Many buyers for major chains and specialty store owners said accessories sales for the holiday season have gotten off to a slow start because of unseasonably warm weather.
But they are optimistic for a turnaround as they begin their end-of-the-year countdown, citing bags, hosiery, jewelry, belts and — as the thermometer drops — gloves, scarves and hats as key items. Most predict at least single-digit percentage increases in the category.
The biggest news of the season is the wane of the “It” bag. Retailers are still seeing strong sales of key bag silhouettes, like Marc Jacobs’ Stam, Lanvin’s Kentucky, Chloé’s Edith, Gryson’s Olivia and Botkier’s Bianca, but many agreed customers were seeking a wider range of styles. Clutches have carried the season, and ones created in metallics, patents and exotic skins are being snapped up both for self-purchase and gifts.
Leggings have hit their stride in solid black, navy and brown, and retailers predict the trend will continue into spring in lengths that hit at just below the knee rather than at the ankle. Jewelry has sparkled for most retailers as fall’s Gothic motifs and delicate gold chains and pendants continue to charm shoppers.
Here is what key retailers are saying about holiday sales:
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Rick Weinstein, director of sales and marketing, Searle, a seven-unit boutique in New York: “Everyone will agree that the spate of warm weather here has cast a bit of a pall on retail. Festiveness goes hand in hand with cold weather. It doesn’t yet feel like Christmas or Hanukkah because there’s not a nip in the air. Whether or not we will see a strong season is entrenched in what happens over the next few weeks with the weather. As far as accessories sales, it’s been a terrific hosiery season, with through-the-roof sales, mostly in leggings. It goes hand in hand with the tunic look. Belts have had quite a long run now, which plays into the tunic look. We are doing well with a cummerbund wrap belt and a contoured belt. Jewelry is doing better than last year, and there is a move in this category toward simplicity. We are seeing business with long gold chains that you can wear long, or doubled or tripled up. Women are also seeking out more single pendants, or if a necklace carries multiple pendants, those pendants have to be delicate. Overall, the midpriced handbag business is not what it was. It’s not about the ‘It’ bag so much anymore, so you have to have a broader array of styles. For silhouettes, it is all about clutches. Any bags that are selling that are not clutches are structured.”
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Phoebe Cates-Kline, owner, Blue Tree, New York: “Our best-selling accessories products have a balance of something whimsical, colorful, glittery and practical, as well. The boutique is pushing accessories for holiday including Ninoff bags, necklaces by Irini Arakas, Ataché over-the-knee socks and the store’s own striped hats and scarves.”
Julie Gilhart, vice president and fashion director, Barneys New York: “Hot-ticket items at Barneys include Sevan rings, Sharon Khazzam bee earrings and Lanvin sunglasses. Several bags were ahead of the pack, including Thomas Wylde’s leather bag with skulls; Goyard’s Comores tote; Maya one-off, hand-embroidered wool tartan bags; Valextra’s leather shopping tote, and the ‘It’ bag of the season, Lanvin’s Kentucky tote.”
Fraser Ross, owner, Kitson, Los Angeles: “Denim is a saturated market, so the accessories business has helped out a lot. Our jewelry business is up 20 percent from last year at all price points. The skull motif hasn’t died this season. I thought it was over in the summer, but people are still buying that trend this holiday for gift-giving in bracelets and necklaces. Watches are a hard business. People don’t buy watches because of cell phones, but the Marc by Marc Jacobs pear-shaped watch pendant on a necklace sold out right away. The ‘It’ bag for us is the Gryson Olivia bag. We are also anticipating L.A.M.B. bags to be a huge hit.”
John Eshaya, vice president, Ron Herman/Fred Segal Melrose, Los Angeles: “Our accessories business has been up all year, so I wouldn’t imagine holiday to be any different. Our whole theme for this season is pirates and punk rock. Skulls won’t go away, and we have paired them with punk rock. The new Marc Jacobs motorcycle bag with punk rock studs that are painted and re-scuffed is selling well at $1,800. Campise, which is exclusive for us, is also doing well. The brand did a punk rock thick gold band with white diamonds. Everything we are doing has a bit of an edge. Our customer is more alternative — the young Hollywood girls who are cool and don’t want their mom’s basic ring.”
Dottie Chanin, owner, Ice Accessories, Los Angeles: “I would be happy if we did the same as last year, to tell the truth. We are hoping for a last-minute uptick in the market. Diamond and designer jewelry is doing really well: Sydney Evans’ wood stretch bracelets, Philip Stein Teslar’s watches, Roberto Coin’s horsey bracelets and Konstantino’s green topaz and white pearl silver and gold jewelry. Handbags are real slow.”
