Category / Fashion

by lettersbysoo

Fall 2020 Trends

Some Fall 2020 Hits

What one with a penchant for subtlety could wear: beiges, wraps, and mixing hard with soft

Asset 38The Office

 

A Loungish Fairytale w/ global color pattern +/- flora influences

 

Asset 39Loungewear

“Let’s say I want to show off a bit of individuality”

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The color pattern and play for Christian Dior’s Look 63 is masterful. Can see this diluted down to so many digestible mass styles

 

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Evening:

My body may be landlocked, but my dreams are flying out to a faraway place, namely a lush garden with whorls of silk, gems, decadence, and books. With stars ablaze against a light, yellow-blue sky.

 

by lettersbysoo

Fall 2019: Fashion Brands/Looks I’m Really Liking at the Moment

Shoes and socks and very anti-Comme des Garcons let’s vomit unicorns and rainbows cute flower coin wallets: Golf le Fleur

 

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Socks and crazy beautiful visual narrative with brand site, I’ve been obsessed for months: Dueple

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Glorious silhouette and fit for a women’s coat, except I wish there wasn’t that double button back closure decorative thing– kills the rare win in the “simple magnificence”: Ulla Johnson

 

 

by lettersbysoo

Dear Brands That Rebrand

Dear brands that rebrand,

You need to tell your consumers when you rebrand.

You need to invest a whole lot more money and attention to rebranding and external communications re: rebranding when you do it.

You might not in fear of confusing consumers,

but in fact,

not telling them confuses them even more.

As an existing customer or prospect, I am following you because I like the idea of you, or I already like you.

To not be fully updated about something like a name change and not understand the why

Is like having a guy you’re dating or considering dating change his name and you seeing him the next day with a different name and he offers up no context or story.

It’s like: WTF? red flag, and a potential bye-buy.

Back to brands:

If your concern is retention, then take the proper steps to pursue retention.

And that starts first by being transparent in the process of rebranding.

If you have a legacy and brand footprint that you have already that’s Soo very deep and wide.. perhaps a little customer attrition wouldn’t matter.

But for the rest of you, I strongly ask you to re-consider.

Waste not your prospecting efforts, brands.

A simple IG story announcement will not do.

 

Yours sincerely,

A zealotish consumer.

 

by lettersbysoo

Summer 2019: Women’s Flats I’m Loving

I’ve been following this Australian brand with great interest for the past year; the overall silhouette looks a little rough, but as an accessory that completes a “look”, it looks absolutely fantastic. A total success in comfort-luxe, and that’s the place I love to be in, style-wise:

I’ve been over Common Projects for a while, but wow, I must appreciate this fresh take on its now omnipresent sneaker style:

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TOD’s Crocodile Stamped Leather Loafers

 

And of course, not to ever be neglected are Manolo Blahnik flats; I am always appreciative of them– particularly the crystal buckled styles:

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by lettersbysoo

Trending In Retail & Consumer Goods

The Case For Lower In-season Markdowns:

“YNAP has also seen a deceleration in North America, where overall luxury goods sales growth has been slower in 2017 compared to Europe and Asia, according to Bain & Co. At YNAP, North American sales in the third quarter of 2017 grew 10 percent from 2016, down from 17 percent growth a year earlier. ‘According to management, this was also driven by a slightly weaker performance in the in-season business, where they made a strategic decision to have lower markdowns versus last year,’ Barclay analyst Andrew Ross wrote in a recent note. ‘While this helped margins, it had a detrimental impact on the top line.’ However, he said, “Long term, this approach by YNAP will strengthen relationships with brands.”” – Yoox Net-A-Porter Group, Bof.com

 

Digital & Print Publications for Next Level Branding: 

Woolly – Casper, next-gen mattress brand

Here – Away, next-gen luggage brand

Airbnbmag – Airbnb, sharing economy unicorn

 

Technology: 

Helio: machine learning [via online fundraising platform for early stage consumer brands] Circleup to make investment calls on retail and consumer brands.

 

“Social Media Drives Sales,” They’ve Been Saying…:

What’s next on the affiliate partnership front for consumer goods giant Amazon:

Amazon expands its Influencer Program to include Twitter and Instagram, in addition to YouTube

 

 

 

 

by lettersbysoo

Pulse of the Fashion Industry, 2017

An informative report on the state of retail by Copenhagen Fashion Summit’s Global Fashion Agenda in collaboration with BCG and the Sustainable Apparel Coalition this year, with interesting tidbits like this:

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Click to access Pulse-of-the-Fashion-Industry_2017.pdf

by lettersbysoo

Resort 2018 Crush

I reviewed every Resort 2018 collection that came out so far on Vogue.com and selected the ones worth seeing so you wouldn’t have to. That’s 657 looks. Lucky me, lucky you:

Gucci

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Dior

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Protagonist

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Valentino

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Dion Lee

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by lettersbysoo

Perspectives Global: A Young Streetwear Brand with a 2,000 Year Old Message.

