Across the globe, stores and restaurants are closing and people are living in isolation. Life feels less like reality and more like a simulation a little bit every day.
But while times are gloom and the future is uncertain, it’s great to see the world banding together. Bright moments are happening across the globe. In Toronto, we’ve seen local institutions pivot their businesses to provide people with hand sanitizer and grocery stores putting those most at-risk first. And across the beauty, fashion, and retail industries, we’re seeing conglomerates step up their efforts to help stop the spread of Coronavirus, too.
Here is how 10 major brands and retailers are doing their part during the COVID-19 outbreak:
LVMH
Luxury conglomerate LVMH was the first on the fashion and beauty front to offer up its support in helping to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. On March 15, the company announced that it would turn its perfumes and cosmetics business into a hand sanitizer manufacturer. LVMH has committed to deliver the hand sanitizer it creates free of charge to French health authorities for “as long as necessary” to help “enable a greater number of people to continue to take the right action to protect themselves from the spread of the virus.”
L’Oréal
Under the L’Oréal beauty brand, La Roche-Posay said it would provide hand sanitizer to institutions in Europe that need it the most such as main partnering pharmacies, hospitals, and nursing homes. Garnier, also under the L’Oréal beauty brand, will distribute hand sanitizer to its European clients’ food distribution channels. In a statement to WWD, L’Oréal Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jean-Paul Agon said, “Through these gestures, L’Oréal wishes to express its appreciation, support and solidarity with all those who mobilize with extraordinary courage and abnegation to fight against this pandemic.”
Los Angeles Apparel
Another of the retailers donating to COVID-19 prevention efforts is Los Angeles Apparel. In a statement made through Instagram, the company’s controversial owner Dov Charney (formerly of American Apparel) offered help to the municipal, state, and federal agencies. “Our experienced workforce and management team of over 450 people are ready and able to produce masks or medical products for any government agency,” Charney said.
Zara
Fast fashion behemoth Inditex — the owner of Zara, Massimo Dutti, and more — is also lending its workforce in the battle to prevent COVID-19’s spread. As one of the retailers donating to COVID-19 prevention efforts, the company’s factories and logistics teams will help the Spanish government by donating masks for patients and medical workers, stating to Vogue, that it “will make a delivery at least once a week of materials we purchase directly.” As of now, the company has donated 10,000 protective face masks and expects to have 300,000 surgical masks ready by March 21.
Moncler
In a statement on Instagram, Moncler’s Chairman and CEO Remo Ruffini announced that the company would donate €10 million towards the construction of a hospital in Milan with 400 extensive care units. He said, “Milan is a city that has given us all an extraordinary time. We cannot and must not abandon it. It is everyone’s duty to give back to the city that has given us so much.”
Giorgio Armani
Earlier in the month, Giorgio Armani donated €1.25 million to a number of Italian hospitals and institutions. According to WWD, “The Luigi Sacco and San Raffaele hospitals and the Istituto dei Tumori in Milan as well as the Istituto Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome will benefit from the donation. The amount will additionally support the activities of Protezione Civile, the country’s civil defense.”
Kering
As reported by South China Morning Post, Kering — the luxury conglomerate that owns Gucci, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, and more — has donated 7.5 million yuan to the Red Cross Society Of China.
Versace
Versace’s Chief Creative Office Donatella Versace and her daughter Allegra Versace Beck have donated €200,000 to the San Raffaele hospital in Milan. In a statement, Versace said, “Our hearts go out to all those who have been affected by this disease and to all the doctors and medical staff who have been working heroically non-stop in the past weeks in the effort to take care of our loved ones.” The company has also donated 1 million yuan to The Chinese Red Cross Foundation.
Prada
According to Business Insider, Prada co-CEOs Muiccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli, as well as Chairman Carlo Mazzi, have donated two resuscitation and complete intensive care units to hospitals in Milan.
Walmart
One of the big retailers donating to COVID-19 prevention efforts is Walmart. On March 17, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation announced a pledge of $25 million to help organizations on the front lines in fighting COVID-19. The large sum will be split between food banks and meal programs in America, as well as global efforts in preventing, identifying, and managing the outbreak.
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If the past few years have been characterized by “failures” and store closures in the retail world, 2019 may just be the year of the comeback. From Sears, to Town Shoes and Jean Machine, even longtime mall staples, sadly, haven’t been able to stay afloat in today’s climate.
But now, a few retailers are rising from the ashes, rebuilding their brand and reclaiming their place on the North American retail scene.
