What's New with Women's Apparel

May 2005

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	•	Behind the Scenes Bring on the challenges, says Danielle Torres, Director of International Sourcing for Dard Products. Click here for story.


	•	New Product Spotlight – Message in a Bottle Tiny sea shells and sand makes these keepsakes authentic. Click here for offer.

	•	The Sales Strategist Here are tips for business planning, from revenue to vacation time. Click here for story.

	•	Work the Buying Chain Here’s a market you may have overlooked along with ideas for tapping into it. Click here for story.

	•	Radio Advertising What you need to know about arranging to broadcast your services. Click here for story.

	•	Office Space and Productivity Need more room or a more upscale image? Shared space may be the answer. Click here for story.

	•	Don’t Shy Away From Surveys Ideas for gathering the data you need to keep moving your business forward. Click here for story.

What’s New with Women’s Apparel

If you don’t do a ton of wearables business, it stands to reason that you might not be up-to-speed on how the product category has changed in recent years. One area that is dramatically different is women’s apparel. Take a look! This overview should make you feel more comfortable proposing wearables regardless of your target audience.

Then Vs. Now: If you're new to the trade, you might not realize it, but there was a time when women's styles were practically identical to men's. "At first, we simply reversed the placket and made the body smaller," reports Gina Barreca, Vantage Apparel Marketing Director. "In the early years we offered 100 styles of apparel, with only 8 for women. Today, you'll find about 60 styles for women. Plus, we now design women's pieces with more feminine silhouettes and styling details. All of the styles complement men's garments for a consistent look but they do well as standalone items, too."

A New Shape for Women: Tell your clients and prospects that a more feminine, tapered silhouette is now available. "We conducted extensive research and many fit sessions with women in varied sizes," assures Barreca. "The result is a new silhouette that is both comfortable and flattering."

Today’s Trends: According to the Vantage Marketing Report (VMR), there’s plenty to keep your eye on – from 3/4-length sleeve and long narrow plackets to zip necks, handcrafted fabrics (crochet, cutwork and appliqués), novelty yarns and preppie polos (they’re back!).

The next time you’re thinking about proposing apparel to a prospect or client, be sure to point out that with today’s fabrics, colors and styles, the women will feel as comfortable in their attire as the men.

For more information about Women’s Apparel, visit www.vantageapparel.com or call Vantage Apparel at 800-221-0020.