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2/25/2013
feel fresh.
“The color message continues to drive the business.”
For the more mature customer, he said, the dress-up trend remains strong. “The suit and dress furnishings
business remains robust. The slimmer silhouette is really hitting its stride and also getting him to replace his
dress shirts and ties.”
In outerwear, mixed media, real and fake leather, and trim and fabric details are energizing sales, while in
sweaters, the shawl collar “will be his piece.” And in a variety of classifications, men have become “more
comfortable with pattern. Our guy likes to dress up and we think he will get more adventurous this fall,” Guion
said.
Mike Nemoir, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of men’s for Bon-Ton Stores, said the
men’s area had a strong holiday and fourth quarter, driven by core furnishings, suit separates and traditional
sportswear labels such as Chaps, Izod, Nautica and Polo. Fleece and wovens were strong, while sweaters were
soft. Outerwear, too, has been a laggard due to warm temperatures in most markets.
Although the stores are just now bringing in spring merchandise, Nemoir said he was pleased with the
performance of golfwear, which Bon-Ton put on the floor in December to capture the vacation traveler. Polos,
shorts and pants in performance fabrics have been among the bestsellers, he said.
And he’s upbeat about this year.
“We think we’ll be able to maintain the momentum in 2013,” he said. “There’s newness in most categories and
color is dominating the business. That’s the most exciting element of the men’s business.”
At the Vegas shows, the Bon-Ton team will be checking out any trends they might have missed and will be
looking for “new resources to add to our matrix,” Nemoir said, particularly in dress furnishings, sportswear,
denim and young men’s.
Bryan Reynolds, divisional merchandise manager of men’s for Scoop NYC, said the company’s men’s business “is
doing very well.” Business was strong during most of 2012 — up double digits in the fall — until Hurricane Sandy
threw a damper on sales. “But we ended up OK for the balance of the season.”
Although the stores are now in clearance mode, Scoop has had some positive early spring sales from J Brand and
PRPS denim, along with shorts, swimwear and polos. “The customer reacts immediately to anything new that we
bring in,” he said.
For fall, he believes outerwear is “a tremendous opportunity.” Mixed media, plaids, duffle coats, leather coats and
bombers will be the key pieces, he said. In bottoms, moleskin, velvet and pinwale corduroy in a variety of colors
will be popular, he predicted, along with graphic prints in sweaters and plaid jackets.
Patty Leto, senior vice president of merchandising for The Doneger Group, said retailers reported a bit of a
slowdown in sales in January as macroeconomic issues such as the extra 2 percent payroll tax take their toll.
“We’re hearing it from all channels,” she said, “from the off-pricers on up the food chain.” However, there are
some encouraging indicators for spring. “Color is selling, there’s been some early selling on shorts as well as
textured fabrics in knits and wovens. So they’re feeling more optimistic.”
Tim Bess, men’s fashion trend analyst for Doneger, said there are five big ideas for fall.
“There’s a whole textile takeover,” he said. “Before, it was all about color, now it’s about fabric: quilting,