Uniform Journal SS003

Corporate Blind Spots, Fashion Revivals, and Sustainability Battles

In this edition of UJSS, I discuss Walmart's new partnership with StockX, citing how short-term corporate thinking undermines long-term success and consumer trust. I do a run-through of Samuel Ross' return to fashion with SR_A, and I discuss the pushes in California's legislature for fashion brands to manage their textile waste, expanding on how we need sincerity behind sustainability. I also question if IB Kamara's leading of Off-White should come to an end. Let’s get into it.

Walmart expands marketplace offerings with StockX sneaker deal

I’ve had tons of conversations about this over the past week and it’s clear that the “suits” are ruining things. It’s not hard to tell—this has always been the case. The c-suite and senior level management aka the decision makers are typically the most removed from reality. So it’s not surprising when headlines like this pop up. The new age of growth or bust really needs to be checked. Across almost every industry, I’m realizing no one really plays the long game anymore. Short-term gains are the main focus, even if they’re disguised as long-plays. But is anyone truly looking at the big picture? We need to get back to building products that hold value and are meaningful to the consumers. Why is this so difficult for companies to realize? The more trust you can build, the better the product, the clearer you communicate and get people on board with your mission, the longer you will have success. I understand StockX needs to build their base & revenue and Walmart wants to diversify their offerings, but I’m looking into my crystal ball and I don’t see this being a partnership that lasts longer than a few years if that.

Bring the books back to Internet Archive

The attack on books and free information is really insane. Save Internet Archive! Sign the petition here.

• You can read the 64-page judgment here to get a better understanding of what’s happening.

• Internet Archive Responds to Appellate Opinion in Hachette v. Internet Archive

Samuel Ross Returns to Fashion With SR_A

I’ve known Samuel Ross for a while now and have always admired his work, so I was excited to see the news that he’s getting back in the fashion game with SR_A, . He was never really “out”, but he did sell his remaining shares in his previous brand, A-COLD-WALL last year. SR_A has been active for the last few years, mainly as a vehicle for collaborations. SR_A has partnered with LVMH, Nike, Apple, Kohler and other fine art projects, but they are now focusing on a move into wearable luxury. Ross said he aims to establish meaning through purpose, leisure and utility through his yearly collections. The look book that was shared is pretty clean, almost every image was saved and filed away for future reference. Let’s see what these prices look like when everything drops, but he told WWD last week that “People will enquire, and then we’ll all price accordingly. There will be a layer of bespoke considerations that we will take on board. Every label on the back of the garment will be hand-signed and stamped by me in an authentication process.” I’m always excited when anyone enters into a new chapter, the ideas are always fresh and you can tell. Looking forward to the launch and potential retail partners later this year.

Head over to the site to check out the look book for his 1st season.

California wants brands to pay for their waste

It’s really time to figure this out. Brands have no true responsibility to manage their textile waste, some have programs, but nothing anyone is doing is enough to offset everything being produced. If this bill is signed, it would be a step in the right direction, but its success will rely upon it being properly implemented and enforced.

The Business of Fashion Podcast: Fast Fashion Disruption with Shein and H&M

Staying on the topic of sustainability and the environmental impact of the fashion industry, fast fashion in particular, this was a nice listen. Can the largest polluter really be trusted when it comes to their plans to tackle emissions? Side-note: we all need to reprogram ourselves from the idea that clothing is disposable.

Is it time to call it quits on IB’s position at Off White?

Seems like the crowd is split from reading the comments on Outlander Magazine’s IG post. I appreciate his vision and some of his past non-Off-White work, but I think it’s time to move on from him at the head of OW. I have tried so hard to get into what he’s making and I know no-one is going to do what Virgil was able to do, but this is hard to watch. I’m all for individuals putting their fingerprints on collections, but it’s has strayed pretty far away from center. I can sense that there must be some pushing & pulling going on behind doors, and that this latest collection was an attempt to bring it back a bit, but it honestly feels like an entirely different brand at times. Their showing at NYFW was highly anticipated, but the narrative around it from their own CEO, Cristiano Fagnani, was that it was an attempt at a reset.

I’m all for giving people time, but it’s also easy to tell when something isn’t working. IB Kamara has had four collections so far and most have fallen a bit flat in my opinion, including this most recent one. Not sure if you remember this, but Farfetch escaping bankruptcy last year clearly impacted Off-White’s bottom line, but their inventory is up and sales numbers are down across the board. This next year will be critical for them. Let’s see if Virgil’s last shoe design can bring some energy back.

Holler at me.

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