Billabong lingerie line

Ron Jon's in Cocoa Beach just started carrying Billabong women's new lingerie line. It sits in the same dept as sportswear. The bras are priced at 29.95.  The panties are 19.95. And the onsies are 39.95.

Is lingerie the new trend in action sports wear?

Ugly Christmas Sweater trend expanding

This year you can get your "ugly Christmas sweater" as well as a whole suit or design your own tie! 

Macys has embraced the trend, creating outposts in the aisle offering such items. The suits retail for $100 and are packaged in a box in S,M,L,XL and the ties are a bit more budget and size friendly at $20.

Design your own tee shirt

Macys  Herald Square has just added a kiosk, where customers can design their own tee shirts, on the young men's floor. The customer can choose from thousands of images, letters and numbers through a computer screen. One they have picked their design, the associate that works the kiosk will place the tee shirt into a printer and transfer the design. The cost is $40 for just the front of the tee or $45 for front and back. It has been quite successful and there is talk of doing one on the jrs floor!

Macy's Platinum Store Initiative

   Macy's has chosen 150 of their existing doors to be apart of their new Platinum initiative.  The idea is to create a more "lifestyled" shopping experience for customers and to encourage them to make immediate purchases rather then wait for sales or markdowns.  

   The select doors will be given monetary budgets to make nessesary renovations to create better sight lines, trend setup areas and even new fixturing.  When speaking to Ala Moana's assistant store manager he said their hope to create distinctive branded sections so customers will know they are walking from one brand into another.

  Merchandising standards will change as well.  Less product will be placed on the floor to encourage the sense of buying urgency.  

  Will this new initiative work since Macy's has trained their customers so well to shop sales and markdowns?

   

Foot Flops

This new company has a patent pending for heat moldable flip flops formed to fit your feet.

You put them in the oven for a short time and them wear them and they get the exact mold of your foot.

I found this on kickstarter.com

Here is the link to the site explaining their concept more.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/753891259/foot-flops-heat-moldable-flip-flops-formed-to-fit

Billabong Buildouts Popping up in Local Surf Shops

Last month Billabong installed new buildouts in HIC Surf locations; a local surf chain.  The brand was due for a revamp for some years now.  The installs look great; very clean and relevant to the times.

Stance Padres Collection

Just last week, Stance's Padres Collection debuted in Sun Diego shops! There are three different graphics and they retail for $16 each. Appropriately, I spotted them today at the Sun Diego shop in Petco Park. Go Padres!

Updated sneakers

   

Sneakers are the hottest footwear trend this Fall and there are all different styles to choose from. One of the newest versions is a high top slip on without your usual laces. They are available at low price points as well as higher designer price points

Jrs Flannels Trending for Fall

Flannel long sleeve button down shirts are all the rage for back to school. This is even trending in the SouthEast were it is still 100 degrees in places. 

Brands like Roxy, Billabong, ONeill, and Volcom have them on the action sport side and can be found at brand company stores or other retailers like Tilly's, PacSun, and Macy's. They range from $25 to $50.

YouTube is even sporting a promo from derailed.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLAXvrq-l_k&sns=em

Nike SB Cork Skate Shoes

The newest addition to the Sun Diego Fashion Valley shelves- the Nike SB Zoom Stefan Janoski Elite Cork Skate Shoes. Yes, cork! A sales associate shared that he likes to joke around with customers and tell them that since cork floats, these shoes allow you to walk on water. While they won't do that, they are sure to turn heads at the skate park.

They retail for $110 and more information can be found here: http://www.sundiego.com/blog/nike-stefan-janoski-elite-cork-2/

JanSport Right Pack Signature Series x The Fresh Yard

New window display went up at The Fresh Yard (a local San Diego streetwear boutique) yesterday for the JanSport Right Pack Signature Series backpack release this Saturday.

JanSport has teamed up with 31 boutiques from across the globe to design the limited edition Right Pack Signature Series. Each original Right Pack includes a unique embroidered design that reflects the collaboration with each boutique.

This is The Fresh Yard's third year being chosen. Only 100 backpacks were made for this location. You can find more information about the entire JanSport collection here:

http://www.jansport.com/collections/rpss/na.html

Hippy Tree x Jansport

Hippy Tree & Jansport collaborated on a range of bags for Fall'15. They had a launch party last Saturday at Seed People's Market in Costa Mesa. They served up free beer in branded stainless steel pint glasses, a taco bar, and live music. They will be doing similar events with other accounts in the next couple weeks. The product looks really cool. Great collab that fits well into surf & outdoor markets.

Vans Disney Line of Products

Vans has collaborated with Disney on a new line of products including t-shirts, hats, backpacks, socks, and shoes.  The merchandise ranges in price from $15-75.  The goods are sold in men's, women's, toddler, and kids.  

Sammy Duval's Curl at Downtown Disney in Orlando are carrying this line and they doing very well with it.  What a better location could there be to combine surf and Mickey & co.

Vans has a great collaboration video at-

http://www.vans.com/shop/disney-and-vans#

American Eagle Surf?

Seems like American Eagle is trying to re-brand themselves as a surf inspired company. Their new fragrance is called "Surf". There are two versions- one for men and one for women. This isn't the first occurrence of them trying to edge into our industry lately. They are also using a local La Jolla, CA model named Rocky Barnes (that also models for other action sports companies like Billabong Australia and prAna) in their marketing.

RVCA Velvet Swim

Yep, it's velvet that can get wet! 

Macy's cuts all ties with Donald Trump

Macy's has made a name and lots of money collaborating with celebrities on different fashion avenues.

But, yesterday Macy's has announced they cut ties with all businesses that have to do with Donald Trump.

They did this due to the statements he made about Mexico after he declared his run for the Presidancy.

To see a full report on what was said go to Variety Magazine.com

Levi's custom laser bar

Within the new Levi's section on the young men's floor at Macys Herald Square is a way for customers to customize the jeans they buy right there and then. Levi's is offering a custom laser bar, where the customer chooses a stock design or creates one and it will be lasered  onto the jeans they are purchasing . The customer also chooses the location where the design will go on their jeans. The cost is $5.00 and it only takes a few minutes to make basic Levi's personalized. Apparently this is the only one of its kind in the USA at this time but based on the success of it, they said they are looking to expand into more high volume locations.

Jack Surfboards x Vans US Open of Surfing

Jacks recently converted the former Jamba Juice space into a USO pop up shop. The store not only carries US Open merchandise but Jacks private label as well. Brilliant. 

Volcom Patriot Pack

Volcom is offering an insulated beverage pack with shoulder strap and coozie. It holds 10 standard 12oz cans and retails for $28.  You too could be the life if any beach gathering with this cool new accessory!

Macy's Manhattan Beach Swimwear Shopping

While merchandising at Macy's Manhattan Beach last week, I spoke to the visual manager about how their store was trying something new that could potentially be launched at all stores going forward. The store only puts out a sample of every bathing suit, and customers must download the "Macy's Go" app, scan their selected samples, choose their sizes, and then wait for their items to be delivered to them in the fitting room. All sales associates in the section carry iPads with them for customers who would rather have the experience with an associate, and all fitting rooms come equipped with iPads if you need to change a size or want another suit brought to your fitting room. No messy racks of bathing suits everywhere, no searching for your size and getting frustrated- it's all easy and right at the click on your app. Amazing!

Shirts that never stain

A new company called Vardama has created a fabric that repels all spills. Red wine, coffee any liquid will roll right off the fabric.

Equa-tek, as the fabric is called, involves attaching nano fibers to raw cotton before it is spun into yarn and it ends up feeling almost as soft as regular cotton. Unlike Teflon and scotch guard the liquid repellents are woven into the material rather then applied.

Currently the line consists of shirts, ties and suits but there is no reason this technology cannot be incorporated into all kinds of clothing, especially childrenswear.

The shirts are $125-135, ties $85 and suits $695 for a basic navy to $1,800 for a tux.

The shirts can be machine washed or dry cleaned.

Look for an expansion into womenswear, workwear and more in the near future.