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Spotlight on Apparel: What’s Going On

MishTalk

Unlike gasoline, housing, food, and auto loans, apparel is a discretionary purchase. What are consumers and importers doing? more…). Economics

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Casual Apparel Outperforms High-End Fashion

BCG

Article Tuesday, December 13, 2016. In the wake of the recent financial crisis, the global fashion and luxury industry established a solid record of extremely strong value creation. More recently, however, the industry’s performance declined somewhat—a trend that has continued into 2016. The exceptions have been companies that have turned to digitization, consolidation, and “casualization”—trends that will remain relevant to many companies for the near term.

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CPI Weak, Prices of Autos, Lodging Away From Home Drop: Econoday Cheers Rising Medical and Apparel Prices

MishTalk

The CPI rose 0.1% in July vs an Econoday consensus estimate of 0.2%. The Econoday Keynesian parrot does not like falling auto prices but is happy about rising medical prices. more…). Economics

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The Five Pillars of Marketing Success

The Fearless Marketer

Uncategorized Apparel & Accessories Retailers - NEC Building Your Five Pillar Marketing Plan I career coach club Cheers Economy Facebook GUESS high-tech plastics high-tech plastics industry Houston [link] intangible services LinkedIn marketing Marketing Action Group Marketing Mastery Program More Clients Club New York plastics Social Media & NetworkingDoes the following give a pretty good picture of your current marketing activity?

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Huge 6% Collapse in PPI Services Final Demand for Apparel, Jewelry, Footwear

MishTalk

Economists were shocked once again today. First, Retail Sales “Solidly” Flat, which we just covered. The Producer Price Index for … Continue reading → Economics

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Eileen Fisher on Leadership: The Personal Side of Organizational Change

Strategy+Business

The founder of the apparel company talks about how much personal growth leaders should demand -- of employees and themselves

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Syriza Effect: 40% of Greek Companies Want to Leave the Country; California vs. Greece

MishTalk

“Exodus Has Begun” The minimum wage hike is about to smack Los Angeles’ apparel industry businesses and jobs. The LA … Continue reading → Economics

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262: Babette Ballinger—How Does A Woman Tackle The Fashion Industry? Head On

On the Brink Podcast

As a fashion designer and owner of her own apparel sales firm, Babette had to constantly re-invent herself, learn how to run a business, and deal with the challenges of sustaining successful partnerships with men. Hear how one woman made her mark in an industry of men.

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Eileen Fisher and the Personal Side of Leadership

Strategy+Business

Yes, according to the apparel company CEO. Is it fair to ask employees to embrace personal growth, on top of everything else they do? See also "Eileen Fisher on Leadership: The Personal Side of Organizational Change

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Leading a Company That Wants to Change Lives through Sports

Strategy+Business

Think high-profile consumer goods, and sports apparel comes quickly to mind. For the last few years, the world's fastest-growing major sports apparel enterprise has been Adidas. The CEO overseeing Adidas's flourishing is Kasper Rørsted, a man who spent the first half of his career in the tech industry. In office just two years, he is positioning Adidas as a globally influential enterprise.

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Take Steps Now to Protect Your Independent Status!

Successful Independent Consulting

For example, an organizational change consultant hired to provide consulting services to an apparel company would probably satisfy this part of the test even if the apparel company had an organizational effectiveness department because the company’s primary business is apparel, not organizational change services. Recent court ruling likely to impact independent consultants in the U.S.

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Deep Dive into Customer Segmentation (Part 1 of 2)

Tom Spencer

Think about apparel products: in many countries, stores are still the primary place to buy clothes whereas in China, physical stores are in decline in favour of e-commerce. Due to the boom of the internet, nearly one third of apparel and footwear was sold online in 2018 (vs 1% in 2010).

