Fashion Notebook

Moschino Jeans Goes Contemporary As "Love Moschino"

Moschino is changing the game at its Moschino Jeans collection, rebranding the goods as "Love Moschino" in a play to get the product into the hot-hot-hot contemporary arena, WWD reported today.

No notes yet on a marketing push, except the article notes that there will be dedicated store openings and "investments in communications" (which we imagine is just fancy talk for "PR" or maybe "web initiatives") in addition to special marketing events. While we're waiting on that, check out this (disturbing?) ad for their "I Love Love" fragrance from the brand's other contempo-line, "Cheap and Chic" (right).

According to the report from Women's Wear's Milan bureau, the label had grown far beyond its traditional denim offering into a full-scale lifestyle collection. The line will be held under the "Love Moschino" moniker starting with the Winter 2008 precollection (seriously, how many collections are there on the calendar now?!) and "has a Twenties feel, with a sporty touch...striped patterns and bright color palettes."

We have to say, we're not in "love" with the new name. What does that even mean? It sounds like those "Love, Live Ferragamo" ads from last year, which were nice, but they were ads, not a brand name. When you're going for contemporary, it seems better to lead with a more straightforward approach, like, say Marc by Marc Jacobs, Michael by Michael Kors, or even Just Cavalli. Somehow, "Love Moschino" just doesn't have the same ring to it. Or maybe it's just us?

Send your thoughts here, or post a comment below. Do you "Love Moschino"?

For the full story from WWD, click here.

No Advertising Push for Wrangler's Dale Earnhardt Collection

Per confirmation this morning, Wrangler will not execute an advertising campaign for its new Dale Earnhardt Collection, a smattering of t-shirts, jeans and hats commemorating the iconic NASCAR driver.

Looks like you'll have to stop into WallyWorld (AKA Wal-Mart) if you want to see any kind of push. It's all in-store signage from here.

Then again, doesn't the triumverate of Wal-Mart, "The Intimidator," and Wrangler practically sell itself at the store level? Perhaps no advertising needed.

But hey, at least we got to dust off that vintage 1982 campaign, right? If you didn't see it, check back here.

Denim-Men, Start Your Engines: Wrangler's New Dale Earnhardt Collection

What an intriguing piece of news to come back to after a
sick day (seriously, when will the weather just a pick season and stick with it?!): Wrangler is gearing up to unveil its Dale Earnhardt Collection. 

The line of t-shirts, limited edition jeans (with race car-referencing names like "Intimidator Black" and "#3 Indigo") and hats that commemorate the late driver will retail for under $20 at select Wal-Marts nationwide for a limited time, starting next week.

We're still trying to get the (confirmed) skinny on the marketing plan for this collection, but it'll probably be mostly in-store signage and, one would imagine, a little bit of a print run, perhaps some event marketing at NASCAR races.  While we wait on that, enjoy this vintage 1982 spot (right, click to enlarge), when Earnhardt was the face of the brand's "One Tough Customer," a campaign that extend through the early to mid 1980s.

Indeed, the collection is an extension of the brand's history with the storied Earnhardt racing family. The brand was the primary sponsor of the seven-time Winston Cup NASCAR champ's car from 1981-1987,  when Dale's car was dubbed the "Wrangler Jean Machine." The sponsorship picked back up again when the Wrangler hit the hood on Earnhardt Jr.'s car in 2004.

"Just as Dale Jr. perfectly fits the new generation of Wrangler today, Dale Earnhardt truly personified the brand and the 'One Tough Customer' marketing campaign in the 1980s," Craig Errington, vp of Wrangler marketing said, in a statement. "This commemorative collection was developed to reflect the respect and admiration we continue to have for Dale and to honor the history we've shared with the Earnhardt family, and his fans, for more than two decades."

Adiesel "Successful Wastes of Time" Contest Results!

So the submissions have been sifted through, and here are our favorite responses to the question: “What’s the most successful way to waste your time?”

We’ll have to see if any of these make it into Adiesel’s “83 Ways to Successfully Waste Your Time” campaign due out next February in support of their new collaboration collection with Diesel.

Until then, here are your top 5 “successful” wastes of time:

1. Train a pigeon to deliver all of your inter-office mail (see carrier pigeon, right, sadly extinct). Hey, anything’s faster than the mailroom.

2. Googling ex-boyfriends/girlfriends/partners in order to silently triumph in your decision to drop them, or to breathe a sigh of relief at the bullet you dodged when they dropped you.

3. Surfing Fresh Direct for wines and new recipes. Because, you know, we still have another food-filled holiday to look forward to.

