Fashion Nova Was Fined $4.2 Million For Allegedly Blocking Bad Reviews
Here are three interesting fashion news stories you should know this week.
This is the Wednesday NEWSletter where I break down a few fashion news stories you should know about this week and why. The fashion industry has a lot of news, and not all of it makes it into the mainstream. Fashion often tells one side of a larger story, and usually, it impacts us all.
Fashion Nova Set to Pay F.T.C. $4.2 Million in Fines
On Tuesday, LA-based ultra-fast fashion brand Fashion Nova agreed to pay $4.2 million to the F.T.C. In a press release, the Federal Trade Commission alleged the brand used a "third-party online product review management interface to automatically post four- and five-star reviews to its website and hold lower-starred reviews for the company's approval." The release also claimed that from 2015 to 2019, hundreds of thousands of low-star reviews were never posted to the website.
While the brand did agree to settle the case with a fine, Fashion Nova still refuted the claims. Following the announcement, spokesperson Terry Fahn told the New York Times that the allegations were "inaccurate." Fahn also told the outlet that the brand was "highly confident that it would have won in court and only agreed to settle the case to avoid the distraction and legal fees that it would incur in litigation."
What does it mean? Well, for starters, it says the F.T.C. is serious about cracking down on online reviews. Fashion Nova is a large and profitable company that can settle cases like this, but it should be a warning for any brand that allows reviews on its site. What's more, is that it's a reminder to use a discerning eye when it comes to reviews online.
Amazon Is Opening an Actual Clothing Store
Amazon Style, a physical brick and mortar clothing store selling clothing, shoes, and accessories, is coming to a shopping complex in Los Angeles. The retailer announced that the 30,000 square foot store will be their foray into a new shopping experience on Thursday. Of course, it's not going to be a classic shopping experience – there will be Q.R. codes. According to CNN, only one physical sample of each piece will be on the store floor, and customers will have to scan it to either purchase or have their size ready in a fitting room. While it may seem strange, it's not new for Amazon. They do, after all, own Whole Foods and have seen the impact of in-person shopping.
Grace Kelly's Grandaughter Rode a Horse at Chanel Couture, and PETA Is Not Happy
It's not the first time a horse has been on the runway, but it's undoubtedly one of the loudest. During the brand's couture show over the weekend, Chanel sends Grace Kelly's granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi down the catwalk riding a horse. She was wearing a collarless jacket and matching flare pants. Of course, it was quite the spectacle among the parade of models. While some outlets praised the move, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was not happy. Elisa Allen, a spokesperson for the organization, told r in a statement, "Horses are intelligent, complex, and easily frightened individuals, not fashion accessories to ride down a catwalk amid flashing lights and booming music."
*This Stuff is a newsletter by me! fashion journalist, Alyssa Hardy. Three times a week, I unpack the ways our clothes impact the world through news, essays, interviews and more. Subscribe for free here and follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.*