How can brands build loyalty and grow their audience amid constrained consumer spending? In part two of our Beyond Threads conversation with Lauretta Roberts and Anthony Hawman – co-founders of TheIndustry.fashion and TheIndustry.beauty – the focus turns to the strategies that help brands cut through. From high street names to digitally native challengers, the team examines how the strongest players are prioritising resilience, clarity of vision and creative conviction to drive growth in a tougher market.
Press play on the Beyond Threads podcast to get the full story, and click here if you missed part 1!
Reinvention as a catalyst for growth
A central theme of the episode is brand reinvention – not as a reactive reset, but as a strategic lever for growth. The discussion explores how established retailers are regaining relevance by reassessing fundamentals such as product quality, design integrity, leadership and creative direction. Recent examples highlight how the brands gaining traction are those that invest in creativity at a moment when caution is tempting.
Founder-led brands are highlighted as particularly effective in this context. With long-term commitment and personal accountability built into decision-making, they’re often better placed to protect creative conviction and resist dilution as they scale. For the industry more broadly, the message is clear: reinvention works when it reconnects a business to its original point of difference and is executed consistently across product, partnerships and customer experience – with creative and commercial discipline.
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Technology with a human touch
While creativity is undoubtedly a key strategic driver, another part of the equation is technology. Indeed, as an enabler of better brand experiences rather than a solution in itself, the most effective uses of technology can support more satisfying brand interactions and storytelling. Physical retail remains key. Stores are discussed as spaces that build visibility, trust and emotional connection. When combined with thoughtful use of technology – from frictionless returns to flexible checkout options – physical environments can deliver both greater efficiency and depth of experience. A key takeaway is the importance of balance: customers expect speed and convenience, but also value moments of personal service and advice. Retailers that understand when to prioritise each are better positioned to meet rising expectations without eroding brand equity.
Advice for the next generation of brands
As the conversation turns to emerging brands, the emphasis shifts to execution. Resilience in a constrained market is framed as a result of strategic focus, clear differentiation and operational discipline. The discussion highlights the importance of building from a strong core proposition, rather than pursuing multiple growth levers at once, with a distinctive product, genuine expertise and a brand experience customers return to. Expansion strategies such as international growth, live shopping and physical retail are positioned as valuable additional accelerators, but only effective when supported by the right partners and infrastructure. In short, sustainable growth comes from doing fewer things well, at the right time, without diluting strategic direction.
Why brands should be optimistic about the future of fashion
While there’s no denying the pressures being faced across the industry, Lauretta and Anthony highlight meaningful opportunities for brands willing to take a disciplined, long-term view – enabling considered decision-making about their brand, product and customer experience. Above all, the conversation reinforces the importance of clarity – in positioning, execution and leadership. For brands that approach growth with focus and intent, aligning expansion with a strong core proposition, today’s market conditions present not just a challenge, but the potential for more resilient, sustainable growth.
Press play on part two of the Beyond Threads podcast to hear the full conversation and gain further insights into how creativity, leadership and retail experience are shaping the future of fashion!
