Fashion's Adaptive State: Slower Growth, Beauty Pivot, and Inclusive Curation

Global fashion is ending the year in a mixed but adaptive state, with the last 48 hours underscoring three big themes: slower core fashion growth, a pivot to beauty and lifestyle, and a sharper focus on value, curation, and inclusivity.

Recent data from 2025 shows fashion and leather goods launched fewer store openings, pop ups, and other retail activations this year, down about 9 percent versus the first half of 2024, while beauty grew these initiatives by roughly 13 percent, led by Asia Pacific and the Middle East and North Africa regions.[3] China still accounts for about one third of global fashion related activations, ahead of Europe and North America, confirming its role as the key physical retail engine.[3]

Against this slowdown, brands are leaning into collaborations, luxury curation, and direct client relationships. Gap just announced a 20 piece Gap and Summer Fridays holiday capsule, blending cozy loungewear with a beauty led aesthetic, priced from 28 to 98 dollars and rolling out across North America and select international markets.[2][6] Pacsun and the Metropolitan Museum of Art launched a new Cloisters Holiday Collection, with apparel and accessories from 35 to 150 dollars, explicitly framed as a response to rising demand for elevated but accessible fashion among young consumers.[4]

At the luxury end, online retailer FWRD, part of Revolve, reported a 37 percent year over year increase in gross profit in the third quarter of 2025 and more than 100 percent growth in its personal shopping program sales over the first nine months of the year, evidence that high spending clients are paying for curation and service even in a volatile market.[5] FWRD’s appointment of Rosie Huntington Whiteley as Fashion Director signals how celebrity led storytelling is being used to defend pricing power and market share.[5]

Consumer behavior is shifting toward comfort, resale, and inclusivity, but not always sustainably. A new Yale study finds frequent secondhand shoppers often buy more new clothing overall, expanding rather than shrinking fashion’s carbon footprint.[9] At the same time, research from the University of Nevada shows that inclusive sizing increases brand trust and purchase intent across all shoppers, reinforcing why size expansion is becoming a commercial, not just ethical, imperative.[13]

Compared with earlier 2025 reporting that highlighted simple post pandemic recovery, the current picture is more complex: core fashion retail is cooling, beauty and lifestyle adjacencies are powering growth, and leading players are responding with tighter assortments, experience driven retail, and partnerships that stretch beyond traditional fashion boundaries.

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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI