Recent Highlights
Achim Berg Launches FashionSights, an Independent Think Tank
at WWD.com by Evan ClarkWWD provides exclusive coverage of Achim’s vision for FashionSIGHTS, a day before its official business launch.
In an exclusive press release, Achim is quoted on his idea behind founding FashionSIGHTS to provide in-depth insights and advise fashion and luxury decision-makers in an increasingly complex landscape. The article highlights FashionSIGHTS' unique proprietary insights engine and the four core pillars upon which the think tank is built. Achim's ongoing influence in shaping fashion's future is underscored by his recent co-edited report with WWD which analyzes the wealth creation of fashion and luxury billionaires on the Forbes 200 list over the past 24 years.
“Size is not in itself a guarantee for success”
at Modaes.com by Pilar RiañoIn an interview with Pilar Riaño from Modaes, Achim delves into the future of the fashion industry.
He explains how SHEIN is disrupting fashion, similar to Inditex in the past, shaking up established business models. He also highlights the urgent need for regulators to step up, enforce sustainability standards and create a framework that holds fast fashion players accountable. He goes on to emphasize the importance of technological advances to make circularity a viable reality for the industry. Further, Achim addresses the growing polarization within the sector, where size increasingly matters and small brands are struggling to compete. Amidst this, he asserts that novelty and creativity remain crucial, ensuring cultural relevance and connecting brands with evolving consumer desires.
Giorgio Armani- L’uomo, il marchio, l’azienda
Book by Frank Pagano and Marco DiDio RoccazzellaAchim pays tribute to Giorgio Armani in the afterword of the book "Giorgio Armani - L'uomo, ilmarchio, l'azienda" by Frank Pagano and Marco Di Dio Roccazzella, published by Il Sole 24 Ore in October 2024.
Achim honors Armani’s keen ability to consistently deliver distinctiveness and timelessness—kept at the core of everything he did—over five decades in business. Armani parlayed his signature aesthetic and his distinctive vision for lifestyle into a thriving brand, growing it into a multi-billion, multi-gender, multi-category global fashion group. All while maintaining the company's independence and full ownership in an industry that is characterized by intense consolidation.
Luxury and Fast Fashions Are Creating Billionaires Galore
WWD by Miles SochaAchim talks to WWD about our research on the fashion and luxury industry’s wealth creation.
Fashion and luxury billionaires, led by LVMH’s Bernard Arnault and Inditex’s Amancio Ortega, have solidified their wealth despite global crises and a pandemic, with fashion and luxury ranking as the third-largest wealth-creatingindustry after technology and finance. The analysis highlights the polarizationin the industry, where luxury and value players dominate, while the mid-market struggles. It also showcases a dominance of European-based billionaires that account for 81% of the sector’s net worth. Looking forward, business model innovations, such as Inditex’s agility and Shein’s direct-to-consumer approach,coupled with the growing middle-class worldwide, suggest a resilient and prosperous future for fashion and luxury.
Press Archive
Our press archive offers a curated collection of articles and interviews showcasing our thought leadership. Explore the latest media coverage of our inSIGHTS and see how we shape industry conversations.
February 2025Achim Berg Launches an independent Think Tank dedicated to the Fashion and Luxury Industry
at Modaes.comModaes reports on Achim’s newly launched corporate think tank FashionSights.
The leading Spanish industry publication describes FashionSIGHTS as the start of a new chapter that allows Achim to follow his passion for the fashion industry by providing strategic guidance to decision-makers, supported by in-depth research on the industry’s past, present and future. This approach sets FashionSIGHTS apart from traditional consulting firms, offering long-term advice rather than just project-based advisory. Modaes also highlights Achim’s continued impact on the Spanish market, including his keynote to open the Modaes Fashion Business Summit earlier this month and his advisory mandate for Mango.
- February 2025
Achim Berg Launches FashionSights, an Independent Think Tank
at WWD.com by Evan ClarkWWD provides exclusive coverage of Achim’s vision for FashionSIGHTS, a day before its official business launch.
