Also at Gucci things are not going so well – although the new positioning was initially a hit. The new creative director Alexander Michael announced the renaissance of Gucci and reintroduced classics such as the old double-G logo. Preferably large and glittery. And it exuded opulence. There was a lot of fur, plush and voluminous blouses. Or as the NZZ once wrote: “Anyone who wore Gucci was not necessarily well dressed, but was guaranteed to attract attention.”
The striking design was particularly popular in Asia. Giant logo pieces sold like hotcakes. Then the pandemic came and fashion tastes changed. Things needed to be more subtle. That meant Gucci was written off. Now the new head designer Sabato De Sarno is supposed to fix it. He is supposed to give the luxury brand a more subtle image again.
The puma jumped again
Renewing yourself is always a balancing act – several brands have already had to learn this. Puma has made it, it was said for a long time. The sporting goods retailer was considered an uncool, cheap brand. Until the late nineties, when the focus shifted to the Sneaker-market and Streetfashion With international designers and collaborations, Puma managed to reverse the trend. Jackets, shoes, T-shirts and shoulder bags with the distinctive big cat were more than present on the streets in the early 2000s.
But since 2012, sales have stagnated. What was considered cool a few years ago is now out. The trends are relentless. There have been changes in strategy again. Testimonials like Rihanna or reality starlets Kylie Jenner should fix it. Since then, it’s been like this, sometimes that.
Balenciaga has been riding a wave of success for a long time. Demna Gvasalia has revived the venerable fashion house despite or perhaps because of a number of scandals. Let’s see how long the hype lasts. Or will it eventually be said: So crazy that it’s boring again?
Because success can quickly be over, just like Renzo Rossofounder of the former in-brand Diesel “We had become a bit old-fashioned, simply not cool anymore,” the 63-year-old Italian told Handelsblatt.
But he didn’t give up. “I kicked out most of the first level of management. They were only interested in numbers. What was missing was passion… and the will to constantly reinvent ourselves. We are now in the middle of this process. It is not easy.”
The rapid rise and fall of Abercrombie & Fitch
A brand that was on the ground after unpleasant allegations has now reached new heights after a comprehensive repositioning: Abercrombie & FitchMuscular salespeople stood shirtless in the shops. The music boomed. Young people in the 90s and 2000s stood in line to buy clothes.
Then came complaints of racism. The company was said to have discriminated against non-white people when applying for jobs. Company boss Michael Jeffries boasted in an interview that “our fashion is only intended for cool, good-looking people.” Then there were reports of exploited workers in India. And after the recession in 2008, teenagers migrated to the fast-fashion competition. The party was over. But not forever.
Goodbye, half naked and muscles
“How can you increase the share value of a company fivefold in one year?” asked the Wall Street Journal. “For Abercrombie & Fitch, the answer is simple: listen to your customers.”
Instead of focusing on muscle-bound young men, the focus is now on the world of women in their 20s and 30s. And according to the companies, this no longer consists of campfires on the beach or clubbing until dawn, but of video conferences, fitness classes or cocktails at happy hour.
The company launched a new denim collection for curvier customers who had trouble finding jeans that fit their hips and waist. Then A&F established a sports collection. And most recently, it introduced the A&F Wedding Shop. Wedding times with weddings.
