NEW YORK — Problems such as the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, a warmer and wetter than usual fall and higher gas prices are among the challenges a majority of retailers and vendors face during this week’s market.
While November typically is not as big a market as March and August, it is still a pivotal time for manufacturers to solidify orders for spring, as well as secure new orders for summer, transitional and back-to-school business.
But innerwear executives, particularly resources in the moderate range, said they were bracing for an uncertain week as major department and specialty stores are said to be taking a cautious approach in assessing and completing programs for second-quarter selling. Executives acknowledge business at retail has been tough this fall, and large and small operations have been timing orders as close to scheduled deliveries as possible, vendors said.
A main reason is the uncertainty of consumers’ spending patterns during the holiday selling season.
Another factor expected to affect traffic will be fewer smaller specialty boutiques from the Southeast, Midwest and West Coast. Independent shops depend on consumers’ appetites for fashion brands and merchandise, and fall sales have been generally lackluster.
However, the demand for fashion lingerie has not waned in the luxe and designer arena, a line of business that remains strong at upscale stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. The licensed character business also continues to build as consumers look for products that are fun and humorous, which are generating strong sell-throughs during difficult economic times.
Jessica Mitchell, senior vice president of merchandising and marketing at Natori Co., said retailers and consumers have mixed feelings.
“While we and our retail partners still feel confident about holiday business, there are many concerns that the recent weather problems and world events may have long-term effects on spring ’06 business,” Mitchell said. “The Josie Natori launch has been successful and I think to date we haven’t seen people pull back. But I think people are cautious and waiting to see what happens, and what their heating bills are.
“It’s really a strategic market,” she said. “We’ll be previewing warmwear for next year and and will also be working on strategies for spring and Christmas 2006. This market will really be a collaboration of what’s happening next year.”
Related Articles
You May Also Like
Victor Lee, president of NAP Inc., said, “Everyone is trying to be as optimistic as possible and project out their future business. We expect it to be a reasonably attended market. We’ll be showing a new Anne Lewin and Crabtree & Evelyn collection of sleepwear for summer and transition.”
“I think people are extremely cautious right now, especially with the unusually warm weather, the hurricanes and the price of gas,” said Ying Li, designer of luxe sleepwear and daywear that bears her name. “It’s all dampened the moods of retailers and business has been tough out there. Even larger stores are delaying the ordering process.”
Regarding spending habits of an affluent consumer base, Flora Nikrooz, designer of her eponymous collection at Age Group, said, “When the product is expensive and rich looking, not necessarily a great value, the customer is buying it.”
Marcia Leeds, chief executive officer of Richard Leeds International, said, “I have no complaints. People are buying items that put a smile on their face during terrible times. They are looking for fun things to wear and we’ll have a lot of that for back-to-school like several DC Originals properties: Superman, Supergirl, Batman, Batgirl, Catwoman and Wonder Woman.”