The Fashion Investor

Rugby Shorts Make The Grade

2008-06-06T10:59:00.000-07:00

Men's shorts sure didn't change much in the 90's. Cargo shorts in khaki, cinnamon, brown, green and camo became the golden standard, and summer after summer, nobody seemed to come forward with a successor. Over the past few summers, J Crew and Brooks Brothers brought us preppy innovations: more traditional Bermuda shorts with repeating preppy symbols such as ship anchors, sailboats, and

Retail Holding Up

2008-05-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

Bloomberg just chimed in on retail earnings, noting that J.C. Penney, Kohl's, and Nordstrom beat analyst profit estimates.The retailers accomplished the feat by "clamp[ing] down on inventory, operating costs and store growth". Same store sales declined at all three retailers.Macy's is the only retailer so far to report a net loss, due to consolidation costs.Just something to chew on for those

Seriously?: Brooks Brothers Edition

2008-04-28T20:12:00.001-07:00

The Brooks Brothers cotton plaid madras suit, presented without comment. Please do give us yours, however.

Lululemon Packs Its Bags

2008-04-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

Lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU, TSX:LLL), the Vancouver-based yoga-wear retailer reported earnings today and announced some surprising news: they're shutting the doors of their Japanese stores. Their first store opened in Japan in 2005 and operated through a joint venture with Japanese apparel company, Descente, Ltd. There are currently 4 stores, which will be shuttered before the end of the second

Children's Apparel: No longer just for young ones

2008-04-01T13:09:00.001-07:00

As recession fears draw near, fashion weeks all over the world have looked to children's clothing for more inspiration. Today we salute you, Mr. stay-at-home father who apparently has spent hours teeming over the newest issues of Men's Vogue, Details, and GQ to find the hottest summer trends. Industry sources apparently are in the process of designing full S/S '09 lines of baby-inspired couture

J.C. Penny Cuts Economic Outlook

2008-04-01T12:51:00.001-07:00

Some unsurprising news today, apparently J.C. Penny (NYSE:JCP) CEO Mike Ullman is predicting a slowdown in the retail sector due to the recent economic downturn."J.C. Penney Co. Inc.'s slashing of its first-quarter profit projections by a third after a disappointing Easter could be a warning for the overall retail sector that the proverbial wall is just ahead. While retailers have been dancing

Inditex Announces New Brand, Global Expansion

2008-03-31T15:59:00.000-07:00

Grupo Inditex (Euronext MC: ITX), the maker of Zara, has just announced a slew of things at an analyst conference today, including plans to launch an accessories brand to be called Uterqüe. The brand is to sell bags, shoes, sunglasses and scarves, and the company is planning on having 20 to 30 of the shops open by year-end.Also of note was the news that Zara stores will be opening up at a faster

Opportunities in a recession?

2008-03-17T23:01:00.001-07:00

The US economy has certainly seen better days: projected economic indicators are pointing towards lower consumer spending and resulting weaker sales in consumer-cyclical spaces. This downward pressure on retail has already crushed market values of many specialty retail firms (See Saks: SKS, Nordstrom:JWN, Ralph-Lauren:RL). None of these declines have found any significant support, however from a

American Apparel Trading At 52-Week Low

2008-03-10T14:07:00.000-07:00

American Apparel (AMEX: APP) has been getting hammered in the market over the last 4 weeks. After debuting around $15/share in December, American Apparel promptly fell to $11 not more than forty days later (24th of January). It rebounded north of $13.20 by February 5th, and has sold off since, closing at $10.95/share today.Some of the selloff is due to general macroeonomic concerns including a

Retail Customer Service All-Stars

2008-03-03T17:28:00.000-08:00

BusinessWeek has published a list of the American firms with the best customer service, gathered by J.D. Power. A few retailers made the grade, including L.L. Bean, Land's End, Nordstrom, Amazon.com, and Neiman Marcus.Some interesting tidbits in the survey:Land's End doubled its presence in Sears stores in 2007 and added in-store monogramming. They let customers bring back merchandise that's 20

J Crew's Women's S/S 08 Lineup

2008-02-21T12:56:00.000-08:00

As we head back into the first months of spring, a few retail outlets come to mind for the usual spring shopping. This week we look at J.Crew's (NYSE:JCG) Women's lineup.It seems as though this spring, the clothing is a bit more conservative than normal with a few odd quirks. In comparison with Anthropologie (NASDAQ:URBN), it seems as though much of their collection really is hit or miss.

