Makers of contemporary and young contemporary apparel are renewing their commitment to a more fashion-forward sensibility, lowering wholesale pricing and in some cases, launching divisions to address a wider customer base and reel in new business.
Although faced with tepid retail sales, embattled lenders and buyers plagued by dwindling budgets and wary customers, contemporary and young contemporary companies are aiming to cut costs, not aesthetics.
“When people play it too safe, all the lines start looking the same and it takes the ‘specialty’ out of the boutique market,” said Jane Yim, sales director for Voom by Joy Han, a Los Angeles contemporary brand. “We are adjusting to the recession by lowering our prices slightly and by bringing out styles that are missing in the market.”
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Yim said Voom, which will show merchandise for immediate and early spring deliveries at WWD MAGIC, is cutting to order more frequently, but is focusing primarily on fashion-forward options as a combative measure.
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“The contemporary marketplace is tough right now. Playing it safe is not always the way to go,” said Yim. Voom wholesales from $79 to $119 and sells to about 500 specialty accounts, as well as Bloomingdale’s.
Some brands typically known for basics are shaking up their design approaches in an effort to give retailers more merchandising options.
LA Made, a young contemporary T-shirt, top and dresslabel, which sells to major and better specialty doors such as Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Fred Segal and Revolve Clothing, is concentrating on quick turnaround while sticking to its “accessible” wholesale price range of $10 to $70, said Shanon Martin, sales manager.
“During [this] economic climate,we find that buyers are focusing more on fashion styles than on basics, and we have had to adjust our designs accordingly,” she said.
To this end, LA Made is bringing new novelty fabrics into its mix, including mesh, chambray and silk, as well as adding more detailing.
Lucy Thompson, a rep for contemporary line Hype, reported an uptick in holiday and resort sales, attributing it to buyers’ response to fashion items.
“I believe the boost is mainly due to our offering of key special pieces, [especially] those with embellishment. Offering this has been our survival strategy,” Thompson said.
Hype wholesales from $44 to $88 and sells to about 200 boutiques as well as Macy’s and Nordstrom.
In addition to reducing its offerings by 25 percent, contemporary label Allen Allen is working more closely with suppliers to keep a firm grip on costs, while also looking to expand its international retail presence, said Kari Carpino, national sales manager.
“Buyers are definitely not buying as much, which forces us to find more stores to sell to,” said Carpino.
Allen Allen currently sells to more than 750 specialty stores and several better department stores in the U.S., and is expanding internationally, according to Carpino, who did not provide specifics.
“Beyond the typical stuff of reducing overhead and expenses as much as possible, we are working closer and smarter with our suppliers and contractors, asking fabric suppliers to stock the base fabrics and reserve them for us. This allows us to still meet our customers’ needs when buying to close to season without overpurchasing too much of the wrong fabric,” Carpino added.
Despite the grim retail environment, some companies are launching new divisions, including Charlotte Tarantola, a contemporary sweater and top label that 7 sells to about 4,000 retail accounts.
The brand will launch a girls and tween line for spring, as part of its ongoing licensing deal with Disney.
“People want new things,” said designer and owner Charlotte Tarantola. “Evidence shows that we are doing well at retail right now and lots of items are reordering. It means we’re priced right for the classification we are in and are delivering wearable newness.”
The girls and tween line of tanks, dresses and sweaters runs from $26 to $55 wholesale and the women’s division sells from $19 to $72.