Blurring the Divide

Tunic lengths, burn-out prints and sheer fabrics — all popular at the juniors level — hit the bull’s eye in women's wear for 2008.
June 11, 2008

By Susie McManus, Assistant Editor

"Blurring the lines" is a popular concept in women's wear. For females, casual wear is becoming more appropriate as corporate wear. Athletic tops and bottoms are everyday outfits, suitable for shopping, grabbing coffee with friends and — of course — going to the gym. And the latest shrinking divide is between women's wear and juniors styling.

It's not that women over the age of 25 want to jump into midriff-cut tops, but they do want to avoid the boxy, unflattering fits of days past, explains Jeff Fenech, president of the wholesale blanks division for J. America, Webberville, Mich. This latest trend is caused by the modern woman's emerging desire for juniors-inspired clothing that's styled appropriately for her.

"I don't think the 20- to 40-year-old demographic we're catering to is looking for the tight fits [of juniors]," Fenech says. Today's woman admires the edgy, hyper-trendy looks of juniors fashion, but she prefers toned-down, sized-for-her versions, he says. Fenech adds that J. America's future line Vanity, which is just for women and is scheduled to debut in fall, appeals to their desire for juniors styling in women's sizes.

It’s a trend that makes sense for women. Think of the average 15-year-old girl's outfit. More than likely it involves low-rise jeans, a sheer shirt layered on top of a longer, not-so-sheer but lightweight one and a zip-up hoodie over the top. Not only is this style reasonably comfortable, but it's flattering.

"Women really like lightweight, well-draped styles," says Brinden Asher, marketing director for Bella, Alo and Canvas, Los Angeles. "Lighter fabrics lend themselves to women's shapes." In addition, the low-rise pant phenomenon is not limited to the teenage market but is raging among more mature females, too. "Low-rise bottoms are more flattering on women, especially when paired with longer-length tops," Asher adds. "[This combination] really emphasizes the hourglass figure."

However, though women are seeking more fashionable tweaks in wholesale blanks, they still have different expectations from the juniors market. "Women's quality expectations are different from juniors," explains Andrea Engel, vice president of merchandising for Broder Bros. Co., Trevose, Pa. "They demand higher quality and better wash-and-wear performance."

ALL TRENDS CONSIDERED
The retail apparel market strongly affects wholesale brands across the board, but its influence is perhaps most noticeable in women's wear. As trends pop up at popular chain stores such as Old Navy, The Gap or Ann Taylor, smart wholesale suppliers take note and add similar styles to their selections. "Driving the [latest in wholesale women's wear] seems to be a combination of several things, [including] trends that are popular at the retail level, a growing global importance on environmental responsibility and the demand for products that are as flexible and hard-working as the modern woman," says Margaret Crow, marketing director for S&S Activewear, Bolingbrook, Ill.

Royal Apparel, New York, has in-house representatives that travel overseas often to see what new styles are developing, says Morey Mayeri, president. "You have to be cutting edge, but at the same time [be conscious of styling] because we do make basics and want [our clothing] to fit everyone," he explains.

For American Apparel, Los Angeles, mirroring the latest trends is easy since the apparel supplier dabbles in both the retail and wholesale markets. "Most of our [wholesale] development occurs when we see exclusive styles in our retail stores that are popular," says Mark Smalley, marketing product manager. "[If they] can be easily decorated, we have the unique position of bringing those styles over to our wholesale matrix."

To comment on this article, please email Susie McManus at smcmanus@impressionsmag.com.

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