Hedge Funds Corral American Apparel

2008-02-19T11:02:00.000-08:00

American Apparel (AMEX: APP) shares are being widely fielded by hedge funds. SEC 13G filings (which indicate that an investor or fund has amassed >5% ownership stake in a publicly traded entity) have been filed by Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Fir Tree, and most notably, SAC Capital Advisors.SAC Capital Advisors is run by the über-successful fund manager Steven Cohen, who routinely pays

Wardrobe Remix

2008-02-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

Photography social network/photo storage site Flickr's got a new attraction, a group called Wardrobe Remix, that we love.Browse through the photo pool and you'll find a lot of hipsters masquerading as pseudo-'Sartorialist' muses, and once in a while you'll come upon a fantastic, unique outfit.Here are some of my favorites:Wardrobe Remixers of the Week

Puma's Hideous Creation

2008-02-09T17:06:00.001-08:00

Puma has had a fantastic run these last five years, creating molded, provocatively-designed footwear often inspired by racecar driver's shoes, like the Speed Cat and the Mostro.I went to Nordstrom's yesterday and checked out Puma's womens shoes in B.P. and was frightened by what I saw:They call it the 'Spadrille'.What do you think?

Friday Linkfest!

2008-02-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

Turning most of our focus over to fashion week coverage we have a few great articles for your viewing pleasure this week.Fashion Week CoverageBusiness of Fashion contends that "celebrity haute couture" will be the new standard after this fashion week. In addition, they have some great coverage of Gucci's new flagship store in NYC.My Fashion life has coverage of the following collections, Arthur

Comments Galore!

2008-01-31T20:07:00.000-08:00

TheFashionInvestor has been blowing up with comments on our recent posts, so we pose this question to you, dear reader:Are you joining the fray?Be heard! TheFashionInvestor is not just a news site, an opinion site, and a retail investment site. We're a community! Go ahead and comment on any post that interests you--we dare you. If you're feeling extra friendly, email our editor, Patrick (

Designer Swim

2008-01-29T21:32:00.000-08:00

This spring some of the main players in the fashion scene have also released swim lines. Some of the designers include, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Trina Turk, Diane von Furstenberg, Juicy Couture, Ralph Lauren Polo and Milly Cabana (see left). I particularly like the designs by Trina Turk (see right). She mixes fun colors and flattering designs, almost all of her pieces include gold links which would

A Response to Louis Vuitton Makes the Right Move

2008-01-24T22:37:00.000-08:00

I agree with Jeanna's comments, Louis Vuitton's new designs don't remotely resemble Gucci. It's just their signature Damier canvas in a new palette, like the Damier Azur collection. It doesn't represent real innovation as much as the artificial construction of something new for Louis Vuitton to sell without putting much thought into design and much investment into production, something at which

Is Rock & Republic In Hot Water?

2008-01-23T23:33:00.000-08:00

The buzz about Sundance this past week has been about the state of some popular contemporary denim brands. I'm not even remotely a fan of True Religion, one of the sponsors of a swag suite at the festival, but the brand has generally been successfully in selling their core product - upscale denim with new, on-trend variations every six months or so. The gossip around Sundance has been focused on

Coach Posts Earnings: Up 6.2% At End Of Trading

2008-01-23T20:51:00.000-08:00

Coach (NYSE: COH), who we've been critical of as of late (and whose stock has fallen precipitously, at one point more than 50% since its high last April) has just reported earnings of 69 cents/share for the most recent quarter, beating analysts by a penny and sending Coach shares up 6.18%. The recent selloff could've been an overreaction, and this positive performance might've just been a

Louis Vuitton Makes The Right Move

2008-01-23T16:10:00.000-08:00

As we've said before, we're not advocates of brands that base their design solely on one repetitive logo (*cough* Coach). It just gets old. Why then that have we not been critical of Louis Vuitton, who's been whoring-out its logo all over its handbag line?Well first, Louis Vuitton has some history to fall back on. They invented soft luggage, which makes their bags a perennial object of desire

Fall 2008 Men's Reviews - Lanvin

2008-01-21T23:19:00.000-08:00

Lanvin's current menswear designer, Lucas Ossendrijver, has come up with a fall collection that is sure to please both current Lanvin fans and those who have yet to discover the classic/cool line that stores like Barneys New York and MAC in San Francisco have been buying up. The look was charmingly carefree and clearly young-skewing, but it was also certainly appropriate for work. Ossendrijver

Fall 2008 Men's Reviews - Yves Saint Laurent

2008-01-21T23:06:00.000-08:00

Stefano Pilati's latest collection for Yves Saint Laurent featured two kinds of sublime dandyism. The first half of the collection featured an updated version of the late 60s, early 70s silhouette, with loose, slightly flared trousers serving as the perfect base for more timeless coats and jackets, all in relatively muted tones. The second mode was strikingly more modern, featuring rich shades of

In The Spotlight: Downturn of Retail Equity

2008-01-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

With drops of virtually every retail sector due to post-black Friday woes and disappointing December sales, a buy and hold strategy would have been quite futile going into this New Year. Drops in equities like Saks (NYSE:SKS), J Crew (NYSE:JCG), Lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU), Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN), GAP (NYSE:GPS), Tiffany (NYSE:TIF), Coach (NYSE:COH), Abercrombie (NYSE:ANF), and a continuation of Ralph

Coach Jewelry Falls Short

2008-01-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

The once chic brand Coach is continuing to struggle, their spring collection jewelry is a perfect example of why they have been so unsuccessful and will continue to be so, unless they make major changes. When browsing the Coach website I found that Coach uses the same strategy with their jewelry line as they do with their bags and wallets, they simply stick their trade mark C's wherever they can,

Not a Very Happy Holiday for Department Stores...

