Beyond the hype: How retailers are actually using the metaverse

When cultural brilliance and institutional weakness run in parallel

In this episode of the IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-sankoh/] is joined by Anchita [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anchita-ranka-72b36a194/], to unpack Maya’s latest exclusive on the rise and fall of American Apparel 🧵. From a vertically integrated LA factory paying $80–$120 a day before ethical production was a marketing term, to two Chapter 11 filings and a $88 million acquisition that left the brand’s entire cultural infrastructure behind, Maya traces how one of the most forward-thinking fashion brands of the 2000s became a case study in what happens when governance doesn’t keep pace with a brand’s ambitions 📉. Through the lens of the IADS 2025 White Paper on DEI [https://open.substack.com/pub/iads/p/iads-exclusive-dei-at-a-crossroads?r=1rowmw&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web], the conversation draws a direct line between American Apparel’s institutional failures and the questions department stores should be asking their brand partners today — before the headlines arrive. Based on 👉 IADS Exclusive: American Apparel After the Myth [https://iads.substack.com/p/iads-exclusive-american-apparel-after] For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores [https://fr.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-department-stores], check out our Substack [https://iads.substack.com/], visit our website at www.IADS.org [http://www.iads.org/] for additional resources, and learn more here [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Department_Stores]! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe [https://iads.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

FIFA World Cup 2026: What department stores are really playing for

The sportswear is spoken for — Adidas, Nike and Puma kit 37 of 48 nations. So what does the FIFA World Cup 2026 offer department stores?⚽ Host Maya [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-sankoh/] and Christine [https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinemontard/] of IADS examine the activations from El Palacio de Hierro, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Nordstrom, Breuninger and Manor — and what each one reveals about the retailer behind it.🛍️. 🔎Click here to read the full exclusive! [https://iads.substack.com/p/iads-exclusive-how-department-stores] Stay in the loop—follow us on LinkedIn [https://fr.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-department-stores], read our stories on Substack [https://iads.substack.com/], and visit our website [https://www.iads.org/] for more details. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe [https://iads.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Everlane & Shein: When opposites collide

Everlane [https://www.everlane.com/] sold to Shein [https://www.shein.com/] for $100 million in May 2026 — a brand once valued at $550–600M, with $90M in debt and common shareholders left with nothing. Host Maya [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-sankoh/]wrote this week's Exclusive, so Selvane [https://www.linkedin.com/in/selvanemohandas/]steps in to ask the questions. 📲Click here to read the full exclusive! [https://iads.substack.com/p/iads-exclusive-everlane-shein-and] Find more interesting reads on IADS Exclusive Insights on Substack [https://iads.substack.com/]. Follow us on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-department-stores-iads/] and visit iads.org [http://www.iads.org/]. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe [https://iads.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

Beyond the hype: How retailers are actually using the metaverse

In this episode of The IADS Retail Park 🎧, Maya [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-sankoh/] and Anchita [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anchita-ranka-72b36a194/] explore the Metaverse beyond the buzz. ✨ What do Demain [https://demainbeauty.com/] https://demainbeauty.com/Beauty [https://demainbeauty.com/], L’Oréal, and luxury pioneers have in common? They’re experimenting with virtual experiences that educate, engage, and convert. 🛍️ From 75% memory retention through gamification to digital twins that reshape store planning, our hosts unpack the real business case for immersive retail. Learn how €200K and 7 months built a metaverse that blends commerce and learning—and what separates hype from ROI. 🎮 Want all the case studies and expert insight? 👉 Click here to unlock full Exclusive for deeper dives and real-world examples! [https://iads.substack.com/p/iads-exclusive-the-metaverse-explored?r=1rowmw] 🔗 For updates and more can’t-miss content, follow us on LinkedIn [https://fr.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-department-stores] https://fr.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-department-storesat International Association of Department Stores – I.A.D.S., explore our Substack [https://iads.substack.com/], or visit www.iads.org [http://www.iads.org/] for extra resources and the full article. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe [https://iads.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]

When nobody's watching: Why cultural belonging is replacing digital persuasion

In this episode of the IADS Retail Park 🎙️, Maya [https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-sankoh/] sits down with Anchita [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anchita-ranka-72b36a194/], Head of Analysis and Prospectives at I.A.D.S. and author of this week’s exclusive, to examine why the advertising infrastructure retail built over the last decade is hitting a structural ceiling 📱. Based on👉 IADS Exclusive: The End of the Nudge [https://iads.substack.com/p/iads-exclusive-the-end-of-the-nudge] by Anchita Ranka [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anchita-ranka-72b36a194/]. For more insights and updates, follow us on LinkedIn at International Association of Department Stores - IADS [https://fr.linkedin.com/company/international-association-of-department-stores], check out our Substack [https://iads.substack.com/], visit our website at www.IADS.org [https://www.iads.org/] for additional resources, and learn more here [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Association_of_Department_Stores]! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit iads.substack.com/subscribe [https://iads.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2]