Santa and Steampunk

It was no more than a fortnight ago, May 16, that Diva introduced her readers to the fashion rage Steampunk (check out "Let Off Some Steampunk"). Perhaps you thought she was just pulling your leg...if so, let me pull the other one.

As we draw to the end of the industrial revolution and usher in the age of technology, it’s no wonder that Steampunk resonates. Steampunk connects to a nostalgic romance with the past, a desire to not move so quickly. At first glance it looks “traditional,” but don’t be deceived. That being said, Steampunk is making its entry into holiday windows up and down the Avenue (that’s Fifth Avenue).

Steampunk may be complicated to decipher, but the gist is this--it’s a harmonious blend of the past and present, with visual references to high Victoriana, gas lanterns, street criers, gothic, pen & ink, gramophones, candlestick telephones, lithography, royal typewriters with umlauts, hand-crafted or artisanal-made clothing. Steampunk offers a metaphoric coping device. It has an allegorical tie to artistic movements, and artists who were living in a world of turmoil at the time of the industrial revolution. Steampunk may seem antediluvian, but it is really far from it.

The culture is full of Steampunk-inspired films, and plays like Johnny Deep in “Sweeny Todd” or Brad Pitt in December’s major film release “Benjamin Button.” On Broadway, “Spring Awakening” based on an obscure 1891 German novel is totally steampunkable, it's 1891, but with a twist of four letter words, rock & roll and baby doll dresses.

My mother used to say “Great minds think alike,” if so, pcitured above are two side windows, one by Lord & Taylor, the other by Bergdorf Goodman, neither copy-catters...both personify Steampunk. They are frighteningly similar, no?

Bergdorf Goodman’s front windows are a virtual homage to Steampunk. Creative Director Linda Fargo, like the Pope, is infallible. With simple two-dimensional foam core cut-outs, props doused in white paint and a dream like assemblage, she makes bustles practically sexy again.

If Steampunk has a mission, it is, in part, to restore a sense of wonder to our technology-laden world. Today’s satellite photos make the planet seem so small that we may wonder where our place is in it.

The Internet has compressed our world view into one miniscule mélange. In contrast, Steampunk, with its wondrous airships and time machines, is sort of a dream, the way we used to daydream about being an astronaut.

The glorious Paul Stuart (who, if he was a real man, I’d be in love with) transforms their mannequins into puppets playing with puppets. I’m completely charmed.

Steampunkers love old fashioned forms of entertainment like vaudeville, contortionists and yes, marionettes.

Juicy Couture with aplomb inserts Steampunk elements like costumes, chess pieces, kilts, medieval breastplates and directional hands into they’re own sexed up Steampunk display.

Santa, with his big burly boots, black strapped belt and white fur trim falls perfectly into Steampunk--he was, however, not evident on Fifth Avenue. I presume he’s busy up in the North Pole. FYI: sleighs…very steampunk!

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Dunkin' Donuts Beats Up on Starbucks

Back in the day Starbucks was the cool kid on the block. They were local, small and all about quality. Then, they got a little big for their britches, garnering some serious snubbing from hipsters (for their corporate atmosphere) and outright blatant attacks by competitors, like Dunkin' Donuts.

While it may surprise you, as it did me, that these two vaguely similar companies are competitors, Dunkin' Donuts is taking things very seriously.

In a recently launched ad campaign, Dunkin' Donuts asserts that in a nationwide taste test, 54.2 percent of participants preferred Dunkin Donuts coffee, while only 39.3 percent preferred Starbucks. The company's Starbucks-bashing appears in a national television spot where the blind taste test is re-enacted. Guess who consumers choose? Hint: It wasn't Starbucks.

And it's live on the web with the DunkinBeatStarbucks.com site, featuring the hilarious, "Friends Don't Let Friends Drink Starbucks" tagline. You know, that is kind of catchy.

The site is exceptionally well-done, and in this blogger's opinion, could sway almost any Starbucks lover over to the Dunkin' Donuts side. Dunkin' is so fanatical in their Starbucks hatred that they even label their campaign the "truth," as in "Spread the Truth" and "Learn the Truth." Whoa, Dunkin--now who's too big for their britches?

