On the ground reporting from Channel Checks in NYC and what I heard on the fashion, beauty, and retail streets this week. There were so many hot topics! CFDA, beauty product drama, Vogue World Milan. Anything else I missed you want to talk about? Bring it to the comments. See you there.
In this send: Channel Checks including the Tom Sachs 31 Rue Cambon exhibit. Trés Chic. Plus: CFDA, putting Wide Awake to bed, Meta Glasses and Robots on the Runway, 4 figure shoes, Red Grooms, Rùadh, Róhe, the store that will wash and press your cashmere, Marfa Stance, denim that is selling out, Don’t Let Disco, reorders, Grecian Blue, regrettably worth it for the last 5 years, and have a drama free weekend!
Open to Buy
Hot Topics — what we’ve been talking about this week
Field Notes — NYC Channel Checks and new store visits
Buttoned Up — Comme Si what other shirts are worth wearing
Open To Buy Shoppies — a whole fun random mix from what I missed when I was away and the latest brand that will be at Sephora, Ulta, and Target Beauty Studios with their in-store Sephora launch next month
In My Feed — Podcasts — enjoy your weekend walks
Hot Topics
My personal conversations at every meeting this week and DMs and comments from you (Hi! and thank you) have all centered around a few topics. Let’s do a quick Rundown here:
Who will it be??: Everyone is still talking about Steven Kolb and what will happen with the CFDA. Who will be the next CEO? A few people mentioned to me that Aurora James was their personal pick until Carson Griffith reporting brought this to the conversation.
The robots are becoming self-aware: When Viv Chen and I did a Substack Live earlier this month discussing what a Vogue World San Francisco could look like in 2027, we discussed that it was interesting the theme for Milan was “Where the Future Is Made by Hand” leaning on the handmade element of fashion. Viv and I saw this as pushback from AI and machines but maybe that interpretation was shortsighted with Meta Glasses as one of the sponsors. Perhaps that should have been the direction Vogue World went in since the robots received a ton of negative press and memes. We will all see what San Francisco has to offer in the early fall of 2027 when the tech world brings even more money to the Vogue World runway. Meta Connect aligned with Vogue World in 2026. That wasn’t the case in 2025, so TBD on 2027.
Shoes cha-ching: This article (gift link) written by Chavie Lieber for the WSJ over the willingness shoppers have to pay more for shoes right now. So many comments in my DMs agreeing with the statement. Shoppers would rather spend on Hermès, The Row or new Blazy Chanel and then purchase statement shoes that are from designers and in the low 4 figure range. This is a topic I’d love to dig into more — add to the comments here where you splurge versus save for your footwear.
Yise Beauty vs Jones Road Beauty. Updates as we keep following the retail lessons wrapped up in this:
Execs and retailers I’ve spoken to this week wonder why this had to be a social media public calling out. I wonder if Molly Sims will address or mention why she didn’t just speak to Bobbi Brown directly. And it is staying in the conversation because we are talking about it. (It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me.)
I love how Bobbi Brown handled this on Instagram Friday — she referenced that the community is already loving the new concealer and wants their help in the renaming process noting that it will take time to rename. Natalie Massenet, the founder of Net-a-Porter and Imaginary Ventures co-founder, suggested “Good Morning”, a recommendation for “OMG Brightening Concealer” has over 160 likes already, and Kirbie Johnson recommended “Sleep in a Jar”. This likely off-the-cuff strategy to develop a new name is such a brilliant way to do a quick focus group. They will still need to do a trademark search, google search, etc but this is a smart and friendly way to brainstorm names and get your community involved. The brand will also get to have another big moment when they relaunch the name. If they pick a name suggested from a customer I think they could do a fresh campaign around that and gifting to everyone that commented with suggestions.
