Marie is a frequent speaker, moderator, and panelist at major retail and fashion industry events.
On stage, Marie brings both authority and range: the perspective of a top-ranked equity analyst, the commercial understanding of an advisor, the discipline of an educator, and the presence of a seasoned moderator and public speaker. She is equally comfortable leading a fireside chat, moderating a panel, presenting original analysis, or framing the implications of change for industry audiences.
Lew Frankfort and Marie at Gromek Institutute, Parsons, New York City
November 2025, NYC
Click Here for more info!
Shoptalk Lux
January 2026, Abu Dhabi
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Shoptalk Europe with Mara Doso and Renee Hartmann
June 2024, Barcelona
Joe Laszlo and Marie at Rethink Retail AI and Retail (AIR) Summit at NRF
January 2026, NYC
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Shoptalk Lux
January 2026, Abu Dhabi
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Laura Lendrum and Mathew Bernhardt of Printemps America at The Lead Summit
May 2025, NYC
Shoptalk Europe
June 2024, Barcelona
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Shoptalk Europe
June 2024, Barcelona
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Joe Laszlo and Marie at Rethink Retail AI and Retail (AIR) Summit at NRF
January 2026, NYC
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Laura Lendrum and Mathew Bernhardt of Printemps America at The Lead Summit
May 2025, NYC
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Shoptalk Europe with Mara Doso and Renee Hartmann
June 2024, Barcelona
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Meet Marie! Upcoming Events
Let TikTok Test. Let Humans Decide.
Time: 11:25 AM
Location: Studio Gather on the 27th floor of 45 Rockefeller Plaza, Boardroom
Oleada Founder & Creative Director Tiffany Zhou runs a strict split: AI handles speed, she handles judgment. In this deep dive with Marie Driscoll, Asst Professor at The New School and President of the Retail Marketing Society, Tiffany will unpack her approach to using AI for research and execution while keeping brand decisions strictly human, why she deliberately limits what gets delegated to protect her team's time, and how TikTok works as a live testing lab — organic content finds the winners before real budget goes behind them in paid ads. A grounded look at how a fast-growing DTC brand moves quickly without losing control of the brand.
Click Here to Learn More!
In The News
Retail Expert Marie Driscoll on the ‘Sexy Math’ behind Reformation’s IPO
7m 7s
Retail Marketing Society's Marie Driscoll joins Ashley Mastronardi on NYSE Live to discuss the 'sexy math' behind the Reformations IPO today
FRENCH LUXURY LOOKS FOR A NEW AMERICAN IMPETUS
Le Journal des Arts
Marie was interviewed by Prune Perromat, U.S. Correspondent, Le Journal des Arts, for a feature article that explored the current transformations of the luxury sector, from shifting consumer behavior to the growing importance of heritage, image and cultural presence for luxury brands today.
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Here are some excerpts from Marie's interview:
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“Covid changed everything,”...“You couldn’t go to the opera and you couldn’t go to Paris and you couldn’t take a cruise. So all of a sudden people really had discretionary income. I knew a lot of people during Covid that said, ‘I’m going to get myself a nice handbag.’ People entered the category who really weren’t interested in the category before.”
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“Luxury just really overpriced itself,”...“Dior, Chanel, Valentino or Celine are getting competition from newer brands like Khaite, Toteme and Sacai,”
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Click Here for the Link to the full translated article
At Events
January 2026
Retail Voices At NRF Recap
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The Retail Voices Class of 2026 brought together emerging and established retail leaders to share perspectives shaped by real industry experience. From meaningful conversations to inspiring presentations, the program celebrated the power of diverse voices and ideas that continue to shape the future of retail.
June 2026
CommerceNext Growth Show: Fireside Chat with Mickey Drexler & Simeon Siegel
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Retail industry leaders Mickey Drexler and Simeon Siegel shared insights on the future of retail, emphasizing that long-term success is driven by strong merchandising, creative leadership, and a deep understanding of the customer—not technology alone. The discussion highlighted the importance of focused assortments, disciplined brand strategy, value-driven pricing, and maintaining a distinct point of view in an increasingly competitive retail landscape.
IMPAKT New York 2026: THE STORE STRIKES BACK: TECHNOLOGY, EXPERIENCE & THE NEXT ERA OF RETAIL
October 2026
Physical retail is being reinvented as technology, design and customer experience come together in new ways. From AI and smarter infrastructure to clienteling, immersive environments and next-generation store design, our panel explored how brands are using technology to make the physical experience more personal, connected and valuable, and why the store is becoming an important part of retail’s next chapter.