To be honest, I have never had Dunkin' Donuts coffee (there are zero locations in Portland, Ore., although there are two Starbucks on every corner). But, that is not the point. What is, you might wonder? Well, while I don't actually know if Dunkin' Donuts coffee is truly better than Starbucks, their campaign is funny, interesting and stops you dead in your tracks.

Who dares to nay say the king of coffee? Apparently, Dunkin' Donuts. And that alone is worth paying attention to.

But do retailers really want to make a habit of bashing one another for shock value and attention? It's not exactly a good idea in terms of retail karma.

What are your thoughts--is Dunkin' Donuts coffee really better than Starbucks? Leave your vote here. On the marketing end of things, is Dunkin' shooting themselves in the foot or is this a smart campaign? Tell us your thoughts!

--Heather Strang

The Fur Will Fly

PETA may take umbrage, but despite the movement towards environmental friendliness, the fur is flying…off the racks. Say what you will about fiscal austerity this year, but retailers are promoting luxury furs this holiday.

If a white sable is not in your stocking, take heart, a politically correct (non-endangered) hunted (not trapped) red fox may be. (And I’m not talking “Sanford & Son’s.)

Up and down Fifth Avenue, cloth coats are lapelled in beaver, coyote and rabbit. Not since Nicole Kidman in the fictionalized account of Diane Arbus, "I like it!" lost it to Robert Downey, as Jo-Jo the Dog Boy in 2006’s “Fur,” has fur been so fetishized. Fur has a historical resonance. So important was a fur to ensuring social status that Theodor Fontane's Effi Briest sold herself into a bad marriage for a mink coat, but so did slews of sit-com wives… think Lucy Ricardo.

Fur has been absent from ready-to-wear for ages. Lindsey Lohan may be prone to a flour pouncing from PETA Italiano, but store after store is boasting fur as this year's splurge item.

Lest you think that I’m pulling your leg, Juicy Couture, Bergdorf Goodman, Robert Cavalli, Salvatore Ferragamo and Saks have fur prominently displayed in their holiday windows. Is it a trend? Is it a fad? Is it all just coincidental? Do great minds think alike? I know that they don’t share the same buyer.

I don’t know why fur has suddenly exploded on the scene, but the message is loud and clear. Fur may be one of this year’s “must haves.”

The coats coincidentally remind one of the Depression era. Think Angelina Jolie in “The Changling,” or Monty Wooly in “The Man Who Came To Dinner,” which may account for its return.

More fur your consideration…does the man wear the clothes, or do the clothes wear the man? When fur clothing is not evident, taxidermy is, like Bergdorf Goodman’s Men’s and Brook Brothers.

For some there’s a “yuck” factor, seeing formerly living squirrels, chipmunks, rams and polar bears playing in the great American store window.

What does the preponderance of fur suggest, the need for warmth, a connection to nature, the sensuality of touch, luxury, connection to a staple of a prior era, breaking the rules, defiance of political correctness and man’s control of the environment.

Will you be taking more than a furtive glance when it comes to fur?

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

(Psst! DDI's annual Winning Windows competition will take place in New York the second week of December. Awards will be presented at the 12th annual PAVE Gala. Winners also will be recognized in the January issue of DDI, and online at www.ddimagazine.com.)

How To Sell a Shopping Center on eBay

The majority of us have probably sold an item or two on eBay. A football ticket here, a luxury handbag there, maybe a collection of baseball cards. According to an article in Shopping Centers Today, Steve Leydig from Cumberland, Md., is attempting to sell a 128,000-sq.-ft. shopping center. Go get 'em, Steve.

Built on 9 acres, the Ames Plaza Shopping Center is an open-air center housing an empty Ames store, a Rent-A-Center, a Sav-A-Lot and a Subway, with the remaining 49 percent of the center unoccupied--and Steve's original asking price was $3.9 million. While a quick search on eBay couldn't locate the Ames location, SCT reported that the property has already been discounted by about $600,000.

