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By Sonal Gandhi
The Lead
Image via: Modern Retail
Dr. Squatch’s ‘Toy Story 5’ collaboration.
Brands such as Dr. Squatch, SmartyPants, Simple Modern, Away, Shoe Palace, Belkin, and Tonies are leveraging the box office success of “Toy Story 5” to reach multi-generational audiences through strategic collaborations. These partnerships aim to build authentic cultural moments and drive new customer acquisition by aligning brand identity with the long-running, popular franchise. (Modern Retail)
Talent agencies are increasingly training creators to function as retailers, prioritizing sales metrics and conversion performance over traditional audience size. By leveraging platforms like TikTok Shop and tentpole events such as Amazon Prime Day, creators are proving their ability to drive revenue and secure more lucrative, long-term brand partnerships. (Modern Retail)
Stitch Fix is expanding its “Vision” AI try-on feature, allowing users to see themselves in recommended outfits directly on the site and app. This update aims to deepen personalization by combining the company’s understanding of client preferences with AI to offer better style inspiration. (WWD)
Gap Inc. announced an AI-led initiative to modernize customer engagement across its brands. Partnering with Google Cloud, the company is building a unified, AI-ready data foundation to integrate customer and product intelligence, Publicis Sapient was engaged to shape an AI-enabled operating model, while tools like Zeta Global’s Athena will power workflows and personalized campaign delivery across owned channels. (Retail Dive)
Reformation is filing for an IPO on the NYSE under the ticker “REF” after reaching $507M in revenue in 2025. The brand has achieved 20 consecutive quarters of double-digit growth by leveraging its direct-to-consumer model, sustainable manufacturing, and innovative, technology-enabled “Retail X” stores. (Business of Fashion)
L’Oréal’s Consumer Products Division underwent an internal transformation, creating unified sales and category teams to better target core customers. By leveraging specific brand strengths—like Maybelline for mascara and L’Oréal Paris for anti-aging—the company has a “competitive edge” in retail. This portfolio-wide approach, rather than a single-brand focus, has enhanced retail partnerships, and given the brand the ability to push and pull where one brand is strong and the other one has room to grow. (Retail Brew)
Heaven Schydlowsky (D60 NEXT ‘25) named Senior Director of Ecommerce at natureofthings (formerly at MERIT Beauty).
Cyntia Leo (Direct 60 ’24) named CMO at Knix (formerly Urban Outfitters, Nike, & The Walt Disney Company).
Ruggable put their entire initial budget into creator marketing through ShopMy, generating $3M in revenue in month one and tripling returns by month three. During The Lead Summit, Ruggable CMO shared how a data-first approach to creator marketing through ShopMy drove compounding returns and sparked an unexpected product collaboration.
Rent the Runway‘s Chief Merchant, Sarah Tam, shared at The Lead Summit 2026 how the platform’s post-wear behavioral data, on fit, fabric feel, and repeat rentals, gives brands insights traditional retail sell-through reports never could. One standout example: a two-week test of Tanya Taylor’s plus-size line, informed by subscriber feedback, grew into 30% of her business.
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