🔥 Glamma Goes Global: How Margaret Chola Became Fashion’s New Muse

When 84-year-old Margaret Chola - better known online as @legendary_glamma — swapped wardrobes with her fashion-stylist granddaughter in rural Zambia, the internet didn’t just smile; it stopped scrolling. What started as a playful generational exchange became a viral moment, positioning Chola as an unexpected style icon and proof that fashion influence no longer sits neatly in age brackets, cities, or glossy magazines.

📊 Supporting Stats

• The global influencer economy is now worth over $21 billion (Statista, 2023), with micro and niche influencers — especially those who bring authenticity — driving stronger engagement than celebrity endorsements.

• Content tagged with “grandma” or “older style icon” on TikTok has seen engagement rates up to 40% higher than Gen Z-focused equivalents (WARC, 2024).

• The 60+ demographic is now the fastest-growing user group on Instagram, with adoption rising by 24% last year (Hootsuite, 2024).

  
  Margaret Chola’s rise works because it blends authenticity with subversion. Fashion has long been obsessed with youth, yet here we see coolness redefined by someone in her mid-80s. Unlike branded campaigns that often feel contrived, Glamma’s appeal is rooted in realness, family connection, and sheer style. Brands chasing “ageless relevance” would struggle to engineer this level of organic cultural heat.

📌 Key Takeouts

• What happened: Margaret Chola (@legendary_glamma) went viral after swapping outfits with her granddaughter, sparking global fascination.

• What worked: Authenticity, cross-generational storytelling, and unexpected style credibility.

• Signals: A shift towards intergenerational influence and “age-fluid” cool - fashion’s future looks less about youth, more about story.

• For brand marketers: Virality now comes from surprising juxtapositions, not polished campaigns. Real-world, real-people content has the power to cut through the algorithm.

https://www.instagram.com/legendary_glamma/

👗 John Lewis Bets on Curation: Can the Department Store Go Cool Again?

John Lewis is rewriting its fashion playbook. In partnership with the British Fashion Council (BFC), the retailer is adding over 100 new names - from heritage heavyweights like Vivienne Westwood and John Smedley to cult labels such as Snow Peak and Nigel Cabourn. There’s even talk of a 25-piece capsule with Mulberry.

But this isn’t a numbers game. As director of fashion Rachel Morgans put it, the aim is to create a “carefully curated range” that feels distinct, relevant and customer-first. In a sector where multibrand retailers have often leaned on volume and discounting, John Lewis is making a clear pivot: less mass-market sprawl, more intentional curation.

📊 Supporting Stats

• UK multibrand retail has struggled: department store closures rose 83% between 2016–2021 (Local Data Company).

• Meanwhile, curated multibrand platforms are thriving - MatchesFashion reported £430m in revenue before its 2023 sale, while Ssense doubled its valuation to $4.1bn in 2021 (Financial Times, Forbes).

• 57% of UK consumers now say they value “curation and edit” over sheer product choice in retail (WGSN Future Consumer Report 2024).

🧠 Decision: Did It Work?
Strategically, this looks like the right move. John Lewis has struggled with brand perception - reliable but rarely aspirational. By aligning with the BFC, the retailer borrows cultural capital and gains credibility with both established fashion players and younger consumers looking for discovery.

Where it could falter is execution: a curated edit only works if the product storytelling is sharp, the digital experience feels premium, and the brands are given space to shine. If it turns into a bloated roster tucked into generic shopfloors, the impact will be lost.

📌 Key Takeouts

• What happened: John Lewis announced 100+ new brands in fashion via a partnership with the BFC, focusing on curation over expansion.

• What worked: Strong cultural alignment with British fashion; high-profile names like Westwood and Mulberry create buzz; mix of established and emerging labels adds credibility.

• Risks: Without clear storytelling and visual identity, “curation” could look like clutter. Execution will decide whether this is reinvention or repackaging.

• Signals: Retail is moving from department-store sprawl to edited, narrative-driven multibrand environments. The consumer appetite is for depth, not breadth.

• For marketers: Collaborations with cultural institutions (like BFC) are a shortcut to credibility, but only if backed by distinct consumer experience.

🔮 What We Can Expect Next
If John Lewis nails this, expect to see more department store chains lean into “curation as strategy,” borrowing from the playbooks of Dover Street Market and Liberty. Capsule collections and exclusive drops will become the retail weapon of choice to cut through. But the risk of “premium fatigue” looms: if every retailer claims curation without real editing power, consumers will tune out.

John Lewis’ gamble is simple but bold: can a legacy department store become a destination for discovery again? The answer will depend on whether this move feels like fashion-led reinvention - or just another round of rebranding.

👠 From Oxford Street to Trafalgar Square: Topshop’s High-Profile Comeback

When Topshop staged a catwalk in Trafalgar Square to debut its AW25 collection, it wasn’t just a fashion show - it was a cultural reset. With Cara Delevingne and Adwoa Aboah in the front row, the event signalled that the once-iconic high street brand is serious about reclaiming relevance.

📖 The Legacy
Founded in 1964, Topshop evolved into the UK’s ultimate tastemaker. By the 2000s, its Oxford Street flagship wasn’t just a shop - it was a pilgrimage site for anyone chasing fashion and culture. From Kate Moss’s 2007 sell-out collection to its sponsorship of emerging British designers through NEWGEN, Topshop blurred the line between the high street and high fashion. Beyoncé’s Ivy Park debut and Rihanna’s Fenty PUMA pop-ups only reinforced its global clout.

📉 The Decline
But the 2010s saw the brand falter. Competitors like Zara, ASOS and Boohoo mastered speed and scale, while Topshop’s parent company Arcadia collapsed in 2021. The closure of the Oxford Street store felt like the end of an era - and a gap in London’s fashion energy.

🔥 The Comeback Play
The Trafalgar Square show flips the script. Rather than reopening a flagship, Topshop turned the city itself into a stage. The AW25 collection leaned on classic tailoring and oversized leather bombers - timeless but relevant, wearable yet aspirational. And with Delevingne and Aboah front and centre, the message was clear: Topshop still knows how to set a scene.

📊 Supporting Stats

• UK fashion retail sales are forecast to grow 4.5% in 2025 (WARC), with renewed demand for experiential retail.

• 72% of Gen Z shoppers say they prefer brands that “create experiences, not just transactions” (Statista, 2024).

• London Fashion Week’s earned media value hit £330m in 2024 (Launchmetrics), proof that cultural spectacle still drives ROI.

🧠 Decision: Did It Work?
Yes. By reclaiming a piece of London’s cultural real estate, Topshop showed confidence and ambition. The choice of venue and ambassadors made the show resonate beyond fashion insiders, reminding people of the brand’s past power.

The challenge? Spectacle is only step one. Without consistent retail strategy — physical presence, exclusive drops, experiential stores — it risks being a one-off headline rather than a true renaissance.

📌 Key Takeouts

• Topshop staged a high-profile comeback via a Trafalgar Square catwalk show.

• The event tapped heritage (tailoring, bombers) while leveraging cultural icons (Delevingne, Aboah).

• It revived memories of Topshop’s Oxford Street heyday — but reimagined for an experience-driven generation.

• The risk lies in follow-through: hype needs to be backed by consistent retail strategy.

🔮 What We Can Expect Next
Expect other heritage high street names to experiment with spectacle and cultural activations, turning cities into their flagships. If Topshop can pair this bold return with smart retail execution, it could recapture its position as the UK’s most influential high street brand. But if it leans too hard on nostalgia without innovation, the revival risks burning fast.