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Nike’s Co-founder on Innovation, Culture, and Succession

Harvard Business

Phil Knight, former chair and CEO of Nike, tells the story of starting the sports apparel and equipment giant after taking an entrepreneurship class at Stanford and teaming up with his former track coach, Bill Bowerman. Together (and with the help of a waffle iron) they changed how running shoes are designed and made. Knight discusses the company’s enduring culture of innovation, as well as the succession process that led to former runner and Nike insider Mark Parker becoming CEO.

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Don’t be Greedy – Be the Best

Martinka Consulting

The ruling was against the former board members of the Jones Group, an ownership group of apparel brands including Gloria Vanderbilt, Anne Klein and Nine West. The New York Times reported on a “little-noticed court ruling in December (2020).” In 2014 the Jones Group sold to Sycamore Partners in a highly (one might say overly) leveraged deal. The court ruled the “officers and directors had better think twice before agreeing” to deals with this type of structure.

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Retail’s Hail Mary: Why Retailers are Betting on In-Store Data Insights

1 to 1

Squeezed by online competitors and evolving customer tastes, Macy’s, Sears, The Limited, and American Apparel have said they will be closing some or all of their stores. The sense that retailers are under more pressure than ever was a major theme at the National Retail Federation’s annual Big Show in New York this week. Several large retail brands kicked off 2017 with announcements that they were laying off employees or closing altogether.

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Google’s ‘Shop the Look’ Tries to Declutter Mobile Shopping

1 to 1

On Tuesday, Google introduced a “Shop the Look” program that lets smartphone users purchase apparel and other products through the images that appear in response to search terms. Earlier this week, Google unveiled its latest effort to help retailers boost sales through mobile devices. The program, which is powered by partnerships with sites like Curalate, LIKEtoKnow.it, and Polyvore, pulls images and links to products from blogs, social posts, and retail sites. For example, by typing “co

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5 Surprising Findings About How People Actually Buy Clothes and Shoes

Harvard Business

Apparel brands are investing especially heavily in online shopping capabilities and introducing interactive features that complement apps and websites. To get a clearer, more-complete picture, we studied actual decisions made by 1,500 apparel and footwear shoppers in the United States. Other apparel brands might seek to attract customers through differentiated and personalized products. HBR Staff/CSA Images/B&W Archive Collection/Getty Images.

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Surge of Store Closings Reveals Greater Need for Omnichannel

1 to 1

Among the closings are Macy''s, JCPenney, Guess, Radio Shack, as well as teen apparel stores Delia''s, Aeropostale, Wet Seal, and Abercrombie & Fitch. With the holiday shopping season behind us, retailers have planned a tidal wave of store closings for 2015. There’s more… To read the rest of this blog posting click here or visit www.1to1Media.com/weblog.

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California Supreme Court Ruling Impacts Independent Consulting and Subcontracting – Keep It Legal!

Women in Consulting

For example, an organizational change consultant hired to provide consulting services to an apparel company would probably satisfy this part of the test even if the apparel company had an organizational effectiveness department because the company’s primary business is apparel, not organizational change services. By: Henry Telfeian. :: Two months ago, the California Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision in the case Dynamex Operations West Inc.

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[Reader Question] Start as a generalist or niche down?

Kai Davis

Like ‘Veterinary Clinics’ or ‘Accountants’ or ‘Direct To Consumer Apparel Stores on Shopify.’ A reader writes in with an excellent question: Would you start as a generalist or focus on a specific type of consulting, and if one specific niche, how would you narrow it down? I’ve got a lot of thoughts on this, and the fundamental answer is “ The Riches are in the Niches.”

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[Reader Question] Start as a generalist or niche down?

Kai Davis

Like ‘Veterinary Clinics’ or ‘Accountants’ or ‘Direct To Consumer Apparel Stores on Shopify.’. A reader writes in with an excellent question: Would you start as a generalist or focus on a specific type of consulting, and if one specific niche, how would you narrow it down? I’ve got a lot of thoughts on this, and the fundamental answer is “ The Riches are in the Niches.”. The more specific you can make your niche or market, the better.

