TheIndustry.fashion & TheIndustry.beauty Podcast

Criminal Damage was launched by Sunny Aytan in East London back in 1991. The business, still operating today, is now owned by himself and his brothers.

The pioneering streetwear brand was heavily influenced by its East London roots, with music culture and identity taking centre stage. The brand is known for taking inspiration from styles of retro fashions of the past and mixing them with the best in modern, urban trends.

In more recent times, the brand has moved into sustainable fashion with its Eco Essentials collection made with organic and recycled materials. Criminal Damage also continues to raise brand awareness with a continued stream of collaborations with existing franchises such as Pokemon, Back to The Future and Dracula.

Founder Sunny Autan and his brother Monty Aytan speak to Tom Shearsmith, News & Features Writer at TheIndustry.fashion about how the brand has developed in the last 30 years, the excitement behind each collection, the sustainability credentials it should shout about more often, and why Criminal Damage pieces featuring a Japanese anime show from 25 years ago, will always sell out.

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Built on a product philosophy of exfoliate, treat and soothe, the OLEHENRIKSEN brand is globally renowned for its transformative results and simple, joyful, approach to skincare, which seeks to imbue users with that: “Ole Glow.”

For Henriksen himself, great skin begins with a positive outlook – an infectious, can’t stop you from smiling, zest for life that has taken him, and his namesake brand, on an incredible journey over the years, propelling him from young Danish country boy to skincare guru to the stars – with a few pit-stops in Jakarta, London and West Hollywood along the way!

Today, the OLEHENRIKSEN Face/Body Spa on Sunset Boulevard continues to attract an ever-growing A-list client base (Madonna, Charlize Theron, Halle Berry and Daniel Craig to name but a few).

Meanwhile, the skincare brand which he established in 1984 is flourishing on a global scale, as consumers continue to be drawn in by its powerful natural ingredients, intoxicating aromas and luxurious textures which offer truly sensorial, yet simple and effective home routines.

Relaunched in 2017 following its 2011 joining of forces with LVMH, OLEHENRIKSEN skincare products sit within five simple, colour-coded collections to address specific skin concerns.

Iconic products such as its Truth Serum, Banana Bright Eye Cream and Phat Glow Facial continue to lead the sales charge, alongside new innovations such as the brand’s recently launched Dewtopia 20% Acid Night Treatment.

Today, much of Henriksen’s time continues to be absorbed in the masterminding of innovative new spa treatments and the development of new products to treat, nurture and protect the skin.

He also adores spending time dancing, biking and on his gymnastic rings. Fortunately for us he managed to find a brief window in one of his joyfully jam-packed days to talk to Gaelle Walker, contributing editor of TheIndustry.fashion about his past, passions and plans for the future.

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Throughout his career Kevyn Aucoin made up some of the world's most famous women;  from the original supermodels of the world to Elizabeth Taylor,  his work graced countless catwalks, billboards and covers.

Before his passing in 2002, he was considered to be one of the most influential makeup artists in the world,  with his legacy continuing today.  He pioneered the "art of contouring" and his innovative techniques transformed the faces of celebrities and women everywhere.

Through his makeup line and his bestselling beauty books,  his legacy is remembered. The Kevyn Aucoin brand continues to bring out new makeup and skincare products to enhance the natural beauty in everyone.

New York based Nick Lujan is Global Head of Artistry & Education at Kevyn Aucoin – a professional makeup artist,  team leader,  trainer and educator with over 15 years of experience in the industry.

 As a trained makeup artist and educator, Nick has worked with major cosmetics brands, providing insight encompassing team development, artistry, product development, artist relations and creation and facilitation of educational programs.

In this episode of 'The Beauty Edit' from TheIndustry.fashion,  Nick speaks with Tom Shearsmith,  News & Features Writer at TheIndustry.fashion,  about his extensive career so far,  including a stint in Las Vegas, what originally drew him to the Kevyn Aucoin brand,  the incredible work Kevyn did and how that influences his work in the present, and why makeup should not be defined by gender or sexuality.

As the Menswear and Womenswear Buying Director for Browns, Ida Petersson’s day job is all about finding amazing things we all want and need, and amazing things we didn’t even know we wanted or needed.

Usually travelling the globe countless times during the year, the pandemic has thrown up a whole new way of finding treasures and during business – but she’s remained on top of her game throughout, and with the Browns Brook Street flagship store now finally open there’s plenty to get excited about.

In the latest episode of the “In Conversation’ podcast in partnership with Klarna,  Petersson tells us how she got started buying as an intern at Harvey Nichols 21 years ago, and about the new Browns men’s made to measure tailoring service with Zegna, as well as the upcoming launch of kidswear, which brands and designers really rock her boat, what it takes for a young designer or brand to get under her buying radar and her love of shoes

Tom Shearsmith, News & Features Writer at TheIndustry.fashion is joined by Erica MacCallum, International Trainer at Eve Lom.

Erica brings over 15 years of experience to the table – having worked extensively in clinics and spas.

Joining Eve Lom four years ago and taking up the role of International Trainer last year, she talks about what made her excited to join the company, what her role actually entails, the impact of COVID-19 on physical facial treatments and what we can all do to help our skin whilst we continue to wear masks, and after we wave goodbye to them - hopefully once and for all.

