From building a brand to navigating unpredictable demand, last month’s conversations with leaders at &Sons, Gymshark, American Vintage and DHL explored what it takes to grow a fashion business – and why product and customer must remain at its heart.
The Interview: &Sons founder Phil James on 10 years of the brand, an exclusive anniversary collection and global growth
“Our customers often have a strong connection to music, motorcycles, classic cars, craftsmanship, travel and the outdoors. They appreciate the references behind the clothing, but they do not want to feel as though they are wearing costume or heritage reproduction.” – Phil James
From a £50,000 Kickstarter target to working with the Steve McQueen Estate, Phil James has plenty to reflect on as &Sons turns 10. The former advertising photographer launched the brand in 2016 with a single head-to-toe outfit; a decade later, its original core range remains on sale alongside an offer that now stretches from technical outerwear to jewellery and aftershave.
There are memorable moments along the way, including seeing Tom Hardy and Jason Momoa wearing the clothes and pushing Steve McQueen’s Porsche out of a garage in Palm Desert. But James is looking forward as well as back. He previews the anniversary ‘Decade’ collection – 10 limited-edition garments and accessories, with the first arriving in October – and discusses international growth and the prospect of more stores, with DTC remaining the main focus.
In the interview, he also explains how a growing Preloved marketplace and a new alterations and repairs service are helping keep &Sons clothing in circulation. It is a conversation about expanding a brand without losing sight of what customers came for: dependable pieces with character, designed to be worn for years.
How I started in fashion: Gymshark’s Chief Commercial Officer Carly Natalizia
“Coming from banking, where everything was largely conceptual and intangible, I loved the fact that retail and fashion had something physical at its heart. There was a product that had to be designed, made, photographed, marketed and ultimately sold to a customer. It made everything feel very real.” – Carly Natalizia
James is not the only interviewee this month with a somewhat unconventional route into the fashion industry. After 15 years working in the financial services sector, Carly entered the world of retail as the CMO of The Very Group, before joining Gymshark in 2022.
Since then, she has become a highly valued member of the sportswear brand’s senior leadership team, recently taking the position of Chief Commercial Officer.
In this interview she shared her insights into launching her career in retail and fashion, along with her perspective on what makes or breaks a retail business and what continues to draw her to Gymshark’s culture of experimentation, make for a truly insightful read.
How I started in fashion: American Vintage CEO Michaël Azoulay
“Fashion attracts me because it’s an industry that is constantly moving. It forces you to question yourself, evolve and reinvent yourself all the time. It’s a world with no real limits: there is always something new to create, imagine or build.” – Michaël Azoulay
This month we also had the chance to reflect with American Vintage CEO Michaël Azoulay on his illustrious fashion career. He says it’s the constant shifts and fast pace of the industry – which force him to question, evolve and reinvent himself all the time – that make fashion such an interesting place to work, and can keep you, in a way, “forever young”.
With a background in business, Azoulay began on the shop floor as a sales assistant before moving into sales, product management and later collection development. These experiences still have a deep influence in how he runs the brand today, and especially the time he spent on the shop floor has left him with a broader view of the business and a conviction that, even as retail becomes more digital, leaders need to stay close to the product and the customer.
In the interview he also discussed the lessons of his first fashion jobs, the demands of building a career in the industry and why he admires Amancio Ortega’s approach to making fashion accessible. An absolute must-read!
The Interview: DHL’s Tia Wallace on why peak has become an all-year conversation
“Things like being willing to wait longer for delivery or selecting consolidated deliveries are a theme, as is reusable, returnable packaging. But there’s still a split camp. Speed of delivery and availability of product maintain top spot in terms of consumer loyalty.” – Tia Wallace
If Azoulay’s interview is a reminder to stay close to the product and the customer, Tia Wallace’s explores what it takes to connect the two. For DHL Supply Chain’s VP Business Development Ecommerce & Retail, that means helping fashion retailers respond to demand that is increasingly difficult to predict – and no longer confined to the traditional peak season.
As Wallace explains in this interview, Black Friday and Christmas still matter but seasonal promotions and influencer-led selling are making peak an all-year conversation. She also discusses turning returns into resale opportunities and giving growing brands access to fulfilment infrastructure without heavy upfront commitments. It offers a practical look at the operations behind the customer experience – and why speed and product availability still matter, even as retailers and shoppers weigh more sustainable choices.