Fast Fashion | Fire Sale | 1
发布时间 2021-09-29 07:30:00 来源
Hey, prime members, you can listen to Business Wars Add Free on Amazon Music. Download the app today.
嘿，Prime会员们，你们可以在亚马逊音乐上无广告地收听Business Wars节目。今天就下载这个应用吧。
1, 2, 1. October 2017. Baster is sweeping. About 60 miles west of Stockholm. A Danish journalist from a TV program called Operation X approaches a large power plant. The imposing blue and white structure looms over the landscape, smoke billowing out of its chimneys. The journalist who's accompanied by a cameraman is both nervous and excited.
1. 2017年10月1日。巴斯特正在扫地。在斯德哥尔摩以西约60英里远的地方。一名来自名为“X行动”的电视节目的丹麦记者走向一座庞大的发电厂。这座气势磅礴的蓝白相间的建筑高耸于景观之上，烟雾从烟囱中冒出。陪同他的摄影师和记者既紧张又兴奋。
He's been working on a documentary about fast fashion waste for months. And this plant may hold the smoking gun. Yens Niren, the plant's owner, spots the reporter and his cameraman and flags him down. The reporter picks up his pace, waving hello. Ah, thank you for agreeing to meet me. No problem. How can I help you?
他已经花了几个月时间制作一部有关快时尚浪费的纪录片。而这家工厂可能会揭示真相。工厂的老板Yens Niren看到了那个记者和他的摄像师，便招手示意。记者加快了步伐，挥手打招呼。啊，谢谢你同意见我。没问题。我能为你做什么？
I'm investigating claims that H&M is burning clothes here at your plant. H&M is one of the biggest fast fashion companies in the world, bringing up 26 billion dollars a year in sales. With close to 5,000 stores around the world, it's an industry Titan.
我正在调查有关H&M在你们工厂焚烧衣服的说法。H&M是世界上最大的快时尚公司之一，每年销售额达260亿美元。在全世界有近5000家店铺，是一个业界巨头。
Niren doesn't think much of this question though, he's just eager to get back to work. That's true. The reporter is shocked. If this information checks out, he knows this story has the power to cause major damage given that sustainable is the major buzzword in fashion right now.
尽管如此，Niren并不太关注这个问题，他只是渴望回去工作。没错。记者很震惊。如果这个信息是真实的，他知道这个故事有能力造成重大损害，因为“可持续”是时下时尚界的主打词。
But the reporter doesn't have time to ponder his documentary's impact. He jumps right to his next question before the plant owner can clam up. How much clothing has burned so far? This year, I guess around 15 tons. It's been great for us. The plant has a mandate to stop burning fossil fuels in the next few years, so instead we're burning clothes.
但是记者没有时间考虑他的纪录片对社会的影响。他抓住了主人公的一个机会，直接问他到现在为止究竟烧了多少衣服。我猜今年大约烧了15吨。这对我们来说非常好。这家工厂有一个政令，即在未来几年内停止烧化石燃料，因此我们现在烧的是衣服。
And these clothes, are they defective? H&M told us they were. They said they only send us clothes with mold damage or too many chemicals. But we ran some tests and everything checked out. What do you mean by checked out? The clothes they're having you burn are perfectly good? Niren considers the question for a moment. You could say that.
这些衣服，它们有问题吗？H&M告诉我们它们有问题。他们说只会发送有霉菌损坏或含有过多化学物质的衣服。但是我们做了一些测试，一切都正常。你所说的“正常”是指这些他们让你烧掉的衣服其实完全没有问题吗？Niren沉吟了一会儿。你可以这样说。
And how long has this been going on? Since 2013, the reporter reels. He's just gotten a career-making scoop and won the threatens to dethrone the top player. He has an on-the-record admission that H&M has so much unsolved inventory. They're burning their own product. And they've been doing it for at least half a decade.
这个要持续多久了？ 从2013年开始，这个记者感到震惊。他刚刚获得了一个职业生涯的重大发现，并威胁着要推翻最高级别的玩家。他有一个公开承认H＆M有太多未解决的库存。他们正在销毁自己的产品。而且他们已经这样做了至少半个十年。
Hi, I'm Sarah Haggi, co-host of Wunderies Podcasts Scample Insers. In our recent two-part series, Three Weddings and a Funeral, we dive into the story of a German con man who built an entire life on fake names, lies, and schemes. And the unlikely true-kind twist that brought this decades-long charade crashing down. Listen to Scample Insers on Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.
嗨，我是莎拉·哈吉，Wunderies播客节目Scample Insers的联合主持人。在我们最近的两集系列节目《三个婚礼和一场葬礼》中，我们深入探讨了一个德国骗子的故事，他通过虚假的姓名、谎言和计划建立了整个生活。还有这个不太可能的真实转折，将这几十年的骗局彻底摧毁。在Amazon Music或您获取播客的任何地方收听Scample Insers。
From Wunderie, I'm David Brown and this is Business Wars. Summers are buying five times the amount of clothes they bought in the 1980s. On average, Americans now buy a new piece of clothing every five days.