US label Perspectives Global, a streetwear brand founded in 2012 by brother duo Cody and Devon de Jardin takes the phrase “the medium is the message” seriously.

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Check out their brand here and let me know if you’re seeing what I see.

In their most recent campaign the talented duo took direct inspiration from one of the oldest books in the world, the Bible, to send a message of strength, resilience, and endurance:

“Therefore we will not fear, though the Earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart o the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” – Psalms 46: 2-3

We are in a world full of turmoil, whether we choose to acknowledge it wholly or not– it is present through the never ending flow of class and racial strife, international tension, hurting children, and civil conflicts in institutions.

More and more, young, talented designers are harnessing the power (and influence) of their strong visual narratives and their brands in a deliberate attempt to forge renewed meaning and send out messages to a sentient generation.  Likewise, the Jardin brothers speak to their observances of a reality full of brokenness and of distractions– in which it’s become easy to stay “blind to the darkness, pain, and injustice all around the world,” in their SS17 campaign.

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Life doesn’t always have to be about religion, about what you believe, or what you stand for, but it makes it a little more worthwhile living, if you do make it about that, don’t you think? Nevertheless, it feels great to see fashion brands standing for something beyond escapism and creative inspiration.

Asides from supporting their great vision, I’m also a big fan of the brothers’ activewear merchandise, namely the Katakana and Future Lite jackets.

Their lifestyle oriented outerwear is a an eye-catching alternative for you if you’ve exhausted your options with Patagonia, The North Face, Columbia, Marmot, Adidas and Arc’Teryx.

Check out the styles here:

 

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Future Lite Track Jacket

 

Yours,

Soo

by lettersbysoo

Fashion Across the World

We live in a world with brands from all across the world offering international shipping, employing international influencers, and commissioning out the wildest of digital marketing tactics, desperate to reach that perfect customer. So really, what’s stopping you anymore from getting that perfect wardrobe that emblemizes you, not just a piece of the corner you, but wholly you?

Rock fashion from across the world, and support some talented designers along the way.

Here’s a couple of brands I love and support:

South Africa, Pichulik:

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In 2010, 6 out of 10 of the fastest growing world economies were recorded to be from Africa. A gold mine of natural resources, Africa has been instrumental to these economies’ growths. Did you also know that it is housing a thriving presence of eco-focused designers? There’s a lot of natural talent to be found, but unfortunately these fashion talents are experiencing slow to no growth on that end due to a plenitude of market barrier reasons. So here’s a super cool designer brand to watch out for and support. Let’s get this future fashion and eco-friendly capital up-to-speed, shall we?

 

 

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Sacred Knot Beige Bracelet

 

 

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Sacred Knot Choker

 

Colombia, Mercedes Salazar:

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Buy it in the US here.

 

Denmark, Norse Projects:

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Looking for good thermal? You can buy Stutterheim… or you can buy this: Rain

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Trail Pants – Inspired by track pants, the style has a tapered fit, low rise, elastic bands and outside front pockets.

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There are a lot of talented brands out there and the ones with merit often share the same manufacturers. The ones less known among this pool sometimes have more room for innovation/testing and end up churning out some fantastic designs, and sometimes– they’re just a whole lot better, with more advanced specs and competitive prices to boot– except for the lack of exposure, branding, and marketing power.

Take this brand for example:

Thailand, Kalis Activewear:

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Canada, Bronze Age:Screen Shot 2017-03-09 at 4.13.38 PM.png

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Moroccan inspired shoes, The Babouche!

Morrocan inspired shoes, The Babouche!

 

Just look at all the boss-ness reverberating from these brands’ souls.

In a world of purported connectivity, why have a brand come to you? Grab discovery by the balls and find those gems yourself. Happy shopping!

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The world is yours.

Bises,

Soo

 

 

**All brands listed offer international shipping

by lettersbysoo

Good Menswear: You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know Until You’ve Seen It.

“Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.”
—Arthur Ashe, Professional Tennis Player

In support of the art of dress, I give you a version of men’s style, reflecting my current style preferences:

Thom Sweeney – Beautiful bespoke, you spoke?

