With the closure of the Forth & Towne outlets, Gap Inc. continues to swing in the violent and fickle winds of fashion. The only house brand that seems able to hold its own is Banana Republic. Every other brand in the stable saw marginal increases as measured by in-store sales - but only because of aggressive marketing and discounts.

Just goes to show you: even when you’ve managed to make a connection with an entire generation of consumers, there is a recipe for ruining a good thing. It’s:

1. commoditize your signature items: khakis and cotton shirts,
2. create a downmarket brand that cannabilizes your core client base, and then
3. drown your customers in brand advertising.
4. Oh, and dry to grasp for the high ground by bringing in expensive celebrity spokesheads. Sarah Jessica Parker?

One of the commenters on StyleDash points out that Forth & Towne, a brand aimed at the (slightly) older demographic of female shopper, actually spells the acronym “F.A.T”.  Hrrmmm.

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