Here’s a look at 3 retailers making a comeback in 2019:
Bebe
Instagram/@michelleinfusino
Bebe was a go-to for teens and 20-something females with places to be for decades. Blame the rise of fast fashion, a decrease in mall traffic, or a loss of interest in the often risque clothing, the brand – which was founded in San Francisco back in 1976 – closed about 168 stores in North America in 2017. Unlike others, Bebe wasn’t grossly bankrupt in its graceful and drama-free disappearance from the mall and maintained a presence online for its loyal shoppers. Showing no sign of becoming a thing of the past — even if physical stores are absent from the equation — the brand has recently unveiled a new and improved loyalty program and a revamped e-commerce site.
Bebe’s new e-commerce site is filled with stunning imagery and is easy to navigate. Its freshly updated loyalty program ClubBebe offers a points system: the more points earned, the higher the discount granted on the next purchase. Clever digital branding has also helped Bebe’s cause and has included ad campaigns with global influencers and wide-reaching social media content. Brand management firm Bluestar Alliance, which has a $35-million stake in the company and manages its daily operations, has led the Bebe’s impressive comeback.
BiWay
As the name suggests, everything in the store will be $10 and under and will include clothing, toys, household furnishings, toiletries, and food. Under the direction of 89-year-old retail veteran Mal Coven, who helped build the original brand, the plan is to open four more stores by the end of 2020. If a brand can comeback after 15 years out of business and live to talk about it, then we also have hope for some of our favourite brands that have shuttered operations as of late (RIP).
American Apparel
Instagram/@americanapparel
It was a sad time in 2017, when iconic fashion brand American Apparel went bankrupt and announced it would shut down its stores, leaving countless young people wondering where they would now turn for for basics, weekend wear, and costume parties. Despite the shuttering of all of its brick and mortar shops, it didn’t take long for the brand to re-launch south of the border and announce an international e-commerce expansion last year. Canada is now one of the 200 countries that the company will ship to. There is one lone bricks and mortar shop, located on Melrose in Los Angeles, the place where the brand rose to success.
The refreshed American Apparel stays true to its tradition of classic, timeless fashion styles, but is more focused on body positivity and diversity than ever before — something that’s reflected in its progressive vs. provocative ad campaigns — featuring a more inclusive range of sizes and fits. Naturally, American Apparel still features core basics, along with all-time fan favourites like the iconic disco pants, bodysuits, metallic leggings, unisex hoodies, and fisherman pullovers. The best part is that the pieces are available at lower prices than before.
While the fate of these beloved brands is unknown, what they do have is a strong sense of brand recognition and loyal customers who are just as excited as they are to be back in the retail game.
Featured Image: Facebook/Nancy Vink
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It was a sad day back in early 2017, when iconic fashion brand American Apparel went bankrupt and announced it would shut down its stores. After all, it had become an effortless staple for basics, weekend wear, and costume parties.
Hot on the heels of a successful relaunch south of the border, the brand announced its plans for international e-commerce expansion earlier this year, setting its sights on Canada, home of its parent company Gildan Activewear Inc. (Gildan purchased American Apparel in 2016). Unbeknownst to some lovers of the brand, Canada is amongst the 200 countries that American Apparel will now ship to. So, you can easily freshen up your beloved basics with just a few clicks (good for your wardrobe; dangerous for your wallet).
The “new” American Apparel stays true to its tradition of classic, timeless fashion styles, but is more focused on body positivity and diversity than ever before, featuring a more inclusive range of sizes and fits. The global relaunch included the “Back to Basics” campaign, which was a fresh initiative for SS18. It featured real people who represent a diversity of body types, ages, and ethnicities but share a playful, confident, and honest spirit. The focus of this collection is on staple silhouettes.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnZJxjgBvUi/?taken-by=americanapparel
Naturally, American Apparel still features core basics, along with all-time fan favourites like the iconic disco pants, bodysuits, metallic leggings, unisex hoodies, and fisherman pullovers. The brand also recently launched its first-ever outerwear collection for fall 2018, which features staples like a trench coat, a reversible bomber, a raincoat, fleece, and puffer jacket. Best of all, the pieces are available at more affordable prices.
Most recently, American Apparel sought out musician, actor, activist, and successful albino model Shaun Ross to curate a capsule collection, ‘NUDE,’ with a central theme of inclusivity and body positivity. The accompanying campaign features a limited edition selection of brown, white, and nude tees that are designed to highlight the beauty of diverse skin types. The tees reflect abstract images of models with what have been historically referred to as “imperfections”: things like stretch marks, freckles, and vitiligo.
Refreshingly, the recent campaigns are less sexual in nature than before; the company has found itself in hot water over its racier ads in the past and has been called out for sexualizing extremely young-looking models. Though the road has been a rocky one for the brand, from the sexual harassment allegations former CEO Dov Charney, to rapidly declining sales, things are looking as positive for the brand as its new messaging is.
