MR April/May 2016

APRIL/MAY 2016

RETAILER OF THE YEAR: BEALLS INC. DOCKERS’ MAJOR MILESTONE UNDERWEAR OVERVIEW HOW BRUCE PASK WORKS

MENSWEAR’S NEWEDGE PERFORMANCE CLOTHING ON THE MOVE

MR MAGAZINE’S

RETAILER OFTHEYEAR

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UNDERWEAR OVERVIEW Performance and fashion are

RETAILER OF THE YEAR

key factors driving men’s underwear and hosiery sales.

100-year-old family-owned department store Bealls has thrived by creating a niche in the sunbelt.

As tailored clothing continues to be influenced by the athleisure trend, manufacturers move increasingly to natural fabrics with that sought after stretch.

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HIGH PERFORMANCE Tailored clothing is learning how to stretch its boundaries.

48

HOW ____ WORKS Bergdorf Goodman’s men’s fashion director Bruce Pask gives us a glimpse of his office.

Contents

Also in this issue: 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Ones to Watch 10 People 34 Fashion 47 Footwear On our cover: Eleventy JACKET; Perry Ellis T-SHIRT. This page: Tallia Orange JACKET; Eton POCKET SQUARE. 2

MR APRIL/MAY 2016 | MR-Mag.com

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{ EDITORIAL }

WORRYON! What’s needed is creative evolution rather than total disruption.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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PHOTO BY KEITH BARRACLOUGH PHOTOGRAPHY

THERE’S NO DENYING that we’re in a period of retail “disruption” as consumers experiment with new ways to shop and manufacturers experiment with selling to consumers directly. How unfortunate, however, that the pace of change is causing so many talented merchants (bombarded with messages of “change or die”) to lose confidence, to forget how much they intrinsically know about merchandising beautiful product, partnering with brands, genuinely connecting with their customers and providing exceptional service.

Granted, much does need to change: we all need to become more tech-savvy, to shorten the cycle from factory to selling floor, to heighten the shopping “experience” both in-store and online, to offer more exclusives, and (in many cases) to close underperforming doors and/or reimagine existing spaces. But I believe it’s more about creative evolution than total disruption, and that the talented merchants who have survived thus far are the ones who will pave the road to the future.

Case in point: MR’s 2016 Retailer of the Year, Bealls Inc. A 100-year-old family-owned Floridabased operation, Bealls has built a 500-plus store, $1.5 billion business that’s well balanced between department stores and outlets. (While many retailers are first jumping on the outlet bandwagon, Bealls launched outlets in 1987. These 446 doors in 16 states are now a separately run division; they tend to do well during economic slowdowns when department store business is tenuous.)

Among the many reasons the men’s industry admires Bealls: their ability to take risks (both financial and merchandising), their numerous efforts to upgrade (particularly notable in their mix of upscale surf brands), their total understanding of their customers’ lifestyles, their fairness with vendor partners, their humility, their integrity and their vision (most recently launching a more upscale specialty store division and growing their online business).

We hope you’ll gain some invaluable insights from our Retailer of the Year feature (page 13), as I did from these words of wisdom from third-generation chairman Bob Beall: “I’ve learned from many years in the business to hire the best people I can afford and let them do their jobs with minimal interference. I’ve learned that constant reinvestment in, and reinvention of, the business is necessary to avoid obsolescence. And I’ve learned that worry is necessary to survival.”

So worry on, but stay calm! Don’t lose confidence; remember what got you in the game to begin with;; build on that strong foundation; and never underestimate the power of experience, patience and stamina.

{ ONES { CLOTHING TO WATCH} }

“Being able to tell a story is the core of what I do, so it’s important to me to produce a collection with a dialogue behind it.”

Charm School CARTOGRAPHY

During his days as a roadie for singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright, Cartography founder and designer Mark Peddigrew would spend his free time at antiques stores and flea markets gathering charms, which he would later place on necklace chains and give to friends and relatives upon his return.

In 2011, Peddigrew’s hobby suddenly turned into a business.

“I was back home in New York, working out at the gym when someone noticed one of my pieces around my neck,” says Peddigrew. “It turns out that he worked at Neiman Marcus.

Three months later I was in Dallas having a meeting with the team, and they placed an order.”

Today, Peddigrew has a wide-spanning collection of jewelry, from bracelets to tie clips, that retail anywhere from $69 to $3,500. “These days, I am going after more local and specialty store business,” says Peddigrew. “I do well in stores like Ron Herman in LA, Fred Segal in Las Vegas, Wanderlista in Miami and Wild Fang in Portland, Oregon.”

While all of his collections have a back-story, Peddigrew’s new spring/summer collection entitled “Weapon of Choice” is an homage to his days as a roadie. “Being able to tell a story is the core of what I do, so it’s important to me to produce a collection that has a dialogue behind it,” says Peddigrew. “This new collection is filled with music-related items that tell the story of my love for music and my days on the road. I’ve seen a lot and this is just the beginning.”—SG

Crossing Cultures RIDEAU

One of the hidden gems of NYFW: Men’s was the presentation by Rideau, a one-yearold American luxury contemporary brand, at the swanky SoHo House. Visitors were treated to a small, gorgeously crafted and often ingeniously textured collection, ranging from basic tees to intricate plaid suits to fur-and-leather coats, all of which showcase the singular vision of founder Dylan Granger. (Retails range from $90 to $2,540.)

“From the fashion behind punk rock to the designs of old Japanese Sakura jackets, travel and cultural history is where I find my inspiration,” says Granger. “I want this brand to convey and define who I am as a person while mirroring the decade and culture of this era. And I want my designs to reflect and convey a mood or feeling and inspire the wearer to feel the same. The most gratifying feeling for me during our preview for NYFW was the enthusiasm people showed just while looking at the collection.”

Rideau is manufactured in studios in both New York City and San Francisco, but would fit into any major metropolitan aesthetic, says Granger. “I can see it being worn at an art gallery in SoHo or a speakeasy tucked away in London’s Chinatown district.

The company’s attempt to find retail partners is progressing well, says Granger, but for now, sales are concentrated through its own e-commerce site (ri-deau.com) and via the mobile app Spring. Still, no matter where you see it (or which season you’re looking at), you’re likely to fall for Rideau. —BSL

“I can see it being worn at an art gallery in SoHo or a speakeasy tucked away in London’s Chinatown district.”

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{ ONES { CLOTHING } } TO WATCH

Creative to the Core MAX ‘N CHESTER

Peter Trainor founded Max 'N Chester in 2012 with three core elements in mind for the brand: fantastic fabrics, easy silhouettes and vintage-inspired design. With these elements in place, Trainor has managed to create garments that can be worn 24 hours a day, using 100-percent Japanese cotton fabrics.

“I want to create a timeless collection for guys from the age of 25 to 65 who are creative and want to look good,” says Trainor. “Retailers are responding to my aesthetic and are buying the whole collection rather than cherry picking it at the trade shows. This really helps them tell the brand’s story.”

Currently, Trainor’s collection full of knit suits ($650 retail) and raw-edge finished Japanese cotton shirtings ($185 retail) can be found at such stores as Ron Herman and American Rag. “I’m also extremely proud of our partnership with United Arrows in Japan, which will launch in the fall,” says Trainor. We are doing exclusive jackets, knits and wovens for them this season.”

So what’s next for the brand? “We’re opening an e-commerce boutique the first week of April,” says Trainor. “We also have plans to open our first freestanding store in New York within the next year, and have two major collaborations with European retailers that will launch this fall as well.” —-SG

Military Mania

MITCHELL EVAN

“Whether it’s a new speckle technique coming out of Japan or a recycled WWII tent, the fabrics need to stand out.”

Mitchell Evan Sandler could be called a military buff. From a young age, this film producer-turned-designer from Norfolk, Virginia was always fascinated with his grandfather’s service in WWII and the items he had brought back with him.

So it’s not surprising that Sandler teamed up with his college friend Jenny De La Rosa, formerly of Vanity Fair, to help launch a project he always wanted to create: a luxury military-inspired menswear collection called Mitchell Evan. Now in its second season, the collection is full of quality basics and exquisite outerwear, all with a pronounced American military aesthetic. (Retails are $200 to $900.)

All of Sandler’s collection is produced in Los Angeles, with fabrics being sourced from American, Japanese or Italian mills. “I like to use fabrics with some sort of performance property or unique texture to them” says Sandler. “Since I keep my color palette pretty minimal, I want the garments to stand out through their fabrics.

Whether it’s a new speckle technique coming out of Japan or a recycled WWII tent from the U.S., the fabrics need to stand out.”

