Piperlime. C. Wonder. Kate Spade Saturday.These are just a few of the popular clothing and accessory brands that are shuttering their proverbial doors in 2015. They are going the way of the samurai…but why? I’m sure the analysis has been done that says they weren’t generating enough revenue to cover expenses, or the profit margins were declining incrementally with no end in sight. I’ll go with any/all of those explanations ~ along with my own. In a time of shorten attention spans, online flash sale sites, Black Friday discounts, technical glitches that lead to merchandise being discounted 90%, and “luxury” becoming an accessible commodity [a bit of an oxymoron], it’s clear these brands are going the way of the samurai because no one appreciates (read: wants) old anymore. “Out with the old, in with the new.”
C.Wonder is the brand started by Tory Burch’s ex ~ perhaps in a bid to undercut her brand? Well we see how that went… Kate Spade Saturday was supposed to bring the Kate Spade brand to a population that needed a lower price point. Ummm why spend $100 on a wallet when you can spend $185 and get the real deal?! Piperlime, the baby of Gap Inc., used guest editors (love Olivia Palermo) and a big social media strategy but alas the constant sales weren’t enough.
So what does that mean for your sale shopping? Nothing I suspect…but the argument could be made that these brands didn’t keep it fresh enough. They tried to take something old and make it relevant rather than take something old and keep it classic, or create something truly new. Either way, they’re headed into extinction and for those of you who are mourning the loss, I would recommend you head to the following spots to satisfy your old-made-unremarkably-new craving (but amped up a bit):
Let’s get back to the classics…for real!