2008-01-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

We already knew that the Holiday 2007 did not go very well for most department stores and that majority of consumers opted out of buying clothes and instead purchased technology and gadgets for their choice gifts, Women's Wear Daily recently listed the numbers for December sales.So just how bad was the damage?Nordstrom was down 4%Neiman Marcus down 2.9%Macy's down 7.9% (ouch...)And Saks squeaked

Gilly Hicks - Abercrombie Guns For Victoria's Secret

2008-01-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

Abercrombie & Fitch is launching a new lingerie concept ("Concept 5" in internal A&F jargon) called Gilly Hicks. The new brand isn't Montauk-flavored (A&F) or California-influenced (Hollister), but rather down-under-ified (is that a word?), straight-outta Sydney.The brand uses the same old A&F tricks: youthful, fit models shot on black and white film who prefer gallivanting-about sans clothing

Cobain's Daughter New Face of Chanel

2008-01-08T09:44:00.000-08:00

The 15 year old daughter of the late Kurt Cobain, Frances Bean Cobain, has been reported by Styledash to be the next Chanel poster child. We guess having over 130 pairs of shoes and 200 pairs of jeans as well as being "relatively" famous gets you into a contract with a high end fashion house these days.The rock world's most famous offspring is widely rumored to be the front runner for the face of

Loeffler Randall for Target - Cheap and Moderately Chic

2008-01-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

Loeffler Randall, the New York shoe and accessories line designed by Jessie Randall since 2004, has picked up a lot of editorial coverage lately, and buyers across the country have taken note. Ms. Randall's shoe collection can now be found everywhere from tiny shoe boutiques, like Lamb's Ear in Fremont, to extreme luxury landmarks, like Bergdorf Goodman in New York. The company recently expanded

Hideous? We think so...

2008-01-07T13:56:00.001-08:00

True ugliness, courtesy of Balenciaga and their new face, Jennifer Connelly.Via Perez.

Coach: Bulls versus Bears

2008-01-07T11:14:00.001-08:00

From time to time, internet stock banter can be pretty entertaining. Take this exchange we were involved in on Google Finance Discussions:(Coach Bear): "Younger consumers have jumped off the coach bandwagon almost completely...Their purses are tacky...None of the college kids I talk to are even considering buying anything else from this brand. Sorry."(Coach Bull): "I think its pretty drastic to

The Pope: Enemy Of Luxury

2008-01-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

First we had to worry about evil fashion designers like Mugatu, but now luxury fashion has another enemy in.....the pope.At a speech marking Epiphany yesterday, the pope remarked that we are creating a world where the haves and the have-nots are far apart, and want of luxury goods is partly to blame.Funny, considering this pope is well-known for sporting Gucci and Prada.IHT via Luxist.

Coach Heads To The Bargain Bin

2008-01-05T19:27:00.000-08:00

Coach, the once lusted-after luxury marque, has officially hit the bargain bin. Long available at discounters like Costco (no, we're not kidding), we've seen a bunch of Coach loot show up at Nordstrom Rack locations. Usually, luxo-brands showing up on the cheap would be cause for celebration. For example, all Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes are 90% off at his boutiques. That's something to

Bündchen by Dolce & Gabbana

2007-12-26T11:41:00.000-08:00

Fashion icon Gisele Bundchen has been teamed with Dolce & Gabana for years, being the face of of both their clothing and also their fragrance The One, available at Nordstrom. The brazilian supermodel is attributed to help skyrocket the fragrance to impressive sales of $148 million, according to Catwalk Queen.She is now bringing their relationship to a new level, they have joined forces and she

Tory Burch Resort Wear

2007-12-21T18:31:00.000-08:00

I have long loved Tory Burch for her Reva Ballet flats and her fun totes. However this week I found yet another reason to love the 60's and 70's inspired designer; her resort wear which was launched this week at Nordstrom (and is also carried at retailers such as Neiman and Marcus and Saks).The collection features fun prints and bold colors, which is nothing less than you would expect from the

Christian Louboutins

2007-12-16T17:13:00.000-08:00

The blog 'I am Fashion' on Christian Louboutins shoes: Out of all the super designer footwear brands out there like Manolos and Jimmy Choos, my favourite is Christian Louboutins. I really want to be able to say that I love them all, but I've been to the stores and tried them on and to be honest, I've never really seen anything at the Jimmy Choo store

True Religion: Foil Jeans

2007-12-16T17:03:00.000-08:00

Styledash commented on a pair of True Religion Jeans (NASDAQ:TRLG), proclaiming them to be the best 'going out' jean they have seen in a while. Contrary to the Fashion Investor Poll... we also think these are potentially worth looking at - although the bright gold could be an eyesore to some without the right top and accessories...Filed under: Casual wear, Jeans and DenimI am a denim girl at

Trendspotting: Shopping bags - A new fashion?

