Posts tagged with "Fashion Dive"

Above, L.L. Bean has released a capsule collection co-designed by musician Noah Kahan. (Photo source: Emily Dorio/L.L. Bean)

L.L. Bean releases collab with musician Noah Kahan

October 28, 2024

L.L. Bean has launched a collection of footwear, apparel, and accessories co-designed by singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, reports Fashion Dive.

The eight-piece capsule, named “The Northern Attitude Collection” in reference to one of Kahan’s songs, includes some of L.L. Bean’s most popular products.

Prices range from $29.95 to $249. The collection includes a men’s waxed canvas Bean Boot, two Boat and Tote bags, hats, and an anorak jacket; and the line is available in a muted color palette of cool blue, green, gray and tan. Some items include an illustration of Kahan’s German Shepherd, Penny.

L.L. Bean is based in Maine, and Kahan grew up in Vermont and New Hampshire. The brand is marketing the collaboration as a tribute to the shared New England roots of both the brand and the musician.

Kahan said the brand has always been a part of his life: “Wearing L.L.Bean makes me feel like I’m outside, even if I’m not—and this is important because going outside is self-care for me, especially when it comes to my mental health,” Kahan said. “Including Penny is also just so special as she’s been my closest confidant during the creation and launch of ‘Stick Season,’ so this collection is really personal and nostalgic for me.”

L.L. Bean will donate $100,000 to The Busyhead Project, an initiative founded by Kahan that aims to provide resources and information to end the stigma around mental health.

Last year, L.L. Bean partnered with the musician on a curated collection of items hand-selected by Kahan, but this is the first collection of new items co-designed by him.

Research contact: @fashiondive

Above, Sara Blakely, who founded Spanx in 2000, has set off to disrupt the high heel market with the launch of Sneex. (Photo source: Sneex)

Spanx founder launches shoe brand Sneex

August 26, 2024

Sara Blakely is off on her next venture. Three years after selling a majority stake in her shapewear brand, Spanx, to Blackstone, she has set out to reimagine high heels, reports Fashion Dive.

Blakely is entering the shoe market through the launch of her next venture, Sneex. The shoe brand combines features from a high heel and a sneaker to create a hybrid heel, or what the company calls “hy-heels.”

Using materials such as napa leather and suede from Italy and Spain, Sneex shoes retail for $395 to $595 and come in sizes 5 to 11, according to a company press release.

The product, which is available in three styles and ten “colorways,” is available for purchase on Sneex’s website.

Blakely founded the shapewear brand in 2000 using $5,000 in savings. The idea behind the brand came after Blakely struggled to find the right undergarments to wear under white pants, leading her to cut the feet off her control top pantyhose.

Now, Blakely is returning to her innovation roots, looking to solve another pain point many people face when it comes to wearing high heels: “Men invented the high heel centuries ago, and its basic construction hasn’t really changed,” Blakely said in a statement. “There has been a void in comfortable footwear, and women deserve a new option. I wanted to create a luxury high heel that prioritizes how women feel, not just how we look. We are fed the line that ‘beauty is pain’… but I don’t believe it has to be.”

The company aims to address three common concerns in its shoe construction: lack of support, uneven weight distribution and toe squeezing.

Broader trends, like the casualization of apparel, also contributed to Sneex’s creation. But Blakely added that, “while sneakers have been embraced as an option, there are many times I put on clothes and still want the height and look of a heel with the vibe of a sneaker. There was an opportunity there.”

Research contact: @fashiondive

Above, models showcase some of the bags available through the Metropolitan Museum of Art collaboration with Sprayground. (Photo source: MET x Sprayground)

The Met launches bag collaboration with Sprayground

August 16, 2024

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has launched a collection with graphics-led bag brand Sprayground, reports Fashion Dive.

The 17-piece collection includes backpacks, handbags, duffles, and a tote bag “drawing inspiration from 5,000 years of art across the Met’s 19 diverse curatorial departments.” According to the collaborators, the line has limited inventory and “will never be produced again.”

Prices range from $80 to $400. The line is initially launching on the Met’s New York retail and e-commerce platforms; and select pieces remain in-store exclusives at the museum. Sprayground’s e-commerce platform began carrying items from the collaboration on Monday, August 12.

“The Met’s collaboration with Sprayground engages with the Museum’s collection across a range of cultures and time periods, calling attention to fan favorites and lesser-known works,” Josh Romm, head of Global Licensing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, told Fashion Dive this week. “Infusing these selections with the Sprayground brand DNA results in a dynamic offering that sparks curiosity and conversation about art and design.”

Highlights from the collection include a silicone head of Medusa handbag, a tote featuring Vincent Van Gogh’s “Self Portrait with a Straw Hat” and a handbag in the shape of a hippopotamus from the museum’s Egyptian Art collection, nicknamed “William.”

