David’s Bridal, Brooks Running, and Does Sustainability Matter?

Welcome to another edition of Retail Roundup. This is your weekly brief helping retail leaders decode the biggest shifts in retail, AI, and commerce.
In this week’s episode, Jeremy Goldman sits down with industry experts Charisma Glassman (Genpact), Ricardo Belmar (Retail Razor Podcast Network), and David Polinchock (Brand Experience Lab) to examine Prime Day's impact on July sales, the boom in health and wellness, and why sustainable denim brand Mud Jeans filed for bankruptcy.
Plus, stick around for an interview from the eTail Boston show floor with David’s Bridal’s Chief Communications & Creative Officer, Lisa Horton, and President & Chief Business Officer, Elina Vilk.
INSIDE THE WEEK's EPISODE:
DECODING JULY RETAIL SALES
A look behind July’s 0.6% drop in retail sales and e-commerce shifts. Why month-to-month volatility can misread the consumer, how Back-to-School moved into June, and what category-level spending reveals about the economic landscape.
WHY BROOKS RUNNING IS WINNING
How Brooks achieved 14% revenue growth by capturing replacement purchases from dedicated run clubs, where runners treat $150+ shoes as consumable tools rather than fashion accessories.
THE SUSTAINABILITY REALITY CHECK
Why consumers care about circular commerce but resist paying a premium: from the fall of Mud Jeans to the rise of thrifting, resale, and DIY personalization.
TRANSFORMING A 76-YEAR-OLD RETAILER: DAVID's BRIDAL
Lisa Horton and Alina Vilk break down how David's Bridal operates like a startup inside a legacy brand by expanding into the $100B+ wedding ecosystem, mastering LLM discovery, and launching new outlet retail concepts.
🎧 Listen above for the full conversation on the trends making us rethink retail this week.