Analysis: Burberry's “Back to the City” Campaign

The Moment & Its Players

Burberry has once again ignited headlines, this time through an unexpectedly charismatic collaboration. The Fall 2025 “Back to the City” campaign features TikTok phenomenon Bemi Orojuogun - affectionately known as “Bus Aunty” - alongside rising models and creative talent on a cinematic tour of London. It’s a collision of internet culture and luxury heritage, set against the rhythm of the city’s streets.

The Cultural Spark: Why It Resonates Now

Burberry smartly taps into the everyday appeal of Bus Aunty - someone already beloved for her joyful, unfiltered content - and elevates her into a high-fashion narrative. The campaign isn’t just about garments; it’s about character, community, and London as a cultural hub. The use of the open-top red bus, prominent landmarks like Trafalgar Square and the London Eye, and the bespoke soundtrack by Jimothy Lacoste all reinforce a layered, multi-sensory connection to place and identity.

Supporting Stats: Brand Momentum & Cultural Data

• Re-entering cultural relevance: Burberry has returned to the Lyst Index in Q2 2025 after a year-long absence, ranking 17th among the world’s hottest fashion brands. It outpaced heritage and trend-driven peers like Gucci and Valentino.

• Context of return: Industry commentary credits a revitalised festival-season campaign, sharper menswear lines, and “sensible pricing” on leather goods for restoring buzz around the brand.

Decision: Did It Work?

Yes - it worked, both culturally and strategically.

• Culturally astute: By incorporating Bus Aunty - a genuine internet figure with roots in London’s heart - Burberry achieves authenticity while retaining aspirational allure.

• Strategically smart: The campaign capitalises on Burberry’s hot streak in consumer interest, reinforcing the brand’s renewed momentum with a story rooted in place, personality, and platform.

• Creative with substance: This isn’t trend-chasing for its own sake. The layered imagery, soundtrack, and casting reflect a considered vision of British identity - one that feels inclusive, dynamic, and telling of Burberry’s evolving narrative under Daniel Lee.

Key Takeouts

• Who & What: Burberry’s Fall 2025 “Back to the City” campaign stars TikTok’s Bus Aunty (Bemi Orojuogun), alongside models Nora Attal, Rubuen Bilan-Carroll, Libby Bennett, and musician Jimothy Lacoste (soundtrack).

• What worked:

  • Aligned brand identity with London’s vibrancy and personality.

  • Leveraged a real, beloved figure to bring warmth and relatability.

  • Snowballed existing momentum with a visually and sonically rich narrative.

• Cultural signal: Burberry is leaning into “place as personality” - treating London not just as backdrop, but as protagonist. That signals a broader creative direction prioritising local authenticity over global polish.

• Lesson for brand marketers: Collaborations succeed when they aren’t just surprising - they need to feel inevitable in hindsight. This feels like that.

What’s Next?

• Momentum copycats? Expect other luxury houses to seek collaborations with everyday cultural figures - a way to stay grounded while speaking to digital culture.

• Audience pull-in: Burberry may deepen loyalty among London-identifying communities and savvy younger consumers who value realness and rootedness.

• Trend or one-off? The campaign leans into a cultural undercurrent - local storytelling, digital-native talent, cross-platform resonance - that feels durable, not ephemeral.

• Risk of fatigue? If every brand taps a meme figure, the impact could dilute. The key will be curation - choosing figures with genuine alignment and narrative heft.

Final Call

This is smart, strategic brand storytelling - culturally resonant and creatively grounded. It makes Burberry feel both of its time and of its place.

🔥 Willy Chavarria × adidas: When Inspiration Calls for Deeper Dialogue

Willy Chavarria’s work with adidas has been widely praised for its bold aesthetics and socially aware design. The latest drop - the “Oaxaca Slip-On” - was intended as a tribute to the artistry of Oaxaca and the Zapotec community of Villa Hidalgo Yalálag. However, the launch sparked criticism for the absence of direct collaboration with the community it sought to honour. Both Chavarria and adidas have since issued public apologies, acknowledging the oversight and pledging to work directly with Yalálag in the future.

📊 Supporting Stats

• 69% of Gen Z consumers prefer brands that authentically represent diverse cultures (Deloitte Digital, 2024).

• Cultural heritage drives significant economic value - Mexico’s indigenous crafts generate an estimated $200M annually in local economies (UNESCO, 2023).

• 42% of consumers have stopped supporting brands they perceive as culturally disrespectful (Sprout Social, 2023).

🧠 Decision: Did It Work?
Culturally: The intent was respectful, but the process missed a key step - active, early-stage community partnership.
Commercially: The long-term brand equity in Latin America and among culturally aware consumers will depend on how adidas follows through on their commitment to collaborate.
Creatively: The design retains its beauty and narrative potential, but its story now depends on how it evolves in partnership with those it represents.

📌 Key Takeouts

• What happened: A well-intentioned tribute to Oaxacan culture was launched without initial community involvement, leading to accusations of appropriation.

• What worked: Immediate public acknowledgment of the issue and named commitments to dialogue with Yalálag.

• What didn’t: Bypassing the co-creation process diminished cultural authenticity.

• Signals: The bar for cultural engagement is rising - homage is no longer enough without equitable involvement.

• For brands: Even with the best intentions, community voices need to be in the room from day one.

🔮 What We Can Expect Next
If adidas and Chavarria turn their commitment into a tangible partnership - involving Yalálag artisans in future designs, profit-sharing, or cultural storytelling - this could become a case study in how to recover from a cultural misstep without losing brand respect. The broader trend? Expect more brands to embed cultural liaisons and formal agreements into the creative process to ensure homage comes with shared ownership.

✊ WELFARE NOT WARFARE: Katharine Hamnett and Jeremy Corbyn Join Forces for Gaza Orphans

Katharine Hamnett has never been a designer who stays quiet. Her T-shirts have been worn in protest marches, on global runways, and even in front of Margaret Thatcher. Now, in collaboration with A/POLITICAL and Jeremy Corbyn, she’s using that same visual language to call for an end to what they describe as Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

The END GENOCIDE project isn’t about trend cycles or seasonal collections. It’s a direct intervention — raising both awareness and funds for the Noor Gaza Orphan Care Program, which supports children who have lost parents in the ongoing violence.

📊 The Human Context

• 20,000 children orphaned in Gaza since the escalation of violence (Taawon, 2025).

• Noor provides comprehensive care - food, education, healthcare, and psychosocial support until age 18 - with 100% of donations going directly to services.

• The conflict has created one of the most severe child protection crises in recent history, with UNICEF calling Gaza “the most dangerous place in the world to be a child” (2024).

🧠 Why This Matters

Hamnett’s T-shirts are more than wearable slogans - they are mobile billboards of dissent. In this case, the medium also funds the message. Every purchase translates directly into resources for children who have lost their families, while the bold typography keeps Gaza’s humanitarian crisis visible in everyday spaces.

Unlike many “awareness” campaigns that stop at symbolism, END GENOCIDE closes the loop: the act of wearing the message is tied to a tangible outcome. That’s critical in an attention economy where causes often trend briefly before being replaced by the next headline.

📌 Key Points

• The campaign: Co-created by Hamnett, Corbyn, and A/POLITICAL, with statements sourced from Palestinians and public figures.

• The cause: 100% of proceeds go to Taawon’s Noor Gaza Orphan Care Program - no admin fees, full transparency.

• The impact: Combines political visibility with direct aid, ensuring the campaign is not just symbolic.

• The tone: Unapologetically political, rejecting neutrality in favour of clear solidarity.

🔮 What This Signals

Fashion has long been a vehicle for political messaging, but this project underscores a shift: consumers and activists alike are demanding that creative protest also produce concrete outcomes.

With mainstream political channels gridlocked, collaborations like this operate as micro-acts of foreign policy from civil society - using culture to apply pressure while addressing immediate humanitarian needs.

