The term Retail Apocalypse was coined back in 2017. The fashion industry probably started it’s decline a year or two before that.
In hindsight, does anyone think it was a mistake for US designers to shun Melania Trump? She is arguably the most glamorous FLOTUS ever; even more than Jackie O. Could dressing Melania have been used to get women back to shopping the way they did when Sex & the City was popular?
The way Oscar De La Renta exploded after dressing Nancy Reagan? The way JCrew increased sales after Michelle Obama?
I actually think the retail apocalypse happened closer to 2012-2013. That is when I noticed a lot of companies laying off employees and shutting down complete departments.
No her husband is too toxic for any brand with half a brain to want to partner with her. Also most other 1st ladies had a strong platform that they really worked on. Which caused them to be out and about. Her platform not only appears to be something made up just to say she has one, it conflicts with her husband at his core. Which makes it even more laughable. Her platform Be Best focuses on bullying…which is what her husband does every. She is not out and engaging with the public as much as other 1st ladies do. She seems to be a bit aloof. And honestly ppl voted for him not her. She is under no obligation to do anything for the public.
As the above mentioned she came into office well after the retail apocalypse. And big brands dressing famous ppl has and will alway be a thing. It did not cause and didn’t/ won’t stop the issues with retail. As those brands are not what everyday Americans buy. Michelle’s looks were heavy on the up and coming designers and other mid tier brands still very obtainable to the American public. In these economic times her in head to toe designer (while very her style) might not be best. (No pun intended) The smart thing would be to do as Michelle and pick a brand that says classic but affordable like let’s say Banana Republic or something.
Politics aside, dressing a First lady will not help anyone’s business if they are already failing. The constant discount and over abundance of the sameness on the floor is what prompt this slow death. Covid is the catalyst to speed it up.
Retailers dug this grave themselves in some way. Every mall has the same stores. Why would anyone feel excited to go?
It’s not about a label for Melania. It is about dressing the first lady. When Nancy Reagan wore Oscar De La Renta, his business soared. It is very similar to any celebrity who wears a product and boosts sales because they look so good in it. It is also similar to when Carrie Bradshaw on S&TC started wearing Jimmy Choo shoes; all of the sudden, every woman had to have a pair.
She has designers dressing her. She’s being dressed by Dolce&Gabbana and Gucci. Has this saved the industry? Her ‘frankly I don’t care’ jacket made the news, right? Did that help anyone? Jill Biden wore a Reem Acra dress In 2009, and the designer said that dressing her was the “best thing I’ve done in my career”. It’s always best not to under-estimate the consumer.
You keep comparing her and are forgetting one important thing… those ppl were liked by the public. She is not liked as Nancy was. People who didn’t even like her husbands politics liked her. And again she had an actual platform she worked on. She was always with kids. It too was laughable Just say no. But at least she was actually trying. As I said before the current 1st lady is aloof and comes off very cold. Also there is no way a 1st lady will affect fashion like Sex in the City did. It changed the landscape of TV and female storylines. That was watched by all ages, genders, races and political parties. Stop trying to compare her to people and situations that are incomparable. In order for her to have any grand positive affect on a brand she has to be liked. Ppl have to look at her and want to be her…She would have to inspire… Ppl would also have to forget her soft core porn photos. Not very classy or becoming of a 1st lady.
She won’t… you are pushing a narrative that isn’t going to work. Don’t you think if any of the big brands you thought of thought she would help sales they’d get behind her??? Did you not read about the labels being switched out on his daughters clothing because of how ppl feel about her father?? What are you not understanding??
When they ARE well liked by the public that THAT famous person has a reach on. Melania is not a well liked First Lady. People may empathize with her because she is married to an unpopular president, but she is not liked. And saying that she is the most glamorous First Lady, is definitely debatable. If you google her, you’ll see why.
This is one of the problems with the fashion industry. Being mostly in NY and LA, they tend to overlook about 50% of the population. People in Texas, Florida, Ohio, etc… buy clothes too.
To that point, if she wore a mass market brand, it would probably be impactful and motivate some purchases from their base.
I think that’s why Michelle in J Crew was effective - it’s one of those heritage American brands with an attainable price point. It made her relatable.
I don’t expect Melania will be stepping out in Target private label anytime soon… But they did pose with beans, so you never know ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Then those brands that they like in the middle of the country would get behind her… but they haven’t. Of course some ppl like her but not like other 1st ladies. Maybe what you aren’t understanding is that the only ppl who like her are Trump supporters, while other 1st ladies were able to reach across party lines. Just because someone is famous doesn’t mean they are good for business. Just because someone is famous doesn’t mean they should be attached to a brand. We could fill up a whole book of famous ppl who you wouldn’t want attached to a brand… Stop equating fame to good for business.
all correct. She is uneducated, dishonest, has no polish and has no empathy or interest in contributing. She is unliked and will only bring down any designer who caters to her. It’s very sad that we have a woman in a position of power who spends her time installing a tennis court when she could help people during a pandemic.
She is not liked in Texas, Florida and Arizona. Neither is her husband. That’s why you never see her anymore. No one is ignoring the middle of the country. Plenty of famous women are promoting brands in the middle of the country.
I think Jackie O. style fits in more with the Sex & the City vibe than Melania Trump does. Melania is less relatable than any of the other first ladies and is not really doing much public work. Her beauty also seems more cosmetic than any of the other first ladies, maybe she could do well for a cosmetic brand?