APRIL
x Garance Doré
Dressed in Black Again
Whenever you thought studs are out somebody comes along and gives them a new take.
Le Must des Shoes
TFOF
The future of fashion according to the mean queen of the NYTIMES. I actually enjoy her writing now. She claims in the NYMAG: “I wonder if Ghesquière isn’t confounding our notion of comfort by turning it into a fetish. If that’s true, then much of the fashion world is now at his mercy. We cannot look away, because he is too inventive.” “His Vuitton clothes are luxury sportswear at its liveliest — at once cool and wearable.”
Nice N’ Easy
Rebecca Knock Off!
Copies hurt the bottom Line! Just not obvious which side is loosing. This review in the New York Times of Rebecca Minkoff’s new store in New York’s Soho screams “ouch”.
You don’t see it coming: “Shoppers visiting the new Rebecca Minkoff store in SoHo are greeted by a touch-screen wall that displays products, makes suggestions and — please join me in a Homeric squeal — takes orders for a free beverage, your choice of sparkling water, green tea, coffee, espresso or Champagne. I pressed the Coffee button and felt my pocket buzz. It was a text message alerting me that my order had been placed.” I might add, and their database extended.”
Jab, jab, jab: “A wall devoted to the much-loved Minkoff handbags highlighted a problem with other items I tried on, which is that many things looked much cheaper than they were. Not only in cost, but in quality: a fringed tote appeared ersatz but was made of real leather; a polyester-seeming blouse was actually pure silk.”
Right hook: “Shoes were on display in the back, including a coven of studded jellies that precisely replicated a Valentino sandal from seasons past. Same studs, same shape, same ankle strap, same PVC material. I admired the PVC but not the choice of origin material, which by now has been copied by everyone from Steve Madden to Forever 21. It’s a dark day when Steve Madden beats you to the punch. And copycatting is an offense with a high rate of recidivism. The peril of a flashy knockoff is how quickly it pollutes the rest of a brand’s inventory. A visitor’s eyes narrow as they sweep the room. What else has been cribbed?”
I borrowed a bit copy from Gary Vaynerchuk, the online marketing guru.