Black Wednesday November 27, 2008

With the economy progressively taking on a macabre demeanor, black Friday began early this year.  I did some reconnaissance after work on Wednesday near Rockefeller Center to gauge the consumer and retailing mood during one of the biggest retail events of the year.  Not surprisingly, sales started early during what has been coined the worst economic climate since the Great Depression.  

Sale signs were shamelessly plastered on store windows.  There was no sugar coating the bitter economy.  Not even  luxury labels feigned exclusivity.  Jimmy Choo welcomed in all walks of life with a big “Sale” sign juxtaposed underneath “Jimmy Choo.”

H&M, Benetton, Faconnable, Kenneth Cole, Armani Exchange and Lacoste were just some of the stores that had started sales early, some taking off an additional 50% on sale prices while others slashed 20% off the entire store.  Jewelry stores seemed hardist hit; one store offered discounts up to 70%.  Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s lured customers – at least to the window – with Christmas displays and attraction for kids.  There was a considerable queue that formed outside a decked out Saks Fifth Avenue near Rockefeller Center.

Swap-O-Rama-Rama November 23, 2008

Swap-O-Rama-Rama.  What a cool concept.  A fortuitious wind brought me to a blazing Los Angeles last week.  Even with 1,000 homes burning in the background, clothes swappers gathered in droves to attend the Swap-O-Rama-Rama event at the Shrine Auditorium. And since I was in tinsel town while the one-day event took place, I showed up with video camera in hand to gather footage for my third video.

Mounds of clothes were piled atop tables for swappers to dive into.  The cluttered clothes didn’t look appealing at first, but there was treasure to be had.  One girl – with a Chanel purse swung across her shoulder – was carrying three overflowing bags while I interviewed her.  Of the plethora of articles she grabbed was a peasant dress, t-shirts and a cropped leather jacket!  A cute leather jacket.  I couldn’t help wishing I had snagged it first.  And all it cost her – all it cost any swapper – to walk home with a limitless pile of clothes was $5 (with a bag of unwanted clothes) or $10 without.

For swappers who found clothes that needed alterations or embellishments, fashion designers who manned sewing machines and print machines took cues from customers.  Swappers cut out appliques from old t-shirts and had them attached to bags, or created bags out of t-shirts.  At the print stations, swappers waited in queues to have Obama’s profile printed on plain t-shirts.  Quite a deal considering Obama t-shirts are selling for upwards of $20 in New York City’s sidewalks.

I interviewed several swappers and Lori Petitti, a TV producer, who sponsored the Los Angeles event out of her own pocket.  Wendy Tremayne created Swap-O-Rama-Rama, but it was Petitti who brought the event to LA after she fell in love with a Swap-O-Rama-Rama event she attended a few years ago.  Petitti estimated a total of 400 swappers for the day and expected 40 pounds of residual clothes even after an entire day of clothes swapping.  Leftovers would be donated to charity, Petitti said.  For a charred city battling both a fire and an economic crisis, Swap-O-Rama-Rama Los Angeles scored a win-win all around: fashion aficiandos, charity organization, the planet and even Petitit. She wasn’t quite sure if she would break even but she counted it a profit to do a little good and inspire creativity in people.

Swap Clothes! November 22, 2008

Your wardrobe is screaming for a makeover but you’re strapped for cash.  What to do?  Swapping clothes, or ‘clothing swap’ as it has become known, is a trend that has recently burst on the seam.  Swap clothes online or attend traveling clothes swapping events in the form of antique road show.  It’s a phenomenon that has gone cross-continental, popping up everywhere from Los Angeles to New York to Australia.  How does it work?  Bring in all your unwanted – clean – clothes and swap them for clothes others have brought.  As the saying goes, one woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure.   Not to mention that recylcing clothes will earn you some points with the planet.  Actually, there are several benefits at these events.  Here are some that have been touted:

• Less clutter
• More closet space for a wardrobe you adore
• FREE clothes, shoes & accessories
• To help those less fortunate
• To help our environment
• To be reminded that we are utterly gorgeous
• Bonding with other women

Some organizatons sponsoring these events:

* Swap-O-Rama-Rama:

LOS ANGELES, CA Sunday, November 16, 2008 from 11am to 5pm
The Shrine Auditorium
649 Jefferson Blvd
Silkscreen, designer stations and Felt Club Craft Show

ASTORIA, NEW YORK MINI SWAP-O-RAMA-RAMA, November 22nd 11am to 2pm
Arrow Community Center, 35-30 35th St., Astoria Queens

* Clothing Swap: To be notified of upcoming events, sign up here

* Swap Style is an interactive fashion website where members can swap, rather than buy, unlimited designer clothes with each other, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for a small annual subscription fee.