A QR code embedded on each bag links consumers to information detailing its connection to the artwork that inspired its design.

“The Met seeks to collaborate with leading brands who have a passion for creativity, and Sprayground certainly delivers on that mission,” said Romm. “Over nearly three years, our teams worked together closely to bring this shared vision to life. Each design is the byproduct of thoughtful conversation and ideation.”

The collaboration came out of “a mutual respect for each other’s worlds—art and fashion,” says David Ben-David, CEO and creative director of Sprayground. He added that the pieces were designed to honor the past “while making it relevant to today’s fashion audience.”

The result, he said, helps make art a part of everyday life.

“It works since it’s a perfect fusion of art and fashion, reinterpreting timeless art in a way that resonates with today’s generation empowering our fans to have a wearable piece of art,” Ben-David said.

Research contact: @fashiondive

Above, runners hit the road in Hoka’s latest ad campaign. (Photo source: Hoka)

Hoka’s latest avian-themed ads look to shore up favor among runners

July 9, 2024

Hoka is ramping up its avian-themed marketing targeted at runners with a new global ad campaign titled “We Are All Born to Fly,” reports Fashion Dive.

The effort launches with a 60-second anthem spot, “Bird’s Eye,” that shows a raptor gliding over mountains, forest trails, and open roads in the French Alps—providing aerial POVs on the runners below. The full campaign, slated to run through the fall, will span broadcast, over-the-top TV, out-of-home, digital channels and social media.

“We Are All Born to Fly” expands a “Fly Human Fly” platform Hoka introduced on the back of strong sales momentum. Another branding play around running comes as legacy rivals, including Nike, have seen their foothold in the running community slip.

Tying the euphoria of running to birds in flight remains a key branding touchstone for Hoka in its latest ads. Developed with agency Anomaly, the campaign builds on a “Fly Human Fly” platform that previously featured creative inspired by murmuration, a visually striking bird-flocking behavior that Hoka used

Founded in 2009, Hoka has won over picky performance runners thanks to its comfortable, chunky shoe designs and active outreach to running clubs, which have soared in popularity since the pandemic.

The company, which is owned by Deckers Brands, surpassed $1 billion in sales last year and is frequently cited as a disruptor to Nike, which has seen some of its favorability among runners slip.

Nike, a dominant force in sportswear, has struggled in a broader sense after prioritizing direct-to-consumer channels over wholesale retail relationships and failing to produce eye-catching marketing in recent years.

Nike is currently pushing its Pegasus 41 sneaker with a program executives have described as the brand’s “most comprehensive running campaign in years.” The firm is also doubling down on its on-the-ground game to reconnect with the running community.

Research contact: @FashionDive

Above, videos in the ad campaign were shot in White’s hometown of New York. (Photo source: Calvin Klein)

Calvin Klein’s Jeremy Allen White ads turned heads, but the biggest impact may be to the brand’s image

July 1, 2024

Just days into the new year, Calvin Klein released its Spring 2024 men’s underwear collection with an ad campaign that inspired a string of admiring TikToks and think pieces, reports Fashion Dive.

The resulting surge in social media impressions was worth about $74 million, according to the brand’s holding company PVH.

The images featured actor Jeremy Allen White in his hometown of New York City, sporting classic Calvin Klein underwear styles, such as white cotton boxer briefs. Images included photos and a video of White exercising on a rooftop, scored by Lesley Gore’s song “You Don’t Own Me.”

White is the star of the buzzy FX on Hulu series “The Bear,” which debuted its third season on Wednesday, June 26. The actor and the series received honors at this year’s Golden Globes and Emmy Awards, which were both held shortly after the campaign launched.

White wore a black suit and sheer black shirt by Calvin Klein at the Golden Globes. White wore Calvin Klein again to the series’ season premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 25, in an oyster white bespoke suit with a black tie.

Calvin Klein is a 56-year-old brand known for head-turning, and at times controversial, ads starring popular celebrities. However, the campaign starring White was unique in the amount of attention it drew.

Within the first 48 hours of its debut, the media campaign generated $10.4 million in media impact value, and generated $699,000 in MIV for the Calvin Klein brand itself, according to data from Launchmetrics. By PVH’s own metrics, the campaign generated $12 million in media exposure within the same time period.

By comparison, Calvin Klein campaigns starring Michael B. Jordan and Carlos Alcaraz netted $3.8 million and $827,000 in MIV, respectively, within 48 hours of their launches, per Launchmetrics.

The campaign debuted as PVH is in the midst of a multi-year plan to boost Calvin Klein’s desirability and consumer loyalty. In an April earnings call with analysts, CEO Stefan Larsson said the Calvin Klein brand was “driving some of the highest consumer engagement” in its history, “fueled by cut through campaigns with globally relevant mega-talent.” When asked by analysts about the overall health of the Calvin Klein brand, Larsson pointed to these campaigns.

