What Is Your Definition Of Fashion?

Even for a category as innovative as the sneaker world, the mainstream heavyweights — Nike , Puma, Adidas and the like — still dominate social conversations and take up major shelf space. Yet that hasn't stopped a wave of smaller brands from competing to gain momentum in the market, and retailers are capitalizing on the moment. The latest example comes this week, with Foot Locker set to become the exclusive U.S. retail launch partner for Salomon , effective July 19. Though the Amor Sports-owned brand has been around for decades, in recent years it's picked up traction thanks to its fashionable yet high-performance styles, celebrity endorsement and buzzy collaborations with fashion labels like MM6 Maison Margiela and Sandy Liang . For Foot Locker, it was the perfect brand with which to join forces, per Michelle Wang, SVP and chief merchant at the retailer. "I think you see it all over the feet on the streets in New York City," she tells Fashionista. But Salomon is...

Slate Swim , a minimalist swimwear label based in Los Angeles, officially has a new owner. However, rather than selling to a private equity firm or conglomerate looking to expand its portfolio, Founder Jessica Liao Mayers sold her brand in a "seven-figure" deal to an independent buyer named Natalie Wisniewski on Monday. (Mayers declined to comment further on the financial terms of the deal.) Mayers was just 21 years old when she founded Slate Swim in 2015 with $300 and a goal of filling the swimwear industry's gap for sleek, minimalist designs. Since then, Mayers has scaled the brand while remaining independent as celebrity fans like Kylie Jenner and Camila Cabello helped drive popularity. In Slate Swim's early days, Mayers was adamant that she would never sell it, but upon the label's 10-year anniversary, she realized she was ready for her next chapter. "I truly just felt so at peace and like I put in my time and this is its own thing now," she tells...

The fashion job market is in a state of flux — and for those fortunate enough to be employed at all in 2026, workplace culture and dynamics are rapidly changing. After years of layoffs, restructuring and shifting consumer habits alongside economic volatility and the rise of AI , workers across the industry are navigating an uncertain landscape. At the beginning of 2026, more than 500 industry professionals generously (and anonymously) filled out our annual fashion workplace survey, sharing their titles, salaries and experiences navigating the job market. In Fashionista’s 16-page Inside the Fashion Workplace Report , available to download below, you’ll get a comprehensive picture of industry pay, satisfaction, burnout and the forces reshaping how fashion professionals work today. A Sneak Peek Ima...

HQ:  Los Angeles, CA Founders:  Tina Mui and Jade Wong Social: Instagram Category: Hair Care E-comm: awarehair.com Price Range:  $55-60 Hero Product: 9·1 Professional Scalp Care Shampoo ($55) Stockists: C.O. Bigelow , The Maya Salon PR Representation: Jennifer McNicholl Consulting Inc. How to get in touch: Contact form Origin Story Aware Hair was born from a deeply personal need: to bridge the gap between scalp health and salon-quality hair care . Founded by Tina Mui, a master stylist and trichologist of 40+ years, and her daughter Jade Wong, the brand is rooted in both professional expertise and lived experience. Mui began rethinking traditional salon formulas after losing two close colleagues to cancers linked to prolonged chemical exposure, prompting a shift toward safer, more intentional formulations. At the same time, Wong was navigating her own scalp challenges, including hair shedding and psoriasis — quickly discovering that most products forced a compromise between scalp ...

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Friday. Phia Accused of Wrongfully Claiming Sales Credits Phoebe Gates' startup Phia has allegedly been wrongfully claiming credit for online sales it didn't drive. Bloomberg, Capital One Shopping and independent researcher Ben Edelman tested the app and discovered that Phia silently opens a background tab and links its own affiliate code, allowing it to wrongfully claim commission on sales. A Phia spokesperson acknowledged the violation, stating that it has now been fixed. { Bloomberg /paywalled} How Meme Culture Is Infiltrating the Couture Runways Courtiers like Robert Wun, Viktor & Rolf and Jean Paul Gaultier's Duran Lantink are embracing extreme, unwearable fashion as a means to go viral. The approach reflects a greater industry shift in how couture clients are attracted to conversation-starting pieces. "After all, in the circus that shows have become, increasingly the customer seems beside the point. It...

In case you missed them, we've rounded up our most popular stories of the week to help you stay in the loop. No need to thank us — just toast an iced black coffee in our honor when you're discussing who did what over your omelette. Related: What Fashionista Editors Are Shopping From the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Related: Lang Opens New L.A. Flagship Spotlighting AAPI-Founded Fashion Brands Related: Celebrity Stylist Erin Walsh Says Personal Style Starts With One Question Related: A Stylish Person's Guide to São Paulo, by Patricia Bonaldi Related: After Fleeing War, This Ukrainian Designer Found Freedom in Knitwear Related: Why We're All Dressing Like It's (the Y2K  Version of) the Medieval Ages Again Related: How Amanda Uprichard Independently Scaled Her Occasionwear Brand Over Nearly 20 Years Related: The Art of Formulating Gen Alpha Body Care Related: Weekly Drop Watch: Khy x Frankies Bikinis, FP Movement x Asics, Real Techniques x Kelli Anne Sewell and More Ho...

The body-care category is enjoying its "skinification" moment, eschewing simple scented creams for "facial-grade" formulas packed with ceramides and actives. Gen Alpha consumers (or social media-savvy 8- to 15-year-olds who boast $95 billion in spending power, according to DKC ) are increasingly tapping into all things body care, as seen in these so-called " Sephora kids" descending upon the skin-care aisles. But, in light of Gen Alpha skin-care enthusiasts flocking to anti-aging creams and retinols years before their first wrinkle even materializes, how can body-care brands formulate products that work with — rather than against — these tweens' growing skin? "Children's skin is biologically different from adult skin," Dr. Tiffany Libby , a Rhode Island-based double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon, tells Fashionista. "It has a more delicate barrier and can be more susceptible to irritation." Thanks to their...