1.) Menswear Designers Respond to an Uncertain Market:
The menswear runway shows just recently wrapped up in Milan and are presently showing in Paris (London and New York will follow). The shows were diverse, but there appeared to be a subtle, underlying theme nonetheless: Give the people what they want! -- which translated into collections where each brand focused on its core strengths.
Dolce & Gabbana reached back to their Sicilian "Sex and the Working Man" roots (which is what made them a household name to begin with); Versace eschewed the brights and went for a tough-boy mood with plenty of palazzo flash; Prada trotted out a collection of well-constructed workwear basics interspersed with 1970's retro flourishes; Burberry put the spotlight back on its outerwear; Gucci celebrated its 70's jetset playboy image; while Armani kept to sharp, tailored lines in urban hues of asphalt, cement, slate and steel. Below is a video of the Dolce & Gabbana show, which nearly every fashion critic praised for its easy masculinity and retail friendly vibe:
Are we witnessing the beginning of the end of the skinny, androgynous male model?
Another collection that won a lot of breathless acclaim was designer Thomas Maier's penthouse rockabilly look for Bottega Veneta:
Ease of wear and strong, masculine lines were common elements throughout many of the collections.
WWD reports that Italian designers "smartened up" and played to their strengths, with Tom Kalendarian, executive VP and general merchandise manager for menswear at Barneys New York, saying: "Standouts were Prada, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana. They offered very salable, handsome, easy-to-understand fashion that was obviously not futuristic, but for a time like this, it has the perception of great value . . . When you step back and look at the total offering, I think there will be a nice balance of the classic luxury approach and a contemporary, modernistic approach. We have a lot of ammunition to do well at retail."
The Paris menswear shows kicked off with a dramatic flourish as Jean Paul Gaultier sent models down the runway in bloodied and bruised boxer-thug fashion -- another nod to retro-masculine ideals informing the fabrics, cuts and tailoring. Says GQ: "Take your boxing-gym basics: sweat pants and shorts, tank tops, hoodies, boxing shoes, and corner-man cardigans and then let Gaultier, um, punch them up by adding cashmere, velvet, and thick knits."
Gaultier's gonna knock you out
Meanwhile, I talked to a bespoke/custom tailor here in Seattle earlier this week. He's 65 and has been in the business for over 40 years, starting off his training in Hong Kong at the height of the Hong Kong dominance of the bespoke market. When I mentioned that perhaps custom tailors might see a resurgence in business soon due to a flight from the commodification of luxury brands, he shook his head and said no, that it's too late -- that the garment industry destroyed itself by outsourcing everything to cheap Asian labor and now there are very few people in this country that know how to sew to bespoke levels anymore.
"It takes a long time to become a good tailor," he said. "You have to apprentice for years before you're good enough to do the work on your own, and young Americans aren't able to wait -- they need their rewards right away. Toiling away for a decade or more at skilled labor before you can open your own shop just isn't on anyone's agenda."
I asked him what his children do for a living: "I told them to stay away from this business, that working with their hands was not going to get them any appreciation, so one is a doctor and the other is an engineer/lawyer, and they both do very well for themselves." But he said his present customers despair of the day he retires and closes up shop -- there's nowhere else for them to go that can do the work he does.
***Note: Major luxury brands Prada, Armani and Burberry took the rare step of live-streaming their runway shows for their internet viewers.
2.) Teen Retailers Scale Back On Secondary Urban Lines:
"Time could be running out for American Eagle Outfitters's contemporary concept, Martin + Osa, according to analysts . . . Launched in 2006, M+O, which targets 28- to 40-year-old customers, has weighed down the teen retailer since 2007, when the unit lost $50 million, or 15 cents a share . . . A closure of M+O would parallel the experience of other teen retailers that struggled to launch secondary concepts. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. is shuttering its Ruehl division, and Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. closed its more urban-oriented D.e.m.o. division in 2008."
While high-end brands are launching diffusion lines as a (futile?) means of retaining their newly maxed-out client base (see: Hermes, Versace, Zac Posen -- though there are rumors that the Posen plans are kaput), the mass market teen-trendy retailers are throwing in the towel on their attempts to seduce a similar target audience.
The quality and price point of a Versace Versus shirt or pair of Armani Exchange jeans is going to be on par to a similar American Eagle M+O item, since they'll both drop off the same Bangladesh, Vietnamese, Chinese, Haitan, Croatian, etc. factory line, so who do you think is going to win out in that particular status war? Exactly.
With the market getting more and more crowded (Forever 21, Kohl's and Nordstrom Rack are continuing to expand, snapping up retail space abandoned by big chains like Mervyns, Circuit City and Sears), brands have to assess what they're best at, and then stick with it. The likes of American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch succeeding in the urban, status market was an iffy prospect, at best.
