Gucci Green

            While we are on the topic of innovation in the industry let's talk about Gucci.  This Fall Gucci and Safilo will unveil sustainable eye wear. The product is made from acetate, but it is a new variety that contains more naturally occurring ingredient. They come with matching eco friendly cases and some have hints of red or green to correspond with their website.
            There's not really that much to say about it except they are awesome and they maintain the possitive image of the company.

           Ps. They are extending it to sunglasses too
                                          Love em'!!!
            

Virtually Reality

            Just when you thought that celebrities and reality stars couldn't get any bigger, Fusion Brands proved otherwise. The company, dealing in cosmetics, plans to turn a fictional brand of makeup from soap, Young and the Restless, into a reality. It's reverse product placement if you ask me. Now instead of placing products in movies and TV shows, the shows are placing brands into the real world.
            The idea has been heralded as revolutionary, and I have to say, I'd agree with that. It creates just one more way to drive consumer purchasing. They are goinig as far as to plug new products within the dialogue of the show.  Though I am not a soap watcher myself, I do know there are millions of dedicated fans that will clamor for a piece of "The Young and the Restless." I don't doubt we will soon see this "reverse placement" happening elsewhere with other fictional products.
             At the moment I'm struggeling to find the words for just how much I love this idea, it's creative evolution that meshes perfectly with the pop culture obsessed society we are.
            What do you think???




Source:
http://www.wwd.com/beauty-industry-news?module=tn#/article/beauty-industry-news/fusion-straddles-fantasy-and-reality-with-jabot-3630205

Chinalization

            Quite a few posts back I talked about China. More specifically, how the Chinese are becoming huge luxury goods consumers. As China has been on the path to development they have also been becoming wealthier, in large part due to having their hand in the massive pot of textiles. China is now the second largest economy in the world. Development of any nation occurs by placing a higher dollar value on the goods and service a country produces, among other things.
             In the realm of textiles, globalization, and free trade (which largely determines where goods will be produced based on the lowest prices, and trade agreements), China is beginning to feel the effects of it's development. An article I just read speaks with regard to China and India, who is also in a developing stage. The article notes that  wages in China have climbed from $65 to $100 a month to $300 a month. And that the middle class would grow from 80 million in 2007 to and expected 700 million by 2020. The rise of the middle class has caused even Chinese textile companies to begin to produce in less expensive locations like Vietnam. While China is still a top producer/ manufacturer they are beginning to loose the price competitiveness that got them business in the first. Cotton spinners in Bangladesh raised their wage costs by double this year and are still the cheapest in Asia.
           To continue development China will have to compete on a level other than price and will perhaps have to rethink their focus to an industry that is not as chintzy.
           The Chinese are no longer just producers consumers, and there is a growing need to satisfy consumer demand. The Chinese consumer has begun to be recognized as many designers and retailers are starting to venture into China.
            The point of free trade and globalization is to among other things help less developed countries become more developed. China is a perfect example of its positive effects.



Source:
http://www.wwd.com/markets-news/olah-the-american-classic-goes-global-3615947?navSection=package&navId=3616508

            I was under the impression that the mall was a dying or at least injured retail format. Part of the problem  is a recent trend towards urbanization and an uptick in the popularity of shopping centers. Not to mention of late malls seem to be the choice destination for old people and teens. Maybe my perception of the mall is a little bit skewed living in Savannah, but I feel like shoppers enjoy boutiques and shop in centers. But a new mall on the Hudson River goes against my thoughts on malls and the complex includes more than just shopping.
            The format for the mall is not determined as yet. Retailers have been contacted bu no one has signed on for sure. They would like to see Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus in the anchor positons but,are not even set on having traditional anchors.If that turns out to be the case it would be really atypical, and it would be interesting what kind of response it would garner.
           The first floor would be the most high end according to WWD. The overall experience is supposed to be bohemian and lie at the bridge, better and contemporary price zones with some luxury stores. The merchandise is supposed to be "more unique and not mainstream". Which it would have to be located in New York and competing with some of the finest retailers in the United States.
          The complex will have a number of eateries, a hotel, apartments, a cultural center, parks, and office space. As if New York was not full enough with shoppers, the mall will have its very own built in network.
           I'm excited about. It seems like a 21st century Mall of America, that is more centered of class.
   


