NEW YORK — Big ideas for fall are fashion teamed with dual-purpose loungewear, boudoir fare with a luxe look, and specialty items that offer consumers value and comfort.
The lion’s share of orders has been completed from the first February market that combined the January and March markets.
Vendors generally said they were looking ahead to third- and fourth-quarter selling with relief because they didn’t know what to expect from retail turnout and acceptance of new concepts and product at last month’s market, and there also was concern there were too many trade venues in a tight time frame before Valentine’s Day.
But their confidence has returned, buoyed by brisk spring business in lingerie departments at major department and specialty stores and a prevailing desire from buyers for fashionable styling, particularly products that satisfy specific lifestyle needs. These include:
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- Playful silk or sheer baby dolls with flutter and ruffled undies by brands like the Boudoir Collection by Elle Macpherson, Flora Nikrooz and Movie Star.
- A return to seductive garters with coordinating undies, bras or corselets by labels including Felina and Jezebel.
- Multipurpose lounge pieces in the moderate-to-better price range that have an expensive designer look, such as Cruz and Josie.
- The use of sweater knits in loungewear and robes by Stan Herman at The Carole Hochman Design Group.
- Full slips that double as dresses in printed silk and novelty meshes that are either highly embellished or clean and classic by Leigh Bantivoglio, Natori, Josie Natori, Cosabella, Samantha Chang, Mary Green and Hanky Panky.
- A variety of corsetry looks, from soft and pliable styles at Lady Marlene, Wacoal and Pfiff to sexy push-up numbers from Wonderbra, Argentovivo and Ravage.
- Top colors included brown, burgundy, red, brick, anthracite gray, and black-and-white combinations. Metallic touches such as low-key gold and silver Lurex was also an important trend.
Victoria Vandagriff, president of Bendon USA, which markets and distributes Elle Macpherson Intimates in the U.S., said, “We did a soft launch of the Boudoir Collection by Elle Macpherson for Valentine’s Day and it’s been a great seller for us. A number of retailers have at least doubled their doors. The good news is baby dolls are doing incredibly well, including in the Elle Macpherson line.”
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Vandagriff singled out one group by Elle Macpherson called Spellbound as a bestseller.
“It’s a new range of very vintage looks in sand, black and white,” she said. “White has done very well because it’s a bridal option with little pearl trim. And anything with garters is doing extremely well.”
Michael Herman, senior vice president of sales and merchandising at the Natori Co., cited two top categories as “big hits:” sleepwear and at-homewear that is “dressy but glamorous — dressy for women who are sophisticated and want to look sexy,” and a “modern lounge” statement that permeated all of the company’s brands, including Cruz, Josie, Natori and Josie Natori.
“We pulled out all of the stops, the best of the Natori aesthetics in prints, embroideries, colors and appliqués, especially for the Cruz line,” Herman said.
Lisa Bell, product and merchandise manager for Vassarette at the VF Intimates unit, which will become part of Fruit of the Loom next month when the acquisition is expected to be completed, said fashion bras and coordinating undies were “hot items.”
“There was a lot of interest in lighter-weight products that were boutique-looking in cross-dyed laces and overlays, not basic, seamless T-shirt bras,” Bell said. “A big interest in shine continues, but it’s got to be a rich sheen, not a super high-shine.”
Helen Burns, East Coast account executive for Felina Lingerie, singled out “sexy garters” as the top-booking item for the Felina and Jezebel foundations brands. Burns said the best-booking group by Felina is a black, hand-clipped French leavers bra and panty set, and a bustier with contrasting pink and beige floral pattern embroidery.
Regarding the Jezebel brand, Burns said, “We’re getting requests for red as a year-round color.”
Stan Herman, designer of his signature collection of at-homewear and robes at The Carole Hochman Design Group, said the demand for fashion product in specialty fabrics and treatments was “enormous” at the February market.
“For us, there was no doubt about it — all of our supersoft poly micro robes with specialty textures were the leaders for us,” Herman said, noting that best-booking textures include cording and roping effects, high-end European embroideries, and dimple and waffle patterns. “Micro’s done so well for us, too, because it takes color so well. Anything with the feeling of a sweater knit in lounge and robes has been great, as well as rib-pattern Lurex lounge and robe pieces.”
Maria Scotto, designer of sleepwear that bears her name, said: ‘I’ve had success with anything that’s trimmed with new, special-looking laces, especially a two-tone lace in white and blue, or white and pink. But the best-booking silhouettes are simple and classic with minimal lace trim. Sleepwear of Modal and cotton is my number-one booking classification.”