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High Fashion on the Bankruptcy Runway

Tuesday, 13 October 2009 20:19

Japanese fashion design firm Yohji Yamamoto Inc. has recently filed for bankruptcy protection, another setback for high-end brands in Japan.

According to an article in The Wall St. Journal, the bankruptcy is yet another blow to Tokyo couture as Gianni Versace SpA has closed its stores in Japan because the stores "no longer represented the brand image." The store closures come amid Japan's declining economy and a reassessment by some high-end brands of their presence in that market.

Yohji Yamamoto Inc. has listed debts totaling six billion yen, ($67.8 million) according to a spokeswoman in Tokyo. The firm, which cited the tenuous international economy for the move, said it will continue to operate while under bankruptcy protection.

Integral Corporation, a Tokyo investment firm, acquired the business out of bankruptcy. They said the restructured firm will seek to strengthen Yohji Yamamoto's retail and wholesale distribution channels. Yohji Yamamoto, the fashion house's founder and namesake designer, will continue to design for the business.

Yohji Yamamoto formed the fashion house in 1984, after his designs, described as unusually cut and often in black, made a splash at shows in Paris and New York. Recently, the company tried to broaden its appeal through collaborations with other brands including Adidas. He became part of a group of designers from Japan, including Rei Kawakubo and Issey Miyake, who gained influence in the 1980s.

Whether you shop at Wal-Mart or Neiman Marcus, you will need a good lawyer to help you through the intricacies of bankruptcy. If you need to file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, contact a Legal Helpers attorney for knowledge that you can trust. Call toll-free 800-260-1402 today to speak with an experienced and compassionate bankruptcy lawyer.

80s Sitcom Star Files for Bankruptcy due to IRS Debt

Monday, 12 October 2009 15:08

Jasmine Guy’s Divorce Offers Beneficial Bankruptcy Information Advice:

Whitley Gilbert lived in an upbeat scripted sitcom with a made-for-TV-movie reunion ending: the actress who portrayed her, Jasmine Guy, wasn’t so lucky. Jasmine Guy filed for divorce from Terrence Mitchell Duckett in late 2008 and just this month filed for bankruptcy. Why the one-two punch? Bankruptcy information advises to file for bankruptcy before filing for divorce, not the other way around. This is especially true if the couple has accrued a lump of tax debt like Guy and spouse: Guy now owes $124,000 in tax debt and other fees, while her ex now owes a narrowed down $93,000. Since Jasmine Guy so wisely filed for bankruptcy as a single woman, her ex’s credit won’t be affected in a joint bankruptcy filing.

Debt problems bitterly end 50% of marriages; good bankruptcy information is essential to couples considering money-based divorces. Bankruptcy information and statistics show that an amicable divorce is easier without a divisive jointly-filed bankruptcy. Though there’s no Dwayne Wayne in sight, Jasmine Guy will be able to pay off her tax debt from a role in the well-reviewed new CW show the Vampire Diaries.

Don’t Miss this Nugget of Bankruptcy Information:

Consumers might misunderstand the examples celebrities set with bankruptcy. When they file for bankruptcy with a mound of tax debt, that tax debt is not discharged: no federal legislation would allow bankruptcy to negate a federal pay-day! Jasmine Guy’s Chapter 13 debt restructuring bankruptcy arranges to have that tax debt repaid with a debt repayment plan, so April 15th will come every month until she's paid in full.

For more bankruptcy information about how a divorce might just save your credit, call Legal Helpers at 1.800.260.1402. We offer free consultations 6 days a week to make sure you have the most recent bankruptcy information so you can make your decision. Call us for bankruptcy information today!

Losing Your Name in Bankruptcy

Friday, 09 October 2009 15:24

Along with the Rhino-Emblazoned Shirt On Your Back

Famed clothing designer Marc Ecko’s accumulated commercial debt is sure to have its naysayers, thanks to his widely publicized frivolous spending. In 2007, Marc Ecko spent over $752,000 on Barry Bond’s series winning home run ball only to give it away to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  He not only lost $750 grand, but the ball and Barry Bond’s personal respect, who actually called him a “stupid idiot”. 

