Is Kellwood Under Water?

I figured I'd ramp things back up here ahead of the holiday buying rush, but damn, nobody's checking for Baby Phat.  At all.  I did a Google search and nothing but a bunch of junk returns and old links to the brand's heyday when Kimora was still at the helm.  I did a Google search for Kellwood and oh my have things gotten interesting over there. 

First, in my neglect here, I missed the news that Jill Granoff, former CEO of Kenneth Cole, is now in our pal Michael Kramer's old job.  She's already shaking things up and I have a feeling that there aren't enough fingers to plug the dam over there.  Hilariously, I believe Kellwood is glad that most of the fashion trade press has pretty much left them to their devices while they "reorganize".  But, the St. Louis media keeps right on reporting what's happening.  Like this, Report:  Kellwood Co. Considering IPO for Vince Brand in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Let's discuss.  Shall we? We shall.

Is This the End?

Are we still boycotting? Of COURSE we are!  The holiday season is upon us and I think it's only fitting that I ramp things back up here.  Let's hope this is finally the end for the brand we all knew and loved for so long.  It will be bittersweet, but it's time.  Kellwood, you guys lasted longer than I expected, but then I'm sure I've lasted longer than you all thought I would as well.  Teehee  That's how mutual loathing works out sometime.  Funny. 

Walmart (primary home to most Baby Phat products these days) has layaway again and I feel like I'm very far behind here. I should have been screaming from the internet rooftops weeks ago.  I'm sure a lot of people have already purchased those shoddy threads.  I wonder if they ever pause to think about how expensive and how much more superior in quality Baby Phat used to be?  I hope so.  Anyway, I'm off to play tennis and get a facial.  Research and...information sharing...later.  I know you guys are excited, Kellwood.  Me too. --Sugar

Penney's Michael Kramer Wants His Old Thing Back?

Michael Kramer, former CEO of Kellwood Company

I haven't blogged here much lately.  Gosh, it seems like I've been writing that more and more lately and that certainly wasn't my intention.  But, things have been a little crazy and I haven't been able to give this enough focus.  I decided to check the stats here and lo and behold, what do I spy with my little Baby Phat hating eye?  Looks like our old pal, Michael Kramer, forrmer Chief Executive Office at Kellwood Company, the goons who own Baby Phat and who so disrespectfully ended the relationship with Kimora Lee Simmons, can't get his old place of business off his mind.

Imagine my shock when I saw this in the stats?:

(Click to enlarge)

Maybe he knows his days are numbered at J.C. Penney, what with the way he and the new crew have f*cked things up over there., and he's hoping to be able to weasel his way back in to Kellwood somehow.  Seems he'd have enough on his plate at Penney's and not enough time to spend Googling a little blog dedicated to showing just how greedy and nasty they are at Kellwood Company.  But, maybe not and maybe that's why Penney's is sinking like the Titanic.  It could also be dumb statements like this from Penney's new COO, Michael Kramer when asked about the decision to do away with the coupons that working mothers and grandmothers have come to depend upon from J.C. Penney. (This statement after a dismal earnings report from Penney's):

"We did not realize how deep some of the customers were into this," noted COO Michael Kramer about couponing. "We've got to wean them off this and educate our consumers."

"Wean them off"?  Such a fool.  So out of touch.  So just...awful.  In this horrible economy, you do away with coupons at a store that is known for a coupon, at a time when whole reality shows are being built around...couponing?  Do yourself a favor and read this whole Huffington Post article from May about these morons -- Kramer and the new CEO at Penney's, Ron Johnson.  Two absolute idiots.  If Johnson is taking his direction from Kramer, we can all pretty much predict what's next...goodbye Penney's.  Hey, maybe Penney's and Baby Phat will officially close on the same day because Penney's is really plummeting quicker than I'm sure anybody could have ever predicted.  When you bring new people in, they are supposed to move things in a positive direction, not straight to bankruptcy court.

