Americans like classics from cars to appliances and even in their fashion so it's always interesting to us to see what great American brands have the loyalties of shoppers. According to BrandKeys who styles themselves as the world leader in consumer loyalty metrics the brands that have captured our hearts and pocket books are in fact purveyors of great fashion classics. The top four brands in their 2008
Customer Loyalty Engagement Index are:
1. L.L. Bean
2. J. Crew
3. Eddie Bauer/Land's End (tie)
4. Sears
We couldn't agree more actually as L.L Bean's duck boots, Eddie Bauer's goofy sweaters, Land's Ends canvas totes, J.Crew's colorful cardigans and yes Sear's stylish appliances are all fashionable classics to which even the most chic remain loyal. In fact our household owns all of these items.
The Brits can be strange creatures thus we cannot always tell when behavior is downright bizarres or merely perplexing, the opening of Westfield London being a case in point. In so far as we can tell Westfield is just a mall chain like any other (hell, we used to get lunch at the Westfield San Francisco) so why an indoor shopping mall with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Emporio Armani and Mulberry is mixing it up with high street favourites like Topshop and Marks & Spencer in the middle of a one of the scariest economic moments of the last century is beyond us. Do the Brits somehow crave the mall rat experience we American shoppers have come to loathe? We haven't the slightest idea but they sure seem to be going out of their way to put on a show for this opening. Photo Source
Nothing tickles our fancy more than images of a brand new flagship boutique for a brand known for its ostentation. Please enjoy these Versace Flagship Boutique Via Veneto photos with a slice of cake while playing a nice fiddle.
Paid time off accruing on the books is a workaholic's catnip and a corporate accountant's nightmare and what with paranoia over layoffs mounting companies like the Gap are coming up with creative solutions to keep the books in the black like mandating time off. We can just see passel of casually dressed Gap folks wandering around San Francisco not knowing what to do with themselves.
Gender confusion is one of the great psychological dilemmas of dressing well for the fashion set so its little surprise to us that fashion couples often share wardrobes, from Steven Alan button ups to Barbour barn coats, sometimes the out fit for the run to the coffee shop in the morning tells you more about gender roles than a Camille Paglia screed
In business they say "always be closing" but in fashion it is "always be delivering" and Maison Martin Margiela is taking that to heart with a collection they are calling Avant Premiere that will be unveiled to the trade late next month and delivered to stores in May. A Margiela spokeswoman told WWD the collection would consist of about 60 styles for women and 60 for men, plus a small selection of shoes and accessories: less expansive than many pre-collections.
With a little help from stylist Ilaria Urbinati handbag designer Rebecca Minkoff is relaunching her contemporary clothing collection. Minkoff said they were inspired by Elizabeth Taylor in the Fifties and the darkness of the 1982 film “Blade Runner.” We have never before associated the two and are having a hard time making the leap looking at the garments.
Garmentos can feel evern better about their support for Barack Obama. While campaigning in North Carolina he made the most definitive statement yet about his positions on trade as it relates to textiles. He pledged to support five key textile industry policy positions, including a monitoring program for Chinese apparel and textile imports.
Speaking at London College of Fashion, Stefano Pilati reiterated his position that he prefers seduction over sex.
The Anand Jon sexual assault trial heard its closing arguements yesterday.
Swahili Fashion Week is set to start from November 5 in Dar es Salaam.
The International Quilt Festival is apparently quite fashionable. We would just settle for cute.
Purple is the new black. Except that black is in fact still the new black.
There is a new 12-piece Damien Hirst X Levi’s Collection
