Winter 2002
page 2 Chill-Out! The Lee® Living Room Concept. page 3 Say Cheese! page 4 Game On! page 5 The Lifestyle of Sport: The New A5™ Line from The North Face® page 6 It’s a Match! page 7 Sold! page 8 Celebrate Your Curves
Do you have a Brand News idea, suggestion or comment? Contact Susan Hendrickson : [email protected] >> phone: 336.424.6192 Special thanks to Rebecca Lestner for her contributions to this issue of Brand News!
We Fit Your Life.™ www.vfc.com Chill-Out! The Lee® Living Room Concept.
I n conjunction with Buenos Aires Fashion Week, VF Latin America unveiled its “chill-out” attitude and Lee® Living Room concept.
The idea behind the room is to “build brand desirability and presence where opinion leaders shop and interact,” said Juan Pons, regional manager of VF Latin America. “The partnership links the brand with design and fashion to enhance desirability.”
The Lee® Living Room concept was introduced during the 4th BAF Week in September and featured an on-site DJ, pin-ball machines, original 70’s furniture and brand imagery. In addition to the trend-setting environment of each lounge space, VF Latin America introduced a limited product line designed by a prestigious young local designer, Mariana Dappiano.
The line encompasses the young, social and self- confi dent attitude of Argentineans needed to start competing with strong local brands. The Lee® Living Room concept will be featured through sales presentations, in designer stores and trade fairs.
The limited edition line will push the boundaries of hip international apparel while maintaining the Lee® brand image. “The products are denim and maintain the icons of the brand such as rivets, buttons and pocket designs,” said Pons. “It’s denim product with cutting edge design.” The target audience for the launch is opinion leaders, DJs and people involved with design and fashion.
The idea is unique to VF Latin America and works to create an “experiential marketing” environment to promote the new line and to maximize coverage and buzz. The Lee® Living Room concept encourages shoppers to become embodied by the spirit and the idea behind the new line of jeanswear. It’s not just about the product anymore. Say Cheese!
W ith disposable cameras in hand, 60 girls ages 9 to 12 were taking pictures of their friends, the latest trends and their favorite clothing looks. While acting as a Fashion Advisory board, these young girls helped create the inspiration behind the new product launches for the Riders® Girls line in spring 2003.
As a method of gathering consumer insight, the Riders® Girls team collected feedback straight from the source. “Our goal for the Fashion Advisory board was to stay in constant touch with girls that were more fashion leaders than followers,” said Glenda Strickbine, manager of the Riders® Girls/Juniors line. “We used special screening techniques to find girls with ‘fashion forward’ attitudes.”
The young girls who participated in the panel became instrumental in the direction and marketing of the new line. During the 16 initial focus group meetings, feedback on product and market trends were identified while consumer satisfaction was strengthened.
In addition to the photographs and focus groups, the Riders® Girls team also set up a special web site designed to encourage constant communication and exchange of ideas with the girls. “VF has always used varied and innovative methods to stay in tune with their targeted consumers,” said Strickbine. “The girls report to us on their shopping trips: what they are currently seeking, what they like and what they buy.”
Riders® Girls product lines include jeans, shorts, skorts, skirts and jackets. The majority of the items are denim, featuring specialty finishes, blasting and tinting. Additions this spring include the Ring Zippered Stretch Short, a hipster fit with side vents, and the Denim Lace-up Skort, a boxer style short with a pink faux-leather lace-up front. These pieces combine the style girls want with the affordability and tasteful design moms need.
Together, the Fashion Advisory board and the Riders® Girls team will continue to work together to create styles and trends girls want to see and wear. Game On!
W ith the Superbowl fast approaching, VF Imagewear announced a new way to purchase merchandise and show team spirit. VF Imagewear recently joined the associate online shopping ranks with the mid- November launch of its new e-commerce site. The goal is to provide merchandise access to all VF associates.
VF Imagewear, located in Tampa, Florida, understands the demand for products by associates across the country. “Our goal is to offer our product to all associates so they can have the same benefi ts as associates in Tampa,” said Beth Johnson, brand manager for VF Imagewear.
Product availability from the associate store will start out small. “Due to requests and demand, we are starting with 4 to 6 items for each NFL team,” said Johnson. Additions and changes to the site will be available once it is set up and operational. Associates will also receive wholesale pricing on all items featured on the web site. Specifi c apparel availability will vary at the launch of the site; however, t-shirt and demin shirt choices will be guaranteed.
Product stock will vary according to current sporting seasons. “During football season, we will stock items available in all NFL teams,” said Johnson. “As the seasons change, so will the offerings.”