In an exclusive press release, Achim is quoted on his idea behind founding FashionSIGHTS to provide in-depth insights and advise fashion and luxury decision-makers in an increasingly complex landscape. The article highlights FashionSIGHTS' unique proprietary insights engine and the four core pillars upon which the think tank is built. Achim's ongoing influence in shaping fashion's future is underscored by his recent co-edited report with WWD which analyzes the wealth creation of fashion and luxury billionaires on the Forbes 200 list over the past 24 years.
February 2025Major luxury groups show weaknesses - with exceptions
WirtschaftsWoche by Emma MöllenbrockAchim discusses the broader challenges of struggling luxury houses and success factors that set certain brands apart from its competitors.
The luxury sector is facing challenges as consumer demand weakens and growth driven by price increases reached its limits. Achim highlights two successful categories: zeitgeist brands that thrive on trends, and exclusive high-end brands like Hermes, benefiting from wealthy buyers whose spending remains stable during economic downturns. In contrast, luxury brands focusing on volume rather than exclusivity, such as Gucci and LVMH, are more vulnerable to economic fluctuations. Achim emphasizes that profitability and an adapted pricing strategy will be key to sustaining growth in the future.
February 2025Spanish fashion conglomerate conquers Leipzig
Leipziger Volkszeitung by Florian ReinkeAchim shares his perspective on Inditex’s expansion strategy in Leipzig, Germany.
Inditex is expanding its brand portfolio in Leipzig with new stores for Zara, Pull & Bear, Bershka, and Stradivarius. Achim points out that this move reflects broader industry shifts, particularly in the mid-market segment, where competition has weakened due to bankruptcies. Coupled with lower retail rents, Inditex is seizing the opportunity for growth. Achim further explains that Inditex’s vertically integrated business model is a key driver of this success, allowing the company to control the entire value chain and operate with greater resilience.
December 2024Will luxury stocks remain slow sellers?
Der Aktionär Edition 2025 by Sarina RosenbuschIn an interview with Der Aktionär, Achim provides his perspective on the outlook for the fashion and luxury market in 2025. Next year will remain challenging for luxury brands, marked by ongoing market consolidation. While the luxury categories of fashion, jewelry, and watches face significant headwinds, demand for experiences and travel continues to thrive. Additionally, more space has emerged between the mid-market and luxury segments, allowing premium brandslike Coach to flourish. Fast fashion players such as H&M and Zara are elevating their positioning to differentiate themselves from Asian competitor Shein, while appealing to customers who increasingly prioritize value for money and sustainability. Meanwhile, the booming sportswear segment is undergoing dynamic shifts, with challenger brands (e.g., On, Lululemon, Skechers) steadily gaining market share from the incumbents Nike, Adidas, or Puma.
December 2024Getting dressed will be fun again
Financial Times by Kati ChitrakornAchim shares his perspective on the key themes shaping the fashion industry in 2025.
After a drop in global sales of personal luxury goods in 2024, the industry is hopeful for modest recovery in 2025. Achim highlights the need to correct overinflated pricing and notes that structural changes, including the offloading of underperforming assets, may be necessary. Ethical and social responsibility will remain critical and growth opportunities will be mostly seen in emerging markets. Major deals in the fashion industry are unlikely in the near term due to stagnant IPO markets. Nevertheless, Achim predicts further consolidation across the industry in the months ahead as well as a shift back to a more personal, individualistic style.
December 2024What's behind the merger of Zalando and About You
WirtschaftsWoche by Lisa Ksienrzyk and Nele Antonia HöflerAchim shares his views on the Zalando-About You merger and the ongoing consolidation of online marketplaces in the fashion industry. Zalando announced plans to acquire the fashion retailer About You from the Otto Group for € 1.13billion, thereby strengthening its market position while About You will continue to exist as an independent brand. The acquisition also includes the technology platform Scayle, which will be strategically integrated into Zalandoin the future. Experts see the deal as a necessary step to streamline the market and fend off competition from large Chinese players such as Shein and Temu.
