Guess who was spotted going out to eat in NYC on Sunday night? Hint: She will start working on a new movie next month.
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The general Forever 21 consumer sees the retail chain as a trendy affordable place to shop, however radar magazine recently took readers inside Forever 21 and their many piracy disputes. This includes huge lawsuits from Diane von Furstenberg, and Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers.
Does Forever21 look to gain from making making off of other people’s designs?
L: DVF dress R: Forever21′s copy |
StealstyleThe company has no famous designers or ad budget, nor a single public relations flack. Yet its revenue topped $1 billion in 2006, catapulting Forever 21 into the ranks of the top 500 privately held companies in the United States.
In just five years, it has quadrupled in size, crushing competitors like Rampage and Gadzooks—and is putting the squeeze on mighty retailers like the Gap. In 2001, the house that khakis built posted a $7.7 million loss, while Forever 21 boasted 64 percent growth in revenue thanks to 36 new stores sprinkled across the country.
How did an operation founded by poor Korean immigrants and headquartered in L.A.’s sweatshop district so rapidly become a player in an industry dominated by huge European conglomerates? Its founders chalk it all up to hard work and a frugal corporate culture. Others allege outright design theft. In the past year, the company has faced more than two dozen federal lawsuits for piracy, brought by labels including Anna Sui, Diane von Furstenberg, and Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers, along with a raft of fabric manufacturers.
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( American Blackout Trailer )
Check out the trailer for the 2006 documentary American Blackout, which chronicles the 2004 re-election of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney to the U.S. House of Representatives and discusses issues surrounding alleged voter disenfranchisement and the use of voting machines in both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.
The film is being screened nationally. Visit American Blackout for showtimes. You can also view the documentary in its entirety on Google. (Thanks Niaa for the tip!)
Concrete Loop hopes you’ve already registered to vote, but just in case you haven’t, Declare Yourself today!
Should any problems arise at your polling place, visit Smart Voter which provides numerous resources available to you within your state. You can also call the national hotline regarding voting irregularities: 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
( Photos: Wireimage )
Spike Lee, Hilary Swank and Wesley Snipes pose for photos at the 80th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday in Hollywood. Since, Ruby Dee was the only black celebrity to be nominated in any of the major categories this year, I didn’t really watch the awards show like that. You can peep the full winner’s list here though.
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