And about those struggling retailers, the point is hitting home in even my own backyard: longtime downtown tenant Coldwater Creek has just closed up shop, following Seattle downtown store closures by Cartier, Adidas, Rite Aid and J.Jill. The article mentions that retailers are simply letting the leases run out on their underperforming locations, packing up and moving out. Not to mention that new retail space completed within the last year is still sitting empty -- the buiding where I live is one of those new "mixed-space" concepts, with condos built over what is meant to be a series of retail shops and restaurants, yet over a year after opening the building, every single retail-ready space sits unoccupied, the plate-glass windows covered over with advertising banners.
But speaking of moving and shaking in the harshly competitive world of retail, Macy's is planning to take its Bloomingdale's brand and use its name brand recognition to establish a presence in the outlet market: "Macy's Inc. said Thursday it will open its first Bloomingdale's bargain-priced outlet stores this summer and fall in a bid to attract the style conscious on a budget."
As long as the subject is Macy's and Bloomingdales, the big retail chain holds a cattle call to court established designers and fashion brands not already featured on its racks and shelves: "Department store Macy's is taking a fashion cue from its upscale sister Bloomingdale's. Next month, the famous department store will host its first Open Call event, where fashion houses not currently selling at Macy's can showcase their wares for a possible slot on the selling floor . . . During this financial uncertainty, many stores are looking for tried and tested designers who already have their merchandising, marketing and production strategies in place."
High-fashion retailer Intermix reads the writing on the wall and gets busy: "The 23-unit national specialty store retailer ... has entered 2010 with a new buying and merchandising strategy and several other developments. These moves -- including everything from shutting several under-performing units (Charlotte, N.C., closed this week and Orlando, Fla., shuttered a few months ago) to launching a redesigned, more sophisticated logo and new store environment -- come after a rough few years in the retail arena."
And Target is reevaluating its strategy for growth and expansion: "Target, the nation's second-largest discounter after Wal-Mart, is navigating turbulent economic times by polishing old stores rather than opening many new ones, opening smaller urban stores and looking outside the U.S. for growth . . . Key in the renovations will be the enhanced grocery sections, which the chain hopes will bring shoppers in more often . . . stores with the new food format that have been open at least a year have seen an immediate 6 percent increase in traffic and sales."
3.) Coach Reports a Better Holiday Quarter:
"Coach's fiscal second-quarter earnings rose 11%, with a boost from holiday sales that improved over 2008's weak holiday season . . . However ... wholesale revenue declined 8% amid reduced shipments to U.S. department stores . . . Coach has been cutting handbag prices and introducing new styles in an effort to improve sales of shoes and accessories as consumers continue to cut spending on luxury goods."
Coach stated that sales rose 14% overall in its retails stores, and that it improved profit margins by nearly half a percent at its outlet locations. Sales grew 3.2% in North America (its most troubled market at present), while sales in Japan were 7% stronger this quarter due to the increased value of the yen against the dollar, yet shares in Coach dropped in value on the stock market regarding continuing concern over the Chinese economy and Coach's dependence on the Chinese consumer for continued growth.
Says Just-Style: The brand is clearly taking hold with Chinese consumers, whose 94% repurchase intent beats anything it has seen in the US or Japan - despite still very low levels of brand awareness. That suggests enormous growth potential in a country scheduled to hit double-digit economic growth during 2010, so it's no wonder that Coach is accelerating its growth plans as a result." Yet financial analysts aren't as convinced about China's continuing "double-digit" growth prospects.
4.) Doing the Yohji Yamamoto Shuffle:
First, they went bankrupt, then they were saved by outside investors, then they were supposedly broke and shutting down, now they've been saved again: "Following a difficult week, which saw media speculation that the brand may close, Yohji Yamamoto unveiled a new management team today - along with a new strategy for consolidation . . . A spokesperson for the label revealed that, going forward, the brand - which closed both its New York stores last week - will continue to trade from standalone stores in Paris and London and will retain 200 points of sale across Europe and the US. The brand is currently re-evaluating its presence in Antwerp and may close that store."
Yamamoto is still heading up the design end of the bargain -- it's the business, corporate side of things that are seeing a drastic change in the executive scenery, but at least they're alive and kicking, with French soccer star Zinedine Zidane recently signed to promote the Adidas-Yamamoto collaboration brand Y-3 in the period leading up to the 2010 World Cup.
Video clip below of Zidane in action:
5.) Christian Louboutin Doesn't Trust Jessica Simpson:
"Jessica Simpson isn't going to appear in any photos sporting Christian Louboutin shoes any time soon: Us Weekly says that the designer wouldn't send shoes to an upcoming photo shoot with Simpson. 'They worried she would knock them off,' said the magazine. Explains a Louboutin rep, 'When Jessica began her own shoe line, two-thirds of them seemed like knockoffs. We haven't worked with her for a long time.'"