Fashion Police Needs Kimora!

A couple weeks ago, Kimora Lee Simmons was a guest host on E! Fashion Police and again, she was a smash hit!  She posted the video below at her website, KLS.com and it's so cute.  I'm truly glad that Guiliana Rancic made it through her cancer diagnosis and is now on to becoming a mommy. I think that's just great.  But, in the meantime and between time, I say KLSH is the perfect addition to the team.  She brings a fresh perspective, she's hilarious and she is the fashionista of all fashionistas.  I mean, let's be real here. 

So, Ms. Joan Rivers and crew, please consider making our girl at least a long-term temporary replacement if not....ahem...a long-term permanent replacement for our dear Giuliana.  The viewers love Kimora and hell, you could use a little extra melanin up there on the set.  Come on, Joan!  We'll be watching. --Sugar

Kimora Stars in New KLS Rush Card Commercial

From www.kls.com

Just one new chapter after another and I love it.  Monday, May 7th new KLS Rush Card commercials, starring Kimora Lee Simmons, started hitting the airwaves and there is a consensus -- she rocks!  Check the commercial out below and be sure to head over to her site for additional details about the new card and where you can see the spot on the telly!  On to the next one! Suckas! --Sugar

Baby Phat's Website Goes POOF!

Every time I take my eyes off these idiots, something big happens.  I logged on here last night to take a quick look around when I noticed that there were a few comments awaiting moderation.  One of them blew me away!  It said that the Baby Phat website was gone. Poof!  Exists no more. Vanished into thin air.  Gone.  When I read the comment, I thought, "No way. What is this?" Then, I checked, and it's true! 

This is what you see now when you go to www.babyphat.com:

Click to enlarge

"Check out our new digs."  Gosh, they have no respect for the intelligence of their customers.  Just none.  Who do they think they're fooling?  The "new digs"?  You're in the death throes, and if you think that your customers and those laughing at you from afar don't know that, you are sadly mistaken.

It seems they've worked out some kind of deal to have Macy's host their products solely on their site, but what does this mean? Has Macy's now become part owner?  I'm going to take some time to do some digging this weekend, but I think we can get our black dresses ready because this bitch is about to die. 

I told you fools that this would happen. I told you that you should have handled your thing with Kimora better than you did and we all know that you've been reading.  I have the records to show.  Maybe if you'd just apologized and given Kimora a proper send-off and not tried to treat customers like some damn dummies, even after the initial screw up, you might have been able to save yourselves this embarassment, but you didn't listen to me.  You wanted to convince yourselves that I was just some nut with a laptop.  Ohhhh, but I'm not and it seems that with each passing month, you are having to face that fact more and more, huh? Well, kiss my ass and get to typing up that press release and strategizing how you're going to announce that Baby Phat is no more.  How long now? About 6 to 9 months?

I'm glad that Kimora has moved on and that she's doing even bigger and better things because Kellwood Company is a brand killer.  You guys suck and you get exactly what you deserve. --Sugar

Happy Birthday Kimora!

Another year, more milestones, more blessings!  It seems like I only just posted a message with birthday wishes to the Queen of Fabulosity yesterday, but here we are again.  I would like to not get all sappy and cheesy, and I hope that I won't in this post, but if I do dear reader, please forgive me.

Kimora Lee Simmons Hounsou!? I hope that today and this entire weekend is a great one for you.  I don't know if you care about your birthday much anymore.  I really don't care that much about my own, but some people really go all out for the day.  If you're one of those people, I hope you enjoy it.

So much has happened in a year and I pray that even better things are in store in the year ahead.  You've been such an inspiration to so many at such a young age, with so many people depending on you for this thing and the other and expecting this thing and the other from you.  I hope that somewhere you get some relief from it all.  I really, really hope so.

I love you dearly (something that still baffles my rational mind, yet here we are lol) and if there's anything I can ever do to help with anything, let me know.  --Sugar