Daily Edition August 30, 2017 1

No Let Up New Format Report Card Tropical Storm Harvey China department store The few hits — and lots of continued to hammer Texas, Bailian has launched a new misses — at the VMAs. but retailers began to reopen multibrand chain. Page 17 some stores. Page 3 Page 5 Fashion. Beauty. Business.

business Petite proportions Fashion trumped function in Warms the chic mini- bags designers To Tech created for resort. Here from the top, Culture Delpozo’s calf ● The industry is increasingly leather clutch; turning to the start-up mentality to fuel Mark Cross’ innovation and compete.

enamel and By Kari Hamanaka and Katya Foreman gold-plated brass cross-body style, Working at a start-up holds a certain allure: creative office space where people and Rochas’ can work standing up or even take naps; a democratic environment where all voices silk micro bag — from the founder to the intern — matter, with crystal with everyone working toward a higher purpose. Oh, and failure isn’t necessarily a embellishment. bad thing — in fact, it’s often encouraged. For more on the Now that mind-set is seeping through the fashion world, including the failure trend, see pages part, and for myriad reasons — not the least of which is to better compete for 10 and 11. Continued on page 6 by Andrew Shang

Photograph by Jong Hyup Son business

Styling and set design by Haidee Findlay-Levin Brunello Cucinelli Cautions On Web ● The Italian entrepreneur aims to protect his brand as he reported gains in profits and sales in the first half.

By Luisa Zargani

Trust Brunello Cucinelli to do things his own way. Just as online retailing is being hailed as the be-all and end-all for most industry players, the Italian entrepreneur, chairman and of his namesake company voiced caution during a confer- ence call with analysts on Tuesday as he discussed growing profitability and sales in the first half of the year. Tiny “We must protect the brand, even renouncing [part of] sales. The web is bringing chaos, which is a negative to the value and image of a brand,” said Cucinelli. The remarks were made despite Cucinel- li’s investments in its new e-store launched Tempters earlier this year and his high praise for Continued on page 4 6 august 30, 2017

Fashion Warms push that out to customers,” observed Gap will naturally stand out as leaders and younger people might have a different Inc. executive of strategy pursue personal goals within a larger team view on how to shop or select clothes To Tech Culture and chief customer officer Sebastian without the risks of joining a traditional or pick up clothes. Fashion is starting to continued from page 1 DiGrande. “The pace at which customers start-up.” embrace younger people actually working can share experiences, share what they The cons, she cautioned, “are that this and bringing something to the industry,” talent against the techies, not to mention like and don’t like, react and respond, it’s may not all mesh very well — sometimes said the budding Franco-British technology attract consumers who have a tech outlook accelerated so much that if we can’t move the old structures of companies doesn’t entrepreneur. all their own. at the same pace, we get left behind.” fuse with the smart, entrepreneurial and She noted that with the frenzy around As fast as they roll out new collections, Established players “have started to ambitious team spirit of start-ups. Start-up tech start-ups, the risk for the brands and fashion and luxury brands are hustling see the unique, dynamic, creative and people aren’t used to working in environ- groups circling is that they get distracted to create in-house accelerator programs, disruptive benefits of start-up culture, ments where there are so many politics, from the principal goal of “having a really recruit top tech executives and shift corpo- and are trying to replicate some of those restrictions and glass ceilings. With these functional, perfect web site that sells.” rate culture in the digital age. conditions in their own environments,” restrictions, they don’t find the motivation “Brands are increasingly interfacing with Indeed, “start-up” has become a watch- said Carmen Busquets, the majority that fires their creativity and hunger for customers via software,” said Ian Rogers, word for everyone from ’s tech- cofounding investor of Net-a-porter, who innovation and learning. It’s hard to have at LVMH, who joined friendly president, Emmanuel Macron, is said to have invested more than $50 it both ways and it may be challenging to the luxury group from tech giant Apple. to Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief million to date in start-ups in the U.S. and meet so many diverse demands — that of “With everything that we’re doing, we’re executive officer of LVMH Moët Hennessy Britain including Farfetch, Moda Operandi, the corporation and the start-up within it.” trying to be very proactive about that — Louis Vuitton, and France’s richest man. Flowerbx and Tagwalk. Tagwalk founder Alexandra Van Houtte bring the future closer, faster.” “The customer really is the constituent “If it works, the teams within those said the buzz around start-up culture is But as brands scramble to crack the in this equation that is driving what will corporations will benefit from the chance freeing up opportunities for the younger “fundamental physics of how you get the define success in the future. In the old to be more motivated to learn, work and generations. Tagwalk is billed as the first consumer’s attention” in the digital age, days, there was the traditional approach be more dynamic and creative, and since free search engine for fashion shows and Rogers said he doesn’t see the tech-luxury where the company knows best — we will they understand the importance of inter- accessories. divide as being that black and white. “Oh, determine the best experience and we will dependence, of teamwork, some of them “People are realizing that maybe Continued on page 7

