Discussions about the fashion industry thread

[Newcomer]

Well, in certain circumstances, it makes sense. By way of example, "flip phone" was originally a Motorola trademark ("clamshell design"). Clearly, "flip phone" is distinguishable from "Velcro," "Xerox," or "Advil" which, in and of themselves, mean nothing. Specifically, "flip phone" is descriptive. You could see how a competitor's inability to use the term "flip phone" as a descriptor would be detrimental to competition.

In other circumstances, it is a shame when a strong trademark (i.e., a "fanciful" (Reebok) or "arbitrary" (Apple) mark) is genericized, because typically it is a direct result of that company's success.

 

[Landau]

Sterling Ruby navigating the world of fashionz:

Sterling Ruby’s Mixed Media

The art star, a longtime collaborator of Raf Simons, wants to take his designs to a wider audience. But will his new clothing line devalue his other work?

www.newyorker.com

 

[gettoasty]

Old Navy will open stores at a moment when most of the industry is doing the opposite.

So far this year, retailers in the United States have announced more than 8,200 store closings, already exceeding last year's total of 5,589, according to Coresight Research.

Old Navy plans to open 800 new stores

Old Navy outlined plans Thursday to open 800 new stores, its first major announcement since the Gap, its parent company, announced it would spin off the lower-priced brand.

www.cnn.com

 

[LA Guy]

Old Navy plans to open 800 new stores

Old Navy outlined plans Thursday to open 800 new stores, its first major announcement since the Gap, its parent company, announced it would spin off the lower-priced brand.

www.cnn.com

I'm betting that it's mostly in small markets. I go to the mall just to see what people are doing, and Old Navy is consistently busy. It's inexpensive enough that pretty much anyone can buy there - adults for "fast fashion", and while they don't do near clones the way Zara does. they do accessible takes on trends, and parents for inexpensive clothing for kids. We go and get things that we know the kids will grow out of in under a year (and yes, it all goes after that to local consignment or friends with slightly younger kids.) I

In terms of adults, what it does that Zara does much less of is to do takes on trends are a few seasons old. Most of America is not looking for what Gucci just put on the runway - they have no idea what that might be. People want the trends that have tricked down to the midmarket. Old Navy is great at making versions of what you see on a site like Revolve Clothing for half the price.

There is a good reason that Old Navy is doing well while the other members of the now separated GAP group are floundering.

 

[gettoasty]

The environment and economy are paying the price for fast fashion — but there’s hope

Companies like Zara, Forever 21, H&M, and Boohoo make cheap, disposable clothing, but the cost is higher than we think.

www.vox.com

Reposting here in case I need to reference in the future.

 

[Peter1]

I'm betting that it's mostly in small markets. I go to the mall just to see what people are doing, and Old Navy is consistently busy. It's inexpensive enough that pretty much anyone can buy there - adults for "fast fashion", and while they don't do near clones the way Zara does. they do accessible takes on trends, and parents for inexpensive clothing for kids. We go and get things that we know the kids will grow out of in under a year (and yes, it all goes after that to local consignment or friends with slightly younger kids.) I

In terms of adults, what it does that Zara does much less of is to do takes on trends are a few seasons old. Most of America is not looking for what Gucci just put on the runway - they have no idea what that might be. People want the trends that have tricked down to the midmarket. Old Navy is great at making versions of what you see on a site like Revolve Clothing for half the price.

There is a good reason that Old Navy is doing well while the other members of the now separated GAP group are floundering.

To be honest I haven't looked at an ON since our kids were very little, say 6-7 years ago. You're right, the kids' clothes are pretty good. The men's stuff seemed...underwhelming, like very little thought went into either designing or producing it. I don't see it as fast fashion lite but rather for the guy who says: "I'm a person, and people wear clothes, so I should also wear clothes."

I actually find the Gap to be better value for kids' clothes. My daughter is 11 and she loves their jeans and tops, and the quality is really quite good vs. price, and everything is always on sale. You just have to avoid anything that says "Gap" or has sparkles on it, which admittedly isn't an easy task.

Somehow the Gap acquired a bad stigma that it just can't shake, not quite sure why. Maybe b/c it's always on sale no one attaches any value to the brand.

 

[clee1982]

Zara kid is more “on trend”, if I want simple piece then it’s uniqulo or muji

 

[Nbarbar]

Plus one for Muji. Best kids clothes, I stock up in Tokyo every trip

 

[LA Guy]

think it's always going to be hard to discuss sustainability on a forum like SF where were are generally praised for overconsumption. Some folks are great at eschewing the BUY! mentality and consistently provide great advice. But, that's maybe 5% of us. Much of the industry revolves around putting out new and exciting things twice a year to inspire us to buy more. I think a few of you have hit it on the head- buy less, buy smaller

To be honest I haven't looked at an ON since our kids were very little, say 6-7 years ago. You're right, the kids' clothes are pretty good. The men's stuff seemed...underwhelming, like very little thought went into either designing or producing it. I don't see it as fast fashion lite but rather for the guy who says: "I'm a person, and people wear clothes, so I should also wear clothes."

I actually find the Gap to be better value for kids' clothes. My daughter is 11 and she loves their jeans and tops, and the quality is really quite good vs. price, and everything is always on sale. You just have to avoid anything that says "Gap" or has sparkles on it, which admittedly isn't an easy task.

Somehow the Gap acquired a bad stigma that it just can't shake, not quite sure why. Maybe b/c it's always on sale no one attaches any value to the brand.

Zara kid is more “on trend”, if I want simple piece then it’s uniqulo or muji

What markets are you guys in. My main takeaway was that for small American markets more "on trend" is not necessarily good. Things just change more slowly. I knew a retailer in Boston who begged her vendors from LA and NYC to have more overlap in products between trends on the tail end and emerging trends. And that's simply the difference between a large cosmopolitan metropolis and a first tier city. The Euler diagrams between what trends are and what people want are quite different once you move outside outside the big cities on the coasts.

 

[dieworkwear]

The men's stuff seemed...underwhelming, like very little thought went into either designing or producing it. I don't see it as fast fashion lite but rather for the guy who says: "I'm a person, and people wear clothes, so I should also wear clothes."
.

 

[clee1982]

What markets are you guys in. My main takeaway was that for small American markets more "on trend" is not necessarily good. Things just change more slowly. I knew a retailer in Boston who begged her vendors from LA and NYC to have more overlap in products between trends on the tail end and emerging trends. And that's simply the difference between a large cosmopolitan metropolis and a first tier city. The Euler diagrams between what trends are and what people want are quite different once you move outside outside the big cities on the coasts.

I don't doubt you, I'm in the Manhattan market...

 

[Peter1]

We live in Paris, but there are a bunch of Gaps here. It's not quite so reviled as in the US.

 

[cb200]

Chart from Bloomberg including today's Q2 numbers. Similar to the Gap & Old Navy the subbrands outshine the Parent companies after they lots their luster.

 

[NO MERCY]

Anybody else read The Margins' take on digital fashion this morning?

 

[cb200]

That article comes out off the top with dropping "ontology" right upfront. That's a tough thing to dive into and think around as our intuitions are so built around possession of physical objects. The game "TF2" had and recent crash in their trading economy of digital goods that's pretty interesting to read about.