Sources:
http://www.wwd.com/retail-news?module=tn#/article/retail-news/retailing-by-the-river-hudson-yard-s-blueprint-3614213?page=1

The Donald

            Rumor has it that Donald Trump is planning to release a fragrance. I sincerely hope he doesn't because I'm sick of his face. Although of it were a choice between him running for president or him releasing a fragrance I suppose I'd have to choose the latter. Is there anything he won't do for attention or profit?
             Real estate, ties, crappy shows, an obnoxious demeanor, bad hair, and most recently questioning the birth place of our president to gain political momentum are a few reasons why i can't stand the man. He is a sensationalist of the worst degree. What kind of possible presidential candidate also releases a fragrance?
            Ronald Regan was an actor yes, but since the 90's it seems like the amalgamation of politics and celebrity has grown stronger. Sonny Bono, Jesse Ventura, Arnold Swartzenegger, and now The Donald. Seriously? The list has grown less impressive with the passage of time.
            I don't really care if celebrities are endorsing products. Attaching a famous name to something is a great way to make money. But I draw the line at politics. Trump is as unbelievable as Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, and Rand Paul.  And if by some unbelievable happenstance Trump is able to win nomination for president I will leave the country because president of the United States is no way equivalent to the Jack LaLanne power juicer. And no respectable president has a fragrance. Maybe, if it goes far enough, during the primaries he convince Ivanka to sign up for "Dancing with the Stars", the people would love it!          

The GQ Man

            Over the last few months everyone from WWD to Cotton Incorporated to NPD have reported the resurgence of men to the marketplace. For years retailers have concentrated on female shoppers under the assumption that men liked to dress their women in the finest apparel. Coupled with that was a gain in the purchasing power of women due to their presence in the workforce and their increased role as the domestic financial advisers. Men were and remained overshadowed as retailers catered to the needs of women.
           Since the holiday season of 2010 men have been receiving some much overdue attention brought on by spending and growth outpacing women. With Father's Day just around the corner retailers are anxious to take advantage of the new cash cow.
           Categories expected to flourish are basics and replenishment items according to NPD. Traditional Father's Day items such as ties, shirts, and cuff links are also expected to do well. Other stores have seen tailored mens clothing as drivers.
             Men want to look good again. They want options, and they are demanding it now. In a recent study by Cotton Incorporated men admitted to using window displays, peers, and magazines as sources of styling inspiration. They are more conscious of how they look.  I think it's going to be a really exciting event to witness in full swing. It is what I foresee as the coming of the new GQ male.
              It is interesting how the lines of gender are rapidly blurring. Men cook and clean, use personal hygiene products developed for them, are stay at home dad's, and have the option of cosmetics. Women conversely have adopted mens roles, and wear "boyfriend" inspired clothing. This mash up of genders can be seen  right down to children apparel, with the latest trend of unisex styling that goes far beyond yellow and green onesies.
               I feel like the trend in mens has been a long time coming since the adoption of the term metrosexual.. These men were the first, recognized and termed, to take care in their appearance and grooming. I could speculate it just took the rest of the guys a little longer to adopt the idea.



Source:
http://www.wwd.com/retail-news?module=tn#/article/menswear-news/mens-retailers-expect-strong-fathers-day-sales-3610228

The End of an Era

            We have all known for quite some time that digitalization is the present and the future of print. People now go online to do their reading, catch up on news, shop or what have have you. The internet has more doors then imaginable for the access and sharing of information. Like the travel agent, the post office, and countless other industries, the world of publishing has been irrevocably effected by technology. And while I am not sad for the travel agent, because they never offer the best deal, or the post office because of their gross inefficiency, discourteous staff and unreasonable prices, I do feel sad for print literature. Today readers of print are an endangered species in my view. The next generation will probably only know of the Dewey Decimal System through stories told by "old people" about how they used to have to look up books. Sadly they will be not afforded the sensory experience of a book, the feel of its weight or the pages as they glide along fingers, the faint smell of ink, or the dog eared pages that express a books history. As you can probably tell I'm staunchly anti- nook book. But, this is the world we live in today, and despite my personal objections, technology in this arena is moving forward making the art of literature conveniently accessible to the tech hungry masses.
           To this end, Hearst Publishing Co has announced a deal with Apple that "will make them the first big magazine publisher to sell subscriptions for digital editions on the iPad."  Esquire, Popular Mechanics and O will be available next month starting with the July issue for $19.99 a year or $1.99 a month through iTunes. Other publishers such a Conde Naste and Time have failed to come to agreements with Apple in this matter.  And though details of the exact terms of the deal have not been disclosed a spokeswoman for Hearst called it an "equitable and fair agreement to owning customers together." Owning customers together, as a customer I am slightly offended by the choice of wording.  Apple contributes a strong platform for sales and has the resources to accurately and efficiently procure consumer data, something that Hearst is excited about.
            Both companies obviously stand to gain through the pairing and are for the time being leaving other publishers in the dust.