Past Events
Join the Retail Marketing Society's Retail & Consumer Private Equity webinar on October 14 at 12:00 PM ET.
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What makes a retail or branded consumer company attractive to private equity? What separates the investments that deliver strong returns from those that disappoint—and what do experienced investors change after they acquire a business?
Retail Marketing Society brings together leaders from three consumer-focused investment firms for a candid discussion of the market, investment criteria and value creation. Richard Baum of Consumer Growth Partners, Billy Logan of KarpReilly and Howard Steyn of L Catterton will join moderator Richard Kestenbaum of Triangle Capital to examine what investors look for, what they avoid and what sellers should understand before entering a process.
The conversation will cover:
• The current market for retail and consumer investments
• The company characteristics, channels and metrics that matter most
• How investors assess brand strength and consumer loyalty
• What successful and unsuccessful deals tend to have in common
• How private equity works with management after an acquisition
• Why sellers choose private equity and the mistakes they should avoid
Register Here for a practical, inside view of how experienced consumer investors make decisions and create value.
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The session will open with Patrick McKeever, Founder and Principal, DoR Consumer Research and RMS Board Member, who will provide a macro view on the state of the consumer and the retail environment, setting the stage for the discussion to follow.
THE STORE STRIKES BACK: TECHNOLOGY, EXPERIENCE & THE NEXT ERA OF RETAIL
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Physical retail is being reinvented as technology, design and customer experience come together in new ways. From AI and smarter infrastructure to clienteling, immersive environments and next-generation store design, this panel explores how brands are using technology to make the physical experience more personal, connected and valuable, and why the store is becoming an important part of retail’s next chapter.
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Moderator
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The Fashion Tech Exec | CEO & Founder
Retail Women In Tech | Executive Board Member
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Speakers
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Driscoll Advisors | CEO & Chief Consultant
MG Concepts | Executive Vice President
Veronica Beard | Director of Client Engagement & Development
The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. | VP, Store Design & Visual Merchandising, Travel Retail Worldwide
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I spoke at Shoptalk Fall 2026 in an interactive Ask Me Anything session—bringing a candid, unfiltered perspective on the forces reshaping fashion, luxury, and retail. As the industry looks toward 2027, we explored how consumer expectations, AI-enabled commerce, evolving operating models, and brand relevance are changing the decisions retailers and consumer brands must make now. Participants came ready with questions—and left with practical insight for what’s next
Thursday, October 1 2026 at Studio A in Nashville, Tennessee
Ask Me Anything Session: Part of Shoptalk Innovation Week
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Thursday, September 10, 10am-9pm
New York
Digital Fashion Week NYC 2026 | AI, Fashion Technology & Future Retail
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4pm - The New Fashion Workforce
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How entrepreneurship, AI, and new ways of working are reshaping the teams and talent needed to build the future of fashion.
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Moderator: Marie Driscoll, President, Retail Marketing Society, Assistant Professor, Parsons, The New School
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- Meg Ball, Senior Director, Creative Technology and AI Enablement, Centric Brands
- Emem Adjah, Author, The Tech Interview, Hacked. Ex Google Hiring Committee
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The Author Series: A Talk With New York Times Reporter David Gelles
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Join us for a webinar on September 9 at 12:00 PM ET, focused on David Gelles' bestseller, Dirtbag Billionaire: How Yvon Chouinard Built Patagonia, Made a Fortune, and Gave it All Away
Publisher’s Weekly calls Dirtbag Billionaire “a riveting behind-the-scenes look at a businessman who marches to the beat of his own drum.” The brand’s backstory is fascinating, and Gelles had exceptional access to Chouinard, a truly visionary as well as idiosyncratic founder.
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The session opened with Patrick McKeever, Founder and Principal, DoR Consumer Research and RMS Board Member​, who provided a macro view on the state of the consumer and the retail environment, setting the stage for the discussion to follow.
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Read Dirtbag Billionaire before the webinar. To purchase, here is a link to the publisher SimonandSchuster and here’s a link to Amazon.
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As consumer behavior, technology, distribution, licensing, and creative processes continue to evolve, brands are rethinking how they expand into new markets, build relevance, and create new opportunities for growth.
Join Fashinnovation for a new DigiTALKS bringing together leaders across fashion, brand development, retail, and technology to explore what it takes to build and scale brands in today’s global landscape.
From international expansion and strategic partnerships to brand building, innovation, sustainability and emerging creative technologies, the conversation will bring together different perspectives on how brands can grow without losing what makes them distinctive.
