Paul & Joe at Target

내가 좋아하는 브랜드중 하나인 프랑스브랜드 Paul & Joe가 Target의 Go International 프로모션 프로그램으로 9월 말까지만 특별 판매를 한다. 물론 collection은 Target을 위해서 특별 제작된 것이고 가격도 원래 Paul & Joe의 $400-500 수준이 아닌 $20-50 수준이다.

친구들이 Target 을 부를 때 항상 불어식 발음으로 [타제~] 라고 하곤 했었는데 Walmart 같은 대규모 Retail shop 임에도 불구하고 Target은 한단계 위의 상품과 서비스, 분위기를 주기 때문.

여하튼 9월 가기 전에 함 가서 둘어봐 주셔야 겠다.

Paul & Joe Go Internationa at Target

Some of my favorite looks

Rockstar: Supernova – Week 10

I wasn’t impressd by anyone in this week. They did one cover and one original each.

Cover performances from the best to the worst in my book:

Toby Rand – Mr. Brightside (By The Killers)

He was the best only because everyone else sucked. At least he managed to sound ok.

Storm Large – Suffragette City (By David Bowie)

She is a great singer, no doubt about it. There is just something off about her that makes me hard to relate to her.

Magni – Back In The USSR (By The Beatles)

He is always solid which makes him even more boring. He is good, not terrific.

Lukas Rossi – Livin’ On A Prayer (By Bon Jovi)

What is this? I hate Bon Jovi shit, but hated this one even more.

Dilana – Behind Blue Eyes (By The Who)

OMG. Dilana butchered one of the greatest classic rock songs. And she didn’t even know this song? How could you call yourself a rocker when you don’t know shit about rock music?

Among the originals, I can only give props to Storm and Toby. Everybody else was meh.. Of course Dilana managed to suck even more with her original.

I’m so torn. How could someone I adored a few weeks back become so bad? I might have been blind.. Sigh…

One Mall, Two Macy’s

Department-Store Giant’s Dilemma: One Mall, Two Macy’s (WSJ, Sep. 5, 2006)

This Saturday, stores across the country bearing some of the most storied names in retailing — Marshall Field’s, Filene’s, Robinsons-May, and Hecht’s, among others — will officially become Macy’s. As part of its effort to lure shoppers back to department stores from specialty and discount retailers, Federated — which purchased the chains in last year’s $11 billion buyout of May Co. — plans to create a giant national retailer with more than 800 Macy’s stores in 45 states, making it by far the biggest department-store chain in the U.S. Bloomingdale’s is the only other brand name Federated will keep, though it is tiny in comparison, with just 36 stores.

잠시 머물고 있는 Irvine 근처에 Fashion Island 라는 Mall 이 있는데, 작년에 왔을 때 있던 Robinsons-May 가 문 닫고 고치고 있길래 왜 그런가 했더니, Macy’s가 산 것이었다. 옆에 있던 친구와 결론 내린 것은 ‘잘못된 전략이다’ 였다.

왠만한 미국내 큰 도시에는 어디가나 이미 Macy’s 가 있는데, Macy’s 가 확장을 하고 싶다면 다른 타겟층을 노린 백화점을 인수하는 게 맞았다고 생각이 든다. Filene’s 나 Robinsons-May 같은 곳은, 가본 사람들은 알겠지만, Macy’s 보다 오히려 약간 low income층을 타겟으로 하며 ‘cutting-edge’나 ‘fashion leader’라는 느낌을 주는 곳이 아니다. Macy’s가 필요한 것은 보다 많은 소비를 할 계층, 자주 구입할 계층을 노리는 것일텐데.

여하튼, 인수한 여러 백화점을을 Macy’s 브랜드로 다시 바꾸어서 열자니 한 mall 에 2개의 Macy’s 가 생기는 현상이 발생한다. 위 WSJ 기사에서 보면 Macy’s 관계자들은 별로 걱정을 안하면서 하나는 Macy’s Home이나 Macy’s Men 으로 만들겠다고 하는데…

내 생각은 그다지 좋은 전략으로 보이지 않는다. 차라리 서울의 갤러리아 백화점처럼 하나는 보통서민관 ( ), 다른 하나는 상류계층관으로 나누는 것이 어떤가. 브랜드도 예를 들면 Macy’s Luxury 나 뭐 그런 것으로 바꾸던지.

아래 한 고객의 말이 핵심으로 들린다.

The 36-year-old nurse and mother of four was even more surprised when she learned that the store was slated to become a Macy’s. Not only would that be the second Macy’s in Temecula (pop. 94,000), it also would be the second Macy’s in the same mall. And both stores will carry largely the same merchandise.

“It seems to be such a waste,” says Ms. Chlebek. “The only other department stores we have here are J.C. Penney and Sears. We really need a Nordstrom, or something else. Not another Macy’s.”