And stand out they do, which is why many specialty stores are showing interest. “I’ve received a lot of positive feedback from the most recent MRket trade shows in New York and Las Vegas,” says Sandler. “Right now, my horse blinders are on and I’m focusing on refining my collection and marketing ideas to ensure success going forward.” —SG

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{ PEOPLE }

KEEPING THINGS CASUAL Dockers’ Doug Conklyn shares his insights on the future of the 30-year-old brand.

BY STEPHEN GARNER

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MR APRIL/MAY 2016 | MR-Mag.com

{ PEOPLE }

F

irst introduced in 1986 in San Francisco, the Dockers brand has portant, but with all of the advances in performance and technology from been a cornerstone of menswear for 30 years. This year, Amerthe athletic and outdoor specialists, comfort has never been more imporica’s favorite khaki brand is celebrating this milestone by unveiltant. So today’s consumer expects a lot more from his wardrobe than ever ing a special 30th anniversary collection, and sponsoring the New York before. The thing is, he also wants to look presentable, or appropriately Fashion Week: Men’s opening night party, where we had the chance to dressed for the occasions that matter to him. Men are paying more atchat with Dockers’ senior vice president of global design, Doug Conklyn. tention to fit, nuance and accessories, so dressing casually doesn’t have to An admirer of all things American, Conklyn had many years of ex- be associated with being frumpy or lacking style. You can dress comfortperience at some of the largest and most well-known global brands, in- ably and casually but with flair and individuality. cluding Polo Ralph Lauren, Lilly Pulitzer and American Eagle, before WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES YOU’ VE FACED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS joining Dockers in 2010. We recently caught up with Conklyn to discuss AT DOCKERS, AND HOW HAVE YOU ADDRESSED THEM? the evolution of the brand and what the future holds for Dockers.

Perhaps the biggest challenge we’ve faced has been overcoming outHOW HAS DOCKERS MOST EVOLVED OVER THE dated perceptions of the brand, particularly here LAST 30 YEARS? in the U.S. We basically created “business casual” I think the biggest evolution has been the conand while we started a revolution by offering an tinued growth in the more casual side of the alternative to the suit, we became the very unibusiness. Dockers ushered in the business caform we destroyed. Many associate Dockers only sual movement 30 years ago, but what was seen with pants you wear to work. The truth is we deas “casual” then is now considered to be “resign styles for just about every occasion in a fined” or “dressy” today. Once upon a time, the man’s life, from shorts to jeans to cargos to ca“new uniform” was a sharply creased pair of sual and refined khakis, as well as a full line of khakis, a blue shirt and a navy blazer. But in apparel and accessories to go with them. The today’s world, that look is considered to be quite other common misconception is that Dockers formal. Within the casual world there is what I khakis are loose and baggy. About five years call the ‘casual continuum,’ which includes ago we began introducing modern slim-tapered —DOUG CONKLYN everything from jeans to casual khakis to resilhouettes into the collection, which has fined khakis. Over the years, Dockers has dehelped transition our business in classic and reveloped a range of pants that cover the full laxed fits toward straight, slim and skinny fits. spectrum of wearing occasions within the casual Globally, our fit portfolio is now balanced at 50 world, as well as the shirts, shoes, outerwear percent straight, classic and relaxed fits and 50 and accessories to go with them. percent slim, slim-tapered and skinny fits. We WHAT ARE SOME OF THE EXCITING NEW have definitely seen a dramatic shift toward our INITIATIVES DOCKERS IS ROLLING OUT ? slimmer fits.

We have some main initiatives we’re working DOCKERS IS A MODERATELY PRICED BRAND. HAVE on right now. We’re simplifying our product YOU CONSIDERED ADDING A LUXURY COMPONENT? offering to make it easier for our customers While we are primarily moderately priced in the and consumers to do business with us. We’re United States, throughout Europe, Asia, Canada transitioning the majority of our product ofand Mexico we occupy a more elevated price fering to include stretch. tier with a differentiated “premium” assortTELL US ABOUT THE INSPIRATION FOR THE 30TH ment. We will increase the distribution of our ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION? ANY FAVORITE PIECES? premium collections in the U.S. over the next The collection started out as my way of paying homage to the color and several years, both by expanding our distribution channels and cloth for which we are famous, as well as my love of classic, iconic through owned and operated retail. menswear. I took a beautiful piece of cloth and created pants, shorts, HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO BE IN BOTH DEPARTMENT AND MID-TIER STORES? outerwear, belts, bags, headwear and shoes as well as coordinated I think it speaks to the power of the brand. Dockers is the dominant caknitwear, shirting and sweaters to complete the look. I actually started sual pant brand in those channels. We may represent the top-end in with 12 head-to-toe looks that ran the gamut from casual to refined, some stores or the opening-end in others, but the consumer recognizes from shorts and flip flops to tuxedoes and formal slippers, all in mono- the value, quality, fit, performance and style of Dockers. He is loyal to the chromatic khaki. When we decided to produce a limited number of brand no matter which channel he shops. pieces, we ultimately edited the collection down to four complete looks, WHAT WILL DOCKERS LOOK LIKE 30 YEARS FROM NOW? referencing iconic nautical style, American prep, military and refined We will continue to see the blurring of lines between athletic apparel tailoring. What I love most about the collection is how it elevates the and traditional sportswear. So casual “multi-purpose” clothing will notion of khaki beyond just pants and shows just how chic, masculine continue to drive the business. Advances in fabric technology and and versatile khaki can be. I love all the pieces, but my favorites are the garment construction will allow for greater comfort, flexibility and Collegiate chino, the peacoat and the garment-dyed khaki T-shirt. performance. And while “the uniform” will continue to evolve, our WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CURRENT STATE OF MENSWEAR? mission will remain the same as it was for the first 30 years, with a focus It’s a very interesting time in the evolution of menswear and a time that on designing comfort and performance into everything we do and plays well to Dockers’ heritage. Casual apparel has never been more im- helping guys around the world look their best.

While we started a revolution by offering an alternative to the suit, we became the very uniform we destroyed.”

MR-Mag.com | APRIL/MAY 2016 MR

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{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

BEALLS:

A Culture of Caring A century old regional retailer grounded in integrity, humility, and forward thinking. BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

FAST FAC TS ON BEALLS IN C. • 518 stores (72 department stores, 446 outlets in 16 states) • 12,000 employees • $1.5 billion in sales • Private label to store volume: 22% • Men’s to total store volume: 22% • Percent of sales online: 10% and growing

hairman and grandson of the founder, Bob Beall II has, over the past few decades, fine-tuned a family philosophy that still dominates Bealls’ strategy today: feed the business, don’t take money out of it. This philosophy dates back to 1944 when the Bealls bought back their business from the bank for $40,000; since then, new store growth is funded almost entirely on earnings. A successful privatelyowned specialty department store now entering its second century is in itself an anomaly. But to also be a maverick in off-price retailing (since 1987), online retailing, lifestyle boutiques, and value-priced fashion indicates the kind of leadership and foresight that’s all too rare these days.

For the past century and through four generations, Bealls has quietly

C

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BEALLS BOYS: The talented executive team includes Jesse Blount, Dan Love, Matt Beall and Troy Hedgecock.

photos: Janet Poelsma

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{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

beat the odds against regional department store survival. A low-profile, highly admired retailer with strong vendor partnerships, localized assortments, powerful store brands and incredible customer loyalty, Bealls is an unexpected but inspiring choice for the menswear industry’s 2016 Retailer of the Year.

FAMILY FOCUS: GENERATION FOUR Although Matt Beall grew up in the family business, he never felt pressured to make it his life’s work. “We didn’t talk about business around the dinner table: my dad was wise; he wanted a balanced life and would never push us. In fact, when I was young, I thought the family business was a single store down the street. But somewhere around age 10, although none of my three older sisters chose retailing, I knew it was my calling. So as a teenager during summer vacations, I’d work in the business: first at the distribution center, then in a stockroom, eventually graduating to

Our direction is to become less promotional, to get customers in without one-day sales 365 days a year.”

—MATT BEALL, SENIOR VP, CMO

cashier and sales associate.”

Asked what he’s learned from his father, Matt (who joined the company fulltime in 2004) is thoughtful. “My dad is the most kind-hearted, gentle, gracious person I know: he’s always been my mentor and a virtual father figure to everyone in the company. That said, he’s not very vocal about giving advice. He’s never told me what to do, but he’s always there for me as a sounding board.”

Matt talks just as fondly about his grandfather, who joined his father in the business in 1940 (while also becoming an officer in the Army Air Corps) and died in 2000. “E.R. Beall was also a man of few words, but when he spoke, it was impactful. (His quotes are posted all over our corporate office.) He was a true entrepreneur, growing the business from just two stores.

What I’ve learned from both my father and my grandfather is to treat people fairly and with respect. Also that the business is not guaranteed: you’ve got to keep working hard, keep listening to your customers and

Bunulu: “Land, Water, Style.”

A

boriginal in origin, the word “Bunulu” translates to “a place of water.” And what better name for a new Bealls concept store that targets upscale consumers living the coastal lifestyle?

The first few stores are 4,000 square feet in Estero (near Naples), Palm Beach and suburban Jacksonville. The product includes a well curated assortment of men’s and women’s activewear, apparel and accessories

from both established brands (Under Armour, Volcom, Hurley, O/Neill, Patagonia, Trina Turk, Columbia, Billabong, etc.) and smaller independent labels.

Private label is a likely direction for the future.

According to the merchandising team that orchestrated the Bunulu launch, more than just selling product, they

were obsessed with portraying what it means to live on the coast. “We are constantly searching for unique merchandise outside conventional boundaries. We believe the concept can go wherever there is a coastal spirit and attitude. Rather than geography, it’s about how people feel about themselves.”

Asked how big the chain will ultimately become, Sr. VP Matt Beall confides that they’re starting out slow, reacting to business in the current three stores and learning as they go.

These days, it’s a wise strategy indeed!

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{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

constantly evolve. You’ve got to visualize the future, get out in front and stay a step ahead.”

Asked how he personally visualizes the future, Matt doesn’t hesitate. “I see us becoming less of a mid-tier store, less promotional, and more of a Florida-right specialty boutique department store.

“But we are fortunate,” he continues, noting that while the mid-tier sector these days is struggling (less traffic and fewer transactions), Bealls’ overall business is well balanced between department store and outlet divisions. “In a tenuous economy,” he observes, “the outlets generally outperform the department stores.”

When he’s not working, Matt might be found playing football with his boys (9year-old Drew and 7-year-old Robert), skiing (he just returned from a weekend trip with his dad and two friends), boating, fishing or (maybe twice a year) some golf.

Might there be a fifth generation of Bealls ultimately entering the family business?

“Who knows?” he responds. “But at the moment, Drew loves math and Robby wants to be an artist.”

A UNIQUE NICHE

“There’s less newness in apparel than there’s been in previous cycles.”

DAN LOVE, PRESIDENT, BEALLS DEPARTMENT STORES INC.

Dan Love, president of Bealls department store division, has been with the company for 10 years. His retail career started at Hecht Company; after seven years there he was recruited by Federated to join Rich’s Atlanta as CFO. After 11 years there, Love moved to Maine to direct finances for LL Bean. At Bealls, he oversees both brickand-mortar and online (currently 10 percent of the business and growing).

“You can’t measure ecommerce solely by volume,” he insists. “The website has a profound impact on how people shop at the store. Plus it’s a critical piece of how we communicate with our customers, so its value goes way beyond sales.”

That said, Love projects that online can ultimately grow to a more sizable portion of their department store business. He also

“Worry is necessary to survival.”

A chat with chairman Bob Beall

After several decades in this business, what makes you most proud?

I’m proud that we’re one of the few independent, non-public retailers still in business. When I look back at the panoply of retail stores that have disappeared over the last half century, I feel very fortunate.

What do you worry about these days?

Looking ahead at the constant changes in technology (e-commerce, 3D printing, the possible demise of the large retail store in tne not-too-distant future, etc.) does cause me concern, but I prefer to see it as an opportunity, rather than a threat. That said, worry is probably necessary to survival.

What were the worst and best business decisions you’ve made?

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I’ve made many bad decisions that I’d rather forget about.

But I believe the best decision I made was to insist on launching our outlet stores outside of Florida. We started out in Arizona, a state not unlike Florida in many ways, and then filled in the states between Florida and Arizona. It’s proven to be a successful strategy.

Finally, what have you learned from your years in the business?

I’ve learned from many years in the business to hire the best people I can afford and let them do their

jobs with minimal interference. I’ve learned that constant reinvestment in, and reinvention of, the business is necessary to avoid obsolescence. I’ve learned that it’s better to do business in the Sunbelt than in any other part of the country. I learned from my dad that we should welcome family members into the business but insist that they have an MBA and spend a year or two working successfully for a national competitor to show that they have real commitment.

Finally, I’ve learned that we all stand on the shoulders of those who go before us. KAG

CONGRATULATIONS! MR RETAILER OF THE YEAR ©2016 Hanesbrands Inc. All rights reserved.

CHAMPION.COM

{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

estimates that half of current web busiaway from apparel in favor of travel, expeness is done outside the state of Florida. riences, and big ticket purchases, especially “We operate online through multiple among young people. He then adds a few channels including Amazon and eBay; more: less newness in apparel now than in while those ratios skew differently, when previous cycles; and an excess of retail you analyze it as a whole, about half our space. “Retailers no longer need the square web business is done out of state.” footage they’re stuck with,” he maintains.

Asked to define Bealls’ niche in the re“With so many department stores closing tail world, Love talks about coastal reledoors at a rapid pace, the problem is widevance. “Walk the floor and you’ll see spread. For us, recognizing that we need colorful branded shops, exclusive store lato focus on productivity, we are working bels, a real sense of our Florida relevance. on downsizing some locations, and in othWe see ourselves as a niche business, alers, on re-modeling and re-imagining how most a specialty department store. The to use our existing space in new ways.

Florida coastal lifestyle is evident in our We’re investing heavily to keep our space product assortment, our colors, our casual vital and exciting and to make the stores orientation (very little career). We listen to more productive, more customer-friendly our customers, we live their lifestyle, we and more differentiated from our mid-tier truly understand them.” competition.

Love credits much of Bealls’ success to “Today’s challenges simply underscore chairman Bob Beall, who moved aggresthe importance of our unique focus on our sively into new businesses while reinforccustomers and on their coastal lifestyle. In ing a century-long corporate culture of addition to bringing in lots of new brands, caring. “Bob oversaw the real growth we’re doing everything we can to improve STEVE KNOPIK, CEO phase of this business, the concept and inthe shopping experience.” ception of the outlet business, and many of the developments that made us what we are today. He’s a leader with COMPE TING WITH THE BIG GUYS tremendous humility, so he rarely gets the credit he deserves. I know Acknowledging that Bealls publicly-traded national competition has that’s intentional on his part: it’s the foundation of our culture of humore capital to invest in product, promotion, stores and technology, mility. Fortunately Matt, great-grandson of the founder, is just like his CEO Steve Knopik describes Bealls’ goal as “to differentiate and inspire. dad. He carries on the legacy of honesty, integrity, humility: it’s woven Our shareholders want us to invest with a view to the future, rather than into everything we do. It’s so important for us to nurture talent, to treat for short-term profits.” our associates well and have them believe in the vision. A huge advanKnopik grew up in Sarasota and worked at a Big 4 CPA firm for tage is that we don’t have the pressure of quarterly financial demands. about eight years before becoming Bealls’ director of finance in 1984.

This, combined with our history, humility and rich culture, makes Bealls He oversees the department stores, the outlets, and Bunulu (a new upa very unique operation.” scale lifestyle store concept) as well as Bealls Inc.’s shared services: IT, In terms of challenges, Love talks about the pace of change. “It’s HR, finance and distribution. overwhelming, and no one’s quite figured out exactly where we are. The Asked for a job description, Knopik says he spends a fair amount of whole concept of shopping is in transition and virtually all department time planning with leaders at both businesses, and also dealing with the stores are suffering in a significant way. And if anything, the pace of board, keeping the chairman updated on strategy, and working with change is picking up, not slowing down.” family shareholders. “I’ve got the best job in the world,” Knopik insists.

Discussing specific problems, Love singles out two common threads: “I deal with so many talented people: this is a company of 12,000 emthe shift to ecommerce, and the shift in consumer spending patterns— ployees who truly want to work hard and accomplish goals together.”

“I’m blessed to work at a privately-owned company with consistent long-term goals and financial flexibility.”

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PERSON OF {{RETAILER OFTHE THEYEAR YEAR} }

Knopik is quick to give credit where credit is due: “The key here is leadership: Matt’s dad is brilliant, intellectually curious, totally driven but one of the most humble, thoughtful people you’ll ever meet. If he ever gets angry, he does a great job of hiding it. (Editor’s note: Matt claims he’s seen his dad lose his temper only once: when he was about six years old and dared to talk back to his mom.) Instead of reprimanding when something goes wrong, Bob jumps right to ‘So how do we go about fixing it? What’s the next step?’ He has such a great way of making people feel comfortable and appreciated. It’s a work environment where people feel part of a team and respected for who they are. And that’s what gets them fired up, even more than the paycheck..”

traffic, but our basic in-stock programs are on replenishment so we have no pre-set schedule for markdowns. Of course, we hit clearance cadence end-season, but turnover and managing receipt flow are the critical goals these days. Most importantly, when the brand and style are right, price is not the deciding factor. For example, we carry golf shorts from Under Armour at $65 retail that sell at ticket price right next to promotional shorts at $24.99 and $19.99. Maybe they sell at 8-10 percent a week rather than 15 percent, but when an item is right, you don’t need markdowns to move it.

