Briony Garbett

Ritson has the right of it on this one. What drove the marketing team to go with this direction? Who’s idea was it to release what equates to a brand ethos film months before they have product to focus on? What makes them think it’s a good idea to lose the vast majority of their audience demographic? It’s just a bit nuts… I think this will end up being a case study in the mini-mba entitled ‘the death knell of a heritage British brand’ Watch this space. ___________________________________ Hi 👋 I'm Michelle, CMO for hire, let’s talk if you need some serious marketing muscle! Marketing, Brand, Leadership, Strategy, Coaching and Board Advisory are all my thing, if you want to hear more make sure you follow me and double click the 🔔 on my profile! #PinkUmbrella #MarketingWeek #Jaguar

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The relentless rise of Secondhand As I was told when I launched STUART TREVOR last year - “It’s nothing new!” Personally I’ve been obsessed with vintage clothing all my life and having set parameters for my new business of creating something amazing from other people’s waste has been the most rewarding and fun part of my career - so far! Asked many times about building another All Saints; ‘There are far too many clothes in the world already, the last thing the world needs is another clothing brand – what about a clothing brand that doesn’t produce any clothes?’ Stuart Trevor STUART TREVOR, an amazing range of clothes created from recycled clothing or dead stock fabric. Our mission is to make it easier and more fun to wear non destructive clothing ‘Reworked, rebranded, cut up, distressed, and reimagined with care – patched, printed, hand painted, sprayed, washed and embroidered, often with “less is more” in mind.’ There’s a huge supply of vintage clothing ready to be given new life, millions of metres of “dead stock” fabric either lying around in fabric mills or ending up in landfill. ‘We turn this ‘dead stock’ into ‘living stock’. Every 7 minutes a pile of clothes the height of Mount Everest goes into landfill - Fast Fashion is killing the planet and now is the time to act - we cannot carry on with this conspicuous consumption - the world cannot afford Fast Fashion. When my daughter saw this statistic a few years ago she said that can’t be true Dad, otherwise no kid on earth would carry on buying from these huge corporations - when she realised it’s a fact she asked me what are we gonna do about it?  “We’re gonna create a clothing brand that doesn’t produce any clothing!” I learn more and more about the huge impact that humans are having on the environment and last week someone sent me this poignant quote from many years ago; “We haven’t inherited this earth from our parents, we’ve borrowed it from our children” Chief Seattle #secondhand #vintage #preloved #circular #circulareconomy #business #design #innovation #fun

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April is perhaps the most important month of the year in the sustainable fashion community—and it should be all of us. Beyond Earth Day and Arbour Day, this month we remember the tragedy of Rana Plaza, a garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh that collapsed on 24 April 2013. 1,134 people were killed and 2,500 were injured. It’s one of the worst industrial disasters in history. This tragedy continues to inspire industry activists and business leaders alike to hold the fashion industry accountable for their disregard for the very makers of our clothes. What happened at Rana Plaza shaped us too, motivating me and Gordon Renouf to start Good On You to help consumers know the impact of brands and buy better. Accountability is crucial and, while progress has been made, there is so much more to do. So join me to take action this month—and beyond! This week especially is #FashionRevolutionWeek, a yearly initiative to galvanise and organise community efforts. And this year marks the organisation’s tenth anniversary: Fashion Revolution is an invaluable ally in progress, known for creating an international movement that is influencing policy and efforts like the renewed International Accord for health and safety and the Fashion Transparency Index. To take part, share how you are a fashion revolutionary using #WeAreFashionRevolution. For me, joining the revolution means pressing for greater transparency in fashion, so businesses and consumers can play their part to ensure the wellbeing of people, the planet, and animals. We can create industry-wide change today with our choices, and apply this to so many more consumer industries in the future. Here’s to doing the work! Learn more about Fashion Revolution Week and how you can get involved here → https://lnkd.in/gyBM73zc

