Fast fashion’s slow death, Loyalty discounts, Gilt’s Goldman boost, Social media ROI, Pierre Cardin's singularity

Fast Fashion | Source: Sydney Loves Fashion

Why fast fashion is slow death for the planet (Guardian)
"With high-street chains churning out fresh designs every few weeks, we now buy more cheap clothes than ever before. But as Lucy Siegle reveals in her hard-hitting new book To Die For, it's a trend that will cost us far more than we imagine."

Why Pay Full Price? (WSJ)
"Neiman Marcus's loyalty program, InCircle, is a credit card that... allows the retailer to keep track of purchases, as well as shopping frequency and any cross-shopping among its brands. The loyalty program 'can retain customers, it can get new customers, it could win back anybody who has lapsed.'"

Goldman and Softbank invest in Gilt (FT)
"Goldman Sachs and Softbank of Japan are at the head of a group of investors providing $138m in financing to Gilt Groupe... The new financing supports estimates valuing Gilt at about $1bn... 'It's a stamp of approval, a sign that Gilt is doing the right thing.'"

Fashion Brands Attempt To Assess Social Media's ROI (Thread NY)
"Fashion brands are beginning to assess their return on investment (ROI) for engaging on Twitter, Facebook and blogging. Some brands are certainly finding more success than others—and many are left shaking their heads about what works and what doesn't."

The fashion god who brought his message to the streets (Independent)
"It was Pierre Cardin, 88 – who this week announced he was putting his business up for sale (for €1bn, or £880m) – who opened those doors, inventing the franchise, a fashion directive that has changed the face of consumer culture. 'Everything is Pierre Cardin.'"