4. Facebook (for game-play, stalking and “social networking,” whatever that is).

5. Lifetime movie marathons. Because it’s good to know when Delta Burke’s biological clock is ticking, AND when it’s exploded. For more on that, check out the greatest film of the Lifetime genre. Ever.

Honorable Mention: “Listening to an aging baby boomer trapped in the 1960s.”

Adiesel: Upcoming Campaign Update

This just in! 

The campaign supporting the launch of the Adidas Originals Denim by Diesel collection will be titled "83 Original Ways to Successfully Waste Your Time."

Since the campaign is launching in tandem with the product—which hits Adidas Originals stores worldwide Feb. 1—there aren't anymore details coming from Adi HQ  in Herzogenaurach, Germany, and we won't be able to check out any of the creative until next year, I'm more than intrigued to know how this one will go off.

Seems like the perfect fodder for a write-in contest, especially since I know you guys are "successfully" wasting your time this rainy (at least in NYC) Cyber Monday doing your holiday shopping!

Either leave me a comment, or drop me a line here with your suggestions for the best "ways to successfully waste your time." The top 5 will be posted later today, so get yours in ASAP!

(FYI: Submissions won't won't be attributed to the sender. That way, no one has to know how you, in particular, "successfully" waste your time.)

Adiesel: Where Adidas meets Diesel

The latest in the now near-ubiquitous world of fashion-athletic design collaborations, Adidas announced today  that it's inked a four-year deal with Italian denim lifestyle company Diesel to create "Adidas Originals  Denim by Diesel."

That's quite a mouthful (why not just "Adiesel"?) for four pairs of jeans, two styles each for guys and gals, examples of which appear at left. You'll start seeing them at Adidas Originals stores worldwide Feb. 1, and if you're so inclined you'll throw down 160 to 210 euros, or about $240 to $320 in our currency. Not cheap, but not out of the realm of outrageously priced denim currently out there on retail shelves at Atrium, A Bathing Ape, A.P.C., or any of the more upscale department stores.

While the product looks pretty much de rigeur for premium denim, more importantly, the deal gives Adidas one more link in its lifestyle chain (which has included the Y-3 line, designed by Yohji Yamamoto, since 2002), according to a statement by Hermann Deininger, CMO of Adi's sport style division.

"Now when a consumer walks into one of our stores, we can offer them a complete look, from a track top to jeans to a pair of sneakers," he said.

The line will be designed by both the Adidas Originals teams and Diesel's own creative department, and stitched with both Diesel and Adidas logo details.

Not many details on the marketing front yet, though head corp PR honcho Anne Putz told me that there will be a "below the line campaign"  that will include an online initiative, in addition to pr efforts and in-store promotions.

Still Rockin': New Converse Spots' Quirky Play on Music, Heritage

In a world where marketers are always upping the flash ‘n glam factor with of-the-moment celebs, and über-produced spots airbrushed beyond all conceivable reality, it’s refreshing to see a fashion brand that’s not afraid to mine its roots, in all their simplistic, low-fi glory.

Three new spots from Converse’s new “Disruption” campaign—the name refers to a creative strategy in which the images are intended to “disrupt” TV viewing with low-budget  flair—the classic kicks label revisits its rockin’ roots with unusual results. (PS… Check them out the videos via the Youtube links below.)

“We wanted spots that  would stand out from the two commercials they’re going to be sandwiched between on TV,” Mike Byrne, creative director at Anomaly, New York, told me of the spots, at right. It’s Anomaly’s second outing with the brand since Converse parted with Butler, Shine & Partners, Sausalito, Calif.

“It’s about jarring the viewer from his or her comfort zone, snapping them out of zombie land,” Byrne added. “If you’re watching ‘American Idol’ for example, you’re in a particular mindspace, so we tried to think up ways that we could shake you out of that.” 

The results agree with his theory.

“Unsigned Band,” features a blurry, still image from a 1994 concert from unknown punkers Mightaswell, superimposed with scrolling text detailing the band’s story. While listening to one of their tracks, which the text tells us was “recorded in a bedroom on a Tuesday night in Gainsville, Florida,” we learn that while they never achieved success, it was a fun ride for the boys of Mightaswell. A simple “Converse 1908” tag closes the 30-second spot, sans product shots. Definitely not the norm for fashion advertising.

Quick gossip note: Mightaswell was actually Anomaly art director Ross Aboud’s post-college band, but no details on whether or not he penned the thrash anthem heard in the spot, or if it was his bedroom. He was their Ringo, er, in the sense that he was manned the drums.

