Racked: All Posts by Rheana MurrayThe National Shopping, Stores, and Retail Scene Bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52809/32x32.0..png2016-12-06T10:02:00-05:00https://www.racked.com/authors/rheana-murray/rss2016-12-06T10:02:00-05:002016-12-06T10:02:00-05:00Should You Be Incorporating Crystals Into Your Skincare Routine?
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<figcaption>Gizmo/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p class="c-entry-disclaimer"><i>Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods">The Goods by Vox</a>. You can also see what we’re up to by <a href="https://vox.com/goods-newsletter">signing up here</a>.</i></p>
<p>Is there any science behind Sephora’s Pearl Mask or Dr. Brandt’s Ruby Crystal Retinol Hydracrème?</p> <p id="UqmYkq">You probably have at least one friend on Instagram who boasts about her crystal collection and its energies and healing powers, right? </p>
<p id="DJPrvK">Well, now the crystal craze has gone a step further and found its place in our skincare routines. Metals, gemstones, and crystals are popping up in serums, creams, and more, all supposedly to give us clearer, brighter skin. One of the trend’s pioneers is Själ Skincare, which has been infusing its products with amethysts, sapphires, quartz, and more for years, through methods including elixirs and crushed gemstone powders. </p>
<p id="tHXKK8">“In the beginning, we didn’t overly highlight that we were doing this,” Kristin Petrovich, who co-founded the brand in 2001 with her mother, tells Racked. “I thought it made us sound like we were crazy.” </p>
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<img alt="Själ Skincare products with a pink crystal." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IRNA8lmlEobRfaJxWoEosHbbtTw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7560107/Screen_Shot_2016_11_30_at_12.31.03_PM.png">
<cite>Photo: Själ Skincare</cite>
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<p id="x2TV3S">They started with precious metals like silver and gold, which are known to have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, respectively. </p>
<p id="Cpwlaw">“That, scientifically, made sense to me,” Petrovich says. “But then when the gemstones were introduced, I thought it was pretty nutty to put them in the product.” </p>
<p id="8zV0jw">Her own experience with crystals — more on that later — is what changed her mind. Years later, it appears Själ was at the forefront of a burgeoning trend. Now, many beauty brands are using crystals and gemstones in their products, and we’re not talking about the DIY creams you might buy at a New Age festival. Major beauty brands are on board, too. Take Sephora’s Pearl Mask, Elemis’s Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum, or Aveda’s Tourmaline Charged Hydrating Creme, for example. </p>
<p id="dJmN4K">Dr. Brandt is another one: The brand’s Ruby Crystal Retinol Hydracrème contains tiny ruby crystals that exfoliate, and its Magnetight Age-Defier mask includes iron powder and black tourmaline to make the skin look younger and more vibrant.</p>
<p id="voGUFQ">“They’ve used these types of things for thousands of years in the east,” Petrovich says. “It’s like another ingredient, if you will.” </p>
<p id="K0rjHz">Experts say the concept of using crystals in skincare products isn’t so far-fetched. </p>
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<img alt="Dr. Brandt Ruby Crystal Retinol Hydracreme" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/lfkiua4015ruH4DBOPWjT-JdL3A=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7560083/100000000616_dta.jpg">
<cite>Photo: <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1514733&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drbrandtskincare.com%2Fproduct%2Fruby-crystal-retinol-hydracreme.do&referrer=racked.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.racked.com%2F2016%2F12%2F6%2F13794650%2Fcrystals-skincare" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Dr. Brandt</a></cite>
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<p id="8u8PKU">Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist in New York City, says that while more scientific research needs to be done to determine how effective certain gemstones and crystals are in skincare products, there’s plenty of reason to believe that they’re beneficial. </p>
<p id="E4jv6O">“Crystals have been used as exfoliators, resulting in brighter complexions, while gold has anti-inflammatory properties and has been used for centuries to treat conditions such as arthritis,” she tells Racked. </p>
<p id="2rRHG1">Diamond powder makes for a great (albeit expensive) exfoliator, rose quartz might help calm the complexion and improve circulation, and tourmaline is also thought to make skin more radiant, Dr. Bowe adds. </p>
<p id="0UtSTs">Of course, part of the appeal is the purported energetic benefits the stones bring — that certain crystals are calming, energizing, or even associated with love and romance, as is the case with rose quartz. Sapphire is thought to promote wisdom and mental acuity, hematite is supposed to be grounding, and amethysts supposedly encourage purification and peacefulness, for example. And that’s a lot harder to prove with science. </p>
<p id="HTqbq8">Petrovich, 44, was working a high-stress job in fashion in New York City and feeling completely “run down,” she said, when she began to explore Chinese medicine, starting with acupuncture. Around the same time, her mother had been studying crystals, and urged her daughter to give them a try. </p>
<p id="Uno4NI">In Petrovich’s new book about crystals, <a href="http://www.elementalenergybook.com/"><em>Elemental Energy</em>,</a> out in December, she describes the moment she purchased her first stone, a rose quartz.</p>
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<img alt="Aveda Tourmaline Charged Hydrating Creme" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZgaPQabHTCrsM6Ly3_PzUulreCI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7560093/Screen_Shot_2016_11_30_at_12.28.34_PM.png">
<cite>Photo: <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1514733&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aveda.com%2Fproduct%2F5352%2F16406%2Fskin-care%2Ftourmaline-charged-hydrating-creme%3F%26cm_mmc%3DPaid_Search-_-Google-_-Brand_Collection-_-aveda%2Btourmaline%2Bcharged%2Bhydrating%2Bcreme&referrer=racked.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.racked.com%2F2016%2F12%2F6%2F13794650%2Fcrystals-skincare" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Aveda</a></cite>
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<p id="PXR557">“I asked the salesperson if I could hold one in my hand — I felt an immediate connection with it, which materialized as a gentle tingling sensation up my arm,” she wrote. “I bought the stone on the spot and never looked back.”</p>
<p id="IjpsSo">Her book is a sort of how-to guide for people interested in learning more about the connection between gemstones and skincare. It expands on Själ’s story and also includes recipes for homemade skincare treatments, like a calming amethyst tonic and a charcoal and silver detox mask.</p>
<p id="ALI6Lo">Petrovich is hardly alone in her belief of crystals’ energetic powers. Dr. Bowe has also noticed an increased interest in the topic among her patients. </p>
<p id="lOFoqx">“I’ve gotten more inquiries regarding the benefits of crystals, metals, and gems in the last six months than I’ve ever gotten,” she said, adding that she thinks patients are seeking more natural alternatives to ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide, which is used to treat acne but could also lead to antibiotic resistance. </p>
<p id="P5W0Dz">Doris Day, a dermatologist in New York City, is more skeptical of the trend. She points out that when it comes to skincare, what’s natural isn’t always what’s best. </p>
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<img alt="Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Lift Serum" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/x4sXcUq6sib3JJnNmpGkky-dY3A=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7560101/Screen_Shot_2016_11_30_at_12.30.00_PM.png">
<cite>Photo: <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1514733&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elemis.com%2Fus%2Fpro-collagen-quartz-lift-serum.html%3Fgclid%3DCL_ik-GA0dACFY5MDQodu-oD7w%26gclsrc%3Daw.ds&referrer=racked.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.racked.com%2F2016%2F12%2F6%2F13794650%2Fcrystals-skincare" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Elemis</a></cite>
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<p id="x8NGVx">“People feel comforted by the word natural because they equate it with safe,” she tells Racked. “The reality is that if something is synthetic or manmade, that has nothing to do with how safe or effective it is. Ultimately, gold is a chemical, and plenty of chemicals found in nature — arsenic, lead, mercury — are toxic, or can kill you. Poison ivy is natural, but you don’t want to apply that to your skin.”</p>
<p id="BN1T4T">But, unlike poison ivy, crystals can’t hurt. (Except for maybe your wallet— Själ’s products range from $70 to $260.) If you’re interested in exploring crystals on your skin, both doctors suggest choosing products that also include tried-and-true ingredients, such as retinol. </p>
<p id="AQxWU9">Petrovich points out that Själ’s products stand on their own regardless of added energy from gemstones, which she considers to be complementary to the science. The brand works with European biotechnology companies and its products also include ingredients with plenty of research behind them, including peptides, vitamins, and fruit enzymes. </p>
<p id="roVjKD">The gemstones “are just one aspect,” she says. “We have tons of ingredients in our products. I just thought, if you’re going to have energy in something, why not have positive energy?” </p>
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https://www.racked.com/2016/12/6/13794650/crystals-skincareRheana Murray2016-08-11T14:02:02-04:002016-08-11T14:02:02-04:00How Tennis Star Venus Williams Quietly Became a Fashion Mogul
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<figcaption>Chris Graythen/ Getty</figcaption>
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<p class="c-entry-disclaimer"><i>Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods">The Goods by Vox</a>. You can also see what we’re up to by <a href="https://vox.com/goods-newsletter">signing up here</a>.</i></p>
<p id="9TJ5kj">When you hear the name Venus Williams, what do you think about? If you’re like most of us, the answer is tennis. And you wouldn’t be wrong: Williams <em>is</em> a world-class athlete, a four-time gold medalist currently competing in the Summer Olympics in Rio, and the sister of fellow tennis champ, Serena.</p>
<p id="0alCVa">But she’s also a designer. And while we’ve all had our fill of halfhearted celebrity clothing lines, her pursuits in that arena are nothing to brush off — she’s been running her activewear brand <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1514733&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2FElevenbyvenuswilliams.com&referrer=racked.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.racked.com%2F2016%2F8%2F11%2F12439870%2Fvenus-williams-fashion" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">EleVen by Venus Williams</a> since 2007, which is basically a lifetime compared to most celeb lines. <figure class="e-image">
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<p class="caption">Williams at work on EleVen. Photo: Brantley Gusler of EleVen by Venus Williams</p>
<p id="M4fULm">Williams has collaborated with Ralph Lauren and Diane von Furstenberg, and also has a design company, V Starr Interiors. Racked caught up with the tennis-star-turned-fashion-boss to learn more about how style has impacted her life.</p>
<p id="uIOoXN"><strong>How did you get started in the fashion business? </strong></p>
<p id="p4hVjH">I got a letter in the mail when I was 18 saying, "Come to design school." By that time, I had already been pro for four years — I thought it was a great idea. [Venus studied fashion design at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.] And obviously after school, everyone dreams of having their own line. I was already an athlete, so activewear spoke to my soul. It’s what I did every day. But I wanted to bring a new voice to it, and combine fashion with performance.</p>
<p id="lPgPfd"><strong>How involved are you in the day-to-day happenings at EleVen?</strong></p>
<p id="bie2XY">Very. I was in the office yesterday and we’re working on fall ’17 now, so we’ve started the process of understanding what our color story is, what our prints are. From there, we start to work with the sales team. What do people really like? What do we want to bring back, and what are the new pieces? We look at colors and prints and actual fabrics. Then it gets refined and refined and refined. I also take my sketchbooks on the road and I’m constantly sketching.</p>
<p id="NyKKwF"><strong>You often wear EleVen on the court. What makes a good tennis outfit? </strong></p>
<p id="1xMvtB">Something that’s flattering. And also something that’s fun to wear, something that motivates you to get moving. <figure class="e-image">
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<p class="caption">Williams with models wearing EleVen in Philadelphia in 2014. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty</p>
<p id="jfCfcu"><strong>Do you often see other athletes wearing your designs? </strong></p>
<p id="p815zx">I do! Sometimes I’ll be practicing and it will be four courts down. I’ll be like, "Ooh, that looks like an EleVen skirt!" It’s always really flattering when someone believes in you enough or liked it enough to put it on. That keeps me motivated.</p>
<p id="suHiEL"><strong>What if an opponent wears EleVen? </strong></p>
<p id="eyeuYJ">I’ve never played anyone who was wearing EleVen! I wonder what that would feel like. I’d probably have mixed emotions.</p>
<p id="D7qjTJ"><strong>How does V Starr fit in with everything you’re doing at EleVen? </strong></p>
<p id="MTnVFS">They’re side by side in the same office, right across from each other. [Both businesses are run out of West Palm Beach, Fla.] It’s pretty cool but when I walk in, I’m like, "Where do I start today?" We do commercial design, we do common areas of buildings, we’ve worked in athletic stadiums, condos…</p>
<p id="20Kshf">We did the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center, a place for at-risk children. They play tennis there and also get an education. Those are just wonderful projects for us. <figure class="e-image">
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<p class="caption">Williams with EleVen merchandise at the Mutua Madrid Open in 2013. Photo: Getty</p>
<p id="IowW5v"><strong>Do you prefer one business to the other? </strong></p>
<p id="SZJgIG">No, it’s really equal. I feel like a mom and I can’t have a favorite. They both stretch me in different ways.</p>
<p id="FT4lIQ"><strong>Is it hard to get people to take you seriously as a designer when they only know you as a tennis player? </strong></p>
<p id="X8ZOEw">It’s interesting. Because people know your name, you can get pigeonholed into being perceived a certain way. And that’s OK. But more so for V Starr. People are like, "She’s a great athlete, but does it translate to design?" And actually, it does! They find out about me and the great team we have and you can see the light bulb go off.</p>
<p id="2NtUi8"><strong>We know Serena loves fashion, too. Is that fun for you? </strong></p>
<p id="WsYpZj">Absolutely. She has the best purse and shoe closet. If you saw it, you would probably die. I was at her house the other day and had to shower, and I was like, Serena, just dress me. She makes me look good. But we definitely share inspiration [Serena also has her own clothing collection] and it’s great when she really likes the line. She’s always honest with me about it.</p>
<p id="DYrDVP"><strong>Would you have gone straight into fashion if it weren’t for tennis? </strong></p>
<p id="iwUIh2">I always wonder what I would have done. I used to run track and I adored it, so maybe I would have pursued that. Or maybe I would have gone to business school. I’d still love the arts, though — fine arts, graphic design, industrial arts.</p>
<p id="4EWRwp"><strong>Given how much effort you put into your businesses, do you get frustrated with how many other celebrity brands there are? </strong></p>
<p id="GIs4RH">I always say there’s room for everyone as long as you have something to say.</p>
<p id="gEuzeD"><em>This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. </em></p>
<p id="WYAaOE"> </p>
https://www.racked.com/2016/8/11/12439870/venus-williams-fashionRheana Murray2016-05-20T15:43:32-04:002016-05-20T15:43:32-04:00MC Hammer Really Hates When You Call Them 'Parachute Pants'
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<p class="c-entry-disclaimer"><i>Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods">The Goods by Vox</a>. You can also see what we’re up to by <a href="https://vox.com/goods-newsletter">signing up here</a>.</i></p>
<p>There's no doubt that MC Hammer, he of the super-shiny Hammer pants and the unbelievable dance moves, has left his mark on the fashion world. Would the <a href="http://nymag.com/thecut/2009/04/are_you_excited_about_harem_pa.html">harem pant revival </a>of 2009, for example, gotten so much attention if not for the drop-crotched icon and years of his colorful, look-at-me trousers? We think not.</p>
<p>Despite various projects since his late ‘80s heyday, from reality TV to film to producing, fashion continues to be a huge part of MC Hammer's life, he tells Racked.</p>
<p>Here's what he had to say about his ‘90s style, the relationship between hip-hop and fashion, and a new partnership with a brand that makes sticky wall hanging strips so you can stop hammer time. (Get it?)</p>
<p><b>You're unique in that you basically have an entire garment that's all your own. Whenever someone thinks of parachute pants, they think of you.</b></p>
<p>I detest the term parachute pants. That's a new term. They're called Hammer pants. I have a pair of what we could call the Gucci version of Hammer pants. I have a pair of the Christian Dior version of Hammer pants. Probably five of your top European designers all have their version of Hammer pants. And that's pretty flattering.</p>
<p><b>Do you still wear Hammer pants?</b></p>
<p>Absolutely. If Justin Bieber's <a href="http://stylenews.people.com/style/2013/03/05/pants-justin-bieber-drop-crotch-trousers/">got a pair </a>and I don't have a pair, something's wrong.</p>
<p><b>So you follow fashion?</b></p>
<p>Oh, absolutely. I <a href="https://twitter.com/mchammer/status/697260224277831680">posted a picture</a> of my daughter with Anna Wintour a month ago. My daughter is heavily into fashion.</p>
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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BFlzt8jHUFH/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A photo posted by MC HAMMER (@mchammer)</a> on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-05-19T13:37:02+00:00">May 19, 2016 at 6:37am PDT</time></p>
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<p><b style="line-height: 1.44;">There's always been a strong correlation between fashion and hip-hop. Why do you think that is?</b></p>
<p>Hip-hop equates to artistic freedom. And the clothes, they have built-in aspiration. When you were first introduced to hip-hop and you saw the artists put a fly sweatsuit on, put a gold chain on or, in Run DMC's case, put a brim on... you knew that that was somebody who was uninhibited.</p>
<p><b>What do you think about the style of today's hip-hop artists?</b></p>
<p>I see artists out there who are embracing the culture of fashion — that's not to confuse it with the business of fashion. Let's take a young cat like A$AP Rocky. He's willing to try different looks and keep it fly. I dig that. At the other end of the spectrum, Kanye takes a different approach. Kanye's actually trying to dress <i>you</i>. At the same time, he has his own look, and I respect that as well.</p>
<p><b>Do you own a pair of Yeezy Boosts?</b></p>
<p>No. They fly off the shelves so fast, and I don't want a free pair. I don't want a gift. I want to buy mine. I support the artists. But they're so hot, they're on fire. You can't find them. Once they come out, they're gone. Before they come out, they're gone.</p>
<p><b>Why is this new partnership with </b><a href="http://www.command.com/3M/en_US/command/?WT.mc_id=www.command.com"><b>Command</b></a><b> a good fit for you?</b></p>
<p>It's just natural. It's about emphasizing that we don't want to put nails in the wall, but we want to keep the walls looking nice. Don't use a hammer. Stop hammer time.</p>
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<script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">The only way to describe hanging with Command™ Picture Hanging Strips. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tadow?src=hash">#Tadow</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StopHammerTime?src=hash">#StopHammerTime</a> <a href="https://t.co/wGQyDU3KYj">pic.twitter.com/wGQyDU3KYj</a></p>
— Command (@CommandBrand) <a href="https://twitter.com/CommandBrand/status/732556309720117248">May 17, 2016</a>
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<p><b style="line-height: 1.44;">Are you into home décor?</b></p>
