When Liz Eswein and Quincy Moore launched New York or Nowhere (NYON) in 2020, they were intentional about focusing on community first, then a product after. NYON, birthed from Eswein's @newyorkcity Instagram account (currently at 1.5 million followers), first hit the scene with digital downloads such as phone backgrounds and a coloring book. Now, the 3-year-old company has become best known for its apparel and art prints featuring its brand name.  Since its inception, NYON has entered physical retail, opening its first flagship store in NYC's Nolita neighborhood in October 2022. The brand has also forayed into product collaborations, including with the New York Knicks, Rimowa and American Express.  "We're thoughtful and careful with who we collaborate with. Our biggest and most ongoing partnership is with the Knicks, and it's hard to get bigger than that, especially for a New York brand," Moore said on the latest episode of The Glossy Podcast. "Slowly but surely, we will continue to do smaller collaborations as a customer acquisition tactic. We don't have massive budgets for marketing, but it does work to align yourself with like-minded entities and feed off of each other's audience."  As the brand expands, exploring new categories is at the top of the priority list. NYON launched its first knit crewneck over the holiday, which performed extremely well, according to Eswein. At the end of last year, the brand also expanded into more home goods products and released a candle and a blanket. Above all, Moore and Eswein said they are now focused on ensuring that all future products and assortment are a "level up" from previous items by producing them with high-quality materials.

If CEO Andrea O’Donnell’s track record is any indication, Everlane is on the brink of a glow-up. Most recently, O’Donnell was president of fashion lifestyle at Deckers Brands, where she drove record levels of consumer demand and brand consideration for Ugg, among other accomplishments. “When I landed at Ugg, it wasn't the hottest brand in the universe by any stretch of the imagination. It was very much defined as a cold-weather boot, and it was my responsibility to think about the brand and the product opportunity in a different way,” she said. “And it became a thing.”  In late 2021, O’Donnell left Deckers to take on the role of Everlane CEO, a position formerly held by founder Michael Preysman. Preysman, who stepped down, now serves as the brand’s executive chairman and climate lead.   Regarding what drew her to Everlane, O’Donnell credited Preysman, who she called a “bold and provocative thinker.” She also pointed to the company’s strong team, growth potential and sustainability focus.  “If you want to be a progressive brand, and you want to be modern and relevant, you have to take climate change really seriously,” she said.  Now, 18 months in, her initial ideas for taking the company to the next level are coming to fruition — though the path hasn't been without obstacles. In January, Everlane laid off 17% of its corporate staff, largely within its customer service and creative teams. In a company email, it owed the cuts to “the inflationary environment and recessionary risk."  In this week’s episode of the Glossy Podcast, O’Donnell breaks down how she’s been balancing Everlane’s popular sustainability focus with her style vision for the brand. She also discusses her plans to reach profitability and tackle expansion.