What I’d personally love to do with Jones Road Beauty, and I discussed with a cosmetic exec this week, is layout all the products in the JRB Face category. From What The Foundation (WTF), Just Enough Tinted Moisturizer, Miracle Balm, and so much more. And organize into groupings á la Tarte’s Shape Tape™ or Summer Fridays Jet Lag™ collection. Notice both are trademarked too. For JRB, is the concealer the partner to What The Foundation? This will make it easy for the customer to know what to use when and if you love one item from the collection you are more likely to be a fan of the others. What can I say, I like my ducks in a row. Are all merchants OCD and Type A like me?
Field Notes
Tape Couture
Tom Sachs built a Chanel boutique entirely by hand from plywood, cardboard, acrylic and tape. The suits (including a replica of Princess Diana’s blue suit), ballet flats, sunnies, the “boyfriend couch” — a giant ottoman in the center of the room, and even the shoebox packaging are all there. The brooches were made from Lego and bicycle reflectors. It’s called 31 Rue Cambon after the Paris flagship and it transported me straight back to seeing Red Grooms at the Whitney in 1987. That show was art as entertainment, fully immersive and made such an imprint I can still picture exploring with my family. I love that Sachs adds the fashion and merchandising layer. To put my merchant brain into overdrive I think this can start a creative spark for thinking about visual merchandising, creative marketing, PR gifting, and holiday windows.
My favorite moment: I was able to view before the 6pm opening while the team was setting up and shuffling pieces around. They told me some items go to the back and others come out, so the floor is always changing. I laughed and said I loved that they have a stockroom, just like any other boutique. I highly recommend a visit. The team mentioned that the line starts forming around 4:45pm. Small groups are allowed to “shop” the floor for five minutes each, and that’s plenty of time. At least you don’t have to worry if your size is already sold out. Details: 245 Centre St. Free. Thurs–Fri 6–8pm, Sat 1–6pm, through Oct. 10.
New Must Visit Stores
Rùadh: During NYFW I saw Jac Cameron in her new space and immediately scheduled time to come back and play with her at the 2nd floor by-appointment only showroom at 160 Mercer Street. She previously showed out of her apartment (!!) which is equally beautiful and the two spaces have a surprisingly similar layout. Which is likely why this place felt so right. Jac told me that she immediately knew this was the space for Rùadh’s showroom.
I find denim especially difficult to shop for myself, and since I had the opportunity I asked Jac to pull anything she would recommend for petites1. Lucky for petites, Rùadh has multiple inseams. The pair I walked away with — this* in the 29 inch inseam Harris wash. I love the split at the ankle as it is like nothing else in my closet. I also liked the Quinn (wide relaxed leg, a 32 inch inseam I would have needed to get them hemmed), and the Bijou in the 27.5 inch inseam was perfectly cropped and the weekend hang-out denim. Of all the ones I tried on the Olympia was the skinniest fit. I would need to hem these and Jac reminded me to have the tailor keep the original hem. You’ll love the buttons on the denim too, they are semi-precious and take on the impact of jewelry. The Scottish cashmere is divine too but we’ll get into that in a future send.
Róhe: Just down the block at 77 Mercer Street is the first U.S. boutique of the Amsterdam based brand founded by Marieke Meulendijks and Maickel Meyers. The store feels like part gallery and part living room of a warm and inviting friend. The dressing rooms were some of the most beautiful ones I’ve seen. I could hang out there for a long time. The pieces I loved were these pants I’ve been wanting to try (best described as a hard pant alternative to High Sport — more tailored) paired with this lightly fringed sweater. A skirt that is perfect for this moment — it is tailored and has a built in cummerbund (bummer, I can’t find it online). I also loved this stick floral brooch. If you have holiday events to dress for I would direct you to Róhe and suggest you try on these velvet pants too.
