In this Season 10 finale of The Remarkable Retail Podcast, Steve interviews Vuori CEO & Founder Joe Kudla live on-stage during the closing keynote of the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York. Steve and Michael also are on-stage for a session gleaning the top retail trends of the year so far and set the stage for what's most important to focus on the balance of the year.
In this Season 10 finale of The Remarkable Retail Podcast, Steve interviews Vuori CEO & Founder Joe Kudla live on-stage during the closing keynote of the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York. Steve and Michael also are on-stage for a session gleaning the top retail trends of the year so far and set the stage for what's most important to focus on the balance of the year.
Instead of covering the week's headlines, Michael and Steve zoom out to examine the trends that have defined the year thus far. Tariff turbulence remains the dominant storyline, with the July 9th extension deadline looming and limited trade progress made—raising uncertainty about supply chains, pricing, and margins. Retailers are already grappling with rising costs and making difficult decisions about whether to absorb the impact through vendor, consumer, or margin adjustments.
They spotlight a troubling acceleration in store closures, forecasting 2025 as a record year for retail contraction, particularly in drugstore and department store categories. Meanwhile, growth continues to concentrate, with Amazon, Walmart, and Costco accounting for over half of all incremental retail gains. Smaller out-performers, such as Vuori and Abercrombie, stand out, but the middle is collapsing through a combination of unremarkable business designs and lackluster execution.
The hosts also analyze the contrasting fortunes of Walmart's soaring apparel success versus Target's continued slump and reflect on emerging disruption from agentic AI—potentially reshaping how consumers search, shop, and connect with brands. With luxury contraction predicted for the first time in 15 years and labor dynamics in flux, retailers face a complex and volatile landscape.
Then, it's over to an on-stage interview with Vuori CEO & Founder Joe Kudla, who joins Steve live for the closing keynote at the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York City for a candid and inspirational conversation about scaling a lifestyle brand with purpose. Joe shares how Vuori—rooted in the beachside town of Encinitas, California—pivoted from a near-collapse to a $5.5 billion valuation last year, thanks to an obsessive focus on product quality, fabric innovation, and deep community connection.
Kudla walks listeners through Vuori's growth strategy: starting with DTC success, expanding to wholesale, and now operating over 80 physical stores—each serving as a local brand hub. He discusses how in-person retail drives stronger omni-channel customers and why authenticity in influencer partnerships is more important than ever in a crowded media landscape.
As Vuori expands globally with new stores in London, Shanghai, and Seoul, Joe remains grounded in his role as the brand's chief product evangelist and men's fit model. His leadership lesson? Stay vulnerable, stay curious, and always lead with great products.