Author: Ryley Bane

Future Consumers Report: For the Love of Hoodies—How a Fashion Staple Impacts Youth Culture Style and Why

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What most people may not know is that Kickstarter’s most successful fashion-inspired campaign to date is based on a company’s goal to create the “10-Year-Hoodie.” The idea? To buck the trends of “planned obsolescence” incorporated in most manufacturing processes in fashion. The brand is called Flint and Tinder and its founder, Jake Bronstein, says his […]

Label Networks’ New Youth Study Reveals “Recession Generation” Sparks DIY Subcultures with New Industries, Brands, Influences, Market Trends

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Now Available! Label Networks’ 13th Annual Spring Youth Culture Study! Label Networks’ 13th Annual Spring Youth Culture Study reveals new consumer insights from 13-25-year-olds across the United States—the “Recession Generation”–that’s sparking new DIY subcultures, brands, industries, and market trends in spending patterns, social networking, fashion, footwear, technology, music, sports, entertainment, and more. Youth culture in […]

Brand Round-up: Volcom Moves Into Footwear; Quiksilver Shifts Focus to Core Strengths, Changes Management

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Volcom is taking advantage of it’s PPR family by moving into creating a footwear line, including boots, with the assistance of fellow brand Puma. After 22 years of offering sandals only when it came to footwear, the skate, surf, brand is moving into Vans-like territory featuring a range of styles lowtops, hightops, boots, and an […]

Quiksilver’s Major Cuts Include Athletes, Staff, and Brands

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So far, limited information is available, but word leaked from the Quiksilver’s Huntington Beach headquarters yesterday, according to Transworld Business, is that it was another grim day for action sports. According to latest news, Quiksilver has cut Quiksilver Women’s, Quiksilver Girls, and DC has cut DC Women’s. In addition, the surf team from Quiksilver has […]

Vans X Metallica; VF Corp.‘s Stellar Q4 Due to The North Face and Vans

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There’s been a lot of buzz around Vans lately, first with their announcement that they are stepping in as the title sponsor of the U.S. Open of Surf in Huntington Beach, CA this summer, replacing the role that Nike and Hurley held onto for several years, and now their recent collaboration with Metallica, topped by […]

American Apparel Has Record-January Sales; Predictions for Growth via Online Significant

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American Apparel remains a leader when it comes to youth culture preferences and as it continues to move into various style categories beyond its roots of T-shirts and first layer pieces, consumers are moving along right with the brand. On February 7, 2013, the vertically integrated brand based in downtown Los Angeles reported a comparable […]

Skateboarder Magazine Goes Digital Only—Another Print Publication Gone

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While Skateboarder Magazine, owned by GrindMedia, touted its new and improved online version with more videos, photos, and features than ever before, the bad news that subscribers received in a letter with their Feb/March 2013 issue was that the print version would no longer be available. Subscribers of the print issues were offered the option […]

Burton Launches Outerwear Collection Collab with L.A.M.B by Gwen Stefani; Plus Sustainable Collection with Pharrell Williams

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One of the highlights of the Snow Industries of American (SIA Trade Show, which took place last week in Denver, CO, were the new styles in outerwear, including technical snowboarding gear. Burton Snowboards had two huge announcements, first with their collaboration with L.A.M.B., Gwen Stefani’s brand, and secondly, the launch of a sustainable collection  with […]

VF Enters Bid to Buy Beleaguered Billabong

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The ongoing drama for the surf and action sports brand Billabong continues, now with this latest news that VF and Altamont Capital Partners have submitted a letter of interest to Billabong International Limited. From what we’ve counted, this is the 4th time a bid’s come in for Billabong, right on the heels of President Paul […]

Retail Round-up: H&M’s & Other Stories Launches in 10 European Countries; Uniqlo’s Up 23.5%; Urban Outfitters On the Rise

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Financials are coming in for the New Year and two of the most important ones to watch are the fast-fashion giants, H&M and Uniqlo (Fast Retailing). First, H&M had a big announcement, yesterday, January 9, 2013 saying that they will launch their & Other Stories, a strong brand within the H&M group, in the Spring […]