Photo: Launchmetrics Spotlight
These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Monday.
Vogue Business releases Fall 2025 Size Inclusivity Report
Despite designers turning to “curvaceous silhouettes” for inspiration for their Fall 2025 collections, “you had to look hard to find curvy models” on the runways, writes Maliha Shoaib for Vogue Business, which released its Autumn/Winter 2025 Size Inclusivity report on Monday. “Against the backdrop of Ozempic and a shift to more conservative ideals, the Vogue Business size inclusivity report showed another decline in the representation of mid- and plus-size models across New York, London, Milan and Paris this season,” Shoaib noted. Representation of plus-size models fell from last season’s already-low 0.8% to just 0.3%, while mid-size representation fell from last season’s 4.3% to 2%. Vogue Business examines and unpacks this “trend of manufactured curves and larger silhouettes alongside the body inclusion rollback,” in its report. {Vogue Business/paywalled}
Forever 21 files for bankruptcy for a second time
Forever 21 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for a second time “after being hit by rising inflation and intense competition in the fast-fashion sector,” report Dorothy Ma and Eliza Ronalds-Hannon for Bloomberg. The rising cost of inventory and wages in recent years have hit the company hard, its co-chief restructuring officer said in a filing to the U.S. court, while competition from online fast-fashion retailers such as Shein and Temu have also impacted the retailer. Forever 21’s U.S. operator F21 Opco filed for Chapter 11 in Delaware with around $1.58 billion in total funded debt, per the filing. {Bloomberg/paywalled}
What private equity’s ‘big deal energy’ means for emerging beauty brands and consumers
With private equity playing a major (and growing) role in beauty M&A, Beauty Independent’s Rachel Brown asked investors and investment bankers how private equity’s dominance has impacted what they do, as well as what it means for consumers and emerging brands in the space. Those interviewed discussed predictions that PE firms will consider exiting their longer tenured investments this year; the ways in which PE partnerships can be particularly beneficial when it comes to broadening the playing field for emerging brands; and the pros and cons of working with PE partners for founders and management teams. {Beauty Independent}
U.S. retail sales rebound moderately in February
Retail sales in the U.S. “rebounded marginally” in February, rising 0.2%, per a report from the Commerce Department on Monday. This comes after a 1.2% decline in January. Last month’s sales increased 3.1% from the previous February; monthly sales were “lifted by a 2.4% jump in receipts from online stores,” according to the report, while sales at health and personal care stores jumped 1.7%. Spending on dining out declined 1.5%, which economists say could signal softening discretionary spending. {Reuters}
Source: Fashionista.com
