Category: Retail

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 […]

Agenda Fashion Trade Show Indicates Strong Showing of New Brands on the Action Sports Horizon and Crossover from a Variety of Influential Lifestyles

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Story and Photos by Kathleen Gasperini and Tom Wallace Agenda trade show, once known as the bastion of underground that usurped ASR back in the day, has been a fully-fledged fashion trade show in its own right now for years, but if ever there was a time that announced this, it was January 5-6, 2012 […]

H&M to Debut David Beckham’s Briefs Collaboration

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H&M, the fast-fashion retailer from Sweden, has been forging ahead with some interesting collaborations with various top designers over the years, and capturing the hearts and wallets of youth culture across the United States, as indicated in our Youth Culture Studies. On February 2, in 1,800 H&M stores, the David Beckham collaboration for bodywear will […]

Industry Round-up: Shaun White’s Home Line Collection Debuts at Target; Randy Hild Leaves Quiksilver

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On December 26, lucky Target shoppers could check-out Shaun White’s latest collab with the big-box retailer, his home collection, featuring bedding, lamps, curtains, storage shelves, a skate rack, and other dorm-room friendly collectibles like a piggy bank. This collaboration, designed with his brother Jesse, runs until June 2012 in stores and online with prices ranging […]

Rise of the Slow-Fashion Movement in a Fast-Fashion 2012

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Fashion is full of ironies especially when it comes to American youth culture fashion movements. One of the most prevalent is the growing movement of slow fashion, often thought of as local, handmade, bespoke apparel, which ironic as it sounds, is actually producing products (often on the leading-edge of trends) that come out faster than […]

Billabong Takes a Dive Closing a Record 44 Percent Lower—Strategic Capital Structure Review Underway

VANS Triple Crown of Surfing, Billabong Pipeline Masters In Memory of Andy Irons

Aussie Kieren Perrow wins Billabong Pipe Masters in North Shore, Oahu.Just off the high-voltage surfing competition finale of the Billabong Pipe Masters in Oahu earlier this month, the reality of the Aussie surf brand faced a huge obstacle on Monday, December 19, 2011 when is closed 44% lower, closing at A$2.03 a share an all-time […]

Li-Ning from China Goes Head-to-Head with Nike and Adidas Via Ecommerce in America—How This Effects Sneaker Culture

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Li-Ning dives into the American marketplace yet again. This time via ecommerce and Facebook.In our China Youth Culture Studies, the sportswear brand Li-Ning continues to crawl up the ranks as a top preferred brand among 15-25-year-olds. Interestingly however, in the United States (and elsewhere), it’s one of the biggest global brands that nobody really knows. […]

Quiksilver Reports 10 Percent Revenue Increase in Fourth Quarter, Big Thanks to Roxy, Plus New President of Retail

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Quiksilver Team Rider Kelly Slater winning his 11th ASP World Champ Title. Photo by ASP.On December 15, 2011, Quiksilver, which has had a tough time of things during this recession, announced revenues grew 10% to $545.2 million compared with $495.1 million in the fourth quarter in 2010. Consolidated net revenues for the year grew 6% […]

PacSun’s Struggles Continue-Announce Closing of 200 Stores in Next 14 Months

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On December 7th, PacSun’s Chief Executive Officer Gary Schoenfeld announced some big news. First that the mall-based action-sports-based chain would be closing 175-200 of its stores in the next 14 months, and that a 5-year $100 million revolving credit deal would be happening with Wells Fargo Capital Finance, and a $60 million loan funded by […]

eBay’s Pop-up London Store Combines Smartphone Shopping with Brick and Mortar

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eBay Pop-up shop in London’s West End turns shopping into an ironic mix of m-commerce in brick ‘n mortar. Photo by Getty Images.In a very interesting move by eBay, their pop-up shop that started December 1 in London’s West End high street district may have tapped into a growing trend in shopping patterns. The pop-up […]