我是大卫·布朗，这里是《商业大战》。现在的夏季消费者购买的衣服数量是上世纪80年代的五倍。平均来说，美国人现在每五天就会购买一件新衣服。
Driving that surge are fast-fashion companies that mass-produce inexpensive, low-quality clothes. They build empires selling $7 t-shirts and $20 jeans that cost even less to manufacture. All changes is fast as it takes an Instagram post to go live and to keep pace with the hottest trends, competitors demand their manufacturers deliver cheap clothing at lightning speed.
那股激增的推动力来自于那些大量生产价格便宜、质量低劣衣物的快时尚公司。他们以售价7美元的T恤和20美元的牛仔裤建立了自己的帝国，这些衣物的生产成本甚至更低。跟上最热门的潮流需要的速度如同发布 Instagram 帖子一样快，为了跟上竞争对手，制造商需要以闪电般的速度提供廉价服装。
In our new series, four fast-fashion giants face off. Zara, H&M, Topshop, and Forever 21. The global market is expected to grow to more than $30 billion this year, but that kind of serious money is running into some serious concerns and is not just knock-off competitors either.
在我们的新系列中，四大快时尚巨头即Zara、H&M、Topshop和Forever 21将展开竞争。全球市场今年预计将增长到超过300亿美元，但这种严肃的资金正面临一些严重问题，而不仅仅是仿冒竞争对手。
It's a rare pang of global conscience among people who think twice before ordering the $7 t-shirt destined to take up permanent residents in a landfill.
这是一种罕见的国际良心思維，這些人在下定订单之前会三思而后行，因为他们知道這7美元的T恤注定要成为垃圾填埋區永久居民。
This is Episode 1. Fire Sale.
这是第1集，大减价。
London, 1987. 25-year-old Jane Sheppardson enters her boss' office at the headquarters for British retailer Topshop. A successful up-and-coming brand in the UK, Topshop started in the basement of a department store in 1964. Now, nearly 25 years later, it has dozens of standalone locations throughout the UK and brings in millions of pounds in profits each year.
1987年的伦敦。25岁的简•谢泼德森进入了英国零售商Topshop总部的老板办公室。Topshop在英国是一个成功的新兴品牌，始于1964年在一家百货商店的地下室。现在，将近25年过去了，它在英国拥有数十个独立的门店，每年创收数百万英镑。
With blonde hair and sharp features, Sheppardson has the air of a rebellious tomboy. In the last five years, she's worked her way up from checking inventory in the Topshop warehouse. Now, she's a buyer. It's her eye for style that dictates what Topshop puts on its floors.
带着金色头发和深邃五官，Sheppardson 具有叛逆少女的气息。在过去的五年里，她从 Topshop 仓库盘点员开始做起，如今已成为采购员。正是她独特的审美眼光决定了 Topshop 的商品陈列。
But Sheppardson has her sights set on bigger things. She hesitates briefly, waiting for her boss to look up. I placed the order you asked for for the Jersey Department. Sheppardson's boss looks disinterested. What did you decide on?
但是谢泼德森的目标更为宏大。她稍稍犹豫了一下，等待着她的老板抬起头来。我已经为新泽西州的部门下了您要求的订单。谢泼德森的老板看上去毫不感兴趣。你最终决定选什么？
Sheppardson steals herself. She knows her answer will be controversial. Tank tops. Her boss snaps to attention incredulous. Tank tops? No one with any taste is wearing tank tops. Are you out of your mind?
莎伊普森振作自己，她知道她的回答会引起争议。背心衫。她的老板惊讶地立即注意到了这件事。背心衫？没人有品味的人会穿背心衫。你疯了吗？
I'm trusting my instincts. And what makes you think your instincts are so extraordinary? They're not. I'm very, very ordinary. I'm just like millions of women. And if I would buy tank tops, so will they.
我相信我的直觉。那么，你为什么认为你的直觉如此特别呢？它们并不特别，我非常普通，和数百万的女性一样。如果我会买背心，别人也会买。
You sound pretty confident that millions of women would like what you happen to like. Would you take your job on this?
你听起来很自信，认为成千上万的女性会喜欢你偏好的东西。你愿意在这方面承担责任吗？
Yes, yes I would. They're going to sell. Soon every woman in Britain will be wearing a Topshop tank top.
是的，我会的。它们将会卖得很快。不久，英国的每个女人都会穿上一件Topshop的背心衫。
Well, if the order's already been placed, I suppose it's too late now, we'll just have to see about your big gamble then, won't we? Sheppardson nods, curtly, and leaves. Now, all she can do is wait.