Extreme Cashmere: At 152 Mercer Street Extreme Cashmere opened at the end of 2025. I’ve seen Ali Pew in this sweater (breton stripe version) in her posts and I think I mention every time how much I love it and keep adding to cart. I’m glad I was able to pop-in and try-on. It is fabulous and exactly what I love. It is either a t-shirt that feels like a sweater or a sweater that feels like a t-shirt (sort of like a glass half-full or half-empty). I bought the more cropped size that fits me perfectly, but it is also available in a larger option. While I was in the store tying it on, the sales associate was also wearing and another man was shopping and trying on too. It is a piece everyone can love and wear. I was also told about an interesting customer service feature the store has, which is espceially fantastic for anyone living nearby without a washing machine in their apartment. You can drop off your pieces to have them washed and cared for and they will be ready 3 days later for pick-up. $15 to wash this item, but the items all vary. As they told me, the funky ironing board and steamer in the store is not just for display.
Marfa Stance: Further uptown, at 801 Madison Avenue I visited the new shop that opened this week. I was able to see a shopper working directly with her sales associate to try-on anoraks, vests, switch up the collars, etc. to build her perfect outerwear. For more on the brand, check out my Label Check here.
New to Bloomingdale’s — Ossou: I walked around Bloomingdale’s and I always like to ask what is new and doing well. Ossou was the answer this visit as the new delivery shoppers were excited about. The denim is directional and has interesting cuts, like this color-blocked brown option that is almost sold out. I then saw that Angela Galvez posted on Instagram and when I asked her where else I could shop the brand she mentioned that Hero Shop has new deliveries but is already selling out too - especially this style! Act fast.
Don’t Let Disco: I met Ashley Moubayed earlier this month at Sali Christeson and Argent’s Talking Circle. I was so excited to finally meet Moubayed and immediately asked if I could come visit her studio. The space is my kind of playroom. Beads, jewelry, trinkets, projects being tested, and her beautiful mancala set on display. I loved spending more time with Moubayed, hearing about her experiences growing the brand, bonding over being night owls who work way too late, hearing about the orbs and totem charms. Bonding over jewelry is the best.
More to Know
To Reorder or Not To Reorder: One of the hardest calls in merchandising is whether to reorder something that sold out. A white t-shirt or a black ballet flat is generally put on consistent replenishment. With a high-interest collab or limited edition you are making a best guess based on data in advance what could sell without a discount and how much you want to flood the market. Did it sell out because demand is huge, or did everyone who would actually buy already snag the item? And if the restock arrives weeks/months later will anyone still be interested? We like to say there are no crystal balls in retail. So when the Kallmeyer x Nike sneakers came back in stock this week, I asked on Instagram Stories whether they'd keep selling. By using an affiliate link I quickly saw the answer with a few sales2. Then a popular influencer sent me a screenshot showing order after order from her community. The reorder looks like a good bet, there is also a chance that the first batch of orders were returned after shoppers didn’t need certain sizes.
Huge congrats to Sherri McMullen. I plan to visit her San Francisco Maiden Lane flagship soon and will share details.
Buttoned-Up
Since I ran my Fashion Spiral last Saturday on button-ups I wanted to share the data from purchases and also check-in with Olivia Villanti from Chava on what sold during her NYC Trunk Show last weekend.
Bonus material, Comme Si, another brand I love for their precise fitting oversize dress shirts with an impressive color palette. I’m also a huge fan of their matching bottoms — I own these* — I have at least half a dozen pairs of these socks, and I bought this silk dress from Hero Shop and wore it as my date night dress all summer.
You Gotta Comme Si These Shirts
Our dress shirt expert for Comme Si is founder and creative director Jenni Lee. She founded the brand in 2019, and before you think “oy, not a great time to launch a business,” it actually ended up being a great time to have loungewear people actually want to wear and feel pulled together in. Thank you to Jenni for answering the questions I wanted to know about her button-ups.
Sarah Shapiro: Comme Si’s button-ups stayed pretty close to a traditional men’s shirt. I’m curious about what you deliberately changed, and why you chose an oversized/A-line reinterpretation rather than a fitted style for women.
