Today is not a good day for iconic American retailer, J. Crew. Though 2018 was supposed to be the beginning of a new era for the brand under the leadership of Jim Brett, the numbers say otherwise.
Strategy & Brand
Nasty Gal — What Went Wrong?
The Gist: A lot went wrong, apparently. The Lesson: When a retailer like NastyGal starts telling vendors they want to “hold off” on orders, the iceberg has already been hit. The Whole Story: Unlike most of the businesses I cover here, the company’s demise was not fueled by a product/market fit issue that developed as the […]
This Hip, Weird Clothing Store Wants to Take Over America
When I read this headline I was excited to learn that they were talking about ModCloth, the only brand I have truly been loyal to in consumer climate that’s decidedly disaffected. As a long time fan of the retailer, I have witnessed their growing pains first hand through experimental tweaks to their marketing, products and sale strategy. […]
News Roundup: Don’t Call it a Comeback Edition
What Happened When Banana Republic Went Trendy The Gist: Banana Republic tried to go trendy and ditched customer favorites (bright, tailored cuts) in favor of boxy, neutral silhouettes. That didn’t work out so well. Lesson Learned: Never forget who your core customer is. Dive Deeper: Banana’s fall from grace is a classic example of a brand that forgot […]
Ugg Abandons Suburban Teens, Targets the “Cool Girl”
Although you probably haven’t thought about Uggs since 2008 when you saw them on yet another leggings-clad girl with heavy eyeliner, the company is doing surprisingly well. This week they announced a partnership with eponymous cool girl Alexa Chung, who will act as art director for a series of campaigns that remove the sheepskin-lined boots […]