On the plus side, Liz Claiborne is covertly leaking details of its redesigned logo/image under the direction of Isaac Mizrahi. This is coming just in time. The latest internet promotional campaign is for 80% of its summer assortment (leftovers). And I thought the 50% at this time last year was a lot.
- Does this change my mind on the 1-2 year call? No. In fact, with the sales in department stores having stabilized relative to this time last year (See my 7/30 post), my sense is that LIZ is using on-line clearance channels to a greater extent than funding markdowns on the product to retailers.
- Nonetheless, anything that is 80% off in retail is nothing short of pathetic. Mizrahi has his job cut out for him. The good news is that the brand has sunken so low that if he hits a fashion trend – even if by accident – then it’s a big potential margin event.
New Liz Logo by Isaac Mizrahi
