Come September, consumers can purchase directly from marcjacobs.com

Reluctance to embrace technology and the Internet, however, has been the norm for luxury fashion brands. Most labels feared department stores would be angry if designers and their wealthy customers dealt directly with one another. A large number of brands relied on department store sites and others like Net-a-Porter to sell their goods online, but the state of the economy has forced department stores to cut steep prices, angering luxury companies that were already worrying about their relevance into the future and ability to compete with knock-off retailers. {The New York Times}

“I was so annoyed last year that I wished no one had our merchandise,” President and Vice Chairman of Mar Jacobs Robert Duffy told the New York Times. “All the department stores were panicked, and they were marking things down.”

Duffy also suggested that the online store for Marc Jacobs may offer exclusive merchandise to attract customers. {Elle}

Word on the street is Jimmy Choo, Hugo Boss, Vince, Lancôme, St. John, Theory, Kiehlâ€s, Lilly Pulitzer, Donna Karan and La Perla will soon or have already launched e-commerce stores on their own Web sites. It seems high fashion is finally realizing profits on clothes sold directly to consumers will be much higher with no middleman taking a cut or dictating prices.

High fashion has everything to gain by taking their products to their own Web pages, but the consumer may end up being the loser in this equation if luxury retailers pull their merchandise from department stores altogether and spike their prices. That may be unlikely to happen immediately, since the economic downturn has caused many aspirational customers to reduce spending on designer clothing, but when the recession truly fades and people begin spending more, high fashion prices might soar above skyscrapers.

JC Penney Co. has made an agreement with the European retailer to sell exclusive merchandise (under the brand name MNG by Mango) via mini-stores.

The partnership is part of JCP’s attempt to draw in a younger, more style-savvy crowd, as well as to differentiate itself from the older (and less fashionable) image of the dying American department store.

We think the partnership is a smart move, though in order for it to work it’s absolutely essential that Mango’s JCP offerings remain as trendy and fashion-forward as Mango in general.  The big mistake department store dinosaurs have been making is remaining too timid with their fashion partnerships, and we hope the MNG clothes appearing at the in store boutiques don’t get watered down to stay safe.
Read the full story (subscription) {Wall Street Journal}

The as-yet-unnamed line will be available in various department stores in spring 2010 and has as licensing partner L’Koral, which has among its repertoire 7 For All Mankind and Elizabeth & James.

In the aftermath of the recent Alexander McQueen plagiarism lawsuit, it will be interesting to see if the Steve Madden brand will be able to design creative yet saleable pieces without falling into a trap of monkey see, monkey do.

Read the full story {Crain’s NY Business}

The line, called Thread & Heirs, will have guest designers each season and officially launches next year, with Ruffian designers Brian Wolk and Claude Morais christening the effort with capsule collections in spring and fall 2010.  With the combination of smart, H&M-comparable prices and the creative involvement of designers like Wolk and Morais, Thread & Heirs looks like a big hit and will surely help to rejuvenate the Macy’s market.

Read the full story {The Cut via NY Mag}