Do some research to see what properties are going for on eBay. Fascinating. I found a mixed-use building with retail space going for $5.8 million (with up to $30 back if you use MasterCard...nice promotion); a $2.1million strip center in Austin, Texas; and a pizza shop in Western New York for $19,500 (what a deal!).

Commercial real estate...virtually. Who would have thought?

--Alison Embrey Medina

Black Friday, Coming Soon

Breaking news alert: Thanksgiving is NEXT week. That's right, next week. And we all know what the onset of Thanksgiving means, don't we? It's the big kick-off for the holiday shopping season. Black Friday here we come!

To prepare us for the big season, the National Retail Federation (NRF) released their 2008 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by Worthington, Ohio-based BIGresearch. The survey of 8,758 consumers found that 72 percent of shoppers have completed less than 10 percent of their shopping and only 2.2 percent have completely finished.

At least, I'm not alone. I've purchased two gifts and they're both books. And this brings me to the next part of the survey--what we'll be buying...

According to NRF, consumers' purchases will be divided up as follows:
-57.4 percent on clothing and accessories
-55.6 percent on books, CDs, DVDs and video games
-53.5 percent on gift cards
-41.6 percent on toys
-30 percent on consumer electronic items
-20.8 percent for personal care/beauty items
-19.3 percent on jewelry

But, just how will we pay for these lovely gifts? The question of payment is one of the main concerns for retailers and consumers alike. Fortunately, Americans are getting smart and ditching their credit cards (the exorbitant interest rates are no doubt to blame!). The survey revealed that 41.5 percent of consumers will use their debit card, while 22.8 percent plan to pay with straight cash.

With Black Friday right around the corner and this new NRF data in tow, enjoy that turkey on Thursday the 27th, because the 28th is going to be BIG!

What's your favorite holiday gift to purchase or receive? How will you pay for the holidays this year? Share your favorites here!

--Heather Strang

In Praise of Eek

A friend of mine recently turned me on to the sublime design of Ella, a new Sacramento, Calif., restaurant, and inadvertently kicked off an obsession. While thumbing through the photos they sent me, I was drawn to these funky little stools in the bar area, which seemed to have been bolted together from nothing less than driftwood. And thus did I become exposed to the furniture design majesty that is Piet Hein Eek.

In the few months since I came across him, Mr. Eek (or so I am thinking he likes to be called, what is Dutch for Mr. anyway?) has gone from somewhat obscure to being a global sensation. His furniture is not only incredibly thoughtfully designed, but incredibly green--being constructed largely from scrap wood or metal--and it seems you can’t click on one of those cool-watching type blogs anymore without someone else jumping on the Eek bandwagon.

What excited me most recently was a new line he’s released called 99.13 percent. It’s a shelving system designed to be fabricated from a single sheet of steel with barely any waste--0.87 percent of waste to be exact, and that waste comes from the holes he drills in it to bolt it together.

I was so floored by the premise of this, by the simplicity and purity of this statement that it had me thinking...How strange is our definition of green in this retail industry we find ourselves in? Where architects take exams to build greener buildings when perhaps we should just build less new structures. Where we claim our big boxes can be green if we put trees on the roof, only to build them so far from peoples homes that thousands of them burn up our ozone visiting them every day. Where our obsession with pretty visuals leads to grocery stores throwing away food ruined by the presentation.

In this odd world, isn’t something like the Piet shelving refreshing?  nd shouldn’t we all perhaps start with something like this when we think of the difference we could make?

--Christian Davies, Guest Blogger 

Rethinking Ebenezer Scrooge

"If I could work my will," said Scrooge indignantly, "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.”--Ebenezer Scrooge/Charles Dickens

The outerwear department at Macy’s is once again filled to the rafters despite the weather remaining a tepid mid-60s on the East Coast; it is a perpetual Indian summer. Yesterday, I sat in the park to get a little color on my cheeks and I do not, repeat do not, live in Beverly Hills, I live in NYC. I have not needed to take my winter coat out of moth balls, and Thanksgiving is just a few days away. That being said, you can break out the Stove Top Stuffing and sugar-free hot chocolate because you know what is just around the corner. Yes, Virginia… red bengaline tablecloths frame the boxed Starbucks 24-days-to-caffeine advent calendars. Praise the Lord & Taylors, their windows have gone dark to prepare for the animated displays by Spaeth. The mall has been Curriered & Ivesed to death, and I note that the Rockettes are dressed like a strand of pimped out vaudevillian Santas. “Bah Humbug!”