Herno Light Tech Thermo Jackets:

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The Gillet, available in multiple colors… muted too, yes.

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Bow – Tie, HENRY Loafer:

Necessary Anywhere Socks:

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There is no “better” or “right” style– I believe though that there’s something in the deliberation given to treating oneself and one’s body as a temple, outside and in– that is “style”.

All power to men who see and live that too, whether that be realized in the mode of Jaden Smith or Mr. Birddogs guys here:

I hope this scroll gives you enough pause to think how you might dress for the next morning 💫, and if not, then ponder this:

“Clothes don’t make a man, but clothes have got many a man a good job.”
—Herbert Harold Vreeland, Academic

by lettersbysoo

A Prelude to Spring: Things I’m Loving

Our climate is in flux, the Great Barrier Reef is at risk (“in danger!” says Karlie), and New York is experiencing a true Four Seasons.

While concerns over climate change is becoming a veritable thing this season, spring to me sometimes just feels like… spring, and I’m left feeling giddy.

For those that are with me! Here’s some beauty to herald in our months of bloom with:

Pierre Yovanovitch, French interior designer:

See this extraordinary armchair complete with varnished oak feet: the Baby Bear Chair:

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Papa Bear and Momma Bear available upon request.

Solid & Striped, the Anne Marie:

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The Elle Top:

Julian Schnabel, Rose Painting:

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Oil, plates, and bondo on wood.

Showing at the Pace Gallery until March 25! 510 W. 25th St., NY, NY, 10001

Franz Kline, American painter and Abstract Expressionist:

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Franz Kline with one of his paintings.

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Laureline, 1956. Gagosian Gallery

by lettersbysoo

Peter Thiel On the Valuation of Companies

I’ve put down The Guermantes Way for a moment to crunch through Zero to One, a book by Peter Thiel on notes on startups, monopolies, and how to build the future. So far, it’s proven to be an interesting read (it’s also my first time “reading” a book through Audible– I don’t know how to feel about that yet- but more on that for another time).

In Zero to One, Thiel advises on critically measuring a company’s long -term profitability and urges us to contemplate the following questions:

1. Growth measurability vs. durability

  • Opt to see one’s market potential over its current  or “near-term” growth measurability, so.. an example would be having the prescience to value a company for its projected future market cash flow rather than solely looking at x company’s present market cap.

2. What does a company with large cash flows far into the future have in regards to qualitative characteristics?

  • proprietary technology
  • network effects
  • economies of scale
  • branding

It would be interesting to see how this applies to my present company and other businesses of interest:

barneys

supreme

a-cold-wall

alpha

For instance, what are the network effects of cult brands such as Supreme and emerging brands like Alpha Industries and A-COLD-WALL?

What kind of proprietary “innovations”do creative houses boast and have helped them become the monopolies they are today within their respective markets?

How do creative businesses navigate the land of commerce and manage to thrive when one quality exists in the midst of a dearth in others?

Bises,

Soo

by lettersbysoo

Let There Be Statements: Hood by Air S/S 2017

We are in the throes of New York Fashion Week.

Although I have not taken up on most of the opportunities given to us fashion people to gallivant during this special calendar season, I did have the chance to enjoy it pour un instant.

Hood by Air produced an amazing show this past Sunday afternoon with a stellar 2-toned music soundtrack and some great, provocative (in both the literally revealing and subliminal sense) statements.

Make out the strong motifs present at the show from the limited photos below: a very casual nonchalance for les affaires, a nod to the digital era and reverse voyeurism (a model sauntered down playing with a phone and proceeded to take pictures of the passing audience *UPDATE* said model was in fact, Jacuzzi, the assistant creative director of HBA. He was Snapchatting for Pornhub, and was promptly whisked out of front row and onto the runway!), acid colored sunglasses, and slicked back hair and makeup. There were also two middle-aged models, one being renowned German artist Wolfgang Tillman, who made their presence on the runway as well –their looks alluding to some performance art vibes à la Maria Abramovic.

Here are some clips as promised:

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I was also pleased to see some favorite industry figures of mine: namely, Whoopi Goldberg (I loved her in Sister Acts!), Jaden Smith and his girlfriend, Hamish Bowles and Diane Solway (art evangelist extraordinaires), and Naomi Campbell.

Altogether, this was a wonderful show– very directional, but also something I would be intrigued by and [if the opportunity was there] with looks I’d want to walk the streets in, church garb and all.

Bises,

Soo