The second spot, “Three Chords,” is a giggle and a half for me, since it features 11 year-old Sophie Kasakove, of the Park Slope teen-rock band Carebears on Fire, singing a few lines from one of the group’s rebellious anthems (“Don’t tell me what to do/what to say/what to wear"...) while the scrolling text reads: “Learn Three Chords. You’ll know 1,000 songs.”

I’m particularly intrigued by the use of COF, since I don’t imagine many other people know about this band, though they were profiled in New York. Perhaps it’s a little Easter egg for a rarified bunch that reads up on weird concept bands like the ‘bears. (Don’t ask how I knew about them, the course of reporting lends itself to the absorption of much bizarre triviata.)

The final spot, “Me/We,” is a simple graphic trick in which “M” is inverted to “W” over 30 seconds of Bob Marley’s irie-feelin’ hit “One Love.” Simple and relaxing, but what the ad doesn’t show is the wacko story behind the inspiration.

I’ll let Mike tell it in his own words:

“So Einstein was giving this lecture in Vienna about the theory of relativity, and a students asks him: ‘You invented the theory of relativity, how is it that you don’t have an ego?’ And Einstein says: ‘The day I came up with the theory of relativity, I woke up in a bed with the German language already in my head. I didn’t invent that language. I woke up in cotton sheets that I didn’t make. When I got to the lab where I did the work that led to this theory, I moved all of humanity with me.”

“That was the inspiration behind ‘Me/We,’” Byrne explains. “It’s that sense of ‘I did it with everybody.’”

I have to say, that inspiration in and of itself would make one kick-ass spot. Seriously, who doesn’t love Einstein anecdotes? That’s right, tell me I’m wrong as you rush to take that poster of the good doctor (you know, the one where he's sticking his tongue out at the camera) off of your wall.

Aveda Proves "Beauty is as Beauty Does" in 2008 Campaign

When consumer fears about global environmental issues are reaching their zenith and everyone’s desperate to get on the green wagon, what about those who’ve been on it for years?

Well if you’re Aveda, the Estée Lauder-owned holistic, prestige beauty brand, then it’s about time you did some green-message shouting.

After years of product-focused marketing, the brand’s 2008 campaign replaces make-up with an activist message that will drive home the brand's rep as an authentic green company. The first such iteration appears at right (click to enlarge).

“Consumers values are rapidly changing and its not just that core [environmentalist] group that is into green issues,” Suzanne Dawson, vp of global marketing, told me at Aveda HQ here in New York. “That’s why we’re re-prioritizing and bringing our brand messaging to the forefront. We’ve always talked about our environmental work to the trade, but now it’s time to start shouting it to a larger audience.”

Per Suzanne, 8 out of 10 Americans now believe that it is important to purchase products from green companies, which is a huge deal for green players like Aveda.

The new campaign, dubbed “Beauty is as Beauty Does,” features creative that tackles a different green issue every six to eight weeks, with both print advertising and in-store displays across the company’s 8,000 owned and partner salons worldwide. For a preview of the upcoming work, keep reading.

First up is wind energy and the company will be playing up its rep at the first beauty company to manufacture products using 100% wind energy. The print creative, which hits in January issues, shows your typical fashion model shot—windswept hair cascading off a statuesque model—except for the fact she’s shot against the backdrop of the windmills Aveda uses to power its Blaine, Minn. Factory.

The spot reads: “First beauty company manufacturing with 100% wind power,” and carries the tag: “Smooth hair. Protect clean air. Beauty is as beauty does.” In stores, that same image will dominate window displays, while a different iteration promote the launch of the brand’s new humidity defense styling product, tying the new goods to the wind power message.

On the design front, the campaign will use blockier fonts (it's "Knock Out," fyi) that global creative director Antoinette Beenders (who still does heads in the London salons, btw), said was geared at giving the creative a more "activist" message.

“We wanted it to make a strong statement that would have people stop when they were walking by the store, or when they were flipping through a magazine,” she said. “We wanted to make it much more impactful [than before], to be more in your face for consumers, to say ‘These are the facts. This is what Aveda is about.”

But that's not the only place where they're shaking it up. The print ads will run in a selection of books that use post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials in  their publishing practices. Some of those including Shape, Natural Health, and Ecologist. The brand is also looking into targeted, green-themed issues of wider distrib-ed pubs like Elle.

Understandably, that presents some challenges for a brand in an industry where the usual battery of glossies is a make or break requirement. But Suzanne felt that the authenticity of advertising, and tacitly, supporting those pubs would ultimately make the stronger statement for the company.

“We’re trying to establish that point of difference for Aveda," she said. "We want to make our environmental message clear.”