December 2024Retailers open up windows of opportunity in own-brand jewellery
Financial Times by Milena LazazzeraAchim provides his perspective on the opportunities and challenges of the growing own-branded jewellery business. There is arising trend of retailers expanding into jewellery, leveraging market knowledge and customer access todevelop high-margin, unique own-branded offerings. The strategy aligns with broader industry shifts as retailers diversify portfolios and introducein-house lines to cater to consumer demand for exclusivity and fill product gaps. While this move can drive growth and strengthen partnerships, expertscaution that market conditions and potential risks of cannibalizing salesrequire careful curation and strategic execution.
- December 2024
Luxury and Fast Fashions Are Creating Billionaires Galore
WWD by Miles SochaAchim talks to WWD about our research on the fashion and luxury industry’s wealth creation.
Fashion and luxury billionaires, led by LVMH’s Bernard Arnault and Inditex’s Amancio Ortega, have solidified their wealth despite global crises and a pandemic, with fashion and luxury ranking as the third-largest wealth-creatingindustry after technology and finance. The analysis highlights the polarizationin the industry, where luxury and value players dominate, while the mid-market struggles. It also showcases a dominance of European-based billionaires that account for 81% of the sector’s net worth. Looking forward, business model innovations, such as Inditex’s agility and Shein’s direct-to-consumer approach,coupled with the growing middle-class worldwide, suggest a resilient and prosperous future for fashion and luxury. 
December 2024Fashion industry faces cautious consumers during Christmas season
tagesschau24 Update Wirtschaft by Anne-Catherine BeckAchim discusses on German television how this year’s Christmas business is unfolding for the fashion and luxury industry.
He points out that while city centers may seem less busy, people are still shopping, especially now during the holiday season – but there is a noticeable reluctance to spend. Affordable luxury in particular is struggling as aspirational consumers cut back, while high net worth individuals continue to spend at the top end of the segment. There are fewer tourists from SoutheastAsia as they shift their spending to Japan given favorable exchange rates; although Americans and Middle Eastern customers are increasingly present inEurope. In addition, online and secondhand sales are growing and taking sharefrom brick-and-mortar stores. Achim attributes the industry’s challenges to a stagnant market in Europe, economic uncertainty, and an increasinglycompetitive landscape. This has led to a wave of consolidation, as evidenced by the recent acquisitions such as the Zalando-About You or MyTheresa-Net-a-Porterdeals.
November 2024Why German car manufacturers are failing with their luxury strategy
WirtschaftsWoche by Nele Antonia HöflerAchim lends his expertise on luxury strategy to examine the German auto industry's challenges.
In their ambition to establish themselves as luxury brands, German carmakers such as Mercedes, BMW and Audi are encountering obstacles. Despite efforts to appeal to high-end consumers, they are struggling to differentiate from the mass market and establish a true sense of exclusivity.- October 2024
Giorgio Armani- L’uomo, il marchio, l’azienda
Book by Frank Pagano and Marco DiDio RoccazzellaAchim pays tribute to Giorgio Armani in the afterword of the book "Giorgio Armani - L'uomo, ilmarchio, l'azienda" by Frank Pagano and Marco Di Dio Roccazzella, published by Il Sole 24 Ore in October 2024.
Achim honors Armani’s keen ability to consistently deliver distinctiveness and timelessness—kept at the core of everything he did—over five decades in business. Armani parlayed his signature aesthetic and his distinctive vision for lifestyle into a thriving brand, growing it into a multi-billion, multi-gender, multi-category global fashion group. All while maintaining the company's independence and full ownership in an industry that is characterized by intense consolidation. 
October 2024What's next for luxury e-commerce
at glossy.com by Jill ManoffAchim discusses his perspective on the future of luxury e-commerce with Glossy's Jill Manoff.