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As fun as the continual game of Guess Who is for the big ticket creative director roles is right now, I think it’s important we don’t neglect the other end of the spectrum; our creative directors of the future. A couple of weeks ago the British Fashion Council organised a buzzy day-long seminar for their cohort of new and energetic NEWGEN designers, and as a mentor I was asked to speak. The objective was to give them access to industry experts across a variety disciplines, such as Brand & Product Strategy (Hi 👋🏻), Legal Agreements, Supply Chain, Manufacturing and more. I know the fashion industry is feeling pretty bruised right now what with slowdowns, closures, consolidations and redundancies, and the voice telling retailers to focus on the big brands that are a safe pair of hands has never been louder. But supporting new talent should not been seen as a selfless or charitable act, it has the ability to be transformative for both sides of the table and is a great way to bring some much needed point of difference to the table. And for the brands themselves, wholesale will always be one of the most important sales channels during the early build phase of their business, for both the exposure and validation they get from being endorsed by a big retailer. We all know trust is a key purchasing consideration for customers of a new brand. With fewer stores to sell to, they’ve never needed the support of retailers more, so it’s integral that they take a chance on a newbie. After all, fashion focused customers are looking for the new and the different, not the same and the everywhere. It’s a small risk for stores, but potentially life changing for the designers, and who knows, maybe they’ll end up at the helm of a $20 billion brand like Chanel in 10 years time.

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Title: “Rethinking Burberry’s Strategy: 50% Brand DNA, 50% Market Reality?” @MarkRitson @VogueBusiness @BoF @LuxurySociety #BurberryStrategy #LuxuryMarket #BritishHeritage #EconomicPerspective #LuxuryResilience In 2017, @MarkRitson argued that Burberry’s move toward ultra-luxury was a strategic mistake. Now, in 2024, it’s being claimed that 105% of Burberry’s current challenges stem from these strategic missteps. But what if we approached it differently? What if it’s more like 50% strategy and 50% macro-economic forces? Here’s my take. 1. Macro-Economic Factors (50%) • Global Downturn in Luxury: Rising interest rates, inflation, and luxury market volatility—particularly in China and the U.S.—have impacted even the most exclusive brands, including @LVMH and @Richemont. These pressures aren’t unique to Burberry. • Currency and Market Shifts: Burberry, as a British luxury brand, is more sensitive to currency fluctuations and consumer trends than some global counterparts. The prevailing “quiet luxury” movement, for instance, is a reflection of larger forces influencing luxury preferences and Miu Miu’s performance is an indication of some of those forces? 2. Strategic Considerations (50%) • Identity and Positioning: As Mark noted, Burberry’s core is “British luxury” with accessible roots, rather than an ultra-luxury icon like @Hermes or @Chanel. The pursuit of exclusivity may have somewhat distanced Burberry from its core DNA. • Creative Shifts: Frequent creative changes have disrupted Burberry’s narrative, making it harder to leverage its heritage and evolve consistently. Cohesive branding has been an ongoing challenge amid this instability. What if the economic landscape reversed? If global conditions returned to stability, we’d likely see some positive effects. But the foundational brand identity questions would still need addressing to fully unlock Burberry’s potential. So, what do you think, Mark—does a 50/50 perspective on Burberry’s situation offer a more balanced view? #Burberry #LuxuryStrategy #BritishLuxury #MarketInfluence #BrandIdentity #GlobalEconomics #LuxuryMarketInsights

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I have really enjoyed Christopher-Jacques Morency thoughts in the 'Luxury is for the Elite' article. It's true that 'superbrands' have seen a decline—is it due to consumer fatigue, pricing issues, or a lack of engagement? One thing is for sure: discussing this with my good friend Beatriz Carranza the other day, she pointed out that five distinct consumer generations are simultaneously active in the luxury market today. So, it's not surprising that our industry is finding it challenging to decide who to bring under their umbrella to maximise sales. It is beautiful when a brand can identify their 'crew' and know how to communicate with and serve them. One opportunity many brands have missed is recognising that many Boomers and Gen Xers are now using personal shoppers as brokers. This approach not only helps them navigate the sea of options but also provides personalised service from someone they trust. I see personal shoppers as the new super VIPs, and it's great to see that brands and retailers are starting to understand the incredible influence these professionals have on their clients and recognise them as a very important part of our industry. Whatever the cause, I am looking forward to the transformation luxury will/needs to undergo once again. Whoever believes that brands set the trends and consumers simply follow, in my opinion, is mistaken—we have a lot of catching up to do! #Luxury #Fashion #ConsumerTrends #BrandStrategy #MarketInsight #CustomerEngagement #PersonalShoppers #THEFLOORR

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So cool to stumble upon news about people you know in the press 💚 UK-based footwear brand Helen Kirkum Studio has moved shoe production to Portugal, enabling it to reduce prices and increase comfort in its Palimpsest collection made from #upcycled materials from old shoes and #deadstock. https://lnkd.in/e4AMeex9

