These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday.
Remembering Dolly Parton’s Style
Dolly Parton, who died on Tuesday in Nashville, spent decades cultivating a stylish, rhinestone-heavy image that became inseparable from her music career. Beginning with her 1965 record deal, she built an exaggerated, unapologetically campy persona — wigs, elaborate costumes and all — despite early skepticism from peers and industry executives. She later documented her signature style in the memoir “Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones,” influencing generations of performers from Miley Cyrus to Kacey Musgraves. {The New York Times/paywalled}
How Gen Alpha Shapes Back-to-School Shopping
U.S. back-to-school spending remains resilient despite economic pressure, with families projected to spend $30.4 billion this year, according to Deloitte. Parents are concentrating purchases on fewer, higher-quality items like sneakers and outerwear, while Gen Alpha’s social media-driven tastes push retailers toward relaxed silhouettes such as wide-leg and baggy fits. Brands including Tommy Hilfiger and Bloomingdale’s are responding with nostalgia-driven collaborations and longer promotional windows. {Vogue Business/paywalled}
Cinq à Sept’s Plan To Boost Brand Awareness
Cinq à Sept built its womenswear business through a wholesale-focused strategy, a choice Founder and Co-CEO Jane Siskin attributes to her decades in traditional retail. The approach topped the brand at $200 million in sales last year, outpacing direct-to-consumer rival Hill House Home despite less brand recognition. Now entering its second decade, Cinq à Sept is investing in broader awareness through new flagship stores and a creative agency, while sticking to the product-first approach that built the business. {Business of Fashion/paywalled}
Target Debuts Post-Ulta Beauty Lineup
Target will launch Beauty Studio on Sept. 10 in more than 600 stores and online, featuring over 1,600 products from 90 brands. More than two-thirds of these brands are new to the retailer. Several brands, including Remilia Hair and Clearstem, chose Target for their first brick-and-mortar launch, citing in-store testing, dedicated “beauty advisers” and a rotating assortment. {Glossy/paywalled}
Abercrombie & Fitch Lifts Sales Forecast on Strong Demand
Abercrombie & Fitch raised its full-year sales forecast Wednesday, citing resilient demand. Shares rose 11% in premarket trading. The retailer now expects full-year sales growth of 5%, up from its earlier outlook, and raised its earnings forecast as well. Quarterly revenue topped analysts’ expectations, with the Abercrombie brand outperforming sibling chain Hollister, which got a lift from back-to-school shopping. {Abercrombie & Fitch Co.}
