A pared-down, less-embellished design aesthetic and value pricing are the watchwords in the premium market for fall, as vendors strike a cautious stance in the face of an unpredictable retail climate.
“Consumers have gotten pickier, purchases are less frequent and fashion has become less disposable,” said Michael Silver, president of Winnipeg, Canada-based Silver Jeans.
Despite the down economy, Silver Jeans enjoyed a 20 percent increase in men’s sales last year on the strength of its value pricing. The brand’s jeans mostly retail for between $80 and $105 and sell best in the Midwest, at retailers such as The Buckle, Von Maur, Dillard’s and Nordstrom. “I think we found ourself at a very effective price point,” said Silver. “We’ve found a lot of new customers that were looking for a great value, and we have the right jean at the right price.”
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In denim, slim legs and stretch fabrics continue to grow in popularity among men, even in the heartland, added Silver. The company will introduce its first collection of women’s tops at the show, with men’s tops to come next season.
Also sporting accessible price tags is new denim and sportswear brand Tokyo Five, which was launched last year by New York-based Brand Resource. The collection features a classic Americana workwear aesthetic mixed with Japanese-inspired graphics and type treatments. “We use a lot of thick, chunky zippers, heavy cast-iron buttons and hand-sewn bar tacks,” said Charles Jebara, president of Brand Resource. “It’s a masculine brand. We’re steering away from the overembellished look — the last thing we need is another guy in a thick-stitched jean.”
Tokyo Five jeans retail from $89 to $110, panel-printed jersey T-shirts from $40 to $60 and track jackets from $68 to $88. “We’ve seen tremendous downward pressure on prices and this brand is aspirational without being overpriced,” said Jebara.
Outerwear maker Triple Fat Goose is adding denim and wovens to its assortments this year in an effort to create a year-round business. “We’re going for a clean look with nice details,” said James Chung, an owner of New Jersey-based Turbo Holdings, which owns the Triple Fat Goose and First Down brands. Preppy-tinged patches and appliqués adorn the line’s polos, wovens and cardigans. Jeans retail from $60 to $80, and tops from $60 to $90.
Buyers may be in for a shock at Ed Hardy, as the brand long known for its aggressive, gaudy aesthetic is cleaning up its designs this year. The company is pushing a core basics line that features solid Ts with a simple chest embroidery that retails for $40, hoodies from $70 to $80 and lounge bottoms from $50 to $60.
“We want to cater to a larger demographic,” said Caleb Westbay, vice president of sales at Ed Hardy. “This is a much cleaner commodity product, with lower prices than our fashion collection — but it still retains the excitement and personality of the brand. It’s everyday casualwear.”
Ed Hardy will also introduce a new line under the True Vintage sublabel, which is inspired by motorcycle culture. “It has a grungier-type feel, with slub cottons, mineral washes and stitching details,” said Westbay.
The centerpiece of the Ed Hardy installation at MAGIC — which including licensees covers about 100,000 square feet — will be a fully loaded Ed Hardy retail store, including windows and cash wraps. “We plan on expanding our retail network very aggressively in 2010 and we want to showcase our entire lifestyle story,” said Westbay. The company operates 23 full-price stores in the U.S., as well as a handful of outlets. Worldwide there are 73 Ed Hardy stores.
The Ed Hardy brand is owned 50/50 by Iconix Brand Group Inc. and Ed Hardy, the pioneering tattoo artist whose work is the basis for the brand. Culver City, Calif.-based Nervous Tattoo Inc., which is owned by Christian Audigier, is the master licensee for Ed Hardy and produces the sportswear and headwear lines, which are a $165 million business at wholesale. The company also sublicenses the brand in about 70 other categories, ranging from fragrance and candles to beverages and car floor mats. In total, the Ed Hardy brand rings up about $600 million at retail.
Another major footprint at MAGIC will be the Defiance USA booth, which will show its English Laundry, Fender, Da Vinci and John Lennon collections. The company will introduce new licensed product in shoes, eyewear, underwear and home categories.
Value pricing is a key component of all the company’s brands, and over the past 18 months those prices have decreased 33 percent. “We are trying to offer as competitive a price point as possible. Those reductions have all come out of our own margins, but we’ve made up for it with greater volume,” said Christopher Wicks, chief executive officer and creative director of Defiance USA, noting the company posted a 30 percent sales increase in 2009.
“I think people who survived this very chaotic financial arena are thinking more nimbly. It’s a stripped-down environment, and people aren’t paying ridiculous amounts of money for things anymore,” added Wicks. “This shakeout has left the players who know how to dance.”