* Mashable: Another interactive online swapping site

A disclaimer is that you may or may not find stuff, as noted by Lovely Disco in her blog.

Shopping Behavior November 20, 2008

Some interesting articles about consumer behavior and the psychology that drives or haults it:

* Counter-intuitive to meager spending in today’s tight economy, many people are unloading their closets and giving away clothes to thrift stores, LA Times reports. The motivation is equal parts guilt and practicality.  The end result is a win-win: recipients have more during a time of less and benefactors have a cleaned-out closet.

http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-guilt12-2008nov09,0,3376992.story

* Shiny metalic dresses are occulting some of the dreary black this holiday season, as reported in a NY Times article.  Also, the age old adage that hemlines fall with the stock market is also being challenged.  Short skirts and shorts are making a bold fashion statement.  The article also underscored the premise for my third video: “But dressing up can still have an emotionally uplifting effect, even if most people are doing their shopping in their own closets.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/fashion/20HOLIDAY.html

* Best Buy announced “an unprecedented drop in consumer buying of items like flat-screen televisions” in its sales figures last month.  Shocker.  But what was shocking was that when Wal-Mart released its report last week, consumers had increased their spending of flat-screen purchases.  Mr. Brafman explained to the NY Times that shoppers rationalized their purchases at Wal-Mart as ‘getting a good deal.’  ** Another interesting highlight in this article is how one financial journalist refashioned a “cosmic” and rather depressing moment as a business opportunity.  Her new blog, EconoWhiner.com, provides price comparisons and also a place to rant about the latest economic frustrations.  Read the rest of the article here or reference link below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/garden/20math.html?8dpc

*  Another NY Times article today unveiled yet another roadblock for online retailers.  The cost to advertise products on Google is rising.  Over the last year and a half, prices for text ads related to women’s fashion have quadrupled.  In the popular gifts category, the price to advertise alongside results for common search queries like “gift baskets” jumped 50 percent from the 2006 holidays to 2007 and is expected to climb again this year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/technology/internet/20slashing.html?hp

What’s Hedged Against The Latest Fad? November 15, 2008

Plunging profit lines for overall retail sales and food service providers in October reflected an unflattering 2.8 percent in October from the previous month, the worst monthly drop since 1992.  Macy’s reported a net loss of $44 Million in the third quarter according to WWD and shares of Perry Ellis Inter­national Inc. fell more than 30 percent Thursday after the company revealed lower third-quarter earnings.  With few exceptions – Urban Outfitters and Wal-Mart posted earnings in Q3 – the latest fashion statement seemed confined to a shut wallet.  Still, I wondered.  As a fashion aficionado myself, I knew firsthand that the craving for self-expression through accessories and clothes could not be easily doused, even if it was consumer confidence the economy was toying with.   For my third video, I thought it would be interesting to seek out how fashionistas were maintaining their true colors amidst the ever depleting green.  Were there recession-proof fashion retail businesses?

It wasn’t what I had in mind but one thriving business I found reported were pawn shops.  People from all walks of life were pawning off everything from boats to mink coats to heirlooms.  See stories below:

http://thehour.com/story/458178

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/23/pawn-shops-business-is-b_n_92943.html

There could definitely a fashion angle here, but I was skeptical about the kind of access I might be able to get.  I’m sure I could find a willing pawnshop owner to speak to me, but the patrons lining up queues en masse at pawn shops were admittedly embarassed.  Maybe a few could brave seeing their names attached to quotes in a print story, I had my doubts about finding people who would go on video about cashing in their family heirlooms, especially the fashion conscious consumers I would want to interview.

Threading Off Tangent November 9, 2008

My colleagues offered constructive feedback on my second video. Their biggest concern: they weren’t convinced the New York fashion industry would cease to thrive if factories moved to LIC or to other boroughs. Inconvenient no doubt, but they questioned why some of the communication couldn’t take place online? My task then becomes to find garment factories in LIC or Jersey who either are, or aren’t making it work. Consulting the alternative party would strengthen my argument, one way or another. They also encouraged me to shorten my text, capture more footage of people actually making garments, and employ the general video rule of thumb, ‘don’t move the camera unless your video subject is moving.’ And the last piece of advice was to incorporate a prescription to the problem. What sort of solutions were being discussed by the city?

Capturing the perspective of landlords and city officials had initially been my story topic for video #3. But since I am incorporating this subject into my second video, I have to come up with plan b. So as I ferret out other story ideas, my blog will have to stray from the Garment Center just a stitch and include other non-Garment-Center-related topics. But the rubric will definitely remain within the fashion and New York lining.

Video 2: NYC Hanging By A Thread November 7, 2008

Here is a list of the cast for this video:

* May Chen, VP of Unite HERE!

