Sneak Peak of Kendall and Kylies Swimwear Line

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 Earlier this week Kendall and Kylie Jenner hinted on snapchat that their swimwear line is on the way. After Kylie posted pictures and videos of them on set in the soon to be released bathing suits Jenner then also posted a picture on Instagram captioning it, "Shooting Kendall&Kylie swimwear for Topshop coming soooon"
  The neon yellow bathing suit had a lining of a thick black elastic that read Kendall and Kylie around the lining of the swimsuit. The style of the swim suits correlate to their line that they already have made for Topshop.
  These fashionistas have really done it all. Just adding to their collection the bathing suits were really the last thing to add to their list. They are trying to catch up to their Kardashian sisters as quickly as possible.
 A date for the release of the swim suit line is still to be determined.

IVY PARK Launching at Nordstrom

PICTURE BY AMBER SMITHSON

  Beyonce in the same two weeks as her new album lemonade she released her new athletic line, Ivy Park. The collection is exclusively being sold in Topshop and Nordstrom and hit the stores April 15th. After partnering up with Sir Phillip Green Beyonce created a line that reflects herself and what she enjoys wearing when working out and dancing.
  The brand is a mix of all workout clothes including sweatshirts, tank tops and bodysuits. One of Beyonce's favorites is the signature seaming system of the line's leggings. They come in three tiers of shapes, "I" (low rise), "V" (mid-rise), "Y"(high-rise).
   The brand was rumored for a year and a half before Beyonce gave word to the release date. All the anticipation created the line to get great advertisement and the line on launch day sold out in most stores across the country. 
  Taylor Alexander is the women's trend manager at Nordstrom and is in control of TBD, BP and Topshop. Alexander had information on the brand before the release and was there on the launch day at Nordstrom, Irvine Spectrum. 

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What do you personally think of the brand Ivy Park?
  
"I was expecting the brand to be a lot more expensive than it was. The quality of the garments are great and so far the customers have been very happy with the product. The design of the leggings and sports bras are different to most other brands which I think the customers enjoy. Beyonce put her own flair on the clothes for sure."

What items of the collection sold the quickest?

"The most popular items were definitely the ones with the 'Ivy Park' logo written on them. For example a simple white t shirt with the logo on the front was what we sold out of first. I guess customers wanted others to know that they were wearing the brand."



Do you know the reason Beyonce named the collection Ivy Park?

"Actually before the collection was released we received an email of information that told us. The reason that she named it Ivy Park was after her daughter whose name is Blue Ivy and then the park is a place that Beyonce used to go for relaxation. She would go to the park to work out and reflect on life. I believe that it was a very special place so that is where she got the name Ivy Park."

What was the launch day like at Nordstrom?

"Well our store is not the busiest out of the Nordstrom's in Southern California but we had a lot of traffic that day asking about the brand. A lot of people came specifically to buy from the collection and were all very excited when they saw how cute it was."

What pieces of the collection would you recommend to customers?

"My favorite was by far the work out leggings. The three different lengths and rise are a great idea and there is a perfect fit for everyone. All of the other sales associates agreed with me on that one. Another great piece is the over size sweat shirt, it is plain and simple but super comfortable and its Beyonce's brand, you can not go wrong with anything. 


Beyonce also released a video for the launch of the brand to give fans an insight to her inspiration for making the line. The video is of her swimming, dancing, and working out in the brand. The message "strong is sexy" is projected throughout the video and she speaks about where she got the name of the brand from.

Kendall And Kylie Line now in Neiman Marcus

   These girls are at it again, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, sisters of the Kardashian clan have just released their new clothing line into Neiman Marcus. After other collaborations with Pacsun and Topshop, Kendall and Kylie have branched off to do an exclusive line of their own for the department store.    

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   This nine piece collection is part of their spring collection and is at a price ranging from $100 to $1000 dollars. The girls celebrated the their line by attending a launch party in L.A. last Thursday at the Peninsula Hotel. 
   Both girls attended the party wearing pieces of the collection. Kendall wearing a black silk midi skirt and striped crop top, while Kylie was in a "Mid-rise Carwash Skirt" and short sleeved cropped top. Both outfits ranging around $650. 
   The sisters celebrated their line with close friends of theirs plus their Mom Kris Jenner and Neiman Marcus' fashion director Ken Downing. Downing helped the girls go in the right direction for the Neiman Marcus customer. 
   "When we started working on our spring ready-to-wear line, we knew we had to do exclusive looks for the Neiman Marcus shopper" Kylie said in a press release to fashionista. "We paid a lot of attention to the fabrics and silhouettes" 
   For those of you who are interested on getting your hands on this exclusive line it is available online and in 47 Neiman Marcus Stores. 

Stance raises $30M

   The local San Clemente based sock company Stance Inc. received $30 million this week in series D funding by Mercato partners in Salt Lake City with participation from August Capital, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, Menlo Ventures, Shasta Ventures, and Sherpa Capital. This brings the company’s total amount of investment to $86 million to date.

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   The money will help the company expand and "to continue its rapid growth and expansion into strategic, direct-to-consumer initiatives,” said Mercato to Orange County Business Journal. 
  

THE BELOVED NORDSTROM RETURN POLICY HAS CHANGED

PICTURE BY AMBER SMITHSON

   As most frequent Nordstrom shoppers know or even if you are not you have heard, Nordstrom takes anything back. For as long as Nordstrom has been running they are most well known for their customer service and return policy. Basically if you have worn it, used it, had it for years bring it back to Nordstrom because they will give you a refund.    
   
