Author: Haley Crawford
When InStyle first launched its social media mini-series, “The Intern” — a comedic, episodic series spoofing office life at the publication — in February 2025, the team had few expectations.“You never know if it’s going to resonate,” said editor-in-chief Sally Holmes. But when, within a few days, she “walked into fashion week and all the other editors at other magazines were like, this thing that you guys published is so funny,” she had a feeling they may have a hit on their hands.In its first year alone, InStyle published seven “seasons,” of the show, each featuring three-minute-long episodes, which have…
Last year’s Super Bowl was crowned fashion’s biggest ever — but 2026 is raising the bar even further. After brands from Bode to Willy Chavarria saw smash success on the US’s biggest stage in 2025, more brands are looking to cash in by taking advantage of the Big Game’s enormous audience — one which is becoming younger and more female, thanks in part to celebrity WAGs like Taylor Swift and Olivia Culpo. Tecovas, Oakley and E.l.f. are among the fashion and beauty labels running ads. On the ground in San Francisco, Thom Browne will show his fall collection at the…
Read The Creator Economy’s Coming-of-Age Moment, a special package that breaks down the stakes facing influencers and the brands that work with them today, and how they can evolve to meet the market.When Claire Hunter launched her fashion-focused Instagram account, The Endless Hunt, in November 2025, she knew her approach wasn’t aligned with what was trending.Created to support her personal shopping business, the account highlights emerging designers and niche aesthetics, from smaller jewellery labels like Sophie Bille Brahe and Cano to stand collar jackets and zebra stripes. But at the time, social media was filled with sameness: shoppers and creators…
When Canadian footwear brand Maguire was preparing to open its first US store in New York in 2022, its first thought to get the word out was the obvious one — target consumers based in the city through Meta ads. That is, until they saw the cost.The brand decided to divert its spend to other platforms, including Pinterest. Quickly, it found Pinterest drew in shoppers with significantly higher purchase intent than Meta. Even after the store opening, it kept investing, increasing its ad spend on the platform by 77 percent between 2022 and 2025. In that same period, Maguire’s sales…
Gap Inc. has a new “CEO” — but not the sort you might think.Gap announced on Thursday that Hollywood veteran Pam Kaufman is joining the company as its first chief entertainment officer on Feb. 2, Gap announced on Thursday. The development of Gap’s “Fashiontainment” platform under Kaufman will include a deeper dive into the worlds of music, TV, film, sports, gaming and more through licensing and partnerships. As part of this shift, the retailer will also be establishing a Los Angeles office which will serve as an entertainment hub.The appointment is part of Gap’s broader plans to strengthen its foothold…
If 2025 was a year for fashion marketers to test and learn, then 2026 is the time to put those lessons into practice.Last year saw marketers push boundaries in hopes of nabbing attention in a saturated marketplace as well as experiment with artificial intelligence. Both tactics were met with mixed responses, courting accolades (Gap’s viral Katseye ad, brands working with OnlyFans stars) and controversy (American Eagle’s much-discussed “Great Jeans” ad starring Sydney Sweeney and Valentino’s AI-generated ad that was described as “disturbing”). Described by WGSN head of consumer forecasting Cassandra Napoli as the “year of great exhaustion,” brands should head…
Pacsun launched a new app on Friday designed to help creators make money.Called the PS Community Hub, the platform will allow creators to share content (using AI-driven content review and personalisation tools), build a following and earn affiliate commission within the Pacsun ecosystem. The top-performing creators will also have the opportunity to co-create capsule collections alongside the brand.It will also allow Pacsun to gain deeper insights on its Gen Z and Gen Alpha shoppers, a longstanding focus for the retailer. In September, the brand introduced a Pacsun Youth Advisory Council comprising a mix of young creators and artists, and published…
Influencer marketing agency Ykone and creative production house Mirror Mirror have merged to form a new luxury-focused, cross-functional agency called One, offering clients an integrated approach combining influencer strategy, creative and event production. Founded in Paris in 2008 by Olivier Billon, Ykone has 300 employees across offices in 20 cities worldwide and has worked with a range of luxury clients including Gucci, Prada and Guerlain. The merger also brings Ykone’s previous acquisitions, including India-focused agency BarCode, talent management firm Bold and data and performance technology platform Campaygn, under the One umbrella. Mirror Mirror was founded in Paris in 2019 by…
J.Crew’s rollneck sweater was everywhere this past autumn — and its omnipresence was by design. The brand made the sweater, which it relaunched this year, the centrepiece of its September campaign — its first time highlighting a singular product to such an extent in its advertising. In “The Next Rollneck Generation,” a varied cast of Gen-Z-friendly stars, including comedian Benito Skinner, actor Rome Flynn and the musician Maggie Rogers, wore the sweater in a variety of prints and colours in content that ran across social, email and on the brand’s website.The approach paid off: though J.Crew has sold the sweater…
Chanel famously doesn’t make menswear — but in the teaser for its first Métiers d’Art show under creative director Matthieu Blazy, it was a man, A$AP Rocky, who got the bulk of the attention. In the spot, directed by surrealist French filmmaker Michel Gondry, Rocky stars alongside actress (and longtime Chanel ambassador) Margaret Qualley, who commutes to work on the New York subway while Rocky sprints through the streets and even swims across the East River to surprise her at her destination with an engagement ring.The author has shared a YouTube video.You will need to accept and consent to the…