Ok, so I haven't spent a lot of time in department stores the past three years, having moved away from the 'burbs... but I went into my old Neiman's this weekend, and it really hit me there's been a mass designer switch out. I thought it was just the new Neiman's carrying different designers, but no. No more Marc Jacobs unless I go into SF (big groan there). Now there's Erdem and Alice & Olivia and what else.

I don't know if I'm interested, but I'm interested in looking more closely at who they're carrying now and wonder what that means for business. And what's trending.

I just finished reading something about old, old labels finding new life. I mean old labels. I'm not talking YSL. I'm talking people who made, like, horse blankets and so forth in the 19th century. I'm not sure I wouldn't find that more interesting. I'm highly suspicious of $300 t-shirts.

Call me crabby.