Classic Timberland Boot | Source: Timberland

Timberland to be taken over by VF Corporation in $2bn deal (Independent)
“VF Corporation… said outdoor clothing was among the fastest-growing apparel categories… ‘The Timberland brand is synonymous with high quality outdoor footwear and apparel… the company had been number one on its acquisition hit list for years.”

Clothes: Too much, too cheap (Independent)
“Blame the so-called democratisation of fashion if you will… consumers can ‘get the Marc Jacobs look’ only hours after the designer’s biannual New York show has taken place, and this despite the fact that the prototype… won’t go on sale until almost half a year later.”

Lululemon: Momentum Continues (Financial Post)
“Lululemon Athletica Inc.’s strong showing in the first quarter came despite unfavourable weather in Canada and the United States, lean inventories and a transition in its e-commerce business.”

Fash File: Umit Benan, Pitti Uomo, Rodarte (IHT)
“When Umit Benan won the Who Is On Next’ Pitti Imagine award in Florence two years ago… [the] designer was struggling to make an impact… But now this creative force is being nurtured at Trussardi, where Umit will be named this week both men’s and women’s designer.”

Alexandre Plokhov’s Poetic Elegance (Dazed Digital)
“Back in the early part of the new millennium when Hedi Slimane was making his indelible mark on menswear with his work at Dior Homme, a New York based Russian émigré called Alexandre Plokhov was creating a quiet revolution of his own with his cult label, Cloak… After a spell designing for Versace Homme, Plokhov is back with his own eponymous label.”

Dion Lee S/S 2012 at Sydney Opera House | Photo: BoF

SYDNEY, Australia — Australian fashion has an image problem. When I mentioned to friends that I was thinking of attending Rosemount Australian Fashion Week in Sydney, the reaction ranged from raised eyebrows to incredulous laughter. Others quipped that the sum total of Australia’s contribution to global fashion could be distilled down to Ugg boots and swimwear.

“Surely you’d only be going to take some time in the Australian sun?” they asked. But as my schedule only allowed for three days in the Australian fashion capital, there would be little time to sit on the beach and anyway, the summer sun in Sydney had already given way to crisp Autumn evenings and intermittent rain showers.

It was an email exchange with Tommy Ton and Susie Bubble that finally convinced me to get on the 24 hour flight from London to spend a few days immersed in Sydney’s fashion scene. Both Tommy and Susie were planning to go back for their second season, and highly recommended that I come along too.

In Susie’s words, there is “plenty to see that’s interesting…it’s good to see a developed fashion week outside of the big four and definitely worth going to just to see how Southern hemisphere fashion works!”

Indeed, that turned out to be the most interesting question of all, and it was well worth the time to get there.

… Continue Reading

Fast Fashion | Source: Sydney Loves Fashion

Why fast fashion is slow death for the planet (Guardian)
“With high-street chains churning out fresh designs every few weeks, we now buy more cheap clothes than ever before. But as Lucy Siegle reveals in her hard-hitting new book To Die For, it’s a trend that will cost us far more than we imagine.”

Why Pay Full Price? (WSJ)
“Neiman Marcus’s loyalty program, InCircle, is a credit card that… allows the retailer to keep track of purchases, as well as shopping frequency and any cross-shopping among its brands. The loyalty program ‘can retain customers, it can get new customers, it could win back anybody who has lapsed.’”

Goldman and Softbank invest in Gilt (FT)
“Goldman Sachs and Softbank of Japan are at the head of a group of investors providing $138m in financing to Gilt Groupe… The new financing supports estimates valuing Gilt at about $1bn… ‘It’s a stamp of approval, a sign that Gilt is doing the right thing.’”

Fashion Brands Attempt To Assess Social Media’s ROI (Thread NY)
“Fashion brands are beginning to assess their return on investment (ROI) for engaging on Twitter, Facebook and blogging. Some brands are certainly finding more success than others—and many are left shaking their heads about what works and what doesn’t.”

The fashion god who brought his message to the streets (Independent)
“It was Pierre Cardin, 88 – who this week announced he was putting his business up for sale (for €1bn, or £880m) – who opened those doors, inventing the franchise, a fashion directive that has changed the face of consumer culture. ‘Everything is Pierre Cardin.’”

Gisele for H&M Summer 2011 | Source: H&M

Fast fashion: Is the party over? (Telegraph)
“Following on from H&M’s shock results in the final quarter of 2010 which saw profits fall 11 per cent, fashion comparison website Stylecompare.co.uk has today reported that year-on-year sales of ‘low end’ retailers fell by 21 per cent, as consumers flock to ‘mid range’ and eco brands for their fashion fixes.”

Why Is This Man Smiling? (NY Times)
“Mr. Hsieh’s success has been built in part on his ability to anatomize the way people crave connections with others, and turn those insights into a business plan… Zappos is able to pay below market salaries for its more senior workers… Recruiters boast that it is harder to get a job at Zappos than to get admitted to Harvard.”

Bernard Arnault Goes to Washington (WWD)
“Bernard Arnault hit the nation’s capital Thursday like a politician on the campaign trail. The chairman… first met President Obama at the White House — where they discussed everything from globalization to employment — and then that night received the Corporate Citizenship award from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.”

Alexander McQueen’s Haunting World (Newsweek)
“He’d never analyze what made sense or not. It was personal and emotional, and he never wanted to water it down.’ The stagecraft and technical wizardry showed off McQueen’s capabilities as a designer. He was a skilled tailor who could also drape a glorious gown without benefit of a pattern. And his personal story… made him a dangerous and magnetic presence.”

Lunch with the FT: François Pinault (FT)
“A self-made luxury goods magnate, Pinault is internationally acclaimed for his cutting-edge art collection… But in France he has never shaken off a reputation as something of a wide-boy who made his wealth through takeovers of ailing companies, aided by political friendships… ‘French people … look at Pinault as a pirate.’”

Cathy Horyn | Source: Fashionologie

Fashion’s Most Feared Critic (Daily Beast)
“Cathy Horyn wields a pointed pen to (sometimes) skewer her subjects…Carolina Herrera, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Helmut Lang, Nicole Miller, and Oscar de la Renta have all banned Horyn and the Times from covering their collections at various points…None of this has seemed to faze the journalist, who, this fashion season, displayed her trademark ability to excite and infuriate.”

Coach targets UK in European push (FT)
“Coach, the US handbag and accessories retailer, is planning to open up to 15 British outlets over the next three years, as part of a push into the European luxury goods market.”

Is fast fashion killing fashion? (Just Style)
“Against such stellar growth it might seem strange to question whether a concept that’s so obviously popular and makes fashion accessible to a large number of people could also be killing the industry.”

Redesigned Versace eyes return to Japan (FT)
“A year into his turnround and Mr Ferraris… says he is ‘more optimistic’ than he expected, so much so that he is considering pushing the company to open stores in Japan once again.”

A feast from the East (Telegraph)
“A unique exhibition at the Barbican, ‘Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion’, shows how oriental designers walk a creative tightrope between tradition and innovation.”