Forever21 Filed for Bankruptcy Last September. What's next for this Fast-Fashion Empire?
When fast-fashion retailer Forever21 filed for bankruptcy 9 months ago and then, like many other retailers, suffered financially as a result of COVID-19 closures, many wondered if this would be the end of the trendy, low-priced clothing store popular young people.
When fast-fashion retailer Forever21 filed for bankruptcy 9 months ago and then, like many other retailers, suffered financially as a result of COVID-19 closures, many wondered if this would be the end of the trendy, low-priced clothing store popular young people. However, one of Forever21’s new owners, Authentic Brands Group, has announced other plans.
According to AdWeek, Authentic Brands has partnered IB Group with plans to expand Forever21 into Mexico, and later Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and even the Philippines. With this design, 37 new stores will be opening across Mexico. Forever21’s new owners Authentic Brands, Simon Property, and Brookfield Property also plan to launch new lines of various accessories including jewelry, shoes, and handbags. They say they hope to launch fresh new marketing campaigns and collaborate with influencers in order to gain back their young customers they've lost in recent years.
Leading up to its filing for bankruptcy, Forever21 faced challenges from rising online competitors such as BooHoo, Fashion Nova, ASOS, and H&M. In its prime, the retailer stayed on top of trends almost as soon as they emerged, however, in recent years Forever21 has become more of the butt of the joke in terms of style, trendiness, and quality. Additionally, they have been hit with 50 copyright lawsuits in the past decade as a result of efforts to mimic success from other brands such as Gucci and even Ariana Grande. It goes to show that while the retailer experienced impressive and speedy growth, this culminated in an equally speedy demise. However, many loyal customers remain globally, and they will be looking forward to see what the future holds for this re-branded, newly-owned Forever21.
Forever21 was sold to Authentic Brands, Simon Property, and Brookfield Property for a whopping $81 million back in February. Authentic Brands Group is somewhat known for buying out stores in bankruptcy. They also own other notable retailers such as Barney’s, Juicy Couture, Aéropostale, and Nine West.
Report: Grace Carlos
A Modernized Past
The terms throwback Thursday and flashback Friday are coming to life.
It seems safe to say this is an interesting time for millennials, particularly in fashion. The terms throwback Thursday and flashback Friday are coming to life. The past times of the ’80s and ’90s when bright neon colors and fanny packs were in have now made an impeccable comeback.
Today in society it’s all about women empowerment and body positivity, about time! Now, what’s one thing every woman needs when she revamps her life or makes a big life change? A killer wardrobe.
Que “The Sweetest Thing” Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate wardrobe movie montage. Today it’s all about style and comfort. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and hubby Kanye West with their trendy and expensive clothing brands Skims and Yeezy make it look so effortless.
The times of struggling to find the right button-down shirt with the best slacks are over. It’s all about bright slightly oversized blazers or puffy jackets with a crop top and a great pair of biker shorts or jeans. 2020 is basically a fashion time capsule.
Then we have our favorite social media influencers advertising that makes it look good enough to order right then until we see the price at checkout. Fortunately, major retail brands such as Forever21 and Fashion Nova are giving us a hand with that. This time around we have a more modern twist to the trend. Nude hues and bodysuits have taken over.
We can actually get a version of all the cute outfits from our favorite 80s and 90s movies now and all the accessories you can think of. It’s bringing back a simpler time to the now. So here’s the complete wardrobe list, a blazer, cropped cardigan, crop top, bodysuit, ripped jeans, biker shorts, tight, thick leggings, joggers, oversized nostalgia graphic T-shirt, jean jacket, and a cropped windbreaker. Pair it all with tiny sunglasses and tiny purses a pair of sneakers or clear heels and off you go, fashion goddess.
The best part of this fashion rewind is that this time body positivity is highly encouraged for women so these clothes are designed to hug your curves and make you feel sexy and powerful.
Report: Josephine Coiscou
Fast Fashion: The Trend That Has Overtaken The Retail World
Fast Fashion Affects the Environment More Than You'd Think, So Here Are Some Tips For Making Your Clothes Last
Fast fashion is a term used to describe retailers who quickly produce inexpensive clothing to keep up with the runway’s latest trends. In theory, this process sounds flawless. You get to have the trendiest clothes as soon as styles come off the runway, without paying designer prices. Buying clothing from these stores is convenient, but it does come at a price. Fast fashion negatively impacts the environment in many ways, including carbon emissions, drying up water sources, and polluting rivers and streams. Also, according to business insider, “85% of all textiles go to the dump each year, and washing some types of clothes sends thousands of bits of plastic into the ocean.” Trends also change so quickly that consumers are buying more clothing than ever before, but only keeping the items for half as long. These kind of stores have taken over the fashion industry, making it almost impossible to buy affordable clothing from anywhere else.
That being said, you can help make a difference by taking steps to make your clothing last longer. One step to keep your clothes in their best condition is to keep them away from dust, heat, moisture, and light. This means storing them in your closet, and not in an attic or basement. You can also prolong your clothing by maintaining your closet’s cleanliness and keeping it free of dust. Another helpful, and probably the hardest step to abide by is to hang your clothing up carefully after taking it off instead of just tossing it on the floor. The final step is to get a little more wear out of your clothing before tossing it in the washing machine, as they can be quite damaging to the textiles used in producing these clothes. Fast fashion is a trend that has overtaken the retail world, but taking these steps to lengthen the lifespan of your clothing can help make a difference.
Report: Libby Ayers
At the rise of Covid-19 many of us first questioned the timeline of fashion week and would we see the regular calendar continue - the question weighed over many of us for months! It was refreshing to see design houses and designers across the globe take advantage of the uncertainty and plow into production mode - thus my interest in Jerri Reid New York - The Black Designer based in Brooklyn New York wow’d instagram with his latest collection paying homage to the Black Is King film which debuted earlier this year in July. I was taken aback at quick of a turn round the young designer produced and released his well crafted designs reflecting some of the films most memorable moments.