FAMU gear is now available through Victoria's Secret PINK stores. The line designed by Victoria's Secret includes T-shirts, flip flops, sweat pants/shorts, and other items for ladies. The line is emblazoned with the Rattler logo and the FAMU name and is available in stores and online.You can check out the gear: here. FAMU will get a percentage of all sales.
Also see: FAMU goes PINK
VS originally ignored HBCUs. Complaints to the corporate offices were dismissed. And now, after twisting their arms, the powers that be are claiming that we didn't really have anything to do with it. Directly from an article in "Black Enterprise":
ReplyDeleteLast July, Amelia Reid, a sophomore at Howard University wrote a letter to Pink to express her dismay at the absence of HBCUs in the fall line. Reid, a Pink fan and an employee of Limited Brands, Victoria’s Secret parent company, received from the company a response that she described at the time as “sugarcoated” and dismissive...(snip) Dent said that the company had been in contact with many of the HBCUs months prior to Reid’s Facebook site and that she did not play a part in their decision to launch the line of HBCU apparel.
http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/12/16/pink-rolls-out-hbcu-apparel/
(To be fair, Dent is a FAMU alum.)
This seems to be a tradition from the Civil Rights Movement, but what is it about black people that makes us beg white companies to give us the privilege of giving them money? ("We DEMAND the right to shop at your stores and eat at your restaurants!") A company slights you, grudgingly includes you, denies you had any part in it...and we respond by giving them our business? Please. No self-respecting Rattler would fall for this token crap. VS did this for the same reason Vogue (Italia) had an all-black issue: they know black women would lose their shit and empty our pockets, just like we always do.
"BINGO JENNIFER!"
ReplyDeleteJust WHAT is the Big Deal about wanting/demanding that FAMU/HBCU's be included in what's nothing more than an overpriced line of semi-trashy sweatsuits & outfits - that it seems that practically nobody who actually eats solid food can fit into & look somewhat decent in them in the first place?
Would anybody of you all have been in such a tizzy if the word "BLACK" was scrawled all across these items?
Bottom Line ... As much as we have a Rattler as some sort of a decision maker of this company, this seems to be hugely overblown.
But - It'll be interesting to eventually see just how much "GREEN" FAMU eventually gets back for all of you all's fixation in "PINK" ... and especially for all of the money you will be plunking down for it.
Well I have enthusiastically purchased 3 overpriced semi-trashy outfits marketed to girls like me who already had previous purchases from the Pink line in our possession. Now FAMU can get a portion of those sales. Because the reality is that the items in the FAMU bookstore go for the same prices if not more and they will stay in the bookstore until they offer more items that appeal to the Pink customer. And while I agree that it does no good for black people to beg, scream and holler for VS to cater to my university, I certainly appreciate that they now know the power of my "green" and that I can take my purchases elsewhere and strengthen someone else's bottom line.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the Pink line is for everyone, but there are many of us who like the look and will continue to do business with them again as they produce more FAMU merchandise. And there will always be those who oppose this venture; but in the meantime, we can cultivate our own ventures so that maybe one day the answer to the dearth of products for "us"
will be FAMUans offering goods with comparable if not superior appeal for our market.
3:20--VS has always known the "power" of your green; they just didn't give a hoot about the power of the black. I agree w/1:14.
ReplyDeleteNO ONE gives a hoot about the power of our "black"!
ReplyDeleteIt's about whether or not our black will spend enough green on their products.
I agree with Jennifer as well, but am not surprised at Dent's refusal to acknowledge Amelia Reid's social networking campaign to get Pink in more stores. It's highly unfortunate, but I won't let Dent sour this opportunity for Florida A&M to gain more publicity, jobs, and scholarship dollars. My biggest concern back when they announced this partnership in October was not the blatant tokenism displayed towards HBCU's but the type of image that Victoria's Secret gives to our black women, particularly as it relates to the way that students dress while attending HBCU's and FAMU. I was also concerned that while black women are some of the biggest purchasers of this entity of Victoria's Secret, it would only seem that we were seeking validation a from a white company by yelling from the rooftops that that we exist and have a strong purchasing power(something that we have known for decades).
ReplyDeleteFor this reason, I look at this new found "interest" in HBCU's as a great tool for us to turn the tables on all companies that seek to ignore or deny our existence. While they might see it as throwing us bones for having such a large voice, I see this as a great way for FAMU students and current local black-owned vendors to use the data from these Victoria's Secret sales to cater their products to the women who buy this brand.
Ammons clearly knows the bottom line is that this partnership is about dollars and cents. Vicky doesn't have to be the end-all be-all when it comes to offering the largest amount of FAMU apparel for women. They just simply opened the door to more opportunities for us to flex our entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. I am enraged at this blatant attempt to dumb-down future consumers, but not any more enraged than I am about the way that ESPN's chests poked out when they "selected" FAMU to be the first HBCU featured on College Game Day(as if they discovered us as we emerged from obscurity). Because I am a "self-respecting Rattler", I will make certain that I do my part to ensure that FAMU does just what we are can potentially in 2009 be the best at doing, and that's flipping the script on the people that assume that they hold our financial destiny in their hands. That's truly the only way that we will build our endowment to be included in the top 5 HBCU's.