好的，如果订单已经下了，我想现在为时已晚，我们只能等待你的大赌注，是吗？谢普德森简短地点了点头，然后离开了。现在，她所能做的就是等待。
Sheppardson's instincts prove correct. Half a million tank tops sell in one week. Ever since she started making her own clothes in her bedroom in Yorkshire as a teenager, she's been dreaming about a big break like this one. And the higher ups at Topshop take notice. Within two years, she's promoted to head buyer. At last, she makes all the calls about which clothes to buy and how many.
谢普森的直觉证明是正确的。一周内售出了50万件背心。自从她在英国约克郡的卧室开始自制衣服时，她一直梦想着像这样一样的重大突破。Topshop的高层注意到了她。在两年内，她晋升为总采购员。最终，她决定了购买哪些衣服和多少。
But now, there's even more pressure to get those calls right. Cause the industry is undergoing a massive shift. New low cost retailers like Madeline and Newlook in the UK and Old Navy in the US are putting pressure on established brands to decrease prices or to be left out in the cold. Its prices might not be as low, but Topshop is making a name for itself by featuring designs from trendy, up-and-coming young designers.
现在，正确接听电话的压力更大了。因为行业正在经历一次巨大的转变。在英国，像 Madeline 和 Newlook 这样的新型低成本零售商以及在美国的 Old Navy 正在给已经确立的品牌施加压力，迫使它们降低价格，否则就将被孤立。虽然价格可能不低，但 Topshop 通过展示来自时尚、新兴年轻设计师的设计而闻名。
In 1994, they reached an important milestone, a new flagship store. Oxford Street, London. Two teenage girls wearing baby doll dresses, knee highs and Mary Jane shoes. Enter the three-story 90,000 square foot new location or Topshop. And Emporium's so massive, it will become known as Big Topshop. Girls gawk at the scene, music blasts from a DJ booth on the third floor. A marvel at the space, brightly colored trendy clothing fills racks.
在1994年，他们达到了一个重要的里程碑：伦敦牛津街的一个崭新旗舰店。两位青少年女孩穿着婴儿式连衣裙，膝上袜和玛丽珍鞋走进三层的Topshop新场所，该店占地90000平方英尺。这个商场太大了，被称为Big Topshop。女孩们惊叹于这个场景，第三层有一台音乐爆发的DJ音乐台。这个空间的奇妙之处在于，明亮色彩的时尚服装填满了货架。
But this isn't just a store. It's an experience, a groundbreaking move in the fashion world. Ooh, it's like a nightclub. Discus, amazing. Wait, is that a manicure station and food stalls? This is unbelievable. Excited teenagers rush to the fitting rooms with armfuls of fashion finds. Their halls are a mechs of designer brands and vintage pieces, as well as basics, including tank tops.
这不仅仅是一家商店。它是一次体验，一个在时装界领先的重大举措。哦，就像一个夜店。碟子、太棒了。等等，那是美甲站和食品摊位吗？简直不可思议。兴奋的青少年带着一大堆时尚风格的衣物冲向试衣间。他们买回来的东西包含一些设计师品牌和复古单品，以及基本款，例如背心。
The different sections have names like Freedom, boutique and moto. To highlight different aesthetics and cluster groups of items that complement one another to create outfits. For these girls who've traveled by train from Sussex to get here, it's a chance to feel like their Queens of Style. They beam at each other. I bet this is where Kate Moss shops. Totally.
不同的部分像自由、精品和摩托这样有名字来强调不同的美学和集群组合项目，补充彼此，创造出装备。对于这些从萨塞克斯乘火车来到这里的女孩们来说，这是一个让她们感觉自己是时尚女王的机会。她们对彼此微笑。我打赌这就是凯特·摩斯购物的地方。完全正确。
As the 1990s progress, fast fashion strengthens its foothold as customers clamor for inexpensive items. But top shop buyer Jane Sheppardson believes you don't have to sacrifice style for affordability. 1999 Sheppardson, now 37 years old, sits in her office ready to make some big decisions. In the past decade, she's developed a reputation for her strong instinct for what will sell, making high fashion looks and making them mainstream. Now she's the company's brand director, but she's struggling to stay ahead of the competitors that seem to pop up daily.
随着时间的推移，到了1990年代，快速时尚开始占据市场，消费者争相购买价格便宜的商品。但是，顶级商店的买手简·谢珀森认为，你不必为了价格实惠而牺牲风格。1999年，37岁的谢珀森坐在她的办公室里做出一些重要决策。在过去的十年中，她以其敏锐的直觉闻名，能够预测出会畅销的高时尚产品，并将其推向大众市场。现在，她是公司的品牌总监，但她发现自己正在与竞争对手的不断涌现作斗争，需要紧跟形势。
A young female buyer shows Sheppardson items of clothing hanging on a portable rack. And these are some of the dresses I was considering? Sheppardson grabs a stretchy, clingy, bright pink dress. The kind of thing one would wear to a club. This is just ghastly. I was told they're selling well. A similar style sold a thousand units last week. I don't care. We're only going to sell items we can be proud of. Tell me, would you be proud to see a woman wearing this dress? The buyer sheepishly holds the dress up to her body. No. Exactly. We are dressing the women of Britain. Let's dress them well.
