Style Ledger

LONDON RELAUNCHES ITS MENSWEAR FASHION WEEK, BREXIT CASTS SHADOW. The event first launched in 2012 as three days of catwalk shows known as London Collections: Men, but rebranded this year as London Fashion Week Men’s running over four days. [REUTERS]

COULD AMERICAN APPAREL BECOME AMAZON APPAREL? For the past 18 months or more, Amazon has quietly rolled out a line of private label menswear, womenswear, handbags, and children’s clothes under seven different brand names, and has hired sourcing managers for its growing private label team. [FORBES]  

CREATION, OR JUST MORE PRODUCT? In Milan, instead, save for a bunch noteworthy exceptions…it looked like most designers and fashion houses have given up their role altogether, ditching the pursuit of genuinely new ideas for mere product design. [BUSINESSOFFASHION]

H&M EARNINGS DECLINE ON WEAKEST SALES GROWTH IN THREE YEARS. A cold, rainy spring has added to the challenges faced by European retailers as consumers curb spending on clothing. Still, the weather didn’t stop Zara owner Inditex SA reporting a 6 percent increase in earnings in the three months through April, aided by its fast distribution system. [BLOOMBERG]

OUT OF FASHION: HOW MEN COULD FALL OFF THE CATWALK. Fashion shows are not as cost-effective as they once were and that the industry has to pay greater attention to costs as world demand for luxury goods has weakened. Social media is also heavily influencing the industry, speeding up demand for new products but also allowing fashion brands to reach out to potential customers more directly and inexpensively. [REUTERS]

MENSWEAR: FIVE TRENDS TO LOOK OUT FOR NEXT YEAR. The Tuscan city’s menswear trade show, Pitti Immagine Uomo, is buzzy again. From sportswear to suits, this is the lowdown. [GUARDIANUK]

CAN FACIALS AND FITNESS REVIVE MACY’S? On June 25, the struggling department store chain will unveil a new prototype in a renovated store at the Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio, filled with lifestyle shops that play up services. [FORBES]

UNIQLO’S SEARCH FOR SELF…AND GLOBAL DOMINANCE. In the overcrowded, highly competitive casual fashion market, size is important but no guarantee of success: analysts say Uniqlo’s challenge is to carve out a brand identity of its own, going beyond its formula of delivering no-nonsense quality at good prices [ASSOCIATED PRESS]

RALPH LAUREN TO CUT 1,000 JOBS AND SHUT SHOPS. Ralph Lauren, like some other luxury brands, has been struggling amid sluggish spending on luxury apparel and accessories. The company’s margins have taken a knock as department stores discount heavily to get rid of excess inventory. [REUTERS]

CALLED OUT FOR COPYING, CHANEL DOES THE RIGHT THING. Intellectual property in fashion is notoriously hard to protect, as the constant “homages” to runway looks that appear in fast-fashion retailers attest. Brands have become more aggressive in trying to protect their work, but it remains a murky area. [NYT]

GO PRO’S FIRST DRONE, DUE OUT IN 2016, WILL BE CALLED KARMA. If you are a GoPro investor, Karma should probably give you positive energy. And such good mojo is much needed, as Wall Street recently soured on the company after the GoPro Hero4 Session mini camera fell short of expectations. [ADWEEK]

SWATCH IS SECRETLY STOCKPILING PATENTS. Swatch is developing mobile payment capabilities for watches based on technology similar to that in touch-enabled bank cards. The company says early next year it will introduce a $90 watch called the Bellamy that can be used to make electronic payments at stores. [BUSINESSWEEK]

WHAT ROUGH QUARTER AT LANDS END TEACHES US ABOUT THE CLOTHING BUSINESS. Competitors continued to offer the eye-popping discounts that have been de rigueur since the recession, shoppers balked when they didn’t see those types of offers at Lands’ End. [WASHINGTON POST]