Luxury brands are increasingly by passing multi-brand e-tailers, offering direct-to-consumer sales with full product ranges, exclusive perks, and enhanced omnichannel experiences. Many once highly valued e-commerce platform shave struggled to achieve profitable growth in a high-interest rate environment, while others, such as Mytheresa, have thrived by focusing their differentiation strategy on curation rather than low prices, and by building customer loyalty through exclusive services and events. Although luxurye-commerce is projected to grow by 20 to 30 percent, physical retail will remain essential for luxury brands.
October 2024He Transformed the Red Carpet. Now What?
The New York Times by Vanessa FriedmanAchim comments on the challenges of relaunching heritage brands, particularly the high financial and time investment and the corporate structures required. Daniel Roseberry has transformed Schiaparelli into a celebrity favorite with bold designs that spark public debate. Despite limited retail presence and no mass marketing, high-profile clients like Kim Kardashian and Lady Gaga have kept the brand relevant in fashion's attention economy. Now, as Schiaparelli expands into ready-to-wear and accessories, Roseberry faces the challenge of making the brand commercially viable while maintaining its exclusivity, marking thebeginning of a crucial "Act II."
- October 2024
“Size is not in itself a guarantee for success”
at Modaes.com by Pilar RiañoIn an interview with Pilar Riaño from Modaes, Achim delves into the future of the fashion industry.
He explains how SHEIN is disrupting fashion, similar to Inditex in the past, shaking up established business models. He also highlights the urgent need for regulators to step up, enforce sustainability standards and create a framework that holds fast fashion players accountable. He goes on to emphasize the importance of technological advances to make circularity a viable reality for the industry. Further, Achim addresses the growing polarization within the sector, where size increasingly matters and small brands are struggling to compete. Amidst this, he asserts that novelty and creativity remain crucial, ensuring cultural relevance and connecting brands with evolving consumer desires.
October 2024Luxury online retail – Mytheresa is now facing these challenges
WirtschaftsWoche by Nele Antonia HöflerIn an article in WirtschaftsWoche, Achim comments on the challenges that online luxury retailers like MyTheresa are currently facing and how they can overcome them.
MyTheresa has announced plans to acquire rival Yoox Net-a-Porter in a bid to become the leader in online luxury e-tailing. However, the company faces several challenges as demand for luxury goods has weakened due to uncertain consumer sentiment and rising prices of luxury goods. In addition, luxury brands are increasingly turning to direct sales and moving away from multi-brandplatforms. Growth alone is no longer sufficient for luxury online players; instead investors are now demanding profitability. MyTheresa plans to overcome these hurdles through synergies, a curated offering and the integration of YNAP's platform and customer data.
October 2024With New Fragrances, Bottega Veneta Smells a Hit
Wall Street Journal by Rory SatranAchim shares his perspective on why luxury brands are increasingly venturing into the beauty segment.
Bottega Veneta is launching a collection of five unisex luxury fragrances this October. These high-end perfumes are the first project to be launched by the newly formed Kering Beauté, the conglomerate's division dedicated to the booming beauty industry. According to Achim, beauty is an attractive segment for luxury brands as it has proven to be more resilient than fashion.
September 2024From hawk to dove: the Fed's rate cut and its impact on fashion from a bird's eyeview
at Modaes.com by Pilar RiañoIn a discussion with Modaes journalists, Achim shares his perspective on the impact of interest rates on the fashion industry.
The FED’s recent interest rate cut, the first in over four years, has sparked mixed reactions in the fashion industry. Some experts believe it could stimulate consumer spending, especially during the holiday season, while others think its effects may take time to materialize, and the upcoming U.S. elections could heavily influence its impact. The rate cut is expected to weaken the dollar, potentially reducing costs for European fashion companies sourcing materials from abroad but making exports to the U.S. more expensive.
September 2024LuxuryProblems
FAZ Magazin by Jennifer WiebkingAchim talks with Jennifer Wiebking from the FAZ about the luxury goods boom, the COVID effect, and why the industry is now suffering a post pandemic hangover.
