Retailers are looking for the robust accessories category to keep sparkling during the holiday season. They hope to lure shoppers with luxe offerings such as cashmere shawls, crocodile-skin clutches and diamond-encrusted charm necklaces.
Buyers and fashion directors for major chains and specialty stores are confident that the boom in the category will continue through the gift-giving season, and cite bags, belts and jewelry as key items.
“Accessories are such a gifty thing,” said Rick Weinstein, director of sales and marketing for Searle, which has seven boutiques in Manhattan. “Accessories make up a huge portion of everyday sales and that’s bound to increase for holiday.”
The holiday season is a condensed but highly active period, running from about the second week of November through the week after Christmas.
Buyers are taking their cues from key fall trends, but are looking for dressed-up versions for holiday. So bags are fashioned from exotic or metallic skins, and clutches are being predicted as the runaway hot seller of the season. In belts, the trend will be either very thick or ultra-thin. Retailers feel the wider belts are perfect for the season’s sweater dresses and tunics, while the skinny belts work with today’s pencil-thin jeans. In jewelry, charms are predicted to be a hot seller, as is anything with trendy motifs such as skulls.
The merchants said certain designer labels will be key for the season: Balenciaga, Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Fendi, Chloé and Yves Saint Laurent will still be some of the most sought-after names out there. But newer or smaller labels, including Michael Teperson, Pierre Hardy and Rodo, will also be popular.
Retailers generally agreed that most segments of the accessories category are well-served, although some felt that a higher quality and better variety of small leather goods was an untapped market. They also said that while the majority of shoppers come in during the holiday season to buy gifts for family, friends and co-workers, they almost always pick up something for themselves, too. And retailers said, almost without exception, that they have purchased more for this holiday season than last year and expect it to be their busiest season.
Here’s what six executives said about holiday:
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Sandra Wilson, accessories fashion director, Neiman Marcus: “Luxury and superlatives come to mind for holiday gift-giving, continuing through from fall. For luxury in bags, we have Nancy Gonzalez with her black and gold bags. We can certainly envision Chanel wallets, woven luxury bags from Bottega Veneta, the new Prada pleated bag and the Dior Cannage as gift items. And nothing will be complete without the Fendi B and the latest ‘It’ minaudière from Judith Leiber. Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent have always been strong for us, and also Balenciaga — who wouldn’t want that bag underneath their tree? And from Loro Piana, we have stoles with a touch of shine.”
Brian Bolke, co-owner, Forty Five Ten, Dallas: “Accessories overall for our store is 20 percent of our business [during the holiday season]. We’ve been buying a ton of patent leather looks in black and white. Evening clutches will be the big thing, like Michael Teperson, which does satin, fur and crystal clutches. Last season, we did phenomenally with python. We’re also banking that we can sell white accessories for fall and holiday. In general, people are much more selective and are looking for special items. If something looks expensive, they’ll spend the money. There is so much fast fashion that consumers appreciate vendors at the high end giving them value that can’t be knocked off or done on the cheap.”
Rick Weinstein, director of sales and marketing, Searle, New York: “It’s our job to provide customers with ideas so they don’t have to think that hard about it. Anything we put together in novelty gift-set packaging sells exceptionally well. We have a large hat and glove collection, and those things tend to fly off shelves. We also do a tremendous jewelry business in the $95 to $395 range. Charm necklaces are huge, especially diamond-encrusted skulls, and belts are trending the strongest, especially the thick wide patent belts and cummerbund wrap belts, which are absolutely the belts of the season.”
Fraser Ross, owner, Kitson, Los Angeles: “There’s a void in the market for small leather goods — coin purses, credit card cases — which is a growing business and which nobody is really tapping into. It’s hard for us to carry a lot of the cold-weather accessories, so for holiday we’re really limited to jewelry. But our small leather goods with our name on it is a big business for us. The handbag business has overtaken ready-to-wear in gift-giving because the worst thing you can do is give someone clothing in a large size when they’re a medium. The clutch has never stopped selling, but practical people still want a bag with handles. Fashion jewelry will be very strong and our number-one accessory is headbands. We’re selling hundreds a week.”
Ashley Arno, shoe, handbag and accessories buyer, Stanley Korshak, Dallas: “Holiday is our busiest time of year. Customers are so fashion-forward, and having already bought their fall things, are looking specifically for holiday and resort. We are buying more in the accessories division. Handbags are huge. A lot more vendors are creating the ‘It’ bag to have at different price points. Also, Rodo evening bags in traditional colors like gold, black and bronze are easier to work back to holiday pieces. There are also Lambertson Truex’s framed satin clutches, which always do well, and also key special pieces from Valentino. And we’ll see a resurgence in different kinds of belts, which will be important for the season. Belts look great with leggings and oversize sweaters, and give a real freshness to what’s happening in fashion. And people are going to be surprised at the importance of furs. My customer is always interested in having something luxurious, even if it’s casual.”
Beth Buccini, co-owner, Kirna Zabête, New York: “Holiday has become such a successful time. Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and people are looking for fresh things around Christmas time, and Christmas for us gets stronger and stronger every year. Balenciaga’s Whistle bag comes in great combinations, and Be&D’s green patent clutches in wonderful skins have become a classic. People are crazy about Pierre Hardy bags, too. In jewelry, we love Danielle Pittman’s special, all hand-cast necklaces and earrings that are inspired by nature, featuring things like a miniature pinecone or a red enamel honeycomb necklace. They’re sweet and personal. But it’s hard to find good gift items at a great price, things that are high fashion that look fantastic and are still less than $200.”