Must Read: Pat McGrath, Clare Waight Keller and Pierpaolo Piccioli Make 'Time' 100 List, The Meghan Markle Effect Extends to Childrenswear
Plus, most teen beauty purchases still take place in stores.
These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Wednesday.
Pat McGrath, Clare Waight Keller and Pierpaolo Piccioli make Time 100 list
Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy, Pierpaolo Piccioli of Valentino, Jennifer Hyman of Rent the Runway and renowned makeup artist Pat McGrath have all landed on the annual Time 100 list. In accordance with tradition, their famous friends explain their culture-shifting accomplishments. Keller's is written by Julianne Moore; Piccioli's by Frances McDormand; McGrath's by Beverly Johnson and Hyman's by Diane von Furstenberg. {Time}
The Meghan Markle effect extends to childrenswear
Soon-to-be mommy Meghan Markle is expected to have a significant impact on the childrenswear market: Retailers and industry analysts alike predict shopping frenzies similar to those that followed the births of other Prince George and Princess Charlotte. They also say the baby's retail pulling power could stretch to sustainable baby brands given the Duchess of Sussex's own eco-conscious style choices. {WWD}
Most teen beauty purchases still take place in stores
According to a Piper Jaffray survey of American teens, 90% of beauty purchases still take place in stores. This number seems oddly high for a digitally native generation who spend 90% — if not more — of their waking hours glued to a mobile device. In an effort to understand why Gen Zers still make the trip to Sephora and Ulta, Rachel Strugatz drove to the suburbs to see for herself. "The reason beauty is the last e-commerce holdout is pretty much the same for Gen Z as it is for my 62-year-old mother: a desire to touch, feel and shade match in person transcends an effortless online shopping experience," Strugatz writes. "Beauty's a replenishment category online, which means that to acquire new customers, brick and mortar is still where the action happens." {Business of Fashion}
Chic dental care has arrived
Toothbrushes, toothpaste and floss were once seen as functional necessities — bought with little thought given to aesthetics. That's all starting to change, now that companies are touting new stylish iterations of personal-care products. The toothpaste category, in particular, has gotten significant updates in terms of packaging and ingredients, but the new-and-improved teeth-whitening and stain-removing agents come at a higher price. In a new piece for The New York Times, Bee Shapiro explores whether or not chic dental care is worth the extra $20. {The New York Times}
L'Oréal shares rise after first-quarter sales beat estimates
On Tuesday, L'Oréal reported higher-than-expected first-quarter sales growth: Sales rose 11.4% to €7.6 billion across the cosmetics group. The following day, the company's stock was up around 1.5%. {Reuters}
We don't know if CBD actually works
CBD, the chemical compound found in cannabis plants, is being used by people all over the U.S. in hopes of chilling out. But does it actually work? Maybe! CBD has a range of purported anti-anxiety effects that make it very popular to digest or rub all over your body, but clinical studies haven't necessarily proven those results on humans. {Quartz}
RuPaul on his Netflix show, marriage and camp
Vogue's May issue is centered around the Met's spring exhibition, "Camp: Notes on Fashion," and who better to embody the spirit of camp than RuPaul? "I am a drag queen who understands camp and who understands how to comment on what's happening within the Matrix," RuPaul says in an interview with Vogue. "My job, our job as drag queens, has always been to remind you that this outfit you're wearing, or this label you put on yourself, is just a label. Drag queens are the shamans or the witch doctors or even the court jesters — to remind you what is really real." In addition to offering up a definition of camp, RuPaul also talks his reality show, the scripted series he created for Netflix and his marriage. {Vogue}
Behind Champion's newfound cultural cachet
Champion, the century-old brand known for is basic gym attire, is experiencing an unlikely revival thanks to the rise of streetwear and throwback culture. The company had double-digit growth during the holiday season, and last year it had nearly $1.4 billion in global sales. Its parent company HanesBrands Inc. hopes to continue to cash in on its newfound cultural cachet and grow it into a $2 billion unit by 2022. {Business of Fashion}