Plug and Play — Fashion for to receive between $25,000 Materials Innovation geared to offering the Fashion Firms Add Good accelerator to help to $75,000 in funding to Lab — Kering group’s watches and jewelry sustainable textile start-ups support the scale-up of their Established in Italy in 2013, brands access to innovative upscale their innovations. sustainable innovations. and focused on identifying sustainable production and Labs, Accelerators After three months Whittled down from more new and sustainable fabrics, sourcing technologies and Here’s how some companies are taking elements of making their respective than 200 applicants and Kering’s Materials Innovation solutions, such as lead-free start-up culture to make it their own. solutions market and a shortlist of 19, 10 newly Lab boasts a comprehensive enamel. — K.F. investment-ready in Fashion selected start-ups from library of more than 2,000 ¬ Defining start-up culture force development. There’s for Good’s hub in Amster- around the world will attend certified fabrics. The lab’s Young Leaders Adviso- is hardly black-and-white. no template for what think- dam, including mentorship the next 12-week acceler- in-house experts also offer ry Group — Kering Applying what that means ing like a start-up means, but and training by Kering and ator from September to support to the group’s brands Due to launch in 2018, to an existing corporate here’s what some industry C&A senior , December. They include and their suppliers so as to and working with Millenni- culture? Even harder. players are doing to remain participants including Nature Coatings, special- integrate these materials into als from around the world Many companies are relevant and compete: Agraloop, Amadou and izing in high-performing bio their product offerings. Exam- armed with a “specific pivoting in an effort to keep MycoTex presented their pigments and finishes for ples include organic cotton sensibility or knowledge pace with a new breed of Plug and Play — developed business models textiles, and EON.ID, billed for Alexander McQueen and on sustainable projects,” consumer and new genera- Fashion for Good to an audience of investors as the first global tagging Stella McCartney, sustain- Kering’s Young Leaders Advi- tion of workers. For some, it’s Accelerator — Kering and corporate partners system for textile recycling. able wool for Brioni, and sory Group will be geared driving innovation through Kering in March 2017 at a Demo Day event held —Katya Foreman cashmere for Gucci. at “stimulating innovation accelerator programs. came on board as a found- in Amsterdam in late July. A second Innovation externally and internally,” Others are focused on work- ing anchor partner of the Select start-ups are eligible Lab is in the works for 2018, Continued on page 7 august 30, 2017 7