This is an old news story. This happen in October. Rattler Nation is behind as always. Catch Up RN.
ReplyDeleteActually, this isn't old. The clothes just became available for sell in stores and online. Obviously, you didn't read the story.
ReplyDeleteReading IS Fundamental !!!!!
7:02, you're stupid. Too stupid, in fact, to recognize that your comment mirrors 6:10's comment. Damn. 7:02 simply said it more snippier tone than obviously you understood. OMG. Aren't you the slow one.
ReplyDelete9:04, RN reported this way back when. Where have YOU been?
ReplyDelete*sigh*
ReplyDeleteSo this post went from an exchange of insightful dialogue to childish banter within a matter of days...
From 7:02:
ReplyDelete-Yes, 9:24, I realized after I posted my comment that it was exactly what 6:10 said-too bad we can't delete the more snippy repeats...OMG.
But that's okay because you were right there to point out my slow stupidity! We can always depend on someone on this blog to do that, can't we?
7:52, I respect what you're saying. But how come the only way we can seem to show our spending "power" is by giving white people money? On the power ladder, that puts us at the bottom of the rung...waaaaay on the bottom. True power is when you keep your money in your community and use it to make other people wealthy, not when you give your money away to other companies. The truth is, the so-called spending power black people have in this country is all but nonexistent. How much money we have to spend does NOT equal power.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything that you're saying, Jennifer-that our spending power is virtually non-existent when it involves giving white people money. But I guess that's the paradox that doesn't have to be. Since we know why our women purchase Victoria's Secret merchandise, and we have the capabilities to produce the same if not better products, why not try to surpass those offerings? I think that the biggest problem is that there is a lack of interest in offering stylish FAMU women's apparel. So Vicky did what businesses do, and seized the opportunity- and we responded by purchasing what we liked in larger quantities. I expect businesses to capitalize on what makes money-and even deny that we have any part in their decisions. But what are we going to do about it?
ReplyDeleteWe have no problem selling Obama t-shirts and oversized "FAMU's Next Top Model" tees, but we lack in the category that makes the most dollars-women's apparel. So it's not like the money isn't there. I guess all that I am saying is that we should beat them at their own game- and we can because we know "us" better than anyone. That's what I mean by "flipping the script". Black and hispanic women spend more money on clothes than any one ethnic group in the United States, yet when we offer our products, we seem to only market to FAMU men, and women who like XXL t-shirts when they are really size two's. We have some of the most innovative students and alumni in the nation. So rather than staying angry with the others, let's make this an opportunity to take collegiate apparel it to another level and enhance our power by getting paid.
This whole thing with PINK reminds me of the Myrtle Beach fiasco, when the black bike week had a lot more cops and hostility than the white version. What did we do, blackfolk hooted and hollered and protested to FORCE Myrtle Beach to take our money and like it.
ReplyDeleteJennifer is spot on. There are few things in this world that are not susceptible to competition. If one group denies you, give them the finger and go with someone else. If Vicky C did not want your HBCU money, don't spend it with them, plain and simple.
I refuse to give someone money who doesn't want it.
There are probably at least 4 other trashy women's clothing companies on Gaines Street let alone the country who would probably donate A Millie to have exclusive rights to HBCU names. But we just gave it away... again.
10:09PM said:
ReplyDeleteI refuse to give someone money who doesn't want it.
And, there it is. If they don't included us in their mainstream marketing, then why should I give them my money? This is why I don't travel to the Caribbean. I don't see "us" frolicking in the sun and sand in mainstream ads. Pay closer attention to mainstream media and its advertisers. You'd be surprised at how we're excluded.
Reading this I feel compelled to share some facts to help everyone recognize what a tremendous opportunity this is for the HBCU's:
ReplyDelete- VSPINK had contracted with FAMU and the other schools to design the product long before Amelia Reid started this campaign. Check with the President's office at any of the 5 schools.
- VSPINK received 5 million votes from students at over 300 Universities to be included in the PINK Collegiate Collection. VSPINK has skipped over schools with much larger alumni populations and presumably larger commercial potential to get to HBCU's to demonstrate its commitment to be the most aspirational brand for college age women of ALL ethnicities. Many larger schools are not yet a part of the collection like Iowa, Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Missouri, UCF etc. FAMU and the other HBCU's got in before those larger institutions were even considered, demonstrating VSPINK's commitment to the HBCU's
- By purchasing the product VSPINK will be providing monies back to the school, a nice commitment in these unsteady economic times
- In addition to that, VSPINK will hire and pay campus reps from each school in the spring, further giving back to students at these schools
- In addition VSPINK has partnered with the Tom Joyner Foundation to provide scholarships to each of the Universities. Ths will be announced late next week. The scholarship commitment is unique to HBCU's
So the notion that VSPINK's involvement was reactionary and that the investment in this venture is not about the schools is not true. Hope that helps. I also hope people realize that embracing this opportunity, if it is successful will open the door for more dollars and opportunities from companies to support our beloved HBCU's. And that is what this is all about...not just clothes.
Who cares im black and beautiful and love the pink collection, im happy that FAMU is inculded in it, and i think this school has deserved it! :D whats wrong with a little pink and green..
ReplyDeleteWhat's riht with pink and green???
ReplyDelete*red and white*