In recent months, several retailers have been publicly rolling back their DEI initiatives, leaving many brands on their shelves, and the consumers that buy them, unclear on the path forward.

Target in January announced changes that included ceasing its three-year DEI goals, ending its Racial Equity Action and Change (REACH) initiatives this year, and shifting its “supplier diversity” team to “supplier engagement,” which it says better reflects its procurement strategy that includes small businesses. Its supplier diversity page has been taken down, though its supplier page still highlights partnerships with groups like the National Minority Supplier Development Council.

With the move, Target joined retailers like Walmart and Lowe’s, who both shifted their DEI policies last year. These moves followed the US Supreme Court’s rulings against college admission affirmative action—which has led conservative groups to file a flurry of anti-DEI lawsuits—along with the Trump administration’s efforts to scrap DEI policies across federal agencies.

Target’s announcement was met with backlash and calls for a boycott. While the impact of these changes at Target and other retailers—whether they are true values shifts, a move of self-protection against lawsuits, or a public relations strategy—has yet to be seen. Still, these moves are “a grave mistake,” Aurora James, founder of supplier diversity initiative the 15 Percent Pledge, told Retail Brew.

Keep reading here.—EC

Kara Richardson Whitely is an outdoor enthusiast whose 2015 book, Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds, makes clear that adventure is not just for the thin. She’s also the founder and CEO of The Gorgeous Agency, which has helped brands including The North Face, L.L. Bean, and Columbia to reach the plus-sized market.

Richardson Whitely hopes that someday clothes shopping for plus-size people will be, if not enjoyable, at least less disappointing.

“I feel absolute dread when I need something,” she told Retail Brew. “It’s not fun.”

If you think plus-sized—14 and up for women—is larger than the norm, think again. Among American women, 67% are plus-sized, according to Richardson Whitely, who estimates their spending power at $40 billion.

And yet, in one of retail’s enduring paradoxes, the larger your body gets, the more invisible you become. While brands may make a show of featuring more non-waif models and mannequins in their stores, and offering extended sizes, those sizes often are available only online, Richardson Whitely told me.

But I wanted to see for myself. So we went shopping.

Keep reading here.—AAN

One thing was clear with Prada’s newsworthy acquisition of Versace from Capri Holdings: Italian luxury is coming together to bolster its position in the global luxury market.

With Versace coming back home to Italian ownership, Prada hopes to gain access to a broader range of consumers, capturing both the understated and the extravagant fashion markets Versace is known for. Additionally, the retailer stands to benefit from Versace's strong presence in North America—accounting for close to 31% of revenue for Capri Holdings in 2025’s third fiscal quarter .

“Versace brings boldness and cultural energy; Prada offers refinement and modern minimalism,” Jhara Valentini, founder of Valentini Media Group, a consulting firm that works with a number of luxury brands, told Retail Brew via email. “Together, they allow the group to engage different consumer mindsets and aesthetic preferences—without compromising what makes each brand distinctive.

“It’s likely that both brands will benefit from shared infrastructure—across media, data, digital tools, and supply chain—while maintaining creative independence,” she added.

Keep reading here.—JS