“We saw the impact of this work earlier this year with the launch of our spring campaign featuring Jeremy Allen White, and we are excited to build on this strong momentum as Calvin’s global product engine takes hold,” Larsson said.

Research contact: @fashiondive

Above, Ikea will launch a line of pre-cut fabrics in a new textile-focused collection called Tyg in July. (Photo source: Ikea)

Ikea launches textile collection for home and fashion

June 25, 2024

Ikea has introduced a new 20-piece collection of textiles, reports Fashion Dive.

The collection, called Tyg, which means fabric in Swedish, features pre-cut fabric in 3-meter lengths (approximately 10 feet), created by 13 designers. The fabric will launch across all 51 Ikea U.S. stores in July with a second drop slated for the second half of 2024. The collection also will be offered at Ikea stores worldwide and through its e-commerce platform.

There will be 16 patterns available during the first 24 months, with four additional patterns in the second drop later this year. Prices for each cut piece of fabric range from $9.99 to $14.99, per the spokesperson.

The Tyg collection is designed to be used by customers to create either clothing or home decor. However, Ikea stated that the fabric patterns are “unique and legally protected, prohibiting commercial reproduction without permission

“The fabrics in the Tyg collection are easy to sew, tie, cut and stitch—all great qualities needed in a textile when designing clothing,” a spokesperson told Fashion Dive in an email. “We’re creating countless opportunities for design, whether that’s crafting a bespoke skirt, tailoring a pair of pants, or assembling a unique jacket. It’s all about unleashing creativity with the minimum means.”

The company says that the process of caring for and repairing products can encourage ssustainability, because it gives “new life [to] existing items—there is no need for a complete replacement.”

“At Ikea, our identity is deeply intertwined with the textiles,” Marie Olsson, range area manager, Home Textiles and Rugs says. “Historically, we are recognized for our patterns and textiles, which have a long-standing heritage of bold expressions that tell stories. The new Tyg collection continues that journey with many inspirational expressions from the 13 designers involved in the project. In the meanwhile, we also found some old, timeless modern patterns in our treasure chest to reuse.”

Research contact: @fashiondive

Above, some of Gwyneth Paltrow's Good.Clean.Goop products are among the items with deals during Amazon’s upcoming Summer Beauty Haul. (Photo source: Goop)

Amazon’s ‘Summer Beauty Haul’ returns

May 15, 2024

Amazon’s Summer Beauty Haul event has returned: The sales promotion started at 12 a.m. (PST) on May 13 and will run through 11:59 p.m. (PST) on May 19.

The promotion includes skin care products, makeup, nail products, men’s grooming and travel sets, reports Fashion Dive. Customers will receive a promotional credit for $10 when they spend $50 or more on beauty products shipped and sold by Amazon. The deals will be automatically added to carts on qualifying orders, and used on purchases of beauty or premium items shipped and sold by Amazon.

The company highlighted 40 brands and products that are part of the beauty promotion, which comes right after Mother’s Day, with offers ranging from 20% off to 50% off. Some of the 20% off deals include Good.Clean.Goop beauty’s The Fruit Facial Exfoliating Scrub; the Kitsch Shower Head Filter for hard water, and the Manscaped Shears 2.0 Tempered Stainless Steel Men’s Nail Kit.

Amazon’s first-ever Summer Beauty Haul was last year. The company also ran a similar promotion ahead of the holiday shopping season.

On Tuesday and Wednesday May 14 and May 15, Amazon is running a Pet Day event. The 48-hour promotion comes during National Pet Month. It will offer deals on pet food, treats, toys, and electronics for all customers, including Prime Members.

Finally, Prime Day—in all likelihood, Amazon’s best-known and most popular sales event, will return in July on a date to be announced, the company said on May 1.

In March, Amazon introduced Clinique in its premium beauty store. Clinique is the first of several Estée Lauder brands that plan to open digital storefronts in partnership with Amazon in the coming months.

Research contact: @fashiondive

Above, the bridal capsule collection comprises sleepwear, lingerie, and accessories. (Photo source": Forever 21)

Forever 21 unveils first bridal capsule collection

May 3, 2024

Youth retailers, including Forever 21, are focusing more on the bridal space. Forever 21 launched its first bridal capsule collection, the retailer said on Wednesday, May 1, reports Fashion Dive.

The 22-piece collection features sleepwear, lingerie, and accessories—such as cowboy hats, statement hair pieces, and embellished sunglasses. It is available in Forever 21 stores and on the company’s website. The collection is priced between $8.99 and $47.99; and ranges in size from XS to XL.

