• Bode is a luxury fashion brand best known for its unique, hand-illustrated clothes and accessories.
• Shoppers say they especially love Bode jackets and see them as conversation pieces.
• Buying a custom jacket involves filling out a questionnaire about your hobbies, family, and more.

When vintage shop owner Chandler Lesesne West got married in April, her husband, Connor Webb, didn't wear a tuxedo.

Instead, he donned a corduroy jacket covered with hand-painted images that meaningfully nodded to their relationship.

It wasn't a DIY project, though. The couple spent $2,100 on the custom piece from Bode, a luxury clothing brand.

"All wedding attire is going to be pricey," West, 31, said. "Buying the jacket almost seemed smarter than buying a regular tuxedo."

They might have been onto something. Bode's bespoke Senior Cord pieces have become fashion symbols of originality, status, and style.

Corduroy, artistry, and Harry Styles

Emily Adams Bode Aujla founded Bode in 2016. The brand is known for its modern pieces incorporating classic styles and techniques, like quilting and mending.

Vogue reported that the brand launched its Senior Cord collection in 2018. It was inspired by the now 121-year-old Purdue University senior tradition of illustrating corduroy trousers.

The label's take on the latter took off in 2020 with the help of Harry Styles. He wore custom pants from the line for his Vogue cover feature, leading shoppers like West to discover the brand.

Bode has only continued to grow since then. The brand told Business of Fashion in 2022 that it went from having 18 wholesale accounts in 2018 to having 105 accounts in 2021. Made-to-order pieces were also up 120% at the time, the publication reported.

Bode then launched a collaboration with Nike in 2024, opened its first international store in Paris this year, and hosted a runway show during the Super Bowl to showcase its athletic sister brand, Bode Rec.

And that's not to mention how Bode's Senior Cord designs are all over platforms like TikTok.

Bode adds a survey to the typical online shopping experience

Luxury fashion brands are known for making rare pieces that are hard to find and even tougher to buy. Think about Hermès and its range of limited-edition Birkin bags.

Bode runs its business differently. While its custom jackets are all specialized, the price tag and overall design process remain the same for every shopper.

Mac Bass, a 32-year-old copywriter and content creator, decided at the start of 2025 to "pull the trigger" on his dream fashion piece: a custom Senior Cord Side Tab jacket for $2,100.

In April, he went to Bode's website, added the garment in his size to his shopping cart, and purchased it. Within hours, the brand emailed him an extensive questionnaire about his hobbies, favorite movies, lucky numbers, family, and more.

"You can do a 30-minute interview [with Bode] to go over everything if you want," Bass said. "But I thought that having the time to process it myself would be better. It took me two hours."

He aimed to be "as honest as possible" and not overthink any answer. Bode said the jacket would be complete within 10 to 12 weeks, and Bass received the finished product in early July.

West also shared her shopping experience with Business Insider, and it was the same.

A fashion trifecta: luxe, accessible, and made to order

Webb's wedding jacket is illustrated with images of the five cats he shares with West, the purple wisteria flowers that decorated their wedding venue, two fairies that resemble the couple, and more.

Bass' jacket, on the other hand, depicts the logo of his favorite hockey team, his wife's name, and an image of the first car he ever owned, among other designs.

"I think my favorite one is a little more subtle," Bass said. "On the bottom of the jacket, there's the Empire State Building in the fashion of a black-and-white cookie. Based on the answers I wrote, I think it combines how I'm half Jewish and how both sides of my family have roots in New York."

He said Bode used "roughly half" of the things he listed on his questionnaire, so not everything made the cut. Still, he loves how perfectly the jacket represents his life.

"Every time I wear it, I'm shocked by how many people come up to me," he said. "Even people who don't know Bode ask me, 'Did you do that yourself?' And I'm like, 'I wish."

Bass said Bode has achieved something that few other luxury brands have. It's created a line of conversation-starting garments that are truly unique, and also easy to purchase (if you have $2,100 to spare, that is).

West and her husband see their custom Bode piece similarly. They plan to keep their jacket in their family for generations.

"We're both going to wear this on a regular fall or winter day as our jacket," she told Business Insider. "It's going to be such a cool statement piece in both of our wardrobes, and it's going to become a family heirloom."

Now, they just have to decide who will wear it first.

• Labubu is set to get smaller and cuter.
• Pop Mart announced a new line of miniature The Monsters keychains.
• Small enough to hang on mobile phones, the new charms will be released on August 29.

The small plush doll with the creepy grin that has had the world in a chokehold for the past year is set to get even smaller.

On Friday, Chinese toymaker Pop Mart announced the launch of mini Labubu dolls in its new "The Monsters Pin For Love Series."

According to a release from Pop Mart, the little Labubus will cost $22.99. The dolls will be around 4 inches in height and small enough to hook onto mobile phones. For reference, an iPhone 16 has a height of 5.8 inches.

People looking to land the little Labubus should mark their calendars for August 29. The dolls will come in 30 different colors.

These mini dolls, like their larger counterparts, will also be sold in blind boxes — which means collectors will only know which color they pulled after opening their boxes.

"The Monsters Pin For Love" series also includes a set of 30 letter charm pendants, each with a unique pattern and a metal Labubu charm. The letter charms are about 4.5 inches in height, per the product listing on Pop Mart's website.

This charm series will also be sold in blind boxes, and will be priced at $18.99, per Popmart's press release.

The "Pin for Love" series "allows collectors to spell names, initials, or secret messages," the release said. Fans can purchase the mini Labubus and letter charms from Pop Mart's website starting August 29 and choose shipping or in-store pickup.

Pop Mart's CEO, Wang Ning, teased the launch of mini Labubus during an earnings call this week.

The company released its first-half 2025 earnings on Tuesday. It reported a 204% increase in revenue in the first half of the year compared to the year before, with global sales of 13.87 billion Chinese yuan, or about $1.94 billion. It also reported a 401% increase in profits compared to the year before.

The Monsters IP, which includes fan favorite Labubu, contributed 4.81 billion Chinese yuan to the company's total sales in the first half of the year, per its earnings report. Pop Mart said its results were unaudited.

The company, listed in Hong Kong, has seen its stock price rise about 18% in the last five days and more than 550% in the past year.

Labubus have spiked in popularity over the past year. Desperate to get their hands on the dolls, which are released via unannounced drops, fans around the world have formed snaking queues outside Pop Mart stores.

To curb queues, the company has had to halt physical Labubu sales in some countries, such as the UK and South Korea. The doll has become so popular that its bootleg cousin, Lafufu, enjoyed its own cultural moment.

• Cracker Barrel's new logo swaps the overall-wearing man for simple text. It caused a social media uproar.
• The restaurant chain has faced other controversies in its 56-year history.
• Read the full history of Cracker Barrel, from its origins as a roadside stop to its post-COVID slump.

For decades, Cracker Barrel's logo included an overall-clad man with his arm on one of the namesake barrels. This year, the restaurant chain decided to change it.

Following the change, social media users revolted, and the company's stock price dropped.

It's not the company's first controversy. Founded decades ago as a roadside stop for sit-down meals, the restaurant and general store chain has endured protests, discrimination lawsuits, and trademark infringement claims.

Here is Cracker Barrel's history, from its gas station origins to its post-COVID relevance crisis and recent rebrand.

Dan Evins founded Cracker Barrel as a roadside stop in 1969.

Dan Evins' family was in the gasoline business. The American highway system was still young, meaning food on the road was difficult to come by.

"What Evins had in mind was the kind of place he'd been to hundreds of times as a boy," the company's site reads. "Evins figured maybe folks traveling on the big, new interstate system might appreciate a clean, comfortable, relaxed place to stop in for a good meal and some shopping."

Evins opened the first Cracker Barrel location in 1969 on Highway 109 in Lebanon, TN.

The name "Cracker Barrel" dates back to the country stores that Evins modeled his restaurant chain after. These stores would receive large shipments of soda crackers stored in barrels to prevent cracking. After the barrels were emptied, customers would use them as makeshift tables for checkers.

These barrels became symbols of camaraderie — and the brand's namesake.

Country stores have always been an inspiration for Cracker Barrel restaurants.

When Evins opened his first restaurant, he invited local antique store owners Don and Kathleen Singleton to curate the chain's general stores. The couple eventually joined as full-time designers.

In 1979, Kathleen retired after an illness, and her son Larry began to learn the trade from his father. Larry began stocking the brand's 19 locations, visiting flea markets and auctions across the country.

For 39 years, Larry served as Cracker Barrel's chief picker. He retired in 2019.

Cracker Barrels stopped carrying gas after the 1970s OPEC oil embargo.

After the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) instituted a total ban on exporting oil to countries that had supported Israel. Gasoline in the United States became scarce, and prices skyrocketed.

Thanks to his family's business, Evins' first handful of Cracker Barrels had gasoline pumps on-site. After the OPEC embargo, Evins' new restaurants stopped carrying gasoline.

By 1977, Evins had built 13 Cracker Barrels from Tennessee to Georgia.

In 1981, Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores went public on the stock market.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores went public in November 1981 as part of a plan to expand beyond the American Southeast. On the day of its public offering, CRBL offered slightly over 600,000 shares at $10.00 per share.

Within five years, the company had doubled its store count to 47 and hit net annual sales of $81 million. By 1992, the company was valued at $1 billion.

Cracker Barrel said it would stop employing those without "normal heterosexual values" in 1991, sparking protests.

On February 21, 1991, Cracker Barrel's vice president of human resources William A. Bridges sent out a message: They would stop employing individuals "whose sexual preferences fail to demonstrate normal heterosexual values which have been the foundation of families in our society."

Multiple workers were fired in this period, before Cracker Barrel walked back the policy, saying that it would "continue to employ those folks who will provide the quality service our customers have come to expect from us."

Activists said that the statement was not a retraction of the policy, and that Cracker Barrel had not rehired fired employees. The Los Angeles Times reported that Evins was also quoted in a Tennessee newspaper saying that Cracker Barrel would not hire homosexuals in rural communities.

Gay and lesbian activists protested and picketed Cracker Barrel. They also bought up stock, trying to financially pressure the restaurant chain.

In 2002, Cracker Barrel changed its nondiscrimination policy to include sexual orientation.

Cracker Barrel tested a stand-alone gift shop before refocusing in the late 1990s.

In the mid-1990s, Cracker Barrel tried to move off the roadside and into the suburbs. It launched Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Corner Market, a chain of gift shops without attached restaurants. Cracker Barrel also briefly expressed an interest in building hotels.

By 1997, the stores were shut down, and Cracker Barrel refocused on its dining and hospitality business. "At Cracker Barrel, we're serving country food, country music, and we've got an old country store," Ron Magruder, then-president of Cracker Barrel, told the Orlando Sentinel.

By 2000, there were 423 Cracker Barrel locations.

Kraft sued Cracker Barrel in 2013 for trademark infringement

In November 2012, Cracker Barrel signed a licensing agreement with John Morrell Food Group to sell branded products in grocery stores. But Kraft already had a line of unaffiliated Cracker Barrel cheese products. The company sued Cracker Barrel for trademark infringement.

In 2013, Cracker Barrel agreed to sell its products under a different name: CB Old Country Store.

Employees and customers sued Cracker Barrel over racial discrimination in 1999 and 2001.

In 1999, thirteen current and former Cracker Barrel employees sued the company for racial discrimination. They later petitioned to turn the case into a class action suit, which was denied.

In 2001, 21 Black customers sued Cracker Barrel, accusing the company of widespread racism, from denying service to segregating their smoking section. Cracker Barrel's then-president Donald Turner said that the accusations were false. "We believe in good service -- and good service is colorblind," he said.

Both lawsuits were settled by Cracker Barrel in 2004.

That same year, the Justice Department sued Cracker Barrel for discriminating against Black customers. The company settled, signing a five-year agreement to implement nondiscrimination policies, create new training programs, and retain an outside investigator to ensure compliance.

Cracker Barrel struggled coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cracker Barrel made multiple attempts to court customers back after the COVID-19 pandemic, including adding alcohol to the menu. The company also bolstered its takeout and catering business.

But some customers weren't coming back. Between 2020 and 2024, Cracker Barrel lost 16% of its diners. "We're just not as relevant as we once were," CEO Julie Masino said on an investor call.

In 2024, Business Insider spoke with longtime patrons of the restaurant. They said food quality had declined.

Cracker Barrel launched a controversial new logo in 2025.

On Tuesday, Cracker Barrel debuted a new logo as part of its fall marketing plan.

The logo drew criticism from social media users. "I'm all for minimalism, but this is too much," one user said. On X, Donald Trump Jr posted, "WTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel?"

Shares of Cracker Barrel were trading down 12% on Thursday afternoon.

• The latest ad from the Gap featuring girl group Katseye has been a viral hit.
• Gap has been doing ensemble dance videos, sometimes with celebs, for nearly 30 years.
• Like a cozy Gap tee, it was safe and just worked.

This week, Gap released a new ad for its denim line featuring girl group Katseye dancing to Kelis's "Milkshake." The ad is undeniably fun to watch (and rewatch) and has gone viral online with an outpouring of positive responses. There's a lesson here: playing it safe and sticking to a formula that works — while adding a trendy twist — pays off.

Gap's competitors, American Eagle and Lucky Brand, also recently released celebrity-endorsed ads — but with Sydney Sweeney (to some, ahem, controversy) and Addison Rae, respectively. My colleague Jordan Hart reports that the social media engagement on Gap's Katseye ad was far ahead of its peers, and it was clearly winning the back-to-school jeans war.

The Gap has been creating visually and thematically distinctive ads — models, sometimes celebs, singing or dancing against a monochromatic backdrop since the late '90s. It's a template that's distinctive and has worked — and the latest Katseye ad is hitting a particular sweet spot of throwback and zeitgeist.

Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we?

1998: Swing khakis. If you weren't around to remember this, just trust me: this ad of people dancing in tan pants to "Jump, Jive, an' Wail" was huge. It hit on a weird microtrend moment of a swing dancing revival in the late '90s, and there's even some new-at-the-time "Matrix"-style camera effects! This turned out to be one of the most iconic TV ads of the decade — and Gap was very happy to iterate on it.

1999: Mellow Yellow cords. This time, instead of dancers, the ad features bored-looking models (look out for a young Rashida Jones) singing the 1966 Donovan song "Mellow Yellow".

2001: Daft Punk and Juliette Lewis. Celebrities start getting into the mix now. At the time, neither Juliette Lewis nor Daft Punk were huge superstars, but both had some cool credibility that made the ad work — it made Gap jeans seem cool. (This is maybe a personal favorite? A friend recently revealed he could do the entire Juliette Lewis dance from memory, which is a great party trick).

2002: "Love Train" holiday stripes. The striped skinny scarf era gives me hives to look at (both thinking about and remembering the itchiness). At this point, the ads were comfortable and predictable, like a Gap sweater.

2003: Into the Hollywood Groove. Madonna and Missy Elliott performed in an ad where Madonna sang a mashup of "Into the Groove" and "Hollywood." For me, this doesn't quite land — it's hard to believe either Madonna or Missy Elliott, both known for their distinctive personal style, wear clothes from the Gap.

2004: Sarah Jessica Parker and Lenny Kravitz. This came out just a few months after "Sex and the City" ended, and Sarah Jessica Parker was a huge star with a ton of fashion credibility (she somehow makes a fedora work here).

This goes on and on. In the last few years, there have been ads with Tyla and Troye Sivan, and this spring, with Parker Posey — right at the peak of her "White Lotus" fame.

And yes, there were some years when the Gap was a little lost in the wilderness — particularly in the early aughts — and probably wanted to move away from these ads to feel fresh (let's never mention the disastrous logo rebrand).

The rise of fast fashion put the screws to it, and in the last decade, it's gone through some corporate reshuffling.

There's always been a slightly evolving question of what the Gap is, and who it is for. Is it plain basics for everyone? Boring soccer mom clothes? Trendier items to appeal to younger shoppers? More designer-y stuff for a sophisticated crowd?

For now, it seems the Gap is experiencing a moment in the sun. It has a new CEO, former Mattel executive Richard Dickson, who started in 2023 and brought on designer Zac Posen as creative director. Its sales for the first quarter of 2025 were up, although it predicted flat growth for the spring and summer, citing tariffs. But overall, things are looking pretty good for the Gap.

The Katseye ad hits just at the right moment. The group, which formed on a competition show from K-pop label Hybe, is incredibly popular right now. They're also capital-F fashion — they recently starred in ads for Fendi. They're good dancers, and they make the baggy jeans and denim miniskirts look cool and hip. Using the 2002 song "Milkshake" instead of one of Katseye's own songs makes sense when you look at the legacy of throwback songs like "Mellow Yellow" in Gap ads. Plus, everyone loves "Milkshake."

The ad isn't risking anything new; it's sticking to a formula that it knows works. The little extra flair it's adding is the choice of celebrities in the zeitgeist, and making it fun to watch and rewatch. This isn't too far from what makes the Gap's clothing appealing: it's safe, familiar, reliable — you know exactly when you walk into a Gap store, you get a striped tee or a pair of jeans — but with a faint whisp of trendiness that makes it work.

• Volodymyr Zelenskyy wore an all-black suit to the White House, a shift from his usual style.
• Image consultants say it was a calculated and strategic choice, giving him credibility and gravitas.
• They explained how to dress for high-stakes meetings, from wearing neutrals to investing in quality pieces.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a departure from his usual military garb, suited up for his meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday.

Since the start of the Russian invasion, Zelenskyy switched out formal suits for military outfits, including cargo pants and crew-neck T-shirts. He previously said he would wear these clothes until the war ended.

The Ukrainian president's last outfit at a White House meeting — a long-sleeved black shirt with a mandarin collar in February — wasn't well received by some Republicans.

But on Monday, he arrived at the White House in an all-black suit — no tie — for his meeting with Trump and European leaders.

Trump was quick to comment on the new look. When a right-wing journalist who previously criticized Zelenskyy told the leader that he looked "fabulous" in the suit, Trump added, "I said the same thing."

Whether in politics or the corporate world, showing up in the right outfit can make or break how a message is received.

Fashion and image consultants told Business Insider that Zelenskyy's choice to suit up underscored that when the stakes are high, dressing formally can earn credibility and keep the focus where it belongs.

The black suit was a calculated choice

Zoë Hennessey, a Los Angeles-based fashion stylist, said Zelenskyy's upgraded look headed off criticism that might have overshadowed the purpose of his visit.

"Trump and his aides clearly noticed the change, since they commented on it, and I imagine it helped Zelenskyy gain some favor," she said.

"Sometimes you have to give people what they expect, even if it feels like a compromise," Hennessey said.

Ann Vodicka, a Sydney-based image consultant, said that a suit broadcasts power. And black communicates strength, sophistication, and seriousness.

"Zelenskyy's attire reinforced his message: He is to be taken seriously, and the meeting's importance cannot be overstated," Vodicka added.

However, Anna Avuziak, a Singapore-based stylist, said Zelenskyy's refusal to wear a tie was significant.

"The absence of a classic cut and a tie added another layer: 'Yet I still remain who I am — the president of a country in the middle of a full-scale war,'" Avuziak said.

Dress to impress, not to stand out

Hennessy said standing out and showing personality make sense in industries like fashion, entertainment, and the arts. However, most corporate environments still favor understated dressing, she said.

"You can still look interesting and show a point of view, but it is usually better to stick to traditional dress conventions."

Vodicka said workers have to balance blending in and standing out.

"Dressing to blend in too much can make you appear forgettable, while dressing to stand out too much risks being seen as unprofessional or distracting," she said.

She said a sweet spot is to express individuality through subtle details like a modern cut, a well-chosen accessory, or a color that suits you.

What to wear for important meetings

Vodicka said that in high-stakes meetings or interviews, how you dress has a powerful impact on how you feel and are perceived.

She recommends trying to "match or slightly elevate the dress code."

"Being underdressed can leave you feeling self-conscious and can distract others from your message," Vodicka said.

She also advised prioritizing quality over quantity by investing in fewer high-quality pieces instead of many ill-fitting ones.

Avuziak said that polished fabrics like fine wool and poplin cotton can elevate the outfit, instead of denim, knitwear, and cheap polyester.

Avoiding a baggy fit will also help an outfit look better, Avuziak said. That means going for structured bags over shapeless totes, blazers over cardigans, and pointed-toe kitten heels over ballet flats.

Still, comfort is key if you want to look and feel your best and not get distracted, she added.

"So if your skirt or trousers look chic but the fabric is itchy or the cut is too snug, let them go," Avuziak said.

Hennessy said dressing to impress was simple. Wear clothes that fit properly — nothing too tight or skimpy. The outfit should also be spotless and well-pressed, she said.

She recommended wearing neutrals, which look polished and professional.

"I would avoid dramatic prints and bright colors. It may feel a bit boring, but in certain situations, playing it safe often works best," she said.

• "Love Island" drew large crowds at Tom's Watch Bar, co-CEO Brooks Schaden told Business Insider.
• The sports bar hosted streaming events for the reality show, sending sales spiking nearly 900%.
• Now the bar is looking for its next unconventional group of fans to host watch parties for.

A bombshell just entered Tom's Watch Bar: The reality show "Love Island" spiked major sales this summer.

Despite being known as a haven for sports fans, events centered on the reality television series — known for drama-filled dating antics in the "Love Island" villa — were among the most popular events hosted this summer.

Tom's Watch Bar is a chain of 16 screen-filled restobars that cater primarily to sports fans, cofounded by industry icon and food scientist Tom Ryan and former Quiznos CEO Rick Schaden.

Last November, Ryan and Schaden named Brooks Schaden, Rick's cousin, and Shannon McNiel co-CEOs to succeed them in leading the company. And the new leadership may have found new soul ties with its latest promotion geared at reality TV lovers.

The very first "Love Island" event, held on a steamy Monday evening earlier this summer in Sacramento, drove a nearly 900% rise in sales during the otherwise slow sports season, with hundreds of people lined up to watch, Schaden told Business Insider.

"Normally we'll do a couple thousand dollars in sales — there's just not much going on in the summer at that property," Schaden said. But with its flagship "Love Island" watch party, he added that the store made $30,000 in sales in a single night. "So it was a massive, massive increase."

Normally, big-ticket events at Tom's Watch Bar are football and baseball games, soccer matches, and UFC fights. But fans can be fickle and hard to predict, so the chain is susceptible to big fluctuations in foot traffic. Schaden said that during opening baseball week for the Rockies, the Denver location made $2,000 on Wednesday and $220,000 that Friday.

Being prepared for wild swings in customer demand turned out to be a superpower when the "Love Island" events started, Schaden said. Tom's Watch Bar was able to roll out regular watch parties for the show, which airs new episodes multiple times a week, at all of its locations for the rest of the summer.

Schaden said the dating show's watch parties, featuring commercial-break entertainment by local DJs and influencers, were consistently attended more than most other summer events. Cast member Kenzo Nudo attended the Vegas location for the dating show's season finale, as did family members of cast member Chris Seeley in Los Angeles.

On "Love Island" nights, the chain's lavender lemon drop martinis surged to become its No. 1 selling item — rather than the typical beer and wings usually topping the sales charts.

"That week leading up to the finale, we've got pictures and videos of our places just packed with 'Love Island' fans and cheering and crying," Schaden told Business Insider.

He added: "It was quite a shock to us, but I think our biggest takeaway was, it's the same way people are with sports: people want to connect with other enthusiasts of whatever it might be, and we want to provide a place for them all to get together and cheer and laugh and cry and whatever else might go along with it."

Banking on the success of the "Love Island" parties, Schaden said Tom's Watch Bar is now looking to engage with other groups of enthusiasts at their own watch party events. Think slap fighting, dog surfing, or other reality TV smash hits.

Perhaps "90 Day Fiance" fans will soon rejoice.

• Companies such as Peloton, Intel, Meta, Microsoft, BlackRock, and UPS have trimmed staff this year.
• In some cases, artificial intelligence is reshaping workforces.
• See the list of companies letting workers go in 2025.

The list of companies laying off employees this year is growing.

Layoffs and other workforce reductions have continued in 2025, following two years of significant job cuts in tech, media, finance, manufacturing, retail, and energy.

While the reasons for slimming staff vary, the cost-cutting measures are coming amid technological change. A World Economic Forum survey found that some 41% of companies worldwide expect to reduce their workforces over the next five years because of the rise of artificial intelligence.

Companies such as Oracle, CNN, Dropbox, and Block have previously announced job cuts related to AI. Though Amazon has not announced job cuts this year, CEO Andy Jassy told employees in June that the company will need "fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today" in the coming years as it expands its use of generative AI and agents.

Meanwhile, tech jobs in big data, fintech, and AI are expected to double by 2030, according to the WEF.

Here are the companies with job cuts planned or already underway in 2025 so far, in alphabetical order.

Adidas plans to cut up to 500 jobs in Germany.

Adidas said in January that it would reduce the size of its workforce at its headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, affecting up to 500 jobs, CNBC reported.

If fully executed, it amounts to a reduction of nearly 9% at the company headquarters, which employs about 5,800 employees, according to the Adidas website.

The news came shortly after the company announced it had outperformed its profit expectations at the end of 2024, touting "better-than-expected" results in the fourth quarter.

An Adidas spokesperson said the company had grown "too complex because of our current operating model."

"To set adidas up for long-term success, we are now starting to look at how we align our operating model with the reality of how we work. This may have an impact on the organizational structure and number of roles based at our HQ in Herzogenaurach."

The company said it is not a cost-cutting measure and could not confirm concrete numbers.

Ally is cutting less than 5% of workers.

The digital-financial-services company Ally is laying off roughly 500 of its 11,000 employees, a spokesperson confirmed to BI.

"As we continue to right-size our company, we made the difficult decision to selectively reduce our workforce in some areas, while continuing to hire in our other areas of our business," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also said the company was offering severance, outplacement support, and the opportunity to apply for openings at Ally.

Ally made a similar level of cuts in October 2023, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Automattic, Tumblr's parent, cuts 16% of staff

Automattic, the parent company of Tumblr and WordPress, said in April it is cutting 16% of its staff globally. The company's website said it has nearly 1,500 employees.

Automattic's CEO, Matt Mullenweg, said in a note to employees posted online that the company has reached an "important crossroads."

"While our revenue continues to grow, Automattic operates in a highly competitive market, and technology is evolving at unprecedented levels," the note read.

The company is restructuring to improve its "productivity, profitability, and capacity to invest," it added.

The company said it was offering severance and job placement resources to affected employees.

BlackRock is cutting 1% of its workforce.

BlackRock told employees it was planning to cut about 200 people of its 21,000-strong workforce, Bloomberg reported in January.

The reductions were more than offset by some 3,750 workers who were added last year and another 2,000 expected to be added in 2025.

BlackRock's president, Rob Kapito, and its chief operating officer, Rob Goldstein, said the cuts would help realign the firm's resources with its strategy, Bloomberg reported.

Block to lay off nearly 1,000 workers

Jack Dorsey's fintech company, Block, is laying off nearly 1,000 employees, according to TechCrunch and The Guardian, in its second major workforce reduction in just over a year.

The company, which operates Square, Afterpay, CashApp, and Tidal, is transitioning nearly 200 managers into non-management roles and closing almost 800 open positions, according to an email obtained by TechCrunch.

Dorsey, who co-founded Block in 2009 after previously leading Twitter, announced the layoffs in March in an internal email titled "smaller block."

The restructuring is part of a broader effort to streamline operations, though Block maintains the changes are not driven by financial targets or AI replacements.

Bloomberg is making cuts in an overhaul of its newsroom

Bloomberg is cutting some editorial staff as the company reorganizes its newsroom, according to a memo viewed by BI. The larger strategy aims to have a larger headcount by the end of this year, however.

The newsroom currently employs around 2,700 people, and the changes will merge some smaller teams into larger units, the memo said.

Blue Origin is laying off one-tenth of its workforce

Jeff Bezos's rocket company, Blue Origin, is laying off about 10% of its workforce, a move that could affect more than 1,000 employees.

In a memo sent to staff in February and obtained by Business Insider, David Limp, the CEO of Blue Origin, said the company's priority going forward was "to scale our manufacturing output and launch cadence with speed, decisiveness and efficiency for our customers."

Limp specifically identified roles in engineering, research and development, and management as targets.

"We grew and hired incredibly fast in the last few years, and with that growth came more bureaucracy and less focus than we needed," Limp wrote. "It also became clear that the makeup of our organization must change to ensure our roles are best aligned with executing these priorities."

The news comes after January's debut launch of the company's partially reusable rocket — New Glenn.

Boeing cut 400 roles from its moon rocket program

Boeing announced on February 8 that it plans to cut 400 roles from its moon rocket program amid delays and rising costs related to NASA's Artemis moon exploration missions.

Artemis 2, a crewed flight to orbit the moon on Boeing's space launch system, has been rescheduled from late 2024 to September 2025. Artemis 3, intended to be the first astronaut moon landing in the program, was delayed from late 2025 and is now planned for September 2026.

"To align with revisions to the Artemis program and cost expectations, we informed our Space Launch Systems team of the potential for approximately 400 fewer positions by April 2025," a Boeing spokesperson told Business Insider. "We are working with our customer and seeking opportunities to redeploy employees across our company to minimize job losses and retain our talented teammates."

The company will issue 60-day notices of involuntary layoff to impacted employees "in coming weeks," the spokesperson said.

Boeing cut 10% of its workforce last year.

BP slashed 7,700 staff and contractor positions worldwide

BP told Business Insider in January that it planned to cut 4,700 staff and 3,000 contractors, amounting to about 5% of its global workforce.

The cuts were part of a program to "simplify and focus" BP that began last year.

"We are strengthening our competitiveness and building in resilience as we lower our costs, drive performance improvement and play to our distinctive capabilities," the company said.

Bridgewater cut about 90 staff

Bridgewater Associates cut 7% of its staff in January in an effort to stay lean, a person familiar with the matter told Business Insider.

The layoffs at the world's largest hedge fund bring its head count back to where it was in 2023, the person said.

The company's founder, Ray Dalio, said in a 2019 interview that about 30% of new employees were leaving the firm within 18 months.

Bumble said it intends to cut 30% of its workforce.

In a June 23 securities filing, Bumble said it plans to slash 240 roles, about 30% of its workforce. The dating app company said the cuts will result in charges between $13 million and $18 million in its third and fourth quarters.

"We recently made some difficult decisions to adjust our team structure in order to align with our strategic priorities," a Bumble spokesperson said.

They told BI that the decision to lay off over 200 employees wasn't "made lightly."

Burberry says it plans on cutting 1,700 jobs

Burberry announced 1,700 job cuts in May, or about 18% of its global workforce, as part of plans to cut costs by about £100 million ($130 million) by 2027.

It plans to end night shifts at its Yorkshire raincoat factory due to production over-capacity.

The British company sunk to an operating loss of £3 million for the year to the end of March, compared with a £418 million profit for the previous 12 months.

Chevron is slashing up to 20% of its global head count

Oil giant Chevron plans to cull 15% to 20% of its global workforce by the end of 2026, the company said in a statement to Business Insider in February.

Chevron employed 45,600 people as of December 2023, which means the layoff could cut 9,000 jobs.

The move aims to reduce costs and simplify the company's business as it completes its acquisition of oil producer Hess, which is held up in legal limbo. It is expected to save the company $2 billion to $3 billion by the end of 2026, the company said.

"Chevron is taking action to simplify our organizational structure, execute faster and more effectively, and position the company for stronger long-term competitiveness," a Chevron spokesperson said in a statement.

The cuts follow a series of layoffs at other oil and gas companies, including BP and natural gas producer EQT.

CNN plans to cut 200 jobs

Cable news giant CNN cut about 200 television-focused roles as part of a digital pivot. The cuts amounted to about 6% of the company's workforce.

In a memo sent to staff on January 23, CNN's CEO Mark Thompson said he aimed to "shift CNN's gravity towards the platforms and products where the audience themselves are shifting and, by doing that, to secure CNN's future as one of the world's greatest news organizations."

Coty is cutting about 700 jobs

Coty, which sells cosmetics and fragrances under brands such as Kylie Cosmetics, Calvin Klein, and Burberry, is cutting about 700 jobs.

The company said on April 24 it aimed to cut costs by $130 million a year. Sue Nabi, the CEO, said it aimed to build a "stronger, more resilient Coty that is well-positioned for sustainable growth."

CrowdStrike is cutting about 500 jobs

CrowdStrike, the Texas-headquartered cybersecurity firm, is cutting about 500 jobs, or 5% of its global workforce, as part of a strategic plan to "yield greater efficiencies."

It expects the layoffs to cost between $36 million and $53 million.

CrowdStrike is aiming to generate $10 billion in annual recurring revenue.

The company reported worse-than-expected annual results in March, signaling that it was yet to fully recover from a widespread tech outage linked to CrowdStrike in July 2024.

Disney says it's laying off several hundred employees

Disney confirmed to BI on June 2 that it was laying off several hundred employees globally.

Most of the cuts were to roles in marketing for films and TV under the Disney Entertainment division. Other roles affected included employees in publicity, casting, and development, as well as corporate finance.

In March, the company also cut around 200 people from its ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks. In 2024, the company also had several rounds of layoffs.

Shortly after Bob Iger returned to the company as CEO in 2022, he said 7,000 jobs at Disney would be cut as part of a reorganization.

Estée Lauder will cut as many as 7,000 jobs

Cosmetics giant Estée Lauder said in its second-quarter earnings release on February 4 that it will cut between 5,800 and 7,000 jobs as the company restructures over the next two years.

The cuts will focus on "rightsizing" certain teams, and it will look to outsource certain services. The company says it expects annual gross benefits of between $0.8 billion and $1.0 billion before tax.

Geico has axed tens of thousands of workers

Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chair of Insurance Operations Ajit Jain says Geico has reduced its workforce from about 50,000 to about 20,000. Jain revealed the reductions during Berkshire Hathaway's annual meeting on May 3 but did not detail over what time frame they took place. Berkshire Hathaway is one of Geico's parent companies.

Warren Buffett's company reported its 2025 first-quarter earnings on during the May 3 meeting, saying Geico earned nearly $2.2 billion in pre-tax underwriting.

GrubHub announced 500 job cuts

Grubhub CEO Howard Migdal announced 500 job cuts on February 28 after selling the company to Wonder Group for $650 million.

With more than 2,200 full time employees, the number of cuts will affect more than 20% of Grubhub's previous workforce.

According to Reuters, Just Eat Takeaway, an Amsterdam-listed company, sold Grubhub at a steep loss compared to the billions it paid a few years prior after grappling with slowing growth and high taxes.

HPE is laying off 2,500 employees

Hewlett Packard Enterprise is cutting 2,500 jobs, or 5% of its employee base, CEO Antonio Neri said on an earnings call on March 6. The cuts are expected take to take place over the next 12 to 18 months.

"Doing so will better align our cost structure to our business mix and long-term strategy," Neri said. The company expects to save $350 million by 2027 because of the reduction.

HPE plummeted about 20% after hours on March 6 after it said business would be affected by recent tariffs, slow server and cloud sales, and "execution issues."

Intel to cut at least 15% of its factory workers

Chipmaker Intel is laying off more than 5,000 employees across four US states, according to a July 16 government filing.

Most of the cuts are happening in California and Oregon, while others are in Texas and Arizona, per updated Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, or WARN, filings.

Intel began laying off employees in July as part of planned job cuts, the company said in a regulatory filing.

The company told staff on June 14 to expect 15% to 20% of employees in its Foundry division to be laid off this summer, according to a memo reported by The Oregonian. Intel confirmed the authenticity of the memo to BI but declined to comment on its contents.

As of December 2024, Intel employed about 108,900 people. In its annual report, the company told investors that it would reduce its "core Intel workforce" by about 15% in early 2025.

"Removing organizational complexity and empowering our engineers will enable us to better serve the needs of our customers and strengthen our execution," an Intel spokesperson told BI.

Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University will cut over 2,000 jobs after losing $800 million in funding from USAID.

"This is a difficult day for our entire community," a spokesperson told BI. "The termination of more than $800 million in USAID funding is now forcing us to wind down critical work here in Baltimore and internationally."

The news comes after the Trump administration slashed USAID personnel down from over 10,000 to around 300. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently confirmed that 83% of the agency's programs are now dead.

"We can confirm that the elimination of foreign aid funding has led to the loss of 1,975 positions in 44 countries internationally and 247 in the United States in the affected programs," the Johns Hopkins spokesperson said. "An additional 29 international and 78 domestic employees will be furloughed with a reduced schedule."

The layoffs at Johns Hopkins represent the "largest" in the university's history, CNN reported. They'll primarily affect the schools of medicine and public health, along with the Center for Communication Programs and Jhpiego, a nonprofit with a focus on preventing diseases and bolstering women's health, according to the report.

Kohl's is reducing about 10% of its roles

Department store Kohl's announced on January 28 that it reduced about 10% of its corporate roles to "increase efficiencies" and "improve profitability for the long-term health and benefit of the business," a spokesperson told BI.

"Kohl's reduced approximately 10 percent of the roles that report into its corporate offices," the spokesperson said. "More than half of the total reduction will come from closing open positions while the remainder of the positions were currently held by our associates."

Less than 200 existing employees of the company would be impacted, she added.

This follows the company's announcement on January 9 that it would shutter 27 underperforming stores across 15 states by April.

The retailer has been struggling with declining sales, reporting an 8.8% decline in net sales in the third quarter of 2024.

Its previous CEO, Tom Kingsbury, stepped down on January 15. The company's board appointed Ashley Buchanan, a retail veteran who had held top jobs in The Michaels Companies, Macy's, and Walmart, as the new CEO.

Meta is cutting 5% of its workforce

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told staff he "decided to raise the bar on performance management" and will act quickly to "move out low-performers," according to an internal memo seen by BI in January.

Those cuts started in February, according to records obtained by BI. Teams overseeing Facebook, the Horizon virtual reality platform, as well as logistics were among the hardest hit.

In April, Meta also laid off an undisclosed number of employees on the Reality Labs virtual reality division.

Previously, the company had laid off more than 21,000 workers since 2022.

Microchip Technology is slashing 2,000 jobs

Microchip Technology is cutting its head count across the company by around 2,000 employees, the semiconductor company said on March 3.

The company estimated that it would incur between $30 million and $40 million in costs, including severance, severance benefits, and other restructuring costs.

The cuts would be communicated to employees in the March quarter and fully implemented by the end of the June quarter.

Last year, Microchip announced it was closing its Tempe, Arizona, facility because of slower-than-anticipated orders. The closure begins in May 2025 and is expected to affect 500 jobs.

Microchip's stock had fallen over 33% in the past year.

Microsoft has made several rounds of cuts this year

Microsoft cut an unspecified number of jobs in January based on employees' performance.

Workers were told that they wouldn't receive severance and that their benefits, such as medical insurance, would stop immediately, BI reported.

The company also laid off some employees in January at divisions including gaming and sales. A Microsoft spokesperson declined to say how many jobs were cut on the affected teams.

In May, the company announced layoffs affecting about 6,000 workers.

Another round of layoffs in July will affect less than 4% of its total workforce, or roughly 9,000 employees, based on its head count of around 220,000.

Morgan Stanley plans cuts for the end of March

Morgan Stanley is set to initiate a round of layoffs beginning at the end of March. The firm is eyeing cuts to about 2% to 3% of its global workforce, which would equate to between 1,600 to 2,400 jobs, according to a person familiar with the matter who confirmed the reductions to BI.

The firm's cuts are driven by several imperatives, the person said, pointing to considerations like operational efficiency, evolving business priorities, and individual employees' performance. The person said the cuts are not related to broader market conditions, such as the recent slowdown in mergers and acquisitions that's arrested momentum on Wall Street.

Some MS staffers will be excluded from the cuts, however — namely, the bank's battalion of financial advisors — though some who assist them, such as administrative personnel in its wealth-management unit, could be affected by the layoffs, the person added.

Nextdoor is slashing 12% of its staff

Neighborhood social networking company Nextdoor is cutting 12% of its staff, or 67 jobs, it said on August 7 in its second-quarter earnings report. The move is part of CEO Nirav Tolia's plan to achieve profitability and reorganize the struggling company.

The layoffs are expected to reduce operating expenses by about $30 million, it said in the earnings report.

The company reported a net loss of $15 million, compared to $43 million year-over-year.

Nissan says it will cut 20,000 jobs by 2027

Japanese car giant Nissan is cutting 20,000 jobs by 2027 and reducing the number of factories it operates from 17 to 10 as it struggles with a dire financial situation.

The job losses include the 9,000 layoffs announced late last year, and come as the automaker faces headwinds from US tariffs on imported vehicles and collapsing sales in China.

Nissan reported a net loss of 671 billion yen ($4.5 billion) for the 2024 financial year, and said it would not issue an operating profit forecast for 2025 because of tariff uncertainty.

Oracle is reportedly cutting jobs from its cloud division.

Oracle is cutting jobs in its cloud unit, Bloomberg reported. The cuts come as the company works to curb costs amid spending on AI infrastructure.

Sources familiar with the cuts told Bloomberg that some of the cuts were related to performance issues.

Oracle did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Panasonic is cutting 10,000 jobs

Panasonic, the Japanese-headquartered multinational electronics manufacturer, plans to cut 10,000 jobs this financial year, which ends in March 2026. The cuts will affect 5,000 roles in Japan and 5,000 overseas.

In a statement on May 9, the company said it planned to "thoroughly review operational efficiency … mainly in sales and indirect departments, and reevaluate the numbers of organisations and personnel actually needed."

"Through these measures, the company will optimize our personnel on a global scale," the statement added.

Paramount is cutting 3.5% of its US workforce

Paramount told employees it would be laying off 3.5% of US-based staff based in the US, per a memo reported by CNBC on June 10, citing industry-wide declines and a challenging macroeconomic environment.

The move comes after the media company cut 15% of jobs last year to cut costs. Paramount had 18,600 employees at the end of 2024.

It is awaiting regulatory approval of its merger with Skydance Media.

Peloton is looking for $100 million in run-rate savings by next year

Peloton said in its August earnings report that it would cut its global headcount as part of an effort to find $100 million in run-rate cost savings by the end of the next fiscal year.

"As of today, we will have actioned about roughly half of the run rate savings through the reductions in our workforce and we expect to achieve the remainder throughout the balance of the year," CFO Elizabeth Coddington told investors on the earnings call.

The company employed about 2,900 people last year, and approximately 6% of the workforce will be affected by the reductions, Reuters reported.

Porsche is cutting 3,900 jobs over the next few years

Porsche said on March 12 that it plans to cut 3,900 jobs in the coming years.

About 2,000 of the reductions will come with the expiration of fixed-term contractor positions, the German automaker said. The company will make the other 1,900 reductions by 2029 through natural attrition and limiting hiring, it said.

Porsche said it also plans to discuss more potential changes with labor leaders in the second half of the year. "This will also make Porsche even more efficient in the medium and long term," the company said.

PwC is laying off approximately 2% of its US workforce

The Big Four accounting firm said it's cutting roughly 1,500 jobs in the US because its low attrition rates mean not enough people are leaving by choice.

PwC's layoffs began on May 5 and mostly affect the firm's audit and tax lines, a person familiar with the matter told Business Insider.

"This was a difficult decision, and we made it with care, thoughtfulness, and a deep awareness of its impact on our people, appreciating that historically low levels of attrition over consecutive years have made it necessary to take this step," a PwC spokesperson said.

Salesforce is cutting more than 1,000 jobs

Bloomberg reported in February that Salesforce, a cloud-based customer management software company, will slash more than 1,000 jobs from its nearly 73,000-strong workforce.

Affected employees will be eligible to apply to open internal roles, the outlet reported. The company is hiring salespeople focused on the company's new AI-powered products.

