David Koma OBSESSED

David Koma has dresses this spring / summer 2010 that I can not stop looking at! They are so art deco, chic and ammmmmmazing! The lines and silhouettes are normally fairly simple, with an emphasis added to a particular region on each of his pieces. He then steps the funk up with wonderful embellishments! There's something a little bit 60's about them as well. Here's a few to enjoy........ What do you guys think?

Check out the awesome jewelry they wore in the show! Stained glass pieces!

Here's Beyonce in one of his designs too!

Launching of Gap 1969

I came across a new article in Women’s Wear Daily online, about Gap creating a new brand extension. In New York City and Dallas, Texas two new stores, called “Gap 1969” have opened in which the company is using as prototype stores for testing. Gap 1969 is a new line dedicated to premium denim jeans. Though the Gap name is included in it’s title, this new brand is going to have an image of all it’s own, separating it from the Gap look. A gigantic, 18-foot-high 1969 decal is found on the storefront window of their SoHo location, hoping to make the passer-bys curious to take a look inside. I do believe this is a very good move for the Gap Company.

The article also discusses downsizing some of its other brand extensions within the next five years, possibly cutting back on the retail locations that make the smallest amount of revenue. This new brand extension may be great success for them. Here, their developing awareness and image very quickly, by linking it with the Gap name. This also quickly promotes the brand extension and not a lot of additional media ads and marketing will need to be used. The Gap 1969 denim jeans start at $54.50 for men and $59.50 for women. I do hope consumers don’t think these jeans are the average Gap jean and become confused as to why they are priced so high. Hopefully Gap 1969 is able to clearly portray that this denim line is premium denim.

Kohls discounts

Kohl’s seems to be a pretty successful store, even within the economic times we are in right now. They have always been value-oriented, but in recent years more so then ever. Due to the eroding market/ economic issues, Kohl’s great values cater to the very price conscious customers. This issue caused Kohl’s to make many adjustments within their company, hoping to keep their sales and remain a competitive rival within all department stores. One of Kohl’s positive moves included carrying many exclusive merchandise labels within their store only. Their weekly ad magazine as well as their marketing in the store state “Only at Kohl’s” next to all their exclusive labels. Croft & Barrow, APT.9, daisy fuentes, and Abbey Dawn (created by Avril Lavigne) are a few of those labels. They have made other great exclusive label moves by teaming up with Vera Wang, creating the Simply Vera line, and the well-known company ELLE, making the complementing ELLE line. Kohl’s is known for their ever-running sales, and as the ads show their full price merchandise they put on sale for sometimes 60% off temporarily. The downfall to the constant large discounts and sales creates the consumers constantly expecting a large sale. When a great discount is not available one week, they may pass up shopping for the day, knowing very well next week a better deal will be available again. One weekly ad I recently saw was, for every $50 spent, $10 in Kohl’s cash would be rewarded to you for a future purchase. My favorite line within the entire magazine is “It’s like getting paid to shop.”

Stella McCartney for Gap Kids!

World-renowned designer Stella McCartney has had a second successful run with Gap Kids, when debuting new apparel pieces. With the opening of Gap Kids doors on November 16, at its flagship Oxford Street store brought a long line of excited parents. The lines newest highlights included, a “Miller” (military) style jacket, Stella named the “Jacko” jacket, as well as adorable tulle ballerina skirts that sold out within a half hour from the store opening. Other coveted new pieces included a girl’s cashmere jumper dress and a boy’s cashmere jumper that slimmed down in a matter of no time as well. This is a very good example of both price skimming and market penetration. Stella McCartney is able to sell her high end designer label very effectively within the upper class, and at the same time offer very price friendly pieces within Gap Kids to the middle class consumer. The markets are target two distinctly different customers and price points, but she is still able to penetrate both markets quite effectively.

Apples New Moves

Apple continually tries to keep themselves separate, from all its competitors. Successfully, they branched out from only being available at big box retailers, and started stand-alone stores, beginning with a mall store in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia. This article discusses its new successes within the company, highlighting its biggest Manhattan, New York location thus far, opening November 14. Looking to continue its vibe to stand out, the new site chosen, once a Victoria Secret site, was completely renovated to create a look completely unexpected. Having the height to expand the store four to five stories high, they went against the odds, having a 1^st floor walk-in level and another, one story below, known as the “underground” level. The store stand 45 feet high and with only one ground level floor, its sky high ceiling creates a very airy and open atmosphere. This new chosen site was due to the high amount of “kids and arts” within the area. Catering to those customers, the store is going to offer in-store events for that demographic, including a Julliard Jazz Ensemble event as an example.