Whether you agree with Hamnett’s stance or not, the project shows how art and activism can work in tandem, without diluting urgency for palatability. It’s a reminder that visibility alone isn’t enough - the point is to mobilise resources where they’re needed most.

🧩 Adidas Accelerates into F1 Culture: A Strategic Analysis for Brand Leaders

Adidas’s recent cultural play in Formula 1 was first dissected by Daniel‑Yaw Miller in SportsVerse (5 Aug 2025), spotlighting the groundbreaking collaboration between Adidas Originals, Mercedes‑AMG Petronas, and Bad Bunny. It marked how Adidas turned scepticism into bold fashion‑sport fusion in Puerto Rico - a move that positions the brand not merely as a sponsor, but a culture‑maker in motorsport.

Supporting Stats

• Formula 1’s global fanbase rose to 826.5 million in 2024, up nearly 90 million year‑on‑year.

• 41% of fans are female, 42% are under 35 - with daily engagement at 61% and emotional attachment at 90%.

• Sponsorship revenue hit $632 million in 2024, more than doubling since 2019.

• Adidas recorded €23.68 billion in revenue in 2024, up ~12% currency‑neutral; operating profit reached €1.34 billion.

• Puma's full‑year 2024 sales grew just 4.4% currency‑adjusted to €8.82 billion.

Pros

✔ Cultural Relevance

By integrating Bad Bunny - already a five‑year key collaborator - Adidas infused the F1 deal with instant cultural cachet and emotional resonance that resonates well with Gen Z and Latinx audiences.

✔ Brand Performance & Reach

Adidas’s strong financial performance in lifestyle segments (+17% apparel, +9% footwear) aligns with its strategic pivot toward high‑heat fashion‑derived products rather than core sportswear.

✔ Access to Insiders & Innovation

Adidas brings unmatched collaborator networks (Pharrell, Stella, Grace Wales Bonner) that can translate F1 assets into broader fashion and lifestyle relevance.

Cons

✘ Financial Exposure

The company expects €200 million in incremental U.S. costs in H2 2025 due to tariffs, pressuring margins and potentially limiting further promotional spend.

✘ Competitive Pressure

Puma’s longstanding F1 involvement, particularly through sponsorships and creative direction (e.g. A$AP Rocky), still positions it as a credible alternative, albeit with slower growth.

Opportunities

🧠 Elevating Collaborations into Signature Lines

Adidas can translate the hype into sales via the Bad Bunny x Mercedes‑inspired Adiracer GT and future Originals drops — high‑margin fashion releases built off F1 visibility.

🌍 Entering Under‑served Fan Segments

F1's rising female fanbase (41%) and diverse young followers present fertile ground for inclusive merchandise and tailored storytelling.

🛍 Lifestyle Commerce via Events

Spectacle activations - like the San Juan demo run - present a model for experiential retail and content‑led commerce that extends beyond race weekends.

Challenges

⚠ Balancing Sport vs Fashion Identity

Adidas must avoid overtly alienating F1 purists while appealing to fashion audiences - bridging performance apparel for team use, replica merch, and trend‑based Originals.

💼 Macro‑economic Uncertainty

Macroeconomic headwinds (tariffs, currency volatility, consumer spending shifts) may limit marketing flexibility and dampen demand if prices are raised.

📉 Puma’s Resilience

Despite slower growth, Puma remains embedded in F1 via long‑term equipment contracts, F1 Academy sponsorship, and creative partnerships - maintaining baseline credibility.

Key Takeouts

• Adidas is using Mercedes‑F1 + Bad Bunny to rewrite the intersection of fashion, music, and sport, as noted by Torben Schumacher and Rich Sanders in SportsVerse.

• The strategy aligns with Adidas’s robust 2024 acceleration (+12% revenue, €1.34 billion operating profit) and lifestyle‑driven growth.

• F1 delivers a dynamic, culturally engaged audience well‑suited to Adidas's collaborators and Originals marketing.

• Puma remains a credible existing player in F1, but Adidas’s scale and fashion partnerships present an opportunity to eclipse Puma’s position.

Next Steps for Brand Marketers

1. Build limited‑edition fashion product drops tied to live F1 events (e.g. Puerto Rico) that offer collectible value and digital storytelling.

2. Craft inclusive messaging and product lines targeting female and under‑35 fans who now comprise a large share of F1’s audience.

3. Leverage experiential activations - rooftop showcases, fashion x motorsport pop‑ups, fan hubs - to create commerce‑driven media moments.

4. Double‑down on collaborator ecosystem - bringing in names like Pharrell, Stella, Grace Wales Bonner to sustain creative energy beyond seat‑merch tie‑ins.

5. Monitor cost pressures carefully - given tariff exposure, pricing windows, and ROI timelines must be clear, especially in the U.S.

Adidas’s effort into F1 is more than sponsorship - it is a cultural thesis intersectional enough to move product, reshape audience perception, and redefine how sportswear plays in motorsport.

🎨 Heritage Worn Proud: How Arsenal & adidas Turned a Third Kit into Cultural Storytelling

Arsenal’s new 2025/26 adidas third kit is more than a seasonal refresh. It’s a carefully curated cultural artefact designed to bridge the club’s past with its future. Marking 20 years since Arsenal’s final season at Highbury, the design is steeped in architectural references, Art Deco detailing and heritage cues that speak as loudly to memory as they do to performance. For brand marketers, it’s a textbook example of how sport and style can merge into a story with emotional weight.

Supporting stats

• Emotional connection drives purchase: According to Nielsen Sports, 59% of sports fans say a club’s history influences their buying decisions for merchandise.

• Heritage-led design works: A 2024 WARC study found that campaigns referencing cultural heritage delivered 24% higher long-term brand equity gains compared to standard seasonal creative.

• Performance sells: adidas’ 2024 annual report notes that innovation in kit performance tech can increase on-field product sales by up to 18% year-on-year.

Key takeouts

• Heritage storytelling can deepen fan loyalty and justify premium pricing.

• Design authenticity is critical – bespoke fabric, detailing, and architectural references strengthen credibility.

• Launching in a cultural setting reframes sportswear as art and broadens audience appeal.

• While nostalgia is powerful, it must be balanced with forward-facing innovation to engage younger or global fans.

• Clear communication around sustainability and materials will increasingly shape consumer perception.

What we can expect

This kit’s launch signals that heritage storytelling in sport is evolving from occasional nods to fully integrated cultural strategies. Expect more football clubs to pair product drops with artistic collaborations, archival references and cross-sector partnerships that blur the lines between sport, fashion and art. For Arsenal, this campaign positions them not just as a football club, but as a cultural curator of their own legacy – setting the stage for future launches that blend performance, history and global relevance in one cohesive narrative.

🎨 Hermès Brings Art to Life Through Drawing

This summer, Hermès has turned public spaces in France into open-air studios, inviting anyone and everyone to pick up a pencil and create. The Drawn to Craft initiative, part of a year-long celebration of drawing, landed in Bordeaux (3–5 July) and Biarritz (10–12 July) with a joyful, participatory tribute to the first spark of craftsmanship: the line.

Whether in the earliest sketch of a silk carré or the measured markings of a saddle stitch, drawing sits at the root of Hermès’ creative process. In these pop-up encounters, the brand brought that origin story outside, where passers-by could join in impromptu workshops. Children, locals, holidaymakers and seasoned artists alike experimented with collage, sketching, and playful interpretations of the house’s iconic motifs. Facilitators encouraged exploration without rules, making the act of drawing feel light, communal, and above all, accessible.

Earlier in the summer, Hermès launched the project in Paris with a one-night transformation of a school into a whimsical “drawing academy”. Guests, guided by eccentric “professors”, took part in classes before gathering for a celebratory “graduation” dinner. The concept blended Parisian elegance with a sense of theatre, reinforcing the idea that craft is as much about joy as it is about mastery.

Why it works

• Cultural capital in motion - By taking craftsmanship into public spaces, Hermès shifts luxury from a rarefied context into a shared cultural moment, without losing its aura.

• Invitation, not instruction - The emphasis is on participation rather than perfection, which draws in audiences who might otherwise be spectators.

• Emotional brand storytelling - Drawing becomes a metaphor for starting something new, aligning with Hermès’ heritage of meticulous creation.

• Cross-generational reach - Children and adults can engage equally, creating memories and associations that go beyond a single purchase.

• Place-based authenticity - Anchoring the events in French cities reinforces Hermès’ local roots while supporting a global narrative of artistry.

In turning the act of drawing into an open invitation, Hermès not only demystifies its creative process but also builds a richer emotional connection with the public. Every line, whether from a child’s crayon or a master artisan’s pen, becomes part of the same story - one that starts with imagination and finds its way into craft.

Celebrating Inclusivity & Creativity: schuh × Nike × Baes FC

This schuh‑Nike collaboration spotlighting Baes FC is not just product marketing; it’s a cultural statement. By championing an East London grassroots club created for women, trans and non‑binary people of Asian heritage, the campaign amplifies inclusion, creative identity and belonging through purposeful style and sport.

Supporting Statistics

• Registered women’s and girls’ teams in England have doubled - from approximately 5,632 in 2016‑17 to over 12,150 in the 2023‑24 season.

• Between 2020 and 2024, women and girls football participation in England rose by 56 per cent; female coaches and referees increased by 88 per cent and 113 per cent respectively.

• Yet only 26 per cent of Premier League spectators are women, and 11.1 per cent of board positions at Premier League clubs are held by women, well below FTSE 100 averages.

Pros

• Authentic alignment: schuh, Nike and Baes FC share a clear purpose around creating safe, inclusive spaces driven by intersectional community values.

• Role‑modelling inclusive leadership: Baes FC, founded in 2022 by Nicole Chui, offers sport as platform—turning a pitch into sisterhood and visibility into belonging.

• Style with substance: Featuring Nike’s P‑6000, Cortez and Field General silhouettes, the collection blends Y2K or retro sport aesthetics with community energy, enabling personal expression beyond performance.

Cons

• Commercial limitations: While inclusion is central, the campaign still hinges on sneaker sales; the message may risk being overshadowed if storytelling feels tokenistic or purely aesthetic.

• Broader systemic barriers remain: Grassroots growth is strong but gender‑based discrimination rose 62 per cent from the 2022/23 to 2023/24 grassroots season, indicating deep-seated cultural issues still unaddressed

• Policy exclusions: Recent FA policy changes (effective 1 June 2025) banning transgender women from affiliated women’s leagues affect inclusivity across much of the structured game in England

Opportunities

• Extend storytelling: Using Baes FC as a lens to elevate broader narratives—Asian, LGBTQ+, non‑binary voices in sport - beyond footfall to engage press, content creators and cultural institutions.

• Local activation: Community events, screening nights (like the Shoreditch pub takeover), pop‑ups and co‑curated zines (e.g. SEASON zine) reinforce connection beyond product.

• Systemic advocacy: Elevate Baes FC’s lived expertise in discussions around grassroots funding, FA strategy reviews, and campaigns like Her Game Too opposing sexism and discrimination.

Challenges

• Visibility vs. sustainability: Short‑term campaigns can fade quickly; long‑term support and repeat collaborations are needed for genuine impact.

• Navigating policy shifts: The FA’s transgender participation ban, and rising grassroots discrimination, risk alienating key community members unless actively addressed.

• Equity in commercial football: Despite commercial gains in women’s football, players often earn under £5,000 annually and rely on secondary jobs, pointing to persistent under‑investment.

Key Takeouts

• Baes FC is a culturally powerful symbol: merging grassroots sport, racial and gender inclusivity, creative identity and community.

• Schuh’s partnership centres identity and belonging over product—reinforcing authenticity by engaging directly with community members and creators.

• Football’s growth among women and girls is undeniable - yet governance, funding and policy shifts pose ongoing barriers.

• Campaigns need continuity: visible short‑term momentum must be matched by long‑term commitment to avoid symbolic gestures without systemic impact.

Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Integrate community voices long term: Involve Baes FC members in product development, content planning and campaign curation across seasons.

• Activate policy and advocacy: Partner with campaigns like Her Game Too, highlight grassroots discrimination issues, and support initiatives resisting exclusionary policies.

• Champion intersectional representation metrics: Measure impact against reach in South Asian, LGBTQ+, working‑class, and non‑binary communities-not just follower count or sales.

• Bridge culture and commerce with purpose: Create cultural programmes (screenings, artist collaborations, workshops) that live beyond sneaker drops and reinforce belonging through doing.

By positioning Baes FC not as window‑dressing but as rights‑bearing stakeholders - and by amplifying culture through sneakers, storytelling, and sustained support-schuh and Nike are modelling a new form of collaborative brand–community engagement.

♿ Every Body Belongs: Primark’s Inclusive Mannequin Marks a Milestone

Introduction
Primark has taken a landmark step towards inclusive retail by launching its first seated female mannequin in a manual wheelchair, co-developed with British broadcaster and disability advocate Sophie Morgan. The move coincides with the retailer’s new adaptive clothing range, designed specifically for people with disabilities. While size and ethnic diversity have gained visibility in fashion merchandising, disability representation has historically been overlooked. This initiative marks a visible and tangible shift in how the industry can represent every body.

Supporting Stats

• The World Health Organization estimates over 1.3 billion people globally live with a significant disability – that’s 16% of the population (WHO, 2023).

• According to Scope UK, 75% of disabled consumers say businesses could do more to make their products and services accessible (Scope, 2022).

• The global adaptive clothing market is projected to reach $400 billion by 2026 (Allied Market Research, 2023).

Why This Matters for Brands

• Authentic representation: The seated mannequin reflects the lived experience of many customers, increasing relatability and connection.

• Alignment with adaptive product ranges: It visually reinforces the availability of clothing designed for mobility needs.

• Brand goodwill: Demonstrates proactive commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, which can strengthen loyalty and trust.

• Lead in adaptive fashion: Collaborate directly with disabled consumers to expand and refine collections.

• Normalise inclusion: Integrate diverse mannequins into standard merchandising, rather than reserving them for specific campaigns.

• Inclusive storytelling: Share authentic voices from the disabled community through marketing and content strategies.

Challenges Ahead

• Scaling representation: Moving from flagship stores to everyday retail environments.

• Industry inertia: The fashion sector has been slow to innovate in adaptive product design and merchandising.

• Consumer awareness: Helping customers understand the functionality and benefits of adaptive fashion.

Key Takeouts

• Disability inclusion is underrepresented in retail merchandising.

• Primark’s seated mannequin is a visible signal of change in adaptive fashion.

• The adaptive clothing market represents both a commercial and social opportunity.

• Lasting impact requires ongoing commitment, not isolated gestures.

⚽🐍 Mamba Mentality Meets the Camp Nou: Nike’s Bold Cross-Sport Collaboration

Nike has merged two of sport’s most influential mindsets - Kobe Bryant’s relentless Mamba Mentality and FC Barcelona’s uncompromising pursuit of excellence - in a global campaign and product launch designed to inspire the next generation of athletes. The collaboration marks the first time Bryant’s iconic Kobe Sheath appears in professional football, signalling a significant cultural crossover between basketball and the world’s most popular sport.

Why it matters for brands

This is more than a jersey drop. It’s an exercise in cultural fusion, cross-sport storytelling, and lifestyle brand building. For Nike, it’s a way to extend Kobe’s legacy beyond basketball and into a global football audience, leveraging Barcelona’s historic style of play and international fan base. For Barça, it’s an opportunity to embody a universally recognised mindset of discipline, drive, and constant improvement.

