LONDON, United Kingdom — Have the 'three As' of specialty teen retail — Abercrombie & Fitch, Aéropostale and American Eagle — reached a point of no return? This is just one of the question we explored on BoF this week.

Another question on our minds revolved around fashion recognition apps — often dubbed "Shazam for fashion" — which promised to make the entire world shoppable. Having attracted millions of dollars of investment, are these apps living up to consumer expectation? Not yet, revealed Kate Abnett in a piece entitled "The Trouble with Fashion Recognition Apps."

Turning our eyes to Asia, this week, we also exclusively revealed that Nicholas Kirkwood is expanding into China with the launch of a store in Beijing. In an in-depth interview, the London-based designer and Christopher Suarez, CEO of the label, told BoF how this new "jewel in the crown" fits into Nicholas Kirkwood's global retail strategy.

Two unique contemporary-priced brands also came into focus this week. Over the last 12 years, Kitsuné, the brainchild of Daft Punk manager Gildas Loaëc and architect Masaya Kuroki, has successfully blended fashion and music to build a business set to generate $15.9 million this year, fostering a loyal fanbase through the hundreds of parties and music nights it throws each year. Also known for its unique formula is Très Bien, the Swedish menswear business whose combination of sneakers, streetwear and high fashion has given rise to a successful e-commerce operation and, now, a standalone brand with combined revenues set to hit $5.6 million in 2014.

Please enjoy our top stories for the week gone by:

Nicholas Kirkwood Launches in Beijing in Next Step of Expansion Plan
Today, British footwear label Nicholas Kirkwood opens its first own-brand presence in China, in partnership with Beijing department store Shin Kong Place. BoF sat down with the designer and CEO Christopher Suarez to find out how this new 'jewel in the crown' fits into a global retail strategy propelled by investment from LVMH.

The Trouble with Fashion Recognition Apps
Though tens of millions of dollars of investment has poured into the space, fashion recognition apps have yet to fulfill their original promise.

How Kitsuné Cultivated a Loyal Fashion Fanbase Through Music
Former Daft Punk manager Gildas Loaëc and architect Masaya Kuroki launched the Kitsuné label with a unique blend of music and fashion. Twelve years later, the business is set to generate $15.9 million in annual revenue

Très Bien Expands With Winning Blend of Streetwear and Fashion
Très Bien's blend of sneakers, streetwear and high fashion has given rise to a successful men's e-commerce business and a portfolio of budding fashion brands, with combined revenues set to hit $5.6 million in 2014.

Can Teen Retailers Turn Things Around? It's no secret that the big three American specialty teen retailers — Abercrombie & Fitch, Aéropostale and American Eagle — are in deep trouble. What can they do to save themselves?

And don't forget to check out BoF Weekly, a week in review published with Flipboard and updated every Saturday.