pleasure and gave a huge
department a boutique feel.
that triggered sales.”
to spur more, manhattan
held a Fashion’s night out.
stores citywide stayed open—
and partied with customers—
until midnight on sept. 10,
the start of new york’s spring
fashion collections. Vera Wang
and other designers appeared
at their own boutiques and at
department stores.

budgets no longer allow huge style shows and parties, but intimate gatherings for 20 top shoppers can make them feel appreciated and can goose sales. in may, neiman marcus held a two-hour sale, offering

30 key items for up to half off. a good portion sold out.

“you’ve got to pinpoint lifestyle experiences that your customer values,” banks says. talbots, for instance, held tea parties for its best customers, allowing them to invite friends and family, with the retailer providing invitations and refreshments. the more youth-oriented Hot topic promotes local bands, has prizes of gibson guitars and has sold-out signings for marilyn manson. “their business has been out of this world,” banks says. “they’ve developed an almost cult following.”

meanwhile, Kmart held its first-ever trunk show at the manhattan store near Penn station. Designers wore their own creations while chatting with customers. Pop-up shops—such as target’s bullseye bodegas—arise for days or weeks and hike a chain’s coolness, with DJs playing while

parties for pals get merchandise for 48 hours and earn half the proceeds if they sell more than $10,000 worth.

Budgets no longer
allow huge style
shows and parties,
but intimate
gatherings for 20 top
shoppers can make
them feel appreciated
and goose sales.

 

shoppers browse previously unoffered hot labels. the chain learns whether a concept works before sinking money into it.

norma Kamali, known for ’80s sleeping bag cocoon coats, takes it another step, creating a grass-roots workforce. Women who host try before you buy

Exclusivity

exclusivity used to mean chichi boutiques such as gucci and yves saint laurent, with guards, gates and snooty salesclerks. in today’s new world, exclusivity pays off for department stores and discounters alike.

“be more distinctive.
offer things unique to you,”

says bridget Foley, executive
editor of trade pub Women’s
Wear Daily.
some stores demand that
designers sell only to them.
Vera Wang launched her
lower-priced diffusion line,
simply Vera, at Kohl’s; Kamali, her nK at
Wal-mart; and Ralph lauren, his ameri-
can living at JCPenney. JCPenney also
scooped up allen b. schwartz’s allen b.,
nicole miller’s nicole, and Charlotte
Ronson’s i Heart Ronson labels.

these unexpected unions yield cash—and cachet. High-end barneys new york and low-end target teamed for six days as the former sold the latter’s Rogan gregory wares. not only did WWD cover it, but 1,000 pieces sold in two hours. tommy Hilfiger’s exclusive with macy’s has been a “godsend,” making him its top performer in womens-wear and menswear. and in april, Rachel Roy—whose namesake label sells to luxury retailers such as bergdorf goodman—introduced her more inexpensive Rachel Rachel Roy at macy’s.

Five Commandments of Success

comes crashing down,”

Konheim says.

Your business may benefit from some of fashion’s hard-learned lessons.

numbers takes the emotional guts from it. You must see it from shoppers’ point of view.”

handbags may succeed because they represent a logical extension of the company’s jewelry brand. But Cynthia Rowley may have gone too far with pink garden hoses for Target; ditto on Williams-Sonoma’s infant apparel.

1 Get in the store or on the street and away from your computer. “Fashion is personal and emotional,” says Bud Konheim, CEO of Nicole Miller. “Poring over

2Demand experienced new hires so they make their mistakes beforehand. “We’re making heroes of people who haven’t earned it—and it

3 Show apparel inter- nationally as it hits runways. To shorten the distance between drawing board and store rack, designers and merchants must collaborate with fabric houses for new looks year-round.

4Be diverse; don’t confuse. Cartier’s new

5Forget booming busi- ness. “Conditions aren’t good,” says Konheim. “But we’ve turned a corner and find business coming back.”