Hello Lauren Sherman here, we are interrupting our regularly scheduled programming today to share some news. After ten years of writing for BoF I am moving on to pursue some new projects and that means, sadly, that I no longer be hosting the debrief. It's been an absolute pleasure recording this podcast every week.

I want to thank you, to the tens of thousands of listeners who have tuned in each week this past year. I hope we entertained you and that you learn just a little bit more about this crazy industry that we all love. I have a feeling we'll meet again.

Stay tuned, we will be back! 

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Occasionwear’s late-pandemic comeback may have felt like a reactionary fluke, but retailers and designers are betting it’s more than a trend. 

Background: 

Post-pandemic, occasionwear has been booming. During the second half of 2022 US and UK retailers introduced nearly twice as many dresses embellished with sequins, beads and jewels compared to 2019, according to retail intelligence firm Edited,. Over the same period, sequined dresses sold out 52 percent more compared to 2019, while high-heel shoes sold out 121 percent more. Retailers and designers don’t think the trend will slow any time soon as bold looks continue to flood runways and shop floors.

“It's natural that now that the world is even more open compared to last year when we had just gotten vaccinated, that there's this desire for a little bit of escapism,” said Cathaleen Chen, BoF retail correspondent.  

Key Insights: 

• Outside of work-from-home and sweatpants, there’s a growing appetite for loud, statement pieces that go beyond old occasionwear staples like sequins and bold colours, and expand into split-hem pants, corset tops and velvet shoes. 
• Much about dressing up has changed too. Consumers are looking for versatility now more than ever, and demanding comfort out of occasionwear — opting for kitten heels rather than stilettos, and slip dresses rather than form fitting looks. 
• Though some of the uptick can be chalked up to a pandemic hangover, and some styles will stay while others fade away, the statement dressing category will remain strong through 2023. 
• Still, cycles of consumption and consumer sentiment remain unwieldy amid wider economic uncertainty.

Further Reading: 

• Hyper Growth Is Over for Sneakers. What’s Next?
• Why Sequins and Platform Heels Are Here to Stay

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Priya Rao, executive editor, Business of Beauty, joins Lauren Sherman to unpack how the singer’s lifestyle label has managed to build a loyal fan base — without his direct involvement. 

Background: 

Harry Styles has managed to pull off a feat that has eluded countless celebrities, despite their many attempts: Building a popular beauty brand. He’s managed to do so even while taking a backseat when it comes to running Pleasing, his lifestyle line which predominantly sells nail polish as well as skin care and sweatshirts. Since launching in November 2022, Styles has not talked much about Pleasing publicly or on social media. But, the brand, created in partnership with his stylist Harry Lambert and creative director Molly Hawkins, has generated a plugged-in community of loyalists nonetheless. 

“[Celebrities] are coming out with these really full lines that have nothing to do with what they’ve been about before. Pleasing really feels like Harry … like you’re getting a piece of Harry when you buy [products],” said Priya Rao, executive editor, Business of Beauty.

Key Insights: 

• The Pleasing team, including stylist Harry Lambert and creative director Molly Hawkins, have distilled Styles’ aesthetic into a burgeoning brand — with fans who feel they’re buying a piece of the singer when they shop. 
• Styles’ hands off approach has given the brand an interesting air of mystery, and his fanatical fans have helped build hype by visiting the brands’ maximalist pop-ups and collecting every colour of polish. 
• Just because a celebrity or influencer has fans doesn’t mean their brand will be a hit — products have to be effective and messaging has to be on point for a label to have staying power.  

Additional resources:

• Why Harry Styles Fans Can’t Get Enough of Pleasing 
• Why Do We Root Against Celebrity Beauty Brands?
• The State of the Celebrity Beauty Brand
• Why Male Celebrities Are Launching Nail Lines

Join BoF Professional today with our exclusive podcast listener discount of 25% off an annual membership, follow the link here and enter the coupon code ‘debrief’ at checkout.

Want more from The Business of Fashion? Subscribe to our daily newsletter here.

Follow The Debrief wherever you listen to podcasts.

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