Luxury fashion prices have risen dramatically, with Chanel's iconic 11.12 bag increasing by 470% since 2007, reflecting broader hyperinflation across the industry. As a result of the massive price increases, more accessible luxury brands such as Longchamp and new entrants such as Polène are gaining popularity, offering high quality products at relatively lower prices amidst rising consumer price sensitivity.
August 2024Scandinavian MIND Transformation conference Copenhagen 2024
at scandinavianmind.comA fireside chat with Achim and Konrad Olsson at the Scandinavian MIND Transformation conference in Copenhagen.
Achim Berg reflects on the current state of the fashion industry, including the post-COVID boom and the industry's hard landing in the face of multiple global crises, a challenging macro economic environment, and weakening consumer demand. He also reflects on his personal career, the lessons learned at McKinsey, and provides insight into the plans for his new company.
May 2024Lemonade is made with lemons and how Shein snuck into the Sustainability Summit
at Modeas.com by Pilar RiañoAchim speaks about circular business models, emphasizing the need to make these models more profitable in order to achieve sustainable growth.
The second day of the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen focused on sustainability, circular business models, and overproduction, with critiques of the fashion industry's current practices, including Shein's business model. Speakers emphasized the need for transformative change in the industry, highlighting circularity, creativity, and new regulations, while acknowledging challenges like reduced margins and increased complexity. The French government’s anti-Shein law, aimed at fast fashion regulation, and the call for companies to adapt to new market trends, were key topics discussed.
June 2024Op-Ed: Fashion Can’t Wait on Regulation to Act on Sustainability
at businessoffashion.comIn his Op-Ed, Achim comments on the current state and progress of sustainability in the fashion industry and what regulation can do for it (or not).
Fashion's sustainability efforts have grown in importance, yet significant challenges remain as consumption, emissions, and pollution continue to rise. While many hope that regulation will drive change by forcing brands to deliver on climate commitments, there is concern that relying on slow-moving policies will further delay progress. Industry leaders, especially its “super winners,” must take responsibility and accelerate their sustainability initiatives, or risk being overtaken by more innovative competitors.
Upcoming Book
“What is the Future of the Fashion Industry?” is an upcoming book that will examine what’s in store for fashion over the next decade. Grounded in rigorous research, cutting-edge inSIGHTS and exclusive, high-profile interviews, this book identifies the 10 pivotal themes that will shape the industry and distinguish the leaders from the laggards. In an era marked by geopolitical tensions, climate change, disrupted supply chains, and fundamental consumer shift, the industry faces unprecedented uncertainty. These challenges raise a plethora of questions among executives and movers in fashion, who are seeking both clarity and direction. This book responds to that demand, offering actionable inSIGHTS and forward-thinking answers to navigate the evolving landscape of fashion.
We are currently in the process of researching and writing the book, which is planned to be published in 2026.
Updates on the Book
Interview #10 - James Fallon; Chief Content Officer, WWD
Interview #9 - Jörgen Andersson; Global Creativ Director, H&...
Interview #8 - Helena Helmersson; Chairperson Circulose
Interview #1 - Vanessa Friedman; Fashion Director & Chief Fa...
Interview #3 - Colin Browne; CEO, Cascale
Interview #2 - Max Bittner; CEO, Vestiaire Collective
Whitepapers
Explore our whitepapers for in-depth inSIGHTS into the fashion industry. Our research provides both hindSIGHT and foreSIGHT - analyzing past trends, exploring current patterns, and anticipating shifts that will shape the future of fashion.
Coming soon: HindSIGHT report No 1
Over the past 25 years, the fashion and luxury industry has created significant value, reflected in the massive personal wealth amassed by its super-winners. Using Forbes data as a proxy, the industry now ranks as the third-largest wealth creator, behind technology and finance. Yet, much like the rapidly evolving fashion landscape, the list of billionaires and their net worth is also undergoing a dynamic redistribution. Examining the patterns of wealth creation within the fashion and luxury industry offers inSIGHTS not only into this industry’s evolution over time and its current state, but also into where it may be headed next.
(To be released on February 27)