“This is why we’re always seeking out great brands that are not in the national chains. And we’re always testing, looking to be unique. As a small private company, our ‘new vendor approval process’ takes MER C H AN DIS ING two days, rather than two months.”

MEN SW E AR Another key component of Bealls’ A degree in literature and philosophy from merchandising strategy is maintaining TROY HEDGECOCK, DVP, MEN’S AND KIDS the University of Colorado somehow led flexibility to move in and out of businesses Troy Hedgecock, Bealls DVP of men’s and as needed, often downsizing brands that kids, to a career in retailing. “Sometimes retailing chooses us,” he quips, become over-distributed. As Hedgecock explains, “Guys are still looking philosophically. After gaining experience at May Company, Target and an for those traditional mainfloor sportswear brands, but we needed to creoutdoor specialty operation, Hedgecock joined Bealls in 2012. “My kids ate the right balance. Brands like Haggar and Lee are turning and sellwere grown, I’d been landlocked for years, and I was intrigued by the ing well for us. But overall, we’ve ‘right-sized’ the traditional category by golf lifestyle. I’d heard good things about Bealls and it seemed like a door according to climate and lifestyle and it’s now more productive great opportunity. As it turns out, with my five terrific buyers, we’re than ever. Having worked at other stores, I must say that managing indoing a lot of unique and exciting things in menswear.” ventory is a core strength at Bealls.” (Strong inventory management exWithout giving away secrets, he talks about Bealls’ strong focus on plains why Bealls AUR is generally higher than their mid-tier outdoors, golf, activewear and a new emphasis on young men’s surf. competition, according to several vendors.)

“Outdoor coastal is a key component in everything we do: it shows up Also a core strength at Bealls: highly regionalized assortments, to in our styling, our prints, our designs. Although business overall was the extreme of changing the type of fish printed on cotton t-shirts to tough for everyone fourth quarter, from a productive inventory stand- match the type of fish that inhabit the waters nearest that particular point, we’re in very good shape. We obviously don’t have big coldstore. (Vendors joke about Bealls buyers becoming sudden experts on weather businesses; we weren’t sitting on millions of dollars of sweaters, saltwater vs. freshwater fish.) gloves and coats. And since we’re a private company, we can be very Notably missing from the menswear mix at Bealls is tailored clothnimble, building quickly on the successes of the businesses we’re in.” ing, a category they’ve tried to sell over the years with limited success.

Asked about promotional strategy, Hedgecock says a key goal is to “The snowbirds come down here and they want to wear board shorts showcase value on an everyday basis. “We certainly use coupons to drive and flip flops, not suits and ties,” says Hedgecock (although Bealls neck-

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“I’ve worked for big public companies and I’ve seen them make very poor decisions just to hit a number.”

{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

wear assortments feature some fabulous whimsical designs, including original prints from local artist Leona Lovegrove translated on ties by MMG).

More than compensating for a lack of tailored is a huge emphasis on casual/active/outdoor categories, both branded and private label, which is about 25 percent of the mix and growing. Most private label is sourced directly; Bealls boasts a talented design and sourcing team. In fact, outdoor and active generate well over half the men’s volume at Bealls. Among the most successful categories these days: performance knits, board shorts, fishing and golf.

Notes Hedgecock, “With 1,200 courses in Florida, golf is a passion for many of our customers. It’s also a passion for most of our executive team, if we could only find the time to play.

mary segments—year-round residents vs. seasonal residents; he notes that when the snowbirds arrive in November through March, the population literally doubles and the merchandise mix and advertising strategy change accordingly.

One of Bealls’ greatly appreciated marketing innovations is Bealls Days, a weekly special shopping experience (and discount) for customers “50 and Fabulous!” With much targeted advertising, seniors have been encouraged to stop in on Tuesdays for free coffee, casual conversation with Bealls associates, and lots of fun shopping!

Nationally, newspapers report a 12-14 percent decline in readership; in Florida, it’s half that. Our customers still depend on print.”

OUTLE T OPPORTUNITIES

CEO Steve Knopik “thanks his lucky stars” that Bealls started its outlet business four decades ago. “In the early 1980s, we began searching for new concepts to MA R K E T IN G M AG I C build a second business. We tried several Jesse Blount has spent his entire career in ideas—Just Labels, Junior Images—but retailing, starting out as Christmas help at off-price was the one that ultimately JESSE BLOUNT, Sears when he was just 16. He spent 19 worked Of course, this business has VP CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER years there climbing the corporate ladder evolved tremendously: as late as 2010 and (men’s, kids, shoes, hard goods, market2011, we were still more discount departing), then spent the next eight years at Kohls (credit marketing, ment store than true off-price. But in the past three to four years we’ve prospecting, CRM, loyalty program). He joined Bealls two years ago as moved to incorporate the core tenets of off-price: faster turn and VP/chief marketing officer. broader selection. And this business is growing: it’s slightly more than Asked about Bealls’ media mix, Blount describes a balance be- half our total volume, with stores that average 20,000 square feet. tween traditional (newspaper, TV, radio, direct mail) and emerging (Since it’s typically recycled space, we’ll take anything in the 18-25,000(social, email, digital display and search), the latter of which is the square-foot range.) We have about 2,500 active vendors supplying our faster growing component. “But our customers are not necessarily outlet stores, with a goal to open as many new ones as possible. We early adopters,” he explains. “Email has taken hold but they still read plan to add five to seven percent more square footage over the next newspapers; they’re embracing Facebook, not Pinterest. The key is few years.” talking to all of our customers in the way they want to be addressed; Those stores may also be in completely new locations for Bealls. the challenge is figuring out where we need to be in the transition “We’re interested in many markets that we’ve not yet begun to penefrom traditional to digital. We’re constantly watching to determine if trate so there’s much opportunity. And unlike most retailing today we’re getting the appropriate ROI.” where growth is digital, we believe off-price growth is still essentially Admitting that their media mix is evolving at a faster rate than they brick-and mortar. [Bealls uses the nameplate Bealls Outlet in Florida, had intended, Blount shares the good news: “At least it’s not evolving as Georgia and Arizona, and Burkes Outlet in another 13 states where the fast as the rest of the country.” Their business is divivded into two priname Bealls (unaffiliated) is owned by Stage Stores.]

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{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR } Knopik goes on to praise chairman Bob Beall for having the wisdom, determination and stamina in the late 80s and early 90s to stick with their outlet strategy even when it wasn’t working. (It was actually Bob’s dad E.R. who came up with the idea to add outlets when, while vacationing in the Carolinas, he noticed the number of fancy cars parked outside outlet malls and recognized the potential.)

Knopik is not afraid to admit how tough it was to perfect the concept early on. “Our original goal for the outlets was to penetrate all markets where we had department stores, and then figure out which other markets we could conquer. Based on our strong department store business in Florida, we were sure we understood the mature retiree customer. But what we didn’t realize was that retirees in Arizona are very

different from retirees in Florida. It took us a while to figure out that customers in Arizona have a different lifestyle, a different color sensibility. They don’t want pastel seashells on their t-shirts! So regionalizing assortments for Arizona took several years to fine-tune but once we did, the business took off.

“With less marketing and advertising in the off-price sector, creating awareness of who you are and what you offer is challenging,” he adds. “But once we got our footprint established and gained critical mass, we were okay. And ironically, the economic downturn in ‘07-‘08 actually helped our outlet business: department store customers traded down and many never traded back up when the economy improved.

“Retailing will make you humble: no doubt about it.”

Having worked at other stores, I must say that managing inventory is a core strength at Bealls.”

TROY HEDGECOCK, DVP MEN’S AND KIDS

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We congratulate Bealls on being honored as MR’s Retailer of the Year.

Thank you for your outstanding partnership.

Levi’s

Tommy Hilfiger

Vince Camuto Dockers Columbia

Ryan Seacrest Distinction

Diane von Furstenberg Anne Klein Cole Haan

Leading with Accessories

Trafalgar

Tommy Bahama

Kenneth Cole Weatherproof

Dickies

Wembley

Chaps

Jonathan Adler

Ben Sherman

www.randa.net

Countess Mara

Timberland

Nautica Guess

Geoffrey Beene Nine West

© Randa Accessories 2016

{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

Why the Menswear Market loves Bealls.

Bealls is successful because their vision and understanding of the Florida consumer has created an incredibly loyal following.

BUILDING A BUSINESS REQUIRES TEAMWORK and they are

great partners! They know the meaning and benefits of strong vendor relations. What’s more, they have kept their eye on creating exceptional value; they are dedicated to delivering branded apparel for all family members at exceptional pricing. And they go after newness and innovation to keep their assortments fresh and exciting.”