Fashion Warms independent; some of them are quite small a start-up,” Rogers added. “It’s based in himself has always had an entrepreneurial and very much like a start-up. I’m sure if a building in the 15th arrondissement, spirit. Luxury is linked with savoir faire, To Tech Culture you talk to Simon Whitehouse [ceo] at J.W. everything is in-house, from the tech to the heritage and beautiful product, but it’s also continued from page 6 Anderson, he’ll tell you that [the brand] is creative. Obviously they worked with some linked with innovation.” definitely a start-up, or Nicholas Kirkwood. consulting teams to get up to speed while Initiatives that fall under the French Silicon Valley does A, fashion does B. ‘Let’s Even some of the older houses like Acqua they were hiring, but they’re proud of how group’s so-called Create pillar, one of the try to get B to do A,’ It’s not that simple, di Parma where they have new ceo’s and self-contained it is. It’s just like a start-up, three pillars of Kering’s 2025 sustainabil- it’s tough,” the executive said. relatively small teams, in my opinion, it’s agile, it sprints; they release early, ity strategy and focused on disruptive Even before Rogers’ arrival in 2015, LVMH watching them operate, they operate very release often, as we say in the start-up innovation, also include the company’s regularly organized field trips to technology much like a start-up,” Rogers said. world.” Italy-based Materials Innovation Lab hubs for its staff — not just to Silicon Valley “The way that Arnault has prevented Marie-Claire Daveu, chief sustainabil- focused on “identifying new and sustain- but also to China and South Korea. centralization is to preserve the entrepre- ity officer at Kering, parent of brands able fabrics.” “China and [South] Korea are even more neurial spirit inside of the maisons. The including Gucci, Puma, Boucheron and According to a source, Artémis, the pri- advanced in terms of societies online than thing that is really different is, I come from Stella McCartney, echoed that, historically vate investment arm of the Pinault family, is the U.S. China has twice as many people a world where the product is software, and speaking, “innovation has been at the core also eyeing tech initiatives, especially those online than the U.S. has human beings in these guys come from a world where the of the luxury sector.” geared to the retail sector, while Gucci has a the country. We pay attention to any mar- product is physical, and technology plays a “What is interesting with start-ups is the shadow executive committee that contrib- ket that looks like the future,” he said. relatively minor role. That’s maybe a more way they work, with a lot of agility and an utes to the brand’s development. “The interesting thing about LVMH is profound change.” entrepreneurial mind. It’s something that For Daveu, collaborating with start-ups that it’s not an operating company, it’s a Likewise, Le Bon Marché’s new global has been strong since the beginning for “but also universities and a lot of non-gov- holding company, and the maisons are very e-commerce site 24 Sèvres is “very much Kering; [Kering ceo] François-Henri Pinault ernmental organizations,” opens the group

A store associate uses a mobile “People are realizing checkout device. that maybe younger people might have a different view on how to shop or select clothes or pick up clothes.” — Alexandra Van Houtte, Tagwalk

up to new technologies and opportuni- ties, including alternatives to traditional materials and energy and water saving innovation. They serve, she said, as a vital contributor to achieving Kering’s 2025 sustainability targets that include cutting carbon emissions by 50 percent and reduc- ing the company’s environmental impact by at least 40 percent, mainly from the production of raw materials. But while start-up culture is synony- mous with Silicon Valley, luxury and retail firms are increasingly turning to other geographies for innovative ideas — includ- ing France’s budding start-up ecosystem. After New York and London’s Shoreditch a few years ago, Paris is “having its moment,” according to Rogers, citing an “almost over-investment in start-up culture across all of Paris.” Incubators are mushrooming all the way out to Station F, he said, referring to a new hub housed in a former railway depot in the city’s 13th arrondissement. Billed as the world’s biggest start-up incubator, it’s the latest brainchild of telecommunica- tions and technology tycoon Xavier Niel, often described as France’s Steve Jobs. He is also the partner of Delphine Arnault, Continued on page 8

Continued from page 6 it’s something we will build Lab stand, and Heuritech, a see 10-year-old kids make a in 15 countries to devel- an event due to be held by said Marie-Claire Daveu, together,” Daveu said. — K.F. French start-up specializ- start-up pitch is really moving, op pitches in a WeWork LVMH on Sept. 19 and 20 Kering’s chief sustainability ing in artificial intelligence and that will definitely have coworking space. They were marking 25 years of the officer, who will handpick VivaTechnology image analysis, scooping the an impact, at least a couple whittled down from 500 can- group’s commitment to the the individuals along with Billed as a hub for the award. Jury members includ- of those kids will be inspired didatures sent in after a “call environment. Kering chief executive offi- world’s innovators, tech-lov- ed Angela Ahrendts, senior to be a part of it when they for ideas” made by the group “If you look at the LVMH cer François-Henri Pinault. ers and pioneers of the vice president of retail at grow up.” — K.F. to 4,000 of its collaborators. Innovation Award and VivaT- Comprised of six Millen- future, VivaTech, a three-day Apple Inc., and Daniel Zhang, Following a final pitching echnology, that was very nials from within Kering and tech forum held each June ceo of . DARE LVMH session, three teams were much about the start-up the group’s houses, and in Paris, presents a curated Ian Rogers, chief digital DARE LVMH — short for selected by the jury and will ecosystem outside of LVMH. six external “young lead- selection of start-ups. officer at LVMH, described Disrupt, Act, Risk to be an be mentored by members By definition, it was making ers,” the group will meet The most recent edition the event, which is also open Entrepreneur — an internal of the group’s executive sure that every start-up in with and advise Kering’s presented 6,000 start-ups to the public for one day, as start-up style initiative committee to help bring to our space is somebody that executive committee on a and attracted 68,000 visitors, “this lightning rod” where launched by LVMH in July, is life their respective projects, at least we are aware of,” recurring basis. including 1,500 investors, with major companies like LVMH aimed at encouraging the with domains ranging from said Ian Rogers, chief digital “It’s to have a cross dis- French President Emmanuel or Orange “can get togeth- group’s staff to think like client services to retail officer at LVMH. “The DARE cussion; it would be nice to Macron among the VIPs. er and celebrate what’s entrepreneurs. concepts. LVMH initiative was the also put in place a program, The LVMH Innovation Award happening in Paris and the The inaugural three-day A green-oriented edition other side of the coin, it was but to start with, it will be also launched at the event, start-up community broadly. edition gathered 60 LVMH of the initiative, dubbed internally facing; how do we general exchanges to hear with 32 finalists exhibiting “It’s got this world fair kind employees from 40 of the DARE Green, is slated to run make sure that our employ- their feedback, and after their solutions at the LVMH of feeling to it,” he added. “To group’s houses and based Oct. 9 to 12 in Paris, tailing Continued on page 8 8 august 30, 2017

