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Editor’s Letter

Feb 8 2011
A Matter of Perspective
Pricing pandemonium through Groupon models, the rising cost of cotton, social networks and location-based sales technologies, taxes, recessions and bedbugs: As retailers, you’re being hit every which way with new issues, risks and opportunities. All the while, you’re smiling, helping your customers and dazzling them with your personal service and knowledge. Although I’ve been in […]
Jan 28 2011
Circle of Life
I have several friends who are expecting this year, and it’s fun to see them discovering the clothing, accessories and juvenile products I’ve come to view as commonplace. Through their eyes, it’s easy to see that the old saying “the more things change, the more they stay the same” is really true. While overseas production […]
Nov 23 2010
Learning Curve
It’s been said that the only constant is change, and that’s certainly been true over the last few years. Through it all—consumer spending slowing to a trickle, the unprecedented increases in the prices of raw goods and labor, and stringent consumer products laws—our industry has held on by adapting its practices, marketing and product. And […]
Oct 8 2010
Identifiable Traits
As I write this, the hoopla spawned by New York Fashion Week and Fashion’s Night Out is dying down as the last spring looks march down the runway. While plenty of ink is spilled about the fashion hits and misses, sartorial concerns often take a back seat to the circus-like atmosphere created by megawatt celebrity […]
Aug 30 2010
Patience (and Other Virtues)
It’s human nature to want what we want—when we want it—and to be disappointed when things don’t happen on our timeline. Not to sound corny here, but there’s often a reason why things—promotions, big orders, loads of foot traffic—don’t occur according to our accelerated schedules. All the opportunities in the world could cross your path, […]
Aug 11 2010
Judgment Call
In life, everyone has an opinion about what you should be doing. Though some advice can come in handy, a lot of it is just a bunch of hot air. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell one type from the other. What to do? The only answer, as the saying goes, is to do […]
Jul 1 2010
Rewarding Experiences
People often ask me what I like about my job. My response typically includes a comment about how much I enjoy the kids’ apparel industry. At this point in my career, I’ve covered a few different markets—some are overly corporate, others ridiculously cutthroat and a few mind-numbingly boring. Children’s wear is none of these, and […]
Jun 2 2010
The Downturn’s Upside
We’ve all heard that sluggish economies make for fertile ground for some sectors (booze and junk food, in particular) but you don’t have to look that far in the children’s market to spot areas of growth. The winners, relatively speaking, are companies whose products represent the most value to consumers: great design at a fair […]
Apr 26 2010
Recognizing Opportunity
Ever see someone else’s product or business model and think, “I could have done that”? Happens all the time, right? While there’s something to be said for the ability to recognize a good idea when it’s presented to you, having the vision and wherewithal to develop it out of the clear blue is a true […]
Mar 1 2010
Great Expectations
This is going to sound crazy given that most of the country has been hit by record snowfall this year, but I’m already looking forward to next winter. Though I’m typically a spring/summer type, eyeing the fall looks coming down the runway at New York Fashion Week has made me long for future cold snaps. […]
Feb 4 2010
Building Bonds
Though it can be easy to forget when faced with the 101 tasks it takes to get products to market and sold through, this business—like most—is really all about relationships. This is evident at any trade show. Merchants routinely pass by booth after booth in pursuit of a vendor or sales rep they know and […]
Jan 25 2010
Some Things Certain
Though it would be nice to think that the economic turmoil and uncertainty that held us in its grasp last year is a thing of the past, discarded with last year’s calendar, the truth is that we’re still digging our way out. But the principles we’ve learned from the toughest days of 2009 will serve […]
Dec 12 2009
Thinking Ahead
Adults are not usually the ones who want time to speed up. It’s kids who are anxious for the days, months and years to roll by so they can finally start school, enter double digits and eventually get their driver’s licenses. When you’re little it seems like time moves slowly, but as adults we always […]
Oct 1 2009
Elbow Grease
Just like you, I’ve been on the trade show circuit for the last few weeks. And of course at every stop, people want to know how I think the shows are going. Thankfully, I’ve had mostly good news to report—but the positive vibe isn’t just happening to us; we’ve created it. Vendors have tightened up […]

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