一个年轻的女买家展示了挂在便携式架子上的Sheppardson服装，这些是我正在考虑的一些裙子吗？Sheppardson拿起一件弹性紧身的亮粉色连衣裙，那种适合去夜店的。这件裙子太可怕了，我听说它们卖得很好，上周就卖出了一千件类似款式的。我不在乎。我们只出售我们自己也能为之感到自豪的商品。告诉我，你会为看到穿这件裙子的女人感到自豪吗？购买者羞怯地将裙子拿起来放到她的身上。不会。正是如此。我们为英国女性提供服装，让我们把她们装扮得漂亮。
Sheppardson flips through the clothes on the rack. And these t-shirts. She holds up a boxy tee with pastel stripes. Someone would buy this. A lot of people would. But we're not selling it because it's disgusting. I hate it. I'm sorry. I was told to select some t-shirts. I'm going to give you a piece of advice. Okay? We sell clothes that you and I and our friends would wear. Sell what you think is beautiful. Sell clothes that make you go, oh my god, that's stunning. And maybe you won't make any money on that piece, but if a customer loves it, they'll come back next month to see what else you have.
夏普森翻过衣架上的衣服。还有这些T恤。她拿起一件方形的带淡粉色条纹的T恤。肯定有人会买的。很多人会买的。但是我们不会卖，因为这太恶心了。我讨厌它。真抱歉。我被告知要选择一些T恤。我要给你一个建议。好吗？我们卖的衣服是你、我和我们的朋友会穿的。卖你认为美丽的衣服。卖让你惊叹的衣服。也许你在那件衣服上不会赚到任何钱，但是如果客户喜欢它，他们会下个月再来看看你还有什么别的衣服。
Sheppardson pulls a military-style jacket off the rack and considers it. Now this. This is nice. More like this. You have good instincts. You just have to trust them.
谢普德森从衣架上取下一件军装式的夹克衫，考虑着它。现在这个。这很好。再来些类似这样的。你有很好的直觉。你只需要相信它们。
Under Sheppardson's leadership, Topshop is poised to soar to new heights. But Topshop isn't the only company making waves in the fast fashion world. H&M has spent the past two decades steadily expanding across Europe. And now the Swedish brand has 700 stores across the continent. They've got star power, too. Supermodels El McPherson, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell are the faces of their high-profile ad campaigns.
在Sheppardson的领导下，Topshop准备飞向新的高度。但Topshop并不是唯一在快时尚界造成轰动的公司。H&M在过去的二十年中一直在稳步扩张欧洲市场。现在，这个瑞典品牌在欧洲拥有700家门店。他们也拥有明星效应。超模El McPherson、辛迪·克劳馥、娜奥米·坎贝尔是他们高调广告活动的代言人。
And H&M is about to create its own nightclub experience in a place that doesn't give a damn about how British women dress..
H&M即将在一个不关心英国女性着装如何的地方创造自己的夜店体验。
March 31, 2000, a crowd waits on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan held back by Velvet Roads. They gawk in anticipation at the new 35,000 square foot three-story H&M store. Shoppers have heard tales of the brand's cheap prices and fashionable styles. And a last-minute ad campaign featuring actress Chloe Sevenier has lured in young bargain hunters from all five burrows.
2000年3月31日，一个人群聚集在曼哈顿第五大道上，被天鹅绒道路挡住。他们期待着新的35,000平方英尺三层H&M商店的开业。购物者听到品牌的价格便宜且时尚的故事，而最后一分钟的广告活动，以演员Chloe Sevenier为特色，已经吸引了来自五个行政区的年轻折扣猎人。
The doors finally open and customers flood in, storming the racks. Two young women immediately start grabbing items. Oh my god, I love this tank top. She holds up a tiger print tank top. How much is it? Only $17.
门终于打开了，客人们涌进来，冲向货架。两个年轻女子立刻开始抢购商品。哦，我的天啊，我喜欢这件背心。她举起了一件有老虎花纹的背心。这件多少钱？只有17美元。
Usually, I can only get one new thing when I go shopping for that price. I can afford to get like 10 things today. They grab more items from the racks, a plaid skirt, a camel-colored leather coat, a pair of drawstring pants, a clothes or a mix of runway knockoffs and casual streetwear.
