Barneyâ€s has not, however, ousted Doonan. According to a press release, Doonan will remain with the company in a new role, as Creative Ambassador at Large.

“Mr. Doonan will continue to be a key media spokesperson for the company, will continue to contribute to special window projects, will host special events with customers and media, and will serve as roving ambassador with links to all creative and communication areas including social media,” the release said.

Initially, we thought this was a carefully masked demotion of Doonan, but it really might be a brilliant move. Creative Ambassador at Large sounds like a lesser position than creative director, much like the editor at large position at a magazine is not as prestigious as being the editor in chief. Doonan, however, is the most public figure Barneyâ€s has, and the luxury fashion retailer may simply be trying to create closer ties with the public by expanding Doonanâ€s role as its most visible employee. When fashion retailers attempt to become more relatable to consumers, it is always commendable. Weâ€re also very impressed that Barneyâ€s appears to be taking social media into consideration.

“This exciting evolution of my role at Barneys is brilliant,” Doonan was quoted as saying in the press release. “Change has always been integral to the strength and vibrancy of the Barneys brand. I am delighted to be part of this new chapter.”

Brilliant, indeed, but Doonan may still be taking one for the team.

With millions of followers, stars like Kim Kardashian and big name brands like Reebok are making big bucks using Twitter as a means of advertising. It has been widely rumored that endorsement deals between businesses and celebrities actually contractually stipulate a certain number of product-related tweets per day.

Kim’s deal for Reebok Easy Tone sneakers has her tweeting pics of her wearing the shoes at the gym saying “I love my Reebok Easy Tones” and even including a link to buy them. She also recently tweeted “Where is there a Carl’s Jr in the valley? I’m seriously craving that salad!” In what we’re sure is just a coincidence, Kim is featured in some Carl’s Jr. ads aired this year. Now if that’s not obvious enough actress Melissa Joan Hart actually admitted that one of her contracts enforced a minimum of six promotional tweets per day. {The Insider}

Sandra Smith of Fox Business Network says that Kim’s sister Kourtney is also reportedly in on the money-making tweets, raking in about five to ten thousand per tweet. Looking at the Sponsored Tweets celeb list, Khloe  is the Kardashian offering the best bargain at a mere $2941.25 per tweet. “You’ve got Lindsay Lohan and a large number of celebrities that are reportedly getting involved in these tweets for pay,” Smith says. “Lindsay Lohan arguably has far fewer followers than some of the other big celebrities, but she’s still reportedly getting paid big bucks to participate.” According to Sponsored Tweets, the exact figure is $2985 per tweet.

As annoying as it is that someone can make what some people earn for 2 weeks (or more) of work in a minute and less than 140 characters, it does make sense. Twitter allows instant advertising to millions of people through the likeness of  their favorite celebs. Occasionally they do use the ability to reach out for good however. Kim and Khloe Kardashian, Jennifer Hudson and Lady Gaga were part of a recent no tweeting campaign that raised $1 million, and longtime Twitter celeb users Ashton Kutcher and wife Demi Moore use it to help fight sex trafficking and child sex slavery as well as the American AIDS Foundation. Ben Stiller uses his 140 characters  to raise education awareness helping build temporary schools for children in need.

After calling 475 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan home for the last six years, reps for P.Diddy’s clothing line Sean John announced this week that their flagship store will be closing due to what they feel is business disruption due to scaffolding.

Only about a year ago Diddy’s representatives filed a lawsuit over scaffolding around the building that was erected in 2006. Sign blockage and customer disruption because of said scaffolding were the reasons given for a drop in revenue the company had been experiencing over the last few years. In spite of a well publicized recession that caused almost every retailer to experience some kind of decline over the past few years, Sean John reps are insisting that construction is to blame. A Sean John spokesperson says, because of “inadequate selling space.” the only retail store they have would in fact shut down. The rep assured WWD that the label is looking for spaces in New York and L.A. to open new stores. {NY Mag}

As shopaholics we can’t help but thing brand loyalists would still shop with or without scaffolding. On one hand, 3 to 4 years of  scaffolding does seem excessive. On the other, it’s a bit of a stretch to think that Sean John was one of the only clothing retailers who wasn’t affected in any way by economic conditions.

