This FAQ explores how marketers can reach Gen Alpha amid tightening privacy rules and growing household influence.

A spike in consumer interest, changing social expectations, and perception has brands and retailers leaning into men's fragrances. "The days of guys only wanting a classic, masculine scent are gone," said Sarah Armstrong, associate content manager at Axe US."Guys are looking for excitement in the fragrance category, wanting to explore new scent cues," she said. "For example, we've seen more gourmand, sweet fragrances come to market over the last few years."

Kering is selling its beauty business to L’Oréal for €4 billion ($4.3 billion). The move will give Kering a much-needed cash infusion as it carries out a turnaround under new CEO Luca de Meo, while positioning L’Oreal to become a leader in luxury fragrance and beauty. The sale marks a bold first step by de Meo, who has the challenge of revitalizing Kering’s business amid considerable uncertainty in the luxury market. And it is a major strategic move for L’Oréal, positioning it as one of the world’s top producers of luxury fragrances at a time when the category is a driving force behind beauty growth.

The luxury sector is facing a “challenging” and “somewhat unprecedented” environment, Prada Group chairman Patrizio Bertelli said—causing even once-hot brands like the company’s namesake label to lose momentum. Luxury companies for the most part view the current downturn as a cyclical blip in an otherwise robust industry. But the prolonged slump is revealing structural challenges—namely, heavier reliance on American and Chinese consumers, as well as a tendency to lean on price hikes rather than innovation to drive sales.

Online fashion sales growth in France is stabilizing as global competitors capture market share and social platforms become more influential.

Gucci sales slid 25% in Q1: The brand’s struggles put parent company Kering in a tough spot as it attempts to navigate a slowdown in luxury goods spending.

Wonder acquires a media company, Unilever dedicates more spend to influencers, and Ulta launches a third-party marketplace. Here are the eight most interesting retailers and brands from last month, as ranked on our “Behind the Numbers” podcast.

Luxury brands shake up their creative ranks: While Gucci is betting on provocateur Demna to revitalize its brand, Versace opts for a steadier path.

Luxury brands are grappling with downturns in the US and China, the largest markets for personal luxury goods, and will have to seize opportunities for growth from new markets and product innovation.

Mytheresa knows what luxury shoppers want: The luxury ecommerce retailer grew sales by 7.6%, bucking the global luxury slowdown.

Ralph Lauren and Tapestry sidestep luxury slowdown: The two companies beat expectations thanks to brand elevation efforts that resulted in higher AUR.

Hermès’ strong Q3 performance makes it a luxury outlier: The company’s double-digit growth was in stark contrast to Kering’s slump, as weak global demand weighed on sales.

“There's a big change in the luxury market. The consumers are still there, but they're being more selective about what they buy and when they buy it,” our analyst Sky Canaves said on an episode of the “Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail” podcast. Expanding into new markets and raising prices isn’t always an option for luxury brands, but there are other areas of opportunity. Here are three ways luxury brands can fuel discovery, spark engagement, and develop loyalty.

Luxury spending in the US is returning to historical norms: Shoppers are increasingly focused on saving money and travel.

Cryptocurrency volatility has tempered expectations for crypto payments. But it hasn’t erased them: Retail, remittance, and cross-border B2B payments remain in growth mode.

The grand final of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Liverpool, UK, on May 13. Attracting a Super Bowl-sized audience, tourists, and viewing parties, the competition’s global reach will provide marketers and retailers with a notable opportunity to drive brand awareness and sales.

While mid-tier retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond and Kohl’s struggle, discount and luxury retailers are seeing success as some consumers trade down amid inflation while others splurge to treat themselves amid tough times, respectively. But these polar opposites are using the same tools and tactics to attract new customers and retain current ones.

Online fashion resale remains a fast-growing retail channel despite ongoing economic headwinds—and Gen Z is the driving force. How can brands and retailers venturing into fashion resale find success amid pullbacks on discretionary spending?

The personal luxury goods sector is riding a wave of high demand in the US and China, buoyed by wealthier consumers who are relatively immune to the impact of price increases. But brands will need to appeal to the rising Gen Z consumer, as well as strengthen loyalty among their most important customers.

The metaverse is expected to be a major disruptor across industries, but it's still early days for the emerging realm. In this report, we look at how different markets are embarking on their own metaverse business models.