How one luxury retailer stays ahead of the curve

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By Marcy Medina | for The SKUpe

Luxury isn’t dead, it’s evolving. That’s according to Curve boutique founder Nevena Borissova, who has kept her directional Los Angeles store in business for 27 years, while also creating retail strategies for international destination properties and consulting for fashion megabrands. We asked her how she’s adapted to the fashion industry's many changes and which luxury and fashion trends to look for in 2025.  - Marcy Medina

What do you predict for luxury in 2025?

I truly believe people are starting to redefine and question luxury. High price no longer means it’s luxury. Shoppers are very smart and educated now. Fine jewelry grows in value for example, while clothing and fashion in general are the opposite. No definitive drivers in trend have slowed down shopping in general. Good quality, craftsmanship, limited stock/access and upcycling/vintage are still big selling points. 

With some luxury brands experiencing a slowdown right now, how do you market and sell your version of luxury to your customers?

I went back to my roots as an incubator for young designers that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s about redefining luxury and to me that means anything that is authentic, limited edition or hard to find. I try to get a little more value in what I’m buying, and after working in retail since age 15 I trust my eye and my curation. The rest is service. We have always employed stylists and created packages for customers to try on at home. It started out for celebrities who were on set but now it could be for someone who lives a block away. 

Which technology can you not live without?

Instagram has been good because we can comment and have a community. But even those who don’t like or comment, when they come into the store they mention seeing something on Instagram, so people are living digitally these days. Operations wise, there used to be much better systems. Shopify could be light years ahead. It should be telling me more than it’s telling me now. In the U.S., AI in fashion seems to be used more for commercial purposes, but in Europe, it’s super advanced creatively — it scares me a little.  We also do Zoom meetings  with customers so they can go through store, look at things and have someone explain things to them. And as much as technology can be helpful with some tasks, a lot of people call the store and want to talk to a real person.

What fashion trends are you forecasting in 2025?  

• See-through is the new cut-out 
• Skirts are trending over pants
• Romantic dresses (think Chloe) 
• Monochromatic dressing 
• Oxblood and chocolate
• The oversized moto leather jacket
• Silk vs polyester for all of the basics will sell better if you can get your hands on it
• Art Deco is having a moment
• For denim, pedal pushers or vintage Levi’s
• For high summer, oversized crochet and raffia (think Loewe)

And people will forever buy really good cashmere (comfy clothes) and event dresses. If you’re a retailer, you should have Himalayan cashmere and a column gown. 

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The SKUpe is curated and written by Marcy Medina and edited by Bianca Prieto