Complementing its current wedding guest product assortment, Forever 21’s new collection features satin pajama sets with the words “Bride” and “Team Bride,” and bodysuits, corsets and lace intimates designed to “add a touch of sexiness to the lingerie options,” the retailer says.

In a similar move, Abercrombie & Fitch last month entered into the wedding category with the debut of The A&F Wedding Shop for brides, bachelorettes, and wedding guests. The collection has over 100 items—including bridal dresses, guest dresses, bikinis, pajamas, skirts, and crochet-style cover-ups—and is priced between $80 and $150.

Although fast-fashion giant Forever 21 is venturing into the wedding category, some brands suggest that brides are looking toward more environmentally-friendly options.

An August 2023 report from the DTC wedding apparel and accessories retailer Azazie found that nearly half (42%) of brides are looking for sustainable options. Most (83%) of brides said they planned to wear the same dress for both the ceremony and reception, surpassing the 59% who said the same the year prior.

Research contact: @fashion_dive

Above, Rag & Bone will operate as an independent fashion brand under the Guess portfolio. (Photo source: Rag & Bone)

Guess and WHP to acquire Rag & Bone

February 21, 2024

Guess Inc. and WHP Global have reached a definitive agreement to acquire Rag & Bone, reports Fashion Dive.

Founded in 1981, Guess is clothing copy best-known for its denim jeans and fashion accessories. WHP Global’s brand portfolio generates approximately $4 billion in annual retail sales, and includes Joe’s Jeans, Anne Klein, Joseph Abboud, Lotto, and Toys“R”Us.

Under the deal, Guess will pay $56.5 million to acquire Rag & Bone’s operating assets; while Guess and WHP will both own Rag & Bone’s intellectual property through a joint venture. Guess and the joint venture will enter a licensing agreement, which gives Guess the exclusive right to use Rag & Bone’s intellectual property (IP) to manufacture Rag & Bone products worldwide and sell products in specified territories in exchange for Guess’ payment of a royalty fee.

Rag & Bone will operate as an independent fashion brand under the Guess portfolio. The deal is expected to close during the first quarter of Guess’ 2025 fiscal year.

The deal also includes a potential earnout in which Guess will be responsible for up to $12.8 million, based on Rag & Bone’s sales performance over the course of its 2024 fiscal year.

Rag & Bone, which was founded in 2002, will continue to be based in New York. It operates 34 stores in the U.S.A. and two in the U.K. and is also available in boutiques and department stores and through e-commerce, per the release. In 2023, the brand reported approximately $250 million in revenue.

The acquisition of Rag & Bone brings another denim brand to WHP’s fashion holdings (as well as to Guess). Last year, it acquired a majority interest in G-Star Raw.

Research contact: @fashiondive

Above, the 28-piece collection features outerwear, tailored separates, tops, and accessories. (Photo source: Banana Republic)

Banana Republic launches collab with Peter Do

October 17, 2023

On Tuesday, October 10, Banana Republic launched a capsule collection designed by Helmut Lang’s creative director Peter Do, reports Fashion Dive.

The 28-piece ‘genderful’ line, first announced in August, comes in neutral monochrome black, white and khaki. Pieces include trench coats, a leather shirt, tuxedo suiting, sweater tops, a dress, silk scarves, and a leather bag—and everything is designed using “inspiration pulled from the Banana Republic archives,” per the release from the company.

The line is available via Banana Republic e-commerce platform and in select Banana Republic stores in the United States, Canada, and Japan, and it’s not cheap: Prices range from $100 for tank tops and scarves, to $1,200 for outerwear.

Details such as a vintage map of Brooklyn in the underlining of a trench coat and printed on shirts, a dress, and a scarf add interest to the otherwise subtle looks, and highlight New York City, where Do launched his namesake line in 2018. Other graphic elements include a sketch of a banana on a sweater, a tee-shirt, and a scarf. The line also features mixed materials such as leather details on knit pieces and a removable shearling collar on a trench coat.

“For BR x Peter Do, we focused on universal pieces designed with an eye towards versatility, wearability, and a timeless point of view,” Do said in the release. “We both believe in quality and the end goal is to dress people in clothes that they will want to rewear with a feeling of newness each time.”

Do showed his first collection for Helmut Lang during September’s New York Fashion Week, and debuted at Paris Fashion Week later that month with a spring-summer 2024 line under his own name.

“BR x Peter Do allows our brands to reach a new consumer who is passionate about fashion and culture,” Meena Anvary, Banana Republic’s head of Marketing, said in the release. “The intersection of our heritage and Peter’s unique design sensibility creates a fresh, effortless look to support our customers’ multi-dimensional lives. We are excited to offer a collection that will be a mainstay in wardrobes for years to come.”

Research contact: @BananaRepublic