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Kering’s luxury slump, Louis Vuitton's price hikes and Another Tomorrow’s push for circular fashion

The Glossy Podcast · with Vanessa Barboni Hallik · April 25, 2025 · 65 min

Summary

This episode dissects the luxury fashion market, highlighting Kering's struggles with Gucci and Louis Vuitton's strategic price hikes due to rising costs. It also features an insightful discussion with Another Tomorrow's CEO on scaling circular fashion through physical retail and digital product passports. The episode provides a comprehensive look at financial performance, pricing strategies, and the growing importance of sustainability and ethical considerations in the luxury sector.

Key takeaways

Themes

dtc strategyretail & omnichannelsupply chain & operationsbrand & content

Topics covered

luxury market analysiscircular fashion strategiesdigital product passportsluxury pricing strategydei initiatives impactphysical retail expansion

Episode description

This week on the Glossy Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi and international reporter Zofia Zwieglinska break down the latest in luxury earnings, pricing shifts and political pushback. Later in the episode, Zwieglinska speaks with Vanessa Barboni Hallik, founder and CEO of sustainable luxury fashion brand Another Tomorrow, about the brand’s physical retail expansion and its approach to digital product passports. Barboni Hallik also discussed brand opportunities to scale circularity, during a conversation about Earth Week. In this week’s news segment, Parisi and Zwieglinska discuss Kering’s first-quarter earnings, which painted a concerning picture, with overall revenue down 14% and Gucci plunging 25%. They talk about the vulnerability of conglomerates overly reliant on a single label and the way macroeconomic tension between the U.S. and China is complicating luxury’s recovery. In other news, Louis Vuitton quietly raised its U.S. prices by nearly 5%, a move likely linked to tariffs and growing production costs. And, amid the U.S. administration’s ongoing efforts to dismantle DEI initiatives, major corporations and fashion brands are responding in different ways. While Target rolled back its diversity programs and saw 11 weeks of consecutive declines in foot traffic, companies like Levi’s and Costco have stood firm on their initiatives — and in some cases, benefited from doing so. Stories mentioned in this episode Fashion Briefing: Fashion brands are feeling the immediate impact of plummeting international travel to the US Hermès price hike sets stage for American tourist boom in Europe Earth Week Activewear brands are scrambling to clean up in America’s age of health anxiety Why brands like Blueland and Faherty are turning to sustainability activists for collaborations Beauty & Wellness Briefing: The sustainability roadblocks impacting top brands today

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Frequently asked about this episode

What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Luxury conglomerates heavily reliant on a single brand face significant vulnerability, as evidenced by Kering's performance with Gucci.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Strategic price increases, even quiet ones, are a key maneuver for luxury brands to offset rising production costs and tariffs, exemplified by Louis Vuitton.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Digital product passports offer a transparent solution for tracking product lifecycles and enabling circularity in fashion.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Brands that uphold DEI initiatives amidst political pushback may experience positive brand resonance and business outcomes, contrasting with brands that retract such initiatives.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Physical retail expansion remains a viable strategy for sustainable luxury brands looking to enhance brand experience and market presence.

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