Why Did Tavi Leave Fashion?: At 11-years-old, Tavi Gevinson was the fashion world’s youngest obsession—her blog, Style Rookie, led her to be invited to cover international Fashion Weeks, meet Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour, and be the center of fashion attention as she transformed into the now 18-year-old feminist editor-in-chief of Rookie magazine and soon-to-be Broadway star. But why did she decide to leave the fashion world behind? “I was like, ‘This is so goofy: We’re watching people wear clothes.’” [Rolling Stone]
You'll Soon Be Able to Dress Like Barbie: For generations, young children have been captivated by Barbie (no matter how many controversies she’s had). And some people in the fashion industry want to make sure her legacy lives on well into adulthood. Lord & Taylor, Wildfox, and Forever 21 are using the iconic doll as inspiration for a new line of clothes. “We have fans of Barbie of all ages, and many girls that once played with them have grown up,” Mattel’s senior vice president Jessica Dunne said. “We really wanted to make sure that we put together consumer approaches that reached all ages.” [WWD]
Net-A-Porter’s Bizarre First Name: When Natalie Massenet was naming her growing e-commerce business, the original name she had in mind for Net-A-Porter was far from chic: “What’s New Pussycat?” “My lawyer said I couldn’t call it What’s New, Pussycat? For legal reasons, so I had to find a new name,” Massenet told 032c.com. “I took my WWD dictionary and went from A to P: prêt-à-porter. Net-a-Porter. That name meant a lot. I couldn’t sell my friend’s Pashmina scarves anymore. It had to be the real stuff. It had to be prêt-à-porter.” [032c.com]
Steve Madden Acquires Dolce Vita: On Thursday, the shoe retailer announced that it acquired Dolce Vita Holdings, a privately-held parent company of multiple footwear lines, including Dolce Vita, DV by Dolce Vita, DV8, and J.D. Fisk. The purchase, which amounts to $60.3 million in cash, comes just months after Steve Madden purchased Brian Atwood, adding to an expanding portfolio, as Steven Madden execs are looking to acquire even more companies. [Fashionista]