Supreme x Nas t-shirt collaboration. Photo: @hypebeast/Instagram
These are the stories making headlines in fashion on Friday.
Merch hype is as strong as ever
Gone are the days when screen-printed T-shirts were spring break take-aways. Both streetwear and luxury brands — as well as music megastars — have capitalized on the merch trend, which has shown no obvious signs of letting up: “Merch fashion lines for artists will certainly carry and evolve,” said Sara Maggioni, director of retail and buying at the trend forecasting firm WGSN, in an interview with Business of Fashion. “Supreme has already started to brand everything, from bricks to NYC metro cards, so anything can happen.” {Business of Fashion}
Sophia Amoruso raised $1.2 million for Girlboss Media
In 2014, Sophia Amoruso became a household name when shared the story of her journey from dumpster-diving misfit to founder of Nasty Gal in her bestselling memoir, “Girlboss,” which subsequently also became a Netflix show. Following the book’s success and Nasty Gal’s misfortune (the retailer filed for bankruptcy last year) Amoruso has now raised $1.2 million for her newest endeavor, Girlboss Media. The company will cater to aspiring bossladies in the form of podcasts, original web content, social media and events. {WWD}
Guys are flocking to spas
Females aren’t the only ones looking to get pampered on a regular basis; according to the International Spa Association, 49 percent of spa-goers are male. And as men are becoming more open to grooming, male-specific spas are popping up in big cities to meet the demands of their newest attendees. These spas are geared to the more masculine set with bar-like vibes — think a plush man cave decorated with succulents, candles and dark leather pedicure chairs. {GQ}
Factory-grown leather will make its debut this fall
The leather-making process is getting an innovative vegan update: An Brooklyn-based company called Modern Meadow has been working to grow leather in a factory. It has raised $50 million to develop this new leather technology and will debut its first garment made from the material in October at a fashion show at the Museum of Modern Art. {The Economist}
Without a universal standard, it’s difficult to hold brands accountable for sustainability and ethical practices
As sustainability has become overwhelmingly trendy, retailers are increasingly marketing themselves as “green” or “ethical,” but they’re not always held accountable for their supply chain practices. There’s a universal standard for evaluating retailers’ labor practices set in place by the Fair Labor association, which accredits companies who uphold their high labor standards. However, the FLA accreditation has yet to go mainstream, which leaves consumers in the dark regarding what products meet their sustainability requirements and those that just advertise it. {The Washington Post}
AnOther Man Magazine previews Stüssy’s latest book on t-shirts
Stüssy‘s new book is a photo series that highlights three decades of the brand’s T-shirts. AnOther Man uses these images to understand how the brand went from selling surfboards to becoming one of the most influential fashion brands. In doing this, the magazine tracks the brand’s success, starting with the decision to subvert logos of other brands, continuing with their early use of “influencer marketing” and ending with their ability to create a community with subcultures around the world. {AnOther Man Magazine}
Glossy‘s latest confession series spotlights a fashion closet intern
Magazines and designers are constantly under fire for mistreating their interns. Nevertheless, industry hopefuls continue to vie for these types of roles. Glossy spoke to an intern in one such coveted fashion closet, learning that she doesn’t have much fun and doesn’t feel rewarded. The intern also reveals that the people at fashion magazines are weak collaborators and “still seem to operate by fear.” She continues to intern, though, for the shared belief that “one of them will be more enjoyable and pay off.” {Glossy}
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