The cuts come despite Salesforce reporting a strong financial performance during its third-quarter earnings in December.

Salesforce did not respond to a request for comment.

Scale AI is cutting 14% of its workforce

On July 16, Scale AI laid off about 200 full-time employees and 500 contractors, according to the company.

The 200 full-time cuts make up 14% of the data labeling startup's 1,400-person workforce.

The company is restructuring its generative AI group, according to an email from Scale's interim CEO, Jason Droege, obtained by Business Insider.

The cuts follow Meta's $14 billion investment in Scale AI in June as part of a blockbuster deal. The deal included the hiring of Scale's ex-CEO, Alexandr Wang, and the purchase of equity in almost half of the startup.

Sonos cuts about 200 jobs

Sonos, a California-based audio equipment company, said in a February 5 release that it's cutting about 200 roles.

The announcement came nearly a month after Sonos CEO Patrick Spence stepped down following a disastrous app rollout. Interim CEO Tom Conrad said in the statement that the layoffs were part of an effort to create a "simpler organization."

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan announced in February that the company is laying off 15% of its corporate staff, or about 1,750 employees.

He said affected workers will keep their pay, benefits, and bonuses through late April, when the separations will take effect.

The company told investors the cuts would save about $210 million this year and $300 million in 2026.

The move comes as Southwest tries to cut costs amid profitability problems. Jordan said this is the first significant layoff the company has had in its 53-year history.

An activist hedge fund took a stake in Southwest in June and has since helped restructure its board and change its business model to keep up with a changing industry. For example, it plans to end its long-standing open-seating policy to generate more seating revenue.

In recent months, the company has also reduced flight crew positions in Atlanta to cut costs.

Starbucks is laying off 1,100 corporate staff

Starbucks planned to notify 1,100 corporate employees that they had been laid off on February 25.

CEO Brian Niccol said in a memo that the layoffs will make Starbucks "operate more efficiently, increase accountability, reduce complexity and drive better integration."

The layoffs won't affect employees at Starbucks stores, the company said.

Niccol told employees that layoffs were on the way in a separate memo in January. The company is trying to improve results after sales slid last year.

Stripe laid off 300 employees

Payments platform Stripe laid off 300 employees, primarily in product, engineering, and operations, according to a January 20 memo obtained by BI.

Chief people officer Rob McIntosh said in the memo that the company still planned on growing its head count to about 10,000 employees by the end of the year.

UPS is cutting 20,000 jobs

UPS announced on April 29 that it plans to cut 20,000 jobs this year — about 4% of its global workforce — as part of a shift toward automation and a strategic reduction in business with Amazon.

"With our action, we will emerge as an even stronger, more nimble UPS," the company's CEO, Carol Tomé, said in a statement.

The move follows a sharp 16% drop in Amazon package volume in Q4 and is part of a plan to halve its Amazon business by mid-2026. UPS will also close 73 US buildings by June and automate 400 facilities to reduce labor dependency.

The Teamsters union have said they would fight any layoffs affecting its members.

The Washington Post cut 4% of its non-newsroom workforce

The Washington Post eliminated fewer than 100 employees in an effort to cut costs, Reuters reported in January.

A spokesperson told the news agency that the cuts wouldn't affect the newsroom: "The Washington Post is continuing its transformation to meet the needs of the industry, build a more sustainable future and reach audiences where they are."

Wayfair laid off 340 tech employees

Wayfair announced in an SEC filing on March 7 that it would eliminate its Austin Technology Development Center and lay off around 340 tech workers.

The reorg comes as the technology team has accomplished "significant modernization and replatforming milestones," the company said in the filing. Wayfair said it plans to refocus resources and streamline operations to promote its "next phase of growth."

"With the foundation of this transformation now in place, our technology needs have shifted," the company said.

Wayfair expects to take on $33 to $38 million in costs as a result of the reorganization, consisting of severance, cash employee-related costs, benefits, and transitional costs.

Workday cut more than 8% of its workforce

Workday, the human-resources software company, said in February that it is cutting 8.5% of its workforce, or around 1,750 employees. The layoffs came as the company focuses more on artificial intelligence.

In a note to employees, CEO Carl Eschenbach said that Workday will focus on hiring in areas related to artificial intelligence and work to expand its global presence.

"The environment we're operating in today demands a new approach, particularly given our size and scale," Eschenbach wrote. He said that affected employees will get at least 12 weeks of pay.

Is your company conducting layoffs? Got a tip?

Have a tip? Contact Dominick Reuter via email or text/call/Signal at 646.768.4750. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Rodney McMullen has been ordered to disclose reasons for his resignation as Kroger's CEO.
• An Ohio judge made this ruling as part of lawsuit involving the singerJewel and Kroger.
• McMullen forfeited more than $11 million when he mysteriously resigned from his CEO role.

Kroger's ex-CEO mysteriously resigned from the supermarket giant earlier this year — and now, thanks to a nearly two-year-old lawsuit that the singer-songwriter Jewel is behind, he's been ordered to reveal the reason for his exit.

Attorneys for Rodney McMullen have argued in recent court documents that his March resignation has absolutely nothing to do with the "You Were Meant For Me" singer's 2023 contract breach lawsuit against Kroger and questions about it in a deposition are aimed at "annoying and embarrassing" him.

McMullen is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit and his attorneys had sought a protective order in the case playing out in an Ohio court that would bar questioning about the circumstances surrounding his abrupt resignation.

Kroger's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission show that McMullen forfeited $11.2 million in bonus and stock payments when he stepped down from the CEO role he held for more than 10 years.

On August 1, Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Christian Jenkins ruled that McMullen must explain in a written response what led to his exit from Kroger as well as the identities of those involved.

The judge noted in his order that McMullen "argues that this line of questioning is completely irrelevant, is not proportional to the needs of the case, and would be embarrassing to Mr. McMullen," while the plaintiffs argue that McMullen would be a witness in their case and that the questions about his employment history are "routine."

The plaintiffs in the case — Wellness Your Way Festival, LLC, which Jewel is an owner of, and Inclusion Companies, LLC — argue that details around McMullen's resignation could be relevant to his credibility and "the existence of an allegedly corrupt corporate culture at Kroger," Jenkins wrote.

When announcing McMullen's resignation in March, Kroger said McMullen had resigned after an investigation into his "personal conduct." The conduct, the grocery chain said, was "unrelated to the business," but added it was "inconsistent with Kroger's Policy on Business Ethics."

The judge pointed to this announcement in his recent ruling, saying, "Based on this, it is plausible that this evidence could reflect on Mr. McMullen's credibility or Kroger's corporate culture, as alleged by Plaintiff."

"However, without knowing the basis for the alleged embarrassment, it is impossible to weigh it against the relevancy and proportionality," Jenkins wrote.

It remains to be seen whether McMullen's response — which was due August 8 — would become public. The judge said that if he grants McMullen's request for a protective order, his response would be made part of the record under seal. If Jenkins denies the order, it will not be entered into the record.

Jenkins ordered that McMullen's response be hand-delivered to the judge's chambers. It is not clear if McMullen's response had been submitted.

Attorneys for both McMullen and Kroger did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Business Insider on Wednesday.

Brian O'Connor, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, told Business Insider that his clients are "pleased that the court is not giving Mr. McMullen a free pass to avoid testifying just because the former CEO's lawyer says that answering questions would be embarrassing."

"As attorneys, we expect that court orders are obeyed," O'Conner said, adding that he has not been provided with a copy of McMullen's response.

The lawsuit against Kroger involves its annual Wellness Festival

The 2023 lawsuit against Kroger stems from allegations of a breach of partnership agreement between the supermarket chain and Jewel and her business partner, Trevor Drinkwater, the CEO of Inclusion, over Kroger's annual Wellness Festival event in Cincinnati.

The court papers say that Jewel, born Jewel Kilcher, and Drinkwater conceived of the wellness festival and entered into a five-year partnership agreement with Kroger to put it on.

The festivals took place in 2018, 2019 and 2021 with Jewel performing at the events, the court documents say, alleging that Kroger "unilaterally terminated the partnership" on "wholly manufactured and easily disprovable grounds."

The lawsuit says that Kroger went on to produce a "highly profitable" year-four event in 2022 and an even more profitable event in 2023 "using the know-how, marketing materials, contracts, and sponsor lists that Plaintiffs had contributed to the partnership."

The plaintiffs allege in the court papers that they lost more than $2 million in out-of-pocket costs and at least $5 million in profits as a result of Kroger's "corporate bullying mentality that led to its breach of the partnership agreement and theft of the festival."

Kroger has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing in court papers that there was no enforceable contract.

• Eleven Madison Park, a Manhattan restaurant, is adding meat back to its menu after years of being vegan.
• The switch comes amid a widespread protein craze, from MAHA, to the manosphere to Ozempic users.
• Eleven Madison Park's chef said the vegan menu excluded some and caused financial difficulties.

A $365 multi-course meal at a top Manhattan restaurant and the aisles of Costco are, somehow, united in at least one thing: a focus on protein.

Eleven Madison Park, a critically acclaimed restaurant in the city's Flatiron district, is reintroducing meat to its menu after going entirely vegan four and a half years ago. Daniel Humm, the chef and owner, said in a statement on the restaurant's website that the vegan menu had "unintentionally kept people out" and that adding meat options aligns with the goal of ultimate hospitality.

It also aligns with the country at large.

A protein obsession is booming, from cereal to pizza to endlessly complicated workout drinks. The craze is seemingly everywhere in American culture these days: the Make America Healthy Again movement emphasizes grass-fed meat, patients on Ozempic are encouraged to eat high-protein diets, and the podcasters of the manosphere swap tips on the carnivore diet. Gym bros are posting on TikTok about injecting peptides; dairy is back in vogue after years of oat-milk dominance.

Eleven Madison Park became vegan after the pandemic, partly because of environmental concerns, and dealt with internal chaos and allegations of underpaying staff after the switch. Even now, the menu will remain largely plant-based, with diners having the option to add fish or meat to certain dishes. Humm didn't mention any recent health trends as part of the reasoning behind the change, but he nodded to financial incentives, especially when it comes to business clientele, in an interview with the New York Times.

Private events are a crucial form of revenue for the restaurant, and Humm said he'd seen bookings drop off in the past year.

"It's hard to get 30 people for a corporate dinner to come to a plant-based restaurant," he told the Times. Representatives for Eleven Madison Park did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Reservations for the fall open on September 1, according to the restaurant's website, and the new menu hits tables on October 14. By then, it will become clearer whether the promise of getting jacked — or as jacked as you can get on tiny, tasting menu food — is a savvy business move at the highest echelons of the food world.

• Chili's comeback is gaining steam.
• The chain's successful turnaround plan included menu simplification and increased marketing budget.
• Its parent company, Brinker International, is planning additional menu upgrades and changes to some stores.

Chili's is on a hot streak right now — and the CEO of its parent company is taking a victory lap.

The casual dining chain topped revenue and profit estimates for its fiscal fourth quarter when its parent company, Brinker International, reported its earnings on Wednesday.

"Chili's is officially back, baby back," Brinker CEO Kevin Hochman said in a statement.

