Pop Up Shops and Pop up Malls

           Typically, when a urban street wear apparel brand is starting up or even recently, establish couture brands, still trying to keep it street and capture the essence of its the grassroots, they proceed to open up a pop up shop. Hoping to make a name for themselves; add a little hype to their growing brand, capture some foot traffic, get rid of surplus inventory all to generate income. The concept of a pop up shop is pretty cool if you ask me because if you do not know by now I am sale kind of guy.  A pop up shop is essentially clever gorilla marketing at is best.  However, a pop up mall? That is the best thing since slice bread for a street wear sale connoisseur such as myself.

Urban Outfitters Is Slipping, Falling. But Can They Get Up?

So I recently read Urban Outfitters (URBN.O) was a little down on its luck. According to Bloomberg, their shares are down 27 percent this year, the largest drop among U.S. specialty apparel retailers. Gasp! Will URBN be able to rebound from their recent decline in sales?  I personally believe they can if they do these three little things. Hire new talent, collaborate, and stay clear of the Ambercrombiesque type publicity (diversify). As Jezebel noted, their board members are old, averaging around 50 and are predominately White men, who may be slightly behind the trends I’m guessing, a pinch maybe. Let’s face it, URBN.O CEO Richard Hayne, is no longer hip or a hippie nor is he an Urban Outfitter but a multi-billionaire, ‘mom and apple pie conservative’. The company is slowly reflecting their company president's political affiliation. Urban Outfitter may be losing their cool. You're not cool if your insensitive to Native Americans, steals designers' jewelry concepts, your boardroom is not diverse and you do not support Gay rights. Miley Cyrus is not a fan.

Bootlegging the Zeitgeist

     I was perusing through a couple of TED speeches and stumble upon Johanna Blakley: Lessons from fashions free culture. Johanna Blakley studies the influence of mass media and entertainment on our world. The speech was corky and a full of sarcasm but I also found it to be quite profound and informative. Her breakdown of trademark infringement, and copyright protection was simple to grasp and engaging. Apparently, fashionapparel is too utilitarian to be protected. Hmm, fancy that. However, in spite of the axiom, “without ownership there is no incentive to innovate”but fashion has found a way to evolve,  doesn’t fashion kind of sound like this? 

AAFA vs Counterfeiters

     Piracy, counterfeiting or bootlegging can be an annoying eyesore and headache in fashion retailing. Growing up, working as a urban clothing sales associate or as a sneaker head, urban fashionista or a plain old brand loyalist, I often despised the consumer who participated in the purchasing of fake apparel because these consumers adamantly believe that the product that they were wearing was not a fake. Sorry, but you have been hoodwinked and bamboozled. I understand the feeling of wanting to belong or don the latest fashions. It feels good to be in the ‘in crowd' sometimes, doesn’t it?  However, I am not always a fan of the, 'fake it till you make it' plan. In some regards, I am purest when it comes to fashion, sneakers and style. If I can afford brand, I will purchase the brand. If I cannot afford it then I can wait till I can afford it but never will I wear pirated or counterfeit shoes or apparel because I can be a clothing snob or brand slave at times. Not to mention, I may be fooling others but I am not fooling myself. 

To assist apparel and footwear companies in fighting the good fight against counterfeiters, the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), provides members and visitors a like with an anti-counterfeiting coalition issue tool kit. In conjunction with the Coalition Against Counterfeiting and Piracy (CACP) of which AAFA is an active member, released recommended steps companies can use in order to protect their supply chains from counterfeiters. As mentioned on AAFA’s webpage, CACP partnered with U.S. Chamber of Commerce and provided companies with a tool kit that, “[C]ontains best practice[sic] guidelines and seven case studies of companies that devised and implemented aggressive techniques to fight counterfeiting and piracy and protects themselves and their customers”.

My Own Jean Theory

As I get ready to watch tonight’s episode of the HBO’s series, "How to make it in America," I start to contemplate about fashionistas, hipsters, style, entrepreneurship and of course jeans. Especially, since I recently bought a pair of Diesels and Replays. I love Italian denim and I will admit, I can be somewhat of a jean snob but with a cheap conscious of course, which allows me to sniff out the sales. Anyway, I digress, How to make it in America; a story about two young gentlemen who risk it all to start their own jean company, inspires me to want to create my own brand of jeans just for the love of a good pair of denim with my name on it.