Natasja Giezen Smith is CEO of innovative women’s hosiery and underwear brand Heist. Just as the pandemic hit in March 2020, Natasja joined the London-based business, which is famed for in sag-proof tights, innovative shapewear and comfortable, yet flattering, underwear.

Heist is known for bringing high technology into its products, for its inclusive sizes and skin tones and for embracing women of all ages. 

Natasja initially joined Heist as Chief Commercial Officer and was promoted to the top job last November. Prior to joining Heist she had been Trading Director at online fashion giant ASOS.

Despite these two leadership roles at two of fashion’s best-known disruptors, Natasja’s career didn’t start in fashion at all but rather as an analyst and management consultant. 

In the latest episode of the ‘In Conversation’ podcast,  Natasja talks to Lauretta Roberts, Editor in chief of TheIndustry.fashion, about her path into the fashion industry and how she sold all her possessions to re-train and make it happen.

She also explains why she left a job she loved at ASOS for a business the fraction of its size, tells us what it was like taking over a new job just as the world went into lockdown, how she worked from home with only an ironing board as a desk and what her future plans are for this rather special brand.

August Bard Bringéus is the Co-founder of sustainable direct to consumer Swedish menswear brand ASKET, which he founded in 2015 with business partner Jakob Dworsky whom he met at the Stockholm School of Economics. 

Both had grown frustrated at how hard it was to find simple and quality staples such as the humble T-shirt, sweatshirt and Oxford shirt, that fitted well and weren’t mass produced. The whole ethos of ‘buy less’ but buy better’ was very much at the forefront of their business plan from day one, with a focus on making their supply chain as visible as possible. 

They even launched ASKET’s Traceability Standard – a standard that aims to achieve 100% traceability across their collection’s supply chain. Their aim is to end the era of fast consumption, and all pieces from their collections are indeed now 100% traceable, while each garment also has an impact receipt which tells you its provenance, carbon footprint and true cost. 

Now in its sixth year, ASKET has recently opened its first store in Sweden, with other locations earmarked for the future, and it’s launching a womenswear collection for the first time this autumn. August tells us all about it

Despite its inception in 2015, Youth To The People has been a long time in-the-making. Founded by cousins Greg Gonzalez and Joe Cloyes, it builds on three generations of family skincare know-how, kicked off by their grandmother, who founded her own skincare company in the 70s.

Powered by superfoods and science, Youth To The People is an eco-conscious brand that’s committed to harnessing nutrient-dense superfoods that have an impact on skin’s health and less of one on the environment.

With carefully crafted formulas made from antioxidant-rich leafy greens such as spinach and kale, as well as beneficial vitamins and other proven, natural sources of youth-preserving goodness, every formula is also cruelty-free and 100% vegan!

Greg and Joe speak to Tom Shearsmith, News and features writer at TheIndustry.fashion from sunny Los Angeles about founding the brand, who handles what in the business, the formulations of the products, a surprising link to sport, and the brands growth across several markets since 2015.

Maria Hatzistefanis is one of the beauty industry’s best known and most admired entrepreneurs. She began her career in corporate finance and realising quickly that wasn’t for her, founded her ground-breaking beauty brand Rodial in 1999, having identified the need for products that focused on results and which tackled specific skin concerns.

 Maria started the brand from scratch, visiting trade shows to find formulators and packaging suppliers and even manning her own department, or rather shelf, in the first store to take her brand on in the early days, Fenwick of Bond Street.

 Unusually, Rodial is still an independent brand giving Maria the freedom to operate and expand the business in a manner that feels authentic to her as an entrepreneur.

 Maria talks to Lauretta Roberts, Editor in Chief, of TheIndustry.fashion about those early days, how the beauty market has evolved in the past 20 years, how she and Rodial fared during the pandemic and what her ambitions are for the future. 

It’s been just over a year since retailers across the nation first re-opened their doors after an historic enforced lockdown that had lasted almost three months. Little did we know then that two more lockdowns were to come with devastating affects for some of fashion’s biggest names.

However with much of the UK’s adult population vaccinated against COVID-19 and promises from the Government that it will not enforce another lockdown, retailers can now turn their minds from survival to revival.

Today we are bringing you a special edition of our IN DETAIL podcast in partnership with landlord Shaftesbury.

Shaftesbury – whose 16-acre estate covers eclectic London neighbourhoods stretching across Seven Dials, parts of Covent Garden, Carnaby and Soho among others – has always taken a curated approach to its retail line-up and has a strong track record of supporting independent brands and designers (in particular through its Start-up With Seven Dials initiative) , pioneering pop-up retail and encouraging experimentation with innovative new formats.

Far from feeling tempted to veer from this approach during the pandemic, it has doubled down and supported many brands in the opening of, in some cases, their first retail store. In particular, it has seen strong demand from digital brands looking for cut-through with consumers as the online space gets more and more crowded, as well as companies taking previously online-only concepts, such as fashion rental, into the realm of the physical.

One such brand to make the move is London menswear label L’Estrange, which having experimented with pop-ups throughout the Shaftesbury estate, made the plunge and took a permanent store in Seven Dials during the pandemic.

Lauretta Roberts, editor in chief of TheIndustry.fashion, talks to L’Estrange co-founder Tom Horne and Shaftesbury retail director Samantha Bain-Mollison about how the landlord and brand worked together on making physical retail a success and why they feel that post-pandemic a new, reinvigorated retail landscape will emerge.