Chili's comparable restaurant sales grew 24%, besting analysts' expectations of 22%. The sales growth helped propel Brinker's overall revenue to $1.46 billion, which topped expectations of $1.44 billion.

Brinker also signaled a strong coming year, boosting its adjusted earnings per share guidance to $9.90 - $10.50, above analysts' estimates of $9.88.

Wall Street appeared to like the results, with the stock popping over 8% in premarket trading. After the opening bell, the stock jumped over 6% before paring some of those gains. Brinker shares were trading up over 2% as of 1:48 p.m. in New York.

Chili's new ribs are a hit

Three years into Brinker's turnaround plan, Chili's completed its 17th consecutive quarter of positive same-store sales growth.

The chain's ongoing comeback has been driven by its efforts to simplify the menu to focus on core items while upgrading margaritas, ribs, and more, CEO Hochman said during Wednesday's earnings call.

Chili's relaunched its ribs offering in July, and customer response has been positive, the CEO said.

"Customers are raving about the look, the size, and the taste of the ribs," Hochman said. "It's clear we have a winning product with our new ribs, and our intent now is to use them to drive traffic."

Although viral moments on social media helped, like the mozzarella cheese pulls, Hochman said the not-so-secret sauce to Chili's success is its own marketing. The CEO said its marketing budget significantly increased from $32 million in fiscal 2022 to $137 million in fiscal 2025.

Hochman teased some coming changes to Chili's on the call. Diners can expect to taste new bacon, ranch, and queso dip showing up throughout fiscal 2026.

Brinker is also in the early stages of plans to "reimage" four Chili's restaurants in the Dallas area, where the company is headquartered, with plans to use the locations to evaluate potential changes across the chain.

"We are a much different Chili's today than we were three years ago," Hochman said.

• Menards home-improvement stores earned John Menard Jr. his estimated $22.1 billion fortune.
• The Midwest chain is different from other stores, with mail-in rebates and no installation services.
• I visited a Menards in Milwaukee and was surprised by its size and enormous selection.

If you've spent any time in the Midwest, chances are the "Save big money at Menards" jingle is permanently embedded in your brain.

Menards, the home-improvement chain founded by John Menard Jr., is known for its discounted prices, mail-in rebates, and quirky Midwestern charm. The company helped Menard Jr. achieve billionaire status with an estimated net worth of $22.1 billion, according to Forbes, making him the richest person in the state of Wisconsin in 2024.

Last year, Menards earned $13 billion in revenue, Forbes reported, making it the third-largest home-improvement chain in the US behind Home Depot and Lowe's.

During a trip to my hometown in Wisconsin in May 2024, I accompanied my dad, a frequent Menards shopper, on one of his trips to see what has made it such a successful business.

As the founder of home-improvement retailer Menards, John Menard Jr. is one of Wisconsin's richest billionaires.

Menard Jr. is the 99th richest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $21.1 billion as of August, Forbes reported. In 2024, he was named Wisconsin's richest person, a title that has since been taken over by ABC Supply cofounder Diane Hendricks.

After spending a summer constructing pole buildings to put himself through college at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire, Menard Jr. started a construction company in 1958, according to Menards' official website. That led him to the building-materials business, and he opened the first Menards retail location in 1964.

Now with over 300 locations across 15 Midwestern states, the chain sells a wide variety of home-improvement tools and building materials as well as appliances, lighting, furniture, and groceries.

Menard Jr. is a controversial figure known for his frugality and iron-handed management style. A 2007 Milwaukee magazine profile reported that managers are fined $100 for every minute a store opens late, and Forbes reports that even top executives are still required to clock in.

In 1997, Menard Jr. was fined over $1.5 million and pleaded no contest to charges regarding illegal hazardous waste disposal. Prosecutors alleged he used his personal pickup truck to take dangerous chemicals from the business to deposit them in his household trash, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Menards paid another $2 million in 2005 for violating state water-pollution laws in Wisconsin.

His personal conduct has also come under scrutiny with a 2013 lawsuit alleging he pressured the wife of one of his business partners to have sex with him and fired her husband when she refused. Menard Jr. denied any inappropriate conduct, his attorney told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Menard Jr. is also an avid race-car enthusiast, sponsoring Menards race cars at NASCAR and IndyCar events.

I visited a Menards store in Milwaukee for the first time.

The Menards store I visited in Milwaukee's Northridge neighborhood spans a whopping 162,300 square feet, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

In the parking lot, Menards pickup trucks were available to rent to bring home large purchases.

The pickup trucks cost $18.95 for the first 75 minutes, $6 for each additional 15 minutes, and 50 cents for each mile driven, according to the Menards website.

I was surprised to find one-way gates at the entrance to help prevent theft.

Most stores I visit in the Midwest don't have extensive security measures. When I compared shopping at Target in New York City and Wisconsin, I found the New York location featured "secured shelves" and locked cases, while even limited-supply items were kept on open shelves in the Midwest.

Menard Jr. is known to be serious about anti-theft measures. He set a policy that store managers cannot build their own houses to prevent them from stealing supplies, Milwaukee magazine reported.

Walking in, I was immediately shocked by how large the store was.

The aisles seemed to go on forever.

Our first stop was the grocery section, which sold snacks, beverages, and other basics.

Menards didn't have a produce section, but it did have a refrigerated section with gallons of milk and frozen food.

Grocery items at Menards were significantly cheaper than local grocery chains.

For example, a family-size box of Honey Bunches of Oats cost $4.93 at Menards. At Metro Market, a Midwestern grocery chain, the same box cost $6.29. I see why my dad swears by it.

I came across some unique products I'd never seen before, like Hydrox sandwich cookies.

Oreos were created as an imitation of Hydrox cookies but eventually superseded them in popularity, making Hydrox look like the knockoff. I'd never even heard of Hydrox cookies until I saw them at Menards.

Menard Jr.'s involvement in racing was evident in the packaging of the locally brewed Sprecher root beer.

The root beer was labeled as the official craft soda of the Automobile Racing Club of America's Menards Series. A 24-pack cost $19.99.

Some aisles also featured photos of Menards race cars.

Menard Jr.'s son, Paul Menard, raced in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The lighting section glowed with lightbulbs, chandeliers, and other fixtures.

The items also featured QR codes to scan for online shopping.

Counters, cabinets, and bathroom vanities looked ready to install.

Unlike other home-improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe's, Menards doesn't offer installation services. Instead, it directs customers to local service providers so the store doesn't act as a competitor to the contractors who shop there.

The lumberyard was big enough for multiple semi-trucks to load up on supplies.

Milwaukee magazine reported that Menard Jr. used to recycle wood scraps and heat stores with the leftovers.

The outdoor-living section sold an impressive array of furniture.

The section also included grills, gazebos, and swing sets.

With spring arriving, the garden center was in full bloom.

The gardening section sold potted plants as well as seeds, soil, outdoor decor, and gardening tools.

Menards had a little bit of everything, including shelves of "As Seen On TV" products.

The section featured Mike Lindell's MyPillow, Ped Egg callus removers, and portable handheld fans, among other items.

It even sold its own swag.

I could see how Menards, a family-owned Midwestern brand, would inspire the kind of loyalty that would make people want to wear its hats.

Another characteristic of shopping at Menards is its mail-in rebate.

On the day I visited, Menards was offering an 11% rebate in the form of a merchandise credit check if you mailed in a receipt and a completed form. The rebate percentage fluctuates, but the system is a hallmark of the Menards shopping experience and helps keep its prices even lower.

While I'm not a DIY-er myself, I was impressed by Menards' low prices, huge stock, and unique policies.

Even long after I left the store, I couldn't get the "Save big money at Menards" jingle out of my head.

• Mall boutique Claire's filed for its second bankruptcy, with plans to shut 700 US locations as it faces a possible liquidation.
• The brand, which started as a wig shop in the 1960s, became a rite of passage for many tweens looking to pierce their ears.
• After a 2018 bankruptcy filing, Claire's briefly surged in 2022 with IPO plans and a profitable year before things went south.

It's the end of an ear-a. Again.

Claire's, the jewelry and accessory store that dots malls across America, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in seven years on August 6, citing the "continued trend away from brick and mortar" and higher interest rates.

The '90s mall icon was something of a rite of passage for many tweens, some of whom got their first ear piercing at one of Claire's purple, hairbow-filled locations.

Now, hammered by tariff costs and fighting for its life, Claire's plans to close around 700 US locations and is warning that it could liquidate the rest of its North American operations if a buyer isn't found.

Here's the brief history of the rise and fall — and second rise and second fall — of Claire's, from its origins as a wig store to its failed revival attempt.

Claire's origins trace back to 1961 and a wig store.

Rowland Schafer founded wig retailer Fashion Tress Industries in 1961. According to a 1965 advertisement listed on eBay, FTI wigs were made for "busy women who have to look their best at a moment's notice."

In 1973, as the wig industry waned, Schafer purchased a small Midwest chain called Claire's Boutiques. Schafer eventually sold off the wig industry and renamed his company Claire's Stores.

The store was a mall staple for decades.

By the mid-1990s, Claire's had more than 1,000 retail outlets. The chain became a mall staple, notable for its focus on the pre-teen and teen audience. Stores featured bright colors and prices that kids could afford.

Schafer purchased the Afterthoughts mall chain in 1999 for $250 million, folding it into the Icing by Claire's brand. The second brand aimed for a slightly older demographic.

Many teens flocked to Claire's for ear piercings.

Claire's was a beloved ear-piercing spot among tweens. The store was known for its cheap, colorful jewelry. It offered both lobe and cartilage piercings — according to the website, the retailer has pierced more than 110 million ears.

Claire's went private in 2007.

Schafer ran the business until 2002, when he suffered a stroke. His daughters Bonnie and Marla then took over the business.

In 2007, the family accepted a take-private offer from Apollo Global Management for $3.1 billion. At the time, the company had more than 3,000 stores.

"The decision to sell the company that our father founded was reached after an enormous amount of soul-searching over time, and brings our strategic review to a successful conclusion," the Schaefer sisters said in a statement at the time.

Claire's first filed for bankruptcy in 2018.

In March of 2018, Claire's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the first time, saddled with $2 billion in debt. The retailer announced it would close 92 stores across America at the time, and said it had been hit by declining traffic in malls.

"A Claire's store is located in approximately 99% of major shopping malls throughout the United States," Claire's said in a bankruptcy filing at the time.

Claire's exited bankruptcy later that year.

Claire's emerged from bankruptcy in December 2018 after having eliminated roughly $1.9 billion in debt.

By 2021, Claire's finances were looking up. The company was profitable, generated $1.4 billion in revenue. It also filed to raise $100 million in a planned IPO.

Ryan Vero, who had come on as CEO in 2019, touted the brand's turnaround to Fast Company and said that the mall brand wasn't dead.

"If a mall has died in a particular town, we're moving to wherever the thriving shopping center is," he said.

In 2023, Claire's postponed its IPO. One year later, Vero stepped down.

Claire's filed for bankruptcy a second time on August 6, 2025.

The store announced that it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 6, 2025.