Angela Dobbs, Hanes IN 1903, Bradenton, Florida was incorporated, taking its epony-

mous name from a doctor whose wooden homestead was refuge for early settlers. Those settlers were in need of clothes, shoes, hats and gear. No one knew those residents better Robert Beall Sr., who displayed his wares on empty packing crates and founded his first dry goods store, downtown. The Bealls still remember the boon times, the crash, the migration of customers from north of the Mason-Dixon line, and the tenacity of residents whose grandparents settled in Bradenton. This legacy provides a wealth of unique knowledge along with a versatile skill set to weather and master changing times. Congratulations to Bealls. In this disruptive retail environment, authenticity and local expertise matter more than ever.”

David J. Katz, Randa Accessories BEALLS HAS THRIVED because of its unique ability to understand their customers’ desires and aspirations and then connect

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them to the appropriate brands. The unique alignment between the Weekender brand and the Bealls customer results in extraordinary sell-thru rates, margins, inventory turnover, repeat business and evangelical customer satisfaction. It’s a feeling like ‘they get me’.

Over the years, many department stores like Zayres, Jefferson’s, Montgomery Ward, Uptons, J Byrons, Mervyn’s, and even some existing national chains have come to Florida thinking they could just offer the same nationwide cookie-cutter merchandise – only to suffer at best, extraordinary markdowns and at worst, bankruptcy. Bealls management and men’s merchandising teams currently led by Steve Knopik, Robert Beall, Matt Beall and Troy Hedgecock have fended off every one of these rivals. In recent times, despite the fact that Florida was among the hardest affected, they successfully navigated through the great recession. In our travels throughout the Bealls store system, we are most impressed with the quality and passion of its legion of experienced retail salespeople who best reflect the Florida lifestyle. We believe that they are the unsung heroes in Bealls’ success story.

E.R. Beall, founder of Bealls motto was “Always do what is right”.

We have found this to be true as a menswear vendor in each and every meeting, encounter or agreement over 53 consecutive years. The Weekender/Bealls relationship has been and continues to be one of the most productive and profitable vendor/retailer partnerships in modern retail.”

Abe Rudman, Sportailor Inc

{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

THE BEALL FAMILY HAS ALWAYS OPERATED A QUALITY BUSINESS with quality people. Bealls' unique culture, in combi-

nation with a deep understanding of the markets they operate in and the consumers they serve, is directly related to the incredible consistency and success of the company from generation to generation. With the highest level of respect for the heritage of the business and a focus on evolving for the future, we expect Bealls' to continue to flourish in the years to come.”

Abbey Doneger, The Doneger Group.

THEY ARE DEFINITELY THE “FLORIDA” STORE, compared to the

big national chains. They know their customers, cater to them and it’s working, as evidenced by performance on their selling floors. Their assortments feature the best board shorts in the market, as well as performance swimwear and walk shorts. Katie Heath has been terrific in executing a new structure to showcase young men’s; Matt Beall is a forward-thinking executive who’s challenged his team to showcase the best.”

Ian Soto, Hurley BEALLS KNOWS HOW TO DO FLORIDA-RIGHT product for

WE’VE BEEN DOING BUSINESS WITH BEALLS for a number of

years and appreciate their unique niche in the market. They’ve been a great partner in all our initiatives, supporting us with real estate and featuring in-store appearances with Guy in their stores. But the best part of working with Bealls is their unique corporate culture: from Matt Beall through the entire team, they are so down-to-earth.

We have a very strong relationship with their management team. And with their buyers: Jillian McVeigh does a tremendous job creating great assortments for all their stores. With our brand, it’s not so simple: there are different sensibilities from market to market so that Tampa/St Pete is very different than Vero Beach/Port St Lucie. Even in terms of types of fish: there are different species in the gulf than in the Atlantic and to maximize topline sales, they want to get it right.”

Harvey Taulien, Guy Harvey

their customers: not just the stereotypical straw hats and shorts but things like custom tumblers and great sheet sets. National chains don’t often get it right; the buyers at Bealls are truly talented!”

Chuck Ramsey, Columbia Sportswear BEALLS HAS COME A LONG WAY In the 30 years that I’ve been

calling on them! Their team is exceptional: they’re good people, good merchants, who understand their customers because they live their lifestyle. This is very different than trying to figure out a Florida business when you’re based in New York or Charlotte or Milwaukee.

Their stores are mostly in strip centers in small towns and they’re not trying to be something they’re not. What’s more, they’re open to change. A couple of years ago, Matt Beall recognized that 50-year-old customers today are different than 50-year-olds were 30 years ago. They’re health-conscious,

Haggar Clothing Company congratulates Bealls Florida for being named MR Retailer of The Year.

Cheers to a great partnership over the last 30 years.

For more information on Haggar products visit www.BeallsFlorida.com or www.Haggar.com

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{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

fashion-conscious, they work out. This was a tremendous realization: they couldn’t keep selling banded bottom knits. So they’ve switched to lifestyle presentations rather than classification merchandising to reflect changing customer needs. Realizing that Bealls wouldn’t survive based solely on price wars, Matt and his team have made significant inroads and it’s working. I give Matt tons of credit for initiating change and also for bringing in executives from Belks and Kohls to execute the strategy.”

Richard Wright, IZOD golf THE TEAM AT BEALLS IS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH: they

know how to plan for profits. Their unique business model enables them to get higher AURs than the competition. Their stores are neat and organized with associates available to help customers, unlike other mid-tier stores that are more of a treasure hunt.

Jan Longo and Chrissy Cavanough are fantastic people, great merchants and a pleasure to work with. Matt Beall is a humble and classy guy: grounded and intelligent. He’s worked in every aspect of the business starting at the bottom, and he’s created a family atmosphere based on respect for the customer. We have soft shops in many of their stores and I love to watch couples come in together. Sometimes the husbands head to a seating area where they drink coffee and read the paper, sometimes they both shop. But whichever, shopping at Bealls becomes an entire morning event, an enjoyable social experience.”

Lisa Ostrowski, Haggar

BEALLS CONSISTENTLY FINDS, offers and sells brands, styles and values that resonate with snow birds, and Floridians in general. They really know their customer. I love their understated, yet dynamic merchant teams. And the fact that I can wear my Bermuda shorts to buyer meetings. Now, if only they provided Budweiser and bought our accessories deeper and more often.”

Al Jasman, Randa Accessories.

BEALLS IS THE PREMIER FLORIDA DEPARTMENT STORE that successfully caters to Floridians and everyone else who visits the Sunshine State. They are great partners; our long-standing relationship with them continues to grow.”

David Colescott, Champion THE BEALLS TEAM IS DELIGHTFUL TO WORK WITH! We collaborate with them on several Branded and Private Label neckwear programs that differentiate them from their competition. They understand their customer, and buy/create product that is right for their unique marketplace. What a concept!”

Dave Klaus, MMG Neckwear BEALLS CUSTOMER LOYALTY IS EVIDENT in their strong Ecomm business: snowbirds who move back north in the summer continue to buy from Bealls' online.

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{ RETAILER OF THE YEAR }

What’s more, the Bealls' buying teams can take pride in how they offer their customers great Florida assortments at fair prices. This same sense of fairness is evident in how they deal with their vendors, building strong and trusting partnerships over the years.

Based on our partnership with them, we go out of our way to cater to their unique needs, e.g. making seasonal merchandise available to ship for fall/winter selling.”

Wade Knott, Lee Jeans TWO THINGS MAKE BEALLS SPECIAL: 1) They’re not a public company so they don’t have to worry about meeting quarterly sales and can invest to best serve their customer; and 2) They cater completely to their Florida customer, even differentiating assortments between residents and “sunbirds.” In fact, they’ve identified numerous Florida lifestyles and have set up in-store presentations that appeal to each segment.”

Jack Voith, PEI golf THE TEAM AT BEALLS IS TRULY AMAZING! I’ve been doing business with them for many years and I’m always impressed with how well they know their customers and how everything they do is so clearly targeted to their casual Florida lifestyle. Their presentations are powerful: they do a terrific job of editing to show the best of the best. Their advertising, both online and in newspapers, is inspiring and resonates strongly with their customers.

What’s most impressive is that they don’t copy other stores: every-

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thing they do is unique based on the customer in that particular part of Florida. And rather than just accept market offerings, they’re not shy about asking for what they need, whether it’s shorts year-round or a particular type of fish printed on graphic tees.

They are incredible partners: friendly, nice, fair, strategic. You can feel the strength of that partnership by how well they present your brand and how they’ll discuss things with you first before they go about changing direction. Bottom line: I love them! We do business with a lot of stores but I have a soft spot for this team; they consistently rise to the top.”

