The Fashion Label During a Recession
This is an article printed in today’s Wall Street Journal. Chronicling modern brand Five Four’s experience in the bust and the strategies it implemented to survive in ‘09.
“Back in September, menswear label Five Four sold out of a new $325 peacoat in one week. Buoyed by strong orders from retailers, including Macy’s, designer Andres Izquieta ordered luxurious fabrics from an Italian mill.
“I was thinking we were going to have a new category of $300 to $500 coats for fall 2009,” says Mr. Izquieta, 28 years old. His co-chief executive, Dee Murthy, also 28, was confident, too; indeed, he had splurged on a new Aston Martin Vantage sports car for himself in March.
Alas, when world markets crashed the following month, consumers snapped their wallets shut. Many of the retailers that sold Five Four’s trendy, casual jackets, shirts and other heavily detailed pieces canceled orders or backed out of payments.
Suddenly, Five Four found itself in free fall. “I feel like I woke up the first week of October, when everything stopped,” Mr. Murthy says. The founders of the Los Angeles-based company would have to act quickly.” (read more)
Kanye debuts Louis Vuitton shoe design at show in Paris
Kanye’s Louis Vuitton shoe design via. hypebeast.com
not enough contrast between the colours, and is just a bit too bright. But then again, i’m a happy owner of an elitist pair of red supras so i shant continue in that vein. The sole is too big, and with the LV pattern on the side, the shoe seem suspiciously inspired by nike airs or bathing apes, take a pick. Im hearing that the back is fitted for those who wish to tuck their jeans inside the shoe, but i find that unnecessary for a low top, mostly because it looks hideous. Not a bad first design. itll do.
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PARIS — Marc Jacobs and the Louis Vuitton men’s studio director Paul Helbers have some design competition this season. Kanye West, who was sitting front row at the Vuitton show, has designed a line of five LV sneakers. Only one design, above, was featured in the show — a monochromatic midtop with no frills, save for a quilted flap in the back, all the easier to tuck pants into. “The inspiration came from a jacket with a huge collar in the movie ‘Dune,’ ” West says. “Most sneakers focus on the tongue, so I wanted to do something different.” West knows whereof he speaks: he says he has no idea how many shoes he owns, but he does know that he routinely needs to send shipments off to storage. The LV-meets-Kanye kicks will be available at Louis Vuitton stores in June.
Here is a sneek peek of whats to come:
