Forever 21 Underestimated Young Women

Delia’s was the canary in the coal mine of teen-girl retail. The iconic 1990s clothing brand first flourished through its ubiquitous catalogs, which put inexpensive, of-the-moment clothes such as babydoll dresses and baggy jeans into the wardrobes of American adolescents. Then, in the 2000s, Delia’s became a physical place: The company opened more than 100 stores in suburban shopping malls, eventually reaching 33 states. By the end of 2014, however, Delia’s was done—bankrupt, with its stores closed and its catalog out of print.

Many of Delia’s mall competitors soon succumbed to similar fates. Wet Seal, Quiksilver, Pacific Sunwear, Aéropostale, The Limited, Rue21, Papaya, Claire’s, and Charlotte Russe have all since filed for bankruptcy protection. Many other retailers have closed stores, changed strategies, or restructured businesses. Earlier this week, after months of speculation, one of teen apparel’s biggest power players joined that for bankruptcy. The store plans to close hundreds of locations and cease operations in dozens of countries in an effort to save the business.