2007-12-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

This winter shopping season, you may have noticed the impressive quantity of strongly-branded shopping bags around the city. It is not suprising that with a potential retail squeeze coming after the new year, that retailers are jockeying for high sales figures during the holidays.The New York Times had a very interesting article about these shopping bags and the idea behind this trend. A team of

Cosabella and Sex and The City Join Forces

2007-12-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a Carrie, a Miranda, a Charlotte or even a Samantha, Cosabella will soon be able to fit your lingerie needs. The much loved Miami based brand signed a licensing agreement with HBO and the collection is due to hit U.S stores in April. The new collection will feature four groups, each one based on a different SATC icon. So whether you are fashion forward, all business, conservative

Domestic Spending Slowdown?

2007-12-10T12:33:00.001-08:00

Economists and retailers everywhere are freaking over the possibility of a slowdown in consumer spending, and they're looking for signs of weakness during the oh-so-important holiday season.Americans' spending is not being sustained by cheap credit extended by banks against a home's rising equity, as real estate sales (and prices) have stagnated.Commentators and economists have been hypothesizing

Posh Spice and Jennifer Connelly, Fashion Muses

2007-12-09T00:12:00.001-08:00

Victoria Beckham has been named the next face of Marc Jacobs. Following in the footsteps of such characters as Meg White, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Winona Ryder, and even Dakota Fanning, lovely Posh Spice is a perfect fit for the sort of celebrity-obsessed, counter-culture irony that Jacobs likes to maintain for his brand. The ad campaign will be shot by Jacobs' regular collaborator Juergen Teller.In

Capital Allocation: Business of Fasion

2007-12-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

The Business of Fashion blog features a great series this week on basic spending guidelines for the fashion industry to ensure success. This is a must read for anyone interested in doing any business in the sector.The Business of Fashion Basics 4 - How do I decide where to allocate my capital?So you've done it. You've cobbled together some financing from family and friends or squeezed a loan out

Designer News

2007-11-28T20:30:00.000-08:00

1) Pierre Hardy is set to design a line of shoes for Gap. Hardy was a shoe designer for Dior in the 1980s and he currently designs jewelry for Hermès and unbelievably amazing shoes for Balenciaga, as well as his own slickly modern eponymous shoe and handbag line. The line debuts in Europe and a few other markets by the end of this year, with the American debut early next year.2) Roberto Cavalli's

Anne Klein - Isabel Toledo = Boring Sportswear

2007-11-26T15:40:00.001-08:00

An Anne Klein look by Isabel Toledo, Spring/Summer 2008, which won't hit stores next yearIn an effort to update the brand and give the company a stronger, more contemporary image across the board, Anne Klein, a division of Jones Apparel Group Inc., decided a year ago to enter the (already relatively crowded) designer sportswear arena. To fill the role of creative director, the company hired

The New Versace Man - Dr. McDreamy?

2007-11-26T15:19:00.000-08:00

A Versace ad from Spring 2007Donatella Versace has quite the legacy of employing celebrities for their ad campaigns. On the women's side, everybody from Courtney Love and Christina Aguilera to Halle Berry and Demi Moore has taken a shot at portraying the modern Versace woman. Even Madonna gave it a whirl a few years ago. On the men's side, Tuki Brando (Marlon's grandson) was the face last season,

In The Spotlight: Aritzia

2007-11-25T14:16:00.001-08:00

Hailing from Vancouver, Aritzia boasts an impressively trendy boutique concept with stores all over Canada and 2 in the US. From staple brands like Citizens of Humanity and Juicy Couture to in-house designers like Talula Babaton, Aritzia seems to have the perfect combinations to put together some hot, stylish outfits. Not only are the clothes fashion-forward, but the boutiques also resemble

Black Friday: Consumer Spending Update

2007-11-23T15:10:00.001-08:00

Consumer spending was healthy in many of Seattle's retail storestoday. Most notably, and surprising was the line out the door atBellevue Square's Express. Other busy retailers included MNG Mango,Canadian retailers Aritzia and Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ:LULU), as well as department stores Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN) and Macy's (NYSE:M). Gap(NYSE:GPS) was (not surprisingly) practically empty, with only a

A Hipper, Younger, Less Intimidating Chanel

2007-11-22T12:11:00.000-08:00

Chanel plans to open a store catered to younger, more easily intimidated demographic of shoppers in their teens. Fashion Week Daily reported that the store would be located at 125 North Robertson Boulevard."Merchandising for the approximately 4,500-square-foot store has yet to be conceptualized, but when it opens late next spring alongside neighboring stores like Intermix, Tory Burch, Kitson, and

Oprah's Favorite Things + Nordstrom

2007-11-20T14:11:00.001-08:00

Notice anything particular about the three items featured on the Nordstrom.com home page? Those Ugg boots, the Clarisonic system, and the Rachel Pally set were all featured on Oprah's Favorite Things episode, which airs today. It's funny how subtle it is, there's no mention of Oprah anywhere. Buy! Buy! Buy!