Ellen Levy-Ganz, Caribbean Joe ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I was fortunate recently to have been invited, with my dad and our golf division president, to share a home-cooked dinner at Matt’s home with his dad and family. It was a memorable night of bonding and comparing the commonalities of our two businesses: both multi-generational, both family-run, both Florida-based. It was a very special evening for me.”

Oscar Feldenkreis, Perry Ellis International BEALLS IS AN OUTSTANDING COMPANY and Matt Beall is doing an exceptional job, always looking for newness and giving the vendor a chance to test product in key doors. Troy Hedgecock is an extremely talented merchant who always has an ‘open-to-look’ and is always seeking out the next big thing.”

Stewart Golden, Tailorbyrd

{ TAILORED }

HIGH PERFORMANCE

If your suit business isn’t performing, you’re not buying the right suits!

T

he use of performance fabrics in tailored clothing is an important innovation that clothing makers are starting to implement, yet too few customers know about. According to a consensus of retailers, who say 20 to 65 percent of their clothing mix involves some type of performance fabric, customers might not be aware of it; but once informed, they love it and come back for more. It’s the future of tailored clothing and as an industry, we should be shouting about it!

Saks SVP/GMM Tom Ott agrees. “Performance is a huge differentia-

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tor today. The fabric resources have done great work on technical properties but the big challenge is calling attention to it. I think retailers are starting to do a better job and with the importance of athleisure, customers are looking for and understanding performance. Travel and comfort are huge and to market those features is super important.” Adds Craig Andrisen of Andrisen Morton in Denver, “Our customers don’t come in asking for it; few even know it exists. But it’s a great selling point that we train our associates to play up. For guys who live on planes and for those who want seasonless clothing, it’s perfect.”

SAMUELSOHN

BY KAREN ALBERG GROSSMAN

{ TAILORED }

“You’d better have stretch to move quickly in this quickly changing world.”

Ronny Wurtzburger, Peerless Clothing Jeff Farbstein from Harry Rosen notes that his customers do ask for performance clothing, which he estimates at 60-65 percent of his tailored clothing mix. “It’s a key selling point in men’s clothing today, more important than construction or fit. We all have suits that look wilted by the end of the day. So whether it’s stretch fabrics, stain-resistant cottons, Zegna’s wonderful Trofeo fabrics or amazing cashmeres that don’t pill, performance is revolutionizing the business.”

While it started at the top (Loro Piana was an early innovator with their patented Storm System fabric), performance fabrics are gaining momentum in collections from luxury designers to moderate brands. As an early adopter, Arnold Silverstone from Samuelsohn launched his first collection with performance fabrics in 2011 and they’re now a factor in about half of Samuelsohn’s clothing. (At Hickey Freeman, stretch was introduced just last season and it’s already about 20 percent of the mix.) Explains Silverstone, “When these fabrics first came out, they tended to be less luxurious. Now, fabric mills like Zegna and Loro Piana offer ultra-luxurious super 150s cashmere with performance features. We were the first to launch, with Loro Piana, a 130s fabric out of Italy that’s waterproof and wrinkle-resistant. Upon touching it, the customer can’t tell it’s performance but the hangtag seals the deal.”

Fashion designer Thom Browne, known for spearheading the short slim suit model, collaborates with American Woolen Company on a fabric called Cool Wool. Says American Woolen Company CEO Jacob Long, “We recently launched a collection featuring both stretch and water-resistant properties. We offer both natural stretch, which involves high twist yarns that stretch two ways, and mechanical stretch where we add elastic yarns (2-3 percent) for a more complete stretch in all directions. For water resistance, we formulated a process that doesn’t add weight; we

just developed it and it’s 5-10 percent of our spring ‘17 collection.”

Stewart Golden of Tailorbyrd had been using a cotton seersucker fabric for his sportcoats for many years. For spring ‘16, he opted for a blend that’s 98 percent cotton and two percent stretch. It booked well but sold even better once he followed a retailer’s suggestion to develop a sleeve label spelling out the properties of the fabric. “We also developed a poly/viscose with spandex blazer that’s the # 1 garment for fall ’16,” says Golden. “Yes, performance is the way to go.”

Gad Bouskila from BMG agrees. “We use stretch in every brand; some of our fabrics for the Versace collection are five-to-seven percent elastic.

Our customers love it. Since everything these days is slim, you need the stretch for comfort.” Solly Yamin at Baroni adds: “We use a beautiful Italian fabric with two percent stretch in our Trend collection and in our Prive collection for our Italian sportcoats. For our customers, stretch means wrinkle-resistance, comfort and performance.”

At Zanetti, Jack Banasheha has had much success with his stretch fabrics and also with Zanetti Green, an eco-friendly collection. At Betenley, a proprietary “vantage cloth” is stain-resistant, wrinkle-resistant and water-repellent. “We own the mill and the treatment facility: it shrinks the fabric and adds resilience, with or without the addition of elastic yarns,” says David Abril.

Perhaps Peerless USA president Ronny Wurtzburger sums it up best.

“Stretch is the trend of today. It represents total comfort, whether you’re reaching, running or just walking. What’s more, it keeps you looking fresh all day. Performance is not just a flash in the pan; it’s being developed in all kind of fabrics and the development will continue to evolve just as it has in the sporting world. Bottom line: you’d better have stretch to move quickly in this quickly changing world.”

TROFEO (used in suits, jackets and trousers) - TROFEO is a longstanding staple of the Ermenegildo Zegna collections. Strength, softness and resiliency are the main characteristics of TROFEO, a 100 percent worsted wool fabric made of prestige Australian Superfine merino wool with long fibers.

ELEMENTS TROFEO (pure wool, 210 grams, used in the Made to Measure sportswear collection) - Garments made with ELEMENTS TROFEO fabric feature an extra-fine membrane, that regulates body temperate to ensure comfort at all times. It is specially developed to increase water repellency and breathability without

compromising the natural softness and lightness of its woven material.

TROFEO 600 – A blend of Trofeo wool with 15 percent super 600s pure silk yarn. The 600s quality silk yarns are five times finer than wool; the resulting beauty of this cloth lies in its depth of color and fine, lightweight hand.

Fineness: 17 micro Cool Effect (pure wool: jackets and suits, 190 grams) - An innovation that brings state-of-the-art technology to Zegna’s most famous summer cloths.

Cool Effect fabric is woven of pure Australian wool fibers and is finished with an innovative technique that enables dark fabrics to approach the reflective properties of lighter-colored

fabrics. Laboratory testing has confirmed that Cool Effect fabric maintains a temperature significantly lower than an identical but untreated fabric and reflects a higher percentage of the sun’s rays.

Micronsphere – This treatment ensures long-lasting anti-stain performance. It offers a revolutionary treatment guaranteeing absolute resistance to stains by preventing dirt from penetrating in depth, without affecting the natural softness of the yarn. Using nano-technology, the fabric does not absorb extraneous particles. This highperformance fabric is made with 100 percent natural all-season wool that delivers breathability and comfort,

ZEGNA

Zegna Fabrics: A guide to performance

MR-Mag.com | APRIL/MAY 2016 MR

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{ FASHION }

BUY ANY STRETCH People don’t often seem partial to that stubbornly persistent portmanteau, ‘athleisure’, but as the trend’s traction continues towards something more standard, tailored clothing is following suit.

BY WILLIAM BUCKLEY. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARNALDO ANAYA LUCCA.

T

hat age-old debate between the chicken or the egg’s precedency is improbably applicable here: it’s impossible to really know whether the customers or the manufacturers are driving the athleisure trend. But there will always be an ongoing evolution in fabrics and techniques that mills and manufacturers create. Innovation is an inevitable part of production; as new technologies provide increased performance, that progression in menswear is assured. “What we've seen so far is the tip of the iceberg,” says Saks VP and fashion director Eric Jennings. “In the coming seasons we’ll see more performance fabrics in tailored clothing. Theory's new "neoteric" suit-separate capsule collection uses fabric originally designed for climbers and cyclists, with performance qualities like heat regulation, quick drying and stretch, but Theory is using it for the professional traveling man.”

Men’s fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman, Bruce Pask, adds: “The mixture of function and comfort has certainly endeared it to men, and designers like John Elliott have given the category great fashion credibility, creating inventive interpretations, and innovating through fabric and construction.” Meanwhile, Luis Fernandez, creative director at Craft Atlantic, a brand that has quickly become known for its use of innovative fabrics, agrees. “So much of it starts with the fabrics, and there is exciting ‘next-level’ innovation happening at some mills,” he says. “The momentum is also fueled by significant interest from consumers and their desire for performance. Fundamentally, there's been a major shift in the way we live our lives: more active and less structured, so clothing adapts. Eventually, performance will be a given in all clothing: the future is here to stay.”