Come December 30th, the store will close permanently as the company decides where to relocate. We wish them luck!

Good news! You could win one of 10,000 pairs of jeans from the Gap by going on Facebook. The social network announced Wednesday that, with the help of a forthcoming Facebook app that will be similar to Foursquare, thousands of shoppers will receive free jeans for visiting Gap stores. The first 10,000 people to “check in” on a designated day will be the winners. {Fashionista}

Privacy - increasingly difficult to find on Facebook, but look at the positive side: you'll get free jeans or 40% off in exchange!

Shoppers will have to physically be inside a Gap store to “check in,” and those who are not one of the first 10,000 but “check in” anyway will receive a 40 percent discount on a pair of Gap jeans. To put this in perspective, the Gap has just over 3,000 retail locations worldwide, so about three pairs of jeans will be given away at each store. {The Cut}

It looks like the folks at the Gap are trying to wash the logo change fiasco taste out of the publicâ€s mouth, but apparently this is just one of many forthcoming giveaways and promotions Facebook will participate in. The Web site is gearing up to launch a “deals” program, which will be very similar to Foursquareâ€s “deals” program, whereby checking in at certain businesses earns you discounts for that business.

We absolutely love hearing about all the creative ways social media is being used for business purposes, and who doesnâ€t enjoy free stuff? It is a little creepy, though, to think about people “checking in” with Facebook – much like someone would check in with their spouse or boss at various points throughout the day. Then again, it does seem as if creepy has become Facebookâ€s middle name (anyone want to create a petition to change the name to Stalkbook?).

Location based social media has also already shown security risks, with one man reporting last May that his home was burglarized when he updated Twitter while on vacation, thus announcing the vacancy of his house. {azcentral} Facebook has an insecure login process that is not helping security matters, and a new Firefox plugin has made it easy to grab user logins over insecure wi-fi connections. {Valleywag}

In short, if you’re checking into your local Gap (or anywhere else) over a free wi-fi connection, there is a good chance that the busy-looking guy sitting on the nearby bench can see your password. While it might not seem like a big deal that a stranger can access your friends list, or that you’re a fan of cheese, if you use the same password for other accounts – like your email address or online banking - it can easily become a goldmine of information for stores in addition to online criminals and pranksters.

In case you’re still too enticed by the free stuff, weâ€ll be sure to keep you updated when a date is set for the Gap giveaway.

Answer: Alcohol. In an experiment that USA Today says could be the model for the future of coffee shops, Starbucks†Olive Way “learning lab” store in Seattleâ€s Capitol Hill section has recently reopened and will be the first to offer craft beer and local wines for sale after 4 p.m. in addition to an expanded food menu that includes local cheeses.

Starbucks said in a statement that the experiment “is in response to our customers telling us that they want more options for relaxing in our stores in the afternoon and evenings.” It is also likely a move to steal customers from the less-expensive competition in the super tight $15 billion coffee chain business. {CNN Money}

The coffee retailer is reportedly looking to change its image from modern, cookie-cutter chain store to an older, more eclectic coffee shop as well. The Seattle store will have a different look and feel than any Starbucks store has previously, as local cheeses will be served on china and the barista bar will offer seating for customers, much like in a traditional bar. {USA Today}

Weâ€re all for moves that advance businesses into the future, especially risky ones in this economy, so we have to applaud Starbucks for taking the lead here. They will likely be successful as well, but more because of the changed image than the beer and wine sales, as Starbucks could become more appealing to those who avoid it because they dislike the corporate atmosphere. We are wondering how much beer and wine from the notoriously pricey coffee chain will cost, though. If a Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte with whipped cream is $5.17, it’s hard to imagine what a craft beer or glass of local wine will run for.

