The Indicator | September 26th, 2025

By Sonal Gandhi
Chief Content Officer at The Lead

In this week’s news, Ben Stiller joined the list of celebrities that have a beverage brand, NikeSkims first collection was revealed and Rebecca Minkoff is going for the budget-conscious JCPenney consumers. Meanwhile, Oura ring is now valued at $11B after the recent Series E raise.

'INNOVATION MOVES'

  • Nike and Skims unveiled their collaborative collection with a performance at the New York Public Library. Attendees included Kris Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, and Kim Kardashian. Models showcased the flexible leggings, bodysuits, bras, and tanks in shades of brown. The collection features 21 styles in three colorways, with prices from $38 to $148, and sizes ranging from XXS to 4X, with select bra styles up to 44DDDD. (WWD)

  • Ben Stiller announced the launch of his soda brand, Stiller’s Soda, with three nostalgic flavors: lemon-lime, Shirley Temple, and root beer. The three debut flavors will be sold at select retailers in New York City and available for shipping nationwide via Amazon. (Food & Wine)
  • Nutrafol is now MLB’s first official hair growth partner and the first hair growth supplement to be NSF Certified for Sport. The “Hats Off” campaign, launching during the 2025 MLB postseason, will feature baseball ambassadors, fan experiences, ballpark signage, and a sweepstakes for World Series tickets and a year’s supply of Nutrafol. (WWD)
  • Charlotte Tilbury has opened a new official online storefront on Amazon in the US. The page will include several new features reminiscent of social media and DTC site features, including shoppable videos featuring makeup tutorials by Tilbury and a virtual shade-finder tool. (Business of Fashion)

  • Sephora announced My Sephora Storefront, a creator-powered affiliate platform, set to launch in October. The program enables U.S. influencers to create shoppable digital storefronts within Sephora’s website and app, sharing curated product recommendations via shoppable links. Developed with Motom, this initiative reflects Sephora’s evolving social media and creator strategies. (Retail Dive)
  • Rebecca Minkoff is bringing her signature style to JCPenney, through the launch of RM Rebecca Minkoff. The line features 85 pieces — including shrunken pea coats, pleather bombers, fringe jackets, blouses, skirts, wide-leg denim and boots — starting at $40. Earlier this month, QVC announced an exclusive capsule collection dubbed RM Studio x Rebecca Minkoff. In both releases the designer, who shifted to a licensing model in July, emphasized an effort to offer accessible fashion. (Retail Dive)

'Financial Moves'

  • Skechers USA (footwear) completed its planned acquisition with 3G Capital.
  • NUDESTIX (cosmetics brand) was acquired by an undisclosed private firm.
  • Cos Bar (luxury beauty retailer) was acquired by the Mitchell Family Office.
  • VF Corp. has an agreement to sell its Dickies workwear brand to Bluestar Alliance for $600 million in cash.
  • natureofthings (body care brand) was acquired by Hourglass Cosmetics founder Carisa Janes from JP Collet, who remains a minority partner.
  • OSEA Malibu (luxury body care) raised a strategic growth investment from General Atlantic Partners.
  • Seki Furniture (Japanese furniture) raised a strategic investment from L Catterton.
  • Iris Finance (AI-driven CFO platform for CPG brands) raised a $6.2M seed round.
  • Phia (price-comparison platform) raised a seed round led by prominent venture firm Kleiner Perkins and a host of celebrity backers.

Financial Moves Powered by MMG Advisors

'Career Moves'

Career Moves Powered by JPSearch 

PRESENTED BY —

 

Suggested Reading

The Indicator | February 20, 2026

The Indicator | February 20th, 2026 By Sonal Gandhi The Lead This morning, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration exceeded authority when he imposed tariffs on nearly every U.S. trading partner. While a much welcome news to many brands, it adds a bit of uncertainty on

Read More

The Indicator | February 13, 2026

The Indicator | February 13th, 2026 By Sonal Gandhi The Lead AI dominated the innovation news this week with Google making Etsy and Wayfair items shoppable within agentic AI search, Target testing ads on ChatGPT and skincare brands optimizing content for AI search. Meanwhile, Reddit is giving Google

Read More

The Indicator | February 6, 2026

The Indicator | February 6th, 2026 By Sonal Gandhi The Lead In this week’s news, Levi’s is capitalizing on the Super Bowl being held in the brand’s hometown and its namesake stadium. Skin care brands are embracing ski care while wellness is driving DTC traffic growth in beauty.

Read More