   The new return policy will now only allow you to return to the same tender that an item was purchased with, or a gift card. No cash unless purchased with cash and has a receipt to prove it. 
  As well as be able to bring anything back, the best part was receiving your refund in cash. Most other retailers will offer you store credit or a 30 day refund. Maybe this is what is driving most of their sales because people agree that knowing you can bring it back makes you want to buy it more.
   "One of my favorite things about Nordstrom is being able to buy items, take them home, try them on and if they don't work I can bring them back at anytime and get any kind of refund I would like." Said Kenley Cummings a regular customer at the Nordstrom in Irvine Spectrum. 
  The convenience of being able to purchase something without trying it on and bringing it back at anytime is great for people on a tight schedule. Also if you had already paid off that credit card that you purchased your items with just have the money put back on a debit card of your choice or cold hard cash. 
  "I also love the customer service. Anytime I explained that I would like it put on a different card due to various reasons they would do it with no questions asked" Said Cummings.
  Clearly others agree that this is why they love shopping at Nordstrom. So why are they changing it?
Maybe due to the other competitive retailers and their return policy or maybe because they are just loosing money giving out so much cash. 
  "One of the main reasons we have changed the return policy is due to the frequent fraudulent activity that we have with credit cards." Said Ann, a customer service representative at Nordstrom, Irivne.
  Basically too many people are buying merchandise on a fake credit card and returning for cash. Also the company is just loosing money by the minute when people constantly return their items for a refund. 
  Nordstrom has posted the return policy in writing on their website so that no customers can be upset when they try to say 'but last time I did this' The customer service team did explain they will do as much as they can to help a customers who have maybe lost a receipt and would like it back on their original tender and they would be happy to do so.

Bloomy's joining Orange Outlets

   The Outlets at Orange said they would be adding a Bloomingdale’s, which currently has a 120-person tenant lineup. Other stores that are currently there include Saks Fifth Avenue OFF FIFTH, Nieman Marcus Last Call, Nordstrom Rack, Lucky Stripes Lanes, and AMC Movie Theater. The 24,000-foot store is said to be added by the holiday season. 

   "The outlets at Orange is attractive center with excellent traffic" Bloomingdale's Chairman and Chief Executive Tony Spring said in a statement to the Orange County Business Journal. "It provides a great context for the great value, savings and style delivered at Bloomingdale's Outlets." 

   The Bloomingdales Outlet store is going to the 17th opening and will offer a range of their full line products for a discounted price. The products will range from women's clothes and accessories, mens, and jewelry and handbags. For many people this will be a great addition to the Outlets at Orange.

   "I am excited that the Bloomingdales Outlet is going to be added to the Outlets at Orange because I feel that is the only department store that is missing from the bunch." Said a local customer of the area. 

  Development plans are on the way and the building is currently in planning also. The great timing of the grand opening is sure going to attract more shoppers this holiday season.

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Target raises pay to $10 an hour

   The employees at target have just had their wages raised to $10 an hour this week. Pressured by other competitive job market this is the second raise that target has given their employees this year. Target has let their workers know if they are receiving less than $10 an hour now they will see their wages go up in May.

   "I'm happy that my wage went up, but I still think California minimum wage should be $15 an hour" Said an employee of Target, Mission Viejo.

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   Target are also planning on raising the wage of people that are making over $10 a hour depending  on their position in the company will determine when that will be. 

  The pay rise for Target employees may put pressure on the earnings for Target while they are investing billions of dollars into new upgrades to help with stock problems and renovations they are putting into upgrading their stores. 

TOMS creative idea of shoes for election season

PICTURE FROM TOMS 

   
  There are many ways you can show your support for your favorite party this election season but why not just show us with your feet. TOMS have recently released their new line of elections themed shoes to do just that. The shoes do not just come with a simple red, white and blue but with Republican elephants or Democratic donkeys.
  The shoes are also sold in a more dressier look for the women with a wedge heel and a charm that hangs of the side with a tiny monkey or elephant. The charms are removable and can be worn on each shoe so you can customize your look. The shoes range from the price of $39 to $119.

PICTURE FROM TOMS

  

  TOMS have even gone as far as creating a tote bag with different political prints as well. How much support to do you want to show for your favorite election party this year?

RIRI'S FAUX FUR SLIDES SOLD OUT IN MINUTES

   Rihanna announced a couple of weeks ago that she would be releasing a pair a faux fur sandals as part of her latest footwear project with Puma. The sandal that is priced at $80 that come in the colors, black, white and shell not only sold out but they sold out within minutes and people were not too happy about it. 

PICTURE FROM THESOURCE.COM

  
  

   The multiple stores that carried the sandal were, Puma, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Madison and Zappos. The large orders that came in through the Nordstrom left people disappointed when they believed to have purchased the shoes and later received an email from Nordstrom explaining they did not have enough product to send out. 

   The sandal is now all over Ebay being sold for more to the people that really want to get their hands on them. And the ones that don't have them, well they are just angry according to these tweets. 

VIA TWITTER

Sports Chalet gone for good!

     The Southern California based Sport Chalet has just annonnced everything must go as they close their store doors for good. The company let their customers know that the closing of the store would begin and online sales would stop on April 16th. 
    "We're closing. Thank you for 57 great years,"  Said Sport Chalet in an email to their customers.

POSTED BY DMUSGROVE (Daily News)

      No closing date has been confirmed, "several weeks" the memo said. 
      Other Sports retailers have also been facing problems and in March 2016 the much larger chain Sports Authority filed for Bankruptcy protection and planned to close over 140 stores.
   The company made sure to let everyone know on their website that gift cards and merchandise credits would be available to use until May 15th, 2016 and if they were unable to go to a store before then they can transfer the balance to one of their sister stores, Eastern Mountain Sports, or Bob Stores.