Hola Sugarcups,

Hey Sugarcups

Just in the fashion world this week. Let me tell you how good is this, brands are innovating. If you love change, hold on and read this one.

GU-the designer brand that pioneered $18 jeans and Uniqlo’s more affordable, more playful little bro-just unveiled its debut collection under the creative direction of Francesco Risso. Yes: Francesco Risso-the man you’ve only ever seen at Milan Fashion Week, at Marni (a star) and Prada (a former star)-who’s now making $18 jeans.

And Zara certainly isn’t staying in the quiet corner of the room. In 5 months, it will reveal its first-ever collaboration with John Galliano. That Galliano-Dior legend, the designer who had a stint at Margiela, and is now a king of ultra-luxe fashion. His Zara appointment is in September 2026. Other “supreme leathers” in the game – Uniqlo the global sales champ – snapped up Clare Waight Keller (the designer who created Meghan Markle’s royal wedding dress for Givenchy, before she led Chloé) A new phenomenon: 3 design heavyweights of the creative world, making clothing – not just pinning it on a mood board.

It’s more than simply great news. It’s a look at how the fashion industry world is shifting for brands, designers and everybody in between.

What the heck just went on?

Here’s a tidbit: Outside of Japan few people know GU.. It’s the next generation pure fast fashion of Fast Retailing in Japan – more fashion first, and more affordable and more loud than Uniqlo. (think $18 jeans rather than Uniqlo’s $26). GU has well over 2000 stores (in Japan) and frankly aren’t aiming at the runway in Paris. They did make a splash in 2024’s NYC Soho. That was shot down quickly. Fast Retailing’s founder has a goal for GU of ¥1 trillion in sales. It’s getting a small fraction of Uniqlo’s sales.

And here it is:GU had discovered that it was drifting away from its client. Last year profits declined by 10 percent. Now along comes Risso: he opens his first Tokyo collection with only six looks – uncomplicated, essential forms, enormous joyful surfaces. As he put it so beautifully: “For the first time in my career, it is a pleasure to design for millions, instead of a few thousand Marni clients in a couple of boutiques.”

High-Fashion is Going Mass

Achim Berg, that ex-McKinsey fashion guru, summed it all up as- the distinctions between high-life and the common folks are dissipating-and apace.

The Creative Director Questions

That fashion role? It’s no longer what it used to be Big name luxury brands are ditching their stars: Galliano and Risso departing in 2024 Jonathan Anderson and Loewe, Sarah Burton departed McQueen, Matthew Williams and Givenchy, Peter Hawkings lasted a season at Tom Ford, Kim Jones left Fendi They say it’s all ‘evolution’ but they just airlift you in and helicopter out. Where we are now, to be a creative director you need to walk on water: design, brands, market, teach, run supply chain –spin all the plates at once.

Luxury houses used to be the hub of creativity. Today, most of these simply create narratives around what they sell to ensure their investors are happy. When you become a “director”, you have to sell culture, sell brands, increase the value of the brand – which increases by 7-10% every year, by the way. All about the money now.

Zara let Galliano go wild in the archives for two years on a hefty check to create one big idea. And he agreed. Said, “It’s so exciting to be delivering fashion on this magnitude.” In words he’s been yearning for the thrill of real design again.

Why Does Zara Want This?

So honestly: Inditex, in case you haven’t heard, absolutely doesn’t need another dress. They just announced another year of record profits. Bad Bunny is performance-arting Zara for the Super Bowl. And a Galliano collab? That’s the story behind the hype.

It’s not just bubble. Before, Zara was “the sales clerk if you couldn’t buy a piece”. This fusion says, “we count, the best want to join us.” For the last years they have had designers such as Narciso Rodriguez, Stefano Pilati, and Kate Moss. Galliano is gold.

EMarketer says: This is all about strength in branding and increasing prices, led by Shein and Temu. Galliano is another ticket tag name.

And more: how much could that secondhand Galliano dior piece get on the resale market? Investing his name to Zara, even just a tiny £60 tag, bestows a certain sort of collectible quality. We are already thinking, maybe, one day that Galliano-for-Zara jacket will be a resale. Brands love that: it pushes Zara a fraction nearer “luxury”.

Zara? Many times more affordable than creating a luxury label.

Uniqlo’s Quiet Move

Now it gets interesting: Uniqlo’s been peddling this “high-end designer, mass-market basics” for a long time- but haven’t once alluded to the notion.

Clare Waight Keller isn’t a fancy name. She was the designer of Meghan Markle’s wedding gown, working for Chloé, and is now leading the design of Uniqlo’s cheaper line, Life Wear (sweatshirts starting at £15, shirts at £29). The global R&D head for Uniqlo GU… Many people aren’t aware that your favourite everyday shirt is being designed by a luxury name.

This whispers in the old idea-very-expensive-clothes are more-expensive and better, cheap-and-not-as-good cost less. That’s history. These creators go where the action, money and freedom are now-and brand makers give them the space to work on a scale that everyone can afford.

What Does It All Mean?

Let’s be real for a moment.

Yes, if you’re a Zara lover Galliano’s collection in September is big. The pieces are very much inspired by Zara’s backstory. They’ll be sold out in a matter of minutes and you’ll want to buy everything, resale will be mad.

Creative credibility is your superpower if you’re starting or advising a brand. Zara doesn’t need Galliano, it’s not because their team isn’t talented, it’s because they’re less accessible and therefore “insider” with their creative. (you likely don’t have Galliano’s number however). What story is your brand telling your customer that makes them feel like an insider?

To those of you working in fashion – listen up: your insane, wild creative fantasies are at GU, Zara and Uniqlo. Not in the terrifying couture houses. Remember those goals you have – freedom and numbers is where the mass brands are.

If you just love the news: Yes the world’s most known designers are styling your daily wear.. And they are styling it well.

References and additional information

For starters, these all start from three stories: Gu’s wealth-building (see Bloomberg, Japan Times, Fashion Network, Nikkei Asia) Risso’s promise; Zara and Galliano’s romance (premiere March 2026, sale September); and Uniqlo’s makeover with Waight Keller. Opinions from eMarketer, Briefs.co and some wise guys (Achim Berg among others). If you get this, it’s simple: When luxury brands crash, their brightest players follow the herd (and the money) down-market.

Talk soon

Jasmin xx