It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what we’re still thinking about.
From sourdough candles to Chip Wilson’s growing list of Lululemon complaints, here’s our closeout for the week.
What you may have missed
Zara partners with John Galliano
Zara this week announced a two-year creative partnership with fashion designer John Galliano, who will “re-author the brand’s archives through a series of seasonal collections.” Galliano previously worked with Dior and Givenchy, among other fashion houses.
Galliano will take pieces from past collections by the fast-fashion retailer and reconfigure them into new products. The results will be released seasonally, starting this September.
Peloton gears up for the gym
Peloton this week launched the Peloton Commercial Series, its first bike and tread product line designed for high-traffic gyms.
“The introduction of the Commercial Series makes one thing very clear: Peloton is going to the gym,” Peloton CEO Peter Stern said in a statement. “We are bridging the gap between the home and the gym by pairing our world-class digital experience and design with some of the most durable hardware on the market — ensuring everyone has the opportunity to experience the magic of Peloton including our best-in-class instruction, wherever they choose.”
The Commercial Series launches with connected bikes and treadmills and will begin shipping out in late 2026. The products will initially be available in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, Australia and Austria.
Retail therapy
Sourdough candles for homesteaders
Bath and Body Works launched the “Rooted” collection of body care and candles that’s inspired by homesteading and slow living. The collection features a three-wick candle in the new fragrance homemade sourdough, per a March 13 press release.
Products also include a carrot-scented body lotion, a veggie-focused fragrance wall plug-in and more. The launch started with the candle and body care debut on March 13 and will expand with soaps and decor on Monday.
What we’re thinking about
7
That’s the number of press releases Lululemon founder Chip Wilson has put out about the brand’s board and strategic direction since December. He has lodged complaints against the company for brand erosion and lack of product innovation; suggested board nominees; lambasted the current board for ineffective leadership; and made recommendations for how the next CEO should be selected.
Wilson notched some wins in Lululemon’s latest quarter, with executives touting a strategy that seems directly tied to some of his criticisms. The retailer also replaced a long-time board member with former Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh. Wilson decried Bergh’s appointment as “underwhelming” and demanded more change at the board level prior to a CEO appointment.
Some analysts thought a new leader might be announced with the retailer’s Q4 earnings, but executives said they were still on the lookout. The retailer may be destined to keep fighting Wilson even after that: the estranged founder vowed to keep up his efforts “until the Board is refreshed and clearly communicates its path for change.”
What we’re watching
Oil prices could force NRF to revise retail sales forecast
The same day the National Retail Federation unveiled a rosy forecast for retail sales, crude oil prices surged and the Federal Reserve declined to lower interest rates – both related in whole or in part to the Iran war. Tariffs are also boosting inflation in goods prices, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell told reporters.
The NRF said the war wasn’t factored into its estimate that 2026 retail sales would jump 4.4% compared to last year and acknowledged it may need to revisit its calculation. The war’s effect on spending hinges on gas prices, especially if they remain elevated for “a long period,” Powell said.
“That will weigh on disposable personal income, and it'll weigh on consumption,” he said. “But we don't know if that's going to happen.”
The price of Brent crude, which accounts for most of the world’s crude oil, surged as high as $119 per barrel on Thursday before settling to around $108, per news reports available at press time. If global oil prices average $140 per barrel for two months, parts of the world could tip into a recession, according to a March 11 report from Oxford Economics, the consulting firm that worked with NRF on its retail sales forecast. If the price stays closer to $100 for two months, that would “shave a few 10ths of a percentage point off global GDP growth via higher inflation, but recessions would be avoided,” Oxford said.