* Daniel Lee, Assistant Menswear Designer for Richard Chai and former FIT Fashion Student

* Samanta Cortez, CEO of Fashion Design Concepts, Inc. and Founder of Save The Garment Center

* Mark Cohen, Owner of Colorblind Showroom

* Nancy Chen, Owner of Krystal Factory

Through the various characters in this video, I tried to lend voice to the more fragile constituents of the Garment Center.  Their arguments varied, pointing from everything to the rich culture of the Garment Center to their own personal stories.  The Garment Center supports jobs for these people and their employees and it was hard not to be affected by their own stories.  But I tried to focus on the larger role of the Garment Center in New York’s thriving fashion industry.

Initially, I let them speak for themselves.  But when I presented the video to my class, they weren’t convinced that the fashion industry would crumble with the Garment Industry.  This is a valid point since many designers are already producing overseas.  In fact, many factory owners say they are losing business to overseas production, which only proves the point that designers aren’t as dependent to the Garment Center as those in the Garment Center would perhaps like to believe. The Garment Center is convenient no doubt, and many designers are supportive of the Garment Center for reasons of quality control and convenience.

But the question remains: how big a role does the Garment Center play in maintaining New York City as one of the fashion capitals of the world?  Perhaps I was too ambitious in taking on this project since it is a very complex issue with multiple layerings.  The best I could do was leave the video open ended since I didn’t feel I had enough to reach a convincing conclusion.  Also, the piece that is missing is the perspective of an influential and prominent designer.  I interviewed Richard Chai, but he did not want to go on camera.  So, the complimentary part of the video will come in the form of a podcast.  Chai lends a unique perspective on both what he feels is the Garment Center’s pertinent and diminishing roles in the fashion industry.

Enforcement Coming Loose At The Seams November 7, 2008

The Special Garment Center District zoning might procure space for apparel-related services. But little is being done to enforce proper use of the space. Back in 2000, the New York Industrial Retention Network found that over 200 manufacturing spaces in the Garment District had been illegally converted to office space in the decade after 1993, when funds for enforcement were cut. A percentage of the Garment Center is still being utilized illegally. What good is a law if it isn’t enforced? It’s like granting voting rights while turning a blind eye to the grandfather clause.

While the City may have spared little funds towards this end, a small portion of government money is still being trickled down, even if it is just to one man playing watch dog. To address the lax enforcement within the Garment Center, Tommy Wu, the Business Solutions Coordinator at GIDC (a city-funded, non-profit organization serving as a liason between the garment workers and the larger apparel / fashion industry) patrols the Garment Center daily, visiting factories and other apparel sites. The Garment Center is meaningful to Wu because his parents worked there, and he believes the Garment Center provides “good jobs,” especially for immigrant workers. Wu was kind enough to let me tag along on one of his rounds through the Garment Center.

My sole purpose and goal in following Wu around for a day, was to obtain interviews from factory workers for my second video: NYC Hanging By A Thread. But I inadvertently helped Wu discover the illegal use of at least one space in the Garment Center. On seeing me insert a new videotape while waiting for the elevator, the man next to me solicited me video equipment. His hat-tip: on either the third or fourth floor of the building, I could buy video equipment and digital tapes of all kinds. When we got out of the elevator, Tommy made note of the illegal use of space and said he would have to report it. Busted.

I talked to a few factory owners off-camera that day (many refused to be videotaped). Not only were buildings being converted illegally, but many factories were being forced out of buildings through cunning, yet not illegal means, they said. One factory owner knew other factory owners and workers who were bullied out of their buildings by landlords; landlord fashioned difficult working conditions, limiting hours when building doors remained open.

Wu said such practices weren’t uncommon. He wouldn’t dish names but in one particularly “nasty” instance, a landlord intentionally broke down the elevator and left the unfixed.  In such cases, the GIDC tried to resolve such issues by working with the City. Fatiah M. Hosein, the executive director of GIDC, showed me a letter Christine Quinn, the City Council Speaker, wrote urging one landlord to employ sound business practices.

But in many other cases, tenants were left to fend for themselves. Mark Cohen, the owner of Colorblind Showroom, for example, was forced out of his former showroom when his landlord terminated his lease 3 years prematurely. He spoke to a lawyer who informed him that most leases contain loopholes in fine print. And in any case, the best scenario, Cohen said, was that he would be one of five remaining offices in an empty building. “You can’t win,” was Cohen’s response. After speaking with Cohen, I visited this particular building. It was eerily empty and silent on a bustling 8th Avenue. The only sign of life was the GAP store that occupied the very first floor. Cohen believed the owner of the building was trying to convert it into a hotel. The Hudson Yards rezoning allowed many former apparel-related spaces to be converted for other uses.

