Daily LInks
1. U.S. Bankruptcy Tracker: Distressed Retail Debt Pile Collapses. Distressed debt tied to retail enterprises is putting on something of a vanishing act. The overall amount of tradeable troubled debt has shrunk from near $1 trillion in March of last year to less than $60 billion as of September 10. And the portion of that from the retail industry has collapsed at an even faster clip. – Read More on Bloomberg
2. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy says it’s ‘hard to argue’ its retail business is a monopoly: “We compete with very large companies. These are companies like Walmart and Target and Kroger and some very successful digital companies like eBay and Etsy and Wayfair, and we don’t have the ability to raise prices in any kind of unfettered way.” – Read More on GeekWire
3. Garment workers in Los Angeles describe the “modern-day slavery” of sweatshops: “They paid us like 5 and 6 cents for a piece.” According to Marissa Nuncio, director of the advocacy group the Garment Worker Center, as a result, workers’ average hourly wage last year ranged from $5.85 to as low as $2.68. – Read More on CBS
4. RETRO READ: California Legislators Are Pushing for New Law to Protect Garment Workers From Retailers’ Loopholes. Despite findings of the DOL, which seem to clearly suggest rampant wage and labor violations, Fashion Nova’s assertions that it is operating in line with California state law very well may be true, assuming that the company can successfully position itself as a retailer of apparel and accessories, and not a manufacturer. – Read More on TFL
5. Fewer deals and shipping delays: Here are some early predictions for the holiday season. Shoppers should expect fewer discounts, longer shipping times and limited inventory at stores, thanks to supply chain woes and labor shortages, according to the firms. – Read More on CNBC
6. Gucci has an “it” bag, so does Louis Vuitton: Can Telfar become the next iconic bag brand? Labels that define modern fashion have failed to create a bag as enduring as the Fendi Baguette or Gucci’s Jackie O, but Telfar’s vegan leather tote comes close. – Read More on SCMP