Things are changing. The biggest takeaway we’ve had from this last week of tariffs, AI, and industry news is that any expectations of permanence, of stability, need to be forgotten.

Your forecasting functions can no longer think in years, maybe not even quarters. Redundancy isn’t just in suppliers, its in regions.

The key to everything is adaptability, resilience, operating lean, and not letting the world ever distract you from methodically executing on your mission.

There’s a lot we can write about from the actions of the last week, of what the future of production looks like, what can and can’t be made in America, of the changing agency and design landscapes, of the visual trend ripple effects we think are about to happen, but there’s so much and moving so quick that even prepping an email over the course of a week we feel the content is already old.

It’s a new reality we’ll write more about in coming weeks, but in the meantime, we’re focused on the tactical.

As highlighted in Oren’s video earlier this week, more and more people are looking to expand their supply chain, and we’ve highlighted a number of options worldwide in fashion in our (free) international manufacturers guide from Paris featuring luxury suppliers, trims and fabrics, and you can find that here.

If you’re looking for the Beauty Report from Oren’s content this week, you can find that here.

In this HYPER, our second episode of Creative Operations is live, talking about modern social strategy, from curation to brand performance. We also highlight new brands, tools and content worth exploring for any creative.

Enjoy.

How to build a social strategy for your brand

Last week, we kicked off our new video series with Air, diving into the playbook for managing creative work inside fast-moving brands. Today, we’re back with Episode 2 — this time, we’re unpacking what it really takes to build a social strategy that scales.

We’re not talking about chasing trends or reacting to whatever’s hot this week. We’re talking about building a system: one that helps brands stay organized, show up consistently, and actually connect with their audience.

In this episode, we break down:

• How to use storytelling as an anchor for your content

• Building team structures that set you up for success

• Lessons from brands like SSENSE, Burberry, Morjas, Brooklyn Coffee, and more

• The rise of social shows, test accounts, founder-led videos, and new formats

• Practical insights from Kendall Dickieson (social for Graza, POV and more) on staying organized and building brand tone

• Mastering the art of curation in content with Welcome JPEG’s Alex Sarkissov

• + more

If you want your social strategy to do more than just keep pace — if you want it to build something — this one’s worth your time.

Here’s episode two 💫 

Long live the listening room 🔈️ 

More and more brands are waking up to the power of sound — not just as an aesthetic choice, but as a cultural lever.
It's about creating spaces that pull people together, not just to shop or pass through, but to feel something.
To experience something collective. Communal. Even spiritual.

That’s exactly what Stone Island has done at Milan Design Week.

In partnership with London-based Friendly Pressure, they’ve built a fully immersive sonic environment that goes way beyond surface-level cool. This isn’t about slapping some vintage speakers in a corner for the vibe.

It’s about crafting a space where sound becomes the main character.

The room itself is tuned like an instrument — every element is considered.
From the soundproof ceiling by Soundwave Jasmine to the rugs by CC-Tapis that shape the acoustics, down to the custom hi-fidelity system designed exclusively for Stone Island Sound.

Even the speakers are a piece of art: engineered with unity horns and subwoofers developed by Bosco Taylor, designed to blend frequencies into a single, pure source of audio. The result? Audio that’s not just heard but felt.

What makes this even stronger is the philosophy behind it: Stone Island isn’t following a trend. They’re investing in community experience. They’re building a space for listening, gathering, and appreciating the craft of sound.

It’s a reminder that brands have the power to create environments that go beyond commerce — spaces that leave a lasting imprint on culture.

It’s not just about designing beautiful speakers.

It’s about designing rooms for people to come alive in.

And with this, Stone Island absolutely nailed it.

A new player in the tennis market 🎾 

Every once in a while, you come across a brand that feels so dialed in, you just know they’re on an upward trajectory.

In a consumer landscape that’s crowded and noisy, there’s always room for someone who really nails it — not by trying to be everything to everyone, but by being crystal clear about who they are and who they’re for.

That’s exactly how we feel about Spence.

They’re a new player in the racquet sports space, and they’re stepping into a wide-open lane.

For years, we’ve said tennis is the most untapped of all the individual sports — a category that’s overdue for a brand to bridge lifestyle and performance in a way that feels fresh, modern, and aspirational. Running has its players. Golf has been booming with lifestyle brands. But tennis? Still up for grabs.

Spence is making an early case to claim that territory.
From product design to storytelling to art direction, every detail feels intentional. But what really sets them apart is their creative direction — they’re taking it seriously.

It’s not just clean; it’s a level or two above what 99% of brands are producing right now. In a crowded space, that level of craft and focus matters. It signals ambition. It builds trust early. It makes you look twice.

They’re not just making gear — they’re building a point of view. And that’s where great brands win.

The Future of SMS

We are convinced as things become more and more automated, as ads and products are increasingly easy to create, that 1:1 and more luxury experiences is how brands win.

It's a combination of personalization and conversation... customers shouldn't have to research questions or wait for a service response, it should be automatic.

Probably the biggest opportunity for this is meeting customers where they actually communicate most today -- SMS, and actually treat interactions like real conversations. We’ve gotten to see some demo’s of Postscripts new Shopper product coming out next week, and it’s got a lot of potential for brands that want to be ahead of the curve. Their announcement is next week and you can find out more details about the announcement event below.

Register for the launch event.

Don’t tell us — show us

This is an evergreen idea within content. Gone are the days where cool model stands in front of plain backdrop as an aesthetic works on its own. When you’re introducign new product, the best stuff often has a hook that’s so undeniably good, you can’t not watch.

That’s what Estudio Niksen has done.

They designed a trouser with huge, exaggerated pockets — already a strong design decision. But they took it a step further in how they told the story. Instead of just saying “look how big the pockets are”, they showed you. Playfully.

Part of the joy in watching is to see that they stuffed pockets with things you’d never expect: a watering can, a house plant, bottles of wine, an entire pair of sneakers, a laptop. It’s absurd in the best way — that’s the point.

It turns function into visual entertainment.

This is such an easy, high-impact lesson for brands: when you have a functional design story to tell, make it undeniably visible.

Push it past logic if you have to. Get creative with exaggeration. Make it so obvious that people can't help but pay attention and share it.

In a feed full of sameness, visual proof wins. Don’t just tell people your product is functional — show them exactly how (and a few ways they’d never think of).

Here’s the full video if you’re interested.

The Future of Creator Brands

Oren sits down to talk with Lucas from Darkroom team about running a creator business, and thinking about being a creator and a social-first brand in the modern era.

Hyper Reports

Check out our market reports. We spend many hours researching markets, categories, and brands & products within the consumer space so you don’t have to.

• The guide to making great Merchandise — HERE — a guide to finding and producing your own merch

• Reports on Running, Golf, and Tennis — HERE — a guide to each sport, the market opportunities, and how to launch your own brand

Inquiries? Shoot us a note here: [email protected]

We’d love to chat!