Coterie retailers look for what shoppers will spend

Knowing that consumers have plenty of options for shopping, are less inclined to dress up and may be increasingly wary of price increases, retailers attending this week’s Coterie show are looking for novelty.

Accessories, particularly jewelry, topped many shoppers’ lists, along with sweaters and other knitwear. Convenience remains essential for many of their customers, including those not yet on the road, as much as it was before the pandemic shutdown. There was plenty of choice with more than 980 brands on offer – 27 per cent of which were new to the show, organizers said. The three-day event concluded on September 24 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

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Several shoppers were looking for sportswear brands that are not widely available in their respective areas and that they were unaware of. Several retailers said they didn’t schedule appointments ahead of time, preferring to discover resources like their customer would in boutiques.

Despite opening her Odilon store in Herentals, Belgium more than two years ago, when many consumers were hampered by the “very high” prices of food and other necessities due to the war in Ukraine, Virginie Verpoorten has said her business was still good, thanks in large part to repeat customers. Looking for new labels, especially ones that offer colorful items and footwear that retail for $200 or less, she said, “otherwise, it’s difficult” to sell styles above that.

Intending to check out Oceanus Swimwear, Aranaz, Elliott Lauren, Agua Bendita and Camila CTG, she said she was not familiar with those brands. Everyday items like sweaters and other types of knitwear are popular in her shop. Verpoorten also planned for the season’s increased interest in special-occasion styles for weddings. More than anything, shoppers want comfortable, colorful styles that they “can’t leave behind in the store,” Verpoorten said.

Ellen Levy, co-owner of the 169-year-old Levy’s, a fifth-generation family operation in Nashville, was looking for new resources for trendy items like long skirts and baggy pants. Iris Setlakwe and Sand Copenhagen were two brands she planned to review with her colleague Robin Rose. Business is good, thanks to Nashville’s continued residential and commercial boom. (Last year, more than 24,000 people moved into the city — or about 66 a day, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.) Located in a suburban area, Levy’s traffic is mostly locals and newcomers. of tourists, Levy said.

With three Montce Swimwear stores in Florida and an eponymous bikini line, Alexandra Grief sought out eye-catching jewelry such as delicate, high-end earrings, “super chunky silver pieces,” layered necklaces and body jewelry, from also. like jeans with a barrel leg. While post-COVID-19 sales were “surprisingly” strong, this year’s business is still doing well, partly due to retail and wholesale revenue streams. “People love our brand because we are a destination swimwear store. But we have a lot of other things. You might come in for a bikini and decide to put it off because of the price, but then you’ll shop for a few other things,” she said. “They come specifically for our fit. Denim is becoming a big category for us randomly.”

Montce is testing different things and has added children’s swimwear and more accessories. Although business has grown slightly, Grief said, “We’re a small business and we don’t have investors. There is always a time of the year when we invest heavily in fabrics and stocks that require some borrowing to get. And then the end of the year brings us to the better side of things… We find our niche between beauty, jewelry, denim and ready-to-wear.”

Absent from Coterie in recent years, Courtney Bird, buyer for Indigo Salon, Spa and Boutique in Canton, Michigan, was looking for new sportswear brands to feature in the Midwest. With no scheduled meetings, she wanted to find those resources by walking down the aisle. Knowing that most people shop at Indigo after receiving a spa treatment, she said “just so” sweaters and accessories were on her checklist.

Cool tops, jackets, earrings, bracelets, purses and “any other little extras that I can’t find other places” are popular, Bird said. On average, people spend about $150 on fashion items that they pick up quickly and “can know that hopefully they’ll be the only ones wearing it around town,” she said.

“We’re kind of always evolving and struggling. Election years are always challenging. People always stop at this time,” Bird said.

Yuka Hasegawa was looking for “pretty high-end and unique” hats and jewelry for the Yuka NY pop-up stores she’s setting up in Japan and for her private clients. Yuka NY shoppers typically spend more than $500, but business is slower than a year ago due to people dressing up, staying at home and increasing their screen time as opposed to in-person activities. She said: “It’s the same in New York. Where was New York Fashion Week? (implying how many opted to catch it digitally.)”

After studying fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and doing pop-ups for 20 years, Hasegawa hopes that people’s interest in fashion will be revived. Japan’s weak yen is also affecting sales of foreign products, she said. Van Palma was one of the vendors on her must-see list. Averse to basic options, Hasegawa said, “Everyone in Japan is so picky. We were a fashionable country, because many (famous) designers like Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto came from Japan. I hope we can continue (in this direction.)”

After starting Natalie Grace online and transitioning to a storefront in Hahira, Georgia, Katheryn Patrick found that offering items that “make people look good and feel good right away” gets them spending. Good American and Hudson were two denim brands she planned to order from at Coterie. “In the city we live in, they’re about a year behind the trends, so barrel-leg hasn’t caught on as much with our clientele. But it kind of embraces wide-leg and cargo styles,” she said. “We cater more to people who are over 35.”

Average purchases at Natalie Grace range from $50 to $100, depending on the salesperson working, as teenage employees don’t always sell, while Patrick uses his eye to offer head-to-toe styling options, depending of the buyer’s body type, Patrick said.

When shopping for her two-month-old store, Motherbear, in Teaneck, NJ, Yoninah Segal was looking for modest women’s fashion. Scotch & Soda, Mignon Doo and Ado were a few resources he planned to check out. Purchases are largely driven by the holidays and changing seasons, she said.

Retailers checking out Italian brand Pho la Coterie have split into two camps — those who want light everyday pieces and others who want special occasion items for the holidays, according to Michela Papucci. Some customers might order as little as $500 worth of products, and others will spend more than $20,000, she said.

Busy with retailers — including many repeat customers — Monday morning at Coterie, Perfectwhitetee co-founder Jen Menchaca said part of the appeal comes from offering instant orders. That option has led to “a healthy reorder business” because bestsellers can be easily restocked, which gives retailers “a little more comfort” with their orders, knowing they can replenish goods as needed, she said . In addition to tank tops, American-made t-shirts that retail for $28 and an outer hoodie for $44 have been popular for the Los Angeles-based brand.

Perfectwhitetee planned to open 20 to 25 new accounts, Menchaca said. With nationwide sales reps who have great relationships with boutiques and know what’s selling where, she said, “We’re very comfortable telling people what will work for them. We will not push our product on anyone. We like to sometimes start with a smaller assortment and let the customer sell. We want you to sell yourself. For those bestsellers, we have a restocking program,” she said.

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