Canada fashion show trade

Optimism is back in fashion at MAGIC - MAGIC International trade show

LAS VEGAS -- Discounters found plenty of trends to choose from at MAGIC International, aiming to fill out fall assortments with wide-leg denim; ski sweaters and nordic fleece tops; nylon outerwear; activewear with geometric prints and retro color schemes; corduroy; and jog pants and casual slacks with rugged and high-tech influences.

"Bottoms in general will be key for fall and going forward especially in different fabrics and silhouettes," said Mark Minsky, senior vp, gmm soft lines at Caldor.

He pointed to good early performance of corduroy shorts for spring, a strong indicator that corduroy slacks will be big at Back-to-School. Loose fits and such alternatives as the stovepipe silhouette will be factors in denim and casual slacks, he predicted.

Kohl's will show cross-stitch textured nylon fabric and soda non colors in fashion basic tops, shorts and culottes in the summer edition of its Sonoma private label line. This rapidly expanding soft lines power retailer is finding good sell-through in chromes, rust and citrus colors for fleece as well.

Arlene Langone, men's buyer, Ames Department Stores, expects polar fleece to repeat its "huge" business at Back-to-School 1997. She is also betting on henleys, striped Ts and zippered knit tops.

Minsky said, "1996 was a tremendous sweater year in men's women's and kids'. I am confident 1997 will be even better."

With strong fashion direction continuing to come from the juniors and young men's designers, several chains came to MAGIC looking for items to fill out new trend-forward shop concepts. (In large part, they are following the lead of Target, which scored high with its young men's Utility departments a year ago.)

Tony McCullough, senior men's tops buyer for Venture Stores, said he has carved out space on the 110-unit chain's expanded soft lines floor for young men's shops, built around goods in the Venture private label MTO. The denim-friendly and streetsmart actives will offer attitude and casual-with-an-edge apparel, not Fridaywear.

And Wal-Mart Canada will roll out young men's and juniors shops to its 130 stores, vp, gmm apparel Murray Pecker told DSN. The denim-driven private label 725 Originals will be the main identity for the shops, which will start off with jeans, casual bottoms, sport shirts and socks. Other categories will be considered for cross-merchandising next fall, said Pecker, who noted that velour and sherpa trim tops were key young men's items going forward at his chain.

Chic jeans, which has furnished women's five pocket product to Zellers for several seasons, will start shipping rival Wal-Mart Canada in early March, said Chic/H.I.S. president Bob Luehrs. The spring orders include misses' and plus sizes; fall may see girls' product as well.

Elsewhere in bottoms, both Bradlees and Meijer are using elements of the out-doorsy Coleman licensed program. The five pocket and carpenter jeans, as well as the military cut, corduroy pleated and brushed twill casual slacks, are produced by American Trouser.

Timber Creek by Wrangler is in a relaunch, with more advertising and updated Dockers-like product, including cuffed and pleated, soft hand, puma twill slacks.

Don Laws, president of the Wrangler rugged and western wear divisions, said sporting goods superstores including The Sports Authority are doing well with the premium camouflage pant for hunting, fishing and related outdoors use. The line has now grown from four items to 15.

The buzz continued about Brittania. Opinions and rumors on who would buy the $150 million business from Levi Strauss included every manufacturer from mass market denim king VF Corp. to Liz Claiborne, newly active in the discount channel with its Russ label featured exclusively at Wal-Mart (currently in summery raw silk casual sportswear).

Look for Levi's to make some definitive statement no later than mid-March.

Sporting goods brands also made headway. Sara Lee's Spalding program is in a chainwide rollout at Kmart, featuring basics such as shooter shirts and rib-waist shorts. Target is testing the fashion end of the line in men's, said Spalding Apparel merchandise manager Tony LeTrent-Jones, with a third of the chain showing mesh product.

Discounters are finding more fashion-driven excitement than they have seen in years. Few would say '96 was a banner year and '97 will be a smash hit. However, optimists were easy to find at this MAGIC.

Whether it's with wide-leg jeans, wide-wale corduroy or soft-look tops in street active stripes, mass merchants believe they have opportunities in '97 to move beyond commodities and realize more incremental margin dollars.