The Front Row

The Front Row is a recurring column authored by Chloe Lei that offers a glimpse behind the curtain of the fashion and retail industry. Her writing frames fashion as both spectacle and structure, revealing what unfolds behind the scenes when beauty meets business.

Column·The Front Row

Your AI Shopper Has a Boss. It Might Not Be You: The Phia Scandal, Cookie Stuffing and the Future of Consumer Trust in the age of Agentic Shopping

Imagine you are scrolling Instagram when your favourite fashion creator posts the perfect pair of shoes for your next Friday night out. You trust…

by Chloe Lei

July 30, 2026

Interviews·The Front Row

A Million Girls Would Kill for This Job: In Conversation with Vogue Australia’s Head of Brand, Gladys Lai

Gladys Lai on writing, custodianship and the future of fashion media When Gladys Lai described her role as Head of Brand at Vogue Australia…

by Chloe Lei

June 30, 2026

Column·Interviews·The Front Row

Before the Label: Anna Hoang on the Making of ANNA QUAN

Before ANNA QUAN became the cult Australian fashion label worn by celebrities worldwide, including Kendall Jenner, Margot Robbie and Anne Hathaway, founder Anna Hoang…

by Chloe Lei

June 1, 2026

Column·The Front Row

On Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy & Identity: The Girl Behind the Tortoiseshell Headband

Why true style resists replication and begins with restraint She wore it like it didn’t matter. A narrow strip of tortoiseshell, perched on top…

by Chloe Lei

April 9, 2026