Be the Buyer

London Eye Beth Clifton, senior buyer for AlexandAlexa.com, on what makes or breaks her buy.

WHAT SHE NEEDS: We are always looking for newness, whether that be within a brand we already buy or emerging brands in the market. I want to see a collection that excites me. I am also looking to give the customer what they are after at a price they desire. In a business that’s extremely tech-driven, I have the ability to analyze and drill deep into the details, allowing me to make informed decisions for each market. Sustainability is another key focus in business of late. In an industry of high wastage, it is important we act as market leaders to ensure our suppliers are environmentally conscious.

WHAT SHE AVOIDS: It has to be profitable for the business. I also avoid real fur, Angora and poor quality.

WHAT SHE DISCOVERED: I have just discovered a really fun skiwear brand, which is fully sustainable. The clothing is made from recycled plastic bottles and eco-friendly dyes. I spend lots of time looking for new and exciting brands via social media and trade shows. I also look at every email that hits my inbox! If it’s something the team is looking for, we’ll always follow up with these leads.

WHAT SHE RECOGNIZES: Buying has become more technical. Coming from a company that works across worldwide markets, this is key—especially when dealing with markets I’m less familiar with. Process has become much more efficient. We have an impressive automated warehouse that ships worldwide. Sell-through reports are obtainable with the click of a button. When I first started, we didn’t even have access to such information!

WHAT SHE RECOMMENDS: Relationships are key. Make sure you stay true to yourself, and be kind to all the people you work with. The childrenswear industry is a very small world, and you will call upon these relationships throughout your career.

BESTSELLERS

Outerwear Burberry

Girls’ Playwear Stella McCartney Kids

Boys’ Playwear Bobo Choses

Tween Fashion Moschino or MSGM

Accessories Mimi & Lula

Layette Mori

Baby Shower Gift Liewood

Special Occassion Bonpoint

Toys Jellycat

Sportswear Nike

Shoes Golden Goose

Home Décor Jox

of a tween and a toddler, it’s frankly disappointing that diversity and inclusivity aren’t core values, but to launch a brand in 2020, they have to be.”

The key, however, is authenticity. “Kids can sniff out a marketing ploy,” stresses Blumenthal, who lives in downtown New York. “From where I grew up and where I’m raising my kids, The Charmsters is representative of what is real in the community.” continued from page 9

BEYOND CLOTHES For retailers and brands, empowering girls means more than just selling them “woke” fashion. Hosting in-store events that foster kindness, girl-focused education, confidence, philanthropy and empathy are key to fostering an empowered girl community.

Greenwich, CT children’s and gift store Splurge has made it a mission to work with girls in the community, be it by hosting business presentations with the Girl Scouts, Store Owner for a Day mock internships, or modeling contests where contestants also submit an essay on an act of kindness they did for the community. “I have lots of cute tees that say meaningful things like The Future is Female, but to me, kindness is a really strong element of girl power,” says Splurge owner Sonia Malloy. For its Stylista contest, winners had their kindness act printed alongside their modeling session in the store’s back-to-school look book. “This contest focuses on inner beauty and personality, along with personal style, and our goal is to highlight girls who are ‘kindness leaders’ and exhibit the Splurge spirit of giving.”

The winners, ages 8 through 10, exhibited kindness in a variety of ways, from making and selling bracelets to raise money for the Breast Cancer Alliance to throwing out trash in parks to collecting Band-Aids with characters to give to kids in hospitals. The contest, which was photographed by an 18-year-old female film student, was such a hit that Splurge plans to make it an annual event.

MOD Studio, a retailer in South Orange, NJ, partners with local organizations on fundraising and product drives, including a new partnership with Girls Helping Girls Period. In March, MOD will host a “Girl Talk” event with a supply drive, collecting feminine hygiene product donations in exchange for girls attending a presentation by a pediatrician on “Puberty, Periods, and All the Stuff that is Too Awkward to Talk to Your Parents About.” Girls will find a comfortable space to get information they need and ask questions about their changing bodies.

Another way of evoking girl power is teaching girls to look beyond themselves. Having empathy and using their power to support others less fortunate, can be very empowering. Clothes Pony & Dandelion Toys sells Heart for Hearts dolls which represent real girls from around the world and have a component that gives money back to non-profits that empower girls. For 17 years, they’ve hosted in-store singalongs, asking for a $2 donation to a local non-profit for low income families.

Kids clothing line Cheeni, which is created by female artisans around the world, actively communicates this message on social media and tags. They also include a note card in each shipment explaining the significance of their order and our gratitude for supporting the mission. Smarty Girls donates leggings to girls in India as a way of saying they care.

“While clothing can only do so much to empower and uplift,” says Palomino, “I hope the girls knew a person on the other side e\
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Better Together Women-owned businesses prove collaboration is the new black.

“Whenever I organize events, I make sure to include all ages, races and ethnicities of women. I believe we can all learn something from each other.” —Arlinda McIntosh, owner of Sofistafunk

“Be Girl Clothing sponsored a charity event, bringing families together to tie teal ribbons around our community for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. Next year, I hope to spread the message further by donating ribbons to the brand’s followers, so they can do the same in their home towns.”

—ALISON BUIRLEY, OWNER AND DESIGNER OF BE GIRL CLOTHING/BLUEBERRY BAY SWIM

“I HELD A POP-UP SHOP LAST SEPTEMBER WHERE I SHARED WITH A CUSTOMER’S 7-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER HOW I GOT STARTED IN FASHION—DRESSING DOLLS LIKE SHE WAS! IT BROUGHT ME SO MUCH JOY TO SEE HER EYES LIGHT UP. I EVEN MAILED HER SOME OF MY EXTRA FABRICS. EVERYONE SHOULD DO THEIR PART TO SPARK YOUNG GIRLS’ DREAMS!”

“Polliwogs loves hosting ‘girls night out’ parties, often for local fundraisers. It’s so fun to see the different groups of women come together after regular store hours and just relax. I’ve also been supporting more brands that use their platform to empower and support young girls.”

— MARGARET WHITE, OWNER OF POLLIWOGS

— CARMEN FREDRICK, OWNER OF MONTANA MILAN

“I held a women’s tea party fundraiser to support advancements in ovarian and uterine cancer testing.”

—ROSIE BURNO, OWNER OF DAINTY GIRL ACCESSORIES

“I’m one of Hawaii’s 2020 Women Who Mean Business honorees, sponsored by Pacifi c Business News. This honors my mentoring of young female business owners. I have previously partnered with Hawaii’s Big Brothers Big Sisters organization to educate young female interns who are interested in fashion, exporting and business. I’ve worked with young women from when they were 16 years old until now— over 15 years later!” —CORA SPEARMAN, CEO OF CORADORABLES