Lululemon athletica’s CEO Calvin McDonald will relinquish his role on January 31, 2026 to an as-yet-unnamed successor. Whoever that person is will face the task of restoring the brand’s authority in a category it once dominated—particularly in North America, where sales have been stagnant or negative for seven straight quarters. Whoever takes the helm at lululemon should look to refocus the brand on its athleisure roots. The company needs to make sure that its core product lines are resonating with consumers before devoting significant resources into other categories like footwear, where it faces a tougher path to building credibility amid entrenched competition.
Luxury handbags and leather goods purchases dropped 12.8 percentage points among US adult luxury buyers since 2022, according to a September report from EMARKETER and Bizrate Insights.
A growing number of high-end and mass-market brands are thriving even as they reduce promotions to protect margins and strengthen brand equity. Victoria’s Secret delivered its strongest sales growth in four years through more targeted discounting, while On Holding and Ralph Lauren posted standout revenue and EPS gains by preserving premium pricing and elevating brand perception. The trend extends beyond retail: although Cava recently cut its sales outlook, it is still avoiding discounts to protect a value proposition rooted in quality and experience. Together, these strategies reflect a shift away from competing primarily on price.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what’s still holding Amazon back in grocery — and what could finally move the needle. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, and Senior Analyst Blake Droesch.
Old Navy wants to stand out for consumers with convenience, now offering same-day delivery on items including jeans, beanies, and dress shoes through DoorDash. “It’s a classic win-win,” said Nishith Rastogi, founder and CEO of Locus, a logistics tech provider recently acquired by IKEA parent company Ingka Group. “The retailer gets speed, and the platform gets density and stronger utilization across its network.”
American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney and Travis Kelce campaigns helped get eyes on the brand but failed to deliver the sales lift analysts were expecting. The two campaigns combined generated over 44 billion impressions, but comparable sales for the American Eagle brand rose just 1% YoY in the quarter, missing expectations for 2.1% growth. Ultimately, American Eagle’s record Q3 revenues owed less to the high-visibility Sweeney ad and more to strong execution at its Aerie brand, where comparable sales rose 11%. While buzzy celebrity-led campaigns can help restore brand relevance, their impact will be fleeting if companies’ merchandising and product availability fall short.
On today's podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of retail moves we're most thankful for. This month—because it's Thanksgiving Eve—host Suzy Davidkhanian, Arielle Feger, Becky Schilling, and Emmy Liederman (aka The Committee) have put together a very unofficial list of the top eight retailers they're watching, based on strategies, launches, and collaborations we’re genuinely thankful for — the moves that made us smile, surprised us, or gave us hope for where retail is heading. In this episode, Committee members Suzy Davidkhanian and Emmy Liederman will defend their list against Senior Analyst Zak Stambor and Analyst Rachel Wolff, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.
Kohl’s topped Q3 expectations and raised its outlook, crediting stronger product assortments, better value through promotions, and improved in-store and digital experiences for helping it win back customers. The company also named interim CEO Michael Bender to the job permanently. Bender, the third person to hold that role in roughly three years, plans to sharpen Kohl's product assortment, offer more proprietary clothing and home goods, and make stores easier to shop to appeal to customers who are “increasingly savvy and are seeking more value.” Kohl’s was upbeat that its recovery is gaining momentum, but it has more work to do to turn sales declines into gains.
The share of US adults who say quality materials define luxury dropped from 55% in 2021 to 49% in 2025, while those citing 'expensive' as the defining trait rose from 52% to 62%, according to an October report from Ipsos.
Convenience stores are playing catch-up as they jump into retail media, exploiting their local reach to offer advertisers new ways to connect with shoppers. The brick-and-mortar landscape is highly fragmented—unlike ecommerce, where just a few players dominate. That provides an opening for convenience stores to become valued retail media partners. Their dense footprints, frequent visits, and strong ability to influence impulse buys can give brands targeted and measurable insights. C-store RMNs that can tie ad exposure to sales, use loyalty data, and offer multiple ways to surface ads are best positioned to deliver reliable performance to advertisers.