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'Your growth projections are unrealistic.' Tell that to Ben Francis MBE. The problem with raising #earlystageinvestment for an apparel #scaleup is that there aren't enough sophisticated investors investing in the category, and there aren't enough examples of breakout success stories like Gymshark to measure against. I previously raised millions for a tech #startup, where there's an incredible global ecosystem. Tech is a much more palatable vehicle for #investment, not least because of scalability and unit economics, whereas apparel is slow moving, risky, wasteful, and incredibly hard to accurately predict. But what this really means is that there is significant room for innovation and opportunity. And innovation can unlock exceptional growth, as Ben showed with the early #Gymshark marketing strategy. What if #apparel was agile, predictable, responsible, with low risk and high margin? What if scalability wasn't just a series of blind gambles, any one of which could spell disaster? In the ongoing spirit of building authentically, in public, you'll have chance to judge for yourself very soon.

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Introducing Cash & Carry. (GET A FREE ISSUE - SEE BELOW.) At CE, we’ve always been obsessed with #magazines. From big-name periodicals like New York and MAD, to scrappy zines like MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL and the countless self-published screeds that friends would hand out at punk shows, to hyper-focused publications like Lucky Peach, Animerica, RES and MOLD. And of course we can’t forget the ultra-luxe books, either – Interview, Wallpaper, Monocle, W and more. Today, we still see a lot of appeal for the printed word. #Substack is awesome, but nothing beats opening the mailbox and finding something crisp and heavy, ready to be cracked open and read from cover to cover. So we’re experimenting with a zine of our own – it’s rough, it’s photocopied, and each page’s layout was done with real glue and scissors and tape. Our work in branding, consumer insights, and innovation gives us a unique window into the workings of the marketing world, and this is an opportunity to share our perspective. It’s a place where we can explore topics that fascinate us, with the space to go deep and tackle unexpected angles. Our first issue is a double-feature – half covers the world of #FastFood, which is increasingly becoming an engine of culture as well as sustenance; the other half covers #Cannabis, a category that is moving from taboo to mainstream at breakneck speed and producing ripple effects in other categories. To cover these topics, we've interviewed everyone from experts on retail architecture to chefs cooking cannabis cuisine, with features on everything from bootleg fast food t-shirts to stoner cinema. It was an absolute blast to create, and we're excited to share it. This was a limited print run, and most have already been shipped to folks on our mailing list. We still have a few left, and if you're interested in receiving a copy – free! – message me with your mailing address and we'll send one out, first-come first-serve.

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Yes but how do #WE change the narrative before another brand goes under. On the one hand customers are making it clear there is zero room for overconsumption, but on the other hand talend designers who create consciously should be recognized, rewarded and supported. As a consultant, in this game for nearly 15 years. I can identify 3 points that seem to lead to designer disaster. 1. Over-reliance on wholesale: Brands need to take a leaf out of the Kering Book, and double down on DTC, engage with customers directly and do not expect retailers to do it for you. 2. Price Positioning: recognize the temperature and adjust quickly to customer spending. But build in enough margins to hedge currency fluctuations 3. Inventory and Production: managing inventory and being wise about production will now be crucial to every brand’s ability to survive the retail Hunger Games! Best of luck brands and may it ever be in your favour! #Hungergames #retailtips #branddevelopment #brandadministration #matches #wearecoco #brandconsultancy

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With climate action and energy the focus of lots of growth and investment right now, and the net zero economy growing by 9% since 2021, it’s not the time to stand still. Thanks to Marketing Beat and Propeller Group for the opportunity. #Sustainability #Marketing

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Thanks to City AM for including my views in this piece on fashion rental. Piece linked below, and my detailed view here: ‘The trend towards renting clothes rather than buying them outright has been on the rise in recent years - due in part to increased awareness of the environment among shoppers, but also the rising cost of living; making clothes rental a potentially attractive proposition for some.‘ ‘Clearly the fashion rental market took a huge hit during COVID - given rental is driven in large part by specific life events involving large groups (weddings, major birthdays, christmas parties etc..), and such gatherings were obviously prohibited during lockdown. However, such gatherings are very much en vogue again, and the fashion rental market will continue to grow as a result - not just from the perspective of businesses such as Hurr and Rent the Runway that specialise in rental, but also established retailers like Selfridges, John Lewis and others offering a fashion rental service.’ #fashionrental #renttherunway #hurr #cityam #retail #jdmretail https://lnkd.in/dyDkTsdn

