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Let’s face it. Shopping is entertainment for many customers. In that spirit, it is no surprise that Dillard’s fashion management unveiled an exclusive dress collection from New York designers Alex and Michael Toccin. The husband-and-wife team designed a new brand line, LTD, which will be sold initially only in about 100 of the 279 Dillard’s stores.
The styles were inspired by the 1960s and 1990. They are especially youthful, come in vibrant colors, and have a sense of joy according to one observer. LTD’s retail price range is from $130 to $229, with an average price of $199. The look is said to appeal to all ages, and the line will be available in sizes 0 to 14.
Alexandra Dillard, vice president of merchandising said, “we have not seen a lot of newness, brands or lines emerge in the market for quite some time, and it’s exciting to see someone stepping out and trying something new and different.” She added, “I love what they are doing with their line,” according to WWD.
I agree that during the pandemic caused by COVID-19 most retailers have tried to keep a lid on new fashion brands and focused on tight inventory control. The customer is loath to shop in shopping centers and in stores. She is afraid to catch a virus, and as a result stores have been ultra-conservative when it comes to adding new fashion lines. Yet, the new offerings lift Dillard’s fashion image and give customers a reason to come shop and find something fresh. A recent survey says that 51% of the customers miss “going shopping” as a way to socialize, so the opportunity to find new styles may encourage customers to do socialize in this way again.
The counter-point is that we are seeing a decline of mall shopping. According to a report by Future Commerce, 75% of consumers would rather interact with people in a park than in a mall. That report sends a terrible warning, but I have been assured that mall operators have added better ventilation and improved sanitation in all shopping centers to ensure compliance with local ordinances. Now, customers must be convinced that such efforts make a mall visit safe and worth doing. New offerings will certainly add enticement. However, young brands often need time to develop their own following, as management of Dillard’s will again find out.
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The LTD dress collection is a new line by the Toccins who have been in the fashion business for about 10 years. Michael Toccin worked for Oscar de la Renta, Zac Posen, and KaufmanFranco while Alex Toccin worked for Ralph Lauren and Theory after both graduated from Parsons School of Design. Together, they created a digital site, Styles by T and, then in September 2019 created Toccin NY. Their Toccin brand dress collection is in Saks Fifth Ave. and Neiman Marcus. It is also in smaller specialty stores; the price range for these dresses is from $325 to $695.
The Toccins say they will deliver 6 to 8 new styles every month for 10 months for Dillard’s. That is good; customers can come to Dillard’s stores every month to see “what is new” and also possibly pick up some markdowns from a previous period. By the way, I found out that LTD stands for the Toccin’s daughter, Liv Dakota Toccin.
In this stressful year, I think that Dillard’s management made a bold move that will have wide customer appeal. We will be watching the results. Dillard’s will announce their year-end sales and earnings results at the end of February.
The Link LonkFebruary 01, 2021 at 07:10PM
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Dillard’s Unveils Exclusive Dress Line - Forbes
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