Oil Barrels: Ultimate In Chic?

2007-11-20T13:17:00.000-08:00

Luxist just posted a hilarious piece of jewelry designed to appeal to the Dallas-Fort Worth oilman set:Apparently, "each barrel is engraved on the bottom with the date it was made and the cost of a barrel of crude oil on that day." That way, some day you will have a memento of how cheap oil used to be.Click through to Luxist for the article and photos of the other pieces.

Ugg Boots Featured on Oprah's Gift List

2007-11-20T12:56:00.000-08:00

Uggs, made by Decker Outdoors (NASDAQ: DECK) has had their classic crochet tall boot put on Oprah's list of 20 must-have gifts for the holiday season. "I bet every truly dedicated Oprah watcher knows what my feet cannot live without," says Oprah, referring to the iconic and comfy Australian boots.Now, for all of us who have seen Uggs' meteoric rise and are waiting for Icarus' wax to melt

Lululemon: Investor relations rollercoaster

2007-11-18T14:11:00.000-08:00

The Business of Fashion had 2 articles about Lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU) worth noting with regard to the whole "Seaweed Fiasco":Lululemon update: Seaweed claims to be removed Authorities in Canada's Competition Bureau have instructed Lululemon to remove from its labels the claims that the seaweed content in its VitaSea line would reduce stress and provide anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hydrating

Trendspotting: Cat Eye Eye Liner

2007-11-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

According to Fashion Addict Diary, cat eyes are the new cool look to create with your eyeliner:We've been trying to do the perfect "rebellious eyeliner with a little 50's twist" look a la Sasha P in the Prada ad and it just comes out amatuer on us. Pat McGrath makes it look so easy but it's really not. It's almost easier to just buy the stupid Prada bag she's advertising than paint the cat eye.

H&M Shakes Up Seattle

2007-11-15T18:54:00.000-08:00

Hennes and Mauritz, better known as H&M, is expanding across the US like wildfire after quickly conquering Europe over the last 5 years. They've now got 118 stores in 20 states, with 23 being opened just last year. Why do they already have 118 stores here when they're leaving out the Seattle, the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country? H&M's first store in Seattle is on its way to

Lacoste Now Making Strollers

2007-11-15T13:07:00.000-08:00

Lacoste, one of our favorite iconic turnaround brands of the last half-decade, has licensed its name to MacLaren - the stroller people.Maclaren has already collaborated with Kate Spade and Lulu Guinness, rolling out fashionable baby carriages for some time. The scic stroller features lightweight design, one-hand fold, reclining seat positions, and front/rear suspension. And because you can't have

Homeless man inspirres new brand

2007-11-14T15:05:00.000-08:00

The NYT had an interesting article today about an L.A. homeless man who apparently has made a significant impact on the fashion scene there...LOS ANGELES -- The newest sensation at the center of Hollywood's fashion scene isn't a famous designer or starlet. It's a 56-year-old homeless man who spends his days dancing on roller skates. John Wesley Jermyn has been a fixture in West Los Angeles for

J. Crew moving into designer jeans?

2007-11-13T12:02:00.001-08:00

In J. Crew's (NYSE:JCG) most recent catalog, a pair of designer jeans were featured in a significantly higher price range than usual. This brings up a serious question about how consumers treat "all-in-one" brands like J. Crew and Abercrombie (NYSE:ANF) (who has done this in the past with the Ezra Fitch label) in comparison with specialized jeans like True Religion (NASDAQ: TRLG) and Citizens of

New Façonnable Owner Makes Sweet Commericals

2007-11-09T13:49:00.001-08:00

MTN Group, who, as we reported, bought the Façonnable brand from Nordstrom, are making some sweet commercials to promote their wireless service in English-speaking markets:Apparently, it took 1 million Post-it's, 96,314 digital photographs using 2.5 terabytes of storage, 3.1 miles of 35mm film, 3 weeks of editing, and 83 hours in Flame to produce this 60 second commercial.

American Apparel Going Public (Kinda)

2007-11-09T12:29:00.000-08:00

Endeavor Acquisition Corp. (AMEX: EDA), a blank-check company, has revised its offer for American Apparel due to the fact that sales and earnings at AA have increased significantly since the original buyout offer was made. Dov Charney, American Apparel's quirky founder, has some newfound reasons to smile, as the agreement brings his annual salary from $1 to $750,000, includes a $100 million life

Paris Reviews - Nina Ricci S/S 2008

2007-11-08T23:59:00.001-08:00

For his latest collection for Nina Ricci, Olivier Theyskens took his signature dark moodiness to the streets of Paris. His jeunes filles looked marvelously disheveled after a long night out on the town. Last season's ethereal, featherlight (and feather-heavy) collection set the tone for the hopelessly romantic Theyskens, and this season he continued his youthful theme with a series of looks that

Lululemon Gets Squeezed

2007-11-08T07:45:00.001-08:00

One of our favorite stocks (not to mention a strong, growing brand), Lululemon Atletica, has been getting hammered in the stock market of late. Just over a hour into the trading day, it's down slightly over one percent at 40.85, a nearly 29% drop from its recent high on October 22nd at $58.00.Why the drop when Lululemon is expanding and growing sales at a lightning-fast pace? A lot of things

Burberry Blues

2007-11-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing more and more glamorous people sporting the iconic Burberry (LON: BRBY) plaid pattern lately in and about town, and it's gotten me wondering if Burberry isn't in the early stages of a full-scale comeback.Why was I so bearish on Burberry? I saw the fall of the fabled marque in the late nineties; what I witnessed is summed up well by the Wall Street Journal: "Plaid overexposure.