Jeffrey Kalinsky, president and chief executive officer, Jeffrey Atlanta and Jeffrey New York: “Nothing that we have right now gets marked down after the holiday. All of it goes right through. Hoops from Dean Harris continue to be a bestseller around holiday time. Yellow gold sells a little better than white gold. Gucci’s shoulder bags with bamboo handles are selling well for $1,575, and VBH has its Manila clutch that looks like a folded envelope, and we just can’t get enough of the style in stock. In satin, they retail for $750. From what I’ve heard in the market and experienced in my own store, business is great right now and people are buying.”
Nancy Nagrodzki, accessories buyer, Gus Mayer, Birmingham, Ala., and Nashville: “Sales in accessories increased from last November to this November. We’re up 40 percent in the Birmingham store and 50 percent in the Nashville store. We’ve done fabulous with Spanx — the leggings and the tights in mainly opaques. Long leather gloves are starting to pick up; a brand called Portolano retails for $125. Cashmere travel wraps from White + Warren are great and go for $285. We’re doing well in evening bags. Python clutches and satin with python bags from Lorelei start at $275 and go up to $495. I’m sure headbands from Head Dress will continue to sell into spring.”
Servine Darbois, director of accessories, Le Bon Marché, Paris: “Accessories are doing excellently all around, apart from traditional textiles such as scarves. Iconic bags by brands such as Miu Miu, Jimmy Choo and Marc Jacobs remain our biggest growth sector, up by approximately 25 percent over last year. But the luggage sector has proved the biggest surprise with novelty brands such as Louison, known for its glittery styles, working particularly well. The travel sector looks ready to take off in a big way. Neo-Gothic jewelry brands are hot, such as Corpus Christi’s skull pieces or Les Bijoux de Sophie.”
Geraldine Mazin, director of women’s accessories, Galeries Lafayette, Paris: “Business is operating on two extremes, with demand for both high-end and accessible product. It’s been a boom watch season, with white and crystal-embellished designs selling particularly well. Decorative jewelry by brands such as Agatha and Swarovski and gold jewelry with semiprecious stones are also selling well as gift options. The textiles department is suffering, however, in particular silk scarves, which we’ll be reducing significantly next year.”
Lily Dufailly, store director, l’Eclaireur, Paris: “It’s been another good year for accessories, with our planned budget for next year remaining stable. Hats are strong as usual for this time of year, in particular, brands with a festive aspect such as Reinhard Plank’s rabbit fur styles with colored feathers. Cashmere scarves by Monica Sarti have also been selling like hotcakes. For bags, which remain our bestsellers, fashion brands such as Chloé and Balenciaga are still the most sought after. Demand for lesser known brands is growing, however, such as for [Italian designer] Giorgio Brato.”
Sebastian Manes, deputy head accessories buyer, Selfridges, London: “We have more than doubled our numbers for accessories sales on last year. We are doing a ‘golden’ promotion. Those articles are selling very fast for us. We are doing a series of limited-edition handbags in gold, such as the Balenciaga Lariat, the Yves Saint Laurent Muse and the oversize McQueen. ‘It’ bags are still big for us. People see celebrities in them in the magazines and they are very aspirational. The Marc Jacobs Stam bag is by far the bestseller. We’ve sold 67 percent of our stock before the spring-summer season has even begun. Sunglasses have slowed down compared with last year, but Ray-Bans have come back very strongly. They are the number one at the moment before anybody else, even Chanel.”
Abigail Rainer, fashion accessories general merchandise manager, Harrods, London: “The bestsellers at the moment in handbags are the Marc Jacobs Stam bag, VBH clutch purses — the Manila sparkle clutch — and the Anya Hindmarch Carker bag in black patent. In legwear, footless tights by Wolford, and watches — Chanel’s J5 with rubies, Cartier’s Dame in yellow gold and Chopard’s Happy Sun watch in rose gold — are selling. Charms from all brands are selling well, but the best in volume is Sabo, Links of London and the Lara Bohinc rope collection. For costume jewelry, we have seen a modest response to the trend for long and layered necklaces. For next year, we see a huge trend in designs including skulls, crosses, daggers and dragons with heavy rock ‘n’ roll influences.”
Mark Babistock, women’s wear buyer, Matches, an independent boutique with locations around London: “Sunglasses are selling very well, the Tom Ford range particularly. Bag sales aren’t as strong as they were for us last year. People aren’t going so much for the ‘It’ bags. They are going for less branded, identifiable bags.”
Andrea Panconesi, owner, Luisa Via Roma, Florence: “During the holiday shopping season, I expect a 10 percent increase on a comparable period, which I consider a weak performance. On the other hand, I am surprised that Internet sales tripled in the past year. One item that is outpacing others is the Chloé Edith bag, particularly in whisky and gray. Bags are always the typical gift. I also noticed that consumers are buying for themselves during the holiday because of the late arrival of cold weather.”
— With contributions from Sophia Chabbott, Rachel Brown, Elizabeth Thurman, Katya Foreman, Lucie Greene and Vanessa Silva