Supporting stats

• Football remains the most popular sport globally, with an estimated 5 billion fans (FIFA, 2024).

• Bryant’s global brand value continues to grow posthumously - his Nike sneakers alone generated more than $400 million in revenue in 2023 (Forbes, 2024).

• Barça ranks among the top five most valuable football clubs, valued at $5.6 billion (Forbes, 2024), with a digital following exceeding 400 million across platforms.

Pros - What’s working

• Cross-market reach: The collaboration unites two massive global fanbases, multiplying brand exposure.

• Emotional storytelling: Kobe’s personal connection to football and admiration for Barça’s style adds authenticity.

• Design innovation: The away kit swaps the Nike Swoosh for the Kobe Sheath, incorporating snakeskin textures and gold-violet colourways.

• Integrated campaign: The “Better is the Only Choice” hero film uses Barça’s rondo drill as a metaphor for constant improvement.

Cons - Limitations and risks

• Brand identity tension: Removing the Nike Swoosh from a pro kit is bold but risks diluting Nike’s core brand visibility.

• Niche crossover: Basketball and football cultures overlap, but not universally - some audiences may see the connection as forced.

• Limited accessibility: Global drop dates and select market releases may frustrate consumers.

Opportunities - Where brands can lean in

• Lifestyle crossover: Expand the Kobe x Barça aesthetic into streetwear, music, and gaming collaborations.

• Global youth engagement: Tap into Kobe’s and Barça’s appeal to under-25s through social-first activations.

• Content storytelling: Use training culture and mindset-driven narratives to deepen the campaign beyond the product launch.

Challenges - The brand tension points

• Sustaining momentum: Post-launch storytelling must keep the collaboration relevant beyond its first season.

• Price point sensitivity: Premium pricing could limit adoption among younger fans.

• Cultural interpretation: The Mamba Mentality’s origins in US basketball may require contextualisation for some international football markets.

Key takeouts

• Nike is executing a rare cross-sport identity fusion - with authentic storytelling as the glue.

• Both Kobe and Barça carry symbolic value far beyond their respective sports.

• The success of this launch will hinge on whether the collaboration feels organic to both fanbases.

Next steps for brand marketers

• Think beyond your category: Explore unexpected yet authentic crossovers that can expand audience reach.

• Leverage shared mindsets, not just logos: Cultural values can be more unifying than sport-specific narratives.

• Plan for post-launch: Keep the conversation alive with ongoing content and fan engagement long after the product drop.

👗 The AI Supermodel in Vogue: Fashion’s Beauty Standard Crisis

This month, for the first time in its history, Vogue featured an AI-generated model in a Guess advert. At first glance, she looks like many models before her - tall, slim, blonde, blue-eyed, flawless. But she is not real. The image was created entirely by an AI studio, and the move has sparked fierce criticism for reinforcing unrealistic beauty ideals, undermining diversity gains in fashion, and potentially harming the mental health of young audiences. For brands, it raises urgent questions about representation, transparency, and the ethics of innovation.

Supporting Stats

• 88% of women and girls say they compare themselves to images they see in the media, with more than half describing the comparison as negative (Dove Self-Esteem Project, 2024).

• In the UK, one in three teenage girls report poor body image, a risk factor for eating disorders (Beat, 2024).

• Research shows AI beauty bias mirrors historic human bias - when asked to generate “the most beautiful woman in the world”, AI tools overwhelmingly produce images of white, slim, young women with Eurocentric features (Dove Campaign, 2024).

Pros - Why Brands Are Experimenting

• Innovation appeal: AI-generated models position a brand as tech-forward and experimental.

• Cost efficiencies: No travel, styling, or location fees; scalable across campaigns.

• Creative control: Every pixel can be shaped to match brand vision without the unpredictability of live shoots.

Cons - What’s at Stake

• Reinforcing harmful beauty ideals: AI models can deepen exclusion by defaulting to narrow, Eurocentric standards.

• Loss of authenticity: Fashion thrives on human individuality and cultural resonance - synthetic perfection risks alienating audiences.

• Job displacement: From models to makeup artists, AI threatens established roles across the creative supply chain.

Opportunities - Doing It Differently

• Inclusive AI training: Brands could actively train AI on diverse datasets representing all body types, ethnicities, ages, and abilities.

• Personalised fashion tech: Using AI to create avatars of real customers could democratise the model experience and help consumers see themselves in products.

• Creative partnerships: Collaborating with artists, activists, and models to co-create AI visuals grounded in real-world representation.

Challenges - The Risks to Manage

• Transparency gaps: UK law does not require clear labelling of AI-generated content, leaving room for misleading advertising.

• Audience backlash: As seen with Guess and Vogue, poorly executed AI campaigns can trigger reputational damage.

• Mental health implications: Hyper-perfect, non-human images risk fuelling body image anxiety, particularly among young audiences.

Key Takeouts

• AI fashion models are no longer a futuristic novelty - they are here, and they influence beauty culture now.

• Without conscious bias mitigation, AI will replicate and amplify exclusionary beauty standards.

• Transparency is essential. If audiences cannot easily tell what is real, trust erodes.

• Brands risk reputational harm if innovation is perceived as cost-cutting at the expense of representation.

Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Audit AI usage: If using AI-generated imagery, review datasets for diversity and inclusivity.

• Label clearly: Make AI origins visible and readable - not hidden in fine print.

• Engage communities: Involve real voices in shaping how AI represents people.

• Balance innovation with impact: Don’t adopt AI in a way that undermines your brand’s values or alienates audiences.

• Track sentiment: Monitor audience reaction and be prepared to adjust campaigns quickly if backlash emerges.

🏆 UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Breaks Records: Why Player Power and Cultural Relevance Are Reshaping the Game

In a rematch of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, England defeated Spain to win the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 in Switzerland. But beyond the final result, this year’s tournament signalled a shift in scale, attention and cultural value - across attendance, digital engagement, athlete influence and brand performance.

The women’s game has moved from breakthrough to benchmark.

📊 Tournament Performance Snapshot

• 657,291 total fans attended across 31 matches (29 sold out)

• 34,203 fans attended the final in Basel

• 35% of attendees travelled internationally, representing 160+ nationalities

• Swiss host cities reported a 12% visitor increase and 27% spending growth

• 500M+ global viewers engaged with the tournament (projected)

• The final is expected to surpass 45M streams globally

• UEFA’s app and website saw over 49M views, with 20.7M+ social engagements

• 95K+ fans joined organised fan walks; 1M+ engaged in fan zones

🌟 Player Power: Michelle Agyemang and the Youth Surge

• Michelle Agyemang, 18, became a breakout star and Young Player of the Tournament

• She scored stoppage-time goals in both the quarter-final and semi-final, despite playing just 138 minutes

• Her personal story - from Wembley ball girl to national hero - trended across major platforms and inspired high-volume, high-sentiment content

• Other emerging stars like Iman Beney, Vicky López, and Smilla Vallotto also gained sharp follower growth and commercial attention

• Player-led content outperformed official or sponsor-led creative across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts

📣 Brand Share of Voice & Engagement (Campaigns That Cut Through)

The brands that succeeded at EURO 2025 didn’t just sponsor - they participated in culture, activated quickly, and let players lead.

🏁 Nike - 11OME & the Journey Home

• Nike led the post-final moment with “It’s not just coming home. It’s 11OME.”, deployed across OOH, social and live activations.

• Featured arrival content, fan installations and cultural commentary.

• Delivered a 35% spike in Instagram engagement on @nikefootball during finals week, with 4.2M+ views on the hero video in 48 hours.