As for Christmas present, here’s the Scrooge point of view...Good Will and the Salvation Army report that holiday shopping is up 5 percent to 8 percent over last year, while donations have dropped by the comparable amount. By Feb.17, the nation is moving towards digitalized television broadcasting making our functional TV sets obsolete (at least without adapters). Cash-strapped Americans may need to sell their blood for a new 52-in. plasma--hey we call 'em plasma for a reason. Most dishearteningly, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” may not make in onto prime time this year; networks can’t find the sponsors, hello Dolly Madison? Did I miss the memo that your Cherry Pies and Devils Food Cake with White Icing Zingers were discontinued? Granted, holiday muzak plays incessantly inside the stores marching us to the pre-holiday sales tables, expecting the economy would be stuck like a fat Santa in a condo chimney, retailers have already scaled back on quantities and are pushing lay-aways.

Now here’s the Bob Cratchit point of view...PayPal reduced its fees and asked about 20 retailers, including Toys "R" Us, Blue Nile and eToys, to beef up their cash-back promotions. Shoppers paying for online gifts with their PayPal accounts from Dec. 1 to Dec. 22 will receive up to 30 percent cash back (with a pre-set dollar limit) at checkout, which is up from 20 percent last year. Retailing partners are also offering free shipping more often, and extending it later in the season, for you last minute shoppers, but don’t expect overnight delivery! They’re grrreeeaaattt! Target is offering a $5 gift card with the purchase of five boxes of Kellogg's cereal--that’s still five boxes too many of Frosted Flakes for me. Despite what Edie Beale may have said, “It (fashion) can't be ordered from L.L. Bean. There's more to living than Kelly green,” L.L. Bean is offering $10 gift cards with every $50 or higher purchase through Dec. 24. The limit is one per day. The cards take about 10 business days to arrive, so plan early. Toys "R" Us is offering a $10 gift card for every $75 purchase. Look for this promotion to be repeated throughout the holidays.

“God Bless us one and all”--Tiny Tim/Charles Dickens

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger

Walk The Green Talk

It's an exciting time for the environment. Finally, we're taking care of it, and every day seems to yield yet another amazing eco-friendly product. Payless ShoeSource recently joined the environmental phenomena with the launch of its new line of shoes. Hey, we've got green lingerie and green socks, so it was simply a matter of time before we had completely eco-friendly shoes.

According to GreenBiz.com, the new line will come out in 2009 and will feature, for under $30, 12 different women's shoes. Payless left no eco-friendly stone unturned while developing the new line. The shoes will be made with organic cotton, linen, hemp, recycled rubber and biodegradable glue. Wow, I think the only thing they left out was bamboo!

In addition, the retailer hopped on board yet another popular trend by hiring an eco-consultant. Summer Rayne Oakes, a fashion and beauty expert for the Discovery Network's Planet Green, was hired to review the line and support the retailer in making sure it stays up to par in the green world. And get this--Oakes is also an activist, model, author, host and brand marketer. This woman has more titles than anyone I've ever heard of before.

Not surprisingly, Payless is pretty excited about the prospect. Matt Rubel, CEO of Collective Brands, Inc., parent company of Payless had this to say, "Our alliance with Summer Rayne Oakes is important to this new brand initiative. Summer Rayne is a trend-setting expert in Eco Fashion, and she will help us launch our new green brand, as well as assist us in driving innovation with fresh, new eco-smart ideas for this brand going forward."

Well, you don't have to convince me. Oakes definitely sounds and looks amazing. Having an expert support the launch of a new line is pretty smart as well. Way to go Payless!

So be on the lookout for an opportunity to walk the green movement talk, at a Payless near you. Know of other must-have green shoe lines? Do they have a beautiful model/author/host/marketer as a consultant? Tell us about it here.