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6 Reasons Inflation is Higher than You Think

Tom Spencer

apparel and electronics), but the price of other consumer goods have risen sharply (e.g., “By a continuing process of inflation, government can confiscate, secretly and unobserved, an important part of the wealth of their citizens.” ~ John Maynard Keynes.

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Customer intent is a treasure trove of actionable data hiding in plain sight

1 to 1

Apparel companies Stitch Fix and ThirdLove are two examples of companies that tout their use of data analytics and artificial intelligence in their services.

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Consulting Case Interviews at Non-Consulting Firms

Tom Spencer

To take an example of a corporate strategy role at an apparel company, you might be expected to know what kind of product categories they have, geographies they operate in, and recent trends in the industry.

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Currency Lessons: Think a Sinking Currency is Always Good For Manufacturers?

MishTalk

Indian shoppers are not only cutting back on big-ticket purchases such as refrigerators, TVs or expensive branded apparel but even staples including soaps, ketchup and cosmetics. Currency Lessons. Brazil learned a currency lesson first, now India. Is Australia next? Japan? The lesson I am talking about is the widely held misconception that a sinking currency will make manufacturers more competitive and thus help the economy.

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December Retail Sales Negative; Other Economic Data Horrid

MishTalk

Apparel was a standout, down 0.9%. The Beige Book yesterday warned us about weak apparel sales which in this report fell a very steep 0.9 Despite glowing reports of last minute Christmas sales, none of which I believed, December retail sales are best described as awful. The surprise here is that nobody blamed the weather. The Econoday Consensus Estimate was flat, and the result was not that far off at -0.1%, but the details were awful.

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Organizational Fitness for Growth: Five Insights for CEOs

Kates Kesler

We recently completed a study for the CEO of a very well known, global sports-apparel brand company. Our sports-apparel CEO had the right idea in challenging his team to think about the organization and ask: are we fit for growth, given our strategies going forward? The apparel company CEO, who commissioned our study, was pleased with the outcome of the organizational fitness review with his team. Learning from Big Companies.

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Job Hub: TOMS Jobs and Culture

Management Consulted

Whether someone is out shopping for apparel or looking to better our world, TOMS gives an opportunity for both. Today we highlight tremendous business analyst and post-consulting leadership jobs at TOMS. TOMS is a popular shoe manufacturer known for combining philanthropy with a profitable business model. If you see a need, through the purchase of their merchandise you are able to address it.

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Wholesale Trade Inventories Surge Led By Autos

MishTalk

Inventory draws reflecting gains in sales include computer equipment, electrical goods, and apparel. Autos are the sales Energizer bunny. Nothing seems to slow them down. Wholesale Inventories Surprised to the Upside , led by autos. Wholesale inventories rose 0.5 percent in September following an upward revised 0.3 percent gain in August. The September build appears to be intentional based on a 0.5

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Rewarded vs. Unrewarded Complexity in Organizations

Kates Kesler

We are working with a large apparel company now that has successfully managed a complex matrix for a number of years. Complex organizations are a result of complex business strategies. But not all complexity is equal. Frans van Houten, CEO of Royal Philips, makes a case for distinguishing between what he calls rewarded and unrewarded complexity.

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How Consumer Brands Can Connect with Customers in a Changing Retail Landscape

Harvard Business

The accessories and apparel designer uses in-store radio-frequency identification to send clothing items to dressing rooms, helps customers choose different styles and sizes, and shows stock availability in stores and online. Retailer relationships can impose varying levels of constraint in D2C selling — less for apparel, perhaps, and more for CPG. But brick-and-mortar retail doors are closing, especially for apparel, as shoppers take their business online.

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Can Lean Manufacturing Put an End to Sweatshops?

