One Size Fits None

ESPN is going all in on DTC. Bob Iger is crowning it the network’s boldest play since grabbing the full NFL schedule in ’87. Chair Jimmy Pitaro calls it “the biggest transition in our history.” Translation: everything ESPN directly to you in an app for $30 a month. Using the ESPN announcement as the backdrop, […]

Dysfunction Inc.

Dysfunctional organizations do dysfunctional things. You don’t have to look too hard to find examples of such dysfunction. Let’s look at an NFL team like the Cleveland Browns. Some refer to the team by saying “The Browns is the Browns” because of the sheer volume of their inept decisions. The Browns epitomize dysfunction: meddling ownership, […]

Enterprise Ireland Hosting 1st Retail Showcase in Toronto

The following is taken from a fresh new article from Retail Insider: “Enterprise Ireland is set to host its first-ever consumer retail showcase in Toronto on April 29, 2025, bringing a curated group of 11 Irish fashion, textile, and beauty brands to the forefront of Canada’s largest city. The evening event will take place at […]

Defining the Field of Play

In 141 days, the new NFL season will kick off. I can’t wait to see the fan outrage about how the league is rigged whenever the Kansas City Chiefs take the field. It’s rather comical. I’m also eager to see another sneaky sideline run by Patrick Mahomes. The guy literally skirts the boundaries of the […]

The Buildings Shape Us

“We shape our buildings and thereafter they shape us.” – Winston Churchill Yes, there is some coincidence that I quoted a wartime prime minister after the events of last week have pushed us towards a global trade war. I won’t rehash the details here. Your favorite news source has already detailed the new Trump era […]

I’m Not In That Category

Retail Dive recently reported that Old Navy had quietly added occasionwear to their product mix. Affordable occasionwear is saturated by ultra-fast fashion and marketplaces like Amazon. Finding such product in a mall or high street is a little more difficult, especially at an affordable price point. Old Navy found “The Occasion” to open up a […]

Jean-etic Testing

Let’s discuss denim for a moment. As many of you know, I was a merchant for the bulk of my retail career. And, during those days, I bought a ton of denim for my stores – Levi’s, Seven For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, True Religion and so on. I also assorted denim for Lauren […]

Merchant Musings at Microsoft’s AI Tour

Microsoft’s AI Tour is making the rounds in its global tour. Toronto was a recent stop. Alysa Taylor, CMO of Commercial Cloud & AI, and Chris Barry, former President of Microsoft Canada, presented the keynote and shared some powerful information. Generative AI has the potential to add $187 billion to the Canadian economy by 2030 […]

You’re Wound Up Too Tight

Fashion types can be wound up pretty tight. Fashion brands, however, should learn from software and tighten up even more. When it comes to feedback loops, the cream of the crop software companies do a good job of keeping things tight. In fact, in my experience, revenue leaders that I have worked for were very […]

CPO = Clear, Plain, Obvious

“What’s old is new.” Nah, old is old. “We’ve got to get back to our roots.” Really? Have you ever heard of a tree leaving its roots behind and trying to get back to them? “We lost our way” And so on and so on. These are examples of the word salad that companies like […]