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NUMB TO THE NOISE: HOW INAUTHENTIC BRANDS ARE LOSING THE DIGITAL GENERATION Recently, a hypochondriacal health scare saw me succumbing to an overdose of “doomscrolling”.  I found myself endlessly flicking through my feeds, only to feel more disconnected than ever. But I did come out of it with an important realisation. Today, we're paddling in a tsunami of inauthentic brand content that's failing to connect. We’re caught in a compulsion to consume endless, meaningless streams of negative news that leaves us emotionally drained. When brands with hollow messages add to the noise, consumers become even more disengaged. Content is being churned out faster than ever. There's a rising numbness toward brands that don't resonate on a deeper level. In a study by Edelman, 58% of consumers say they can't trust a brand until they see real-world proof that it has kept its promises. The Digital Generation today demands transparency, purpose and meaningful engagement. My favourite example is India's "Band Baajaa Bride", an Indian reality TV show that saw 9 seasons (last I checked) and sponsored by renowned designer Sabyasachi and several other brands. BBB featured real brides and their personal journeys that moved away from scripted content, especially in its early years. It showcased genuine emotions and experiences that resonated deeply with viewers. Season after season, the show demonstrated how embracing authenticity can build strong connections and enhance brand loyalty. Watch BBB on YouTube here: https://lnkd.in/gVMajd24 The antidote to Doomscrolling is to embrace authenticity. Brands can start by being uplifting—sharing positive content that offers genuine value. Engaging genuinely is crucial—listen to your audience’s concerns and build trust through real conversations. Align your words and actions to ensure your brand’s practices reflect your messaging. And design with authenticity—use design sensitively to convey sincerity and connect on a deeper level. The role of design isn't just about aesthetics; it's about creating meaningful experiences. Dove's 20-yr old Campaign for Real Beauty showcased real women instead of models, challenging beauty stereotypes and connecting authentically with consumers. More here: https://lnkd.in/gWeeWvqk In an age of doomscrolling, brands have an opportunity—and responsibility—to be sources of positivity and genuine connection. Inauthenticity has reached tipping point, but it's also an opportunity to realign and rejuvenate your brand's relationship with the digitally native generation. Authenticity isn't just a trend; it's the future of meaningful branding. Do share your thought on the impact of inauthenticity or reach out if you'd like to discuss how to navigate this shift. #Branding #Doomscrolling #Marketing #BrandTrust #DesignForAuthenticity #BandBaajaaBride

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Happy 50th Birthday to the wonderful and sweet Hello Kitty! 🎊 From stores such as HMV and Primark to playing a major role in the Kawaii exhibit at Somerset House in London this year, you've surely seen this iconic mascot around! According to the BBC, Sanrio faced significant challenges in maintaining financial stability over the years. However, with the appointment of a new CEO in 2020, the company has undergone a remarkable transformation and is now valued at over £5 billion! So, what’s driving Sanrio’s recent success? 🤔 🤝Collaboration: Sanrio has exploded in popularity, boosting brand awareness by partnering with major retailers such as ASOS, Primark, H&M, Claire’s, Zara, and Bershka. However, these collaborations extend beyond clothing; teaming up with brands like Razer for gaming accessories, Grind Coffee for exclusive merchandise, and Build-a-Bear for custom teddy bears. Honestly, the list goes on and on! 😍Engagement: Did you know that Sanrio holds a yearly character popularity contest? Although starting back in 1984 in a local Japanese newspaper, Sanrio's character ranking contest is held globally online. This year, over 57 million people cast their votes! (Cinnamoroll won, in case you were wondering). 👪Multi-generational targeting: Whether tapping into nostalgia or building fresh connections, Sanrio has worked tirelessly to engage multiple generations. With such a diverse cast of characters, there’s truly something for everyone—from Gudetama, the lovable lazy egg, to Aggretsuko, the fiercely relatable, stressed-out office worker. So here's to the growth of Hello Kitty and all of her little Sanrio friends! 🥂 As someone who has been admiring the brand for most of my life, I hope I can celebrate more birthdays! 📷 Is me holding the graduation gift my mum got me when I completed my BA.

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Part of the job as a buyer is anticipating future trends and opportunities. When I first made the shift from fashion buyer to sustainability lots of people questioned my move. But I knew that sustainability WAS the future of the industry and building a 'culture of care' and shifting from a linear to circular business model was the only way to do business for long term survival in the future of fashion. Thanks Save Your Wardrobe and Hannah Al-Rasekh for the feature in your blog series and sharing my insights. #sustainablefashion #circulareconomy #enkel

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