Retail decisions ripple ...and most brands don't notice. In our latest contribution to Sourcing Journal, we argue that supply chain strategy can’t be built by looking forward alone. You have…
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The Chief Merchant Journal
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7aF0R24UCZ2FVhWyTjO8Ah?si=ef44dd66945143c4 Liza’s latest podcast appearance is live and this time she joins the Mere Merchants podcast. We discussed the role of the merchant and why process innovation & a materials-first…
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Momentum is building rapidly in materials research, discovery, and next-generation innovation. Consider a few signals: AI-native materials startups such as Lila Sciences, CuspAI, and Radical AI have quietly raised more…
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Uncertainty has become the new normal for fashion. Tariffs, supply chain disruptions, excess inventory, and shifting consumer demand are putting unprecedented pressure on brands, retailers, and manufacturers. This report, From…
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In my first role out of university, I was able to negotiate a car into my compensation package. It was a design job outside of London. It was a Renault…
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The following is adapted from our upcoming book, The Material Life - Process Innovation for Retailers and Brands. Available for pre-order now! Imagine a chef, midway through a busy day,…
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This edition of the newsletter comes from pulling on a thread and watching the spool unravel. Last week we looked at a new role at Lululemon focused on raw material…
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In this episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, Liza Amlani, Principal of Retail Strategy Group, explores the ideas behind her new book on process innovation in fashion retail ‘The…
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Generally, LinkedIn is full of junk. My favorite is when someone starts a post with “This might be a hot take, but….” And then proceeds to blather about nothing. However,…
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Let’s talk marketing for a moment. Here are some interesting, marketing-related headlines that are “retail relevant" 1 - Luxury fashion brand Chrome Hearts buys Surfrider Hotel in Malibu for ~$37.5M,…
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I’m kicking off with a little shameless self-promotion. If that’s not your thing, skip it, unsubscribe, whatever you like. But there’s a reason I’m bringing it up, so hear me…
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Raj launched his “power ranking” style newsletter last week to highlight the moments that made him ask, “What’s up with that?” Half-joking, he said this week would flip the script…
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If every style rides the same track, your calendar jams and margins get squeezed. In our new Sourcing Journal piece, we argue that product creation needs Acceptable Inequality: replenishment gets…
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As seen over at Retail Dive... Saks Global is betting big on its Top Seller Program. Saks wants to bring in talented stylists with a roster of clients / Rolodex.…
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This week’s newsletter is based on one question… “What’s up with that?” Because there is a bunch of stuff that I have been reading and my response to it is:…
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I am honored to share that I have been selected as one of the top 50 NRF Retail Voices for 2026! This is my 2nd time as an NRF Retail…
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As seen over at Future Commerce.... Time. There’s never enough of it. Teams are constantly sprinting to hit deadlines, leaving little room to test, adapt, or react. Launching a new…
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The hot news today is that Lululemon will be cranking out fan apparel for all 32 teams of the NFL. I'll look at this from the point of view of…
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Yes, size still matters. (hee hee, cue the teenage giggles) It’s no shocker that sizing and fit drive a huge share of apparel returns. Coresight Research puts it at over…
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