Friday, April 17th, 2009
So I have received several emails stating that apparently Barbie is the new “it” girl in the fashion world. Here is some more information of la femme du jour.
Barbie turn 50, hits New York Fashion Week and then Paris!
At New York’s Fashion week Barbie invited fashion’s finest and the little ladies in their lives to a chic fashion show in celebration of her 50th Birthday. Though it seems she hasn’t aged at all, 50 designers created unique looks for the timeless icon. Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole, Marchesa, Diane von Furstenberg, Alexander Wang, Derek Lam, Badgley Mischka and Catherine Malandrino, many of whom have collaborated with Mattel on outfits in the past, were among those whose looks hit the runway on live bombshells. “I had a Barbie before I had a G.I. Joe,” noted Wang. Malandrino, who sat front row, was elated to see her flag dress hit the pink runway. “The flag is the ultimate dress for the most famous American icon,” she said. “Barbie is a glamour icon with an endless wardrobe, a dream house and lots of cute friends. What’s not to love?,” asked Peter Som.
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Tags: Barbie, fashion, Retail, shopping, toys
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Friday, April 17th, 2009
The toymaker Mattel is facing dwindling sales in the U.S., as little girls no longer aspire to look like Barbie, an embodiment of perfection that no longer fits our national consciousness. The edgier and less perfect Bratz dolls have become a popular alternative, and they’ve taken away Barbie’s spotlight.
(more…)
Tags: Barbie, China, Retail, shopping, toys
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Friday, April 17th, 2009
The Micro-Sociology of Network
Below is a PowerPoint by David Armano. It is very interesting in its analysis of social media. The current recession will only strenghten social media as more business use the networks as a source of free advertisement and to solidify their networks in the wake of lost projects and cancelled conferences/conventions.
How do you use social media/networking and has it changed with the downturn of the economy?
The Micro-Sociology of Networks
The Micro-Sociology of Social Networking
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Friday, April 17th, 2009
UK retail sales fell in March compared with a year earlier, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has said.
Like-for-like sales, which do not include sales from new shops, fell 1.2% – the ninth fall in sales in the past 10 months.
The BRC said continued economic uncertainty was leading consumers to tighten their belts.
The fall was exacerbated by the fact that Easter fell in April this year but in March last year.
As a result, March’s figures did not include the traditional boost from Easter sales.
Expensive items suffered the the most pronounced drop last month, with furniture sales falling to their lowest level in at least nine years.
‘Tight control’
Meaningful year-on-year comparisons were also made more difficult by the unusually cold weather in March last year, the BRC added.
“Customers are still worried about jobs and their own finances, so they are keeping spending under tight control,” said Stephen Robertson, director general of the consortium, which compiled the figures along with consultancy firm KPMG.
But there were some sectors that saw sales increase.
Non-food internet, phone and mail-order sales, for example, jumped by 10.8%.
Food, clothing and footwear sales also rose slightly.
Total sales in March – which includes new store space – were up 0.6% from a year go.
“A slight air of pre-spring optimism tempted customers to buy new season clothing and women’s footwear,” said Mr Robertson.
“But this is unlikely to be the basis of any sustained improvement,” he cautioned.
Tags: consumer spending, Retail, sales, UK
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Friday, April 17th, 2009
Casual menswear line to move from Macy’s to J.C. Penney
J.C. Penney (Plano, Texas) will begin selling the Joseph Abboud Joe clothing line, now sold exclusively at Macy’s, at its stores this summer. The line will appear in 600 of the chains 1100 department stores nationwide.
The move reflects ongoing changes to the retail landscape as stores and brands continue to vie for shopper’s loyalty and shopping dollars. Macy’s says it’s dropping the Abboud line because its customers preferred its store brand Tasso Elba.
Penney has been trying to distinguish itself from discounters like Target and Walmart, by adding such style-conscious lines as Kimora Lee Simmons, Charlotte Ronson, Allen B. Schwartz and a new home decor line from Cindy Crawford. The addition of the Joe line is designed to help boost the company’s image with style-conscious men. “We’re playing a little catch-up with men,” Steve Lawrence, Penney’s executive vp, men’s apparel, told The Wall Street Journal.
Tags: department stores, fashion, J.C. Penney, Macy's, menswear, Retail
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