Jeena Sharma is everywhere right now if you’re even remotely tuned into the retail world. You’ve probably seen her name pop up in your inbox at 8:00 AM, sandwiched between a lead story on supply chain hiccups and a quick blurb about the latest DTC trend. As a senior reporter for Retail Brew, she’s become one of those "must-read" voices for anyone trying to figure out why we buy the things we buy.
But here’s the thing: she didn't start out analyzing logistics or tracking year-over-year revenue growth for big-box retailers. Honestly, her path to becoming a business journalism staple is way more interesting than just a straight line through finance school.
From Glossy Magazines to the Retail Grind
Before she was the "Retail Brew Jeena Sharma" that industry pros cite in meetings, she was deep in the world of high fashion and beauty. We're talking about a serious pedigree. She holds a Masters in Fashion Journalism from Central Saint Martins—which, if you know, you know. That’s the London art school that birthed icons like Alexander McQueen.
She spent years at the "cool kids" table of journalism.
- She was the Beauty Editor at Paper Magazine.
- She worked as a fashion and beauty writer at Nylon.
- She’s contributed to heavy hitters like Vogue, InStyle, Harper’s Bazaar, and The Guardian.
You can still see that influence in her writing today. Most retail reporters sound like they’re reading a spreadsheet out loud. Jeena sounds like she’s telling you a story over coffee. She treats a story about lab-grown diamonds or eBay’s presence at Fashion Week with the same cultural nuance she used to give to a profile on FKA Twigs. It’s a mix of "business of" and "culture of" that’s pretty rare in the B2B space.
Why Retail Brew Jeena Sharma is the One to Watch
What makes Jeena different? It’s her ability to spot the "why" behind the "what." In a recent interview on the Coffee with a Journalist podcast, she admitted she looks for insights that are illuminating and—most importantly—counterintuitive.
She doesn't just report that a brand is opening a store. She asks why a digital-native brand like Away is building an 8-foot replica of a suitcase or why Urban Stems is suddenly getting into the alcohol business. She’s obsessed with the weird, human side of commerce.
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Breaking Down the 2026 Landscape
As we move through 2026, Jeena’s coverage has pivoted toward the massive shifts we’re seeing in consumer psychology. It’s not just about "inflation is high." It’s about the fact that 52% of American shoppers are using retail therapy specifically to relieve stress, even when they’re in debt. She’s been digging into:
- The "Pink Tax" and beyond: Her early work at Observer focused on how fashion is a feminist issue, and she’s carried that lens into Retail Brew.
- AI Fatigue: While everyone else is screaming about AI, Jeena’s reporting often highlights a sobering reality—nearly 90% of people can’t tell what’s real online anymore, and they’re starting to crave human connection again.
- The Death of the "Discount Spiral": She’s been vocal about how mid-tier and luxury brands are trying (and sometimes failing) to stop the endless cycle of Black Friday-style sales that cheapen their brand equity.
The Pitching Secret: How to Actually Get Her Attention
If you're a PR person or a founder trying to get featured in Retail Brew, you’ve probably tried to reach out to her. Word of advice? Don't DM her on social media. She’s been pretty open about hating that.
She gets thousands of pitches. Most of them are, quite frankly, garbage. She once mentioned getting a pitch from an ex-detective who investigates fake Amazon reviewers. Her response? "What do you think I write about?"
If you want to land a story with Jeena, you have to prove you’ve actually read her work. She covers retail expansion, beauty tech, sustainability (like her deep dives on Reformation), and consumer behavior. If your pitch doesn't have a "human" angle or a counterintuitive take, it's going straight to the trash.
Actionable Insights for Retail Pros
Whether you’re a fan of her writing or a competitor in the space, there are a few "Jeena-isms" you should apply to your own business strategy right now:
- Transparency is the only currency left. In an era where shoppers are skeptical of everything they see on TikTok, being radically honest about your supply chain isn't "nice to have"—it’s survival.
- Quality over everything. As Jeena noted in her 2024/2025 outlooks, consumers are pivoting toward value-driven purchases. They’d rather buy one high-quality item from a brand like Uniqlo than five pieces of junk.
- Don't ignore the "Zillennials." She’s spent a lot of time reporting on the cusp generation—those older Gen Zs and younger Millennials who don't quite fit into the marketing boxes we’ve built for them.
Jeena Sharma isn't just a reporter; she's a bit of a bridge. She connects the high-concept world of fashion with the gritty, logistical reality of retail. In 2026, where the line between "content" and "commerce" has basically disappeared, that’s exactly the kind of voice the industry needs.
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If you haven't already, sign up for the Retail Brew newsletter. Even if you don't work in the industry, watching how she deconstructs a brand apology or a failed merger is a masterclass in modern storytelling. Keep an eye on her "I wish I wrote that" segments—they’re usually the best way to find other smart writers in the space.
To stay ahead of the trends Jeena covers, start by auditing your brand's "human" touchpoints. Ask yourself: if an AI wrote your marketing copy, would anyone be able to tell? If the answer is no, it's time to take a page out of the Jeena Sharma playbook and find the soul behind the data.