“I’ll never forget April,” noted Deirdre Quinn, CEO and co-founder of Lafayette 148. That’s when the U.S. imposed a 125 percent reciprocal tariff on Chinese goods, equating to an additional $31 million in tariff expenses placed on the upscale brand’s imported apparel.

In this clip from the 2025 Women in Retail On the Road: New York City event held earlier this fall, Quinn details how she spoke out about the devastating impact the tariffs would have on her business and how she pivoted to survive. Lafayette 148 switched from a largely wholesale business model to a very small, tightly controlled direct-to-consumer business using the same factory to manufacture its clothing.

Quinn spoke on a panel that addressed leading through uncertainty. She was joined by three other retail leaders: Jasmin Foster, founder and CEO, Be Rooted; Sabeen Mian, president, Lash Division, Performance Beauty Group; and Mary Fox, president and chief operating officer, The Lovesac Company. The discussion was led by moderator Sonia Lapinsky, partner and managing director, head of fashion retail, AlixPartners.

Foster shared that she’s doubling down on best-sellers and changing how her inclusive stationery brand sources product. “Sourcing our products from China and bringing it in is 2x more expensive this year. So, how do we think about collaborations that are more local that will be meaningful to our community and bring newness in an exciting way that feels different from years past?”

For Mian, her division of Performance Beauty Group was hit hard by tariffs. The majority of lash production worldwide is based in China and onshoring that production into the U.S. is nearly impossible. The business needed to pivot, however, Mian didn’t want to change to a strategy completely centered on reacting to tariffs.

“It has to be a strategy around our brand, our business, our customer — and not the uncertainty.”

Women in Retail Leadership Circle members can view the full panel discussion here as well as session recordings from all prior On the Road events here.