Simon Doonan at Barneys Co-Op in Brooklyn

This week, Barneys celebrated the opening of its first Brooklyn Co-op on Atlantic Avenue in the Cobble Hill section of town. The doors opened at 10 a.m. without a line of anxiously waiting shoppers, but a large crowd eventually made its way through the doors once they were open. {Racked NY}

Much has been made of what the reaction among Brooklyn residents will be to the high-end retailerâ€s presence in their neck of the woods. Brooklyn has become a hot spot for luxury fashion labels in the past few months, as brands like Swarovski Crystal and Anthropologie have been reportedly scouting out locations there, but it has been smaller, trendy shops like Jonathan Adler and Urban Outfitters that have actually been cropping up along Atlantic Avenue of late. {New York Post}

It is still too early to tell exactly what the lasting impact of the Barneys†presence among these admittedly cooler, more laid-back shops will be, but Barneys Creative Director Simon Doonan seems confident it will be a success.

“The Co-op has always had a certain edgy sensibility. The fit with Brooklyn is a natural one,” he said. {New York Post}

Doonan also told Racked NY that the store made no adjustments to its aesthetic for the Brooklyn Co-op, which carries all the designer brands like Alexander Wang, Richard Chai Love, Helmut Lang and Rag & Bone that you would expect to find at any other Barneys.

Apparently Doonan was quite an active presence at the opening as well, chatting with shoppers and even helping to carry baby strollers down the staircase to the storeâ€s lower level. {Racked NY} He also tried easing the minds of skeptical area residents who worry that the store will bring with it a pretentiousness, telling the New York Post, “”It’s not like we’re opening a Chanel.”

We previously reported that Cobble Hillâ€s economics are not actually that far off from the more notoriously wealthy Upper East Side and Upper West Side Manhattan neighborhoods, and a Barneys should not be impossible to sustain in the area, though the state of the economy will likely create challenges even with wealthy shoppers living close by. Today, we feel there is one more barrier to success for Barneys: Cobble Hill may have the wealth for a Barneys, but does it have the right vibe? Just because a certain demographic has money does not mean they want to spend it on luxury fashion, and we wonder if people in Brooklyn even want to shop at Barneys.

Success at the Barneys Brooklyn Co-op will likely prove to be somewhat of a challenge. Doonan and Co. should be up for it, but only time will tell how they fare. We actually applaud Barneys for taking a risk in a time when the economy has many retailers in a panic – because taking chances on new ventures will probably be necessary to remain sustainable into the future for fashion retailers. Someone has to lead the way, and Barneys should be commended for stepping up.

Additional photos at Racked NY

Last yearâ€s FNO produced mixed financial results, with some retailers reporting the night was far more successful in terms of energy than from a business perspective. This yearâ€s event was, however, more promising, with 1,000 retailers participating to last years 800 and added pre-event buzz.

So how did retail sales fare this year?

Unfortunately, not much information exists on the topic. Apparently, many retailers did not measure the exact business results, with some admitting they were more concerned with the social aspect. {Vancouver Sun} We’ve reached out to retailers large and small, but are still awaiting responses on questions related to sales for the evening.

Here is what we do know:

-New York City foot traffic increased 50 percent after last yearâ€s event, according to research firm ShopperTrak, and this yearâ€s FNO is estimated by many to have attracted an even larger crowd.

-Seventy-five percent of FNO attendees bought something, according to a survey of 1,300 consumers by NYC & Co. {Vancouver Sun}

-The official site for the event claims only that FNO was a “huge success.”

-Anna Wintour said in a CBS News interview following the event, “We were thrilled. It was already a huge success last year. Last year we were really running a campaign with an unknown candidate. And this year we had the incumbent on our side, so at least we were talking about an event that people knew what it was. They were excited about it and they turned out in droves…If you walked through the streets, as I did, of New York on Friday, everbody was dressed up, they were having fun, but most importantly they were shopping.” {ShoppingBlog}

It is all very vague, and we suppose it may be a bit soon to say whether FNO had a lasting impact on retail sales. We just cannot understand, however, why so little information exists on the economic success of an event whose purpose was to be an economic stimulus. A search for Fashions Night Out of Bloomberg News, for example, yields no results pertaining to the financial outcome of the event.