🔥 Adidas - Icons of the Future, Aygemergency & Star Power

• Adidas’s Icons of the Future featured Alessia Russo, Aitana Bonmatí, Michelle Agyemang and Vicky López - blending performance footage with off-pitch storytelling.

• Their reactive “Break in Case of Aygemergency” stunt went viral after Agyemang’s second clutch goal:

  • Store displays, TikTok assets and GIF packs generated 2.5M+ video uses in 48 hours

  • Agyemang’s follower count surpassed 1M during the campaign window

• Adidas led earned share of voice among sponsors from quarter-finals through to the final (source: Talkwalker).

💳 Visa - Fans Without Borders

• A docuseries highlighting fan journeys across Europe drew 12M+ views and lifted brand favourability by 11% in UEFA-related social media conversations.

🎧 Spotify - Player Soundtracks

• Spotify's curated playlists featured players like Russo and Batlle, generating 400K+ streams and strong organic shares via athlete profiles.

💄 L'Oréal - Game Face

• TikTok-first beauty content featuring Iman Beney and Selma Bacha became the most engaged branded beauty content during the tournament.

🚗 Volkswagen - Penalty Challenge Fan Zones

• VW’s interactive zones drew 18,000+ participants, with 120K+ UGC moments feeding directly into UEFA’s official channels.

👀 How It Compares: Men’s & Women’s Benchmarks

To frame the scale of EURO 2025:

• The FIFA Club World Cup Final 2023 drew 81,118 attendees and ~107M viewers - less than EURO 2025's combined reach

• A 2025 men’s pre-season friendly (Man Utd vs West Ham) drew 82,566 - the biggest US football crowd of the year, but with limited global broadcast impact

• The UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 had 574,875 attendees and 365M viewers - both surpassed this year

• The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 reached over 2B viewers, with ~2M attending in person

• The UEFA Women’s Champions League Final 2025 (Arsenal vs Barcelona) drew 38,356 and 3.6M viewers

• By comparison, the FIFA Men’s World Cup Final 2022 drew 88,966 in-stadium and 1.5B peak global viewers

• The UEFA Men’s EURO 2020 reached 5.2B total audience, with 328M for the final

📌 Key Takeouts

• UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 broke all previous records across attendance, engagement, and economic impact

• Player-led narratives drove the tournament’s reach, especially among younger and digital-first audiences

• Nike owned the post-final moment, but Adidas’s real-time cultural play and player focus captured early share of voice

• Digital-first, culturally fluent brands like Spotify and L'Oréal delivered standout performance through relevance over reach

• Women’s football is no longer emerging - it’s defining what successful sports marketing looks like in 2025

🔮 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Get closer to athletes, not just federations - player-driven content is now the primary mode of influence

• Plan for culture, not just coverage - campaigns must be reactive, meme-literate and mobile-native

• Treat women’s football as primary commercial territory - not CSR or secondary inventory

• Use live experiences to feed digital storytelling - not just as standalone stunts

• Track ROI by share of voice and cultural impact, not just legacy prestige

UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 wasn’t just a tournament. It was a live demonstration of where fan energy, brand value, and cultural influence are moving next.

The players are ready. The fans are watching. And the smartest brands are already on the pitch.

🧨 Sydney Sweeney x American Eagle: Viral Success Meets Cultural Backlash

Sydney Sweeney’s campaign with American Eagle may have delivered a 15% stock surge and over 30 million video views - but it’s now under fire for tone-deaf creative, controversial messaging, and perceived lack of representation. What started as a denim-led push ahead of back-to-school season has become a flashpoint for criticism around language, identity, and corporate responsibility.

For brand marketers, this campaign is a live case study in what happens when cultural impact collides with cultural insensitivity - and why fame alone isn’t a strategy.

🔢 Supporting Stats

• +15.29% stock jump: American Eagle’s share price rose from $10.20 to $11.76 in four days, adding $310 million in market value (Consequence, July 2025).

• 30M+ views per video: Campaign content under the tagline “Sydney Sweeney Has Great (American Eagle) Jeans” rapidly gained traction across TikTok and Instagram.

• $68M quarterly loss: The campaign follows a difficult Q1 for American Eagle, with an adjusted operating loss of $68 million attributed partly to tariff pressures (AdWeek, July 2025).

• 100% proceeds pledged: All revenue from “The Sydney Jean” will go to Crisis Text Line for domestic violence support - though this messaging was not clearly communicated in the main campaign assets.

✅ Why It Works (or Initially Did)

1. Culture-Led Visibility
The campaign’s humour and format were clearly designed for TikTok-native audiences. With Sydney Sweeney’s proven viral track record (see Dr. Squatch’s “Bathwater Bliss” launch), American Eagle gained massive reach during a key retail period.

2. Stock Market Response
The immediate financial impact - a sharp valuation boost - shows how campaign buzz can influence Wall Street sentiment, not just consumer attention.

3. Denim Product Relevance
A back-to-school drop, limited-edition “Sydney Jean,” and prominent billboards in NYC and Las Vegas made this a high-visibility, product-linked activation.

⚠️ Why It’s Controversial

1. The “Great Genes” Pun
Critics flagged the tagline as loaded with eugenics-era implications, often associated with race, attractiveness, and selective genetics. Swapping “genes” for “jeans” may have seemed like wordplay, but many saw it as culturally tone-deaf.

2. Lack of Representation
Commentators on X (formerly Twitter) noted the absence of diverse talent behind the scenes and on-screen. The choice of a white, blonde actress as the sole campaign face amplified concerns about exclusion.

3. Missed Messaging Opportunity
Despite the campaign’s charitable intent - with all proceeds supporting domestic violence awareness — most audiences didn’t know. The creative focused on style and irony, not substance.

4. Risk of Fame Overload
Sweeney’s recent “bathwater soap” campaign was another viral flashpoint. Some critics questioned whether her growing brand presence is veering into overexposure or self-parody.

🧠 Key Takeouts for Brand Marketers

• Attention ≠ approval. A viral campaign can generate both financial uplift and reputational risk simultaneously.

• Language matters. Even seemingly harmless wordplay can carry unintended historical or cultural baggage.

• Representation in the room is critical. Inclusive teams help surface potential risks before they reach the public.

• Purpose must be visible. Charitable partnerships add value only when clearly communicated and integrated into creative.

• Celebrity alignment needs a long-term narrative. Sweeney’s cultural power is clear - but fame alone can’t insulate a brand from missteps.

🧘‍♀️ JP Morgan Downgrades Lululemon: What It Signals for Premium Brands

Lululemon has long been a case study in brand strategy - a premium player that turned technical apparel into a lifestyle movement. But last week, JP Morgan sent a clear signal to the market: the momentum is slowing. The firm downgraded Lululemon from Overweight to Neutral, slashing its price target from $303 to $224. The decision reflects not just a weaker U.S. outlook, but deeper challenges facing premium-positioned brands navigating changing consumer expectations.

Why the Downgrade Happened

JP Morgan analyst Matthew R. Boss cited several core reasons for the rating cut:

• Delayed product catalysts: Key new ranges like Align No Line and Glow Up are being pushed to H2 2025, slowing short-term growth.

• Inventory drag: Roughly 40% of stock is tied up in underperforming seasonal colourways, leading to higher markdowns.

• Soft U.S. traffic: Same-store sales were constrained by a more cautious consumer and falling footfall.

• Macro headwinds: The U.S. premium activewear market is forecast to grow just 1.0% in 2025–26, down from 11% in FY21–24 (Euromonitor).

The result? Q2 U.S. revenue growth is expected to slow to +1.2%, down from +1.7% in Q1 - a notable deceleration for a brand once considered untouchable in its category.

📈 Pros – What’s Still Working?

• Innovation drives interest: Products like Be Calm and Daydrift are outperforming, proving demand for technical innovation remains strong.

