Will Millennial Love for Eileen Fisher Transform Slow Fashion or Strip Its Soul?

Good morning! Brace yourselves for a whirlwind update: The youngest White House press secretary ever, wild calls for Trump to flex his power in Venezuela, and Eileen Fisher's bold millennial move.

– Slow fashion takes on the world! Eileen Fisher’s signature luxurious, flowing designs have been a staple for over four decades, championing sustainable, high-quality clothes that defy fleeting fashion trends. It's a dream for fans who admire its mix-and-match charm, but now millennials and Gen Z are starting to take notice! With trends like quiet luxury and slow fashion becoming all the rage, this brand is more relevant than ever.

But there's a twist! While the fashion industry goes all out on marketing, Eileen Fisher has remained somewhat private and exclusive. Until the last five years, it didn't even have a CEO! That’s right, the founder herself avoided the mega-corporate vibe. However, with new CEO Lisa Williams at the helm, Eileen Fisher is set to move to the next level.

With a solid $300 million in sales and approximately 60 stores, the brand is ripe for the picking among younger generations. A new wave of brands is borrowing Eileen's style secrets, and Williams is poised to seize the moment without diluting what makes Eileen Fisher special. Can she maintain the brand’s soul while scaling up? That's the million-dollar question!

Williams, who joined from Patagonia, sees it as now or never. Patagonia’s mammoth $1.5 billion sales prove you can stay true to your mission and still conquer the market. Now, Eileen Fisher is dabbling in fresh tactics—influencers, TikTok stars, and Instagram creators—to up its game. Millennials and Gen Z, skeptical as they may be, want authenticity and values that don't just sound good—they need to be genuine.

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

- Front-page shocker! Meet Karoline Leavitt, ready to become the youngest White House press secretary at just 27! Her resume includes time in the Trump administration’s press office. Source: AP

- A plea from the shadows: Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado reaches out to Trump for help in restoring democracy, hoping to score him a foreign policy win. Source: New York Times

- Real estate bombshell: Wall Street oracle Meredith Whitney says a drastic 20% drop in home prices is needed to level the playing field for millennials and Gen Z.

- Netflix’s sporty holiday gift: Get ready for a Christmas NFL special on Netflix featuring Beyoncé performing at halftime! Expect surprises and maybe a guest star or two. Source: Bloomberg

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Clara Shih shocked the business world by stepping down as Salesforce AI CEO.

Jackie Sheppard will vacate her role as Emera's board chair, making way for Karen Sheriff.

Linda Thomas, now SVP of retail sales at AnnieMac Home Mortgage, brings experience from Union Home Mortgage.

Amazon Web Services names Julia White as its new CMO. Source: Business Insider

Heidi Chen steps in as GeneDx's chief legal officer, following her role as Zoetis's general counsel.

Leslie Norwalk joins CVS’s board, bringing her extensive experience from Epstein Becker & Green.

ON MY RADAR

Bluesky's wild surge! Witness how this X and Facebook rival is handling its unexpected sky-high growth. Source: New York Times

CoverGirl’s influencer gamble: Can social media stars revive this brand once dominated by supermodels? Source: Wall Street Journal

Cathie Wood's next move: From revolutionizing Wall Street with Ark, she's now set her sights on venture capital. Source: Business Insider

PARTING WORDS

“We’re making ourselves stand firm in our spaces and advocating for our worth.”** – Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson actor, on navigating Hollywood as a Black woman. Read her full thoughts here!