Nine West getting designer boost?

[BettyCooper]

Well actually I was in Nine West recently and picked up some really nice flats. Their collection is good for fall. Especially in the major cities

 

[lucy92]

no more i guess....


Not every company is high on constant designer collaborations as a strategy. The Nine West effort, which parent Jones Apparel Group touted as a strategic move to lift the brand's overall image, now looks like it's going to be a one-season initiative. "It was always a one-year deal with a possible second year option, and we did meet some amazing designers for 2007 and began working on some product," conceded Stacy Lastrina, Jones Apparel's executive vice president for marketing and creative services. "However, for many reasons, we are moving on to other exciting concepts for the Nine West brand." Nine West kicked off the initiative with collections by Vivienne Westwood, Thakoon and Sophia Kokosalaki in September at select Macy's and Nine West doors.

story from wwd.

 

[serena775]

I want more Vivienne Westwood!!!!

 

[elschic111]

no more i guess....


Not every company is high on constant designer collaborations as a strategy. The Nine West effort, which parent Jones Apparel Group touted as a strategic move to lift the brand's overall image, now looks like it's going to be a one-season initiative. "It was always a one-year deal with a possible second year option, and we did meet some amazing designers for 2007 and began working on some product," conceded Stacy Lastrina, Jones Apparel's executive vice president for marketing and creative services. "However, for many reasons, we are moving on to other exciting concepts for the Nine West brand." Nine West kicked off the initiative with collections by Vivienne Westwood, Thakoon and Sophia Kokosalaki in September at select Macy's and Nine West doors.

story from wwd.

I'm not surprised at all. Totally saw this coming. You could tell that there wasn't nearly as much hype about this collaboration as there has been for the ones that have been successful (Nine West didn't do a good enough job creating buzz around it and gettng the word out), plus, the products were not impressive IMO, and the price point was FAR too high. Why would someone go to Nine West to buy a $500 cape by Kokosalaki for Nine West that they could have from another reputed designer (Ok, maybe not the best of the best, but a good designer nonetheless) for the same amount. I mean, I would have been willing to pay that for designs resembling what Kokosalaki shows on the runway (not just a plain old black cape that several designers are offering this season), but I didn't see anything that stood out enough to be worth the price. By pricing their items too high, they also made it highly unlikely that their regular customers, used to paying much less for a pair of shoes, would buy any of the items on impulse.

Most telling, probably, was the fact that the items were almost all available at the end of the 1 month periods they were selling for...and then most were available on the Macy's website after the 1 month period was over. (That could be another reason it might have failed--they were available, or Nine West made it seem, at least, that they were available for too short a time period. By comparison, Target's GO! International collections are available for 3 months each, correct?)

I think it's a bit of a shame they are abandoning the strategy rather than modifying their execution...but oh well.

 

[Lena]

the Kokosalaki line is already out, it was presented last week in NY..
does anyone has any pics??

i love Sophia's shoes (sometimes even more than her clothes..)

 

[elschic111]

you mean other than the pics of the collection on the ninewest website?

 

[Lena]

oooops, i didnt know they were up at their site..
i'll have a look, thanks

 

[seasecrets]

95 bucks for a headband....no thanks.
i'm not surprised that there's very little hype over these collaborations.

 

[ChrissyM]

i actually liked the headband... from what i could see on the website anyway...

but $95 is definitely a bit steep for me to spend on a headband right now..

 

[tortoisie]

Diana Dondoe for Thakoon for Nine West Campaign

Diana Dondoe for Thakoon for Nine West Campaign

[Nine West email]


[ninewest.com.au]

 

[manolocraver]

Another good news... I think that by clinching to Enzo Angiolini designs won't attract more buyers... people are looking for fresh and iconic designs now.

 

[lucy92]

that was pretty clever on nine west's part to shift the unsold shoes to austrailia.

all 3 lines bombed in the USA and were all shifted to outlet stores where they were sold for 30$ a piece.

i wonder if the secret designer product that they worked on for spring will surface somewhere...

 

[ChrissyM]

yeah that sounds smart...

i think the products were good but that the original prices were just too high for nine west.. designer collaboration or not

 

[lucy92]

Designer Sophie Theallet has inked a collaboration deal with Nine West to create a capsule accessories collection "spanning handbags and shoes in shades of pink and brown, and a couple of charm bracelets and necklaces, which boast the Eiffel Tower and Theallet's initials"

racked.com

 

[lucy92]

here is part of sophie theallet's collection. giles deacon is doing a collection for them in the fall (fashionologie)

 

[crow_watcher]

^Too cute. Match both with a large straw brim hat and your good to go!

 

[softgrey]

thanks for the info lucy!...

those pieces are looking super retro...
almost vintage...
which isn't really my bag...
but some young girly girls will most likely think they are fab!

 

[ChrissyM]

i think my lip actually curled and i grimaced when i saw those shots..
so not me...

the bag actually reminded me of sophia from the golden girls...

is this stuff pretty consistent with theallat's aesthetic?
i feel like i'm not super familiar with her work

 

[softgrey]

aww...what's the matter chrissy...you don't like granny chic meets carmen miranda?...
cha cha cha!!!...

...

hollywoodyesterday.com + vintagepowderroom.com

 

[ChrissyM]

that's really the perfect way to describe this!

i think i might actually prefer sophia's bag...