innovation

With the rise of AI, Silicon Valley is going all in on a new generation of startups that promise to radically change how products are made and sold. This time, they’re backing founders with tech chops and are more patient in helping them grow.

Hair tools have been thrust into the spotlight as brands try to create inclusive marketing campaigns that speak to the curly, coily and tight-textured consumers. But many are still falling short.

A series of breaches at high-profile retailers like Victoria’s Secret and Marks & Spencer is putting cybersecurity back in the foreground. BoF examines what leaves fashion businesses vulnerable and how they can protect themselves.

The visual media company is expanding its offering beyond news, stock and archival content to become a strategic partner to the likes of, L’Oréal, Dior, the Met Gala and amFAR gala. Now, BoF sits down with Getty Images’ senior director of entertainment content and partnerships, Lisa Marie Rae, to learn more about how the company is co-creating cinematic campaigns and helping brands craft compelling narratives.

As a global incubator and operator for beauty and personal care brands, Maesa is growing its presence across new and existing categories — putting unmet customer needs at the centre of its own brands’ strategy. BoF hears from chief executive officer Piyush Jain and chief financial officer Zaheer Ferguson on its goals to disrupt the beauty and wellness space.

International visits to the US are falling fast due to tariffs and growing tensions between America and the rest of the world. The silver lining for retailers: they’ve been down this road before.

The company’s new supershoe for elite runners, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2, has arrived, and with a revamped running portfolio, Adidas aims to get more casual runners in its sneakers, too.

More fake goods are making their way onto luxury e-commerce sites amid a rise in returns fraud. Rather than building an expensive authentication system, retailers are finding alternative measures to identify shady customers and maintain consumer trust.