Inside DARE LVMH, an internal start-up style initiative.

Fashion Warms “A lot of companies are immediately excited practices and culture, tech talents are now highly sought after. To Tech Culture about executives from those [tech] companies, “The demand is high and the compensa- continued from page 7 tions are going up,” said Stuart Leibach, a but…it’s the executives who really understand principal consultant and head of the retail second-in-command at Louis Vuitton. practice at Irvine, Calif., executive search France in June introduced the so-called the consumer and the retail landscape firm McDermott & Bull. “This is why search French Tech Visa facilitating access for firms get involved because it’s a smaller tech workers from outside the EU. But that are attractive….That’s the sweet spot.” pool to draw from….A lot of companies are homegrown tech moguls are also head- — Stuart Leibach, McDermott & Bull immediately excited about executives from ing back in droves, with Rogers citing a those [tech] companies, but having said “reverse migration” of talents such as Ous- that, it’s the executives who really under- sama Ammar, who recently returned to forum VivaTechnology, co-organized by she was partnering with Nick Brown, a stand the consumer and the retail land- France from Silicon Valley to cofound The LVMH-owned media group Groupe Les partner at venture capital firm 14W, to scape that are attractive — to be able to put Family. It’s billed as a long-term strategic Echos and advertising and public relations launch venture firm Imaginary Ventures. together both the technology and the retail investor that empowers entrepreneurs agency Publicis. The fledgling event, said Russian entrepreneur and Buro 24/7 knowledge. That’s the sweet spot. Those are through education, services and capital. Maurice Lévy, ceo of Publicis, has the founder Miroslava Duma, meanwhile, in the people who are most valuable and that’s Other local start-up initiatives include ambition to become the “digital equivalent May launched Fashion Tech Labs, a ven- what the industry demands right now.” École 42, a fees-free school for would-be of the Cannes Film Festival.” ture capital fund and accelerator targeting Snaring top talents from the tech world programmers, also backed by Niel; start-up Across the channel, Natalie Massenet, new technologies and sustainable innova- comes with its challenges, Busquets added. incubator The Village by CA, backed by Net-a-porter founder and chairman of the tions geared to the fashion industry. “The problem is that the smartest founders local bank Crédit Agricole, and the tech British Fashion Council, in March revealed Given heightened interest in start-up Continued on page 9

