MILLIONS OR THOUSANDS - YOUR $$$$?

[Guest dontcaretoomuchforcrap]

It seems among the people here, getting big or blowing up is a bad thing. overexposure, internet, ruins things in people's eyes.

i guess strict control and distribution retains life of a brand, but how much money could you make if you made it into macy's and other large retailers?

stussy went big in japan? gap is huge. zoo york is big.

but yes, the edge is lost and you cannot put out as controversial stuff if you're pleasing big retailers.

question:

stay small and good or take a chance and expand and do well?

what skateboard shops wouldn't carry supreme? it could be the next ezekiel. nah, but maybe.

your opinion?

[BOORADLEY]

everyone sells out for the cash. we like our brands fresh and new. its how it all works i guess.

[protectthagoons]

well i dont really agree there are brands that are big but still consistant in terms of quality example: lacoste

"Brothers start to shake when i dig in the crates"

[mrmax]

i'm not sure im down with the whole "hype" thing.

[frogeyes]

think for a second after you come up with something to type, then type it and take a look at it before you hit "post", bonehead.

[Iambic Pentameter]

Quote:

well i dont really agree there are brands that are big but still consistant in terms of quality example: lacoste

--- Original message by protectthagoons on Aug 22, 2005 12:24 AM

you picked a bad example...their polo shirts are made in peru, and are not very high quality for $72.

[witts]

true lacoste polos dont last , if you wear em often

[doom]

hey it is doom! the bastard you all love to hate! i agree with master yoda. some companies sell out for the cash and some stay small and underground. i prefer the underground non-mainstream labels. why wear something that some loser is wearing across the street?

as for lacoste polos, they suck! they go out of shape! don't even bother buying lacoste!

the eclipse is nigh

[por que]

Its the natural succession of our economy. Look at bands, models, actors, and everything else that gains mass attention from the public ... very few things actually last. At least some musicians get royalty checks when a one hit wonders album comes out.

[woejozney]

for the most part, companies are started to make money. And if it's money that JC penny is offering, then its fine if they take it. Good for all the companies that "sell out". It means they're fucking making it in the world.

Oh Gawd!

[senor_fusion]

the same thing happens with indie kids and their need to "stay underground and away from mainstream". i'm somewhat torn inbetween only wanting to buy something rare that no one else has or sometimes buying a "mainstream" item that is both good/liked. sometimes you can't always buy the "most underground" streetwear out there to fulfill your unique and non-comformist, elitist taste. things go "mainstream" because they're popular and the company must've done something right to make it big.

kids always say, "do you think a band just wanted to stay small and play at shitty venues all their lives?". well, same goes to small clothing companies. if a clothing company truly wanted to be elitist and unknown, they can do that. but it would seem smart to want to expand and gain profit and money for yourself if you enter business for that practice. whether the consumer agrees with that or not, sucks for you- i guess you have to get on top of your game and find another hole-in-the-wall store to buy your clothes. there shouldn't be a reason to hate on certain things because "they've gone big", but then again... a lot of things go big because there's so many stupid ass people in society. for example, any of the miscellaneous, pointless fads and trends that have gone on throughout history. it goes to prove that our society is full of ignorant, unknowledgeable people.

in my opinion, i like having clothings that no one else has and sets me apart. it gives yourself character, and puts you on your own echelon away from others. i hate looking like every other person out there, and owning the same piece of clothing as another guy on the street- but sometimes there's the "weak" spot where you have to "stoop down" to mainstream level and buy a shirt that someone else might have. so what? if you like it, then you like it. don't just buy shit to be indie and underground, buy it because you like it and it pleases you. sometimes the "fuck it" mentality just works best.

[wild_whiskey]

Right on Fusion. I agree 100%. Bands, clothing brands or whatever can get huge and that's good for them financially but bad for me as a consumer who wants rarer stuff. Everyone has a degree on how underground it needs to be - for me, not much. I am a fan of designers who's names are huge in the fashion world, but I'd say 75%-95% of people on the street wouldn't recognize if you repeated the name, i.e. CdG, Margiela, Costume National, Helmut Lang. Maybe in NYC a lot more people would recognize the names, but where I live (San Diego), even those who consider themselves fashionable really haven't heard of Jil Sander before.

The problem is when something gets huge but you still have an attachment to it. Sometimes I find it's worth it (i.e. Fred Perry). Sometimes it's not (i.e. The Shins). There's no concrete line.