Inspiration for the associate online store evolved from persistent interest. “We’ve gotten e-mails from associates who have shown an interest,” said Johnson. “We want to continue fulfi lling a need and are committed to getting the best selling items to associates.”
The VF Imagewear associate online store will also feature special event merchandising. For example, fans of teams competing in the Superbowl can place an order for championship merchandise before the game is over. “If their team wins, the item is shipped,” Johnson explained.
“We promoted this program through a mass e-mail to all associates with the link to our site,” said Johnson. “We have also posted our ‘Store’ on VF’s intranet for instant access. Entry into the site will be through a specifi ed and secure link and will be controlled for employee use only.”
For the sports fan in everyone, the VF Imagewear e-commerce site is scoring the game-winning touchdown! The Lifestyle of Sport: The New A5 ™ Line from The North Face®
F or a generation of climbers and athletes who know no boundaries between sport and a way of life, the new A5™ line from The North Face® (www.thenorthface.com) was inspired by the sport of bouldering and the lifestyle surrounding it. The functional cotton apparel is due to hit stores in the spring of 2003.
“For years, our athletes, employees and customers have demanded this kind of apparel from a strong outdoor brand like The North Face®,” explained Michael Schulam director of The North Face® A5™ and Tekware® brands. “We developed this line for the climbers on and off the rock; it’s comfortable, casual and the fi t has been perfected for their active lifestyles.”
Cotton fabrics, casual cuts, functional features and free-spirited designs combine with an urban sensibility to help bridge the gap between work and play.
“Just because my title is ‘Climber,’ I don’t hang out all day in my harness and 3-layer Gore-Tex® jackets,” said Jimmy Chin, a The North Face® climber/skier. “These pants and shirts take me from the rock right into town. I can get a good bouldering session in, dust them off and meet friends for dinner.”
The A5™ series will include shirts, pants, tank tops, shorts, hats, fl ip-fl ops and sandals for active women and men. Specifi c pieces include men’s Rappel Pant, men’s Crag Pant and women’s Corrie Pant; all composed of durable 10-ounce abrasion-resistant cotton canvas. The Rappel Pant features double layer knees while a crotch gusset makes both the Crag and Corrie Pant unique. The women’s Moonlight Camisole and Akira Halter Top feature built-in self bras and a touch of spandex. All are available in a variety of patterns and colors.
Marketing events promoting the launch of the A5™ series will include athlete appearances, distributing products at bouldering competitions and product placement in magazine ads. Much of the target audience will be athlete specifi c. “Most of our marketing efforts will be through grass root events,” said Jill Pagliaro, public relations manager for The North Face® brand. “It’s a very grass roots ‘found’ marketing campaign.”
The A5™ series will also feature a separate line of expedition equipment separate from its A5™ apparel line. The equipment will be designed, developed, manufactured, marketed and sold through The North Face® mountaineer Conrad Anker. His company, Anker Climbing Equipment, will continue to bring innovative design and a new level of engineering to the development of big wall equipment. Anker has been involved in design of The North Face® equipment since 1987. For spring 2003, alongside the A5™ apparel launch, Anker Climbing Equipment will introduce revised single and cabana portaledges and an updated big wall hammer. It’s a Match!
S hopping for kids has met its match. For spring 2003, the Healthtex® brand (www.healthtex.com) is making it easier for kids and parents to buy clothes and get dressed by introducing the new Kid Match™ line of coordinated separates that strives to make matching outfi ts as easy as A, B, C.
“We have used letters of the alphabet to help match up outfi ts in the store and at home,” said Richie Davis, VP of merchandising for Healthtex® apparel. “So now, an A goes with an A and so on.” Garment tags located inside each separate and brightly colored hang tags aid in in-store matching and easy identifi cation.
For busy moms, Kid Match™ clothes can save precious time getting kids ready for school or play. For fathers, the Kid Match™ line means a foolproof way to match outfi ts. The line also makes it easy for kids to dress themselves.
After collecting information from 18 different focus groups in 4 different regions, it was clear that moms everywhere want shopping simplifi ed. The launch of theKid Match™ line will entail point-of- sale marketing for easy accessibility and identifi cation. In-store displays and print ads will also be used to promote the product’s functionality. “Our target customer is the practical mom,” said Davis. “She is practical and knows that price and quality are important.”
Specifi c items in the line include t-shirts, woven shirts, woven bottoms, capris, shorts, skorts and leggings. Fabrics come in a variety of patterns, colors and with varied embellishment. The new Healthtex® Kid Proof™ stain- resistant material will be featured on all apparel except the woven items.
