It’s that time: back to school, back to work, back to reality. And for my retail friends, this basically means the holidays are here, so….Happy Holidays!

Here is a recap of industry news from the last week.  Sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.  Next week I’ll be back to Monday posting!

Brands and Retailers

• Ulta shares hit 52-week high after announcing Kylie Cosmetics will be in stores by the holidays.  CNBC
• Hard lessons breathe new life into retail stores.  The New York Times
• Amazon strikes $1T market cap, four weeks after Apple did the same.  TechCrunch
• Urban Outfitters gains as it launches a new vision for Anthropologie.  Forbes 
• How haircare and skincare brands won Amazon Prime Day.  Glossy
• Sales soar 27% at American Eagle’s Aerie.  The Wall Street Journal
• Campbell Soup to sell international business and fresh unit.  The Wall Street Journal
• Kroger expands Instacart home delivery to half its stores nationwide.  USA Today
• The revamped Tiffany flagship will have more sales and VIP space.  Bloomberg
• Inside J.Crew’s new CEO’s plans to revive struggling chain.  Fashionista
• FAO Schwartz to return with store based on experience.  The Wall Street Journal
• Walmart will have 30% more toys in stores this holiday.  CNBC
• Target is already thinking of expanding Heyday, it’s first-ever consumer electronics brand.  Forbes

Marketing and Social Media

• Can Instagram save offline shopping?  The Economist
• Instagram is driving jewelry sales.  Retail Dive
• Celine unveils a new logo.  Vogue
• Tricky ads from a vitamin company that talks up openness.  The New York Times
• Assessing the fallout – good and bad – from Nike’s Kaepernick ad.  AdAge
• What happens when Facebook mistakenly blocks local news stories.  Wired
• Inside Twitter’s long, slow struggle to police bad actors.  The Wall Street Journal
• Sources say Instagram is building a standalone app for shopping.  The Verge
• Kylie Jenner joins Adidas as latest brand ambassador.  Forbes
• Can a festival help Zalando build a memorial brand? The Business of Fashion
• New video ad gives brands a way to promote deals on Amazon.  AdAge 
• Snapchat’s latest ecommerce play sells out again, this time with Adidas.  AdWeek

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

• Apple buys Denver startup building waveguide lenses for AR glasses.  TechCrunch
• Dyson moves ahead on $2.6B electric car plan.  Bloomberg
• Kroger to open innovation center at  University of Cincinnati.  Market Watch
• The rise of giant consumer startups that said no to investor money.  Recode
• Narvar raises $30M in new funding.  The Wall Street Journal
• New Balance turns to AI.  Fast Company
• How apparel store are innovating.  AdWeek

International

• Inside Alibaba’s new kind of superstar: robots, apps and overhead conveyor belts.  CNBC
• Tommy Hilfiger’s pivot to Asia.  The Business of Fashion
• The booming male KOL market on Little Red Book.  Jing Daily
• Alipay: Alibaba’s $150B moat.  Seeking Alpha
• Amazon launches a Hindi language version of its site and app.  Fast Company