• Women’s segment remains robust: Management is doubling down on female-led product rollouts in H2 2025.

• Global expansion opportunity: Despite a more measured pace in China, international markets remain Lululemon’s most scalable growth lever.

📉 Cons – What’s Under Pressure?

• Overdependence on seasonal basics: 40% of inventory is in colourway updates that aren’t converting — a risk in an era of slower impulse purchasing.

• Margin compression: Higher markdowns and SG&A costs are hitting profitability and long-term margin ambitions.

• Brand cooling in China: Once a rocket-fuelled growth market, China Mainland is now showing signs of normalisation, forcing Lululemon to adjust its strategy.

🔍 Opportunities - Strategic Levers for Brands

• Rethink product drops: Seasonal rotation is less compelling than material-led or performance-led storytelling. Align new launches with clear functional benefits.

• Tighten U.S. brand narrative: A more discerning consumer needs more convincing. Reinvest in why the brand matters, not just what it sells.

• Localise global growth: With China plateauing, emerging markets in APAC and EMEA offer room to adapt and diversify Lululemon’s premium story.

⚠️ Challenges - What to Watch

• Inventory-to-demand misalignment: Overweighting SKUs that don’t convert creates operational drag and reputational risk.

• Cultural saturation: Even iconic brands can fall into cultural invisibility without refreshed storytelling.

• Economic softness: Premium players must now justify their price tags with clarity and credibility - not just aesthetic appeal.

🧠 Key Takeouts

• JP Morgan’s downgrade of Lululemon marks a shift in analyst sentiment and market confidence.

• Premium brands can’t rely on seasonal novelty alone - function and innovation now lead.

• Global growth requires more nuanced, localised strategies to avoid overreliance on any one market.

🎨 Hermès Keeps the Creative Fires Burning: Nearly 50 Artist Commissions in 2025

Introduction
As a beacon of luxury and craftsmanship, Hermès is doubling down on its digital-first narrative strategy in 2025 - demonstrating sustained leadership in brand culture. Half a year into this year, the maison has already commissioned almost 50 artists to create bespoke content for its social channels - an extraordinary volume that reflects both a strategic investment in artistic talent and a broader commitment to creativity-led engagement

📊 Supporting Stats

• Nearly 50 artist commissions between January and July 2025

• Instagram campaign feature timeframe: launches have been ongoing consistently since early in the year

• Brand growth correlation: In 2024, Hermès recorded an 11.3% increase in Q3 sales (constant currency), reaching €3.7bn - outpacing peers like Kering (‑16%) and LVMH (‑4.4%)

✅ What’s Working

1. Crafting Narrative-Driven, Art-First Content

Hermès leverages Instagram not to simply showcase product, but to elevate it into story. Their “micro‑installations” are artist-led animations where objects transform through surreal, magical moments. Annie Choi’s reel, for example, sees a Parisian rooftop turn into a puzzle-box unwrapping a watch like a precious gift

2. A Diversity of Artistic Voices

On board this year are talents ranging from Guilluame Dégé and Helen Ferry to Maria Jesús Contreras, Angela Kirkwood and Geoffroy de Crécy - a carefully curated international mix

3. Seasonless, Consistent Creative Cadence

Rather than hinging posts on product launches or events, Hermès focusses on a continuous stream of artistic stories, sustaining engagement through diverse content.

⚠️ Where Barriers May Arise

• Cost Intensiveness
  Commissioning dozens of artists - sometimes with animation, sound, and production- requires considerable budget and coordination.

• Creative Risk Management
  Entrusting distinct voices can introduce disparate aesthetics, posing brand coherence risks.

🌱 New Opportunities

• Amplifying Artist Profiles
  Hermès can further develop behind-the-scenes content - process reels, artist interviews, Q&A sessions - to deepen emotional connection.

• Cross-Collaborations
  Pairing visual artists with musicians, sculptors, writers or even interactive technologists could yield richer, more immersive storytelling.

⚠️ Strategic Challenges

• Maintaining Quality at Scale
  Nearly 50 commissions in seven months signals ambition - but consistency in creative quality becomes critical as volume increases.

• Measuring ROI
  While engagement and brand aura are key metrics, Hermès must also navigate how to attribute impact to sales, brand preference, sentiment and longer-term cultural capital.

📌 Key Takeouts

• Hermès’ artist-led storytelling effectively marries luxury and creativity.

• The commitment - nearly 50 artist commissions in mid-2025 - supports a culture-first brand positioning.

• Results include strong metrics: 11.3% sales growth in Q3 2024, outpacing peers.

• Risks include cost, brand coherence, and the need for robust measurement.

🚀 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

1. Adopt Artist Commissioning as a Core Content Strategy
   If your brand has poetic or aesthetic roots, consider commissioning artists regularly - ideally every 4-6 weeks.

2. Curate a Mix of Global & Niche Talent
   Hermès balances well-known and emerging artists - this strategy supports both credibility and discovery.

3. Prioritise Multi‑Modal Output
   Include audio, captioning and motion in your commissions to maximise cross-platform appeal.

4. Institute Monitoring Frameworks
   Track metrics beyond likes - consider long-term brand lift, sentiment analysis and downstream conversion metrics.

5. Experiment with Cross-Discipline Projects
   Start with small-scale pilots pairing your visual commissions with performance, music or film to test hybrid content formats.

Conclusion
Hermès’ 2025 approach - anchored in sustained, artist-first content - reveals a pathway for brands to evolve from product promoters to cultural curators. With scale and consistency, they’re transplanting craftsmanship into the digital realm, proving that luxury can be both artful and agile.

🔍 Spotlight: Annie Choi Brings Hermès to Life

One of the standout collaborators in Hermès’ 2025 artist lineup is Annie Choi, also known as Ancho Poncho. With a background in animation and illustration, and a portfolio spanning Studio Ghibli, Loewe, Burberry and Helmut Lang, Choi brings a surreal, poetic edge to the Hermès universe.

🎥 From Apple to Artefact

In a now-viral Instagram reel, Choi animates an ordinary apple as it unfolds into a Hermès handbag. The piece references Japanese puzzle boxes - objects that conceal surprise through elegant mechanics. With over 17,000 likes and dozens of comments, the animation has become one of Hermès’ most engaged posts this year, demonstrating how art-led storytelling can outperform traditional luxury content.

🏛️ Packaging as Architecture

Another reel reimagines Hermès’ historic Paris HQ as a magical puzzle. A rooftop statue rotates like a key, unlocking the building façade to reveal a glowing H08 watch transitioning from day to night. The animation merges urban architecture with cinematic storytelling, expanding the idea of “packaging” into a narrative experience. As Domus put it: “The Hermès headquarters becomes a rotating jewellery box. The product becomes part of the story.”

📚 Dreamlike Worlds, Real Cultural Capital

Choi’s third contribution transforms a grand, imaginary library into a discovery space for Hermès accessories. Hidden drawers and rotating shelves reveal scarves and bags tucked behind books - recalling the narrative tone of Studio Ghibli’s most iconic interiors. Publications like Creapills and WeRSM praised the campaign’s originality, calling it a “masterclass in visual poetry.”

Why This Collaboration Matters

• Story-first, not product-first: These aren’t straightforward ads. They’re visual stories where Hermès objects play supporting roles in larger imaginative worlds.

• Cultural credibility: Partnering with an artist of Choi’s calibre brings cultural weight, particularly among younger creative audiences.

• Visual cohesion: Despite the variety of scenes, Choi’s signature palette and animation style maintain aesthetic continuity across posts.

This deeper spotlight reinforces Hermès’ approach: commissioning artists not as content creators, but as storytellers. The result is a brand presence that feels more like a digital gallery than a luxury ad feed - a strategy that’s earning both engagement and industry recognition.

