Another New Forum?

[Steve B.]

With all the industry insiders who are lurkers or members this might be a fun thing to do to boost readership, and find out more about an industry we all love so much. J. and I kicked this idea around during the Holidays...Wanted to get everybody's thoughts.

 

[Mike C.]

Sounds like trouble... Industry insiders wouldn't be happy with having trade secreats exposed.

With that being said, I will start:

If less than 2% of any material is used in a garment, it does not need to appear on the label. Most 100% cashmere sweaters use <2% rabbit hair. This is what makes them feel softer, and also, is what leads to pilling. A quality, pure cashmere sweater will pill very little.

Every company boasts they "get the best cashmere from Mongolia"... whatever.... The best cashmere is pure white cashmere. Sometimes before wholesaleing the material the Chinese will bleach it, so companies think they are getting the best.

 

[johnnynorman3]

I don't think this is a great idea, mainly because I think that it becomes hard to differentiate retail gossip from "normal" posts. When someone asks whether Loro Piana is a good fabric, is a reply that Loro Piana uses inferior 3 ply yarns and has convinced people that it makes the best worsteds simply because LP is a marketing genius "industry gossip"? It might be, but I wouldn't want to discourage such replies because someone thinks it would only be appropriate for a particular forum.

Perhaps a good idea is a "Sales & Events" forum. For example, Ambulance Chaser helpfully pointed out that Brooks Golden Fleece suits were on sale for $498, which became $375 during the Friends and Family event. If there were a "Sales & Events" forum, such a post might not get lost so easily, since those are the posts that tend not to get responses and so get moved to page 2 relatively quickly even though they provide very useful information.

 

[ROI]

I'm in favor of an apparel business insiders' forum.  I cast about every so often for a blogger who might be discussing the sub-news level goings-on in the industry.  The few likely spots I find don't sustain themselves for long.  An enthusiastic debut usually gives way to deep markdowns.

Given that retailers and vendors (and particularly sales reps) love to gossip, it amazes me that so little makes it to the web.  I suspect the reason may be that, except for the high levels of the largest retail or manufacturing companies, the apparel trade is largely populated by sub-literates.  The Murray Pearlsteins and Stanley Marcus' and Phil Kelly's are in a minute minority.  And, anyway, they ain't talkin'.

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

I voted no, not because I wouldn't find it interesting, but because I don't think there is enough material out there to justify a stand-alone forum.

 

[dorian]

I voted no, because I simply won't be checking another forum, and I like to read about such stuff on the forum as is.

 

[Horace]

I don't think this is a great idea, mainly because I think that it becomes hard to differentiate retail gossip from "normal" posts.

I wouldn't mind a forum such as this. I think the careful readers among us can sort the useful information from the nonsense.

 

[rsp1]

No for 2 reasons:

1) pain in the neck to have to check so many forums - i much prefer hitting reload
2) too many subfora dilutes the main forum

why the sudden expansion urge?

 

[imageWIS]

No for 2 reasons:

1) pain in the neck to have to check so many forums - i much prefer hitting reload
2) too many subfora dilutes the main forum

why the sudden expansion urge?

Perfectly succinct response. I second it.

Jon.

 

[Steve B.]

I'd envision this more as who's buying whom, who's leaving what company for what other company, who's starting what new magazine, etc. if that makes any difference.