Perhaps more information will become available in the coming weeks, and if it does we will be sure to update you.

The original cafe is located in the Brera Distract in Milan directly behind the Marc by Marc Jacobs retail store. Neon lights and futuristic decor set it apart from competitors.

Cafe number two is slated to open on this side of the Atlantic, more specifically in uptown Manhattan.  MJ’s business partner, Robert Duffy confirmed the plan is in the works and hinted at its uptown locale.

It is noted that there are no Marc Jacobs boutiques uptown so it’s possible they may follow not far behind. Considering the success of mega-designers like Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren are partially due to successes outside of fashion, branching out into new markets is a good sign for a designer like Jacobs whose aesthetic and charm make him so versatile in style choice. Even though a home collection is the usual expansion route, we’re looking forward to seeing Jacobs’ design vision expanded – whether it be the coffee shop or the fashion runway. {Racked}

Will the Marc Jacobs name be enough to make you consider a change in your normal coffee provider? If so, what venture do you want to see the growing MJ empire take on next?

Everyone knows Iman for her success as an international supermodel and cosmetics company founder. The inspiration for Yves Saint Laurent’s “Africa Queen” collection, for fourteen years the singularly named beauty graced the runways of the world’s most renowned fashion designers. Before Tyra, Heidi Klum and the other model moguls we know today, Iman was one of the first to capitalize on her modeling background with an entry into business via Iman Cosmetics.

Launched in 1994, the company focuses on products designed for women of color. In addition to her cosmetics line, Iman has also added accessories designer and TV host to her resume via stints at HSN (Home Shopping Network) and Project Runway Canada respectively. Today Iman is broadening her reach even further collaborating with Design Consultant, Carlos Mota on a new home fabrics line called IMAN Home.

Scheduled for its debut at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Iman had this to say about the project being showcased at such an event.

“I am so excited to partner with Mercedes-Benz on this project. We have worked tirelessly in preparation for the launch of IMAN Home and to have this forum, at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, is a great way to unveil the collection.” {Talking Makeup}

Obviously Fashion Week is a great time to introduce something new because the audience is so broad. People look up to Iman for her fashion sense so it seems likely to be a hit. Look out for the new line sometime late September.

Apparently workers are often faced with tasks that are nearly impossible to complete as quickly as western retailers want while maintaining humane conditions, but they simply cannot afford to turn down jobs. The result is few breaks for food or to use the bathroom and bodily wear and tear. {The Cut}

What is most troubling, according to the story, is that a retailerâ€s claim to employ ethical factory standards basically means nothing.

The Ethical Trading Initiative, a voluntary industry body that many UK retailers belong to has been criticized for being too weak. Spokeswoman Julia Hawkins concedes that “ethical trade doesn’t mean that there’s a cast-iron guarantee that the person who made that T-shirt has been treated right. It’s about company behavior. It tells you they are working to improve.” {the Guardian}

The Guardian story suggests consumers, who, as a whole, really dig fast fashion, are as much at fault for these unfortunate circumstances as the retailers.

The Cut points out, however, that a boycott of all fast fashion retailers wonâ€t help  factory workers in developing countries earn money, receive health benefits and achieve fair working conditions.

Consumer demand can certainly be a cause of Western retailers overworking their factory laborers, but is a mall shopper really responsible for the behavior of a company that purports to abide by ethical standards? Demand is one thing, but executives who lack business morals have far more impact on operational decisions than consumers. These days everyone is told to shop the economy back into shape, and the Guardianâ€s reasoning that a high demand for certain goods is damaging to poor workers is contradictory. Few consumers would support oppressive working conditions, but changes in labor laws and company standards, with international independent groups that can provide oversight to ensure fair working conditions would go further in making positive changes than playing pin the blame on the consumer.