Actress Sydney Sweeney has introduced SYRN, a lingerie brand designed to embrace diverse body types, with its debut online store powered by Shopify. The launch, which occurred last week, aims to offer comfortable and stylish options that reflect the multifaceted lives of women everywhere. SYRN’s establishment coincides with rising attention on inclusive fashion that meets a variety of needs and body shapes.
Sweeney shared her personal connection to the brand, recalling her own struggles with ill-fitting bras during adolescence. She explained,
“I was in the 6th grade with DDs. I hated the bra I had to wear,”
emphasizing the importance of designing lingerie that fits differently shaped bodies. This focus is central to SYRN’s mission.
Further highlighting the brand’s versatility, Sweeney added,
“I wanted to create a place where women can move between all the different versions of who we are. I love working on cars, I go water skiing, I’ll dress up for the red carpet then go home to snuggle my dogs. I’m not one thing, no woman is.”
These words underscore SYRN’s aim to celebrate the varied and dynamic experiences of its customers.
The brand’s initial collection includes standout pieces such as a red crop top adorned with the phrase Marry Me, Fly Free paired with matching shorts, showcased by Sweeney in several social media posts. Notably, this venture reportedly has backing from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whom Sweeney attended a wedding with in Venice, Italy, last June. The brand’s launch with Shopify reflects a strategic partnership to leverage robust e-commerce technology for expansive reach.
Innovations and Collaborations Driving Modern Retail Technologies
SYRN’s emergence occurs amid significant technological advancements in retail and logistics, highlighted at the recent RTIH AI in Retail Awards held on January 29 at The Barbican in Central London. The sold-out event recognized winners like Ikea, Depop, Currys, and B&Q for pioneering AI applications enhancing customer experience and operational efficiencies. Scott Thompson, RTIH’s founder and editor, remarked on the transformative power of AI in retail, quoting Amazon CEO Andy Jassy:
“AI is a once in a lifetime reinvention of everything we know, and the largest technology transformation since the cloud.”
This statement frames the wider retail environment into which SYRN has launched.
Thompson further noted,
“Whether that’s overstating it or not, we’re certainly seeing an increasing number of innovative, potentially game changing developments in this space across both traditional and digital retail spaces. And that is reflected in tonight’s finalists, who are boosting customer experiences and tackling retailers’ painpoints across the likes of physical stores, online, omnichannel, supply chain, and payments.”
The awards highlighted the shift of AI from theoretical potential to practical delivery, as one judge confessed:
“I have to admit, judging these awards was so difficult. So many that would have been worthy winners. And great to see how AI has moved firmly into delivery mode. Firmly into delivering for customers and driving huge innovation.”
Supply Chain Advances as Otto Group Partners with NVIDIA and Reply
Alongside retail innovation, logistics operations continue to evolve. Otto Group announced a partnership with NVIDIA and Reply to enhance its supply chain through robotics technology. The collaboration involves deploying a Robotic Coordination Layer, utilizing NVIDIA’s Omniverse libraries and Isaac Sim across 120 logistics sites within Otto Group’s network.
This technology links robot fleets inside warehouses to a digital twin system that displays real-time robot locations and activity. The solution, developed by Reply, employs sensors and cameras mounted on Boston Dynamics’ Spot robots to create detailed reality captures and post-processed maps of warehouse environments. The digital twin then allows virtual reconfiguration for process optimization and simulative management during peak periods. This integration coordinates various robotic fleets through one platform, enhancing operational agility at Otto’s multiple logistics hubs.
Quiet Logistics to Cease Third-Party Fulfillment Services
American Eagle Outfitters-owned Quiet Logistics, a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, has abruptly ceased its 3PL operations, sources report. Acquired by American Eagle in December 2021 for around $360 million in cash, Quiet had been a key component in reducing delivery expenses amid inflation pressures.
Jay Schottenstein, CEO of American Eagle Outfitters, reflected positively on the acquisition’s contribution, stating,
“cemented a collaborative partnership that has meaningfully contributed to our financial results over the past 18 months.”
He also highlighted the fulfillment model’s efficiency:
“AEO’s unique ability to reduce delivery costs amid rising inflation is a direct reflection of the efficiencies provided by their innovative fulfillment model. Quiet Logistics has a highly experienced supply chain leadership team and I look forward to their partnership as we continue to drive operational excellence and grow the platform into a meaningful business.”
