Falling dollar brings classic pieces
Lindsay Mueller
Issue date: 5/13/08 Section: Styles
April showers bring May flowers ... and trench coats? Yes, this spring, women are snapping up the classic trench and its modern offspring, jewel-toned trenches and coats with cropped hemlines.
And the rise of the trench and other sartorial classics might not just be due to the rainy weather.
"I personally think that when our economy dips like it is now, people revert back to classic pieces, Chanel-type pieces. History always repeats itself," said Devin VanderMaas, a junior at NYU and editor-in-chief of NYChic, NYU's fashion magazine.
VanderMaas said that it makes sense to buy wardrobe staples when the market falters because these items are investments.
"They might be a little more expensive, but you'll have them for decades," she said.
Upscale department stores are tuned into the trend.
"Everyone is doing trenches, but designers are still trying to be playful within a classic silhouette," said Michael Palladino, director of client services at Henri Bendel and adjunct professor at the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, a university for students pursuing careers in fashion business. Palladino said that another reason women are crazy about trenches this season is because they transition seamlessly from day to night.
"Gryphon [a designer] has devised a day-to-evening look with wrinkled cotton and a double belt. If you change the belt, it can double as an evening coat," he said.
Palladino said that there are historic and stylistic parallels between the roaring 1920s and the 1990s, and subsequently the Great Depression of the 1930s and today.
"We're really living in the same time [30s]. Fashion is definitely a reflection of the time we're living in. If you look at today's fashion trends, the country's economic state will be reflected in that," he said.
In the same vein, Christina Rossetti, sociological research assistant at James Madison University, said, "Clothing defines the age, the time and the beliefs of the people. In a recession, people are bound to be more conservative to save money, but they still want to keep up with the trends of the times."
And women still want to cling to opulence and whimsy, even if it means shopping at less expensive stores, said Suze Yalof Schwartz, senior fashion editor at Glamour.
"Women are still feeling the classics. The trench will never go away, but it is being decorated with colors," she said. "Girls are buying clothes from cheaper lines like H&M and Sarah Jessica Parker's line, Bitten."
A survey of Affluence and Wealth in America released by American Express Publishing Corp. and Harrison Group reveals that even the nation's top-tier consumers, defined as the 12 million people who have at least $352 thousand of discretionary household income, "cope with uncertain times through savvy shopping." According to the survey, these consumers are using the internet to compare prices online, a technique that could save families $100,000 or more.
Mark Lundeen, senior fashion editor at Neiman Marcus, finds that his clients, who he defined as the top 5 percent of America's richest consumers, still want to make a splash this spring, even in the face of a recession.
"My customers will probably buy one piece instead of three. It's usually historically how the market goes," Lundeen said.
"Trenches always have a good, classic body and can be seen on any runway every season," Lundeen said. "The recession is affecting the way his customers are spending money. I think everyone is going to be a lot more price conscious."
Palladino said that his clients at Bendel who normally spend $10,000 on a new spring wardrobe were spending $2,000 this season.
"They have to scale back too," he said.
Lindsay Mueller is a contributing writer. E-mail her at etcetera@nyunews.com.
And the rise of the trench and other sartorial classics might not just be due to the rainy weather.
"I personally think that when our economy dips like it is now, people revert back to classic pieces, Chanel-type pieces. History always repeats itself," said Devin VanderMaas, a junior at NYU and editor-in-chief of NYChic, NYU's fashion magazine.
VanderMaas said that it makes sense to buy wardrobe staples when the market falters because these items are investments.
"They might be a little more expensive, but you'll have them for decades," she said.
Upscale department stores are tuned into the trend.
"Everyone is doing trenches, but designers are still trying to be playful within a classic silhouette," said Michael Palladino, director of client services at Henri Bendel and adjunct professor at the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising, a university for students pursuing careers in fashion business. Palladino said that another reason women are crazy about trenches this season is because they transition seamlessly from day to night.
"Gryphon [a designer] has devised a day-to-evening look with wrinkled cotton and a double belt. If you change the belt, it can double as an evening coat," he said.
Palladino said that there are historic and stylistic parallels between the roaring 1920s and the 1990s, and subsequently the Great Depression of the 1930s and today.
"We're really living in the same time [30s]. Fashion is definitely a reflection of the time we're living in. If you look at today's fashion trends, the country's economic state will be reflected in that," he said.
In the same vein, Christina Rossetti, sociological research assistant at James Madison University, said, "Clothing defines the age, the time and the beliefs of the people. In a recession, people are bound to be more conservative to save money, but they still want to keep up with the trends of the times."
And women still want to cling to opulence and whimsy, even if it means shopping at less expensive stores, said Suze Yalof Schwartz, senior fashion editor at Glamour.
"Women are still feeling the classics. The trench will never go away, but it is being decorated with colors," she said. "Girls are buying clothes from cheaper lines like H&M and Sarah Jessica Parker's line, Bitten."
A survey of Affluence and Wealth in America released by American Express Publishing Corp. and Harrison Group reveals that even the nation's top-tier consumers, defined as the 12 million people who have at least $352 thousand of discretionary household income, "cope with uncertain times through savvy shopping." According to the survey, these consumers are using the internet to compare prices online, a technique that could save families $100,000 or more.
Mark Lundeen, senior fashion editor at Neiman Marcus, finds that his clients, who he defined as the top 5 percent of America's richest consumers, still want to make a splash this spring, even in the face of a recession.
"My customers will probably buy one piece instead of three. It's usually historically how the market goes," Lundeen said.
"Trenches always have a good, classic body and can be seen on any runway every season," Lundeen said. "The recession is affecting the way his customers are spending money. I think everyone is going to be a lot more price conscious."
Palladino said that his clients at Bendel who normally spend $10,000 on a new spring wardrobe were spending $2,000 this season.
"They have to scale back too," he said.
Lindsay Mueller is a contributing writer. E-mail her at etcetera@nyunews.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Aaron Kellner
posted 5/14/08 @ 12:14 AM EST
I LOVE this story. I'm going to go buy a trench right now, cause the economy sucks!
Good Fitness
posted 5/15/08 @ 11:08 PM EST
Another way to save money and get great items is to buy slightly used items. You can go to consignment shops, ebay or craigslist. This is better for the environment than buying new items. (Continued…)
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