Posts by Kevin Harson
Tariff Impacts at Under Armour and Allbirds Rattle Shoe Investors
Some shoe investors are heading for the hills over worries connected to lowered earnings guidance from Under Armour, Allbirds and Crocs after the three posted earnings results this week. Under Armour Inc.’s first quarter report on Friday sent shares down 17.2 percent in mid-afternoon trading, or $1.08, to $5.19, after company founder, president and CEO…
Read MoreTalking the Talk, Fashion CEOs on the Future
Fashion’s bigwigs are not necessarily all-out control freaks. Some are, of course. But not every chief executive officer needs to have a hand in every nuance of the business empires they oversee. The best, in fact, are generally good at delegating. Still, when it comes to the regular exercise of reporting financial results to Wall…
Read MoreFootwear Sales Dip in First Half of 2025, But Sneakers Continue to ‘Drive Growth’
Sneakers continued to dominate in the first half of 2025 despite an overall slowdown of footwear sales in the period. According to new data from Circana’s Retail Tracking Service, in the first half of 2025, U.S. footwear industry dollar sales were down 1 percent, units sold declined 2 percent and average selling price grew 2…
Read MoreLewis Hamilton Debuts New Non-alcoholic Mezcal Alternative
Lewis Hamilton is continuing on the wellness fast track with his non-alcoholic spirits brand, Almave, which he cofounded with renowned distiller Iván Saldaña of Casa Lumbre Spirits in 2023. Announced Friday, the Formula 1 driver and Saldaña are now expanding Almave’s drink selection to include a new mezcal alternative called Humo. Priced at $36.99 for a…
Read MoreVirality-Driven Beauty Brands Are Reshaping the Industry, but Sustaining Momentum Remains Key Challenge
A report by Spate and YipitData shows that TikTok-fueled momentum is translating into meaningful share gains for a cohort of next-gen brands across the beauty industry. Among the key gainers are Medicube and Anua, which rank as the top two skin care brands on TikTok with 10.6 billion and 9.3 billion views, respectively. “Virality is…
Read MoreEXCLUSIVE: MAC Viva Glam and Elaine Welteroth Team to Fund Safer Births for Underserved Families
MAC Cosmetics is expanding its philanthropic efforts with a $200,000 Viva Glam Fund grant to The Victoria Project in partnership with BirthFund, the nonprofit founded by journalist and maternal health advocate Elaine Welteroth. The grant will support midwifery-led, maternity care for 30 underserved families across the U.S. “I met with the team [at MAC], they…
Read MoreSaks Fifth Avenue’s Latest AI Venture: A Virtual Voice Assistant Called Sophie
Saks Fifth Avenue is getting deeper into AI. The luxury retailer has partnered with two tech companies, NLX and Amazon Web Services, to provide an AI-powered virtual voice assistant for conversations with customers. Shoppers can call Saks and ask “Sophie,” the virtual assistant, questions about the status of orders and returns, details on their gift…
Read MoreMeryl Streep’s Snakeskin Heels Are the Quietest Power Play Yet on ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ Set
Meryl Streep arrived on the set of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” in New York on Thursday in square-toe snakeskin heels with a marbled outsole — a detail that didn’t shout, but still cleared space in an already impressive shoe lineup that’s included mirrored pumps and crimson satin platforms. The silhouette featured a low, block…
Read MoreDick’s Creates In-house Studio to Create Sports Films
Dick’s Sporting Goods is getting into the sports content business. The Pittsburgh-based retailer has launched Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios, an in-house content and production studio “dedicated to telling powerful, human-centered stories through the lens of sport,” the company said Thursday. The goal for the studio is to offer storytelling that will highlight the…
Read MoreEXCLUSIVE: Amelia Gray Features in Campaign for Stella McCartney Elyse Shoe Capsule
TALL TALES: Stella McCartney has tapped Amelia Gray for a new campaign featuring the latest iteration of the Elyse, a vegan platform shoe with wavy treads that debuted at the brand’s fall 2014 runway show. The limited-edition capsule, which includes mycelium-based alternatives to snakeskin and cruelty-free croc made with repurposed apple waste, will be available…
Read MoreZendaya Debuts Her First Co-Designed Shoe With Law Roach in On’s Fall 2025 Campaign
Zendaya and On have welcomed her longtime stylist, Law Roach, into their creative partnership. On Thursday, the actress unveiled her first co-created shoe with Roach and the Swiss sportswear brand, with which she’s been a partner since June 2024. Named Cloudzone Moon, the shoe updates the original Cloudzone silhouette, which was co-designed by Zendaya and…
Read MoreSoko Glam to Launch K-beauty Shops-in-shop at Space NK
Fresh off its acquisition by Ulta Beauty last month, U.K.-based beauty retailer Space NK is welcoming another retailer crossover. The company has joined forces with e-tailer Soko Glam to introduce K-beauty shops-in-shop to 30 of its 83 stores across the U.K. and Ireland. The partnership will kick off Aug. 12, bringing nine Korean beauty brands…
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