Tennis great Fred Perry might have died in 1995, but his legacy lives on with the Fred Perry tennis line. BrandlandUSA judges it the Top Tennis Brand of All. Why? Because we say so. Launched in 1952, Fred Perry sportswear is known for its Wimbledon-like laurel seen on the frontMORE HERE
It’s Memorial Day Weekend. A time to celebrate America. And what brand epitomizes the spirit of this country better than Birdwells. Made in Orange County, California since 1961, they are perfection. They started with Carrie Birdwell Mann, who transformed her house into a sewing room and store, launching Birdwell BeachMORE HERE
Easy to Pair. Fun to Wear. That’s the simple premise of Garanimals. And they are back this February 2008 at Wal-Mart. It’s the perfect brand to bring back. The public knows the brand story. Its simple; match the animals, and the clothes match. The line was founded in 1972, thoughMORE HERE
Hang Ten is back. Hang Ten was founded in 1960 in Seal Beach, California by Doris Moore and Duke Boyd, as a maker of surfing apparel. Through the 1970s, it was the original surf brand, a precursor to Ocean Pacific and Quicksilver, and other surf and skateboard fashion companies. ItMORE HERE
Whatever happened to Carroll Reed? It’s a question many East Coast folks have been asking since the ski-focused clothing chain shut down. At one time, there were 54 stores. The Carroll Reed Ski Shops Inc. was started, not by some matronly woman, but by Carroll Purinton Reed, a clever entrepreneurMORE HERE
If you are interested in the mind and shopping habits of the American WASP, please read Bunny Tomerlin’s Blog. It has all of her favorite things. Lotsa Brickman’s. Brands mentioned by this Men’s Vogue blogger include Carroll Reed, Gloverall, Neese’s Sausage, Bazzini’s Pistachio Nuts, Kinloch Anderson, Brickman’s of Martha’s Vineyard,MORE HERE
For those who are interested in a perfect case study of how to revive a dead brand, look no further than Miami-based Perry Ellis International‘s revival of the Munsingwear Penguin. On an October 2007 weekend trip to Miami’s South Beach, the two-year-old flagship company store on Lincoln Road Mall wasMORE HERE
There is great news on the department store front, in particular New York’s Lord & Taylor, led by CEO Jane Elfers. What is happening at New York’s Lord & Taylor, if it works, will be great news for the future of the American department store, which is in a mess.MORE HERE
Of course, folks miss their favorite department stores. From Burdine’s to Abraham & Straus to Marshall Field’s, across the U.S. these beloved store brand names are no more. But the loss of the regional department store also affected the individual fashion brands and lines that the department stores carried. ItMORE HERE
At the start of the whole Carnaby Street fashion era, there was one great fashion brand, Biba. It’s back. Biba was founded in 1964 by Barbara Hulanicki and her late husband, Stephen Fitz-Simon. It epitomized the era, with 1920s and 30s looking models in maxi and mini dresses and coats,MORE HERE