NEW YORK — The accessories market is getting a clean slate for spring.
After seasons saturated with color and embellishments, companies last week showed new lines of handbags, fashion jewelry, belts and scarves that are leaning toward neutral territory in hues of brown, olive green and orange.
Nevertheless, accessories are anything but plain. Decoration is still important, but much subtler, with tone-on-tone beaded details and earth-colored prints.
“People are confused,” said Linda Cohen, owner of Accoda, a fashion and accessories boutique in Great Neck, N.Y. “They are going to be careful with what their choices are. Spring will be very neutral, which tends to be a little safer.”
Cohen projects a 15 percent growth in sales for spring and is doubling her accessories offering for fall with a new department in the store.
“I went from last season, where everything had to be a [bright] color,” said Richard Erani, owner of Chuckies, an accessories store that opened a second location on Madison Avenue here last week. “This spring, it has to be neutral, but it doesn’t have to be beige. We’re even doing amber colors, olive greens and whites. There’s still embellishment, but in a different way.”
Nine West accomplished the look with tarnished long brass link necklaces set with milky crystal stones in shades of lime and mauve. Designer Helen Welsh went for an African safari theme, with ornately beaded hobo bags in a brown tribal print.
“I try to bring something special to the [neutrals],” Welsh said.
Texture is key this season, as in canvas bags at Sondra Roberts, Steve Madden and Etienne Aigner, which showed large bags woven out of cornhusks and trimmed in leather.
Laundry by Shelli Segal, a division of Liz Claiborne Inc., showed constructed hobos as day bags, with touches of glitz such as chain and crystal details. Laundry also showed fashion jewelry featuring layers of skinny gold and silver chain necklaces and hoop earrings with hanging chains and crystals.
Dina Battipaglia, president of Liz Claiborne and contemporary accessories, said Laundry has done particularly well with retailers, especially the jewelry.
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November market also brought on lots of belts. Liz Claiborne and Linea Pelle showed braided leather belts for jeans, while Suzie Roher showed hammered nickel chain belts and jewel-inspired styles.
“Belts are the strongest [category] this season, outside of handbags and jewelry [which are mainstays],” said Battipaglia.