Cathaleen Chen

New York

Reporter at Business of Fashion (BOF)

Reporting for @bof. Always stirring the pot.

Articles

Why So Many Brands Gave Up on Clothing Rental

2 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

Over the last decade, dozens of brands, from H&M and Bloomingdale’s to Banana Republic and Burberry, have dabbled in renting out the clothes they sell in their stores. Today, the number of major retailers that do so is in single digits, and falling fast. Earlier this week, CaaStle, which handled the logistics for most branded rental services in the US, said it was facing a “severe and immediate liquidity problem” and alleged its founder Christine Hunsicker had committed fraud.
Fashion Rental Service CaaStle Faces ‘Immediate Liquidity Challenge’ After Founder Accused of Financial Misconduct

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

CaaStle, a provider of clothing rental logistics services for brands including Maje, Ralph Lauren and Rebecca Minkoff, has furloughed all employees and faces liquidity issues following fraud allegations against founder and former chief executive Christine Hunsicker, according to a March 29 letter sent by the company’s board to shareholders and reviewed by The Business of Fashion.
Why Gap Is Going Premium

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

A year and a half into its turnaround, Gap is undertaking its most ambitious project yet: a new label. On Thursday, the brand will launch the first full GapStudio collection, a premium line that aims to translate for the masses some of the red carpet energy Zac Posen has brought to the brand since his appointment as Gap Inc. creative director early last year. The 24 styles include bubble skirts, corset tops and other looks that are meant to feel more fashion-forward than Gap’s typical basics.
Why Are There So Many Luggage Brands?

3 weeks ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

Christopher Angelotti spent more than a month hunting for the perfect set of luggage ahead of a planned trip to Europe this summer. He considered direct-to-consumer brands like Away, $1,500 Rimowa hardshells, sturdy options from the century-old suitcase maker Samsonite and the trendy dupe specialist Quince, among others. The winner? A three-piece set from ‘90s mall gadget purveyor Brookstone that he found on deep discount at Marshalls.
Making Sense of This Week’s Big Fashion Bankruptcies

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

This week, the industry was rocked by a pair of bankruptcies that could see two shopping mall fixtures disappear. On Sunday, Forever 21 filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in six years. Red and yellow liquidation sale signs are already plastered on the windows of hundreds of its US stores.
The Debrief | Is Forever 21 Shein’s Biggest Victim Yet?

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Brian Baskin |Sheena Butler Young |Cathaleen Chen

The author has shared a Podcast.You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future. Subscribe to the BoF Podcast here. Once a dominant player in fast fashion, Forever 21 recently filed for bankruptcy for the second time in six years, marking the likely end of its run as a physical retailer.
How Retailers Are Bracing for a Potentially Grim Year

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

The era of the ever-resilient American consumer may be coming to an end. That is, at least, the prevailing sentiment among retailers, consumers and investors this week as the stock market sinks to a six-month low and fashion companies wrap up an earnings cycle defined by anxiety over what the next year will bring.
Case Study | The Playbook for Succeeding in China’s New Reality

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

For evidence of Crocs’ popularity in China, look no further than the brand’s online moniker 洞门, or Dong Men. Meaning cave entrance, it’s an affectionate reference to the many holes in Crocs’ signature foam clogs, and since China’s netizens gave Crocs the nickname in 2023, a hashtag with the term has been mentioned 70 million times on China’s social platforms. That success isn’t a coincidence.
Paris’ Printemps Knows What’s Missing From American Retail

1 month ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

American department stores have tried everything to draw shoppers into their stores again: smaller locations, bigger locations, going upscale, going mass, seasonal pop-ups, exclusive collaborations, even kiosks for Amazon returns. While there have been isolated successes here and there, too many consumers see these retailers as a symbol of nostalgia at best, and dusty obsolescence at worst.
Saks Wanted to Clear the Air With Brands. The Plan Backfired.

2 months ago | businessoffashion.com | Cathaleen Chen

If Saks Global intended to extend an olive branch by promising to make whole 2,000-odd brands on long-delayed payments, the strategy appears to have backfired. In a Feb.