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The readers of this magazine generally haven't been known as dealers in three-piece suits, unless perhaps those three pieces comprise a hunting jacket with matching vest and pants. Their long history of clothing that's a bit more down to earth gives them a leg up (or a sleeve up, if such an expression exists) in outerwear for casual, knocking-around use.
As such, casual outerwear is an enormous category both in terms of importance and the array of silhouettes it encompasses. It ranges from traditional military surplus to commercially manufactured military styles (encompassing everything from peacoats to fashion-tweaked parkas) to work apparel and outdoor/athletic wear.
It's true that the ANSOM reader hardly has this street all to himself or herself.
Chain stores at all price points as well as boutiques, not to mention online merchants, stake a claim for the same turf. However, the army/navy and outdoor store has some distinct advantages.
One is competitive price, while another is product knowledge. Still another is authenticity and credibility. Last but certainly not least, there's utility: the outerwear actually serves a purpose beyond fashion. All of these things matter, particularly to the young adults who drive sales in this category.
Functionality in casual outerwear is especially important because it answers two consumer priorities. One is driven by the weather, which becomes variable and unpredictable during the fall and winter months. Another is an increasing fashionability quotient for outerwear that can be worn across the seasons. Call it another way in which style and function intersect.
Form and function
This dual priority is reflected in some of Columbia Sportswear's fall 2007 offerings, for example. "Rich in accentuating trims and three-in-one systems, our fall 2007 line is broader and more accommodating," according to the Beaverton, Oregon-based manufacturer. "Columbia's leather collection for men is using comfortable leathers to show fall 2007's authentic and rugged look. This basic saddle brown jacket is perfect for any weekend getaway or as an everyday jacket. With an acrylic plaid lining it will keep [the customer] warm, along with the button and zip closure."
On the casual side, Columbia's fall '07 line includes lightweight, microsuede, and faux shearlings. "Adding features such as fleece linings, wool plaids, and light sherpa have helped to expand this collection. Columbia's wool collection for men has shifted to include many interchangeable jackets." To facilitate layering, one style includes a wool outer with a hoodie zip-in layer.
On the distaff side, Columbia's leather collection for women now includes specialty stitching, ruching of the leather, "and of course, the removable fur collar.
Columbia's casual outerwear for women also includes the same rugged, casual microsuede that our men's line has but with a feminine touch. This Aviator fleece lined jacket is a zip front style with an adjustable waist belt and fur trim hood."
Columbia has added a wool collection for women this year. According to the manufacturer, "We've taken the same feminine silhouette used in the leather collection and created a double breasted peacoat with button flap pockets and back waist belt."
Not slaves to fashion
For the ANSOM reader, merchandising casual outerwear doesn't entail bringing in a designer's "fall line" or "spring line" and hoping it sells as well as expected, and facing the prospect of heavy markdowns should those expectations fail to pan out.
What it does entail—along with selecting product from scores of vendors—is staying attuned to the nuances and the fashion potential. Your customers may help you in that determination by coming in and asking for the item; at that point it's a question of whether you have it in stock or are able to bring it in very quickly.
More importantly, you may have a particular item itself in stock, but do you stock it in the appropriate sizes? If tweens are clamoring for a particular outerwear silhouette, it doesn't help if you can only offer it to them in adult sizes, even "small" adult sizes. Similarly, a leather outerwear style may be unisex, but many female customers will be disappointed if it's available to them only in men's small. They may come into the store prepared to buy a true "unisex" style, but may end up leaving without buying anything if they discover that it doesn't fit them properly.
Given the anatomical differences between men and women, the sleeves, chest, and hip measurements are usually different on men's and women's outerwear. That's especially true for leather outerwear, where fit is the name of the game. It may be less of an issue on outerwear that is not designed with some sense of style—a hooded sweatshirt probably is pretty close to unisex.
Since the army/navy store's selection of leather and casual outerwear is going to be geared toward the functional as well as fashionable, there is still the option of emphasizing comfort as well as features (pockets, drawstrings, etc.) for your customers who aren't so interested in appearance.
Practicality can be emphasized in selling fashion-oriented leather outerwear also. Remember that the Army Air Force of 65 years ago send its pilots aloft in leather flight jackets. The Leather Apparel Association provides these factoids about its members' products: "Leather resists tears, punctures, heat and cold. Leather stretches and can mold to fit you, yet retains sufficient shape to provide support. Leather is breathable and can actually wick away moisture."
And with a nod to the concerns of animal-rights activists, the association says, "Garment leather is a by-product of farming and human food production. The skins in leather garments bought in the U.S. do not come from animals killed just for their hides. No endangered species are ever used."
Durable or no, leather goods need proper care and storage to keep looking as good as they feel. For your store, this can means some add-on sales in the form of leather care products, but also advice such as these tips from the Leather Apparel Association: "In winter, promptly remove salt deposits from garments and footwear by sponging with clear water; follow with the above treatment for wet or damp leather. Avoid very humid and dry environments as well as direct sunlight. Do not use waxes, silicone products or other leather preparations that will impair a garments' ability to breathe."
author: BY PAUL BUBNY