Latest news with #TheGap

Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
I'm an analyst by day and a fashion designer by night. A-listers like Zendaya have worn my clothes, but I'm not quitting my 9-5.
This as-told-to essay is based on an interview with Steven Goudeau, the 42-year-old head designer and CEO of Stephen Goudeau. It has been edited for length and clarity. For the past 17 years, I've had two jobs. I own my own fashion brand and work as a full-time analyst at AT&T. I don't think the average successful entrepreneur has just one income. I'll never have one job. I've loved fashion since I was young My parents were super stylish. One of my earliest memories is of my dad wearing a mesh tank top and gold MC Hammer pants standing next to a VW Beetle. As I got older, I also started to play with my look. I studied communications but kept creating clothes for local people in New Orleans, such as the pastor's wife. I didn't have any sewing skills, so I would visit a family friend who owned a local alterations shop, and she showed me how to cut patterns and sew. I got a job as a visual merchandiser at The Gap in Houston, which was my first real experience working two jobs. During the day, I worked for Chase Bank as a phone contractor, and then at night, after The Gap had closed, I decorated the store windows. I started my first fashion brand in 2006 My cousins helped me with my first brand, Studio Sixth Sense. I designed clothes for the professional woman who lives a luxury lifestyle. I did the designs while they handled marketing, model booking, and finance. A local seamstress would sew the clothes. I'd take individual commissions and participate in small fashion shows. I didn't seek funding to launch my brand. As luxury fabrics such as merino wool and crepe were not cheap, I needed a full-time second job to cover this outlay as I finished my contract with Chase. A friend referred me to AT&T A family friend told me about a well-paid tech support job at AT&T. It promised good benefits and a good salary. I interviewed, passed the test, and started working for AT&T in March 2008. At work, I'd keep a sketch pad with me so I could draw my designs during my downtime. It wasn't long before my designs started to get noticed. New York Fashion Week invited me after seeing my designs on social media I was approached by New York Fashion Week for its September 2012 show, as they'd spotted my designs on social media. I was ambitious but still a little raw. I participated in a show with a group of other designers and created a new collection called "Eat Cake" inspired by Marie Antoinette. It featured big shoulders, a lot of lace, and a lot of jewels. It caught the attention of celebrity stylist Law Roach. He started working with Zendaya in 2014 and shot her in my clothes. As time went on, other celebrities, such as Tyra Banks, Lil' Kim, Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child, and Emmy-winning actress Tabitha Brown were photographed in my pieces. When I started gaining traction, I changed the name I never wanted to put my name on the brand because I didn't think that people would accept a male of color in the luxury fashion industry. Then I started listening to people around me, and I agreed that Stephen Goudeau on a label inside a couture gown sounded so much better. It's spelled differently from my name, so I kept my own identity. I don't think I will ever have one job Being comfortable is an unhealthy way to live for me. I work 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week at AT&T. My average day involves getting out of bed and grabbing coffee, then catching the train or an Uber to take me to the office. For the next eight hours, I work as an analyst for AT&T. I won't design on my lunch hour because I'm too busy. Analysts watch the data all day, liaise with the techs, and work with the managers in the field. At Stephen Goudeau, I'm the head of the brand. When I go to AT&T, I can relax a little because somebody else is in charge. I can concentrate on my day-to-day role. AT&T knows that I have my own fashion company. Having a brand hasn't stopped me from progressing at AT&T. When I get home from my day job, I focus on my designs Even if I'm tired, it's not hard to get inspired. My apartment is full of mannequins. I may work until 1 a.m., but I only need three or four hours of sleep. In the evenings, I have calls with my fashion company and a team meeting on Monday nights. Having a solid team behind me ensures I don't get swamped. The upsides of having two jobs are, of course, the finances Working at AT&T has also taught me a lot about running a business. I get to work with a larger team and see different personalities and how different people work. I am sacrificing the time I get to spend with my family and friends, and I feel guilty sometimes, but they continue to be my biggest supporters. I stay on track through positive thoughts. As soon as I get out of bed every day, I put my feet on the ground and tell myself I'm going to have a good day because we have the power to predict how our day will go. In 2025, I plan to get into retail My goal is to have a showroom this year. I've started designing a lot of accessories because nobody wears couture every day. My family does worry about me getting burned out, but they see the bigger picture. They know that I want the Stephen Goudeau company to be known as a luxury household brand, but I don't plan to leave AT&T.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Gap, Inc. (GAP) Is A 'Star,' Says Jim Cramer