Paris Reviews - Balenciaga S/S 2008

2007-11-02T23:52:00.000-07:00

Nicolas Ghesquière is easily considered one of the greatest designers of our time, and with this latest collection for Balenciaga, he proves he deserves the accolades. What makes him so special is how deft he is at capturing the couture craftsmanship and attention to silhouette that Cristobal Balenciaga was obsessed with, while somehow managing not to dilute his own strong vision of a new woman.

More bad GAP press...

2007-10-29T18:36:00.001-07:00

What a suprise - GAP (NYSE:GPS) is getting more bad press, this time for child labor it apparently uses to produce its clothing line. What an awesome company. Private-Equity should buy out the entire company and just cut the entire GAP product line and start again from scratch. Maybe they can take a small hint from Mango, Zara, H&M, or Forever 21 going forward...As much as we don't like to

Gossip Girls: Fashion Designer

2007-10-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

Everyone seems to be in love with CBS's new television show Gossip Girls- not only with the entertaining plot, but with the clothing and outfits prominently shown off during the show. Blog My Fashion Life had a great article about Abigail Lorick, one of the designers for Gossip Girls. Enjoy! If you’re already a fan of the new TV hit Gossip Girl, then you’re probably just as addicted to the

In The Spotlight: Lululemon

2007-10-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Fashion Investor's own Cameron Newland had a great post on his blog recently about Lululemon Athletica's (NASDAQ:LULU) stock. This is a great read for anyone interested in this recent IPO explosion with nearly a 100% gain in 3 months! Anyone interested on the company's brand momentum and business strategy should strongly consider reading it. Today, I was reminded by a friend that a stock

Hot Trenches for a Cold Winter

2007-10-24T13:32:00.000-07:00

I Like Her Style blog had a great post about the ongoing trench fad this winter and some of the associated brands. Halle Berry walks along the set of her new film, 'Perfect Stranger' with bodyguards January 30, 2006 in New York City.Left to right: Trench Coat, $170, www.topshop.com; Houndstooth Wool Coat, $59.80, www.forever21.com; Belted Wool Trench Coat (also comes in black),

Fur Still a Glamorous Fashion Statement?

2007-10-24T13:23:00.000-07:00

Styledash posted a relatively controversial article today with regard to the use of real fur in fashion. Many would argue that in today's world of bountiful synthetic furs and materials that the use of real fur is unnecessary and cruel. There seem to have been multiple paradigm shifts over the last few years in determining the iconic value associated with fur fashion pieces, however the overall

Coach Stock Falls On Slower Store Traffic

2007-10-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

Longtime American fashion stalwart Coach (NYSE: COH) is down some 12% right now, about an hour before the end of trading, as the company reported slower store traffic in its US retail stores. Could this be a sign that Coach goods aren't keeping up with the marketplace? Is Coach, as a brand, losing its cachet? What do you think?

Paris Reviews - Lanvin S/S 2008

2007-10-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

Alber Elbaz pulled off a feat in his latest collection. He created one of the most refreshing, directional collections in Paris, all without resorting to the typical theatrics that lesser designers use to engage their audience. In fact, Elbaz created a collection of flowing, gathered shifts and gowns, and, here's the kicker, all in polyester jersey. The result was breathtaking. Using a palette

LA Fashion Week: Nerd Fashion is Bizzack!

2007-10-21T18:54:00.000-07:00

We saw a lot of articles this week covering LA's Fashion Week having to do with new Nerd-inspired trends. Styledash had a pretty awesome take on the whole scene that seems to be developing...LA Fashion Week street style is much different than, say, a New York Fashion Week's street style. In New York you would expect everyone to be impossibly thin, donning head-to-toe black, and to be very chic.

Polo Rugby Gains Transparency in Site Update

2007-10-19T22:41:00.000-07:00

Polo Rugby (NYSE:RL) recently opened up their seemingly transparent line of clothing to the world by releasing some of the newest in-store trends and rugby shirt patterns on their website. While store locations still remain scarce throughout the US, those not close to a Rugby store can now glimpse on the classic styling which the store has provided over the last few seasons.In comparison,

Fashion Rocks 2007

2007-10-19T22:27:00.000-07:00

My Fashion Life did a great summary of this year's "Fashion Rocks"- a collaboration event combining the music and fashion industries in Westminster, London.Fashion rocked its Prada socks off last night at the Royal Albert Hall as music met fashion for one of the most anticipated dates this year. Samuel L Jackson along with Uma Thurman played hosts as top artists from the musical arena

Lululemon earnings boost shares by 30%

2007-10-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

Since CEO Dennis Wilson announced Lululemon's (NASDAQ:LULU) positive 3rd quarter earnings and awesome sales outlook yesterday, shares have jumped by 30%. As brand momentum for their stylish yoga and dance clothing becomes more mainstream in US and foreign markets, growth perspectives are likely to soar. Although, one must wonder if the whole yoga trend which is religiously associated with the

PPR Head: "Luke, I Am Your Father."

