Publications

March 2012 (Revised September 2014)
Supplement

Clarks at a Crossroads (B)

By: John A. Davis and Suzanne Stroh

Clarks (B) summarizes the results of the shareholders vote described in the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Voting; Business and Shareholder Relations; Apparel and Accessories Industry

November 2010
Supplement

Esquel Group: Building a Sustainable Partnership with Cotton Farmers in Xinjiang (B)

By: James K. Sebenius and Jason Cheng Qian

Details and evaluates results in Esquel's 2002 initiative to negotiate long-term partnerships with often-exploited farmers in Xinjiang (western China) to procure a superior cotton variety. View Details

Keywords: Contracts; Agreements and Arrangements; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Outcome or Result; Leasing; Business and Community Relations; Business and Government Relations; Partners and Partnerships; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Hong Kong; Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu

2009
Case

Mercury Athletic Footwear, Inc.: Valuing the Opportunity (TN): Brief Case No. 4051.

By: Timothy A. Luehrman and Joel L. Heilprin

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Restructuring; Valuation; Apparel and Accessories Industry

March 2014
Supplement

Transforming Tommy Hilfiger (B)

By: Raffaella Sadun, Hanoch Feit, Vaibhav Gujral and Gerard Zouein

Keywords: Turnaround; Private Equity; Private Ownership; Diversification; Acquisition; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United States; Europe

July 2019
Teaching Note

Miroglio Fashion

By: Sunil Gupta

Teaching Note for HBS Nos. 519-053, 519-070, and 519-072. View Details

Keywords: Inventory Management; Demand Forecasting; Artificial Intelligence; Machine Learning; Forecasting and Prediction; Operations; Management; Decision Making; Marketing; AI and Machine Learning; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

Fall 2018
Article

The Value of Fit Information in Online Retail: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment

By: Santiago Gallino and Antonio Moreno

Online channels generate frictions when selling products with nondigital attributes, such as apparel. Customers may be reluctant to purchase products they have not been able to try on, and those customers who do purchase may return products when they do not fit as... View Details

Keywords: Supply Chain Information; Fit Uncertainty; Online Retail; Randomized Field Experiment; Virtual Fitting Room; Digital Retail; Customization and Personalization; Internet and the Web; Value; Performance Improvement; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

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July 2010
Teaching Note

Managing Creativity at Shanghai Tang (TN)

By: Roy Y.J. Chua and Lisa Kwan

Teaching Note for 410018. View Details

Keywords: Creativity; Brands and Branding; Financial Crisis; Selection and Staffing; Leadership; Luxury; Arts; Fashion Industry; Fashion Industry

April 1982 (Revised June 1993)
Case

Hart Schaffner & Marx: The Market for Separately Ticketed Suits

By: Richard S. Tedlow

Calls for a decision on whether Hart Schaffner & Marx, the nation's leading manufacturer of high quality, branded suits, should expand its product line by marketing suits that are separately ticketed (i.e., the coat, vest, and slacks are sold from individual hangers... View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Decisions; Price; Markets; Distribution Channels; Production; Mathematical Methods; Competitive Strategy; Apparel and Accessories Industry

April 1994 (Revised March 1997)
Case

Planet Reebok (A)

By: John A. Quelch

Reebok International Ltd. is preparing to launch its first global advertising campaign for "Planet Reebok" in three European countries--France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Planet Reebok was recently launched in the United States during the 1993 Superbowl. The... View Details

Keywords: Globalization; Advertising Campaigns; Brands and Branding; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry; France; Germany; United Kingdom

September 1984 (Revised February 1989)
Case

Benetton (A)

By: James L. Heskett

The world's largest manufacturer of woolen outerwear garments seeks to extend its retailing network to the United States from its base in Europe. A number of issues concerning marketing, manufacturing, and logistics strategy are raised by the proposed move along with... View Details

Keywords: Logistics; Brands and Branding; Networks; Production; Marketing Strategy; Globalization; Apparel and Accessories Industry; United States; Europe

May 2013 (Revised March 2014)
Case

Gap, Inc., 2012

By: John R. Wells and Galen Danskin

Between 2000 and 2012, Gap, Inc. (Gap) ceded its world leadership position in specialty fashion retailing to Inditex of Spain and H&M of Sweden. These two companies, each less than a quarter of Gap's size in 2000, were now setting the pace in the global mass fashion... View Details

Keywords: Strategic Change; Fashion; Multinational; Brands; Competition; Multinational Firms and Management; Performance Improvement; Strategy; Brands and Branding; Change Management; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; Sweden; Spain; United States

August 2021 (Revised November 2023)
Teaching Note

Coats: Supply Chain Challenges

By: Willy C. Shih

Teaching Note for HBS Case No. 621-115.
Faced with continuing cost pressure, should Coats, the world's largest thread maker, relocate some of its make-to-stock manufacturing to an ultra-low-cost region while leaving make-to-order demand close to customers? View Details

Keywords: Inventory Management; Supply Chain; Inventory; Supply Chain Management; Operations; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Asia

July 2004 (Revised November 2005)
Teaching Note

Burberry (TN)

By: Youngme E. Moon

Teaching Note to (9-504-048). View Details

Keywords: Apparel and Accessories Industry

September 2000
Teaching Note

Maxwell Shoe Company, Inc. TN

By: Krishna G. Palepu

Teaching Note for (9-100-038). View Details

Keywords: Apparel and Accessories Industry

March 1984 (Revised August 1987)
Supplement

Petite Playthings, Inc.--1984 (B)

By: Benson P. Shapiro

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Apparel and Accessories Industry

August 1985 (Revised July 1988)
Case

NIKE in China--1985

By: Francis Aguilar

Keywords: Apparel and Accessories Industry; China

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October 1984
Teaching Note

NIKE (C): Phil Knight, Teaching Note

Teaching Note for (9-385-029). View Details

Keywords: Leadership; Management Style; Apparel and Accessories Industry

January 2009 (Revised February 2010)
Case

Gucci Group in 2009

By: David B. Yoffie and Renee Kim

The Gucci Group had transformed itself into the world's third largest luxury retailer with multiple brands. The company had performed well even after the departure of star designer Tom Ford and former CEO Domenico De Sole. However, the challenging global economic times... View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Brands and Branding; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Luxury; Corporate Strategy; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Apparel and Accessories Industry

September 2014 (Revised July 2018)
Case

adidas Group: IT Multi-Sourcing

By: Lynda M. Applegate, Martin Wiener, Carol Saunders and Grandon Gill

This case describes the design and implementation of an IT-multi-sourcing strategy at a large global sportswear company, the adidas Group, which is headquartered in Germany. To help increase the benefits and reduce the risks of its sourcing arrangements, adidas... View Details

Keywords: IT Strategy; Outsourcing; Organizational Structure; Information Technology; Strategy; Sports Industry; Sports Industry; Germany