13. behind: AVF, Good Weird and Brandy Melville
is it really coming home for England tonight? ⚽⚽⚽
Hey 🤍
Today is the Euros finals: England vs. Spain. I'm not much of a football fan, but will I be going out to watch the match tonight? Yes. Any excuse to see Saka, Bellingham, Tomori, and Toney on a screen... It’s coming home (fingers crossed).
Every week, I go behind my favourite brands, unpicking things I love or maybe don’t love so much, all in an effort to give you the necessary insights to help build your brand. So many brands exist for you to follow by example. So maybe you should x
In light of the Euros, vintage denim brand A Vintage Fit (AVF) dropped these cute football tees. Like I said, I’m not a crazy football fan, but I can totally appreciate how cute these are.
For those who haven’t heard of the brand, AVF sources 90's vintage denim to create custom-tailored denim worn by the likes of Kylie Jenner, Lori Harvey, Lil Baby, and more. Their Instagram feed features paparazzi-style photos which I love.
With Wimbledon, the Euros, Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts, and the explosion of run clubs, we’re entering our sporty era. There’s no better time for fashion brands to embrace sportycore. Which brings me to talk about brand reactivity…
Brands need to be agile and responsive to cultural shifts. AVF’s quick move to release football-themed tees just in time for the Euros is a perfect example of this. It shows they’re not just resting on their vintage laurels but are actively engaging with current trends and events. This kind of reactivity keeps brands relevant and exciting, giving them a fresh edge in a crowded market.
Brand reactivity allows brands to tap into the zeitgeist, creating products that resonate with current consumer interests and cultural moments. This not only boosts immediate sales but also builds a deeper connection with the audience. When a brand shows it’s in tune with what’s happening now, it enhances its authenticity and appeal. Consumers today crave relevance and immediacy, and brands that can deliver on this front are the ones that stand out.
Visual impact is crucial for us Gen Z shoppers, but I feel like there are two distinct groups of Gen Z beauty brands—think walking around with a bright yellow star-shaped sticker on your face vs. taking a selfie with a lip balm held in your phone case. These are two different aesthetics that give the same vibe. Of course, they can overlap because Gen Z epitomises individualism. On one end, there are the pretty, Pinterest-board aesthetic brands like Rhode and Rare Beauty. They cater to the older segment of Gen Z and a few millennials. Then there are the brands that seem to target younger Gen Zs and even some Gen Xs. Good Weird is one.
I find it hard to keep up with Gen Z beauty brands, despite being part of the generation myself. I don’t see beauty products, branding, and packaging as something that should be over-the-top and out-of-the-box; instead, I want products I actually want to use, bonus points if they’re cute and collectible. This preference likely stems from 1) growing up in the 90s/2000s when collectibles were a big thing. So yes, I’m going to purchase all the Summer Fridays lip balms, even though I really only need one. And 2) growing up in a noisy, cluttered environment—think Rugrats, Britpop, MTV, Y2K, metallics, layering a thousand tank tops, and wheelies. Now that we’re older, we lean towards quieter, clean, minimal aesthetics. We've moved from our cluttered rooms in our parents' houses to beige apartments, swapping out our Baby Lips for Laneige.
Back to Good Weird, Evan Mock's latest skincare brand. As I mentioned, it feels like there are a dozen of these type-2 brands vying for Gen Z's attention. I feel overstimulated by the Good Weird Instagram and website. As a consumer, I just want to buy a product, but the brand's presentation is all over the place. However, stepping out of my consumer shoes and into my strategist role, I can see the brand has done well in communicating its position in the market: the beauty industry is overwhelmingly female, but Good Weird is a genderless brand that genuinely feels inclusive. It feels like a brand anyone can use.
“Well, obviously when we’re serving consumers like Gen-Z, it would be remiss to leave out pop culture. I think some people might see our branding and ask, “Why are there skateboards and surfboards?” ... for me, that’s the antithesis of mainstream, we wanted to emphasize that Good Weird is all about embracing your own shit, not letting societal structures and norms set expectations for what you should do.”
Brandy Melville, the ’90s-inspired fast-fashion darling with a cult following among American teens, has quietly rolled out a sister store in Santa Monica, California, called St. George. And in a surprising turn away from their own unspoken rule, this store is offering some items in size medium. What’s next, Brandy? A large? gasp
Let’s be real, multiple sizes wouldn’t be news for any other fashion brand. But Brandy Melville has made a name for itself by serving up its trendy miniskirts and oversized sweatshirts in a single, small size. This exclusive sizing policy has been both a magnet and a stressor for young women, leading to a significant spotlight in the HBO documentary Brandy Hellville & the Cult of Fast Fashion. The doc spilled all the tea on Brandy’s toxic work culture, courtesy of its Italian founder and CEO, Stephan Marsan, with allegations of fatphobia, antisemitism, and even sexual assault.
