Discounters' fall focus: better fashion jewelry

Discount Store News, March 17, 1986

Discounters' Fall Focus: Better Fashion Jewelry

Gold- and Silver-Plated Look Latest In Costume/Fashion for Over-20 Women

Gold- and silver-plated necklaces, bracelets and earrings will shine as the latest look in costume/fashion jewelry assortments for fall '86 in discount stores.

That so-called bridge merchandise is targeted for the woman age 20 or older who wants to supplement her 14-karat wardrobe with inexpensive but fashionable items. Until recently, better fashion represented only a very small part of a discounter's jewelry business.

Discounters are by no means abandoning the juniors-oriented, lower-end jewelry business. They said there are still high volume sales in trendy plastic jewelry and carded earrings retailing at $5 for six pairs.

Vendors and buyers agreed the costume jewelry business is becoming more sharply segmented. As a result, some chains plan to display the juniors-oriented merchandise away from the more sophisticated bridge merchandise.

Often, junior looks are displayed on fixtures as separate color stories pitched at teenagers who commonly purchase inexpensive items to match a particular top or outfit.

While the juniors-driven costume jewelry business has been a boon to discount stores for the past several seasons, retailers are looking to this new tier of jewlery to sustain the excitement and novelty going forward.

It's also a chance for added profit, as price points on the bridge lines generally start at $4 vs. 99 cents on the trendy items. The price point ceiling on gold- and silver-plated items can extend up into the $15 range.

The pieces will be big and bold with the focus on manipulated and open link chain styles. In earrings, hoops are expected to make a comeback, supplementing the ball-shaped, drop or button look.

As in the junior market, pins will continue to be a strong accessory this fall. But instead of novelty motifs, gold- and silver-plated initial pins and metals dressed up with colored stones will present more fashion-forward styles.

Overall, buyers said color will retain its popularity in costume jewelry this fall, but in deeper tones, with a muting of some of the brighter shades. White pearl rope necklaces will give way to opaque colors like red, green, ivory, blue and yellow, in sizes anywhere from 36-inch to 72-inch lengths.

At Caldor, the more sophisticated, higher-priced pieces are held either inside or on top of display cases, while the rest of the fashion jewelry is held on the eight to 12 four-sided freestanding units in each store, said buyer Tom Wilson.

While Caldor has traditionally emphasized a more conservative, tailored look in fashion jewelry, buyer Tom Wilson said he has steadily been adding more fashion oriented, bigger gold plated pieces to the mix.

He said prices now go up to $25 for items like a manipulated chain or a bold necklace combining lucite and metal or stones and metal. Previously, the highest priced items he carried were $12.

Aside from gold tone chain necklaces and bracelets, Wilson sees black and white and rhinestone pieces and pins remaining important through the fall.

For Christmas 1986, Wilson said he may box rhinestone jewelry in gift sets, priced at $25 to $30--up from last year's gift set prices of $10 to $15.

While the newer tailored looks continue to emerge, retailers said junior looks will probably flow straight through spring into summer and fall with little change. Color, especially in plastic button earrings, has turned into a year-round business.

Retailers also said changes in fashion direction come more suddenly for the teen set, so the fall's new junior assortment may just depend upon which rock star gains fame this summer.