As I sipped my morning coffee, I let my eyes wander through The Guardian’s Business section – yes, I do that, and although it may surprise A LOT of people, I actually understand everything that’s being said… well ok, maybe not that much, but I’m getting better. Anyway, I digress. I soon came across an article about UK fashion brand AllSaints.
For months the chain of stores has been trying to avoid going into administration and now a buy-out seems possible. I couldn’t help but hope that whoever comes with the cash injection, does it so with a good business plan under their arm.
I do love this brand and would miss seeing it in our shopping streets. The trouble with AllSaints is that it’s sort of caters for a niche market. Compared to other stores in the British high streets and also at an international level – present in places like Moscow, Antwerp, Paris, Boston, New York, etc – only a few people would shop there regularly. It’s not only the high prices, but also the style. Their colour palette is quite simple, with grey as a main element, beige, black, toned-down shades. On the other hand, the shapes of their designs are amazing, daring and quite intricate. Take for example the skirt I wear below, it’s a stunning piece, a unique fashion statement, a tad Alexander McQueen (unsure about how the Loviu top, the look ends up being a tad too busy for my liking and I did change it before going out, but this is the only picture I have wearing said skirt).
The men’s section is also pretty good, reminiscent perhaps of John Varvatos, masculine, rough around the edges, extremely wearable.
I believe AllSaints is in dire need of a change of perspective. With shirts costing between £65 and £165 it remains a very pricey brand and people’s pockets, while still able to shop for clothes, have become very limited. Personally, although I love what they do, I hardly can afford it and generally only shop there during the sales.
AllSaints may have to widen its influence, attract new customers. Hardly anyone outside of the UK knows anything of the brand. The above mentioned Guardian article states how the store is “known for its distinctive shopfronts full of vintage sewing machines”. If a respectable British newspaper can only describe AllSaints for the use of a certain gadget in their window fronts, then there is something very wrong about the image of the brand.
In these troubling times, reinvention has become a means of survival, a way to stay afloat and avoid drowing in a sea of economical doubt…woops may have overdone it there with the lyrical drama… but you catch my drift.
Ultimately, this is only Fashion Limbo‘s humble opinion. What other brands do you wish were reinvented, refreshed?
Pictures: Fashion Limbo
fashionlimbo 
I love that skirt – it would be a shame if a line with that type of design talent went completely under, hopefully a rebranding is possible. I sort of feel the same way about Club Monaco – lovely designs but overpriced and very much catering to a niche market. I am actually a bit surprised that they are even still in business and wish a reinvention would occur.xoxo ~ Courtneyhttp://sartorialsidelines.blogspot.com
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Thanks so much for commenting Courtney. I really do believe these times call for reinventions, inspiring ideas and a fight for being there 🙂
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All Saints is a horrible place to work, my friend worked for a while.. but anywayI don't mind all saints but I think they killed the brand themselves. It became over saturated, they started pumping out concessions in department stores and opening stores left right and centre. It also has quite a unique look which in my city got really over done fast. People would dress head to toe in it. In terms of the price point, it's better quality to a degree than the high street, however I only tend to shop their in the sale time to try and pick up a bargain.. they always seem to have loads of stock in the sale which is never a good thing for a retailer.
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Thanks for your comment Arash, I find what you say very interesting (especially curious about the working conditions now!!). I agree that it is saturated in a way, the look, the same colours and mood throughout season after season, and yes they always have SO MUCH left over from the sales which isn't really a good indicative. While it's great to have a good amount of stock to start the sale season, finishing it with the amount of stock they do cannot be profitable.
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They've actually been opening a few stores here in the US in large cities, I was excited to see the clothes…but they're just to be looked at. Way too expensive for me!I used to work for the store/brand Fornarina. Which I see as a similar competitor. They did no marketing in the US, the prices were too high, and they put their stores in awful places. They eventually closed all US stores, but I really like most of the clothes. They just had really bad execution in the US. Perhaps All Saints can bring something about with all this financial turmoil they are in.
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Thanks for your contribution Eli. Had no clue Fornarina had closed all US stores…did notice they had shut a few in Europe. I never really got their choice of Lindsay Lohan as the brand's face…they can only be regretting it now…? who knows.
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Hello dear!! I love what you're dong with your blog! Especially that lovely skirt, and the way you pop-out specific phrases… It's really lovely so far… Keep up the fabulous work!xx Sarah Ashley
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Thanks so much for the luuuuuuuuvely comment Sarah, much appreciated 🙂
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That skirts is fab, and I actually really like the top with it too – it has a nice edge to it. Looking lovely as usual!
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Thanks soooo much for your comment Elizabeth, making me blush! Glad you liked the look, I wasn't too convinced about the combo, but the more I look at it I'm starting to think that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea 🙂
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this post is very usefull thx!
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I’m a bit late to comment on this, I know, but as an All Saints lover I couldn’t not comment! I’d be very sad indeed if All Saints disappeared.
I own the same skirt in the reversed colourway, by the way, and I think it’s my favourite clothing item ever, my summer staple for the second year running now. 🙂
I agree that they are pricy – I can’t afford to buy anything from them at full price, it’s the sales or the archive section for me (no stores in my country, thank goodness they offer free shipping in Europe!). And eBay, of course, for those items that sell out before the price drops low enough for me. On the other hand, compared to the usual highstreet fare, you do get so much more in both design and the quality of the actual garment. Case in point, this same skirt, if you lift it up and examine the construction, it’s really quite complicated – much more than just a hitched up hem here’n there to achieve the shape. And while I’d -love- to be able to buy All Saints at a lower price, I’m just not sure how realistic it would be for them to drop prices measurably, while retaining the current quality. And like you said, it’s a niche market already. Perhaps the answer lies in focusing more aggressively on web sales, and find innovative ways to do so. Something like this, to lessen the guesswork in choosing your size, for just one example – http://www.technobuffalo.com/news/fits-me-lets-you-virtually-try-on-clothing/
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Thanks so much for such a thorough comment. I’ve noticed they’ve been doing their work on the online side of things, with a lot of Twitter presence promoting their store in the UK but also on the US side. I really REALLY hope they don’t disappear, I do like them a lot 🙂
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