Fashion & Retail Mid Week Roundup: Olympic Fashion, Cole Haan’s new Oxfords, Stan Smiths, Jet.com sells to Wal-Mart
Writer Veena McCoole gives credit to the top fashion magazines for embracing Olympic competitors for their unique stories and incorporating their athleticism into the larger narrative.
Key quote: Whether portrayed as heroines who have beat the odds, gladiatorial icons decked out in on-trend activewear brands or muscular heartthrobs posing with slinky fashion models, these editorials are a testament to the increasingly interconnected nature of sports and fashion.
Thanks to Scott Patt, VP of design and innovation, Cole Haan has managed to update a traditional shoe for the modern man. Out next month for the retail price of $400, CH’s GrandRevølution Washington will offer a more pliable sole, extra padding on the tongue and heel, and unique perforations to make the wing-tipped shoe feel more like a sneaker. 15 years at Nike certainly paid off for Patt.
Key Quote: “Respect tradition enough to reinvent it.”
Adidas is back in its #2 spot since Under Armour overtook them in 2014 thanks to the return of the Stan Smith shoe and a carefully orchestrated digital strategy to support it. With endorsements from celebrities and bloggers like the ones included in the video below, the shoe was able to steadily build momentum, being named as one of the 18 most important sneakers of all time by Business Insider last year.
Key Quote: “We are putting the consumer at the heart of everything we do…As a result, the desirability of our brands and products is greater than ever before.”
Learn about the unique requirements each Olympic athlete has for what he or she wears to compete. Clothing is symbolic, its empowering, and its protective — and these athletes count on their outfits to get them the gold.
Key quote: “I have a lion on my right hand and a tiger on my left. They’re the kings of the jungles, the most dominant forces on land, and that’s how I view myself: as strong and as dominant as possible.”
Walmart announced this week that it would be purchasing Jet.com for $3 billion. The acquisition is meant to help Walmart expand their e-commerce presence and bring in new customers that Walmart stores do not attract. The injection of cash will surely help Jet.com become
Key quote: “Our customers will win. It’s another jolt of entrepreneurial spirit being injected into Walmart.”
