Greetings loyal readers,
I thought this week I would post a little teaser of the style guide I’m writing for our December issue. Since I have a little more time than usual to work on my stories, I ended up collecting a bit more material in my interviews than what’s likely going to see print. I hate wasting good information, so I’ve picked one interview, of the many I really liked, which might not get the attention it deserves in the print version of the story, and presented it below in a Q and A format. Enjoy, and look for the full story this December!
Gina Gaudet, designer for Charles River Apparel, Sharon, Mass., answered a few questions about jackets, fleece and outerwear in general.
Promo Marketing: What do you see being popular style-wise with jackets for 2010?
Gaudet: [I see] many non-traditional colors in outerwear, such as white, plums, corals, dusty blues, turquoise and retro 80s colors. Distributors should make sure to have some of these eye-catching colors to show to their customers. This
is especially so as some colors, such as coral, can be difficult to visualize. Your customers will probably never buy as much coral as they would the basics (like black) but that one “wow” color you are showing could really get their attention.
Gaudet cited an example of a coral-colored item, which you can see here.
PM: What fleece styles do you see becoming popular in 2010?
Gaudet: Color is key with fleece for 2010. White, various shades of pink
and blue are now becoming the standards in fleece colors. Corporations
are becoming more comfortable with new colors as opposed to just staying
with their official corporate colors or the traditional navy or black.
New fleece fabrics are also emerging as an enormous trend for 2010.
“Novelty fleeces” (including faux furs and soft silk-like fleece), as
well as textured fleece, are immensely popular at retail right now and
are making their way into our industry. Charles River Apparel has
launched a new women’s fleece called our Silken Fleece Jacket (style
5035) that is so soft it feels like silk. We brought this women’s-only
style in colors such as slate blue, chocolate and a rich black. Plus we
brought in a unique corduroy-styled fleece [link] that actually looks like
corduroy but has the unique softness and drape of fleece.
You can see the Silken Fleece jacket here, and the corduroy fleece here.
PM: What styles you see being popular with outerwear not covered
by the above, like vests or maybe wind shirts, for 2010?
Gaudet: [I] still see the trends of belted jackets being popular for women, plus the bomber and biker styled silhouettes are making a comeback. Distributors should be aware that the retail trends are lending themselves more towards exposed zippers at pockets for additional detailing on jackets.
Distributors should always exercise caution about trends that may be too fashion-forward. This is especially so if they are putting them into a uniform or catalog program with their customer. You want to ensure that with programs the styles and colors you choose will be popular throughout the life of the program. Look for suppliers that have in-house designers who are following the trends both at retail and runway level.
Until next week,
Mike
CHARLES PLYTER FACT OF THE WEEK: Charles basically infected the whole office, including myself, with a terrible cold. He swears it wasn’t him, but I’m convinced that part of his sickness is that he’s a liar.
