NEW YORK — If a consumer sees a designer blouse or a skirt in a magazine that she wants to buy, there’s no reason she shouldn’t have it right away — at least that’s what Gregg Fiene, founder of Yank, a young contemporary clothing company here, believes.
“That’s what makes it exciting,” Fiene said at the Yank, short for Yankee, showroom here. “If you see a trend on the runway, you do it right away.”
Fiene frequently visits Europe, not only to spy the latest looks on the runways, but to see what trends are developing on the streets. From there, he works with his design team to make sure Yank consumers sport the hottest looks first.
Fiene’s philosophy seems to be working. Yank, which launched for spring 2005 with a Dec. 30 delivery, is runway-inspired and spot-on when it comes to hitting the most current trends. Key pieces for spring include camisoles, tunics, gauchos, full skirts and capris. The wholesale price range of the collection is between $24 and $79.
The appeal of Yank, Fiene believes, is that it runs the gamut between the junior and contemporary markets, targeting a midlevel price point.
“Yank has a real contemporary feel, but the prices were so reasonable,” said Wendy Red, fashion director for Up Against the Wall. “Gregg is right on when it comes to trends. He’s out hunting and he hits every time.”
Fiene said that while retailers chase the contemporary shopper, he’s not going after “the Wet Seal or Forever 21” customer. Instead, he said he’s going after “the girl who shops at Macy’s or Arden B.” However, he also insists that his consumer base includes twentysomethings and even 40-year-old women.
“I’m going after the girl who doesn’t want to buy a $400 Theory jacket, but who also doesn’t want a cheap jacket,” he said. Fiene expects the wholesale volume of Yank to reach $10 million in its first year.
Moving forward for fall, the Yank collection will include key pieces such as military-inspired jackets, ruffled blouses, and long ruffled skirts with velvet piping in addition to a full denim collection. The spring collection can currently be found in all Federated department stores, Nordstrom and Up Against the Wall.
Related Articles
You May Also Like
Fiene is no stranger to the junior-contemporary world: In 1991, he founded and was president of XOXO Inc. After merging with Aris Industries in 1999, Fiene served as chairman and chief executive officer of XOXO until the sale of the company to Kellwood Co. in 2003.