In many ways, that future is now. “Men have never been more lifestyle conscious, more active in their time of leisure, and the clothes reflect that,” explains Michael Fisher, creative director at trend forecasting company Fashion Snoops. “That’s what started this trend from a cultural macro point of view, but comfort is driving the trend forward. We find that consumers are up against more worldly, external obstacles than ever before; it's tough out there! If clothes can provide comfort, it certainly helps. The suit used to be confined to a very specific look or narrative, but it's the reverse now. The suit, sport coat, or pant is increasingly dictated by the world in which its wearer lives. This opens up tailoring to whole new markets. A tailored jacket should feel like a favorite knit or bomber.

It should go with him from day to night, and most importantly, it should provide the properties he's come to expect from his clothes, like moisture wicking, flexible fits, performance-driven surfaces and year-round wear.”

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OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: Z Zegna JACKET, SWEATPANTS; Matiere T-SHIRT; BeGents BRACELETS; Fine and Dandy POCKET SQUARE. RIGHT: Calvin Klein Collection COAT; Public School T-SHIRT, SWEATPANTS;Tateossian BRACELETS; Swatch WATCH; New Balance SNEAKERS. THIS PAGE: Calvin Klein Collection COAT; HPE T-SHIRT; John Elliot SWEATPANTS; Marettimo WATCH.

ABOVE: Joseph Abboud JACKET; John Elliot T-SHIRT; Mac Jeans SWEATPANTS; Sprezzabox POCKET SQUARE; Asos SNEAKERS. LEFT: Garciavelez JACKET, PANTS, T-SHIRT; Lacoste SNEAKERS; BeGents BRACELETS.

THIS PAGE, LEFT: Bespoken JACKET; Craft Atlantic T-SHIRT; Public School PANTS; Vince SNEAKERS. RIGHT: EFM JACKET; Alex Mills T-SHIRT; Mac Jeans SWEATPANTS; Parmigiani WATCH; Tateossian BRACELETS. OPPOSITE PAGE, LEFT: Combatant Gentleman JACKET; Eleventy SHIRT, SWEATPANTS; New Balance SNEAKERS; Avi-8 WATCH. RIGHT: Tommy HilямБger JACKET; Eleventy SHIRT, SWEATPANTS; K Swiss by Billy Reid SNEAKERS; Avi-8 WATCH.

ASSOCIATE STYLIST - STEPHEN GARNER. MODELS: RUDNEI GRACZYK - Q MODELS, FERNANDO SIPPEL ‒ MSA MODELS; GROOMING BY MICHAEL ANTHONY.

LEFT: Marna Ro JACKET; Asos T-SHIRT; Vince PANTS; Native SNEAKERS; Tateossian BRACELETS. BELOW LEFT: Samuelsohn JACKET; Zachary Prell T-SHIRT; Garciavelez PANTS; Eton POCKET SQUARE; New Balance SNEAKERS; Swatch WATCH. BELOW RIGHT: Perry Ellis JACKET, T-SHIRT; Sandro PANTS; New Balance SNEAKERS; Parmigiani WATCH; Sprezzabox LAPEL PIN.

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Performance, in addition to fashion, is driving underwear and sock sales.

L

ike much of the men’s apparel business, underwear isn’t exactly booming, with many retailers reporting flat sales or slight gains. Hosiery, while doing better, isn’t likely to save the day either. Still, hope does loom on the horizon, as men are leaning towards performance fabrics, innovative products, novelty patterns and bright colors to replace much of what has been in their dresser drawers for too long.

“Performance fabrics have become really prevalent in the business,” says Brian Small, buyer of men’s basics for Bloomingdale’s (where the biggest sellers include Calvin Klein, 2Xist and Hanro).

“Many of our underwear customers are looking for longer-length silhouettes in performance fabrics, and we have seen an increase in demand for knit fabrics and performance stretch.”

“There is a lot of interest from our customers in

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BY BRIAN SCOTT LIPTON

UNDER THERE

technical fabrications and bright colors,” says Darien Sport Shop’s GMM Tom Whitney. “We are seeing a definite surge in tactile underwear going forward.”

“The biggest factor driving our business is innovation,” says Hanes’ director of sales Angela Dobbs. “We’ve introduced a line called XTENT that is temperature-controlling underwear. It really cools you down through wicking or heats you up by nonwicking. In fact, anything with moisture-wicking sells well, even if some men may not wear it every day.”

Hanes is also launching a new underwear line with 5 percent spandex to be initially be sold at Kohl’s, as well as a higherpriced better-quality cotton line called Hanes Platinum (retailing at $36 to $38 per four-pack) to launch at Lord & Taylor.

Smaller brands are just as cog-

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nizant of the need for innovation and comfort in their products. When Vasumathi Soundararajan started her New York-based brand, Ken Wroy, three years ago—essentially, because she found her own boyfriend’s underwear to be too boring—she surveyed 275 real men on what they wanted in their everyday underwear.

Since then, she has incorporated their answers (“no hanging pouches,” “no sagging backs,” “no riding up,” “no itchy waistbands,” and “no chafing”) into the line.

No chafing is also one of the reasons Turq, a three-year-old Connecticut-based brand geared to swimmers and surfers, has grown to over 100 accounts. “Over the years, the men in my life have complained about being uncomfortable—code word, “chafed”—during vacations or while playing sports,” says owner Susan White. “The last straw was when my teenage boys were wearing cotton boxers under their boardshorts. That was just wrong. So I created a product that is great not just for watersports, but any sports. It’s technical performance underwear that is anti-microbial, non-chafing, quickdrying, as well as form-fitting and supportive. It’s built for all-day comfort.”

At four-year-old Wood, men are steadily responding to the company’s commitment to odor control and thermal control in its fabrics,

We have seen an increase in the demand for knit fabrics and performance stretch.”

–Brian Small, Bloomingdale’s

says founder Teressa Zimmerman, while two-year-old online and specialty manufacturer Tani brags about how its use of luxury fabrics for ultimate comfort in its underwear contributes to projected sales of over $700,000 this year.

Meanwhile, Cash Warren, founder of Pair of Thieves, says the best thing about his company’s socks (sold online and at Target) is the performance factor. “We built our socks on the foundation of the performance sock, with features like a mesh upper, a cushion heel and arch support. Then we layer the design on top.”

NEW AND NOVEL Some companies are hoping to stand out in other ways. Bugatchi Uomo will be releasing its colorful socks in a special sock sleeve for Father’s Day, while Ken Wroy has recently found success with its cleverly packaged “Skyline” print collection, which pays homage to such cities as London, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney and New York.

Other manufacturers and retailers are counting on novelty products to help spark sales, especially during the holidays. “In the winter, we sold some Star Wars socks, and they did incredibly well,” says Hannah

OPPOSITE PAGE: T-shirt and briefs by Hanes. THIS PAGE: a shot from Calvin Klein’s latest advertising campaign; underwear by Turq.

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{ FURNISHINGS } THIS PAGE: T-shirts and briefs by Polo Ralph Lauren.

OPPOSITE PAGE (from top): socks by Bugatchi Uomo, Gallant & Beau and Peter Millar.

Shepherd, buyer for Wisconsinbased department store chain Van Maur. “So now, we’re doing superheroes for Father’s Day.” LA-based Gallant & Beau has just received the license from HBO to put out novelty socks tied to its hit series Game of Thrones, which will debut with the premiere of the new season in late April.

(The product will come in three different tiers, ranging from basic to luxury.) “The licensing business is truly growing,” says owner Daniel Nahari.

Gallant & Beau is also among the brands that sell “no-show” socks (along with larger companies such as Paul Smith), a category that is gaining market share and is especially favored b younger consumers who like to wear brogues, oxfords and espadrilles, and don’t want a thick sock to go with it. “This summer, we’ll be introducing them in pastel colors. It’s a lot better than having guys borrowing their girlfriends’ peds. That just doesn’t look good.”

Another small company, Taft, has also found considerable success with the no-show look. “Because there is so much competition in the hosiery market, it was key we do something to set ourselves apart from all the other brands,” adds co-owner Kory Stevens. “I think we’ve sold over 80,000 pairs of no-shows since November.”

“We have seen a steady rise in the noshow category over the past few years, but there is a new spin towards dress/patterned no-shows in varying lengths,” says Robin Weiss, vice president of business and product development for Keepers International (whose brands include Stacy Adams and California Joe). “Dressier low cuts especially seem to be trending.”

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IN LIVING COLOR Purple polka dots. Pink stripes. That’s right: bold hues and patterns are now likely to be seen on a man’s ankle or his butt. “Color continues to be important in both the underwear and hosiery categories, especially during the spring season,” says Bloomingdale’s Small. Adds Von Maur’s Shepherd: “Bright colors and patterns are flying off the shelves in our hosiery department. I think it’s a way for men to pop their outfit with some subtlety.”

