ATL's American Apparel Stores: "Safe"

Atlanta fans of American Apparel don’t have to worry about the brand’s two signature stores here shutting down anytime soon.

The new, gold "Pencil Dress" from American Apparel

The local stores in Little Five Points and Buckhead (along with the vacation destination in Savannah) got a recent new lease on life when the British conglomerate, Lion Capital, bought a 15 percent stake in American Apparel for $85 million.
Industry analysts told WWD that the cash infusion will not only help sustain the quirky contemporary chain’s 260 or so current stores, but perhaps promote expansion as well.
Dov Charney, the L.A.-based brand’s sketch/comedy founder and CEO took the cash infusion in stride; saying that it will allow him to refocus on on “design” and hinting that shorter shorts for men may be on the horizon. That, and he can concentrate on being American Apparel’s main photographer for those cheeky ad campaigns.
American Apparel Founder/CEO/"Sketch" Artist Dov Charney
You go, Dov.

Louboutin tweaks Barbie

Is this sick...







or WHAT???

"Sick" can be interpreted as good or bad.

It's up to you to decide whether the notion of the shoe fetishists' shoe fetishist, Christian Louboutin, designing stiletto's for a new series of Barbie dolls is a good thing, or not. Louboutin, incidently, told Women's Wear Daily that one of his resolutions for 2009 was to refuse any requests to serve as someone's godfather, other than Barbie's.

It's common knowledge now that dozens of designers will engage in the next great marketing ploy known as the Barbie runway show coming next month at New York Fashion Week. It remains to be seen whether outrage will ensue when real-life models walk out as sexed-up versions of the dress-up dolls most American girls grow up idealizing.

Louboutin _ whose shoes commonly sell for as much as $700 per pair on sites like eBay _ will reportedly design his Barbie pumps in the Pantone-registered shade of Pink No: 219.

We're blushing already...
Photo: CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN'S FACEBOOK PAGE

Baggage Claim: Tumi Luggage Loses Chu

IF you're happy with your luggage, clap your hands.
If you aren't read on.



I've just stumbled upon news that the Nautica brand's visionary, David Chu, is out as executive creative director at Tumi at year's end. Reportedly, his two-year contract to revamp the esteemed luggage label is up, and won't be renewed.

Seems a shame; only because Chu is such a fuss-budget about details, and Tumi strikes yours truly as a long-haul companion that only gets better with tweaks.

(My basic black set started growing at least a decade ago. And it's served me well, both as a jet-setting bachelor and a cross-country Christmas daddy.)

Quick Reference Points for travelers:: Sturdy infrastrusture. Functionality. Accessibility. Flair. Surprise. Value.

It's good that Tumi and Chu collaborated, however briefly. Those pieces left unsold could be collectors' items.

PHOTO: FLICKR