In a depressing turn of events, Albo momentarily resigns himself to a life mediocrity with a trip to Syms. [NY Times] What does he turn up? Miles of “marked-down cubicle-wear,” too faux leather, too blocky shapes, “goofy weekend-dad outfits” interspersed with “wacky standouts,” … Pretty much what you’d expect from a retailer that caters to… Read more »

Esquire breaks down salesmen into four species — the “owner,” the “lifer,” the “after-schooler,” and the “retiree” — each of which should be approached and utilized differently. The magazine has also assembled a list of the country’s best men’s shops — many of which, not surprisingly, can be found right here in the city.

The Times (of London, not New York) reports on high-end retailers and their efforts to keep sales under wraps. [Times Online] Not a big surprise, and perfectly understandable. Discounts devalue a brand’s image, even though they generate necessary revenue. The trick for retailers, therefore, is attracting (discount) shoppers without drawing too much attention. The practice… Read more »

Warning: Having caught so much flack for its unrestrained discounting last year, Saks is hoping to reintroduce a “full-price mentality” among consumers this holiday season. Analysts, however, seriously doubt whether Saks will stick to its guns when its competitors start getting sale-happy. One rival in particular is expected to cause trouble for Saks: “Big bets… Read more »

Thoreson and Peskowitz lay down their wish lists for the fall… No surprises… Not that we really like surprises.