Yet, boldly going against public opinion is what initially won the designer praise as a “hip hop fashion pioneer”, acclaim as one of the world’s most influential clothing providers…until now, as he has no profit to show for his brazen business choices.

Ecko Unlimited broadly diversified over the years, with empires that crumbled along with the unpredictable arc of print media and hip hop fashion: despite its savvy hybrid of a young men’s consumer interest magazine meets lifestyle publication, Ecko’s Complex Magazine timing was off.  Complex hit newsstands in 2002, right when print media began to take its steady and cataclysmic downfall.

Marc Ecko has trifled with bankruptcy before in 1998, right before his red rhinoceros (and logo shirts as a whole) exploded into the mainstream.  This second time around, he might not be so lucky.  He is moving forward in a deal with Iconix Brand Group to erase its debt in exchange for 50% of the company, meaning all of Ecko Unlimited’s future business requires an Iconix co-sign.

The moral of the story?  Unless you’re up for the gamble, you might want to keep from naming your company after yourself.   Marc Ecko’s debt is very much commercial, but the easy connotation might tarnish his personal image.  For personal or commercial debt issues, you need legal representation.  Get the help you need with one of Legal Helper’s adept professionals: call us today for a free debt consultation at 1-800-260-1402.

Going Green Doesn’t Take Much Green

Thursday, 08 October 2009 17:23

Although “going green” is taking the nation by storm, for the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs or who have huge credit card debt, the Green Movement certainly is not #1 on their priority list.

Although even environmental experts admit that “going green” can sometimes be expensive, they concur in the opinion that some techniques are simple, free (or nearly so) and can even save cash-strapped Americans a little of their own green. Key to saving the environment and cash are the 3R’s; reduce, reuse and recycle.

In an article in The Washington Post, Peter Krull, president of Krull & Co., a socially and environmentally conscious Georgian financial services firm, stated that two actions people can take are 1) installing an inexpensive, programmable thermostat and 2) turning off the lights when leaving a room for a period of time.

In this same article, authored by Nancy Trejos, Shel Horowitz, author of Painless Green: 110 Tips to Help the Environment, Lower Your Carbon Footprint, Cut Your Budget, and Improve Your Quality of Life -- With No Negative Impact on Your Lifestyle, mentioned a few of his own tips for protecting the planet while protecting one’s finances. Horowitz recommends turning off the water while brushing your teeth, using fans instead of air conditioners and closing drapes at night to keep warm air trapped in your home.

Other low cost, earth-friendly tips include: turning down the thermostat a few degrees (put on a sweater); air-drying your clothes (not always practical in a small home or apartment, especially in the winter); walking, biking or taking public transportation to work, school or errands; repairing old cell phones instead of discarding them; taking lunch to work or school in reusable containers and cleaning your home with inexpensive, time-proven and natural cleaners such as ammonia, vinegar and baking soda.

Other tips may cost a bit of money up-front but have demonstrable cost-saving effects down the road (not too far down to be practical). Some tips from Matthew Grocoff, founder of http://www.Greenovation.TV, include using water-saving shower heads which, though costing about $75, can save enough electricity to run your TV for nearly a year! He also recommends purchasing and using “smart power strips” and vacancy sensor light switches to save electricity--a good thing for Mother Earth and Mother and Dad Jones.

If you do have the money to make some investments, why not invest your hard-earned dollars with environmentally-sensitive corporations and/or mutual funds. Another way to go green while saving some green. Oh yeah, on St. Patrick’s Day, spend a few bucks on a green beer, and have one for me, too!

If you find yourself needing to file for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy, call a Legal Helper attorney for experience and knowledge that you can trust.

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ABOUT THIS BLOG:

Richard K. Gustafson, II is an attorney with LegalHelpers.com writing on topics related to bankruptcy from the consumer's perspective. To send comments to Rick, email Blog@LegalHelpers.com.


The Bankruptcy Blog from LegalHelpers.com is produced from the law firm of Macey & Aleman, one of the nation's largest bankruptcy firms. A blog does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not a substitute for specific legal advice from an attorney analyzing your specific set of facts. If you are interested in obtaining information about bankruptcy, you are encouraged to call our law firm at 888-743-5787 or complete our online evaluation for a confidential, risk-free analysis!

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