通常情况下，我去购物，只能用那个价钱买到一个新东西。今天我能够买到十样东西。他们从架子上拿走更多物品，例如方格呢短裙、骆驼色皮大衣、一条拉绳裤、衣服或者是混合了走秀仿制品和休闲街头风格的衣物。
At first glance, many of these pieces would fit right in on the chic affluent upper west side. That is, if you don't spend too much time examining the label. One of the friends points up to a display. I need to have that paisley skirt. The one on the mannequin is my size. The fitting room line is already so long. Unfazed, the shopper starts trying on items right in the aisle of the store, considering a jacket and a full-length mirror.
一开始看，这些服饰中许多都适合富裕的上西区，只要你不花太多时间看标签。其中一位朋友指着一件展示品，说：“我一定要那件印花裙子。摆在模特身上的那一件正好合适我的尺码。”试衣间里已经排了很长的队，但这位购物者毫不在意，在店里的过道上就试穿起了几件衣服，考虑着一件夹克和一面全身镜。
H&M brass were worn. New Yorkers are not the type to line up for anything. Let alone $9 tank tops. But within the first 13 minutes after the store opens its stores, 2,000 shoppers enter the store, and they walk out with arm loads of clothes.
H&M铜制品被穿着了。纽约人不是排队购买任何东西的人。更不用说$9的背心了。但是，在该店开门的前13分钟内，有2,000名购物者进入店铺，他们手里拿着一大堆衣服走了出来。
Competitors are worried. Stores including Learner New York, the limited express, and even Bloomingdale's are taking notice of H&M's shockingly low prices. They know that if the company moves into shopping malls, still the mecca of budget retail in America, they'll struggle to compete. In what seems like a direct response, Bloomingdale's launches a new ad campaign, stressing style and value. It's a noticeable pivot for the high-end department store that has never seemed terribly concerned with affordability.
竞争对手很担心。包括Learner New York、the limited express和Bloomingdale's在内的商店都注意到H&M惊人的低价。他们知道如果这家公司进入购物中心，那仍然是美国经济型零售商的天堂，他们将难以竞争。看起来，Bloomingdale's推出了一项新的广告活动，强调风格和价值，似乎是对这种直接反应的回应。这是一家高端百货商店的明显转变，他们似乎从未特别关注过价格实惠性。
And H&M is coming for the malls. The brand plans to open 100 stores across the United States, starting with a Palisades mall north of New York City and New Jersey's Garden State Plaza.
H&M要进驻商场。这个品牌计划在美国开设100家门店，首站是纽约市北部的Palisades商场和新泽西州的Garden State Plaza商场。
2002 Top Shops Head Offices London. Brand Director Jane Sheppardson's office. Sheppardson's just gotten off the phone and her head spinning with the news that British businessman Philip Green has bought Top Shops parent company Arcadia Group for $1.3 billion. She turns to her colleague.
2002年，Top Shops的总部在伦敦。品牌总监简·谢泼德逊刚刚挂掉电话，听到英国商人菲利普·格林以13亿美元收购了Top Shops母公司Arcadia Group的消息，她的头有些晕了。她转向同事。
Philip Green, a cat, believe it. Well, it has the cash for it. He just held a 50th birthday party on Cypress to the tune of seven million pounds. And you know who performed?
菲利普·格林，一只猫，真的这样认为。好吧，它有足够的现金支持。它刚刚在塞浦路斯举办了一个价值七百万英镑的50岁生日派对。而你知道谁表演了吗？
Wasn't it Rod Stewart?
罗德·斯图尔特不是吗？
Yes. And Tom Jones too. Philip Green has a terrible reputation. He shouts at the buyers and wants threatened to throw someone out a window. And have you seen them, man? Nothing about him is fashionable.
是的，还有汤姆·琼斯。菲利普·格林的名声很糟糕。他对购买者大声喊叫，甚至威胁要把某个人扔出窗户。而且你有见过他吗，哥们？他身上没有一件时尚的东西。
Well, like it or not, he's here to stay. The change in ownership spells trouble for Jane Sheppardson's historic reign. She and Green do not see eye to eye. And if they can't resolve their differences, the entire empire she's built will be at risk.
嗯，不管你喜欢不喜欢，他就是在这里待着。所有权的变更对简•希伯森历史性的统治预示着麻烦。她和格林看不到眼睛，如果他们不能解决分歧，她建立的整个帝国就会面临风险。
Bad dates. We've all had them. Everyone can relate to them. And now it's time to celebrate them. I'm Dramida Jamil. And each week I welcome my favorite comedian, celebrities, and funny friends to share the romantic misfires that they've faced on the road to love.
糟糕的约会。我们都经历过。每个人都能体会到。现在是庆祝它们的时候了。我是Dramida Jamil。每周我会迎接我最喜欢的喜剧演员、名人和有趣的朋友，分享他们在寻找爱情的路上遭遇的浪漫失误。
To shocking or both. We'll have guests like Roy Wood Jr. She has a place to live, I don't. So I'm on my hobo sexual shit, and I'm over there. Oh, no, sexual. Yeah. Nikki Glazer. I dated this guy, and I really liked him. One day he said, cool beans, seriously. And I could not. And Conan fucking O'Brien. Let's just watch the swearing, okay? I'm, yeah. If it weren't for that F-bomb, this whole thing would be suitable for children.