My Interview with Designer Richard Chai November 2, 2008

Designers hold the “coolest celebrity” title in my eyes, so interviewing Richard Chai was one of the definite highlights of this semester.  I went to interview Chai on a late evening one weekday.  His showroom slash design studio in Soho was elegant, minimalistic and beautiful.  His clothes hung delicately on roughly four clothing racks stationed against walls, while two cherry wood coffee tables with white floral arrangements stood center stage.  I am guessing this is where clients come to see his clothes.

Chai appeared much younger than his 33 years of age.  He was wearing a navy blue cardigan and matching shirt.  His only visible accessory was a large gold cross.  Both his appearance and manners were well polished.  But most impressive was his eloquence.  I’m often struck when designers are well-spoken since their preeminent means of expression is their visual art.

The Garment Center was near and dear to Chai.  That much was clear.  But Chai also brought up an interesting point that none of my other interviewees did.  Chai underscored the importance the Garment Center had on the career of emerging designers.  Clothes can now be produced overseas at high quality.  But overseas production isn’t a viable option for young designers who don’t have bulk orders; it is unlikely that a factory in China with large quotas will manufacture say 10 jackets for a nascent clothing line.  Without the garment center as the lifeline for young designers, will New York be able to nourish a fresh and flowing stream of new designers?  And without them, will New York CIty still maintain its mantle as  one of the fashion capitals of the world?

Freelance Journalist’s Diary: The Day In The Life of Shooting Video November 1, 2008

Internships: 2; Course load: Full; Available Days in the Week for Shooting Video: 1; Interviews: 5

With two internships and a full course load, Thursdays are the only available day I have to shoot video.  One of my incredibly busy shooting Thursdays went like this:

10:00AM:  Rent video equipment (it takes at least 30 minutes to check out equipment).  Am seriously contemplating buying video equipment, preferably a fancier one than the vacation-purpose video cameras they lend at school.

11:00AM: Interview with Tommy Wu.  His supervisor Fatiyyah M. Hussein sat in on the interview.  She was only there to supervise the video, but I ended up interviewing her as well.   They were both very helpful and recommended a handful of people to speak to, including Samanta Cortez, founder of “Save The Garment Center.”  I had tried to contact her at savethegarmentcenter.com, but to no avail.  They provided her direct email and phone number.  Score!

12:00PM: My next interview was at 1:00PM but I decided to visit FIT since they weren’t accessible by phone. I was directed from building “B” to “C” then back to “B” for a name tag and then back to “C” where the “Outside Relations” office was housed.  I met Judith, and presented my request.  “I’m going to have to say no,” she said.  FIT received a myriad of requests and professors were extremely busy this time of year, she explained.  But I was encouraged to request an interview during the holidays when they were less swamped.

1:00PM: Interview with Mark Cohen, Colorblind Showroom.  Cohen was an interesting character who was once a sports reporter.

2:00PM:  Roamed around Garment Center trying to interview fabric store owners.  I’m learning that while most of these people are wiling to speak to you, they do NOT want to be videotaped.  But I found a good samaritan.  Charles Yoo from New York Elegant Fabrics let me interview him and tape him.

2:45 PM:  I snuck into a Parson’s classroom.  Their security was much less rigid here.  I spoke to the PR office who didn’t exactly refuse my request.  The Deans were out of town and professors were teaching classes.  On my way out, I poked my head into a class that either just ended or was getting ready to start.  I made friends with a cute girl who didn’t speak much English but spoke my native tongue.  It turns out, we have the same Korean name, Yejeong, except hers is spelled with a “u.”    We had a good laugh about it (it’s not a common name by any means) and she pointed out professor Carol to me.  I introduced myself and gave my spiel.  “I’m doing a multi-media story about the Garment Center.  Would you be willing to speak with me – and would you mind being videotaped?” She consented!  I needed an interview with a fashion-school professor for my radio piece.

3:30PM: My 3:30PM interview with Richard Chai got pushed back to 5PM, then again to 6PM, and then again to 6:30PM

4:00PM:  Stop at Subway for my first meal of the day before heading home.

6:30PM:  Interview with Richard Chai and Daniel Lee.  When I got to Chai’s elegant and beautiful showroom and design studio, my friend Christine informed me that Chai did not want to be videotaped, but didn’t mind having his voice recorded.  An interview with Richard Chai was rare – I knew he was media shy.  So I took what I could get.  My initial plan was to incorporate Daniel’s interview as part of my radio piece but now that RIchard Chai didn’t want to be videotaped, I resorted to plan B.  I would turn Chai’s interview into my radio piece and use Daniel Lee as an interview source for my video.  It might’ve been a blessing in disguise since my interview with the professor from Parson’s didn’t mete out much substance.

8:00PM:  Head home to KTFO!