2007-10-17T11:11:00.000-07:00

Francois-Henri Pinault, CEO of French luxury goods powerhouse PPR (owner of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent) has just been outed by the New York Post as the father of supermodel Linda Evangelista's baby, born just last year. This news comes as a shock to many, because Monsieur Pinault and his fianceé, Salma Hayek, have just welcomed their first daughter a month ago. I guess old dogs can learn new

Long Dresses

2007-10-16T19:08:00.000-07:00

Style Bytes had an interesting piece on upcoming trends in Women's Dresses today..."While I´m not sure whether I´m getting one of those one shoulder dresses (unless I found some great 80´s dress of the sort secondhand) I do know something else I want. I´ve been collection pictures of all the long light floral dresses popping up on the runway. I usually feel a little uncomfortable in long

Gap: American slump, European bounce?

2007-10-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, the Business of Fashion visited a Central London outpost of the Gap, one of America's most well-known high street retail chains (NYSE:GPS). We left sorely disappointed with the product, the slow pace of change of collections (the opposite of 'fast fashion'), and the deep discounting that created detrimental expectations in the minds of Gap's core consumer base. Then, a

No Clouds Over Luxury: Sales at LVMH Increase 10.3% in Third Quarter

2007-10-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Suggesting luxury has been unruffled by recent financial turbulence, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (EPA:MC) said sales accelerated in the third quarter, gaining 10.3 percent to total 4.03 billion euros, or $5.54 billion, versus 3.66 billion euros, or $4.67 billion, a year ago.The world's biggest luxury group beat forecasts and posted double-digit organic gains across all business groups,

Trendspotting: Rorschach Blots

2007-10-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

If there's one great truth about fashion it's that designers will look for inspiration anywhere. A case in point is the recent batch of clothing and accessories decorated with Rorschach blots. Don't worry, the trend doesn't indicate a neo-Freudian undercurrent in consumer culture; rather, fashion designers have picked up on what is an obvious fact when you take the Rorschach blot out of the

In the Spotlight: Roberto Cavalli at H&M

2007-10-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

On November 8th, Roberto Cavalli is slated to release a designer line at H&M. With past headliners like Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss, Cavalli will be the first to release a line of clothing with the retailer. H&M plans to release a line of iconic menswear, 20 pieces, and womenswear, 25 pieces, including lingerie plus matching accessories - all by Cavalli.Along with all the pizzazz that you’d

Trendspotting: Paris, Rue Saint Claude

2007-10-11T19:36:00.000-07:00

Today's post come from a blog entitled "Stil in Berlin" which specializes in trend spotting all over cities in the US and Europe for interesting trends and styles. The following pictures are taken from their Paris photographer. Enjoy! Karina Senyk, 30, stylistSteve Le Mercier, 29, musicianJannie Panourgias, 29, art studentMaroussia Rebecq, founder & art director Andrea Crews

Trends: Pencil Skirts and Plaid

2007-10-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

With all the Spring/Summer trends emerging from the catwalks it’s easy to forget that it is actually autumn…that is until you’re suddenly hit by a gust of cold wind. Worry not….this season is packed with its own exciting trends to play around with. Check out the video below from Bluefly and Ford models for a preview of some new autumn/winter trends from designers such as Alexander McQueen and

Transparency in Spring/Summer 2008

2007-10-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

Did we mention Spring's biggest trend is transparency? Lanvin, Balenciaga Versace, McQueen Prada, Dolce & Gabbana-via Fashion Addict Diary

Rock and Republic Goes Cycling

2007-10-03T15:01:00.000-07:00

Rock & Republic is known for high-end denim, and a collaboration with Victoria Beckham. But I bet you didn't know that the brand now has a professional cycling team.Via StyleDash.

Luxury Shopping in Bellevue Update

2007-10-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

Now that the Canadian dollar is on par with its American counterpart, it's (sadly) no longer practical for Seattleites to hoof it up to Vancouver and go for broke. Even as Vancouver's gorgeous new Holt Renfrew opens, there's still a lot to look forward to in our own backyard. For one thing, The Bravern, Schnitzer West's bid at building Bellevue's luxury status, has already confirmed Neiman Marcus

The New London Kids

2007-09-17T15:13:00.001-07:00

Move over Gareth Pugh and step aside Christopher Kane! Make room for Louise Goldin, the new London kid making waves with her sex-inspired, body-conscious, techno-"coloured" creations (and from Central Saint Martins, naturally). Separate all the clashing colors and patterns and one is actually left with several distinctly magnificent pieces of apparel.