我们将会有像Roy Wood Jr.这样的客人，这太惊人了。她有地方住，我没有。所以我只能过着流浪者般的生活，呆在她那边。哦，不，我应该是流浪汉。妮琪·格蕾泽。我曾经和一个男生约会，我真的很喜欢他。有一天他说了句“酷豆”，我真的无法接受。康南·奥布莱恩。好吧，我们尽量不要说脏话了，好吗？我会尽力的。如果没有那个F字母，这个节目就可以适合孩子们观看了。
So come join us for bad date stories that'll make you laugh a lot, cry a little, and cringe just enough. Follow bad dates wherever you get your podcast. You can listen early and add free on the Amazon Music or Wondering app.
所以来加入我们的节目，听听那些相当有趣的约会故事，可能会让你笑得很开心，有一点点哭泣，并且有一点尴尬。在任何你能取得的播客平台关注bad dates，你可以在Amazon Music或Wondering应用中提前收听和免费添加。
November 2004, Stockholm, Sweden. Jorgann Anderson, H&M's marketing director, and Rolf Erickson, their company's managing director, stand in a showroom. They're facing mannequins wearing pieces from an upcoming collection. It's a collection that has the potential to launch the company to new heights.
2004年11月，瑞典斯德哥尔摩。Jorgann Anderson，H&M的营销总监和Rolf Erickson，他们公司的总经理站在一个展示室里，面对着穿着即将发布的服装系列中的作品的人体模型。这是一次有可能将该公司推向新高度的发布活动。
Anderson considers a t-shirt that features an illustrated image of famed Chanel designer Carl Lagerfeld's face. Hmm. This is not what I expected. Not at all. Erickson agrees. This is uncharted territory, a high-end collaboration for an affordable brand. H&M asked one of the most famous designers in the world to design an inexpensive line. The gamble might not pay off. Well, I don't know what I expected, but it definitely wasn't a cartoon of Carl Lagerfeld.
安德森考虑一件印有著名香奈儿设计师卡尔·拉格斐面部插图的T恤。嗯。这不是我预期的。艾瑞克森也同意。这是未知的领域，一个高端品牌为一个平价品牌提供合作。H&M请求世界上最著名的设计师为他们设计一条廉价系列。这项赌博可能不会产生回报。唔，我不知道我预期什么，但肯定不是一个卡尔·拉格斐的卡通形象。
Will our customers buy this? I think they might. It's strange, but it's exclusive. It's prestigious. The two men, I, as sequin jacket on the next mannequin. What's the retail price for this one? $129. Hmm. It's aspirational. Our customers can't afford Chanel, but they can't afford Carl Lagerfeld for H&M. And we're starting small, a limited quantity of items. It'll make them feel scarce, exclusive, special edition. You know, this could revolutionize the industry.
我们的顾客会购买这个吗？我觉得可能会。它很奇特，但是很独特、很有声望。那个有亮片的夹克就摆在隔壁的模特身上，这个产品的零售价格是多少？129美元。嗯。它是让人向往的。我们的顾客买不起香奈儿，但他们可以买卡尔·拉格菲尔德为H&M设计的款式。我们会先从数量有限的产品做起，让他们感觉稀缺，独占的，像是特别版。你知道吗，这可能会颠覆整个行业。
It does just that. Lagerfeld's 30 item collection sells out within minutes at H&M's parastors and within days across the rest of the world. Sales skyrocket by 24% for the month. Customers are thrilled to be able to own designer clothes at a fast fashion price. Black and white avant-garde TV ads feature Lagerfeld himself promoting the collection. Help! Help! How is it true? Of course it's true. Please, chip.
它确实做到了。Lagerfeld的30件藏品在H&M的专卖店内几分钟之内销售一空，在全球其他地区也在数日内售罄。当月销售额飞涨24％。顾客们非常高兴能够以快速时尚的价格拥有设计师服装。黑白前卫的电视广告展示了Lagerfeld本人推广这个系列。救命！救命！这是真的吗？当然是真的。来吧，快点。
What a depressing word. It's all about taste. If you had sheep, nothing helps. However, Lagerfeld is not pleased by H&M's plan for such a limited collection that sells out in minutes, leaving so many customers disappointed. But H&M has tapped into something critical. By producing a relatively small number of each item, it creates an illusion of scarcity and exclusivity that is almost an aphrodisiac for customers. The ploy is wildly successful. The t-shirt depicting Lagerfeld's face is the hottest seller of the bunch. Next up on the design collaboration docket, Stella McCartney. Frustrated customers are already making plans so they don't miss out.