Another new offering Apple will be doing, is gift-wrapping for the holidays and a “Reserve a Gift” option which allows one to reserve gifts online and have them held at a store of their choice without a deposit fee from December 15 to Christmas Eve. As we have discussed in class, due to the economy jam we are still in, I believe Apple has made a great move by offering, this “layaway” type option temporarily. They have also just opened its first store in Paris, and are already planning a second opening in the spring, as well as new sites in London and Shanghai. This company seems to prevail high above all other electronic retailers, even in the economic standing we remain in at this time.

LOVE Shop it to me

I am addicted to “Shop It To Me.” It is a great example of a company that has created a wonderful Internet website that really caters to their customers. It allows the everyday-shopaholic to create their very own shopping profile, down to very finite details. It claims to take away, ones endless hours spent looking for a great deal and not being able to find their size in their favorite designers! It is user-friendly, with no sign-up fee, and incredibly easy to use once becoming a member. Its database allows you to check boxes next to multiple categories, to cater very specifically to your style needs. The categories include, asking who your favorite designers are, what style of apparel you like, including shoes and accessories as well, and the sizes in which you wear.

This database then conducts a daily search for each of its members and emails them with great discounts and offerings, according to the options you’ve selected to be informed on. Another option asked when signing up, includes how often you’d like to receive their emails; daily, weekly, or semi-weekly. They offer a small group of top- retailer brands, which they believe are top-quality. They also ask their members to email them with any feedback, including new retailers they would like to see added to their “Shop It To Me” sale alert emails. To encourage word-of-mouth, and growth of their company, it offers $10 gift cards from multiple retailers, that you can receive once you have 10 friends join their database. This is a great example of a very thorough database that has connected very specifically to a shoppers needs incredibly successfully.

New Polo Graduates

For six years now, the Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation has run an after school fashion program, at an inner-city youth school. This year’s school chosen was Hetrick-Martin’s Institute Harvey Milk School, created for the lesbian, bi-sexual, gay, and transgender teens. A select group of ten students were chosen to participate in the twenty-five week program, working with some of the Ralph Lauren Company’s top executives. These executives created a curriculum, which they change yearly, to really challenge the teens fashion sense. They were taught the ins-and-outs of the fashion industry and asked to work on two large projects.

The first project was to create four gowns, to be photographed in a shoot with photographer Carter Berg. They were asked to follow four distinctly different themes for each, “Hollywood Glamour,” Equestrian,” Alpine Chic,” and American West.” The students started from the ground up, researching then creating inspiration boards. They were taught everything of utmost importance, “design, fabric, sourcing, production, retail, merchandising, advertising, licensing and human resources” Women’s Wear Daily author Marc Karimzadeh said.

A gala was then held November 10, 2009 in the Emery Awards at Cipriani Wall Street, celebrating the Hetrick-Martin’s Schools 30^th anniversary. There, the four gowns were put on display as well as a commemorative documentary sharing the hard work the ten Hetrick-Martin students put into their time while with the Polo Fashion School.

I addition to the gown project, the Ralph Lauren executives made a tote bag competition amongst the students, asking them to create original tote designs. The winning design names “Kiss Bag” comes in two styles, an “I kiss girls” or “I kiss boys.” The totes can be found at two store locations, at the NYC University Place Rugby store and the Bleecker Street Polo Ralph Lauren, as well as Rugby.com. The full profit from the proceeds goes towards the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

Since 2004 the Polo Fashion School has reached out to a select group of gifted and motivated students each year. Their mission being to inspire some of the youth to follow there career path into the fashion industry. The most recent group from HMI was clearly thankful with the opportunity given to them, making a presentation to thank the Ralph Lauren team for their donated time.

I believe it is a wonderful program that Polo Ralph Lauren has created and carried on. They educate students on the fashion area in which they would not have normally been taught about, within the schools Ralph Lauren has adopted. This helps promote inspirations within then and an eye in-to a possible career opportunity down the road. The tote bag proceeds that go to HMI as well, is an additional form of outreach Ralph Lauren gives to the community, in which is extremely charitable.