Retail Trends
A First Glimpse at Bebe’s PH8
What: Back in July, Bebe announced plans to scrap its Bebe Sport stores across the country and replace them with a new “retail concept” called PH8. Now the company has released the first images of its new “sporty-chic” collection—including shoes, bags, jewelry, and clothes. Although PH8 stores still aren’t expected to open nationwide until November, curious customers can start checking out pieces from the new line in select Bebe stores beginning in September.
What They Say:
“Think featherweight, monotone backpacks with substantial hardware; drapey, sequin-encrusted sweatshirts; and bib necklaces that look handmade.”
What We Say: We’ll admit it, the new looks leave us pleasantly surprised. The ubiquitous logos Bebe has become known for seem to be gone entirely, and a couple of the pieces really look like they could transition from the gym to the nightclub. Color us surprised. But more important, what do you think?
The Shrinking Plus-Size Apparel Market
What: To no one’s surprise, apparel sales have been going down over the past year - but the plus-size market has been hit especially hard. This is a bit counter-intuitive, as the number of plus-size women in America (and the world) is actually increasing. So, how could this be? Well, there are a few possibilities - full sized fashionistas aren’t always as open to buying clothes that’s marketed as plus-size. Some prefer (or are forced) to shop online - in privacy - for such items.
What They Say:
According to the NPD Group, a market research company, the overall women’s apparel business is down about 5 percent and plus-size is down almost 10 percent from the 12 months ending in May 2009 compared to the same time the year before.
What We Say: We’re not sure what the latest trends are, but if department stores ignore the plus-size customer, they’re ignoring a significant chunk of the population. We don’t predict the plus-size market will disappear, but that it might be introduced to shoppers in a different way in the near future (ie Old Navy’s move to put their plus size section online-only)
If you’re a plus-size fashionista, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this…
Aeropostale’s Discounts Drive Demand
What: Aeropostale is having the last laugh. The preppy teen retailer that’s generally seen as the younger sibling to more ubiquitous chains like Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle has announced that its recession pricing strategy of discounting merchandise to extreme levels—like $10 t-shirts and $12 hoodies—actually paid off. The retailer has managed to show sales gains over the past eight months, even while higher-priced stores like American Eagle and Abercrombie both faced declines.
What They Say:
“You can get a more fashionable polo for $15 from Aeropostale than you can get from either American Eagle or Abercrombie, and they’ll be much more expensive,” says [stock analyst Eric] Beder. “The teen customer is a very trend driven customer.”
What We Say: Good for them. It’s nice to see the underdog retailer come in for the win, and we’re holding out hope that Aeropostale’s success might encourage Abercrombie and American Eagle to discount their prices to similar levels as well. ( and, int he case of Abercrombie, put some clothes on their staff)
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