Must Read: How We'll Shop in 2024, Experts Address Spider-Attracting Body Butter

These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Thursday.

How we'll shop in 2024
In 2024, as inflation soars and economic uncertainty looms, we'll be shopping "cooler, smaller and weirder," reports Rachel Tashjian for The Washington Post. Shoppers are buying less expensive items — even in the luxury market — like beauty products, handbags and accessories. "They don’t compromise on brand. They want to buy luxury. So, of course, they pass to categories that are more approachable," said Federica Levato, a partner at Bain & Company. Independent boutiques may also be potential power players of 2024, catering to shoppers who feel alienated by big luxury and offer more reasonably priced high-end items. {The Washington Post/paywalled}

Experts weigh in on the viral spider-attracting body butter
Following a viral review that claimed the scent of Sol de Janeiro's Delícia Drench Body Butter attracts wolf spiders, experts have weighed in. The more likely explanation for the phenomenon is the ingredient of water. "It doesn't make sense that there would be some chemical in the cream that would attract multiple [wolf spider] species," Paula Cushing, a senior curator of invertebrate zoology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, told Nylon. "The spiders that are found inside homes are in a dry environment, so one of the reasons people find spiders in bathrooms and kitchen sinks is because they're following that plume of moisture and trying to find a place to drink." {Nylon}

Brands are implementing new anti-bot measures
As the drop model gains popularity across streetwear, sneakers and other categories, retailers are establishing new ways to filter out automated bots and multiple accounts in the battle against resellers. Many brands have turned to outside providers such as EQL, a platform that analyzes signals to determine the plausibility if a shopper is real or a bot. "The thing that we do that's quite different is we let everyone in," Andrew Lipp, EQL's co-founder and chief executive, told Business of Fashion. "If you're a bad actor, a scammer, someone dodgy, you still think you've come through our platform. You won't know if you're being clipped." To date, EQL has run more than 4,000 launches in 15 markets for brands and retailers. {Business of Fashion/paywalled}

The New York Times profiles TikToker who destroys luxury handbags
Volkan Yilmaz, better known as Tanner Leatherstein, explains to The New York Times why he slices apart luxury goods across social media. Christian Louboutin stilettos, a $2,200 Prada clutch and a Louis Vuitton handbag are just a few examples of expensive items that have fallen prey to Yilmaz's destruction. The leather expert explains his reasoning is "to show that price really wasn't about the leather or the materials used — that it was mostly about the status associated with a label." When he slashes a bag, he analyzes the leather quality, tanning process, stitching, hardware and construction to better assess the brand claims. In conclusion, brands he believes are worth the price include Bottega Veneta, Strathberry, Polene and Coach. {The New York Times/paywalled}

Louis Vuitton opens pop-ups for Pharell's debut men's collection
Pharrell Williams' Spring 2024 collection for Louis Vuitton Men's is finally entering the retail market, presented in over 50 global activations. These temporary shopping destinations take the form of pop-ups or in-store installations, spanning from Shanghai to Paris to New York City to Los Angeles. Inspired by the Pont Neuf — the location of Williams' debut Paris show in June 2023 — the immersive experiences include hidden rooms, life-size holograms, Parisian-inspired architecture and floors paved in golden Damier chequers, recalling the show's runway. {Fashionista inbox}

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