多么令人沮丧的话啊，这全都取决于口味。如果你有绵羊，什么也帮不了。然而，Lagerfeld并不满意H&M的计划，因为那只是一个很有限的系列，只要几分钟就会卖完，这让许多顾客失望。但H&M找到了一个关键点。通过生产每个商品的数量相对较少，它创造了一种稀缺性和独家性的幻觉，这几乎成为了顾客的一种催情剂。这种策略非常成功。印有Lagerfeld面孔的T恤是其中最畅销的商品。接下来的设计合作将会是Stella McCartney。沮丧的顾客已经开始制定计划，以免错失机会。
Meanwhile, back at Topshop, Jane Sheppardson sees the next competitive challenge. And it's not Carl Stella or any other notable fashion designer. It's potentially something far more devastating if she fails to respond. It's 2004 and Sheppardson sits in the office of Philip Green, a stern-looking man with thinning gray hair. Green resembles a character out of the Sopranos. His own simple, unremarkable suit does not suggest he is the owner of one of the world's biggest fashion brands.
与此同时，在Topshop，简·谢泼德森看到了下一个竞争挑战。这并不是卡尔·斯特拉或任何其他知名时装设计师。如果她无法回应它，它可能会造成更严重的后果。现在是2004年，谢泼德森坐在菲利普·格林的办公室里，格林是一个看起来很严厉、头发稀疏的人。格林像《黑道家族》中的人物，他自己简单平凡的西装并不暗示他是世界最大的时尚品牌的所有者。
Sheppardson leans in eager to update her boss on her latest achievements. Things are changing, and it's all because of the internet. Before, the average person around the world had no way of knowing what styles were shown on the runways. Now, anyone can see them with a click of a button if they know where to look. Green frowns. He isn't interested in theorizing about the industry. He cares about his bottom line.
谢普森热切地倾听，要向她的老板更新她最新的成绩。事情正在变化，这都是因为互联网。以前，全世界的普通人都没有办法知道什么样的款式会在时装秀上展示。现在，如果他们知道在哪里寻找，任何人都可以通过点击按钮来看到它们。格林皱了皱眉头。他对行业的理论化不感兴趣。他关心的是公司的底线。
And what does that mean for our sales? It means we have to be fast, even faster than we are now. Right now, it takes six months for runway trend to make it to our stores. But if we take that long, those pieces won't be in style anymore. So what do you suggest? Well, if we do this right, we can get runway knockoff pieces to our customers in eight weeks. Oh, interesting idea. We'll see if it'll work.
这对我们的销售意味着什么？这意味着我们必须更快，比我们现在更快。现在，时装秀的趋势需要六个月才能到达我们的商店。但如果我们需要这么长时间，那些衣服将不再时尚。那你有什么建议？嗯，如果我们做得好，我们可以在八周内把时装秀仿制品卖给我们的顾客。哦，这是个有趣的想法。我们会看看它是否可行的。
I do have some concerns, though. She pauses, choosing her next words carefully. Her relationship with Green has been challenging, and she needs to be strategic. We're buying a lot from Asia. That's going to make our supply chain take longer. It has cheapest to make clothes in Asia. You know that. Right. I just think it may be wise to consider some more strategic supplier relationships close to home. That way, we can get new clothes into the stores faster, and also on the internet. H&M is starting to expand online sales. I really think this will be the future. No, no, no. No, we can't take the focus off our stores. They're iconic. Going a big Topshop for the first time is a rite of passage. Now, why don't you go focus on making me some money?
其实，我也有一些担忧。她停了一下，认真挑选下一句话。她和格林的关系一直很有挑战性，因此她需要策略。我们从亚洲购买了很多东西，这会使得我们的供应链变得更长。毕竟在亚洲制造衣服更便宜。你知道的。不过，我认为考虑一些更靠近家的战略供应商关系可能会更明智。这样，我们可以更快地将新衣服送到店铺，也可以在线上销售。H&M正开始扩张在线销售业务。我真的认为这将是未来。不，不，不。我们不能让我们的店铺丧失重心。它们是标志性的。第一次去Topshop是一种成人礼。现在，你为什么不专注于帮我赚钱呢？
Shepherds and rises and begins to head out of his office. But she pauses as she reaches the door. I don't like to compromise, and I really don't like to be told what to do. I need freedom to operate to try new things. I can't have my creativity stifled. She lets her words sink in as she closes the door behind her. Shepherdson's directness with Green comes from measured success in 1999, just before she took over as brand director. Topshop made 9 million pounds. In 2005, they make 110 million.