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) is one of the most frequently discussed retail stocks by Cramer. The firm's shares have gained 20.5% year-to-date as they have benefited from the successful results of the firm's ongoing turnaround strategy. Through its new strategy, The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) aims to lower its operating costs by reducing the number of brands in its portfolio and business inefficiencies. In his previous comments about the firm, Cramer has remarked that the firm isn't as reliant on China for its goods as others. Here are his recent thoughts about The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP): 'But the one that is the star is GAP. Richard Dickson, people are finally realizing he's doing great work. The stock went down to 19 during the last selloff. . . the stock went to 19, it's now up to 28, it's back to where it was. But that also ruins it a little because it's going up. . .again we're just in the law of this bill. And I'm just not going to say that you can buy stocks when we're in the law.' Northfoto / The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) is a frequent feature of Cramer's morning show. He has commented on the firm's turnaround strategy several times. He has also mentioned the firm's China exposure. Here's what he said after The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP)'s fourth-quarter earnings report: 'How about the trade war though? Won't President Trump's volatile trade policy crush The Gap like it's crushing everybody else in the business? Look, this company gets less than 10% of their products from China with less than 1% coming from Canada and Mexico. On the cost side, they're fine. The only worry is that the trade war wrecks consumer confidence and crushes the entire economy, which does seem like a possibility at this point. But as I said repeatedly, I think the Federal Reserve will start cutting rates at that point in order to prevent a recession. Overall, GAP ranks 11th on our list of stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. While we acknowledge the potential of GAP, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GAP and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Costco earnings, Fedspeak, pending home sales: What to Watch
Market Domination Overtime anchors Julie Hyman and Josh Lipton preview the top market headlines and economic data expected to hit Wall Street tomorrow, Thursday, May 29, including earnings results from company's like Costco Wholesale (COST), Dell Technologies (DELL), The Gap (GAP), Marvell Technology (MRVL), and Li Auto (LI); the latest commentary from several Federal Reserve officials; and the most recent data print on pending home sales in the US. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination Overtime here. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Gap, Inc. (GAP) Is A 'Star,' Says Jim Cramer
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) is one of the most frequently discussed retail stocks by Cramer. The firm's shares have gained 20.5% year-to-date as they have benefited from the successful results of the firm's ongoing turnaround strategy. Through its new strategy, The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) aims to lower its operating costs by reducing the number of brands in its portfolio and business inefficiencies. In his previous comments about the firm, Cramer has remarked that the firm isn't as reliant on China for its goods as others. Here are his recent thoughts about The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP): 'But the one that is the star is GAP. Richard Dickson, people are finally realizing he's doing great work. The stock went down to 19 during the last selloff. . . the stock went to 19, it's now up to 28, it's back to where it was. But that also ruins it a little because it's going up. . .again we're just in the law of this bill. And I'm just not going to say that you can buy stocks when we're in the law.' Northfoto / The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) is a frequent feature of Cramer's morning show. He has commented on the firm's turnaround strategy several times. He has also mentioned the firm's China exposure. Here's what he said after The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP)'s fourth-quarter earnings report: 'How about the trade war though? Won't President Trump's volatile trade policy crush The Gap like it's crushing everybody else in the business? Look, this company gets less than 10% of their products from China with less than 1% coming from Canada and Mexico. On the cost side, they're fine. The only worry is that the trade war wrecks consumer confidence and crushes the entire economy, which does seem like a possibility at this point. But as I said repeatedly, I think the Federal Reserve will start cutting rates at that point in order to prevent a recession. Overall, GAP ranks 11th on our list of stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. While we acknowledge the potential of GAP, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GAP and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Jim Cramer Gives His 'Blessing to Pull the Trigger and Do Some Buying' in The Gap (GAP) Stock
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) stands against other stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. Praising The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) during the episode, Cramer commented: 'Hey, speaking of retail, ever since Richard Dickson became CEO of the Gap, almost two years ago, he's been busy reinventing the place. We've had him a number of times. It is working people, and since the last quarter, analysts have been falling all over themselves about this story. And now here's one that if it comes down ahead of the quarter, you have my permission, no, my blessing to pull the trigger and do some buying. Fall into the Gap.' Northfoto / The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GAP) is an apparel retailer that sells clothing, accessories, and personal care items for men, women, and children under several brands. The company also offers lifestyle products designed for activities like yoga, training, travel, and recovery. Overall, GAP ranks 8th on our list of stocks that Jim Cramer discusses. While we acknowledge the potential of GAP as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GAP and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.