🎭 Jordan Goes Broadway: The Air Jordan 40 Launch That Sang Its Legacy

To mark 40 years of the Air Jordan line, Jordan Brand didn’t just drop a new sneaker - it dropped a full-scale musical. “Too Easy”, created by long-time creative partner Wieden+Kennedy, flips a black-and-white basketball court into a full-colour stage, with NBA and WNBA stars delivering lyrics about rejection, injury, and ambition. The timing is bold - Jordan Brand revenue doubled between 2020 and 2024, before a 16% decline in the most recent fiscal year. This campaign feels both celebratory and recalibrative.

Contextual Stats & Market Position

• Nike’s footwear dominance is easing: Global sports footwear market share decreased from 28.8% in 2021 to 26.3% in 2024, reflecting stronger competition from brands like On and Hoka

• Nike still leads overall apparel/footwear: While Nike remains the largest sportswear company, its share dip highlights increasing market pressure

• Gen Z demands culture and authenticity:

  • 67% of Gen Z are more loyal to brands that speak openly on social issues

  • 54% want behind‑the‑scenes content, and 2.2× trust brands collaborating with familiar creators rather than celebrities

  • 76% use TikTok for humour and light content, while 73% prefer short‑form videos to learn about new products

  • 51% of Gen Z prioritise socially responsible companies when choosing what to buy

Cultural Relevance & the Power of Storytelling

The “Too Easy” campaign implicitly addresses this new consumer mindset:

• It creates immersive, narrative‑driven content that meets Gen Z’s appetite for story arc, theatrics, and emotional impact.

• By featuring both NBA and WNBA stars, the campaign aligns with Gen Z values of inclusivity and representation.

• The theatrical format and musical framing tap into “brand lore”, a growing trend among digital‑native audiences

Key Takeouts

• Nike holds its position but faces clear challenges: share has declined amid rising competition and softer growth in key segments like women’s footwear

• Gen Z loyalty is now earned through authentic storytelling, social consciousness, and creator‑aligned content

• Jordan Brand’s theatrical campaign builds narrative depth, expands cultural resonance, and plays to Nike’s heritage of bold creative decisions.

🧵 Legacy in Motion: 'Virgil Abloh: The Codes' Comes to Paris

This September, the Grand Palais in Paris will host Virgil Abloh: The Codes - the first major European exhibition dedicated solely to the late designer’s trailblazing career. Running from 30 September to 10 October 2025, the show offers a timely moment to reflect on Abloh’s cultural impact, and what it means for the future of creativity, collaboration, and design.

As the lines between fashion, art, music, and tech continue to blur, the exhibition serves not only as a retrospective, but a roadmap for cross-disciplinary thinking.

Key Takeouts

• Creative Legacy as Brand Blueprint
  The exhibition brings together over 20,000 items - including sketches, prototypes, personal artefacts and archival media - showcasing how Abloh fused luxury with streetwear, architecture with apparel, and high fashion with everyday language. His multidisciplinary approach offers a strategic framework for expanding creative boundaries.

• Collaboration as Currency
  Through partnerships with cultural figures like Serena Williams, A$AP Rocky, and Takashi Murakami, Abloh built a model of co-creation that was rooted in mutual respect. Collaboration, in his world, was a method for cultural dialogue - not a marketing stunt.

• Open-Source Thinking in Action
  Abloh's commitment to transparency and shared knowledge (often releasing templates and process materials publicly) reflects the ethos of contemporary creative communities. His "open-source" mindset champions accessibility, authorship and shared cultural ownership.

• Risk of Mythology
  While the exhibition celebrates his genius, there's a risk of flattening his legacy into aesthetic shorthand. His work was deeply informed by lived experience and social context - not simply a visual style to emulate.

• From Archive to Action
  The Codes is more than a look back - it’s a call to reimagine how we create, connect and communicate. The real value lies in understanding not just what Abloh made, but the mindset and methods that shaped it.

As Shannon Abloh, founder of the Virgil Abloh Foundation, put it: “This exhibition is just the beginning.” The Codes offers a rare opportunity to engage with the inner logic of one of the most influential creatives of our time – and to consider how his ideas might inform what comes next.

🧢 What £1 Billion Really Buys: Man City and Puma’s Cultural Power Play

Manchester City’s record-breaking extension with Puma isn’t just a kit deal - it’s a statement about brand ecosystems, cultural capital, and global dominance.

This week, Manchester City announced a 10-year contract extension with Puma worth up to £1 billion, cementing the club’s partnership with the German sportswear giant until 2035. It’s now the most lucrative kit deal in English football history, surpassing Manchester United’s £900m deal with adidas signed in 2023.

More than just a commercial agreement, this signals how sports brands are evolving from sponsors into strategic partners shaping identity, fan engagement, and even international expansion. As kit deals morph into long-term brand-building alliances, there’s a deeper game being played - and marketers would do well to pay attention.

🟢 Pros - Strategic alignment, not just sportswear

Since the original 2019 deal, Manchester City have won six Premier League titles. That success, combined with Puma’s design ambition and brand agility, has helped both parties redefine what a kit partnership looks like.

• Cultural reach: Puma’s association with the City Football Group (CFG) extends far beyond the Etihad - it includes sister clubs Girona, Melbourne City, Mumbai City and Palermo, helping Puma extend its global footprint in key markets.

• On-field success = off-field leverage: City’s trophy-laden run has increased fan acquisition, social media reach, and merch sales - a critical feedback loop for Puma’s growth.

• Brand synergy: Both City and Puma position themselves as disruptors - youthful, modern, and global - appealing to Gen Z and emerging football markets.

🔴 Cons - Risk of saturation and brand fatigue

A 10-year deal at £100m per season sounds impressive - but scale brings risk.

• Creative repetition: With long-term deals, kit design risks becoming formulaic or predictable unless constantly reinvigorated.

• Fan expectations: In a fast-moving culture where fans expect drops, collabs, and fresh aesthetics, long deals must deliver sustained excitement.

• Exclusivity tension: Puma’s widespread club affiliations could dilute the distinctiveness of City’s look and feel unless carefully managed.

🟡 Opportunities - Beyond kits: ecosystem branding

This is about much more than shirts.

• Lifestyle expansion: Puma has shown interest in blending sport, fashion, and streetwear (see: LaMelo Ball or Rihanna Fenty). City could become a platform for more lifestyle-oriented drops.

• Digital fan engagement: With CFG’s global tech-driven structure, expect smarter integration of data, NFTs, and customisation across Puma activations.

• Emerging markets: The link with clubs in India, Spain and Australia creates cross-market leverage. Puma can test regional campaigns and scale global hits.

⚫ Challenges - Global volatility and brand governance

Big deals bring big expectations - and even bigger scrutiny.

• Political and ethical considerations: With growing attention on club ownership models and sportswashing accusations, brand partners will face reputational spillover.

• Market unpredictability: Exchange rates, inflation, and sports media rights fluctuations could affect how “value” is calculated over a decade.

• Creative consistency: Ensuring Puma delivers innovation at the same pace as City’s ambitions will be key to sustaining excitement over 10 years.

📌 Key Takeouts

• Man City’s £1bn Puma deal sets a new benchmark for brand-athlete collaborations.

• Long-term kit partnerships are becoming brand ecosystems - influencing fashion, content, and international growth.

• Creative differentiation, not just financial scale, will define the success of these mega-deals.

🔮 Next Steps for Brand Marketers

• Think ecosystem, not endorsement: Look at how partnerships can evolve across multiple touchpoints, from product drops to storytelling and fandom.

• Global-local balance: Use flagship deals to power regional plays. CFG’s club portfolio is a case study in local nuance under global brand strategy.

• Plan for longevity: If you're committing long-term, build structures for creative reinvention, not just year-one buzz.