American Apparel will have one bricks and mortar shop, located on Melrose in Los Angeles, the place where the once thriving brand rose to success. But hopes for locations returning to Yonge Street or Queen West, sadly, aren’t likely.
Featured image: Instagram/ @americanapparel
It would be an understatement to say that American Apparel went through some serious woes over the past few years. Their owner Dov Charney was ousted, AA filed for bankruptcy, the company closed stores globally and was later acquired by apparel giant Gildan.
According to Hypebeast, American Apparel has re-launched globally and is looking to capture some of the brand’s magic from days of yore. To mark AA’s return, the brand has launched a “Back to Basics” campaign, which showcases the products that made the brand famous in the first place. The new collection will feature a range of all-time favourites including those colourful hoodies and T’s that everyone wanted in 2004.
If you can remember, at one point American Apparel was a cultural juggernaut essentially ushering in the mass proliferation of hipsters in the early 2000’s. The style was simple, American made and could be incorporated into many varying styles.
AA officially launches today with a brand new web store.
This year has been a tough one for retailers. Stores that have been around as long we can remember have shut their doors due to lack of sales. As previously mentioned, the decline in department store purchases has led to the demise of many businesses. With so many people preferring to shop online, there’s less need for malls. This has vastly changed the overall retail landscape. Instead of wading through the crowds at department stores, people are able to shop without the hassle on their phones while traveling on a bus or passing time in a waiting room. According to Global News, millennials are teaching the older generation how to use these new technological advances. “Speeding up the learning process when it comes to new shopping venues is the rise of the millennial generation and the fact that four out of 10 young people, these days, are still living with their parents,” noted Kruh.
Below, we’ve summed up the biggest store closings in Canada in 2017:
1. Sears
2. Bebe
3. BCBG
4. hr2
5. Express
7. HMV
10. Le Chateau
Are we missing any major retailers who have closed locations in Canada this year?
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Just over a year ago, American Apparel filed for bankruptcy and went on to close all of its stores. Customers and fans of the brand flocked to the closing sales and wondered when they would ever be able to get their hands on AA gear ever again. Some of you may have forgotten, but between 2005 and 2011 AA was king and literally ushered in the “hipster look”.
After AA closed down, Canadin clothing manufacturer giant Gildan Activewear acquired American Apparel out of bankruptcy proceedings and has now re-launched American Apparel’s e-commerce website. The new website is fully operational and features access to archival AA pieces. Unfortunately, right now the company is only shipping within the United States. There’s no word on whether the company will pick back up in Canada, yet.
Another big change for fans to note is that the Gildan-owned company no longer makes all of its products in the USA either. If that’s what you are keen on you have to check out the made in USA capsule collection.
Happy shopping.
With Gildan’s acquisition of American Apparel, it seems like the days of shopping for clothing basics in a sexually uncomfortable environment are over. If you really miss the neon coloured spandex, the deep v-necks and bodysuits you could be in luck because Dov Charney is determined to keep you buying American-made cotton.
According to Racked, Mr. Charney was outside the American Apparel factory on Friday, waving down former AA employees trying to recruit them for his new company. Racked noticed that as employees were picking up their final checks from American Apparel, Dov Charney was across the street saying “Come help me”.
The help is supposedly needed to start a company called That’s Los Angeles by Dov Charney. The new company will be centred around the premise of making cotton basics for both men and women with manufacturing done in the Unites States. Sounds pretty similar to a model he already tried…
Source: Racked
Last week we were covering the story on how Amazon and Forever 21 entered the ring to discuss the possibility of acquiring the beleaguered American Apparel. Well, it looks like their efforts did not pay up as Reuters reports that Canadian Wholesale apparel company Gildan has just won the bankruptcy auction for American Apparel.
While many industry insiders were tickled by the idea of Amazon acquiring AA, the competition from not only Amazon but Forever 21 as well kicked Gildan into action by upping their bid and finalizing the deal for $88 million a paltry sum considering the retail juggernaut at one point was almost worth $1 Billion.
What’s interesting about the deal is that the Gildan acquisition did not include the brand’s remaining 110 stores. The deal will likely go through at the end of the month, which means that American Apparel will need to find a separate buyer for the remaining stores.
This is a big win for Gildan who will now control all American Apparel manufacturing operations which means the company can start making more goods in North America (currently 90% of Gildan’s production is offshore in the Caribbean and Central America.)
Additionally, it can help Gildan acquire new wholesale customers – especially the ones that are concerned with clothing production off shores.
Soure: Reuters