Breaking My Silence About American Classics at Wal-Mart
A few years, ago I was speaking at a university about entrepreneurship, taking responsibility, financial empowerment, and spiritual matters (usual subjects for me). During my speech a student interrupted and challenged me with a question, "If you want students to have priorities and make better choices, why do you sell your denim for 90 bucks?" He went on to ask, "Are we to assume that if we don't have $90 jeans we aren't cool?" I didn't quite know how to address that question since the campaigns I had waged seemed to imply just that.
While I am addicted to fun exclusive fashion items, I am also steadfast on the concept that I founded my first and second fashion companies on "classic American flava." That is the simple understated elegance that always defined my mentor Tommy Hilfiger, and other inspirations like Ralph Lauren,. And, while I am not one who cares if I have a horse or a special emblem on my pique shirt or on my 5-pocket jeans for that matter, I am one who likes the right wash on my denim or wash and fabric in my classic pique.
Most of what I have bought or borrowed as inspiration for American Classics has been so simple that, produced in mass quantities, the price can be made accessible to everyone who's interested in better choices, giving people like that student and others the option to look cool without spending a lot of money.
American Classics is meant to reflect classic style for everyone. So when I notice that WWD and others have described my American Classics line as urban, for those writers you have to ask yourself, what defines my line as urban? Their definition of urban seems almost to be a bad word and is certainly a confining one. My intention is to dress America without limitation. My designs speak for themselves and make clear that intention. We had tremendous success with Phat Fashions expanding into bedding, fragrances, lingerie, shoes and children's apparel. This kind of expansion is our plan with American Classics.
American Classics speaks to the new American culture that is unified, integrated, and moves as one force dedicated to uplifting each other. Respectfully, American Classics is for those people who shop at Wal-Mart who are interested making fashion-forward sophisticated choices.
Right after that inspirational challenge at the university and long before there was an economic crisis to speak of, I embarked on my mission of giving all Americans a competitive edge in fashion. It has given me great satisfaction, and giving Americans more for less is a challenge I am up for. In fact, designing American Classics has been a real pleasure. The merchandising and imagery around American Classics are what I envision or wish for all Americans and for all of the human family. I don't believe that American Classics is for people who make less but it is for people who are smart with what they make.
I hope you enjoy.
Russell Simmons
For more, got to globalGrind
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I won't buy stuff from Walmart..w
I do not shop at Walmart, and simply for principal, and yes it is hard to find things made in the USA. I have been looking for new dishes a long time, and still haven't found what I am looking for made in the USA.
My teenage son is approaching the age of brand name shopping, and sometimes I will buy a popular brand if I like the quality, i.e. shoes, but just because everybody else has it, that is not a good reason in my house. I realize that is swimming against the stream, but lucky for me we have a recession now, and many of these s l a v e parents who simply buy anything for their kids, well they have to learn how to say NO also, and my son will not be alone out there in the no brand name fashion world.
Right now I try to shop a lot at Sears, I do want to do my part not to let them go under. I like that they still give benefits to their employees and they hire older people as well, at least I see older sales clerks. Yes, we can make a big difference by voting with our feet on who will survive this economic downturn. I know that even without my support Walmart will make it through these times, on the backs of poor people in poor countries that work for pennies a day. I wish we had international unions...
As far as Wal-Mart goes, tell me what clothing manufacturers has clothes made in the USA? Ralph Lauren? No. Tommy Hilfiger? No. The vast majority of clothing the majority of Americans wear is manufactured in China, Nicaragua, Korea, Philippines, El Salvador, India, Taiwan and Mexico. If those of you don’t have a Wal-Mart in your home town then I can understand you not shopping there but if there is one there I don’t believe any of you are not shopping there, most of you are not that conscientious when it comes to spending money.
....but if there is one there I don"t believe any of you are not shopping there, most of you are not that conscientious when it comes to spending money.....
..... what an arrogant presumption and judgmental statement. How can you presume to know what one's shopping habits are or are not without knowing that individual intimately?
My city has several Wal-marts and I can honestly say my husband and I haven't stepped foot in one in over two years. We made a decision back then we couldn't support Wal-mart's policies, treatment of their employees and manufacters. Saving a few cents isn't worth it.
Wal-Mart causes small local businesses to shut down. They pay their employees extremely low wages, many employees don't have affordable health insurance and have to rely on state subsidized health insurance programs, and other public assistance. Wal Mart has been found responsible for violating environmental laws and labor laws. Many Wal Mart employees and their families live in poverty, while the Walton family makes billions off their labor. Wal Mart is everything that's wrong with America. Watch the movie "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of a Low Price." I refuse to ever shop at Wal Mart.