Continued from page 7 tivewear brand Asiya, natural Sephora Accelerate where a group of founders the retailer to help boost the fostering a more innova- ees have that entrepreneur- deodorant maker PiperWai, Sephora’s always prided come to San Francisco number of female entrepre- tive culture across the ial spirit and are applying it beauty brand True Moringa itself on being close to the for mentoring, networking neurs in the industry. — K.H. company’s brands in a bid inside of LVMH.” — K.F. and seafood company Salty start-up community, so and potentially funding to elevate the experience Girl Seafood. starting an accelerator didn’t following the conclusion of Gap Inc. Customer and for customers. Target Takeoff The launch of Target seem like much of a stretch. the program’s demo day. Strategy Team “You can call it person- It’s go time for Target Takeoff followed Target’s “One of the unique pieces Last year’s cohort hosted Any possible point where alization, but it is really with the launch of its first-in partnership with Techstars of our history, especially here eight entrepreneurs with the customer might cringe? across all touchpoints,” house accelerator program last year for the Target + in the Americas, has been this year’s class totaling That’s what Gap Inc. hoped DiGrande said of one of in May called Target Takeoff. Techstars accelerator. our work with entrepreneurs 10. The plan is to host one to eliminate with the creation the team’s overarching The program, billed by the The retailer is thinking over the years from our boot camp annually with the of its Customer and Strategy objectives. “Rather than retailer as a mini boot camp and moving at an acceler- beginning really,” said Corrie five-year goal of helping 50 Team last year, said Sebas- transactionally touching for entrepreneurs, shows ated pace with initiatives Conrad, senior director and founders. tian DiGrande, executive vice [customers] once or having founders the ins and outs of such as these, according to head of social impact and “It’s not just about a feed- president of strategy and them buy a product from the retail business during the spokesperson Justin Barber, sustainability at Sephora. er program for Sephora. We chief customer officer. us once and then the next course of a week at company noting that the company Sephora Acceler- love it when that can hap- The formation of the time they visit, it feels like headquarters. The inaugural took about a year to develop ate, which is part of the pen, but this is more about group, which pooled exist- the first time again, what class focused on sustainable its children’s line Cat & Jack, company’s broader addressing an inequality ing activities such as data is everything we can do to products and communi- while it’s already launched social impact efforts under we saw,” Conrad said of the and analytics and e-com- make them feel special?” ty-minded companies. That four new brands so far this Sephora Stands, serves program’s impetus, referenc- merce operations under The group runs off a group included modest ac- year. — Kari Hamanaka as a weeklong boot camp ing a desire on the part of one umbrella, was aimed at Continued on page 9 august 30, 2017 9

