TEXT, VIVIAN KELLY
Okay, I’ll admit it. As a dyed-in-the wool fashionista, my relationship vis a vis Forever 21 is bipolar.
I'll grudgingly admit that a trip to the mall necessitates a trip to THE MUCH-MALIGNED FOREVER 21.
Fellow-blogger, ABE GURKO, recently blogged about the bennies of RETAIL THERAPY on www.imeanwhat.com which also ran in www.huffingtonpost.com.
While Abe hit THE EMOTIONAL PLUSSES OF RETAIL THERAPY, KNOW THIS – RETAIL THERAPY COMES AT ALL PRICE POINTS. It can be that gorgeous periwinkle blue and cream wool rug I scored at an estate sale in Lakevillle, CT for $100, or a WHITE CHANEL 2.55 bag, as seen in the SEPTEMBER 2010 ISSUE OF HARPER’S BAZAAR.
If a 2.55 is not in your price range, and you're not in the estate sale loop, YOUR RETAIL THERAPY FIX CAN BE A SCORE AT FOREVER21 THAT’S EQUIVALENT TO THE COST OF 4 GRANDE LATTES AT STARBUCKS.
Back to Forever 21 – I like to shop as I read magazines – JAPANESE STYLE, FROM BACK TO FRONT.
Shoved way in the back by the dressing rooms were black jersey tops with overly encrusted bling on the shoulders- so last year or the blue metallic micro-mini dress. Ugh.
The front of the store presented a complete about-face.
FOREVER SEEMS TO BE BETTING ON THE BASICS- dark jeans, gray hoodies, old skool tees, with Hello Kitty in the starring role. To think of it, Chanel’s 2.55 is a classic – WHAT IS NEW HERE?
THE MESSAGE SEEMS TO BE: WE’RE PLAYING IT SAFE FOR FALL. Even those who don't religiously tune into CRAMER's hit show, "Mad Money", at 6p.m. EST [I'm addicted to www.cnbc.com ] have a clue that the economy IS NOT improving in a major way any time soon.
Regardless, the girls AND moms are buying, and as PORTS 1961’S VP of Publicity and Marketing told me earlier this week over lunch, at the 26th Street Showroom, “ SALES - THAT’S WHAT THIS [PR] IS REALLY ALL ABOUT AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY COUNTS IN THE END.”
To read more about what Tony has to say about what it takes to be a top New York publicist, read Sharon Feiereisen's piece, "Fashion Industry Insider: Tony Alcindor, Publicist", www.thefashionspot.com
I'd think you would use the magazine to hide your face while trolling Forever 21. :)
ReplyDeleteRetail Therapy does come at all price points and once we see it occurring across all segments we will truly be turning up economy-wise