Hi all,

It’s been a while. 

The Devil Wears Data newsletter, which explores the business side of fashion and beauty so you can make informed decisions about the companies you buy from, is back. This is a way for us to keep in touch in case we ever lose touch on YouTube (the algorithm is finicky), or you like reading a more candid version of what I put in my videos, with further insight from the sources I speak to.

In this newsletter, I include recent video updates, new video ideas I’m working on, and news about beauty and retail that you might find interesting. In my upcoming video, I explore the booming business of Rhode Beauty, using data, analysis, and sources.

I don’t want to unnecessarily flood your inbox, so I only send this out as-needed.

As always, you can reach out to me at [email protected] with any questions and feedback.

Gucci sales

This morning, Kering, the company behind brands Gucci and Alexander McQueen, reported in a call to investors that second-quarter sales of the company are down 11 percent (for context, second quarter spans from April 1 to June 30). This was dragged down primarily by Gucci. Gucci’s sales fell 20 percent in reported terms, as the company attempts to relaunch the brand under a new executive team and designer (this hasn’t quite worked out the way they’d hoped.)

I explore in a recent video why the brand is struggling, and its strategies at making a comeback. Many of my viewers have left thoughtful comments on the video as well. 

Abercrombie & Fitch vs. Victoria’s Secret

Victoria’s Secret is bringing back its runway fashion show later this year, with the promise of reintroducing a lot of the famous Victoria’s Secret angels on the runway (after a multi-year hiatus). This made me wonder why the rebrand to inclusivity didn’t work for the company the way it did for Abercrombie & Fitch. When you look at the data, A&F’s stock price is up 72.31% this year, compared to Victoria’s Secret stock price which is down 33.04%! In my latest video, I explore why rebrands like this work for some companies and not others, and speak to two sources to help us gain further insight.

Beauty updates:

In my next video, I explore the business of Rhode Beauty by Hailey Bieber.

There are some reports that the company is currently looking for a retailer, like Sephora or Ulta, and industry folks have weighed in on what this could mean for the brand. I’ll be digging into data and talking to sources to figure out what exactly has made the brand so popular (and stand out among a crowd of celebrity-founded beauty brands, some of which have struggled in recent years,), and what the future of the company may hold.

The video will be a similar format to the way I once discussed e.l.f Cosmetics on my channel.

In the meantime, while we’re on the topic of e.l.f, it looks like the company has continued to see success this year, including a 26.14% rise in its stock price since January 2024. Do you invest in the company or just buy the products? And have you been pleased with its quality?

Would love to hear from you, feel free to reply to [email protected].

Thanks so much for reading.