Talented Blonde’s Favorite Mall Rat Picks for May Comps

Ok- same store sales are looming. Talented Blonde took a break from the sun this weekend (ok, ok, I know its bad for you, but I just look better with a tan!) and made a trip to the Mall. Now, mind you, Talented Blonde has warned you that May comps will be devastating. Weather; no clear fashion trend; ripping gas prices, all these will add up to mixed results at best. Now, for the winners and losers-here are some names I’m obsessed with, and a few who simply need to BEAT IT!

I’m Obsessed!
J Crew (JCG)
Guess? (GES)
Crocs (CROX)
Nordstrom (JWN)
Zumiez (ZUMZ)

Beat it!
Gap (GPS)
Chico’s (CHS)
Delia’s (DLIA)
Hot Topic (HOTT)
Bebe (bebe)

JCG: We promise we won’t laugh at your headbands. This company has tapped in to the Adult Prep Lifestyle—and their kids to boot! Also, extremely adept at identifying profitable new market segments and then executing on them. Crewcuts, Bridal, Dresses, JCrew at the Beach. This company knows their customer, seeks them out, and delivers.

GES: Ok—they may be crazy Frenchmen, but man, can they dress teen girls. Guess consistently delivers body-conscious fashion that is sexy, but never raunchy. (Hard to find in the Mall these days ladies-am I right?) In addition to brilliantly executing on all cylinders (fashion, margin expansion, inventory flow, etc.) Guess is brilliant about managing their European business. They leave them alone! The European design team does their thing, for their customer and the results speak for themselves. Bravo!

CROX-Ah yes . . .the stock everyone loves to hate. Ok, I’ll admit it. They’re hideous. I have made fun of these shoes since the day they came out. Boy was I wrong. At approx. $30 bucks a pair, I bought three, just to feel like I wasn’t robbing the joint. I haven’t paid less than a hundo for a pair of shoes in like . . .forever! Moreover they are comfortable! OMG I am OBSESSED! Kids love them because they can take them on and off at will by themselves! Parents love them: no Velcro, no laces, and no buckles! Fat people love them. Gardeners love them. Nurses Love them. Chefs love them. Ok—so they’re made from the dregs of Petroleum sludge. . . who CARES? EVERYONE LOVES THE CROCS! This is where I find this stock unique-they created a niche market for themselves: a multipurpose shoe that multitudes of demographics NEED to HAVE. And that is the key people—something I need in my closet that I don’t already HAVE. And—to make the Crocs people even MORE brilliant . . .they bought this crazy little company called Jibbitz. Jibbitz are little charms that you can stick into the holes in your Crocs and . . . personalize them. Think about it as a charm bracelet for your shoes. FANCY! At $2.50 a pop—parents are handing over their wallets. Brilliant.

JWN: Come on . . .if you want to play consumer luxury at the Mall, look no further than Nordi’s. Solid management, superbly edited product mix, and one of the last bastions of customer service. We likey. If I need to explain further, this is the wrong blog for you.

ZUMZ: Although some might say that the surf lifestyle has become oversaturated, one can’t help but notice that Zumiez is one of the few differentiated concepts in the Mall today. Part destination-like the random TV room in your basement, complete with sketch couch-and part boarder/skate rat shop. Mix in some graphic T’s and board shorts, footwear and shades and poof! You’ve got a fresh new concept on your hands! Talented Blonde thinks Zumiez is interesting in that they have managed to keep the surfer “street cred” and authenticity, even in a sea of Mall mediocrity. A VERY slippery slope . . .but somehow they pull it off.
I’ll rant on the losers shortly . . .

Filed by admin at June 5th, 2007 under teen retail, love it, fashion