Jenni Lee: I wanted to keep the signature elements of a traditional men’s shirt intact — the number of buttons on the placket, the buttons remaining on the “men’s” side —and, similar to a fine tailor, I really sweat every detail. [Ed. note: it shows! And if you are reading Private Label you probably do too.] The angle and proportion of the collar so it sits sharply, the width of the body, the mostly straight side seams with just a subtle A-line, real mother-of-pearl buttons, French seams. Even the fabric and colors are custom because I obsess over getting those details right — finding the perfect shade of blue, red, or green. All of those decisions are what make La Shirt Classica feel substantial.
The most distinctive element is the hem: the front is shorter, while the back swoops down to cover the backside of your pants. It’s something both men and women have told us makes the shirt incredibly easy and flattering to wear.
I chose an oversized silhouette because I’ve always found that wearing a men’s shirt is one of the easiest ways to get dressed in the morning. I wanted ours to become that kind of wardrobe essential — the shirt you instinctively reach for whether you’re doing school drop-off or going into a business meeting. An oversized silhouette gives you much more flexibility than a fitted shirt: it works with so many different bottoms and can be worn tucked, untucked, buttoned up or open.
There is absolutely room for a more fitted shirt in a woman’s wardrobe — and that’s something we’ll be introducing soon [Ed. note: wohoo! My bet is this is going to be GOOD!] — but if you’re buying one shirt, or starting to build a shirting wardrobe, I think the oversized shirt works the hardest.
Sarah: Which shirt should actually be on someone’s list right now, and why?
Jenni: La Shirt Classica, because it’s incredibly versatile. You can press it crisp and tuck it into trousers with a belt for a more polished look; open the collar and a few buttons and wear it with jeans; or throw it over a bathing suit. You can also wash and wear it repeatedly and let the cotton become softer and more lived-in over time.
My friend Laurel actually owns four of our shirts in the exact same color, each at a different stage from crisp to completely worn-in, because she finds them useful in entirely different contexts. I think that says a lot about what we wanted the shirt to be: something that gets better and more personal the more you live in it.
Sarah: I also love digging into the category data. I’d love to hear about what is working and which shades are driving revenue.
Jenni: La Shirt Classica has very quickly become our best-selling style. Solids continue to outperform stripes for us, particularly colors that function almost as neutrals. Grecian Blue has become our signature color. White is also consistently strong. Colors you can wear over and over.
Sarah: What’s new for fall? What’s next?
Jenni: We’re continuing to build out shirting for Fall, including new, more traditional silhouettes that explore different proportions and fits. But we’re also expanding the wardrobe around the shirt, particularly with bottoms that have that same balance of being incredibly easy to wear while still feeling refined. [Ed. note: Fall new delivery, and check out the cotton flannel and silk too.]
Ultimately, I want Comme Si to be the foundational part of your wardrobe. The pieces you reach for again and again because you know the quality is exceptional, the fit is flattering and you don’t have to think about how to wear them. Now we’re thinking about how to build the rest of the wardrobe around that same idea.
Thank you Jenni Lee and Comme Si.
Not Done Buttoning-Up
Olivia from Chava Studio and I connected over what worked at her NYC Trunk Shows. I was so bummed to miss it but it was probably best for my wallet. I hope to catch her at another Trunk Show soon. She headed to L.A. after NYC. She told me her best selling styles from the event aren’t even on her website. Sorry. She has been working directly with a female-owned factory and they worked together closely on the Chava Studio quality and special touch. So the Olive Poplin Ines Shirt was the number one style but it isn’t online (try this instead). The black silk tuxedo shirts are doing really well too. I like this black cropped tuxedo shirt too.
Data on what you shopped: The best selling shirts from the send last Saturday:
This shirt from Sézane. It is also one of the sharpest price points at $125.
Buck Mason’s button-up is a fitted option that sold well.
Open To Buy Shoppies
Ogee, the certified organic beauty line that I would put in the mid-price prestige bucket, launched online at Sephora earlier this summer. Next month it will roll-out nationwide to Sephora stores under the “Clean at Sephora” badge. The brand is also available at Ulta and the new Target Beauty Studios so expect to see it everywhere. I’m always interested in where a brand resonates best and how different stores buy and market the brand. At Sephora I’d check out the bronzer/blush/highlighter set, a $48 stick foundation/concealer, and to keep the brushes clean — the brush cleanser with over 3,000 hearts/likes. [Press Release]
Celisse x Sandy Liang new collab dropped after teasing the nails on the recent Sandy Liang runway show during NYFW. The ribbon — a soft, pale blue — feels like fun update for the girls who grew up wearing Hard Candy nail polish.
