The Great American Fashion Retailer is challenged on all fronts: agile
fast fashion purveyors have cornered the market on neophiles; rampant short-termism
results in precipitous drops in stock prices after tepid quarters—and
subsequent swift sales to larger holding companies (the number of public U.S. companies has dwindled dramatically since its 1997 high); large e-commerce sites are now the biggest fashion outlets; and tectonic shifts in shopper modes and attitudes leave traditional retailers in tough straits (bye bye malls; possessions are uncool in the sharing economy).
We are only two weeks into the new year, and already we’ve lost The Limited, and former Wall Street darling Kate Spade is rumored to be exploring a sale (following reports of dimmer prospects).
With the fashion landscape becoming more niche and increasingly more unpredictable, no retailer can afford to wait comfortably for an uptick in consumer optimism and spending. Last year around this time, I was sure that J. Crew and Banana Republic would eventually find a way out of their recent slumps, but their fortunes seem less certain to me now.
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| Forever 21 Knit Skater Dress (size S; similar here) || Kate Spade New York Bow Tie Party Scarf (past season) || Michael Kors Runway Oversized Gold-Tone Stainless Steel Watch || Kate Spade Idiom Heart of Gold Bangle || See by Chloé Poya Vintage Leather Satchel (past season) || Forever 21 Classic Faux Leather Oxfords in Chestnut (similar here) |
Have a great weekend, all!