The Simpson people could always buy Louboutin shoes in order to knock them off, but at least they would have been forced to pay for them. There would be nothing worse than sending complimentary shoes for a photo shoot, only to find your designs later ripped-off for some fast-fashion celebrity shoe collection. While Louboutin's action in this respect is unlikely to stop the knock-off fever, it sends a very clear message to the Simpson company that they're being watched.
Louboutin has not been shy about lawsuits in the past.
In other Louboutin news: "The Chalhoub Group, leading distributor and retailer of luxury brands in the Middle East region, signed an agreement with French luxury footwear company Christian Louboutin . . . The new Joint-Venture agreement covers the brand's retail development throughout the Middle East region ... and will take effect from early 2010, with the opening of a Louboutin boutique ... in Al Khayyat Mall in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia."
Louboutin and the Middle East seems like a perfect fit to me. I'm just surprised it hasn't happened before now.
6.) INDUSTRY QUICK HITS:
A. British brand Burberry beat expectations and reported a 15% surge in sales for their latest quarter: "U.K. luxury goods retailer Burberry reported a 15% rise in sales for its fiscal third quarter, sailing past analyst estimates, and the company said it now expects pretax profit for the year will reach the top end of market expectations."
Video clip below of Burberry's latest menswear collection for Fall/Winter 2010-2011:
From Dose.ca: "Burberry stuck to their legendary, upscale roots and showcased their classic, must have piece -- the trench coat. The line also incorporated a military theme with parkas worn over slim pants tucked into boots."
B. Armani teams up with Reebok: "Reebok has teamed with Emporio Armani to create a collection for EA7, the Italian fashion house's line of activewear . . . The EA7 Runner is a white leather sneaker with a silver logo, contrasting black sole and black leather around the laces. The black Mega Chic looks like a dress shoe, but has a blue shock-absorber rubber heel."
Adidas has its partnership with Yamamoto, and Puma has produced collaborations with so many designers in the PPR roster (Puma is owned by luxury conglomerate PPR) that it's difficult to keep them all straight, so it's not surprising to see Armani hooking up with retro player Reebok -- if you're going to store the stilettos in the tote and take a Manhattan powerwalk to work in the morning, you want to make sure you're sporting the latest in designer names (knowwaddimean?).
A first look below at the marketing campaign for the Armani EA7 collab with Reebok:
C. Joseph Abboud, blocked from designing under his own name (he sold the rights to his name to JA Apparel back in 2000), accepts appointment as President and Chief Creative Officer at HMX group: "The first collections overseen by Mr. Abboud will be introduced in July 2010, and will be in stores by Spring 2011."
HMX's most prominent brands are listed as: Hickey Freeman, Coppley, Monarchy, Christopher Blue, Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Austin Reed, Sansabelt and Hart Schaffner Marx, all of which Abboud will oversee in his new position.
Below is a video clip of the Joseph Abboud line opening in China, that Joseph Abboud is no longer designing for . . . :
I have to admit that it gets confusing. I mean, Raf Simons is presently designing for Jil Sander when Jil Sander is still alive, well and designing for Uniqlo. WTF? Stop that!
D. Halle Berry set to launch a new perfume -- in budget friendly bottle sizes: "Berry and her business partners Coty Incorporated, are capitalizing on the massive success of her previous fragrance Halle, released in 2009. They will be launching a new limited edition fragrance named Halle Pure Orchid . . . The fragrance will be available in 1oz and 0.5o eau de parfum."
I wrote an article about bottle downsizing in the perfume industry back in October of 2009 -- Flying Under the Radar: Why Sizing Down Might Be the Next Big Thing.
In other fragrance/beauty related news: Inter Parfums signs licensing deal with Montblanc; Japan's Shiseido buys Bare Escentuals cosmetics for $1.7 billion -- they want to establish a stronger international presence, and believe that natural cosmetics are a successful trend; Guerlain updates fragrance classics with new editions -- hilariously, Habit Rouge Gentleman Driver is described as "a reworked version of the original Habit Rouge Sport" . . . as opposed to another reworking of the original Habit Rouge, I guess?
E. New Yves St. Laurent biography exposes the designer as 'a drunken tyrant': "Saint Laurent: Bad Boy, to be published this week, throws an unflattering light on his private life, detailing homosexual relationships, the apparently tyrannical way in which he treated his entourage, and bouts of drunkenness during which he would throw ashtrays at his closest friends."
Author Marie-Dominique Lelièvre writes that "Yves was an athlete as far as ashtray throwing is concerned." The male Naomi Campbell, apparently. The French aren't taking too kindly to the purported bad news about their beloved icon.
F. Woolrich takes advantage of its trendy new status and goes high-style for fall of 2010: "Influenced by both the stark colors from late 1970's and early 80's designer labels like Comme des Garcons ... as well as his passion for Americana and Woolrich hunting plaids, (designer) Daiki Suzuki searched for a common ground and created a wholly new style that could be called 'Dark Hunting' or 'Hunting Noir.'"
Video clip below detailing the origins of the Woolrich company:
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