Since Levi Strauss & Co.'s gave birth to the jean in the mid 1800’s, jeans have transformed and transpired throughout the generations. No longer do cowboys and gold miners roam the Wild West carrying saddlebags and wearing dusty denim with patented copper rivets reinforcing the points of strain, touting a Colt 45 pistol, riding horse back. Those days are long gone. Now teens and young adults are wearing all types of rinses, washes, whiskers, distressed, slim, selvedge, baggy, relaxed, straight and skinny. Whether functional or fashionable the seamless design of the jean has evolved. Not surprisingly Levi Strauss & Co.'s original and the first jean, the 501’s denim jeans are stills a staple in the industry.

 Furthermore, they have plenty of competitors with a market that is flooded with every designer’s own brand of denim jeans from the bargain bin to haute couture. Out of that flood I have found a few favorites, one in particular is the denim brand Prps.

Prps was founded in 2002, in New York by Donwan Harrell, a former Nike designers and founder of the urban clothing line Akademiks. The jeans are manufactured in Japan. The denim is woven from African cotton on vintage 1960’s Levi’s looms. Since its inception in 2002, Prps have been a staple among the jean snobs who love luxury jeans from the fashionable elitist to athletes, actors and actresses.  The first pair of Prps jeans I ever bought was quite comfortable, stylish, and soft but had an expensive price tag. However, once again, I got it for cheap because I happen to be working for the urban clothing store, Up Against the Wall and their employee discount for a manager at the time was gracious. The starting price for a pair of Prps can be $180 and up but their jeans cost typically average around $400. 

Honestly, I like jeans that are strong in material, look fresh, fit well, have crazy rinses and have a nice cut. I kept my pair for a good six years until I gave them to my little cousin and he still wears them.  Prps’s denim; have nice cuts, fresh rinses and the denim is amazingly soft, must be that African cotton or something. Furthermore, I love Prps website, www.prpsgoods.com, their interface is rather dope. I feel like unwrapping personal messages to me that say, "Bruised, never broken…our jeans evolve with you". Believe it or not they almost feel like they do.

Back to The Future 2, the Nike Air Mags and Parkinson's

Nostalgia and clairvoyant marketing genius is what drives the new Nike Air Mags back to the future from the past and now, towards the present. I remember watching Back to the Future 2 in 80’s for the first time, as a little kid and seeing Michael J Fox’s character, Marty McFly, put on these space-age Nike’s that automatically self lace. Then to top it off, Marty hops on the Barbie Mattel pink hover board with the Nike swoosh on those kicks looking, so nice, white and crisp. I couldn’t wait for year 2015, so I can cop this hi-tech super high top Air Force One, which allows me to be lazy and not tie my own shoe. It may be better that I don’t ever get them probably end up co-dependent and fat like human sin Wall-E. Anyway, that was then this is now.

It’s 2011 and you can feel it in the Nike air, the future is upon us. Sort of, there may not be hover boards or flying Deloreans but Nike may be gearing up for a strategic three-year marketing campaign of futuristic proportions. Starting with an excellent marketing angle. Earlier this month, Nike and Michael J. Fox teamed up on a special project to help raise funds for The Michael J. Fox’s Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Nike released 1500 pairs of the Nike Air Mags through Nike’s Ebay and the first pair sold for a whopping $37, 500. Now with all the shoes currently sold out and the only available pairs, are selling on Ebay by those who initially bought it, most likely in bulk and are now reselling it for a possible profit.

Supposedly, they will be re-released in 2015, possibly with the power lacing technology. I have my finger crossed. Honestly, if I could afford to buy this shoe I would have bought the shoe but only a pair where the funds directly went to Fox’s Parkinson foundation. Frankly, besides, Muhammad Ali, Micheal J. Fox was one of the first people to educate me on the disease and making it prevalent in my life.  I would feel quite content dropping $6,000, if I knew the money was it going to the research of Parkinson disease. Now, this is of course if my income could sustain such a purchase or should I say donation. Let’s face it, Nike, has the perfect spokesperson and sponsor in MJ. Fox. Marty and Doc is all the endorsement I need to be once again reminiscent of my childhood wants, needs and fantasy. The sneaker head, Back to the Future fan boy and MJF fan would have coughed up six racks on racks on racks.

With musicians, artists, sneaker stores and sneaker heads drooling for these Limited Edition Nike Air Mags, there is no possible way Nike won’t re-release these iconic shoes, $299.99 is my guess. Ouch! Nike has given us a glimpse of their future, now only if they powered laced and came with one these cool accessories.