Following up from THE US FASHION INDUSTRY: WHERE TO FROM HERE?, I want to look at what brought us here, where we are now and what to expect in 2011 – all from the perspective of an expert in the U.S. women’s contemporary fashion market. So I turned to my close friend and pbc colleague, Tracy Engelien.
Tracy is the owner of Tracy Engelien Sales in Los Angeles. Tracy has previously shined as a senior sales executive for both large and small apparel manufacturers in the U.S. including BCBGMaxAzria. She spent years working with buyers in some of the most prestigious boutiques, specialty and high-end department stores in the U.S. A true industry insider, Tracy knows the west coast and national players, understands regional market trends, economies, and fashion preferences. Knowing this – I decided to ask her a few questions:
Q: Use one word to describe 2010 in the women’s contemporary fashion world?
A: Mercurial
Q: What was expected in 2010?
A: We expected there to be more of an economic turn around than we experienced. There was perhaps a naive perception that sales would grow and opportunities would become more prevalent. Obviously, that did not happen.
Q: What changed in the industry in 2010?
A: The biggest change was a narrowing in the contemporary market. Price points became extremely low as the consumer’s knowledge of competitive retail pricing advanced. The customer has become really savvy. With websites like Gilt Groupe and HauteLook, there is always a better deal to be had and brick and mortar retailers like H&M, Forever 21, and even Target, have completely altered the landscape of fashion. Although this happened over time, it became a fixed element in the fashion market in 2010.
Q: What were the biggest trends of 2010?
A: The biggest trend was the continued domination of jersey knits in the marketplace. Trend inspiration was found in military motifs, safari inspiration, and lots and lots of fur for Holiday.
Q: What do you think will continue?
A: There has been a slight movement back into woven fabrics for Spring 2011 but it is small. Knits will continue to be very important. Military will certainly linger a bit. The fur trimmings may still linger a bit for Fall 2011 but will naturally go away for Spring/Summer.
Q: What is your trend outlook for 2011?
A: There is going to be a big push with more fringing and corseting on all garments… tops, leggings, trousers, dresses, you name it and it will lace up. Color will still be a bit tonal with some orange managing to peak through as a pop. Minimalism will be strong in terms of styling and color choices … with that will come some color blocking reminiscent of Mondrian and the post-modern movement.
Q: What is the industry outlook for 2011?
A: Well, that is a difficult question to answer. Until the U.S. is able to stabilize its economy for the middle class and unemployment begins to decline, the contemporary market will continue to experience major challenges with the customer base continuing to narrow.
So, 2011 looks like it will be another challenging year in women’s contemporary fashion. The tonal color trend is understandable given the challenging economic times. To me, color/pop means confidence and optimism and the U.S. just isn’t there yet. At the same time, we will be seeing a little more construction with the fringing and corseting. Could the small resurgence in wovens be a sign that a general “dress-up” in fashion is coming? Let’s hope so!
Tracy Engelien is the Consulting Sales Specialist at pbc and the owner of Tracy Engelien Sales, an independent sales rep company in Los Angeles, and currently represents: Emma&Emilie – www.emmaandemilie.com, Pure Karma – www.purekarma.com , Kalyx – www.gokalyx.com.