Vanguards of streetwear from Supreme, Aimé Leon Dore, Staple and The Hundreds sat down with WWD to discuss their respective retail strategies and the pros and cons of going wholesale. In an industry notable for exclusivity and limited releases, it can be a tough decision to make–especially if the speed of growth ends up diluting the brand.
Teddy Santis, who founded Aimé Leon Dore a year ago, decided to sell direct from the start, stating that “it makes sense to go vertical because you make more money and have more control.” When Jeff Staple started Staple Design in 1997, wholesale was his “lifeline” but the prevalence of e-commerce has changed the business, and he believes brands starting out today have more options than before. Former Supreme creative director Brendon Babenzien has also decided to eschew wholesale for his brand Noah, as building relationships with larger retailers takes too much time. Lastly, Aaron Levant of the Agenda trade show mentioned that independent retailers have been down by 50 percent from the peak of the industry.
While each company embraces its own strategy for staying afloat, it’s clear the market has become increasingly competitive for smaller brands. For the full story, head over to WWD and see how some brands are utilizing the global market as well.
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Stussy 2015 Spring/Summer Eyegear – Part 2
Stussy has just dropped the second half of its Spring/Summer 2015 Eyegear range, offering up two more styles to keep you protected from the sun’s harsh rays as we move into warmer months. Both styles offer a classic, versatile shape, with the Naomi being available in black, dark green and navy blue, and the Rockey in navy, black and tortoise shell. Both retail for the price of ¥17,000 JPY (approximately $142 USD) per pair and are now available at Stussy’s Japanese chapters, the Stussy Japan webstore and ZOZOTOWN.
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