Stop Blaming Fashion Week: The Hidden Forces Destroying Fashion & Retail
Ready to flip the script on fashion’s broken system? Press play, open your mind, and buckle up for an episode guaranteed to challenge what you thought you knew about runways, retail, and the real forces pulling fashion’s strings.In this riveting solo episode, Grant pulls back the shimmering curtain of the global fashion scene to reveal a hard-hitting truth: it’s not the runway shows themselves that we should be demonizing — it’s the leadership behind them. While Fashion Week has become an easy target for critics, conveniently painted as the villain of wastefulness and carbon-heavy spectacle, this episode takes aim at the real architects of the chaos. Listen in as Grant shines a spotlight on the executives, the boardrooms, and the old-guard leadership at fashion’s top houses and conglomerates — those who perpetuate relentless seasonal churn, push for overproduction, and funnel eye-popping marketing budgets into attention-grabbing stunts that overshadow genuine creativity.From LVMH to Kering, these global giants feed us the familiar narrative that more glitz and more runway hype equate to necessary “innovation” and progress. But behind those massive sets, behind the hyperrealistic lion heads at Schiaparelli or the behemoth wooden sculptures at Chanel, is a system fueled by seasonal obsolescence and driven by the incessant need to keep us buying. And guess who foots the bill for these marketing ploys? Consumers, in the form of skyrocketing luxury prices that no longer guarantee quality or craftsmanship.Throughout the episode, we get a candid look at how House of Style is daring to do things differently. Grant explains that the brand aims to shatter the mold of “two or four seasons per year,” opting instead for a year-round approach that values personal expression and thoughtful design. It’s a bold attempt to break free from the vicious cycle that has made fast fashion a byproduct of runway signals. After all, Shein and Zara often look to high-end labels for cues on the next fleeting trend—trends that, ironically, even the big luxury conglomerates blame on fast fashion.But here’s the twist: this isn’t a call to shut down Fashion Week altogether. This show emphasizes that the spectacle itself—complete with runway theatrics and glitzy front rows — can be a fun, artful celebration. The real problem is the old-guard mindset that uses Fashion Week as a lever to maintain an unstoppable machine of consumption. The leadership at department stores, major holding companies, and top-tier fashion houses are all complicit in perpetuating the notion that newness is king, driving younger and smaller labels to the margins with unattainable costs and impossible speed-to-market demands.Key Takeaways:Leadership Under Fire: This episode zeroes in on the CEOs, board members, and creative directors under crushing pressure to deliver seasonal novelty at any cost. They’re the ones fueling waste, not just in high-end circles but across the entire consumer landscape.Redefining “Runway Culture”: Instead of scrapping the spectacle, we should focus on reorganizing its foundations. If leaders stopped obsessing over seasonal obsolescence, runway shows could once again become showcases of real artistry and innovation.From Fast Fashion to Luxury Overdrive: Fast fashion is often singled out as the biggest polluter, yet big luxury brands set the trends, supply the signals, and secretly benefit from the culture of disposable style.House of Style’s Vision: Demonstrating that there is a workable alternative to the “churn and burn” model. The platform isn’t about cranking out more and more clothing lines — it’s about championing style that fits real life, forging deeper connections between designers and consumers,...
USA