Earlier this month, Business Insider compiled a list of the 29 Most Bizarre Economic Indicators in the World, with “The Hemline Index” at #7. This theory, presented by former Wharton professor George Taylor, maintains that economic fluctuations—in stock prices and GDP—manifest themselves in the lengths of women’s skirt and dress hemlines. (“Um, does this skirt make the economy look fat?”)
Yesterday, the same folks over at Business Insider decided to put Taylor’s Hemline Indicator to the test, measuring the recently debuted fall/winter collections of “25 of the most influential designers that show at New York fashion week” compared against their last year’s collections (complete with pictures). According to their thorough analysis, hemlines have indeed gotten shorter this season, so if Taylor’s to be believed, looks like our economy’s in for an uphill ride.
Talk about skirts and stockings!
A hearty congratulations to Wharton ’11 MBA grads Philip Cortes, Nina Cherny, and Jenny Wu, who have been named among Business Insider’s “Sexiest Startup CEOs on Earth.” Earth? C’mon guys, that’s a pretty bold statement. Northern hemisphere maaaaybe.
Cortes is the founder of Meeteor, a website that “connects people online who share the same interests and contacts” (how novel! We’ve never heard of anything like it. Ever). Cherny and Wu co-founded Stylyt, whose mysterious/unfinished website dares the question, “What if YOU could DESIGN an item in a BRAND’S collection?” (Ours would probably look something like this.) The comments reveal a firestorm of debate: Are these people actually sexy? Do these startups have any value whatsoever? What’s for dinner?
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Rankings for The World’s Best Business Schools came out yesterday and our very own Wharton has it in third–place. Business Insider, bragging like frat guys, claim to have developed “the true ranking of the top 50 schools” based on “how much a school will help your future career.” Apparently, Penn grads leave with “unmatched rigor in training analytical and thoughtful leadership, [the] largest alumni network, [and] incredible global diversity.” Basically, Penn rules, everyone else drools and Castle is probably second-tier!