Harvard Business

To examine this possibility, I conducted research on recent developments in Nike Inc’s apparel supply chain with Jens Hainmueller of Stanford University and Richard M. In the mid-2000s, Nike embarked on a program to introduce lean manufacturing to its apparel suppliers in the developing world. For example, we found improved compliance in India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, but no effects in China, the world’s largest exporter of apparel.

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BTS Group Interviews and Culture

Management Consulted

Apparel. BTS GROUP INTERVIEWS AND CULTURE. 30 years old and long a mainstay in European consulting, BTS Group has been steadily growing since its inception in 1986. A strategy execution and implementation firm based in Sweden, today the firm counts 59 of the U.S. Fortune 500 and over 30 of the Global Fortune 100 among its clientele. BTS Group specializes in digital technology, leadership development, sales training, and assessments.

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For Better Retail Promotions, Ask These Questions

Harvard Business

Recent analysis for a leading apparel retailer showed elasticity of customer response to promotional discounts was up to three times higher during holiday periods than during non-holiday periods and two times higher during weekends than on weekdays. For example, our analysis in the men’s apparel category shows that, compared with everyday basics, promotions for in-season fashion items bring significantly more people into stores. John Rizzo/Getty Images.

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Marketers Need to Stop Focusing on Loyalty and Start Thinking About Relevance

Harvard Business

Instead of thinking of itself merely as a sports apparel manufacturer, the company has purposefully developed a “connected fitness” ecosystem. Under Armour intends to enable these platforms to grow independently, while reaping aggregated data that can inform and expand its apparel designs. Ultimately, the goal is to link customers to new services such as innovative start-ups that are developing embedded sensors and biometric readers for apparel. Topic Images Inc./Getty

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How Chinese Companies Disrupt Through Business Model Innovation

Harvard Business

The American textile and apparel industries, for example, will tell you that the evidence can be found in the blood on the floor — their blood, on what used to be their floor. Far from being disruptive, Chinese textile, apparel, appliances, metal, and solar and wind players have done little that has been different from the practices they found in these industries when they entered them. Experts continue to debate whether Chinese businesses are truly disruptive.

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Design for Conflict: Make Tension in the Matrix Work to Drive Business Results

Kates Kesler

Take Nike, marketing a core brand across a number of consumer categories with hundreds of footwear and apparel products all over the world. For years, leaders have tried to create smooth-running organizations where complexity, tension, conflict and overlapping lines of authority are at a minimum. Organizational simplicity is great when the business is simple – when there are only a few products, serving a few markets (in one or two countries).

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Wholesale Trade: Another Bad Report, Inventories Decline, Prior Month Revised Way Lower; Expect Negative Revisions to 3rd and 4th Quarter GDP; What About Autos?

MishTalk

Inventory draws reflecting rising sales include furniture, apparel, and farm products. Economists missed the wholesale trade report numbers by a mile. The Econoday Consensus Estimate for today's trade numbers was +0.2% in a range of 0.0% to 0.4%. The actual report (for October) came in at -0.1%. That's bad enough, but some of the much touted inventory build for 3rd quarter (See Wholesale Trade Inventories Surge Led By Autos ) did not happen. Last month's report had me scratching my head.

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Black and Blue Friday Coming Up

MishTalk

Appliances, entertainment items, infant products and hardware showed narrowing discounts, MarketTrak reported, while promotions for apparel, toys and electronics were getting bigger. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Black and Blue Friday will follow, putting U.S. Consumers and Stores in Face Off Over Discounts.

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Retail Sales Weaker Than Expected, Led by Autos; Car Boom Ending?

MishTalk

Apparel sales, which are definitely being held down by import prices, were unchanged following two small declines. This month the retail sales consensus expectation was for a 0.3% The actual reading was a gain of just 0.1% for the month. In addition, last month's retail sales were revised lower to +0.0% from an initial reading of +0.1%. This was the third consecutive weak report. Nonetheless Bloomberg managed to put an amazing amount of lipstick on today's report. Let's take a look.

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