Another fun Friends & Family event — Freda Salvador! If you are indoors with a Nor’easter this weekend I suggest you order these.
During NYFW I stopped by Dean’s to see the full fall collection of Margaux along with the new Alison Roman x Margaux collab. The four items in the collection are based around the needs of Roman living her life in Brooklyn as a mom, home entertainer, chef, and shop owner. I’m hearing a lot of chatter for the clog and I think it is because there aren’t a lot of dressier, heeled clog options. My $0.02, Roman or Margaux should also link to the clothing items she wears in the campaign on ShopMy. It all looks great. See the social media campaign here.
Did you see, Old Navy x Altuzarra arrives on September 30th, and a campaign with Alexa Chung. Geriatic It Girls get excited, a reference to Jessica Testa’s 2024 NYTimes profile [gift link].
After traveling a few days, besides my family, here is what I can’t wait to get back home to: my favorite body oil* that I don’t travel with, 8 sleep (yes, it’s regrettably worth it), and my nails need some TLC so I’ll be using this kit this weekend.
Oh wow, I’m surprised but Allison Bornstein is making me want to wear Athleta gear. I’ve been on the hunt for workout clothes that aren’t leggings and cropped tops or sports bras as tops and this feels like what I could wear. Private Label tip for Athleta: put the “Allison Bornstein edit” link at the top of the navigation. I would easily shop all the items she featured. Also readers, their Friends & Family cardmember event is going on now.
Not letting my daughter see this because she will ask me to take her to Newport Beach. If you want to avoid the teeny-bopper crowds stay away from the Brandy Melville Warehouse Sale Sunday. You’ve been warned. I’m sure there are no dressing rooms.
🛍️ Quick note: I write a lot (too much good stuff to share!) If you’re reading via email only, you may need to click through to the web version or read on the Substack app. I promise it will be worth it. 🛍️
In My Feed
I had the best time chatting with Nan Philip earlier this month. I’ve been enjoying her Noteworthy with Nan podcast, and thrilled she hosted me in her studio. We discuss what Private Label is (both the retail term and my business), brands on our radar, and the pants I’m obsessed with and always wearing. You likely already know. Listen or watch on Substack here, watch on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Emily Sundberg was on the Business of Fashion podcast and it is a great interview about building a business (especially a media business) and the intersection of fashion + business + culture. [BoF Podcast]
Want to know what sold on ShopMy in August? I’ve got you covered. I wrote about the top 10 “accessibly priced” items and the top 10 designer items (priced over $600) for Puck’s Line Sheet. Read here. And yes, I saw this tote being carried all over NYC. Well done somsack sikhounmuong and Mickey Drexler.
Made just for you — always. See you Tuesday
xx, Sarah Shapiro
Private Label Issue 53
What Premium Subscribers Read This Week:
Sézane Emails Their Shoppers — they want you to know about their natural materials and what is essential vs seasonal. How did this make you feel as a shopper?
And Wide Awake Drama was the most popular read this week! Who doesn’t love a little drama with retail strategy mixed in?!
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Quick note: some links here are affiliate links — I may earn a small commission if you shop through them, at no cost to you. It helps keep this newsletter going. Gifted items are marked with an *. All opinions are my own, and everything I share, I’d tell my best friend about and probably already have.
for reference, I’m 5 foot 2 inches and wear flats 95 percent of the time.
Meaning viewers clicked my link and bought something on Kallmeyer's site. I'm assuming it was the sneakers because the order retail amount lines up, but I can't see exactly what was purchased.
A great read as always Sarah! It's brilliant to offer cashmere washing and pressing in store.
I loooooove Ashley!