Fashion Warms “Fashion companies don’t think like Silicon “Something that we’re hugely passionate To Tech Culture about is how to cultivate that owner’s men- Valley companies where they’re about giving tality,” Newton said. “It’s really important continued from page 8 to keep an emotional connection and to and teams don’t want to live under the people ownership in what they do….One create personal investment.” comfort of a big corporation. They want Transparency helps. At El Segundo, to stay independent, so it’s very difficult of the biggest differences [between tech and Calif.-based TechStyle Fashion Group — to acquire the good ones without paying a parent of Fabletics, JustFab, Shoedazzle and huge premium.” fashion] is that higher purpose.” FabKids — Tuesday team meetings are open Consider LVMH’s Rogers, whose main — Shawn Gold, TechStyle to anyone across the company’s offices and vocation before joining Apple was in start- during that time anyone can ask a question ups — “I created seven, I sold one to AOL, and key performance metrics are shared. one to Yahoo and one to Apple.” He said and sustainability. Entrepreneurs acceler- e-commerce company for bridal parties “Fashion companies don’t think like Sili- “the only way I ever worked at a big com- ate their businesses’ growth, the initiative into its fold. con Valley companies where they’re about pany [was] through an acquisition.” can be a feeder program for Sephora and “We acquired Weddington Way because giving people ownership in what they do Launchmetrics ceo Michael Jais, who employees within the organization are they bring a really exciting start-up culture and really thinking about how they’re is part of a group of investors looking to motivated to be working for a company and innovative spirit with them,” said Gap connected to their company and their establish a fashion-tech hub in Cannes in that exists with a purpose beyond revenue Inc.’s DiGrande, who joined the firm last coworkers. One of the biggest differences partnership with the city’s officials, said growth. The idea is not necessarily new year from Boston Consulting Group to [between tech and fashion] is that higher he’s dubious that “in the long-term” luxury for Sephora, Conrad pointed out, but it’s head up its now year-old Customer and purpose,” said Shawn Gold, corporate groups experimenting with start-up style certainly gaining traction across industries. Strategy Team focused on driving a culture marketing officer at TechStyle and former initiatives will be able to have “a big flow “Here at Sephora, perhaps before entre- of innovation. “It’s a small, scrappy team Myspace . “Every of internal entrepreneurs.” He agreed preneurship became the catchy thing that that has built a digital-first community tech company has that higher purpose of that “there is a limit to trying to disrupt it is today, it was active and it worked,” commerce experience. We wanted to learn how they’re looking to disrupt an industry teams by just bringing in external gurus or Conrad said. “So for as long as we’ve been how they built that and to think about how or have some kind of game-changing tech- experts.” Internal start-up style initiatives, creating new goops on our skin to play we could extend some of that capability nology or experience.” for Jais, are “a way of saying that maybe, with, there have been entrepreneurs who across the enterprise into some of the That’s been the jumping off point across especially in fashion or luxury, instead have been doing this. For beauty, there’s other brands.” TechStyle’s brands: positioning each busi- of recruiting guys who come with their just long been a culture of innovation and Weddington Way is now in nine Banana ness’ mission statement around how they Google or Facebook culture who will not we at Sephora have been about finding the Republic stores in the U.S., where it offers intend to solve customer pain points. be totally aligned with the brand, that we hottest new things. It’s a key piece of who shoppers a showroom experience. The “We’re probably a ways away from being try to disrupt from the inside.” we are….There is a general zeitgeist around result is greater conversion for Wedding- Google, but our employees truly believe That disruption from within has helped entrepreneurship right now. I would offer ton Way and new customers for Banana we’re one of the most innovative fashion fuel swift adoption of incubators such as Wal- that’s long been the case in beauty.” Republic. The first test of the showroom companies, so that’s been great for recruit- Mart Stores Inc.’s Store No. 8 unveiled earlier Other, more traditional players have concept wasn’t perfect but that’s how ing people,” Gold said. “They think they’re this year and accelerators, ranging from caught on by retooling how they look at it should be, DiGrande pointed out. He joining the future rather than the past.” Sephora Accelerate to Target’s partnership themselves. Westfield is a good example, stressed a new focus on testing and learn- Looking to involve potential future with Techstars and the launch this year of its with the mall operator fancying itself a ing — quickly. Gap Inc. has since rolled out business leaders into its decision-making own retail accelerator called Target Takeoff. “PropTech” firm — thus adopting the native apps for its core brands in a matter process, Kering in 2018 plans to launch The latter was a bid by the discounter to start-up jargon of tacking “tech” onto a of months and continues to iterate on its Young Leaders Advisory Group. “It’s mine for companies focused on what Target prefix to signify its fusion with technology. that technology. It’s also quietly testing a too early to share details, but we believe spokesperson Justin Barber described as Westfield Labs, founded in 2012, changed babyGap outfit box subscription . that, if we want to raise awareness all “better-for-you products and services.” its name earlier this year to Westfield “It’s a great learning environment,” over the world and understand the issues “We learn a ton from [the accelerators],” Retail Solutions, indicating its desire to be DiGrande said. “Our customers are facing the Millennial generation, it’s clear Barber added. “You learn how to work more a solution provider — another borrowed responding very well. Is it perfect? No. But, that we have to have Millennials with nimbly. You learn how to run an accelerator, label from the world of tech whereby it again, we’re learning and adapting quickly us,” Daveu said. how do you engage start-ups in new ways offers innovative solutions to the companies as opposed to waiting for the perfect solu- How that cohort and the up-and-coming and how you build programs faster.” it works with throughout its centers. The tion before we release it.” Generation Z works is different. Employers Target has set the goal of launching point? Stepping up its service offerings. Part of the key is a level of communica- who have realized this are catching on and more than a dozen new brands over the “What’s really changing, and this is an tion that the old ways of doing things don’t it’s dramatically changing the workplace and next 18 months, representing a more evolution for us, is that the relationship always allow. what fundamentally makes a company tick. accelerated development and rollout time- that we’ve had primarily in the past has -based Cotton On Group, with “You have this new workforce that, in line versus how the retailer has worked always been a tenant-landlord relationship U.S. headquarters recently relocated to some sense, there is more entitlement than historically, according to Barber. So while for us,” Westfield Bill Glendale, Calif., has more than 22,000 there’s ever been before. But there’s also last year’s launch of the children’s line Cat Hecht told WWD earlier this year. “What employees globally. The multibrand a level of productivity in human beings & Jack took about a year to develop, 2017 we think has really substantially changed is retailer earlier this year launched its You that we’ve never seen before,” Gold said. has already seen three new apparel lines that it is much more of a partnership that’s Learning platform in Australia and in July “So you have to service this new kind and one home brand for Target. really creating brand-right properties in the rolled it out to U.S. employees. of worker. Then you have these highly LVMH-owned Sephora Accelerate so physical and the digital [world], whether it “As a global retail business and one that profitable tech companies that are looking far has shuttled 18 founders through its be a car manufacturer, apparel manufac- employs a mostly Millennial base pop- to reengineer the way business is done program. turer, technology or in food.” ulation, it’s really important to us as we because they have the resources to do it. Entrepreneurs are invited to San Fran- Challenges certainly abound, particularly continue to grow to continue to find ways The cat is out of the bag in that people cisco for a weeklong boot camp that pro- when applying concepts that make sense for to keep people connected to who we are,” know how Google treats their people and vides opportunities for networking, men- small start-up teams but not necessarily the said Haylee Newton, Cotton On Group head so there’s a new standard of how compa- torship and access to capital. The benefit armies of people who make up more mature of people and performance, USA. nies should treat their people. Many com- to the Sephora organization is multifold, organizations where hierarchies exist. The platform contains more than 1,000 panies are falling in line because there’s said Corrie Conrad, the beauty retailer’s Gap Inc. last year acquired San Fran- pieces of content aimed at employee this new generation of worker that expects senior director and head of social impact cisco start-up Weddington Way, pulling the development. to be treated this way.”