The New Look of Dior Homme

2007-08-16T01:02:00.001-07:00

Grey windowpane trousers are cropped above the ankle, perfect stage attire for hyper-stylish lead singersParachute pants: neither flattering nor desirableA smart tuxedo was a safe bet for Van AsscheWhite tuxedo shirts with shrunken Peter Pan collars are sharp, but the parachute pants look like a skirtMore slim, gorgeous tuxedos, built to fly out of stores, the L.A. based jean designer who first popularized $200+ ultra luxury denim, have decided to sell their business to VF Corp., owners of Reef and The North Face, for $775 million. This marks a windfall for Bear Stearns Merchant Banking, who bought half of Seven for $100 million just three years ago, with the sale now earning them a

Nordstrom Sells Façonnable to.....Lebanon?

2007-07-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

Seattle-based Nordstom (NYSE:JWN) has decided to sell its Façonnable brand to the Lebanese investment firm M1 Group for $210 million. As part of the deal, Nordstrom agrees to sell Façonnable clothing for a further 3 years, and will use the proceeds to focus on its main business, retailing, as opposed to brand-building. Façonnable, a conservative luxury

V.F. Corporation: Net Income Down

2007-07-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

In an earnings report Friday, V.F. Corporation (NYSE: VFC) reported a decline in net income in comparison with last year's quarter. Blamed on the discontinuation of the Intimate Apparel branch of the company, CEO Mackey J. McDonald reaffirmed strong growth in the other sectors of the company.One interesting note is that while V.F. brands The North Face

Shareholder's Meeting Preview: Abercrombie and Fitch

2007-07-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

With summer casual fashion behemoths like J Crew (NYSE:JCG) and Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) stealing all the thunder lately, investors may have overlooked the inherent strength in the historically well branded Abercrombie and Fitch (NYSE:ANF). Between Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, and newcomer RUEHL No.925, these stores cover almost every casual summer

Men's Spring 2008 - Alexander McQueen

2007-06-28T00:08:00.000-07:00

Alexander McQueen has apparently fallen in love with 1950s surf culture and Americana. That's a far cry from his past collections, which have been inspired by everything from World War II to Lord of the Flies. It's safe to say that this collection is a whole measure brighter and enlivened than many have come to expect from McQueen. On the whole, his concept came off beautifully. Without any

Barneys New York bought out by Dubai private equity

2007-06-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

Jones Apparel Group (NYSE: JNY) announced Friday of its $825 million dollar sell off of its subsidiary Barneys New York to Dubai-based private equity group Istithmar. Focused more on the wholesaling, Jones Apparel said that although Barneys New York provided significant growth, the growth margins with regard to investment was not on par with the rest of its wholesaling business.We see in

Finally: First Fashion Free-For-All Fund Found!

2007-06-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

Ever wanted to own a portfolio of luxury brands but didn't have to time to research them all? The Chic Fund might just be for you. The brains over at Dominion Funds created Chic to capture the growth in the luxury segment, which has exploded over the last half-decade. The fund owns iconic brands such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Tod's, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bottega Veneta, Bulgari; even

Luxottica Group purchases Oakley for 2.1 Billion

2007-06-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

Luxottica Group S.p.A. (NYSE: LUX) announced their 2.1 billion dollar buyout of sunglasses maker Oakley (NYSE: OO) for $29.30 per share today sending both shares skyrocketing up. Owner of fashion eye-wear brand Ray-Ban and distributor of luxury brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, and Chanel, Luxottica plans to dive into the upscale sports eyewear

Luxury On The Rise In Seattle?

2007-06-20T18:36:00.001-07:00

Seattle Times Business Reporters Melissa Allison and Monica Soto Ouchi recently discussed the implications of the Barneys relocation on the luxury retail sector in Seattle. Opening June 29, the new Barneys isn't exactly a gigantic upgrade in terms of selling space. In fact, at 16,448 square feet, roughly 1/3 bigger than the old location on 5th in the City Centre mall, it’s significantly smaller

Calvin Klein White Label Expansion

2007-06-20T01:25:00.000-07:00

At the Phillips-Van Heusen (NYSE:PVH) investors conference last week, CEO Emanuel Chirico reviewed the phenomenal growth of the Calvin Klein brand since its acquisition in 2003. Since then, the brand's global retail sales have grown 60% from 2.8 billion to 4.6 billion dollars in 2007.Outlining a new strategy to promote Calvin Klein's White Label branding through the establishment of upscale

Twelve By Twelve: Forever 21's Upscale Venture

2007-06-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

Announced this week, Forever 21 (Google Finance) takes a new direction with their new brand Twelve by Twelve. Introducing a more upscale approach to affordable, fashion-forward clothing, Twelve by Twelve aims to cater to a slightly older constituency with ready-to-wear pieces. Attempting to mimic the successes of MNG Mango and Zara (Google Finance), the clothing seems to be intended for older