Every line will also have separates marked “A to Z” on its hang tags and garment labels. “These core items are denim or khaki and are designed to coordinate with everything in the collection,” said Davis. In addition, the hang tags on each garment display interesting, educational information. Whether it’s a fun fact about an ant, bee or caterpillar, kids can learn new things while practicing their alphabet.
Key markets for the new Kid Match™ line will include Kohl’s, Sears and Belk department stores. Davis is optimistic that on-the- go moms will identify with the ease of accessibility and functionality that Kid Match™ products will provide. “This will make their lives a lot easier,” he said. Sold!
W rangler® Western Wear (www.wrangler.com), in conjunction with Don Imus and Ty Murray, recently wrapped up a successful auction to benefit children battling cancer. The event, which took place on eBay from October 10-17, featured three pairs of Wrangler® jeans, a Wrangler® jacket, a Wrangler® PRB signature shirt autographed by Ty Murray, and a pair of Wrangler® jeans autographed by both Ty Murray and Don Imus.
The philanthropic auction raised a total of $6,000 from both kids and corporate donations. “We have been talking about doing a charity auction on eBay for a while,” said Allen Montgomery, VP of marketing communications, field marketing for theWrangler ® brand. “We just needed the right catalyst.”
The combination of Wrangler® Western Wear, Don Imus and Ty Murray was an obvious connection. “Don Imus is a big supporter of the Wrangler® Western Wear and his charity, the Imus Ranch for Kids with Cancer, is a very worthy cause,” said Montgomery. “When our endorsee Ty Murray, the ‘King of the Cowboys,’ announced his retirement earlier this summer, we found our catalyst and we ran with it.”
The Imus Ranch, located in Ribera, New Mexico, is designed to provide a true cowboy experience to children suffering from cancer or other serious blood disorders. The ranch also addresses the needs of children who have lost brothers or sisters to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The children are encouraged to embrace a sense of achievement and responsibility through chores with ranch wranglers and by caring for their own horses.
Coverage of the event sparked nation-wide attention. “Ty reaches across demographics and appeals to more than the core Western consumer,” said Montgomery. “He is seen as an iconic athlete in the non- western world as well.” The “Imus in the Morning” show featured talk of the auction on both radio and television. A link to the auction site was provided via the PBR web site and an announcement was also featured on the Wrangler® Western Network. The news has reached an estimated 10.5 million people and generated extensive publicity.
With the success of the first auction,Wrangler ® Western Wear will be actively seeking ways to support the community. “We’re always looking for opportunities to support charitable endeavors,” said Montgomery. “We hope to be able to work with Imus and his Ranch for Kids with Cancer in the future.” Celebrate Your Curves
R eal women with real curves were the inspiration behind the Curvation™ line, a wardrobe of intimate apparel that celebrates a woman’s curves by treating them as assets. In the United States the average woman is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 144 pounds and wears a size 12. Curvation™ lingerie speaks to these women.
The line’s niche in the intimates marketplace will be to speak to the countless curvaceous women who, before now, couldn’t fi nd intimate apparel combining both beauty and function. “These women were frustrated at fi nding functional products that were not beautiful or beautiful products that lacked the support and comfort they require,” said Anne Jardine, VP and general manager of mass private brands.
The new line comes from designers who are no strangers to intimate apparel for women. They fi rst brought theExquisite Form® brand to the public and are now directing their attention to new markets and body types. “We had the expertise to design a wardrobe of intimate apparel that offers beautiful, fi gure enhancing options to celebrate curves, “ said Jardine.
The Curvation™ line will feature several new products including the Minimizer, Uplift, Side Shaper, Back Smoother bras and Tummy Smoother panty. Each item will feature two-ply fabric, built in support, coverage and a smooth fi nish. Sizes will range from 34C to 44DD. The bras have been specifi cally designed to work with a woman’s curves and provide adequate support. Leotard-style backs and adjustable comfort straps will help keep the bra in place all day. Initial color choices include, but are not limited to, pink ice, frosted taupe, pansy blue and white. Additional color selections will follow after the initial launch.
Joining the team of intimate specialists in promoting the new line will be award-winning musician, actress and author Queen Latifah. As the spokesperson for the Curvation™ line, Queen Latifah will be combining her strong and confi dent attitude with a celebration of her own curves.
“Curvation™ lingerie celebrates women and I have always celebrated my curves,” said Queen Latifah. “I am proud to be launching a new brand that embodies the spirit of curvaceous women everywhere.”
Wal-Mart stores will begin exclusively carrying the Curvation™ line in February 2003. “Curvation™ products are the perfect fusion of femininity and function at affordable prices,” said Jardine.