Marketing and all things related

Marketing Blurb does not worry much about fashion. But if our job depended on suppling what women want, we would be panicked. And the folks at Gap are nervous too, because their three largest brands, Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic are all posting the largest quarterly declines in four years. But help is on the way—maybe. Gap is about to launch a new brand called—are you ready—Madewell. According to The Wall Street Journal (paid subscription required,) Madewell will be high-quality women’s clothes focused on wardrobe staples like T-shirts and jeans and will be priced 20% to 30% lower than J. Crew, putting it in direct competition with the Gap brand. Fortunately, our wife and our girlfriend are already dressed beautifully.