It appears to be a banner Christmas selling season so far for lingerie at major department and specialty stores and boutiques nationwide.
Although sales of hard goods and apparel have generally gotten off to a slower-than-expected start after Black Friday, lingerie buyers and divisional merchandise managers are celebrating a demand for fashion items such as marabou and jewel-encrusted thongs that offer a little Yuletide bling; whimsical fare such as pajamas with Sixties-looking peace signs and skull-and-bone logos, and overtly sexy bras and panties.
Despite the appetite for novelty gift-giving, consumers are staying the course when it comes to warm, soft and comfy sleepwear, robes, at-homewear and related items such as slippers. The biggest sellers are rendered in softly brushed fleeces, sleek silks and plush microfibers that appeal to consumers for their supersoft hand.
The news this year regarding lingerie holiday gift-giving is that a majority of shoppers got an early start, in some cases as soon as the end of November, instead of a traditional pick-up of business around Dec. 10. Merchants said that, while consumers continue to be price-conscious, they are splurging for high-ticket lingerie, sleepwear and robes if the product is special. Typical purchases for gifts range from $200 for a lacy, highly embellished bra-and-panty set to $300 for a classic wrap silk robe, retailers said.
Innerwear sales compared with a year ago are generally 15 percent ahead and, in some cases, as much as 30 percent, merchants reported. In addition to a plethora of fashion merchandise, a key reason is that lingerie has become an aspirational gift, as well as a dual-purpose product that appeals to multiple generations of women.
“Some of our best businesses are in the bridge and designer categories, and if the item is right, our customer will buy it,” said Elizabeth Hospodar, dmm of intimate apparel and hosiery at Bloomingdale’s. “Designer sleepwear like Josie Natori and Oscar de la Renta and contemporary sleepwear like Scanty are selling really well for Bloomingdale’s. Pajamas and baby dolls have been popular. Chemises are also a key silhouette for us. Key resources that are doing really well include Elle Macpherson Intimates, Hanky Panky, Cosabella and Hanro. We always set up our gift-giving program at the same time in the fourth quarter, and they’ve been selling.”
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Terri Meichner, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of Soma by Chico’s, said, “This time of year can be very busy and hectic for customers, so when they shop they want two things: gift guidance and a pleasant and easy shopping experience.”
Meichner singled out “soft and cozy pajama sets as our hottest gift item at Soma by Chico’s.”
“They’ve been popular since November, and our best-selling colors have been red and black,” she said. “The sets feature ribbed cotton Ts and brushed twill pajama pants in our wonderful exclusive prints, all neatly wrapped in a lovely beaded bookmark, which can be used again and again for leisurely book reading. Our pj sets are the perfect gifts: Moms, daughters, sisters and friends will love the comfy fit and soft feel.”
A spokeswoman for Limited Brands, owner of Victoria’s Secret, said three sexy-looking bra styles were generating strong sell-throughs:
- The Very Sexy Secret Embrace Push-up, described as the “sexiest one-piece bra,” with a scalloped edge and lower-cut neckline that gives a provocative and dramatic image.
- The Angels Secret Embrace Invisible Lace bra, a seamless one-piece number that provides a smooth, comfortable fit with allover lace that is romantic but doesn’t show through fitted tops. This bra is available in both a push-up for maximum cleavage enhancement and in a demi, which is meant to lift and frame.
- The Angels Secret Embrace Satin bra, a one-piece seamless style that has a comfortable fit with a flower motif, is supersmooth, sophisticated and sensual-looking.
For big spenders, there is a balconette bra called The Hearts on Fire Diamond Fantasy Bra. It retails for $6.5 million and is inspired by the Very Sexy collection, weighs 800 carats and is adorned with more than 2,000 perfectly cut diamonds set in white gold. The centerpiece is a 10-carat diamond brooch with a Victorian floral motif that embodies the romance, glamour and sophistication that is Victoria’s Secret, said a spokeswoman.
