Swimwear's rising tide - women's - Apparel Merchandising Supplement

Discount Store News, August 21, 1995

Mass merchants are swimming in a sea of success. They're currently drying off from an invigorating 1995 swimwear season and pooling their resources to make 1996 even more refreshing.

In Canada, Zeller's experienced double-digit sales increases in swimwear in '95 over the previous year, according to Murray Pecker, vice president of fashion merchandise for the Montreal-based chain. "The weather is always a factor in how well swim will do, and although the '95 season started out a little late because of cool temperatures. the last six or seven weeks were outstanding."

Celia Clancy. sr. vice president and general merchandise manager at Braintree, Mass.-based Bradlees, described the selling period as "very strong." As far as next year, she says, "We're currently strategizing about how to take our swim business to the next level. Real estate has been really tight in feminine apparel, but swimwear performs, and we're planning to give it more space in '96."

"Our swim season ended very cleanly," reports Francine Potts, women's swimwear and tops buyer at De Pere, Wis.-based Prange Way.

"Customers waited a little longer to purchase swimwear in '95 because we had an unusually cold spring in the Midwest," says a spokeswoman at O'Fallon, Mo.-based Venture Stores. "But the business picked up mid-season, and we're expecting juniors, missy and plus-size swim to be important parts of our apparel assortment for '96."

These retailers share more than success stories; they share a common plan to tinker with their swimwear strategy for '96 in hopes of reaching even more successful shores.

Bradlees made its most dramatic changes last season in the areas of advertising and marketing. "We took a different approach to advertising swimwear," says Clancy. "We always begin our season early in the year--in March. But this past season, we advertised swimwear closer to the swim season. That made sense because women would see suits advertised in circulars at a time when they could actually wear them. Then swimwear really took off when we pumped up our promotional programs."

Zeller's also opted for a similar plan. "This past summer, we advertised swimwear later than usual. Plus, we went more promotional at the end of June," says Pecker. "We're also putting off our buying until late August. We'll introduce the goods in February and peak the selling season around Mother's Day."

Potts says Prange Way is pushing its swim season back four weeks. "We usually begin the season in January, but we're waiting about four weeks to go ahead with it for '96. Our initial receipt of merchandise will be in February, and the goods will hit the selling floor soon after that."

Kmart, which has built a solid swimwear business with brands such as Sasson and with its contemporary house label, Kathy Ireland, is also playing the waiting game. "Our swim season was extremely successful, but we haven't begun our buys for '96 yet," says a Kmart spokeswoman.

Due to the modifications Venture is making in its retail format, the time when swimwear will be purchased and introduced in store is not yet cemented, says the spokeswoman.

The unseasonable weather the country experienced in early spring '95 can carry some of the blame for retailers' hesitance to buy early for '96. "If the weather cooperates, the swimwear buyer is a hero, and if it doesn't, they're a dog," says Chuck Handy, vice president of sales for the Beach Native division of New York-based A.H. Schreiber. "They just have to take their chances." he adds, noting that some mass merchants have begun to put together '96 and that some are hedging a bit.

Putting uncontrollable weather issues aside, retailers are in the preliminary planning stages for '96 with a focus on value-added silhouettes and styles that stress fashion and fit.

Mix-and-match bottoms and tops will play a key role in the contemporary missy and juniors areas in '96.

Mix-and-match was particularly strong at Bradlees in '95, with the Self Help Mix & Match System by Body I.D. being the number-one resource. Clancy says the freedom to create customized looks justifies the retail price of $16.99 each. "Buying separates is not necessarily a cheaper way for the customer to put together a swimsuit, but it gives her more style and size alternatives, and it's been a very successful program for us."

Separates currently constitute 20 percent of Body I.D.'s business and will grow for '96, according to Pattie Byrnes-Kane, a principal at the New York-based company that also services Mervyn's, Meijer, Kohl's and Goody's. Byrnes-Kane says separates sales doubled in '95 over the previous year, and she attributes that growth to the company's commitment to easy-to-buy, easy-to-use swimwear options. "Customers can buy tops and bottoms in different sizes for a better fit than they would get with a set. And the separates are merchandised with color-coded tags so coordination is easy." Color-coded tags also help to simplify retailers' housekeeping.

Zeller's reports success with mix-and-match from Christina, a manufacturer based in Montreal. Rita Mulloy, Christina's director of New York sales, says the popularity of mix-and-match skyrocketed last season, and she expects it to be even more explosive for '96. "We offer scoop and high-waist bottoms, as well as different bra styles. Sometimes women want cleavage-enhancing looks, and sometimes they just want support." Christina separates retail from $20 to $34.