A year into chairing the world’s biggest fashion retailer, Marta Ortega is trying to shake up Zara owner Inditex’s fast-fashion image and draw in more aspirational shoppers.

Demand for leggings and sweats may have peaked, but the pandemic’s comfort-first aesthetic is hardly dead. It’s simply mutating into something else: a yet-to-be-named category that incorporates stretch and softness into a staggering number of fashion staples, from trousers to jumpsuits.

A year after making a splash in the shapewear market, Yitty is expanding its product offering to underrepresented gender identities and ramping up its customer engagement efforts.

In an uncertain economic environment, brands are turning to their customers for investment. BoF unpacks how companies can benefit from this approach typically favoured by start-ups.