March 2010
1 post
Loving New York!
G’day! I would like to take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Jonathan and I’ve been just joined the Mona Lisa Style team here in New York working on their social media strategy. I have come from the land down under in Brisbane, Australia and it is my first time here in the Big Apple. And I have to say, this place is awesome! So a little about me.. I believe life is what you...
January 2010
1 post
What is Cloud Computing?
If you’ve been reading our blog, you’ll know that we are huge advocates of retail hopping on the technology bandwagon, specifically in web based applications. It doesn’t make any sense NOT to. There was a great article in last week’s Womens Wear Daily titled, “Retail’s Technological Revolution Takes Off” which clearly defines what cloud computing is, and...
December 2009
8 posts
Crystal Ball - Part One: Digitization
I’m starting a short blog series called “Crystal Ball” to share my perspectives on fashion and where the industry is heading. I would love any feedback and comments on my little thought bubbles. It was a shock to me when I started my first job out of college at Big Drop NYC in 2007 and learned that clothing brands take orders by… writing them on paper and faxing them! ...
Anna Wintour Wants France to Support More Young...
via nymag.com “I think it’s totally important for all of us in the American fashion industry to support the young designers, and I think that’s why New York’s become such a vibrant fashion center, because people go there not only to see the Donna Karans of the world but a whole new generation. I’m just so sorry that there isn’t something like that in Paris...
The Class of 2009: The Year's Best Designers,...
via pipeline.refinery29.com Posted via web from Mona Lisa Style | Comment »
What Matters Now
via scribd.com Posted via web from Mona Lisa Style | Comment »
Should Fashion be Open Sourced?
When I first came up with the idea of Mona Lisa Style, I was afraid of telling others because I thought they would steal my idea. I think many others feel the same way too. I would explain my idea in sweepingly general terms and purposely be vague about features, pricing, and target market. People would listen and feign interest, but I never got any constructive feedback or ideas. It was when...
Should Fashion be Open Sourced?
When I first came up with the idea of Mona Lisa Style, I was afraid of telling others because I thought they would steal my idea. I think many others feel the same way too. I would explain my idea in sweepingly general terms and purposely be vague about features, pricing, and target market. People would listen and feign interest, but I never got any constructive feedback or ideas. It was when...
Saturday Afternoon Ruminations
Since we officially have a working version of Mona Lisa Style up, I’ve been doing some research on how to best approach our marketing campaign. So, I spent the last 6 hours of this ridonculously freezing day in NYC browsing the internet and looking for new resources. I started with the usual suspects in industry news (Business of Fashion, WWD, JCReport) and luckily found blogs of industry...
4 tags
Starts of a Startup
My first real job out of college was assistant buyer for Big Drop NYC. Big Drop is a boutique retailer that sells men’s and women’s contemporary apparel, shoes, and accessories. They have 2 locations in New York City and one in the Gansevoort Hotel in Miami. The buying team consisted of 5 people - 2 buyers, 2 assistant buyers, and 1 GMM. I was responsible for keeping my buyer...
October 2009
1 post
A Random Essay on the History of the Fashion...
At age 12, I was an impressionable adolescent. Unlike other girls my age, my puritanical mother never taught me how to put on makeup, create stylish outfits, or do my hair. So naturally, I turned to television and Seventeen magazine to learn why boys didn’t like me, how to wear eyeliner, and how to make my boobs grow bigger. I soon graduated to Vogue, where the possibilities of big city...
July 2009
1 post
June 2009
5 posts
The Weird Economics of Information | Union Square... →
Reinvention
They say startups die due to lack of cash. I think established companies die mostly because of lack of reinvention. Established companies often rest on their laurels and don’t listen to the younger people with fresh perspectives coming into the company. Upper management often feels that the college grads have no insight and can’t possibly have anything good to say because they...
Coincindental Competition
I always thought it was little too coincidental for two similar products/services to hit the market at the same time. What’s the real story here?
Gilt (Nov 2007) vs Hautelook (Nov 2007) vs RueLaLa (Apr 2008)
Big Drop NYC (1990) vs Intermix (1993) vs Scoop (1996)
Vita Coco (May 2004) vs. Zico (2004)
-cc
-30% really is the the new flat.
Belk net down 90% LY WWD 5.29.09
JCrew Profits slide 33% WWD 5.29.09
Neiman Marcus Sales fall 23.7% WWD 6.10.09
Inditex (Zara) down 16% WWD 6.10.09
Do Innovation and Entrepreneurship Have to Be...
Check out the full HBS Working Knowledge article here.
May 2009
3 posts
MBAs vs Entrepreneurs: Who's got the right stuff...
According to Havard Business Blogger, Bill Taylor “So the next time you read an article about what MBAs are doing, don’t forget to think about what entrepreneurs are doing as well. They’re the ones with the right stuff for tough times.”
Fashion industry finally catching up with...
Tech savvy fashion people
For a split second I thought the fashion industry was starting to use modern day technology, but then I read the article and it’s really that CONSUMERS are using the iphone to make apparel purchases. You just have to wonder why logic doesn’t work here.
FACTS:
A. Consumers are people. B. Wholesale fashion buyers and designers are consumers. C. Consumers use...
Where are we going?
After watching Fred Wilson’s talk on disruption today, I drew some interesting connections with Koch’s 80/20 Individual. The last question in Wilson’s speech on his thoughts of google’s new venture capital arm resonated with Koch’s predictions of corporations funding entrepreneurs within their company for a win win situation where the company remains fresh and...