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Ssense and Sensibility? Ssense, the Montreal-based luxury eTailer that was once a digital touchstone for fashion obsessives, is filing for bankruptcy protection after creditors pushed for a forced sale. CEO Rami Atallah said it would fight a sale by filing its own application under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, which will allow the team to restructure its finances. The goal, according to Atallah, is to “protect the company, keep control of our assets and operations, and fight for the future of our company,” according to a memo.

Our Take: Atallah pointed to a confluence of factors that brought Ssense to where it is today, including Trump-era tariffs and the collapse of de minimis exemptions. However, there are broader shifts within the luxury space that are impacting all players: economic uncertainty and geopolitical volatility are expected to drive declines of 2% to 5% in the sector. Younger, aspirational consumers, Ssense’s base, are especially squeezed, pulling back on discretionary purchases and instead focusing on “little treats” like blind boxes.

The optics are striking: as Future Commerce contributor Edmond Lau noted, Ssense was “a godsend for people that don’t live in fashion capitals, and needed or wanted access to interesting clothes.” Will the absence of online curators reaffirm the need for Ssense and be the cornerstone for its eventual comeback? Or, as Lau noted, will it spur a more localized resurgence of physical experiences?

‍Gold Digger™. In an extreme case of “if you can’t beat 'em, join 'em,” Jordan Hudson is leaning into public scrutiny of her relationship with Bill Belichick by filing a trademark for the term “gold digger.” (Seriously?)

TCE Rights Management, a company managed by Hudson, filed the application this week, noting that the term would be used on jewelry, keychains, and other accessories. Like Sydney Sweeney and Bella Hadid before her, Hudson is attempting to take control of her identity, using a typically derogatory term to acquire financial wealth and independence. While Sweeney’s soap quickly sold out and can currently be purchased through eBay for a whopping $220 per bar, we’re unsure whether Hudson (or her design talent) has the credibility or cult-like following to warrant such a response.

‍The Elite Return Economy. Wealthy shoppers aren’t just buying more; they’re returning more, too. A new Bank of America Institute report shows higher-income households refunded 5.3% of purchases in 2025, compared with just 3.7% of lower-income shoppers. Why? Speculative shopping.

Affluent consumers can afford to “bracket” their purchases, which means they buy multiple sizes or colors and return most of them. Bracketing became a mainstream behavior during COVID lockdowns, when consumers weren’t able to visit stores to touch, test, and try on items. 

Many retailers rolled out and expanded their free returns policies to accommodate these behaviors, but the tide has slowly been turning. Consumers returned a staggering $890 billion of merchandise in 2024, and as a result, retailers have started to reduce return windows and even charge for returns. Now, with tariffs adding additional cost pressures, retailers may further restrict flexibility. For the wealthy, returns will likely remain an indulgence, but for everyone else, it could soon become a luxury.

‍Alo's $3K Bag Says Health is Wealth. Would you buy a $3,000 Alo bag? CEO Danny Harris hopes the answer is a resounding “yes.” Next month, the brand will launch a three-style handbag collection priced from $1,200 to $3,600. The venture into luxury will be commemorated with a star-studded campaign, which will launch on September 8, when bags will be available for pre-order. “Health is wealth,” Harris said. “Health is luxury wellness, mindfulness, mental wellness—this is the future.” And apparently, our new definition of mindfulness and mental wellness is tethered to fine leather goods.

Liquid Death Cries in Canned Water. In the beverage industry’s latest shakeup, PepsiCo is buying the Rockstar Energy brand in the US and Canada from Celsius. The CPG conglomerate is also increasing its stake in Celsius by 11% and granting the company access to its distribution infrastructure, helping it deliver Alani Nu cans to more stores and consumer doorsteps across the US and Canada.

The bigger news? It wasn’t Liquid Death. Fewer options for exit exist (h/t Nick Shackelford), leaving the bad boy water brand to continue its category expansion march (it added energy in July).

‍AI Gets Dumber Names (While Getting Smarter). It really is the inverse naming index, isn’t it? Google has unveiled Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, nicknamed "nano-banana," an image generation model that promises faster rendering, character consistency, and precise edits, powered by natural language. For developers, creatives, and strategic leaders, it means building apps and remixing visual assets at scale with near real-time speed. The model is available via the Gemini API and Google AI Studio for developers, as well as Vertex AI for enterprises.

Our Take: On one hand, the model’s ability to generate consistent branded content, campaign imagery, and even product catalogs could streamline workflows and cut costs. On the other hand, it raises the question: Will brands use AI to unlock new creative possibilities, or will they simply churn out templated content at an industrial scale?

‍Skechers’ recent AI gooner ad proves the tech can veer into uncanny territory when poorly applied. However, as we have learned in our exploration of Positionless Marketing, AI can also free teams from repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing them to focus on more creative and innovative work. As image generation becomes more accessible, the challenge for marketers won’t just be adopting tools like nano-banana—it will be keeping the human spark of originality alive.