The native trend is finally here, mixed together with a little bit of 90s grunge - but not everyone is banking on it.
It's obvious, we are living in the reincarnation-era of the 80s. Sherpa jackets, Buffalo plaid wool coats, bohemian vibrant patterns and the best of all - artists rebranding themselves as "original" while embracing their authentic American roots. Just look around, Lady Gaga rocking a Stetson, Miley Curys in a leather rodeo jumpsuit and John Mayer wearing Pendleton blankets in the middle of a wheat field. It's great time to be American - or is it?
Why we are now seeing the white colonialist dream rising to our screens and ad outlets is the fact that the current US political situation is threatening the original fantasy of the American dream land - it's threatening to sabotage everything that the land and it's brand image was built upon. This the art movements counter strike. An act to restore all that what we know and how we've learned to talk about the United States. The land of promises. Authenticity is now a bankable act - thanks to Trump, and thanks to the natural cycle of fashion, in which we wait about 10 or so years to see the fashion from our high school times to pop up again. Today it's time for country influences mixed with a little bit of Kanye West bagginess and 90s Cobain grunge.
The white American dream aside, it is very interesting to note that it is quite likely that the autumn of 2018 will include an evermore amount of store stocking piles of fashion being moved over, inspired by the current trend of woods and ruggedness. However, it seems that for Ralph Lauren this trend began to breathe just about when it took a massive punch below the belt. In November 2016, so about a year or so ago, the CEO Stefan Larsson made it a fact that Ralph Lauren was going to kill of its "expensive premium" brand Denim & Supply and focus on its key business brands instead. The company, whose number have been steadily suffering, created the brand in 2011, with a collection including premium denim items together with military patterns, and signature items with a strong bohemian vibe. Denim & Supply did gain recognition for the unique style, but struggled to attract the young consumers, due to the rather expensive price positioning.
Although the brand's share of the business was worth only two percent of the global net sales (aaround €150 million during 2015), it seems that good ol' Ralphie just missed the train before it really took of. Looking at the numbers of international clothing sales, it would not be too surprising if the owners of Alpha Industries would bathe in golden coins and goose milk at this very moment thanks to the 2015 bomber jacket trend taking off big time.
If we look at the brand's share of the business, it is worth approximately 2% of global net sales (about €150 million last year). However, it could have been so much more. Justin Timberlake's new single 'Filthy' was released today. The official video has already been watched over 200,00 times. This is a turning point. By Monday 8th of January 2018 we are all American. Too bad Ralph Lauren just had the bad luck of missing ta Bitcoin-like miracle just about now. Sorry.