<p>Oh, absolutely. And continuously. That's a part of creativity. That's part of who I am. In one of my homes, I repaint every few years to change it up.</p>
<p><b>Do you do the work yourself?</b></p>
<p>No, I can't say I do all the work. That's what we hire people for. But I can hang the pictures up on the wall.</p>
<p><b>It's kind of funny picturing MC Hammer hanging up watercolors in the living room.</b></p>
<p>Yeah, well. It depends... on your lens. And I did not mean to rhyme that.</p>
<p><i>This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.</i></p>
https://www.racked.com/2016/5/20/11722680/mc-hammer-parachute-pants-interviewRheana Murray2016-05-02T10:00:02-04:002016-05-02T10:00:02-04:00Meet the Man Who Keeps ‘The Bachelor’ Stars in the Spotlight
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<p class="c-entry-disclaimer"><i>Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods">The Goods by Vox</a>. You can also see what we’re up to by <a href="https://vox.com/goods-newsletter">signing up here</a>.</i></p>
<p>A year after former Bachelor Chris Soules broke her heart in grand fashion on reality TV (is there any other way one's heart can be broken when viewed by millions?), Jade Tolbert, a contestant from Season 19, is doing just fine.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span>The cheerful brunette and onetime Playboy model has lots of new relationships — with brands, mostly. And when she's not promoting products on her social media pages or taking meetings in New York City and Los Angeles, she's working on her own brand. First there was the organic makeup line, Naturally Jade, and soon she'll launch a collection of pool floats in partnership with subscription box company FabFitFun. (Yes, this summer you'll be able to float around the pool in an inflatable donut with Jade's name on it.) And of course, there was the high-profile wedding to another reality TV star from the Bachelor franchise, Tanner Tolbert, a massive party that included a performance by Seal and was aired on ABC this past Valentine's Day.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">So, like I said, she's doing all right. And for much of that (the falling-in-love-part being the notable exception), she has just one man to thank: Paul Desisto, a talent manager in New York City who's become the go-to person for Bachelor Nation alumni looking to stretch their 15 minutes of fame.</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BAS7Fh7I_1v/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Just signed my newest client @karina_smirnoff from the biggest show on tv #DWTS for 2016. Looking forward to a monster year!</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Paul Desisto (@pauldesisto) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-01-08T22:58:53+00:00">Jan 8, 2016 at 2:58pm PST</time></p>
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<p dir="ltr">"I can relate a lot to the Bachelor clientele," Desisto tells Racked. "Most of them are around my age; I'm 27."</p>
<p dir="ltr">It's a niche Desisto is particularly suited for. He got his start early in the entertainment industry, working as a DJ while in college in New Jersey, establishing connections at nightclubs and music venues in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, and later working for Billboard, where he rubbed elbows with celebrities amid the boom of social media stardom. His social media pages alone offer insight into the life he lives, and lives for, abundant with celebrity snapshots: "With Ruby Rose." "With Pauly D." "With Ke$ha."</p>
<p dir="ltr">If you follow anyone from reality TV on Instagram, maybe you're already familiar with Desisto's work: all those stars hawking cotton-candy-blue SugarBearHair gummies as their very own secret to strong and shiny hair, or Flat Tummy Tea as a <a href="http://www.racked.com/2016/4/27/11502276/teatox-instagram">surefire trick</a> to slim down ("veggies like broccoli make me feel a little bloated," Jade admits in a recent post). But while product endorsements on social media are an increasingly common way for reality TV stars to earn some cash after their show ends, it's not the only option.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Each client is different," Desisto says. "Some do appearances, some like social media endorsements. Some want to work full-time and some don't. Some want to go further into the entertainment industry. I ask them: What do you want to do with your life? How can I help, as an agent, a manager, or a friend? It's just a matter of listening."</p>
<p dir="ltr">Others, like Jade, are eager to move past promoting other companies' products, and start their own collections €— of makeup, clothes, accessories or whatever they're into. Desisto is working with another reality TV star on a sunglasses line.</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a target="_blank" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDby3yfuLMx/">So many questions lately about my secret to great hair. Ladies, @sugarbearhair hair supplements work so well that Tanner takes them with me (although I'm pretty sure he just loves the fruit snack taste) #sugarbearhair #sp #longhairdontcare</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Jade Tolbert (@jadelizroper) on <time datetime="2016-03-26T23:14:27+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Mar 26, 2016 at 4:14pm PDT</time></p>
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<p dir="ltr">In other words, there's no typical day on the job. Desisto's goal, in a nutshell, is to take the people reality TV produces —€” whether they're alumni from <i>Vanderpump Rules</i> or <i>Real Housewives</i>, or people who sought love on <i>The Bachelor </i>or<i> The Bachelorette— </i>and find a way to keep the momentum (and the cash flow) going. And he's very, very good at it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">That there is a market for this at all is a sign of the times, certainly, but it's also big business. Jade and Tanner (lovingly known as Janner among fans) are reportedly on track to earn $1 million this year from social media endorsements, according to an <a href="http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/jade-roper-and-tanner-tolbert-on-track-to-earn-1-million-w164628">US Weekly report</a>. (Desisto shared the news but said Central Entertainment Group, the agency where he works, was not the source in the story.)</p>