"This decision is difficult, but a necessary one," CEO Chris Cramer said in the release. "Increased competition, consumer spending trends and the ongoing shift away from brick-and-mortar retail, in combination with our current debt obligations and macroeconomic factors, necessitate this course of action for Claire's and its stakeholders."

The bankruptcy filing also highlighted tariffs as a contributing factor.

"Claire's was not immune from the continued trend away from brick and mortar and more recent macroeconomic challenges, including higher interest rates, labor costs and, most recently, tariffs," the filing said. "While Claire's took many steps over the last few years to address these and other challenges, it was not enough to overcome the obstacles."

Claire's is set to close 700 locations, including Icing stores. If it fails to find a buyer, the brand could liquidate its remaining thousand-plus store footprint in North America.

• Uber and Tesla are offering ride-hailing trips in self-driving cars in some cities.
• Getting dinner delivered in an autonomous vehicle is a little harder, DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said.
• Robotaxis need an "end-to-end" system to make deliveries feasible, Xu said.

Don't expect a robotaxi to deliver your DoorDash order anytime soon.

Autonomous cars are already shuttling riders around some US cities thanks to a partnership between Uber and Waymo, as well as Tesla's own robotaxi offering. They function much like traditional ride-hailing trips: You request a ride through an app and then get in the car once it arrives.

Using AVs to deliver restaurant food and other goods, though, "is actually very different from doing autonomous passenger driving or robotaxis," DoorDash CEO Tony Xu said on the company's earnings call on Wednesday.

"The passenger can walk in and walk out of the car, even if the drop-off or pickup locations aren't perfect," Xu said. Deliveries, by contrast, require a more precise hand-off between the restaurant and the vehicle, requiring companies like DoorDash "to solve for the end-to-end system," he said.

"That's probably the single biggest learning we've had," Xu said on Wednesday.

In April, DoorDash said that it had started making some deliveries in Chicago and Los Angeles with wheeled robots that can navigate sidewalks designed by startup Coco Robotics. DoorDash and Coco previously worked on a pilot program using the robots to make deliveries in Finland through Wolt, DoorDash's international arm.

Xu added that DoorDash's experiments with autonomous delivery "have gone great" and that autonomous delivery is "something we're very excited about."

Riding in an autonomous vehicle is already an option for some ride-hailing users. In June, Tesla launched a limited version of its robotaxi service in Austin with Tesla safety employees in the passenger seat, and has since expanded to San Francisco with safety employees in the driver's seat.

Uber offers fully autonomous rides in Waymos in Atlanta and Austin and has plans to add more self-driving vehicles to its network next year through a partnership with EV-maker Lucid and self-driving technology startup Nuro.

For DoorDash, the challenge is moving burgers, groceries, and other stuff from stores to customers' homes. Many of those items can be delivered in smaller, autonomous vehicles, Xu has said.

"You don't need a 4,000-pound vehicle to deliver a one- or two-pound item or package," Xu said on an earnings call in May.

Do you have a story to share about gig work? Contact this reporter at [email protected] or 808-854-4501.

• Major US alcohol producers are urging Donald Trump to cut tariffs ahead of the holidays.
• An alcohol association representing Beam Suntory and Brown-Forman sent a letter to the White House.
• It warned that the tariffs could result in a $2 billion sales loss and 25,000 American jobs lost.

As the holiday season looms, US liquor groups are begging Trump to kill the tariffs they say could ruin their most lucrative stretch of the year.

A group of 57 associations and guilds called the Toasts not Tariffs Coalition, said in a Wednesday letter to the White House that tariffs could result in a $2 billion sales loss in the holidays.

"We reiterate our urgent request that the U.S. and EU come to an agreement to secure fair and reciprocal trade on spirits and wine," the group wrote in the letter.

"As we approach the critical holiday season, a period that is essential to the success of our industries, we implore you to secure this important deal for the U.S. as soon as possible," it added.

The letter comes as Trump's new tariffs went into effect at midnight on Thursday, with the European Union being slammed with a 15% tariff rate on most goods. However, the EU said on Tuesday said it would pause retaliatory tariffs for six months.

Other countries, such as Switzerland and India, were hit much harder, with tariff rates of 39% and 50%, respectively. India's tariffs are set to go into effect later in August.

In March, Trump also threatened to impose a 200% tariff on wine and other alcohol from the EU.

The coalition said it estimated that a 15% tariff on EU wine and spirits could result in more than 25,000 American job losses and nearly $2 billion in lost sales. Per data from the US Distilled Spirits Council, the US exported $2.4 billion worth of spirits in 2024.

Groups in the Toasts not Tariffs coalition represent US liquor heavyweights like Beam Suntory, the parent of Jim Beam, and Jack Daniel's owner Brown-Forman. The coalition also includes non-liquor bodies like the National Retail Federation and the National Restaurant Association.

The Wednesday letter was the group's second appeal to the White House. It sent a similar letter in January, urging Trump to exclude wine and spirits from his coming tariffs and convince the US's trading partners not to apply retaliatory tariffs on their products.

Kentucky's bourbon makers also appealed to the White House to ease up on tariffs after Canada's boycott of US alcohol in March.

The Kentucky Distillers' Association said in a March statement on X that retaliatory tariffs would have "far-reaching consequences across Kentucky, home to 95% of the world's bourbon."

Representatives for Trump and the Distilled Spirits Council did not respond to requests for comment from BI.

• Some High Noon alcoholic beverages were mislabeled as Celsius energy drinks.
• A can supplier mistakenly sent Celsius cans to High Noon, according to an FDA recall notice.
• No illnesses or "adverse events" have been reported as a result of the mistake.

Some Celsius drinkers looking for an afternoon energy boost might've accidentally gone straight to happy hour instead.

Some cans of High Noon vodka seltzer were mislabeled as Celsius energy drinks, according to a recall notice from High Noon posted on the Food and Drug Administration's website on Tuesday.

The alcoholic beverages were incorrectly labeled as Celsius Astro Vibe Sparkling Blue Razz Edition, according to the notice. The mistake happened after a supplier to the two brands sent empty Celsius cans to High Noon.

"Consumption of the liquid in these cans will result in unintentional alcohol ingestion," according to the FDA notice.

No "adverse events" or consumer illnesses have been reported, the notice reads.

"We are working with the FDA, retailers, and distributors to proactively manage the recall to ensure the safety and well-being of our consumers," a spokesperson for High Noon said.

The recall affects some beverages sold in High Noon Beach Variety 12-packs. The mislabeled beverages were shipped between July 21 and July 23 and reached Florida, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

• Sundresses are a summer closet staple, so I tried on options at Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy.
• The Gap dress was too thin, and the Banana Republic option was a little out of my price range.
• Even though it was the least expensive, the Old Navy piece was my favorite.

Summer is in full swing, which means it's time for floral prints, bold colors, and short hemlines.

It's the perfect season to refresh your wardrobe with light, breezy styles, and in my opinion, there's no closet staple more practical or comfortable than a good sundress.

As someone who loves all things feminine and frilly, sundresses are a personal favorite. To find a new go-to for the season, I headed to three retailers that never miss when it comes to wearable fashion — Gap, Banana Republic, and Old Navy.

Here's how my search for the perfect sundress went.

Old Navy was my first stop.

I love Old Navy's trendy and accessible styles, so I was excited to spot the puff-sleeve linen-blend mini dress while browsing.

Although the dress comes in a few different colors and patterns, I chose the white option with a light-blue floral design.

The dress had a few quirks, but it was comfortable and flattering.

This dress looked nice on the rack, but I was even more pleased once I tried it on.

The silhouette of the dress fell nicely along my curves, which I found flattering. I also liked the structured square neckline, side pockets, and the buttons down the front.

However, I noticed that the thread on a couple of buttons was fraying slightly, which made me question whether it would hold up beyond the summer.

The material was comfortable and lightweight, made from a blend of 55% linen and 45% viscose rayon. That said, the fabric was a bit sheer, and I could see the outline of the pockets through the dress. So, I'd be a little concerned about it becoming see-through in direct sunlight.

Overall, though, I loved the dress and would wear it for multiple summer occasions. I would happily pay the $45 price, as it's a perfect style for weekend barbecues, brunches, and garden parties.

My next stop was Banana Republic, which offers more elevated pieces.

Considering Banana Republic's upscale aesthetic, I knew I could count on the brand for stylish resort wear finds.

I was immediately drawn to the linen-blend seamed bodice mini dress on the rack, thanks to its beautiful yellow hue and flattering A-line silhouette.

The dress was nice, but it was a little more than I was hoping to spend.

The color and pattern of the dress were bold yet elegant, and the deep-V-neckline added an eye-catching touch. The Banana Republic option was made from almost the same blend as the Old Navy dress — 55% linen and 45% rayon.

Overall, the design was lightweight and flattering, and I loved the subtle cinch at the waist and the pleating across the midsection.

However, my one gripe with this dress was the $120 price tag. Although it was nicely made and well-constructed, I wouldn't pay triple digits for it.

Lastly, I popped into Gap to try one more option.

Gap has pleasantly surprised me over the past few years with its versatile selection of basics and fashion-forward clothing.

Upon walking in, the flutter-sleeve tie-waist mini dress immediately grabbed my attention. The material seemed thinner than the others, but that's not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to staying cool in the peak of summer.

This option was flattering, but the fabric felt a bit flimsy.

I was pleasantly surprised by how this dress looked on me. I especially appreciated the adjustable waist tie, and I loved the V-neckline and flowy sleeves paired with the pleated hemline on the skirt.

It looked romantic yet modest, which would be appropriate for a range of summer events like family gatherings or bridal showers.

However, the delicate fabric, which turned out to be 100% rayon, seemed like it might easily rip or get damaged in the wash.

The Gap dress cost $55. It wasn't terribly overpriced, but I don't think the cost was fully justified considering the fabric composition.

The Old Navy dress turned out to be my favorite.

I'd wear every option I tried on, but the Old Navy sundress turned out to be my favorite for its overall design, fit, and comfort.

It was the most affordable, yet also super flattering, and I could easily see myself wearing it for multiple occasions.

• Adidas' CEO has said tariffs "will directly increase the cost of our products for the US."
• The retailer sources many products from Vietnam and Indonesia, which are facing import levies.
• The company joins other companies, including rival Nike, saying they will raise prices to offset tariffs.

Adidas is the latest company to say it will raise prices in the US because of tariffs.

"The latest iteration of tariffs will directly increase the cost of our products for the US," CEO Bjørn Gulden said Wednesday, adding the levies could cost the company 200 million euros, around $218 million, in the second half of the year.

He added the company had a "negative impact in the double-digit euro millions" from tariffs in Q2.

In a statement accompanying the sportswear giant's most recent results, Gulden added that the company was wary of a bullish outlook for the rest of 2025 because, "We feel the volatility and uncertainty in the world does not make this prudent. We still do not know what the final tariffs in the US will be."

He was speaking as countries from which Adidas sources much of its products face tariffs.

Vietnam, Adidas's largest sourcing country, accounting for 27% of the company's total volume, will face a 20% tariff from August 1. Indonesia made 19% of Adidas' products and will face a 19% tariff.

Adidas joins other companies saying they will raise prices because of tariffs. Its rival Nike said at the end of June that it would raise prices in the US to offset a predicted $1 billion rise in costs.

Macy's, Shein, Temu, Ford, and Walmart have also said they will raise prices to offset tariffs.

Gulden added the company does not know "what the indirect impact on consumer demand will be should all these tariffs cause major inflation."

He said Adidas will stick to its initial outlook for 2025 of operating profit between €1.7 and 1.8 billion. "We currently feel confident to deliver it, but of course this might change," Gulden said.

Adidas's stock was down 7% to €13.85 a share on Frankfurt's stock exchange at 12:30 p.m. local time.

Revenue jumped about 2% year-on-year to almost €6 billion in the three months ending June 30. Operating profit rose 58% year-on-year in the second quarter to €546 million.

• Starbucks' new protein cold foam will be released by the end of 2025, CEO Brian Niccol said Tuesday.
• The optional topping will bring 15g of protein with no added sugar to "virtually any cold beverage."
• The new offering taps into the protein coffee trend sweeping TikTok, a marketing strategist told BI.

Starbucks may unleash the next wave of protein coffee, or "proffee," posts on TikTok if its new menu item brews up the excitement execs hope it will.

The coffee giant plans to release its new protein cold foam by the end of this year, capitalizing on the growing trend of making even your coffee a health drink, popularized by gym bros and Gen Z.

"In late Q4, we'll introduce protein cold foam," CEO Brian Niccol told investors during the company's Q3 earnings call on Tuesday. "It taps into what has become one of our most popular modifiers — cold foam, which grew 23% year-over-year. Protein cold foam with no added sugar is an easy way to add 15 grams of protein to virtually any cold beverage. And customers can also add the flavor of their choice."

Since debuting cold foam as a topping in 2014, Starbucks has expanded its flavor options to include offerings like vanilla, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, and raspberry cream.

Starbucks is in the middle of a revitalization campaign, intending to reverse slumping sales and renew diminished consumer interest. In addition to remodeling stores with ceramic dishes and comfy chairs to encourage visitors to stay longer and bringing back the self-serve condiment bar, Niccol has also aimed to streamline the store's menus, announcing plans to cut 30% of its offerings and changing the pricing structure for add-ons like syrups.

In the hourlong call, during which Starbucks announced that it had beat analyst expectations on revenue but missed on earnings, Niccol appeared animated by new protein-focused menu items, mentioning "protein" at least eight times.

"As we move further into 2026, expect more experiential beverages and nutritious, satisfying bites for the afternoon day part," Niccol said. "This month, we'll start testing new coconut water-based tea and coffee beverages in select markets, and we'll lean into customer needs with upcoming tests of gluten-free and high-protein options to create food that's as artisanal as our beverages."

Michael Della Penna, chief strategy officer at the digital advertising research firm, InMarket, which publishes regular reports on fast-casual restaurant customer loyalty, told Business Insider that the demand for high-protein drinks and food options has been accelerating over the last 3-5 years.

A study by Cargill found that more than 60% of Americans increased their protein intake in 2024 — a rise from 48% in 2019. Gen Z, in particular, loves a high-protein option and tends to prefer customizable menu offerings and cold beverages, Della Penna said, making an optional protein add-on like cold foam a perfect blend to capture trending tastes.

"The other interesting part of it is the routine that a drink like that can create for a consumer," Della Penna said. "By introducing protein, that's a great way to get a consumer back as they move about their daily lives, particularly when going to work out and then stopping to get a cold brew with a scoop of protein. That creates that sort of repeatable pattern of visitation and purchase that a drink like that can offer to a segment within their customer base."

With Gen Z and fitness fans in mind, move over, pink drink — it's protein's time to shine.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert at [email protected] or Signal at byktl.50. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Hoka's record $653 million in quarterly sales boosted Deckers' earnings for the first quarter of 2026.
• Deckers' international revenue surged 50%, driven by Hoka and Ugg's sales.
• CEO Stefano Caroti told investors to expect price increases to partially offset tariffs.

Hoka is on the move and reaching a new personal best.

The running brand had the "largest quarter in its history" in the first quarter of its 2026 fiscal year with $653 million in revenue, parent company Deckers reported on Thursday. The brand's sales grew 20% sales year over year.

The footwear giant highlighted its international growth as it navigates tariff-related challenges in the US. Hoka, along with Ugg, drove a 50% increase in Deckers' international revenue for Q1. Hoka got a shoutout for its success in the Asia-Pacific region, specifically its performance in retail stores in China.

"The strength of our business continues to be driven by the remarkable growth in our international markets," CEO Stefano Caroti said on the company's earnings call, adding that it was "navigating a choppy US consumer environment."

Deckers' total revenue was $965 million for the first quarter, surpassing analysts' estimates of $901 million.

Caroti told investors he expects the fast-paced growth to continue in the second quarter. Ugg and Hoka are among the "most consumer-loved brands in our industry," he said.

However, he said that Deckers plans to continue increasing product prices during fiscal year 2026 to "partially offset tariff headwinds." The company raised prices on some Hoka products in July.

The company attributes much of Hoka's success to its wholesale partnerships, marking an ongoing shift from online deal-hunting to in-person shopping for US consumers, Caroti said. The brand is known for its ultra-cushioned running shoes that have become popular among athletes.

Meanwhile, it's expanding its own retail store locations "on a much smaller scale." Leaning into the direct-to-consumer business at the expense of wholesale relationships has cost some competitors like Nike, which is trying to course-correct.

"Over time, we expect our DTC business to benefit from the conversion of newly acquired consumers to loyal, repeat purchasers," Caroti said.

• This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we round up some of our top stories and take you inside our newsroom. Dell employees are not OK. Every year, the company conducts an engagement survey for its workers, called "Tell Dell." One metric of employee satisfaction has dropped by 50% in two years amid layoffs and its push to get workers back in the office.

On the agenda today:

• Six former federal workers spoke to BI about what life is like after being laid off by DOGE.
• Why so many law-abiding Americans are fine with committing return fraud.
• These MBAs are ditching corporate America to run unsexy small businesses.
• The freakiest aspect of the Coldplay "kiss cam" fiasco isn't a potential office affair, writes BI's Katie Notopoulos.

But first: Unpacking the new generational debate.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.

This week's dispatch

Your ultimate guide to the 'Gen Z stare'

Millennials gave us skinny jeans and avocado toast. Gen Z? They've mastered the stare.

Yes, that stare — the blank, expressionless look from the younger generation that's been lighting up the internet lately. Is it real? A post-pandemic side effect? A silent cry for help? Or is it just how Gen Z vibes?

At Business Insider, we dove headfirst into the phenomenon, decoding the psychology, exploring what it means for careers, and examining how it plays out in the workplace.

What is it? As more of Gen Z enters the workforce, some millennials say younger workers greet customers and colleagues with wide eyes, blank expressions, and pregnant pauses. Most of the debate hinges on Gen Zers working customer service roles, like hostessing at restaurants or taking orders at coffee shops. While this could be a sign of workplace awkwardness or underdeveloped soft skills, others are pushing back and saying the trend's blame is misplaced.

Is it real? Our resident Gen Zer Amanda Yen says, "It's ironic that millennials are diagnosing their Gen Z counterparts in much the same way boomers diagnosed and pathologized them. Millennials, are you sure you're not just becoming your parents?"

The value of silence. BI's Katie Notopoulos, an older millennial, said if you're on the receiving end of the "Gen-Z stare," maybe you're the problem. "One thing I learned is that sometimes silence is the best way to handle a situation. In other words, you might say: Give 'em the 'Gen Z stare.' If someone keeps pushing, eventually you have to leave some silence hanging in the air — no more room for them to negotiate." Just don't get Katie started on how Gen Zers answer the phone!

Is screen time to blame? Psychologists and generational experts are weighing in, saying the phenomenon could have more to do with natural growing pains on a first job. There are also factors unique to Gen Z's upbringing, including how the generation has grown up in front of screens. One professor told BI that it's naive to underestimate the impact that COVID-19 shutdowns and online learning could have had on young people's development.

What do Gen Zers think? We asked several young people between the ages of 17 and 27 what they thought about the debate. A 21-year-old from Boston thinks the whole thing is overblown. A 20-year-old from the Bay Area said she sees it all the time. A 17-year-old heard from her parents that she had been inadvertently doing it.

We asked our readers if they had experienced the "Gen Z stare." The results are in, and spoiler — a majority of you have!

Life after DOGE

It's been six months since Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency slashed the federal workforce in an effort to "streamline the Federal Government, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency."

After months of being in limbo, a recent Supreme Court ruling allowed the stalled firings to proceed. In a series of conversations with BI, six former government employees spoke about their career shifts, what life is like outside government work, and more.

"I'll always be known as that."

Also read:

• 'How much longer until I break?': The emotional toll of working in the federal government right now

One box of fibs at a time

The ability to return a purchased item has become a core part of the shopping experience. Retailers say consumers are taking advantage of returns — and a recent report from Appriss Retail and Deloitte found it's costing businesses $103 billion a year.

Some consumers are committing outright fraud by shipping back empty boxes or claiming a package never arrived. Others are sending back items after months of use. The culprits are often everyday consumers, and they don't feel bad.

A nation of retail fraudsters.

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• The rise of the anti-Amazon avengers

The hot new MBA hustle

Elite millennials like Dan Schweber are quitting corporate America in favor of search funds: the practice of buying and running small businesses, also known as "mini private equity."

Plenty of these unglamorous small businesses — like carwashes, plumbing, or snowplowing — are owned by boomers looking to retire. That makes them prime for millennial MBAs like Schweber, who can, in some cases, turn them into multimillion-dollar companies.

Here's how they do it.

Cut the (kiss) cameras

You've probably heard of the viral concert "kiss cam" video that appeared to show Astronomer CEO Andy Byron embracing the company's head of HR Kristin Cabot, then springing apart once they realize they're on camera. The reaction prompted Coldplay's Chris Martin to comment, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy."

A potential office affair is good gossip, but BI's Katie Notopoulos thinks there's something more troubling here: the knee-jerk reaction to identify the people in the video.

Why she regrets seeing that video.

This week's quote:

"It was like being the lead investigator on your own murder."

— A millennial who was paid to catch people secretly working multiple jobs but ended up joining them.

More of this week's top reads:

• New York's tech elite give Mamdani points for "charisma" — and engaging with them at closed-door meet.
• Meet the 23-year-old investigators tasked with finding Ukraine's missing soldiers.
• Elon Musk's North Star is becoming increasingly clear.
• Amazon's Ring goes full founder mode, taking the company back to its crime-fighting roots.
• The ex-Amazon employee who's helped nearly 4,000 laid-off workers score jobs.
• Rideshare drivers use apps to help them judge whether a ride is worth it. Uber and Lyft are trying to kill some of them.
• Why Sam Altman and OpenAI are making a web browser.
• Make sure you're doing this in your job search — especially if you're early-career.

• The Minecraft generation is cashing in.

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  The BI Today team: Steve Russolillo, chief news editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Akin Oyedele, deputy editor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York.