She added that, for the “stay-at-home types” who want soft, comfy pajamas, Victoria’s Secret’s bestsellers for the holiday season are novelty flannel pajama sets.
“This is definitely a stronger and better Christmas selling season,” said Liliana Mann, owner of Linea Intima, a four-door chain in Toronto. “It started at the end of November.”
Top-selling items include sexy-looking bras and panties by Lise Charmel, Aubade, Lejaby and Chantelle; a silk robe by Christine of Vancouver, and a gift pack of three thongs by Hanky Panky, Mann said.
“The holidays are traditionally a great time to indulge husbands and boyfriends who typically buy sexy, more expensive lingerie she wouldn’t buy for herself,” said Sarah Wiener, owner of Trousseau, a lingerie shop in Vienna, Va. “It may be sexy-looking, but it’s also very elegant, not trashy-looking.”
Wiener said chemises by Arianne, Eberjey and Cosabella are top gift-giving items because “it’s an easy fit” for men to choose, and “they are dual-purpose.”
She added that pajamas in feel-good fabrics such as micro Modal blends and softly brushed fleeces are propelling sell-throughs, because “they are things you feel you could curl up in and hibernate for the winter.” Best-selling bra brands include Aubade, Chantelle and Simone Pérèle, she said.
Alice Sena, owner of Sposabella, an intimates shop in Brooklyn, N.Y., said G-strings by Sherry et Cie are her number-one selling item.
“They’re selling like hot cakes in soft stretch lace, silk and embellished with feathers,” Sena said. “My best-selling nightgown is by Jonquil, a beautiful, sexy gown with a slit up one leg in peach and ivory. A very sexy strapless longline bra with garters by Va Bien has been fantastic.”
Sandi Simon, owner of Frishman’s, a lingerie shop in the Bronx, N.Y., said one of her hottest items is “soft, fluffy marshmallow robes by Natori and DKNY [Underwear]. We’re also selling beautiful foreign flannel pajamas by Bonsoir and Pluto in plaids and stripes. I didn’t think our customer would buy that.”
Bonnie Blagg, manager of G Boutique in Chicago, said, “It’s so cold here that warm and cozy pajamas are selling very well by Princesse Tam Tam and PJ Salvage. The key is the pajamas are very sophisticated and classic-looking, and bridge the age gap so anybody can wear them. We’re also selling a one-piece rose-print teddy by Betsey Johnson Intimates with garter straps and Swiss dot fringe molded cups.”
Amanda Diaz, president and chief executive officer of LoveFifi.com, said this is the fourth consecutive year that crotchless panties are the number-one holiday item.
“People will spend extra money for expedited shipping for crotchless panties. It appears to be a global thing with Canada, England, France and Australia being our top-four international customers, and California and New York being our top-two domestic clients. I think they’re bought as cute stocking stuffers.”
In Dallas, lingerie boutiques merchandised holiday windows with a range of classic, fashion and sexy items.
“We’re seeing double-digit sales gains over this time last year and higher traffic, including more younger women who want the personalized service of an innerwear store rather than being another anonymous customer in a department store,” said Karen Fritts, owner of Loretta’s Intimates in Plano, Tex.
Bestsellers include sleepwear by Underglam and Simple Pleasures, camis by Mary Green and Arianne and retro-inspired nightgowns from Vera Wang and Sheer Touch. Top-selling sexy bras and panties include Simone Pérèle, Chantelle and Fantasie.
Sheers, an intimates boutique in the hip Oak Lawn neighborhood near downtown Dallas, said holiday business is even to a year ago, with fashion, newness and sexy styles driving the business, owner Stacey Dorfman said.
Holiday bestsellers include cashmere robes by Josie Natori; Scanty pajamas, especially with logos of peace signs, dragons and skull-and-bones; Seamless You bras; camis by Cass & Co; sexy boyshorts by Hanky Panky, and string bikinis by Commando.
“String bikinis are making a strong comeback,” Dorfman said. “Women are asking for them instead of thongs.”
— With contributions by Rusty Williamson