Photo&col; Fairchild Archive/Penske Media via Getty Images
The stories dominated the fashion world’s headlines on Monday.
How department stores plan to take back the beauty market
Department stores such as Macy’s, Nordstrom and Harrods are hoping to lure consumers back to their beauty counters. After losing business to specialty retailers Sephora and Ulta, as well as social media and e-commerce platforms, they aim to regain the market starting this holiday season. Many are planning renovations and hope to attract brands by offering more floor space and space to teach master classes. {fashion business/paywall}
Kate Phelan is Harvey Nichols’ first creative director
Kate Phelan has joined the Harvey Nichols team as its first creative director, the company announced on Monday. Phelan’s previous experience includes editorial and director roles in British media Fashion and mary claire, and served as creative director of Topshop for six years. Julia Goddard, chief executive of Harvey Nichols, said in a statement: “Kate has had a fascinating career in the fashion industry and her expertise will strengthen the leadership team at Harvey Nichols.” {Fashion Commercial/paid}
Mysterious accessories brand Aupen reveals founder
The founder of celebrity-favorite accessories brand Aupen has kept his identity secret — until now. He revealed that his name is Nicholas Tan, a Singaporean entrepreneur, model, Harvard graduate and swimming champion. Tan told WWDLisa Lockwood said he kept his identity secret to avoid “getting in trouble” within the industry. He also revealed that Aupen’s next project is a collaboration with LVMH Métiers d’Art, which will be available as soon as next month, but the release date and price range have not yet been determined. {WWD/paywall}
The next chapter of Purple Gray
After reacquiring Violet Gray in September and bringing in new funding, Cassandra Gray has big plans for the beauty retailer through 2025. This service has not been offered since) by Farfetch’s now-defunct beauty division). The brand also plans to open 20 stores in the next four years. {glossy/paid}
The decline of DTC
A few years ago, DTC brands like Casper, Warby Parker, Outdoor Voices, and others received much hype and billion-dollar valuations, but their business models ultimately couldn’t sustain. Now, brands are adopting hybrid business models, leveraging the brand discovery offered by wholesale partnerships along with the simplicity and lower barriers to entry associated with the DTC pipeline. {Retail Dive}
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