YMI Jeanswear is making a bid to expand into the contemporary market this holiday season with the introduction of a line dubbed Royalty.
David Vered, president of the Los Angeles denim manufacturer, said the company’s core junior line had reached a level of development that made him comfortable enough to branch out and approach an older demographic.
“We wanted to create another line that has all the design elements from the contemporary world, but bring it down to do a level that gives the customers more for their money and a different look,” said Vered.
He’s confident the core YMI customer, typically between the ages of 14 and 24, will graduate into Royalty, which is targeted at 17- to 29-year-olds.
“That would be the core of that business. It will be more of the mature young woman looking for a little more sophisticated look,” he said, adding fits would be tighter and rises lower.
Vered is also looking to tap what he believes is an underserved price segment of the denim industry; retail prices for the line range from $78 to $96.
“I believe it’s a unique share of the market,” he said. “They are not the jeans for everyone, but are not the premium expensive.”
Carl Jones, YMI’s head of design, said the initial line consists of 15 pieces in the prominent leg styles in the market, including a boot cut, a twisted flare and a straight leg. A denim for the line was developed in Hong Kong to meet quality and pricing standards. The line’s six to eight washes have been given royal names such as Charles, Elizabeth, Catherine and Macbeth.
Jones has divided Royalty into three tiers, differentiated by design elements such as back pocket design, wash, stitching and hardware. The core basic segment features a crown point back-pocket design. The next level up, embellished, has more standout details such as studs, nailheads and embroidery, while the luxe segment is distinguished by leather back-pocket details.
Royalty will make its debut at next week’s MAGIC trade show in Las Vegas and start appearing in stores in November, and Vered expects a strong response to the line’s twisted-flare styles. Vered is targeting distribution at better department stores and specialty boutiques.
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He is looking to accommodate the company’s expansion with a new showroom large enough to give the company’s preteen, junior and contemporary lines their own dedicated space. He is negotiating for a 5,000-square-foot showroom in New York and hopes to have it completed by the end of the year.