 --Heather Strang

Teenagers Save the Holiday Shopping Season

The holidays are coming! And with them a host of hand-wringing and anxiety about what the outcome will be. Studies are being conducted, predictions are coming out daily and, in general, speculation is everywhere.

Most of it, however, is pretty bleak (which, by the way, isn't helping--so knock it off!). But, I was thrilled to track down some good news regarding the holiday spending season.

Junior Achievement recently released their 2008 Teen Holiday Spending poll, and found that 76 percent of teens plan to spend a whole lot more this year than they did in 2007 on holiday gifts. Hooray! Finally, something we can all be happy about. And it gets better.

Forty-seven percent of teens said they planned to spend at least $100 on gifts, which is a 4 percent increase from last year. Now, some of the negative Nellies--that's a technical term--out there might think that the kids are all-talk, and will instead squander their parents' hard-earned money. Oh, how wrong they are (and you do know who you are). These kiddos have money themselves.

While multiple responses were used, 87 percent of teens did plan to use their own money, with 49 percent using money from their parents, 19 percent using a parent's debit/credit card (who are these crazy parents?!) and 16 percent using their own debit/credit card. Turns out that job at Dairy Queen pays pretty well after all.

Unfortunately, though, our worries do still rub off on our kids. Forty-eight percent reported feeling concerned about the U.S. economy. And who can blame them?

The fantastic news is they're still planning on spending money for the holiday season. Looks like we could take a lesson from our kids these days, eh? I say, we all pretend like we're 16, and go out there and spend some serious cash for the holidays. Who's with me?!

Leave it to teenagers to provide us with increased retail sales for the holidays. Gotta love 'em!  Do you have some good predictions about the upcoming holiday season, or have an opinion about teens' retail spending? Leave your comments here.

--Heather Strang

Have It Your Way

We are obsessed with speed. Despite annoying commercials late at night, we are urged to go to Finallyfast.com to speed up our laptops. You can download your favorite tune on your iPod faster than you can whistle Dixie. We e-mail and text colleagues, and wonder what’s taking them so long to get back to us--it’s been 30 seconds! It was only a matter of time before fast food met fast fashion.

Despite jubilation in the street post-election, the economy remains tight. While the world may have rejoiced, Wall Street did not see the bull market it was expecting. Retailers are trying to stay aloft. What will a holiday season in 2008 look like? Bricks-and-mortar retailers are already doing their earnest best to think outside the box. Equally hard hit are restaurants. Upscale- and moderate-food establishments report decreases in sales, where the fast-food chains appear to be solvent, and in fact picking up business, the way that transfats pick up calories.

Monolithic McDonald's rival Burger King announced, in an effort to further increase its brand awareness, various licensees of Burger King will soon launch a line of Burger King-branded T-shirts, an exclusive collection of men's sleepwear and loungewear, and government-operated and -authorized instant lottery tickets and (TBD) merchandise. So now you can buy your husband a cute set of Burger King flannels and a side of fries. Granted buying pajamas may not seem like a typical merchandise association for a fast-food chain, but they laughed at Starbucks when they started their own record label. Artists like Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell had no issues debuting their albums alongside a grande pike roast with soy. Pajamas might do very well for Burger King, it may appeal to the couch potato set who want to order in, and snuggle up on the couch in their crown-encrusted twosies and watch “Dancing with the Stars” (I miss Cloris!). Additionally, the typical cash-strapped, fast-food consumer might be glad to drop a buck or two on the state lottery in the hopes of becoming a millionaire. Rest assured, the fantasy that you might win, that your ship will come in, that there’s always a silver lining, is worth a dollar in these tough times.

Russ Klein, (insert frightening job title) president of global marketing, strategy and innovation (how innovative can a Whopper be?) at Burger King, said: "Through our licensing relationships, Burger King has the opportunity to reach our audience through new channels. Through our licensees, Burger King-branded apparel and snack products provide our customers with new ways to interact and connect with the brand." Burger King has announced a series of licensing arrangements brokered by Broad Street Licensing Group. Unless Burger King is offering T-shirts in cashmere, there better not be one in my stocking on Dec. 24th.

--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger