Photo Credit: Alyasha Moore

Amidst every day market speculation and news of retention bonuses looking to make their way into the pockets of faltering banking institution A.I.G., the current consumer confidence level in both the global economy and the institutions that got us into this mess are perhaps at an all-time low. As a global economy firmly entrenched in financial chaos and uncertainty, we’ve seen the unfortunate demise of numerous entities over various industries throughout the world. From banks and retailers, to various well-known brands, this tumultuous period in the world’s financial history has forever changed the lives of people today and undoubtedly for many years to come.

A few months back, we were approached by an unlikely individual in Michael Kink, Director of Policy Development & Special Counsel to touch on this sensitive subject. I went about approaching a few different influential members of our community ranging from retailers to designers in hopes of getting a better understanding of how they were coping as well as their thoughts on some of the greener pastures brought on by these difficult times. Some who ultimately opted to not participate had some initial unease in speaking about a topic which has plagued media sources day-in and day-out. Yet I looked to tackle this issue from a different perspective. While a handful of accounts regarding the faltering of major cornerstones of the global economy have been issued, few reports delved into the nooks and crannies of this creative community we all find great passion and interest in. I never looked to point out the obvious in terms of how crummy the times were, however I did want to see how the small and independent brand and boutique was getting by and how they looked to continue on their paths of being leaders in their respective fields.

Looking back, ever since things decidedly took a turn for the worse and the housing market had yet to truly hit rock-bottom, I already had a sense that a weeding process (as touched upon by some participants) was on the horizon. While this is an unfortunate by-product as brands and stores both try their best to capture the dollars from the shrinking wallets of consumers, cutting the fat seems like a necessary protocol. My condolences to those who have had the misfortune of closing up shop, but nevertheless we look forward to a stronger, better return to form for our industry as we turn the corner.

The next few pages are heavy and intensive in their subject matter but above all else offer a look into personalities that are much like you and I, not the multi-million dollar bonus totting suits and businesses who have fell on tough times through improper business practices. Through a genuine and accurate portrayal of the current state of affairs, you get a sense of how the likes of Chris Gibbs (Union), Hikmet Sugoer (Solebox), Arthur Chmielewski (HAVEN), Frank Liew (Quarters/Qubic), Erik Brunetti (FUCT) and Alyasha Moore (Fiberops) are working things out to the best of their abilities. Big thanks to the aforementioned participants as well as Michael Kink for the suggestion on this feature.