Despite those remarks, American Eagle is refocusing on serving its own retail volume rather than third-party brands, leaving others searching for alternative fulfillment partners. This marks a notable reversal in the trend of retailers monetizing their supply chains as service providers to others, revealing challenges in balancing internal retail needs with external 3PL commitments.
Walmart Unveils Immersive Commerce SDK for Game Developers
Walmart has launched an Immersive Commerce Software Development Kit (SDK) designed for Unity game developers. This new tool enables integration of Walmart’s products and other merchandise from their marketplace directly into gaming environments.
Justin Breton, Head of Brand Experiences & Partnerships at Walmart, described the journey:
“This has been a long time coming. Last year, we beta tested the SDK in Walmart Unlimited on Spatial and the No Boundaries brand shop on Zepeto, experiences where players could explore digital worlds and discover contextually relevant physical products, without ever leaving gameplay.”
He emphasized gaming’s expansive reach:
“Gaming is no longer niche, youth skewing, or device specific. Today, it’s a cross-generational, with players spanning Gen Alpha through Boomers, and mobile gaming serving as the largest on-ramp, both in reach and time spent, touching billions of people each month.”
This reflects how retail and entertainment are increasingly merging in digital spaces.
Tribute to Entrepreneur John Purdy After Recent Milestone
The technology and business community mourns John Purdy, an entrepreneur who passed away aged 63, shortly after completing the sale of his company Ergo. Purdy co-founded the Irish IT services business in 1993 and served as its non-executive chairman until the recent acquisition by US investor Presidio for approximately €100 million.
Alice Rackley, CEO of recycling technology firm Polytag and one of Purdy’s key supporters, shared her sentiments:
“John Purdy backed me. He backed Polytag. He was our first angel investor back in 2022 and became a board advisor when we closed our VC backed seed round in 2024.”
She described him candidly:
“Often he was challenging: a straight talking businessman who pulled no punches. But I knew he wanted success for our team. And I expected to be able to benefit from his experience, his perspective and his belief in me as Polytag scales, for many years to come.”
Rackley’s tribute concluded emotional reflection:
“Such a shock to hear that at just 63 – and having achieved a huge milestone for his own business Ergo only days ago – he is no longer with us. Sending out tonnes of love to the Irish tech community and those in the wider world who will also be feeling this loss. And particularly to his family who he spoke of with such affection and pride.”
John Purdy is survived by his wife Audrey and sons Conor and Kian. His passing leaves a significant void in both the Irish and international technology sectors.
Matalan Begins Pilot of Toshiba’s VisualStore 6 EPoS System in UK Outlets
Matalan has initiated the trial phase of Toshiba’s VisualStore 6 (VS6) Electronic Point of Sale (EPoS) system, activating two pilot stores in the United Kingdom with self-service capabilities. This roll-out intends to modernize checkout experiences and streamline store operations through advanced technology integration.
Linda Davies, UK & Ireland Head of Project Management at Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions, emphasized the importance of this milestone:
“For the second Sunday in a row I’ve been onsite at a Matalan store working on the installation of the Toshiba VisualStore 6 (VS6) EPoS solution.”
She further praised the collaborative effort:
“Successfully installing VS6 in two pilot stores is a huge milestone, and it simply wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration, determination, and drive of the entire project team – including the Toshiba UK Professional Services team, UK Managed Services engineers, VisualStore development team, Matalan and Capgemini project team, third-party partners, and the incredible support from the executive teams at both Toshiba and Matalan. A great example of teamwork, resilience and shared commitment delivering real results.”
Amazon Shifts Strategy Away from Physical Stores Toward Online Grocery Services
Amazon has announced plans to close its Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical store formats, shifting focus instead towards expanding on-demand online grocery delivery and opening new large-format Whole Foods Market locations. This strategic pivot follows an evaluation of the economic viability and uniqueness of these physical stores for large-scale growth.
Amazon’s official statement acknowledged:
“While we’ve seen encouraging signals in our Amazon branded physical grocery stores, we haven’t yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large scale expansion.”
The company detailed its decision:
“After a careful evaluation of the business and how we can best serve customers, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh physical stores, converting various locations into Whole Foods Market stores.”
Amazon also committed to supporting affected employees by seeking reassignments within its vast operations network:
“Customers can continue to shop Amazon Fresh online in available areas for fast and convenient delivery. We’re grateful to our team members for their many contributions over the years and are working whenever possible to help them find roles elsewhere in Amazon, including across our vast operations network, as we make this transition.”
This move highlights ongoing challenges in balancing innovation with profitability in the evolving grocery retail landscape.
