The Business of Fashion Podcast

When Hailey Bieber launched her beauty and skincare brand Rhode in 2022, it quickly built a loyal customer base and achieved rapid commercial success. By early 2025, Rhode had generated $212 million in net sales and, in May, was acquired by E.l.f. Beauty in a landmark $1 billion deal. “Rhode is not just about the produ

Nike has been synonymous with sports for decades, but that cultural and commercial cachet has mostly been driven by male athletes like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods (Serena Williams being a prominent exception). As a result, despite substantial sales, Nike historically struggled to resonate authentically with women, a

Emily grew up far away from the fashion world in Calgary, Canada. After moving to New York for a role at the media company Complex, Oberg quickly built her profile as a tastemaker in the streetwear scene.  But eventually, she got the entrepreneurial itch and leveraged her experience to turn Sporty & Rich, which started

Bieber, a celebrity and influential beauty figure with a strong Gen-Z following, launched Rhode just three years ago, quickly distinguishing the brand with minimalist product offerings closely tied to Bieber's personal aesthetic. She just sold to E.l.f. Beauty for $1 billion, even as rival celebrity beauty brands strug

Giancarlo Giammetti met Valentino Garavani by chance on July 31, 1960, setting in motion one of fashion’s most enduring — and most successful — creative partnerships. Together, they transformed Valentino into a global fashion powerhouse, celebrated for its elegance, craftsmanship, and cultural influence.  In 2016, Giam

The beauty sector historically thrived during economic downturns, earning a recession-proof reputation encapsulated in the “lipstick index.” However, recent earnings from major beauty conglomerates like Estée Lauder, L'Oréal, Coty and Shiseido indicate that beauty’s resilience is being tested. Sales are declining, layo