In the latest episode of the Beyond Threads podcast, host Erik Janssen-Steenberg sits down with Lauretta Roberts and Anthony Hawman, co-founders of TheIndustry.fashion and TheIndustry.beauty – B2B news and insight platforms helping brands and retailers to navigate the shifting retail landscape. In the first part of our discussion, they explore how innovation, technology and changing consumer behaviour are redefining the fashion and beauty landscape – from the return of physical retail to the rise of circular business models, the growing role of AI technology and what really influences trends today.
Press play on the Beyond Threads podcast to uncover a wealth of expert perspectives!
Beyond digital-first: Understanding the experiential (r)evolution
A central theme is the evolving role of physical retail. After years of rapid e-commerce growth, there’s been a renewed shift towards stores, particularly among Gen Z and younger millennial consumers. Rather than a move away from digital, Anthony and Lauretta describe a more nuanced evolution. Physical retail is becoming increasingly experience-led, with stores doubling as social spaces, cafés and community hubs.
Shopping is no longer defined just by transactions, but by engagement, discovery and time spent with a brand. This shift is playing out across the market – from challenger brands opening thoughtfully designed flagship stores to established retailers investing in loyalty programmes, hospitality concepts and private members’ spaces. It signals a
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Technology as an enabler across the value chain
If experience-led retail is reshaping how brands show up in the physical world, technology remains the connective tissue that enables these shifts at scale. It’sa consistent thread throughout the episode, from AI-driven customer communication and smarter personalisation to greater transparency across the supply chain. While the fashion and beauty sectors have long been early adopters of digital innovation, the team acknowledges the growing complexity brands now face, as the number of tools, platforms and data sources continues to expand. For logistics and supply chain professionals in particular, technology is increasingly expected to support not just efficiency, but also trust, clear communication and streamlined regulatory compliance.
Navigating visibility in a crowded market
The episode also takes a closer look at the challenges facing emerging and scale-up brands. While digital channels have lowered the barrier to entry, they have also created an intensely crowded marketplace. Standing out, building a loyal audience and managing rising marketing costs remain persistent concerns. The experts explore how brands are responding – from leveraging strategic retail partnerships to building stronger narratives through owned channels. The conversation underlines the importance of credibility, consistency and long-term thinking in a media landscape shaped by algorithms, influencers and rapidly shifting trends.
Within this context, the discussion also touches on the growing prominence of circular models. Resale platforms, vintage fashion and peer-to-peer marketplaces are becoming increasingly mainstream, particularly among younger consumers – driven by a combination of environmental awareness, economic pressures and changing attitudes to ownership. For brands, this can represent both opportunity and challenge, requiring new thinking around product design, data, traceability and lifecycle management.
Grounded insight for a fast-moving industry
From changing consumer behaviour and evolving retail models to the growing influence of technology and sustainability, the fashion and beauty landscape is being reshaped – and TheIndustry.fashion and TheIndustry.beauty are committed to translating these changes into practical insights for brands, retailers and their partners. From our discussion, the message is clear: success depends less on responding to individual trends, and more on understanding how the landscape is changing as a whole – and responding with clarity, consistency and long-term intent.
Press play on the full episode of the Beyond Threads podcast to get the whole story and gain deeper insights into the forces shaping the future of fashion and beauty. And check back soon for part two of our conversation!