“Men as a group take a long time to adapt to newness, but they’ve gotten used to colorful socks,” adds Simon Mendes of British Apparel Company, which offers such lines as Per Pedes, Punto, Peter Millar and Robert Graham, all of which feature socks in unusual shades and patterns.

It’s hardly surprising that this color trend is just as prevalent in the South. Tim Shaw, owner of contemporary men’s store 319 Men on Charleston, South Carolina’s fashionable King Street, says that his colored sock business (including such brands as Bugatchi Uomo and Vannucci) was so strong he had to move their displays from the very front of the shop towards the middle to get customers to come in and see the rest of his other offerings. “Otherwise, they would just buy socks and leave,” he notes.

Still, during the weeks right before the South Carolina primary, Shaw created a prominent front-ofstore display of Dapper Classics’ special hosiery with the Republican and Democratic symbols. “They just flew out of the store,” he says.

Big-name underwear brands are also seeing color as a game-changer.

“It is my biggest growing category,”

Men could learn a lot from looking at a woman’s underwear drawer.”

–Tersessa Zimmerman, Wood

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says Sarah Davis, director of sales for Polo Ralph Lauren.

“Only 50 percent of the company’s undershirt business remains white, which is a gigantic change from five years ago when that business was essentially all-white.

“And our bottoms business is now about 80 percent color, with our red-gray-black threepack the biggest seller. Color has revitalized the men’s underwear business.”

Yet, not everyone has turned away from the traditional, especially in the hosiery business. “We are seeing a shift back to basics and more minimalist designs,” says Weiss, while Small also notes that more subdued hues seem to be trending for fall.

Meanwhile, Arizona-based sock manufacturer Remo Tulliani, who has been in the business for over 20 years, says at the recent MRKet show in Las Vegas, orders kept rolling in for solid socks in black, navy and brown.

“We had so many solid socks on the table, it looked like we were doing laundry,” says Tulliani (who also sold plenty of colored socks). “It’s like food; sometimes, you just want a simple meal like spaghetti and meatballs.”

CONQUERING THE CHALLENGES Still, the biggest challenge the men’s underwear and hosiery market faces is men themselves. Statistics show that, unlike a decade ago when women

picked up their men’s undergarments, now men are buying for themselves. (Some companies, including Tani and Tommy John, claim 85 percent of their underwear sales are made by men.)

Still, retailers are concerned that some men simply overlook the underwear department completely while shopping unless that’s the specific reason they are in the store.

To combat that, presentation is key, says Davis. “It’s about enhancing the environment and making the department attractive to them.”

“Sometimes, we add a colorful brand just to give the department a little more fun on the floor,” adds Van Maur’s Shepherd.

“Just showcasing an ‘icing piece’ can get men to walk into the department.”

Most of all, say experts, men simply need to change their attitude about underwear. “Men could learn a lot from looking at a woman’s underwear drawer,” says Wood’s Zimmerman.

“There needs to be different underwear for different occasions. What you wear to work shouldn’t be what you wear on date night,” she adds. “I encourage all of our customers to try different styles and find what they like. And we also remind them that they should replace their underwear periodically.”

Soundararajan agrees, urging men to think about what goes on, literally, down there.“Underwear is the first thing you put on and the last thing you take off,” she says. “Men need to give underwear the attention it deserves.”

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NEW YORK JULY 12–14, 2016 AN INTERNATIONAL SOURCING EVENT: FABRICS, TRIMS, ACCESSORIES

JAVITS CONVENTION CENTER www.texworldusa.com

{ FOOTWEAR }

THE SNEAKER MAN

IN TERMS OF MARKET SHARE, WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE BRANDS? Nike and Jordan control about 60 percent of the U.S. market and interestingly Skechers is now the third largest athletic shoe brand in the country.

They’ve passed Adidas, Asics and New Balance.

IN TERMS OF SHARE, HOW MUCH IS DONE IN SNEAKER STORES VS. DEPARTMENT STORES? THE SNEAKER WORLD THESE DAYS; HAS IT PEAKED OR IS Athletic specialty channel controls the largest part THERE STILL GROWTH AHEAD? of the market, followed by sporting goods stores The sneaker business is good and I think will stay like Dick’s, followed by shoe chains like Famous good. This is not a cycle, this is a permanent state.

Footwear or DSW. Department stores are way The millennial consumer is super focused on fitness down the list. Foot Locker is the number-one store. and health. They’ve never worn anything but sneakWHAT PERCENT OF THE BUSINESS IS DONE ONLINE? ers and while they may not be allowed to wear sneakTwenty-three percent. Amazon owns the footwear ers to work, they want shoes that feel like sneakers. market online. Foot Locker does a sizable business It’s really interesting, when you look below the top online and the brands do as well. Two factors are line sales, there is tremendous volatility by category. driving the online business. First, the consumer The retailers and the brands able to navigate wants more selection, which they can get online.

BY STEPHEN GARNER Second, there are limitations on what a physical through those volatilities are the ones that remain successful. store can handle in inventory; they’re always going WHAT CATEGORIES ARE UP AT THE MOMENT? to be out of a particular size. The internet is never out of stock. You layer Classic footwear, retro styles and 1990s running shoes in particular are on free shipping both ways, which is something that Zappos perfected, really hot right now. Probably in the second half of this year, there will and it makes shopping online very easy. be a little bit of a bump up in running shoes with the Olympics. The WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE FUTURE? brands hold new technologies and release them during the Games where We’re in the golden age of technology; we have never seen so much techthe athletes can showcase them. Basketball styles are down now after nology come out at such a rapid pace. Shoes are so much lighter today, three years of performing well and have lost a lot of wind. However, yet they hold up under rigorous conditions. The millennials have Steph Curry’s shoe with Under Armour is doing really well. changed the business, as they are not as serious about fitness as previWHAT’S THE AVERAGE PRICE ON A SNEAKER? ous generations. They are very serious about their health but they apThe average price of a man’s sneaker in the United States is about $65, proach it in a much more lighthearted manner. I’m talking about a so it’s really not expensive. The most expensive sneakers that are sold in concept called light-performance, meaning a shoe that will get me real volume are around $200. through moderate activities but doesn’t break the bank.

IS THERE A SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY YOU ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT? Nike has a new shoe technology called the Flyknit that has a knitted upper made on a commercial Stoll knitting machine that requires very little labor to produce. Do you know a sneaker can take as many as 300 different manufacturing operations? This new technology takes out twothirds of that process. As this becomes more commercial, we could potentially see these machines in the Caribbean or Mexico; they may even be used in the U.S., moving production closer to home.

HOW BIG AN IMPACT DO YOU THINK THAT COULD HAVE ON THE INDSUTRY? The real problem for us today is speed to market. Typically, from concept to retail, a shoe takes about 18 months. That’s just not how the fashion world works anymore.

FEW PEOPLE are as well informed about the sneaker market as Matt Powell, a sports industry analyst from market information service NPD Group.

With an extensive background working for major retailers like Jordan Marsh, Sport Mart, Sneaker Stadium and Modell’s, Powell is undoubtedly an expert in his field.

CAN YOU GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN

IMAGE COURTESY OF NIKE

Matt Powell from NPD Group schools us on sneakers.

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BY MICHAEL MACKO

HOW___________WORKS Bruce Pask

Bruce Pask is a menswear quadruple threat. He’s worked as an editor and fashion director at Conde Nast and The New York Times, among other publications; has designed costumes for The Oscars, The Kennedy Center Honors, and two Broadway shows; and has been a celebrated stylist. More importantly, since March 2014, Pask has been the men’s fashion director for upscale specialty store Bergdorf Goodman. I recently spent the afternoon with him to see just how he works.

GOODMAN’S GUIDE Goodman’s Guide, which recently printed its second issue, is Bergdorf Goodman Men’s own magazine. Not surprisingly, Pask also sees the whole store as a magazine in three dimensions, with windows and visuals as the fashion content.

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GOODMAN’S BRAND One of Pask’s responsibilities is to help oversee Goodman’s branded knitwear program. He sketches out designs, chooses yarns, and works with Italian-based mills. ‘‘It’s amazing to work with these artisans to bring the vision to life,” he notes.

PHOTO BY GREG VAUGHAN

RICHARD HAINES Pask started collaborating with fashion illustrator Richard Haines during his tenure at The New York Times.

He would send Haines his favorite looks from the men’s runway shows and Haines would draw them for the publication. Pask believes the art of illustration is having a renaissance.

SCOTT PASK His twin brother Scott is a Tony Award-winning set designer, and they were able to collaborate on the Broadway revivals of Promises Promises (starring Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes) and Design for Living.

If you wonder if they are close offstage: Scott recently moved into the same apartment building, upstairs from Bruce.

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