Must Read: Taylor Russell Covers ‘Harper’s Bazaar,’ Thirteen Lune Announces Latest Funding Round

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Thursday.

Taylor Russell covers Harper’s Bazaar
The actor wears Bottega Veneta on the magazine’s Dreamers Issue. Interviewed by Muna Mire at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, Russell discussed her childhood in Canada, how she learned to play the harp during the pandemic, her friendship with Alexa Demie and her acting approach when connecting with her characters. “Acting is the opposite of running away. It illuminates something,” Russell said. The actor also spoke about how she was drawn to “Bones And All” due to the sincerity of the film. {Harper’s Bazaar}

Thirteen Lune announces latest funding round
Beauty e-commerce retailer Thirteen Lune has raised $8 million in a seed plus round with plans to expand its omnichannel presence. Co-founded by Nyakio Grieco and Patrick Herning in 2020, the retailer serves as a platform to sell products from brands founded by Black and Brown people; it saw 2,000% growth year over year in 2022. Thirteen Lune currently has an ongoing partnership with JCPenney Beauty and offers more than 160 beauty brands on its platform (with 90% of those brands being BIPOC-founded). “Our partners share Thirteen Lune’s mission to support diverse founders who have historically had fewer resources and opportunities to build a business and create generational wealth,” Grieco said. {Fashionista inbox}

What American retailers can learn from European department stores
American retailers are taking notes from their European counterparts as the market size of department stores continues to decline. As reported by Cathaleen Chen of Business of Fashion, consumers are looking for more when it comes to the physical retail experience. “A fundamental difference between American department stores and those in Europe is store design, from the layout of the space to the materials used for floors and displays to finishing touches like light fixtures and the pictures on the walls,” Chen wrote. In recent years, American retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue have invested millions of dollars into providing a more immersive shopping experience, with updates such as implementing the concessions model, more special events and renovated store layouts. {Business of Fashion}

The significance of Thom Browne’s win against Adidas
Fresh off a win from the Thom Browne vs. Adidas trial, Browne is celebrating his victory publicly as he recently posted on Instagram with the caption, “back to business.” Gaston Kroub of Above The Law speculates that Browne will likely use this victory as a marketing opportunity for as long the trademark trial continues to receive press. “For a fashion company, marketing is of the utmost importance — and milking every bit of marketing benefit from a trial win against one of the most powerful IP owners in the world is both wise and essential for Thom Browne going forward,” Kroub wrote. {Above The Law}

The Folklore Connect and RAISEfashion announce NYFW showroom
With the goal of providing more equitable opportunities for BIPOC-owned brands, “The Folklore Connect x RAISEfashion NYFW Showroom” will allow 15 Black-owned brands to showcase their designs from Feb. 9-12. In terms of the partnership, The Folklore Connect has provided a six-month free membership for 17 brands from the RAISEfashion network, while RAISEfashion will provide international mentorship opportunities across a wide range of expertise for 10 brands from The Folklore Connect. {Fashionista inbox}

Homepage Photo: Amy Troost/Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar

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