One day I'm driving past and the Liz Claibourne sign is gone. I email someone I knew who worked there and was told the company had been selling off its assets for two years and my friend left long before the inevitable final closing. Did anyone know of this? I read the financial pages all the time and had no inkling.
Certainly I'm concerned about all those out of work, but I'm especially worried about Liz herself. Is she living on the street? Designing clothes alone in some dingy basement? What else can she do? How shocking would it be to walk into Stop & Shop and see her bagging groceries. Does she have any family? Probably too busy with her career to marry and raise children.
What is it like to have your name on a huge sign for years and suddenly see another company's moniker there? Has this remarkable woman been able to maintain her identity? If the same thing happened to Hugo Boss would he survive?
I'm imagining dozens of formerly hot designers skulking through subway trains, in darkened alleys, battling the elements, begging for spare change. Laura Ashley in tatters, her face a silent scream, wearing matching rags and purse.
I'm thinking maybe Liz squirreled away a few million. I'm okay with this. But if Wendy's disappears...
No comments:
Post a Comment