<p dir="ltr">Central Entertainment Group recently rolled out a campaign with HelloFresh, which involved getting its celebrity clients to post Instagram snaps of the food delivery service, also a client. "A family that cooks together stays together," wrote Teresa Giudice in a recent post, clad in a HelloFresh apron and clutching a fistful of asparagus.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It's "100 percent, absolutely" possible to make a living from sponsored posts alone, Desisto says, especially for women who already have big followings on social media and are interested in working with hair, makeup and skincare brands. That's why you see Emily Ferguson, one of the twins from Ben Higgins' recent season of The Bachelor, posting discount codes for Bombay Hair curling wands, and Amanda Stanton sharing a selfie of her and her daughter both wearing a TruSelf Organics facial mask.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But it's not all about the money: sometimes the celebs are paid, but other times they're doing it for the free products, or to establish a relationship with a brand they want to work with more in the future, perhaps opening doors to one day launch their own collection, Desisto explains.</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BC_oaC8AyHs/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">The @hellofresh meal Emily and I made last week was so delicious (I actually ate veggies) so I had to get one for myself. @hellofresh sends great recipes with the fresh ingredients you need. We've been so busy working that @hellofresh is perfect for us as we don't have time to grocery shop. Really trying to step up our health game. Use my code "Haley35" at hellofresh.com to get $35 off your first delivery #hellofreshpics #sp</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Haley Ferguson (@hfergie11) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-03-16T00:44:16+00:00">Mar 15, 2016 at 5:44pm PDT</time></p>
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<p dir="ltr">"If women want to do something post-Bachelor, the beauty space is wide open," he says.</p>
<p dir="ltr">That's not to say all of Desisto's clients are women —€” or reality TV stars for that matter. In fact, he says his biggest client right now is Aaron Carter, the not-so-little-anymore brother of former Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. (Although, to be fair, the Carter family did have a reality TV show for a brief while in 2006, and both were on Dancing with the Stars.)</p>
<p dir="ltr">"[We] just clicked right away," Desisto says of working with the pop singer. "He hadn't put out music in the last 10 years; he's gone through some struggles. But I started working with him because I saw so much potential in him."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"He wanted to get back into the scene, back to playing high-end venues where there's thousands of people," Desisto continues. "And I booked him at many of those in the last several months. But I also told him, ‘Aaron, you need a plan. We have to really make this happen.'"</p>
<p dir="ltr">Carter's first single in a decade, "Fool's Gold," launched this month.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Just getting started again... ;)" the singer tweeted on the song's release day.</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BDyjWzoI_z4/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Press ALLLL day in NYC</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Paul Desisto (@pauldesisto) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-04-04T19:21:24+00:00">Apr 4, 2016 at 12:21pm PDT</time></p>
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<p dir="ltr">Desisto also works with Chris Soules, the Iowa farmer and star of Season 19 of The Bachelor, and a client who often takes him in a different direction, brainstorming partnerships with farming and agriculture organizations, for example, instead of beauty brands. Soules, who appeared on Dancing With the Stars last year, is now exploring TV projects related to farming.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Chris is awesome —€” he likes to work," Desisto says. "We invest a lot of energy in him because he has so much potential. He wants to do a lot in the farming industry. We kind of zoned in on Canada, and if you Google it, he did a big campaign with the Grain Farmers of Ontario. We were the ones who came up with that."</p>
<p dir="ltr">Farming endeavors aside, the Bachelor client Desisto just might be the most proud of is Juan Pablo, one of the most controversial bachelors in the show's history. . He also happened to be Desisto's first client in the reality TV space.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"When he came off the show, not a lot of people liked him," Desisto admits. "But venues liked to book him because of the PR that came with him. Press outlets always wanted to interview him. If he went to a nightclub, there would be hundreds of reporters there trying to take his picture."</p>
<p dir="ltr">Club appearances can bring in big bucks, depending on the celebrity.</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a target="_blank" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/8LOz6hyrNZ/">Rise & shine! Keeping my smile nice and white with @whitewithstyle, then back to work. Use coupon code ChrisS28 at www.whitewithstyle.com and select the Sparkle White Kit to get one of your own.</a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Chris Soules (@souleschris) on <time datetime="2015-09-28T13:11:44+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Sep 28, 2015 at 6:11am PDT</time></p>
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<p dir="ltr">"If you're Paris Hilton, you're going to charge $100,000," Desisto says. "But there's a limit, too... each market is different and each market has a set rate. You can't charge $100,000 in Arkansas."</p>
<p dir="ltr">The chaos surrounding aspects of the job like these late-night gigs might seem intense, even unbearable, for the average person, but Desisto revels in the attention. Plus, he's used to it.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"I was 21 years old and DJing in Atlantic City and having thousands of people come see me," Desisto says. "I saw how it works at a young age."</p>
<p dir="ltr">The "it" here, of course, being the magnetic draw between a public figure and a fan — a force so powerful it's bankrolled multiple generations of Kardashians. And for reality TV stars, it's exactly what they need to advance their careers and keep the buzz going.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"It's a win-win for everyone," Desisto says. "It's fun; they love doing it. They love taking pictures with their fans. I think it's a great opportunity and everyone should take advantage of it."</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Think about when you were 21 or 22 years old and you fell in love with someone on TV," he continues, encouraging me to really try here. "And you got to meet that person and take a picture with them. Think about how happy that made you."</p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BCY039YOLEQ/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">I've had a lot of fun this last month celebrating our wedding with friends and family! But all the celebrating can catch up. I keep on track with an exercise routine and my @flattummytea whenever I start to feel a little bloated. </a></p>
<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A photo posted by Jade Tolbert (@jadelizroper) on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2016-02-29T23:02:50+00:00">Feb 29, 2016 at 3:02pm PST</time></p>
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<p dir="ltr"><span>Sure, it's easy to argue that reality TV stars have a shelf life, but Desisto insists that the possibilities are endless. As long as celebrities are willing to work, he will find them work. Of course, what that looks like is bound to change.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">"Let's say [a client] is younger and then a few years later gets pregnant," he explains. "Then you just focus on brands that would want to collaborate with a mother, maybe baby clothing companies ... there's opportunities for any age out there."</p>
<p dir="ltr">The key, he says, is living "a life people love to follow," and having fans who want to know about every marriage or birth announcement, new pet, new house, or new fashion line, for example. That's the not-so-secret secret.</p>
<p dir="ltr">"Reality TV stars are so relatable," Desisto says. "When people see someone on TV, they feel like they're already best friends with them because they know their life story. That's why it works."</p>
<p dir="ltr">It's a hard pill to swallow —€” are we really that fanatical about the people we see on TV? —€” but given the omnipresence of today's celebrity, I know he's right.</p>
https://www.racked.com/2016/5/2/11450664/paul-desisto-bachelor-fame-dancing-with-the-starsRheana Murray2015-06-26T11:00:01-04:002015-06-26T11:00:01-04:00"You Look Tan" Is a Loaded Compliment
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<p>Lately, a funny thing has been happening. Every time someone says I look tan, I blush. It started at my yoga studio. “You’re so tan,” the girl at the desk told me, and her comment made my cheeks burn. I bowed my head and pretended to search my purse, while racking my brain for an explanation. <em>I fell asleep in the sun. A shark ate my SPF!</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>I considered lying and saying it was fake—</span><a href="http://ny.racked.com/maps/best-spray-tans-nyc">airbrush</a><span>, I swear! Instead, I shrugged and mumbled something about being away for a week. In all honesty, I probably wasn't being tan-shamed, but that's how I felt. I might have been a compliment, even. But I couldn't shake how embarrassed I felt, especially when a deep tan used to be, well, cool. It wasn't lost on me that years ago, that exact comment would have made me smile, flip my hair and say "Thanks!"</span></p>
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<p><q class="pullquote">I feel like a tan is unmistakable proof I'm neglecting my own body.</q></p>
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<p>I know it sounds ridiculous, but let me explain myself. I have a dedicated <a href="http://www.racked.com/2015/2/4/7997011/two-weeks-without-contacts-changed-my-life">yoga</a> practice, a fancy <a href="http://www.racked.com/2014/12/19/7564091/hpp-juice-cleanse-whole-foods-blueprint-juice-press-organic-avenue">juicer</a>, and a fire escape full of basil plants. I recycle and try to make time for <a href="http://www.racked.com/2014/8/18/7581497/unplug-meditation-yoga-transcendental-meditation-tm">meditation</a>. I turn the water off when brushing my teeth—and often when others are brushing theirs, too. The other day, I Googled how to make veggie burgers from the pounds of pulp the juicer produces.</p>
<p dir="ltr">That's not to say I'm a poster child for the wellness era. There are many people far more virtuous—vegans and composters, for starters. But I'm trying. So when someone makes note of my tan, it almost feels like a backhanded compliment, like they're praising my cavalier attitude towards trans fats. Oh, how great that you can scarf down those fries and not even care!</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ten years ago, though—that was a different story. I have fond memories from college of walking to the tanning salon in between classes with my girlfriends, where we slathered on overpriced moisturizer and baked our bodies in greasy beds. I had a monthly membership there for unlimited visits. Just typing that makes me feel ashamed. It was auto-renewal.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We didn't mind the slight smell of burnt skin or the moody lighting. And, as a beauty junkie, I especially loved the rainbow-colored row of glittering bottles of "tingling" creams and lotions that promised to leave us bronzer and better and more beautiful.</p>
<p>That was then. Now, miraculously melanoma-free, I find myself struggling to find the right words when a colleague compliments my color, and quick to cower when a friend scolds me for an accidental sunburn. I feel like a tan is unmistakable proof I'm neglecting my own body. (Same goes for obvious hangovers, by the way.) I've interviewed dermatologists countless times for articles I've written; I'm well-aware of the dangers of tanning and the need for <a href="http://www.racked.com/2015/5/20/8625547/sunscreen-guide">SPF</a> and routine skin checks; I use <a href="http://www.racked.com/2014/7/16/7586839/spf-sunscreen-fda-skin-cancer-sun-lotion-sunscreen-innovation-act">sunscreen</a> like a responsible adult. I know my spattering of freckles isn't cute—it's <a href="http://www.racked.com/2015/5/20/8625547/sunscreen-guide">sun damage</a>. In today's health-conscious society, a deep tan just doesn't fit.</p>
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<p><q class="pullquote">In today's health-conscious society, a deep tan just doesn't fit.</q></p>
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<p>But I can't help looking back wistfully at my childhood in South Carolina, where my sister and I rubbed our skin with baby oil before we laid out at the pool and squirted lemon juice and Sun-In in our hair. I still think there's some cultural difference. My friends down South are far less concerned about sun protection than my New York City friends. At the beaches, they're a gaggle of beautiful tan women in neon string bikinis. Up here, we wear big hats and were the first to jump on board with the one-piece swimsuit trend.</p>
<p dir="ltr">There's a simple reason for that: trends always hit big cities first, and that's exactly what our obsession with health is—a very chic, oftentimes expensive trend. It's fashionable to be healthy. And who knows, maybe in a few years my hometown friends will be guzzling green juice under their beach umbrellas.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Remember, it wasn't long ago when socialites like Paris Hilton ruled Hollywood, reality TV exploded, and our media diet consisted of touring McMansions on MTV's "Cribs." Now we like our celebrities to post Instagram snaps of their post-workout smoothie, not bottles of Dom Pérignon.</p>
<p dir="ltr">That's not to say the guilty pleasures and decadence of the '90s and early aughts has passed. The 1% is very much alive; we still have the Kardashians, after all. But trends ebb and flow, much like tan lines. Who knows what shade of skin will be chic in 2025? For now, I find comfort in knowing all trends pass.</p>
<p dir="ltr">So the next time someone tan-shames me, I'll remember that health snobbery can't last forever. Even if it does make me feel like I'm still wearing <a href="http://www.racked.com/2015/3/11/8185001/juicy-couture-pamela-skaist-levy-gela-nash-taylor">Juicy Couture</a> sweatpants.</p>
https://www.racked.com/2015/6/26/8840029/tan-shameRheana Murray2015-04-22T10:00:02-04:002015-04-22T10:00:02-04:00Can Gap Keep Up Its Extreme Sales Strategy?
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<p>If you’ve hit up a Gap or Banana Republic in the past year, there’s a good chance you didn’t pay full price. Both brands, owned by Gap Inc., have become synonymous with constant sales. There are the signs boasting 40% off everything in the entire store or an extra 30% discount on already-reduced items; there are the emails declaring "Last day for 35% off!" and "Hours left for $45 off $100 (this is big)."</p> <p><span>Sure, as far as discounts go, that </span><em style="line-height: 1.44;">is</em><span> big, but consumers have come to know better. Blanket sales at both Gap and Banana are so frequent that many shoppers now refuse to pay what the original price tags mandate.</span></p>
<p>"It’s pointless because you know if you wait a couple days, you’ll get 30% off at minimum, probably closer to 50%," says Emily Elliott, a style blogger in New York City. "You’re not risking anything. It doesn’t make sense to ever buy anything full price."</p>
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<p>She’s not the only one keeping an eye on the discounts. Publicist Emily Hawkins occasionally pays regular price when she shops at Banana Republic, but only because she knows the store honors sales retroactively.</p>
<p>"I utilize price adjustments at these retailers more than any other," she explains. "You normally have within two weeks to get a price adjustment, so if there’s something I really want on a day when there’s no additional sale, I’ll purchase it, keep my eye on the sales, and get a price adjustment when the additional 50% off comes back."</p>
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<p><q class="pullquote">"I’ll purchase it, keep my eye on the sales, and get a price adjustment when the additional 50% off comes back."</q></p>
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<p>Gap and Banana aren’t the only retailers luring customers with mega deals—similar strategies are employed by Loft and Old Navy, another Gap Inc. brand—but their slashed prices have become a point of contention. Just last year, a customer <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/banana-republic-sued-allegedly-deceptive-discount-signs/story?id=23178043">filed a suit against Banana Republic</a>, accusing the store of "luring" shoppers with "deceptive" sale signs after learning his entire purchase didn’t qualify for the advertised discount.</p>
<p>"This has been going on forever really, for years and years," retail analyst Owen Shapiro, president of consulting firm Shapiro + Raj, says of brands utilizing extreme sales practices. "Jos. A. Bank is a good example. They have sales that are so large, discounts so dramatic, that it almost forces consumers to shop during these sales. Three suits for the price of one, that sort of thing—it drives volume disproportionately through those times."</p>
<p>That volume is exactly how Gap Inc. and other companies benefit from too-good-to-be-true sales.</p>
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<p>"You’re trading margin for sales and hopefully you make enough volume," continues Shapiro. "Your percent margin will go down, but total margin will be the same or better."</p>
<p>In other words, Gap hopes you buy enough discounted T-shirts to make price slashing worth it, which you just might since discounts act as "positive reinforcement" for shoppers. As psychologist Elizabeth Lombardo explains, "It becomes the norm, you start to expect it. When people see sales, they think they’re getting something for free, like they'll lose money by <em>not</em> buying."</p>
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<p><q class="pullquote">"It’s like a drug that’s hard to get off once you’ve been relying so heavily on it."</q></p>
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<p>Huge discounts in particular encourage shoppers to buy things they don’t need, adds Lombardo, which anyone with a closet full of items with the tags still on them can attest to.</p>
<p>The real problems arise when customers become so hooked on these deals, scaling back on persistent promotions becomes nearly impossible for brands. JCPenney famously failed when it tried to ditch its constant sales in favor of a cleaner, everyday low price model in 2012; <a href="http://www.racked.com/2012/6/20/7720719/jcpenney-admits-their-nosale-strategy-has-driven-away-customers">sales plummeted</a> and customers retreated.</p>
<p>"That was catastrophic for the company," says Shapiro. "It’s difficult to stop once you get going."</p>
<p>Liz Dunn, founder and CEO of consulting firm Talmage Advisors, echoes the sentiment: "Sale signs drive traffic into stores. It’s really hard to take the volume hit that would probably happen to correct the markdown problem. It’s like a drug that’s hard to get off once you’ve been relying so heavily on it."</p>
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<p>That doesn’t mean some stores aren’t trying. Express and New York & Company, brands also known for frequent discounts, both recently said they’re <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/get-there/wp/2015/03/24/the-golden-days-of-40-off-sales-are-over/">reevaluating their promotion strategies</a>.</p>
<p>Gap Inc. has also hinted at a similar change. CEO Art Peck, who officially took over in February, slyly guided a <em>Fast Company</em> reporter away from the sale section <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3042434/gapquest">during a recent interview</a>, and in Gap Inc.’s latest quarter earnings call, executive vice president and chief financial officer Sabrina Simmons briefly addressed the sales, saying, "We’ll be managing our promotional cadence to try and also support healthier margins in 2015."</p>
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<p><q class="pullquote">"They’re trying to improve the product and once they do that, they might have an easier time with more rational pricing."</q></p>
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<p>"The companies tend to move together," says Dunn. "It’s certainly something Gap would like to do, but there’s a tremendous amount of upheaval going on right now at the company as a result of management changes. I think they’re trying to improve the product and once they do that, they might have an easier time with more rational pricing."</p>
<p>That upheaval includes <a href="http://www.racked.com/2015/1/29/7997371/gap-eliminates-creative-director-rebekka-bays-role">ousting Rebekka Bay</a> as Gap's creative director and bringing on a new head of design for the brand, as well as <a href="http://www.racked.com/2014/11/5/7570173/marissa-webb-banana-republic">hiring Marissa Webb</a> as creative director for Banana Republic. New global presidents were named at both Gap and Banana, and the company is <a href="http://www.racked.com/2015/4/20/8456997/piperlime-closing-april-30%20">shuttering Piperlime</a>, its smallest brand, at the end of the month.</p>
<p>"The overhauls are not that uncommon," says Shapiro. "All retailers go through these cycles. They hit a groove and are really hot and then they plateau or collapse. That’s been the pattern forever. Gap was fantastically successful and then they become a stereotype, too preppy, but at one point they defined casual. They helped America move into what is a more casual way of dressing."</p>
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<p>While Gap Inc.'s sales are actually <a href="http://www.gapinc.com/content/gapinc/html/media/pressrelease/2015/med_pr_gps_march14sales.html">rising on the whole</a>, it's in no part due to its flailing namesake brand. Peck has made it clear that his number one priority in his new role is to bring life back to the company, and in particular, to make sure its women’s apparel is on-brand and consistent. For Gap, that means "casual, optimistic, and American," he noted in the February quarter earnings call.</p>