牧羊人站起身，准备走出办公室。但当她走到门口停下来。我不喜欢妥协，也不喜欢别人告诉我该怎么做。我需要自由施展创意去尝试新事物。我不能容许创意被扼杀。她让自己的话在关闭门后回荡。牧羊人对格林的直率来自于她在1999年取得的可观成功，就在她接手品牌总监职位之前。Topshop赚到了900万英镑。到了2005年，他们已经赚了1.1亿英镑。
And while she still has to answer to Green in terms of major decisions, like online shopping and factory locations, she has enough juice to make a few key moves. First, Shepherdson secures the brand as a key sponsor of London Fashion Week. Then, she launches Top Shop to Go, a service that delivers a curated selection of items to customers' homes. She even throws in store parties catered to the company's teenage customers. Shepherdson is riding high, but her success at Top Shop will be just as fleeting as the fashion trend she sells to the masses.
虽然她还需要向Green回答关于重大决策，比如在线购物和工厂选址的问题，但她有足够的权力来进行几个关键的举措。首先，Shepherdson将该品牌确定为伦敦时装周的主要赞助商。然后，她推出了Top Shop to Go服务，该服务向客户的家中提供经过策划的商品选择。她甚至组织了专门为公司青少年客户提供服务的商店派对。Shepherdson正骑在风口浪尖，但她在Top Shop的成功将与她向大众销售的时尚潮流一样短暂。
On October 5, 2006, Shepherdson announced her departure from Top Shop after 20 successful years. The news sparked rumors about the reason behind her exit, with insiders pointing to her troubled relationship with Green - the owner of Top Shop. Just two weeks earlier, Shepherdson gave an interview where she expressed her love for her job, so her sudden departure was surprising.
在2006年10月5日，谢波森（Shepherdson）宣布她在服务Top Shop 20年后离职。此消息引发了有关她离开原因的传言，内部人士指出她和Top Shop所有者格林之间的关系不和。就在两周前，谢波森接受了一次采访，在采访中她表达了对工作的热爱，因此她的突然离职令人惊讶。
Some speculate that the final straw for Shepherdson was the announcement of a Top Shop collaboration with Kate Moss, who is a close personal friend of Green's. Allegedly, Green did not consult with Shepherdson before announcing the collaboration. However, Top Shop denied these allegations and attributed Shepherdson's departure to a simple desire for change.
有些人猜测 Shepherdson 离开的最后一根稻草是 Top Shop 宣布与 Kate Moss 合作，而 Kate Moss 是 Green 的亲密好友。据说，在宣布合作之前，Green 没有与 Shepherdson 商量。然而，Top Shop 否认了这些指控，将 Shepherdson 离职归因于简单的想要变化的愿望。
While Shepherdson contemplates her next move, Top Shop must find its footing without her. With the increasing speed of industry innovations that decrease the time it takes to get a trend from the runway to the shopping mall, they must adapt quickly or risk being left behind.
当谢泼德森考虑下一步行动时，Top Shop必须在没有她的情况下找到立足之地。由于行业创新的不断加速，缩短了时尚从T台到购物中心的推广时间，他们必须快速适应，否则就面临被落在后面的风险。
In the next episode, we will explore Top Shop's scrappy origins in H&M and compare it to Zara, a Spanish company with a unique way of doing business. We'll also take a look at Forever 21, a new American challenger in the fast-fashion industry.
在下一集中，我们将探讨Top Shop在H&M的艰苦起源，并将其与西班牙公司Zara进行比较，后者拥有独特的经营方式。我们还将看看Forever 21，这是快时尚行业中的一位新的美国挑战者。
Listeners who are Prime Members can enjoy every episode of Business Wars ad-free on Amazon Music. The Amazon Music app is available for download today, or you can listen ad-free with Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts.
在亚马逊音乐上，会员可以畅享《商战》每一集无广告播放的特权。你可以今天下载亚马逊音乐应用，或在苹果播客中通过 Wondery Plus 无广告收听。
Before you go, complete a short survey about yourself at Wondery.com/survey. Finally, a quick note about the recreations you've been hearing: in most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, but they're based on historical research.
在你离开之前，请到Wondery.com/survey完成一个关于你自己的简短调查。最后，关于你听到的再现，快速提醒一下：在大多数情况下，我们无法确切知道说了些什么，但它们是基于历史研究的。
This is episode one of "Fast Fashion" on Business Wars. I'm David Brown, your host. Aaron Conley wrote this story, Michelle Philippi provided voice acting, and Karen Lo was our senior producer and editor. Emily Frost edited and produced the episode, with sound design by Kyle Randall. Our producer is Dave Schilling. Jenny Lauer Beckman and Marshall Lui are the executive producers, with Ernon Lopez creating the show for Wondery.
大家好，欢迎收听《商业大战》的“快速时尚”第一集。我是你们的主持人David Brown。本集由Aaron Conley编写，Michelle Philippi进行声音表演，Karen Lo担任高级制片人和编辑。Emily Frost负责本集的编辑和制作，Kyle Randall担任声音设计。我们的制片人是Dave Schilling。Jenny Lauer Beckman和Marshall Lui是执行制片人，Ernon Lopez为Wondery创建了这个节目。