Continued from page 8 simultaneous tests across do, Calif., headquarters. the company and creating a didn’t just pay lip service to and machine learning. “test and learn” mentality, the company in different “We’re a young company corporate brand around inno- thinking like a start-up when Store No. 8 in July teamed common in the start-up tech parts of the business that and we really are putting a lot vation. Those other initiatives it unveiled its incubator pro- with Arianna Huffington’s world, but not so much in tra- are helping us accelerate of effort into trying to create include RISE sessions where gram Store No. 8 in March. Thrive Global for a virtual ditional fashion and retail. It progress like we have never a happy workforce and as executives within the organi- The retailer has moved very reality competition called entails rolling out programs seen before.” — K.H. inspired a workforce as possi- zation provide mentorship and quickly since. Innov8: V-Commerce. — such as native apps for ble,” said TechStyle corporate talks about their respective The following month, Judges included Huffington, Gap Inc. brands or piloting a TechStyle Fashion marketing officer Shawn Gold. roles at the company along the program — named Wal-Mart e-commerce U.S. babyGap outfit subscription Group Innovation “It is a new way of thinking with Tuesday meetings for all after the store Wal-Mart president and ceo Marc Lore box — to figure out what Speaker Series that’s not that innovative in staff to talk about key perfor- founder Sam Walton and Forerunner Ventures sticks and what doesn’t and Challenge traditional ways the tech world, but in the tradi- mance indicators and general used as a testing base — founder and managing then either iterate or move of thinking and change can tional business world it seems business updates. There’s tapped Rent the Runway partner Kirsten Green. The on quickly. happen. That’s driving the excessive on the surface. It’s also a sprawling headquarters cofounder Jenny Fleiss winning group, which will “There are a lot of things Innovation Speaker Series at actually extremely fiscally campus in El Segundo that to join as cofounder and receive funding and men- we have going on in the TechStyle Fashion Group. responsible when it comes to includes a subsidized restau- ceo of Store No. 8’s first toring, was revealed earlier spirit of test and learn,” The most recent iteration productivity and longevity.” rant, bar, gym, yoga classes portfolio company, called this month and included DiGrande said. “The whole of its series for employees The speaker series is and quarterly company-wide Code Eight. The start-up, 8i, Fyusion, Obsess, Nurulize point is building this testing brought together Google and paired with a number of other parties. — K.H. disclosed in May and still in and Specular Theory. Their capability and infrastruc- the Clinton Foundation to spot- initiatives that have helped stealth, aims to up the ante technologies will be on ture behind it and we are light female leaders during an create a culture TechStyle Wal-Mart’s Store No. 8 on personalized shopping display at the Innov8 Gala in now able to run dozens of event at TechStyle’s El Segun- said is fostering ownership in Wal-Mart Stores Inc. using artificial intelligence Los Angeles Oct. 18. — K.H.