<p>Gap Inc. wouldn’t comment on its promotional strategy to Racked, but alluded to a new "chapter" under Peck’s reign.</p>
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<p><q class="pullquote">"When you see 25% off the entire store, often escalating to 40% or 50% in the holiday period, that’s somewhat unprecedented."</q></p>
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<p>"Our goal is for customers to leave our stores with incredible, must-have products they love, whether that’s a great fitting pair of jeans or the on-trend top of the season," says spokesperson Liz Nunan. "The company’s next chapter has just started, and we’re excited about where we’re headed."</p>
<p>As the company figures out what’s next, it’s unlikely all discounts will go by the wayside; what's at risk are the huge storewide sales.</p>
<p>"When you see 25% off the entire store, often escalating to 40% or 50% in the holiday period, that’s somewhat unprecedented and has only come about in the last couple of years," says Dunn.</p>
<p>"Sales were definitely amplified during the recession," adds Shilpa Rosenberry, senior director of global consumer strategy at Daymon Worldwide. "It was the only way brands could get the consumer to instigate the purchase. I think the recession has set consumers’ expectations and it’s difficult to wean them off discounts. Now, getting a good deal is an expectation. It’s no longer just a hope. It goes even beyond the rational aspect of saving money. It’s more emotional, knowing you got a great deal. Searching for sales has almost become a competitive sport."</p>
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<p>The blanket promotion strategy isn't consistent within the Gap Inc. portfolio, however. While Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, and Piperlime (while it lasts) are known for their big sales, Intermix and <a href="http://www.racked.com/2014/9/3/7578367/new-york-fashion-week-athleta">Athleta</a> are not. Dunn offers a theory: "The level of sale activity is usually inversely related to the strength of the brand. Athleta and Intermix are hot, thus they do not need to go on sale to generate consumer interest."</p>
<p>Perhaps when Gap is hot again, the extreme sales will stop. For now, though, they at least have some customers, like Hawkins, hooked. She recently cleaned up at Gap, thanks to the additional 60% off she scored on sale purchases.</p>
<p>"I walked out with maybe 11, 12, 13 items, and they were all final sale," she says. "I just guessed sizes instead of trying them on! I ended up having to give them away to friends because some of them didn’t fit. They don’t take back final sale."</p>
https://www.racked.com/2015/4/22/8463011/gap-banana-republic-sales-promotionsRheana Murray2015-02-05T13:00:01-05:002015-02-05T13:00:01-05:00I Wore Stripper Shoes to My Sister's Funeral
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<p>If there's anything you shouldn't wear to a funeral, it's probably stripper shoes. Mine were a shocking turquoise, and about a size too small. My feet were squished and swollen in the Southern summer heat. It was flip-flop season.</p> <p>But they were my sister's, and I was at her funeral.</p>
<p>This is how I got there: Days earlier, I had found myself wandering through her apartment. "Take whatever you want," my relatives told me, all of us in shock at her suicide. So I rummaged through the one-bedroom she shared with her boyfriend, searching under the bed and in the closet for an explanation, a reason for why she was gone, but only finding shoes.</p>
<p>And then, more shoes.</p>
<p>My sister loved high heels. She had those perfect feet that fit into the display pair at stores—the petite, narrow feet that other girls envy. My friends would laugh when she showed up to our house party in stilettos, the rest of us in sandals. She was two years below us at the same college, and they knew her well. We ate dinner at the Thai restaurant where she waited tables, and helped her navigate the dorms when she arrived on campus.</p>
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<p><q class="pullquote">My sister was too young to have fancy art or anything of serious value. But she had so many shoes.</q></p>
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<p><i>Take whatever you want.</i> Was I supposed to want something? It felt like a garage sale, a free-for-all. What was even appropriate to take? I wasn't sure of the rules. My sister was too young to have fancy art or anything of serious value. But she had so many shoes.</p>
<p>So that's what I took. I grabbed every last kitten heel, wedge and pump and piled them into my arms like a lunatic. (And a hairdryer, but I swear that was mine in the first place.) My friends, there for support, were confused but silent. They knew the shoes weren't designer. They were cheap. In fact, many were scuffed and missing heel taps.</p>
<p><span>I recognized some of them, like the sandals she bought on a trip to New York City with our father, and the hot pink heels she "borrowed" from a friend and neglected to return. Her latest favorites were a shiny pair of turquoise stilettos with pointed toes. They looked like something a stripper would wear, but she had the confidence, the "look at me" attitude, to pull them off.</span></p>
<p>She was attention-seeking when I was shy, a lovable troublemaker when I painstakingly followed the rules. As kids, I ate the crunchy outside of the onion ring, and she ate the inside. We were black and white, yin and yang.</p>
<p>The next few days passed in a blur. Grief has a strange effect on time. We were sleeping at my grandmother's house, my friends and I bunking up in the spare bedroom. There was too much booze and too many flowers. Even on the day of the funeral, it felt, curiously and guiltily, like a party.</p>
<p>Like you, I know the rules. Wear something modest. Shun style. Black, of course. So I'm still shocked I decided it would be OK to wear those turquoise stilettos to the funeral. How did I think I was going to walk in them? Looking back, I doubt I would have been able to walk without them.</p>
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<p><q class="pullquote">Even in a haze of heartache, it made perfect sense: She loved shoes. I loved her.</q></p>
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<p>Even in a haze of heartache, it made perfect sense: She loved shoes. I loved her. So in tribute, I would wear them. I told my friends, and they decided they would, too.</p>
<p>My friend drove us to the funeral home in my grandmother's car. My mom sat in the backseat. At red lights, she'd unscrew a bottle of dark nail polish and run the brush across her nails. But it was a sloppy job. By the time we parked, it looked as though my mother had gingerly dunked her fingertips into a can of black paint.</p>
<p>She clutched my arm as we walked inside, but my own legs and feet deserve no credit. I swear those shoes carried me like a magic carpet.</p>
<p>And then, there they were. The shoes. My friends stood, a line of soldiers, their feet a rainbow. They wore the pumps, the stilettos, the platforms, the eccentric, neon heels I had dug from my sister's closet just days earlier. Shoes that were so out of place at a funeral, but so perfect at this funeral.</p>
<p>Death is like fashion in that there are no rules in either. (Yes, even when it comes to funeral wear.) I realize now that none of those shoes fit. But if anyone looked twice at us—and I'm sure they did—I don't remember. That unique memorial, however, will be hard to forget.</p>
https://www.racked.com/2015/2/5/7997063/funeral-shoesRheana Murray