Ah, Labor Day. A day to re-charge and re-set before the start of the “new” year (i.e. school), and the unofficial end of summer/start of fall. As you ease back into the work week, here is the industry news from the last week.  As always, sources are in the hyperlinked text after the headline.

Brands + Retailers

• Peloton files for IPO on Nasdaq.  Fortune
• Ulta Beauty cuts sales forecast as consumers cool on makeup.  The Wall Street Journal
• The high price of fast fashion.  The Wall Street Journal
• Lord & Taylor sells clothing rental subscription company Le Tote.  CNN
• FedEx, UPS jockey with Amazon as tech giant expands into shopping.  CNBC
• Apple apologizes over Siri privacy and says it will no longer retain audio recordings.  AdAge
• Forever 21 prepares for bankruptcy filing.  AdAge
• The missing piece of Amazon’s New York debacle: it kept a burn book.  The Wall Street Journal
• Tourists aren’t shopping like they used to. Who will replace them? The Business of Fashion
• Sir Philip Green plots to break up his TopShop empire.  The Times
• Target’s drive-up pickup service expands nationwide. TechCrunch
• StichFix buys Finer, a digital wardrobe startup co-founded by Brooklyn Decker.  Yahoo
• Rihanna’s lingerie brand receives $50M in fresh funding.  The Wall Street Journal
• Marriott to remove mini toiletries from all hotels as part of corporate sustainability drive.  AdWeek
• After Kimono backfired, Kim Kardashian plays it safe with new shareware name.  LA Times
• Sources say Barney’s in talks for sale to online luxury retailer Farfetch.  New York Post
• L’Oreal’s only female CEO, the founder of IT Cosmetics, is leaving.  Forbes
• Gap shares plans for Old Navy spin-off.  Fox Business

Marketing + Social Media

• Twitch pitches branded games.  Digiday
• Google to pay more than $150M in YouTube privacy case.  AdAge
• Generic brands are getting some serious upgrades.  AdWeek
• Snap unwraps $380 high-tech specs.  Tech News World
• Instagram is reportedly building a new messaging app named Threads.  Gizmodo
• Gartner: four emerging digital ad trends.  ClickZ
• Mattel thinks beyond toys to expand iconic brands like Barbie.  AdWeek
• Ralph Lauren makes TikTok debut with ad campaign tied to the US Open.  Glossy
• Inside the selfie factory for influencers.  BBC
• Now Facebook says it may remove like counts. TechCrunch 
• What does VSCO think about the ‘VSCO Girls’? The New York Times
• Do influencers need to tell audiences they’re getting paid?  Harvard Business Review
• Retailers are rethinking their Google Search strategies.  Modern Retail

Startup + Emerging Tech + Acquisitions

• With $175M infusion, ThredUp plots its future.  AdWeek
• Walmart’s robot army has arrived.  Fast Company 
• Nike created a high-tech shoe that you can control with Siri.  Fast Company 
• IBM serves up an ace with AI at the US Open.  AdWeek
• 7-Eleven introduces mobile checkout in NYC.  Retail Dive

International

• Flipkart partners with Authentic Brands to license and distribute Nautical in India.  Economic Times