…
Read MoreHow the Nordstroms Negotiated Their Way to a Retail Buyout
Taking Nordstrom Inc. private has been on the Nordstrom family’s wish list for years. And now that they finally have the deal, they just have to get to the finish line next month in a tariff-addled market. If it’s a sprint to the end, it’s been a marathon even to get here. In 2018, descendants…
Read MoreConsumer Spending Rebounds in March, But Will It Last?
U.S. retail sales grew in March after two straight months of declines, in an apparent stocking up by Americans to beat looming tariff-related price hikes. Total retail sales, excluding automobiles and gasoline, in March were up 0.6 percent seasonally adjusted from February, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor. That compares to month-over-month sales decreases of…
Read MorePrincess Charlene of Monaco Means Business in Suited Look for the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Men’s Singles Final Alongside Husband Prince Albert II
Princess Charlene of Monaco attended the men’s singles final match at the annual Rolex Monte-Carlo Master’s tennis tournament in Monte-Carlo, Monaco, on Sunday. The royal was joined by her husband of nearly 14 years, Prince Albert II, who participated in the trophy ceremony for the tournament’s victor, Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. Princess Charlene styled a…
Read MoreAnalyst Report Puts Kohl’s Liquidity Under the Microscope
While Kohl’s Corp. has a fresh turnaround plan orchestrated by its new chief executive officer, persistent negative sales trends and debt levels remain concerns. On Monday, TD Cowen, a leading global investment bank and financial services firm and division of TD Securities, put Kohl’s on a “liquidity watch” report evaluating cash flows and balance sheets…
Read MoreBeyoncé Knowles-Carter and Levi’s Are Back With Chapter Three of Their Collaboration
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Levi’s are back with Chapter Three of their collaboration reimagining classic marketing spots from the denim brand’s history. This outing, which Beyoncé started to tease on her Instagram account on Monday, recasts the brand’s 1988 “Refrigerator” ad. But while the original ad stars a hot young man at a dusty road stop…
Read MoreHailee Steinfeld Gets Fiery in Dramatic Robert Wun Dress at ‘Sinners’ London Premiere and More of Her Promo Tour Looks
Hailee Steinfeld styled several designer looks throughout her “Sinners” promotional tour, including the film’s London premiere on Monday. The actress stars in the supernatural horror film alongside Michael B. Jordan. For the film’s London premiere, Steinfeld wore a design courtesy of Robert Wun’s spring 2024 couture collection, which made its debut during Paris Couture Week…
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