Gap’s viral campaign featuring Katseye helped the retailer regain its fashion credibility and drive shoppers to stores. The campaign delivered “significant traffic and double-digit growth in denim,” Gap CEO Richard Dickson said on the company’s Q3 earnings call. In total, the ad generated 8 billion media impressions and 500 million views, making it one of the brand’s most successful campaigns of all time. The ad’s success is a clear indication that Gap Inc.’s playbook is working. By delivering both on-trend products and culturally relevant marketing, Gap is attracting more Gen Z shoppers while keeping its existing customer base engaged.
Global personal luxury goods spending is expected to return to growth in 2026, rising 3% to 5% after two difficult years, according to a report by Bain and Altagamma. Recovery is being driven by affluent shoppers, who will account for nearly half of global luxury spending this year; a wave of new creative directors reviving brands like Gucci and Chanel; and Gen Z’s demand for accessible luxury. After a tepid year, 2026 should bring a rebound, but brands will need creative, compelling designs to justify premium prices.
Convenience stores are transforming into fast-casual dining destinations, increasingly competing with quick-service restaurants for shoppers seeking affordable, healthy meals. And while consumer perceptions of these stores continue to improve, concerns around food safety and hygiene remain potential barriers. To succeed, convenience chains can adopt strategies such as adding prep-time labels to grab-and-go items to underscore freshness and maintaining clearly visible cleanliness standards throughout the store.
Richemont’s jewelry sales growth accelerated in the three months ended September 30, as global demand for Cartier watches and Van Cleef & Arpels necklaces held up despite what the company called “unprecedented headwinds.” Jewelry is proving to be one of the most resilient luxury categories, largely due to its durability. It goes out of fashion more slowly than most apparel and leather goods, and retains its value better, especially with gold prices soaring. Jewelry will be the fastest-growing personal luxury category in the US this year, according to our forecast, thanks to its stronger value proposition and the resilience of wealthy shoppers.
On today’s podcast episode, we discuss why 7-Eleven is opening more stores even as foot traffic falls, explore its next engine of growth, and consider some bold moves that could help future-proof the convenience store giant. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Senior Analyst Blake Droesch, and Principal Analyst Sarah Marzano.
Skims is now valued at $5 billion after raising $225 million, per The New York Times. The company plans to use the funds to open stores in international markets, grow its intimates and shapewear lines, and expand into other categories. The fundraising round cements Skims’ status as the buzziest brand in undergarments. The company is now valued at nearly twice as much as Victoria’s Secret, despite having less than one-sixth of its revenues. While Victoria’s Secret has struggled to find a middle ground between sex appeal and comfort, Skims has managed to do both—earning customers’ loyalty in the process.
Swiss sneaker brand On Holding will skip holiday discounts to reinforce its premium positioning, co-founder Caspar Coppetti told CNBC. The strategy follows a strong Q3, with adjusted EPS up 300% YoY and revenue rising 24.9% to 794 million francs, beating expectations. While rivals like Nike and Hoka are cautious about global demand, On raised its full-year forecast for the third consecutive quarter. Positioned in the “accessible luxury” segment, On continues to benefit from affluent consumers’ spending power and consistent innovation, helping it sustain growth despite broader economic softness and market headwinds.
Ralph Lauren and Tapestry reported standout Q3 results as the strength of their brands and product assortments helped insulate them from broader weaknesses in the luxury and apparel industry. Their successes show that demand for accessible luxury is recovering. But they also demonstrate the challenge of appealing to consumers’ lofty expectations. With more immediate concerns like grocery prices and labor market uncertainty pressuring discretionary purchases, companies need to be laser-focused on delivering high-quality, on-trend assortments.
After years of athleisure dominating closets, denim jeans are back in the spotlight. As brands reinvest in fit, quality, and cultural relevance, the US denim market is set to reach $21.5 billion by 2028, according to Euromonitor International.
Nintendo reported blockbuster financial performance for its most recent quarterly earnings, with revenues surging over 90% YoY and profits rising more than 270%, per CNBC. This growth is largely driven by the successful launch of its Switch 2 flagship console, which debuted in June. As gaming consumption shifts to handheld and hybrid devices, brands should explore partnerships and placements that align with Nintendo’s highly curated experiences rather than disrupt it. Because Switch 2 and its games are ad-free, brands can engage players through co-branded campaigns, limited-edition content, and cross-platform tie-ins on Twitch, Discord, YouTube, and social media.