What We Explored
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What it takes to build and scale a brand globally today
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Expanding into new markets while protecting brand identity
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New models for partnerships, licensing, distribution, and growth
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How technology is changing the way brands create, operate, and compete
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Balancing innovation with authenticity and long-term brand value
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How established companies and emerging players approach growth differently
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Sustainability and Business models
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Where the next opportunities for fashion and lifestyle brands are emerging
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What the next generation of global brands may look like
The Gen Z Playbook: Culture, Community, and Commerce
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Join us for a timely and insightful webinar on July 29 at 12:00 PM ET, focused on Gen Z.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren’t just the next consumers—they’re reshaping the rules of retail in real time. Join the Retail Marketing Society on July 29 at 12 PM ET for an inside look at how these emerging generations shop, what drives their decisions, and why culture, community, and values matter more than ever. Featuring insights from Olivia Meyer and James Turco of the Z Suite and Taylar Gomez, CEO & founder of Syft Inc., this webinar will decode the mindset behind the spend—and what it means for brands navigating the future of retail.
The session opened with Patrick McKeever, Founder and Principal, DoR Consumer Research and RMS Board Member, who provided a macro view on the state of the consumer and the retail environment, setting the stage for the discussion to follow.
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Athletech News ATN Innovation Summit
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Join us for a timely and insightful webinar on June 25 at 12:00 PM ET, focused on the evolving wellness landscape and its impact on retail.
Following the second ATN Innovation Summit in New York City, Edward Hertzman, Founder and CEO of Athletech News, joined RMS Board Member Faye Landes for a dynamic conversation on the biggest trends shaping wellness today—from performance-driven fitness to holistic health and the intersection with consumer retail.
The session opened with Patrick McKeever, Founder of DOR Research and RMS Board Member, who provided a macro view on the state of the consumer and the retail environment, setting the stage for the discussion to follow.
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PREVIOUS SPEAKING EVENTS
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2026
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May
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05/21 The Lead: three sessions, Wednesday with Chief merchant from Rent the Runway, Sarah Tam
Thursday with President of Veronica Beard, Stephanie Unwin and CEO Brooks Brothers, Ken Ohashi Strategies for Building Timeless Brands with Multigenerational Appeal And with President Silhouette, Hartmut Kraft Protect Market Leadership Through Constant Innovation
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January​
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01/27-29 Shoptalk LUXE, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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01/14-15 Luxury Outlook Summit, NYC
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2025
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December
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12/16 RMS Holiday Party. A fireside chat with Mickey Drexler, X-CEO Gap and JCrew, Founder Old Navy and Madewell and Chairman Alex Mill. National Retail Federation (NRF) Industry Partnership Council, Committee Member
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November
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11/13 NYC Odity, Created & Presented From Product to Experience From Transaction to Relationship Consumer Centricity
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11/12 Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM). Created & presented Staying Competitive. How Golf Retailers Can Thrive in the Age of DTC and Online Giants (Webinar)
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October
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10/28 PI Apparel’s Retail Rebels participated in/led numerous panels
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September​
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09/16 NYC Perfect Corp’s 2025 Global Beauty & Fashion AI Forum. Session From Catwalk to Cart: How Fashion Brands are Using Tech to Drive Sales.
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09/16 NYC Forvis Mazars NY Consumer & Retail Forum: The Future of the Beauty Industry. Presentation and fireside chat with Estee Lauder executive
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09/10 NYC, Sustainability Leaders Summit at Parsons. Created event and brought Sustainability Leaders from Kering, Ralph Lauren, the CFDA and Sustainability entrepreneurs.
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July
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08/17 RMS Roundtable Highlights of Easton Shopping Center
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08/09 Easton, OH RMS / JP Morgan Easton Shopping Center Tour
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June​
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07/23 NYC NextGen 2025: Retail, Real Estate & the New Consume
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07/02-04 Barcelona Shoptalk Europe Moderated Panel on Cross-Border Retail
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May
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05/28 Retail Marketing Society (RMS). May 9. Printemps NYC Lead store tour for RMS The Lead
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April
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04/?? Retail Marketing Society Shoptalk Spring Recap, Las Vegas Presentation on Masstige & Panel Moderator NYC. Moderated two sessions, including the opening session with Printemps NY CEO & COO
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March​
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03/25-27 Shoptalk Spring Las Vegas, Presentation on Masstige & Panel Moderator
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January
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01/22 Retail Marketing Society Webinar: Host & Participant. NRF & ICR Conference Highlights
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01/15 Luxury Outlook Summit, NYC, Panel Participant. Outlook 2025: Sectors Likely to Shine in 2025
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CFA Research Report Challenge. Advised the Baruch team that won the Regional Competition, advancing to the Semi-Finals, representing the local CFA Society New York
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