Back to St. George: TikTokers have noticed that this new store, located at 1511 Montana Avenue, bears a strong resemblance to Brandy Melville but with a more inclusive size range, highlighting its more mature and refined vibe. The store even features homewares like pillows and olive oil. But don’t get too excited—most of the clothes are still only available in size small. This could be Brandy Melville’s attempt at redemption, perhaps taking a page from the comeback stories of brands like Abercrombie & Fitch. Only time will tell if St. George will help Brandy Melville turn a new leaf.
Weekly musings:
Khy Vacation Shop is here!! Um, Kylie, babe , I don’t think the internet hasn't quite recovered from Kylie Swim…
The Art of Brand Subtlety ✨: So many brands are putting out brand-heavy content which can be overwhelming. Sometimes, taking a step back and exploring creative approaches to showcase your product or brand can actually make a more memorable impact on your target audience.
Yikes, These TikTokers Claim They Found Mold In Their Olipop: Olipop, branded “a new kind of soda,” was having a good run… Is this the start of the end?
How Dôen Became the Hottest Brand of the Summer, Evolving From Cottage-core to Fashion: Most of the fashion girlies I know own a dress from this brand.
@heavenmayhem_: a day in the life featuring our icon watch. yours on july 18 💋❣️: Yes, yes and yes. The two-year-old accessories brand has recently expanded its collection to include watches.
UGG x Erewhon Unveil Limited-Edition Palm Tree Tazz Mule: The brand has teamed up with The Kid Laroi, the sunscreen brand Vacation, and Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. So, who's next?
How the Notes app became Gen Z’s Clueless outfit generator: So I’m not the only one that does this?
@jacquemus: THIS IS OUR PARIS!! The talent in this short movie is 10/10. What can’t Jacquemus do?
With a New Owner, Von Dutch Plots a Comeback: WSG, a brand management firm, has taken over the Y2K favourite, aiming to transform the brand's newfound online popularity into increased sales of trucker hats and t-shirts. I guess the Y2K resurgence isn’t over yet.
Welcome to the Hannah Montana Generation of Pop Music: I told you pop music is having a girl moment.
When Will Shoppers Push Back on High Prices? Lately, inflation has calmed down, and big stores like Walmart and Target have lowered prices on many food and household products. However, fashion prices have been all over the place because shipping and material costs keep changing. Some brands are still able to set their prices well by carefully choosing their products and marketing them effectively to the right customers.
ZARA x Marilyn Monroe: This was a pretty random campaign to see when I opened the ZARA app the other day.
Kate Spade and Heinz’s tasty new collection brings tomatoes from the farm to your arm: I don’t see anyone actually buying any of these products…
Spotify is no longer just a streaming app, it’s a social network: I’m kind of bored of everything being so social, and I say this in the least anti-social way possible. But we consume too many opinions on a day-to-day basis because of social media. I kind of just want to listen to music.
The Biggest Summer Beauty Trends to Watch: In a nutshell, fragrance brands, whether expensive or affordable, are following Sol de Janeiro’s lead by creating sweet and tropical scents. TikTok influencers are driving trends like products for dirty hair, K-beauty sunscreens, and face sprays. And the effectiveness of new products like dry shampoo and bronzing drops is still uncertain. Many new products have launched, but only a few brands are really making a mark.
Is Fashion Done With Diversity Departments? Many companies are struggling to meet the ambitious diversity and inclusion goals they set in 2020. Some minority employees and executives doubt the effectiveness of these initiatives, while conservative activists aim to shut them down through legal means. Some companies have quietly reduced or renamed their DEI departments, and diversity leaders are now less visible on corporate websites. Kohl's and GameStop have removed DEI language from their reports, and Tractor Supply Co. has ended its DEI efforts entirely. “We’re in the part where you have to decide how you want to show up,” said DEI strategist Amber Cabral. “There’s a lot more uncomfortable, difficult things happening.”
This Week: Fashion’s Travel Retail Bet Pays Off: Last year, #eurosummer was trending and influencing our wardrobes. This year, the post-pandemic demand for travel is still high but where travellers shop, and how much they spend, has changed.
Now You Can Make Your Car Smell Like Your Favorite Vacation Products: Remember what I was saying about Vacation and world-building?
Starbucks Announces Yet Another Reusable Cup Pilot, But This Time It’s Different: These look ugly.
David Beckham to Launch New Wellness Brand: Let’s welcome Beckaham into the celebeauty brand club.
The best thing I read this week: From Oren John, “For much of the last 12 months, brands and marketing personalities have talked endlessly about "community," but it has become increasingly noticeable that to really activate that idea, there needs to be shared moments in-real life, or it’s all just a cosplay of something happening, of a shared movement. The energy is coming from the people doing things together, and its a significant shift.”
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