There are levels of being a 'luxury brand', and you find out about them when consumers are spending less money than they used to. True luxury brands like Rolex and Versace are unaffected because the people buying from them are rich, and don't tighten their belts during an economic crisis. For a mid-range luxury store like Cole Haan, a recession is a painful reminder that their client base isn't as wealthy as they'd like them to be. USA Today named Cole Haan as one of the 26 brands most at risk of closure in 2018, and not without good reason.
When Nike controlled the Cole Haan purse strings everything was fine. Going solo in 2013 under the stewardship of Apax Partners was always going to be a risky move, and the new business plan was even riskier. Instead of making the dress shoes its always been known for, Cole Haan announced a move into sneakers, putting it head to head with its former owners. Given the size of Nike, there was only ever going to be one winner.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.