In late February, the messaging will shift to a discussion of packaging waste, promoting Aveda’s use of up to 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials in packaging its multitude collections. Print creative carries the tag: “What a beautiful waste,” and references the brand’s waste reduction efforts. The in-store product campaign, which supports the relaunch of the lipstick line, will read “More lip, less packaging.”

Introducing Reebok Entertainment: Movies from the Marketing Department

Can a marketing department that traditionally deals in print
images and 30-second TV spots, create an series of 30-minute short films?

Reebok seems to think so. The athletic company is rolling out "Framed," a series of athlete portraits that will air on IFC starting Dec. 14, created by Reebok Entertainment, a new division of the brand that will handle, per the company's statement, "all areas of entertainment, including music, arts and film."

The first installment sets up what the whole shebang will be like: television actress Emmanuelle Chriqui (don't worry, I didn't recognize the name either, then again, I'm not an Entourage fan) will jet set to Los Angeles and Las Vegas to conduct interviews with Baron Davis (below, left, with Chriqui, the Golden State Warriors star) about his passions, his life, and all that jazz. And Chriqui won't only be doing the interviews, she'll be directing, as will all of the actors, comedians and musicians that follow her in the series.

Future pairings in the works including Allen Iverson and rapper Nelly, Barcelón soccer star Thierry Henry and actress Paz Vega (star of indie foreign hit "Sex and Lucía" for you movie buffs), Red Soxer David Ortiz and Hispano-median Carlos Mencia. Call me a doubting Thomas, but I'm not sure how much faith I have in Nelly, Mencia or Chriqui's directorial abilities, particularly when it comes to the art crowd that frequents IFC. I'm only holding Vega from that list because, well, her past couple of movies have been pretty arty, or at the very least, titillating and pretty to look at, much like Vega herself.

"Through our first original television series, 'Framed,' we can show consumers sides to these global icons often unseen," said  Reebok's head of sports and entertainment marketing, Todd Krinsky, in a statement. "We're thrilled to be able to bring together Hollywood talent and our roster of top athletes to crate a unique viewer experience that lives outside of traditional advertising."

Which brings up a good point: what's the branding promotional value? Will the celebs be donning Reebok gear during these jaunts through their past and present lives? Will logos live on the bottom of the screen? Will there at least be a "brought to you by Reebok" slug? No answer on that yet: stay tuned.

Criticism aside, it is kind of an interesting idea and I know enough of my sports-fan friends who would likely tune in. I just have to wonder though, how will the Reebok content, though on a much different channel, present something those target viewers haven't already seen on one of several MTV programs, such as "Cribs," or "Diary"? One to watch, pun intended.

Move Over Vera, Kohl's Latest is Fila

Kohl's announced today that it will have exclusive U.S. retail distribution for Fila Sport, part of a multi-year licensing deal it has inked with the Seoul, Korea-based athletic brand. The collection—a full-arsenal mix of apparel and accessories for women, men and children—hits Kohls brick n' mortar and online in fall 2008.

According to the company, the move is geared toward cashing in on consumers’ increasing adoption of sports and activewear across a wider variety of wear occasions. Hmmm... Where have I heard that before?

“Industrywide, the active and sport business continues to grow [and] the addition of Fila Sport capitalizes on the market opportunity and expands our exclusive offerings with one of the most recognizable names in sportswear,” said Kohl's Prez Kevin Mansell, in a statement.

Per the agreement, Kohl’s will work with Fila on product design for the collection, in addition to heading up the manufacturing, production, distribution, sales and marketing of Fila Sport. Sounds like it's a Kohl's line that just has Fila's named slapped on the label. 

The Fila deal is the latest licensing agreement for the company, following a much-hyped launch of its collaboration with womens-wear designer Vera Wang, dubbed Very Simply Vera by Vera Wang, in September. For more on that collaboration, and others like it, check out my piece, Split Personality.

Shameless Self-Promotion, With Apparel Brands on the Side

Please forgive this shameless plug of my latest feature—"Girl Meets Ploy"—about marketers going after the largely ignored lesbian consumer. But if you've got something you think is interesting, you're supposed to share, right? Didn't they teach us that during milk hour in kindergarten?

Anyhow, it turns out the lesbians are packing some serious monetary muscle—they're tracked at a little less than half the estimated $690 billion spending power wielded by the gay and lesbian market—but only a handful of brands have been directly reaching out to them. You know, because to some marketers, gay men and lesbians are, like, pretty much the same. They all like beefcake guys, right?

And it's not all non-sequitur self-promotion. There are some serious apparel players in there, following in Subaru's footprints: check the spots from Macy's ("Pride is Always in Fashion") and the ever-gay-lovin' team over at Ginch Gonch ("Gettin' You Wet").

