The Business
Juicy Couture’s Founders Step Back With Its Cultural Moment Long Gone
By Lauren Sherman
Juicy Couture’s dynamic co-founders Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy are stepping down as creative directors.
When I contacted Liz Claiborne regarding this morning’s NY Post story suggesting the duo were leaving the company, they sent me a statement from CEO Bill McComb. Along with insisting that the founders are not “unhappy with the design direction,” it explains what exactly is going on:
There will soon be a new creative director–Nash-Taylor and Skaist-Levy will transition into creative consultant roles. “This transition is in keeping with the plan we made when I came to Liz Claiborne three years ago,” said McComb. “At that time, the Juicy founders were concluding their initial four-year contract, and I was thrilled that they agreed to another three years with the express understanding that their final year would be as creative consultants.”
He went on to explain that this is a natural progression in fashion, which is true. “Frankly, this is natural evolution in our industry, where founders move from day-to-day operations to take on more of a creative consultant role as their businesses grow bigger and bigger,” he explained.
This is very much what happened when Kate Spade left Kate Spade, also owned by Liz Claiborne.
Here’s why I think it’s a good thing–for the designers, at least.
1. Liz Claiborne, Inc. is a very sick company and it’s going to take a long time for it to regain its financial health. Heck, it almost filed for bankruptcy protection last year. I’m sure part of the designer’s contract when they first came on included shares in the company, but hopefully they got plenty of cash as well.
2. Liz’s efforts to push Juicy upscale haven’t worked. The appeal of the brand is that it’s casual. And anyways…
3. Juicy Couture’s cultural moment is over. I know that, you know that. Nash-Taylor and Skaist-Levy know that. Despite its efforts to convince us otherwise, Juicy is not Ralph Lauren–it’s not a lifestyle brand that will always be able to sell its classic pieces. It seems like Liz Claiborne wants Juicy to keep cashing in on its past instead of inventing a new future. The design duo will be able to do that by trying new things.
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i’ve always loved juicy couture. i know i’m not supposed too, alot of obnoxious people like it, but they have some really cute stuff. and their perfume smells really good.
i never could bring myself to like the sweats with juicy on the butt, though.
I totally agree. While the Juicy brand is more than slightly obnoxious, the hey day of the sweatsuit and larger than life charms is coming to an end.
Now if I could only tell some of the people at my school that…
Juicy’s time is over, unfortunately…
Some of it seems way too childish for me now, but I can’t help but want to hold onto all the more discreet zip ups I’ve collected over the years that match all my outfits. Oh, back when “with love” was from P&G, not G&P, and sweatsuits were made (not born) in the glamorous U.S.A.!
Hey, 2 questions:
1. “It explains what exactly is going on.” – But usually when a press statement from a company is issued, it’s only half of what’s going on. Why are we trusting Liz Claiborne’s press team with the whole story?
2. What about Bird, the decidedly not pink-and-fuzzy line they launched last year to gain a bigger part of the contemporary market? P&G had a big hand in that, and its designs (and price points) were wanting to land with the Helmut Lang / Alex Wang customer. They had some really cute stuff, too. So what about that line and its success or failure in the theory that Juicy hasn’t taken steps to become more than a ’90s fad?
ditto what faran said. count me in as one of the people who also really liked juicy. not the track suits, but the actual clothes that they designed. they were cute and fun, and their pants were amazing.
why isn’t the reporting getting better on this site? there are constant omissions and mistakes. and the voice is more of a teacher trying to be a cool kid. sorry fashionista, it’s time to say later.
@Faran
1. I know from my own industry sources–and from knowledge of how the business works–that there’s no way G&P are going to step away completely. Regardless of how it happened, they still have shares in the company. They may be unhappy, but they’re probably pretty much tied to this to an extent for quite some time–unless they want to lose a lot of money.
2. The problem is, while some people may think those clothes are cute, not enough people are buying them. The Couture Couture and Bird collections may have been G&P’s projects, but when you’re run by a big public company like Liz Claiborne, all that matters is the bottom line. For that kind of growth, a niche–if attractive product–doesn’t work.
Re: Bird- Was wondering what happened with that. They had some good stuff and got a lot of editorial placement for a few months but I’ve yet to see any pieces in the stores?
I still wear my Juicy sweats, they look cute as hell so why not? I hate when things are declared “over” F that if it still works for you! Do I wish that a few years ago groups of Staten Island girls didn’t attack the mall en masse all wearing juicy sweats? Yes because it made them a cliche. BUT I say if you still love it, wear it.
P&G are smart business women who know when their 15 minutes are waning.
Though Bird has a more Contemporary appeal, it has never come across as an organic extension for Juicy Couture.
Better they let go of the old, separate brands, and start fresh with a line that reflects the taste of today.