Fashion Industry discussion, review, analysis, news, and information

I’m not familiar with the import business, but for those of you retailers who do quite a bit of apparel importing, you may be interested in knowing that the government has imposed tariffs that have no rational basis.  For example, did you know that there is a 28% tax on men’s bathing suit imports but only 12% tax on women’s?

This is the focus of this New York Times article in which some major retailers like Steve Madden, Asics and Columbia Sportswear have filed suit against the government for these unexplained tariffs.  So, what’s new?  The government always does what they want…but let’s not get into that!  

On the other side of the coin - what about some companies who charge $8 for a men’s white tank top, yet they turn around and charge $12 for that same tank top in the women’s department?  Doesn’t that women’s tank use less material to make or is it because the government has charged more taxes for women‘s tank tops? Hmmm….