The Alexander Report

By Tiffany Plater
Diversifying is no longer a financial term. It can be applied to many avenues. However, it seems so relevant in the fashion world today. Brands are beginning to extend their reach. They are no longer focusing on designing one or two kinds of items. The mission of many brands is to become a […]

by Geoff Ficke
If you are of a certain age you will vividly remember the following names: Helena Rubenstein, Faberge, Germain Monteil, Trigere, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, Max Factor, Schwinn, W. T. Grant, Montgomery Ward and Chuck Taylor. Each name represented a hugely successful consumer product brand.
Each of these brands was grown from the entrepreneurial seed of […]

By Tiffany Plater
The Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) announced its 2007 nominees at Rockefeller center. This will be their 25th year. The CFDA is the most sought after prestigious nomination in the fashion business. It is equivalent to receiving a Grammy.
Among the many nominees were the usual suspects: Marc Jacobs for Marc Jacobs […]

by Jacqui O’Brien
After last season’s unusual proportions and chunky layers petite women can breathe a sigh of relief; fashions for spring 2007 are much easier for us to wear. Gone are the oversized coats and sweaters and in come slim, neat dresses.
In fact dresses are the big fashion story for next season and for petite […]

By Gaurav Doshi
Flashback! Nearly four decades back - lifestyle fashion stores were all the frenzy in the sixties where clothing retailers like Biba and Habitat offered great collection for the young consumers. They displayed model lifestyles lines and made buyers think “which one is better for me?” Most clothing retailers joined the league for […]

By Tiffany Plater
Marc Jacobs has brought us classics and much to talk about with his two lines: Marc Jacobs and Marc by Marc Jacobs. He and his partners are now considering putting more on their fashion plates with a third line, Marc3.
Marc3 will be priced under Marc by Marc Jacobs. This third line will allow […]

By Tiffany Plater
It has long been known that most of the worlds’ supply of diamonds can be found in Africa. Unfortunately, Africa has long been exploited because of those very resources. Yet, business mogul, Russell Simmons has joined with others to create a plan to educate, empower, and develop those exploited nations with the help […]

by Alfred Hedaya
Factoring has been the preferred method of financing for apparel firms for decades. As opposed to bank financing which depends on profitability demonstrated by financial statements, factoring can provide needed working capital based on a companies sales.
A major challenge the fashion industry presents to banks is the relative unpredictability of the business. […]

by Ted Santos
In the previous article, I talked about how leaders are different from managers. Leaders intentionally create problems to drive innovation and accelerate revenue growth. Managers solve problems. This time I will give 5 tips on strategies that can give you unwanted problems.
The don’ts
1. Don’t micro manage. Unless you want to […]

By Gaurav Doshi
Whatever we are, a fashionista or a prey of fashions, one clothing item has clearly made its way into our wardrobe, and that is “Denim”. Truly, the versatility of denim has successfully made history in bottom-wear styles in the fashion history. Certainly, the popularity and different types of denim has also made it […]