Anyhow, check out the story and let me know what you think.

Happy reading and an even happier weekend!

Can P&G's Snack Guy Handle Estée Lauder?

Now here's a weird one.

Estée Lauder has named Fabrizio Freda the beauty company's new chief operating officer, per a report from today's WWD. While European surnames and beauty products do seem to have a natural affinity, the surprise comes from Freda's bio. He was previously president of Procter & Gamble’s Global Snacks division. Huh?

The move marks a pretty big change for Lauder, seeing as how the firm hasn't looked outside its interior world of prestige beauty before. But, per CEO William Lauder's statements in WWD today (subscription required), the appointment is expected to freshen up the beauty marks' approach. 

According to the story, Lauder said that Freda’s background at P&G has given him the benefit of a more disciplined, brand-building approach that should mesh well with Lauder's more emotion-driven branding strategy. Freda's first steps will be overseeing operational functions, research & development, and well as packaging design.

The appointment is an interesting proposition, but I just have to wonder how selling beauty products, particularly the upscale ones churned out by Estée, is like selling snack foods. There are things I want in eyeliner that I don't care about when you're pitching me chips. I'm just sayin'.

It also seems like these weird pairings are happening more and more these days. Remember when Gap announced back in July that it hired Glenn Murphy, formerly the CEO of Shoppers Drug Mart, as its chairman and CEO?

In other news, a second WWD report just came out stating that Leonard Lauder, William’s father, will be stepping down as chairman of the company, after serving in that capacity for 12 years. He'll be "chairman emeritus," whatever that means. I'm going with: "gone but not forgotten."

Is Cavalli Another Stella for H&M?

So the reviews are coming out following the launch of Roberto Cavalli's collection at H&M yesterday (photo below, from H&M). We've been following the collection as the campaign from H&M's Red Room unfolded last month, and initial reports seem to indicate that things aren't going so well.

While all the blogs and newspapers are reporting that the collection sold out almost instantaneously—not such a surprise, since the hype around these designer collections for H&M has consistently drawn tremendous public interest with the promise of big-name designs at bargain prices (more on that in my essay on such designer/retailer partnerships)—some, like our friends over at Racked have some rather disquieting news to report.

According to the blog, the clothes are little more than "cheap junk!"

"I grabbed a jacket that costs $350 and it looks like something  you'd get at Wet Seal," Racked reports in an update from this morning. "Total crap.  This is really bad. It might be the worst thing I've ever had to experience. I'm shaken."

Uh-oh. This one smacks of that ill-fated Stella McCartney collection, where girls ran back to the store with little dresses that had come undone and buttons that were falling off. Not good news, as I've heard many of those pieces were left, immobile, on sales counters.

Which reminds me, what ever happened to that Madonna collection that debuted in March? I've still yet to see anyone wearing it or hear of anyone that bought one of the pieces. Tips welcome!

Champion Talks Lifestyle to Twentysomethings

Remember Champion?  The brand behind that Harvard hoodie you stole from your roommate that summer in Boston.  You know, the one you still wear so everyone thinks you were Ivy League?

Well they're coming back in a whole new way. The Hanesbrands subsidiary announced this week that it will launch an estimated $27 million campaign dubbed: “How you play.” It's their largest campaign in about a decade—which is like a century in the fickle world of fashion—and it's all aimed at getting  twentysomethings back in the brand's coffers with a more lifestyle image. The hitch is that the brand is now best-known among consumers ages 30-50 who discovered the brand in college. To date, it’s still number one in branded, collegiate memorabilia apparel.

“The strategy is to engage the twentysomething consumer, which is the right place for the Champion brand, with creative that shows the genuine, approachable sports activities in everyday life,” Claire Edgar, Champion's brand marketing director, told me.

Print ads, out-of-home and online component, per Kaplan Thaler, New York, are “about people being active in a social space; a pick-up football game, a guy and a girl wrestling,” said Edgar.

That last one, and the one clipped left (click on photo for larger image), bear an uncanny resemblance to those American Apparel ads, no? Or maybe it's just me.

Anyhow, it's a good, if rather predictable, move for Champion, since consumers are increasingly incorporating athletic wear into the more casual facets of their lifestyle.

The print ads hit December issues including Details, US Weekly, and Vogue. Initially, the spots will be focused on showing off the more stylish looks, but early next year Champion will shift its focus to play up performance-related products as consumers rush to sign gym memberships after packing on a few holiday pounds. Out of home advertisements start this week in Los Angeles. It will then roll out in Chicago, Dallas, Miami and New York through December.