American Apparel in a Turn-Around? Net Sales Up 14%

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The beleaguered American Apparel, one of the most high-profile vertically integrated manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of branded fashion basic apparel in the world, and a top favorite among youth culture, announced preliminary sales for the month ended January 31, 2012. The company reported total net sales increased 14% to $41.4 million. For the same period, […]

Puma X BMW Collab Gets Even Bigger Including More Moto Merch, Footwear, Apparel

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Puma’s relationship with BMW since 2004 has been one an interesting example of a unique collaboration of a sneaker/apparel brand with automotive. Both have gained exposure in cross-pollinating their consumer bases by being involved with each other’s brand strategies and marketing. And now, Puma and BMW Motorsport has announced a massively extended partnership. In this […]

Facebook’s IPO vs. Changes in Key Social Networks and Features Most Liked Among Youth Culture-Understanding Shifts in New Media Patterns

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As social networks try to stay one step ahead of the largest market that uses the medium, it’s important to see which features are most important to specific demographics and why.

H&M’s Design Awards Selects Stine Riis Winner—Look at Upcoming Collection for the Fast-fashion Retailer

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On the day that David Beckham’s briefs collection debuts in London’s flagship H&M and just a week after financial reports of H&M’s 15.3% drop in profits in Q4, H&M announced their winner in their new H&M Design Awards 2012 as Stine Riis, a 28-year-old grad student from London College of fashion. Like H&M’s ongoing designer […]

Shaun White Grabs 5th Gold in SuperPipe at X Games with Perfect 100 Score Stomping a Back-to-Back Double McTwist 1260

Winter X Games Aspen 2012 - Men's Snowboard SuperPipe Final - January 29, 2012

The 11th Winter X Games came to a close on January 29, 2012 in Aspen, Colorado to huge fanfare as the top pro snowboarders in the world competed in the SuperPipe to a dramatic finish. Earlier during the Games, Olympic gold medalist Kelly Clark stomped the competition winning her 2nd gold in SuperPipe with an […]

H&M Drops 15.3% in Profits Despite Versace Collab Hype; Next-up Marni and Challenges with Sourcing Indicating Trends in Fashion

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Fast-fashion retailer H&M is a brand to watch for changing tides of fashion and retail for many reasons when it comes to youth culture. First, when they hit hard times, as they have reported in the Q4 finances with a 15.3% drop in profits despite a much-hyped collab with Versace, it means the fashion industry […]

China’s Year of the Dragon Brings Unique Designs to Footwear

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In honor of Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon representing power and luck for 2012, we take a look at some creative footwear coming out of China and latest trends in collaborations. First, celebrating 30 years of Nike being in China and 30 years of the Nike Air Force 1, Beijing designer Wang […]

Bread and Butter Berlin Beats Odds with Successful Show Despite Economic Hardships in Europe

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With the theme High Fidelity, Bread and Butter Berlin which ran from January 18-20, 2012 at the Berlin Tempelhof Airport exceeded expectations in many ways including the high volume of attendees despite economic hard times across Europe. One of the leading fashion trade shows in the world, Bread & Butter is a key show to […]

ISPO’s Brand New Awards from Germany Names International Winners Including a Soft Ski Boot, Wavegarden, Solar Jacket and More

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One of the best parts of ISPO’s winter fashion trade show in Munich, Germany, is the presentation of their ISPO BRAND NEW awards which go to some of the most innovative, technical, and in some cases, humanitarian and fashionable start-up products in the world. ISPO Brand New Awards is the world’s largest start-up competition in […]

Ice-T, Mayor of Sundance—How Hip-Hop Redefined A Generation

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Sundance Film Festival is underway and one of highly anticipated documentaries at the scene is “Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap: co-directed by Ice-T and Andy Baybutt. Taking a look at rap’s evolution including insider interviews with some of the best over the past 30 years including NAS, Dr. Dre, Run DMC, Chuck D, […]