What makes you think mom and pop pay such wonderful wages and provide health insurance? None of them I have worked for EVER did. Glad you don't shop at Walmart ,I don't either, but they do fill a need for people that are not wealthy and need affordable items for their families. If you don't like our capitalist system chose another country.
That does not make sense, if all people who do not like this capitalist society leave, then what will the capitalist do? Example London, the city has become too expensive for regular people like teachers, nurses, sales clerks etc, to live in. Why should those who chose a profession that does not make one rich leave the country?
Before you make comments like this please do research! Wal-Mart has affordable clothing because they squeeze the American fashion companies where they can't possibly make any profits. this in return puts designers and sales people out of work. It's so deep you have no idea.. Only a few can survive under their current pricing structures
Sadly, Walmart has over 1/3 more employees, who get their healthcare through government run, taxpayer financed programs, than any other retailer.
In the long run, Walmart does not save the average comsumer money, if you include the extra taxes they pay to subsidize Walmarts low prices.
Russell Simmons: Respectfully, American Classics is for those people who shop at Wal-Mart who are interested making fashion-forward sophisticated choices.
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It's about time someone stood up for us fashion forward sophisticated Walmart shoppers.
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Russell Simmons: Right after that inspirational challenge at the university and long before there was an economic crisis to speak of, I embarked on my mission of giving all Americans a competitive edge in fashion.
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Thank God. We've been losing our competitive edge for a long time. Now, at last, we can get it back again.
$90 for a pair of jeans when I can go to the local thrift store and buy a pair for $1.00 and in the process I am recyling and saving money. When I could afford $90 jeans, I didn't buy them. I wore clothes from the thrift stores then.
HOW can you be associated with WalMart and not know their labor practices? How can you present the "American Classics" line of BS knowing what you have to know about them? ANd are those "American Classics" made in America? Are you providing any jobs for people in the United States with your "American Classic" line? I just know that those clothes (and the rest of your stuff) are being made in a foreign country for a teensy fraction of what you make.
Please!
You failed to mention that you are paying $40,000.00 a month in child support for each child you lost in
your divorce. How many pairs of jeans does that take?
I'd rather buy Karl Kani. Real hip-hop. Phat Farm is for herbs.
If Warmart were the last shop left standing on earth, I'd go in, take one of those free plastic knives at the snack stand, and stab myself. All while not wearing American Classics made in a slum somewhere.
I have no argument with your fashion philosophy, Mr. Simmons, but how do your concerns for "entrepreneurship, taking responsibility, financial empowerment, and spiritual matters" mesh with a Wal-Mart partnership?
This is a corporation unparalleled in its destructiveness to local entrepreneurs and its exploitation of suppliers, employees, the communities in which it operates and taxpayers forced to bear the cost of health care for their poorly compensated workforce. They're even standing in the way of proper port security, lest inspections slow their deliveries by a day -- while continually pushing to become a bank, too, and leading the grillionaires' charge against unions and estate tax.
I simply don't see how you can justify placing a line called "American Classics" in stores run by a company that does such violence to every American value except pursuit of profit.
I wouldn't shop there on a bet, nor would almost everyone I know. Not that they're missing us, with annual takings that exceed the GDP of all but a few nations.
If anyone sees me walking into a Wal*Mart, please run me over with your car.
and K-mart and target and numerous other retail stores
Do American's really need more "stuff" for less? Really? How about American's getting back to doing more stuff with and for each other and buying less. Buy good quality but less stuff. And buy union. I don't want stuff made by child slaves in foreign countries.
Mr. Simmons,
Wow. You're really a very cool guy in many ways. But my respect for you just plummeted.
"Breaking Your Silence"? In what way, exactly? Would that be admitting that by doing this deal with Walmart, you're supporting the crushing of small businesses will be crushed by that monopoly, but reasonable prices make this worthwhile?
Or maybe admitting that though Walmart employs a lot of people, including many minorities, these jobs suck?
Or you're breaking your silence to admit that this isn't sustainable?
Or are you just going for more free publicity? I would guess the latter.
I will be sure not to buy those "American Classics".
If it's not American-made, stop calling it an American Classic.
Amen. I mean American.
The best way to save people money is to sell the designs along with a kit of raw materials and let people follow the directions and start to learn to fend for themselves. An alternative is to let people purchase their own materials to make the clothing. Then they can play with the materials and the designs and create truly individual creations.
I'm serious. We'd be better off if we did our own manufacturing in our homes. A lot of us no longer have jobs anyway. May as well develop hobbies that offer some useful item when the work is done.
May as well manufacture our own automobiles too while we're at it.
And we could refine our own oil for those homemade automobiles.
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